Here are today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
Carolina Panthers
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
New England Patriots
Here are today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
Denver Broncos
Las Vegas Raiders
Philadelphia Eagles
Tennessee Titans
One of the more disappointing teams in recent memory, the Broncos have now lost four in a row. Despite hiring an offensive-minded head coach (Nathaniel Hackett), Denver’s offense ranks last in scoring (14.3 points per game). As a result of this offense-geared losing skid, vultures are circling.
Jerry Jeudy‘s name continues to come up in trade rumors, and Troy Renck of Denver7 adds (via Twitter) teams are interested in Bradley Chubb as well. While Jeudy can be controlled through 2024 via the fifth-year option, Chubb is playing on his fifth-year option ($12.7MM). His contract expires in March. Considering where the Broncos’ season has headed, it is certainly unsurprising to see teams show interest in a contract-year pass rusher.
Denver stockpiled an edge-rushing surplus this offseason, but that has deteriorated over the past few weeks. The depth led the Broncos to trade Malik Reed to the Steelers before setting their 53-man roster, but injuries have hit this position group hard. Randy Gregory remains on IR due to arthroscopic knee surgery, and the Broncos placed backup Aaron Patrick on IR recently. He is out for the season. Baron Browning, who has thrived after moving from inside to outside linebacker this offseason, left Sunday’s game with an injury. Browning is expected to miss several weeks because of the hip injury sustained, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
With Gregory on IR and Browning perhaps headed there, the Broncos would seemingly have a tough time unloading Chubb. The former No. 5 overall pick has battled injuries during his career — one that saw minimal contributions in 2019 and 2021 due to knee and ankle trouble, respectively — but may be a candidate for the franchise tag come March. Chubb, 26, is enjoying a bounce-back contract year; he has a team-high 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles through seven games. Chubb’s re-emergence has helped the Broncos maintain a top-tier defense; the unit sits in the top three in points and yards allowed.
Gregory is under contract through 2026, at just $14MM per year, but the longtime Cowboy has now undergone three surgeries this year. His replacement, Browning, is under contract through 2024 and has shown bright flashes since being moved to the edge. The Broncos have rookie second-rounder Nik Bonitto and 2021 seventh-round pick Jonathan Cooper as its top backup edge defenders. The former stands to start in Browning’s place opposite Chubb in Week 8.
Given Gregory and Browning’s contract statuses and the price Chubb figures to command on his second deal, the Broncos entertaining offers would not surprise. They are 2-5 and have obtained value for high-profile pieces at recent trade deadlines. Denver dealt Super Bowl 50 cogs Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Von Miller from 2018-21. The Miller deal helped the Broncos trade for Russell Wilson, but that swap stripped the team of first- and second-round picks in 2023. A Chubb trade would be a way accumulate a Day 2 pick the team lost from the Wilson deal, but it also would mean bailing on a future with the North Carolina State product.
As for Jeudy, Renck notes the third-year wideout continues to generate interest (Twitter link). The Broncos are hesitant to trade the former first-rounder, whom Renck notes is close with Wilson. Denver is tied to Wilson through at least 2025, and Jeudy would seemingly profile as a building-block player around the high-priced quarterback next year compared to a trade asset. The Broncos have Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick under long-term contract, on deals ($15MM and $10MM per year, respectively) that look rather team-friendly given where the receiver market went in 2022. Jeudy becomes extension-eligible in 2023. This year’s trade deadline falls on Nov. 1, and the Broncos will now be one of the teams to watch.
It took four picks for the 49ers to pry Christian McCaffrey from the Panthers. No strangers to exiting trade or free agency sweepstakes with wins, the Rams made a similar offer. It came down to a Day 3 pick for San Francisco’s proposal to win out.
The Rams offered the Panthers second- and third-round 2023 picks, along with fourth- and fifth-rounders in 2024, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. The defending Super Bowl champions also included Cam Akers in their proposal, Breer adds, but the Panthers went with the 49ers’ offer because it included a fourth-rounder in 2023 as opposed to 2024.
Last year’s Sony Michel trade stripped the Rams of their 2023 fourth-rounder; the team sent the Patriots fourth- and sixth-round picks for Michel. The Rams have their first-, second- and third-round picks in 2024, for now, but are not believed to have included any of those choices in their McCaffrey proposal. The value of the 2023 selections will come down to how the NFC West teams finish this season, but the Panthers still viewed the 49ers’ offer as more attractive.
[RELATED: Bills Did Not Make Offer For McCaffrey]
Los Angeles is still trying to move Akers, who could be a chip for the teams that missed out on McCaffrey. However, one of the teams involved in the sweepstakes moved on with a cheaper solution. The Broncos signed Marlon Mack on Monday morning, doing so in the wake of losing Mike Boone suffering an ankle injury against the Jets. Denver adding McCaffrey at this point, amid an October freefall, would have made less sense than the All-Pro back going to a 2022 contender.
