Saints Sign WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

OCTOBER 24: To little surprise, Valdes-Scantling accepted a one-year deal for the veteran minimum ($1.13MM) to head to New Orleans. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell notes he will carry a cap charge of $688K for 2024 as he looks to boost his free agent stock.

OCTOBER 21: Marquez Valdes-Scantling has found his next gig. The veteran wideout is signing with the Saints, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.

[RELATED: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling To Visit Saints]

The receiver worked out for the organization earlier today. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Valdes-Scantling also received interest from the Colts, Commanders, and “other” squads. Ultimately, he landed a job in New Orleans.

Following a two-year stint with the Chiefs, the former Packers draft pick caught on with the Bills this past offseason. Valdes-Scantling got into each of Buffalo’s first six games, hauling in only a pair of catches despite getting into close to 40 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. Following the Bills’ acquisition of Amari Cooper last week, MVS was cut loose, allowing him to resume his career elsewhere.

He’ll now land in New Orleans, where he could quickly see a role in the WR-needy offense. Chris Olave missed yesterday’s game as he continues to recover from a concussion, and the team recently lost wideout Rashid Shaheed to season-ending meniscus surgery. Considering the team’s dwindling depth, it’s no surprise that they were involved in the Davante Adams sweepstakes prior to the Jets-Raiders trade. The organization has also been connected to Mike Williams, whom Gang Green is seeking to move now that it has landed Adams.

MVS has never been confused for a WR1, but the veteran should provide the Saints with a steady presence in their receivers room. The wideout collected 687 receiving yards as recently as 2022, and he topped 400 receiving yards in each of his four seasons with the Packers. Of course, his 2023 campaign left a bit to be desired, as he set new career-lows in receptions (21) and receiving yards (315).

Still, as mentioned, the Saints will take what they can get. During Thursday’s loss to the Broncos, the team was forced to rely on the likes of Bub Means, Mason Tipton, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. to lead their WR grouping. Even when Olave returns to the field, MVS should be able to carve out a role with the Saints.

Buccaneers Not Considering WR Addition

At 4-3, the Buccaneers are in the thick of the NFC South race. Another division title could be within reach by the end of the season, but winning it will require new contributors at the receiver spot.

Chris Godwin is likely out for the season due to his dislocated ankle, and Mike Evans‘ hamstring injury is expected to leave him sidelined until after Tampa Bay’s bye week. Even with the latter set to return later in 2024, questions have been raised about the possibility of a receiver acquisition before the trade deadline. That position has certainly seen plenty of recent movement, with Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins being dealt.

A number of other pass-catching options are still on the market, the most notable of which being Cooper Kupp. The Bucs should not be expected to be a contender to land the Rams All-Pro in the event he gets dealt, but other wideouts could be brought in as a rental. Darius Slayton of the Giants is among the receivers who are pending free agents and who could therefore be on the move ahead of the November 5 deadline. However, Tampa Bay is not interested in finding a stop-gap replacement for Godwin and (to an extent) Evans.

“We think Mike is coming back, but we really like our young guys,” head coach Todd Bowles said when asked about the state of the team’s WR room (via ESPN’s Jenna Laine). “There are guys out there, but for what we would have to give up to get them, in the long run, it’s probably not worth it.”

Tampa Bay invested a third-round pick in Jalen McMillan this April, and the rookie saw eight targets – by far his highest total to date – during Monday’s contest. He should be expected to handle an increased workload moving forward, as should 2023 sixth-rounder Trey Palmer. Veteran Sterling Shepard – added in the offseason after being recruited by quarterback and former Oklahoma teammate Baker Mayfield – has managed to carve out a notable role early in his first Tampa Bay campaign. He could be in line for a full-time starting gig at least until Evans returns.

With $10.4MM in cap space, Tampa Bay could afford a modest addition at the receiver spot. Given Bowles’ remarks, though, a likelier usage of those funds would be a move aimed at helping the team’s defense, which currently sits 29th in points and 31st in yards allowed.

