Minor NFL Transactions: 11/7/23
Here are Tuesday’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: CB Bobby Price
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: LB Andre Smith
- Waived: LB Tae Davis
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: TE Jordan Matthews
- Placed on IR: LB Luiji Vilain, LB Chandler Wooten
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: T Geron Christian, WR James Proche
- Placed on IR: CB Cameron Mitchell
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Grayland Arnold
- Placed on IR: DT Hassan Ridgeway, S M.J. Stewart (story)
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: DT Cory Durden
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: DT Naquan Jones
Washington Commanders
- Signed off Eagles’ practice squad: G Julian Good-Jones
- Placed on IR: C Ricky Stromberg
Price finds his way to injured reserve with an undisclosed injury in order to make room for quarterback Kyler Murray, who was activated from IR this afternoon. Price spent time on IR last year with a knee injury before missing the first five games of this season, as well.
Vilain and Wooten join eight other defenders on IR as Carolina continues to deal with injury issues on that side of the ball. They recently added veteran pass rusher Justin Houston to the injured list but may soon get back linebacker Marquis Haynes after opening his 21-day practice window yesterday.
Rams To Waive QB Brett Rypien
Following the news of the Carson Wentz agreement, the Rams will spend their bye week with just two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. With Wentz coming in, Brett Rypien will be jettisoned.
The Rams are waiving Rypien, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The former Broncos backup received the call against the Packers in relief of Matthew Stafford. After a 20-3 Rams loss that featured a poor Rypien performance, the team will have Stafford and Wentz as the QBs on its roster.
After four seasons in Denver, Rypien signed with Los Angeles shortly after the draft. The team had him in mind as a placeholder while Stetson Bennett developed. The 26-year-old rookie, however, landed on the reserve/non-football illness list in September. This left Rypien as the top Stafford backup. With Stafford again needing to miss time due to injury, the Rams were without another option. The Wentz deal will cover them going forward.
Rypien, 27, will be waived despite being a vested veteran. With the trade deadline having passed, all cut players are subject to waivers. Considering the QB trouble around the league, it will be interesting to see if someone picks up the former UDFA. But Rypien struggled in Green Bay, completing 46% of his passes while throwing an interception and fumbling twice. With Bennett out of the picture presently and the team cutting Dresser Winn from its practice squad, a spot could be open for Rypien — should he pass through waivers.
Considering Stafford’s recent injury history and Wentz being new to the team, it should be expected the Rams will carry a practice squad QB. Rypien has made four career starts, replacing Stafford, Russell Wilson and Drew Lock. He posted a 60.2% completion rate last season, throwing two TD passes and four interceptions. The nephew of Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien, Brett saw the Broncos give Jarrett Stidham a two-year, $10MM deal to replace him. The Rams have now ended Wentz’s near-eight-month free agency stay to do the same.
After Stafford gave the Rams 21 starts (counting the four postseason outings) in 2021, the Rams have started five QBs over the past two seasons. They turned to John Wolford, Bryce Perkins and Baker Mayfield amid Stafford’s injury-plagued 2022. Stafford made it through eight games this season and is expected to be ready for Week 11, but Wentz would now be in line to run that number to six should the starter need to miss more time.
The Rams attempted to reacquire Wolford by signing him off the Buccaneers’ practice squad last week, but the Florida native cited a desire to stay in Tampa, via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Although Wolford would not have had a choice had the Bucs not agreed to bump him up to their 53-man roster, the team did, cutting off a QB avenue for the Rams.
In addition to the QB transactions today, the Rams waived running back Myles Gaskin. The former Dolphins and Vikings back played in one game for the Rams, who reconfigured their backfield after the Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers injuries. Both must miss at least two more games. Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman have operated as L.A.’s primary backs since those IR moves came to pass.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford Inactive For Week 9
Brett Rypien will be the Rams’ starting quarterback in the team’s game against the Packers today, and Matthew Stafford will be inactive. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported last night that this was the expected outcome, and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic was among those to confirm that news this morning.
Stafford is dealing with a UCL sprain that he suffered in last week’s loss to the Cowboys. Luckily, the Rams have a Week 10 bye, so the 35-year-old passer will have plenty of time to get healthy before the team takes on the division-rival Seahawks in Week 11.
