Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Rashad Weaver
- Released: CB Troy Pride
New York Giants
- Signed: OLB Boogie Basham
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Nesta Jade Silvera
- Released: DE Jonathan Garvin.
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: DL Jalen Redmond, TE Robert Tonyan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return from IR: LB Tyler Matakevich
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: S Ty Okada
This has been a busy week for Tonyan transactions. The Vikings dropped him from their 53-man roster to their practice squad the same day, as vested vets are allowed to do before the trade deadline, and are now elevating the veteran tight end. Tonyan has played in four Vikings games this season but has yet to catch a pass. His return to the active roster comes as the team ruled out T.J. Hockenson, who remains in the PUP-return window. Hockenson’s window closes Friday, pointing to a Week 9 debut.
As it turns out, Puka Nacua did not need an extended ramp-up period to return from his knee injury. The Rams will have him ready to go for tonight’s Vikings matchup.
Los Angeles is officially activating Nacua from IR, a move that will come just two days after his return designation. The second-year player has missed most of this season, but just as Cooper Kupp returns, the younger of the Rams’ two receiver standouts will be back as well.
[RELATED: Rams Calling Teams On Cooper Kupp]
Nacua is unlikely to see a full workload, and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter stops short of confirming he will play tonight. It would certainly be unusual for a team to take the step of activating a player for a Thursday-night game only to determine he is not ready. The Rams plan to play Nacua, per Schefter, and will determine how much he will be used based on pregame warmups.
The Rams have played most of this season without Kupp and Nacua, the latter of which suffering a PCL sprain — an aggravation of a knee injury sustained in training camp. This has been a key driver of the Rams’ 2-4 start.
Nacua was perhaps the central difference-maker in the Rams going from a retooling squad to a wild-card entrant in 2023, setting the rookie record for receiving yardage (1,486). Nacua played in all 17 games as a rookie and helped the Rams put the Lions on the ropes in Round 1. As this year’s Rams squad clings to hopes of returning to the playoffs, and interesting all-hands-on-deck opportunity emerges thanks to some timely injury returns.
Missing much of camp, Nacua returned from the knee issue in time for Week 1. He only made it through 25 snaps in the Lions rematch, leaving the game after catching one pass for four yards. As Kupp trade rumors circulate, Nacua’s performance tonight — against a 5-1 Vikings team — may determine how eager the Rams are to part with the former All-Pro. The Rams dropping to 2-5 would make them a more logical seller, putting Matthew Stafford in limbo — from a long-term perspective, at least — as well. The Kupp-Nacua tandem can aim to prevent this reality from taking shape with an upset tonight.
Tutu Atwell leads the Rams with 332 receiving yards, with rookie Jordan Whittington checking in with 201 and Demarcus Robinson with 198. Moving this trio down the depth chart will benefit Sean McVay‘s team, though part-time Nacua usage would keep some of the tertiary targets as regulars.
Kupp is coming off of his latest ankle injury, one that has seen him sidelined since Week 2. He was a full practice participant this week. He and Nacua played 11 games together last season, combining for eight 100-yard outings in that time. The Rams will hope their returns spark an offense still missing multiple starting O-linemen. Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson and Joe Noteboom remain on IR, joining safety John Johnson. As was the case in 2022, the Rams are running short on injury activations. They are down to four with 10 games to go, though it is understandable the team is taking a short-term approach here given its sluggish start.
It was announced on Monday that Jameson Williams will serve a two-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy. The third-year Lions wideout will not be appealing the ban. 
In a statement, Williams noted the news of the ban was a “complete surprise.” The same is of course true of several players when they address similar situations, but in spite of the fact he was caught off guard Williams will not attempt to have the suspension reduced. He will miss Detroit’s Week 8 and 9 matchups as the team looks to continue its four-game winning streak.
“I don’t take supplements or vitamins and I am overly cautious about even taking over-the-counter medicine,” the 23-year-old said. “At no time have I ever taken something in an attempt to cheat or look for an unfair advantage. I understand that I am responsible for everything that goes into my body and I have to take accountability in this instance.”
