Rams Placing WR Cooper Kupp On IR
The scare the Rams experienced when Cooper Kupp left a Tuesday night practice early with a hamstring injury over a month ago has finally come to fruition. After announcing that he wouldn’t be available for Week 1 and threatening a stint on injured reserve, Los Angeles has officially made the move, guaranteeing that the former All-Pro receiver will miss at least four games, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. 
Kupp’s recovery and comeback from last year’s ankle surgery hit a snag when he was forced to leave a night practice in early August before the rest of the team. He made the decision to visit a specialist in Minnesota a week ago in an attempt to gather more information about his injury. At the point, it was becoming clear that Kupp likely wasn’t going to be ready for a Week 1 return.
That prediction became a reality when head coach Sean McVay confirmed that Kupp would not be available for the team’s season opener and explored the possibility of Kupp heading to IR. Kupp’s season-ending ankle surgery last year forced him to sit out the last eight games of the 2022 season. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old wideout is set to extend that streak of missed games at least another four weeks.
The Rams are going to have an interesting situation on their hands contractually if Kupp is forced to miss much more time. Kupp is only two years removed from winning Offensive Player of the Year after completing the receiving triple crown by leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, but Kupp’s financial impact is set to hit much harder soon. Over the next three seasons, Kupp is due to hold cap hits of $29.78MM in 2024, $29.78MM in 2025, and $27.33MM in 2026. He’ll be 33 years old in that final year.
If Kupp has trouble getting back to the field soon, the Rams might need to start exploring options to preserve cap space. Whether that involves a restructured contract or Kupp in a different uniform is subject to speculation, but his extended absence is not making things easy for Los Angeles.
WR Notes: Watson, Metchie, Chark, McLaurin, Smith-Njigba
Jordan Love‘s tenure as the Packers‘ full-time starting quarterback will have a bit of a hurdle to navigate this week. In his first start since November 2021, Love will be without the team’s top returning receiver Christian Watson, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
Watson is dealing with a hamstring injury that could potentially lead to an extended absence. Head coach Matt LaFleur claimed that he doesn’t think Watson will reach a three- or four-week absence but classified the second-year wideout as week-to-week.
The top target in Watson’s absence, fellow sophomore receiver Romeo Doubs, is also dealing with a hamstring injury but is only listed as questionable heading into the weekend. Rookie wideout Dontayvion Wicks is the third such receiver on the team dealing with a hamstring injury, but he managed to avoid the injury report altogether. Star tackle David Bakhtiari is also available after staying off the injury report.
Here are a few more reports on wide receiver injuries from around the league heading into Week 1:
- The world will have to continue to wait for the NFL debut of Texans wide receiver John Metchie III, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Despite making a recovery from both a torn ACL and leukemia, Metchie is still dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. Houston is being patient, taking a “big-picture approach” to Metchie’s return. The team will be without safety Jimmie Ward and linebacker Blake Cashman for Week 1, as well.
- The Panthers are slowly working their way back to full health in their receiving corps, according to Panthers writer Augusta Stone. Back ups Terrace Marshall and Ihmir Smith-Marsette are now fully participating in practice after recent injury trouble. Starters Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark Jr. both returned to practice today in a limited capacity. While Thielen was listed as questionable and could still play, Chark has been ruled out for the team’s season opener.
- The Commanders drew lots of criticism when leading receiver Terry McLaurin sustained an injury as the team played its starters fairly deep into a preseason game in an effort to end the Ravens’ preseason win streak. They’ll dodge a bullet, though, as McLaurin will be active this week after making good progress from his turf toe injury, according to Commanders senior writer Zach Selby. He’s had a couple of full participation practices and should be good to go for Week 1. Defensive end Chase Young has been listed as questionable, though. Head coach Ron Rivera claimed that “if (Young’s) cleared, he’ll go.”
- Despite undergoing wrist surgery just two and a half weeks ago, Seahawks rookie first round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba is expected to play in the team’s season opener against the Rams this Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Head coach Pete Carroll, who was optimistic on the recovery timeline, confirmed as much this week.
