TE Chris Herndon Suspended Eight Weeks
Chris Herndon has been hit with a significant ban. The free agent tight end has been suspended for eight weeks, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). That means Herndon will be banned from taking the field for the rest of the 2022 campaign.
We’ve yet to hear a reason for Herndon’s latest suspension. The tight end was previously banned for four games during the 2019 season for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse.
Herndon was a fourth-round pick by the Jets back in 2018. He had his most productive professional season as a rookie, finishing the year with 39 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns. That aforementioned suspension (plus a hamstring injury) knocked him out for the beginning of the 2019 campaign, and he only got into one game that season before landing on injured reserve with a broken rib.
He managed to return for the 2020 season and got into all 16 games (13 starts) for the Jets, finishing with 31 receptions for 287 yards and three scores. Prior to the 2021 season, Herndon was packaged with a sixth-round pick and sent to the Vikings for a fourth-round selection. The tight end started five of his 16 games for Minnesota in 2021, hauling in only four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Herndon joined the Saints this past August but was cut before the end of the preseason. The 26-year-old hasn’t had any reported workouts during the 2022 season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/22
Today’s minor transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Designated for return: G Jalen Mayfield
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: LS Mitchell Fraboni
- Designated for return: LS Jacob Bobenmoyer
Houston Texans
- Waived: WR Tyron Johnson
- Designated for return: DL Michael Dwumfour
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed off Browns practice squad: DL Tyeler Davison
- Placed on IR: DL Christian Covington, DL Otito Ogbonnia (story)
Los Angeles Rams
- Designated for return: G David Edwards
- Placed on IR: T Chandler Brewer, T Alaric Jackson, WR Cooper Kupp (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from PUP: TE Tyree Jackson
- Designated for return: DE Janarius Robinson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return: DE DeMarvin Leal
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: K Josh Lambo
- Waived: WR Chris Conley
Dallas Goedert To Miss “Extended Time”
NOVEMBER 16: This injury will shut Goedert down for at least four weeks. The Eagles have placed the high-priced tight end on IR.
NOVEMBER 15: The Eagles will be without a key offensive weapon for the next few weeks. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that tight end Dallas Goedert will miss “extended time” with a shoulder injury.
Goedert suffered the injury during last night’s loss to the Commanders, with the tight end hurting his shoulder on a controversial no-call. Fortunately, the tight end isn’t expected to be shelved for the rest of the regular season and should get some run before the playoffs. ESPN’s Tim McManus tweets that the Eagles haven’t decided whether they’ll place Goedert on IR, so it sounds like there’s some optimism that he could be back at some point over the next four weeks.
The 27-year-old has continued to build off a career year in 2021 that saw him finish with 830 receiving yards. In nine starts this season, Goedert hauled in 43 receptions for 544 yards and three touchdowns. Pro Football Focus currently ranks him fourth at the position, although the site hasn’t been particularly fond of his blocking ability.
Goedert has played the third-most snaps at the position in 2022 (behind Cole Kmet and former teammate Zach Ertz), and the Eagles lack experienced depth behind the starter. Rookie Grant Calcaterra should get some reps at the position, although the sixth-rounder has generally played TE3 behind blocker Jack Stoll. Tyree Jackson, who is recovering from a torn ACL, has been practicing since late October and could eventually be activated.
Titans Place CB Caleb Farley On IR
Caleb Farley will miss at least the next four weeks. The Titans announced that they have placed the former first-round cornerback on injured reserve.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), Farley suffered a disc injury on Sunday. He’ll undergo more tests to determine the severity of the injury and how much time he’ll ultimately miss. ESPN’s Turron Davenport writes that Farley is feared to have suffered a herniated disk, an injury that would likely require surgery and knock him out for the rest of the 2022 campaign.
It was thanks in part to a back injury that Farley fell down the draft board to the Titans during the 2021 draft. Farley got into six games as a rookie before suffering a torn ACL, and while there was hope that he’d return as a starter in 2022, that hadn’t been the case through the first half of the season. The 24-year-old has started only one of his nine appearances, collecting 10 tackles. Prior to his injury, he hadn’t played a defensive snap since Week 5.
