Akeem Davis

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/25/15

Wednesday’s practice squad moves from around the NFL:

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: CB Dax Swanson (Twitter link via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald)
  • Cut: DT DeAndre Coleman

Oakland Raiders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/17/15

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves from around the NFL:

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: DE B.J. McBryde (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
  • Cut: DT Eric Crume

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

San Diego Chargers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: DT Justin Hamilton, DB Trovon Reed (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times)

St. Louis Rams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/10/15

Earlier today, we learned that the Ravens had signed running back Terrance West to their practice squad, cutting defensive end Nordly Capi to make room. That’s one of a handful of practice squad changes around the league today, so let’s round up the rest….

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: DT Eric Crume (press release via team)
  • Cut: DT Justin Hamilton

Indianapolis Colts

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

St. Louis Rams

  • Signed: LB Matthew Wells (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/3/15

Here are Tuesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other non-trade transactions from around the NFL:

  • The Raiders cut wide receiver/kick returner Walter Powell, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.
  • The Saints signed wide receiver T.J. Graham while cutting fullback Austin Johnson and safety Akeem Davis, according to Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune (Twitter links).

Earlier Updates:

  • The Chargers, once again dealing with a banged-up offensive line, are re-signing veteran center J.D. Walton, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Chris Watt, who had seen some time at center, was among San Diego’s offensive linemen who left Sunday’s game against the Ravens due to an injury.
  • With Keenan Allen headed to the injured reserve list, the Chargers will also be signing wide receiver Javontee Herndon, who had been on the club’s practice squad, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). Herndon certainly won’t be counted on to emulate Allen’s production, but he’ll provide some depth for San Diego’s receiving corps.
  • The Texans are signing former Chiefs sixth-round pick Eric Kush to their 53-man roster, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). The 26-year-old interior offensive lineman will join the Houston roster in the wake of a knee injury to C/G Greg Mancz, who has been placed on IR, Wilson observes (via Twitter).
  • Former Jaguars linebacker James-Michael Johnson is signing with the Lions, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While Johnson didn’t see much action for either the Jags or Bucs this season, he earned 18 starts for the Browns and Chiefs from 2012 to 2014.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/15

Today’s minor NFL signings, cuts and other moves:

  • The Chargers added quarterback Brad Sorensen to their practice squad and jettisoned center/guard Michael Huey from the 10-man outfit to make room, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (on Twitter). The 27-year-old Sorensen’s spent time with the Chargers and Titans since 2013.
  • To help their thinning cornerback depth, the Saints signed corners Akeem Davis and Sammy Seamster from their practice squad and cut receivers Joe Morgan and T.J. Graham to make room, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. No. 1 Keenan Lewis will miss another game due to a hip injury, along with an illness, and Damian Swann is also out. In parts of five seasons with the Saints, Morgan has 471 career receiving yards and three TDs. The 2011 undrafted free agent made five starts for the Saints in 2012. Active for two games for New Orleans this season, starting one, Morgan’s been cut three times this year, but Evan Woodberry of NOLA.com notes he or Graham could be brought back next week. The 25-year-old Davis played in 13 games for Washington last season, and the 24-year-old Seamster participated in two for the Dolphins in 2014. Both are set for special teams duty Sunday, Woodberry reports.
  • The Raiders brought up Shelby Harris from their practice squad to bolster defensive line depth, waiving safety Tevin McDonald in a corresponding maneuver, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com reports. A 2014 seventh-round pick of the Raiders’, Harris has experience at defensive tackle and end and played in one game last season. Oakland defensive fronters Denico Autry and Justin Ellis are out and doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Chargers, respectively, creating the opportunity for Harris. A frequent inhabitant of this space, McDonald will likely return to the Raiders’ practice squad if he clears waivers, Bair reports.
  • Ben Roethlisberger‘s status for Week 7 is leaning more toward out than questionable, with the Steelers promoting quarterback Tyler Murphy from their practice squad, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Roethlisberger’s missed three straight games after going down in Week 3 with a knee injury and enters Sunday’s game against the Chiefs with a questionable designation. Murphy, a 23-year-old undrafted quarterback/wide receiver hybrid out of Boston College who’s been active in two games in 2015, took the scout-team snaps on offense for the Steelers this week and has one catch for 16 yards this season. In the event Roethlisbeger is held out again, Landry Jones will start, per La Canfora, with Michael Vick and Murphy backing him up.
  • In a corresponding move to make room for Murphy, the Steelers placed cornerback Cortez Allen on injured reserve, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Allen’s been inactive for the Steelers since Week 2 with a knee injury. The 27-year-old ex-fourth-round pick started seven games for Pittsburgh last season and has six career interceptions for the team that drafted him.
  • Brandon LaFell looks set to make his 2015 debut with the Patriots; the team plans to activate the wideout from the PUP list, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). LaFell missed the Pats’ first five games with a lingering foot injury. LaFell recorded 953 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions in his New England debut last season.
  • The Titans promoted wide receiver Rico Richardson from their practice squad and released veteran backup tight end Chase Coffman to make room, Jim Wyatt of Titans Online reports (on Twitter). Richardson represents the Titans’ fifth wideout, while the team previously was carrying more tight ends — Coffman, Delanie Walker, Anthony Fasano, Phillip Supernaw and Craig Stevens — than receivers. With Harry Douglas out for Week 7 with sore ribs, Tennessee had a need for a healthy receiver, tweets Wyatt. A former Bengals third-round pick, Coffman’s caught just 14 passes in six seasons. The 24-year-old Richardson’s played in just one game — in 2014 with Tennessee.

