Rams Activate OL Joe Noteboom
An important reinforcement has arrived on the Rams’ offensive front. Joe Noteboom has been activated from injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
[RELATED: Rams Trade Tre’Davious White To Ravens]
Absences at multiple spots along the O-line has been a constant for the Rams throughout the 2024 season. The team’s left tackle spot has been settled since Alaric Jackson returned from suspension, but there could be a right tackle vacancy with Rob Haverstein expected to miss Los Angeles’ Week 10 contest. Noteboom (who suffered an ankle injury in Week 1) could step in at that spot.
The Rams designated him for return on October 16, opening Noteboom’s 21-day activation window. That period had nearly come to an end before today’s announcement. The 29-year-old’s return will be welcomed considering he has logged 32 starts amongst his 68 appearances. Noteboom agreed to a pay cut this offseason, lowering his base pay for 2024 in exchange for additional guarantees. As a pending free agent, his play once back on the field will be key in determining his value.
Along the interior, the Rams still have both Jonah Jackson and Steve Avila on injured reserve. Getting one or both of them back in the fold would be critical to the team’s offensive outlook. Los Angeles ranks ninth in the league in production through the air, but the team’s ground attack sits only 26th with an average of 97.1 yards per game. Overall, the Rams’ offense has averaged 21.3 points per game, good for 21st in the league.
Better health along the line will provide the team with a chance to improve those totals. Getting Noteboom back will help at the tackle spot in particular as the Rams look to remain in the thick of things in the NFC West.
Colts Place C Ryan Kelly On IR
The Colts’ offensive line will be shorthanded for a stretch. The team announced on Tuesday that center Ryan Kelly has been placed on injured reserve. 
As a result, he will be sidelined for at least the next four games, although CBS4’s Mike Chappell reports that Kelly is expected to miss only those four contests. Indianapolis’ longest-tenured player has made 188 appearances (all starts), and he has failed to play double-digit games in a season only once in his career. The team now faces the rare circumstance of finding a replacement over at least the short term. Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Start reports this is not expected to be season-ending ailment, and a return after the four-game minimum could be in play.
Kelly has been a model of consistency for much of his career, posting a top-10 PFF rank amongst centers three times out of the past six years. 2024 has seen him take a step back, however, with his run blocking in particular drawing a poor evaluation. The four-time Pro Bowler’s absence will nevertheless be felt on a Colts offense which has struggled for much of the year, prompting a quarterback change.
Joe Flacco is certainly not as mobile as Anthony Richardson, so the team’s pass protection moving factor will be a key factor in its ability to contend for an AFC postseason berth. Kelly is attached to the NFL’s fourth-most valuable center contract in terms of annual average compensation ($12.41MM). His ability to return to full health in short order will thus be an important story to follow. The Alabama product is also a pending free agent, so his level of play once back on the field will play a role in determining the value of his next pact.
In a corresponding move, the Colts claimed safety Darren Hall off waivers from the Cardinals. A fourth-rounder of the Falcons in 2021, Hall handled a part-time defensive role as a rookie and took a notable step forward in playing time the following year. He did not see any regular season game action in 2023, a season in which he found himself on the Colts’ practice squad. Hall, 24, made four appearances with the Cardinals this season and played a minor role on defense while chipping on a special teams. A similar workload can be expected in Indianapolis.
49ers To Acquire Khalil Davis From Texans
Right at the deadline, one final trade has been agreed to. Defensive tackle Khalil Davis is headed from the Texans to the 49ers, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. 
Houston will acquire a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange. This move will provide San Francisco with depth along the defensive front, something which will be welcomed given the fact Javon Hargrave is out for at least the remainder of the regular season. Davis will look to carve out a rotational role on his new team.
The 28-year-old made only a pair of appearances with the Buccaneers during his rookie season. That was followed by a single game played with the Colts the following year. Davis not see any regular season action in 2022, but it was with the Texans that he managed to find a regular spot on the active roster. He played 15 games last season, collecting 32 tackles and a pair of sacks.
The Nebraska product has played in all nine contests for Houston in 2024, although his snap share (32%) has taken a step back compared to last season. Now, Davis will look to handle at least a similar workload upon arrival in the Bay Area. Davis – a pending free agent – is attached to a base salary of only $1.1MM, so this will be an easily affordable pickup for the 49ers.
Under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco has made a trade at or near the deadline every season except 2018 (h/t ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). As such, it comes as no surprise the team has gone ahead with another move just before this year’s trade deadline. Sitting at 4-4 on the year, the 49ers are in the thick of the wide-open NFC West race while awaiting the return of multiple key players over the coming weeks.
