HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/23

December 30th, 2023 at 9:14pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions and callups for the remainder of the Week 17 matchups:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Alualu is set to make his Lions debut after signing earlier this month. Given the injury issues Detroit has faced up front, the 36-year-old has the chance to see playing time through the close of the regular season and into the playoffs. Alualu expressed a desire to continue playing with the Steelers this offseason, but he remained a free agent deep into the year. His tenure in the Motor City could help boost his free agent stock if he wishes to remain in the league in 2024, though.

Patriots Place JuJu Smith-Schuster On IR

December 30th, 2023 at 8:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s first season with the Patriots has come to an end. The team announced on Saturday that he has been placed on injured reserve.

The 27-year-old has missed the past two games, and he will not return for the final two contests of the campaign. Smith-Schuster joined New England on a three-year, $25MM deal in free agency following his one-year stint in Kansas City. Today’s move marks an end to a disappointing first run with the Patriots.

Smith-Schuster – who upped his value in 2022 by posting 933 yards on 78 catches with the defending champions- put up far less production this year. The former Steelers draftee delivered a 29-260-1 statline in 11 contests with New England, ranking him just sixth on the team in receiving. Especially given the lack of high-end playmakers on the team, his ability to return to full heath and his previous form in 2024 will be critical for the Patriots.

Not much has gone according to plan on offense for New England, a team which faces uncertainty under center and on the sidelines heading into the offseason. Smith-Schuster’s $7MM base salary for next season is guaranteed, however, meaning he will at least remain in place for the start of the next campaign. A rebound would help a passing attack which has struggled with both Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe at the helm in 2023, something which has produced a league-low 14.1 points per game on offense.

Today’s news means that as the Patriots close out the campaign – a two-game stretch which could see them move higher up the 2024 draft order – they will be without another skill-position player. Lead running back Rhamondre Stevenson has also been moved to IR, shutting him down for the season. New England will finish its schedule against the Bills and Jets with a shorthanded group of pass-catchers. To fill Smith-Schuster’s roster spot, safety Joshuah Bledsoe was signed off the practice squad.

Eagles Activate Avonte Maddox From IR

December 30th, 2023 at 8:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

DECEMBER 30: Maddox is now set to return to action, having been activated from IR on Saturday. Especially with fellow CB starter Darius Slay potentially out until the playoffs, Maddox being in the lineup will be a welcomed sight for Philadelphia’s defense. In a corresponding move, backup tight end Albert Okwuegbunam was placed on injured reserve; he will be forced to miss at least four weeks as a result.

DECEMBER 21: This season continues to see players make their way back to practice despite suffering pectoral tears. Following C.J. Gardner-Johnson and DaQuan Jones on this front, Avonte Maddox is back at Eagles practice.

The veteran slot cornerback sustained his pectoral injury in Week 2, days before Gardner-Johnson’s, and was not certain to return this season. But the Eagles opening his 21-day practice window Thursday points to Maddox having a clear path back to the 53-man roster. Considering the issues the Eagles have had in coverage this season, that will be an important development.

Pectoral tears regularly end players’ seasons, and Maddox underwent surgery to repair the issue after seeking a second opinion. This season looks set to see some late returns from defensive contributors following operations. All three received return designations this week. The two DBs going down in Week 2 helped their chances of coming back, but this will still make for impressive rallies. Maddox and Gardner-Johnson are on track to return in time for the NFC playoffs.

Maddox, 27, has been the Eagles’ primary slot corner for several years. Despite the team trading for Darius Slay and extending him in 2020, the Eagles paid Maddox not long after. Maddox agreed to a three-year, $22.5MM extension in 2021. The Eagles have Slay, Maddox and James Bradberry tied to veteran deals, but the returns have not been as good as they were in 2022. After leading the NFL in pass defense last season, Philadelphia enters Week 16 ranked 28th. The team has already demoted first-year DC Sean Desai, increasing Matt Patricia‘s responsibilities as it attempts to stem the tide.

One of the players tried in the slot following Maddox’s injury, Mario Goodrich, has been bumped down to the practice squad. The Eagles added Bradley Roby to help, while using rookie Sydney Brown here at points as well. Signed in-season, Roby has played 283 defensive snaps — third-most among Eagles corners. Maddox’s injury prompted Philly to add the 10th-year veteran. Pro Football Focus does not slot any of the Eagles’ three cornerback regulars in the top 40 at the position this season.

