NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/28/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Frank Ginda
- Released: K Matthew Wright
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S Matthias Farley
- Released: DT Rashard Lawrence
Denver Broncos
- Signed: S Dallin Leavitt
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Joel Wilson
- Released: CB Anthony Johnson
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Garret Wallow
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: CB Cameron McCutcheon
- Released: OL Grant Miller
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: QB Sean Mannion
New England Patriots
- Signed: QB Will Grier
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: K Austin Seibert
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Jacob Copeland
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Kemon Hall
- Released: OL Henry Byrd
After getting cut by the Patriots this past weekend, Will Grier is back with the organization. Considering the uncertainty surrounding New England’s QB situation, there was some speculation that Grier could get a look before the end of the season, and his addition to the taxi squad leaves that door open. The former Cowboys backup started two games for the Panthers back in 2019, going winless while tossing zero touchdowns vs. four interceptions.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/23
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: RB Keaontay Ingram, DL Ben Stille
Houston Texans
- Activated from PUP: OT Charlie Heck
- Waived: LB Cory Littleton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: CB Ekow Boye-Doe
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: LB Jaelan Phillips (story)
New York Giants
- Released from NFI: TE Tommy Sweeney
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: CB Josiah Scott
Following the addition of Michael Carter and the return of Emari Demercado, the Cardinals didn’t have any room for Keaontay Ingram. The 2022 sixth-round pick got into 20 games across one-plus seasons in Arizona, collecting 181 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. If the running back passes through waivers, there’s a chance he lands on the Cardinals practice squad.
Charlie Heck is back on the Texans active roster after missing the first two-plus months of the season. The offensive lineman was recovering from a back injury that “involved sciatica that went down to his foot,” per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The former fourth-round pick will look to carve out a role after starting 17 of his 35 NFL appearances through his first three seasons in the NFL.
Vikings Waive WR N’Keal Harry
With Justin Jefferson officially back on the roster, the Vikings have moved on from another receiver. The team announced that they’ve waived wideout N’Keal Harry.
[RELATED: Vikings Activate Justin Jefferson From IR]
The former first-round pick spent the preseason with Minnesota and ultimately landed on the practice squad to start the regular season. He ended up seeing time in nine games for the Vikings, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams. He got into 23 offensive snaps but didn’t garner a target.
Harry started his career with the Patriots, and despite playing alongside Tom Brady in 2019, the wideout finished with only 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns. It got a bit better with the rebuilding Patriots in 2020, as Harry finished with 309 receiving yards. He didn’t find the end zone in 2021, and after having his fifth-year option declined in 2022, he was dealt to the Bears. He got into seven games with Chicago last season, finishing with seven catches.
The Vikings are now rostering five receivers, with Jefferson joining rookie Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn in the starting lineup. If the team is looking for additional depth, they could turn to any of the four receivers stashed on the practice squad.
Vikings Activate Justin Jefferson From IR
The Vikings played it safe with Justin Jefferson, placing him in the IR-return window for the full three weeks. But the superstar wide receiver will be back once Minnesota returns from its Week 13 bye.
Jefferson is officially off IR, the team announced. While the team needed to activate Jefferson by Wednesday to avoid him landing on season-ending IR, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates he will play in Week 14. This will obviously provide a significant boost for a Vikings team that has encountered some obstacles over the past two weeks. Tuesday’s move leaves the Vikings with four IR activations remaining.
Suffering a hamstring injury in Week 5, Jefferson resumed practicing when first eligible. That represented a good sign, as many players who have returned to practice while on IR have been activated days later this season. That was never expected with Jefferson, given his importance to the team and his contract status.
Minnesota has slow-played the fourth-year wideout’s return, holding him out of games against the Saints, Broncos and Bears. It is certainly possible Jefferson would have the Vikings at 8-4 rather than 6-6, but Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear has limited the team as well. Considering how a hamstring setback could affect Jefferson’s chances of returning at all this season, it was not too surprising the Vikings’ top player said he would not return until he was 100%.
Jefferson had resumed sprinting in practice, providing a sign he was close. Logging limited practices ahead of Week 12, the All-Pro talent is on track to be full go in Week 14. With the Vikings in a bye week, Jefferson has an additional stretch to prepare for a return. Minnesota will face Las Vegas in Week 14.
