NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/24/24
Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Darren Hall
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Rashaan Evans, DL Kyler Baugh
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DT Domenique Davis, LB Craig Young, QB Logan Woodside
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: K Andre Szmyt
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Maurice Alexander
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Deshaun Fenwick
- Placed on IR: RB Ellis Merriweather
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Neil Farrell
- Released: TE Hayden Rucci
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Ambry Thomas
New York Jets
- Signed: DE Kameron Cline
- Released: TE Neal Johnson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Raekwon McMillan
Szmyt spent time on the Bears’ practice squad last year before playing with the USFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks recently. The 26-year-old terminated his pact with the spring league club to take a deal in Cleveland. A former All-American and Lou Graza winner as the country’s top kicker during his college career, Szmyt could see time late in the year given the Browns’ kicking struggles in 2024.
Thomas appeared to be on his way to join the Colts after he was claimed off waivers by Indianapolis. The veteran corner failed his physical upon arrival with his new team, however, leading to another trip to the waiver wire. No teams put in a claim this time around, but shortly after reaching free agency Thomas has landed a deal. The former 49er has 42 games and 11 starts to his name, and he will provide Minnesota with cornerback depth through the closing stages of the campaign.
Tank Dell To Undergo Multiple Surgeries; Texans WR’s 2025 Availability In Doubt
Tank Dell appeared to be on track for a long recovery as he exited the Texans’ Week 16 game on Saturday. Further testing confirmed the second-year receiver tore the ACL in his left knee in addition to dislocating his kneecap, leaving him unavailable to the Texans for the rest of the season. 
When the news of the ACL tear came out, though, it was made clear Dell’s knee suffered other injuries as well. Providing specifics on that front, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports the 25-year-old is dealing with MCL and LCL tears, along with meniscus damage. As a result, Wilson adds Dell will require multiple surgeries to repair the issues.
That means a situation similar to that of Browns running back Nick Chubb will be in store. Chubb went down with his knee injury in Week 2 last year and was sidelined through the beginning of the current campaign. He returned in October before suffering a broken foot (which has left him out of the fold for the rest of the year). Given how late in the season Dell’s injury took place, though, his surgery schedule and recovery timeline could leave him on the sidelines deep into next season.
Taking that point further, Wilson writes it is “regarded as an extremely unlikely scenario” the former third-rounder will be able to play at any point in 2025. If that were to be the case, it would add considerably to his missed time early in his career. Dell was limited to 14 games as a rookie after suffering a fractured fibula, an injury which ended his encouraging year. Expectations were high for 2024, during which he averaged 48 yards per game and scored three touchdowns. The final year of the Houston product’s rookie contract is 2026, which might be the next time he is available.
The Texans did not add at the receiver position after Stefon Diggs suffered an ACL tear, but losing Dell prompted action. Houston claimed Diontae Johnson off waivers yesterday, and he will have the opportunity to move past his short-lived Ravens tenure as a result. Johnson was a non-factor in Baltimore’s offense after arriving via trade from Carolina, but he could take on a notable workload in Houston down the stretch. Providing a consistent complementary presence would be welcomed on a Texans offense which is notably shorthanded.
Houston’s attention will be on the final two games of the regular season in preparation for the second straight playoff appearance of C.J. Stroud‘s career. Dell’s absence will be felt, though, and his recovery process will be a key storyline during the offseason.
Dolphins Will Not Activate Bradley Chubb
Bradley Chubb has spent the 2024 season rehabbing his ACL tear from late last year. Whether or not the veteran edge rusher would play down the stretch remained a question until today. 
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said on Tuesday (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) that Chubb will not be activated from the reserve/PUP list. The two-time Pro Bowler had his practice window opened on December 4, giving him three weeks to practice in preparation for a return to the lineup. That time will expire tomorrow, though, and McDaniel noted Chubb and the team agree he is not currently in a condition to perform at his usual level.
As a result, Miami’s push for a wild-card spot will continue without Chubb in the fold. The former Bronco posted 2.5 sacks with the Dolphins upon arriving via trade midway through the 2022 campaign. He signed a five-year, $110MM extension shortly after joining his new team, however, so expectations remained high moving forward. In 2023, Chubb was a key presence along the edge with 11 sacks and 33 pressures; that campaign came to an abrupt end with an ACL tear, though, the timing of which left his 2024 availably in doubt.
McDaniel noted Chubb (whose injury also included a torn meniscus and patellar tendon) has made considerable progress in his rehab, and his outlook for the coming offseason is much brighter than this past one. Still, not having the former first-rounder available for any portion of the season – or the playoffs, should they make it – will be significant for the Dolphins. That is especially true considering Jaelan Phillips‘ season-ending knee injury from earlier this year.