Williams’ rookie season saw him only make six appearances as he rehabbed the ACL tear which ended his college career. The former No. 12 pick was then delayed in making his season debut last year due to a gambling suspension, but he proved to be an effective deep threat once he was on the field. Entering the 2024 season as Detroit’s WR2, Williams has been a strong contributor with 361 yards and three touchdowns on 17 catches.
In his absence, Amon-Ra St. Brown will remain the Lions’ top receiver and he could see an uptick in targets. The same could also be true of tight end Sam LaPorta. In terms of secondary wideouts, Tim Patrick has handled a 45% snap share with his new team, so the former Bronco could step into Williams’ role on a temporary basis. Kalif Raymond is also a candidate for extra snaps and targets during the next two weeks.
Williams will be eligible for an extension this offseason, and Detroit will also have a decision to make on his fifth-year option in the spring. The presence of multiple suspensions on his resume will not help his value on either front, but his attention and that of the team will turn to replicating his early-season production once he is back on the field.
John Stephens has once again suffered a season-ending knee injury. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Thursday (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) the second-year tight end tore his ACL.
The injury occurred during practice yesterday, and Stephens will miss the remainder of the campaign as a result. ESPN’s Todd Archer reports the injury affected Stephens’ left knee, which represents another unfortunate element of today’s news. The former UDFA also tore the ACL in his left knee last year during the preseason.
Stephens has therefore yet to make a regular season appearance in his career. Dallas’ decision to keep him in the fold this past offseason speaks to how the organization views his upside as at least a depth contributor, however. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys once again elect to hold onto the 25-year-old as he undergoes a lengthy rehab process for the second consecutive year.
Dallas has Jake Ferguson atop the tight end depth chart; the former fourth-rounder has established himself as a key figure on offense as one of Dak Prescott‘s favorite targets. Dallas’ other options at that position are 2023 second-rounder Luke Schoonmaker and undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford. Stephens could still find himself in that mix next year, but for the time being his attention will shift to his upcoming surgery and the resultant recovery which will be needed.
OCTOBER 24: Daboll said on Thursday (via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News) no agreement is imminent between Humphries and the Giants. Ezeudu is set to take first-team left tackle reps in practice again today, meanwhile, suggesting he will in fact handle starting duties on the blindside once more in Week 8.
OCTOBER 22: The Giants continue to search for a stop-gap solution at the left tackle spot in the wake of losing Andrew Thomas. New York is set to host D.J. Humphries on a free agent visit today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
[RELATED: Giants Still Committed To Daniel Jones As Starting QB]
Thomas will miss the remainder of the season due to a foot injury, and his absence was acutely felt in Week 7. The Giants gave up eight sacks in a blowout loss to the Eagles, with Joshua Ezeudu struggling in Thomas’ place. Head coach Brian Daboll did not commit to Ezeudu as New York’s blindside blocker moving forward (h/t Dan Duggan of The Athletic), which opened the door to other options being explored.
Humphries suffered an ACL tear late last season, making him a longshot to be healthy in time for the start of the 2024 campaign. After eight years and 98 starts with Arizona, the 30-year-old was released in March. The Cardinals used 2023 sixth overall pick Paris Johnson Jr. at right tackle during his rookie campaign, but moving on from Humphries allowed the team to switch him to the blindside. Last month, general manager Monti Ossenfort said a reunion with Humphries could be possible.
Today’s news means outside interest exists as well, though. At a minimum, the former first-rounder is clearly making progress in his recovery, and if healthy he could handle left tackle duties for the Giants as they look to find stability up front. The former Pro Bowler’s best season in terms of PFF evaluation came in 2020; he has not managed to repeat that 88.3 overall mark since, but he could offer capable play to finish out the season. Doing so would not set Humphries up as a long-term Thomas replacement, but it would of course boost his free agent value.
The Giants have Jermaine Eluemunor as an option to flip from right to left tackle, something he has done in the past. Doing so would create a starting RT vacancy which recent addition Chris Hubbard could fill; the same is true of 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal. As Duggan notes, though, the latter did not see action in mop-up duty once the offensive starters were pulled on Sunday. That suggests Neal is not in the team’s plans for a first-team (or even top backup) gig any time soon. Especially if another veteran were to be signed from outside the organization, Neal would face the threat of falling further down the tackle depth chart.
