Not many practice squad transactions today:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Germain Ifedi
- Released: S Tre Norwood
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Chase Lucas
Off the grid for a while after multiple October workouts, La’el Collins has resurfaced. The Bills brought in the veteran blocker for a Friday workout, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
This is close to being a lost season for Collins, who may end up attempting to follow in Jimmy Graham and Odell Beckham Jr.‘s footsteps by skipping a season and returning the following year. The Bengals released Collins from their reserve/PUP list in September, and while several teams checked on the experienced tackle, no deal emerged. The Jets and Giants met with Collins in October.
Collins’ ACL and MCL tears occurred in Week 16 of last season. Prior to that, he was Cincinnati’s unquestioned starter at right tackle. The Cowboys used Collins as such from 2017-19 and again, following a missed season, in 2021. After the Cowboys had extended Collins twice, they made him a 2021 post-June 1 cut. The Bengals swooped in, giving Collins a three-year, $21MM deal in 2022. But they were not too thrilled about their investment. The team shifted course in March, giving Orlando Brown Jr. a $16MM-per-year deal and kicking Jonah Williams to the right side.
Buffalo has Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown in place at tackle, with rookie Ryan Van Demark as the swingman. The team just waived veteran Germain Ifedi, who had resided on the roster all season. Ifedi, however, did not see any action for the Bills this year. Neither Dawkins nor Brown have missed any time this season; in what has thus far been a clean year for Buffalo’s tackles, Van Demark has only played 37 offensive snaps.
On the verge of sitting out his age-30 season, Collins has 86 starts on his resume. He added three more in the playoffs. A team could look to bring in Collins as a practice squad stash ahead of the postseason. Barring that, the eight-year veteran is close to needing to regroup and aim to catch on during unrestricted free agency next year.
DECEMBER 29: Jones is ready to return from the pectoral tear that altered his season. The contract-year D-tackle will be back against the Patriots, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting the Bills are using an IR activation. The Lions have ruled out Gardner-Johnson for their Week 17 game, and it is not yet known if the Eagles will activate Avonte Maddox. Despite suffering his pec tear three weeks after the both DBs did, Jones will be in uniform as the Bills continue their late-season push toward a playoff berth.
The Bills have now used two of their IR activations this week. Jones’ return to Buffalo’s 53-man roster follows the team’s activation of cornerback Kaiir Elam. The team has four IR-return moves remaining. McDermott reiterated Milano, even if the Bills make the playoffs, would not be expected to join Jones and Elam in being activated from IR, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets.
DECEMBER 19: Days after Sean McDermott mentioned DaQuan Jones — on the shelf since early October after a pectoral injury — could come back, the Bills are putting the wheels in motion here. The veteran defensive tackle returned to practice Tuesday.
This will start Jones’ 21-day activation clock, representing a surprising development after the 10th-year defensive tackle suffered a torn pectoral muscle. While players returning in-season from pectoral surgery is rare, two are on track to do so. The Lions are on the verge of opening C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s IR-return window. Both teams stand to benefit from the returns of starting defenders before the playoffs.
Both Jones and Matt Milano went down during the Bills’ loss to the Jaguars in London in Week 5. Those setbacks came a week after Buffalo once again lost Tre’Davious White to a season-ending injury. Milano is not expected to come back, McDermott added (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia) Tuesday. The All-Pro linebacker suffered a serious leg injury. But Jones being near a return stands to boost Buffalo’s run defense.
Prior to Jones going down, he was off to a strong start in a contract year. Pro Football Focus had slotted Jones third among interior D-linemen through five games; the former Titans draftee had started all 21 games since his two-year, $14MM Bills deal came to pass in 2022. Over his career, the soon-to-be 32-year-old defender has started 93 games — for the Titans, Panthers and Bills.
The Bills will be in need at defensive tackle going forward as well. Jordan Phillips suffered a dislocated wrist against the Cowboys and has already undergone surgery, per the Buffalo News’ Ryan O’Halloran. Summoned to replace Jones in Buffalo’s starting lineup, Phillips is hoping to be ready to return if the Bills make the playoffs. The team beating the Chiefs and Cowboys in consecutive weeks paves a clear path to the postseason, and both Phillips and Jones being in uniform would round out a veteran-fueled contingent alongside the recently extended Ed Oliver.
