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Ben DiNucci

Saints Sign QB Ben DiNucci

December 10th, 2024 at 11:49am CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of Derek Carr‘s injury, the Saints have added a quarterback. Ben DiNucci has joined the team, per a Tuesday announcement from the veteran passer himself.

Carr suffered a fracture in his non-throwing hand on Sunday, and he is considered week-to-week as a result. Surgery will not be required, and the Saints do not intend to place him on injured reserve (a move which would guarantee a four-game absence). Even though Carr could return before the end of the campaign as a result, New Orleans has sought out depth under center.

Jake Haener took over for Carr during New Orleans’ Week 14 win, and he could be in line to get the start this week. Failing that, the team will look once again to Spencer Rattler; the fifth-round rookie has made three starts this season, but his performances have left plenty to be desired. The same can also be said of Haener, but in some combination those two will be in position to handle QB duties over the coming weeks.

DiNucci’s most recent (and only) regular season NFL game action came with the Cowboys in 2020. He made three appearances and one start that year, but it has not been followed up by signficant playing time opportunities since then. The former seventh-rounder played for the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons in 2023, a stint which led to practice squad time with the Broncos and Bills. DiNiucci was waived by Buffalo during roster cutdowns this summer.

Now, the 28-year-old will get the chance to see time on the Saints’ taxi squad. A promotion to the active roster will likely not be necessary as long as Haener and Rattler stay healthy over the closing weeks of the campaign, but DiNucci could audition for an offseason roster spot with New Orleans.

Bills Pare Roster To 53; LB Matt Milano Receives IR-Return Designation

August 27th, 2024 at 5:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is how the Bills dropped their roster to the 53-man limit:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

  • T Travis Clayton

Placed on IR (return designation)

Milano suffered a biceps tear and will aim to return late in the season, though the All-Pro linebacker’s injury trouble is obviously a big-picture concern at this point. The Bills are also using one of their eight IR activations, mandated for teams who take advantage of the new rule to designate IR-return players today, on a backup running back. That is a rather interesting decision, as Evans has totaled just 62 carries since being drafted in the 2020 third round.

Residing on the Bills’ roster bubble going into camp, Damar Hamlin made the team. Ditto Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who joined Hamlin on the bubble. The bubble burst — for the time being, at least — on Collins and Clapp, who were vying for swing spots. Collins had been shuttled to guard — where he had not played since 2016 — in recent practices. Jackson joined the Bills after they ran into some injury trouble at safety early in camp.

Steveson, who has an Olympic wrestling gold medal, could be a practice squad candidate. The Eagles carried Olympian hurdler Devon Allen on their P-squad for two years, though the latter has far more football seasoning compared to Steveson. Attempting to follow in his father’s footsteps by securing a Bills gig, Gore is a P-squad candidate, per the Buffalo News’ Ryan O’Halloran. He will need to clear waivers first.

Bills To Sign Damiere Byrd, Ben DiNucci

August 12th, 2024 at 6:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Damiere Byrd‘s journey around the NFL stopped through Washington this offseason, but the Commanders ended the partnership months after it began. The veteran supporting-caster secured another opportunity Monday, however.

The Bills, who have signed several free agent wideouts this year, added Byrd to that list, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. This will be team No. 8 for Byrd, who will return to the AFC East in an effort to make Buffalo’s 53-man roster or their practice squad. Byrd played for the Patriots in 2020, enjoying his best season. The 10th-year vet worked out for the Bills today, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.

Rostering Byrd during Cam Newton‘s season at the controls, the Pats received Byrd’s best production. That 604-yard showing is an outlier, though, as the 5-foot-9 target does not have another season north of 400 yards on his resume. Byrd has some return experience, and Fowler references that in connection with this Bills agreement, but not too much. Byrd maxed out at seven kick returns in a season (2017, which included a touchdown return) and topped two punt returns in a season just once (11 in 2018).

This signing also can be added to the Carolina-to-Buffalo pipeline, as Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott were indeed still in Charlotte when Byrd’s career began back in 2015. This once-active pipeline has slowed a bit, as the Bills’ power duo has been in place since 2017, but Byrd represents another member. In between his first Panthers stint, here is Byrd’s journey: Cardinals (2019), Pats (2020), Bears (2021), Falcons (2022), Panthers again (2023), Texans (2023) and Commanders. Byrd averaged 20.6 yards per catch in Atlanta (13/268) and totaled 329 yards in Chicago.

