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Dolphins To Leave Odell Beckham Jr. On PUP List To Open Season

August 27th, 2024 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not expressing concern about Odell Beckham Jr.‘s status, Mike McDaniel will nevertheless see his preferred No. 3 wide receiver out of action for a while to start the season. Beckham is staying on the PUP list to open the year, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.

The free agency addition underwent an unspecified procedure before signing with the Dolphins, according to NFL.com, and he will miss the first four games as a result. OBJ signed a one-year, $3MM Miami deal, but his role as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle‘s top sidekick is on hold.

Injuries have moved Beckham well off the superstar tier he once populated. Looking like a future Hall of Fame candidate early in his Giants career, the 2014 first-round pick saw a 2017 season-ending injury begin a run of health issues. Most notably, Beckham has suffered two ACL tears. The first ended his 2020 season; the second knocked him out of Super Bowl LVI and then led to his missing all of the 2022 season. While OBJ returned for a fairly productive Ravens season, the team did not prioritize re-signing him.

It remains unclear what injury Beckham is rehabbing. He played in 14 Ravens regular-season games and both playoff contests last season, hauling in 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Beckham played better down the stretch, but the Ravens kept his snap count in a reasonable range. Beckham, 31, played just 50% of Baltimore’s offensive snaps.

Beckham did battle a shoulder injury with the Ravens; he missed Weeks 3 and 4 due to injury but did not miss another game for health reasons. The Dolphins signed off on Beckham knowing about the procedure, so it is clear they are preparing a ramp-up period.

Miami wideout River Cracraft is also battling an issue, leaving the Dolphins shorthanded behind their high-priced starters. Braxton Berrios and Malik Washington, a sixth-round rookie, are healthy options behind the big two. Beckham will hope to take his place as Miami’s third receiver regular come October.

Titans Inquired On Eagles’ James Bradberry; Philly To Place Albert Okwuegbunam, Ainias Smith On IR

August 27th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Residing as a veteran uncertain to land on the Eagles’ 53-man roster, James Bradberry is moving toward being part of a third Philly squad. But the Eagles indeed discussed the veteran DB in trades.

Bradberry surfaced as a trade candidate recently, and the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes the Titans inquired about the converted cornerback. Transitioning to safety, Bradberry has a history with new Titans DC Dennard Wilson. The new Tennessee play-caller coached Bradberry with the 2022 Eagles.

Indeed, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini confirms Bradberry is on Philly’s 53-man roster. The Eagles are creating some space by using two early IR-return designations. They will place Albert Okwuegbunam and fourth-round rookie wide receiver Ainias Smith on IR. Smith sustained an ankle injury that is expected to keep him out up to six weeks, AllPHLY.com’s Zach Berman tweets. A core muscle surgery will sideline Okwuegbunam, McLane adds.

Both Smith and Okwuegbunam will count toward Philly’s IR-activation total, which will drop from eight to six following today’s roster decisions. This will open space for Bradberry, who has seen the Eagles move aggressively to upgrade their secondary this year. Bradberry’s transition to safety has not progressed swiftly, McLane adds, creating some uncertainty regarding his 2024 role in Philly.

The Eagles re-signed Bradberry to a three-year, $38MM deal in 2023. He was not able to match his 2022 form, as the Eagles’ pass rush regressed after a historic ’22 outing. The former Panthers and Giants starter would have cost the Eagles $15MM-plus to release (with no cap savings coming), helping explain why he will survive today’s cutdown.

Philly reunited with C.J. Gardner-Johnson and used first- and second-round picks (Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean) on DBs. The Eagles want DeJean at corner, crowding a position group that also includes stalwart Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox and 2023 additions Kelee Ringo and Isaiah Rodgers.

Cowboys To Trade TE Peyton Hendershot To Chiefs

August 27th, 2024 at 2:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs are making another trade. After acquiring Cardinals edge rusher Cameron Thomas late last night, Kansas City is adding to its tight end group.

Dallas is sending backup tight end Peyton Hendershot to Kansas City, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. A third-year UDFA, Hendershot has totaled 15 receptions for 141 yards in his career. The Cowboys will obtain a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick in the deal, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets.

