HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

NFL Issues New Rules For IR Activations

June 20th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Here at Pro Football Rumors, our main focus is on transactions. We are sure to note any time a player is placed on injured reserve, and not only do we make sure to cover any activations from IR, but we also track the number activations each team uses in accordance with the IR activation rules. In 2024, those rules will be slightly different, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The main spirit of the rules will remain the same. Throughout the regular season and postseason, each NFL squad will have the ability to designate a player on its IR for return. Over the course of the regular season, each team will be able to make such a designation eight times.

Once placed on IR, a player will be forced to miss four games before they are eligible to return to the active roster. Once designated to return from IR, that player will have a 21-day window during which they can practice with their team before ultimately being activated from IR. If, by the end of the 21-day practice window, that team makes the decision not to return the player to the active roster, that player will be forced to remain on IR for the remainder of the season. If a player returns from IR in the season and gets hurt again, they are able to be designated for return once more but only twice in a single season. Both designations count against the team’s restricted count for the season.

There are two main changes with the rule: one pertaining to the start of the season and one pertaining to the postseason. Before the new rule, any player placed on IR before the start of the regular season would not be eligible to return later in the season. In order to be eligible for return, a player injured before the season began would need to spend one day after final roster cuts on the 53-man roster before then being placed on IR. The new rule stipulates that, on the final day of roster cuts, teams can now designate two players on its preseason IR list for return. Those two players will count against the team’s allotted eight for the regular season, but teams will now have two extra spots on the 53-man roster to hold on to fringe players who otherwise would become free agents before potentially signing to the practice squad.

The postseason rule change sees each team granted two additional designations in the postseason. If a team has utilized all eight of their designations from the regular season, they will be granted two more in the postseason; if a team has utilized zero designations throughout the regular season, they will now have 10 usable designations in the postseason. This allows teams to be a bit more judicious in how they will utilize their remaining designations late in the season if they are on track to make the playoffs.

While the postseason rule change is grabbing more headlines, the preseason designation allowance is, perhaps, far more impactful. In the end, only 14 playoff teams will be able to utilize the postseason rule, allowing for 28 additional players to return in the final month of the season, assuming every team utilizes all of its remaining designations and the recovery of key athletes just happens to align with that timeline.

With the new preseason rule, teams will no longer have to reserve space on their initial 53-man rosters for players who cannot play but could return later in the season. Or, at least, they won’t have to reserve two spots on the initial 53-man roster for those players. If every team decides to utilize this new rule, that would mean 64 players would get roster spots who otherwise would not have made the final roster with the rules from 2023. And teams will now have two players apiece whom they will not have to give up to the waiver wire and free agency at the end of August.

49ers Sign First-Round WR Ricky Pearsall, Wrap Up Draft Class Signings

June 20th, 2024 at 8:39pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers wrapped up their rookie draft class contracts today, inking their first-round pick, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. With their rookie contracts done, San Francisco’s front office can shift their focus toward the other priorities of the offseason.

Pearsall benefitted from a busy first round that featured an unprecedented run of offensive prospects to start the night. Despite being projected by some outlets as a second- or third-round pick, Pearsall found himself getting selected at the back of the first round as the sixth wide receiver off the board and one of seven on Day 1.

Pearsall, an Arizona-native, originally opted to attend college at nearby, in-state Arizona State, seeing minimal time in his first two years with the Sun Devils. In his third year with the team, Pearsall became a full-time starter, leading the team in all three receiving categories with 48 receptions, 580 receiving yards, and four touchdowns off of the arm of this year’s No. 2 overall pick, Jayden Daniels.

Like Daniels, Pearsall hit the transfer portal after 2021 and headed to the SEC, joining the Gators in Gainesville. In his first year with the team, Pearsall led Florida with 661 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions. With a new quarterback in 2023, Pearsall continued to lead the Gators in receiving production with 65 catches for 965 yards. His college offenses also took advantage of his speed on the ground. Over his five years, he added 21 rushes for 253 yards and five rushing touchdowns to his ledger.

