2020 NFL Cap Space, By Team
The trade deadline is in the rear view mirror, but teams are still keeping a watchful eye on their salary cap figures. For contenders, the available dollars can be used for late-season signings. For all clubs, a portion of the unspent dollars can be rolled over into future seasons, giving them a larger budget to work with in the first wave of free agency.
Here are the most recent figures for each team, via Over The Cap:
- Cleveland Browns – $31MM
- New York Jets – $30.4MM
- Dallas Cowboys — $28MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars– $26.3MM
- Philadelphia Eagles– $23.9MM
- Washington Football Team – $23.3MM
- New England Patriots – $21.8MM
- Denver Broncos – $19.8MM
- Miami Dolphins – $15.6MM
- Detroit Lions – $14.2MM
- Cincinnati Bengals– $12.3MM
- Indianapolis Colts – $10.7MM
- Los Angeles Chargers — $8.4MM
- New York Giants – $8MM
- Chicago Bears – $7.6MM
- Houston Texans – $7.5MM
- Los Angeles Rams – $6.9MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers – $6.9MM
- Green Bay Packers – $6.7MM
- Arizona Cardinals– $6.2MM
- New Orleans Saints – $6MM
- Las Vegas Raiders – $6MM
- Kansas City Chiefs – $5.7MM
- Carolina Panthers – $5.5MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $5.3MM
- Tennessee Titans – $4.6MM
- Minnesota Vikings – $3.8K
- San Francisco 49ers – $3.7MM
- Seattle Seahawks – $3.3MM
- Baltimore Ravens – $3.3MM
- Buffalo Bills – $3MM
- Atlanta Falcons – $1.8MM
Surgery For Washington QB Kyle Allen
Washington quarterback Kyle Allen is expected to undergo surgery in the coming weeks on his dislocated/fractured ankle, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). With Allen’s season in flux, Alex Smith is likely poised to serve as the team’s starter for the rest of the year. 
Fortunately, Allen’s injury was not as bad as it first appeared. Smith took over for Allen after he was forced out and played well, up until his late-game interceptions. Of course, Smith can be forgiven if he was a bit rusty. Two years ago, his gruesome leg injury nearly cost him his career and, at one point, the possibility of amputation was floated by doctors.
Smith, 36, made his return this year and moved up to No. 2 on the depth chart when former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins was benched in early October. Days later, Smith took the field against the Rams in relief of Allen. Though his final stat was ugly, coaches were encouraged by his ability to absorb blows from the front seven.
Sunday’s loss to the Giants dropped the Washington Football Team down to 2-6. Even in the woeful NFC East, they’re facing long odds of making the postseason. Still, Smith’s return to the starting lineup will make for compelling television. He’ll be leading the way on Sunday when the WFT travels to Detroit to face the Lions.
49ers To Sign Josh Johnson
The 49ers are set to sign quarterback Josh Johnson, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic (on Twitter). Once he clears COVID-19 protocols, Johnson will be added to the club’s practice squad. 
[RELATED: 49ers’ Bourne Tests Negative]
Johnson, 34, was last seen with the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL. Before the season even started, the veteran had an offer on the table from the Lions. However, the XFL stepped in and blocked him from that deal. Over the years, Johnson has signed deals with 13 different teams. That includes multiple stints with the 49ers in 2012 and 2014.
Now, he’ll backstop a QB room that has been without starter Jimmy Garoppolo for weeks. On that front, the Niners got some good news — doctors are not currently recommending surgery to fix his ankle injury and the hope is that he can return before the season is through. For the time being, he’ll remain on IR.
Nick Mullens served as the 49ers’ starter on Thursday against the Packers with C.J. Beathard as the QB2. After Mullens forced some bad throws, it’s possible that the depth chart could be reshuffled between now and their next game against the Saints.
49ers’ Kendrick Bourne Tests Negative
49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is now eligible to return. After his COVID-19 positive on Wednesday, Bourne has received two consecutive COVID-19 negatives (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). In addition, fellow wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel have also been the greenlight, along with left tackle Trent Williams. 
Bourne was one of several 49ers players held out of Thursday night’s game due to protocols. Playing shorthanded, the Niners lost 34-17. Bourne’s latest results seem to point to a false positive on the first test, and his camp is predictably miffed.
“It’s frustrating because Kendrick has been really responsible with everything,” agent Henry Organ said. “He’s taken COVID-19 very seriously. It’s not a joke to him.”
Through eight games this year, Bourne has caught 25 passes for 352 yards and one touchdown. His last outing was his best yet — Bourne registered eight grabs for 81 yards against the Seahawks, making the most out of his ten targets.
With their roster largely restocked, Bourne and the 49ers will turn their attention to the Saints, following their bye week.
Lions Sign Mohamed Sanu
The Lions have signed wide receiver Mohamed Sanu to the practice squad, per a club announcement. Sanu auditioned for Detroit on Monday and showed enough to land a deal with the 3-4 squad. 
