Cowboys To Activate WR James Washington
While the NFL awaits the outcome of the OBJ sweepstakes, the Cowboys are still making other moves at the position. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys are activating wide receiver James Washington from injured reserve.
[RELATED: Cowboys Still In Contact With Odell Beckham Jr.]
Washington joined the Cowboys this offseason but a foot injury forced him on IR before the start of the season. There seemed to be growing optimism that Washington would be ready for tomorrow’s game against the Texans, with Patrik Walker of the team’s website writing that the receiver ramped up his workload over the past few days. Washington was designated to return late last week.
“I feel great,” Washington told Walker. “From four weeks ago to now, I feel a lot stronger in my plants and catching the ball in general. It’s kind of like riding a bike at this point. Once you start doing it, it all just feels natural.”
A former second-round pick, Washington was productive during his sophomore campaign with the Steelers, hauling in 44 receptions for 735 yards and three touchdowns. His numbers dropped in 2020 and 2021, with the wideout compiling 54 receptions for 677 yards and seven touchdowns between the two seasons.
CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup lead the WR room, with Noah Brown, rookie Jalen Tolbert, and KaVontae Turpin filling out the depth chart. Washington should easily slide onto the roster, but things would get interesting if the Cowboys also add Odell Beckham Jr. to the mix.
Raiders Waive G John Simpson
In a bit of a surprise move, the Raiders have released offensive guard John Simpson, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. A former fourth-round pick from only two and a half years ago, Simpson will be placed on waivers. 
The release is surprising for a couple of reasons, the first of which being that Simpson started every game for the Raiders last season. He had earned two starts the year before as a rookie out of Clemson, before winning the full-time job at left guard in his sophomore season.
There were early signs of trouble for Simpson, such as when it was reported that only left tackle Kolton Miller and right guard Denzelle Good were guaranteed starting jobs for the 2022 season, according to Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic. Good retired a week after that report. The report also noted that rookie third-round pick Dylan Parham “could push (Simpson) at left guard or Andre James at center.”
Parham would earn a full-time starting role as a rookie. He is the only Raider rookie to do so and only one of two Raiders (offensive lineman Thayer Munford) who have started a game at all as a rookie for Las Vegas this year. But Parham isn’t the one who took Simpson’s spot. Parham was the immediate plugin after Good’s unexpected retirement. Simpson was eventually benched before Week 3 for fourth-year lineman Alex Bars. Bars would hold down the starting job until getting injured early in the team’s loss to the Rams last night. Simpson would fill in for Bars for the rest of the game, his first extensive action on offensive since getting benched.
The second reason that his waiving is a shock is that the 25-year-old still has another year on his rookie contract with a base salary of $1.01MM and only $199,195 in guaranteed money. This makes Simpson a no-doubt pickup for any team with a hole on their offensive line and an early enough waiver priority. Simpson is a cheap offensive line option with starting experience. The risk is extremely low. He would fit well on a contender who may need to plug a hole due to injuries, but, at this point, Simpson is at the mercy of the waiver wire and his value may be too good to pass up for many of the teams with top priority.
While the move doesn’t change much, if anything, about the Raiders’ starting lineup, it does raise questions about the team’s offensive line depth. Las Vegas has three offensive lineman, Brandon Parker, Lester Cotton, and Justin Herron, on injured reserve. Simpson was serving as the primary backup for both guard spots and, if James were to get injured, Parham would slide over to center and push Simpson into the lineup. With Simpson out, the Raiders now hold only two backup linemen, Munford and Jackson Barton, on the active roster. Practice squad linemen Hroniss Grasu and Sebastian Gutierrez should expect to hear their names called in the coming days.
An interesting aspect about this move is that it leaves 2020 fourth-round pick Amik Robertson, the team’s final pick of that year’s draft, as the only remaining member of the Raiders’ 2020 draft class. First-round wide receiver Henry Ruggs was released after his involvement in a fatal car accident. First-round cornerback Damon Arnette was released after appearing in a threatening video with a handgun. Third-round utility back Lynn Bowden was traded to the Dolphins along with a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fourth-round pick. Third-round wide receiver Bryan Edwards was traded to the Falcons along with a 2023 seventh-round pick for a 2023 fifth-round pick. Third-round safety Tanner Muse was waived without ever taking snap for Las Vegas after spending his whole rookie season on IR. Robertson, who has started six games at cornerback for the Raiders, four this year, is the last man standing as we add Simpson to the list.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/9/22
Here are the only practice squad transactions for today:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Marquez Stevenson
- Released: WR Isaiah Coulter
Jaguars Waive RB Darrell Henderson
Darrell Henderson‘s time with the Jaguars will end up being brief. The former Rams starter is back on waivers, according to a Jaguars announcement. The Jags had claimed the fourth-year running back barely two weeks ago.
