Saints Bump David Johnson To Active Roster
NOVEMBER 19: Johnson could soon see game action. Three days after adding him on a practice squad deal, the Saints are promoting the veteran running back to their active roster. Johnson has not played since last season.
NOVEMBER 16: Five months after visiting the Saints, David Johnson reached an agreement with the team. The former All-Pro running back will join New Orleans’ practice squad Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.
This move comes shortly after the Saints released Jordan Howard and Derrick Gore from their 16-man P-squad. Johnson, 30, met with the team in mid-June. While the sides could not agree on terms at that point, the former Cardinals and Texans back will settle for a practice squad spot months later.
Despite Johnson’s experience and somewhat distant past as an All-Pro-caliber producer, he was not connected to any other teams this offseason. He played out his contract with the Texans last season, after agreeing to rework it, and took his time in free agency. Johnson’s price was too high for the Saints in June, leading to him spending the season’s first half without a team.
The former third-round pick, however, has done very well for himself on the contract front. He parlayed a dominant 2016 slate (2,118 scrimmage yards, 20 touchdowns) into a three-year, $39MM Cardinals extension ahead of the 2018 season. The Cardinals included him in 2020’s DeAndre Hopkins trade, and while the Texans adjusted his deal, Johnson still locked in $4.25MM guaranteed in 2021.
Johnson has not come especially close to replicating that monster sophomore slate. A wrist injury knocked him out for almost all of the 2017 campaign, and by the time he returned in 2018, Bruce Arians had retired and the Cards suddenly sported the league’s worst offense. The Northern Iowa product missed eight games during his Texans stay, again becoming part of a rebuilding situation. After totaling 1,005 scrimmage yards as Houston’s featured back in 2020, Johnson took a backseat last season, when he finished with 453 yards on just 99 touches.
When Johnson visited the Saints this summer, speculation swirled about the team needing more insurance alongside Mark Ingram — Johnson’s ex-Texans teammate — against a potential Alvin Kamara suspension. Arrested in Las Vegas in connection with an alleged assault, Kamara has seen his hearing continually delayed. It has since been tabled again, according to WDSU’s Fletcher Mackel (on Twitter). The perennial Pro Bowl back is next scheduled to appear in court Jan. 23, seemingly putting him in the clear of a suspension sidelining him this season.
The Saints have been on the lookout for backs this week. Prior to this Johnson addition, they tried to claim Eno Benjamin on waivers, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. They joined the Chiefs and Seahawks in doing so. Instead, Benjamin — a Cardinals draftee a month after the Johnson trade — will traverse the Johnson path, going from Arizona to Houston.
Giants Activate OL Shane Lemieux From IR
3:25pm: The Giants have used one of their injury activations on Lemieux, who has not played since September 2021. The third-year veteran is expected to see steady action in his Week 11 debut.
9:42am: Shane Lemieux has been limited to only one game over the past two seasons, but the Giants lineman should be back on the field this weekend. The Giants are expected to activate the offensive guard from injured reserve today, according to Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com (on Twitter). Lemieux is expected to immediately start for New York.
Lemieux suffered a foot injury during the Giants’ preseason opener, and that issue (and the subsequent surgery) ended up keeping the offensive lineman off the field for months. The 25-year-old returned to practice earlier this month, and now he’ll be thrown right into the fire as he’s expected to start against the Lions.
The former fifth-round pick immediately had a role for the Giants as a rookie, starting nine of his 12 games that season. While sites like Pro Football Focus weren’t particularly fond of his performance in 2020, he was still expected to play a significant role on the offensive line in 2021. However, a knee injury ended up limiting Lemieux to only a single appearance last season. Lemieux was once again expected to play an important role in 2022, but his foot injury derailed that plan.
“It’s been a hard couple years,” Lemieux recently told Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “I’m a ballplayer. I love football. Being on the field is the best feeling in the world. When you get taken away from the game, you realize how important it is to you. I’m ready to get back out there, for sure.”
The Giants offensive line has struggled with injuries all season, but the unit is slowly and surely getting healthier. In addition to Lemieux, Evan Neal and Ben Bredeson are both expected to soon return from their respective knee injuries.
Lions Activate WR DJ Chark From IR
After suffering an early-season injury for the second straight year, DJ Chark will be have a chance to re-establish some value down the stretch. The Lions used one of their injury activations on the veteran wide receiver Saturday.
Chark ran into more ankle trouble this season. After suffering a broken ankle four games into the 2021 slate, the former second-round pick injured the same ankle in Week 3. The Lions waited a bit to place Chark on IR but ended up doing so. Chark, 26, has missed the past six games.