Colts Extend LS Luke Rhodes
While it may not be the long-term agreement Colts fans were hoping to see, the team got a big deal done today, extending veteran long snapper Luke Rhodes for an additional four years, according to Colts.com writer JJ Stankevitz. The new deal reportedly makes Rhodes the highest-paid player at his position in the NFL. 
On an extremely young team, Rhodes is the second-longest tenured player in Indianapolis, trailing only center Ryan Kelly. Since signing with the Colts’ practice squad as an undrafted linebacker midway through his rookie season, Rhodes has played in 101 games after switching positions. Over his seven years in the NFL, Rhodes has been extremely reliable, only missing one game in his career.
This is Rhodes’ second tenure as the league’s highest-paid long snapper. After signing an exclusive rights tender with the Colts for the 2018 season, Rhodes signed a four-year, $4.85MM contract extension the next summer to become the top-paid long snapper in the NFL at that time. Rhodes immediately provided a strong return on investment by earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2020 and first-team All-Pro honors in 2021, getting voted to the Pro Bowl that year, as well.
With the new deal, Rhodes avoids playing out his contract year. He’ll now be under contract through the 2027 season with his four-year, $6.47MM extension. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the deal has a guaranteed amount of $2.5MM with his 2023 base salary (worth $1.2MM) now fully guaranteed. He’ll also receive a signing bonus of $1.1MM.
With Rhodes locked down, the team can now continue working on other contracts set to expire. Colts fans will be relieved to hear that, but they should also recognize the significance of extending Rhodes for four more years.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/8/23
Here are some minor transactions for today from around the league:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released from IR with injury settlement: CB Cornell Armstrong
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: LB Chandler Wooten
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: OLB JoJo Domann
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released from IR with injury settlement: T Josh Wells
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Shaun Jolly
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: RB Myles Gaskin
New England Patriots
- Released from IR with injury settlement: T Conor McDermott
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: DE Austin Bryant
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DE William Bradley-King
- Placed on IR: WR Dax Milne
The releases of Armstrong and Wells are interesting. Armstrong ended last year as a starting cornerback for the Falcons but will now have to continue striving to stay in the NFL. Wells’ release ends a short reunion with the team that drafted him.
Gaskin is reportedly expected to remain in Minnesota and sign to the team’s practice squad to be elevated on Sunday. This is likely a familiar tactic teams use in order to avoid guaranteeing the full value of low-cost veterans’ salaries. Those on the 53-man roster for Week 1 will be guaranteed, while players signed to the active roster after this week will only be guaranteed 35 percent.
Bryant’s short tenure in San Francisco ends as the team makes room for Nick Bosa, who will be activated from the reserve/did not report list after signing his five-year, $170MM extension.
Milne’s move to IR could be an explanation for why the Commanders felt the need to go out and acquire Jamison Crowder following his release from New York.
Saints QB Jake Haener Suspended 6 Games
The Saints’ rookie quarterback Jake Haener has reportedly been suspended for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Haener will miss the first six games of the season, making him unavailable until Monday, October 16. 
Haener was drafted to New Orleans in the fourth round this year out of Fresno State, where he spent most of his college career after transferring from Washington. Haener made the team’s initial 53-man roster and was expected to take a role as the Saints’ third, emergency quarterback behind starter Derek Carr and backup Jameis Winston.
New Orleans recently made an announcement that hybrid quarterback/tight end Taysom Hill would officially be listed as a quarterback, according to another post from Terrell. Many were surprised by the move as he’s seen continued time in a heavily split role. With Haener becoming unavailable for a decent stretch of time, Hill’s official designation makes a little more sense. Until Haener returns for a Week 7 matchup against the Jaguars, Hill will likely fill the emergency quarterback role for roster purposes.
Haener claimed ignorance when addressing the violation, saying in a statement posted to his X account that he does “not know how the substance got into (his) body, as none of (his) supplements or prescribed medications contain the banned ingredient.” He went on to take responsibility for the failed test, nonetheless, accepting the punishment to come. The suspension will be an unpaid one, meaning Haener will miss out on $250K of his $750K base salary in his rookie year, according to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune.
