Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/23
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers (from Bears): OL Doug Kramer
- Waived: WR Andre Baccellia
New York Jets
- Promoted: OL Xavier Newman-Johnson, WR Malik Taylor
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated off IR: RB Anthony McFarland
- Placed on IR: LB Cole Holcomb (story)
San Francisco 49ers
- Designated to return from IR: DL Robert Beal Jr., CB Samuel Womack
- Designated to return from PUP: CB Darrell Luter
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from PUP: DT Austin Faoliu
- Placed on IR: LB Drake Thomas
Bears Activate LT Braxton Jones Off IR
More help is on the way for the Bears’ offensive line as a senior writer for the team, Larry Mayer, reports that Chicago has activated second-year offensive tackle Braxton Jones from injured reserve. After activating starting guard Teven Jenkins a month ago, the left side should continue to improve with the return of last year’s starting left tackle.
Jones became a Week 1 starter as a rookie last season despite making the jump to the NFL from Division I-FCS school Southern Utah. The fifth-round pick adjusted well, starting all 17 games and performing admirably. His sophomore season had a rockier start, though, as a Week 2 neck injury prompted the Bears to exercise excess caution and place him on IR.
In his place, Chicago has returned to a formerly displaced starter in Larry Borom, but through six starts in relief, Borom has consistently ranked in the bottom ten of qualifying NFL tackles in rankings provided by Pro Football Focus. The team took Tennessee rookie Darnell Wright in the first round of this year’s draft but placed him at right tackle, showing their confidence in Jones as their blindside blocker moving forward.
Even now, with Jenkins and Jones finally reuniting with the first-team unit, the Bears’ offensive line is still a bit banged up as starting right guard Nate Davis has already been declared out for the third straight week. Lucas Patrick, who has started in Davis’ place to past two games, will likely hear his name called to play with the starters once again.
In order to make room for Jones on the active roster, the Bears waived fellow 2022 draftee Doug Kramer, who was drafted a round after Jones last year. Kramer spent his entire rookie season on IR and then spent the first six weeks of this season on IR before being activate for Week 7. After only playing two snaps, Kramer sees his way off the roster. If he clears waivers, Chicago may choose to bring him back on the practice squad.
Speaking of the practice squad, the Bears also made the decision to promote linebacker Micah Baskerville from the practice squad as a standard gameday elevation for tomorrow. If he sees the field, it will be the undrafted LSU rookie’s NFL debut.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23
Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from NFI list: CB Garrett Williams
- Elevated: RB Damien Williams, CB Bobby Price
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: DL Lacale London, TE Tucker Fisk
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: S DeAndre Houston-Carson
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: DT Kendal Vickers
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: OL Doug Kramer
- Elevated: CB Joejuan Williams
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: RB Deon Jackson
- Elevated: QB P.J. Walker, LB Charlie Thomas
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: TE Greg Dulcich
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DE Josh Paschal
- Released: TE Darrell Daniels
- Elevated: RBs Mohamed Ibrahim, Devine Ozigbo
Green Bay Packers
- Released: OLB Justin Hollins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: QB Nathan Rourke
Kansas City Chiefs
- Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Cornell Armstrong
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Keelan Doss, S Mark Webb
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner
New England Patriots
- Elevated: WR Jalen Reagor, DT Trysten Hill
New York Giants
- Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, G Jalen Mayfield
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: C Joey Hunt
- Waived: OL Ben Brown
- Elevated: WR Easop Winston, RB SaRodorick Thompson
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Abdullah Anderson, CB Tariq Castro-Fields
Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.
The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.
Bears Designate CB Kyler Gordon For Return, Sign QB Nathan Peterman To Practice Squad
The Bears could have their starting slot corner back in the fold as early as Week 6. Kyler Gordon was designated for return from injured reserve on Monday, per a team announcement. Backup center Doug Kramer has also had his practice window opened. 
[RELATED: Khalil Herbert Facing Extended Absence, Bears Sign RB Darrynton Evans]
As a result of the move, both players are now clear to return to practice. They can do so for up to 21 days before Chicago will be required to activate them or see them revert to season-ending IR. Bringing back the pair will use up two of the team’s seven remaining IR activations.