Of course, this is not the first time these teams have hooked up for a D-lineman trade. Houston dealt Maliek Collins to San Francisco in March, and he has been a full-time starter for the 49ers this year. Collins will have a familiar face alongside him for the second half of the season.
Ravens Acquire CB Tre’Davious White From Rams
Tre’Davious White is indeed on the move, with the Rams having found a suitor for the veteran corner. White is headed to the Ravens, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The teams have now announced the deal.
This deal will include a future late-round pick swap. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Los Angeles is sending White to Baltimore along with a 2027 seventh-round pick. The team will receive a 2026 seventh-rounder in return.
Baltimore’s pass defense has struggled for much of the year; the team ranks dead last in passing yards allowed per game this season, a stark contrast to its No. 1 position against the run. To no surprise, then, help in the secondary has been sought out, with Dianna Russini of The Athletic noting the Ravens have been making calls on that front for days. The team was in the running for Marshon Lattimore, but this move represents a notable contingency plan.
White saw a heavy workload early in the season, his first with the Rams. Los Angeles was dealing with a number of injuries at the cornerback spot, thrusting the former Bill into an unplanned full-time role. More recently, however, White has been a healthy scratch. As a result, discussions between team and player took place regarding a potential trade. The two-time Pro Bowler will now start over in the hopes of landing a regular defensive role.
When healthy, White was one of the league’s more productive corners. His Buffalo tenure included double-digit appearances for each of its first five seasons, but injuries have been a major issue since then. The 29-year-old played only 10 games between the 2022 and ’23 campaigns, and he suffered an Achilles tear last October. That helped inform Buffalo’s decision to move on this offseason and limited the former All-Pro to a one-year deal.
That pact carries a base salary of just $1.5MM for the year, making this a very cost-effective addition on Baltimore’s part. Expectations will be tempered upon arrival, however. White was charged with four touchdowns and an opposing passer rating of 138.4 during his time in the Rams’ lineup, and improvement in coverage will be needed for him to earn snaps on defense. At a minimum, White will provide Baltimore with additional depth in the secondary as consistency is sought for the second half of the campaign.
The Ravens have Marlon Humphrey, pending free agent Brandon Stephens and first-round rookie Nate Wiggins atop their CB depth chart. White is unlikely to see much time in the slot with Arthur Maulet healthy, but he could handle a rotational workload along the perimeter. Succeeding in any capacity – and remaining healthy, of course – will help his 2025 free agent market.
Baltimore recently added at the receiver spot by acquiring Diontae Johnson from the Panthers. The team has now made a depth move on defense, mirroring the Steelers’ path ahead of the deadline (with Pittsburgh acquiring Mike Williams and then Preston Smith on Tuesday). Both teams have six wins on the year, positioning them for a pair of critical divisional matchups later in the season. Several new faces will be in place for those contests.
Giants Unlikely To Trade Azeez Ojulari
2:20pm: At this point, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes an Ojulari trade is unlikely. The team is remaining steadfast in terms of its asking price, one which the remaining edge rush suitors are currently unwilling to meet.
11:59am: More specifically, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds the Giants are seeking either a late fourth-rounder or an early fifth. This would require some projecting on the Giants’ end, as we are obviously halfway through the season and months away from the draft order being set. But the Giants hold one of the top trade chips remaining. It will be interesting to see if a team meets the asking price.
8:31am: Two of the main edge rush dominoes have now fallen as the trade deadline approaches. Baron Browning was dealt from the Broncos to the Cardinals yesterday, with the long-anticipated Za’Darius Smith trade being worked out between the Browns and Lions this morning. 
The Browning swap saw Denver receive only a sixth-round pick based on his status as a pending free agent. That price could be key as it pertains to the Giants and Azeez Ojulari. He, too, is approaching the conclusion of his rookie contract and the lack of extension talks with New York makes him a prime candidate to be dealt today. To little surprise, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports calls continue to come in on Ojulari.
Fowler adds, notably, that the Giants appear to value the 24-year-old higher than the return Browning generated. Recent reports indicated New York set a high asking price for both Ojulari and fellow rental Darius Slayton, who also wants to remain a Giant despite the fact he does not have a new contract in sight. Over the weekend, a prediction emerged that a fifth-round pick would likely constitute the best-case scenario for New York in the event Ojulari were to be traded. In the wake of Browning being dealt for a single Day 3 selection, it will be interesting to see if the Giants are willing to authorize a deal for a similar fee.
