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Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/24

December 17th, 2024 at 9:21pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest moves from the around the NFL:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Rams

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

After another round of injuries in Week 15, the Lions signed Pittman off the Jaguars’ practice squad to bolster their linebacker room. The five-year veteran appeared in just one game for Jacksonville this season, which coincidentally came against the Lions in Week 11. Pittman has primarily played special teams in his NFL career and will continue that role in Detroit.

The Raiders will be without Robinson for the rest of the season after he received a three-game suspension for violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

The 49ers placed Thomas on injured reserve after initial roster cuts, but never designated him to return. He is “now healthy and, as a former third-round pick out of Michigan, is expected to garner interest,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Thomas appeared in 42 games, including 11 starts, in San Francisco, but never developed into a consistent starting corner as the team hoped.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

December 17th, 2024 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

This NFL season saw several teams slip out of contention quicker than usual, slimming wild-card races and expanding the pursuit for the No. 1 overall pick. Two teams now lead that race.

While no prospect on the Caleb Williams level is dangling for the Raiders and Giants, an interesting showdown has formed. With three weeks to go, the Giants would currently hold the top 2025 draft choice. But based on projected strength of schedule, the Raiders would win the tiebreaker if the results held. The team with the weaker overall strength of schedule would win that. The Giants still have a game against the 12-2 Eagles, while the Raiders’ upcoming matchup with the 3-11 Jaguars works in their favor.

The Giants have not held the No. 1 pick in the common draft era (1967-present), last making a choice atop a draft in 1965 (running back Tucker Frederickson). Their Eli Manning trade occurred after the Chargers had chosen the quarterback to start the 2004 draft. The Raiders have held the top pick once in the common draft era, famously choosing JaMarcus Russell to start the ’07 draft. Both teams have coaches fighting for their jobs, but each also has seen All-Pros (Dexter Lawrence, Maxx Crosby) removed from equations. Losers of 10 straight, the Raiders follow their Jaguars matchup with games against the Saints and Chargers. The Giants, who have dropped nine consecutive games, go Falcons-Colts-Eagles to close the season.

Five 3-11 teams sit behind the Raiders and Giants presently, with the NFL having nine teams who have already lost double-digit contests. If a Giants or Raiders win occurs, there are candidates to move toward pole position in what could be races for Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. Though, a non-Giants or Raiders team finishing in the top two creates a bit more intrigue, as both those clubs are in dire need of QB help.

With an eye on teams’ projected strength of schedule based on current records, here is how the draft order looks with three games to go:

  1. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
  2. New York Giants (2-12)
  3. New England Patriots (3-11)
  4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
  5. Carolina Panthers (3-11)
  6. Tennessee Titans (3-11)
  7. Cleveland Browns (3-11)
  8. New York Jets (4-10)
  9. Chicago Bears (4-10)
  10. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
  11. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
  12. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
  13. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
  14. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
  15. San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
  16. Atlanta Falcons (7-7)
  17. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
  19. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)
  21. Los Angeles Rams (8-6)
  22. Washington Commanders (9-5)
  23. Denver Broncos (9-5)
  24. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
  25. Houston Texans (9-5)
  26. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)
  27. Green Bay Packers (10-4)
  28. Minnesota Vikings (12-2)
  29. Buffalo Bills (11-3)
  30. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
  31. Detroit Lions (12-2)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)

Bengals’ Sam Hubbard Likely Out For Season

December 16th, 2024 at 1:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sam Hubbard scored the first offensive touchdown of his career on Sunday, but he will likely not be able to follow up that performance with any further action in 2024. The veteran Bengals defensive end is dealing with a PCL injury, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Given the nature of the injury, Fowler adds Hubbard is unlikely to return to game action this season. Three weeks remain in Cincinnati’s schedule, and the team sits at 6-8 on the year. While still mathematically possible, a wild-card berth is therefore highly unlikely. The 29-year-old noted it is a PCL tear but added he will not require surgery (h/t Fowler’s colleague Ben Baby).

Hubbard has spent his entire seven-year career in Cincinnati, serving as a full-time starter since his rookie season concluded. The former third-rounder has been a consistent presence along the edge over that span, working as a complementary option to Trey Hendrickson since the latter’s arrival. While Hendrickson currently leads the NFL with 12.5 sacks, Hubbard and the rest of the team’s other edge rushers have struggled to deliver notable production in that department. With only a pair of sacks this season, Hubbard is set to conclude this campaign with his lowest output since 2020.