The Titans made a handful of additional moves on Tuesday. The team promoted linebacker Joe Schobert and defensive lineman Larrell Murchison from the practice squad. Schobert has seen time in three games for Tennessee this season, compiling nine tackles and one forced fumble. The former Pro Bowler has seven seasons of his experience, including an 112-tackle campaign in 2021. Murchison, a Titans fifth-round pick in 2020, has collected one tackle in three games this season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/15/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Michael Dogbe
- Released: OL Sage Doxtater, LB Blake Lynch
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Devon Key
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB T.J. Carrie
- Released: S Kenny Robinson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Isaac Rochell
- Released: WR Cyril Grayson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Antonio Callaway, C Brock Hoffman
- Released: DE Mika Tafua
- Placed on IR: C Alec Lindstrom
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Victor Bolden Jr.
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB AJ Parker
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DE Tim Ward
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Alex Bachman, S Will Redmond
- Released: WR Michael Young
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
- Released: TE Darrell Daniels
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Malcolm Brown
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Parry Nickerson
New England Patriots
- Released: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
New Orleans Saints
- Released: RB Derrick Gore, RB Jordan Howard
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Vernon Butler, OL Devery Hamilton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: WR Auden Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: LB Hamilcar Rashed
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: QB Jacob Eason, WR Dazz Newsome
- Released: QB Kurt Benkert
- Placed on IR: WR Tajae Sharpe
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: WR Kevin Kassis
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Davontae Harris, K Josh Lambo, DB Greg Mabin, LB Andre Smith
- Released: DB Shyheim Carter, OL Eric Smith
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/15/22
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: OL Rashaad Coward
- Released: K Tristan Vizcaino
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DE Kingsley Jonathan
Cleveland Browns
- Signed off Dolphins practice squad: DT Ben Stille
- Waived: DT Roderick Perry II
Green Bay Packers
- Signed to active roster: RB Patrick Taylor
Houston Texans
- Waived: CB Isaac Yiadom
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated off PUP: CB Tre Brown
Colts Activate WR Ashton Dulin, Place LB Shaquille Leonard On IR
NOVEMBER 13: Leonard may miss the remainder of the season, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The 27-year-old ‘backer is scheduled to meet with renowned neck surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles on Monday, which will provide some clarity on his playing status.
NOVEMBER 12: The Colts are getting some reinforcement on offense and special teams. The team has activated wide receiver/special teams ace Ashton Dulin from injured reserve. To make room on the roster, the team officially placed linebacker Shaquille Leonard on IR. The Colts have also promoted tight end Nikola Kalinic and running back Jordan Wilkins from the practice squad.
Dulin suffered a foot injury back in October, landing him on injured reserve. He returned to practice earlier this week. The 25-year-old made a name for himself in 2021 after earning a second-team All-Pro nod on special teams, with his 17 ST tackles ranking second in the league. Dulin also started to see a larger role on offense in 2021, finishing with 13 catches for 173 yards and two scores. Dulin was continuing to see a role on offense in 2022, with the wideout hauling in 12 catches for 168 yards in five games (one start).
We learned yesterday that Leonard had suffered a setback with his back injury during practice this week. The injury will now knock him out for at least four games. The linebacker has been limited to only three games in 2022 thanks to a concussion, nose surgery, and back injury.
“I had no power in my leg, just trying to fight through that through the whole season and Wednesday practice, something didn’t feel right,” Leonard said on Instagram (via The Athletic’s James Boyd on Twitter). “I had a setback.”
Wilkins, a 2018 fifth-round pick by the Colts, has seen a reduced role in recent years following three consecutive 300-plus-yard seasons to begin his career. The 28-year-old has seen time in one game for Indy this season, getting seven touches for 28 yards. Kalinic was a former second-round pick in the CFL. After spending the preseason with the Colts, he landed on the organization’s practice squad.
Browns Activate RB Jerome Ford, Waive DE Isaac Rochell
The Browns did a bit of roster shuffling this morning. The team announced that they’ve activated running back Jerome Ford from injured reserve, signed defensive tackle Roderick Perry II from the practice squad to the active roster, and promoted linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. and tight end Miller Forristall from the practice squad. The Browns also waived defensive end Isaac Rochell.
Ford is the most notable name on the list, with the rookie fifth-round pick having previously served as Cleveland’s primary returner before suffering an ankle injury in Week 4. That injury ended up landing him on injured reserve and knocking him out for more than a month.
In his four games, the rookie returned six kickoffs for 145 yards, and his 24.2-yard average is still top-10 among those with at least five returns. With Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and D’Ernest Johnson standing in his way, there’s little chance the rookie RB gets a whole lot of run on offense.