In San Francisco, Pearsall comes in as the prototypical style of wide receiver that the 49ers love. Along with the advantage of having already shared a wide receivers room with Brandon Aiyuk in Tempe, Pearsall was utilized in Gainesville in a very similar fashion to the team’s other top wideout, Deebo Samuel. Pearsall’s abilities made him usable all over the field, much in the same way Samuel is currently utilized in San Francisco. While Pearsall may not be ready to step into that role right away, his presence makes a potential Samuel-departure in the future much easier to stomach.

With Pearsall’s contract taken care of, only eight rookie draft picks remain unsigned: Chicago’s Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr., Cincinnati’s Amarius Mims, New York’s Malachi Corley, and Arizona’s Trey Benson.

Here’s a breakdown of the entire 2024 rookie class for the 49ers:

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/20/24

June 20th, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Thursday’s minor NFL transactions:

Denver Broncos

  • Waived: LB Alec Mock

Jacksonville Jaguars

Today’s minor moves are the side effects of recent signings by both teams. The Broncos needed to make room after signing recent UFL champion linebacker Dondrea Tillman. Mock, one of this year’s class of undrafted free agents, finds himself off the roster as a result. The Air Force-product will still have the option to sign with another squad this summer.

McGowan’s release comes as a result of today’s signing of Denzel Mims. The WR corps in Jacksonville will have quite a different look, besides Christian Kirk and a few other faces, but it’s quickly gotten crowded with the addition of Mims, pushing out McGowan, who signed just six days ago.

Broncos’ Riley Moss ‘Firmly In Mix’ To Start

June 20th, 2024 at 6:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos have identified a star cornerback in Patrick Surtain; the fourth-year player is a clear extension candidate. Last season also featured the emergence of slot defender Ja’Quan McMillian. With two regular spots locked down, Denver will still go into training camp with uncertainty at the position.

After Week 1 starter Damarri Mathis did not pan out in DC Vance Joseph‘s first season back with the team, the Broncos received better play from replacement Fabian Moreau. The latter is no longer on the roster, opening the door to a CB2 battle featuring a host of players. While none appears a true frontrunner, the team’s investment in Riley Moss remains notable.

Denver sent Seattle a 2024 third-round pick to trade up for the Iowa corner in the 2023 third round, but an offseason injury — requiring sports hernia surgery — sidetracked the rookie’s season. Moss played only 23 defensive snaps last year, but he is a clear candidate to man the boundary spot opposite Surtain. Moss is “firmly in the mix” for the job, per the Denver Post’s Troy Renck, with colleague Parker Gabriel indicating the second-year CB will be given every chance to land the gig after an impressive offseason.

Moss’ primary competitors appear to be Mathis and free agency addition Levi Wallace. Mathis replaced an injured Ronald Darby in Denver’s lineup early in the 2022 season but could not sustain his momentum last year. The former fourth-round pick did not exceed nine defensive snaps in any game following his Week 7 benching, playing zero snaps in six of the team’s final seven contests.

Wallace, who turned 29 last week, spent the past two seasons with the Steelers. An ex-Bills starter, Wallace also saw his role change in-season. The former UDFA shifted to a backup role midseason and did not return to starter duty until injuries affected Pittsburgh’s depth chart in late December. Pro Football Focus rated Wallace 88th among CBs last season, and despite a reduced workload, the six-year veteran allowed six touchdown passes as the closest defender.

The Broncos will give the 6-foot defender a chance to bounce back, though they only authorized a one-year deal worth $1.29MM ($668K guaranteed). Denver also drafted Missouri’s Kris Abrams-Draine in the fifth round, but he may not be thrown into the mix immediately.

The team’s positional makeup ahead of camp points to Moss being the preferred option. He was drafted under Sean Payton — whereas Mathis arrived during the Nathaniel Hackett-Ejiro Evero year — to play in Joseph’s scheme. The Broncos moved up 25 draft slots to acquire Moss, giving up one of their 2024 third-round picks — they received another from the Saints in the swap for Payton’s rights — to obtain him.

A former Iowa high school 110-meter hurdles champion, Moss moved from two-star recruit to Hawkeyes regular. The 6-foot defender intercepted 11 passes in his five college seasons, playing alongside Eagles second-round pick Cooper DeJean. Moss earned first-team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2021 and ’22.

