Commanders Place QB Marcus Mariota On IR
The Commanders will be starting rookie No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels at quarterback to open the season in Tampa Bay tomorrow. Behind Daniels, though, Washington had to make a couple of roster moves at quarterback. Prior to tomorrow’s game, the Commanders announced that they would place Marcus Mariota on injured reserve while signing practice squad passer Sam Hartman to the active roster. 
Mariota was set to enter the season as the veteran backup option behind the team’s rookie starter. Today’s transaction, though, means that the former No. 2 overall pick in 2015 will be out for at least the next four games. With Mariota out, the new veteran backup with starting experience is Jeff Driskel.
A former sixth-round pick for the 49ers back in 2016, Driskel has never entered the season as a starter, but he has notched 12 starts in 24 game appearances over his eight years in the NFL coming off the bench. Over that time, Driskel has a record as a starter of 1-10, but he has shown some efficiency with a 16-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio in his career.
Behind Driskel, the newly promoted Hartman will serve as the emergency QB3. A six-year college quarterback who transferred from Wake Forest to Notre Dame for his final year of collegiate ball, Hartman overcame a nagging injury history to become a successful starter for both the Demon Deacons and the Fighting Irish. He signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent and failed to make the initial 53-man roster but was signed to the practice squad shortly after being waived.
Joining Hartman off the practice squad, linebacker Nick Bellore and defensive tackle Sheldon Day will be promoted as standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow. Unlike Hartman, Bellore and Day will revert back to the practice squad after the team’s matchup with the Buccaneers.
Cowboys Activate WR CeeDee Lamb
The Cowboys recently extended wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a four-year, $136MM deal that gave him the second-highest annual average at the position in the NFL behind only Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson. It wasn’t smooth sailing to get there, though, as the negotiating process saw Lamb miss nearly all of the preseason as he held out to influence his new contract. 
As a result of Lamb’s holdout, the Cowboys placed him on the commissioner’s exempt list upon signing his extension. This exempt list is usually reserved for players in unique situations, allowing a team to retain that player without needed to utilize a roster spot on them.
For Lamb, his placement was the result of his holdout. Dallas was granted a two-game roster exemption with his placement on the list, meaning the Cowboys could keep him there through Week 3, if necessary, without him counting towards their 53-man roster. This would allow Lamb to get back up to speed after not participating with the team throughout training camp and the preseason. Instead, the Cowboys will waste no time, activating him from the exempt list in time for Week 1.
In addition to this roster addition, Dallas has also opted to promote linebacker Nick Vigil as a standard gameday practice squad elevation. A former full-time starter for the Bengals, Vigil’s role in the NFL has diminished over the years. If he sees game action tomorrow, it will be a regular season appearance with the fifth team of his career.
Vikings Working To Extend S Camryn Bynum
After an offseason that saw an impressive amount of turnover, the Vikings are starting to turn their attention to the threats to leave in the next offseason. One such threat is that of starting safety Camryn Bynum who is about to begin the final year of his rookie contract in Minnesota. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Minnesota is working to extend the fourth-year safety. 
A productive player through his first three years as a Golden Bear, Bynum’s final season at Cal was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic limiting the school’s season to only four games. Still, Bynum’s production up to that point warranted a flyer in the fourth round of the draft. After only a year, Bynum established himself as a full-time starter, setting himself up for the position he finds himself in now.
Through three years in the NFL, Bynum’s production has been consistent with his collegiate career, continuing a trend of having at least one interception every year since he graduated from high school. His versatility earned him three starts in 14 appearances as a rookie, and he delivered an interception, three passes defensed, and a sack as a result.