In addition to Byrd, the Bills added Ben DiNucci, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The Broncos carried DiNucci on their practice squad for most of last season, elevating him to their active roster on a few occasions, but cut the veteran third-stringer weeks after draft week brought in Zach Wilson and Bo Nix. DiNucci, who played in the USFL in 2023, last saw NFL game action in 2020 with the Cowboys.

The former seventh-round pick will join a Bills team that lost Shane Buechele to a neck injury in its preseason opener. DiNucci joins Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky as healthy Bills QBs.

QB Notes: Tua, Rodgers, Daniels, Steelers

July 24th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa is not holding in, separating the Dolphins‘ top negotiation from multiple others around the NFL. This includes Jordan Love‘s Packers arrangement, which has become a hold-in situation. Despite Tagovailoa having a longer track record than Love, the fifth-year passer went through Dolphins workouts Wednesday. This did come with a notable exception. Tagovailoa took only two reps (both handoffs) in Dolphins team drills to open camp, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s camp workload — absent an extension — would compare to OTAs; the lefty did not go through team drills then or during minicamp. We heard Monday this would likely be the route Tagovailoa takes.

The Dolphins have been negotiating with Tua for months, and while some optimism has emerged, Miami’s QB1 has turned down at least one offer and may have seen the team dig in on a price south of Trevor Lawrence‘s $55MM-per-year deal. Lawrence receiving $142MM may also be much higher than the Dolphins want to go. McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) both sides are “relentlessly” working on this agreement. The parties still have time to hammer out a deal before the season, but the longer this goes, the closer Tua comes to carrying a lofty franchise tag number (upwards of $40MM) on Miami’s 2025 cap sheet.

Here is the latest QB news coming out of training camp:

  • Aaron Rodgers confirmed a trip to Egypt indeed led to his missing minicamp and confirmed the Jets fined him for the unexcused absences. Rodgers has been criticized for a lack of leadership by skipping the offseason’s only mandatory workout, but he said his relationship with Robert Saleh has been unaffected. “I’m an adult; I knew what I was getting into,” Rodgers said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn’t been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was.” Rodgers, who said be based the trip on the Jets’ 2023 offseason schedule, had shown up for OTAs prior to the abrupt — to the public, at least — departure.
  • Jayden Daniels does not have Commanders first-string reps to himself just yet; the No. 2 overall pick is splitting them with free agency addition Marcus Mariota, the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes. While Dan Quinn is labeling this a QB competition, Fortier cautions that Daniels is all but assured of the starting job. This follows a report that pointed to the Commanders indeed feeling no real reason to hold back the 2023 Heisman winner by giving Mariota bridge work.
  • Although the Daniels-Mariota split may deprive the highly touted rookie from early reps, Washington is holding an actual battle for the No. 3 spot. The team is pitting rookie UDFA Sam Hartman against veteran Jeff Driskel, Fortier adds. The former Notre Dame starter, who has a safety net via the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions’ recent draft choice, played behind Driskel to start camp. It is not yet clear if the Commanders plan to keep three QBs, but the winner of this battle would stand to at least be the team’s emergency option in the event only two are rostered.
  • Prior to the USFL and XFL merging, Ben DiNucci played in the former league’s second season and spent last year as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The recent Russell Wilson teammate worked out for the 13-year vet’s new team this week, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the Steelers brought in the veteran. Pittsburgh has Kyle Allen in place behind Wilson and Justin Fields presently.

Broncos To Waive QB Ben DiNucci

May 8th, 2024 at 11:02am CST by Sam Robinson

Ben DiNucci‘s season back in the NFL came in Denver, with the Broncos giving the former Cowboys backup-turned-XFL starter another shot. A 2024 overhaul of the team’s QB room will change its plans regarding DiNucci.

The team will waive the reserve passer, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. The Broncos added both Zach Wilson and Bo Nix to their QB room during draft week, and Jarrett Stidham remains on the roster. DiNucci’s exit will leave three QBs on Denver’s 90-man roster.

