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Ben DiNucci

Broncos Place Baron Browning On Reserve/PUP List, Trim Roster To 53

August 29th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos will join other teams in using short-term IR to create roster spots for veterans they cut Tuesday. The team also needed to use its reserve/PUP list. Here is how Denver moved down to the 53-man limit:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

  • OLB Chris Allen

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Browning suffered a meniscus injury this offseason and underwent surgery in June. This obviously deals a blow to Browning’s development, seeing as the converted off-ball linebacker has yet to play a full season at his second NFL position, and Denver’s edge depth. Randy Gregory and Frank Clark lead the way at the position; both are going into their age-30 seasons. The Broncos have seen Gregory, Von Miller and Bradley Chubb miss substantial time in recent years. They will hope Browning, who showed promise opposite Chubb at points last year, can return when eligible.

The Broncos did not place Jerry Jeudy on IR, keeping their No. 1 receiver available once his hamstring heals. This points to the team viewing Jeudy as likely to come back during the season’s first four weeks. Jeudy suffered a hamstring injury late last week; the malady is expected to sideline him for “several weeks.” The team is expected to re-sign Humphrey once it reorganizes its roster, 9News’ Mike Klis notes.

Although Purcell joined Humphrey as a cut, Klis adds the veteran nose tackle is set to come back. Ditto Moreau, as K’Waun Williams is set to head to IR — a designation that will cost the veteran slot cornerback at least four games — upon undergoing ankle surgery. The Broncos kept UDFAs Elijah Garcia, a defensive lineman, and Jaleel McLaughlin, a running back, after strong preseason outings. McLaughlin is the NCAA all-levels rushing kingpin, having amassed 8,161 yards while at Notre Dame College and Youngstown State — Division II and Division I-FCS programs, respectively, in Ohio. He will be the team’s third-string running back — behind Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/15/23

May 15th, 2023 at 9:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The first of this year’s spring leagues to debut, the XFL’s third effort, finished its season Saturday. XFL players are now free to sign NFL contracts, and several agreed to terms Monday. Here are those agreements, along with the other transactions from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: T BJ Wilson

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: RB Tyreik McAllister, RB Jacques Patrick
  • Waived: WR Dallas Daniels, DB Darrious Gaines, TE Kris Leach, RB Emanuel Wilson

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

After seeing the pandemic nix its second effort in 2020, the XFL concluded its season Saturday. The Broncos signed the league’s second-leading rusher, in Patrick, while the Browns and Cowboys offered Barqoo contracts, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Barqoo, who played for the Jaguars in 2020 and XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this year, opted for the Steelers’ offer. Patrick, whom the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson notes passed a Broncos physical Monday, finished with 443 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He joins XFL passing leader Ben DiNucci as a Broncos May addition.

Seeing time for the St. Louis BattleHawks, Jones-Smith played in three games apiece with Raiders and Ravens, respectively, from 2020-21. Thompson will join the Dolphins after a spring tour of duty with the Seattle Sea Dragons, while fellow XFL alum Brewer played in two games for the Bills last year. Heflin played five games for the Packers in 2021; the new Saint spent the XFL season with the Houston Roughnecks.

The Raiders gave Johnson a reserve/futures deal in January. The young wideout collected a ring with the 2020 Buccaneers and totaled 360 receiving yards for Tampa Bay’s 2021 iteration. While the Texans claimed him on waivers ahead of last season, he played in just two games with the team.

Jackson suited up for national championship-winning Georgia last season. The new Titans wideout finished with 514 receiving yards in 2020 and totaled 320 for last season’s Bulldogs edition. A Division II Quincy alum, Wilson received an East-West Shrine Bowl invite but tore an Achilles tendon late last season.

Broncos Sign XFL QB Ben DiNucci

May 14th, 2023 at 6:12pm CST by Ely Allen

After hosting the Seattle Sea Dragons quarterback for rookie minicamp, the Broncos have officially signed Ben DiNucci to their offseason roster, according to JL Sports agency. The XFL’s passing yards leader returns to the NFL after a year in the alternative league.

