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Minor NFL Transactions: 9/14/24

September 14th, 2024 at 8:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor transactions and gameday practice squad callups:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts after a Saints trade was discussed. The 30-year-old missed the 2022 and ’23 campaigns due to ACL and Achilles tears, respectively. Patrick did not need to wait long to find a new opportunity, though, quickly landing a practice squad deal with the Lions. He is now positioned make his season debut tomorrow as a complementary option in Detroit’s passing attack.

Olszewski is dealing with a groin injury and he was known to be facing a long-term absence. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise, but it ensures at least a four-week absence. The former All-Pro scored a punt return touchdown with Pittsburgh early last season and added another during his 10-game Giants stretch to close out the year. The team will need to rely on other options in the return game for the time being.

Rams Waive S Russ Yeast

September 14th, 2024 at 4:21pm CST by Ely Allen

The Rams made a number of roster moves in advance of their Week 2 trip to Arizona. Among those moves, Los Angeles made the decision to place defensive back Russ Yeast on injured reserve.

Yeast is in his third season since getting drafted in the seventh round by the Rams. He played a bit of a reserve role as a rookie in 2022, making one start as a fifth defensive back in 15 game appearances. Yeast followed that up with a more impactful 2023 campaign, starting nine of 17 games and recording 61 total tackles and five passes defensed. Yeast played all over the field last year, spending most of his time at safety but playing a healthy number of snaps in the slot and in the box.

Yeast entered the year as the presumed starting nickelback for Los Angeles, but in the season opener in Detroit, Yeast only appeared on the field for one defensive snap. Not yet a vested veteran, Yeast will be subjected to the waiver wire, where any team can claim him if they so desire. In his place, Quentin Lake will take over that nickel role. Lake started four games late into last year before taking the starting role in the opener last week. Lake was drafted a round before Yeast back in 2022, and the two have jockeyed for preference on the depth chart ever since.

Taking Yeast’s spot on the active roster will be practice squad cornerback Cam Lampkin. Lampkin was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Washington State. He failed to make the initial 53-man roster but was signed to the practice squad, where he remained until today’s promotion.

Joining Lampkin off the practice squad as standard gameday elevations are offensive lineman Justin Dedich and tight end Nikola Kalinic. Both players will revert back to the practice squad after tomorrow’s contest.

Bears Place G Ryan Bates On IR

September 14th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Ely Allen

As the Bears prepare for a Week 2 trip to Houston, they will be doing so without a key depth piece on the offensive line. According to Bears senior writer Larry Mayer, interior offensive lineman Ryan Bates will find his way to injured reserve.

Bates was traded to Chicago early in the offseason this year after five seasons with the Bills. Since entering the league in 2019, Bates has made 19 starts in 73 game appearances, spending only one season as a full-time starter. Upon arriving in Chicago, Bates immediately entered into a position battle at center, losing out to current Bears starter Coleman Shelton.

Even though he lost out on the center job, Bates became an instant competitor for snaps at an uncertain right guard spot. Despite seeing Nate Davis start at right guard, Week 1 saw Bates split time at the position, actually dominating the snaps in the game 38 to 18. With Bates going on IR, Davis will be relied upon more heavily in Week 2.

Taking Bates’ spot on the active roster will be long snapper Scott Daly. This transaction felt inevitable after the Bears placed long-time long snapper Patrick Scales on IR back in August. Daly was elevated off the practice for Week 1, but practice squad players can only be elevated twice off of one contract. With a roster spot opening up, Chicago took advantage and promoted Daly, as Scales will be forced to miss at least three more games.

Joining Daly from the practice squad will be wide receiver Collin Johnson, who will come up as a standard gameday practice squad elevation. Johnson flashed in this year’s Hall of Fame Game, catching two touchdowns from quarterback Brett Rypien but missed the rest of the preseason with an injury. The former fifth-round pick out of Texas will get another regular season opportunity tomorrow before being relegated back to the practice squad after the game.

Browns Add James Proche To Active Roster, Waive Jaelon Darden

September 14th, 2024 at 12:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The Browns made a handful of moves today ahead of their Week 2 matchup vs. the Jaguars. The team announced that they’ve signed wideout James Proche and linebacker Winston Reid to the 53-man roster. The team also promoted offensive tackle Germain Ifedi and tight end Blake Whiteheart from the practice squad. To make room on the roster, the team waived special teamer .

