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Andrew Booth

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/7/24

November 7th, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Booth has been unable to remain in the mix for two teams, being traded from the Vikings and now cut from the Cowboys’ 53-man roster. But Dallas will still attempt to develop the Clemson alum, bringing him back after he cleared waivers. The former second-round pick made a start for the Cowboys, after being traded straight up for fellow CB Nahshon Wright in August, but has only logged 38 defensive snaps in three games this season.

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.

Panthers Trade Jonathan Mingo To Cowboys

November 5th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jones‘ mystery wide receiver is now revealed. The Cowboys will make a deal with the Panthers, who are sending Jonathan Mingo to the NFC East team, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

In a corresponding move, Pelissero notes cornerback Andrew Booth has been waived. The 2022 Viking made only a pair of starts across two seasons in Minnesota. The former second-rounder was dealt to the Cowboys in a swap for fellow corner Nahshon Wright back in August, giving both players a change of scenery. Booth, 24, played just 38 snaps with Dallas and he will now hit the waiver wire.

Mingo was viewed as a player no longer in Carolina’s plans, and the 2023 second-rounder had not caught on in either of the two offensive systems in which he has played. The Cowboys are taking a flier on a player who was a top-40 pick just last year. The Cowboys will add Mingo and a seventh-round pick, while the Panthers will receive a fourth-rounder, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.

[RELATED: Panthers Deal Diontae Johnson To Ravens]

Mentioned in PFR’s rundown of the WR trade market, Mingo joins Adam Thielen as players the Panthers appeared OK dealing. Thielen remains with Carolina, but the 34-year-old veteran is believed to be eager to join a contender. Thielen is signed through 2025 but profiles as a cut candidate next year — due to his age and his ’25 salary being nonguaranteed. The Panthers have already dealt two of their WRs; a third would certainly be interesting, even for a rebuilding team.

This is a better return than the Panthers received for Diontae Johnson, who fetched merely a Day 3 pick swap in the Ravens trade. Mingo being signed through 2026 undoubtedly procured that for the Panthers, as the Cowboys will have multiple years to evaluate the Ole Miss alum. Mingo’s age (23) and contract status factored into this value, as it is worth noting the Cowboys-Browns Amari Cooper trade and the Dallas-Houston Brandin Cooks swap did not involve a fourth-round pick.

Mingo managed a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 220 pounds during the 2023 Combine, leading to the Cowboys showing interest, per Jones. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rated Mingo as its No. 37 overall prospect. Mingo only topped 300 receiving yards in one of his four Rebels seasons, however, with the 2022 campaign bringing 861 yards and five touchdowns last season. But he still caught the Panthers’ eye before becoming the No. 39 overall pick last year. Carolina had managed to keep No. 39 despite acquiring Bryce Young via trade-up; that decision led to Carolina trading No. 61 to Chicago, which also acquired the Panthers’ 2025 second-rounder in that seminal swap.

The Cowboys had chosen Jalen Tolbert in the 2022 third round and had traded for Cooks shortly before last year’s draft. Cooks is now on IR. Mingo profiles as more of a developmental piece compared to one that will immediately reignite the Cowboys like Cooper did following a 2018 in-season trade. Mingo has just 12 receptions for 121 yards this season. During a rookie season that featured Frank Reich being fired after 11 games, Mingo managed 43 catches for 418 yards. He does not yet have an NFL touchdown. Under the hood, The33rdTeam.com notes Mingo ranks either last or second-to-last in yards per route run and catch rate for players with 50 receptions since 2023.

Mingo will now join Tolbert and CeeDee Lamb in Dallas’ receiving corps. Carolina, meanwhile, has until 3pm CT today to decide on trading Thielen. It is also possible Thielen becomes a post-deadline release, though that is far from certain. The Panthers will retool around rookie first-rounder Xavier Legette and rookie UDFA Jalen Coker.

Vikings, Cowboys Agree To Swap CBs Andrew Booth, Nahshon Wright

August 9th, 2024 at 2:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys and Vikings are making a trade involving two former Day 2 cornerback draftees. Minnesota is sending Andrew Booth to Dallas in exchange for Nahshon Wright, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.

Two years remain on Booth’s rookie contract; Wright is going into a walk year. The Vikings drafted Booth in the 2022 second round, while the Cowboys used a 2021 third on Wright. While Booth comes from Minnesota, he was not on the roster during Mike Zimmer‘s HC stay.

Although the Vikings drafted Booth months after firing Zimmer, it is quite possible — as scouting staffs regularly remain in place through the following draft — the veteran defensive coach was high on the Clemson product ahead of the ’22 draft. Booth has been unable to establish himself as a Vikings regular under Ed Donatell or Brian Flores; he will now be given a second opportunity to prove himself.

Chosen 42nd overall, Booth has made just two starts and logged a total of 256 defensive snaps as a pro. He had not factored into Minnesota’s CB plans prominently during camp, per ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert. The pick goes down as a miss by GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, whose first two picks — DBs Booth and first-rounder Lewis Cine — have not helped the Vikes much. But Minnesota will attempt to see if Wright can make a difference. Cine is already on Minnesota’s roster bubble.

Wright, 25, has also played sparingly during his early NFL career. Though, the 6-foot-4 cover man evidently did enough to warrant a straight-up swap for a player chosen more than 50 spots before him (albeit in a different draft). The Vikings taking a flier on a player with one less year of control is interesting as well.

Only seeing 50 defensive snaps last season — for a Cowboys team that lost Trevon Diggs to a torn ACL last September — Wright has three career starts on his resume. The Cowboys changing DCs this offseason, losing Dan Quinn to Washington and hiring Zimmer, undoubtedly affected the fourth-year CB’s standing. Wright, however, maxed out at 128 defensive snaps in a season in Dallas (2022).

Booth, 23, exited Clemson as a first-round-level prospect; the Vikings traded up for him. Booth underwent sports hernia surgery before the draft, and while the former ACC standout returned in time for Week 1, he then suited up for just six Vikings games as a rookie. A season-ending knee injury altered his developmental arc, and he will join a Cowboys team with a cemented top three.

Diggs, DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis are in place as Dallas’ primary CBs, though The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousef note Wright did mix in with Dallas’ first-team defense on the boundary opposite Bland during a Thursday joint practice with the Rams. Diggs is still working his way back from the knee injury. The team, which also completed a CB-for-CB trade last year (Kelvin Joseph for Noah Igbinoghene), also roster 2023 draftee Eric Scott Jr. and 2024 fifth-rounder Caelen Carson.

Wright heads to a Vikings team less solidified at corner. Minnesota has Byron Murphy going into the second season of a two-year contract, and Josh Metellus remains in the slot. But the team has seen its CB situation change dramatically this summer. Fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson died tragically in a car accident in July, and second-year contributor Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL early in training camp. The Vikes signed Shaquill Griffin earlier this year and added Fabian Moreau last week; they also used 2022 fourth-rounder Akayleb Evans over Booth last year.

Vikings Targeting DL, CB This Summer

June 30th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Ely Allen

In a recent mailbag Q&A, Alec Lewis of The Athletic noted two positions that are likely to be subject to additions this summer and in free agency next year for the Vikings: defensive tackle and cornerback. While there were some attempts to address each position already this offseason, there is likely much more work to be done in Minnesota.

On the defensive line, Minnesota is running it back with Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard as two of their starters in a three-man front. Unfortunately, neither really stood out as strong players at their position with Lewis noting specifically that Phillips and Bullard ranked as two of the worst interior pass rushers in the NFL last year. Last year’s fifth-round rookie Jaquelin Roy could potentially take the next step after playing in an extremely minor role last season.

The team did make two free agent additions, signing Jerry Tillery and Jonah Williams back in March. Tillery had a bit of a resurgent season last year in Las Vegas after falling out of favor with the Chargers. Williams saw his first full-time starting role for the Rams last year, starting all but one game in 2023. This provides a bevy of options as the Vikings plan their rotation on the defensive line. It’s hard to say just how much of an improvement this will be; it will really depend on who steps up this summer to grab starting positions.

That being said, all four of Phillips, Bullard, Tillery, and Williams have expiring contracts after this season. Lewis notes that this will make the position just as much of a position-of-focus next year in free agency, as well. While one or a few of the above names may prove to be worth re-signing, Lewis already pegs veteran division-rival Kenny Clark as a target free agent next spring. He tabs Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and Eagles pass rusher Josh Sweat as potential targets, as well.

