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2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

October 28th, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

The countdown to this year’s October 31 trade deadline continues, and a number of deals have already been made. More will follow in the coming days, though, as contending teams look to bolster their rosters for the stretch run and sellers seek to offload expiring contracts and gain future draft assets. Much will be driven, of course, by each squad’s financial situation.

Courtesy of Over the Cap, here’s a breakdown of every team’s cap space in advance of the deadline:

  1. San Francisco 49ers: $39.89MM
  2. Cleveland Browns: $33.99MM
  3. Arizona Cardinals: $11.1MM
  4. Cincinnati Bengals: $10.78MM
  5. Tennessee Titans: $10.55MM
  6. Las Vegas Raiders: $9.16MM
  7. Chicago Bears: $9.06MM
  8. Los Angeles Chargers: $9.05MM
  9. Indianapolis Colts: $8.78MM
  10. Minnesota Vikings: $7.96MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $7.55MM
  12. New York Jets: $7.17MM
  13. Seattle Seahawks: $7.16MM
  14. Carolina Panthers: $7.07MM
  15. Dallas Cowboys: $7.03MM
  16. Baltimore Ravens: $6.83MM
  17. Atlanta Falcons: $6.76MM
  18. Detroit Lions: $6.62MM
  19. Jacksonville Jaguars: $6.42MM
  20. New Orleans Saints: $4.67MM
  21. Buffalo Bills: $4.58MM
  22. Los Angeles Rams: $4.37MM
  23. Houston Texans: $4.26MM
  24. Washington Commanders: $3.78MM
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: $3.7MM
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $3.63MM
  27. Miami Dolphins: $3.49MM
  28. New England Patriots: $2.87MM
  29. Philadelphia Eagles: $2.81MM
  30. Pittsburgh Steelers: $2.55MM
  31. Denver Broncos: $1.22MM
  32. New York Giants: $991K

The 49ers have carried considerable space throughout the season, but general manager John Lynch made it clear last month the team’s intention was to roll over most of their funds into next season. Still, with San Francisco sitting at 5-2 on the year, it would come as little surprise if at least one more depth addition (separate from the Randy Gregory move) were to be made in the near future.

Deals involving pick swaps for role players dominated the trade landscape for some time, but more noteworthy contributors have been connected to a potential swap recently. One of them – Titans safety Kevin Byard – has already been dealt. That has led to speculation Tennessee is open to dealing other big names as they look to 2024. Derrick Henry’s name has come up multiple times with respect to a deal sending him out of Nashville, but that now seems unlikely.

Several edge rushers are on the market, including Danielle Hunter (Vikings) and one or both of Montez Sweat and Chase Young (Commanders). Hunter nearly found himself with the Jaguars this offseason, and last year’s AFC South winners could be on the lookout for a pass rush boost. A mid-level addition in that regard would come as little surprise. In Minnesota and Washington’s case, however, it remains to be seen if they will be true sellers given their 3-4 records heading into tomorrow’s action.

A number of receivers could also be on the move soon. Both the Broncos’ pair of Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton and the Panthers’ Terrace Marshall have been involved heavily in trade talk. Jeudy and Sutton are on the books at an eight figure price tag next season, and the Broncos are unlikely to receive the draft capital they could have at prior points in their Denver tenures. Marshall, by contrast, is in the third season of his four-year rookie contract and could fit more comfortably into an acquiring team’s cap situation. The Panthers have allowed him to seek out a trade partner.

The Cowboys sit in the top half of the league in terms of spending power, but mixed signals initially came out with respect to their interest in making a splash. Owner Jerry Jones has insisted Dallas will not initiate negotiations on a trade, citing his confidence in a 4-2 roster which has been hit by a few notable injuries on defense in particular. Despite having more cap space than most other teams, the Bengals are likewise expected to be quiet on the trade front.  

