Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/22
Here are today’s minor moves heading into the Saturday slate of games:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Anthony Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Daylen Baldwin, LB Tae Davis
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: CB Jacobi Francis
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Darrell Baker, LB Forrest Rhyne
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Parry Nickerson
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/22
Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: CB Jace Whittaker, TE Maxx Williams
- Placed on IR: QB Kyler Murray (story)
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: LB Jermaine Carter
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: T Terence Steele (story)
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return: OLB Randy Gregory, T Billy Turner
- Placed on IR: OLB Jacob Martin
- Signed off Dolphins practice squad: WR Freddie Swain
Green Bay Packers
- Activated of non-football injury list: T Caleb Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: QB Jeff Driskel
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed off Dolphins practice squad: CB Kalon Barnes
- Signed to active roster: LB William Kwenkeu
- Placed on IR: T Blake Brandel
New England Patriots
- Designated for return: DT Christian Barmore
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: DL Ryder Anderson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on IR: DL Chris Wormley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: CB Anthony Chesley
Tennessee Titans
- Designated for return: LB Zach Cunningham
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/14/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Marquez Stevenson, LB Storey Jackson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DT Anthony Rush
- Released: OLB Malik Jefferson
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Tyreik McAllister, OLB Wyatt Ray
Houston Texans
- Restored from practice squad injured list: T Jordan Steckler
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Jalen Camp
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DT Khalil Davis, S Richard LeCounte
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR DaeSean Hamilton, CB Ka’dar Hollman
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DT Sheldon Day
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Josh Andrews
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Jaydon Mickens
- Released: T Roy Mbaeteka
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Eric Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OLB Hamilcar Rashed
Browns Place LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah On IR
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah‘s season has effectively come to an end. The Browns announced that they have placed the linebacker on injured reserve.
Owusu-Koramoah suffered a foot injury during Cleveland’s loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. With only four games remaining and JOK eyeing at least a four-game absence, his 2022 campaign has come to end.
The former second-round pick started 10 of his 11 appearances this season, collecting 70 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. This came after a rookie campaign that saw him compile 76 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles en route to PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. Pro Football Focus ranked Owusu-Koramoah 39th among 82 qualifying linebackers this season, but he ranked top-10 at the position in 2021.
As Anthony Poisal of the team’s website points out, Owusu-Koramoah is the Browns fourth linebacker to land on injured reserve after Anthony Walker Jr. (quad), Jacob Phillips (pectoral), and Sione Takitaki (knee). That leaves Tony Fields II, Jordan Kunaszyk, and Reggie Ragland as the team’s lone LBs on the active roster, meaning at least one of practice squad linebackers Jermaine Carter, Tae Davis, Sam Kamara, and/or Storey Jackson will likely earn a promotion.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Carson Strong
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Nate Landman
- Released: OL Parker Ferguson
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Cole Beasley (story)
- Released: WR Marquez Stevenson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Tae Hayes
- Released: RB Nate McCrary
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Storey Jackson
Denver Broncos
- Released: DL McTelvin Agim
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OT Jean Delance, C Michal Menet
- Released: DL Jack Heflin, WR Dede Westbrook
Houston Texans
- Signed: RB Gerrid Doaks, WR D.J. Montgomery
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Robert Foster
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Kana’i Mauga, OT Willie Wright
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Marquiss Spencer
- Placed on IR: LB Marcell Harris
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Anthony Harris, P Brett Kern
- Released: S Marquise Blair, WR Auden Tate
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: QB Kevin Hogan, OL Zach McCloud, G Jordan Roos, WR Jonathan Ward
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/22
Here are the minor moves around the league in advance of the Week 14 slate of games:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed off Titans’ practice squad: QB Logan Woodside
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: QB Anthony Brown, S Ar’Darius Washington
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: WR John Brown
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from NFI list: DL Henry Anderson
- Waived: CB Tae Hayes
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: S Mike Brown, LB Tae Davis
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: T Aviante Collins
- Placed on IR: CB Anthony Brown (story)
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: T Quinn Bailey
- Elevated: G Netane Muti, LB Harvey Langi
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: OL Ross Pierschbacher
- Elevated: LB Jarrad Davis, CB Jarren Williams
- Placed on IR: CB Chase Lucas
Houston Texans
- Elevated: WR Jalen Camp, QB Jeff Driskel
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
- Elevated: LB Ty Summers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: C Hroniss Grasu
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: CB Kemon Hall
- Elevated: DL Christopher Hinton, S Raheem Layne
- Placed on IR: TE Richard Rodgers
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: WR Freddie Swain
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: S Myles Dorn, CB Tay Gowan
New York Giants
- Elevated: DT Ryder Anderson, CB Zyon Gilbert
New York Jets
- Elevated: LB Marcell Harris
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: LB Christian Elliss
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: RB Tevin Coleman, S Dontae Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from PUP list: LB Jon Rhattigan
- Elevated: RB Godwin Igwebuike, WR Laquon Treadwell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: LB K.J. Britt
- Elevated: WR Deven Thompkins, S Nolan Turner
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: WR Chris Conley, LB Jack Gibbens, CB Greg Mabin
- Activated from IR: WR Racey McMath, CB Josh Thompson
- Elevated: RB Julius Chestnut, CB Davontae Harris
- Placed on IR: LB David Long
- Released: DL Larrell Murchison, OL Jordan Roos
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
The NFL now has its first teams eliminated from playoff contention. The Texans and Bears, as they essentially have been doing throughout this season, are playing for next year. Other eliminations will soon follow, as the league’s playoff picture heats up.