Buffalo re-signed Phillips to pair with Oliver, Jones and Tim Settle inside. The Bills also added Poona Ford at the position, but the ex-Seahawk has only played 95 defensive snaps this season. PFF has rated Settle much higher than Phillips, a veteran that checks in as the advanced metrics site’s second-worst regular interior D-lineman. Phillips has registered 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and five pass batdowns this season, a nine-start campaign for the ninth-year veteran. The Bills may not be able to reform their Oliver-Jones starting DT tandem immediately, but with games against the Chargers and Patriots on tap, the team does not look to have a difficult matchup on its docket again until a Week 18 Dolphins tilt that could decide the AFC East.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: DE Kameron Cline
- Released: CB Herb Miller
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Austin Ajiake
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Griffin Hebert
- Placed on IR: WR Devon Allen
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OT Sebastian Gutierrez, RB Jeremy McNichols, WR Willie Snead
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: OL Germain Ifedi
Carolina Panthers
- Signed off 49ers practice squad: OT Ilm Manning
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: P Matt Haack, K Riley Patterson
Detroit Lions
- Waived: DB Chase Lucas, LB Trevor Nowaske
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Reverted to IR: CB Christian Braswell
New York Jets
- Promoted: RB Nick Bawden, DT Bruce Hector
Germain Ifedi‘s underwhelming stint with the Bills has come to an end. The veteran offensive lineman joined the Bills this past offseason and was expected to provide some experienced depth. Instead, Ifedi was inactive for every game this season, and the Bills have decided his roster spot could be put to better use. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg believes this move will likely open a spot for defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
Speaking with media for the first time since he was arrested on a domestic violence charge, Von Miller called the allegations against him “100% false.” The Bills pass rusher said the incident was overblown.
Miller, 34, turned himself into police and was charged with a third-degree felony on Nov. 30. After Miller was charged with assaulting a pregnant person, the NFL did not place the Bills pass rusher on the commissioner’s exempt list. He has remained active since the incident involving his girlfriend.
“Obviously there are things that I can’t talk about, but everything that was out is completely wrong and blown out of proportion on me and my girlfriend,” Miller said, via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia. “We have problems just like any other couple does, but it’s never been any of the things that was alleged against me. So hopefully over time, you know, all of this stuff will get cleared up. … The people who know me and the people who’ve been around me know my character. They know who I am.”
A police report indicates Miller and his girlfriend engaged in an argument last month. The dispute escalated to the point Miller is alleged to have told his girlfriend to leave their apartment and, as the woman attempted to, broke her laptop before shoving her. He is later alleged to have put his hands on her neck, applying pressure but not restricting the woman’s ability to breathe, and pulled out a chunk of her hair. Miller’s girlfriend told police she is six weeks pregnant. Treated at the scene for minor abrasions on her left hand and bruising on her neck, the woman was not hospitalized.
Miller’s girlfriend said shortly after the veteran defender’s arrest that she was not assaulted, indicating the incident was “blown way out of context.” The woman, who is the mother of Miller’s two children, called the developments surrounding the couple “outrageous,” but the 13th-year veteran still faces the charge. When asked what about the charge was wrong, Miller said (via Buscaglia) “all of it is incorrect.”
“It is 100% false,” Miller said of the assault allegation. “It’s overblown. You know, I’ve got the right people on the job and you just you just keep pushing. I know who I am. I know my character. I know the type of person that I am. I know me and my my girlfriend’s relationship. So you just got to keep pushing, man. Life just lifes. You got to smile and have fun through it all. Especially when, you know, all the stuff is untrue.”
Even if the charge is dropped, Miller could still face an NFL suspension. A ban could affect his future with the Bills. A suspension under the personal conduct policy would remove Miller’s $10.7MM in 2024 guarantees from the equation. Around $22MM in prorated bonus money — on the six-year, $120MM deal the ex-Broncos and Rams superstar signed in 2022 — would move onto the Bills’ 2024 cap sheet if they cut Miller next year following a suspension. A post-June 1 designation would spread that total over two years. If Miller is not suspended, the Bills would face a $32MM dead-money charge if they released him in 2024.
Since coming back from the second ACL tear of his career, Miller has struggled. He does not have a sack in 11 games, working as a backup, and has made just three tackles this season. That represents a steep decline from his 2022 form; Miller notched eight sacks before going down with the knee injury on Thanksgiving Day last year.
