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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/15/22

November 15th, 2022 at 8:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: DB Devon Key

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Released: WR Kevin Kassis

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/14/22

November 14th, 2022 at 8:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Mitchell has been out of the mix for the Jets since suffering a dislocated knee early last month. Although Mitchell was carted off the field because of that injury, he appears on track to come back. The Jets also have George Fant on IR, but he has not yet been designated for return. The Jets have used Duane Brown and journeyman Cedric Ogbuehi at tackle over the past two games. Gang Green has six injury activations remaining.

The Giants four activations left. A 2021 sixth-round pick, Williams ran into a bone-spur issue during training camp. The Giants claimed Layne off waivers from the Steelers after cutdown day. The former third-round pick has worked on special teams throughout the season.

Rams’ Cooper Kupp Suffers Ankle Injury

November 14th, 2022 at 7:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

7:07pm: While no fracture occurred, Kupp seems likely to miss time. The Rams’ top playmaker suffered a high ankle sprain that ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter notes (via Twitter) “doesn’t sound good.” An IR stay may not be out of the question for the star pass catcher, but any Kupp absence stands to significantly affect a Rams team that has not been able to rely on anyone else to pick up yards this season.

11:00am: The Rams’ offense has had one consistent contributor this season, and the team may be without him for a stretch. Cooper Kupp went down with an ankle injury during yesterday’s loss to the Cardinals, leaving his availability in the short term very much in doubt.

Last night, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reported (via Twitter) that the worst-case scenario had been avoided for last season’s Offensive Player of the Year. An update from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirms this, as he adds that no fracture is believed to have taken place (video link).

More testing will be done today, but it appears likely at this point that Kupp is facing a multi-week absence. That would deal a huge blow to the defending champions, of course, given their inability to find consistency on offense outside of Kupp’s production. Los Angeles has dealt with a multitude of injuries along the offensive line, a falling out with running back Cam Akers and underwhelming numbers from free agent signing Allen Robinson.

Kupp, though, had delivered consistent performances prior to yesterday. The 29-year-old sits at 75 catches, 812 yards and six touchdowns on the campaign, one which comes immediately after he won the NFL’s ‘Triple Crown’ by leading the league in each of those three categories. That earned him a three-year, $80MM extension in the offseason, as the Rams took care of new deals for Kupp, quarterback Matthew Stafford and defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

Assuming Kupp does miss time, Robinson would take on an increased role as the team’s leading receiver. Brought in to replace Robert Woods, the former Jaguar and Bear has yet to top 63 yards in a game during his first season with the Rams. Recent draftees Van Jefferson and Tutu Atwell could also be in line for a larger workload. Once considered the favorites to sign Odell Beckham Jr. after his successful run with the team, the Rams do not appear to be finalists for the veteran’s impending decision.

The Rams sit at the bottom of the NFC West with a 3-6 record. Their average of 239 passing yards per game (ranking 17th in the league) would stand to take a significate hit if Kupp’s tests return an unwanted result.

Odell Beckham Jr. Hopes To Sign By End Of November; 49ers In Mix

November 13th, 2022 at 10:08pm CST by Rory Parks

OBJ watch remains in full effect. As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes, free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr. is hoping to sign with a club by the end of November, and it appears there are five legitimate suitors: the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys, Giants, and 49ers.

While the first four teams on that list have been mentioned as potential landing spots before, the 49ers are a new entrant in this year’s Beckham sweepstakes. The Niners were reportedly on OBJ’s shortlist of preferred destinations when he was cut by the Browns last November, but they had not been a part of the 2022 rumors. The 5-4 club currently occupies the seventh and final spot in the NFC playoff picture and made a bold move to acquire former Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey prior to the trade deadline. Beckham would further bolster a talented skill-position group that includes McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle.

Recent reporting indicates that the Cowboys have emerged as the frontrunners here, and neither Schefter nor Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports have said anything to contradict that. Indeed, Jones confirms that Beckham is looking to join a high-profile contender that plays in a warm-weather city, and the Cowboys meet all of those criteria. On the other hand, a cold-weather climate is not necessarily a dealbreaker, so Super Bowl favorites like the Bills remain in play. There is also the possibility that a dark horse candidate swoops in at the last minute, while disappointing would-be contenders like the Rams and Packers seem to have fallen out of the race.

Although Schefter reports that Dr. Neal ElAttrache is prepared to clear Beckham for all activities, one of Jones’ sources says the wideout might not be ready for game action until Week 14 or 15. Another executive told Jones that all of the rumors surrounding Beckham are “creating the illusion of a market,” and while it is fair to be skeptical of what Beckham can offer for the remainder of the 2022 season, the reports of widespread interest in his services appear legitimate.

