Daniel Jones Fallout: Jones’ Reaction, DeVito, Lock Incentives
The Giants ripped off the band-aid today, benching Daniel Jones for Week 12 and likely beyond. The move didn’t come as a complete surprise considering Jones’ subpar play in 2024, especially during the Giants’ active five-game losing streak. While the pivot atop the depth chart seemed inevitable, the team’s trio of quarterbacks only found out this morning.
[RELATED: Giants To Start Tommy DeVito In Week 12]
While speaking to reporters today, coach Brian Daboll revealed that he had a meeting with the Giants’ three QBs to discuss the team’s “direction” (per Connor Hughes SNYtv). Naturally, Jones didn’t take well to his demotion.
“Certainly you’re not going to be happy about that as a competitor, and I respect that,” Daboll said of his former starter (via Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports).
Daboll also admitted he talked with Jones about the player’s future with the organization, but the coach kept those conversations private (per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). While the QB is still attached to his four-year, $160MM extension, he doesn’t have any salary locked in beyond the 2024 campaign. Jones’ $23MM injury guarantee for 2025 likely played into the organization’s thinking, especially with the front office having an easy out ($30.5MM in cap savings, $11.11MM in dead cap) this offseason.
So, the team will now pivot to Tommy DeVito. The QB went 3-3 as a starter last season, and Daboll acknowledged that DeVito’s 2023 performance played a role in the team’s 2024 decision (via Hughes). The Giants’ decision to go with DeVito over Drew Lock could have also been financially motivated. Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac notes that Lock could have still achieved a handful of incentives, most notably $250K bonuses based on passer rating, completion rate, and touchdowns/receiving yards. With Daboll coaching for his job over the next month, the coach probably only gave minor consideration to this factor.
Of course, Lock could still see the field if DeVito gets injured or benched. The Giants will roll with Lock as their primary backup, meaning Jones won’t even dress as the team looks to avoid an injury to the highly paid QB.
Patriots Activate DL Christian Barmore
The Patriots will welcome back one of their defensive leaders for Week 11. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the team is activating defensive lineman Christian Barmore off the non-football illness list. Barmore is expected to play tomorrow.
[RELATED: Pats’ Christian Barmore Returns To Practice]
The 25-year-old was sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots in late July. He was subsequently placed on NFI, and the seriousness of Barmore’s diagnosis led to speculation that he could be out for the entire 2024 season.
Fortunately, things seemed to be trending in the right direction for the former second-round pick, as the organization expressed continued optimism surrounding his recovery. The organization all but confirmed Barmore’s impending return when they welcomed him back to practice earlier this week. There was some initial skepticism surrounding the DL’s Week 11 availability after he missed yesterday’s practice, but it sounds like he’ll be ready to make his season debut tomorrow.
After showing flashes through his first two seasons in the NFL, Barmore seemed to put it all together in 2023. The defensive lineman established new career-highs in sacks (8.5), tackles (64), pressures (19), and tackles for loss (13). With Barmore eyeing the final season of his rookie pact in 2024, the Patriots eagerly handed him a a four-year, $84MM extension this past spring.
The Patriots’ pass rush and run defense haven’t been completely helpless in 2024, but Barmore should still help to improve those middle-of-the-road units. While New England doesn’t have a whole lot to play for down the stretch, the organization would gladly take continued development from Barmore as they head towards the offseason.
Patriots Cut WR Tyquan Thornton
As one of only three squads to carry seven wide receivers for much of the campaign, the Patriots are finally clearing some of their depth. The team has cut wideout Tyquan Thornton, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A 2022 second-round pick out of Baylor, Thornton struggled to carve out a role in New England. The wideout showed some flashes as a rookie, hauling in 22 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns while starting nine of his 13 appearances. Thanks in part to inconsistent QB play, Thornton struggled as a sophomore, finishing with only 13 catches while missing a chunk of the season with a shoulder injury.
While the Patriots underwent significant changes during the offseason (including to their offense), Thornton hasn’t been able to revive his career. The wideout saw a fair share of snaps to start the season with Kendrick Bourne and Kayshon Boutte sidelined. However, as the receivers room got back to full strength, Thornton found himself on the outside looking in.
Over the past six weeks, the third-year WR has seen the field for only 13 offensive snaps (with 12 of those snaps coming in Week 8). In addition to Bourne and Boutte, Thornton also found himself behind the likes of Demario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, and K.J. Osborn in the pecking order.
While Osborn is an impending free agent, the Patriots decided to move on from Thornton despite one year remaining on his rookie contract. Another squad could inherit that contract by making a waiver claim, and NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe notes that the receiver is healthy and “ready for his next opportunity.”
Saints Activate C Erik McCoy From IR
4:42PM: As expected, New Orleans has announced the activation of McCoy from injured reserve. The team also activated reserve linebacker Nephi Sewell off of the reserve/physically unable to perform list. To clear some roster space, the Saints waived wide receiver Jermaine Jackson. Jackson had been filling duties as a return man, appearing in the team’s last four contests.
