Today’s practice squad transactions in the NFL:
Kansas City Chiefs
New York Jets
Washington Commanders
Since being waived by the team that drafted him 26th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, McKinley has struggled to find a place in the NFL. Since 2020, McKinley has spent time on six different teams, failing to stick anywhere.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
The Chiefs are set to roll with their third kicker of the season. With Harrison Butker on IR and Spencer Shrader sidelined with a hamstring injury, Kansas City had to add yet another leg to the roster. The team opted for Matthew Wright, who already has experience kicking with the franchise. Wright filled in for Butker twice in 2022, connecting on three field goals and eight extra points.
Wright has only got one extended look as a starter (when he got into 14 games with the Jaguars in 2021), but he’s still managed to get into at least one game per season over the past few years. Wright has already made an appearance in 2024, when he was responsible for 12 points in the 49ers win over the Seahawks last month.
Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
New York Giants
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Here are the most recent practice squad transactions from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Indianapolis Colts
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
The Vikings cut Gaskin from their active roster on Tuesday, but as a vested veteran, he did not need to pass through waivers before re-signing to Minnesota’s practice squad. Gaskin played in the Vikings’ first five games this season, but has not appeared since October 6. His familiarity with the offense could lead to activations from the practice squad if Minnesota needs running back depth.
Herndon will join the Saints after playing in Jacksonville for six seasons, with 83 total appearances and 34 starts for the Jaguars since 2018. The veteran cornerback only started five games over the last two years, but played in 15 games for almost 900 snaps as a rotational member of the Jaguars’ secondary. His experience could lead to quick elevations from the practice squad once he learns the Saints’ defense.
The Commander signed the 30-year-old Hart to give them more depth at offensive tackle. The veteran has 67 starts and 98 total appearances over his eight-year career, though he hasn’t played in the NFL since a 2022 stint with the Bills.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers
Indianapolis Colts
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
While the Dolphins should soon have Tua Tagovailoa back on the field, the team has still added another QB to the mix. The team added veteran C.J. Beathard to the taxi squad today. The quarterback has bounced around the NFL since 2017, including a few stops in San Francisco when current Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel served as the 49ers run game coordinator. The 30-year-old got a start for the Jaguars last season, completing 17 of his 24 pass attempts for 178 yards. The newest addition will join a QB room that also includes Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, and Tim Boyle.
Today’s NFL practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
Amos is far-removed from his days as a full-time starter in the NFC North. With Talanoa Hufanga on injured reserve, though, and only three safeties on the active roster, Amos could have an opportunity to make an impact in the Bay Area.
The Browns kept four quarterbacks on their active roster, using other position groups to make their way down to 53. Here is how Cleveland maneuvered there:
Kevin Stefanski pointed to Foreman not being out of the picture, alluding this only being the team’s initial 53-man roster. The veteran back, who signed as a depth/rotational option this offseason, should be expected back, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweets. Teams can use up to six practice squad slots on vested veterans. This is Foreman’s fourth team in four years, but he has managed to play regular roles for each. The Browns also have their two other high-profile options — Chubb and Hines — out for at least four games, as they recover from 2023 injuries.
Cleveland considered trading Jameis Winston or Tyler Huntley, with second-year QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson showing enough improvement to have made the 53-man roster. But the team stopped short and made the rare move to carry four active-roster arms. One of the non-Deshaun Watson passers could be vulnerable, however, as the waiver wire will come into play soon. Winston and Huntley are vested vets and would head straight to free agency if released; Thompson-Robinson would need to pass through waivers. Teams often prioritize those players on cutdown day.
Hall is out of the picture for the foreseeable future, as his legal issue runs its course, and Wypler is out for the year with a broken ankle. The Browns designated Dunn for return. This will cut into Cleveland’s eight injury activations, and while the veteran blocker will miss at least four games, the team prioritized his comeback enough to use this early designation. Dunn has been with the team since 2020.
The Browns used a third-round pick on Siaki Ika only last year, but it’s uncertain if the defensive tackle will even make it to his second year in Cleveland. Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal writes that Ika is likely on the roster bubble heading into training camp.
Ika had an inconsistent role at LSU before establishing himself as an NFL prospect during his time at Baylor. The defensive lineman earned a pair of first-team All-Big 12 nods during his time with the Bears, collecting six sacks and eight tackles for loss. That performance helped make him a top-100 pick in the 2023 draft, as Ika ultimately was selected by the Browns at No. 98.
Unfortunately, the rookie was completely buried on the depth chart for much of his rookie campaign. He was inactive through the first 13 games of the season, with the Browns finally activating him when their injury issues became untenable. He got into about a third of his team’s defensive snaps in his four appearances down the stretch, and he also made an appearance in Cleveland’s playoff loss.
Ika’s role heading into training camp isn’t any more clear than it was last season. The team used draft picks on second-round DL Michael Hall Jr. and seventh-round DL Jowon Briggs, added veteran Quinton Jefferson, and re-signed Shelby Harris and Maurice Hurst. With Dalvin Tomlinson also in place atop the depth chart, there might not be much room for Ika on the team’s initial 53-man roster.
There are some good signs, however. Easterling notes that Ika looked “much more trim” and “more muscular” during the team’s offseason program. It’s uncertain if conditioning was an issue for the six-foot-three, 335-pound lineman, but a reworked workout regimen could go a long way in helping him stick in Cleveland.
With many rookie minicamps set to start tomorrow, teams were busy today inking draft picks to contracts. We’ve compiled those signings below:
Cleveland Browns
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Las Vegas Raiders
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans