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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/15/23

November 15th, 2023 at 7:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad moves:

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Price was brought in to serve as center depth after an injury to starting center Tyler Biadasz. He ended up losing the backup center job to Brock Hoffman, who has played in nine games and started one of them for the Cowboys this year.

Verrett, a veteran cornerback, has been stuck on the Texans practice squad for just over a month now without making an appearance. Despite following former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to Houston, he reportedly didn’t fit the plan for the team moving forward, mostly due to the fact that he doesn’t play on special teams. This extends Verrett’s NFL absence as he has still not seen regular season action since September of 2021.

Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch Out For Season

November 14th, 2023 at 9:44am CST by Adam La Rose

Leighton Vander Esch‘s latest neck injury has put an end to his season, and it could leave the remainder of his career in jeopardy. The Cowboys linebacker will remain on injured reserve for the rest of 2023, as first reported by David Moore of the Dallas Morning News.

Vander Esch was placed on IR one month ago after suffering what was diagnosed as a neck strain. Moore notes that the 27-year-old is dealing with a cervical spinal stenosis, an ailment which could require surgery. Vander Esch is currently considering his options, per Moore, but undergoing the operation would – given the fusion surgery he had in 2020 – threaten to end his career.

“I would say that’s accurate,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed in his weekly appearance on 105.7 The Fan when asked if Vander Esch is out for the year. “We had just completely left it up to how he was evolving. But of course, it’s a very significant loss for us… We just wish him well. The nature of his potential injury here causes me to really think longer term and beyond what it means for next week or beyond what it means for next month relative to the team. It has everything to do with what’s in his best interest” (h/t Moore’s colleague Michael Gehlken).

Vander Esch managed to remain relatively healthy after his 2020 procedure, serving as a key starter on Dallas’ defense. The former first-rounder posted 90 tackles last season, the second-highest total of his career. He was in line to remain a focal point at the second level in 2023, and he started each of his five games while posting 30 tackles and a fumble return touchdown before suffering the injury.

The Boise State alum’s current deal runs through 2024. Vander Esch is scheduled to make $3.5MM next season with a cap hit of $4.75MM. Only $1MM of his compensation is guaranteed, though, so moving on would not be difficult for Dallas if such a move were to be necessary. Much will depend on Vander Esch’s decision with respect to surgery and how he is able to able to recover if he does undergo another neck procedure.

In the meantime, the Cowboys will move forward with Damone Clark as a starter, having filled in for Vander Esch after his injury. Dallas also has veteran Rashaan Evans in the fold; the latter has been designated a gameday call-up from the practice squad three times, meaning a move would be needed to bring him onto the active roster. That pair will be counted on heavily down the stretch (and perhaps beyond 2023) with Vander Esch not in the picture for the foreseeable future.

Injured Reserve Return Tracker

November 11th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a 2022 rule change, teams can activate up to eight players from injured reserve. That has reintroduced some strategy into how franchises proceed with their activations, and teams will again need to be cognizant of their activation counts in 2023.

The NFL had reintroduced IR-return options in the 2010s, after a period in which an IR move meant a player’s season was over. But the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the league to loosen restrictions on IR from 2020-21. Teams were permitted to use unlimited activations to start the decade, but roster math is again a consideration.

Players who land on IR after cutdown day must miss at least four games. Once a team designates a player for return, the activation clock starts. Clubs have 21 days from a player’s return-to-practice date to activate that player. If no activation commences in that window, the player reverts to season-ending IR.

Here is how the NFL’s remaining two IR situations look for Super Bowl LVIII:

Kansas City Chiefs

Activated:

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 3

San Francisco 49ers

Designated for return:

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 4

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/23

November 11th, 2023 at 9:06pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL’s minor moves, including gameday callups for Sunday of Week 10:

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

November 10th, 2023 at 8:44am CST by Adam La Rose

Yesterday’s Panthers-Bears game carried signficant draft implications, as many noted in the build-up to the primetime matchup. With Carolina having dealt its 2024 first-round pick to Chicago as part of the deal involving last year’s No. 1 selection, the Bears were able to boost their chances of picking first in April with a win.

