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WR Notes: Kirk, Thielen, Rams, Chiefs, Pats

October 27th, 2024 at 11:07am CST by Sam Robinson

Diontae Johnson is viewed as the most likely receiver domino to fall between now and the November 5 trade deadline, but Christian Kirk continues to be a name to monitor. The Jaguars wideout was mentioned as a player drawing interest earlier this month, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that has continued, naming the seventh-year veteran alongside Johnson in terms of the receivers who have generated the most trade buzz following the Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins swaps.

Kirk brings an element Johnson does not, as he is signed through 2025. Playing on the four-year, $72MM pact that received scrutiny at the time, the Jags slot receiver now merely sits 25th in receiver AAV. Kirk’s 2022 free agency deal helped ignite the WR market that year, and another boom took place this offseason to render the Jacksonville deal an upper-middle-class pact. Kirk is 27 and attached to a $14.5MM base salary, which will be an issue for teams, as more than $7.5MM will remain for an acquiring team post-Week 8.

Although Kirk’s per-year number has dropped considerably on an exploding market, the Jags do have both Evan Engram and Gabe Davis signed to eight-figure AAVs. They also used a first-round pick on Brian Thomas Jr. this year. Kirk served as Trevor Lawrence‘s most trusted target in 2022 and ’23; as Thomas has shown considerable promise, Kirk has caught 25 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown this season.

Here is the latest from the WR ranks:

  • Add Adam Thielen to the list of Panthers potential trade chips at receiver. While Johnson is likely to go and Jonathan Mingo is viewed as a player who may not be a long-term fit, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport mentions Thielen as a candidate to be on the move as well. This would add up, as Thielen is 34 and tied to a through-2025 contract that does not have any guarantees remaining for next season. Thielen topped 1,000 yards for a woeful Panthers team last season, residing as Bryce Young‘s clear-cut top target. The ex-Viking’s follow-up effort, however, included an IR stay for a hamstring injury. Carolina has not yet activated the 12th-year veteran from IR. Injuries and age will limit Carolina’s return, but the three-time 1,000-yard pass catcher would only be owed barely $2MM if acquired before the deadline.
  • Tutu Atwell‘s role will diminish with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back. The diminutive Rams receiver indeed saw his snap share on offense plummet from 78% in Week 7 to 12% Thursday night. Atwell has shown flashes for the Rams, but he has not delivered extended stretches of reliability. Los Angeles did not have the former second-round pick among its top three receivers during last season’s stretch run, and ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop notes he is unlikely to be extended before his contract expires in March. This could make Atwell a trade candidate, though given the Rams’ back-to-back wins and their WR health issues, it would make more sense for the team to hang onto the contract-year player.
  • It could be a while before Skyy Moore returns to the Chiefs. Andy Reid said (via The Athletic’s Nate Taylor) this week the former second-round pick will need to have his core muscle injury “fixed”; the defending Super Bowl champions placed Moore on IR this week. Viewed as a starter to open last season, Moore could not hold up in that role and did not factor into Kansas City’s six-game win streak to close the year. While playing more due to the injuries to Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice early this season, Moore does not have a catch in 2024.
  • The Patriots made Javon Baker a healthy scratch last week, marking the third straight game that has happened for the rookie. Baker appeared to miss or show up late for a team function in London, as ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss mentions an itinerary “hiccup” took place to help lead the fourth-round pick to the sideline once again. Baker could have a path up New England’s depth chart if Kendrick Bourne and/or K.J. Osborn are moved, but he has played in just two games as a rookie. Baker is active for Week 8.

Jaguars Activate LB Foyesade Oluokun

October 26th, 2024 at 2:12pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jaguars have officially activated linebacker Foye Oluokun after opening his 21-day practice window four days ago. Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Oluokun and offensive tackle Cam Robinson will both be returning from their respective absences this weekend.

Jacksonville signed Oluokun the year after he led the NFL with a career high 192 total tackles in 2021 with the Falcons. In his first year with the Jaguars, Oluokun doubled down as the league-leader in total tackles for a second straight year with 184, also leading the league with 128 solo tackles. His 173 total tackles in 2023 was only good for fourth in the NFL, but he once again finished with the most solo tackles with 111.

While Oluokun became a tackling machine in Atlanta, he didn’t begin to stand out analytically until his move over the Florida-Georgia line. Following a season in which Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as the 64th-best linebacker out of 86 graded players at the position, Oluokun improved to 29th in 2022 and 21st in 2023. Though he only has three games under his belt this season, Oluokun currently grades as the 10th-best linebacker in the NFL, per PFF.

