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Commanders’ Marcus Mariota, Efe Obada, Jordan Magee Return To Practice

October 2nd, 2024 at 2:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders have enjoyed a strong start to the season, and they could have a number of reinforcements in the fold soon. Among the players who returned to practice on Wednesday is backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. 

The 30-year-old was placed on injured reserve just before the start of the regular season. That move guaranteed a four-game absence, so today’s news is a sign he has recovered in full while returning to action when first eligible. Mariota will be able to dress as Jayden Daniels‘ backup provided he is activated in time for Week 5.

After the Commanders traded away Sam Howell, it became clear the organization would invest in a new passer via the draft. Mariota was brought in on a one-year deal to provide experienced depth capable of handling first-team duties on a temporary basis if needed. The play of Daniels to date has not created any doubt about his readiness for NFL duties, although Mariota did see some starter’s reps during the summer before this year’s second overall pick was placed atop the depth chart.

After the end of his five-year run in Tennessee, Mariota has bounced around the NFL. The Oregon product spent the 2020 and ’21 seasons as a backup with the Raiders before his single campaign in Atlanta the following year. Mariota logged 13 starts during his Falcons tenure, but neither he nor the team’s offense impressed in that time. Last season, he worked as the Eagles’ QB2 and made just three appearances.

As long as Daniels remains healthy, he will remain atop the depth chart for the 3-1 Commanders. Mariota’s return would leave Jeff Driskel as Washington’s third-string passer while letting undrafted rookie Sam Hartman develop on the practice squad. Mariota seeing the field at some point would allow him to help his free agent value ahead of next offseason and add to his 90 games (including 74 starts) of experience.

In other roster news, defensive end Efe Obada has been designated for return from the PUP list. The 32-year-old was limited to only five games with Washington last season, but he recorded between 3.5 and 5.5 sacks in each of the three previous campaigns. Obada should continue in a rotational role along the edge once he is activated. Fifth-round round rookie linebacker Jordan Magee, meanwhile, had his practice window opened after he was designated for return from IR before the roster cutdown deadline.

Washington also placed Jamison Crowder on injured reserve. The veteran wideout is dealing with a calf injury, and he will now miss at least four games. Crowder, 31, returned to the nation’s capital in 2023 after beginning his career there, and he played all 17 games. The pending free agent will look to get back on the field and into the Commanders’ receiver rotation once healthy.

Browns Designate Nick Chubb For Return; Nyheim Hines Back At Practice

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:57am CST by Sam Robinson

The rumored Nick Chubb return to practice is a go. The perennial Pro Bowler will work out with his Browns teammates starting today, with the club making it official.

This is a long time coming for Chubb, who underwent two knee surgeries following a severe injury sustained in Week 2 of last season. Additionally, the Browns will have Nyheim Hines and offensive lineman Michael Dunn back at practice. All three players, although they were on three different lists, each have 21-day return windows. Not being activated in that span would cause them to miss the rest of the season.

Chubb resided on Cleveland’s reserve/PUP list; he does not count against the team’s in-season activation total. By virtue of being designated for return (from the reserve/non-football injury list and reserve/non-football illness list, respectively), Hines and Dunn already count toward the Browns’ eight-activation number. Cleveland has six injury activations remaining as we hit IR- and NFI-activation season.

Although Chubb did not fully tear his ACL, he suffered other damage from the sequence in Pittsburgh. Chubb, 28, tore an MCL and sustained medial capsule and meniscus damage, leading to this year-plus return timeline. The seventh-year veteran is not expected to debut immediately, as could be expected, but the Browns having him back at practice is a good sign for his availability this season. It makes sense the Browns will want to see him ramp up once cleared to practice; the PUP-return window allows for that.

This is also a long time coming for Hines, who has been on the shelf since suffering a torn ACL from a freak jet ski accident in summer 2023. Hines was not moving during the July 2023 accident, as another jet ski crashed into him. He spent last season on the Bills’ reserve/NFI list, and Buffalo cut him with a non-football injury designation this offseason. The Browns then picked up the ex-Colts passing-down back/return man but delayed his return via the NFI stash.