Through that lens, the 2023 draft order will become an increasingly more pertinent topic. The 2023 draft will present an interesting subplot near its outset. Traded picks are set to produce early selections for the Seahawks, Lions and Eagles. Each of those picks currently land in the top five, as the teams on the other end of those trades — the Broncos, Rams and Saints — have disappointed, spectacularly so in Los Angeles and Denver’s cases.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order would look entering Week 14:
- Houston Texans: 1-10-1
- Chicago Bears: 3-9
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Carolina Panthers: 4-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-8
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-8
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-8-1
- Atlanta Falcons: 5-8
- Green Bay Packers: 5-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 5-7
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-7
- Detroit Lions: 5-7
- Los Angeles Chargers: 6-6
- New England Patriots: 6-6
- Washington Commanders: 7-5-1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-6*
- Seattle Seahawks: 7-5*
- Tennessee Titans: 7-5*
- New York Jets: 7-5*
- New York Giants: 7-4-1*
- Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)*
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-4*
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-4*
- Dallas Cowboys: 9-3*
- Kansas City Chiefs: 9-3*
- Minnesota Vikings: 10-2*
- Buffalo Bills: 9-3*
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-1*
* = Denotes playoff team
The 2023 first round will resemble 2008 and 2016, when the Patriots were docked their Round 1 pick for their respective “gate” scandals. This year’s Dolphins saga never developed “gate” status, but the team lost a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-rounder due to the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering case. Thus, a 31-pick first round will commence.
While the Broncos, Rams and Browns lost their first-round picks due to trades for quarterbacks, the Saints passed theirs to the Eagles in this year’s pre-draft trade that allowed New Orleans a path toward moving up for Chris Olave. The No. 16 pick which was initially transferred from the Colts to the Eagles in 2021’s Carson Wentz trade was then moved to the Saints, netting Philadelphia a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 second.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/22
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Reverted to season-ending IR: OL Jalen Mayfield
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Buccaneers): WR Jaelon Darden
- Signed off Raiders’ practice squad: LB Reggie Ragland
- Placed on IR: WR Anthony Schwartz
Denver Broncos
- Signed off Rams’ practice squad: DL Elijah Garcia
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return: WR Quintez Cephus
Houston Texans
- Claimed (from Chiefs): DT Taylor Stallworth
- Designated for return: S Grayland Arnold, LB Jonathan Greenard
- Waived: DT Michael Dwumfour
Los Angeles Rams
- Reverted to season-ending IR: G David Edwards
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: TE Ben Ellefson, CB Akayleb Evans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Designated for return: LB K.J. Britt
Ellefson came off IR just last week and did not play in the Vikings’ matchup against the Jets. A nagging groin injury will send the third-year tight end back to IR. Although the new IR rules allow for players to be activated twice from IR, Minnesota’s injury-return math may come into play by the time Ellefson’s second activation window opens (Week 18).
