Today’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
Indianapolis Colts
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions
Jacksonville Jaguars
New York Jets
Germain Ifedi‘s underwhelming stint with the Bills has come to an end. The veteran offensive lineman joined the Bills this past offseason and was expected to provide some experienced depth. Instead, Ifedi was inactive for every game this season, and the Bills have decided his roster spot could be put to better use. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg believes this move will likely open a spot for defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
The Lions will be getting some reinforcement on both sides of the ball before the playoffs. The Lions designated linebacker James Houston to return from injured reserve today, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The team has also activated fullback Jason Cabinda off injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
Houston returned to practice today, starting his 21-day window to be activated. The second-year pro has been sidelined since the second game of the season thanks to a broken ankle he suffered during a kickoff.
The 2022 sixth-round pick spent a chunk of his rookie season on the practice squad before eventually earning a promotion to the active roster. He was a major contributor for the Lions down the stretch, collecting eight sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 11 QB hits in seven games (two starts).
The Lions could certainly use some pass-rush help opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Charles Harris has found himself in and out of the lineup, while the likes of Romeo Okwara and Julian Okwara have combined for only four sacks.
Cabinda has spent the past four-plus seasons in Detroit, appearing in 45 games while mostly serving as an extra blocker. The veteran last saw the field in Week 3, and he’s spent almost three months on IR while recovering from a knee injury.
Speaking with media for the first time since he was arrested on a domestic violence charge, Von Miller called the allegations against him “100% false.” The Bills pass rusher said the incident was overblown.
Miller, 34, turned himself into police and was charged with a third-degree felony on Nov. 30. After Miller was charged with assaulting a pregnant person, the NFL did not place the Bills pass rusher on the commissioner’s exempt list. He has remained active since the incident involving his girlfriend.
“Obviously there are things that I can’t talk about, but everything that was out is completely wrong and blown out of proportion on me and my girlfriend,” Miller said, via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia. “We have problems just like any other couple does, but it’s never been any of the things that was alleged against me. So hopefully over time, you know, all of this stuff will get cleared up. … The people who know me and the people who’ve been around me know my character. They know who I am.”
A police report indicates Miller and his girlfriend engaged in an argument last month. The dispute escalated to the point Miller is alleged to have told his girlfriend to leave their apartment and, as the woman attempted to, broke her laptop before shoving her. He is later alleged to have put his hands on her neck, applying pressure but not restricting the woman’s ability to breathe, and pulled out a chunk of her hair. Miller’s girlfriend told police she is six weeks pregnant. Treated at the scene for minor abrasions on her left hand and bruising on her neck, the woman was not hospitalized.
Miller’s girlfriend said shortly after the veteran defender’s arrest that she was not assaulted, indicating the incident was “blown way out of context.” The woman, who is the mother of Miller’s two children, called the developments surrounding the couple “outrageous,” but the 13th-year veteran still faces the charge. When asked what about the charge was wrong, Miller said (via Buscaglia) “all of it is incorrect.”
“It is 100% false,” Miller said of the assault allegation. “It’s overblown. You know, I’ve got the right people on the job and you just you just keep pushing. I know who I am. I know my character. I know the type of person that I am. I know me and my my girlfriend’s relationship. So you just got to keep pushing, man. Life just lifes. You got to smile and have fun through it all. Especially when, you know, all the stuff is untrue.”
Even if the charge is dropped, Miller could still face an NFL suspension. A ban could affect his future with the Bills. A suspension under the personal conduct policy would remove Miller’s $10.7MM in 2024 guarantees from the equation. Around $22MM in prorated bonus money — on the six-year, $120MM deal the ex-Broncos and Rams superstar signed in 2022 — would move onto the Bills’ 2024 cap sheet if they cut Miller next year following a suspension. A post-June 1 designation would spread that total over two years. If Miller is not suspended, the Bills would face a $32MM dead-money charge if they released him in 2024.
Since coming back from the second ACL tear of his career, Miller has struggled. He does not have a sack in 11 games, working as a backup, and has made just three tackles this season. That represents a steep decline from his 2022 form; Miller notched eight sacks before going down with the knee injury on Thanksgiving Day last year.
3:19pm: Stroud will be back under center after two missed games. Following his return to practice, Stroud has cleared concussion protocol. The Texans removed the rookie standout from their injury report, putting him on track to return to action in Week 17.
11:12am: Continuing to make progress in his recovery from a concussion, C.J. Stroud has taken another important step forward. The Texans quarterback has resumed practicing, an encouraging sign for his Week 17 availability. 
As detailed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, Stroud is now in the fourth of five stages in the league’s concussion protocol. As a result, he remains on track to receive clearance in time for Houston’s New Year’s Eve game against the Titans. That is the expected return date for the Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, and such a development would do wonders for the Texans’ playoff push.
