Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/23
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: CB Dicaprio Bootle
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Justin Hollins
- Waived: RB Patrick Taylor
The Panthers already used up their three practice-squad promotions for Dicaprio Bootle, so now the cornerback will be joining the active roster on a full-time basis. The former UDFA out of Nebraska has exclusively played on special teams this season.
Justin Hollins was waived yesterday to make room for running back Patrick Taylor on the active roster. Hollins has nine tackles in four games with Green Bay this season, with the LB splitting his time between defense and special teams. Taylor has also seen the field for four games this season, collecting 59 yards from scrimmage on 16 touches.
Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton Returns To Practice
The Patriots are in dire need of an offensive spark, and they welcomed back one of their most dynamic weapons on Tuesday. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, receiver Tyquan Thornton returned to practice today. This would signal that the Patriots have started the 21-day clock to activate Thornton from injured reserve.
Thornton suffered a shoulder injury in mid-August that ultimately landed him on injured reserve, keeping him off the field for the first four weeks of the season. There’s been increasing optimism that the former second-round pick could soon return, although he was forced to miss a fifth game before returning to practice. It remains to be seen if Thornton will be in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Raiders.
Thornton doesn’t have much of a track record, having finished his rookie season with only 22 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns. It’s unrealistic for him to completely turn around the offense, and any excitement surrounding his return is more a reflection of New England’s current offensive struggles.
The Patriots offense hasn’t found the end zone since Week 3, with Mac Jones tossing four interceptions over the past two games. Many of the offense’s issues can be directly attributed to Jones, and the underwhelming offensive play-calling has also come under fire (despite the return of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien). Still, even if things were clicking, no one would be overly enthusiastic about New England’s receiving depth.
JuJu Smith-Schuster has averaged 17 yards per game since coming over to New England during the offseason. DeVante Parker has been limited to only 668 yards in 15 games with the Patriots (including four appearances this season), and tight end Mike Gesicki has 12 catches through his first five games with the organization. Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and tight end Hunter Henry currently lead the team in receiving, and the team has even leaned on rookie sixth-round pick Demario Douglas for a chunk of snaps.
In other words, the Patriots’ current crop of receiving options haven’t done anything to separate themselves from the pack. The Patriots will likely continue to roll with their committee approach, but there’s at least an opportunity for Thornton to establish himself as the WR1.
Eagles Designate Nakobe Dean For Return
Letting T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White walk in free agency, the Eagles had a Nakobe Dean starter debut planned for a while. But the second-year linebacker landed on IR after one game.
Dean is on his way back. The Eagles designated the first-time starter for return Tuesday. Having missed the required four games, Dean can return in Week 6 if the Eagles deem him ready. Philadelphia has not used any of its IR activations thus far.
A foot injury sent Dean to IR. Following that transaction, the Eagles called up Nicholas Morrow from their practice squad. After Morrow went from projected starter to not making the Eagles’ 53-man roster, he came back and has started the past four games. Morrow and mid-training camp signee Zach Cunningham have worked as Philly’s ILBs during Dean’s absence.
Although the Eagles cut him in August, Morrow has played well in relief of Dean. The former Raiders and Bears starter has offered versatility from his linebacker post during his early Eagles work, notching three sacks — which nearly tops his career total (four) coming into this season — and six tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus slots Morrow as the NFL’s fifth-best off-ball linebacker through five games. Cunningham’s 33 tackles sit second among Eagles — behind Reed Blankenship‘s 34. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles navigate this issue, with Dean having been in their starter plans for several months.
Edwards signed with the Bears, while White followed Jonathan Gannon to the Cardinals. Dean played sparingly behind the NFC champions’ starter duo last season, logging only 34 defensive snaps as a rookie. But the Eagles (and their newfound hub of Georgia defenders) dramatically updated their payroll this year, authorizing a then-record-setting Jalen Hurts extension and reupping cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry. This path resulted in both starting linebackers and safeties leaving in free agency, providing opportunities for lower-cost cogs at those positions.
The 2021 Butkus award winner, Dean was expected to go off the draft board much earlier than he did. But the Eagles were able to snag Dean at No. 83 overall. This foot injury was not expected to be a season-threatening malady for Dean, who will be on track to come back soon. The Eagles have three weeks to activate Dean from IR, when he will rejoin ex-college teammates Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith.
