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Minor NFL Transactions: 11/4/24

November 4th, 2024 at 6:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

For one game, at least, the Buccaneers have the Chiefs outflanked in the wide receiver injury department. Chris Godwin is out until at least the playoffs, should Tampa Bay qualify, and Mike Evans is expected to miss at least two more games due to the hamstring injury he suffered. The team endured another blow recently, with third-round rookie Jalen McMillan sustaining a hamstring injury during a Friday practice. A former Saints regular, Callaway has not played in a game this season.

Titans’ DE Arden Key Drawing Trade Interest; Latest On Lions’ EDGE Search

November 3rd, 2024 at 9:43am CST by Rory Parks

The Cardinals are interested in the Giants’ Azeez Ojulari, and Arizona’s search for a pass rusher has not stopped there. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required), the Cards have also reached out to the Titans to discuss a trade for defensive end Arden Key.

[RELATED: Titans Will Not Trade DL Jeffery Simmons]

Key, 28, is under club control through 2025 and is due a manageable $6.5MM salary next season. So even though the 1-6 Titans are obvious sellers at this year’s deadline, they do not need to move Key if they do not get an offer to their liking.

That said, New York is setting a high price on Ojulari, which could in turn boost Tennessee’s leverage in any talks involving Key (although Big Blue is reportedly unlikely to recoup more than a Day 3 selection for Ojulari, regardless of any posturing to the contrary). Key, a former third-round pick of the Raiders, struggled to find his footing with the Silver-and-Black, but he established himself as a useful complementary edge defender by posting 11 sacks and 32 quarterback hits over the 2021-22 seasons, which he split between the 49ers and Jaguars.

He turned that performance into a three-year, $21MM contract with the Titans in the 2023 offseason, and he recorded six sacks and 12 QB hits in his first year in Nashville. This year, he has tallied three sacks and six QB hits through seven games, and Pro Football Focus has assigned him a strong 70.3 pass rush grade.

The 4-4 Cardinals, who surprisingly find themselves at the top of a muddy NFC West picture, have been hit hard by injuries along the defensive line, and GM Monti Ossenfort recently confirmed that he has explored deals that could bolster his club’s pass rush.

At the end of October, Lions head coach Dan Campbell indicated that Detroit could soon be making a move to address its EDGE corps, which has lost both Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport for the season. Armando Salguero of Outkick.com named Key as an “outside possibility” for the Lions, although Key’s performance in Tennessee’s recent loss to the Detroit – two sacks and six total tackles – could have caught the eye of Campbell & Co.

The Lions have already been connected to the Browns’ Za’Darius Smith, and both Russini and ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirm that Detroit has indeed checked in on Smith. Salguero, meanwhile, names the Panthers’ Jadeveon Clowney and the Saints’ Chase Young as other possible targets for the Lions.

Cardinals, Falcons Monitoring Azeez Ojulari; Latest On Giants OLB’s Market

November 2nd, 2024 at 10:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

A shortlist of names is in place regarding the edge rush trade market. One of the top targets for contending teams remains Azeez Ojulari, who is currently on track to finish his Giants rookie contract over the remainder of the season.

As a pending free agent, Ojulari could easily price himself out of New York. The team already has Brian Burns attached to a $28.2MM-per-year deal, and 2022 fifth overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux will be eligible for an extension this offseason. Keeping that pair in the fold for the foreseeable future while also committing to a signficant Ojulari raise would be challenging given the Giants’ more immediate roster needs.

To no surprise, potential buyers have made calls about the Georgia product’s availability in advance of the November 5 trade deadline. Several teams continue to express interest, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network writes. Depending on the status of veterans likes Za’Darius Smith and Jadeveon Clowney, Ojulari could find himself as the top edge rusher on the market over the coming days. His value would, of course, be boosted by a multitude of teams making offers.

