New England Patriots News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/18/23

Today’s only practice squad transactions:

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: OL Brent Laing

New England Patriots

Hooper, an undrafted rookie out of Northwestern State, originally signed with the Packers after a rookie minicamp invitation. When he failed to make the initial 53-man roster in Green Bay, the Patriots swooped in, signing the young defensive back in mid-September. Two weeks later, Hooper was a free agent again, not signing with another team until late-November when he joined the Cardinals’ practice squad. After Arizona released him about a week ago, Hooper will rejoin the Patriots as a member of the practice squad, once again.

Chargers To Sign Will Grier Off Patriots’ Practice Squad, Waive Max Duggan

In the wake of losing Justin Herbert for the season, the Chargers are set to make alterations to their quarterback depth chart. Easton Stick is in place as the starter, but a new backup option has arrived.

Los Angeles is signing Will Grier off the Patriots’ practice squad, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. In a corresponding move, he reports, the Chargers are waiving rookie Max Duggan. The latter will be retained via the practice squad if he goes unclaimed.

Grier was let go by the Cowboys during roster cutdowns, which led to a brief stint on the Bengals’ taxi squad. Jake Browning won out the competition for Cincinnati’s backup role, however, which led Grier to New England as one of several experiments under center. While New England has struggled to find consistency at the QB spot, the 28-year-old has not seen the field this season. The Patriots did not see Grier or undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham as viable starting options, and both are now out of the organization.

Grier was one of many backup/third-string passers to be waived by the Patriots earlier in the year, and he will now join the Chargers in search of potential playing time. The West Virginia product has seen regular season action only twice in his career, during his rookie campaign with the Panthers in 2019. He will look to play his way into a deal with Los Angeles or another interested team this offseason by undertaking a late-season change of scenery.

Duggan enjoyed an impressive final season in college, leading TCU to the national title game last season. His performance with the Horned Frogs only led him to be drafted in the seventh round, however, and the 22-year-old was waived during roster cutdowns. He has remained in the Chargers’ organization since, and that will remain the case presuming no teams put in a claim for him.

Stick threw three touchdowns but also had one interception and a pair of fumbles in the Chargers’ primetime blowout loss to the Raiders in his first career start. That game marked the end of head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco‘s tenures, and it has now prompted a new face being brought in at the QB spot.

Latest On Patriots’ Plans At HC

With Bill Belichick and the Patriots heading towards a likely divorce, much of the focus has been on the future Hall of Fame coach’s next landing spot. Of course, if the Patriots do decide to move on from the iconic leader of their franchise, they’ll have a massive hole to fill themselves.

As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes, it seems like the Patriots’ initial plan was to keep Belichick on board through the 2024 campaign. At that time, they’d hand the reigns to Jerod Mayo, who spurned HC interviews last offseason to stick around as New England’s de facto defensive coordinator. Of course, following a dreadful 2023 campaign, Robert Kraft and co. are clearly having a change of heart…and that might not bode well for Mayo’s chances of being Belichick’s successor.

Volin notes that Mayo will obviously remain a candidate for the assumed HC vacancy, but he won’t be the only candidate. This is partly due to Mayo’s brief coaching resume, and ownership might prefer to jump start their rebuild with a more established voice in the locker room.

Some pundits have suggested that Mike Vrabel could take over for his former coach. While some reporters have thrown cold water on that notion, sources told Volin that the Titans coach could be a real possibility for the Patriots. Of course, since Vrabel is under contract, the Titans would likely require compensation from the Patriots, with Volin suggesting Tennessee would seek a first-round pick in return. Dianna Russini of The Athletic still rejects the connection, with the reporter definitively stating that the Patriots aren’t trading for Vrabel.

Outside of Mayo and Vrabel, there haven’t been many coaches connected to the potential opening. In fact, the vacancy might not be all that appealing, with two agents telling Volin that they wouldn’t recommend the gig to their clients. A new head coach would have to fill a massive “power vacuum,” as one agent explained, and that would include implementing an entirely new offensive and defensive philosophy. On the flip side, one agent told Volin that the job would be desirable considering the success of the Kraft family.

Another option could see the Patriots sticking to the status quo, with Volin saying the “path of least resistance” is to keep Belichick on the sideline for another year. Since Belichick is still under contract, it seems unlikely the Patriots would outright fire him; they’d still owe Belichick the remainder of his deal and they wouldn’t recoup any value when he inevitably lands another job. If the Patriots don’t like their head coaching options and aren’t getting suitable offers for their coach, they may simply decide to keep Belichick around for at least another year. Jeff Howe writes that Kraft could also reevaluate Belichick’s future if the Patriots finish the season on a winning streak. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com is in agreement with Howe, writing that a firing appears to be the least likely outcome, and that a strong performance to close the season could keep Belichick in Foxborough. For what it’s worth, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes that the team is continuing to play hard for its HC.