The Ohio State product is under contract for next season; he is owed $9.6MM. Given the structure of the pact, however, the Bengals would save that amount in cap space will generating a dead money charge of only $2MM with a release before or after June 1. Hubbard’s situation could therefore be one to monitor as Cincinnati weighs a number of key financial decisions during the spring. In the meantime, Hubbard’s attention will turn to recovery.

In addition to Hendrickson, the Bengals have the likes of Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai and sixth-round rookie Cedric Johnson as options along the edge. Hubbard has seen his playing time drop considerably over the past two seasons as the team attempts to develop younger options at the position. Those players will be in line for an increased workload to close out the campaign in Hubbard’s absence.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/24

December 14th, 2024 at 8:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Demercado has taken a backseat to Florida State third-round rookie Trey Benson, but he has averaged 9.3 yards per carry on 24 carries this year. Palardy will take over punting duties with Gillikin landing on injured reserve.

Jackson signed with Bills in late July, and although he was among the team’s final roster cuts he was immediately retained via a practice squad deal. This elevation means Week 15 will mark his first time spent on the active roster this season. The 36-year-old has started all but 10 of his 203 NFL games, but last season was marred by suspensions which led to his Broncos release. Jackson could suit up for Buffalo down the stretch as a gameday elevation in a bid to rebuild his stock to a degree.

With the playoffs nearly out of reach and quarterback Joe Burrow dealing with a few ailments (wrist and knee), the Bengals don’t seem to be taking any chances. Jake Browning will continue serving as the primary backup, while Woodside’s promotion will allow him to act as the emergency backup.

Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field as early as tomorrow.

Bengals’ Tee Higgins Changes Agents

December 13th, 2024 at 12:18pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

DECEMBER 13: Rocky Arceneaux and Caitlin Aoki are now officially listed as Higgins’ agents, as noted by ESPN’s Ben Baby. Arceneaux is also Chase’s agent, so the developments which take place at the negotiating table on both fronts this offseason will have a notable common denominator.

DECEMBER 12: Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has parted ways with his agent, David Mulugheta, according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Higgins is currently playing on a $21.8MM franchise tag after failing to reach a long-term agreement with the Bengals during the offseason. The star wideout was not expected to remain in Cincinnati after this season, but his agent change and recent comments from Joe Burrow indicate that the tide could be turning.

Higgins’ situation resembles that of ex-Bengals safety Jessie Bates, another Mulugheta client. Bates ended up leaving Cincinnati after his tag year to sign a four-year, $64MM contract with the Falcons. Separating from Mulugheta could be an indication that Higgins is looking to stay with the Bengals instead of testing the open market this offseason.

Still, negotiations between Higgins and the Bengals still face multiple obstacles. The two sides were clearly far apart on their valuation during the offseason, and Higgins’ play this year has likely done little to bring them together together. Higgins has only appeared in eight games in 2024, but when healthy, he’s put up some of the best per-game averages of his career. The Bengals will point to his injuries over the last two seasons as their basis for a lower offer, while Higgins and his agent will argue that he’s avoided injured reserve and been able to produce whenever he is in the lineup.

Further complicating matters will be Ja’Marr Chase‘s expected mega-extension which is expected to equal or even surpass the $35MM annual value of Justin Jefferson‘s contract. Chase’s contract will impact the availability of both cash and cap space in Cincinnati, while another increase in the wide receiver market will lead to higher demands from Higgins.

Burrow’s recent comments have made one thing clear: the Bengals’ top three offensive players want to stay together. It’s easy to see why: their passing attack is one of the league’s best when all three are healthy. Cincinnati will have to get creative – or, just pony up a boatload of money – to keep the core of their offense intact for years to come.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Bengals, Conklin

December 11th, 2024 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite their wide receiver depth being an issue throughout this season, the Steelers managed a two-score win over the Browns without George Pickens. The standout Pittsburgh pass catcher suffered a hamstring injury doing post-practice work late last week, and the Steelers exercised caution by holding him out. That strategy is expected to continue against the Eagles in Week 14, with Mike Tomlin pointing to another absence for Pickens. The third-year wideout, who had never missed a game as a pro until Sunday, is battling a grade 2 hamstring strain, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Tomlin said this injury has proven to be “a little more significant” than the team initially believed, and this comes at a bad time for the AFC North leaders.

