Today’s only practice squad transaction heading into the weekend:
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Cody Thompson
The Chargers will be without a starter up front for the foreseeable future. Center Corey Linsley will be placed on IR Saturday, as detailed by Daniel Popper of The Athletic (subscription required). 
Linsley is dealing with what the team called a “non-emergent heart-related medical issue.” While he turns his attention to recovery from the ailment, his IR placement will force him to miss at least the next four weeks. That news represents a blow to a Chargers offense which is already without top running back Austin Ekeler for the time being and lost wideout Mike Williams for the rest of the season.
The former All-Pro blocker’s absence will be signficant given his importance to Los Angeles’ offensive front. Linsley signed a five-year, $62.5MM deal in 2021 as part of the Chargers’ O-line overhaul. The $12.5MM AAV of that pact ranks fourth in the league amongst centers, and comfortably makes the former fifth-rounder the team’s highest-paid offensive lineman. His performances with the Chargers have not always lived up to the terms of that contract, however.
Linsley earned a strong 85.7 PFF grade in 2021, keeping in line with his career-best performance the previous season at the end of his Packers tenure. That mark slipped to 74.2 last season, though, and his evaluations so far have yielded a grade of just 63.5, the lowest of his career. While the 2023 season is still young, that trend is certainly a concerning one for the Chargers’ level of play at the pivot.
With Linsley now set to miss at least one month, Will Clapp (who re-signed on a one-year deal in April) will step into his first-team role. The latter filled in as a starter on three separate occasions last year while the former dealt with various injuries and a case of food poisoning. This latest ailment is obviously more serious, and updates will be worth watching for in the coming days and weeks. Linsley will meet with both team doctors and outside specialists in the near future, the team announced, meaning further clarity on his condition and prognosis may be attained soon.
A key member of the Rams’ passing attack has a new deal in hand. Tight end Tyler Higbee has agreed to a three-year extension worth a base value of $27MM which includes $17MM guaranteed, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The Rams have since confirmed the deal, though they have announced it as a two-year pact which will keep him signed through 2025. 
Higbee has spent his entire eight-year career with the Rams, and this newest contract will be his third with the franchise. The 30-year-old’s previous pact – a four-year, $29MM accord signed in 2019 – was set to expire at the end of the season. Instead of hitting the open market in March, he will again remain in place on a multi-year agreement.
Serving as a full-time starter throughout his career, Higbee has been a constant for the team’s passing game over the past four seasons in particular. The former fourth-rounder has recorded at least 520 receiving yards each year over that span, including a career-high 734 in 2019. Higbee has added 16 touchdowns across that span as well, giving Los Angeles a consistent and productive option to compliment wideout Cooper Kupp.
Aside from the latter, the Rams have moved on from a number of skill-position players from their Super Bowl core. That includes trading Robert Woods to the Titans last March and the deal which sent his presumed replacement, Allen Robinson, to the Steelers this past April. In their absences, along with that of Kupp to start the year, Higbee has posted 132 yards on 11 catches through three games in 2023.
After missing out on the team’s Super Bowl victory due to a sprained MCL, Higbee has yet to be sidelined for a game. That durability will allow him to continue his presence as a consistent chain-mover and add to his 113 games played total, which ranks 13th in franchise history. He will likely crack the top 10 in that regard by the end of this latest pact, which Rapoport notes can max out a value of $30.5MM.
A 2022 restructure left Higbee with a cap hit of $9.13MM in 2023. It will be interesting to see how his latest deal works out on the Rams’ cap sheet, something which has undergone plenty of changes recently as the team transitions to a young nucleus at a number of positions. They will retain a steady veteran at the TE spot for a few more years, however.
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: LB Devin Harper
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: TE Darrell Daniels
- Promoted: OT Connor Galvin, S Brandon Joseph
- Placed on IR: OT Matt Nelson (story)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed to active roster: LB Kristian Welch
- Promoted: CB Corey Ballentine, CB Kiondre Thomas
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: LB Jon Rhattigan
- Waived: WR Cody Thompson
The Cowboys are moving on from Devin Harper after two seasons. The 2022 sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma State ultimately got into six games during his time in Dallas, collecting three tackles while mostly playing on special teams.
The Seahawks are down to four wide receivers on their active roster after they moved on from Cody Thompson today. The Toledo product spent much of the past three seasons in Seattle, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams.
Still dealing with knee trouble, David Bakhtiari will return to injured reserve. The Packers will be without their All-Pro blind-sider for at least four games, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report. The Packers have since announced the IR placement.
