RB Ezekiel Elliott Addresses Reduced Cowboys Role
Ezekiel Elliott returned to the Cowboys this offseason, and he was positioned to occupy a role in the team’s backfield committee in 2024. So far, though, he has yet handle a notable workload. 
Elliott has logged a 31% snap share through five games this year. The former rushing champion has received double-digit carries once (Week 1), and his opportunities in the red zone have not been as frequent as expected. Viewed as a short-yardage specialist at this stage of his career, Elliott has seen Rico Dowdle handle the bulk of running back touches in a variety of situations over the past two weeks in particular.
When addressing the situation publicly, Elliott said he has spoken with the team about his usage. Signed to a one-year, $2MM deal following the draft, the 29-year-old was brought back shortly after Dallas elected not to add a rookie running back, something many expected the team to do. With Tony Pollard no longer in place, Dowdle has taken on lead back duties with Elliott seeing between three and six carries over the past four contests.
“It’s definitely a little different but keep your head down,” the former No. 4 pick said (via DLLS’s Clarence Hill Jr.). “I just focus on being a good teammate. I’ve been focusing on continuing to help lead this team and I’m not making it about me, it’s about this football team [winning] football games.”
Elliott’s efficiency waned over the final years of his first Dallas stint, and his yards per carry (3.5) last year with the Patriots were the lowest of his career. That figure currently sits at 3.3, and as such early-down usage should not be expected. Dalvin Cook resides on the practice squad, but he has yet to suit up for the Cowboys. Head coach Mike McCarthy indicated no changes to the workload at running back are anticipated at this point (h/t WFAA’s Ed Werder).
During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, owner Jerry Jones indicated (via Jon Machota of The Athletic) the Cowboys are “saving” Elliott at this point in the season. It will be interesting to see if the team – which ranks 31st in the league with an average of 82 rushing yards per game – leans on Elliott more following the discussion about his usage. How snaps are divvied up in the red zone in particular will be worth monitoring moving forward.
LB Jabril Cox Receives Medical Clearance
Jabril Cox attempted to land a roster spot with the Vikings this summer, but he was ultimately released via injury settlement. The fourth-year linebacker is now once again positioned to secure a deal. 
Cox has received clearance to return after rehabbing his groin injury, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. He adds Cox is expected to begin working out for interested teams shortly. He could have an opportunity in place before long as he looks to offer depth contributions for the rest of the campaign.
A fourth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2021, Cox made just seven appearances during his rookie campaign. An ACL tear abruptly ended his season, and he logged only nine games the following year. The LSU product handled just 45 defensive snaps during his time in Dallas, although he saw a heavy workload on special teams. After being waived during roster cutdowns last year, Cox spent time with the Commanders.
Initially signing on Washington’s practice squad, Cox made 10 appearances during his time with the team. Again, his usage did not include a role on defense but rather regular third phase usage. A special teams role will likely be targeted as he attempts to find a suitor midway through the season. A low-cost flier will be worked out if Cox impresses a team looking for depth at the linebacker spot in short order.
With the exception of the Panthers (who have jus $182K in cap space), every team in the league currently has the financial flexibility to afford a league-minimum Cox investment. Now that he is healthy, it will be interesting to see how quickly he manages to find a deal.
Browns WR Amari Cooper Does Not Expect To Be Traded
With the Browns sitting at 1-4 on the year, it would not come as a surprise if the team looked to deal one or more veterans ahead of the trade deadline. Receiver Amari Cooper does not expect to be among them, though. 
“I’m not thinking about that,” the pending free agent said about a trade (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “I’m not thinking about us not winning some games. I’m thinking about us winning some games. So that doesn’t even cross my mind.”
Cabot recently detailed the financial reasons why a trade is not feasible in Cooper’s case. As part of his restructure worked out this offseason, the five-time Pro Bowler’s salary was reduced to $1.21MM. Absorbing a prorated portion of that figure would be simple for an acquiring team, but a trade would leave the Browns to eat the remainder of Cooper’s bonus while incurring a dead money charge of over $7.5MM.