With neither member of that pairing available the rest of the way, Miami will continue to lean heavily on first-round rookie Chop Robinson to lead the team’s edge contingent. The Penn State product got off to a slow start at the beginning of the campaign, but he has emerged as a key pass-rush contributor lately. As Louis-Jacques notes, Robinson ranks third in the NFL in pressure rate since becoming a starter in Week 6. He has six sacks overall, and adding to that total will be key if the Dolphins are to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
Chubb remains on the books through 2027, but none of his salaries for the final three years of the pact are guaranteed. Considering his cap hits for each of those campaigns are scheduled to check in at over $29MM, it would come as no surprise if adjustments were to be made in the offseason. In any case, Chubb will not see the field again until the start of the 2025 campaign.
Giants’ Raheem Layne Suffers Torn Meniscus
Raheem Layne‘s Giants campaign has come to an end shortly after made his season debut. The third-year safety suffered a torn meniscus on Sunday, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports. 
Layne made 11 total appearances with the Chargers between 2022 and ’23. During that time, the former UDFA played a key special teams role, something which helped land him a deal with the Giants this summer. Layne did not survive New York’s roster cuts, but he was retained on the practice squad. He was used as a gameday elevation for each of the past two weeks, allowing him to see partial playing time on defense and special teams.
During the Giants’ loss to the Falcons in Week 16, however, Layne went down with what has proven to be another season-ending knee injury. The 25-year-old tore his ACL last October, and he spent much of this past offseason rehabbing as a result. Layne had the opportunity to compete for a spot with the Giants upon returning to health, but in very short order he has now been dealt another major blow on that front.
The Indiana product will once again turn his attention to recovery once surgery to repair the damage takes place. Layne is a pending restricted free agent, and his injury greatly reduces his chances of being tendered by the Giants this offseason. If he does reach the open market, his value will of course not be high in the eyes of teams looking for defensive back depth.
The safety position has been a sore spot this season for the Giants, and it is one of many which are likely to witness considerable roster turnover in the near future. It remains to be seen if general manager Joe Schoen will be in place to oversee that process, but in any event Layne’s opportunity to audition for a 2025 role has come to an abrupt end.
Buccaneers Designate S Jordan Whitehead For Return
Jordan Whitehead suffered a pectoral injury last month, and the Buccaneers initially feared a tear had occurred. That did not prove to be the case, though, leaving the door open to a return as early as Week 17. 
The veteran safety could indeed be back in the fold in time for Tampa Bay’s next game. Whitehead returned to practice on Tuesday, per a team announcement. His 21-day activation window is now open, and he must be activated within that span to avoid season-ending injured reserve. The fact Whitehead has returned to practice after missing the minimum four games is an encouraging sign.
Prior to going down, the 27-year-old had served as a full-time starter. Whitehead’s return to the Buccaneers (with whom he spent his first four seasons) has seen him play a key role on defense, recording 76 tackles and three pass deflections. His activation will be welcomed by a Tampa Bay team which has put up underwhelming numbers in several defensive categories (including 250 passing yards allowed per game, which ranks 30th). Whitehead’s coverage statistics have left plenty to be desired in 2024, but having him available will still be significant to the team’s playoff push.
Thanks to their upset loss against the Cowboys on Sunday, the Buccaneers are no longer in control of their fate regarding the NFC South. Tampa Bay sits in a tie with Atlanta at 8-7 on the year, so the final two weeks of the campaign will dictate which team earns a home postseason game during the wild-card round. Given the landscape of the NFC, it is all-but guaranteed only one team from that division will qualify for the playoffs.
Whitehead’s return could see him suit up against the Panthers and Saints to close out the year depending on when he is brought back into the fold. Once he is officially activated, the Buccaneers will have three IR return slots remaining for the regular season.
Texans WR Tank Dell Suffers ACL Tear
Further evaluation of Tank Dell‘s knee injury has not produced an encouaraging update. In addition to the dislocated kneecap he suffered on Saturday, the second-year receiver is dealing with a torn ACL. 
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans delivered the news Monday, confirming Dell will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. A long rehab process awaits, and remaining on the sidelines into the start of the 2025 campaign would not come as a surprise. In any case, Houston will be notably shorthanded at wideout moving forward.
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Dell went down after a collision with Jared Wayne while scoring a touchdown during the Texans’ loss to the Chiefs. He was immediately taken to hospital and diagnosed with the dislocated kneecap. As Ryans noted on Monday, however, the ACL in the affected knee has been torn in addition to other damage. It was unclear at first if surgery would be required, but obviously that is now the case.
The Texans lost Stefon Diggs earlier this year to an ACL tear of his own, an injury which led to an increased reliance on Dell and top wideout Nico Collins to compensate for his absence. Now, Collins is the lone remaining member of Houston’s lauded WR trio which entered the campaign with high expectations. In the wake of signing a long-term extension this offseason, Collins will be tasked with carrying the load in the passing game as the Texans prepare for the postseason.
The likes of Robert Woods, John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson are in place as options (alongside Wayne) to fill larger roles down the stretch and through the playoffs. Houston has locked up top spot in the AFC South, but changes in seeding could still take place depending on the team’s final two games. That period will not include Dell, though, an absence which was also felt after he was lost for the year in 2023. Ryans said on Sunday it remains to be seen if the Texans will pursue a late addition at the receiver spot.
Dell’s involvement in the passing game was inconsistent this season, one in which Houston’s offense as a whole has underwhelmed. Still, the 25-year-old managed to record 667 yards and three touchdowns on 51 catches in 2024. Two more years remain on his rookie contract, but it will be quite some time before Dell next takes the field.
Steelers WR George Pickens Expected To Return In Week 17
DECEMBER 23: After struggling on offense without their No. 1 wide receiver, the Steelers are expected to have him back in Week 17, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac tweets. The Chiefs have managed to avoid several high-end wideouts during their march to 14-1 — Tee Higgins, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Ladd McConkey, with Tank Dell going down during the Texans’ Week 16 trip to Kansas City — but are on track to face the Steelers’ pass catchers at full strength.
The Steelers have slipped into a tie with the Ravens, at 10-5 apiece, and close the season with a Bengals team that may still be fighting for a wild-card spot. Baltimore will face the Texans and Browns to finish the year. With the Chiefs posing the biggest threat among that contingent, the Steelers having all hands on deck will be important to their hopes of winning the AFC North.
DECEMBER 22: George Pickens has missed the Steelers’ past three games, but he might be back in time for the team’s upcoming Christmas Day contest. Head coach Mike Tomlin noted the third-year receiver has a “real chance” to suit up for Pittsburgh’s game against Kansas City. 
A Grade 2 hamstring strain has led to Pickens being sidelined for the first time in his NFL career, and his absence has been apparent on offense. The Steelers have averaged 248 yards per game without Pickens available, a sharp decline from their season average of 325. With the threat of explosive passing plays diminished, Pittsburgh’s rushing attack has understandably suffered as well.
Tomlin named Pickens, along with backup quarterback Justin Fields, defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi, safety DeShon Elliott and cornerback Donte Jackson as players who missed yesterday’s loss to the Ravens but could return on Wednesday (h/t ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). Getting healthier on defense would certainly be a welcomed development as the Steelers prepare to face the Chiefs and Bengals to close out the regular season. Seeing Pickens return would help provide the opportunity for a turnaround in the passing game, though.
The 23-year-old established himself as a key figure on offense during his rookie season, and his production took a step forward last year. Pickens’ 63-1,140-5 statline demonstrated his impact in the passing game, and his 18.1 yards per reception average led the league. Entering the 2024 season as not just a premier deep target but the undisputed No. 1 receiver for Pittsburgh, the Georgia product has delivered when healthy with a career-high 70.8 yards per game. The Steelers were linked to several notable WR pursuits before and during the campaign, but the team’s only move on that front was the rental addition of Mike Williams at the trade deadline.
By losing yesterday, the Steelers failed to clinch top spot in the AFC North. They still control their destiny in that regard, however, and winning their final two games would guarantee at least one home playoff contest. Getting Pickens back in the lineup in time for a matchup with the 14-1 Chiefs would boost Pittsburgh’s chances of reaching that goal.
Packers To Activate TE Luke Musgrave
Luke Musgrave is set to make his return to the Packers’ lineup tonight. The second-year tight end will be activated from injured reserve in advance of Green Bay’s Week 16 contest, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. 
Musgrave has been on injured reserve since October due to an ankle injury which required surgery. It remained possible at that time that he could return to the lineup at some point late in the campaign, and signs have continued to point in that direction. The 24-year-old had his practice window opened earlier this month, giving the Packers 21 days to activate him.
Provided the move is made in time for tonight’s contest, Musgrave will be in line to play Green Bay’s final three regular season games. The Packers will still have five IR activations once the Oregon State product returns to the lineup, meaning they will retain considerable flexibility in that respect through the postseason (during which all teams receive an additional two IR-return slots). Getting Musgrave back in action will give Green Bay another option at the skill positions.
