Patriots To Waive WR K.J. Osborn
After long-running speculation about his Patriots tenure coming to an end, K.J. Osborn is indeed on the way out. The veteran receiver is being waived, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
Schefter adds, to little surprise, this was a mutual decision by team and player. Osborn is among the Patriots receivers who have seen their playing time fluctuate during the campaign, and he has not suited up since November. Having been let go after the trade deadline, he will hit the waiver wire.
Osborn played out his rookie contract with the Vikings, establishing himself as a notable complementary receiver during his final three seasons with the team. His first foray into free agency saw him sign a one-year, $4MM Patriots pact, a deal which seemed to set him up as at least a rotational option in New England’s revamped WR room. Osborn saw more than three targets only twice in his seven appearances, however.
In the build-up to the trade deadline, signs pointed to the 27-year-old wanting a fresh start. That made Osborn one of many names to watch at the receiver position, and the Chargers showed interest. In the end, though, no trade was made and Osborn thus appeared set to close out the campaign with the Patriots. Instead, he will now be available to any teams willing to put in a claim for an addition over the stretch run. If that does not take place, Osborn will become a free agent.
New England’s pass-catching corps has been a sore spot in 2024, and Tyquan Thornton found himself in a similar position to Osborn leading up to the trade deadline. He was cut last month, a sign of the willingness on the part of Eliot Wolf to move on from receivers who have been unable to make an impact (although New England’s inability to pull off a trade for Thornton or Osborn is notable given the team’s readiness to finish the year without them).
For the final four games of the 2024 season, New England’s WR depth chart will consist of DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne and rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Every member of that group is under contract for 2025, so they could all remain in place over the course of the offseason. Adding at the position will nonetheless be a priority during free agency and/or the draft, something which would have already been the case even if Osborn had stayed in place.
Patriots To Sign K John Parker Romo To Practice Squad
John Parker Romo was waived by the Vikings once he was no longer needed as a fill-in kicker. No teams put in a claim, but he has not needed to wait long to find an interested suitor.
The Patriots are expected to sign Romo, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. This will be a practice squad agreement, he adds. Romo had a successful short-term run in Minnesota after Will Reichard landed on injured reserve. Romo connected on 11 of 12 field goal tries and seven of eight extra point attempts over a four-game span.
Reichard is healthy again, though, and his activation led to Romo being placed on waivers. The latter will head to New England for the closing weeks of the season, although an immediate path to playing time does not exist. The Patriots have veteran Joey Slye in the fold after he was signed in May and won a preseason competition over incumbent Chad Ryland.
Slye has gone 22-for-28 on field goals this season, including four of six on attempts beyond 50 yards. The 28-year-old has missed only one of his 18 extra point kicks, making his season a more successful one than Ryland’s in 2023. Since Slye is on a on-year contract, however, the Patriots could soon find themselves in need of a replacement at the position. Romo could use the coming weeks to audition for at least an offseason roster spot.
The Virginia Tech product earned first-team All-XFL honors in 2023, something which kept him on the NFL radar after he was unable to see regular season game time with the Saints and Lions. Romo was briefly with the Bears last year, but it was not until his recent Vikings spell that he found himself on an active roster and in a gameday lineup. After the success of his Minnesota stint, Romo will look to carve out a spot in New England’s kicking plans.
Bill Belichick-UNC Talks Ongoing; HC Has Not Received Interest For NFL Vacancies
The 2025 NFL head coaching cycle has not begun, but Bill Belichick‘s name remains one to watch prior to the end of the campaign. The six-time Super Bowl winning coach continues to be connected to the vacancy at North Carolina. 
Despite the fact Belichick has not held a full-time role in the college ranks during his career, the 72-year-old could find himself leading the Tar Heels in the near future. A second interview between the parties took place last week, and with the NCAA transfer portal opening today it would not come as a surprise if the school made a decision in the near future. Indeed, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports clarity on Belichick’s standing (at least with respect to the UNC opening) should be coming soon.
While the depth of discussions is not certain, ESPN’s Pete Thamel adds they have gone on between North Carolina and Belichick “for an extended period of time.” Recent reports have noted Belichick’s preference would be to return to the NFL ranks on his next job, which could leave his courtship with UNC as a means of establishing leverage from pro teams in need of a new coach. The 2024 hiring cycle was quiet for the longtime Patriots coach, however, with the Falcons being the only team to interview him.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes Belichick was likely caught off guard by the lack of a market which was in place for him last winter, something which set him up to spend the ongoing season in a number of media roles. A return to the sidelines in some capacity would come as no surprise, but that will depend in no small part on the interest NFL teams show in him this time around. The Jets are, expectedly, not believed to be an option should Belichick take a pro gig; teams like the Jaguars, Cowboys and Giants have been floated as possibilities, but none of them currently have an opening.
