Minor NFL Transactions: 10/8/24
Tuesday’s minor moves around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: OL Charlie Heck
- Placed on IR: G Will Hernandez (story)
Carolina Panthers
- Signed (off Giants’ practice squad): OL Cade Mays
- Promoted: OLB Thomas Incoom, DE DeShawn Williams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: CB Dax Hill (story), OL Jaxson Kirkland
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: G Javion Cohen, DT Sam Kamara, TE Blake Whiteheart
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: DE Carl Lawson
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: LB Levelle Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP list: OL Christian Mahogany
Houston Texans
- Signed (off Ravens’ practice squad): CB Ka’dar Hollman
- Placed on IR: RB British Brooks
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: CB David Long
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to active roster: RB Myles Gaskin
- Released: TE Robert Tonyan
New England Patriots
- Released: DE Jamree Kromah
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: OL John Ojukwu
Kirkland is out for the season due to a biceps tear, head coach Zac Taylor said on Monday. That injury resulted in the addition of Andrew Stueber off Atlanta’s practice squad, a move which became official today. Kirkland, a former UDFA, made a pair of appearances this season, seeing sparse usage on offense and special teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/24
Here are the minor moves made around the NFL on Monday:
Arizona Cardinals
- Received one-game roster exemption: WR Zay Jones
Atlanta Falcons
- Designated for return from IR: LB Nathan Landman
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed (off Falcons’ practice squad): G Andrew Stueber
Cleveland Browns
- Received one-game roster exemption: DT Mike Hall
Green Bay Packers
- Released: CB Robert Rochell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Opened practice window: S Sydney Brown, WR Ainias Smith
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: G Kyle Hergel
- Placed on IR: OL Shane Lemieux
- Elevated: S Johnathan Abram, LB Isaiah Stalbird
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: OLB Markees Watts
Tennessee Titans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Cedric Gray
Both Jones and Hall were issued suspensions under the personal conduct policy leaving them sidelined for the first five weeks of the season. Their roster exemptions will allow them to make their debuts in Week 6, but after that point a corresponding move will be needed for them to be permanently activated to their respective 53-man rosters.
Lemieux served as New Orleans’ starting center in Week 4 after being promoted from the practice squad. He stepped into a first-team role in place of Erik McCoy, who is dealing with a groin injury. Losing Lemieux for at least the next four games will deal another blow to the Saints’ O-line. Connor McGovern was added to the mix recently, but Lucas Patrick has received the nod at center to begin the team’s Week 5 matchup.
Cardinals G Will Hernandez Out For Season
The right side of the Cardinals’ offensive line will feature multiple backups going forward. With Jonah Williams‘ return timetable murky, the team will absorb another blow via Will Hernandez‘s Sunday injury.
Hernandez is believed to have sustained a season-ending malady, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. The former Giants second-round pick left the 49ers matchup with a knee injury, and it looks likely it will sideline him until the 2025 campaign.
This is a tough blow for Hernandez, who is in a contract year. Despite Hernandez arriving during the Steve Keim-Kliff Kingsbury regime’s final year, he became a priority for the Monti Ossenfort-Jonathan Gannon duo. Hernandez re-signed on a two-year, $9MM deal in 2023. Seeing as he had established himself as a starting-caliber guard, a nice raise was likely in the cards — be it from the Cardinals or another team in free agency — but this injury could nix that prospect.
Pro Football Focus rated Hernandez as the No. 20 overall guard through five games, as he has helped clear paths for the resilient James Conner. With the team cutting D.J. Humphries this offseason, Hernandez is the Cardinals’ longest-tenured O-line starter. Though, Kelvin Beachum — displaced as a starter once the team drafted Paris Johnson Jr. in 2023 — has been with the team longer. Beachum, a Cardinal since 2020, has been thrust back into a starting role due to Williams’ injury. Williams has a chance to return this season, but it is not certain the former first-rounder will be able to do so.
Not seeing his 17-start 2021 contract year generate much free agency interest, Hernandez caught on with the Cardinals on a one-year deal worth just $1.19MM. He started 13 games for a disappointing 2022 team, missing time with an injury, but bounced back to play in 17 contests last season. Going down early may well force the 29-year-old blocker into another “prove it” deal at a bad time. Hernandez is running short on time to capitalize on his prime years, and while a $4.5MM-per-year is nothing to sneeze at, this injury could hijack his route toward eight-figure-per-year money.
