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Latest On Odell Beckham Jr.

November 24th, 2022 at 6:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

6:10pm: Adding further detail to Beckham’s visitation schedule, Anderson reports that the three-time Pro Bowler will meet with the Giants before heading to Dallas (Twitter link). In between, he is expected to meet with the Bills. Anderson adds that Beckham and his camp remain in conversation with the both the Chiefs and Ravens as he continues to draw significant interest from around the league.

3:30pm: The Cowboys and Giants are about to face off against each other on the field, but they are also in competition with respect to free agent Odell Beckham Jr. The high-profile wideout is thought to be down to the NFC East rivals with respect to his decision on where to sign.

That decision is expected to come soon, but Beckham’s health is obviously a sticking point in negotiations. He tore his ACL during last season’s Super Bowl, leading to widespread expectation that a lengthy absence to begin 2022 would ensue. That could extend beyond the immediate future, however; FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano reports that there is “considerable doubt” around the NFL that Beckham will be able to suit up at any point this season.

That could explain the slow-moving process by which the 30-year-old is weighing his options. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets that the Cowboys are expecting a visit from Beckham in early December, with a different team hosting him sometime before then. That represents at least a slight shift in the expected timeline for a decision to be made; Beckham had previously been reportedly seeking to find his next home by the end of this month.

Dallas has consistently been the most vocal team while pitching Beckham to choose them over a shortlist of other suitors (which includes the Giants but also, at least recently, the Bills, Chiefs and 49ers). Continuing along those lines, quarterback Dak Prescott has been personally involved in recruiting Beckham, as noted (on Twitter) by Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The latter has made it known on multiple occasions that mutual interest exists between he and the Cowboys.

Members of the Giants are also taking part in the bidding war for Beckham’s services, however. Injured wideout Sterling Shepard has been in conversation with him on an everyday basis, as detailed by Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.

“I talk to him every day, but we don’t talk about [his decision] too much,” Shepard said. “Obviously he knows that we want him here. He would love to be here. But everything has to play out for that to happen… And I understand that.”

The Giants’ WR room was far from highly-touted to begin the year, and the latest major injury suffered this past week (rookie Wan’Dale Robinson‘s torn ACL) leaves the unit severely shorthanded. Beckham could fill a significant void by reuniting with the Giants, though the same remains true of the Cowboys in that regard. Both teams will have a slightly clearer picture of their postseason outlook after today’s game, and could have a prized acquisition not long after.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/22

November 23rd, 2022 at 8:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Thanksgiving will mark McKinley’s Cowboys debut after he signed to Dallas’ practice squad last week. The veteran will seek to be more productive in his reunion with Dan Quinn than his previous stops following the end of his Falcons tenure, while providing depth to a Cowboys edge group which has produced a league-leading 42 sacks this season.

Hobbs returning to the fold in the near future will be a welcomed sight for the Raiders’ secondary. The 2021 fifth-rounder was a full-time starter through the first five weeks of the season before landing on IR with a broken hand. Vegas has struggled against the pass, allowing more than 247 yards per game through the air in 2022. The team has three weeks to activate him before he becomes ineligible to play again this season.

Odell Beckham Jr. To Meet With Cowboys, Giants

November 20th, 2022 at 10:19pm CST by Rory Parks

The 7-2 Giants and 6-3 Cowboys are jockeying for playoff position, and the NFC East rivals are also competing to land the biggest fish on the free agent market. As Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is set to meet with both clubs after the Thanksgiving holiday, and there are no other known visits on OBJ’s schedule at this time.

We learned just last week that Beckham hopes to sign by the end of November, and with visits now being planned, he may be able to achieve that goal. Of course, contract talks will be of particular importance here. Beckham is reportedly seeking a multi-year deal and is looking to be paid like Chris Godwin and Mike Williams, both of whom make $20MM per season. That is a big ask for a player that has suffered two recent ACL tears, and it could be too steep for New York, which has seen last year’s Kenny Golladay contract turn into an albatross.

On the other hand, Golladay’s underperformance and injury problems are a big reason why the Giants are in the Beckham market in the first place. The team is desperate for receiving help to add another dimension to its Saquon Barkley-dominated offense and to provide quarterback Daniel Jones with a reliable pass catcher outside of Darius Slayton — who was a release/trade candidate this summer — and diminutive rookie Wan’Dale Robinson. Plus, GM Joe Schoen should have a healthy cap situation in 2023, so he could make the financials work if he is willing to make the type of bold move that would define his early tenure as the Giants’ top exec.

Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports observes that Schoen was unwilling to swing a deadline trade for Texans receiver Brandin Cooks and his $18MM guaranteed salary for 2023, which makes him skeptical that Schoen would authorize a contract for Beckham near OBJ’s reported price point (Twitter link). Indeed, Vacchiano sees the Cowboys as the more likely landing spot, especially given the public courtship that Dallas owner Jerry Jones and high-profile players like Micah Parsons have engaged in.

Recent reporting indicates that the Cowboys are, in fact, the frontrunners for the three-time Pro Bowler, and Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News suggests that Beckham’s contract is less critical than his health. Gehlken says Dallas already believes Beckham would be a good locker room fit, and that an in-person look at this reconstructed knee is the “final box to check” (Twitter link). The Cowboys, like the Giants, were unable to land an impact wideout at the deadline, and they clearly see another receiver as a major need as they gear up for a postseason push.

49ers Pursued DT Ndamukong Suh

November 20th, 2022 at 6:19pm CST by Ely Allen

After failing to find a home through the first 10 weeks of the 2022 NFL season, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh made his season debut today with the Eagles, who signed him earlier this week. The 35-year-old was in an unfamiliar position as he sat in free agency well into November, but Suh found a home with a Super Bowl contender and made his debut today against the Colts.

While reports made the rounds linking Suh to teams like the Raiders and Browns, the only other option confirmed by Suh is the 49ers, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. Suh communicated by phone that his decision came down to Philadelphia or San Francisco. The obvious reason for Suh’s attraction is the presence of defensive line coach Kris Kocurek on the 49ers coaching staff. Kocurek was present throughout Suh’s All-Pro career tenure in Detroit, providing Suh with a familiar face in the Bay Area.

There was likely mutual interest, as well, as the 49ers deal with a litany of injuries along the defensive line. Javon Kinlaw and Maurice Hurst remain on injured reserve while Arik Armstead and Kalia Davis have both missed time with recent injuries. Bringing in Suh would’ve provided some much-needed depth as Kevin Givens and Hassan Ridgeway anchor the middle of the line amidst all the absences.

One team we know didn’t reach out is the Cowboys. Owner, president, and general manager Jerry Jones told the media that the team “didn’t have contact” with Suh because they “like where (they) are with (their) big boys in the middle,” according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Jones is referring to a stash of tackles that includes Johnathan Hankins, Osa Odighizuwa, Quinton Bohanna, Carlos Watkins, and Neville Gallimore. That collection was enough to convince Jones to stay his hand in regard to Suh.

The reason Suh chose the Eagles seems extremely clear. The Eagles come into Week 11 atop the NFC, despite their shocking loss to the Commanders on Monday, and are considered favorites in the conference that has seen a remarkably weird year. Suh has twins. He won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and has decided that he needs a ring for each twin.

He went so far as to take an extremely team-friendly deal in Philadelphia, as his main goal is just to win another Super Bowl. In addition to sacrificing money in the contract, Suh will appear off the bench for the first time in his career. Through the first 12 seasons of his career, not only did Suh show an iron-man resiliency, only missing two games while playing in 191, he also started all 191 games that he appeared in. With Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave fairly secure in their starting jobs on the line, Suh remains behind them on the depth chart.

That may change as Suh gets more comfortable with his new team, but the Eagles were a bit unsure today on his role considering the short amount of time he had to learn the defense, according to James Palmer of NFL Network. Despite any hesitancies they held in playing him this week, Suh found a way to make an impact today with three tackles, a half-sack, and a quarterback hit in limited time off the bench.

Ezekiel Elliott To Return In Week 11

November 20th, 2022 at 3:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys will welcome back their top running back after a two-week absence today. Ezekiel Elliott is suiting up against the Vikings after dealing with a knee injury.

Both Elliott and the team expressed an expectation that he would be be able to play last week against the Packers, but Dallas once again turned to Tony Pollard as their workhorse back during that contest. Now, though, they will have both members of their backfield duo available against Minnesota, allowing Elliott to pick up where he left off prior to the injury.

The 27-year-old had put up 78 and 81 rushing yards – his two highest figures so far this season – in two of his last three games before suffering the injury. Overall, Elliott has amassed 443 yards and four touchdowns in 2022, averaging 4.1 yards per carry (roughly in line with his previous two seasons, but short of his career average of 4.5).

Jerry Jones recently confirmed that Elliott would remain a focal point of the Cowboys’ offense upon his return, despite Pollard’s continued effectiveness. In the two games where he was the undisputed lead back, the former fourth-rounder totaled 246 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. His 6.0 yards per carry average is a career-high, and will no doubt boost his free agency value during the coming offseason.

It is at that point that Elliott will no longer have any guaranteed money remaining on the mega-extension he signed in 2019. That has led many to expect a notable move of some kind at the position for Dallas, with Elliott’s 2023 cap hit of $16.7MM representing a significant financial burden and an obstacle to retaining Pollard. In the immediate future, though, the pair will likely once again operate in a timeshare within Dallas’ offense as the team looks to get back on track against a Vikings defense which ranks mid-pack against the run.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/19/22

November 19th, 2022 at 8:05pm CST by Ely Allen

The league’s minor moves leading up to gameday:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed to active roster: TE Nick Muse
  • Promoted from practice squad: CB Tay Gowan
  • Waived: OLB Benton Whitley

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

Cowboys Sign DE Takk McKinley To Practice Squad

November 16th, 2022 at 8:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cowboys reunited defensive end Takkarist McKinley with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who drafted McKinley in the first round when he was head coach of the Falcons in 2017, signing the 27-year-old to the team’s practice squad today, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. McKinley will be joining his sixth franchise in as many years.

McKinley spent the first four years of his career with the team that drafted him, showing tremendous potential through his rookie and sophomore seasons. Despite only starting eight games in his first two years, McKinley made the most of his opportunities, racking up 13.0 sacks, 14.0 tackles for loss, and 25 quarterback hits. He started 13 games for the Falcons in 2019 but saw his sack production drop to half what it was the year before.

After only appearing in four games for the Falcons in 2020, McKinley officially requested a trade from Atlanta, after internally requesting a trade in private since 2019. The Falcons had rejected several trade offers in 2019 and ended up waiving their fourth-year pass rusher shortly after his public trade request. He was initially claimed by the Bengals and 49ers but, after failing physicals, returned to the waiver wire. Eventually he was claimed by the Raiders but was placed on injured reserve, where he would remain for the rest of the season.

His rookie contract expired, McKinley signed with the Browns as a free agent on a one-year contract. After a decent bounce back season as a rotational end, McKinley’s season ended late in December with a torn Achilles tendon. Coming off the season-ending injury made it hard for McKinley to find a new home. He worked out with several teams, including the Cowboys, in the offseason before eventually signing to join the Titans practice squad just after the start of the season. Only five days later, though, the Rams signed McKinley off the Titans practice squad, utilizing him sparingly over the next four weeks before ultimately cutting him a little under a month ago.

McKinley is now hoping for another chance under Quinn, who saw him at his most successful five years ago. He’ll have quite a depth chart to climb if he intends to make an impact this season. The Cowboys start DeMarcus Lawrence and Dorance Armstrong at the end position with Dante Fowler, Tarell Basham, and rookie Sam Williams rotating in behind them. It’s a strong group for Dallas and having McKinley waiting on the practice squad can make it that much more dangerous.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/15/22

November 15th, 2022 at 8:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: DB Devon Key

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Released: WR Kevin Kassis

Tennessee Titans

Odell Beckham Jr. Hopes To Sign By End Of November; 49ers In Mix

November 13th, 2022 at 10:08pm CST by Rory Parks

OBJ watch remains in full effect. As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes, free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr. is hoping to sign with a club by the end of November, and it appears there are five legitimate suitors: the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys, Giants, and 49ers.

While the first four teams on that list have been mentioned as potential landing spots before, the 49ers are a new entrant in this year’s Beckham sweepstakes. The Niners were reportedly on OBJ’s shortlist of preferred destinations when he was cut by the Browns last November, but they had not been a part of the 2022 rumors. The 5-4 club currently occupies the seventh and final spot in the NFC playoff picture and made a bold move to acquire former Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey prior to the trade deadline. Beckham would further bolster a talented skill-position group that includes McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle.

Recent reporting indicates that the Cowboys have emerged as the frontrunners here, and neither Schefter nor Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports have said anything to contradict that. Indeed, Jones confirms that Beckham is looking to join a high-profile contender that plays in a warm-weather city, and the Cowboys meet all of those criteria. On the other hand, a cold-weather climate is not necessarily a dealbreaker, so Super Bowl favorites like the Bills remain in play. There is also the possibility that a dark horse candidate swoops in at the last minute, while disappointing would-be contenders like the Rams and Packers seem to have fallen out of the race.

Although Schefter reports that Dr. Neal ElAttrache is prepared to clear Beckham for all activities, one of Jones’ sources says the wideout might not be ready for game action until Week 14 or 15. Another executive told Jones that all of the rumors surrounding Beckham are “creating the illusion of a market,” and while it is fair to be skeptical of what Beckham can offer for the remainder of the 2022 season, the reports of widespread interest in his services appear legitimate.

In fact, Schefter’s sources say that Beckham could land a payout in line with those of Bucs WR Chris Godwin and Chargers receiver Mike Williams (albeit on a prorated basis). Godwin and Williams enjoy a $20MM AAV, and assuming the market for Beckham is as robust as it appears, he could earn a $5MM salary for the final quarter of the season. Beckham continues to push for a multi-year pact, and if a team is willing to honor that request, it would be better-equipped to absorb such a salary, which would otherwise be difficult to do at this point in the season.

Regardless of what he makes for the rest of the 2022 campaign, Beckham may need to accept a contract comprised primarily of non-guaranteed money in the future in order to secure a multi-year contract, as Jones observes.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott Out For Week 10

November 13th, 2022 at 2:45pm CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 13: Unsurprisingly given the team’s moves yesterday, Elliott will be inactive once again. That will leave Pollard with a heavy workload as the undisputed lead back for the second straight week.

NOVEMBER 12: Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is listed as questionable going into this Sunday’s game in Green Bay. The team’s practice squad elevations today may hint at which direction Elliott is trending, though. Dallas is elevating running back Qadree Ollison and guard Dakoda Shepley for tomorrow afternoon’s game.

Ollison has only been called up for one game this season and appeared sparingly, but Dallas’ season trends make the elevation a decision that we can read into a bit more. The Cowboys have had three running backs active in every game this year. Elliott’s questionable designation means that he could technically be active for the game, but if he is, it will be the first game of the year for the Cowboys that they would have four active running backs available to play.

If Elliott is unable to go, Tony Pollard will take the start and the majority of the work on offense. Rico Dowdle was the third back on the roster for much of the season behind Elliott and Pollard before being placed on injured reserve a month ago. With Dowdle out, undrafted rookie Malik Davis served as the third running back for the following two games. With Elliott out last week, the Cowboys were forced to give Davis his first offensive snaps behind Pollard as Ollison made his first appearance of the season as the third back.

If the trend continues, Ollison’s call up points to an inactive Elliott, leading to a second straight game of Pollard as the lead back with Davis and Ollison backing him up.

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