The former third-round pick did not play in a game with Jacksonville. Henderson has two 600-yard rushing seasons on his resume and would reach free agency for the first time if he clears waivers.
Travis Etienne suffered a foot injury during the Jags’ Week 12 win over the Ravens, but JaMycal Hasty became the main beneficiary of that setback. Claimed by the Jaguars following a 49ers cut in August, Hasty totaled 17 touches in the Jags’ upset of the Ravens. Etienne returned for Week 13 and resumed his usual workload. Rookie Snoop Conner is the other running back on Jacksonville’s 53-man roster. The fifth-round pick has four carries this season.
With Henderson playing out a rookie contract, it would not be too surprising if another team picked up the deal. Injuries change equations weekly at this position, and the Memphis product has enjoyed productive NFL stretches. This season has not represented one of those. The Rams’ battered offensive line has helped minimize their backfield’s impact, and Henderson arrived in Jacksonville with just 283 rushing yards — a Rams-high mark at the point — and three touchdowns.
Having put together a dominant final season at Memphis (2,204 scrimmage yards, 25 touchdowns; 8.9 yards per carry) in 2018, Henderson showed some of that form in Los Angeles. The Rams aimed to avoid relying on the 5-foot-8 back as their surefire starter, however, both drafting Cam Akers in the 2020 second round and trading for Sony Michel following Akers’ training camp Achilles tear last year. But Henderson still totaled 1,312 rushing yards from 2020-21. A COVID-19 contraction and an MCL injury led to Michel taking over the Rams’ lead role last season, but Henderson did return for Super Bowl LVI. He caught three passes for 43 yards in the Rams’ win.
This resume would point to a running back-needy team either adding Henderson via waivers or as a free agent soon after. Come 2023, however, there stand to be several backs available on a robust market. Henderson’s contract-year swoon will not help his cause, should he not have another chance this season.
Chiefs Sign DT Brandon Williams To Active Roster
A week after joining Kansas City’s practice squad, Brandon Williams is ready to go. According to PFT’s Josh Alper, that they have signed the veteran defensive tackle to the active roster.
It was always expected that Williams’ stint on the practice squad would be temporary, especially since he wouldn’t need long to get acclimated to the Chiefs’ defense. The veteran previously played under Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen when the two were in Baltimore, so the familiarity certainly played into the player’s readiness.
The Chiefs recently dropped defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth, so Williams was the natural choice for the open roster spot. Stallworth had a small but consistent role on defense in recent weeks, so there’s a good chance Williams soaks up those open snaps. The 33-year-old could also eventually cut into Derrick Nnadi‘s and/or Khalen Saunders playing time.
“I’d tell you a good player,” coach Andy Reid recently said of Williams (h/t AP’s Dave Skretta via Seattle Times). “Joe speaks very highly of him and still thinks he can contribute. He’s been doing it a long time, but we welcome that. He’s a great kid and good football player.”
Williams spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Ravens, including a 2018 campaign where he earned his lone Pro Bowl nod. He started 114 of his 123 appearances during his time in Baltimore, collecting 33 tackles for loss and 19 QB hits.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/8/22
Today’s minor transactions:
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return: RB Craig Reynolds
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: C Hroniss Grasu
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DE Earnest Brown IV, RB Malcolm Brown
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return: K Chris Boswell
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/8/22
Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Javelin Guidry
Denver Broncos
- Signed: T Quinn Bailey
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: C Austin Reiter
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Andre Chachere
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Sam Okuayinonu
Jets T Max Mitchell Out For Season
DECEMBER 8: Mitchell landed on the Jets’ NFI list because of blood clots, according to Connor Hughes of SNY (on Twitter). This is not believed to be a career-threatening matter, but Mitchell is done for this season.
DECEMBER 7: A Jets starter in five games this season, Max Mitchell will miss the rest of this campaign. Robert Saleh said Wednesday (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini, on Twitter) the rookie tackle is going on the team’s reserve/non-football injury list and will be shut down for the season’s remainder.
Chosen in the fourth round, Mitchell became needed due to the Jets’ run of tackle injuries this year. Mekhi Becton, Duane Brown and George Fant‘s health issues moved Mitchell into earlier-than-anticipated playing time, but that run of work will abruptly cease. It is unclear what will cause Mitchell’s shutdown, but the Jets will lose some depth at a fluctuating position.
The Jets used Mitchell as their right tackle starter in their Week 12 loss to the Vikings, but the team benched him for Fant. Taking an extended period to return from an early-season knee injury, Fant is now on track to start opposite Brown. The ex-Seahawks have not started together as Jets, but that will occur in Week 14 against the Bills.