Stroud has missed the past two games, and Houston surprisingly turned to Case Keenum in his place. The latter helped lead the team to an overtime victory in his 2023 debut, but he struggled last week against the Browns. Keenum was benched mid-game in favor of Davis Mills, who has spent much of the year as Stroud’s backup. Having their starter back in the lineup would give a critical boost to the Texans’ offense, a unit which has generally impressed in 2023.
The No. 2 pick has posted 3,631 passing yards while posting a 20:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio in his rookie year. Stroud has added 143 yards and another three scores on the ground, part of his overall ability to guide a transitioning Texans team toward an unexpected playoff berth. Sitting at 8-7, Houston still has a chance to win the AFC South or secure a wild-card spot.
Having a healthy Stroud in place would be a signficant development considering the number of backup quarterbacks in place throughout the AFC playoff picture. The Ohio State product still has work to do to clear the final stage of the protocol, so his continued improvement over the coming days will be a story to follow closely. As was the case over the weekend, though, signs point to a crucial late-season return.
The Buccaneers have enjoyed a late surge in the 2023 season, and the team is positioned to once again win the NFC South. A large part of the their success is due to the play of quarterback Baker Mayfield, but also the performance of the coach overseeing their offense. 
OC Dave Canales joined the Buccaneers this offseason after a lengthy tenure with the Seahawks. The 42-year-old interviewed twice with Baltimore, but he ultimately took the Tampa Bay opening in the first coordinator posting of his NFL coaching career. Things have gone well so far, considering the team’s four-game winning streak and the value Mayfield has shown in his debut Bucs campaign.
The former No. 1 pick has played his way into a signficant raise in 2024, something which could very well come from a Tampa Bay extension. Canales may not be in place by the start of next season, however. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports he is a candidate for the 2024 head coaching cycle. That adds him to the list of offensive staffers likely to receive interviews in the winter.
Lions OC Ben Johnson is arguably the top name on the market this year, and he has already been linked to multiple openings. Enjoying a successful return to the NFL coaching ranks, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has likewise had his name floated as a HC candidate. Canales could represent a third option from an OC background for teams in search of help on that side of the ball.
Tampa Bay has had an up-and-down campaign in 2023, leading to a number of middling statistical outputs. The team’s struggles in the ground game from last season have persisted under Canales; the Bucs rank 30th in the league with an average of only 89 rushing yards per contest. The team has been better through the air, though, which has resulted in a mid-pack performance in terms of scoring (21.7 points per game).
Tampa Bay’s output has increased during the team’s current hot streak, which has no doubt helped Canales’ case for earning HC consideration. Still, the fact he will have only one season of coordinator experience by the time the 2024 cycle kicks off will hurt his chances compared to many other candidates. A strong final two weeks of the campaign, along with an impressive showing in the postseason (should the team qualify) could further bolster his odds of receiving a look for a head coach position in the near future, however.
A decision has emerged with respect to Minnesota’s quarterback plans to close out the season. Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced on Thursday that Jaren Hall will start in Week 17. 
Signs pointed to another change under center in the aftermath of Nick Mullens throwing four interceptions in the Vikings’ loss last week. O’Connell acknowledged a decision would need to be made in the coming days, and first-team reps were split at practice to begin the week. Now, Hall will be entrusted with his second career start in a crucial game as it pertains to Minnesota’s playoff hopes.
In the wake of Kirk Cousins suffering an Achilles tear, the Vikings have struggled to find a consistent replacement at the QB spot. Mullens was injured at the time Cousins went down, which thrust Hall into action. The latter, a fifth-round rookie, suffered a concussion and was forced to exit his debut as a starter. That paved the way for Josh Dobbs to take over immediately upon arrival with the team after he was acquired at the trade deadline.
Dobbs enjoyed a surprising run at first, but his struggles led to Mullens being installed as the starter. The most experienced healthy option at the position, Mullens threw for over 700 yards in his two starts, both of which resulted in losses. A major reason for that was his six interceptions, something O’Connell referenced when making the announcement of the decision to return to Hall. In a pair of appearances this regular season, the BYU alum has thrown a total of 10 passes.
Despite that tangible lack of experience, Hall will be counted on to keep Minnesota in reach of a playoff position. Top spot in the NFC North is no longer attainable, but a wild-card berth is. The Vikings play the Packers on New Year’s Eve before a rematch with the Lions to close out the regular season. Sitting at 7-8 at the moment, Minnesota will need to win both to have a chance at a postseason appearance. Much of whether or not that is achieved will depend on the latest switch under center.
The 2024 NFL draft is expected to feature a number of high-profile wideouts, and the list of options available at the position has grown. Florida State’s Keon Coleman has declared for the draft, as noted by ESPN’s Jordan Reid. 