Sanu is both experienced and well-traveled at this point. Last year, the Patriots acquired him from the Falcons in exchange for a second-round pick. Then, in September, the Pats surprised many by releasing him outright. After that, he had a brief 49ers stint with old pal Kyle Shanahan before landing with the Lions.
Sanu underwhelmed in his eight regular season games (six starts) with the Patriots last year, hauling in 26 receptions (on 47 targets) for 207 yards and one score. He was also invisible during New England’s playoff loss to the Titans as he caught just one pass for eleven yards. All in all, Sanu has registered 404 receptions for 4,516 yards (11.2 yards per catch) and 26 touchdowns over the course of his career.
Now, the 31-year-old will be on call for the Lions, who are keeping a close eye on Kenny Golladay‘s hip injury. If he’s called up to the main roster, he’ll have an opportunity to pair with one-time Bengals teammate Marvin Jones Jr.
Raiders Lose Draft Pick For COVID Violations
The NFL will fine the Raiders $500K and strip the team of a sixth-round pick for their COVID-19 protocol violations (Twitter link via Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports). They’ve also fined head coach Jon Gruden $150K for infractions stemming from Trent Brown‘s positive test late last month.
In total, the Raiders have been fined $1.2MM for COVID-19 protocol violations. Now, they’ve become the first team to lose a draft pick over them. Gruden, meanwhile, has been docked a grand sum of $250K by the league office. Quarterback Derek Carr and many other Raiders players were also previously fined for not wearing a mask at a charity event.
The latest wave of sanctions has also impacted the Steelers. Head coach Mike Tomlin was fined $100K for not wearing his mask against the Ravens in Week 8 and the franchise was fined $250K in total. That game has came under additional scrutiny after Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey tested positive for the coronavirus.
Cardinals To Sign Johnathan Joseph
The Cardinals have agreed to sign cornerback Johnathan Joseph, according to Mark Berman of FOX26 (on Twitter). The Titans released the veteran earlier this week, enabling him to sign with any club.
[RELATED: Cardinals Bring Back DL Josh Mauro]
Joseph’s one-year deal with the Titans made him the NFL’s oldest corner in the 2020 season. He’ll keep that mantle — for now — though 37-year-old Tramon Williams could take it from him by signing with the Ravens.
Joseph, 36 years young, will help to fortify a quality secondary group in Arizona. Before the deadline, the Cardinals were said to be in the hunt for cornerback help, though they were tied to a much younger player in Chargers standout Desmond King. Joseph doesn’t profile as a potential replacement for Patrick Peterson in 2021, but he can offer support for the 5-2 contenders this year.
The former 2006 first-rounder will have a chance to debut on Sunday when his new squad faces the Dolphins at State Farm Stadium.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/5/20
We’ll keep track of the latest practice squad moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Seth Devalve
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Khari Lee
- Released: RB Dalyn Dawkins
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Ryan Glasgow
New York Jets
- Signed: C James Murray
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Jason Croom
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Josiah Coatney
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Alex Collins (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Cyril Grayson
- Released: WR John Hurst
Washington Football Team
- Signed: LB Justin Phillips
Dolphins Place Myles Gaskin On IR
The Dolphins will place running back Myles Gaskin on injured reserve, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Per league rules, Gaskin will be out for the next three games. On the plus side, head coach Brian Flores doesn’t anticipate that he’ll miss more than that.
[RELATED: Chiefs Trade RB DeAndre Washington To Dolphins]
The Dolphins anticipated that Gaskin would need time to recover from his sprained MCL, which is why they traded for Chiefs running back DeAndre Washington just prior to the deadline. Meanwhile, Matt Breida is still working his way through a hamstring injury, so Washington could see a larger-than-anticipated role against the Cardinals on Sunday. In a worst case scenario, Jordan Howard still figures to lead the way in touches, with support from Patrick Laird and Salvon Ahmed.
Gaskin, 23, has averaged 3.9 yards per carry through seven games. He’s been more of a contributor as a pass-catcher — so far, he’s registered 30 catches for 198 yards. With or without Gaskin, the Dolphins could use some improvement out of their ground game. The Dolphins have one of the league’s weakest rushing offenses with an average of just 98 yards per contest.
Bears, Texans Close Team Facilities
The Bears and Texans closed their team facilities on Thursday morning in the wake of COVID-19 positives. As of this writing, the Bears are scheduled to face the Titans in Nashville on Sunday. The Texans, meanwhile, are set to play the Jaguars in Jacksonville.
[RELATED: 49ers-Packers Still On Track]
This isn’t the Texans’ first rodeo. Last week, they were forced to shut down after receiving a positive player test and placing offensive lineman Max Scharping on the reserve list. Logistically speaking, that matter was much simpler since the Texans were on a bye week.
The Bears’ COVID-19 positive player is offensive lineman Cody Whitehair, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). This news comes on the heels after Jason Spriggs‘ positive test, an indication that there could be spread among the O-Line group. The good news is that the Bears do not believe that Whitehair came into close contact with many players. The hope is that they can isolate, contain the issue, and go ahead with Sunday’s game as scheduled.