Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/20
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Germain Ifedi
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Cody Whitehair (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Fred Johnson, CB Trae Waynes; Waynes remains on IR
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Chris Jones
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Lynn Bowden
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LB Hercules Mata’afa
- Placed on IR: CB Mark Fields
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: WR Justin Hardee, DT Sheldon Rankins (story)
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: DB Ryan Lewis
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Brandon Aiyuk, WR Kendrick Bourne, WR Deebo Samuel, T Trent Williams (story)
Giants Interested In Patriots’ Nick Caserio
The Giants are barreling toward their fourth consecutive 10-loss season, a streak that would represent a new low for the franchise. Rumblings of the team considering a GM change have surfaced.
Were the Giants to fire third-year GM Dave Gettleman, they would have interest in Patriots executive Nick Caserio, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. Caserio has been on the Giants’ radar for some time, and many around the league expect the team to have a GM vacancy soon.
Recently given a Patriots extension, Caserio will nevertheless be an in-demand GM candidate — which has been the case for a while. His new contract does not contain language that prevents him from interviewing for GM posts, which became an issue for the Texans last year. Caserio, however, has resurfaced as a Texans GM candidate. While the Texans have ex-Pats exec Jack Easterby running the show currently, the Giants also have key employees Caserio knows well.
Joe Judge and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham spent extensive time in New England, and some believe the Giants’ northeastern location would appeal to Caserio, JLC adds. Caserio has been in his current role — Patriots director of player personnel — since 2008.
Additionally, some within the Giants organization believe Gettleman should have been fired after last season. The team’s rebuild has not taken off under the ex-Panthers GM. The Giants, however, have given extensive time to their GMs, per La Canfora. In the modern era, the franchise’s shortest GM tenure came when Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli lasted only four years (1974-78). He presided over the organization’s previous modern-era low point, with George Young, Ernie Accorsi and Jerry Reese enjoying far more successful tenures. Giants ownership, however, may be preparing to change course sooner than expected after the team’s second 1-7 start in three years.
Giants Claim WR Dante Pettis
Dante Pettis is heading to New York. The Giants announced that they have claimed the wide receiver off waivers. Pettis was waived by the 49ers yesterday.
While Pettis’ impending quarantine will sideline him for this weekend’s matchup against Washington, he could see a role in the Giants offense when the team returns from bye in Week 12. New York’s receiver corps is led by Golden Tate, Darius Slayton, and Sterling Shepard (along with tight end Evan Engram and running back Dion Lewis), but Pettis could slide in as a fourth receiver.
Of course, he also could have had a role in San Francisco, but he was phased completely out of the offense by the time he was let go. The former second-rounder showed some promise during his rookie campaign, hauling in 27 catches for 467 yards and five scores in 12 games (seven starts). His production plummeted in 2019, and he hasn’t had a reception in five games this season.
As Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel pointed out yesterday on Twitter, Pettis will account for around $264K in cap space. Considering the Giants’ early spot in the waiver order, there’s a good chance a handful of other teams made a claim.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/3/20
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Terrell Bonds, LB Tyus Bowser, DB DeShon Elliott, LB L.J. Fort, LB Malik Harrison, LB Matt Judon, LB Patrick Queen
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: OT Lachavious Simmons
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OG Germain Ifedi, OT Jason Spriggs
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: TE Jake Butt
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jarrad Davis
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers (from Titans): DT Isaiah Mack
- Placed on IR: TE Devin Asiasi
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: S Adrian Colbert
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: LB Bryce Hager, S Bennett Jackson
- Released: OL Jimmy Murray
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DL Jullian Taylor
Tennessee Titans
- Released: LS Beau Brinkley
Giants Sign Kenny Wiggins
The Giants have signed guard Kenny Wiggins, per a club announcement. Wiggins will provide the Giants with extra reinforcements following Will Hernandez‘s placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
[RELATED: Giants Place Hernandez On COVID-19 List]
Wiggins was in the midst of his third season with the Lions before he was dropped from the roster in late October. The veteran started ten games for Detroit in 2018 and worked in a three-guard rotation with Joe Dahl and Graham Glasgow in 2019, seeing time on 41% of Detroit’s offensive snaps. This season, however, Wiggins did not factor into the team’s work up front. He played just one offensive snap in four games, with most of his work coming on special teams.
Fifth-round pick Shane Lemieux started at left guard in Hernandez’s place last night against the Buccaneers. He’ll likely be first-string against Washington this Sunday, with Wiggins waiting in the wings.
The Giants, who recently shipped linebacker Markus Golden to the Cardinals, still have a few hours left to entertain trades.
Giants Place Will Hernandez On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Giants will face the red-hot Buccaneers without at least one starting offensive lineman. They are placing left guard Will Hernandez on their reserve/COVID-19 list, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
A positive coronavirus test prompted the Giants to then send all but four of their offensive linemen home from their facility Thursday, Pelissero and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport note (via Twitter). Two coaches — defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson and outside linebackers coach Bret Bielema — joined them, according to Rapoport and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).
None of the other O-linemen, however, are considered to be high-risk close contacts of Hernandez at this point. That status would allow them to return to the team’s facility by Friday, provided they submit two consecutive negative COVID-19 tests. As for Hernandez, he is believed to be asymptomatic, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post tweets.
