Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/24
Friday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: LB Dennis Gardeck (story)
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: DT DeWayne Carter
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: WR Dee Eskridge
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: DT Byron Young
Carter is dealing with a wrist injury which will require surgery. Head coach Sean McDermott indicated (via Katherine Fitzgerald of the Buffalo News) the team was initially unsure of if a stint on injured reserve would be needed. Now that the third-round rookie has been moved to IR, he will miss at least the next four games. Carter has appeared in all seven of Buffalo’s contests this year, logging a 39% snap share.
Dolphins Place QB Tyler Huntley On IR
Just as the Dolphins are set to get Tua Tagovailoa back in the lineup this week, they will be without Tyler Huntley for an extended stretch. The latter was placed on injured reserve Friday, per a team announcement. 
Huntley is dealing with the shoulder injury which forced him out of Miami’s Week 7 contest. As a result of today’s news, he will be sidelined for at least the next four games. Of course, Tagovailoa’s return lessens the impact of losing Huntley, but his absence will still leave Miami short on depth options under center. The former Raven made three starts while filling in for the team’s injured starter.
Signed off Baltimore’s practice squad not long after Tagovailoa’s concussion, Huntley quickly became the Dolphins’ preferred QB option despite being unfamiliar with head coach Mike McDaniel‘s scheme. Former seventh-rounder Skylar Thompson did not fare well during his 2024 opportunities, nor did veteran Tim Boyle. The Dolphins’ offense has regressed considerably compared to last year in the wake of Tagovailoa going down, and the team ranks last in the NFL in scoring (11.7 yards per game).
Huntley spent much of his Baltimore tenure serving as Lamar Jackson‘s backup, and he made 22 appearances (including 10 starts) between the regular and postseason during that time. He joined the Browns in free agency as one of their depth signal-callers, but he was ultimately let go ahead of the roster cutdown deadline. That paved the way to a Ravens reunion, but by virtue of joining the team’s practice squad he was eligible to take a different opportunity on an active roster elsewhere.
The former UDFA managed just 377 yards and one touchdown (along with one interception) on 59.1% passing during his time atop the Dolphins’ depth chart. While Huntley added 67 yards and another score on the ground, his audition period with Miami will likely not yield a strong free agent market during the spring. With Tagovailoa back in the fold, Thompson and Boyle will be used as the team’s other signal-callers while attempting to rebound from a 2-4 start.
Bears Waive WR Velus Jones
Velus Jones has not lived up to expectations with Chicago, and he may now be out of the organization altogether. The third-year receiver was placed on waivers Friday, per a team announcement. 
Jones will be available on the wire to any team interested in adding him as a depth option on offense and/or as a returner. Given his sparse production, though, it would come as little surprise if the former third-rounder were to go unclaimed. In that event, he would be eligible to remain with the Bears on a practice squad contract or join a new team in free agency.
Expectations were high for the 27-year-old upon entering the NFL, but he has not managed to carve out a major role to date. Jones logged a snap share of just 22% on offense during his rookie year, although he did serve as Chicago’s primary kick returner and averaged 27.6 yards per return. The USC and Tennessee product found himself on the roster bubble last summer, but he survived cutdowns; once again, though, he was a non-factor on offense.
This past offseason saw the arrival of Keenan Allen via trade and the addition of Rome Odunze in the first round of the draft, adding further competition for Jones on the WR depth chart. The latter took reps at running back in a renewed bid to keep his roster spot during the summer, and he did indeed make the team to start the year. Jones has not played since Week 1, though, a game in which he received two carries and made one catch.
Free agent pickup D’Andre Swift has enjoyed a productive run over the past three games, and Chicago also has Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer and (at least for now) Khalil Herbert as backfield depth. The presence of those options has led to today’s move, which comes with Jones still having another full season on his rookie contract. Presuming he clears waivers, it will be interesting to see if a market emerges.
The Bears also let go of fullback Khari Blasingame on Friday. The veteran was among Chicago’s initial roster cuts before the start of the season, but he was re-signed shortly thereafter. He will not hit the waiver wire, but of course like Jones he represents a candidate to be retained on the Bears’ taxi squad. Chicago has several players set to be activated from IR, so a move or two on that front could be coming soon with two roster spots having been opened.
Myles Garrett Does Not Expect To Be Traded; Browns Receiving Calls On Za’Darius Smith
Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett have been floated as potential trade chips ahead of this year’s deadline, and in either case a deal being worked out would amount to a blockbuster. The latter made it clear on Friday he does not see himself being moved, however. 