The Bengals are on the lookout for help along the defensive front, and they have been connected to a pursuit of the 24-year-old. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Falcons and Cardinals can also be added to that list (subscription required). Atlanta in particular has been “aggressive” in pursuing an edge rush move in general and a potential Ojulari move in particular, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Falcons have previously been named as a team to watch regarding an addition along the edge, with the Matt Judon acquisition not yielding high-end production and injuries emerging elsewhere at that spot. Lorenzo Carter is currently on injured reserve, and Atlanta could certainly use at least a depth contributor in his absence (although Ojulari would be expected to handle first-team duties upon arrival with any number of suitors).

The Cardinals have been hit hard by injuries along the D-line this year, so adding along the edge would be a sensible move (and one which Schefter confirms is in play). General manager Monti Ossenfort spoke about his trade deadline plans yesterday, and he confirmed he has explored deals which could help add production in the pass-rush department. With six sacks this year and 22 in his career, Ojulari would be a welcomed addition for Arizona as the team looks to remain atop the NFC West.

Given his status as a rental, the Giants may not be on track to land signficant draft capital in any deal for the former second-rounder. While the team is believed to be setting a high asking price for Ojulari – along with veteran receiver Darius Slayton – Russini’s colleague Dan Duggan notes a fifth-round pick represents the best-case scenario for New York at this point. A lone Day 3 selection may tempt the front office to risk a free agent departure and a resultant 2026 compensatory pick, but a team confident in extending Ojulari (as the Bears did last year with Montez Sweat, for instance) could be willing to pay a higher price.

Much of the speculation and deals during the 2024 season have revolved around the receiver position, but the edge rush market figures to be worth watching closely in advance of the deadline. Ojulari in particular should be the subject of many more conversations between the Giants and teams looking for a second-half boost on defense.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/24

November 2nd, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor NFL moves including standard gameday practice squad elevations for Sunday’s slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Cardinals Taking Part In Trade Talks; S Budda Baker Unlikely To Be Dealt

November 1st, 2024 at 8:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

With a 4-4 record, the Cardinals sit atop the wide-open NFC West. That puts the team in an interesting position as the Jonathan Gannon/Monti Ossenfort regime approaches its second trade deadline at the helm. It remains to be seen what – if anything – will be done regarding midseason moves in the immediate future.

“We’ve been involved in a number of talks with teams, and we’ll continue to be here as the days come by,” Ossenfort said during a Friday appearance on Arizona Sports (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic). “We’re working through that process… We’ll deal with the trade deadline on Monday and Tuesday and see if anything works for us.”

Arizona went 4-13 last year, but with quarterback Kyler Murray available for a full campaign in 2024 expectations called for a step forward. The team is well on its way in that regard, and making an addition could boost the chances of a division title (or at least an NFC wild-card berth). The defensive line, both along the interior and on the edge, could be a target given the Cardinals’ injuries at those spots.

Edge rusher BJ Ojulari suffered a torn ACL before the start of the campaign, and Dennis Gardeck recently met the same fate. Meanwhile, first-round rookie Darius Robinson is off injured reserve but it remains to be seen when he will be able to make his regular season debut. Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols are unavailable, so bringing in depth along the interior would be sensible from Arizona’s perspective. While he did not indicate if anything is imminent, Ossenfort confirmed the D-line and edge are areas being looked at leading up to the deadline.

The most commonly predicted move on the Cardinals’ part in recent weeks is one which would see safety Budda Baker traded away. The six-time Pro Bowler is a pending free agent, and the 2023 offseason saw his trade request ultimately result in a short-term solution being worked out. Baker, 28, hopes to land another Cardinals contract this offseason, although Ossenfort and Co. were not in place when he was drafted or initially extended. That has led to questions about a potential trade, but one appears unlikely.

“Budda’s a big part of what we’re doing,” Ossenfort added. “I think there’s a lot of information – a lot of misinformation – that’s out there this time of year, whether it’s pertaining to our players or somebody else’s players… People can throw anything out there, and it may not have any real truth to it at all… We couldn’t be more excited to have Budda with us.”

