Atlanta Falcons

• Signed: LB Frank Ginda
• Released: P Pat O’Donnell

Denver Broncos

• Released: DB Keidron Smith

Los Angeles Rams

• Signed: LS Alex Matheson
• Released: RB Darrell Henderson

New England Patriots

• Signed: TE La’Michael Pettway

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Signed: LB Jaylon Smith
• Released: LB David Perales

San Francisco 49ers

• Released: DT Taylor Stallworth

Seattle Seahawks

• Released: LB Hamilcar Rashed

Tennessee Titans

• Signed: TE Devin Asiasi, LB Tae Crowder, DT David Moa, DB Darius Phillips, DB Kendall Sheffield

Washington Commanders

• Signed: RB Jaret Patterson

Smith will make his way to a third team this season. The Saints signed the former Cowboys mainstay just before the season, but the Raiders later poached the eighth-year veteran off New Orleans’ practice squad. The Steelers, who have lost regulars Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander for the season, will turn to him now. This move come after the Steelers added Mykal Walker, who is on team No. 4 this year, to their linebacking corps.

Henderson resurfaced with the Rams midway through this season, coming back after the team lost Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers in one game. Williams made his way back to action last month, while Rivers moved back to the 53-man roster last week. With Royce Freeman in place as veteran insurance, the Rams will again cut Henderson.

The Broncos are planning to bring Smith back to their P-squad soon, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. The team initially planned to cut Smith to clear a spot for Kareem Jackson. With the Texans making another high-profile waiver claim — this one to reunite with Jackson, who was primarily a Houston cornerback from 2010-18 — the Broncos no longer have to clear a P-squad spot.

Arizona Cardinals

• Signed: WR Dan Chisena, DB William Hooper

Carolina Panthers

• Signed: OL Justin McCray, CB AJ Parker

Cleveland Browns

• Signed: S Duron Harmon

Indianapolis Colts

• Signed: S Brandon Wilson

Las Vegas Raiders

• Signed: OLB Elerson Smith

Los Angeles Chargers

• Signed: FB Zander Horvath

Los Angeles Rams

• Signed: RB Darrell Henderson

Minnesota Vikings

• Signed: WR Daylen Baldwin

New York Giants

• Signed: RB Deon Jackson, OL Joshua Miles

New York Jets

• Signed: DT Tanzel Smart

Although the Rams look to be expecting Kyren Williams to be activated for Week 12, they will keep Henderson around as insurance. The Rams turned to their former third-round pick immediately after injuries moved Williams and Ronnie Rivers off the roster. Despite waiving Henderson in November 2022, the Rams plugged him back in. While Royce Freeman‘s per-carry numbers (4.3) outshine Henderson’s (2.4), the latter scored two touchdowns during his latest run in Sean McVay‘s system. While the Rams waived Henderson again Tuesday, Freeman remains on Los Angeles’ active roster.

Harmon will join team No. 3 this season. The former Patriots Super Bowl winner, a Raider in 2022, began the season with the Ravens. The Bears signed Harmon off Baltimore’s practice squad last month. Harmon, 32, would represent a veteran safety presence for a Browns team that just lost Rodney McLeod for the season.

Williams’ move to injured reserve prompted a reunion with Henderson, who spent his first four years with Los Angeles. With the vacancy created in the Rams’ backfield by Williams going down (along with the trade which dealt away Cam Akers), Henderson was able to shoulder a notable workload in his short-lived return.

The 26-year-old received 46 carries and caught 10 passes during his four games on the active roster. Henderson turned that into 112 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, along with 103 yards through the air. Those figures were not enough to earn him an extended look upon Williams’ return, so Henderson will not hit the waiver wire. It will be interesting to see if an interested team puts in a claim for him, as the Jaguars did in 2022.

Failing that, Henderson will be a candidate to re-sign to the Rams’ practice squad. In any case, Los Angeles will look to improve on the ground in the second half of the campaign, with the team sitting 20th in the NFL at an average of 103 yards per game on the ground. Despite his missed time, Williams (who can be expected to be activated from IR in the coming days) still comfortably leads the Rams with 456 rushing yards. He and veteran Royce Freeman will carry the load moving forward.

The Rams improved to 4-6 with a win in Week 11, quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s return to action. With he and Williams now back in the fold, Los Angeles will attempt to make a late playoff push. Unless he is retained via the taxi squad, though, Henderson will not play a role in that effort.