The Lions gave Chark a one-year, $10MM deal (fully guaranteed) to sign in March, adding him to a receiver group now centered around Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions have not had the chance to use their optimal receiving corps — one featuring St. Brown, Chark and Jameson Williams — due to their No. 12 overall pick still recovering from an ACL tear sustained in the national championship game. Detroit is aiming for Williams to begin practicing after Thanksgiving, but it is not certain at this point if the Alabama product will play this season.
Chark is the only Jaguars receiver to surpass 1,000 yards in the past six seasons, totaling 1,008 yards alongside Gardner Minshew in 2019. He posted 706 yards for a worse Jags squad in 2020 and did not see much action during the franchise’s Urban Meyer season due to the injury. This season, the LSU product has seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.
This upcoming stretch will be pivotal for Chark’s post-2022 value. The ankle fracture he suffered last year led to a reduced free agency market. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher will need to show he can stay healthy in order to create a decent market for himself next year. The 2023 free agent receiver class is not especially strong; Chark could be a key factor on next year’s market if he can fare well in the second half of his Lions campaign.
Bengals Activate DT D.J. Reader
D.J. Reader is back. The Bengals have activated the defensive tackle from injured reserve, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic (on Twitter). Cincinnati also promoted wideout Trenton Irwin and punter Drue Chrisman from the practice squad.
Reader inked a four-year, $53MM deal to join the Bengals in 2020. He was limited to only five games during his first season in Cincy thanks to a quad injury, but he returned to start all 15 of his appearances in 2021. The defensive tackle finished the campaign with 43 tackles and a pair of sacks, and he added another 12 tackles and a sack in four playoff starts. Thanks to his regular season performance, Pro Football Focus ranked him ninth among 108 qualifying interior defenders.
The 28-year-old started each of the Bengals’ first three games this year, compiling 10 tackles. He suffered an MCL injury in September that shelved him for a few months, but he returned to practice earlier this week and is now in line to take the field tomorrow in Pittsburgh.
Chrismas is getting a chance to be Cincinnati’s punter despite Kevin Huber‘s presence on the roster. According to Dehner (on Twitter), Chrismas will have a chance to earn the full-time gig, and Huber has “been in the loop”on the team’s plan. Huber’s 2022 salary is guaranteed regardless of how things unfold. Huber has struggled this season, with his 43.2 yards per punt misrepresenting his lowest average since 2010. Chrismas, a 2021 UDFA out of Ohio State, has spent the majority of his career on the Bengals practice squad.
Irwin has earned promotions in each of the Bengals’ last two games following Ja’Marr Chase‘s injury. The 26-year-old wideout has gotten into 11 games in four seasons with the Bengals, collecting six receptions (including three this season).
Browns Activate DE Chase Winovich
The Browns made a handful of roster moves this morning. The team announced that they’ve activated defensive end Chase Winovich from injured reserve and placed guard Michael Dunn on IR. The team also promoted linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. and safety Mike Brown from the practice squad.
Winovich had 11 sacks through his first two seasons in the NFL but was in New England’s dog house in 2021, leading to an offseason trade to Cleveland. The defensive lineman got into two games this season with the Browns before suffering a hamstring injury in September. The injury ultimately landed Winovich on injured reserve for a few months, with the defensive end returning to practice earlier this month.
Dunn has appeared in eight games (two starts) for Cleveland this year. A back issue forced the offensive lineman to miss Week 10, and the injury will now require him to miss at least four more games. Drew Forbes and Hjalte Froholdt can help soak up some of the snaps at offensive guard.
Defensive backs D’Anthony Bell and Greg Newsome are recovering from concussions, so Brown will provide some extra depth in the secondary. The former Miami (Ohio) product joined the Browns practice squad back in October. Carter had 88 tackles in 17 starts for the Panthers last season. The linebacker was promoted for Cleveland’s Week 10 loss to the Dolphins and finished with a pair of special teams tackles.
Commanders RB J.D. McKissic To Miss Rest Of Season
J.D. McKissic‘s season has come to an end. The Commanders are placing the running back on injured reserve with a neck injury, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The injury is expected to sideline the veteran for the rest of the 2022 season.
McKissic has missed Washington’s past two games with the neck issue. While it didn’t initially sound like the injury would be a season-ender, Rapoport notes that the injury will require a few months of rehab. On the bright side, it sounds like McKissic should be good to go for the 2023 campaign.
The running back found a home in Washington over the past two-plus seasons. 2020 was a career year for McKissic, as the pass-catching back finished with 954 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. Thanks in part to injuries, he didn’t get nearly as many touches in 2021, but he still managed to finish his second season in Washington with 609 yards from scrimmage and four scores.
