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Dolphins To Waive Shaq Barrett From Reserve/Retired List

December 26th, 2024 at 9:52am CST by Sam Robinson

Shaq Barrett‘s 2024 has been rather complicated. He has been involved in a few transactions despite not playing this season. After Barrett unretired, he did not factor into the Dolphins’ plans due an NFL deadline.

The Dolphins did not activate Barrett from the reserve/retired list by a late-November deadline that would have allowed him to play this season. Barrett informed the team he wished to come back, after initially retiring, but the Dolphins did not greenlight that opportunity. They are now waiving Barrett from their reserve/retired list, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

[RELATED: Dolphins Will Not Activate Bradley Chubb From PUP List]

Since we are well past the trade deadline, all vested veterans released hit waivers. Barrett can play in 2024 if he clears waivers, but Schefter adds his contract being claimed would keep him on the reserve/retired list for the rest of the season. A team could make a play to effectively block a rival from adding the veteran edge rusher, but Barrett has a path to free agency and a potential role soon.

The former NFL sack leader informed the Dolphins in November he wished to play this season, doing so after telling the team he was done just before training camp. Miami had signed Barrett in March, stepping in after the former Super Bowl starter became a Tampa Bay cap casualty. Barrett, 32, would have been on track to help the Dolphins fill their Bradley Chubb void. But his retirement changed those plans. Despite applying for reinstatement, Barrett did not end up being activated by the Dolphins in time to help them this season.

Barrett signed a one-year, $7MM deal with the Dolphins. The terms of that contract would make it a slight surprise if he is claimed. The Dolphins have effectively done right by Barrett, who retired after 10 NFL seasons in July. He could soon catch on with a contender that is attempting to make a Super Bowl push. A team like the Lions, who have dealt with numerous defensive injuries since Aidan Hutchinson went down, would come to mind as a possible suitor. They probably would not be the only team to consider the ex-Bucs starter if he clears waivers.

A rotational role would likely be Barrett’s best-case scenario if he hits free agency and signs with a team soon after. The regular season is coming to a close, and the former Broncos UDFA has not shown top form since an Achilles tear ended his 2022 season. Barrett came back from the injury last season but finished with just 4.5 sacks — his lowest full-season total during his Tampa Bay tenure — and nine QB hits. The Bucs designated him a post-June 1 cut soon after. That said, Barrett is now more than two years removed from that Achilles setback, potentially helping his sales pitch to teams.

Barrett played the lead role for a Bucs defense that dominated the high-scoring Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, keying a second-half onslaught. Tampa Bay then signed off on a four-year, $72MM deal to retain him. Barrett, who led the league with 19.5 sacks in 2019 en route to a 2020 franchise tag, registered 10 sacks in 2021 and made the Pro Bowl. He will become a free agent if unclaimed by 3pm CT Friday.

Buccaneers Place DB Christian Izien On IR

December 26th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Sam Robinson

Christian Izien has provided good value for the Buccaneers, who have used the former UDFA in various capacities in their secondary. More Izien plans may well need to wait until next season, however.

The pectoral injury Izien sustained during Tampa Bay’s Week 16 loss in Dallas will lead the second-year defender to IR. The Bucs moved Izien off their 53-man roster Thursday, and the move will sideline him for at least four games. Only a run to the NFC championship game would allow Izien to play again this season, and it is also unclear if he would be ready to return by that point.

Even a partial pec tear would presumably rule out Izien for a return by that point; a full tear would stand to impact the young DB’s offseason program. The Bucs have used Izien in the slot, on the boundary and at safety this season. The versatile piece had most recently been tasked with helping Tampa Bay navigate injuries to safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead.

Added out of Rutgers last year, Izien earned a season-opening role as Tampa Bay’s primary slot corner. The Bucs used him on 719 defensive snaps. He was on pace to eclipse that this season, logging 697 defensive plays in 14 games. The Bucs drafted Tykee Smith in Round 3 this year, changing their plans in the secondary. Izien has still played on 75% of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps this year.

