Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/24
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Designated for return from IR: LB Troy Andersen
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return from IR: S Ar’Darius Washington
Chicago Bears
- Signed to active roster: WR Collin Johnson
- Waived: LB DeMarquis Gates
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: DL Viliami Fehoko
- Placed on IR: RB Deuce Vaughn
New York Jets
- Designated for return from IR: G Wes Schweitzer
San Francisco 49ers
- Designated for return from IR: WR Ray-Ray McCloud
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return from IR: OL Phil Haynes
Troy Andersen is eyeing a return for the regular season finale after having been sidelined since late September with a pectoral injury. The 2022 second-round pick started five of his 17 appearances as a rookie, finishing with 69 tackles. Andersen had 19 tackles in a pair of appearances this season, with the linebacker missing Week 2 while sitting in concussion protocol.
An ankle injury will end Deuce Vaughn‘s rookie season early, with the sixth-round pick finishing with 80 yards from scrimmage on 30 touches. Regular backup RB Rico Dowdle missed last week while dealing with a lingering ankle injury, but Vaughn’s removal from the active roster probably bodes well for Dowdle’s availability. Of course, this move will also lead to even more speculation surrounding a potential Dalvin Cook pursuit.
After starting five of his 23 appearances through his first four seasons in the NFL, Phil Haynes entered the 2023 campaign as Seattle’s starting right guard. He started each of Seattle’s first eight games this season before landing on injured reserve with a toe injury. Anthony Bradford has been starting at the position in Haynes’ place, and he could keep his starting gig with Jason Peters sidelined with a foot injury.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, CB Ambry Thomas Out For Week 18
The 49ers have locked up the NFC’s top seed, making their regular season finale a game with no impact on the standings. That is a welcomed development given the team’s injury situation at a few key positions. 
Running back Christian McCaffrey exited Sunday’s win with a calf injury, and it will lead to an absence to close out the campaign. The NFL’s rushing and scrimmage yards leader is dealing with a mild calf strain, per head coach Kyle Shanahan. To no surprise, therefore, McCaffrey will sit out the 49ers’ season finale against the Rams.
Since arriving via trade in San Francisco last year, the two-time Pro Bowler has been a vital component of the team’s vaunted skill-position group. McCaffrey has posted 2,205 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground in 27 games with the 49ers, keeping himself in the MVP conversation through the 2023 season. Any missed time in the postseason would be crippling to the team’s offense, but an extra week of recovery (coupled with the first round bye) should have him healthy in time for the divisional round.
The same is expected to be true of cornerback Ambry Thomas. The 2021 third-rounder is set to undergo hand surgery today, as noted by ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. The procedure will keep him sidelined for Week 18, which will leave San Francisco shorthanded in the secondary. Fortunately, however, Thomas is on track to suit up for the team’s first postseason contest.
The 24-year-old has only logged a 49% snap share on defense this season, but he has established himself as a key member of the 49ers’ backend. Thomas has seen a career-high workload in 2023, spending almost all of his time on the perimeter. He has posted 43 tackles, seven pass deflections and one interception while recording a new personal best in PFF grades along the way. Thomas’ performance did not stop the 49ers from exploring a CB addition at the trade deadline, but any missed postseason action would be acutely felt on defense.
San Francisco will be shorthanded both by necessity and by choice to close out the regular season, but the team will face substantial expectations once their playoff journey begins. The health of both McCaffrey and Thomas will be important factors in the 49ers’ postseason success, so their respective recoveries will be worth watching over the next several days.
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
It took the Bears until Week 18 for the No. 1 draft slot to become a reality; the Panthers did not make them wait that long this year. Carolina’s struggles will give Chicago the No. 1 overall pick for a second straight year. How the Bears will proceed with that pick will become one of the NFL’s defining 2024 storylines.