Chiefs Acquire DeAndre Hopkins From Titans

9:59pm: Tennessee is set to pay $2.5MM of Hopkins’ remaining base salary, Rapoport tweets. This will cover roughly half of Hopkins’ remaining total. The $2.5MM will be paid out as a signing bonus, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

As far as conditions go, the Chiefs will need to qualify for Super Bowl LIX with Hopkins playing 60% of the snaps during the regular season for the pick to climb from a fifth- to a fourth-rounder.

7:15am: The wide receiver market’s latest domino involves the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions. Decimated at the position, the Chiefs are making their move. They are expected to acquire DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.

Kansas City pursued Hopkins via trade and made a free agency offer — once the Cardinals ended up cutting him — in 2023. The team will circle back to the decorated pass catcher, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting Kansas City is sending a conditional fifth-round pick to Tennessee for Hopkins. Should conditions be met, Tennessee’s pick can rise to a fourth. A Super Bowl appearance will likely factor into the conditions, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.

Cooper Kupp also came up during the Chiefs’ WR search, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, but financial issues impeded them regarding a deal with the Rams. The Chiefs, who sit in the bottom quartile in terms of cap space ($4.16MM entering Wednesday), required a team who would take on a departing player’s salary to fill their receiver need. The Titans are expected to eat some of Hopkins’ salary, Russini adds. It does not appear the Rams are prepared to eat a significant chunk of Kupp’s 2024 base.

The Chiefs were again connected to Hopkins recently, and it appears the Titans will pay some of the veteran’s prorated base salary to acquire the Day 3 pick. A $4.86MM tab remains on Hopkins’ 2024 base on a two-year, $26MM deal — one that proved too rich for the Chiefs during their 2023 free agency pursuit. Still finalizing the deal, the Chiefs are preparing to have Hopkins in uniform for their Week 8 Raiders matchup, Russini adds.

Hopkins, 32, has struggled to establish consistency this season. But that has been an issue across the Titans’ pass offense, as big-ticket free agency pickup Calvin Ridley has also failed to produce much in the way of consequence in a Tennessee passing attack featuring Will Levis and Mason Rudolph at the controls. Hopkins has 15 receptions for 173 yards and one touchdown this season.

Although the Chiefs did extensive work on Hopkins in 2023, Rapoport indicates this trade did not gain steam until early this week. The team was targeting a player who could help inside and in the red zone, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reports. A player who thrived on contested catches at his peak, Hopkins is not at this Texans-era apex any longer. But he has 79 career TDs and is coming off a 1,000-yard season.

Down both Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown for the season, the Chiefs had been reliant on players they reacquired. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman played roles for the depleted WR cadre, but the former is now down with a hamstring injury. The Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy first-round pick has delivered flashes, but the Texas-developed speedster has not offered consistency yet. Hopkins will stand to help the team in that department, providing help as a possession receiver to help free up the likes of Worthy and Travis Kelce.

This move comes barely a week after the Jets and Bills made their WR strikes, with both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper heading to New York. Carrying a lower ceiling at this point in his career, Hopkins will change teams for a lower price. Having battled injuries since his second Cardinals season, the three-time first-team All-Pro missed several weeks with a knee malady this summer. Hopkins, however, returned in time for Week 1 and has not missed a game. Considering the Chiefs’ in-house injury problems, it is clear they feel confident their new piece can stay healthy.

Hopkins loomed as a bigger trade piece in 2023, when countless rumors emerged about the receiver amid a Cardinals regime change. The former Texans star had loomed as a player the Monti Ossenfort-led front office was set to move on from, and the Chiefs came up on Hopkins’ list of preferred destinations. The Chiefs discussed Hopkins with the Cardinals, joining the Bills in that regard. But those talks broke down for salary reasons. Hopkins, who had signed a $27.5MM-per-year extension with the Cards, became unwilling to discuss taking a pay cut to facilitate a trade upon learning the Ravens gave Odell Beckham Jr. a fully guaranteed $15MM. The Cardinals then cut him.

