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Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/24

December 24th, 2024 at 6:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s minor NFL moves, including elevations for tomorrow’s Christmas Day doubleheader:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles 

San Francisco 49ers

The Cardinals – who were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday – will close out the season without either of their starting tackles. Both Johnson and Williams are dealing with knee injuries, and they will be shut down for the remainder of the campaign. The former was a full-time starter as a rookie last year and made 14 appearances in 2024 upon switching to the blindside. Williams signed a one-year deal in free agency to handle RT duties, but two separate knee ailments will limit him to six games played this year. The 27-year-old’s free agent stock will take a hit as a result.

Wallace has made 13 appearances in 2024, his first season with the Broncos. The veteran has handled part-time defensive duties along the way, while also chipping in on special teams. As Denver returns to health at the CB spot, though, Wallace will hit the waiver wire. Should he clear, head coach Sean Payton said the Broncos would like to re-sign him via a practice squad deal (h/t Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette).

Fashanu exited the Jets’ Week 16 contest on crutches, and it was recently reported he would miss the rest of the season as a result. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said on Tuesday surgery to repair the first-round rookie’s plantar fascia would be needed, but the team has since clarified a procedure will not take place. Fashanu is expected to recover in full through rehab.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

December 24th, 2024 at 3:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

Two weeks remain in the regular season, and while a number of teams are jockeying for playoff spots several others are still in contention to land a coveted draft slot. It remains to be seen where the No. 1 selection will wind up.

The Giants and Raiders entered Sunday’s action with two wins apiece, and New York’s loss kept the team strongly in contention to kick off the draft in April. By virtue of winning against the Jaguars, though, the Raiders hurt their chances of finding themselves in that position. A top-two spot (or thereabouts) may be required to draft either of this year’s top passers, but a small move up the order positioning Vegas to add one could still be on the table.

Five teams currently sit a 3-12, and a head-to-head matchup between the Titans and Jaguars on Sunday will be key in deciding where each of them wind up. Another three squads own a 4-11 record, so plenty of potential exists in terms of changes being made to the order at the top of the board. Numerous expected suitors for a Day 1 quarterback (including teams like the Browns and Jets) may very well find themselves out of reach for Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders without a trade-up being necessary. The Panthers’ starting situation with Bryce Young is certainly not settled for 2025, but adding a passer on Day 1 would come as a surprise at this point.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

  1. New York Giants (2-13)
  2. New England Patriots (3-12)
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-12)
  5. Cleveland Browns (3-12)
  6. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)
  7. Carolina Panthers (4-11)
  8. New York Jets (4-11)
  9. Chicago Bears (4-11)
  10. New Orleans Saints (5-10)
  11. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
  12. Miami Dolphins (7-8)
  13. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
  14. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
  15. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
  16. Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
  17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
  19. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
  20. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
  21. Houston Texans (9-6)
  22. Denver Broncos (9-6)
  23. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
  24. Washington Commanders (10-5)
  25. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
  26. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
  27. Green Bay Packers (11-4)
  28. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
  29. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
  30. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
  31. Detroit Lions (13-2)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Suffers Concussion

December 22nd, 2024 at 6:36pm CST by Ely Allen

The Eagles suffered their first loss since September today, falling for just the third time this season at the hands of the division-rival Commanders. While Washington finally earned a win over a team with a current winning record, many will likely put an asterisk on the result because Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts only played for one and a half drives.

Hurts exited the game early in the first quarter after Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner brought him down following a 13-yard run. As Hurts was taken to the ground, his helmet made solid contact with the turf, triggering the officials to pull him off the field before the next play. This forced Philadelphia to send in backup passer Kenny Pickett, and shortly after, Hurts was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion.

Concussions aren’t usually reported on too heavily. This is partially due to the fact that the range of recovery times for concussions is a wide span. We’ve seen plenty of players go through the NFL’s concussion protocol in days and not miss any time. This year, though, we’ve frequently seen examples of concussions landing player on injured reserve. If the severity of Hurts’ injury is anywhere near the latter situation, that could prove detrimental for the Eagles.