Of course, this decision isn’t entirely in the Patriots’ hands. Belichick has a bit of leverage in the situation, and it sounds like he’s just about done with his time in New England. Per Volin, Belichick is tired of Kraft’s “meddling,” tension that started with the organization’s decision to trade Jimmy Garoppolo and extended to this offseason when the Patriots brought in Bill O’Brien to guide the offense.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/23

Today’s minor transactions and standard gameday elevations for the Sunday slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Wilkinson returned to practice this week, and will be eligible to return to the lineup on Sunday given today’s activation. The addition of a starter up front will be welcomed by the Cardinals by giving them stability at the left guard spot in particular and by providing an upgrade in protection ahead of a matchup against the stout 49ers defensive front in general. The Cardinals now have four IR activations remaining.

Street was acquired from the Eagles at the trade deadline after he failed to find playing time this season. The 27-year-old has started all five of his appearances in Atlanta, however, racking up 14 tackles (including four for a loss) and one sack. Those numbers will help his free agent market this offseason, but a pectoral injury will sideline him for at least four weeks. If the Falcons fall short of the postseason, therefore, Street will not return in 2023.

McCain was a full-time starter with the Commanders over the past two seasons, but his release led to a one-year Giants agreement. The former fifth-rounder has 87 starts to his name, but he has been unable to carve out a role in New York’s secondary, playing only 19 defensive snaps. McCain has logged a 50% snap share on special teams, however, so his absence in the third phase will be notable if he is claimed off waivers or signed as a free agent by an interested team.

Staff Rumors: Licht, Bowles, Bills, Patriots

Jason Licht built a Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers roster, doing so after luring Tom Brady to Tampa and completing an all-in effort that kept the Bucs as an elite team in 2021 as well. The 10th-year GM did not oversee a playoff team until Brady’s arrival, and the team regressed after the all-time great unretired last year. But the Bucs are back atop the NFC South, in another bad year for the division, with Baker Mayfield at the helm. This status aside, the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes Licht and second-year HC Todd Bowles may be on the hot seat. Pointing to ownership’s interest in starting over to begin a rebuild, La Canfora indicates each of the Bucs’ top two decision-makers could be in trouble.

In his sixth season as a head coach, Bowles is overseeing a No. 13-ranked defense (DVOA places the unit 17th). The former Jets HC has taken heat for his clock management, and the Bucs have certainly dipped as a whole compared to the two Brady-Bruce Arians years. Bowles one-and-done rumors emerged late last season, and the Bucs dropped from 3-1 to 4-7 this year. With a clear chance to either qualify for the playoffs as the NFC South champ or as a wild card, the Bucs do not profile as a clear-cut candidate to dismantle their setup. But this does look to be a consideration.

Here is the latest from the coaching and front office ranks:

  • Weathering a storm of his own making last week, Sean McDermott has the Bills at 7-6. While that is a disappointing record given the team’s plus-104 point differential, Buffalo looms as a dangerous team in the AFC wild-card race. Prior to the report about McDermott using the 9/11 hijackers as an example of teamwork back in 2019, the seventh-year HC was viewed as close to a lock to return in 2024. The Bills HC, however, may not be completely in the clear, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes. The Bills still have matchups against the Cowboys and Dolphins. While McDermott has led a recovery effort that has featured five playoff appearances in six years, not advancing to this year’s bracket — in a conference littered with backup QBs — would be a major disappointment. Would that fate be enough for the Bills to cut bait?
  • On the subject of the Bills’ staff, the team hired another assistant following Ken Dorsey‘s firing. Former Buffalo University OC DJ Mangas is now on McDermott’s staff as an offensive assistant, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets. Mangas also was on the 2019 LSU staff alongside current Bills OC Joe Brady. Mangas, 34, spent this season as the MAC program’s OC; he was LSU’s pass-game coordinator in 2021. The Bills added Mangas to their staff during their Week 13 bye, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets. This is Mangas’ first NFL gig.
  • Syracuse firing longtime HC Dino Babers will have ramifications for the Patriots. The ACC program will poach Ross Douglas from New England, per ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel, who notes the three-year Pats assistant will work as the wide receivers coach under new Orange coach Fran Brown. Douglas, 29, climbed to the role of Patriots wideouts coach this year. While the Patriots are expected to move on from their legendary HC after the season, it is not known if Jerod Mayo would replace Bill Belichick and retain a number of assistants. An outside staffer coming in would point to the Pats’ staff being mostly sacked.

