Minor NFL Transactions: 12/29/23
Friday’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers (from Lions): LB Trevor Nowaske
- Placed on IR: DE Jonathan Ledbetter (story)
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: G Gabe Jackson
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: DE Sam Kamara
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: K Michael Badgley
- Waived: FB Jason Cabinda
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: FB Jakob Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to the active roster: LB Anthony Barr
Badgley has officially been tabbed as the leg to depend on for the remainder of the season as well as for the Lions’ first playoff run since 2016. Detroit waived Riley Patterson two weeks ago, allowing Badgley to stake his claim on the job once again.
The Cabinda departure is a little surprising, considering the Lions just utilized one of their injured reserve activations on the former linebacker yesterday. Because of that investment, it would make sense to see Cabinda return to Detroit on a practice squad deal here in the next few days.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/29/23
Today’s practice squad moves as we head into the weekend:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Michael Schofield
- Released: DT Chris Smith
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: TE John Samuel Shenker
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Nick Vigil
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/23
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: OL Germain Ifedi
Carolina Panthers
- Signed off 49ers practice squad: OT Ilm Manning
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: P Matt Haack, K Riley Patterson
Detroit Lions
- Waived: DB Chase Lucas, LB Trevor Nowaske
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Reverted to IR: CB Christian Braswell
New York Jets
- Promoted: RB Nick Bawden, DT Bruce Hector
Germain Ifedi‘s underwhelming stint with the Bills has come to an end. The veteran offensive lineman joined the Bills this past offseason and was expected to provide some experienced depth. Instead, Ifedi was inactive for every game this season, and the Bills have decided his roster spot could be put to better use. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg believes this move will likely open a spot for defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
Lions LB James Houston Returns To Practice
The Lions will be getting some reinforcement on both sides of the ball before the playoffs. The Lions designated linebacker James Houston to return from injured reserve today, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The team has also activated fullback Jason Cabinda off injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
Houston returned to practice today, starting his 21-day window to be activated. The second-year pro has been sidelined since the second game of the season thanks to a broken ankle he suffered during a kickoff.
The 2022 sixth-round pick spent a chunk of his rookie season on the practice squad before eventually earning a promotion to the active roster. He was a major contributor for the Lions down the stretch, collecting eight sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 11 QB hits in seven games (two starts).
The Lions could certainly use some pass-rush help opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Charles Harris has found himself in and out of the lineup, while the likes of Romeo Okwara and Julian Okwara have combined for only four sacks.
Cabinda has spent the past four-plus seasons in Detroit, appearing in 45 games while mostly serving as an extra blocker. The veteran last saw the field in Week 3, and he’s spent almost three months on IR while recovering from a knee injury.
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
While the Panthers, Cardinals and Commanders continued their losing ways in Week 16, the Patriots’ effort in Denver shook up the top of the 2024 draft. New England has dropped from second to fourth in the ’24 order.
In a strange spot in which Broncos fans and and undoubtedly many Pats supporters wanted the Russell Wilson-driven comeback to succeed, Chad Ryland‘s 56-yard game-winning field goal dropped New England out of the No. 2 spot, injecting doubt about the team’s ability to nab a top-flight QB prospect without trading up next year.
The Bears (via the Panthers) remain atop the table, holding a one-game lead on the Cardinals. Carolina closes its season with two games against eight-win teams — the Jaguars and Buccaneers. Arizona will face Philadelphia and Seattle, and with Carolina’s strength of schedule at .522 and Arizona’s at .561, the draft-order tiebreaker reaffirms the Bears’ placement on the doorstep of entering a second straight offseason holding a No. 1 overall pick. The Justin Fields matter remains an important big-picture NFL topic, but GM Ryan Poles is close to having his pick of the 2024 QB prospects.
It is not clear if the Commanders will be interested in a quarterback in the first round, but they will have a new regime running the show. The last time Washington held a top-three pick (2020), it passed on Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert due to having drafted Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 first round. With Sam Howell struggling as of late, Josh Harris‘ next set of decision-makers may want to bring in their own prospect. The Cardinals could stand in the Commanders’ way, via another trade in the top three, but suddenly Washington could be a player for a 2024 first-round QB.
Ahead of Week 17, here is how the 2024 draft order looks:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- Arizona Cardinals: 3-12
- Washington Commanders: 4-11
- New England Patriots: 4-11
- New York Giants: 5-10
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-10
- Tennessee Titans: 5-10
- Chicago Bears: 6-9
- New York Jets: 6-9
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-8
- New Orleans Saints: 7-8
- Green Bay Packers: 7-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 7-8
- Denver Broncos: 7-8
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-8
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-7
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-7
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 8-7
- Seattle Seahawks: 8-7
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-7
- Los Angeles Rams: 8-7
- Buffalo Bills: 9-6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 9-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 10-5
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Detroit Lions: 11-4
- Miami Dolphins: 11-4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-4
- San Francisco 49ers: 11-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 12-3
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/23
Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: WR Dan Chisena, WR Kaden Davis
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: FB Keith Smith
- Signed to active roster: TE Tucker Fisk
- Elevated: P Pat O’Donnell, OL John Leglue
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: RB Leonard Fournette
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Gabe Jackson, G J.D. DiRenzo
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: WR Collin Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: S Tanner McCalister, LB Charlie Thomas
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis, RB Malik Davis
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: QB Ben DiNucci, OLB Ronnie Perkins
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: K Michael Badgley (story), TE Anthony Firkser
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: WR Bo Melton, S Benny Sapp
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: WR Ethan Fernea
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: CB Ethan Bonner, OLB Melvin Ingram
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR Lucky Jackson, CB Jaylin Williams
New York Jets
- Elevated: FB Nick Bawden, LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: CB Kelvin Joseph, S Ty Okada
Tennessee Titans
- DB Shyheim Carter, CB Tay Gowan
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: LS Tucker Addington, OL Nolan Laufenberg
The Bills will not have depth running back Ty Johnson available for tonight’s game, leading to the decision to elevate Fournette. The former Super Bowl champion will thus make his Buffalo debut, although with lead back James Cook in the lineup, Fournette will likely not receive many looks on offense. The latter has already returned a kickoff for the first time in his career, however.
Signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad last week, Ingram will also make his 2023 debut in Week 16. The 34-year-old last played during his Miami stint in 2022, during which time he started three games and recorded six sacks. With Jaelan Phillips out for the year, Ingram will look to once again give the Dolphins a rotational presence off the edge.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/21/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: NT Carlos Davis
Detroit Lions
- Released: OL Michael Schofield
New York Jets
- Signed: FB Nick Bawden
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Taylor Stallworth
Taylor Stallworth has found a new home after getting cut by the Titans back in November. The veteran spent the majority of his stint in Tennessee sitting on injured reserve, getting into six defensive snaps in one appearance. The journeyman has spent time with six different squads since going undrafted out of South Carolina in 2018. He got into 32 games with the Colts between 2020 and 2021, collecting 28 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Lions Open Practice Window For S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
After a strong showing with the Super Bowl runner-up Eagles last season, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was considered a significant free agent addition for the Lions back in March. Unfortunately for both parties, Gardner-Johnson only made two starts in Detroit before being placed on injured reserve. Three months later, Gardner-Johnson is finally nearing a return to the active roster, with the Lions officially designating him to return from IR today, per Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman. 
Gardner-Johnson found himself on IR so shortly into the regular season after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle. Initially, a full tear was feared, which usually results in a season-ending diagnosis. While things weren’t “looking good” early, the door has remained open all these weeks later for his return. Almost a week ago, the team announced that the veteran defensive back had been medically cleared to return to play.
Gardner-Johnson was not the only member of Detroit’s secondary to be lost for a significant amount of time. Not long after the team lost Gardner-Johnson early in the season, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley suffered his second ACL tear in as many years. Rookie second-round pick Brian Branch has combined with Cameron Sutton to hold down the cornerbacks group. In Gardner-Johnson’s place, Tracy Walker and Ifeatu Melifonwu have combined to fill a starting role alongside Kerby Joseph.
Now that he’s officially been designated to return, Gardner-Johnson has a 21-day window in which he can practice and eventually be activated off of IR. If he is unable to make a return to the active roster within the three-week period, he will be returned to IR and be unable to be activated during the 2023 season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/20/23
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: FB Ben Mason
Carolina Panthers
- Released: QB Jake Luton
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Craig James
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Izaiah Gathings, WR Anthony Miller
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: CB Troy Pride Jr.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from practice squad/injured reserve: T Silas Dzansi
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
The Panthers’ Week 15 win over the Falcons brought the Patriots and Cardinals, who each lost, one game closer to the No. 1 overall pick. New England’s weaker strength of schedule provides keeps Arizona in the No. 3 spot, while Washington — weeks away from a likely full-scale reboot — has lost five straight to move into position for its first top-five pick since 2020.
Early reports have the Bears more likely to draft Justin Fields‘ replacement than trading a top pick once again, but the Patriots and Cardinals are still in the running for what could well be the Caleb Williams draft slot. Much less drama would emerge if New England claimed the top pick, as the Patriots would be expected to draft the top QB prize. Arizona landing atop the draft for the second time in six years could produce a derby, with Kyler Murray‘s contract difficult (but not impossible) to move for new GM Monti Ossenfort. QB-needy teams may well be hoping the Cardinals land one of the top two spots, however, providing a potential gateway to a trade-up for Williams or Drake Maye.
The Raiders’ 63-21 demolition of the Chargers slid them down six spots compared to their position last week. The Packers also climbed eight spots from their slot going into Week 15. Green Bay has not held a top-11 draft choice since it drafted B.J. Raji in the 2009 first round; that came on the heels of Aaron Rodgers‘ first season at the helm. Jordan Love‘s QB1 debut season could still produce a playoff berth, however, and the rest of the NFC and AFC wild-card races remain tightly bunched.
Here is how the 2024 draft order looks with three regular-season games to play:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- New England Patriots: 3-11
- Arizona Cardinals: 3-11
- Washington Commanders: 4-10
- Chicago Bears: 5-9
- New York Giants: 5-9
- New York Jets: 5-9
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-9
- Tennessee Titans: 5-9
- Atlanta Falcons: 6-8
- Green Bay Packers: 6-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-8
- New Orleans Saints: 7-7
- Denver Broncos: 7-7
- Seattle Seahawks: 7-7
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-7
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Buffalo Bills: 8-6
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-7
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-7
- Los Angeles Rams: 7-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 8-6
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-6
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 9-5
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Detroit Lions: 10-4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 10-4
- Miami Dolphins: 10-4
- Dallas Cowboys: 10-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 11-3
- San Francisco 49ers: 11-3