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Cowboys To Waive WR James Washington

January 4th, 2023 at 8:52am CST by Sam Robinson

James Washington is heading to the waiver wire for the first time. The Cowboys are cutting their offseason pickup, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Dallas’ evolving wide receiver cast now includes T.Y. Hilton, who has overtaken Washington and served as a Dak Prescott auxiliary target in recent weeks. Washington has not played since Week 15; Hilton’s debut led to the younger wideout being a healthy scratch for the past two games. The former Steelers second-round pick will be available to the league’s other 31 teams soon.

The Cowboys signed Washington, 26, to a one-year deal worth just more than $1MM this offseason, taking a flier on the former Steelers contributor. But a broken foot sustained during training camp changed Dallas’ plans. Washington did not make his season debut until Week 14. He has played just 15 offensive snaps this season, catching zero passes.

Although the endlessly rumored Cowboys-Odell Beckham Jr. partnership has not come to fruition, the team added Hilton in December. The 11th-year veteran has emerged early in his Dallas tenure, catching five passes — one on a third-and-30 to help the Cowboys past the Eagles — for 102 yards in his first two games. The third-leading receiver in Colts history, Hilton has fit in alongside CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. It looks like that setup will continue into the postseason, with Beckham still a free agent and Washington headed to the wire.

Chosen 60th overall in 2018, Washington did not catch on in Pittsburgh the way many Day 2 receivers have over the past several years. Following a 735-yard 2019 season spent mostly catching passes from ex-Oklahoma State teammate Mason Rudolph, Washington saw his playing time diminish. The Steelers selected Chase Claypool in the second round of the 2020 draft and bumped him ahead of Washington later that year. Even as JuJu Smith-Schuster missed most of the 2021 season, Washington was unable to carve out a major role. He caught 24 passes for 285 yards last season.

Dallas made Washington and Jalen Tolbert its top two outside receiver investments this offseason; Tolbert has two receptions thus far. In addition to Hilton, sixth-year Cowboy Noah Brown has stepped in as a tertiary target for the team. Brown’s 545 receiving yards sit second among Cowboys this season.

Broncos Place OLB Randy Gregory On IR

December 31st, 2022 at 7:14pm CST by Ely Allen

The injuries continue to pile up in Denver where the Broncos have added pass rusher Randy Gregory to their lengthy list of players on injured reserve. With the Broncos eliminated from postseason contention, the move brings Gregory’s first year in Denver to an end.

After failing to generate much of a pass rush in 2021, the Broncos ventured out into free agency to bring in Gregory after his initial extension with the Cowboys fell through due to a disagreement over language about bonuses being affected by fines or suspensions in the contract. Instead, the 30-year-old pass rusher signed a five-year, $70MM contract to join the Broncos. His first year in Denver would be a bit of a disappointment, though, as knee injuries would limit Gregory to only six games. Starting three of those games, Gregory was able to compile two sacks, two tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles. Outside linebackers Bradley Chubb and Baron Browning held higher roles on the depth chart until Chubb was eventually traded to Miami.

Despite the disappointing debut in Mile High, Gregory will have next year to rebound and prove his worth to the Broncos. If similar absences due to injury or suspension continue into 2023, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to find Gregory as the subject of one of our posts detailing a potential salary cap casualty.

The Broncos also signed practice squad outside linebacker Jonathan Kongbo to the active roster today. Kongbo’s addition becomes even more crucial with Gregory on IR and Browning questionable this weekend with a back injury. Practice squad cornerback Lamar Jackson was also signed to the team’s active roster, providing depth as the team’s fifth corner.

Additionally, the Broncos promoted linebackers Wyatt Ray and Ray Wilborn from the practice squad as standard gameday elevations for Sunday’s matchup in Kansas City.

Tyler Biadasz Suffers High Ankle Sprain

December 30th, 2022 at 3:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tyler Biadasz will not be available for the Cowboys’ regular-season finale against the Commanders, but the team is hopeful he will be able to return in the playoffs.

After Biadasz exited Thursday night’s game, tests revealed he suffered a high ankle sprain, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets. While the former fourth-round pick will not be ready for Week 18, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (on Twitter), the team hopes this two-plus-week hiatus will provide enough time for a return in Round 1.

Travis Frederick‘s long-term successor, Biadasz has avoided injuries for most of his Cowboys career. Coming into Thursday night, he had started 33 consecutive games. His injury caused nearly the entire Cowboys offensive line to shift roles.

Connor McGovern moved from left guard to center, Tyler Smith slid from left tackle to left guard and Jason Peters came in to play left tackle. The Cowboys have some depth up front to withstand a Biadasz absence, though the team placed Tyron Smith at right tackle upon returning in order to keep the rest of its line stable. If Peters has to start in Week 18, Mike McCarthy said he is no longer under any snap-count restrictions. He played 19 snaps Thursday and has topped out at 21 this year. Their center’s injury could well prompt the Cowboys to trot out an O-line featuring three potential Hall of Famers; quite the backup plan.

Although the Cowboys have battled some injuries up front this season — Tyron Smith’s, an early-season McGovern high ankle sprain — they had all their key principals back for the stretch run. Providing a comp of sorts, McGovern missed two games because of his September ankle injury. Three of Dallas’ O-linemen — Tyler Smith, Biadasz and Zack Martin — have played all 16 games. That provided considerable aid to Cooper Rush during Dak Prescott‘s absence and boosted Tony Pollard to his first Pro Bowl.

Biadasz’s injury certainly could have been worse, so this represents some good news for he and the Cowboys. Biadasz will become eligible for an extension at the end of the regular season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/29/22

December 29th, 2022 at 5:59pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves from around the league, including the Cowboys’ and Titans’ standard gameday elevations for the season’s last Thursday Night game:

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Tennessee Titans

 

Badie is a rookie sixth-round pick that failed to make the Ravens initial 53-man roster. The 22-year-old had a breakout senior season at Mizzou that saw him rush for 1,604 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding 330 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns, as well. After being waived in the team’s final roster cuts before the season, Badie signed to the Ravens practice squad, where he’s remained all season. Badie adds to the quantity of the Broncos’ room of running backs that currently holds Latavius Murray, Chase Edmonds, and Marlon Mack, as well as fullback Andrew Beck.

The three Titans’ signees are filling roster spots vacated by quarterback Ryan Tannehill and linebackers Bud Dupree and Zach Cunningham, all of whom were placed on injured reserve today.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

December 27th, 2022 at 12:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, much is still to be decided both in terms of playoff positioning and the order of the upcoming draft. Five teams are still eligible to land the top pick.

The Texans remain in pole position to hold the No. 1 spot, but their win over the Titans (coupled with the Bears’ losing streak extending to eight games) leaves Chicago just a half-game away. The fact that the Bears would likely select a defensive player rather than a quarterback with the top pick adds considerable intrigue to the potential implications of them ending up with that slot.

With the Browns continuing to struggle even with Deshaun Watson back from suspension, there is a distinct possibility that four first-rounders which changed hands (including Cleveland’s top 2023 pick, part of the package they sent to Houston for Watson) land in the top 10. Another premium selection would obviously soften the blow of losing out on the No. 1 spot from the Texans’ perspective, should that take place.

The final Wild Card spot in each conference is still being contested by several teams, resulting in a logjam of 7-8 squads in the middle of the order. Several head-to-head matchups will be played out between those clubs, which could lead to plenty of change in their positioning over the next two weeks. The race for both the AFC and NFC South titles will also have a significant impact on the final order, given the average (at best) record each division’s winner will have at the end of the regular season.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 17:

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

Next year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice

Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch Expected To Return This Season

December 24th, 2022 at 3:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys will be without a key defender for today’s crucial game against the Eagles, but their linebacking corps should be healthier in the near future. Leighton Vander Esch is inactive for Week 16, though his latest injury is not expected to be season-ending.

[RELATED: Cowboys’ Sam Williams To Miss Week 16]

The veteran exited Dallas’ loss to Jacksonville last Sunday, leading to concerns about another potential neck injury. That issue cost him significant time in 2019, but the diagnosis is more encouraging this time around. Vander Esch is dealing with a shoulder stinger, and his neck is entirely unaffected (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

As a result, the 26-year-old is not facing a season-ending absence as he has previously. That is a significant development for the Cowboys, given his importance to their defense. Vander Esch has seen his snap share rise to 79% in 2022, following two straight seasons of decline in that regard. He had played – and started – every contest this year prior to today’s absence. The former first-rounder has totaled a team-leading 90 tackles on the year, the second-highest mark of his career behind only his Pro Bowl rookie campaign.

His play against the run in particular earned Vander Esch interest in a new deal from the Cowboys this past offseason. Dallas had declined his fifth-year option, allowing him to hit free agency for the first time in his career. The Boise State product re-signed on a one-year, $2MM contract to remain with the team. He has proven to be worth that investment this season, serving as an effective role player on a Cowboys defense which ranks eighth in yards allowed and seventh in points against entering today’s action.

While defensive coordinator Dan Quinn stated (via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, on Twitter) that Vander Esch will return at some point this season, it remains unclear when that time will come. A loss today would clinch the NFC East title for the Eagles, leaving the final two games of the season a matter of positioning amongst the conference’s other Wild Card teams for the Cowboys. Assuming he is healthy for the beginning of the postseason, at least, though, Vander Esch will once again have an important role to play in January.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/22

December 23rd, 2022 at 5:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves heading into the NFL’s largest slate of Saturday games of the season:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

  • Promoted from practice squad: G Kyle Hinton

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Cowboys DE Sam Williams To Miss Week 16 After Car Accident

December 23rd, 2022 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cowboys second-round pick Sam Williams was involved in a car accident Thursday in Plano, Texas, according to WFAA’s Alex Cruz. As a result of injuries from the accident, the rookie defensive end will miss the Cowboys’ Week 16 game against the Eagles, the team announced.

Williams suffered a concussion and a neck strain in the accident, according to the Cowboys. His black Corvette collided with a vehicle that “didn’t appear to yield to oncoming traffic,” Cruz adds. The driver of the other vehicle, a 71-year-old man, is not believed to have suffered serious injuries, either.

Both drivers were hospitalized briefly, but Williams indicated (via Twitter) both he and the other driver are OK. Williams, 23, had the right of way, but police are investigating if the speed at which he was driving contributed to the accident. No alcohol or drugs are suspected to be a factor, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News notes.

The Cowboys added the Ole Miss alum to their injury report Friday; he remains on the team’s active roster. Playing as a rotational rusher, Williams has three sacks, eight tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits this season. He has also forced a fumble and recovered three more.

While the Cowboys use veterans DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parsons and Dorance Armstrong ahead of Williams, the young edge rusher has played a steady role this season. He has played between 16 and 24 defensive snaps in each of Dallas’ past six games. Pro Football Focus rates Williams 44th out of 123 qualified edge rushers this season.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

December 21st, 2022 at 10:18am CST by Sam Robinson

Christmas Day’s Broncos-Rams matchup will pit two of the league’s most disappointing teams against one another, and the Seahawks and Lions will have a vested interest in this contest. The loser of this game will give one of the latter teams — via the Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford trades — a better chance of landing a top-three pick in next year’s draft.

At 1-12-1, the Texans are cruising home. The Bears are on their heels, potentially set to become the team that selects the 2023 draft’s first non-quarterback. But eight four- or five-win teams reside behind these two, providing some intrigue for fanbases whose squads are not moving toward the playoffs.

The NFC South’s plunge toward becoming perhaps the worst division in NFL history carries draft stakes as well. The Falcons, Saints and Panthers each have five wins, and Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia (via the Saints’ pre-draft trade this year) would see those picks land in the top 10 as of now. The division-leading Buccaneers would see their draft slot check in no higher than 19th. Should one of Tampa Bay’s challengers vault the current first-place team in the standings, the Bucs would see their 2023 first-round slot rise considerably.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 16:

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

Next year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/20/22

December 20th, 2022 at 7:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: QB James Morgan
  • Released: QB Carson Strong

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: G Parker Ferguson, DB Devon Key
  • Released: LB Harvey Langi

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: DT Jarrod Hewitt

Tennessee Titans

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