In the announcement, New Orleans also designated wide receivers Kevin Austin and Dante Pettis as their standard gameday practice squad elevations for the second straight week.
9:07AM: The Saints’ season is all but in the gutter, but the team will still welcome back their starting center for the stretch run of the season. The team is expected to activate starting center Erik McCoy from IR in time for tomorrow’s game against the Browns, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.
McCoy suffered a groin injury only a few snaps into Week 3 and subsequently underwent surgery. He’s missed each of New Orleans’ last seven games, although a return seemed imminent when he returned to practice earlier this month. While the Saints sit three games out of a playoff spot in the NFC, the staff is still more than happy to slot the veteran OL back atop the depth chart.
“Should be good to go,” interim coach Darren Rizzi said of McCoy. “I thought we did the right thing here the last couple of weeks with his volume in practice, amped it up a little bit every day, and he looks like he’s ready to go. Unless we have a setback between now and Sunday, I imagine he’d be in there.”
There have been plenty of changes in New Orleans since McCoy went down with an injury. Most notably, the team moved on from head coach Dennis Allen, and the offense has lost two major pieces in Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. While Derek Carr made a relatively quick return from his oblique injury, he’s had to play behind an inexperienced OL. With McCoy out of the lineup and Ryan Ramczyk lost for the season, Cesar Ruiz represented the only holdover from the Drew Brees/Sean Payton era.
A 2019 second-round pick, McCoy has been a full-time starter since joining New Orleans. After missing nine combined games between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the center managed to get into all 17 games in 2023, leading to his first career Pro Bowl nod. He’ll step right back into his starting center spot, and the Saints won’t have to juggle any additional depth after they cut fill-in Connor McGovern earlier this week.
Raiders Activate TE Michael Mayer
The Raiders will add some tight end depth for the second half of the season. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Raiders have activated tight end Michael Mayer from the non-football injury list.
[RELATED: Raiders TE Michael Mayer Returns To Practice]
Mayer landed on the NFI list in early October due to undisclosed personal reasons and has missed the Raiders’ last six games. The tight end returned to practice earlier this week, and the Raiders are expecting to throw him right into the fire.
“I think there’s obviously an opportunity there for him,” coach Antonio Pierce said (via Vic Tafur of The Athletic). “The more we can get him involved, the better.”
Through the first three weeks of the season, Mayer had appeared in 56 percent of his team’s offensive snaps. Even with the expected emergence of first-round TE Brock Bowers, there should still be a role for the second-year pro in Las Vegas. Mayer looked the part of a potential TE1 as a rookie, finishing the year with 27 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Harrison Bryant and John Samuel Shenker will likely slide down the depth chart with Mayer back in the lineup.
The Raiders made a handful of additional moves in anticipation of tomorrow’s matchup with the Dolphins. The team announced that they’ve waived wideout Alex Bachman, and they also promoted receiver Terrace Marshall and center Will Putnam from the practice squad as standard gameday elevations.
Bill Belichick’s “Lieutenants” Ready To Join HC At New Job
Bill Belichick is expected to be the most sought-after individual in this upcoming offseason’s head coaching market. While the iconic coach got shut out of the 2024 campaign, there seems to be a general sentiment that he’ll be roaming the sideline in 2025.
In fact, there’s so much confidence in a Belichick return, many of his “lieutenants” are ready to follow. As Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes, some of Belichick’s former assistant coaches are “preparing to join him” at his new destination. Howe adds that Belichick’s impending staff could look very similar to his staffs in New England.
Howe doesn’t provide any specifics, but there are some former Belichick disciples who could be readily available. Josh McDaniels had two long stints in New England during his coaching career, including 13 combined years as the Patriots offensive coordinator. While McDaniels has failed multiple times as a head coach, he’s still shown he can guide an offense without Tom Brady leading the way; the former OC played an instrumental role in Mac Jones‘ Pro Bowl rookie campaign. With McDaniels having been unemployed since getting canned by the Raiders last year, the coach would presumably be more than willing to join Belichick’s next coaching staff.
On the defensive side of the ball, Belichick could just attend a family outing to recruit his top assistant. Steve Belichick served as the team’s co-de facto defensive coordinator (alongside current Patriots HC Jerod Mayo) during the older Belichick’s latter seasons. When his dad parted ways with the Patriots, the younger Belichick left for Washington to serve as the Huskies’ defensive coordinator. Steve’s Washington defense has allowed more than 30 points per game over the last four games, and with the school eyeing a lost season, the younger Belichick probably wouldn’t receive much push back for joining his father.
Of course, before Belichick can start forming his staff, he’ll need to find his next gig. As Howe notes, the future Hall of Famer won’t be receptive to joining a rebuilding squad as he chases Don Shula’s wins record. The former Patriots architect will likely require full control of the roster, so it’s uncertain if win-now squads like the Cowboys (who have a built-in hierarchy led by owner Jerry Jones) would even be a logical suitor. Ultimately, there seems to be confidence that Belichick will eventually settle on a gig, and he appears to have a full coaching staff ready to go.