Lions To Add CB Anthony Averett
Two of the Lions’ three starter-level free agency additions in their secondary have suffered major injuries. The team will attempt to patch up the unit by adding another veteran.
Anthony Averett will join the Lions on a practice squad deal, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Averett enjoyed a short stint with the 49ers during training camp, but a preseason injury brought his time in San Francisco to a close. A mid-August injury settlement, however, led Averett off the 49ers’ IR list and opens the door to the sixth-year veteran playing in 2023.
The Lions are down both C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Emmanuel Moseley in the secondary. Moseley made his season debut in Week 5, returning from the ACL tear that ended his 49ers tenure early. But the veteran cover man tore his other ACL against the Panthers on Sunday, knocking him out for the season and throwing cold water on potential hopes to use this year as a springboard to a lucrative multiyear deal.
Averett worked out for the Texans last week, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, providing an indication he has recovered from the unspecified injury he suffered with the 49ers. The former Ravens and Raiders starter will join a Lions team that is still in decent shape at corner, but in light of Moseley’s injury, Aaron Glenn‘s defense will pick up some insurance.
Injuries have hindered Averett for a bit now. Thumb and toe issues shortened Averett’s Raiders season to seven games. While the former Ravens fourth-rounder parlayed his 14-start 2021 season (in relief of Marcus Peters) into a Raiders first-string opportunity, he could not stay on the field. The Raiders then scrapped their 2022 CB setup this offseason, letting Averett and Rock Ya-Sin walk in free agency (and eventually signing Peters), and Averett went without a job until August.
Pro Football Focus did not grade Averett’s 2022 sample especially well, slotting him just inside the top 100 among corners. The Alabama alum worked as a backup to Peters and Marlon Humphrey from 2019-20, but due largely to the past two seasons, the 5-foot-11 cover man has 27 career starts. The Lions have lost Moseley but still have two veterans — Sutton and Will Harris — joining ascending second-year cog Jerry Jacobs. Averett, 28, could take the route many 2020s veterans have by using the P-squad as a quick-forming passage back to an active roster.
Cardinals To Place RB James Conner On IR
2:48pm: This will end up being Arizona’s course of action. Conner is headed to IR, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Conner cannot be activated until Week 10; the Cardinals’ bye does not arrive until Week 14. Although injuries have sidelined Conner regularly, he has not been on IR since his 2017 rookie season.
2:31pm: A central cog in what has been a surprisingly effective Cardinals offense, James Conner will be shut down for a bit. The Cardinals are expected to be without their starting running back for multiple games, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Conner sustained a knee injury in Arizona’s Week 5 loss to Cincinnati. With the Cardinals already without backup Keaontay Ingram due to a neck injury the second-year player sustained, they are starting to make other plans. The exact injury Conner sustained is unknown, but Schefter adds an IR stint is in play. Jonathan Gannon also said during an appearance on Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo this week Conner could miss “a little bit” of time.
Rewarding the Cardinals after their decision to extend an offer in free agency two years ago, Conner has continued to battle injuries with his second NFL team. The former Steelers third-round pick missed four games last season and was down for two games during his pivotal 2021 campaign. The cancer survivor also missed 14 games during his four-year Pittsburgh career. This will deliver a blow to the Cardinals’ backfield, which Conner has effectively led since 2021.
Although Chase Edmonds operated as Arizona’s nominal starter that year, Conner broke through with 18 touchdowns. The Cards then re-signed him to a three-year, $21MM deal. Conner, 28, enjoyed good timing by hitting free agency in 2022. He and Leonard Fournette scored matching accords. But the Buccaneers bailed on Fournette’s $7MM-per-year pact this offseason; he remains unsigned. While several developments dinged the RB market in the spring and summer, Conner stayed on his Cards contract. His ability to come back from this injury will certainly impact if the organization keeps him on that deal in 2024.
The former Le’Veon Bell Steelers successor’s 18-TD season came on just a 3.7-yard rushing average. Last year, Conner’s YPC checked in at 4.3. Through five games this year — behind a Cardinals O-line that generated a number of questions at the season’s outset — Conner is at 5.4. Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected metric places Conner 10th. The Cards’ Josh Dobbs-directed offense has enjoyed 364 Conner rushing yards this season.
Ingram’s neck injury has cost him the past two games, but the 2022 sixth-rounder is not on IR. The Cardinals claimed Tony Jones Jr. off waivers from the Saints on Monday, and they have Damien Williams stashed on their practice squad. When Conner went down, rookie UDFA Emari Demercado became the next man up. Kendre Miller‘s former TCU backup totaled 57 scrimmage yards and a touchdown against the Bengals.