Moss will obviously be attempting to break norms as a white NFL cornerback; no team has started a white corner since the Bengals’ Kevin Kaesviharn in 2003, Renck adds. Kaesviharn moved to safety soon after, spending much of his nine-year career there. Jason Sehorn, a Giants starter from 1996-2002, resides as the NFL’s last long-term white CB.

Whomever the Broncos decide to use as their primary CB2 starter will certainly be tested regularly, as teams will undoubtedly target the to-be-determined player with Surtain patrolling the other side. Moss showing he can stick at the position would give the Broncos a low-cost answer opposite Surtain, who could make a case to become the NFL’s highest-paid CB by a wide margin — considering the current gap between the wide receiver ceiling and the top CB number ($21MM AAV presently) — this offseason or in 2025.

If this competition underwhelms, the Broncos would have some options — should they seek more outside help. Adoree’ Jackson remains unsigned, as do Xavien Howard, Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson and likely Hall of Famer Patrick Peterson. Though, Peterson and Gilmore will each turn 34 soon. It stands to reason most of this lot will find jobs soon. Considering the Broncos’ situation, it would not exactly surprise to see them connected to one of them.

Bears To Feature Training Camp Center Competition; RG Spot Uncertain?

June 20th, 2024 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears have two veteran options for their center spot, adding both players — Ryan Bates, Coleman Shelton — this offseason. These additions have not produced a starter-swingman hierarchy just yet, with a training camp battle on tap.

Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan said (via The Athletic’s Adam Jahns) Bates and Shelton will match up for the job once the pads come on. The Bears have eyed Bates for a bit, having signed him to an RFA offer sheet — one the Bills ended up matching — in 2022. But the veteran guard worked as a Buffalo backup in 2023. Shelton, conversely, worked as a starter throughout last season with the Rams.

Before Chicago’s offseason program began, a rumor pointed to Bates having a better shot at claiming the job despite his 2023 second-string role. The Bears designed his current four-year, $17MM contract, and although the team changed offensive coordinators since that point, Morgan remains in place as Chicago’s O-line coach. Shelton signed a one-year, $3MM Bears deal.

Bates, 27, has made 19 career starts. Almost all of those came in 2022, when the Bills matched the offer sheet. Pro Football Focus ranked Bates 41st among guards in 2022, and he lost a position battle to second-round pick O’Cyrus Torrence. The latter’s assimilation provided the Bills some stability, and they deemed Bates expendable (for a fifth-round pick) this offseason. Although the Bills rostered Mitch Morse throughout Bates’ Buffalo stay, Bates saw 135 snaps at center in 2022 and played there sparingly in 2021 and ’23.

Shelton, 29 next month, started all 18 Rams games last season and made 13 starts for an injury-battered 2022 Los Angeles team. While the Rams were interested in re-signing Shelton, they doled out two high-priced guard deals (to Kevin Dotson and Jonah Jackson) and are moving Steve Avila to center. A former UDFA, Shelton only played center in 2023; PFF slotted him 17th at the position. Shelton played mostly center for the Rams in 2022, but he also logged 258 snaps at guard. Shelton and Bates’ guard work could be notable as well.

The Bears gave four-year Titans starter Nate Davis a three-year, $30MM pact and installed him at right guard, moving ascending blocker Teven Jenkins to left guard last year. PFF slotted Davis 58th among guards in his Bears debut, and Jahns expects the team to have the former Tennessee starter battle for a starting job as well. Davis’ $8.75MM 2024 base salary is guaranteed; his 2025 compensation is not.

On Titans teams that regularly battled extensive injury trouble, Davis did miss 12 regular-season games from 2019-22. He started 54 over the course of his rookie contract, however, and impressed, leading to the Bears authorizing $17.5MM guaranteed at signing. An additional $1.75MM locked in for Davis in March. But the former third-round pick missed six games last season.

Third-round pick Kiram Amegadjie played guard at points at Yale, though he his final full season (2022) came at left tackle. His final college season ended early due to quad surgery. An Ivy League-to-NFL transition will naturally be difficult, especially coming off injury, but Amegadjie could also give the Bears an option at some point.

The door may well be open for both Bates and Shelton to start in 2024, with Amegadjie a wild card as a developmental blocker. Though, Davis certainly will have a chance to keep his job.

