Chiefs Pursuing Edge Rusher, Monitoring Jaguars DE Josh Allen
Again nearing a midseason point as of the NFL’s best teams, the Chiefs have already made a pre-deadline move by acquiring Kadarius Toney. But pass rusher appears to be the AFC West frontrunners’ premier goal.
Kansas City has inquired on Jacksonville defensive end Josh Allen, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. Teams are believed to be monitoring the fourth-year defensive end ahead of the deadline, though nothing has indicated the Jaguars are holding a bidding war despite their 2-6 record.
Bradley Chubb is also on the Chiefs’ radar, according to Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero. Given Chubb’s Broncos employment, that would be an unrealistic pursuit. The Chiefs, who have Frank Clark on a year-to-year arrangement at this point, could pursue Chubb if he hits free agency in 2023. But the Broncos (or another team that acquires Chubb on Tuesday) would have the franchise tag available.
As for Allen, he is now playing in a third defensive scheme in three years. The Dave Caldwell-era draftee has three sacks and 12 QB hits through eight games this season. A former No. 7 overall pick and rookie-year Pro Bowler, Allen is under contract for two more seasons. The Jags picked up his fifth-year option in May.
No substantive extension talks are believed to have taken place between Allen and the Jaguars just yet, but while the Broncos have discussed Chubb with several teams, the Jags might not be there with Allen. The 25-year-old defender could profile as a long-term Jags piece, with a big-ticket extension pairing with Travon Walker‘s rookie contract.
With the Jags two regimes removed from the one that drafted Allen, he is worth monitoring as a stealth trade candidate ahead of today’s 3pm CT deadline. Chubb is the likelier player to move, and the Panthers have all but shut down trade inquiries for Brian Burns.
The Chiefs will return from their Week 8 bye with Clark suspended. Gun charges led to a two-game Clark ban, and the former tag-and-trade acquisition has been inconsistent in Kansas City. The Chiefs have already allocated 2022 resources to augmenting their pass rush, however, drafting George Karlaftis in Round 1 and signing Carlos Dunlap. In seven starts, Karlaftis has registered just a half-sack and one QB hit. Dunlap has two QB drops but is in his age-33 season.
Teams Who Could Move On Big-Name Pass Rushers
Some intriguing names have been mentioned as available in the trade market as the deadline approaches tomorrow afternoon. As usual, pass rusher is a position that many teams are looking to make improvements at, and there’s no shortage of big names available. So which teams are in the market to trade for players like Panthers defensive end Brian Burns, Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, or Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen? According to Alber Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Rams, Chiefs, Ravens, and Titans are all in the mix. 
After losing Von Miller in free agency this offseason to the Bills, Los Angeles has struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Defensive lineman Aaron Donald leads the team with 4.0 sacks, and, while outside linebacker Leonard Floyd is second on the team with 2.0, he’s tied with middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Besides that, at the pass rusher position, Justin Hollins and Terrell Lewis only have 1.0 sack apiece. The Rams easily could benefit from the addition of Burns, Chubb, or Allen, who could all immediately start adding to the team’s lackluster sack total.
The Chiefs are an interesting addition to this list, since they made the move for pass rusher Frank Clark back in 2019. Like the Rams, Kansas City has gotten their biggest sack totals from interesting places. Defensive tackle Chris Jones leads the team with 5.0 sacks and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is second on the team with 3.5. Clark and outside linebacker Carlos Dunlap combine for 5.0, while Darius Harris, Willie Gay, and George Karlaftis add a combined 2.0 sacks. They have some big names and are around average in the league for their sack totals, but Clark’s upcoming two-game suspension could limit their pass rush effectiveness during that period. Adding another big name, though, could certainly make them one of the more feared defenses in the league.
The Ravens are another interesting addition. They have lots of potential but lack a young, proven pass rusher on their roster. Baltimore has proven pass rushers in Calais Campbell, Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Houston, and soon-to-return Tyus Bowser. They’ve also got young pass rushers in Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, who may soon make his NFL debut. But they lack the young AND proven pass rusher. Campbell, Pierre-Paul, and Houston are far from their prime days of double-digit sacks. Houston has made a good effort this season, with 6.0 so far this year, but injuries have already forced him to miss three contests this year. Oweh is the former first-round pick who, after 5.0 sacks in his rookie season, was expected to break out for a big sack total this year. Unfortunately, Oweh only has 1.0 sack this season in a potential sophomore slump. The Ravens may just need to wait, though. The returns of Bowser, who led the Ravens in 2021 with 7.0 sacks, and Ojabo, who trailed only No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson for the team lead in sacks at Michigan last year with 11.0, may act like trade additions themselves as the Ravens make a push for the playoffs. If they’re returns hit bumps in the road or Houston sees more injury trouble, it may make sense for Baltimore to add a young name with proven pass rushing expertise.
