Today’s practice squad moves:
New York Giants
- Signed: OT Ricky Lee
Washington Commanders
- Released: K Greg Joseph
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Claimed on waivers (from Texans): WR Steven Sims
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: DE Jonathan Harris
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: LT Braxton Jones (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: DE Isaiah Thomas
- Waived: QB Logan Woodside
Detroit Lions
- Waived: DE Chris Smith
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: S Omar Brown
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: WR Tank Dell (story), S Jimmie Ward (story)
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: G Atonio Mafi
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: LB Jack Cochrane
- Designated for return: TE Peyton Hendershot
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: OT Jaelyn Duncan
- Waived: K Brayden Narveson
The Titans’ decision to move on from Brayden Narveson comes as a bit of a surprise following this weekend’s roster machinations. The organization didn’t only promote the kicker from the practice squad…they also signed him through the 2025 campaign. With Nick Folk apparently approaching full health, the Titans have decided to stick with the veteran and move on from his fill-in.
Narveson’s stint with the Titans featured only a single appearance, when he missed his lone field goal attempt and converted two extra points in yesterday’s loss. Narveson spent the beginning of the season in Green Bay, where he converted 12 of his 17 field goal attempts.
The Vikings should soon have one of their top linebackers back in the lineup. The team announced today that Ivan Pace has been designated for return from IR and has returned from practice. The team will now have 21 days to activate the linebacker to the active roster, although ESPN’s Kevin Seifert hints that Pace could be back for Sunday’s game against the Packers.
Pace suffered a hamstring injury last month that ultimately required a stint on injured reserve. His return to practice indicates that he may only need a minimum stay on IR, a positive development as the Vikings prepare for the postseason.
A 2023 UDFA, Pace quickly established himself in Minnesota as a rookie, finishing with 102 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He continued that production into 2024. The sophomore started all nine of his appearances while collecting 59 tackles, three sacks, and six tackles for loss. Pace was also sidelined for Week 3 and Week 4 while he nursed a quadriceps/ankle issue.
The Vikings have barely had both Pace and Blake Cashman healthy as the same time in 2024, forcing the team to lean on their depth. Most recently, the team has mixed and matched different linebackers to play alongside or in relief of Cashman. Kamu Grugier-Hill (11 snaps), Bo Richter (10 snaps), Brian Asamoah (nine snaps), and Jamin Davis (eight snaps) all got looks in Week 15, although that grouping was shutout in Week 16 as Cashman appeared in 100 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.
After losing one safety to injury, the Chargers have added a veteran to the practice squad. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the team has placed Marcus Maye on injured reserve. Meanwhile, the team announced that they’ve added Eddie Jackson to the taxi squad. To make room, the team has released running back John Kelly.
Maye suffered an ankle injury that knocked him out of last Thursday’s game. His placement on IR means he’s done for the regular season, but he could make a return if the Chargers make a postseason run.
The Chargers represent Maye’s third team over the past 12 months. He was cut by the Saints back in February and caught on with the Dolphins, where he proceeded to start three of his 11 appearances. The veteran mostly played behind Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer, and with the Dolphins needing to squeeze out some extra roster space, Maye was let go last month.
He was quickly scooped up by the Chargers, who were dealing with injuries in their safeties room. Maye’s addition coincided with Alohi Gilman‘s placement on IR, and the midseason acquisition has seen his fair share of snaps. In total, Maye has seen time in 112 defensive snaps in four games with the Chargers. Tony Jefferson saw an uptick in playing time when Maye exited Thursday’s game, although the team was already scrambling with Elijah Molden out of the lineup.
The Chargers do have a new name to choose from after they added Jackson earlier today. The former Bears standout was cut by Chicago last offseason before he landed in Baltimore. The two-time Pro Bowler got into nine games (four starts) with his new squad before getting cut in November. It took him a whole month to find a new gig, but he lands in an enticing situation in Los Angeles.