Hernandez will be miss the Giants’ Monday tilt against the Bucs, but this situation looks to differ slightly from last week’s development in Las Vegas. The Raiders-Bucs game was rescheduled because the team quarantined its starting offensive line for five days, but Las Vegas placed all five blockers on its reserve/COVID list. As of now, Hernandez is the only Giants player to be placed on their respective list.
Additionally, a Bucs equipment staffer tested positive for COVID-19, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Bucs sent that staffer home, but The Athletic’s Greg Auman notes this has not yet affected players or coaches (Twitter link).
While both teams now have issues to monitor, Monday night’s game is not currently on the verge of being rescheduled. Monday will, however, be Hernandez’s first missed start as a pro. The former second-round pick has been a Giants starter since his debut in Week 1 of the 2018 season.
World Series Delays Saquon Barkley's Surgery
- Saquon Barkley‘s ACL reconstructive surgery is set for Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Interestingly, the World Series delayed the Giants running back’s procedure. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the operation, but since he is also the Dodgers’ team doctor, he was in the final MLB bubble and off-limits until the Series’ conclusion, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. No word has emerged regarding if Barkley’s surgery will need to be further tabled because of Justin Turner’s positive COVID-19 test. Barkley suffered the injury Sept. 20. Despite this delay, doctors are hopeful he will be ready for training camp, NFL.com’s Andrea Kremer tweets.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/27/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: DL Zach Allen, LB Isaiah Irving
- Waived: TE Evan Baylis
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: LB Andre Smith
- Released from reserve/retired list: DB Isiah Brown
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: DT Sylvester Williams
- Placed on IR: DT Mike Purcell (story), LB Derrek Tuszka
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: C Brett Jones
New York Giants
- Promoted: LB Trent Harris
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR: WR Tavon Austin
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: DT Anthony Rush
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: LB Daren Bates, OL David Quessenberry
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/27/20
We’ll keep track of the practice squad moves from the past day here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: S Marcus Gilchrist
Carolina Panthers
- Released: CB Josh Hawkins
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Dwayne Harris
- Released: DT Terry Beckner
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released: CB Jalen Davis
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OT Alex Taylor
- Released: DE Jalen Jelks
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: P Hunter Niswander
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: T Jared Hilbers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: QB Jordan Ta’amu
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DB Kemah Siverand
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: K Austin MacGinnis
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Marcus Sayles
- Released: LB Cale Garrett
New England Patriots
- Signed: T Jordan Steckler
- Released: G Jordan Roos
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Corey Coleman, DB Montre Hartage, TE Rysen John
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Anthony Johnson
- Released: WR Amara Darboh
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Tony Bergstrom, DL Willie Henry
- Released: CB Brian Allen, OL Cody Conway, DL Adam Shuler
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OL Paul Adams, LB Will Compton
Washington Football Team
- Released: DE Gerri Green, DB Manny Patterson, LB Donald Payne
Trade Rumors: Giants, Ryan, Fuller
After dealing Markus Golden to the Cardinals, it appears the 1-6 Giants have officially declared themselves sellers at this year’s trade deadline. Though GM Dave Gettleman may be reluctant to trade away veteran talent that could theoretically help Big Blue win a few games — and perhaps save Gettleman’s job in the process — players like Evan Engram, Kevin Zeitler, and Golden Tate could be available, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes (though Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says the club is unlikely to deal Engram).
2017 second-round DT Dalvin Tomlinson could also be on the move, per Dunleavy. Tomlinson is playing out the last year of his rookie contract, and while he has expressed interest in staying with the Giants long-term, there has been little progress in contract talks.
As we creep closer to the November 3 deadline, let’s round up a few more trade rumors from around the league:
- Big names like Falcons QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones are not going to be moved, as Rapoport writes in the same piece linked above. The same can be said for Jets QB Sam Darnold (though Darnold could be dealt this offseason). Gang Green may be more open to trading DT Quinnen Williams, but thus far interested teams have only offered a single second-round pick. That will not be enough to convince GM Joe Douglas to trade the talented interior defender.
- The 1-5 Vikings look like sellers after they traded Yannick Ngakoue, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says Minnesota is open to dealing S Harrison Smith, TE Kyle Rudolph, and LT Riley Reiff. However, those players are not generating much interest, and the players that rival execs really want — WR Adam Thielen and TE Irv Smith Jr. — seem likely to stay put.
- Another 1-5 outfit, the Texans, also anticipate making a trade or two, per La Canfora. Houston is in desperate need of draft capital, and receivers Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller are coming up in discussions. Sources expect at least one of those players to be moved, and the team is also gauging the market for edge defender Whitney Mercilus.
- One team that could have an eye on the Texans’ receivers is the Patriots, who are once again looking for a pass catcher, as La Canfora writes. One year after the team’s ill-fated trade for Mohamed Sanu, New England wants to get a weapon for QB Cam Newton, and Cooks, Fuller, and Thielen could all be options.
- Washington QB Dwayne Haskins might be on the trade market, but the club hasn’t received much interest. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Haskins could be had for anything more than a sixth-round pick, but Washington hasn’t even gotten an offer that good yet. Although pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan has been the most-discussed Washington trade chip outside of Haskins, Rapoport says Ryan Anderson is more likely to be traded.
