Today’s minor moves:
New York Jets
- Promoted: S Adrian Colbert
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: DL Henry Mondeaux
In early August, we heard that Jets’ second-year receiver Denzel Mims could be on the roster bubble. Shortly thereafter, Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com reported that Gang Green had no intentions of moving on from Mims, and that he had only fallen down the club’s WR depth chart because a bad reaction to antibiotics caused him to lose a great deal of weight, which prevented him from fully participating in the offseason program and grasping the new coaching staff’s offense.
One week into the 2021 campaign, however, the rumors continue to persist. Mims, whom the Jets selected in the second round of the 2020 draft, saw only three snaps in New York’s season-opening loss to the Panthers last Sunday — one of which resulted in a 40-yard reception — and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says the Baylor product is frustrated with the situation.
In response to questions about Mims’ lack of usage, head coach Robert Saleh said that the backup wideouts like Mims need to understand how to play “multiple spots” in order to see the field more when one of the top three WRs needs a break. So while it seems that Mims still does not have a full grasp of the playbook, Cimini understandably wonders why the Jets are limiting themselves to a three-receiver rotation and why they can’t find more playing time for a player who, while still raw in some areas, offers plenty of size and athleticism and who showed some flashes as a rookie.
When one considers that New York also seems determined to transform rookie receiver Elijah Moore, whose skill-set seems best-suited to the slot, into an outside target, Saleh’s response becomes less defensible. And, as Cimini writes, Mims is unlikely to dress for today’s Week 2 battle with the Patriots.
The ESPN scribe says that other teams are monitoring Mims’ status, and that at least two clubs could have interest if he became available via trade. Indeed, Pauline’s report from last month said Mims’ stock league-wide was still high, and there’s no reason to believe that has changed in the last few weeks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The customary Saturday minor moves avalanche:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, CB Antonio Hamilton
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Kevon Seymour, T Andre Smith
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: DL Margus Hunt, T Alex Taylor
- Placed on IR: T Larry Borom
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: S Sean Davis
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Elijah Lee
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett, OL Austin Schlottmann
Houston Texans
- Promoted: TE Antony Auclair, K Joey Slye
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: WR DeMichael Harris
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: WR Laquon Treadwell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: OL Lester Cotton, RB Trey Ragas
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DL Joe Gaziano
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Micah Kiser, DL Justin Lawler
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: CB Jamal Perry
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: RB Ameer Abdullah, S Myles Dorn, QB Sean Mannion
- Waived: TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Tashawn Bower, K Nick Folk
- Placed on IR: K Quinn Nordin (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: DE Jalyn Holmes, LB Wynton McManis, DB Jordan Miller, C Austin Reiter (story)
- Placed on IR: LB Chase Hansen
New York Jets
- Promoted: S Adrian Colbert, LB Del’Shawn Phillips
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: LB Dre Greenlaw (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: TE Tommy Hudson
With their Panthers matchup in the past, the Jets and Sam Darnold can move in different directions. Zach Wilson made his NFL debut in the one-score loss. Both QBs are unquestioned starters, but the Jets spent extensive time on a scenario in which they’d be teammates.
Prior to the teams’ April trade, which sent Darnold to Carolina for three draft choices, the Jets gave strong consideration to keeping their previous starter and still drafting Wilson, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. Robert Saleh indicated the team would have been OK with both passers on the 2021 roster.
“It would’ve been fine in either direction,” Saleh said. “Whether we had Zach at the reins, whether we had Sam, it didn’t really matter to us.”
The Jets could have made the arrangement work, cost-wise, with Darnold’s rookie deal running through 2021. By picking up Darnold’s fifth-year option, the Panthers have extended the deal to 2022. Of course, this also would have introduced the prospect of Wilson being blocked by a former top-three quarterback pick that did not have a long-term future with the franchise.
The Cardinals scuttled this type of plan two years ago, trading top-10 pick Josh Rosen after drafting Kyler Murray first overall a year later. Although the 2012 Colts and 2016 Eagles’ situations were a bit different, both teams moved incumbent starters — former No. 1 overall picks Peyton Manning and Sam Bradford — off their rosters to clear respective paths for Andrew Luck and Carson Wentz. The Chiefs went the other way four years ago, and Patrick Mahomes benefited from ex-No. 1 selection Alex Smith‘s mentoring. Darnold, however, did not offer the stability Smith did and, in his fourth season, made less sense as a mentor for Wilson.
Carolina sent a 2021 sixth-round pick and two 2022 picks — second- and fourth-rounders — for Darnold. The Panthers traded Teddy Bridgewater to the Broncos shortly after making that deal. Jets GM Joe Douglas said the team landing the No. 2 overall pick changed the blueprint. Darnold likely would still be a Jet had last year’s 2-14 finish not secured such a valuable draft choice. Wilson is now the future in New York. The Jets steered clear of veteran backups as well, giving the BYU prospect every opportunity to receive first-team practice reps leading up to his rookie season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jets tackle Mekhi Becton will miss anywhere between four to eight weeks after undergoing knee surgery, according to head coach Robert Saleh. This is already a longer timetable than initially projected — early reports pegged Becton at 4-6 weeks.