At cornerback, Byron Murphy and Akayleb Evans return as two starters while veteran Shaquill Griffin comes in as a new starter on the outside, allowing Murphy to play a bit more in the slot, if necessary. Evans has overperformed as a recent fourth-round pick, while his draft classmate Andrew Booth, a former second-rounder, has failed to establish himself in the rotation. There are no real stars in this position group, though Griffin has displayed the ability to be one of the better players at the position in past years.

Like on the defensive line, though, Murphy and Griffin will both be free agents next year, making cornerback a position of focus in 2025, as well. As for future targets at cornerback, Lewis likes Jets corner D.J. Reed and San Francisco’s Charvarius Ward.

None of the free agents Lewis suggests are necessarily stars at their position, and most are in their older years, but all would provide an improvement to what the Vikings currently have on the roster. There are still several months for Minnesota to continue addressing those positions, and there’s still every possibility that the current Vikings will step up and prove that they belong and are good enough to keep around beyond this year.

Vikings Waiting For 2022 Draft Class To Step Up

June 23rd, 2024 at 8:20pm CST by Ely Allen

2022 was the first draft in Minnesota for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. While there have been some success stories like fourth-round cornerback Akayleb Evans becoming a starter in Year 2 and fifth-round running back Ty Chandler serving as a decent RB2 in his sophomore campaign, the class has overall been a bit of a disappointment.

We already commented on Kevin Seifert of ESPN’s stance that former first-round safety Lewis Cine could be on the roster bubble, but Seifert didn’t stop there, claiming that the other three picks in the first three rounds could run into similar difficulties this offseason.

This statement expands to the later picks of the draft class, as well, though it obviously doesn’t pertain to Evans and Chandler. Worth mentioning, though, is former sixth-round offensive tackle Vederian Lowe, who was traded to the Patriots for a seventh-round pick and went on to start eight games in New England last year, and fifth-round pass rusher Esezi Otomewo, who was waived after a year with the team.

Of the remaining players in the class, LSU second-round offensive guard Ed Ingram has been the most impactful player. Ingram became an instant, full-time starter as a rookie and has only missed two games in his time with the team. That being said, head coach Kevin O’Connell seemed to indicate recently that both starting guard spots are being fought for in a three-way competition between Ingram, backup tackle Blake Brandel, and Dalton Risner.

The battle could be a result of underwhelming performance from the second-rounder. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Ingram graded out as the 57th-best guard in the league out of 77 graded players his rookie year. Though he improved to the 38th-ranked guard in 2023, his overall score that determines those rankings only rose from 57.0 to 59.5. For reference, the top players at the position graded out in the 80s. Ingram could certainly win one of the two available starting jobs over Brandel and Risner, but the fact that, going into his third year, Ingram’s in danger of losing his job as the incumbent starter points to relative disappointment.

Taken 17 picks before Ingram, former Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth has also failed to play up to his second-round draft stock. Booth was already playing behind the starters, Evans and Byron Murphy, last year, but he is in danger of continuing to tumble down the depth chart as free agent addition Shaquill Griffin comes in with far more starting experience and fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson could have more goodwill to win a roster spot in his first year with the team.

Third-round linebacker Brian Asamoah has likewise failed to crack the rotation in his first two years out of Oklahoma. He’s not likely to earn any starting time in 2024 as he’s been consistently working behind Ivan Pace and Blake Cashman so far this offseason. The free agent addition of veteran Kamu Grugier-Hill will likely take away any snaps as the primary backup at the position, as well.

Seventh-round pick Nick Muse was maybe not expected to do much as a late-round tight end, but he’s only been on the field for two offensive snaps in his career and missed all but two games last year. He may not see much room for improvement in 2024 as he’s been buried on a depth chart that now includes T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Robert Tonyan, and Johnny Mundt.

Lastly, sixth-round receiver Jalen Nailor was also mentioned by Seifert but on a slightly more positive note. Seifert claims that the coaching staff really wants to see Nailor make an impact and possibly earn the WR3 role this offseason. That role was vacated as K.J. Osborn departed for New England in free agency, and the Vikings didn’t really do much to replace Osborn after he left. With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison leading the receiving corps, Nailor has an opportunity to step up into a crucial role.