The Titans maybe make the most sense to me. Tennessee has been able to produce decent sack numbers despite their lack of big-name pass rushers. Their biggest name is their sack-leader Jeffery Simmons, who’s totaled 5.5 sacks so far this year. Behind him Denico Autry, Rashad Weaver, Bud Dupree, and DeMarcus Walker have combined for 13.0 sacks, with defensive tackle Sam Okuayinonu also adding a half of a sack. If those numbers are being put up by the likes of Autry, Weaver, and Dupree, imagine what Burns, Chubb, or Allen could produce in this scheme. This team isn’t struggling to provide a pass rush, but it could potentially improve the most with the addition of a big-name pass rusher.
The deadline comes tomorrow at 4 PM eastern time. If any of these teams are going to make a big move in the pass rushing market, it will have to be by then. It will be interesting to see which playoff contending teams decide to make the move to improve their defense by tomorrow’s deadline.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/31/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Dazz Newsome
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Michael Jacquet
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Keith Kirkwood
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Javelin Guidry
- Released: WR Deon Cain
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Tyler Johnson, CB Ryan Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Antony Auclair
- Released: DB Steven Parker
Chiefs, Rams Expected To Pursue Pass Rushing Help
The Chiefs and Rams are involved in the Brandin Cooks market, and both clubs are also seeking upgrades to their pass rushing contingent. Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Kansas City and Los Angeles would like to add a pass rusher prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline.
The most notable pass rusher that has the best chance of being moved within the next several days appears to be Denver’s Bradley Chubb. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com classifies the 2-5 Broncos as the most likely team to make a trade, and he further reports that one club has offered Denver a package headlined by a first-round pick in exchange for Chubb. Even though two of Chubb’s first four professional seasons were marred by injury, his fifth season has proven that, when healthy, he is one of the game’s better edge defenders. Through seven games in 2022, he has posted 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
As Jones points out, Denver would almost certainly not trade Chubb to the division-rival Chiefs, though the Rams would be a viable trade partner. LA, however, lacks a 2023 first-round pick due to last year’s Matthew Stafford trade, so it remains to be seen if it would be able to present Broncos GM George Paton with a winning offer. Jones says the Rams, as is their custom, are willing to trade future first-rounders.
Since Chubb is in the final year of his rookie contract, any acquiring club would want to work out a contract extension with him, according to Schefter. Of course, if Paton holds onto Chubb, he would want to come to terms on a multi-year pact as well (as Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post writes, Chubb is amenable to a contract that keeps him in the Mile High City for the long haul). Regardless of where he ends up, Chubb’s next deal is expected to pay him more than $20MM on an annual basis.
Other pass rushers that could be available for the Chiefs and Rams include players like the Panthers’ Brian Burns and the Jaguars’ Josh Allen. Jones echoes recent reports that Carolina seems unwilling to move Burns, and the NFL.com trio of Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo report that Jacksonville wants to retain Allen, whom it views as a foundational piece.
While Chubb could be dealt, Schefter says the Broncos do not plan to trade wideouts Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, meanwhile, is still likely to be traded, per Troy Renck of Denver 7 (via Twitter). The asking price on Okwuegbunam is “minimal.”
Chiefs RB Ronald Jones Wants To Be Released?
It sounds like Chiefs running back Ronald Jones wants out of Kansas City. The veteran took to Twitter last night and wrote that he “sure would like a RELEASE right about now.”
This isn’t an overly shocking development considering Jones’ lack of playing time. After spending the first four seasons of his career in Tampa Bay, Jones joined the Chiefs this offseason and was expected to pair with Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the backfield. The RB acquisition inked a one-year, $1.5MM deal with $500K guaranteed, and there was up to $3.5MM worth of incentives on the deal.
