HEADLINES

Cedric Gray

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/24

October 28th, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Cowboys defensive lineman Sam Williams has already been ruled out for the 2024 season thanks to a torn ACL, and now he’s been slapped with a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy (via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). The unpaid suspension went to effect prior to Week 8, and the player will be eligible for reinstatement prior to Week 11. The punishment stems from Williams’ reckless driving charge from 2023.

The Colts lost a key special teamer for the season in Trevor Denbow, as Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star reports that the player suffered “injuries to multiple ligaments and cartilage” during yesterday’s game. Denbow has appeared in 65 percent of his team’s ST snaps over the past two seasons, and he’s been limited to only six defensive snaps over that time.

NFL Injury Updates: Harbaugh, Jones, Gray

October 13th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

The Chargers experienced a strange scare during today’s win over the division-rival Broncos when head coach Jim Harbaugh left the field for a short period due to what was reported as “illness.” According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Harbaugh informed reporters that he went to the locker room to deal with an atrial flutter episode.

AJ Ross of NFL on CBS spoke with Harbaugh, who told her “he was dealing with arrhythmia…something he’s been dealing with on and off for a while.” If that’s the case, it’s likely something his employers were aware of, prompting the team to have a plan in place for situations like today.

The heart episode appears to be a non-issue for now, as Harbaugh returned to the sideline and continued coaching his team to victory. That said, if the issue persists, Harbaugh’s presence on the sideline may not be guaranteed moving forward. If the new head coach continues to miss any game time, the Chargers will need to make sure their order of operations behind Harbaugh is effective.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • Vikings running back Aaron Jones left last weekend’s win over the Jets early with a hip injury. According to Schefter, Jones is going to be week-to-week because of the hip issue. Luckily for Minnesota, the team had a bye in Week 6, allowing their veteran rusher to rest for a little over a week. He reportedly avoided major injury, but his practice report this week will show just how lucky he was.
  • Titans rookie linebacker Cedric Gray was designated to return from injured reserve earlier this week. Tennessee has no plans to rush the 24-year-old back from IR, though, as Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com reports that the team plans to utilize most of Gray’s 21-day practice window before activating him. There’s always a chance that Gray is not able to return after the 21 days and is returned to IR for the remainder of the year.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/24

October 7th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the minor moves made around the NFL on Monday:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Received one-game roster exemption: WR Zay Jones

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

  • Received one-game roster exemption: DT Mike Hall

Green Bay Packers

Philadelphia Eagles

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Both Jones and Hall were issued suspensions under the personal conduct policy leaving them sidelined for the first five weeks of the season. Their roster exemptions will allow them to make their debuts in Week 6, but after that point a corresponding move will be needed for them to be permanently activated to their respective 53-man rosters.

Lemieux served as New Orleans’ starting center in Week 4 after being promoted from the practice squad. He stepped into a first-team role in place of Erik McCoy, who is dealing with a groin injury. Losing Lemieux for at least the next four games will deal another blow to the Saints’ O-line. Connor McGovern was added to the mix recently, but Lucas Patrick has received the nod at center to begin the team’s Week 5 matchup.

Titans Claim CB Darrell Baker Jr.

August 29th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

As they transitioned from Stephon Gilmore‘s one-and-done, they trotted out an unproven cornerback group save for slot ace Kenny Moore. One of the players Indianapolis used as a starter to open the season is now on Tennessee’s roster.

After the Colts waived Darrell Baker Jr. on Wednesday, the Titans submitted a successful claim, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Two years remain on Baker’s rookie contract.

Baker initially made Indianapolis’ 53-man roster, but the team subsequently claimed Samuel Womack off waivers from the 49ers. Rather than passing through waivers to a potential Indy practice squad slot, Baker will head to another AFC South team’s 53-man roster.

The Colts opened last season with Baker as a starting corner and gave him five more starts on the outside as the season progressed. Baker was not viewed as a starter coming into camp, and the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson adds 2023 seventh-round pick Jaylon Jones won the job opposite Julius Brents. Baker had been working opposite Dallis Flowers with the Colts’ second-stringers. Baker played 467 defensive snaps last season — after none his rookie year — and Pro Football Focus ranked the former UDFA outside the top 100 at the position.

Tennessee moved on from three-year contributor Elijah Molden via trade and cut bait on Caleb Farley‘s first-round contract. As Dennard Wilson takes over on defense in Nashville, the team added two big-ticket pieces in free agent Chidobe Awuzie and trade pickup L’Jarius Sneed. With Roger McCreary expected to patrol the slot, the Titans look to have Baker en route as a second-string option. The team also rosters fifth-round rookie Jarvis Brownlee at the position.

The Titans also signed Nick Vannett from their practice squad and placed fourth-round rookie linebacker Cedric Gray on IR, Wilson adds,

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/28/24

May 28th, 2024 at 8:17pm CST by Ben Levine

A couple of draft pick signings to pass along:

Minnesota Vikings

Tennessee Titans

Gray earned first-team All-ACC honors in both 2022 and 2023, collecting 266 totals tackles at North Carolina over that span. Despite being selected in the fourth round, Gray was still only the seventh linebacker off the board, with scouts lauding the former UNC captain’s defensive savviness. The linebacker’s four-year rookie contract is worth $4.85MM, including $834K in guaranteed money (per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston).vWith the signing, the Titans only have one unsigned draft pick: second-round defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat (Texas).

Jackson joins the Vikings following a productive lone season at Oregon. After transferring from Alabama, the defensive back had his best collegiate season, finishing with 34 tackles, three interceptions, and a pair of sacks for the Ducks. With this signing, Minnesota only has two unsigned rookies: first-round QB J.J. McCarthy and first-round edge rusher Dallas Turner.