Minor NFL Transactions: 10/12/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: K Matt Ammendola, S Chris Banjo
Chicago Bears
- Designated to return: OL Alex Leatherwood
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Thomas Graham Jr.
Green Bay Packers
- Designated to return: RB Kylin Hill
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: TE Jordan Akins
- Placed on IR: DT Michael Dwumfour
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed to active roster: DL Corey Peters
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DT Taylor Stallworth
- Waived: DE Benton Whitley
- Designated to return: CB Trent McDuffie
Miami Dolphins
- Designated to return: OT Austin Jackson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: RB Tevin Coleman
- Designated to return: LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Released from IR: CB John Reid
Saints To Add RB Jordan Howard
After seeing Javonte Williams‘ injury lead the Broncos to poach Latavius Murray, the Saints have landed an experienced replacement. Jordan Howard is now on New Orleans’ practice squad, per NewOrleans.football (on Twitter).
This addition comes after the Saints worked out a host of running backs Tuesday. Howard was part of a contingent that also included Jordan Wilkins, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. The former Bears, Eagles and Dolphins back will serve as depth for a Saints team that has needed to turn to it this year.
Alvin Kamara has missed two games thus far and faces a possible late-season suspension in connection with a February arrest, but with the perennial Pro Bowler’s case continuing to be pushed back, the Saints might be in the clear there for 2022. Still, Kamara has battled injuries this season. The Saints also waived Tony Jones on Monday.
Howard has been with the Eagles for most of the past three seasons, and he made the practice squad-to-active roster jump last season to make an impact. Philadelphia deployed the league’s No. 1-ranked rushing attack in 2021, and Howard became a central figure in that climb during the season’s second half. Playing in just seven games, Howard totaled 406 rushing yards (4.7 per carry) and scored three touchdowns last year. Howard, 27, began his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Bears, but after a 2019 trade, the former fifth-round pick worked as mostly a rotational back in Philly.
The Saints have Mark Ingram and Dwayne Washington on their active roster. When Kamara missed the team’s London game in Week 4, Murray received a call-up and handled 11 carries. The 32-year-old back gained 57 yards and scored in that game. Although the Saints offered Murray an active-roster spot, the veteran chose the Broncos’ offer, viewing it as a better opportunity due to Williams’ season-ending injury.
Ravens Designate OLBs Tyus Bowser, David Ojabo For Return
12:43pm: Both Bowser and Ojabo have officially been designated for return. Each suited up for practice Wednesday, marking a good sign about the edge defenders’ near-future availability.
9:10am: The Ravens are moving closer to having their outside linebacker contingent at full strength. Both Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo are expected to practice this week, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets.
Both players are finishing off their recoveries from Achilles tears. Bowser sustained his injury in January, while Ojabo went down in March while preparing for the draft. Bowser is expected to return to practice Wednesday, while Zrebiec adds the Ravens anticipate their second-round pick suiting up for work later this week. Ojabo could return as soon as today. Bowser resides on the Ravens’ reserve/PUP list; Ojabo is on their reserve/NFI list.
Each player practicing this week opens a 21-day activation clock. Baltimore must activate these defenders within three weeks of each’s first practice. The Ravens landed on the wrong side of this equation recently, with Derek Wolfe reverting to season-ending IR after his activation window closed without a move onto the 53-man roster last season. But Bowser and Ojabo’s timetables have not changed this year. Each has been expected to return, with Bowser perhaps a bit ahead of Ojabo. That would make sense, given the timing of each’s injury. Ojabo returning to practice this week puts him in position to beat an initial timetable, one that had the first-round-level talent pegged to debut during the season’s second half.
These injuries have forced the Ravens to be active at the edge rusher position. They re-signed Justin Houston this offseason and added Jason Pierre-Paul early during the regular season. Houston has not played since suffering a groin injury in Week 3, leading to extensive JPP workloads despite his recent Baltimore debut. Pierre-Paul played well in Baltimore’s Week 6 win over Cincinnati, sacking Joe Burrow once and batting down two of his passes.
Bowser, who re-signed with the Ravens on a four-year deal worth $22MM in 2021, and Ojabo debuting soon would form a suddenly deep rotation — one also featuring 2021 first-round pick Odafe Oweh — for a Ravens team that has needed to make some adjustments at this position. Baltimore has used off-ball ‘backer Malik Harrison on the edge at points.
Bills Designate CB Tre’Davious White For Return
Days before the Bills’ return trip to Kansas City, the defender they sorely missed during their playoff trek to Missouri is back at practice. The Bills are designating Tre’Davious White for return.
That said, Sean McDermott ended suspense about the veteran cornerback’s status for the Chiefs matchup. White will not play Sunday, but his activation clock will start Wednesday. The Bills will have three weeks to activate their top cover man, or he reverts to season-ending IR. Although it will not lead to White facing off against the Chiefs, this transaction almost certainly means his return is not far off.
