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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/4/23

September 4th, 2023 at 8:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: CB Quavian White

Baltimore Ravens

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

  • Signed: DL Jeremiah Pharms Jr.

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

The Giants are not certain to have Wan’Dale Robinson available in Week 1. The 2022 second-round pick just came off the team’s active/PUP list, a sign the team believes he can return at some point during the season’s first four weeks. Beasley did not make the Giants’ 53-man roster but resided as a possible P-squad elevation option as Robinson protection. This moves nixes that path, as Beasley cannot play until Week 5.

Morrow has gone from potential Eagles starting linebacker to a player who did not make the defending NFC champions’ active roster. But the team still has the former Raiders and Bears starter in its plans. Morrow, who had signed a one-year deal worth the league minimum this offseason, is now positioned as a depth piece who could be elevated ahead of Week 1. Teams can use two P-squad elevations each week, in addition to standard promotions — which require corresponding roster moves — ahead of the Saturday-afternoon deadline.

Better known as the player chosen with the second-round pick obtained for DeAndre Hopkins, Blacklock moved from Houston to Minnesota via trade in August 2022. But he did not make the Vikings’ 53-man roster this year. The fourth-year D-lineman will be a depth option for the Jaguars.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/31/23

August 31st, 2023 at 9:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: WR Kaden Davis, OL Marquis Hayes

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC East

August 30th, 2023 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles and Giants moves are noted below.

Dallas Cowboys

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

New York Giants

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Philadelphia Eagles

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Washington Commanders

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Eagles Set 53-Man Roster

August 29th, 2023 at 7:41pm CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles released linebacker Nicholas Morrow and waived running back Trey Sermon today, and they’ve now cut a number of young players to get down to the 53-man roster limit:

Waived:

Released from IR:

Devon Allen is two-time Olympian hurdler, and after having played college football for Oregon between 2013 and 2016, he caught on with the Eagles last offseason. He spent most of the 2022 campaign on Philly’s practice squad, and there’s a chance he’s destined for the same gig again in 2023.

Britain Covey is another subtraction from the WRs room, although the 26-year-old played only 19 snaps on offense for the Eagles in 2022. He had a much larger role on special teams, where he returned 10 kicks for 206 yards and 33 punts for 308 yards.

Eagles To Acquire TE Albert Okwuegbunam From Broncos

August 29th, 2023 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Broncos were planning to waive Albert Okwuegbunam, they found a trade partner at the 11th hour. The Eagles will acquire the fourth-year tight end, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Minutes before the deadline for teams to set their initial 53-man rosters, Philadelphia and Denver agreed on a swap that will send Okwuegbunam east in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick.

Okwuegbunam, 25, had fallen out of favor in Denver. The former fourth-round pick had shown some promise during Pat Shurmur’s OC tenure and appeared poised to take on a bigger role once the Broncos included Noah Fant in last year’s Russell Wilson trade. That did not end up happening, with Nathaniel Hackett’s staff making Okwuegbunam a healthy scratch at points last season.

The Broncos dangled Okwuegbunam in trades before last year’s deadline, and while the frequent seller team made a big-ticket move (the Bradley Chubb swap) and acquired Jacob Martin from the Jets, “Albert O” stayed put. He finished last season with 10 receptions for 95 yards. The Mizzou alum topped that in his final preseason game this year, totaling 109 receiving yards in what amounted to a showcase effort by the Broncos.

Going from Shurmur’s offense to Hackett’s to Sean Payton’s, Okwuegbunam will now be tasked with learning a fourth system (Nick Sirianni’s) in Philly. The Broncos had added Adam Trautman and Chris Manhertz at tight end this offseason; both had played for Payton in New Orleans. Greg Dulcich quickly overtook Okwuegbunam as the top pass-catching option at the position last year, and the 2022 third-rounder remains as such in Payton’s system. Though, Trautman — acquired via draft-weekend trade — has worked as the Broncos’ starter.

He of a sub-4.5-second 40-yard dash clocking at the 2020 Combine, Okwuegbunam did produce a 330-yard, two-touchdown season in 2021. The former Drew Lock college target did not exceed 450 yards in a season with the SEC program, though he did score an eye-catching 23 touchdowns in three Columbia seasons.

Okwuegbunam will join a tight end group fronted by starter Dallas Goedert and backups Jack Stoll and Grant Calcaterra. The two reserves combined for 16 receptions last season, opening a door for a receiving complement to Goedert. Considering how the past two seasons have gone for Okwuegbunam, he may be set for another uphill battle. But an Eagles team without many weaknesses will take a flier on an athletic pass catcher.

