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Deadline Notes: Dolphins, Saints, Rams

November 2nd, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins are one of the most explosive teams in the NFL and sit tied atop the AFC with a 6-2 record. While Miami has clearly established themselves as a contender, the team remained quiet through the deadline. In fact, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that the Dolphins really didn’t have any trades in the works leading up to the deadline.

This is mostly because of the team’s IR situation, and the Dolphins will soon see a number of talented players return from injury. As McDaniel explained to reporters, those additions should give the Dolphins the boost that they would have been seeking via trade.

“Yeah, we actually have several of the best trades that exist in the works. Ok? You’re talking about getting players with no compensation, or no assets given, from injury. So, I mean, we’re in a great spot,” McDaniels said (via Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com).

“I think [GM] Chris [Grier] is always, and will always enter into, you know, whatever conversations that are sought out to him and, you know, that’s that’s a part of his job. He doesn’t labor my mind with, ‘Hey, you know, like NFL gossip, like, hey, I talked to this guy and this guy,’ you know, he, he, he brings it to my attention when we need to discuss it when it, when it’s to a serious platform.

“And he didn’t discuss anything. And that speaks to where we’re at with our football team. We’ve been playing some good football, and then we have some players that are very good players that are returning.”

Safety Jevon Holland (concussion), cornerback Xavien Howard (groin), and center Connor Williams (groin) are among the injured players who could return to the field as soon as this week.

More notes following the trade deadline:

  • Following a quiet deadline day, Saints GM Mickey Loomis admitted that he discussed acquiring players for draft assets but never actively shopped any of the players on his roster. “We talked to a couple of teams about a couple of things, more in the acquisition area as opposed to trading somebody,”  Loomis said (h/t John Hendrix). “We didn’t really talk about trading anyone from our team. We did talk to a couple teams about an acquisition, but I wouldn’t say it ever got really serious.” The Saints currently sit with a 4-4 record and are tied with the Falcons atop the NFC South.
  • The Rams have a 3-5 record and are facing some uncertainty at QB, leading some pundits to wonder if they’d be sellers at the deadline. While the team received calls on some veterans, the Rams never shopped any of their star players. According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, the Rams didn’t consider moving Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, or Aaron Donald despite the front office potentially having eyes on the 2024 campaign.
  • Similarly, the Cowboys didn’t initiate any trade talks with teams, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The reporter notes that the front office did receive some calls on their defensive depth, but the Cowboys were content sticking with their current squad.
  • Some details on trades that were actually made: the conditional seventh-round pick that the Cardinals sent to the Vikings alongside QB Joshua Dobbs was a selection that originated with the Falcons, per Howard Balzer. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Brady Henderson notes that the Giants are paying most of the remaining $10MM on Leonard Williams‘ contract, with the Seahawks owing their new player only $647K.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/23

November 1st, 2023 at 8:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: QB Dresser Winn

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: DE Michael Dogbe, CB JoeJuan Williams
  • Released: CB C.J. Coldon

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: DL Pat O’Connor

With Matthew Stafford questionable for Week 9, the Rams are adding some additional QB depth. Winn had a standout career at UT Martin before going undrafted in this year’s draft. The QB spent training camp with the Rams before eventually joining the Edmonton Elks in the CFL. As Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes, the signing is especially notable considering Winn also punted in college; Rams punter Ethan Evans is currently dealing with a sprained ankle.

2023 NFL Trades

October 31st, 2023 at 10:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2023 NFL trading period is now over. Dozens of trades — some in the roster-reshaping mold, others executed for depth purposes — ended up coming to pass. Since the NFL moved its trade deadline from Week 6 to Week 8 in 2012, trades have gradually become a more important part of the league’s roster builds.

An argument can be made the NFL should move its deadline deeper into the season, as the MLB, NBA and NHL deadlines come after the midpoint. The NFL moving to a 17-game/18-week slate in 2021, after 43 years at 16 games, also factors into this line of thinking. For now, the league will still force its buyers and sellers to assess their teams fully by Week 8.

To gauge the value of the moves teams have made, here are the trades completed across the league in 2023. (Note: only trades involving veteran players, as opposed to draft-weekend deals only involving picks, are listed here.)

January 31

The Saints chose defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 29 overall

March 9

March 10

  • Bears send Panthers No. 1 overall pick in exchange for No. 9, No. 61, a 2024 first-rounder and 2025 second

The Panthers chose Bryce Young first overall; the Bears traded down from No. 9 to No. 19, drafting tackle Darnell Wright. Trading up from No. 61 to No. 56, Chicago chose cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.

March 12

The Rams selected outside linebacker Byron Young at No. 77 overall

March 13

New England selected defensive back Isaiah Bolden at No. 245

March 14

Houston used the No. 230 pick in a package to trade up for center Juice Scruggs in Round 2; Tampa Bay packaged No. 179 to move up for guard Cody Mauch in Round 2

At No. 100, the Raiders drafted wide receiver Tre Tucker

The Colts selected running back Evan Hull at No. 176

March 20

The Texans used No. 161 to trade up for wide receiver Tank Dell

March 22

The Jets included No. 42 in the picks package sent to the Packers for Aaron Rodgers; the Browns chose wide receiver Cedric Tillman at No. 74

March 25

April 11

The Lions packaged No. 159 to move up for defensive back Brian Branch in Round 2

April 18

The Rams agreed to pay $5MM of Robinson’s 2023 salary. At No. 234, the Rams chose cornerback Jason Taylor II; at 251, the Steelers selected offensive lineman Spencer Anderson.

April 24

  • Packers send QB Aaron Rodgers, Nos. 15, 170 to Jets for Nos. 13, 42, 207, conditional 2024 second-round pick

Rodgers needed to play 65% of the Jets’ 2023 offensive snaps for the 2024 pick to become a first-rounder; his Week 1 Achilles tear will prevent that from happening. At No. 13, the Packers chose pass rusher Lukas Van Ness; at 15, the Jets took defensive end Will McDonald. At Nos. 42 and 207, Green Bay respectively chose tight end Luke Musgrave and kicker Anders Carlson. The Jets moved down from No. 170, picking up an additional seventh-round pick. 

April 29

At No. 219, the Lions chose wide receiver Antoine Green; at 249, the Eagles selected defensive tackle Moro Ojomo

The Saints chose wide receiver A.T. Perry at No. 195; the Broncos selected center Alex Forsyth at 257

May 12

May 25

July 19

  • Jets move WR Denzel Mims, 2025 seventh-round pick to Lions for conditional 2025 sixth-rounder

Mims needed to make the Lions’ 53-man roster for the pick to convey. With the Lions cutting Mims with an injury settlement in August, the Jets will not end up receiving a pick in this trade.

August 24

August 25

August 27

August 28

August 29

September 20

Akers must tally more than 500 yards from scrimmage to meet the conditional requirement

October 4

October 6

The Broncos agreed to pay all but the prorated veteran minimum of Gregory’s 2023 base salary

October 10

October 18

October 23

October 30

Giants agreed to pay all but the prorated veteran minimum on Williams’ remaining $10MM in base salary

Street must play in at least six games as a Falcon to meet the conditional requirement

October 31

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/31/23

October 31st, 2023 at 9:05pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the NFL’s minor moves for today:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed off Bears’ practice squad: DT Travis Bell
  • Placed on IR: DT Grady Jarrett (story)

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kareem, who was just activated off of injured reserve, is being waived to make room for defensive end Montez Sweat, acquired by trade this morning. The Bears also announced a practice squad release, indicating a possible return for Kareem on that unit. The Colts are expected to do the same with Boettger.

O’Connor will lose his active roster spot to make room for quarterback John Wolford, whom Tampa Bay officially promoted today in order to ward off interest parties such as the Rams and Vikings, both of whom are experiencing injury issues at quarterback.

Cardinals To Trade QB Josh Dobbs To Vikings

October 31st, 2023 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

1:33pm: The Vikings are preparing Hall for the Week 9 start, Kevin O’Connell said (via the Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi). Dobbs suiting up is possible, per O’Connell. Dobbs has a history of being ready on short notice, having started barely a week after the Titans signed him off the Lions’ practice squad.

12:38pm: For the second time this year, Josh Dobbs will be traded. A day after Jonathan Gannon indicated it will be Kyler Murray or Clayton Tune starting for the Cardinals in Week 9, the team will unload Dobbs.

The Vikings, who lost Kirk Cousins for the season in Week 8, will bring in the veteran backup/spot starter, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report. The Cardinals had acquired Dobbs, 28, from the Browns in late August; he will now join a QB room featuring two injured players. Cousins’ Week 1 backup, Nick Mullens, is also on IR. This comes two days after Gannon said Dobbs would start against the Browns, pointing to the Week 9 benching being driven by these trade talks.

Arizona will send Dobbs and a seventh-round pick to Minnesota for a sixth-rounder, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Conditions are included that can turn the seventh-round pick the Vikings are receiving into a sixth, per Schefter. This will amount to a flier for the Vikings, who have not previously needed to deal with an injury absence in their six seasons with Cousins.

While this might not satisfy Vikings fans eager for a higher-profile name, Dobbs will come to the Twin Cities with eight 2023 starts under his belt. After being expected to trot out Colt McCoy while Murray finished his recovery from a December 2022 ACL tear, the Cardinals instead plugged in Dobbs. The team delivered some surprisingly competitive efforts, but it has fallen to 1-7. Tune is expected to start for Arizona in Week 9, with Murray moving close to a return.

On the season, Dobbs has completed 62.8% of his passes (at just 5.9 yards per attempt) and has thrown eight touchdown passes compared to five interceptions. Not exactly equipped with a high-end skill-position corps, Dobbs also came to the desert barely two weeks before the season. The Browns had planned to use Dobbs as their backup, but they viewed fifth-round rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson has having made enough progress. Cleveland quickly benched Thompson-Robinson for practice squad pickup P.J. Walker, who has become Deshaun Watson‘s top backup.

The Vikings turned to fifth-round draftee Jaren Hall as Cousins’ emergency replacement, but they now have some options. The team has used Sean Mannion as Cousins’ backup in multiple seasons; Mannion is back on the Vikes’ practice squad. Hall and Mannion had loomed as the team’s top healthy options, but Mullens is expected to come off IR at some point. A back injury moved Mullens to IR earlier this month. Mullens can return after one more missed game.

For his career, Dobbs has made 10 starts. His teams are 1-9 in those games. Granted, Dobbs has not been thrust into good situations when asked to start. His initial two starts came for an injury-riddled Titans team last season, and while the former Steelers draftee showed better form compared to Malik Willis last season, Tennessee still lost both his starts. The noted rocket scientist engineered an upset win over the Cowboys earlier this season, but the Cardinals have lost their past five games. Murray is also believed to be fully healthy and ready to return. With Tune in place as a possible long-term backup, the Cards did not have a clear role for Dobbs.

Loosely connected to Jacoby Brissett — whom Dobbs backed up during his 2022 Cleveland stopover — the Vikings are not necessarily ruled out from another starter option. Carson Wentz remains available, and Matt Ryan contacted the Jets after Aaron Rodgers‘ injury. Tom Brady has unretiring experience, though the QB icon was viewed as a nonstarter for the Jets in September. But the Dobbs move does almost definitely close the book on any other QB additions via trade for the 4-4 Vikings.

Jaguars To Acquire G Ezra Cleveland From Vikings

October 31st, 2023 at 1:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings are not expected to trade Danielle Hunter, but they will send another of their contract-year players away. The Jaguars are acquiring fourth-year guard Ezra Cleveland, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. In a corresponding move, Jags announced that 2020 fourth-rounder Ben Bartch has been waived.

Cleveland expressed interest in a Vikings extension this offseason. Instead, he will relocate to Florida to join the first-place Jags in his contract year. A 2020 second-round pick, Cleveland has been a starter for much of his Vikings career. It will cost the Jags only a sixth-round pick to pry Cleveland from Minnesota, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com tweets. Dianna Russini of The Athletic clarifies that Jacksonville will send a 2024 sixth-rounder which originally belonged to the Panthers.

This transaction comes months after the Vikings and Jaguars moved close to completing a Hunter trade. The sides circled back but settled on Cleveland as the exchange piece. The Boise State alum has started 49 career games, converting from college tackle to NFL guard. He will likely be on track to start opposite Brandon Scherff in Jacksonville. Cleveland will reunite with Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher, who was previously on the Vikings’ staff.

The Jags will acquire Cleveland despite the experienced blocker having missed the past two games due to a foot injury. From Minnesota’s view, the team has a veteran ready to step in. The team signed four-year Broncos starter Dalton Risner early this season, ending the 2019 second-round pick’s longer-than-expected free agency stay. The Vikes also drafted Ed Ingram in the 2022 second round, installing him at right guard. Minnesota does not have much money devoted to its O-line, but Christian Darrisaw is a clear candidate to join right tackle Brian O’Neill in receiving a big-ticket extension.

The 49ers showed interest in adding Cleveland, Russini’s colleague Matt Barrows reports. San Francisco’s weak point on offense has shown to be their play up front, so it would have come as little surprise if they invested a Day 3 pick in a starting-caliber addition. Instead, the 49ers have turned their attention to a blockbuster defensive add in the form of edge rusher Chase Young.

Jacksonville ranks mid-pack in a number of offensive categories, posting middling numbers both through the air and on the ground. Cleveland’s run blocking PFF evaluations have generally far outweighed his grades in pass protection, though in this season the two are nearly identical. If he can carry over that two-way effectiveness with the Jaguars, he could play a signficant role in another Jacksonville playoff run and boost his free agent stock in the process.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Commanders Receiving Interest On Jacoby Brissett; Vikings Inquired About QB’s Availability

October 31st, 2023 at 1:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders have already made one notable move today by dealing away Montez Sweat, but fellow edge rusher Chase Young isn’t the only other player receiving interest. Teams are calling on the availability of veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports.

To no surprise, the Vikings checked in on Brissett, Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds. Minnesota changed course and added Josh Dobbs from the Cardinals to add depth under center in the wake of Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear. As Breer notes, Washington has set a high price (a Day 2 pick, specifically) for Brissett.

The latter joined the Commanders this offseason on a one-year deal with $7.5MM guaranteed. Only $3MM of that figure is comprised of his base salary, so an acquiring team would be on the hook for a prorated portion of that amount. Brissett, brought in to serve as an experienced insurance policy for starter Sam Howell, has yet to see any game action in the nation’s capital.

The Commanders sit at 3-5 on the year, and their decision to trade Sweat to the Bears hints at commitment to work as sellers in advance of today’s deadline regarding other players. It would come as a surprise if Young were to be dealt, but Brissett is one of many role player Washington could be convinced to part ways with. The 30-year-old has been on the radar for teams looking to shore up their QB situation, and even with the Vikings passing on a potential trade, suitors could still emerge for him.

Brissett has made 48 total starts, many coming in 2017 and ’19 with the Colts. His most recent run of extended action came last season with the Browns while Deshaun Watson served his 11-game suspension to start the year. Watson has battled a shoulder injury for much of the 2023 campaign, and it would come as little surprise if Cleveland looked to reunite with Brissett to add quality depth under center.

The Commanders’ asking price would need to come down for a Brissett trade to be finalized, Breer notes. With roughly 90 minutes until the deadline, it will be interesting to see how willing teams are to add a high-end No. 2 option at the QB spot in advance of the stretch run and the postseason.

Vikings Not Expected To Trade Danielle Hunter

October 31st, 2023 at 10:53am CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings reside in an interesting position. They have rallied from 0-3 to 4-4, beating the Packers in Green Bay to reach .500. But Kirk Cousins is now out for the season, putting Minnesota’s playoff viability in serious doubt.

After the slow start, rumors picked up about the Vikings selling. The team has taken calls on Danielle Hunter, who has generated steady trade interest. The Cousins injury could conceivably prompt the Vikings to consider cashing in their top trade chip, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports there is virtually “no chance” Hunter is moved by this afternoon’s deadline.

[RELATED: Jaguars Moved Close To Landing Hunter In Offseason]

Minnesota came into this season in a historically unusual position. With Cousins having been franchise-tagged twice, his 2024 tender would come in north of $52MM. That would obviously be untenable for the Vikings, with no team having tagged a player for a third time since the 2006 CBA introduced language making that prohibitive. The Vikings’ August agreement with Hunter also prevents a 2024 franchise or transition tag. This effectively means the Vikings cannot tag their top two free agents-to-be, putting them in a strange position. That said, moving Hunter would wound a Vikings pass rush that is without Marcus Davenport for the foreseeable future; Davenport is on IR with a high ankle sprain.

Hunter, 29, is on pace for his best season as a pro. After he notched a sack in Week 8, the ninth-year edge defender has an NFL-most 10 on the season. Hunter’s return to full strength — after two injury-marred seasons — in 2022 involved 10.5 sacks. The former Mike Zimmer-era mainstay is on pace to eclipse his career-high mark (14.5, established in 2018 and ’19), and this latest development looks to ensure he will make that push in the Twin Cities.

A logical case can be made to deal Hunter, especially if the Vikings do not acquire another quarterback capable of starting. The team could sink in the standings without Cousins (and Justin Jefferson, who has no reason to rush his recovery from a hamstring injury), and a Hunter trade could provide more ammo to secure a QB heir apparent. Another Cousins-Vikings agreement should not be ruled out, and the 35-year-old passer’s market could certainly be affected by his first notable NFL injury. As of now, Cousins and Hunter will be on track to hit the market in March.

In addition to the Jaguars pursuing Hunter during the offseason, the Bears also contacted the Vikings about a player Minnesota was then considering as a trade piece, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano tweets. An intra-divisional trade would have been highly unlikely, but GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did make notable draft-slot trades with the Lions and Packers during his first draft in charge. Then again, draft-slot deals and exchanging high-profile veterans are different matters. The Bears have since made their move for a potential long-term piece, acquiring Montez Sweat from the Commanders for a second-round pick.

Considering what it took for the Commanders to move Sweat — a 2024 second-rounder — SI.com’s Albert Breer adds the Vikings are not believed to be interested in anything less than a top-60 choice for their contract-year pass rusher. The fact that Hunter cannot be tagged in 2024 also stands to dent his trade value, however, further pointing to the three-time Pro Bowler staying in Minnesota.

NFC North Notes: Brissett, Bears, Lions

October 31st, 2023 at 10:20am CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings will have a decision to make today. They have clawed their way from 0-3 to 4-4, sitting firmly in the NFC playoff race. But Kirk Cousins‘ injury threatens to deal a death blow to Minnesota’s hopes of making a second consecutive postseason trip for the first time since the 2008-09 seasons. The Vikings attempted to add ex-Kevin O’Connell charge John Wolford, but the Buccaneers’ practice squad QB will instead be promoted in Tampa. However, Jacoby Brissett looms as a name floating around the league as a possible solution, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com notes. While it remains unclear if Minnesota is truly intent on pursuing a notable outside upgrade, some around the league have mentioned Brissett as a sensible option.

Brissestt signed a one-year, $8MM deal with the Commanders but saw Sam Howell constantly mentioned as an ascending player this offseason. Howell won the job easily and has shown flashes. Brissett, 30, also has extensive experience as an emergency QB option. He took the Colts’ 2017 reins shortly after a trade, needed to replace Andrew Luck again after a surprise 2019 retirement and was called upon for an 11-game starter run during Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 suspension.

  • One theory regarding the Bears allowing Jaylon Johnson to pursue a trade centers around Chicago seeing what kind of extension the contract-year cornerback can command, per the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. Johnson, 24, does not have to be extended immediately if traded; an acquiring team would have exclusive negotiating rights until the 2024 legal tampering period. Said team could also use the franchise tag, though the cornerback tag price — expected to be around $19.5MM — may not be realistic here. As of now, the Bears have until March to re-sign Johnson. Though, extension talks breaking off obviously does not represent a good sign. The 49ers and Bills are in on Johnson; the Bears have until 3pm CT to make a trade.
  • Staying on the quarterback topic, the Bears will once again go with Tyson Bagent. The rookie UDFA will start in Week 9, Matt Eberflus announced, with Justin Fields needing more time to recover from his thumb injury. This will be Fields’ third missed start. While Fields remains week to week, no surgery has taken place. But a Bears season that hinged on Fields making progress — after the team passed on using the No. 1 overall pick on a quarterback, trading the selection away — has morphed into a rare backdrop for a Division II-produced arm seeing extensive time.
  • The Lions have made good on their offseason hype, starting 6-2. This will naturally lead to expectations their coordinators will be in demand come 2024. In the event the Lions see Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn become head coaches in 2024, after both interviewed for jobs this year, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that running backs coach Scottie Montgomery and Kelvin Sheppard are the most likely internal candidates to be promoted. Sheppard, 35, is in place as Detroit’s inside linebackers coach; he has been on Dan Campbell‘s staff for three years. The Lions added Montgomery, 45, this offseason, after he spent the past two years as the Colts’ running backs coach. Although continuity might be preferred, teams must interview at least one external minority candidate for coordinator jobs.
  • As trades dominate the news cycle ahead of the 3pm deadline, the Packers agreed to terms with Rashan Gary on a monster extension. The fifth-year defender is now the NFL’s fifth-highest-paid edge defender, signing a four-year, $96MM deal.

Rams, Vikings Showed Interest In John Wolford; Bucs To Promote QB

October 31st, 2023 at 9:49am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 31: The Buccaneers will follow through with their protection measure. Wolford will be signed to the Bucs’ 53-man roster, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The Bucs will now carry three quarterbacks on their active roster. This comes after both the Rams and Vikings showed interest in poaching Wolford off the practice squad, per Russini. Kevin O’Connell coached Wolford for two seasons in Los Angeles. Despite multiple potential opportunities to join another team’s 53, Wolford will make the jump in Tampa.

OCTOBER 30, 7:25pm: It sounds like the Rams will have to look elsewhere for QB depth. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Wolford informed the Rams that he prefers to stay in Tampa Bay. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds that the quarterback is expected to stick with the Buccaneers and be added to the active roster.

6:25pm: John Wolford is set to return to Los Angeles. The longtime Rams backup left for a Buccaneers deal this offseason, but the Rams have seen Matthew Stafford run into another injury. They will take action via an outside hire.

The Rams intend to sign Wolford off the Bucs’ practice squad, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Wolford did not make Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster, with Kyle Trask in place behind starter Baker Mayfield. Wolford has spent the season on the Bucs’ P-squad, but the latest Stafford injury issue will prompt the Rams to close a deal on a reunion.

Because the Rams are signing Wolford off Tampa Bay’s taxi squad, he must remain on L.A.’s active roster for at least three weeks. That will be a familiar place for Wolford, who resided as the backup to Stafford and Jared Goff during a four-year L.A. stay. The Rams replaced Wolford with ex-Broncos backup Brett Rypien this offseason. Rookie Stetson Bennett is not in the picture presently, residing on the Rams’ reserve/NFI list.

Rypien replaced Stafford after he suffered a thumb injury against the Cowboys. The 15th-year QB is battling a UCL sprain in his throwing thumb, and this upcoming transaction casts some doubt the starter’s availability for Week 9. Stafford missed eight games last season. Coming into 2022, however, the former Lions mainstay had only missed time in one of the previous 11 seasons (due to a 2019 back injury). With IR not off the table for Stafford, the Rams are once again scrambling at the game’s premier position.

Goff brought more durability than Stafford has, leaving Wolford on the bench for much of his first two seasons in California. Signed initially after a stint in the short-lived Alliance of American Football in 2019, Wolford did end up playing a key role for the 2020 Rams. A Goff thumb injury sidelined him for the Rams’ 2020 season finale, and Sean McVay turned to Wolford in for Week 17 and then the wild-card round. A Wolford neck injury knocked him out of that Rams-Seahawks tilt, leading an injured Goff back into action. The Rams included Goff in the Stafford trade weeks later.

Wolford, 28, has made five career starts. Three of those came in relief of Stafford last season. Last year, the Wake Forest product was not especially productive. The start he is credited with winning included scant usage, with the Rams inserting Mayfield — with the team for all of two days at that point — into the lineup and seeing the waiver claim lead an improbable game-winning drive to beat the Raiders. Wolford did not factor into the Mayfeld-Trask Tampa competition, but he may have another opportunity soon — depending on how the Rams navigate the Stafford situation.

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