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Notable 2024 Pro Bowl Incentives

January 4th, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Ben Levine

The NFL released the AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters last night. While the annual All-Star event has lost some of its luster (and is eyeing a significant revamping in 2024), a Pro Bowl selection is still a significant accomplishment for many players…especially from a financial standpoint.

There were a number of Pro Bowlers whose selections were tied to contract incentives. We’ve collected some of the notable Pro Bowl incentives below:

Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick didn’t have a traditional Pro Bowl incentive, but his selection will still result in more money. Per Corry, Reddick’s 2024 base salary will increase by $500K (from $13.75MM to $14.25MM) thanks to the Pro Bowl selection.

A handful of former first-round picks also boosted the value of their fifth-year options by earning their first Pro Bowl nod (via Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus): Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Ravens offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum, Lions offensive lineman Penei Sewell, and Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain boosted the value of their fifth-round option to the maximum amount with a second Pro Bowl selection.

Beyond incentives, players also get some cash for just participating in the Pro Bowl event. As Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports writes, players on the winning team will earn $88K, while players on the losing team will get $44K. This even applies to Pro Bowl players who can’t participate since they’re playing in the Super Bowl.

Ravens, Cowboys Interested In Dalvin Cook?

January 3rd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dalvin Cook saw his brief and underwhelming Jets tenure come to an end yesterday. As a result, he is on the waiver wire until Thursday afternoon. A free agent agreement with a playoff-bound team (presuming he clears) would come as little surprise.

Suitors in that regard may be emerging. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports the Ravens and Cowboys are among the teams which could consider adding the four-time Pro Bowl running back. No firm interest appears to be in place at this point, and that will likely remain the case until Cook clears waivers. Still, both teams would represent logical landing spots if a deal were to emerge.

As Anderson notes, Baltimore would specifically be eyeing Cook as a practice squad addition (although the same will likely be true for Dallas and any other interested parties). Players added to the taxi squad can be designated a gameday elevation up to three times without occupying a 53-man roster spot, something of particular importance in the postseason.

The Ravens lead the league in rushing this season, averaging nearly 160 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has accounted for for a large portion of that success, however, and the team finds itself thin in the backfield late in the year. Starter J.K. Dobbins was lost for the season to an Achilles tear in Week 1, though undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell burst onto the scene midway through the campaign. The latter took on an increased workload upon entering the lineup, and he averaged 8.4 yards per carry in his brief stretch of action.

However, Mitchell suffered an ACL tear last month, sidelining him until 2024. The Ravens will therefore depend largely on Gus Edwards and Justice Hill at the RB spot in the postseason. Cook could attempt to carve out a limited role in Baltimore’s backfield while looking to boost his free agent stock in the process.

The Cowboys have not been as strong as expected on the ground this season, the first full campaign with Tony Pollard in place as the undisputed lead back. Playing on the $10.1MM franchise tag in 2023, Pollard has posted a career-low 4.0 yards per carry average; his impact in the passing game (295 scoreless yards on 53 receptions) has also left something to be desired. He will still enter the postseason as the clear option atop the depth chart, though.

Dallas’ second-leading rusher, Rico Dowdle, has amassed just 315 yards this year. That has contributed to the Cowboys’ middling performance in their ground attack (averaging 112 yards per contest, 14th in the NFL). Cook may have a clearer path to playing time with Dallas, but questions will be asked with respect to how much he will be able to contribute to close out the campaign. The longtime Vikings starter logged just 67 carries with the Jets this year, the first time he failed to receive triple-digit attempts since 2018.

David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets the Cowboys are simply doing their due diligence on Cook at this point. With further developments likely to take place in the near future, the interest shown by Dallas, Baltimore and any other RB-needy teams will be a storyline to follow closely in advance of the postseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/24

January 3rd, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

  • Activated from IR: DL Viliami Fehoko
  • Placed on IR: RB Deuce Vaughn

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Troy Andersen is eyeing a return for the regular season finale after having been sidelined since late September with a pectoral injury. The 2022 second-round pick started five of his 17 appearances as a rookie, finishing with 69 tackles. Andersen had 19 tackles in a pair of appearances this season, with the linebacker missing Week 2 while sitting in concussion protocol.

An ankle injury will end Deuce Vaughn‘s rookie season early, with the sixth-round pick finishing with 80 yards from scrimmage on 30 touches. Regular backup RB Rico Dowdle missed last week while dealing with a lingering ankle injury, but Vaughn’s removal from the active roster probably bodes well for Dowdle’s availability. Of course, this move will also lead to even more speculation surrounding a potential Dalvin Cook pursuit.

