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Rams To Activate OLs Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson

November 10th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Nikhil Mehta

NOVEMBER 10: Both Avila and Jackson are expected to be activated off of IR and suit up against the Dolphins tomorrow night, per Stu Jackson of the team’s official website.

NOVEMBER 7: The Rams are one step closer to major reinforcements to their offensive line after opening the practice window for Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson to return from injured reserve.

Both players landed on IR in September, Avila with a sprained MCL that required surgery and Jackson with a broken scapula suffered in Week 2. Rookie Beaux Limmer has started the last seven games at center, while both Justin Dedich and Logan Bruss have stepped up at left guard.

The injuries to Avila and Jackson prevented the Rams from getting a solid look at their new-look offensive line. After drafting Avila with the 36th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Rams spent almost $100MM to sign Jackson in free agency and retain starting right guard Kevin Dotson in 2024. The trio played just 37 snaps together before Avila’s injury, though all three players are under contract through at least 2026 and will have plenty of time to gel.

Los Angeles is getting healthy at the right time after winning their last three games. Their star wideout duo of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua is back catching passes from Matthew Stafford, who will be playing behind his intended starting offensive line for the first time since Week 1.

Avila and Jackson both have 21 days to practice with the team before they must be added to the active roster or revert to season-ending IR.

Saints WR Chris Olave Expected To Land On IR, May Be Done For Season

November 9th, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Chris Olave may have already played his last snap of the 2024 campaign. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Saints wide receiver is expected to land on injured reserve today. Olave suffered a concussion in Week 9 and was already ruled out for tomorrow’s game against the Falcons. Olave will now be out for at least the next four games.

[RELATED: Saints’ Chris Olave Visiting Concussion Specialists]

As we learned earlier this week, Olave is set to visit specialists as he determines his future in the NFL. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football says the “expectation” is that Olave won’t play again during the 2024 campaign. Rapoport echos that sentiment, citing the nature of the injury, Olave’s impending visits with specialists, and the Saints’ unlikely chances of making the postseason.

This latest concussion marks the second time this season that Olave has dealt with a brain injury, continuing a troubling trend for the wideout. The 2022 first-round pick also dealt with concussions in each of his first two seasons, and this latest occurrence prompted meetings with specialists. When Olave returned to the field in Week 8 following a one-game absence, he was sporting a new helmet, although the player opted against wearing a Guardian Cap.

As Olave navigates his latest concussion, it sounds like the Saints are opting to play it safe with their young star. Following a 2-0 start, the Saints are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, leading to Dennis Allen‘s firing earlier this week. With fellow wideout Rashid Shaheed having already been lost for the season, the Saints receivers room will be down to the likes of veterans Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, plus UDFAs Mason Tipton and Jermaine Jackson.

Giants Activate K Graham Gano

November 9th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

Graham Gano will be available to the Giants in Week 10. The veteran kicker was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, per a team announcement.

Gano has been out since he injured his hamstring on the opening kickoff of New York’s Week 2 game. The team operated without a healthy kicker for the rest of that contest, then turned to veteran Greg Joseph with Gano being moved to IR. Once Joseph suffered an injury of his own, the Giants relied on Jude McAtamney in his NFL debut last week.

The former Gaelic footballer converted his lone field goal try and connected on his only extra point attempt as well. While McAtameny also recorded four touchbacks on five kickoffs, the Giants will of course prefer to keep him on the practice squad with Gano back in the fold. The latter was limited to eight games by a knee injury last year, so this season’s missed time has become increasingly notable for team and player. Both parties will hope Gano can remain healthy through the remainder of the campaign.

The 37-year-old has generally been a consistent producer in the kicking game for the Giants since his arrival in 2020. Gano only connected on 11 of his 17 field goal tries last year before undergoing season-ending surgery, a stark contrast to his accuracy in his previous New York campaigns. Returning to his previous form would be welcomed by Gano and the Giants, a team averaging a league-low 15.4 points per game.

The Florida State product landed an extension last September, and he is on the books through 2026 as a result. This season is the last one of that pact which includes guaranteed salary, and the team would see cap savings by moving on as early as this spring. Gano’s performance beginning tomorrow in Munich will go a long way in ensuring his Giants future.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/24

November 9th, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Elevated: LB Curtis Bolton, WR Isaiah Hodgins

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Spector will miss at least the next four games as a result of the Bills’ move. He has remained a mainstay on special teams this year, having also done so in 2022 and ’23. The former seventh-rounder has made three starts on defense, however, so his absence will be felt moving forward. Linebacker has been a position hit hard by injuries this season, and Buffalo’s depth at the second level will now be tested even further.

Wattenberg had his 21-day practice window opened by the Broncos earlier this week, paving the way for today’s activation. The 27-year-old operated as the team’s starting center prior to going down after having won a summer competition for the gig with Alex Forsyth. Forsyth handled first-team duties over the past four games, drawing a superior PFF evaluation and therefore potentially playing his way into an extended look atop the depth chart. At a minimum, having Wattenberg back will give Denver – a team with three IR activations left – depth up front.

