HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/19/20

September 19th, 2020 at 5:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves. There are many, as teams take advantage of the rule change allowing 55-man rosters ahead of regular-season games. Teams can dress 48 players for games this season, up from 46.

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/19/20

September 19th, 2020 at 4:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Recent practice squad notes from around the league:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: WR Hakeem Butler
  • Released: S T.J. Green, T Aaron Monteiro

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: OL Brandon Walton

Of course, the big news here surrounds Callaway. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that the wideout has earned an additional four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. This means he’ll be eligible to return to the field in Week 8.

Callaway will continue to sit on the Dolphins’ practice squad suspended list, per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com. The 23-year-old will still be allowed to attend meetings, but he can’t practice with the squad until his suspension ends.

The talented wideout out of Florida fell to the Browns in the fourth round of the 2018 draft thanks in part to a 2016 four-game suspension from former head coach Jim McElwain. Callaway immediately contributed in Cleveland, hauling in 43 receptions for 586 and five scores during his rookie campaign. However, the receiver was suspended for the first four games of the 2019 season after violating the substance-abuse policy, and he underwhelmed in the four games following his return (eight receptions, 89 yards).

He was slapped with a 10-game ban late last year, and the suspension was supposed to last through the third week of the 2020 season. Thanks to the latest suspension, Callaway won’t see the field through the first seven weeks of the season.

Jets Promote Alec Ogletree To Active Roster

September 19th, 2020 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of several high-profile veterans to agree to join a practice squad in this unusual NFL season, Alec Ogletree will be in a more familiar position Sunday.

The Jets are promoting the veteran linebacker to their active roster. Ogletree was a free agent for several months before agreeing to stay in New York on a Jets practice squad deal.

Ogletree started for two seasons with the Giants, with that tenure coming after a five-year Rams run. Although advanced metrics were not especially high on the veteran defender during his Giants stay, he intercepted five passes and returned two for scores in a productive 2018 season. The Giants, however, made Ogletree a cap casualty earlier this year and then devoted much of those funds to paying Blake Martinez.

Avery Williamson is questionable to play against the 49ers on Sunday, and the Jets are without C.J. Mosley because of his opt-out decision. Ogletree, still just 28, has made 93 starts. Should he not start for the Jets on Sunday, it will mark his first time as a game-day backup since going in the 2013 first round. Ogletree played for current Jets DC Gregg Williams during the latter’s final three Rams seasons (2014-16).

The Jets also promoted running back Josh Adams and wide receiver Josh Malone to their active roster, using the 2020 practice squad elevation option for the two skill-position players. Gang Green has run into extensive injury trouble at wideout and placed Le’Veon Bell on IR this week.

Cowboys Hosting Ronald Leary On Visit

September 19th, 2020 at 3:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys are planning to meet with a familiar face soon. They have scheduled a visit with veteran guard Ronald Leary, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

Leary has already begun COVID-19 testing and is at the team’s facility Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, potentially opening the door to a reunion soon. Amid an early-season injury crisis, the Cowboys also looked at veteran tackle Jared Veldheer this week.

Prior to his lucrative deal with the Broncos in 2017, Leary worked as a Cowboys starter. Dallas landed him as a UDFA and turned to him as its primary left guard from 2013-16. Leary visited the Browns in August but left Cleveland without a contract.

Dallas has run into extensive injury trouble up front in recent days. Tackles La’el Collins and Cameron Erving are on IR, and Tyron Smith is set to be a game-time decision for Dallas’ home opener against Atlanta. Guard Connor Williams played tackle at Texas, potentially giving the Cowboys some flexibility as they navigate a difficult situation.

The Broncos made Leary a cap casualty earlier this year. He struggled to stay healthy during his three-year Denver run, ending each of those seasons on IR. Leary did, however, play in 12 games last season, helping Phillip Lindsay to another 1,000-yard season. With Dallas, Leary was a starter up front for teams that saw DeMarco Murray and Ezekiel Elliott — in 2014 and ’16, respectively — win rushing titles. The 31-year-old guard started 47 games for the Cowboys during his five-year stay.

Lions Place G Joe Dahl On IR

September 19th, 2020 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Joe Dahl managed a limited practice Thursday, he will not play for the rest of September. The Lions placed one of their starting guards on IR Saturday.

Dahl is battling a groin injury, which held him out of practice Friday. Detroit promoted veteran Kenny Wiggins from the practice squad to its active roster to fill Dahl’s spot.

