Buccaneers Add S Ryan Neal To Practice Squad
After sitting out the first chunk of the 2024 campaign, Ryan Neal has landed with a playoff contender for the stretch run of the season. The veteran safety is signing with the Buccaneers, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. It will be a practice squad gig for Neal.
[RELATED: Buccaneers Place Jordan Whitehead On IR]
This is a reunion for the two sides, as Neal spent the 2023 campaign in Tampa Bay. The veteran ended up starting 13 of his 15 appearances, compiling 76 total tackles. Pro Football Focus wasn’t especially fond of his performance, grading him as one of the worst safeties in the NFL. As a result of the poor showing, Neal found himself unsigned for the first three months of this season.
Now, Neal could look to revive his career in the same spot. The Buccaneers have lost some significant depth at the safety position over the past week. Jordan Whitehead landed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury ahead of Week 13, and fill-in Mike Edwards proceeded to suffer a knee injury in that contest. With Tykee Smith also nursing a lingering knee injury, the Buccaneers entered the day with only Christian Izien and Antoine Winfield Jr. as healthy options in their safeties room.
So, the team has reunited with a pair of old friends. In addition to Neal, the team also snagged Kaevon Merriweather off the Lions practice squad today. The former UDFA spent the first year-plus of his career in Tampa Bay, collecting 24 tackles in 25 games. After seeing a lesser role on defense as a sophomore, the safety was waived by the Buccaneers a few weeks ago. He subsequently landed on Detroit’s taxi squad, but Tampa Bay’s sudden need for depth has landed him back on the Buccaneers’ active roster.
Considering Merriweather started the 2024 season in Tampa Bay, he may be ahead of Neal on the current depth chart. However, the veteran acquisition has shown some ability to be a starting-caliber defensive back. He had a consistent role in Seattle between 2020 and 2022, appearing in 43 games. That included a 2022 campaign where he started 10 games while collecting 66 tackles, one interception, and eight passes defended.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: DE Ronnie Perkins
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: RB Sincere McCormick
- Placed on IR: WR DJ Turner
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: LS Jake McQuaide
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed off waivers (from Jets): RB Israel Abanikanda
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster (from Lions practice squad): S Kaevon Merriweather
Tennessee Titans
- Suspended: S Julius Wood
Sincere McCormick has seen a larger role in recent weeks as a practice squad elevation, and now the running back will be secured to the Raiders active roster. After spending the past few years hanging around the organization, the former UDFA finally made his NFL debut earlier this season. With the Raiders dealing with a depleted RB room in recent weeks, McCormick has seen an uptick in snaps, culminating in him collecting 65 yards from scrimmage on Black Friday.
Julius Wood has been hit with a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The safety will now be sidelined for the rest of the 2024 campaign and one game in 2025. The undrafted rookie has appeared in nine games this season, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/2/24
Monday’s minor transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: DT Ruke Orhorhoro
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: LB Shaka Heyward
- Waived: WR Trenton Irwin
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: DT Jowon Briggs
- Elevated: WR Kadarius Toney, WR Michael Woods
- Waived: QB Bailey Zappe
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: G Nick Gargiulo
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: RB Kene Nwangwu
- Waived: RB Israel Abanikanda
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: WR Parris Campbell
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Laviska Shenault Jr.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: P Trenton Gill
Washington Commanders
- Activated from reserve/suspended list: CB Kevon Seymour
- Signed to active roster: K Zane Gonzalez
The Falcons get the second-round rookie, Orhorhoro, back from injured reserve for the closing stretch of the season. The Clemson-product has seen minimal time in his first NFL season, rotating in for only four games so far, but Atlanta will take whatever help it can get on a defense that is dead-last in the league with only 15 sacks on the year.
Zappe was signed off the Patriots’ practice squad following Deshaun Watson‘s placement on IR. Jameis Winston has performed admirably in relief of Watson, and the team must have confidence in second-year backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson behind him.
Shenault continues to struggle to find a place on an NFL offense, but he did carve out a role as a strong kick returner in Seattle this year. That added ability may help him find another roster spot soon.
Gill is the second punter the Buccaneers have waived this year. Gill’s yards per punt average of 43.3 currently ranks for 33rd in the NFL.
