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Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/24

December 14th, 2024 at 8:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Demercado has taken a backseat to Florida State third-round rookie Trey Benson, but he has averaged 9.3 yards per carry on 24 carries this year. Palardy will take over punting duties with Gillikin landing on injured reserve.

Jackson signed with Bills in late July, and although he was among the team’s final roster cuts he was immediately retained via a practice squad deal. This elevation means Week 15 will mark his first time spent on the active roster this season. The 36-year-old has started all but 10 of his 203 NFL games, but last season was marred by suspensions which led to his Broncos release. Jackson could suit up for Buffalo down the stretch as a gameday elevation in a bid to rebuild his stock to a degree.

With the playoffs nearly out of reach and quarterback Joe Burrow dealing with a few ailments (wrist and knee), the Bengals don’t seem to be taking any chances. Jake Browning will continue serving as the primary backup, while Woodside’s promotion will allow him to act as the emergency backup.

Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field as early as tomorrow.

NFL Coaching Rumors: Jacksonville, Smith, Mayo

December 13th, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

The way the season is going in Jacksonville, it’s looking more and more likely that the Jaguars are going to have some new leadership in 2025. The consensus in league circles is that the team is highly likely to move on from head coach Doug Pederson. The question that seems to be trending lately for Jacksonville is whether or not general manager Trent Baalke will be soon to follow.

According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, there has been increased speculation on whether or not Baalke will be sticking around to choose Pederson’s replacement, should he be fired as expected. Having already been eliminated from playoff contention with a 3-10 record while, at this point, competing for a top draft slot, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Pederson is out, but with Baalke, it’s not as sure a thing.

In an appearance on Herd with Colin Cowherd, FOX Sports’s Jordan Schultz claimed he doesn’t believe Baalke gets fired because he’s entrenched himself with team owner Shahid Khan and chief football strategy officer Tony Khan.

Here are a few other rumors from coaching circles in the NFL:

  • Arthur Smith‘s recent success jump-starting the career of veteran quarterback Russell Wilson has put him back in the head coaching spotlight. The Steelers offensive coordinator may have to wait a little longer, though. Per Graziano, Smith is more likely to find his way back into head coaching races after the 2025 season than in the upcoming offseason.
  • Like the Jags, the Patriots are another team already eliminated from the post season and in the running for a top draft slot. That doesn’t appear to mean the same thing for New England’s head coach, though, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Jerod Mayo is only in his first year as Patriots head coach and as an NFL head coach in general. Team owner Robert Kraft was part of the decision to set Mayo up for a coach-in-waiting situation, so it’s hard to imagine that he’s lost the vision on that front this early.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Bengals, Conklin

December 11th, 2024 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite their wide receiver depth being an issue throughout this season, the Steelers managed a two-score win over the Browns without George Pickens. The standout Pittsburgh pass catcher suffered a hamstring injury doing post-practice work late last week, and the Steelers exercised caution by holding him out. That strategy is expected to continue against the Eagles in Week 14, with Mike Tomlin pointing to another absence for Pickens. The third-year wideout, who had never missed a game as a pro until Sunday, is battling a grade 2 hamstring strain, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Tomlin said this injury has proven to be “a little more significant” than the team initially believed, and this comes at a bad time for the AFC North leaders.

