Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/22
Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: RB Darrel Williams
- Waived with injury settlement: K Rodrigo Blankenship
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from PUP: RB Kylin Hill
Houston Texans
- Released: DE Demone Harris
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Bills): WR Isaiah Hodgins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: OL John Molchon, LB J.J. Russell
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/2/22
Here are today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Eric Banks, OL Rashaad Coward
- Released: OL Sage Doxtater, G Danny Isidora
Houston Texans
- Released: DT Micah Dew-Treadway
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Jordan Wilkins
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OL Lamont Gaillard
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: QB Brett Hundley
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Willie Snead, DT Akeem Spence
- Released: WR Malik Turner
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB JoJo Ozougwu, T Justin Skule
NFC North Rumors: Smith, Corbett, Peterson, Udoh
One of the biggest headlines of the day was when Baltimore acquired Bears linebacker Roquan Smith in exchange for a second- and fifth-round pick. Lots led to this deal being made, but no one can say the Bears didn’t try to hold on to Smith.
General manager Ryan Poles claimed that the Bears made a contract offer to Smith that contained a “record-setting” piece, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Smith had been representing himself and negotiations have reportedly gone nowhere, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Not only were the negotiations at an impasse but Adam Jahns of The Athletic tells us they were also apparently tenuous enough to change the team’s perception of Smith.
Regardless, negotiations to extend Smith will now fall on the Ravens’ shoulders, and, according to Biggs, the move shows that pretty much anyone on the Bears’ roster is fair game to be traded before tomorrow’s deadline.
Here are a few more rumors from around the NFC North, all coming out of the Twin Cities of Minnesota:
- As the trade deadline approaches, an ideal target for the Vikings is Panthers offensive guard Austin Corbett, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minnesota. Minnesota was in on Corbett during his free agency this offseason but lost out to Carolina, who signed him to a three-year, $26.25MM deal. The Vikings would love to add Corbett to anchor an offensive line with several young, impressive players, but it appears that Carolina, justifiably, views him as a core player to build around for the future.
- After throwing some shots at Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray during his in-game celebrations, Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson expressed some lingering discontentment with his former franchise, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Peterson claimed that someone in the organization used to print out emails from a fan about “how he couldn’t tackle and was washed up” and would leave the letters at his locker in Arizona. Peterson’s jabs make a little more sense with some context about his feelings towards the organization near the end of his tenure.
- Vikings backup offensive lineman Oli Udoh was arrested last weekend after allegedly harassing a female patron then scuffling with club security at Club e11even in Miami, according to John Shipley of the Pioneer Press. Udoh and his attorney “dispute the reported facts of the incident,” according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN, and head coach Kevin O’Connell told the media that he expects a positive outcome. He participated as usual in practice this week. Udoh was a full-time starter for the Vikings last year but has functioned in a backup capacity this season with rookie second-round pick Ed Ingram taking over as the team’s starting right guard.
Injury Updates: Eichenberg, Smith, Parker, Moore, Bellinger
Dolphins guard Liam Eichenberg was carted off the field in this Sunday’s trip to Detroit. The injury isn’t as serious as initially feared, but it appears Eichenberg has suffered an MCL injury and will miss some time, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Miami will have options to replace Eichenberg. Michael Deiter started eight games at center last year for the Dolphins and 15 games at Eichenberg’s left guard position in 2019. Brandon Shell and Greg Little are also options with plenty of starting experience, albeit at tackle. Robert Jones is also an option after starting a game last year.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:
- The Vikings are expected to be down another tight end after Irv Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. With Ben Ellefson on injured reserve, Minnesota will have to rely on veteran Johnny Mundt who came over from Los Angeles in the offseason. Mundt has had limited targets this year with Minnesota’s litany of talented pass catchers, but his 12 receptions are already more than he had during his five years with the Rams. The Vikings will also likely explore the option of signing one of its two practice squad tight ends, Jacob Hollister and Nick Muse.
- After suffering a knee sprain on the first play of the Patriots’ win over the Jets this weekend, wide receiver DeVante Parker is not expected to miss extended time, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport reports that if he does miss time, it should only be one game, especially since New England has a bye after next Sunday’s contest against the Colts. He should definitely be back in time for a rematch with the Jets in Week 11.
- Colts cornerback Kenny Moore suffered a right hand sprain in practice last week, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. As Boyd inquired about the injury, Moore revealed that he has also been playing with a torn ligament in his left hand since the start of the season. Neither injury is expected to hold Moore out of any games, but this interview offered a glimpse into what Moore has been playing through this year.
