This offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.
In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 27 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. This introduces more strategy for teams, who will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.
All players designated for return on August 27 are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Players who receive return designations after Week 5 also appear on this list.
Here is how teams’ activation puzzles look going into Week 11:
Arizona Cardinals
Designated for return:
- RT Jonah Williams (Oct. 30)
Eligible for activation:
- CB Elijah Jones
Activated:
- OL Christian Jones (Week 8)
- DL Darius Robinson (Week 9)
Activations remaining: 6
Atlanta Falcons
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
Designated for return:
- OLB Lorenzo Carter (Nov. 13)
- C Drew Dalman (Oct. 30)
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
- LB Nathan Landman (Week 6)
Activations remaining: 6
Baltimore Ravens
Eligible for activation:
- WR Deonte Harty (story)
Activated:
- RB Rasheen Ali (Week 7)
- CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (Week 8)
- CB Arthur Maulet (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 5
Buffalo Bills
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
- RB Darrynton Evans (released Oct. 29)
- LB Matt Milano (practice window opened Nov. 11)
Eligible for activation:
- OL Tylan Grable
Activations remaining: 6
Carolina Panthers
Designated for return:
- DT Jaden Crumedy (Nov. 6)
- S Jordan Fuller (Oct. 23)
Activated:
- RB Jonathon Brooks (Week 10)
- S Sam Franklin (Week 8)
- CB Dane Jackson (Week 7)
- WR Adam Thielen (Week 11)
- TE Ian Thomas (Week 6)
Activations remaining: 3
Chicago Bears
Eligible for activation:
- TE Stephen Carlson
- LS Patrick Scales (story)
Activated:
- OL Ryan Bates (Week 10)
- OL Larry Borom (Week 9)
- RB Travis Homer (Week 8)
- DE Jacob Martin (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 4
Cincinnati Bengals
Activated:
- DT McKinnley Jackson (Week 5)
- DE Myles Murphy (Week 5)
- P Brad Robbins (Week 5)
Activations remaining: 5
Cleveland Browns
Reverted to season-ending IR:
- RB Nyheim Hines (story)
Eligible for activation:
- WR David Bell
- LB Tony Fields
- CB Myles Harden
- T James Hudson (likely out for season)
- LS Charley Hughlett
Activated:
- LB Mohamoud Diabate (Week 6)
- G Michael Dunn (Week 6)
- DT Maurice Hurst (Week 6)
- G Wyatt Teller (Week 8)
- S Juan Thornhill (Week 7)
Activations remaining: 2
Dallas Cowboys
Designated for return:
- OL Chuma Edoga (Nov. 13)
Eligible for activation:
- WR Brandin Cooks (story)
- DE Marshawn Kneeland (story)
- DE DeMarcus Lawrence (story)
Activated:
- CB DaRon Bland (Week 9)
Activations remaining: 7
Denver Broncos
Designated for return:
- S Delarrin Turner-Yell (Oct. 30)
- WR Josh Reynolds (Nov. 13)
Eligible for activation:
- RB Tyler Badie (story)
Activated:
- OLB Baron Browning (Week 7)
- RB Audric Estime (Week 6)
- CB Damarri Mathis (Week 7)
- T Mike McGlinchey (Week 7)
- C Luke Wattenberg (Week 10)
Activations remaining: 3
Detroit Lions
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
- DL Brodric Martin (practice window opened Oct. 30)
Designated for return:
- S Ifeatu Melifonwu (Nov. 6)
- CB Emmanuel Moseley (Nov. 6)
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Green Bay Packers
Designated for return:
- RB MarShawn Lloyd (Nov. 11)
Eligible for activation:
- TE Luke Musgrave (story)
Activated:
- DL Jonathan Ford (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 7
Houston Texans
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
Designated for return:
- CB Jeff Okudah (Nov. 4)
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
- WR Nico Collins (Week 10)
- DT Kurt Hinish (Week 7)
- DE Dylan Horton (Week 5)
- DE Jerry Hughes (Week 10)
Activations remaining: 3
Indianapolis Colts
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
- DE Samson Ebukam (story)
Eligible for activation:
- DL Tyquan Lewis (story)
Activated:
- DT DeForest Buckner (Week 8)
- LB Cameron McGrone (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 5
Jacksonville Jaguars
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
Activated:
- CB Tyson Campbell (Week 7)
- WR Devin Duvernay (Week 10)
- LB Foye Oluokun (Week 8)
- S Andrew Wingard (Week 10)
Activations remaining: 3
Kansas City Chiefs
Designated for return:
- RB Isiah Pacheco (Nov. 12)
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 7
Las Vegas Raiders
Eligible for activation from IR:
- LB Luke Masterson
- DL Christian Wilkins (story)
Eligible for activation from reserve/NFI list:
- TE Michael Mayer (story)
Activated:
- S Trey Taylor (Week 6)
Activations remaining: 7
Los Angeles Chargers
Designated for return from IR:
- CB Deane Leonard (Nov. 13)
Eligible for activation:
- CB Asante Samuel Jr. (story)
Activated:
- WR DJ Chark (Week 9)
- RB Gus Edwards (Week 10)
- LB Nick Niemann (Week 6)
Activations remaining: 5
Los Angeles Rams
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
- OL K.T. Leveston
Eligible for activation:
- S John Johnson (story)
- OL Conor McDermott
- DL Larrell Murchison
Activated:
- OL Steve Avila (Week 10)
- OL Jonah Jackson (Week 10)
- DL Larrell Murchison (Week 5; later placed on IR a second time)
- WR Puka Nacua (Week 8)
- OL Joe Noteboom (Week 10)
- CB Darious Williams (Week 5)
Activations remaining: 1
Miami Dolphins
Designated for return:
- S Patrick McMorris (Nov. 7)
Eligible for activation from IR:
- WR Grant Dubose
Eligible for activation from reserve/NFI list:
Activated:
- WR River Cracraft (Week 10)
- CB Cam Smith (Week 7)
- QB Tua Tagovailoa (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 5
Minnesota Vikings
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
- OLB Gabriel Murphy (practice window opened Nov. 6)
Eligible for activation:
- TE Nick Muse
Activated:
- G Dalton Risner (Week 9)
Activations remaining: 6
New England Patriots
Designated for return from reserve/non-football illness list (August 27):
- DL Christian Barmore (story)
Designated for return:
- CB Alex Austin (Oct. 30)
Eligible for activation:
- T Caedan Wallace (story)
- OLB Oshane Ximines
Activated:
- S Marte Mapu (Week 5)
Activations remaining: 6
New Orleans Saints
Designated for return:
- C Erik McCoy (Nov. 7)
- LB Nephi Sewell (Oct. 30)
Activated:
- DB Will Harris (Week 10)
- C Shane Lemieux (Week 10)
- RB Kendre Miller (Week 6; placed back on IR)
Activations remaining: 5
New York Giants
Eligible for activation:
- LB Dyontae Johnson
- WR Gunner Olszewski
- OL Austin Schlottmann
- OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (story)
Activated:
- LB Matthew Adams (Week 5)
- K Graham Gano (Week 10)
Activations remaining: 6
New York Jets
Designated for return:
- S Chuck Clark (Nov. 13)
Eligible for activation:
- LB Zaire Barnes
- G Wes Schweitzer (story)
Activated:
- DT Leki Fotu (Week 6)
- TE Kenny Yeboah (Week 9)
Activations remaining: 6
Philadelphia Eagles
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
- TE Albert Okwuegbunam (released on Nov. 5)
Eligible for activation:
- WR Britain Covey (story)
Activated:
- LT Jordan Mailata (Week 11)
- WR Ainias Smith (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 5
Pittsburgh Steelers
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
- OL Dylan Cook
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
- LB Tyler Matakevich (Week 10)
- OLB Jeremiah Moon (Week 5)
- WR Ben Skowronek (Week 10)
Activations remaining: 4
San Francisco 49ers
Eligible for activation:
- CB Ambry Thomas
Designated for return:
- OL Jon Feliciano (Nov. 4)
- DE Yetur Gross-Matos (Nov. 6)
Eligible for activation:
- S Talanoa Hufanga (story)
Activated:
- DL Kalia Davis (Week 5)
- RB Christian McCaffrey (Week 10)
- WR Ricky Pearsall (Week 7)
Activations remaining: 5
Seattle Seahawks
Eligible for activation:
- OLB Uchenna Nwosu (story)
Activated:
- T George Fant (Week 9)
- S Jerrick Reed II (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Eligible for activation:
- LB SirVocea Dennis (out for regular season)
- CB Bryce Hall (story)
- LB Markees Watts
Activated:
- DE Earnest Brown IV (Week 7)
- LS Evan Deckers (Week 10)
- WR Rakim Jarrett (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 5
Tennessee Titans
Eligible for activation:
- CB Chidobe Awuzie (story)
- WR Treylon Burks (story)
Activated:
- LB Cedric Gray (Week 9)
Activations remaining: 7
Washington Commanders
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
- LB Jordan Magee (Week 8)
- QB Marcus Mariota (Week 5)
Activations remaining: 6
Im still not understanding Daryton Evans on IR.
This was at best a practice squad RB, we already have 3 rbs, PLUS a fullback on the roster.
Ive heard speculation he could be a returner. That makes less sense when you consider how thin WR is.
But then why the trade for Codrington?
Idk. Im just a dumb old guy.
Unless you’re a fugitive from the law, you can never have too many trackers 🙂
I hate to complain about the trackers that are provided by the staff but the formatting is not good. Eligibles could be in one column, activateds in another. Perhaps that won’t work for the app users but this is an unnecessarily long scroll for those using laptops.