Although the Rams started the season with a somewhat encouraging 3-3 record, they have dropped both of their past two games and are relying on a former UDFA with three career starts to prevent a three-game skid. Stafford, meanwhile, has not rebounded from a disappointing 2022 campaign as Los Angeles had hoped, as he has completed less than 60% of his passes for eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. That adds up to a subpar 82.0 quarterback rating.
Despite going into last week’s trade deadline with a 3-5 mark, the Rams never shopped any of their high-profile players, a list that includes Stafford. Of course, Stafford’s recent on-field performance and injury problems make his contract — which runs through 2026 and includes a fully-guaranteed base salary of $31MM in 2024 — largely untradeable anyway.
Rypien, whom the Broncos signed as a priority UDFA in 2019, made one start for Denver in 2020 and two more last season. He has gone 2-1 in those outings, though he has thrown just four TDs against eight picks in his pro career.
Rypien joined the Rams on a one-year contract in May. He was released as part of roster cutdowns at the end of August and subsequently joined LA’s taxi squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/4/23
Today’s minor moves and gameday callups for Week 9:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: WR Andre Baccellia
- Elevated: RB Corey Clement, QB Jeff Driskel
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Damiere Byrd, TE Tucker Fisk
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: CB Daryl Worley
- Elevated: CB Kevon Seymour
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: CB Josh Norman
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: WR Stanley Morgan
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: WR James Proche
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: LB Rashaan Evans
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: S Innis Gaines
Houston Texans
- Elevated: G Dieter Eiselen
- Waived: CB Grayland Arnold
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: CB Chris Lammons
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: RB La’Mical Perine
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: OLB Malik Reed
- Elevated: G Netane Muti, WR DJ Turner
- Waived: WR Kristian Wilkerson
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: QB Dresser Winn
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from IR: WR Jalen Nailor
- Elevated: DL T.J. Smith, LB Nick Vigil
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: DT Jeremiah Pharms
- Elevated: T Conor McDermott
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: LB Cory Littleton
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: TE Lawrence Cager
- Elevated: K Randy Bullock, LB Justin Hollins
- Placed on IR: QB Tyrod Taylor, TE Darren Waller (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: LB Ben VanSumeren
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: T Jason Peters
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: DL Pat O’Connor
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: OT Alex Akingbulu, OL Nolan Laufenberg
With Kyler Murray not being activated from injured reserve this week, the Cardinals are heading into Week 9 with Clayton Tune as the only quarterback on their active roster. Driskel will be called up for the week as a standard gameday elevation to back up Tune.
With Matthew Stafford listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game, the Rams are adding some depth at the quarterback position. Dresser Winn had a breakout 2022 campaign at UT Martin, tossing 18 touchdowns while adding another three scores on the ground. He joined the Rams as an UDFA but was cut at the end of the preseason. He had a brief stint in the Canadian Football League before rejoining the Rams practice squad earlier this week. If Stafford can’t go, Brett Rypien will get the call under center for the Rams.
Peters will be elevated for the second straight week in Seattle. The 41-year-old, playing in his 19th NFL season, split snaps with right tackle Stone Forsythe last week against Cleveland.
NFL Injury Rumors: Giants, Banks, Stafford
The Giants received some good news with the announcement that starting quarterback Daniel Jones has received clearance to play and is line to start Week 9 in Las Vegas. In the same breath, though, New York was forced into the realization that it will be without Jones’ safety net and security blanket as backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor and tight end Darren Waller will both be absent this weekend and, potentially, longer, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Taylor sustained a rib cage injury that knocked him out of last week’s overtime loss to the Jets. Waller is also dealing with some injury trouble concerning his groin and hamstring. Despite the injuries last week, Taylor and Waller led the Giants in passing and receiving, respectively, in the loss, despite only totaling eight yards passing and four yards receiving.
Raanan relayed the report from head coach Brian Daboll, who mentioned that he doesn’t expect either player back any time soon. In fact, the head coach didn’t rule a stint on injured reserve for Taylor or Waller.
Here are a few other injury rumors from around the NFL, starting with a Texans rookie starter:
- Houston placed rookie center Jarrett Patterson, who had been forced into the starting lineup due to other injuries along the offensive line, on IR on Tuesday. The specifics of Patterson’s injury weren’t reported at the time, but Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 informed us this week that Patterson suffered a broken fibula. After receiving multiple medical opinions, Patterson will avoid surgery but is still expected to miss six to eight weeks.