Gordon suffered a broken hand in the season opener, and the surgery he underwent opened the door to an IR stint the following week. The team was optimistic he would be able to return at the first opportunity, and that would prove to be the case if he were to be activated this week. A 2022 second-rounder, Gordon played on the outside as a rookie but has moved to the slot for the 2023 campaign. His return will allow Chicago to have its top trio of Gordon, Jaylon Johnson and rookie Tyrique Stevenson in place at the CB spot.
Gordon, 23, showed plenty of promise last season, racking up 71 tackles, three interceptions and six pass deflections. The Washington alum left plenty to be desired in coverage, though, allowing three touchdowns and a passer rating of 102 as the nearest defender. That led to a poor PFF grade of 49.8, but a return to action will give him the chance to show improvement and in doing so give a boost to the Bears’ secondary.
In other roster news, the Bears retained quarterback Nathan Peterman by signing him to the practice squad. The veteran was released last week in a move which confirmed undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent‘s status as the backup to Justin Fields. Chicago did not have another passer in the organization beyond that pair for a time, however, so it comes as little surprise that Peterman will remain in the Windy City. The 29-year-old spent last season on and off the team’s taxi squad, and that arrangement is now set continue in 2023.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/16/22
With the NFL dropping the roster limit to 85 players today, we’ve got a long list of minor moves to pass along:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: TE Tucker Fisk, LB Rashad Smith, DB Tre Webb, P Seth Vernon
- Placed on IR: CB Cornell Armstrong
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: QB Brett Hundley
- Placed on IR: LB Trent Harris
Buffalo Bills
- Released: CB Tim Harris, LB Marquel Lee
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR: DE Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Jon Alexander, OL Corey Dublin
- Waived: LB Noah Dawkins, TE Rysen John
- Waived/injured: S Michael Joseph, CB Jayson Stanley, LB Javin White
- Placed on IR: C Doug Kramer
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers (from Saints): WR Easop Winston
- Released: DT Sheldon Day
- Waived/injured: OT Elijah Nkansah
- Placed on IR: C Dawson Deaton, C Nick Harris (story)
- Released from IR: LB Silas Kelly
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from PUP: LB Anthony Barr
- Placed on IR: FB Ryan Nall
Denver Broncos
- Waived: RB Max Borghi, WR Kaden Davis, WR Travis Fulgham, S Jamar Johnson, TE Rodney Williams
- Released from IR: RB Tyreik McAllister
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Josh Johnson
- Waived/injured: S Brady Breeze
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): TE Nate Becker
- Released: RB BJ Baylor, LB Ellis Brooks, TE Dominique Dafney, G George Moore, LB Randy Ramsey
Houston Texans
- Waived: DL Damion Daniels
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: Isaiah Ford
- Waived: OT Brandon Kemp, CB Alexander Myres, WR Michael Young
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released from IR: RB Nathan Cottrell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: DL Austin Edwards, WR Devin Gray
- Reverted to IR: WR Gary Jennings
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: P Cameron Dicker, OT Adrian Ealy, QB Luis Perez, TE Jamal Pettigrew, DB Caesar Dancy-Williams
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: CB Nate Brooks, DE Gerri Green, OT Tyrone Wheatley
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: OL Cole Banwart, WR DeVonte Dedmon, DL Jordan Williams
- Waived/injured: CB Tino Ellis
- Placed on IR: TE Adam Shaheen
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: CB Tye Smith
- Waived: FB Jake Bargas, LB Andre Mintze
- Waived/injured: WR Thomas Hennigan, DL Tyarise Stevenson
New York Giants
- Waived: TE Jeremiah Hall, DB Gavin Heslop
- Waived/injured: WR Austin Proehl
New York Jets
- Released: DB Luq Barcoo, WR Rashard Davis, OL Derrick Kelly, DE Timmy Ward
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: WR Lance Lenoir, S Jared Mayden, CB Jimmy Moreland
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: G William Dunkle
- Claimed off waivers: C Ryan McCollum
- Waived: DT Doug Costin, OT Jake Dixon, C Nate Gilliam, P Cameron Nizialek, C Chris Owens
- Placed on IR: S Karl Joseph
- Released from IR: WR Javon McKinley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: DB Ross Cockrell
- Waived: TE Ben Beise, OL Curtis Blackwell, WR Kameron Brown
- Waived/injured: OL Jonathan Hubbard, OLB JoJo Ozougwu
Washington Commanders
- Released: CB Troy Apke, CB De’Vante Bausby, G Deion Calhoun
- Placed on IR: FB Alex Armah, TE Sammis Reyes
- Released from IR: WR Jequez Ezzard
Injury Updates: 49ers, Rams, Browns, Bears
The 49ers have been dealing with a number of minor injuries in training camp lately, but one which is significant not only in its serenity but also its impact on the team is the one currently ailing free safety Jimmie Ward. He has suffered a hamstring injury, and his Week 1 availability is now in question, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner (Twitter link).