However, after joining the organization, the Chiefs added running back Isiah Pacheco in the seventh round and re-signed veteran Jerick McKinnon. Andy Reid and the Chiefs coaching staff have been rolling with CEH, Pacheco, and McKinnon through the first chunk of the season, with Jones being inactive for each of the team’s seven games. With no opportunities at playing time on the horizon, it sounds like Jones would like a fresh start elsewhere.
Of course, it remains to be seen if Jones can still be a contributor. He struggled to hold on to the starting gig during his time in Tampa Bay, and the one-year contract he got from Kansas City is probably indicative of his market (although he may have taken a discount to join a contender). The last time we saw the 25-year-old, he got into 16 games (three starts) for the Buccaneers in 2021, finishing with 492 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. Jones had two-straight 1,000-yard seasons between 2019 and 2020.
Latest On Giants-Kadarius Toney Split
Kadarius Toney‘s Giants tenure ended after 41 receptions, 420 yards and no touchdowns. The decision to send him to the Chiefs stemmed partially around trust issues, along with the injury-prone player fetching a Day 2 draft choice in Thursday’s deal.
Toney had missed the past five games due to separate hamstring injuries. The talented pass catcher missed time during training camp with a hamstring issue and, after catching two passes for zero yards in the Giants’ first two games, reinjured the same hamstring in September. While rehabbing the second hamstring injury, Toney injured his other hamstring. But he and the Giants had a difference of opinion in how Week 8 would play out.
The Giants preferred to sit Toney against the Seahawks. The second-year receiver, however, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, believed he had recovered. Toney indicated this himself in a since-deleted tweet (via ESPN.com’s Field Yates). Multiple factors influenced the Giants’ plan, according to the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz.
[RELATED: Giants Interested In Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy]
The new Giants regime wanted to keep a trade door open and felt it was more likely than not, given Toney’s injury history, he would damage his trade value if he played in Seattle. An injury designation would also have led to Toney being forced to stay in town during the team’s bye week for rehab purposes, per Schwartz, who adds the Florida product would not have wanted to go through with that plan.
Both the Giants’ current regime and its Dave Gettleman-led front office did not appear to trust Toney. The team’s present staff worried Toney would leave town and not follow through with the necessary steps to play in Week 10, with Schwartz adding conditioning represented a concern. This is not out of step with how the previous regime perceived Toney, who entered the draft with some baggage. The previous Giants staff did not have an issue with Toney when he was at the team’s facility, Raanan tweets, but they did not trust him to put in the work offsite.
Durability and attitude concerns led several teams to take Toney off their draft boards, Schwartz adds. The Giants had eyed DeVonta Smith with their 2021 first-round pick, but the Eagles traded in front of them. New York then traded back to No. 20, allowing Chicago to move up to No. 11 for Justin Fields. Toney became the selection, which irked Urban Meyer, who planned to draft him had he lasted to the Jaguars’ No. 25 pick. Travis Etienne has worked out a bit better.
Between then and the hamstring trouble that cropped up this year, Toney showed electric ability — mostly in two October 2021 games — but battled myriad injury issues. Toney began down a strange path when he did not show for Giants OTAs last year, surprising the team’s previous coaching staff. After missing most of last year’s training camp with hamstring trouble, Toney missed seven games due to ankle, quad, oblique and shoulder ailments. The new Giants regime entertained trade talks this offseason, one in which Toney also underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.
The Chiefs have Toney under contract through 2024; a fifth-year option could extend that deal through 2025. After giving ex-Giants first-rounder DeAndre Baker a second opportunity, the Chiefs will roll the dice on another Gettleman-era top pick. Toney, who clocked a 4.39-second 40-yard dash coming out of Florida, would stand to be a developmental player in Kansas City. After wearing out his welcome with two Giants regimes, it will be interesting how the boom-or-bust talent fares under Andy Reid and Co.
2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team
Days away from this year’s trade deadline (3pm CT, Nov. 1), a few teams have made some in-season moves to bolster their rosters. Several squads have also restructured contracts this season to create additional space. That extra room will matter as most teams will consider adding or subtracting costs before Tuesday’s deadline.