New York began the season without Becton and Brown. Becton suffered an avulsion fracture during training camp and is out for the season, while Brown — added in the wake of the Becton injury — went down just before the year as well. Brown has since returned and has been the Jets’ left tackle starter, but Fant needed more than two months to re-emerge from the knee injury that plagued him early this season. That brought Mitchell into action.
A Louisiana alum, Mitchell started in Weeks 1-4 and returned from his own injury in Week 12. The Jets, who had been starting Cedric Ogbuehi at right tackle, used one of their injury activations on Mitchell last month. Continuing Gang Green’s run of health issues at this position, Ogbuehi missed Week 13. Not long after the Jets allowed the Patriots to sign Conor McDermott off their practice squad, Mitchell will move out of the picture.
The Jets are bumping recently re-signed guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to their active roster, Cimini tweets. The longtime Chiefs starter-turned-Jets trade acquisition is back from his second medical sabbatical; the Canadian doctor/lineman has 64 career starts on his resume. The Jets have been playing without 2021 first-round pick Alijah Vera-Tucker as well. Vera-Tucker had played both guard and tackle this season, moving to the latter spot due to the injuries the team sustained at that position. Duvernay-Tardif appears likely to provide depth behind starters Laken Tomlinson and Nate Herbig.
Titans CB Elijah Molden Returns To IR; Two Others Designated For Return
After only appearing in two games this year, it seems like the sophomore season for Titans cornerback Elijah Molden has come to an end, according to TitanInsider.com publisher Terry McCormick. The 23-year-old had been activated to return from injured reserve a little under a month ago but will head back to IR as his injuries continue to drag him down. 
Molden had come on strong in his rookie season, earning a starting role by Week 6 last year and holding onto the job throughout the season. In his starting duties, Molden racked up 62 total tackles, four passes defensed, and one interception, adding two more tackles in a postseason start against the Bengals.
Molden was placed on IR during the preseason after missing several practices with a nagging groin injury. He wasn’t able to make his 2022 season debut until a Week 9 start against the Broncos. After he was unable to play the following week, his season ended, for the second time in a row, with a loss to the Bengals.
The Titans have been absolutely ravaged with injuries this season. Adding Molden to the list of players on IR extends the NFL-leading number of players on IR from 15 to 16. This includes injuries to fellow cornerbacks Caleb Farley, Chris Jackson, and Lonnie Johnson. With starter Kristian Fulton and Tre Avery questionable to start the week, the bruised Titans secondary may be facing Trevor Lawrence this weekend with only three healthy cornerbacks. The team also recently added cornerback John Reid from the Falcons practice squad for some added depth. It’s no wonder, with this many injuries, that Tennessee ranks 31st this year in pass defense.
Now, due to an updated NFL rule, Molden has the ability to return from IR a second time this season if he can get healthy. The rule says that a player can be designated to return a maximum of two times in a season with both activations counting against the teams eight allowed designations. The Titans, who have had plenty of options throughout their injury-riddled season, only have two activations remaining this year and have already designated wide receiver Racey McMath and defensive back Josh Thompson to return. It Tennessee truly intends to bring back McMath and Thompson, it will use up the last of their allowable designations.
If one of the two doesn’t return, and remains on IR for the remainder of the season, that could open the door for a second Molden return. The question of whether or not he could get healthy enough to return is an important one and, if any hints are to be taken from McCormick’s tweet, the answer is probably “no” as McCormick very plainly stated that “his season is over.” A Molden return wouldn’t be able to occur until Week 18 of the season, if it were to happen at all.
Dolphins Designate OL Liam Eichenberg For Return
The Dolphins’ offensive line should soon be getting some reinforcement. Miami designated offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg for return from injured reserve, as passed along by Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter).
Eichenberg landed on injured reserve with a knee injury in early November. He ultimately sat out the required four games before returning to practice today. While it sounds like the offensive lineman is still ramping up, coach Mike McDaniel sounds anxious to reinsert the player into the starting lineup whenever he’s ready to go.
“Most of the [practice] will be on the side,” McDaniel said of Eichenberg (via Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald), “but he’s done an unbelievable job of getting himself really to where he’s at from the injury. It’s to his credit that that type of injury he’s come back so fast. I’m excited for him because he was playing his best football when he got injured.”
The 2021 second-round pick started 16 of his 17 games as a rookie and started each of his eight games in 2022. While Pro Football Focus hasn’t been fond of Eichenberg’s performance through his first year-plus in the NFL, McDaniel indicated that the lineman was starting to find his own before getting sidelined with an injury.
The head coach’s vote of confidence seems to indicate that Eichenberg will slide back into the starting lineup. Robert Jones has started four games at left guard filling in for his injured teammate, and the second-year pro has shown better than Eichenberg, per PFF. This will be one of several OL questions for the Dolphins heading into the final stretch of the season, especially with Terron Armstead set to return.