Chiefs Trade RB DeAndre Washington To Dolphins
The Chiefs have agreed to trade running back DeAndre Washington to the Dolphins, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. In exchange, Miami will send draft pick compensation to Kansas City.
[RELATED: Dolphins Trade Isaiah Ford To Patriots]
The Dolphins have been on the lookout for backfield help in recent weeks, as evidenced by their pursuit of Le’Veon Bell. Bell ultimately landed with the Chiefs, leaving the Dolphins to settle for one of his backups.
It’s not the ideal consolation prize, but Washington did flash ability as a rookie with the Raiders, when he averaged more than five yards per carry. And, last season, he gained 162 yards as he started in the Raiders’ final two games.
The 27-year-old will join an RB group that currently includes Myles Gaskin, Matt Breida, and Jordan Howard. Meanwhile, the Dolphins won’t have to do much roster juggling to accommodate him after sending wide receiver Isaiah Ford to the Patriots earlier today.
Dolphins Trade Isaiah Ford To Patriots
The Dolphins have agreed to trade wide receiver Isaiah Ford to the Patriots, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. In exchange, the Patriots will send a 2022 seventh-rounder to Miami. 
[RELATED: Patriots Set High Asking Price For Stephon Gilmore]
The deal will provide Cam Newton with a big-bodied receiver, similar to one-time Panthers teammates Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess. The former seventh-round pick has quietly been a key contributor in Miami this year, catching 18 passes for 184 yards in seven games.
Some have speculated that the Patriots could turn into sellers at the deadline but Bill Belichick has dismissed such talk all week. Instead, the Patriots have swung a small, but still significant, deal to bolster the offense. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, it sounds like star cornerback Stephon Gilmore will be staying put. The Patriots haven’t dismissed inquiries outright, but they have set a sky-high asking price of a first-round pick, plus a player.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/2/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: S Darron Lee
- Released: LB Ahmad Gooden
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Shelton Gibson
- Released: K Taylor Bertolet
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Dalyn Dawkins
- Released: DT Albert Huggins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: C Evan Boehm
- Suspended: FB Bruce Miller (six games, PED violation)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE Matt Sokol
Miami Dolphins
- Released: CB Cordrea Tankersley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Hakeem Butler, LB Rashad Smith
- Released: WR Marcus Green, LB Dante Olson
Washington Football Team
- Signed: CB Jordan Brown
Dolphins Set High Asking Price For Xavien Howard
The Dolphins have received at least one trade inquiry on cornerback Xavien Howard, but it would take a “Laremy Tunsil type” offer to get a deal done, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. This jibes with previous reports we’ve heard — the Dolphins may be willing to listen, but they want a serious haul for the fifth-year star.
The Tunsil deal saw the standout left tackle and wide receiver Kenny Stills shipped to the Texans last year in exchange for two first-round draft picks, a second-round choice, and more. While Howard holds significant value, Tunsil was a special case. There’s a dearth of quality talent at the left tackle position, and teams were willing to pay a fortune for Tunsil.
The Dolphins extended Howard in April of last year, giving him a $15MM/year deal that runs through 2024. There’s no guaranteed money after this year, so the Dolphins could theoretically trade him today and absorb a modest $4.1MM cap hit. The 27-year-old is due base salaries of $12.1MM and $12.4MM in 2021 and ’22 before a slight drop to $12MM in ’23 and ’24.
Howard, who missed 11 games last season, led the NFL with seven interceptions in 2018 and already has 16 picks in his four-plus-season career. In that span, only Titans safety Kevin Byard has more INTs. So far this year, he’s tied for the NFL lead with four INTs (with Kendall Fuller of WFT and J.C. Jackson of the Patriots).
Latest On Dolphins’ Decision To Start Tua Tagovailoa
The Dolphins started the Tua Tagovailoa era off with a bang, upsetting the Rams 28-17. While Tagovailoa wasn’t asked to do much thanks to a dominant day from Miami’s defense and finished with only 93 yards, Brian Flores‘ decision to bench Ryan Fitzpatrick for the rookie certainly didn’t backfire.