- After a gruesome freak accident that saw Jaguars rookie linebacker Devin Lloyd strike Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger directly in the eye on a whiffed attempt to punch the ball out, Bellinger reportedly “underwent successful surgery to correct fractures on (the) lower window of (his) eye socket and damage to (his) septum,” according to Fowler. Bellinger hopes to return in two to six weeks, but other sources indicate that four to six weeks is a much more reasonable timeline.
Teams Who Could Move On Big-Name Pass Rushers
Some intriguing names have been mentioned as available in the trade market as the deadline approaches tomorrow afternoon. As usual, pass rusher is a position that many teams are looking to make improvements at, and there’s no shortage of big names available. So which teams are in the market to trade for players like Panthers defensive end Brian Burns, Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, or Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen? According to Alber Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Rams, Chiefs, Ravens, and Titans are all in the mix. 
After losing Von Miller in free agency this offseason to the Bills, Los Angeles has struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Defensive lineman Aaron Donald leads the team with 4.0 sacks, and, while outside linebacker Leonard Floyd is second on the team with 2.0, he’s tied with middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Besides that, at the pass rusher position, Justin Hollins and Terrell Lewis only have 1.0 sack apiece. The Rams easily could benefit from the addition of Burns, Chubb, or Allen, who could all immediately start adding to the team’s lackluster sack total.
The Chiefs are an interesting addition to this list, since they made the move for pass rusher Frank Clark back in 2019. Like the Rams, Kansas City has gotten their biggest sack totals from interesting places. Defensive tackle Chris Jones leads the team with 5.0 sacks and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is second on the team with 3.5. Clark and outside linebacker Carlos Dunlap combine for 5.0, while Darius Harris, Willie Gay, and George Karlaftis add a combined 2.0 sacks. They have some big names and are around average in the league for their sack totals, but Clark’s upcoming two-game suspension could limit their pass rush effectiveness during that period. Adding another big name, though, could certainly make them one of the more feared defenses in the league.
The Ravens are another interesting addition. They have lots of potential but lack a young, proven pass rusher on their roster. Baltimore has proven pass rushers in Calais Campbell, Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Houston, and soon-to-return Tyus Bowser. They’ve also got young pass rushers in Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, who may soon make his NFL debut. But they lack the young AND proven pass rusher. Campbell, Pierre-Paul, and Houston are far from their prime days of double-digit sacks. Houston has made a good effort this season, with 6.0 so far this year, but injuries have already forced him to miss three contests this year. Oweh is the former first-round pick who, after 5.0 sacks in his rookie season, was expected to break out for a big sack total this year. Unfortunately, Oweh only has 1.0 sack this season in a potential sophomore slump. The Ravens may just need to wait, though. The returns of Bowser, who led the Ravens in 2021 with 7.0 sacks, and Ojabo, who trailed only No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson for the team lead in sacks at Michigan last year with 11.0, may act like trade additions themselves as the Ravens make a push for the playoffs. If they’re returns hit bumps in the road or Houston sees more injury trouble, it may make sense for Baltimore to add a young name with proven pass rushing expertise.
The Titans maybe make the most sense to me. Tennessee has been able to produce decent sack numbers despite their lack of big-name pass rushers. Their biggest name is their sack-leader Jeffery Simmons, who’s totaled 5.5 sacks so far this year. Behind him Denico Autry, Rashad Weaver, Bud Dupree, and DeMarcus Walker have combined for 13.0 sacks, with defensive tackle Sam Okuayinonu also adding a half of a sack. If those numbers are being put up by the likes of Autry, Weaver, and Dupree, imagine what Burns, Chubb, or Allen could produce in this scheme. This team isn’t struggling to provide a pass rush, but it could potentially improve the most with the addition of a big-name pass rusher.
The deadline comes tomorrow at 4 PM eastern time. If any of these teams are going to make a big move in the pass rushing market, it will have to be by then. It will be interesting to see which playoff contending teams decide to make the move to improve their defense by tomorrow’s deadline.
Cowboys Looking Out For Wide Receivers At Trade Deadline
After trading Amari Cooper and letting Cedrick Wilson walk in free agency, the Cowboys needed big seasons from Michael Gallup and Noah Brown. Brown has stepped up his game but isn’t quite having a big season and Gallup has slowly been working his way back from last season’s late ACL tear. The results have led the Cowboys to keep one eye open for possible acquisitions at wide receiver as the trade deadline approaches, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. 