While Maddox has manned the slot in Philly for the bulk of the time since being drafted in the 2018 fourth round, injuries have kept him off the field for much of the past two years. Maddox missed nine games because of hamstring, ankle and toe injuries last season. The ankle setback prompted Philly to place Maddox on IR, though he was back in time for the NFC championship game.

PFF rated Maddox as a top-25 corner last season and in 2021, however. His return would provide some help to a struggling unit, which did not have Slay available Monday night due to arthroscopic knee surgery. Slay remains on Philly’s active roster; the team has three weeks to activate Maddox. The 10-4 team, which also has Nakobe Dean on IR, carries five remaining injury activations.

Saints Place T Ryan Ramczyk On IR

December 30th, 2023 at 6:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Barring a deep playoff run on the part of the Saints, Ryan Ramczyk‘s season has come to an end. The veteran right tackle was placed on injured reserve Saturday, per a team announcement.

Ramczyk has been dealing with a knee injury which has forced him to miss the past two games. Today’s move comes after he was unable to practice at any point this week, so it is relatively unsurprising. Moving to IR guarantees at least a four-week absence, so the 29-year-old will not be able to return until at least the divisional round of the postseason.

Reaching that point will be a challenge for New Orleans, one of three teams still in the running for the top spot in the NFC South. Sitting at 7-8 on the season, though, the Saints trail the surging Buccaneers for the division lead. A wild-card berth will also be difficult to secure given the team’s situation in the standings and the growing list of starters set to miss the remainder of the campaign.

Both cornerback Marshon Lattimore and wideout Michael Thomas are not expected to return by the end of the regular season as they recover from their respective injuries. Their absences will hinder New Orleans’ chances of claiming a playoff spot, and the team’s underwhelming offense will remain shorthanded without Ramczyk in the fold. The latter has started all 12 games he has played this season, remaining one of the league’s top tackles by drawing a PFF grade of 73.5.

That figure represents the lowest of the former All-Pro’s career, a sign of his consistent high-level play when healthy. Ramczyk is under contract through 2026, and his most recent restructure leaves him with cap hits over $25MM in each of the next three seasons. A return to full health will thus be critical for him and the team this offseason. 2021 sixth-rounder Landon Young is in place to finish the season as New Orleans’ right tackle starter.

To fill Ramczyk’s roster spot, the Saints signed fellow O-lineman Cameron Erving to the active roster. He had been on the team’s practice squad since October, and he has made one appearance to date with New Orleans. Erving, 31, has played 96 games (57 starts) across his time with five teams in the league. He will provide experienced depth up front for the Saints as the team’s playoff push reaches it closing stage.

Commanders To Start Sam Howell In Week 17

December 30th, 2023 at 5:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

DEC 30: Despite the Commanders seemingly moving towards Brissett as their starter at quarterback for the remainder of the season following two consecutive games in which Howell was benched, it looks like injuries will keep Howell in place under center for this weekend, at least. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, Brissett will be sidelined in Week 17 with an aggravated hamstring injury. With Brissett out this week, Howell will return to the starting role. Practice squad pass Jake Fromm will be signed to the active roster in order to back up Howell against the 49ers.

Joining Fromm on the 53-man roster from the practice squad will be long snapper Tucker Addington and offensive tackle Alex Akingbulu. They will also be joined by safety Sean Chandler and cornerback Nick Whiteside, who will serve as standard gameday practice squad elevations tomorrow. Fromm, Addington, and Akingbulu will be filling the roster spots left vacant by offensive tackle Charles Leno, safety Percy Butler, and center Tyler Larsen, who were all placed on injured reserve today.

DEC 27: After an aggressive quarterback pursuit in 2022, the Commanders stood down this year and centered their offseason around Sam Howell‘s development. Howell has started throughout the season; that is about to change.

Washington has benched the second-year QB in back-to-back games, and after Jacoby Brissett provided a spark in each, Ron Rivera said the veteran will receive his first start of the season in Week 17. Brissett, who signed a one-year deal this offseason, has already started for four teams throughout his career. This will be Brissett’s 49th career start.

