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Minor NFL Transactions: 10/19/23

October 19th, 2023 at 5:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

The Chiefs moved on from Montrell Washington to make room for old friend Mecole Hardman. The former fifth-round pick was serving as Kansas City’s primary punt returner in 2023, returning eight punts for 61 yards. While he’s been limited to special teams duties in 2023, Washington got into 78 offensive snaps with the Broncos in 2022.

DB Notes: Packers, Chinn, CJGJ, Roby, Rams

October 19th, 2023 at 9:43am CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers do not likely have a starting spot waiting for Eric Stokes upon his return. As we heard in June, the 2021 first-round pick is on track to return as a backup. Green Bay has Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas and Keisean Nixon as its top three corners, and unlike 2022, the team is not planning on changing Douglas’ position to accommodate a cornerback surplus. Douglas moving to safety appears a non-starter, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. Last season, the Packers moved Douglas to a slot role to make room for the returning Alexander. After Stokes’ midseason Lisfranc injury, Douglas moved back to his more natural boundary position.

Stokes, who underwent foot and knee surgeries this offseason, remains on the Packers’ reserve/PUP list. The team designated him for return two weeks ago, setting his activation deadline at Oct. 24. Stokes was running at full speed in July and would have been ready to come back had multiple hamstring issues not slowed him during training camp, Schneidman adds. Stokes fared better as a rookie, when the Pack were down Alexander, than he did last season. Pro Football Focus graded Stokes outside the top 100 among corners last season, and this backup role does not present an ideal rebound opportunity.

Here is the latest from NFL secondaries:

  • Mentioned as a trade candidate last week, Jeremy Chinn now looks likely to finish his contract year in Carolina. The fourth-year Panthers safety sustained a significant quadriceps injury that ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter expects to sideline him for up to six weeks. Despite being a versatile cog who has been a Panthers regular throughout his career, Chinn has seen his playing time dip in Ejiro Evero‘s defense this season. After logging snap rates over 90% from 2020-22, the former Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up has played 52% of Carolina’s defensive snaps. The Panthers prioritized Chinn as a foundational piece before last year’s deadline; his stock has fallen since.
  • Bradley Roby avoided the worst-case scenario after suffering a pectoral injury in Week 6. The recent Eagles addition sustained a pectoral strain, per NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, who adds the 10th-year cornerback will avoid IR. In the two games since being signed and quickly promoted to the 53-man roster, Roby has played 46% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps. The Eagles have already lost their top slot corner, Avonte Maddox. Roby’s setback represents another blow for the defending NFC champions, but the 31-year-old cover man should be back fairly soon.
  • C.J. Gardner-Johnson is navigating a longer return timetable, suffering a torn pec in Week 2. The Lions safety, who led the NFL in INTs during his Eagles one-off last season, is believed to be months away from coming back — if he is to return at all — according to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. Pectoral tears often end players’ seasons, so it will be interesting if Gardner-Johnson becomes a true candidate to come off IR down the stretch — perhaps if Detroit makes the playoffs.
  • Rams corner Derion Kendrick faces two misdemeanor charges in connection with his recent gun arrest, Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times notes. Arrested Monday morning, Kendrick was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possessing a loaded firearm. While teams regularly deploy players after arrests, waiting for NFL suspensions to come down later, Kendrick did not practice with the Rams upon his release from custody. The 2022 sixth-round pick has started all six Rams games this year. Discipline should be expected, but until a ban surfaces, Kendrick will likely continue to suit up for the team.
  • In a Ravens workout that led to safety Andrew Adams being signed, Eric Rowe received an audition, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. An eight-year veteran, Rowe spent the past four seasons with the Dolphins. Rowe, 31, signed a one-year, $1.32MM Panthers deal this offseason but did not make the team. Carolina released Rowe from its practice squad last month.

Rams Reunite With Darrell Henderson, Add Myles Gaskin Off Vikings’ Practice Squad

October 17th, 2023 at 4:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:05pm: Henderson’s path back to the Rams’ 53-man roster is no longer as smooth as it looked. In addition to moving Freeman up on a full-time basis, the Rams are signing Myles Gaskin off the Vikings’ practice squad, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. A four-year Miami contributor, Gaskin caught on with the Vikings after an August Dolphins release. Gaskin, who led the Dolphins in rushing in 2019 and ’20, has played in one Vikings game this season.