That endorsement certainly suggests Baker will remain in place past the November 5 deadline. The two-time All-Pro has only made one postseason appearance in his career, which dates back to 2017 and has consisted exclusively of time with Arizona. Provided he stays for the second half of the season, he will maintain a key leadership role amongst an otherwise young secondary in addition to his on-field responsibilities. If the Cardinals choose to make a rental addition, finances will not be an issue since the team has more than $19MM in cap space.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/30/24

October 30th, 2024 at 7:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: CB Kendall Williamson

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: DE Shakel Brown

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed: OT Garret Greenfield

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: OL Braeden Daniels

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Cardinals Open Practice Window For Jonah Williams

October 30th, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cardinals are opening the practice window for offensive tackle Jonah Williams, head coach Jonathan Gannon announced on Wednesday, bringing the veteran lineman one step closer to rejoining Arizona’s offense after suffering a knee injury in Week 1.

Williams signed with the Cardinals on a two-year, $30MM deal in the offseason to start at right tackle opposite 2023 sixth overall pick Paris Johnson on the left side. He played just 22 snaps in Arizona before injuring his knee and landing on injured reserve on September 11.

Veteran Kelvin Beachum took over for Williams in Week 1 and has started at right tackle since outside of a Week 3 absence that required Jackson Barton and Charlie Heck to play crucial snaps. Beachum took some time to settle in, allowing nine pressures across Weeks 1-5, but has not allowed one since with clean pass protection performances in Weeks 6-8, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Williams will have 21 days to practice with the team and get up to full strength before he must be activated or revert to season-ending injured reserve. Arizona has declined to disclose the specific nature of Williams’ injury, so they may continue that cautious approach and hold the 26-year-old out until later in November.

The Cardinals’ 53-man roster is full as of Wednesday, so they will need to clear a roster spot in the coming weeks to make room for Williams. Rookie Christian Jones was activated from injured reserve last week, so Arizona could move one from one of their other offensive linemen with multiple tackles back in the fold.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/29/24

October 29th, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the most recent practice squad transactions from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Vikings cut Gaskin from their active roster on Tuesday, but as a vested veteran, he did not need to pass through waivers before re-signing to Minnesota’s practice squad. Gaskin played in the Vikings’ first five games this season, but has not appeared since October 6. His familiarity with the offense could lead to activations from the practice squad if Minnesota needs running back depth.

Herndon will join the Saints after playing in Jacksonville for six seasons, with 83 total appearances and 34 starts for the Jaguars since 2018. The veteran cornerback only started five games over the last two years, but played in 15 games for almost 900 snaps as a rotational member of the Jaguars’ secondary. His experience could lead to quick elevations from the practice squad once he learns the Saints’ defense.

The Commander signed the 30-year-old Hart to give them more depth at offensive tackle. The veteran has 67 starts and 98 total appearances over his eight-year career, though he hasn’t played in the NFL since a 2022 stint with the Bills.

Cardinals Activate Darius Robinson From IR

October 28th, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Ben Levine

Darius Robinson could end up making his NFL debut this Sunday. With the first-round rookie’s activation window coming to an end later this week, the Cardinals have added Robinson to the active roster. Howard Balzer reports that the team has activated the defensive lineman from injured reserve.

Per Darren Urban of the team’s website, Robinson’s 21-day activation window was set to end this Wednesday. This meant the Cardinals either had to activate the defensive lineman or lose him for the rest of the season.

Robinson suffered a calf injury in August that ultimately landed him on IR. He returned to practice earlier this month but suffered a brief setback with his calf that kept him out of practice. That unexpected absence likely played a role in Robinson’s almost-21-day stay in the activation window.

The Missouri star transitioned from the interior to the edge in 2023, leading to a career-high 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. That performance helped put him on the first-round radar, and the Cardinals ended up selecting the DL with the No. 27 pick in this year’s draft.

With BJ Ojulari being lost for the season with a torn ACL, the Cardinals were going to be especially dependent on their rookie in 2024. The Cardinals rank towards the bottom of the league in sacks (15), so Robinson could certainly add a spark to a pass-rush unit currently led by Dennis Gardeck and Zaven Collins.