After starting five of his 23 appearances through his first four seasons in the NFL, Phil Haynes entered the 2023 campaign as Seattle’s starting right guard. He started each of Seattle’s first eight games this season before landing on injured reserve with a toe injury. Anthony Bradford has been starting at the position in Haynes’ place, and he could keep his starting gig with Jason Peters sidelined with a foot injury.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/2/24

January 2nd, 2024 at 6:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: S Jeremy Lucien

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: TE Johnny Lumpkin

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Signed: TE E.J. Jenkins
  • Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Cole Fotheringham

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: QB Dresser Winn
  • Released: LS Alex Matheson

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: LB Abraham Beauplan

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

Teams can begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts Jan. 8. P-squad contracts expire seven days after the regular season concludes, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reminds teams are not limited regarding the number of times they can elevate a player from a taxi squad during the playoffs. In the regular season, players are capped at three gameday elevations.

The Panthers are expected to sign Boone to a futures deal next week, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. After three years with the Vikings and two with the Broncos, Boone played in nine games with the Texans this season. As for Wright, this marks a reunion. While Wright’s first Panthers stay did not last long (Aug. 26-30), Carolina may need him due to Eddy Pineiro‘s hamstring injury.

Amid the Jets’ wave of O-line injuries, they signed Saffold. While the former Rams, Titans and Bills starter was with the Jets for several weeks, he did not see any game action in his 14th NFL season.

Raiders, Panthers Made Offseason Lamar Jackson Inquiries

January 1st, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The events of Week 17 significantly boosted Lamar Jackson‘s chances of winning his second career MVP award. The level of play the Ravens signal-caller has showcased in 2023 has led to a new round of questions regarding the apathy shown around the league with respect to acquiring him in the offseason.

The Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, a move which opened the door to offer sheets being at the disposal of teams interested in attempting to sign him (or at least make Baltimore’s efforts to do the same more difficult). Very quickly, however, several teams with question marks under center bowed out and Jackson eventually inked a five-year, $260MM deal.

While no teams are known to have submitted an offer sheet, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Raiders and Panthers both made inquiries into adding Jackson. Vegas faced the challenge of replacing Derek Carr in the offseason, while Carolina was one of several teams in position to add a new passer by means of the draft or another avenue. The former left open the possibility of a Jackson pursuit, though nothing materialized to a serious extent. The latter, meanwhile, was among the large contingent which backed out in lieu of focusing on the draft.

As Schefter notes, teams around the league expressed concern about Jackson’s injury history when considering an offer sheet. The 26-year-old missed the end of the 2021 and ’22 seasons due to knee ailments, something which would have needed to be considered when authorizing a monster contract upon arrival (and which would have included an independent medical evaluation with his new team). Adding the price of two first-round picks for Jackson signing an unmatched offer sheet, the fact he remained in Baltimore comes as little surprise.

Still, the Louisville alum’s play this year (and that of the Ravens as a whole) has proven the lack of desire on the part of QB-needy teams to be noteworthy. Vegas added a short-term Carr replacement in the form of Jimmy Garoppolo, though he struggled when on the field before losing his staring gig midway through the campaign. The Raiders are now evaluating fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell as a No. 1 option, though they can be expected to be in the market for an addition of some kind in the new league year.

The Panthers have likewise endured an underwhelming season under center. Looking to stop the cycle of stop-gap additions at the QB spot, the team acquired the top pick in the draft by sending the Bears a haul involving two first- and second-round selections as well as wideout D.J. Moore. Bryce Young‘s debut campaign has not gone according to plan, and his and the team’s offensive struggles led to the firing of head coach Frank Reich among other staffers.

Schefter notes that questions remain around the league with respect to why no serious efforts were made to pursue a Jackson offer sheet. Prevailing theories point to the Ravens simply matching any offers which were submitted, but it remains a talking point through the close of the campaign that Baltimore – the team which secured the AFC’s top seed on Sunday – was able to retain him with relative ease.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

January 1st, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

It took the Bears until Week 18 for the No. 1 draft slot to become a reality; the Panthers did not make them wait that long this year. Carolina’s struggles will give Chicago the No. 1 overall pick for a second straight year. How the Bears will proceed with that pick will become one of the NFL’s defining 2024 storylines.

The Cardinals’ unexpected conquest in Philadelphia knocked them down two slots in the 2024 draft order. As a result, the Commanders — who resided in the fourth position before the Patriots’ Christmas Eve upset ended the Russell Wilson era in Denver — hold the No. 2 pick going into the regular season’s final Sunday.

The Commanders benched Sam Howell in back-to-back weeks and were set to, prior to a midweek Jacoby Brissett setback, shelve him for Week 17 as well. The Ron Rivera era is in its final days, with front office changes likely as well. A Commanders-Caleb Williams connection has emerged, which would make Washington quite interested in what Chicago does at No. 1 overall — or key another round of Bears talks about dropping from 1 to 2, which took place with the Texans this offseason. With the Bears likely considering another Justin Fields season and the Cardinals having Kyler Murray tied to a $46.1MM-per-year contract, the Commanders are suddenly a team to watch regarding a QB investment.

