Darrynton Evans

Bills Pare Roster To 53; LB Matt Milano Receives IR-Return Designation

Here is how the Bills dropped their roster to the 53-man limit:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

  • T Travis Clayton

Placed on IR (return designation)

Milano suffered a biceps tear and will aim to return late in the season, though the All-Pro linebacker’s injury trouble is obviously a big-picture concern at this point. The Bills are also using one of their eight IR activations, mandated for teams who take advantage of the new rule to designate IR-return players today, on a backup running back. That is a rather interesting decision, as Evans has totaled just 62 carries since being drafted in the 2020 third round.

Residing on the Bills’ roster bubble going into camp, Damar Hamlin made the team. Ditto Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who joined Hamlin on the bubble. The bubble burst — for the time being, at least — on Collins and Clapp, who were vying for swing spots. Collins had been shuttled to guard — where he had not played since 2016 — in recent practices. Jackson joined the Bills after they ran into some injury trouble at safety early in camp.

Steveson, who has an Olympic wrestling gold medal, could be a practice squad candidate. The Eagles carried Olympian hurdler Devon Allen on their P-squad for two years, though the latter has far more football seasoning compared to Steveson. Attempting to follow in his father’s footsteps by securing a Bills gig, Gore is a P-squad candidate, per the Buffalo News’ Ryan O’Halloran. He will need to clear waivers first.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/23/24

Today’s reserve/futures contracts:

Buffalo Bills

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/23

Today’s minor transactions and standard gameday elevations for the Sunday slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Wilkinson returned to practice this week, and will be eligible to return to the lineup on Sunday given today’s activation. The addition of a starter up front will be welcomed by the Cardinals by giving them stability at the left guard spot in particular and by providing an upgrade in protection ahead of a matchup against the stout 49ers defensive front in general. The Cardinals now have four IR activations remaining.

Street was acquired from the Eagles at the trade deadline after he failed to find playing time this season. The 27-year-old has started all five of his appearances in Atlanta, however, racking up 14 tackles (including four for a loss) and one sack. Those numbers will help his free agent market this offseason, but a pectoral injury will sideline him for at least four weeks. If the Falcons fall short of the postseason, therefore, Street will not return in 2023.

McCain was a full-time starter with the Commanders over the past two seasons, but his release led to a one-year Giants agreement. The former fifth-rounder has 87 starts to his name, but he has been unable to carve out a role in New York’s secondary, playing only 19 defensive snaps. McCain has logged a 50% snap share on special teams, however, so his absence in the third phase will be notable if he is claimed off waivers or signed as a free agent by an interested team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/23

Thanksgiving Day transactions from around the league:

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Horton, a fourth-round rookie out of TCU, released a statement from the team that he is “dealing with a personal health matter that will keep (him) away from the team for an indefinite period of time.” His spot on the roster will be taken by Hyder, a practice squad end who is one of several former 49ers defenders to join head coach DeMeco Ryans in Houston.

The 49ers have upgraded one of their cornerback roster spots, subbing Womack in off the injured reserve for Jean-Charles. Womack was a much more active participant in his rookie season last year than Jean-Charles has been for the 49ers so far this season. While Womack was ready to return, the same could not be said for rookie fifth-round defensive end Robert Beal Jr. Beal was downgraded to out for tonight’s game and will remain on IR with his 21-day practice window still open for four more days.

Meanwhile, Miami and New York are making their standard gameday elevations for the league’s first ever Black Friday football game tomorrow.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/21/23

Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Released: DB Cameron McCutcheon

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/23

Here are Thursday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived from reserve/retired list: LB Myles Jack
  • Waived from reserve/suspended list: T Bernard Williams

The Bengals are without Tee Higgins for a second straight game. They added two wideouts to their active roster and are using their first injury activation this season, bringing Jones back after an IR stay. Cincinnati placed Jones on IR in late September due to a thumb injury. A fourth-round rookie who played at three Division I-FBS schools (Buffalo, Iowa, Purdue), Jones worked as the Bengals’ punt returner early this season. The Day 3 rookie made an early impact, already notching a return touchdown in his three-game work sample.

Chicago added Evans in October, doing so just after Khalil Herbert sustained an injury that required an IR stint. With Roschon Johnson also missing two games due to a concussion, Evans saw increased work behind D’Onta Foreman in the Bears’ depleted backfield. With Johnson back, Evans has seen just six offensive snaps in each of the past two games. This cut looks to lay the groundwork for the Bears activating Herbert soon. On IR due to a high ankle sprain, Herbert would represent the Bears’ final injury activation this season. They would be the first team this year to use all eight.