“I’ll be playing here,” Garrett declared when asked about his future with the Browns beyond the November 5 deadline (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com). With the team sitting a 1-6 on the year, a seller’s standpoint – beyond the decision to trade away wideout Amari Cooper – would come as no surprise. Teams have called about Garrett’s availability, but no consideration is being given to a move sending him (or three-time Pro Bowl corner Denzel Ward, for that matter) elsewhere.
Garrett, 28, has been banged up this season but he has managed to play every game to date. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has posted at least 10 sacks every year since 2018, and is currently tied for the team lead this campaign with four. With term left on his contract (one which could very well be extended with the arrival of a raise and new guarantees this offseason), it would be challenging for any contending team to swing a deal.
“I hope not,” Garrett added when asked about hypothetically playing for another team at some point. “I’ve always said I want to play here to the end of my career. I want to win here. I want to bring a championship here, so that doesn’t cross my mind… No one should be worried about the situation with Amari and how that affects them. We’re still here.”
While a trade involving Garrett would be highly surprising, fellow edge rusher Za’Darius Smith could be on the move soon. The 32-year-old is not a pending free agent, but without any guaranteed salary due in 2025 he could be considered a rental by an acquiring team. Smith’s recent remarks made it clear he is open to a trade, and connections have emerged linking him to the Aidan Hutchinson-less Lions. Cabot confirms the Browns are receiving calls on Smith, so a longer list of candidates to add (or perhaps reunite with) him could emerge in the coming days.
Smith shares Cleveland’s team lead in terms of sack production, and he has reached double-digits in that regard three times in his career. With the Browns since the 2023 offseason, he could be on the move relatively soon; that is very unlikely to be the case for Garrett, though.
Trade Candidate: Miles Sanders
Miles Sanders‘ future in Carolina was a talking point leading up to the campaign, and his situation still makes a departure something to watch closely for. The veteran running back is drawing trade interest as the Panthers contemplate offloading any number of contracts in the near future. 
Sanders is among the players who have been mentioned in trade talk, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. Carolina’s backfield already includes Chuba Hubbard, and second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks is close to being activated. The presence of those two threatens to make Sanders expendable. Indeed, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports as well as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler note the 27-year-old is believed to be on the trade block.
[RELATED: Panthers Not Planning To Trade Chuba Hubbard]
That comes as no surprise given the extent to which Sanders’ Panthers tenure has been a disappointment. The former Eagle had a career year in 2022, reaching a new personal watermark in yards (1,269) and touchdowns (11) en route to a Pro Bowl nod. Such production made him an attractive option on the open market, and he landed a four-year, $25.4MM pact with Carolina. That marked the largest running back investment of the 2022 offseason and led to high expectations for a strong showing in an undisputed lead back role.
However, Sanders averaged only 3.3 yards per carry in his debut Panthers campaign. He was overtaken by Hubbard on the depth chart, which led to speculation a change of scenery could be in store. It became clear right after the draft, however, that Carolina general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales – neither of whom held those titles when Sanders was signed – intended to keep Sanders in place. The former third-rounder briefly faced the prospect of further backfield competition when Rashaad Penny was brought in, but the oft-injured veteran ultimately retired.
In spite of that development, along with Brooks starting the year on the NFI list, Sanders has logged only a 34% snap share in 2024. The Penn State product has turned 33 carries into 132 yards and one touchdown while adding 65 scoreless yards in the passing game. He is therefore on track for the least-productive season of his six-year career, something which will of course hinder his market value in the eyes of prospective suitors. On the other hand, Carolina has boasted one of the league’s worst offensive lines during Sanders’ time with the team, and an upgraded situation up front could spark a late-season rebound.
An acquiring team would be responsible for the remainder of Sanders’ $4.02MM base salary for this year, something which should be manageable for at least most teams eyeing backfield depth. He is due a $1MM roster bonus on the third day of the 2025 and ’26 league years, but none of his scheduled base salaries for those campaigns are guaranteed. As such, Sanders can be considered a rental or a player whose long-term outlook will depend on a restructure being worked out with his next team aimed at lowering his future cap hits ($8.18MM, then $6.98MM).
The running back position has stagnated in value compared to a number of other positions in recent years, although several veterans changed teams this spring on the open market. Sanders could soon be on the move via trade, and in that event he would have the opportunity to start over with a new team (although he would likely be intended as simply a rotational contributor, rather than a starter, on a contender). If not, the 1-6 Panthers will have a surplus at the running back spot once Brooks is activated.
Lions WR Jameson Williams Will Not Appeal PED Suspension
It was announced on Monday that Jameson Williams will serve a two-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy. The third-year Lions wideout will not be appealing the ban. 
