Steelers Sign WRs Ben Skowronek, Quez Watkins To Practice Squad
The Steelers have officially become runners-up for Brandon Aiyuk, so questions will remain with respect to their receiver depth. The team will have options available on the practice squad once the season begins, though. 
Ben Skowronek was added to Pittsburgh’s taxi squad on Friday, per a team announcement. The 27-year-old spent his first three seasons with the Rams, making 11 starts in 2022. His offensive snap share for the other two campaigns was only 19%, however, and Los Angeles made the decision to move on this offseason. Skowronek was dealt to the Texans in May.
The former seventh-rounder joined a crowded receiver room in Houston, and both he and Noah Brown were among the Texans’ final roster cuts. Skowronek cleared waivers, leaving him free to sign with any team. He will now attempt to earn a promotion to Pittsburgh’s active roster while the team sorts out its receiver pecking order. George Pickens will operate as the Steelers’ top wideout, with Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, Scotty Miller and third-round rookie Roman Wilson in place as complementary options.
The Steelers also announced that Quez Watkins has inked a practice squad deal. The former Eagle signed with Pittsburgh in free agency, a move which he believed offered him the opportunity of a starting spot. Instead, Watkins was one of the team’s cuts earlier this week. As a vested veteran, he immediately hit the open market; like many players around the league, the 26-year-old has elected to remain with the same organization by taking a taxi squad deal.
Watkins averaged an impressive 15 yards per catch during his second year in the league. His role shrank over the past two seasons, though, leaving him out of Philadelphia’s plans for 2024 and beyond. It will be interesting to see if he and/or Skowronek mange to find themselves on the active roster relatively soon or if Pittsburgh’s other receivers prove to be sufficient in a scheme now led by quarterback Russell Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
WR Michael Thomas Issued One-Game Suspension
Michael Thomas remains a free agent, and he is set to miss the opening game of the campaign if he lands with a team before Week 1. The former Saints All-Pro has been given a one-game suspension, as noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 
This ban will be classified as a personal conduct violation, Rapoport adds. The suspension stems from a November incident for which Thomas was arrested. The 31-year-old was alleged to have pushed a contractor and thrown a brick at his windshield after a verbal altercation. Thomas’ representation later denied the situation became violent.
In March, it was learned Thomas was set to enter a pre-trial diversion program. Upon its completion, the case – which brought forth misdemeanor simple battery and criminal mischief charges – was dropped. That brought an end to the three-time Pro Bowler’s legal situation, but precedent has shown criminal convictions are not required for NFL suspensions to be handed down. In this case, Thomas will now be required to sit out at least the opening game of the campaign, although he is currently set to miss much more time than that in the absence of a contract.
Thomas was among the NFL’s top receivers during his prime years in New Orleans. The former second-rounder broke the all-time receptions record in 2019 (149), leading the league in yards as well (1,725). That production earned him Offensive Player of the Year honors, but things have not gone according to plan since. Injuries limited him to 10 games between 2020 and ’22, and he suited up for that many contests last season.
In a move set up by the nature of his contract, Thomas was cut by the Saints this offseason. No teams have been connected to a free agent pursuit due to the long list of ailments he has dealt with in recent years, something which has of course also hurt his production. Thomas remains free to sign with a new team at any time, but in the wake of today’s news his chances of landing a deal before the start of the season have taken a hit.
Ravens To Bring Back QB Tyler Huntley
Shortly after being let go by the Browns, Tyler Huntley is positioned to return to his original team. The veteran quarterback is expected to re-join the Ravens, per veteran reporter Jordan Schultz. 
Huntley joined Baltimore as an undrafted free agent in 2019, and he made his first regular season appearances the following season. The Utah alum ultimately earned the backup gig, and across the past four years he has totaled 21 appearances and 10 starts. Those figures include the Ravens’ wild-card loss in the 2022 playoffs as he filled in for an injured Lamar Jackson.
In 2023 – the first year of Jackson’s monster extension – the two-time MVP was able to remain healthy for a full campaign. That limited Huntley’s workload to four appearances in mop-up duty before getting the start for a Week 18 contest after the Ravens had clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Utah product signed a one-year deal with the Browns in free agency with Baltimore electing to lean on journeyman Josh Johnson for the QB2 gig.