The Steelers face the Ravens in Week 15 and Chiefs in Week 16, those matchups coming on short weeks. While Pittsburgh is two weeks from its Christmas Day matchup with Kansas City, Pickens’ availability for the Baltimore rematch should probably be considered up in the air. The Steelers traded for Mike Williams and have seen flashes, most notably a game-winning TD grab against the Commanders, but the team would be lacking against upper-crust competition if Pickens is sidelined.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • Perhaps the NFL’s lead underachievers this season, the Bengals are 5-8. A team expected to return to Super Bowl contention has seen its defense crater. This franchise has proven conservative when it comes to many matters, and coaching is among them. As such, Zac Taylor is unlikely to be viewed as a hot-seat occupant, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. This reaffirms the team’s October stance. Though, this certainly does not mean the Bengals will maintain their status quo throughout the coaching staff. DC Lou Anarumo should probably be viewed as a chopping-block candidate given how poorly the once-well-regarded coordinator’s unit has performed. But Taylor, who took over after 16 Marvin Lewis Cincinnati seasons, is believed to be safe. His contract runs through 2026.
  • Putting up MVP-caliber numbers (without the required record for consideration), Joe Burrow made some noise this week by indicating he will play a role in helping to push for the Bengals to re-sign Tee Higgins. The franchise-tagged wide receiver, who has been viewed as likely to leave in 2025, has said he would like to stay but did not offer much confidence he would re-sign. The Bengals cannot reengage on negotiations, which are not believed to have been serious this year, until season’s end. When the team does, new Higgins representation may be at the wheel. Rumblings have surfaced regarding a potential Higgins agency change, Graziano adds. Such a switch would inject an interesting variable into Higgins’ next round of negotiations. The Bengals hold exclusive negotiating rights with their WR2 until March 10.
  • Dan Moore Jr. has twice managed to fend off competition to keep the Steelers‘ left tackle job, doing so despite the team using first-round picks on tackles in back-to-back drafts. Troy Fautanu‘s injury did leave the team with fewer options, and Broderick Jones has continued to play right tackle this season. The plan remains for Jones to switch sides in 2025, when Moore is due for free agency. Though, Jones was rumored to be the team’s preferred LT this year. Moore is likely to depart in March, Dulac adds, as they have not shown an indication they are losing faith in Jones. Next year’s Pittsburgh tackle plan will be for their 2023 and ’24 first-rounders — Jones and Fautanu — to start, with veteran Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly leaving little doubt about the 2025 starters.
  • Two nonguaranteed years remain on Jack Conklin‘s contract, and the Browns — facing an unprecedented situation with Deshaun Watson — will need cap space. They will almost definitely look to Conklin’s deal, with The Athletic’s Zac Jackson noting the team will either restructure it or move it off the payroll via a post-June 1 cut. Conklin, 30, has returned from a second career ACL tear, coming back after missing 16 games last season and five this year. The quality starter’s injury history will factor into Cleveland’s 2025 decision.

Steelers Rumors: Wilson, Pickens, RBs

December 8th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

We’ve touched a bit recently on the Steelers’ intention to re-sign veteran quarterback Russell Wilson and even touched a bit on the possibilities for his free agent stock, but recent reports have gone even further in reassuring that the intent is for Wilson to continue starting into the 2025 NFL season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

This is a small specification, as clearly, if they wanted him to stick around, he was probably going to continue to be the starter. But with the younger Justin Fields also having a decent showing during his tenure as the starter earlier this year, there was certainly a chance that Wilson was acting as a placeholder for a developing Fields. After Fields opened the season with a 4-2 start, many were curious why the Steelers wouldn’t stick with the hot hand.

Wilson, though, has gone 5-1 since taking over as the starter, giving Pittsburgh a couple of options for the future. When Fields was starting, he was acting mostly as a game manager for a middling offense, but when Wilson came in, the offense exploded into production. Wilson’s chemistry with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been the difference and given Wilson a clear road to a permanent starting job in Pittsburgh.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of the Steel City:

  • In a recent Q&A on X, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic gave an answer on the future of leading wide receiver George Pickens. While Pickens’ immaturity can get in his own way at times, Kaboly believes the youth and talent of the 23-year-old are enough to warrant an extension in the near future, predicting a good chance that it happens.
  • In a different Q&A, Kaboly also made a prediction on the team’s future at running back. With both Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris in contract years, Kaboly calls it a “no brainer” that Pittsburgh tenders an offer to Warren. He goes on to say that he doesn’t see Harris back with the team next year, unless the free agent market doesn’t provide much competition for him, and he returns for a year on a “prove it” deal. It’s an interesting stance given the difference in production between the two this year, but many analysts have favored Warren in recent years, and the Steelers may be on the same page.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/6/24