It is not known if this is an ACL tear, but the Cardinals will need a new plan. Trystan Colon replaced Hernandez in San Francisco, doing so as third-round rookie Isaiah Adams missed the game with a thumb injury. Adams’ draft status figures to make him an option to fill in soon, but Colon was the next man up initially. Adams has played just six offensive snaps this season. Colon played 315 snaps for the Cards at left guard last season. UFA addition Evan Brown mans that spot this year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/24
Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: OL Charlie Heck, K Chad Ryland
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Chris Collier, OLB Yannick Ngakoue
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: WR Tyrell Shavers, DT Branson Deen
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: LB Thomas Incoom, DT T.J. Smith
- Placed on IR: LB Shaq Thompson (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: CB Jalen Davis
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: LB Nick Vigil
- Elevated: DE Carl Lawson, CB Amani Oruwariye
Denver Broncos
Green Bay Packers
- Signed to active roster: CB Robert Rochell
- Elevated: FB Andrew Beck
Houston Texans
- Elevated: RB J.J. Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: RB Evan Hull, CB David Long
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: LB Tanner Muse, S Matthew Jackson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DE K’Lavon Chaisson
- Placed on IR: LB Luke Masterson
- Elevated: RB Sincere McCormick, WR Alex Bachman
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: WR Xavier Smith, CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: CB Nik Needham
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: RB Myles Gaskin, S Bobby McCain
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: DT Jaquelin Roy
- Elevated: OL Bryan Hudson, LB Ochaun Mathis
New York Giants
- Activated from IR: LB Matt Adams
- Waived: LB Benton Whitley
- Elevated: WR Isaiah Hodgins, RB Dante Miller
New York Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: OLB Jeremiah Moon
- Elevated: WR Brandon Johnson, RB Jonathan Ward
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: DT Kalia Davis
- Elevated: DL T.Y. McGill, WR Trent Taylor
Washington Commanders
- Activated from IR: QB Marcus Mariota
- Elevated: CB Kevon Seymour, WR Brycen Tremayne
Mariota returned to practice on Wednesday, which was the earliest point at which he could be designated for return. As a result, it comes as little surprise he has been brought back onto Washington’s active roster. The 30-year-old is in his first season with the Commanders, and today’s move paves the way for him to handle backup duties moving forward.
Ngakoue remained on the free agent market into the start of the regular season. He was not connected to a Ravens reunion, but one took place last week. The journeyman sack artist had a brief spell with Baltimore in 2020, and he posted three sacks in 11 games. Ngakoue, 29, had one-and done campaigns in Vegas, Indianapolis and Chicago before taking a Ravens practice squad deal. He will make his debut tomorrow and aim to provide depth along the edge.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Ben Stille
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Gary Brightwell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: Devin Richardson
Brightwell returns to Cleveland via the practice squad after getting waived earlier this week. The team is perhaps attempting to clear space for running back Nick Chubb to eventually make his way off the IR. Chubb was designated to return from the reserve/physically unable to perform list today.
Richardson was signed to the practice squad spot that was vacated when outside linebacker Tyus Bowser was signed to the Dolphins active roster today off of Seattle’s practice squad.
Cardinals’ Jonah Williams Uncertain To Return In 2024
Out since suffering a knee injury in Week 1, Jonah Williams would be eligible to return next week. It does not look like the Arizona free agency acquisition will come particularly close to that, and his availability for the season’s remainder is murky.
Williams played 22 snaps in his Cardinals debut, leaving and landing on IR soon after. The Cardinals have kept their cards close to the vest on the former first-round pick’s availability, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates the veteran tackle’s season is in jeopardy.
It is not known what specific knee injury Williams suffered, but it probably is not an ACL tear. That would remove the uncertainty about this situation, as Fowler adds a November return has been floated. Considerable doubt exists, however, about whether that is realistic. As it stands, the Cardinals may be forced to scramble at right tackle the rest of the way.
Costs are low on Arizona’s O-line beyond Williams, who signed a two-year, $30MM deal in March. Williams came over a year after requesting a trade (and then backtracking) from the Bengals, and despite that trade ask aimed at being moved to a team that would station him at left tackle, the 2019 first-round pick signed with a team planning to slot him on the right side.
The Cardinals cut longtime left tackle D.J. Humphries but moved 2023 first-rounder Paris Johnson Jr. from RT to LT — in a move that followed Humphries’ early-career trajectory. (Humphries suffered an ACL tear in Week 17 of last season; he is not believed to be healthy enough to pass a physical.)
Johnson has stayed healthy and has played well; Pro Football Focus ranks the second-year blocker ninth among all tackles. The advanced metrics site views Williams’ replacement, Kelvin Beachum, as a top-40 option. The Cardinals retained Beachum last year despite drafting Johnson sixth overall last year, keeping the 35-year-old blocker around as a swingman. That insurance has become important this season, one that featured Kyler Murray‘s return to full-time duty.
Williams, 27, missed all of his rookie year due to a shoulder injury and saw a dislocated kneecap sideline him for the bulk of the Bengals’ 2022 playoff run. He returned on time in 2023 and played all 17 Cincinnati games, commanding a quality short-term contract on a weak tackle market. Cardinals guaranteed $2.5MM of Williams’ $10.78MM 2025 base salary. A $2.5MM injury guarantee also exists in the contract for 2025; that would kick in if the sixth-year vet cannot pass a physical to start the ’25 league year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Practice window opened: T Christian Jones
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: LB Nathaniel Watson
Green Bay Packers
- Practice window opened: DT Jonathan Ford
Houston Texans
- Practice window opened: DT Kurt Hinish
Las Vegas Raiders
- Practice window opened: S Trey Taylor
New York Giants
- Practice window opened: LB Matthew Adams
Miami Dolphins
- Practice window opened: CB Cam Smith
New England Patriots
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP list: WR Kendrick Bourne, LB Sione Takitaki (story)
- Practice window opened: S Marte Mapu
New York Jets
- Practice window opened: DT Leki Fotu
- Released from IR: LB Brandon Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed to active roster: RB Aaron Shampklin
- Practice window opened: LB Jeremiah Moon
San Francisco 49ers
- Practice window opened: DL Kalia Davis
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return from PUP list: DT Cameron Young
Today marks most teams’ first practice before Week 5, making it the first date players stashed on IR as teams set their initial 53-man rosters can work out again with their teams. This year’s IR tweak allowed teams to designate up to two players for return August 27, the catch being all players who receive that designation count toward their respective club’s eight-activation total. The batch included in today’s minor moves post consists entirely of players to receive that August IR-return designation.
