Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Darrell Daniels
- Waived: OL Jeremy Vujnovich
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: OL John Wetzel
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR via injury settlement: G Blake Blackmar
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Marvin Hall
- Waived: WR Chris Lacy
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Greg Ward
- Placed on IR: T Jordan Mailata
Patriots Promote FB Jakob Johnson
With James Develin set to miss tomorrow’s division matchup against the Jets, the Patriots have promoted another fullback. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com writes that New England has elevated Jakob Johnson to the active roster. The team had an open roster spot following yesterday’s release of Antonio Brown.
Hailing from Stuttgart, Germany, Johnson spent two years on the U19 team for the Stuttgart Scorpions of the German Football League. He moved to Florida for his senior year of high school, and he later played several seasons for the Tennessee Volunteers football program. He decided to return to the Scorpions for the 2018 campaign.
This past offseason, Johnson was signed as an undrafted free agent via the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. He was released at the end of the preseason, but he quickly joined the Patriots practice squad.
Develin sat out three practices this week as he dealt with an upper back and neck injury. He’s currently considered week-to-week.
Packers Place OL Lane Taylor On IR
Lane Taylor is out for at least the next eight games. The Packers announced that they have placed the starting offensive guard on the injured reserve with a biceps injury.
Taylor, a former undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State, started 45 games for the Packers between the 2016 and 2018 seasons. He started the first two games of 2019 at left guard before suffering the biceps injury during last weekend’s win over the Vikings. The 29-year-old will be eligible to return to the field in late November.
With Taylor sidelined, the Packers will now turn to rookie Elgton Jenkins. The rookie second-rounder out of Mississippi State saw only a pair of snaps during the season opener, but he garnered 21 snaps in Week 2. If the rookie struggles, the Packers could also turn to versatile lineman Alex Light.
In a corresponding move, the Packers signed offensive lineman Adam Pankey off the Titans practice squad. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound was signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He appeared in one game as a rookie before moving on to the Titans practice squad.
Browns Place LB Christian Kirksey On IR
Browns captain Christian Kirksey is heading to the injured reserve. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports (via Twitter) that the starting linebacker will be placed on the IR with a chest injury. The team has promoted linebacker Willie Harvey Jr. in a corresponding move.
We learned earlier today that Kirksey was seeking opinions on his chest injury. Cabot writes that the 27-year-old was hurt during Monday night’s win over the Jets. The ailment will keep Kirksey sidelined for at least eight games, although Cabot writes that if the torn pectoral muscle requires surgery, he could be done for the season.
The 2014 third-round has spent his entire career with the Browns, and he averaged 143 tackles per season between 2016 and 2017 (leading to a four-year, $38MM extension). Kirksey was limited to only seven games in 2018 as he dealt with a hamstring injury. In two games this season, he’s compiled 11 total tackles.
Fifth-round rookie Mack Wilson will likely slide into the starting lineup in place of Kirksey. The team could also turn to backups Malik Jefferson, Sione Takitaki, or Harvey Jr..
Browns Promote LB Willie Harvey Jr.
Willie Harvey Jr. has been promoted to the NFL. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Browns have elevated the rookie linebacker from the practice squad.
The 23-year-old had a standout career at Iowa State, and some pundits projected the linebacker to be a late-round pick. However, Harvey Jr. ended up going undrafted in the 2019 draft, and he subsequently caught on with Cleveland.
The 230-pound defender had a solid preseason for the Browns, compiling 10 tackles and one pass defended, but he was waived by the team in late August. He quickly caught on with Cleveland’s practice squad.
Browns starting linebacker Christian Kirksey is seeking opinions on a torn bicep, and he’s already been ruled out for this weekend’s game against the Rams. While one of Malik Jefferson, Sione Takitaki, or Mack Wilson will likely get the first crack at the starting gig, Harvey Jr. could find himself making his NFL debut tomorrow night.
Falcons To Promote P Matt Wile
The Falcons will have a new punter in Week 3. Shortly after signing Matt Wile to their practice squad, the Falcons will elevate him to their active roster.
With Matt Bosher declared out with a groin injury, Atlanta’s roster will carry two punters for the time being. Wile is set to handle the team’s punting and kickoff duties in Indianapolis and may be in line to stay in those roles for as long as Bosher is sidelined.