Wiggins played 41% of the Lions’ offensive snaps last season, working in a three-guard rotation. With Dahl out until at least Week 5, the Lions seem likely to call on the ninth-year veteran again. Wiggins was active for last week’s Lions-Bears game but only played on six special teams snaps.

Detroit used Dahl and third-round rookie Jonah Jackson as its guard starters in Week 1. The Lions have UFA acquisition Oday Aboushi and fourth-round rookie Logan Stenberg as backup options. The latter did not play last week.

The Lions gave Dahl an extension before last season; they then let Graham Glasgow walk in free agency for what turned out to be a much more lucrative Broncos deal. Dahl finished last season on IR, due to back and knee issues, but started 13 Lions games in 2019. His contract runs through 2021.

Saints Rule Out Michael Thomas For Week 2

September 19th, 2020 at 3:10pm CST by Zachary Links

SEPTEMBER 19: The Saints will be cautious with their All-Pro wide receiver. They have ruled Thomas out of their Week 2 game against the Raiders. Thomas did not practice this week, and his status for Week 3 should be considered in doubt based on the information that has surfaced.

SEPTEMBER 18: Doctors told Michael Thomas that he’d miss several weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain. However, the Saints wide receiver “felt fantastic” at Thursday’s practice and there’s a “little glimmer of hope” he can play on Monday night against the Raiders, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

It’s still unlikely that Thomas will suit up in Las Vegas, but it’s promising news nonetheless. Saints officials, who wanted to place Thomas on IR to sideline him for a minimum of three weeks, were pleasantly surprised by his early progress.

The 27-year-old has missed only one game since entering the league in 2016. Over the last five years, he’s racked up 473 catches for 5,529 yards and 32 touchdowns, cementing himself as one of the league’s very best offensive weapons. Last year, he led the NFL with 149 catches and 1,725 yards while matching his previous career-high of nine scores.

The Saints topped the Bucs 34-23 in the season opener, despite Thomas registering just three catches for 17 yards. Of course, in the long run, Thomas would be sorely missed. If Thomas winds up on IR, he’ll miss the next three games against the Raiders, Packers, and Lions at the minimum.

Johnson, Forbath Join Panthers’ P-Squad

September 19th, 2020 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trumaine Johnson‘s Panthers visit earlier this week will produce another opportunity for the former Rams and Jets cornerback. The Panthers are adding Johnson to their practice squad, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets.

Carolina also added kicker Kai Forbath to its practice squad. An eight-year veteran, Forbath worked out for the team earlier this week.

The Jets made Johnson a rather expensive cap casualty in March, doing so after his lucrative 2018 free agent deal backfired. But the 30-year-old corner will attempt to work his way back onto the field with Carolina.

The Panthers, who let James Bradberry walk in free agency, are currently down Eli Apple and did not possess a particularly imposing cornerback crew before Apple’s move to IR.

Teams can stash up to six players with unlimited NFL service time on their practice squads this year — up from two in 2019. They may also promote two players from their P-squads each week without making a corresponding roster move.

Johnson has gone from the Forbes List to agreeing to make $12K per week as a practice squad cog. But he has missed extensive time over the past two seasons due to injury, and his on-field work did not impress with the Jets either. However, the Rams used the former UDFA as a starter for five seasons and twice used their franchise tag to keep him. Johnson graded as a higher-end player in St. Louis and Los Angeles. Considering Carolina’s issues at corner, Johnson has a good chance of returning to game action soon.

Forbath kicked in four games last season — three with Dallas, one with New England — and just three in 2018 (with Jacksonville). But he was the Vikings’ full-time kicker in 2017 and spent three seasons as Washington’s primary kicker earlier in the 2010s. He made 10 of 10 field goal tries and was 10-for-10 on PATs with the Cowboys last season. The Panthers have Joey Slye as their kicker for a second straight season. They released Graham Gano this offseason.

NFC Notes: Hunter, Ertz, Godwin, Lee, Packers

September 19th, 2020 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

When Danielle Hunter signed his Vikings extension in the summer of 2018 — a five-year, $72MM pact — most viewed it as a team-friendly agreement. With Khalil Mack soon raising the edge rusher price ceiling to $23.5MM per year, Hunter’s contract quickly became a bargain for the Vikings. On average, Hunter’s $14.4MM-per-year price now ranks 17th among edge defenders. Zero-time Pro Bowlers like Dante Fowler and Arik Armstead signed for more than Hunter makes this offseason. Perhaps unsurprisingly, whispers have emerged that the two-time Pro Bowl defensive end is unhappy with his contract, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes (Insider link). Hunter has three 12-plus-sack seasons and has recorded 14.5 in each of the past two. While Fowler expects the Vikings to address the issue at some point, they have him under team control through 2023. The 25-year-old defensive end is currently on Minnesota’s IR list.

