Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill Ruled Out
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is officially out again for this week’s game against the Jets, Dolphins coach Adam Gase announced on Wednesday. Gase added that Tannehill has been throwing with trainers and the option of surgery on his injured shoulder has not yet been discussed. 
The Dolphins remain hopeful that Tannehill will return at some point this season, but there’s no definitive timeline for his return either. Sunday’s absence will mark Tannehill’s fourth consecutive missed game.
Tannehill’s ongoing issue could impact his future with the Dolphins beyond 2018. His status with the team in 2019 is “not settled,” according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald, who hears that the QB has not lived up to the expectations set for him before the start of the season. In five games this season, Tannehill has thrown for 972 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Without Tannehill, the Dolphins will turn to Brock Osweiler once again. Although Osweiler showed flashes of what made him such a valued free agent a few years ago, he was unable to deliver against his old friends in Houston on Sunday. Osweiler completed just 21 of 37 passes for 241 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception as the Dolphins lost 42-23 to the Texans.
Lions Sign LB Kelvin Sheppard
The Lions signed linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, according to a team announcement. Sheppard will fill the roster spot left vacant by Tuesday’s Golden Tate trade. 
Sheppard worked out for the Lions earlier this week – his first audition since meeting with Detroit in late July. The 30-year-old linebacker was a three-year starter with the Giants from 2015-17 but has been a free agent all offseason. He’s just the latest ex-Giants front seven member to join the Lions and he’ll reunite with former teammates Damon Harrison and Devon Kennard in Detroit.
Sheppard played with the Bills, Colts, Dolphins, and Giants over the course of his seven-year career. He notched a 102-tackle season with the Giants in 2015 and intercepted two passes — the first two of his career — despite being a midseason Big Blue addition last year.
Saints’ Marcus Davenport To Miss Time
Saints rookie pass-rusher Marcus Davenport is expected to miss about a month with a toe injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. They’ll evaluate him as he recovers, but he’ll be in a boot for at least a little while. 
[RELATED: Saints Place OL Josh LeRibeus On IR]
Davenport has been heating up in recent weeks, so it’s unfortunate timing for the Saints. The 6’6″, 265-pound defensive end notched two sacks against the Vikings in Week 8 to bring his season total to four and presently ranks as one of Pro Football Focus’ Top 40 ranked edge defenders in the NFL.
For now, the Saints will rely a bit more on veteran Alex Okafor to generate pressure from the edge. You can also expect to see Trey Hendrickson on the active roster.
The Saints, who are on a six-game winning streak, face a major test on Sunday when they take on the undefeated Rams.
Chiefs Work Out Obi Melifonwu
The Chiefs worked out safety Obi Melifonwu and linebacker Marquis Flowers on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Melifonwu hasn’t done much at the pro level, but he offers potential as a second-round pick of the 2017 draft. 
The 24-year-old Melifonwu played sparingly during his rookie campaign, compiling seven tackles in five games (one start). He was placed on IR twice during his first season, and he was waived/injured by the Raiders back in August. After clearing waivers, he landed on the team’s injured reserve. Earlier this month, the Raiders reached an injury settlement with him, making him a full fledged free agent. He worked out for the Cowboys, Patriots, and Saints, but did not sign with any of those clubs.
Flowers mostly played special teams for the Bengals in 2016, but he saw time on 361 snaps for the Patriots in 2017. The 26-year-old finished out the regular season with 30 tackles and 3.5 sacks and even started in two games. In the playoffs, he added another six tackles and one sack. This year, he missed the Pats’ final cut and had a brief regular season stint with the Lions.
Bills Sign QB Matt Barkley
The Bills signed quarterback Matt Barkley and Colton Schmidt to one-year deals, according to a team announcement. In related moves, punter Corey Bojorquez shoulder and RB Taiwan Jones neck were placed on injured reserve. 
With Josh Allen still sidelined by an elbow injury and Derek Anderson in concussion protocol, the Bills are expected to turn to embattled QB Nathan Peterman as their starter against the Bears. Barkley joins the club as Peterman’s likely backup for Sunday.
Barkley, 28, was most recently with the Bengals. He signed a two-year contract with the club back in March, but landed on IR after suffering a knee injury in the preseason. He was released by the Bengals on Sept. 12th with an injury settlement. The five-year pro has appeared in 11 games in his NFL career and made a season-high six starts in 2016 for the Bears, but he hasn’t done much of note on the field.
Colin Kaepernick remains available, and would represent a more accomplished alternative to Peterman or Barkley, but the Bills apparently did not want to go down that road.
Dolphins Sign DT Sylvester Williams
The Dolphins announced the signing of defensive tackle Sylvester Williams on Wednesday morning. They’ve also activated linebacker Mike Hull off injured reserve, giving the front seven a bit of a midseason lift. 
Williams started eleven games and made 15 total appearances for the Titans last year, his first campaign outside of Denver since the Broncos made him a first-round pick in 2014. He was strong against the run in 2017, but he didn’t fare well with the Lions this year. Last week, Detroit cut him loose after trading for Damon Harrison.
At the time of his release, Williams ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 78 overall defensive tackle in the league with a subpar score for run defense. He didn’t fill the traditional stat sheet much either with six tackles in six games.
Last season, Williams played on roughly a third of the Titans’ defensive snaps, good for third-most among the club’s defensive linemen. Pro Football Focus gave him high marks against the run and some not-so-great marks for his work on passing downs.