Texans Sign DE Kerry Hyder
Another former DeMeco Ryans 49ers charge is heading to Houston. The Texans picked up Kerry Hyder, whom the 49ers dropped last week, on Tuesday.
Hyder, who will join the Texans on a practice squad deal, played for the 49ers during the second of Ryans’ two seasons as their defensive coordinator. The well-traveled defensive end was also with San Francisco in 2020, when Ryans was in place as a position coach. He will follow Jimmie Ward and Hassan Ridgeway in signing with Houston. The Texans also released tackle Geron Christian and wide receiver Lance McCutcheon from their P-squad.
The 49ers released Hyder on roster-cutdown day in August but did so with the understanding he would be brought back soon after. The team followed through on that pledge, re-signing Hyder after making other moves to free up roster spots. But San Francisco’s decision to acquire Randy Gregory from Denver differentiated the latest Hyder cut. A spot did not appear to be available for the former UDFA any longer, but with two former 49ers DCs now in leadership roles elsewhere, Hyder had some important references on which to rely.
While Hyder also played for Robert Saleh during the current Jets head coach’s final season as the 49ers’ DC, the Texans have been busy adding former 49ers. Ward signed a two-year deal this offseason, while Ridgeway followed Ryans on a one-year agreement. It is unclear if the 49ers offered Hyder, 32, a spot on their practice squad.
During a 2020 season in which the 49ers lost Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas in Week 2, Hyder helped out Saleh’s unit with 8.5 sacks. The ninth-year veteran has two eight-plus-sack seasons on his resume, notching eight with the Lions in 2016. This will mark Hyder’s first trip to the AFC. In addition to four Lions seasons, the Texas Tech alum has also spent a season apiece with the Cowboys (2019) and Seahawks (2021). Seattle bailed on Hyder’s two-year, $6.8MM contract after one season, but the 49ers offered him his old job back. Working as a rotational rusher for Ryans’ No. 1-ranked 49ers defense last season, Hyder played 36% of the team’s defensive snaps. Although Hyder’s 2022 stat line was light on production (one sack), he batted down a career-high three passes.
The 49ers have bid adieu to several veteran DEs this year, letting Charles Omenihu, Arden Key and Jordan Willis walk in free agency. While the team re-signed Hyder to a league-minimum deal in April, Gregory now takes his roster spot. Bosa, Gregory, Drake Jackson and Clelin Ferrell are in place as the 49ers’ D-ends.
Commanders Place S Darrick Forrest, S Jeremy Reaves On IR
OCTOBER 10: While Forrest may be able to return later this year, the same does not appear to be the case for Reaves. The latter suffered a partially torn ACL, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. He is likely out for the season as a result, though Reaves is seeking further opinions before making a decision with respect to his recovery plan. Going the rest of the campaign without the 27-year-old will deal a notable blow to Washington’s special teams.
The Commanders have confirmed the IR moves for Forrest and Reaves while also announcing other roster tweaks. In addition to Burgess, linebacker De’Jon Harris has been signed from the practice squad to the active roster. The former UDFA made five appearances in each of the past two seasons in the nation’s capital, playing primarily on special teams. To fill the vacancy on the taxi squad, veteran safety Sean Chandler has been signed. The 27-year-old played all 17 games with the Panthers last season but he was suspended for two games in 2023 due to a substance-abuse policy violation.
OCTOBER 9: Days after a rough performance against the previously winless Bears, the Commanders received bad news on one of their starting safeties. Darrick Forrest is believed to have suffered a shoulder fracture, according to the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala.
A second-year starter in Washington, Forrest broke into the lineup on a full-time basis down the stretch last season. The Commanders have used Forrest as a first-stringer throughout his third NFL season; the former fifth-round pick played 95% of the team’s defensive snaps against the Bears before going down late with the injury. The Commanders hope Forrest will be able to come back after his four-week absence, Jhabvala adds.
The Commanders released Bobby McCain in March, ending a two-season partnership. Forrest, who commandeered the Commanders’ back-line job alongside Kamren Curl in Week 10 of last season, is signed through the 2024 season. The Commanders are planning to use second-year cog Percy Butler and second-round rookie Jartavius Martin at Forrest’s spot, Ron Rivera said.
