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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.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/25/24

November 25th, 2024 at 7:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

With Blake Ferguson still injured and the Dolphins having used Tucker Addington‘s three promotions, the Dolphins are turning to a new long snapper. In comes Zach Triner, who is coming off a long stint in Tampa Bay. Triner ultimately spent five-plus seasons with the Buccaneers, getting into 81 games. He was cut by the team earlier this month after his replacement, Evan Deckers, returned from injury.

The Eagles are set to add K.J. Henry to their practice squad, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The 2023 fifth-round pick has already bounced around the league in his short career, spending time with the Commanders, Bengals, and Cowboys. He cleared waivers today after getting cut by the Cowboys this past weekend. The defensive end got into a pair of games for Dallas this season, and he’s collected three sacks in 17 career games.

Giants Activate OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, Promote QB Tim Boyle

November 23rd, 2024 at 6:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

To no surprise, Kayvon Thibodeaux will be back in action for the Giants in Week 12. The third-year edge rusher was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, per a team announcement.

Thibodeaux returned to practice earlier this week, opening his 21-day activation window. The team expected to have him back in time for tomorrow’s game against the Buccaneers, and that will indeed be the case given today’s move. Having recovered in full from wrist surgery, Thibodeaux will reprise his role as a starter along the edge for the Giants.

The former No. 5 pick has been out since Week 5, and in his absence Brian Burns and Azeez Ojulari have handled heavy workloads at the OLB spot. The latter was the subject of trade talk leading up to the deadline earlier this month, but New York elected to retain him. That move came as something of a surprise given Ojulari’s status as a pending free agent and the lack of contract talks which have taken place in his case. Nevertheless, it allowed him to continue adding to his sack total (which now sits at six) ahead of a potential trip to the open market.

Ojulari will return to rotational duties with Thibodeaux back in the fold, though. The Oregon product has started each of his 36 games with the Giants, including the entirety of the 2022 campaign during which Thibodeaux took a major step forward in production. He posted 11.5 sacks, raising expectations for this season (the first with Burns in the fold). Thibodeaux only managed a pair of sacks before landing on IR, but now that he is healthy he will look to deliver a strong finish to the year. Doing so could help his chances of landing an extension this offseason, the first during which he will be eligible for a new deal.

The Giants also promoted Tim Boyle from the practice squad. The journeyman quarterback was added to the taxi squad this week, suggesting he could replace Daniel Jones as New York’s emergency third quarterback for the rest of the season. With Jones now out of the organization, Boyle is set to handle QB3 duties behind Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock.

In a corresponding move, outside linebacker Tomon Fox was waived. The former UDFA has made 24 combined regular and postseason appearances, all with the Giants. A regular presence on special teams, Fox could remain with New York on a practice squad deal provided he clears waivers.

Giants Place K Greg Joseph On IR, Elevate Irish Gaelic Footballer

November 2nd, 2024 at 5:11pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants were forced to scramble early in the season when kicker Graham Gano went down with a groin injury in Week 2. Now, as Gano’s replacement Greg Joseph deals with an abdominal injury, New York will get creative once again. Per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Joseph’s injury will land him on injured reserve, and the team will utilize a standard gameday practice squad elevation on kicker Jude McAtamney to replace him this weekend.

In the aftermath of the Gano injury, Joseph was signed off of the Lions’ practice squad. The Giants had auditioned a number of free agent kickers but opted instead for Joseph, who was waiting in the wings behind UFL star Jake Bates. Joseph has been admirable in replacement duty, converting 13 of his 16 field goal attempts, with all three misses coming from beyond 40 yards. He also assisted an uninspiring offense, converting all six of the extra points he was asked to kick.

New York had ruled out Joseph for tomorrow’s game with the injury to his abdomen already, but placing him on IR means that he’ll miss at least three additional contests. The Giants are not going external once again to fill their newly vacant kicker position, instead choosing to elevate the practice squad kicker McAtamney. He seemingly was not prepared to step up in Week 3, but the Giants will trust him to debut in the NFL tomorrow.