The Cardinals were among the teams showing interest in Ojulari, but with Browning in the fold they can be removed from the list of potential suitors. The Lions have also addressed a major need by acquiring Smith, but teams like the Falcons may still be in the running. The same could very well also be true of the Bengals, a team which just agreed to a deal for running back Khalil Herbert but is known to also be on the lookout for defensive help.
The Giants added Brian Burns via trade this offseason, inking him to the league’s third-most lucrative deal in terms of AAV ($28.2MM). 2022 fifth overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux will be eligible for a big-ticket deal of his own as early as this spring, so committing to a second Ojulari contract could be challenging from a roster-building perspective. The Georgia product posted eight sacks as a rookie but missed notable time with injuries each of the following two seasons. In 2024, he has been available for all nine of the team’s contests, posting six sacks and 10 pressures. Given that production, offers should be expected to continue coming in as the day progresses.
Bengals Release Lawrence Guy; Team Looking Into DT Addition
NOVEMBER 5: A hour before the trade deadline, the Bengals are getting the hang of this buyer’s mindset. Before acquiring Khalil Herbert on Tuesday morning, the Bengals had added just one player via trade in season over the past 50 years. Now 4-5, Cincinnati is on the hunt for defensive tackle help, Russini adds. Injuries have been an issue here this season, and the Bengals’ defense has certainly underwhelmed on the whole.
NOVEMBER 2: Lawrence Guy landed a deal with the Bengals shortly after the start of the regular season. His Cincinnati deal allowed him to make four appearances with the team, but the veteran defensive lineman is now once again headed for free agency. 
Guy was released on Saturday, the Bengals announced. That move makes him a free agent, meaning he could find a new opportunity in short order. Failing that, the 34-year-old will be a candidate to be retained on a practice squad pact. Guy saw his seven-year Patriots tenure end this offseason, and his Bengals pact came about shortly after he explored a Ravens reunion with a free agent visit. In a corresponding move, undrafted rookie running back Kendall Milton was signed from the taxi squad to the active roster.
Aside from Trey Hendrickson, the Bengals have struggled to find production along the edge. Guy was limited to a a pair of tackles with Cincinnati, a team which does not have a track record of being active at the trade deadline. That could change in the near future, though, especially if help on defense can be obtained for the right price. The 3-5 Bengals face a steep path to the postseason, but a buyer’s stance would not come as a complete surprise.
Cincinnati has looked into a trade addition in advance of the November 5 deadline, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required). She adds the defensive line and cornerback spots in particular are targets for improving a unit which sits 23rd in points allowed per game. The Bengals rank outside the top 20 in the league against both the run and pass this year, and their 12 sacks leave plenty of room for increased production along the edge.
Hendrickson’s Bengals future beyond 2024 is uncertain given his contract status and the trade request which was denied by the team this spring in the wake of no adjustment or extension being negotiated. For the time being, however, the three-time Pro Bowler – who has seven sacks on the year – is very much in the fold and he will play a central role if Cincinnati is to make a second half playoff push. Adding a starting-caliber edge presence (like Azeez Ojulari of the Giants, whom Russini adds the Bengals have on their radar) would boost the pass rush. Veterans Za’Darius Smith (Browns) and Jadeveon Clowney (Panthers) have also been floated as trade candidates in recent weeks.
Dax Hill‘s ACL tear ended his 2024 season, the first in which he was being used as a full-time perimeter corner. His absence has created a vacancy alongside Cam Taylor-Britt and Mike Hilton for a starting option. Bringing in a cover man capable of immediately taking on first-team duties for a rental price is unlikely, but adding a depth contributor in the secondary would give DC Lou Anarumo another option in the wake of Hill’s injury.
The Bengals enter Week 9 with just under $9MM in cap space, so a midseason addition is certainly feasible from a financial perspective. Whether or not the team makes the rare move of swinging a trade will be an interesting storyline to follow over the coming days.
Commanders, Chargers Among Suitors For Saints’ Marshon Lattimore
Marshon Lattimore remains a name to watch closely as the Saints face the possibility of dealing away their high-profile corner. The Chiefs have already been connected to pursuing a trade, but they are not alone in that regard. 
The Commanders are a “real contender” to land the four-time Pro Bowler, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Washington has recently been linked to an addition at the cornerback spot, so today’s update comes as little surprise. The NFC East leaders rank outside the top 10 in total and scoring defense, so adding on that side of the ball would make sense. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds the Commanders have made a “hard push” on the Lattimore front.