Seymour has served the league’s six-game suspension for violating its performance-enhancing drugs policy and is now able to return to the field.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/30/24
Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: K Riley Patterson, LB Josh Woods
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: LB William Kwenkeu, DE Chris Wormley
- Placed on IR: TE Charlie Kolar (story), CB Arthur Maulet
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/PUP: OLB Amaré Barno
- Elevated: WR Dan Chisena, TE Stephen Sullivan
- Waived: OLB Thomas Incoom
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: TE Blake Whiteheart
- Placed on IR: TE Geoff Swaim
Houston Texans
- Elevated: TE Irv Smith Jr., WR Jared Wayne
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: G Atonio Mafi
- Elevated: G Mark Glowinski, WR Laquon Treadwell
- Waived: LB Liam Anderson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: WR Elijah Cooks
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: TE Nick Muse, CB Nahshon Wright
New England Patriots
- Elevated: LB Keshawn Banks, G Michael Jordan
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: G Kyle Hergel
- Elevated: WR Kevin Austin, WR Dante Pettis
- Waived: S Millard Bradford
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed to active roster: WR Parris Campbell
- Elevated: LB Ochaun Mathis, TE C.J. Uzomah
- Placed on IR: LB Ben VanSumeren (story)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: CB Nick McCloud
- Elevated: LB Jalen Graham, T Sebastian Gutierrez
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: QB Jaren Hall, S Ty Okada
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: QB Michael Pratt
Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo is listed as questionable, but head coach Raheem Morris is confident he’ll play, calling Patterson an emergency option.
Speculation out of Baltimore was that Maulet wouldn’t require a second stint on injured reserve with his calf injury, but that intel appears to have been off. Maulet and Kolar could potentially make a return in time for the postseason, but they’ll miss four games before they do.
VanSumeren served double-duty as a fullback and linebacker. With his placement on IR, Uzomah was targeted as a possibility to fill in at fullback.
Buccaneers Place Jordan Whitehead On IR
The Buccaneers are placing Jordan Whitehead on injured reserve, per The Athletic’s Greg Auman, sidelining the veteran safety for at least four games.
Tampa Bay feared that Whitehead suffered a torn pectoral in their Week 12 win over the Giants, but an initial MRI indicated that he would not require surgery and should be able to return this season. Still, the injury is severe enough to knock Whitehead out until at least Week 17. The Buccaneers are currently one game back of the Falcons in the NFC South, so they will be hoping Whitehead can return in time for a playoff push.
Whitehead does not have the salary or pedigree of a star safety, but he started every game for the Buccaneers so far this season with a 91% snap share on defense. Mike Edwards, who took replaced Whitehead in Week 12, will likely start at safety in Week 13, though rookie Tykee Smith could take some of Whitehead’s snaps in the box.
Tampa Bay has already given up the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL this year, and Whitehead’s absence will only make it harder to stop opponents through the air.
The Buccaneers signed practice squad linebacker Vi Jones to the 53-man roster to fill the opening created by Whitehead’s move on injured reserve. Jones was out of game day elevations, so Tampa Bay promoted him to the active roster so he can continue his role on special teams in Week 13.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/24
Wednesday’s minor transactions, including some standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Thanksgiving Day slate:
Buffalo Bills
- Designated to return from IR: DT DeWayne Carter, T Tylan Grable
Carolina Panthers
- Designated to return from IR: S Nick Scott
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: S Adrian Colbert
Cleveland Browns
- Designated to return from IR: CB Myles Harden
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: TE Princeton Fant
- Elevated: CB Andrew Booth, CB Kemon Hall
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: LB Zach Cunningham
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: WR Maurice Alexander, LB David Long
- Elevated: T Jamarco Jones
- Placed on IR: WR Kalif Raymond (story)
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: DT Tommy Togiai
Los Angeles Rams
- Designated to return from reserve/PUP: TE Tyler Higbee (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to active roster: LS Jake McQuaide
- Waived: OLB Gabriel Murphy
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: LB Tomon Fox
- Elevated: T Joshua Miles, CB Greg Stroman
- Placed on IR: DT Armon Watts
New York Jets
- Designated to return from IR: OL Xavier Newman-Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated to return from IR: DT Montravius Adams
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: LB Patrick O’Connell
- Designated to return from IR: OLB Uchenna Nwosu (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Designated to return from IR: OLB Markees Watts
The Vikings’ release of Murphy is disappointing one for the organization for sure. The rookie pass rusher out of UCLA was not healthy enough to be on the active roster to start the season, but Minnesota liked him enough to dedicate one of their eight IR activations on him in August. He was activated yesterday but hit waivers today. If he clears the waivers, he’ll be available to sign to the team’s practice squad.
Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field soon.
2024 NFL Dead Money, By Team
The Giants making the decision to waive Daniel Jones, rather than keep him around ahead of a potential 2025 post-June 1 cut designation, changed their dead money outlook for this year and next. Here is how their new total fits in with the rest of the teams’ numbers for dead money — cap space allocated to players no longer on the roster — entering the final third of the regular season. Numbers courtesy of OverTheCap.