Despite the Chiefs still rostering one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, they are adding some depth. Not employing any tight end on Travis Kelce‘s level, the Cowboys are still set at the position. They have 2023 starter Jake Ferguson, former second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker and UDFA John Stephens.

Kansas City added to its tight end group by drafting TCU’s Jared Wiley in Round 4. Multiyear Kelce backup Noah Gray is now in a contract year, and the team did not retain Jody Fortson this offseason. Kelce’s status is, of course, unthreatened; he received a raise this offseason and remains signed through 2025.

Hendershot only logged 165 offensive snaps last season, and while Pro Football Focus viewed his pass blocking as elite, that only came on a nine-snap sample size. Hendershot, 25, did notch two 500-plus-yard seasons at Indiana. One of those included a 622-yard, four-touchdown showing (2021). The Chiefs now have him under contract through the 2025 season.

Eagles To Release WR Parris Campbell

August 27th, 2024 at 2:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

Parris Campbell joined the Eagles in free agency, but he has not made the team’s initial roster. The veteran wideout is being released, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Campbell spent his first four seasons with the Colts, struggling through injuries from 2019-21. In the final year of his rookie pact, though, he managed to remain healthy and record a 63-623-3 statline. That production did not earn him an extended stay in Indianapolis, but the Giants took a flier on him last year.

The Ohio State product’s one-year New York tenure did not go according to plan, and for the final five weeks of the season he found himself a healthy scratch. To no surprise, Campbell moved on in free agency, and his Eagles accord gave him another opportunity to carve out a depth role. He signed for the league minimum, so Philadelphia’s only dead money charge from today’s move will stem from the $168K signing bonus Campbell received.

The Eagles are set atop the receiver depth chart with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Both players signed big-money extensions early this offseason, one which has been dominated by a slew of monster deals at the position. Philadelphia lost Quez Watkins in free agency, and Campbell had the opportunity to take his place as a rotational option the passing game. After the team acquired Jahan Dotson via trade from the Commanders, however, that spot will likely now go to the 2022 first-rounder. With Dotson in the fold, Campbell will hit the open market.

After a season featuring only 20 scoreless receptions, Campbell will likely have to wait until after teams have set their rosters and practice squads before finding a new gig. At the age of 27, though, he could draw some interest as a bottom-of-the-depth-chart option in advance of Week 1.

Packers To Waive OL Royce Newman

August 27th, 2024 at 1:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Three full-season Packers offensive line starters have now been moved off the roster this offseason. Following the David Bakhtiari release and Jon Runyan Jr.‘s Giants defection, the team is cutting Royce Newman, per the Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Ryan Wood.

Newman had moved into a Packers starting role as a rookie, coming out of Round 4 in 2021, but had settled in as a backup in recent years. Newman still started eight games from 2022-23, but the Packers made a big addition at guard this offseason. Green Bay is planning to kick first-round tackle Jordan Morgan inside to begin his career.

This move does come after the Packers gave Newman a pay cut. The team reduced Newman’s contract-year salary from $3.12MM to $1.25MM; no dead money will come from this cut. The Packers had reduced the former fourth-round pick’s role since he started for most of Aaron Rodgers‘ fourth MVP season.

The Packers also saw their O-line battered by injuries in 2021, with Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins spending much of the season on IR. Pro Football Focus never rated Newman higher than 50th among guards. He spent almost that entire season at right guard, before being demoted following six 2022 starts. The Packers now have Jenkins entrenched at left guard and Morgan set to play on the right side.

Although the Packers moved on from Yosh Nijman this offseason, they added Andre Dillard and are keeping fellow swing option Kadeem Telfort on their 53-man roster. Former third-round pick Sean Rhyan also remains on Green Bay’s roster as a top reserve.

Jaguars Finalize 53-Man Roster

August 27th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars have unveiled their list of cuts and other roster moves which will bring the team to the 53-man limit ahead of today’s deadline. Here is the full breakdown:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Beathard’s inclusion in Jacksonville’s cuts comes after he suffered a groin injury in the team’s second preseason contest. He was unable to suit up for the Jaguars’ exhibition finale, and today’s move clears the way for Mac Jones to take on backup duties. The former Patriots first-rounder was dealt to his hometown team this offseason, but a competition had been ongoing between he and Beathard. Now, Jones will move forward as QB2 behind Trevor Lawrence.

