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Minor NFL Transactions: 10/19/24

October 19th, 2024 at 6:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad callups:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Autry was hit with a six-game PED suspension in July, leaving the Texans without a key figure along the defensive line. The free agent pickup could have suited up by means of Houston using his one-week roster exemption; instead, he has been activated in time for Week 7. Autry, 34, posted a career-high 11 sacks last season and he will look to make an immediate impact during his Texans debut. Especially with Mario Edwards having been issued a four-game suspension of his own earlier this week, he should have a notable role right away.

Browns Activate RB Nick Chubb, S Juan Thornhill

October 19th, 2024 at 11:51am CST by Ben Levine

The Browns are getting some major reinforcement on both sides of the ball. The team announced that they’ve activated both running back Nick Chubb and safety Juan Thornhill to the active roster.

[RELATED: Browns’ Nick Chubb To Return In Week 7]

All signs had been pointing to Chubb returning for Week 7, with the star running back basically confirming his impending activation in an essay earlier this week. Chubb hasn’t seen the field since suffering a major knee injury in Week 2 of last season. After undergoing a pair of procedures over the past year, Chubb naturally landed on the reserve/PUP list for the start of the 2024 campaign. The impending free agent returned to practice earlier this month, and it sounded like the Browns would let the player make the final call regarding a return date.

Ultimately, Chubb settled on Week 7, where he should immediately return to the top of the depth chart. The Browns are hoping the veteran can provide a spark to a struggling offense. Jerome Ford has led the rushing attack for the start of the season, with D’Onta Foreman recently stealing a chunk of carries. Ford’s 5.4 yards-per-carry actually ranks 14th in the NFL, but the team’s overreliance on Deshaun Watson and the passing game has limited the team’s RB production. Perhaps Chubb’s return will have OC Ken Dorsey rethinking his offensive approach.

Thornhill returned to practice earlier this week. The defensive back suffered a calf injury during the season opener that required a stint on injured reserve. The former Chiefs draft pick started all 11 of his appearances during his first season in Cleveland in 2023, finishing with 54 tackles. The Browns’ safety corps have struggled with health this season, but when whole, Thornhill should return to his starting spot alongside Grant Delpit.

Chubb’s activation does not count toward the Browns’ in-season activation total, which now sits at five following today’s Thornhill transaction.

Amari Cooper To Play In Week 7; Latest On Bills’ Pursuit

October 18th, 2024 at 10:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

Davante Adams was dealt to the Jets earlier this week, but that AFC East wideout acquisition was soon followed up by the Bills landing Amari Cooper. Further details have emerged on the latter swap.

Buffalo was one of several suitors for Adams, who represented the top trade target amongst receivers. The price for adding the three-time All-Pro was dictated in large part by Vegas’ desire to avoid retaining any of his salary. That wound up being the case, something which took the Bills out of the running to seriously pursue a deal.

“My gut was [the Raiders] were never interested in eating money, which they didn’t,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane confirmed when speaking about Adams’ trade market (via Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News). “If they were interested in doing that, they probably could have gotten some more from us or somebody else.”

With the Bills never truly being a contender to acquire Adams, attention turned to Cooper. As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes, Beane and Co. touched base with the Browns before further conversations on a trade took place Monday (video link). That agreement (which saw Buffalo land Cooper and a sixth-round pick this year for a third-rounder and a seventh-round selection in 2026) was worked out one day later, a sign of how smoothly negotiations progressed.

Cooper stated he did not expect to be dealt, and Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports notes the Browns were not actively shopping him prior to the agreement being reached (video link). Rather, it was Buffalo’s “very aggressive” efforts to land Cooper which got the deal done. Indeed, Underdog Fantasy’s James Palmer notes the Browns got a higher trade price than they expected. He adds, however, that Cleveland did now view the five-time Pro Bowler has living up to the team’s standards through the opening portion of the season.

Cooper’s 41.7 yards per game in 2024 is the lowest mark of his career, a result of the Browns’ struggling offense but also a potential sign of decline. The 30-year-old will be nevertheless be expected to handle a heavy workload early on in his Buffalo tenure, given the lack of experienced pass-catchers on the Bills’ offense. After the team traded away Stefon Diggs and allowed Gabe Davis to depart in free agency, Cooper has the potential to command a notable target share with his latest team. Acclimating to the Bills’ playbook will take time, but no waiting period should be expected.

Head coach Sean McDermott said (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia) he expects Cooper to suit up against the Titans on Sunday. A full workload days after being dealt may not be realistic, but he will be positioned to contribute right away on a team once again looking to make a deep run amongst the AFC’s contenders.

Kevin Stefanski: Ownership Not Mandating Deshaun Watson Starts

October 16th, 2024 at 9:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Among qualified starting quarterbacks, Deshaun Watson ranks last in QBR. The Browns are riding an 0-for-26 streak on third down with Watson at the controls. The high-priced passer’s struggles have defined this Browns season and most of the past three, though this year has brought a new low for on-field performance.

As a result of Watson’s poor play, Kevin Stefanski has needed to provide weekly status updates on his starter. The recently extended Browns HC has continued to respond in the affirmative regarding Watson’s starting role, though he has since been asked to clarify if higher-ranking members of the organization are insisting the embattled quarterback stay in the lineup.

Stefanski said recently that he and Andrew Berry discuss decisions with ownership, and while the fifth-year GM should be expected to have a key voice in how his head coach constructs his starting lineup, a question was posed to Stefanski regarding ownership’s role in the Watson matter.

“I don’t get caught up in narratives, but we have a good dialogue with myself, Andrew, ownership about all things that have to do with this team,” Stefanski said, via ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi. “They’ve been nothing but supportive, and any decision when it comes to football is my decision.”

Seeing his offense work best with Joe Flacco and Baker Mayfield (the 2020 version, at least), Stefanski has been unable to tailor it to Watson’s skills. At this point, however, it is fair to question whether Watson would succeed in any offense. A three-time Pro Bowler with the Texans, Watson drew a bidding war that also included the Falcons, Panthers and Saints being willing to trade what the Browns ultimately gave up. In addition to becoming the first team since the 1976 49ers to trade three first-round picks for a veteran quarterback, the Browns also authorized an outlier guarantee ($230MM) for a player who had signed a Texans extension in September 2020.

That guarantee drove Watson to Ohio, rather than Georgia. The results have been borderline catastrophic, and if Watson cannot turn things around quickly, the Browns face an albatross unlike anything previously seen in NFL history. Furthermore, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot adds Berry and Stefanski were aligned on the decision to pursue Watson. While it may well seem like this scenario was forced upon Stefanski, Mayfield had trudged through an injury-plagued 2021 season that brought another step back for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Stefanski is now a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, receiving that honor for coaching Mayfield to a 2020 bounce-back slate — after the 2019 Freddie Kitchens experiment bombed — and then again after Flacco’s stunning resurgence occurred despite widespread injuries on offense. It would stand to reason Jimmy and Dee Haslam would trust Stefanski with this decision, seeing as both he and Berry received offseason extensions.

This Browns staff also pushed for Jameis Winston over Flacco this offseason, with the reigning Comeback Player of the Year not receiving a Browns offer. Winston has 80 starts on his resume from his time in Tampa and New Orleans. Stefanski continues to keep the door closed on Winston stepping in for the struggling Watson.

Though, this is a unique situation due to Watson’s contract, which Berry has now twice restructured. Jimmy Haslam credited Berry with the idea to fully guarantee Watson’s contract back in 2022. While Berry has built an otherwise strong roster, it is now worth wondering — thanks to Watson’s current form — if he could be in danger of following Jon Robinson and Steve Keim as recent GMs to sign extensions only to be fired later that year. No rumors have come out suggesting Berry or Stefanski is in danger, but the longer this goes, the more ownership will want answers for why the historically costly transaction has not panned out.

Watson also recently settled with the latest woman to accuse him of sexual assault, lessening the chances he would face a second suspension. Roger Goodell said (via The Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi) the league is still reviewing the matter, however. Watson needed to have informed the Browns of this incident in order for his future guarantees to be protected. A second ban is about the only chance the Browns have of escaping the guarantees, which are still in place for 2025 and 2026. Thanks to the second restructure, Watson is set to carry cap numbers of $72.9MM in each of those years.