A productive player in Jacksonville, Jack spent last season in Pittsburgh before being released in March. The Eagles took a flier on the former second-round pick during training camp, signing both he and Zach Cunningham. While Cunningham has managed to move from a months-long free agency stay to a Philadelphia starter, Jack opted to retire in August. Were the UCLA alum to continue his career, the Eagles no longer hold his rights.

In a strange bookkeeping transaction, the Eagles also removed their 1994 first-round pick from the reserve/suspended list. Philly used Williams as a 16-game starter in 1994, when he protected QBs Randall Cunningham and Rodney Peete in Rich Kotite‘s final season as HC. A 1995 drug suspension led to Williams’ career ending.

Bears RB Khalil Herbert To Miss Multiple Weeks; Team Signs Darrynton Evans

The Bears’ resounding Thursday night win against the Commanders, which broke Chicago’s 14-game losing streak, came with a price. As Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports, running back Khalil Herbert will miss multiple weeks after suffering an ankle injury in the victory over Washington. Per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, Herbert sustained a high ankle sprain and could land on injured reserve.

While Herbert’s rushing attempts this year have been somewhat limited by game script and the fact that quarterback Justin Fields carries the ball a great deal, he has played at a high level. He has 272 rushing yards on 51 carries — good for a strong 5.3 yards-per-carry average — and has added 10 catches for 83 yards and a score. The Bears’ offense came to life against the Broncos and Commanders over the past two games, and Herbert has performed especially well in both contests. In Chicago’s narrow loss to Denver in Week 4, the 2021 sixth-rounder recorded 18 carries for 103 yards and added four catches for 19 yards and a TD.

Denver and Washington are both fielding porous defenses at the moment, but Herbert’s play is in keeping with the ability he demonstrated over his first two years in the league as a backup to David Montgomery. Now with 283 NFL carries to his name, Herbert has maintained a career 5.1 YPC rate and has proven himself worthy of an RB1 role.

The Bears are also rostering talented rookie Roschon Johnson, who has 25 carries for 122 yards (4.9 YPC) and 11 receptions for 53 yards in 2023. Unfortunately, as Pelissero notes, Johnson is dealing with a concussion, and Travis Homer is battling a hamstring ailment. As such, free agent acquisition D’Onta Foreman — who has accumulated just five rushing attempts this year — could be in line for a larger role in the short-term.

Pelissero reports that Chicago, in an effort to fill out its RB depth chart, has signed running back Darrynton Evans off the Dolphins’ taxi squad. Evans, a 2020 third-round pick of the Titans, was waived by the Bills during final cutdowns in August and joined Miami shortly thereafter. He has not appeared in a game in 2023, but he has familiarity with the Bears, having played in six contests for the club last season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/31/23

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: WR Kaden Davis, OL Marquis Hayes

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bills Reduce Roster To 53 Players

The Bills have been busy today, releasing a pair of offensive linemen, trading defensive end Boogie Basham to the Giants, and shifting Von Miller to the reserve/PUP list. The team eventually finalized their roster, cutting down their squad to 53 players:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Dean Marlowe was traded to the Bills last November, and the safety began his second stint with the organization after spending three-plus seasons with the organization between 2017 and 2020. The veteran ended up starting a pair of playoff games for Buffalo, collecting seven tackles and an interception. The 31-year-old re-signed with the Bills back in May.

A.J. Klein was another former Bills player added midway through the 2022 season. It was a whirlwind season for the veteran LB. Klein was released by Buffalo in March, and he ended up spending time with the Giants, Ravens, and Bears before returning to the Bills in November. He collected 11 tackles in six games before putting up zeros in a pair of playoff games.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/23

In a very busy day for the NFL in transactions, here are some of the minor moves that may have slipped through the cracks:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Ravens signed Ott after working out a trio of long snappers that also included Ryan Langan and Shane Griffin. The former Pro Bowler for the Seahawks won the tryout and is expected to be the replacement for Baltimore’s usual long snapper Nick Moore, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon during his offseason training, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Also, the breath of relief for Bateman is short-lived as, a day after being activated from the reserve/did not report list, Baltimore has placed the young receiver on the PUP list.

On a more positive note, a day after the Bears placed Claypool on the PUP list, he has been removed from it. He’ll now be eligible to participate in training camp starting this Wednesday. Tomlinson returns to Houston after being released back in May. He’ll get another chance to work in the tight ends room that includes Dalton Schultz, Teagan Quitoriano, and Brevin Jordan.