Los Angeles Rams News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/20/24

Today’s minor NFL moves:

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Rams

  • Practice window opened: G KT Leveston

Minnesota Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Unfortunately for Turner-Yell, head coach Sean Payton told the media that it “became too much of a challenge to active” the young safety off the physically unable to perform list, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, 49ers, Higbee

Signed to similar contracts during the summer of 2022, Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf have each become two of the NFL’s better wide receivers — each being chosen in the 2019 second round. The Seahawks nabbed Metcalf at No. 64 via trade-up, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes the team had aimed to first draft Samuel at No. 35. GM John Schneider had worked out a trade-up from No. 37 to No. 35, via the Raiders, but Schefter adds the Silver and Black backed out of the deal. The Raiders instead dealt with the Jaguars, who drafted Jawaan Taylor at 35. The 49ers chose Samuel at 36.

The Seahawks still do not know why the Raiders reneged on the trade, Schefter adds. The Seahawks initially held a higher second-round choice than the Jags, who picked at 38. After Samuel went off the board, Seattle dealt 37 to Carolina (Greg Little) and drafted safety Marquise Blair at No. 47. The Seahawks had planned to pair Samuel and Metcalf, rather than the Ole Miss product — who famously fell to No. 64 after having teams divided during the pre-draft process — being a Samuel fallback option. Though, Metcalf as a WR contingency plan — with Doug Baldwin retirement rumors circulating during the draft — rather than pairing him with Samuel makes a bit more sense due to Tyler Lockett being just 27 at the time. Samuel and Metcalf are going into the final year of their contracts; each team rebuffed trade offers this year.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • Samuel’s San Francisco status may have changed once Brandon Aiyuk suffered an ACL tear. The older 49ers WR had been a rumored 2025 trade chip, as the team prepares for a Brock Purdy payday. Although some around the league have wondered if the 49ers will pay Purdy the going rate (mentioning a Kirk Cousins trade as a backup plan), The Athletic’s Matt Barrows expects Purdy to indeed receive a top-market deal from San Francisco. Purdy going from Mr. Irrelevant to a deal in the $55-$60MM-per-year range would represent one of the most dramatic rises in NFL history; the 2025 offseason is the window for that to happen.
  • Staying on the 49ers-in-2025 theme, the team has seen promising early returns from second-round rookie Renardo Green. The 49ers have viewed Green as a player who can work inside and on the perimeter; that matches Deommodore Lenoir‘s profile. Lenoir is now signed long term, but All-Pro Charvarius Ward is in a contract year. With Lenoir locked in, Ward appears headed back to free agency. As such, Barrows adds Green should be considered the favorite to start opposite Lenoir on the boundary in 2025. Pro Football Focus rates Green as the sixth-best CB regular this season, albeit on only 298 snaps.
  • While Sean McVay said right tackle Rob Havenstein could be back this week, the eighth-year Rams HC indicated (via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop) Tyler Higbee remains weeks away from returning. Higbee is still rehabbing the ACL and MCL tears sustained during the Rams’ wild-card loss to the Lions. The ninth-year tight end remains on Los Angeles’ reserve/PUP list. Havenstein has missed the Rams’ past two games with an ankle issue.
  • Jake Moody missed time due to injury this season, being one of three 49ers kickers to go down, and did not impress upon return. Moody missed three field goals against the Buccaneers, prompting a heated Samuel to take issue with the recovered kicker (and long snapper Taybor Pepper). John Lynch said later the 49ers have not considered replacing Moody. “We didn’t blink,” Lynch told KNBR (h/t The Athletic’s David Lombardi). “We have a lot of faith in this kid. We all have rough days. There’s a lot of context to put in these things and Jake has earned a lot of respect from this organization.” Moody’s third-round contract runs through 2026.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/19/24

Here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Washington Commanders

Browns Sign Geron Christian Off Rams’ Practice Squad; Team Could Re-Install Jedrick Wills As LT

With Dawand Jones out for the season, more shuffling is required along the Browns’ offensive line. The left tackle spot could see a familiar face in play for Week 12, but in any event veteran depth is being added.

Geron Christian is heading to Cleveland, per an announcement from his agency. The 28-year-old is a veteran of 59 games and 25 starts at the NFL level. That includes the 2023 campaign, during which he split his time between the Texans and Browns. He made nine starts on the blindside for Cleveland that year, so he will be a familiar option to step into that role down the stretch if need be.

Christian signed with the Rams in September as part of the team’s effort to find healthy O-linemen early in the campaign. He made only one appearance for Los Angeles and, after being elevated for Week 11 but not playing, he reverted back to the Rams’ practice squad. Today’s move will allow the former third-rounder the chance to spend time on an active roster even if it is only in a backup capacity. The Rams are in better shape now than they were at the start of the campaign with respect to tackle depth, but losing a veteran option could prove to be detrimental later in the year.

