HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Jaguars Place Dan Arnold On IR

November 30th, 2021 at 11:37am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars have placed tight end Dan Arnold on the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. This was the expected move after Arnold was diagnosed with a grade 2 MCL sprain on Monday. 

Technically, Arnold would be eligible to return after three weeks on IR. However, given the 4-6 timeline for his recovery, this likely spells a season-ender for the 26-year-old.

The Jaguars traded for Arnold (and a third-round pick) in late September, in exchange for former first-round choice C.J. Henderson and a fifth-round selection. Since then, the tight end has reeled in 28 catches for 304 yards in eight games. Coupled with his early Carolina line, he’s recorded 35 grabs for 408 yards in eleven contests. Even in this injury-shortened season, that’s roughly in line with his entire 2020 from Arizona.

At 2-9, the Jaguars have little reason to rush the young tight end back to the field. Thanks to his two-year, $6MM deal, he remains under contract with Jacksonville through 2022.

Panthers Place Donte Jackson on IR

November 30th, 2021 at 11:12am CST by Adam La Rose

Cornerback Donte Jackson has been placed on injured reserve, per a club announcement. Jackson suffered a groin injury in Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins and will miss the remainder of the season. 

Jackson had been a key piece in the Panthers secondary, serving as a team captain and recording 61 tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble.

Without Jackson, Carolina will need to lean more on recently-acquired corners C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore. They’ll also look to add another CB for depth, to join fifth-round rookie Keith Taylor Jr. and veteran Rashaan Melvin. In the meantime, his roster spot will be filled by guard Deonte Brown, who is returning from a knee injury.

Jackson, a 2018 second-round pick, has spent his entire pro career with the Panthers, but it’s possible that he’s played his last snap for them. The 26-year-old will be eligible for free agency in March, after the expiration of his rookie contract.

Washington K Joey Slye To Miss Time

November 30th, 2021 at 9:41am CST by Zachary Links

Washington kicker Joey Slye will be out for at least three weeks, according to head coach Ron Rivera (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post). It’s not yet official, but Slye will “more than likely” land on the injured reserve list given the timeframe for recovery.

Slye injured his left leg last night while chasing down Seahawks defensive lineman Rasheem Green. As Green took his blocked XP back for two points, Slye slipped, fell, and had to be taken out of the game. After that, Washington had punter Tress Way handle kickoffs, but they opted against going for any field goals.

Slye signed with D.C. in November 9th to serve as their third kicker of the season. Since then, he’s nailed all six of his field goals while going 5-of-6 on extra point tries (he can thank Green for the lone blemish). Slye may be able to return by Week 17 but, in the interim, Washington will have to evaluate outside options.

On the plus side, running back J.D. McKissic is “all good” after his neck injury, according to agent Doug Hendrickson (on Twitter). They’ll hope for similar news on center/guard Wes Schweitzer, who was forced out of last night’s game with an ankle injury.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Chiefs S Tyrann Mathieu

November 29th, 2021 at 9:30pm CST by Ely Allen

He’s been here before and has seen his value fluctuate rather broadly over the course of his nine-year career. Tyrann Mathieu hopes he’ll cash in on the high end on this go round as he tries to steady a Kansas City defense that has struggled early in the season. 

The former LSU Tiger was drafted in the third round by the Cardinals in 2013. He was solid through his first couple of pro seasons, but he truly broke out in his Year 3 with five interceptions and 17 passes defensed en route to first-team All-Pro honors. Despite the ACL tear that capped his 2015, the Cardinals rewarded the rangy safety with an eye-popping five-year, $62.5MM extension just before the start of ’16.

His first foray into free agency came in 2018, when he refused to take a pay cut. Three days later, the Texans took a flier on Mathieu with a one-year, $7MM deal. The next year, he moved on to the Chiefs, who furnished him with a three-year, $42MM contract. Rejuvenated in KC, he went on to capture a Super Bowl ring and nab ten interceptions over the next two years.

Now Mathieu sits in a contract year once again. He’s seen his value fluctuate from a rookie deal to $12.5MM per annum to $7MM all the way to to his current contract, valuing him at $14MM per year.

He’s had a good a year so far — two picks, one pick-six, five passes defensed, and a sack for good measure. Still, he’ll need a bigger second half in order to land the kind of deal that he wants. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of time to pad the highlight reel and ample opportunity as the Chiefs make their playoff push.

Mathieu is unlikely to top Jamal Adams ($17.5MM per year), but there’s reason to believe that he could approach Harrison Smith‘s deal ($16MM per year). After all, Smith inked his four-year re-up in his age 32 season. Mathieu, meanwhile, won’t turn 30 until May.

While Mathieu does have a bit of an injury history, he’s got plenty of gas left in the tank and an All-Pro skillset to offset any concerns. As long as he keeps his foot on the pedal, Mathieu should still be able to command top dollar for his services this spring.

Latest On Vikings’ Dalvin Cook

November 29th, 2021 at 8:03pm CST by Zachary Links

8:03pm: Cook is expected to miss at least the next two games – against the Lions and Steelers – with an expected return against the Bears on Dec. 20, as reported by ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

5:07pm: It was reported earlier today that Dalvin Cook had been diagnosed with a torn labrum and shoulder dislocation that would sideline him for the next two games. This was good news as there was fear Cook may have to miss the rest of the season.

The news continues to improve as, according to Mike Zimmer, Cook is only “day-to-day.” Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reports that when asked if Cook has a torn labrum, Zimmer replied, “No.” Asked about the dislocated shoulder and Zimmer answered, “I’m not going to say.” While this still leaves room for concern, Minnesota will be relieved to discover that the injury to its star running back doesn’t seem as serious as it originally appeared.

