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Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/23

December 24th, 2023 at 6:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sunday’s minor moves around the league:

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Facyson has not played all season, but the Raiders opened his practice window on Dec. 6, making him eligible to return to the field. The 29-year-old played for the Colts last season, but he spent the previous year with the Raiders, starting nine of his 12 games. Facyson is under contract through 2024, but none of his $2.27MM salary is guaranteed. Logging some game action down the stretch could thus be beneficial to his roster security.

Neal has missed the past five games due to an ankle injury, and today’s move means he will be shut down for the remainder of the season. The 2022 first-rounder underwhelmed when on the field, to the point where a switch to guard was suggested. No such move has been given consideration, but Neal will nevertheless face considerable expectations to rebound in 2024. Peart will have the chance to see playing time late in the year after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 5.

Latest On Eagles’ Defensive Changes

December 21st, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

In 2021, Nick Sirianni made a significant in-season change by handing play-calling reins to then-OC Shane Steichen. Shifting to a run-heavy approach, the Eagles began an ascent that produced a Super Bowl LVII berth a year later. Sirianni is attempting to make a similar save this season.

Hired as a senior defensive assistant this offseason, Matt Patricia is now calling the shots on defense. Sirianni did not strip Sean Desai of his defensive coordinator title, but Jonathan Gannon‘s successor has been effectively demoted. The third-year HC confirmed Patricia now has the final say on defense.

“I made the decision, what I thought I needed to do in the best interest of the football team,” Sirianni said, via AllPhly.com’s Zach Berman. “We made some adjustments there. I didn’t feel like we were playing and coaching well enough on defense, so I made an adjustment. It was my decision and that’s what I did.

“All the final decisions are made by Matt right now. As disappointed as Sean was, I think he handled himself like a true pro. Sean is still helpful to this football team because he has a bright mind and he can help and as I listened in on defense today they were communicating back and forth very similar to the way they communicated with the roles reversed.”

Patricia, 49, will not implement a new defensive system, Sirianni said, with the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane indicating the team views this as too late of a juncture for major schematic changes. But Patricia will be calling plays in the system Desai installed this offseason. The Eagles proceeded similarly in 2012, per McLane, when they elevated Todd Bowles in place of DC Juan Castillo. The team converted Castillo from an offensive line coach to DC after firing Sean McDermott, but Andy Reid made that change in October 2012. With this Desai-for-Patricia switch coming much later in the season, it is understandable the Eagles are not eyeing wholesale changes.

Excessive finger-pointing, particularly among certain defensive players, took place following the Eagles’ one-sided losses to the 49ers and Cowboys, ESPN.com’s Tim McManus adds. Considering where the Eagles were last year at this time, frustration was inevitable. Following Patricia’s first game in charge — a 20-17 last-second loss to the Seahawks — the Eagles rank 26th in scoring defense, 22nd overall and 23rd in DVOA. Gannon’s final season, as ignominiously as it ended, produced the league’s second-best total defense and No. 8 scoring defense.

The Eagles were prepared to hire Vic Fangio as DC, after he served as a consultant last season. But with Gannon’s Cardinals hire producing some controversy and a tampering sanction, Fangio ended up in Miami for high-end coordinator money. Desai worked under Fangio in Chicago and installed a similar scheme, though the Eagles still use a 4-3 look. Player support for ex-secondary coach Dennard Wilson existed, per McLane. Upon being passed over for Desai, the two-year Eagles assistant trekked to Baltimore to become the Ravens’ DBs coach. Going into the Seattle matchup, the Eagles ranked last in red zone defense and 30th on third downs; McLane adds Desai’s game plans had strayed from some of Fangio’s core concepts.

For Patricia, this represents a return to a prominent defensive role. He has not held such responsibilities since his 2020 Lions firing. This will become a prime opportunity for the longtime Bill Belichick lieutenant to showcase his chops away from New England, a challenge that has proven too much for many ex-Belichick aides. For Desai, 40, this Philly stay now has the look of a one-and-done. The 2021 Chicago DC spent last season as an assistant under Pete Carroll and DC Clint Hurtt in Seattle. While Desai generated interest from multiple teams this offseason, he is staring at two one-year DC tenures this decade.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 20th, 2023 at 1:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers’ Week 15 win over the Falcons brought the Patriots and Cardinals, who each lost, one game closer to the No. 1 overall pick. New England’s weaker strength of schedule provides keeps Arizona in the No. 3 spot, while Washington — weeks away from a likely full-scale reboot — has lost five straight to move into position for its first top-five pick since 2020.

Early reports have the Bears more likely to draft Justin Fields‘ replacement than trading a top pick once again, but the Patriots and Cardinals are still in the running for what could well be the Caleb Williams draft slot. Much less drama would emerge if New England claimed the top pick, as the Patriots would be expected to draft the top QB prize. Arizona landing atop the draft for the second time in six years could produce a derby, with Kyler Murray‘s contract difficult (but not impossible) to move for new GM Monti Ossenfort. QB-needy teams may well be hoping the Cardinals land one of the top two spots, however, providing a potential gateway to a trade-up for Williams or Drake Maye.

The Raiders’ 63-21 demolition of the Chargers slid them down six spots compared to their position last week. The Packers also climbed eight spots from their slot going into Week 15. Green Bay has not held a top-11 draft choice since it drafted B.J. Raji in the 2009 first round; that came on the heels of Aaron Rodgers‘ first season at the helm. Jordan Love‘s QB1 debut season could still produce a playoff berth, however, and the rest of the NFC and AFC wild-card races remain tightly bunched.

Here is how the 2024 draft order looks with three regular-season games to play:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. New England Patriots: 3-11
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 3-11
  4. Washington Commanders: 4-10
  5. Chicago Bears: 5-9
  6. New York Giants: 5-9
  7. New York Jets: 5-9
  8. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-9
  9. Tennessee Titans: 5-9
  10. Atlanta Falcons: 6-8
  11. Green Bay Packers: 6-8
  12. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-8
  13. New Orleans Saints: 7-7
  14. Denver Broncos: 7-7
  15. Seattle Seahawks: 7-7
  16. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-7
  17. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  18. Buffalo Bills: 8-6
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-7
  20. Minnesota Vikings: 7-7
  21. Los Angeles Rams: 7-7
  22. Indianapolis Colts: 8-6
  23. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-6
  24. Cincinnati Bengals: 8-6
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-5
  26. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  27. Detroit Lions: 10-4
  28. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-4
  29. Miami Dolphins: 10-4
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 10-4
  31. Baltimore Ravens: 11-3
  32. San Francisco 49ers: 11-3

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/23

December 18th, 2023 at 8:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Monday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

With regular starter Corey Linsley absent since Week 3 of the season, Clapp has served as the Chargers’ starting center this year. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, Clapp will spend the rest of the season on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury. With a next-man-up mentality, the team has called up Tom from the practice squad to fill his place.

With Cheeseman now out of Washington, the Commanders will have to work fast to find a replacement as they currently do not have a long snapper anywhere on the roster.

Matt Patricia Replaces Sean Desai As Eagles’ Defensive Play-Caller

December 17th, 2023 at 10:40pm CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles are in the midst of a two-game losing streak that has put their chances of winning the NFC East, to say nothing of securing the conference’s No. 1 seed, in serious jeopardy. Philadelphia has surrendered at least 33 points in each of its last three games, and as it seeks to right the ship, it is making a major change on the defensive side of the ball.

Per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia has replaced Sean Desai as defensive coordinator, which includes assuming Desai’s play-calling duties (though Desai will remain with the Eagles in a different capacity). As Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, a team source has confirmed the move, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, among others, says that Desai will retain the formal title of defensive coordinator. Rapoport adds that Desai will head to the coaches’ booth while Patricia will man the sidelines, and all reporters are in agreement that Patricia will take over as defensive play-caller.

Patricia’s lengthy stint as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator from 2012-17 preceded a forgettable tenure as the Lions’ head coach from 2018-20. He rejoined the Pats the following year and was curiously chosen to serve as New England’s offensive play-caller in 2022, a decision that was criticized at the time and that only got worse from there. This offseason, he was a candidate to join Sean Payton‘s first Broncos staff as defensive coordinator, though he eventually wound up in Philadelphia after Denver went in a different direction.