Patriots Expected To Move On From Bill Belichick; Chargers On Radar?

DECEMBER 14: Adding to the notion a decision to move on from Belichick was made after the Colts loss, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated opines Kraft and Belichick have discussed their future and the manner in which they will part ways over the past several weeks. Breer’s latest appearance on the Rich Eisen Show also taps Mayo as the heir apparent to Belichick many have labeled him as for some time now (video link). As Breer notes, Mayo’s contract runs parallel to Belichick’s, so a transition from one to the other would not be complicated.

DECEMBER 13: Although the Patriots upset the Steelers in Week 14, the team still holds a 3-10 record. This has easily been Bill Belichick‘s worst season at the helm. The wildly successful HC looks no closer to convincing the Patriots to stay the course for 2024.

Long rumored to be coaching elsewhere next season, Belichick indeed appears to have four games left during his tenure as Patriots HC. Going as far back as the Week 10 loss to the Colts in Germany, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran indicates (video link) ownership had made a decision it would part ways with Belichick at season’s end. Continuing on that road, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes a “strong likelihood” exists the Patriots and Belichick will split in 2024.

A recent report pointed to Robert Kraft seeking an amicable solution with Belichick, who has not been linked to retirement. But the owner made comments pointing to a playoff mandate this offseason. Kraft also responded that, after Belichick cited spending as an issue, he has not limited the HC/de facto GM when it comes to adding talent. This cold war of sorts looks almost certain to end soon, and the upcoming transaction has generated interest.

With Belichick under contract through at least 2024, he is positioned to carry trade value for the Patriots. Though, it is not known exactly how much. After one report last week pegged the 71-year-old HC’s value as enough to net New England a first-round pick, another suggested tepid interest would emerge on a market that is expected to be kind once again to younger, offensive-minded candidates.

Unless nothing else can be worked out, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds Kraft is unlikely to fire Belichick. But this does set the stage for one of the most interesting derbies for a coach in NFL history. Bruce Arians became the oldest HC ever hired; he was 66 when the Buccaneers acquired his rights from the Cardinals in 2019. Belichick will turn 72 next year. A team would be eyeing the legendary sideline presence for a shorter-term period, as he aims to break Don Shula‘s career wins record. While the Patriots obviously wanted that to happen in Foxborough, the 2023 team’s persistent struggles are set to make that next to impossible.

Belichick, who has won six Super Bowls as a head coach and two more as a coordinator (with the Giants), should not be expected to land with the Panthers, Fowler adds. Given David Tepper‘s imprint on that franchise since his 2018 purchase, he stands to have a difficult time attracting top-of-the-line candidates. But the Chargers have emerged as a prospective suitor. Some around the NFL are monitoring the Bolts as a Belichick fit, Fowler adds.

The Chargers are almost certain to fire Brandon Staley at the end of (or during?) his third season. Eleventh-year GM Tom Telesco joins Staley on the hot seat, though his ouster is not as certain. It took the Broncos first- and second-round picks (with a third-rounder coming back) to obtain Sean Payton‘s rights this year, and Belichick cost the Pats a first-rounder back in 2000. It only took a late-round pick swap for the Bucs to add Arians, but the Patriots will likely start conversations with a first-round choice. Belichick’s age complicates a trade, however.

It would be interesting to see if Belichick reveals a preference for a team behind the scenes, potentially pointing to the Pats accepting slightly lesser compensation to finalize a peaceful parting. If Belichick shows an interest in a team only to see it not offer what the Patriots are seeking in terms of draft compensation, that could put Kraft to a test. Kraft and Co. will also face a timeline, seeing as the coaching market will heat up in mid-January. Finding a solution during that timeframe will be paramount for the Pats, who will be on track to seek a traditional HC-GM setup, to form a new power structure. Jerod Mayo has been viewed as the top in-house successor option, but given the way the Belichick era is ending, will Kraft want to promote from within?