Beathard will be free to sign with a new team, although he is of course unlikely to find a suitor until he returns to full health. Other veterans like Amos and Edmunds joined Jacksonville this offseason, but they too will now have to search for a new opportunity. Several of the players waived will likely find themselves on the practice squad shortly, but Perry not doing so could leave the Jags in need of QB depth especially if Beathard were to land with a new team.

In 2024, teams are allowed to designate two players to return from injured reserve without naming them to the initial 53-man roster. That is the case for both Robinson and Wingard. The former was selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft and will provide backfield depth when healthy, while the latter is recovering from a knee injury. Both Robinson and Wingard will miss at least the first four weeks of the campaign, and their activations will count toward Jacksonville’s limit of eight for the season.

Broncos To Cut LB Jonas Griffith

August 27th, 2024 at 1:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jonas Griffith has gone from competing for a starting inside linebacker job to being cut. The Broncos are going with another option alongside Alex Singleton and are waiving Griffith, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.

Despite Griffith having missed the past 1 1/2 seasons and not being a Sean Payton-era addition, the team extended the young linebacker early this offseason. A starter for the Broncos back in 2022, Griffith is now on the waiver wire.

Cody Barton has won the Broncos’ ILB job alongside Griffith. Denver had signed the former Seattle and Washington starter in free agency but had pitted him against Griffith entering training camp. The Broncos gave Barton a one-year, $2.5MM deal that came nearly fully guaranteed; Griffith signed for one year and $985K.

The Broncos moved on from multiyear starter Josey Jewell this offseason; the seventh-year veteran rejoined one-and-done Denver DC Ejiro Evero in Carolina. The team, amid a rather historic cap crunch thanks to the Russell Wilson development, saved some money by bringing in Barton. Griffith will now look for a gig elsewhere, but he is riding no momentum.

Griffith started eight games under Evero in 2022 but missed the team’s final eight contests with a foot injury. The former UDFA then missed all of 2023 with an ACL tear. Griffth, 27, enjoyed a chance to regain a starting role for the Broncos. It is unlikely he will have that opportunity elsewhere, though injuries depleting teams’ LB corps could help his cause down the road.

 

Steelers To Release WR Quez Watkins

August 27th, 2024 at 12:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Already facing questions about their receiver depth, the Steelers are parting ways with a veteran member of their pass catching corps. Pittsburgh is releasing Quez Watkins, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Watkins played out his rookie contract with the Eagles before making an intra-Pennsylvania move in free agency. The 26-year-old showcased his potential as a deep threat in 2021, averaging 15 yards per catch and totaling 647 yards. He saw his playing time drop in each of the past two seasons, though, making it no surprise he headed elsewhere on the open market.

The 26-year-old inked a one-year pact worth the league minimum to come to Pittsburgh. The contract only contained $168K guaranteed, but Watkins viewed it as a potential path to a starting role. The Steelers’ WR depth chart is led by George Pickens, though the team traded away Diontae Johnson and released Allen Robinson, creating notable vacancies. Instead of filling one of them, Watkins will return to free agency.

As Fowler’s colleague Brooke Pryor notes, the Southern Miss product did not have a strong showing as a punt returner in Pittsburgh’s first preseason game. Strong special teams play would have presented Watkins with a viable path to a roster spot, but he will now have to look elsewhere for a gig. Meanwhile, questions remain with respect to how Pittsburgh will fill out the receiver pecking order behind Pickens.

Of course, the Steelers have long been connected to a receiver addition in general and a pursuit of Brandon Aiyuk in particular. The 49ers All-Pro continues to negotiate an extension, but a trade agreement is in place with Pittsburgh in case those talks break down. Cutdown season has not produced any updates on the Aiyuk front, though, so for the time being the Steelers’ WR room is led by Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin and third-round rookie Roman Wilson.