Mentioned as a McCaffrey suitor, the Broncos joined the Eagles in making noncompetitive offers, Breer adds. Both teams are believed to have made offers involving third- or fourth-round picks to see if the Panthers were keen on taking a discount to move the high-priced running back. Considering what the Rams and 49ers proposed, the Broncos and Eagles’ efforts were nonstarters for the Panthers.
Midway through last season, the Eagles pivoted to a run-based attack around Jalen Hurts. The team has Miles Sanders atop its backfield depth chart, but the former second-round pick is in a contract year. Ditto Boston Scott. Kenneth Gainwell and Trey Sermon are each signed through 2024, though neither is obviously close to McCaffrey’s level. McCaffrey would have been an interesting piece for Philly, given his passing-game prowess. The Eagles’ offense has not involved much usage for backs through the air; Sanders leads Philly’s backs with 11 catches for 42 yards this season. And it does not sound like the Eagles, who have been in many trade derbies under Howie Roseman, were too interested here.
The first team to call the Panthers on McCaffrey, the 49ers put the trade prize to work quickly. McCaffrey received 10 touches Sunday against the Chiefs, despite not going through a full practice with his new team yet. Rather than add Akers as a CMC replacement, the Panthers turned to backups D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard in Week 7. The duo combined for a staggering 208 scrimmage yards against the Buccaneers on Sunday. Foreman is on an expiring contract; Hubbard’s rookie deal runs through 2024.
A different quarterback produced the same result for the Broncos yesterday, as the team’s losing streak extended to four games. Denver appears likely to have their No. 1 signal-caller back in time for their Week 8 game against the Jaguars, though. 
[RELATED: Broncos Sign RB Mack]
When asked if Russell Wilson will return in time for this Sunday’s contest, head coach Nathaniel Hackett said, “He’s trending in that direction. He did everything he could to try to be there, but it was just a little early with that short week. Hopefully, we’ll see him out there and if not, we’ll be smart with him, too.”
Wilson suffered a hamstring injury during Denver’s MNF loss to the Chargers. The severity of the ailment – which came not long after he also picked up lat and shoulder injuries earlier this year – put Wilson’s Week 7 availability in serious doubt. To little surprise, then, Denver took the cautious approach of starting Brett Rypien yesterday.
The former UDFA’s performance – 225 scoreless yards on 24-of-46 passing, and one interception – certainly didn’t stand out. Given the team’s struggles on offense, however, it was not out of place with Wilson’s showing in his first year in the Mile High City. The nine-time Pro Bowler has completed less than 59% of his passes this season, throwing just five touchdowns and averaging 7.3 yards per attempt.
Wilson’s participation in practice this week will, of course, be worth monitoring in the build-up to Denver’s next game. The fact that he lobbied to play yesterday speaks to his willingness to suit up at less than full health, something which the coaching staff must weigh against a long-term view and the increasing urgency they face to meet the offseason’s lofty expectations.
The Broncos have once again added a veteran to their backfield. Denver has signed running back Marlon Mack to their active roster off of the 49ers’ practice squad (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). 
The loss of Javonte Williams due to an ACL tear left Denver without their top rusher for the remainder of the campaign. That led to an expectation that Melvin Gordon would take on No. 1 duties, but the veteran was benched after playing just nine snaps in the team’s loss to the Chargers in Week 6. Things changed yesterday, as Gordon logged a 51% snap share and started the Broncos’ loss to the Jets – something head coach Nathaniel Hackett had confirmed would happen during the week (video link via Mike Klis of 9News).
Earlier this month, Denver also looked to the Saints’ taxi squad for insurance, signing Latavius Murray to their active roster. He was joined in the backfield by Gordon and Mike Boone; the latter suffered an ankle injury yesterday, however, and was seen in a walking boot after the game, per Schefter’s colleague Jeff Legwold (Twitter link).
That accelerated Denver’s pursuit of Mack, who will now join the team as they depart today for London in preparation for their game against the Jaguars. The 26-year-old had a modest rookie season with the Colts in 2017, but emerged as the team’s lead back the following year. He eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark in 2019, but his production had cratered since then.
Looking to regain his form – and a starter’s role – Mack signed with the Texans this offseason, but was released during roster cutdowns. He initially stayed put on their taxi squad, but joined San Francisco in the wake of Elijah Mitchell‘s MCL sprain. In two appearances with the 49ers, Mack played sparingly on special teams. The acquisition of Christian McCaffrey lowered his chances of seeing significant time on offense even further.
Just over two years removed from the Achilles tear which derailed his career, Mack will now look for another fresh start as the Broncos continue to search for consistency in the running game.