While the Chiefs did not join the Titans and Patriots in hosting Hopkins as a free agent last summer, they made an offer. The allure of playing with Patrick Mahomes did not supersede what was viewed as a far superior Titans proposal, with Hopkins signing a two-year, $26MM deal with the then-Mike Vrabel-led Titans. Kansas City and New England are believed to have offered incentive-laden deals that came in well short of where Tennessee did.

Hopkins joined a team then quarterbacked by Ryan Tannehill, but the Titans quickly geared their mission around Levis. Hopkins played a central role in Levis’ rookie-year development, and despite the second-round pick struggling, his top receiver cranked out a seventh 1,000-yard season. Hopkins totaled 1,057 yards last year. This was off the pace he had set in Houston and during his first Arizona season, but the four-contract player — initially a 2013 Texans first-round pick — showed he could still contribute. Hopkins played all 17 games last season, representing an important selling point.

Benching Tannehill during what turned out to be Vrabel’s final season, the Titans heard from teams on Hopkins before last year’s deadline. They passed on moving both he and Derrick Henry. After Henry walked in free agency, the Titans again received interest on their oldest wide receiver. Hopkins had expressed a desire to finish his career in Tennessee, and the Titans were not believed to be shopping him. But they will move on from the contract-year player for a late-round pick.

The Rams are seeking a second-rounder for Kupp, who is only one year younger than Hopkins. Kupp, however, produced one of the greatest seasons in wide receiver history in 2021 and has been highly productive when healthy since. The latter caveat, coupled with a higher salary, will hurt the Rams’ negotiating position. The Titans have Ridley on a four-year, $92MM deal; the 1-5 team will keep building around around the recent free agency addition while saying goodbye to their 2023 free agent prize.

This marks the third straight year the Chiefs have acquired a wideout via trade in-season. Their Kadarius Toney swing ultimately backfired, despite a Super Bowl-record punt return, with the team cutting the shifty but unreliable ex-first-rounder in August. Hardman delivered the Super Bowl LVIII walk-off touchdown and re-signed with the team. The Chiefs will likely continue to involve Hardman in their offense, but the still-Kelce-centered passing attack will now heavily feature Hopkins alongside Worthy.

Browns Hand Play-Calling Reins To OC Ken Dorsey

Amid a disastrous start, the Browns are changing play-callers. Despite winning Coach of the Year twice since arriving in Cleveland in 2020, Kevin Stefanski will hand over play-calling duties to his new top lieutenant.

Ken Dorsey will take over in that role, Stefanski announced Wednesday. This comes nearly a year after the Bills fired Dorsey from his post as their offensive play-caller. While Stefanski is determining if Dorsey will call plays from the sideline or the booth, he is delegating play-calling responsibilities after holding that role for four-plus seasons.

Refusing to bench Deshaun Watson, Stefanski had said he needed to be better in the play-calling role. With Watson out of the picture for the season’s remainder (and potentially for good in Cleveland, though his contract remains an anchor), Dorsey will take over for the accomplished HC. With the Browns set to start Jameis Winston in Week 8, he will hear the former Bills OC calling the shots.

Stefanski saw his offense work with Baker Mayfield in 2020 and again with Joe Flacco, despite a spate of injuries on offense, last season. Both slates ended with the Cleveland HC honored as NFL Coach of the Year. Stefanski also coaxed decent play from Jacoby Brissett during Watson’s 11-game suspension in 2022. The Stefanski-Watson partnership did not mesh, and while the latter probably deserves the lion’s share of the blame (as he ranks last in QBR and first in guaranteed money), this has not been the coach’s finest hour either. The Browns enter Week 8 last in total offense and 29th in scoring.

