Alex McGough

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/11/21

A long list of reserve/futures contracts to pass along:

Chicago Bears

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/9/20

We’ll keep track of the latest practice squad moves here:

Atlanta Falcons 

  • Signed: CB Chris Williamson

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Steelers, Bengals

The RavensSteelers rematch is no longer a guarantee to follow the customary Lions and Cowboys contests on Thanksgiving. With the Ravens having five coronavirus positives among players and the Steelers at four, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes that more cases will result in the NFL moving the game off the Thanksgiving schedule (Twitter link). It is not known how many more positive tests between these franchises would cause the NFL to move the game, but given its time slot and the fact the league has resisted postponing games since Week 7 would make this a game difficult to move. However, this situation may be close to producing a postponement. In addition to five Ravens players having tested positive, Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes five Ravens staffers also have in recent days (Twitter links). Both the Ravens and Steelers encountered virus issues earlier this month but played their respective games as scheduled.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • The Ravens are working to determine if these are connected or isolated incidents part of a spread in the Baltimore community, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). The team remains on track to leave for Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.
  • More COVID-19 issues have hit the Bengals‘ coaching staff. Defensive line coach Nick Eason tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing the team to go through contact tracing, Pelissero notes (on Twitter). This followed multiple games of Cincinnati coaches being sidelined. Cornerbacks coach Steve Jackson, wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell and safeties coach Robert Livingston missed the Bengals’ Week 11 game due to COVID protocols; linebackers coach Al Golden and senior defensive assistant Mark Duffner did not coach during the team’s Week 10 game. Considering the volume here, this is a situation to monitor ahead of Week 12.
  • As of now, the Bengals’ Joe Burrow-less quarterback plan consists of Ryan Finley as the starter and recent practice squad cog Brandon Allen backing him up. But the team is scrambling for depth. The Bengals worked out ex-Browns QB Kevin Hogan and Alex McGough on Tuesday. Hogan was last with the Broncos from 2018-19. He failed to make Denver’s 53-man roster in ’19, when the team used Allen as its backup. The Bengals should be expected to sign a quarterback to their practice squad.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/12/20

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/11/20

Today’s practice squad moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

Washington Football Team 

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/15/20

Today’s reserve/futures deals:

Baltimore Ravens

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

  • DB DaShaun Amos

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/13/20

Here are today’s reserve/futures deals:

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/20/19

This one actually came on the wire yesterday, but we’re passing it along now.

Houston Texans: 

McGough had been on the active roster, but was released this past week. After clearing waivers, he was quickly re-added to the taxi squad. The FIU product was given a weekly salary that equals his full minimum NFL active roster salary when re-signing to the practice squad, a source told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chroncile (Twitter link). McGough was drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh-round last year, and spent time with the Jags this offseason.

Texans Sign OT Chris Clark

The Texans have signed offensive tackle Chris Clark and placed fellow offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson on the non-football injury list, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Houston also waived quarterback Alex McGough.

Clark should be familiar with Houston, as he played from the Texans from 2015-17, starting 37 games during that time. Last season, the now-34-year-old Clark didn’t land a contact until the regular season was already underway, but ended up starting 15 games for the Panthers.

It’s unclear if Clark will be immediately called upon to start for Houston this time around. Incumbent right tackle Tytus Howard went down with a knee injury in Week 6 and will miss time, but he’s expected to return at some point this year. Clark, fellow new signee Dan Skipper, and Roderick Johnson all represent options to play on the right side of the Texans’ offensive line.

Henderson, 27, re-signed with Houston this offseason on a one-year, $1.5MM deal. He began the 2019 campaign as the Texans’ starting right tackle, but was benched after Week 1. Henderson is now dealing with a back injury, tweets Wilson, one that likely occurred away from the football field given that he was placed on NFI.

AFC South Rumors: Foles, Texans, Colts

The current plan for Nick Foles involves a return in November. The Jaguars‘ high-priced free agent addition is out until at least Week 11 due to the broken clavicle he suffered Sunday, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) Foles is loosely targeting that week for his return. This would be welcome news for the Jaguars, but they will have to get through eight games without their experienced passer. Gardner Minshew fared well against the Chiefs, completing 22 of 25 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns, but he’s a sixth-round rookie. Jacksonville also traded a fifth-round pick for Josh Dobbs. These two represent the team’s quarterback options at this point.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • Another avenue the reeling Jags took in an attempt to patch up their quarterback solution post-Foles involved a Texans passer. The Jaguars contacted then-Texans practice squad QB Alex McGough, presumably offering a roster spot, this week, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. However, the Texans thwarted their division rival’s attempt by promoting McGough to their active roster. McGough now resides behind Deshaun Watson and A.J. McCarron.
  • Bill O’Brien called Nick Martin, who signed a three-year extension worth $33MM this week, “one of the leaders” of the Texans. “[Martin] is one of the leaders of our team, smart, tough, dependable,” the coach said (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). “Had to in the past deal with some injuries. Played good on Monday night, want him to be a Texan. We all felt like best move for Nick and our team.”
  • In extending Martin in advance of Week 2, the Texans deviated from recent regimes’ rule of no in-season extensions, Wilson notes. The GM-less franchise turned to senior VP of football administration Chris Olsen to finalize Martin’s deal. Previously, both Rick Smith and Brian Gaine avoided in-season re-ups.
  • Former Packers first-round pick Datone Jones remains on teams’ radars. The Colts worked out the defensive lineman this week. Jones has been on the in-week workout circuit for a bit now. He played in one Cowboys game last season and caught on with the Jaguars before camp. The 2013 first-rounder did not make the team but has now worked out for the Colts and Redskins this week.

Chris Crouse contributed to this report.