NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/18
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Released: C James Stone
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Nicholas Grigsby
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: QB Phillip Walker
- Released: DE Anthony Winbush
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DB Josh Hawkins
Chiefs Waive DB Josh Shaw
The Chiefs have waived defensive back Josh Shaw, according to a team announcement. Shaw hooked on with the Chiefs in October, but his time with the club is up after appearing in just four games. 
Shaw served as a reserve and special teamer in Kansas City, compiling four total tackles in his short run. Prior to that, he spent three years with the Bengals, including the 2016 season in which he started 12 contests.
With experience at cornerback and safety, Shaw could find interest from teams for the final half of the season. If he clears waivers, he’ll be free to hook on with any club.
The Chiefs, says the former fourth-round pick, will face the Rams on Monday night in one of the year’s most highly-anticipated matchups. Barring another roster change, the Chiefs will have five true corners on the roster in Kendall Fuller, Steven Nelson, Orlando Scandrick, Charvarius Ward, and Tremon Smith.
Lions Promote WR Andy Jones From P-Squad, Work Out Terrelle Pryor
With Marvin Jones out for Sunday’s game, the Lions promoted wide receiver Andy Jones to help their depleted pass-catcher corps.
But prior to that decision, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports they worked out Terrelle Pryor (Twitter link). Cut by both the Jets and Bills this season, Pryor is back in free agency, where he’s began the past two offseasons.
The Bills cut Pryor after one game. He’d previously voiced concerns about his role with the Jets. While he received more playing time later in his Jets tenure due to injuries to other Jet receivers, Pryor was released. His career has trended downward since an injury-plagued 2017 in Washington depleted his value.
In 2016, Pryor surpassed 1,000 yards with a Browns team that used five quarterbacks. But he settled for a one-year Redskins deal and signed for less with the Jets this offseason.
Jones spent time on Detroit’s active roster earlier this season before being waived. He made his way to the Lions’ practice squad earlier this month and will now return to the active roster. A second-year UDFA, Jones saw action in one Lions game this season.
Cardinals Cut Kendall Wright, David Amerson
Two higher-profile veterans will lose their Cardinals roster spots to make room for younger players.
The Cardinals waived both David Amerson and Kendall Wright on Saturday to clear space for kicker Matt McCrane and defensive end Vontarrius Dora.
Both Wright and Amerson were in-season additions, the latter joining the Cards this week. But needs at other positions will send them to the waiver wire, where all vested veterans who are cut after the trade deadline go.
The Cardinals worked out McCrane on Friday, and this signing may be an indication Phil Dawson will not be able to kick on Sunday. The 20-year veteran missed practice time with a hip injury this week and is questionable.
This would be McCrane’s second game action as a rookie. He kicked in three games for the Raiders earlier this season but made just 5 of 9 field goals before being waived. The Kansas State product was in camp with the Cardinals and spent time on Arizona’s practice squad.
A former Broncos UDFA, Dora has not played in a game since the 2016 season but has spent this season on the Cards’ practice squad and has shown well during preseasons. Rodney Gunter and Robert Nkemdiche‘s statuses are in question for Sunday, and the Cards made an insurance promotion in Dora.
Wright caught on with the Cards earlier this year but has not played in a game since leading the Bears in receiving last season. Released by both the Raiders and Chiefs this year, Amerson logged numerous workouts before landing with the Cardinals on Tuesday.
Bears To Activate Adam Shaheen, Send Dion Sims To IR
Trey Burton will have a different backup tight end Sunday. The Bears will sub out Dion Sims for Adam Shaheen on their 53-man roster, activating the second-year tight end from IR and sending the 2017 free agent signing to the injured list, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
Chicago designated Shaheen for an IR return last week and had three weeks to activate him. He will likely make his season debut Sunday night against the Vikings.
A concussion will send Sims to IR. The former Dolphins tight end played in eight Bears games during his second season with the franchise but only caught two passes, with first-year Bear Burton becoming the starter this season.
Shaheen came out of Division II Ashland as an athletic marvel but has yet to contribute much as a pro. Preseason ankle and foot injuries sidetracked the 6-foot-5, 270-pound target’s development. He caught 12 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns last season and poses as an interesting weapon for Mitch Trubisky down the stretch.
Sims did well for himself in free agency last year, signing a three-year, $18MM deal. The $6MM-AAV pact handed to the former Miami backup was more than Austin Seferian-Jenkins or Jared Cook received from their respective teams. Sims, though, has 17 receptions as a Bear in his two-year Windy City run. Considering a 2019 cut would save the Bears $6MM, and with Burton and Shaheen under contract long-term, Sims will surely be a release candidate as the next league year approaches.