Packers Claim K James Turner

June 20th, 2024 at 3:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Perhaps the Packers will indeed go into training camp with three kickers. After the team waived Jack Podlesny to bring its kicker count to two post-minicamp, another specialist is now on the roster.

Green Bay submitted a successful waiver claim for James Turner on Thursday, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. The Lions waived Turner to make room for UFL addition Jake Bates. Turner will join Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph on the Packers’ 90-man offseason roster.

While Podlesny was given a reserve/futures deal in January, Turner entered the league as a UDFA months later. He spent the past four years as a primary kicker, first at Louisville before a final season at Michigan. Turner’s transfer allowed him to kick for the national championship-winning Wolverines last season.

Turner served as Louisville’s primary kicker from 2020-22 before using his COVID-19 year of eligibility at the Big Ten program. Turner made 90.9% of his field goal tries during his final season at the ACC school (20-for-22); he connected on 85.7% of his tries (18-for-21) with the Big Ten program. While Turner struggled with the Cardinals in 2021, his past two years served as a rebound of sorts. Turner showed enough to secure an offseason commitment from the Lions, but the UFL’s Michigan team ended up affecting the NFL club’s kicker setup.

The Packers used a sixth-round pick on Carlson last year, and he replaced 16-year kicker Mason Crosby. Counting the playoffs, Carlson missed six extra points last season and misfired on four field goals in the regular season’s second half — before missing a 41-yarder in a three-point divisional-round loss to the 49ers. The Packers added Joseph in late March.

A recent rumor about the Packers considering a three-kicker training camp competition lost some steam with the Podlesny move, but Green Bay will use Detroit’s recent UFL addition to keep that reality in play.

Browns DE Lonnie Phelps Arrested For DUI

June 20th, 2024 at 3:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

3:08pm: The Browns have cut ties with the recently arrested defender. The team announced Thursday afternoon it waived Phelps.

1:19pm: Lonnie Phelps was arrested Wednesday night after he crashed his SUV into a Key West restaurant, as detailed by 7News Miami. The second-year Browns defensive end now faces charges for DUI and damaging property.

Phelps’ vehicle crashed into the Red Shoe Island Bistro just before 9:00pm on June 19 with the passenger side “embedded in the wall,” per the police report. The Hyundai SUV also sustained damage in the front, and airbags on both sides deployed. Phelps and his girlfriend were present at the time of the crash.

The parties were seen arguing upon exiting the vehicle, and the report indicates Phelps showed signs of intoxication. He refused a breathalyzer test and was uncooperative with officers before ultimately being booked into the Monroe County Detention Center. Damages from the crash have been estimated at $300K.

Phelps joined the Browns last spring as an undrafted free agent. He spent his first three college seasons at Miami (Ohio), collecting 16 sacks in 38 games. Transferring to Kansas in 2022 paved the way for him to have a strong final campaign at the college level with seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Phelps did not see any game time as a rookie, but he remained in Cleveland by signing a futures contract in January.

The Browns’ edge group contains the likes of Myles Garrett, Za’Darius Smith, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Alex Wright. That quartet consists of returning players, and they will be expected to shoulder the load once again during the 2024 campaign. Phelps will again look to carve out a roster spot during training camp this summer if Cleveland elects to keep him in the fold. If the team were to let him go, he would be subject to waivers.

Chiefs Plan To Have S Justin Reid Handle Kickoffs

June 20th, 2024 at 2:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s new kickoff rules are expected to bring about an uptick in the rate of returns and many teams may prioritize size and tackling on kick coverage teams compared to years past. In the case of the Chiefs, that may very well include Justin Reid handling kickoff duties.

The veteran safety said during an appearance on Chris Long’s Green Light Podcast that Kansas City plans on using him (rather than kicker Harrison Butker) on kickoffs. With more returns set to take place in 2024, adding a defender to the coverage team would provide an upgrade in terms of tackling compared to kickers. That is the thought process behind this projected move.

“The advantage for us is that if I’m doing the job – which is what we’re planning on doing – then I can fill that last gap, so it makes it a little bit easier and nobody needs to win two gaps,” Reid explained. The 27-year-old has previously filled in for Butker as an emergency kicker handling field goal and extra point duties as well as kickoffs.

