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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/12/24

November 12th, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

  • Released: LB Cam Johnson

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

The Falcons have added a notable name to their special teams corps in Jakeem Grant. The long-time Dolphins returner has collected six ST touchdowns in his career (four via punts, two via kickoffs), and he’s even hauled in 100 catches. However, the veteran hasn’t seen the field since the 2021 campaign while spending the past few years on Cleveland’s practice squad.

With Dak Prescott done for the season, the Cowboys have added some extra QB depth. In comes old friend Will Grier, who spent the 2021 and 2022 campaigns in Dallas. The former third-round pick has since bounced around the NFL, including stops with the Bengals, Patriots, and Chargers in just 2023. Grier still only has two career appearances on his resume, both coming with the Panthers in 2019.

The Texans have added some experienced OL depth in Cameron Erving. The veteran is coming off a 2023 campaign where he started two of his three appearances for the Saints, and he barely played in 11 appearances with the Panthers in 2022. Still, the 32-year-old brings 98 games (58 starts) of experience to Houston, a factor that could be valuable down the stretch. To make room on the practice squad, the Texans moved on from cornerback Desmond King. The veteran has only seen time in one game for Houston this season, although he’s not far removed from a 2022 campaign where he started 13 games for the Texans.

Cooper Rush To Remain Cowboys’ Starter; Team To Make QB Addition

November 11th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Both Cooper Rush and Trey Lance saw time yesterday in the Cowboys’ blowout loss. It remained uncertain in the wake of that contest who would get the nod as Dak Prescott‘s immediate replacement moving forward, but that question has now been answered.

Head coach Mike McCarthy announced on Monday that Rush will serve as Dallas’ starter for Week 11. The veteran has made 31 appearances and seven starts during the regular season, all with the Cowboys. Given that level of experience and familiarity with the team’s offense, it comes as little surprise Rush will remain atop the depth chart for at least one more week.

The soon-to-be 31-year-old struggled on Sunday, amassing only 45 passing yards and fumbling twice. Lance saw 15 snaps during the second half, adding to the turnovers as well with one of his six pass attempts being intercepted. No obvious candidate is thus available to handle QB1 duties with Prescott out of the picture (likely for the remainder of the campaign).

McCarthy added the team will be making an addition at the quarterback spot in light of Prescott’s hamstring injury. Healthy depth will be targeted with that move as the team looks to find answers on offense. Dallas ranks 22nd in scoring with an average of 19.7 points per game, and with the league’s second-worst rushing attack the team does not have the option of leaning heavily on the ground game. Rush will be able to help his market value with a string of starts, given his status as a pending free agent; the same also holds true of Lance, whose action yesterday marked his first regular season time as a Cowboy.

Dallas has a record of 3-6 on the year, and the struggles witnessed with Prescott at the helm suggested a postseason berth would be challenging to attain. The Cowboys will move forward with their incumbent options under center, with Rush in line to start for at least the upcoming contest against the Texans. Further decisions at the position will be dictated by an evaluation of that game.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/24

November 11th, 2024 at 6:34pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reinstated from suspension, one-game roster exemption granted: DE Mario Edwards

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Seattle Seahawks

Williams completed his three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He remains on injured reserve after a season-ending knee injury suffered during training camp.

Edwards served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and is now eligible to be reinstated to the Texans’ active roster. Houston requested and received a one-game roster exemption to give Edwards an additional week to practice with the team before being added back to the 53-man roster.

Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy Addresses Week 10 QB Usage; No Future Starter Decision Made

November 11th, 2024 at 11:21am CST by Adam La Rose

As a final decision is sought out in terms of how Dak Prescott will proceed with respect to his hamstring injury, the Cowboys need to sort out who will start under center for the remainder of the campaign. Discussions will take place on whether Cooper Rush will get the nod next week or if he will be replaced by Trey Lance.

[RELATED: Jerry Jones Confirms No In-Season Coaching Changes Will Be Made]

Rush played most of Sunday’s contest – a blowout loss to the Eagles in which Dallas mustered only two field goals – completing 13 of 23 passes for 45 yards. He also fumbled twice, something which contributed to the Cowboys’ overall turnover problem in the loss. The 30-year-old now has seven starts to his name, all with the Cowboys.

Lance saw time at different parts of the game, and overall he went four-for-six passing with an interception. The former 49er added 17 yards on three carries, and his rushing ability gives him a different skillset than Rush as the Cowboys contemplate their options. Heading into Week 10, it was clear Rush was the team’s preferred choice under center; it ultimately came as little surprise that Lance was included in certain aspects of the game plan, however.

“We’re not there yet,” head coach Mike McCarthy said in his post-game press conference (video link). “I mean, we had a package for him. We wanted to get him into the flow of the game was the thought process coming in here. Then to get him in when we did, then I took him out on the third down… I put Cooper back in for that play, for third down, we had the fumble, the turnover there. Something I’ll obviously discuss tomorrow.”