As Smith has played in the slot, Izien has shifted around the formation. He has logged more snaps at safety than corner this season, being used to help the team cover for the injuries to Winfield and Whitehead. Pro Football Focus has not viewed Izien as a productive safety, ranking him outside the top 70 at the position, but he has also seen slot time due to Smith health issues and would stand to be in the Bucs’ plans for 2025. Tampa Bay has Izien under contract for one more season.

The Bucs designated Whitehead for return from IR on Tuesday, opening the door to a Week 17 activation. Winfield has missed the past two Bucs games, with this being his second injury-driven hiatus this season. The high-priced DB is not on IR, however.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/25/24

December 25th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the NFL’s minor moves from Christmas Day:

Tennessee Titans

San Francisco 49ers

Murray started 14 games for the Titans this year before suffering a season-ending wrist injury on Sunday. His 95 tackles currently lead the team, and safety Amani Hooker would have to make 14 stops in the next two games to catch up. To replace Murray, Tennessee reunited with Long, who was originally a Titans sixth-round pick in 2019.

The 49ers were already dealing with an injury to All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, and now his backup will be sidelined for the last two games of the regular season. Moore started the last five games in Williams’ stead, but will now close out the season on IR as he approaches free agency this offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/24

December 24th, 2024 at 6:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s minor NFL moves, including elevations for tomorrow’s Christmas Day doubleheader:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles 

San Francisco 49ers

The Cardinals – who were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday – will close out the season without either of their starting tackles. Both Johnson and Williams are dealing with knee injuries, and they will be shut down for the remainder of the campaign. The former was a full-time starter as a rookie last year and made 14 appearances in 2024 upon switching to the blindside. Williams signed a one-year deal in free agency to handle RT duties, but two separate knee ailments will limit him to six games played this year. The 27-year-old’s free agent stock will take a hit as a result.

Wallace has made 13 appearances in 2024, his first season with the Broncos. The veteran has handled part-time defensive duties along the way, while also chipping in on special teams. As Denver returns to health at the CB spot, though, Wallace will hit the waiver wire. Should he clear, head coach Sean Payton said the Broncos would like to re-sign him via a practice squad deal (h/t Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette).

Fashanu exited the Jets’ Week 16 contest on crutches, and it was recently reported he would miss the rest of the season as a result. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said on Tuesday surgery to repair the first-round rookie’s plantar fascia would be needed, but the team has since clarified a procedure will not take place. Fashanu is expected to recover in full through rehab.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/24/24

December 24th, 2024 at 5:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: K Andre Szmyt

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

Szmyt spent time on the Bears’ practice squad last year before playing with the USFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks recently. The 26-year-old terminated his pact with the spring league club to take a deal in Cleveland. A former All-American and Lou Graza winner as the country’s top kicker during his college career, Szmyt could see time late in the year given the Browns’ kicking struggles in 2024.

Thomas appeared to be on his way to join the Colts after he was claimed off waivers by Indianapolis. The veteran corner failed his physical upon arrival with his new team, however, leading to another trip to the waiver wire. No teams put in a claim this time around, but shortly after reaching free agency Thomas has landed a deal. The former 49er has 42 games and 11 starts to his name, and he will provide Minnesota with cornerback depth through the closing stages of the campaign.

Buccaneers Designate S Jordan Whitehead For Return

December 24th, 2024 at 12:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jordan Whitehead suffered a pectoral injury last month, and the Buccaneers initially feared a tear had occurred. That did not prove to be the case, though, leaving the door open to a return as early as Week 17.

The veteran safety could indeed be back in the fold in time for Tampa Bay’s next game. Whitehead returned to practice on Tuesday, per a team announcement. His 21-day activation window is now open, and he must be activated within that span to avoid season-ending injured reserve. The fact Whitehead has returned to practice after missing the minimum four games is an encouraging sign.