The Bills let Kaiir Elam‘s 21-day activation window reach the deadline, but they still have the former first-round pick in their plans for this season. Elam will come off IR on Wednesday, according to the team.
Designated for return on Dec. 6, Elam spent the past three weeks ramping up during practice. Had the Bills not activated the young cornerback today, he would have reverted to season-ending IR. The team is in good shape regarding injury activations, however, still holding five after this transaction.
DaQuan Jones and wide receiver Justin Shorter have also returned to practice, likely representing two more of the team’s IR-return moves. The team also has Matt Milano on IR, but Sean McDermott said earlier this month the All-Pro linebacker is unlikely to return this season. Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips landed on IR last week. While the veteran could factor into the team’s postseason plans — should this late-season rally produce a playoff berth — he cannot return to practice until the week of the divisional round. Roster math could have conceivably played a role in the Bills’ Elam decision, but the team being in relatively good shape in terms of activations will allow for the corner to attempt a bounce-back effort as this season winds down.
Through 1 1/2 seasons, Elam has not justified the Bills’ first-round investment. The Florida product has been unable to carve out a consistent role, representing a disappointing development for a team that had hoped he would become a long-term fixture opposite Tre’Davious White. The Bills have needed Elam more this season, with White suffering an Achilles tear. Prior to Elam landing on IR due to an ankle injury, he had only been active in three games.
Elam could not become a regular starter last season, even with White not debuting until Thanksgiving, but his ankle injury has hindered his 2023 effort from the start. Elam tore a ligament in his ankle prior to the start of the regular season. After attempting to play through the injury, the second-year defender was shut down for an extended stretch. Elam appears ready, having logged three full practices last week. The Bills will hope a healthier version of last year’s No. 23 overall pick will help their defense down the stretch.
This will be Buffalo’s first opportunity to use Elam alongside Rasul Douglas, whom the team acquired to stem the tide following White’s injury. Douglas and Christian Benford have lined up alongside veteran slot player Taron Johnson as Buffalo’s cornerback regulars. Elam was unable to beat out Benford, a 2022 sixth-round pick, last season. It should be expected Elam comes back as a depth piece. For a Bills team that has run into numerous defensive injuries, that could be valuable despite the young cover man’s early-career struggles.
While the Panthers, Cardinals and Commanders continued their losing ways in Week 16, the Patriots’ effort in Denver shook up the top of the 2024 draft. New England has dropped from second to fourth in the ’24 order.
In a strange spot in which Broncos fans and and undoubtedly many Pats supporters wanted the Russell Wilson-driven comeback to succeed, Chad Ryland‘s 56-yard game-winning field goal dropped New England out of the No. 2 spot, injecting doubt about the team’s ability to nab a top-flight QB prospect without trading up next year.
The Bears (via the Panthers) remain atop the table, holding a one-game lead on the Cardinals. Carolina closes its season with two games against eight-win teams — the Jaguars and Buccaneers. Arizona will face Philadelphia and Seattle, and with Carolina’s strength of schedule at .522 and Arizona’s at .561, the draft-order tiebreaker reaffirms the Bears’ placement on the doorstep of entering a second straight offseason holding a No. 1 overall pick. The Justin Fields matter remains an important big-picture NFL topic, but GM Ryan Poles is close to having his pick of the 2024 QB prospects.
It is not clear if the Commanders will be interested in a quarterback in the first round, but they will have a new regime running the show. The last time Washington held a top-three pick (2020), it passed on Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert due to having drafted Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 first round. With Sam Howell struggling as of late, Josh Harris‘ next set of decision-makers may want to bring in their own prospect. The Cardinals could stand in the Commanders’ way, via another trade in the top three, but suddenly Washington could be a player for a 2024 first-round QB.
