Is ex-Battlehawks quarterback Taylor Heinicke part of a QB controversy in Atlanta? (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
Tryouts: Two former XFL wide receivers, WR Chris Blair (Defenders) and WR Jontre Kirklin (Roughnecks), worked out for the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans respectively on Tuesday. Blair had been in camp with the Falcons and was placed on injured reserve before eventually being released with a settlement. Kirklin began the regular season on the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints, though he was later let go.
P Brad Wing (Brahmas) was brought in for a second tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers in as many weeks, though this time for a more legitimate opportunity to earn a spot with starting punter Pressley Harvin suffering from a hamstring injury. Wing beat out Drue Chrisman, Blake Gillikin, and Pat O’Donnell, three other punters brought in for the workout, to replace Harvin this week.
Transactions: After being released on Saturday, QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) was re-signed by the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. With Tyler Huntley back healthy, Johnson will now be the third quarterback. He may shuffle on and off the 53-man roster and practice squad as the third-stringer depending on Baltimore’s roster needs.
On Tuesday, Johnson’s XFL teammate, OT Storm Norton (Wildcats) was signed by the Atlanta Falcons off the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints. Norton gives the Falcons a veteran backup to help out a team thin on depth at that spot.
Two players brought in for workouts during the week were signed on Wednesday to practice squads: WR Chris Blair (Defenders) in Atlanta and P Brad Wing (Brahmas) in Pittsburgh. Wing was elevated to play in Sunday’s game against the Texans. Blair is one of three receivers currently on Atlanta’s practice squad.
Also on Wednesday, DT Bruce Hector (Renegades) was released from Houston’s practice squad. He lasted two weeks there.
*Thursday night marked the most consistent performance of the season for Green Bay Packers P Dan Whelan (Defenders). While he didn’t land any of his five punts inside the 20 yard-line, he had a gross average of 51.8 yards and a net of 46.4. A couple of the punts that were returned gained yardage not because Whelan out-kicked his coverage, but because the first coverage player downfield failed to make the play. Green Bay’s special teams units committed four penalties as that phase continues to struggle near the quarter-mark of the regular season.
*Detroit Lions LS Scott Daly (Guardians) had another uneventful evening snapping on punts and kicks against division rival Green Bay.
*In London, the Atlanta Falcons and QB Desmond Ridder put up just seven points against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a loss that dropped the Falcons to 2-2. QB Taylor Heinicke (Battlehawks) did not play as the backup to Ridder, but the calls for Heinicke are becoming more plentiful: ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller wrote on Twitter that “it’s time to talk about Taylor Heinicke.”
*In his first game as a Falcon, OT Storm Norton (Wildcats) was active as a backup offensive lineman. He didn’t play on offense and recorded just one snap on special teams, coming on the extra point try.
*You’ll excuse P Brad Wing (Brahmas) if he was a little rusty early on: A six-year NFL layoff will do that to you. Wing ended his one-game audition with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a positive note, with a 47.6 gross average and 40.8 net. He had one punt inside the 20 and one touchback. His future with the team depends on the status of Pressley Harvin’s hamstring; if Harvin can go this week, Wing will likely be back on the free-agent market.
*Another week, another spotless performance from LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) for Pittsburgh.
*For the second game since signing to the active roster of the Steelers, RB Godwin Igwebuike (Dragons) was a healthy scratch. Unlike last week when RB Qadree Ollison was called up from the practice squad to be the third running back, Pittsburgh only kept two backs active against Houston.
*Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson was listed as “questionable” on the week’s injury report, and was expected to be a game-time decision. Therefore, the team elevated QB PJ Walker (Roughnecks) from the practice squad for the first time this year. Watson ended up sitting against the Baltimore Ravens, with the Browns starting rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Cleveland couldn’t get much going offensively and Thompson-Robinson predictably struggled, to the tune of a 25.3 passer rating on the afternoon. Nevertheless, while Walker was active as the backup, he did not play.
*Also for Cleveland, G Michael Dunn (Dragons) had a shorter day than usual: He played just one snap on offense as an extra blocker on a first quarter 3rd-and-1 play. He also played a single snap on special teams as a blocker on an extra point.
*After re-signing to the roster earlier in the week, QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) was inactive as the third quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. Backup Tyler Huntley did get into the game for mop-up duty late.
*A week after putting screws to the Denver Broncos, the Miami Dolphins were on the other end of an offensive onslaught courtesy of their division rivals, the Buffalo Bills. S Elijah Campbell (Defenders) played three snaps (5%) on defense, and also 82% of the special teams snaps. He made the stat sheet with a special teams solo tackle on a first quarter kickoff return.
*Bothered by the injury bug throughout his NFL career, TE Donald Parham (Renegades) was felled once again by an ailment against the Las Vegas Raiders. Parham came down hard on his wrist in the end zone on his only target of the day. To that point in the second quarter, he had played 15 snaps. He left the game and did not return. Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley provided an update of sorts on Monday, indicating that Parham had an X-ray done on his wrist, but did not share the results.