That would make a move a costly one from Cleveland’s perspective. On the other hand, the team’s latest Deshaun Watson restructure has left the team with ample cap space to absorb the dead money, and Watson’s acquisition left the Browns without a first-round pick for three straight years. Recouping some draft capital via a Cooper offload would offer long-term benefits. It would, though, leave Cleveland without a receiver who delivered on expectations during his first two seasons with the team.
The former first-rounder racked up over 70 catches and 1,100 yards in 2022 and ’23, totaling 14 touchdowns during that span. While Cooper has endured a slow start to the current campaign, the Browns’ offense as a whole has struggled mightily. Watson is not in danger of being benched, which could very well leave Cleveland firmly out of the playoff running closer to the deadline.
In that case, it will be interesting to see how much of a market develops for Cooper amongst contending teams. Davante Adams remains the most high-profile wideout known to be on the market, although the list of teams in position to acquire him has shrunk. Other receivers like Christian Kirk, DeAndre Hopkins and Diontae Johnson could find themselves as targets, particularly if the Browns elect to retain Cooper for the rest of 2024.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/24
Thursday’s taxi squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Mike Boone, DT Jayden Peevy, S Russ Yeast
- Released: TE Stephen Sullivan
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: G Javion Cohen, DT Sam Kamara, TE Blake Whiteheart
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DT Zachary Carter
New England Patriots
- Released: DT Trysten Hill
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE C.J. Uzomah
- Released: S Caden Sterns
Uzomah is a veteran of 106 games stemming from his seven-year run in Cincinnati followed by two years with the Jets. The 31-year-old has topped 400 receiving yards in a season only twice, but he has remained a consistent depth option in the passing game. He will aim to provide a rotational contribution behind Dallas Goedert in Philadelphia.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/24
Thursday’s minor moves, including elevations for the opening game of Week 6:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: CB Tony Brown
Green Bay Packers
- Signed (off Falcons’ practice squad): TE John FitzPatrick
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DT Matthew Butler
New England Patriots
- Signed (off Raiders’ practice squad): C Ben Brown
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DT Evan Anderson, S Jaylen Mahoney
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: CB Artie Burns
- Activated from PUP list: DT Cameron Young
- Placed on IR: OLB Uchenna Nwosu (story)
- Waived: G McClendon Curtis
- Elevated: OLB Jamie Sheriff, S Ty Okada
Washington Commanders
- Waived: QB Sam Hartman
QB P.J. Walker Lands CFL Deal
P.J. Walker briefly spent time with the Seahawks this summer, but he did not land a roster spot. Now, the journeyman quarterback has turned his attention north of the border. 
Walker signed with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders this week, per a team announcement. The 29-year-old has experience outside the NFL, having played with the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks in 2020, but this will be his first endeavor in Canada. Walker is open to any future NFL offers, but for the time being his attention will be turned to a potential starting role in Calgary.
“As long as the opportunities presented themselves in the NFL, I was always going to take those opportunities and — not saying they still can’t present themselves — but I really do want to play, I really do want to go out there and try to help the team win and contribute as much as I can,” Walker said (via John Hodge of 3 Down Nation). “I think that took a lot of the decision-making for me to come down here.”
The Temple product reunited with Matt Rhule by joining the Panthers in 2020 after the XFL folded. He made 15 appearances and seven starts across his three years in Carolina, throwing more than twice as many interceptions as touchdowns. Walker made a pair of starts last year with the Browns but his touchdown-to-interception ratio (1:5) remained poor. He is now positioned to have a brief audition period with Calgary in a bid to boost his value in either league.
The Toronto Argonauts originally held Walker’s negotiating rights and made a contract offer, Hodge reports. That was turned down given the presence of Chad Kelly, Toronto’s starter and reigning CFL Most Outstanding Player. Stampeders head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson said Calgary recently traded for Walker’s rights, setting up this signing as a potential commitment beyond the current campaign.
Three weeks remain in the CFL’s regular season, and the 4-10-1 Stampeders have been eliminated from playoff contention. Jake Maier – who entered the year as the team’s starter but who has been benched on multiple occasions – is a pending free agent, meaning a 2025 roster spot could be available to Walker if he impresses over the coming weeks. The former UDFA is currently on Calgary’s practice squad, and Dickinson did not make any assurances with respect to playing time once he acclimates to his new team. If Walker does manage to see the field, though, he could play his way into a gig for next season.