This past offseason, the free agent RB committed to a two-year, $7MM contract with the Bills before reneging on the deal and re-signing with the Commanders. With the RB room getting a bit more crowded, McKissic had a smaller role in his eight contests, compiling 268 yards from scrimmage on 49 touches.
Brian Robinson has turned into Washington’s preferred option on the ground, with the rookie collecting a career-high 26 carries in Week 10. As a result, Antonio Gibson has inherited McKissic’s pass-catching gig and has flourished. Gibson is already zeroing in on career-highs in receiving stats, as the 24-year-old has hauled in 34 catches in 10 games.
Chiefs Place WR Mecole Hardman On IR
NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Andy Reid said Hardman’s IR stint is viewed as “short-term,” as opposed to season-ending (Twitter link via Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star). That will be welcomed news for the Chiefs when they look to get healthy at the skill positions towards the end of the regular season.
NOVEMBER 17: Mecole Hardman‘s absence will extend to at least five games. After missing the Chiefs’ Week 10 matchup against the Jaguars, the fourth-year wide receiver is now on IR.
An abdominal injury will sideline Hardman, who has delivered some key contributions for the perennial AFC West kingpins this season. He will be eligible to return in Week 15.
The Chiefs have made numerous changes at receiver this year; Hardman resided as the only constant. Kansas City traded Tyreek Hill and let Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle walk in free agency. The team signed JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and drafted Skyy Moore in Round 2. Former Giants first-round pick Kadarius Toney is now on the team, with the Chiefs having traded third- and sixth-round picks to land the mercurial speedster.
Hardman, 24, arrived as a second-round pick during a window in which it was far from certain if Hill would play for the Chiefs again. Hill did, in fact, return from his second major scandal. With the world-class speed merchant in the fold, Hardman delivered an inconsistent first three seasons. This year, however, the auxiliary playmaker has six touchdowns in eight games; he scored three against the 49ers in Week 7. Hardman has totaled 328 scrimmage yards in his contract year.
This injury blunts Hardman’s momentum; his return late this season stands to be important for his long-term prospects. As this year’s bevy of receiver trades helped show, next year’s free agent market is not exactly teeming with prime talent. Smith-Schuster, Allen Lazard, Jakobi Meyers and Parris Campbell are on track to be the top names available. A lighter market would give Hardman, who has a returner Pro Bowl nod on his resume, a chance to score a nice payday. How the Georgia alum finishes his contract year will help cement his value.
The Chiefs are also uncertain to have Smith-Schuster in Week 11. Their leading wide receiver suffered a concussion after an over-the-middle collision against Jacksonville. Kansas City being without Hardman and Smith-Schuster would stand to give Toney, who has dealt with numerous injuries in his short pro career, a bigger role in his third game as a Chief. Toney totaled 90 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in Week 10.
Patriots Place DT Christian Barmore On IR
The Patriots appeared to be close to having a starter on their defensive interior available soon, but things have quickly taken a significant turn. Christian Barmore has been placed on IR, per a team announcement. 
The 23-year-old has been sidelined since Week 6 due to a knee injury. That cost him New England’s three contests before their bye week, but a return had been expected soon. Indeed, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes that Barmore appeared to be on track to play this Sunday against the Jets until being rule out earlier today (Twitter link).
A second-round pick in 2021, Barmore appeared in all 17 games as a rookie; though he officially only started two of those contests, he logged a 55% snap share. That figure sits at 53% in 2022, though a breakthrough in the pass-rush department has yet to take place at the NFL level. Barmore has 2.5 sacks across his 23 games in New England, after he exploded with 8.0 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in his final season at Alabama.
By being placed on IR, Barmore will now miss at least another four weeks. New England has six of their allotted eight activations remaining, though they have a list of players who will use up some of that total including quarterback Brian Hoyer and running back Ty Montgomery.
In Barmore’s continued absence, the Patriots will carry on with the likes of Deatrich Wise, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy and Carl Davis along the defensive interior. While that front has surrendered over 120 yards per game on the ground, it has contributed to the unit’s overall performance in allowing the sixth-fewest points per game (18.4).
Sitting in fourth in the highly-competitive AFC East, the 5-4 Patriots’ playoff hopes will be greatly affected by the outcome of Sunday’s game. They will not have their highly-touted d-lineman available, though, and his development will have taken another hit by the time the calendar flips to December.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/22
Today’s minor moves around the league:
Detroit Lions
Placed on IR: WR Trinity Benson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed to active roster (off of Bears’ practice squad): T Zachary Thomas
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: C Kody Russey
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/22
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Released: CB BoPete Keyes
New York Jets
- Released: G Myron Cunningham