Here are Thanksgiving’s practice squad moves around the league:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Sam Pinckney
Houston Texans
- Signed: FB Andrew Beck
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Myles Adams
- Released: DT Quinton Bohanna
Wednesday’s minor transactions, including some standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Thanksgiving Day slate:
Buffalo Bills
- Designated to return from IR: DT DeWayne Carter, T Tylan Grable
Carolina Panthers
- Designated to return from IR: S Nick Scott
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: S Adrian Colbert
Cleveland Browns
- Designated to return from IR: CB Myles Harden
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: TE Princeton Fant
- Elevated: CB Andrew Booth, CB Kemon Hall
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: LB Zach Cunningham
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: WR Maurice Alexander, LB David Long
- Elevated: T Jamarco Jones
- Placed on IR: WR Kalif Raymond (story)
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: DT Tommy Togiai
Los Angeles Rams
- Designated to return from reserve/PUP: TE Tyler Higbee (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to active roster: LS Jake McQuaide
- Waived: OLB Gabriel Murphy
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: LB Tomon Fox
- Elevated: T Joshua Miles, CB Greg Stroman
- Placed on IR: DT Armon Watts
New York Jets
- Designated to return from IR: OL Xavier Newman-Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated to return from IR: DT Montravius Adams
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: LB Patrick O’Connell
- Designated to return from IR: OLB Uchenna Nwosu (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Designated to return from IR: OLB Markees Watts
The Vikings’ release of Murphy is disappointing one for the organization for sure. The rookie pass rusher out of UCLA was not healthy enough to be on the active roster to start the season, but Minnesota liked him enough to dedicate one of their eight IR activations on him in August. He was activated yesterday but hit waivers today. If he clears the waivers, he’ll be available to sign to the team’s practice squad.
Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field soon.
The Giants making the decision to waive Daniel Jones, rather than keep him around ahead of a potential 2025 post-June 1 cut designation, changed their dead money outlook for this year and next. Here is how their new total fits in with the rest of the teams’ numbers for dead money — cap space allocated to players no longer on the roster — entering the final third of the regular season. Numbers courtesy of OverTheCap.
- Denver Broncos: $85.21MM
- New York Giants: $79.57MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $69.83MM
- Buffalo Bills: $68.47MM
- Carolina Panthers: $68.28MM
- Green Bay Packers: $65.53MM
- Tennessee Titans: $62.89MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $61.95MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $60.64MM
- New Orleans Saints: $59.44MM
- New York Jets: $59.24MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $58.62MM
- New England Patriots: $53.37MM
- Miami Dolphins: $52.28MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $52MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $51.2MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $49.37MM
- Washington Commanders: $42.81MM
- Houston Texans: $39.28MM
- Cleveland Browns: $38.79MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $34.63MM
- Detroit Lions: $33.71MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $30.18MM
- Chicago Bears: $29.65MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $29.35MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $26.91MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $26.79MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $21.35MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $12.65MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $11.8MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $11.55MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $9.11MM
The Jones release moved more than $13MM of dead cap onto the Giants’ 2024 payroll. More significantly, the Giants granting Jones an early exit — after a contract-driven benching — will prevent the team from designating him a post-June 1 cut next year. The Giants will take on $22.2MM in dead money in 2025, rather than being able to split that bill over two offseasons. The team also took on more than $10MM in dead money this year due to the 2023 Leonard Williams trade.
This year’s most egregious dead money offender has been known for months. The Broncos’ contract-driven Russell Wilson benching last year preceded a historic release, which saddled the team with more than $83MM in total dead money. A small cap credit is set to come in 2025 (via Wilson’s veteran-minimum Pittsburgh pact), but for this year, $53MM in dead cap hit Denver’s payroll as a result of the the quarterback’s release.
The Broncos more than doubled the previous single-player dead money record, which the Falcons held ($40.5MM) for trading Matt Ryan), and they will be on the hook for the final $30MM-plus in 2025. Beyond Wilson, no other ex-Bronco counts more than $7.5MM in dead money. In terms of total dead cap, however, the Broncos barely check in north of the Buccaneers and Rams’ 2023 totals. Denver is trying to follow those teams’ lead in rallying back to make the playoffs despite nearly a third of its 2024 payroll tied up in dead cap.
Twenty-two players represent dead money for the Saints, who have seen their total updated since the Marshon Lattimore trade. Rather than restructure-crazed GM Mickey Loomis using the Lattimore contract once again to create cap space next year, the Saints will take on the highest non-QB dead money hit in NFL history. Lattimore counts $14MM in that category this year before the contract shifts to a whopping $31.66MM in dead cap on New Orleans’ 2025 payroll. Considering the Saints are again in their own sector for cap trouble next year ($62MM-plus over), the Lattimore trade will create some issues as the team attempts to rebound post-Dennis Allen.
