Geron Christian

Browns Sign Geron Christian Off Rams’ Practice Squad; Team Could Re-Install Jedrick Wills As LT

With Dawand Jones out for the season, more shuffling is required along the Browns’ offensive line. The left tackle spot could see a familiar face in play for Week 12, but in any event veteran depth is being added.

Geron Christian is heading to Cleveland, per an announcement from his agency. The 28-year-old is a veteran of 59 games and 25 starts at the NFL level. That includes the 2023 campaign, during which he split his time between the Texans and Browns. He made nine starts on the blindside for Cleveland that year, so he will be a familiar option to step into that role down the stretch if need be.

Christian signed with the Rams in September as part of the team’s effort to find healthy O-linemen early in the campaign. He made only one appearance for Los Angeles and, after being elevated for Week 11 but not playing, he reverted back to the Rams’ practice squad. Today’s move will allow the former third-rounder the chance to spend time on an active roster even if it is only in a backup capacity. The Rams are in better shape now than they were at the start of the campaign with respect to tackle depth, but losing a veteran option could prove to be detrimental later in the year.

While Christian will be one option to operate as a left tackle starter as the Browns play out the remaining weeks of the season, another is Jedrick Wills. The former first-rounder has been dealing with a knee injury which has left him in and out of the lineup in 2024. Wills’ struggles when on the field led to his demotion ahead of Week 11, a move which paved the way for Jones to handle starting blindside duties the rest of the way. With that no longer being an option, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal notes Wills could step back into a starting spot if healthy.

The Alabama product was listed as a non-participant in practice for Monday’s estimated injury report ahead of the Browns’ Thursday night game. If his knee is healthy enough to suit up, he could return to the starting lineup ahead of his contract expiring. As a pending free agent, Wills’ future is in question, and Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot writes the team may only be interested in retaining him in a swing tackle role. Wills could find himself with one more stretch of games to play his way into a new Browns deal.

In addition to Wills and Christian, Cleveland has Germain Ifedi as an option to handle the LT spot. Ifedi replaced Jones after his injury on Sunday, and he has started 83 of his 110 NFL appearances. Christian’s return will give the team additional contributors to close out the year, one in which the 2-8 outfit will look to sort out its O-line possibilities for 2025.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.

O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.

Rams To Sign OLs Geron Christian, Ty Nsekhe, Dylan McMahon

Reminding of their 2022 situation, the Rams have run into considerable offensive line trouble early. As a result, they will turn to one of their patchwork solutions from 2022. Ty Nsekhe is re-signing with the team, according to his agency.

The Rams are signing both Nsekhe and Geron Christian. Both players have primarily functioned as tackles during their careers. Christian went to camp with the Titans this year but did not make their 53-man roster. Nsekhe joined Christian with the Browns last season. This will give Nsekhe a chance to play an age-39 season.

As Los Angeles navigates needs across its front, the team is also signing Dylan McMahon off the Eagles’ practice squad, per his agency. A rookie UDFA, McMahon must remain on L.A.’s active roster for at least three weeks, since the team is poaching him from another P-squad. It would stand to reason Nsekhe and Christian are joining the Rams’ taxi squad, perhaps in preparation for quick elevation due to the dire straits along with position group.

Already playing without suspended left tackle Alaric Jackson, the Rams were without longtime right tackle Rob Havenstein against the Lions. They then lost Steve Avila to an MCL sprain that appears likely to move him to IR. Joe Noteboom also went down during the game, summoning practice squad elevation AJ Arcuri into action. Kevin Dotson played throughout, but the team’s RG starter is dealing with a lateral ankle sprain.

Havenstein, who was not part of the injury brigade in 2022, missed the opener with an ankle injury. As it stands, the Rams have only Jonah Jackson in place as a healthy starter. And the four-year Lions LG, who has already moved from left guard to center back to LG since joining the Rams, missed the preseason due to injury. With backups heavily involved already, the Rams have some extra bodies coming in to work with the team in practice.

The Rams signed Nsekhe early in the 2022 season and used the journeyman as a eight-game starter. This will mark Nsekhe’s third stint with the Rams. He began his career as a member of the St. Louis Rams — in Les Snead‘s 2012 GM debut — but then wandered to Washington, Buffalo and Dallas. Nsekhe, who will turn 39 in October, played in two Browns games last season.

Christian, who turns 28 today, and Nsekhe — teammates in 2018 (Washington) and 2023 (Cleveland) — have each made 25 starts. Christian’s most recent game work came under Bill Callahan in Cleveland. The Browns, who lost their top three tackles last season, used Christian as their left tackle over the season’s second half.