Baltimore Ravens

• Designated for return: CB Daryl Worley

Cincinnati Bengals

• Signed to active roster: TE Tanner Hudson

Kansas City Chiefs

• Designated for return: WR Richie James

Los Angeles Chargers

• Signed to active roster: TE Nick Vannett

Los Angeles Rams

• Signed to active roster: RB Darrell Henderson

New York Jets

• Signed to active roster: OL Chris Glaser

With the Chiefs adding Mecole Hardman and eyeing a WR crunch, the team reportedly shopped James last week. A trade didn’t end up happening, and with the wideout sitting on IR, the team has decided to designate him for return. After resurfacing last year with the Giants, James signed a one-year deal worth $1.23MM with the Chiefs back in April. He got into Kansas City’s first two games, hauling in one six-yard catch.

Arizona Cardinals

• Signed to active roster: WR Andre Baccellia 
• Placed on IR: G Elijah Wilkinson
• Elevated: DL Ben Stille, RB Damien Williams,

Atlanta Falcons

• Elevated: LB Andre Smith

Baltimore Ravens

• Activated from IR: WR Tylan Wallace
• Elevated: S DeAndre Houston-Carson, RB Owen Wright

Carolina Panthers

• Elevated: S Matthias Farley, OLB Eku Leota

Chicago Bears

• Activated from IR: DE Khalid Kareem
• Released: T Aviante Collins

Cleveland Browns

• Elevated: OT Ty Nsekhe, RB Jordan Wilkins

Dallas Cowboys

• Elevated: LB Rashaan Evans, TE Eric Saubert

Denver Broncos

• Elevated: WR Tre’Quan Smith 
• Placed on IR: WR Brandon Johnson

Houston Texans

• Activated from IR: DT Hassan Ridgeway
• Released: LB Cory Littleton
• Elevated: CB D’Angelo Ross

Indianapolis Colts

• Elevated: DT McTelvin Agim, CB Chris Lammons

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Elevated: CB Tevaughn Campbell

Kansas City Chiefs

• Elevated: S Deon Bush
• Placed on IR: LB Nick Bolton (story)

Los Angeles Chargers

• Elevated: WR Alex Erickson

Los Angeles Rams

• Elevated: RB Darrell Henderson

Minnesota Vikings

• Signed to active roster: WR Trishton Jackson
• Elevated: LB Nick Vigil

New England Patriots

• Elevated: OL Conor McDermott

New York Giants

• Signed to active roster: WR Gunner Olszewski (story)
• Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, OLB Oshane Ximines

New York Jets

• Elevated: WR Malik Taylor, OL Xavier Newman

Philadelphia Eagles

• Elevated: WR Julio Jones

San Francisco 49ers

• Elevated: CB Kendall Sheffield, WR Willie Snead

Seattle Seahawks

• Activated from suspension: WR Dee Eskridge
• Released: C Joey Hunt
• Elevated: OL Jason Peters

Tennessee Titans

• Signed to active roster: CB Eric Garror, DL Jaleel Johnson
• Waived: LB Chance Campbell, CB Shyheim Carter
• Elevated: LB Joe Jones, RB Jonathan Ward

Washington Commanders

• Signed to active roster: FB Alex Armah
• Elevated: CB Tariq Castro-Fields, LB Jabril Cox

Wilkinson’s loss will be notable for the Cardinals, given his status as an entrenched starter at the left guard spot. The 28-year-old joined Arizona on a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum in free agency after stints in Denver, Chicago and Atlanta. Trystan Colon replaced him in the starting lineup in Week 7, and that will likely continue for the time being. Wilkinson will be out for at least four weeks as a result of the IR move.

Ridgeway has been out since Week 1, his Texans debut. The former 49er joined the Texans in a move which allowed him to continue working under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Ridgeway ended last season on IR, so he will be looking for an extended run of availability in his new home. A veteran of 78 games (and 19 starts), he will aim to carve out a rotational role up front.

Peters was brought in by the Seahawks while they were dealing with injury problems at both tackle spots. Blindside blocker Charles Cross has since returned, so Peters’ most familiar spot will not be available if he is to make his Seattle debut on Sunday. The fact the latter is healthy and in game shape does mean, however, that he will be eligible to play in a 19th NFL season.

