HEADLINES

Year: 2023

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/7/23

November 7th, 2023 at 7:59pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the NFL’s practice squad moves from today:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: LB Ace Eley

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR T.J. Luther

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Jets have decided to shoulder the risk of bringing on Winfrey, who was waived by the Browns in July after facing his second allegation of violence against a woman. He was not charged with anything in the case that led to his release from Cleveland, but combined with past off-field incidents, the allegations were enough to propel him towards free agency.

Cowboys To Sign WR Martavis Bryant

November 7th, 2023 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite not playing an NFL game since 2018, Martavis Bryant has secured another gig. Recently reinstated, the veteran wide receiver has a deal in place with the Cowboys, according to The Athletic NBA reporter Shams Charandia.

The Cowboys brought in Bryant for a Tuesday workout. Had the Cowboys not agreed to sign Bryant, the former Steelers draftee had a meeting arranged with the Titans. But Dallas will take a flier on the former starter, with Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweeting it is a practice squad deal.

While this reminds of Josh Gordon‘s 2017 return after 2 1/2 seasons away, Bryant has doubled Gordon’s time away from the game. The NFL reinstated Bryant last week, and although he will turn 32 next month, it is certainly interesting a few teams showed immediate interest in a player after so much time off. The Lions also expressed interest in Bryant, according to Schultz. The Cowboys are not planning to immediately elevate Bryant to the active roster, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, eyeing a gradual buildup. Given Bryant’s past, this makes sense.

The NFL banned Bryant indefinitely on Dec. 14, 2018. This came for repeated violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy. The 2011 CBA featured harsher punishments for substance abuse. Partially in exchange for agreeing to move to a 17-game regular season, the NFLPA received various concessions in the 2020 CBA. One of those came in the form of leniency on the substance-abuse front. Still, it has been more than 3 1/2 years since that CBA’s ratification. Like Gordon, Bryant will be given another opportunity. Although Gordon relapses interfered with his comeback bid — one that eventually saw the former All-Pro’s form deteriorate to the point he was no longer a sought-after player — the Cowboys will see what Bryant has left in the tank.

Like Gordon, Bryant played in the again-rebooted XFL this season. Gordon fared much better, catching 38 passes for 540 yards. Bryant, meanwhile, caught 14 passes for 154 yards in eight games with the Vegas Vipers. The Cowboys clearly liked what they saw from the former Steelers and Raiders auxiliary pass catcher, and they will see if he can come in as a tertiary target for Dak Prescott.

Back in the 2010s, Bryant was viewed as a high-ceiling talent. The Clemson alum showcased those skills at points in Pittsburgh, totaling 1,314 yards and 14 touchdown receptions between the 2014 and ’15 seasons. Bryant added an acrobatic TD in the Steelers’ narrow wild-card win over the Bengals in 2015, residing as an intriguing Antonio Brown sidekick pre-JuJu Smith-Schuster. But Bryant received drug suspensions in 2015 and ’16. Bryant received a four-game suspension in August 2015 and a full-season ban in March 2016. This led to the indefinite ban two years later.

Bryant’s rookie contract tolled to 2017, when he added 603 receiving yards for a 13-3 Steelers team, but Pittsburgh dealt the embattled wideout to Oakland in 2018. While the 6-foot-4 receiver flashed frequently during his 2010s run, it would be highly unlikely to see him return to that level after so much time away. But the XFL could be viewed as a ramp-up period for Bryant. The Cowboys have enjoyed good fortune with players from the spring leagues. They saw USFL return man KaVontae Turpin earn All-Pro acclaim last season, and USFL kicker Brandon Aubrey is off to a flawless start upon signing with the team. Aubrey is 19-for-19 on field goals thus far as a Cowboy.

The Cowboys aimed to sign Odell Beckham Jr. last season but were not satisfied with his post-ACL-tear form. They ended up adding T.Y. Hilton. The 11-year veteran made a key reception in a win over the Eagles last season. This year, Dallas acquired Brandin Cooks from Houston. Cooks has joined Michael Gallup as starters alongside CeeDee Lamb. Bryant brings size the Cowboys’ starters do not, however, with none of the first-stringers standing more than 6-1. Turpin (5-9) and 2022 third-round pick Jalen Tolbert (6-1) are in place as backups. Seventh-round rookie Jalen Brooks is also on Dallas’ 53-man roster. It will be interesting to see if Bryant sees game action as a result of this agreement.

