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Chiefs To Acquire WR DeAndre Hopkins From Titans

October 23rd, 2024 at 7:15am CST by Sam Robinson

The wide receiver market’s latest domino involves the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions. Decimated at the position, the Chiefs are making their move. They are expected to acquire DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.

Kansas City pursued Hopkins via trade and made a free agency offer — once the Cardinals ended up cutting him — in 2023. The team will circle back to the decorated pass catcher, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting Kansas City is sending a conditional fifth-round pick to Tennessee for Hopkins. Should conditions be met, Tennessee’s pick can rise to a fourth.

Cooper Kupp also came up during the Chiefs’ WR search, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, but financial issues impeded them regarding a deal with the Rams. The Chiefs, who sit in the bottom quartile in terms of cap space ($4.16MM entering Wednesday), required a team who would take on a departing player’s salary to fill their receiver need. The Titans are expected to eat some of Hopkins’ salary, Russini adds. It does not appear the Rams are prepared to eat a significant chunk of Kupp’s 2024 base.

The Chiefs were again connected to Hopkins recently, and it appears the Titans will pay some of the veteran’s prorated base salary to acquire the Day 3 pick. A $4.86MM tab remains on Hopkins’ 2024 base on a two-year, $26MM deal — one that proved too rich for the Chiefs during their 2023 free agency pursuit.

Hopkins, 32, has struggled to establish consistency this season. But that has been an issue across the Titans’ pass offense, as big-ticket free agency pickup Calvin Ridley has also failed to produce much in the way of consequence in a Tennessee passing attack featuring Will Levis and Mason Rudolph at the controls. Hopkins has 15 receptions for 173 yards and one touchdown this season.

Although the Chiefs did extensive work on Hopkins in 2023, Rapoport indicates this trade did not gain steam until early this week. Down both Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown for the season, the Chiefs had been reliant on players they reacquired. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman played roles for the depleted WR cadre, but the former is now down with a hamstring injury. The Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy first-round pick has delivered flashes, but the Texas-developed speedster has not offered consistency yet. Hopkins will stand to help the team in that department, providing help as a possession receiver to help free up the likes of Worthy and Travis Kelce.

This move comes barely a week after the Jets and Bills made their WR strikes, with both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper heading to New York. Carrying a lower ceiling at this point in his career, Hopkins will change teams for a lower price. Having battled injuries since his second Cardinals season, the three-time first-team All-Pro missed several weeks with a knee malady this summer. Hopkins, however, returned in time for Week 1 and has not missed a game. Considering the Chiefs’ in-house injury problems, it is clear they feel confident their new piece can stay healthy.

Hopkins loomed as a bigger trade piece in 2023, when countless rumors emerged about the receiver amid a Cardinals regime change. The former Texans star had loomed as a player the Monti Ossenfort-led front office was set to move on from, and the Chiefs came up on Hopkins’ list of preferred destinations. The Chiefs discussed Hopkins with the Cardinals, joining the Bills in that regard. But those talks broke down for salary reasons. Hopkins, who had signed a $27.5MM-per-year extension with the Cards, became unwilling to discuss taking a pay cut to facilitate a trade upon learning the Ravens gave Odell Beckham Jr. a fully guaranteed $15MM. The Cardinals then cut him.

While the Chiefs did not join the Titans and Patriots in hosting Hopkins as a free agent last summer, they made an offer. The allure of playing with Patrick Mahomes did not supersede what was viewed as a far superior Titans proposal, with Hopkins signing a two-year, $26MM deal with the then-Mike Vrabel-led Titans. Kansas City and New England are believed to have offered incentive-laden deals that came in well short of where Tennessee did.

Hopkins joined a team then quarterbacked by Ryan Tannehill, but the Titans quickly geared their mission around Levis. Hopkins played a central role in Levis’ rookie-year development, and despite the second-round pick struggling, his top receiver cranked out a seventh 1,000-yard season. Hopkins totaled 1,057 yards last year. This was off the pace he had set in Houston and during his first Arizona season, but the four-contract player — initially a 2013 Texans first-round pick — showed he could still contribute. Hopkins played all 17 games last season, representing an important selling point.

Benching Tannehill during what turned out to be Vrabel’s final season, the Titans heard from teams on Hopkins before last year’s deadline. They passed on moving both he and Derrick Henry. After Henry walked in free agency, the Titans again received interest on their oldest wide receiver. Hopkins had expressed a desire to finish his career in Tennessee, and the Titans were not believed to be shopping him. But they will move on from the contract-year player for a late-round pick.

