Minor NFL Transactions: 10/1/22
Today’s minor moves around the league, including practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s action:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, WR Andre Baccellia
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: RB Caleb Huntley
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to active roster: CB Kevon Seymour
- Promoted: LB Brandon Copeland, T David Sharpe
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: DT Prince Emili
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Marquise Blair
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: K Michael Badgley, RB Darrynton Evans (story)
- Released from IR: CB Michael Joseph
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: TE Miller Forristall
- Promoted: DL Roderick Perry, DE Curtis Weaver
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: QB Will Grier
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: WR Kendall Hinton, G Netane Muti
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: T Dan Skipper, K Dominik Eberle
- Promoted: WRs Tom Kennedy, Maurice Alexander
- Waived: TE Shane Zylstra, G Drew Forbes
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: CB Kiondre Thomas
- Placed on NFI list: T Caleb Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: S Grayland Arnold
- Promoted: TEs Jordan Akins, Mason Schreck
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: K Chase McLaughlin, DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: OL Darryl Williams, LB Ty Summers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: LB Elijah Lee, K Matthew Wright (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: G Alex Bars
- Promoted: CBs Nickell Robey-Coleman, Javelin Guidry
- Waived: T Jackson Barton
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: WR Michael Bandy
New England Patriots
- Promoted: T Marcus Cannon
- Placed on IR: T Yodny Cajuste
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: QB Jake Luton
- Promoted: RB Latavius Murray, TE J.P. Holtz
- Waived: FB Adam Prentice
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: LB Jaylon Smith
- Promoted: WR Marcus Johnson, DT Henry Mondeaux
New York Jets
- Promoted: LB Hamsah Nasirildeen, OL Grant Hermanns
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed to active roster: WR Britain Covey
- Promoted: S Andre Chachere
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: LB Ryan Anderson, CB Josh Jackson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Cullen Gillaspia
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cole Beasley
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: OL Jordan Roos
- Promoted: LB Joe Schobert, DB Theo Jackson
- Waived: RB Julius Chestnut
Washington Commanders
- Promoted: OL Wes Martin
- Placed on IR: OL Wes Schweitzer (story)
2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team
As we exit September, trade rumors will become a steady NFL topic. This year’s deadline falls on Nov. 1. That will return cap-space discussions to the forefront. Here is how every team stacks up financially going into October, via Over The Cap.
- Cleveland Browns: $35.94MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $10.89MM
- Denver Broncos: $10.67MM
- Carolina Panthers: $10.47MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $10.35MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $9.25MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $8.64MM
- Green Bay Packers: $8.57MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $7.97MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $7.92MM
- New York Jets: $6.97MM
- Chicago Bears: $6.84MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $6.75MM
- Miami Dolphins: $6.51MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $6.25MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $5.83MM
- New York Giants: $5.49MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $5.41MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $5.38MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $4.51MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $3.87MM
- New England Patriots: $3.5MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $3.16MM
- New Orleans Saints: $2.86MM
- Detroit Lions: $2.64MM
- Washington Commanders: $2.58MM
- Buffalo Bills: $2.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $2.41MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $2.28MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $2.12MM
- Houston Texans: $1.64MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $1.47MM
The Eagles’ number is certainly far closer to the Vikings’ last-place figure than what the Browns have stockpiled. Cleveland would stand to have room to augment its 2022 roster, via a patient free agent or a trade. That could depend on where Jacoby Brissett has the team stationed going into the Nov. 1 deadline. But the Browns also appear to be preparing for their Deshaun Watson future. Watson’s unprecedented contract spikes from a $9.4MM cap number (2022) to a record-shattering $54.99MM numbers from 2023-26. As that reality awaits, the Browns rolling over cap space to 2023 would be prudent.
With Sterling Shepard‘s ACL tear moving the veteran wide receiver to IR, the Giants will need to both cover that cost ($6.3MM) and add a contract to fill the roster spot. Every team will go through versions of that issue this season, as injuries pile up. The Giants are prepared to eat a significant chunk of Kenny Golladay‘s 2022 base salary ($13MM) to move him, eyeing an escape from his $4.5MM 2023 guarantee. No takers have emerged, though it will be interesting to see if a market for the former Pro Bowler forms once injuries affect more teams’ receiver situations.