In fact, Schefter’s sources say that Beckham could land a payout in line with those of Bucs WR Chris Godwin and Chargers receiver Mike Williams (albeit on a prorated basis). Godwin and Williams enjoy a $20MM AAV, and assuming the market for Beckham is as robust as it appears, he could earn a $5MM salary for the final quarter of the season. Beckham continues to push for a multi-year pact, and if a team is willing to honor that request, it would be better-equipped to absorb such a salary, which would otherwise be difficult to do at this point in the season.

Regardless of what he makes for the rest of the 2022 campaign, Beckham may need to accept a contract comprised primarily of non-guaranteed money in the future in order to secure a multi-year contract, as Jones observes.

Matthew Stafford Expected To Miss Week 10

November 12th, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 12: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Stafford will indeed miss out on tomorrow’s game, barring a “drastic change” (Twitter link). That will leave Wolford in line for his third career start.

NOVEMBER 9: The Rams have lost four of their past five games and have seen their offense crater from its 2021 form. The defending Super Bowl champions now face the prospect of their starting quarterback being unavailable.

Sean McVay said Wednesday that Matthew Stafford is in the team’s concussion protocol. The 34-year-old quarterback entered the protocol Tuesday, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets. It is believed Stafford sustained the concussion against the Buccaneers on Sunday, but the Rams noticed symptoms during standard checks with the 14th-year veteran Tuesday (Twitter link).

With the protocol having been enhanced this season, a scenario in which the Rams play without him in Week 10 is certainly on the table. Stafford has not missed a game since joining the Rams and has only missed games in one of the past 12 seasons (2019). The Rams (3-5) host the Cardinals (3-6) on Sunday.

Rams backup John Wolford has been with the team since 2019, when the Rams signed him after a stay in the Alliance of American Football. Wolford started in place of Jared Goff late during the 2020 season, replacing the longtime starter for Los Angeles’ regular-season finale and in the team’s wild-card playoff game against the Seahawks. A Goff hand injury led to Wolford starting in Seattle, but Wolford suffered a subsequent injury that summoned Goff back into action. Between the regular season and playoffs, Wolford has thrown 48 career passes.

The league’s revised protocol, put in place earlier this season following Tua Tagovailoa‘s controversial re-entry into the Dolphins’ Week 3 game after he showed concussion symptoms, added ataxia — defined as an “abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue” — to the list of mandatory no-go symptoms. The changes to the protocol have led to more players, including Dolphins backup QB Teddy Bridgewater, being ruled out of games due to head injuries.

Following his removal from a game due to ataxia, Bridgewater cleared the protocol six days after his removal from a Dolphins-Jets game. The Dolphins still started third-stringer Skylar Thompson in their matchup with the Vikings, but Bridgewater replaced the rookie after an early-game injury. The steps back to action for players remain more complicated compared to the protocol’s previous seasons, providing another hiccup for a Rams team that has traversed a bumpy title-defense season.

Stafford dealt with an elbow issue throughout the offseason and has been sacked 28 times. He was only dropped 30 times during the entire 2021 season. Only Justin Fields (33) and Joe Burrow (30) have been sacked more than Stafford, who took four against the Buccaneers. Offensive line issues have led to Stafford’s sack spike. The Rams have dealt with injuries everywhere but right tackle up front and have seen second-string blockers go down as well. This has hindered McVay’s offense, which ranks 31st in scoring entering Week 10. None of McVay’s first five Rams offenses have ranked worse than 11th.

Rams Activate Three From Injured Lists, Waive RB Malcolm Brown

November 12th, 2022 at 4:02pm CST by Ely Allen

The Rams remain one of the most active teams in the league with their activations from the injured lists, continuing that trend today with two activations from injured reserve and one from the physically unable to perform list. After the three activations, the team will have two remaining, the second lowest in the league after only their division rivals in San Francisco. In order to free up some space on the roster, Los Angeles waived veteran running back Malcolm Brown.

The biggest return for the Rams is interior offensive lineman Coleman Shelton, who started four games for the Rams before being placed on IR. Coleman initially started at right guard for Los Angeles before moving to center to help replace an injured Brian Allen. Alaric Jackson was filling in for Coleman until being asked to cover the left tackle spot left vacant when Joseph Noteboom was placed on IR. Since then, some spot starts from Oday Aboushi and Chandler Brewer have contributed to an extremely injured offensive line.

The other two activations were rookie running back Kyren Williams from IR and rookie safety Quentin Lake from the PUP list. Williams was a fifth-round draft pick out of Notre Dame and is expected to have enough of an impact as a rookie that the team felt comfortable letting go of Brown. The shorter, stocky back should provide a complimentary skillset alongside Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers. Lake, a sixth-round pick out of nearby UCLA, should provide some key depth behind Nick Scott and Taylor Rapp at safety with Jordan Fuller still on IR.