For the time being, Cleveland will continue to rely on Jerome Ford as its starting RB. The Browns’ primary Chubb fill-in last year, Ford is averaging 5.2 yards per carry. As a team, however, the Browns rank 26th on the ground. They have D’Onta Foreman, Pierre Strong and Gary Brightwell on its 53-man roster, but reinforcements — which should change Cleveland’s backfield hierarchy — are coming.

The Browns and Chubb agreed on a reworked contract that doubled as a pay cut this offseason, and the four-time 1,000-yard rusher is due for free agency in 2025. The RB market showed signs of reawakening this offseason, giving Chubb motivation. To fetch a notable third contract, however, Chubb will need to show signs of his pre-injury form. The Browns will hope Chubb can help a struggling Deshaun Watson, who has spent most of his time as Cleveland’s QB1 without the consistent ball-carrier.

Formerly a Colts extension recipient, Hines was dealt to the Bills before the 2022 deadline. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in Buffalo’s regular-season finale that year and, in addition to two punt-return TDs, has two 400-yard receiving seasons on his resume.

DE Myles Murphy Returns To Bengals Practice; DT McKinnley Jackson Designated For Return

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:18am CST by Sam Robinson

Myles Murphy is on his way back to help the Bengals’ pass rush. Given an IR-return designation upon Cincinnati setting its initial 53-man roster, Murphy returned to practice Wednesday.

Today marks the first date the 2023 first-rounder was eligible to practice, providing a good sign he will be ready to play in Week 5. The Bengals also designated defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson for return. Unlike Murphy, Jackson did not receive a return designation previously. Once the Bengals activate McKinnley, he will count against the team’s activation total.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Murphy already does, by virtue of the team using an IR-return slot on him in August. Murphy joined punter Brad Robbins in that regard. Cincinnati activated Robbins from IR on Monday but cut him Tuesday. If the Bengals activate Jackson this week, their activation count will sit at five moving forward.

A knee sprain led Murphy to IR. He will return to add an intriguing piece behind Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard. Murphy played in all 17 Bengals games last season as a backup, logging 305 defensive snaps. The Clemson product totaled three sacks but only three QB hits. Cincinnati, which has Hendrickson in a contract year and Hubbard signed through 2025, will still aim to have Murphy develop as a future starter. For now, he profiles as important depth to a Bengals team that again has started slowly.

Chosen 97th overall out of Texas A&M, Jackson reenters the equation for a Bengals team that has played without starters B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankins due to hamstring injuries. The Bengals placed Jackson on IR shortly after setting their roster, but Wednesday’s transaction effectively shows the rookie remains in the team’s plans for 2024.

Bills’ Von Miller Issued Four-Game Ban

October 1st, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Von Miller has remained healthy this season, but he will be absent from the Bills for a notable stretch. The All-Pro edge rusher has been an issued a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, per a league announcement.

Miller was arrested last December on a domestic violence charge. The 35-year-old – who faced a third-degree felony charge – denied the allegations during his first public remarks on the matter, calling them “100% false.” A league investigation into the matter took place, and in March commissioner Roger Goodell said a suspension “was not appropriate based on the facts.” The incident remained under league review after that point, however.

It is possible further investigation has now led to a ban, although the NFL did not specify which incident led to today’s suspension. Miller was not placed on the commissioner’s exempt list ahead of the campaign, something which is common in cases of domestic violence. The three-time All-Pro appeared in all four of Buffalo’s games this season, albeit in a rotational capacity. Miller has logged a snap share of 35%, which is roughly in line with his usage from a 2023 campaign in which his effectiveness was hindered by his ACL recovery.