This will mark Wile’s second game as a Falcon, however. His first NFL game was a November 2016 assignment with the Falcons, when he also replaced Bosher. The latter has been Atlanta’s full-time punter since the 2011 season.
The Vikings waived Wile days before the regular season, opting to sign veteran Britton Colquitt. Wile was Minnesota’s punter for 16 games last season; he finished 14th in 2018 yards per punt (45.2).
49ers Sign Sam Young
The 49ers signed tackle Sam Young to a one-year deal, per a club announcement. In a corresponding move, they have placed wide receiver Trent Taylor on injured reserve.
Young, 32, worked out for SF earlier this week. Prior to that, he also showed his stuff for his old squad, the Dolphins. The Niners, arguably, didn’t need to see Young audition this time around after having him in camp this summer. But, after checking his back, knees, tonsils, mobility, and whatever else, they’re happily welcoming him back.
Taylor, a fifth-round selection from Louisiana Tech in 2017, flashed potential as a rookie by logging 43 receptions for 430 yards. The Niners were hoping that he could make a return this season following August foot surgery, but that might not be in the cards at this point. At minimum, the Niners won’t be seeing him for another two months.
Browns Place TE David Njoku On IR
The Browns have placed tight end David Njoku on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. Njoku suffered a broken wrist in Monday night’s win over the Jets and doctors have determined that he will need a good amount of time to recover. 
Because Njoku will not have surgery, the possibility remains that he will be able to return later on this season. Per league rules, the tight end will be forced to miss a minimum of eight weeks.
In his two games this season, Njoku registered four receptions for 37 yards and one touchdown. In 2018, he had 639 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the year. Many were anticipating another step forward in ’19, but the Browns will have to wait at least another two months before getting another look at him.
Without Njoku, the Browns will turn to Demetrius Harris, Ricky Seals-Jones, and Pharaoh Brown to fill in for the 23-year-old. It’s also likely that Baker Mayfield will look more in the direction of wide receiver Jarvis Landry now that there is one less mouth to be fed.
To take his place on the roster, the Browns have claimed defensive back Juston Burris off waivers from the Raiders. In 38 career games, Burris has 29 tackles, two picks, and seven passes defensed to his credit.
Patriots Release Antonio Brown
The Patriots have released Antonio Brown after just one game with the club. His release comes on the heels of a second round of allegations from his second accuser, who says that he sent her intimidating text messages. 
[RELATED – Accuser Says Brown Sent “Intimidating” Text Messages]
“The New England Patriots are releasing Antonio Brown. We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel that it is best to move in a different direction at this time,” the team said in a statement.
New England is set to pay him $5MM of his $9MM signing bonus on Monday. The entire signing bonus is guaranteed, meaning that the Patriots and Brown are likely scheduled to rumble over whether the wide receiver will collect on it.
Cash aside, it’s unlikely that Brown will find another NFL home anytime soon. Then again, we’ve seen crazier things happen in the league.
While Brown faces civil suits from both of his accusers, he does not currently face any criminal charges. Recently, the Allegheny County District Attorney announced that he would not pursue charges against Brown for two 2017 events alleged by Brittney Taylor. It’s still possible that criminal charges arise from his alleged 2018 dalliance with Taylor, or from his interactions with the second anonymous accuser, known simply to be an “artist.”
Brown’s total stay in New England lasted just eleven days. He was the 72nd player in NFL history to catch a touchdown pass from Tom Brady and that could go down as his only on-field moment of note for the Patriots.
Browns Promote CB Robert Jackson From Practice Squad
Robert Jackson, come on down. The Browns, who are dealing with injuries to several of their top corners, have promoted Jackson from the practice squad, the team announced.
Both Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams are dealing with hamstring injuries, and their availability for Cleveland’s Week 3 showdown with the Rams on Sunday night is in doubt. That could spell trouble given Los Angeles’ potentially explosive aerial attack, and while Jackson likely won’t be the guy the Browns turn to, he could play a support role and contribute on special teams if he’s activated.
Jackson, who signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of UNLV last May, spent six weeks of the 2018 season and the first two weeks of the 2019 campaign on the Browns’ practice squad. He appeared in all four of the team’s preseason contests this year, recording six defensive tackles and two special teams tackles. He takes the roster spot of Elijah McGuire, who was waived yesterday.
To fill Jackson’s spot on the taxi squad, the Browns brought back fellow CB Donnie Lewis.