2021 September - Pro Football Rumors

Ravens Place Justin Houston, Brandon Williams, Others On Reserve/COVID-19 List

September 24th, 2021 at 3:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens look set to be without several key defenders against the Lions on Sunday. They placed three defensive starters on their reserve/COVID-19 list Friday.

Outside linebackers Justin Houston and Jaylon Ferguson join defensive linemen Brandon Williams and Justin Madubuike in landing on Baltimore’s coronavirus list. While differing protocols exist for vaccinated an unvaccinated players, Friday placements on the virus list leave teams in a bind. This quartet is set to miss Baltimore’s Week 3 game.

It is unclear which members, if any, of the group tested positive. Positive tests would jeopardize their availability for the Ravens’ Week 4 game against the Broncos. Regardless, this continues a brutal season for the Ravens on the availability front.

Baltimore is already without defensive end Derek Wolfe, having ruled out the veteran lineman due to a back injury. Williams has been a starter since 2014, while Madubuike — a 2020 third-round pick — played 49% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps in Week 2.

Houston, 32, has started both Baltimore’s games, lining up opposite Tyus Bowser. The Ravens do have first-round pick Odafe Oweh and Bowser set to be available. Pernell McPhee‘s status is uncertain due to a shoulder injury that prevented him from practicing Friday. Houston, who managed to avoid injuries during both his Colts seasons, will miss his first game since the 2018 season. The veteran edge rusher does not have a sack yet this season but obviously serves as a key player for a Ravens team that let Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue walk in free agency.

Baltimore withstood its numerous injuries to upend Kansas City on Sunday night, but the AFC power’s lineup will be filled with backups in Detroit. The team will again be without left tackle Ronnie Stanley on Sunday as well, ruling the All-Pro blocker out due to an ankle injury.

NFL Reinstates WR Josh Gordon

September 24th, 2021 at 1:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL is greenlighting another Josh Gordon chance. The league informed the embattled wide receiver he will be reinstated, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who adds Gordon is expected to be eligible to play in Week 4 (Twitter link).

Gordon applied for yet another reinstatement in July. He has not played since the 2019 season, when a suspension ended his active-roster run with the Seahawks, and is eight years removed from his All-Pro campaign. But the veteran wideout has persisted, with the NFL’s relaxed drug policy benefiting these repeated comeback efforts.

Now 30, Gordon is certainly not the player he once was. And the ex-Browns standout is one of the most unreliable performers in modern NFL history. He has not played a full season since his 2012 rookie year. Gordon played in the startup Fan Controlled Football league earlier this year, joining ex-teammate Johnny Manziel. While it looked like Gordon’s NFL career was over at that point, he has battled back yet again for reinstatement.

The Seahawks showed considerable patience with Gordon, keeping him on their roster throughout 2020. It looked like a Gordon return would commence for last year’s Seattle squad. The NFL reinstated him in December 2020, paving the way for a late-season Seahawks return. The team activated him in late December, but another substance-abuse setback nixed that path. After the NFL rescinded Gordon’s 2020 reinstatement, the Seahawks released Gordon earlier this year.

Gordon will be eligible to sign with any team, though widespread interest is unlikely. He caught 27 passes for 426 yards and one touchdown in 2019, splitting the year in New England and Seattle. Gordon showed superstar potential as a young player, and his 14-game 2013 season still sits sixth on the NFL’s receiving yards-per-game list (117.6). But he missed most of the 2014 season due to a substance-abuse ban and did not play in 2015 or ’16. The NFL did not reinstate Gordon until December 2017, and although he finished that season with the Browns, he did not make it through the ’18 slate with the Patriots, who waived him midway through the 2019 season. Gordon made it through five games with the Seahawks before his 2019 ban, which included a PED violation.

Odell Beckham Jr. To Play In Week 3

September 24th, 2021 at 1:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns will be without Jarvis Landry for a bit, but their other well-paid wide receiver is set to make his 2021 debut. Kevin Stefanski said Friday that Odell Beckham Jr. is good to go for Week 3.

Beckham suffered a torn ACL October 25 of last year, and although the Browns moved forward and snapped their near-two-decade playoff drought without him, the team certainly could use him now. Landry is on IR, and no other Browns wideout has more than three catches this season.

It looked like OBJ would be ready for Week 1, after the team was “amazed” with the eighth-year receiver’s recovery ahead of training camp. But the Browns scratched him after warmups in Kansas City. They then ruled him out early for Week 2, leading to some additional concern. The 28-year-old target will step back into a key role Sunday against the Bears. Beckham did not miss any practice reps this week, per Stefanski.