Each player’s performance in today’s game will help determine how McVay divvies up the work until Williams returns from IR. None of the current backs, however, are expected to dominate touches the way that Williams did, as McVay plans to distribute the opportunities more evenly. In a disappointing development for fantasy coaches, a more equitable distribution could continue even when Williams is activated.

OCTOBER 21: Williams is headed to injured reserve, the Rams announced on Saturday. That move means he and Rivers will be shut down until at least Week 12. Henderson, to no surprise, has indeed been promoted to the active roster, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes he is expected to suit up tomorrow. Henderson could have a notable workload available in the short- and intermediate-term future given how banged up the Rams’ backfield has suddenly become.

OCTOBER 20: Henderson’s ramp-up period will be short. The Rams are planning make their former starter a gameday elevation, McVay said Friday. Teams can elevate two practice squad players each week. Henderson will join Evans, Freeman and Gaskin in this reconfigured RB mix. Introducing obvious complications for deeper-league fantasy GMs eyeing this backfield, McVay said, “all four of those guys are possibilities” to contribute. McVay did stop short of indicating all four would be active, pointing to one of the new additions potentially being a healthy scratch.

Henderson has not played in a game since Week 11 of last season. The Rams waived him soon after, and although the Jaguars made a claim, they parted ways with the former third-round pick. He of two 600-plus-yard rushing seasons, Henderson will be back in action Sunday.

OCTOBER 18: The Rams’ running back corps will look much different in Week 7 compared to how the situation looked to start the season or even in last week’s Cardinals matchup. As expected, Ronnie Rivers is heading to IR. But Kyren Williams is not expected back soon.

Los Angeles’ starting back is expected to miss multiple games because of the ankle injury he sustained in Week 6, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Williams suffered a sprain during his career-high rushing day. Sean McVay confirmed Williams will miss Sunday’s matchup but did not rule out the second-year back going on IR, though The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes the team will not make that decision today.

Coming out of training camp, the Rams rostered Williams and Rivers behind expected starter Cam Akers. Sixth-round pick Zach Evans rounded out the group. After Williams operated as Los Angeles’ starter to open the season, the team went back to the healthy-scratch well with Akers but moved him this time. Following the Williams and Rivers setbacks, Evans is the only healthy option left among the Rams’ originals.

The team brought in reinforcements this week. Royce Freeman, who has worked as a gameday elevation in three games this season, is now on L.A.’s 53-man roster. So is Myles Gaskin, who spent time with ex-McVay OC Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota to start this season. The Rams signed the ex-Dolphins starter off the Vikings’ practice squad. Darrell Henderson is back with the Rams as well, though the former starter is on their P-squad. Teams have regularly used the taxi squad as a bridge for veterans to return to an active roster, so Henderson’s status will be worth monitoring given his knowledge of McVay’s system.

Rivers will be out until at least Week 12, with the Rams’ bye coming in Week 10. The 2022 UDFA suffered a PCL sprain Sunday. Williams is not a lock to return before the bye, per Fowler, though he adds the Notre Dame product should be back by Week 11 at the latest. Still, a three-game absence would certainly cut into Williams’ rookie-year performance. The 2022 fifth-round pick had showed quality form in his first games as the starter, dominating backfield snaps and touches. He finished with 158 rushing yards — 154 of those in the second half — in the Rams’ come-from-behind win over the Cardinals.

2:35pm: Stung by running back injuries, the Rams will complete a reunion to help the cause. With Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers injured, Darrell Henderson is coming back to the Rams.

The Rams are adding Henderson to their practice squad. The former third-round pick, who played for the team from 2019-22, has not been on a roster since last season. In addition to bringing back Henderson, the Rams are signing Royce Freeman to their 53-man roster. Freeman had played in three Rams games this season, doing so as a practice squad elevation. Sean McVay said Monday both Williams and Rivers would miss time; Rivers is an IR candidate after suffering a PCL sprain.

Henderson worked as the Rams’ starter for much of their 2021 Super Bowl-winning season, but injuries and a COVID-19 contraction slowed his momentum and led to Sony Michel and then Cam Akers taking over the starting role. Henderson suffered a thigh injury late in the 2021 season, and after the COVID bout, he sustained an MCL sprain. While the Rams activated Henderson for Super Bowl LVI, he has not recaptured the momentum from the ’21 regular season.

