Transactions - Pro Football Rumors

Packers Activate Za’Darius Smith, Whitney Mercilus From IR

By Sam Robinson | at January 21, 2022 3:38 pm

The Packers’ collective return to full strength, or close to it, continues. They activated outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus from IR on Friday, putting each in position to return Saturday night.

This will be an interesting co-return effort, given that the Pack added Mercilus to fill the void Smith’s back surgery created. With each now on the 53-man roster, both are expected to be in uniform against the 49ers in the divisional round.

While the Packers have seen David Bakhtiari, Jaire Alexander and Randall Cobb steadily return from IR, Smith marked the last of the team’s injured stalwarts to resurface. But shortly after the regular season ended, the Pro Bowl edge rusher re-emerged on the radar for a postseason return. Smith has only played 18 snaps this season, aggravating his back injury in Week 1 and undergoing surgery.

A big-ticket offseason addition in 2019, Smith served as Green Bay’s top pass rusher from 2019-20. He combined for 26 sacks and two Pro Bowls in those seasons, proving his 2018 contract year in Baltimore was no fluke. It is uncertain if the 29-year-old defender will be with the Packers beyond these playoffs, given a monster 2022 cap number and some issues with a redone contract, but he will rejoin Preston Smith and Rashan Gary to give Green Bay a high-profile two-deep depth chart at this position.

Za’Darius Smith and Mercilus have yet to suit up for a game together. The Packers signed the latter in October, doing so shortly after the Texans cut him. Mercilus has not played since Week 10 and was believed to be out for the season with a biceps tear. However, the longtime Texans edge returned to Packers practice last week. Mercilus registered four sacks this season, three of those coming with Houston, but profiles as an interesting off-the-bench option for the NFC’s top seed. The 10th-year defender has fared well in the playoffs, accumulating seven postseason sacks during his career.

4 comments Green Bay Packers Transactions Whitney Mercilus Za'Darius Smith

Titans Activate RB Derrick Henry

By Sam Robinson | at January 21, 2022 3:06 pm

On the precipice of a long-rumored return, Derrick Henry is all but set to take the field Saturday. The two-time rushing champion is back on the Titans’ active roster.

The Titans activated Henry from IR on Friday. This is a procedural move, with Henry needing to be bumped up to the active roster by this afternoon in order to play against the Bengals. Linked to returning in the playoffs for several weeks now, the bulldozing running back is now eligible to do so.

Henry has not played since Week 8 but returned to practice Jan. 5. Despite missing more than half the season, Tennessee’s sixth-year back finished in the top 10 in rushing. The Titans gave their superstar an extra week to rehab by securing the AFC’s top seed. It will be interesting to see how the team deploys Henry, considering his lengthy absence due to a foot fracture.

The NFL’s rushing champion in 2019 and ’20, Henry played a significant role in Ryan Tannehill‘s turnaround and in the Titans advancing to the playoffs during those seasons. He was on pace for another 2,000-yard season this year, but the Halloween injury stalled his run. During Henry’s hiatus, the Titans landed on D’Onta Foreman as their starter. The former third-round pick should still be expected to play a role against Cincinnati, but Henry has moved back into position to reclaim his starting job.

8 comments Tennessee Titans Transactions Derrick Henry

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/20/22

By Sam Robinson | at January 20, 2022 5:52 pm

Here are Thursday’s reserve/futures deals:

Atlanta Falcons

TE Daniel Helm

Denver Broncos

T Casey Tucker

Indianapolis Colts

T Jordan Murray

Kansas City Chiefs

CB Damon Arnette (story)

0 comments Atlanta Falcons Denver Broncos Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Transactions Casey Tucker Damon Arnette Daniel Helm Jordan Murray

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/20/22

By Adam La Rose | at January 20, 2022 5:49 pm

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Signed: OL Xavier Su’a-Filo (related story)

Kansas City Chiefs

Signed: DE Joe Jackson

0 comments Cincinnati Bengals Kansas City Chiefs Transactions Joe Jackson

Packers Activate Randall Cobb From IR

By Sam Robinson | at January 20, 2022 3:59 pm

Randall Cobb is back on the Packers’ active roster. Green Bay used the full three-week ramp-up period to prepare its slot receiver for the playoffs, and Cobb is officially off IR.

The 11th-year veteran suffered a core muscle injury suffered while catching a touchdown pass against the Rams in November. The injury required surgery, but Cobb made a quicker-than-expected return to practice. After coming back to practice Dec. 30, Cobb is on track to play against the 49ers on Saturday.

