HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Bears Work Out CB D.J. Hayden

September 21st, 2021 at 7:51pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bears worked out a trio of defensive backs today, including a former first-round pick. The team auditioned D.J. Hayden, Lafayette Pitts, and Kevon Seymour, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).

While Hayden hasn’t necessarily lived up to his 12th-overall selection in the 2013 draft, he’s still managed to put together an eight-year career. The veteran had spent the past three seasons in Jacksonville, but he bounced on and off injured reserve in 2020 while dealing with a hamstring injury. The 31-year-old ultimately saw time in five games, collecting 18 tackles.

The Bears struggled during their loss to the Rams, with slot corner Marqui Christian getting his fair share of the blame. The cornerback finished the game having allowed five catches (including two touchdowns) on six targets.

The Bears were also busy working out running backs today, with Brian Hill, Wendell Smallwood, and Chris Thompson all in for tryouts. Biggs assumes (on Twitter) that the team is simply updating their RB free agent list, which makes sense considering the team’s depth (David Montgomery, Damien Williams, and (eventually) Tarik Cohen).

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger Dealing With Pectoral Injury

September 21st, 2021 at 7:21pm CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers continue to deal with injuries, and we can now add Ben Roethlisberger to the list of the walking wounded. Mike Tomlin revealed today that his starting quarterback is dealing with a left pectoral injury.

The head coach wasn’t sure when Roethlisberger specifically suffered the injury during the Steelers Week 2 loss to the Raiders. Per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, the 39-year-old was hit 10 times (including a pair of sacks), and Tomlin made it clear that the team had to do a better job of protecting their quarterback.

“He took too many hits.,” Tomlin said (via Pryor). “We can run the ball better. We can get the ball out of his hand quicker. We can stay on schedule and not get behind the sticks and get in situations where the line of the game is so far that that that enhances the rush.”

Through his first two games of the season, Roethlisberger has completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 483 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. If he was forced to miss time, the team could turn to Mason Rudolph or Dwayne Haskins.

Roethlisberger isn’t the only Steelers player dealing with an injury. T.J. Watt left Sunday’s game, while wideout Diontae Johnson suffered an injury on the final play of the game. Devin Bush and Joe Haden missed Sunday’s contest with groin injuries.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/21/21

September 21st, 2021 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Released: K Matt McCrane

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/21

September 21st, 2021 at 5:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Signed: T Jackson Barton (off Giants’ practice squad)

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Falcons Work Out WR John Brown

September 21st, 2021 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

After requesting his release from the Raiders, John Brown did not land an immediate contract. But Brown has resurfaced on the radar, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero noting (via Twitter) the veteran speed merchant worked out for the Falcons on Tuesday.

Atlanta began the season in transition at wide receiver, having traded Julio Jones to Tennessee. Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage have worked as the Falcons’ starters. Brown profiles as an experienced depth piece, albeit one who is coming off a down 2020 season.

The Bills received a quality year from Brown in 2019. The ex-Division II superstar became the first Bill to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards since Sammy Watkins in 2015, hauling in 72 passes for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns two seasons ago. Buffalo brought in Stefon Diggs in 2020, however, and dropped Brown down to an auxiliary option. After injuries limited Brown to nine games last season, the Bills released him earlier this year.

Brown, 31, has started for three teams — the Cardinals, Ravens and Bills — and produced two 1,000-yard seasons, the first coming with Arizona in 2015. He was on pace for a third in 2018, but the Ravens’ Joe Flacco-to-Lamar Jackson switch curtailed their receivers’ numbers that year. A former third-round pick, Brown did not impress at Raiders training camp but resides as one of the top free agents available at this point.

Bills Audition DBs Quinton Dunbar, Damarious Randall

September 21st, 2021 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills are looking into secondary help. They brought in Quinton Dunbar and Damarious Randall for workouts Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Teammates on the Seahawks last year, Dunbar and Randall have not played this season. The Lions cut Dunbar earlier this year, while Randall’s latest Seattle agreement ultimately led to a release late last month.

