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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/19/24

November 19th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions 11/19/24

November 19th, 2024 at 6:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest moves from around the NFL:

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Cardinals LB Markus Bailey Issued Six-Game PED Suspension

November 19th, 2024 at 4:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Markus Bailey will be unavailable to the Cardinals for much of the remainder of the regular season. The fifth-year linebacker was issued a six-game suspension on Tuesday for violating the NFL’s PED policy, the league announced.

Bailey is on Arizona’s practice squad, and he has made one appearance so far in 2024. The 27-year-old spent his first four campaigns with the Bengals, totaling 60 appearances and four starts. He landed a one-year Cardinals deal in May after showing his ability as a backup defender and key special teams presence.

The Purdue product was among Arizona’s final roster cuts, but he was immediately retained on a taxi squad deal. Bailey was only elevated to the active roster for the team’s Week 7 contest, during which he did not see the field on defense but was involved on special teams. Now, he will not be eligible to suit up until the Cardinals’ regular season finale.

Arizona is currently riding a four-game winning streak, and the team leads the NFC West as a result. The Cardinals’ success has come in spite of the fact their defense sits in the bottom half of the league in both passing and rushing yards allowed per game. Overall, a 12th-place ranking in terms of defensive scoring is an encouraging sign for the team’s chances to win a wide-open division and qualify for the postseason in head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Offenfort‘s second year at the helm.

Bailey did not seem to be in Arizona’s linebacker plans when available, so his absence will not be felt to a large degree while he serves the ban. If he remains with the organization over the coming weeks, though, he will be an option to see playing time in Week 18 and/or the playoffs should the Cardinals continue their run of recent success.

Lions Place S Ifeatu Melifonwu On IR

November 19th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ifeatu Melifonwu was activated from injured reserve on Monday, a move which made him eligible to suit up as early as Week 12. It will still be several weeks before he makes his season debut, however.

The fourth-year safety was moved back to IR on Tuesday, per a team announcement. As a result, he will be out for at least the next four games. Melifonwu has yet to suit up in 2024 while rehabbing an ankle injury, and his efforts to return to full health will continue for the foreseeable future. A finger issue encountered in practice will lead to this second stint on the sidelines.

Briefly activating the 25-year-old prevented him from seeing his original 21-day return window expire, something which would have ended his season. Instead, Melifonwu will reset the process of returning to practice later in the campaign once he is in position, health-wise, to do so. Head coach Dan Campbell said (via Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News) there is still a possibility the former third-rounder could suit up in 2024.

For the time being, though, the Lions will carry on with their current safety tandem of Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. That pairing has drawn praise, and if it remains intact Melifonwu will be slated for a backup/special teams role whenever he returns to the lineup. The Syracuse product is a pending free agent, so his missed time in 2024 will hinder his market value, and his performances if he does mange to see the field this year could be key in boosting his stock.

Detroit ranks 27th against the pass with an average of 233 yards surrendered per game through the air. Getting a key member of the secondary back in the form of Melifonwu (who made nine combined regular and postseason starts last year) would thus be a welcomed development for the NFC-leading Lions. The team has six IR activations remaining, and using a second one on Melifonwu will be needed for him to see playing time.

Ravens Sign CB Desmond King

November 19th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens were in the market for a cornerback addition leading up to the trade deadline, with the team being outbid for Marshon Lattimore. That led to a deal being worked out which brought Tre’Davious White to Baltimore.

The team is still making moves in the secondary after the deadline. Desmond King is set to sign with the Ravens, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. This will be a practice squad agreement. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic adds King recently worked out with Baltimore. The team has since announced the move.

The 29-year-old has spent time with four teams during his career, with most of his recent games coming as a Texan. King had 28 starts and 40 appearances with Houston to his name ahead of the 2024 season, but he was among the veterans let go during roster cutdowns. He was ultimately retained on the practice squad before being elevated for one contest. King was cut once more last week, however, leaving him on the open market.

Baltimore’s secondary had a strong showing in Sunday’s low-scoring loss to the Steelers, but on the whole the unit has struggled in 2024. The Ravens rank last in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (285), and the safety position has seen a rotation of players in the starting lineup. At corner, the top of the depth chart is set with Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, first-round rookie Nate Wiggins and White.

King could play a depth role as part of that group, but his experience also includes considerable time spent as a returner. The former fifth-rounder earned a first-team All-Pro nod for his special teams work in 2019, the first of two straight seasons in which he recorded a punt return touchdown. King has remained involved in the return game through to his single appearance this year, and Baltimore is currently without primary returner Deonte Harty.

By virtue of signing on the taxi squad, King can be designated a gameday elevation up to three times. After that, he will need to be added to the active roster to avoid being placed on waivers.