Washington is gauging the market for 2023 first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes, who has not lived up to his draft stock so far. A different regime (head coach Dan Quinn, general manager Adam Peters) is in place than the one which selected him, a factor which often comes into play when young players are dealt. Trading away Forbes would open up a roster spot for Lattimore, although other moves could obviously achieve that goal. In any case, the Commanders could stand to add to a secondary which is led at corner by Benjamin St-Juste and second-round rookie Mike Sainristil.
Rapoport’s report notes at least two suitors beyond Kansas City and Washington are likely in play; indeed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s latest Pat McAfee Show appearance lists four teams in the contender category (video link). The Chargers are among them, he adds. Los Angeles’ defense has seen a dramatic turnaround this season under head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, with the unit leading the league in points allowed (12.6 per game). Adding a corner of Lattimore’s caliber would give the team a notable boost in the secondary.
The former Defensive Player of the Year remained mainly healthy through his first five seasons. Since then, however, injuries have been an issue, one which contending teams have taken into account while contemplating a potential deal. A third-round pick was floated earlier today as a possible price to get a deal over the finish line, and Schefter concurs capital in that vicinity is likely in play. He adds a deal is likely to be finalized given the advance nature of talks and the multitude of suitors vying to acquire Lattimore.
New Orleans sits at 2-7 on the year, making them an obvious seller’s candidate. Especially with head coach Dennis Allen no longer in place, it would come as no surprise if Lattimore were to be moved. Term remains on his contract, one which will likely be restructured by an acquiring team.
Trade Talks On Saints’ Marshon Lattimore Intensifying
The Saints have moved on from head coach Dennis Allen, although that decision is not expected to pave the way for a mass sell-off of veterans ahead of today’s trade deadline. One name in particular remains the subject of considerable attention, however. 
Cornerback Marshon Lattimore once again finds himself as a trade target. As the deadline approaches, veteran insider Josina Anderson reports talks are “warming up,” adding that multiple suitors are in play. A high third-round pick could be sufficient in this case, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleansFootball.com. A report from this past weekend named the Chiefs as a suitor for the four-time Pro Bowler.
Kansas City has already added on offense (receiver DeAndre Hopkins) and defense (edge rusher Josh Uche) in advance of the deadline. The defending champions improved to 8-0 last night, so they represent an obvious candidate to make further moves over the coming hours. Kansas City could use a starting-caliber corner with Jaylen Watson unlikely to return this season.
Lattimore’s Saints future has long been a talking point, and in the build-up to the draft teams were aware he was on the market. In the end, New Orleans elected to keep the 28-year-old in the fold (although a trade was contemplated). Having received an option bonus just before the start of the year, Lattimore is only owed the outstanding portion of his $1.21MM base salary in 2024.
The former Defensive Rookie of the Year is also under contract for the 2025 and ’26 seasons as one of many Saints who have been involved in cap-related financial adjustments. Lattimore is due base salaries of $16MM and $16.5MM for those years, but none of that compensation is guaranteed. On March 20 of next year (as well as the one after), he is due a $2MM roster bonus, though. That, along with scheduled cap hits of $31.41MM and $28.56MM, make his pact one in need of further alterations in the event a trade were to be worked out.
Lattimore has spent his entire eight-year career with the Saints, starting all 97 of his appearances. The Ohio State product has dealt with multiple injuries in recent years, a factor which potential suitors are taking into account. Nevertheless, he could provide effective play in coverage for any number of teams looking for a boost in the secondary. Teams have until 3:00pm central to finalize a trade involving Lattimore or any other players the 2-7 Saints could be willing to part with.
Titans DL Sebastian Joseph-Day Drawing Interest; Arden Key Still A Trade Candidate
The Titans’ offense was altered ahead on the trade front with DeAndre Hopkins being dealt to the Chiefs. As the deadline approaches, the team’s defensive front is worth watching closely. 
Defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day is drawing trade interest, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. That is also the case for defensive end Arden Key, who was recently added to the list of trade candidates. Fowler adds nothing is imminent on either front at this point, but time still remains for negotiations to take place with contending teams.
Joseph-Day began his career with the Rams, and his time with them allowed him to establish himself as a high-end presence against the run. The Chargers inked him to a three-year, $24MM pact in 2022, but that investment did not produce the desired results. Shortly after the Bolts fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco last season, Joseph-Day was waived in a move which allowed him to return to the West Coast.
The 29-year-old quickly caught on with the 49ers to close out the campaign, but he was once again on the move in free agency this spring. Shortly after visiting the Titans, Joseph-Day inked a one-year deal. That pact includes a base salary of only $1.38MM, and paying out the remainder of that figure would be feasible for any number of teams looking to add along the D-line for the second half of the campaign. The former sixth-rounder has collected 21 tackles this season, along with 2.5 sacks.
