Packers Activate LB Krys Barnes From IR
The Packers are adding a key piece back to their defense. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that Green Bay has activated linebacker Krys Barnes from injured reserve.
Barnes suffered a significant ankle injury during Week 1, knocking him off the field for nearly two months. He returned to practice earlier this week, and it didn’t take very long for him to make his way back to the active roster.
The 2020 undrafted free agent out of UCLA has quickly established himself as a starting-caliber linebacker. In 30 career games (23 starts), the 24-year-old has collected 161 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and a pair of fumble recoveries. He’s also started three postseason games, compiling another 20 tackles. Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance over the past two years, although they did grade him out as an above-average pass-rusher.
Barnes’ return couldn’t come at a better time for the Packers. Star linebacker De’Vondre Campbell suffered a knee injury during Green Bay’s Week 8 loss to the Bills, and he was ruled out for Sunday after missing the entire week of practice. This is a rare absence for the 29-year-old, as he previously missed only a single game over the past five-plus seasons. Rookie first-round pick Quay Walker will take over the ‘communication helmet’ for tomorrow’s game against the Lions.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/4/22
Today’s sole practice squad transaction:
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Demone Harris
After a temporary stay on the active roster, Harris has cleared waivers and will return to Houston’s practice squad. Harris has appeared in three games this year for the Texans, accumulating four tackles, one quarterback hit, and one pass defensed.
Bears Activate G Cody Whitehair From IR
Cody Whitehair did not need an extensive practice ramp-up period to return from IR. Two days after being designated for return, the veteran guard will be back in the Bears’ starting lineup.
Chicago activated its longest-tenured offensive starter Friday. Whitehair had been out since suffering a knee injury in Week 4. He ended up missing the minimum game total; this Bears transaction will be their third injury activation this season. The team can activate up to five more players from IR this year.
[RELATED: Week 9 Injured Reserve Return Tracker]
Although they have been without their top offensive lineman for half the season, the Bears have climbed to a high perch offensively. They will enter their Week 9 game as the NFL’s top rushing team. Chicago’s Justin Fields-, David Montgomery– and Khalil Herbert-driven ground attack is averaging 188.4 yards per game — nearly 23 more yards than the second-place Ravens — and has led the team to back-to-back games with at least 29 points.
The Bears did not let a recent rout of the Patriots in Foxborough cloud their long-term plan, sending Robert Quinn to the Eagles and Roquan Smith to the Ravens. But they also added Chase Claypool, a move aimed at giving Fields a piece for this year and beyond. Whitehair returning stands to bolster this intriguing Chicago offense.
Whitehair, 30, is in the third season of a five-year, $51.25MM extension. He has been with the Bears since joining the team as a 2016 second-round pick. The Kansas State product has been a starter, at either center or guard, throughout his career. This four-game absence marked his longest layoff as a pro.
Seahawks Sign Bruce Irvin To Active Roster
Not long after his latest Seattle reunion, Bruce Irvin is set to remain with the team for the remainder of the 2022 season. Seattle is signing the veteran edge rusher from the practice squad to its 53-man roster, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 (Twitter link). 
Irvin, 35, worked out for Seattle last month, and quickly signed a new deal to re-join his former team. That landed him on the taxi squad at first, but it comes as no surprise that he will now be on the active roster through the rest of the season. The former first-rounder spent the first four years of his career in Seattle, racking up 22 sacks along the way.
His disruptive presence continued with the Raiders and Falcons, through to his 2019 campaign in Carolina. That was the last time Irvin worked as a full-time starter; he displayed a continued ability to get to the passer, as he notched a career-high 8.5 sacks. An ACL tear the following year limited his second Seattle stint to just two games, before he worked with then-Bears DC Sean Desai in Chicago. The pair is once again together in the Emerald City.
Irvin had been elevated for the team’s previous two contests. He played sparingly in Week 7, but saw a large jump in workload the following game, with a snap share of 72%. He has made four tackles (including one for loss) in his third Seattle stint so far. Set to continue in a rotational role, he will split time with likes of Quinton Jefferson, Shelby Harris, Myles Adams and Poona Ford along Seattle’s defensive line.
Irvin and the NFC West-leading Seahawks will look to extend their winning streak to four games on Sunday when they visit the Cardinals in Week 9. The veteran could give the surprising start to their season a boost then and beyond.