Chiefs To Waive WRs Kadarius Toney, Justyn Ross

August 27th, 2024 at 12:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

In a move which has recently been foreshadowed, Kadarius Toney is being let go. The former first-round wideout is set to be waived by the Chiefs, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

As colleague Tom Pelissero notes, Kansas City had been trying to find a trade partner for Toney. With no agreement coming on that front, the defending champions will move on. After an underwhelming 2023 campaign, the 25-year-old was known to be on the Chiefs’ roster bubble. He will now hit the waiver wire. In addition to cutting Toney, the Chiefs are moving on from former UDFA Justyn Ross, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz adds.

Toney entered the league with high expectations based on his draft status and his highlight-reel ability shown in college. His tenure in New York after only 12 games, however, with a trade midway through the 2022 campaign sending him to Kansas City in return for third- and sixth-round picks. The Florida product had a strong showing in Super Bowl LVII, suggesting he would have a regular role during his first full campaign with the team.

Both Toney and Ross came with baggage, and the Chiefs augmented their receiver situation significantly since acquiring each. A former freshman standout at Clemson, Ross saw a neck injury alter his career. While he recovered, the ex-Trevor Lawrence target went undrafted. Ross also landed on the commissioner’s exempt list last season in connection with a domestic battery arrest.

Toney held a bigger role in Kansas City, but his issues staying healthy in New York carried over. Toney missed time due to multiple injuries, but the Chiefs’ offense fared better with the shifty Florida alum out of the mix late last season. Toney took issue with his Chiefs status last year, criticizing the team for keeping him sidelined during the playoffs. This blast came hours before the AFC championship game, and the Chiefs subsequently made Toney a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII. Nevertheless, Andy Reid welcomed Toney back for the 2024 offseason program. An experiment with Toney as a running back did not pan out, either.

The Chiefs harbored hopes of turning Toney into their No. 1 receiver last year. He fell well short of expectations and played the lead role, with supporting contributions from Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, in a clunky season for Kansas City’s receiving corps — most memorably via the infamous offensive offside infraction that negated Toney’s own go-ahead TD against the Bills. The two-time defending champs signed Marquise Brown, drafted Xavier Worthy in Round 1 and just reunited with JuJu Smith-Schuster. The team also re-signed Mecole Hardman this offseason, crowding a receiving corps that suddenly has Moore in a fringe position.

If Toney goes unclaimed on waivers, the Chiefs will eat $2.53MM in dead money. A team claiming Toney would be on the hook for that total (his 2024 base salary), making it a bit easier to envision another club swooping in via free agency. That said, Toney has flashed brightly at points. He has just been wildly inconsistent, leading to this Chiefs separation.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post

Panthers To Waive WR Terrace Marshall

August 27th, 2024 at 11:40am CST by Adam La Rose

Known to be on the trade block, Terrace Marshall has not been dealt to a new team. The fourth-year wideout is nevertheless set to see his time with the Panthers come to an end. The team is moving on from Marshall by waiving him, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Marshall has struggled to find a regular role during his time in Carolina, a span which includes the tenures of head coaches Matt Rhule, Frank Reich and the interim coaches who took over after their respective firings. The former second-rounder’s best season came in 2022 when he totaled 490 yards on 28 receptions.

Viewed as a deep threat coming into the league, Marshall sports a 12.0 yards per catch average (albeit on a limited number of opportunities). The LSU product saw his playing time fluctuate over the course of the past three seasons, and in 2023 his snap share fell to 55%. After being a potential trade chip in previous seasons, he was again on the market during the build-up to roster cutdowns. With one year remaining on Marshall’s rookie contract, no suitors emerged.

The 24-year-old will now hit the waiver wire, and teams which were hesitant to offer draft capital to the Panthers may be inclined to put in a claim. If that does not take place, Marshall will become a free agent. A depth role should await him in any case, though his age and deep-ball ability offer upside to any potential suitors. Once initial rosters have been set, a market could develop on a low-cost deal in the event no waiver claims are made.

For Carolina – a team now depending on rookie head coach Dave Canales to oversee quarterback Bryce Young‘s development – today’s move provides clarity at the receiver position. Returning veteran Adam Thielen, trade acquisition Diontae Johnson and first-round rookie Xavier Legette headline the Panthers’ depth chart. 2023 second-rounder Jonathan Mingo is also in place, and he is under team control for three more years. That group will move forward without Marshall in the picture.

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