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Trade Notes: 49ers, Chiefs, Ravens, Hawks

October 28th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

With the 49ers dealing with a number of injuries at the receiver spot – punctuated by Brandon Aiyuk‘s ACL tear – the team has been floated as a potential buyer in terms of pass-catching help. General manager John Lynch is confident in San Francisco’s incumbent options, though.

“I wouldn’t say that specifically,” Lynch said when asked about pursuing a receiver trade (via David Bonilla of 49ersWebZone.com). “I mean, we look into every situation to see if it can help us at every position. It’s a lot harder to do than people realize. People aren’t into giving up players that can really help you.”

When the unit is at full strength, the 49ers’ WR corps will consist of Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Chris Conley, Jacob Cowing, Ronnie Bell and first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall. The latter has made two appearances since recovering from his offseason gunshot wound, totaling seven catches for 59 yards. Pearsall emerging as a dependable contributor would certainly soften the blow of losing Aiyuk. San Francisco has been connected to a reunion with Kendrick Bourne, but the veteran prefers to remain in New England.

Here are some other trade-related notes from around the NFL:

  • DeAndre Hopkins made his Chiefs debut on Sunday, recording a pair of catches. The three-time All-Pro recently became the latest receiver to be dealt ahead of the November 5 deadline, and his presence will help a Kansas City team which will be without Rashee Rice or Marquise Brown for the rest of the season and which is currently missing Skyy Moore. On the other side of the ball, another move could be in store. Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes the defending champions could be in the market for a cornerback (subscription required). Jaylen Watson‘s fractured ankle makes it unlikely he will return in 2024, so the Chiefs could stand to make a move at the CB spot.
  • During their Week 8 loss to the Browns, the Ravens struggled once again on the defensive side of the ball. Baltimore currently sits 26th in scoring defense, owing in large part to a league-worst 291 passing yards allowed per game. To little surprise, then, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec writes the Ravens would likely prefer to add a defender ahead of the deadline (subscription required). The team has already been connected to pursuing edge rush help, but the decision to bench safety Marcus Williams could also be an indication a safety is on the radar. The Ravens currently have $4.36MM in cap space, enough for a modest midseason acquisition.
  • The 2024 trading period began when the Seahawks acquired Roy Robertson-Harris from the Jaguars. The move gave Seattle an experienced presence along the defensive interior, something which was a priority for the team. As Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes, injuries were not a factor in the deal. Rather, the Seahawks have used Robertson-Harris as a rotational member of their D-line amidst their younger incumbent options. The 31-year-old has made seven tackles during his two Seattle appearances.

2024 NFL Cap Space, By Team

October 27th, 2024 at 7:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the trade deadline nearing, more player movement can be expected during the coming days. Of course, a key factor in any deals will be the financial situation for contenders aiming to bolster their rosters for the second half of the campaign.

Courtesy of Over the Cap, here is an updated look at each teams’ cap space:

  1. San Francisco 49ers: $54.13MM
  2. Cleveland Browns: $45.16MM
  3. New England Patriots: $36.61MM
  4. Las Vegas Raiders: $34.59MM
  5. Detroit Lions: $27.53MM
  6. Washington Commanders: $23.44MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $20.75MM
  8. Arizona Cardinals: $19.44MM
  9. Tennessee Titans: $18.26MM
  10. Jacksonville Jaguars: $17.12MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $13.96MM
  12. Indianapolis Colts: $11.11MM
  13. Philadelphia Eagles: $10.36MM
  14. Minnesota Vikings: $9.48MM
  15. Cincinnati Bengals: $8.98MM
  16. Pittsburgh Steelers: $8.93MM
  17. Seattle Seahawks: $8.19MM
  18. Atlanta Falcons: $8.16MM
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $7.83MM
  20. Los Angeles Chargers: $7.72MM
  21. Chicago Bears: $6.14MM
  22. Houston Texans: $6.01MM
  23. New York Jets: $5.1MM
  24. Miami Dolphins: $5.02MM
  25. Baltimore Ravens: $4.36MM
  26. Buffalo Bills: $2.37MM
  27. Kansas City Chiefs: $2.35MM
  28. New Orleans Saints: $2.15MM
  29. Los Angeles Rams: $1.91MM
  30. Denver Broncos: $1.77MM
  31. New York Giants: $1.51MM
  32. Carolina Panthers: $1.12MM

