HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Cowboys To Waive DE Tarell Basham

November 29th, 2022 at 3:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys dangled Tarell Basham in trades before the deadline, despite the veteran pass rusher being on IR at the time. No takers emerged. Nearly a month later, Dallas will still move on.

Dallas is waiving Basham on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Basham is attached to a two-year, $5.5MM deal agreed to in 2021. Less than $700K remains on that deal, potentially opening the door to a claim. Mike McCarthy said this transaction came about because of a roster crunch, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets, with the team needing to clear space for Tyron Smith and James Washington eventually.

Although the Cowboys used one of their injury activations on Basham this season, he has not seen much action since returning. Basham played eight defensive snaps against the Packers in Week 10; he has not been active for any other game since the Cowboys moved him off IR. The Cowboys have assembled a deep pass-rushing contingent, leaving less work available for Basham, who collected seven sacks between the 2020 and ’21 seasons.

This move follows the Cowboys’ decision to cut defensive tackle Trysten Hill shortly after the trade deadline. The team shopped both Basham and Hill during the season. The Cardinals claimed Hill’s rookie deal; Basham being tied to veteran money complicates his status to some degree.

A third-round pick in Chris Ballard‘s first Colts draft, Basham did not last too long in Indianapolis. The Colts moved on in 2018, but the Jets came in with a waiver claim in October 2018. Basham spent the next three seasons in New York. He created a bit of a market for himself in his 2020 contract year, forcing three fumbles and tallying 3.5 sacks. The Cowboys added him to new DC Dan Quinn‘s stable up front and used him as a six-game starter in 2021, when both DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory missed time due to injury.

This year, however, the Cowboys bought in bulk up front. Gregory’s 11th-hour decision to spurn the Cowboys led the team to re-sign Dorance Armstrong, add Dante Fowler in free agency and draft Sam Williams in Round 2. With Lawrence going through a much healthier season, Dallas did not have much room for Basham. The sixth-year defender spent much of his season on IR after a Week 1 quadriceps injury but is healthy now.

Packers To Waive S Johnathan Abram

November 29th, 2022 at 2:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers will become the second team this month to move on from Johnathan Abram. Green Bay is waiving the former first-round pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Abram ended up playing just one defensive snap with the Packers in two games, seeing most of his work on special teams under former Raiders interim HC Rich Bisaccia. But the Packers would prefer to evaluate their younger safeties the rest of the way, per Pelissero.

One other team — the Broncos — attempted to claim Abram when the Raiders cut him. It will be interesting to see if Denver pulls the trigger again, but Abram’s stock has undoubtedly dropped. He began the season as a Raiders starter but was demoted toward the end of his run with the team.

No team claiming Abram will lead him to free agency for the first time. While Abram is eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2023, two teams having cut him this season indicates a tepid market will await the former No. 27 overall pick — obtained when the Raiders traded Amari Cooper to the Cowboys ahead of the 2018 deadline.

Abram, 26, has started 34 career games. Six of those came for the Raiders this season. He bounced back from a season-ending shoulder injury in his NFL debut to be a full-time Raiders starter from 2020-21. Since 2020, Abram has been in four different defensive schemes.

Although the Raiders have regressed defensively under new DC Patrick Graham, the new regime did not view Abram as a keeper. The Raiders passed on the fifth-year options for he, Clelin Ferrell and Josh Jacobs. Of the three 2019 first-rounders, only Jacobs — who is submitting by far his best season — has played a regular role for Las Vegas this year.

Bears Place S Eddie Jackson, WR Darnell Mooney On IR

November 29th, 2022 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having already traded away two accomplished veterans on defense before the deadline, the Bears will go the rest of the way without their other defensive Pro Bowler.

The foot injury Eddie Jackson suffered against the Jets in Week 12 led the team to move him to IR, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets the veteran safety is expected to miss the rest of the season. It is a Lisfranc injury, according to Rapoport and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). The Bears also moved Darnell Mooney to IR. The third-year wide receiver had already been ruled out for the season’s remainder.

A fourth-round pick in 2017, Jackson is the longest-tenured Bears defensive starter. After the trade of Roquan Smith, he holds that distinction by a considerable margin. Jackson, whom the Bears extended immediately once be became eligible for a deal in January 2020, has lined up as a starter in all 88 games he has played — dating back to Week 1 of his rookie year. This will be the former Pro Bowler’s longest absence as a pro.

After giving Jackson his worst grade as a pro in 2021, Pro Football Focus viewed this as a bounce-back season. Jackson’s four interceptions lead the Bears — he is the only defender still with the team to have picked off more than one pass this season — and represent his highest INT total since his 2018 All-Pro campaign. Jackson has also forced two fumbles and registered 80 tackles.