DiNucci was a seventh-round pick for the Cowboys in 2020 out of James Madison, after transferring over from Pitt. He played and started in relief of Andy Dalton that year to discouraging results, completing only 53.3 percent of his passes for 219 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions in three game appearances.

Garrett Gilbert, a more experienced backup passer, overcame him on the depth chart, leading to DiNucci’s release in the final roster cuts leading into the 2021 season. He remained on the team’s practice squad for that year and was finally released for good in final roster cuts leading into the 2022 season.

Being drafted by the Sea Dragons in the XFL’s draft, DiNucci joined former Bengals, Raiders, and Texans quarterback A.J. McCarron as the only XFL quarterbacks with NFL experience. He would go on to lead the fledgling league in passing yards in 2023 with 2,671 while throwing 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over 10 starts.

It’s unclear where DiNucci will fit into the pecking order at quarterback after nailing his audition in Denver. Behind starter Russell Wilson, the Broncos have two relievers in Jarrett Stidham and Jarrett Guarantano. Stidham started the final two games of the season for the Raiders last year against two teams that would make conference championship games, including a three-point loss to the 49ers. In those two starts, he completed 64.29 percent of his passes for 584 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also added 84 yards on the ground on 14 rush attempts. Guarantano doesn’t have any NFL time after a disappointing end to his college career.

Likely, DiNucci will battle with Guarantano for the QB3 role, but DiNucci’s recent experience as a starter may give him a chance to push Stidham for QB2. We’ll be able to glean more once all the quarterbacks are in town for OTAs, but DiNucci should have a strong opportunity at winning a roster spot in Denver.

Broncos Rumors: Lindsay, Harris, DiNucci

May 6th, 2023 at 5:52pm CST by Ely Allen

Seattle Sea Dragons running back Phillip Lindsay has been grinding away in the XFL this year as his team fell just one game shy of the league’s championship game last Sunday. According to Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette, Lindsay viewed his time with the Sea Dragons as an audition to return to the NFL, where he would like to play at least two more seasons.

Lindsay got to stay local after a college career at Colorado, signing as an undrafted free agent to the Broncos in 2018. He made an immediate impact rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. Injuries and the reemergence of Melvin Gordon resulted in a down 2020 season for Lindsay. The Broncos rescinded their initial restricted free agent tender on Lindsay after the season ended, and he bounced from the Texans to the Dolphins to the Colts without ever finding the success he had found in Denver.

Despite being essentially let go by the Broncos, Lindsay has Denver at the top of his list for his hopeful return to the big leagues. He sees an opportunity, as well, with starter Javonte Williams dealing with a rocky return from his ACL tear. His agent reportedly reached out to Denver and was told that the team wanted to see how the draft panned out before addressing Lindsay. The Broncos didn’t draft any running backs and haven’t announced official undrafted free agent signings yet.

The team signed former Bengals running back Samaje Perine and former Saint Tony Jones this offseason, and they return Damarea Crockett, Tyler Badie, and Tyreik McAllister from last year. Crockett, Badie, and McAllister don’t account for much with a combined four career carries for seven yards. Perine and Jones provide solid backup options behind Williams with Perine likely to start if Williams is unable to early in the season.

So, the possibility remains for a Lindsay return, if the team is looking for a bit more experienced depth during a potentially lengthy Williams recovery. He put together some film for Denver to consider as he helped the Sea Dragons qualify for the XFL playoffs, and he’ll await his opportunities in the meantime.

