HEADLINES

Year: 2023

Steelers To Add WR Denzel Mims

October 3rd, 2023 at 1:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Known for developing Day 2 receiver draftees, the Steelers will take a flier on a former second-round pick whose stock has dropped in the years since his NFL arrival. Denzel Mims is joining the team on a practice squad deal, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

This will be Mims’ third NFL team and third this year. A trade-rumor mainstay with the Jets, Mims was finally dealt this summer, landing with the Lions. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher struggled to make an impression in Detroit, and an ankle injury led to the team waiving him with an injury designation. The Lions cut Mims from IR with an injury settlement.

Mims is believed to be healthy now, per Garafolo. He will attempt to kickstart his career with a team that has a strong track record for receiver development. Of course, the Baylor product has produced three unremarkable seasons and saw the Jets overhaul their receiving corps this offseason. Nevertheless, a Steelers squad missing Diontae Johnson will kick the tires here.

The Jets traded Mims to the Lions in a conditional pick-swap deal in July. Detroit did not need to send over a pick, however, since the trade was conditional upon Mims making the Lions’ 53-man roster. With Mims being waived nearly two weeks before roster-cutdown day, the swap essentially amounted to a free trial for the Lions. While Mims landed on season-ending IR, he was always an injury-settlement candidate. Players who receive settlements and are moved off IR lists are eligible to play that season at a later date.

Going off the 2020 draft board 59th overall, Mims totaled 23 receptions for 357 yards as a rookie. He has not exceeded 200 yards in a season since. Trade rumors engulfed Mims for most of his Jets time, but he continued to remain a Gang Green backup during the team’s Zach Wilson period. After Mims requested a trade before the 2022 season, the Jets discussed him with teams. It was not until a last-call-type situation in which Mims was finally moved this year.

Johnson resides on the Steelers’ IR list due to a hamstring ailment; he cannot return until Week 6. The Steelers have Calvin Austin and Miles Boykin, a former Ravens third-round pick the team added via waivers last year, in place as backup wideouts. Special-teamer Gunner Olszewski is also on Pittsburgh’s active roster behind starters George Pickens and Allen Robinson.

Giants Add G Justin Pugh To Practice Squad

October 3rd, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

In the wake of one of the worst pass-protecting performances in primetime NFL history, the Giants will add an experienced reinforcement. Their recent Justin Pugh visit will produce a reunion.

Pugh is rejoining the Giants on a practice squad deal, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. A Giants first-round pick back in 2013, Pugh spent five seasons with the franchise before joining the Cardinals as a free agent in 2018. Pugh expressed interest in rejoining the Giants late this summer and worked out for his old team last month. He will join a team reeling up front.

The 11th-year veteran suffered a torn ACL in Week 6 of last season, cutting his Cardinals contract year short. Pugh, 33, considered retirement before last season but had said he received interest from a few teams this offseason. The in-season signing likely comes due to his health, but he received clearance in late August.

The Giants have top-10 draftees at both tackle spots, and second-rounder John Michael Schmitz is in place to stop a center carousel. But the team has not invested too much at guard. Mark Glowinski is attached to a midlevel free agency pact, but the ex-Colts starter needed to compete for his job in training camp and was benched in Week 2. While the Giants did not pursue guards in free agency, letting Nick Gates walk, they are rather desperate for help now.

Injuries, however, have significantly affected the team. Joshua Ezeudu, a guard by trade, has started in place of Thomas at left tackle. Schmitz suffered an injury on the Giants’ failed effort to replicate the Eagles’ “Tush Push/Brotherly Shove” play Monday night. Brian Daboll said (via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano) the team had not repped that particular QB sneak in practice, only doing so in a walkthrough. The Giants also finished Monday night’s game without backup Shane Lemieux, who suffered a groin injury. The Seahawks finished the 24-3 win with a Monday Night Football-record 11 sacks.

After vacillating between guard and right tackle during his first Giants go-round, Pugh signed with the Cardinals as a guard. He signed a five-year, $45MM contract and started 56 games for the team from 2018-22. (He started 63 games for the Giants, being a regular on the last batch of Eli Manning-led teams.) Pugh represented an O-line constant during Kyler Murray‘s ascent, helping the team to the playoffs in 2021. That season, Pugh ranked fifth among guards in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric.

The Giants will hope the veteran blocker can reprise his pre-injury form. It should be expected Pugh will be promoted to the active roster soon, pending a successful ramp-up period.