McAtamney is a former Gaelic football player from North Ireland. After gaining an interest in American football, McAtamney trained with ProKick Australia and moved to America to play at Chowan University and Rutgers. He made 12 of 18 field goal attempts for the Scarlet Knights with a long of 49 yards and converted 23 of 24 extra points. As a native Irishman, McAtamney qualified for the NFL’s international roster exemption, allowing him to be on the Giants’ practice squad without counting towards the 16-man limit.

Joining McAtamney from the practice squad tomorrow will be outside linebacker Tomon Fox, who is not being elevated but signed to the active roster to fill the roster spot vacated by Joseph. Filling Fox’s spot on the practice squad is versatile fullback/tight end Jakob Johnson, who rejoins the team after being released on Wednesday.

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.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/14/24

September 14th, 2024 at 8:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor transactions and gameday practice squad callups:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts after a Saints trade was discussed. The 30-year-old missed the 2022 and ’23 campaigns due to ACL and Achilles tears, respectively. Patrick did not need to wait long to find a new opportunity, though, quickly landing a practice squad deal with the Lions. He is now positioned make his season debut tomorrow as a complementary option in Detroit’s passing attack.

Olszewski is dealing with a groin injury and he was known to be facing a long-term absence. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise, but it ensures at least a four-week absence. The former All-Pro scored a punt return touchdown with Pittsburgh early last season and added another during his 10-game Giants stretch to close out the year. The team will need to rely on other options in the return game for the time being.

Giants Place Isaiah McKenzie On IR, Move Roster To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 8:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is how the Giants moved down to the 53-man limit today:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on season-ending IR:

Placed on IR/return:

Just as the NFL greenlit a full-on kickoff revamp, McKenzie is out of the picture in New York. Signing with the Giants this year and completing a reunion with ex-Bills staffers Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, McKenzie has been a return man and slot receiver for seven seasons. This transaction, unlike the Adams designation, will knock the 5-foot-7 cog out for the year. McKenzie only received $75K guaranteed.

McKenzie joins Hodgins among the players not currently in the mix for the team. The Giants received good value from the former waiver claim, who was a Bills teammate of McKenzie’s under Daboll earlier his career. They brought him back after non-tendering him as an RFA in March, and he and Robinson were battling for back-end receiver jobs. The Giants kept Bryce Ford-Wheaton, a 2023 UDFA, over Hodgins. Considering Hodgins’ past with Daboll, it would not surprise to see New York circle back with a potential practice squad invite. Though, the fifth-year veteran might have other options.

Beavers was viewed as a potential inside linebacker starter in 2023, but Micah McFadden ended up beating out the former sixth-round pick. Beavers played in only two games last season. Cager also was considered a contender to be one of the Giants’ receiving tight ends, but the converted wideout fell short. Daniel Bellinger and fourth-round rookie Theo Johnson are leading the way post-Darren Waller.

NFC Coaching Notes: Martindale, Macdonald, Gruden, Saints, Canales, Bucs, Bears, Eagles

February 1st, 2024 at 2:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers went off the board with their defensive coordinator hire, bringing in Boston College HC Jeff Hafley. Matt LaFleur has looked to the college ranks during each of his DC searches, wanting to hire then-Wisconsin staffer Jim Leonhard in 2021. Hafley’s hire comes after the Packers squeezed in another interview with a seasoned NFL coordinator. Don Martindale met with the Pack about the gig, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein tweets.

Martindale resigned his two-year post as Giants DC after a turbulent second season with Brian Daboll; he has since interviewed with the Jaguars for a job that went to Ryan Nielsen. Martindale has been accused of going rogue at points in New York, with the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz adding another footnote here. Ahead of the Giants’ Christmas game against the Eagles, Martindale is believed to have requested the equipment staff change linebacker Tomon Fox‘s number from 49 to 94 due to the DC’s plans of having him bumped up from the practice squad. That change was made without Daboll or GM Joe Schoen‘s approval.

