HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Jaguars Finalize 53-Man Roster

August 27th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars have unveiled their list of cuts and other roster moves which will bring the team to the 53-man limit ahead of today’s deadline. Here is the full breakdown:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Beathard’s inclusion in Jacksonville’s cuts comes after he suffered a groin injury in the team’s second preseason contest. He was unable to suit up for the Jaguars’ exhibition finale, and today’s move clears the way for Mac Jones to take on backup duties. The former Patriots first-rounder was dealt to his hometown team this offseason, but a competition had been ongoing between he and Beathard. Now, Jones will move forward as QB2 behind Trevor Lawrence.

Beathard will be free to sign with a new team, although he is of course unlikely to find a suitor until he returns to full health. Other veterans like Amos and Edmunds joined Jacksonville this offseason, but they too will now have to search for a new opportunity. Several of the players waived will likely find themselves on the practice squad shortly, but Perry not doing so could leave the Jags in need of QB depth especially if Beathard were to land with a new team.

In 2024, teams are allowed to designate two players to return from injured reserve without naming them to the initial 53-man roster. That is the case for both Robinson and Wingard. The former was selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft and will provide backfield depth when healthy, while the latter is recovering from a knee injury. Both Robinson and Wingard will miss at least the first four weeks of the campaign, and their activations will count toward Jacksonville’s limit of eight for the season.

Broncos To Cut LB Jonas Griffith

August 27th, 2024 at 1:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jonas Griffith has gone from competing for a starting inside linebacker job to being cut. The Broncos are going with another option alongside Alex Singleton and are waiving Griffith, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.

Despite Griffith having missed the past 1 1/2 seasons and not being a Sean Payton-era addition, the team extended the young linebacker early this offseason. A starter for the Broncos back in 2022, Griffith is now on the waiver wire.

Cody Barton has won the Broncos’ ILB job alongside Griffith. Denver had signed the former Seattle and Washington starter in free agency but had pitted him against Griffith entering training camp. The Broncos gave Barton a one-year, $2.5MM deal that came nearly fully guaranteed; Griffith signed for one year and $985K.

The Broncos moved on from multiyear starter Josey Jewell this offseason; the seventh-year veteran rejoined one-and-done Denver DC Ejiro Evero in Carolina. The team, amid a rather historic cap crunch thanks to the Russell Wilson development, saved some money by bringing in Barton. Griffith will now look for a gig elsewhere, but he is riding no momentum.

Griffith started eight games under Evero in 2022 but missed the team’s final eight contests with a foot injury. The former UDFA then missed all of 2023 with an ACL tear. Griffth, 27, enjoyed a chance to regain a starting role for the Broncos. It is unlikely he will have that opportunity elsewhere, though injuries depleting teams’ LB corps could help his cause down the road.

 

Steelers To Release WR Quez Watkins

August 27th, 2024 at 12:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Already facing questions about their receiver depth, the Steelers are parting ways with a veteran member of their pass catching corps. Pittsburgh is releasing Quez Watkins, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Watkins played out his rookie contract with the Eagles before making an intra-Pennsylvania move in free agency. The 26-year-old showcased his potential as a deep threat in 2021, averaging 15 yards per catch and totaling 647 yards. He saw his playing time drop in each of the past two seasons, though, making it no surprise he headed elsewhere on the open market.

The 26-year-old inked a one-year pact worth the league minimum to come to Pittsburgh. The contract only contained $168K guaranteed, but Watkins viewed it as a potential path to a starting role. The Steelers’ WR depth chart is led by George Pickens, though the team traded away Diontae Johnson and released Allen Robinson, creating notable vacancies. Instead of filling one of them, Watkins will return to free agency.

As Fowler’s colleague Brooke Pryor notes, the Southern Miss product did not have a strong showing as a punt returner in Pittsburgh’s first preseason game. Strong special teams play would have presented Watkins with a viable path to a roster spot, but he will now have to look elsewhere for a gig. Meanwhile, questions remain with respect to how Pittsburgh will fill out the receiver pecking order behind Pickens.

Of course, the Steelers have long been connected to a receiver addition in general and a pursuit of Brandon Aiyuk in particular. The 49ers All-Pro continues to negotiate an extension, but a trade agreement is in place with Pittsburgh in case those talks break down. Cutdown season has not produced any updates on the Aiyuk front, though, so for the time being the Steelers’ WR room is led by Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin and third-round rookie Roman Wilson.

