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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/17/23

October 17th, 2023 at 9:27pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Signed: OT Jalen McKenzie
  • Released: WR Malik Flowers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

Frank Clark Likely To Return To Chiefs?

October 13th, 2023 at 7:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

As they recently did with Randy Gregory, the Broncos have elected to quickly move on from Frank Clark. The latter edge rusher is set to hit free agency, and his next destination may be a familiar one.

Clark’s release will hit the transactions wire on Saturday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. Once that takes place, he will be free to sign anywhere in a bid to find a better playing situation and in doing so rebuild some of his value ahead of his next contract in March. The Broncos were unable to find a trade partner willing to give up assets to acquire the two-time Super Bowl winner, and the team with which he won those titles could bring him back.

Schefter reports that “the most likely scenario” in Clark’s case is a reunion with the Chiefs. The 30-year-old spent the past four seasons in Kansas City as the team’s top outside pass rusher before making the intra-divisional move in the offseason. Clark signed a one-year, $5MM deal with the Broncos but he recently agreed to a restructure which would have made his pact easier to absorb by an acquiring team. Now, Kansas City or any other interested party will be able to add him on any set of new terms.

Clark’s best seasons in terms of regular season sack totals came during his time in Seattle, but he proved himself to be an effective compliment to defensive tackle Chris Jones during his Kansas City tenure. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods with the Chiefs from 2019-21, collecting 10.5 total sacks in the playoffs across his time there. A reunion would make plenty of sense for both parties, but the defending champions have fared quite well without Clark so far.

Kansas City ranks in the top five in both scoring and total defense in 2023. The 5-1 team’s new-look edge rush group (which is still led in very large part by the presence of Jones along the interior) has racked up 17 sacks. Recent first-round defensive ends George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah have combined to register only two sacks, though, so a role would be available for Clark if he were to trek back to Kansas City. The Chiefs currently have $3.8MM in cap space, so any potential Clark agreement would need to be a modest one.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/13/23

October 13th, 2023 at 7:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

Paschal has missed the last four games due to a knee injury, but he could be back after sitting the minimum amount of time required by an IR designation. The 2022 third-rounder returned to practice on Friday, opening his 21-day window to be activated. He could be brought back as early as tomorrow, which would allow him to suit up in Week 6. Paschal recorded a pair of sacks as a rookie and will look to carry on in a rotational role as part of Detroit’s deep edge rush contingent. The Lions have seven IR activations remaining.

Omenihu was given a six-week suspension to start the season, his first with the Chiefs. Now that his ban has been served, he has been given a one-week roster exemption to allow Kanas City time to find a permanent roster spot for him. The former third-rounder has 61 appearances with the Texans and 49ers, and he will add at least a depth presence along the defending champions’ D-line.

Chiefs’ Justin Watson To Miss Extended Time

October 13th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:00pm: An MRI has produced encouraging results in Watson’s case. No signficant damage was found, per Rapoport, meaning his absence may not be as lengthy as initially feared. Watson should still be expected to miss time, but his injury will likely not be season-ending given the latest update, something which will be welcomed news for a passing offense still seeking to reach its previous heights.

12:12pm: As deeper-league fantasy GMs have discovered, the Chiefs are not leaning on a particular wide receiver this season. Even though the Super Bowl champions veered in this direction last year, after trading Tyreek Hill, JuJu Smith-Schuster still approached 1,000 yards and operated as the team’s nominal No. 1 wideout. No such player resides in that role now.

The Chiefs have used nearly all their receivers regularly. Justin Watson resides among this batch of Travis Kelce sidekicks, but the Chiefs will need to adjust their group after his injury Thursday night. The sixth-year veteran suffered a dislocated elbow that will shut him down for at least a few weeks, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

Given the nature of this injury, Watson moving to IR seems like a safe bet, as Rapoport adds this upcoming absence could last longer than a few games depending on MRI results. Watson leads the Chiefs with 21.9 yards per reception. Among Kansas City wide receivers, the veteran sits second on the team with 219 receiving yards — behind only Rashee Rice‘s 245. Despite missing Week 1, Kelce leads the way with 346.