It would cost the Browns a record-obliterating — which is saying something after the Broncos’ Russell Wilson release — $172MM in dead money to cut Watson in 2025. While Nick Chubb is set to make his season debut in Week 7 and the Browns have been without starting O-linemen often this season, it is difficult to find optimism. The team traded Amari Cooper on Tuesday, worsening Watson’s situation. At 1-5, Cleveland may well consider more seller’s moves before the Nov. 5 deadline.

Browns Designate S Juan Thornhill For Return

October 16th, 2024 at 7:28pm CST by Ben Levine

Juan Thornhill could soon provide a spark to the Browns defense. The team announced that they’ve designated the safety for return from injured reserve. The Browns now have 21 days to activate Thornhill to the active roster.

The defensive back started Cleveland’s Week 1 loss, collecting nine tackles while getting into 60 defensive snaps. However, he suffered a calf injury in that game that ultimately landed him on the shelf. Thornhill was first eligible to return from IR this past weekend.

Thornhill inked a three-year deal with the Browns during the 2023 offseason. A calf injury forced him to miss six games during his debut season in Cleveland, but he otherwise managed to start all 11 of his appearances while contributing 54 tackles. The former second-round pick started his career in Kansas City, where he hauled in eight interceptions in 65 games (52 starts). He appeared in nine additional postseason contests, winning two Super Bowl rings along the way (although he was inactive during the team’s 2019 run).

The Browns have been forced to deal with an inconsistent safeties corps in 2024. Rodney McLeod Jr. and Ronnie Hickman both stepped up alongside Grant Delpit during Thornhill’s absence. However, both Delpit and Hickman were inactive for Week 6, forcing the team to turn to D’Anthony Bell.

Browns’ Nick Chubb To Return In Week 7

October 16th, 2024 at 8:40am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 16: In a Players’ Tribune essay, Chubb pointed to this timeline being accurate. The seventh-year running back is planning on debuting in Week 7. The Browns appear set to activate the Pro Bowl back from the PUP list before their matchup with the Bengals.

OCTOBER 13: Nick Chubb returned to practice when first eligible, a positive sign with respect to his rehab process. The standout Browns running back now has a firm target to make his 2024 debut.

Chubb is expected play in Week 7, as first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The Browns opened his 21-day activation window on October 2, and to no surprise the team has elected to remain patient in evaluating his practice showings. No setbacks have occurred, though, positioning Chubb to suit up against the Bengals seven days from now. A separate Cabot piece notes the 28-year-old will have the final say on when he suits up in a game setting.

After a major knee injury suffered in Week 2 last year, Chubb underwent two separate procedures as part of his recovery process. Cleveland remained committed to the four-time Pro Bowler, but team and player agreed to a restructured contract in the offseason which saw Chubb take a pay cut. He is also a pending free agent as a result of that agreement, so his ability to return to his previous form will be critical for his short- and long-term future.

The Browns entered Sunday ranked 30th in the NFL in rushing yards per game, and their offense as a whole has struggled mightily this season. Cleveland has been held under 20 points in each of the team’s first six games, becoming the first team to do so in a decade (h/t ESPN’s Field Yates). Getting Chubb back could provide a major boost in the backfield.

Jerome Ford took over as RB1 after Chubb went down last year, and he has remined a key figure on offense in 2024. The former fifth-rounder exited today’s contest due to a hamstring injury, however, so any missed time would leave Cleveland thin in the backfield. That would add further value to Chubb’s return, something which will be confirmed once he is brought off the reserve/PUP list. Doing so will not count toward the Browns’ in-season activation total, which currently sits at four and will drop by one when fellow back Nyheim Hines returns from the NFI list.

Chubb recorded between 1,067 and 1,525 yards each season from 2019-22, averaging no fewer than 5.0 yards per carry during that span. Remaining among the league’s most efficient rushers upon return would pay considerable dividends for the Browns as they look to rebound from a 1-5 record. Likewise, Chubb’s market value would move in a positive direction if he were to regain his Pro Bowl form once he is back on the field. Provided the coming days of practice go as planned, he should be available for Cleveland’s next contest.

Browns Trade Amari Cooper To Bills

October 15th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The receiver market is heating up. Hours after the Jets finalized their deal to acquire Davante Adams, the team that won Monday night’s game will also strike for a pass-catching weapon.

Amari Cooper is headed to Buffalo, with Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reporting the Bills and Browns have a deal in place. A recent report indicated Cleveland was not expected to unload Cooper, but after the Browns did not reach an extension with the accomplished wideout this offseason, he remains in a contract year. It appears that campaign with finish in New York. The teams have since announced the trade.