With Akers and the Rams at odds early during the 2022 season, Henderson filled in as a seven-game starter. But the Rams encountered a number of offensive line injuries and were eventually playing without Matthew Stafford. Henderson finished his abbreviated 2022 with 283 rushing yards (4.0 per carry); the Rams waived him in late November. While the Jaguars stepped in with a claim, they moved on without using Henderson in a regular-season game. Summer workouts for the Patriots and Colts did not lead to a signing.

Henderson, 26, produced back-to-back 600-yard rushing seasons from 2020-21. Akers became the Rams’ go-to back down the stretch in 2020, but after he suffered an Achilles tear in July 2021, the eventual championship team rolled with a Henderson-Michel duo. Zach Evans came into Tuesday as the only healthy back on Los Angeles’ 53-man roster. Freeman will now join him, though Henderson certainly is familiar with McVay’s system and would make sense as a roster elevation for Week 7.

Freeman, 27, joined the Rams just after this year’s training camp. The former Broncos third-round pick, whom Phillip Lindsay displaced as a starter during each’s rookie year (2018), spent last season with the Texans. Houston re-signed Freeman, a 2021 waiver claim, but did not use him much on offense. Freeman has not eclipsed 200 rushing yards in a season since 2019. The Rams cut Freeman after this preseason slate but kept him on their practice squad, rolling with first- or second-year backs on their active roster following the September Akers trade. Evans has taken four handoffs this season; all of Freeman’s 2023 snaps have come on special teams.

Green Bay will be Robinson’s third destination this year. The former UDFA success story signed with the Patriots and Giants this offseason, but neither stay led to any regular-season playing time. Robinson has not played since a stint with the Jets last season. This is a practice squad deal, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.

The December 2021 Achilles tear Robinson sustained sidetracked his career. Although Robinson made it back in time for the start of last season, the Jaguars quickly determined Travis Etienne was their preferred back. the Jags traded Robinson to the Jets in October 2022, and the two-year Jacksonville starter did not see much run in New York. After starting five games for the Jags last season, Robinson only accumulated 29 carries for a Jets team that had lost Breece Hall for the season. The Jets waived Robinson this offseason.

The Patriots took out three injury waivers on Robinson upon signing him this year, with the protection surrounding the surgically repaired left Achilles and both knees. The Pats waived Robinson in June. He then spent training camp with the Giants, who kept Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell and Eric Gray as their Saquon Barkley backups. Robinson’s workouts with the Colts and Ravens did not lead to a signing, but his Packers audition belatedly has.

Robinson’s 1,414 scrimmage yards in 2020 remain an NFL record for a rookie UDFA. The Illinois State alum reached that total despite missing the Jags’ final two games. During the Urban Meyer-run Jags season the following year, Robinson finished with 989 scrimmage yards in 14 games. He joins a Packers backfield that has rarely been at full strength this year. Aaron Jones has missed three games, being a late scratch with a hamstring injury in Week 5.

The Packers have used practice squad elevation Patrick Taylor as AJ Dillon‘s backup in those games. Taylor has taken 11 handoffs this season; rookie UDFA Emanuel Wilson has logged five carries. The Packers waived Taylor last week; Wilson remains on their 53-man roster. Prior to signing Robinson, the Pack also hosted Darrell Henderson, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adds. The four-year veteran re-signed with the Rams — on a practice squad deal — on Tuesday.

In addition to the running back switch, the Colts added veteran guard Ike Boettger to their practice squad. The team worked out the ex-Bills blocker recently. Boettger spent the past five seasons in Buffalo.

At running back, this Colts operation continues to see hurdles form. Zack Moss missed most of training camp with a broken arm, and the team brought in Kenyan Drake. The seven-year veteran could not make Indianapolis’ 53-man roster. Funk played in Indy’s opener as a practice squad elevation. The former Rams UDFA is now on the Colts’ active roster.

Ex-Funk teammate Darrell Henderson also auditioned for the Colts on Tuesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. A multiyear Rams starter, Henderson has resided in free agency since he cleared waivers following a Jaguars cut late last season. Henderson worked out for the Patriots last month, joining Leonard Fournette in that regard, but was not signed. The Pats ended up signing Ezekiel Elliott.

