HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Packers’ Randall Cobb Underwent Surgery

December 11th, 2021 at 3:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

SATURDAY: As expected, Cobb is now on IR. The Packers made the official transaction, sidelining the veteran slot receiver for at least three games. The team is expecting Cobb to be out longer, aiming for him to return in the postseason.

THURSDAY: The Packers will be without one of their top wideouts for a stretch. Randall Cobb is still dealing with the core injury that caused him to exit the Packers’ Week 12 game against the Rams.

Despite the benefit of Green Bay’s recent bye week, the 11th-year receiver is unlikely to return soon. This may well lead to an IR stay, though the Packers have not yet indicated that will be necessary. 

“Cobb is going to be out for a while,” Matt LaFleur said (via Packers.com’s Wes Hodkiewicz, on Twitter). “He had a pretty significant injury. That’s unfortunate because he’s done such an amazing job when given the opportunity.”

Additionally, Cobb underwent surgery to address the issue during the Packers’ bye week, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes. The Packers believe the recently reacquired receiver will miss several games. While it is uncertain if Cobb will be shut down for the season, Green Bay has moved the timetable to January. The team hopes Cobb can return for the team’s playoff slate, Demovsky adds.

The 31-year-old was enjoying a productive season in his return to Green Bay. After being drafted by the Packers in the 2011 second round, Cobb had one-year stints with the Cowboys and Texans in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Reunited with Aaron Rodgers this offseason, Cobb had played in all 12 games for the Packers to start his second Green Bay stint. He has posted 28 catches for 375 yards and five touchdowns this season.

In Cobb’s absence, the Packers will likely use a rotation of Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Equanimeous St. Brown and Amari Rodgers in the slot moving forward.

Rams Place Darrell Henderson On Reserve/COVID-19 List

December 11th, 2021 at 2:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams will be without their starting running back again in Week 14. Darrell Henderson is now on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

Henderson missed Los Angeles’ Week 13 contest because of a thigh injury, leading to a 121-yard Sony Michel performance. He returned to practice this week, getting in two limited sessions, but the Rams will again need to rely on their veteran backup for a pivotal Monday rematch against the Cardinals.

Bumped up to a clear-cut starting role after Cam Akers‘ July Achilles tear, Henderson has missed two games due to injury this season. This will mark another hurdle for the third-year back. In just 10 games, Henderson has already established new career-highs in scrimmage yards (820) and touchdowns (eight).

Michel arrived via trade following the Akers injury. The injury-prone former first-rounder has avoided the knee trouble that plagued his Patriots career, playing in all 12 Rams games this season. The fourth-year back delivered a season-best outing against the Jaguars, totaling 24 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown. The Rams, who endured a blowout loss to the Cardinals in Week 4, will need Michel to come through again this week.

Los Angeles also placed cornerback Robert Rochell on injured reserve. A five-game starter, the rookie fourth-rounder has played 31% of the Rams’ defensive snaps this season.

Jets To Place Elijah Moore On IR

December 11th, 2021 at 2:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Elijah Moore‘s breakout second half of the season will be paused, and the Jets will be down another of their top skill-position contributors. Moore is headed to IR, Connor Hughes of The Athletic tweets.

The second-round rookie did not practice this week because of a quad injury, though the Jets had yet to rule him out. Moore will now be sidelined for at least three games, halting a quality stretch from the Ole Miss-developed wide receiver.

Moore has scored five touchdowns over his past five games and has played well despite the Jets using four quarterbacks during this span. The Jets now have Moore, Corey Davis and Michael Carter on IR.

After impressing in training camp, Moore started slowly as the Jets threw fellow rookie Zach Wilson into their lineup. However, the latest Rebels-groomed receiving talent began to flash once Mike White and Joe Flacco took the reins during Wilson’s injury hiatus. Moore scored twice in a blowout loss to the Colts, with Josh Johnson being the Jets’ primary passer that night, and caught eight passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in the Jets’ Flacco-quarterbacked loss to the Dolphins in Week 11. He and Wilson began to establish a rapport recently, with the BYU product finding him six times for 77 yards and a score in Week 13.

This will force the Jets to lean on Jamison Crowder. The veteran led the team in receiving in 2019 and 2020 but was given a pay cut earlier this year. Crowder came up in trade rumors as well, but the Jets’ upcoming shorthanded stretch could be a final springboard to another decent free agency payday.