NFL Restructures: 49ers, Humphrey, Barrett, Teller
The NFL has an offseason rule called the Top 51 rule. The Top 51 rule dictates that, from the start of the new NFL league year until the beginning of the regular season, only the top 51 contracts (in terms of salary cap hit) count against a team’s salary cap. With the 2023 regular season starting tomorrow, the Top 51 rule expired at 4pm today.
This means that each team in the NFL was forced to add two more contracts to their salary cap totals. If a team was flirting with the ceiling of the salary cap, the addition of two more contracts may push them above the limit. While that may not have been the case for all of the following teams, these front offices decided to take advantage of the timing to clear up some cap space, according to ESPN’s Field Yates:
- The 49ers did double-duty, restructuring the contracts of tight end George Kittle and offensive tackle Trent Williams. For Kittle, the team converted $10.57MM of his 2023 base salary into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the end of the deal, clearing up $8.46MM of cap space. For Williams, San Francisco converted $18.24MM of the left tackle’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus, also adding a single void year to the end of the deal. Williams’ adjustment cleared $14.59MM of cap space. The $23.04MM of cap space cleared in the restructures likely had less to do with the Top 51 rule and much more to do with star pass rusher Nick Bosa‘s record-setting extension.
- The Ravens used the opportunity to adjust star cornerback Marlon Humphrey‘s contract. Baltimore converted $9.42MM of Humphrey’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus and added a single void year to the end of the deal. The adjustment created $7.54MM of cap space for the Ravens.
- The Seahawks decided to create space by restructuring safety Jamal Adams‘ contract. Seattle converted $9.92MM of Adams’ 2023 base salary into a signing bonus, creating $6.61MM of cap space for the team.
- The Buccaneers also targeted the contract of a defensive veteran, adjusting the numbers of pass rusher Shaquil Barrett. For Barrett, Tampa Bay converted $13.09MM of his 2023 base salary into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the end of the contract. The restructure clears up $10.47MM of cap space for the Buccaneers.
- The Titans also addressed the contract of a pass rusher, restructuring Harold Landry‘s current deal. Tennessee converted $11MM of Landry’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus, clearing up $8.25MM of cap space for the team.
- The Broncos continue to miss the contributions of wide receiver Tim Patrick, who will once again miss the entire season, but Denver still found some value for him in a contract restructure. The team converted $6MM of Patrick’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus to clear up $3MM of cap space.
- The Browns created some cap space by restructuring the deal of veteran offensive guard Wyatt Teller. Cleveland converted $11.42MM of Teller’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the end his deal in order to create $9.14MM of cap space for the team.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/23
Minor moves from around the league as we prepare for tomorrow’s season opener:
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR with injury settlement: WR Isaiah Ford, WR Dante Pettis
Detroit Lions
- Waive/injured: RB Jermar Jefferson
Green Bay Packers
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: RB Tyler Goodson, LS Broughton Hatcher
- Released from IR with injury settlement: S Tarvarius Moore
Indianapolis Colts
- Released from IR with injury settlement: TE Ricky Seals-Jones
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: G Jerome Carvin
Los Angeles Rams
- Reverted to IR: CB Shaun Jolly
Miami Dolphins
- Released from IR with injury settlement: TE Eric Saubert
New York Jets
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Jimmy Moreland
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: S Tayler Hawkins
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: LB Vi Jones
Dolphins Extend LS Blake Ferguson
Although it used to be something of a rarity, drafting a long snapper has become an annual phenomenon in recent years. Results of using such an important acquisition opportunity on a special teamer that doesn’t kick have been mixed since 2015, but the Dolphins represent as one of the teams to have found success in the risk. Miami solidified Blake Ferguson as their long snapper of the future with an extension today, according to the team’s X account. 
Ferguson was a member of the 2019 national champion LSU team before heading to the NFL. Like many of his teammates, the former Tigers team captain was fortunate enough to hear his name called in the draft and found himself heading to Miami. He took over the starting job as a rookie and hasn’t looked back, playing in all 50 possible games over his first three years.