Chiefs To Waive WRs Kadarius Toney, Justyn Ross

August 27th, 2024 at 12:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

In a move which has recently been foreshadowed, Kadarius Toney is being let go. The former first-round wideout is set to be waived by the Chiefs, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

As colleague Tom Pelissero notes, Kansas City had been trying to find a trade partner for Toney. With no agreement coming on that front, the defending champions will move on. After an underwhelming 2023 campaign, the 25-year-old was known to be on the Chiefs’ roster bubble. He will now hit the waiver wire. In addition to cutting Toney, the Chiefs are moving on from former UDFA Justyn Ross, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz adds.

Toney entered the league with high expectations based on his draft status and his highlight-reel ability shown in college. His tenure in New York after only 12 games, however, with a trade midway through the 2022 campaign sending him to Kansas City in return for third- and sixth-round picks. The Florida product had a strong showing in Super Bowl LVII, suggesting he would have a regular role during his first full campaign with the team.

Both Toney and Ross came with baggage, and the Chiefs augmented their receiver situation significantly since acquiring each. A former freshman standout at Clemson, Ross saw a neck injury alter his career. While he recovered, the ex-Trevor Lawrence target went undrafted. Ross also landed on the commissioner’s exempt list last season in connection with a domestic battery arrest.

Toney held a bigger role in Kansas City, but his issues staying healthy in New York carried over. Toney missed time due to multiple injuries, but the Chiefs’ offense fared better with the shifty Florida alum out of the mix late last season. Toney took issue with his Chiefs status last year, criticizing the team for keeping him sidelined during the playoffs. This blast came hours before the AFC championship game, and the Chiefs subsequently made Toney a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII. Nevertheless, Andy Reid welcomed Toney back for the 2024 offseason program. An experiment with Toney as a running back did not pan out, either.

The Chiefs harbored hopes of turning Toney into their No. 1 receiver last year. He fell well short of expectations and played the lead role, with supporting contributions from Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, in a clunky season for Kansas City’s receiving corps — most memorably via the infamous offensive offside infraction that negated Toney’s own go-ahead TD against the Bills. The two-time defending champs signed Marquise Brown, drafted Xavier Worthy in Round 1 and just reunited with JuJu Smith-Schuster. The team also re-signed Mecole Hardman this offseason, crowding a receiving corps that suddenly has Moore in a fringe position.

If Toney goes unclaimed on waivers, the Chiefs will eat $2.53MM in dead money. A team claiming Toney would be on the hook for that total (his 2024 base salary), making it a bit easier to envision another club swooping in via free agency. That said, Toney has flashed brightly at points. He has just been wildly inconsistent, leading to this Chiefs separation.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post

Panthers To Waive WR Terrace Marshall

August 27th, 2024 at 11:40am CST by Adam La Rose

Known to be on the trade block, Terrace Marshall has not been dealt to a new team. The fourth-year wideout is nevertheless set to see his time with the Panthers come to an end. The team is moving on from Marshall by waiving him, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Marshall has struggled to find a regular role during his time in Carolina, a span which includes the tenures of head coaches Matt Rhule, Frank Reich and the interim coaches who took over after their respective firings. The former second-rounder’s best season came in 2022 when he totaled 490 yards on 28 receptions.

Viewed as a deep threat coming into the league, Marshall sports a 12.0 yards per catch average (albeit on a limited number of opportunities). The LSU product saw his playing time fluctuate over the course of the past three seasons, and in 2023 his snap share fell to 55%. After being a potential trade chip in previous seasons, he was again on the market during the build-up to roster cutdowns. With one year remaining on Marshall’s rookie contract, no suitors emerged.

The 24-year-old will now hit the waiver wire, and teams which were hesitant to offer draft capital to the Panthers may be inclined to put in a claim. If that does not take place, Marshall will become a free agent. A depth role should await him in any case, though his age and deep-ball ability offer upside to any potential suitors. Once initial rosters have been set, a market could develop on a low-cost deal in the event no waiver claims are made.

