Eagles Designate G Cam Jurgens For Return, Promote WR Julio Jones
The Eagles could have their offensive line intact when they face the Cowboys this week. While that is not yet certain, Cam Jurgens received a return designation Wednesday morning.
Winning the right guard job following Isaac Seumalo‘s Steelers defection, Jurgens started started four games before a foot injury shut him down. The 2022 second-round pick will return to practice when first eligible, providing a good sign for his near-future availability. The Eagles have used just one of their injury activations this season.
Philadelphia has used Sua Opeta in Jurgens’ place. Opeta has been with the team since 2020, working as a backup. This has marked the former UDFA’s most extensive run of playing time. Third-round rookie Tyler Steen had competed with Jurgens for the starting RG gig, but the rookie spent the first four weeks of the season inactive. The Eagles dressed Steen following Jurgens’ injury and used him for a bit in Week 8 when Opeta went down. But the latter returned to action during the second half of Philly’s win over Washington.
Jurgens is viewed as the Eagles’ Jason Kelce heir apparent, but that future is on the back burner for the time being. When Philly opted not to give Seumalo a third contract, the team turned to Jurgens at guard. The Nebraska alum worked as a center during his college career. Kelce has contemplated retirement, but the 35-year-old mainstay is in his 13th season and still going strong. For now, Jurgens’ place will be at guard.
In addition to opening Jurgens’ practice window, the Eagles made Julio Jones‘ roster spot official. The future Hall of Famer had seen game action as a weekend elevation, with the 2020 CBA bumping teams’ gameday roster totals from 53 to 55. Jones, 34, took that route to Eagles action but is now a part of the team’s 53-man roster. In two games with the Eagles, Jones has two receptions for 11 yards and a touchdown.
Raiders To Fire OC Mick Lombardi, Promote Bo Hardegree
9:51am: Rather than Turner, the Raiders are promoting quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree to OC, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. McDaniels also hired Hardegree in 2022, while he and Kelly were both with the Broncos (2014) and Bears (2015). Unlike Turner, Hardegree does not have play-calling experience. He joined the Raiders after stints as an offensive assistant with the Jefs (2019-20) and Patriots (2021). That said, Hardegree, 39, did coach the Dolphins’ quarterbacks for three seasons under Adam Gase prior to following Gase to New York.
9:45am: Coming out of the overnight firing of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, the Raiders are also moving on from their offensive coordinator. They are firing Mick Lombardi, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer.
Lombardi, 35, operated as a non-play-calling OC during his two seasons in Las Vegas. While Lombardi was not a longtime Patriots staffer like McDaniels and Ziegler, he did come over from New England in 2022. The Raiders hired Lombardi after he spent the previous three seasons in Foxborough.
Lombardi’s name did not come up much during McDaniels’ tenure, but the two’s ties did not leave the young assistant on steady terrain. Mick Lombardi is the son of former NFL GM Michael Lombardi; Matt Lombardi also joined the Raiders’ staff as assistant wide receivers coach this offseason. This marked Mick’s first shot as an offensive coordinator.
Mick Lombardi served as the Patriots’ assistant quarterbacks coach in 2019 and the team’s wide receivers coach from 2020-21. While Jakobi Meyers — a Lombardi charge in New England — has played well since signing a three-year, $33MM deal, the Raiders’ offense exited Week 8 ranked 30th in DVOA and in points scored. The team has not scored more than 20 points on offense all season, with Maxx Crosby‘s safety being the only time the team broke out of the teens — in a Week 6 win over the Patriots.
In quickly moving on from their second-year power brokers, the Raiders made assistant GM Champ Kelly their interim general manager and bumped linebackers coach Antonio Pierce — a first-time NFL staffer — to interim HC. The team is now considering pass-game coordinator Scott Turner for the OC role, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Turner would be likely thrust into a play-calling OC post, with Pierce not a realistic candidate to call offensive plays. Turner served in that role for the past three seasons, in Washington, but Ron Rivera fired him following the 2022 campaign.
Prior to joining McDaniels and Bill Belichick, who also employed Michael Lombardi during two different stints (in Cleveland and New England), Mick Lombardi worked as a lower-level staffer with the Jets and 49ers. He has been an NFL staffer since 2013, breaking into the league on Jim Harbaugh‘s third 49ers staff. Turner, 42, is also a second-generation NFL staffer. Scott’s father, Norv, coached the Raiders from 2004-05.
Raiders Fire Josh McDaniels, Dave Ziegler
Midway through the Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler tandem’s second season, Mark Davis is pulling the plug. The Raiders are firing their head coach and general manager, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. The Raiders have since announced the firings.
This comes after an ugly Monday-night performance in Detroit, but it represents a stunningly early end for a pair given the keys in 2022. This late-night firing marks McDaniels’ second in-season ouster; the Broncos fired him late in his second season back in 2010. The Raiders are planning to name Antonio Pierce as their interim HC, Schefter reports. The Raiders hired Pierce, a former Super Bowl-winning linebacker, as linebackers coach in 2022. To fill in for Ziegler, the Raiders are promoting assistant GM Champ Kelly, per ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez.
“After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave,” Davis said in a statement. “I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best.”
While the ex-Patriot staffers have not shown indications this operation will turn around anytime soon, this still represents a shocking decision. Davis signed off on a six-year contract for McDaniels during the 2022 hiring period; the Raiders are obligated to pay the former Patriots OC through the 2027 season. McDaniels had operated patiently in the years following his decision to spurn the Colts, being selective on the interview circuit. But he chose the Raiders as his return vehicle; that choice backfired.
Although news of these abrupt ousters emerged just after midnight, Schefter adds Davis began giving indications late Tuesday he planned to fire the second-year HC-GM combo. Though, this certainly qualifies as a news dump. Considering the confidence Davis displayed in this power duo, the timing of this announcement probably should not surprise. The Raiders are set to reboot once again. Davis gave McDaniels a vote of confidence around this time last year, but the product has not improved.
This likely closes the curtain on McDaniels’ head coaching career, and when his decision to backtrack on his Colts commitment is factored in, the successful New England play-caller is poised to go down as one of this century’s least successful HCs. Both McDaniels and Ziegler arrived from New England, with the latter also in Denver during McDaniels’ infamous stint there. McDaniels, 47, is now 20-33 as a head coach. The three-time Super Bowl-winning coordinator does not boast a basement-level record, but this firing comes 13 years after the Broncos canned him after a messy videotaping scandal. Ziegler, 46, joined McDaniels during that second Broncos season but spent eight years with the Patriots prior to coming to Vegas.
The Raiders, who fell to 3-5 after their Monday loss to the Lions, made some curious decisions this offseason to reach this point. Most notably, they signed ex-McDaniels Patriots charge Jimmy Garoppolo and did not bring in a higher-end backup — despite the former 49ers starter having become the NFL’s most injury-prone quarterback. The Raiders met with the draft’s top five QB prospects but waited until Round 4 to make a selection, tabbing Aidan O’Connell. Brian Hoyer, the NFL’s second-oldest active QB, has been Garoppolo’s top backup. The Raiders gave Hoyer a two-year deal that came almost entirely guaranteed; the 38-year-old passer considered retirement this offseason.
Las Vegas made a surprising push to the playoffs after its last in-season HC divorce, which came just two years ago. Leaked emails forcing Jon Gruden out drew considerable controversy, with Davis voicing frustration at the leak — which came about during a Dan Snyder investigation — before ultimately moving on. Despite interim HC Rich Bisaccia leading the team to a 10-7 finish and a narrow wild-card loss in Cincinnati, Davis opted to start over with McDaniels and Ziegler. The Raiders have gone 9-16 since.
This Raiders edition ranks 30th in DVOA (30th on offense, 31st on defense), with McDaniels’ offensive acumen not leading to Year 2 growth. The Raiders largely left their offensive line alone from last season as well. Even after the group delivered surprisingly capable work and powered Josh Jacobs to a rushing title, concerns about the quintet emerged before last season. Through eight games, Jacobs — whom the Raiders franchise-tagged and handed a rare raise after the reigning rushing champion skipped training camp — is averaging 3.1 yards per carry. Hunter Renfrow exceeded 1,000 yards in 2021 and signed a two-year, $32MM extension in 2022. The slot receiver became an afterthought in McDaniels’ offense, sitting on 92 receiving yards this season.
Perhaps most notably, Davante Adams‘ production has dipped from 2022. After the Raiders traded their 2022 first- and second-round picks for Adams, he produced an All-Pro season with ex-college teammate Derek Carr at the controls. The ex-Packer star has not eclipsed 60 receiving yards in a game since Week 4. Adams, 30, displayed visible frustration — after weeks of griping about his lack of opportunities — on the sideline during the Raiders’ double-digit loss in Week 8. Adams is not believed to have requested a trade before Tuesday’s deadline, but the longtime Aaron Rodgers target is trapped in limbo after anchoring three straight playoff-bound Packer teams’ receiving corps.
Davis is believed to have played a key role in McDaniels’ decision to bench Carr before Week 17 last year. Carr then left the team and prepared for an opportunity elsewhere. While Carr rarely flirted with top-tier QB status during his nine-year run as the Raiders’ starter, his level of play worsened under McDaniels. The Raiders used the escape hatch in Carr’s 2022 extension to cut him, doing so after the passer wielded his no-trade clause. Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75MM deal soon after. Garoppolo’s QBR number dropped to 30th after finishing 10-for-21 with 126 yards Monday.
In addition to Garoppolo, the McDaniels and Ziegler loaded up the Raiders’ roster with ex-Patriots. Hoyer, Jakobi Meyers, Jakob Johnson, Brandon Bolden, Jermaine Eluemunor and Justin Herron comprise the ex-Pats wing on offense. While fewer former New England presences reside on Patrick Graham‘s defense, the Chandler Jones fiasco obviously did not help the since-fired bigwigs. The Raiders gave Jones a three-year, $51MM deal in 2022. Not only did the former Patriots draftee and Cardinals All-Pro perform poorly for most of last season, the strange saga that led him off the team this fall stripped a starter off the roster.
They of two playoff appearances since Super Bowl XXXVII, the Raiders are at a crossroads yet again. Davis will be paying two coaches for the foreseeable future, though offset language — should McDaniels land elsewhere, perhaps for a third Patriots stint — could help on this front. But the decision to give the keys to two ex-Patriot staffers will go down as a tremendous misstep for Davis. This also continues to bury the Bill Belichick coaching tree. Aside from Bill O’Brien‘s Texans tenure, none of the legendary Patriot coach’s assistants have been able to win consistently. And O’Brien did well to torpedo his Houston run during his memorable stint in the HC/GM role.
The Raiders gave Pierce his first NFL coaching job. Before coming to Nevada, the 45-year-old assistant was on Herm Edwards’ Arizona State staff. The former Pro Bowl linebacker was the head coach of Long Beach Poly High from 2014-17. The Raiders hired Kelly last year, bringing him over from Chicago. Kelly also was with the Broncos during McDaniels’ tenure, but he stayed longer than McDaniels or Ziegler. The well-respected front office staffer spent seven seasons with the Bears, finishing his run as the team’s assistant director of player personnel.
Commanders Trade DE Chase Young To 49ers
The Commanders indeed made Chase Young available following the Montez Sweat trade, and they will send him to one of the NFC favorites. The 49ers are acquiring the former Defensive Rookie of the Year, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reports.
This marks San Francisco’s third high-profile defensive line addition this year. The team gave Javon Hargrave a big-ticket deal in March, and the Broncos sent over Randy Gregory a few weeks ago. After two sluggish defensive outings, the 49ers are not stopping there. Barely an hour before the trade deadline, Young will follow Sweat out of Washington.
[RELATED: 49ers Pursuing Bears CB Jaylon Johnson]
Young will fetch the Commanders a 2024 third-round pick from the 49ers, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. It will come from the 49ers’ endless supply of NFL-awarded compensatory picks — for seeing minority staffers hired as HC or GM elsewhere — according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Bears sent the Commanders a second-rounder for Sweat earlier today.