With roughly $2.9MM in cap space, New York could afford a modest deal for Humphries or another option at the left tackle spot. The Florida product has been attached an eight-figure AAV on each of his last two contracts, but whether it comes from the Giants or another team his next pact will of course be much smaller in value.
Just as one wideout is set to join the Chiefs, another is facing a notable absence. Skyy Moore has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
Moore is dealing with a core muscle injury, and today’s move guarantees at least a four-game absence. Of course, that will add further to the injury issues which Kansas City has dealt with in 2024, with Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice done for the year. News of Moore’s upcoming absence comes at the same time the DeAndre Hopkins acquisition has become official.
Moore has appeared in all six of the Chiefs’ games so far this year, but he has been an afterthought on offense. The former second-rounder has been held without a catch in 2024, receiving only three targets. As a result, his absence will not represent as much of a blow to the team’s passing attack as that of Rice or Brown. Still, today’s news means Kansas City will be even thinner at the WR spot for a stretch.
A knee injury limited Moore to 14 games last season, and even though he was activated in time for the Super Bowl he did not take part in that contest. The 24-year-old did not live up to expectations in 2023, one in which he posted a 21-244-1 statline. That production roughly matched the output from his rookie campaign, even though last year Moore logged a much larger workload. Despite the banged-up nature of Kansas City’s receiver room in 2024, he has only handled a 20% offensive snap share.
Hopkins will no doubt take on a full-time starting role upon arrival with the defending champions. He will be joined by JuJu Smith-Schuster (who will miss Week 8 due to a hamstring injury) in time as he acclimates to his latest team. Kansas City also has first-round rookie Xavier Worthy, along with veterans Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson at the WR spot. Moore will look to re-join that group in time for the end of the campaign.
Kansas City has seven IR activations remaining for the year, one of which will be needed to bring starting running back Isiah Pacheco back into the fold. Moore remains attached to his rookie contract through 2025.
Not much has gone right for the Patriots this season, and the team currently sits at 1-6 on the year. Frustration has grown in the case of another member of the receiving corps. 
Kayshon Boutte began the season behind a number of receivers on New England’s depth chart. Returnees Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton and the then-injured Kendrick Bourne found themselves higher in the packing order; the same was also true of free agent addition K.J. Osborn and second-round rookie Ja’Lynn Polk. Boutte was inactive for the first two weeks of the season, but he has since seen his workload increase considerably.
Still, that has not translated into a notable uptick in targets. The 2023 sixth-rounder’s largest involvement in a game so far was in Week 6 when he recorded three receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Boutte has specifically requested for plays to be called for him during recent games, something he feels should not be necessary.
“For me personally, in the game, I get frustrated when I’m not getting thrown the ball knowing that I’ve caught every ball that’s thrown to me this season,” Boutte said (via MassLive’s Mark Daniels). “So, I just feel like I would always go to the sideline and demand the ball. So, whether it was that deep ball – I asked for that. The Texans game, I asked for that. So, I feel like I shouldn’t have to really ask.”
The LSU product has hauled in eight of 10 targets in 2024, and his catch percentage leads all New England receivers. His 17.4 yards per reception average is the highest mark on the team, an indication he could be in line for a larger involvement in the passing game as the season moves forward. Developing rookie quarterback Drake Maye (who is now in place as New England’s starter) is of course the team’s top priority for 2024, and strong play from the receiver spot would be key in that process.
Osborn – whose playing time has been reduced since he returned to the lineup – has also been frustrated with his usage in 2024. The former Viking signed a one-year, $4MM pact to head to New England as the team sought out upgrades in the passing game. Part of than plan in that respect was development from recent draftees such as Douglas, Thornton and Boutte. The latter was the subject of an investigation into gambling during his time in college, but charges were dropped in July.