The Rams are seeking a second-rounder for Kupp, who is only one year younger than Hopkins. Kupp, however, produced one of the greatest seasons in wide receiver history in 2021 and has been highly productive when healthy since. The latter caveat, coupled with a higher salary, will hurt the Rams’ negotiating position. The Titans have Ridley on a four-year, $92MM deal; the 1-5 team will keep building around around the recent free agency addition while saying goodbye to their 2023 free agent prize.

This marks the third straight year the Chiefs have acquired a wideout via trade in-season. Their Kadarius Toney swing ultimately backfired, despite a Super Bowl-record punt return, with the team cutting the shifty but unreliable ex-first-rounder in August. Hardman delivered the Super Bowl LVIII walk-off touchdown and re-signed with the team. The Chiefs will likely continue to involve Hardman in their offense, but the still-Kelce-centered passing attack will now heavily feature Hopkins alongside Worthy.

Saints Reach Extension With Alvin Kamara

October 22nd, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Saints and five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara are in agreement on a two-year, $24.5MM contract extension, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Kamara was under contract for one more year, but the Saints were not expected to carry his non-guaranteed $22.4MM salary in 2025. Kamara’s new deal will lower his cap hit in 2025 by $18MM, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, and keep him in New Orleans through the 2026 season, giving Kamara a chance at retiring a Saint.

More than $22MM of his new money is effectively fully guaranteed, according to Garafolo, though Kamara’s per-year average dropped from $15MM to $12.75MM from his first to his second extension. The former Sean Payton chess piece had agreed to a five-year, $75MM extension before the 2020 season; that contract had paid out its guarantees and resided as the longest-running active RB deal.

Kamara, 29, made his desire for a new deal clear over the summer when he left mandatory minicamp a day early, though he reported to training camp on time. He continued to negotiate with the Saints as the season approached, but the two sides appeared to be at an impasse in September, indicating that extension talks would continue in the offseason. The veteran running back even became the subject of trade rumors with New Orleans losing five straight games after opening the season 2-0.

Kamara’s extension will take him out of the trade market and solidify him as the Saints’ long-term running back, even as the team faces massive cap obstacles in the next few seasons. While other players like Marshon Lattimore may become too expensive to retain, New Orleans furthered its commitment to Kamara as the most proven and productive player on its offense — one in dire need of proven playmakers given the injuries at wide receiver.

The eight-year veteran was drafted by the Saints in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft and received Pro Bowl nods in each of his first four seasons. That earned Kamara the five-year, $75MM payday in 2020; that deal established him as the second-highest-paid running back in the league behind Christian McCaffrey. Kamara’s new APY will drop him to third behind Jonathan Taylor, though he remains ahead of Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs. In terms of guarantees at signing, Kamara has managed to make his way toward that list’s ceiling as well. His $22MM at signing trails only McCaffrey and Barkley.

Kamara’s extension is somewhat of a surprise after negotiations with the Saints appeared to fizzle during the preseason, with both sides focusing on the 2024 season ahead of them. However, Kamara has been New Orleans’ most consistent offensive player this year as several other playmakers – including quarterback Derek Carr and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed – have dealt with injuries behind a rotating offensive line. Kamara’s 145 touches lead the league, and he is averaging one touchdown and just under 100 yards from scrimmage per game.

Kamara accepted a pay cut from his last contract with the Saints in exchange for full guarantees on almost 90% of his new money, continuing a league trend of decreasing running back contracts as players sacrifice total earning potential for more security with guaranteed money. The Tennessee alum has done very well for himself, even as RB value has stagnated in the modern NFL. The guarantees on this third Saints contract will bump him past $70MM in career earnings.

With the Saints committing to Kamara, other NFL teams will now turn their attention to players like Lattimore and Carl Granderson as potential trade targets as New Orleans — having dropped from 2-0 to 2-5 — potentially looks to shed contracts to clear up future cap space.

Saints Place CB Paulson Adebo On IR

October 22nd, 2024 at 9:03pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Saints officially placed cornerback Paulson Adebo on injured reserve, ending his 2024 season after breaking his femur last week, per New Orleans.Football’s Nick Underhill.

Adebo was carted off early in the second quarter of New Orleans’ Week 7 loss to the Broncos on Thursday night, requiring season-ending surgery. The former second-round pick is expected to recover in time for training camp in 2025, though his status in a contract year means a potential free agency navigation while rehabbing from his injury.

Adebo’s injury is yet another setback for a Saints team that has dropped their last five games after starting the year 2-0. Leading receiver Rashid Shaheed is out for the season after meniscus surgery, and Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy has yet to return from injured reserve after hurting his groin in September.