The Bolts have gone with two short-term coordinators as HCs, in Anthony Lynn and Staley, over their past two hires. While they have been linked to a similar move (in Lions two-year OC Ben Johnson), Belichick would represent quite the zag. On the other hand, pairing Justin Herbert with the modern game’s most successful HC would be an intriguing solution. Herbert’s presence will be a natural attraction for candidates, and Belichick would certainly represent star power for a franchise that has not found its footing in Los Angeles.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/23

Today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Agnew has missed the four games required to return from injured reserve, and though he’s not been activated yet, the Jaguars took the first step towards that outcome today in returning him to practice. It was shoulder and rib injuries that led to the return specialist’s placement on IR. During his absence the team had turned to rookie sixth-round receiver Parker Washington to return punts and veteran backup running back D’Ernest Johnson to return kickoffs. Jacksonville still has a few days to determine whether or not they’ll activate him right away for this weekend. If not, the team will have 21 days to activate him before his practice window closes and Agnew is reverted to season-ending IR.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

Two different teams have held the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive years since 2017. Amid a radical rebuild effort, the Browns carried the top pick into the 2017 and ’18 drafts. The Jaguars did the same in 2021 and ’22. It is possible the Bears will follow that up in back-to-back years. The big difference here would be the Bears traded the 2023 top choice and may unload the 2024 top pick for another windfall, depending on their evaluation of Justin Fields.

The Bears and Panthers’ March trade, giving Carolina access to Bryce Young, has become a seminal moment for both teams. As it stands now, Chicago holds two top-five picks. The Panthers are 1-12, giving the Bears a two-game lead on the Patriots and Cardinals for the top slot with four games left. Chicago finishing with the first overall selection, providing access to the quarterback of its choice, would create a big-picture decision for a Bears team that already passed on the 2023 quarterback class to stick with Fields — a QB the Ryan Poles regime did not draft. North Carolina’s Drake Maye has declared for the draft, while USC’s Caleb Williams is widely expected to follow suit.

A new Cardinals regime is also evaluating its QB, though Kyler Murray‘s $46.1MM-per-year contract (which runs through 2028) will be much harder to escape compared to Fields’. This creates an interesting scenario that will have teams who do not land two-two draft slots monitoring how Chicago and Arizona proceed. The Patriots are widely expected to pursue a quarterback in the draft, and they are likely to do so without Bill Belichick.

With gridlock forming in the AFC and NFC wild-card races, considerable movement will take place over the next month. The winner of the NFC South will likely lose several spots in the ’24 draft, as the Buccaneers did this year by winning the ’22 division title at 8-9. Here is how the draft order looks going into Week 15:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. New England Patriots: 3-10
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 3-10
  4. Washington Commanders: 4-9
  5. Chicago Bears: 5-8
  6. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-8
  7. New York Jets: 5-8
  8. New York Giants: 5-8
  9. Tennessee Titans: 5-8
  10. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-8
  11. Atlanta Falcons: 6-7
  12. New Orleans Saints: 6-7
  13. Seattle Seahawks: 6-7
  14. Los Angeles Rams: 6-7
  15. Denver Broncos: 7-6
  16. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  17. Buffalo Bills: 7-6
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-6
  19. Green Bay Packers: 6-7
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-7
  21. Indianapolis Colts: 7-6
  22. Minnesota Vikings: 7-6
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6
  24. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-5
  26. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-5
  27. Detroit Lions: 9-4
  28. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-3
  29. Miami Dolphins: 9-4
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 10-3
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 10-3
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 10-3

Ravens To Move Devin Duvernay To IR, Sign Malik Cunningham Off Pats’ Practice Squad

The Patriots have regularly passed quarterbacks through waivers to their practice squad this season, but they will bid farewell to one of those arms. Rather than sign Malik Cunningham to their active roster once again, the Pats will let him head elsewhere.

Cunningham will trek to Baltimore; the Ravens are signing the rookie UDFA to their 53-man roster, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. This will mark a reunion for Cunningham and Lamar Jackson. Despite the superstar QB being in his sixth NFL season, he and Cunningham were teammates at Louisville in 2017. Cunningham, who was at the ACC school for six years, redshirted during the ’17 slate.

As the Ravens add a quarterback, they will lose a wide receiver. Devin Duvernay sustained a back injury in Week 14, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the former All-Pro return man will head to IR. Though, Rapoport adds the fourth-year wideout will not require surgery and is expected to be ready to return in the playoffs. Duvernay will be eligible for activation to start Baltimore’s playoff journey, whenever that point comes. But he is done for the regular season.

Emerging as an intriguing gadget-type player during the preseason in New England, Cunningham did not make the Pats’ 53-man roster out of training camp. The team took a chance on exposing Cunningham to waivers on cutdown day, waiving both he and Bailey Zappe. Cunningham indeed passed through waivers and stayed in Foxborough on the Pats’ practice squad.