Bakhtiari has not played since Week 1. Because this transaction is taking place before Green Bay’s Week 4 game, Bakhtiari would be eligible to return in Week 8. But it is far from a lock he will be able to do so, with Rapoport indicating the 11th-year veteran may need more time to come back this year — if, in fact, a return is in the cards.
Bakhtiari, who will turn 32 on Saturday, has undergone three knee surgeries since his New Year’s Eve 2020 ACL tear. That injury effectively threw the highly paid blocker’s career off course. He only returned for a handful of snaps during the 2021 season and missed six games last year, though an appendectomy contributed to his 2022 missed-games ledger. Prior to the seminal 2020 setback — one that played a significant role in the Packers’ Super Bowl LV push falling just short — Bakhtiari had never missed more than four games in a season.
Matt LaFleur said Bakhtiari experienced swelling in his surgically repaired knee before Week 2. The fifth-year Green Bay HC had previously declined to comment on Bakhtiari playing on FieldTurf; the veteran has been a vocal opponent of the surface. But Bakhtiari also missed the Packers’ home opener at Lambeau Field, putting to rest the speculation his Week 2 absence was field surface-related.
It is safe to say Bakhtiari’s career is now at a crossroads. The Packers are certainly a better team when the four-time Pro Bowler is available, but this is the third season in which knee trouble will lead to a lengthy absence. The Packers are also down Elgton Jenkins to a knee injury. Jenkins joined Bakhtiari in missing much of the 2021 season, having suffered an ACL tear himself. But Jenkins recovered from his severe injury on time and has since signed a lucrative Packers extension. Jenkins has been out since suffering an MCL sprain in Week 1. The fifth-year guard does not expect this injury to force an IR stint, ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky notes.
Rasheed Walker has primarily replaced Bakhtiari at left tackle. While the Packers were able to get by without both Bakhtiari and Jenkins en route to home-field advantage in 2021, Aaron Rodgers being in MVP form propped up that effort. Jordan Love being without his best two O-linemen will obviously hinder the cause early in his starter run, though the Rodgers successor managed to eke out a shorthanded win over the Saints last week.
The Packers are also expected to have two of their skill-position pillars back against the Lions tonight. Aaron Jones is set to return from his hamstring injury, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who adds Christian Watson is on track to make his season debut after missing three weeks due to a hamstring ailment.
The Cowboys have officially added a third center to their practice squad today, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. The team reportedly signed former first-round pick Billy Price to a deal today, joining him with current practice squad centers Sean Harlow and Brock Hoffman. 
Price’s addition has fans concerned about the severity of active roster center Tyler Biadasz‘s recent injury. Biadasz was forced to miss the team’s Week 3 loss to the Cardinals after suffering a hamstring injury in practice last week. With Biadasz sidelined, Hoffman started for Dallas at center in Arizona. It looks like Hoffman will now have some competition if Biadasz continues to miss time.
Price was a first-round pick for Cincinnati back in 2018. After failing to catch on with the Bengals, Price was eventually traded to the Giants in exchange for defensive lineman B.J. Hill. Price started 15 games for New York the following season, but his fifth-year option had already been declined by the Bengals, making him a free agent after his first full year as a starter.
Price would eventually land on the Raiders’ practice squad before being signed off of it to join the Cardinals’ active roster. Price would start the remaining 11 games of the season in Arizona, and after hitting free agency once again, he would sign with the Saints. A non-football injury contributed to Price’s eventual release a month later as he failed to solidify a depth role at center for New Orleans.
Price will now have the opportunity to provide that same depth behind Biadasz in Dallas. If Biadasz is forced to miss extended time, the Cowboys now have a center on the roster with full-time starting experience throughout the past two years. Price will compete with Harlow and Hoffman for the honor of getting called up for regular season action.
Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Chris Blair
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Michael Dwumfour
- Released: DT Bruce Hector
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Daniel Arias
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: RB Myles Gaskin
New England Patriots
- Signed: DL Manny Jones
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Mark Evans II, S Daniel Sorensen
- Released: RB Kirk Merritt
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Jalen Camp
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Tre Norwood, CB Kendall Sheffield, TE Jake Tonges
- Released: RB Jeremy McNichols
Gaskin was released from the Vikings’ active roster yesterday, a likely result of the addition of former Rams rusher Cam Akers. It looks like he’ll remain in Minnesota, though, for the time being as a member of the team’s 16-man practice squad.
Sorensen, the nine-year veteran formerly of Kansas City, is back for a second year in New Orleans. Last year, Sorensen appeared in all 17 games for the Saints, making two starts. He recorded two interceptions, three passes defensed, and 17 tackles, including eight stops on special teams.
Wednesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: LB Andre Smith
- Released: T Isaiah Prince
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: DE Matt Dickerson, WR Montrell Washington
- Placed on IR: WR Richie James, T Prince Tega Wanogho
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Cody Thompson
Prince’s release is notable given his status as the Falcons’ swing tackle. The 26-year-old has seen only 10 special teams snaps to date with Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary staying healthy early in the campaign. A 2019 Dolphins sixth-rounder, Prince has six NFL starts to his name (two in Miami and four in Cincinnati). He signed a reserve deal with the Broncos in February, but was released ahead of final roster cuts. That led to his Falcons deal, one which will have proven to be quite short-lived if he is not retained via the practice squad.
SEPTEMBER 27: The Ravens finalized this agreement Wednesday. Van Noy is officially part of Baltimore’s 16-man practice squad. This will be the veteran defender’s fifth NFL destination, coming after stays with the Lions, Patriots, Dolphins and Chargers.
SEPTEMBER 26, 1:24pm: This visit will produce a quick agreement. Van Noy is signing a practice squad deal with the Ravens, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets. A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, Van Noy has excelled in a hybrid capacity for most of his career. The off-ball linebacker/pass rusher has notched at least five sacks in five of the past six seasons.
This P-squad agreement seems likely to precede Van Noy moving up to Baltimore’s active roster. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds the deal is not quite done but notes mutual interest exists.
11:49am: For the second time this year, Kyle Van Noy is set to head to Baltimore ahead of a potential deal. The veteran edge rusher is visiting the Ravens today, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
Van Not met with the Ravens in July, signaling that a contract could be on the horizon. That would have come as little surprise, given the team’s lack of experience in the pass-rushing department. Even with Jadeveon Clowney now in the picture, though, the team is in need of depth along the edge.
Tyus Bowser remains on the NFI list, leaving Baltimore without a full-time starter. His absence has since been compounded by injuries picked up by 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh, who missed Week 3, and 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo, who exited that contest due to an ankle ailment. Given the team’s lack of healthy bodies at the moment, Van Noy would likely be able to see notable playing time right away if he were to sign.
The 32-year-old remained a consistent producer during his stint with the Chargers last season. Van Noy posted five sacks, adding 14 pressures, eight tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Having logged a 70% snap share, he proved a continued ability to handle a large defensive workload split between inside and outside linebacker. The Ravens’ ILB tandem of Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen is intact, however, so any Van Noy addition would see the latter used strictly in a pass-rushing capacity.
Pending the status of Oweh and Ojabo, the Ravens’ list of healthy edge rushers currently consists of Clowney, fourth-round rookie Tavius Robinson and former UDFA Jeremiah Moon. Van Noy, who has yet to take a known visit since his last Baltimore trek, would add considerable experience to that group while providing at least a depth presence when the team is at full health. With roughly $7.8MM in cap space, the Ravens should be able to afford a deal with the veteran on what would no doubt be a low-cost flier for the remainder of the campaign.
The Steelers held a punting competition this offseason, bringing in Braden Mann to challenge incumbent Pressley Harvin. The team went with the holdover option, becoming the second club to cut Mann this year. But Harvin is now battling an injury.
Harvin sustained a hamstring injury during a strong Week 3 outing in Las Vegas. The Steelers’ contingency plan will involve a blast from the past. Brad Wing, who last punted in an NFL game six years ago, is joining the Steelers on a practice squad deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Wing spent three seasons with the Giants but began his career with the Steelers, who used him as their primary punter in 2014. The Australian specialist punted in all 16 games for the Steelers during his 2014 rookie season, but the team went in a different direction in 2015. Wing, 32, re-emerged on Pittsburgh’s radar this month, however, working out for the Steelers before Week 2.
This year’s XFL reboot opened the door to Wing resuming his career. He caught on with the twice-relaunched league’s San Antonio Brahmas. He had previously punted in the short-lived Alliance of American Football in 2019. The Giants rostered Wing from 2015-17 but traded for Riley Dixon in 2018, a transaction that came after Wing’s release.
Harvin, who averaged 44.5 yards per punt in 2022, is off to a nice start. His three-game average checks in at 47.2. While Wing only cleared 45 yards per boot once during his four-year NFL run in the 2010s, he led the XFL with a 47.8-yard average this year. Harvin being unable to go would bring about an interesting chapter in Steelers special teams annals, with Wing now in position to suit up nine years after his previous Pittsburgh cameo.