The Broncos brought in three running backs, three wide receivers and one quarterback for tryouts on Wednesday.
Story update: The Broncos signed wide receiver Darrius Shepherd on Thursday, the team announced. The 90-man offseason roster is now full. See our original post below.
Looking to fill two open roster spots following the injuries suffered by wide receiver Tim Patrick and running back Damarea Crockett, the Denver Broncos brought in seven players for tryouts on Wednesday.
The Broncos brought in three running backs: Max Borghi, Jaquan Hardy and Jaylen Samuels. Hardy is a second-year player who spent time with the Dallas Cowboys last year. Samuels is a fourth-year back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2018-2021. Borghi is a college free agent out of Washington State.
Borghi won the RB tryout and signed with the team Wednesday. That leaves Denver with one open spot on the 90-man offseason roster.
The Broncos also brought in three wide receivers: Jonathan Adams, Kekoa Crawford and Darrius Shepherd. At the time of this writing, none of the receivers have signed. Shepherd has spent time with six NFL teams since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
Finally, Denver also tried out a quarterback: K.J. Costello, who went to training camp with the Los Angeles Chargers as a rookie last summer and spent time with the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL this spring.
They add former Steelers RB Jaylen Samuels, a former teammate of James Conner.
The Arizona Cardinals officially began building their offseason roster on Wednesday. They announced the signing of 15 players to “futures” deals for 2022.
NFL players not under contract or who were on practice squads at the end of the season are eligible to sign a “futures” contract that will take effect in the new league year in March.
13 of the players ended the season on the Cardinals’ practice squad or were on the active roster during the season.
The following players were those re-signed after being on the practice squad at the end of the season:
WR Andres Baccellia
CB Breon Borders
CB Nate Brooks
DT Matt Dickerson
TE Alex Ellis
S Javon Hagan
OL Danny Isidora
OL Koda Martin
TE Bernhard Seikovits
OL Eric Smith
LB Joe Walker
TE David Wells
CB Jace Whittaker
They also added two players who have spent time with other teams.
They signed RB Jaylen Samuels.
Samuels is a bigger back at 6-0 and 225 lbs. He played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and last season for the Houston Texans. He has 468 career rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 3.4 yards per attempt in his career. He also has 85 career receptions for 564 yards and four scores.
In 2019 for the Steelers, he caught 47 passes and had 480 total yards from scrimmage.
They also added TE Deon Yelder. Yelder spent three seasons from 2018-2020 with the Kansas City Chiefs and last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 6-4, 255-pounder 11 career receptions for 86 yards in 31 career games.
The Houston Texans called up seven players total from the practice squad for Week 17 against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Houston Texans called up seven players total as they get ready for Week 17 against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday at 3:05 p.m. Central Time at Levi’s Stadium.
The Texans’ two standard elevations were defensive end Michael Dwumfour and linebacker Josh Watson.
The Texans’ five COVID-19 replacements were receiver Jalen Camp, receiver Jordan Veasy, offensive lineman Jordan Steckler, defensive back Cre’von LeBlanc, and running back Jaylen Samuels.
Houston isn’t work through quite as much of a disruption to their roster as they did in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Texans called up 11 players from the practice squad as COVID-19 replacements.
The Texans need a running back after shipping Mark Ingram back to New Orleans. That guy could wind up being former Steeler Jaylen Samuels.
After a recent trade sent Mark Ingram back to the New Orleans Saints, the Houston Texans need a running back. That guy could wind up being former Steeler Jaylen Samuels.
Per the NFL transaction wire, the Texans worked Samuels out on Thursday.
Samuels, a fifth-round selection by the Steelers in the 2018 NFL fifth-round draft, never really found his footing in Pittsburgh and was released by the team on Wednesday.
During his four seasons with the Steelers, Samuels played in 42 games (eight starts) and logged 459 yards on 131 carries. His receiving touchdowns (4) outnumbered his one rushing score.
The Steelers look to be heading into Jacksonville with nearly a clean slate on the injury front.
The Steelers Friday injury report looks fairly clean, with only running backs Trey Edmunds, Jaylen Samuels, and linebacker Jayrone Elliott ruled out for Sunday.
