Dolphins To Move DeVante Parker To IR
Although DeVante Parker made his return from injury in Week 8, the Dolphins will again be without the veteran wide receiver for an extended stretch. The team will place Parker on IR, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
This will sideline Parker for at least three games. The seventh-year wideout experienced a setback with his hamstring in practice this week. Parker had missed time due to a hamstring problem earlier this year but returned last week, catching eight passes for 85 yards against the Bills. This will leave Tua Tagovailoa without a key weapon in the near future.
Will Fuller remains on Miami’s IR list. The Dolphins’ hopes of outfitting Tagovailoa with a Parker-Fuller-Jaylen Waddle receiving trio have not materialized much this season. Fuller, who is currently down with a broken finger, has played in just two games for the Dolphins. Parker has suited up for five this season. The latter has 25 receptions for 327 yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins have Parker signed to an extension that runs through 2023. Fuller is signed only through season’s end.
While the Dolphins not trading for Deshaun Watson bought Tagovailoa some time, he is still on an unusual timetable for a second-year player chosen in the top five. The Dolphins being the only known team for which Watson waived his no-trade clause makes them the clear favorites for the embattled passer in 2022, when talks are expected to resume. Tua continuing to be without key weaponry stands to affect his chances of impressing during this season’s stretch run.
Falcons Place Calvin Ridley On NFI List
Calvin Ridley‘s break from football will last at least four weeks. After Ridley was a surprise scratch for the Falcons’ Week 8 game, the team placed its top wide receiver on the reserve/non-football injury list Friday.
This designation will sideline Ridley for at least three more weeks. The fourth-year pass catcher announced last week he was stepping away from football for the time being to deal with a personal matter. The earliest Ridley can return is Week 12.
The Falcons have already seen Ridley miss two games already for a personal reason this season. While Ridley returned after missing the Falcons’ London game in Week 5, catching four passes for 26 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins, he was declared inactive for Week 8. During Atlanta’s loss to the Carolina, Ridley made his intention to step away public via Twitter.
This is a pivotal year for the former first-round pick. The Falcons picked up his fully guaranteed fifth-year option but have not yet signed him to an extension. The Falcons traded Julio Jones to the Titans, firmly establishing Ridley as Atlanta’s No. 1 wideout. It is uncertain when the 26-year-old talent will retake his place in the Falcons’ starting lineup, but the team moving him to the NFI list will provide him some time away.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/5/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: K Elliott Fry
- Released: WR Juwan Green
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Brandon Powell, RB Mekhi Sargent
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Dexter Williams
- Released: TE Jake Hausmann
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/5/21
Today’s minor moves:
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed (from Bengals): DE Darius Hodge
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Dakota Dozier
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: WR Dante Pettis
Browns Officially Release Odell Beckham Jr.
It’s officially official. On Friday morning, the Browns announced that they have released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. 
[RELATED: OBJ Made Multiple Trade Requests]
“After careful consideration, internal discussions, and conversations with Odell and his representation, we’ve determined that it is in the best interest of all parties involved that Odell no longer play for the Cleveland Browns,” GM Andrew Berry said in a statement issued by the team. “We appreciate all his efforts and contributions while in Cleveland, but we’ve just reached a point where it is best that we move forward as a team without Odell. We are finalizing the process of granting Odell his release and we wish him well as he continues his career.”
Despite Berry’s diplomacy, it’s safe to say that the Browns are not huge fans of Beckham or his contributions. OBJ won’t be leaving Cleveland with fond memories either. After two-and-a-half seasons and 29 total games, he’ll leave with 114 catches and 1,586 yards, good for an average of 13.9 yards per reception. He scored just seven receiving touchdowns along the way, with per-game averages of 3.9 grabs and 54.7 yards per contest.
But, before he relocated to Ohio, Beckham was an absolute monster in New York. OBJ topped 1,300 yards in each of his first three seasons, including a career-high 1,450 yards in 2015. And, after his lost 2017 season, he still managed 77 catches, 1,052 yards, and six touchdowns in a 12-game 2018.