Once a full-time starter, Bynum established himself as a tackler, as well. In 2022 he finished the year with 81 total tackles, two interceptions, six passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries. Last year saw him lead the team with 137 total tackles, record career highs in passes defensed (9) and forced fumbles (3), and reel in another two interceptions and a half sack. His efforts in 2023 saw him grade out as the league’s 21st-best safety in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
This offseason saw Antoine Winfield Jr. set a new mark for safeties in the NFL, earning a deal with an annual average value of $21.03MM, but Bynum is nowhere near as ballyhooed as Winfield or the other top earners at the position like Derwin James ($19.13MM per year) or Minkah Fitzpatrick ($18.4MM). Recent deals for Xavier McKinney ($16.75MM), Kyle Dugger ($14.5MM), Julian Love ($11MM), and Jabrill Peppers ($8MM) set a much more reasonable precedent for what to expect in a new deal for Bynum.
Extensions for the top-end safeties in the game have mostly been for four years, while the 12 safeties outside the top eight highest-paid players at the position all have three-year contracts. Assuming Bynum is held out of that top eight, a three-year deal averaging between $10MM-$12MM doesn’t sound out of the realm of possibility. Should Bynum warrant a bit more value, he could potentially earn as much as $15MM per year on a four-year contract, though the former seems more likely than the latter.
Regardless, Bynum seems like an excellent candidate to avoid playing on a career-year with a potential mid-year extension. The California-product has seamless worked into the starting lineup in Minnesota and has continued to establish a bigger role for himself in each year. The question remains: just how much will the Vikings reward him for those efforts?
Browns Host WR Kadarius Toney For Workout
Though Kadarius Toney‘s first three seasons have secured him two Super Bowl rings as a member of the Chiefs, his career thus far has been extremely disappointing for a first-round pick. The latest example saw Toney fail to make Kansas City’s 53-man roster to open the 2024 season. Now, Toney will attempt to earn a contract in Cleveland after a reported workout today, per ESPN’s Field Yates. 
The Browns went relatively thin at wide receiver to start the year, only retaining six on their initial 53-man roster. Four receivers (Michael Woods, James Proche, Lideatrick Griffin and Jaelon Darden) already signed to the team’s practice squad, and third-year wideout David Bell was waived yesterday, leaving them with five currently on the active roster.
Cleveland was also recently on the losing end of the Brandon Aiyuk-sweepstakes after reportedly proposing to the star receiver a contract with an annual average value of $30MM, an amount Aiyuk would eventually accept to remain with the 49ers.
Currently, the Browns’ five on the active roster are Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, and Jamari Thrash. Tillman still has something to prove after a rookie season that contained 224 yards and zero touchdowns, and Thrash is still a fifth-round rookie himself, but Cooper, Jeudy, and Moore form what should be an extremely formidable starting three.
Cooper is the star of the group, and Moore was just okay as a WR2 in Cleveland last year but should be a pretty good WR3. Jeudy comes in as the new WR2 after four years of competing for the lead role with Courtland Sutton in Denver. The two traded success each year, and Jeudy’s lack of consistency has made it difficult to live up to his own first-round draft status. The hope is that he will be able to finally reach that potential in a new city with a new quarterback.
Toney was an electric talent with the ball in his hands in college at Florida. Since entering the NFL, that explosive big-play ability has surfaced here and there, but his inability to mature his game to an NFL-level in terms of route-running and good hands has prevented him from consistently being in a position to make those highlights as a pro. He recently met with the Seahawks, as well, in hopes of supplementing a diverse, talented corps in Seattle, but the visit didn’t culminate in a new deal.