That group is littered with recent draft picks, and their development since the start of last season has been a central aspect of the Packers’ success on offense. Musgrave posted 34 catches for 352 yards and one touchdown as a rookie, adding another score during the team’s postseason run. During his four appearances in 2024, however, the Oregon State product saw his playing time drop considerably (39% offensive snap share compared to 66%). That resulted in a drop in production.
Tucker Kraft has been a key contributor atop the TE depth chart this year, posting a 41-555-7 statline to date. He will be expected to remain productive down the stretch, but the return of Musgrave will give the Packers additional options at the position. Green Bay can clinch a playoff spot tonight with a win over New Orleans.
Darren Rizzi Aiming To Become Saints’ Full-Time Head Coach
When Dennis Allen was fired in November, it came as little surprise that special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi took over as head coach on an interim basis. As expected, the latter sees the team’s stretch run as a means of auditioning for the position on a full-time basis. 
“It all depends on what the organization’s looking for,” Rizzi said when discussing the Saints’ HC search (via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell). “Sometimes when you go with the hot name or the hot coordinator, I don’t think that a lot of times owners or GMs take into account the things that they haven’t done. They haven’t worked with the players on the other side of the ball and they don’t have any experience with special teams.”
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Indeed, Rizzi’s third phase experience makes him unique compared to many other head coaching candidates. For many staffers, the path to an opportunity to lead a team involves a track record of success on the defensive or (especially recently) offensive side of the ball. Rizzi has worked exclusively as a special teams coordinator at the NFL level, but he has served as a head coach in the past.
The 54-year-old coached New Haven from 1999-2001, and he also took charge of Rhode Island for the 2008 campaign. Those tenures came at the Division II and FCS levels, respectively, however, and other candidates with experience in higher-profile positions (including NFL gigs) will be available during the 2025 hiring cycle. The Saints are joined by the Jets and Bears so far in needing a full-time coach, and others will no doubt join them after the regular season ends.
New Orleans went 2-7 this year before Allen’s dismissal, making a run to the postseason all-but impossible for Rizzi. The team (which was officially eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday) has gone 3-2 since the coaching change despite dealing with numerous injuries on offense. Continued performances along the lines of those seen so far could help Rizzi’s case for taking on the full-time gig.
As he acknowledged, though, it will still be a challenge to get the posting for 2025. Rizzi interviewed with the Dolphins in 2019 before Brian Flores was ultimately hired, and he received another look in 2021 after Sean Payton departed the Saints (preceding Allen’s promotion to HC). A report from last month indicated Rizzi could be a strong contender to have the interim tag removed; it will be interesting to see if that winds up being the case once the season is over.
Bears Believe LT Braxton Jones Suffered Fractured Ankle
Braxton Jones exited the Bears’ game on Sunday, and the severity of his injury suggested a lengthy absence would be forthcoming. The third-year left tackle is indeed facing a long road to recovery. 
Jones had his left leg placed in an air cast before being carted off the field during Chicago’s loss to Detroit. Further examination is required at this point, but the initial indications point to a season-ending injury. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Jones is believed to have suffered a fractured ankle.
Per Rapoport, Jones is currently thought to have suffered a break in his fibula, but not his tibia. While that diagnosis could of course change based on further testing, a four-month recovery timeline is now in place. At a minimum, the 25-year-old will not be available for the Bears’ final two games this season. Jones will indeed undergo season-ending surgery, per Scott Bair of the Marquee Sports Network.
Jones has operated as Chicago’s starter on the blindside since arriving as a rookie. The former fifth-rounder has remained consistent in terms of PFF evaluation throughout his career, ranking 19th amongst qualified tackles in overall grade in 2022. That matches where Jones currently ranks this season, one which has been defined in no small part for the Bears by an inability to consistently provide strong blocking up front. Jones has been charged with five sacks and 26 pressures allowed, but his absence will be felt to close out the campaign.
Kiran Amegadjie is in an option to take over blindside duties in the wake of Jones’ absence. The third-round rookie has seen 126 total snaps in 2024, all at the left tackle spot. Amegadjie got the nod for Week 15 against the Vikings with Jones out due to a concussion, but he struggled in that contest. Overall, quarterback Caleb Williams has taken a league-leading 60 sacks partially due to the Bears’ struggles along the O-line.
That unit will be the subject of considerable scrutiny this offseason, and few certainties exist up front for Chicago heading into 2025. Jones has one more year remaining on his rookie contract, meaning he will be eligible for an extension shortly. Regardless of if he receives one, he will not be on the field again until next year.