Beckham played hurt in 2019 but managed to clear the 1,000-yard barrier. And he scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner, in a shootout against the Cowboys last season. But Beckham’s two Browns yards-per-game figures — 64.7 and 45.6, respectively — are by far the lowest of his career, however. The injury injected additional uncertainty regarding Beckham’s long-term future.

While it is no secret Beckham’s Browns tenure has underwhelmed, both from a health and fit standpoint, he will have a key opportunity to rebuild his stock beginning Sunday.

49ers Won’t Rule Out Richard Sherman

September 24th, 2021 at 12:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Could Richard Sherman return to SF? When speaking with reporters, 49ers GM John Lynch wouldn’t rule out the possibility (via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News).

“He handled himself incredibly well,” Lynch said of Sherman, who has not been signed since his off-the-field incident in July. “He had a momentary lapse and has to be held accountable for that; he understands that. He also has a decade of doing good for people and overcoming challenges.”

This jibes with recent word that Sherman is a possibility for the Niners, as well as the Buccaneers and Seahawks. Still, Lynch doesn’t sound like he’s ready to put a deal on the table just yet.

“We’re good with where we are at [with our cornerbacks right now],” Lynch said. “Who knows? We could need him down the road. Most of all, I’m pulling for him and his family. He’s going to overcome this and do great things.”

Sherman, 33, was a Seahawks a cap casualty in 2018. That brought him to the Niners, where he turned in a so-so 2018 and a strong 2019. That year, he earned a second-team All-Pro nod while helping the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance. A calf injury kept Sherman out of eleven games last year, but the accomplished cover man is said to be in good shape. He may still have a suspension on the horizon, but he’ll likely land a deal sometime this year.

Latest On Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey

September 24th, 2021 at 12:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers expect Christian McCaffrey to miss the next few weeks of action (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). On the plus side, the team not planning to put the running back on injured reserve, which means that he could miss less than three games.

McCaffrey pulled his hamstring on Thursday night and still managed to run the ball out of play before heading to the locker room. The Panthers went on to beat the Texans, but it’s a bad blow to the offense moving forward. For now, Chuba Hubbard figures to see an uptick in work.

CMC was limited to only three games in 2020 after suffering a shoulder injury. It was a disappointing setback, on the heels of his historic 2019 with 2,392 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns. Through two games this year, McCaffrey looked sharp with 324 yards from scrimmage off of 59 totes. The 25-year-old added another 40 total yards on nine carries before his early exit las night.

Hubbard, a rookie fourth-round pick, only saw 26 offensive snaps in Weeks 1 and 2. The team is also rostering Royce Freeman on the active roster, and they could turn to practice squad backs Rodney Smith or Spencer Brown for additional depth.

Besides CMC, the Panthers are also awaiting additional word on cornerback Jaycee Horn. They’ll know more after Horn undergoes testing today, but it sounds like he’ll need surgery on his foot. That’ll rule him out for the bulk of the season, if not the rest of the campaign.

Colts’ Carson Wentz Returns To Practice

September 24th, 2021 at 11:27am CST by Zachary Links

A welcome surprise for the Colts. Quarterback Carson Wentz returned to practice on Friday, which means he could potentially play on Sunday against the Titans.

Wentz was forced out in the fourth quarter against the Rams on Sunday, when his right ankle visibly twisted beneath defensive lineman Aaron Donald. Meanwhile, his left ankle was also sprained, which signaled that he’d be out for one game, at minimum.

“He rolled it up pretty bad,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said earlier this week. “I had a sense when he walked off the field. It didn’t look good. Sometimes if you go back in right away when it’s still warm you can maybe gut out a few more plays. The longer we were off the field, it stiffened up and he tried, but there was no chance.”

The Colts won’t rush Wentz back to the field, so Jacob Eason could still be in line to start this week. Beyond them, Brett Hundley stands as the next QB up with Sam Ehlinger on injured reserve.

Latest On Dolphins, Texans’ Deshaun Watson

September 24th, 2021 at 10:22am CST by Zachary Links

Stephen Ross reportedly wants to bring embattled Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson to South Beach. That’s no secret, and that’s a sticking point to the Dolphins’ owner. Ross is unhappy about the late-August leak, according to a source who spoke with PFT.

Watson could be a game-changer for the Dolphins, but Ross doesn’t want to overrule his football people who seem less excited about the idea. Ross also seems willing to wait until next year, when there should be more clarity on Watson’s legal situation and availability.