Cunningham will join a Ravens team that has used a Jackson-Tyler Huntley QB depth chart for the past three seasons. The team now has four QBs on its active roster, with journeyman extraordinaire Josh Johnson still with the team. This could point to a versatile role for Cunningham, for whom the Patriots had designed special packages this season. Even as the Pats moved from Mac Jones to Zappe and designed a package of plays for Cunningham recently, the athletic rookie has played only six regular-season snaps — all against the Raiders in Week 6.

This move will ensure Cunningham stays on Baltimore’s active roster for at least three weeks, though Schefter adds it could be a play for next season as well. Given an original-round RFA tender this offseason, Huntley will be a UFA in 2024. Cunningham, 25, can be kept through the 2026 season before he hits unrestricted free agency. Though, it remains to be seen if the ex-Louisville star will pan out as a QB2 option.

A thinner Ravens wide receiver depth chart last year required regular Duvernay contributions, but Baltimore reloaded at the position this offseason. The team signed Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. and drafted Zay Flowers in Round 1. With Rashod Bateman recovering from his 2022 foot injury, the Ravens have a solid top four at receiver. Tylan Wallace also became a memorable fill-in for Duvernay at punt returner, notching only the fourth overtime punt-return walk-off in NFL history.

While Duvernay caught 37 passes for a career-high 407 yards last season, he exited Week 14 with just four grabs for 18 yards. The former third-round pick had operated as Baltimore’s primary kick- and punt-return option this season. Duvernay, who is set for free agency in 2024, also finished last season on IR (due to a foot injury).

Additionally, the Ravens will use one of their IR activations on cornerback Damarion Williams, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes. The 2022 fourth-rounder played in 14 games as a backup last season but suffered an ankle injury this summer. The Ravens had expected Williams back around October. Regardless of the delay, the Houston alum will be in position to contribute. Williams will fill Mark Andrews‘ roster spot. The Ravens now have four IR activations remaining.

AFC East Rumors: Eichenberg, Hines, Pats

With a little more time and a lot more publicity, Dolphins offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg could have a case for Comeback Player of the Year. Not really, but Eichenberg has done an impressive job of turning around his career, which was trending downwards through his first two years in the league.

An offensive tackle at Notre Dame, Eichenberg struggled as a rookie full-time starter at left tackle in Miami. In 2022, Eichenberg slid inside to the left guard spot and delivered a more admirable performance before having his season derailed by injuries.

Eichenberg opened this year as a sixth-man for the Dolphins’ offensive line, specializing on interior play. When injuries held out starting center Connor Williams, Eichenberg stepped in to complete his trifecta of starting at every position on the left side of the line. Later on, he filled in with starts at right and left guard, as well. He’s reportedly more comfortable at right guard, but the Dolphins opted to start him at left guard last week ahead of Lester Cotton, who had started there the past two weeks.

In fact, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami’s staff has been so impressed with Eichenberg that, barring a miraculous return by Isaiah Wynn from a significant quadriceps injury, Eichenberg could have won the starting left guard job for the remainder of the season.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC East:

  • Patriots star pass rusher Matt Judon has now missed the team’s last nine games on injured reserve. Judon has certainly missed enough time to come off of IR, but there’s been no word of that possibility yet. According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, when head coach Bill Belichick was asked about the possibility of Judon returning this year, the long-time skipper replied“We’ll see. That’s a good question.” He continued, “I know he’s working hard. Matt’s been in here, works hard on a daily basis, but again, that’s a medical question that I wouldn’t be able to answer.”
  • When Bills running back Nyheim Hines suffered an off-site jet ski injury that would end his 2023 season before it even began, that put the veteran rusher in an uncomfortable position concerning his contract. Since the injury occurred away from play, Hines was placed on the non-football injury list, “which technically doesn’t require the team to pay him anything,” per Zak Keefer of The Athletic. Hines was out millions in incentives and bonuses. It took the two sides a few months to hammer out the details, but eventually, they “agreed on a smaller sum” than the $9MM over two years that they had originally agreed to. This allows the Bills to stay on good terms with Hines when he’s able to return to the team next year while saving them from having to pay his full contract for a year in which he won’t see the field.
  • When it was reported that Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown failed to make the trip to Frankfurt with the team for personal reasons, Brown took exception to the speculation that followed. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Brown felt the need to clarify that the reason he was unable to make the trip was because of the second opinion he sought on his ankle sprain. While he did attend a funeral during the team’s visit to Germany, he was not able to spend much personal time with his family as he was due back in New England for rehab.