One lone practice squad move to pass along:
New England Patriots
Anderson was actually one of the Patriots more interesting practice squad stashes, as he was one of the only active tight ends in the organization. The 26-year-old has 36 career receptions for 342 yards and one touchdown. The Patriots moved on from another tight end today when they cut veteran Lance Kendricks.
A handful of workout notes from around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
Green Bay Packers
The Patriots have another offensive lineman dealing with an injury, so they’ve turned to the free agent pool to potentially provide some depth. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports (via Twitter) that the team worked out veteran offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse today. The team also auditioned defensive back Nate Brooks.
The Patriots lost starting right tackle Marcus Cannon to a shoulder injury during last night’s win, further depleting a grouping that recently lost David Andrews. With backup lineman Ted Karras already thrust into the starting center role, the team had to turn to the recently-acquired Jermaine Eluemunor to fill in for Cannon. This left New England with former undrafted free agent James Ferentz as their lone backup lineman.
If the Patriots are specifically looking for a tackle, Newhouse would fit the bill. The 30-year-old had started 72 games throughout his nine-year career, although he was limited to only two in 14 appearances between the Bills and Panthers last season. The Saints added the lineman back in May, but he landed on the IR before being released with a settlement. Even if Cannon isn’t sidelined for very long, Newhouse could provide the Patriots with an upgrade over some of their inexperienced options.
Brooks, a former standout at North Texas, spent the preseason with the Cardinals. After failing to make the 53-man roster, the defensive back caught on with Arizona’s practice squad, although he was let go last week.
49ers running back Tevin Coleman suffered a somewhat serious injury during his team’s win over the Buccaneers yesterday. Fortunately, it shouldn’t keep him on the shelf for all that long.
ESPN’s Nick Wagoner tweets that Coleman suffered a high ankle sprain yesterday, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said a trip to the IR wasn’t a possibility. The 26-year-old will be out for next weekend’s game in Cincinnati, and the team will then treat the injury as week-to-week.
Shanahan also revealed that Coleman was injured during the first play of the game, and the ailment got worse as he remained in the contest. The running back was ultimately pulled at halftime after having compiled 23 rushing yards on six carries. He also hauled in two receptions for 33 yards.
Coleman was making his regular-season debut for the 49ers after having inked a two-year, $10MM deal with the team this past offseason. The running back had spent the first four seasons of his career with the Falcons, including a 2018 campaign where he compiled 1,076 yards on offense.
With Coleman joining Jerick McKinnon on the sideline, the 49ers are suddenly looking thin at the position. The team will likely lean on Matt Breida until Coleman returns, although the former undrafted free agent was underwhelming yesterday (37 rushing yards on 15 carries). Raheem Mostert is the only other running back on the roster, and Shanahan implied yesterday that Jeff Wilson Jr. could be promoted from the practice squad.
After spending the last week as a free agent, it sounds like Brett Jones is going to land back in Minnesota. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports (via Twitter) that the veteran center is expected to re-sign with the Vikings. Jones returned to Minnesota last night, and he could be signed as soon as tomorrow.
The Vikings let go of the 28-year-old last Monday to make room for wideout Josh Doctson. At the time, Tomasson suspected that the six-year pro would end up back in Minny. The reporter’s intuition proved to be right.
Hailing from Saskatchewan, Jones spent two years in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders, earning an All-Star nod and a league championship in 2014. He eventually made his way to the NFL after signing with the Giants in 2015. He spent the next three years with the organization, including a 2017 campaign where he started 13 of his 16 games.
Last August, Jones was traded from the Giants to the Vikings in exchange for a seventh-rounder. He started the first three games in place of Pat Elflein, and he ultimately settled into a backup role for his other 11 appearances. He re-signed with the organization this offseason on a one-year deal that could pay upwards of $1.5MM. It’s uncertain if he’ll receive a similar contract this time around.
A 16-game starter for the Buccaneers last season, Caleb Benenoch did not open with Tampa Bay’s first unit on Sunday. He will not be with the team in Week 2, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reporting (via Twitter) the fourth-year blocker will be waived.
