AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Onwenu
Last year, the Dolphins made a splashy trade on deadline day. They sent the Broncos first- and fourth-round picks, along with Chase Edmonds for salary-matching purposes, for Bradley Chubb and subsequently signed the edge rusher to an extension. Although the Dolphins have shown more firepower this year and reside atop the AFC East at 5-2, they may not be too interested in a major exchange before Tuesday’s deadline. Mike McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) he is “very, very comfortable” with the team’s roster and that GM Chris Grier has not come to him with any trade offers.
The Dolphins, who have endured two double-digit losses, rank first offensively but have seen injuries stack up on their offensive line. Terron Armstead and Connor Williams have missed multiple games, and left guard Isaiah Wynn suffered what looks like a season-ending injury. Vic Fangio‘s defense also ranks 27th in points allowed, though Jalen Ramsey‘s return will be a significant in-season acquisition of sorts for that unit. While Miami also was connected to just about every potentially available running back this offseason, its De’Von Achane pick has been a hit, despite the third-rounder residing on short-term IR.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- The Jets re-signed Quincy Williams to a three-year, $18MM deal days before free agency, and the former Jaguars third-rounder has received rave reviews from the coaching staff this season. Pro Football Focus also ranks Williams as a top-10 off-ball linebacker. Williams, however, said he disagreed with the comps the team made when assessing his value this offseason. “I’m going to be honest with you; the contract situation threw me off, for real, for real,” Williams said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “Listening to the players they thought were better than me, that kind of put a chip on my shoulder.” While that makes it rather interesting Williams did not test the market to gauge how other teams viewed him, his $6MM-per-year contract ended up similar to most of the veteran ILBs who hit free agency this year.
- Robert Saleh said Duane Brown will not be designated for return this week. While Brown is eligible to practice this week, the New York Post’s Brian Costello notes he will not do so until at least Week 9. The 38-year-old tackle has been on IR with a hip injury since Sept. 23. The Jets moved Mekhi Becton to left tackle, but with RT replacement Alijah Vera-Tucker out for the season, it will be interesting to see if Becton is kicked back to the right side to create a spot for Brown.
- Regarding the Jets’ Mecole Hardman trade, Saleh said (via Cimini) rookie UDFA Xavier Gipson made the free agent signing expendable. Gipson, who has operated as the Jets’ kick and punt returner this season, has only played 39 offensive snaps. Hardman only logged 28 during a disappointing Jets tenure, but it should be expected Gipson will see a bit more time at receiver going forward. Hardman played in the Chiefs’ Week 7 game, notching an impactful punt return and playing 11 offensive snaps back with his original NFL team.
- Riley Reiff is now on IR for a second time this season, and trade acquisition Vederian Lowe struggled to replace him at right tackle. The Patriots moved guard Michael Onwenu back to right tackle in Week 7, with Bill Belichick approaching the contract-year player about the switch last week, per MassLive.com’s Chris Mason. Onwenu has spent time at right tackle during his Pats career but had settled in at guard. With the former sixth-round pick in a contract year, a right tackle switch could certainly affect his 2024 market.
- Malik Cunningham once again passed through waivers and onto the Patriots’ practice squad, but the team was not as lucky with DB Ameer Speed. New England waived Speed last week, but ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss notes the team wanted him back on the P-squad. The Colts nixed that plan with a claim. A sixth-round pick this year, Speed played in five Pats games before his Foxborough exit.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/23
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the league:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated to return from IR: WR Tylan Wallace
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Houston Texans
- Designated to return from IR: DT Hassan Ridgeway
Los Angeles Rams
- Designated to return from IR: TE Hunter Long
Miami Dolphins
- Designated to return from IR: WR River Cracraft
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated to return from IR: RB Kenny McIntosh
- Designated to return from PUP: NT Austin Faoliu
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Cardinals): S K’Von Wallace
- Placed on IR: DT Taylor Stallworth
After being waived yesterday by the team who submitted a waiver claim for him at the start of the season, Wallace finds himself on the third NFL team of his career. While the trade that sent star Titans’ defender Kevin Byard to Philadelphia returned another safety in Terrell Edmunds, Wallace will come in and attempt to compete for some key playing time with Edmunds and Amani Hooker.
Humphrey has been promoted as a standard gameday elevation three times already, the limit for a practice squad contract, so in order to see any further game action, he needed to be on the active roster. If he is released and re-signs to the team’s practice squad, he’ll be able to be elevated three more times under a new practice squad deal.