According to Rapoport, as relayed by Kevin Patra of NFL.com, Patricia has served as a consultant for all three phases of the Eagles’ operation this year despite his official title of senior defensive assistant, and he has earned the respect of the players. By contrast, Brooks Kubena of The Athletic reported just yesterday that safety Kevin Byard had persuaded Desai to allow the secondary to handle its own scouting report of the Seahawks, the club’s upcoming opponent.

Desai was the Bears’ defensive coordinator in 2021, and Chicago finished that season sixth in terms of total defense, though it’s points-per-game and defensive DVOA rankings were not as impressive. When head coach Matt Nagy was let go at the end of the 2021 season, his defensive-minded replacement, Matt Eberflus, elected not to retain Desai, who subsequently became associate head coach and defensive assistant for the Seahawks.

Still, Desai’s one season of relative success as defensive coordinator and his long track record as a defensive assistant at the collegiate and NFL levels made him a popular DC target in the 2023 hiring cycle, and he took interviews with five different clubs. He ultimately chose the Eagles and became the replacement for Jonathan Gannon, who left Philadelphia to take the Cardinals’ head coaching gig.

Unfortunately for Desai, the Eagles presently rank in the bottom-10 in terms of both total defense and points-per-game after finishing in the top-10 in both categories in 2022 (Philadelphia actually surrendered the second-fewest yards per game in 2022). While none of Patricia’s Detroit defenses were successful, and while Bill Belichick had a major role in the quality New England defenses that Patricia coordinated, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni clearly felt a change was in order.

And Sirianni is no stranger to such a move (although he did tell reporters at the beginning of this week that no coaching changes were on the horizon, as McLane observes). During Sirianni’s first season as Philadelphia’s HC in 2021, he ceded offensive play-calling duties to then-offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, which triggered dramatic improvements from quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense as a whole.

Patricia will have a chance to engineer a similar turnaround beginning tomorrow night, when the Eagles take on a Seattle club that may be without QB1 Geno Smith. Philadelphia faces the Giants twice and the Cardinals to close out the season, and those teams have fielded two of the league’s worst offenses in 2023.

Poll: Which Team Will Claim NFC’s No. 1 Seed?

December 17th, 2023 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Given the NFL’s recent switch to a seven-team playoff format, claiming the No. 1 seed in each conference (and with it the lone bye in the wild-card round) carries particular significance. In the case of the NFC, a shortlist of teams will compete for the top spot over the final four weeks of the season.

Three of them – the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles – entered Sunday at 10-3, though one member of the latter pair will be saddled with the No. 5 seed after finishing as the runner-up in the NFC East. The 49ers’ win over the Cardinals and Cowboys’ loss to the Bills separates San Francisco for the time being. The Lions, meanwhile, improved to 10-4 after their impressive showing on Saturday. Detroit will have work to do to overtake the conference’s other three heavyweights, but changes atop the standings could take place over the following month.

San Francisco currently leads the way, and owning the head-to-head tiebreaker against both Philadelphia and Dallas (by virtue of blowout victories) will help down the stretch. The 49ers’ commitment to Brock Purdy under center has proven to be sound, as last year’s Mr. Irrelevant has improved on his rookie output. Purdy leads the NFL not only in completion percentage (70.2%) but also yards per attempt (9.9) and passer rating (116.9) while playing with arguably the league’s top skill-position group.

The 49ers’ offense (led by Purdy and fellow MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey) has shown itself to be an elite unit, as expected, this season. The team’s defense has also recovered from a downturn during their three-game losing streak. The trade deadline acquisition of Chase Young added to San Francisco’s front seven, but injuries in the secondary have left the 49ers in need of other in-season additions. A reunion with Jason Verrett and the signing of Logan Ryan has given San Francisco a pair of veteran defensive backs to at least serve as depth on the backend. Only the 49ers’ Christmas Day game against the Ravens will see them face an opponent currently over .500 the rest of the way.