Just like last year, the 49ers find themselves with considerable cap space to work with. The team has several reasons to roll over as many funds as possible into the offseason, however, with Brock Purdy eligible for an extension and the likes of Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir and Talanoa Hufanga on track for free agency. Major investments including a commitment beyond 2024 would thus come as a surprise.

San Francisco is among the teams to watch regarding an addition, and major injuries on both sides of the ball could lead to a stop-gap solution being targeted. The 49ers may also be open to moving away players before the deadline, though, with Ward being named as potential candidate to be dealt. Sitting at 3-4, the team’s bid to return to the Super Bowl has not gone as planned to date, but a notable midseason addition could certainly change things.

Having lost Aidan Hutchinson until at least the Super Bowl, the Lions have an obvious need along the edge. Replacing his production with any one addition will not be feasible, but bringing in at least a rotational option would not come as a surprise. Indeed, Detroit has been involved in the edge market with respect to showing interest in some of the veterans who could be on the move.

That list no longer includes Haason Reddick, but the Lions have also been connected to Za’Darius Smith. The Browns have already moved Amari Cooper, so it would come as little surprise if the team were to deal away the three-time Pro Bowler in a move which would allow him to return to the NFC North. Smith certainly seems to be open to a trade, and Detroit would easily be able to absorb the remainder of his $1.2MM 2024 salary.

While Smith could be on the move, fellow Cleveland edge rusher Myles Garrett is (understandably) seen as untouchable. That is also the case for Raiders start Maxx Crosby, with owner Mark Davis making it clear a trade will not be considered before or after the deadline. Even though the Titans have been active already on the trade front, they too will not entertain a deal involving two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. While talks have taken place related to Cooper Kupp, the Rams do not expect to move on from the former Super Bowl MVP.

The receiver position remains one to watch even with Davante Adams (Jets), Cooper (Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Chiefs) already joining new teams. As the Panthers consider selling off pending free agents, Diontae Johnson could be available for a mid-round pick. In the case of the Jaguars, Christian Kirk is still a candidate to be dealt (although he is not a pending free agent). Teams like the Steelers and Chargers have yet to add a pass-catcher, but they have shown interest and could pull off a move in the coming days.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/26/24

October 26th, 2024 at 6:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturdays minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/25/24

October 25th, 2024 at 8:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s taxi squad moves:

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: DL Jonathan Ford

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/24

October 24th, 2024 at 6:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves:

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

This has been a busy week for Tonyan transactions. The Vikings dropped him from their 53-man roster to their practice squad the same day, as vested vets are allowed to do before the trade deadline, and are now elevating the veteran tight end. Tonyan has played in four Vikings games this season but has yet to catch a pass. His return to the active roster comes as the team ruled out T.J. Hockenson, who remains in the PUP-return window. Hockenson’s window closes Friday, pointing to a Week 9 debut.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/23/24

October 23rd, 2024 at 7:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

While the Dolphins should soon have Tua Tagovailoa back on the field, the team has still added another QB to the mix. The team added veteran C.J. Beathard to the taxi squad today. The quarterback has bounced around the NFL since 2017, including a few stops in San Francisco when current Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel served as the 49ers run game coordinator. The 30-year-old got a start for the Jaguars last season, completing 17 of his 24 pass attempts for 178 yards. The newest addition will join a QB room that also includes Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, and Tim Boyle.

Seahawks Place OT Stone Forsythe On IR

October 23rd, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks have lost yet another lineman. According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, the team has placed offensive tackle Stone Forsythe on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the team claimed linebacker Josh Ross off waivers from the Ravens.