- On the second to last drive of last week’s loss to Cincinnati, 49ers starting left guard Aaron Banks suffered a foot injury that he wouldn’t report until finishing the game. Per a report by David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone, head coach Kyle Shanahan communicated that he expects Banks to miss a few weeks with a turf toe injury. “Yeah, with turf toe, you never know,” Shanahan said. “So, they told me it should be a few weeks, is what I got here. I know that’s a little vague, but I would say that means at least three weeks.” Luckily for San Francisco, one of those weeks should include the team’s Week 9 bye.
- While dealing with a UCL sprain suffered in this past weekend’s loss to Dallas, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has been classified as day-to-day. After testing out the thumb injury on Tuesday, Stafford sat out the remainder of this week’s practices, according to Kevin Patra of NFL Network. Still, head coach Sean McVay reported Stafford will be labeled as questionable heading into the Week 9 and will be a game-time decision to play. If Stafford is unavailable on Sunday, backup quarterback Brett Rypien will make the start. Rypien has gone 2-1 in three starts over his first four years in the league but has thrown twice as many interceptions (8) as touchdowns (4). Either way, Los Angeles will leave Sunday headed towards a bye week, allowing Stafford an extra week of rest to potentially return for Week 11.
Deadline Notes: Dolphins, Saints, Rams
The Dolphins are one of the most explosive teams in the NFL and sit tied atop the AFC with a 6-2 record. While Miami has clearly established themselves as a contender, the team remained quiet through the deadline. In fact, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that the Dolphins really didn’t have any trades in the works leading up to the deadline.
This is mostly because of the team’s IR situation, and the Dolphins will soon see a number of talented players return from injury. As McDaniel explained to reporters, those additions should give the Dolphins the boost that they would have been seeking via trade.
“Yeah, we actually have several of the best trades that exist in the works. Ok? You’re talking about getting players with no compensation, or no assets given, from injury. So, I mean, we’re in a great spot,” McDaniels said (via Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com).
“I think [GM] Chris [Grier] is always, and will always enter into, you know, whatever conversations that are sought out to him and, you know, that’s that’s a part of his job. He doesn’t labor my mind with, ‘Hey, you know, like NFL gossip, like, hey, I talked to this guy and this guy,’ you know, he, he, he brings it to my attention when we need to discuss it when it, when it’s to a serious platform.
“And he didn’t discuss anything. And that speaks to where we’re at with our football team. We’ve been playing some good football, and then we have some players that are very good players that are returning.”
Safety Jevon Holland (concussion), cornerback Xavien Howard (groin), and center Connor Williams (groin) are among the injured players who could return to the field as soon as this week.
More notes following the trade deadline:
- Following a quiet deadline day, Saints GM Mickey Loomis admitted that he discussed acquiring players for draft assets but never actively shopped any of the players on his roster. “We talked to a couple of teams about a couple of things, more in the acquisition area as opposed to trading somebody,” Loomis said (h/t John Hendrix). “We didn’t really talk about trading anyone from our team. We did talk to a couple teams about an acquisition, but I wouldn’t say it ever got really serious.” The Saints currently sit with a 4-4 record and are tied with the Falcons atop the NFC South.
- The Rams have a 3-5 record and are facing some uncertainty at QB, leading some pundits to wonder if they’d be sellers at the deadline. While the team received calls on some veterans, the Rams never shopped any of their star players. According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, the Rams didn’t consider moving Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, or Aaron Donald despite the front office potentially having eyes on the 2024 campaign.
- Similarly, the Cowboys didn’t initiate any trade talks with teams, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The reporter notes that the front office did receive some calls on their defensive depth, but the Cowboys were content sticking with their current squad.
