Minor NFL Transactions: 12/9/21
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Jonathan Ward
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: P Jamie Gillan, LB Anthony Walker
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: WR Noah Brown
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Bobby Price
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LS Trent Sieg
- Waived: LS Carson Tinker
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LB Tuf Borland, DE Kenny Willekes
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Ty Montgomery, C Scott Quessenberry
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: OL Rashaad Coward, OL Chaz Green
Cards Designate Chase Edmonds For Return
A week after Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins returned to action, the Cardinals could have their starting running back in uniform. Chase Edmonds will return to practice Thursday.
This development starts Edmonds’ 21-day IR-return window. The fourth-year veteran has not played since Week 9, when he suffered a high ankle sprain. His return would continue a positive trend for the Cardinals, who have largely not let high-profile injury issues slow them.
Despite James Conner enjoying one of the better bounce-back seasons of any player this year, Edmonds started the Cards’ first nine games. Acquired a year before Kliff Kingsbury‘s arrival, the former fourth-round pick is in his first season as a starter. The Cards let Kenyan Drake walk in free agency, giving the keys to Edmonds (with a healthy assist from Conner).
Edmonds, who is on track to be a free agent in 2022, has totaled 641 scrimmage yards this season. He topped out with a 120-yard rushing performance against the Rams in October. The Cardinals’ rematch with the Rams looms Monday, and Edmonds has a chance to be in uniform for that game.
Arizona also designated long snapper Aaron Brewer and safety Charles Washington to return from IR.
Eagles Extend OL Le’Raven Clark
The Eagles extended backup lineman Le’Raven Clark today. Per the team, the offensive lineman inked a new deal that will keep him in Philadelphia through at least the 2022 season.
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Colts, the former third-round pick joined the Eagles this offseason. He didn’t make the team at the end of the preseason, but he re-joined the organization via the practice squad days later. After appearing in 47 games (15 starts) through his first four years in the NFL, Clark has only seen time in two games this season, with all six of his snaps coming on special teams.
The Eagles weren’t done making moves today. According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer on Twitter, Philly waived cornerback Mac McCain. The undrafted rookie out of North Carolina A&T has traveled plenty during his first season in the NFL. He spent the preseason with the Broncos, he later caught on with the Eagles, he was claimed again by Denver, and then he was claimed a second time by Philly. The 23-year-old has seen time in one game this season, collecting 13 special teams snaps for the Eagles in Week 3.
Raiders Extend P AJ Cole
The Raiders are busy extending their key special teamers. After reportedly extending kicker Daniel Carlson earlier tonight, the Raiders have now inked punter AJ Cole to a four-year extension, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Raiders Extend K Daniel Carlson]
Cole joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent out of NC State in 2019, and he hasn’t missed a single game for the organization since that time. Cole has appeared in 12 games this season, compiling 2,505 yards on 49 punts (good for a league-leading 51.1 yards per punt).
The terms of Cole’s deal haven’t been reported, but Garafolo notes that Cole will be among the four highest-paid punters in the NFL. Seahawks punter Michael Dickson became the highest-paid player at his position when he signed a pact worth $3.5MM per year.
The Raiders front office is making significant investments in their special teams aces. Earlier tonight, the organization signed Carolson to a four-year pact worth $18.4MM, including a $4MM signing bonus and $10.2MM in guaranteed
Raiders Extend K Daniel Carlson
Daniel Carlson will be sticking around Las Vegas for the foreseeable future. The Raiders have signed their kicker to a four-year extension, according to agent Mike McCartney (via Twitter). The four-year pact is worth $18.4MM, including a $4MM signing bonus and $10.2MM in guaranteed money, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
Carlson was a fifth-round pick by the Vikings back in 2018, but he didn’t even make it a month into his first NFL season before receiving his walking papers. He caught on with the Raiders later that season, and he’s been the organization’s kicker ever since. The kicker struggled a bit during his first full season with the Raiders, converting only 73.1 percent of his field goal attempts. However, that number jumped to 94.3 percent in 2020.
Following the kicker’s breakout season, the Raiders slapped Carlson with a second-round tender back in March. The 26-year-old has appeared in all 12 games for the Raiders this season, connecting on 27 of his 30 field goal attempts (90.0%) and 23 of his 25 extra point tries (92.0%). He’s already earned a pair of AFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards this season.