Broncos Sign WR Tre’Quan Smith

October 3rd, 2023 at 12:32pm CST by Ely Allen

OCTOBER 3: Smith will become the latest former Saint to head to Denver, with Klis adding the signing is a go. It is a practice squad deal. The former New Orleans third-round pick, who played four seasons under Payton, will rejoin his longtime coach. Broncos OC Joe Lombardi was also in New Orleans during part of Smith’s tenure.

SEPTEMBER 29: The Broncos dealt with some early season injuries to their wide receiving corps this year, and though things are finally starting to look up, the team won’t likely be turning down the opportunity to add some quality depth. According to 9NEWS’s Mike Klis, Denver is expected to sign newly available wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith early next week.

As the season opened, the Broncos knew that they would be without Tim Patrick (dealing with yet another season-ending injury) and second-year undrafted wideout Jalen Virgil (season-ending meniscus tear). The team also waived former second-round pick KJ Hamler as he struggled to deal with his continuous injury troubles. On top of that, Jerry Jeudy would miss some time as he worked his way back from a hamstring injury.

With Jeudy out, Denver called on practice squad wideout, and former first-round pick, Phillip Dorsett to fill in alongside Courtland Sutton, Brandon Johnson, rookie second-round pick Marvin Mims, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey. At this point, Jeudy has returned and got a healthy workload in the team’s recent one-sided loss to the Dolphins. Still, the absences of Patrick and Virgil make a potential strength on the team a potential liability.

With much less margin for error, the Broncos look to be turning to Smith. Smith has been dealing with some injury issues of his own. A training camp groin injury held Smith out to the point that he was placed on injured reserve to start the season. With the return of Michael Thomas and the continued emergence of second-year receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, the Saints released Smith from the IR. As younger players were showing more potential, Smith’s role in the offense had become unclear and his inability to stay on the field cost him a roster spot.

Denver wasn’t the only team to show interest in the veteran wide receiver, though. Multiple teams reportedly stepped in to express their interest in the free agent, but signs, for now, are pointing to Mile High. Likely the employment of head coach Sean Payton has some influence on the signing. Payton hasn’t shied away from bringing his guys in as Smith will be rejoining former New Orleans teammates in Humphrey and kicker Wil Lutz.

The interest surrounding Smith’s free agency points to the likelihood that he was close to coming off IR before being released by the Saints. We could perhaps see Smith making an impact on the Broncos’ offense in his first week with the team if that turns out to be true.

Bears To Sign S Duron Harmon Off Ravens’ Practice Squad

October 3rd, 2023 at 11:34am CST by Adam La Rose

Duron Harmon joined the Ravens’ practice squad in a bid to find playing time in 2023. Rather than doing so in Baltimore, however, he is set to see the field in Chicago.

The Bears are expected to sign Harmon to their active roster, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The team had an open roster spot, so no corresponding move will be required. Harmon will give Chicago a needed depth option in the secondary, a unit which has been hit hard by injuries early in the season.

Safety Eddie Jackson was among the many defensive backs who missed the Bears’ Week 4 loss, and his availability for the team’s upcoming Thursday night game is in question. The same is true for cornerback Jaylon Johnson, whose absence on Sunday compounded that of Kyler Gordon and Josh Blackwell, both of whom are on injured reserve. The Bears signed former Viking Joejuan Williams last week to help their thin CB room.

Harmon could have seen time on the Ravens’ active roster (at least as a gameday elevation for a limited time) given Baltimore’s own injury troubles on the back end. Starting safety Marcus Williams suffered a pectoral injury in Week 1, and he has not seen the field since then. The 2022 free agent addition has elected to forego surgery, though, meaning he avoided an IR stint and is on track to return at some point in the campaign.

In Williams’ absence, special teamer Daryl Worley – who has seen time on and off Baltimore’s practice squad – was added to the Ravens’ active roster last month. The former Raiders starter suffered an injury in Week 4, however, which could leave Baltimore without much in the way of depth behind Kyle Hamilton and Geno Stone for the time being. It will be interesting to see if they make a taxi squad addition in Harmon’s absence.

The latter is best known for his tenure with the Patriots, a seven-year stretch which saw him win three Super Bowls. He has since had one-year stints with the Lions, Falcons and Raiders, logging over 1,000 snaps in each season. Harmon will likely have a path to immediate playing time in Chicago if he is able to suit up in time for the Bears’ next attempt to secure their first win of the campaign.

