Tag: alexander johnson

Dolphins practice squad LB Alexander Johnson announces he suffered torn Achilles

Miami loses another LB to a season-ending injury.

The Miami Dolphins have had a tough few weeks when it comes to the injury department on the defensive side of the ball.

After losing linebacker Jaelan Phillips to a torn Achilles and linebacker Jerome Baker to an MCL injury, another depth defender will miss time.

Practice squad linebacker Alexander Johnson announced on Instagram that he suffered a torn Achilles in practice and was placed on injured reserve.

Johnson, who will now miss the remainder of the season and likely part of the 2024 season as well, could’ve been in line to get the call-up to the active roster to help fill in for Baker prior to the injury.

Instead, Miami has turned to familiar face Calvin Munson, who they signed off of the New England Patriots practice squad.

Seahawks: These 6 practice squad players are now free agents

These six players were left off and will now become free agents.

Practice squad players who were on teams that were eliminated in the Wild Card round of the playoffs had their contracts expire today.

The Seattle Seahawks signed 10 of their practice squad guys to reserve/future contracts last week, but these six players were left off and will now become free agents.

5 ex-Broncos made their playoff debuts in the wild-card round

Five former Broncos players made their playoff debuts over the weekend.

Five former Denver Broncos players saw action in a playoff game for the first time over the weekend.

Three of those players made their debuts with the Seattle Seahawks. After being sent to Seattle as part of the Russell Wilson trade, tight end Noah Fant caught one pass for 11 yards and defensive lineman Shelby Harris totaled three tackles in a 42-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Ex-Denver linebacker Alexander Johnson, who signed to the Seahawks’ practice squad in October, was elevated to the game-day roster for the Niners game and totaled two tackles. Meanwhile, quarterback Drew Lock was an unused sub against San Francisco.

In addition to Fant, Harris and Johnson, ex-Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (Miami Dolphins) and former Denver defensive lineman Adam Gotsis (Jacksonville Jaguars) also made their first career playoff appearances in the wild-card round. Chubb forced a strip sack and Gotsis recorded one tackle. Miami also had two other ex-Broncos on the roster in QB Teddy Bridgewater and WR River Cracraft.

Elsewhere in the playoffs, the Los Angeles Chargers (OLB Derrek Tuszka and CB Bryce Callahan) and the Buffalo Bills (QB Case Keenum and WR Isaiah McKenzie) also rostered a pair of ex-Denver players.

The Cincinnati Bengals (QB Brandon Allen) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (OLB Shaq Barett, on IR) also have former Broncos on their rosters.

The playoffs will continue with the divisional round this weekend.

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Seahawks announce 4 roster moves ahead of Wild Card game with 49ers

The Seahawks have announced four roster moves head of tomorrow’s Wild Card matchup with the 49ers.

The Seahawks have announced four roster moves head of tomorrow’s Wild Card matchup with the 49ers.

Here’s a review of what may be the last transactions of the season.

Seahawks: Updated 53-man roster going into Week 18

Here’s the team’s complete 53-man roster by jersey number plus their two practice squad elevations for today’s game.

The Seahawks announced several moves yesterday ahead of today’s regular season finale against the Rams. Those transactions included running back Travis Homer being placed on injured reserve and linebacker Alexander Johnson getting signed off the practice squad to replace him. Earlier this week, the team also placed linebacker Jordyn Brooks on injured reserve after he suffered an ACL tear against the Jets.

Here’s the team’s complete 53-man roster by jersey number plus their two practice squad elevations for today’s game.

Broncos LB Jonas Griffith expected to miss 4-6 weeks with elbow injury

Broncos linebacker Jonas Griffith is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a dislocated elbow.

Denver Broncos inside linebacker Jonas Griffith suffered an injury on the first series of the team’s preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday evening and he appeared to be in serious pain. The linebacker was favoring his left arm as he left the field and the Broncos quickly ruled him out with a left elbow injury.

After the game, Griffith told KMGH-TV‘s Troy Renck that he dislocated his elbow during Denver’s 17-7 win over the Cowboys. The timeline for Griffith’s recovery is expected to be 4-6 weeks, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

A four-week recovery could see Griffith return in time for the team’s regular-season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 12. A six-week recovery would force Griffith to miss at least the first two games of the season before potentially returning in Week 3 or 4.