The Browns gave up 2019 first- and third-round picks, plus Jabrill Peppers and Kevin Zeitler, to acquire the star receiver and defensive end Olivier Vernon. He stayed healthy that year, but turned in his worst full season as a pro with 74 receptions, 1,035 yards, and four TDs. Now, that stands as his most productive season in Cleveland.
The rest of the league will have until 4pm ET/3pm CT Monday to claim Beckham. If he goes unclaimed, Beckham will be an unfettered free agent.
Browns To Waive Odell Beckham Jr.
The Browns will release Odell Beckham Jr., according to sources who spoke with Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. The disgruntled wide receiver could be officially waived today, as the two sides have agreed to a revised pact that will reduce the Browns’ dead money hit (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).
As it stands, Beckham is owed another $8MM in salary for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, the Browns are working to convert a portion of his base salary into bonuses (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). A revised deal would lessen the Browns’ financial obligation to Beckham in the event that he’s claimed. For his part, OBJ would prefer to go unclaimed so that he can sign with any club of his choosing.
Beckham has been at odds with the Browns for much of his tenure and Tuesday’s comments from OBJ Sr. didn’t help matters. Wide receiver Rashard Higgins and quarterback Baker Mayfield were clearly bugged by the Instagram highlight reel and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt indicated on Thursday that he’s planning for life without the LSU product.
“We are going to go in and plan for the guys who are going to be there at this point,” Van Pelt said. “That is our focus…We will see where that goes from here. Again, just getting the guys ready who are here in the building today to go play on Sunday.”
Beckham, who turned 29 today, has just 232 receiving yards in his six games this season. All in all, OBJ’s Browns tenure will end with 114 catches, 1,586 receiving yards, and seven receiving touchdowns across 29 games.
DE Jonah Williams Fails Physical With Vikings
Jonah Williams won’t be playing for the Vikings after all. The defensive end failed his physical with his new team and won’t be joining the organization, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter). Williams’ physical ended up revealing a hernia.
The 2020 undrafted free agent finally made his NFL debut this season, and he ended up seeing time in eight games for the Rams. Along with special team duties, the defensive lineman also got a handful of defensive snaps each game. In total, he’s collected five tackles this season.
Following the arrival of Von Miller earlier this week, the Rams decided to move on from Williams. He ended up being a popular name on the waiver wire, as the Chargers and Cardinals also tried to claim the 26-year-old. The hernia is a discouraging development for the player, but another organization may be willing to overlook that and add him to the active roster.
The Vikings will likely continue to search for some DL support, now that Danielle Hunter has been ruled out for the year with a torn pectoral muscle.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/4/21
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Claimed: LB Eric Wilson (from Eagles)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: WR Dillon Stoner
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Gary Brightwell
- Promoted: LB Benardrick McKinney
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: DE Bryce Huff
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: C Keith Ismael
Lions Drop Daryl Worley
The Lions have released defensive back Daryl Worley from the practice squad, per a club announcement. In a related move, they’ve re-signed offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer to the 16-man unit.
Worley was on the Lions’ 53-man roster earlier this year, dressing for three games and appearing in two. His last outing came against the Rams in Week 7, when he got torched twice by Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp for touchdowns. The latter of the two proved to be the game-winning score and the last of Worley’s time on the varsity squad. The Lions brought him back on a PSQ deal, but that’s now over after one week.
The 26-year-old has bounced around the league since coming in as a 2016 third-round draft pick of the Panthers. After spending his first two seasons in Carolina, the defensive back has had stints with the Eagles, Raiders, Cowboys, Bills, Raiders (again), Cardinals, and Lions. His most recent, significant action came in 2019 when he made 15 games for the Raiders. Last year, he started in five of his 10 games, split between Dallas, Buffalo, and Las Vegas.
After their bye week, the Lions will aim for their first win of the year against the Steelers.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/4/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Jacob Capra, WR Austin Proehl
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Sam Kamara
- Released: WR Jon’Vea Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: FB Johnny Stanton
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Tommy Kraemer
- Released: DB Daryl Worley (story)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
New York Giants
- Signed: S Steven Parker
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: T/G Brett Toth
- Released: CB Craig James
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: C Brad Lundblade