[RELATED: Abraham Lucas, George Fant Return To Practice]

A 2021 sixth-round pick, Forsythe has spent his entire career in Seattle. He’s mostly served as a backup and special teamer, although he took on a larger role in 2023 when he established career-highs in starts (eight) and offensive snaps (501).

He was thrust back into the starting lineup at right tackle for the 2024 campaign. Abe Lucas hasn’t appeared in a game this year while recovering from knee surgery, and fill-in George Fant suffered his own knee injury during the season opener. Forsythe started the next five games for Seattle before missing last weekend’s game with a hand injury. That issue ultimately landed him on IR, and he’ll now miss at least the next four games.

While Pro Football Focus has graded Forsythe as the third-worst qualifying player at his position this year, the Seahawks have clearly valued some semblance of continuity on their OL. Fortunately, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as both Lucas and Fant have returned to practice. If either of the veterans are unable to take the field this weekend, rookie sixth-round pick Mike Jerrell will likely get another start at RT.

Ross should provide the Seahawks with some depth at weakside linebacker after the team dealt Jerome Baker and a fourth-round to the Titans for MLB Ernest Jones. However, expectations shouldn’t be high, as the former UDFA has exclusively played on special teams in his 12 career games.

Seahawks Designate Abraham Lucas For Return From PUP List; George Fant In IR-Return Window

October 23rd, 2024 at 12:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Abraham Lucas‘ health issues have forced the Seahawks to make a few adjustments over the past two seasons. One of them involved a reunion with George Fant. Both tackles have been largely out of the mix for Seattle this season.

The Seahawks are slowly seeing some returns, however; both Fant and Lucas are back at practice. For Lucas, this is a designation from the reserve/PUP list. Fant is being designated for return off IR. Both players have 21 days to be activated.

This is a long time coming for Lucas, who has spent most of the year recovering from surgery. Lucas, who missed 11 games last season due to a knee injury, has been Seattle’s first-string right tackle since he was drafted in the 2022 third round. He and 2022 first-round LT Charles Cross played key roles in Geno Smith‘s surprising resurgence, but while Cross has been generally available, his counterpart has not. Pete Carroll went so far as to call Lucas’ knee injury chronic, and his rehab arc has supported the dismissed HC’s assertion.

Although the Seahawks’ new coaching staff has pushed back on the “chronic” label, this group has also seen the Washington State alum take longer than expected to come back. Lucas suffered the knee injury in Week 1 of the 2023 season and was not activated until Nov. 30 of last year. He returned to finish the season but needed a procedure done soon after. The recovery from said procedure had defined Lucas’ year to this point.

It should be expected the Seahawks will give Lucas multiple weeks to practice before activating him. Lucas will need to show good form upon return, and it will be interesting to see if he reacquires his job under a new coaching staff. Fant, 32, has considerable experience at both tackle spots, beginning with a run in Seattle after a college hoops career. The veteran has started 74 career games, including Week 1. Fant went down 13 plays into the season, though, suffering a knee injury against the Broncos.

Signed to a two-year, $9.1MM deal, Fant came back to Seattle as a swingman but presumably viewed Lucas’ situation as a selling point. Fant also worked as a three-year Jets starter and filled in for a depleted Texans O-line last season. Tytus Howard‘s return from injury resulted in a shift to guard, with the Texans keeping Fant at RT. It will be interesting to see if the Seahawks follow suit.

With Fant likely closer to a return than Lucas, he would have the first crack at the job. The 32-year-old blocker will be set to step back in for Stone Forsythe, whom Pro Football Focus has graded as the NFL’s third-worst tackle regular this season. Forsythe has started the past five games at right tackle for the 4-3 Seahawks.

Seahawks, Titans Agree To Swap LBs Jerome Baker, Ernest Jones

October 23rd, 2024 at 11:30am CST by Sam Robinson

Ernest Jones is heading back to the NFC West, being involved in a second trade this year. The Titans and Seahawks have a linebacker-for-linebacker swap lined up, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports.

The Seahawks are sending Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick to the Titans for Jones, who was originally dealt from the Rams to the Titans in August. The contract-year linebacker will head back to the Pacific Time Zone to finish up his free agency audition. It’s a 2025 fourth, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com.