Since their Jimmy Garoppolo restructure, the 49ers agreed to a two-year extension with Dre Greenlaw. The team is not expected to extend Nick Bosa until 2023, however. The Texans, Falcons, Bears and Eagles all sit north of $60MM in dead money, meaning more than a quarter of their respective cap space is tied to players no longer on the roster. Watson, Matt Ryan and Khalil Mack are responsible for massive dead-money hits on the Houston, Atlanta and Chicago payrolls. Philadelphia still has Alshon Jeffery, Malik Jackson and Brandon Brooks dead money on its cap sheet.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/28/22
Here are the practice squad signings and releases for today:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Xavier Rhodes (story), DT Prince Emili
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Arron Mosby
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Reggie Roberson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Corey Ballentine
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Cortez Broughton, LB Elijah Lee, K Matthew Wright
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR John Hightower
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Keith Kirkwood
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Makai Polk, CB Olaijah Griffin
New York Jets
- Signed: OT Mike Remmers
- Released: WR Diontae Spencer
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OT Roderick Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Cullen Gillaspia
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Kaylon Geiger
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OLB Gerri Green
Bills To Sign CB Xavier Rhodes
9:04pm: Buffalo will move ahead with a signing. The former Vikings and Colts corner agreed to join the team Tuesday night, Garafolo reports (on Twitter). Rhodes will rejoin Frazier and help out a cornerback corps suddenly in dire need. It is a practice squad agreement.
10:09am: With plenty of injuries in their secondary, the Bills could be adding a veteran in the near future. Buffalo is hosting cornerback Xavier Rhodes on a visit, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
A first-round pick of the Vikings in 2013, Rhodes spent the first seven seasons of his career in Minnesota. That stretch included three Pro Bowl selections, and the 2017 campaign in which he earned First-Team All-Pro honors. Across 104 games with the Vikings, Rhodes racked up 10 interceptions and 73 pass breakups.
His time there ended on a low note, however. Despite having three years remaining on the five-year extension he had signed, the Florida State product was released in a cost-cutting move in 2020. That led him to the Colts, where he was a full-time starter and registered a pair of interceptions. Given his performance, Indianapolis signed him to another one-year deal last March, though Rhodes saw a lower snap share and took a step back in terms of coverage statistics in 2021.
In Buffalo, he would likely have the opportunity to see plenty of playing time in at least the immediate future. No. 1 corner Tre’Davious White began the season on the PUP list, meaning that he will be out for at least one more game as he continues to recover from an ACL tear. Fellow starter Dane Jackson also suffered a neck injury in Week 2, and rookie Christian Benford fractured his hand during Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins (Twitter link via Garafolo’s colleague Ian Rapoport).
Rhodes could also reunite with Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who was the Vikings’ head coach during his rookie season. Given Buffalo’s current injury situation, a deal could see him take the field right away, and give him the opportunity to boost his free agent stock while stabilizing an important position for one of the AFC’s top contenders.
Bills Sign OL Justin Murray, Place OL Tommy Doyle On IR
One of several Bills to finish Sunday’s game unavailable, Tommy Doyle suffered a season-ending ACL tear. Sean McDermott confirmed the injury, which will remove one of Buffalo’s backup blockers from the equation.
To replace Doyle on the active roster, the Bills signed veteran Justin Murray to a one-year contract. This will be Murray’s seventh team, though the 2016 UDFA has only seen action with the Raiders and Cardinals.
The Cardinals claimed the well-traveled blocker off waivers from the Raiders in 2019 and, after then-right tackle Marcus Gilbert went down, plugged the newcomer into their lineup. Murray, 29, has experience at guard and right tackle. He started 19 games in those roles between the 2019 and ’20 seasons for the Cards, who signed him to a two-year, $5.5MM extension during the latter campaign.
A back injury last season led Murray to IR, and although he returned to practice, the 21-day activation window closed without the Cards moving him to their 53-man roster. That inaction led to Murray’s 2021 season ending after three games. Arizona cut Murray this year. Following a Raiders workout, the former Cincinnati Bearcat will have a chance to be a Bills backup.
Doyle was part of Buffalo’s backup O-line crew, one that became needed extensively in a grueling game in Miami. By game’s end, the Bills had five available offensive linemen. Doyle, whom the Bills drafted in last year’s fifth round, will not have a chance to rejoin his team on the field until next year.
A run of Bills health issues led Doyle to play a career-high 37 offensive snaps in Week 3. Center Mitch Morse was unavailable in Week 3, while right guard Ryan Bates suffered a concussion. Right tackle Spencer Brown left the Miami game due what the team called a heat-related illness, and interior backup Greg Van Roten departed the game as well. The team was already without backup Bobby Hart due to his one-game suspension. It will be interesting to see what the Bills’ O-line looks like against the Ravens, a contest that should involve more comfortable temperatures, in Week 4.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/26/22
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Reinstated from suspension: OL Bobby Hart
- Released: DT Prince Emili
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: LB Arron Mosby
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: OL Jason Peters (story)
- Promoted: QB Will Grier, TE Sean McKeon
New York Giants
- Promoted: DL Henry Mondeaux, DB Fabian Moreau
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: Kaylon Geiger
AFC East Rumors: Bills, Wilson, Hall, Pats
The Bills have an obvious 1-2 punch at wide receiver in Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis. In the slot, though, it has looked, recently, like Buffalo may be moving towards a bit of a position battle, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic.
