Tag: practice squad

Ex-Broncos DL Haggai Ndubuisi signs with Commanders

Former Broncos DL Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi has joined the Commanders. Denver still has an open spot on the roster for an international player.

The Washington Commanders have signed former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.

Ndubuisi (6-7, 323 pounds) is a Nigerian player who participated in Osi Umenyiora’s UpRise Academy program in Africa before being invited to an international NFL combine in London in 2021.

Ndubuisi joined the league’s IPP program in 2022 and he was allocated to the Arizona Cardinals. After spending preseason in Arizona that year, Ndubuisi was later allocated to the Broncos in 2023.

After practicing as an offensive lineman in Arizona, Ndubuisi switched to the defensive line in Denver. He spent all of the 2023 campaign on the Broncos’ practice squad, but Ndubuisi was not signed to a reserve/future contract at the end of the season.

Ndubuisi had a brief stint with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas in February before joining the Commanders earlier this week. He will continue playing as a defensive lineman.

The NFL has given each team an extra spot on the offseason roster for international players and an extra spot on each practice squad for an international player this season. Denver worked out Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit last month, but he opted to join the Kansas City Chiefs instead.

With Ndubuisi moving on, the Broncos have an open spot for an international player in 2024.

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Ex-Broncos backup QB named starter for UFL’s Houston Roughnecks

Remember Jarrett Guarantano? He had a brief stint with the Broncos in 2022. He’s now set to start in the UFL this spring.

A former Denver Broncos (backup) quarterback has been named a starter in the United Football League (a new spring league formed by the merger of the XFL and USFL).

The Houston Roughnecks will start Jarrett Guarantano in their season opener next weekend, coach Curtis Johnson announced Wednesday.

Guarantano, 26, played college football at Tennessee and Washington State before entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. After the Cardinals released Guarantano from their practice squad midway through his rookie season, he tried out for Denver. Two weeks later, the Broncos signed Guarantano to their practice squad.

He was elevated to the game-day roster in Week 15 to serve as a backup behind Brett Rypien (Russell Wilson was out with a concussion). Guarantano was fully promoted to the 53-man roster the next week. Denver cut the QB last summer and he signed with the UFL last December.

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Guarantano isn’t the only QB who had a cup of coffee with the Broncos set to play in the UFL this spring.

Case Cookus, who lasted three days in Denver during the 2021 offseason, has had quite a journeyman career. After his brief stint with the Broncos, Cookus went on to spend time with three NFL teams, one CFL team and one USFL team. He is now set to play for the Memphis Showboats in 2024.

Two other ex-Denver quarterbacks — Paxton Lynch and Kyle Sloter — were backups in the XFL last spring but are now free agents.

Also of note: former Broncos coach and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will serve as the head coach of the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas.

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Eagles sign another player from the Saints’ 2023 practice squad

The Philadelphia Eagles signed another player from the New Orleans Saints Saints’ 2023 practice squad, joining Shaquan Davis:

The Philadelphia Eagles signed another player from the New Orleans Saints Saints’ 2023 practice squad, joining second-year wide receiver Shaquan Davis. Defensive tackle PJ Mustipher, another second-year pro, was not retained when the Saints signed most of their practice squad to reserve/future contracts after the season ended. Now he’s going to Philly.

Mustipher, 25, was an undrafted free agent pickup for the Denver Broncos last summer (turning pro out of Penn State) who spent most of the season on their practice squad. The Saints poached a player from Denver, for a change, by signing Mustipher to their 53-man roster once injuries hit the position. Ironically, the Broncos ended up signing one of the players Mustipher was replacing in New Orleans — Malcolm Roach. He was later moved down to the practice squad, where he finished the 2023 season.

Now he gets a new opportunity in Philadelphia. Life for young players like Mustipher and Davis can be hectic as they’re tasked with moving from one city to the next, sometimes in the space of just a few months. Good luck to them both on the Eagles.

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Two other teams sign a couple of former Saints wide receivers

The Saints only have a handful of receivers signed for 2024, and players they brought into training camp last year are getting snapped up by other teams:

Do the New Orleans Saints have a problem at wide receiver? Maybe, maybe not. Not in the sense that they don’t have good players: Chris Olave and A.T. Perry are returning for 2024, and Rashid Shaheed will come back on an exclusive-rights free agent deal, too.

