Jaguars Waive RB JaMycal Hasty
After extending JaMycal Hasty this past offseason, the Jaguars are moving on from the running back. The team announced today that they’ve waived Hasty. The Jaguars are using the open roster spot on cornerback Gregory Junior, who has been activated from injured reserve.
Hasty started his NFL career in San Francisco. He joined the 49ers in 2020 after going undrafted out of Baylor, and he proceeded to spend two years with the organization. While a lot of his work came on special teams, he showed some promise on offense, averaging 4.8 yards on his 85 touches.
He was snagged off waivers by the Jaguars prior to the 2022 campaign. After initially serving as the team’s RB3, he was promoted to be Travis Etienne‘s primary backup following the James Robinson trade. Hasty ended up getting into all 17 games for the Jaguars last season, finishing with a career-high 320 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. He also got into Jacksonville’s two playoff games, adding another 43 yards on five touches. Following that performance, the Jaguars extended Hasty in February.
However, the 27-year-old has seen a reduced role in 2023. Rookie Tank Bigsby has taken over the second spot on the depth chart, and Hasty has also been outsnapped by D’Ernest Johnson. In total, Hasty has seen time in three games, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams.
The Jaguars selected Junior, a Ouachita Baptist product, in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. He ended up spending the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad, although he collect six tackles in his one appearance with the big-league club. The defensive back suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1 that ultimately landed him on injured reserve.
Saints Not Planning To Replace K Blake Grupe
With rookie kicker Blake Grupe continuing to struggle, some pundits have wondered if the Saints could make a change at the position. However, coach Dennis Allen gave his kicker a vote of confidence this week.
Per Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com, Allen explained to reporters that he’s seen plenty of rookie kickers struggle before ultimately figuring it out. The coach also noted that the Saints haven’t auditioned potential replacements.
Of course, the Saints aren’t necessarily willing to tolerate Grupe’s growing pains for the rest of the 2023 campaign. While the team is giving the rookie time to break out of his slump, they’re also not going to give the player endless opportunities to do so.
“This is a grown man’s league,” Allen said. “We’re not worried about anybody’s feelings right now. Blake’s got a job to do, he’s got to kick it through the posts, and he understands that. It’s the whole operation. There’s a lot of things that go into it. . . . We’ve got confidence in Blake, but yet you have to evaluate those things. You have to pay attention to it.”
Grupe got off to a hot start, connecting on 11 of his first 12 field goal attempts in the NFL. However, he’s taken a step back over the past month, converting only seven of his 11 attempts over his last four games. Only two of those four misses came from beyond the 50 yard line.
Of course, there’s plenty of reason to stick with the rookie. He clearly doesn’t have the yips, as Grupe has connected on all 19 of his extra point tries. Further, despite going undrafted in this year’s draft, he had a productive college career, connecting on 78 field goals across five seasons with Arkansas State and Notre Dame. The rookie won a kicking competition during the preseason over veteran Wil Lutz, who spent the previous seven seasons as New Orleans’ kicker.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray To Start Week 10
NOVEMBER 10: Gannon confirmed on Friday that Murray will indeed get the nod in Week 10, making the matchup against the Falcons an important first step in the evaluation process for Arizona’s new brain trust. In addition to Murray, the Cardinals could have running back James Conner in the lineup as well. Gannon added that the latter is “trending in the right direction” to be able to suit up. Conner was designated for return earlier this week, and he will need to be activated no later than Saturday to play against Atlanta.
NOVEMBER 6: The Cardinals are expecting Kyler Murray to be under center this weekend. Coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters that Murray will be serving as the QB1 during this week’s practice, and if all goes well, the franchise quarterback will start on Sunday against the Falcons.
Either way, Murray will be activated from the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday. After returning to practice in October, the 21-day window to activate Murray from PUP was set to expire this week.
Following the Cardinals’ decision to trade fill-in Joshua Dobbs at the deadline, there was hope that Murray would be ready for Week 9. Instead, the team rolled with rookie Clayton Tune against the Browns yesterday. The results weren’t pretty; Tune passed for only 58 yards, had three turnovers, and was sacked seven times.
While Murray is expected to be back this weekend, Gannon admitted that the quarterback might not look like his old self. It’s been about 11 months since Murray last saw the field for a regular-season game, and the quarterback has spent the better part of a year rehabbing from a torn ACL. As a result, it might take a bit for him to shake off the rust.
“We have to be willing to understand it might not look like Kyler,” Gannon said (via the team’s website). “I think he has a good expectation of that, the coaches have a good expectation of that. I know this, he’s going to come out there, play his game and help us win.”
After earning a pair of Pro Bowls and guiding Arizona to 17 wins between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the quarterback struggled a bit in 2022. While he had a career-low 1.8 percent interception rate, he was also connecting on a career-low 215 passing yards per game. With Kliff Kingsbury now out of the picture, it will be interesting to see what Gannon and co. can get out of the franchise QB.