This marks the second Titans seller’s trade of the day, with the move coming hours after the team agreed to send DeAndre Hopkins to the Chiefs. This checks in as a slightly lower-profile deal, but Tennessee secured a better return for Jones compared to Hopkins. Collecting a conditional fifth-round pick for the former All-Pro receiver, the Titans now have Baker and a fourth coming back. Like Jones, Baker is in a contract year.

As the Rams informed Jones this offseason would not be extended in 2024, his camp received permission to negotiate a trade. While Jones had said he did not request a trade out of Los Angeles, the Rams agreed to one in short order. L.A. collected a fifth-round pick for Jones and a sixth. Despite the season being nearly half over, the Titans did better in their Jones return.

Overall, Tennessee did quite well in the two Jones trades. The team gave up only a 2026 fifth-round pick but has obtained Baker, a 2025 fourth-rounder and a 2026 sixth in exchange. The Seahawks will bet on the younger linebacker while the Titans retool.

A former Rams starter who played a role for the Super Bowl LVI team before being highly productive from 2022-23, Jones has started five games with the Titans. He leaves Tennessee with 44 tackles (second on the team) with three TFLs and two pass deflections. Jones, who briefly teamed with UFA addition Kenneth Murray in Tennessee, led the 2023 Rams in tackles with 145 — to go with 4.5 sacks and 14 TFLs. This came after Jones teamed with Bobby Wagner as a starter in 2022.

The Seahawks had used free agency to staff their LB position, though they did not make the kind of commitment there the Titans did via their three-year Murray pact. Seattle signed Baker and Tyrel Dodson, bringing in the former as a street free agent following his Dolphins release. Baker’s second 2024 relocation will come after he started all five games he played with Seattle. Baker made 30 tackles (two for loss) and forced a fumble during his brief Seahawks stint.

Pro Football Focus has Baker and Jones ranked alongside each other among off-ball ‘backers this season, placing Baker 46th and Jones 47th. PFF has Baker rated as a superior coverage linebacker, though Jones checked in as a top-15 overall option at LB in 2023. He will now have a chance to use the Seahawks as a springboard to a nice 2025 payday.

Baker being nearly three years older explains the compensation in this trade. Baker will turn 28 on Christmas Day; Jones will be 25 next month. The Seahawks hold exclusive negotiating rights with their newly acquired defender until the March legal tampering period.

In Miami, Baker worked as a hybrid player of sorts. He showed the type of blitz acumen that has boosted the profiles of Demario Davis and Devin White. The former third-round pick notched 22.5 sacks in six Dolphins seasons, topping out at seven under Brian Flores in 2020. Baker did not assimilate as easily into Vic Fangio‘s defense last season, but he will now go from one ex-Raven assistant’s scheme to another by moving from Mike Macdonald‘s defense to Dennard Wilson‘s.

While Jones is tied his third-round contract, Baker is attached to a one-year deal worth $7MM. The Seahawks, however, already paid Baker a $4MM roster bonus; he is due barely $1MM in prorated base salary. As Baker joins Murray on a 1-5 Tennessee team, Jones will team with Dodson as a pair of contract-year LBs for a 4-3 Seattle team.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/22/24

October 22nd, 2024 at 5:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: S Erick Hallet

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Prince played under Brian Callahan in Cincinnati but has only played two games over the past two seasons. A six-game starter with the Dolphins and Bengals, Prince missed all of the 2020 season due to a COVID-19 opt-out and then all of the 2022 season due to injury.

The Vikings cut Tonyan from their 53-man roster earlier today, but because the NFC North mainstay is a vested veteran, he did not need to clear waivers before joining Minnesota’s practice squad. With T.J. Hockenson on the way back, Tonyan profiles as insurance.

This is a third chance for Marshall. The Panthers waived him after three seasons. No team claimed the former second-round pick, with Joe Brady‘s Bills passing. The 49ers took a flier soon after but released him last week.

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