Dolphins Place OL Isaiah Wynn On IR, Activate CB Nik Needham
OCTOBER 25: Although McDaniel stopped short of saying Wynn was done for the season, the second-year Dolphins HC indicated (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) the veteran O-lineman will face a tough road in an effort to come back this year. If Wynn is unable to return before season’s end, this will mark his fourth NFL campaign to end early because of injury.
OCTOBER 24: After playing shorthanded throughout last season, the Dolphins are moving toward full strength at cornerback. With Jalen Ramsey readying to make his 2023 debut, Miami will soon see Nik Needham back in action.
The Dolphins activated Needham off the reserve/PUP list Tuesday, moving him close to making a comeback from the Achilles tear he suffered in October 2022. To make room for Needham on their 53-man roster, the Dolphins placed guard Isaiah Wynn on IR. With Needham being designated for return on Oct. 4, the Dolphins needed to activate him by Wednesday to ensure he was eligible to play this season.
Wynn went down with a quadriceps during the Dolphins’ loss to the Eagles on Sunday night, and Mike McDaniel said (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) the team’s left guard would be out for weeks. This will force more changes to the Dolphins’ offensive front. Despite an explosive start to the season, Miami has played games without left tackle Terron Armstead and center Connor Williams. Wynn will not be able to return until Week 13, with the Dolphins’ bye coming in Week 10. Armstead is on IR and must miss at least one more game with a knee injury.
Miami added Wynn in free agency, giving the ex-New England first-rounder a one-year deal worth $2.3MM. This low-end “prove it” deal came after a Patriots contract year that ended early. The Pats placed Wynn on IR due to a foot injury in December of last year. That came after a substandard platform campaign, leading to tepid interest in free agency. Although Wynn enjoyed nice stretches as New England’s left tackle, he settled for a low-end deal in Miami. This will be Wynn’s fifth trip to IR. Being moved to the injured list in 2018, ’19, ’20 and ’22, Wynn has missed 39 games as a pro.
The Dolphins made Wynn their left guard starter, returning him to a guard role on a full-time basis for the first time since his Georgia days. Wynn made seven starts at left guard for the Dolphins, and although Lester Cotton replaced him against the Eagles, it is possible Miami reinstalls Liam Eichenberg at left guard. The former second-round pick, who operated as the Dolphins’ primary left guard last season, lost the job to Wynn during the preseason. But he returned to a starting role in Week 6, filling in for Williams at center. The 2022 free agent signing coming back would point to Eichenberg sliding back to left guard. A 2019 Raiders UDFA, Cotton has two starts on his NFL resume.
Given a second-round RFA tender last year, Needham saw his momentum blunted by the Achilles tear. He re-signed with the Dolphins on a one-year, $1.82MM deal, doing so after the team traded for Ramsey. The Dolphins were busy at corner this offseason, keeping Needham and then drafting Cam Smith in Round 2. The South Carolina product has yet to find his footing in Vic Fangio‘s defense. Needham’s return further bolsters Miami’s secondary. Ramsey is working his way back from meniscus surgery and is expected to return soon, being designated for return from IR last week.
Needham, who will turn 27 next week, has started 27 games for the Dolphins. Fangio will be the third defensive coordinator Needham will have played for as a pro, but he will supply the secondary with extensive experience alongside Ramsey, Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou. With Ramsey’s return imminent, it will be interesting to see how the Dolphins reintegrate Needham.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23
Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from NFI list: CB Garrett Williams
- Elevated: RB Damien Williams, CB Bobby Price
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: DL Lacale London, TE Tucker Fisk
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: S DeAndre Houston-Carson
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: DT Kendal Vickers
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: OL Doug Kramer
- Elevated: CB Joejuan Williams
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: RB Deon Jackson
- Elevated: QB P.J. Walker, LB Charlie Thomas
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: TE Greg Dulcich
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DE Josh Paschal
- Released: TE Darrell Daniels
- Elevated: RBs Mohamed Ibrahim, Devine Ozigbo
Green Bay Packers
- Released: OLB Justin Hollins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: QB Nathan Rourke
Kansas City Chiefs
- Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Cornell Armstrong
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Keelan Doss, S Mark Webb
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner
New England Patriots
- Elevated: WR Jalen Reagor, DT Trysten Hill
New York Giants
- Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, G Jalen Mayfield
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: C Joey Hunt
- Waived: OL Ben Brown
- Elevated: WR Easop Winston, RB SaRodorick Thompson
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Abdullah Anderson, CB Tariq Castro-Fields
Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.
The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.
Dolphins Activate RB Jeff Wilson Jr. From IR
The high-powered Dolphins offense is adding some more talent to the mix. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Dolphins have activated running back Jeff Wilson Jr. from injured reserve. 