Speaking of, the Cardinals may have been willing to bail on Murray prior to the trade deadline. Dianna Russini of The Athletic believes that the front office would have been willing to hear offers on the quarterback, but Murray’s contract makes a trade too problematic. Murray inked a five-year, $230.5MM extension ($160MM guaranteed) with the Cardinals during the 2022 offseason.
Panthers Activate LB Marquis Haynes
NOVEMBER 9: Haynes will move back onto Carolina’s 53-man roster. The Panthers activated the rotational pass rusher ahead of Thursday’s Bears matchup. Unlike the Bears, whose Josh Blackwell and Equanimeous St. Brown activations have moved them down to one such move remaining, the Panthers have only used two IR activations this season.
NOVEMBER 6: The Panthers should soon be getting some much-needed depth at linebacker. The team announced that linebacker Marquis Haynes returned to practice and has been designated to return from injured reserve.
The Panthers now have 21 days to activate Haynes to the active roster. It’s uncertain if the sixth-year player will be able to return in time for Thursday Night Football against the Bears.
Haynes missed most of training camp and the preseason while dealing with a lingering back injury. While he was able to briefly return to practice, the linebacker ended up landing on injured reserve following final roster cuts. Haynes obviously required more than the four-week minimum to return, with his absence ultimately lasting more than two months.
The former fourth-round pick has turned into a dependable pass-rushing option for the Panthers. While he’s only started one of his 64 career appearances, he still appeared in more than a third of his team’s defensive snaps between 2020 and 2022. Over this span, Haynes has collected 12 sacks, including a 2022 campaign where he finished with a career-high five sacks to go along with a career-high 13 QB hits.
The Panthers are probably hoping Haynes can join the active roster sooner than later. The team recently placed Justin Houston on injured reserve, and head coach Frank Reich revealed today that Brian Burns will likely miss Week 10 while dealing with a concussion (via Joe Person of The Athletic). Luiji Vilain also suffered a knee injury in Week 9, leaving the team with three linebackers in DJ Johnson, Amaré Barno, and practice-squad player Eku Leota to finish yesterday’s loss to the Colts.
Patriots Notes: Vrabel, Klemm, Onwenu, Boutte
With the Patriots in the midst of their worst season in decades, there’s been plenty of speculation regarding Bill Belichick‘s future in New England. If either Belichick or the organization decides to move on, it’s been assumed that de facto defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo would take over as head coach.
However, there are some whispers that Patriots brass could actually look towards another former linebacker to succeed Belichick. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, there are “definitely people” within the Patriots organization who would be receptive to a Mike Vrabel hiring. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe previously described a Vrabel pursuit as a “home run” option for the organization.
Of course, if the Patriots were interested in hiring Vrabel, they’d have to convince the Titans to let go of their head coach. Vrabel signed an extension with the organization in 2022 and is presumably under contract for at least a few more years. If the Titans get a hint that the Patriots will make a serious pursuit, there’s a good chance they’ll try to grab some compensation from New England.
On the flip side, the Patriots could just wait for the Titans to make a change. The Titans may finish with their second-straight losing season, and Vrabel hasn’t won a playoff game since the team’s 2019 run. Ownership may decide to pull the plug on their coaching staff, much like they did with GM Jon Robinson last December.
More notes out of New England…
- Patriots offensive line coach Adrian Klemm is expected to be away from the team “for a little while” while dealing with a personal health issue, Belichick told reporters (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). The former Patriots second-round pick joined New England’s coaching staff this past offseason after having spent the 2022 campaign as Oregon’s associate head coach/OL coach. Assistant OL coach Billy Yates will likely take on more responsibility while Klemm is out.
- Michael Onwenu has bounced around the offensive line throughout his career. After excelling at right tackle as a rookie, the sixth-round pick was moved to left guard during his sophomore season. He was switched to right guard in 2022 and went on to earn Pro Bowl honors, and he stuck at the position to begin the 2023 season. However, recent injuries and OL inconsistencies have forced Onwenu back to RT, and Belichick told reporters that the organization is comfortable keeping the fourth-year player at the position (per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald).
- Sixth-round rookie WR Kayshon Boutte hasn’t been active since he played 55 snaps in Week 1. Following Kendrick Bourne‘s season-ending injury, Boutte was expected to see a larger role on offense, but he proceeded to be inactive in Week 9 against the Commanders.There’s been some speculation that the rookie could be in Belichick’s doghouse after failing to get a second foot down on a crucial drive in Week 1, but Boutte dismissed that notion. “I don’t feel like I’m in the doghouse,” he said (via Reiss). “Looking back at the first game, I know that I can get open. I know how to create separation. That’s why I’m comfortable with myself.”