Adebo was on pace for career-highs in tackles, interceptions, and passes defended before his injury. That will assist his case in free agency as he attempts to capitalize on a significant jump in the cornerback market this offseason. This is also the first major injury of his career, as Adebo played in 52 of the Saints’ 58 games since he was drafted, with 51 starts.

Second-round pick Kool-Aid McKinstry took over for Adebo against the Broncos and is expected to replace him in the starting lineup opposite Marshon Lattimore moving forward. With Alontae Taylor starting in the slot, the Saints only have one more cornerback on their active roster: undrafted rookie Rico Payton. In the short-term, Shemar Jean-Charles will likely be in line for elevations from the practice squad, and potentially a promotion to the active roster. New Orleans will need to find more cornerback depth for the rest of the year, especially if they move Lattimore, a potential trade target, at the deadline.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/22/24

October 22nd, 2024 at 8:26pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Commanders

The Ravens finally activated Maulet to the 53-man roster at the very end of his 21-day return window. The veteran slot cornerback underwent arthroscopic knee surgery during the preseason, but dealt with a minor hamstring injury upon his return to practice. To make room, Baltimore waived Ross, a special teams starter, likely hoping to add him back to the practice squad if he clears waivers. Maulet’s return could not be coming at a better time for a Ravens pass defense that was already struggling before starting cornerback Marlon Humphrey left Monday night’s victory over the Buccaneers with an injury.

 

The Panthers signed Gill off the Lions’ practice squad and Harris off the Dolphins’ practice squad to fortify their defense on Tuesday. They also released Haynes and waived Wooten and Smith as part of an overhaul of their weak front seven.

 

The Giants signed Watts from their practice squad to strengthen the interior of their defensive line while waiving Basham, a former Bills second-round pick who arrived in New York via trade in August 2023. Giants general manager Joe Schoen was the assistant GM in Buffalo when Basham was drafted, while Giants head coach Brian Daboll was the Bills’ offensive coordinator. Schoen traded a sixth-round pick in exchange for Basham and a seventh-rounder from the Bills just before the 2023 regular season, but Basham did not record a single sack in 13 games as a Giant.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/22/24

October 22nd, 2024 at 5:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: S Erick Hallet

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Prince played under Brian Callahan in Cincinnati but has only played two games over the past two seasons. A six-game starter with the Dolphins and Bengals, Prince missed all of the 2020 season due to a COVID-19 opt-out and then all of the 2022 season due to injury.

The Vikings cut Tonyan from their 53-man roster earlier today, but because the NFC North mainstay is a vested veteran, he did not need to clear waivers before joining Minnesota’s practice squad. With T.J. Hockenson on the way back, Tonyan profiles as insurance.

This is a third chance for Marshall. The Panthers waived him after three seasons. No team claimed the former second-round pick, with Joe Brady‘s Bills passing. The 49ers took a flier soon after but released him last week.

Commanders Waive LB Jamin Davis

October 22nd, 2024 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders’ new regime cut a host of Ron Rivera draftees after training camp. The Adam Peters-Dan Quinn duo is making a higher-profile move weeks later.

Jamin Davis, a 2021 first-round pick, received his walking papers Tuesday. Washington waived the fourth-year linebacker. Not yet a vested veteran, Davis can be claimed within the next 24 hours. The Commanders declined Davis’ $14.48MM fifth-year option in May and made multiple key moves at linebacker in free agency.

Under Quinn, Davis has seen his defensive snap share plummet from 86% down to 30%. Washington, which signed Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu in March, has used Davis strictly as a backup this season. He has been a healthy scratch twice, including in Week 6. Davis played 16 defensive snaps in Washington’s rout of Carolina on Sunday. Barring a return on a practice squad deal, the Kentucky alum appears done in Washington.

Davis, 25, was not alone among ILBs in seeing his option declined recently. The Ravens passed on Patrick Queen‘s last year, with fellow 2024 free agent signees Jordyn Brooks and Kenneth Murray seeing theirs declined as well. Davis being cut before becoming an unrestricted free agent naturally dings his stock, which had already trended downward since he came off the 2021 draft board 19th overall.

Although Davis bounced back from a bad rookie year by posting 104 tackles and three sacks in 2022 (before an 89-tackle, three-sack 2023 season), he was drafted to play in Jack Del Rio‘s defense. Davis did not see much of a look from Quinn, who brought in a host of his former players this offseason. Wagner is among them, and Luvu, while having no experience under Quinn, was one of the top free agent LBs available in free agency.

