Dane Cruikshank

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/25/23

Here are Monday’s practice squad transactions:

Cleveland Browns

Tennessee Titans

Cruikshank spent the first four seasons of his career with the Titans, seeing action in 44 games with the team that drafted him in the 2018 fifth round. The Arizona product spent last season with the Bears. While Cruikshank has only started four games, he has served as a regular backup to Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker. The 27-year-old defender played 414 defensive snaps for the 2021 Titans. Cruikshank, who finished last season on the Bears’ IR list, did not make the Jets’ 53-man roster after signing with the team in July.

Jets Release S Dane Cruikshank

Dane Cruikshank‘s time with the Jets will not last into the start of the regular season. The team announced on Friday that they have released the depth safety.

New York originally planned to use Chuck Clark as a starter on the backend, having acquired him via trade from the Ravens. That plan will not come to fruition this season, however, with the former sixth-rounder having suffered a torn ACL. Clark will spend the year on injured reserve, something which opened the door to Cruikshank joining the team in the wake of the former’s unfortunate injury development.

Cruikshank signed in July in a bid to find a depth role in on the backend. The former firth-rounder has primarily been used on special teams during his career, which began in Tennessee. He spent his first four years with the Titans, and in 2021 he saw extended usage on defense. Cruikshank made four starts and 14 appearances that year, and totaled 43 tackles.

That production earned him a deal with the Bears last March, but not a continuation of his defensive playtime. Cruikshank logged a 60% snap share on special teams in Chicago, and was on the field for only one defensive play during the campaign. He suffered a hamstring injury in November and landed on IR as a result. The ailment hurt his value on the open market, and his performances with the Jets in training camp and the preseason have not been sufficient to ensure a roster spot.

In Cruikshank’s absence, New York’s safety room now consists of starter Jordan Whitehead, along with free agent signing Adrian Amos and 2020 third-rounder Ashtyn DavisThe group also has former UDFA Tony Adams, whom ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes has impressed this summer (Twitter link). The Jets still have a slew of roster decisions to make before next week’s deadline for teams to confirm their 53-man squads, but one with implications for their special teams has already been made.

Jets Sign S Dane Cruikshank

With Chuck Clark officially out for the season, the Jets continue to add to their safeties room. Agent David Canter announced on Twitter that Dane Cruikshank has signed with the organization.

[RELATED: Jets Place Chuck Clark On IR]

Cruikshank was a fifth-round pick by the Titans in 2018 and ended up spending four years in Tennessee, mostly serving as a key special teamer. He had a career year in 2021, finishing with a career-high 43 tackles while appearing in 414 defensive snaps.

He joined the Bears last offseason and proceeded to get into eight games for his new squad, with all but one snap coming on special teams. He landed on injured reserve in late November with a hamstring injury.

The Jets acquired Clark back in March and intended to start their acquisition opposite Jordan Whitehead. However, the veteran tore his ACL back in June, and the team’s decision to place him on IR earlier this week means there’s no hope of a late-season return.

The organization already brought in ex-Packer Adrian Amos to provide some additional depth at the position. The team also has former third-round pick Ashtyn Davis in the safeties room, but Cruikshank could provide the team with an experienced alternative to UDFAs like Trey Dean and Marquis Waters.

Bears Add QB Tim Boyle

The Bears could be down their top two QBs when they take on the Packers on Sunday, so the team has added some reinforcement at the position. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reports (via Twitter) that the Bears have signed quarterback Tim Boyle off the Lions’ practice squad.

Starting quarterback Justin Fields is currently dealing with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder that forced him to miss Sunday’s game against the Jets. Trevor Siemian gutted through an oblique injury to play in that loss to New York, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be able to suit up this weekend. That would leave Nathan Peterman as the only healthy quarterback on the roster, so the team ended up snagging Boyle off Detroit’s taxi squad.

Boyle served as a backup to Aaron Rodgers to begin his career before catching on with the Lions in 2021. He ended up getting three starts for Detroit last year, completing 61 of his 94 pass attempts for 526 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 28-year-old re-signed with the Lions this past offseason, and after getting cut at the end of the preseason, he caught on with the organization’s practice squad.

He’ll likely be a temporary piece in Chicago once the team’s QB corps is completely healthy. However, Boyle wasn’t just a random fill-in. Cronin notes that the Bears signed him because of his familiarity with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who was the Packers’ QBs coach when the two were in Green Bay.

The Bears made two more moves today, placing defensive back Dane Cruikshank on injured reserve and signing defensive lineman Andrew Brown off the Cardinals practice squad. Cruikshank has gotten into eight games for Chicago this season, but a hamstring injury will sideline him for at least the next four games. Brown has 23 games of NFL experience, with the former fifth-round pick having collected 18 tackles and one sack in time with the Bengals, Texans, and Chargers.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/22

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Reverted to IR: WR Isaiah Weston

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: C Alex Mollette
  • Placed on IR: WR John Hurst, G/T Carter O’Donnell

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Waived: OL Chris Glaser

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/22

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: OL Keenan Forbes, G Eric Wilson

Bears Sign DB Dane Cruikshank

After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Titans, Dane Cruikshank is moving to Chicago. The Bears have signed the defensive back, according to the player’s agent (h/t Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com).

Cruikshank was a fifth-round pick out of Arizona in 2018. The defensive back played mostly a special teams role through his first two seasons in the NFL, appearing in 28 total games. His 2020 campaign was mostly wiped out thanks to a pair of injured reserve stints, limiting him to only a pair of appearances.

The 26-year-old took a clear step forward in 2021, setting career-highs across the board while appearing in about half of his team’s defensive snaps. In 14 games (four starts), Cruikshank collected 43 tackles and one forced fumble.

Assuming Cruikshank slots in as a safety, he’ll be joining a depth chart that currently features Eddie Jackson, DeAndre Houston-Carson, and Michael Joseph.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/21

Here is how teams finalized their Week 14 rosters:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/13/21

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

  • Activated from PUP list: DT Trysten Hill
  • Promoted: K Lirim Hajrullahu

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Titans Activate Adoree’ Jackson From IR

The Titans are continuing to take it slow with Adoree’ Jackson. They will take the atypical step of activating Jackson ahead of their Week 10 game but declaring him out.

Jackson is back on Tennessee’s 53-man roster, but the fourth-year cornerback will not play against the Colts on Thursday. Jackson returned to practice Oct. 21, meaning Wednesday marked the 21-day deadline for the Titans to activate the corner in order to have him participate in the 2020 season.

A knee injury cropped up just before the start of the regular season, and the Titans shelved Jackson on IR ahead of Week 1. The team will give the three-year starter at least 10 more days to work his way back. Tennessee faces Baltimore on Sunday, Nov. 22.

The 2017 first-round pick has started 39 games in 43 appearances as a pro. Tennessee picked up Jackson’s fifth-year option in May. The Titans have struggled this season defending aerial attacks; they rank 24th in pass defense DVOA. The team rearranged some pieces recently, cutting Johnathan Joseph and Vic Beasley. A Jackson return would certainly help the unit as the Titans push for their first AFC South title in 12 years.

To make room on their 53-man roster, the Titans placed cornerback Dane Cruikshank on IR.