While Cobb has played many playoff games as a Packer, has not suited up for a postseason contest since the 2016 NFC championship game. The Packers let Cobb walk in free agency after the 2018 season, and after one-year stints with the Cowboys and Texans, he returned to Green Bay via late-summer trade at Aaron Rodgers‘ request.

Cobb, 31, proved a key weapon in certain spots for Rodgers this season. During a Week 8 win over the then-unbeaten Cardinals, a game that featured Green Bay’s top wideouts shelved on the reserve/COVID-19 list, he caught two touchdown passes. Cobb also caught two TD passes against the Steelers earlier this year. The Rams TD catch was his fifth, but it ended up costing him extensive time. Cobb ended the regular season with 28 receptions for 375 yards and five TDs, amassing these totals in 12 games.

The Pack are expected to have a host of injured players back when they return to action. David Bakhtiari played against the Lions in a meaningless Week 18 game, and fellow Pro Bowlers Jaire Alexander and Za’Darius Smith have joined Cobb in ramping up for the playoffs. Center Josh Myers also played against the Lions, after a two-plus-month absence, and right tackle Billy Turner returned to practice last week. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, however, is not expected to play against San Francisco. A back injury has the veteran deep threat doubtful.

3 comments Green Bay Packers Transactions Marquez Valdes-Scantling Randall Cobb

Chiefs Sign CB Damon Arnette To Reserve/Futures Deal

By Sam Robinson | at January 20, 2022 3:40 pm

The Chiefs are giving another former first-round cornerback a second chance. They are signing Damon Arnette to a reserve/futures contract, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

This does not impact Kansas City’s playoff roster, but it does give the Chiefs yet another corner recently drafted in the first round. The former Raiders Round 1 pick will head to Kansas City after a brief stint on Miami’s practice squad. The Raiders cut Arnette earlier this year after a video surfaced showing him threatening a person while brandishing a handgun.

The Chiefs acquired former Vikings first-round corner Mike Hughes via trade last year and also have former Giants first-round cover man Deandre Baker on their playoff roster. Kansas City signed Baker not long after an off-field incident led to his New York ouster. Hughes is due for unrestricted free agency after this season; Baker can be controlled next season via exclusive-rights free agent tender.

Andy Reid‘s team has not shied away from players with checkered pasts, and the six-time reigning AFC West champions have benefited considerably from the acquisitions of Tyreek Hill and Frank Clark. While Arnette entered the NFL with a higher profile than each, being chosen 19th overall in 2020, he was headed in the wrong direction with the Raiders.

The Raiders used Arnette as a seven-game starter in 2020 but relegated him to a part-time role this year. The Ohio State product played four games with this year’s Las Vegas squad but was cut shortly after the Raiders parted ways with their other 2020 first-rounder — Henry Ruggs. Arnette is also facing multiple lawsuits, one for a car accident that resulted in injuries.

18 comments Kansas City Chiefs Transactions Damon Arnette

Chiefs Add DT Andrew Billings, OT Roderick Johnson To Practice Squad

By Ben Levine | at January 19, 2022 6:22 pm

The Chiefs have added a pair of veterans to their practice squad. The team signed defensive tackle Andrew Billings and offensive tackle Roderick Johnson to their taxi squad, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Running back Elijah McGuire was released from the practice squad.

Billings was a fourth-round pick by the Bengals in 2016. He started 30 of his 32 games between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, collecting a total of 3.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 11 QB hits. The defensive tackle joined the Browns during the 2020 offseason, but he chose to opt out of the subsequent season. Billings ended up seeing time in only six games for Cleveland in 2021, collecting a single tackle. He was ultimately waived by the organization before catching on with the Dolphins practice squad.

Johnson, a fifth-round pick by the Browns in 2017, spent the majority of his career in Houston. After getting into only one game through his first two years in the NFL, the lineman saw a larger role in both 2019 and 2020. Johnson got into 28 games (with six starts) through those two seasons, including a 2020 campaign where he appeared in 245 offensive snaps. Johnson spent the entire 2021 campaign with the Dolphins organization.

McGuire has spent the past year-plus with the Chiefs organization, but he didn’t make a regular-season appearance for Kansas City. The former sixth-round pick got into 24 games for the Jets between 2017 and 2018.

1 comment Kansas City Chiefs Transactions Andrew Billings Elijah McGuire Roderick Johnson