The Cardinals’ unexpected conquest in Philadelphia knocked them down two slots in the 2024 draft order. As a result, the Commanders — who resided in the fourth position before the Patriots’ Christmas Eve upset ended the Russell Wilson era in Denver — hold the No. 2 pick going into the regular season’s final Sunday.
The Commanders benched Sam Howell in back-to-back weeks and were set to, prior to a midweek Jacoby Brissett setback, shelve him for Week 17 as well. The Ron Rivera era is in its final days, with front office changes likely as well. A Commanders-Caleb Williams connection has emerged, which would make Washington quite interested in what Chicago does at No. 1 overall — or key another round of Bears talks about dropping from 1 to 2, which took place with the Texans this offseason. With the Bears likely considering another Justin Fields season and the Cardinals having Kyler Murray tied to a $46.1MM-per-year contract, the Commanders are suddenly a team to watch regarding a QB investment.
Bill Belichick is also perched as a key 2024 domino, but with the legendary HC not eager to leave New England, one of the most important decisions in franchise history awaits Robert Kraft. Belichick or his replacement could hold a top-three pick in 2024, though another Pats win — they have the Jets in Week 18 — would complicate an effort to land a top-tier QB prospect.
Entering Week 18, here is how the 2024 draft order looks:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- Washington Commanders: 4-12
- New England Patriots: 4-12
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-12
- New York Giants: 5-11
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-11
- Tennessee Titans: 5-11
- New York Jets: 6-10
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-9
- Chicago Bears: 7-9
- Las Vegas Raiders: 7-9
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-9
- New Orleans Saints: 8-8
- Denver Broncos: 8-8
- Seattle Seahawks: 8-8
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7
- Green Bay Packers: 8-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8
- Indianapolis Colts: 9-7
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-7
- Los Angeles Rams: 9-7
- Buffalo Bills: 10-6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 10-6
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-5
- Detroit Lions: 11-5
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Miami Dolphins: 11-5
- Dallas Cowboys: 11-5
- San Francisco 49ers: 12-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 13-3
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/23
Here are today’s minor transactions and callups for the remainder of the Week 17 matchups:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: CB Bobby Price
- Elevated: WR Dan Chisena
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: OL John Leglue
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to active roster: WR Laquon Treadwell
- Elevated: S Andrew Adams, OLB Jeremiah Moon
- Placed on IR: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G J.D. DiRenzo, CB AJ Parker
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: WR Collin Johnson
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis, LB Buddy Johnson
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: WR Michael Bandy
- Elevated: WR Phillip Dorsett, OLB Ronnie Perkins
- Placed on reserve/non-football illness list: RB Dwayne Washington
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: TE Anthony Firkser
- Elevated: DL Tyson Alualu, DE Bruce Irvin
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: LB Liam Anderson, WR Ethan Fernea
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: RB Keaontay Ingram, NT Mike Pennel
- Waived: DT Matt Dickerson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: DT Matthew Butler, TE Cole Fotheringham
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: WR Keelan Doss
- Elevated: DT Christopher Hinton, OL Austen Pleasants
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: OLB Melvin Ingram
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to active roster: DL T.J. Smith, LB Nick Vigil
- Elevated: WR Lucky Jackson, CB Jaylin Williams
- Placed on IR: LB Troy Dye
New England Patriots
- Elevated: TE Matt Sokol, OL Andrew Stueber
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: CB Shemar Jean-Charles
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: LB Darrian Beavers
- Elevated: K Mason Crosby, WR Dennis Houston
- Placed on IR: TE Lawrence Cager
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: LB Brandon Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: LB Myles Jack, S Eric Rowe
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: S Erik Harris, WR Tay Martin
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: CB Derrek Pitts, TE David Wells
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: DT Ross Blacklock
- Elevated: LB Tae Crowder, CB Kendall Sheffield
- Placed on IR: TE Josh Whyle