The Bears already faced the Jets shorthanded in the secondary, with rookie starters Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon missing what turned out to be another Mike White showcase event. Chicago, which traded Robert Quinn days before unloading Smith, has allowed at least 27 points in each of its past five games. Jackson’s absence will certainly make matters more difficult for a team barreling toward a top-five draft choice in 2023. The Bears have not picked in the top five since trading up for Mitch Trubisky in 2017.

Jackson’s four-year, $58.6MM extension calls for a nonguaranteed $13MM base salary in 2023. While the Bears stripped away every other piece from their Vic Fangio– and Chuck Pagano-era defenses this year, Adam Jahns of The Athletic notes all signs point to Jackson sticking around next season (subscription required). Jackson will turn 29 next week.

Aaron Rodgers To Remain Packers’ Starter If Healthy

November 29th, 2022 at 12:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

12:55pm: When making his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show today, Rodgers provided further detail on his injury, while adding that his scans yielded encouraging results (video link). As a result, he intends to play on Sunday against the Bears.

11:50am: Not much, if anything, has gone according to plan in 2022 for the Packers, and the team is now at something of a crossroads with respect to their quarterback situation. Aaron Rodgers is dealing with multiple injuries at the moment, leaving his availability for the immediate future in the air.

The 38-year-old exited Sunday night’s loss to the Eagles with a rib injury, and did not return. That, in turn, came not long after Rodgers publicly acknowledged that he had already been dealing with a broken thumb in his throwing hand for weeks – something he stated would not be sufficient to keep him from playing.

This latest ailment is one that the reigning MVP is likewise aiming to play through, so long as he can recover in time to suit up on Sunday against the Bears. Green Bay sits at 4-8 and therefore faces very long odds to reach the postseason, leading to questions about the fruitfulness of keeping Rodgers in the No. 1 spot at the expense of an extended run with backup Jordan Love. Head coach Matt LaFleur remains committed to the veteran at this point, however.

“Aaron’s the starting quarterback,” LaFleur said, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “He’s battled through a lot throughout the course of his career. It’s pretty well documented, and I think he’s been able to play at a pretty high level through a lot of different situations. So again, we’ll take it one game at a time and make the best decision moving forward.”

Love, drafted in the first round in 2020 to one day succeed Rodgers, has started just one game to date. His level of play in relief of Rodgers on Sunday was impressive, and has led to many calls for a QB swap as the Packers play out the remainder of the season. Looming over this situation from a big-picture perspective is the relative uncertainty surrounding Rodgers’ retirement plans, in spite of significant term and money remaining on his deal beyond 2022.

The Packers will have their bye week following the Bears game, something which could play a large role in determining their Week 13 starter. LaFleur (who, when speaking to the media, also doubled down on his support of maligned defensive coordinator Joe Barry) acknowledged that testing on Rodgers’ injury was still somewhat inconclusive, but added that “he’s feeling a little bit better.” So long as he continues to recover, the matter of who will start under center moving forward will likely be resolved.

Vikings CB Andrew Booth Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery

November 29th, 2022 at 12:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 29: Booth’s season is in fact over, as noted (on Twitter) by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. This will no doubt lead to an IR placement, as the Vikings look for added depth in the secondary and the 22-year-old turns his attention to next season.

NOVEMBER 28: The Vikings used their top two draft choices this year to address the secondary. Both players began developmental tracks as rookies, and injuries have now changed each defender’s path.

Weeks after Lewis Cine‘s season-ending injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) second-round pick Andrew Booth is undergoing knee surgery. Kevin O’Connell said the young cornerback will likely be placed on IR. While Booth may be shelved for the season’s remainder, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets the team is hopeful a January return can commence.

This has proven to be a rocky year for Booth, who underwent sports hernia surgery ahead of the draft and suffered a quadriceps injury in September, has not commandeered a regular role in Minnesota’s secondary. Booth did not play a defensive snap until Week 10 and struggled against the Cowboys — in his first start — a week later. This knee issue sidelined the Clemson product for the Vikes’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Patriots.

While Cine is traversing a long rehab route after undergoing two surgeries in London to repair a leg fracture, Booth does not appear in need of extensive rehab time. The Vikings have been one of the league’s healthiest teams this season, the highly drafted DBs’ issues notwithstanding. The NFC North leaders still have seven injury activations remaining. It appears the Vikes will be able to wait out Booth’s recovery and not factor IR math into the equation for the playoffs. Though, it is still a bit early for complete confidence on that front.

Additionally, O’Connell said the team is aiming to have Cameron Dantzler ready to return form IR when first eligible next week. Dantzler suffered an ankle injury that led him to IR. The former third-round pick has been the Vikes’ regular outside corner starter opposite Patrick Peterson when healthy this season. Without either Dantzler or Booth in the mix, Minnesota started Duke Shelley — a 2019 Bears sixth-rounder — alongside Peterson and slot corner Chandon Sullivan against New England.