Although Jimmy Haslam placed what can now be labeled blame on GM Andrew Berry for hatching the plan to fully guarantee Watson’s contract to convince him to waive his no-trade clause for Cleveland in 2022, Stefanski was believed to be aligned with the front office boss. The Watson vision backfired spectacularly, and the Browns now must navigate a season that involves seller’s trades despite a quarterback signed at a fully guaranteed rate through 2026. Despite Berry and Stefanski having signed extensions this offseason, it would not be out of the question ownership is evaluating both long term — given the Watson debacle. Dorsey is suddenly a key player in this chapter.

The Bills fired Dorsey despite coaching a top-five offense. Buffalo began to lean on the run game more under interim OC Joe Brady, with Dorsey playing a role in attempting to influence Josh Allen to run less (for body preservation purposes). As Allen struggled with turnovers and the Bills in a midseason slump last season, Sean McDermott fired Dorsey. In Dorsey’s one full season as Buffalo’s OC (2022), the team ranked second in both points and yards. Of course, Allen played the lead role there. Going from the MVP candidate to Winston will be a steep drop for the second-chance OC.

Stefanski did not initially announce he would keep play-calling duties until training camp. Put in position to justify Watson’s starting spot repeatedly, Stefanski will now shift to a CEO role to close out his fifth season as Browns HC.

Watson’s endless struggles put Stefanski in a tough spot, and despite Flacco’s success producing a playoff berth, Stefanski — the Vikings’ play-caller before taking the Browns job in 2020 — will take a step back. At 1-6, the Browns are set for a major shakeup. It will be Dorsey and Winston’s show beginning Sunday.

Robert Saleh Working With Packers

Robert Saleh turned up at Packers practice Wednesday, and it does not appear the recently fired Jets HC was merely visiting. Matt LaFleur has a role in mind for the veteran defensive coach.

Crediting Saleh with helping him break into the NFL coaching ranks, LaFleur said (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky) Saleh will work with the team through Thursday in a fluid role. Saleh was not expected coach elsewhere this season, but he has decided to help LaFleur for at least this week.

Saleh and LaFleur lived together while graduate assistants at Central Michigan in the 2000s. Saleh then encouraged Gary Kubiak to hire LaFleur as a Texans offensive assistant in 2008, Demovsky adds. LaFleur was the best man at Saleh’s wedding. Were Saleh to backtrack on a plan to stay out of coaching for this season’s remainder, it would make sense for that change of heart to involve the Packers.

The Jets fired Saleh after five games this season. Woody Johnson made the decision, going around GM Joe Douglas to do so. Saleh has remained in touch with interim Jets HC Jeff Ulbrich and would stand, based on his 49ers past and the Jets’ defensive turnaround over the past three seasons, to be a coveted DC candidate come 2025. Saleh, 45, may well stay busy in the meantime.

Some Jets players, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, view Johnson as acting too quickly. As a result of this — and presumably the team’s two losses under Ulbrich — less-than-ideal vibes are present in the locker room. Saleh went 20-36 as Jets HC, though much of that tenure involved QB bust Zach Wilson at the controls. Johnson cited a lack of belief in Saleh’s ability to turn this season around. While Ulbrich and Aaron Rodgers could eventually do so, they have dug a deeper hole since the full-time HC’s firing.

LaFleur said Saleh is working on the offensive side, but the temporary assistant has a history with new Packers DC Jeff Hafley as well. Hafley worked under Saleh as San Francisco’s DBs coach from 2017-18.

Giants Owner Doesn’t Anticipate HC/GM Changes

With the Giants sitting at 2-5 and cruising toward another lost season, there’s naturally been speculation surrounding the job status of head coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. The duo got a surprising vote of confidence from owner John Mara this evening. While attending a showing of NFL Network’s “The Duke: Wellington Mara’s Giant Life,” Mara told reporters (including NFL.com’s Judy Battista) that he expects to keep his HC/GM tandem through the 2024 campaign and into the 2025 season.

“Obviously we’re all very disappointed with where we are right now,” Mara said (via Pat Leonard of NY Daily News). “But I’m gonna say one thing: we are not making any changes this season. And I do not anticipate making any changes in the offseason, either.”