But Michael Thomas is on the way out; his contract is set up for him to be released as a post-June 1 cut in March. And at some point the Saints need to start signing players to fill out practice reps at training camp. New Orleans brought a dozen receivers into camp last summer and right now they only have two (technically three). Of those twelve receivers, three are still with the Saints (including Thomas), three are on other teams, and six are free agents (including Shaheed, whose only CBA-allowed option is to re-sign with the Saints). A thirteenth receiver, Jontre Kirklin, arrived late in camp and is currently competing with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas.

And some of those players who competed in camp last year are getting snapped up by other teams. The New England Patriots signed former seventh-round draft pick Kawaan Baker to a reserve/future deal this week, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. So did Tre’Quan Smith, who is going to the Detroit Lions, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Several practice squad receivers were not retained after the 2023 season. Fan-favorite rookie Shaquan Davis left for the Philadelphia Eagles. Longtime backup Marquez Callaway signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. There aren’t many familiar names left out there.

Ideally the Saints would add enough quality players to keep them on the practice squad if they’re in consideration at all. But that’s not the point. They could run into trouble relying on a ton of undrafted rookies to fill out the depth chart. Odds are they’ll sign some veterans in free agency in March, though it’s possible a couple of qualifying players could sign reserve/future deals in the near future.

Why the delay? The Saints don’t have a wide receivers coach right now. They know that Klint Kubiak will be their offensive coordinator, but missing a position coach could complicate things. They need a clear vision of what to look for in evaluating new additions. Until Kubiak is officially hired and a receivers coach named, this process may continue to draw out.

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Several Saints assistants working with 2024 draft prospects at Shrine Bowl

Several Saints assistant coaches are working with 2024 draft prospects at the East-West Shrine Bowl. New Orleans added 8 players from last year’s event:

The New Orleans Saints will have a heavy presence at this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl, which makes sense given how many future NFL players have participated in the event. And the 2024 draft class is following that pattern.

Three Saints assistant coaches have been assigned to work with draft prospects at this year’s Shrine Bowl, all on the West Team. It’s as good an opportunity for future pros to work with NFL coaches as it is for each of these men to advance their careers.

Here’s a quick look at them and the players they’ll be working with:

Lions re-sign Julian Okwara amongst practice squad moves

Okwara was waived when the Lions activated James Houston and comes back after going unclaimed on waivers

Julian Okwara never left Detroit after being waived on Thursday when the team activated James Houston to take his spot on the active roster. Okwara went unclaimed on the waiver wire, and now he’s back with the Lions.

The team re-signed Okwara to the practice squad on Saturday, a day ahead of the postseason matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Detroit also promoted two players from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday afternoon’s game.

For the second week in a row, DT Tyson Alualu and FB Jason Cabinda have been elevated for the game. Both played in the win over the Rams as practice squad elevations.

There is no limit on elevations in the postseason.

Detroit didn’t announce any game status changes from Friday’s injury report, which is a positive development for TE Sam LaPorta and his questionable knee.

Packers elevate OLB Keshawn Banks from practice squad for divisional round vs. 49ers

The Packers elevated OLB Keshawn Banks from the practice squad to the gameday roster for the NFC Divisional Round vs. the 49ers.

The Green Bay Packers elevated outside linebacker Keshawn Banks from the practice squad to the gameday roster for the NFC Divisional Round. The move was announced Saturday afternoon, making Long available for Matt LaFleur and the Packers for Saturday night’s showdown with the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.

Banks, an undrafted rookie out of San Diego State, is being elevated for the first time this season. The move is an obvious answer to Kingsley Enagbare’s season-ending knee injury, providing the Packers with additional depth at edge rusher and a potential replacement for Enagbare on special teams.

Banks played in 59 career games at San Diego State. He produced 42 tackles for loss and 13.0 sacks. During the 2023 preseason, Banks finished with five tackles, two pressures and one batted pass over 72 snaps across three games. He has spent the entire season on the Packers practice squad.

The Packers did not elevate cornerback David Long Jr., suggesting the team thinks Jaire Alexander (ankle, questionable) will play Saturday night. Long was elevated last week when Alexander was a true game-time decision.

The Packers had only four players with status designations on the final injury report: Alexander, running back A.J. Dillon, linebacker Isaiah McDuffie and punter Daniel Whelan. All four are questionable.