The Steelers face the Ravens in Week 15 and Chiefs in Week 16, those matchups coming on short weeks. While Pittsburgh is two weeks from its Christmas Day matchup with Kansas City, Pickens’ availability for the Baltimore rematch should probably be considered up in the air. The Steelers traded for Mike Williams and have seen flashes, most notably a game-winning TD grab against the Commanders, but the team would be lacking against upper-crust competition if Pickens is sidelined.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • Perhaps the NFL’s lead underachievers this season, the Bengals are 5-8. A team expected to return to Super Bowl contention has seen its defense crater. This franchise has proven conservative when it comes to many matters, and coaching is among them. As such, Zac Taylor is unlikely to be viewed as a hot-seat occupant, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. This reaffirms the team’s October stance. Though, this certainly does not mean the Bengals will maintain their status quo throughout the coaching staff. DC Lou Anarumo should probably be viewed as a chopping-block candidate given how poorly the once-well-regarded coordinator’s unit has performed. But Taylor, who took over after 16 Marvin Lewis Cincinnati seasons, is believed to be safe. His contract runs through 2026.
  • Putting up MVP-caliber numbers (without the required record for consideration), Joe Burrow made some noise this week by indicating he will play a role in helping to push for the Bengals to re-sign Tee Higgins. The franchise-tagged wide receiver, who has been viewed as likely to leave in 2025, has said he would like to stay but did not offer much confidence he would re-sign. The Bengals cannot reengage on negotiations, which are not believed to have been serious this year, until season’s end. When the team does, new Higgins representation may be at the wheel. Rumblings have surfaced regarding a potential Higgins agency change, Graziano adds. Such a switch would inject an interesting variable into Higgins’ next round of negotiations. The Bengals hold exclusive negotiating rights with their WR2 until March 10.
  • Dan Moore Jr. has twice managed to fend off competition to keep the Steelers‘ left tackle job, doing so despite the team using first-round picks on tackles in back-to-back drafts. Troy Fautanu‘s injury did leave the team with fewer options, and Broderick Jones has continued to play right tackle this season. The plan remains for Jones to switch sides in 2025, when Moore is due for free agency. Though, Jones was rumored to be the team’s preferred LT this year. Moore is likely to depart in March, Dulac adds, as they have not shown an indication they are losing faith in Jones. Next year’s Pittsburgh tackle plan will be for their 2023 and ’24 first-rounders — Jones and Fautanu — to start, with veteran Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly leaving little doubt about the 2025 starters.
  • Two nonguaranteed years remain on Jack Conklin‘s contract, and the Browns — facing an unprecedented situation with Deshaun Watson — will need cap space. They will almost definitely look to Conklin’s deal, with The Athletic’s Zac Jackson noting the team will either restructure it or move it off the payroll via a post-June 1 cut. Conklin, 30, has returned from a second career ACL tear, coming back after missing 16 games last season and five this year. The quality starter’s injury history will factor into Cleveland’s 2025 decision.

Joe Burrow To Lobby Bengals To Re-Sign Tee Higgins

December 10th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Ja’Marr Chase‘s run of monster games bolstering his case to surpass Justin Jefferson as the NFL’s highest-paid receiver, the prospect the Bengals separate their long-running wide receiver tandem increases. Higgins has long been expected to leave Cincinnati in 2025, be it in free agency or potentially via a tag-and-trade transaction.

The Bengals have Joe Burrow signed to the second-most lucrative quarterback deal, and Chase is playing his way toward a contract that will likely eclipse Jefferson’s $35MM-per-year pact. The Bengals have not seriously negotiated with Higgins since the first half of 2023, and in becoming the only team to tag a player this year and not extend him, the team cannot reenter talks with its No. 2 wideout until season’s end.

Signs point Higgins out of town, but Burrow said he will make a strong effort to see that his most experienced receiver stays. This could set up an interesting showdown, as the star quarterback obviously could wield significant influence in this matter and others involving personnel if he so chose.

“Those discussions are ongoing,” Burrow said (via ESPN.com’s Ben Baby) of a post-2024 future with Higgins. “I’m confident that I think we’re going to do what it takes to bring Tee back. I know that I’m going to do what it takes to get him back and so is he. We’ve had those talks. Those are going to be offseason discussions. But I think we’re excited about that opportunity.”

NFL rules prohibit Bengals brass from negotiating with Higgins, but Burrow can certainly lobby his five-year teammate to stay. That will be difficult to pull off, however. The Bengals’ Chase-over-Higgins preference in terms of extension priority has long been known, with the former’s All-Pro-level season only reinforcing that stance. Higgins, 25, also will not be likely to accept a hometown discount. The Bengals kept him out of free agency this year via the franchise tag, and if the team passes on a 2025 tag (as the early rumors indicated it would), the bet will be Higgins defects not long after the legal tampering period begins.