While Ohio State phenom Marvin Harrison Jr. is widely regarded as a top-three prospect, Coleman is one of several receivers who are expected to hear their names called on Day 1 this April. The latter flashed potential in his sophomore season with Michigan State, totaling 798 yards and seven touchdowns on 58 catches. Upon transferring to Florida State, expectations were high for the 2023 season.
Coleman did not disappoint in his first and only campaign with the Seminoles. Early in the season in particular, he showcased his basketball background and skillset as a jump-ball specialist. After Florida State lost quarterback Jordan Travis for the season, the team’s offense took a step back and Coleman’s production suffered as a result. Still, he posted 50 receptions, 658 yards and an ACC-leading 11 touchdowns across 12 games.
Those totals – along with his 6-4, 210-pound frame – have put Coleman firmly on the first-round radar. The Athletic currently has him rated as the No. 17 overall prospect, and fourth amongst receivers (subscription required). Likewise, ESPN’s Matt Miller slots Coleman 11th overall, behind the same trio of WR prospects (Harrison, Washington’s Rome Odunze and LSU’s Malik Nabers).
By declaring for the draft, Coleman joins fellow Seminole Jared Verse in making the decision to turn pro. The latter is seen as one of the top edge rushing prospects in the 2024 class, giving him a strong chance of being a Day 1 selection. The same is true of Coleman, who will profile as a top option on 50-50 balls and in the red zone right away upon entry into the NFL.
The Broncos made a potentially franchise-altering move on Wednesday by benching Russell Wilson. Given his struggles in Denver across the past two seasons and the nature of his contract, it is widely believed his time with the team has come to an end. 
In the wake of the news regarding Wilson’s demotion, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reported the Broncos first threatened to bench Wilson after their upset win over the Chiefs on October 29. The reason for that action, both then and with today’s move of making it official, he notes, was tied to the timing of Wilson’s 2025 injury guarantee. If on the roster on the fifth day of the 2024 league year, Wilson’s mega-pact would trigger $37MM in 2025 money.
Schultz adds the Broncos asked the former Super Bowl winner to delay the time at which that clause kicked in. Further reports (including from Denver7’s Troy Renck) have corroborated that, with the latter noting the Broncos intended to have Wilson compete for the starting role this offseason without having a guarantee in place for the following year. To no surprise, the 35-year-old did not acquiesce to that plan.
During the time after Denver’s attempt to remove the 2025 guarantees, the NFL, NFLPA and an “unknown party” took part in negotiations over the matter, per Schultz and Mark Maske of the Washington Post. In the end, no adjustments were made to Wilson’s contract, leaving the Broncos in a unenviable financial position. With a substantial dead cap charge looming, the team is positioned to release him and begin another search process for a long-term answer under center.
When addressing the matter publicly, head coach Sean Payton admitted that “economics” were a factor in the decision to essentially put a firm end to the Wilson era in the Mile High City. Since he will dress as the backup this week, though, the possibility remains the longtime Seahawk could be thrust back into action and thus put himself at risk for injury. Still alive for the playoffs, Denver’s middling offense will rely on Jarrett Stidham at the QB spot to finish the season.
Following that, Payton (whose relationship with Wilson has been the source of plenty of speculation during the year) will likely be heavily involved in the search process for a new quarterback. That, coupled with Wilson’s first career foray into free agency – presuming the team follows through with his release – will be among the league’s top 2024 offseason storylines.
With a Week 16 loss to the Patriots effectively closing the door on the Broncos’ playoff hopes, the Russell Wilson watch has begun in Denver. As Sean Payton was not with the team when it acquired the longtime Seahawks star last year, the 2024 offseason has been viewed as a key point on the Broncos’ timeline.
It could also soon be a key chapter in NFL transaction history. Sitting at 7-8, the Broncos will bench Wilson. Payton informed the team Jarrett Stidham will start in Week 17, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. After the Broncos followed up a five-game win streak with a 1-3 stretch, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported the team was considering this move — one aimed at ensuring Wilson stays healthy before a pivotal offseason physical.
While Wilson has played much better this season, he has not justified the Broncos’ trade cost. The team sent an eight-asset package to Seattle, which included two first-round picks and two second-rounders. That decision came just after Aaron Rodgers — a multiyear Broncos target — agreed to a Packers extension. More importantly, the extension the Broncos gave Wilson just before last season creates a complex situation for the improved team.
The Broncos signed Wilson to a five-year, $245MM extension last summer; that deal came with $124MM fully guaranteed. The team had Wilson on a Seahawks-constructed contract ($35MM per year) through 2024, but it wanted to beat this year’s extension surge, leading to the $49MM-AAV re-up. Wilson waiving his no-trade clause for Denver always pointed to a new deal in 2022, but that turned out to be the wrong play. Even considering this year’s improvement, Wilson has not moved the needle for a Broncos team that has not found an upper-crust replacement for Peyton Manning since his 2016 retirement. Stidham will be the Broncos’ 14th starting QB post-Manning.
