Josh Walker

Jaguars Place OL Josh Walker On IR

As part of yesterday’s roster shuffle, the Jaguars also lost an offensive lineman for the season. The team announced that they’ve placed offensive guard Josh Walker on the injured reserve with an ankle injury.

The 27-year-old Walker had missed that Jaguars last four games, but his placement on the IR was still a bit surprising. The lineman was a full participant at practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, and there was some optimism that he’d be able to play in this weekend’s contest against the Redskins. Ultimately, the team decided to open the extra roster spot.

The 2014 undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State had started four of his five games this season. Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance in 2018. Walker, who’s listed as an offensive tackle, ranked dead last among the 78 eligible players at the position.

While Jacksonville is losing one lineman, they’ll be welcoming another one back. As part of yesterday’s moves, the team activated lineman Josh Wells. The 27-year-old could easily slide back into the starting lineup alongside Chris Reed, Tyler Shatley, A.J. Cann, and Jermey Parnell.

The Jaguars made two additional moves yesterday, as they waived safety Barry Church and tight end Niles Paul.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/8/17

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

  • Released from IR: WR Dez Stewart

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

Texans Down To 53

The Texans officially announced their roster cuts. Here’s a look at the moves that were not previously given full posts on PFR:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/Injured:

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/16

The Redskins have signed defensive lineman Jordan Hill, who was one of several players to audition for the Jets on Monday. The ex-Seahawk is going to the NFC East instead, though, and will reunite with former Seattle executive/current Redskins general manager Scot McCoughlan. The Seahawks selected Hill in the third round of the 2013 draft, and he went on to appear in 27 of their regular-season games and record seven sacks (5.5 in 2014) before they released him from injured reserve last month.

More minor moves from Tuesday:

  • The Texans have promoted offensive lineman Josh Walker to their active roster, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Walker went undrafted out of Middle Tennessee State in 2014 and spent the first two years of his career with the Colts and Packers. He suited up for 13 of Green Bay’s games last year, though the team cut him in September. Walker then signed with Houston’s practice squad last month.
  • The Colts waived rookie wide receiver Tevaun Smith, an undrafted free agent from Iowa. Smith was on the Colts’ active roster for two games.
  • The Chargers have waived cornerback Steve Williams, thus ending his second stint with the team. Williams, a 2013 fifth-round pick from Cal, appeared in 27 games with the Bolts over his first two seasons. He spent the early portion of this year with the Rams, who waived him Sept. 23, and then rejoined the Chargers last month. To take Williams’ roster spot, the Bolts will sign wideout Geremy Davis of the Giants’ practice squad, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).
  • The Bears have cut offensive lineman Cornelius Edison, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Edison, who had been with Chicago since last year, could end up re-signing with its practice squad, according to Biggs.
  • The Packers have waived defensive end Tyler Kuder from injured reserve, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The undrafted rookie from Idaho State went on IR on Sept. 3.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/27/16

Today’s practice squad moves:

Buffalo Bills

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

New Orleans Saints

Workout Notes: Bears, Pack, Chiefs, Pats

The Redskins worked out six free agents – including defensive tackle Jordan Hill – on Monday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Also among their tryouts: Running back Isaiah Pead; quarterback Josh Woodrum; receivers Matt Hazel and Mekale McKay; and defensive end Sterling Bailey. and Hill was a backup from 2013-15 in Seattle, where he appeared in 27 regular-season games and recorded seven sacks (5.5 in 2014).

More workouts from Monday:

  • Cornerbacks Darryl Morris, Shaun Prater, Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Melvin White auditioned for the Bears, tweets Caplan. Chicago is on the hunt for defensive back help after getting torched by the Packers on Thursday Night Football.
  • The Packers worked out six receivers – Mario Alford, Dez Stewart, Harvey Binford, Da’Ron Brown, Marcus Johnson and Wendall Williamsaccording to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Stewart ended up signing with their practice squad. Guard Josh Walker and quarterback Keith Wenning were also among Green Bay’s tryouts Monday. Walker was previously with the Packers, who waived/injured him in training camp.
  • Receiver Cayleb Jones tried out for the Chiefs, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The 6’3″, 205-pound receiver spent training camp with Philadelphia.
  • The Patriots auditioned safety Shamiel Gary, per Doug Kyed of NESN (Twitter link). The ex-Dolphin was with the Patriots for a brief period in 2014.
  • The Cowboys took a look at defensive tackles Montori Hughes and Casey Walker, reports Caplan (Twitter link). The team doesn’t plan to sign either of them, however, according to Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Packers Trade Lerentee McCray To Bills

The Bills are set to acquire linebacker Lerentee McCray from the Packers in exchange for draft pick compensation, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The Packers will receive a conditional 2018 seventh-round draft choice, per an announcement from the Bills. The Packers have also made a handful of roster moves, bringing them down to 75 in advance of the deadline.

Released:

  • WR Harvey Binford

Placed on IR:

McCray appeared in 24 regular season games for the Broncos over the last two years. This offseason, he was a restricted free agent but he was not tendered an offer. In April, he hooked on with the Packers.

NFC Links: Avant, Palmer, Brooks

Panthers wide receiver Jason Avant is looking forward to returning to Philadelphia this weekend, but the veteran is also looking back on his time with the Eagles. The 30-year-old was asked about his departure from Philly, and the wideout understood that he was on the outside looking in. Via the Philly Mag’s Tim McManus

“You have an emerging [Jeremy] Maclin, you have a receiver draft that is high on talent that year and then you just paid Riley Cooper, so you kind of put the pieces together. Me and DeSean or me and Mac, we knew two of us would be gone,” he said. “We didn’t know which one it would be but you kind of [understand] situations over the years.

