Tag: duke dawson

Panthers reach injury settlements with 2 players

The Panthers officially reached injury settlements with LB Khalan Tolson and CB Duke Dawson on Thursday.

Before getting past Tuesday, specifically that 4:00 p.m. ET deadline, the Carolina Panthers had to get their roster down to 80 men. And of the players involved in that cutdown, two had their immediate futures with the franchise officially settled on Thursday.

Per the league transaction wire, the Panthers reached injury settlements with linebacker Khalan Tolson and cornerback Duke Dawson. Tolson received a waiver designation while Dawson was classified as a terminated vested veteran, effectively removing both from the team’s injured reserve.

Tolson signed on with Carolina as an undrafted free agent on April 30. The rookie spent four seasons at the University of Illinois, where he totaled 128 total tackles (10.0 for a loss), 2.5 sacks, five passes defensed, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Dawson joined the team later on July 29. The fourth-year defender racked up four tackles and an interception against the Washington Commanders two weeks ago—his lone preseason appearance of the summer.

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Panthers PFF grades: Best and worst from preseason opener vs. Commanders

In his first preseason outing, Baker Mayfield earned the Panthers’ highest offensive grade from Pro Football Focus.

Which Carolina Panthers impressed (and didn’t impress) the film buffs on Saturday afternoon? Here’s how Pro Football Focus dissected the very best and very worst from the preseason opener against the Washington Commanders.

Panthers sign former Patriots 2nd-round pick

The Panthers have signed CB Duke Dawson out of tryouts following Friday’s training camp practice.

Between Jaycee Horn being placed on the active-physically unable to perform list and Rashaan Melvin hanging up the cleats on an eight-year career, the Carolina Panthers quickly grew a bit thin in their secondary.

So, as previously promised by head coach Matt Rhule, the team worked out some cornerbacks following Friday’s practice. And out of that has come the signing of Duke Dawson.

A 2017 First-team All-SEC selection and standout at the University of Florida, Dawson was selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. After sustaining a hamstring injury that kept him out of the better part of his rookie campaign, the 5-foot-10 corner would not play a single snap for Bill Belichick’s squad.

He—along with a seventh-round pick—would later be traded to the Denver Broncos prior to the 2019 season in exchange for a sixth-round selection. Dawson played in 26 games for Denver between 2019 and 2020—registering 27 combined tackles, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery over four starts.

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Broncos allow contracts of 8 practice squad players to expire, making them free agents

The Broncos allowed the practice squad contracts of DBs Duke Dawson and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to expire, making them free agents.

After their 2021 season ended, the Denver Broncos signed six practice squad players to future contracts, giving those players a chance to compete for a roster spot during training camp in 2022.

Denver later signed another defensive lineman and a pass rusher from the CFL to future deals, bringing their future contracts total to eight players. Those players will be added to the team’s 90-man offseason roster when the new league year begins in March.

Meanwhile, the Broncos did not give future contracts to eight practice squad players, and their contracts expired on Monday. That means the following players are now free agents: DB Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, DB Duke Dawson, CB Rojesterman Farris, WR Rico Gafford, QB Anthony Gordon, OL Tristen Hoge, DT Akeem Spence and TE Caleb Wilson.

Those eight players will be joined in free agency by OLB Pita Taumoepenu, DE Carlo Kemp and DT Deyon Sizer, who were released from Denver’s practice squad earlier this month.

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Broncos make two changes to practice squad

Danny Etling had a short tenure on the Broncos’ practice squad.

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton continues to tinker with the bottom of the team’s roster.

Denver released offensive guard Shaq Calhoun and quarterback Danny Etling from the practice squad on Tuesday, the team announced.

Calhoun was signed last month when the team needed more depth at guard because of multiple injuries at the position. Etling was signed just last weekend to provide emergency QB depth while Drew Lock was in COVID-19 protocol.

Lock is expected to return this week and the Broncos will once again have three quarterbacks: Teddy Bridgewater, Brett Rypien and Lock.

Denver placed outside linebacker Pita Taumoepenu on the practice squad/COVID-19 list and cornerback Duke Dawson on the practice squad/injured list last week. The Broncos clearing two spots on the practice squad by cutting Calhoun and Etling might be a sign that Taumoepenu and Dawson are close to returning.

The Broncos currently have three open spots on the practice squad.

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Broncos’ updated cornerback depth chart after return of Duke Dawson

One week after losing Bryce Callahan to injured reserve, the Broncos are adding needed depth with the return of Duke Dawson.

The Denver Broncos added some much-needed depth at cornerback on Tuesday by promoting defensive back Duke Dawson from the reserve/physically unable to return list to the active roster.

