Matthew Stafford Placed On IR; Rams To Start John Wolford
DECEMBER 3: Casting further doubt on Stafford’s 2022 return, the Rams announced on Saturday that their starter has been placed on IR. That will leave him sidelined until at least Week 17, by which point the defending champions will likely have been eliminated from postseason contention. With the open roster spot, the Rams have activated rookie linebacker Daniel Hardy from IR.
DECEMBER 2: Matthew Stafford is out of concussion protocol, but the Super Bowl-winning quarterback is not returning to the Rams’ lineup just yet. After Sean McVay said earlier this week it was unlikely Stafford played in Week 13, the Rams are sticking to those guns.
Stafford will sit for a second straight week and third time in four games. Rather than Bryce Perkins, who started in Week 12 against the Chiefs, the Rams will go with John Wolford against the Seahawks. Neck pain and leg numbness led Stafford into the protocol for the second time this season.
Rams caution with Stafford does not surprise. The sides agreed to a four-year, $160MM extension this offseason, and a shell of an offensive line has contributed to the defending Super Bowl champions’ slide. The Rams are 3-8 and making a run at finishing with the worst record by a defending Super Bowl champion — in a non-strike season — in NFL history. The prospect of Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp being shut down for the season remains in play.
Stafford, 34, has taken almost as many sacks in nine games this season (29) as he did during 17 games last year (30). A Rams line that has seen first- and second-stringers go down, with injuries ransacking the unit at every position save for right tackle, has contributed to a few of the team’s problems. L.A. ranks 31st in rushing yards, and were Stafford to come back, he would also be without his two highest-profile receivers. It does not look like Kupp will return from ankle surgery this season, and Allen Robinson‘s disappointing Rams debut is already over due to a foot injury.
Thus, a backup-laden offense will be in the hands of a backup quarterback. It is uncertain if it will stay that way through January, but Wolford is back in the mix for now. A one-time unlikely playoff starter, Wolford has two career regular-season starts. The Rams lost his 2022 start — in Week 10 against the Cardinals — but saw their longtime backup suffer a neck injury as well, leading to Perkins. A 2020 UDFA, Perkins finished with 100 passing yards and two interceptions in the Rams’ loss in Kansas City.
Coming into this season, Stafford had only missed time in one of his previous 12 campaigns. A back injury shut him down in 2019. The former No. 1 overall pick has played through numerous issues during his career, but the Rams have him in limbo for the time being.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/2/22
Today’s only taxi squad update:
Cleveland Browns
- Released from practice squad IR (with injury settlement): OL Will Holden
Cowboys WR James Washington Back At Practice; Tyron Smith Nearing Return
DECEMBER 2: McCarthy confirmed the Cowboys’ Smith timeline Friday, indicating the team is hopeful the 12th-year blocker can return to practice next week, The Athletic’s Jon Machota tweets. Smith, 32, suffered the injury August 24. Should Smith show sufficient form in practice, the Cowboys are expected to reinstall him at his left tackle post.
NOVEMBER 30: Two key Cowboys IR moves could commence soon. Wide receiver James Washington returned to practice Wednesday, starting his 21-day activation clock. Tyron Smith‘s DFR transaction does not appear far off.
Mike McCarthy said Smith is close but not yet ready to practice, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. But the Cowboys are eyeing Week 14 for Smith’s return to work, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com adds. Smith has been out since late August because of a torn hamstring that required surgery.
Smith being designated for return next week would mandate a regular-season activation, as teams have 21 days from the DFR transaction to move a player back onto the 53-man roster. Only one team, the Steelers, has thus far let a player’s IR-return clock expire without an activation this season. But the Cowboys have consistently eyed a late-season Smith return.
[RELATED: PFR Week 13 Injured Reserve Return Tracker]
There will be no position drama when Smith is ready to come back. Jerry Jones put a stop to that recently, indicating during a 105.3 The Fan interview (via Archer, on Twitter) Tyler Smith would move back to guard once Tyron Smith was ready to play. Tyron Smith has been Dallas’ primary left tackle for 11 years. Despite frequent injury trouble, the former first-round pick — an All-Decade performer — has been one of the best in the game when available.
Tyron’s return would inject more optimism into this Cowboys operation, which has been the most promising Dallas squad since 2016. The team can slide Tyler Smith to left guard, and Jones does not anticipate any trouble for the first-round rookie in moving inside. Tyler Smith, however, was not running away with the guard competition against Connor McGovern during their training camp battle. Tyron Smith’s injury changed the team’s plans, and the Tulsa product has started every game back at his college position with Dallas.
The Cowboys have considerable insurance at left tackle, with Jason Peters also in the fold. Peters has since moved to guard but has not seen too much action in his age-40 season. He has been used as a sub and has gone through some games without seeing any time. Mostly recently, Peters did play 20 snaps against the Vikings. McGovern has been the Cowboys’ primary left guard starter. Still, Peters and Tyron Smith have a combined 17 Pro Bowls on their resume. Adding in Zack Martin‘s seven, the Cowboys have one of the most accomplished O-line contingents in modern NFL history. Tyron Smith’s return represents the final piece to the puzzle.
