Dolphins Cut Mark Walton
The Dolphins are moving on from running back Mark Walton, they announced on Twitter. Walton was apparently involved in another as of yet undisclosed legal incident.
“We were made aware of a police matter earlier this morning regarding Mark Walton. We hold our players to a high standard and take these matters very seriously. We will have no further comment at this time,” GM Chris Grier said in a brief statement. Walton has had a ton of off-field issues during his short career, so this isn’t the most shocking news. Walton was recently suspended four games for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.
Walton had been arrested three times in a span of just a few months earlier this year, which ultimately led to the suspension. The Dolphins issued a statement sticking by him and saying he’d be welcomed back to the team after serving the suspension, but obviously something new happened while he was away from the franchise. Walton was drafted in the fourth-round by the Bengals back in 2018, but was cut after just one season in Cincinnati following his arrests.
The former University of Miami star came home to play for the Dolphins, and looked pretty good. He started to get more and more touches, and was for a brief period the undisputed starter after they traded away Kenyan Drake. Walton will likely get another shot from someone depending on how serious this new issue is, but he might have to wait until 2020. He still has two games left on his suspension. Second-year player Kalen Ballage will continue to filling in as the starter, with rookies Patrick Laird and Myles Gaskin filling in behind him. Ballage has struggled mightily, so he might start to lose playing time soon.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/19
Today’s practice squad updates:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Amara Darboh, WR Quadree Henderson, RB Ralph Webb
- Released: LB Sutton Smith, WR Terry Wright
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Matt Sokol
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: DT Terry Beckner
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/19
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Charles Jones
- Placed on IR: DE Lerentee McCray, TE Josh Oliver
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: OL Spencer Drango
- Waived: LS Matt Overton
Raiders To Sign LB Preston Brown
Less than a week after the Bengals cut Preston Brown, the veteran linebacker has a new team. The Raiders will sign Brown, Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. It’s a one-year deal for Brown, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.
To make room on their roster, the Raiders will place return man Dwayne Harris on IR, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter). Harris has missed most of this season, playing only three games. The former Cowboys and Giants specialist has missed the past three Oakland games with an ankle injury.
A sixth-year vet, Brown has started 77 of the 80 games in which he’s played in the NFL. He started 15 games for the Bengals over the past two years. Although Brown spent time in Cincinnati, his and Raiders DC Paul Guenther‘s Bengals tenures did not overlap. Another opportunity will nonetheless emerge for Brown, a third-round pick in 2014.
The Bengals gave Brown one-year deals in 2018 and ’19, doing so after Brown spent most of his four-year Bills career as a starting inside linebacker. Coming after a Saturday workout, Brown’s agreement continues the Raiders’ investments in veteran off-ball ‘backers. They have signed Vontaze Burfict, Brandon Marshall (twice) and Will Compton this year. Compton has played just 17 defensive snaps this season; the Raiders have primarily used Tahir Whitehead and Nicholas Morrow at linebacker since Burfict’s suspension.
Oakland added Harris last year, which ended up including an unusual 99-yard punt-return touchdown against Denver. This will end his age-32 season.
Texans To Cut T Seantrel Henderson
Seantrel Henderson‘s Texans tenure did not end up going as planned, and the team ended the run on Monday. The Texans cut the veteran tackle from its NFI list, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Henderson played in four games this season but has spent most of the year on Houston’s NFI list due to a back injury. Despite Henderson missing 15 games last season, the Texans re-signed him to a one-year, $1.5MM deal.
The Texans made significant investments at tackle since, though, and now use Laremy Tunsil and first-round pick Tytus Howard at those spots. Henderson ended up being active for just five games during his two-year Texans tenure. This season, though, Henderson started one game and only played one offensive snap in his final three Texans contests. An ankle malady ended his 2018 season early.
Despite being a seventh-round pick, the 27-year-old blocker has enjoyed a lengthy NFL career. The Miami alum started 26 games during his first two seasons with the Bills before being used as a depth piece from 2016-17. He could represent a depth piece for an offensive line-needy team to close out this season.