However, Jackson didn’t perform all that well in Baltimore. His 50.3 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) is the lowest of his career and ranks in the bottom 10 among NFL safeties this year. He also was displeased with his reduced workload, and “frustrations boiled over” prior to his eventual release. He’ll be seeking a fresh start in Los Angeles, although he may be hard pressed to play a significant role considering the point of the season.
Depending on Molden’s status, Jefferson will likely be inserted into the starting lineup, with Jackson potentially serving as a key backup. The Chargers could also turn to Kendall Williamson and/or Emany Johnson, and the could also get creative with Derwin James, who has played the majority of his snaps at slot CB this season.
After missing J.K. Dobbins for the past four games, the Chargers will give their starting running back an opportunity to provide a strong ending to his first season in Los Angeles.
The Bolts are designating Dobbins for return, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper tweets. An MCL sprain halted Dobbins’ bounce-back season, offering a reminder of his issues staying healthy in Baltimore. But the former second-round pick had provided good value for a Chargers team that signed him on a low-end contract following a lost 2023 season.
Dobbins amassed 766 rushing yards this season (4.8 per carry), scoring eight touchdowns in his return from a September 2023 Achilles tear. The former Ravens starter also missed all of the 2021 season and much of the 2022 campaign due to an ACL tear. The Bolts had been using their other Baltimore import, Gus Edwards, in Dobbins’ place. Edwards figures to still be involved, but a return to a complementary role appears likely soon.
Although the Chargers are down to just two injury activations, the offseason rule change giving playoff teams two more to use during the postseason keeps the team on steady ground here. Edwards had returned off IR previously, but he has not provided the Chargers the spark his longtime teammate has this season. The higher-paid back is averaging just 3.6 yards per tote. Dobbins’ injury past still figures to keep Edwards involved, however.
Dobbins’ run of injury trouble led to an April signing, as the Bolts gave the Ohio State product a one-year deal worth just $1.61MM. Dobbins, 26, can probably do better on the 2025 market — especially after would-be free agents James Conner, Chuba Hubbard and Rhamondre Stevenson all signed extensions. The current Chargers starter will need to stay healthy, however, and his injury past will undoubtedly still factor into his market. But a bump from that $1.61MM number appears likely.
As the fifth-year back prepares an effort to boost his market, he can help a Chargers team secure playoff positioning. The Bolts are 9-6 and could rise as high as the No. 5 seed depending on results over the season’s final two weeks.
Luke Musgrave is set to make his return to the Packers’ lineup tonight. The second-year tight end will be activated from injured reserve in advance of Green Bay’s Week 16 contest, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. 
Musgrave has been on injured reserve since October due to an ankle injury which required surgery. It remained possible at that time that he could return to the lineup at some point late in the campaign, and signs have continued to point in that direction. The 24-year-old had his practice window opened earlier this month, giving the Packers 21 days to activate him.
Provided the move is made in time for tonight’s contest, Musgrave will be in line to play Green Bay’s final three regular season games. The Packers will still have five IR activations once the Oregon State product returns to the lineup, meaning they will retain considerable flexibility in that respect through the postseason (during which all teams receive an additional two IR-return slots). Getting Musgrave back in action will give Green Bay another option at the skill positions.
That group is littered with recent draft picks, and their development since the start of last season has been a central aspect of the Packers’ success on offense. Musgrave posted 34 catches for 352 yards and one touchdown as a rookie, adding another score during the team’s postseason run. During his four appearances in 2024, however, the Oregon State product saw his playing time drop considerably (39% offensive snap share compared to 66%). That resulted in a drop in production.
Tucker Kraft has been a key contributor atop the TE depth chart this year, posting a 41-555-7 statline to date. He will be expected to remain productive down the stretch, but the return of Musgrave will give the Packers additional options at the position. Green Bay can clinch a playoff spot tonight with a win over New Orleans.
DECEMBER 22: Further details on the Baker extension are in, courtesy of PHNX’s Howard Balzer. Of the nearly $30MM in guarantees, $17.45MM is locked in at signing (including a $12.25MM signing bonus). Baker’s base salaries for 2025 and ’26 contain injury guarantees which will shift to full guarantees this March; no salary is locked in for the final year of the deal.