This decision can be interpreted in multiple ways. On one hand, Rivera is almost definitely coaching his final games with the Commanders. He has long been viewed as on his way out after his fourth season. Front office changes are also expected, so this staff’s view of Howell may not matter much. But the team has also been linked to pursuing another starter-caliber QB in 2024 to at least push Howell. The Patriots’ upset of the Broncos in Week 16 moved the 4-11 Commanders into the No. 3 draft slot, and with the Cardinals not certain to select a QB at No. 2 — where they currently reside — Washington could be in position to make a major investment in Josh Harris‘ first offseason running the show.

Brissett, 31, has started for the Patriots, Colts, Dolphins and Browns throughout an interesting eight-year career. He has been one of this era’s premier backups, being thrust into duty twice on short notice and again later due to Deshaun Watson‘s suspension. The Colts turned to Brissett soon after acquiring him via trade in 2017, with Andrew Luck‘s troublesome shoulder injury requiring a full-season absence. A better Brissett version resurfaced in 2019, when Luck abruptly retired. The Colts then gave their regularly used backup a two-year, $30MM extension. Brissett could not command those terms in 2021 (with the Dolphins) or ’22 (Browns), but he made 16 starts in that span.

The Commanders gave Brissett a one-year, $8MM deal in March. While the team held a competition for the starting job, the Howell praise that persisted during the offseason pointed to the second-year passer winning that battle. Howell has shown flashes, but after struggling during a Commanders six-game skid, the North Carolina product has encountered some early turbulence. Despite two games remaining, Howell has joined only Watson (2018) as QBs to be sacked at least 60 times in a season over the past 17 years. The North Carolina alum has been dropped 60 times this season. Howell also leads the NFL with 17 INTs.

This Brissett move likely ensures Howell will not move close to David Carr‘s single-season record for sacks taken (72 in 2002), but it also points him toward an uncertain path after making all 15 starts for the Commanders this season. The team initially turned to Howell in Week 18 of last season, with the rookie leapfrogging Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke on the depth chart. A new HC-GM combo will be poised to assess Howell in 2024.

Colts TE Andrew Ogletree Arrested

December 30th, 2023 at 4:25pm CST by Ben Levine

4:25PM: In the face of the domestic violence allegations Ogletree is facing, the NFL has placed the second-year player on the commissioner exempt permission list, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.

9:27AM: Colts tight end Andrew Ogletree was arrested yesterday and charged with domestic battery, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star.

According ESPN’s Stephen Holder, Ogletree was charged with two felonies: domestic violence committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old and domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury.

“We are aware of the disturbing allegations involving Drew Ogletree,” the Colts said in a statement (via Erickson). “The team takes these matters seriously. We have notified the NFL and are in the process of gathering more information. We will have no further comment at this time.”

According to the Avon, Indiana, police department (and passed along by Holder), the alleged incident took place on Tuesday evening. The responding office wrote in a probable cause statement that the victim was found in an upstairs bed room in pain. The woman claimed that Ogletree “body slammed” her during an argument. An arrest warrant was issued on Thursday before Ogletree turned himself in on Friday. According to Holder, Ogletree was arrested at 3:42 p.m. yesterday and had not been released as of Friday evening.

Ogletree was a sixth-round pick by the Colts in 2022. He sat out his rookie campaign while recovering from a torn ACL, but he returned in time for the start of the 2023 season. In 12 games (nine starts) this year, the tight end has collected nine catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns.

Packers Place CB Eric Stokes Back On IR

December 30th, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The 2023 season is going to be one to forget for Packers cornerback Eric Stokes. Two weeks after being activated from injured reserve, the 24-year-old out of Georgia will be headed back to IR for the remainder of the season. His 2023 season ends now after only three games played.

Stokes, a first-round pick out of Georgia two seasons ago, started out his career on a strong note. As a rookie, he missed only one game while starting 14. He put up strong numbers in pass defense, as well, recording an interception and 14 passes defensed. His sophomore season started off in a similar fashion. He started the first nine games of the season and recorded fewer stats, with quarterbacks targeting him at a much lower rate.