Alualu is set to make his Lions debut after signing earlier this month. Given the injury issues Detroit has faced up front, the 36-year-old has the chance to see playing time through the close of the regular season and into the playoffs. Alualu expressed a desire to continue playing with the Steelers this offseason, but he remained a free agent deep into the year. His tenure in the Motor City could help boost his free agent stock if he wishes to remain in the league in 2024, though.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/28/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: DE Kameron Cline
- Released: CB Herb Miller
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Austin Ajiake
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Griffin Hebert
- Placed on IR: WR Devon Allen
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OT Sebastian Gutierrez, RB Jeremy McNichols, WR Willie Snead
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/23
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: OL Germain Ifedi
Carolina Panthers
- Signed off 49ers practice squad: OT Ilm Manning
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: P Matt Haack, K Riley Patterson
Detroit Lions
- Waived: DB Chase Lucas, LB Trevor Nowaske
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Reverted to IR: CB Christian Braswell
New York Jets
- Promoted: RB Nick Bawden, DT Bruce Hector
Germain Ifedi‘s underwhelming stint with the Bills has come to an end. The veteran offensive lineman joined the Bills this past offseason and was expected to provide some experienced depth. Instead, Ifedi was inactive for every game this season, and the Bills have decided his roster spot could be put to better use. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg believes this move will likely open a spot for defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/23
Wednesday’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to the active roster: DT Phil Hoskins
- Designated to return from IR: DT Leki Fotu
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: OLB Amare Barno
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed off Bengals’ practice squad: TE Zach Gentry
- Placed on IR: TE Jesper Horsted
- Waived: T Justin Herron
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: TE T.J. Hockenson (story)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Matt Pryor
- Designated to return from IR: WR Danny Gray
- Waived: RB Jeremy McNichols
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Designated to return from IR: DL Mike Greene
Washington Commanders
- Designated to return from IR: LB De’Jon Harris
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/27/23
Here are today’s post-holiday practice squad adjustments:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Caleb Johnson, DT Jacob Slade
- Released: TE John Samuel Shenker
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: T Ryan Swoboda
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from practice squad IR: RB Tarik Cohen
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DT Domenique Davis
Denver Broncos
- Signed: S Keidron Smith
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Troy Pride
- Released: WR Davion Davis
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: QB Max Duggan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S Nate Meadors
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Sebastian Gutierrez, WR Willie Snead
- Released: OL Ilm Manning
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from practice squad IR: LB Levi Bell
49ers To Sign DT Sebastian Joseph-Day
Sebastian Joseph-Day cleared waivers on Christmas Day, closing the book on the $8MM-per-year Chargers contract he signed in 2022. But the veteran interior defensive lineman will not be out of work for long. He is set to head north.
The 49ers agreed to terms with Joseph-Day on Tuesday, according to NFL.com’s Jason McCourty. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson indicates Joseph-Day is finalizing a one-year deal with the NFC West champions. Joseph-Day will follow Chase Young and Randy Gregory as high-profile 49ers D-line additions this season. To clear a roster spot, the 49ers are waiving wide receiver Willie Snead, who has bounced on and off the team’s practice squad for two years now.
San Francisco has been without longtime starter Arik Armstead for the past three games. Armstead is not on IR, but he is dealing with foot and knee issues after missing much of last season. Javon Hargrave returned to action against the Ravens but missed Week 16 due to injury. Joseph-Day, who started in his final three seasons with the Rams before trekking across town to sign with the Bolts last year, will add some important depth for the 49ers.
Not long after firing Brandon Staley and GM Tom Telesco, the Chargers moved on from Joseph-Day and D-line coach Jay Rodgers. Staley had made a push for a defensive overhaul last year. That led to Joseph-Day and J.C. Jackson joining the team as free agents and Khalil Mack arriving via trade. As the 2023 season winds down, only Mack remains among those pickups. The Chargers traded Jackson back to the Patriots, as that fit proved poor. Joseph-Day, however, started 30 games for the team over the past two years.