Benenoch joined the Bucs as a fifth-round pick three years ago but struggled in his first full-season audition. He allowed 10 sacks and finished with one of Pro Football Focus’ lowest guard grades. The Bucs intend to sign former Jaguars lineman Josh Wells.
One year remains on Benenoch’s contract. With linemen consistently generating interest (and, as Rapoport notes, various former Benenoch Tampa Bay coaches residing with other teams), the Nigerian may have a new team by Tuesday.
Second-year guard Alex Cappa started at right guard Sunday, while Benenoch saw action on special teams. The Bucs also added Earl Watford, a former Bruce Arians charge with the Cardinals, in free agency and brought in Zack Bailey as a rookie UDFA.
While the Bears this offseason garnered more publicity than just about any kicker-seeking team ever has, the Jets are entering that realm. They are almost certainly set to move to a fourth kicker in less than a month.
The Jets will hold a kicker tryout on Tuesday, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. Sam Ficken, Greg Joseph, Elliott Fry, Younghoe Koo, and Tristan Vizcaino will vie to replace the struggling Kaare Vedvik, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News.
Adam Gase‘s official word has not yet sealed Vedvik’s fate, but Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes the first-year Jets coach was “fuming” regarding the recently acquired kicker on Sunday night (Twitter link). Vedvik missed an extra point and a 45-yard field goal in what became a one-point Jets loss to the Bills. The hybrid specialist is 1-for-5 on field goals since being traded from the Ravens to the Vikings in the second week of the preseason.
Vedvik loomed as a Ravens trade chip for two offseasons, and after spending the 2018 season on Baltimore’s IR list, the Ravens acquired a fifth-round pick for him. The Vikings were set to offer a practice squad spot to Vedvik before the Jets made a waiver claim. The Vikings have another kicker, Chase McLaughlin, on their P-squad.
The Jets opted to let 2018 Pro Bowl kicker Jason Myers defect to the Seahawks in free agency. Replacement Chandler Catanzaro retired in mid-August, and the team added AAF alum Taylor Bertolet. The Vedvik claim sent Bertolet back to the waiver wire. Despite a versatile skill set that stems from extensive punting experience as well, Vedvik looks set to head there again soon.
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers
Former second-round pick Noah Spence did not make the Buccaneers’ 53-man roster this season, but he has already received one workout opportunity and has another scheduled.
The edge defender will work out for the Redskins on Tuesday, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports. Spence worked out for the Bills last week.
The Ohio State product did not work out like the Bucs envisioned when they took him at No. 39 overall in 2016. He’s registered just 6.5 sacks in three seasons, with 5.5 of those coming as a rookie. He missed much of the 2017 season with an injury.
Washington is thin on healthy outside linebackers, having chosen Montez Sweat in Round 1. Behind starters Ryan Kerrigan and Ryan Anderson, the Redskins employ only Cassanova McKinzy as a usable option exiting Week 1.
A 10-game starter for the 2018 Buccaneers, Justin Evans will not have a chance to play in that many games this season. The Bucs are placing their former second-round pick on IR, per Greg Auman of The Athletic (on Twitter).
The Bucs will sign offensive lineman Josh Wells to take Evans’ place on the 53-man roster. Wells worked out for the team last week.
This will mark at least 15 consecutive games Evans will have missed. A foot injury shelved him midway through last season, and IR rules stipulate the safety will not be eligible to return this year until Week 10. Evans is dealing with a nagging Achilles injury. Tampa Bay started Darian Stewart and Jordan Whitehead against San Francisco on Sunday.
A Texas A&M product, Evans landed with the Bucs as the No. 50 overall pick in 2017. He has started 19 of the 24 games in which he’s played. Under Bruce Arians this year, however, the Bucs selected safety Mike Edwards in Round 3.
Working mostly at tackle, Wells has played in 39 games — all with the Jaguars — since coming into the league as a UDFA in 2014. The 28-year-old blocker started five games for the 2018 Jags.