The Saints and Bears have made in-season coaching moves, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports neither of them have reached out at this point. Notably, he adds no teams have made contact about a potential hire (something which is possible at any time since Belichick is not under contract with another organization). Florio reports that Belichick is “very surprised” by the fact he has not received interest so far.
More HC openings will no doubt be created by Black Monday following the conclusion of the NFL regular season. By the time that happens, the Tar Heels will no doubt have their next coach in place, and Belichick remains a candidate for that posting. Should he fail to receive an offer for the job (or decline to take it), it will be interesting to see if an NFL market is generated.
Panthers’ Jonathon Brooks Suffers ACL Tear
For the second year in a row, Jonathon Brooks has suffered an ACL tear. Panthers head coach Dave Canales confirmed the injury for the rookie running back on Monday. 
Brooks tore his ACL during his final collegiate season, something which delayed his NFL debut. Now, after only three games with Carolina, the second-rounder will re-start the lengthy rehab process associated with the injury. He will miss the remainder of the campaign and likely time in 2025 as well.
Canales noted Brooks re-tore his right ACL, the one which was affected by last year’s injury. As expected, the Panthers were cautious in their approach to Brooks’ recovery, and he had a lengthy stay on the NFI list prior to being activated in November. He managed to take part in just two full games, seeing a total of nine carries before going down midway through yesterday’s loss to the Eagles.
Brooks’ rookie contract runs through 2027, so plenty of time remains for him to return to full health and establish himself as a key figure on a rebuilding Carolina offense. The Texans product will be faced with surgery and a long rehab process once again, though, and that will be the top priority for team and player as the season winds down. The 3-10 Panthers are out of postseason contention, but they will miss out on the opportunity to get Brooks playing time down the stretch.
In the meantime, Chuba Hubbard will remain atop the running back depth chart. The 25-year-old has enjoyed a career year in 2024, and on Sunday he eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards. One month ago, Hubbard agreed to a four-year extension which ensured he would not hit free agency and has him positioned to continue operating as Carolina’s top back for the foreseeable future. Fellow running back Raheem Blackshear was taken to hospital after suffering a chest injury, but Canales said (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo) he traveled home with the team. Depending on his prognosis, Hubbard may be forced to handle a very heavy workload the rest of the way.
As for Brooks, his progress in recovering after the surgery takes place will be a key offseason storyline. The team will no doubt once again take a cautious approach to his return to action, something which will likely not be feasible until midway through the 2025 season.
Chiefs Sign CB Steven Nelson
DECEMBER 9: Monday’s workout went ahead as scheduled, and it has produced a deal. Nelson signed to the Chiefs’ practice squad, per a team announcement. Once he is prepared to make his season debut, he will provide Kansas City with veteran depth either as a gameday elevation or as a candidate to be signed to the active roster in the near future.
DECEMBER 8: Steven Nelson announced his retirement in June, but he is in contention for a midseason return to NFL action. The veteran corner has a visit lined up with the Chiefs, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 
Nelson’s agent confirmed the visit will take place tomorrow, and it will open the door to a potential reunion. His playing career started with Kansas City in 2015 and lasted four seasons. Nelson played sparingly as a rookie, but he was a full-time starter after that, something which remained the case through to last season.
The former third-rounder had two-year runs with the Steelers, Eagles and Texans before electing to hang up his cleats. Nelson was on the Raiders’ radar this offseason, but he has been out of the league and has not been connected to any interest until the news of his upcoming Kansas City visit. Landing a deal with the defending champions would give them added depth in the secondary.
The Chiefs dealt away L’Jarius Sneed this offseason, and their CB room took another hit when Jaylen Watson suffered an ankle injury which will likely keep him sidelined for the rest of the campaign. Kansas City has held up well against the run this season, but the team’s secondary has been a relative weak point on defense. That informed the pursuit of Marshon Lattimore ahead of the trade deadline, but the Commanders ultimately won the bidding war for the former Saints Pro Bowler.
Kansas City has Trent McDuffie atop the cornerback depth chart, along with Chamarri Conner, Joshua Williams, Keith Taylor and Christian Roland-Wallace. Nelson could join that group as a depth contributor with plenty of experience at the NFL level (140 combined regular and postseason appearances), although he would of course not face high expectations in the event he were to sign a deal. After posting four interceptions and 12 pass deflections last year, though, Nelson could offer a degree of playmaking if he and the Chiefs were to come to an agreement.
Giants CB Tre Hawkins Suffers Spine Injury, G Jon Runyan “Week To Week”
Giants cornerback Tre Hawkins is likely done for the season. The second-year pro suffered a fractured lumbar spine yesterday, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
While the injury sounds extreme, Duggan cautions that it’s “not as bad as it sounds.” The injury isn’t considered a long-term issue, and Hawkins is expected to avoid surgery. Still, considering only four games remain on New York’s regular season schedule, there’s a good chance the cornerback doesn’t make his way back to the lineup this year.
