Tag: Forrest Merrill

Broncos made several roster moves Wednesday

The Broncos placed DB Caden Sterns on injured reserve and promoted WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

The Denver Broncos made several roster moves this week ahead of their showdown with the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Following injuries to safety Caden Sterns (knee) and tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring), the Broncos have made two changes to the 53-man roster.

First, Sterns was placed on injured reserve with a torn patellar tendon. That injury will rule him out for the remainder of the 2023 season.

Denver could also place Dulcich on short-term IR, which would allow him to return to the active roster after four games, but at the time of this writing, Dulcich remains on the 53-man roster.

To fill the open roster spots created by Sterns going on IR, the Broncos promoted wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. To fill Humphrey’s former spot on the practice squad, Denver signed wide receiver Michael Bandy.

The Broncos also released defensive lineman Forrest Merrill from injured reserve with an injury settlement on Monday. Merrill is now a free agent.

See a recap of the team’s roster moves below.

Broncos made 2 roster moves on Wednesday

The Broncos signed running back/returner Dwayne Washington and waived/injured defensive lineman Forrest Merrill on Wednesday.

The Denver Broncos made a pair of roster moves on Wednesday.

First, the team signed running back/returner Dwayne Washington to a one-year deal. Washington (6-1, 223 pounds) is an eighth-year veteran who entered the league as a seventh-round pick out of Washington with the Detroit Lions in 2016.

Washington spent the first two years of his career in Detroit, rushing 110 times for 309 yards and one touchdown. He also returned four kickoffs for 77 yards with the Lions.

Washington then joined the New Orleans Saints, playing under coach Sean Payton from 2018-2021. Washington remained in New Orleans last year while Payton took a break from coaching. The 29-year-old running back rushed 58 times for 283 yards in 66 games with the Saints and returned 10 kickoffs for 168 yards.

Now reunited with Payton, Washington will add more depth to Denver’s backfield and give the team another kick returner for the final two preseason games.

The team’s second move was waiving defensive tackle Forrest Merrill with an injury designation. Merrill was waived to make room for Washington on the roster. The 90-man offseason roster is now full.

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Broncos made two roster moves on Saturday

The Broncos signed defensive lineman Forrest Merrill and placed offensive lineman Yasir Durant on injured reserve.

The Denver Broncos signed defensive tackle Forrest Merrill to a one-year contract on Saturday, the team announced.

Merrill (6-0, 322 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas State with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021. He spent the first two years of his career in L.A., playing 36 snaps on defense as a rookie.

Merrill appeared in four games with the Chargers, totaling four tackles. He spent time with the Seattle Seahawks this spring before being cut in June. Merrill will provide more depth on Denver’s defensive line depth chart following the Eyioma Uwazurike suspension.

To make room for Merrill on the 90-man offseason roster, the Broncos waived guard Yasir Durant with an injury designation. Durant cleared waivers and has reverted to Denver’s injured reserve list. Unless he reaches an injury settlement with the team, Yasir will now will ineligible to play during the 2023 season.

Durant just signed with the Broncos last week.

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10 free agent defensive linemen Broncos should consider signing

The Broncos’ defensive line depth was thin even before Eyioma Uwazurike was suspended. Here’s a quick list of 10 free agents available.

The Denver Broncos’ defensive line depth chart took another hit on Monday.

The league announced that Broncos second-year defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike has been suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games in 2022. Even before losing Uwazurike for at least the 2023 season, Denver’s defensive line depth was already thin.

The Broncos lost both Dre’Mont Jones and DeShawn Williams — their starting defensive ends in 2022 — during free agency this spring. Zach Allen was signed to replace Jones, but the team did not sign a direct replacement for Williams, who started 15 games last season.

With Uwazurike suspended, the team’s remaining defensive linemen are Allen, D.J. Jones, Mike Purcell, Matt Henningsen, Jonathan Harris, Tyler Lancaster, Jordan Jackson, Elijah Garcia, PJ Mustipher and Haggai Ndubuisi.

Purcell will begin training camp this week on the non-football injury list after undergoing surgery this offseason. With Purcell sidelined, Henningsen (a second-year player with no starts on his resume) is currently the team’s No. 3 defensive lineman behind Allen and Jones.

It seems fair to say Denver could use some more depth at the position. Here’s a quick list of 10 free agent defensive linemen the Broncos should consider signing following Uwazurike’s suspension.

Chargers sign 11 players to future contracts

The Chargers signed 11 players to reserve/future contracts. All 11 spent all or part of the season on the practice squad.

With the 2021 season over, the Chargers have signed 11 players to future contracts.