Here is the latest from the NFC, shifting first to another contract issue:

  • Zach Ertz‘s Eagles situation certainly became one to monitor, with the Pro Bowl tight end voicing his frustrations about his future with the franchise and reportedly engaging in a heated discussion with GM Howie Roseman. The changing tight end marketplace, as could be expected, has impacted Ertz’s extension discussions. The deals the 49ers and Chiefs respectively gave George Kittle and Travis Kelce complicated the Eagles’ Ertz talks, forcing them to stall, Fowler adds. Ertz is under contract through 2021, but his $8.5MM-per-year deal is now well out of step with the top of the market. Kelce and Kittle recently signed for more than $14MM annually.
  • Sean Lee‘s latest injury moved him to the Cowboys‘ IR list, and he may be there for a while. Teams can move players from IR back to active rosters after three weeks this season, but the sports hernia surgery the injury-prone linebacker underwent is expected to shelve him for at least six weeks, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes. The Cowboys are down Lee and Leighton Vander Esch, after what turned out to be a rough opening week for the team. Vander Esch, whom Lee replaced in a three-down role alongside Jaylon Smith late last season, is expected to miss more than six weeks as well. Joe Thomas is set to team with Smith as a three-down player against the Falcons.
  • The Buccaneers have downgraded Chris Godwin from doubtful to out for their Week 2 game against the Panthers. Godwin developed concussion-like symptoms midweek and remains in the team’s protocol.
  • A groin injury Kenny Clark suffered in Week 1 will sideline him for the Packers‘ Week 2 tilt against the Lions. Clark left last week’s game, leaving Green Bay without its top defensive lineman for the time being.

Cowboys Place CB Anthony Brown On IR

September 19th, 2020 at 12:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Anthony Brown is heading to the IR. The Cowboys announced that the safety has been placed on the injured reserve with a rib injury. Thanks to the change in IR rules, Brown will be sidelined for at least three weeks.

The 2016 sixth-round pick has spent his entire career with the Cowboys, starting 34 games along the way. Brown was limited to only nine games in 2019 thanks to a triceps injury, finishing the campaign with 17 tackles and five passes defended. Between the 2017 and 2018 campaigns, Brown started 20 of his 31 games, compiling 85 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 19 passes defended. It was that production that led to Brown’s three-year, $15.5MM deal with Dallas this past offseason.

Jourdan Lewis will have an opportunity to step up in Brown’s stead, and Chidobe Awuzie could see an expanded role. Dallas could even turn to defensive back Brandon Carr, who was promoted from the practice squad last week.

With the open roster spot, the Cowboys have promoted offensive tackle Eric Smith from the practice squad. The 2017 undrafted free agent out of Virginia will provide the team with some extra depth in case Tyron Smith is unable to play.

Bears, RB Tarik Cohen Discussing Extension

September 19th, 2020 at 11:55am CST by Ben Levine

Allen Robinson isn’t the only Bears player who could receive a contract extension. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that Tarik Cohen could ink an extension “in the near future.” NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport echoes that report (on Twitter), noting that the two sides had had “fruitful discussions” and “there is a push to get it done today in advance of Week 2.”

Cohen is in the final year of his four-year rookie deal, and he’s currently earning a $2.1MM base salary. The 25-year-old has had a consistent role for the Bears since being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2018 after finishing with 1,169 all-purpose yards and eight offensive touchdowns. While he set a career-high with 79 receptions in 2019, he finished with a career-low 669 all-purpose yards.

It’s always tough to gauge the value of pass-catching running backs. Chris Thompson earned around $3.5MM per year when he inked his extension with Washington, and James White signed a three-year, $12MM deal with the Patriots back in 2017 (although $3MM of that money was incentive-based). Neither of those players have a Pro Bowl appearance on their resume, so Cohen could expect at least something in that range.

Despite reports of a trade request from earlier this week, it sounds like Robinson may also be sticking around Chicago. We heard this morning that the two sides have resumed extension talks.

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