- Denver Broncos: $85.21MM
- New York Giants: $79.57MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $69.83MM
- Buffalo Bills: $68.47MM
- Carolina Panthers: $68.28MM
- Green Bay Packers: $65.53MM
- Tennessee Titans: $62.89MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $61.95MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $60.64MM
- New Orleans Saints: $59.44MM
- New York Jets: $59.24MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $58.62MM
- New England Patriots: $53.37MM
- Miami Dolphins: $52.28MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $52MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $51.2MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $49.37MM
- Washington Commanders: $42.81MM
- Houston Texans: $39.28MM
- Cleveland Browns: $38.79MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $34.63MM
- Detroit Lions: $33.71MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $30.18MM
- Chicago Bears: $29.65MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $29.35MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $26.91MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $26.79MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $21.35MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $12.65MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $11.8MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $11.55MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $9.11MM
The Jones release moved more than $13MM of dead cap onto the Giants’ 2024 payroll. More significantly, the Giants granting Jones an early exit — after a contract-driven benching — will prevent the team from designating him a post-June 1 cut next year. The Giants will take on $22.2MM in dead money in 2025, rather than being able to split that bill over two offseasons. The team also took on more than $10MM in dead money this year due to the 2023 Leonard Williams trade.
This year’s most egregious dead money offender has been known for months. The Broncos’ contract-driven Russell Wilson benching last year preceded a historic release, which saddled the team with more than $83MM in total dead money. A small cap credit is set to come in 2025 (via Wilson’s veteran-minimum Pittsburgh pact), but for this year, $53MM in dead cap hit Denver’s payroll as a result of the the quarterback’s release.
The Broncos more than doubled the previous single-player dead money record, which the Falcons held ($40.5MM) for trading Matt Ryan), and they will be on the hook for the final $30MM-plus in 2025. Beyond Wilson, no other ex-Bronco counts more than $7.5MM in dead money. In terms of total dead cap, however, the Broncos barely check in north of the Buccaneers and Rams’ 2023 totals. Denver is trying to follow those teams’ lead in rallying back to make the playoffs despite nearly a third of its 2024 payroll tied up in dead cap.
Twenty-two players represent dead money for the Saints, who have seen their total updated since the Marshon Lattimore trade. Rather than restructure-crazed GM Mickey Loomis using the Lattimore contract once again to create cap space next year, the Saints will take on the highest non-QB dead money hit in NFL history. Lattimore counts $14MM in that category this year before the contract shifts to a whopping $31.66MM in dead cap on New Orleans’ 2025 payroll. Considering the Saints are again in their own sector for cap trouble next year ($62MM-plus over), the Lattimore trade will create some issues as the team attempts to rebound post-Dennis Allen.
Two 2023 restructures ballooned the Vikings’ figure toward $70MM. Void years on Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter‘s deals combined for more than $43MM in dead money. Minnesota also ate nearly $7MM from the void years on Marcus Davenport‘s one-year contract, while the release of 2022 first-rounder Lewis Cine (currently on the Bills’ practice squad) accounted for more than $5MM.
Free from the Tom Brady dead money that comprised a chunk of their 2023 cap, the Bucs still have eight-figure hits from the Carlton Davis trade and Mike Evans‘ previous contract voiding not long before the sides agreed on a new deal. Elsewhere in the NFC South, three of the players given multiyear deals in 2023 — Vonn Bell, Hayden Hurst, Bradley Bozeman — being moved off the roster in GM Dan Morgan‘s first offseason represent nearly half of Carolina’s dead cap.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/26/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: S Russ Yeast
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Tyler Shatley
- Released: OL Dieter Eiselen
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: K Matthew Wright
- Activated from IR: TE Baylor Cupp
- Released: DE Truman Jones, OT Lucas Niang
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE McCallan Castles
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Zonovan Knight, WR Easop Winston Jr.
- Released: OL Zack Bailey
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE KJ Henry
- Released: DT Siaki Ika, WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Julius Welschof
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Ryan Cooper, WR Cornell Powell
- Released: RB Brittain Brown, CB Faion Hicks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Antonio Grier
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Stanley Morgan
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DT Viliami Fehoko Jr.
- Released: G Marquis Hayes
The Chiefs are set to roll with their third kicker of the season. With Harrison Butker on IR and Spencer Shrader sidelined with a hamstring injury, Kansas City had to add yet another leg to the roster. The team opted for Matthew Wright, who already has experience kicking with the franchise. Wright filled in for Butker twice in 2022, connecting on three field goals and eight extra points.