Brown’s return to Los Angeles, after a one-year stay in Miami, was fairly short-lived and unproductive. In five games this year, Brown has only touched the ball 16 times for 57 total scrimmage yards, despite all the drama keeping Akers off the field. It appears that, after seven of eight years with the team, the Rams have seen enough of what Brown can provide in their running backs room and will allow the 29-year-old to test the waiver wire.

Lastly, in anticipation of their matchup with the Cardinals this weekend, the team has elevated tight end Jared Pinkney from the practice squad. The former Vanderbilt tight end made his Rams debut last week, playing solely on special teams.

Rams To Activate RB Kyren Williams From IR

November 11th, 2022 at 1:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries and the Cam Akers drama have produced an unstable Rams rushing attack this season. The defending Super Bowl champions enter Week 10 ranked 31st on the ground.

The team held onto Akers at the trade deadline and used him against the Buccaneers. Another option will be available for the reeling Rams on Sunday. Sean McVay said the team will activate Kyren Williams from IR. Williams has been out since Week 1 due to a high ankle sprain sustained during limited duty in Week 1. Williams will be the Rams’ fourth injury activation this season.

A fifth-round pick out of Notre Dame, Williams has one NFL play on his resume. That special teams rep led to a half-season’s worth of injury-induced absences. But the Rams will get a look at the two-time Fighting Irish 1,000-yard rusher against the Cardinals. It remains to be seen if Williams will carve out a meaningful role in Los Angeles’ backfield, but given the team’s struggles, it would surprise if the 5-foot-9 rusher did not receive an extended look during this season’s second half.

Williams combined to score 31 touchdowns during his sophomore and junior years in South Bend. He topped 300 receiving yards in each of those campaigns. But injuries have been a problem for the rookie; Week 10 will be the end of an extensive journey. Williams began training camp on the Rams’ active/PUP list due to a broken foot.

Akers has not regained the form he displayed as a rookie; the July 2021 Achilles tear has become an unfortunate line of demarcation for the former second-round pick’s career. Following what is believed to be a football-related dispute, the Rams dangled Akers in deals — including offers for Christian McCaffrey and Brian Burns. No team bit. Akers, who is signed through 2023, totaled five carries for three yards last week in Tampa.

Darrell Henderson, who is playing on an expiring contract, leads the Rams with 253 rushing yards (4.1 per carry). But the team has tried veteran Malcolm Brown and UDFA Ronnie Rivers at points as well. Injuries at four of L.A.’s five starting offensive line positions have certainly impacted the team’s ability to sustain a ground game as well. The Rams will at least have their full stable of running backs available this week.

Poll: Who Will Sign Odell Beckham Jr.?

November 10th, 2022 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

In what will be a key point not only on Odell Beckham Jr.‘s rehab timeline but perhaps in this year’s Super Bowl chase as well, the standout wide receiver is expected to be fully cleared for football work soon. Around nine months after suffering his second ACL tear, Beckham will be ready to practice for his new team. Who will that team be?

A free agent of this caliber is rarely available at this point in the season. Whichever team signs Beckham will see its skill-position corps receive a stretch-run jolt. However, injury concerns and Beckham’s desire for a multiyear contract complicate this unique chase. Beckham’s Browns stay also showed how adding him can backfire in a poor fit, injecting some risk into his 2022 equation. That said, teams pursuing him will be doing so based off his quick-impact Rams stay. The Rams needed OBJ to reach Super Bowl LVI. Despite the steady run of injuries that date back to his Giants days, that will be what drives a signing.

Rams connections overshadowed every other team’s Beckham ties for most of the offseason. Everyone from Les Snead to Sean McVay to Kevin Demoff expressed optimism Beckham would return to Los Angeles. With the Rams 3-5 and ranking 31st offensively, they do not appear the favorites any longer. The Rams ($4.2MM in cap space) have received little from their skill positions beyond Cooper Kupp; Beckham would boost the sinking contender’s cause. This franchise has also made a habit of landing big fish.

If he is eyeing a multiyear commitment, going back to an offense he knows well would make sense. Then again, Beckham expressed disappointment in the Rams’ previous offer. Although Sean McVay said last month the team had not made its best proposal yet, will such an offer come given the defending Super Bowl champions’ current state?

The Cowboys ($6.9MM in cap space) may have taken over as the OBJ favorites. Dallas cornerstones like Micah Parsons and Ezekiel Elliott are recruiting him. More importantly, Jerry Jones appears to be as well. In discussing OBJ’s market with NFL personnel, Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed came away with the Cowboys as the frontrunners here.