Owning the top selection in a draft touted for having multiple high-end options at the quarterback spot would of course add further to the speculation surrounding Justin Fields. The Bears gave the 24-year-old a vote of confidence last spring by trading out of the No. 1 slot, but he has yet to develop as hoped this season. Chicago could opt for a fresh start under center (particularly if they declined Fields’ fifth-year option) this spring while also having the opportunity to add help elsewhere on the roster with their own first-rounder, which seems destined to fall within the top 10 or perhaps even top five selections.

Of course, teams like the Giants, Cardinals and Patriots have experienced signficant troubles of their own this year. A continuation of their first half performances could leave them in pole position for the Caleb Williams–Drake Maye sweepstakes. All three teams face potential uncertainty with respect to their current passers’ futures, despite each having term remaining on their respective contracts.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. With plenty still to be sorted out over the coming months, here is an early look at the current draft order:

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

Cowboys Explored Linebacker Trades; Team Did Not Pursue Running Backs

November 8th, 2023 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jones made it rather clear he did not expect the Cowboys to be in on big-ticket trades, especially not ones Dallas brass initiated. True to the longtime owner’s word, the Cowboys stood down and will go into their latest playoff pursuit with the team they built in the offseason.

This did not quite cover the team’s deadline itinerary, though. The Cowboys still pursued linebacking help on the market, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. Dallas has been without Leighton Vander Esch since his Week 5 neck injury, thinning out a group the team already tinkered with this offseason.

The Cowboys are without two expected cogs on their defensive second level. Weeks before losing Vander Esch, the team saw third-round pick DeMarvion Overshown suffer an ACL tear. Vander Esch’s injury applied some pressure on 2022 fifth-round pick Damone Clark, whom the team moved into the starting lineup after not re-signing Anthony Barr. Clark leads the Cowboys with 56 tackles, 15 more than any other Dallas defender.

Markquese Bell, a 2022 UDFA, has operated alongside Clark as a regular. The converted DB has made 41 stops this season, and Pro Football Focus has viewed the Florida A&M product as the NFL’s 10th-best off-ball linebacker this season. Granted, that grade has come on just 249 defensive snaps, but the advanced metrics site tabs Bell as the league’s sixth-best coverage ‘backer. Vander Esch is not expected to miss the rest of the season; the sixth-year defender will be eligible to come off IR in Week 11. Though, the team’s trade push points to Vander Esch — who has a history of neck trouble — not being ready when first eligible.

This may cover the extent of the Cowboys’ outside pursuits at the deadline. The team was linked as a stealth Derrick Henry suitor, but Graziano adds it is not believed to have made calls to acquire a running back. The Titans made it fairly clear they were setting a high price on their contract-year star, who will now be a Will Levis resource, and the Cowboys were not believed to be chasing backs before last week’s deadline.

Tony Pollard‘s efficiency has taken an expected hit, with the Cowboys turning to the franchise-tagged RB as a three-down performer rather than a slick Ezekiel Elliott complementary piece. Pollard has not scored a touchdown since Week 1 and is averaging just 4.0 yards per carry. The 2022 Pro Bowler scored 12 TDs last season and posted an elite 9.5 yards per reception — he is at 6.6 in that category this year — along with a 5.2 YPC figure. Next Gen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric places Pollard in the bottom 12 among qualified ball carriers. But no supplementary addition is en route. The 6-3 Cowboys will stick to their guns and make do with the roster they have built.

Cowboys To Sign WR Martavis Bryant

November 7th, 2023 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite not playing an NFL game since 2018, Martavis Bryant has secured another gig. Recently reinstated, the veteran wide receiver has a deal in place with the Cowboys, according to The Athletic NBA reporter Shams Charandia.

The Cowboys brought in Bryant for a Tuesday workout. Had the Cowboys not agreed to sign Bryant, the former Steelers draftee had a meeting arranged with the Titans. But Dallas will take a flier on the former starter, with Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweeting it is a practice squad deal.

While this reminds of Josh Gordon‘s 2017 return after 2 1/2 seasons away, Bryant has doubled Gordon’s time away from the game. The NFL reinstated Bryant last week, and although he will turn 32 next month, it is certainly interesting a few teams showed immediate interest in a player after so much time off. The Lions also expressed interest in Bryant, according to Schultz. The Cowboys are not planning to immediately elevate Bryant to the active roster, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, eyeing a gradual buildup. Given Bryant’s past, this makes sense.

The NFL banned Bryant indefinitely on Dec. 14, 2018. This came for repeated violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy. The 2011 CBA featured harsher punishments for substance abuse. Partially in exchange for agreeing to move to a 17-game regular season, the NFLPA received various concessions in the 2020 CBA. One of those came in the form of leniency on the substance-abuse front. Still, it has been more than 3 1/2 years since that CBA’s ratification. Like Gordon, Bryant will be given another opportunity. Although Gordon relapses interfered with his comeback bid — one that eventually saw the former All-Pro’s form deteriorate to the point he was no longer a sought-after player — the Cowboys will see what Bryant has left in the tank.

Like Gordon, Bryant played in the again-rebooted XFL this season. Gordon fared much better, catching 38 passes for 540 yards. Bryant, meanwhile, caught 14 passes for 154 yards in eight games with the Vegas Vipers. The Cowboys clearly liked what they saw from the former Steelers and Raiders auxiliary pass catcher, and they will see if he can come in as a tertiary target for Dak Prescott.

Back in the 2010s, Bryant was viewed as a high-ceiling talent. The Clemson alum showcased those skills at points in Pittsburgh, totaling 1,314 yards and 14 touchdown receptions between the 2014 and ’15 seasons. Bryant added an acrobatic TD in the Steelers’ narrow wild-card win over the Bengals in 2015, residing as an intriguing Antonio Brown sidekick pre-JuJu Smith-Schuster. But Bryant received drug suspensions in 2015 and ’16. Bryant received a four-game suspension in August 2015 and a full-season ban in March 2016. This led to the indefinite ban two years later.

Bryant’s rookie contract tolled to 2017, when he added 603 receiving yards for a 13-3 Steelers team, but Pittsburgh dealt the embattled wideout to Oakland in 2018. While the 6-foot-4 receiver flashed frequently during his 2010s run, it would be highly unlikely to see him return to that level after so much time away. But the XFL could be viewed as a ramp-up period for Bryant. The Cowboys have enjoyed good fortune with players from the spring leagues. They saw USFL return man KaVontae Turpin earn All-Pro acclaim last season, and USFL kicker Brandon Aubrey is off to a flawless start upon signing with the team. Aubrey is 19-for-19 on field goals thus far as a Cowboy.

The Cowboys aimed to sign Odell Beckham Jr. last season but were not satisfied with his post-ACL-tear form. They ended up adding T.Y. Hilton. The 11-year veteran made a key reception in a win over the Eagles last season. This year, Dallas acquired Brandin Cooks from Houston. Cooks has joined Michael Gallup as starters alongside CeeDee Lamb. Bryant brings size the Cowboys’ starters do not, however, with none of the first-stringers standing more than 6-1. Turpin (5-9) and 2022 third-round pick Jalen Tolbert (6-1) are in place as backups. Seventh-round rookie Jalen Brooks is also on Dallas’ 53-man roster. It will be interesting to see if Bryant sees game action as a result of this agreement.

WR Martavis Bryant To Visit Cowboys; Titans Arrange Meeting

November 6th, 2023 at 5:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

5:35pm: Bryant’s free agency tour could continue in Tennessee. The veteran wideout plans to work out with the Titans if he doesn’t sign a deal with the Cowboys tomorrow, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.

9:40am: When news of Martavis Bryant‘s reinstatement came, it was reported he was drawing interest. That has resulted in the first known workout for the veteran wideout in his bid to return to the NFL.

Bryant will visit the Cowboys on Tuesday, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. That will give him the opportunity to earn what would no doubt be a practice squad deal with Dallas if things go according to plan, as teams routinely take the taxi squad route to slowly bring along veteran additions. The Cowboys currently have one open spot on their practice squad.

The 31-year-old was officially reinstated on Saturday, paving the way for a deal with any interested team. Bryant last played in 2018 during his brief Raiders tenure, and he bounced around other levels of professional football since that time. It would come as a surprise if the former Steelers fourth-rounder made his way onto an active roster (or at least earned notable playing time) down the stretch this season, but an impressive showing in front of the Cowboys could accelerate his return to gameday lineups.

Dallas is set atop the WR depth chart with CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup. Lamb has lived up to expectations this year with four games over 117 receiving yards (including each of the past three contests) but the latter two have been much less consistent in complementary roles. The Cowboys also have the likes of Jalen Tolbert and returner KaVontae Turpin as options at the receiver spot.

If Bryant’s workout goes well, he could soon find himself inking a deal with the Cowboys to give the team depth in their pass-catching corps. A strong showing could, however, increase interest from other teams, including those which may offer a clearer path to an active roster spot. It will be interesting to see how tomorrow’s visit plays out.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/4/23

November 4th, 2023 at 3:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves and gameday callups for Week 9:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

  • Elevated: QB Dresser Winn

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

With Kyler Murray not being activated from injured reserve this week, the Cardinals are heading into Week 9 with Clayton Tune as the only quarterback on their active roster. Driskel will be called up for the week as a standard gameday elevation to back up Tune.

With Matthew Stafford listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game, the Rams are adding some depth at the quarterback position. Dresser Winn had a breakout 2022 campaign at UT Martin, tossing 18 touchdowns while adding another three scores on the ground. He joined the Rams as an UDFA but was cut at the end of the preseason. He had a brief stint in the Canadian Football League before rejoining the Rams practice squad earlier this week. If Stafford can’t go, Brett Rypien will get the call under center for the Rams.

Peters will be elevated for the second straight week in Seattle. The 41-year-old, playing in his 19th NFL season, split snaps with right tackle Stone Forsythe last week against Cleveland.

Deadline Notes: Dolphins, Saints, Rams

November 2nd, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins are one of the most explosive teams in the NFL and sit tied atop the AFC with a 6-2 record. While Miami has clearly established themselves as a contender, the team remained quiet through the deadline. In fact, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that the Dolphins really didn’t have any trades in the works leading up to the deadline.

This is mostly because of the team’s IR situation, and the Dolphins will soon see a number of talented players return from injury. As McDaniel explained to reporters, those additions should give the Dolphins the boost that they would have been seeking via trade.

“Yeah, we actually have several of the best trades that exist in the works. Ok? You’re talking about getting players with no compensation, or no assets given, from injury. So, I mean, we’re in a great spot,” McDaniels said (via Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com).

“I think [GM] Chris [Grier] is always, and will always enter into, you know, whatever conversations that are sought out to him and, you know, that’s that’s a part of his job. He doesn’t labor my mind with, ‘Hey, you know, like NFL gossip, like, hey, I talked to this guy and this guy,’ you know, he, he, he brings it to my attention when we need to discuss it when it, when it’s to a serious platform.

“And he didn’t discuss anything. And that speaks to where we’re at with our football team. We’ve been playing some good football, and then we have some players that are very good players that are returning.”

Safety Jevon Holland (concussion), cornerback Xavien Howard (groin), and center Connor Williams (groin) are among the injured players who could return to the field as soon as this week.

More notes following the trade deadline:

  • Following a quiet deadline day, Saints GM Mickey Loomis admitted that he discussed acquiring players for draft assets but never actively shopped any of the players on his roster. “We talked to a couple of teams about a couple of things, more in the acquisition area as opposed to trading somebody,”  Loomis said (h/t John Hendrix). “We didn’t really talk about trading anyone from our team. We did talk to a couple teams about an acquisition, but I wouldn’t say it ever got really serious.” The Saints currently sit with a 4-4 record and are tied with the Falcons atop the NFC South.
  • The Rams have a 3-5 record and are facing some uncertainty at QB, leading some pundits to wonder if they’d be sellers at the deadline. While the team received calls on some veterans, the Rams never shopped any of their star players. According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, the Rams didn’t consider moving Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, or Aaron Donald despite the front office potentially having eyes on the 2024 campaign.
  • Similarly, the Cowboys didn’t initiate any trade talks with teams, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The reporter notes that the front office did receive some calls on their defensive depth, but the Cowboys were content sticking with their current squad.
  • Some details on trades that were actually made: the conditional seventh-round pick that the Cardinals sent to the Vikings alongside QB Joshua Dobbs was a selection that originated with the Falcons, per Howard Balzer. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Brady Henderson notes that the Giants are paying most of the remaining $10MM on Leonard Williams‘ contract, with the Seahawks owing their new player only $647K.
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