Minor NFL Transactions: 12/12/18
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Keith Ford, S Dean Marlowe
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: G Nico Siragusa (from Ravens practice squad)
- Placed on IR: G Byron Bell
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: OL Jamil Demby (from Lions practice squad)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: G/C Hroniss Grasu
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: DE Daeshon Hall
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
Washington Redskins
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: G Kyle Fuller
Saints Waive WR Brandon Marshall
The Saints have released wide receiver Brandon Marshall, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move will create room for tight end Erik Swoope, who has been claimed off waivers from the Colts (Twitter link via Mike Florio of PFT). 
It was a short stay in New Orleans for Marshall, who was signed in November when Dez Bryant tore his Achilles just hours after inking his contract. Despite spending a full month with the team, Marshall never saw the field. Instead, he was used as a scout team receiver and was unable to leapfrog the team’s top five of Michael Thomas, Tre’Quan Smith, Austin Carr, Keith Kirkwood, and Tommylee Lewis.
The fact that Marshall could not crack the rotation in spite of injuries to Bryant, Cameron Meredith, and Ted Ginn Jr. probably doesn’t bode well for his NFL future. The transaction could also be a sign that Ginn still has a chance to return from IR this year, but there’s no word on that front just yet.
Marshall is a six-time Pro Bowler, but he hasn’t played at an elite level since the 2015 season in which he posted 109 receptions, 1,502 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns for the Jets. Injuries have limited his effectiveness and overall production, and it’s fair to wonder if this will mark his last stop in the league.
Swoope, meanwhile, joins the club just hours after being discarded by the Colts. He was largely eclipsed by Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle this year, but he still managed three touchdown grabs in 2018. Swoope – for the moment – is one of four TEs on the roster along with Ben Watson, Josh Hill, and Dan Arnold.
Seahawks’ Mychal Kendricks Done For Year
Mychal Kendricks‘ tumultuous season will end on a down note. The Seahawks linebacker suffered a broken tibia on Monday night and will miss the rest of the season, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Kendricks will be placed on injured reserve this week, opening up a spot on the 53-man roster. 
Kendricks, of course, has bigger things to worry about than football. After pleading guilty to federal insider trading charges, Kendricks will face sentencing in January. He faces between 30 and 37 months in prison, meaning that Monday night’s game could mark his last in the NFL. If he is imprisoned for the full 37 months, he’ll be 31 years old at the time of his release and three years removed from the game.
Kendricks made his Seahawks debut in Week 2 against the Bears, but after some back-and-forth with the league, he was hit with an eight-game suspension in October. His 2018 season ends with 20 tackles and two sacks over the course of four games.
The loss of Kendricks stings for Seattle as they’ll have a thinner group of LBs to draw from in the playoffs. Moving forward, they project to start Barkevious Mingo, Bobby Wagner, and K.J. Wright, assuming that Wright’s knee is stable enough to play. Late round rookies Jake Martin and Shaquem Griffin are also on hand to sub in at outside linebacker and Villanova product Austin Calitro can contribute in the middle.
Bears Place CB Bryce Callahan On IR
Bryce Callahan‘s season is over. On Wednesday, the Bears placed the slot cornerback on injured reserve. 
Callahan broke a bone in his foot during Sunday’s huge win over the Rams. Initially, the Bears were keeping their fingers crossed for a quick recovery, but further tests revealed that he’ll need more time to heal.
Callahan isn’t a household name, but he has been stellar for Chicago this year. Through 14 weeks, he ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 11 ranked corner in the league, thanks to his strong scores in both coverage and the pass rush. Callahan has two sacks and five total QB hits, showing that his speed can be used for more than just neutralizing receivers.
To take Callahan’s place on the roster, the Bears signed defensive back Marcus Williams. Williams, who previously played for the Texans and Jets, spent two games with the Bucs this season before being waived from IR with a settlement in October.
Without Callahan, the Bears will likely turn to Sherrick McManis as the third corner. He’s a bit unproven, but he has played well in a limited sample of snaps this season. With a bit of luck, and help from the Bears’ linebacker group, McManis could be a decent replacement for Callahan in the postseason.
Giants To Activate Cody Latimer
Cody Latimer will return for the Giants’ final games in 2018. The wide receiver will be activated for Week 16, allowing him to play him against the Colts and Cowboys, as Matt Lombardo of NJ.com writes. 