Beckham, 30, would slot in alongside CeeDee Lamb as the Cowboys’ top weapons. Dallas’ auxiliary troops have not shown too much this season. Of course, Dak Prescott‘s injury contributed to the limited production from Dalton Schultz and Michael Gallup. And the Cowboys just signed a player coming off a December ACL tear (Gallup). While they appear ready to gamble on Beckham, that partnership will mean Lamb’s complementary pieces will each be fresh off ACL rehab. But the Cowboys may have their best Super Bowl opportunity since 2016, when they claimed the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The team may be on its way to the No. 5 seed this year, but a dominant pass rush has changed its equation compared to recent years.

The team viewed as the second-likeliest to add Beckham, per Kyed, the Bills are not as well-versed in attracting free agents. But Josh Allen‘s ascent has changed the franchise’s trajectory. Von Miller making the atypical decision to choose Buffalo over L.A. could bring Beckham to follow suit. Miller has been banging this drum for months. Earlier this season, the Bills were not viewed as a key player in this market. With Jamison Crowder (fractured ankle) out of the picture and the Bills encountering more defensive injuries, has that changed?

Beckham is believed to prefer a warm-weather city, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telgram, who adds the eight-year veteran would change his mind for “the right offer” (Twitter link). The Bills rarely have a market advantage over their competition, so needing to navigate that battle is not exactly new.

The three-time Pro Bowler also mentioned the Packers and a Giants reunion as possibilities. Neither of these would check the warm-weather box, but the Packers were in on Beckham in 2021 and have been mentioned as a suitor intermittently for the past several months. But Green Bay has dropped to 3-6. The NFL’s smallest-market franchise is also now going year to year with Aaron Rodgers. That status affected Davante Adams‘ interest in staying with the Packers. Green Bay needs Beckham more than Dallas, Buffalo or L.A., with Adams’ departure crushing the team’s receiving corps. Considering the Packers’ modern history with big-ticket free agents, Rodgers’ post-2022 plans, and the team’s 2022 performance, this might be a tough sell.

Giants GM Joe Schoen said Beckham would be considered, but he did not meet with the Jerry Reese-era draftee when he visited following Sterling Shepard‘s injury. Like just about every team Beckham is considering, the Giants looked into Brandin Cooks and Jerry Jeudy before the trade deadline. The Giants may need an impact receiver more than the Packers, who at least roster Allen Lazard. No Giants wideout has totaled more than 250 yards. Their leading receiver, Darius Slayton, spent the offseason in Brian Daboll‘s doghouse.

Big Blue came into this season on a rebuilding track. The team was not viewed as likely to consider trading even a Day 2 pick for a wideout, and it traded a talented but injury-prone receiver (Kadarius Toney). This is not the regime that traded Beckham to Cleveland, but would Schoen be willing to sign the injury-prone vet beyond 2022?

The Vikings and Chiefs were also mentioned as Beckham suitors, but each made moves ahead of the deadline. Each team gave up Day 2 capital — for T.J. Hockenson and Toney, respectively — for weaponry already. Kansas City looked into Cooks as well and was in the OBJ mix last year. Given the Chiefs’ arms race with the Bills, they probably cannot be fully ruled out.

Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this rare in-season market in the comments section.

Poll: Which team will sign Odell Beckham Jr.?
Dallas Cowboys 40.36% (3,283 votes)
New York Giants 15.17% (1,234 votes)
Buffalo Bills 11.10% (903 votes)
Kansas City Chiefs 8.58% (698 votes)
Another team (specify in comments) 7.18% (584 votes)
Green Bay Packers 6.47% (526 votes)
Los Angeles Rams 5.58% (454 votes)
Minnesota Vikings 5.57% (453 votes)
Total Votes: 8,135

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/10/22

November 10th, 2022 at 5:17pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Rams Designate OL Coleman Shelton For Return

November 9th, 2022 at 5:56pm CST by Ben Levine

The Rams should soon get some reinforcement on the offensive line. The team announced (on Twitter) that they’ve designated guard Coleman Shelton for return from IR.

After serving as a backup for his first three seasons in the NFL, Shelton earned the starting right guard gig heading into the season. He quickly moved over to center to fill in for the injured Brian Allen, starting four games between the two positions. The veteran suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 4, an injury that was expected to knock him out for four to six weeks.

Shelton appears to be on track for that initial return timeline, and the Rams will now have three weeks to activate him from injured reserve. Coach Sean McVay hinted earlier this week that Shelton could be activated as soon as this weekend, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic (on Twitter).

The 27-year-old’s return should help provide some stability to what’s been a shaky offensive line. Allen has since returned to the lineup, and with Shelton back, the Rams will have the ability to play around with their options at offensive guard. Bobby Evans has struggled mightily in 2022, ranking 80th among 81 qualifying guards on Pro Football Focus’ rankings. Alaric Jackson has fared much better and will likely keep his starting gig even with Shelton back in the lineup.

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