Griffith is a projected starter, so the Broncos now need a short-term replacement to play next to Josey Jewell on defense. The top in-house candidate is Alex Singleton, but Denver will undoubtedly add more depth.

Roquan Smith has asked the Chicago Bears to trade him, but the Broncos are hoping to acquire more draft picks for 2023, and they probably don’t want to lose more draft capital in another trade. Denver also needs to have salary cap space available for a Russell Wilson extension, so trading for Smith seems unlikely.

More realistically, the Broncos will likely turn to free agency to find a temporary replacement for Griffith. Denver tried to sign Anthony Barr earlier this month, but Dallas beat them to the linebacker’s signature. Before that, the Broncos worked out former Pro Bowler Joe Schobert, who remains a free agent.

Alexander Johnson, a former Denver starter, is also available. Johnson and Schobert are two players to keep an eye on in the coming days.

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The NFL’s top 11 linebackers

Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield continues our position lists with the NFL’s 11 best linebackers.

Positional value.

That is a phrase and an idea we hear so often around the game of football, particularly during the draft and free agency. With an emphasis on the passing game, what players at each position can do — on both sides of the football — when the quarterback drops to throw is of utmost importance.

In addition to running backs, perhaps no position has seen its value altered in the modern NFL than linebackers. The days of serving as a between-the-tackles thumper are in the rear-view mirror, as today’s second-level defenders have to play more like safeties, and match the athleticism of tight ends, running backs and even receivers in coverage.

With that emphasis on mind, what these players do against the pass stands out. Here are the NFL’s top 11 linebackers — another one of our positional lists on the way to our countdown of the NFL’s top 101 players.

The NFL’s top 13 safeties

The NFL’s top 12 slot defenders

The NFL’s top 12 outside cornerbacks

The NFL’s top 11 linebackers

Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield continues our positional lists with the NFL’s best linebackers.

Positional value.

That is a phrase and an idea we hear so often around the game of football, particularly during the draft and free agency. With an emphasis on the passing game, what players at each position can do — on both sides of the football — when the quarterback drops to throw is of utmost importance.

In addition to running backs, perhaps no position has seen its value altered in the modern NFL than linebackers. The days of serving as a between-the-tackles thumper are in the rear-view mirror, as today’s second-level defenders have to play more like safeties, and match the athleticism of tight ends, running backs and even receivers in coverage.

With that emphasis on mind, what these players do against the pass stands out. Here are the NFL’s top 11 linebackers — another one of our positional lists on the way to our countdown of the NFL’s top 101 players.

The NFL’s top 13 safeties

The NFL’s top 12 slot defenders

The NFL’s top 12 outside cornerbacks

7 Broncos free agents are still unsigned

The list of Broncos free agents still unsigned includes Alexander Johnson, Bobby Massie, Diontae Spencer and Shamar Stephen.

The Denver Broncos re-signed 11 of their in-house free agents this offseason, including running back Melvin Gordon, outside linebacker Malik Reed and defensive lineman DeShawn Williams.

The Broncos didn’t re-sign all of their in-house free agents, though — 10 signed with other teams and seven remain unsigned. Here’s a quick look at the team’s unsigned free agents who remain available.

 

 

Ex-Broncos LB Kenny Young signs with Raiders

Kenny Young is staying in the AFC West, signing with the Raiders.

Former Denver Broncos inside linebacker Kenny Young has signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.

Young (6-1, 234 pounds) entered the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens as a fourth-round pick out of UCLA in the 2018 NFL draft. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Rams midway through his second season.

Young then played in all 16 games for the Rams in 2020, earning six starts. He totaled 53 tackles, one sack, one interception and one defensive touchdown that season.

Young was then traded again midway through his fourth season, this time to the Broncos. He was a six-game starter for Denver last year following injuries to Josey Jewell and Alexander Johnson at inside linebacker. Young recorded 29 tackles and forced one fumble in his six games with the Broncos last fall.

Denver opted to re-sign Jewell to a two-year, $11 million contract this offseason, which seemingly made Young expendable for the Broncos. Johnson, meanwhile, remains a free agent.

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