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Cardinals Activate Jonah Williams From IR

November 20th, 2024 at 3:42pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cardinals have activated offensive tackle Jonah Williams from injured reserve, per team reporter Dan Urban.

Williams suffered a knee injury just 22 snaps into his Cardinals debut in Week 1, forcing him onto IR and raising concerns over his ability to return this season. Head coach Jonathan Gannon then expressed optimism about Williams’ status in October, and the veteran lineman’s returned to practice two weeks later.

With his 21-day practice window set to close, the Cardinals moved Williams back to the active roster to ensure he would not revert to season-ending injured reserve. Offensive lineman Charlie Heck was waived on Monday to make room for Williams on the 53-man roster.

However, Williams’ activation does not necessarily mean he will start at right tackle in Week 12. Veteran Kelvin Beachum replaced Williams in Week 1 and has started eight of the Cardinals’ nine games since, with Jackson Barton stepping up in Week 3. Beachum earned praise from Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing for his consistency in Williams’ absence, so the Cardinals could give Williams another week of practice before returning him to a starting role.

Beachum is 35 years old and set to be a free agent after the season. He’s performed well this year, allowing just nine quarterback pressures in his nine games, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, Williams is under contract through the 2025 season and could profile as a long-term right tackle for the Cardinals at just 27 years old. He has been restricted to limited participation in practice for the last few weeks, but he was officially listed as questionable in Week 10.

Gannon said that he and his staff would “weigh all the variables and decide what is best for the team” at right tackle moving forward.

Seahawks Designate S Rayshawn Jenkins For Return

November 20th, 2024 at 1:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Going through significant changes at safety this offseason, the Seahawks made Rayshawn Jenkins one of their solutions. While the team has moved on from both its stopgap linebacker starters (Jerome Baker, Tyrel Dodson) already, Jenkins remains in the team’s plan for the regular season’s final third.

The Seahawks designated Jenkins for return Wednesday, The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar notes. Jenkins has missed time due to a hand injury. The offseason pickup had played multiple games with a hand cast and needed an IR stay; that stint looks to be coming to an end.

Jenkins joined the Seahawks on a two-year, $12MM deal. Considering how Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams (among other veteran safeties) fared upon being cut, the offseason Jaguars release did well to catch on. Seattle guaranteed the former Jacksonville and Los Angeles starter more than $6MM and used him as a first-stringer exclusively.

Seattle has Julian Love as its new centerpiece safety, having extended the former Giant this summer. The team took on more than $30MM in combined dead money by cutting Adams and Diggs, doing so without post-June 1 designations, but still has shown a preference for veterans on the back end.

Jenkins, 30, has made 86 career starts between his time with the Chargers, Jags and Seahawks. He made a notable impact during the Seahawks-Giants matchup, returning a fumble 102 yards for a touchdown. Seattle has used 2022 fourth-round pick Coby Bryant in Jenkins’ place over the past four games. Pro Football Focus ranks Bryant and Love as top-20 regulars among safeties, which could make for an interesting decision once Jenkins is activated. Although the Seahawks have placed George Fant on IR a second time, they are in good shape for injury activations, holding six going into Week 12.

Giants Designate OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux For Return

November 20th, 2024 at 11:45am CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants have managed to keep their pass rush in high gear without Kayvon Thibodeaux; it does not appear they will need to work without him much longer.

Thibodeaux is returning to practice Wednesday, starting his 21-day activation clock. Brian Daboll expressed optimism (via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan) Thibodeaux will be ready to go for Sunday’s Giants-Buccaneers game.

A starter since debuting in 2022, Thibodeaux has been down with a wrist injury since Week 5. He underwent surgery to repair the issue, and the Giants gave the Oregon alum the bye week to finish off his recovery. While Thibodeaux will return to a team in transition — thanks to the Daniel Jones benching — he is coming back to a pass rush that has kept going despite other issues holding the roster back.

New York did not trade Azeez Ojulari at the deadline, retaining the Thibodeaux fill-in even though it looks likely he will depart as a free agent in March. Ojulari has played well in his contract year, replacing Thibodeaux opposite Brian Burns. Ojulari has six sacks this season, matching Burns’ total. Dexter Lawrence still leads the way with nine. Only the Broncos (39 sacks) rank higher than the Giants (36) in this area.

Thibodeaux finished last season with team-high 11.5 sacks. He registered 2.5 in five games to start this season but is on pace for more QB hits compared to last season. After notching only 16 in 2023, Thibodeaux tallied seven before going on IR. The Giants are committed to Burns and Thibodeaux long term; both are Joe Schoen-era acquisitions, whereas Dave Gettleman drafted Ojulari in 2021.