Rochelle, a former seventh-round pick, got into 51 games with the Chargers between 2017 and 2020. After appearing in 12 games for the Colts in 2021, the defensive lineman joined Cleveland this offseason. He landed on the practice squad after the preseason but eventually earned his way on to the active roster, collecting 12 tackles in six games (one start).
Carter had 88 tackles for the Panthers last season, but he’s had issues holding a job in 2022. After getting cut by the Chiefs at the end of the preseason, the linebacker caught on with Cleveland’s practice squad back in September. Forristall has seen time in five games for the Browns over the past two seasons, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams. Perry is an undrafted rookie out of Illinois.
Broncos DL Dre’Mont Jones Discusses Impending Free Agency
Dre’Mont Jones‘ impending free agency couldn’t have come at a better time. The Broncos defensive lineman is having a career year and has likely improved his free agency stock heading into the second half of the season. Denver would like to re-sign its former third-round pick, but Jones didn’t sound overly enthused about re-signing when asked about his future.
“I am here right now,” Jones said plainly (via Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post). “…I view my standing with the franchise as, this is Dre going into Year 4, that’s all I can say.”
As Kiszla points out, Jones’ blunt remarks seem to indicate that come free agency, the player will clearly value money over “an empty promise of winning the Super Bowl.” It was assumed that a new deal could be coming for the defensive lineman after the Broncos traded Bradley Chubb to Miami, avoiding the star’s impending free agency and/or extension (Chubb ultimately inked a sizable new deal with the Dolphins). A deal for Jones could still materialize, but it sounds like the player will be betting on himself and hoping for a sizable offer from what should be a number of suitors during the offseason.
The Ohio State product has shown plenty of pass-rushing prowess throughout his career, collecting 15.5 sacks through his first three seasons in the NFL despite starting only 16 games. He’s taken on a full-time starting gig in 2022 and is en route to career-highs across the board. In eight starts, the 25-year-old has collected 31 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been particularly fond of his performance, ranking him 76th among 116 qualifying interior defenders, although the site did rank him within the top 20 for pass rushing.
Contract Details: Baker, O’Neill, Steelers
Despite being in the second half of the NFL season, teams are still actively cleaning up their books in anticipation of upcoming moves or future offseason transactions. We’ve compiled some of the notable financial moves below (plus an interesting note about a future Hall of Fame quarterback):
- Jerome Baker, LB (Dolphins): restructured deal. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), Baker restructured his contract and reduced his 2022 cap hit by about $2.5MM. This restructuring came on the heels of Miami’s notable trade deadline acquisitions, moves that required the front office to clear up a bit of cap. The 2018 third-round pick has turned into a consistent starter for the Dolphins. After collecting more than 300 tackles through his first three professional seasons, Baker inked a three-year, $39MM extension with the organization back in 2021.
- Brian O’Neill, OT (Vikings): restructured deal. According to Yates (on Twitter), the Vikings converted $1.8MM of O’Neill’s base salary into a signing bonus, creating close to $1.5MM in cap space. Prior to the move, the Vikings were closing in on the cap, so this should provide them with a bit more wiggle room. In 2021, the former second-round pick signed a five-year, $92.5MM extension with the organization, and he ended up earning his first career Pro Bowl nod later that season.
- William Jackson III, CB (Steelers): reworked deal. Following his trade to Pittsburgh, Jackson agreed to wipe out the remainder of his per-game roster bonuses, per Yates (on Twitter). Those bonuses were valued at around $44K per game. The cornerback is still due the remainder of his base salary, valued at around $2.7MM, and he helped saved the organization $350K against the cap. Jackson is still attached to a three-year, $40.5MM deal that he signed with Washington in 2021. He was traded to the Steelers at the deadline for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick for a conditional 2025 seventh-round pick.
- Aaron Rodgers, QB (Packers): contract details. It’s been a while since Aaron Rodgers inked his massive three-year, $150MM extension with Green Bay, but details are still trickling out about the contract. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Rodgers’ $58.3MM option bonus in 2023 can be exercised at any time between the first day of the 2023 league year and the day before the Packers’ regular season opener. This is important timing if the Packers decide to trade their franchise quarterback this offseason. Demovsky also provides details on Rodgers’ contract in 2024. The $49.25MM in salary and bonuses is only guaranteed against injury, but it will become fully guaranteed on the fifth day following the previous season’s Super Bowl.