Texans’ Tyrod Taylor Could Miss One Month
TUESDAY: Houston’s starting quarterback will be shut down for a bit. The Texans placed Taylor on IR Tuesday. This marks the third time in the past four seasons Taylor will have lost his starting job in September. Injuries have resulted in the veteran passer being sidelined in each of the past two years, with this hamstring ailment following last season’s scary chest injury involving a pregame injection mishap.
With Watson not in the picture, David Culley also confirmed Tuesday that Mills will start against the Panthers.
MONDAY: Tyrod Taylor‘s hamstring injury could keep him sidelined for the next four games. Mark Berman of Fox26 in Houston reports (via Twitter) that the Texans quarterback “could be out for as long as a month” as he recovers from his hamstring injury.
[RELATED: Texans Won’t Play Deshaun Watson]
According to Aaron Wilson (on Twitter), Taylor was diagnosed with a grade two hamstring injury, leading to the one-month timeline. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero seems to insinuate (on Twitter) that Taylor is waiting for swelling to go down before committing to a definitive timeline, with the reporter adding that “an IR stint could be in play.” If Taylor is indeed sidelined for a month, the Texans would surely place the QB on short-term IR to open an extra roster spot. If the Texans don’t place him on IR, that would mean the team thinks Taylor can get on the field in a couple of weeks. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the QB is currently considered “week-to-week.”
After spending the past two seasons with the Chargers, Taylor inked a one-year contract with the Texans this past offseason. Following a Week 1 victory where the QB tossed two touchdowns, Taylor completed 10 of his 11 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown before leaving the game on Sunday.
Davis Mills took over during that eventual loss to the Browns, and the rookie will be under center going forward. According to Wilson, Jeff Driskel is expected to be elevated from practice squad to serve as the primary backup. We learned earlier today that Deshaun Watson wouldn’t be seeing the field despite Taylor’s injury.
Titans Release S Bradley McDougald
For the second time this month, the Titans are moving Bradley McDougald off their active roster. Tennessee released the veteran safety Tuesday, and it is not certain the team will bring him back this time.
McDougald started for the injured Amani Hooker in Week 2, playing 40 defensive snaps in the Titans’ overtime win over the Seahawks. Following that revenge game of sorts, the ex-Seattle starter is a free agent.
The Titans cut McDougald weeks ago but re-signed him to their practice squad before elevating him back to the active roster before Week 1. McDougald, 30, played 54% of Tennessee’s defensive snaps in Week 1, working as a backup. Despite Hooker residing on IR, McDougald is not presently in the picture with the 1-1 squad.
Included in last year’s Jamal Adams trade, McDougald has been a regular starter since 2015. He served as a primary Seahawks first-stringer from 2017-19 and spent last season as a Jets starter after being dealt to New York. An injury ended McDougald’s 2020 season midway through, however, and he spent months in free agency before the Titans added him.
Panthers Place G Pat Elflein On IR
Carolina will be without one of its offensive line starters for a bit. The Panthers are placing left guard Pat Elflein on IR, Jonathan Alexander of the Charlotte Observer notes. The team has since announced the move.
A hamstring injury forced Elflein out of Sunday’s win over the Saints during the first half. Matt Rhule had already ruled Elflein out of Thursday’s game against the Texans, but the veteran interior lineman will now have more time to recover. He will miss at least Carolina’s next three games — against Houston, Dallas and Philadelphia.
Dennis Daley replaced Elflein in Carolina’s lineup Sunday and will be in line to start Thursday. Daley started at right guard to open the season but returned to the bench initially in Week 2, with John Miller back at his post. A 2019 sixth-round pick, Daley made nine starts as a rookie and three last season.
Elflein, 27, is no stranger to injury trouble. A knee issue in Week 1 of the 2020 season led to the Vikings placing him on IR. They eventually waived their former starting center and guard, and the Jets claimed him. The Panthers signed Elflein to a three-year, $13.5MM deal in March.
Packers To Cut Jace Sternberger
The Packers are cutting tight end Jace Sternberger (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Since he is not yet a vested veteran, he’ll be available on the waiver wire for the next 24 hours. If he goes unclaimed, he’ll be free to sign with any team.
Sternberger had some hype a couple of years ago as a third-round pick. However, he’s yet to show much at the pro level. In six games as a rookie, he failed to record a single catch. He was a bit more involved last year, securing 12 grabs for 114 yards and a touchdown. Still, Sternberger has yet to meet expectations, and his two-game ban to open the year didn’t do him any favors.
The Packers saw little reason to keep Sternberger with Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis as their top tight ends. They also have Dominique Dafney and Josiah Deguara on hand to round out the group.
Sternberger could hold appeal for other GMs who still remember his impressive finale at Texas A&M. Still, given his lack of a pro resume, he may be better suited for a practice squad deal.
Browns Place Jarvis Landry On IR
The Browns have placed wide receiver Jarvis Landry on the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. The good is that this should be a short-term IR stint as Landry recovers from his MCL sprain. 
