Packers Place DL Dean Lowry On IR
Dean Lowry‘s streak of 101 straight regular-season games will come to an end. The Packers placed the veteran defensive lineman on IR on Tuesday.
The seventh-year defender suffered a calf injury against the Dolphins. To replace him on the roster, the Packers signed wide receiver Bo Melton from the Seahawks’ practice squad; Seattle drafted Melton in this year’s seventh round out of Rutgers. He has not seen any game action yet. The Packers also released linebacker Tipa Galeai from IR, weeks after opting against using one of its IR activations on him.
In order for Lowry to be activated, the Packers would need to reach the NFC championship game. While Green Bay has accomplished this twice under Matt LaFleur, the team is 7-8 and still has an uphill battle to make the playoffs. FiveThirtyEight gives the Pack a 27% chance to secure a wild-card spot. Tuesday’s transaction is likely to end Lowry’s season.
Lowry, 28, has been with the Packers since they drafted him in the 2016 fourth round. He has started 80 career games, becoming a primary starter during LaFleur’s time in Green Bay. The Northwestern product recorded five sacks last season but has only a half-sack this year. Still, Lowry has maintained a regular role on a defensive line housing Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed and first-round pick Devonte Wyatt. Lowry has played 53% of the Packers’ defensive snaps this season.
Pro Football Focus ranks Lowry just outside the top 60 interior D-linemen (out of 125 qualified players), after slotting him 33rd overall last season. Lowry’s three-year, $20.3MM extension expires after this season, though three void years are tacked on for cap purposes. Wyatt saw his highest snap share against the Dolphins, being on the field for 24 defensive plays. While the Packers have eased the Georgia product into action, he stands to see more time in the team’s final two regular-season games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/22
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed (from Saints): G Wyatt Davis
- Placed on IR: G Will Hernandez (story)
- Designated for return: S Charles Washington
Chicago Bears
- Designated for return: LB Matthew Adams
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: DE Tarell Basham
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: RB Craig Reynolds
- Signed off Broncos’ practice squad: WR Trinity Benson
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: OLB Rashan Gary (story)
- Designated for return: OLB Tipa Galeai
Indianapolis Colts
- Designated for return: WR Ashton Dulin
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed from practice squad: S Isaiah Pola-Mao
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on IR: DL Austin Johnson (story)
- Signed from practice squad: DL Breiden Fehoko
Minnesota Vikings
- Designated for return: TE Ben Ellefson
San Francisco 49ers
- Designated for return: DE Jordan Willis
Adams, Dulin, Ellefson, Galeai, Washington and Willis each have until Nov. 30 to be activated from IR. Should they not be activated, they would revert to season-ending IR. The Colts and Vikings are in solid shape regarding activations, having only used one apiece. The Bears, Cardinals, 49ers and Packers have used three such moves apiece. Teams are allotted eight injury activations this season.
The Cowboys dangled Basham in trades before last week’s deadline, but no takers emerged. While the team cut the other D-lineman they were hoping to deal — Trysten Hill, who has since been claimed by the Cardinals — they ended up using one of their injury activations on Basham. A former Colts third-round pick, Basham notched 3.5 sacks during his first Cowboys season last year. He played in one game this season (Week 1) before going down with a quadriceps injury. The Cowboys, who have Tyron Smith and James Washington on their IR-return radar, have used two injury activations this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/15/22
Today’s minor moves around the league:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: CB Isaiah Oliver
- Promoted: TE MyCole Pruitt
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: LB Jeremiah Attaochu, S Ar’Darius Washington
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: LB Arron Mosby
- Promoted: QB Jacob Eason, CB Tae Hayes
- Placed on IR: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: LS Matt Overton
- Promoted: TE Sean McKeon, RB Malik Davis
- Placed on IR: WR Simi Fehoko, RB Rico Dowdle
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: WR Juwann Winfree
- Placed on IR: LB Tipa Galeai
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: WR Keke Coutee
- Promoted: RB Phillip Lindsay, RB D’Vonte Price
- Waived: T Luke Tenuta
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: LB Ty Summers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: CB Dicaprio Bootle
- Promoted: S Zayne Anderson, LB Cole Christiansen
- Placed on IR: DT Tershawn Wharton
Los Angeles Rams
- OL Chandler Brewer, RB Ronnie Rivers
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: T Brandon Shell, T Kion Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: TE Jacob Hollister
New England Patriots
- Promoted: QB Garrett Gilbert, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: WR Keith Kirkwood, WR Rashid Shaheen