In a statement, Williams noted the news of the ban was a “complete surprise.” The same is of course true of several players when they address similar situations, but in spite of the fact he was caught off guard Williams will not attempt to have the suspension reduced. He will miss Detroit’s Week 8 and 9 matchups as the team looks to continue its four-game winning streak.
“I don’t take supplements or vitamins and I am overly cautious about even taking over-the-counter medicine,” the 23-year-old said. “At no time have I ever taken something in an attempt to cheat or look for an unfair advantage. I understand that I am responsible for everything that goes into my body and I have to take accountability in this instance.”
Williams’ rookie season saw him only make six appearances as he rehabbed the ACL tear which ended his college career. The former No. 12 pick was then delayed in making his season debut last year due to a gambling suspension, but he proved to be an effective deep threat once he was on the field. Entering the 2024 season as Detroit’s WR2, Williams has been a strong contributor with 361 yards and three touchdowns on 17 catches.
In his absence, Amon-Ra St. Brown will remain the Lions’ top receiver and he could see an uptick in targets. The same could also be true of tight end Sam LaPorta. In terms of secondary wideouts, Tim Patrick has handled a 45% snap share with his new team, so the former Bronco could step into Williams’ role on a temporary basis. Kalif Raymond is also a candidate for extra snaps and targets during the next two weeks.
Williams will be eligible for an extension this offseason, and Detroit will also have a decision to make on his fifth-year option in the spring. The presence of multiple suspensions on his resume will not help his value on either front, but his attention and that of the team will turn to replicating his early-season production once he is back on the field.
Cowboys TE John Stephens Suffers Torn ACL
John Stephens has once again suffered a season-ending knee injury. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Thursday (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) the second-year tight end tore his ACL.
The injury occurred during practice yesterday, and Stephens will miss the remainder of the campaign as a result. ESPN’s Todd Archer reports the injury affected Stephens’ left knee, which represents another unfortunate element of today’s news. The former UDFA also tore the ACL in his left knee last year during the preseason.
Stephens has therefore yet to make a regular season appearance in his career. Dallas’ decision to keep him in the fold this past offseason speaks to how the organization views his upside as at least a depth contributor, however. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys once again elect to hold onto the 25-year-old as he undergoes a lengthy rehab process for the second consecutive year.
Dallas has Jake Ferguson atop the tight end depth chart; the former fourth-rounder has established himself as a key figure on offense as one of Dak Prescott‘s favorite targets. Dallas’ other options at that position are 2023 second-rounder Luke Schoonmaker and undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford. Stephens could still find himself in that mix next year, but for the time being his attention will shift to his upcoming surgery and the resultant recovery which will be needed.
Giants Host LT D.J. Humphries
OCTOBER 24: Daboll said on Thursday (via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News) no agreement is imminent between Humphries and the Giants. Ezeudu is set to take first-team left tackle reps in practice again today, meanwhile, suggesting he will in fact handle starting duties on the blindside once more in Week 8.
OCTOBER 22: The Giants continue to search for a stop-gap solution at the left tackle spot in the wake of losing Andrew Thomas. New York is set to host D.J. Humphries on a free agent visit today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
[RELATED: Giants Still Committed To Daniel Jones As Starting QB]
Thomas will miss the remainder of the season due to a foot injury, and his absence was acutely felt in Week 7. The Giants gave up eight sacks in a blowout loss to the Eagles, with Joshua Ezeudu struggling in Thomas’ place. Head coach Brian Daboll did not commit to Ezeudu as New York’s blindside blocker moving forward (h/t Dan Duggan of The Athletic), which opened the door to other options being explored.
Humphries suffered an ACL tear late last season, making him a longshot to be healthy in time for the start of the 2024 campaign. After eight years and 98 starts with Arizona, the 30-year-old was released in March. The Cardinals used 2023 sixth overall pick Paris Johnson Jr. at right tackle during his rookie campaign, but moving on from Humphries allowed the team to switch him to the blindside. Last month, general manager Monti Ossenfort said a reunion with Humphries could be possible.
Today’s news means outside interest exists as well, though. At a minimum, the former first-rounder is clearly making progress in his recovery, and if healthy he could handle left tackle duties for the Giants as they look to find stability up front. The former Pro Bowler’s best season in terms of PFF evaluation came in 2020; he has not managed to repeat that 88.3 overall mark since, but he could offer capable play to finish out the season. Doing so would not set Humphries up as a long-term Thomas replacement, but it would of course boost his free agent value.