Mara brought Schoen and Daboll over from Buffalo in 2022. They ended up squeezing out one of Daniel Jones‘ most productive seasons, and the duo helped guide the Giants to their first playoff appearance since 2016. Things didn’t go nearly as well in 2023, with the team falling to 6-11. Jones was limited to only six games, although the Giants were 5-6 with Tommy DeVito and Tyrod Taylor at quarterback.

The Giants have continued to stick with Jones in 2024, and the results have generally been underwhelming. The team did win two of three games between Week 3 and Week 5, but they followed that up by getting outscored 10-45 in their last two contests (including Sunday’s loss to the Eagles when former star Saquon Barkley collected more than 180 total yards). Tensions have naturally started to rise in New York, and precedent would usually point to the top decision makers being a bit reactionary.

Since Tom Coughlin‘s departure, the Giants have employed four head coaches in eight-plus seasons (not including 2017 fill-in Steve Spagnuolo). Mara previously stated a desire to be more patient with his current regime, and that appears to be his approach with Daboll and Schoen. Notably, Mara wouldn’t commit to Jones beyond the 2024 season. Assuming the HC/GM hitch their wagon to a rookie QB in 2025, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post believes the duo would probably have job security through the 2026 campaign.

On the flip side, it’s only Week 8, so expect plenty of skepticism to surround Mara’s comments. The owner can probably be confident that he won’t make any changes during the 2024 season, but it may be a bit premature to definitively give Daboll and Schoen a full commitment for 2025.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/23/24

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

While the Dolphins should soon have Tua Tagovailoa back on the field, the team has still added another QB to the mix. The team added veteran C.J. Beathard to the taxi squad today. The quarterback has bounced around the NFL since 2017, including a few stops in San Francisco when current Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel served as the 49ers run game coordinator. The 30-year-old got a start for the Jaguars last season, completing 17 of his 24 pass attempts for 178 yards. The newest addition will join a QB room that also includes Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, and Tim Boyle.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/23/24

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: LS Matt Orzech
  • Waived: DL Jonathan Ford

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The Bears should soon be getting some offensive reinforcement. Most notably, lineman Larry Borom returned to practice today after missing the first chunk of the season with an ankle injury. The former fifth-round pick has been a reliable swing OT for the Bears over the past three years, starting 23 of his 39 appearances. The team will also welcome back Travis Homer, who has been sidelined since Week 3 with a finger injury. The veteran RB may have a tough time cracking the rotation upon his return with D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Khalil Herbert currently leading the depth chart. The Bears will have 21 days to activate either of the two players to the 53-man roster.

Jordan Phillips was back at Cowboys practice today after landing on IR in mid-September. The defensive lineman’s injury wasn’t ever made particularly clear; the Cowboys claimed the player was favoring his previously repaired wrist, although the player later hinted that he was forced to the sideline because of conditioning. After more than a month on the shelf, the veteran will now get another look. The Cowboys acquired Phillips from the Giants back in August, and the veteran only got into about one fourth of his team’s defensive snaps before landing on IR. Phillips appeared in 26 games for the Bills between 2022 and 2023, collecting 35 tackles and four sacks.

Patriots Notes: Belichick, Barmore, OL Changes, QB, Osborn

When the Patriots parted ways with Bill Belichick following the 2023 campaign, the divorce was described as an “amicable” and “mutual” decision. However, during a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club podcast, owner Robert Kraft made it pretty clear that it was his decision to move on from the iconic head coach.

“I kept him for 24 years,” Kraft said (via Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe). “I didn’t enjoy having to fire him, but I tried to do it – if you look at the press conference and how it happened, tried to do it in a classy way.”

“What he did for us was great. People need to adapt. People need to adapt and if they don’t, things can change. In life, it’s about getting good chemistry and trust and I feel that our record the last three or four years wasn’t what I wanted.”