This is just speculation, as we won’t know the full situation until further tests are run. Should the injury affect Hurts’ availability in the coming weeks, it could cost Philadelphia a chance at a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs. And if he’s forced to miss more than two weeks, he could miss time in the playoffs, as well. The team is one win (or one Commanders loss) away from securing a home playoff game, so they may not be able to afford to rest Hurts, despite their remaining two games being against the banged-up Cowboys and the lowly Giants.

A little rest could do Hurts some good, though, as a recent report from John Clark of NBC Philadelphia discloses that a broken finger on Hurts’ left hand has been affecting his play, mostly his ball security. The division-winners that currently hold the 3- and 4-seeds in the NFC won’t be able to catch up to the Eagles’ 12 wins, so if Philadelphia is willing to accept the 2-seed behind Detroit (the Lions only need one win in their final two games to secure home-field advantage for the playoffs) they may be able to allow Hurts some time for rest and recovery.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/24

December 21st, 2024 at 7:34pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions and standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

After being activated from injured reserve in early November, Bates only played two games before suffering a concussion. The 27-year-old has not played since Week 11 and will now miss the remainder of the season on IR. Bates is under contract through 2025.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/18/24

December 18th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Designate Bryce Huff For Return

December 18th, 2024 at 10:02am CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles generated interesting defensive end news Tuesday, with a Brandon Graham return in a Super Bowl appearance now on the radar. Through a shorter-term lens, the 12-2 team is close to having another key piece back.

Bryce Huff is returning to practice; the Eagles have started his 21-day activation clock. Philadelphia lost Huff in November, as a wrist surgery shut him down. The free agency addition has not yet clicked with his new team, but with Graham out for an extended period, any help will be appreciated from a surging team.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Although recent information has pegged the Jets as more interested in keeping Huff than initial reports suggested, the Eagles came in with a strong offer (three years, $51.1MM) early during the legal tampering period. Philly effectively swapped out Haason Reddick for Huff, trading the former to the Jets weeks later. Thus far, neither team has seen much in the way of production from the edge rushers. Reddick has a half-sack in seven games; Huff has 2.5 in 10.

Used as a pass rush specialist in New York, Huff had seen the Eagles reduce his workload before he hit IR. While Huff has yet to eclipse a 54% snap rate in an Eagles game, he logged only 32 defensive snaps over his most recent three games. The fifth-year pass rusher will need to do far more to justify the payday, but with Graham out, a door will be open to more work following this wrist procedure.

Huff finished with a Jets-high 10 sacks last season, helping Robert Saleh‘s third Gang Green defense to a third-place finish in yardage. The Eagles have shown tremendous improvement under Vic Fangio, having recovered from a disastrous 2023 finish on defense. After cratering during last season’s second half, Philly’s defense leads the NFL in points and yardage allowed. Huff will rejoin Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith on the edge for the Eagles, who have managed this remarkable rebound without rivaling the kind of sack production they generated in 2022. Smith’s 3.5 sacks sit second on the team — behind Sweat’s eight.

Philly will need to make it work with Huff, who has $16.75MM in guaranteed base salary on tap in 2025. If Huff’s slow start can be largely traced to this injury, the former Joe Douglas UDFA find could be an interesting wild card as the Eagles make a push to claim the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the second time in three years.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

December 17th, 2024 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

This NFL season saw several teams slip out of contention quicker than usual, slimming wild-card races and expanding the pursuit for the No. 1 overall pick. Two teams now lead that race.

While no prospect on the Caleb Williams level is dangling for the Raiders and Giants, an interesting showdown has formed. With three weeks to go, the Giants would currently hold the top 2025 draft choice. But based on projected strength of schedule, the Raiders would win the tiebreaker if the results held. The team with the weaker overall strength of schedule would win that. The Giants still have a game against the 12-2 Eagles, while the Raiders’ upcoming matchup with the 3-11 Jaguars works in their favor.

The Giants have not held the No. 1 pick in the common draft era (1967-present), last making a choice atop a draft in 1965 (running back Tucker Frederickson). Their Eli Manning trade occurred after the Chargers had chosen the quarterback to start the 2004 draft. The Raiders have held the top pick once in the common draft era, famously choosing JaMarcus Russell to start the ’07 draft. Both teams have coaches fighting for their jobs, but each also has seen All-Pros (Dexter Lawrence, Maxx Crosby) removed from equations. Losers of 10 straight, the Raiders follow their Jaguars matchup with games against the Saints and Chargers. The Giants, who have dropped nine consecutive games, go Falcons-Colts-Eagles to close the season.