- Some details on trades that were actually made: the conditional seventh-round pick that the Cardinals sent to the Vikings alongside QB Joshua Dobbs was a selection that originated with the Falcons, per Howard Balzer. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Brady Henderson notes that the Giants are paying most of the remaining $10MM on Leonard Williams‘ contract, with the Seahawks owing their new player only $647K.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Jeff Driskel
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Clay Johnston
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LS Jake McQuaide
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Austin Ajiake, LB Isaac Darkangelo
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: QB Dresser Winn
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DE Michael Dogbe, CB JoeJuan Williams
- Released: CB C.J. Coldon
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Bruce Hector
- Released: DL Elerson Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE E.J. Jenkins
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DL Pat O’Connor
With Matthew Stafford questionable for Week 9, the Rams are adding some additional QB depth. Winn had a standout career at UT Martin before going undrafted in this year’s draft. The QB spent training camp with the Rams before eventually joining the Edmonton Elks in the CFL. As Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes, the signing is especially notable considering Winn also punted in college; Rams punter Ethan Evans is currently dealing with a sprained ankle.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/23
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return: CB Daryl Worley
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: TE Tanner Hudson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Designated for return: WR Richie James
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: TE Nick Vannett
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed to active roster: RB Darrell Henderson
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: OL Chris Glaser
With the Chiefs adding Mecole Hardman and eyeing a WR crunch, the team reportedly shopped James last week. A trade didn’t end up happening, and with the wideout sitting on IR, the team has decided to designate him for return. After resurfacing last year with the Giants, James signed a one-year deal worth $1.23MM with the Chiefs back in April. He got into Kansas City’s first two games, hauling in one six-yard catch.
2023 NFL Trades
The 2023 NFL trading period is now over. Dozens of trades — some in the roster-reshaping mold, others executed for depth purposes — ended up coming to pass. Since the NFL moved its trade deadline from Week 6 to Week 8 in 2012, trades have gradually become a more important part of the league’s roster builds.
An argument can be made the NFL should move its deadline deeper into the season, as the MLB, NBA and NHL deadlines come after the midpoint. The NFL moving to a 17-game/18-week slate in 2021, after 43 years at 16 games, also factors into this line of thinking. For now, the league will still force its buyers and sellers to assess their teams fully by Week 8.
To gauge the value of the moves teams have made, here are the trades completed across the league in 2023. (Note: only trades involving veteran players, as opposed to draft-weekend deals only involving picks, are listed here.)
January 31
- Broncos obtain Sean Payton‘s rights, 2024 third-round pick from Saints in exchange for 2023 first-round pick, 2024 second-rounder
The Saints chose defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 29 overall
March 9
- Jets acquire S Chuck Clark from Ravens for 2024 seventh-round pick
March 10
- Bears send Panthers No. 1 overall pick in exchange for No. 9, No. 61, a 2024 first-rounder and 2025 second
The Panthers chose Bryce Young first overall; the Bears traded down from No. 9 to No. 19, drafting tackle Darnell Wright. Trading up from No. 61 to No. 56, Chicago chose cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.
March 12
- Dolphins acquire CB Jalen Ramsey from Rams for 2023 third-round pick, TE Hunter Long
The Rams selected outside linebacker Byron Young at No. 77 overall
March 13
- Patriots trade TE Jonnu Smith to Falcons for 2023 seventh-round pick
New England selected defensive back Isaiah Bolden at No. 245
March 14
- Texans obtain G Shaq Mason, 2023 sixth-round pick from Buccaneers for 2023 seventh-rounder
Houston used the No. 230 pick in a package to trade up for center Juice Scruggs in Round 2; Tampa Bay packaged No. 179 to move up for guard Cody Mauch in Round 2
- Giants acquire TE Darren Waller from Raiders for third-round pick
At No. 100, the Raiders drafted wide receiver Tre Tucker
- Colts send CB Stephon Gilmore to Cowboys for 2023 fifth-round pick
The Colts selected running back Evan Hull at No. 176
March 20
- Cowboys give Texans 2023 fifth-round pick, 2024 sixth-rounder for WR Brandin Cooks
The Texans used No. 161 to trade up for wide receiver Tank Dell
March 22
- Jets send WR Elijah Moore, No. 74 to Browns for No. 42
The Jets included No. 42 in the picks package sent to the Packers for Aaron Rodgers; the Browns chose wide receiver Cedric Tillman at No. 74
March 25
- Panthers deal K Zane Gonzalez, 2025 seventh-round pick to 49ers for 2025 seventh-rounder
April 11
- Falcons traded 2023 fifth-round pick to Lions for CB Jeff Okudah
The Lions packaged No. 159 to move up for defensive back Brian Branch in Round 2
April 18
- Rams send WR Allen Robinson, No. 251 to Steelers for No. 234
The Rams agreed to pay $5MM of Robinson’s 2023 salary. At No. 234, the Rams chose cornerback Jason Taylor II; at 251, the Steelers selected offensive lineman Spencer Anderson.