The Vikings may be making another quarterback change between now and then, after seeing trade acquisition Josh Dobbs throw four interceptions in an ugly home loss to the Bears. Dobbs generated praise for his post-trade play, but he has struggled in Minnesota’s past two losses. The Vikings recently activated Nick Mullens from IR and have fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall recovered from the concussion he suffered earlier this month — an injury that brought in Dobbs.
Whichever QB the Vikings choose will have the opportunity target a high-end pass-catching corps. Fresh off an extension, T.J. Hockenson leads all tight ends with 786 receiving yards. Jordan Addison has shown early promise, stepping into the Jefferson role as the Vikes’ top wide receiver for much of this season. The first-round pick has 686 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Even in five games, Jefferson amassed 571 yards. Jefferson’s 4,825 receiving yards through three seasons shattered an NFL record. While Jefferson has only finished four games in Year 4, only Michael Thomas has more yards through four years than Jefferson. And the former Saints All-Pro has just a 116-yard lead here.
While Jefferson’s contract situation looms as the big-picture issue here, he ruled out the possibility of sitting out for the season’s remainder due to his rookie-deal status. After agreeing to terms with Hockenson on a tight end-record deal, the Vikings should be expected to break the WR AAV record — perhaps by a wide margin — for Jefferson in 2024. For now, however, Minnesota remains alive in an NFC playoff race once again on track to produce an unremarkable No. 7 seed. Since the NFL expanded to seven playoff teams per conference in 2020, the NFC has sent 8-8 or 9-8 teams (Bears, Eagles, Seahawks) to the postseason as 7 seeds.
Raiders Waive S Roderic Teamer Following DUI Arrest
The Raiders used one of their IR activations on Roderic Teamer ahead of Week 12, but the team did not use the veteran safety in its Week 12 game. A Teamer DUI arrest Saturday night changed his status, and Antonio Pierce confirmed Monday the Raiders have cut the fifth-year safety.
Declared out by the AFC West team before its matchup with the Chiefs, Teamer will head to waivers. He was hit with charges of “DUI of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance” and a speeding violation of between 21-30mph over the limit. Teamer, 26, was attached to a one-year, $1.5MM deal. A Raider since 2021, Teamer had re-signed with the team in March.
[RELATED: Raiders To Waive CB Marcus Peters]
This arrest occurred while Teamer was on his way back to the team hotel before curfew, ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez notes. It was also not Teamer’s first off-field issue since coming into the league. The NFL hit the former UDFA with a four-game suspension for violating the substance-abuse policy in 2020.
The Chargers cut Teamer immediately after his substance-abuse ban, bailing on a player who had started six games as a rookie. Teams will often ride it out with players deemed integral following arrests or suspensions, but Teamer has now been cut twice after off-field incidents. This latest exit breaks up a three-year partnership, by far Teamer’s longest tenure with one team during his career.
Initially signing with Las Vegas in June 2021, Teamer started five games with the team from 2021-22. This season, he played in six as a reserve during Josh McDaniels‘ final weeks with the team. The Raiders placed Teamer on IR earlier this season. Although Teamer did not suit up for the Raiders following his activation from IR on Saturday, the team still sees the transaction go toward its eight-activation limit this season. Las Vegas, however, has six activations remaining.
Packers Designate Eric Stokes For Return
Injuries have now sidetracked two Eric Stokes seasons. After a Lisfranc injury sidelined Stokes midway through last season, and after he rehabbed this year, multiple hamstring ailments led him to the reserve/PUP list. Stokes returned for one game but exited with more hamstring trouble.
The former first-round pick logged just four special teams snaps against the Broncos in Week 7, leaving with his latest hamstring malady. The Packers still have the former starter in their plans, however. The team designated Stokes for return from IR on Monday, starting his activation clock.
Stokes could soon be the rare player to come off the reserve/PUP list and IR in the same season. The Packers also designated Darnell Savage for return last week. Green Bay has not used an IR activation this season, putting the 5-6 team in good shape as it guns for a wild-card spot.