Patriots OC Alex Van Pelt Addresses Decision To Start Drake Maye
It was long expected the Patriots would turn to Drake Maye as their starting quarterback at some point this season. The rookie will get his first regular season start in Week 6 as the team looks to rebound from an anticipated but underwhelming showing on offense so far. 
Jacoby Brissett served as New England’s starter through the first five weeks of the campaign, operating offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt‘s scheme while Maye developed in practice. The latter handled a larger-than-usual workload with the first-team offense during the week, and New England’s coaching staff was impressed with his progress over time. With the Patriots failing to repeat the success of Week 1’s upset win, this week’s move came as little surprise.
“Offensively, we’re not where we want to be from a production standpoint, especially in the pass game,” Van Pelt said (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). “I think that that leads to some of that decision, and also the fact that to see [Maye’s] growth and development over those weeks of practice and what he’s put on on the practice field, I think the two of those combined.”
Van Pelt added he was “on board” with head coach Jerod Mayo‘s decision to bench Brissett. The 31-year-old took a one-year deal in free agency to return to New England (and reunite with Van Pelt), but it was widely known his time atop the depth chart would be temporary. Brissett has yet to throw for 170 yards in a game this year, and he has accounted for only two touchdowns. The team’s low-scoring loss to the Dolphins in Week 5 represented another poor showing on offense, but that contest alone was not responsible for the QB change.
As could be expected, Brissett expressed disappointment with the decision to install Maye (h/t the Boston Globe’s Christopher Price). If the move winds up being permanent, Brissett will head to free agency in 2025 without having helped his market value to a large extent. As the Patriots continue to deal with offensive line issues, however, Maye might end up struggling with sacks as Brissett did during his time as starter. A reversal of this week’s change would not threaten the No. 3 pick’s long-term standing in the organization, but it would allow Brissett to offer a veteran presence in a season which does not feature high expectations.
Jets GM Joe Douglas Not On Hot Seat?
Robert Saleh‘s firing (or at least the timing of the decision) came as a surprise to many inside the Jets’ organization, and it has led to speculation about further changes being on the horizon. For the time being, though, general manager Joe Douglas appears to be safe. 
The 2023 season was marred by offensive struggles, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ Week 1 Achilles tear resulted in ownership giving the franchise’s key decision-makers a mulligan. Five weeks into the current season, Saleh has been dismissed and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has been stripped of play-calling duties. Plenty of attention will therefore turn to the performances of interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich and passing came coordinator Todd Downing as the season unfolds.
Douglas was among the key personnel who avoided the threat of being fired after last season. Another campaign out of the playoffs would of course result in increased pressure for a front office change, but as things stand one does not appear imminent. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes owner Woody Johnson holds Douglas and Ulbrich in high regard, and they will have a 12-game audition period to create the possibility of remaining as a tandem for next year. As Fowler notes, Douglas’ contract will expire after the 2024 campaign, so his job security could change over the coming weeks.
After a lengthy tenure serving as a Ravens scout, Douglas spent a single season as the Bears’ college scouting director. That was followed by a stint as the VP of player personnel in Philadelphia and then, in 2019, his current position at the helm of the Jets. Douglas’ tenure consists of a 29-59 record with his rebuilding efforts being set back by multiple failed quarterback draft investments. The Rodgers trade acquisition was aimed at immediate contention, but after a 7-10 season (largely without him available) and a 2-3 start to the current campaign, improvement will be needed moving forward to meet that goal.
Fowler reports Johnson had “concerns” about Saleh’s leadership, adding tension was believed to exist between the fourth-year coach and the Jets. While that issue did not rise to the level of a mutiny being possible, players were known to be frustrated by the team’s consistent struggles on offense. Johnson was serving as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom when Saleh was hired, a factor which no doubt impacted his thought process before singularly deciding to replace him with Ulbrich.
The latter will be tasked with overseeing improvement on offense with Downing calling plays. Reaching the postseason would help their respective job securities while also boosting Douglas’ chances of remaining in place for a seventh season as general manager.