2024 NFL Cap Space, By Team

October 27th, 2024 at 7:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the trade deadline nearing, more player movement can be expected during the coming days. Of course, a key factor in any deals will be the financial situation for contenders aiming to bolster their rosters for the second half of the campaign.

Courtesy of Over the Cap, here is an updated look at each teams’ cap space:

  1. San Francisco 49ers: $54.13MM
  2. Cleveland Browns: $45.16MM
  3. New England Patriots: $36.61MM
  4. Las Vegas Raiders: $34.59MM
  5. Detroit Lions: $27.53MM
  6. Washington Commanders: $23.44MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $20.75MM
  8. Arizona Cardinals: $19.44MM
  9. Tennessee Titans: $18.26MM
  10. Jacksonville Jaguars: $17.12MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $13.96MM
  12. Indianapolis Colts: $11.11MM
  13. Philadelphia Eagles: $10.36MM
  14. Minnesota Vikings: $9.48MM
  15. Cincinnati Bengals: $8.98MM
  16. Pittsburgh Steelers: $8.93MM
  17. Seattle Seahawks: $8.19MM
  18. Atlanta Falcons: $8.16MM
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $7.83MM
  20. Los Angeles Chargers: $7.72MM
  21. Chicago Bears: $6.14MM
  22. Houston Texans: $6.01MM
  23. New York Jets: $5.1MM
  24. Miami Dolphins: $5.02MM
  25. Baltimore Ravens: $4.36MM
  26. Buffalo Bills: $2.37MM
  27. Kansas City Chiefs: $2.35MM
  28. New Orleans Saints: $2.15MM
  29. Los Angeles Rams: $1.91MM
  30. Denver Broncos: $1.77MM
  31. New York Giants: $1.51MM
  32. Carolina Panthers: $1.12MM

Just like last year, the 49ers find themselves with considerable cap space to work with. The team has several reasons to roll over as many funds as possible into the offseason, however, with Brock Purdy eligible for an extension and the likes of Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir and Talanoa Hufanga on track for free agency. Major investments including a commitment beyond 2024 would thus come as a surprise.

San Francisco is among the teams to watch regarding an addition, and major injuries on both sides of the ball could lead to a stop-gap solution being targeted. The 49ers may also be open to moving away players before the deadline, though, with Ward being named as potential candidate to be dealt. Sitting at 3-4, the team’s bid to return to the Super Bowl has not gone as planned to date, but a notable midseason addition could certainly change things.

Having lost Aidan Hutchinson until at least the Super Bowl, the Lions have an obvious need along the edge. Replacing his production with any one addition will not be feasible, but bringing in at least a rotational option would not come as a surprise. Indeed, Detroit has been involved in the edge market with respect to showing interest in some of the veterans who could be on the move.

That list no longer includes Haason Reddick, but the Lions have also been connected to Za’Darius Smith. The Browns have already moved Amari Cooper, so it would come as little surprise if the team were to deal away the three-time Pro Bowler in a move which would allow him to return to the NFC North. Smith certainly seems to be open to a trade, and Detroit would easily be able to absorb the remainder of his $1.2MM 2024 salary.

While Smith could be on the move, fellow Cleveland edge rusher Myles Garrett is (understandably) seen as untouchable. That is also the case for Raiders start Maxx Crosby, with owner Mark Davis making it clear a trade will not be considered before or after the deadline. Even though the Titans have been active already on the trade front, they too will not entertain a deal involving two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. While talks have taken place related to Cooper Kupp, the Rams do not expect to move on from the former Super Bowl MVP.

The receiver position remains one to watch even with Davante Adams (Jets), Cooper (Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Chiefs) already joining new teams. As the Panthers consider selling off pending free agents, Diontae Johnson could be available for a mid-round pick. In the case of the Jaguars, Christian Kirk is still a candidate to be dealt (although he is not a pending free agent). Teams like the Steelers and Chargers have yet to add a pass-catcher, but they have shown interest and could pull off a move in the coming days.

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