Prior to going down, the 27-year-old had served as a full-time starter. Whitehead’s return to the Buccaneers (with whom he spent his first four seasons) has seen him play a key role on defense, recording 76 tackles and three pass deflections. His activation will be welcomed by a Tampa Bay team which has put up underwhelming numbers in several defensive categories (including 250 passing yards allowed per game, which ranks 30th). Whitehead’s coverage statistics have left plenty to be desired in 2024, but having him available will still be significant to the team’s playoff push.

Thanks to their upset loss against the Cowboys on Sunday, the Buccaneers are no longer in control of their fate regarding the NFC South. Tampa Bay sits in a tie with Atlanta at 8-7 on the year, so the final two weeks of the campaign will dictate which team earns a home postseason game during the wild-card round. Given the landscape of the NFC, it is all-but guaranteed only one team from that division will qualify for the playoffs.

Whitehead’s return could see him suit up against the Panthers and Saints to close out the year depending on when he is brought back into the fold. Once he is officially activated, the Buccaneers will have three IR return slots remaining for the regular season.

Jets Sign Veteran K Greg Joseph

December 24th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Ely Allen

It looks like the Jets are bringing in some competition for struggling backup kicker Anders Carlson. NFL agent Brett Tessler disclosed that his client, veteran kicker Greg Joseph, has signed a practice squad contract bringing him back to New York, but this time, for the other team that plays in MetLife.

The move is necessary after the team’s regular kicker Greg Zuerlein was placed on injured reserve back at the end of October. The immediate replacement answer at the time was Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader, but both kickers only got one-week tryouts with the team before moving on.

The last five games have belonged to Carlson. After an initial strong opening in New York, in which he made both field goal attempts, one from beyond 50 yards, and all three extra point attempts, Carlson stumbled in his second contest with the Jets when he missed one of two extra point attempts, his only two kicks of the day. He rebounded strongly the next week, scoring 14 points off four field goals and two extra points, but has struggled since, missing two field goal attempts and one extra point in the last two weeks.

Joesph’s got a pretty average history in the NFL as a kicker, making just 82.1 percent of his field goal attempts and 90.6 of his extra point attempts in his seven-year career. Most of the extra point misses came early in his career. In 2018 and from 2021-22, Joseph 14 of 115 extra point attempts. Since then, he’s gone 52-for-54. He kicked for the Vikings for the last three seasons and has spent time with the Giants and Commanders this season.

Amidst Carlson’s struggles, Joseph’s addition to the practice squad should provide a bit of competition at practice. Either Joseph’s presence will spur Carlson on to better deliverables, or Joseph will outperform the incumbent backup and take over as the main placekicker to close out the season.

Texans Claim WR Diontae Johnson

December 23rd, 2024 at 10:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Stefon Diggs‘ injury did not prompt the Texans to act at wide receiver. Tank Dell‘s will. The AFC South champions are adding to their receiver room, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting they have claimed Diontae Johnson.

This will be Johnson’s second revenge game in two months, but the Houston fit also suddenly proves vital for the veteran wide receiver’s long-term value. Johnson’s refusal to enter the Ravens’ Week 13 game brought a suspension, and the AFC North team did not bring the trade acquisition back for Week 15. The parties officially separated late last week, sending Johnson to waivers.

[RELATED: Chargers Tried To Claim Diontae Johnson]

At this point, Johnson is a rather volatile investment. He sought exits from Pittsburgh and Carolina this year, seeing both teams move on. While backup-level players have journeyed to four teams in one year before, it is quite rare for a player of Johnson’s caliber to do so. How Johnson fares in Houston will help shape his 2025 free agent market, which has likely taken a substantial hit after the events of this year.