After initially favoring Isaiah McKenzie in the first few weeks of the season, the Bills moved closer to an even split of snaps between McKenzie and Jamison Crowder in the team’s win last week over the Titans. Buscaglia notes that, in the game, the duo were only on the field at the same time for three snaps, indicating a one-or-the-other situation. In the remainder of the game, excluding garbage time, Buscaglia counted 21 offensive snaps for McKenzie and 16 for Crowder, a stark difference from the snap advantage McKenzie enjoyed to begin the season. This could lead one to believe that Buffalo is becoming more comfortable with the consistency it gets out of Crowder than the all-or-nothing, big play potential it gets out of McKenzie.
This theory failed to hold up in today’s loss to the Dolphins. Though snap totals have yet to be reported, quarterback Josh Allen clearly favored McKenzie today, targeting him nine times to only three for Crowder. McKenzie rewarded the extra attention with seven catches for 76 yards and a touchdown, tacking on a six yard rush, while Crowder only reeled in one pass for nine yards. If the Bills staff needed to see consistent production out of McKenzie, today was a good start.
Here are a few more rumors from the AFC East, starting with some usage notes from the Jets:
- There was early concern surrounding New York’s usage of rookie first-round pick Garrett Wilson after the tenth-overall pick only saw the field for 38 of the offense’s 79 snaps in Week 1, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Two weeks later any concerns have certainly been quelled for the time being. Wilson’s playing time did increase to over 50% of the team’s offensive snaps, increasing to 61% in Week 2. While Jets fans may want to see him on the field even more often, he’s made the most of his playing time, becoming the favorite target for quarterback Joe Flacco. After three weeks, Wilson’s 32 targets and 214 receiving yards outpace Elijah Moore‘s 22 targets or Corey Davis‘ 187 receiving yards, both second on the team, despite both older receivers spending more time on the field.
- There’s been an unpredictable fall from grace this year for Jets cornerback Bryce Hall, according to Cimini. Last year, Hall was fourth in the entire league for defensive snaps played. So far this year, it’s been a completely different story. Hall understandably lost his starting job to rookie fourth-overall pick Ahmad Gardner, but after three weeks, it appears that he’s also fallen behind the other four cornerbacks on the roster. Hall only played five defensive snaps in Week 1 and has been a healthy scratch for the past two games.
- According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Patriots were experiencing some punter-envy today. Reiss reported that Ravens rookie punter Jordan Stout was “highly regarded by the Patriots in this year’s draft.” Stout entered the week ranking 30th in the league for average punt distance, but, even after a dismal 23 yard punt today, he was able to improve to 20th in the league with a 45.9 yard average.
Bills S Micah Hyde Done For Season
9:20pm: Poyer is not expected to play tomorrow, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). The news confirms what was feared about the status of his foot injury, and means that Buffalo will indeed be without both members of their highly-touted safety duo against the Dolphins.
10:40am: The Bills have suffered a major blow to their secondary. Safety Micah Hyde will miss the rest of the season with a neck injury, agent Jack Bechta announced on Twitter. The veteran is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2023 season. Hyde will land on injured reserve later today.
Hyde suffered a neck injury during Monday’s win over the Titans. The injury limited him to only 64 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in Week 2, and he was held out of practice all this week. While Hyde had already been ruled out for Week 3 prior to today’s news, there wasn’t any hint that the injury would ultimately sideline him for the entire 2022 campaign.
While the Bills have been rolling through the first two weeks of the season, it’ll be hard for them to make up the absence of Hyde, who has established himself as one of the team’s defensive leaders. The veteran had one of the best seasons of his career in 2021, finishing with 74 tackles, five interceptions, and 10 passes defended. He finished the season ranked fifth among 92 qualifying safeties on Pro Football Focus. Through one-plus games in 2022, the 31-year-old was still plenty productive, with PFF ranking him 21st among 67 qualifying safeties. Hyde totaled seven tackles between his two appearances.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe tweets that fourth-year safety Jaquan Johnson will likely slide into the starting lineup in place of Hyde. Johnson saw time in 44 games between his first three seasons in the NFL, but he was limited to only one start while mostly playing a special teams role. He’s already seen a jump in playing time in 2022, with the 26-year-old compiling three tackles through two games. The Bills don’t have much else for depth at strong safety, with Jordan Poyer and 2021 sixth-round pick Damar Hamlin serving as the other safeties on the roster.