The Packers’ cornerback equation has also changed since Stokes was activated from the PUP list. Sitting 2-5 at the trade deadline, the Pack dealt starter Rasul Douglas to the Bills in a pick-swap transaction that brought back a 2024 third-round pick. Douglas was in place as a starter in front of Stokes, who had been a boundary starter in 2021 and ’22. The Packers had slid Douglas to the slot in 2022, attempting to accommodate Stokes and Jaire Alexander, but moved him back to his best position this season. With Douglas out of the picture, Green Bay has seen its cornerback equation change since the deadline.
Alexander has missed the past three games with a shoulder injury, moving Corey Ballentine into the starting lineup. In the only post-Douglas game with Alexander healthy, the Packers had he, Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon in place at corner. Pro Football Focus ranks Valentine, a seventh-round rookie, 65th overall among corners. The Packers have withstood Douglas’ departure, however, and are 2-1 without Alexander. Their CB group could again have some depth soon, with Stokes likely to give it another go.
Chosen 29th overall in 2021, Stokes impressed as a rookie but did not fare as well last season. The Georgia product allowed a completion percentage of 80% when in coverage, leading to an opposing passer rating of 123.5. Stokes needed foot and knee surgeries this offseason. While his career has not gone as the Packers envisioned, the 6-foot defender should soon have another chance to contribute.
Dolphins To Sign Jason Pierre-Paul Off Saints’ Practice Squad
Jason Pierre-Paul will be relocating once again. Spending two weeks on the Saints’ practice squad, the veteran pass rusher is headed to Miami. The Dolphins are signing him off New Orleans’ P-squad, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
A South Florida native, Pierre-Paul made his Saints debut against the Falcons on Sunday. But New Orleans will not sign him to its active roster to block this Miami poaching. The Dolphins attempted to claim Derek Barnett on waivers, seeing the Texans’ waiver priority win out. JPP looks to be a consolation prize of sorts, but the two-time Super Bowl winner obviously brings a considerable pass-rushing pedigree to the team.
While Pierre-Paul made his NFL mark with the Giants and later as a Shaq Barrett tag-team partner as a Buccaneer, he is a Deerfield Beach native who starred at South Florida in the late 2000s. Earlier this month, Pierre-Paul let it be known he was not intending to retire and had aimed to sign with a contender. The Saints endured their sixth loss Sunday, and while they are still in position to vie for the NFC South title, Pierre-Paul’s hometown team is 8-3 and pursuing its first AFC East crown since 2008.
Early in his age-34 season, Pierre-Paul played 17 defensive snaps for the Saints against the Falcons. The Saints could have blocked this Dolphins move by signing JPP to their 53-man roster; by leaving him unprotected, New Orleans will let its recent signee leave. By grabbing Pierre-Paul off another team’s P-squad, the Dolphins must keep him on their 53-man roster for at least three weeks. The team will likely hope this partnership lasts longer.
This move marks a response to Jaelan Phillips‘ Achilles tear. Phillips’ 6.5 sacks are tied with Christian Wilkins for the team lead. Barnett is seven years younger than Pierre-Paul, but the latter has considerable experience assisting contenders. Pierre-Paul and Barrett hounded Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LV, and JPP dropped Aaron Rodgers twice in that year’s NFC championship game. Pierre-Paul completed a 2011 breakout season — a first-team All-Pro campaign — by leading a stacked Giants D-end batch to a Super Bowl title in 2011. For his career, Pierre-Paul has 94.5 career sacks and 21 forced fumbles.
Last season, the Ravens signed JPP in September but used him as a starter in 13 regular-season games. This resulted in only three sacks and three QB hits. In 12 Bucs games during the 2021 season, JPP only notched five QB hits. The Dolphins are likely planning a rotational role for the experienced edge defender, with Bradley Chubb anchoring their OLB contingent. The team also has seen Zach Sieler post five sacks and Andrew Van Ginkel contribute four. Despite being demoted, Emmanuel Ogbah has four sacks. The highly paid pass rusher, however, has only been on the field for 21% of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/23
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: LB DeMarquis Gates, DB Christian Matthew
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: WR Bo Melton, RB James Robinson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed from practice squad: OL Chandler Brewer
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived from reserve/retired list: WR John Ross
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on IR: CB Duke Shelley
- Signed from practice squad: CB Shaun Jolly
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: LB Anthony Barr
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: DL Robert Beal Jr.