Commanders Designate DE Chase Young For Return
NOVEMBER 4: Head coach Ron Rivera said that Young has had “a very good week” of practice, but that he will not be on the field for Sunday’s game against the Vikings (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post). The team is being cautious with his conditioning, among other things, as he prepares to return from this lengthy absence.
NOVEMBER 2: Following through with their recently stated intention, the Commanders have opened Chase Young‘s return window from the reserve/PUP list. The third-year defensive end is back at practice for the first time since tearing his right ACL nearly a year ago.
The former No. 2 overall pick has been on the shelf since suffering the injury Nov. 14, 2021. While this is on the long end for an ACL recovery, Young’s injury was believed to be a bit more serious. The Commanders have three weeks to activate him; not being activated by Nov. 23 would lead to Young missing a full season.
A report just before the season indicated moved Young’s recovery timetable to the midseason point. While Young has been eligible to come off Washington’s PUP list since Week 5, the former Defensive Rookie of the Year underwent reconstructive surgery that required a graft from his left patellar tendon. That contributed to this extended timeline. It is possible Young goes a full year without playing, but the Commanders taking a conservative route here has always added up. Young, 23, remains a candidate to sign a monster extension that keeps him in Washington well beyond his rookie deal.
How Young fares in his return will help determine his price range. After a 7.5-sack rookie season included four forced fumbles — one of which going back for a late-season touchdown — the coveted prospect only produced 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits in 2021. It will be interesting to see how quickly Young can re-emerge as an impact player following this rehab odyssey.
The Commanders were linked to potential seller trades not long ago, but they have since won three straight to move to 4-4 and back into the playoff picture. Five Washington pass rushers — Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Jamin Davis, Montez Sweat and Efe Obada — have tallied at least three sacks, with Payne’s 4.5 leading the way in his contract year. Young’s replacement, former seventh-round pick James Smith-Williams, has two sacks and 11 QB hits. Young’s return will help restore one of the league’s deepest defensive lines in recent memory.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/3/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Isaiah Coulter
- Released: S Jared Mayden
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Devine Ozigbo
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Patrick Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: S Ugo Amadi
- Released: WR Dazz Newsome
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Malik Turner
- Placed on injured list: DE Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: K Cameron Dicker
- Placed on injured list: K Taylor Bertolet
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Bryce Thompson
Washington Commanders
- Signed: LB Nathan Gerry
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/3/22
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: TE Teagan Quitoriano, CB Tavierre Thomas
New Orleans Saints
- Designated for return: CB P.J. Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DT Marvin Wilson
Washington Commanders
- Promoted: LB De’Jon Harris
Saints To Place Michael Thomas On IR; WR Not Expected To Return In 2022
Michael Thomas has already missed the Saints’ past five games. The Saints ensured Thursday he will miss at least four more, preparing to place their former All-Pro weapon on IR. But Dennis Allen indicated this is a more serious issue — one that a four-game IR stay will not address.
A complication in Thomas’ recovery from a toe injury will lead to the IR placement, per ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell (on Twitter). That complication appears severe, with Allen adding he does not expect Thomas to play again this season. The 29-year-old wideout will undergo surgery, Terrell tweets.
This continues a tough period for Thomas, who has missed much of the 2020s due to injury. After missing just two games over his first four seasons, Thomas will have missed 40 over the past three. His future with the Saints is certainly in doubt in the wake of this news.
New Orleans received tremendous value from Thomas during the late 2010s. After a few teams misfired on wideout picks in the 2016 first round, the Saints found a gem in Round 2 of that draft. Thomas ascended to the All-Pro level in 2018 and broke Marvin Harrison‘s 17-year-old single-season reception record a year later. As Drew Brees continued to play at a high level in his late 30s and into his early 40s, he depended on Thomas. That partnership earned the Ohio State product a big-ticket extension. Unfortunately, injuries have ruined most of his time on this deal.
The Saints gave Thomas a five-year, $96.25MM deal before the 2019 season, and he rewarded them with that record-setting 149-reception campaign. But injuries began to crop up in 2020. Week 1 of that season began the trouble, with Thomas suffering a high ankle sprain that day. He then encountered a midseason hamstring injury, but the ankle trouble lingered into 2021. Thomas held off on undergoing ankle surgery until summer 2021 — months after the Saints wanted that operation to take place — and ran into a new ankle injury during the ’21 season.
Because the Saints restructured Thomas’ deal more than once, a high dead-money hit would come if/when the team releases him. A $25MM-plus dead-cap hit would follow a 2023 Thomas release, but the Saints could drop that to just more than $11MM by designating Thomas as a post-June 1 cut. That would spread the cap hit over the 2023 and ’24 league years.
Optimism existed coming into this season. Thomas had recovered from the career-sidetracking ankle ordeal and caught three touchdown passes in the first three weeks this season — including two during a comeback win over the Falcons. The four-time 1,000-yard receiver caught 16 passes for 171 yards in New Orleans’ first three games, but the toe problem then intervened. Thomas’ unavailability will make it difficult for the Saints to keep him — barring a major pay cut. His $28.3MM cap number is tops on the Saints’ 2023 payroll.
The Saints, who were eagerly awaiting to deploy their transformed receiving corps this season, have needed to get by without both Thomas and Jarvis Landry for much of this year. Landry is not on IR, but the free agency addition has missed the past four games with an ankle malady. Landry did return to practice this week, and it would obviously be a boon for New Orleans’ offense if the ninth-year veteran returned in Week 9. Landry will be needed more than the Saints anticipated, though first-round pick Chris Olave has produced when available for the team.
Dolphins, Bradley Chubb Agree On Extension
The Dolphins are working fast with Bradley Chubb. Less than two days after trading for the veteran pass rusher, they reached an agreement to extend him, The Score’s Jordan Schultz reports (via Twitter).
Chubb is signing a five-year, $110MM deal that includes $63.2MM guaranteed, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). The former No. 5 overall pick now checks in as the league’s sixth-highest-paid edge defender. Initially reported to be worth $119MM, the deal’s new-money average comes in at $22.7MM per year. The $119MM accounts for Chubb’s remaining 2022 fifth-year option salary (just more than $7MM) and minor Pro Bowl incentives. Chubb is under contract through 2027.
Like they did with Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins stepped up with a big-ticket extension just after trading a first-round pick for a veteran. Chris Grier indicated Wednesday a deal was likely near, and he has now authorized a payday to keep Chubb off the 2023 market. The Dolphins acquired Chubb just before the deadline, sending the Broncos first- and fourth-round picks and running back Chase Edmonds.
Miami’s compensation package gave Chubb’s camp some leverage, but the sides found common ground. The 26-year-old pass rusher’s deal was always expected to come in north of $20MM AAV, but the parties finalized an agreement that puts Chubb in between ex-teammate Von Miller‘s $20MM-per-year Bills pact and the league’s top tier.
This contract checks in less than $1MM below Maxx Crosby‘s $23.5MM-AAV Raiders extension, representing a bit of a bargain for the Dolphins. While Chubb’s production has not been as steady as Crosby’s, the trade cost and upcoming salary cap bump could have likely allowed the new Dolphin to push for a deal that moves him into the top five at the position. That said, Chubb has a notable injury history and locking in money now protects him from another setback affecting his value.
Hill came to Miami after ripping off a stretch of five straight Pro Bowls as a wideout (the first nod came for returner production); Chubb has one career Pro Bowl. That 2020 honor came for a 7.5-sack season. Chubb also has a 12-sack slate (2018) on his resume, but he has missed 24 career games — mostly due to his 2019 ACL tear and two-ankle-surgery 2021. This contract represents the Dolphins’ belief Chubb will grow into their pass-rushing anchor.
Miami has been active in reshaping its edge rush in recent years. The team brought in Emmanuel Ogbah as a 2020 free agent and gave him a new deal this offseason. The Dolphins drafted Jaelan Phillips in the 2021 first round and signed Melvin Ingram and Trey Flowers this year. This contingent has produced just 15 sacks (T-21st), with Phillips leading the way at three. The Dolphins rank 22nd in points allowed and 23rd in total defense. Chubb comes to south Florida with 5.5 sacks, having shown a full recovery from an injury-marred 2021 season.