The activation comes at a good time for the Dolphins. Rookie sensation De’Von Achane landed on injured reserve with a knee injury, and UDFA rookie Chris Brooks has also been shelved for at least the next four weeks. That left Raheem Mostert and Salvon Ahmed as the only healthy RBs on the roster, but Wilson will provide an experienced option that the Dolphins can add to the mix.
Wilson, who has missed time due to finger and rib issues, was deemed ready to play in time for last week. However, roster calculus led his 2023 debut being delayed until Week 7, something head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed earlier in the week would take place. Today’s expected move will use up one of Miami’s seven remaining IR activations.
Mostert has had success as the Dolphins’ top back, recording 20 touches in a game on two occasions so far this season. The 31-year-old has found the end zone in all but one contest in 2023, and he leads the NFL with nine rushing touchdowns. His role as RB1 will likely not be in doubt with Wilson back in the picture, but the latter has proven to be an efficient complimentary option both with the 49ers and the Dolphins. Both backs inked two-year deals this offseason, and with Achane currently unavailable, they will aim to prove those investments to be worthwhile.
Wilson, 27, averaged 4.7 yards per carry in his eight games in South Beach last season after being dealt away by the 49ers following their Christian McCaffrey acquisition. The former UDFA saw a 53% snap share in Miami in 2022, and it will be interesting to see how large of a workload he handles upon return this year. The Dolphins lead the league in both passing (324) and rushing (182) yards per game through six weeks, and Sunday’s primetime matchup against the Eagles figures to be an offensive shootout. Miami will have another option in the backfield for that contest as Wilson prepares to make his season debut.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/20/23
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Released: CB JoeJuan Williams
Denver Broncos
- Claimed off waivers (from Chiefs): DT Keondre Coburn
- Released: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed off waivers (from Patriots): CB Ameer Speed
- Waived: WR Amari Rodgers
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: RB Chris Brooks
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: G Tommy Kraemer
Dolphins Open CB Jalen Ramsey’s Practice Window
12:10pm: Ramsey will not play against the Eagles on Sunday night, Mike McDaniel confirmed. But the second-year HC is “very optimistic” Ramsey will return sooner rather than later, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. While Ramsey will not play against the Eagles, Jeff Wilson will be activated off IR in time for Week 7. McDaniel said the running back, who went on IR with finger and rib and finger injuries, was ready to go last week, Wolfe tweets. Roster math halted the Dolphins from activating Wilson, but he should be expected to be the team’s second IR activation this season.
8:10am: The growing optimism about Jalen Ramsey‘s return timetable will lead to the Dolphins opening his practice window earlier than expected. Initially viewed as potentially needing recovery time into December, the recent trade acquisition will be on track to come back sooner.
The Dolphins are expected to open Ramsey’s 21-day practice window Wednesday, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe tweets. Ramsey practicing today would mean he must come off IR by Nov. 8. The All-Pro cornerback is believed to be far ahead of schedule, and today’s transaction will prove that.
[RELATED: Dolphins Designate RB Jeff Wilson For Return]
It took only a third-round pick and backup tight end Hunter Long for the Dolphins to acquire Ramsey, who has been one of this NFL period’s premier corners. Ramsey, who will turn 29 next week, seeking a contract adjustment led to the reduced trade compensation. And the Dolphins guaranteeing the eighth-year veteran’s 2024 salary after the trade provided security for Ramsey as he recovers from the meniscus injury he suffered during training camp. He appears close to recovering from the knee setback, which would be a significant development for a Dolphins team that has been one of the NFL’s best through six games.
While Miami’s offense is soaring, Vic Fangio‘s defense sits in the bottom half of the league. But Ramsey represented the other pillar in the Dolphins’ defensive plan this offseason. Paying Fangio more than $4.5MM to work as Mike McDaniel‘s right-hand man, the Dolphins formed one of the NFL’s highest-profile CB tandems by obtaining Ramsey to play across from Xavien Howard. But Fangio’s recent run of bad injury luck followed him to South Florida. After seeing Bradley Chubb and Von Miller rarely suit up together in Denver, the acclaimed defensive mind lost Ramsey from his new equation early. That equation is about to change for the better.
Ramsey went down in late July, and while an initial report revealed a six- to eight-week return timetable, he underwent full meniscus repair surgery that moved back the re-emergence date until the season’s second half. Shortly after Dolphins cornerbacks coach Sam Madison said November would be a realistic return window, Ramsey is close to beating even that proclamation. His comeback would strengthen a defense that ranks 20th in points allowed and 26th in yards yielded.