Two 2023 restructures ballooned the Vikings’ figure toward $70MM. Void years on Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter‘s deals combined for more than $43MM in dead money. Minnesota also ate nearly $7MM from the void years on Marcus Davenport‘s one-year contract, while the release of 2022 first-rounder Lewis Cine (currently on the Bills’ practice squad) accounted for more than $5MM.
Free from the Tom Brady dead money that comprised a chunk of their 2023 cap, the Bucs still have eight-figure hits from the Carlton Davis trade and Mike Evans‘ previous contract voiding not long before the sides agreed on a new deal. Elsewhere in the NFC South, three of the players given multiyear deals in 2023 — Vonn Bell, Hayden Hurst, Bradley Bozeman — being moved off the roster in GM Dan Morgan‘s first offseason represent nearly half of Carolina’s dead cap.
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: CB Ka’dar Hollman (story)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: TE Peyton Hendershot
- Waived: DE Cameron Thomas
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers (from Dolphins): G Lester Cotton
- Waived: G Michael Jordan
New Orleans Saints
- Designated for return: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
Seattle Seahawks
- Claimed off waivers (from Chargers): S A.J. Finley
- Waived: DT Myles Adams
The Patriots moved on from one of their OL starters today. Michael Jordan started all 11 games for New England this season, although that was mostly due to necessity. The veteran lineman ranks 73rd among 77 qualifying guards on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings. A former fourth-round pick, Jordan also has starting experience with the Bengals and Panthers.
New England will be replacing Jordan with Lester Cotton, who has spent the past few seasons in Miami. The lineman started a career-high eight games for the Dolphins in 2023, but he basically split his 100ish snaps between offense and special teams in 2024. The former UDFA could have a chance at more OL opportunities with his new squad.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: S Russ Yeast
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Tyler Shatley
- Released: OL Dieter Eiselen
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: K Matthew Wright
- Activated from IR: TE Baylor Cupp
- Released: DE Truman Jones, OT Lucas Niang
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE McCallan Castles
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Zonovan Knight, WR Easop Winston Jr.
- Released: OL Zack Bailey
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE KJ Henry
- Released: DT Siaki Ika, WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Julius Welschof
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Ryan Cooper, WR Cornell Powell
- Released: RB Brittain Brown, CB Faion Hicks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Antonio Grier
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Stanley Morgan
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DT Viliami Fehoko Jr.
- Released: G Marquis Hayes
The Chiefs are set to roll with their third kicker of the season. With Harrison Butker on IR and Spencer Shrader sidelined with a hamstring injury, Kansas City had to add yet another leg to the roster. The team opted for Matthew Wright, who already has experience kicking with the franchise. Wright filled in for Butker twice in 2022, connecting on three field goals and eight extra points.
Wright has only got one extended look as a starter (when he got into 14 games with the Jaguars in 2021), but he’s still managed to get into at least one game per season over the past few years. Wright has already made an appearance in 2024, when he was responsible for 12 points in the 49ers win over the Seahawks last month.
The Week 12 slate of games is in the books. For many teams, attention is increasingly turning toward the offseason with a playoff berth no longer in reach.
Plenty of time remains for the draft order to change over the coming months, and it will be interesting to see which teams wind up in position to add at the quarterback spot in particular. The crop of prospects for 2025 is not held in high regard after Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, meaning the demand for potential franchise passers is set to outweigh demand at the top of the board. Of course, players like Sanders’ Colorado teammate Travis Hunter will be among the ones worth watching closely as well.
The Jets have moved on from head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, inviting questions about a reset under center as well. Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but it remains to be seen how his relationship with the organization will take shape down the stretch and if a new regime will prefer to move on at the position. The Giants, meanwhile, confirmed they will be in the market for a new signal-caller with Daniel Jones no longer in the fold.
Teams such as the Raiders have long been mentioned as a team to watch regarding a rookie QB pursuit. Jayden Daniels was a target for head coach Antonio Pierce last spring, and it would come as no surprise if Vegas were to make a push for a long-term starting option this time around. Other franchises not on track to qualify for the playoffs figure to give the Raiders plenty of competition in that department, though.
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. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-9
- New York Giants: 2-9
- Las Vegas Raiders: 2-9
- New England Patriots: 3-9
- Carolina Panthers: 3-8
- Tennessee Titans: 3-8
- New York Jets: 3-8
- Cleveland Browns: 3-8
- New Orleans Saints: 4-7
- Cincinnati Bengals: 4-7
- Dallas Cowboys: 4-7
- Chicago Bears: 4-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 5-7
- Miami Dolphins: 5-6
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-6
- Los Angeles Rams: 5-6
- San Francisco 49ers: 5-6
- Arizona Cardinals: 6-5
- Atlanta Falcons: 6-5
- Seattle Seahawks: 6-5
- Washington Commanders: 7-5
- Houston Texans: 7-5
- Denver Broncos: 7-5
- Los Angeles Chargers: 7-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-3
- Green Bay Packers: 8-3
- Minnesota Vikings: 9-2
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-2
- Buffalo Bills: 9-2
- Kansas City Chiefs: 10-1
- Detroit Lions: 10-1
A chest injury drove Jalen Pitre out of the Texans’ Week 12 loss to the Titans, and the ascending defender will be set to miss more time. But Pitre looks to have dodged the worst-case scenario here.