Nailor’s early career has been hampered by injury. He missed seven games early in the season last year before sitting out the final four contests, as well. But coaches have pegged him as a “slippery target that defenders have trouble tracking” during his limited time in games and practice. While the coaches are hoping that he’ll force their hand, he’ll be competing with Brandon Powell, who was the fourth receiver on the team after coming over from the Rams last year, and Trent Sherfield, who has been an inconsistent contributor over his six years in the league.

So, Adofo-Mensah’s first draft did not produce the desired results in 2022, and while he did a little better by nailing Addison in the first round last year, the rest of the 2023 class has yet to make their impact. He’ll hope to continue hitting on first-rounders with quarterback J.J. McCarthy and pass rusher Dallas Turner this year, and he’ll hope that late-round picks like Jackson and kicker Will Reichard show their impacts, as well. Entering a bit of a rebuild post–Kirk Cousins, the team’s success will depend partially on how well Adofo-Mensah can build the team moving forward.

NFC North Rumors: Tom, Bears, Vikes, Lions

August 16th, 2023 at 1:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason, Zach Tom loomed as a challenger for either the Packers‘ center or right tackle spots. While it is not known just yet where the second-year blocker will end up, it looks like his playing time will increase. Tom is going to end up starting, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes (subscription required). A fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest, Tom started five of the nine games he played last season and saw time at four of the five O-line positions (all but center). Tom did start at center for the Demon Deacons, however, playing there and at left tackle in college. Former second-round pick Josh Myers has been the Packers’ primary center over the past two seasons. Should Tom land at right tackle, Yosh Nijman — whom the team gave a second-round RFA tender this offseason — would be on track to be a backup.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • The Bears‘ running back race is still too early to call, but The Athletic’s Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain posit that Khalil Herbert is the current frontronner. David Montgomery‘s top backup last season, Herbert flashed when available. The former sixth-round pick averaged 5.7 yards per carry, helping the Bears lead the league in rushing. With Montgomery now in Detroit, the Bears have held a three-man competition — between Herbert, UFA pickup D’Onta Foreman and fourth-rounder Roschon Johnson — to replace him. Even if Herbert wins the starter gig, Chicago’s run-oriented attack will likely require regular workloads from multiple backs.
  • Veteran running back Mike Davis stopped through Minneapolis for a recent Vikings workout, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Minnesota, which is all set to complete a Dalvin Cook-to-Alexander Mattison transition, recently auditioned Kareem Hunt as well. Beyond Mattison, the Vikings roster Ty Chandler (2022, Round 5) and DeWayne McBride (2023, Round 7) as their top backfield options. Davis, 30, spent last season with the Ravens but did not carve out much playing time — even for a team reeling at running back. He fared better with the Panthers and Falcons in 2020 and 2021, respectively, combining for 1,145 rushing yards in that span.
  • Byron Murphy played a versatile role for the Cardinals, lining up in the slot and outside. The Vikings are planning to capitalize on Murphy’s slot experience, with ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert noting the free agency pickup will move inside when the team shifts to its nickel package. With nickel and dime sets now more common than base alignments, Murphy should be expected to see plenty of slot work in Minnesota.
  • A 2022 second-round pick, Andrew Booth has not made a strong case to move into the starting lineup alongside Murphy. The Clemson product is running Akayleb Evans, a 2022 fourth-rounder, along with Joejuan Williams and rookie third-rounder Mekhi Blackmon. Williams and Blackmon look to be competing for the CB3 role, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis adds, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling notes the rookie is believed to be ahead of the former Patriots second-rounder. Evans, who played 162 defensive snaps last season, has spent the most time with the first team of this group. The Vikings have rebooted at corner, letting both Patrick Peterson and slot Chandon Sullivan walk in free agency.
  • Danielle Hunter‘s reworked deal calls for a $20.95MM cap hit, and although this is now a contract year for the veteran defensive end, two void years remain on the deal (Twitter links via Goessling and ESPN’s Field Yates). Hunter’s $3MM in incentives are classified as not likely to be earned, per Goessling. The void years would leave the Vikings with a $14.9MM dead-money hit if they do not re-sign Hunter before the 2024 league year begins. Void years led to the Vikings taking a $7.5MM dead-money hit when Dalvin Tomlinson left in free agency this year.
  • While Teddy Bridgewater secured $2.5MM guaranteed from the Lions, GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer tweets the veteran QB’s Lions deal is worth $3MM in base value. The Lions used a void year, keeping the cap number at $2.66MM.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/30/22

November 30th, 2022 at 5:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

Tennessee Titans

Vikings CB Andrew Booth Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery

November 29th, 2022 at 12:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 29: Booth’s season is in fact over, as noted (on Twitter) by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. This will no doubt lead to an IR placement, as the Vikings look for added depth in the secondary and the 22-year-old turns his attention to next season.