Here is how teams’ cap-space numbers (courtesy of OverTheCap) look ahead of the deadline:
- Cleveland Browns: $33.72MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $10.35MM
- Carolina Panthers: $9.79MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $9.71MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $9.47MM
- Denver Broncos: $7.79MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $7.69MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $7.23MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $7.16MM
- Chicago Bears: $7.08MM
- Green Bay Packers: $6.6MM
- Miami Dolphins: $6.16MM
- New York Jets: $5.71MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $4.97MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $4.95MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $4.93MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $4.76MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $4.3MM
- Washington Commanders: $4.26MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $3.86MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $3.71MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $3.67MM
- New Orleans Saints: $3.61MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $3.31MM
- New York Giants: $3.26MM
- Detroit Lions: $3.25MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $3.07MM
- New England Patriots: $2.19MM
- Houston Texans: $2.09MM
- Buffalo Bills: $1.93MM
- Tennessee Titans: $1.59MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $852K
The Browns have held the top spot for months, and the gulf between their cap-space figure and the field almost certainly stems from a desire to carry over cap space before Deshaun Watson‘s cap number spikes from $9.4MM to a runaway-record $54.99MM. Cleveland has recently been linked to creating more cap space. Interest has come in for Greedy Williams, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Kareem Hunt. Although the Browns did not grant Hunt’s summer trade request, it may now take only a fourth-round pick for Cleveland to deal its backup running back.
Another potential seller could move up on this list while creating some additional space in 2023. The Broncos are believed to have made Jerry Jeudy available. Unlike fellow trade chip Bradley Chubb, Jeudy is under contract for 2023 (on a $4.83MM cap number). Denver appears more likely to move Chubb. That departure would remove the franchise tag from the team’s equation in 2023 — barring a tag for fellow 2023 UFA-to-be Dre’Mont Jones — thus freeing up more free agency funds. It will be interesting if the Broncos, if they are to move Chubb, agree to eat much of his fifth-year option salary. George Paton‘s club took on most of Von Miller‘s 2021 money to increase draft compensation.
The Eagles are still near the top despite acquiring Robert Quinn. Philadelphia is paying just $684K of Quinn’s contract, which now runs through 2022 instead of 2024. Chicago is on the hook for $7.1MM. The Bears are on track to have a gargantuan lead on the field for 2023 cap space. They are projected to hold more than $125MM next year, according to OverTheCap.
New Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney checks in at just $784K on their 2022 cap sheet. The former Giants first-rounder’s figures bump to $1.9MM (2023) and $2.53MM (’24). Kansas City recently restructured Travis Kelce‘s deal, creating some wiggle room for the Toney addition. The Chiefs, who did not touch Patrick Mahomes‘ deal this year, restructured Kelce’s contract twice in 2022. Thursday’s trade hit the Giants with a $2.33MM dead-money charge. Toney will count $3.67MM in dead money for the Giants in 2023.
The Panthers picked up nearly $19MM in 2022 dead money via the Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey trades. Unlike the Eagles and Bears, last week’s Panthers-49ers McCaffrey swap did not involve Carolina taking on additional salary. McCaffrey’s offseason restructure dropped his 2022 base salary to the league minimum; the 49ers have him on their books at just $690K. McCaffrey’s record-setting extension will still represent $18.35MM in dead money on the Panthers’ 2023 cap, but his nonguaranteed base salaries from 2023-25 ($11.8MM, $11.8MM, $12MM) transferred fully from Carolina to San Francisco.
On the subject of 2022 dead money, the Bears lead the way with $80.32MM. The Falcons added to their total this month, however, by trading Deion Jones to the Browns. That deal saddled the Falcons with $11.38MM in additional dead money — accompanying the franchise’s record-setting Matt Ryan dead-money hit ($40.53MM) — and ballooned Atlanta’s overall total to $78.57MM. Ryan is off the Falcons’ books after this year, but Jones will carry a $12.14MM dead-money figure in 2023.
Chiefs To Acquire Giants WR Kadarius Toney
The Giants are already moving on from Kadarius Toney. Despite choosing the shifty wide receiver in the 2021 first round, the Giants are trading him to the Chiefs, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz tweets.