In Cleveland, he would need to distinguish himself from Moore in terms of speed and big play ability. Moore has those same skills, but Toney has a bit more experience in terms participating in gadget plays. After Cleveland lost out on Aiyuk and waived Bell, though, Toney may be arriving at just the right time to earn a role with the Browns.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/6/24
Practice squad updates to close out the week:
Green Bay Packers
- Released from practice squad IR (with injury settlement): RB Nate McCrary
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Chris Myarick
- Placed on practice squad IR: T Cameron Erving
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Carter Coughlin
- Released: FB/TE Jakob Johnson
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/24
Friday’s minor moves as we continue with Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived (with injury settlement): WR Devin Carter
Denver Broncos
- Waived (with injury settlement): OLB Durell Nchami
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: RB Ellis Merriweather
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived (with injury settlement): DE Anthony Goodlow
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: OL Nick Gates, TE E.J. Jenkins
Washington Commanders
- Released (with injury settlement): T Armani Taylor-Prioleau
The Packers and Eagles both elect to utilize their two gameday practice squad elevations on the offensive side of the ball as they get their seasons started in São Paulo. With rookie third-round rusher MarShawn Lloyd out to start the season, Merriweather will add some depth at running back for Green Bay.
Philadelphia will use their callups to supplement an offensive line that has two players listed as out tonight and one on injured reserve. A normally deep tight ends group for the Birds sees Albert Okwuegbunam on IR, as well. Jenkins will back up Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra.
Cowboys Reduce Roster To 53 Players
After some late trades and signings, the Cowboys joined in the NFL’s mass exodus of players to get their roster down to 53 players:
Released:
- RB Royce Freeman
- LB Darius Harris
- DE Carl Lawson
- C Dakoda Shepley
- LB Nick Vigil
Waived:
- T Josh Ball
- DB Josh Butler
- RB Snoop Conner
- WR Jalen Cropper
- RB Malik Davis
- DT Denzel Daxon
- TE Princeton Fant
- DB Kemon Hall
- WR Kelvin Harmon
- DB Emany Johnson
- WR Racey McMath
- LB Brock Mogensen
- DT Justin Rogers
- DB Julius Wood
Placed on IR:
- T Nathan Thomas
Placed on IR (designated for return):
- CB DaRon Bland
A number of veterans who were hoping to make the team in Dallas this year saw that hope come to an end. Freeman couldn’t compete with the young backups behind Ezekiel Elliott. Lawson couldn’t contribute to a depleted defensive line, either.
Rogers, the team’s seventh-round pick out of Auburn, is the only drafted rookie to be waived, though Thomas, the team’s other seventh-round pick out of Louisiana, will miss the entire season on injured reserve.
Brevyn Spann-Ford didn’t end up getting drafted, but the 24-year-old, 6-foot-7 tight end out of Minnesota will be the fourth tight end on the roster to start the year.
Colts Let Go Of Five Veterans, Place TE Jelani Woods On IR On Way To 53
The Colts have gotten down to the 53 players who will start the year on the active roster. Here are the players who won’t:
Released:
- DE Genard Avery
- CB Chris Lammons
- WR D.J. Montgomery
- TE Eric Tomlinson
- WR Laquon Treadwell
Waived:
- CB Micah Abraham
- LB Austin Ajiake
- LB Liam Anderson
- QB Jason Bean
- DE Levi Bell
- S Marcel Dabo
- RB Demetric Felton
- G Arlington Hambright
- RB Evan Hull
- DT Eric Johnson
- DT Jonah Laulu
- DE Titus Leo
- TE Jordan Murray
- C Mike Panasiuk
- RB Zavier Scott
- CB Jaylin Simpson
- CB Ameer Speed
- S Michael Tutsie
- T Jake Witt
- LB Craig Young
Placed on IR:
- WR Juwann Winfree
- TE Jelani Woods
Placed on IR (designated for return):
- DE Samson Ebukam
- LB Cameron McGrone
The Colts made a number of tough decisions to close our the initial active roster. Aside from Montgomery, every other veteran the team released today has some form of starting experience under their belt. A youth movement in the defensive ends room kept Avery out of the mix, and Tomlinson wasn’t able to take advantage of Woods missing the who year on injured reserve.
Even more surprising perhaps was Indianapolis cutting ties with three drafted rookies after only four months. Fifth-round Auburn defensive back Simpson, sixth-round Marshall cornerback Abraham, and seventh-round Oklahoma defensive tackle Laulu all failed to make the 53-man roster, essentially marking those draft picks as wasted. If some late-round players end up breaking out into true contributors, the Colts are going to kick themselves for missing on those three selections.