Los Angeles signed Michael Bandy, Andre Brown, Cole Christiansen, Ben DeLuca, Emeke Egbule, Maurice Ffrench, Ryan Hunter, Hunter Kampmoyer, Forrest Merrill, Jason Moore, Foster Sarell to future deals.

All 11 players spent time on either the team’s practice squad or active roster in 2021.

The players will be added to the 90-man active roster when the 2022 offseason officially begins.

Chargers’ Jerry Tillery, Christian Covington activated off COVID-19 list, will start vs. Broncos

The Chargers will get some reinforcements along the defensive line.

The Chargers will get Jerry Tillery and Christian Covington for the Week 12 matchup against the Broncos.

Tillery and Covington missed last Sunday’s victory over the Steelers after testing positive for COVID-19.

Now activated, the plan is for the two to start alongside Justin Jones. Covington will play in place of Linval Joseph, who remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

What does this mean for those who dominated up front against Pittsburgh?

Head coach Brandon Staley said Breiden Fehoko and Joe Gaziano will be part of the rotation “right away” against Denver.

Fehoko was a menace in the run game, while Gaziano brought interior pressure and aided in holding the Steelers to just 3.1 yards per carry.

It remains to be seen if Forrest Merrill will be active or not. If activated to the 53-man roster, the Chargers will have to either sign him or let him to waivers and try and get him back on the practice squad once he clears.

Chargers DT Linval Joseph placed on reserve/COVID-19 list

The Chargers will be without the veteran nose tackle for the second consecutive week.

Chargers defensive tackle Linval Joseph was placed on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday after testing positive, according to head coach Brandon Staley.

Joseph missed Sunday’s victory over the Steelers with a shoulder injury, and now the team will be without him next weekend when they face the Broncos.

Because of the positive test and since he is unvaccinated, Joseph will be forced to stay away from the team for a minimum of 10 days.

Furthermore, Joseph was working out on the field prior to the game without a mask on. He was within six feet of several players and staff members, and he fist-bumped owner Dean Spanos on his way to the locker room, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

Therefore, the status of those he was around will be closely monitored.

Joseph’s absence is a blow to the interior part of the defensive line, but Joe Gaziano, Breiden Fehoko, and Forrest Merrill showed capable of a formidable front on Sunday, holding Pittsburgh’s rushing attack to 3.1 yards per carry.

Jerry Tillery and Christian Covington, who missed Week 11 due to COVID-19, will be eligible to return.

Chargers activate Justin Jones off injured reserve

The Chargers are getting a big boost along the defensive line.

The Chargers are gaining some depth along their defensive line.

Los Angeles announced on Saturday that the club has activated defensive tackle Justin Jones off of injured reserve.

In correspondence, L.A. waived undrafted rookie Forrest Merrill.

Jones has been out since the season opener against Washington when he sustained a calf injury.

Given the ongoing issues against the run, getting Jones back is a big boost in that department.

Before getting hurt, Jones showed flashes in Week 1. He was the team’s best run defender the last two seasons, finishing with 39 run stops combined and an average tackle depth of 2 yards.

Chargers make roster moves ahead of Week 4 matchup vs. Raiders

Kenneth Murray and Justin Jones were both placed on the injured reserve.

The Los Angeles Chargers made a few roster moves ahead of Monday night’s Week 4 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Nose tackle Breiden Fehoko has been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced Monday. Another nose tackle, Forrest Merrill, was signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad, as well.

Merrill and Fehoko take the spots of linebacker Kenneth Murray and defensive lineman Justin Jones, who were both placed on the injured reserve.

Murray, who was placed on the IR with an ankle injury, will miss the next three games, but he will likely be back as soon as he’s eligible, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

Jones, on the other hand, has been out with a calf injury since he sustained it in the season opener against Washington. The timeline of his return remains to be seen.

Chargers waive DL Eric Banks, open spot on 53-man roster

The Chargers made a roster move on Thursday.

The Chargers waived defensive lineman Eric Banks on Thursday.

Signed before the start of the 2021 season, Banks appeared in three games, in which he recorded one tackle.

The move opened up a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Raiders.

Los Angeles has a couple of options to replace his roster spot, which includes activating cornerback Ryan Smith, who spent the last three weeks on the injured reserve with a foot injury.

Smith returned to practice on Thursday, and the team now has 21 days to either activate him or leave him on the IR for the remainder of the season.

L.A. could also choose to promote one of Breiden Fehoko or Forrest Merrill from the practice squad to the active roster in hopes of aiding a porous run defense that currently ranks last in the NFL.