Minor NFL Transactions: 11/29/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: S A.J. Thomas
Green Bay Packers
- Signed to active roster: S Innis Gaines
Free Agents
- Retired: RB/FB Elijhaa Penny
Penny announced his retirement on Twitter. The former undrafted free agent started his career with the Cardinals before spending four seasons with the Giants. He got 83 carries during his five years in the NFL, collecting 302 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also added 25 receptions for 147 yards and one score. He was most known for his special teams ability, with Penny having appeared in at least 50 percent of his team’s ST snaps in four of his five seasons.
Bears To Start QB Trevor Siemian In Week 12
NOVEMBER 27, 12:04pm: Scratch that. Siemian is under center for the Bears, with Peterman operating as the backup.
NOVEMBER 27, 11:29am: Fields is indeed inactive for Sunday’s contest against the Jets, and in even worse news for the Bears, Siemian injured his oblique during pregame warmups (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network). Therefore, Peterman will be making his first start since Week 9 of the 2018 season, while Siemian will serve as his backup.
As Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com tweets, RB David Montgomery is Chicago’s emergency signal-caller.
NOVEMBER 26: It sounds like the Bears are preparing for tomorrow’s game as if they won’t have Justin Fields under center. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that Chicago has promoted quarterback Nathan Peterman from the practice squad.
Fields has been nursing a shoulder injury that resulted in him being listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Jets. The QB told reporters that he’s dealing with a separated shoulder with partially torn ligaments, and while he acknowledged that he’s feeling better every day, he was still limited on Thursday and Friday before earning his official questionable designation.
“I think we’re going to let it go up to the game,” coach Matt Eberflus said (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin). “We’ll try to do that. We think that’s where it is, and we’ll see where he is at game time and see how he feels.”
If Fields doesn’t play, veteran Trevor Siemian will likely earn his first start of the season. The Bears had been rolling with only two quarterbacks on their active roster prior to today’s transaction. Garafolo notes that the Bears will likely take their starting QB decision down to game time.
As for Peterman, the veteran QB has spent the majority of the 2022 season on Chicago’s practice squad. Following a one-plus-year stint with the Bills to start his career, Peterman spent the better part of the past four seasons with the Raiders. He only got into a pair of games during his time with the organization, completing three of his five pass attempts.
AFC East Notes: Hyde, Wilson, Patriots
Bills safety Micah Hyde was expected to miss the rest of the season while he continued to recover from his neck injury. As Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic writes, there could be a glimmer of hope that Hyde is back on the field during the 2022 season.
Hyde’s recent neck surgery helped eliminate the lingering pain that the veteran had been dealing with, and the safety has been active with the Bills for the past month. This includes work (alongside other inactive players) with the strength and conditioning staff, with Buscaglia writing that the safety was spotted running drills with injured members of the 53-man roster. Hyde later told the reporter that he’s taking his rehab one day at a time, but he left the door open for a return this season.
“I would love to. I would love to. We’ll see,” Hyde said. “It’s not really up to me. It’s kind of up to the doctors. Historically, no. But I’m not dealing with… those are other people, other situations. So, we’ll see what happens.”
At the very least, it’s encouraging that Hyde didn’t definitively reject the idea of a 2022 return. Now in his sixth season in Buffalo, it wouldn’t be shocking if the veteran makes a push to play as the Bills pursue a Super Bowl ring.
Some more notes out of the AFC East…
- Despite Zach Wilson‘s disastrous Week 11 performance (and, later, his inability to take responsibility for the loss to the Patriots), the Jets continue to support the now-benched quarterback, with Robert Saleh previously indicating that this isn’t the end of the former first-round pick’s career in New York. Following the fallout from Wilson’s post-game presser, the QB still needed to win back his locker room. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Wilson apologized to teammates for his post-game remarks, and while he supported fill-in Mike White, the quarterback also made it clear that he’ll be back under center before long. “It was the only thing I could think of the last couple of days,” Wilson said (via Cimini). “I wanted the opportunity to talk to those guys and really make it from the heart.”
- Speaking of Wilson’s Jets teammates, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Jets players have been concerned about their starting QB’s performance for some time. Whether Wilson’s struggles were mental or fundamental, Rapoport notes that the organization hope Wilson’s mental break will help the QB both for this season and beyond.
- Some good news on the injury front for the Patriots. Center David Andrews suffered what was thought to be a serious thigh injury during New England’s win over the Jets in Week 11, but Rapoport tweets that the lineman escaped a serious injury and could return for the end of the season or the playoffs. Jeff Howe of The Athletic adds (on Twitter) that while there’s no clear timeline on Andrews’ return, the veteran will do everything in his power to get back on the field.