As the Giants’ DC search continues, here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • The Saints–Jon Gruden connection persists. Although Gruden is not on the radar — at least, as far as we know — for the Saints’ OC job, a GM informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora the former Raiders and Buccaneers HC should be expected to have a bigger role with New Orleans in 2024. Gruden worked as a consultant last summer and met with Saints officials recently. The GM suggested the possibility Gruden could eventually replace Dennis Allen, which would be quite the development considering the circumstances surrounding Gruden’s Las Vegas exit. For now, Gruden, who is still suing the NFL, remains without an NFL job.
  • Unsurprisingly, Mike Macdonald confirmed he will start his Seahawks tenure as the team’s defensive play-caller. Though, the new Seattle HC said (via SI.com’s Albert Breer) he is open to that changing at some point. Michigan’s 2021 DC, Macdonald called plays for the Ravens over the past two years and became one of this year’s most popular HC candidates as a result. Although Pete Carroll carried a defensive background, he did not serve as the Seahawks’ defensive play-caller.
  • The Buccaneers have lost much of their offensive staff to Carolina, seeing one-and-done OC Dave Canales take three staffers (receivers coach Brad Idzik, run-game coordinator Harold Goodwin, O-line coach Joe Gilbert). Tom Moore, however, will be staying in Tampa, per Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager. Moore, 85, has been with the Bucs since Bruce Arians‘ 2019 arrival. The former Colts OC, who is now 85, has served as a consultant for the NFC South team. This will be Moore’s 47th NFL season.
  • Baker Mayfield finished last in QBR in 2022, seeing his Panthers stay responsible for that dismal result. Canales helping the inconsistent QB recover from what happened in Carolina represents a key reason for his HC hire, ESPN.com’s David Newton notes. A Canales selling point hinged on the Bucs’ downfield passing, with Newton adding Tampa Bay went from 24th in that area (6.9 air yards per attempt) in Tom Brady‘s final season to third in 2023 (8.4).
  • The Eagles have permitted quarterbacks coach Alex Tanney to explore opportunities elsewhere, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. During the period between Brian Johnson‘s exit and the Kellen Moore OC hire, Tanney asked the team for the opportunity. The Eagles are moving on, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. Tanney received interest from the Colts last year, and McLane points to Indianapolis under ex-Eagles OC Shane Steichen as a potential landing spot.
  • The Bears have hired three more assistants. Chad Morton is signing on as running backs coach, according to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser, while ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin adds Chris Beatty is coming in as wide receivers coach. Most recently with the Chargers, Beatty coached D.J. Moore at Maryland. A former NFL return man, Morton is following OC Shane Waldron from Seattle. Morton was the Seahawks’ RBs coach from 2017-23. Chicago also hired Jason Houghtaling as assistant O-line coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds; Houghtaling was Tennessee’s O-line coach in 2023.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/10/24

January 10th, 2024 at 6:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s reserve/futures deals:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/23

December 24th, 2023 at 6:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sunday’s minor moves around the league:

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Facyson has not played all season, but the Raiders opened his practice window on Dec. 6, making him eligible to return to the field. The 29-year-old played for the Colts last season, but he spent the previous year with the Raiders, starting nine of his 12 games. Facyson is under contract through 2024, but none of his $2.27MM salary is guaranteed. Logging some game action down the stretch could thus be beneficial to his roster security.

Neal has missed the past five games due to an ankle injury, and today’s move means he will be shut down for the remainder of the season. The 2022 first-rounder underwhelmed when on the field, to the point where a switch to guard was suggested. No such move has been given consideration, but Neal will nevertheless face considerable expectations to rebound in 2024. Peart will have the chance to see playing time late in the year after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 5.

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