Latest On Commanders’ Trades, Sam Howell

November 7th, 2023 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

New Commanders owner Josh Harris played a major role in pushing the Montez Sweat and Chase Young trades over the goal line. While Harris is believed to have made the push for Washington to trade one of its starting defensive ends and, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, explore moving both.

The team was not expected to trade both, but after the team dealt Sweat to the Bears for a second-round pick, calls kept coming in for Young. The Ravens pursued the former No. 2 overall pick, but it took only a third-round compensatory pick for the 49ers to acquire Young just before the deadline.

Ron Rivera was said to be onboard with this sell-off, though it is difficult to believe the fourth-year Washington HC was thrilled with losing his top two edge rushers as he attempts to make a case for a fifth season. But the Commanders did win their first game after the trades. Contractual resources will be allocated elsewhere in 2024, after a Young-or-Sweat decision — be it through free agency or the franchise tag — had loomed for years.

Rather than this being about acquiring Day 2 ammo to potentially trade up for a quarterback in 2024, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates there is a “strong” belief within the Commanders’ building Sam Howell is the team’s franchise quarterback (subscription required). These picks will presumably be used to build around the 2022 fifth-rounder.

It is not exactly ideal for ownership to be driving major trades, though it does frequently happen. And it certainly cannot be assumed Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew will be around to make the picks come April 2024. Both David Tepper and Rob Walton signed off on coach firings within their first 1 1/2 years on the job. The Broncos fired Nathaniel Hackett after 15 games, and Tepper canned Rivera after 12 in 2019. Rivera, who led Washington to the playoffs in 2020 but does not have a winning season with the team, may be on the verge of seeing another new owner fire him.

Even as he entered the season on a hot seat, Rivera stumped for Howell this offseason. After the Commanders made an aggressive Russell Wilson offer and were connected to just about every available QB in 2022 — in a process that ended with the trade for Carson Wentz — they stood down this offseason, centering their QB plan around Howell. Although Jacoby Brissett signed a one-year deal worth $8MM, Howell was always expected to be the starter. After winning the job, the North Carolina product has shown flashes (and a propensity to take sacks at a concerning rate) but has not exactly cemented himself as the long-term starter — especially if the 2024 Commanders feature a new coaching staff.

QBR slots Howell 20th. He leads the league in completions and is tied for the NFL high in interceptions (nine). Howell has completed 66.6% of his passes, at 7.0 yards per attempt, and posted 14 TD throws. Howell’s second half of the season could determine the team’s plans with the Sweat- and Young-obtained picks. For now, however, the plans are for Howell to stick around as the starter. These blueprints often change, and no team knows this better than the Commanders. Washington started seven Week 1 QBs from 2017-23. Only the Chargers (1987-93), Browns (2013-19) and Colts (2017-23) match this turnover rate in the Super Bowl era.

The Commanders started Casey Toohill and James Smith-Williams at defensive end Sunday. Sweat made his Bears debut, after agreeing to a $24MM-per-year extension; Young is set to begin his 49ers run in Week 10. Washington will build its defensive line around Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne‘s big contracts, but the exits of both Young and Sweat will create a key need for the 2024 offseason.

Cardinals Activate QB Kyler Murray

November 7th, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Expected to make his return to action in Week 10, Kyler Murray is now officially back on the Cardinals’ 53-man roster. The team used the full three-week practice window but activated Murray just before the deadline.

Murray suffered an ACL tear and meniscus damage in December 2022, and the Cardinals changed regimes during his rehab process. Jonathan Gannon has routinely praised Murray, and with the Cardinals rebuilding, the team has taken a methodical approach to redeploying him. It appears that re-emergence is imminent, however, with Murray all but certain to start against the Falcons in Week 10.

With Murray coming back from the reserve/PUP list, he will not count against the Cardinals’ IR activations. Though, at 1-8, the Cards’ activation number is not exactly a pressing matter. The team gained just 58 total yards against the Browns — the team’s fewest in a game since 1955 — with fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune overmatched against an elite Cleveland pass defense. Murray being on his way back will help Arizona’s offense, though it is worth wondering the team’s overall plans with the dual-threat talent.

After a frisky start, the Cardinals are where most expected them to be: in the running for the No. 1 overall pick. With the Texans looking likely to see their draft slot land outside the top three for the first time since 2020, the Cardinals’ only avenue toward a top-five pick looks to be via their own selection. Murray could impede that path, but Gannon has repeatedly said the fifth-year passer is in this regime’s plans post-2023. If that is the case, seeing Murray develop in OC Drew Petzing‘s offense now would give the Cardinals a good onramp toward the 2024 offseason program.

