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Patriots To Place C David Andrews, T Caedan Wallace On IR

October 4th, 2024 at 10:39am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots’ offensive line has dealt with a number of injuries this year, and a pair of expected transactions related to those ailments will take place. Head coach Jerod Mayo said on Friday both center David Andrews and offensive tackle Caedan Wallace are headed to injured reserve.

The decision comes as no surprise in either case. Andrews is set to undergo shoulder surgery which will shut him down for the remainder of the campaign. That makes an IR designation a formality which will open up a roster spot allowing depth to be added. Missing Andrews will weaken a unit which already faced questions before and during the young season, however.

Wallace is dealing with an ankle injury, and today’s news means he will miss at least four games. Mayo did say (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) he could return at some point this season, though. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes a recovery timeline of at least six weeks could be in store for Wallace. Regardless of how long the third-round rookie is out, his absence will leave New England short on tackle depth while attempting to find a suitable combination up front.

The Patriots are of course without Chukwuma Okorafor after he departed the team following Week 1. It remains to be seen when (or if) the former Steeler will be available later this season, and his ongoing absence has left the team without its projected left tackle starter. Wallace going down will leave that position particularly thin, especially since Vederian Lowe has missed the past two games.

Mayo said the Patriots do not have a firm plan in place with respect to filling their open roster spots. These moves will create extra openings for at least short-term additions, although Kendrick Bourne, Sione Takitaki and Marte Mapu all returned to practice earlier this week. Activating the members of that trio will use up roster spots, but it would still come as no surprise if New England brought in O-line depth over the coming days.

Panthers Bring Back Marquis Haynes

October 4th, 2024 at 9:51am CST by Adam La Rose

Marquis Haynes is set to return to Carolina. The seventh-year edge rusher has a deal in place with the Panthers, as first reported by Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. The move is now official, per a team announcement.

Kaye notes this will be a practice squad agreement. Haynes could soon see time on the active roster, though, as he looks to reclaim the depth role he has held throughout his career. The 30-year-old has logged 71 appearances to date, all with the Panthers. He had a lengthy stay on the free agent market, a period which included a Panthers workout.

Carolina hosted a number of other veteran edge options, however, and the team did not reunite with Haynes at that point. The former fourth-rounder wound up landing a Cardinals deal in August shortly after BJ Ojulari suffered a season-ending ACL tear. In very short order, though, Haynes was let go after his Arizona pact included an injury waiver (stemming from the time he spent on injured reserve last season). Now, he will circle back to his former team in a bid to put together a healthy campaign.

Haynes played sparingly during his rookie year, but since then his snap shares have ranged from 27-41%. His most productive campaign came in 2022, when he racked up five sacks and 16 pressures. After being limited to only seven games last year, the Ole Miss product could serve as a notable depth contributor along the edge upon being promoted to the active roster. Carolina ranks 30th in the NFL with only five sacks, so production from anywhere in the organization would be welcomed.

Neither D.J. Wonnum nor Amare Barno have played this season with both spending the first four weeks of the year on the reserve/PUP list. Both players will add much-needed depth along the edge once they are activated, but in the meantime Haynes could fill in as a rotational option. Succeeding in that capacity could help his market value ahead of the 2025 offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/24

October 3rd, 2024 at 7:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Phillips’ spot on the 53-man roster was filled today when Miami signed outside linebacker Tyus Bowser from Seattle’s practice squad.

The young running back in Baltimore will have his 21-day practice window opened as he attempts to come back from injury after being placed on injured reserve the day of the season opener.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/24

October 3rd, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Seattle Seahawks

Brightwell returns to Cleveland via the practice squad after getting waived earlier this week. The team is perhaps attempting to clear space for running back Nick Chubb to eventually make his way off the IR. Chubb was designated to return from the reserve/physically unable to perform list today.

Richardson was signed to the practice squad spot that was vacated when outside linebacker Tyus Bowser was signed to the Dolphins active roster today off of Seattle’s practice squad.

Chiefs Place WR Rashee Rice On IR

October 3rd, 2024 at 3:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

It is not yet known if Rashee Rice will miss the remainder of the season, but he is in line for at least a short-term absence. The second-year wideout was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per a team announcement.

That move comes as no surprise, and it guarantees at least a four-game spell on the sidelines. A torn ACL may have occurred in Week 4, something which would of course sideline Rice for the rest of the season. Head coach Andy Reid confirmed when speaking to the media today, however, that the team will wait for the swelling to subside before further testing takes place.

If those evaluations confirm a torn ACL, moving Rice to IR will prove to have been a simple formality. If a less serious injury is revealed, though, a return at some point during the campaign would be possible. At a minimum, today’s news ensures the 24-year-old will not be eligible to play until Week 9 at the earliest.

Rice’s injury came after the Chiefs had already lost Marquise Brown until no earlier than the postseason. As a result, Kansas City’s receiving corps is thin at the moment, leading many to label the team as a potential buyer ahead of the trade deadline. Good news on the Rice injury front could change any plans Kansas City has to make a midseason receiver addition, but it will still be interesting to see if one is pursued with at least a short-term absence in store.

Faced with a number of off-the-field issues this offseason, the SMU product is not expected to be suspended this season in connection with the hit-and-run incident he was involved in. Regardless of how his legal situation plays out, missed time on the field will be acutely felt. Rice had a strong rookie campaign and posted a 24-288-2 statline across his first three games in 2024. He will be expected to remain a key pass-catching option if he manages to return later this season.

If not, the Chiefs will rely on first-round rookie Xavier Worthy along with the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Skyy Moore, Justin Watson and Mecole Hardman at the receiver spot. That group could be joined by Rice down the road, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case.

Dolphins To Sign OLB Tyus Bowser Off Seahawks’ Practice Squad

October 3rd, 2024 at 2:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

In need of healthy depth along the edge, the Dolphins are set to make an addition. Tyus Bowser is being signed off the Seahawks’ practice squad, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Jaelan Phillips is out for the season due to a knee injury. Especially since Bradley Chubb has yet to return to the lineup, Miami is particularly thin along the edge as things stand. Bowser could provide at least a rotational presence as he aims to carve out a full-time role in 2024. The 29-year-old missed all of last season, but he managed a pair of appearances with Seattle this year.

Bowser took a Seahawks taxi squad deal to reunite with head coach Mike Macdonald after the two worked together in Baltimore. That move came about just after roster cutdowns and allowed him to try and rebuild his value while handling a rotational role. Used as a gameday elevation in Weeks 3 and 4, the former second-rounder logged 38 defensive snaps with Seattle. As Schefter’s colleague Brady Henderson noted earlier today, Bowser had his practice squad deal terminated to allow him to land with a new team.

By taking a contract with Miami, Bowser will join defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. The latter served as a key member of the Ravens’ defensive staff from 2021-23, providing some overlap with the former’s playing time in Baltimore. Weaver took the Dolphins’ DC gig this offseason, and Bowser – who recorded 19.5 sacks in 89 Ravens games – will give him a familiar face to work with as the team tries to fill the vacancy created by Phillips’ injury. Bowser has considerable experience not only defending the run but also dropping into coverage, especially compared to the skillsets of rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara.

That versatility could help the Houston product earn a notable workload over the coming weeks. Robinson and Emmanuel Ogbah are positioned to handle first-team reps along the edge, and Chubb will factor heavily into the team’s rotation once he is healthy. A veteran of 24 starts (one of which came with the Seahawks as they dealt with their own pass-rushing injury troubles), Bowser could nevertheless see meaningful playing time through the remainder of the season. Doing so would help Miami’s defense and boost his market value in the process.

Dolphins Open Odell Beckham Jr.’s Practice Window

October 2nd, 2024 at 9:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins have waited months for their hopeful No. 3 wide receiver to practice. Although the team has a bigger-picture matter plaguing its offense, Odell Beckham Jr. is trending toward a workout with teammates soon.

Out with an unspecified injury for months, Beckham is now off the Dolphins’ reserve/PUP list. The team did not practice today, but Beckham was listed as a full estimated participant. The Dolphins now have three weeks to activate OBJ. If Miami does not activate Beckham by then, he misses the season. Though, it seems unlikely that scenario will occur based on today’s development.

With players on the active roster or in a return window from an injured list needing a health designation, per injury reporting rules, the Dolphins listed Beckham as having a knee injury. The veteran wide receiver underwent what had been an unspecified procedure this offseason; it now appears that was knee surgery.