- Promoted: CB Chris Harris, WR Kevin White
- Placed on IR: WR Deonte Harty
- Waived: QB Jake Luton
New York Giants
- Promoted: DT Ryder Anderson, WR Marcus Johnson
- Placed on IR: S Tony Jefferson
New York Jets
- Promoted: TE Kenny Yeboah
- Waived: WR Lawrence Cager
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: S Andre Chachere
- Placed on IR: DE Janarius Robinson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed to active roster: CB Josh Jackson
- Promoted: S Elijah Riley, CB Quincy Wilson
- Placed on IR: DL DeMarvin Leal
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: LB Curtis Robinson
- Promoted: CB Dontae Johnson, WR Willie Snead
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Christian Jones
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: CB Anthony Chesley, S Nolan Turner
NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/31/21
Here are the New Year’s Eve additions and subtractions from teams’ reserve/COVID-19 lists:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: NT Tyeler Davison
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on virus list: TE Tommy Tremble
- Activated from virus list: S Kenny Robinson, TE Brandon Zylstra
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on virus list: DT Quinton Bohanna, LB Keanu Neal
Denver Broncos
- Activated from practice squad virus list: T Drew Himmelman, LB Barrington Wade
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from virus list: S Henry Black, CB Shemar Jean-Charles, CB Kevin King, LB Tipa Galeai
- Activated from practice squad virus list: LB La’Darius Hamilton
- Placed on practice squad virus list: K J.J. Molson, LB Ray Wilborn
Houston Texans
- Activated from virus list: DL Maliek Collins
- Placed on virus list: TE Antony Auclair, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from virus list: S Jahleel Addae, RB Marlon Mack
- Placed on virus list: LS Luke Rhodes
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from virus list: LB Josh Allen, TE Luke Farrell, LB Myles Jack, WR Laviska Shenault, DE Jordan Smith, LB Damien Wilson
- Placed on virus list: CB Shaquill Griffin
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from virus list: QB Marcus Mariota, LB K.J. Wright
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on virus list: TE Jared Cook
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from virus list: OL Solomon Kindley, WR Albert Wilson
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from virus list: T Rashod Hill, QB Sean Mannion
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from virus list: WR Deonte Harris
- Placed on practice squad virus list: LB Chase Hansen, DB Dylan Mabin, TE Ethan Wolf
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on practice squad virus list: WR KeeSean Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on virus list: LB Joe Schobert, DL Chris Wormley
- Placed on practice squad virus list: DL Daniel Archibong
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from virus list: DE L.J. Collier
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from virus list: WR Mike Evans
- Placed on virus list: P Bradley Pinion
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from virus list: WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Washington Football Team
- Placed on virus list: G Ereck Flowers, RB Antonio Gibson
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/21
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Josh Andrews
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Geronimo Allison
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: OLB Tipa Galeai
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: QB Shane Buechele (story)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: WR Tyron Johnson
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: T Greg Little
- Waived: S Sheldrick Redwine
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: C Garrett Bradbury
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Josh Metellus
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: DT Montravius Adams
New York Jets
- Signed off Bills’ practice squad: CB Rachad Wildgoose
- Promoted: TE Kenny Yeboah
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: OLB Derick Roberson
- Promoted: LB Dylan Cole
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: DL Daniel Wise
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Saahdiq Charles
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Chicago Bears
Claimed:
- WR Nsimba Webster (from 49ers)
Signed:
Waived:
- WR Rodney Adams
Placed on IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- DL Auzoyah Alufohai, C Dieter Eiselen, CB Thomas Graham Jr., OL Arlington Hambright, WR Isaiah Coulter, K Brian Johnson, WR Jon’Vea Johnson, OLB Sam Kamara, RB Ryan Nall, WR Dazz Newsome, RB Artavis Pierce, OLB Charles Snowden, DB Teez Tabor
Detroit Lions
Released/Waived:
- TE Darren Fells, S Dean Marlowe
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Tanner Beckett, LB Rashod Berry, DT Miles Brown, S Jalen Elliott, K Zane Gonzalez, DL Bruce Hector, G Tommy Kraemer, TE Alize Mack, WR Javon McKinley, RB Dedrick Mills, OT Darrin Paulo, RB Craig Reynolds, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, WR Sage Surratt, TE Brock Wright, TE Shane Zylstra
Green Bay Packers
Signed to practice squad:
- DL Abdullah Anderson, QB Kurt Benkert, WR Chris Blair, G Ben Braden, OL Jacob Capra, CB Kabion Ento, S Innis Gaines, LB Tipa Galeai, TE Bronson Kaufusi, K J.J. Molson, DL Willington Previlon, WR Equanimeous St. Brown, RB Patrick Taylor, OL Cole Van Lanen, LB Ray Wilborn, WR Juwann Winfree
Minnesota Vikings
Signed:
Claimed:
- TE Ben Ellefson (from Jaguars)
Placed on IR:
- WR Dan Chisena, RB Kene Nwangwu, TE Irv Smith Jr. (story)
Signed to practice squad:
- OT Zack Bailey, FB Jake Bargas, LB Tuf Borland, TE Zach Davidson, S Myles Dorn, G Dakota Dozier, G Kyle Hinton, WR Myron Mitchell, CB Parry Nickerson, WR Whop Philyor, RB A.J. Rose, CB Tye Smith, DE Kenny Willekes
Packers Cut 26 Players
The Packers cut their roster down to 52 players today, providing the organization with some extra flexibility over the next few days. The team announced the following transactions:
Waived
- DL Abdullah Anderson
- QB Kurt Benkert
- G/T Jacob Capra
- G/T Coy Cronk
- CB Stephen Denmark
- CB Kabion Ento
- CB Rojesterman Farris
- S Innis Gaines
- LB Tipa Galeai
- LB De’Jon Harris
- WR Damon Hazelton
- DL Carlo Kemp
- K JJ Molson
- DL Willington Previlon
- LB Delontae Scott
- P JK Scott
- WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- RB Patrick Taylor
- S Christian Uphoff
- T/G Cole Van Lanen
- LB Ray Wilborn
- RB Dexter Williams
- WR Juwann Winfree
Released
Placed on Reserve/PUP
Placed on Reserve/Suspended
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/25/21
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Buffalo Bills
- WR Tanner Gentry, WR Jake Kumerow, RB Antonio Williams
Green Bay Packers
- OLB Tipa Galeai, LB Scoota Harris, OG Zack Johnson, TE Isaac Nauta, DL Willington Previlon, DL Anthony Rush, CB Stanford Samuels, RB Mike Weber, RB Dexter Williams, P Ryan Winslow
Los Angeles Rams
- S Jake Gervase, QB Devlin Hodges
As a reminder, these are all non-guaranteed deals, usually for practice-squad-type players, to help teams flesh out their 90-man offseason rosters.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/12/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves. Many of these roster decisions involve practice squad promotions. Under the new CBA, teams are permitted to promote two P-squad players without corresponding roster moves per week. Teams can carry 55 players on their rosters for game days and can have up to 48 active.
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB D.J. Foster
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: S Jordan Richards
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: K Cairo Santos
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DE Amani Bledsoe, S Trayvon Henderson
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB Robert Jackson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: G Kenny Wiggins, RB Jonathan Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Krys Barnes
- Promoted: LB Tipa Galeai, TE John Lovett
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell, TE Ben Ellefson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: G Ryan Groy, FB Gabe Nabers
Miami Dolphins
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Nate Brooks
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LB Hardy Nickerson
- Signed: DB Nate Meadors
New England Patriots
- Promoted: K Nick Folk, DT Xavier Williams
- Placed on IR: WR Gunner Olszewski
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Bennie Fowler, DL Margus Hunt
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DE Anthony Lanier
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Mike White
- Promoted: RB Josh Adams, WR Josh Malone
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DT T.Y. McGill, G Sua Opeta
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: C Hroniss Grasu, CB Dontae Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: T Chad Wheeler
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cyril Grayson, DB Mazzi Wilkins
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Cam Sims
Packers Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents
The Packers have become the latest team to bring in a class of undrafted free agents. Green Bay announced that it’s agreed to terms with the following UDFAs:
- Jalen Morton, QB (Prairie View A&M)
- Patrick Taylor, RB (Memphis)
- Jordan Jones, FB (Prairie View A&M)
- Darrell Stewart, WR (Michigan State)
- Travis Bruffy, T (Texas Tech)
- Zack Johnson, G (North Dakota State)
- Willington Previlon, DL (Rutgers)
- Tipa Galeai, LB (Utah State)
- Krys Barnes, LB (UCLA)
- Delontae Scott, LB (SMU)
- Marc-Antoine Dequoy, CB (Montreal)
- Stanford Samuels, CB (Florida State)
- Will Sunderland, CB (Troy)
- Henry Black, S (Baylor)
- Frankie Griffin, S (Texas State)
As you may have heard, the Packers didn’t select a wide receiver at any point during the 2020 draft. Instead, Stewart will represent the only collegiate wideout added to Green Bay’s roster. In his senior season, the 6’2″, 216-pound Stewart posted 49 receptions for 697 yards and two touchdowns. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com praised Stewart’s size and willingness to block, but noted the ex-Spartan’s “catch technique may need to be stripped and rebuilt.”