Texans Release Bruce Ellington Off IR
The Texans are releasing wide receiver Bruce Ellington off of the injured reserve list, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Ellington, who was suffering from a hamstring injury, was recently cleared by doctors, so he could be ready to contribute for another team right away. 
Since the trade deadline has passed, all NFL players released today or going forward are subject to the league’s waiver system. That means the league’s 31 other teams will have a chance at claiming Ellington, even though he is a vested veteran with more than four years of experience in the NFL.
While the Eagles, Texans, and Cowboys added receivers before the buzzer, other WR-needy teams such as the Patriots and Titans did not. Ellington could profile as a low-cost, low-risk addition for them.
Ellington had a breakout campaign with Houston in 2017. The 2014 fourth-round pick hauled in 29 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns, and he added another 17 rushing yards on three carries. He also proved to be a capable returner when he played for the 49ers. The receiver averaged 25.6 yards per kick return in 2015 and 2016, but he didn’t return a single kickoff in 2017. He did return five punts, though, compiling 47 yards.
Jaguars Sign QB Landry Jones
The Jaguars have agreed to sign quarterback Landry Jones, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Jones previously served as a backup to Ben Roethlisberger before he was released by the Steelers on Sept. 1. 
Jones, 29, backed up Roethlisberger for the past three seasons, playing in Pittsburgh for five total, but couldn’t beat out Joshua Dobbs for the veteran-reserve spot in Pittsburgh alongside Mason Rudolph. Roethlisberger’s issues with short-term injuries and the Steelers’ preference to rest him the past two Week 17s forced Jones to make five starts in Pittsburgh. Completing 63 percent of his passes, Jones went 3-2 and has thrown for 1,310 yards, eight touchdown passes, and seven interceptions.
Among the quarterbacks who have thrown at least 160 passes since 2013, Jones ranks 35th in passer rating and 26th in adjusted net yards per attempt, but it’s difficult to assign much relevance to those numbers given his small sample size. With that 160-pass cutoff in place, Jones ranks second-to-last in attempts since his rookie campaign, just ahead of Bills QB Derek Anderson.
The Jaguars have concerns about the health of Blake Bortles, so Jones will provide the team with extra insurance. After their bye, the Jags face the Colts on Nov. 11, followed by Jones’ old team on Nov. 18.
Packers Trade Ha Ha Clinton-Dix To Redskins
Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has been traded to the Redskins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). In return, Green Bay will receive a 2019 fourth-round pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The deal represents the latest blockbuster move on deadline day and the Packers’ second trade of the afternoon. 
Before the Clinton-Dix deal, the Packers traded running back Ty Montgomery to the Ravens for a future 2020 seventh-round pick. The Montgomery trade was likely tied to discord between the player and the coaching staff, but the Clinton-Dix trade has more to do with finances. The young safety is in his contract year and he recently acknowledged that he is unlikely to re-sign with the team after shopping the open market.
“Right now, I’m playing each and every game like it’s my last. I don’t think I’m going to be here next year,” Clinton-Dix said earlier this month. “That’s how I look at it. I just (have to) be honest with myself. You’ve got to play it game-by-game. Whether we’re losing by 60 points, you’ve got to go out there and perform. This is my biggest interview of my career. So I’ve got to perform, regardless of what the record says.”
The 25-year-old (26 in December) was retained for 2018 via the fifth-year option which is paying him $5.957MM. He stayed away from voluntary OTAs in hopes of getting a long-term deal from the Packers, but that never came together.
In seven games this year (all starts), Clinton-Dix has three interceptions, one forced fumble, and a sack to his credit. On an individual level, the free safety is in the midst of a career year.
Clinton-Dix will join a safety group presently headlined by D.J. Swearinger and Montae Nicholson. Rookie Troy Apke could have been on track for a larger role at some point this year, but he was recently placed on IR with a hamstring issue.
The Packers did not want to lose Clinton-Dix while only gaining some credit in the compensatory pick formula, but the deal unquestionably will cost them in the short term. At 3-3-1 in a closely contested division, it’s somewhat surprising to see the Packers in selling mode.
Jaguars Trade DE Dante Fowler To Rams
The rich get richer. On Tuesday, the Jaguars agreed to trade defensive end Dante Fowler to the Rams, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. In exchange, the Rams will send a 2019 third-round pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick to the Jaguars, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
After investing heavily in their defensive line this offseason, the Rams certainly didn’t have to make this move. However, the aggressive front office in L.A. was unwilling to sit idly by and watch a former Top 5 draft pick go elsewhere.
The Jaguars fielded several calls on Fowler leading up to the deadline and the Rams apparently came to the table with the best offer of the bunch.
Fowler will offer edge rush support for a front seven that already features the likes of Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, Michael Brockers, and Ethan Westbrooks. In limited playing time this year, Fowler notched two sacks and has played better than ever before, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus.
Fowler is in the final year of his rookie contract and the Rams have little breathing room under the cap, so it will be tough for the Rams to keep him beyond the 2018 season. In light of that, the price tag of a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick may seem steep, but it’s important to note that the Rams have plenty of draft ammo thanks to previous trades and compensatory picks.
With a disappointing 3-5 record, the Jaguars clearly recognize that their playoff hopes are dwindling. The Fowler trade does not mean they’re waving the white flag, per se, but it’s a signal that they are keeping an eye on their prospects for 2019.