Jalen Reagor

Patriots Submit Offer To WR Calvin Ridley

The Patriots’ reported interest in receiver Calvin Ridley is very real. According to Josina Anderson, the Patriots have made an offer to the free agent wideout.

[RELATED: Patriots Pursuing Calvin Ridley]

The organization is also opting to “keep a deal on the table” following today’s reports that focused on the interesting logistics of the previous Jaguars/Falcons trade. If Jacksonville re-signs Ridley before 2pm tomorrow, they’ll owe Atlanta a second-round pick. If they wait beyond that deadline and re-sign the receiver, the Jaguars would only owe the Falcons a third-round pick.

This led some pundits to believe that Ridley was destined to return to Jacksonville and was simply biding his time to provide his organization with better draft capital. However, it sounds like the Patriots are still very much in the hunt, and it’ll be interesting to see how negotiations progress over the next 24 hours.

New England holds more than $80MM in cap space, and with Ridley sitting atop the WR market, it only made sense that the Patriots would target the free agent for their new-look offense. The team moved on from Mac Jones and added veteran Jacoby Brissett, and the organization appears to be leaning towards selecting a QB with the third-overall pick. Ridley would represent an intriguing target for whoever is under center for the Patriots in 2024 and beyond.

The Patriots’ receivers struggled in 2023, although that was partly due to the team’s inconsistent play at quarterback. The team has already moved on from DeVante Parker and is looking to unload JuJu Smith-Schuster, leaving plenty of question marks atop the depth chart. The team did agree to new deals with Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Reagor, but the rest of their depth chart features unproven options like Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, and Kayshon Boutte.

Patriots Re-Sign WR Jalen Reagor

Jalen Reagor has played for three different teams in as many years, but he will find short-term stability in 2024. The former first-round wideout has re-signed with the Patriots on a one-year deal. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes the pact is worth almost $1.3MM and includes $443K in guaranteed money.

While Reagor will likely be tied to Justin Jefferson for the rest of his career, the 2020 draftee does have a chance to play a fifth NFL season. The TCU product has not panned out as a wide receiver, but multiple teams — the Vikings and Patriots — have brought him in to help in the return game.

Reagor joined the Patriots practice squad at the end of the 2023 preseason and ended up getting into 11 games for the big-league squad. He returned seven kickoffs during his time in New England (including a 98-yard touchdown), but he also got into 308 offensive snaps. That didn’t necessarily translate into production; while Reagor garnered 23 targets, he turned that into only seven catches for 138 yards.

The former first-round pick started his career with the Eagles, with Philly selecting him one pick ahead of his future All-Pro teammate in Jefferson. Reagor hauled in 64 catches through his two seasons with the Eagles before he was traded to Minnesota in 2022. During his lone season with the Vikings, the receiver hauled in eight catches while serving as the team’s primary punt returner.

The Patriots could have some open reps at WR next season. The team moved on from DeVante Parker and is looking to ditch JuJu Smith-Schuster, meaning the team could have a spot open for a reclamation project like Reagor.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/26/23

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Reagor has been called up as a standard gameday elevation three times now for the Patriots, the maximum under a single practice squad contract. It remains to be seen if he will stick on the team’s active roster, but if he’s going to see any more game action this year, the promotion was a necessary one. He’s obviously able to play while on the active roster, but if the team were to release him and re-sign him to the practice squad, he would have the ability to be elevated three more times on the new deal.

The Bills and Buccaneers are making their standard gameday elevations for Thursday Night Football tonight. Veterans Isabella and Norman will both be making their season debuts if they see the field tonight in Buffalo, as will LeCounte and Senat for the Bucs. Norman has a good chance to see the field with Kaiir Elam out and Tre’Davious White still on injured reserve. Senat likewise should get a chance to rotate in for Tampa with Vita Vea currently inactive.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23

Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos 

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.

The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.

Patriots Place Matt Judon On IR, Activate Tyquan Thornton, Sign Malik Cunningham To Active Roster

The Patriots opted for a busy weekend in the personnel office with today’s transactions. They started by activating wide receiver Tyquan Thornton from injured reserve. Unfortunately, this was followed up by the team finally deciding to place star pass rusher Matt Judon on IR, along with recently acquired tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. With a new spare roster spot, New England signed practice squad quarterback Malik Cunningham to the active roster. Finally, the Patriots announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations would be defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms and wide receiver Jalen Reagor.