The Giants designated Latimer for return in late November, opening up a three-week window for activation. So far, he’s looked healthy on the practice field, and doctors have given him clearance to play again.
The Giants aren’t playing for much at this point, but this will be an opportunity for Latimer to play his way on to the 2019 roster. For now, he’s scheduled to reach unrestricted free agency in March after the expiration of his one-year, $2.5MM contract.
Latimer, 26, was enjoying an expanded role in the Giants’ offense against the Eagles on Oct. 11 before he went down with a hamstring injury. The wide receiver had six catches for 108 yards across four games before being sidelined.
The Giants will not have Latimer for Sunday’s game against the Titans and it remains to be seen whether they’ll have Odell Beckham Jr. for the contest. OBJ has been sidelined with a quad injury and did not practice on Wednesday morning.
Dolphins Place C Jake Brendel On IR
The Dolphins placed center/guard Jake Brendel on injured reserve, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Brendel was activated from IR a little over a month ago, so his season will end after just four appearances. 
[RELATED: Dolphins Cut CB Dee Delaney]
Brendel, 26, joined the Dolphins’ practice squad in 2016 after going undrafted out of UCLA. He went to appear in all 16 games for Miami in 2017, although he didn’t see much action on the field. Brendel played 67 snaps on offense and 87 snaps on special teams, serving in a backup role for the entire campaign. Brendel suited up for the first time this year in Week 9 and started for Miami in Weeks 10, 12, and 13. A knee injury kept him off the field for Sunday’s win (and miraculous finish) over the Patriots, and it’s apparently serious enough to end his season.
Without Brendel, the ‘Fins may need to sign another interior lineman to support Ted Larsen, Travis Swanson, and Jesse Davis. The banged up unit, which previously lost Daniel Kilgore and Josh Sitton to injury, will close out the year against the Vikings, Jaguars, and Bills. The Dolphins do not control their own destiny, but they are still alive in the Wild Card hunt and even have a slim, but technically possible, path to the AFC East crown.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/11/18
Here are the latest NFL practice squad decisions:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Shay Fields
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Joel Bouagnon, LB Jonathan Celestin
- Released: S Tyvis Powell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Josh Hawkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Marcus Lucas
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Emmanuel Smith
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/18
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Jonathan Anderson
- Signed from Seahawks’ practice squad: DT Vincent Valentine
- Placed on IR: LB Thurston Armbrister
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: CB Taron Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Trevon Young
- Placed on IR: Dominique Hatfield
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: OL Cameron Hunt, OL Denver Kirkland
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: S Tyree Robinson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Tanner Hudson
- Placed on IR: LB Kevin Minter
Washington Redskins
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: G Kyle Fuller
- Waived: C Demetrius Rhaney
Raiders Waive C.J. Anderson
C.J. Anderson‘s stay back in the AFC West did not last long. The Raiders made the decision to waive the veteran running back on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Bay Area native signed with Oakland a week ago but did not play in the Raiders’ upset win over the Steelers on Sunday. This marks the third time Anderson has been cut in 2018.
This comes on the heels of an Anderson 1,000-yard season in ’17. While the Broncos possessed one of the NFL’s worst offenses last year, Anderson had a strong season. However, Denver waited until April to release Anderson and went with rookies as its primary backs this season. Carolina cut bait on Anderson midway through this season, with Christian McCaffrey becoming a usage dynamo in his second year to leave little room for a complementary back.
Doug Martin showing he was healthy led to this move, per Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter). The Chiefs showed interest in Anderson earlier this month but reunited with longtime backup Charcandrick West instead.
Colts Waive TE Erik Swoope
The Colts waived tight end Erik Swoope, according to a team announcement. The move was not quite expected, but it may signal the impending return of Mo Alie-Cox. 
Swoope originally signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in March of 2014. He made his first real impact in 2016, when he caught 15 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. After losing his 2017 season to a knee issue, he returned this year to appear in seven games and catch eight passes for 87 yards and three scores.
Swoope was largely eclipsed by Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle (who recently went on IR), but he was regarded as a positive presence in Indy. It’s possible that he’ll be back after some roster juggling, but for now, he’ll be subject to the waiver wire.