Redskins Place Trent Williams On NFI List
The Redskins have placed offensive tackle Trent Williams on the non-football injury list, the club announced today. Now that he’s on NFI, Williams is out for the rest of the season.
Williams reported to Washington in late October following a season-long holdout, but he couldn’t pass his physical after reporting pain while wearing his helmet. The Redskins were reportedly attempting to find Williams a more comfortable helmet, but were apparently unable to do so.
Of course, Williams’ issues with his helmet involves a serious backstory. Williams underwent surgery during the offseason to remove a growth from his head that turned out to be cancerous. The 31-year-old first noticed the growth in 2013, but he says Redskins doctors told him the issue was not severe. However, he’s since been diagnosed with Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP), a “soft tissue sarcoma that develops in the deep layers of the skin.”
Williams’ contract is not expected to toll as a result of his being placed on NFI, meaning he’ll be under contract for one more season at a base salary of $12.5MM. The Redskins failed to trade Williams in advance of last month’s deadline, but could reportedly consider moving him in a deal this offseason.
Players on the NFI list aren’t technically required to be paid by their clubs. If Washington opts not to pay Williams, the veteran tackle would likely file a grievance against the team, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, opening an entirely new battle between the Redskins and their offensive line stalwart.
49ers To Sign K Chase McLaughlin
49ers kicker Robbie Gould suffered a strained quad that could sideline for him Monday night’s game against the Seahawks, so San Francisco is signing fellow kicker Chase McLaughlin, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Gould’s injury is not long-term in nature, per RapSheet, but it could affect his availability for Week 10.
Gould, 36, posted arguably the best season of his career in 2018, converting a league-leading 97.1% of his field goal attempts. He made both of his attempts from 50+ yards, and missed only two extra points. Tagged as a franchise player before agreeing to a four-year extension, Gould’s production has declined this year, as he’s already missed seven field goal attempts in 20 tries.
McLaughlin, meanwhile, is an undrafted rookie free agent who spent time with the Bills before serving as the Chargers’ kicker for the month of October. Playing in relief of the injured Michael Badgley, McLaughlin made six-of-nine field goal attempts and converted all seven of his extra point tries.
Redskins Activate RB Derruis Guice
The Redskins have formally activated running back Derrius Guice from injured reserve, the club announced today. The move had been fully expected after Washington waived fellow running back Craig Reynolds earlier this week in order to open a roster spot for Guice.
Injuries have defined the early portion of Guice’s NFL career after the Redskins selected him with the 49th overall selection in the 2018 draft. Expected to serve as Washington’s bellcow during his rookie campaign, Guice suffered a torn ACL in May, ending his year before it began. The LSU product made his Redskins debut in Week 1 of the 2019 season, but tore his meniscus and was subsequently placed on injured reserve.
Like all players designated to return from IR, Guice was required to miss at least eight games. He returned to practice in late October, opening a three-week window during which Washington needed to either add him to the 53-man roster or keep him on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Guice will officially return to action when the Redskins return from their bye to play the Jets in Week 11.
With Guice sidelined, veteran Adrian Peterson has taken over as Washington’s starting running back, averaging 19 carries for 96 yards over the club’s last four games. Guice will surely take over some of that workload, but it’s unclear just how involved he’ll be in the Redskins offense, at least initially.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/19
Today’s minor moves:
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (Seahawks): WR Gary Jennings
New York Jets
- Claimed off waivers (Ravens): CB Maurice Canady
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: DE Kahzin Daniels
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/6/19
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: RB Byron Marshall
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Tyrel Dodson
- Released: DE Wyatt Ray
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Bo Scarbrough, P Matt Wile
- Released: LB Anthony Pittman
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DE Chuck Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Alize Mack
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Cameron Smith
New York Jets
- Signed: OL James Murray
Pittsburgh Steelers
- LB Sutton Smith
Vikings Claim Andrew Sendejo
The Vikings claimed safety Andrew Sendejo off waivers from the Eagles, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a reunion for the vet and the Vikes – Sendejo spent eight seasons in Minnesota up until this year. 
The Vikings had the opportunity to keep Sendejo through 2019, but they elected to put him on the free agent pile by waiving his option. He would have earned $5.5MM had he stayed. Instead, the Vikings dropped that entire number from the cap and set the wheels in motion for him to sign a one year deal with Philly.