Five 3-11 teams sit behind the Raiders and Giants presently, with the NFL having nine teams who have already lost double-digit contests. If a Giants or Raiders win occurs, there are candidates to move toward pole position in what could be races for Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. Though, a non-Giants or Raiders team finishing in the top two creates a bit more intrigue, as both those clubs are in dire need of QB help.

With an eye on teams’ projected strength of schedule based on current records, here is how the draft order looks with three games to go:

  1. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
  2. New York Giants (2-12)
  3. New England Patriots (3-11)
  4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
  5. Carolina Panthers (3-11)
  6. Tennessee Titans (3-11)
  7. Cleveland Browns (3-11)
  8. New York Jets (4-10)
  9. Chicago Bears (4-10)
  10. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
  11. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
  12. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
  13. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
  14. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
  15. San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
  16. Atlanta Falcons (7-7)
  17. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
  19. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)
  21. Los Angeles Rams (8-6)
  22. Washington Commanders (9-5)
  23. Denver Broncos (9-5)
  24. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
  25. Houston Texans (9-5)
  26. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)
  27. Green Bay Packers (10-4)
  28. Minnesota Vikings (12-2)
  29. Buffalo Bills (11-3)
  30. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
  31. Detroit Lions (12-2)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)

Brandon Graham Could Return If Eagles Reach Super Bowl

December 17th, 2024 at 9:44am CST by Adam La Rose

When Brandon Graham suffered a triceps tear in November, it became clear he would not play again during the regular season. His Eagles tenure and NFL career may very well be over as a result, but the veteran defensive end has not completely shut the door to a return this winter.

Graham has spent his entire 15-year tenure in Philadelphia, and he said in July he would retire following the 2024 campaign. Triceps tears come with lengthy recovery timetables, and the 36-year-old said in the aftermath of the game in which his took place he would out for the rest of the year. During a Tuesday appearance on WIP 94, though, Graham was asked about playing in the Super Bowl should the Eagles make it to the championship game.

“Anything is possible, so that’s how I’m gonna feel,” he replied. “Just know we workin’ trying to see what happens. We got to get there. Guess I’ll be ready to tell you when we get there.”

With their winning streak currently sitting at 10, the Eagles are 12-2 on the year. That record leaves the team level with the Lions and Vikings for the best mark in the NFC, and the final three weeks of the season will determine which one will secure the No. 1 seed. If they continue their strong performances through the postseason, the Eagles could very well find themselves in the Super Bowl for the third time in Graham’s career.

Philadelphia won the title in 2017, one of the years in which he served as a full-time starter along the edge. The former first-rounder has remained durable through much of his Philadelphia tenure, although in recent years he has seen his workload decline with the team bringing in younger options along the edge. Graham’s presence has nevertheless been missed as the Eagles have dealt with other injuries at the position.

Bryce Huff is on injured reserve while recovering from wrist surgery, a procedure which interrupted his debut Philadelphia campaign. The high-priced free agent pickup did not live up to expectations prior to suffering the injury, but he could return before the end of the regular season and handle at least a part-time pass rushing role. If the Eagles manage to put together a deep postseason run, Graham’s recovery status will become a storyline worth following.

Poll: Who Will Earn NFC’s No. 1 Seed?

December 15th, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

The final four weeks of the season will see a number of playoff spots decided, along with the top seed in each conference. While the Chiefs have a degree of breathing space for the No. 1 slot in the AFC, the lone first-round bye in the NFC could come down to the last slate of regular season contests.

The Lions have stood atop the conference for much of the season, something which comes as no surprise give the expectations the team faced entering the campaign. Given the strength of the NFC North, however, Detroit has not been able to generate a cushion in the standings. An 11-game winning streak placed the team at 12-1 on the year — prior to a Week 15 loss to the Bills — but plenty of work remains to secure the top seed.

The final stretch of the campaign will see the Lions host the Bills in a clash of the league’s two highest-scoring offenses. Detroit then has road contests against the Bears and 49ers, teams which are on track to fall short of the postseason. The regular season will conclude with the Lions and Vikings playing what could be a critical head-to-head matchup, although other results may have decided the No. 1 seed by that point.

