Seahawks Release C.J. Spiller
The Seahawks announced that they have released C.J. Spiller. C.J. Prosise is healthy and good to go, making Spiller expendable. In a related move, the team has re-signed fullback Will Tukuafu. 
Spiller signed on with the Seahawks in late September and reportedly heard from eight interested clubs before choosing a landing spot. The 29-year-old had the luxury of being selective because his $1.7MM salary with the Saints was still guaranteed, even after his release.
Unfortunately, his stay in Seattle lasted about three weeks. Spiller was at his best as a rusher and pass catcher in Buffalo from 2011-13, but his numbers declined in 2014 and he then inked a deal in free agency with the Saints. Spiller averaged just 3.1 yards per carry on 36 attempts last season, though he did catch 34 passes and two touchdowns during his 13-game Saints tenure. This year, Spiller appeared in two games for the Seahawks, totaling nine yards off of three carries. He did slightly more in the passing game, catching five of nine targets for 43 yards and one touchdown.
With Spiller out of the picture, the Seahawks’ RB depth chart is once again headlined by Christine Michael and Prosise. Fifth-round rookie Alex Collins and Terrence Magee comprise the balance of the group.
GMs Believe Browns Will Trade Joe Thomas
Hue Jackson says that Joe Thomas isn’t going anywhere, but several GMs around the league believe that VP Sashi Brown will in fact trade him, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Brown tried hard to trade Thomas last year and called multiple teams around the league to get something done. Jackson wants to hold on to the multiple-time Pro Bowler and Thomas doesn’t want to be traded, but it ultimately won’t be up to either of them. 
[RELATED: Thomas Hopes To Stay With Browns]
So far this season, the advanced numbers at Pro Football Focus have Thomas tied for No. 8 out of 75 qualified tackles. Thomas’ run blocking is starter quality but his 87.4 overall score for pass blocking puts him in elite company. There are a number of contending teams with offensive line issues as the trade deadline approaches and the Browns are predictably hearing from clubs with interest.
The Browns are now 0-7 after losing to the Bengals on Sunday. With no hope of making the playoffs, Brown could be inclined to pull the trigger, even if it upsets his first-year head coach.
Broncos’ C.J. Anderson To Miss Time?
C.J. Anderson is expected to be out at least a few weeks with a knee injury, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). He’s getting a second opinion today to see if he could be out for even longer than that. 
Anderson suffered his injury early on in Monday night’s game. The running back held his knee while on the ground though he was not hit anywhere near the knee. Usually, non-contact knee injuries are the most severe. Anderson proved his toughness by staying in the game, but he’s now at the point where he’ll probably have to rest up for a little while.
So far this year, Anderson has 437 yards on the ground, making him Denver’s leading rusher. While Anderson is out, the Broncos are expected to slot Devontae Booker in as the starter while bumping Kapri Bibbs up the depth chart. The team may also explore adding a running back to hold them over. That addition could come within by promoting Juwan Thompson from the taxi squad.
Eric Ebron To Play On Sunday?
Lions tight end Eric Ebron is expected to start practicing this week, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). If he doesn’t suffer any setbacks, he’ll play on Sunday against the Texans. 
Ebron has been dealing with knee and ankle injuries which have hampered him throughout the season. After playing in the Lions’ first four games, Ebron was shut down to avoid further damage. In those four weeks of action, Ebron caught 18 of 25 targets for 210 yards and one touchdown.
The former first-round pick had 47 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns in 2015, which were all career highs. This year, with Calvin Johnson out of the picture, Detroit was banking on Ebron taking on an even larger role. Once he’s healthy, we’re expecting to see Matthew Stafford throw plenty of passes in his direction.
Right now, free agent pickup Marvin Jones stands as the team’s leading receiver with 33 catches for 623 yards and four touchdowns. He’s also averaging an eye-popping 18.9 yards per catch. Jones may see less targets with Ebron on the field, but the tight end’s presence should also ease the defensive pressure on him.
The Lions are 4-3 heading into Sunday’s game at Houston.
Joe Thomas Hopes To Stay With Browns
Trade winds are blowing around Joe Thomas, but if he had his way, he wouldn’t go anywhere. This week, Browns coach Hue Jackson denied that Thomas is on the block and that was music to the tackle’s ears. 
[RELATED: Browns Shoot Down Joe Thomas Trade Talk]
“[It] feels good to be loved. I’m hoping they stick to their word,” Thomas said (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer).
Thomas has been with the Browns for his entire career since entering the league in 2007. The former No. 3 overall pick in the draft has been showered with individual accolades, but he has yet to reach the postseason. One might think that the nine-time Pro Bowler and six-time First-Team All-Pro would want to join up with a contender. Apparently, that’s not the case.
The Patriots, Cardinals, Giants, Seahawks, and Vikings are said to have varying degrees of interest in the 31-year-old (32 in December). If Jackson is telling the truth, then they will all be left disappointed after the deadline.
Eagles’ Pederson Denies WR Trade Interest
Will the Eagles make a move for a wide receiver between now and the November trade deadline? Despite rumors linking them to Torrey Smith of the 49ers, coach Doug Pederson says that no such deal is brewing. 
“I’m happy with the guys we have,” Pederson told reporters moments ago (Twitter link via Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com).
Pederson went on to say that he is happy with the group of receivers that he already has. That group is anchored by Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, and Josh Huff with support from offseason trade acquisition Dorial Green-Beckham and waiver pickup Bryce Treggs. That may not be the most talented WR bunch in the NFL, but the Eagles might not need to tinker with things too much as they stand at 4-2. It’s also worth mentioning that both of the Eagles’ losses were tightly contested games. They fell 24-23 to the Lions and 27-20 to the Redskins. Meanwhile, they have notable wins over the Steelers and Vikings.