Kansas City re-signed Watson in April, and after letting Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman walk in free agency, the team has given the former Buccaneers fifth-round pick a bigger role. Watson caught just 15 passes last season, though he averaged 21 yards per grab. Through five full games this season, Watson produced at least 45 receiving yards in four. Five of his 10 receptions have gone for at least 20 yards, but the veteran role player’s progress will stall for the foreseeable future.

Watson has outperformed Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kansas City’s top 2022 deep threat, this year. MVS has just seven catches for 116 yards through six games, though he and 2022 second-rounder Skyy Moore have led the team’s receiving corps in offensive snaps. Neither starter has done too much with the playing time, however. Watson’s 136 snaps sat third among K.C. wideouts. A 2018 fifth-round pick out of Penn, Watson spent four seasons with the Bucs. The Chiefs picked up Watson in February 2022 and gave him a two-year, $3.4MM contract this offseason.

The team has used Rice increasingly as the season has unfolded, and 2022 UDFA Justyn Ross has played sparingly. While injuries and inconsistency have seemingly impeded Kadarius Toney‘s path to a WR1 role, the 2022 trade pickup has played in all six games this season. The Chiefs have beaten one winning team so far — a 17-9 win over the Jaguars in Week 2 — and they scored just 19 points against the Broncos’ last-ranked defense. The team will likely need more from its makeshift WR group as the competition increases.

Latest On Jets WR Mecole Hardman

October 12th, 2023 at 9:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier this week, we heard the Jets were “exploring” their options with rarely-used wideout Mecole Hardman, including potential trades. ESPN’s Rich Cimini was more definitive about Hardman’s future in New York, stating during an appearance on the Flight Deck Podcast that the receiver was “going to be gone” (h/t Paul Andrew Esden Jr.).

[RELATED: Jets WR Mecole Hardman On Trade Block?]

Cimini adds that New York will ultimately “trade him or cut him,” but the organization intends to do Hardman a “solid” by sending him to a team that could offer a clear path to playing time. The reporter also noted that the receiver is “clearly disgruntled” and has done some complaining behind the scenes, so it may be in the Jets’ best interest to resolve this in a timely manner.

Hardman recently spoke about his situation to reporters, telling them that he simply wants to play, whether for the Jets or another organization (via Cimini). The receiver also revealed that he hasn’t requested a trade. Meanwhile, Robert Saleh said the team will continue to find ways to utilize Hardman until he hears otherwise.

“He’s here, he’s working, competing, and until someone upstairs says otherwise, we we’re going to do our best to try to find ways to get him involved,” the head coach told reporters (via Cimini).

Hardman joined the Jets this offseason following a four-year stint with the Chiefs. The free agent was one of several receivers to join the new-look offense, but thanks in part to Aaron Rodgers‘ season-ending injury, Hardman has seen a lesser role than expected. The 25-year-old has hauled in a single catch and has been limited to 22 offensive snaps, and he also hasn’t been used in the return game, an area where he’s previously excelled. The Jets added Irvin Charles to the active roster earlier this week, giving the team seven wide receivers.

We haven’t heard of any definitive suitors for Hardman, but plenty of teams should have interest. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes that the Raiders, Lions, Vikings, and Browns were among the teams that expressed interest in Hardman during the offseason, and the reporter notes that a reunion with the Chiefs could also be an option.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/23

October 5th, 2023 at 5:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Just one minor transaction to pass along today:

Washington Commanders

The Commanders ruled out running back Chris Rodriguez for tonight’s game against the Bears, so the organization added some extra depth to their backfield. Gore was promoted for Week 4 to fill in for Rodriguez, and the practice squad RB ended up seeing time on six offensive snaps and 19 special teams snaps. Gore’s most productive season came with the Chiefs in 2021, when he finished with 256 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/23

September 30th, 2023 at 8:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves ahead of tomorrow’s slate of Week 4 games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Walker’s elevation comes amidst a degree of uncertainty regarding Deshaun Watson‘s Sunday availability. The latter is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has expressed confidence he will be able to suit up. In the event he is unable to play, though, Walker will provide insurance under center. NFL Network’s James Palmer reports Watson will be a game-time decision.

Chosen, formerly Robbie Anderson, made his Dolphins debut in Week 3, scoring a 68-yard touchdown on his only catch. His performance – along with other depth wideouts currently being sidelined for Miami – will give the 30-year-old a longer look with his new team.