The Texans still want three first-round draft picks (and more) for Watson and they want them to come with zero conditions. That doesn’t sit well with the Dolphins or other potentially interested clubs who know that Watson could quickly be parked on the commissioner’s list. Meanwhile, it’s safe to assume that the Panthers’ interest in Watson has cooled. New QB Sam Darnold has Carolina at 2-0, following last night’s 24-9 drumming over Houston.

Even with Tyrod Taylor sidelined, the Texans turned to rookie Davis Mills on Thursday with journeyman Jeff Driskel as his backup. Even if Ross really wants Watson in Miami, it sounds like the three-time Pro Bowler will remain in limbo for the foreseeable future.

Surgery For Panthers’ Jaycee Horn?

September 24th, 2021 at 10:09am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers could be without Jaycee Horn for a while. The early word is that the cornerback has multiple broken bones in his foot, which would require surgery and two to three months of recovery (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).

Horn broke three bones in his foot, Matt Rhule said Friday, and the rookie and his family will determine his plans from here. Surgery is certainly on the table. It could well mean Horn’s initial NFL season will end after three games.

A late-season return represents Horn’s best-case scenario. Horn went down on a non-contact play Thursday night and had to be carted off. He was unable to put weight on his leg, an immediate sign of something serious. Meanwhile, the Panthers also saw star running back Christian McCaffrey and safety Juston Burris exit early.

Horn, the first cornerback drafted this year, finished his Ohio State run with two interceptions and six passes defended in just seven games. Through his first two pro games, the No. 8 overall pick has three tackles and one interception to his credit.

He’ll likely land on the injured reserve list, elevating veteran Rashaan Melvin to a larger role. Carolina, however, is likely to have A.J. Bouye in action soon. After missing two games due to a PED suspension, Bouye missed Thursday’s game with an undisclosed injury. Rhule expects Bouye to be ready for Week 4, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott Discusses Role, Contract

September 23rd, 2021 at 10:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a 2020 campaign that saw Ezekiel Elliott finish with a career-low 16.3 touches per game, the veteran running back has only seen 27 carries (13.5 per game) through the first two contests of the 2021 season. His decreasing role in the offense has drawn the ire of Cowboys fans, especially after Elliott inked a lucrative six-year, $90MM extension following a brief 2019 holdout. When asked if he’s bothered by the criticism surrounding his contract and role, Elliott predictably said he ignores the talk.

“You hear it but what really matters is what’s going on in this building,” Elliott said (via Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News). “So I mean, they’re not the one signing the checks. They’re not the ones sending the wires. So I mean … I don’t think it matters.”

Of course, a lack of touches isn’t necessarily Elliott’s fault. As Watkins points out, the running back had 20+ carries in 21 games between 2017 and 2019 while playing under Jason Garrett. Over the past year-plus, Elliott has exceeded 20 carries in only three games while playing under head coach Mike McCarthy. Plus, backup Tony Pollard has transformed into a useful piece in the Cowboys offense, and the 24-year-old has outperformed his teammate through the first two games of the season (Pollard has 183 yards and one touchdown on 23 touches, Elliott has 136 yards and one touchdown on 31 touches).

While Elliott will be hard pressed to reach the 1,756 all-purpose yards he averaged through his first four seasons in the NFL, he’s more than willing to watch his teammates succeed.

“It’s a brotherhood,” Elliott said. “Every week we all got the same goal, the same common goal and that’s the goal to win football games. However we got to do that, that’s what we got to do. I see Tony, I see the work he puts in, he’s one of the hardest workers on the team and he’s very talented. He deserves to go out there and play well.”

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn Suffers Broken Foot

September 23rd, 2021 at 10:04pm CST by Ben Levine

The injuries are starting to pile up for the Panthers. After Christian McCaffrey left Thursday’s game, we learned that first-round cornerback Jaycee Horn suffered a significant injury. The rookie suffered a broken foot during tonight’s game against the Texans, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter).

Horn went down on a non-contact play and had to be carted off the field during the first possession of the second half. Per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com, the cornerback couldn’t put weight on his leg. This is a tough break for a Panthers team that also lost safety Juston Burris during tonight’s game. There’s no definitive timetable on Horn’s return, but a trip to the IR seems likely.

Horn was on the draft radar ever since his solid 2018 showing. By 2020, he solidified his status as an elite prospect. In his final year with the Buckeyes, Horn nabbed a pair interceptions and notched six passes defended in just seven games (Horn sat out the final stretch of the year after the departure of head coach Will Muschamp). Thanks to his performance, Horn was the first cornerback off the board in this year’s draft, going eighth overall to the Panthers. Through his first two NFL games, Horn had collected three tackles and one interception.

With Horn out of the picture, Rashaan Melvin will likely see an uptick in reps.