Baker is in line to collect a $1MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year for 2026 and ’27. The pact also includes offseason and per-game roster bonuses which could reach a combined total of $755K. Baker’s cap hit increased slightly for this year, but it will drop to $10.82MM next season before rising again ($19.23MM and $20.89MM) at the end of the pact.
DECEMBER 17: A year after asking for a trade, Budda Baker has remained a cornerstone Cardinal. This will lead to the perennial Pro Bowler passing on a trip to free agency.
The Cardinals have reached an agreement with Baker on a three-year, $54MM contract extension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This is Baker’s third Arizona contract, and it places the All-Pro near the top of the market at safety. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports had reported earlier this week that Baker and the Cards were discussing a deal.
Baker’s extension includes $30MM in guaranteed money and will keep him in Arizona through the 2027 season, per Schefter. The deal’s 18MM average annual value ranks fourth among active safeties and represents the largest third contract at the position in NFL history. The three players ahead of him in terms of AAV — Antoine Winfield Jr., Derwin James and Minkah Fitzpatrick — are on second contracts. Baker, 28, has done well to maintain top form at the end of his second.
Baker requested a trade away from the Cardinals in April 2023 due to frustration with his contract. The two sides came to a short-term resolution last July with additional guarantees and incentives on his existing contract, but his status as a pending free agent reignited trade speculation ahead of this year’s deadline.
The Cardinals never seemed to entertain the idea of moving Baker and have now solidified their commitment to their 2017 second-round pick. If he plays out his full extension, he will turn 32 years old at the end of his 11th season in Arizona, setting him up to retire as a Cardinal. While plenty of time remains between now and then, Baker has now excelled in three different defensive systems. He has done well to help the Jonathan Gannon regime produce some improvement this season.
The locker room leader, a 2017 second-round pick, has received Pro Bowl nods in each of the past five seasons. He is on pace for a career high in tackles, having racked up 142 in 14 games this season. He of five 100-plus-tackle seasons, Baker resides as a veteran presence on a team that has seen several quality defenders — J.J. Watt, Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones, Byron Murphy and Zach Allen among them — either leave in free agency or retire over the past three years. Rather than let Baker follow that pack out the door, the Gannon-Monti Ossenfort regime will bet on the veteran to keep playing at a high level into his 30s.
Baker’s new contract reflects the NFL’s recent trend of rising safety contracts. Winfield’s offseason extension with the Buccaneers set new league records for total value, per-year average, total guarantees, and full guarantees, and the Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton could earn even more once he reaches extension eligibility in 2025.
The deal was negotiated by David Mulugheta of Athletes First, who recently lost wide receiver Tee Higgins as a client as he approaches extension talks with the Bengals.
Brandon Joseph was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Saturday morning. The second-year safety is no longer with the Lions as a result. 
Joseph was pulled over for speeding around 1:47am on Saturday and Dearborn Heights police noted he was taken into custody for “a few hours.” Director Paul Vanderplow stated Joseph was traveling over the speed limit at the time of his arrest but added “it was not excessive speed” (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
“He was very compliant, he was very respectful,” Vanderplow added when referring to Joseph’s situation. “He went through the battery of tests, through those tests now we have some analysis to go through before charges can be done… He’ll go through that process, and then go through the court process like anybody else.”
The Lions declined to comment, but their decision to move on from Joseph will lead to him hitting the waiver wire. In the likely event no teams put in a claim, the 23-year-old will become a free agent. Considering his legal situation, though, it would come as no surprise if Joseph were to remain on the market for an extended period. A 2023 UDFA, he only made a pair of appearances during his rookie campaign but this season produced a notable uptick in usage.
Joseph had played in all 14 of the Lions’ games this season, remaining a contributor on special teams as he was last year. As Birkett notes, the Notre Dame product took over as a gunner on coverage units after Khalil Dorsey‘s season-ending injury. Joseph also logged a 20% snap share on defense, chipping in for a Lions secondary which has dealt with a number of injuries over the course of the season. He recorded 13 tackles and one pass deflection in 2024.