Bengals To Place CB DJ Turner On IR

November 19th, 2024 at 12:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 19: Head coach Zac Taylor said on Tuesday Turner is indeed dealing with a broken clavicle; he is headed to injured reserve as a result. That will guarantee at least a four-game absence, but Taylor did not rule out the possibility of a return later in the campaign.

NOVEMBER 18: The Bengals’ secondary was already shorthanded heading into Week 11, and the unit was dealt another blow last night. Cornerback DJ Turner exited the game after a pass breakup, and he may not return in 2024.

The team fears Turner suffered a fractured clavicle, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. A second opinion is being sought out, but a confirmation of that injury would require season-ending surgery. In any event, a lengthy absence should be expected for one of Cincinnati’s starting cover men.

The Bengals lost Dax Hill to an ACL tear last month, ending his first campaign as a perimeter corner. That injury left the team’s secondary increasingly reliant on other options, including Turner. The 2023 second-rounder made 12 starts as a rookie, posting eight pass deflections and 50 tackles. Turner surrendered four touchdowns as the nearest defender and allowed an opposing passer rating of 111.6, however, leaving plenty of room for improvement in coverage.

2024 did see a step forward in both areas, an encouraging sign for Turner’s long-term outlook in Cincinnati. For the time being, however, the 24-year-old will need to turn his attention to recovery in anticipation of a return to the lineup no earlier than Week 1 of the 2025 campaign. Cincinnati has Cam Taylor-Britt and Josh Newton set to handle starting duties on the outside at corner moving forward with veteran Mike Hilton in place as the top slot option.

Defense has been a sore spot throughout the year for the Bengals, a team which sits at 4-7 despite their league-leading passing attack. Cincinnati ranks 23rd against the pass, and the loss of Hill and now Turner will make it increasingly challenging to improve in that department. Without finding a way to do so, a postseason berth will not be feasible.

Turner has two years remaining on his rookie pact. The Michigan product’s long-term health will be a key concern on the team’s part as another contingency plan is sought out at the CB position.

Steelers Bring Back S Eric Rowe

November 19th, 2024 at 10:35am CST by Adam La Rose

Eric Rowe is on his way back to Pittsburgh. The veteran safety has signed to the Steelers’ practice squad, per a team announcement.

Almost exactly one year ago, Rowe joined the Steelers en route to playing a key role for the team down the stretch and into the postseason. The 32-year-old recently visited Pittsburgh as a free agent, as noted by KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. He was joined in that regard by Marquise Blair, but to little surprise the Steelers have elected to go with the familiar option.

Rowe started all three of his regular season appearances for Pittsburgh last year, remaining a first-team presence during the team’s wild-card loss. He was not re-signed in the offseason, however, and no agreement was reached with any other suitors on the open market. Having remained a free agent well into the campaign, he will aim to join Pittsburgh’s active roster in short order. The Utah product will be an option for a gameday elevation up to three times, and succeeding in that regard could land him on the active roster.

The Steelers’ defense has been among the league’s best in a number of areas, but there is room for improvement against the pass. Pittsburgh sits 18th in terms of passing yards allowed per game (215), and Rowe could step into at least a depth role in a bid to help in that department. The former second-rounder has recorded six interceptions and 43 pass deflections in 103 games, and some of that ball production came during his brief 2023 period as a Steeler.

Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott have operated as safety starters for Pittsburgh in 2024. Provided they remain healthy, that will likely be the case through the rest of the season. As the 8-2 Steelers look to remain atop the AFC North, they will have an additional option in the secondary for the second half of the campaign.

Browns Sign Geron Christian Off Rams’ Practice Squad; Team Could Re-Install Jedrick Wills As LT

November 19th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

With Dawand Jones out for the season, more shuffling is required along the Browns’ offensive line. The left tackle spot could see a familiar face in play for Week 12, but in any event veteran depth is being added.

Geron Christian is heading to Cleveland, per an announcement from his agency. The 28-year-old is a veteran of 59 games and 25 starts at the NFL level. That includes the 2023 campaign, during which he split his time between the Texans and Browns. He made nine starts on the blindside for Cleveland that year, so he will be a familiar option to step into that role down the stretch if need be.

Christian signed with the Rams in September as part of the team’s effort to find healthy O-linemen early in the campaign. He made only one appearance for Los Angeles and, after being elevated for Week 11 but not playing, he reverted back to the Rams’ practice squad. Today’s move will allow the former third-rounder the chance to spend time on an active roster even if it is only in a backup capacity. The Rams are in better shape now than they were at the start of the campaign with respect to tackle depth, but losing a veteran option could prove to be detrimental later in the year.