Titans Release T Geron Christian, Reduce Roster To 53

Here is how the Titans trimmed their offseason roster to the regular-season limit:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

The Titans cut a player they acquired in an offseason trade. Watson played for new O-line coach Bill Callahan in Cleveland, but Tennessee could not find room for the former seventh-round pick. Watson must pass through waivers before a practice squad invite can be extended. Christian will head straight to free agency as a vested veteran. The former Washington and Houston starter did not make Tennessee’s roster as a swing option. Christian (25 career starts) finished last season as the Browns’ left tackle under Callahan, as injuries ravaged Cleveland’s O-line. With Christian also playing for Callahan in Washington, he could be a player to monitor for a veteran practice squad slot.

Once a Titans slot receiver hopeful, Philips is off the roster with an injury designation. Philips saw shoulder and hamstring trouble derail his route to Tennessee’s starting lineup as a rookie, and he returned for nine games in 2023. Tennessee made some key additions to its receiving corps this offseason, signing Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to join DeAndre Hopkins and former first-rounder Treylon Burks. Another hamstring issue limited Philips ahead of this season.

Campbell suffered a torn ACL, while McLendon also did not receive a return designation. That will put the second-year player out of the mix for the 2024 Titans.

Latest On Titans’ RG, RT Position Battles

The Titans and new offensive line coach Bill Callahan have quite a few familiar faces to work with in 2024, but there could be some big changes along the offensive line. A couple of position battles have developed in the early days of the offseason, according to Titans senior writer/editor Jim Wyatt.

The team utilized Daniel Brunskill and Dillon Radunz mostly at right guard and right tackle, respectively, last year, but neither player seems to be solid in their job security. Brunskill has lost his starting job before in San Francisco. After earning a starting job partway through his rookie season, Brunskill started two more years for the 49ers. In 2022, Brunskill found himself coming off the bench in favor of then-rookie Spencer Burford. He started 14 games for the Titans last year. Radunz finally earned his opportunity to start at right tackle last year after failing to win the job his first two seasons and being forced to work as a backup guard.

Radunz’s tenure as the starting right tackle may already be coming to an end, though, as Wyatt sees Nicholas Petit-Frere taking back the job in 2024. Petit-Frere started his rookie season at right tackle for the team in 2022, but a combination of a suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy and a stint on injured reserve restricted him to only three games last season. Wyatt predicts that, given a healthy recovery, Petit-Frere will reclaim his starting job and push Radunz back to guard-duty.

Wyatt sees free agent addition Saahdiq Charles as the biggest threat to Brunskill’s job. Despite being limited in how much offensive linemen can do in organized team activities, Charles has reportedly had a very good spring. Charles comes from Washington where he started 10 of 11 game appearances at left guard last year after only starting eight games in his first three years combined. He’s looked the part enough in Tennessee to convince Wyatt that a change could be in effect.

It’s still a competition, though, and Wyatt notes that Charles will have to beat out Brunskill, and potentially Radunz should he get pushed back inside, for the job. He notes that the right tackle position will be a battle, as well, and though Petit-Frere and Radunz will get first looks, Leroy Watson, Jaelyn Duncan, and the newly acquired Geron Christian will all be in the mix, as well.

The rest of the line seems set. Peter Skoronski is reportedly likely to stay inside at left guard, the team drafted Alabama’s JC Latham in the first round to start at left tackle, and they signed Lloyd Cushenberry to start at center. While battles are set to ensue, the expectation is that some combination of two of Charles, Petit-Frere, Radunz, and Brunskill will be alongside them on the right side of the line in 2024.

Titans To Sign OL Geron Christian

The Titans devoted a top-10 pick to the tackle position, drafting an O-lineman (JC Latham) in Round 1 for a second straight year. Tennessee will still add another veteran to help fortify the spot, however.

Geron Christian agreed to terms with the Titans on Wednesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. Christian spent last season with the Browns and Texans, being a nine-game Cleveland starter during a season in which the AFC North club lost both its starting tackles. This will reunite Christian with former Browns O-line coach Bill Callahan.

Christian marks the second former Callahan Cleveland charge to join the Titans this offseason. The team acquired Leroy Watson from the Browns in April. A former third-round pick, Christian has made 25 career starts. The former Washington draftee closed last season as Cleveland’s starting left tackle, with Jedrick Wills joining Jack Conklin and rookie RT fill-in Dawand Jones as sustaining a season-ending injury.

Christian, who went to training camp with the Dolphins before failing to make their 53-man roster, started the Browns’ final nine games and their wild-card outing in Houston. Pro Football Focus did not view Christian’s 2023 work fondly, though given how far down the depth chart the Browns needed to look at tackle last year, it is not exactly surprising their final LT option was inconsistent.