Patriots’ Matt Judon To Undergo Surgery; OLB Out Indefinitely

October 3rd, 2023 at 8:50am CST by Adam La Rose

The torn bicep which forced Matt Judon to exit New England’s Week 4 loss will lead to surgery and an extended absence. The team’s top edge rusher will undergo surgery on Wednesday, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

As Schefter notes, Judon’s intention is to return at some point this season. For the time being, though, he will be out indefinitely. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds that the 31-year-old will be sidelined for at least the next two months, an absence which be acutely felt along New England’s defensive front.

Judon has earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of the past four years, making his transition from the Ravens to the Patriots a smooth one. The former fifth-rounder racked up 28 sacks in his first two years in New England, giving him leverage in asking for a raise in term of 2023 compensation. His restructured pact upped his earnings for this season, giving him $14MM in guaranteed money. With 2024 still the final year of his contract, however, there was an expectation another strong campaign would lead to a new round of extension talks.

In the early going, Judon was well on his way to another productive season with a team-leading four sacks. He added 11 pressures and five tackles for loss in his three-plus games, putting him on track to secure either another lucrative restructure or a new multi-year pact in the offseason. In the wake of this injury, however, Judon’s bargaining position will no doubt be negatively affected.

The Patriots have registered six sacks so far from players other than Judon, so missing the latter for an extended stretch will put considerable strain on their edge rush group. Former second-rounder Josh Uche, who is in a contract year and posted 11.5 sacks last season, will be counted on to repeat his 2022 performance without Judon in the fold. New England currently has just over $4.2MM in cap space, meaning the team could afford a low-cost addition amongst the league’s remaining unsigned edge rushers. No member of that group would be able to replicate Judon’s impact, however, as the Patriots look to rebound from Sunday’s lopsided defeat.

Chase Claypool Will Not Be With Bears For Week 5

October 2nd, 2023 at 10:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chase Claypool situation in Chicago has moved to a point the team will prepare for its Week 5 game without him. The disgruntled wide receiver will not be in the building ahead of the Bears’ preparations for their Commanders tilt, Matt Eberflus said Monday.

Eberflus’ update (courtesy of ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan) provides a different stance compared to Sunday, when the second-year head coach said the 2022 trade acquisition is expected to remain with the team going forward. Several hours later, it looks like a separation is imminent.

These standoffs do not necessarily mean the end of the line, however. Last year, both Brandin Cooks and Cam Akers went from being at odds with the Texans and Rams, respectively, to finishing out the seasons back as starters for their teams. (Though, both were dealt this year.) Claypool, however, does not have the same type of role with the Bears. The ex-Steelers second-rounder has underwhelmed since being dealt to the Bears at the 2022 deadline. The Bears made him a healthy scratch for their Week 4 game against the Broncos, and a Sunday-morning report pointed to a trade attempt taking place.

While the Bears were believed to be asking for a fifth- or sixth-round pick for the bulky wideout, this particular asset’s value has tanked since he was last on the trade block. In 10 Bears games, Claypool has caught just 18 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown. He has four grabs for 51 yards this season.

Bears coaches criticized Claypool for his effort in Week 1, and GM Ryan Poles issued an ultimatum of sorts after that showing. Claypool then caught three passes for 36 yards in Week 2 but was not a factor in the Bears’ Week 3 loss in Kansas City. In the same vein, Claypool responded in the affirmative when asked if the coaching staff was putting him in the best position to succeed. While this is not a good look, The Athletic’s Adam Jahns added that Claypool’s benching did not solely stem from his comments about the staff, pointing to Eberflus mentioning meetings, practices and walkthroughs after the game.

The Bears surrendered the No. 32 overall pick for Claypool last year. The Packers also sent the Steelers a second-round offer, as they attempted to make an 11th-hour upgrade on their pass-catching corps to help their final Aaron Rodgers-led offense. Pittsburgh preferred Chicago’s pick, believing it would come in higher. That bet proved prescient; the Bears have not won a game since acquiring Claypool. Sunday’s 21-point collapse marked Chicago’s 14th straight loss.

The former Notre Dame standout is tied to a $2.99MM base salary this season. It should not be considered out of a question other teams still value Claypool, but this Bears regime will not recoup anything close to the same level of draft asset it parted with to bring in the 6-foot-4 target nearly a year ago.

Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth Facing Multi-Week Absence

October 2nd, 2023 at 9:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers’ offense will be down another starter for the time being. Tight end Pat Freiermuth is expected to miss two to three weeks with a hamstring injury, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The team’s passing attack is already without wideout Diontae Johnson, who is on injured reserve due to his own hamstring ailment. Losing Freiermuth for an overlapping stretch will leave the Steelers without their top pass-catcher at the TE spot and thus hinder a passing attack which has failed to live up to expectations so far in 2023.

The 2021 second-rounder recorded at least 60 catches in each of his first two seasons in Pittsburgh, proving his value as a consistent complimentary option on offense. This year, however, Freiermuth has posted just eight grabs for 53 yards (though two of them have resulted in touchdowns). In spite of the underwhelming totals, his absence will be felt on a unit which does not feature a similarly established option at the position.

Pittsburgh has 2022 sixth-rounder Connor Heyward – who has made 14 catches to date in his career – and third-round rookie Darnell Washington available as replacements. The latter, who established himself as an athletic standout in a deep tight end class at the Combine and proved to be a highly effective blocker at Georgia, has received only one target to date. That total will likely increase in the near future with Freiermuth unavailable.

The status of quarterback Kenny Pickett is uncertain at this point after he exited the Steelers’ Week 4 loss with a knee injury. That ailment is not serious, though, meaning he could suit up for Week 5. Regardless of who is under center for Pittsburgh – a team which has the bye coming up in Week 6 – this Sunday, the offense’s skill-position corps will be shorthanded. With the Steelers’ offense coming under fire after a 2-2 start, it will be interesting to see how the unit fares at less than full strength.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/23

October 2nd, 2023 at 8:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Released: QB Reid Sinnett

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

  • Released: DL Junior Aho

New Orleans Saints

Ravens OLB David Ojabo Could Miss Remainder Of Season

October 2nd, 2023 at 7:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens are already without David Ojabo for the next month, but his absence could be quite lengthy. The second-year edge rusher is in danger of missing the remainder of the season, head coach John Harbaugh indicated on Monday (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec).

Ojabo is already on injured reserve, a move which ensured he will be sidelined for at least one month. Ankle and knee injuries are the cause of his absence, which began midway through Week 3. Harbaugh said the former second-rounder “has some decisions to make” regarding the direction of his recovery.

An Achilles tear suffered during Michigan’s Pro Day hurt Ojabo’s draft stock and forced him to miss most of his rookie season. He was limited to a pair of regular season games at the end of the year, as well as Baltimore’s wild-card postseason loss. The 23-year-old posted one sack and added a forced fumble in limited action in 2022.

Expectations were high for his follow-up campaign, given his production in his only full season with the Wolverines. Ojabo totaled 11 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles while playing opposite eventual No. 2 pick Aidan Hutchinson on the edge. Translating that production to the pro game has proven to be challenging for Ojabo, though he has had limited opportunities to do so.

In two-plus contests this year, he recorded one sack and a pair of QB pressures while logging a 38% snap share. Ojabo’s PFF grade (which sat at an impressive 81.5 in limited action last season) dropped to 59, a notable step down and a reflection of his second year jump not taking place as anticipated to start the year. If he returns this season, Ojabo’s ability to make a larger statistical impact will be a key story to follow.

In the meantime, Baltimore will lean on an edge rushing unit which contains veterans added on one-year deals (Jadeveon Clowney and, more recently, Kyle Van Noy) as well as fourth-round rookie Tavius Robinson and former UDFA Jeremiah Moon. Tyus Bowser – who is currently on the NFI list, but is now eligible to be designated for return at any point – will certainly be welcomed upon return.

If Ojabo does indeed miss the remainder of the season, he will have been limited to just six games across two years while failing to establish a full-time starting role. The potential he has flashed in his brief action will keep expectations high when he next takes the field, but it will be interesting to see how many insurance-type moves the Ravens make along the edge by the time that takes place.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/23

October 2nd, 2023 at 6:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

Monday’s minor moves around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

As part of the new terms regarding the NFL’s gambling policy, players hit with six-game bans for gambling on non-NFL events while at team facilities have seen their suspensions reduced. As a result, Williams and Petit-Frere will be able to return as early as Week 5. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes that each player will receive a one-week roster exemption, after which they will need to be activated.

The same holds true of Robinson, who was suspended for the season’s opening month due to a PED violation. That ban cost the 27-year-old over $3.5MM in salary and voided the remaining guarantees in his deal, which runs through 2024. The Jaguars have had an up-and-down start to the season on offense, but the unit has fared well in pass protection so far with only eight sacks allowed. Still, Robinson’s return to the blindside will be welcomed in Jacksonville.

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