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Patriots Designate Cole Strange For Return

November 20th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Sam Robinson

It looks like the Patriots will work Cole Strange back into action during Drake Maye‘s rookie season. The team’s 2022 first-round pick is set to practice Wednesday, Jerod Mayo said.

This will mark the start of Strange’s 21-day activation window from the reserve/PUP list, which the veteran guard has resided on throughout the season. Strange has been working his way back from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. This comes after a Mike Reiss ESPN.com offering indicated the third-year lineman is indeed in the homestretch of his recovery, pointing to an activation coming soon.

Playing exclusively at left guard during his first two seasons with the Pats, Strange has not yet justified his higher-than-expected draft slot. The Patriots chose Strange 29th overall and used him as a 17-game starter in 2022, but injury trouble surfaced last year. Strange missed four of New England’s first six games last season and then ended up shut down for their final three due to the severe knee malady he sustained.

Mayo had said Strange could see center work previously, and the rookie HC again did not rule this out. The Patriots have been without David Andrews for most of this season; the Tom Brady-era blocker is down for the rest of the year. Though, Mayo said (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi) the team wants to see Strange go through some practices before determining his position.

Not logging a snap anywhere else up front during his first two seasons, the young left guard returning would certainly boost a Pats line that has experienced staffing issues — particularly at center and left tackle — this season. The Patriots have given Michael Jordan the bulk of the work at LG this season; Pro Football Focus has rated both he and rookie Layden Robinson among the worst guard regulars this season. The team has also tried Michael Onwenu at left guard in recent practices, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. Onwenu has moved around the Pats’ O-line during his career but has concentrated on the right side, splitting his time between RG and RT in games this season.

Strange’s return should help the Pats settle on an Onwenu position, at long last. Although Mayo said third-round rookie Caedan Wallace was not yet ready to practice, a return before season’s end is expected. Wallace is eligible to come off IR, where he has resided since early October due to an ankle injury.

Injured Reserve Return Tracker

November 19th, 2024 at 6:24pm 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 12:

Arizona Cardinals

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Designated for return from IR (August 27): 

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

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

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Detroit Lions

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Green Bay Packers

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 6

Houston Texans

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Jacksonville Jaguars

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:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

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 (practice window opened Nov. 20)

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):

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New England Patriots

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New Orleans Saints

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

New York Giants

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Pittsburgh Steelers

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

  • OL Dylan Cook (released Oct. 31)

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 4

San Francisco 49ers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 4

Seattle Seahawks

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eligible for activation:

Designated for return:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Tennessee Titans

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

Washington Commanders

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Minor NFL Transactions 11/19/24

November 19th, 2024 at 6:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest moves from around the NFL:

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/24

November 18th, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived from IR: LB Deion Jennings

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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.

Patriots Activate DL Christian Barmore

November 16th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots will welcome back one of their defensive leaders for Week 11. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the team is activating defensive lineman Christian Barmore off the non-football illness list. Barmore is expected to play tomorrow.

[RELATED: Pats’ Christian Barmore Returns To Practice]

The 25-year-old was sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots in late July. He was subsequently placed on NFI, and the seriousness of Barmore’s diagnosis led to speculation that he could be out for the entire 2024 season.

Fortunately, things seemed to be trending in the right direction for the former second-round pick, as the organization expressed continued optimism surrounding his recovery. The organization all but confirmed Barmore’s impending return when they welcomed him back to practice earlier this week. There was some initial skepticism surrounding the DL’s Week 11 availability after he missed yesterday’s practice, but it sounds like he’ll be ready to make his season debut tomorrow.

After showing flashes through his first two seasons in the NFL, Barmore seemed to put it all together in 2023. The defensive lineman established new career-highs in sacks (8.5), tackles (64), pressures (19), and tackles for loss (13). With Barmore eyeing the final season of his rookie pact in 2024, the Patriots eagerly handed him a a four-year, $84MM extension this past spring.

The Patriots’ pass rush and run defense haven’t been completely helpless in 2024, but Barmore should still help to improve those middle-of-the-road units. While New England doesn’t have a whole lot to play for down the stretch, the organization would gladly take continued development from Barmore as they head towards the offseason.

Patriots Cut WR Tyquan Thornton

November 16th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Ben Levine

As one of only three squads to carry seven wide receivers for much of the campaign, the Patriots are finally clearing some of their depth. The team has cut wideout Tyquan Thornton, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

A 2022 second-round pick out of Baylor, Thornton struggled to carve out a role in New England. The wideout showed some flashes as a rookie, hauling in 22 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns while starting nine of his 13 appearances. Thanks in part to inconsistent QB play, Thornton struggled as a sophomore, finishing with only 13 catches while missing a chunk of the season with a shoulder injury.

While the Patriots underwent significant changes during the offseason (including to their offense), Thornton hasn’t been able to revive his career. The wideout saw a fair share of snaps to start the season with Kendrick Bourne and Kayshon Boutte sidelined. However, as the receivers room got back to full strength, Thornton found himself on the outside looking in.

