NFL Player News

Badgley is being added to Tennessee's practice squad, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Badgley lost the Chargers' kicking competition to Tristan Vizcaino in camp, but he's setting himself up as a potential option for a Titans team that's been churning through kickers in search of a long-term solution in recent seasons. Tennessee currently has Sam Ficken and Tucker McCann, who is on IR with an undisclosed injury, on its main roster.

The Texans are expected to promote Slye from the practice squad ahead of Sunday's game against the Jaguars after Houston placed kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn (leg) on injured reserve, Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Fairbairn pulled a muscle during warmups for the team's final preseason game and will now miss at least the first three weeks of the season. Houston signed Joey Slye to its practice squad Tuesday, and he appears to be the best option to kick for the team Week 1. Slye spent the last two seasons with the Panthers and booted eight field goals from 50 yards or longer in 2019, but his proficiency from distance took a big step back in 2020.

The Texans placed Fairbairn (leg) on injured reserve Wednesday.

Fairbairn, who suffered a leg injury during pregame warmups prior to Houston's third preseason game, will thus sit out at least the team's first three games. In the wake of the move, look for the Texans to promote Joey Slye from their practice squad in advance of Sunday's season opener against the Jaguars.

Fairbairn (leg) won't kick in Sunday's season opener against the Jaguars, Deepi Sidhu of the Texans' official site reports.

Fairbairn is still recovering from an injury that he suffered in pregame warmups prior to Houston's third preseason game. In Fairbairn's looming absence, look for the Texans to promote Joey Slye from their practice squad.

Slye was signed to the Texans' practice squad Tuesday.

The 25-year-old was let go by the Panthers at roster cutdowns and will now join the Texans as kicking depth with Ka'imi Fairbairn (leg) nursing a minor injury. Slye has massive range but struggled with consistency in his first two NFL seasons, going 54-for-68 on field-goal attempts and 64-for-71 on PATs.

Elliott (ankle) finished the preseason a perfect 4-for-4 on field-goal attempts and 5-for-5 on point-after tries in two appearances.

Elliott sat out the Eagles' second exhibition contest due to an ankle injury, but he otherwise was in midseason form, connecting on field goals ranging from 34 to 50 yards (the other two were from 47 yards). Entering the second year of the extension he signed back in November 2019, he's so far connected on 82.2 percent of FGAs and 93.6 percent of PATs in his four-year career, with just one regular-season game missed.

Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski said McLaughlin will be the team's placekicker Week 1 against the Chiefs, Andrew Gribble of the Browns' official site reports.

McLaughlin outkicked Cody Parkey in training camp but was not declared the de facto kicker until Monday. The Browns added Chris Naggar to the practice squad last week, but it will not affect McLaughlin's status at this time. He made all of his preseason kicks before missing on a 56-yard field-goal attempt then later an extra-point kick in the third preseason game.

The Saints placed Lutz (core) on injured reserve Monday, Amie Just of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

After undergoing core muscle surgery in early August, Lutz was expected to need 8-to-12 weeks to recover, meaning a move to IR was inevitable. While he can return as early as Week 4 against the Giants, his best-case scenario actually may be Week 5 at Washington. At the moment, the Saints don't have a kicker on the active roster, so they may be getting ready to elevate Aldrick Rosas from the practice squad on a weekly basis until Lutz is back in action.

Pineiro has latched on with Washington's practice squad, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.

Pineiro will serve as depth at kicker in the event that Dustin Hopkins is forced to miss some time at some point. He' s unlikely to hold a spot on the active roster during 2021 barring that scenario, unless of course Hopkins struggles greatly.

Folk is a member of the Patriots' initial practice squad, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Folk didn't survive initial roster cut-downs, while rookie UDFA Quinn Nordin made the Patriots' initial 53-man roster. Now that Folk is back in the fold, he's a quick transaction away from potentially reclaiming the team's kicking job.