It’s poor timing for the former sixth-round pick, who’s coming off the best game of his career. Hawkins finished the contest with six tackles, two passes defended, and an interception (the first by a Giants defensive back in 2024, per Duggan).
After getting into 17 games as a rookie, Hawkins has only been limited to three appearances in 2024, so it hasn’t been an easy season for the Old Dominion product. With all of Deonte Banks, Cordale Flott, and Dru Phillips out of the lineup, Hawkins finally had a chance to contribute, and there’s a good chance he would have stayed in the lineup for the stretch run of the season.
Depending on how the rest of the team’s depth shakes out, the Giants may need to dig even deeper into their roster and lean on the likes of Art Green and Dee Williams (along with Adoree’ Jackson and Greg Stroman, who both got long looks yesterday).
The Giants are also dealing with injuries on the other side of the ball, as coach Brian Daboll declared left guard Jon Runyan as “week to week” with an ankle injury (per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). After spending the first four seasons of his career in Green Bay, the veteran inked a three-year deal with the Giants this past offseason. He proceeded to start each of the Giants first 13 games this season, and he hadn’t missed a snap until yesterday’s game. Veteran Aaron Stinnie soaked up the rest of the snaps once Runyan exited yesterday’s loss.
The team is currently navigating a long list of injuries on the OL. Left tackle Andrew Thomas is on IR, and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor has recently been sidelined with a quad injury. In addition to Runyan’s injury yesterday, the team also lost John Michael Schmitz to a neck injury.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/9/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Benny Sapp III
- Released: S Dane Cruikshank
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OL Michael Jordan
- Released: OT Spencer Rolland
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: S Travion Fluellen
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/9/24
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: CB Amani Oruwariye
- Signed to active roster: CB Kemon Hall
- Elevated: CB Andrew Booth
- Placed on IR: CB Josh Butler, G Zack Martin (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: K Cade York
New England Patriots
- Designated for return: OT Caedan Wallace
Patriots third-round rookie Caedan Wallace is set to return to practice for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in early October. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the rookie lineman “stayed close” to veteran David Andrews as the two went through their respective rehabs. Considering New England’s current patchwork OL, Wallace should get some run before the season ends.
Broncos Host CB Jerry Jacobs
The Broncos are eyeing some potential cornerback depth. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the team hosted veteran CB Jerry Jacobs on a workout today. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver notes that “are no plans to sign him at this time,” although things could change as the Broncos get through the week.
That’s because Riley Moss is currently dealing with an MCL issue that will surely put his status in doubt for Week 15. The starting CB suffered the injury back in Week 12, and he was inactive for Week 13. Even with the Week 14 bye, the Broncos seem to at least be planning for another absence.
Jacobs would represent some experienced depth for Denver. The former UDFA had a consistent role in Detroit between 2021 and 2023, starting 29 of his 40 appearances while compiling 131 tackles, four interceptions, and 23 passes defended. Jacobs never graded out as an above-average CB by Pro Football Focus, and he’s gone unsigned since a brief offseason stint with the Rams.
The Broncos currently have an open practice squad spot and could easily bring Jacobs on, but the team may simply be eyeing a contingency in case they lose more depth at the position throughout the week. Levi Wallace was the main beneficiary of Moss’s recent injury, with the veteran earning more snaps alongside Patrick Surtain II and Ja’Quan McMillian. The rest of the team’s positional depth consists of Damarri Mathis, Tremon Smith, and Kris Abrams-Draine.
49ers To Place OL Ben Bartch On IR
The injury woes continue for the 49ers. Ben Bartch has been a bright spot for the 49ers over the past few weeks, but the offensive lineman will now miss the remainder of the regular season. The guard is expected to land on injured reserve later this week, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
Bartch suffered a high ankle sprain during yesterday’s win that will require an IR stint. The fifth-year player will now have to miss at least the next four games. With only four contests remaining on the schedule, Bartch’s only hope of playing again during the 2024 campaign would be in the playoffs.
A former fourth-round pick by the Jaguars, Bartch moved around the offensive line in Jacksonville, shifting in and out of the starting lineup. He was snagged by the 49ers off the Jaguars practice squad midway through the 2023 season, and he managed to get into five games down the stretch in San Francisco.
The 26-year-old was buried on the depth chart to begin the 2024 campaign and only recently got into the lineup after left guard Aaron Banks suffered a concussion. Bartch started each of the past two games for the 49ers, and he’s appeared in 65 snaps across the past three weeks. In his small sample size, Bartch has graded as the second-best OL on the 49ers this season, per Pro Football Focus.
When Bartch went down with his injury yesterday, Spencer Burford stepped in at LG. Fortunately for the 49ers, Banks passed concussion protocol and could also be inserted back into the starting lineup for Week 15 (per Wagoner).