This will reunite Young with former Ohio State teammate Nick Bosa and add to one of the most star-studded defensive lines in recent NFL history. The 49ers also have veteran defensive tackle Arik Armstead in place. The prospect of a Bosa-Armstead-Hargrave-Young D-line is imminent, which stands to bolster a team coming off two upset losses.
For the Commanders, this constitutes a rebuilding step. Although the 3-5 team has not made Jonathan Allen available and will keep the veteran defensive tackle alongside the recently extended Daron Payne, its prized D-end duo is gone in a day. The Commanders did not pick up Young’s fifth-year option in May, putting both he and Sweat in contract years. While it would have been logical for a coach on the hot seat to push to keep both players, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports ownership played a major role in these trades being completed.
Others in the Commanders’ building wanted the team to retain the young defensive ends, Russini adds, but ownership looks to have led the way here. It was assumed either Sweat or Young would be franchise-tagged in 2024, but Washington has instead cleared the decks for Day 2 draft capital. Considering where Young was as a rookie, this represents an underwhelming return. But the former No. 2 overall pick missed half of the 2021 season and almost all of 2022 due to the ACL tear and patellar tendon rupture he suffered in November 2021. It has taken him a while to rebuild his value, and the former Heisman finalist will finish out his attempt to do so in San Francisco.
Through seven games (six starts) this season, Young has five sacks and nine QB hits. The talented edge rusher has shown much better form compared to the previous two seasons. On that note, Young was believed to be uninterested in extension talks this year. It will be interesting to see if this bet on himself will carry over to the Bay Area, as the 49ers likely will want him as more than a rental. San Francisco will have the option of franchise-tagging Young in 2024. With Brock Purdy‘s rookie contract in place, the 49ers may attempt to do what the Commanders would not: have four D-linemen signed to big-ticket contracts.
While the 49ers will be giving up a third-round pick, the team had two selections in Round 3 of next year’s draft already. Having continually seen their minority assistant coaches and front office staffers earn HC or GM jobs elsewhere, the 49ers have collected a handful of third-round picks under the revised Rooney Rule. They have two more coming in 2024, via the Titans’ hiring of Ran Carthon as GM and Texans hiring DeMeco Ryans as HC. This stream of third-round picks goes through 2025, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.
San Francisco is also expected to pick up a compensatory third-rounder in exchange for the Broncos signing Mike McGlinchey to a top-five right tackle contract. The team could add another third-round comp pick if Young leaves, but it would seem the 49ers would prefer this not be a true rental add.
49ers D-line coach Kris Kocurek has been credited with leading emergences of various Bosa sidekicks — from Arden Key to Samson Ebukam to Charles Omenihu. The well-regarded position coach will work with a higher-end talent in Young, with Gregory now in place as more of a rental. Despite Gregory’s Broncos-built deal running through 2026, none of the money on that $14MM-AAV pact is guaranteed beyond 2023. The 49ers are also paying Gregory the veteran minimum, with the Broncos responsible for the rest.
John Lynch had said the 49ers planned to roll over most of their NFL-leading cap-space number to 2024. Young will only be attached to a $1MM base salary through season’s end. The 49ers will retain much of their cap space, though a chunk would need to go to Young — via an extension or tag.
As the 49ers will attempt to use this acquisition to bounce back from their two disappointing defensive showings, the Commanders will see their second Eagles defeat this year key what could be an awkward transition. Rivera is squarely on a hot seat, having not produced a winning record yet in Washington. This would be the second time the former NFC champion HC would be fired by a new owner, with that happening in David Tepper‘s second season (2019). Sweat and Young’s exits will certainly weaken the Commanders, even with ex-seventh-rounder Casey Toohill having four sacks as a backup.
The Commanders have never made five picks in the first three rounds of a draft previously (h/t ESPN’s Field Yates), with the George Allen era and Robert Griffin III trades headlining past hurdles on this front. In Harris’ first months as owner, the team will have this opportunity. Of course, it will risk seeing Sweat and Young play their best years in other NFC cities.