The past few years have seen a notable uptick in trade activity around the league, and it would come as a surprise if that trend did not continue over the next few days. Last-minute restructures and cost-shedding moves would help the teams in need of flexibility pull off moves, though sellers will no doubt also be asked to retain salary if some of the higher-paid veterans on the trade block end up being dealt. Given the spending power of teams at the top of the list, there is plenty of potential for the league’s landscape to change ahead of the stretch run to the playoffs.

Bengals Place RB Chase Brown On IR

October 28th, 2023 at 12:34pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bengals are down a backup running back. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cincinnati has placed Chase Brown on injured reserve.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Brown injured his hamstring during Thursday’s practice. The running back will now miss at least the next four games before being eligible for activation.

Following a standout 2022 campaign where Brown earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, the Illinois product was selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft. The rookie was expected to add a spark to the Bengals backfield, but he hasn’t seen much of a role through the first month-plus.

In five games this season, Brown has collected 13 yards from scrimmage on five carries. The rookie has also seen a role on special teams, collecting a pair of tackles. He’s appeared in more than 50-perent of Cincy’s special teams snaps.

With Samaje Perine now in Denver, the Bengals will have to roll with some inexperienced depth behind Joe Mixon. Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans will move forward as the top backups, with Demetric Felton being a candidate for a promotion to the active roster.

Bengals Unlikely To Be Active Ahead Of Trade Deadline?

October 24th, 2023 at 9:49am CST by Adam La Rose

As yesterday’s Kevin Byard trade showed, this time of year will see contending teams pull of trades aimed at boosting a deep postseason run. The Bengals are still viewed as a team in position to serve as buyers, but it would come as a surprise if the team made an aggressive push for a deal in the coming days.

Joe Burrow‘s calf injury left he and the Cincinnati offense hobbled to start the year, but things have turned around recently. The Bengals spent their bye week at 3-3 on the year and thus still in contention for at least a playoff berth in a stacked AFC. While other contenders could make notable additions in the coming days, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes that the Bengals are not expected to be players on the trade front (subscription required).

Cincinnati has developed a reputation for frugality with respect to contract matters, but Burrow’s record-breaking deal serves as an obvious exception to that rule. With a massive commitment on the books for years to come at the quarterback spot, draft capital will of course be highly valued by the organization, one which has steered clear of short-term moves at the deadline in years past (despite the sharp uptick in notable midseason deals being worked out in recent campaigns).

As Dehner notes, offloading veteran edge rusher Carlos Dunlap to the Seahawks in 2020 represents the only trade the Bengals have made around the deadline within the past decade. Even with more than $12MM in cap space at the moment, then, Cincinnati would be following standard operating procedure if the team were to simply stand pat over the next week.

Dehner names running back Samaje Perine and tight end Hayden Hurst as potential low-cost targets for the Bengals. Acquiring either would mark a reunion with the depth contributors and give the team added insurance for an offense which has fallen well short of expectations so far. Perine signed with the Broncos in search of an expanded workload this offseason, but he has recorded double-digit touches only twice this season. Hurst, meanwhile, was part of the Panthers’ offensive renovations but he, like most other Carolina skill-position players, has failed to put up signficant numbers to date. Both players have multiple years left on their contracts, a factor which would dissuade interest on the Bengals’ part.

Plenty of time remains for Cincinnati to join the Eagles and, presumably, a list of other teams in their pursuit of upgrades for the stretch run. For now, though, signs point to the Bengals holding firm in lieu of sacrificing future assets for a short-term gain.

AFC North Notes: Burrow, Lamar, Ravens

October 8th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Ely Allen

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow took a big step towards a return to normalcy with a strong performance in today’s win over the Cardinals. Still, he is not back to 100 percent and, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, he’s likely still a few weeks away from that.

Cincinnati has been working with the understanding that Burrow’s calf injury is continually improving with time, as long as he doesn’t tweak it, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. They’re risking reinjury by continuing to put him on the field, but they aren’t hindering his recovery, and they likely feel his presence, even if not fully healthy, is more impactful than the QB2, Jake Browning‘s.