Despite this bounce-back effort, the Broncos sold high on the John Elway-era draftee. Denver is 3-5 and almost certainly did not receive an offer of a first-round pick for fellow trade candidate Jerry Jeudy. With the Dolphins stepping up to win these sweepstakes, the Broncos — who traded both their 2023 first- and second-round picks for Russell Wilson — are now in line to pick on the draft’s first day. San Francisco’s finish will determine Denver’s draft slot, with the Dolphins sending the Broncos the 49ers’ 2023 first — obtained in the 2021 swap that gave the 49ers Trey Lance draft real estate — in this exchange. The Dolphins are without a first-round pick next year, seeing its own selection stripped because of the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering penalty.
The Broncos have now traded the likes of Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Miller and Chubb over the past five trade deadlines, becoming one of the league’s consistent sellers. While Thomas, Sanders and Miller were each part of Broncos teams that ventured to the playoffs and Super Bowl 50, Chubb arrived amid the franchise’s endless search for a franchise quarterback. The North Carolina State product also barely played alongside Miller during his tenure, with both players’ injuries limiting their time together before Miller’s 2021 trade to Los Angeles.
Denver’s 2022 outside linebacker moves — signing Randy Gregory, drafting Nik Bonitto in Round 2 and moving inside linebacker Baron Browning to the edge — signaled a possible Chubb departure. The Dolphins’ offer of a first-rounder convinced the team to pull that lever early, passing on a possible 2023 franchise tag. The Broncos are saving money at this position, with Gregory tied only to a $14MM-per-year accord.
During the 2021 offseason, Broncos GM George Paton — an ex-Grier Dolphins coworker in the 2000s — called Chubb a core player. Although the Broncos gauged what it would cost to extend Chubb, the sides are never believed to have negotiated. The Dolphins have now paid up to ensure Chubb is one of their core performers, and the franchise gunning for its first playoff win since 2000 will count on the trade piece to lead the way defensively.
Injury Updates: Whitehair, Barnes, Molden, Poyer, Cushenberry
The Bears designated starting left guard Cody Whitehair for return from injured reserve today, opening the 21-day practice window for him to be activated. Whitehair has been on IR since suffering a knee injury in a Week 4 loss to the Giants.
Getting Whitehair back in the lineup should be really beneficial for the Bears and developing quarterback Justin Fields. Whitehair has been a full-time starter on the Bears’ offensive line since he was drafted in the second round of the 2016 draft. The former Pro Bowler brings back a key veteran presence in Chicago and could help them push to get back in the race for the NFC North.
Once they feel he’s ready, Whitehair should replace Michael Schofield at left guard. If the Bears don’t feel they can activate him within the 21-day practice window, Whitehair will return to IR for the rest of the season.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:
- The Packers have designated linebacker Krys Barnes for return from IR, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Barnes suffered an ankle injury in the team’s season opener this year and has been on IR ever since. The third-year linebacker out of UCLA had started 23 games through the first two years of his NFL career but was expected to compete with first-round rookie Quay Walker for starting time this season. Bringing Barnes back should help add some quality depth to the Packers’ linebacking corps.
- The Titans have designated cornerback Elijah Molden for return from IR, according to Titans senior writer Jim Wyatt. Molden had been missing several practices in the preseason due to a groin injury and was placed on IR just before the start of the regular season. Molden had made a significant impact as a rookie last year, starting seven games and showing up all over the defense. Aside from finishing fifth on the team for tackles with 60, Molden had an interception returned for a touchdown, four passes defensed, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 3.0 tackles for loss, and six quarterback pressures. The Titans have gotten a pleasant surprise from a talented, young group of corners so far this season. Molden will add depth behind third-year starter Kristian Fulton, rookie starter Roger McCreary, rookie Tre Avery, second-year corner Caleb Farley, and the lone veteran, Terrance Mitchell.
- Bills safety Jordan Poyer, who has already missed two games so far this year, didn’t participate in practice today as he deals with an elbow injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The veteran “is considered week-to-week” and could miss some more time. Buffalo already has Damar Hamlin filling in for Micah Hyde, who remains on IR. Special teams ace Jaquan Johnson will fill in for any time Poyer has to miss. He has three such starts over the past two seasons.
- Broncos third-year starting center Lloyd Cushenberry left last week’s London win over the Jaguars late in the first half with a groin strain. The injury appears to be of some concern as he is expected to “miss some time,” according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Veteran Graham Glasgow subbed in for Cushenberry last week in London and is expected to start until he can return. Glasgow has plenty of experience as this is his first year in a backup capacity after six years of starting for the Lions and Broncos before.