Kansas City is sending a compensatory third-round choice and a sixth-rounder to New York for Toney, who has again battled injuries this season. While Toney has shown promise when available, injuries have largely prevented him from playing as a pro. The Giants will receive the third-round pick the Chiefs obtained for the Bears’ Ryan Poles GM hire, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter). Both the third- and sixth-round picks going to the Giants will be 2023 choices, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Toney trade rumors emerged briefly this offseason, but the Giants shut them down. At the time, Big Blue’s new regime was keen on seeing how Toney looked in an offense that also housed Saquon Barkley. While Barkley has returned to top form, Toney has tumbled out of the starting blocks. Injuries to both hamstrings have plagued Toney this season — one featuring just 35 offensive snaps — and a Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime that did not draft him will cut bait.
Quadriceps and oblique injuries sidelined the Florida alum for seven combined games last season — one that did include a Toney game at Arrowhead Stadium — and an ankle malady forced him out of another game. Toney missed much of last year’s training camp with a hamstring injury and underwent a knee scope this offseason. The Chiefs are taking a gamble here, but the 6-foot wideout has flashed high-end athleticism during his brief cameo as a healthy receiver.
Toney caught 39 passes for 420 yards last year, showing rapid-fire run-after-catch ability. He made a big impact in the Giants’ upset win over the Saints — a six-catch, 89-yard performance — and dizzied the Cowboys for 10 receptions and 189 yards the following week. Illustrating Toney’s boom-or-bust career thus far, that game also included Toney throwing a punch at then-Cowboys safety Damontae Kazee. Toney was also tossed from a Giants practice for throwing a punch last year.
At Florida, Toney zoomed onto the first-round radar with a 70-catch, 984-yard, 10-touchdown senior season alongside Kyle Pitts. Prior to that season, however, the 2021 Giants investment did not surpass 300 yards in a college campaign. The Chiefs do not have much of a sample size to go on here, but they have turned to a Giants first-rounder in the recent past. The Giants cut 2019 Round 1 cornerback Deandre Baker, after an offseason arrest, and the Chiefs ended up adding him. The Chiefs are obviously aiming higher with Toney, as Baker did not make a big impact during his time in Missouri.
Toney, 23, is signed through the 2024 season and can be kept on his rookie deal through 2025 via the fifth-year option, though we are obviously a long way away from Toney being option-worthy. The Giants will save $1.2MM against the cap by making this move, which comes after the Chiefs created a bit of cap space by restructuring Travis Kelce‘s contract for the second time in 2022. Kansas City still has a third-rounder in next year’s draft, along with two fourths. Over the long haul, however, the Giants will avoid $5MM-plus in Toney salary payments.
Toney, who has not played since Week 2, will have a bit more time to acclimate in Andy Reid‘s offense. The Chiefs are in their bye week. Kansas City traded Tyreek Hill this offseason, leading to an overhaul of its receiving corps. Free agency additions JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling lead the Chiefs’ attack, and each is coming off 100-yard games in San Francisco. The Chiefs also roster Mecole Hardman, who is in a contract year, and drafted Skyy Moore in this year’s second round. Moore has struggled early in his rookie campaign, and the Chiefs have been linked to both Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks ahead of the deadline. This Toney trade could take K.C. out of the OBJ sweepstakes, as it profiles somewhere between a flier and a blockbuster move due to the compensation involved.
The Giants, who had hoped to draft DeVonta Smith instead of Toney in 2021, entered the offseason with a crowded receiver room. But that group has not played together much. Massive free agency disappointment Kenny Golladay is still out with an MCL sprain. Giants hopes at trading the ex-Lions Pro Bowler have run into expected contractually based obstacles. The team also lost its longest-tenured wideout, Sterling Shepard, for the season.
Moving forward, Big Blue has Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson in place as its top targets. Slayton rising to such a perch is interesting, given his recent place on the trade block after an offseason that saw his stock drop to the point he accepted a pay cut. But this trade figures to make the contract-year wideout a more important piece while making wide receiver a major Giants need in 2023.
Chiefs, Packers, Rams Looking Into Texans’ Brandin Cooks
As another trade deadline approaches, this era’s trade kingpin is naturally being mentioned in potential deals. Teams are looking into Brandin Cooks ahead of the Nov. 1 deadline, amid another season in which the Texans are not expected to challenge for a playoff spot.
The Chiefs, Packers and Rams have discussed Cooks with the Texans, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. While a trade would put Cooks alongside the likes of Eric Dickerson, Earl Morrall, Norm Snead and Co., the thrice-dealt wide receiver has said previously he did not want to be moved again. Cooks nevertheless remains a viable trade chip in his ninth season and is now winding down his 20s with a rebuilding team. No deal appears close, Wilson adds, but Cooks appears back on the market.