Catching on with the Broncos in May 2023, DiNucci came over after a season in the third XFL incarnation. A member of the Seattle Sea Dragons, DiNucci led XFL 3.0 in passing yards (2,671) while throwing 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over 10 starts. The spring-league opportunity created NFL interest, and the Broncos kept DiNucci around throughout last season. Denver gave DiNucci a reserve/futures contract in January.

The Broncos had taken care of DiNucci, 27, after he made the decision to stay with the team rather than move to the Saints’ active roster. New Orleans had attempted to poach DiNucci off Denver’s P-squad following a Derek Carr injury last season, but DiNucci opted to remain the AFC West team’s emergency third-stringer behind Russell Wilson and Stidham. The Broncos ended up elevating DiNucci to their active roster three times, covering the QB, as he would have been required to remain on the Saints’ active roster (and see game checks that come with that status) for at least three weeks had he left for New Orleans.

Last seeing regular-season action in 2020 with the Cowboys, DiNucci saw preseason time for the Broncos last year. While the Broncos could need a fourth QB at some point this offseason, each of their three options are healthy. Nix’s development will define Denver’s spring and summer, and the coaching staff will also need to focus on training Wilson in Sean Payton‘s system. This move will leave Stidham as the only Denver QB with previous experience in the current scheme.

A former seventh-round Cowboys pick out of James Madison, DiNucci spent the 2022 season out of football after being a Dallas cut that summer. The former Pittsburgh recruit would profile as a player of interest to the newly formed United Football League, but that season is more than halfway over. Not being claimed on the waiver wire could stall DiNucci’s career.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/8/24

January 8th, 2024 at 9:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Many teams have started signing players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • OL Barry Wesley

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

  • LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, WR Davion Davis, CB D’Angelo Mandell

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/23

December 23rd, 2023 at 7:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys 

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Bills will not have depth running back Ty Johnson available for tonight’s game, leading to the decision to elevate Fournette. The former Super Bowl champion will thus make his Buffalo debut, although with lead back James Cook in the lineup, Fournette will likely not receive many looks on offense. The latter has already returned a kickoff for the first time in his career, however.

Signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad last week, Ingram will also make his 2023 debut in Week 16. The 34-year-old last played during his Miami stint in 2022, during which time he started three games and recorded six sacks. With Jaelan Phillips out for the year, Ingram will look to once again give the Dolphins a rotational presence off the edge.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/23

December 16th, 2023 at 9:09pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions and standard gameday elevations for the Sunday slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Wilkinson returned to practice this week, and will be eligible to return to the lineup on Sunday given today’s activation. The addition of a starter up front will be welcomed by the Cardinals by giving them stability at the left guard spot in particular and by providing an upgrade in protection ahead of a matchup against the stout 49ers defensive front in general. The Cardinals now have four IR activations remaining.

Street was acquired from the Eagles at the trade deadline after he failed to find playing time this season. The 27-year-old has started all five of his appearances in Atlanta, however, racking up 14 tackles (including four for a loss) and one sack. Those numbers will help his free agent market this offseason, but a pectoral injury will sideline him for at least four weeks. If the Falcons fall short of the postseason, therefore, Street will not return in 2023.

McCain was a full-time starter with the Commanders over the past two seasons, but his release led to a one-year Giants agreement. The former fifth-rounder has 87 starts to his name, but he has been unable to carve out a role in New York’s secondary, playing only 19 defensive snaps. McCain has logged a 50% snap share on special teams, however, so his absence in the third phase will be notable if he is claimed off waivers or signed as a free agent by an interested team.

NFC South Notes: Fitterer, Mayfield, Saints

December 15th, 2023 at 10:23am CST by Sam Robinson

With the Panthers bottoming out and David Tepper firing another head coach, it has seemed likely the team will move on from its GM as well. Given Tepper’s comments, it is worth wondering how much power Scott Fitterer has held since Matt Rhule‘s October 2022 firing. But Fitterer is clearly on a hot seat in Carolina. Following Frank Reich‘s ouster, the team should be expected to move on from its third-year GM, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. Fitterer ran point on the decision to reject the Rams’ two-first-rounder offer for Brian Burns before the 2022 trade deadline, and his negotiations with Ryan Poles led to the March blockbuster for the Bryce Young draft slot.