Ahead of Week 17, here is how the 2024 draft order looks:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- Arizona Cardinals: 3-12
- Washington Commanders: 4-11
- New England Patriots: 4-11
- New York Giants: 5-10
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-10
- Tennessee Titans: 5-10
- Chicago Bears: 6-9
- New York Jets: 6-9
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-8
- New Orleans Saints: 7-8
- Green Bay Packers: 7-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 7-8
- Denver Broncos: 7-8
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-8
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-7
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-7
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 8-7
- Seattle Seahawks: 8-7
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-7
- Los Angeles Rams: 8-7
- Buffalo Bills: 9-6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 9-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 10-5
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Detroit Lions: 11-4
- Miami Dolphins: 11-4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-4
- San Francisco 49ers: 11-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 12-3
Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: WR Dan Chisena, WR Kaden Davis
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: FB Keith Smith
- Signed to active roster: TE Tucker Fisk
- Elevated: P Pat O’Donnell, OL John Leglue
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: RB Leonard Fournette
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Gabe Jackson, G J.D. DiRenzo
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: WR Collin Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: S Tanner McCalister, LB Charlie Thomas
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis, RB Malik Davis
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: QB Ben DiNucci, OLB Ronnie Perkins
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: K Michael Badgley (story), TE Anthony Firkser
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: WR Bo Melton, S Benny Sapp
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: WR Ethan Fernea
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: CB Ethan Bonner, OLB Melvin Ingram
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR Lucky Jackson, CB Jaylin Williams
New York Jets
- Elevated: FB Nick Bawden, LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: CB Kelvin Joseph, S Ty Okada
Tennessee Titans
- DB Shyheim Carter, CB Tay Gowan
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: LS Tucker Addington, OL Nolan Laufenberg
The Bills will not have depth running back Ty Johnson available for tonight’s game, leading to the decision to elevate Fournette. The former Super Bowl champion will thus make his Buffalo debut, although with lead back James Cook in the lineup, Fournette will likely not receive many looks on offense. The latter has already returned a kickoff for the first time in his career, however.
Signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad last week, Ingram will also make his 2023 debut in Week 16. The 34-year-old last played during his Miami stint in 2022, during which time he started three games and recorded six sacks. With Jaelan Phillips out for the year, Ingram will look to once again give the Dolphins a rotational presence off the edge.
Suffering a dislocated wrist in the Bills’ dominant win over the Cowboys, Jordan Phillips expressed hope he could return for a playoff run. If the team is to qualify for the postseason, Phillips will not be available to start that journey.
The Bills are placing the veteran defensive tackle on IR on Thursday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Phillips will be sidelined for the final three regular-season games and Buffalo’s playoff opener, should the team continue its recent form into a postseason berth.
Injuries continue to hinder the Buffalo defense, with Rapoport adding Micah Hyde is not expected to play Saturday against the Chargers. But the Bills received good news this week; starting defensive tackle DaQuan Jones is back at practice despite suffering a torn pectoral muscle earlier this season. Phillips has been the team’s starter in place of Jones, opening the past nine games with the first-stringers. Suffering a neck stinger, Hyde has gotten in two limited practices this week. But the Bills will be cautious with a key veteran who missed almost all of last season with a neck injury.
Phillips became part of a Bills D-tackle plan involving only experienced veterans. This offseason, the three-time reigning AFC East champs brought back Phillips on a one-year, $3MM deal. The team also extended Ed Oliver and signed Poona Ford to be part of a group featuring 2022 UFA additions Jones and Tim Settle. While Settle and Ford have starting experience, the Bills have turned to Phillips — who is on stint No. 3 with the team — in Jones’ place over the past two months.
A former second-round Dolphins pick, Phillips reignited his career in Buffalo during the late 2010s. The Bills claimed Phillips in 2018, and re-signed him on a one-year, $4.5MM deal for the ’19 season. That proved pivotal. Phillips parlayed a career year (9.5 sacks) into a three-year, $30MM Cardinals deal. Injuries marred the Arizona pact, but after the team cut him in 2022, the veteran made his way back to Buffalo. Phillips, 31, is now on his fourth Bills contract.
The team’s continued interest in extending this partnership aside, Pro Football Focus has viewed Phillips as one of the NFL’s worst D-tackles this season. Citing Phillips’ run defense as a concern, PFF grades him as the league’s second-worst DT regular this year. Phillips has registered 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and five pass batdowns this year. Settle has played the third-most snaps among Bills DTs this season, while Ford — a Seahawks starter from 2019-22 — has not seen much playing time.
Jones returning would certainly help the Bills, but they still have an experienced interior D-line contingent without him. The Bills have until Jan. 9 to activate Jones, who was off to a strong start before going down in early October.