Workout Updates: 10/20/15

Today’s workouts and visits from around the NFL..

Earlier today:

  • The Panthers are working out tight end/fullback James Casey today, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
  • The Saints tried out defensive backs Akeem Davis and Robert McClain, wide receiver T.J. Graham, guard David Arkin, and center Ryan Seymour, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Seymour was ultimately signed to New Orleans’ practice squad.
  • The Jets worked out cornerback Jeremy Harris on Monday, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Buster Skrine and Marcus Williams are both uncertain for this week, so Gang Green is likely looking at Harris as possible insurance.
  • The Vikings worked out former Ravens defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi on Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
  • The Panthers worked out former Ravens quarterback Bryn Renner according to a source who spoke with Wilson (Twitter link).
  • The Broncos are working out former Titans linebacker J.R. Tavai, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (Twitter link).
  • The Titans will try out ex-Ravens fullback Kiero Small, Wilson tweets.
  • The Ravens tried out a trio of defensive backs: Jonte Green, Sheldon Price, and Cornelius Brown, Wilson tweets.
  • The Chiefs tried out defensive back Trovon Reed, Wilson tweets.
  • The Steelers worked out tackle James Brewer, Wilson tweets.
  • Former Seahawks wide receiver Douglas McNeil is working out for the Panthers today, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (link).
  • The Broncos working out tight end Matt LaCosse today, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (link).

Washington Trims Roster To 53 Players

Washington is now down to 53 players, having made a series of cuts in advance of this afternoon’s deadline. Here, according to a press release, are the club’s moves:

Waived:

  • LB Houston Bates
  • WR Reggie Bell
  • RB Mack Brown
  • T Takoby Cofield
  • DE Corey Crawford
  • WR/CB Quinton Dunbar
  • TE Je’Ron Hamm
  • LB Sage Harold
  • C/G Tyler Larsen
  • WR Colin Lockett
  • LB Terrance Plummer
  • C Austin Reiter
  • DL Travian Robertson
  • DL Robert Thomas
  • RB Trey Williams

Waived with injury settlement:

  • DB Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith
  • S Akeem Davis
  • TE D.J. Williams

Waived/injured:

  • FB Jordan Campbell
  • WR Evan Spencer

Released:

  • NT Jerrell Powe

Washington Signs Akeem Davis

In advance of tonight’s game against the Cowboys, Washington has made a change to its secondary by swapping one safety for another. The club promoted Akeem Davis from its practice squad while releasing Jamarca Sanford, the team announced (Twitter link via Mike Jones of the Washington Post).

Davis, 24, went undrafted last year after playing his college ball at Memphis. He did not play in the NFL in 2013, instead working as a graduate assistant as his alma mater. He eventually joined the Redskins in April, and has been active for four games this season. Davis was waived on October 7, but joined Washington’s practice squad just two days later. He will add depth to a safety group that features veterans Brandon Meriweather and Ryan Clark, neither of whom has been effective.

Sanford, 29, spent the first five seasons of his career with the Vikings after being chosen in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. The Mississippi product started 44 games during his tim in Minnesota, and averaged 34 tackles per season during that span. After signing with Washington in late September, Sanford has played in three games, solely on special teams. He should be able to latch on somewhere else as a back-of-the-roster type player.

Practice Squad Updates: Thursday

As this weekend’s slate of games nears, teams around the NFL continue to add and subtract players from their respective practice squads. Here are Thursday’s practice squad transactions:

  • Using one of the openings on their practice squad, the Cowboys have signed wide receiver Kerry Taylor, who was just waived by the Jaguars this week, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Taylor himself tweeted earlier today that he was joining the Cowboys. Meanwhile, Wilson adds (via Twitter) that Dallas has reached an injury settlement with wideout LaRon Byrd, who had also been on the team’s practice squad.

Earlier updates:

  • After waiving him from their active roster, the Redskins have brought safety Akeem Davis back into the fold on their practice squad, according to the team (via Twitter). Washington now has a full 10-man taxi squad.
  • The Falcons have filled the final opening on their practice squad by signing wide receiver Ryan Spadola, the team announced today in a press release.
  • According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the Chiefs have signed former Ravens cornerback Deji Olatoye to their practice squad. Kansas City already had a full 10-man unit, so we’ll have to wait for the corresponding cut before the addition of Olatoye becomes official.
  • We heard yesterday that tight end Phillip Supernaw had rejoined the Ravens‘ practice squad, and now the team has announced the corresponding move, confirming that cornerback Lou Young has been cut (Twitter link).

Redskins Promote Jackson Jeffcoat, Cut Two

The Redskins have cut a pair of defensive backs from their 53-man roster, according to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times, who reports (via Twitter) that cornerback Richard Crawford and strong safety Akeem Davis have been waived by the team. Edge defender Jackson Jeffcoat has been promoted to the roster using one of those two openings, Boyer adds.

Jeffcoat, an undrafted free agent out of Texas, will have an opportunity to appear in his first regular season NFL game if he remains on Washington’s roster for the team’s next game. Prior to joining the Redskins’ practice squad, Jeffcoat spent time with the Seahawks during the preseason.

In addition to the shuffling of the 53-man roster, the Redskins also cut tight end Ted Bolser from their practice squad, tweets Boyer. The team should now have two openings on its taxi squad and one on its active roster.