Pitre suffered a pectoral injury, but KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes he avoided a full tear. No surgery is planned as of yet, though NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicates Pitre will miss multiple games with a partial tear.
A former second-round pick, Pitre has settled into a slot role with the Texans. The safety draftee has excelled in the run game and held his own in coverage this season, with Pro Football Focus slotting him 14th among corners. The Baylor product has 65 tackles (six for loss) and intercepted a pass during his third year.
Pitre piled up better tackling numbers as a rookie, making 147 stops as the Texans continued their rebuild. That number is far and away the most any rookie DB has compiled this century. Only 2010 Browns rookie safety T.J. Ward (123) came within 30 tackles of Pitre’s rookie-year showing since 2000.
Now playing a new role that naturally reduces his tackle opportunities, Pitre still has been a fixture on Houston’s defense. He entered Sunday’s game having played 93% of the team’s defensive snaps this season. The Texans, who also played without corner Jeff Okudah on Sunday, are thin at this position sans Pitre. They recently released veteran slot Desmond King from their practice squad; King has since signed with the Ravens.
The Texans did, however, receive worse news on one of their other DBs. Cornerback Ka’dar Hollman, who has worked as a special teams regular this season, suffered a torn ACL, Wilson adds. Houston signed Hollman, a sixth-year veteran who has primarily been a special-teamer during his career, off Baltimore’s practice squad last month.
Saturday’s minor moves, including gameday elevations for Week 12:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: S Andre Chachere
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DB Adrian Colbert
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Zach Cunningham, OL Nick Gargiulo
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DL Tommy Togiai
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Kyu Blu Kelly, RB Sincere McCormick
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: DB Cam Lampkin, DE Jonah Williams
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: LS Tucker Addington, T Jackson Carman
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from IR: TE Nick Muse
- Elevated: LS Jake McQuaide
New England Patriots
- Elevated: LB Keshawn Banks, TE Jack Westover
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: S Tashaun Gipson
- Placed on IR: LB Tatum Bethune
- Elevated: LB Jalen Graham, CB Nick McCloud
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: TE Tyler Mabry, LB Patrick O’Connell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: LB Vi Jones
- Waived: LB Antonio Grier
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: CB L’Jarius Sneed (story)
- Elevated: S Daryl Worley
Washington Commanders
- Activated from IR: DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste
- Waived: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Adrian Colbert
Detroit Lions
- Signed: S Kaevon Merriweather
- Released: CB Erick Hallett
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Alex McGough
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Myles Bryant, RB J.J. Taylor
- Released: T Cameron Erving, DE Rashad Weaver
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: RB Chris Collier, CB Keenan Isaac
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S Emany Johnson
- Released: TE McCallan Castles
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Jordan Murray
New York Jets
- Signed: DT Bruce Hector
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Siaki Ika
- Released: WR Kyle Philips
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Jonathan Garvin
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Tyler Mabry, QB John Rhys Plumlee
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: OT Charlie Heck
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived from IR: LB Deion Jennings
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: QB Dak Prescott (story)
- Signed to active roster: DB Josh Butler
- Promoted: TE Princeton Fant, DB Kemon Hall
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: RB MarShawn Lloyd
Houston Texans
- Promoted: DT Tommy Togiai
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: CB Alex Austin
- Waived: CB Marco Wilson
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: K Anders Carlson
- Waived: DL Bruce Hector
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: TE Tyler Mabry
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: CB Troy Hill
- Waived: S Kaevon Merriweather
MarShawn Lloyd‘s path back to the Packers active roster has taken an unusual turn. The rookie third-round pick landed on IR in September with an ankle injury. He returned to practice last week but suffered appendicitis only a few days later, putting his activation within the 21-day window in doubt.
Worried that Lloyd wouldn’t be ready to play by his early-December activation deadline, the Packers consulted with the NFL about the best route forward (per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That ultimately led to today’s transaction, which is only the start of several transactional machinations. As Tom Silverstein of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, Lloyd will temporarily join the active roster before landing on the non-football injury list. That means he won’t count against the team’s roster limit until he’s healthy enough to return to the field.
Lloyd doesn’t have a return timetable from this recent setback. While the rookie entered the year as the hopeful RB2 behind Josh Jacobs, there’s a good chance he’ll also behind Emanuel Wilson for the stretch run of the season.