Cowboys Activate Randy Gregory, Neville Gallimore From IR

December 11th, 2021 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys will have their starting defensive ends in uniform together for the first time since Week 1. Dallas moved Randy Gregory back onto its active roster Saturday.

Both Gregory and defensive tackle starter Neville Gallimore are back from IR. Gregory missed time because of a calf injury, while Gallimore has seen a more severe injury shelve him for the entire season. The second-year defensive tackle has missed all of the 2021 slate due to a dislocated elbow.

Gallimore, a 2020 third-round pick who started nine games as a rookie, returned to practice last week. Gregory’s IR-return window opened ahead of Week 14. The Cowboys will have both in uniform when they face Washington on Sunday. They will team with DeMarcus Lawrence, who returned in Week 13 after having missed 10 games, on a suddenly healthy defensive front.

Gregory has missed time for both this calf ailment and a COVID-19 contraction this season, but he has avoided more off-field trouble. The former 2015 second-rounder has been quite productive in his seven games this season. The oft-unavailable pass rusher has five sacks and 12 QB hits, setting himself up potentially for a payday in 2022. Gregory is due for free agency in March. The Cowboys are not planning to finalize any deals with their 2022 UFAs until season’s end.

Dallas being able to deploy its preferred Lawrence-Gregory defensive end duo will allow rookie dynamo Micah Parsons to spend more time at linebacker. The Cowboys’ edge unavailability has forced Parsons to play up front extensively, though the Penn State product has thrived pretty much wherever he has lined up.

Titans To Activate WR Julio Jones From IR

December 11th, 2021 at 12:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Julio Jones will be in uniform for the Titans tomorrow when they take on the Jaguars. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), the Titans plan to activate the veteran wide receiver off injured reserve. Jones returned to practice earlier this week.

A hamstring injury has limited Jones to just six games so far this season. Last month, the Titans moved to place him on IR, freeing up an additional roster spot for a few weeks. Jones missed time in previous seasons with a hamstring ailment, as well. Fortunately, Rapoport says Jones’ latest hamstring injury “has healed.”

Jones was limited to only nine games and 771 yards in 2020, but he was a 1,000-yard receiver as recently as 2019 (when he was a second-team All-Pro after finishing with 99 receptions for 1,394 yards and six touchdowns). So, the Titans were naturally expecting big things this past offseason when they acquired Jones (along with a sixth-round pick) from the Falcons for a second-round pick and a future fourth-round pick. However, in the veteran’s six games this season, he’s averaging only 56 receiving yards per game, a major dip from his previous career-low (73.8 yards during his rookie campaign in 2011).

Still, Jones will be welcomed back with open arms by a Titans offense that had to go without Jones, A.J. Brown, and Derrick Henry in their most recent loss to the Patriots.

Panthers Plan To Give HC Matt Rhule Another Year

December 11th, 2021 at 11:39am CST by Ben Levine

Despite the Panthers’ underwhelming record in one-plus season under Matt Rhule, it sounds like the head coach will get another year to figure it all out. Per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Panthers owner David Tepper intends to keep Rhule around for a third season. Of course, the writer cautions that plenty could change over the next five weeks.

The Panthers are 5-7 on the year, giving Rhule a combined record of 10-18 across the last two seasons. Things haven’t gone according to plan for Rhule, but it sounds like the organization will give him some additional time to figure it out. The Panthers have dealt with inconsistent QB play over the past two years, and the team was hit hard by injuries in 2021 (including an injury to their best player, Christian McCaffrey). NFL teams took notice of Baylor’s quick turnaround from the Art Briles era when Rhule was at the helm, and it sounds like the Panthers are still hoping their HC can guide a similar revival in Carolina.

While Rhule will likely get a commitment for the 2022 season, don’t be surprised if he’s given an extremely short leash. Graziano believes the HC will be one of the major names on the “hot seat” heading into the 2022 campaign.

Meanwhile, Graziano writes that the recent dismissal of offensive coordinator Joe Brady wasn’t all that surprising. The two coaches “didn’t have the best relationship,” and if you add in Carolina’s sputtering offense, the writing was clearly on the wall.

Jaguars Players, Coaches Frustrated With HC Urban Meyer

December 11th, 2021 at 10:10am CST by Ben Levine

Ever since Urban Meyer skipped a team flight following a Week 4 loss to the Bengals, there have been questions surrounding the head coach’s commitment to and control within the Jaguars organization. In fact, we heard just last night that Meyer and GM Trent Baalke may not be seeing eye to eye. Well, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network has added some fuel to that fire this morning.