- The Patriots saved a chunk of money recently. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter), the Patriots reworked safety Cody Davis‘ contract. The move saved the organization about $250K against the cap. The veteran inked a two-year, $4.5MM deal with the Patriots prior to the 2021 season and is set to hit free agency following the 2022 campaign.
This Date In Transactions History: Raiders Sign TE Darren Waller Off Ravens Practice Squad
Thanks to hindsight, we’ll occasionally find that some of the NFL’s best transactions initially went under the radar. That was the case on this date in 2018, when the Raiders signed a little-known tight end/wide receiver off the Ravens’ practice squad. Fast forward to today, and that tight end is one of the highest-paid players at his position.
On November 26, 2018, the Raiders added tight end Darren Waller off the Ravens’ practice squad.
The 2015 sixth-round pick didn’t make a whole lot of noise during his first three-plus seasons in the NFL. Baltimore initially had Waller playing as a wide receiver, and the Georgia Tech product had 12 receptions through his first two years in the league. After being slapped with a four-game suspension in 2016, Waller was hit with a full-season ban in 2017 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
That suspension proved to be the nail in the coffin for the wideout/tight end in Baltimore. After sitting out the 2017 campaign, he was cut at the end of the 2018 preseason. He later caught on with Baltimore’s practice squad, which where he spent the first chunk of the season. With rookies Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews and veteran Maxx Williams firmly above Waller on the depth chart, it didn’t seem like the now-pass-catching TE had much of a future in Baltimore.
Then, on November 26, the Raiders came calling. The Raiders didn’t necessarily need a TE but believed in Waller’s pass-catching ability and immediately gave him a spot on the active roster. The tight end has six catches in four games while playing behind Pro Bowler Jared Cook.
The organization’s gamble worked out. Waller exploded in 2019 with Cook out of the picture, finishing the campaign with 90 receptions for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns. He followed that up with an even better season in 2020, as Waller earned his first Pro Bowl nod after finishing with 107 catches for 1,196 yards and nine scores. 2021 was a bit of a disappointment for the tight end; he was limited to only 11 games while hauling in 55 catches for 665 yards.
Still, the Raiders were clearly convinced that Waller’s 2019/2020 performances were sustainable, and they inked him to a three-year, $51MM extension this past offseason, making him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL in terms of average annual value. The 30-year-old is currently on injured reserve, and in five games this year, he’s collected only 16 catches. Considering the mounting absences and declining production, there have been some whispers that the Raiders are growing frustrated with the star.
Still, even if the Raiders grow to regret the extension they gave to Waller, there’s no denying the brilliance of the move they made on this date four years ago today.
Falcons To Sign LB Will Compton?
The Falcons may have added a veteran linebacker. Will Compton announced on Twitter last night that he’s signing with the Falcons. While ESPN’s Field Yates seemed to echo that announcement, Compton himself tweeted this evening that “[y]ear 10 might be in danger” … an indication that the announced deal with Atlanta may not materialize.
Compton had a two-year stretch with Washington that saw him collect more than 200 total tackles, but he’s mostly served as a backup or roster filler since that time. Since leaving Washington following the 2017 campaign, the linebacker has had two separate stints with both the Titans and the Raiders. He got into two games with Las Vegas in 2021, compiling a single tackle.
The 33-year-old, who continues to host a podcast alongside Taylor Lewan, worked out for Atlanta earlier this month. Special teams ace/linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski is currently dealing with an injury, so Compton could be a temporary fill-in.
“I could not have envisioned a better situation than signing with the Atlanta Falcons,” Compton said last night. “Ever since they blew that lead at the Super Bowl, the 28–3 lead, I knew at some point in my career, I’d have to do whatever it took to bring this city a little bit of hope.”
The Falcons did make one confirmed move today, adding Ryan Neuzil to the active roster, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Twitter. With Matt Hennessy sidelined, Neuzil has earned promotions for each of Atlanta’s last three games, with the former UDFA exclusively playing on special teams.
Chargers Place K Dustin Hopkins On IR
Dustin Hopkins will miss at least four more games. The Chargers announced that they’ve placed the veteran kicker on injured reserve. Practice squad kicker Cameron Dicker has been signed to the active roster to take Hopkins’ place.
Hopkins has been sidelined since Week 6 with a hamstring injury. The Chargers kept him on the active roster for more than a month hoping he’d make a return, but with the team having already used their three PS elevations on Dicker, they needed to open up a roster spot. Hopkins will now be required to miss another four contests, making Week 16 the earliest possible return for the 32-year-old.