Oluokun has been on injured reserve the last four games as he’s dealt with plantar fasciitis. Since Oluokun’s stint on IR took place after the season began, he will count toward’s the team’s remaining activation count. Jacksonville has four activations left with Oluokun getting moved to the active roster. The team will hope his return helps spark improvement on defense, a unit which has struggled in a number of areas in 2024.

Robinson had been limited in practice this week after getting knocked out of last week’s victory over the Patriots with a concussion. Garafolo reports that Robinson has now cleared concussion protocol and does not have an injury designation heading into the weekend.

Additionally, the team announced this afternoon that running back Jake Funk and defensive end Joe Gaziano will be activated as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the second straight week.

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.

Jaguars LB Foye Oluokun, S Andrew Wingard To Resume Practicing

October 22nd, 2024 at 12:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars secured a win during the second London contest, and they could have a pair of defensive reinforcements in place ahead of their next game. Linebacker Foye Oluokun and safety Andrew Wingard have both had their 21-day practice windows opened, the team announced on Tuesday.

Oluokun was dealing with plantar fasciitis which he suffered in September, leading to his placement on injured reserve. An absence of at least four games was guaranteed by that move, with Week 8 marking the earliest point at which he could be activated. Today’s update is an encouraging sign with respect to Oluokun’s progress in recovery.

The 28-year-old has been as advertised in terms of tackle production since he signed in Jacksonville in 2022. Oluokun led the league in total stops (184) during his debut Jags campaign, and his 111 solo tackles last year also topped the league. He posted 22 through three games to begin the current season while remaining a full-time starter. The former Falcon logged over 1,100 snaps each year from 2021-23, and his durability was a factor which helped him earn a three-year, $30MM extension this offseason. His return to the linebacking corps will be welcomed.

Like many teams, the Jaguars took advantage of the NFL’s new roster-building rules in August. Wingard – along with running back Keilan Robinson – was placed on IR while being designated for return. That kept him eligible to play in 2024 but used up one of Jacksonville’s eight in-season activations. Once he is brought back onto the roster, Wingard will likely reprise his role as a key special teams contributor. The 27-year-old served as a defensive starter in 2021, but otherwise his presence has primarily been felt in the third phase.

Since Oluokun’s IR stint took place after the season began, he will count toward the remaining activation count once he is officially positioned to return. Jacksonville will have four left after Oluokun gets moved to the active roster. The team will hope his return helps spark improvement on defense, a unit which has struggled in a number of areas (but not when it comes to stopping the run) in 2024.

The 2-5 Jaguars also released Tre Flowers on Tuesday. The veteran corner made four appearances this season, his first in Jacksonville. He played sparingly on defense and special teams, making three tackles. As a veteran being let go before the trade deadline, Flowers will not be subject to waivers and as such he will be free to join a new team at any time.

Jaguars CB Tyson Campbell Activated From IR

October 19th, 2024 at 2:40pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jaguars are getting some much-needed help in the secondary this week as the team announced that cornerback Tyson Campbell has been activated from injured reserve. After leaving the team’s season opener with a hamstring injury, Campbell finally gets back to the field for a Week 7 matchup against New England in old England.

With Campbell out of the lineup, the Jacksonville secondary has been picked apart all throughout the first six weeks of the season. Through six games, the Jaguars defense ranked dead last in passing yards allowed, passing touchdowns allowed, and passes intercepted. While it’s hard to imagine that Campbell comes in and turns them into a top pass defense unit all by himself, the team’s performance so far has nowhere to go but up.

It makes sense that the Jaguars were patient in returning Campbell to the field. Last year the young corner was nagged with injury. He missed two games about a third of the way through the season and tried to come back but only played half of the defense’s snaps before leaving the game and missing two additional weeks. He attempted to come back one more time and played all of the team’s defensive snaps in that game, but he would miss the next two weeks again with injury. This time, they placed him on IR and allowed him time to rest and recover

In addition to activating Campbell, the Jaguars also announced their two gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow morning. Running back Jake Funk and defensive end Joe Gaziano will be joining the team for their trip to London.

Jaguars Trade DL Roy Robertson-Harris To Seahawks

October 14th, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The terms of the first midseason trade of 2024 are in place. Jacksonville is sending defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seahawks, Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. The Jaguars will receive a 2026 sixth-round pick in return.

Robertson-Harris spent his first four seasons with the Bears, logging a notable role during the 2019 and ’20 seasons in particular. His play during that span helped his market value considerably, and the Jaguars handed him a three-year, $24.4MM deal on the open market. That led to high expectations for the former UDFA, and he served as a full-time starter during his three full campaigns in Jacksonville.