According to the reporter, tensions surrounding Meyer have “boiled over with multiple run-ins with players and other coaches in recent weeks.” This has led to rumblings that Meyer could be done in Jacksonville after only one season. The organization is naturally frustrated as they currently have a 2-10 record and have averaged only 10.6 points per game over the six contests since their bye. The HC has continually shifted blame on the players and coaches, per Pelissero, comments that have only helped to “exacerbated frustration in the building.”

The reporter provided more damning anecdotes that seem to show that things are spiraling out of control in Jacksonville. For starters, respected veteran wideout Marvin Jones recently left team facilities before returning and having a heated exchange with Meyer. Next, Meyer reportedly belittled coaches in a meeting by declaring that he was a “winner” and insinuating that his fellow coaches were “losers.” Finally, James Robinson‘s recent benching was indeed Meyer’s decision, and the HC tasked RB coach Bernie Parmalee with preventing the starter from reentering the game. Robinson only got more playing time once top-overall pick Trevor Lawrence questioned why his teammate wasn’t playing.

As Pelissero details, there’s a number of additional reasons why someone would question Meyer’s authority in Jacksonville. Multiple members of his staff have either stepped away or will be taking jobs elsewhere, and the organization was also slapped with fines about the HC’s violation of OTA rules (Meyer was also investigated after acknowledging that he factored vaccination status into his roster decisions). Then there was that whole flight fiasco earlier this season, which was followed by a notorious viral video that showed Meyer at a bar dancing with a woman.

Despite it all, Pelissero writes that owner Shad Khan has shown “no signs” of wanting to make a change. Khan has generally been loyal to his staff, and the owner had pursued Meyer for years. Unless things are truly too far gone, it sounds like Khan will be in favor of giving Meyer a second season with the organization.

NFL Teams Showing Interest In Jim Harbaugh?

December 11th, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Ben Levine

After guiding his alma mater to a berth in the College Football Playoffs, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is riding high right now. However, ESPN’s Dan Graziano cautions that the HC still has plenty of suitors in the NFL if he wishes to return to professional football. According to the reporter, “there are whispers of NFL teams showing interest” in Harbaugh.

Harbaugh established himself as an elite coach when he was in San Francisco. Between 2011 and 2013, the 49ers had 36 regular season games, made a Super Bowl, and lost a pair of NFC Championship Games. However, San Francisco went only 8-8 in 2014, and thanks in part to power struggles with GM Trent Baalke, Harbaugh and the organization agreed to mutually part ways.

It didn’t take long for the coach to find his next gig. Harbaugh was soon hired by Michigan to be their head coach. The team had their ups and downs through Harbaugh’s first six seasons with the school, but he helped return the Wolverines to glory in 2021. The team finished 12-1 and won their first Big Ten title in 17 years, with Harbaugh being named The Associated Press college football coach of the year.

Thanks to this recent success, it seems that Harbaugh will be sticking around Michigan for the foreseeable future. However, Graziano opines that NFL teams would happily lure the HC back to the league. Specifically, the writer points to the Raiders as a potential suitor. Mark Davis is still reeling from the ousting of Jon Gruden, and Graziano opines that Las Vegas would be the organization to think most “outside-the-box” when it comes to hiring a replacement. Plus, per the reporter, Davis and Harbaugh “have a friendship that dates back a ways.” The Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross (who is from Michigan) have also been connected to Harbaugh throughout the years, but Graziano wonders if Brian Flores (along with GM Chris Grier) have bought themselves some time as the Dolphins have worked their way back into playoff contention.

Evaluating Steelers’ 2022 In-House QB Options

December 10th, 2021 at 9:29pm CST by Ely Allen

After 18 years in the National Football League, it’s sounding more and more likely that the 2021-22 season will be Ben Roethlisberger‘s last. Over the last few years, Pittsburgh has taken stabs at potential replacements for Roethlisberger, usually utilizing late-round draft picks in hopes of molding a young prospect into a starter. But Roethlisberger potentially putting an end to his career when the season concludes places a lot more pressure on the Steelers to come up with a solution.

The easiest solution is to use the materials you already have. Pittsburgh currently has two quarterbacks on the active roster behind Big Ben and one on the injured reserve. Former first round pick Dwayne Haskins and Joshua Dobbs, currently on IR, both have contracts that expire at the end of the season, but it’s easier to have contract discussions with players already in the building than not.