December 6th, 2024 at 3:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Friday’s practice squad moves:

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: T Coy Cronk
  • Placed on practice squad injured list: G Henry Byrd

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Peters has not seen any game action this season, keeping him from an official 21st NFL slate. Peters, 42, would make NFL history by becoming the first O-lineman to be on an active roster in a 21st season. After seeing action in eight games last season in Seattle, making two starts, Peters has not climbed to the team’s 53-man roster yet this year. Despite Abraham Lucas coming back, George Fant is back on IR. And Peters remains on the team’s practice squad. Though, he is running out of time to turn his insurance role into in-game duties.

McGill is not quite on the Josh Johnson journeyman tier, but the 10th-year defensive lineman has been with 10 teams. The Browns are not a new one, as he previously stopped through Cleveland during the 2017 season. McGill, 32, played in one game for the 49ers this season. He had spent three years in San Francisco but is now roster depth back in Cleveland, where he played three games in 2017.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/5/24

December 5th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest moves from around the league, including game day elevations for Thursday Night football:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Designated to return from injured reserve: CB Elijah Jones

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Elevated to the active roster from the practice squad: CB Kalen King

Houston Texans

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

The Lions signed Adams to their practice squad on Sunday after a slew of injuries on Thanksgiving. The onetime All-Pro played 20 snaps across three games for the Titans this year before he landed on the Non-Football injury list and requested his release. Though he’s still listed as a defensive back, Adams is likely to play in the box after Malcolm Rodriguez joined three other Lions linebacker on injured reserve.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Russell Wilson

December 3rd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers opted for a complete overhaul of the quarterback position this offseason, signing Russell Wilson and trading for Justin Fields. Both passers are pending free agents, and it remains to be seen if each member of the pair will be retained for 2025.

In Wilson’s case, though, his time in the lineup has certainly strengthened his case for a new Pittsburgh deal. The former Seahawks Super Bowl winner endured an underwhelming two-year tenure with the Broncos, leading to his release this offseason (during which Denver took on a dead money charge of $85MM). The Steelers added him on a veteran minimum pact, positioning him to operate as a low-cost Kenny Pickett replacement.

Fields started the Steelers’ first six games while Wilson recovered from a calf injury. Once the latter was healthy, head coach Mike Tomlin made the unilateral decision to insert him into the starting lineup. Pittsburgh went 4-2 with Fields at the helm, but Wilson was seen as having a higher ceiling in the passing game in particular. That has proven to be true to date, as highlighted most recently by his 414-yard outing against the Bengals in Week 13.

Overall, Wilson has led the Steelers to a 5-1 record as a starter, posting a 10:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio along the way. His 104.3 passer rating is his highest since 2020, and maintaining his current level of play would help his value on a new Pittsburgh deal this offseason or one sending him to a new team. Retaining Wilson is a priority for Pittsburgh, but an agreement on that front will only be reached after the campaign.

In the event the 36-year-old does get the opportunity to test the market, he could face a wide range of offers. Executives who communicated with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones were split when polled about what a Wilson offer would look like this offseason. Projections in terms of annual average value ranged from roughly $10MM on the low end to $35MM on the high end. How he and the Steelers perform over the coming weeks will obviously be key in determining Wilson’s earning potential.

The top of the QB market has seen considerable growth in recent years, and Dak Prescott‘s latest Cowboys deal made him the first $60MM-per-year player in NFL history. Eight other passers are attached to a deal averaging at least $51MM per season, while six sit between $40MM and $46.1MM. Given his age, Wilson should be expected to check in at a tier below those markers, but the likes of Geno Smith (Seahawks) and Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers) have parlayed strong seasons into healthy veteran pacts in the middle class of established starters.

Mayfield played on a one-year, $4MM pact with Tampa Bay in 2023 before landing a three-year, $100MM contract this offseason. Wilson is not in an identical situation given his age and his Broncos compensation, but he too could turn an impressive showing on a new team into a medium-term commitment and a raise. With Wilson and Fields combining to account for only $4.44MM on Pittsburgh’s cap sheet this year, a notable spike in that figure should be in store if continuity is sought under center.