If Pederson opts to make changes to his receiver group, he could also turn to practice squad WRs Byron Marshall, Paul Turner, and David Watford.
Saints To Sign OL Khalif Barnes
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. The Saints are signing Khalif Barnes to the roster, as Herbie Teope of The Times-Picayune tweets. 
Today’s deal marks the fourth time that New Orleans has signed Barnes to the roster since Aug. 30. Barnes’ most recent stint on the 53-man roster ended about two weeks ago when the Saints bumped him for Joe Callahan. He’s back now, but if recent history is any indication, he might not be around for long. For his career, the 34-year-old has 151 appearances and 117 starts to his name, but he hasn’t taken the field yet this season.
The Saints freed up a spot for Barnes on Tuesday when they dropped defensive end Chris McCain.
Extra Points: Eagles, Rams, Hawks, Bears, Pack
Would a Torrey Smith trade make sense for the Eagles? Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com points out that fans should not focus on Smith’s stats as he has only 13 catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. The Niners’ offense has struggled and that, of course, includes their massive issues at quarterback. At the same time, he is in the second year of a five-year, $40MM contract with $22MM guaranteed. As much as the Eagles might want an impact receiver, that’s a high price tag for a player of his caliber. Ultimately, Smith is a 27-year-0ld deep threat that is worth exploring, but the Eagles will have to consider his salary and the compensation they’d have to send back.
Let’s take a look at more from the NFC:
- Are the Rams gearing up to install No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff as the starter? Coach Jeff Fisher says Case Keenum is still his starting quarterback, but Goff is now taking increased reps with the first team in practice (via the Associated Press). “He’s going to get reps,” Fisher said of Goff. “I don’t feel like Case needs the reps Wednesday and early next week, so Jared will get those reps, which is good.” One might expect Los Angeles to make the change during its bye week, but Fisher says he’s not ready to throw the rookie into the fire. Sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that Goff still isn’t ready to read defenses or face blitzes, meaning the rookie is likely to sit on the bench for the time being.
- The Seahawks can save quarterback Russell Wilson by trading for an offensive tackle before the trade deadline, Alex Marvez of The Sporting News opines. Seahawks GM John Schneider hasn’t been shy about making big moves in the past, and Marvez feels that this is a perfect time for another. Both Joe Thomas and Joe Staley can reportedly be had via trade and Marvez feels that they should pounce immediately rather than waiting until the deadline gets closer and other teams get increasingly desperate.
- With Bears money to spend and no defensive playmakers to speak of, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) suggests that they should go after Eric Berry in free agency. Berry, widely regarded as one of the best safeties in the NFL today, may not return to Kansas City after the two sides could not reach agreement on an extension this summer.
- The Packers did not put in a waiver claim on quarterback Joe Callahan yesterday, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Green Bay would have liked to re-acquire Callahan, whom they waived recently, but the club wanted him on its practice squad, not on the 53-man roster.
Falcons Sign Stevan Ridley, Cut A.J. Hawk
The Falcons announced that they have signed running backs Terron Ward and Stevan Ridley. To make room, Atlanta cut linebacker A.J. Hawk and offensive lineman Mike Person. In a related move, the Falcons also signed running back Jhurell Pressley to the practice squad. 
The Lions signed Ridley this offseason with the idea that he would fulfill their “big back” role. Instead, Zach Zenner broke out in the summer and Ridley was cut loose in late August. Soon after, he was picked up by the Colts, but Indianapolis dropped him before the 75-man deadline. A former third-round pick, Ridley averaged 5.1 yards per carry in limited action during his rookie season in 2011, then exploded for 1,263 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2012. However, fumbling issues landed him on the bench in New England, and a devastating ACL/MCL injury limited him in both 2014 and 2015.
Now, the Falcons are hoping that Ridley can recapture some of his old magic. The veteran tailback, along with the newly-promoted Ward, will try to fill the gap while Tevin Coleman deals with a hamstring issue.
Hawk, 33 in January, was released by the Bengals early on this past offseason and found only mild interest on the free agent market. Hawk signed a one-year deal with the Falcons for the veteran’s minimum on Oct. 4, though that deal included a $15K signing bonus. The veteran appeared in only one game for Atlanta and he did not record an official statistic.
Patriots Trade TE A.J. Derby To Broncos
The Broncos acquired tight end A.J. Derby from the Patriots, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). New England will receive a 2017 fifth-round pick in the swap. Denver has confirmed the deal via press release. 
[RELATED: Patriots Acquire LB Kyle Van Noy From Lions]
Tight end has been a weak spot for Denver this season. Derby, who is technically still a rookie, could see playing time right away for the Broncos.
“A.J. is a young tight end who can help us immediately,” said Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway. “He has tremendous upside and will fit in well on our team.”
So far this year, Derby has only been on the field for 36 snaps. That’s understandable considering that he is playing behind both Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett. In the preseason, Derby caught 15 passes for 189 yards and one score.
Derby was a sixth-round pick by New England in the 2015 draft. Unfortunately, he had to be placed on IR last year and missed his entire rookie season. The 6’5″, 225 pound tight end had 22 catches, 303 receiving yards, and three touchdowns in his final year at Arkansas. Prior to that, Derby was a quarterback for the Razorbacks.
Of course, this marks the Patriots’ second trade of the day. Earlier this afternoon, the Pats sent a draft pick to the Lions in exchange for linebacker Kyle Van Noy.