After posting three sacks in each of his first two Jaguars seasons, Robertson-Harris landed a three-year, $21.6MM extension. As a result, he remains under contract through 2026, something which does not make this deal a rental agreement as many trades worked out shortly before the deadline are. With that said, no guaranteed salary exists on the final two years of the UTEP product’s deal, so Seattle is not necessarily making a long-term commitment with this swap.

Robertson-Harris is due to see his cap hits jump to $8.9MM and $9.1MM over the next two years barring any kind of adjustments to his contract. For now, though, the Seahawks will only be responsible for the remainder of his $1.7MM 2024 base salary. This low-cost acquisition will provide depth along the defensive front for a Seattle team which is need of improvement against the run.

The Seahawks currently rank 10th in terms of passing yards allowed per game, but only 27th on the ground. Upgrades along the D-line could help in defending the run, something which has been central to Robertson-Harris’ skillset throughout his career. The 31-year-old has totaled between 30 and 45 tackles in each of his past four healthy seasons, and he will be tasked with chipping in on early downs on his new team.

The Jaguars were not initially interested in adopting a sellers’ standpoint in the build-up to the trade deadline. After another loss dropped the team to 1-5, however, it will be interesting to see if that mindset changes. Jacksonville owner Shad Khan offered an endorsement of general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson ahead of Sunday’s game, but today’s deal could be the first of multiple trades sending veteran players to new teams over the coming weeks.

Jaguars Owner Shad Khan Voices Support For Doug Pederson, Trent Baalke

October 13th, 2024 at 8:44am CST by Rory Parks

The Jaguars captured their first win of the 2024 campaign last week, defeating the division-rival Colts in a 37-34 shootout to improve their record to 1-4. In light of recent reports suggesting that head coach Doug Pederson is on the hot seat and that the relationship between Pederson and GM Trent Baalke is strained, the victory was a well-timed one for Jacksonville’s top power brokers.

While situations like this always have the potential to change on a moment’s notice, owner Shad Khan is still supporting Pederson and Baalke. In an interview with Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union, Khan noted that the 2022 iteration of his club started the year 2-6 but rallied to make the playoffs and win a thrilling wildcard round contest, while the 2023 version raced out to an 8-3 record, only to miss the postseason entirely.

Reading between the lines, it could be that Khan will not be swayed by the early returns in 2024 and will give Pederson and Baalke the chance to reverse Jacksonville’s fortunes. Plus, as prior reporting on the matter suggested, there is no one currently on the coaching staff who would represent a clear option to take over interim HC duties, a reality that could help Pederson keep his job through at least the remainder of the campaign.

Khan also pointed out that three of the Jags’ four losses this season were eminently winnable, as the club had late leads or the chance to take late leads in all three contests. While the accumulation of narrow losses is never a good look for a coaching staff, Khan appears to be taking the fact that Jacksonville is remaining competitive as a positive sign for the time being.

“So, to me, every game you go to, you want to do everything to win it and this is the NFL, that’s hard,” Khan said. “Every game is competitive. A loss is a loss, but [it’s about] how you lose. To me, the three games we lost early in the season, it’s disappointing, [but] we could have won them.”

Those defeats have not shaken Khan’s faith in his HC/GM duo. 

“I still believe in them. I believe in the players, I believe in the coaching staff. I believe in Trent,” Khan said. “Obviously, the results are disappointing for all of them, just as well as me or any other Jaguar fan, but, the key thing one has to understand [is] we have evolved and really got to a level. I think we’ve got the players, we’ve got the coaching, we’ve got the facilities.”

Khan did say this offseason that the Jaguars’ 2024 roster is the best in franchise history, and that winning is the expectation. As such, it would be reasonable to expect a shake-up if Pederson cannot engineer a turnaround and lead the team to a postseason berth, but for now, Khan does not appear to be contemplating a dismissal. 

“I admire what Trent’s done, Doug’s done, and I think, how do we support them to have better results, more wins?” Khan said.

The Jaguars, the NFL club with the most consistent presence in England, will play their next two games in London. Should they falter in their contests across the pond, one wonders if Khan’s support for Pederson & Co. will remain strong.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/12/24

October 12th, 2024 at 8:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions, including practice squad callups for Week 6:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Jags Designate Tyson Campbell For Return

October 11th, 2024 at 5:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 11: To little surprise, Campbell will not be activated in time for Week 6. Pederson repeated (via ESPN’s Michael DiRocco) Jacksonville’s second London matchup remains the team’s target for Campbell to return to action.