The former Jaguars top-five pick has three first-team All-Pro honors on his resume. No active cornerback matches that, with the first of Patrick Peterson‘s three such achievements coming for return-game work. Requiring two first-round picks as a 2019 trade acquisition, Ramsey played a lead role in helping the Rams to a Super Bowl title. He earned first-team All-Pro acclaim in 2020 and ’21, and while the Rams struggled last season as they lost key personnel to injuries, Pro Football Focus still ranked Ramsey as a top-five corner.
Miami has used Kader Kohou as a regular alongside Howard this season; this is a familiar role for the 2022 UDFA, who stepped in for Byron Jones as he could not recover for the 2022 season. Late-summer addition Eli Apple has cleared the 250-snap barrier, with veteran special-teamer Justin Bethel also seeing a regular role in Fangio’s defense. Second-round pick Cam Smith has not carved out a spot in Fangio’s defense.
The Dolphins’ schedule heats up this week, with the Eagles on tap. After a Week 8 date against the Patriots, the Dolphins head to Germany for a Chiefs tilt. Ramsey returning ahead of that Nov. 5 matchup would obviously strengthen the team’s chances of prevailing in what stands to be a pivotal overseas matchup — perhaps the biggest game the NFL has sent to Europe — for AFC home-field advantage purposes.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/17/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Andrew Adams
Chicago Bears
- Signed: QB Trace McSorley
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Mohamed Ibrahim
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Anthony Johnson
- Released: CB Kiondre Thomas
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Tyrod Cleveland, RB Zavier Scott
- Released: WR Racey McMath, WR Anthony Miller, G Dakoda Shepley
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Isaiah Moore
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OT Jalen McKenzie
- Released: WR Malik Flowers
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Quinton Bell
New England Patriots
- Signed: OT Conor McDermott
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/23
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: S Jaylinn Hawkins
Carolina Panthers
- Signed off Giants practice squad: S Alex Cook
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: G Michael Dunn
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: WR Juwann Winfree
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released from reserve/retired: LB Blake Martinez
Miami Dolphins
- Released from IR: DE Chase Winovich
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: WR Trishton Jackson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed off Steelers practice squad: CB Josiah Scott
- Waived: CB Mario Goodrich
NFL Injury Updates: Giants, Achane, Ramsey, Watson
While one-game injuries are not usually worthy of mention, the Giants‘ situation at offensive line this week is a wild exception. It would be difficult to look back and find a more dire example of desperation on a depth chart. With regular starter Andrew Thomas and primary backup Matt Peart already designated out for tonight’s game against the Bills, according to Ryan Dunleavy of NY Post Sports, any other adjustments to availability could prove disastrous.
Semi-luckily for New York, the team’s other regular starter, Evan Neal, who was questionable coming into today, will be available to play tonight, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The Giants’ other projected starter will be Joshua Ezeudu, who has struggled mightily as of late. Beyond those two, Marcus McKethan is the only other tackle listed on the depth chart, while Yodny Cajuste and Jaylon Thomas sit on the practice squad but weren’t elevated for today’s game.
Things could get ugly if Neal tweaks his knee or if the offensive line faces any further adversity. Hopefully, this is only just a one-week issue that the Giants will be clear of following this week’s trip to Buffalo.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the league:
- After a blazing hot start to his NFL career, Dolphins rookie running back De’Von Achane was placed on injured reserve this week after suffering a knee injury. Based on the league’s rules for returning from IR, Achane wouldn’t be eligible for activation from the injury list until after the team’s Week 10 bye. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, that’s exactly when Achane plans to come back. Achane’s absence isn’t expected to be any longer than necessary as Miami is expecting a Week 11 return for the 22-year-old.
- We reported this week that Dolphins cornerbacks coach Sam Madison had faith that we may see cornerback Jalen Ramsey return from knee surgery as early as November. That opinion was confirmed today by multiple sources. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Ramsey is far ahead of schedule and that a return by Week 11, after the team’s bye week, is not out of the question, allowing the star defender to play in Miami’s final eight games of the regular season. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Ramsey could return to practice as soon as this week, cautioning that the team may still choose to ease him back in “gradually” but that an early return is becoming more and more feasible.
- Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been week-to-week while missing the team’s last two games with a shoulder injury. While that status doesn’t really change with Schefter’s recent report that Watson could return as soon as next week, Schefter did specify that Watson is dealing with a subscapularis muscle contusion in the rotator cuff of his throwing shoulder, making it difficult for him to drive the ball down the field. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Cleveland is being “smart” with Watson, whom it views as its franchise quarterback.