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2024 NFL Cap Space, By Team

October 27th, 2024 at 7:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the trade deadline nearing, more player movement can be expected during the coming days. Of course, a key factor in any deals will be the financial situation for contenders aiming to bolster their rosters for the second half of the campaign.

Courtesy of Over the Cap, here is an updated look at each teams’ cap space:

  1. San Francisco 49ers: $54.13MM
  2. Cleveland Browns: $45.16MM
  3. New England Patriots: $36.61MM
  4. Las Vegas Raiders: $34.59MM
  5. Detroit Lions: $27.53MM
  6. Washington Commanders: $23.44MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $20.75MM
  8. Arizona Cardinals: $19.44MM
  9. Tennessee Titans: $18.26MM
  10. Jacksonville Jaguars: $17.12MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $13.96MM
  12. Indianapolis Colts: $11.11MM
  13. Philadelphia Eagles: $10.36MM
  14. Minnesota Vikings: $9.48MM
  15. Cincinnati Bengals: $8.98MM
  16. Pittsburgh Steelers: $8.93MM
  17. Seattle Seahawks: $8.19MM
  18. Atlanta Falcons: $8.16MM
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $7.83MM
  20. Los Angeles Chargers: $7.72MM
  21. Chicago Bears: $6.14MM
  22. Houston Texans: $6.01MM
  23. New York Jets: $5.1MM
  24. Miami Dolphins: $5.02MM
  25. Baltimore Ravens: $4.36MM
  26. Buffalo Bills: $2.37MM
  27. Kansas City Chiefs: $2.35MM
  28. New Orleans Saints: $2.15MM
  29. Los Angeles Rams: $1.91MM
  30. Denver Broncos: $1.77MM
  31. New York Giants: $1.51MM
  32. Carolina Panthers: $1.12MM

Just like last year, the 49ers find themselves with considerable cap space to work with. The team has several reasons to roll over as many funds as possible into the offseason, however, with Brock Purdy eligible for an extension and the likes of Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir and Talanoa Hufanga on track for free agency. Major investments including a commitment beyond 2024 would thus come as a surprise.

San Francisco is among the teams to watch regarding an addition, and major injuries on both sides of the ball could lead to a stop-gap solution being targeted. The 49ers may also be open to moving away players before the deadline, though, with Ward being named as potential candidate to be dealt. Sitting at 3-4, the team’s bid to return to the Super Bowl has not gone as planned to date, but a notable midseason addition could certainly change things.

Having lost Aidan Hutchinson until at least the Super Bowl, the Lions have an obvious need along the edge. Replacing his production with any one addition will not be feasible, but bringing in at least a rotational option would not come as a surprise. Indeed, Detroit has been involved in the edge market with respect to showing interest in some of the veterans who could be on the move.

That list no longer includes Haason Reddick, but the Lions have also been connected to Za’Darius Smith. The Browns have already moved Amari Cooper, so it would come as little surprise if the team were to deal away the three-time Pro Bowler in a move which would allow him to return to the NFC North. Smith certainly seems to be open to a trade, and Detroit would easily be able to absorb the remainder of his $1.2MM 2024 salary.

While Smith could be on the move, fellow Cleveland edge rusher Myles Garrett is (understandably) seen as untouchable. That is also the case for Raiders start Maxx Crosby, with owner Mark Davis making it clear a trade will not be considered before or after the deadline. Even though the Titans have been active already on the trade front, they too will not entertain a deal involving two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. While talks have taken place related to Cooper Kupp, the Rams do not expect to move on from the former Super Bowl MVP.

The receiver position remains one to watch even with Davante Adams (Jets), Cooper (Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Chiefs) already joining new teams. As the Panthers consider selling off pending free agents, Diontae Johnson could be available for a mid-round pick. In the case of the Jaguars, Christian Kirk is still a candidate to be dealt (although he is not a pending free agent). Teams like the Steelers and Chargers have yet to add a pass-catcher, but they have shown interest and could pull off a move in the coming days.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/26/24

October 26th, 2024 at 6:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturdays minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Poll: Who Will Win NFC North?

October 25th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The NFC North has been the best division in football this season. All four teams reside above .500 and carry a combined 19-7 record (.733 winning percentage) that far outpaces the other seven divisions’ marks.

If the season ended today, all four NFC North teams would make the playoffs, which would be the first time an entire division qualified for the postseason since the NFL added a third wildcard in 2020 (it was impossible for this to occur from 2002-19). But each team will be aiming to win the division, which would guarantee home-field advantage in the wild-card round and potentially beyond.

The Lions finished Week 7 atop the division at 5-1 with a plus-62 point differential that leads the NFC. Jared Goff is playing at an MVP level after signing a massive extension in May, leading an offense that ranks second in the league with 6.4 yards per play. Detroit has largely carried over its success under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson from last season after spending most of their money this offseason on internal extensions for Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, and Taylor Decker. A two-game suspension for Jameson Williams will force other playmakers to step up in the coming weeks, but the backfield duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery has churned out almost 200 yards from scrimmage per game this season.

The Lions focused on defense for their external additions in the offseason, trading for Carlton Davis and signing D.J. Reader and Marcus Davenport in free agency. After giving up 24.3 points per game in 2023, the seventh-most in the league, Detroit has surrendered just 20 points per game this year, the ninth-fewest. Injuries have plagued the unit, however, with Davenport and Derrick Barnes suffering season-ending injuries and Aidan Hutchinson‘s Defensive Player of the Year campaign coming to a screeching halt with a broken tibia and fibula in Week 7.

Hutchinson does have an outside shot to return if the Lions make the Super Bowl, but he won’t play again in the regular season, depriving the defense of its most impactful pass rusher and run defender. Detroit has the third-hardest strength of schedule remaining; its remaining opponents have a combined .581 winning percentage. The Lions may need to look for edge-rushing help at the trade deadline to withstand the losses of Hutchinson and Davenport. They checked in with Haason Reddick‘s camp, before he ended his Jets holdout, and are believed to be interested in Za’Darius Smith.

The Vikings started the season as the NFL’s hottest team, stringing together five straight wins before back-to-back losses to the Lions and the Rams dropped them to 5-2 and second place in the NFC North. Minnesota underwent a minor roster overhaul this offseason, letting Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter walk in free agency and replacing them with less expensive options in Sam Darnold and Jonathan Greenard. The surplus money went toward Justin Jefferson‘s record-setting contract as well as veteran free agents like Aaron Jones, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Shaquill Griffin. The Vikings also traded up twice in the draft to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick, though a preseason meniscus tear prematurely ended his rookie year.

Kevin O’Connell is an early frontrunner for Coach of the Year after resurrecting the career of Darnold, the No. 3 pick in the 2018 draft. The Vikings’ offense ranks sixth with 26.9 points per game on the back of another dominant start from Jefferson, while Brian Flores‘ defense has allowed just 19.6 points per game with one of the league’s best run defenses and relentless blitzing against the pass. Their 0.545 strength of schedule remaining is the seventh-hardest in the league, but the easiest of the NFC North, giving them a solid chance at retaking the division lead by the end of the season.

The third-place Packers are also 5-2, with a loss to the Vikings already on their record. They managed to win two games with Malik Willis, whom they acquired via trade with the Titans in August, at quarterback after Jordan Love‘s Week 1 MCL sprain. Green Bay made Love the highest-paid player in NFL history in July, and he has delivered thus far with an average of 270.2 yards and three touchdowns through the air per game this year.

Love’s quick recovery from injury and return to high-level play bodes well for his long-term future as a franchise quarterback. The Packers also extended Kenny Clark and signed Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs to free agency contracts during the offseason as they moved on from veterans David Bakhtiari, De’Vondre Campbell, and Aaron Jones.

The Packers’ 11 turnovers committed this season rank are the fourth-most in the league, but their 6.1 yards per play and 26.6 points per game are both top-seven marks. If they can take care of the football, they should finish as one of the NFL’s best offenses. The defense, meanwhile, ranks in the top 10 of both points per game and yards per play allowed with a league-leading 17 turnovers. Green Bay’s .544 strength of schedule remaining is the fifth-hardest in the NFL, but the team has avoided major injuries to key players.

The 4-2 Bears represent one of the league’s biggest surprises after remaking their franchise overnight with the selection of Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. Williams withstood some early hiccups to rip off three consecutive wins with 71 combined points in the last two weeks. Chicago also invested in its wide receiver room, extending D.J. Moore, trading for Keenan Allen, and drafting Rome Odunze in the first round to give Williams a strong array of weapons to ease his adjustment to the pros. The Bears also signed D’Andre Swift to lead their backfield after rotating between three running backs last season. The offense has been inefficient with just 4.7 yards per play, the fifth-fewest in the league, but they have been clinical in the red zone with a 70.6% touchdown rate.

Chicago also invested in its secondary over the offseason with a major extension for Jaylon Johnson and the addition of Kevin Byard in free agency. The Bears have reaped the rewards with the fourth-fewest points per game (16.8) and the fifth-fewest yards per play (5.0) and per game (292.0) allowed.

The Bears have benefitted from an easy schedule, beating the struggling quarterbacks of the Titans and the Panthers as well as an injured Rams team and a slumping Jaguars squad in London. The rest of the season will be more difficult, with a league-high .613 strength of schedule remaining that will make the playoffs an uphill climb for Chicago. Still, even finishing above .500 would be a resounding success for the long-suffering franchise and a clear sign that this regime is on the right track.

How will this division’s historically successful start turn out over the next two-plus months? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/25/24

October 25th, 2024 at 8:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s taxi squad moves:

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: DL Jonathan Ford

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Trade Rumors: 49ers, Wilson, Packers, Jags

October 25th, 2024 at 10:27am CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Chiefs have been hit hard by wide receiver injuries, they have managed to draw some opponents in the same boat. Between a Bengals matchup sans Tee Higgins and an upcoming Buccaneers tilt without Chris Godwin and, in all likelihood, Mike Evans, Kansas City faced a 49ers team down all of its starters by halftime. Brandon Aiyuk is now out for the season with an ACL tear, and Jauan Jennings has not practiced this week — due to a hip injury — after missing Week 7. Deebo Samuel needed to be hospitalized due to pneumonia, but the veteran wideout returned to practice Thursday and may be on track to suit up against the Cowboys.

Samuel’s status is now vital to the 49ers, who gave Aiyuk a $30MM-per-year extension only to see him join Samuel in struggling in the season following a new deal. The 49ers also have first-round pick Ricky Pearsall back in action weeks after he was wounded in a robbery attempt. Despite all this, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows does not expect the defending NFC champions to add a WR piece at the trade deadline.

Kendrick Bourne, whom the 49ers discussed with the Patriots during the summer Aiyuk trade drama, said he is not eager to return to his original team; Bourne instead prefers to stay in New England. It remains to be seen if the 49ers will shop for some help, but if they are to add (as they usually do at deadlines, as the past Chase Young, Charles Omenihu, Emmanuel Sanders and Jimmy Garoppolo moves show), Barrows expects the move to come elsewhere.

Here is the latest from the trade market:

  • San Francisco made it this far without adding a running back to cover for Christian McCaffrey‘s nagging Achilles injury, as the reigning Offensive Player of the Year has a decent chance to return in Week 10 after the team’s bye. Two of the 49ers’ former RBs would have been a good fit, as the Dolphins roster Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson. Of the duo, ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques notes Wilson is the more likely trade chip. Wilson re-signed with the Dolphins, on a two-year deal that features a veteran-minimum 2024 base salary ($1.13MM), but saw the team trade up for Jaylen Wright in April. The fourth-round rookie joins 2023 third-rounder De’Von Achane on Miami’s roster. The Dolphins have not used Wilson much this season, giving him eight carries. Wilson (29 next month) has an 860-yard season on his resume, during a 2022 season in which he was traded from San Francisco to Miami, and would make for an interesting addition by one of the several teams using a 49ers-like scheme.
  • The Packers are certainly not in position to sell, but teams have shown interest in both Preston Smith and Andre Dillard, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Smith, 31, has started every game for Green Bay this season. Although his snap rate sits at 56% — which would be a Packers-years low for the veteran edge rusher — it would surprise if the team entertained such a move in-season, even with 2023 first-rounder Lukas Van Ness at this position. Dillard, conversely, has not played an offensive snap. The former Eagles first-rounder has drawn deadline interest in the past, and with Jordan Morgan in reserve, it would be interesting if the Packers discussed trading the veteran.
  • Following the Roy Robertson-Harris trade with the Seahawks, Doug Pederson said he did not expect the Jaguars to make any additional deals. Though, teams will be calling due to the Jags’ poor start. That said, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco notes Jacksonville — despite the potential for a new regime taking over in 2025 — does not view this as a rebuild-like situation, so a deadline sell-off should not be expected.

Robert Saleh Working With Packers

October 23rd, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Robert Saleh turned up at Packers practice Wednesday, and it does not appear the recently fired Jets HC was merely visiting. Matt LaFleur has a role in mind for the veteran defensive coach.

Crediting Saleh with helping him break into the NFL coaching ranks, LaFleur said (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky) Saleh will work with the team through Thursday in a fluid role. Saleh was not expected coach elsewhere this season, but he has decided to help LaFleur for at least this week.

Saleh and LaFleur lived together while graduate assistants at Central Michigan in the 2000s. Saleh then encouraged Gary Kubiak to hire LaFleur as a Texans offensive assistant in 2008, Demovsky adds. LaFleur was the best man at Saleh’s wedding. Were Saleh to backtrack on a plan to stay out of coaching for this season’s remainder, it would make sense for that change of heart to involve the Packers.

The Jets fired Saleh after five games this season. Woody Johnson made the decision, going around GM Joe Douglas to do so. Saleh has remained in touch with interim Jets HC Jeff Ulbrich and would stand, based on his 49ers past and the Jets’ defensive turnaround over the past three seasons, to be a coveted DC candidate come 2025. Saleh, 45, may well stay busy in the meantime.

Some Jets players, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, view Johnson as acting too quickly. As a result of this — and presumably the team’s two losses under Ulbrich — less-than-ideal vibes are present in the locker room. Saleh went 20-36 as Jets HC, though much of that tenure involved QB bust Zach Wilson at the controls. Johnson cited a lack of belief in Saleh’s ability to turn this season around. While Ulbrich and Aaron Rodgers could eventually do so, they have dug a deeper hole since the full-time HC’s firing.

LaFleur said Saleh is working on the offensive side, but the temporary assistant has a history with new Packers DC Jeff Hafley as well. Hafley worked under Saleh as San Francisco’s DBs coach from 2017-18.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/23/24

October 23rd, 2024 at 7:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: LS Matt Orzech
  • Waived: DL Jonathan Ford

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The Bears should soon be getting some offensive reinforcement. Most notably, lineman Larry Borom returned to practice today after missing the first chunk of the season with an ankle injury. The former fifth-round pick has been a reliable swing OT for the Bears over the past three years, starting 23 of his 39 appearances. The team will also welcome back Travis Homer, who has been sidelined since Week 3 with a finger injury. The veteran RB may have a tough time cracking the rotation upon his return with D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Khalil Herbert currently leading the depth chart. The Bears will have 21 days to activate either of the two players to the 53-man roster.

Jordan Phillips was back at Cowboys practice today after landing on IR in mid-September. The defensive lineman’s injury wasn’t ever made particularly clear; the Cowboys claimed the player was favoring his previously repaired wrist, although the player later hinted that he was forced to the sideline because of conditioning. After more than a month on the shelf, the veteran will now get another look. The Cowboys acquired Phillips from the Giants back in August, and the veteran only got into about one fourth of his team’s defensive snaps before landing on IR. Phillips appeared in 26 games for the Bills between 2022 and 2023, collecting 35 tackles and four sacks.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/22/24

October 22nd, 2024 at 5:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: S Erick Hallet

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Prince played under Brian Callahan in Cincinnati but has only played two games over the past two seasons. A six-game starter with the Dolphins and Bengals, Prince missed all of the 2020 season due to a COVID-19 opt-out and then all of the 2022 season due to injury.

The Vikings cut Tonyan from their 53-man roster earlier today, but because the NFC North mainstay is a vested veteran, he did not need to clear waivers before joining Minnesota’s practice squad. With T.J. Hockenson on the way back, Tonyan profiles as insurance.

This is a third chance for Marshall. The Panthers waived him after three seasons. No team claimed the former second-round pick, with Joe Brady‘s Bills passing. The 49ers took a flier soon after but released him last week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/24

October 21st, 2024 at 7:17pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Green Bay Packers

  • Activated off IR: DL Jonathan Ford
  • Released: LS Matt Orzech

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, today’s moves were purely procedural. After returning to practice earlier this month, Jonathan Ford was nearing the end of his activation window. To avoid the defensive lineman landing on season-ending injured reserve, the Packers activated the former seventh-round pick to the active roster. That meant the Packers needed to carve out a spot, and long snapper Matt Orzech was the temporary casualty. However, Silverstein says Orzech will land back on the roster later this week following more roster machinations.

Meanwhile, the Giants added Armon Watts to the active roster following the lineman’s stint on the team’s practice squad. It sounds like rival teams may have forced the Giants hand. As ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes, other teams expressed interest in the former Bears starter, forcing the Giants to secure Watts services now (vs. continuing to stash him on the taxi squad).

Elsewhere in New York, Haason Reddick was officially activated from the Did Not Report list today. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Jets now have a two-game roster exemption to officially add the pass-rusher to the 53-man roster.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/19/24

October 19th, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s practice squad moves:

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

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