2:35pm: Stung by running back injuries, the Rams will complete a reunion to help the cause. With Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers injured, Darrell Henderson is coming back to the Rams.

The Rams are adding Henderson to their practice squad. The former third-round pick, who played for the team from 2019-22, has not been on a roster since last season. In addition to bringing back Henderson, the Rams are signing Royce Freeman to their 53-man roster. Freeman had played in three Rams games this season, doing so as a practice squad elevation. Sean McVay said Monday both Williams and Rivers would miss time; Rivers is an IR candidate after suffering a PCL sprain.

Henderson worked as the Rams’ starter for much of their 2021 Super Bowl-winning season, but injuries and a COVID-19 contraction slowed his momentum and led to Sony Michel and then Cam Akers taking over the starting role. Henderson suffered a thigh injury late in the 2021 season, and after the COVID bout, he sustained an MCL sprain. While the Rams activated Henderson for Super Bowl LVI, he has not recaptured the momentum from the ’21 regular season.

With Akers and the Rams at odds early during the 2022 season, Henderson filled in as a seven-game starter. But the Rams encountered a number of offensive line injuries and were eventually playing without Matthew Stafford. Henderson finished his abbreviated 2022 with 283 rushing yards (4.0 per carry); the Rams waived him in late November. While the Jaguars stepped in with a claim, they moved on without using Henderson in a regular-season game. Summer workouts for the Patriots and Colts did not lead to a signing.

Henderson, 26, produced back-to-back 600-yard rushing seasons from 2020-21. Akers became the Rams’ go-to back down the stretch in 2020, but after he suffered an Achilles tear in July 2021, the eventual championship team rolled with a Henderson-Michel duo. Zach Evans came into Tuesday as the only healthy back on Los Angeles’ 53-man roster. Freeman will now join him, though Henderson certainly is familiar with McVay’s system and would make sense as a roster elevation for Week 7.

Freeman, 27, joined the Rams just after this year’s training camp. The former Broncos third-round pick, whom Phillip Lindsay displaced as a starter during each’s rookie year (2018), spent last season with the Texans. Houston re-signed Freeman, a 2021 waiver claim, but did not use him much on offense. Freeman has not eclipsed 200 rushing yards in a season since 2019. The Rams cut Freeman after this preseason slate but kept him on their practice squad, rolling with first- or second-year backs on their active roster following the September Akers trade. Evans has taken four handoffs this season; all of Freeman’s 2023 snaps have come on special teams.

Rams RBs Kyren Williams, Ronnie Rivers Sustain Leg Injuries

October 16th, 2023 at 8:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

8:01pm: Head coach Sean McVay provided an update to the situation this evening, informing the media that Williams and Rivers are “going to be out for a little bit,” per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. For now, it’s unclear just how long he expects to be without his top two rushing options, but it’s believed that it will be challenging for Williams and Rivers to return anytime relatively soon.

With the stables bare, as mentioned below, Evans becomes a key piece in the running game. Freeman will likely find his way into some snaps off the practice squad, as well.

3:57pm: The Rams will need to make some adjustments to their backfield depth chart moving forward. Although their run game took over in the second half against the Cardinals on Sunday, both the team’s top two backs sustained injuries.

Kyren Williams zoomed to a career-best 158-yard day in Los Angeles’ comfortable win, but the second-year back suffered a sprained ankle. While Williams is not yet a lock to miss Week 7, Ronnie Rivers appears done for the foreseeable future. The L.A. RB2 suffered a grade 3 PCL strain, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Rivers is expected to miss at least four games, making him a clear IR candidate for the 3-3 team.

The past year has already brought a significant backfield overhaul for the Rams, who waived Darrell Henderson in November 2022 and traded Cam Akers to the Vikings in what amounted to a September salary dump. Using Henderson, Akers and Sony Michel as their primary backs in the early 2020s, the Rams started over this season (Henderson remains a free agent). Williams is now their lead back, and after an injury-abbreviated rookie season, the Notre Dame product has become a promising player for the retooling franchise. The Rams’ ground attack ranks 18th through six games.