11:46am: Dalvin Cook has been diagnosed with a torn labrum and dislocation in his shoulder (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). However, it won’t be a season-ender for the Vikings running back. 

That’s excellent news given that Cook had to be carted off the field during Sunday’s game. Following the MRI, the Vikings believe that Cook can come back after a few games of rest, similar to how he managed to return towards the end of 2019. The plan is to hold him out of their next two games against the Lions and the Steelers. After that, if everything checks out, he’ll be able to face the Bears in Week 15 (Twitter link). Placing Cook on IR would automatically rule him out for three games, so the Vikings will probably keep him on the 53-man roster for the time being.

Clearly, the Vikings offense is at its best with a healthy and productive Cook. Last year, he enjoyed his second-straight Pro Bowl season with 1,557 rushing yards, 17 total touchdowns, and a 5.0 yards per carry average. It was also his second-straight 14-game slate, a big step up from his first two campaigns.

So far this year, Cook has 773 rushing yards and four touchdowns with a 4.5 yards per carry average. He’s also contributed as a pass-catcher with 27 grabs for 202 yards.

Without Cook, the Vikings will rely on Alexander Mattison to keep the chains moving. He’s made two starts in place of Cook so far this year, totaling 225 yards on the ground plus 13 catches for 99 yards.

Latest on 49ers’ Deebo Samuel

November 29th, 2021 at 6:20pm CST by Ely Allen

In yesterday’s win over the Vikings, Niners’ wide receiver Deebo Samuel left the game with a groin injury. Kyle Shanahan has updated the media with news that Samuel suffered a strain and is expected to miss 1-2 weeks, according to a tweet from Nick Wagoner of ESPN.

Prior to leaving last night, Samuel had been enjoying a breakout year, utilizing health and experience to tally a team-leading 1,006 yards on 56 catches. He’s also currently second on the team in rushing yards with 203. Not to mention, he leads the team in both rushing and receiving TDs with five of each.

While San Francisco still has star tight end George Kittle to rely on, they’ll need second-year receiver Brandon Aiyuk to step up in Samuel’s absence. Shanahan’s update also included news on linebacker Fred Warner who will miss at least this week with a strained hamstring. This is the first game Warner will have missed since being drafted in 2018, snapping a 62-game consecutive start streak (including postseason games). They hope to see him back in action for the Bengals.

Cardinals Kliff Kingsbury On Oklahoma Rumors

November 29th, 2021 at 6:02pm CST by Ely Allen

With Lincoln Riley’s departure from the University of Oklahoma to become the head coach at the University of Southern California, Oklahoma has expressed interest in Cardinals’ head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

In a Monday afternoon press conference, Kingsbury emphasized his focus on the Cardinals’ upcoming game against the Bears, as Darren Urban of the team website tweets.

“[I] don’t get into those things,” Kingsbury said. “We’re in-season, we’re 9-and-2, just not a topic I want to touch right now.”

Kingsbury does have experience as a head coach at the college level, having spending six years with the Texas Tech University Red Raiders. His combined of 35-40 wasn’t stellar, but he did groom several current NFL players in Lubbock, including Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, DeAndre Washington, and Jakeem Grant.

It does seem a bit unusual that an NFL coach in the midst of an NFC-leading season would even be thinking about moving back to the college ranks. Kingsbury’s lack of a denial is curious, but, in reality, it’s probably a play for extra leverage. With one more year to go on his contract, Kingsbury use OU’s interest to drive his next deal even higher.

Titans Place Kevin Byard On COVID-19 List

November 29th, 2021 at 3:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have placed safety Kevin Byard on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, per a club announcement. Byard is one of several NFL notables to receive the designation today, alongside Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson and Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt. 

[RELATED: Vikings Place Peterson On Reserve/COVID-19 List]

The good news is that Byard might not miss any game action, since the Titans are on their bye week. And, at the same time, they’ve also been able to activate linebacker Joe Jones from the COVID-19 list. Assuming everything checks out, Byard could suit up for the Titans next game, a Week 14 matchup vs. the Jaguars.

Byard, 28, put himself on the map with a league-leading eight interceptions in 2017. He hasn’t reprised his Pro Bowl or First-Team All-Pro status since, but he remains a pillar of the Titans’ secondary. In 2019, the Titans furnished him with a five-year, $70.5MM extension, making him the NFL’s highest-paid safety at the time of signing.

Through 12 games, Byard has notched five interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.

Vikings Place Patrick Peterson On Reserve/COVID-19 List

November 29th, 2021 at 3:17pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings announced that they have placed Patrick Peterson on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. As a result, the cornerback may be withheld from this Sunday’s game against the Lions. 

Peterson already missed a huge chunk of the season with a hamstring injury. He returned to action in Week 11 to face the Packers and suited up on Sunday in San Francisco, playing on all 70 of Minnesota’s defensive snaps.

In theory, the All-Decade cornerback can still play this week, provided that he is vaccinated, asymptomatic, and able to pass two COVID-19 tests. If he’s unvaccinated, he’ll be required to spent at least ten days in isolation.

P2 declined a bit towards the end of his Arizona tenure, but he’s fared better in Minnesota so far. The eight-time Pro Bowler has allowed a ~60% completion rate in coverage, much improved from his 67% figure of 2020.

Peterson will hope for a quick return to help lift the Vikings’ playoff chances. And, even if the Vikings fall out of the race, the veteran could use the rest of the slate as a platform for his next deal. P2 is slated for free agency in March, following the expiration of his one-year, $8MM deal.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/29/21

November 29th, 2021 at 3:07pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: CB Tim Harris
  • Released: OL Evin Ksiezarczyk

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed: TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart

Tennessee Titans

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