Let’s start with Thornton. One of the couple of moves here aimed at providing a spark on the offensive side of the ball, bringing back Thornton was a necessity. As JuJu Smith-Schuster and Demario Douglas deal with injuries, Thornton will come in as a reinforcement to earn targets alongside DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, and Kayshon Boutte. Thornton didn’t quite live up to the high expectations of his draft stock last year as a rookie, but he’s one of the few returning receivers that quarterback Mac Jones worked with last year. He’ll hope to redeem himself a bit in Year 2 with the Patriots.

After multiple reports that he would be out indefinitely, Judon has finally been placed on IR. Based on the team slow-playing that transaction, it was already doubtful that Judon would make a return this season. Now, the earliest he could return from IR would be in Week 10. He’s joined on IR by Wheatley Jr., who was acquired in the trade that sent running back Pierre Strong to Cleveland.

The addition of Cunningham is an interesting move. He has the potential to provide a spark on offense in two ways. New England has worked him out plenty at wide receiver since signing him as an undrafted free agent, but Cunningham surpassed a lot of Lamar Jackson‘s passing marks as a quarterback at Louisville, ranking fourth all-time for passing yards and fifth all-time for passing touchdowns. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Cunningham’s return to the active roster will result in a three-year contract.

This will be Pharm’s third game being called up from the practice squad. He’s gotten a few snaps rotating in on the defensive line in the team’s last two blowout losses. Reagor was called up last week but didn’t actually see the field.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/23

Today’s callups and adjustments heading into Week 2:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/31/23

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: WR Kaden Davis, OL Marquis Hayes

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Vikings To Sign RB Myles Gaskin, Waive WR Jalen Reagor

Joining Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert in re-signing with the Dolphins, Myles Gaskin became the odd man out. Given the lack of guarantees in his contract, this was a predictable development. But Gaskin will have another chance soon.

The Vikings are expected to sign the veteran running back to their 53-man roster, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This will reunite Gaskin with ex-Dolphins HC Brian Flores, who became the Vikes’ defensive coordinator this offseason.

Minnesota completed a drawn-out separation with Dalvin Cook, and while the Dolphins initially loomed as the most likely suitor, they stood down. Miami still kept other backs (Wilson, Mostert, Salvon Ahmed, third-rounder Devon Achane, UDFA Chris Brooks) over Gaskin, who played with the team for four seasons. Cook’s Minnesota exit leaves Alexander Mattison atop the NFC North club’s RB depth chart. Gaskin will make his case to be a contributor on a second NFL team.

Rather than create a roster spot with a post-cutdown-day IR move, which will be a common transaction today, the Vikings are waiving Jalen Reagor. The former first-round pick will be off Minnesota’s roster Wednesday, Schefter adds. The Vikings acquired Reagor via trade last year, picking him up from the Eagles on the day after setting their initial 2022 53-man roster. But the player Philly chose ahead of Justin Jefferson will not play a second season in Minnesota’s Jefferson-fronted receiving corps.

Reagor trade rumors re-emerged Tuesday, but no deal transpired. Rather than the Vikings convincing a team to take on Reagor’s $2.42MM fully guaranteed salary, the team will be hit with dead money. Offset language being present in the deal, however, will help the Vikings in the event Reagor signs elsewhere, per the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Ben Goessling.

After washing out with the Eagles, Reagor did not make a notable impact with the Vikings. The TCU alum caught eight passes for 104 yards while serving as a regular punt returner with his second NFL team. Claiming Reagor would mean another club would be responsible for that $2.42MM; a free agency stay seems likelier to take place for the 2020 No. 21 overall pick.

The Vikings kept six wideouts Tuesday, with 2022 sixth-rounder Jalen Nailor and return man Brandon Powell joining starters Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison. Powell returned both punts and kicks for the Rams last season and will be the logical Reagor replacement as the Vikes’ punt returner.