Bears Acquire DE Montez Sweat From Commanders
Montez Sweat‘s time in the nation’s capital has come to an end. The contract-year edge rusher has been dealt from the Commanders to the Bears in exchange for a second-round pick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Sweat’s name has frequently been mentioned in trade talk, with the expectation he would be more likely to be moved than fellow Washington defensive end Chase Young. A third-round pick was known to be on the table for the former, but reports indicated the Commanders were angling for a second-rounder. With that in hand, Sweat is now headed to the Windy City. As a previous report indicated and SI’s Albert Breer confirms, the Bears were also involved in “extensive” talks for Young.
The Falcons were named as a team to watch for Sweat in particular. Atlanta was indeed in on the 27-year-old, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones confirms. Interest in Sweat helped drive up the Commanders’ asking price, which to no surprise has come in higher than that of the third-round compensatory pick Washington would have been in line to receive had he departed in free agency.
The Commanders already have defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne on the books with hefty financial commitments. Since the team elected to decline Young’s fifth-year option, the former Defensive Rookie of the Year is set to see his rookie contract expire at the end of the season. Young is content to wait until that point to negotiate what will be a sizeable raise on his second pact. Schefter confirms the challenge of keeping both Young and Sweat under contract beyond 2023 played a role in the decision to pull off today’s trade.
It will be interesting to see how Young (who has remained healthy in 2023 and registered five sacks) performs without Sweat lining up opposite him. The latter has also had a strong season with 6.5 sacks, and he will look to translate that production to a Bears team desperately in need of a long-term boost in the pass rush department. Sweat – who is PFF’s third-highest rated run defender amongst edge rushers (and 56th in terms of pass rush grade) – is attached to his $11.5MM fifth-year option in 2023, and he too will be due a lucrative extension at some point in the near future.
Chicago is set to once again have considerable cap space this offseason (a league-leading $110MM entering today), as was the case in 2023. General manager Ryan Poles was active in a number of areas during free agency, but the main edge rush addition was a one-year deal given to nomadic sack artist Yannick Ngakoue. The 28-year-old received $10.5MM in a bid to give the Bears a consistent presence on third downs and help his chances of securing a multi-year commitment in the spring. Things have not gone according to plan so far, however, with Ngakoue registering just a pair of sacks in eight games.
Sweat will provide a starting presence for the Bears, who sit at the bottom of the league with just 10 sacks on the year. The Mississippi State alum has managed between five and nine in that regard in every season so far, and a strong showing to close out the year will help his bargaining power regarding extension talks with Chicago at the end of the year (unless, of course, an extension will have already been worked out by that point).
The Commanders are clearly adopting a seller’s stance given today’s move, but a recent report suggested a fire sale should not be expected. Sweat may therefore be the only notable name to depart Washington, but the Bears will remain a team to watch over the coming hours given the newfound uncertainty surrounding cornerback Jaylon Johnson‘s future in Chicago.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/31/23
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad transactions in the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Vitaliy Gurman, RB Hassan Hall
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Jeff Smith, RB Damien Williams
- Released: DT Jacob Slade, CB Quavian White
Buffalo Bills
- Released: DT Kendal Vickers
Chicago Bears
- Released: CB Joejuan Williams
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: T Geron Christian, RB Kenyan Drake, WR James Proche
- Released: RB Nate McCrary, RB Jordan Wilkins
- Placed on practice squad IR: T Ty Nsekhe
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: G Dakoda Shepley
Houston Texans
- Signed: C Lecitus Smith, RB J.J. Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Ike Boettger
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released with injury designation: LB Isaiah Moore
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: K James McCourt
New York Giants
- Signed: QB Matt Barkley
- Released: T Jaylon Thomas
New York Jets
- Signed: DE Jalyn Holmes
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S Jalen Elliott
- Released: LB David Perales
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Jesse Davis
- Released: CB Kendall Sheffield
Seattle Seahawks
- Signing: S Jonathan Sutherland
- Released: NT Carl Davis, RB SaRodorick Thompson Jr.
