HEADLINES

Month: October 2024

Commanders RB Brian Robinson Shot In Attempted Robbery

August 29th, 2022 at 11:02am CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 29: Echoing Rivera’s comments from last night, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Robinson hasn’t been ruled out of returning to game action at some point this season (Twitter link).

9:09pm: The Commanders confirmed Robinson’s injuries are not life-threatening, and after visiting with the rookie running back in the hospital, Ron Rivera described him as “in good spirits.” Rivera added (on Twitter) that Robinson is eyeing a return to “doing what he does best” soon.

AUGUST 28, 6:48pm: Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson was the victim of an attempted robbery, and suffered gunshot wounds, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). He adds, fortunately, that Robinson is currently in stable condition. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Robinson was shot “multiple times” during an attempted carjacking. His injuries are considered non-life-threatening. 

The 23-year-old was taken in the third round of this year’s draft. His impressive performances in the spring and summer led to reports that he could be in line for the No. 1 spot, ahead of Antonio Gibson. Robinson took on a larger offensive workload earlier in the preseason, whereas Gibson was used as a kick returner for the first time in his career.

Robinson also sat last night’s preseason finale, another sign that he was poised to work with the starting offense. The Alabama product put up middling numbers until his final year with the Crimson Tide; in 2021, he ran for 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding another 296 yards and two majors in the passing game. That production, along with his work in training camp, had made him one of the most talked-about Commanders players heading into the season.

In the (likely) event Robinson misses significant time, Washington will have the choice of giving Gibson a similar workload to the one he had last season (258 carries, 52 targets). Another young option in the backfield would be 2021 UFFA Jaret Patterson, who had a hugely productive college career and recorded 339 scrimmage yards as a rookie. Much will depend, no doubt, on Robinson’s recovery.

Titans To Release P Brett Kern

August 29th, 2022 at 10:38am CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans will have a new punter for the first time in over a decade this season. The team is set to release veteran Brett Kern, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 

The 36-year-old was the longest-tenured player on the team, having started his 12-plus-year Nashville tenure in 2009. The move to the Titans came after being waived by the Broncos following 22 games in Denver. Since then, he has accumulated 197 appearances in Tennessee, which ranks third in Oilers/Titans franchise history.

Kern’s peak came during a three-year stretch from 2017-19. He was named a Pro Bowler in each of those seasons, earning All-Pro honors in two of them as well. During the 2017 campaign, the Toledo product led the NFL with a punt average of 49.7 yards. Overall, his average in that regard sits at 45.9, though his numbers have dropped during each of the past two seasons.

Kern had one season remaining on his current deal, which was set to pay him $2.2MM; the move will save Tennessee $1.2MM. With him off the roster, it appears that undrafted rookie Ryan Stonehouse will take over the team’s punting duties. During five seasons at Colorado State, he punted a total of 244 times at an average 47.8 yards, including a career-high 50.9 yards in 2021.

As Kern now looks for a new NFL home, many have suggested Buffalo as a logical landing spot. The Bills are currently without a punter, as they cut ties with sixth-round rookie Matt Araiza over the weekend in the wake of recent developments related to a suit naming him in gang rape allegations. As a native of Grand Island, New York, Kern signing with the Bills would not only fill the team’s roster void, but also represent a homecoming. Regardless of where he lands, the Titans will face some notable uncertainty this season on special teams.

Ravens Notes: Dobbins, Jones, OLBs

August 29th, 2022 at 9:17am CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier this month, the Ravens got their top RB back on the practice field when they activated J.K. Dobbins. It was a welcomed sign for the team, after the former second-rounder missed the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL.

Dobbins is still not a lock to suit up in Week 1 as he continues to recover from the injury, however. As a result, he “won’t get a full workload” immediately upon his return, notes ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. The Ohio State product took over the lead role midway through his rookie season, averaging six yards per carry and scoring nine total touchdowns. Those figures led to major expectations last season, but his year-long absence (along with that of backup Gus Edwards, who will also miss at least the first month of the 2022 season) dealt a major blow to Baltimore’s run game.