The IR-return window is unchanged, however, with teams having 21 days from Wednesday to activate these players. Anyone from today’s group not being activated from IR by October 23 must miss the rest of the season. PFR will keep track of all players returning from IR via the Injured Reserve Return Tracker.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/24
Wednesday’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: K Chad Ryland
- Placed on IR: DL Angelo Blackson
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Shaun Bradley
Los Angles Rams
- Signed: DB Cam Lampkin
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Jerome Carvin, TE Jack Westover
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Jonathan Garvin, WR Terique Owens
- Released: DL Shakel Brown
The Cardinals have added some necessary kicker depth. Per Tyler Drake of AZSports, Matt Prater is dealing with a left knee issue, necessitating the addition of Chad Ryland. The former fourth-round pick spent his rookie campaign in New England, where he converted 16 of his 25 field goal attempts and 24 of his 25 XP tries. Ryland lost out on the Patriots kicking gig this season to Joey Slye, leading to him being among New England’s final cuts.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/1/24
Today’s practice squad updates around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: T Austen Pleasants
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: S Dane Cruikshank
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB William Kwenkeu
- Released: RB John Kelly
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Jackson Mitchell
- Released: CB Azizi Hearn
Chicago Bears
- Released (with injury settlement): DT Sam Roberts
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Salvon Ahmed
- Released: WR Kaden Davis
Houston Texans
- Released: LB Zeke Turner
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Trent Pennix
- Released: K Spencer Shrader
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: RB Jake Funk, CB Tyler Hall
- Released: RB Jalen Jackson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: TE Cole Fotheringham
- Released: S Phalen Sanford
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S Tony Jefferson
- Released: T Braeden Daniels
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: K Tanner Brown
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Jermaine Jackson
- Released: WR John Jiles
New Orleans Saints
- Released: RB Jacob Kibodi
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Kearis Jackson, CB Greg Stroman
- Released (with injury settlement): TE Lawrence Cager
- Released: CB Alex Johnson, TE Joel Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Eku Leota, RB La’Mical Perine
- Released: RB Jack Colletto, LB Marcus Haynes
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: DT Shakel Brown
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: DT Matt Gotel
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Kalen DeLoach
Washington Commanders
- Signed: G Marquis Hayes, S Sheldrick Redwine
The Broncos are bringing in the veteran running back Ahmed after he spent four years in Miami. Ahmed’s biggest role came in four starts as an undrafted rookie back in 2020 in which he rushed for 319 yards and three touchdowns over six games. He served as a reliable backup for the Dolphins for the past few years.
The Chargers released Jefferson yesterday, but they’ll keep him around on the practice squad with today’s signing. The veteran adds some quality depth to the roster.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/24
Minor transactions and practice squad callups for the Week 4 weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: DT Angelo Blackson, T Charlie Heck
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: G Matt Hennessy
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Chris Collier
- Placed on IR: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: OLB Thomas Incoom, DE DeShawn Williams
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DT Byron Cowart, S Tarvarius Moore
- Placed on IR: TE Stephen Carlson (story)
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: CB Tony Brown, TE Geoff Swaim
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Levelle Bailey, S Tanner McCalister
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: CB Kamal Hadden, CB Robert Rochell
Houston Texans
- Elevated: RB J.J. Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: DT Adam Gotsis, CB David Long
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed to active roster: TE Josiah Deguara
- Elevated: CB Christian Braswell, LB Tanner Muse
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: TE John Samuel Shenker
- Elevated: WR Alex Bachman, OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
- Waived: WR Ramel Keyton
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LB Blake Lynch, C Sam Mustipher
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: WR Xavier Smith, CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: OLB Bo Richter, TE Robert Tonyan
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: CB Isaiah Bolden
- Elevated: DT Trysten Hill, TE Mitchell Wilcox
- Placed on IR: CB Alex Austin
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: G Kyle Hergel
New York Jets
- Elevated: DT Bruce Hector, LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: WR Parris Campbell, WR John Ross
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB Thomas Graham Jr., RB Aaron Shampklin
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: DE Sam Okuayinonu
- Elevated: DT Evan Anderson, S Jaylen Mahoney
- Placed on IR: DT Javon Hargrave (story), LB Curtis Robinson (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: P Trenton Gill, WR Sterling Shepard
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DE Andre Jones Jr., RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.