Franchises looking for an upgrade at receiver should have their opportunities before the trade deadline comes, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. While the Panthers seem determined to hold onto D.J. Moore, it appears that Texans wideout Brandin Cooks, Steelers receiver Chase Claypool, and Broncos pass catcher Jerry Jeudy are all names generating interest in the trade markets. 
Cooks is in his third season with his fourth NFL team after getting traded three times before. If Cooks does get dealt again, he’ll tie running back Eric Dickerson for the most trades in a career with four. Cooks has been dependable as a top target at every stop of his career. There have only been two seasons, one being his rookie year, in which he failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving. He’s a veteran that can lead a room and add production on all levels of the passing game.
Claypool is in his third season with the Steelers after getting drafted out of Notre Dame. Claypool exploded onto the scene as a rookie, racking up 873 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns. He continued a lot of the same production in his sophomore season, totaling 860 yards but only found the endzone twice. This year, with new quarterbacks, Claypool’s on track to finish along the same stat lines, but, with rookie wideout George Pickens starting to out-produce him, the Steelers may be seeing Claypool as an expendable asset.
Jeudy is also a third-year receiver who was expected to have a breakout year this season for the Broncos. His production has been plenty serviceable so far this year, but, as Denver’s offense continues to sputter, the team might be shifting into sell-mode. Jeudy represents one of the more talented and promising assets in Denver. If quarterback Russell Wilson fails to get the Broncos to be more competitive, Jeudy and his rookie contract could be headed somewhere new.
There are plenty of teams who are hungry for some new receiving options. The Ravens have been relying on Devin Duvernay and Demarcus Robinson as Rashod Bateman deals with injuries. The Packers has seen injuries hurt their production, as well. They’ve been utilizing Allen Lazard alongside a mix of whoever is healthy out of Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb, and a pair of rookies. Also in the NFC North, the Bears could certainly use some proven playmakers to supplement a receiving corps led by Darnell Mooney and Dante Pettis.
We’re bound to see some fireworks as the trade deadline nears. It’s starting to look like the stars may align to move some productive pass catchers to needy homes.
After Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett initially asserted that quarterback Russell Wilson would be a gametime decision, the first-year head coach decided to exercise caution today and announce that the team would hold back their big-money passer in order to allow his hamstring injury to heal and prevent a lingering issue down the line, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Denver will turn to third-year quarterback Brett Rypien to start in Wilson’s absence. 
Wilson suffered the injury in last week’s overtime loss to the Chargers but was able to stay in and complete the game. Wilson felt he could play this week against the Jets, but Hackett will err on the side of caution and hold him out. Schefter also reports that Wilson’s injury will be re-evaluated next week to determine if he will even be able to return against the Jaguars when the Broncos travel to London.
Rypien will start his first game since his rookie season in 2020. Oddly enough, Rypien’s first start was also against the Jets. Rypien gave the Broncos their first win of the season that year with a performance that showcased both some good and some bad. In the lone start, Rypien completed 19 of 31 passes for 242 yards and 2 touchdowns but also gave away three interceptions. Regardless, he led the Broncos to a nine-point win over the Jets and will hope for a similar outcome tomorrow.
In a related move, the Broncos have used one of their gameday elevations on veteran, journeyman quarterback Josh Johnson to back up Rypien. Johnson started a game as recently as last year, when he subbed in on an injury-riddled Ravens offense that was without Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. Johnson put forth an impressive performance in that game completing 28 of 40 pass attempts for 304 yards and two touchdowns, along with one interception.
The team will utilize their second gameday promotion on practice squad long snapper Mitchell Fraboni.
The Packers and veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb were granted a silver-lining after hearing that what was feared to be a season-ending broken ankle was potentially a high ankle sprain that would require several weeks of recovery. The diagnosis of a high ankle sprain was confirmed, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, and Cobb told reporters that he “expects to return in two to six weeks,” a much more optimistic timeline than what was initially feared.
Green Bay had lost another veteran receiver when Sammy Watkins was placed on injured reserve back in September. Watkins was the team’s leading receiver at the time and now the Packers will lose their second-leading receiver as Cobb is being considered for an IR stint. With no Cobb and Watkins, and with rookie receiver Christian Watson also ailing, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has only Allen Lazard, Romeo Doubs, Amari Rodgers, and Samori Toure as targets out wide. Head coach Matt LaFleur did express some optimism that Watkins could be working his way towards a return soon, though.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the league:
Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Denver Broncos
Washington Commanders
Patrick is being placed on injured reserve after an awkward collision on the sideline with a member of the media led to a torn ACL. He becomes the fifth Bronco to suffer the dreaded knee injury since training camp, following wide receiver Tim Patrick, running back Javonte Williams, cornerback Ronald Darby, and running back Damarea Crockett.