Key was linked to the Cardinals over the weekend, with Arizona being one of several teams in the market for an addition along the edge. Given yesterday’s acquisition of Baron Browning, though, they are unlikely to make a further move on that front, especially since Key is not a rental. The former Raider, 49er and Jaguar nearly set a new career in sacks last year with six, and he is on his way to a new personal mark in 2024 (four in eight games). Key is on the books through 2025, and he is owed $7MM total that year along with a scheduled cap hit of $9.3MM.
Sitting at 2-6 on the year (despite boasting the league’s No. 1 total defense), the Titans represent obvious sellers for players who are pending free agents in particular. That makes Joseph-Day a strong candidate to be moved in the coming hours, but calls will no doubt continue coming in for Key as well.
Saints Fire HC Dennis Allen
After a seventh consecutive loss, the Saints are making a move on the sidelines. Head coach Dennis Allen has been fired, as first reported by Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
New Orleans started 2-0 in 2024, an encouraging sign for the team’s postseason outlook. Since then, however, little (if anything) has gone according to plan, with the offense suffering multiple injuries and the defense struggling to overcome a number of issues. On Sunday, the Saints lost to the Panthers in unwanted fashion. New Orleans outgained Carolina by a margin of over 150 yards while topping that figure on the ground and winning the turnover battle; over the past 20 years, no team had lost under those circumstances until yesterday (h/t ESPN’s Bill Barnwell).
No one contest is at the heart of any team’s decision to fire a coach, but in the wake of Week 9’s defeat today’s news comes as little surprise. Allen is meeting with the team now, Rapoport adds, and attention will soon turn to the question of who will take over the staff on an interim basis. On that note, Dianna Russini of The Athletic names special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi as a candidate to watch.
The Saints have indeed now named Rizzi as interim coach. The 54-year-old has head coaching experience at the college level, compiling a record of 18-23 with stints at New Haven and Rhode Island. He has been in the NFL since 2010, serving as the Dolphins’ special teams coordinator for nine years while also holding the title of associate head coach for a pair of seasons. Rizzi has been with the Saints since 2019, and since 2022 he has also served as an assistant head coach. New Orleans current sits fifth in special teams DVOA, a rare instance of success in an otherwise disappointing campaign.
Allen’s first head coaching gig saw him take charge of the Raiders for the 2012 and ’13 seasons. Only four games into his third season at the helm, he was dismissed. That was followed by a lengthy stint on Sean Payton‘s Saints staff as the team’s defensive coordinator. Once Payton departed, Allen was promoted and given a second opportunity to lead a staff. It has now ended in very similar fashion to his Raiders tenure, with a midseason dismissal coming down in Year 3. This marks the first in-season coaching change for New Orleans since 1996, when the team canned Jim Mora midway through his 11th season.
In 2022, the Saints posted a 7-10 record, with a strong defensive showing being weighed down by mediocre offensive production. The subsequent offseason was highlighted by Derek Carr‘s free agent signing, a move aimed at providing the team with a stable solution under center in the post-Drew Brees era. The former Raiders Pro Bowler showed improvement down the stretch, and the Saints improved to 9-8. That mark was insufficient for a postseason berth, however, and more significant changes were made on offense in response.
Longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael was replaced by Klint Kubiak during the 2024 offseason. The latter’s work in the run game in particular seemed to be on full display over the first two weeks of the year, but success on the ground or through the air has been hard to find since. Overall, New Orleans ranks 16th in total offense and 15th in scoring. The team’s defense – for many years a strength with Allen in place dating back to his time as DC – has regressed considerably, sitting 28th in yards allowed and 26th in scoring.
In the wake of those collective struggles, the Saints will move on in the hopes of sparking a turnaround in the second half of the season. Carr missed time but is now healthy, although New Orleans’ offensive line and receiving corps are both dealing with a number of notable absences. The team’s defense (including cornerback Marshon Lattimore) could become the subject of increased calls before tomorrow afternoon’s trade deadline. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero confirms, however, that a firesale should be considered unlikely even in the wake of this move.
Carr is owed a $30MM base salary next season, the third of his four-year contract. That figure is set to become guaranteed shortly after the start of the new league year in March, and with the Saints once again on track to face a myriad of cap issues his financial status will be worth watching closely. In addition to the team’s quarterback situation, a head coaching search will be a central storyline in 2025.