Cleveland also signed Jameis Winston in free agency, however, and the former No. 1 pick was retained after the team reportedly tried to find a trade partner for either he or Huntley. Roster cuts came and went without a deal being made on that front, but with the Browns also carrying Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Huntley became the odd man out on the depth chart. He will now return to Baltimore in a bid to further build his free agent stock.
The 26-year-old will join the Ravens via a practice squad deal, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic confirms. Baltimore had one open spot on the taxi squad going into Friday, and Huntley will now fill it while representing a familiar option at the position. Baltimore kept Jackson and Johnson on the active roster during cutdowns, waiving sixth-round rookie Devin Leary after he had an underwhelming preseason. Leary went unclaimed, though, and he signed to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Leary is viewed as a developmental option, and Huntley’s presence will give the Ravens another known commodity under center while he progresses. Baltimore is among the teams currently slated to be over the 2024 salary cap, but this move will no doubt be a one-year investment at a low cost. It will be interesting to see if Huntley winds up seeing any game time upon returning to his first NFL team.
Chargers Release S Tony Jefferson
Tony Jefferson survived the Chargers’ initial roster cuts, but he is set to quickly hit the open market. The veteran safety is being released, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement. 
[RELATED: Chargers Acquire Taylor Heinicke From Falcons]
Rapoport notes, to little surprise, that Jefferson is expected to remain in the organization by signing a practice squad deal. The 32-year-old retired last May, but he spent the spring attempting an NFL comeback. That process included a free agent visit with the Chargers in June, and it resulted in a contract later that month.
Jefferson began his career with the Cardinals, and he landed a big-ticket free agent deal with the Ravens in 2017. The former UDFA spent three seasons in Baltimore, serving as a full-time starter until an ACL tear ended his 2019 campaign. Jefferson followed defensive coordinator Don Martindale to the Giants in 2022, making nine appearances. That was a positive sign after he had missed 2020 altogether and bounced on and off the Ravens’ and 49ers’ rosters the following year.
Presuming Jefferson is retained on the taxi squad, he will provide depth to the Chargers – a team which features a familiar face in defensive coordinator Jesse Minter – in the secondary. Given the time which has elapsed since his last game action, expectations will be relatively low if/when he is signed back to the active roster. Still, Jefferson could prove to be an effective pickup as the Bolts aim to find low-cost contributors on defense and special teams.
In another roster move, the Chargers waived running back Jaret Patterson. The former Commander played two seasons in Washington, but did not make any regular season appearances last season. He signed a futures deal with Los Angeles in January, and he managed to remain on the roster until today. Patterson will now hit the waiver wire, and if he clears he will be free to re-sign with the Bolts on the practice squad or join a new team in advance of Week 1.
Eagles Place James Bradberry On IR
1:55pm: The Eagles have indeed placed Bradberry on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the first four games of the season. In a corresponding move, veteran special teamer Oren Burks has been signed to the active roster (h/t PHLY’s Zach Berman).
12:12 pm: James Bradberry made the Eagles’ 53-man roster after drawing trade interest. The veteran defensive back will not be available at the start of the season, however. 
Bradberry suffered a lower leg injury during practice on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. The ailment involves a tendon, so while surgery will not be needed, a notable absence is expected. Bradberry is facing a six-to-eight week recovery timetable, per the report.
The 31-year-old was on the roster bubble throughout the offseason, one in which he transitioned from corner to safety. It would not have come as a surprise if Bradberry had been dealt, and the Titans inquired about a potential swap. In the end, though, the former Pro Bowler secured a roster spot during cutdowns on Tuesday, putting him in line for a role of some kind at safety. Philadelphia’s depth on the backend will now be tested.
Bradberry suggested the position change after spending his first eight seasons as a corner. He remained a full-time starter during his first two Eagles campaigns, but one of the team’s top priorities in the offseason was upgrading in the secondary. Philadelphia selected Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the first two rounds of the draft, and they are both in line for notable roles as rookies. Darius Slay remains in place as a veteran first-team option at cornerback.
The Eagles’ safety depth chart consists of C.J. Gardner-Johnson (with whom the team reunited in free agency), Reed Blankenship, Sydney Brown and Avonte Maddox. The latter has seen time at slot corner, but he joined Bradberry in making the move to safety this year. Philadelphia will thus have a number of options to choose from while Bradberry is sidelined, but a decision will now need to be made in his case regarding injured reserve.