Through the first seven weeks of the season, the Cowboys’ receivers have been led by CeeDee Lamb (37 receptions, 479 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Brown (25 receptions, 339 yards, 1 touchdown). The team hasn’t been getting much help from its tight ends, though Dalton Schultz is third on the team with 14 receptions and 129 receiving yards. Running back Tony Pollard is just behind him with 11 receptions and 105 receiving yards. Gallup has recently made a return from his ACL recovery, but, through four games this season, he hasn’t shown the production he’s proven he’s capable of over the past few years.
The Cowboys signed free agent wide receiver James Washington in the offseason, but an offseason foot fracture has left him on injured reserve for these opening weeks of the NFL season. Cowboys general manager Jerry Jones told reporters that Washington is “real close” to returning. They hope Washington will add to the receiving group but diminishing returns over his past two seasons may still leave more to be desired.
Jones also told reporters only a week ago that he didn’t expect the team to make any trades. His quotes today seem to backtrack a little. On the topic of acquiring a new wide receiver in the trade market, Jones said, “We’ll just see.” He continued, “My point is: we don’t have to do anything. But if it raises its head, and it’s right, then we’ll do something.”
It’s unclear who the “right” wide receiver would be. The Panthers made it known they would like to hold on to wide receiver D.J. Moore. There are some underutilized names out there like Denzel Mims, KJ Hamler, Kendrick Bourne, and the former Cowboy Wilson (now with the Dolphins). Besides that approach, Jerry Jeudy, Brandin Cooks, and Chase Claypool are the biggest names that are rumored to be available. Jeudy or Claypool would add to the youth in the receiving corps, making it formidable for years to come. Bringing Cooks in would resupply Dallas with the veteran leadership at the position that it traded away in Cooper.
Until we find out what the “right” situation is, it’s hard to speculate that Jones and the Cowboys will make any moves. As the clock continues to tick towards the deadline, though, names like Jeudy, Claypool, and Cooks may start sounding more and more “right.”
NFC Contract Restructures: Harty, Jackson
Here are two recent contract restructures from around the NFC:
- Deonte Harty, WR (Saints): Harty recently restructured his one-year, $3.99MM contract with New Orleans to open up about $1.74MM in cap space, according to Field Yates of ESPN. The restructured deal contains four voidable years, a now common trait in Saints’ contracts meant to assist with cap space. Harty, who changed his surname from Harris in 2021 to honor his stepfather, has been with the Saints since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2019. As a rookie, Harty carved out a role for himself in the return game and led the NFL in punt return yardage. He was named an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler that year and went on the serve as the Saints’ primary return man for the next two seasons while also adding growing contributions on offense. Unfortunately, this year, Harty has been bitten by a turf toe injury that has landed him on injured reserve. Reports have indicated that the injury could potentially keep Harty out for the rest of the season, leading to the agreement to restructure. In his absence, another undrafted rookie, Rashid Shaheed, has taken over Harty’s role on offense and special teams.
- Gabe Jackson, G (Seahawks): Jackson and the Seahawks recently agreed to a restructured deal that clears up $1.5MM of cap space, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. The longtime Raider was traded to the Seahawks last year where he signed a three-year, $22.58MM extension. Jackson’s restructure likely has nothing to do with injury, though he did miss two games with a hip flexor injury before returning this week against the Giants. It’s likely just a team-friendly move to clear up some cap space. Jackson was one of only six players on the Seahawks with a base salary higher than $2.5MM and three of the other players are in a contract year, which limited Seattle’s restructuring options. In the end, the team converted $3.5MM of Jackson’s 2022 salary into a signing bonus that will be prorated over the remainder of his contract. The move frees up a little space for Seattle ahead of the trade deadline, but, likely, it’s just a move to help cover practice squad elevations and injuries for the remainder of the year.
Buccaneers Not Looking To Make Any Moves Before Trade Deadline
Despite being in the midst of a three-game skid, and losing five of their last six games, the Buccaneers are not expected to make any big moves to acquire players before the trade deadline, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. General manager Jason Licht has been known to be willing to make moves that could improve the team’s standing for a playoff run, but, right now, the team seems to be fine with where they’re at. 
The Buccaneers don’t seem to have a ton of holes in their roster. They haven’t been very successful running the ball, ranking 31st in the NFL for rushing yards. They likely don’t feel the need to trade for a big name running back. Despite veteran pass-catching back Giovani Bernard spending the last six games on injured reserve, Tampa Bay still has Leonard Fournette. The team has also spent two third-round picks in the last three drafts on Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Rachaad White.