Edmunds (hamstring) and Samuels (quad) were both injured versus the Bengals. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin indicated on Tuesday that the backs’ availability would be dependent on practice participation, and neither took part all week. Elliott (illness) also has not been at practice this week.
As anticipated, cornerback Mike Hilton will be back in action. He was a full practice participant all week after exiting with a shoulder injury in the second quarter of Week 6.
Though Cam Sutton has played solid in Hilton’s absence, having him back in the lineup is just the injection Pittsburgh’s defense needs.
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Tight end Vance McDonald and guard Kevin Dotson have not yet been activated from reserve/COVID-19.
Game status
RB Trey Edmunds (Hamstring) – Out
RB Jaylen Samuels (Quadriceps) – Out
LB Jayrone Elliott (Illness) – Out
Practice participation
QB Ben Roethlisberger (NIR) – Full
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (NIR) – Full
RB Anthony McFarland (Illness) – Full
CB Mike Hilton (Shoulder) – Full
RB Trey Edmunds (Hamstring) – DNP
RB Jaylen Samuels (Quadriceps) – DNP
LB Jayrone Elliott (Illness) – DNP
C Maurkice Pouncey (NIR) – Full
G David DeCastro (NIR) – Full
T Alejandro Villanueva (NIR) – Full
DE Stephon Tuitt (NIR) – Full
DE Isaiah Buggs (Ankle) – Full
It’s always a good week when the Steelers injury report is short, especially as the season winds down.
The Pittsburgh Steelers early injury report was a short one. In Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s weekly press conference, he noted that fourth- and fifth-string running backs Jaylen Samuels (quad) and Trey Edmunds (hamstring) are dealing with injuries that could limit them in practice this week.
Samuels has been utilized more on special teams (77 snaps) than any other game facet. He’s been on the field in 39 pass snaps and three run play snaps.
Edmunds was re-signed by Pittsburgh on Nov. 10 and took the spot of tight end Vance McDonald on the 53-man roster. Assuming McDonald will return to this lineup this week, it’s possible Edmunds reverts to the practice squad.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kerrith Whyte showed speed and versatility in 2019. Where will that leave him in a crowded RB room?
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered training camp with an excellent problem to have — depth at the running back position. Currently, mid-training camp, there’s a crowded running back room: James Conner, Benny Snell, Jr., Jaylen Samuels, Anthony McFarland, Jr., Kerrith Whyte, Wendell Smallwood and Trey Edmunds.
Given the health concerns they had to deal with in Conner, Snell and Samuels missing multiple games in 2019, the more options, the better for Pittsburgh.
One of the temporary solutions last season was the signing of Whyte from the Chicago Bears practice squad. He signed on Nov. 16 and was thrust into action with the Steelers on Nov. 24.
“I am just happy they trusted me,” Whyte told Teresa Varley in her Camp Blog series. “I got here and four days later played in my first game. It was unique. I appreciated that. When someone trusts you with the ball, that’s what it’s about. The game is about the ball… Ball security is the most important thing. I take pride in it. I know how meaningful the ball is.”
Though the Steelers showed interest in the speedy back during a pre-draft visit to Pittsburgh, the Florida Atlantic product wound up in Chicago via a seventh-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
For the casual Steelers fan, Whyte shot out of nowhere. In his first appearance in November versus the Cincinnati Bengals, he carried the ball six times for 43 yards (7.2 per attempt average). Whyte had another nice game in Week 14 versus Arizona with five attempts for 41 yards. Through six games with the Steelers, Whyte finished off the season with 122 yards on 24 carries for a 5.1 average.
“Hopefully it was the start of something,” said Whyte. “I believe in myself. I have so much more to show. I am happy how things played out. Hopefully I did turn some heads. I am going to continue to work and show my God-given talent.”
“The guys here showed nothing but love from the moment I walked in,” he said. “They took great care of me, and I am appreciative of that… I took a little piece from everybody, from the coaching staff, the strength staff, the veterans in the room. They were all a part of the puzzle.”