Moving players to IR guarantees at least a four-game absence, and teams have eight total activations available for the regular season. In the Eagles’ case, two of those will be used when veteran tight end Albert Okwuegbunam and rookie receiver Ainias Smith are brought back into the fold. One of Philadelphia’s moves during the cutdown deadline was also the decision to place Brown on the reserve/PUP list, meaning he will miss the opening four games at a minimum. With Bradberry now on the mend as well, it will be interesting to see if the team pursues a short-term depth addition at safety.
WR Robbie Chosen Joins Dolphins’ Practice Squad
In need of healthy options in the receiving corps, the Dolphins have brought back a familiar face. Robbie Chosen is back in the organization, as noted by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
This will be a practice squad arrangement, Jackson adds. The 31-year-old could soon see himself elevated to the active roster given the injuries the team is currently dealing with, however. Odell Beckham Jr. and River Cracraft are set to miss the first four games of the season. Beckham will begin the year on the reserve/PUP list, while Cracraft was classified as injured reserve/designated for return on Tuesday.
Beckham’s health status has been a talking point during the offseason, and the team elected to take a cautious approach by keeping him on the PUP list to start the regular season. A new rule for 2024 allowed teams to place two players on IR without naming them to the 53-man roster, but they will still count toward the limit of eight regular season activations once healthy enough to be brought back. While they are sidelined, Chose could step into a depth role.
The former Jet, Panther and Cardinal made three appearances last season with the Dolphins. That span included only four catches (one of which was a touchdown), so it came as no surprise he had a lengthy spell on the free agent market. Chosen signed with the 49ers earlier this month, but despite not having Brandon Aiyuk in the fold for the time being the team included him in its roster cuts on Tuesday. Rather than taking a practice squad deal in San Francisco, the Temple product has elected to return to Miami.
The Dolphins waived Erik Ezukanma to reach the 53-man limit, but they have since added him to the practice squad. He will join Chosen as a pass-catching option capable of filling out the depth chart while Beckham and Cracraft rehab their respective injuries.
Jets GM Joe Douglas Addresses Haason Reddick Holdout
The Jets have at least the bulk of their 53-man roster in place as the countdown to Week 1 continues. Haason Reddick remains away from the team, however, and general manager Joe Douglas‘ comments on the matter do not suggest a resolution is imminent. 
“Nothing has changed from our end,” Douglas said on Thursday (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “Obviously [I have] a ton of respect for Haason and awaiting his arrival and, you know, looking forward to when he does, he’s going to be welcomed with open arms.”
The Pro Bowl edge rusher has one year remaining on his current deal. Failed attempts to land an Eagles extension resulted in a trade with the Jets being worked out. Brief communication with New York on a new contract took place, but no agreement was worked out. Team and player appeared ready to continue negotiating during the offseason; instead, no talks have taken place recently. That has led to $50K in mandatory daily fines being accumulated and no progress being made toward a resolution.
Reddick is still absent from the Jets after his trade request went public. Douglas – who insisted no consideration will be given to dealing him – has remained firm in his stance that no new negotiations will commence until Reddick reports to the team. The 29-year-old’s holdout could stretch into the regular season, although some time still remains for an extension to be hammered out or for incentives to be added for 2024.
“In simple terms, we did talk about an extension,” Douglas added. “Once one wasn’t agreed upon, we had the conversation and we felt good about making the trade. Obviously, he came here, reported [for an introductory press conference], had a great day here. And, again, we’re just awaiting his arrival.”
New York has a number of edge rushers in place, and the team’s front seven is expected to remain one of the stronger units in the league with or without Reddick in the fold. The veteran sack artist’s presence would be a major boost, however, considering Bryce Huff departed in free agency and John Franklin-Myers was traded during the draft. Reddick would be subject to missed game checks on a weekly basis if his holdout continued into September, something which appears to remain a distinct possibility.
Vikings Sign QB Brett Rypien, Waive QB Jaren Hall
Brett Rypien has not needed to wait long to find a new gig. The veteran quarterback signed with the Vikings on Thursday, per a team announcement. 
In a corresponding move, 2023 fifth-rounder Jaren Hall has been waived. Minnesota’s depth chart is still set at the top with Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens. In the wake of rookie J.J. McCarthy‘s season-ending season-ending meniscus surgery, though, the team looked into options for the third quarterback role. Matt Corral was briefly with the team, but he was among the Vikings’ initial roster cuts.
