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Bo Melton

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/1/24

January 1st, 2024 at 6:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the NFL minor moves from New Year’s Day:

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

New Orleans Saints

While the Broncos have not run into major injury problems this season, safety has proven the exception. Denver’s safety starters and second-stringers have missed time this season. Turner-Yell, a 2022 fifth-round pick, will join Caden Sterns and P.J. Locke as having spent time on IR. Turner-Yell, who started two games in place of Justin Simmons at points early this season, suffered a torn ACL in Week 17, per Sean Payton. Simmons and Locke remain healthy, but the Broncos lost Kareem Jackson to the Texans after placing the oft-suspended veteran on waivers. The Broncos had planned to stash Jackson on their practice squad.

Playing on New Year’s Eve as a practice squad elevation, Melton impressed with a six-catch, 105-yard showing in Minnesota. The 2022 Seahawks seventh-round pick will replace Toure on the Packers’ active roster. A 2022 Green Bay seventh-rounder, Toure caught eight passes for 78 yards in his second NFL season.

Packers Place CB Eric Stokes Back On IR

December 30th, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The 2023 season is going to be one to forget for Packers cornerback Eric Stokes. Two weeks after being activated from injured reserve, the 24-year-old out of Georgia will be headed back to IR for the remainder of the season. His 2023 season ends now after only three games played.

Stokes, a first-round pick out of Georgia two seasons ago, started out his career on a strong note. As a rookie, he missed only one game while starting 14. He put up strong numbers in pass defense, as well, recording an interception and 14 passes defensed. His sophomore season started off in a similar fashion. He started the first nine games of the season and recorded fewer stats, with quarterbacks targeting him at a much lower rate.

Unfortunately, this is when his injury troubles started. After structural damage was discovered in testing on ankle and knee injuries, Stokes was shut down for the second half of 2022. He was forced to undergo surgeries to his knee and foot in the offseason and faced a tough road back to a starting role with the emergence of Rasul Douglas across from Jaire Alexander and primary kick returner Keisean Nixon excelling in the slot.

Stokes started the 2023 season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and was finally activated in mid-October, days before the team completed a trade that sent Douglas to Buffalo. Perhaps expecting Stokes to slide back into the starting role, Green Bay was surely disappointed when, after only four special teams snaps, Stokes was placed back on IR with a hamstring injury.

In part of his long road to recovery, Stokes finally was activated once again in time to start the Packers’ last two games. Unfortunately for both parties, Stokes’ hamstring issue has lingered, forcing the young corner back onto IR in a solemn continuation of hardship. Assuming his absences cease in next year’s season opener, Stokes will have missed 22 of a possible 25 games dating back to the ankle injury that started it all last season.

With Alexander serving a team-enforced suspension for crashing an official coin toss despite not being named a captain for the game, Green Bay’s stores are looking fairly bare. Robert Rochell is currently questionable with a neck injury, leaving Nixon to start alongside the likes of rookie seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine, and David Long.

They will be joined by practice squad safety Benny Sapp III, who will serve as one of the team’s two standard gameday elevations tomorrow. In addition to Sapp, the Packers will also call up wide receiver Bo Melton.

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.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/29/23

November 29th, 2023 at 5:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves:

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Rumored to be eyeing kickers after rookie Chad Ryland‘s game-tying miss in Week 12, the Patriots will give Wright another opportunity. The Jaguars’ primary 2021 kicker, Wright has not kicked in a game this season. He logged six as a replacement leg — for the Steelers and Chiefs — last season. The Pats drafted Ryland in the fourth round and jettisoned Nick Folk on roster-cutdown day, trading the veteran to the Titans. Ryland has missed 35-yard field goals in back-to-back games; the Patriots will now give him competition.

Waived to make room for Monday claim Derek Barnett, Ammendola remains in place as the Texans’ Ka’imi Fairbairn fill-in. Ammendola, who also worked as a Harrison Butker replacement last season in Kansas City, will be elevated to Houston’s active roster once again, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. Ammendola missed two 50-plus-yard field goals, including a game-tying 58-yard try, last week. Fairbairn, who is recovering from a strained quad, can be activated from IR next week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/23

November 27th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Waived from reserve/retired list: WR John Ross

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Ross signed a reserve/futures deal with the Chiefs in January but retired before training camp. The Combine 40-yard dash record holder now intends to resume his career, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Ross, who turned 28 today, has not played in a regular-season game since 2021 with the Giants.

A Raiders spring signee, Shelley did not make Las Vegas’ 53-man roster. The Rams picked him up before the season and have used him mostly on special teams. Shelley, who Bears and Vikings prior to this two-team 2023, has logged 76 defensive snaps this season. But the veteran cornerback has been on the field for 65% of Los Angeles’ special teams plays.