Circling back to Washington, he has missed the season because of a Jones fracture. The training camp foot injury forced Dallas to deploy an inexperienced set of CeeDee Lamb receiver complements early this season, but the team might have a veteran-laden group when Washington returns. The Cowboys have seen Michael Gallup begin to show his pre-injury form, and they are the frontrunners to sign Odell Beckham Jr. The high-profile free agent is set to visit Monday.
Signed to one-year deal worth the league minimum, Washington is no stranger to seeing his role reduced. The Steelers moved Chase Claypool ahead of him previously and did not re-sign him in free agency. Washington has not cleared 400 receiving yards in a season since 2019, when he worked mostly with college teammate Mason Rudolph. Given the Cowboys’ receiver situation and Washington’s injury hiatus, he likely will go a third straight season without 400 yards. But the fifth-year veteran could still be a valuable backup for Dallas.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/1/22
Today’s minor moves:
New England Patriots
- Promoted: OL Bill Murray, K Tristan Vizcaino
The Patriots promoted two players as they prepare for their showdown with the Bills tonight. Murray was promoted to the active roster with a number of lineman questionable. Fortunately for the Patriots, both David Andrews and Trent Brown are active for tonight’s game, although Isaiah Wynn and Yodny Cajuste are inactive. Meanwhile, Vizcaino has been promoted to handle kickoff duties for New England. Nick Folk has struggled in the role since punter Jake Bailey went down with an injury, but Folk will still continue to be the team’s field goal and extra point kicker.
Bills Elevate WR John Brown
Quietly, the Bills reached an agreement to bring back John Brown last weekend. They are set to give him another try starting tonight against the Patriots.
The Bills elevated the veteran wide receiver from the practice squad Thursday. This transaction does not make Brown a full-fledged part of the Bills’ active roster, as the 2020 CBA allows for two gameday elevations. But Brown being in uniform with the Bills again is certainly notable.
[RELATED: Bills Place Von Miller On IR]
Buffalo used Brown as its No. 1 wide receiver back in 2019, when the team added both he and Cole Beasley in free agency. Brown, who signed a three-year deal worth $27MM to move from Baltimore to Buffalo, notched his second 1,000-yard season that year. Injuries intervened for the Division II success story in 2020, and the Bills cut bait last year and added Emmanuel Sanders. The team did not re-sign Sanders or Beasley this offseason.
Brown, 32, has not caught a pass since his Bills release. The former Cardinals draftee has bounced around since the cut, seeing game action for the Broncos, Jaguars and Buccaneers last season. Those cameos came after the Raiders released Brown before the start of last season. He will supply some depth for a Bills team that has been without Jamison Crowder for a while due to a fractured ankle.
Beginning his ninth NFL season, Brown will join a Bills team that features Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie atop its receiving hierarchy. Usage-wise, Brown is unlikely to approach his former role — one that led to a 72-reception, 1,060-yard, six-touchdown campaign in Josh Allen‘s second season — but he certainly provides the Bills with experience. This will be Brown’s 101st career game.
Bills Place Von Miller On IR
Von Miller‘s hopes at returning from his meniscus injury in Week 14 faded quickly. The Bills placed the veteran pass rusher on IR on Thursday, shutting him down for at least four games.
The earliest Miller can now return is Week 17. Given Buffalo’s investment in the future Hall of Famer, it is unsurprising the team would operate cautiously here. While this will hurt the Bills’ pass-rushing capabilities over the next few weeks, it stands to give Miller more rehab time.
“We’ve been assessing Von this week and seeing how he is, and we don’t want to rush him back,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said. “This gives us a chance to go ahead and count tonight’s game and three more on injured reserve. And hopefully we can get him back for the stretch run.”
Miller did not tear his ACL but acknowledged he will likely need surgery. The initial Bills plan was to wait for swelling to subside over the next seven to 10 days before making a determination, but they are acting early. By placing Miller on IR ahead of their game against the Patriots tonight, Miller will only need to miss three more. It is perhaps a bit surprising the Bills are factoring roster math into an equation involving a player of Miller’s stature, but Thursday’s call also points to the organization not wanting to risk a setback by the 12th-year edge defender attempting to come back too fast.
It is believed Miller will be fine with using a knee brace upon return. He donned a brace during points of his Broncos stay, which included an ACL tear. Miller bounced back quickly from that December 2013 malady, re-establishing himself as a Pro Bowl rusher — being invited to the next six — and a player who would go on to become the first defender in NFL history to sign two $100MM-plus contracts. Miller, 33, is currently tied to a six-year, $120MM pact — one that includes guarantees into 2024.