April 24
- Packers send QB Aaron Rodgers, Nos. 15, 170 to Jets for Nos. 13, 42, 207, conditional 2024 second-round pick
Rodgers needed to play 65% of the Jets’ 2023 offensive snaps for the 2024 pick to become a first-rounder; his Week 1 Achilles tear will prevent that from happening. At No. 13, the Packers chose pass rusher Lukas Van Ness; at 15, the Jets took defensive end Will McDonald. At Nos. 42 and 207, Green Bay respectively chose tight end Luke Musgrave and kicker Anders Carlson. The Jets moved down from No. 170, picking up an additional seventh-round pick.
April 29
- Lions deal RB D’Andre Swift, No. 249 to Eagles for No. 219, 2025 fourth-round pick
At No. 219, the Lions chose wide receiver Antoine Green; at 249, the Eagles selected defensive tackle Moro Ojomo
- Saints send TE Adam Trautman, No. 257 to Broncos for No. 195
The Saints chose wide receiver A.T. Perry at No. 195; the Broncos selected center Alex Forsyth at 257
May 12
- Browns send 2024, 2025 fifth-round picks to Vikings for DE Za’Darius Smith, 2025 sixth-, seventh-round picks
May 25
- Jaguars trade K Riley Patterson to Lions in exchange for conditional 2026 seventh-round pick
July 19
- Jets move WR Denzel Mims, 2025 seventh-round pick to Lions for conditional 2025 sixth-rounder
Mims needed to make the Lions’ 53-man roster for the pick to convey. With the Lions cutting Mims with an injury settlement in August, the Jets will not end up receiving a pick in this trade.
August 24
- Cardinals trade LB Isaiah Simmons to Giants for 2024 seventh-round pick
- Cardinals move OL Josh Jones, 2024 seventh-round pick to Texans in exchange for 2024 fifth-rounder
- Cardinals acquire QB Josh Dobbs, 2024 seventh-round pick from Browns for 2024 fifth-rounder
August 25
- Cowboys send 49ers 2024 fourth-round pick in exchange for QB Trey Lance
August 27
- Patriots acquire OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr. from Browns in exchange for Pierre Strong
- Steelers send G Kevin Dotson, 2024 fifth-round pick, 2025 sixth-rounder to Rams for 2024 fourth-, 2025 fifth-round picks
- Vikings deal T Vederian Lowe to Patriots for 2024 sixth-round pick
August 28
- Chargers obtain 2025 seventh-round pick from Browns in exchange for K Dustin Hopkins
- Bears acquire G Dan Feeney from Dolphins in exchange for 2024 sixth-round pick
August 29
- Panthers obtain WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, 2025 conditional seventh-round pick from Chiefs for 2025 conditional seventh
- Giants land DE Boogie Basham, 2025 seventh-round pick from Bills for 2025 sixth-rounder
- Saints send K Wil Lutz to Broncos for 2024 seventh-round pick
- Patriots deal K Nick Folk to Titans in exchange for 2025 seventh-round pick
- Chiefs acquire DL Neil Farrell from Raiders for 2024 sixth-round pick
- Steelers move OL Kendrick Green to Texans for 2025 sixth-round pick
- Cowboys send CB Kelvin Joseph to Dolphins in exchange for CB Noah Igbinoghene
- Broncos trade TE Albert Okwuegbunam to Eagles for 2025 sixth-round pick
September 20
- Rams shuttle RB Cam Akers, conditional 2026 seventh-round pick to Vikings for conditional 2026 sixth-round pick
Akers must tally more than 500 yards from scrimmage to meet the conditional requirement
October 4
- Chargers send CB J.C. Jackson, 2025 seventh-round pick to Patriots for 2025 sixth-rounder
October 6
- Dolphins obtain WR Chase Claypool, 2025 seventh-round pick from Bears for 2025 sixth-rounder
- Broncos deal DE Randy Gregory, 2024 seventh-round pick to 49ers for 2024 sixth-rounder
The Broncos agreed to pay all but the prorated veteran minimum of Gregory’s 2023 base salary
October 10
- Rams trade WR Van Jefferson, 2025 seventh-round pick to Falcons for 2025 sixth-rounder
October 18
- Chiefs acquire WR Mecole Hardman, 2025 seventh-round pick from Jets for 2025 sixth-rounder
October 23
- Eagles trade 2024 fifth-, sixth-round picks, S Terrell Edmunds to Titans for S Kevin Byard
October 30
- Giants trade DL Leonard Williams to Seahawks for 2024 second-round pick, 2025 fifth-rounder
Giants agreed to pay all but the prorated veteran minimum on Williams’ remaining $10MM in base salary
- Eagles send DL Kentavius Street, 2025 seventh-rounder to Falcons for conditional 2024 sixth-rounder
Street must play in at least six games as a Falcon to meet the conditional requirement