A more likely reason for their rushing struggles is the offensive line losses they’ve dealt with this year. The retirement of last year’s starting guard Ali Marpet, the loss of their other starting guard, Alex Cappa, to free agency, and the long-term injury suffered by starting center Ryan Jensen have forced the Buccaneers to piece together a new configuration. Last year’s Buccaneers weren’t one of the league’s better rushing offenses and, with these setbacks, they’ve turned into one of the league’s worst.
Fans may also be looking for the team to make a move on defense, where the team ranks last in the league in rushing yards allowed. The Buccaneers don’t necessarily think a change in personnel is in order from an outside source, as they have several players who have missed time due to injury set to make comebacks soon. Tampa Bay hopes to get defensive lineman Akiem Hicks back soon, which should be a huge help. They’re also looking for cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting to make returns soon. Unfortunately, the loss of outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett hurts the defense’s chances for improvement a bit.
If any changes were to be made, it’s looking more and more likely that it will come on the coaching end and not on the players’ end, according to Armando Salguero of OutKick.com. With an offense that has been deemed as “under-performing” there is speculation that the team could have retired head coach and current consultant Bruce Arians or offensive consultant Tom Moore pair up with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to bring the offense back up to par.
Currently, head coach Todd Bowles says the coaching staff and their duties will remain intact, but, if the team continues to flail in what could easily be the last season for quarterback Tom Brady, look for the team to get creative with their use of the coaching staff.
Eagles’ First-Round Rookie DT Jordan Davis Sprains Ankle
Not much has gone wrong for the Eagles this year as they’ve cruised their way to an undefeated 7-0 start to the season. Injuries affect every team, though, and one showed up in Philadelphia today as rookie first-round defensive tackle Jordan Davis left today’s game with a high ankle sprain, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
The 13th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft has been a rotational contributor this year for the NFC East leaders. Despite becoming a consistent starter since Week 3 of the season, Davis has yet to play more than half of the team’s defensive snaps in a single game. Still, he’s been impressive in his limited time grading out as the league’s 9th best defensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), thanks to a really good run defense grade and a better than average pass rush grade.
Through seven games this year, Davis has recorded 12 total tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, and 1 pass defensed. Obviously, as a defensive tackle, Davis isn’t lighting up the stat sheet, but he’s been an impactful rookie, making his presence felt in other ways.
If the Eagles are forced to miss Davis for an extended period, they’ll likely roll forward with a top-two of Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave. Back up linemen Milton Williams and Marlon Tuipulotu have been rotating in like Davis, but, with Davis out, they will likely be asked to step up for a few more snaps each game.
High ankle sprains typically have a recovery period of four to six weeks. The severity of Davis’s injury has yet to be determined, but he is expected to undergo an MRI tomorrow morning.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/29/22
Here are the minor moves leading into Sunday’s slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Antwaun Woods, T Badara Traore
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: CB Cornell Armstrong
- Promoted from practice squad: S Jovante Moffatt, DL Jalen Dalton
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Spencer Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: T Joe Haeg
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: RB Malik Davis, TE Sean McKeon
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Qadree Ollison, G Dakoda Shepley
- Placed on IR: LB Devin Harper
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: RB Devine Ozigbo
- Promoted from practice squad: T Quinn Bailey, DE Jonathan Kongbo
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: K Michael Badgley
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Maurice Alexander, WR Stanley Berryhill
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Innis Gaines, DE Kobe Jones
Houston Texans
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Jalen Camp, T KC McDermott
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Nickell Robey-Coleman
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: WR Van Jefferson, CB Troy Hill (story)
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Ronnie Rivers, T Chandler Brewer
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted from practice squad: S Verone McKinley, WR Braylon Sanders
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jacob Hollister
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: T Yodny Cajuste
- Promoted from practice squad: OL Kody Russey
- Placed on IR: G Chasen Hines
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: S Chris Harris
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Kevin White
- Released: WR Keith Kirkwood
New York Jets
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Chris Streveler, OL Conor McDermott
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE Tarron Jackson
- Waived: K Cameron Dicker
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: WR Willie Snead
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Tay Martin, DT T.Y. McGill
- Waived: T Blake Hance
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: RB Travis Homer
- Promoted from practice squad: OLB Bruce Irvin, WR Cade Johnson
Washington Commanders
- Promoted from practice squad: FB Alex Armah, WR Kyric McGowan