NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/20/24
A couple practice squad transactions on a Divisional Round Saturday:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Eli Ankou
- Released: P Matt Haack
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OLB Julian Okwara
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: P Pat O’Donnell
- Released: G Michael Jordan
Haack’s Buffalo reunion comes to a quick end after only three days. Haack was brought in as an emergency option at punter with starter Sam Martin dealing with a hamstring injury, but Haack’s release today points to some positive signs for Martin’s availability tomorrow.
Likewise, O’Donnell has been brought in with regular Packers punter Daniel Whelan still questionable on the injury report. O’Donnell wasn’t included in the team’s standard practice squad elevations, though, so it appears Whelan will be available tonight.
Raiders, Antonio Pierce Agree To HC Deal
Mark Davis regretted passing on interim HC Rich Bisaccia two years ago. The owner is not going to let Antonio Pierce go. The Raiders and Pierce are finalizing an agreement for the linebackers coach-turned-interim leader to become the franchise’s full-time head coach, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. A deal is now in place, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
Pierce’s experience level will make this one of the most shocking HC ascensions in modern NFL history, but Raiders players — in an effort Maxx Crosby spearheaded — lobbied for Davis to elevate Pierce to the full-time role. The former Super Bowl-winning linebacker was viewed as the favorite following Crosby’s threat at requesting a trade in the event the Raiders went in another direction; Pierce is now on the doorstep of making a major climb. This probably goes without saying in light of Friday’s developments, but SI.com’s Albert Breer notes Davis placed a premium on his players’ views of the matter this time around. Per his X account, Crosby appears excited about this decision.
Pierce, 45, will become the first interim HC moved to a permanent post since the Jaguars removed Doug Marrone‘s interim tag in 2017. Teams passing on an interim leader in order to hire a flashier option has been the modern NFL norm, and far more experienced options compared to Pierce — Bisaccia included — have come and gone. While Davis greenlighting a former Josh McDaniels assistant to take over less than three months after he pulled the plug on the McDaniels era 1 1/2 seasons in, Pierce went 5-4 as interim HC and became wildly popular with Raider players.
Other teams had noticed Pierce as well. The Falcons and Titans sent out interview requests; the then-temporary Raiders leader interviewed with the Titans virtually last week. As the interest escalated, the Raiders are making one of the bolder HC moves in NFL history.
A GM will now need to be hired, and interim leader Champ Kelly having sat in on HC interviews points to the Raiders giving strong consideration to keeping their end-of-season setup in place. Though, other candidates will need to be interviewed to comply with the Rooney Rule. Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds is viewed as a threat to Kelly’s grip on the job, with the Raiders not viewing Kelly-Pierce as a package deal. Kelly is believed to be meeting with Raiders brass today, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets. The Raiders have already met with Kelly twice during this cycle.
Pierce’s former Giants head coach, Tom Coughlin, is set to help his ex-pupil assemble a staff, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Coughlin was among the coaches who helped Pierce once the Raiders made him interim HC. One name who is expected to be on Pierce’s next Raiders staff: Marvin Lewis. The former Bengals HC, who coached with Pierce at Arizona State and joined Coughlin and Adam Gase in helping the unseasoned leader during the season, is on track to be a Las Vegas full-timer, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
Pierce is less than two years removed from resigning from his co-defensive coordinator post at Arizona State amid an NCAA recruiting investigation. He spent four years with the Sun Devils, moving to the co-DC role in 2020, before McDaniels brought him aboard as Raiders linebackers coach shortly after his Arizona exit. As recently as 2017, Pierce was the head coach of Long Beach Poly High.
That said, Pierce’s coaching experience does not trail new Patriots HC Jerod Mayo‘s by too much. While Mayo has been viewed as the Bill Belichick heir apparent for at least two years, he only began work as a full-time Patriots staffer in 2019. This HC hiring period has featured 2000s and 2010s linebackers take starring roles.
Still, Davis passing on at least interviewing higher-profile coaching options — considering those now available — is rather surprising. The Raiders’ search committee only met with ex-Bills DC Leslie Frazier and former Seahawks and Saints DC Kris Richard. Those two meetings satisfied the Rooney Rule. Although Pierce is also Black, this process reminds of when Davis went through with only Rooney Rule interviews as he brought back Jon Gruden in 2018. The Raiders will pass on efforts to interview Belichick, ex-Oakland assistant Jim Harbaugh and Mike Vrabel. While a Raiders Harbaugh push was rumored, Pierce quickly seized the lead here.
As Pierce takes the unusual route of rising to a head coach position without being a college head coach or an NFL coordinator, he will be assembling a new staff. Most of Pierce’s offensive staff will not be retained, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The Raiders fired OC Mick Lombardi soon after they canned McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler on November 1, installing Bo Hardegree as their offensive play-caller. Hardegree is among the staffers not expected to stay in Las Vegas, per Rapoport. Considering Pierce was elevated to the interim job instead of DC Patrick Graham, it would surprise if the latter stayed on as well.
