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Eagles Activate Jordan Mailata From IR

November 13th, 2024 at 3:16pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Eagles activated starting left tackle Jordan Mailata from injured reserve on Wednesday, per a team announcement.

Mailata injured his hamstring in Week 6, landing him on injured reserve and sidelining him for at least four games. The fifth-year tackle kept his absence to a minimum, returning to practice as soon as he was eligible after Week 10. Mailata’s activation puts him in line to start in the Eagles’ crucial Week 11 divisional matchup with the Commanders on Thursday night.

Mailata has been a crucial part of the Eagles’ offensive line since he earned a starting role in 2020. The 2018 seventh-round pick struggled with injuries in his first two NFL seasons, but has largely stayed healthy since. His ascendance from developmental former rugby player to star offensive tackle has resulted in two extensions from the Eagles totaling $130 million over seven years.

The 27-year-old Australian began the 2024 season with the same consistency he demonstrated over the previous three years, allowing just eight pressures and one sack across 185 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His absence, along with an injury to All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson, has taken the Eagles’ normally-reliable offensive line to the bottom of the league. Their 27 sacks allowed are the 10th-most in the NFL, and their 10.2% sack rate is the third-highest.

Philadelphia has relied on Fred Johnson to play both tackle spots this season. However, the former Florida Gator has struggled in the first stretch of extended playing time in his career, allowing 32 pressures and seven sacks across his 193 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF. With Mailata returning to the starting lineup opposing Lane Johnson, the Eagles’ offensive line will be at full-strength for the first time since Week 6.

Seahawks Activate Abraham Lucas, Place George Fant On IR

November 13th, 2024 at 1:51pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Seahawks activated right tackle Abraham Lucas from the Physically Unable to Perform list and placed George Fant on injured reserve on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.

Head coach Mike Macdonald indicated on Monday that he expected Lucas to start in Week 11 after finally recovering from offseason knee surgery. However, his activation is no guarantee that he make his season debut on Sunday. Seattle opened Lucas’ practice window 21 days ago, so he had to be moved to the active roster to avoid reverting to the PUP list for the rest of the season.

The Seahawks will certainly be hoping that Lucas can start at right tackle this weekend after moving Fant to injured reserve for the second time this season. He suffered a knee injury after 19 snaps in Week 1 and returned in Week 9 for just 17 snaps before re-injuring his knee and exiting the game.

This is the second year in a row that Seattle has struggled with health at the tackle position. Left tackle Charles Cross injured his toe in Week 1 in 2023 and missed the next three games. Lucas was placed on injured reserve after a knee injury in Week 1 and returned in Week 13 for five starts before going down once more, with then-head coach Pete Carroll calling it a “chronic” problem. The Seahawks then signed Fant to a two-year, $9.1MM in the offseason as insurance for Lucas’ ongoing recovery from knee surgery. Fant appeared in 16 games for the Texans in 2023, but played just 36 snaps this season with knee issues of his own.

All of the tackle injuries have pressed 2021 sixth-rounder Stone Forsythe into a starting role for the second year in a row. He started eight games in 2023 – three at left tackle and five at right tackle – along with four relief appearances across the two positions. Forsythe then replaced Fant in Week 1 this year and started the next five games at right tackle before landing on injured reserve with a hand injury. Rookie Michael Jerrell then started in Weeks 7 and 8 before relieving Fant in Week 9 after the recurrence of his knee injury.

While Lucas is expected to play in Week 11, Jerrell will start at right tackle if the Seahawks wants to give their 2022 third-rounder more time before he takes the field.

Dolphins Designate G Isaiah Wynn For Return; Latest On OLB Bradley Chubb

November 13th, 2024 at 12:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins received a tough blow recently, with Austin Jackson set for season-ending knee surgery. That continued an injury-plagued stretch for the team up front, but after a season-saving win over the Rams, Miami received some better news on the O-line front.

Out for more than a year, Isaiah Wynn is finally ready to practice. The Dolphins will designate the would-be guard starter for return from the PUP list today, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Wynn re-signed with the team this offseason but has been down since October 2023 due to a quad injury.

A former tackle starter in New England, Wynn came to Miami with little momentum due to an unimpressive Patriots contract year that also involved injury trouble. The former first-round pick, who missed his entire rookie season due to injury, caught on with the Dolphins and won the team’s left guard job entering last season. Wynn held that gig until his quadriceps setback, which removed him from Miami’s O-line equation seven games into the season.

The Dolphins nevertheless re-signed Wynn this offseason, giving him a one-year deal worth $1.89MM. This marked a slight pay cut after Wynn played for $2.3MM in 2023. Miami bid farewell to multiple long-term starters in March, with Christian Wilkins and right guard Robert Hunt becoming two of this year’s highest-paid free agents. The Dolphins, who also released Xavien Howard and Jerome Baker to reach cap compliance, made low-level moves — in re-signing Wynn and Robert Jones — following the Hunt defection.

Wynn, 28, has already missed half of his first two seasons with the Dolphins. It will be interesting to see if he needs a lengthy ramp-up period before returning to Miami’s 53-man roster. Pro Football Focus did not rate Wynn especially well as Miami’s LG last season, but he started all seven games he played. The Dolphins have used Jones as their left guard in Wynn’s absence. Jones has started all nine games at that spot this season, while Liam Eichenberg has manned the RG job post-Hunt.

While Wynn is moving close to a return, Mike McDaniel said Bradley Chubb is not yet ready. Also spending all of this season on the reserve/PUP list, Chubb is rehabbing an ACL tear sustained in Week 17 of last season. McDaniel said (via Jackson) linebacker Cameron Goode, who suffered a patella tendon tear in Week 17, is a bit ahead of Chubb in terms of recovery.

This is turning into a lost season for Chubb, who is signed to a five-year, $110MM extension that runs through the 2027 season. The Dolphins, who also saw free agency addition Shaq Barrett retire, are down Jaelan Phillips for the year as well. Anything they get from Chubb will probably be considered a bonus, but with the playoffs still a possibility, Miami certainly could benefit from a late-season Chubb return.

Bears Waive G Nate Davis

November 13th, 2024 at 9:14am CST by Sam Robinson

Barely a week after the Bears were unable to find a trade partner to unload Nate Davis, the team is moving on from the underwhelming free agent signing. Chicago cut Davis on Wednesday.

Although Davis is a vested veteran, he will head to waivers due to the trade deadline having passed. He is tied to a through-2025 contract, one the Bears did not view him as justifying. After trade efforts proved fruitless, this cut comes shortly after the Bears dismissed Shane Waldron as their OC.

A waiver claim should be considered unlikely due to Davis’ performance and prorated base salary. The benched blocker is owed $3.9MM in remaining base pay for this season, as he entered the year with a fully guaranteed $8.75MM base salary for the second year of his contract.

The Bears gave Davis a three-year, $30MM deal in 2023 but did not see the commitment pay off. The Maine native was mentioned as a 2025 cut candidate, but the Bears — who are giving the play-calling reins to pass-game coordinator Thomas Brown — are not waiting.

Davis, 28, has not played since Week 5. Even with would-be starter Ryan Bates on IR, the Bears deactivated Davis to insert Matt Pryor into their starting lineup. A former third-round pick, Davis had been a four-year starter for the Titans who commanded a nice market last year. He did not impress too much in Year 1 with the Bears, who used him as a starter in all 11 games he played. Davis came back to start just two games this season, and the Bears will take on some dead money to dump this contract.

The deal includes no guaranteed money beyond 2024, but it does feature $2MM in prorated signing bonus. The Bears will eat that and, assuming no one claims Davis, the remaining $3.9MM on his 2024 salary. This marks a steep fall for Davis, who had started 54 games in Tennessee and was a generally durable player on an O-line that featured some injury trouble at other spots. As the Titans dealt with Taylor Lewan‘s knee trouble and struggled to replace Jack Conklin at right tackle, they could depend on Davis, a starter during Derrick Henry‘s two journeys to rushing titles.