Davis, however, logged edge reps this offseason and has seen time in that role as well. Pro Football Focus even rates the recent hybrid performer, albeit on a limited snap count, inside the top 40 at the position. A team taking on his first-round salary might be a stretch, a claim should not be considered entirely out of the question. Davis’ recent versatility may help that cause — even if it did not help his Commanders standing.

The Commanders will eat a bit of dead money by cutting Davis, though his fully guaranteed rookie contract has seen most of the money paid out. The former high-end prospect will look to reestablish some momentum elsewhere — be it via waiver claim or a free agent signing at a lower rate.

Rams Designate Puka Nacua For Return

October 22nd, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Puka Nacua continues to make his way back from the knee injury that has defined his second NFL season. The Rams wide receiver made a big step toward a return Tuesday.

The Rams have Nacua back at practice, with the team announcing he has been designated for return. The rookie-year standout now has 21 days to be activated. Of course, this comes as the Rams look into trading Cooper Kupp. But Nacua, who is signed through 2026, remains a key part of the team’s future.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

After seeing Nacua’s breakout begin while Kupp was on the mend with a hamstring injury, the Rams have been without both their top guns in the passing game for most of this slate. Nacua aggravated a knee injury sustained during training camp. He made it back for Week 1 but went down in that Lions matchup with a PCL sprain. A recent report (from ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler) indicated the Rams were targeting November for a Nacua return. This would point to a lengthier ramp-up period.

The Rams continue their season Thursday against the Vikings; they are unlikely to have Nacua available, and Kupp’s status will be a key storyline to monitor ahead of that contest. Los Angeles rebuffed Kupp trade inquiries last season, but at 2-4 and having seen Kupp battle injury issues since signing his second extension, the team is gauging the market for the former All-Pro. A trade coming to fruition would cut short the Kupp-Nacua partnership, which showed promise last season.

A fifth-round gem, Nacua set a rookie record with 1,486 receiving yards while adding six touchdowns during a 105-catch season. The BYU product played in every Rams game last season, displaying a physical style that paired well with Kupp’s finesse game in the slot. Nacua, 23, will be expected to reprise his role as a top Matthew Stafford target. There will be no debating Nacua’s place in the Rams’ WR hierarchy if they move on from Kupp before the November 5 deadline.

Nacua and Kupp played 12 games together last season. None of the contests involved both receivers clearing 100 yards, but the two combined for eight 100-yard efforts during their time together. It does not seem like the Rams are committed to moving Kupp, but if they receive a strong enough offer, the team will be looking for a receiver to complement Nacua. The latter’s health the rest of the way stands to shape how the Rams approach this position in the offseason as well.

Browns Sign Bailey Zappe Off Chiefs’ Practice Squad, Place Deshaun Watson On IR

October 22nd, 2024 at 1:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

1:17pm: The Browns made this move official. Zappe will take Watson’s roster spot, with the high-priced starter being moved to IR following his Week 7 Achilles tear. Watson will undergo surgery in the near future, though, it is not yet known if a full repair or an Aaron Rodgers-like speed-bridge procedure will take place.

8:42am: In need of a healthy depth option at quarterback, the Browns are making an addition. Cleveland is set to sign Bailey Zappe off the Chiefs’ practice squad, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Deshaun Watson is out for the year with a torn Achilles, leaving the team with Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston at the quarterback position. Thompson-Robinson took over for Watson on Sunday, but he suffered a finger injury and was also forced to exit the contest. It remains to be seen when the 2023 fourth-rounder will next be available, so Zappe could find himself dressing as the backup as early as Week 8.

The 25-year-old began his career with the Patriots, making a pair of starts during his rookie campaign. The promise he showed during that spell proved to be rather short-lived, though, and he was briefly out of the organization ahead of last season. Zappe was brought back, and with Mac Jones struggling he finished off the year atop New England’s depth chart. Despite having eight starts to his name, Zappe again found himself on the outside looking in this past summer, as the Patriots waived him. They have moved forward with veteran Jacoby Brissett along with rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton under center.

The Chiefs acted quickly by signing Zappe to their practice squad. That move added depth behind Patrick Mahomes and new backup Carson Wentz, signed in free agency to take on QB2 duties. Both of those passers have remained healthy this season, leaving Zappe without a clear path to a place on the 53-man roster. He will now head to Cleveland in a bid to compete for a spot on the team’s roster even after Thompson-Robinson is healthy. Zappe has completed 63.2% of his passes while throwing more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11) and adding sparse production in the running game during his career.