- We learned earlier today that cornerback J.C. Jackson won’t be traveling to Germany for New England’s matchup against the Colts this weekend.
Latest On Bears QB Justin Fields
Tyson Bagent will be under center for the Bears once again in Week 10. Coach Matt Eberflus told reporters that the rookie QB will earn a fourth-straight start while the team continues to await Justin Fields‘ return, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin.
Fields continue to recover from a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. While he was listed as doubtful on the latest injury report, Eberflus told reporters that the QB won’t play against the Panthers tomorrow night. Fields still hasn’t been cleared by Chicago’s medical staff, so his return is partly dependent on him passing all the necessary tests. The former first-round pick returned to practice on a limited basis last week.
“He’s getting better, though,” Eberflus said. “Accuracy’s improving. He’s throwing it better. And he’s starting to do more and more and more. So, we’ll see where it goes. Right now, we’re listing him as doubtful. And we’ll see where it goes from there.”
As Cronin notes, the Bears will have 10 days between Thursday’s game and their Week 11 matchup against the Lions. Fields hasn’t seen the field since Chicago’s Week 6 loss to the Vikings.
Bagent, an undrafted rookie out of Shepherd, won his first start, completing 72.4 percent of his passes for 162 yards and one touchdown. He’s lost each of his past two games, however, tossing five interceptions over that span. While the Bears don’t have a shot at the playoffs, the offense should get a spark when Fields returns to the lineup.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/8/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Andre Baccellia, OL Austen Pleasants, CB Quavian White
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL John Leglue
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Alex Bachman
- Released: WR Jared Wayne
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: TE Jesse James
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: NT Christopher Hinton
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: QB Tanner Morgan
- Released: DL Sheldon Day
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: NT Austin Faoliu
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Don Gardner
- Placed on IR: OT Silas Dzansi
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/23
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: OT David Sharpe
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DB Duron Harmon, DB Greg Stroman Jr.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Designated for return from IR: WR Charlie Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed off Saints practice squad: LB Cory Littleton
Minnesota Vikings
Seattle Seahawks
- Designate for return from IR: WR Dareke Young
Cory Littleton is back in Houston. The linebacker already got into six games with the Texans this season, mostly playing on special teams. After getting cut in late October, he caught on with the Saints practice squad and quickly earned a promotion on Sunday. This time around, Littleton should be sticking in Houston, at least temporarily. The Texans are required to keep the LB on their active roster for at least three weeks.
The veteran had a productive stint with the Rams to begin his career. He spent four years in Los Angeles, including a two-year stint between 2018 and 2019 where he averaged 129 tackles per season.
Texans Designate CB Derek Stingley Jr. For Return
The Texans should soon welcome back a key defender. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the team designated cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. for return from injured reserve.
The team will now have 21 days to activate the defensive back from IR. Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com notes that while Stingley returned to practice, he might not be back this weekend against the Bengals. Considering he’s been sidelined for more than a month, the team is thinking about extending the player’s ramp-up period with an eye on activation against the Cardinals in Week 11.
The former third-overall pick suffered a hamstring injury during a late-September practice, landing him on injured reserve. Stingley started each of Houston’s first two games this season, collecting nine tackles.
The Texans had high hopes for the LSU product when they used the third-overall pick on him during the 2022 draft. He was productive to begin his rookie campaign, collecting 43 tackles, one interception, and five passes defended. He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 10 that ultimately forced him to miss the rest of the season.
Stingley wasn’t the only Texans player to return to practice today. Wilson tweets that the team also opened offensive tackle Charlie Heck‘s 21-day window for activation. The veteran has been sidelined since training camp while dealing with a foot injury. The former fourth-round pick has seen time in 35 games through his first three seasons in the NFL, including a 2021 campaign where he started 13 games.
Giants LB Azeez Ojulari Returns To Practice
Some positive news on the injury front for the Giants. Linebacker Azeez Ojulari was designated for return from IR and was back at practice today, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
This move opens Ojulari’s 21-day window to be activated from injured reserve. It sounds like it shouldn’t take long for the linebacker to land back on the 53-man roster; coach Brian Daboll told reporters that Ojulari could be back as soon as this weekend.
Ojulari suffered an ankle injury in mid-October that landed him on injured reserve. Before suffering that injury, the third-year defender saw time in three games (all starts), collecting two tackles while appearing in about half of his team’s defensive snaps. He missed two games earlier in the season while dealing with a hamstring issue.
This is the second-straight injury-marred season for the former second-round pick. Ojulari was limited to only seven games in 2022 thanks in part to a calf injury, but the linebacker still managed to finish the season with 5.5 sacks.
Ojulari lived up to his second-round billing during his rookie campaign. The Georgia product finished that 2021 season with 49 tackles, eight sacks, and 13 QB hits.