NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/14/18

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: DB David Jones

Indianapolis Colts

Oakland Raiders

Washington Redskins

Redskins Activate Trey Quinn

The Redskins activated wide receiver Trey Quinn off injured reserve on Wednesday, per a club announcement. The club has now used both of it’s IR-DTR opportunities after designating running back Byron Marshall for return earlier this year.

Quinn suffered an ankle injury in Week 1 after being selected in the seventh round of this year’s draft. The Redskins’ WR unit has been banged up this year, including the unfortunate loss of Paul Richardson, so Quinn could wind up seeing some snaps in the second half of the year.

Quinn had two catches for 12 yards before he was forced out of the Redskins’ season-opener against the Cardinals. After he caught 114 passes for 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns at SMU in 2017, the Redskins are extremely eager to see what he can do.

Quinn’s first action since September could come on Sunday against the Texans. With a win, the Redskins can maintain or improve their divisional lead over the Cowboys and Eagles.

Redskins Work Out 5 Kickers

Dustin Hopkins‘ availability for Week 11 appears to be in question, so the Redskins are getting an early start on examining replacement help.

With Hopkins “a bit banged up,” per Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Washington brought in several kickers for a Tuesday workout.

Blair Walsh, Roberto Aguayo, Kai Forbath, Sam Ficken and Jon Brown participated, Yates reports. Of the quintet, only Ficken has kicked in a 2018 game. Walsh and Forbath had gigs last season, with the Seahawks and Vikings, respectively, while Aguayo has not kicked in a game since his rough 2016 season.

Forbath has a history with Washington, having been Hopkins’ predecessor. The UCLA product served as the Redskins’ kicker from 2012-14 before moving on to roles with the Saints and Vikings. The latter cut him this year, giving the job to rookie Daniel Carlson, whose grip on it lasted two games.

The Redskins went through this with Hopkins last season. He missed eight games in 2017, and Washington used Nick Rose as its kicker during that time. Rose is not believed to have been among today’s tryout contingent. Also perhaps soon to be available is Chandler Catanzaro, whom the Buccaneers sent to waivers on Monday. But his two misses Sunday helped the Redskins pick up a road win.

Redskins Activate CB Joshua Holsey

The Redskins activated cornerback Joshua Holsey, per a club announcement. Holsey began the season on the non-football injury list, but is finally healthy enough to get back on the field. 

[RELATED: Redskins’ Geron Christian Out For Year]

Holsey was parked on NFI during training camp when a table landed on his foot. The timing was unfortunate as Holsey figured to see a larger role in the defense following the Kendall Fuller trade.

As a rookie in 2017, Holsey played mostly on special teams and appeared in 12 games. This year, he figures to see special teams work once again, though he may see an uptick in snaps as well. He joins a cornerback depth chart that includes Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, Fabian Moreau, sixth-round pick Greg Stroman, UDFA Danny Johnson, and supplemental draft pick Adonis Alexander.

In a corresponding move, the Redskins formally placed offensive lineman Geron Christian on IR.

Redskins’ Geron Christian Out For Year

Redskins tackle Geron Christian tore his MCL and is out for the season, head coach Jay Gruden announced. Thanks to injuries, the third-round rookie dressed for only two games in his first pro campaign. 

The Redskins’ offensive line has taken a beating this year. Recently, the team was also forced to shut down guards Brandon Scherff and Shawn Lauvao for the season and star tackle Trent Williams is at least a couple of weeks away from returning after a thumb injury. The Redskins will use new addition Austin Howard at offensive tackle, but another signing could be on the way as they look to strengthen the front five.

Despite their setbacks, the Redskins lead the NFC East with a 6-3 record. Fresh off of a road victory over the Bucs, they’ll look for another W against the Texans on Sunday.

Designated To Return From IR: Burkhead, Shaheen, Davis, Quinn

With more than half of the 2018 campaign in the books, NFL clubs have started to exercise their right to return players from injured reserve. Each team is allowed to bring two players back from IR, but said players must have been retained on their respective club’s initial 53-man roster. Once an IR player returns to practice, his club will have three weeks to decide whether to activate him to their 53-man roster; if he’s not activated, the player will remain on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

Here are three players who have been designated to return from IR this week:

  • Patriots running back Rex Burkhead returned to practice on Thursday, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Burkhead, who is first eligible to play in Week 13 against the Vikings, is the second and final New England player who is scheduled to return from IR, joining rookie cornerback Duke Dawson. That means other injured Patriots, such as linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, cornerback Eric Rowe, and offensive lineman Brian Schwenke are officially done for the year. New England doesn’t necessarily need more help at running back: James White and jack-of-all-trades Cordarrelle Patterson have held down the fort in recent weeks, and impressive rookie Sony Michel is expected to return from injury this week. But Burkhead could still carve out a role, and will certainly be a factor on special teams.
  • Second-year tight end Adam Shaheen has been designated for return by the Bears, tweets veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer. Shaheen, a second-round pick in 2017, was an impressive athlete coming out of Division II Ashland last year, but didn’t produce much in the way of results during his first NFL campaign. In 13 games (seven starts), Shaheen managed only 12 receptions for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Now that he’s recovered from foot and ankle issues, Shaheen should slot in alongside fellow Chicago tight ends Trey Burton and Dion Sims.
  • The Packers have gotten contributions from several young receivers already this season, and they could be getting another youthful pass-catcher back in the near future. Trevor Davis returned to practice earlier this week, per Balzer, and can now be activated at any point in the next three weeks. A fifth-round choice in the 2016 draft, Davis posted 24 receptions last season while playing on 40.5% of Green Bay’s special teams snaps. Now that Geronimo Allison has been placed on injured reserve, Davis could see snaps behind Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
  • Redskins rookie wide receiver Trey Quinn returned to practice today and has been designated to return from IR, tweets Balzer. Quinn suffered an ankle injury in Week 1 after being selected in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Washington is dealing with numerous injuries at the wide receiver position and just placed pass-catcher Paul Richardson on IR, so Quinn could theoretically see snaps down the line.

NFL Workout Updates: 11/6/18

Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • LB Christian Kuntz

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

Oakland Raiders

  • T Roubbens Joseph (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/6/18

Today’s practice squad moves:

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: RB Troymaine Pope
  • Released: TE Tyrone Swoopes

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

Redskins Activate DL Stacy McGee

The Redskins activated defensive lineman Stacy McGee from the physically unable to perform list. To make room, they waived safety Kenny Ladler

[RELATED: Orleans Darkwa Rejected Redskins Offer]

McGee joined the Redskins on a five-year, $25MM contract last spring and appeared in all 16 games (ten starts) for the club in 2017, managing 44 tackles in the process. This year, he was held back by thigh surgery in June. Joining a defensive line that also includes Jonathan AllenDa’Ron PayneMatt IoannidisTim Settle, and Caleb Brantley, McGee is unlikely to start, but he could find a spot in the rotation.

Ladler was no longer needed after the Redskins acquired standout safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix from the Packers before the trade deadline. The 26-year-old dressed for five games this year and played primarily on special teams.

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