The Broncos can protect themselves against a $37MM guarantee (Wilson’s 2025 base salary) vesting in 2024, but the team cutting Wilson would create a staggering dead-money total. Even if the Broncos release Wilson with a post-June 1 designation — which would assuredly be the move if they are indeed cutting the cord — they would take on $35MM in dead money next year, according to OverTheCap. That would approach a record in itself, but this move would also bring a $49.6MM dead-money blow for 2025. Considering Matt Ryan‘s $40.5MM dead-money total from 2022 remains the single-player record, the Broncos would be sailing into uncharted waters — a two-offseason dead-cap total of $84.6MM associated with Wilson’s contract — if they cut their top quarterback next year.
On Day 5 of the 2024 league year, that $37MM guarantee vests if Wilson remains on the Broncos’ roster. That number is guaranteed for injury only until that March date, when it shifts to a full guarantee. But $68MM in bonus prorations from 2024-28 are also part of this equation, which stands to lead to the dead-money bloodbath.
Wilson’s contract containing a year-out guarantee, which is common among today’s high-profile deals, will force the Broncos’ hand early. If Wilson’s 2025 base salary locks in come March, the Broncos would still be tagged with $86.6MM in dead money (the $37MM base plus the $49.6MM in prorated bonuses from 2025-28) if they cut the decorated QB in 2025 rather than 2024. If Payton has deemed this a substandard fit, it behooves the Broncos to absorb this unprecedented financial blow early. Offset language does exist in Wilson’s deal, which would provide some relief once the 12th-year veteran lands elsewhere, OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald adds.
This scenario is eerily similar to the one the Raiders encountered with Derek Carr. Once again, Stidham is the player who would move into the starting lineup in the event of a protection-based benching. Deciding early to bail on the Carr extension that included a February 2023 guarantee vesting date, the Raiders parked Carr on the bench — though, he left the team to avoid becoming a distraction — ahead of Week 17 last season.
Stidham started the Raiders’ final two games last season, creating a QB2 market. The Broncos gave the ex-Patriots draftee a two-year, $10MM deal to back up Wilson, beating out a Raiders offer. Unlike Carr, Wilson will not leave his team. He will dress as Denver’s QB2 against the Chargers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
Wilson ranks seventh in passer rating, throwing 26 touchdown passes — after he tossed just 16 last season — compared to just eight interceptions. But the Broncos have not exactly deployed an explosive offense. It ranks 16th in points scored, though that is up from 32nd last year, and 16th in DVOA. Wilson’s relative bounce-back effort notwithstanding, the team remains limited through the air. Payton has restrained Wilson to a degree, and the Broncos have largely relied on short passes or deep shots to Courtland Sutton during their rebound from a 1-5 start. The 35-year-old passer ranks 21st in QBR, and new regimes are more willing to take on dead money associated with players brought in under previous staffs.
Technically, this is not a new regime. GM George Paton remains, but it is widely assumed Payton is calling the shots in Denver. Paton, who was in place for the Wilson extension and Nathaniel Hackett‘s one-and-done, has been linked to being on thin ice. A move to bench Wilson to protect against an injury affecting his contract status may well precede Paton exiting in 2024. The coach Paton traded for this offseason has not meshed especially well with Wilson, whose skillset differs from Drew Brees‘.
For Wilson, this obviously represents new territory. Although the two-time Super Bowl starter submitted a shockingly mediocre season under Hackett, the Broncos did not bench him last season. The nine-time Pro Bowler moving closer to his Seahawks form under Payton may keep the Hall of Fame in play — though, this Denver tenure does inject an interesting chapter — but this benching points to him being available in 2024. Considering this is not a tradeable contract, Wilson is moving toward becoming a free agent for the first time.
This imminent separation will put the Broncos in the market for a new quarterback soon. The team’s recovery from its 1-5 start will make that more difficult, as its draft slot has dropped to 14th. Should the Broncos follow through on their now-expected Wilson release in 2024, it will be interesting to see if a team would be willing to provide another starting opportunity for the ex-Seattle iron man. Wilson is the only player in NFL history with over 40,000 passing yards and 5,000 rushing yards. After being hesitant to run much under Hackett, Wilson has regularly helped the 2023 Broncos by scrambling (341 rushing yards).
While it is clear Wilson is past his prime, he has played a key role in the Broncos’ surprising playoff push — one that Stidham now controls. ESPN’s FPI gives the Broncos just a 5.6% chance to qualify. Against those long odds, the team will soon began a look toward the future.