This deal includes the Browns receiving a third-round pick, though NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport classifies it as a pick-swap agreement. That will send a lower pick back to the Bills. Here is how the trade breaks down, via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero:

Bills receive:

  • Cooper
  • A 2025 sixth-round pick

Browns receive:

  • A 2025 third-round pick
  • 2026 seventh-rounder

This is the second time Cooper has been traded in-season, with the 2018 campaign including the Raiders sending him to the Cowboys for a first-round pick. After re-signing the former top-five pick in 2020, the Cowboys dealt him to the Browns during the 2022 offseason. Cooper, 30, has produced in Cleveland, but with Deshaun Watson well off his Texans pace, he has not fared especially well this season. Given the QB upgrade he is set to see, Cooper is likely to see a production uptick soon.

[RELATED: Bills Cut WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling]

Sean McDermott said last week Buffalo’s receiver situation had become a concern. The Bills’ plan of moving on from Stefon Diggs and not replacing him with a comparable wideout was passable early, but teams had limited the team’s receivers in recent weeks — a period that bottomed out with a woeful Josh Allen stat line in Houston. Even after the Bills prevailed over the Jets on Monday, they are loading up with one of the best wideouts on the market.

“Andrew Berry called me and told me what was going on,” Cooper said (via veteran insider Josina Anderson) of the trade. “As far as playing with Josh, I’ve always been fan of his game. I’m sure to see it up close and personal and play alongside him, I’m sure it’s going to be great.”

This Cooper swap comes after the Bills had monitored the Adams market. In on Adams from the beginning, Buffalo never appeared in pole position — or even in the front row — for the Raiders trade chip. It does not appear to be a coincidence that the Jets’ Adams trade went down shortly before this one. The Bills snaring Cooper gives them a weapon in an effort to hold off the Jets in the AFC East while taking away a potential Chiefs solution in the wake of Rashee Rice‘s season-ending injury.

Although Cooper is in his age-30 season and is averaging only 10.4 yards per catch this year (24/250), the Bills needed to include a third-round pick likely due to both his past production and the Browns having slashed his 2024 base salary to the veteran minimum. Cooper’s offseason restructure included an incentive package and his 2024 base dropping to $1.21MM.

That works out to just $783K to be transferred to the Bills’ payroll. The Browns, conversely, will take on $7.9MM in dead money this year and $22.6MM in dead cap in 2025. The total sum nearly matches Diggs’ receiver-record figure the Bills ate earlier this year.

Cooper’s route-running chops are on Diggs’ level, making it interesting Buffalo targeted the former No. 5 overall pick. Cooper has seven 1,000-yard seasons on his resume, with the most recent — 2023’s 1,250-yard showing with an aid from Joe Flacco — doubling as a career-high number. Cooper has never quite settled in as a top-tier receiver, but his credentials easily place him on the second rung. The refined pass catcher is a five-time Pro Bowler who has surpassed 1,100 yards in a season five times. Cooper totaled nine touchdowns in his first Browns season, doing so despite the team using Jacoby Brissett for 11 games and Watson (who re-emerged in concerning form) for the final six.

Turning 30 earlier this year, Cooper is several months younger than Diggs. The Bills had tired of Diggs’ antics, but they were beginning to miss his production. Drafted four rounds before Diggs in 2015, Cooper has not proven to be a locker room issue, as he has seamlessly transitioned to new teams via trade before.

The Alabama alum’s 2018 Dallas assimilation made a key difference in turning a sub.-500 Cowboys team into the NFC East champions. Cooper will now try to replace Diggs and help the Bills book a fifth straight division title. Set to anchor a receiving corps previously fronted by Khalil Shakir and second-round pick Keon Coleman, Cooper strengthens the Bills’ hopes of threatening the Chiefs’ AFC vice grip as well.

No stranger to splashy WR trades as the 2020 Diggs swap and the near-deal for Antonio Brown in 2019 shows, Bills GM Brandon Beane will attempt to equip his superstar quarterback with a weapon that will help him better maximize his age-28 season. Diggs moved the needle significantly in Allen’s development. With Allen much closer to a finished product now, the Bills are adding a similar playmaker. Buffalo received a 2025 second-round pick from Houston for Diggs, helping make parting with a Day 2 asset easier.