Deion Sanders Not Talking NFL Future; Latest On Shedeur Sanders
With Colorado sitting 18th in the AP Top 25 and the Buffaloes appearing to have taken a clear step forward, coach Deion Sanders has already drawn some speculation about a pivot to professional football. While that could ultimately be Sanders’ ultimate plan, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz says the coach hasn’t had any “official conversations with anyone” about heading to the NFL.
However, Schultz does seem to be keep the door open regarding a future move to the NFL, as the reporter notes that Sanders’ current focus is on winning at Colorado this season. Sanders’ NFL opportunities would be reliant on an organization’s willingness to take a chance on the divisive coach, and it’s worth noting that he still has three years remaining on his Colorado contract after this season.
Even if we assume Sanders doesn’t get an NFL job this offseason, he’ll still surely be in the news as his son, Shedeur Sanders, pushes to be an early selection in the draft. As Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports writes, the elder Sanders is ready to “step in” if he decides that the “wrong” organization is targeting his son. In fact, Deion’s considerable influence over Shedeur has already led to “significant apprehension” from NFL squads as they weigh the pros and cons of selecting the Colorado QB. While some executives are generally low on the prospect’s NFL future (one described Shedeur as “Tyrod Taylor 2.0″), there was also a sentiment that the player just wasn’t “worth all the extra stuff.”
Still, there will be surely be one team that takes a chance on the player’s upside, even if it means Shedeur ends up sliding down draft boards. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently noted the connections between the Sanders family and the Raiders. Deion has generally been a fan of the organization, including head coach Antonio Pierce and team president Sandra Douglass Morgan. Shedeur has also been mentored by now part-Raiders owner Tom Brady, and the prospect has been spotted visiting Las Vegas multiple times this year.
While it’s uncertain if they’d fit Deion’s lofty standards, the Giants have also been mentioned as a potential suitor for the QB prospect. Members of the organization visited the University of Colorado last month to get a first-hand look at Sanders (per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones), with assistant general manager Brandon Brown even speaking to the Colorado squad after practice.
The Sanders duo will continue to steal headlines over the next few weeks, especially if Colorado makes a push for the playoffs. For better or for worse, that won’t be the last that we hear from Deion and Shedeur, as the tandem will continue to be central characters during the NFL’s offseason.
Aaron Rodgers Hasn’t Changed Stance On Playing In 2025
The 2024 campaign obviously hasn’t gone as planned for Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. Considering the frustrations that have mounted during a 3-7 start, there’s been some speculation that the future Hall of Famer might call it a career.
However, the soon-to-be 41-year-old seemed to somewhat commit to a 2025 campaign during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. When asked if he’ll be back in New York next season, Rodgers said he “think[s] so, yeah” (per ESPN’s Rich Cimini). While the QB gave a less-than-emphatic response, he did acknowledged that this season hasn’t changed his stance on 2025 (per Brian Costello of the New York Post).
Rodgers was also asked about his statement from last offseason that he intends to play “two or three or four more years.” The QB said his stance hasn’t really changed, and he even hinted that he has a stronger desire to continue his career in 2025.
In his return from a lost 2023 campaign, Rodgers hasn’t necessarily looked like his old self this year. His TD% and INT% are among career worsts, and his 6.4 yards per attempt represents his lowest average as a starter. Rodgers told McAfee that he hasn’t come close to reaching his “standards” in 2024, and that could be a motivating factor as he considers playing next season. As Cimini notes, there’s also a natural financial incentive; Rodgers has a $35MM option bonus due this upcoming offseason.
On the flip side, Rodgers has battled hamstring, knee, and ankle injuries this year, and with 2025 representing his age-42 season, Rodgers may prefer to walk away from the game in one piece. Cimini also wonders if Rodgers’ lack of a definitive commitment could be due to the lack of certainty regarding Jets leadership heading into next season. For what it’s worth, Rodgers did give an endorsement to interim HC Jeff Ulbrich.
“I feel like he’s done some really good things,” Rodgers said (via Cimini). “I think Brick is an NFL head coach, whether it’s here moving forward or down the line. I mean, he’s a leader of men and I’ll stand by him. I’d love to play for him until the end. So have a lot of love and respect for him.”
The Jets will surely consider options at both head coach and GM this offseason. However, the biggest factor surrounding their offseason approach could be focused on the status of their veteran quarterback.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/14/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: S Keidron Smith
The Broncos quickly reunited with Keidron Smith after the safety was cut from the active roster the other day. Smith has appeared in eight games for Denver this season, collecting six tackles while primarily playing on special teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/14/24
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: C Matt Hennessy
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: TE C.J. Uzomah
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return: CB Cory Trice
Washington Commanders
- Promoted: K Zane Gonzalez, DE Efe Obada
Cory Trice was back at practice for the Steelers today after being sidelined for more than a month with a hamstring injury. The 2023 seventh-round pick made his NFL debut in Week 1 of the 2024 campaign, and he snagged his first career interception in Week 2. When he returns, he’ll likely slide back to an end-of-the-depth-chart CB/special teamer for Pittsburgh. With Trice returning to practice, the Steelers will now have 21 days to activate the player to the active roster.