Patriots, LB Jahlani Tavai Agree To Extension

November 29th, 2022 at 9:51am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have taken care of business early with one of their pending free agents. The team has reached agreement on a two-year, $4.4MM extension with linebacker Jahlani Tavai (Twitter link via ESPN’s Field Yates). The deal includes an $850K signing bonus, Yates’ colleague Mike Reiss tweets.

A second-round pick of the Lions in 2019, Tavai started 16 of 31 games in Detroit to begin his career. Over that two-year span, he totaled 168 tackles and 3.5 sacks, but failed to live up to his draft stock. The Lions attempted to trade him in the lead-in to the 2021 campaign, but were unable to find a willing suitor. They made him one of their final roster cuts, marking another disappointing end to a recent high draft pick for the team.

The Hawaii product immediately found himself on New England’s practice squad, giving him a change of scenery which has allowed him to take a step forward in his career. Tavai played primarily on special teams in 2021, something which has continued this year He has taken on a significant defensive role as well, however, with seven starts and a 52% snap share on defense. The 26-year-old has racked up 38 stops and 1.5 sacks in his hybrid role, earning a career-best PFF grade of 71.8 in the process.

That made him a logical extension candidate with his rookie contract set to expire at the end of the season. This deal will keep him on the books through 2024, allowing him to continue to play a notable part at the second level of the Patriots’ defense. That unit has seen plenty of turnover recently, of course, so some stability will be welcomed on both sides.

New England ranks in the top 10 in several major categories defensively this season, helping lead the team to a 6-5 record and putting them in playoff contention. Tavai will no doubt be a contributor down the stretch for not only the rest of this season, but the short-term future afterwards as he continues to prosper in his second NFL home.

Eagles’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson Out Indefinitely

November 29th, 2022 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

Sunday night’s win over the Packers moved the Eagles to 10-1 on the season, but the team’s secondary will likely be without a key contributor for the time being. Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has a lacerated kidney, and is out indefinitely, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The 24-year-old will not require surgery, but more testing will be required to determine a firm recovery timeline. Pelissero notes that Gardner-Johnson is expected to return at some point this season, while ESPN’s Tim McManus tweets that the Eagles have yet to decide whether or not an IR stint is forthcoming. An absence of any length, though, will be noteworthy for the NFC leaders given his production this season.

The former fourth-rounder spent the first three years of his career in New Orleans, where he saw time both as a safety and slot corner. His five interceptions and 28 pass breakups over that span made him one of the team’s top young players, but a hold-in during training camp led to extension talks breaking down. That opened the door to a change of scenery for the final year of his rookie contract, especially given Philadelphia’s reported interest in adding on the backend of their defense.

The Eagles sent a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-rounder to the Saints to land the Florida product, a move which has paid immediate dividends. Playing exclusively as a safety, Gardner-Johnson has notched a league-leading six interceptions in 2022, adding eight pass deflections and 60 total tackles. He will be difficult to replace given that level of production, though the Eagles can afford to be cautious with his recovery given their all-but assured place in the postseason. Undrafted rookie Reed Blankenship will likely step into a starting role, after he filled in for Gardner-Johnson following the injury on Sunday.

If the Eagles do choose to go the IR route, Gardner-Johnson would be unavailable for at least four weeks. The team is in relatively good shape with six of their eight activations remaining, though that number will drop in the near future. The team is expecting both tight end Dallas Goedert and defensive tackle Jordan Davis to be healthy by the end of the regular season. If the same holds true for their recently-acquired ball hawk, a deep playoff run could be in the cards.

Cowboys Still ‘Full Steam Ahead’ On OBJ

November 28th, 2022 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Odell Beckham Jr. being removed from a flight Sunday will not impact the Cowboys’ pursuit of the free agent wide receiver. Confirming the team’s intentions to go through with its planned visit, Mike McCarthy said Monday the team is “full steam ahead” with regards to OBJ.

The Giants are bringing in Beckham for a two-day visit beginning Thursday, but Big Blue’s slot on the meeting itinerary has not affected the league’s expectations. The Cowboys, who will host Beckham on Dec. 5, are viewed as the favorites. An executive for a team linked to Beckham said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, on Twitter) he sees the Cowboys as 2-1 favorites to land the former Pro Bowler.

Buffalo is still involved as well, and Von Miller has been pushing for a reunion for several months. The team has lost Jamison Crowder to a fractured ankle, and a Beckham-Stefon Diggs–Gabe Davis–Isaiah McKenzie receiver quartet would be quite formidable. The Bills are expected to meet with Beckham this weekend, Miller revealed during his recent podcast (h/t ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg on Twitter). The Chiefs and the Ravens are believed to still be in the mix; so were the 49ers, as of mid-November. but no known visits are scheduled beyond the aforementioned trio.