“I saw my role and what they had me doing and it just didn’t make sense for them financially to keep me to do some of the things I was doing. That’s no slight at Chip [Kelly] or anyone, it’s just a good business decision. Man, if I was in the business decision I would have looked at it and said: Look, to catch bubbles and to block, we can get a rookie to do that for a lesser price. That’s just a smart move by Howie Roseman and Chip.”

“Every player wants to play in one city for their whole career, but I understood the business side of it,” he said. “I love the organization, I love [Kelly and Roseman], I don’t have any hard feelings. I’ll be giving [Kelly] a big hug when I see him. I respect him and I respect what he is doing. They’re having a great season so far and I am really, really excited for a lot of the guys there, and I still talk to a lot of people. I’m happy they’re doing well — I just hope they don’t do well this week. That’s it.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…

  • The Packers will evaluate the availability of guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang today, and they could decide to activate lineman Josh Walker from the practice squad, writes Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel.
  • The Cardinals made the correct move in signing Carson Palmer, says ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss. The 34-year-old’s performance since returning in mid-October has proven to the writer that the veteran was deserving of a three-year extension.
  • 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh would not comment on rumors that the team was shopping linebacker Ahmad Brooks“No, no, I don’t have any comment on that,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez). “As always, no comment on those things. It would be second-hand, and I don’t have the specific knowledge.”

AFC West Notes: Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers

As I noted in a poll yesterday, there are only three unbeaten teams remaining in the NFL — at the other end of the spectrum, only three clubs are still looking for their first win of the season. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examines those three franchises in his latest piece for The Sporting News, writing of the Raiders that they’ve “built one of the strangest rosters in recent memory.”

As Fitzgerald notes, Oakland added a number of aging veterans in free agency on its way to compiling the oldest roster in the NFL, and the team handed the quarterbacking reins to rookie Derek Carr shortly after trading for high-priced veteran Matt Schaub. The Raiders figure to win some games at some point this season, but it’s hard to imagine GM Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen still having their jobs a year from now unless things turn around quickly, writes Fitzgerald.

Here’s more from around the AFC West:

  • Although Bill Williamson of ESPN.com has received many inquiries from Raiders fans on whether or not the team has interest in free agent defensive back Champ Bailey, Williamson says the team isn’t considering the veteran at this point (Twitter link).
  • Before they signed with the Packers’ and Lions’ practice squads, respectively, offensive lineman Josh Walker and defensive back Josh Victorian worked out for the Chiefs, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), who says Kansas City team also auditioned wideout Ryan Spadola.
  • In addition to the players who signed to their roster or practice squad, or those whose workouts have been previously reported, the Chargers tried out the following players, according to Wilson (via Twitter): Offensive linemen Michael Bamiro, Travis Bond, and Bryce Quigley, linebacker Yawin Smallwood, and tight end Brian Wozniak.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

We’re tracking Tuesday’s minor 53-man roster transactions around the NFL in a separate post, but we’ll use this spot to keep tabs on Tuesday’s practice squad moves. Here’s the latest:

  • The Texans have signed punter Chris Boswell to their practice squad, according to James Palmer of CSNHouston.com (on Twitter).
  • The Packers have signed offensive lineman Josh Walker to the practice squad, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The team released center Josh Allen to make room on the roster.
  • The Chargers signed D.J. Adams and former University of Oregon tight end David Paulson to the practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
  • The Saints signed fullback/tight end Orson Charles to their practice squad, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
  • The Bears have re-signed Josh Bellamy to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
  • The Browns signed wide reciever Lee Doss to their practice squad, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. The move fills the vacancy left by Charles Johnson leaving the Browns’ taxi squad for the Vikings.
  • Brandon Smith had a successful tryout for the Jets and they’re expected to sign him to their practice squad, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • Defensive back Josh Victorian has filled the final opening on the Lions‘ practice squad, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • The Redskins have finalized the addition of center Tevita Stevens to their practice squad, and also announced that offensive lineman Braxston Cave has been cut (Twitter link). That leaves the club with nine players on its taxi squad still.
  • The Panthers have filled the final opening on their practice squad by bringing aboard wide receiver Willie Snead, according to David Newton of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Snead was cut by the Browns at the end of the preseason.
  • After working out for the club earlier today, tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi has signed with the Ravens‘ practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Ogbuehi takes the spot vacated by Phillip Supernaw, who has been promoted to the team’s active roster.
  • Offensive lineman Reid Fragel, who was on Indianapolis’ practice squad earlier this season, has signed with the Falcons‘ taxi squad, replacing tackle Terren Jones on the unit, per a team release.
  • As part of the flurry of transactions they made today, the Jaguars added fullback Eric Kettani to their practice squad, filling the 10th and final spot, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
  • The Colts have removed defensive end Nnamdi Obukwelu from their practice squad with an injury settlement, the club announced today in a press release. Linebacker Trevardo Williams takes Obukwelu’s place on the squad.
  • With outside linebacker Cordarro Law set to join the Chargers‘ 53-man roster, another outside linebacker – rookie Colton Underwood – will take Law’s spot on San Diego’s practice squad, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Zach Links contributed to this post.