NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/11/25
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed WR Scotty Miller
- Released: S Ayo Oyelola
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/2/24
Here are Monday’s practice squad additions and subtractions:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Praise Olatoke
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Rashad Weaver
- Released: DE Malik Fisher
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB David Long
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Dez Fitzpatrick
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: OL Blake Larson
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Joe Giles-Harris, LB Yvandy Rigby
New York Giants
- Signed: TE/FB Jakob Johnson
- Released: WR Miles Boykin
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Ayo Oyelola
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Sam Okuayinonu, LB DaShaun White
- Released: T Sebastian Gutierrez
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: S Kendell Brooks
Weaver has dropped from the player who logged 640 defensive snaps in 2022, when Harold Landry was sidelined for the year, to the practice squad level. The Titans waived Weaver after setting their initial 53-man roster. He will follow ex-teammate Teair Tart by joining the Texans’ D-line upon being a Titans cut. Though, Tart landed in Houston via waiver claim and never dropped to the P-squad. Weaver registered 5.5 sacks in 2022 but did not record any in 15 games last season.
The Giants waived Long last week. He will join a Colts team that has made multiple moves at corner since setting its initial roster. Indianapolis, which took some heat for not augmenting its outside CB situation this offseason, claimed Samuel Womack off waivers from San Francisco and waived Darrell Baker. Long, a former Rams third-round pick, played for three teams (Raiders, Panthers, Packers in 2023.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/15/24
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-signed: LB Joe Bachie
- Signed ERFA tender: LS Cal Adomitis
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: LB Sam Kamara
- Waived/failed physical: G Drew Forbes
Detroit Lions
- Signed ERFA tender: OL Kayode Awosika, LB James Houston, RB Craig Reynolds
Green Bay Packers
- Signed ERFA tender: P Daniel Whalen, RB Emanuel Wilson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Patrick Murtaugh
- Waived: S Ayo Oyelola
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed ERFA tender: RB Ronnie Rivers
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: CB Shemar Jean-Charles
New York Giants
- Signed RFA tender: CB Nick McCloud
New York Jets
- Signed ERFA tender: T Austin Deculus
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Lorenz Metz
Washington Commanders
- Waived: LS Tucker Addington
Today marks the first day for teams with holdover HCs to begin offseason programs. That date frequently coincides with restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents officially coming back into the fold. McCloud’s signing and Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson inking his second-round tender leaves 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings, also given a Round 2 tender, as the lone unsigned RFA. McCloud will be tied to a nonguaranteed $2.99MM salary.
A former UDFA out of Michigan State, Bachie has been with the Bengals for the past three seasons. The young linebacker has been a regular special-teamer in that time; over the past two seasons, Bachie has been on the field for more than 60% of Cincinnati’s ST plays.
The Commanders signed Tyler Ott in free agency. The longtime Seahawks snapper spent 2023 with the Ravens; the veteran staying in the Mid-Atlantic region will lead to Addington — a three-game Washington long snapper in 2023 — being moved off the roster.
Murtaugh and Metz are coming to the NFL via the league’s International Pathway Program. Murtaugh hails from Australia and has a background in Australian Rules Football. He spent a bit of time with the Lions in 2023. A German, Metz spent time with the Bears last year but did not make their roster. He was not with a team during the season. If Murtaugh and Metz fail to make their respective team’s 53-man roster, they can be carried as a 17th practice squad player via the IPP program.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/13/24
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- OL Chandler Brewer, DB Tevaughn Campbell, DL D.J. Coleman, OLB De’Shaan Dixon, DB Erick Hallett II, LB Dequan Jackson, DB Amani Oruwariye, DL Esezi Otomewo, DB Ayo Oyelola, TE Josh Pederson, OL Keaton Sutherland, OL Darryl Williams, WR Seth Williams
Kansas City Chiefs
- DT Isaiah Buggs
San Francisco 49ers
- OL Sebastian Gutierrez, DB Kemon Hall, S Erik Harris, S Tayler Hawkins, WR Tay Martin, DL Sam Okuayinonu, LB Curtis Robinson, TE Jake Tonges, DL Spencer Waege
Oruwariye spent much of the 2023 season on the Jaguars practice squad, with the defensive back getting into just one game. The former fifth-round pick has more experience than your standard reserve/futures contract, as Oruwariye started 29 games for the Lions between 2020 and 2021. That latter season was one of his strongest, as he finished with 57 tackles, 11 passes defended, and six interceptions.
Jaguars Trim Roster To 53
Teams have until 3pm CT to trim their rosters to the 53-man limit. The Jaguars are getting an early start. Here are the players the Jags cut Tuesday:
Released:
- OL Chandler Brewer
- CB Tevaughn Campbell
- DL Michael Dogbe
- OL Bobby Evans
- OL Blake Hance
- RB Qadree Ollison
Waived:
- LS Tucker Addington
- WR Kevin Austin
- S Latavious Brini
- OLB D.J. Coleman
- RB Snoop Conner
- OL Coy Cronk
- DL De’Shaan Dixon
- CB Erick Hallett
- WR Jacob Harris
- CB Kaleb Hayes
- LB Dequan Jackson
- OL Samuel Jackson
- WR Oliver Martin
- K James McCourt
- S Ayo Oyelola
- TE Derek Parish
- TE Josh Pederson
- TE Gerrit Prince
- WR Kendric Pryor
- QB Nathan Rourke
- OLB Jordan Smith
- OLB Willie Taylor
- DL Raymond Vohasek
- OL Darryl Williams
- WR Seth Williams
- CB Divaad Wilson
Waived/injured:
Placed on IR:
- LB Ventrell Miller
- OL Josh Wells
Placed on reserve/suspended list:
Placed on exempt list:
- CB Chris Claybrooks
Several of these players will be back, in all likelihood, via practice squad deals. Waiver claims process at 11am CT on Wednesday. Free agents can make plans to join P-squads early, but teams will not have the full picture of who is available until the waiver claims process.