The Cardinals declared Murray fully healthy last month, which would line up with his rehab timeline. Murray went down Dec. 12, 2022. His return will come 11 months later. That sits behind some recent quarterbacks who recovered from ACL tears, but each injury is different. And, again, it is not like the Cardinals had a playoff spot in mind with regard to Murray’s timetable. Despite speculation of the team drafting a quarterback in 2024, Murray will not be held out for the entire season. This will create an interesting backdrop for the Cardinals, who were in a rebuild when they drafted Murray first overall in 2019.

Arizona’s offense will look a bit different with Murray compared to its 2022 iteration. The team drafted Paris Johnson in April — after rumors Murray was a fan of the Ohio State tackle — and released DeAndre Hopkins in May. Zach Ertz is back on IR, while James Conner is on the injured list as well. Though, Conner is eligible to return this week. The team still has Murray college teammate Marquise Brown on the roster, despite being a perceived seller at the deadline. Brown is in a contract year, but he will finish it in the desert.

Murray, 26, earned original-ballot Pro Bowl nods in 2020 and ’21. He missed time with ankle and hamstring injuries in 2021 and ’22, and although the former MLB top-10 draftee elevated a largely Hopkins-less Cardinals team to the playoffs during his third season, last year brought a significant step back. A woeful playoff performance preceded a bumpy ride toward an extension, one that included (and then didn’t) the oft-discussed homework clause. Friction with Kliff Kingsbury transpired before Murray’s injury, and his numbers dipped after the quality 2020 and ’21 showings. Murray will attempt to begin a bounce-back effort under Gannon and Petzing.

The Cardinals have Tune in place as their backup moving forward, having gone through a complicated QB year. The team has ditched two-year Murray backup Colt McCoy and released David Blough late this summer. Arizona acquired and then traded Josh Dobbs, who resurfaced in a big way in Minnesota in Week 9. Jeff Driskel is back on the team’s practice squad, returning and residing as the team’s de facto third-stringer.

Rams To Waive QB Brett Rypien

November 7th, 2023 at 2:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the news of the Carson Wentz agreement, the Rams will spend their bye week with just two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. With Wentz coming in, Brett Rypien will be jettisoned.

The Rams are waiving Rypien, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The former Broncos backup received the call against the Packers in relief of Matthew Stafford. After a 20-3 Rams loss that featured a poor Rypien performance, the team will have Stafford and Wentz as the QBs on its roster.

After four seasons in Denver, Rypien signed with Los Angeles shortly after the draft. The team had him in mind as a placeholder while Stetson Bennett developed. The 26-year-old rookie, however, landed on the reserve/non-football illness list in September. This left Rypien as the top Stafford backup. With Stafford again needing to miss time due to injury, the Rams were without another option. The Wentz deal will cover them going forward.

Rypien, 27, will be waived despite being a vested veteran. With the trade deadline having passed, all cut players are subject to waivers. Considering the QB trouble around the league, it will be interesting to see if someone picks up the former UDFA. But Rypien struggled in Green Bay, completing 46% of his passes while throwing an interception and fumbling twice. With Bennett out of the picture presently and the team cutting Dresser Winn from its practice squad, a spot could be open for Rypien — should he pass through waivers.

Considering Stafford’s recent injury history and Wentz being new to the team, it should be expected the Rams will carry a practice squad QB. Rypien has made four career starts, replacing Stafford, Russell Wilson and Drew Lock. He posted a 60.2% completion rate last season, throwing two TD passes and four interceptions. The nephew of Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien, Brett saw the Broncos give Jarrett Stidham a two-year, $10MM deal to replace him. The Rams have now ended Wentz’s near-eight-month free agency stay to do the same.

After Stafford gave the Rams 21 starts (counting the four postseason outings) in 2021, the Rams have started five QBs over the past two seasons. They turned to John Wolford, Bryce Perkins and Baker Mayfield amid Stafford’s injury-plagued 2022. Stafford made it through eight games this season and is expected to be ready for Week 11, but Wentz would now be in line to run that number to six should the starter need to miss more time.

The Rams attempted to reacquire Wolford by signing him off the Buccaneers’ practice squad last week, but the Florida native cited a desire to stay in Tampa, via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Although Wolford would not have had a choice had the Bucs not agreed to bump him up to their 53-man roster, the team did, cutting off a QB avenue for the Rams.

In addition to the QB transactions today, the Rams waived running back Myles Gaskin. The former Dolphins and Vikings back played in one game for the Rams, who reconfigured their backfield after the Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers injuries. Both must miss at least two more games. Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman have operated as L.A.’s primary backs since those IR moves came to pass.