For Carolina – a team now depending on rookie head coach Dave Canales to oversee quarterback Bryce Young‘s development – today’s move provides clarity at the receiver position. Returning veteran Adam Thielen, trade acquisition Diontae Johnson and first-round rookie Xavier Legette headline the Panthers’ depth chart. 2023 second-rounder Jonathan Mingo is also in place, and he is under team control for three more years. That group will move forward without Marshall in the picture.

Patriots To Waive K Chad Ryland

August 27th, 2024 at 11:34am CST by Sam Robinson

Not long after the Packers made their kicker decision, the Patriots have theirs ready. The team is moving on from incumbent Chad Ryland, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.

This will give Joey Slye the win in New England’s kicking competition. The Pats added Slye this offseason, doing so after the Jaguars had cut him. Slye kicked for the Commanders in 2023. This will mark a quick exit for Ryland, who was chosen ahead of Anders Carlson in last year’s draft.

Green Bay cut Carlson earlier today; he arrived as a sixth-round choice. Ryland came to Foxborough as a fourth-rounder out of Eastern Michigan. Ryland beat out Nick Folk for the Patriots’ kicker job last year, with the team dealing the veteran to the Titans. Tennessee has since re-signed Folk after a strong season.

Ryland did make a 56-yard field goal to down the Broncos on Christmas Eve, ending the Russell Wilson era in Denver, but he struggled mightily as a rookie. The 24-year-old made just 64% of his field goal tries (16-for-25), a rate out of step with the current generation of kickers. The Pats gave him another chance but will move on early.

Slye, 28, is a veteran of 78 games. His NFL tenure has included regular season action with the Panthers, Texans, 49ers and Commanders. It was with the latter team that he enjoyed a strong run to close out the 2021 season, connecting on all 12 of his field goals and nine of 10 extra points. The former UDFA remained in the nation’s capital for the past two years, seeing mixed results during that time. He will aim to earn an extended stay with the Patriots beginning in 2024 while Ryland looks for a new opportunity.

Titans To Waive CB Caleb Farley

August 27th, 2024 at 11:12am CST by Sam Robinson

Unable to stay healthy during his first three-plus seasons in the NFL, Caleb Farley has seen the Titans move on from both the coach and GM that drafted him. After another injury, the veteran cornerback will be moved off Tennessee’s roster.

The Titans are waiving Farley today, ESPN’s Adams Schefter tweets. The 2021 first-round pick has two ACL tears and significant back issues on his medical sheet, and he ran into hamstring trouble during training camp.

Jon Robinson identified Farley for Mike Vrabel’s defense, doing so despite the Virginia Tech product having suffered an ACL tear while in college. While Farley managed to land first-round money, he also entered the NFL after undergoing two back surgeries. Farley ended up needing a third while in Tennessee, with that issue ending his 2022 season early. The Titans had already benched Farley earlier that year.

The back injury that landed Farley on IR (and back onto the operating table) in 2022 prevented him from playing in 2023 as well. With Ran Carthon and new HC Brian Callahan having no ties to the fourth-year defender, it is not exactly surprising the team is moving on. Farley only played in 12 Titans games during his three-season run.

The Titans declined Farley’s fifth-year option in May, but his rookie contract was guaranteed. Tennessee will eat $4.29MM in dead money from this cut, providing an illustration of how little Farley was able to contribute on his rookie deal. New regimes are often less concerned with dead cap, however, and this one will cut its losses.

Commanders To Release WR Martavis Bryant

August 27th, 2024 at 10:50am CST by Adam La Rose

Martavis Bryant‘s efforts to return to the NFL resulted in a Commanders deal, but he will not make the team’s initial roster. The veteran wideout is being cut, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Bryant spent part of the 2023 campaign on the Cowboys’ practice squad, but he did not see any regular season game action. Dallas retained him via a futures deal, but his May release left him on the open market. The 32-year-old was surprised to be let go by the Cowboys, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes.

Bryant nevertheless remained focused on his goal of landing an NFL roster spot, an effort which he recounted (via the Jhabvala piece) was sparked by a 2023 workout with DeAndre Hopkins. Bryant – who last played a regular season game in 2018 – managed to land a workout with the Commanders not long after being let go by the Cowboys. A second audition (after which he dropped roughly 20 pounds) drew strong reviews from head coach Dan Quinn and Co., resulting in a contract earlier this month.