Chargers Activate RB Gus Edwards

November 9th, 2024 at 7:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers’ backfield will have both of its two offseason additions in place tomorrow. Running back Gus Edwards was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, per a team announcement.

Edwards had his practice window opened earlier this week, giving Los Angeles 21 days to activate him. With no setback occurring, he has returned to the active roster in time for the Bolts’ Week 10 matchup with the Titans. The Chargers have five IR activations remaining for the year.

After bringing in Jim Harbaugh as head coach, the Chargers (now with Greg Roman in place as offensive coordinator and Joe Hortiz as general manager) added Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in free agency as familiar options to the former Ravens staffers in the organization. Dobbins has remained healthy so far in 2024, racking up 727 scrimmage yards and six rushing touchdowns along the way. That is an encouraging output given his injury history, and it figures to boost his market value this spring.

Despite Dobbins’ success, the Chargers rank only 20th in the league in rushing (114.5 yards per game). Edwards retuning to the fold could help in that department. The former UDFA averaged at least 5.0 yards per carry in his first four healthy seasons, and he ran for a career-high 810 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. Edwards logged double-digit carries in each of his first two games with Los Angeles, and he and Dobbins figure to split the workload moving forward.

While Dobbins is a pending free agent, Edwards is on the books through 2026 on his $6.5MM pact. None of his base salary ($3MM) for next season is guaranteed, though, so whether or not he remains with the Chargers after this year will depend on his production upon returning to action. The Bolts sit at 5-3 on the year, and their ability to earn a playoff berth will be impacted by their effectives on the ground with both Dobbins and Edwards in play.

Saints Place Chris Olave On IR, Activate Shane Lemieux, Will Harris

November 9th, 2024 at 6:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints have officially placed Chris Olave on injured reserve. The third-year wideout will miss at least the first four games as a result, although his availability for the remainder of the season is in question.

Olave is dealing with his second concussion of the season, which also represents his fourth in less than three full campaigns in the NFL. The 24-year-old’s visits with specialists will determine his next steps, but for at least the immediate future he will be unavailable to the 2-7 Saints as they begin life with Darren Rizzi as head coach. New Orleans has already lost fellow WR starter Rashid Shaheed for the season.

Olave is under contract through 2025 as things stand, but his fifth-year option for the following season could be exercised this spring. A decision on that front – or any approach with respect to a long-term extension, of course – will be dictated in large part by the Ohio State product’s prognosis. Given how far the Saints are from postseason contention along with the long-term approach being taken by team and player, attention will increasingly turn toward Olave’s Week 1 availability in 2025.

New Orleans will have a pair of returnees in the lineup for Week 10, however. The team also announced on Saturday that offensive lineman Shane Lemieux has been activated from IR. The 27-year-old took over as the first-team option at center once Erik McCoy was injured; McCoy has been ruled out for tomorrow’s contest, so Lemieux could reprise that role now that he is healthy. If not, he will be an option in the middle but also at guard as the Saints look to establish a consistent lineup along the O-line to close out the year.

Safety Will Harris has also been activated from IR. A hamstring injury led him to injured reserve roughly one month ago, interrupting his debut campaign in New Orleans. Harris started each of his five appearances prior to going down, serving in a first-team role after he did so during parts of his five-year Lions tenure. Harris, 28, will look to aid a defense which ranks 27th against the pass this season.

These moves will leave the Saints with five IR activations on the year. Bringing Olave back into the fold at some point would lower that figure, but it appears signficant progress will need to be made in his recovery for that to become a consideration.

49ers To Activate Christian McCaffrey; RB Will Make Season Debut Sunday

November 9th, 2024 at 3:10pm CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 9: The 49ers made it official today, activating their star running back off of injured reserve. The team waived Taylor yesterday in anticipation of the move, so the active roster is now at 53 men. McCaffrey will make his season debut against the 49ers tomorrow.

NOVEMBER 8: All the signs have been pointing to this outcome, and now, it finally seems to be becoming a reality: Christian McCaffrey is back. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the star running back will finally make his 2024 season debut in Tampa Bay this Sunday for the 49ers. While he has not yet been activated from injured reserve, Rapoport’s language doesn’t leave much room for doubt as he claims McCaffrey “is going to play Sunday.”

McCaffrey missed time in the summer with an Achilles issue which did not immediately seem to threaten his availability for the regular season. The 28-year-old was ultimately placed on IR, however, before taking a trip to Germany to see a specialist. A period of recovery was in place upon return before McCaffrey began a ramp-up phase in his rehab.