Ward has been a starter on the backend in San Francisco since his second season in 2015. He has been a consistent contributor throughout that time, including on the NFC-winning squad of 2019. His level of play that year earned him a three-year extension, giving him financial security for the first time in his career.
Ward is in line to start once again in 2022, the final season of that deal. He and 2021 fifth-rounder Talanoa Hufanga are the top safety options on the depth chart, so any extended absence from Ward would be a major blow to a 49ers team looking to repeat last season’s playoff run, and whose weakness on defense is generally viewed as being in the secondary. Tarvarius Moore and George Odum would be amongst the team’s options to fill in for Ward should he miss any time.
Here are some other injury notes from around the league, starting with another NFC West contender:
- The Rams are facing some uncertainty in their offensive backfield. Head coach Sean McVay announced that running backs Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson are both dealing with “soft-tissue” injuries (Twitter link via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop). The pair are in line to occupy the top two spots on the depth chart, though injuries are nothing new to either player. McVay added that neither of them will return to practice until they have fully recovered, but didn’t provide a timeline regarding when that may take place.
- The center position has become a sore spot for the Browns recently, given the season-ending injury to Nick Harris, who was the favorite to take over the starting role. The team’s depth at the pivot is being tested even further, as seventh-round rookie Dawson Deaton suffered a torn ACL, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). With him sidelined for the season as well, Cleveland is down to free agent signing Ethan Pocic and UDFA Brock Hoffman as their only remaining healthy options. Pocic has starting experience, but another addition would come as little surprise at this point.
- Another team dealing with center injuries is the Bears. Sixth-round rookie Doug Kramer is believed to have suffered a Lisfranc injury, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). In that case, his 2022 availability will be seriously in doubt, something which would be especially problematic if starter Lucas Patrick isn’t recovered from the hand surgery he had recently in time for the start of the regular season.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/6/22
Here are the latest draft pick signings:
Baltimore Ravens
- RB Tyler Badie (sixth round, Missouri)
Chicago Bears
- T Braxton Jones (fifth round, Southern Utah)
- DE Dominique Robinson (fifth round, Miami University)
- RB Trestan Ebner (sixth round, Baylor)
- C Doug Kramer (sixth round, Illinois)
- T Ja’Tyre Carter (seventh round, Southern)
- DB Elijah Hicks (seventh round, California)
- P Trenton Gill (seventh round, North Carolina State)
Green Bay Packers
- LB Quay Walker (first round, Georgia)
- DT Devonte Wyatt (first round, Georgia)
- T Sean Rhyan (third round, UCLA)
- LB Kingsley Enagbare (fifth round, South Carolina)
- DB Tariq Carpenter (seventh round, Georgia Tech)
- DT Jonathan Ford (seventh round, Miami)
- WR Samori Toure (seventh round, Nebraska)
Kansas City Chiefs
- CB Trent McDuffie (first round, Washington)
- DE George Karlaftis (first round, Purdue)
- S Bryan Cook (second round, Cincinnati)
- G Darian Kinnard (fifth round, Kentucky)
- CB Jaylen Watson (seventh round, Washington State)
- RB Isiah Pacheco (seventh round, Rutgers)
- S Nazeeh Johnson (seventh round, Marshall)
Philadelphia Eagles
- DT Jordan Davis (first round, Georgia)
- LB Kyron Johnson (sixth round, Kansas)
- TE Grant Calcaterra (sixth round, SMU)
Seattle Seahawks
- DB Tariq Woolen (fifth round, Texas-San Antonio)
- LB Tyreke Smith (fifth round, Ohio State)
- WR Bo Melton (seventh round, Rutgers)
- WR Dareke Young (seventh round, Lenoir-Rhyne)
Washington Commanders
- QB Sam Howell (fifth round, North Carolina)
- TE Cole Turner (fifth round, Nevada)
- T Chris Paul (seventh round, Tulsa)
- DB Christian Holmes (seventh round, Oklahoma State)