Over the past six weeks, the third-year WR has seen the field for only 13 offensive snaps (with 12 of those snaps coming in Week 8). In addition to Bourne and Boutte, Thornton also found himself behind the likes of Demario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, and K.J. Osborn in the pecking order.

While Osborn is an impending free agent, the Patriots decided to move on from Thornton despite one year remaining on his rookie contract. Another squad could inherit that contract by making a waiver claim, and NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe notes that the receiver is healthy and “ready for his next opportunity.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

November 16th, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

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.

Pats’ Christian Barmore Returns To Practice

November 15th, 2024 at 9:45am CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 15: Mayo left the door open to Barmore playing in Week 11 on a limited basis (video link via Reiss). A meeting will take place later today with doctors to determine if he gets the green light to return to game action immediately after practicing. In any event, Barmore should be in the lineup relatively soon.

NOVEMBER 14: Christian Barmore has been out of the lineup for the 2024 season while dealing with blood clots. Not long after Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo gave an encouraging update on his status, the fourth-year defensive tackle is positioned to resume on-field work.

Barmore is expected to practice today, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Mayo indicated such a development could be possible in the near future yesterday, so it comes as little surprise a return to the field is forthcoming. Getting Barmore back in the fold at any point this campaign would be crucial for New England’s defensive front. Barmore has since returned to the field, as ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss confirms.

The 25-year-old was diagnosed with blood clots in late July, leaving him sidelined as his attention turned to recovery. Without a firm timeline in place, the possibility existed that Barmore would be out for the entire season, although today’s news is a strong sign that will not be the case. He remains on the reserve/non-football injury list at this time, and suiting up for practice would open his 21-day activation window. Being moved onto the active roster within that span would allow Barmore to play this season.

The former second-rounder landed a four-year, $84MM extension this spring to avoid the 2024 campaign becoming a potential walk year. The blood clot diagnosis marked an unwanted turn for team and player, of course, but the size of that investment illustrates Barmore’s importance to the Patriots’ defense. He took a major step forward in the pass-rush department last year, setting a career high with 8.5 sacks. Barmore’s 64 tackles, 19 pressures, 13 tackles for loss and six pass deflections that year also marked a personal high.

In his absence, the Patriots have allowed just under 131 rushing yards per game; that ranks 23rd in the league. Improvement in that regard would be key in continuing the team’s momentum from winning two of its last three games. Barmore managing to reprise his role as a key pass-rushing figure along the interior would also give New England’s defense a notable boost.

Sitting at 3-7 on the year, the Patriots face a long road to playoff contention. Regardless of how the rest of the campaign plays out, though, getting Barmore back on the field for any stretch would be a signficant positive.

Bill Belichick’s “Lieutenants” Ready To Join HC At New Job

November 14th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Bill Belichick is expected to be the most sought-after individual in this upcoming offseason’s head coaching market. While the iconic coach got shut out of the 2024 campaign, there seems to be a general sentiment that he’ll be roaming the sideline in 2025.

In fact, there’s so much confidence in a Belichick return, many of his “lieutenants” are ready to follow. As Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes, some of Belichick’s former assistant coaches are “preparing to join him” at his new destination. Howe adds that Belichick’s impending staff could look very similar to his staffs in New England.

Howe doesn’t provide any specifics, but there are some former Belichick disciples who could be readily available. Josh McDaniels had two long stints in New England during his coaching career, including 13 combined years as the Patriots offensive coordinator. While McDaniels has failed multiple times as a head coach, he’s still shown he can guide an offense without Tom Brady leading the way; the former OC played an instrumental role in Mac Jones‘ Pro Bowl rookie campaign. With McDaniels having been unemployed since getting canned by the Raiders last year, the coach would presumably be more than willing to join Belichick’s next coaching staff.

On the defensive side of the ball, Belichick could just attend a family outing to recruit his top assistant. Steve Belichick served as the team’s co-de facto defensive coordinator (alongside current Patriots HC Jerod Mayo) during the older Belichick’s latter seasons. When his dad parted ways with the Patriots, the younger Belichick left for Washington to serve as the Huskies’ defensive coordinator. Steve’s Washington defense has allowed more than 30 points per game over the last four games, and with the school eyeing a lost season, the younger Belichick probably wouldn’t receive much push back for joining his father.

Of course, before Belichick can start forming his staff, he’ll need to find his next gig. As Howe notes, the future Hall of Famer won’t be receptive to joining a rebuilding squad as he chases Don Shula’s wins record. The former Patriots architect will likely require full control of the roster, so it’s uncertain if win-now squads like the Cowboys (who have a built-in hierarchy led by owner Jerry Jones) would even be a logical suitor. Ultimately, there seems to be confidence that Belichick will eventually settle on a gig, and he appears to have a full coaching staff ready to go.

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.

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