Packers Trade Ty Montgomery To Ravens
The Ravens have acquired running back Ty Montgomery from the Packers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In return, the Packers will receive a 2020 seventh-round pick. 
The trade comes days after Montgomery made a puzzling football decision that cost the Packers an opportunity to beat the undefeated Rams. Montgomery was instructed to settle for a touchback off of the Rams’ kickoff, but opted to run with the ball instead. Montgomery fumbled the rock, eliminating any chance the Packers had at a late-game drive. The Rams won 29-27 and Montgomery lost his job in Green Bay as a result.
For what it’s worth, Montgomery denied disobeying his coaches.
“I’ve never been a guy to completely disobey what I’m being told. I think you can ask a lot of guys in our locker room,” Montgomery said on Monday. “That’s not what I do. That’s not the type of man I am. That’s not the kind of person I am.”
In any case, Montgomery will move on to a new team that could feature him as a leading ball-carrier. The athletic Alex Collins has yet to impress and backup Buck Allen hasn’t done a whole lot with his carries either. On the flipside, Montgomery won’t have a ton of time to assert himself. Kenneth Dixon could return in a couple of weeks and the Ravens won’t have any qualms about benching or releasing Montgomery if he is ineffective.
Through seven games, Montgomery has averaged 4.0 yards per carry off of 26 totes. He’s also recorded 15 catches for 170 yards.
Montgomery’s best season came in 2016 when he was converted from wide receiver to running back. He finished out that campaign with 457 yards off of just 77 carries and three rushing touchdowns. He also added 44 grabs for 348 receiving yards.
Bills To Sign WR Terrelle Pryor
The Bills are set to sign wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Pryor is en route to Buffalo to sign a deal that could allow him to play as soon as soon as Sunday against the Bears. 
The Bills could certainly use some size at wide receiver and not the kind that Kelvin Benjamin offers. Pryor can provide that and, if healthy, he has the potential to produce like he did in 2016 with the Browns.
Injuries prevented Pryor from doing much of anything with the Redskins in 2017 and his Jets tenure ended rather unceremoniously this year. But, before a groin injury slowed him, Pryor showed flashes for Gang Green, including a 5/57/1 showing against the Colts in Week 6.
In his career 2016 season, Pryor hauled in 77 catches for 1,007 yards and four scores.
Seahawks Release WR Brandon Marshall
The Seahawks released Brandon Marshall on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
Marshall was let go by the Giants in April, ending his time in New Jersey after just one injury-plagued season. Signed by the Giants to a two-year $12MM deal in 2017, he played in just five games during his brief time in blue. He never was able to develop any chemistry with Eli Manning and caught just 18 passes for 154 scoreless yards before an ankle injury ended his season.
After his release, he didn’t find much of a market for his services.
“I didn’t have a ton of options,” Marshall said in June. “I think the sentiment around the league is that I’m done, and I get it. Rightfully so. When you get on the other side of 30 and your production slips and you have a big injury, people just count you out. So it was an interesting process. It was a humbling process, to say the least.”
After recording just 11 catches for 136 yards and one score with Seattle, this could be the end of the line for the six-time Pro Bowler. For what it’s worth, Marshall says he wants to continue playing (Twitter link via Schefter).
Lions, Marvin Jones Restructure Deal
The Lions restructured the contract of wide receiver Marvin Jones, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The adjustment will save the Lions $2.2MM against the salary cap. 
After the Lions traded Golden Tate to the Eagles on Tuesday, Jones is in line for an even bigger role in the offense. And, by tweaking his deal, Jones may have opened the door for some of his teammates to receive extensions.
Jones inked a five-year, $40MM free agent deal with the Lions prior to the 2016 season. He’s contract, with two years to go, allows the Lions to release him after the season with $3.2MM in dead money versus $4.9MM in savings. Details of the restructure are unknown, but Jones may have gained some security for 2019 in exchange for his concession.
Jones, 28, caught seven passes for 117 yards and two scores against the Seahawks on Sunday. Heading into a Week 9 matchup against the Vikings, Jones has 26 grabs for 387 yards and five scores on the year.
Texans Inquire On Patriots’ Phillip Dorsett
The Texans might not be done shopping for wide receivers. The Texans have called about Patriots receiver Phillip Dorsett, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Broncos Trade Demaryius Thomas To Texans]
Time is ticking on the trade deadline clock, and Howe hears that there hasn’t been much progress on the Dorsett trade front. But, as we saw last year, teams are often willing to up the ante as the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline approaches.
The Texans acquired Demaryius Thomas from the Broncos on Tuesday, giving them an experienced receiver to carry the load in the wake of Will Fuller‘s season-ending injury. That deal alone could be a big difference maker for Houston, but the Texans are unwilling to take chances after injuries ruined their playoff aspirations last year.
Dorsett, 25, has just 20 catches for 198 yards and two touchdowns this season. The Patriots are on the lookout for wide receiver help themselves, and they could free up a roster spot for a new pass catcher by dealing the Miami product.
Steelers Unable To Trade Le’Veon Bell
We’re in the midst of an action-packed deadline day, but Le’Veon Bell won’t be among the star players changing teams. The running back has yet to sign his franchise tender, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, so the Steelers will not be able to trade him before the 4pm ET/3pm CT trade deadline. 
Bell and the Steelers are almost certainly headed for divorce in the offseason, but Bell has boxed the team in by holding out and refusing to go along with any potential midseason trade. Bell wants to turn in the best second half possible in order to maximize his free agent value and that means staying in the only NFL offense he’s ever known.
Of course, that’s a bit of a gamble on Bell’s part. When Bell returns to the Steelers, he’ll join a club that has found a bonafide RB1 in James Conner. Bell may see less touches than he has in previous years – something that he is in favor of as he looks to protect his odometer – which could cap his production.
Despite all of the drama, the Steelers are undoubtedly eager to get Bell back on the field. Barring any additional hiccups, the All-Pro should be in uniform for the Steelers’ Week 9 game against the Ravens and no later than the team’s Week 10 tilt against the Panthers.
Lions Trade WR Golden Tate To Eagles
Golden Tate is Philly-bound. The Lions wide receiver broke the news of his own trade via Twitter. 
“It’s been real DETROIT! I’ll love ya forever. Philly Philly let’s get it!!,” Tate tweeted.
The Eagles will send a third-round pick to the Lions in exchange for the 30-year-old. Tate is in the final year of his contract and profiles as a rental for the free-spending defending champs, but GM Howie Roseman has no qualms about making aggressive moves near the trade deadline.
In seven games this year, Tate has 44 catches for 517 yards and three touchdowns. He’s on pace for numbers that are similar to his 2016 and 2017 stat lines, but the Lions couldn’t resist the offer of a high draft pick for the veteran. By moving Tate, they’ll open up more opportunities for the younger Kenny Golladay while also getting Marvin Jones more involved in the passing game.
With a 4-4 record, the Eagles felt compelled to upgrade the roster. It could be argued that wide receiver should not have been the Eagles’ top priority this week, but no one can argue with the club’s talent at the position after the trade. Alshon Jeffery is back in action, Jordan Matthews is contributing, Mike Wallace could be nearing a late-season return, and Tate is now in the fold to put them over the top.
Nicknamed “Showtime,” Tate is known for his tenacity and ability to eek out tough yards after drawing initial contact. He also offers the ability to play on the outside or the inside. This year, 25 of his 44 catches came from the slot.
If the trade works out as well as last year’s Jay Ajayi swap, then Roseman will be happy. Ajayi, acquired from the Dolphins for a fourth-round pick, led the Eagles in rushing yards in the playoffs on the way to the Super Bowl.
Falcons Sign OL Zane Beadles
The Falcons signed free agent offensive lineman Zane Beadles, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Beadles was most recently with the 49ers. 
The Falcons aren’t working the phones much in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, Rapoport hears, but they made a minor upgrade by signing Beadles. With experience at guard and tackle (and even a little bit at center), Beadles can factor in as a versatile backup.
Beadles, 32 in November, joined the Niners on a three-year, $11.75MM deal in 2016. He started all 16 games in his first season with the Niners, but he was mostly relegated to a reserve role last year as he played at left guard and right tackle. In May, the Niners cut him loose.
Jaguars DE Dante Fowler Drawing Interest
The Jaguars’ phones have been ringing with serious interest in defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). The asking price is high, but Pelissero says Fowler is a player to watch as a teams look for pass rush help. 
Fowler, the former No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, has immense talent, but also comes with baggage. The pass rusher has a history of off-the-field missteps and was sidelined for the first game of the season for racking up three misdemeanor charges in a 2017 arrest. Fowler was also hit with an unusual preseason suspension this year for “fighting and violation of team rules.”
On the field, Fowler has been an effective reserve, notching two tackles in seven games. As far as Pro Football Focus is concerned, he’s in the midst of his best season to date. Fowler currently ranks as the league’s No. 34 ranked edge defender, though his sample size of 165 snaps pales in comparison to many others on the list.
Last year, Fowler recorded a career-high eight sacks, but the club declined his fifth-year option for 2019. Still, even as they declined the option, it was reported that the Jaguars had not ruled out a long-term deal with Fowler down the road, so they’re not likely to give him away for cheap today. It’s also worth noting that the Jaguars could get a compensatory pick for Fowler if he leaves in free agency.
The Jets, who are in desperate need of pass rush help, inquired on Fowler over the summer.
Broncos Trade Demaryius Thomas To Texans
The Broncos have agreed to trade Demaryius Thomas to the Texans, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal will send Thomas and a seventh-round pick to Houston for a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The trade paves the way for Courtland Sutton to receive an uptick in targets and gives the Texans a veteran receiver for the final stretch of the season. 
Thomas’ name has been all over Pro Football Rumors for weeks and he wound up being involved in the first major trade of deadline day. Thomas, 31 in December, entered the league as a first-round pick of the Broncos in 2010 and was in his ninth season with the club. Along the way, Thomas racked up four Pro Bowl nods and a Super Bowl ring after the 2015 season.
When Thomas was at his best, he was among the most feared wide receivers in the NFL. From 2012-2015, Thomas averaged 100 catches for 1447 yards and ten touchdowns. Thomas cleared 1,000 yards in 2016 and nearly hit four digits last year, but he has not looked the same in 2018.
Thomas supporters would argue that Case Keenum‘s woes are to blame for his drop off in production. Soon, we’ll find out whether Thomas can turn back the clock with Deshaun Watson under center.
“I’ve been watching him for a long time, since he was at [Georgia Tech] and since he’s been in the NFL,” Texans head coach Bill O’Brien said when asked about Thomas (Twitter link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post). “Excellent athletic skills. Great hands. Really good route runner. Very smooth route runner. He’s a tough guy to defend.”
The Patriots were said to be considering Thomas this month and the Titans and Eagles were also linked to the veteran. Those clubs and other WR-needy teams may pivot elsewhere between now and the Tuesday afternoon deadline.
The Broncos’ return may not seem impressive at first glance, but they did manage to shed $4MM in cap space this season and $14MM next season. And, given Thomas’ age and perceived decline, there was no way they were getting more than a fourth-rounder for him.
Thomas’ first game with the Texans will come against the Broncos, in Denver.