Conner and Ollison being off the roster leaves third-round rookie Tank Bigsby, D’Ernest Johnson and Jamycal Hasty in place behind starter Travis Etienne. The Jaguars chose Conner in the 2022 fifth round, and while they traded James Robinson before last year’s deadline, Conner did not receive much work. He totaled 12 carries for 42 yards as a rookie.
Wells returned to Jacksonville earlier this month, but this IR placement will halt a journey back to regular-season work with his initial NFL team. Wells, 32, started nine games for the Jags from 2014-18. He then worked as a key Buccaneers backup over the past several years. Players placed on IR before the season are not eligible for in-season activations, though an injury settlement could allow Wells to play this season.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/13/23
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Jacksonville Jaguars
WR Kevin Austin Jr., OL Coy Cronk, K James McCourt, WR Jaylon Moore, OL James Murray, S Ayo Oyelola, QB E.J. Perry, TE Gerrit Prince, RB Mekhi Sargent, S Deionte Thompson, DL Nick Thurman, OL Darryl Williams, WR Seth Williams
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/23/23
Today’s reserve/futures deals, mostly featuring teams recently eliminated from the postseason:
Buffalo Bills
- OL Alec Anderson, DT Eli Ankou, QB Matt Barkley, DT Cortez Broughton, DT Brandin Bryant, TE Zach Davidson, CB Ja’Marcus Ingram, WR KeeSean Johnson, DE Kingsley Jonathan, OL Greg Mancz, CB Kyler McMichael, WR Dezmon Patmon, OL Ryan Van Demark
Dallas Cowboys
- WR Dontario Drummond, C Brock Hoffman, C Alec Lindstrom, DB Sheldrick Redwine, S Juanyeh Thomas
Jacksonville Jaguars
- WR Kevin Austin, OT Coy Cronk, K James McCourt, WR Jaylon Moore, C James Murray, DB Ayo Oyelola, QB E.J. Perry, TE Gerrit Prince, RB Mekhi Sargent, DE Nick Thurman, C Darryl Williams, WR Seth Williams
New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Dan Chisena
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Jaguars Move Down To 53
The Jaguars are the next team to announce their roster cuts. To get down to the 53-man limit, Jacksonville has moved on from the following players:
Waived:
- DL Israel Antwine
- WR Kevin Austin Jr.
- OLB Rashod Berry
- WR Jeff Cotton Jr.
- CB Xavier Crawford
- OL Coy Cronk
- OL Nick Ford
- CB Gregory Junior
- S Ayo Oyelola
- QB E.J. Perry
- TE Gerrit Prince
- RB Mekhi Sargent
- DT Jay Tufele
- OL Darryl Williams
Waived/injured:
Perry found himself on and off the team’s roster throughout the summer. On multiple occasions, he swapped places with Kyle Sloter as a camp body. Initially thought to be signing with the Eagles as a UDFA, Perry will now look to catch onto a practice squad should he go unclaimed.
Raequan Williams has two years of NFL experience, albeit in a very limited role. The Michigan State alum made six appearances with the Eagles in 2020, and logged his first career start last season. The 25-year-old found himself behind the likes of Folorunso Fatukasi and Roy Robertson-Harris on the d-line, however.
The same is true of Tufele, a 2021 fourth-round pick. After racking up 6.5 sacks in two seasons at USC, the six-foot-three, 305-pounder was held in relatively high regard. He was limited to just four games and 54 defensive snaps as a rookie, however, and faced tough competition for full-time snaps in Year 2. He could also be a practice squad candidate, although his age and draft status figure to make him a name to watch on the waiver wire as well.
AFC South Teams Add Players Via International Player Pathway Program
This year was the AFC South’s turn to participate in the International Player Pathway program, which allows teams to carry an additional international player on their practice squads. This year’s players include (via the NFL on Twitter):
- Colts: DB Marcel Dabo, Germany
- Texans: DL Adedayo Odeleye, Nigeria/UK
- Titans: TE Thomas Odukoya, Netherlands
- Jaguars: DB Ayo Oyelola, UK
Per the league’s website, the “program aims to provide elite international athletes the opportunity to compete at the NFL level, improve their skills, and ultimately earn a spot on an NFL roster.”
These players will sit on their respective team’s roster until the end of training camp, at which time the teams will be granted “an international player practice squad exemption.” Assuming these players land on the practice squad, they’ll be ineligible to be activated during the 2022 campaign.
Patricipants in last year’s program included tight end Bernhard Seikovits (Cardinals), offensive lineman Alfredo Gutierrez (49ers), offensive lineman Max Pircher (Rams), and linebacker Aaron Donkor (Seahawks).