Today’s minor transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars
Los Angeles Chargers
San Francisco 49ers
Tennessee Titans
It sounds like there’s some optimism around Ja’Marr Chase‘s ability to return from a hip injury. Zac Taylor told reporters that his star receiver will not be placed on injured reserve,per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic on Twitter. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport clarifies (on Twitter) that Chase is now considered week-to-week.
This is an about-face from what we heard the other day. Chase’s hip flexor strain was expected to keep him off the field for at least four weeks, making an IR stint likely. It never sounded like surgery was an option, which provided a bit of hope that the WR would simply return whenever he felt good enough to play. Ultimately, the Bengals are banking on Chase being ready to go at some point over the next four contests.
Chase has already been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Browns, and it seems unlikely he’ll take the field in Week 9. The Bengals have a bye during Week 10, so perhaps the organization is eyeing a Week 11 or Week 12 return.
“The timing,” Taylor said when asked about the decision to keep Chase off IR (via Dehner on Twitter). “The bye week helps. The overall prognosis of how it could play out factors in to that.”
Chase suffered the injury back in Week 6 against the Saints. He still managed to take the field for Week 7, hauling in eight receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Fortunately for the Bengals, the team has a relatively deep grouping of receivers to help pick up the slack while Chase is out of the lineup. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd will lead the way, but Cincy is also rostering the likes of Trent Taylor, Mike Thomas, and Stanley Morgan.
Days away from this year’s trade deadline (3pm CT, Nov. 1), a few teams have made some in-season moves to bolster their rosters. Several squads have also restructured contracts this season to create additional space. That extra room will matter as most teams will consider adding or subtracting costs before Tuesday’s deadline.
Here is how teams’ cap-space numbers (courtesy of OverTheCap) look ahead of the deadline:
The Browns have held the top spot for months, and the gulf between their cap-space figure and the field almost certainly stems from a desire to carry over cap space before Deshaun Watson‘s cap number spikes from $9.4MM to a runaway-record $54.99MM. Cleveland has recently been linked to creating more cap space. Interest has come in for Greedy Williams, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Kareem Hunt. Although the Browns did not grant Hunt’s summer trade request, it may now take only a fourth-round pick for Cleveland to deal its backup running back.
Another potential seller could move up on this list while creating some additional space in 2023. The Broncos are believed to have made Jerry Jeudy available. Unlike fellow trade chip Bradley Chubb, Jeudy is under contract for 2023 (on a $4.83MM cap number). Denver appears more likely to move Chubb. That departure would remove the franchise tag from the team’s equation in 2023 — barring a tag for fellow 2023 UFA-to-be Dre’Mont Jones — thus freeing up more free agency funds. It will be interesting if the Broncos, if they are to move Chubb, agree to eat much of his fifth-year option salary. George Paton‘s club took on most of Von Miller‘s 2021 money to increase draft compensation.
The Eagles are still near the top despite acquiring Robert Quinn. Philadelphia is paying just $684K of Quinn’s contract, which now runs through 2022 instead of 2024. Chicago is on the hook for $7.1MM. The Bears are on track to have a gargantuan lead on the field for 2023 cap space. They are projected to hold more than $125MM next year, according to OverTheCap.
New Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney checks in at just $784K on their 2022 cap sheet. The former Giants first-rounder’s figures bump to $1.9MM (2023) and $2.53MM (’24). Kansas City recently restructured Travis Kelce‘s deal, creating some wiggle room for the Toney addition. The Chiefs, who did not touch Patrick Mahomes‘ deal this year, restructured Kelce’s contract twice in 2022. Thursday’s trade hit the Giants with a $2.33MM dead-money charge. Toney will count $3.67MM in dead money for the Giants in 2023.
The Panthers picked up nearly $19MM in 2022 dead money via the Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey trades. Unlike the Eagles and Bears, last week’s Panthers-49ers McCaffrey swap did not involve Carolina taking on additional salary. McCaffrey’s offseason restructure dropped his 2022 base salary to the league minimum; the 49ers have him on their books at just $690K. McCaffrey’s record-setting extension will still represent $18.35MM in dead money on the Panthers’ 2023 cap, but his nonguaranteed base salaries from 2023-25 ($11.8MM, $11.8MM, $12MM) transferred fully from Carolina to San Francisco.
On the subject of 2022 dead money, the Bears lead the way with $80.32MM. The Falcons added to their total this month, however, by trading Deion Jones to the Browns. That deal saddled the Falcons with $11.38MM in additional dead money — accompanying the franchise’s record-setting Matt Ryan dead-money hit ($40.53MM) — and ballooned Atlanta’s overall total to $78.57MM. Ryan is off the Falcons’ books after this year, but Jones will carry a $12.14MM dead-money figure in 2023.