White has been out since sustaining an ACL tear on Thanksgiving last year. The Bills managed to end the 2021 season with the league’s No. 1 defense, but the team could not stop the Chiefs’ explosive offense in an overtime divisional-round defeat. The team moved White from the active/PUP list to the reserve/PUP list after training camp, remaining cautious with their highly paid corner.
Buffalo’s defense has mostly fared well sans White to start the season. The team let Levi Wallace walk in free agency but used a first-round pick on Kaiir Elam. Despite facing the Rams, Dolphins and Eagles, the Bills rank first in scoring defense and second in yards allowed. The Chiefs should be expected to provide another stiff test, however.
The Bills have used Dane Jackson as their primary outside starter opposite Elam, who moved into the starting lineup in Week 3. Jackson, who was carted off during Buffalo’s Week 2 win over Tennessee, returned to action after missing just one game. Although safety Micah Hyde is out for the season, Taron Johnson remains in place as the team’s slot cornerback.
Browns Designate LB Deion Jones For Return
The Browns made the rare move to trade for a player on injured reserve, but Deion Jones‘ status changed Wednesday morning. Cleveland designated the veteran linebacker for return.
Jones will be eligible to practice for his new team today. The former Pro Bowler is not yet on the Browns’ 53-man roster, but he is moving in that direction. The team could have him in uniform against the Patriots.
Were Jones not close to returning from his shoulder injury, it would not make much sense for the Browns to make this trade. So the six-year starter will likely be in position to be activated immediately. The Browns still have all eight of their IR-return activations remaining. Jones, 27, joins new teammate Greedy Williams in being designated for return.
Hovering as a trade candidate for months, Jones underwent shoulder surgery back in May. That paused the prospect of the Falcons trading him, but the team restructured his contract to make a move easier. Despite the Falcons taking Jones off their active/PUP list in late August, they stashed him on IR to start the year. The Browns swooped in three weeks ahead of the trade deadline.
The Browns lost veteran linebacker starter Anthony Walker for the season in Week 3 and have been gashed by two backfields since. The Falcons and Chargers each topped 200 rushing yards in their respective wins over the Browns. The latter outing — one that featured a 173-yard Austin Ekeler rushing day — prompted Cleveland to acquire Jones that night. The Browns added ex-Jones Falcons teammate Tyeler Davison, a seven-year defensive tackle, to their practice squad Tuesday. Cleveland can promote Davison to its active roster before Week 6 as well.
Drafted during the Dan Quinn–Thomas Dimitroff Falcons regime, Jones became an instant starter. He played a key role in helping Atlanta to Super Bowl LI and earned a big-ticket extension in 2019. Jones remains tied to that deal, which runs through the 2023 season. Although he adds to Atlanta’s bloated dead-money total, the LSU product — because of the late-summer restructure — checks in at just $1.74MM on Cleveland’s payroll. With that cap hit spiking to $13.2MM in 2023, this amounts to an audition season for Jones alongside Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in Cleveland. Walker’s deal expires at season’s end.
Jones’ 137 tackles last season were one shy of his career-high total. Nevertheless, the Terry Fontenot–Arthur Smith regime made it known his 2022 status with the team was tenuous. The Falcons signed former Dean Pees charge Rashaan Evans and selected Troy Andersen in Round 2. Jones has five 100-plus-tackle seasons and has five career pick-sixes. Only Hall of Famers Derrick Brooks, Bobby Bell and ex-Brown Karlos Dansby have more among linebackers.
Colts Place WR Ashton Dulin On IR
Ashton Dulin will be out for at least the next four games. The Colts announced that they’ve placed the wide receiver/special teams ace on injured reserve. To fill the open roster spot, the team signed defensive tackle Chris Williams to the active roster from the practice squad.
Dulin suffered a foot injury during Thursday’s overtime win over the Broncos. The 25-year-old made a name for himself in 2021 after earning a second-team All-Pro nod for his special teams prowess, with Dulin’s 17 special teams tackles ranking second in the NFL. Besides his spot as a gunner, he also started to see a bigger role on offense in 2021, finishing with 13 catches for 173 yards and two scores. Dulin still had a significant role on ST this season, but he continued to be used on offense. Through five games (one start), he’s hauled in 12 catches for 168 yards.
The Colts have plenty of options to replace Dulin on offense, with Alec Pierce, Mike Strachan and Parris Campbell among the candidates to soak up the open snaps. However, as Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star points out, the team will surely miss him on ST; the team has already shuffled through kickers, and both punter Rigoberto Sanchez and fellow ST ace Armani Watts are done for the year.