Boutte, 22, made just five appearances during his rookie campaign, one which included being benched for eight consecutive games. He remains attached to his rookie contract through 2026, so plenty of time remains for the Patriots to sort out his role on offense. It will be interesting to see how things shake out at the receiver spot moving forward with multiple members of the unit making it known they are dissatisfied.
OCTOBER 24: To little surprise, Valdes-Scantling accepted a one-year deal for the veteran minimum ($1.13MM) to head to New Orleans. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell notes he will carry a cap charge of $688K for 2024 as he looks to boost his free agent stock.
OCTOBER 21: Marquez Valdes-Scantling has found his next gig. The veteran wideout is signing with the Saints, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.
[RELATED: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling To Visit Saints]
The receiver worked out for the organization earlier today. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Valdes-Scantling also received interest from the Colts, Commanders, and “other” squads. Ultimately, he landed a job in New Orleans.
Following a two-year stint with the Chiefs, the former Packers draft pick caught on with the Bills this past offseason. Valdes-Scantling got into each of Buffalo’s first six games, hauling in only a pair of catches despite getting into close to 40 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. Following the Bills’ acquisition of Amari Cooper last week, MVS was cut loose, allowing him to resume his career elsewhere.
He’ll now land in New Orleans, where he could quickly see a role in the WR-needy offense. Chris Olave missed yesterday’s game as he continues to recover from a concussion, and the team recently lost wideout Rashid Shaheed to season-ending meniscus surgery. Considering the team’s dwindling depth, it’s no surprise that they were involved in the Davante Adams sweepstakes prior to the Jets-Raiders trade. The organization has also been connected to Mike Williams, whom Gang Green is seeking to move now that it has landed Adams.
MVS has never been confused for a WR1, but the veteran should provide the Saints with a steady presence in their receivers room. The wideout collected 687 receiving yards as recently as 2022, and he topped 400 receiving yards in each of his four seasons with the Packers. Of course, his 2023 campaign left a bit to be desired, as he set new career-lows in receptions (21) and receiving yards (315).
Still, as mentioned, the Saints will take what they can get. During Thursday’s loss to the Broncos, the team was forced to rely on the likes of Bub Means, Mason Tipton, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. to lead their WR grouping. Even when Olave returns to the field, MVS should be able to carve out a role with the Saints.
At 4-3, the Buccaneers are in the thick of the NFC South race. Another division title could be within reach by the end of the season, but winning it will require new contributors at the receiver spot. 
Chris Godwin is likely out for the season due to his dislocated ankle, and Mike Evans‘ hamstring injury is expected to leave him sidelined until after Tampa Bay’s bye week. Even with the latter set to return later in 2024, questions have been raised about the possibility of a receiver acquisition before the trade deadline. That position has certainly seen plenty of recent movement, with Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins being dealt.
A number of other pass-catching options are still on the market, the most notable of which being Cooper Kupp. The Bucs should not be expected to be a contender to land the Rams All-Pro in the event he gets dealt, but other wideouts could be brought in as a rental. Darius Slayton of the Giants is among the receivers who are pending free agents and who could therefore be on the move ahead of the November 5 deadline. However, Tampa Bay is not interested in finding a stop-gap replacement for Godwin and (to an extent) Evans.
“We think Mike is coming back, but we really like our young guys,” head coach Todd Bowles said when asked about the state of the team’s WR room (via ESPN’s Jenna Laine). “There are guys out there, but for what we would have to give up to get them, in the long run, it’s probably not worth it.”
Tampa Bay invested a third-round pick in Jalen McMillan this April, and the rookie saw eight targets – by far his highest total to date – during Monday’s contest. He should be expected to handle an increased workload moving forward, as should 2023 sixth-rounder Trey Palmer. Veteran Sterling Shepard – added in the offseason after being recruited by quarterback and former Oklahoma teammate Baker Mayfield – has managed to carve out a notable role early in his first Tampa Bay campaign. He could be in line for a full-time starting gig at least until Evans returns.
With $10.4MM in cap space, Tampa Bay could afford a modest addition at the receiver spot. Given Bowles’ remarks, though, a likelier usage of those funds would be a move aimed at helping the team’s defense, which currently sits 29th in points and 31st in yards allowed.