Momentum crested for Pierce to be hired after the Raiders upended the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day. That came just after the team bashed the Chargers, leading them to fire their HC-GM combo, in a 63-21 rout. Behind Pierce and Graham, the Raiders finished in the top half of the league in scoring defense for the first time since the 2002 Super Bowl season. Graham’s unit ranked ninth, which came after Vegas’ 2022 defense finished 26th.
The team finished 8-9 despite Aidan O’Connell largely struggling in his second-half audition; the team ranked 23rd in points scored and 27th in total offense. The Raiders’ to-be-determined GM should be expected to make a genuine quarterback pursuit.
The Raiders undeniably turned their operation around following McDaniels’ ouster, though this will be a gamble due to Pierce’s limited experience. Pierce grew up a Raider fan in Los Angeles, and Davis is believed to have appreciated the young leader’s grasp of the team’s culture and history. While Davis was connected to taking another big swing for the HC gig, his past two — Gruden and McDaniels — did not succeed. The Raiders have just two winning seasons since Super Bowl XXXVII; Pierce will be tasked with turning the operation around. With Davis giving McDaniels and Ziegler less than two years — after signing the pair to six-year contracts — it is worth monitoring how long of a leash Pierce will have.
As for Lewis, he has been out of the NFL since the Bengals fired him following the 2018 season. The former Super Bowl-winning DC has not been an NFL assistant since 2002, coaching the Bengals for 16 seasons. Lewis’ longevity made him a somewhat divisive figure during that stint, as playoff losses mounted, but he has interviewed for NFL HC jobs in the years since his Cincinnati dismissal. Lewis, 65, looks likely to be one of Pierce’s top aides for the 2024 season.
Ravens Activate Two From IR, Sign RB Melvin Gordon Back To PS
Ravens fans have been sitting on their hands for nearly three weeks now since the team clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC and began resting its starters in anticipation for a playoff run. The wait ends tomorrow with a matchup against the visiting Texans, and the Ravens made a number of roster moves in order to prepare for the divisional-round game. 
First, Baltimore brought in some reinforcements from injured reserve. While this move has been expected for some days now, it’s been unclear who exactly would be filling the team’s recent roster vacancies until today. Things became more clear when it was announced that star tight end Mark Andrews, who had been designated for return from IR, would not be available to play against the Texans. With that decision made for them, the Ravens went forward with the activations of wide receiver Devin Duvernay and defensive back Ar’Darius Washington from IR.
Duvernay adds wide receiver depth on the offense but mostly serves as the team’s return specialist. A former All-Pro as a return man, Duvernay was the only Raven returning any kickoffs or punts up until his injury. With his replacement, Tylan Wallace, declared out for Saturday with a knee injury, returning duties will fall directly back on Duvernay’s shoulders.
Washington, a former undrafted safety out of TCU, spent most of his first two years in the NFL as a special teamer and practice squad defender. The team was expecting a big 2023 season out of Washington after he opened the year as the Ravens’ starting nickel cornerback, but a chest injury landed him on IR after only Week 2, and he’s been out ever since. With star cornerback Marlon Humphrey out for tomorrow’s game with a calf injury, the depth Washington adds at cornerback will be welcome.
Additionally, running back Melvin Gordon, one of the players removed from the 53-man roster in order to make room for Duvernay, Washington, and Dalvin Cook, will remain in Baltimore under a new practice squad deal. The veteran rusher played a prominent role in the team’s Week 18 game as the Ravens attempted to rest Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, but a lost fumble early in the game forced the team not to take any chances. They’ve now subbed Cook in for Gordon on the active roster, but Gordon will now be available in case of emergency off of the practice squad after clearing waivers.
Lastly, the Ravens announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s game. Wide receiver Dan Chisena and linebacker Josh Ross will suit up with the active roster against the Texans. Houston, on the other hand, made the decision not to elevate any practice squad players for the second week in a row.
Ravens Designate Mark Andrews For Return
JANUARY 19: While an initial report indicated the Ravens were planning to activate Andrews for their divisional-round game, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates the team will hold off on that. The No. 1-seeded club will not move Andrews back to its 53-man roster before Saturday’s Texans tilt, with Rapoport adding an AFC championship return — provided Baltimore qualifies for that round for the first time in 11 years — has been the goal.
Andrews logged full practices on Wednesday and Thursday this week, but the Ravens will remain cautious with their top pass catcher.
JANUARY 12: As the Ravens continue with their bye week ahead of the wild-card round, they have received encouraging news on the injury front. Tight end Mark Andrews was designated for return from injured reserve on Friday, and he took part in the day’s practice session. 