Sam Darnold took a one-year Vikings pact as a potential springboard to a lucrative deal elsewhere, and his success in Minnesota has him on track to be the top quarterback in the 2025 free agent market. Wilson could join him as an older option for teams not in position to add a first-round passer in the draft or those seeking a bridge starter to partner with a developmental QB. Fields could also represent an intriguing free agent candidate in the event he were to depart.

The Steelers have not managed to find a long-term Ben Roethlisberger replacement since his retirement, and Wilson will likely not serve in that capacity far beyond 2025 even if he is retained given where he is in his career. Still, he could be an intriguing free agent in the event the Steelers were to allow him to test the market.

Steelers OC Arthur Smith Not Interested In North Carolina HC Job, Expected To Receive NFL HC Interest

December 1st, 2024 at 7:37am CST by Adam La Rose

North Carolina recently fired head coach Mack Brown, and the school’s process of finding his replacement is underway. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith received a call about the vacant position.

“Reality is [UNC] reached out on [a] preliminary call,” Smith said (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “I appreciate it, love that place. But that’s not my focus. I mean I’ve got one of the best jobs in football right now. There’s a lot to be said too about [how you] can’t put a price on personal and professional happiness, which I have here.”

Smith spent his college career at UNC as a player (2001-05) and worked as a graduate assistant there to begin his coaching tenure. His experience leading a staff at the NFL level – with the Falcons between 2021 and ’23 – coupled with his connections to the school make him a logical candidate to replace Brown. As Smith noted, however, his focus is not currently on taking whatever head coaching gig presents itself.

“I’ve got an awesome job here,” the 42-year-old added. “[I] probably [have] a different mindset than I had five, four years ago where any head job, I probably would’ve walked there to take it. Now my perspective’s different, and when you got something good like I got here in Pittsburgh right now, family loves it here. I like the working environment, love being a Steeler.”

In a rare move given their organizational history, the Steelers made an in-season offensive coordinator change last year with Matt Canada being dismissed. Smith was brought in as his full-time replacement after drawing interest from the Jets. New York’s offer came with an uncertain role working alongside then-OC Nathaniel Hackett, though, and his preference was to take the Steelers gig. So far, that position has included time with both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson at quarterback.

Once Wilson recovered from his calf injury, he took over QB1 duties. That move has not led to a major uptick in passing efficiency of red zone success, but Pittsburgh leads the league in time of possession. The team also has the eighth-ranked rushing attack, something which comes as no surprise given Smith’s background and his success in that regard during his Titans OC stint.

Smith’s future beyond the current season is of course in the air given the opportunities which may present themselves to him during the winter. Indeed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears that Smith is likely to receive consideration for NFL head coaching opportunities during the upcoming cycle as a result of the winning efforts he has been able to coax out of Wilson.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/24

November 27th, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor transactions, including some standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Thanksgiving Day slate:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Designated to return from IR: CB Myles Harden

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Vikings’ release of Murphy is disappointing one for the organization for sure. The rookie pass rusher out of UCLA was not healthy enough to be on the active roster to start the season, but Minnesota liked him enough to dedicate one of their eight IR activations on him in August. He was activated yesterday but hit waivers today. If he clears the waivers, he’ll be available to sign to the team’s practice squad.

Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field soon.

2024 NFL Dead Money, By Team

November 27th, 2024 at 12:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants making the decision to waive Daniel Jones, rather than keep him around ahead of a potential 2025 post-June 1 cut designation, changed their dead money outlook for this year and next. Here is how their new total fits in with the rest of the teams’ numbers for dead money — cap space allocated to players no longer on the roster — entering the final third of the regular season. Numbers courtesy of OverTheCap.