Before signing with the Chargers, Joseph-Day generated free agency interest on the heels of his Rams run. A chest injury sidelined Joseph-Day for much of the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning 2021 season, though he did play a few snaps in Super Bowl LVI. But the former sixth-round pick started throughout the 2019 and 2020 seasons alongside Aaron Donald. Pro Football Focus graded Joseph-Day as a top-20 defender in 2020, as the Rams returned to the playoffs and upset the Seahawks in the wild-card round.
This season, the advanced metrics site slotted Joseph-Day 67th overall among interior D-linemen. In Staley’s scheme, Joseph-Day had performed fairly well pressuring QBs. The 28-year-old defender matched his career high with three sacks, and the 11 QB hits accumulated are nearly double his season-best total. Joseph-Day looks set to become a rotational cog in San Francisco, with Armstead’s injury potentially determining how big a role the newcomer will receive. Javon Kinlaw and Kevin Givens round out San Francisco’s interior D-line group.
While a starter for the Rams, Joseph-Day did not eclipse a 43% snap rate in 2019 or 2020. His usage climbed before the 2021 injury, however, and the Chargers used their free agency addition on 71% of their defensive snaps last season. Joseph-Day’s work rate dropped to 58% in L.A. this year.
This will be Joseph-Day’s first time in a 4-3 defense, though the lines between the two primary NFL base fronts have blurred over the past several years. The 49ers have an expensive D-line in place, having extended Nick Bosa after signing Hargrave to a $21MM-per-year deal in March. Armstead remains on the big-ticket extension he signed in 2020. Joseph-Day figures to slot in alongside Gregory as a low-cost veteran; the Broncos are paying the bulk of Gregory’s base salary.
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
While the Panthers, Cardinals and Commanders continued their losing ways in Week 16, the Patriots’ effort in Denver shook up the top of the 2024 draft. New England has dropped from second to fourth in the ’24 order.
In a strange spot in which Broncos fans and and undoubtedly many Pats supporters wanted the Russell Wilson-driven comeback to succeed, Chad Ryland‘s 56-yard game-winning field goal dropped New England out of the No. 2 spot, injecting doubt about the team’s ability to nab a top-flight QB prospect without trading up next year.
The Bears (via the Panthers) remain atop the table, holding a one-game lead on the Cardinals. Carolina closes its season with two games against eight-win teams — the Jaguars and Buccaneers. Arizona will face Philadelphia and Seattle, and with Carolina’s strength of schedule at .522 and Arizona’s at .561, the draft-order tiebreaker reaffirms the Bears’ placement on the doorstep of entering a second straight offseason holding a No. 1 overall pick. The Justin Fields matter remains an important big-picture NFL topic, but GM Ryan Poles is close to having his pick of the 2024 QB prospects.
It is not clear if the Commanders will be interested in a quarterback in the first round, but they will have a new regime running the show. The last time Washington held a top-three pick (2020), it passed on Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert due to having drafted Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 first round. With Sam Howell struggling as of late, Josh Harris‘ next set of decision-makers may want to bring in their own prospect. The Cardinals could stand in the Commanders’ way, via another trade in the top three, but suddenly Washington could be a player for a 2024 first-round QB.
Ahead of Week 17, here is how the 2024 draft order looks:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- Arizona Cardinals: 3-12
- Washington Commanders: 4-11
- New England Patriots: 4-11
- New York Giants: 5-10
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-10
- Tennessee Titans: 5-10
- Chicago Bears: 6-9
- New York Jets: 6-9
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-8
- New Orleans Saints: 7-8
- Green Bay Packers: 7-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 7-8
- Denver Broncos: 7-8
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-8
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-7
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-7
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 8-7
- Seattle Seahawks: 8-7
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-7
- Los Angeles Rams: 8-7
- Buffalo Bills: 9-6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 9-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 10-5
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Detroit Lions: 11-4
- Miami Dolphins: 11-4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-4
- San Francisco 49ers: 11-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 12-3