The move opens Andrews’ 21-day day activation window and marks another signficant step in his recovery process. The All-Pro suffered a cracked fibula as well as ligament damage in his ankle in November, an injury which threatened to end his season. After undergoing surgery, however, it became clear the Ravens were holding out hope that he would manage to return at some point down the road.
Andrews has had a successful recovery process to date, strengthening the belief that he could suit up in the event Baltimore made a deep postseason run. By securing the top seed in the AFC, the Ravens earned an extra week of recovery for the three-time Pro Bowler, who was enjoying another productive campaign prior to the injury. Andrews totaled 544 yards and six touchdowns on 45 catches across 10 games before going down.
The former third-rounder has been quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s preferred target in the passing game throughout his career. Andrews has remained a focal point of Baltimore’s offense since signing a four-year, $56MM extension in 2021, but his absence has opened the door for another key contributor on offense in recent weeks. 2022 fourth-rounder Isaiah Likely has taken on a starting role in Andrews’ absence, and he has impressed with the increased workload so far.
Likely has posted a 30-411-5 statline this season, with much of his production coming after Andrews was sidelined. In general, the Ravens’ offense has managed to hold up better than expected with Andrews (along with running backs J.K. Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell, who are out for the year) on the sidelines. Still, his return to the lineup in time for the divisional round would be a major boost to Baltimore’s Super Bowl aspirations.
Andrews now joins wideout/returner Devin Duvernay as well as defensive back Ar’Darius Washington in having his practice window opened. The Ravens have four IR activations remaining, but three of them will be needed to bring each member of the trio back into the fold.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/18/24
Here are Thursday’s reserve/futures deals:
Los Angeles Rams
- K Tanner Brown
Philadelphia Eagles
- DT Thomas Booker, OL Le’Raven Clark, WR Shaq Davis, DT Noah Elliss, S Mekhi Garner, CB Mario Goodrich, WR Jacob Harris, WR Griffin Hebert, DE Tarron Jackson, TE E.J. Jenkins, DE Terrell Lewis, S Tristin McCollum, CB Tiawan Mullen, WR Joseph Ngata, RB Lew Nichols, G Jason Poe, LB Brandon Smith, OL Lecitus Smith, OL Brett Toth, WR Austin Watkins
Washington Commanders
- WR Brycen Tremayne
Lions Activate James Houston From IR, Waive Julian Okwara
The Lions’ edge rush has received a boost in advance of the team’s divisional round matchup. Per a team announcement, James Houston was activated from injured reserve on Thursday. In a corresponding move, Julian Okwara was waived.
Today marked the end of Houston’s 21-day activation window. Had he not been brought back onto the roster, he would have reverted to season-ending IR. Instead, he will be an option to play on Sunday against the Buccaneers. The 25-year-old has not played since Week 2 due to a broken ankle.
A sixth-round pick last year, Houston became a late-season surprise for the Lions by debuting on Thanksgiving and finishing the season with eight sacks. The Jackson State alum did not have a chance to build on that success this season, but like C.J. Gardner-Johnson, he will make a late-season return after a major injury.
Detroit has seen its Okwara investments deliver up-and-down tenures. Drafted with Romeo Okwara already on the team, Julian came in as a third-round pick in Bob Quinn‘s final year as GM. While the younger Okwara brother did post five sacks in 2021, he has combined for only four over the past two seasons. The Notre Dame alum played in nine games and started one this season, doing so as Romeo — effectively sidelined for two seasons due to an Achilles tear — made his way back. Romeo played in 16 games this season, working as a rotational rusher off the bench and collecting two sacks.
Despite the Lions making their first venture to the divisional round since 1991, Aidan Hutchinson has not received consistent help in the sack department this season. The NFL’s QB pressures leader came on strong late this season, totaling 11.5 sacks along with two more against the Rams in the wild-card round, but the Lions have no other player with more than five. And DT Alim McNeill, who joined Houston in being activated off IR recently, is the only non-Hutchinson Lion with more than three. This seems like an area Detroit will address in the offseason, though Houston coming back healthy for the 2024 campaign will bolster the group.
Having seen Houston, Gardner-Johnson and McNeill return from IR over the past three weeks, the Lions have one IR activation remaining.
Ravens Waive RB Melvin Gordon, Sign RB Dalvin Cook To Active Roster
JANUARY 18: To little surprise, Gordon’s roster spot has indeed gone to Cook. The latter has been promoted from the practice squad and he will play in the divisional round on Saturday, per his agency. It will be interesting to see how much usage Cook receives as the third option on the depth chart behind Edwards and Hill in his Baltimore debut. If he clears waivers, meanwhile, Gordon will be eligible to remain with the Ravens via the taxi squad.
JANUARY 17: The Ravens have been clearing plenty of roster space over the past few days in the lead up to their first game in this year’s playoffs. In the most recent roster shift, Baltimore made the decision to waive veteran running back Melvin Gordon from the 53-man roster. 