Redskins To Activate RB Byron Marshall
Byron Marshall is set to return from the injured reserve. ESPN’s John Keim reports (via Twitter) that the Redskins are going to activate the running back, although a corresponding roster move wasn’t disclosed.
We learned in late October that the organization had designated Marshall to return from the IR. The 24-year-old suffered an ankle injury during the preseason, and after earning a spot on the Redskins’ initial 53-man roster, he was placed on the injured reserve. It’s telling that the organization is so eager to activate the running back, especially since Marshall has only been with the organization for a year.
The former undrafted free agent out of Oregon joined the Redskins last November after Washington signed him away from the Eagles’ practice squad. Marshall managed nine carries for 32 yards in four games with the Redskins in 2017, and also chipped in on 34 special teams plays. However, a hamstring injury ended his campaign in early December.
Despite battling through a variety of injuries at the position (Rob Kelley and second-round rookie Derrius Guice are also on the IR), the Redskins are still getting by at running back, and there isn’t a clear role for Marshall. Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson sit atop the depth chart (although Thompson is set to miss this week’s contest), and the team is also rostering Kapri Bibbs and Samaje Perine. One of those latter two players could end up being cut to make space for Marshall.
Cowboys Waive CB Darian Thompson
Darian Thompson‘s tenure with the Cowboys has come to an end… for the time being. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Dallas has waived the defensive back to make room for recently-promoted defensive tackle Christian Ringo. However, Rapoport notes that he expects Thompson to return to the organization if he clears waivers.
Thompson, a former third-rounder out of Boise State, had a breakout campaign with the Giants in 2017. He finished the season with 75 tackles, six passes defended, and one interception, although Pro Football Focus only rated him as the 66th-ranked safety in the NFL. The 25-year-old missed his entire rookie campaign with a Lisfranc injury, and he was slowed down by a hamstring injury through much of the 2018 preseason.
The Giants’ new regime decided to move on from Thompson in early September, and he was subsequently added to the Cardinals practice squad. He was signed to the Cowboys active roster in early October, but he couldn’t carve out a role in Dallas. He appeared in four games without compiling a single defensive stat.
With Jameill Showers on the injured reserve, the Cowboys now have three healthy safeties on their roster in Xavier Woods, Jeff Heath, and Kavon Frazier.
Eagles Place CB Ronald Darby On IR
Ronald Darby‘s season is officially over. ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that the Eagles have placed the cornerback on the injured reserve. The team has promoted cornerback De’Vante Bausby from the practice squad to take the open roster spot.
Darby injured his right knee during last week’s loss to the Cowboys, and he was later diagnosed with a torn ACL. Fortunately, it sounds like the 24-year-old will make a full recovery. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that it was “a clean tear with no other issues or complications.” Prior to his injury, Darby was among the 30 best cornerbacks in the NFL this season, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. In nine games this season, the defensive back had compiled 43 tackles, 12 passes defended, and one interception.
The Eagles are struggling at cornerback, as both Jalen Mills and Sidney Jones missed last weekend’s contest. The team rolled with four cornerbacks for the majority of the second half against Dallas: Avonte Maddox, Rasul Douglas, Chandon Sullivan, and Cre’von LeBlanc.
Bausby, a 2015 undrafted free agent out of Pittsburgh State, has also had stints with the Chiefs and Bears during his brief career. In four career games, the 25-year-old has compiled 12 tackles.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/18
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted to active roster: DT Christian Ringo
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Godwin Igwebuike
- Waived: DE Demone Harris
Eagles Activate TE Richard Rodgers
Richard Rodgers will return to action after the Eagles made the decision to activate him Friday, per Jeff McLane of Philly.com (on Twitter).
While Rodgers joins Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert on Philadelphia’s active roster, he’ll replace tight end Joshua Perkins. The Eagles waived Perkins to make room on their roster for Rodgers.
The former Packers tight end returned to practice recently, and the Eagles aren’t wasting time getting him ready for game action. He’s been on IR throughout the season and has not played for his new team yet. Rodgers is signed to a one-year deal, so the next batch of Eagles games will be key for his value going forward.
The fifth-year target’s best season came in 2015, when he caught 58 passes for 510 yards and eight touchdowns — one of those a final-play game-winner from Aaron Rodgers in Detroit — but he managed just 12 receptions for 160 yards last season in 15 Green Bay games. He’ll fill in as depth behind Ertz and Goedert for an Eagles team clinging to playoff aspirations.