While Christian will be one option to operate as a left tackle starter as the Browns play out the remaining weeks of the season, another is Jedrick Wills. The former first-rounder has been dealing with a knee injury which has left him in and out of the lineup in 2024. Wills’ struggles when on the field led to his demotion ahead of Week 11, a move which paved the way for Jones to handle starting blindside duties the rest of the way. With that no longer being an option, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal notes Wills could step back into a starting spot if healthy.

The Alabama product was listed as a non-participant in practice for Monday’s estimated injury report ahead of the Browns’ Thursday night game. If his knee is healthy enough to suit up, he could return to the starting lineup ahead of his contract expiring. As a pending free agent, Wills’ future is in question, and Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot writes the team may only be interested in retaining him in a swing tackle role. Wills could find himself with one more stretch of games to play his way into a new Browns deal.

In addition to Wills and Christian, Cleveland has Germain Ifedi as an option to handle the LT spot. Ifedi replaced Jones after his injury on Sunday, and he has started 83 of his 110 NFL appearances. Christian’s return will give the team additional contributors to close out the year, one in which the 2-8 outfit will look to sort out its O-line possibilities for 2025.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/24

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.

O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/24

Today’s minor moves:

Denver Broncos

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Bruss was waived by the Rams yesterday to make room for returning linemen Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson. A former third-round pick, Bruss didn’t make an appearance through his first two seasons in the NFL but started three of his eight appearances in 2024.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/24

Here are today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reinstated from suspension, one-game roster exemption granted: DE Mario Edwards

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Seattle Seahawks

Williams completed his three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He remains on injured reserve after a season-ending knee injury suffered during training camp.

Edwards served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and is now eligible to be reinstated to the Texans’ active roster. Houston requested and received a one-game roster exemption to give Edwards an additional week to practice with the team before being added back to the 53-man roster.

Rams Activate Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson

As expectedSteve Avila and Jonah Jackson have been activated from injured reserve. Both starting offensive linemen are thus in line to play for the Rams tonight.

Avila suffered an MCL sprain in Week 1, forcing him onto IR right away. Jackson managed to make it through his Rams debut that week, but during the following contest he went down with a shoulder injury which also led to a lengthy period on the sidelines. Getting both back will be a signficant and welcomed development as the Rams look to field a consistent unit up front.

Avila worked at left guard during his rookie campaign, and at times this offseason it appeared he was on track to move over to center in Year 2. That role was given to Jackson, however, with the free agent addition’s placement in the middle allowing Avila and Kevin Dotson to remain in place at guard. Jackson was added on a three-year pact including $25.5MM in guarantees. His ability to remain healthy now that he is back in the fold will be crucial for Los Angeles up front.

The tackle spot has also seen plenty of shuffling this year for the team. Alaric Jackson was suspended for the first two games of the year, and Joe Noteboom has been limited to one game so far. The latter was activated last week, paving the way for him to suit up tonight as well. Right tackle starter Rob Havenstein is not expected to be available for Week 10, though, so the Rams will still not have their ideal lineup along the O-line against the Dolphins. Still, the unit’s health is in a much better place now than it has been for much of the year.

In a corresponding move, Logan Bruss has been waived. The 2022 third-rounder did not make any appearances during his first two seasons with Los Angeles, and even amidst the multiple injuries being dealt with up front this year he has made only three starts amongst eight appearances. Bruss will available for any interested teams on the waiver wire; if he clears, he will become a free agent and thus have the chance to re-join the Rams on a practice squad deal. Los Angeles now has one IR activation remaining for the year.

Rams To Activate OLs Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson

NOVEMBER 10: Both Avila and Jackson are expected to be activated off of IR and suit up against the Dolphins tomorrow night, per Stu Jackson of the team’s official website.

NOVEMBER 7: The Rams are one step closer to major reinforcements to their offensive line after opening the practice window for Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson to return from injured reserve.

Both players landed on IR in September, Avila with a sprained MCL that required surgery and Jackson with a broken scapula suffered in Week 2. Rookie Beaux Limmer has started the last seven games at center, while both Justin Dedich and Logan Bruss have stepped up at left guard.

The injuries to Avila and Jackson prevented the Rams from getting a solid look at their new-look offensive line. After drafting Avila with the 36th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Rams spent almost $100MM to sign Jackson in free agency and retain starting right guard Kevin Dotson in 2024. The trio played just 37 snaps together before Avila’s injury, though all three players are under contract through at least 2026 and will have plenty of time to gel.

Los Angeles is getting healthy at the right time after winning their last three games. Their star wideout duo of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua is back catching passes from Matthew Stafford, who will be playing behind his intended starting offensive line for the first time since Week 1.

Avila and Jackson both have 21 days to practice with the team before they must be added to the active roster or revert to season-ending IR.