Although the Packers signed punter Pat O’Donnell to the practice squad on Saturday, he was not immediately elevated to the gameday roster — suggesting Whelan is good to go for Saturday night.

All teams are allowed to elevate up to two players from the practice squad each week. An individual player can only be elevated from the practice squad three times per season, so Banks has two elevations remaining. On Monday, Banks will revert back to the practice squad.

The Packers elevated at least one player during 16 of their 19 games this season. Banks represents the 24th time a player has been elevated from the practice squad by the Packers this season.

Elevations by week

Week 1: RB Patrick Taylor, DB Innis Gaines
Week 2: RB Patrick Taylor, DB Innis Gaines
Week 3: RB Patrick Taylor, CB Corey Ballentine
Week 4: CB Corey Ballentine, CB Kiondre Thomas
Week 5: CB Corey Ballentine
Week 7: None
Week 8: None
Week 9: DB Innis Gaines
Week 10: None
Week 11: S Benny Sapp III
Week 12: S Benny Sapp III, FB Henry Pearson
Week 13: RB James Robinson, FB Henry Pearson
Week 14: RB Kenyan Drake
Week 15: RB Kenyan Drake, WR Bo Melton
Week 16: WR Bo Melton, S Benny Sapp III
Week 17: WR Bo Melton
Week 18: WR Grant DuBose
WC: CB David Long Jr.
DV: OLB Keshawn Banks

Lions bring back DL to the practice squad

Lions bring back rookie DL Chris Smith to the practice squad

As the Lions nation anxiously awaits word on the fate of EDGE James Houston, the team did make a roster move involving the defense on Wednesday. The team announced it has brought rookie DT Chris Smith back to the practice squad.

It’s the third stint on the practice squad in Detroit for Smith. He joined the team as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Notre Dame. Smith showed some ability as an undersized (he’s 290 pounds) interior rusher during training camp. He never signed with any other NFL team after being released from the Lions practice squad twice during the season.

The Lions had an opening on the practice squad after last weekend’s roster moves. Detroit will determine the fate of Houston on Thursday; the pass rusher’s activation window from injured reserve ends on that day. The Lions must either activate him to the 53-man roster or else Houston’s season is over.

Steelers sign former Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway

The Steelers signed former Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway to a reserve/future deal:

There’s one member of the 2023 New Orleans Saints playing elsewhere in 2024. The Pittsburgh STeelers announced that they signed wide receiver Marquez Callaway to a reserve/future deal; Callaway was one of three players on the Saints practice squad who were not brought back after the season ended.

Callaway, 25, totaled just 28 snaps on offense in three games this year without drawing a single target. He impressed with 46 receptions for 698 yards and 6 touchdown catches for the Saints back in 2021 but has not returned to those heights. He followed Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos last year but couldn’t make the team.

Now he’ll be trying his hand in Pittsburgh. As for the Saints, they have just three receivers under contract for 2024 in Chris Olave, A.T. Perry, and Michael Thomas, who is likely to be released in a procedural move in March. All-Pro returns specialist Rashid Shaheed is an exclusive rights free agent and is expected to return on a minimum salary, not being eligible for a real extension until 2025. Lynn Bowden Jr. (restricted) and Keith Kirkwood are also Saints free agent receivers of note.

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Saints add more cornerback depth with this reserve/future deal

The Saints added more cornerback depth by signing Rejzohn Wright to reserve/future deal. The former All-Pac-12 corner has spent time with the Panthers and Raiders:

Here’s the big offseason personnel move New Orleans Saints fans  have been waiting for: free agent cornerback Rejzohn Wright has signed a reserve/future deal with the team, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, guaranteeing him a spot on their 90-man roster. He’ll have an opportunity to compete in training camp. Most of the Saints’ 2023 practice squad is coming back on these type of contracts.

A second-year pro out of Oregon State (where he earned All-Pac-12 recognition as a senior), Wright is listed at 6-foot-1.5 and 193 pounds, which fits the athletic prototype the Saints value at cornerback. He previously spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders.

Wright joins a crowded position group. The Saints are bringing back Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor, and Faion Hicks from the 2023 team with players like Isaac Yiadom and Shemar Jean-Charles headed for free agency. But you can never have enough cornerbacks (especially if a Lattimore trade is brewing behind the scenes). We’ll see if Wright can make some noise when practices kick off in a few months.

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