NFL Injury Updates: Higgins, Turner, Palmer, Saints, Jones
The Bengals will be without their second leading receiver for their Week 10 matchup against the Texans. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Tee Higgins will miss Sunday’s game after injuring his hamstring in practice on Wednesday. He will reportedly continue to be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
Partially due to the early struggles of quarterback Joe Burrow, Higgins is off to the worst start of his career this season. After averaging 1,009.33 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons, Higgins is currently on track to finish the season with only 703 yards. Hamstring injuries have a tendency to linger, as well, threatening to take even more away from Higgins this year.
Leading wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has been limited this week with a back injury and is currently listed as questionable. Should he play, though, he will be joined by Tyler Boyd, Trenton Irwin, and sixth-round rookie Andrei Iosivas. With Higgins out, tight end Irv Smith may, too, continue to see an increased role in the Bengals’ passing gameplan.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:
- The Jets will be without yet another offensive lineman this week as backup lineman Billy Turner will miss Sunday’s game in Las Vegas, per Brian Costello of the New York Post. Turner suffered a “concerning” broken bone in his hand during his first start of the season last week that head coach Robert Saleh disclosed had required surgery. Turner was starting in place of injured right guard Connor McGovern, who was placed on injured reserve before last week’s game with a dislocated knee cap. With all the current injuries on the offensive line, New York only has three linemen on the active roster – Chris Glaser, Dennis Kelly, and Carter Warren – that it can turn to as a replacement starter this weekend. They also have Jake Hanson, Xavier Newman, and Rodger Saffold, who should be available off the practice squad. Saffold and Hanson are recent signings who may have been brought in to assist with the team’s plague of injuries on the offensive front.
- Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer was placed on IR earlier this week without much word on the specifics of what was being called a knee injury. Daniel Popper of The Athletic provided an update on Wednesday that Palmer is dealing with a knee sprain. Popper’s report comes from head coach Brandon Staley, who relayed that Palmer will obviously be out for the next four weeks, the minimum required on IR, but he has “no expectations” after that. They will simply have to reassess once Palmer is eligible to return.
- Two Saints rookies suffered injuries this past Sunday. Defensive end Isaiah Foskey suffered “a low-grade quad strain,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Foskey’s absence, as a rotational lineman, will open the door for more potential snaps for either Tanoh Kpassagnon or Kyle Phillips, who was signed to the active roster weeks ago but has yet to make his season debut. Foskey is expected to miss a week or two, but the injury isn’t considered serious. Running back Kendre Miller was the other Saints rookie to suffer an injury, spraining his ankle against Chicago last week, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. He hasn’t participated in practice all week and will also be out this Sunday. It’s unclear whether or not his injury will linger to hold him out for much longer. Miller’s usage has decreased significantly since the return of Jamaal Williams, but with Eno Benjamin on IR, the team may feel the need to elevate practice squad running back Jordan Mims to back up Williams and Alvin Kamara.
- The Browns will be down three offensive tackles for this weekend’s trip to Baltimore. According to Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald and Morning Journal, rookie fourth-round tackle Dawand Jones has been ruled out for Sunday’s game. Starting tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills both currently reside on IR, Conklin since Week 1 and Wills just this past week. Jones had been starting across from Wills in place of Conklin. With Wills and Jones out next week, Cleveland will have to start two fresh faces at offensive tackle. Schudel reports that James Hudson III is expected to start at right tackle. Starting left guard Joel Bitonio is expected to slide out to serve as a left tackle. Backup center Nick Harris will get an opportunity to start in Bitonio’s place at left guard. A beleaguered offensive line will face a significant challenge with three new starters in new positions against a Ravens defense that leads the league in sacks.
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
Yesterday’s Panthers-Bears game carried signficant draft implications, as many noted in the build-up to the primetime matchup. With Carolina having dealt its 2024 first-round pick to Chicago as part of the deal involving last year’s No. 1 selection, the Bears were able to boost their chances of picking first in April with a win.
Owning the top selection in a draft touted for having multiple high-end options at the quarterback spot would of course add further to the speculation surrounding Justin Fields. The Bears gave the 24-year-old a vote of confidence last spring by trading out of the No. 1 slot, but he has yet to develop as hoped this season. Chicago could opt for a fresh start under center (particularly if they declined Fields’ fifth-year option) this spring while also having the opportunity to add help elsewhere on the roster with their own first-rounder, which seems destined to fall within the top 10 or perhaps even top five selections.