Texans To Sign K Matt Ammendola

November 7th, 2023 at 11:11am CST by Adam La Rose

In need of a fill-in at the kicker spot, the Texans are set to make an addition. Houston has agreed to a deal with Matt Ammendola, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.

Ka’imi Fairbairn is dealing with a quad injury, one which forced him to exit the Texans’ Week 9 win and could keep him sidelined for a short-term stretch. Today’s move points further to Fairbairn being unavailable for at least one contest, though Ammendola is not immediately joining the team’s active roster. Rather, as Wilson notes, this is a practice squad arrangement.

As Houston continues to evaluate Fairbarin’s status, Ammendola will be available as one of the team’s gameday elevations for Week 10. Players can be temporarily be added to a roster in such a fashion up to three times, so the Texans will have an insurance policy in the form of the 26-year-old for the time being. Ammendola has bounced around the league since his 11-game stint with the Jets in 2021.

The Oklahoma State alum went 13-for-19 on field goal attempts with New York, and he has yet to find a long-time home in large part due to his inability to rebound from that up-and-down start to his career. Ammendola split his time between the Cardinals and Chiefs last season, and his time in Kansas City earned him a Super Bowl ring. During the 2022 preseason, he filled in for an injured Fairbairn in Houston. For his career, Ammendola has made 69.2% of his field goal attempts (18 of 26), along with 86.4% of his extra point kicks (19 of 22).

Those figures contrast greatly with those of Fairbairn, who has proven himself to be a consistent performer during his tenure in Houston. Any missed time from him would threaten the Texans’ kicking game, but a replacement option is now in place in case one is needed.

Nathaniel Hackett To Remain Jets’ Offensive Play-Caller

November 7th, 2023 at 10:20am CST by Adam La Rose

Another poor outing on offense for the Jets was on display last night, but changes on the sidelines for the unit will not be forthcoming. Head coach Robert Saleh said after the game (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will retain play-calling duties.

Hackett was hired this offseason after his disastrous head coaching stint in Denver. The 43-year-old was fired before finishing his first campaign in charge of the Broncos, but his New York agreement paved the way for another opportunity to lead an offense (and, of course, began the speculation connecting Aaron Rodgers to the Jets). The former Packers duo were indeed reunited, though Rodgers’ Achilles tear has altered the Jets’ season on offense in particular.

After repeatedly receiving votes of confidence from Saleh and Co., Zach Wilson has handled starting duties in Rodgers’ absence. That decision has not sat well with everyone in the locker room, and the former No. 2 pick’s lack of development (coupled with underwhelming play from a banged-up offensive line) has hamstrung a team which entered the year with signficant expectations. Hackett has received criticism as well, but he will remain in his current role for at least the time being.

After being held to just six points by a Chargers defense which has not fared particularly well in 2023, the Jets sit 30th in the league in scoring and 28th in total offense with an average of 16.5 points and 303 yards per game. Those struggles have outweighed top-10 performances in a number of defensive categories and threatened to hold New York out of the postseason barring a notable uptick in offensive production. A return from Rodgers – something the Jets are still holding out hope for – could change the team’s outlook, but the 39-year-old has made it clear suiting up in 2023 (if at all possible) would not take place unless a postseason berth was in reach.

Hackett had considerable success with the latter during their shared time in Green Bay, although play-calling duties were not part of the equation during that time. Hackett was deemed responsible in no small part for Russell Wilson‘s career-worst season in Denver last year, and it would come as a surprise if he were to receive another HC look in the near future. A rebound down the stretch in New York as OC would be a welcomed development, though.

Former Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing is on the Jets’ staff as passing game coordinator. He would represent an experienced option if Saleh were to decide a change in play-caller would be helpful to New York’s late-season prospects. As things stand, though, no such shake-up is in the cards.

WR Darnell Mooney Eyeing Bears Extension

November 7th, 2023 at 8:54am CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears took care of one major financial priority recently by working out an extension with trade acquisition Montez Sweat. The team also has a new deal to negotiate with cornerback Jaylon Johnson, but decisions of that nature need to be made on the offensive side of the ball as well.

Receiver Darnell Mooney is playing out the final year of his rookie contract, and he entered the 2023 campaign needing to deliver a healthy and productive season to return to his 2021 form. His 81-catch, 1,055-yard season that year showed his potential as a long-term contributor to the Bears’ passing attack, but he has been unable to replicate that success since. An ankle injury cost Mooney the final five games of the 2022 season, though he was healthy in time for the start of 2023.