The Cowboys split the season series with the Eagles, allowing them to own the tiebreaker for the time being. A more daunting path awaits Dallas to close out the campaign, however, with road games against the Bills and Dolphins followed by a crucial matchup against the Lions. The Cowboys’ offense especially has proven to be one of the league’s best units this season, however, led by Dak Prescott. In line for an extension this offseason, the 30-year-old leads the NFL with 28 touchdown passes, and his passer rating sits at a career-high 107.5.

While those figures have Prescott in the MVP conversation and in line for a raise on his next pact, judgement of the Cowboys will of course depend on their postseason showing. The fate of head coach Mike McCarthy has been a talking point for some time now, owing in large part to the team’s inability to break through in the playoffs during his tenure. He could be in store for a new contract, however, especially if 2023 were to produce a deep run toward a Super Bowl. Given Dallas’ impressive home winning streak, securing the top seed could be imperative in that effort.

The Eagles enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, but consecutive losses have led to questions on the defensive side of the ball in particular (and now prompted a signficant change on the sidelines, with Matt Patricia assuming play-calling duties). That unit was affected more than the offense in the offseason exodus of talent following Philadelphia’s run to the Super Bowl, and the inside linebacker spot has drawn attention recently. The Eagles won out the competition to add Shaquille Leonard after his sudden Colts departure, giving them a former All-Pro in the second level.  

Leonard played sparingly in his Philadelphia debut (which fittingly came in Dallas after the Cowboys finished as the runners-up in the pursuit to sign him). Regardless of the role he plays down the stretch, Philadelphia could be in line for a rebound from the team’s recent showing. The Eagles play the Giants twice in the season’s final three weeks, and despite New York’s current winning streak, Philadelphia’s upcoming Monday night game against the 6-7 Seahawks will likely prove to be the strongest remaining challenge.

After a strong late-season run to close out the 2022 campaign, the Lions entered this season with the team’s highest expectations in years. For the most part, Detroit has lived up to the hype so far. Impressive performances from a number of contributors (including rookies Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta) on offense has confirmed OC Ben Johnson’ status as one of the hottest head coach candidates for the upcoming hiring cycle. The 37-year-old drew interest last year before committing to a second campaign in the Motor City, but he has already been linked to multiple current vacancies.

Of course, the Lions’ offensive success has the chance of complicating quarterback Jared Goff’s future with the team. The former No. 1 pick has one year (and no guaranteed salary) remaining on his deal and Detroit drafted a potential successor this April in the form of Hendon Hooker. Goff leads the league in passing yards (3,727) entering Sunday’s action, however, and he could be playing his way into a new contract. The Lions, like the Eagles, will likely need to rely on their offense to overcome defensive shortcomings down the stretch. Games against the division-rival Vikings await the NFC North leaders with the aforementioned Cowboys contest in between.

One notable free agent who could help tip the scales is Zach Ertz. The veteran tight end asked for and was granted his Cardinals release, leaving him free to join a contender. Several teams could stand to add the three-time Pro Bowler, and the 49ers are believed to be interested in making him part of an already deep pass-catching corps. To no surprise, a reunion with the Eagles could also be in store. Both San Francisco and Philadelphia will have competition (from each conference) to land Ertz, however.

With the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles set to play their respective Week 15 matchups today and tomorrow, how do you see the race to the No. 1 seed playing out? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and leave your thoughts in the comments section below:

Which team will earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC?
San Francisco 49ers 77.55% (1,489 votes)
Philadelphia Eagles 11.04% (212 votes)
Detroit Lions 8.23% (158 votes)
Dallas Cowboys 3.18% (61 votes)
Total Votes: 1,920

Eagles CB Darius Slay Sidelined After Knee Surgery

December 16th, 2023 at 10:47am CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles will be without a key defender for at least Monday night’s game against the Seahawks. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, cornerback Darius Slay underwent arthroscopic knee surgery this week that will sideline him for at least one game.

While coach Nick Sirianni declined to say exactly how long Slay would be out, he did reveal that the cornerback is expected back on the field by the end of the regular season. With only four games remaining on the regular season schedule, this means Slay will likely avoid a trip to the injured reserve.

The veteran defensive back has been dealing with a knee issue for the entire season. The injury forced him to miss Philly’s Week 6 loss to the Jets, and Slay has only practice once over the past two weeks. With the Eagles sitting towards the top of the NFC, the team is clearly hoping to get Slay right before the playoffs.