Of course, teams like the Giants, Cardinals and Patriots have experienced signficant troubles of their own this year. A continuation of their first half performances could leave them in pole position for the Caleb Williams–Drake Maye sweepstakes. All three teams face potential uncertainty with respect to their current passers’ futures, despite each having term remaining on their respective contracts.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. With plenty still to be sorted out over the coming months, here is an early look at the current draft order:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- Arizona Cardinals: 1-8
- New York Giants: 2-7
- New England Patriots: 2-7
- Chicago Bears: 3-7
- Los Angeles Rams: 3-6
- Green Bay Packers: 3-5
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3-5
- Denver Broncos: 3-5
- Tennessee Titans: 3-5
- Atlanta Falcons: 4-5
- Washington Commanders: 4-5
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-5
- Las Vegas Raiders: 4-5
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- New York Jets: 4-4
- Los Angeles Chargers: 4-4
- Buffalo Bills: 5-4
- New Orleans Saints: 5-4
- Minnesota Vikings: 5-4
- Dallas Cowboys: 5-3
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-3
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Cincinnati Bengals: 5-3
- Seattle Seahawks: 5-3
- San Francisco 49ers: 5-3
- Miami Dolphins: 6-3
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 6-2
- Detroit Lions: 6-2
- Baltimore Ravens: 7-2
- Kansas City Chiefs: 7-2
- Philadelphia Eagles: 8-1
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/23
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: OT David Sharpe
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DB Duron Harmon, DB Greg Stroman Jr.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Designated for return from IR: WR Charlie Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed off Saints practice squad: LB Cory Littleton
Minnesota Vikings
Seattle Seahawks
- Designate for return from IR: WR Dareke Young
Cory Littleton is back in Houston. The linebacker already got into six games with the Texans this season, mostly playing on special teams. After getting cut in late October, he caught on with the Saints practice squad and quickly earned a promotion on Sunday. This time around, Littleton should be sticking in Houston, at least temporarily. The Texans are required to keep the LB on their active roster for at least three weeks.
The veteran had a productive stint with the Rams to begin his career. He spent four years in Los Angeles, including a two-year stint between 2018 and 2019 where he averaged 129 tackles per season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/6/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: RB Hassan Hall
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Spencer Brown
- Placed on IR: RB Tarik Cohen
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Devine Ozigbo
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Ellis Merriweather
- Released: RB James Robinson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OT Brandon Parker
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DE Jordan Willis
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Jacob Hanson
- Released: OL Jason Poe
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Henry Byrd
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.
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: 11/2/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released from practice squad IR: WR Jeff Smith
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Mark Milton
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Cory Littleton
Cory Littleton could provide a spark to the Saints defense. The linebacker started 37 of his 64 appearances for the Rams between 2016 and 2019, including a 2018 campaign where he earned second-team All-Pro honors after finishing with 125 tackles and four sacks. Following a three-year stint with the Raiders, Littleton spent the 2022 campaign with the Panthers, where he collected 47 tackles in 15 games (seven starts). He’s spent the 2023 season in Houston, where he primarily played on special teams.
Raiders Sign LB Jaylon Smith Off Saints’ Practice Squad
The Raiders have made their first roster move under interim general manager Champ Kelly. Veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith has joined Vegas by signing off the Saints’ practice squad, his agency announced. 
Smith worked out with the Raiders this summer, but he joined New Orleans in time for the preseason. The 28-year-old impressed during his exhibition performances, though it quickly became clear a special teams role would represent his best path to playing time. Smith was part of the Saints’ final roster cuts; to no surprise, however, he was immediately signed to the team’s taxi squad.
In spite of that, he has yet to see any game action in 2023. Today’s decision to head to Vegas will give Smith a better chance to be active on gamedays, and it will be interesting to see what kind of a role he can carve out under interim head coach Antonio Pierce. The latter will have a number of lineup decisions to make – aside from the move to bench quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to clear a path for rookie Aidan O’Connell to take over – with respect to a defense which has struggled in a number of categories, particularly against the run.