“We’re in a great place with it,” head coach Andy Reid added. “Although I know [Butker] can make some tackles, I think he’s excited to preserve himself, and we can use him where we really need him, which is those fourth-quarter situations to go nail a 60-yard field goal and win the game. It would be devastating to try and trot a guy out there who’s still nicked up from trying to make a tackle in the second quarter.”

Plenty is unknown regarding how the new, XFL-style kickoff alignment will shake out and the manner in which teams will react to it. If the Chiefs do manage to find success by replacing Butker with Reid, though, it will be interesting to see how many teams mimic their approach. Of course, the chance of injury is present for the latter, an important member of Kansas City’s defense.

Reid signed a three-year, $31.5MM deal with the Chiefs in 2022. The former Texan has served as a full-time defensive starter since then, racking up 178 tackles and 14 pass deflections along the way while helping the team win consecutive Super Bowls. An injury suffered on special teams would leave Kansas City without a key member of the secondary, but the team is prepared to at least begin the campaign by accepting that risk.

49ers TE George Kittle Addresses Recovery From Core Muscle Surgery

June 20th, 2024 at 12:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

George Kittle took part in the 49ers’ run to the Super Bowl, but he did so at less than full strength. The All-Pro tight end underwent core muscle surgery in the offseason, and he recently provided an update on his recovery.

“It was tough, but I’m feeling great now, which is fantastic,” Kittle said during an appearance on the Bussin’ With the Boys Podcast (h/t Will Simonds of NBC Sports Bay Area). “I’d say I’m almost back to 100 percent.”

That falls in line with an update Kittle provided on his condition. The 30-year-old is aiming to take part in training camp next month, and if his rehab continues to progress as planned that should take place. In addition to the core muscle injury, though, Kittle dealt with rib and toe ailments which left him unable to work out for a stretch following the Super Bowl.

“I couldn’t lift,” the three-time Pro Bowler added. “I couldn’t do any upper body because of my shoulder and my rib, and I couldn’t do lower [body] because of my core surgery… I didn’t lift from the Super Bowl until like almost mid-March. I went a month without doing anything, I wasn’t supposed to do anything.”

Kittle noted that the layoff resulted in the loss of nearly 30 pounds. He has since regained most of that, and the time remaining until training camp opens should allow him to return to his playing weight. Expectations will be high for the Iowa alum in his seventh 49ers campaign after he topped 1,000 yards for the third time in his career last season. Kittle is a key part of San Francisco’s offense nucleus, a unit which should remain intact for at least one more year.

Beyond that, the former fifth-rounder is among the players who could attempt to land an extension including new guaranteed money. Much of Kittle’s approach on that front will depend on his performance in 2024. Provided he can recover in full over the coming weeks, he will be positioned for another productive season.

Saints To Sign S Roderic Teamer

June 20th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Adam La Rose

Roderic Teamer‘s Saints audition has proven to be a success. The veteran safety has a deal in place with his hometown team, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football reports.

Teamer joined wideout Russell Gage in working out with the Saints last week. The latter remains unsigned at this point, but the former will now have the opportunity to carve out a depth role during training camp and the preseason. Teamer has 40 games and 11 starts to his name dating back to his time with the Chargers and Raiders.

The Tulane alum saw part-time defensive duties with Vegas in 2021 and ’22, and he matched his career high with 40 tackles during the former campaign. Last season, he made six appearances before a DUI arrest led to his release. Teamer was previously suspended four games for a substance-abuse policy violation in 2020.

Since his single season with the Bolts, the former UDFA has primarily seen the field on special teams. That will likely be the case in New Orleans if Teamer manages to survive roster cutdowns. The Saints have Tyrann Mathieu in place to reprise his starting duties in 2024, although the team released Marcus Maye in February. That has paved the way for Jordan Howden to take on an increased workload, but a depth spot could be available for Teamer.

The Saints have a number of options in place regarding special teams contributors, including J.T. Gray and Jonathan Abram. Teamer’s third phase performance over the summer will thus be a critical in determining whether or not he lands a roster spot. New Orleans entered Thursday with just over $12MM in cap space, so this deal (which will no doubt be worth the veteran’s minimum) should not drastically impact the team’s financial outlook.

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