Denver had room for Dawson on the 53-man roster after placing quarterback Drew Lock on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Dawson’s return comes at a good time for the Broncos because the team just lost slot cornerback Bryce Callahan to injured reserve last week. Dawson has 26 games of experience, with most of his playing time in the slot.

Denver was in a pinch last week, so outside cornerback Kyle Fuller filled in the slot. Fuller played surprisingly well, so he will probably hold on to that job, at least for the time being. Here’s an estimated updated cornerback depth chart for the Broncos entering Week 10.

CB Slot CB
Ronald Darby Kyle Fuller Pat Surtain*
Nate Hairston Duke Dawson [Michael Ojemudia]
Mike Ford [Essang Bassey]

*Surtain has an ankle injury and it remains to be seen if he will miss any time. Ojemudia (injured reserve) and Bassey (physically unable to perform list) are not currently on the 53-man roster, but they should be getting close to returning to the active roster.

Ideally, Denver will play Ford and Hairston primarily on special teams, but injuries have forced them to step up on defense in recent weeks. The return of Dawson will give the team more depth and flexibility at the position.

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Cornerback reinforcements are on the way for Broncos

The Broncos made several roster moves Wednesday.

There’s good news and bad news on the cornerback front for the Denver Broncos today.

First, the bad news: Bryce Callahan was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Callahan is technically eligible to return to the active roster in as few as three weeks, but NFL Network’s James Palmer reported Wednesday that Callahan might be looking at an eight-week recovery.

With nine more weeks remaining this season, Callahan certainly won’t be guaranteed to return before Denver’s season concludes.

Now, the good news: Mike Ford has been designated to return from injured reserve and Essang Bassey and Duke Dawson have been designated to return from the physically unable to perform list.

All three cornerbacks are now permitted to return to practice and the Broncos have a 21-day window to decide if they will be activated to the 53-man roster. Denver can promote all three defensive backs to the active roster at any time within the next three weeks.

The Broncos also announced Wednesday that tight end Caleb Wilson has been signed to the practice squad. Wilson will provide more depth at the position this week after Noah Fant was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

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Denver Broncos depth chart prediction: Cornerback

Which cornerbacks will make the Broncos’ 53-man roster this season?

As we continue our 2020 depth chart prediction series for the Denver Broncos, today we’re going to be looking at cornerback.

Previously, we predicted the QB, RB, TE, WR, OL and DL depth charts.

Here’s a way-too-early projection for the team’s cornerback room:

Cornerback Slot Cornerback 
A.J. Bouye Duke Dawson Jr. Bryce Callahan
Davontae Harris De’Vante Bausby Michael Ojemudia
Essang Bassey Shakial Taylor Isaac Yiadom

There’s a chance that Callahan could end up being the slot cornerback, like he was with the Chicago Bears. Callahan spent time on the outside last spring, though, and Denver liked Dawson as a slot cornerback before he was injured last season.

Bouye is a locked-in starter — Callahan and Ojemudia might be the favorites to start across from him, depending on how the slot situation shakes out. Harris and Bausby had stretches of strong play last year so they should have decent chances to make the team again this season.

Bassey was one of the top undrafted free agents available in April and he could be a sleeper to make the 53-man roster. Yiadom, a former third-round pick, will face fierce competition to make the team. Taylor will also face long odds, but he could make the squad with a strong training camp.

The Broncos carried six cornerbacks on their initial roster in 2019.

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Projecting Broncos’ secondary depth chart before the NFL draft

Here’s a look at the Broncos’ depth in the secondary going into the NFL draft.

With the 2020 NFL draft now just one week away, here’s a look at the Broncos’ projected secondary depth chart as it stands right now:

Cornerback Safety Safety Dime Cornerback
Bryce Callahan Kareem Jackson Justin Simmons Duke Dawson A.J. Bouye
Davontae Harris Trey Marshall Alijah Holder Shakial Taylor De’Vante Bausby
Isaac Yiadom P.J. Locke Kahani Smith Tyvis Powell

Denver has a pretty good group of starters but the team is lacking depth across the board. If any of the team’s starters are injured (like Callahan was last year), the secondary will suffer greatly.

After losing Chris Harris to the Chargers during free agency, the Broncos have a big hole at cornerback. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the team use one of their first picks in the draft on a cornerback.

Denver also needs more depth at safety. Simmons should be a reliable defensive back for years to come (assuming he agrees to a contract extension) but Jackson is 32 years old and will need to be replaced in the coming years.

The Broncos should target a cornerback early and add a safety in the mid-rounds of the draft next week. Denver will have 10 picks to use.

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