Proche got into 10 games last season with Cleveland, with the majority of his production coming as a punt returner. The former Ravens draft pick was released by the Browns at the end of the 2024 preseason before landing on the team’s practice squad, although he wasn’t promoted for Week 1. He’ll presumably be taking over return duties for Darden, who was actually productive in his role last week. The former fourth-round pick returned five punts for 72 yards, including one for 28 yards.

Reid caught on with the Browns this offseason as an undrafted free agent out of Weber State. The rookie stuck with the organization after getting cut, and he earned a promotion from the taxi squad for Week 1. While Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was on the injury report this week, the linebacker was a full participant for the team’s final three practices. Reid could see playing time if the depth chart thins out, but he’ll likely be stuck to special teams tomorrow.

Ifedi’s promotion vs. an outright signing is an indication that the Browns’ offensive tackles “will be back sooner than later,” per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin were limited participants this week at practice after missing Week 1 with injuries. James Hudson and Dawand Jones got the starts at the tackle spots last weekend, with Ifedi serving as the temporary backup.

Steelers Promote WR Ben Skowronek

September 14th, 2024 at 9:19am CST by Ben Levine

Ben Skowronek has once again earned a promotion to the Steelers active roster. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers have called up the wideout from the practice squad.

The former seventh-round pick was traded to the Texans this past offseason but was among Houston’s final cuts. He subsequently landed on Pittsburgh’s practice squad and earned a promotion for Week 1, with all 11 of his snaps coming on special teams.

Skowronek showed some flashes during his time with the Rams, including a 2022 campaign where he hauled in 39 receptions for 376 yards. Third-round rookie Roman Wilson was limited at practice this week while dealing with an ankle injury, so Skowronek provides Pittsburgh with some reinforcement on the depth chart.

Speaking of injuries, quarterback Russell Wilson has officially been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Broncos. The veteran reportedly made the trip to Colorado with the intent to play his former team (per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). Of course, Wilson also traveled to Atlanta for Week 1 before eventually being listed as out, so we shouldn’t read too much into this decision.

If Wilson can’t go, Justin Fields would earn another start with his new squad. There was uncertainty atop the depth chart heading into the season opener, but Fields had the luxury of taking all of the first-team reps this past week. The speedy QB admitted that the extra practice time should help his performance if he does indeed start tomorrow.

“I guess it helps me a little bit,” said Fields (via the team’s website). “But like I said last week, I come into every week the same with the same approach that I’m going to play. I’d rather be ready and just have that mindset.

“So, I guess it helps a little bit. But it’s really the same process for me.”

Chiefs Place Marquise Brown On IR; WR To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

September 13th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

10:05pm: Brown has officially be moved to IR. When addressing his situation, head coach Andy Reid said Brown’s recovery timeline is now “months not weeks” (h/t ESPN’s Adam Schefter). That ensures he will miss more than the four-week minimum as Kansas City moves forward without Brown in the fold for the foreseeable future.

11:03am: Marquise Brown‘s SC joint injury will further delay his Chiefs debut. The veteran wideout is being placed on injured reserve, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports.

The move comes after testing revealed Brown’s injury has not healed correctly, Schultz adds. To ensure a proper recovery, the free agent pickup will undergo a procedure on Monday. Moving to injured reserve will guarantee at least a four-week absence after Brown already missed Kansas City’s season opener.

The 27-year-old suffered the injury in mid-August, and his initial recovery timeline left his Week 1 availability in doubt. He appeared to be making progress, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported Brown did not suffer a broken bone. That differentiates his situation from that of Tyreek Hill in 2019 when he suffered a similar injury, but in spite of that Brown will be sidelined for a notable stretch.

The Oklahoma product managed a 1,000-yard season during his third and final Ravens campaign, but his stint in Baltimore generally fell short of expectations. After asking to be dealt, Brown spent the 2022 and ’23 campaigns in Arizona. He saw his yards per reception average dip to 10.9 across that span, but he was still viewed as one of the top vertical options in the receiver free agent market. Kansas City inked him to a one-year deal with a base value of $7MM. Another $4MM is in place via incentives, but Brown’s ability to reach those will be impacted by his extended absence.