  1. Denver Broncos: $85.21MM
  2. New York Giants: $79.57MM
  3. Minnesota Vikings: $69.83MM
  4. Buffalo Bills: $68.47MM
  5. Carolina Panthers: $68.28MM
  6. Green Bay Packers: $65.53MM
  7. Tennessee Titans: $62.89MM
  8. Philadelphia Eagles: $61.95MM
  9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $60.64MM
  10. New Orleans Saints: $59.44MM
  11. New York Jets: $59.24MM
  12. Los Angeles Chargers: $58.62MM
  13. New England Patriots: $53.37MM
  14. Miami Dolphins: $52.28MM
  15. Seattle Seahawks: $52MM
  16. Jacksonville Jaguars: $51.2MM
  17. Las Vegas Raiders: $49.37MM
  18. Washington Commanders: $42.81MM
  19. Houston Texans: $39.28MM
  20. Cleveland Browns: $38.79MM
  21. Los Angeles Rams: $34.63MM
  22. Detroit Lions: $33.71MM
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: $30.18MM
  24. Chicago Bears: $29.65MM
  25. Arizona Cardinals: $29.35MM
  26. San Francisco 49ers: $26.91MM
  27. Dallas Cowboys: $26.79MM
  28. Baltimore Ravens: $21.35MM
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: $12.65MM
  30. Indianapolis Colts: $11.8MM
  31. Atlanta Falcons: $11.55MM
  32. Cincinnati Bengals: $9.11MM

The Jones release moved more than $13MM of dead cap onto the Giants’ 2024 payroll. More significantly, the Giants granting Jones an early exit — after a contract-driven benching — will prevent the team from designating him a post-June 1 cut next year. The Giants will take on $22.2MM in dead money in 2025, rather than being able to split that bill over two offseasons. The team also took on more than $10MM in dead money this year due to the 2023 Leonard Williams trade.

This year’s most egregious dead money offender has been known for months. The Broncos’ contract-driven Russell Wilson benching last year preceded a historic release, which saddled the team with more than $83MM in total dead money. A small cap credit is set to come in 2025 (via Wilson’s veteran-minimum Pittsburgh pact), but for this year, $53MM in dead cap hit Denver’s payroll as a result of the the quarterback’s release.

The Broncos more than doubled the previous single-player dead money record, which the Falcons held ($40.5MM) for trading Matt Ryan), and they will be on the hook for the final $30MM-plus in 2025. Beyond Wilson, no other ex-Bronco counts more than $7.5MM in dead money. In terms of total dead cap, however, the Broncos barely check in north of the Buccaneers and Rams’ 2023 totals. Denver is trying to follow those teams’ lead in rallying back to make the playoffs despite nearly a third of its 2024 payroll tied up in dead cap.

Twenty-two players represent dead money for the Saints, who have seen their total updated since the Marshon Lattimore trade. Rather than restructure-crazed GM Mickey Loomis using the Lattimore contract once again to create cap space next year, the Saints will take on the highest non-QB dead money hit in NFL history. Lattimore counts $14MM in that category this year before the contract shifts to a whopping $31.66MM in dead cap on New Orleans’ 2025 payroll. Considering the Saints are again in their own sector for cap trouble next year ($62MM-plus over), the Lattimore trade will create some issues as the team attempts to rebound post-Dennis Allen.

Two 2023 restructures ballooned the Vikings’ figure toward $70MM. Void years on Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter‘s deals combined for more than $43MM in dead money. Minnesota also ate nearly $7MM from the void years on Marcus Davenport‘s one-year contract, while the release of 2022 first-rounder Lewis Cine (currently on the Bills’ practice squad) accounted for more than $5MM.

Free from the Tom Brady dead money that comprised a chunk of their 2023 cap, the Bucs still have eight-figure hits from the Carlton Davis trade and Mike Evans‘ previous contract voiding not long before the sides agreed on a new deal. Elsewhere in the NFC South, three of the players given multiyear deals in 2023 — Vonn Bell, Hayden Hurst, Bradley Bozeman — being moved off the roster in GM Dan Morgan‘s first offseason represent nearly half of Carolina’s dead cap.

 

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