Here are a few more potential NFL returns out of the XFL to Denver:

  • One player the Broncos have reported interest in is Houston Roughnecks outside linebacker Trent Harris, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Harris led the XFL in sacks this season with 9.5 over eight starts. Harris went undrafted in 2018 after collecting 8.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in his final year with the Hurricanes down in South Beach. In 2019, he landed with the Dolphins and totaled 1.5 sacks, 22 tackles (one for loss), two quarterback hits, and a forced fumble in 11 appearances (three starts). He started two games for the Bills the next year and sort of bounced out of the league after short stints with the Ravens and Raiders in 2022. His resurgent year in the XFL has shown that Harris still has plenty of gas left in the tank and plenty of NFL potential. Harris should have a decent opportunity in Denver, as well, where Dre’Mont Jones led the team with 6.5 sacks in 2022 as Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory dealt with injuries. Harris could provide some solid depth in case the position continues to deal with absences or lack of production. While the Broncos invited him to their rookie minicamp, several other teams have reportedly shown interest, as well.
  • Lastly, the Broncos also invited Sea Dragons quarterback Ben DiNucci to their rookie minicamp, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. DiNucci, the former Cowboys passer, was another strong factor that led Seattle to the playoffs. With a completion percentage of nearly 65, DiNucci led the XFL in passing yards with 2,671 while tossing 20 touchdowns to 13 interceptions in 10 starts. A transfer from Pitt after losing his starting job to then-true freshman Kenny Pickett, DiNucci was drafted out of James Madison in the seventh round by Dallas in 2020. He played and started in relief of Andy Dalton to discouraging results and was eventually waived by the team. The Broncos appear to be very secure in the quarterbacks room with Jarrett Stidham and Jarrett Guarantano backing up Russell Wilson, but DiNucci will attempt to show that he still has an NFL-caliber arm this spring in Denver.

Vic Beasley, Martavis Bryant, Josh Gordon, Marquette King On XFL Rosters

February 9th, 2023 at 3:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

The XFL will begin its third try next week. The rebooting league’s latest season will begin Feb. 18, nearly two months before USFL 2.0’s second season is scheduled to start.

This setup will make for a strange winter-spring period in which two minor leagues of sorts will be in operation. Considering the short tenures of XFL 2.0 (2020) and the Alliance of American Football (2019), this will be one of the more interesting years for non-NFL football.

Numerous former NFLers line the XFL’s season-opening rosters. Here are some of the players who will be part the league’s latest eight-team configuration. The full rosters can be found here.

Arlington Renegades

King has not punted since the 2018 season, when the Broncos waived him not long after signing the veteran specialist to a multiyear deal. King, 34, punted for the Raiders for five seasons.

D.C. Defenders

Armstead received workout opportunities and landed with multiple teams, but the former Jaguars backup has been unable to regain his footing since missing all of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 complications. A former Packers second-round pick, Murphy has six NFL seasons under his belt. Reid, 31, played eight NFL seasons — most recently suiting up in 2021 — and was a regular for the Lions early in his career. Brice started 10 games for the Packers in 2018; he has not played since.

Houston Roughnecks

Davis started 42 games for the Steelers from 2017-19; he played with three teams during the 2021 season. A

Orlando Guardians

Elam logged 26 starts for the Ravens, but his NFL run stopped after the 2016 season. A former Broncos second-round pick, Latimer played six NFL seasons and ended up a 10-game starter for the Giants in 2019. Lynch was part of the 2016 and ’17 Broncos squads along with Latimer but, despite his first-round status, flamed out of the league after two seasons. He has since spent time in the CFL and USFL.

San Antonio Brahmas

Ballage did not play in the NFL this season but saw action in 17 games for the Steelers in 2021. Wing served as the Giants’ punter for three seasons. Sinnett was with the Dolphins this season, joining the team following Tua Tagovailoa‘s Week 4 concussion.

Seattle Sea Dragons

The biggest name in this XFL edition, Gordon became a journeyman in recent years. He was most recently with the Titans, catching on with Tennessee this year before being released in October. The former All-Pro spent the 2021 season with the Chiefs. Suspensions hijacked the 31-year-old pass catcher’s career. The Cowboys cut DiNucci just before this season, and while workout opportunities came, the former emergency Dallas starter will try his hand in the XFL.

St. Louis BattleHawks

Although McCarron’s most recent action came with the Texans, he was on the 2021 Falcons. A path toward being Matt Ryan‘s final backup in Atlanta closed after a preseason ACL tear. Workouts in 2022 did not lead to a signing.