The 26-year-old changed agents ahead of this campaign, one in which D.J. Moore has unsurprisingly served as the focal point of Chicago’s passing attack. The former Panther leads the Bears with 735 receiving yards, and Mooney sits third on the team (second amongst wideouts) with 307. The latter eclipsed 50 receiving yards in a game for the third time in Week 9, but an uptick in production in the second half will likely be needed to boost his free agent stock. With contract talks looming, the former fifth-rounder recently spoke about his situation.

“Everything’s up in the air,” Mooney said, via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “Whatever happens it happens… eventually somebody is going to pay. Whether it’s here or wherever you go, somebody is going to take care of you… Extensions [are] a good thing. Obviously I would love to be here. I love Chicago. I love the fans. I love just being here. I mean, we’ve got everything in here. Facility-wise we have one of the nicest facilities ever so I would definitely love to be here but like I said you just can’t worry about it. Somebody is going to pay eventually.”

Aside from Moore and tight end Cole Kmet – who signed a four-year, $50MM extension this summer – the Bears do not have much certainty in their pass-catching corps beyond this season. Retaining Mooney would help in that regard, particularly if the Tulane product’s desire to remain in the Windy City holds true. Chicago is projected to have considerable cap space once again this offseason, though, along with a pair of projected top-five draft picks. The team could thus move in a different direction if an agreement with Mooney cannot be reached in the coming months.

Eagles TE Dallas Goedert To Undergo Surgery

November 6th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles came away with a key victory on Sunday, but their offense was dealt a blow in the process. Tight end Dallas Goedert suffered a fractured forearm, as detailed by ESPN’s Tim McManus.

An MRI will take place on Monday to determine the extent of the injury, but Goedert is in line to miss signficant time already. As McManus notes, the 28-year-old is a candidate to be placed on injured reserve, a move which would guarantee at least a four-week absence. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Goedert could have surgery as early as today, and that a recovery timeline of roughly one month should be expected (video link).

The former second-rounder went down with a shoulder injury around this time last season, and he missed five games as a result. The Eagles saw a signficant downturn in production from the TE spot during that span, underlying Goedert’s importance to the team’s passing attack. The South Dakota State alum posted 702 yards and three touchdowns in 2022 despite the missed time, which represented a strong follow-up to his career-best 830 yards from the previous season.

Goedert has remained a consistent producer in 2023 for the defending NFC champions, putting up a 38-410-2 statline through nine contests. While the Eagles’ offense still has a strong ground game and the receiver tandem of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to depend on, Goedert’s absence will be felt once the team comes back from its Week 10 bye. A trio of candidates are available to take on starting tight end duties.

Jack Stoll played the most snaps at the position after Goedert went down, with offseason trade acquisition Albert Okwuegbunam also in the mix to take on an increased workload. Grant Calcaterra missed the Week 9 win while recovering from a concussion, but with the bye week looming he should be able to suit up for Philadelphia’s next contest. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles arrange their TE room for the short-term future knowing they will once again be without Goedert atop the depth chart for a stretch.

Titans OL Nicholas Petit-Frere Likely Done For Season

November 6th, 2023 at 9:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Nicholas Petit-Frere‘s tough 2023 season has likely come to an end. According to Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, the Titans lineman suffered a shoulder injury last Thursday that will likely require season-ending surgery.

Petit-Frere was suspended for the first six games of the season after violating the NFL’s gambling policy. He wasn’t immediately inserted into the starting lineup upon his return, with Chris Hubbard rolling as the starter at right tackle. However, Petit-Frere replaced Andre Dillard at left tackle during Week 6, and he proceeded to start the next two games at the position for Tennessee.

With the second-year lineman set to go under the knife, his 2023 campaign will end with only three appearances. This is a tough break following a promising rookie season from the Ohio State product. The third-round pick ended up starting all 16 of his appearances in 2022.

Pro Football Focus hasn’t been all that fond of his performance through two seasons in the NFL. The site graded him as a below-average OT in 2022, crediting him with five sacks allowed, 35 pressures allowed, and eight penalties. The site was even less bullish on the lineman for his limited 2023 snaps, although they did give him some praise for his run-blocking ability.

With Petit-Frere now sidelined, the Titans could turn back to Dillard at LT. Kuharsky notes that the team could instead consider rolling with Dillon Radunz or rookie sixth-round pick Jaelyn Duncan, although one of those options may need to fill in for Hubbard, who’s currently dealing with a concussion.

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