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Chance Campbell, S Shyheim Carter
Washington Commanders
- Signed: C Nolan Laufenberg
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/31/23
Here are the NFL’s minor moves for today:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed off Bears’ practice squad: DT Travis Bell
- Placed on IR: DT Grady Jarrett (story)
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DE Khalid Kareem
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: LS Scott Daly
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: G Jack Anderson
- Waived: G Ike Boettger
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: OL Ben Bartch
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed off Raiders’ practice squad: LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: TE Tre’ McKitty
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: QB Kirk Cousins (story)
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: WR Kendrick Bourne (story)
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: QB Tommy DeVito
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: T Dennis Kelly, DL Tanzel Smart
- Placed on IR: DT Al Woods (story)
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: CB Anthony Brown
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: DL Pat O’Connor
Kareem, who was just activated off of injured reserve, is being waived to make room for defensive end Montez Sweat, acquired by trade this morning. The Bears also announced a practice squad release, indicating a possible return for Kareem on that unit. The Colts are expected to do the same with Boettger.
O’Connor will lose his active roster spot to make room for quarterback John Wolford, whom Tampa Bay officially promoted today in order to ward off interest parties such as the Rams and Vikings, both of whom are experiencing injury issues at quarterback.
Texans Place Two On IR, Poach Practice Squad Replacements
The Texans were forced to make a pair of acquisitions today when two offensive contributors found their way to the injured reserve list today. With the news that they would place starting center Jarrett Patterson and tight end Teagan Quitoriano on IR, Houston also announced the additions of safety DeAndre Houston-Carson and tight end Eric Saubert. 
Thanks to some other injuries along the offensive line, Patterson had assumed a starting role at center. The sixth-round rookie had started all seven games for the Texans thus far, but his new ankle injury will force him to miss at least four games. With second-round rookie Juice Scruggs, trade acquisition Kendrick Green, and Patterson all on IR, Michael Deiter stands to step up in their place.
Quitoriano had also cracked the starting lineup this season, making five starts. With a reputation more as a blocker, the second-year tight end’s absence could combine with Patterson’s to affect the run game. Saubert has had a similar reputation over his seven years in the NFL. He’s spent the first half of this season on the Cowboys’ practice squad, being signed off of it to join the Texans. Dalton Schultz has handled most receiving duties in Houston at tight end. With Brevin Jordan dealing with foot injuries, bringing in Saubert became necessary for depth.
Houston-Carson rejoins the Texans, with whom he spent a couple of weeks on the practice squad to start the year before getting released. The veteran safety spent the first seven years of his career in Chicago as a depth piece and special teamer, making nine starts in his final two years. He appeared in two games for Houston off the practice squad before being released and signing with Baltimore. Baltimore had him active for their past two games with Marcus Williams absent due to injury. He, like Saubert, has been signed off the Ravens’ practice squad to rejoin the Texans.
With Patterson and Quitoriano out, the Texans will have to work a little harder to open some lanes and protect rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Adding Saubert should help with the tight end depth, while Houston-Carson brings a familiar face back into the secondary.
Jets, OL Rodger Saffold Agree To Deal
The Jets stood pat on the trade front ahead of today’s deadline, but the team has nevertheless made an addition. New York has signed veteran offensive lineman Rodger Saffold to the practice squad with plans to quickly elevate him to the active roster, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Saffold will provide a wealth of experience at the guard spot for the Jets. The 35-year-old has 176 games and 173 starts to his name, including a nine-year stint with the Rams. That was followed by three seasons with the Titans, a stretch which ended with his release with one year remaining on his $44MM pact. He last played with the Bills in 2022. This move will reunite him with offensive line coach Keith Carter who worked with Saffold in Tennessee.
The Jets have suffered a number of injuries on offense, and the team’s O-line has been shorthanded as a result. Former first-rounder Alijah Vera-Tucker – who had been given serious consideration for a full-time right tackle spot but has primarily played at both left and right guard – is out for the year due to an Achilles tear. Connor McGovern and Wes Schweitzer have both also landed on IR. Saffold will have the chance to fill in along the interior, though he has also seen time at left tackle during his career.