On the other side of that, Indianapolis uncovered a gem in undrafted Marshall guard Dalton Tucker. Tucker made the roster and is one of only four interior offensive linemen backing up the starting three.
Steelers Get Down To 53
The Steelers were able to get down to the required 53 players today with the following roster moves:
Released:
- RB La’Mical Perine
- RB Jonathan Ward
- WR Quez Watkins
Waived:
- RB Jack Colletto
- OL TyKeem Doss
- OL Joey Fisher
- WR Dez Fitzpatrick
- DB Zyon Gilbert
- DB Thomas Graham
- LB Marcus Haynes
- WR Jaray Jenkins
- LB Kyron Johnson
- QB John Rhys Plumlee
- DL Willington Previlon
- RB Aaron Shampklin
- DL Jacob Slade
- TE Matt Sokol
- LB Luquay Washington
- WR Duece Watts
- TE Rodney Williams
- LB Jacoby Windmon
Placed on IR:
- DB Ryan Watts
- LB Julius Welschof
Placed on IR (designated for return):
- OL Dylan Cook
- LB Jeremiah Moon
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- LB Cole Holcomb
Holcomb, Cook, and Moon will be sitting out the first four games of 2024, at least. Watts is the only 2024 draft pick for Pittsburgh who will not be on the active roster to start the year. He and Welschof, one of only two of the team’s five undrafted free agent signees who weren’t waived by today, will miss the entire season.
West Virginia standout cornerback Beanie Bishop is the only undrafted rookie to make the 53-man roster. With Cameron Sutton starting out the year serving a suspension, Bishop could easily find his way into the starting nickelback role.
The Steelers are also coming into 2024 with a thin wide receiving corps. The only receivers on the active roster are George Pickens, Van Jefferson, rookie Roman Wilson, Scotty Miller, and Calvin Austin.
Ravens Let Go Of WRs Malik Cunningham, Anthony Miller On Way To 53
The Ravens have gotten down to the required 53-man roster. Here’s how they did it:
Released:
- CB Ka’dar Hollman
- RB John Kelly
- WR Keith Kirkwood
- WR Anthony Miller
- S Daryl Worley
Waived:
- T Corey Bullock
- RB Chris Collier
- CB Bump Cooper Jr.
- WR Malik Cunningham
- G Darrian Dalcourt
- OLB Joe Evans
- TE Qadir Ismail
- QB Emory Jones
- QB Devin Leary
- G Tashawn Manning
- T Julian Pearl
- DE C.J. Ravenell
- LB Yvandy Rigby
- LB Josh Ross
- WR Dayton Wade
- CB Damarion Williams
Waived/injured:
- NT Deadrin Senat
- DT Josh Tupou
Placed on IR:
- LB Deion Jennings
- CB Christian Matthew
- CB Trayvon Mullen
- WR Isaiah Washington
- RB Owen Wright
Placed on IR (designated for return):
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
Baltimore will be without the veteran Maulet or electric Mitchell for at least four games to start the season. The other injured reserve placements, which includes two undrafted free agent signings, will miss the entire 2024 season.
For the second year in a row, the Ravens showed questionable draft decision-making as a draft pick from the current year failed to make the 53-man roster. Last year saw fifth-round cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly get waived, while this year sees sixth-round Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary get the early axe. Such occurrences were not common under former general manager Ozzie Newsome, and Ravens fans will hope that Eric DeCosta doesn’t make a habit out of wasting draft picks.
On the other hand, DeCosta continued a usual trend of analytical excellence as the Ravens continued what has become a tradition of seeing at least one undrafted rookie make the initial 53-man roster. This year, the honor goes to Maryland safety Beau Brade. Baltimore chose to enlist the young prospective talent of Brade over retaining the veteran experience of Worley, who has seen some decent time on the Ravens defense in recent years.