Beyond Johnson’s recent issues, he has been one of this decade’s best at creating separation. The former third-round pick ranked in the top four in ESPN’s Open Score metric each year from 2019-22, leading the league twice in that span. Johnson was among the league’s top target-commanding wideouts during his time in Pittsburgh, drawing at least 140 looks from 2020-22. Delivering his only 1,000-yard season during Ben Roethlisberger‘s 2021 finale, Johnson eventually wore out his welcome in Pittsburgh. But he has shown an ability to create space; that will be important for a Texans team that has lost two of its top three receivers.

The Texans’ Christmas Day game against the Ravens will be rather interesting now, as Johnson will see a team he recently clashed with immediately after being claimed. It may not be a lock Johnson plays, but with the Texans so shorthanded post-Diggs and Dell, he may have a limited role.

Tertiary status played a central role in Johnson’s Baltimore exit; the sixth-year receiver was believed to be dissatisfied playing behind the Ravens’ Zay Flowers–Rashod Bateman–Nelson Agholor trio. But Baltimore did not move the trade pickup into its top three; Johnson maxed out at 17 snaps in a game as a Raven. After an extended break post-Christmas, Johnson may see an expanded opportunity in Houston, as the Texans will need a proven pass catcher to complement Nico Collins as they prepare for a home playoff game.

It will be interesting to learn if any other teams claimed Johnson. The Chargers and Chiefs came up as potential landing spots via a claim. Houston was comfortably ahead of Kansas City for priority and this will prevent the two-time reigning champions from further adding to their wideout room. Though, Marquise Brown‘s return does give the Chiefs a nearly full depth chart, with DeAndre Hopkins having replaced Rashee Rice.

The Steelers have been lacking at receiver during George Pickens‘ hamstring-driven absence. The team that initially moved on from Johnson this year was not expected to make an effort to reacquire him, per veteran Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly. Pittsburgh has Mike Williams and Calvin Austin in place as Pickens complementary options, and the team’s top weapon is expected back to face the Chiefs on Christmas.

Johnson could make his Texans debut shortly after that Chiefs-Steelers game wraps, and while he did only catch one pass as a Raven, it is notable he played a regular role with the Panthers this season. Although he fell out of favor in Charlotte, Johnson caught 30 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns with the Panthers. The NFC South team moved on from him for a surprisingly cheap return — a pick-swap deal involving fifth- and sixth-round choices — and agreed to pay much of the salary. As a result, the Texans are adding Johnson for next to nothing.

This will help a Texans team in the same predicament as 2023’s squad, as Dell has suffered a season-ending injury for the second straight year. Houston has the likes of Robert Woods, John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson as fill-in options. While Woods is a more decorated receiver, he is also 32. Johnson is 28 and will be playing to improve his 2025 market.

Though, this claim gives the Texans exclusive negotiating rights with Johnson until March 10. With Diggs a free agent-to-be and Dell set to rehab two significant injuries (ACL tear, dislocated kneecap), how Johnson performs as a Texan may influence the organization’s thinking at receiver.

Bills Sign LB Nicholas Morrow

December 23rd, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Nicholas Morrow has landed back in Buffalo. The linebacker is signing with the Bills, per ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. Morrow will be joining Buffalo’s active roster.

Morrow spent the majority of this season on the Bills roster, but he was squeezed off the squad earlier this month. He went unclaimed on waivers, and per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he was set to fly to Green Bay to audition for the Packers. Instead, the Bills called and Morrow accepted their offer to return.

The journeyman joined the Bills this past offseason. After starting 29 games in stints with the Bears and Eagles between 2022 and 2023, Morrow found himself primarily playing special teams in Buffalo. He was limited to only 44 defensive snaps in 11 games, although his 182 ST snaps were among the highest on the team.

The Bills’ linebackers room looks a bit different than it did when Morrow was cut a few weeks ago. Matt Milano (groin), Dorian Williams (elbow), and Baylon Spector (calf) are all dealing with injuries at the moment, leaving Terrel Bernard as the lone healthy LB. There’s a chance Morrow finds himself with an increased defensive role during his “second” stint in Buffalo.

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