The promising left tackle went through with a second opinion, which confirmed season-ending surgery would not be required. The Jets instead will hope this cartilage cleanup procedure, which is scheduled for Wednesday, will allow Becton to return this season (Twitter link via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler).
Becton, the Jets’ 2020 first-round pick, went down early in the season opener against the Panthers. The Jets went on to lose 19-14. Becton will be sorely missed for the next month or two, starting with Sunday’s tilt against the Patriots.
The Jets will deploy George Fant at left tackle while Morgan Moses mans the right side. The Jets are surely glad that they picked up the longtime Washington starter in June. Ideally, Moses would be serving as the No. 3 tackle behind Becton and Fant. But, with Becton out of action for several weeks, he’ll be playing a much more key role on the front five.
Moses went six straight seasons without missing a game for the Washington Football Team, but they opted revamp their tackle group with rookie Samuel Cosmi and ex-Bears LT Charles Leno. According to the advanced metrics, 2020 might have been Moses’ best year yet as he placed top-20 for tackles, per Pro Football Focus. Before that, the advanced metrics framed him as a middle-of-the-road blocker from 2017 through 2019.
In a best case scenario, the Jets could have Becton return after their bye. The next week, on 10/24, they’ll face the Pats for a second time.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: RB Devonta Freeman (story)
Detroit Lions
- Claimed (from Jets): CB Corey Ballentine
- Promoted: OT Will Holden
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: LB Kevin Pierre-Louis
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Charlie Heck
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR C.J. Board, TE Chris Myarick
New York Jets
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Jamison Crowder
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: G Danny Isidora, DT Mike Pennel, OT Bryan Witzmann
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: DT Justin Ellis, S Anthony Levine
Denver Broncos
- Released from retired list: TE Jake Butt
- Released from suspended list: LB Jerrell Freeman
Houston Texans
- Signed off Saints practice squad: DT Jaleel Johnson
- Placed on IR: DT Vincent Taylor (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DT Damion Square
- Placed on IR: OL Denzelle Good (story), DT Gerald McCoy (story)
- Waived: CB Madre Harper
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: K Aldrick Rosas
New York Jets
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Williams, S Jarrod Wilson
- Released from IR: CB/KR Corey Ballentine
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: S Malik Hooker (story)
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: K Elliott Fry, WR Juwan Green, TE David Wells
Carolina Panthers
- Released: OL Mike Hortond
Dallas Cowboysmia
- Signed: WR Robert Foster, K Lirim Hajrullahu
- Placed on IR: CB Deante Burton, S Darian Thompson
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Rojesterman Farris, WR Rico Gafford
Houston Texans
- Signed: DB Grayland Arnold
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: OL Anthony Coyle
- Released: S Sean Davis
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: LB Omari Cobb
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Jamal Perry
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: T Caleb Benenoch, WR Kenny Stills (story)
- Released: DT Jaleel Johnson
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Noah Dawkins, OL Elijah Nkansah
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: C Harry Crider
- Placed on IR: OT Le’Raven Clark
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Curtis Bolton, RB Kerryon Johnson (story)
- Released: WR Isaiah Zuber
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Austin Fort, TE Tommy Hudson
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Donnie Lewis
Detroit Lions
- Waived: G Tommy Kraemer
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed off Bears practice squad: DT Damion Square
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Michael Thomas; Thomas tested positive for COVID-19
- Signed: DL Montravius Adams, S Jeff Heath
- Waived: FB Adam Prentice
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: LB Blake Cashman, DB Lamarcus Joyner (story), P Braden Mann
- Signed: OL Isaiah Williams, S Jarrod Wilson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released from IR via injury settlement: S Obi Melifonwu
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: CB Dontae Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Jon Rhattigan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: OL Earl Watford
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: LB Jared Norris
B.J. Goodson is returning to New York. The veteran linebacker agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Jets on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
This contract will be worth up to $2.1MM and bring the former Giants fourth-round pick and multiyear starter back to the Big Apple. Goodson worked out for the Jets on Tuesday. Interestingly, the Jets also auditioned former big-ticket free agency addition Avery Williamson, whom they traded to the Steelers at last year’s deadline.
Goodson, 28, has 43 career starts; 14 of those came for the Browns last season. The former Giants and Packers cog established a key role in Cleveland, with which he made a career-high 91 tackles and intercepted two passes to help snap a 17-season playoff drought. Pro Football Focus graded Goodson as an upper-echelon coverage linebacker in 2020. The Titans met with Goodson in April. Otherwise, he enjoyed a quiet free agency stay.
The Jets are down Jarrad Davis with an injury that required an IR stay, and C.J. Mosley has rarely seen the field during his two-plus-year Jets tenure. While Mosley returned to action to start this season, Jet linebackers Jamien Sherwood and Blake Cashman are dealing with injuries.
Williamson, 29, was not connected to a team in the offseason. The previous Jets regime signed the ex-Titan standout to a three-year, $22.5MM deal in 2018. Williamson, however, missed all of 2019 due to injury and finished last season in Pittsburgh. He started four games with the Steelers, who were then without Devin Bush. Williamson led the 2018 Jets with 120 tackles, contributing three sacks as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.