Pro Football Focus ranked Davis as a top-25 guard from 2020-22. Among guards in the 2023 free agent class, only Ben Powers fared better in terms of AAV. The Bears had attempted to pair an eight-figure Davis AAV with Teven Jenkins‘ rookie contract. No serious Jenkins extension talks have begun, as Chicago’s line has underwhelmed this season. A new coaching staff will presumably be tasked with improving the group next year, and it will be interesting to see if GM Ryan Poles will be given a chance to formulate the plan up front. As of now, the third-year front office boss looks like a slightly better bet to stay than HC Matt Eberflus.

The Bears have Bates healthy again, as the trade pickup’s Week 1 injury kept him off the field for two months. Bates returned to the starting lineup against the Patriots, a game in which the Bears allowed nine sacks. Bates is under contract through 2025, while Jenkins is in a walk year.

49ers, Deommodore Lenoir Agree To Extension

November 12th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers have locked in one of their top cornerbacks for the foreseeable future. Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports that the 49ers have inked Deommodore Lenoir to a five-year, $92MM extension.

Lenoir was set to hit free agency following the 2024 campaign. The former fifth-round pick had been mentioned as an extension candidate throughout the offseason, especially with Charvarius Ward having not received a long-term pact. Talks between the 49ers and Lenoir appeared to be heating up right before the regular season, and the two sides have now agreed to an extension.

A former fifth-round pick out of Oregon, Lenoir quickly established himself as a foundational piece in San Francisco. After starting 13 of his 17 appearances as a sophomore, Lenoir started all 17 games in 2023. The 49ers clearly valued his versatility, with the team using him as an outside CB and in the slot. He finished the 2023 campaign with 84 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 passes defended, with Pro Football Focus grading him 23rd among 127 qualifying cornerbacks.

Lenoir has continued to produce in 2024. The 25-year-old has started all nine of his appearances, compiling 53 tackles, six passes defended, and a pair of interceptions. He currently ranks 41st among 109 qualifiers on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings, although his coverage grade ranks 22nd among CBs. Lenoir has played 337 snaps in the slot this season, and he’s also made appearances as a wide CB (130 snaps) and in the box (80 snaps).

The cornerback will now be committed to San Francisco through the 2029 campaign. His upcoming $18.4MM average annual salary would currently rank outside the top-10 at the position, so the 49ers may have secured a slight discount if Lenoir continues to develop.

Jets Claim C Connor McGovern

November 12th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Ben Levine

And just like that, Connor McGovern is back in New York. The Jets announced that they’ve claimed the veteran offensive lineman off waivers. McGovern was waived by the Saints yesterday.

[RELATED: Saints Waive Connor McGovern]

McGovern started the 2024 campaign in New York after catching on with the team’s practice squad. The Saints snagged the lineman in early October and added him to the active roster, where he proceeded to start five of his six appearances. However, with both Erik McCoy and Shane Lemieux nearing full health, the Saints decided to suddenly move on from their fill-in.

Back in New York, McGovern’s situation will be similar to what he faced earlier in the year. 2023 second-round pick Joe Tippmann is firmly entrenched as the team’s center, with backup center Alec Lindstrom generating only three special teams snaps this year. There’s a chance McGovern only makes a brief stop on the active roster before inevitably landing back on the practice squad.

Still, McGovern represents some worthwhile depth for the organization. The lineman joined the Jets ahead of the 2020 campaign and proceeded to start all 48 of his appearances through his first three seasons with the team. He suffered a dislocated kneecap last October that limited him to only seven starts in 2023.