Adding at the receiver spot was an offseason priority for the Chiefs, and they followed up the Brown signing by moving up on Day 1 of the draft and selecting Xavier Worthy. The 40-yard dash record-holder had a strong NFL debut by scoring a pair of touchdowns, and he will be counted to remain an impact player in the passing attack. Kansas City also has Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster in place on the depth chart.

Brown will be sidelined for the four games remaining until the Chiefs’ bye week. He will be eligible to return after that point, though bringing him back into the fold will use one of the team’s eight allotted IR activations.

NFL Staff Rumors: Jets Front Office, Frost

September 13th, 2024 at 9:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jets announced some restructuring in their personnel department back in August. According to the team site, Jon Carr and Greg Nejmeh will be taking over as co-directors of player personnel. New York will also make Dan Zbojovsky the team’s new senior director of football operations.

Carr is an 18-year NFL veteran in his seventh season with the Jets. During his time in New York, Carr has overseen the college scouting process, managing national and area scouts. He recently added oversight of the pro personnel department to his docket, as well.

Nejmeh’s been with the team since 2009, when he started as a scouting intern, and is now entering his 16th year with the Jets. He has overseen the pro personnel day-to-day operations and managed the free agency process and pro player evaluations. He recently started assisting and overseeing with the college process, as well. With Carr and Nejmeh’s responsibilities bleeding over into each other so much, and with both serving as key generals under general manager Joe Douglas, it makes sense to see them now split a title the same way they split their job duties.

Zbojovsky is also an 18-year veteran in NFL front offices, spending all 18 years with the Jets. In his new role, Zbojovsky will oversee the athletic training staff, medical staff, player development, personnel operations, and video department. He will also still retain some of the scouting responsibilities he held from his previous role.

Here are some other NFL staff moves from the last few weeks:

  • Those weren’t the only adjustments the Jets made to their front office. Formerly a national scout, Jay Mandolesi will spend his 21st year with the Jets as director of college scouting with a new promotion. Nick Sabella has also been promoted after two seasons as assistant director of football administration. He will now serve as senior director of football administration in his sixth year with the team. Sabella will be filling the vacancy left by David Socie who has also been promoted to senior director of football strategy. Socie is in the eighth year of his second stint with the team after a one-year stint back in 2006. Jonathan Stigall is another staffer to earn a promotion, moving into the role of national scout. Stigall has been in the NFL since 1999 and with the Jets since 2014 in various roles. Additionally, after three years as assistant director of personnel operations, Christina Wedding née Salvemini has been promoted to director of personnel operations. Former pro scout Evan Ardoin is also getting a promotion into the role of co-assistant director of pro personnel, alongside Kevin Murphy in the same role. Ardoin will monitor NFL practice squads and league transactions while evaluating players for free agency. Lastly, after serving as a personnel assistant for the past two years, Jordan Burton will spend his third year in New York as the NFS college scout for the team.
  • At the beginning of the month, the Rams announced that they would be adding former UCF and Nebraska head coach Scott Frost to their coaching staff, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Scott is expected to be joining as a senior football analyst. Rams senior staff writer Stu Jackson says that Frost will help special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn but will be expected to contribute on both offense and defense, as well. This makes sense as Frost has playing experience on both sides of the ball, playing quarterback in college at Stanford and Nebraska before getting drafted as a safety in the NFL. He also has experience coaching on both sides of the ball, spending time as an assistant over linebackers, wide receivers, and quarterbacks and spending time as both an offensive and defensive coordinator at the collegiate level.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/24

September 13th, 2024 at 7:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Some practice squad transactions to close out the week:

Houston Texans

  • Released from practice squad IR (with injury settlement): T Cameron Erving

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Released from practice squad IR (with injury settlement): RB Boston Scott

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/13/24

September 13th, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s only minor move in the NFL:

New York Giants

Cota, who came into the NFL last year as an undrafted wide receiver out of Oregon after four years at UCLA, has bounced around the league, spending time with the Lions, Chiefs, Texans, and Giants without seeing any regular season action. He is the son of former NFL safety Chad Cota.

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