Packers Place TE Luke Musgrave On IR, Sign RB James Robinson From Practice Squad

November 22nd, 2023 at 2:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

In a skill-position group flooded with first- and second-year performers, Luke Musgrave has operated as one of the cadre’s starters. The Packers will not be able to continue the rookie tight end’s development for a while, however.

The team moved Musgrave to IR on Wednesday, shutting him down until at least Week 16. This comes after Musgrave needed to be hospitalized for an abdominal injury sustained during the Packers’ win over the Chargers.

Released from the hospital, Musgrave will still need extensive recovery time. He did not leave the game due to the injury, but Matt LaFleur called the issue a “scary situation.” This adds to Musgrave’s run of injuries this season. After suffering a concussion in October, the second-round pick left a Week 7 game due to an ankle injury.

Avoiding moves for veteran pass catchers post-Aaron Rodgers, the Packers drafted two tight ends and three wide receivers. The team paired its batch of rookie weapons with NFL sophomores Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure. Chosen with the pick obtained from the Jets in the Rodgers trade (No. 42 overall), Musgrave has started nine games. He has caught 33 passes for 341 yards and a touchdown, playing 71% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps. Third-round pick Tucker Kraft stands to see more work now. A South Dakota State alum, Kraft has five receptions for 43 yards this season.

In addition to the Musgrave move, the Packers placed running back Emanuel Wilson on IR. A rookie UDFA, Wilson had resided as Green Bay’s third-stringer behind Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. The Pack will enter their Thanksgiving game without Jones as well. The standout back suffered an MCL sprain. This will leave Dillon atop the depth chart, with the recently reacquired (via the Patriots’ practice squad) Patrick Taylor in place as a backup.

The Packers will add James Robinson as more insurance. Rather than being a mere gameday elevation, the former Jaguars 1,000-yard rusher is now on the Packers’ 53-man roster. The former UDFA sensation’s career has not been the same since he suffered an Achilles tear late in his second season. Robinson has been with three teams — the Patriots, Giants and Packers — this year. The Jets nontendered Robinson as an RFA in March; he caught on with the Packers last month.

Green Bay also signed wideout Bo Melton from their P-squad and used gameday elevations on fullback Henry Pearson and safety Benny Sapp III ahead of their Lions tilt.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

August 30th, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings moves are noted below.

Chicago Bears

Placed on IR:

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Claimed:

Released:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Placed on IR:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Packers Place CB Eric Stokes On PUP, Set 53-Man Roster

August 29th, 2023 at 4:54pm CST by Ben Levine

The Packers will roll into the 2023 campaign without cornerback Eric Stokes, who was placed on PUP today. The organization made additional moves to get to the 53-man roster limit:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on IR:

Waived/injured:

Stokes continues to rehab from foot and knee injuries that limited him to only nine games in 2022. His placement on PUP means he’ll have to sit out at least the first four games before being eligible for activation. The 2021 first-round pick has started 23 of his 25 appearances for the Packers, collecting 81 tackles, 14 passes defended, and one interception.

Meanwhile, Moore won’t be eligible to play for the Packers in 2023 after getting placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Moore joined the Packers this offseason after spending the first five seasons of his career with the 49ers. He sat out the entire 2021 campaign but otherwise appeared in 61 games across four healthy seasons with San Francisco, collecting 108 tackles.

Packers Place DL Dean Lowry On IR

December 27th, 2022 at 3:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dean Lowry‘s streak of 101 straight regular-season games will come to an end. The Packers placed the veteran defensive lineman on IR on Tuesday.

The seventh-year defender suffered a calf injury against the Dolphins. To replace him on the roster, the Packers signed wide receiver Bo Melton from the Seahawks’ practice squad; Seattle drafted Melton in this year’s seventh round out of Rutgers. He has not seen any game action yet. The Packers also released linebacker Tipa Galeai from IR, weeks after opting against using one of its IR activations on him.

In order for Lowry to be activated, the Packers would need to reach the NFC championship game. While Green Bay has accomplished this twice under Matt LaFleur, the team is 7-8 and still has an uphill battle to make the playoffs. FiveThirtyEight gives the Pack a 27% chance to secure a wild-card spot. Tuesday’s transaction is likely to end Lowry’s season.

Lowry, 28, has been with the Packers since they drafted him in the 2016 fourth round. He has started 80 career games, becoming a primary starter during LaFleur’s time in Green Bay. The Northwestern product recorded five sacks last season but has only a half-sack this year. Still, Lowry has maintained a regular role on a defensive line housing Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed and first-round pick Devonte Wyatt. Lowry has played 53% of the Packers’ defensive snaps this season.

Pro Football Focus ranks Lowry just outside the top 60 interior D-linemen (out of 125 qualified players), after slotting him 33rd overall last season. Lowry’s three-year, $20.3MM extension expires after this season, though three void years are tacked on for cap purposes. Wyatt saw his highest snap share against the Dolphins, being on the field for 24 defensive plays. While the Packers have eased the Georgia product into action, he stands to see more time in the team’s final two regular-season games.

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