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Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/23

September 6th, 2023 at 7:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Minor moves from around the league as we prepare for tomorrow’s season opener:

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: LB Vi Jones

Rams WR Cooper Kupp To Miss Week 1; IR Stint Possible

September 6th, 2023 at 4:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 6: Kupp will indeed miss Week 1, McVay confirmed on Wednesday. More notably, he added that an IR stint is not out of the question for the 2021 triple crown winner, as noted by ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. Placing Kupp on injured reserve would guarantee at least a four week absence and hinder the Rams’ offense even further to begin a season in which the unit already faces plenty of questions.

SEPTEMBER 2: As the Rams go into Sean McVay‘s seventh season, this is easily their most unusually constructed roster during the Super Bowl-winning HC’s tenure. A wave of unknown rookie-contract commodities surround the three stars the team extended in 2022. While two of the Rams’ pillars are back from 2022 injuries, Cooper Kupp is looking unlikely to start the season on time.

McVay said Kupp encountered a setback in his recovery from a late-summer hamstring injury this week, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates the former All-Pro wide receiver is visiting a doctor in Minnesota today attempting to gather more information about his injury. As it stands now, Kupp is likely to be held out of the Rams’ Week 1 game against the Seahawks, Rapoport adds. Earlier this week, McVay called Kupp “day to day,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds.

Kupp initially suffered the injury August 1, and it is certainly a storyline to follow for a Rams team that is largely retooling. Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald will return from their respective 2022 injuries on time, but Kupp’s absence will probably extend into another season. Kupp saw his 2022 season end due to an ankle injury that led to a surgery. Although Kupp began training camp on time, he did not make it through a week of practices before going down with this separate issue.

Seeing a specialist eight days before Week 1 does not point to Kupp beginning his age-30 season on time. The Rams gave Kupp a three-year, $80.1MM extension during the 2022 offseason. That contract contained $70MM guaranteed. That did not represent the guarantee at signing, but in March, all of that $70MM became locked in for Kupp. The former third-round pick is going into his seventh NFL season.

In 2021, Kupp completed one of the greatest receiving seasons in NFL history, leading the league in receptions, yards and touchdowns. The slot maven capped the year off by scoring the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LVI, en route to MVP honors. The Rams ripped up a contract he had agreed to in 2020; that deal still had two seasons remaining. Just as Los Angeles did for Donald, who had three years left on an extension he signed in 2018, the team rewarded Kupp for his 2021 dominance.

A year after authorizing those contracts, the Rams look quite different. They lost a number of Super Bowl starters and have rookie deals surrounding their star trio’s big-ticket contracts. Kupp still represents the team’s runaway No. 1 target. Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, Tutu Atwell, Demarcus Robinson and fifth-round rookie Puka Nacua round out L.A.’s receiving cast.

OL Notes: Smith, Texans, Rams, Bears

September 6th, 2023 at 11:17am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys are going with a “best five” configuration up front, shifting course months after Jerry Jones discussed a plan of keeping Tyler Smith at tackle. Smith is back at guard, but he may not be a lock to start the season on time. The second-year blocker suffered a hamstring strain, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Jones expects Smith to play in Week 1; the 2022 first-round pick did not miss a game last season. Dallas has lost its starting left guard in free agency in each of the past two offseasons, seeing Connor Williams and Connor McGovern defect to the AFC East.

One of the backup options, Josh Ball, is on IR. Ball is battling hip and groin pain, and the Morning News’ Michael Gehlken notes he is expected to miss around two months. A 2021 fourth-rounder, Ball is not expected to need surgery. The Cowboys kept eight O-linemen, with rookies Asim Richards and T.J. Bass joining Chuma Edoga as backups.

Here is the latest from NFL O-lines:

  • Texans right tackle Tytus Howard returned to practice earlier this week, working out with a cast on his injured left hand. While the fifth-year lineman is on the verge of returning, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes George Fant is expected to play in place of Howard in Week 1. Howard, who signed a Texans extension in July, underwent surgery to repair a broken hand in early August. Fant worked as a regular Jets starter — at left and right tackle — throughout the 2020 and ’21 seasons; injuries limited him to seven games last year.
  • Josh Jones filled in for D.J. Humphries as the Cardinals’ left tackle last season, but the recently traded blocker is back at guard. The Texans have Jones in place as their starting left guard going into the season, Wilson tweets. Jones is replacing 2022 first-rounder Kenyon Green, who is on season-ending IR. Jones spent the 2021 season as a primary Cardinals starting guard. The Texans will also be without center Juice Scruggs to start the season; the second-rounder is on short-term IR with a hamstring injury.
  • The Rams gave Joseph Noteboom a three-year, $40MM deal to replace Andrew Whitworth in 2022, but after another season-ending injury, Whitworth’s would-be heir apparent lost his job. The Rams are going with Alaric Jackson at left tackle, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, who adds Noteboom is back at guard (subscription required). Noteboom worked at guard early in his career and was mentioned as a guard option this offseason, but he had played on the outside since becoming Los Angeles’ swing tackle in 2020. The Rams also added Kevin Dotson from the Steelers, and while Dotson has started 30 career games (including 17 last year), Rodrigue adds the team views him as a depth piece. A former UDFA, Jackson started six games last season before becoming one of the many Ram blockers forced off the field due to health issues. Blood clots ended Jackson’s 2022 slate.
  • Previously set to shift back to center, Cody Whitehair is at guard to start his eighth Bears season. Teven Jenkins‘ injury will shift Whitehair to left guard and Lucas Patrick to center, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes. Recent trade acquisition Dan Feeney is in place as Chicago’s backup center. Jenkins is on IR to start the season. Whitehair spent the past four seasons at guard but began his career with three slates at center. Patrick has played both guard and center. The 2022 free agency addition was ticketed to start at center last season, but injuries limited the ex-Packer to seven games.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/5/23

September 5th, 2023 at 5:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

  • Waived from IR: LB Abraham Beauplan

San Francisco 49ers

  • Released from IR: K Zane Gonzalez
  • Waived from IR: WR A.J. Parker

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Today’s minor moves consistent exclusively of players getting released/waived from injured reserve. If players are placed on IR during the preseason, they’re not allowed to be activated by their team during the regular season. However, getting released from IR allows them to sign elsewhere and play immediately.

The most notable name on the list is kicker Zane Gonzalez, who has seen time in 63 career games. He most recently got into 12 games for the Panthers during the 2021 campaign, connecting on 20 of his 22 field goal attempts and 22 of his 23 extra point tries. The veteran will likely need an injury to hit before he gets another gig.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/4/23

September 4th, 2023 at 8:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Denver Broncos

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: OLB Christopher Allen

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

  • Released from IR: S Rashad Torrence

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

The injury settlements will sever ties between these players and their respective teams. While IR designations ahead of roster-cutdown day make these players ineligible for in-season activations, these settlements open the door to the players playing elsewhere this season. Young heading to IR in-season means he will be sidelined for at least four games. The Seahawks can use one of their eight allotted activations to bring the 2022 seventh-round pick off IR this season.

Brewer has been the Cardinals’ long snapper since 2016. He re-signed with the team in June. The Cardinals placed another long snapper, Matt Hembrough, on IR before cutdown day. Although Brewer was left off Arizona’s 53-man roster, teams often make this move with marginal vested veterans, who do not have to pass through waivers. This allows clubs to protect younger players from the waiver wire. Only left tackle D.J. Humphries has been with the team longer than Brewer, who is going into his age-33 season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/1/23

September 1st, 2023 at 5:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Washington Commanders

Rams Sign CB Duke Shelley

September 1st, 2023 at 2:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after being let go by the Raiders, Duke Shelley has found a new home. The Rams made him a depth addition to their secondary, per a team announcement on Friday.

Shelley was one of several new corners brought in by the Raiders this offseason after their pass defense struggled in 2022. The 26-year-old did not have an impressive training camp, however, and he found himself out of contention for a starting role as final roster cuts loomed.

It thus came as little surprise that Shelley was among the vested veterans released by Vegas on Tuesday as they set their initial 53-man roster. Unlike players with less than four years of service time, Shelley was not subject to waivers and therefore eligible to sign on the Raiders’ practice squad or another team’s active roster at any time. He has not needed to wait long to find a new opportunity.

The former Bears sixth-rounder spent three years in Chicago, seeing a considerable jump in playing time with each passing season. He remained in the NFC North last year with the Vikings, during which time he started five of 11 contests and recorded his first career interception. Shelley also took a step forward in terms his coverage statistics, allowing a passer rating of 55.2 when targeted. He was nevertheless a member of a Minnesota secondary which understandably saw a number of changes made to it this offseason.

After failing to secure a full-time spot in Vegas, Shelley will attempt to do so with the Rams. As is the case at a number of positions, Los Angeles does not have any big-money commitments at the CB spot with Jalen Ramsey no longer in the picture. Shelley will be competing for playing time amongst the likes of Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick, Ahkello Witherspoon, Shaun Jolly and sixth-round rookie Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson.