Jaguars Sign TE Nick O’Leary
The Jaguars have signed veteran tight end Nick O’Leary, as his agency, SportsTrust Advisors, announced (Twitter link). O’Leary was cut by the Dolphins at the end of October.
Jacksonville hasn’t had much luck with its TE group this year, as both James O’Shaughnessy and Geoff Swaim have landed on IR. Though he played in only five games for the Jags, O’Shaughnessy still leads the club’s tight ends in receptions (14), receiving yards (153), and touchdowns (two).
Third-round rookie Josh Oliver got the first start of his career in Sunday’s loss to the Colts, but as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, Oliver suffered small fractures in his back during the game and could miss the remainder of the season. Plus, Seth DeValve sat out the Indianapolis game due to an oblique injury, leaving Ben Koyack as the only healthy TE on the roster prior to the O’Leary signing.
O’Leary, 27, was selected by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. He spent the first three seasons of his career with Buffalo, including a 2017 campaign where he hauled in a career-high 22 receptions for 322 yards and two touchdowns. The Bills cut him at the end of the 2018 preseason and he caught on with the Dolphins’ practice squad before being promoted to Miami’s 53-man roster. The Dolphins liked him enough to sign him to a one-year extension last December, but an ill-timed drop in the team’s Week 8 loss to the Steelers this year led to his ouster from South Beach.
In his career, O’Leary has played in 54 games (21 starts) and has 44 catches for 596 yards and three TDs.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/16/19
One practice squad move to report:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: P Matt Wile
Lions punter Sam Martin is listed as questionable for their game against the Cowboys, necessitating this move. Wile spent all of last season as the Vikings’ punter.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted from practice squad: S Josh Jones
- Placed on IR: OL Adam Redmond
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Bo Scarbrough
- Waived: RB Paul Perkins
Washington Redskins
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Cam Sims
Steelers To Sign WR Deon Cain Off Colts’ Practice Squad
Prior to Thursday night’s ugly conclusion in Cleveland, the Steelers lost multiple wide receivers to injuries. They will respond by adding wideout Deon Cain from the Colts’ practice squad, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson — Pittsburgh’s Nos. 1-2 wideouts this season — suffered concussions during the Week 11 loss to the Browns. The Steelers will add Cain, whom the Colts recently viewed as a player who could be a reliable target.
The Colts cut Cain last week but were able to pass him through waivers and onto their practice squad. They opted not to promote him again and will see him head to Pittsburgh. Indianapolis drafted Cain in the sixth round out of Clemson in 2018 and were pleased with his early development, but an ACL tear during his initial training camp threw that development off course. This season, Cain could not gain a foothold in Indianapolis’ depleted receiving corps, catching just four passes for 52 yards in seven games.
Down James Conner again, the Steelers also signed running back Kerrith Whyte Jr. off the Bears’ practice squad. Chicago drafted White in the seventh round this year. They will make room for these additions with cuts of edge defender Jayrone Elliott and running back Tony Brooks-James.
Jets To Place Ryan Kalil On IR
More changes for the Jets’ starting offensive line. Signed out of retirement, Ryan Kalil will finish this season on IR, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Jets will promote offensive lineman Leo Koloamatangi to their active roster to replace the longtime center. A knee injury will end Kalil’s season and perhaps send him back to retirement. Kalil had started seven Jets games this season, but that knee malady had kept him out since Week 8. Pro Football Focus graded Kalil as its No. 33 center (out of 34 qualified snappers) this season.
This marks more turnover for the Jets’ front. The team will start a different right guard Sunday, after Brian Winters‘ injury, and has already experienced turnover at every other spot on its line. New York had already started multiple players at left tackle, left guard and right tackle this season. Of Gang Green’s Week 11 starters, only left tackle Kelvin Beachum was present in the Week 1 lineup.
Jonotthan Harrison is next in line to start at center, as he did for much of last season with the Jets. Harrison re-signed this offseason, but after Joe Douglas took the GM reins from Mike Maccagnan, the team lured Kalil out of retirement with a one-year, $8.4MM deal. Harrison has started the past two Jets games.
Kalil, 34, started 145 games for the Panthers from 2007-18. The former second-round pick made five Pro Bowl rosters and ended two seasons as a first-team All-Pro.