With one more game standing between them and a bye week, the Bengals will be counting on Burrow to avoid reaggravating his calf for one more week in order to get to a two-week rest that should really help him get back to full-strength.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North, starting with another injured Bengal:

  • Cincinnati rookie return man Charlie Jones was placed on injured reserve a little over a week ago after sustaining a thumb injury. Jones underwent surgery a few days ago, per Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network, and expects to make a return as soon as he is eligible after the four-week period. This should put Jones back on the active roster in time for the team’s Week 9 matchup against the Bills.
  • Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has remained healthy through five weeks this season, but it sounds like Baltimore isn’t taking any chances. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, head coach John Harbaugh reiterated that the team is committed to keeping three quarterbacks on their roster. With the injuries in recent years to Jackson, and subsequently to the backup quarterbacks, having multiple backup options has likely become a necessity.
  • Baltimore long snapper Nick Moore was set to play out a contract year in 2023 before suffering a torn Achilles tendon in offseason training. Since Moore will be spending the entire season on the team’s reserve/non-football injury list, the Ravens decided to sign him to a one-year extension, pushing his free agency until after the 2024 season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/23

October 7th, 2023 at 6:46pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the day’s minor transactions heading into Week 5:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Elevated: WR Xavier Malone

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Bengals Not Planning To Rest Joe Burrow

October 3rd, 2023 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Through four weeks, Joe Burrow sits 29th in Total QBR and last in passer rating. The recently extended passer’s 4.8 yards per attempt also check in at the bottom of the league. The Bengals have seen Burrow’s training camp calf injury define the first quarter of their season.

His mobility compromised by the setback he suffered in Week 2, Burrow has been unable to shake off this particular camp issue in the way he did after missing extended summer stretches in 2021 (ACL rehab) and 2022 (appendectomy). This lingering issue has led to the Bengals dropping to 1-3. But Zac Taylor quickly brushed off the prospect of the team resting Burrow, indicating (via ProFootballNetwork.com’s Jay Morrison) the Pro Bowl QB can operate an effective offense despite his injury and would remain in place for Week 5.

Also completing just 57.6% of his passes, Burrow had entered his fourth season as the most accurate passer in NFL history (among those with at least 1,500 attempts), Morrison adds. The former Super Bowl starter is 2-for-22 on throws beyond 15 yards and is the first QB in NFL history to throw 150 passes through four games at less than five yards per attempt, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. adds. The Bengals’ 27-3 loss to the Titans moved this to a crisis point, but Cincinnati’s options are limited. While the organization was believed to be divided on Burrow playing at less than 100%, improvement ahead of Week 3 kept the starter at the controls.

The Bengals have never rostered an upper-echelon backup behind Burrow, going mostly with Brandon Allen during the former No. 1 overall pick’s career. The team let its multiyear backup sign with the 49ers in May; Allen is now San Francisco’s third-stringer. Cincinnati signed Trevor Siemian on the same day Browning inked the San Francisco deal, but Siemian is now back with the Jets after failing to beat out Jake Browning for the Bengals’ QB2 gig. Browning has been with the Bengals since 2021 and entered the NFL as a 2019 UDFA. But the 27-year-old passer has one regular-season attempt on his resume.

While Cincy released Reid Sinnett from its practice squad Monday, A.J. McCarron still resides on the 16-man P-squad. McCarron has not attempted a pass since 2020, but the former national championship-winning QB spent seven years in the NFL before a 2021 ACL tear nixed his effort to become a Falcons backup. The ex-Andy Dalton Bengal backup returned to action in the XFL this season. Neither Browning nor McCarron qualify as a passable stopgap at this point, however.