Despite the lingering injury, the five-time Pro Bowler is having another productive season in 2023. In 12 starts, Slay has collected 57 tackles, 14 passes defended, and two interceptions (including a pick-six). Pro Football Focus has Slay ranked 41st among 119 qualifying cornerbacks, with the site giving him especially high marks for his coverage.

With Slay sidelined, it’s uncertain who will step into the starting lineup. Kelee Ringo seems like the most likely candidate to start opposite James Bradberry, with the rookie fourth-round pick recently jumping Josh Jobe on the depth chart. Per ESPN’s Jeff McLane, the Eagles could also consider moving Bradley Roby from the slot to the outside while Slay is sidelined.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 13th, 2023 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two different teams have held the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive years since 2017. Amid a radical rebuild effort, the Browns carried the top pick into the 2017 and ’18 drafts. The Jaguars did the same in 2021 and ’22. It is possible the Bears will follow that up in back-to-back years. The big difference here would be the Bears traded the 2023 top choice and may unload the 2024 top pick for another windfall, depending on their evaluation of Justin Fields.

The Bears and Panthers’ March trade, giving Carolina access to Bryce Young, has become a seminal moment for both teams. As it stands now, Chicago holds two top-five picks. The Panthers are 1-12, giving the Bears a two-game lead on the Patriots and Cardinals for the top slot with four games left. Chicago finishing with the first overall selection, providing access to the quarterback of its choice, would create a big-picture decision for a Bears team that already passed on the 2023 quarterback class to stick with Fields — a QB the Ryan Poles regime did not draft. North Carolina’s Drake Maye has declared for the draft, while USC’s Caleb Williams is widely expected to follow suit.

A new Cardinals regime is also evaluating its QB, though Kyler Murray‘s $46.1MM-per-year contract (which runs through 2028) will be much harder to escape compared to Fields’. This creates an interesting scenario that will have teams who do not land two-two draft slots monitoring how Chicago and Arizona proceed. The Patriots are widely expected to pursue a quarterback in the draft, and they are likely to do so without Bill Belichick.

With gridlock forming in the AFC and NFC wild-card races, considerable movement will take place over the next month. The winner of the NFC South will likely lose several spots in the ’24 draft, as the Buccaneers did this year by winning the ’22 division title at 8-9. Here is how the draft order looks going into Week 15:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. New England Patriots: 3-10
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 3-10
  4. Washington Commanders: 4-9
  5. Chicago Bears: 5-8
  6. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-8
  7. New York Jets: 5-8
  8. New York Giants: 5-8
  9. Tennessee Titans: 5-8
  10. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-8
  11. Atlanta Falcons: 6-7
  12. New Orleans Saints: 6-7
  13. Seattle Seahawks: 6-7
  14. Los Angeles Rams: 6-7
  15. Denver Broncos: 7-6
  16. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  17. Buffalo Bills: 7-6
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-6
  19. Green Bay Packers: 6-7
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-7
  21. Indianapolis Colts: 7-6
  22. Minnesota Vikings: 7-6
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6
  24. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-5
  26. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-5
  27. Detroit Lions: 9-4
  28. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-3
  29. Miami Dolphins: 9-4
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 10-3
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 10-3
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 10-3

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/23

December 7th, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Elliss was waived by the Eagles yesterday following the team’s signing of Shaquille Leonard. The linebacker spent the better part of the past three seasons in Philadelphia, getting into 19 total games. He appeared in a career-high 12 games this season, collecting 21 tackles while appearing in about 15 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. Elliss also had a significant role on special teams.

Since the Patriots play tonight, the move will be deferred to tomorrow, per ESPN’s Field Yates.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/23

December 6th, 2023 at 8:26pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions from around the league:

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

The Cowboys made some adjustments to their injured reserve list today. Waletzko returned to practice today as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury. McKeon was placed on IR in order to make room for Hendershot after the latter’s activation. This will give McKeon a chance to deal with an ankle injury that’s bothered him this year and a chance to serve as a potential activation candidate for the playoffs.

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