Cooks, 29, signed an extension to stay with the Texans in April, cutting off his previous batch of trade rumors. Signed to a two-year, $39MM deal, Cooks is nevertheless tied to a $1.17MM base salary. The veteran’s salaries spike after this season — to $18MM (guaranteed) and $13MM in 2023 and ’24, respectively — but thanks partially to a September restructure, Cooks’ 2022 money would not be particularly imposing for a team to add.
Each of these teams has been connected to wide receiver pursuits. The Packers have been mentioned as a team looking for wideout help. That report emerged before a rough outing from Green Bay’s passing attack, one that preceded Aaron Rodgers suggesting players who are making too many mistakes should see their playing time reduced. Randall Cobb is on IR, and second-round pick Christian Watson has missed the past two weeks due to a hamstring injury. Allen Lazard is also battling a shoulder ailment he sustained in Washington; Green Bay’s top wideout was outfitted with an arm sling Monday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes.
While calls for the Packers to augment their post-Davante Adams receiver situation came in this offseason, the team resisted. It is now 3-4, increasing the urgency ahead of Rodgers’ 39th birthday. Cooks fetched first-round picks in his initial two trades (from the Saints to the Patriots in 2017 and from the Pats to the Rams in 2018) and a second-rounder (from Los Angeles to Houston in 2020), prices that will test the Packers’ resolve.
It probably will not cost a second-rounder this time around, though the Texans were seeking such a return this spring. Cooks’ 2023 guarantee will affect his trade market this time around. The Packers are also being connected to the Cardinals’ A.J. Green via trade, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes. With Green now 34 and seeing minimal Arizona playing time, the Packers would not need to pay much. Cooks would also provide a bigger boost for Green Bay’s passing attack. The Packers’ pass-catcher search also includes tight ends, per Graziano.
Kansas City has been linked as an Odell Beckham Jr. suitor, joining Los Angeles on this front as well, but the team has seen its free agency additions — JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling — make leaps in recent weeks. Both topped 100 receiving yards against the 49ers, a game in which the Chiefs surpassed 500 yards. Cooks would become the most experienced player in the Chiefs’ receiving corps, and with second-rounder Skyy Moore not making much of an impact yet, the six-time 1,000-yard receiver could buy the rookie some time.
The Rams rostered Cooks for two seasons, having traded their 2018 first-round pick for him, and gave him a lucrative second contract. The team used Cooks as a starter alongside Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, and while the former Saints first-round pick posted a career-high 1,204 yards in the Rams’ Super Bowl LIII-qualifying season, concussions limited him in 2019. This year’s Rams edition is struggling on offense — partially due to UFA addition Allen Robinson‘s minimal impact — and the team has not shied away from splashy moves.
A Cooks trade would seemingly cut off an OBJ path. The Rams have been the clubhouse leaders for Beckham for months, but with their offense ranking 29th in scoring and OBJ not expected to be ready until December, the team may be facing a timeline question. Van Jefferson is on track to return from IR soon, but the team initially added Beckham despite rostering Kupp, Woods and Jefferson last year. The Chiefs appear better positioned to wait for Beckham compared to the 3-4 Rams.
This season, Cooks (28 receptions, 281 yards, one touchdown) is not on 1,000-yard pace. While the Texans could retain the 5-foot-10 target for the purposes of Davis Mills development, stockpiling future draft capital should certainly be considered given where the franchise resides on its rebuild timeline. Cooks may end up serving as a consolation prize for one of the three teams involved in the latest Beckham sweepstakes.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/22
Today’s minor transactions:
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on reserve/NFI: DE Henry Anderson
- Signed off Dolphins practice squad: OT Larnel Coleman
- Signed to active roster: CB Tae Hayes
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: S C.J. Moore
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: WR Tyron Johnson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: WR Daurice Fountain
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: G Jeremiah Kolone
New Orleans Saints
- Released from IR: G Forrest Lamp
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: RB Zonovan Knight
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: RB Tevin Coleman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: LB K.J. Britt
Tennessee Titans
- Signed off Chiefs practice squad: WR Chris Conley
- Placed on IR: WR Kyle Philips
Washington Commanders
- Signed to activer roster: CB Danny Johnson