The Bills will be without Miller for some rather key games. In addition to this Pats matchup, Miller will miss games against the Jets and Dolphins. The Bills, who also play the Bears during this span, close their regular season with Bengals and Patriots meetings. While Buffalo is ticketed to have Greg Rousseau back in Week 13 after a November absence, the team is 0-2 in the AFC East. How the Bills fare in their three Miller-less division tilts will likely determine if they will need their home blues in the AFC playoffs. At 8-3, the Bills are in decent shape to make the playoffs for a fourth straight season. But even that is not a lock. The Patriots and Chargers both loom at 6-5; a Pats win tonight would provide quite a boost.
Despite their brigade of defensive injuries, the Bills are in fine shape in terms of injury activations. The team has seven of its eight allotted injury moves remaining. One will be saved for Miller, barring a decision for a season-ending surgery. Miller indicated that was unlikely to happen, but it is not a lock the Bills have their top pass rusher back this season. Miller already amassed eight sacks this season, at only a 61% snap snare, so losing him would be a blow for the contending team’s Super Bowl hopes. This will certainly be a situation to monitor this month.
Texans To Extend LB Blake Cashman
After acquiring Blake Cashman via trade in March, the Texans reached an agreement to keep him around beyond 2022. They are extending the fourth-year linebacker, Aaron Wilson of KPRC tweets.
The new Houston role player, who was playing out his rookie contract, agreed to a one-year deal. This marks the Texans’ first extension this season.
The Texans obtained Cashman for a sixth-round pick just as the 2022 league year began. After starting five games as a rookie with the Jets, the former fifth-round pick out of Minnesota did not see much game action over the next two seasons. Injuries plagued Cashman throughout his Jets tenure, however. A shoulder issue shut him down in October 2019, and IR stays also commenced in 2020 and 2021, leading to four- and three-game seasons, respectively, to close out his Jets tenure.
Since the trade, Cashman, 26, has mostly stayed healthy. He has played in a career-high 10 games and become one of the Texans’ top special teams contributors. While the one-time Jets starter has only logged 94 defensive snaps, he has seen action on 73% of the Texans’ special teams plays. As a defender this season, Cashman has notched a sack, a pass deflection and two quarterback hits.
Texans GM Nick Caserio has handed out many two-year contracts during his two-year Houston stay, and Cashman now joins veteran linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Christian Kirksey in being signed through 2023.
Restructure Details: Woods, Lowry
Here are some details on recent contract restructures in the NFL:
- Robert Woods, WR (Titans): Halfway through his first season in Tennessee, Woods has agreed to a restructure of his contract that opens up a bit of salary cap space for a team that sorely needs it, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The new agreement converts a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus, freeing up $2.6MM in cap space for the Titans. The team has been among the bottom-five teams in the NFL in regard to cap space this year and is poised to be in a bad position next year, as well. The move shows that general manager Jon Robinson is starting to plan for the impending offseason and making sure that Tennessee is set up well for the future.
- Dean Lowry, DE (Packers): Lowry agreed to make his contract a bit more team-friendly after seven years in Green Bay, according to Yates. The team will convert approximately $1.5MM in base salary into a signing bonus, similar to Woods’ agreement. The move will clear up about $1.1MM in cap space for the Packers. Lowry is in the final year of his second contract with the team. Helping Green Bay find a little cap space puts Lowry in a favorable position heading into negotiations for a potential third deal.
Bears Add QB Tim Boyle
The Bears could be down their top two QBs when they take on the Packers on Sunday, so the team has added some reinforcement at the position. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reports (via Twitter) that the Bears have signed quarterback Tim Boyle off the Lions’ practice squad.
Starting quarterback Justin Fields is currently dealing with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder that forced him to miss Sunday’s game against the Jets. Trevor Siemian gutted through an oblique injury to play in that loss to New York, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be able to suit up this weekend. That would leave Nathan Peterman as the only healthy quarterback on the roster, so the team ended up snagging Boyle off Detroit’s taxi squad.
Boyle served as a backup to Aaron Rodgers to begin his career before catching on with the Lions in 2021. He ended up getting three starts for Detroit last year, completing 61 of his 94 pass attempts for 526 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 28-year-old re-signed with the Lions this past offseason, and after getting cut at the end of the preseason, he caught on with the organization’s practice squad.
He’ll likely be a temporary piece in Chicago once the team’s QB corps is completely healthy. However, Boyle wasn’t just a random fill-in. Cronin notes that the Bears signed him because of his familiarity with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who was the Packers’ QBs coach when the two were in Green Bay.
The Bears made two more moves today, placing defensive back Dane Cruikshank on injured reserve and signing defensive lineman Andrew Brown off the Cardinals practice squad. Cruikshank has gotten into eight games for Chicago this season, but a hamstring injury will sideline him for at least the next four games. Brown has 23 games of NFL experience, with the former fifth-round pick having collected 18 tackles and one sack in time with the Bengals, Texans, and Chargers.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/30/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Andre Baccellia
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Shemar Bridges
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Harvey Langi, RB Devine Ozigbo
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Jaquarii Roberson
New York Jets
- Released: WR Diontae Spencer
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Kawaan Baker, OL Tyrese Robinson, WR Auden Tate
- Released: DT Marvin Wilson