DE Vinny Curry Retires

November 12th, 2024 at 7:28pm CST by Ben Levine

Vinny Curry is officially calling it a career. The former Super Bowl champ is set to retire as a member of the Eagles this Thursday, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The move doesn’t come as a huge surprise considering Curry has only appeared in 11 games since the 2020 campaign. The pass rusher signed with the Jets during the 2021 offseason but ended up missing that entire season after being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. He worked his way back to appear in 11 games for the Jets in 2022, although he was only limited to a part-time role. Curry went unsigned during the 2023 season and didn’t find a gig to start the 2024 campaign.

Prior to his Jets stint, Curry made a name for himself in Philly. A former second-round pick out of Marshall, Curry evolved into a key rotational defender for the Eagles for much of the 2010s. While he only started 16 of his 84 appearances during his first stint with the Eagles, he still contributed 22 sacks, five forced fumbles, and 63 QB hits. Curry also started each of the Eagles three games during their run to a Super Bowl LII championship.

Following a one-year stop in Tampa Bay, Curry returned to Philly for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. His 41 tackles for loss and 85 QB hits rank in the top-10 in franchise history, so it’s only fitting that he’ll sign an honorary contract to finish his career with the Eagles.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/12/24

November 12th, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

  • Released: LB Cam Johnson

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

The Falcons have added a notable name to their special teams corps in Jakeem Grant. The long-time Dolphins returner has collected six ST touchdowns in his career (four via punts, two via kickoffs), and he’s even hauled in 100 catches. However, the veteran hasn’t seen the field since the 2021 campaign while spending the past few years on Cleveland’s practice squad.

With Dak Prescott done for the season, the Cowboys have added some extra QB depth. In comes old friend Will Grier, who spent the 2021 and 2022 campaigns in Dallas. The former third-round pick has since bounced around the NFL, including stops with the Bengals, Patriots, and Chargers in just 2023. Grier still only has two career appearances on his resume, both coming with the Panthers in 2019.

The Texans have added some experienced OL depth in Cameron Erving. The veteran is coming off a 2023 campaign where he started two of his three appearances for the Saints, and he barely played in 11 appearances with the Panthers in 2022. Still, the 32-year-old brings 98 games (58 starts) of experience to Houston, a factor that could be valuable down the stretch. To make room on the practice squad, the Texans moved on from cornerback Desmond King. The veteran has only seen time in one game for Houston this season, although he’s not far removed from a 2022 campaign where he started 13 games for the Texans.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/24

November 12th, 2024 at 6:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Denver Broncos

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Bruss was waived by the Rams yesterday to make room for returning linemen Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson. A former third-round pick, Bruss didn’t make an appearance through his first two seasons in the NFL but started three of his eight appearances in 2024.

Raiders TE Michael Mayer Returns To Practice

November 12th, 2024 at 5:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Michael Mayer will soon resume his sophomore campaign. The Raiders announced that the second-year tight end returned to practice today. With Mayer having been designated for return, the team will now have 21 days to activate the player to the active roster.

Mayer landed on the non-football injury list in early October due to personal reasons and has missed the Raiders’ last six games. Assuming the tight end doesn’t require an extended ramp-up period, he should be back for Sunday’s matchup with the Dolphins.

The 2023 second-round pick showed flashes as a rookie. In 14 games (12 starts), the Notre Dame product hauled in 27 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns. With Austin Hooper hitting free agency this past offseason, Mayer had an opportunity to solidify himself as the team’s long-term answer at the position. Unfortunately for the player, the Raiders used a first-round pick on Brock Bowers, meaning Mayer will be locked in as a backup for the foreseeable future.

Still, that doesn’t mean Mayer will go unused in Las Vegas. Before landing on NFI, the tight end was getting into more than 50 percent of his team’s offense snaps, and although Bowers has seen his snap count increase throughout the season, there’s a good chance the Raiders go back to a similar arrangement for the stretch run of the season. With Mayer out of the lineup, the Raiders have turned to the likes of Harrison Bryant and John Samuel Shenker to soak up leftover snaps at the position.

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