Gordon signed with the Ravens back in the offseason, adding running back depth for a team that had seen two starters in J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards go down with season-ending injuries in recent years. He failed to make the 53-man roster but ended up signing to the practice squad as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option. That glass broke fairly early in the season when Dobbins suffered his second-career season-ending injury in Week 1 of the regular season.
As a result, the Ravens called Gordon up from the practice squad as a standard gameday elevation twice early in the year. The eventual emergence of undrafted rookie sensation Keaton Mitchell, pairing with Edwards, made Gordon mostly superfluous, but a season-ending ACL tear to Mitchell would continue Baltimore’s rotten luck with running back health.
With Mitchell joining Dobbins on injured reserve, Gordon was officially signed to the active roster for the last two weeks of the season, earning snaps in a blowout win over the Dolphins and a meaningless rest game in Week 18 against the Steelers. His performance against Pittsburgh came shortly after the team’s free agent addition of Dalvin Cook. In a rainy regular season finale, Gordon unfortunately demonstrated one of the biggest issues throughout his career, fumbling the ball in what was likely an audition for the postseason roster.
Whether or not a direct result of that fumble, Gordon will not be on the 53-man roster this weekend. Along with the waiving of wide receiver Laquon Treadwell and the placement of cornerback Damarion Williams on IR two days ago, the Ravens now have three open spots on the active roster. Many are speculating that star tight end Mark Andrews will soon be making a return from IR, joining with Isaiah Likely to form one of the league’s deadlier tight end duos. Former All-Pro return man Devin Duvernay has also returned to practice and is eligible to make a return from IR. Lastly, with cornerback Marlon Humphrey not practicing over the last three weeks, the team could opt to activate defensive back Ar’Darius Washington from IR. Originally an undrafted safety out of TCU, Washington opened the season as the team’s starting nickel corner before finding his way to IR.
Another popular thought, especially with Edwards and Justice Hill remaining as the only running backs on the active roster, is that one of the three open roster spots will be used to bring Cook up from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Despite having made the Pro Bowl in four consecutive years as the Vikings’ starting rusher, Cook took a disappointing backseat to Breece Hall for the Jets this year. Cook claimed to be really close to signing with Baltimore in the offseason, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, and he got a second chance after New York decided to move on from him earlier this month.
Whether Andrews or Cook or Duvernay or Washington, the Ravens are set to add some key reinforcements in time for the Divisional Round matchup against the Texans. Baltimore will have until 4pm EST on Friday to make the decision on who will be activated for Saturday’s game.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/17/24
Wednesday’s reserve/futures contracts:
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
- WR Martavis Bryant, RB Snoop Conner, RB Malik Davis
Indianapolis Colts
Kansas City Chiefs
Miami Dolphins
Pittsburgh Steelers
- CB Luq Barcoo, T Tyler Beach, WR Marquez Callaway, FB Jack Colletto, T Kellen Diesch, S Jalen Elliott, G Joey Fisher, WR Dez Fitzpatrick, T Devery Hamilton, T Anderson Hardy, WR Keilahn Harris, DL Jonathan Marshall, C Ryan McCollum, WR Denzel Mims, RB Aaron Shampklin, DT Jacob Slade, WR Duece Watts
Bryant joined the Cowboys in November, and though he didn’t appear in any games, Bryant left a good impression in Dallas after several weeks on the practice squad. He was released late in the season as the team shuffled the roster a bit but makes his return to Dallas for the offseason.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/17/24
The remaining playoff teams continue manipulating their practice squads:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Laquon Treadwell
- Released: WR Tarik Black
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DE Chris Smith
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Damiere Byrd
- Released: DT Rashard Lawrence
As they deal with myriad injuries in their receiving corps, the Texans have made the call to add a veteran pass catcher in Byrd. Tank Dell and Noah Brown are on injured reserve, and Robert Woods (hip) and John Metchie (foot) are both currently questionable with one practice remaining before Saturday’s matchup in Baltimore. It’s been three years since Byrd’s season as a starter in New England when he recorded career-highs in catches (47) and yards (604), but Houston brings him in with the hope that the depth he brings at the position is unnecessary.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/17/24
Today’s minor moves:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: LB Cole Christiansen
- Placed on IR: LB Cam Jones
San Francisco 49ers
- Reverted to IR: WR Danny Gray
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to IR: DL Mike Greene
Jones’ rookie season has come to an end, given the requirement for players on injured reserve to miss four weeks. The UDFA was used primarily on special teams this year, but he appeared in all 17 regular season games as well as the Chiefs’ wild-card win. Christiansen last played in Week 17, which marked his fifth appearance of the campaign. Kansas City will need to make another roster move soon to create room for wideout Skyy Moore to come back into the lineup, after he was designated for return earlier today.