Wright has only got one extended look as a starter (when he got into 14 games with the Jaguars in 2021), but he’s still managed to get into at least one game per season over the past few years. Wright has already made an appearance in 2024, when he was responsible for 12 points in the 49ers win over the Seahawks last month.
Bucs’ Jordan Whitehead To Miss Time
NOVEMBER 26: The MRI has brought back encouraging news, and NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes no surgery will be required in this case. Whitehead is set to miss time, but he could return to the Buccaneers later in the campaign or during the postseason.
NOVEMBER 25: The Buccaneers’ Week 12 win may have included a notable injury in the secondary. Safety Jordan Whitehead is believed to have suffered a torn pec, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
An MRI will take place today to confirm the diagnosis, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times adds. Provided the team’s fears turn out to be true, Whitehead will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. His absence would leave the Buccaneers without a full-time safety starter down the stretch.
Whitehead spent his first four seasons with Tampa Bay, and upon seeing his rookie deal expire he joined the Jets. The former fourth-rounder started all 34 of his games for New York, racking up six total interceptions along the way. He returned to the Bucs in free agency, inking a two-year, $9MM pact. Prior to going down on Sunday, Whitehead recorded 76 tackles and three pass deflections in 2024.
Antoine Winfield Jr. has missed time this year, but his return to action paved the way for his starting safety tandem with Whitehead to continue through to the end of the campaign. Instead, the latter’s injury will create a first-team vacancy at the position. Mike Edwards – who was claimed off waivers less than two weeks ago – could be in line for an increased workload during his second Tampa Bay stint.
Edwards played for the Bucs from 2019-22, and after falling out of the rotation for the Bills this season he was waived following the trade deadline. Tampa Bay’s decision to claim him marked another safety reunion not long after the one with Whitehead, and it could prove to be key to the team’s postseason push over the coming weeks. The Buccaneers sit at 5-6 on the year, one game behind the Falcons for top spot in the NFC South.
Defense has been a sore spot in a number of categories this season, with Tampa Bay ranking 29th in passing yards allowed per game. Losing Whitehead would hinder the team’s secondary, although having a familiar option in the form of Edwards could help smooth out the process of replacing him in the starting lineup. Whitehead is owed $4.5MM next year, but none of his scheduled base salary for the season ($3.75MM) is guaranteed, so his progress in recovering from the injury could be key in determining whether or not he remains with the team for 2025.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order
The Week 12 slate of games is in the books. For many teams, attention is increasingly turning toward the offseason with a playoff berth no longer in reach.
Plenty of time remains for the draft order to change over the coming months, and it will be interesting to see which teams wind up in position to add at the quarterback spot in particular. The crop of prospects for 2025 is not held in high regard after Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, meaning the demand for potential franchise passers is set to outweigh demand at the top of the board. Of course, players like Sanders’ Colorado teammate Travis Hunter will be among the ones worth watching closely as well.
The Jets have moved on from head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, inviting questions about a reset under center as well. Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but it remains to be seen how his relationship with the organization will take shape down the stretch and if a new regime will prefer to move on at the position. The Giants, meanwhile, confirmed they will be in the market for a new signal-caller with Daniel Jones no longer in the fold.
Teams such as the Raiders have long been mentioned as a team to watch regarding a rookie QB pursuit. Jayden Daniels was a target for head coach Antonio Pierce last spring, and it would come as no surprise if Vegas were to make a push for a long-term starting option this time around. Other franchises not on track to qualify for the playoffs figure to give the Raiders plenty of competition in that department, though.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-9
- New York Giants: 2-9
- Las Vegas Raiders: 2-9
- New England Patriots: 3-9
- Carolina Panthers: 3-8
- Tennessee Titans: 3-8
- New York Jets: 3-8
- Cleveland Browns: 3-8
- New Orleans Saints: 4-7
- Cincinnati Bengals: 4-7
- Dallas Cowboys: 4-7
- Chicago Bears: 4-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 5-7
- Miami Dolphins: 5-6
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-6
- Los Angeles Rams: 5-6
- San Francisco 49ers: 5-6
- Arizona Cardinals: 6-5
- Atlanta Falcons: 6-5
- Seattle Seahawks: 6-5
- Washington Commanders: 7-5
- Houston Texans: 7-5
- Denver Broncos: 7-5
- Los Angeles Chargers: 7-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-3
- Green Bay Packers: 8-3
- Minnesota Vikings: 9-2
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-2
- Buffalo Bills: 9-2
- Kansas City Chiefs: 10-1
- Detroit Lions: 10-1