The Browns signed Christian after the Texans had released him from their practice squad in October. The Louisville alum combined for 14 starts from 2020-21, playing with Washington and Houston, initially changing teams after being waived in 2021. A rebuilding Texans team used the 320-pound blocker as a regular starter moving forward; the Chiefs slotted Christian as a backup in 2022.

Regarded as perhaps the NFL’s premier O-line coach, Callahan now has two of his recent pieces to help in Nashville. The Titans are expected to use Latham, 2023 first-rounder Peter Skoronski, free agent signing Lloyd Cushenberry and 2023 UFA pickup Daniel Brunskill as starters. Petit-Frere remains on his rookie contract, with fill-in starter Jaelyn Duncan also stands to be a right tackle option. Christian technically gives the Titans another option, but he has played left tackle for most of his NFL career. Still, the six-year veteran profiles as a candidate for a swing role in Brian Callahan‘s offense.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/7/23

Here are Tuesday’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Price finds his way to injured reserve with an undisclosed injury in order to make room for quarterback Kyler Murray, who was activated from IR this afternoon. Price spent time on IR last year with a knee injury before missing the first five games of this season, as well.

Vilain and Wooten join eight other defenders on IR as Carolina continues to deal with injury issues on that side of the ball. They recently added veteran pass rusher Justin Houston to the injured list but may soon get back linebacker Marquis Haynes after opening his 21-day practice window yesterday.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/31/23

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad transactions in the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Texans Sign DE Kerry Hyder

Another former DeMeco Ryans 49ers charge is heading to Houston. The Texans picked up Kerry Hyder, whom the 49ers dropped last week, on Tuesday.

Hyder, who will join the Texans on a practice squad deal, played for the 49ers during the second of Ryans’ two seasons as their defensive coordinator. The well-traveled defensive end was also with San Francisco in 2020, when Ryans was in place as a position coach. He will follow Jimmie Ward and Hassan Ridgeway in signing with Houston. The Texans also released tackle Geron Christian and wide receiver Lance McCutcheon from their P-squad.

The 49ers released Hyder on roster-cutdown day in August but did so with the understanding he would be brought back soon after. The team followed through on that pledge, re-signing Hyder after making other moves to free up roster spots. But San Francisco’s decision to acquire Randy Gregory from Denver differentiated the latest Hyder cut. A spot did not appear to be available for the former UDFA any longer, but with two former 49ers DCs now in leadership roles elsewhere, Hyder had some important references on which to rely.

While Hyder also played for Robert Saleh during the current Jets head coach’s final season as the 49ers’ DC, the Texans have been busy adding former 49ers. Ward signed a two-year deal this offseason, while Ridgeway followed Ryans on a one-year agreement. It is unclear if the 49ers offered Hyder, 32, a spot on their practice squad.

During a 2020 season in which the 49ers lost Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas in Week 2, Hyder helped out Saleh’s unit with 8.5 sacks. The ninth-year veteran has two eight-plus-sack seasons on his resume, notching eight with the Lions in 2016. This will mark Hyder’s first trip to the AFC. In addition to four Lions seasons, the Texas Tech alum has also spent a season apiece with the Cowboys (2019) and Seahawks (2021). Seattle bailed on Hyder’s two-year, $6.8MM contract after one season, but the 49ers offered him his old job back. Working as a rotational rusher for Ryans’ No. 1-ranked 49ers defense last season, Hyder played 36% of the team’s defensive snaps. Although Hyder’s 2022 stat line was light on production (one sack), he batted down a career-high three passes.

The 49ers have bid adieu to several veteran DEs this year, letting Charles Omenihu, Arden Key and Jordan Willis walk in free agency. While the team re-signed Hyder to a league-minimum deal in April, Gregory now takes his roster spot. Bosa, Gregory, Drake Jackson and Clelin Ferrell are in place as the 49ers’ D-ends.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/23

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves ahead of tomorrow’s slate of Week 4 games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Walker’s elevation comes amidst a degree of uncertainty regarding Deshaun Watson‘s Sunday availability. The latter is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has expressed confidence he will be able to suit up. In the event he is unable to play, though, Walker will provide insurance under center. NFL Network’s James Palmer reports Watson will be a game-time decision.

Chosen, formerly Robbie Anderson, made his Dolphins debut in Week 3, scoring a 68-yard touchdown on his only catch. His performance – along with other depth wideouts currently being sidelined for Miami – will give the 30-year-old a longer look with his new team.

Gore’s elevation will give him the chance to see regular season game action for the first time since 2021. The former UDFA recorded 361 scrimmage yards with the Chiefs that season, but a subsequent IR stint marked the end of his time in Kansas City. Gore has since spent time on the Saints’, and now Commanders’, taxi squads. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes that fellow depth back Chris Rodriguez has bee ruled out with an illness, opening the door to Gore seeing limited snaps.