Vegas – led at the LB spot by Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo – has surrendered an average of 141 yards per game on the ground this season, and Smith will look to aid in that department. It remains to be seen how effective his efforts on that front will be, however. The former second-rounder has yet to make much of a statistical impact (or find a permanent home) since his Cowboys tenure came to an end. Smith has bounced around to the Giants, Packers and Saints since he was released by Dallas midseason in 2021.
The two-time Pro Bowler recorded at least 121 tackles every year between 2018 and ’20, adding eight sacks during that span. Smith saw a notable drop in playing time the following season, though he served in a starting capacity with the Giants in 2022. While logging a 72% snap share, he posted 88 tackles but drew the second-worst PFF grade (56) of his career. Improving on that mark with the Raiders, presuming he sees the field in some capacity, will no doubt help his free agent stock come March.
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
2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team
The countdown to this year’s October 31 trade deadline continues, and a number of deals have already been made. More will follow in the coming days, though, as contending teams look to bolster their rosters for the stretch run and sellers seek to offload expiring contracts and gain future draft assets. Much will be driven, of course, by each squad’s financial situation.
Courtesy of Over the Cap, here’s a breakdown of every team’s cap space in advance of the deadline:
- San Francisco 49ers: $39.89MM
- Cleveland Browns: $33.99MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $11.1MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $10.78MM
- Tennessee Titans: $10.55MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $9.16MM
- Chicago Bears: $9.06MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $9.05MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $8.78MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $7.96MM
- Green Bay Packers: $7.55MM
- New York Jets: $7.17MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $7.16MM
- Carolina Panthers: $7.07MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $7.03MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $6.83MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $6.76MM
- Detroit Lions: $6.62MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $6.42MM
- New Orleans Saints: $4.67MM
- Buffalo Bills: $4.58MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $4.37MM
- Houston Texans: $4.26MM
- Washington Commanders: $3.78MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $3.7MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $3.63MM
- Miami Dolphins: $3.49MM
- New England Patriots: $2.87MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $2.81MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $2.55MM
- Denver Broncos: $1.22MM
- New York Giants: $991K
The 49ers have carried considerable space throughout the season, but general manager John Lynch made it clear last month the team’s intention was to roll over most of their funds into next season. Still, with San Francisco sitting at 5-2 on the year, it would come as little surprise if at least one more depth addition (separate from the Randy Gregory move) were to be made in the near future. 
Deals involving pick swaps for role players dominated the trade landscape for some time, but more noteworthy contributors have been connected to a potential swap recently. One of them – Titans safety Kevin Byard – has already been dealt. That has led to speculation Tennessee is open to dealing other big names as they look to 2024. Derrick Henry’s name has come up multiple times with respect to a deal sending him out of Nashville, but that now seems unlikely.
Several edge rushers are on the market, including Danielle Hunter (Vikings) and one or both of Montez Sweat and Chase Young (Commanders). Hunter nearly found himself with the Jaguars this offseason, and last year’s AFC South winners could be on the lookout for a pass rush boost. A mid-level addition in that regard would come as little surprise. In Minnesota and Washington’s case, however, it remains to be seen if they will be true sellers given their 3-4 records heading into tomorrow’s action.
A number of receivers could also be on the move soon. Both the Broncos’ pair of Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton and the Panthers’ Terrace Marshall have been involved heavily in trade talk. Jeudy and Sutton are on the books at an eight figure price tag next season, and the Broncos are unlikely to receive the draft capital they could have at prior points in their Denver tenures. Marshall, by contrast, is in the third season of his four-year rookie contract and could fit more comfortably into an acquiring team’s cap situation. The Panthers have allowed him to seek out a trade partner.
The Cowboys sit in the top half of the league in terms of spending power, but mixed signals initially came out with respect to their interest in making a splash. Owner Jerry Jones has insisted Dallas will not initiate negotiations on a trade, citing his confidence in a 4-2 roster which has been hit by a few notable injuries on defense in particular. Despite having more cap space than most other teams, the Bengals are likewise expected to be quiet on the trade front.
The past few years have seen a notable uptick in trade activity around the league, and it would come as a surprise if that trend did not continue over the next few days. Last-minute restructures and cost-shedding moves would help the teams in need of flexibility pull off moves, though sellers will no doubt also be asked to retain salary if some of the higher-paid veterans on the trade block end up being dealt. Given the spending power of teams at the top of the list, there is plenty of potential for the league’s landscape to change ahead of the stretch run to the playoffs.