Henderson, 26, worked as the Super Bowl champion Rams’ primary starter in 2021, though Sony Michel ended up replacing him down the stretch. Making 21 starts between the 2020 and ’21 seasons, Henderson cleared 600 rushing yards in each and totaled 14 touchdowns in that span. The Rams used him a bit more than expected early in 2022, when the team tried to trade Cam Akers. After Akers returned to the fold, the Rams ultimately waived Henderson, who certainly hit free agency at a bad time for running backs.

Hull must miss at least four games due to this IR designation. The Colts can activate up to eight players from IR this season. The Northwestern product logged two touches in his first game. After producing an impressive 546 receiving yards in his final season with the Big Ten program, Hull will see his NFL career pause. Funk joins Deon Jackson as healthy options in Indy’s Jonathan Taylor-less backfield, with Moss finishing up a recovery from the arm break. Taylor is on the Colts’ reserve/PUP list but resides there in part because of a push to be traded. The 2021 rushing champion is believed to be healthy, and the Colts are likely to restart trade talks soon.

The Bills made some guard upgrades this offseason and released Boettger, who had started 17 games for the team during his career. Boettger, 28, made 17 of those starts between the 2020 and ’21 seasons. An Achilles tear in January 2022 sidelined Boettger for much of last season. The Bills moved on to new options this year, adding Connor McGovern, second-rounder O’Cyrus Torrence and ex-Rams starter David Edwards at guard.

But the former third-round pick is coming off a down contract year, one in which he gained just 385 scrimmage yards and did not see action after being claimed by the Jags.

11:54am: The Patriots met with Leonard Fournette during his 2022 free agency stay. Nearly 18 months later, the sides will huddle up again. Fournette is set to work out for the Pats on Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

New England has been kicking the tires on running back depth, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed, and has been in the Dalvin Cook mix for a bit now. Fournette’s market is not expected to reach the Cook level, opening the door to a lower-cost Pats addition at the position.

Fournette, 28, met with the Patriots in March 2022 but ended up back with the Buccaneers on a three-year, $21MM deal. Fournette and the Bucs mutually parted ways in March of this year, but not much has come out regarding the former top-five pick’s market since. Fournette joins the likes of Cook, Ezekiel Elliott and Kareem Hunt as notable RBs in free agency.

A former No. 4 overall Jaguars pick, Fournette served as the centerpiece of an offense that faced the Patriots in the 2017 AFC championship game. Three years later, Fournette came on late to make major contributions in the Bucs’ Super Bowl LV-winning season. Tampa Bay rewarded Fournette with contracts in 2021 and ’22. The latter deal included $12MM guaranteed. That contract was in line with what the Cardinals gave James Conner last spring, but this offseason brought a market crash at running back. This market sits in a strange place after numerous cost-cutting measures — and Monday’s lack of extensions for three franchise-tagged players — reduced the position’s standing further.

Adding Fournette would seemingly remove the Pats from the Cook market. It is worth wondering if recent events will impact Cook offers as well. But Fournette will be in Foxborough today, exploring a possible partnership with a third NFL team.

The Bucs ranked last in rushing in 2022; Fournette’s yards per carry dropped by a full yard. The LSU product had averaged 4.5 per tote in 2021, but as just about everything on the Bucs’ offense worsened last year, the team’s starting back averaged a 3.5 yards per handoff. Fournette totaled 1,191 scrimmage yards, however, contributing a career-high 523 through the air. Earning the “Playoff Lenny” alias for his work during the Bucs’ Super Bowl march, Fournette finished with 448 scrimmage yards in the team’s four 2020 playoff games. Prior to a hamstring injury that shut Fournette down in Week 15 of the 2021 season, he totaled 1,266 scrimmage yards as the Bucs’ lead back.

Rhamondre Stevenson resides as the Pats’ starter, with Kyed adding Pierre Strong has a chance to solidify the No. 2 role. But the team being connected to multiple big-name backs could impede the second-year player’s RB2 quest. Stevenson’s status as the team’s starter, especially after Damien Harris‘ free agency exit, should not be considered in jeopardy at this point. But the team may be set to bring in a proven back to complement him soon.

The former third-round pick did not play in a game with Jacksonville. Henderson has two 600-yard rushing seasons on his resume and would reach free agency for the first time if he clears waivers.

Travis Etienne suffered a foot injury during the Jags’ Week 12 win over the Ravens, but JaMycal Hasty became the main beneficiary of that setback. Claimed by the Jaguars following a 49ers cut in August, Hasty totaled 17 touches in the Jags’ upset of the Ravens. Etienne returned for Week 13 and resumed his usual workload. Rookie Snoop Conner is the other running back on Jacksonville’s 53-man roster. The fifth-round pick has four carries this season.