Suiting up for 16 games in Buffalo last season, Saffold earned a second straight Pro Bowl nod in 2022 despite a precipitous drop in his PFF evaluations. He earned a career-high mark of 80.7 in 2017, but has taken a step back in that department every year since. At a minimum, Saffold will be able to work as a depth option at a number of spots as the 4-3 Jets look to continue their recent success with Zach Wilson at the helm on offense.
New York entered the day with just under $8MM in cap space. Rather than using that figure on trading for O-line help, Saffold will fit the bill on what will no doubt be a low-cost addition. It will be interesting to see how quickly the Jets use him on gamedays and in what capacity.
Packers To Send CB Rasul Douglas To Bills
Mentioned as team pursuing cornerback help, the Bills will acquire it in the form of Rasul Douglas. The Packers are sending their Jaire Alexander sidekick to Buffalo, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
The Bills have lost No. 1 corner Tre’Davious White for the season, after an early-October Achilles tear, and have not seen much from 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam. While Elam remains on Buffalo’s roster — after trade rumors swirled last week — the team will have a veteran boundary corner en route to help the cause. The Bills are sending the Packers a third-round pick in exchange for Douglas and a fifth, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets. These are each 2024 draft choices, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.
Green Bay re-signed Douglas to a three-year, $21MM deal during last year’s free agency period, doing so after the 2021 waiver claim showed quality form to help that Packers edition earn another No. 1 seed. With the Packers (2-5) no longer near that point in their first post-Aaron Rodgers season, they will sell at the deadline. This would give Eric Stokes a starting spot to return to, but the 2021 first-round pick is on IR. Rumors of Douglas moving to safety were unfounded, and the latter opened the season as the outside starter opposite Alexander.
This will not be a difficult contract for the Bills to absorb this season. The Packers restructured Douglas’ deal previously, leaving a prorated $1.1MM in base salary coming to the Bills’ cap sheet. Douglas is due $6.25MM in nonguaranteed money next year.
On the field, Douglas will be expected to step in as a starter at some point. The Bills have used former sixth- and seventh-rounders — Christian Benford and Dane Jackson — as their primary outside cover men since White’s injury. Elam has not shown enough growth, and he will have a tougher road to late-season playing time now.
Buffalo pursued Chicago contract-year standout Jaylon Johnson, after the Bears granted him permission to seek a trade. The team made what is believed to be an aggressive effort to pry him from the Windy City, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets, but the Bears rebuffed all Johnson inquiries today. Chicago holding onto Johnson led to Buffalo finding its upgrade on another NFC North roster. The Bears were seeking a big return for Johnson; the Bills will make a midlevel move for Douglas, who is in his age-29 season.
Douglas intercepted nine passes between the 2021 and ’22 seasons, doing so despite playing different positions. After successfully replacing Alexander in 2021, Douglas moved to the slot to accommodate the highly paid defender’s return last year. That effort did not go well, but the Packers moved him back outside after Stokes’ midseason injury last year. Douglas and Alexander began this season as Green Bay’s perimeter corners, with Keisean Nixon inside. The Bills have Taron Johnson entrenched in the slot, which stands to allow Douglas to see boundary reps soon.
Pro Football Focus slots Douglas 18th overall among corners this season; he has one interception and six pass breakups. The Bills are in a crucial year, as Von Miller is now 34 and Stefon Diggs turns 30 next month. They also have rental pass rusher Leonard Floyd (31) on a one-year deal. A 2017 Eagles third-round pick who contributed to the team’s Super Bowl LII-winning season as a rookie, Douglas will be in position to help a Bills defense that ranks 14th in DVOA. With games against the Bengals, Chiefs, Eagles, Cowboys and Dolphins still on the schedule, the Bills were probably wise to at least upgrade at one defensive spot. The team will still not be at full strength for those games, with Matt Milano and DaQuan Jones out indefinitely.