In Darden, Browns snagged the NFL’s punt-return yards leader. The 2021 Bucs fourth-rounder has not seen much action on offense, with Tampa Bay oozing experience at the receiver position. But he has been Tampa Bay’s primary punt returner. Darden has totaled 330 punt-return yards this season. A 2021 third-round pick, Schwartz sustained a concussion that has sent him to IR. Ragland has spent the past month on the Raiders’ taxi squad. The Browns are the former second-round pick’s fifth team in four seasons; the ex-Jets draftee was with the Chiefs, Lions and Giants from 2019-21. After losing Anthony Walker and Jacob Phillips earlier this year, the Browns moved Sione Takitaki to IR with an ACL tear this week.
A rotational cog for the Saints, Colts and Chiefs during his five-year career, Stallworth played only 14% of Kansas City’s defensive snaps this season. He committed a third-down roughing-the-passer penalty during a Bengals touchdown drive in Week 13. The Texans had already used one of their injury activations on Dwumfour; the 1-10-1 team has three remaining. Greenard, who led the 2021 Texans with eight sacks, has been on the shelf since going down with a calf injury in an October practice.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/22
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: WR Marquez Stevenson
- Signed from practice squad: DT C.J. Brewer
Carolina Panthers
- Signed from practice squad: CB T.J. Carrie
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed from practice squad: P Drue Chrisman (story)
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: LB Sione Takitaki (story)
Denver Broncos
- Waived: OL Quinn Bailey, S Anthony Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: DT Taylor Stallworth
New Orleans Saints
- Released from reserve/PUP list: TE Dylan Soehner
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: DE Janarius Robinson
- Waived: S Andre Chachere
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: S Josh Jones
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: WR Jaelon Darden
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: FB Tory Carter, OLB Sam Okuayinonu
Prior to waiving Stevenson, the Bills activated the second-year wide receiver from IR, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The procedural move would allow Stevenson — should he clear waivers — to return to Buffalo on a practice squad agreement. This will still count toward Buffalo’s eight injury activations, but the team still has six remaining. A 2021 sixth-round pick, Stevenson combined for 21 punt- and kick-return reps as a rookie.
The Eagles placed Robert Quinn on IR on Tuesday but will have a reinforcement in Robinson, a 2021 Vikings fourth-round pick. The Eagles signed Robinson off the Vikings’ practice squad in mid-September. He has yet to play in an NFL game.
A former franchise-tagged player, Harris was unable to carve out much of a role in Denver. The ex-Vikings and Eagles starter only played in three games for the Broncos, who signed him just before the season. Despite having a six-INT season on his resume, the 31-year-old defender did not play a defensive snap with the Broncos.
Browns LB Sione Takitaki Tears ACL
The Browns are having persistent trouble keeping linebackers healthy. They lost another starter Sunday, with Kevin Stefanski confirming Sione Takitaki will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear.
Takitaki’s ACL injury follows Anthony Walker‘s torn quadriceps tendon and Jacob Phillips‘ torn pec. This is obviously a chunk of second-level experience lost for a 5-7 Browns team facing a run-the-table scenario in order to make a playoff push.
This comes at a brutal point for Takitaki, who is months away from his first crack at unrestricted free agency. A former third-round pick out of BYU, Takitaki has started 29 games for the Browns, who drafted him during John Dorsey‘s GM tenure. With that regime no longer in place, it will be interesting to see how the Browns handle the fourth-year defender’s free agency. Takitaki, Walker and Deion Jones are eligible to hit the market in 2023. The team’s restructure with Jones, upon acquiring him from Atlanta, took a year off his Falcons-constructed extension.
Takitaki broke into Cleveland’s starting lineup during the franchise’s best season since rebooting, and he both notched a regular-season pick-six in that 2020 slate and intercepted Ben Roethlisberger during a COVID-affected Browns team’s wild-card upset win. This season, Pro Football Focus rates Takitaki (71 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble) as the Browns’ best off-ball ‘backer and a top-30 player at the position. This injury should affect his market, however. With Takitaki (28 in June) on the older end for a first-time free agent, this is a tough setback.
Cleveland still has Jones and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah healthy. Despite his pedigree, the longtime Falcons starter has worked mostly as a backup since the October trade. Although Jones has started two games with Cleveland, he has yet to exceed 20 snaps since his most recent start (Week 10). More should be needed from the seventh-year defender following the team’s latest linebacker injury, but second-year ‘backer Tony Fields has started the past two games. He played a career-high 33 defensive snaps against the Texans.