Acquired via trade after the 49ers elected to move on from him, Lance did not see any playing time last year. Prescott’s injury has opened the door for the former No. 3 pick to receive a look during the second half of the campaign, though, something which would greatly influence his market value. Lance, 24, joins Rush in being a pending free agent.

Sitting at 3-6 on the year, the Cowboys’ prospects of a postseason berth are increasingly bleak. Once Prescott’s attention fully turns to rehab, the quarterback spot will no doubt be one focused largely on evaluation to close out the season. It would thus come as no surprise if both Rush and Lance were to see notable time, but no decision for Week 11 has been made yet.

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Not Interested In Midseason Coaching Change

November 10th, 2024 at 8:18pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Despite a 34-6 loss to the Eagles dropping Dallas to 3-6 on the year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is not interested in firing head coach Mike McCarthy before the end of the regular season, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota.

Jones added that he regretted firing Wade Phillips after a 1-7 start to the 2010 season, per Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams, and also referenced moving on from Chan Gailey in 2000 after just two years as head coach, both of which included playoff berths.

Jones’ comments indicate that McCarthy’s job is safe at least through the end of the regular season. He entered 2024 with a .627 winning percentage as Dallas’ head coach, the best in franchise history, but has dropped to fourth place with a .592 winning percentage to date. Additionally, he is 1-3 in the playoffs during his tenure.

Jones even seemed to give McCarthy some cover if the Cowboys struggle during Dak Prescott‘s absence, which could be anywhere from six weeks to the rest of the season depending on a final opinion from a New York specialist.

“Anybody that loses their top quarterback has some adjustments to make and they’re usually adjusting uphill,” said Jones on Sunday, per Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS. 

One of those adjustments could be starting Trey Lance in Week 11, something McCarthy will consider this week, according to Hill. Lance played 15 snaps in Week 10 after Cooper Rush only managed 45 passing yards on 23 attempts. Lance completed four of his six attempts for 21 yards plus an interception to close out Dallas’ blowout loss.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Seeking Final Opinion On Surgery

November 10th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 10: Prescott confirmed that he will be in New York on Monday to seek a final opinion on his partial right hamstring avulsion, per WFAA’s Ed Werder.

If the specialist determines that surgery is necessary, then it will take place in New York this week with a three-to-four month recovery period. If Prescott avoids surgery, he will still need six-to-eight weeks to heal before he can return to the field, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.

NOVEMBER 9: After the Cowboys baffled the media by not placing quarterback Dak Prescott on injured reserve today, reports have followed detailing the reasoning for the delay. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Prescott is still seeking multiple opinions as he attempts to avoid surgery.

After it was reported that Prescott had suffered a partial hamstring tendon avulsion, it became clear that the 31-year-old would miss an extended period of time. Further investigation of the injury determined that it may be necessary for Prescott to undergo season-ending surgery. Yesterday it was announced by team officials that Prescott was headed for injured reserve, but at this point, no such transaction has been made.

Schefter reported today that the plan is for Prescott to undergo the season-ending surgery. The only reason he hasn’t already is because he plans to seek “the opinion of one final specialist.” Prescott flies to New York next week to meet with the specialist. If the specialist agrees with every other opinion so far, the quarterback will undergo surgery on Wednesday.

Multiple sources set the recovery timeline for the surgery at six to eight weeks. Cowboys staff are already convinced that he’ll require surgery, so it wouldn’t make a difference whether they place him on IR today or later this week. If, by some miracle, the specialist comes away with a different opinion, the Cowboys keep open the potential option for Prescott to return sooner.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/24

November 9th, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Elevated: LB Curtis Bolton, WR Isaiah Hodgins

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Spector will miss at least the next four games as a result of the Bills’ move. He has remained a mainstay on special teams this year, having also done so in 2022 and ’23. The former seventh-rounder has made three starts on defense, however, so his absence will be felt moving forward. Linebacker has been a position hit hard by injuries this season, and Buffalo’s depth at the second level will now be tested even further.

Wattenberg had his 21-day practice window opened by the Broncos earlier this week, paving the way for today’s activation. The 27-year-old operated as the team’s starting center prior to going down after having won a summer competition for the gig with Alex Forsyth. Forsyth handled first-team duties over the past four games, drawing a superior PFF evaluation and therefore potentially playing his way into an extended look atop the depth chart. At a minimum, having Wattenberg back will give Denver – a team with three IR activations left – depth up front.

DE Micah Parsons To Return In Week 10

November 9th, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 9: Parsons will indeed return to the lineup on Sunday, Schefter’s colleague Todd Archer reports. While Dallas will be without Prescott against the Cowboys – and quite possibly the rest of the season – the team’s defense will receive a major boost with Parsons back in the fold.

NOVEMBER 4: The Cowboys had a rough Sunday as injuries affected the availability of newly paid offensive stars Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. With news that Prescott’s injury would likely result in a multi-week absence, the Cowboys should feel some relief to hear that their defensive star, Micah Parsons, could be gearing up for a return this week, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Back after a Week 4 win over the Giants, the Cowboys saw Parsons suffer a high ankle sprain. While they initially looked at a then-approaching 10-day break between games with optimism, it quickly became apparent that Parsons’ injury was worse than expected. Further tests revealed a more realistic timeline of two to four weeks. Five weeks and four missed games later, Parsons is finally rumored to be ready for a return. Schefter quotes a source who claims Parsons “should be back” this weekend for a divisional matchup against the Eagles.

Like Prescott, Lamb was also injured yesterday, but it appears that the star wideout will avoid missing any time. Todd Archer of ESPN reports that Lamb was dealing with an AC joint issue in his right shoulder during yesterday’s loss to the Falcons.

While the injury caused Lamb to miss some snaps, he was able to return to the field and play through the issue, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. WFAA’s Ed Werder confirmed that Lamb’s MRI results today were encouraging and that, based on his ability to play through the injury, Lamb may not miss any time. He’ll undergo treatments throughout the week to determine his status for this Sunday’s matchup with Philadelphia.

The 2024 season has not gone according to plan so far for the 3-5 Cowboys. Perhaps with Parsons returning to the field, a defense that’s allowed the sixth-most points in the NFL can start to find its stride. Lamb likely won’t be rushed back with Prescott on the bench, but if he’s able to play safely with no risk of furth injury, expect Lamb to be out there as a reliable target for Cooper Rush.

Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Headed To IR, Aiming To Avoid Surgery

November 9th, 2024 at 1:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 9, 1:36PM: In an interesting decision, the Cowboys have elected not to place Prescott on injured reserve today. According to Ian Rapoport, they have only submitted their standard gameday practice squad elevations today, deciding not to make a transaction for their injured quarterback.

While this does leave open the possibility that Prescott may not need to miss four weeks, allowing him to return earlier, it could hinder a comeback, as well. If Prescott is, indeed, still headed for IR, and the Cowboys wait until after tomorrow’s game to make the move, it will delay his return one week more than it would be if they made the move today.

NOVEMBER 8, 4:00PM: Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said that the team is planning to put Prescott on injured reserve on an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Prescott will be sidelined for at least the Cowboys’ next four games, though Jones indicated that the team is not sure how long his absence will last.

“Right now, I don’t think anyone knows whether it will be four weeks, six weeks or the season. We’ll just have to continue to monitor that and see where it takes us,” said Jones on Friday. 

NOVERMBER 8, 12:38PM: The hamstring injury which left Dak Prescott sidelined for the end of the Cowboys’ Week 9 contest will lead to missed time. It remains to be seen if season-ending surgery will be required, but the quarterback’s preference would be to avoid it.

“He doesn’t want surgery,” owner Jerry Jones said of Prescott during a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic). “He wants to be on the field and go for it. We’ll just see how it goes here.”

Nevertheless, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports the Cowboys plan to move Prescott to injured reserve today or tomorrow. That move will ensure at least a four-game absence and leave the team shorthanded on offense while attempting to return to playoff contention. Sitting at 3-5 on the year, Dallas’ postseason prospects were already in question, but shutting Prescott down for a notable stretch would hurt them even more.

Updates from earlier in the week pointed to an IR move, so it would come as no surprise if Dallas ultimately takes that route. Provided the team does so, Cooper Rush will be in position to handle QB1 duties with Trey Lance being elevated to the status of backup. The latter is not under consideration to serve as the Cowboys’ starter at this point, something which is signficant since both signal-callers are pending free agents. Rush has made six starts and 30 appearances in his career, all with the Cowboys.

The 30-year-old’s most recent run atop the depth chart came in 2022, when he logged five starts in place of an injured Prescott. Rush went 4-1 in those contests, although he managed only 116.8 passing yards per game during that span while throwing five touchdowns and three interceptions. Improved efficiency through the air will be critical over the coming weeks for Rush and the offense given Dallas’ lack of success on the ground this season.

Considering Prescott’s $60MM-per-year extension signed this offseason, a cautious approach on the team’s part would be sensible. That is especially true given Dallas’ record and steep path to the playoffs as things stand. As Jones noted, however, more time will likely need to elapse before a final decision is made with respect to surgery. As Rush prepares to take over for the foreseeable future, Prescott’s health status remains uncertain.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/7/24

November 7th, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Booth has been unable to remain in the mix for two teams, being traded from the Vikings and now cut from the Cowboys’ 53-man roster. But Dallas will still attempt to develop the Clemson alum, bringing him back after he cleared waivers. The former second-round pick made a start for the Cowboys, after being traded straight up for fellow CB Nahshon Wright in August, but has only logged 38 defensive snaps in three games this season.

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