Mason Rudolph is the team’s current primary backup. Rudolph beat out Dobbs for the second quarterback job and took over as the team’s starter in 2019 when Roethlisberger was ruled out for the season after an elbow surgery. Rudolph went 5-3 as the Steelers’ starter before getting benched for Devlin Hodges after struggling against a winless Bengals team. He completed 62% of his passes for 1,765 yards and threw 13 touchdowns to 9 interceptions on the year. Before the 2021 season, Rudolph signed a one-year extension, pushing his free agency back until after the 2022 season. Rudolph has appeared in one game this year, filling in as Roethlisberger was held out with COVID-19. In a game that resulted in a tie with the winless Lions, Rudolph completed 30 out of 50 pass attempts for 242 yards, throwing 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

Haskins was taken in the 2019 NFL Draft with the 15th overall pick by the Washington Football Team. He saw some game time for Washington in two games in the first 8 weeks of his rookie year, but earned his first start in Week 9 after the season’s original starter, Case Keenum, could not play with a concussion. Haskins took over the offense for every game but one for the rest of the season as he missed Week 17 with an ankle injury. Haskins retained the starting job to begin the 2020 season, but was benched in a Week 5 game against the Rams. He returned to the field when new starter Alex Smith left the game in Week 14 with an injury. Haskins started the next two games before being benched once again, this time for Taylor Heinicke. Haskins was released the next day due to some controversies with breaking COVID-19 protocols and not meeting the team’s standards off the field. In two years of play, Haskins completed 60% of his passes for 2,804 yards, throwing 12 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.

There are plenty of different directions Pittsburgh could go to replace Roethlisberger should this be his final season. While they haven’t quite proven to be world-beaters, Rudolph and Haskins do provide the Steelers with workable options that are already in the building. If the Steelers decide that they don’t think they can win a Super Bowl with the talent currently in their QB room, they’ll be sure to explore some options via free agency, trade, and the 2022 NFL Draft.

If the likes of Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, Ole Miss’s Matt Corral, North Carolina’s Sam Howell, or Liberty’s Malik Willis don’t pique the Steelers’ interest, Pittsburgh may look into a short-term free agent rental as they have in the past with quarterbacks Michael Vick and Bruce Gradkowski. Quarterbacks Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, and Teddy Bridgewater are some of the bigger names set to hit the market this offseason that could delay the Steelers’ need to draft a quarterback until some more attractive prospects potentially surface in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Pittsburgh could also trade, as they did for Dobbs, with a number of quarterbacks rumored to be available for a price. Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson is obviously the most available option, due to a league investigation that could result in disciplinary action. 49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been rumored to be available due to the expected emergence of 2021’s No. 3 overall draft pick, Trey Lance. Garoppolo is not known to be flashy, but has still accomplished a 30-13 record as a starter in the NFL. Two other veterans that have shown a little frustration with their current squads and may be open to a trade are Seattle’s Russell Wilson and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.

While Steelers’ management is certainly preoccupied right now with making the playoffs in a wild AFC, they will have much to consider when the season comes to an end. Whoever ends up under center for the Steelers in Week 1 of the 2022-23 NFL season, it will certainly be a change of pace for the franchise if the jersey doesn’t have fourteen letters across the top.

Bears Promote LB Irvin, Move LB Marsh To IR

December 10th, 2021 at 8:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Bears’ linebacker Bruce Irvin has been activated to the active roster after Chicago signed him to their practice squad in mid-November. Irvin saw his first game action of the season last week as a temporary call-up in the Bears’ loss against Arizona.

The ten-year veteran has bounced around a bit since 2018 despite showing pretty consistent success throughout his career. There have only been two seasons in which Irvin failed to amass 5.5 sacks – 2013, when he missed the first four games of the season with a suspension, and 2020, when he suffered a torn ACL in Week 2. In his most recent full season, with the Carolina Panthers two years ago, Irvin tallied a career high 8.5 sacks. After his successful year in Carolina, the pass rusher signed up for a second stint with the Seahawks, who drafted him. He tore his ACL and remained on the sidelines until last week’s return to the field. Chicago will hope to see a return to form for Irvin as the team has missed the production of Khalil Mack opposite Robert Quinn. Mack has been on IR for the last three weeks after under-going foot surgery.

In a corresponding move, the Bears have placed Irvin’s former teammate from Seattle, Cassius Marsh, on injured reserve. Marsh was signed to the Bears practice squad about two weeks before Irvin’s arrival. In four games of action this season, Marsh had totaled 1.0 sack and 6 tackles.

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