About a month ago, the three-time Pro Bowler resumed on-field work, and he has not encountered any setbacks since. On Monday, the 49ers opened McCaffrey’s activation window, requiring him to be moved to the active roster within three weeks in order to avoid reverting to season-ending IR. The intention was never for him to use the full 21-day practice window; the 49ers fully intended for him to play this weekend.

While San Francisco has surely missed its star rusher, the 49ers have been fully appreciative of Jordan Mason‘s breakout season. Mason has filled in admirably over nine weeks as the team’s lead back, currently ranking fourth in the NFL in rushing yards. Joined by rookie fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo out of Louisville, the team’s tandem has totaled 912 rushing yards for four touchdowns in eight games.

Despite the admirable performance of the backups, McCaffrey’s presence represents a major upgrade for the 49ers offense. As a second-time first-team All-Pro in his first full season with the 49ers last year, McCaffrey led the league in rushing yards (1,459), scrimmage yards (2,023), and total touchdowns (21). McCaffrey is one of the league’s best offensive weapons and will immediately improve an already top-10 offense.

Initial thoughts indicate that, coming back from a serious injury, McCaffrey may be on a snap count, but Rapoport speculates that San Francisco will have a difficult time taking McCaffrey off the field. Luckily, the veteran running back was a full participant at practice today, hinting that he may be full-go on Sunday, as well.

The 49ers have already waived running back Patrick Taylor, so all that remains to be done is for the team to officially activate McCaffrey from IR. Once they do so, the 49ers — currently third place in the NFC West — could very well be on their way back to the front of the division race.

Jaguars Activate WR Devin Duvernay, S Andrew Wingard

November 9th, 2024 at 2:23pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jaguars are getting some reinforcements this week. At 2-7 in the basement of the AFC South, it seems likely that a run for the playoffs is not in the cards for 2024. Still, as injuries continue to beleaguer Jacksonville, they’ll take all the help they can get. That help comes today in the form of safety Andrew Wingard and return man Devin Duvernay, who are being activated from injured reserve.

The Jaguars knew Wingard would be unavailable early in the season after the veteran safety suffered a knee injury in training camp. At the time, Jacksonville was hosting a position battle between Antonio Johnson and Terrell Edmunds for the starting safety spot next to Andre Cisco to open the year. Edmunds ended up on the practice squad and eventually was re-signed by the Steelers, who drafted him in the first round in 2018. Johnson and Darnell Savage have worked together to fill in the starting safety spots with Cisco.

Wingard provides some starting depth in the secondary. He’s not a full-time starter for the team but did start 15 games for the team in 2021. He’s started 26 games in his five seasons in Jacksonville. While he’s not necessarily a gamechanger, the Jaguars will take any help they can help for a defense that ranks 29th in points allowed, 30th in yards allowed, and 31st in passing yards allowed.

Duvernay’s influence is solely on special teams. While he did have a couple decent receiving contributions during his time in Baltimore, his experience in his first year with the Jaguars has come with minimal time on offense. Despite having missed the last four games, Duvernay still leads the team with a combined 12 kickoff and punt returns.

During Duvernay’s absence, though, the Jaguars may have found someone more worthy of the role. A sixth-round pick from last year, Parker Washington has been electric in the return game for Jacksonville. A 96-yard punt return for a touchdown easily pushes Washington’s yardage and per return average over Duvernay’s. On kick returns both Washington and running back Tank Bigsby average more yards per return than Duvernay, though Bigsby may not be an option with Travis Etienne‘s recent injuries.

The Jaguars have a lot of work to do if they have any hopes of making a run here to end the season. As injuries continue to plague the team in Duval, seeing players become healthy and add depth is crucial.

Steelers Cut S Terrell Edmunds

November 9th, 2024 at 12:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Terrell Edmunds‘ second stint with the Steelers has come to an end. The team announced today that they’ve released the veteran safety. Edmunds will now be subject to waivers before officially hitting free agency.

Edmunds was snagged off the Jaguars practice squad in early September and proceeded to get into five games with Pittsburgh. He was splitting time between defense and special teams in 2024, getting into each of the Steelers five games before their bye. This past week, the veteran missed a handful of practices with an illness designation.

The former first-round pick spent the first five seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, starting 75 of his 84 appearances while compiling 417 tackles, five sacks, and five interceptions. He joined the Eagles ahead of the 2023 campaign but was dealt to the Titans midway through that season. He spent this past preseason with the Jaguars before landing on Jacksonville’s taxi squad to begin the campaign.

The Steelers weren’t done making moves today, as both linebacker Tyler Matakevich and wideout Ben Skowronek were activated from IR. Matakevich (hamstring) and Skowronek (shoulder) both suffered injuries in Week 2 that ultimately landed them on IR. The duo will likely make their main contributions on special teams for the stretch run of the season.

To make more room on the roster, the team also cut running back Jonathan Ward. The veteran journeyman got into four games with Pittsburgh this season, collecting 22 yards from scrimmage on five touches.

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