That move had Hall positioned to remain on the 53-man roster, but instead he will now hit the waiver wire. The BYU product made three appearances and two starts during his rookie season after Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear. Minnesota allowed Cousins to depart in free agency, adding Darnold on a one-year deal and moving up in the first round of the draft to select McCarthy. The Vikings have moved quickly in adding Rypien as a Hall replacement for the QB3 role.
Rypien was joined by Austin Reed in attempting land a spot with the Bears in 2024. Both passers wound up being cut, although the latter has since been signed to the practice squad. Rypien immediately became a free agent upon being released, a move which left him on the move yet again in his career. The 28-year-old made three starts during a span between 2020 and ’22 with the Broncos, but he has bounced around since that point. He has landed deals with the Rams, Seahawks and Jets in addition to the Bears pact in signed in March. Now, Rypien will look to carve out a role with his next NFC North team.
For Hall, meanwhile, the waiver process will allow teams to put in a claim if they are interested in adding him to their active rosters. Failing that, he will become a free agent eligible to re-sign with the Vikings or join a new team via a practice squad agreement. Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said (via Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune) the team does indeed hope to keep the 26-year-old in place via the taxi squad. That move will be possible by the end of the week if no claim is put in.
Browns To Release QB Tyler Huntley, Re-Sign RB D’Onta Foreman
Cleveland’s logjam at quarterback was not cleared out during roster cutdowns after the team was unable to trade away a depth passer. As a result, the Browns are moving forward with the release of Tyler Huntley.
Cleveland will let go of the former Ravens signal-caller, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Huntley is a vested veteran, so he will immediately become a free agent without needing to pass through waivers. As a result of this move, the Browns’ QB depth chart now consists of Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston.
In a corresponding move, Cleveland is set to bring back D’Onta Foreman. The veteran running back will be re-signed, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon-Journal reports. Foreman was among the veterans let go during roster cutdowns, but it was clear at the time that was merely a procedural move. The 28-year-old will provide backfield depth to a team which is without Nick Chubb to begin the campaign.
The latter will start the year on the reserve/PUP list, guaranteeing at least a four-week absence. Chubb may well need more time than that to return to full health as he continues to rehab the knee injury which ended his 2023 campaign. Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong are in place as Cleveland’s top backs while Chubb is on the mend, and Foreman – who has a career 4.2 yards per carry average but has played for four different teams in his six-year career – will offer another option, as will returner and pass-catcher Nyheim Hines once he is activated.
Huntley signed with Baltimore as a UDFA and spent much of his tenure there as Lamar Jackson‘s backup. The 26-year-old has made 22 regular and postseason appearances in his career, including 10 starts. He could draw interest as a backup option from interested teams as depth charts continue to be tinkered with in the build-up to Week 1. For Cleveland, Winston (who earned $4MM guaranteed on his one-year deal) will serve as a veteran backup option to Watson while Thompson-Robinson (a 2023 fifth-rounder) continues to develop.
Lewis Cine Backs Out Of Jets Deal; S To Join Bills’ Practice Squad
Lewis Cine was available on waivers after the Vikings moved on from him. The third-year safety went unclaimed, but in short order he appeared to line up a Jets agreement. Instead, he will be joining the Bills. 
Cine is set to sign with Buffalo, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. As was the case with yesterday’s development, this will be a practice squad deal at first. Cine will attempt to rebuild his value while providing safety depth to the Bills, a team which has seen plenty of turnover in the secondary this offseason.
Buffalo no longer has either member of the Jordan Poyer–Micah Hyde tandem at the safety spot, although the latter could rejoin the team if he elected to avoid retirement. The Bills re-signed Taylor Rapp, added Mike Edwards in free agency and kept special teamer Damar Hamlin on the 53-man roster. Those three offer plenty of experience on the backend, and they are positioned to handle notable roles in 2024.
The Bills also invested in the safety position during this year’s draft, adding Cole Bishop in the second round. The Utah product was unable to remain healthy throughout his first training camp, but he has the upside to take on starting duties relatively early in his career. While the top of the depth chart gets sorted out in the fall, Cine will look to earn a promotion to the Bills’ active roster in short order.
The 24-year-old was unable to live up to expectations during his brief Vikings tenure. Cine, the final pick in the first round of the 2022 draft, has played just 10 regular season games to date. He will join veteran Kareem Jackson on the taxi squad to begin the campaign as he hopes to find a long-term opportunity. If one does not arise, Cine will be free to sign to the active roster of another team during the year if he draws interest.