Hopkins put up career numbers after joining the Chargers last season, connecting on 90 percent of his field goal tries. He inked a three-year extension with the organization this past offseason. In six games this season, the veteran converted nine of his 1o field goal attempts and all 12 of his extra point tries.
Taylor Bertolet was the original fill-in for Hopkins, but a quadriceps injury forced the team to pivot to Dicker. The rookie has been perfect in his three games for the Chargers, connecting on all seven of his FG attempts and all six of his XP attempts. Dicker also got into a game with the Eagles earlier this year, converting all of his FG/XP tries. He’s made a pair of game-winning field goals this season, resulting in a pair of Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/22/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Arron Mosby
- Released: QB D’Eriq King
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Breon Borders
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: S Bubba Bolden, T Will Holden
- Released: C Jordan Meredith
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Tyreik McAllister, LB Ray Wilborn
- Released: LB Harvey Langi
Houston Texans
- Signed: DB D’Angelo Ross
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: LB Tyrell Adams
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Nick Vannett
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Marquiss Spencer
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: WR Auden Tate
- Released from IR: OT Jarrid Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: DB Quincy Wilson
Rams QB Matthew Stafford Back In Concussion Protocol
Matthew Stafford is back in concussion protocol. Days after exiting the multi-step process, the Rams have once again placed their QB in concussion protocol, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com (on Twitter). Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweeted yesterday that Stafford would undergo further testing in Los Angeles to determine the next step.
Stafford exited yesterday’s loss to the Saints during the third quarter and didn’t return. The veteran QB previously entered concussion protocol following Los Angeles’ Week 9 loss to the Buccaneers. At the time, coach Sean McVay said he wasn’t aware of Stafford’s concussion symptoms during that game, but doctors later determined that it was “appropriate” for the QB to enter protocol, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop.
The veteran QB had just exited concussion protocol on Friday after missing Week 10, and it seems like the organization may be proceeding with the utmost caution. Considering today’s development, it sounds like Stafford is at risk of missing another game.
“Yesterday, when we went into the tent, (we) got his symptoms, he checked out feeling pretty good, but we wanted to be over-precautious,” McVay said earlier today (via the team’s website). “But where he’s at right now, as it relates to his status, still in evaluation to see if we are going to put him in the protocol.”
Following last season’s Super Bowl championship, Stafford has struggled in 2022, perhaps due to lingering elbow issues. The Rams are 3-6 in Stafford’s nine starts, with the QB completing 68 percent of his passes for 2,087 yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Bryce Perkins filled in for Stafford on Sunday, completing five of his 10 pass attempts for 64 yards while adding another 39 yards on the ground. John Wolford, who is currently dealing with a neck injury, started in place of Stafford during LA’s Week 10 loss to the Cardinals.
Buccaneers Designate RB Giovani Bernard For Return
The Buccaneers offense could soon be getting some reinforcement. The team announced that they’ve designated running back Giovani Bernard to return from injured reserve. The Buccaneers now have three weeks to activate the running back to their active roster.
Bernard landed on injured reserve in September after suffering an ankle injury in Week 2. In his one-plus games this season, the 30-year-old exclusively played on special teams, including one kickoff return.
The RB hasn’t played a significant offensive role since joining the Buccaneers in 2021, as he finished his first season in Tampa Bay with only 181 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on 31 touches. However, he’s only two years removed from a 2020 campaign that saw him finish with 771 yards from scrimmage. Leonard Fournette suffered a hip injury last week, but thanks to a Week 11 bye week, he should be good to go on Sunday. Rachaad White had a career day while filling in for Fournette, finishing with 105 rushing yards on 22 carries. Bernard made a name for himself as a pass-catcher in Cincinnati, and if Leonard’s hip injury lingers, the veteran could end up seeing more offensive snaps.
The Buccaneers got some more good injury news today, as guard Luke Goedeke and wideout Russell Gage returned to practice, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Gage has missed a month with a hamstring injury, and with the offseason acquisition now back on the field, Tom Brady will have a full grouping of wideouts heading into the final stretch of the season. Goedeke’s foot injury forced him to miss a chunk of time, and the veteran has since been jumped in the starting lineup by Nick Leverett.
Meanwhile, while safety Logan Ryan has been working out with the team, he still hasn’t been activated from injured reserve. The veteran defensive back’s foot surgery landed him on IR back in October.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/21/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE John Raine
- Placed on IR: OL Justin Shaffer
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released: LB Tegray Scales
Cleveland Browns
- Released: G Jordan Meredith
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT R.J. McIntosh
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Benton Whitley
New England Patriots
- Signed: K Tristan Vizcaino
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Jarrod Hewitt
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Chris Conley, OL Eric Smith
- Released: TE Anthony Auclair