Packers To Place Luke Musgrave On IR; TE Could Return In 2024
Luke Musgrave is set to miss time. The second-year tight end is dealing with an ankle injury which will land him on injured reserve, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said on Thursday. 
Musgrave dressed for Green Bay’s Week 5 game against the Rams, but he did not see any playing time. He managed to take part in practice yesterday, but LaFleur added (via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) the team was unaware of the extent of Musgrave’s injury until recently. Moving the 24-year-old to injured reserve will ensure an absence of at least four games and allow him to recover.
The Packers hope to have Musgrave back in the fold at some point this season, but for the time being the team’s offense will move forward without one of its many young skill-position players. Despite only playing 11 regular season games last year, the Oregon State alum managed 352 yards and one touchdown on 34 receptions; he added another score during Green Bay’s playoff run. Coming off that level of production, expectations were high for a step forward in Year 2.
Musgrave managed just five receptions in his four games to date in 2024, but his injury hampered his effectiveness. Rather than continuing to suit up at less than 100%, his attention will turn to rehab. That will leave Tucker Kraft – selected one round after Musgrave in last April’s draft – alone atop the TE depth chart for the time being. Kraft had a slow start to the year, but he has combined for 10 catches, 141 yards and three touchdowns over the past two games. Continuing that level of involvement in the offense would help compensate for Musgrave’s absence as Green Bay seeks to have quarterback Jordan Love move past the MCL injury which affected his start to the campaign.
The Packers were among the teams to take advantage of the new IR rules with respect to summer roster planning. Defensive lineman Jonathan Ford was designated for return from injured reserve before the cutdown deadline, a move which prevented him from being named to the initial roster. It used up one of Green Bay’s eight IR activations for the season, though, and doing the same with Musgrave will be necessary if he is indeed able to recover at some point before the end of the campaign.
49ers Place S Talanoa Hufanga On IR; K Jake Moody An IR Candidate
OCTOBER 9: The 49ers are following through with an IR move for one of these regulars. Hufanga is heading back to IR, the team announced. Finishing last season sidelined due to an ACL tear, Hufanga is expected back this season. But the All-Pro safety will be shut down for at least four games. The 49ers signed tight end Brayden Willis from their practice squad to take Hufanga’s roster spot.
OCTOBER 8: Talanoa Hufanga has managed to make a pair of appearances this season for the 49ers, but his next game action will come after a notable absence. The All-Pro safety is dealing with ligament damage in his wrist, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday. 
[RELATED: 49ers Place Yetur Gross-Matos On IR]
As a result, Hufanga is facing an absence of roughly one month. A stint on injured reserve would ensure at least a four-game absence, making that a consideration in this case. Shanahan added (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) the team has yet to decide if an IR stint will be in store.
In either case, today’s news is unwelcomed given Hufanga’s importance to the 49ers’ secondary and his missed time from last year. The 25-year-old suffered a torn ACL in November, limiting him to 10 regular season games and sidelining him for San Francisco’s run to the Super Bowl. Hufanga was activated from the PUP list at the end of the summer, though, making him eligible to play within the first four weeks of the campaign upon returning to practice.
The former fifth-rounder made his season debut in Week 3 before missing the following contest. Hufanga then suffered his latest injury early in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, a game which dropped the 49ers’ record to 2-3. Rebounding from that poor start will be challenging as the team deals with several key absences on defense.
In other injury news, kicker Jake Moody – who is dealing with a high ankle sprain – is facing a similar recovery timeline, per Shanahan. He too could land on IR, something which would result in an extended audition period for the team’s new kicker. Matthew Wright is now in place as Moody’s replacement, having agreed to a practice squad deal earlier today.
The 49ers designated defensive tackle Kalia Davis for return from IR before the roster cutdown deadline. That move used one of their eight activations for the year (although Davis has not yet been brought back into the fold), with running back Christian McCaffrey, cornerback Ambry Thomas and Jon Feliciano all still on injured reserve. First-round rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall remains on the reserve/NFI list for now; all four members of that group will use up an activation once they are healthy. The 49ers must therefore be careful with IR designations moving forward, but one or both of Hufanga and Moody could be shelved for four games soon.