Ja’Marr Chase‘s hot streak has helped the Bengals to back-to-back wins, but the star wide receiver will not be in uniform for a bit. A hip injury is expected to sideline Chase for at least a month, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
After Chase visited a hip specialist Wednesday, per Schefter, he continues to seek input about the injury. An injured reserve stay may be in the cards for the LSU product, who did not miss a game as a rookie. An IR stay is, in fact, anticipated here, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes, adding that the 6-foot-1 pass catcher is battling a hip flexor strain. He is not expected to need surgery, per Dehner, keeping a near-future return on the table.
Chase suffered the injury against the Saints but managed three practices — including a full workout Friday — leading up to the Bengals’ Week 7 game. He scored two more touchdowns against the Falcons, helping Joe Burrow to a dominant performance. But the Bengals will need to get by without their top weapon for a while.
Over the past two weeks, Chase has combined for 15 receptions, 262 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Chase’s rise since being drafted fifth overall last year has obviously been a central component in the Bengals’ ascent. His absence will put more on the shoulders of Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. While the Bengals have a strong supporting duo, these two have not been asked to go it alone since before Chase’s NFL debut.
This news comes as the Bengals (4-3) have made their way back from 0-2, moving into a tie with the Ravens atop the AFC North. Cincinnati has a Week 10 bye but will face Cleveland, Carolina and Pittsburgh over the next month. With Schefter indicating this injury could sideline Chase for up to six weeks, the Bengals could be challenged late into the season. Chase still seeking answers also should caution against setting a firm timeline here.
Beyond Higgins and Boyd, the Bengals roster Trent Taylor, Mike Thomas and Stanley Morgan. Both Higgins and Boyd have posted 455 yards this season, trailing Chase’s 605 (sixth in the NFL). Among the team’s other wideouts, only Thomas has a reception this season. Thomas has two catches for 38 yards; he has also been with the team for three seasons. Taylor has played a role in the past, and the ex-49ers slot serves as the Bengals’ primary punt returner. He caught a two-point conversion during the team’s AFC championship game comeback last season.
Here are the league’s minor moves going into Week 7:
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
Carolina Panthers
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Indianapolis Colts
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
New York Giants
New York Jets
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
Las Vegas Raiders
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bengals will be without their top linebacker for a while due to a familiar issue. Logan Wilson will be shut down after reinjuring his surgically repaired shoulder, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.
Wilson left the Bengals’ Week 6 game against the Saints, and while Fowler adds it is not believed to be as serious as the shoulder malady that required offseason surgery, a two- to five-week absence is the estimation for Wilson’s latest recovery timetable. Zac Taylor has called the third-year defender “week to week,” pointing to the Bengals keeping the former third-round pick on their active roster rather than sending him to IR.
Last season, this injury caused Wilson to miss three games. He ended up sitting in four of Cincinnati’s final five regular-season contests, though Week 18 involved most Bengals starters resting anyway. Wilson returned and played every defensive snap during the team’s four playoff games.
Wilson, 26, stood out in that postseason, making 26 tackles (four for loss), deflecting three passes and intercepting Ryan Tannehill in the Bengals’ divisional-round upset. The Wyoming product has been a full-time starter for the past two seasons and has played a major role in Cincinnati’s defense elevating to a respectable level during that span. The Bengals ranked 18th in total defense last season; they have made another jump, to 10th, this year. Wilson has tallied 37 tackles, two pass deflections and an interception in six games.
Although the Bengals’ Joe Burrow–Ja’Marr Chase connection powered the team to a road win, the Saints rushed for 228 yards. The Bengals will now be without Wilson and nose tackle D.J. Reader for the foreseeable future. Akeem Davis-Gaither, a 2020 fourth-round pick, stands to see more action as a result of Wilson’s injury.
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Denver Broncos
Detroit lions
Jacksonville Jaguars
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Denver Broncos
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Rams
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New York Giants
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Miami Dolphins
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Young continues to struggle to find a long-term home in the NFL. After Baltimore drafted him and traded him in his second year to the Rams, it took Young over a full season with the team to earn a starting role. When he was finally starting on a consistent basis, Los Angeles traded him once again to Denver where he started six straight games before being inactive for the remainder of the year. Young signed in the offseason with the Raiders but was released ahead of roster cut deadlines. He signed to the Buccaneers practice squad days before the season started and was active for the last four weeks, only playing on special teams. He’ll likely land on another practice squad somewhere in the league, perhaps with one of his former teams as both Baltimore and Los Angeles have experienced some injuries to their linebacker depth.