Those figures are not particularly encouraging, but this move will give him a fresh start at the NFL level. The Western Kentucky product could earn a stay beyond 2024 with the Browns in the event he were to see playing time and deliver solid performances. If not, how Cleveland proceeds in the offseason will become even more uncertain with Watson not being assured of the starting gig once he is healthy.

For the time being, Winston will likely be in line to make his first start of the year as Thompson-Robinson continues to recover. The 1-6 Browns sit last in the NFL in total offense and 29th in scoring, and whichever quarterbacks are used moving forward will look to usher in improvement on that side of the ball (something which could be feasible with Nick Chubb now healthy). Cleveland will look to end Baltimore’s five-game winning streak in Week 8 with a notably different looking QB room.

Eagles To Release WR Parris Campbell

October 22nd, 2024 at 12:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Parris Campbell‘s time with the Eagles has proven to be short-lived. The veteran receiver is being released, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.

Campbell had a forgettable one-year stint with the Giants last year, and he made an intra-NFC East move to Philadelphia in the hopes of landing a depth role. That effort proved unsuccessful, though, and he was let go ahead of roster cutdowns. The 27-year-old did not originally intend to remain with the Eagles, but he had a change of heart and signed to the practice squad.

In the end, Campbell wound up making four appearances with Philadelphia. He recorded six catches and one touchdown across a two-game span, but with the team in a better spot health-wise at the receiver spot, he has fallen back down the pecking order. Both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are back in the fold, and they will of course account for a heavy target share moving forward. Campbell could once again find himself on the taxi squad, but otherwise he will need to find a new opportunity.

The former Colts second-round pick saw injuries plague him in Indianapolis, but after a productive contract year — one largely obscured during the AFC South team’s Jeff Saturday-led season — he has shaken the injury trouble. Though, both the teams who took fliers on Campbell over the past two years have not seen much despite the Ohio State alum staying healthy. Campbell caught just 20 passes for 104 yards with the Giants last season, finishing the year as a healthy scratch. In Philly this season, Campbell has turned his six receptions into just 30 yards.

Campbell’s 2022 season (63 catches, 623 yards) marked his only time beyond 150 yards in a single campaign, but it has proven to be an outlier for the slot player. While it would surprise if no team gave Campbell an opportunity — barring another return to Philly’s P-squad — the sixth-year vet is trending in the wrong direction.

Jahan Dotson and sixth-round rookie Johnny Wilson round out the Eagles’ depth chart. With Campbell again being cut, the team — with only four WRs left on its 53-man roster — will need to make a move soon to add another backup piece.

Jaguars LB Foye Oluokun, S Andrew Wingard To Resume Practicing

October 22nd, 2024 at 12:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars secured a win during the second London contest, and they could have a pair of defensive reinforcements in place ahead of their next game. Linebacker Foye Oluokun and safety Andrew Wingard have both had their 21-day practice windows opened, the team announced on Tuesday.

Oluokun was dealing with plantar fasciitis which he suffered in September, leading to his placement on injured reserve. An absence of at least four games was guaranteed by that move, with Week 8 marking the earliest point at which he could be activated. Today’s update is an encouraging sign with respect to Oluokun’s progress in recovery.

The 28-year-old has been as advertised in terms of tackle production since he signed in Jacksonville in 2022. Oluokun led the league in total stops (184) during his debut Jags campaign, and his 111 solo tackles last year also topped the league. He posted 22 through three games to begin the current season while remaining a full-time starter. The former Falcon logged over 1,100 snaps each year from 2021-23, and his durability was a factor which helped him earn a three-year, $30MM extension this offseason. His return to the linebacking corps will be welcomed.

Like many teams, the Jaguars took advantage of the NFL’s new roster-building rules in August. Wingard – along with running back Keilan Robinson – was placed on IR while being designated for return. That kept him eligible to play in 2024 but used up one of Jacksonville’s eight in-season activations. Once he is brought back onto the roster, Wingard will likely reprise his role as a key special teams contributor. The 27-year-old served as a defensive starter in 2021, but otherwise his presence has primarily been felt in the third phase.

Since Oluokun’s IR stint took place after the season began, he will count toward the remaining activation count once he is officially positioned to return. Jacksonville will have four left after Oluokun gets moved to the active roster. The team will hope his return helps spark improvement on defense, a unit which has struggled in a number of areas (but not when it comes to stopping the run) in 2024.

The 2-5 Jaguars also released Tre Flowers on Tuesday. The veteran corner made four appearances this season, his first in Jacksonville. He played sparingly on defense and special teams, making three tackles. As a veteran being let go before the trade deadline, Flowers will not be subject to waivers and as such he will be free to join a new team at any time.

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