With Ferguson heading into a contract year, the Dolphins decided to get ahead of his free agency by inking him before the season got underway. While we don’t yet have details on the numbers, the team’s post claims he’ll be under contract through the 2026 season, giving him an extra three years in South Beach.
While teams like the Lions, Steelers, Packers, and Vikings proved poor examples to follow in the years before Miami drafted Ferguson, the Dolphins have replicated the success found by their division rivals in New England, who drafted Joe Cardona in the fifth-round back in 2015. Like Cardona, Ferguson has minimized mistakes while staying on the field, helping him to land his second big-league deal.
Chargers Finalize 53-Man Roster
The Chargers took care of most of their headline moves before the deadline today. They used today to take care of the remaining moves necessary to get down to the 53-man roster limit. Here are the team’s moves from today:
Waived:
- LB Brevin Allen
- OT Zack Bailey
- S Tyler Baker-Williams
- C Johari Branch
- WR Terrell Bynum
- DL Jerrod Clark
- WR Keelan Doss
- LB Nathan East
- TE Michael Ezeike
- LB Andrew Farmer
- CB Matt Hankins
- WR John Hightower
- RB Tyler Hoosman
- CB Michael Jacquet
- LB Mikel Jones
- TE Hunter Kampmoyer
- OT Matt Kaskey
- LB Carlo Kemp
- DL Terrance Lang
- LB Blake Lynch
- DL David Moa
- CB Tiawan Mullen
- DL C.J. Okoye
- OL Austen Pleasants
- RB Aaron Shampklin
- LB Ty Shelby
- WR Darrius Shepherd
- CB Amechi Uzodinma
- C Isaac Weaver
- DB Mark Webb
- WR Pokey Wilson
- WR Milton Wright
Placed on reserve/PUP:
- WR Jalen Guyton
- DL Otito Ogbonnia
Seventh-round rookie quarterback Max Duggan failed to make the roster behind starter Justin Herbert and backup Easton Stick. At running back, though, undrafted rookie running back Elijah Dotson impressed enough in the preseason to make the active roster in the regular season.
The team will carry a simple, five-man receiving corps into the season with Guyton on the physically unable to perform list. Returning wideouts Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer will be joined by former TCU draft picks Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis.
Cameron Dicker winning the kicking battle led to the trading of Dustin Hopkins and the waiving of Cade York. After making 19 of his 20 kick attempts for the Chargers in his rookie year and converting all 22 of his extra point attempts, Dicker will remain the team’s placekicker moving forward.
Seahawks Set 53-Man Roster
A new-look running backs room and the continuation of one of the best stories of the preseason underline today’s announcements. The Seahawks had made some cuts in the days leading up to the deadline, but here are the remaining moves the team made to get down to 53 players:
Released:
- LB Ben Burr-Kirven
- C Joey Hunt
Waived:
- QB Holton Ahlers
- LB Levi Bell
- CB Lance Boykin
- OT Greg Eiland
- NT Matthew Gotel
- WR John Hall
- WR Cade Johnson
- WR Matt Landers
- TE Tyler Mabry
- LB Patrick O’Connell
- S Ty Okada
- DE Roderick Perry
- G Kendall Randolph
- DE Jacob Sykes
- RB SaRodorick Thompson
- WR Easop Winston
- LB Christian Young
Waived/injured:
- S Joey Blount
- LB Vi Jones
- S Jonathan Sutherland
While not a shock, the established running backs group looks a bit different from last year. The sole returners, Kenneth Walker III and DeeJay Dallas, will be joined on the 53-roster by rookie draft picks Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh.
Undrafted rookie wide receiver Jake Bobo gets rewarded for his outstanding preseason performance and will be suiting up in Week 1 of the regular season. The UCLA standout could even earn some significant playing time early as rookie first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba deals with a fractured wrist and Dareke Young and Cody Thompson also deal with injuries.
Veteran former first-round pick Artie Burns survives the final round of roster cuts. Finally healthy, Burns played well in the slot, moving inside as rookie first-round pick Devon Witherspoon dealt with injuries and Coby Bryant played a bit at safety.