Miller was one of many Bills whose contracts was restructured this offseason. As a result of that move, no guaranteed salary remains on his pact beyond 2024. The two-time Super Bowl champion’s value took a nosedive in 2023 when he was held without a sack. His debut Buffalo campaign included eight sacks in 11 games, though, so expectations were high for a rebound provided he remained healthy. Miller has notched three sacks this season.

In his absence, the Bills will move forward with the likes of Gregory Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Dawuane Smoot and Javon Solomon along the edge. The team sits at 3-1 on the year but a defense which has been dealing with several impactful injuries has now lost another contributor for one month.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/1/24

October 1st, 2024 at 7:39pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad updates around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR Jermaine Jackson
  • Released: WR John Jiles

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Released: DT Matt Gotel

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The Broncos are bringing in the veteran running back Ahmed after he spent four years in Miami. Ahmed’s biggest role came in four starts as an undrafted rookie back in 2020 in which he rushed for 319 yards and three touchdowns over six games. He served as a reliable backup for the Dolphins for the past few years.

The Chargers released Jefferson yesterday, but they’ll keep him around on the practice squad with today’s signing. The veteran adds some quality depth to the roster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/1/24

October 1st, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday’s minor NFL transactions:

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed (off Falcons’ practice squad): DT Zion Logue

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed (off Commanders’ practice squad): LB Jalen Graham

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Robbins’ release today marks the end of what was supposed to be the continuation of the battle for the punter position in Cincinnati, setting the table for Ryan Rehkow to continue his job as the primary punter for the Bengals. Robbins was activated from injured reserve yesterday, but his stint on the active roster ends after only one day. It’s an interesting move after the team dedicated one of their eight IR activations for the season on Robbins before the season began.

Panthers Sign CB Caleb Farley

October 1st, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Caleb Farley‘s time in Tennessee did not go as planned, but he has lined up a new NFL opportunity. The former first-round corner is signing with the Panthers, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal is now official, per a team announcement.

Schultz notes, to little surprise, this will be a practice squad agreement. Farley is expected to soon find himself on Carolina’s active roster, though, as he seeks to post a healthy stretch and rebuild his value. The 25-year-old struggled with a multitude of injuries during his college and NFL careers, including a pair of ACL tears and three back surgeries. The Titans made a predictable move in declining his 2025 fifth-year option, but they also waived him ahead of roster cutdowns.

That move was followed by a Patriots workout, although no deal materialized. Farley visited the Panthers shortly before this agreement, as noted by KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The Virginia Tech product missed the entire 2023 season after playing only 12 total games across his first two seasons in the league. He was held without an interception, and his coverage statistics left plenty of room for improvement. Carolina could offer Farley a chance to put together a string of healthy games played while developing into at least a depth contributor in the secondary.

Tennessee took on a $4.29MM dead money charge by moving on from Farley in the offseason. This Panthers deal will no doubt check in at a lesser cost, which will be necessary given the team’s financial situation. Carolina entered Tuesday with only $571K in cap space, the lowest figure in the league. This flier carries a degree of upside for the 1-3 outfit, though.

In other roster moves, the Panthers signed Chandler Wooten from the practice squad to the active roster. The former UDFA has 17 appearances to his name, all with Carolina. Wooten will look to help fill the void created by fellow linebacker Shaq Thompson‘s Achilles tear. Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields was waived from the 53-man roster, and he could be retained on the practice squad if he clears.

Steelers Sign G Max Scharping Off Commanders’ Practice Squad

October 1st, 2024 at 4:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

In need of depth along the interior offensive line, the Steelers have brought in veteran reinforcements. Max Scharping was signed to Pittsburgh’s roster off the Commanders’ practice squad, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The move is now official.

Left guard Isaac Seumalo has yet to play this season as he rehabs a torn rotator cuff. Pittsburgh elected not to place him on injured reserve, meaning a return could be close. Still, Pittsburgh’s offensive line is not at full strength and will not be for the remainder of the campaign. Right guard James Daniels suffered a torn Achilles in Week 4, and he will be out for the rest of the season.

Starting center Nate Herbig is also out of the picture after he suffered a torn rotator cuff before the start of the campaign. Second-round rookie Zach Frazier has handled first-team duties in his absence while playing with multiple contributors at the guard spots. Scharping could enter that mix in his return to the AFC North.

The 28-year-old is a veteran of 79 games and 33 starts across his time with the Texans and Bengals. Scharping saw heavy usage in Houston compared to his sparse role in Cincinnati, which limited his market value this offseason. He signed with the Eagles in a bid to land a roster spot, but Philadelphia cut him in advance of Week 1. That led to a practice squad deal with the Commanders. Scharping has not seen game action this year, however, and he will look to secure a role in Pittsburgh moving forward.

In a corresponding move, the Steelers placed Daniels on injured reserve. The team also released defensive backs Jalen Elliott and Darius Rush from the 53-man roster as part of its collection of Tuesday transactions. Scharping may not be used in a starting capacity, but he figures to have a role in relatively short order as Pittsburgh looks to find a healthy combination up front.

Browns DT Mike Hall Receives Suspension

October 1st, 2024 at 4:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mike Hall started the 2024 season on the commissioner’s exempt list while a league investigation into a domestic violence incident took place. That process has now concluded.

The Browns rookie received a five-game suspension on Tuesday for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes, however, games spent on the exempt list count toward any suspensions levied by the league. For all intents and purposes, therefore, today’s news constitutes a one-game ban.

Hall was arrested in August on domestic violence charges. The NFL typically places players in that situation on the exempt list before a final decision with respect to discipline is made. Hall’s legal situation was resolved in September; the 21-year-old entered a no contest plea to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct. His fiancée (the victim of the incident) had a protective order against Hall removed.

The Ohio State product was sidelined for Cleveland’s first four contests, and that will remain the case for the team’s upcoming game. After that point, though, he will be eligible for reinstatement. Hall could make his debut in Week 6 against the Eagles. When he is back in the fold, he will aim to provide depth along the Browns’ defensive interior.

The team’s top choice in April’s draft (No. 54 overall), Hall established himself as one of the top D-line prospects in the 2024 class. He could carve out a rotational role early in his rookie season as the 1-3 Browns look to rebound from an underwhelming start in a number of categories. The team ranks 19th against the run, an area in which Hall could provide reinforcements upon being reinstated.

Buccaneers To Sign WR Sterling Shepard To Active Roster

October 1st, 2024 at 1:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sterling Shepard has made a pair of appearances with the Buccaneers this season as a gameday elevation, but he is now set to receive a more permanent opportunity. The veteran wideout is being signed to Tampa Bay’s active roster, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports.

Players can be designated as a gameday elevation from the practice squad up to three times, so Tampa Bay could have taken that route once more before making today’s move. However, Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer are both dealing with injuries, leaving the Bucs thin at wideout behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Shepard represents a veteran candidate for the WR3 role on a temporary basis.

The 31-year-old remained with the Giants for an eighth season in 2023, doing so after an Achilles tear. Shepard was used sparingly, though, and his 15% snap share was by far the lowest of his career. He took a deal with the Buccaneers in June after being recruited by former college teammate Baker Mayfield. That agreement did not leave Shepard on the team’s initial roster, but to little surprise he re-signed to the practice squad after cutdowns. Now, the Oklahoma product is positioned to handle a rotational role in Tampa.

Shepard was not targeted during his Bucs debut, but he was much more involved on Sunday during the team’s win against the Eagles. The former second-rounder caught three of five targets for 51 yards, and a continuation of that production would help complement Evans and Godwin while Tampa Bay deals with other injuries in the receiving corps. Shepard could of course help his value on a new deal in the offseason by enjoying a strong spell on the active roster over the coming weeks.

To make room on the roster, the Buccaneers waived Ben Stille, per a team announcement. The 26-year-old has made 15 appearances in his career, including three this season. Stille will be a practice squad candidate for Tampa Bay provided he clears waivers.

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