With Henderson playing out a rookie contract, it would not be too surprising if another team picked up the deal. Injuries change equations weekly at this position, and the Memphis product has enjoyed productive NFL stretches. This season has not represented one of those. The Rams’ battered offensive line has helped minimize their backfield’s impact, and Henderson arrived in Jacksonville with just 283 rushing yards — a Rams-high mark at the point — and three touchdowns.

Having put together a dominant final season at Memphis (2,204 scrimmage yards, 25 touchdowns; 8.9 yards per carry) in 2018, Henderson showed some of that form in Los Angeles. The Rams aimed to avoid relying on the 5-foot-8 back as their surefire starter, however, both drafting Cam Akers in the 2020 second round and trading for Sony Michel following Akers’ training camp Achilles tear last year. But Henderson still totaled 1,312 rushing yards from 2020-21. A COVID-19 contraction and an MCL injury led to Michel taking over the Rams’ lead role last season, but Henderson did return for Super Bowl LVI. He caught three passes for 43 yards in the Rams’ win.

This resume would point to a running back-needy team either adding Henderson via waivers or as a free agent soon after. Come 2023, however, there stand to be several backs available on a robust market. Henderson’s contract-year swoon will not help his cause, should he not have another chance this season.

The Rams waived Henderson on Tuesday, clearing the way for a contract-year relocation. The Jags will add Henderson to a backfield fronted by breakout starter Travis Etienne. Just more than $400K remains on Henderson’s rookie deal. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Jags held $3.5MM in cap space.

This stands to give Etienne a new backup. The Jags traded James Robinson, a two-year starter who had recovered from Achilles surgery to re-emerge in a prominent role, to the Jets earlier this season. Etienne’s quick development after his lost rookie season led to that move. Now, the team will take a look at Henderson, whom the Rams used frequently during his time in Los Angeles.

Although Henderson has not yet cleared 300 rushing yards this season, he was more productive — behind better Rams offensive lines — over the past two years. Henderson eclipsed 600 ground yards in 2020 and ’21, working as a starter for much of that span. Starting 21 games from 2020-21, Henderson combined for 1,312 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry in each season.

Henderson, 25, joined the Rams after posting one of the better college running back seasons in recent memory. With Memphis in 2018, the eventual third-round pick rushed for 1,909 yards (8.9 per carry) and totaled 25 touchdowns. A COVID-19 contraction and MCL injury led to Henderson losing his job to Sony Michel down the stretch last season, when Cam Akers made a quicker-than-expected return from offseason Achilles surgery. But Henderson, after returning from IR, still caught three passes for 43 yards in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI triumph.

Despite the Rams dangling Akers in trades after a midseason dispute, the former second-round pick remains on their roster. He joins fifth-round rookie Kyren Williams as the team’s post-Henderson options. The Jaguars have ex-49er Jamycal Hasty and rookie Snoop Conner behind Etienne.

The Jags’ O-line is in better shape than the Rams’ battered front, but Etienne still figures to see most of the work going forward. Henderson could appears headed toward one of the most crowded running back free agent markets since full-fledged free agency’s 1993 debut. While Saquon Barkley may not hit the market, the many other backs from a list including Kareem Hunt, Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, Jamaal Williams, Devin Singletary, David Montgomery, Damien Harris and D’Onta Foreman will be available.

Henderson spent much of last season as Los Angeles’ starter, playing ahead of Sony Michel for an extended stretch to begin the team’s Super Bowl-winning slate. The former third-round pick is playing out the final season of his rookie contract. Just more than $412K remains on that deal.

With the Rams connected to cutting Cam Akers for weeks, this Henderson move surprises. But Akers remains with the team and has surpassed Henderson in carries (76-70). Henderson’s 283 yards, however, still lead the team. That is not a particularly notable distinction, with the Rams’ run game ranking 31st. The team had reduced Henderson’s workload in recent weeks. Despite starting each of the past two Rams games, Henderson logged just eight carries.

