Following their dominant Week 1 victory over Green Bay, the New Orleans Saints are exploring ways to plug a massive hole in the middle of their offensive line
Starting center Erik McCoy is expected to miss some time with a calf strain, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday. The Saints have a Week 6 bye and there's a chance McCoy could be out until then, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
With McCoy's status in question, the club is expected to sign former Chiefs lineman Austin Reiter to the practice squad with plans to elevate him on game day, Pelissero later reported. The Saints flew Reiter in for a workout Tuesday morning.
Second-year talent Cesar Ruiz filled in for McCoy when he exited Sunday's 38-3 win over the Packers.
The Saints are also dealing with a notable injury in their secondary involving Marshon Lattimore.
Two days after his eventful Sunday afternoon, the big-money cornerback will undergo surgery today to repair a chipped bone in his thumb, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source familiar with the situation.
Lattimore, who suffered the injury during Sunday's game, will be considered week-to-week moving forward.
The 25-year-old standout signed a five-year, $97.6 million contract extension hours before New Orleans' clash with Green Bay. He went on to record three tackles and one pass defensed in the victory.
Injuries/COVID-19
- The New York Jets officially placed offensive tackle Mekhi Becton on injured reserve, the team announced. Becton dislocated his knee cap and is expected to be out four to five weeks. Also placed on injured reserve for the Jets were safety Lamarcus Joyner, linebacker Blake Cashman and punter Braden Mann.
- San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert announced he will be out for the season after undergoing knee surgery. Mostert and cornerback Jason Verrett (torn ACL) were officially placed on injured reserve.
- Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden told reporters quarterback Marcus Mariota, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, guard Denzelle Good and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue are all being re-evaluated for injuries sustained during Monday night's game against the Ravens. Ngakoue injured his hamstring in the second half and did not return while McCoy was ruled out after being carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.
- The New Orleans Saints placed receiver Michael Thomas on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Thomas is currently on the PUP list after undergoing ankle surgery during the offseason.
- The Denver Broncos officially placed receiver Jerry Jeudy and cornerback Ronald Darby on injured reserve.
- The New York Giants held a walkthrough and again listed tight end Evan Engram (calf) as a DNP and running back Saquon Barkley (knee) as limited. Coach Joe Judge was asked earlier in the day if Engram had a chance to play on Thursday night against Washington, to which he replied, "Hope so." Engram, who was inactive for Week 1, has been dealing with the injury since late August. Guard Shane Lemieux was a DNP for a second consecutive day.
- The Washington Football Team listed running back Antonio Gibson (shoulder) as a full participant in practice. He was listed as limited on Monday's estimated injury report. Washington also officially placed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (hip) on injured reserve. He will be eligible to return in three weeks.
- The Baltimore Ravens have placed guard Tyre Phillips (knee) on injured reserve. Phillips was injured in Monday's game against the Raiders.
- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on 105.3 FM The Fan that defensive end Randy Gregory, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, is doing things to give him the best chance of a negative test, NFL Network's Jane Slater reported. Jones added that Gregory's symptoms are “not serious." Gregory is vaccinated but still needs two negative tests within 24 hours before Sunday.
- The Miami Dolphins placed defensive tackle Raekwon Davis on injured reserve. Davis suffered a knee injury Sunday in the win over the Patriots.
- The Philadelphia Eagles placed offensive tackle Le'Raven Clark on practice squad injured reserve.
Roster signings
- The Tennessee Titans announced they've promoted kicker Randy Bullock to the active roster.
- The San Francisco 49ers signed former Lions running back Kerryon Johnson to the practice squad. The former second-round pick boasts career totals of 283 carries for 1,225 and eight touchdowns in 34 career games played (16 starts) with the Lions. The Niners also officially signed defensive backs Dre Kirkpatrick and Dontae Johnson, and added linebacker Curtis Bolton to the practice squad along with Johnson.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed defensive backs Pierre Desir and Chris Cooper to the practice squad.
- The New York Jets are signing longtime former Saints punter Thomas Morstead, Pelissero reported. The Jets are also signing former Browns starting linebacker B.J. Goodson to a one-year deal worth up to $2.1 million, per Pelissero. New York later announced the signings of Goodson and Morstead, along with safety Jarrod Wilson and offensive lineman Isaiah Williams.
- The Indianapolis Colts signed safety Andrew Sendejo. The 34-year-old started 14 games for the Browns in 2020.
- The Carolina Panthers signed Zane Gonzalez off the Lions' practice squad.
- The Dallas Cowboys signed veteran receiver Robert Foster and kicker Lirim Hajrullahu to the practice squad.
- The New Orleans Saints added receiver Kenny Stills, who spent his first two seasons with the Saints, and veteran offensive tackle Caleb Benenoch to the practice squad.
- The Denver Broncos added defensive back Rojesterman Farris and receiver Rico Gafford to the practice squad.
- The Las Vegas Raiders are signing defensive tackle Damion Square off the Bears' practice squad, Rapoport reports.
Roster cuts
- The Carolina Panthers released kicker Ryan Santoso, and terminated the contract of guard Mike Horton. The Panthers previously traded a seventh-round pick to the Giants for Santoso, but will get their pick back because Santoso failed to remain on the team's roster for two weeks. Santoso missed a PAT on Sunday.
- The Indianapolis Colts waived cornerback Chris Wilcox and released S Sean Davis from the practice squad.
- The Cincinnati Bengals waived cornerback Donnie Lewis from injured reserve.
- The Atlanta Falcons released kicker Elliott Fry and tight end David Wells.
- The Baltimore Ravens announced they have released running back Trenton Cannon.
- The Philadelphia Eagles waived defensive back Obi Melifonwu from injured reserve.
- The Detroit Lions have waived guard Tommy Kraemer.
- The Arizona Cardinals waived tight end Bruno Labelle from injured reserve.
- The New Orleans Saints waived running back Adam Prentice.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived guard Earl Watford via an injury settlement.
- The Kansas City Chiefs released linebacker Omari Cobb.
- The San Francisco 49ers released receiver Isaiah Zuber.
Roster news
- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones announced Terence Steele will be their starting right tackle while Zack Martin, who's returning from a stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list, will continue to play right guard, per Slater.
- The Detroit Lions have spoken to veteran cornerback Quinton Dunbar as the team continues to weigh their options following Jeff Okudah's season-ending Achilles injury, per Garafolo. Dunbar started six games for the Seahawks last season.
- The Denver Broncos promoted receiver Kendall Hinton and cornerback Nate Hairston to the active roster.
- The Washington Football Team elevated linebacker Jared Norris from the practice squad.
- The New Orleans Saints elevated defensive tackle Montravius Adams and defensive back Jeff Heath from the practice squad.