Bill Belichick is also perched as a key 2024 domino, but with the legendary HC not eager to leave New England, one of the most important decisions in franchise history awaits Robert Kraft. Belichick or his replacement could hold a top-three pick in 2024, though another Pats win — they have the Jets in Week 18 — would complicate an effort to land a top-tier QB prospect.

Entering Week 18, here is how the 2024 draft order looks:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Washington Commanders: 4-12
  3. New England Patriots: 4-12
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-12
  5. New York Giants: 5-11
  6. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-11
  7. Tennessee Titans: 5-11
  8. New York Jets: 6-10
  9. Atlanta Falcons: 7-9
  10. Chicago Bears: 7-9
  11. Las Vegas Raiders: 7-9
  12. Minnesota Vikings: 7-9
  13. New Orleans Saints: 8-8
  14. Denver Broncos: 8-8
  15. Seattle Seahawks: 8-8
  16. Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8
  17. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  18. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7
  19. Green Bay Packers: 8-8
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8
  21. Indianapolis Colts: 9-7
  22. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-7
  23. Los Angeles Rams: 9-7
  24. Buffalo Bills: 10-6
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 10-6
  26. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-5
  27. Detroit Lions: 11-5
  28. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  29. Miami Dolphins: 11-5
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 11-5
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 12-4
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 13-3

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/23

December 30th, 2023 at 9:14pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions and callups for the remainder of the Week 17 matchups:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Alualu is set to make his Lions debut after signing earlier this month. Given the injury issues Detroit has faced up front, the 36-year-old has the chance to see playing time through the close of the regular season and into the playoffs. Alualu expressed a desire to continue playing with the Steelers this offseason, but he remained a free agent deep into the year. His tenure in the Motor City could help boost his free agent stock if he wishes to remain in the league in 2024, though.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 26th, 2023 at 8:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

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:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Arizona Cardinals: 3-12
  3. Washington Commanders: 4-11
  4. New England Patriots: 4-11
  5. New York Giants: 5-10
  6. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-10
  7. Tennessee Titans: 5-10
  8. Chicago Bears: 6-9
  9. New York Jets: 6-9
  10. Atlanta Falcons: 7-8
  11. New Orleans Saints: 7-8
  12. Green Bay Packers: 7-8
  13. Las Vegas Raiders: 7-8
  14. Denver Broncos: 7-8
  15. Minnesota Vikings: 7-8
  16. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-7
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 8-7
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-7
  20. Indianapolis Colts: 8-7
  21. Seattle Seahawks: 8-7
  22. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-7
  23. Los Angeles Rams: 8-7
  24. Buffalo Bills: 9-6
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-6
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 10-5
  27. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  28. Detroit Lions: 11-4
  29. Miami Dolphins: 11-4
  30. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-4
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 11-4
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 12-3

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/25/23

December 25th, 2023 at 3:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Los Angeles Chargers

San Francisco 49ers

The Ravens designated Hamm for return on Dec. 4, making Christmas Day the linebacker’s activation deadline. Rather than activating Hamm to their active roster, the Ravens let his 21-day practice window close. A rookie UDFA out of Division I-FCS Lafayette, Hamm will end up missing his entire rookie season. The Ravens carried Hamm over to their 53-man roster after training camp, placing him on IR a day later.

Ravens’ Anthony Weaver On Head Coaching Radar?

December 23rd, 2023 at 9:14am CST by Ben Levine

When head coaching interviews begin after the season, Anthony Weaver could be a popular name. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Ravens coach is a “name that has come up” for potential head coaching vacancies.

Following a seven-year playing career, Weaver has spent more than a decade building up his coaching resume. Over that time, he’s worked with star pass rushers like J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, and he’s learned under accomplished coaches like John Harbaugh, Mike Vrabel, Romeo Crennel, and Rex Ryan.

Per Russini, Weaver is “known for his likability, work ethic, and decisiveness” around the NFL, with some executives comparing him to current Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Assuming Weaver brings a similar intensity to his next job, that organization could see an immediate jump in the standings.

Weaver worked as a defensive line coach with the Bills, Browns, and Texans to begin his NFL coaching career, and he eventually got promoted to defensive coordinator in Houston to replace Crennel. The Texans defense struggled that season, and the organization revamped their coaching staff following that 2020 campaign.

Weaver then moved on to Baltimore, where he was named defensive line coach and run game coordinator. He dropped that latter title in 2022 and earned the role of associate head coach, putting him firmly on the head coaching radar. This season, the Ravens defense leads the NFL in sacks and has allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns.

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