Now, he’s back, but at a much lower rate. He’ll have his first chance to don purple again on Sunday, when the Vikings take on the Cowboys.
Cardinals Activate Max Garcia, Cut Zach Brown
The Cardinals have announced a series of roster moves including the activation of guard Max Garcia from the physically unable to perform list. Arizona has also placed defensive tackle Clinton McDonald on injured reserve and released linebacker Zach Brown.
Garcia, a fourth-round pick of the Broncos in 2015, signed with the Cardinals this offseason while still recovering from an ACL tear. A regular starter during his time with Denver, Garcia is expected to become a reserve for Arizona. Per the club, Garcia will likely act as the Cardinals’ top backup interior lineman on Sunday.
McDonald, 32, is now in the midst of his ninth NFL campaign. The Memphis product spent time with the Bengals, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Broncos, and Raiders before landing with the Cardinals this offseason. McDonald had appeared in every game for Arizona this year, typically playing 20% of the club’s defensive snaps. He’s going on IR with a neck injury.
Arizona had just signed Brown last week to add depth to its linebacker unit, but he’s already out of a job. Brown inked a one-year, $3MM deal with the Eagles in May after being released by the Redskins in March, but was cut after six games in Philadelphia.
Eagles To Sign WR Jordan Matthews
The Eagles have agreed to sign wide receiver Jordan Matthews after working him out on Tuesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Matthews began his career in Philadelphia after entering the league as a second-round pick in 2014. The Vanderbilt product went on to post the best three seasons of his NFL tenure, averaging 75 receptions, 891 yards, and six scores per year. The Eagles shipped Matthews to the Bills as part of the Ronald Darby trade in advance of the 2017 campaign, and he’s bounced around ever since.
Matthews landed with the Patriots in 2018, but he was released with a settlement after suffering a knee injury. The now-27-year-old then started his second stint in Philadelphia, but played sparingly and managed only 20 receptions for 300 yards. This year, Matthews has already had two stints with the 49ers, and was most recently released in late October.
The Eagles’ offense has struggled since losing DeSean Jackson in Week 1; Jackson was just placed on injured reserve, so he won’t be returning this season. Matthews certainly isn’t a like-for-like replacement, as he’s hardly a downfield threat like Jackson. But Matthews can offer a familiarity with Philadelphia’s offense while likely seeing time in the slot.
Packers Activate S Ibraheim Campbell
The Packers have activated defensive back Ibraheim Campbell from the physically unable to perform list, the club announced.
Campbell originally joined Green Bay’s roster last November when the Packers claimed him off waivers shortly after trading fellow safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to the Redskins. Unfortunately, Campbell’s season ended roughly a month later when he suffered a torn ACL. Green Bay re-signed him in August 2019, but he spent the first nine weeks of the year on PUP while recovering from his knee injury.
Now 27 years old, Campbell entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Browns in 2015. A part-time starter during his time in Cleveland, Campbell has since bounced around the league, seeing action with the Texans, Cowboys, and Jets over the past two-plus seasons.
The Packers already have three capable safeties in Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, and Will Redmond, meaning Campbell will likely see most of his time on special teams. He’s played at least 40% of his club’s special teams snaps in six of his seven NFL seasons.
Bills Sign DT Corey Liuget
The Bills have signed veteran defensive tackle Corey Liuget after working him out on Tuesday, the club announced. In a corresponding roster move, Buffalo has placed linebacker Maurice Alexander on injured reserve.
Liuget, 29, signed a fully guaranteed, $1MM deal with the Raiders in August, but only lasted two months in Oakland before getting cut in late October. The former first-round pick didn’t appear in a game for the Raiders until Week 4, and then played on fewer than 50 defensive snaps over the course of three contests, posting three tackles and one quarterback hit during that time.
Liuget, of course, spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Chargers after entering the league in 2011. Typically a consistent producer, Liuget suffered multiple setbacks in a 2018 campaign that couldn’t have gone much worse. A suspension, pay cut, and season-ending knee injury littered what became a lost season and Liuget was released by Los Angeles in February.
Now in Buffalo, Liuget will join a defensive tackle depth chart that already includes Star Lotulelei, Jordan Phillips, Ed Oliver, and Vincent Taylor. Liuget will likely play in a reserve, run-stuffing role for the time being, but there’s always a chance he could absorb a larger role as the season progresses.