HEADLINES

David Long (LB)

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/24

November 27th, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor transactions, including some standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Thanksgiving Day slate:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Designated to return from IR: CB Myles Harden

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Vikings’ release of Murphy is disappointing one for the organization for sure. The rookie pass rusher out of UCLA was not healthy enough to be on the active roster to start the season, but Minnesota liked him enough to dedicate one of their eight IR activations on him in August. He was activated yesterday but hit waivers today. If he clears the waivers, he’ll be available to sign to the team’s practice squad.

Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field soon.

Lions Activate Emmanuel Moseley, Place Ennis Rakestraw On IR

November 23rd, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions’ cornerback depth chart will look different for Week 12. Veteran Emmanuel Moseley was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, while second-round rookie Ennis Rakestraw was moved to IR.

Moseley’s Lions debut in 2023 did not last long. An ACL tear – the second one he suffered in quick succession – shut him down for the remainder of that campaign. The 28-year-old nevertheless re-signed with Detroit this offseason, allowing him the chance to put together a healthy season. A torn pec suffered in August prevented that from happening, though.

That latest injury left Moseley on the sidelines for months, but two weeks ago he was designated for return. That move allowed him to resume practicing and opened his 21-day activation window. The timing of today’s move will allow the former UDFA to suit up as early as tomorrow’s game against the Colts. Moseley could occupy a depth corner role upon return, and expectations will be tempered given his missed time in recent years. A healthy finish to the season would be welcomed by team and player and it would allow Moseley to boost his free agent stock for 2025.

Rakestraw was the second consecutive corner selected by the Lions in April. The draft’s hosts added Terrion Arnold on Day 1, and he has served as a full-time starter during his rookie season. Trade acquisition Carlton Davis and free agent pickup Amik Robertson have been regular presences in the secondary as well, limiting Rakestraw’s workload. The 22-year-old has only handled 42 defensive snaps to date, and his absence (which will last at least four games) will be softened by Moseley’s return to the fold.

Detroit ranks fifth in the NFL in defensive scoring, but the team has plenty of room for improvement against the pass (233 passing yards allowed per game, 27th in the league). Getting Moseley back will provide secondary depth for the second half of the campaign; his activation leaves the Lions with five on the year. One will be needed to bring Alex Anzalone back, but for now the linebacker added in the wake of his injury is set to make his Lions debut.

David Long has been elevated from the practice squad. Long joined Detroit’s taxi squad earlier this week, paving the way for the team to use him as a gameday elevation up to three times. The 28-year-old went unclaimed after being let go by the Dolphins, but the Anzalone injury gave him a path to playing time with the Lions. It will be interesting to see how large of a workload Long handles over the coming weeks on his new team.

Lions Activate Ifeatu Melifonwu, Place Alex Anzalone On IR; David Long Added To Practice Squad

November 18th, 2024 at 4:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ifeatu Melifonwu is set to make his season debut in Week 12. The fourth-year safety was activated from injured reserve on Monday, per a team announcement.

Melifonwu returned to practice earlier this month, opening his three-week activation window. He was not moved to the active roster in time for Detroit’s Week 10 or 11 contests, but now he will be eligible to suit up for the first time in 2024. An ankle injury landed him on IR in September, and the Lions’ secondary has been shorthanded ever since.

Down the stretch and through the playoffs last season, Melifonwu operated as a safety starter. The Lions still have Kerby Joseph in place at that spot, though, and the decision to move Brian Branch there from slot corner has given them an effective first-team tandem. Melifonwu, 25, will look to establish himself as a depth presence and a special teams contributor upon return. As a pending free agent, his play over the coming weeks will be key in determining the former third-rounder’s market value.

In a corresponding roster move, linebacker Alex Anzalone was moved to injured reserve. He suffered a broken forearm in yesterday’s contest, leaving him in position for a multi-week recovery period. Today’s move ensures at least a four-game absence before Anzalone will be eligible to return to action. Bringing him back into the fold will use up one of the six IR activations Detroit now has given the Melifonwu move.

The Lions also added David Long via a practice squad deal. The veteran linebacker was waived by the Dolphins last week not long after losing his starting role on defense. Miami elevated Anthony Walker to first-team duties, leaving Long out of the organization in short order. No team put in a claim for the 28-year-old, but he has quickly managed to land a gig as a free agent.

Of course, the fact Long has signed with Detroit comes as no surprise given Anzalone’s injury. The latter has remained a full-time starter on defense this season, so his absence will test the Lions’ depth at the second level. Long – who has 75 games and 49 starts to his name – could soon find himself being elevated to the active roster as at least a rotational option at the LB spot.