DL Notes: Donald, Jones, Young, Cowboys

September 1st, 2023 at 12:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams moving on from a wave of defensive starters this offseason could soon call Aaron Donald‘s status into question. No notable Donald trade noise has circulated just yet, but with the Rams retooling, those would not surprise. Donald’s landmark extension runs through 2024, but the guarantees on that $31.7MM-per-year deal end this year. Donald’s contract includes a no-trade clause, but it does not look like he will prioritize his hometown Steelers — either via trade or a potential free agency run. While the Pittsburgh alum may not necessarily rule out a stint with his hometown team, NBC Sports’ Peter King notes the all-time great does not have such a move as a priority. The Rams must decide on Donald’s 2024 status by Day 5 of the 2024 league year, when $30MM becomes guaranteed.

Donald, 32, threatened to retire last year but secured a landmark raise. The 10th-year veteran was not closely connected to retirement plans this offseason. Here is the latest from the D-line scene:

  • Chase Young is on the verge of returning to full-time duty, after a 2021 ACL tear and patellar tendon rupture sidetracked the former Defensive Rookie of the Year’s career. But the fourth-year Commanders defensive end is recovering from another issue. As a result of a stinger sustained in the first preseason game, The Athletic’s Ben Standig notes Young has not received full clearance to return and is not a lock to be available in Week 1 (subscription required). Young has not practiced fully in more than two weeks; he was expected to meet with a doctor this week. The Commanders declined Young’s fifth-year option in May, putting him in a contract year along with Montez Sweat.
  • Chris Jones‘ holdout has extended past the one-month mark, and while fines have piled up, the disgruntled D-tackle has indicated he would be willing to push this hiatus toward the midseason point. Jones reporting only to pick up an accrued season would certainly harm the Chiefs, who have relied on their dominant interior D-lineman for years. On that note, GM Brett Veach said (via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams) the sides have increased communication this week. Jones would accumulate nearly $10MM in total fines — from training camp fines and missed game checks — were he to sit out until Week 8. Andy Reid said Friday he has not been given any indication Jones will be back in time for Kansas City’s Thursday-night opener. Jones wants Donald-level money; the Chiefs are looking to pay him closer to the second tier of DT deals that formed this offseason. Quinnen Williams‘ $24MM-AAV deal tops that contingent.
  • The Cowboys appear to be planning to work in first-round Mazi Smith slowly. The Michigan product is expected to be a rotational player to begin his career, with The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf noting Johnathan Hankins and Osa Odighizuwa are likely to be team’s defensive tackle starters in Week 1. Smith, however, will obviously be expected to move into the starting lineup early in his career.
  • Joseph Ossai‘s status for the Bengals‘ opener is up in the air due to a high ankle sprain, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes. The third-year defensive end is unlikely to suit up against the Browns, per Conway. While Ossai has shown some promise, injuries have continued to intervene. The 2021 third-round pick missed his entire rookie year and, after playing through a torn labrum late last year, underwent offseason surgery. The Bengals are deeper at D-end now, having drafted Myles Murphy in Round 1 to join Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard.

Rams Sign K Brett Maher To Practice Squad

August 31st, 2023 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 31: The Rams still do not have a kicker on their active roster, but they now carry one on their practice squad. Maher’s deal is a P-squad agreement, the team announced. The veteran specialist is a clear candidate to begin the season as Los Angeles’ kicker; that move would require a promotion or a gameday elevation.

AUGUST 30: After seeing the Broncos replace him with a trade for Sean Payton’s longtime Saints kicker, Brett Maher is on the verge of landing another gig. The veteran kicker is finalizing terms with the Rams, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

The Broncos acquired Wil Lutz via trade Tuesday and released Maher, who had been the only kicker in Denver for a bit. Maher competed against Elliott Fry to replace Brandon McManus, but after Fry suffered an injury, the Broncos had Maher effectively competing with kickers on other rosters. Lutz, who lost the Saints’ kicking competition, won out and is back with Payton.

The Rams let Matt Gay walk in free agency; Gay joined the Colts on a big-ticket (for kickers) deal. They brought in rookies to compete for the kicker job but set their initial 53-man roster with that spot vacant. Maher, 33, is set to fill it.

Although this is a Rams team in a vastly different place compared to Sean McVay’s previous seasons, Maher should still be considered a short-leash player. He has managed to both make the most 60-plus-yard field goals in NFL history (four) and miss five extra points in a single playoff run. Maher’s four misses in Tampa did not affect Dallas’ wild-card effort, but he missed another PAT in a close loss to San Francisco.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

August 30th, 2023 at 3:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ers, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Arizona Cardinals

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Placed on IR:

Signed: 

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad: 

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