Williams joined the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of Wagner in 2020. He collected four tackles in eight games for Indy last season, and he made his 2022 debut last week against the Broncos.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/11/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Ty’Son Williams
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Ra’Shaun Henry
- Released: CB Ka’dar Hollman
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DB Ja’Marcus Ingram, WR KeeSean Johnson
- Released: WR Jaquarii Roberson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: TE Seth Green
- Released: LS Tucker Addington
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LS Mitchell Fraboni
- Released: WR Darrius Shepherd, WR Vyncint Smith
Detroit Lions
- Signed: K Sam Ficken
Houston Texans
- Signed: DL Micah Dew-Treadway, OT K.C. McDermott
- Released: TE Nick Eubanks
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: OL Ty Nsekhe
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: DL Israel Antwine
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: CB Tyler Hall, WR Tyron Johnson
- Released: DB Darren Evans
New England Patriots
- Released: OL Sebastian Gutierrez
New York Jets
- Signed: WR/KR Diontae Spencer
- Released: OL Grant Hermanns
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB David Anenih
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT T.Y. McGill, K Sam Sloman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Ulysees Gilbert
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Brandin Bryant
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR: LB Julian Stanford
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: LB Matt Adams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DE Khalid Kareem
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Thomas Graham
Denver Broncos
- Waived: OLB Jonathan Kongbo
Houston Texans
- Released from IR: DB Kendall Sheffield
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: G John Miller
- Placed on IR: OL Ben Bartch, LB K’Lavon Chaisson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: WR Albert Wilson
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: RB Jake Funk
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed of Titans practice squad: DB Theo Jackson
- Placed on IR: RB Ty Chandler
New England Patriots
- Waived: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: DT D.J. Davidson
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: RB Marlon Mack
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: CB Xavier Crawford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: LB Genard Avery
- Released from IR: RB Kenjon Barner
Cardinals To Sign RB Corey Clement
Dealing with some backfield injury trouble, the Cardinals auditioned a few veterans and tried to make a waiver claim. The team’s early-week process will end with Corey Clement‘s arrival.
Clement will join Arizona’s practice squad, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The former Eagle was part of a running back workout that also included Devontae Booker, Ty’Son Williams, Trey Edmunds and T.J. Pledger, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. The Cardinals also, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter), tried to claim Tony Jones Jr. off waivers from the Saints, joining the Broncos in that regard. The Seahawks’ waiver priority landed them Jones on Monday.
While Clement will have a tough time producing a more memorable NFL performance than his Super Bowl LII outing — his role as the Philly Special point man preceding a long touchdown reception in the Eagles’ upset victory — he has been in the league for five seasons now. Clement went to training camp with the Ravens this year but did not last with the team beyond mid-August, but he also auditioned for the Jaguars between that transaction and Tuesday’s.
Clement, 27, spent four season with the Eagles but played as a Cowboys backup in 18 games last season. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry (33 totes, 140 yards) with Dallas and played 61% of the NFC East champions’ special teams snaps. The former UDFA held a special teams role throughout his Philly tenure as well. He also surpassed 400 scrimmage yards during the 2017 and ’18 seasons, totaling eight touchdowns in that span. The Eagles’ ensuing Miles Sanders addition ended up bumping Clement down the depth chart.
James Conner, Darrel Williams and Jonathan Ward all left Week 5’s Cardinals-Eagles tilt with injuries, leaving Eno Benjamin as the last man standing. The Cards entered Tuesday without a running back on their 16-man practice squad.
Seahawks To Bring Back Bruce Irvin
The Seahawks are checking in on one of their former first-round picks. Bruce Irvin, who has already gone through two tours of duty in Seattle, worked out for the Seahawks on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This will lead to a deal.
Irvin is indeed back with the Seahawks, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reporting (via Twitter) the 10-year veteran is now on Seattle’s practice squad. Irvin was last with the Seahawks in 2020. The Seahawks will release offensive lineman Liam Ryan from their taxi squad to make room for Irvin, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.
A four-year Seahawk to start his career, Irvin has connections to both the team and new assistant Sean Desai. He was with Desai during the latter’s one-year run as Bears defensive coordinator last season. Irvin, 34, is past his days as a full-time starter, but he did work as a rotational pass rusher in Chicago.
This reunion comes two years after Irvin sustained a torn ACL. That injury, which occurred in September 2020, hijacked Irvin’s second run with the Seahawks. He had started the first two games of that season with the team. Irvin has not registered a sack since 2019, when he served as a full-time starter with the Panthers, but he has remained on the NFL radar despite the late-career injury. Irvin has 52 career sacks.
Going back to 2015, the Seahawks passed on Irvin’s fifth-year option. That led the former Super Bowl starter to Oakland, where he played three seasons. Irvin finished the 2018 season in Atlanta and migrated to Carolina in 2019. He reunited with ex-Raiders DC Ken Norton Jr. in Seattle in 2020. Norton is no longer with the Seahawks, but the team hired Desai this offseason. Clearly, Irvin has made good impressions during his nomadic career.
Despite the change from Norton to Clint Hurtt, the Seahawks are struggling on defense. They rank 31st in points allowed and 32nd in total defense. Seattle revamped its edge-rushing contingent as well, cutting ties with the likes of Carlos Dunlap, Kerry Hyder and Benson Mayowa. Uchenna Nwosu has been a solid addition to the team’s pass rush, and Seattle has wanted to incorporate second-round pick Boye Mafe into the mix more. The team also has former second-round pick Darrell Taylor in place as a part-time rush option, and ex-first-rounder L.J. Collier remains on the team. Collier is on IR, though the Seahawks designated the underwhelming defensive end for return last week.