Gaskin joins Ty Chandler and kick returner Kene Nwangwu behind Mattison on Minnesota’s running back depth chart. Mattison’s two incumbent backups have not gained much experience on offense, with the Cook-Mattison hierarchy in place from 2019-22. Minnesota is believed to view Mattison as a capable three-down back, but with the recently re-signed backup not having performed in this role before, RB depth behind him is a bit more important for the team compared to previous years.

The Dolphins used Gaskin as a backfield regular in 2020 and ’21. Under Flores, the former seventh-round pick 1,196 rushing yards in those seasons; he topped out at 4.1 yards per carry (in 2021) during that span. Under Mike McDaniel last season, Gaskin played in only four games and worked as a seldom-used backup. The Dolphins placed Gaskin on IR in December, after they had acquired Wilson via trade.

Vikings Receiving Trade Calls On WR Jalen Reagor

The Vikings traded for Jalen Reagor almost exactly one year ago, but he could be on the move again soon. Minnesota has fielded calls on the availability of the former first-round receiver, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Reagor was one of six wideouts to hear his name called on Day 1 of the 2020 draft, but his NFL tenure has not gone as well as some of his classmates. He saw a healthy 67% snap share in each of his two seasons with the Eagles, collecting 695 yards on 64 receptions over that span. He also served as Philadelphia’s punt returner in 2021, but his struggles in that capacity left him on the trade block last offseason.

The 24-year-old was dealt to the Vikings during roster cutdowns, which provided him a fresh start and allowed the Eagles to move forward with their new 1-2 punch at the position in the form of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Reagor played all 17 games in Minnesota, but he was buried on the depth chart and logged only 82 snaps on offense. As a result, his statline (eight catches, 104 yards, one touchdown) left plenty to be desired.

With his fifth-year option understandably having been declined, Reagor is entering the final season of his rookie pact in 2023. A strong showing proving that he can translate his success as a deep threat at TCU would help his free agent stock considerably, and potentially price him out of Minnesota. The Vikings have extensions for Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson to attend to amongst their pass-catchers, so recouping draft capital for Reagor at this time of year or closer to the trade deadline would come as little surprise.

Given his struggles to produce either as a receiver or a returner, a tepid market is likely in place for teams looking to acquire Reagor on what could be a one-year rental. His age and draft stock could help him land an expanded role in another new environment, though, so it will be worth watching how the Vikings proceed in the coming hours as teams sort out their final roster cuts.

Vikings To Pass On WR Jalen Reagor’s Fifth-Year Option

In one of the easier calls among this year’s fifth-year option decisions, the Vikings are passing on Jalen Reagor‘s. Minnesota, which assumed this responsibility after acquiring Reagor via trade last summer, will decline to give the receiver/returner a 2024 salary guarantee, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes.

Had the Vikings exercised this option before today’s deadline, Reagor would have been due a $12.99MM fully guaranteed salary in 2024. Given the 5-foot-11 pass catcher’s performance in Philadelphia and low usage rate in Minnesota, he was never a candidate to see his option picked up.

[RELATED: 2024 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]

The Eagles were not the only receiver-needy team to pass on Justin Jefferson, but while the previous two teams that did so — the Broncos and Cowboys — landed locked-in starters in Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, Philly missed badly on Reagor. The TCU product went 21st overall — one spot in front of his current Vikings teammate — and is believed to have been a preference of Howie Roseman‘s and then-Eagles coaches (whereas the scouting consensus was Jefferson).

Reagor, 24, became wildly unpopular with Eagles fans, as the team had previously whiffed on a 2019 receiver investment (second-rounder JJ Arcega-Whiteside) and has not eclipsed 400 yards in a season yet. Months of trade rumors followed the second-generation NFLer last year, and the Vikings sent the Eagles two draft choices for Reagor — a 2023 seventh-rounder and a conditional fifth in 2024 — just before last season began.

Still rostering Adam Thielen last season, the Vikings did not give Reagor many opportunities. Jefferson, Thielen and K.J. Osborn operated as the team’s top three wideouts. Reagor caught eight passes for 104 yards and a touchdown during his Minnesota debut. The team has since released Thielen, but first-rounder Jordan Addison is now in the fold. This stands to effectively keep Reagor’s ceiling at the WR4 level. Reagor did work as the Vikes’ primary punt returner last season, averaging 6.4 yards per return.