Injuries on defense have led many to wonder if the Lions will be able to remain atop the conference but to date they have done so. Aidan Hutchinson will not be available down the stretch, but a return by the Super Bowl continues to be mentioned as a possibility. Before that hypothetical point, maintaining their run of success (which could include welcoming back other injured players) will be crucial in the Lions’ bid for the top seed.

The Eagles sat at 2-2 entering their bye week, leading to questions about their status as genuine Super Bowl contenders. The team has not lost since returning to action in Week 6, thanks in no small part to the performance of Saquon Barkley during his debut Philadelphia season. The former Giants Pro Bowler already holds the single-season franchise rushing record, and his 1,623 yards represent a career high while also leading the league. Remaining his production will be key for an offense which has not been consistent or efficient through the air for much of the campaign.

Of course, the Eagles’ strong play on the other side of the ball has played a central role in their 10-game winning streak and 12-2 record. Philadelphia leads the league in total defense and has allowed the second-fewest points per game (18), making Vic Fangio’s first season a stark contrast to where the unit sat late in the campaign in 2023. While the loss of Brandon Graham for the season represents a blow to the Eagles’ edge rush, the team could remain strong in that respect en route to (at least) the No. 1 spot in the NFC East standings.

Philadelphia’s remaining schedule includes a cross-state matchup with Pittsburgh, followed by a road matchup with the Commanders. While both of those teams figure to represent challenging opponents, the same cannot be said of the Cowboys and Giants. The Eagles will close out the season with home games against those divisional rivals, both of which are out of contention and missing several key players. A path exists for Philadelphia to make a late run past Detroit to secure the first-round bye.

If the Lions are to be unseated over the final month of the season, the Vikings could very well play a large role. The aforementioned Week 18 matchup represents Minnesota’s best opportunity to make up ground and in doing so claim the No. 1 seed or at least the top spot in the division (ensuring home-field advantage during the first two rounds of the playoffs). Over the next three weeks, the Vikings will host the Bears and Packers with a road game against the Seahawks in between.

That schedule certainly represents a challenge with respect to maintaining Minnesota’s current six-game winning streak, something which will likely be necessary if overtaking Detroit is to remain possible on the final day of the season. In any event, the 2024 campaign has exceeded expectation in the Vikings’ case, with the play of Sam Darnold being one of the league’s top storylines. The former No. 3 pick is on track to be the top quarterback in this offseason’s free agent class, and a lucrative deal from an outside suitor would come as no surprise.

Of course, Darnold’s strong performance is a testament to head coach Kevin O’Connell’s work. The latter has not discussed an extension to date, but a new deal could be coming his way in the near future, ensuring stability on the sidelines. The more immediate attention of O’Connell and his team, though, will be aimed at the pursuit of the No. 1 seed.

Of the three contenders for the NFC’s top spot, which will ultimately secure it? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section.

Injured Reserve Return Tracker

December 14th, 2024 at 9:49pm 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 were 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.

This offseason also brought a second adjustment, with teams who qualify for the playoffs set to have two additional activations at their disposals. On that note, here is how teams’ activation puzzles look going into Week 17:

Arizona Cardinals

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Designated for return from IR (August 27): 

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Baltimore Ravens

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Buffalo Bills

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Activated

Activations remaining: 2

Carolina Panthers

Activated:

Activations remaining: 0

Chicago Bears

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Cincinnati Bengals

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Cleveland Browns

Eligible for activation:

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 1

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Denver Broncos

Designated for return:

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Detroit Lions

Designated for return: 

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Green Bay Packers

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Houston Texans

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 1

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return: 

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Jacksonville Jaguars

Eligible for activation:

  • OL Cooper Hughes

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Kansas City Chiefs

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Los Angeles Chargers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Los Angeles Rams

Eligible for activation:

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 1

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return from reserve/NFI list:

Eligible for activation from IR:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Minnesota Vikings

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

New England Patriots

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New Orleans Saints

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

New York Giants

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Pittsburgh Steelers

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

  • OL Dylan Cook (released Oct. 31)

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 2

San Francisco 49ers

Eligible for activation:

Reverted to season-ending IR: 

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Seattle Seahawks

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Designated for return: 

Eligible for activation:

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 4

Tennessee Titans

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Washington Commanders

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

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