Eagles To Release LB Nicholas Morrow

August 29th, 2023 at 2:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Positioned as a prospective starter going into training camp, Nicholas Morrow will not land on the Eagles’ 53-man roster. The Eagles are releasing the veteran linebacker, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.

The Eagles made multiple moves at linebacker during camp, signing Zach Cunningham and Myles Jack. The latter ended up retiring, ending a short stint, while Cunningham is on track to play a role for Philly this season.

Opting to allocate resources elsewhere this offseason, the Eagles let T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White walk in free agency. That opened up most of the Birds’ linebacker snaps. Nakobe Dean, a 2022 third-round pick, is on track to be Philly’s centerpiece at the position this season. The Eagles used the Georgia standout as a backup last year. But some questions exist about how the Eagles will line up on their defensive second level.

Morrow, 28, made the successful climb from Division III to the NFL. He worked as a Raiders regular, starting 29 games with the team, before a season-nullifying injury ended his run with the AFC West team. The Bears gave Morrow a bounce-back opportunity, and he finished with career-high numbers in tackles (116) and TFLs (11). Of course, Chicago did not exactly deploy a reliable defense last season. Next to no market formed for Morrow this offseason. He signed a one-year, $1.16MM deal to join the Eagles, who did not include any guarantees in the low-cost accord.

Cunningham has made 76 starts and would make for a logical Dean running mate. The Titans made Cunningham a cap casualty in February. Christian Elliss resides as another linebacker piece for the Eagles, though the former UDFA has appeared in only seven games for the team in two seasons.

Eagles To Waive RB Trey Sermon

August 29th, 2023 at 1:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Fielding a running back room that has surely confused fantasy GMs ahead of drafts, the Eagles’ post-Miles Sanders plan — for the time being, at least — will not include Trey Sermon.

The defending NFC champions waived the former 49ers third-round pick Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Sermon was viewed as the odd man out in a backfield that still houses Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott; those two join offseason pickups D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny.

Sermon will be waived with an injury designation, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes, adding the third-year back suffered an injury in the team’s final preseason game.

Sermon wound up in Philadelphia via waiver claim last year. The 49ers cut him after his second training camp with the team. Sermon was viewed as a potential starter option for the 2021 49ers, but the team preferred sixth-round pick Elijah Mitchell. The latter remains Christian McCaffrey‘s backup, while the higher-drafted player may soon be on a third team in three seasons.

That said, the Eagles could bring Sermon back into the fold on a practice squad deal. Not a vested veteran, Sermon is subject to waivers. If unclaimed by Wednesday afternoon, Sermon could land on Philly’s 16-man practice squad. He spent most of the 2022 season on that unit, playing in two games.

The Eagles only guaranteed Penny $600K, but the ex-Seahawks first-rounder remains on the team’s roster. One of the NFL’s longest-tenured backup running backs in recent memory, Scott is going into his sixth season with the Eagles. The team acquired Swift during draft weekend — two years after using a fifth-round pick on Gainwell. This convoluted setup should be expected to produce a committee. While Sermon could become part of the group again — if/when injuries occur — he must clear waivers first.

Eagles To Sign CB Isaiah Rodgers

August 28th, 2023 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles will take a flier on one of the players who incurred a full-season gambling suspension earlier this year. They are signing cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Suspended for betting on NFL games, Rodgers is out for the 2023 season. He must apply for reinstatement. The Colts were planning on using Rodgers as a starting cornerback, and the gambling ban did not surface until after the draft. Rodgers was found to have bet on Colts games; Indianapolis waived the fourth-year defender after the gambling ban became official.

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni and assistant Marcus Brady were with the Colts when they drafted Rodgers back in 2020. This will bring a reunion, but it is a bit too early to tell if Rodgers will play for the Eagles. Rumors emerged indicating the former sixth-round pick placed approximately 100 bets — via a sportsbook account created under the name of one of an associate — that came under scrutiny. While Calvin Ridley was reinstated shortly after applying earlier this year, it cannot be assumed the NFL will immediately greenlight a Rodgers return.

The Colts used Rodgers, 25, as a nine-game starter alongside Stephon Gilmore last season. Rodgers also operated as Indy’s primary kick returner from 2020-22, taking a kick back for a touchdown as a rookie. Pro Football Focus ranked Rodgers as the fifth-best cornerback during the 2022 season. This assessment came on just 283 defensive snaps, but Rodgers had shown promise in limited duty. The 170-pound defender intercepted three passes in 2021 and recovered four fumbles last season.

After C.J. Gardner-Johnson turned down a multiyear offer and joined the Lions, the Eagles pivoted to corner, extending Darius Slay and re-signing James Bradberry. Slay is going into his age-32 season, Bradberry his age-30 campaign. Rodgers has some hurdles to clear before suiting up for the Eagles, residing on the reserve/suspended list. But he is a younger corner the Eagles hope to take a look at in 2024.