With his speed and agility, Whyte was able to supplant wide receiver Ryan Switzer as the Steelers’ starting kickoff returner. Finding a reliable return man has been problematic for years, but Whyte led the team in kickoff return yards (264), attempts (14), and average (19 yards), including a team-best return of 34 yards.
What could make Whyte expendable is what he’s best known for: Speed. McFarland, the Steelers rookie back, has a similar playing style to Whyte.
The Steelers kept five running backs (including fullback Rosie Nix) last year and, given the injury concern that Conner comes with, it would be smart to do the same in 2020.
Though he showed some promise his rookie season, Snell didn’t overly impress. But his 426 yards rushing were good enough for second on the team and is a lock to make the 53-man roster. As for Samuels, there’s been some conjecture that he isn’t a roster lock; however, his value as a receiver should not be overlooked. Samuels contributed 305 yards and a touchdown; best among Steelers running backs.
Practice squads were expanded to from 14 to 16 with the new CBA and, to mitigate players testing positive for the coronavirus the week of a game, will allow each team to protect four players weekly. The new rules also mean players who are generally worthy of a spot on the 53-man roster could instead be stashed on the practice squad.
A protected member of the practice squad is the most likely landing spot for Whyte unless the Steelers make a surprise move before the start of the season.
As deadline approaches for players to opt-out of season due to COVID concerns, Steelers Mike Tomlin is unaware of any of players doing so.
The deadline for players to opt-out of the season is Thursday at 4 p.m. So far, no Steelers have opted out, and, according to head coach Mike Tomlin, none plan to do so.
Although James Washington and Jaylen Samuels were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week, Tomlin is not aware of any players planning to sit out the season.
“I don’t have any knowledge that anyone on our team has any strong considerations in that way,” Tomlin said Thursday in a press conference. “If that were the case like I mentioned earlier, that is a very individual decision, one that we all would understand, respect and adjust.”
“Secondarily, I don’t know that I’m extremely confident. I respect the challenges that these circumstances have presented to other leagues, some of which we’re witnessing. I think we’re all proceeding with caution and working extremely hard not to become part of that. We’ve got some people in leadership positions, Dr. [Allen] Sills and other medical professionals that have led the charge for us globally in the NFL. We’re working our tails off to adhere to it and hoping that is enough coupled with, obviously, personal decision making that needs to be exhibited continually by our guys throughout the course of this.”
So far, 60 players have opted out. The New England Patriots have the most with eight, including linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung.
Two more Steelers players were added to the NFL’s COVID-19/reserve list on Sunday.
Steelers wide receiver James Washington and running back Jaylen Samuels were placed on the COVID-19/reserve list on Sunday. Their addition now makes four Steelers on the list.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero detailed return-to-play strategy here.
The reserve/COVID-19 list was created for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or who has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person(s). If a player falls into either of these categories, their club is required to immediately place the player on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Per agreed upon NFL-NFLPA policy, clubs are not permitted to comment on player’s medical status other than referring to roster status. Clubs may not disclose whether player is in quarantine or is positive for COVID-19.
As mentioned, clubs are not permitted to specify whether the player tested positive or came in contact with someone with the coronavirus.
On Thursday, the NFL and NFLPA provided insight into how a player comes off the COVID-19/reserve list:
Close contact players testing negative can’t return until:
– Second negative test within 24 hours of initial negative test
– Increased symptom monitoring
– Eight days of daily virus testing
– Regular testing schedule after that
Asymptomatic players can’t return until:
– 10 days have passed since initial positive test OR
– 5 days have passed since initial positive test, AND two consecutive negative tests are completed separated by 24 hours within five days.
– Return is approved by team’s physician after consulting with ICS and NFL’s chief medical officer
Symptomatic players can’t return until:
– 10 days have passed since first COVID-19 symptoms appeared
– At least 72 hours have passed since symptoms last occurred
– Return is approved by team’s physician after consulting with ICS and NFL’s chief medical officer
– Local regulations and requirements are satisfied
If a player tests negative and is asymptomatic but has been in close contact with an infected individual, a new set of rules apply.