Randall offers versatility, in having been a starter at both safety and cornerback, while Dunbar played a high level more recently. Both Randall and Dunbar are 29 and bring six years’ worth of experience.

Although Dunbar’s stock has dipped since his 2019 breakthrough season in Washington, the former UDFA intercepted four passes and graded as a top-five corner — per Pro Football Focus — in his final Washington slate. After changing regimes, Washington traded Dunbar to Seattle last year. He played in just six Seahawks games (all starts) before landing on IR. The Lions have kept tabs on Dunbar, despite releasing him, but the six-year vet remains a free agent.

A 2015 first-round pick, Randall played in 10 Seahawks games last season but did not start any. His most recent run as a first-stringer came with Cleveland, which used the veteran as a two-year safety starter from 2018-19. The Seahawks initially slotted Randall at safety but tried him at corner, his original NFL role, this offseason.

Texans’ Danny Amendola To Miss Time

September 21st, 2021 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Danny Amendola will join Tyrod Taylor in the Texans’ hamstring rehab ward. The veteran wide receiver is expected to miss multiple games due to a strained hamstring, Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 tweets.

Although the Texans signed Amendola days before their Week 1 game, he has been a regular on offense during the team’s first two contests. Anthony Miller will be active for the first time this season, per Wilson, as Amendola’s slot replacement.

[RELATED: Texans’ Taylor Could Miss One Month]

Beginning his 12th season, Amendola has six catches for 43 yards in his short Texans tenure. The Houston-area native opened the year with a five-catch Week 1 outing, adding a touchdown in the Texans’ win over the Jaguars. Amendola, who will turn 36 in November, is the NFL’s oldest active wide receiver.

Despite the Texans being pegged as a rebuilding team, their receiving corps carries extensive experience. Five of Houston’s top six wideouts have at least three years’ experience, with Miller (in Year 4) the youngest member of this group. Houston traded for Miller late in the offseason but has not used the ex-Bears slot player in a game yet.

Miller’s bump notwithstanding, the Texans will need to make a roster move, in all likelihood, at receiver. The team placed rookie third-rounder Nico Collins on IR earlier today. Miller, Brandin Cooks, Chris Conley and return man Andre Roberts reside as the available Houston wideouts going into the team’s Thursday tilt against the Panthers.

Falcons To Sign P Dustin Colquitt

September 21st, 2021 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons have a new punter, and he brings considerable experience. Longtime Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt agreed to a deal with the Falcons on Tuesday, according to his agency (on Twitter).

Atlanta cut Cameron Nizialek after a shaky Sunday showing. Nizialek punted in just two games for the Falcons and will give way to Colquitt, who has kicked in 244.

While Colquitt agreed to a practice squad deal, the Falcons should be expected to elevate the veteran ahead of their Week 3 game Sunday. To make room on their 16-man taxi squad, the Falcons released former Colquitt Chiefs teammate Bryan Witzmann. A five-year veteran offensive lineman, Witzmann has bounced around since being a full-time Chiefs starter in 2017.

Although Colquitt landed back with the Chiefs during the playoffs last season, his most recent game action came with the Steelers. Colquitt, 39, punted in five games with Pittsburgh in 2020. The Steelers, however, released him to bring back Jordan Berry. The Falcons will be Colquitt’s third NFL team.

The 16-year veteran, of course, is best known for his Chiefs tenure. Kansas City used a third-round pick on Colquitt in 2005, and he subsequently played 15 seasons for the team. The second-generation NFL punter and older brother of Britton Colquitt, Dustin made the Pro Bowl in 2012 and 2016 and finished his first Chiefs stint in Super Bowl LIV.

Texans’ Tyrod Taylor Could Miss One Month

September 21st, 2021 at 3:13pm CST by Ben Levine

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

September 21st, 2021 at 3:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

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