Tommy DeVito making an appearance before Thanksgiving certainly illustrates another off-track season for the Giants, but they still have some promising pieces elsewhere on the roster. Thibodeaux is one of them, and a strong homestretch stands to help the edge rusher on the extension front. Schoen’s first draft pick having a productive final third this season would help the GM, who is in a battle to keep his job.

Thibodeaux will become extension-eligible in January, but the Giants may take advantage of having him on a rookie deal due to the big-ticket extension they gave Burns (five years, $141MM) upon trading for him. Big Blue can keep Thibodeaux on his rookie pact through 2026, via the fifth-year option that will probably be exercised — by either Schoen or his successor — by May.

Patriots Designate Cole Strange For Return

November 20th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Sam Robinson

It looks like the Patriots will work Cole Strange back into action during Drake Maye‘s rookie season. The team’s 2022 first-round pick is set to practice Wednesday, Jerod Mayo said.

This will mark the start of Strange’s 21-day activation window from the reserve/PUP list, which the veteran guard has resided on throughout the season. Strange has been working his way back from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. This comes after a Mike Reiss ESPN.com offering indicated the third-year lineman is indeed in the homestretch of his recovery, pointing to an activation coming soon.

Playing exclusively at left guard during his first two seasons with the Pats, Strange has not yet justified his higher-than-expected draft slot. The Patriots chose Strange 29th overall and used him as a 17-game starter in 2022, but injury trouble surfaced last year. Strange missed four of New England’s first six games last season and then ended up shut down for their final three due to the severe knee malady he sustained.

Mayo had said Strange could see center work previously, and the rookie HC again did not rule this out. The Patriots have been without David Andrews for most of this season; the Tom Brady-era blocker is down for the rest of the year. Though, Mayo said (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi) the team wants to see Strange go through some practices before determining his position.

Not logging a snap anywhere else up front during his first two seasons, the young left guard returning would certainly boost a Pats line that has experienced staffing issues — particularly at center and left tackle — this season. The Patriots have given Michael Jordan the bulk of the work at LG this season; Pro Football Focus has rated both he and rookie Layden Robinson among the worst guard regulars this season. The team has also tried Michael Onwenu at left guard in recent practices, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. Onwenu has moved around the Pats’ O-line during his career but has concentrated on the right side, splitting his time between RG and RT in games this season.

Strange’s return should help the Pats settle on an Onwenu position, at long last. Although Mayo said third-round rookie Caedan Wallace was not yet ready to practice, a return before season’s end is expected. Wallace is eligible to come off IR, where he has resided since early October due to an ankle injury.

Giants Sign QB Tim Boyle, OL Tyre Phillips

November 19th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Daniel Jones‘ benching will ensure he does not suffer an injury late in the season. The Giants are moving forward with Tommy DeVito under center, but they are also adding further depth at the quarterback spot.

New York is adding Tim Boyle on a practice squad deal, Art Stapleton of NJ.com reports. Boyle was among the players who worked out for the team on Tuesday, and he will now give the Giants an insurance option at the position. Drew Lock will serve as DeVito’s backup, an indication that not triggering Jones’ 2025 injury guarantee was a central factor in the decision to bench the former No. 6 pick.

This move is another sign Jones will not see the field again in 2024 even if DeVito and/or Lock suffer injuries. Boyle has made 22 appearances and five starts during his NFL tenure, one which has spanned five teams. His most recent action came earlier this year with the Dolphins while Tua Tagovailoa was injured, but his last two starts came in 2023 with the Jets. The 30-year-old sports a record of 0-5 and has thrown just four touchdown passes compared to 12 interceptions.

The Giants’ taxi squad moves also include a deal for Tyre Phillips. The fifth-year offensive lineman is re-joining the team, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. Phillips played for New York in 2022 and ’23, but his campaign came to an abrupt end last year due to a torn quad. Now that he is healthy, the 27-year-old has managed to land another Giants pact for the second half of the season. Like the Boyle addition, the Philips signing has since been announced by the team.

The offensive tackle spot has been an issue for New York, with Andrew Thomas suffering a season-ending foot injury last month. On the right side, a number of options have received a look, including 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal. Phillips has some experience on the blindside, but he has primarily played at right tackle in his career; if he finds himself on the active roster, he could represent a depth contributor at RT.

Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports linebacker Curtis Bolton is being released from the Giants’ practice squad in a corresponding move. He has made 29 appearances in the NFL, including one this season for New York during which he handled a notable special teams workload. Bolton’s third phase abilities will likely be targeted by his next team.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/19/24

November 19th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions 11/19/24

November 19th, 2024 at 6:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest moves from around the NFL:

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Cardinals LB Markus Bailey Issued Six-Game PED Suspension

November 19th, 2024 at 4:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Markus Bailey will be unavailable to the Cardinals for much of the remainder of the regular season. The fifth-year linebacker was issued a six-game suspension on Tuesday for violating the NFL’s PED policy, the league announced.

Bailey is on Arizona’s practice squad, and he has made one appearance so far in 2024. The 27-year-old spent his first four campaigns with the Bengals, totaling 60 appearances and four starts. He landed a one-year Cardinals deal in May after showing his ability as a backup defender and key special teams presence.

The Purdue product was among Arizona’s final roster cuts, but he was immediately retained on a taxi squad deal. Bailey was only elevated to the active roster for the team’s Week 7 contest, during which he did not see the field on defense but was involved on special teams. Now, he will not be eligible to suit up until the Cardinals’ regular season finale.

Arizona is currently riding a four-game winning streak, and the team leads the NFC West as a result. The Cardinals’ success has come in spite of the fact their defense sits in the bottom half of the league in both passing and rushing yards allowed per game. Overall, a 12th-place ranking in terms of defensive scoring is an encouraging sign for the team’s chances to win a wide-open division and qualify for the postseason in head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Offenfort‘s second year at the helm.

Bailey did not seem to be in Arizona’s linebacker plans when available, so his absence will not be felt to a large degree while he serves the ban. If he remains with the organization over the coming weeks, though, he will be an option to see playing time in Week 18 and/or the playoffs should the Cardinals continue their run of recent success.

Lions Place S Ifeatu Melifonwu On IR

November 19th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ifeatu Melifonwu was activated from injured reserve on Monday, a move which made him eligible to suit up as early as Week 12. It will still be several weeks before he makes his season debut, however.

The fourth-year safety was moved back to IR on Tuesday, per a team announcement. As a result, he will be out for at least the next four games. Melifonwu has yet to suit up in 2024 while rehabbing an ankle injury, and his efforts to return to full health will continue for the foreseeable future. A finger issue encountered in practice will lead to this second stint on the sidelines.

Briefly activating the 25-year-old prevented him from seeing his original 21-day return window expire, something which would have ended his season. Instead, Melifonwu will reset the process of returning to practice later in the campaign once he is in position, health-wise, to do so. Head coach Dan Campbell said (via Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News) there is still a possibility the former third-rounder could suit up in 2024.

For the time being, though, the Lions will carry on with their current safety tandem of Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. That pairing has drawn praise, and if it remains intact Melifonwu will be slated for a backup/special teams role whenever he returns to the lineup. The Syracuse product is a pending free agent, so his missed time in 2024 will hinder his market value, and his performances if he does mange to see the field this year could be key in boosting his stock.

Detroit ranks 27th against the pass with an average of 233 yards surrendered per game through the air. Getting a key member of the secondary back in the form of Melifonwu (who made nine combined regular and postseason starts last year) would thus be a welcomed development for the NFC-leading Lions. The team has six IR activations remaining, and using a second one on Melifonwu will be needed for him to see playing time.

Ravens Sign CB Desmond King

November 19th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens were in the market for a cornerback addition leading up to the trade deadline, with the team being outbid for Marshon Lattimore. That led to a deal being worked out which brought Tre’Davious White to Baltimore.

The team is still making moves in the secondary after the deadline. Desmond King is set to sign with the Ravens, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. This will be a practice squad agreement. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic adds King recently worked out with Baltimore. The team has since announced the move.

The 29-year-old has spent time with four teams during his career, with most of his recent games coming as a Texan. King had 28 starts and 40 appearances with Houston to his name ahead of the 2024 season, but he was among the veterans let go during roster cutdowns. He was ultimately retained on the practice squad before being elevated for one contest. King was cut once more last week, however, leaving him on the open market.

Baltimore’s secondary had a strong showing in Sunday’s low-scoring loss to the Steelers, but on the whole the unit has struggled in 2024. The Ravens rank last in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (285), and the safety position has seen a rotation of players in the starting lineup. At corner, the top of the depth chart is set with Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, first-round rookie Nate Wiggins and White.

King could play a depth role as part of that group, but his experience also includes considerable time spent as a returner. The former fifth-rounder earned a first-team All-Pro nod for his special teams work in 2019, the first of two straight seasons in which he recorded a punt return touchdown. King has remained involved in the return game through to his single appearance this year, and Baltimore is currently without primary returner Deonte Harty.

By virtue of signing on the taxi squad, King can be designated a gameday elevation up to three times. After that, he will need to be added to the active roster to avoid being placed on waivers.

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