Vegas Vipers

A former top-10 pick and NFL sack leader, Beasley has been out of the league since the 2020 season. The ex-Super Bowl starter’s one-year, $9.5MM deal did not work out for the Titans, who cut the edge rusher during the ’20 campaign. Bryant has been out of the league longer, with suspensions altering his path. The talented ex-Steeler spent time in Canada recently. Hundley was on the Ravens’ practice squad until season’s end this year, signing with the team after Lamar Jackson‘s ankle injury.

Browns Host Large Workout Including WR Kenny Stills, QB Ben DiNucci

October 7th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Cleveland hosted one of the larger groups we’ve seen this season for tryouts today, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. The group consisted of ten players: six skill position players, one offensive lineman, and three defensive tackles.

The Browns’ quarterback position was one of the most talked about stories of the offseason. As it currently stands, presumed starter Deshaun Watson still has seven games remaining on his suspension, interim starter Jacoby Brissett has led the team to a 2-2 start (good for first place in the AFC North), and backups Joshua Dobbs and Kellen Mond have yet to be seen. Still, the team felt the need to offer an audition to former Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci. DiNucci has some experience helping out in a tough spot from his time in Dallas two years ago when both starting quarterback Dak Prescott and backup Andy Dalton were injured. He got one opportunity to start against the Eagles before being benched for the winner of a Cooper Rush–Garrett Gilbert battle. DiNucci recently tried out for a quarterback practice squad spot in Miami that was awarded to Reid Sinnett.

Similarly, the Browns seem set at running back, utilizing a three-man backfield of Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and D’Ernest Johnson. Yet the team auditioned, two running backs today in undrafted rookie Abram Smith and former Ravens practice squad back Nate McCrary. Smith had signed with the Saints out of college but was waived days before the roster cut deadline. During his lone productive season at Baylor, Smith broke the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,601 yards, adding 12 touchdowns to his resume. McCrary came out of Saginaw Valley State last year, signing in Baltimore as an undrafted free agent. He was the Ravens’ leading rusher in the preseason that year, likely due to the litany of injuries at the position that removed carries from J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill.

Cleveland brought in three wide receivers today including the biggest name of the day, Kenny Stills. The veteran Stills has long seen his most productive years pass by but could still remain an effective deep-threat if needed. Through his first seven years in the league, Stills never averaged less than 14.0 yards per reception and was always good for a few touchdowns. His stats and usage have plummeted in the past two years but, in the right system, Stills could still have some use left in the tank. The team also brought in Jequez Ezzard and Brandon Lewis to audition. Ezzard is a smaller return-specialist who signed with the Commanders after going undrafted out of Sam Houston State this year. Lewis is another smaller receiver who initially signed with Tennessee out of college after going undrafted. Being from the Air Force offense, Lewis never blew up the stat sheet with receiving yards but has a unique skillset to add to an offense as a gadget player who has lots of rushing experience in the Falcons offense.

Another position the Browns brought three players in to audition at was defensive tackle. Cleveland invited Tyler Clark, Prince Emili, and Jordan Williams to work out today. Clark came out of Georgia undrafted two years ago spending time with the Bengals, Chiefs, and Commanders since then but never making an active roster. Emili joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent this year and was even called up to appear in two games on Buffalo’s defense, appearing most recently in the Bills’ win over the Ravens, in which he racked up three tackles and a pass deflection. Williams originally signed with the Dolphins after going undrafted out of Virginia Tech but was waived in mid-August.

Lastly, the Browns worked out undrafted Arkansas offensive tackle Myron Cunningham who initially signed with the Texans but was also waived in mid-August. None of the auditions have resulted in a roster spot yet, practice squad or otherwise, but seeing a group of this size come in for a workout is something to keep an eye on moving forward.