Landry went down with a knee injury during the Browns’ opening drive on Sunday and did not return. The Browns still went on to beat the Texans 31-21, but Landry’s injured knee will rule him out for the Bears this week. Per league rules, Landry must sit out for at least the next two games before retaking the field.
On the plus side, the Browns should have Odell Beckham Jr. back in action this week. Barring any additional setbacks, he’ll make his 2021 debut alongside Rashard Higgins and the rest of the Cleveland WR contingent.
Through two games (really, one game and change), Landry has six catches off of six targets for 80 yards. He also notched a rushing touchdown — the fourth rushing TD of his career — against the Chiefs in Week 1.
In a corresponding move, the Browns have promoted defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo from the practice squad.
Steelers Sign Taco Charlton To Practice Squad
The Steelers have signed Taco Charlton to their 16-man practice squad, per an official club announcement. The defensive end will look to impress on the practice field and see his first live action of the 2021 season.
Charlton, once a highly-touted first-round pick of the Cowboys, flamed out quickly in Dallas. After just two-plus years with the Cowboys, he moved on to the Dolphins and did his best work in 2019 — five sacks in ten games. He had a decent 2020 with the Chiefs too, up until he broke his leg in November. He finished out with two sacks, four quarterback hits, and a forced fumble for KC. However, the 26-year-old (27 in November) wasn’t able to make the cut.
His first opportunity could come quicker than expected since T.J. Watt is dealing with a groin injury. Fortunately for the Steelers, the latest word is that Watt should be able to play on Sunday against the Bengals.
Eagles To Place Brandon Brooks On IR
Eagles guard Brandon Brooks has been diagnosed with a pec strain, per head coach Nick Sirianni (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). As a result, Brooks will miss several weeks as the Eagles move him to injured reserve. 
[RELATED: Eagles Place TE Zach Ertz On COVID-19 List]
On the plus side, it’s not a full-on tear — that would have been a sure season-ender for the interior lineman. Brooks lost the 2020 season to a torn Achilles, but he’s performed as one of the league’s better interior lineman when healthy. He made the Pro Bowl every year from 2017-2019, despite a previous (separate) Achilles tear and a shoulder injury. All in all, he’s lived up to the lofty expectations set by his initial five-year, $62.5MM deal – at least, when he’s on the field. The Eagles still have him for a few more seasons, thanks to his four-year, $54.2MM re-up in late 2019.
The Eagles will keep their fingers crossed for a quick recovery. Last summer, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave managed to return after just five weeks with a similar injury. For now, they’re down a key lineman as they get set for Dallas.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/20/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: QB Kyle Sloter
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Javian Hawkins
- Released: RB Otis Anderson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Brandon Dillon
New York Giants
- Signed: G Cole Banwart
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Rashard Robinson
- Released: CB Herb Miller
Browns Waive WR Davion Davis
The Browns are cutting Davion Davis (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The wide receiver was set to return from a two-game suspension this week, but he’ll hit the waiver wire instead. 
The move is a bit surprising on multiple fronts. For starters, Davis led the team in receiving this preseason, showing some promise for the year ahead. Meanwhile, star receiver Jarvis Landry is week-to-week with a knee injury. Davis seemed to be a shoe-in for the 53-man roster, but the Browns have other plans.
Davis should draw interest from other clubs on the waiver wire, especially since he comes with a low-cost contract. Meanwhile, this could be a promising sign for Odell Beckham Jr. OBJ has yet to play this season, but the release of Davis might mean that he’s on the verge of making his 2021 debut.
Clubs will have 24 hours to claim Davis once he reaches the waiver wire. If he goes unclaimed, he’ll be a full-fledged free agent and able to sign with any team.
Steelers Place Tyson Alualu On IR
The Steelers have placed defensive lineman Tyson Alualu on injured reserve, per a club announcement. There’s no word on his timetable just yet, but the veteran will be out for a minimum of three weeks. 
Alualu was forced out early on Sunday and fitted for a cast later that day. The Steelers went on to lose to the Raiders, 26-17. They’re now at the .500 mark heading into Week 3 when they’ll face the rival Bengals.
It’s a rough break for the Steelers’ D-Line since Alualu is their starting nose tackle. As you may recall, the 34-year-old was moments away from leaving the Steelers for Urban Meyer and the Jaguars in the spring. Instead, he had a change of heart and re-upped in Pittsburgh.
Alualu was the 10th overall pick of the Jags way back in 2010. He’s never lived up to his draft status, but he’s still been a solid player up front. That includes some quality work last year when he played on ~44% of the team’s defensive snaps and finished with 38 tackles, two sacks, and five passes defended. He received very strong marks from Pro Football Focus for his work as a run defender.
For now, the Steelers will turn to Isaiah Buggs and Carlos Davis for help. And, to further fill in, they’ve promoted defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux from the practice squad.