It is certainly notable a knee problem affected Beckham following his Dolphins signing (one year, $3MM), as he has suffered two torn ACLs in the 2020s — the second of which keeping him out for the 2022 season. The former Pro Bowler did return and play in 14 regular-season games and both Ravens playoff contests last season, quieting concerns after a lengthy absence following Super Bowl LVI. But this will be a situation to monitor for the Dolphins, who are amid a quarterback crisis.

While Beckham appears set to join Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in a game soon, the Dolphins have seen their offense crater without Tua Tagovailoa. Skylar Thompson and emergency pickup-turned-starter Tyler Huntley have struggled since Tagovailoa’s concussion. Although the Dolphins have received good news on their fifth-year starter, they will still need to play at least two more games without him. Tagovailoa is trending toward returning in Week 8, when first eligible to come off IR. Huntley will start in Week 5, Mike McDaniel confirmed.

As for Beckham, he posted 565 receiving yards (career-high 16.1 per catch) and three touchdowns with Baltimore. The Ravens let him walk in free agency, leading to this Dolphins opportunity. McDaniel stopped short of saying Beckham will be activated for Week 5 (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson), but the third-year Miami HC said the free agency addition had not sustained any setbacks en route to a Dolphins debut. An estimated full practice Wednesday is a good sign for a team in need of them right now.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/24

October 2nd, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Practice window opened: T Christian Jones

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

  • Practice window opened: DT Jonathan Ford

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Today marks most teams’ first practice before Week 5, making it the first date players stashed on IR as teams set their initial 53-man rosters can work out again with their teams. This year’s IR tweak allowed teams to designate up to two players for return August 27, the catch being all players who receive that designation count toward their respective club’s eight-activation total. The batch included in today’s minor moves post consists entirely of players to receive that August IR-return designation.

The IR-return window is unchanged, however, with teams having 21 days from Wednesday to activate these players. Anyone from today’s group not being activated from IR by October 23 must miss the rest of the season. PFR will keep track of all players returning from IR via the Injured Reserve Return Tracker.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/24

October 2nd, 2024 at 7:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Wednesday’s practice squad updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Houston Texans

Los Angles Rams

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

The Cardinals have added some necessary kicker depth. Per Tyler Drake of AZSports, Matt Prater is dealing with a left knee issue, necessitating the addition of Chad Ryland. The former fourth-round pick spent his rookie campaign in New England, where he converted 16 of his 25 field goal attempts and 24 of his 25 XP tries. Ryland lost out on the Patriots kicking gig this season to Joey Slye, leading to him being among New England’s final cuts.

Rams Designate Darious Williams For Return

October 2nd, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Rams have been faced with a number of challenges on the injury front this offseason, but help on defense could be coming soon. Cornerback Darious Williams was designated for return from injured reserve on Wednesday, per a team announcement.

Williams dealt with a hamstring injury during the summer, and it lingered into the start of the campaign. He was placed on IR ahead of Week 1, guaranteeing an absence spanning at least the first four games of the season. The 31-year-old is now eligible to practice at the first opportunity, though, suggesting he could be available in time for Week 5.

After a Los Angeles spell which lasted from 2018-21, Williams took a deal with the Jaguars in free agency. That three-year, $30MM pact saw him serve as a key starter in Jacksonville. The former UDFA was released this offseason with one year remaining on the contract, however, allowing him to return to the Rams on the open market. Williams inked a new three-year deal in the spring, this time worth $22.5MM ($7MM guaranteed).

He will be in line for a first-team role once healthy, something which has been the case so far for fellow free agent pickup Tre’Davious White. The former Bills All-Pro took a one-year deal after his Buffalo tenure was marred by multiple injuries, but he has managed to remain available through the first month of the season and has logged a 98% snap share to date. He and Williams will provide plenty of experience on a Rams defense featuring a number of younger contributors.

The team also opened Larrell Murchison‘s practice window on Wednesday. The fifth-year defensive lineman was designated for return before the roster deadline, using one of the Rams’ IR activations in the process. He made 15 appearances and three starts last season, handling a 25% snap share. With Aaron Donald no longer present along the defensive interior, that figure could increase in 2024 once Murchison is activated.

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