In on Beckham for weeks now, the Cowboys have already begun discussions with the eight-year veteran. Jerry Jones spoke with him on Thanksgiving Day. Beckham is not planning to drag out his decision much longer, with Hill adding he is expected to pick a team soon after his Dallas trek.

Beckham, 30, would represent a gamble by a Cowboys team that gave $23MM guaranteed to a receiver (Michael Gallup) coming off an ACL tear. Beckham also bombed, fit-wise, with the Browns. Of course, he regenerated his market by helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI. The Cowboys will have less time to integrate Beckham compared to the Rams, who signed a healthy version of the wide receiver in early November last year.

Judging by the relentless courting Cowboys players have done, the team is unconcerned about OBJ’s fit in McCarthy and Kellen Moore‘s offense. Some around the league are curious as to how capable Beckham (two ACL tears since November 2020) will be of contributing to a Super Bowl contender, despite an early-November report indicating the wideout was expected to be cleared midway through this month. And it will be interesting to see if a team comes close to the now-well-traveled pass catcher’s Chris Godwin– or Mike Williams-level asking price. Answers to these questions finally appear imminent.

Lions Place Charles Harris On IR, Sign James Houston From Practice Squad

November 28th, 2022 at 9:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

After re-emerging for two games earlier this month, Charles Harris will see his injury-marred season will be paused again. The Lions placed the former first-round pick on IR on Monday.

A groin injury has kept Harris on the shelf for the past two games. He will be shut down until at least Week 17. Given the timetable here, it is certainly possible the Lions — who have five injury activations left — just keep the veteran defensive end on IR the rest of the way. To take Harris’ roster spot, Detroit signed defensive end James Houston — he of two Thanksgiving Day sacks in his NFL debut — off the practice squad.

The Lions entered the year with reasonable plans for Harris, who re-signed with the team on a two-year, $14MM accord. Harris led the 2021 Lions with 7.5 sacks, helping a team that had lost Romeo Okwara to a severe injury. The Dolphins cut Harris earlier in 2021, leading him to the Lions on a low-cost deal.

Harris, who suffered the groin injury initially in Week 4, opened the season as a starter. After his first hiatus, however, he returned as a backup. The former Mizzou standout played only 24 defensive snaps in Detroit’s past two games. He has one sack and four quarterback hits this season.

A sixth-round rookie, Houston has spent the season on Detroit’s practice squad. Despite playing only five defensive snaps in his debut, Houston dropped Josh Allen twice. He figures to see more opportunities going forward. The Lions have Aidan Hutchinson positioned as their edge anchor but have dealt with considerable injury issues outside of the No. 2 overall pick. Most notably, Okwara remains on the team’s PUP list. But the Lions designated him for return earlier this month, opening the door to a late-season stretch of game action for the veteran pass rusher.

D.J. Humphries To Miss Rest Of Season

November 28th, 2022 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

D.J. Humphries joined Justin Pugh and Rodney Hudson as Cardinals offensive line starters on IR on Saturday. Like Pugh, Humphries’ stay on the injured list will cover the rest of the season.

Kliff Kingsbury said Monday the eighth-year tackle will not return from the back injury that sent him to IR. Humphries made it through eight games this season; he has not played since Arizona’s loss to Seattle in Week 9.

This injury absence comes after the Cardinals locked down Humphries on another three-year extension. Despite being a left tackle starter in his prime, Humphries opted against tabling an extension and testing the 2023 free agent market. He is signed to a three-year, $51MM deal that runs through 2025. Humphries locking in $28.8MM fully guaranteed looks better now than it did this offseason, when the contract made the 28-year-old blocker just the 14th-highest-paid tackle (AAV-wise) in the league.

The former first-round pick’s run of good health during his prime led to the Cardinals giving him three-year deals in both 2020 and 2022, but injuries have been a notable part of Humphries’ career. He missed all of his rookie season, 11 games in 2017 and seven in 2018. The Florida product only ended up missing one contest (due to COVID-19) from 2019-21, setting himself up for multiple paydays. Pro Football Focus rates Humphries as the league’s No. 25 overall tackle this season.

It is easier to name the Cardinals offensive starters who have not missed time due to injury this year, but health issues have been a particular problem up front. Pugh went down with an ACL tear in Week 6; Hudson has been out with a knee injury since Week 4. Both Hudson and Pugh contemplated retirement this offseason, but each moved forward with the team. Arizona trotted out one of the league’s oldest O-lines this season; the veteran unit was much healthier last year.

Former third-round pick Josh Jones has stepped in for Humphries at the blindside post; he will have an extended audition during what is looking like a lost season for a franchise that voyaged to the playoffs in 2021.

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