Gore’s elevation will give him the chance to see regular season game action for the first time since 2021. The former UDFA recorded 361 scrimmage yards with the Chiefs that season, but a subsequent IR stint marked the end of his time in Kansas City. Gore has since spent time on the Saints’, and now Commanders’, taxi squads. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes that fellow depth back Chris Rodriguez has bee ruled out with an illness, opening the door to Gore seeing limited snaps.

Latest On Chiefs’ Chris Jones Contract

September 28th, 2023 at 2:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the second time in three years, the Chiefs reached agreements with their best offensive and defensive players. While 2020 brought extensions for Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones, this month featured notable contract adjustments.

While restructures are commonplace in today’s NFL, the Chiefs did more than that with Mahomes and Jones. Although neither’s contract length changed, the Chiefs afforded each the opportunity — in Mahomes’ case, a certainty — to collect more cash this year. For Jones, more clarity emerged on his now-incentive-laden season that will close out a four-year, $80MM contract.

The Chiefs tacked on incentives to Jones’ 2023 payout ahead of Week 2, bringing him back into the fold after a weekslong holdout. The $2MM playing-time incentive includes $1MM payouts each for a 35% and 50% defensive snap shares, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes. Regarding the sack-based incentives, Jones will collect $1.25MM by reaching 10 sacks and an extra $500K for a third 15-sack season.

Jones, 29, has never finished below a 50% snap share on defense in a season, going through just two campaigns (2019, 2021) in which he missed more than two games. In both years, Jones missed three contests. He is also the only pure defensive tackle to post two 15-sack seasons in the sack era, getting there in 2018 and 2022. Those two slates represent Jones’ only two double-digit sack efforts, pointing to the baseline sack escalator not being a certainty to hit. Despite debuting in Week 2, Jones is already at 2.5 sacks.

Although Jones received more than $2MM in nonwaivable fines for his holdout and was docked a $1.1MM game check, he will have a chance to recoup that money. Though, if he is unable to hit the sack-based incentive, the Chiefs would need to make another Super Bowl trip to do so. The previously reported first-team All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year incentives only pay out if Kansas City also qualifies for Super Bowl LVIII.

As we’ve noted, Jones being tagged in 2020 makes it almost a non-starter for the Chiefs to re-tag him next year. Indeed, Schefter adds the Chiefs are not expected to cuff Jones in 2024, with that number expected to come in north of $32MM. Jones staying healthy will put him on track for a monster third contract. The dominant inside pass rusher had sought Aaron Donald-level money, and now that Nick Bosa raised the defensive ceiling to $34MM per year, it will be interesting to see how Jones fares if/when he hits the open market.

It is not out of the question the Chiefs huddle up and extend Jones — a prospect the impact defender has not ruled out — but considering how far apart the sides were this year, it is difficult to expect the team will be able to keep the perennial Pro Bowler from testing the market. The Chiefs will also be able to make better plans to replace Jones in 2024. While that will be a difficult effort, replacing him this year amid a holdout was a wildly unrealistic proposition. Kansas City’s defense has looked noticeably better with Jones available over the past two weeks.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/27/23

September 27th, 2023 at 6:54pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: WR Chris Blair

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Gaskin was released from the Vikings’ active roster yesterday, a likely result of the addition of former Rams rusher Cam Akers. It looks like he’ll remain in Minnesota, though, for the time being as a member of the team’s 16-man practice squad.

Sorensen, the nine-year veteran formerly of Kansas City, is back for a second year in New Orleans. Last year, Sorensen appeared in all 17 games for the Saints, making two starts. He recorded two interceptions, three passes defensed, and 17 tackles, including eight stops on special teams.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/27/23

September 27th, 2023 at 5:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

Wednesday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Kansas City Chiefs

Seattle Seahawks

Prince’s release is notable given his status as the Falcons’ swing tackle. The 26-year-old has seen only 10 special teams snaps to date with Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary staying healthy early in the campaign. A 2019 Dolphins sixth-rounder, Prince has six NFL starts to his name (two in Miami and four in Cincinnati). He signed a reserve deal with the Broncos in February, but was released ahead of final roster cuts. That led to his Falcons deal, one which will have proven to be quite short-lived if he is not retained via the practice squad.

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