Higgins did say he will factor in his relationship with Burrow and the Bengals, but the team made him a lowball offer in 2023 — a deal not believed to be close to $20MM on average. It will take more than $20MM per year for a team to land the former second-round pick in free agency.

“Like y’all said, this could be my last season [with the Bengals], so I definitely appreciated it, for sure,” Higgins said of playing another nationally televised game with Burrow and Co. “I love those guys to death. … The relationships are more important. Financially, that’s going to come.”

Higgins’ 58.9 yards-per-game number is in line with what he averaged during his most recent 1,000-yard season (2022), when he posted 59.6 per contest. But injury trouble took him off the field for five games, keeping his yardage total at 581 through 13 games. Higgins will also follow Packers wideout Christian Watson‘s lead in going through a study to determine the cause of his recent soft-tissue injury trouble, Baby adds. Higgins trudged through hamstring issues as a rookie and then missed time in 2023 and ’24. Higgins suffered hamstring and quadriceps injuries during separate practices this season, sidelining him for five games in total.

A strong finish will drive up the Clemson alum’s market. Higgins stands to be the top WR free agent prize, should the Bengals pass on a second tag that would come in at $26.2MM. His current $21.8MM number proved more palatable for the Bengals due to Burrow’s extension not yet producing big cap numbers. In 2025, however, Burrow’s cap hit will swell to $46.3MM.

The Bengals are not a restructure-happy team, but Burrow pushing them could at least keep the door open to a restructure — pushing more money into future years — to create more cap space for a second Higgins tag. That might not go over too well with Higgins, who would then see the team take two free agency years away, but it would be a way for Cincinnati to retain its WR2 for a bit longer.

It will be interesting to see what kind of role Burrow plays, and how receptive the organization is to its quarterback’s wishes. Defensive changes are likely coming to help maximize Burrow’s skills, after Cincy’s defense restricted this year’s team. How the club navigates the Higgins matter will also be a key issue, as it could impact Burrow’s satisfaction with management.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/9/24

December 9th, 2024 at 7:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Cincinnati Bengals

New England Patriots

Patriots third-round rookie Caedan Wallace is set to return to practice for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in early October. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the rookie lineman “stayed close” to veteran David Andrews as the two went through their respective rehabs. Considering New England’s current patchwork OL, Wallace should get some run before the season ends.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/24

December 6th, 2024 at 6:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Cincinnati Bengals

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Williams, an undrafted rookie out of Tennessee, had appeared in every game for Seattle so far this year. While he only managed four snaps on defense in that time, Williams was the team’s primary punt returner and was back on kickoffs, as well.

Bengals LB Logan Wilson Undergoes Knee Surgery, Likely To Miss Remainder Of Season

December 5th, 2024 at 9:35am CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals have struggled on defense while dealing with multiple injuries this season, and the unit will be further shorthanded the rest of the way. Linebacker Logan Wilson underwent a cleanup procedure on his knee Thursday morning, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

As a result of the surgery, Wilson is expected to miss the remainder of the season. The news deals another blow to a Bengals defense which already sits near the bottom of the league in several defensive categories. Improving on that side of the ball would be key to any potential playoff push, but the chances of that taking place will drop without Wilson in the fold.

The 28-year-old managed to take part in each of Cincinnati’s first 11 games, but he was sidelined for the team’s first contest after the bye. Wilson is now in position to miss the Bengals’ five remaining games, something which will leave them without a full-time starter at the second level of their defense. Wilson’s 104 tackles rank second on the team, and replacing his production down the stretch (which also includes a pair of forced fumbles) will be challenging.

The Wyoming product landed an extension last summer, and instead of playing out the final season of his rookie pact as a pending free agent he secured $36MM on a four-year deal. Given the terms of that contract, expectations have remained high for Wilson, who has been a mainstay on defense for the Bengals since his rookie season. The 2023 campaign saw him register a new career high in tackles, and prior to going down this season his 90.0 PFF run defense grade stood out on an otherwise poor Cincinnati unit.

Now, Wilson’s attention will turn to recovery in advance of the 2025 campaign. Sitting at 4-8 on the year, the Bengals face a steep path to a wild-card spot and with a defense already ranking 22nd against the run, regression in that department can be expected knowing the former third-rounder will be unavailable. Germaine Pratt is set to remain a starter at the LB spot moving forward, while Akeem Davis-Gaither – who made a season-high 13 tackles on Sunday – represents an option to replace Wilson over the rest of the season.

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