Dolphins Waive LB David Long

November 13th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Dolphins made a somewhat shocking move by waiving linebacker David Long on Wednesday to make room for waiver claim tight end Jack Stoll, according to a team announcement.

Long was voted by his teammates to be a team captain in Miami at the start of the season, making his midseason departure a surprise after starting six of the Dolphins’ eight games this year. Anthony Walker took over Long’s starting role in the last two games, and the arrival of former Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson via waivers made Long surplus to requirements in Miami.

Instead, the Dolphins prioritized Stoll to add another tight end to their roster after Alec Ingold missed Monday night’s game with a calf injury. The 2023 Pro Bowler played 39% of the team’s offensive snaps when healthy this year, consistent with his usage since head coach Mike McDaniel‘s arrival in 2022. The Dolphins’ use of heavy personnel required them to add another tight end in case Ingold’s absence extends into Week 11.

Despite losing his starting job this season, Long could still draw interest on waivers from a team looking for linebacker depth. He was in the second year of a two-year, $10MM contract with the Dolphins signed during the 2023 offseason, per OverTheCap. Miami will eat a dead cap hit of at least $2.21MM – the 2024 prorated portion of his signing bonus – plus $444,444 in guaranteed salary if Long is not claimed off waivers. If another team claims Long, they will owe him $2MM for the rest of the year and the Dolphins will not be on the hook for his remaining guaranteed salary. If Long clears waivers, he will become a free agent and can sign with whatever team he likes, while Miami will have a $2.65MM dead cap hit on their books.

The Eagles waived Stoll on Tuesday to make room on their 53-man roster for the activation of left tackle Jordan Mailata from injured reserve.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/24

July 28th, 2024 at 5:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves to close out the weekend:

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Activated from active/NFI list: TE Erick All

Dallas Cowboys

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Thuney has been working his way back from a pectoral injury. After suffering the strain in a Divisional Round win over the Bills, the injury held Thuney out of the team’s final two wins over the Ravens and 49ers. Having passed his physical, Thuney will return to practice in order to take the next steps on his way back to the field.

The Giants weren’t the only team to submit a waiver claim for Rourke as he continues to try and turn his success in the Canadian Football League into an NFL opportunity. Now, after being buried on the depth chart behind Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito, Rourke is able to look elsewhere for that chance at playing time in the NFL.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/24

July 23rd, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OT Julién Davenport

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reverted to IR: WR Jared Wayne
  • Released from IR: WR Jaxon Janke

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Titans Rule Out Several Players For Sunday’s Game

December 10th, 2022 at 8:39am CST by Ben Levine

The Titans will be without a handful of significant players for tomorrow’s game against the Jaguars. Jim Wyatt of the team’s website tweets that wideout Treylon Burks, cornerback Kristian Fulton, and linebacker David Long are among those who have been ruled out for Sunday.

Burks suffered a concussion last weekend against the Eagles and missed practice throughout the week. The rookie first-round pick missed a chunk of the season while recovering from a turf toe injury. In the four games since his return to the field, Burks has hauled in 15 catches for 230 yards and one touchdown. The Titans will surely add another WR to the roster before tomorrow’s game, as Robert Woods, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and C.J. Board are currently the only healthy options on the roster.

Long, a former sixth-round, is having a career season, with the linebacker currently pacing the Titans with 86 tackles. Long didn’t practice this week after suffering a hamstring injury against Philly. Fulton, a former second-round pick, has started all 10 of his appearances in 2022. The defensive back suffered a groin injury last Sunday. His absence won’t be made any easier with cornerback Tre Avery also ruled out with a concussion.

The Titans will also be without defensive lineman Denico Autry and wide receiver C.J. Board against Jacksonville.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/20

November 16th, 2020 at 5:08pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We’ll put all of today’s minor moves here:

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans 

Fortunately it looks like all these COVID-19 list placements were due to contacts and not positive tests, meaning the Chiefs will likely have both of their starting tackles available on Sunday assuming they don’t test positive between now and then.

Titans Sign Two Draft Picks, 12 UDFAs

May 9th, 2019 at 6:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans have signed a pair of rookie linebackers, fifth-round pick D’Andre Walker and sixth-round pick David Long, the club announced today.

Walker projects as an edge rusher at the NFL level, while Long is more likely to play off-ball linebacker. Neither looks to have an easy path to playing time in 2019. The Titans already boast Harold Landry and Cameron Wake on the edge, while Long is blocked by Rashaan Evans, Jayon Brown, and Wesley Woodyard on the inside.

Tennessee also agreed to terms with the following 12 undrafted free agents: