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Injured Reserve Return Tracker

November 13th, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 27 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. This introduces more strategy for teams, who will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 27 are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Players who receive return designations after Week 5 also appear on this list.

Here is how teams’ activation puzzles look going into Week 11:

Arizona Cardinals

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Atlanta Falcons

Designated for return from IR (August 27): 

Designated for return: 

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Baltimore Ravens

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Buffalo Bills

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Carolina Panthers

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Chicago Bears

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Cincinnati Bengals

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Cleveland Browns

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Denver Broncos

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Detroit Lions

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

Green Bay Packers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

  • DL Jonathan Ford (Week 8)

Activations remaining: 7

Houston Texans

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Jacksonville Jaguars

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation from IR:

Eligible for activation from reserve/NFI list:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Los Angeles Chargers

Designated for return from IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Los Angeles Rams

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

  • OL K.T. Leveston

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 1

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation from IR:

Eligible for activation from reserve/NFI list:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Minnesota Vikings

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New England Patriots

Designated for return from reserve/non-football illness list (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New Orleans Saints

Designated for return: 

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New York Giants

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Jets

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Pittsburgh Steelers

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

  • OL Dylan Cook

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 4

San Francisco 49ers

Eligible for activation: 

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Seattle Seahawks

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Tennessee Titans

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

Washington Commanders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Patriots Prioritized Keeping Jonathan Jones, Received Calls On Kyle Dugger

November 12th, 2024 at 10:52am CST by Sam Robinson

With David Andrews out for the season, just one regular starter from the Patriots’ Super Bowl years remains in their lineup. Jonathan Jones is playing out his third contract with the team, doing so as a starting cornerback.

Now 31, Jones once teamed with the likes of Stephon Gilmore and the McCourty brothers for the previous Super Bowl-winning Pats squad. While Gilmore was only part of one Pats Super Bowl-winning team, Jones served as a regular for the 2016 and ’18 squads. As the Patriots play out the string in their first post-Bill Belichick season, they held onto the ninth-year veteran at the trade deadline.

Jones came up as a trade chip late last month, but it was reported the Pats were not interested in moving him. Jones effectively confirmed this by indicating front office boss Eliot Wolf (via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss) informed him before the trade deadline he would not be moved. This locks in Jones to playing out a two-year, $19MM deal in New England.

As the Pats passed on re-signing Gilmore, trading the former Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, they found room for Jones. The latter re-signed as a free agent in 2023. Under Belichick, the Patriots were certainly not known for overpaying aging players. But the team had kept Devin McCourty and Dont’a Hightower in the fold while turning to other vets on middle-class contracts. Jones followed in those standouts’ footsteps, but as Wolf’s regime handed out a bevy of contracts to keep Belichick-era talent this offseason, the versatile cornerback was not among them. Jones is heading back toward free agency.

The former UDFA has settled in as an outside corner opposite ascending talent Christian Gonzalez. Pro Football Focus ranks the former Super Bowl-era slot performer 43rd among corners. It will be interesting to see if the Patriots eye another short-term deal with Jones in 2025, as his age will limit his market to a degree. They hold exclusive negotiating rights with Jones until the legal tampering period.

For now, Jones is helping a defense support a Drake Maye-led attack. Kyle Dugger joins him in that regard, but his name also came up at last week’s deadline. Calls came in on the fifth-year safety, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. As could be expected given the team’s offseason investment in Dugger, it does not appear serious talks took place.

Unlike the Giants with Xavier McKinney, the Pats did keep Dugger off the market by applying the transition tag. This provided a bridge to an extension agreed upon not long after. Dugger, 28, is attached to a four-year, $58MM deal that includes a fully guaranteed 2025 base salary ($9.75MM). Considering the dead money that would have come from trading Jones now (upwards of $16MM), it certainly is not surprising no serious Dugger trade rumors emerged.

Each of New England’s five DB regulars arrived under Belichick, with nearly the team’s entire defense consisting of additions from the fired HC/de facto GM’s time at the helm. Davon Godchaux also came up in trade talks, but the recently extended defender remains. The Pats did trade Matt Judon this summer and Josh Uche (to the Chiefs) at the deadline, so they will enter the offseason with a need on the edge. Jones’ impending free agency will require a decision at corner, though Dugger’s status ensures some safety stability moving forward.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/24

November 9th, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Ely Allen

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

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Elevated: LB Curtis Bolton, WR Isaiah Hodgins

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Spector will miss at least the next four games as a result of the Bills’ move. He has remained a mainstay on special teams this year, having also done so in 2022 and ’23. The former seventh-rounder has made three starts on defense, however, so his absence will be felt moving forward. Linebacker has been a position hit hard by injuries this season, and Buffalo’s depth at the second level will now be tested even further.

Wattenberg had his 21-day practice window opened by the Broncos earlier this week, paving the way for today’s activation. The 27-year-old operated as the team’s starting center prior to going down after having won a summer competition for the gig with Alex Forsyth. Forsyth handled first-team duties over the past four games, drawing a superior PFF evaluation and therefore potentially playing his way into an extended look atop the depth chart. At a minimum, having Wattenberg back will give Denver – a team with three IR activations left – depth up front.

Patriots Claim DE Yannick Ngakoue

November 9th, 2024 at 12:15pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

SATURDAY, 12:15pm: The Bengals were the only other team to make a claim on Ngakoue, per ESPN’s Field Yates.

FRIDAY, 3:55pm: The Patriots have claimed Yannick Ngakoue off waivers after the veteran pass-rusher was waived by the Ravens on Thursday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Ngakoue recorded 1.5 sacks in 87 defensive snaps across five games with the Ravens this season, his second stint in Baltimore after arriving as a trade deadline acquisition in 2020. The Ravens needed to make room on their 53-man roster for the activation of Keaton Mitchell from the Physically Unable to Perform list, forcing them to waive Ngakoue despite his rotational role in the pass rush since signing him to the practice squad in September.

Since Ngakoue was cut by the Ravens after the trade deadline, he was subject to waivers rather than becoming a free agent and choosing his next team. Now, he will join the 2-7 Patriots, his seventh different NFL team since 2019.

The Patriots traded Josh Uche to the Chiefs last week, leaving them thin at edge rusher. Ngakoue will only cost the Patriots $656,667 – the remaining portion of his veteran minimum salary – for the rest of the season.

New England’s pass rush has struggled this season with just 16 sacks, the fourth-fewest in the league. Ngakoue’s 1.5 sacks rank fourth on the team’s active roster, behind Keion White, Deatrich Wise, and Jaquelin Roy.

NFL Injury Updates: Hurts, Coleman, Barmore

November 8th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

An interesting situation played out today when Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni seemed to let something inadvertently slip during his press conference. Sirianni claimed that quarterback Jalen Hurts has been limited in practice as he has been “dealing with the ankle.” This would be of no consequence, if Hurts hadn’t been listed on the injury report with a “rest” designation, per ESPN’s Tim McManus.

Per McManus, two different sources claimed that “Hurts has been dealing with a mild ankle issue for a couple weeks” and that he is dealing with “lower leg soreness.” Hurts was reportedly limited in practice on Wednesday for “load management” purposes, requiring that he be on the injury report. When asked, Hurts told the media that he just does what he’s told and was told a rest day was in the cards this week.

After two days of full participation, Hurts’ availability shouldn’t really be in question this weekend. It will be interesting, though, to see if the league follows up with an investigation on a potential injury reporting violation by the Eagles.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman has already been ruled out for this week after sitting out the entire week of practice. When his status for the week was still up in the air, though, head coach Sean McDermott claimed that, while they were taking it “one day at a time,” there was potential that he could be out for “more than just this week,” according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg followed up with a report from McDermott this morning in which he speculated that Coleman would “probably miss multiple weeks with his wrist injury.” The good news is that McDermott clarified that Coleman would avoid injured reserve, accounting for the fact that the rookie should be back within four weeks.
  • The Patriots have yet to see defensive tackle Christian Barmore in the 2024 season after the 25-year-old was diagnosed with blood clots in late-July. When the regular season was approaching, the team began preparing for a full-season absence from their blossoming interior defender, but according to Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal, Barmore more may yet play in 2024. Head coach Jerod Mayo told the media that “we’re getting close” to a possible return to practice for Barmore earlier this week. While nothing is set in stone with that statement, it’s an encouraging sign for a young player dealing with one of the sport’s scarier diagnoses.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/24

November 8th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s minor roster moves:

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Taylor was waived today in anticipation of everyone’s expectation that Christian McCaffrey will finally be coming off of injured reserve to make his season debut this week.

Virgil was previously on the Broncos but landed on waivers as part of final roster cuts before the start of the regular season. According to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette, Denver tried desperately to sign him to their practice squad after he cleared waivers, but Virgil ultimately decided to sign with Buffalo’s practice squad. He’ll now get an opportunity on the team’s active roster after two standard gameday elevations this year.

Despite being a vested veteran, McMillan will need to clear waivers in order to be re-signed to the Patriots’ practice squad, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. The team already has Joe Giles-Harris and Monty Rice on the practice squad at the position.

2024 NFL Trades

November 5th, 2024 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

We have reached the 2024 trade deadline, which came one week later than the league’s usual endpoint. An offseason measure to move the deadline back one week passed, sliding the deadline beyond Week 9 after it had resided the Tuesday following Week 8 since 2012. That opened the door to more activity this year.

The 2024 offseason also featured extensive work, as teams added starters and depth pieces. Here are the trades involving veteran players (or rookies already drafted) to take place this year:

March 4

Bears chose defensive end Austin Booker at No. 144

March 9

Broncos sent Seahawks No. 136, included 203 in trade with Jets for QB Zach Wilson

March 10

Patriots chose QB Joe Milton at 193

March 11

Bucs drafted WR Jalen McMillan at No. 92; Lions traded No. 201 to Eagles

Panthers traded down from No. 39, giving Rams access to DT Braden Fiske; team moved No. 141 in Bills deal that sent WR Xavier Legette to Carolina. Giants chose RB Tyrone Tracy at 166.

March 12

Bengals chose DB Daijahn Anthony at No. 224 

March 13

Texans traded No. 232 to Vikings

Ravens chose WR Devontez Walker at No. 113, QB Devin Leary at 218; Jets drafted RB Braelon Allen at 134

March 14

Commanders traded Nos. 78, 152 to Eagles in trade that sent CB Cooper DeJean to Philadelphia; Seahawks moved down from No. 102, drafted G Sataoa Laumea at 179

Bolts traded No. 110 to Patriots 

March 15

Steelers chose LB Payton Wilson at No. 98; Eagles traded No. 120 to Dolphins in package that brought back 2025 third-rounder

March 16

Fields must play in 51% of Steelers’ offensive snaps for pick to elevate from sixth to fourth round

March 22

Chiefs traded No. 221 to Bills; Titans chose OLB Jaylen Harrell at 252

March 29

Pick would have become second-rounder had Reddick played 67.5% of Jets’ 2024 defensive snaps and recorded at least 10 sacks. Reddick’s holdout ensured Philly’s pick will land in Round 3.

April 3

Texans dealt No. 189 to Lions for Nos. 205, 249

April 12

Browns chose CB Myles Harden at No. 227

April 22

In trade that gave Vikings J.J. McCarthy draft real estate at No. 10 overall, Jets sent No. 203 to Minnesota; Broncos chose C Nick Gargiulo at 256

April 27

May 9

August 9

August 11

August 14

Dallas carried Phillips on its active roster for two games, meeting minimum requirement for conditional sixth to transfer

August 22

Pick did not convey due to Commanders cutting York before he played in two games with team

August 23

August 24

August 26

August 27

August 28

October 14

October 15

Pick would upgrade to second-rounder if Adams earns first- or second-team All-Pro recognition or is on Jets’ active roster for 2024 AFC championship game or Super Bowl LIX

October 23

Pick would become fourth-rounder if Hopkins both plays 60% of Chiefs’ remaining offensive snaps and Kansas City advances to Super Bowl LIX

October 28

October 29

Robinson’s playing time will determine if Jags pick climbs to a fourth-rounder and whether Vikings will end up receiving 2026 seventh

November 4

November 5

Sixth-rounder going to New Orleans comes from pick Saints sent Commanders for John Ridgeway 

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/5/24

November 5th, 2024 at 9:07pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Free Agent

We don’t have a reason for Moreland’s suspension yet, but we know that it will last three weeks. He hasn’t played in the NFL since 2021, but if a team were to sign him, he wouldn’t be available for three games.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/5/24

November 5th, 2024 at 6:40pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Chargers Interested In Patriots’ K.J. Osborn

November 5th, 2024 at 10:44am CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers showed interest in veteran wide receivers this offseason, doing so after cutting ties with the seven-year Keenan Allen–Mike Williams tandem. Although Jim Harbaugh is in the process of turning around yet another team, it is back in the WR market.

In addition to showing interest in reacquiring Williams, the Bolts have one of the available Patriots pass catchers on their radar. The AFC West club is believed to be in the K.J. Osborn market, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. With Allen Lazard‘s injury perhaps giving the Jets cold feet on moving Williams, interested teams need to have backup plans.

[RELATED: Examining WR Market’s Final Stage]

It is unclear if a trade market will truly form, though Giardi points to other teams being open to adding the former Vikings slot receiver as well. The Patriots gave Osborn a one-year, $4MM deal in free agency. They are shopping the fifth-year veteran but have also been linked to merely cutting him after the deadline if no deal comes to fruition. For the season, Osborn has just seven receptions for 57 yards.

Were Osborn to be cut following today’s 3pm CT deadline, his vested-veteran status would no longer protect him from waivers. All players cut hit the wire if they are dropped after the deadline, opening the door to Osborn being unable to pick his next team. He is tied to just a $1.18MM base salary, which would not do too much to dissuade an interested team from claiming him. This prospect could convince a team to send a low-level compensation package the Patriots’ way.

Osborn, 27, fared better in Minnesota. He totaled 655 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2021 and nearly matched those totals in 2022 (650, five) to help the Vikings win the NFC North. Osborn caught 48 passes for 540 yards last season, one that featured four Minnesota starting QBs due to Kirk Cousins‘ midseason Achilles tear.

The Pats appear OK moving Kendrick Bourne or former second-rounder Tyquan Thornton as well. The team pursued big-ticket WR upgrades this offseason but did not add one. Still, the Pats drafted two receivers (Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker) and have Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte rostered.

The Chargers have centered their first post-Allen/Williams passing attack around second-rounder Ladd McConkey; the Pats traded down with the Bolts to give them McConkey access at No. 34. Josh Palmer is currently with the team, but the Chargers may be open to trading the former third-round pick due to the free agent-to-be not being in their 2025 plans. Los Angeles hosted a few receivers this offseason but settled on DJ Chark, who has missed much of this season due to injury.

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