Of course, it is widely believed Tepper drove the Panthers’ effort to select Young first overall. That process will lead to the Bears holding the Panthers’ 2024 first-round pick, which currently checks in at No. 1 overall. Fitterer hot-seat rumors surfaced before Reich’s firing, and although a November report pointed to Tepper keeping his GM around to help attract Lions OC Ben Johnson shed light on a possible lifeline for the ex-Seahawks exec, a 2024 housecleaning seems likelier given the events of 2023.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

  • Baker Mayfield signed a one-year, $4MM Buccaneers deal in March, earning a starting job despite a rough 2022. Incentives exist in the sixth-year quarterback’s contract, and Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes he has cashed in on some of those already. Mayfield has collected $500K by staying in the Bucs’ lineup, with Auman noting the team included $250K bumps for hitting the 55%, 65%, 75% and 85% snap rates. Mayfield staying healthy the rest of the way would lead to him adding $1MM in incentives. Additionally, Auman indicates a bonus exists for a Bucs playoff win. Although the Bucs are 6-7, they currently hold the NFC West tiebreaker. Mayfield is interested in staying with the Bucs beyond this season, though no known extension talks have occurred yet.
  • One of Mayfield’s current division rivals has not enjoyed a healthy season. Derek Carr has sustained two concussions and dealt with shoulder trouble, but the Saints‘ big-ticket QB addition has not missed a start. In addition to the head and shoulder issues, Carr has sustained three rib fractures this year, per NewOrleans.football’s Brooke Kirchhofer. In 10 seasons, Carr has only missed three career games due to injury. But his playing hurt has affected the Saints this season. While Carr’s completion percentage is up significantly from 2022, his QBR has dropped. Given a four-year, $150MM contract that includes $70MM fully guaranteed, Carr ranks 23rd in QBR through 13 games.
  • Michael Thomas has once again seen an injury take him out of New Orleans’ equation. The eighth-year wide receiver, who has dealt with persistent injury issues during the 2020s, is on IR with a knee injury. The former All-Pro will be eligible to be activated in Week 16, but NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill doubts he comes back until at least the Saints’ regular-season finale. Should that game not mean anything for the team, Thomas would have little incentive to return. The 30-year-old pass catcher’s 10 games this season are his most since 2019, but he has now missed 43 games since the 2020 season.
  • As Carr dealt with the first of his 2023 injuries, New Orleans attempted to sign a player off Denver’s practice squad. The Saints tried to add Ben DiNucci off the Broncos’ P-squad in September, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. DiNucci, who returned to the NFL after an XFL run, opted to stay where he was for continuity purposes. After DiNucci’s decision, the Saints added Jake Luton to their 53-man roster instead. DiNucci said the Broncos are expected to make up the difference he would have made as part of the Saints’ active roster. Denver elevated DiNucci in Week 13, allowing him to pick up a $48K game check. Doing so two more times would match the total DiNucci would have earned while on the Saints’ 53-man roster for the mandated three weeks.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/2/23

December 2nd, 2023 at 4:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s gameday callups and minor moves heading into Sunday:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Chiefs have ruled out running back Jerick McKinnon for tomorrow’s game against the Packers, necessitating some extra depth at the position. The team will turn to Prince, an undrafted free agent who has spent the entire season on Kansas City’s practice squad. Prince had a breakout season at Tulsa in 2022, finishing with 813 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns.

Winfrey, a 2022 fourth-round pick, was cut by the Browns last July after being investigated for pulling a gun on a woman. He joined the Jets practice squad in early November and will finally earn his first promotion of the season. Winfrey got into 13 games for Cleveland last year, collecting 22 tackles and 0.5 sacks.

At age 36, Irvin will be making his debut for a sixth NFL team. The veteran pass rusher signed with Detroit midway through November and will finally have a chance to extend his streak of regular season appearances to 12 straight years. The only absence on the Lions’ front-seven will be linebacker Alex Anzalone, so Detroit may be looking to stand Irvin up to help the team’s depth at linebacker.

 

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