Especially with Ifeatu Melifonwu back on the active roster, though, the safety spot is one position at which Detroit’s depth chart is largely intact. The Lions will play the Bears on Sunday without Jones in the fold for the first time this season as they look to move closer to securing the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
Today’s minor transactions and standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: T Jackson Barton, RB Michael Carter
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: WR Chris Blair
- Elevated: WR Dylan Drummond
- Waived: LB Rashaan Evans
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: S Kareem Jackson, WR Jalen Virgil
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: RB Mike Boone, T Brandon Walton
Chicago Bears
- Signed to active roster: RB Darrynton Evans
- Placed on IR: G Ryan Bates
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DE Isaiah Thomas
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: CB Kahlef Hailassie, WR James Proche
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: CB Andrew Booth
- Elevated: LB Darius Harris, T Dakoda Shepley
- Placed on IR: CB Trevon Diggs (story)
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: S Ifeatu Melifonwu
- Signed to active roster: OLB Mitchell Agude, WR Tom Kennedy, DL Chris Smith
- Elevated: RB Jermar Jefferson, S Loren Strickland
- Waived (via injury settlement): DT David Bada
- Waived: WR Maurice Alexander
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: CB Kyu Blu Kelly
- Elevated: TE John Samuel Shenker
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: CB Charles Woods
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from reserve/PUP: LB Cameron Goode
- Elevated: WR Erik Ezukanma
- Waived: DT Neil Farrell
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: S Bobby McCain, TE Nick Muse
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: RB Terrell Jennings
- Elevated: WR Alex Erickson, LB Monty Rice
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: DB Raheem Layne
- Elevated: OLB Boogie Basham, T Tyre Phillips
New York Jets
- Elevated: DT Bruce Hector, S Jarius Monroe
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: FB Khari Blasingame
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: LB Jalen Graham, T Austen Pleasants
- Elevated: DT Alex Barrett, RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
- Waived: T Sebastian Gutierrez
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: QB Jaren Hall
- Elevated: CB Artie Burns
- Placed on IR: OLB Trevis Gipson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: P Jack Browning
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis
After being activated from injured reserve in early November, Bates only played two games before suffering a concussion. The 27-year-old has not played since Week 11 and will now miss the remainder of the season on IR. Bates is under contract through 2025.
Bobby Okereke‘s second season with the Giants has come to an end. The veteran linebacker was placed on IR Saturday, per a team announcement. 
Okereke is dealing with a back injury, and his last appearance came during New York’s loss to Dallas on Thanksgiving. His status for the remainder of the campaign was in doubt as he missed each of the past two games, but it is now official he will not play again in 2024. Three contests remain in the Giants’ season, but the move to IR ensures a four-game absence.
After playing out his rookie contract with the Colts, Okereke inked a four-year, $40MM deal in free agency to join the Giants. Expectations were high as a result, and the 28-year-old delivered 149 tackles along with career highs in sacks (2.5) and forced fumbles last year. His statistical output for 2024 will check in at a lower figure in several categories after only 12 games played, but his absence will continue to be felt on defense.
The Giants have already been hit by injuries on that side of the ball, including most notably Dexter Lawrence‘s season-ending dislocated elbow. Okereke will join Lawrence in turning his attention to rehab ahead of the 2025 campaign, one in which none of his base salary is guaranteed. The Stanford product is due a $3MM roster bonus early in the new league year, however, so his ability to heal in full will be an important storyline for team and player. Darius Muasau will likely continue in a starting role alongside Micah McFadden to close out the season.
The Giants also moved Patrick Johnson to IR, ending his campaign. The former seventh-rounder made one appearance this season with the Eagles (in Week 1), but since that time he has been with New York. Johnson has hardly played on defense this year, but he has been a key contributor on special teams during his 12 Giants games. The Tulane product is a pending free agent.