Butler has seen more time than Martin this season. The latter sustained a concussion in Week 1 and has not logged any defensive snaps thus far in his second NFL slate. A hybrid player, Martin was the Commanders’ second DB choice to start the draft, being ticketed for Washington a round after the team chose Emmanuel Forbes. Butler has seen steady work in Year 2, playing 154 defensive snaps already. Through five games, Pro Football Focus ranks Forrest 59th and Butler 69th, respectively, among safeties.
Additionally, the Commanders will place backup safety Jeremy Reaves on IR; the sixth-year veteran suffered a knee injury against the Bears. Reaves has operated strictly on special teams this season but has been a spot starter in the past. Last season, Reaves earned first-team All-Pro acclaim for his special teams work, dealing Washington a blow in that department.
To help out at the position, the Commanders made multiple moves Monday. They are promoting safety Terrell Burgess to the active roster and adding Joshua Kalu to the practice squad. A former Rams third-round pick, Burgess split time with the Rams and Giants last season. Burgess was in camp with the Commanders but landed on the team’s practice squad after a late-August cut. Kalu started five games for the Titans last season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/9/23
Here are Monday’s practice squad moves:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S Mark Webb, OL Cameron Tom
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Shaquan Davis
- Released: CB Anthony Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Jack Colletto, LB Kyron Johnson
- Released: RB Zander Horvath, P Brad Wing
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Tay Gowan, DT Taylor Stallworth
- Released: CB Armani Marsh, DT Jayden Peevy
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB Joshua Kalu
- Released: DB Keidron Smith
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/9/23
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers (from Saints): RB Tony Jones Jr.
Atlanta Falcons
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Penny Hart
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: RB Patrick Taylor
- Released: OLB Justin Hollins
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Tyler Hall, CB Troy Pride Jr.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DL Christopher Hinton
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: G Tommy Kraemer
Jones will be headed to his third team since the preseason concluded. With James Conner going down with a knee injury, the Cardinals are better equipping themselves in the backfield. Jones, who went to camp with the Broncos and had returned to the Saints, will head to the desert. Jones scored two touchdowns in the Saints’ Week 2 win over the Panthers and played in three other Saints games this season. But the team waived him Saturday. Jones will join Keaontay Ingram and rookie UDFA Emari Demercado on Arizona’s active roster; Damien Williams resides on the Cardinals’ practice squad. Ingram has missed time with a neck injury recently.
Because the Packers have used up their practice squad elevations with Taylor, they are signing him to their 53-man roster. Taylor will come up to replace Aaron Jones, whom the Pack declared inactive. Despite Jones having returned for Week 4, the standout starter is out again with a hamstring injury.
Rams To Place DL Bobby Brown On IR
Sporting a retooled defense around Aaron Donald this season, the Rams will need to look deeper into their young nucleus. Bobby Brown‘s season will hit pause soon.
The Rams are expected to place Brown on IR, Sean McVay said Monday (via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue). The third-year defensive lineman suffered a grade 3 MCL sprain. This actually represents one of the best possible scenarios for Brown, who will be a candidate to come off IR when eligible.
Last season, the Rams used IR to the point they ran out of activations late in the season. Of course, the season was lost by that point. McVay’s latest Rams team has authored an interesting first quarter this season, going 2-3 and submitting quality efforts against the unbeaten 49ers and Eagles.
After seeing the Rams let multiyear starters Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson walk in free agency (to the Buccaneers and Giants, respectively), Brown moved into a regular starting role for the first time as a pro. The former fourth-round pick has lined up alongside Donald as a first-stringer in all five Los Angeles games, coming after he started one contest over his first two seasons. Brown has already topped his season-high tackles number, registering 13 in five games, and Pro Football Focus rates him as a top-35 interior D-lineman.
Brown is one of several rookie-contract players making his debut as a Rams starter this year. In addition to Puka Nacua on offense, L.A.’s defense is rookie-deal-laden to the point it only trots out only two vested veterans — Donald and Ahkello Witherspoon — as starters. The team has third-round rookie Kobie Turner looming as a backup D-lineman. Former Titans draftee Larrell Murchison and 2021 Rams fifth-rounder Earnest Brown are also in place as D-line reserves.
The Rams have already used two of their eight allotted activations, bringing Cooper Kupp and rookie outside linebacker Ochaun Mathis off IR on Saturday. Brown will be eligible to return in Week 11, as the Rams’ bye arrives in Week 10.