Eagles DE Derek Barnett Gauging Trade Market

August 28th, 2023 at 11:28am CST by Rory Parks

Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett wants more playing time. The No. 14 overall pick of the 2017 draft, who is entering a contract year, is unlikely to get the number of reps that will lead to a significant payday if he remains in Philadelphia, which houses pass-rushing talent like Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, and first-round rookie Nolan Smith. Barnett’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is therefore gauging the trade market for a better opportunity, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Barnett, 27, accepted a pay cut just last month that actually increased his guaranteed money for 2023 while reducing the maximum he can earn. That transaction assured him of a spot on the Eagles’ roster, and Fowler confirms that the club wants to keep him. Nonetheless, if a team that has a bigger need in the edge rush department is willing to part with a useful asset in exchange for Barnett, it makes sense for Philadelphia to pull the trigger.

Last offseason, there were rumors that Barnett, who was set to hit the open market for the first time in his career, was going to sign with a different club in free agency. However, GM Howie Roseman opted to keep him in the fold via a two-year, $14MM commitment. Unfortunately, Barnett played in just one game in 2022 due to an ACL tear, which is one of the reasons why he was forced to take a pay cut for 2023.

The Tennessee product has never quite lived up to his draft status, though he has certainly been a useful piece of the Eagles’ pass rushing rotation, with three seasons of at least five sacks to his credit. While he posted only two sacks in his last full season in 2021, the leaguewide need for edge rush help explains why Fowler believes Roseman could extract some value for Barnett.

And, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com points out, the fact that the Eagles have allowed Barnett to seek a trade is an indication that Smith, who has been battling a shoulder ailment, will be available for Week 1.

Eagles Cut TE Dan Arnold, QB Ian Book, T Dennis Kelly

August 27th, 2023 at 8:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Sun, 8:44pm: The cuts continued in Philadelphia today, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Among those already listed below, the Eagles waived DE Quinton Bell, RB Kennedy Brooks, DT Robert Cooper, WR Jadon Haselwood, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams, DT Olive Sagapolu, DT Caleb Sanders, WR Freddie Swain, and DT Marvin Wilson.

Most notable of these is likely Swain, who is only two years separated from catching four touchdowns for the Seahawks in 2021. After failing to catch on with the Broncos and Dolphins in 2022 and the Eagles this offseason, Swain will have to keep looking for his next NFL home.

Sat, 9:45pm: Further names on the cut list are in, courtesy of KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Veteran offensive tackle Dennis Kelly is among the players being let go, putting an end to his Eagles reunion. The 33-year-old began his career in Philadelphia and returned there in July after spending last season with the Colts, but the team will move forward with its in-house options up front. A veteran of 54 starts and 130 games, Kelly will look to find a depth role elsewhere as teams search for quality fill-in options along their O-lines.

In addition to Kelly, the Eagles have released fellow linemen Josh Andrews, Cameron Tom and Brett Toth, as well as wide receiver Deon Cain.

Sat, 12:48pm: The Eagles are starting to reduce their roster to 53 players. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Eagles are releasing tight end Dan Arnold. The team has also waived tight end Tyree Jackson (per Pelissero), quarterback Ian Book (per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer), offensive lineman Tyrese Robinson (per McLane), and wideout Johnny King (per Andrew DiCecco of InsideTheBirds.com).

According to Pelissero, the Eagles released Arnold now so the veteran would have more time to catch on with a new team. The former undrafted free agent out of UW–Platteville joined Philly earlier this offseason but was facing an uphill battle to make the final roster.

The tight end’s best season came with the Cardinals in 2020, when he hauled in 31 receptions for 438 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games (five starts). He spent most of the past two seasons in Jacksonville, hauling in 37 catches for 459 yards. Pro Football Focus generally hasn’t been a fan of Arnold’s blocking ability throughout his career, although the site has given him solid grades for his receiving skills. There’s a chance he catches on with a new team, even if he has to ultimately settled for a practice squad gig.

Jackson was facing a similar battle to make the roster considering the team’s depth at tight end. The former UDFA got into 12 games for the Eagles over the past two years, compiling three catches and one touchdown. With Arnold and Jackson out of the picture, the team’s depth chart at TE now includes Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra, and Brady Russell.

Book seemed destined to be the Eagles fourth QB in 2023, so there’s a good chance he lands back on the practice squad after serving in a similar role in 2022. The former fourth-round pick got one start as a rookie with the Saints in 2021, completing 12 of his 20 pass attempts while tossing a pair of interceptions.

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