Speaking of, the Bills are also awaiting the status of Poyer for tomorrow’s contest against the Dolphins, as the safety is currently dealing with a foot injury and is “very much questionable,” per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (on Twitter). If Poyer is forced to sit out tomorrow’s game, the Bills will be eyeing an inexperienced safeties corps heading into a showdown with a Miami offense that scored six touchdowns last weekend.
AFC Injury Updates: Bills, Raiders, Leonard
As the Bills head to South Florida for a noon matchup against a red-hot Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins, they have seen a tough challenge get tougher. Buffalo released an injury update on its website today reporting that the team expects to be without four starters: two in the secondary, in safety Micah Hyde and cornerback Dane Jackson, and two defensive tackles, Ed Oliver and Jordan Phillips. Jackson, Hyde, and Phillips all left Monday night’s game with injuries, while Oliver will miss his second straight contest.
Jackson left the game last week after a collision that forced his head backwards in a scary-looking neck injury. He was taken off the field in an ambulance, but, luckily, avoided any major injury. Unfortunately, Jackson hasn’t been able to practice at all this week but has been able to be around the team at the facilities.
Hyde also suffered a neck injury, albeit a far less severe-looking injury than Jackson’s, that held him out of practice this week. Phillips left the game Monday with a hamstring injury and also was unable to practice this week. Oliver has been dealing with an ankle injury that held him out last week, as well.
Missing three starters in the secondary (cornerback Tre’Davious White remains on injured reserve) makes the prospect of facing Tagovailoa a bit more cumbersome one week after he threw for 469 yards and six touchdowns against a banged up Ravens secondary. They’ll turn to rookies Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam to fill in at cornerback with help from veteran Bills cornerbacks Taron Johnson and Siran Neal. Damar Hamlin and Jaquan Johnson will be asked to step up in Hyde’s absence, as well.
With both Phillips and Oliver out on the defensive line, it’s a good bet that the Bills will mirror their gameday practice squad call-ups from last week in defensive tackles C.J. Brewer and Brandin Bryant.
Here are a few more Sunday injury statuses we learned about today, starting with a couple of big starters out in Sin City:
- The Raiders are set to face off against the Titans this weekend without two Pro Bowlers as wide receiver Hunter Renfrow and linebacker Denzel Perryman are officially out, according to Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Hill also reports that, after missing two practices with an illness, running back Josh Jacobs is questionable to play this Sunday.
- Despite initial reports in the preseason that Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard would not miss any time, the 27-year-old is set to miss his third straight game after being ruled out against the Chiefs this week, according to Mike Chappell of Indianapolis Fox59. Head coach Frank Reich told the media, “Deep down it’s the player. Deep down the player has to know he can play winning football and help this team win. That’s where we’ve got to get to.”
NFL Suspends Bills OL Bobby Hart
SEPTEMBER 22: Hart’s appeal was unsuccessful. The eighth-year offensive lineman will serve his one-game suspension.
SEPTEMBER 21: Hart’s post-game altercation was with Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, reports Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). During Hart’s appeal hearing today, it was alleged that Simmons spit on Hart, leading to the skirmish.
During altercation postgame with Simmons, Hart inadvertently made contact with a Titans assistant coach, leading to the one-game suspension levied by NFL vice president of operations Jon Runyan.
SEPTEMBER 19: The NFL handed Bills tackle Bobby Hart a one-game suspension Tuesday. A fight following the Bills’ Monday-night win over the Titans led to this ban.
NFL VP of football operations Jon Runyan‘s suspension letter to Hart indicates the veteran lineman threw a punch at a Titans player postgame. The punch struck a Tennessee coach in the head. This unnamed Titans assistant coach had attempted to separate the players.
Hart, 28, is in his second season with the Bills, but the former starter spent time with the Titans last year. In between Bills stays, Hart played in three games with the Titans.
The Bills signed Hart in March 2021, but he did not make their 53-man roster and landed on the Dolphins’ practice squad. Soon after, Hart re-signed with the Bills via a practice squad deal. He ended up with the Titans after the team poached him off Buffalo’s P-squad in October. After Tennessee demoted Hart to its P-squad, Buffalo made the same transaction by signing Hart to its active roster in November. The Bills circled back to Hart in free agency earlier this year.
A former seventh-round pick, Hart has done well for himself by making it into an eighth NFL season. The Florida State product was a multiyear right tackle starter for the Giants and Bengals. He has settled in as a backup. Monday night’s blowout led to Hart seeing some fourth-quarter snaps. Hart made one Titans start in 2021.