Unfortunately, this is when his injury troubles started. After structural damage was discovered in testing on ankle and knee injuries, Stokes was shut down for the second half of 2022. He was forced to undergo surgeries to his knee and foot in the offseason and faced a tough road back to a starting role with the emergence of Rasul Douglas across from Jaire Alexander and primary kick returner Keisean Nixon excelling in the slot.

Stokes started the 2023 season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and was finally activated in mid-October, days before the team completed a trade that sent Douglas to Buffalo. Perhaps expecting Stokes to slide back into the starting role, Green Bay was surely disappointed when, after only four special teams snaps, Stokes was placed back on IR with a hamstring injury.

In part of his long road to recovery, Stokes finally was activated once again in time to start the Packers’ last two games. Unfortunately for both parties, Stokes’ hamstring issue has lingered, forcing the young corner back onto IR in a solemn continuation of hardship. Assuming his absences cease in next year’s season opener, Stokes will have missed 22 of a possible 25 games dating back to the ankle injury that started it all last season.

With Alexander serving a team-enforced suspension for crashing an official coin toss despite not being named a captain for the game, Green Bay’s stores are looking fairly bare. Robert Rochell is currently questionable with a neck injury, leaving Nixon to start alongside the likes of rookie seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine, and David Long.

They will be joined by practice squad safety Benny Sapp III, who will serve as one of the team’s two standard gameday elevations tomorrow. In addition to Sapp, the Packers will also call up wide receiver Bo Melton.

Jaguars Activate OT Cam Robinson From IR

December 30th, 2023 at 12:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jaguars won’t have Trevor Lawrence under center against the Panthers tomorrow, but the team will welcome back their star offensive lineman. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Jaguars are activating left tackle Cam Robinson from injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the Jaguars have waived lineman Chandler Brewer (per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston).

[RELATED: Jaguars Rule Out QB Trevor Lawrence For Week 17]

After landing on injured reserve in November thanks to a knee injury, Robinson returned to Jaguars practice earlier this week. That opened the veteran’s 21-day activation window, and despite receiving an initial recovery timeline of up to six weeks, the Jaguars were confident in adding him to the active roster when first eligible.

The former second-round pick has spent his entire career in Jacksonville, starting all 82 of his regular-season appearances. Robinson missed the first four games of this season while serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, but he started each of the next seven games for Jacksonville. Pro Football Focus only has Robinson ranked 48th among 84 qualifying offensive tackles this season, but he is graded 12th at the position for pass blocking.

The Jaguars offensive line has struggled mightily this season, allowing 154 pressures…only 10 of which have been attributed to Robinson. While Lawrence won’t immediately benefit from the lineman’s return, there’s hope that the franchise QB will be back in the lineup for the regular-season finale.

Brewer spent most of this season on Jacksonville’s practice squad. He got into only one game following his November promotion, playing exclusively on special teams. The former UDFA spent the first few seasons of his career with the Rams, starting four of his 13 appearances.

Chiefs Activate WR Mecole Hardman

December 30th, 2023 at 11:43am CST by Ben Levine

The Chiefs are getting some much-needed receiver help. The team is activating wide receiver Mecole Hardman off injured reserve, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Chiefs have officially announced the move and confirmed that Hardman’s questionable injury designation has been removed.

After spending the first four seasons of his career in Kansas City, Hardman started the 2023 campaign with the Jets. However, he struggled to carve out a role in New York, and he was eventually traded to the Chiefs in October. Hardman got into four games with Kansas City before suffering a thumb injury that landed him on injured reserve.

The former second-round pick never transformed into the top-end WR that the Chiefs were hoping for. Even in his most productive season in 2021, Hardman still finished with only 59 catches for 693 yards, and following his trade back to Kansas City, he was only averaging two catches for about 10 yards per game.

However, the Chiefs could certainly use a spark in their receivers room. Rashee Rice has turned into a dependable target for Patrick Mahomes, with the rookie wideout hauling in 74 catches for 811 yards and seven touchdowns. However, the likes of Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, and Justin Watson have combined for only 74 catches for 832 yards and five touchdowns.

Hardman could see a role as soon as tomorrow against the Bengals. Toney is expected to be sidelined with a hip injury, meaning the recently-activated WR will join the likes of Watson, Moore, and Richie James behind Rice on the depth chart.

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