Chosen in last year’s fifth round, Williams has notched two 100-yard rushing games over his past three and has operated as the team’s clear-cut starter throughout the season. After a 141-snap rookie year, Williams has been on the field for 337 offensive plays in 2023. That amounts to an 82% snap rate. Although Williams may need a week to recover, he does not look to be an IR candidate. If Rivers — a 2022 UDFA out of Fresno State — lands on IR, he will not be eligible to return until Week 12.

After closing an off-and-on impasse with Akers by sending him to Minnesota, the Rams only have sixth-round rookie Zach Evans behind Williams and Rivers on their 53-man roster. A former five-star recruit, the TCU and Ole Miss back flashed in college but never totaled a 1,000-yard rushing season. He finished with 936 in his one Ole Miss campaign. But Evans (four carries, 10 yards thus far in his pro career) figures to see more run going forward, particularly if Williams is forced to miss time. Rivers’ injury also figures to impact Royce Freeman, whom the Rams have stashed on their practice squad. The sixth-year back obviously brings far more experience compared to Evans. The former third-round pick has played in three games this season but has only seen time on special teams.

Rams CB Derion Kendrick Arrested On Gun Charge

October 16th, 2023 at 5:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hours after the Rams’ Week 6 win over the Cardinals, cornerback Derion Kendrick was arrested on a felony gun charge in Los Angeles, TMZ reports.

A traffic violation led to police finding a gun and marijuana in Kendrick’s car, per TMZ. The second-year cornerback faces a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. Kendrick, 23, was booked shortly after 2am PT and, as of Monday afternoon, remains in custody.

After letting Darious Williams walk in free agency (to the Jaguars) in 2022, the Rams traded Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins in March. The team signed off on a full-scale reboot at cornerback, moving on from the bastions from Super Bowl LVI. Kendrick is a key part of the team’s solution, having started all six Rams games this season. The 6-foot defender started six games last season and played 50% of the Rams’ defensive snaps. He has been on the field for 96% of L.A.’s defensive plays this year.

The Rams chose Kendrick in the 2022 sixth round. The Day 3 prospect played at Clemson and Georgia in college, being part of the Bulldogs’ 2021 national championship-winning defense — one that saw five of its starters drafted in the ’22 first round — in his lone season in Athens. Kendrick joins fellow 2022 Day 3 Rams draftee Cobie Durant and veteran free agent pickup Ahkello Witherspoon as the team’s cornerback regulars this season. Through six games, Kendrick has made 25 tackles and tallied three passes defensed. Pro Football Focus ranks Kendrick just outside the top 60 at corner this year.

While this arrest is unlikely to cost Kendrick his Rams roster spot, a suspension should be expected. The NFL’s personal conduct policy does not require a conviction for punishment to be levied, though a ban may not come this year. Varying delays in case adjudication can lead to suspensions being tabled. A February 2021 incident did not bring a Marcus Maye suspension until late September of this year. Two Frank Clark gun-related arrests from 2021 did not produce a suspension until midway through the 2022 campaign. But a suspension should be expected at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/14/23

October 14th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions heading into the Week 6 weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Dean took the starting role the Eagles had in store for him in Week 1, but a foot injury interrupted his second NFL campaign. The 22-year-old was poised to return ahead of Sunday’s game by returning to practice earlier this week, though, and a first-team role is expected to await him upon suiting up. Dean taking on a heavy workload will relegate Nicholas Morrow (who was promoted from the practice squad) to backup duty despite the latter’s strong performances so far.

Seattle has seen fellow corners Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen enjoy considerable success, but the team’s secondary will be shorthanded without Bryant. The latter will miss at least the next four weeks as a result of the IR move as he recovers from a toe injury. The 2022 fourth-rounder, who has seen his defensive snap share jump from 65% to 77% this year, has not played since Week 2.

Rams Unlikely To Pursue Deadline Upgrades; Latest On Van Jefferson Trade

October 12th, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

If the Broncos have been the premier deadline sellers of this period, the Rams are probably the most memorable buyers. Previously unwavering in its commitment to load up the roster, Los Angeles swung a few splashy deals during Sean McVay‘s tenure.

The team traded two first-round picks for Jalen Ramsey in 2019, sent second- and third-rounders for Von Miller in 2021, dealt third- and fifth-rounders for Dante Fowler in 2018 and acquired three-year guard starter Austin Corbett on the day of the Ramsey swap. The Rams attempted to venture into deep waters again last year, but the Panthers turned down a two-first-rounder offer for Brian Burns. L.A. is expected to proceed more cautiously this year.

The Rams, who also battled the 49ers for Christian McCaffrey last October, stripped their roster of several Super Bowl LVI starters this offseason. As could be expected, McVay is not expecting his team to operate like it has at past deadlines.

“No, we don’t really have the availability,” McVay said. “I don’t know; you kind of have to have some resources and different things like that for those to be options. So, I don’t know that those conversations will be as prevalent as maybe in years past.”

Although the Rams are 2-3, they have played the unbeaten Eagles and 49ers close and dropped another one-score game to the Bengals. Widely expected to go through a rebuilding year, McVay’s squad should not exactly be considered out of the wild-card chase. Though, it is still obviously early.

The Rams are also on track to enter a draft with a first-round pick for the first time in McVay’s tenure. They most recently held a first-rounder in 2016, when the Jared Goff trade-up commenced in Jeff Fisher‘s final year as HC. The trades for Goff, Brandin Cooks, Ramsey and Matthew Stafford — along with a 2019 move out of Round 1 — led to the Rams’ streak of draft Thursdays off.

Los Angeles has made two seller trades to start the season, sending Cam Akers to Minnesota and Van Jefferson to Atlanta. Both Super Bowl LVI starters had seen their roles decrease. Jefferson played just two snaps in Week 5. The emergences of Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell changed the equation for the Rams, with The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue indicating the team rebuffed Jefferson trade inquiries this spring. With Nacua on a historic rookie-year pace an Atwell showing promise after displaying little through two seasons, the Rams began to line up a Jefferson trade weeks ago, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds.

With Jefferson gone, the Rams still have Ben Skowronek, Demarcus Robinson and third-year UDFA Austin Trammell on the 53-man roster as backups. But after Jefferson started the team’s first four games, which came with Cooper Kupp on IR, no doubt exists about the team’s top three going forward.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/11/23

October 11th, 2023 at 6:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s practice squad adjustments:

Atlanta Falcons

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Signed: WR Malik Flowers

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

Rams To Send WR Van Jefferson To Falcons

October 10th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams moved fast with Van Jefferson. Shortly after sending out a last call of sorts Tuesday, the Rams are moving on from one of their ancillary pass catchers.

The Falcons have agreed to acquire Jefferson, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who notes the teams will swap 2025 seventh-round picks. Following Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Allen Robinson out of Los Angeles via trade, Jefferson’s price tag is more in line with those the Rams collected for Robinson and Woods.

Atlanta will send the Rams a 2025 sixth-rounder in exchange for Jefferson and a seventh, per Rapoport. While Jefferson has seen Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell change his role with the Rams, he has still started four games this season. The Falcons will bet on him in a contract year. Jefferson has an 800-plus-yard season on his resume, getting there for the Super Bowl-winning Rams iteration two years ago.

Jefferson’s availability came up shortly before this trade commenced, and although the Rams found a quick taker, it is clear not much of a market formed for the fourth-year receiver. The son of former NFL wideout and current Panthers receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, Van has produced for a Super Bowl champion. But his work since has not moved the needle too far. The Falcons will still take what amounts to a flier on a former second-round pick. Shawn Jefferson played for the Falcons during Michael Vick‘s early years, suiting up for the team from 2000-02.

A knee injury stalled Jefferson last season, and Nacua and Atwell’s promise affected his standing this year. In 2021, however, Jefferson delivered for a Rams team that suddenly needed him. The Rams won the Odell Beckham Jr. sweepstakes in November 2021. Days after forming a Beckham-Woods-Cooper Kupp trio, however, Woods’ ACL tear kept Jefferson as a regular. The Florida alum delivered, finishing out a 50-catch, 802-yard, six-touchdown season. He added nine receptions for 102 yards in Los Angeles’ four postseason games.

While a knee injury cost Jefferson six games last season, he has not been an injury-prone player. Those six absences are the only games Jefferson has missed as a pro. After coming back from knee surgery midway through last season, Jefferson kept his yards-per-catch average north of 15 by hauling in 24 passes for 369 yards and three scores. One of those came to close out a shocking Rams comeback win over the Raiders, as that game came on Baker Mayfield‘s third day with the team.

This season, however, Jefferson has only eight receptions for 108 yards and no TDs — for a Rams team that has seen Nacua deliver a historic start. Nacua’s 46 catches lead the league, and he has totaled 572 yards — an NFL record for a player’s first five games. After Atwell did not catch a pass as a rookie and amassed 298 yards throughout an inconsistent second season, the diminutive Louisville alum is at 279 through five games this year. With Kupp back, the Rams booted Jefferson from their starting lineup in Week 5.

Jefferson will head to a Falcons team rostering Drake London atop its receiving corps. Behind London, however, the team is low on surefire options. Only one other Atlanta wideout — Mack Hollins — has surpassed 50 receiving yards this year. Hollins is at 143 through five games. The Falcons do not have a reliable passing attack just yet, with Desmond Ridder offering an inconsistent start to his run as a full-fledged starter. But the second-year passer posted his best game as a pro in Week 5, totaling 329 yards in a narrow win over the Texans.

The Falcons signed KhaDarel Hodge and Scotty Miller this offseason; neither have been factors for the team just yet. Jefferson presents a better option, with his 2021 season the best a current Falcons London sidekick has offered as a pro. The Falcons are now responsible for the remainder of Jefferson’s rookie salary; they will owe the former No. 50 overall pick just more than $800K for the season’s remainder.

The Rams received a 2024 second-round pick for Woods, whom they sent to the Titans in May 2022. The player the Rams signed to replace Woods — Robinson — ended up being costly to move, with the team paying much of his 2023 salary to secure a seventh-round pick swap with the Steelers in March. This Falcons-Rams exchange matches the compensation the Bears and Dolphins agreed to in last week’s Chase Claypool trade.

Rams Shopping WR Van Jefferson

October 10th, 2023 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

A key auxiliary target for Matthew Stafford during the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI-winning season, Van Jefferson has seen younger wideouts vault past him in the current team’s aerial pecking order. The second-generation NFL wide receiver may not be in Los Angeles much longer.

The Rams are shopping the contract-year wideout, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. A former second-round pick, Jefferson is now behind Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell. With Cooper Kupp back, the Rams have a fairly established top three at the position. Nacua and Atwell becoming promising Kupp sidekicks is a welcome development for the Rams, who saw both Kupp and Jefferson battle injuries last season.

Jefferson sustained a knee injury early during the Rams’ 2022 training camp, undergoing surgery to repair the issue. The Rams had held out hope the operation would allow Jefferson to return at some point last September, but the team delayed the Florida alum’s return by placing him on IR after multiple weeks went by. Although Jefferson came back and played in 11 games during his third season, he only caught 24 passes for 369 yards. While one of those was a touchdown to complete a stunning Baker Mayfield-piloted 98-yard drive to cap a comeback over the Raiders, Jefferson’s stock has dipped since he served as the team’s No. 3 option behind Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. two seasons ago.

After teetering on bust status, Atwell has belatedly emerged in the Rams’ WR3 role. The undersized pass catcher — a 2021 second-round pick — has caught 24 passes for 279 yards. Kupp’s injury did not end up accelerating a Jefferson contract-year breakthrough; the former No. 50 overall selection has eight receptions for 108 yards and no touchdowns. This comes as Nacua continued his historic start in Week 5. Despite Kupp’s return, Nacua’s first-month surge persisted; the fifth-round rookie now has an NFL-high 46 catches for 572 yards.

The Bears were able to send the underperforming Chase Claypool to the Dolphins, but the 2020 second-rounder only brought a pick-swap trade with the Dolphins. Although Jefferson caught six touchdown passes during his promising second season — a 50-catch, 802-yard year in which he helped the Rams cover for Robert Woods‘ ACL tear — his performance since will likely not inspire a team to give up more than a late-round pick.

Sean McVay’s team has some recent history dealing wideouts as well. Since April 2020, they have dealt three starters at the position, revamping Kupp’s supporting cast. The third team to trade Brandin Cooks, the Rams collected a second-rounder in a deal in which they sent the Texans Cooks and a fourth. The other two Rams receiver trades are probably more relevant here. The team sent Woods to the Titans for a 2024 seventh-round pick and paid part of Allen Robinson‘s salary to move up 17 spots in this year’s seventh round. Jefferson can probably fetch L.A. a bit more than the Woods and Robinson swaps did, as he is on a $1.37MM base salary to close out a rookie contract.

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