Cincinnati’s Week 7 bye supports a case for Burrow sitting. The team faces the Cardinals and Seahawks before its week off. The Bengals could face a steeper uphill battle if Browning starts in one or both of those games, but this version of Burrow has reduced this explosive offense’s capabilities. The team ranks 31st in scoring offense (12.3 points per game). This unexpected chapter threatens the Bengals’ chances to win a third straight AFC North crown, but for the time being, they will stick with their injured starter.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/23

October 3rd, 2023 at 7:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed: WR Kendric Pryor

Dallas Cowboys

  • Signed: LB Mikel Jones

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: S Christian Young

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Taiwan Jones will now look to catch on elsewhere after getting let go by the Giants. The veteran joined New York’s practice squad back in August and was elevated for the first two games of the season, with Jones returning one kick and one punt. It’s been a bit since Jones last contributed on offense, but the veteran was a reliable special teams player for the Bills for half a decade (two stints).

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/23

October 2nd, 2023 at 8:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Released: QB Reid Sinnett

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

  • Released: DL Junior Aho

New Orleans Saints

Bengals WR Tee Higgins Suffers Rib Fracture

October 1st, 2023 at 7:10pm CST by Ely Allen

A disastrous contract year for Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins appears likely to continue trending downward in the immediate future. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the fourth-year wideout suffered a rib fracture today that could hold him out for a portion of the final season of his rookie contract.

Higgins, a former second-round pick out of Clemson, has been a dominant top-two receiver in Cincinnati since being drafted in 2020. After leading the team in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns as a rookie, Higgins has delivered back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Bengals while performing as WR2 behind Ja’Marr Chase. Over his first three seasons in the league, Higgins had accumulated an impressive 3,028 receiving yards for 19 touchdowns.

These accomplishments made it seem that extending Higgins, so that he might continue to provide newly paid quarterback Joe Burrow with a strong No. 2 target, would be a priority before the season began. Unfortunately, discussions towards a new contract stalled, reportedly over discrepancies on expectations for guaranteed money.

As we closed in on the start of the 2023 regular season, it became clear that Higgins and the Bengals were not close to an agreement on an extension. It was also reported that, not only were the two sides not going to reach an agreement by the start of the season, but Higgins was also not interested in discussing the extension any further in-season.

While he will now have the opportunity to hold in-season discussions about a potential extension while he allows his rib fracture to heal, he’s not necessarily in the best position to do so. Despite his stellar first three years in the NFL, Higgins’ performance so far in 2023 could put him at a disadvantage in negotiations. Up until his injury, Higgins had only caught 12 passes on 32 targets for 129 yards and two touchdowns through four games.

It’s unclear where both sides go from here. If the Bengals continue not to be competitive in the division, they may decide not to rush Higgins back, further hampering his contract-year. Higgins, who had only missed four games before this, may decide to take a lesser deal in order to stay with the team, or he may decide to test his luck on the market even without a strong final season before free agency. It will be a situation to keep an eye on, watching for how long it takes for Higgins to make a return and for when he decides to open up communications on a potential new contract again.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/23

September 30th, 2023 at 8:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves ahead of tomorrow’s slate of Week 4 games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Walker’s elevation comes amidst a degree of uncertainty regarding Deshaun Watson‘s Sunday availability. The latter is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has expressed confidence he will be able to suit up. In the event he is unable to play, though, Walker will provide insurance under center. NFL Network’s James Palmer reports Watson will be a game-time decision.

Chosen, formerly Robbie Anderson, made his Dolphins debut in Week 3, scoring a 68-yard touchdown on his only catch. His performance – along with other depth wideouts currently being sidelined for Miami – will give the 30-year-old a longer look with his new team.

Gore’s elevation will give him the chance to see regular season game action for the first time since 2021. The former UDFA recorded 361 scrimmage yards with the Chiefs that season, but a subsequent IR stint marked the end of his time in Kansas City. Gore has since spent time on the Saints’, and now Commanders’, taxi squads. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes that fellow depth back Chris Rodriguez has bee ruled out with an illness, opening the door to Gore seeing limited snaps.

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