- Placed on IR: S George Odum (story)
Ross signed a reserve/futures deal with the Chiefs in January but retired before training camp. The Combine 40-yard dash record holder now intends to resume his career, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Ross, who turned 28 today, has not played in a regular-season game since 2021 with the Giants.
A Raiders spring signee, Shelley did not make Las Vegas’ 53-man roster. The Rams picked him up before the season and have used him mostly on special teams. Shelley, who Bears and Vikings prior to this two-team 2023, has logged 76 defensive snaps this season. But the veteran cornerback has been on the field for 65% of Los Angeles’ special teams plays.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/27/23
Monday’s taxi squad moves:
Denver Broncos:
- Released: OLB Marcus Haynes
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Jimmy Murray, OL Keaton Sutherland
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: T Zachary Thomas
New York Jets
- Signed: G Chris Glaser
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Erik Harris
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Kelvin Joseph, WR Cody White
- Released: OL Ben Brown
- Placed on practice squad IR list: LB Levi Bell
Texans Claim DE Derek Barnett
Derek Barnett recently saw his Eagles tenure come to an end, but he has not had to wait long to find out his next NFL home. The veteran edge rusher has been claimed off waivers by the Texans, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. In a corresponding move, kicker Matt Ammendola has been waived.
Barnett was waived last Friday, leaving him subject to the wire on Monday. If he had cleared, he would have become a free agent and been able to choose his next destination. Instead, the Texans have elected to claim him and add a veteran presence to their edge contingent. Schefter notes Houston had interest in trading for Barnett in advance of the 2023 trade deadline.
The former first-rounder came up in trade talks in advance of last month’s deadline, but Barnett’s lack of playing time and production limited his value. As a pending free agent, though, his contract represented one which would have been easy to move from the Eagles’ perspective and to absorb with respect to an acquiring team. Schefter’s colleague Field Yates notes Philadelphia restructured Barnett’s deal prior to waiving him, a move which has left him with a base salary of $420K. That figure, along with some per-game roster bonuses, represents the cost the Texans will take on.
Miami was named as a team to watch with respect to adding Barnett, in large part due to the season-ending Achilles tear suffered by Jaelan Phillips. The Dolphins indeed put in a claim for Barnett, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates. With a superior record, the AFC East leaders were positioned behind Houston in the waiver priority. Now, Barnett will head to a new team for the first time in his career after an underwhelming end to his Eagles tenure.
The 27-year-old showed promise with at least five sacks in three of his first four seasons. He recorded only a pair of sacks in 2021, however, and an ACL tear suffered in Week 1 of last season left him sidelined for the first year of his extension. Barnett has been healthy this season, but he has been buried on the depth chart of a stacked Eagles defensive front. As a result, he has played just 99 defensive snaps, recording three tackles and sacks or QB pressures.
The Tennessee alum will look to carve out a more notable role in Houston, a team which has recorded only 22 sacks on the year. Starting defensive ends Jonathan Greenard and Will Anderson have combined for 10, and expectations are sky-high for the latter in particular after he was selected third overall in the 2023 draft. Still, the Texans could use experienced depth in the pass-rush department as they aim to secure an unexpected postseason berth. Playing a part in that effort could help Barnett’s free agent stock along the way.
Vic Fangio‘s consulting gig in Philly last season overlapped with Barnett’s final full tenure, though the veteran pass rusher’s Week 1 ACL tear minimizes that connection to a large degree. But the Dolphins losing Phillips wounds their pass rush. Fangio losing key edge-rushing personnel partially defined his Broncos tenure, which saw Von Miller and Bradley Chubb miss extended stretches to the point the two barely played together following the latter’s 2019 ACL tear. The Dolphins still have Chubb leading the way, and the team may well give the demoted Emmanuel Ogbah — who is attached to a four-year, $65.4MM extension that runs through 2025 — more time in the wake of Phillips’ injury.