In the time since that pact was finalized, the Commanders have traded away 2022 first-round wideout Jahan Dotson. That move has led to questions regarding how Washington’s WR depth chart will shake out behind Terry McLaurin, and it seemed to open the door to Bryant making the 53-man roster as a complementary receiver. While he could still be retained via the practice squad, today’s news casts doubt on his 2024 outlook.

Bryant dealt with suspensions in 2015, 2016 and 2018, halting his ability to build off the promise he showed during his Steelers tenure. A one-year Raiders tenure was followed by time in the CFL and XFL before being reinstated by the NFL and given the opportunity to find a permanent gig. That could still take place in Bryant’s case, but the chances of doing so have taken a hit.

Lions To Release QB Nate Sudfeld

August 27th, 2024 at 10:36am CST by Sam Robinson

Either Hendon Hooker made late progress, or the Lions are confident they can add a veteran backup soon. After Dan Campbell proclaimed Nate Sudfeld ahead for Detroit’s QB2 role, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes that Sudfeld is being released.

Sudfeld, who has not seen game action since the Eagles’ scrutinized Jalen Hurts benching to close out the 2020 regular season, missed all of last season due to injury but had impressed in training camp. He will pass straight to free agency.

Considering Sudfeld has not played since the 2020 season and missed all of last year, it also is conceivable he will not generate much interest. The Lions may well have the opportunity to stash the veteran on their practice squad. The team also has offseason pickup Jake Fromm as a P-squad option. But this will move Hooker up the depth chart.

It has long been expected Hooker would eventually be Jared Goff‘s backup, but Campbell’s comment earlier this month poured some cold water on the 2023 third-rounder’s progress. Detroit effectively redshirted Hooker last season, after a November 2022 ACL tear hurt his draft stock. But Teddy Bridgewater retired, en route to coaching at his high school alma mater, opening a door for Hooker, who spent most of last season on the NFI list.

The Lions could also move Sudfeld back to their active roster after other roster moves commence, but since the NFL has provided more IR flexibility this year, fewer post-cutdown-day IR moves figure to occur. As it stands, Sudfeld is off Detroit’s roster for the time being. It would stand to reason he or Fromm will be the team’s de facto QB3. Monday’s news regarding the NFLPA nixing the league’s move to give teams QB flexibility has not moved the Lions to keep three passers.

Colts To Place DE Samson Ebukam On IR; Late-Season Return In Play

August 27th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts will take advantage of the NFL’s new IR rule, but they player they will have in mind for a return is rather interesting. Despite Samson Ebukam having suffered an Achilles tear, Indianapolis is not closing the door on a return.

Ebukam went down in late July, but rather than shelve him for the full season, the Colts are keeping a door open for a late-season re-emergence. Indy is planning to place Ebukam on IR with a return designation, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson. This will mean the Colts lose one of their eight injury activations immediately.

Indianapolis is not stopping with Ebukam here. The team is also planning to place linebacker Cameron McGrone on IR with a return designation, Erickson adds. This will cut the Colts’ IR-return moves from eight to six before the season starts.

Players who landed on IR before 53-man rosters were set previously were out of the picture for those teams, but the NFL passed a rule that will allow teams to designate two players to return before the final 53s surface. Any player placed on IR with this designation will count immediately toward a team’s activation total, whether he returns or not. This would seem to matter with Ebukam, who faces a lengthy rehab effort.

Ebukam delivered a career-best season in 2023, totaling 9.5 sacks to help the Colts rank in the top five in that category. The team still has good depth here, with Kwity Paye, Dayo Odeyingbo and first-rounder Laiatu Latu in the mix. But it clearly views Ebukam as important. Cam Akers suffered a late-July Achilles tear in 2021 and indeed returned late in the regular season. Though, he did not display good form upon returning. The Ravens and 49ers saw Terrell Suggs and Michael Crabtree, respectively, return after offseason Achilles tears. But both players went down well before July in 2012 and ’13.

It is interesting the Colts are prepared to burn another IR-return move on McGrone, a special-teamer who logged 152 defensive snaps last season. They will not make Jelani Woods an IR-return player. Turf toe, which led to a recent surgery, will keep him out. The Colts are placing the third-year tight end on IR without a return designation, Fox59’s Mike Chappell tweets.

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