Browns’ JoJo Natson Done For Year
The Browns will be without their return man for the rest of the year. JoJo Natson will be placed on injured reserve after tearing his ACL, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Natson suffered the injury early in the Browns’ 34-20 win over the Washington Football Team on Sunday. In addition to serving as the Browns’ leading returner, Natson was the team’s No. 4 receiver, up until the injury. Without Natson, the Browns are left with Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, KhaDarel Hodge, and a glaring need for additional support at WR.
From here, the Browns are likely to give sixth-round rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones a chance to play this week against the Cowboys. But, given his inexperience, they may want to look at other kick returners who can also contribute on offense. They’ve also got a pair of receivers on the expanded practice squad in Ja’Marcus Bradley and former Titans third-round pick Taywan Taylor.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/19/20
We’ll keep track of today’s “minor” moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Keith Kirkwood
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Torry McTyer
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: KR/PR Jojo Natson
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: LB Justin March-Lillard
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: CB Will Redmond
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Adrian Colbert
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: WR Bryant Mitchell
Washington Redskins
- Signed: TE Logan Thomas
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: WR/KR JoJo Natson
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/19
We’ll keep track of today’s minor NFL moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: LB Pete Robertson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Justin Zimmer
- Released: DE Chris Smith
Denver Broncos
- Claimed: C Patrick Morris (from Steelers)
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: LB Jason Cabinda
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: CB Parry Nickerson
- Released: CB Breon Borders
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: WR Gehrig Dieter
Los Angeles Rams
- Promote TE Kendall Blanton
- Placed on IR: WR JoJo Natson
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed: WR Trevor Davis (from Raiders), RB Zach Zenner (from Cardinals)
- Placed on IR: RB Kalen Ballage
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: G Sua Opeta
- Released: WR Mack Hollins
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: K Chase McLaughlin
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/19
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Brant Weiss (Alliance of American Football)
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: CB LB Isaiah Irving, DE Roy Robertson-Harris (exclusive rights free agents)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed: DB Jordan Lucas (restricted free agent)
- Re-signed: K Harrison Butker, DT Justin Hamilton (ERFAs)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: CB Trevor Williams (RFA)
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: S Blake Countess (RFA)
- Re-signed: DE Morgan Fox, DB Dominique Hatfield, WR KhaDarel Hodge, WR JoJo Natson, DB Kevin Peterson (ERFAs)
New York Giants
- Re-signed: WR Corey Coleman (RFA)
Oakland Raiders
- Re-signed: WR Marcell Ateman, K Daniel Carlson, T Justin Murray (ERFAs)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: TE Xavier Grimble (RFA)
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: DB Greg Mabin (ERFA)
Rams Tender LB Cory Littleton, Others
Cory Littleton established himself as a surefire Rams starter last season. He figures to be a key component of Los Angeles’ 2019 defense.
The Rams placed a second-round tender on Littleton. That will come out to a $3.1MM salary for 2019, should no extension be reached before June’s RFA signing deadline.
A fourth-year UDFA, Littleton broke out for a 125-tackle, four-sack season in 2018 — his first as a full-time starter. With so many big contracts on the Rams’ roster, it helps they can get quality production from players with rookie-deal salaries. While the $3.1MM will take Littleton to a slightly higher tax bracket, that is a manageable figure for the Rams.
In addition to Littleton, the Rams made the following moves with other restricted and exclusive-rights free agents:
RFAs tendered at original-round level: DB Blake Countess, RB Malcolm Brown, CB Troy Hill
ERFAs tendered: DE Morgan Fox, CB Dominique Hatfield, WR KhaDarel Hodge, CB Kevin Peterson, WR JoJo Natson
Rams Place WR Pharoh Cooper On IR
Sean McVay said All-Pro return man Pharoh Cooper would be out for “some time” after a Week 1 injury, and that absence will extend into at least Novemeber.
The Rams are placing Cooper on IR, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He won’t be able to return to game action for eight weeks. An ankle injury’s resulted in this transaction, and wideout JoJo Natson will take Cooper’s place on Los Angeles’ 53-man roster, per Rapoport (via Twitter).
Considering how valuable Cooper was to the Rams’ resurgence last season, he would make sense as an IR-return candidate. However, the star-studded team’s first-half health situation will help determine if Cooper comes back this season. He could return by Week 10.
Natson now stands as a return option, perhaps the frontrunner, for the Rams, per Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com. Given his 5-foot-7, 153-pound stature, it doesn’t seem he’s much of a threat to contribute on offense. Natson came to camp with the Rams this summer and worked as a returner throughout camp but was not retained on L.A.’s active roster or practice squad at the preseason’s conclusion.
An Akron product, Natson served as the Jets’ kick returner and punt returner in seven games last season. Returning a kickoff and punt for a touchdown, Cooper glided to a Pro Bowl berth.
Rams Cut Cornelius Lucas, Place Ryan Davis On IR
The Rams are the latest team to start the cut down to 53 players, which must be completed by Saturday afternoon. Los Angeles made the following transactions:
Released:
Waived:
- Fred Brown, WR
- Omarius Bryant, DT
- Chunky Clements DT
- Jake Eldrenkamp, C
- Sam Ficken, K
- Lord Hyeamang, DT
- Nate Holley, DB
- Nick Holley, RB
- Jeremiah Kolone, G
- Marcus Martin, DE
- Codey McElroy, WR
- Curtis Mikell, DB
- McKay Murphy, DT
- JoJo Natson, WR
- Aaron Neary, C
- Taurean Nixon, DB
- Tegray Scales, LB
- Darrell Williams, T
- Brian Womac, DE
Waived/injured:
- Afolabi Laguda, DB
- Kendal Thompson, WR
Placed on injured reserve:
- Ryan Davis, DE
- Morgan Fox, DE
Lucas could have conceivably given the Rams a bit of depth at offensive tackle, as he has 35 career games under his belt (although he’s played in only six contests over the past two seasons). Davis, meanwhile, flashed during training camp and may have been an option on the edge if not for injury.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/18
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Terrance Parks
Buffalo Bills
- Released: DL Tenny Palepoi
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Cam Serigne
- Released: DT Drew Iddings
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Mark Chapman
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Adonis Jennings, Kyle Lewis
Indianpolis Colts
- Signed: S Shamarko Thomas
- Waived: CB Juante Baldwin
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: OL Donavon Clark
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Aaron Lacombe, WR Khadarel Lott, WR JoJo Natson
- Waived: WR LaQuvionte Gonzalez, WR Ricky Jeune
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Izaah Lunsford
- Waived: TE Kyle Carter, P Taylor Symmank
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived/injured: DB Trey Johnson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Josh Liddell, T Jerry Ugokwe
- Waived/Injured: DT Channing Ward
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Claude Pelon
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB Prince Charles Iworah
- Waived/Injured: RB Keith Marshall
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/27/18
Today’s minor moves:
New York Jets
- Waived: T Korren Kirven, WR JoJo Natson, WR Damore’ea Stringfellow, P Ben Turk