This deal comes barely two months after the Browns offered Cooper to the 49ers in a swap that would have sent Brandon Aiyuk to Cleveland. Aiyuk did not want to be traded to the Browns, who have struggled in the passing game for most of the decade despite obtaining Watson in 2022. Cooper, however, wanted to be traded to the 49ers, TheLandOnDemand.com’s Tony Grossi offers. That San Francisco proposal, which included second- and fifth-round picks as well, always made Cooper a trade chip to watch. With the Browns now 1-5 and Watson in terrible form, cashing out now with a Day 2 asset — which is more than the Browns initially gave up to acquire him from the Cowboys — can be viewed as a savvy move.

Cleveland sent just fifth- and sixth-round picks to Dallas to acquire Cooper in March 2022. The Cowboys have missed the midrange weapon’s presence, even as CeeDee Lamb has ascended to the All-Pro level. The Browns traded for Jerry Jeudy this offseason and gave the ex-Broncos first-rounder a three-year extension that brought more in guarantees ($41MM) than Cooper’s Cowboys-constructed pact (five years, $100MM, $40MM guaranteed at signing) did. The Browns also have Elijah Moore on their roster, but the ex-Jets second-rounder joins Cooper in being in a contract year.

Jeudy suddenly represents the Browns’ receiver centerpiece, as he is tied to the team through the 2027 season. Jeudy, however, is 0-for-4 in 1,000-yard seasons; Cooper is 7-for-9. A Bills team gunning for its first Super Bowl berth since 1993 will soon deploy Cooper as part of its championship effort, while the Browns — thanks to their historic Watson guarantee tying them to the embattled QB through 2026 — will pick up an asset as they reassess their passing game.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/15/24

October 15th, 2024 at 9:16pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves in the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Nichols is reportedly out for the season, per the Cardinals, but Prater could still return after an additional four-game absence. He’s already missed two games so far with a left knee issue. The 40-year-old was a perfect six-for-six on field goal attempts this year while 10-for-10 on extra points.

The Browns lose an important depth lineman in Harris. Harris started games at left tackle and center as an injury replacement this year, but he’ll be out for at least the next four games with an ankle injury.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris reported that Abernathy will be out for a “significant time,” per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/15/24

October 15th, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s NFL practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: T Spencer Rolland

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Amos is far-removed from his days as a full-time starter in the NFC North. With Talanoa Hufanga on injured reserve, though, and only three safeties on the active roster, Amos could have an opportunity to make an impact in the Bay Area.

Browns Activate DL Mike Hall Jr.

October 12th, 2024 at 11:44am CST by Ben Levine

Mike Hall Jr. is set to make his NFL debut. The Browns announced a series of roster moves this morning, including activating their rookie defensive tackle from the commissioner’s exempt list.

[RELATED: Browns’ James Hudson Undergoes Shoulder Surgery]

The 54th-overall pick in this year’s draft, Hall was hit with a suspension to begin his NFL career following his arrest on domestic violence charges. The player ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct and was subsequently handed a one-game suspension that was tacked on to the four games he already missed. The Ohio State product may have a tough time carving out a role, with Shelby Harris, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Quinton Jefferson dominating the snaps at defensive tackle this season.

The Browns will also be adding another defensive tackle to the mix in Maurice Hurst II, who has been activated from injured reserve. Hurst suffered an ankle injury during the season opener that required a stint on IR. The DT mixed in with his three aforementioned healthy position mates during Week 1, and there’s a chance the Browns go back to a similar arrangement tomorrow against the Eagles.

The Browns weren’t done adding to their defense, as the team also activated outside linebacker Mohamoud Diabate from IR. Diabate was knocked out of the season opener with a hip injury that required him to miss the next four games. The Browns have been mixing and matching their edge depth behind Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith, and Diabate may have to temporarily settle for a special teams role before returning to the defense.

The team made a handful of additional moves this morning, placing offensive tackle James Hudson III on injured reserve, releasing wideout James Proche II, and promoting safety Christopher Edmonds and wide receiver Jaelon Darden from the practice squad. Hudson underwent shoulder surgery this week that could knock him out for the rest of the season. Proche earned his walking papers after serving as the team’s primary punt returner for the first chunk of the season.

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