Belichick generally drew much of the blame for the organization’s post-Tom Brady decline. The team didn’t bottom out right away; in fact, they won 10 games and made the postseason with a rookie Mac Jones during the 2021 campaign. However, following a 4-13 showing in 2023 (the team’s worst showing since 1992), Kraft decided to make Belichick the scapegoat and move on from the franchise stalwart.

With Belichick now hitting the media circuit, the former coach has generally been pretty reserved when discussing his former club. That changed this past week, when Belichick appeared on Jim Gray’s Let’s Go! podcast alongside Brady. The future Hall of Fame coach was especially critical of new head coach Jerod Mayo‘s assertion that his 1-6 squad was “soft,” and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald wonders if Belichick may be changing his tune following Kraft’s aforementioned quotes.

More notes out of New England…

  • After Christian Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots in July, the Patriots had been bracing for a potential full-season absence for the starting defensive lineman. Fortunately, there may be some good news on that front, with Mayo telling reporters that the former second-round pick was “progressing” in his recovery (via Kyed). Mayo even admitted that he’s changed his stance on Barmore’s 2024 availability, with the head coach stating that the DT could end up seeing the field at some point this season.
  • Michael Onwenu started the season as the Patriots right tackle but has seen an uptick in playing time at right guard in recent weeks. Offensive line coach Scott
    Peters said he hopes the change is permanent, although the former sixth-round pick’s position will continue to be dependent on his teammates’ availability (per ESPN’s Mike Reiss). The team is bracing for another position change on their OL, as former first-round guard Cole Strange could see snaps at center when he’s activated from PUP (via Kyed). The lineman has missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from a knee injury.
  • While the Patriots always seemed to hint that Drake Maye would eventually take over for veteran seat warmer Jacoby Brissett, the staff hastily made the change ahead of the team’s Week 6 contest. Brissett told reporters that he wasn’t told of the team’s definitive 2024 plans at the position (via Kyed), although he did seem to hint that he knew he’d eventually hit the bench for his rookie teammate. Brissett tossed a pair of touchdowns in his five starts, while Maye has already found the end zone five times in two starts.
  • Mayo admitted to reporters that offseason acquisition K.J. Osborn was likely frustrated with his role in New England, per Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal. The former Vikings draft pick led the position in snaps for the first four weeks of the season, but after returning in Week 7 following a two-game absence, the veteran found himself behind all of Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, and Ja’Lynn Polk (Osborn had two more snaps than fellow wideout Demario Douglas). In five games this season, Osborn has hauled in seven catches for 57 yards and one touchdown.

Seahawks Place OT Stone Forsythe On IR

The Seahawks have lost yet another lineman. According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, the team has placed offensive tackle Stone Forsythe on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the team claimed linebacker Josh Ross off waivers from the Ravens.

[RELATED: Abraham Lucas, George Fant Return To Practice]

A 2021 sixth-round pick, Forsythe has spent his entire career in Seattle. He’s mostly served as a backup and special teamer, although he took on a larger role in 2023 when he established career-highs in starts (eight) and offensive snaps (501).

He was thrust back into the starting lineup at right tackle for the 2024 campaign. Abe Lucas hasn’t appeared in a game this year while recovering from knee surgery, and fill-in George Fant suffered his own knee injury during the season opener. Forsythe started the next five games for Seattle before missing last weekend’s game with a hand injury. That issue ultimately landed him on IR, and he’ll now miss at least the next four games.

While Pro Football Focus has graded Forsythe as the third-worst qualifying player at his position this year, the Seahawks have clearly valued some semblance of continuity on their OL. Fortunately, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as both Lucas and Fant have returned to practice. If either of the veterans are unable to take the field this weekend, rookie sixth-round pick Mike Jerrell will likely get another start at RT.

Ross should provide the Seahawks with some depth at weakside linebacker after the team dealt Jerome Baker and a fourth-round to the Titans for MLB Ernest Jones. However, expectations shouldn’t be high, as the former UDFA has exclusively played on special teams in his 12 career games.