October 31
- Bears acquire DE Montez Sweat from Commanders in exchange for 2024 second-round pick
- Cardinals send QB Joshua Dobbs, conditional 2024 seventh-round pick to Vikings for 2024 sixth-rounder
- Jaguars acquire G Ezra Cleveland from Vikings for 2024 sixth-round choice
- 49ers obtain DE Chase Young from Commanders in exchange for 2024 third-round pick
- Browns send WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to Lions in exchange for 2025 sixth-round pick
- Packers move CB Rasul Douglas, 2024 fifth-round pick to Bills for 2024 third-round choice
Rams, Vikings Showed Interest In John Wolford; Bucs To Promote QB
OCTOBER 31: The Buccaneers will follow through with their protection measure. Wolford will be signed to the Bucs’ 53-man roster, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The Bucs will now carry three quarterbacks on their active roster. This comes after both the Rams and Vikings showed interest in poaching Wolford off the practice squad, per Russini. Kevin O’Connell coached Wolford for two seasons in Los Angeles. Despite multiple potential opportunities to join another team’s 53, Wolford will make the jump in Tampa.
OCTOBER 30, 7:25pm: It sounds like the Rams will have to look elsewhere for QB depth. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Wolford informed the Rams that he prefers to stay in Tampa Bay. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds that the quarterback is expected to stick with the Buccaneers and be added to the active roster.
6:25pm: John Wolford is set to return to Los Angeles. The longtime Rams backup left for a Buccaneers deal this offseason, but the Rams have seen Matthew Stafford run into another injury. They will take action via an outside hire.
The Rams intend to sign Wolford off the Bucs’ practice squad, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Wolford did not make Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster, with Kyle Trask in place behind starter Baker Mayfield. Wolford has spent the season on the Bucs’ P-squad, but the latest Stafford injury issue will prompt the Rams to close a deal on a reunion.
Because the Rams are signing Wolford off Tampa Bay’s taxi squad, he must remain on L.A.’s active roster for at least three weeks. That will be a familiar place for Wolford, who resided as the backup to Stafford and Jared Goff during a four-year L.A. stay. The Rams replaced Wolford with ex-Broncos backup Brett Rypien this offseason. Rookie Stetson Bennett is not in the picture presently, residing on the Rams’ reserve/NFI list.
Rypien replaced Stafford after he suffered a thumb injury against the Cowboys. The 15th-year QB is battling a UCL sprain in his throwing thumb, and this upcoming transaction casts some doubt the starter’s availability for Week 9. Stafford missed eight games last season. Coming into 2022, however, the former Lions mainstay had only missed time in one of the previous 11 seasons (due to a 2019 back injury). With IR not off the table for Stafford, the Rams are once again scrambling at the game’s premier position.
Goff brought more durability than Stafford has, leaving Wolford on the bench for much of his first two seasons in California. Signed initially after a stint in the short-lived Alliance of American Football in 2019, Wolford did end up playing a key role for the 2020 Rams. A Goff thumb injury sidelined him for the Rams’ 2020 season finale, and Sean McVay turned to Wolford in for Week 17 and then the wild-card round. A Wolford neck injury knocked him out of that Rams-Seahawks tilt, leading an injured Goff back into action. The Rams included Goff in the Stafford trade weeks later.
Wolford, 28, has made five career starts. Three of those came in relief of Stafford last season. Last year, the Wake Forest product was not especially productive. The start he is credited with winning included scant usage, with the Rams inserting Mayfield — with the team for all of two days at that point — into the lineup and seeing the waiver claim lead an improbable game-winning drive to beat the Raiders. Wolford did not factor into the Mayfeld-Trask Tampa competition, but he may have another opportunity soon — depending on how the Rams navigate the Stafford situation.