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.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Colts, Jaguars, Texans and Titans moves are noted below.
Houston Texans
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- DE Solomon Byrd, OT Cameron Erving, DE Malik Fisher, FB Troy Hairston, DT Marcus Harris, WR Johnny Johnson, T David Sharpe, RB J.J. Taylor, LB Max Tooley, LB Zeke Turner, OL Kilian Zierer
Reverted to IR:
Indianapolis Colts
Signed:
Claimed:
Waived:
- CB Darrell Baker Jr.
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Austin Ajiake, LB Liam Anderson, DE Genard Avery, QB Jason Bean, S Marcel Dabo, RB Evan Hull, CB Chris Lammons, WR D.J. Montgomery, CB Jaylin Simpson, CB Ameer Speed, WR Laquon Treadwell
Jacksonville Jaguars
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- TE Shawn Bowman, CB Christian Braswell, WR Joshua Cephus, DE D.J. Coleman, WR Elijah Cooks, TE Josiah Deguara, S Terrell Edmunds, CB Tre Flowers, DE Joe Gaziano, RB Jalen Jackson, OL Steven Jones, LB Tanner Muse, QB E.J. Perry, RB Louis Rees-Zammit, WR Austin Trammell
Tennessee Titans
Signed:
Claimed:
- DE Ali Gaye, DB Julius Wood
Waived:
- TE Nick Vannett, OLB Rashad Weaver
Signed to practice squad:
- DT Abdullah Anderson, DB Tre Avery, DE Khalid Duke, DT Isaiah Iton, DB Gabe Jeudy-Lally, DB Anthony Kendall, WR Mason Kinsey, C Corey Levin, WR Bryce Oliver, RB Jabari Small, G Cole Spencer, T Leroy Watson
Assault Charge Against Titans OLB Rashad Weaver Dropped
Over two years ago, Titans outside linebacker Rashad Weaver was charged with assault. As Paul Kuharsky of PaulKukarsky.com reports, the charge against Weaver has been dropped, as the prosecution is unwilling to move forward. Although the NFL can impose discipline even in the absence of criminal charges, Kuharsky notes that Weaver is likely to avoid league sanctions.
Shortly before Tennessee selected Weaver in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, the Pittsburgh alum was accused of grabbing a woman by the throat and pushing her to the ground, causing her to hit her head. Original reporting suggested that Weaver had actually punched the woman in the head, and while there were no injuries consistent with that allegation, the player reportedly told an officer on the scene that he had no problem hitting a female if she needed it. The Titans were unaware of the incident when they drafted Weaver 13 days later.
Weaver, 25, sustained a broken fibula in the club’s third game of the 2021 campaign, which ended his rookie year prematurely. He bounced back with a solid showing in his second professional season, playing in 58% of the Titans’ defensive snaps and recording 5.5 sacks, six passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. With 2021 Pro Bowler Harold Landry missing all of last year with a torn ACL, Weaver’s performance was especially critical.
The Titans will welcome Landry back this year and also signed Arden Key away from the division-rival Jaguars in free agency. Weaver is expected to opeate behind those two as Tennessee’s third edge rusher, so he will still get plenty of action. As 2023 will be his third year in the league, he will be extension-eligible for the first time next offseason.
In a piece detailing the Titans’ overall outlook at outside linebacker, Jim Wyatt of the team’s official website says Weaver has helped himself in his pursuit of a second NFL contract, as he “has gotten noticeably stronger this offseason.” Wyatt also expresses his belief that Sam Okuayinonu, a 2022 undrafted free agent who appeared in six games with Tennessee last season, is currently in the lead for the fourth OLB spot on the depth chart.
Okuayinonu will be pushed by fellow 2022 UDFA Zach McCloud — who was originally signed by the Vikings after last year’s draft — and 2023 UDFAs Caleb Murphy and Thomas Rush.
Titans Place Two Linebackers On IR
A pair of Titans linebackers are heading to the IR. The team placed Rashad Weaver and Derick Roberson on injured reserve today, reports Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com.
Weaver, a fourth-round rookie, suffered a leg injury during Sunday’s win over the Colts. Per McCormick, the linebacker was seen leaving the stadium on crutches, and it’s believed the player suffered a broken leg. If that’s the case, Weaver’s season has likely come to an end.
After seeing a bit of time on special teams in Week 2, Weaver saw a more significant role on defense on Sunday. The rookie finished the game having compiled two tackles.
Weaver’s increase in playing time was partly attributed to Roberson, who was inactive on Sunday due to a knee injury. The linebacker saw time on 31 snaps during Week 1, collecting three tackles. He didn’t see the field over the past two weeks, and now he’ll have to sit out an additional three weeks thanks to his placement on IR.
The team has already started to add some depth at the position. Earlier today, the Titans added linebacker Sharif Finch to their practice squad.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/10/21
Here are the latest mid- and late-round rookie contracts agreed to around the league:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- S Andre Cisco (third round; Syracuse)
Tennessee Titans
- DL Rashad Weaver (fourth round; Pittsburgh)
Titans’ Rashad Weaver Charged With Assault
Rashad Weaver‘s pro career isn’t getting off to the best start. The Titans rookie has been charged with simple assault, Emily Proud of WKRN Nashville tweets.
The incident apparently happened on April 18th with the report getting filed on April 30th, the day before Weaver was drafted in the fourth-round. Tennessee took the edge rusher from Pittsburgh 135th overall. According to proud, Weaver is accused of punching a woman in the head. While the report says an officer on the scene “observed no injury consistent with a punch to the head,” the report also says that “before leaving he (Weaver) stated to other officers on scene that he had no problem hitting a female if they needed it.”
The woman says she was later diagnosed with a concussion, and that she was pregnant at the time of the incident. Obviously, it’s a serious situation. Depending on how the investigation plays out, Weaver could very well be looking at a suspension before he ever suits up for an NFL game.
His attorney Dennis M. Blackwell issued a statement, which you can read in full courtesy of this tweet from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. He calls the allegations “completely false and reckless,” and says that “without question and without hesitation, we deny Rashad punched anyone, especially a woman.”
Weaver missed the entire 2019 season with a torn ACL, then returned last year and had 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in nine games. The Titans had one of the worst pass-rushes in the league last year and Weaver was the only edge rusher they picked in the 2021 draft, but it’s unclear now if they’re going to be able to count on him this season.
Meanwhile, Tennessee issued a brief statement Monday afternoon, which you can read via this tweet from beat writer Paul Kuharsky. The Titans say they were only made aware of the incident this morning and that they’re “gathering details.”