While Christian will be one option to operate as a left tackle starter as the Browns play out the remaining weeks of the season, another is Jedrick Wills. The former first-rounder has been dealing with a knee injury which has left him in and out of the lineup in 2024. Wills’ struggles when on the field led to his demotion ahead of Week 11, a move which paved the way for Jones to handle starting blindside duties the rest of the way. With that no longer being an option, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal notes Wills could step back into a starting spot if healthy.

The Alabama product was listed as a non-participant in practice for Monday’s estimated injury report ahead of the Browns’ Thursday night game. If his knee is healthy enough to suit up, he could return to the starting lineup ahead of his contract expiring. As a pending free agent, Wills’ future is in question, and Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot writes the team may only be interested in retaining him in a swing tackle role. Wills could find himself with one more stretch of games to play his way into a new Browns deal.

In addition to Wills and Christian, Cleveland has Germain Ifedi as an option to handle the LT spot. Ifedi replaced Jones after his injury on Sunday, and he has started 83 of his 110 NFL appearances. Christian’s return will give the team additional contributors to close out the year, one in which the 2-8 outfit will look to sort out its O-line possibilities for 2025.

Chiefs To Sign WR Tyquan Thornton

November 18th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tyquan Thornton saw his Patriots tenure come to an end this weekend. The third-year wideout has not needed long to find a new home, though.

Thornton is signing with the Chiefs, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. To little surprise, this will be a practice squad agreement. Should he find himself on the active roster at some point, though, Thornton will have the opportunity to carve out a role on his new team.

More than 12 teams showed interest, including the Saints, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Thornton thus had a number of potential landing spots, and he has elected to join the two-time defending Super Bowl winners. It will be interesting to see how involved he will be in the team’s offense over the remainder of the campaign.

The 24-year-old failed to become a fixture in New England’s passing game before or after head coach Jerod Mayo‘s tenure began in 2024. Thornton was buried on the team’s WR depth chart, something which led to the Patriots shopping him in advance of the trade deadline. With no deals emerging on that front, the Patriots waived him ahead of their Week 11 contest.

No claims were made, making Thornton a free agent. The former second-rounder expressed a desire to quickly find a new situation, and the Chiefs have obliged. Kansas City has undergone a number of changes at the receiver spot this season, one in which Marquise Brown has not suited up due to injury and in which Rashee Rice has been out since October due to knee surgery. Those absences drove the Chiefs’ pursuit of their DeAndre Hopkins trade acquisition, but another addition is now set to be made.

Thornton entered the league with the potential to serve as a capable deep threat, but he has seen his playing time decrease with each passing season. The Baylor product’s most productive campaign came in his rookie year, during which he posted a 22-247-2 statline. A regular spot in the Chiefs’ offense will not be expected (especially earlier on in his Kansas City tenure), but Thornton could develop into a rotational contributor.

In any event, Thornton’s market value for this spring will be determined by his showings down the stretch. Considering the volume of teams which showed interest in him after being cut, a number of suitors could be in play during free agency. For now, though, his attention will turn to acclimating to the Chiefs’ offense as the team looks to bounce back from its first loss of the year.

Panthers Place TE Ian Thomas On IR; LB Amaré Barno Returns To Practice

November 18th, 2024 at 7:52pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Panthers coming off their bye week, the front office made a series of moves today. Most notably, the team placed tight end Ian Thomas on injured reserve. The team also signed cornerback Caleb Farley to the active roster.

Thomas suffered a calf injury during the team’s Week 10 win in Germany. The tight end will now be sidelined for at least the next four games, but there’s still a chance he could appear in a handful of December contests if he requires only a minimum stint on IR. Thomas also missed a chunk of games to begin the year as he nursed a calf injury.

Thanks in part to his absences, the veteran has been limited to only three catches this season. This performance came on the heels of a 2023 campaign where Thomas hauled in only five receptions. The former fourth-round pick did have a moderate offensive role between 2018 and 2022, with Thomas averaging 22 receptions for 200 yards per season.

Elsewhere on the roster, Farley will now have a secure role on the active roster after having been elevated three times from the practice squad. A former first-round pick by the Titans, Farley has seen time on 29 defensive snaps during his first season in Carolina. He’ll continue to play a depth role behind Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, and Dane Jackson.

The Panthers are also getting close to welcoming back some linebacker depth, as Amaré Barno returned to practice today. The organization will now have 21 days to activate the LB to the active roster. The 2022 sixth-round pick tore his ACL during last year’s Christmas Eve game, and there’s a chance his recovery won’t even span an entire year. After getting into nine games as a rookie, Barno appeared in 15 games in 2023, finishing with 21 tackles while splitting time between defense and special teams.

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