Speaking of that decision, we now have some more details on the Dolphins’ thought process. The fact that Miami owns the Texans’ first and second-round draft picks next April played a role, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. With the way Houston is circling the drain at 1-6, those picks figure to be very high. Apparently the Dolphins wanted to make sure they got an extra long look at Tagovailoa just in case they’re in position to take a top quarterback in the 2021 draft.
That reporting would seem to indicate that if Tagovailoa flops down the stretch, Miami very easily could draft another signal-caller next year. Unless the Texans finish with the first overall pick they likely won’t be able to get Trevor Lawrence, but Ohio State’s Justin Fields would be a very real possibility. The Dolphins of course just drafted Tagovailoa with the fifth pick this past year, but the situation certainly wouldn’t be unprecedented after the Cardinals just jettisoned Josh Rosen after only one year to draft Kyler Murray.
The Dolphins own those picks from the trade of left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Owners can often get trigger happy with a desire to satisfy fans and play the more exciting option, but despite some speculation to the contrary Dolphins owner Stephen Ross played no role in the decision to move to Tagovailoa, a source told Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald.
This wasn’t a spontaneous decision either, as Salguero writes that Flores and general manager Chris Grier had already made the plan for the bye-week switch before the team’s win over the Jets in Week 6. Next up for Miami is a date with the Cardinals for Tagovailoa’s first career road start.
Trade Rumors: Thomas, Njoku, Watt, Jets
Saints head coach Sean Payton has said his team has no interest in trading star receiver Michael Thomas, though Thomas’ camp was recently said to be looking for potential deals. There has been no movement towards a Thomas trade, and whether that’s because New Orleans has no interest in dealing him or because the club has not received an offer it likes, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Thomas will stay put.
With the trade deadline two days away, let’s round up a few more rumors on players who could be on the move:
- The Browns don’t want to trade tight end David Njoku, but Njoku has renewed his request to be dealt, and Rapoport says Cleveland has been fielding calls on the former first-rounder. It may take at least a fourth-round pick to get a deal done, but with Austin Hooper set to return and with the emergence of rookie Harrison Bryant, the Browns may elect to move Njoku.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that the Texans are at the center of the trade market, with one executive saying Houston could move as many as five players if it wants to. Rapoport expects the Packers‘ interest in Will Fuller — which dates back to the summer — to ramp up, but it will likely take a high pick to convince the Texans to move Fuller. Fellow WR Kenny Stills has also drawn some interest, though rival clubs see the contracts for Stills and Randall Cobb as prohibitive. DE J.J. Watt may be receptive to a trade, but considering his contract and age, other teams probably don’t value him like the Texans do.
- The Jets have received calls on LB Avery Williamson, OTs George Fant and Chuma Edoga, and CB Quincy Wilson, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says the Steelers — who recently lost Devin Bush for the season — could be in the market for Williamson, and Edoga also seems like a good bet to be dealt since he does not look like a fit with the current regime.
- La Canfora says teams have also called the Jets about WR Breshad Perriman and TE Chris Herndon, though Breer notes that safety Marcus Maye has not drawn much interest.
- Rapoport names Dolphins RB Jordan Howard and Seahawks TE Jacob Hollister as two other players who could be moved. And though the Bengals are shopping disgruntled wideout John Ross, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com says there hasn’t been interest in Ross (Twitter link).