NOVEMBER 28: The Vikings used their top two draft choices this year to address the secondary. Both players began developmental tracks as rookies, and injuries have now changed each defender’s path.

Weeks after Lewis Cine‘s season-ending injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) second-round pick Andrew Booth is undergoing knee surgery. Kevin O’Connell said the young cornerback will likely be placed on IR. While Booth may be shelved for the season’s remainder, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets the team is hopeful a January return can commence.

This has proven to be a rocky year for Booth, who underwent sports hernia surgery ahead of the draft and suffered a quadriceps injury in September, has not commandeered a regular role in Minnesota’s secondary. Booth did not play a defensive snap until Week 10 and struggled against the Cowboys — in his first start — a week later. This knee issue sidelined the Clemson product for the Vikes’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Patriots.

While Cine is traversing a long rehab route after undergoing two surgeries in London to repair a leg fracture, Booth does not appear in need of extensive rehab time. The Vikings have been one of the league’s healthiest teams this season, the highly drafted DBs’ issues notwithstanding. The NFC North leaders still have seven injury activations remaining. It appears the Vikes will be able to wait out Booth’s recovery and not factor IR math into the equation for the playoffs. Though, it is still a bit early for complete confidence on that front.

Additionally, O’Connell said the team is aiming to have Cameron Dantzler ready to return form IR when first eligible next week. Dantzler suffered an ankle injury that led him to IR. The former third-round pick has been the Vikes’ regular outside corner starter opposite Patrick Peterson when healthy this season. Without either Dantzler or Booth in the mix, Minnesota started Duke Shelley — a 2019 Bears sixth-rounder — alongside Peterson and slot corner Chandon Sullivan against New England.

NFC Injury Notes: Giants, Cowboys, Seahawks, Vikings

September 17th, 2022 at 8:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Kadarius Toney‘s NFL tenure has been marred by injuries, and another one appears to have popped up. Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters that the Giants wideout is dealing with tightness in his hamstring, an issue which began earlier this week in practice (Twitter link via Dan Duggan of the Athletic).

The 2021 first-rounder also dealt with a hamstring issue in training camp last summer, and made frequent appearances on the injury report throughout the campaign. He was limited to 10 games in his debut season, and required knee surgery this past offseason. Between availability concerns and a number of other issues, the Florida product was involved in trade talk, though the Giants’ new front office made it clear that Toney was not being shopped.

The 23-year-old played just seven snaps during New York’s season opener. While he may suit up tomorrow, the workload he will be able to handle will be worth monitoring closely.

Here are some other injury updates from the NFC:

  • Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that receiver Michael Gallup will sit out once again tomorrow, as noted by Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Gallup continues to recover from the torn ACL he suffered in January, and was expected to miss a few weeks to begin the 2022 campaign. “There is still a process of return to play that he has to finish,” McCarthy added. The news will once again make CeeDee Lamb the undisputed focal point of Dallas’ WR room as they look to bounce back from last week’s league-worst offensive output.
  • The Seahawks‘ secondary has suffered another blow. Starting nickel corner Justin Coleman has been ruled out for Week 2, per a team announcement. The 29-year-old played 77% of defensive snaps in the team’s upset win over the Broncos, but Seattle will likely now turn to rookie Coby Bryant on the inside. In addition, the team confirmed that depth safety Joey Blount will be sidelined, something which will further test their depth given the fact that Jamal Adams will miss the remainder of the season.
  • Second-round Vikings rookie Andrew Booth exited Minnesota’s Week 1 win with a quad injury. He has not recovered in time to be able to suit up on Monday, as confirmed by a team announcement. With the Clemson product sidelined, Chandon Sullivan could be in line for the start opposite Patrick Peterson once again. Kris Boyd and Akayleb Evans will provide depth as the Vikings look to move to 2-0.
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