NFL Workouts: Dolphins, Lions, Kindley

October 3rd, 2022 at 8:53pm CST by Ely Allen

In light of the recent injuries to starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and the prospect that he could miss some time, the Dolphins worked out three quarterbacks today, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Ben DiNucci, Jake Fromm, and Reid Sinnett all auditioned in Miami for the depth spot.

DiNucci has some experience helping out in a tough spot from his time with the Cowboys two years ago when both starting quarterback Dak Prescott and backup Andy Dalton were injured. He got one opportunity to start against the Eagles before being benched for the winner of a Cooper Rush–Garrett Gilbert battle.

Fromm has had a bit of trouble finding the success he enjoyed in college at the NFL-level. Since being drafted in 2020, Fromm has served as a backup for the Bills and Giants. He got two starts while with the Giants that delivered uninspiring returns.

Sinnett has no regular season in-game experience, but he has spent time previously with the Dolphins. Miami ended going with familiarity, signing Sinnett to their practice squad. This is all a practice in contingencies as the Dolphins can still rely on backup quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson.

Here are a few other workout notes from across the NFL, starting with a bunch of kickers:

  • The Lions are dealing with a combination of injuries and struggles at kicker. Austin Seibert is dealing with a right groin injury and the kicker brought in to replace him, Dominik Eberle, missed two extra points last weekend. Detroit brought in Lirim Hajrullahu for a tryout today, according to Wilson.
  • The Giants brought in offensive lineman Solomon Kindley for a visit today, according to Wilson. Kindley started much of his rookie season at right guard for the Dolphins, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2020. His workload decreased in Year 2 down to only two starts before he was eventually waived just prior to the 2022 regular season. New York is likely reaching out due to injuries that seventh-overall pick Evan Neal is dealing with. Kindley doesn’t have much experience at tackle, but he can provide the offensive line with a little more depth that can allow for some flexibility.

Cowboys Set 53-Man Roster

August 30th, 2022 at 7:49pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys got their roster down to 53 players today, and to get there, they cut all their backup QB options, their kicker, and their long snapper:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on reserve/NFI:

The Cowboys are currently rolling without a second QB behind Dak Prescott after the team moved on from Cooper Rush, Will Grier, and Ben DiNucci. Rush has the most experience of the group, appearing in 10 career games, including five appearances (one start) with Dallas in 2021. The 28-year-old finished last season having completed 30 of his 47 pass attempts for 422 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The Cowboys also aren’t rostering a kicker or long snapper at the moment, something that will certainly change over the next few days.

Special teams ace C.J. Goodwin could also land back on the active roster once the dust settles. Goodwin has spent the past four seasons in Dallas, and he hasn’t missed a game over the past three years. The 32-year-old finished last season with a career-high 10 tackles.

Cowboys To Waive QB Ben DiNucci

August 28th, 2022 at 8:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ben DiNucci will not be on the Cowboys’ 53-man roster to start the season. Dallas is cutting the third-year passer, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets.

The former seventh-round pick was behind Cooper Rush and Will Grier on the Dak Prescott-topped depth chart. Rush and Grier have vied for the backup job during the preseason, and the presence of both could impact DiNucci’s status as a practice squad arm.

That said, the Cowboys kept three quarterbacks last season, with Rush — who returned after his Giants stint — and Grier on the team’s active roster. DiNucci, who started a game and played in three during Prescott’s injury hiatus in 2020, spent last season on Dallas’ P-squad. DiNucci, who attempted 43 passes as a rookie out of James Madison two years ago, stayed with the team via reserve/futures contract this offseason.

Teams must pare their rosters from 80 to 53 by 3pm Tuesday. Waiver claims will process Wednesday afternoon. At that point, teams can begin assembling their practice squads. Despite the NFL doing away with the reserve/COVID-19 list this season, taxi squads remain at 16 players. If the Cowboys are planning to keep the same arrangement as 2021, DiNucci — should he clear waivers — would be on track to stick with the organization as its fourth QB.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/17/22

January 17th, 2022 at 7:05pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s reserve/futures deals:

Dallas Cowboys

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

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