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/31/20
Here is the league’s avalanche of Halloween minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: DT John Cominsky
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Terrell Bonds, LB Kristian Welch
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: CB Levi Wallace
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Lee Smith
- Promoted: CB Dane Jackson
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: WR Dwayne Harris
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: G Shaq Calhoun
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers (from Lions): LB Elijah Lee
- Activated from IR: WR KhaDarel Hodge
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Austin Calitro
- Promoted: WR Fred Brown, FB Jeremy Cox, OL Patrick Morris
- Placed on IR: TE Andrew Beck
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: TE Isaac Nauta
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: S Henry Black
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Chris Thompson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Damon Arnette, T Trent Brown
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Trey Pipkins
- Promoted: WR Jason Moore, RB Troymaine Pope, OL Cole Toner
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Derrick Moncrief
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: CB Tae Hayes, DT Benito Jones
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Cameron Dantzler
- Activated from IR: LB Troy Dye
- Promoted: C Brett Jones, CB Chris Jones, DB Luther Kirk, DE Hercules Mata’afa
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Todd Davis
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Sony Michel (Michel remains on IR)
- Activated from IR: S Cody Davis, LB Josh Uche
- Promoted: DE Tashawn Bower, DT Nick Thurman, WR Isaiah Zuber
- Placed on IR: T Justin Herron
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Austin Carr, OL Will Clapp, WR Tommylee Lewis, WR Juwan Johnson
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: CB Arthur Maulet
- Promoted: K/P Sergio Castillo, LB Bryce Hager, WR Jaleel Scott
- Placed on IR: S Bradley McDougald
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: CB Michael Jacquet, DT Raequan Williams
- Waived: TE Hakeem Butler
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: S Antoine Brooks, FB Trey Edmunds, LB Jayrone Elliott
- Placed on IR: DT Chris Wormley
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: WR River Cracraft, S Johnathan Cyprien
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from NFI list: TE Colby Parkinson, CB D.J. Reed
- Promoted: CB Jayson Stanley, DE/TE Stephen Sullivan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: TE Antony Auclair, G John Molchon
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DB Breon Borders, RB D’Onta Foreman, CB Kareem Orr
- Placed on IR: CB Kristian Fulton
Dolphins Set High Price For Xavien Howard
- NFL INT leader Xavien Howard has surfaced as a name to watch ahead of the deadline. While the Dolphins have fielded calls on the fifth-year cornerback, they have not received a firm offer, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. The Dolphins also appear dead-set against dealing Howard, with Jackson adding that it would likely take multiple first-round picks (an unrealistic ask) for Miami to consider a deal. Howard is in the first season of a five-year, $75MM contract.
Dolphins Extend Adam Shaheen
The Dolphins have agreed to a two-year contract extension with tight end Adam Shaheen, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The deal — worth up to $7.85MM with $3.2MM fully guaranteed — will keep him in the fold through the 2022 season. 
[RELATED: Dolphins’ Ryan Fitzpatrick Hasn’t Asked For Trade]
The Dolphins acquired Shaheen from the Bears in July for the cost of a conditional 2021 seventh-round pick. That is to say, they didn’t give up much for Shaheen, who was a second-round pick just a few years ago. In Chicago, he didn’t live up to his 2017 expectations, due in large part to injuries. All in all, he had totaled 26 receptions for 249 yards and four touchdowns in 27 games, out of a possible 48.
With the Dolphins, he’s managed to stay healthy while serving as a solid blocking tight end. Through six games, he’s played on 32% of Miami’s offensive snaps.
Shaheen figures to see more time this week, when the Tua Tagovailoa-led Dolphins face the Rams in Miami.
Dolphins Receiving Trade Inquiries On Xavien Howard
Xavien Howard has intercepted a pass in four straight games, and those four picks are tied for the NFL lead. The veteran cornerback has rebounded from an injury-marred 2019.
Although the Dolphins are 3-3, they have received trade inquiries on their standout corner. At least two teams have called the Dolphins about Howard, Barry Jackson and Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald report. While Howard would not mind being traded, according to the Herald, the Dolphins made the interesting move of sending out a statement they are not shopping him (Twitter link via Jackson).
Multiple other media outlets indicated the Dolphins were, in fact, entertaining offers for Howard. Considering the Dolphins are still in a rebuilding phase, having just given Tua Tagovailoa the reins, listening to proposals would make sense. The current regime, however, did extend Howard in April 2019. His $15MM-per-year deal runs through 2024. However, no guaranteed money remains on the contract after 2020. The Dolphins would take only a $4.1MM cap hit by trading the 27-year-old defender, who is due base salaries of $12.1MM and $12.4MM in 2021 and ’22. His 2023 and ’24 prices dip below $12MM, increasing potential trade value.
The Dolphins gave Byron Jones a then-cornerback-record contract in March and drafted Noah Igbinoghene in the first round a month later. The team has not been shy on dealing key players, with Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick being shipped out last year. No first-round pick would likely come Miami’s way in a Howard swap, though.
Howard, who missed 11 games last season, led the NFL with seven interceptions in 2018 and already has 16 picks in his four-plus-season career. In that span, only Titans safety Kevin Byard has more INTs.