The Giants have Jermaine Eluemunor as an option to flip from right to left tackle, something he has done in the past. Doing so would create a starting RT vacancy which recent addition Chris Hubbard could fill; the same is true of 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal. As Duggan notes, though, the latter did not see action in mop-up duty once the offensive starters were pulled on Sunday. That suggests Neal is not in the team’s plans for a first-team (or even top backup) gig any time soon. Especially if another veteran were to be signed from outside the organization, Neal would face the threat of falling further down the tackle depth chart.
With roughly $2.9MM in cap space, New York could afford a modest deal for Humphries or another option at the left tackle spot. The Florida product has been attached an eight-figure AAV on each of his last two contracts, but whether it comes from the Giants or another team his next pact will of course be much smaller in value.
Chiefs Place WR Skyy Moore On IR
Just as one wideout is set to join the Chiefs, another is facing a notable absence. Skyy Moore has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
Moore is dealing with a core muscle injury, and today’s move guarantees at least a four-game absence. Of course, that will add further to the injury issues which Kansas City has dealt with in 2024, with Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice done for the year. News of Moore’s upcoming absence comes at the same time the DeAndre Hopkins acquisition has become official.
Moore has appeared in all six of the Chiefs’ games so far this year, but he has been an afterthought on offense. The former second-rounder has been held without a catch in 2024, receiving only three targets. As a result, his absence will not represent as much of a blow to the team’s passing attack as that of Rice or Brown. Still, today’s news means Kansas City will be even thinner at the WR spot for a stretch.
A knee injury limited Moore to 14 games last season, and even though he was activated in time for the Super Bowl he did not take part in that contest. The 24-year-old did not live up to expectations in 2023, one in which he posted a 21-244-1 statline. That production roughly matched the output from his rookie campaign, even though last year Moore logged a much larger workload. Despite the banged-up nature of Kansas City’s receiver room in 2024, he has only handled a 20% offensive snap share.
Hopkins will no doubt take on a full-time starting role upon arrival with the defending champions. He will be joined by JuJu Smith-Schuster (who will miss Week 8 due to a hamstring injury) in time as he acclimates to his latest team. Kansas City also has first-round rookie Xavier Worthy, along with veterans Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson at the WR spot. Moore will look to re-join that group in time for the end of the campaign.
Kansas City has seven IR activations remaining for the year, one of which will be needed to bring starting running back Isiah Pacheco back into the fold. Moore remains attached to his rookie contract through 2025.
Patriots’ Kayshon Boutte Unhappy With Role
Not much has gone right for the Patriots this season, and the team currently sits at 1-6 on the year. Frustration has grown in the case of another member of the receiving corps. 
Kayshon Boutte began the season behind a number of receivers on New England’s depth chart. Returnees Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton and the then-injured Kendrick Bourne found themselves higher in the packing order; the same was also true of free agent addition K.J. Osborn and second-round rookie Ja’Lynn Polk. Boutte was inactive for the first two weeks of the season, but he has since seen his workload increase considerably.
Still, that has not translated into a notable uptick in targets. The 2023 sixth-rounder’s largest involvement in a game so far was in Week 6 when he recorded three receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Boutte has specifically requested for plays to be called for him during recent games, something he feels should not be necessary.
“For me personally, in the game, I get frustrated when I’m not getting thrown the ball knowing that I’ve caught every ball that’s thrown to me this season,” Boutte said (via MassLive’s Mark Daniels). “So, I just feel like I would always go to the sideline and demand the ball. So, whether it was that deep ball – I asked for that. The Texans game, I asked for that. So, I feel like I shouldn’t have to really ask.”
The LSU product has hauled in eight of 10 targets in 2024, and his catch percentage leads all New England receivers. His 17.4 yards per reception average is the highest mark on the team, an indication he could be in line for a larger involvement in the passing game as the season moves forward. Developing rookie quarterback Drake Maye (who is now in place as New England’s starter) is of course the team’s top priority for 2024, and strong play from the receiver spot would be key in that process.
Osborn – whose playing time has been reduced since he returned to the lineup – has also been frustrated with his usage in 2024. The former Viking signed a one-year, $4MM pact to head to New England as the team sought out upgrades in the passing game. Part of than plan in that respect was development from recent draftees such as Douglas, Thornton and Boutte. The latter was the subject of an investigation into gambling during his time in college, but charges were dropped in July.
Boutte, 22, made just five appearances during his rookie campaign, one which included being benched for eight consecutive games. He remains attached to his rookie contract through 2026, so plenty of time remains for the Patriots to sort out his role on offense. It will be interesting to see how things shake out at the receiver spot moving forward with multiple members of the unit making it known they are dissatisfied.