Carlson’s extension makes him the third highest-paid kicker in the NFL. The Dolphins reset the kicker market back in February when they gave Jason Sanders a $22MM extension, the largest kicker contract in the NFL. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker still paces the position with $12.5MM in guaranteed money and a $5MM average annual salary.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/8/21
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: CB Marlon Humphrey (story)
- Designated for return: OT Ja’Wuan James
Cincinnati Bengals
- Designated for return: G D’Ante Smith, CB Trae Waynes
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return: CB Bryce Callahan
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on IR: RB Kenyan Drake (story), LB Nick Kwiatkoski
- Designated for return: S Tyree Gillespie, DT Darius Philon
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Mekhi Sargent
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: RB Patrick Laird
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Mark Ingram
- Designated for return: S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
New York Jets
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Keelan Cole
Washington Football Team
- Signed (off Giants practice squad): RB Jonathan Williams
Titans Add RB Jordan Wilkins To Practice Squad
As the Titans continue to roll forward without Derrick Henry, the team has added another running back option. The team announced that they’ve signed running back Jordan Wilkins to the taxi squad.
Wilkins was a fifth-round pick by the Colts in 2018, and he saw time in 45 games (four starts) through his first three seasons in the NFL. The running back had at least 350 yards from scrimmage in each of his first three NFL seasons, including a 2020 campaign where he collected 413 yards and one touchdown on a career-high 96 touches. Wilkins saw time in each of Indy’s first four games this season, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams. He was waived by the team back in October, and he’s since had a brief stint on the Jaguars practice squad.
The Titans have cycled through a number of options at running back since Henry suffered an injury in Week 8. D’Onta Foreman, Adrian Peterson, and Dontrell Hilliard have all started games for Tennessee, while fellow RB Jeremy McNichols has 43 touches of his own.
The Titans made a handful of additional practice squad moves today, including the signing of defensive back Rodney Clemons. The former SMU standout went undrafted during the 2020 draft, and he spent much of his rookie season on the Chiefs practice squad. To make room on the practice squad, the Titans released running back Rodney Smith and placed linebacker Jamal Carter on the practice squad injured list.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/8/21
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE Parker Hesse
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: RB Ito Smith
Houston Texans
- Signed: DB Cre’von LeBlanc
- Released: WR Damon Hazelton
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: WR JJ Koski
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Will Compton
- Released: S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL James Carpenter, OL Jerald Hawkins
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Travis Toivonen
New York Jets
- Signed: S Elijah Benton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: P Drue Chrisman, LS Rex Sunahara
- Released: DB Linden Stephens, WR Tyler Vaughns
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: S Tony Jefferson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: NT Niles Scott
Cowboys’ Randy Gregory Returns To Practice
An important piece to the Cowboys’ defensive front may be on the way back. Randy Gregory returned to practice Wednesday, according to NFL.com’s Jane Slater (Twitter link). 
The pass rusher had been placed on IR with a calf injury he suffered in a practice drill one month ago. That was a major blow to an improved Cowboys defense, and an interruption in Gregory’s most successful season to date. In seven games, he has recorded five sacks to go along with 12 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles.
The news is the latest welcome sign for Dallas’ defensive line, as two-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence was activated from IR last week. If Gregory is able to return for Sunday’s game against Washington, it would mark the first time since Week 1 that both of the Cowboys’ starting defensive ends were available.
With second-year nose tackle Neville Gallimore also returning to practice, the potential for a healthy defensive line would have an impact on standout rookie Micah Parsons. An off-ball linebacker by trade, the No. 12 overall pick in this year’s draft has been forced to play on the edge for long stretches this year, recording 10 sacks and two forced fumbles.
49ers Add RB Brian Hill To Practice Squad
San Francisco is adding another piece to its running back room. Four-year veteran Brian Hill will join the team’s practice squad, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco (via Twitter). 
A Falcons fifth-round pick in 2017, Hill has spent most of his career in Atlanta. He totaled 982 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 202 carries (an average of 4.7 per carry), adding 38 receptions for 313 yards and one score during his time with the Falcons. Atlanta’s new regime did not re-sign him this offseason.
In between his Atlanta exit and this signing, Hill spent time with the Titans and Browns. The former Wyoming back has yet to see any action this season, however. The Browns released Hill from their practice squad last week.
Injuries in the 49ers’ backfield point to Hill as an option. Elijah Mitchell and Trenton Cannon are dealing with concussions, while Jeff Wilson‘s knee injury also has him in question. Mitchell also went through an MRI on his knee Wednesday, per Maiocco, who adds the scan came back clean (Twitter link). Trey Sermon is on IR and ineligible to return this week. The 49ers’ only sure thing at the position is currently JaMycal Hasty. Although Hasty has seen intermittent work with the 49ers over the past two seasons, he played one offensive snap in San Francisco’s Week 13 game.