In 2021, Henderson totaled 688 rushing yards on 149 totes. He started 10 games for the Rams and rushed for at least 70 yards in four of those contests. A COVID-19 contraction and MCL sprain ended Henderson’s run as L.A.’s starter. The team pivoted to Michel following Henderson’s COVID bout, and the Memphis alum’s knee injury kept him out until Super Bowl LVI. Henderson was fairly productive for the Rams against the Bengals, catching three passes for 43 yards.

Henderson, 25, averaged 4.5 and 4.6 yards per carry, respectively, in 2020 and ’21. He is at 4.0 per rush this year. The former No. 70 overall pick, Henderson averaged a staggering 8.9 yards per tote as both a sophomore and junior at the AAC school. As a junior in 2018, Henderson rushed for 1,909 yards and totaled 25 touchdowns.

It would surprise if the former yards-per-carry college dynamo did not land with another team soon. The Broncos, following their Gordon separation, would seemingly be an interested party. If no one claims Henderson, he passes through to free agency. Regarding the Rams, they still have Akers and fifth-round rookie Kyren Williams, who recently came off IR after a multi-injury 2022. Akers and Williams are now the only two backs on the defending champions’ 53-man roster. Malcolm Brown and rookie UDFA Ronnie Rivers reside on L.A.’s practice squad.

A former Broncos draftee, Hollins has started five games this season. He has totaled just one sack. The Rams aggressively attempted to keep Von Miller in free agency and made a monster offer for Brian Burns at the deadline, attempting to give Leonard Floyd a proven edge-rushing partner. The team instead went into the season limited at the position. Hollins will wrap his L.A. stay with three sacks and four QB hits in 18 games with the team.

Ward has been a starter on the backend in San Francisco since his second season in 2015. He has been a consistent contributor throughout that time, including on the NFC-winning squad of 2019. His level of play that year earned him a three-year extension, giving him financial security for the first time in his career.

Ward is in line to start once again in 2022, the final season of that deal. He and 2021 fifth-rounder Talanoa Hufanga are the top safety options on the depth chart, so any extended absence from Ward would be a major blow to a 49ers team looking to repeat last season’s playoff run, and whose weakness on defense is generally viewed as being in the secondary. Tarvarius Moore and George Odum would be amongst the team’s options to fill in for Ward should he miss any time.

Here are some other injury notes from around the league, starting with another NFC West contender:

• The Rams are facing some uncertainty in their offensive backfield. Head coach Sean McVay announced that running backs Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson are both dealing with “soft-tissue” injuries (Twitter link via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop). The pair are in line to occupy the top two spots on the depth chart, though injuries are nothing new to either player. McVay added that neither of them will return to practice until they have fully recovered, but didn’t provide a timeline regarding when that may take place.
• The center position has become a sore spot for the Browns recently, given the season-ending injury to Nick Harris, who was the favorite to take over the starting role. The team’s depth at the pivot is being tested even further, as seventh-round rookie Dawson Deaton suffered a torn ACL, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). With him sidelined for the season as well, Cleveland is down to free agent signing Ethan Pocic and UDFA Brock Hoffman as their only remaining healthy options. Pocic has starting experience, but another addition would come as little surprise at this point.
• Another team dealing with center injuries is the Bears. Sixth-round rookie Doug Kramer is believed to have suffered a Lisfranc injury, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). In that case, his 2022 availability will be seriously in doubt, something which would be especially problematic if starter Lucas Patrick isn’t recovered from the hand surgery he had recently in time for the start of the regular season.

Meanwhile, Darrell Henderson isn’t participating in on-field work as he deals with a “soft-tissue injury.” As Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com writes, Henderson initially aggregated the injury during May OTAs. At the time, McVay indicated that Henderson dealt with the same ailment in 2021, but the RB still managed to appear in 12 games (although he was limited on only a single playoff contest).

While Henderson found himself in and out of the lineup in 2021, he still managed to finish with a career-high 864 yards from scrimmage. Williams was selected in the fifth-round of this year’s draft following a standout career at Notre Dame that saw him collect 31 touchdowns between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

It’s obviously too early for the Rams to worry about their injury situation, but the team’s depth at RB will certainly be stressed for the time being. The team still has Cam Akers, who led the RB grouping during the Rams’ Super Bowl run, but they lack experienced depth behind him (Henderson and Williams were likely to slot in as the second and third RBs, respectively). As a result, the likes of Jake Funk, Xavier Jones, and Raymond Calais will see increased reps over the next few week, and the current absences could help one of the three snag a final roster spot.