OCTOBER 9: The 1992 Chargers remain the only team to turn an 0-4 start into a playoff berth. With the NFL now at seven playoff teams per conference, that number should eventually balloon at some point in the not-so-distant future. The Jaguars came into the season with playoff aspirations, but they must climb out of this historically deep hole if they are to realize them.

Three of Jacksonville’s four losses have come by one score, and the team’s top cornerback did not finish any of those games. A piece of good news will come out of Duval County, however, as its team aims to stabilize its season. Tyson Campbell is on his way back from a hamstring injury; the Jaguars designated the veteran corner to return from IR on Wednesday.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Campbell did play in most of the Jags’ Week 1 loss to the Dolphins but has missed the past four contests. That absence duration makes him eligible to be activated in Week 6. With the Jaguars beginning their two-week London swing, they will hope to have the recently extended defender back in uniform. Though, Doug Pederson said he is aiming for (via Underdog Fantasy’s James Palmer) a Week 7 Campbell return. The Jags face the Patriots in their second 2024 England tilt.

The Jags won both their London games last season, beating the Falcons and Bills. That team started 8-3; Pederson’s latest Jags outfit is far more desperate heading to England. The team’s losses to the Dolphins (albeit with Tua Tagovailoa in uniform) and Browns look worse now, though its narrow defeat in Houston showed the team is capable of pushing a higher-end opponent. The Jags then topped the Colts for the 11th straight year at home, potentially saving Pederson’s job. They will open their London slate against the Bears.

Although Trevor Lawrence and Josh Hines-Allen‘s deals came in much higher than Campbell’s offseason extension, the Jags’ third major 2024 re-up is the third-most lucrative pact in team history. The team showed tremendous faith in Campbell by agreeing to a four-year, $76.5MM deal.

The former third-round pick has enjoyed an up-and-down career, allowing eight touchdowns as the closest defender in coverage last season and six in 2022. The ’22 season, however, also featured Campbell yielding only a 78.0 passer rating and 54.2% completion rate. His 2023 numbers in those categories (128.5, 69.4) revealed some inconsistency, but the Jags still invested heavily in the Urban Meyer draftee. Campbell will attempt to justify this extension this season, though the Jags are committed to him for the long haul due to a rolling guarantee structure. Their defense, which ranks 30th in points allowed and 31st in yardage, needs all the help it can get.

Jaguars Place KR/PR Devin Duvernay On IR

October 9th, 2024 at 9:28pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jaguars watched former All-Pro and Pro Bowl return man Jamal Agnew depart in free agency this offseason after a few injury-nagged seasons with the team. They signed his replacement, former Ravens wide receiver Devin Duvernay, a couple years after All-Pro and Pro Bowl seasons of his own. Unfortunately, it seems that the signing did not solve the team’s injury issues at the position as Duvernay has now been placed on injured reserve.

Duvernay will miss at least the next four games nursing a hamstring injury that he suffered in Jacksonville’s Week 5 win over the Colts. Duvernay has played in all five games this year for the Jaguars, only once playing double-digit snaps on offense. His use on offense has been as a gadget player. In fact, Duvernay has more rushing production (3 carries, 10 yards) than receiving (1 target, 1 reception, -1 yard).

Much like his last season in Baltimore, Duvernay’s main usage has come on special teams. As the new primary return man for the Jaguars, Duvernay has averaged 20.0 yards per kick return, up from 19.3 last year. His 11.6 yards per punt return are tied for third in the NFL with his replacement in Baltimore, Deonte Harty. This past weekend saw his most productive punt return performance. He returned a season-high three punts, including one return for 53 yards.

Replacing Duvernay as the new primary returner will likely be Parker Washington. The reserve receiver served as the injury replacement for Agnew last year, returning 12 punts and two kickoffs. Wide receiver Christian Kirk will likely be the second option on punt returns; he had two returns for Jacksonville last year and has 57 in his career. Backup running backs Tank Bigsby and D’Ernest Johnson could be put back with Washington on kickoffs. They might even be the primary pair back there as they combined to return 11 kickoffs last year.

Hamstring injuries can be nagging, so Duvernay likely won’t be rushed back. If he’s able to heal quickly, he’ll be able to return in time for a Week 10 matchup with the Vikings. If he still requires more time after becoming eligible to return, the team’s bye week comes two weeks later. A seven-week absence utilizing that bye week would set him up for a December 1 return against the division-rival Texans.

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