The Ravens, unsurprisingly, will ease Dobbins back into lead-back duties. Given that, and Edwards’ ongoing recovery, the team will turn to a combination of veteran signing Mike Davis and, in all likelihood, sixth-round rookie Tyler Badie in support roles in the backfield.

Here are some other notes from Charm City:

  • Dobbins isn’t the only promising young player whose health status the team is watching carefully. Rookie defensive lineman Travis Jones is dealing with a sprained knee which should keep him sidelined for three to five weeks, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The third-rounder had an impressive training camp and preseason, and will be in line for at least a rotational role right way. The chances of his debut coming in Week 1 are greatly lessened by this news, though, so the Ravens will lean more heavily on starter Michael Pierce in the middle of the d-line.
  • The Ravens have been named as a potential landing spot for a veteran edge signing throughout the offseason, given the team’s relative lack of moves at the position. Especially considering the fact that projected starter Tyus Bowser was placed on the reserve/PUP list last week (guaranteeing that he will miss the first four weeks of the season), the team is thin at the position until he and/or second-round rookie David Ojabo recover from their respective Achilles tears. As such, a pass rush addition of some kind should be expected, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Athletic (subscription required). Jason Pierre-Paul, who visited the team earlier this offseason, tops the list of remaining free agents; plenty of other names are due to become available as well during final roster cuts.
  • In that same piece, Zrebiec also notes that wideout Demarcus Robinson‘s deal, signed last week, includes nearly $900K in guaranteed money. That should help ensure he remains on the roster, something he wasn’t able to do with the Raiders. The veteran had four catches for 135 yards and a touchdown during the team’s preseason finale, and figures to play a notable role in their receiver rotation.
  • Safety Tony Jefferson could find himself on the roster bubble tomorrow, but not for a lack of effort to return to his previous form. The 30-year-old suffered a knee injury in 2019 which cost him his starting spot; he underwent a total of four surgeries to repair the damage, Zrebiec details. Jefferson understandably considered retirement during the process, but has now recovered to the point where he came back to Baltimore last season and could carve out a role on the 2022 squad as well.

OL Rumors: Pipkins, Packers, Vikes, Falcons

August 28th, 2022 at 10:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Practically the only need the Chargers did not address this offseason was right tackle, where incumbent Storm Norton and backup Trey Pipkins waged a summer competition. It looks like there will be a change up front for the Bolts. Pipkins appears to have beaten out Norton for the gig, Daniel Popper of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The two are swapping roles, with Pipkins — a 2019 third-round pick — leaving his swing tackle post to try his luck as a starter again. Norton, who replaced Bryan Bulaga early last season and made 15 starts, worked with the second team throughout practice this week and saw time as the second-string left tackle as well. Pipkins, 25, has made 10 career starts. While the Chargers demoted him in 2021, they were impressed with his left- and right-side spot starts late in the season. The University of Sioux Falls product, who is going into a contract year, will work on a line full of free agency investments (Corey Linsley, Matt Feiler) and first-round picks (Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson).

Here is the latest from the O-line scene:

  • Staying on the right tackle topic, Elgton Jenkins is expected to settle in there when he returns, per Albert Breer of SI.com. A high-end Swiss Army knife for the Packers, Jenkins made the 2020 Pro Bowl at guard and began last season as David Bakhtiari‘s left tackle fill-in. An ACL tear sidelined Jenkins in November. Jenkins would stand to command more in earnings with a quality right tackle season, though staying on the field in 2022 will position him for a lucrative deal no matter where he lines up. The Packers removed both players from the active/PUP list this month but do not yet know if Jenkins and Bakhtiari — who have not played together since December 2020 — will be ready for Week 1, Matt LaFleur reiterated Sunday. When healthy, a Bakhtiari-Jenkins duo would be one of the league’s best tackle tandems.
  • The Vikings are on the verge of having five homegrown first- or second-round picks as O-line starters. Second-round rookie Ed Ingram is “trending” toward being the Vikes’ right guard starter, Kevin O’Connell said (via the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson). Although Minnesota signed Jesse Davis and Chris Reed as potential stopgaps, Ingram has impressed since moving to first-team duty during camp. Ingram worked with Minnesota’s first team in joint practices against San Francisco, with Davis — who had taken some days off to rest a surgically repaired knee — shifting to the second team, Tomasson adds. Ingram was also held out of the Vikings’ preseason finale Saturday, and while O’Connell stopped short of locking the LSU product into the lineup, that is the likely scenario. Ingram would join 2021 first-rounder Christian Darrisaw, 2020 second-rounder Ezra Cleveland, 2019 first-rounder Garrett Bradbury and 2018 second-rounder Brian O’Neill on a fully homegrown Vikings line.
  • Free agent pickup Elijah Wilkinson looks to have commandeered the Falcons‘ left guard spot, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who notes the former Broncos and Bears blocker looks set to play ahead of 2021 third-rounder Jalen Mayfield. The Michigan product struggled as a rookie, ranking as a bottom-10 Pro Football Focus guard. Mayfield did start 16 games, so a demotion is certainly notable for player who started one with the Bears last season. Wilkinson’s most relevant NFL work came in Denver, when he served as Ja’Wuan James‘ primary replacement from 2019-20. Mayfield may already be on Atlanta’s roster bubble, per Ledbetter.

Steelers To Place S Damontae Kazee On IR

August 28th, 2022 at 9:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Damontae Kazee signed with the Steelers shortly after the draft, coming to Pittsburgh after making 15 starts with the Cowboys last season. He will not match that total in 2022.

The Steelers plan to place Kazee on IR, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. A wrist injury led to Kazee’s exit from Sunday’s preseason finale, and Dulac adds the veteran defensive back will need surgery.

It is unclear if the surgery will knock Kazee out for the entire season, but he will not be on the Steelers’ 53-man roster. The only way Kazee could play in 2022 is if the Steelers released him from IR via an injury settlement. Kazee, 29, signed a one-year, $1.19MM deal with just $153K guaranteed in May.

The former Falcons and Cowboys starter was expected to be a Steelers backup, playing behind Minkah Fitzpatrick and the recently re-signed Terrell Edmunds. The Steelers have run into some trouble during the preseason regarding safety health; Karl Joseph landed on IR early last week.

Kazee, who led the league with seven interceptions in 2018, picked off two passes in 17 games last season. He also forced two fumbles, giving him seven over his five-year career. While special-teamer Miles Killebrew re-signed on a two-year deal in March, it would not surprise if the Steelers — after losing two veterans at the position — added a safety this week.

Buccaneers Considering O-Line Trades

August 28th, 2022 at 9:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Between Tom Brady‘s second and third Buccaneers seasons, Tampa Bay’s interior offensive line has gone from one of the league’s most stable areas to an undependable spot. Injuries to Ryan Jensen and Aaron Stinnie followed the exits of Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa. The Bucs endured more issues Saturday night, when both Robert Hainsey and Nick Leverett went down during the team’s preseason finale.

Hainsey, who is in line to replace Jensen at center, suffered an ankle injury. The Bucs do look to have caught a break with the second-year blocker, whom Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets could return by Week 1 after X-rays revealed a short-term injury. Leverett suffered a shoulder malady, and Wilson adds that is also not considered to be a serious issue (Twitter link). But the run of injuries this position group has suffered cannot exactly be ignored.

[RELATED: Jensen Injury Not Season-Ending?]

This latest round of setbacks reminds of how much has changed for the Bucs’ offensive line, which does have trade acquisition Shaq Mason healthy as the regular season nears. Todd Bowles confirmed the team will look at acquisitions along the O-line.

“There is not a sense of urgency unless we lose the two that went down yesterday,” Bowles said, via JoeBucsFan.com. “You have to have someone willing to give you a good football player [in a trade]. Nobody is going to give you a good football player. Nobody is going to feel sorry for you.

“We are going to look at the waiver wire. We are going to look at certain trades to see if we can find some things out there. But if there is nothing out there, we still have some guys that can play.”

The Bucs join the Bears and 49ers as known teams to be looking into O-line trades, though this is likely not the only trio making inquiries into availability at these premium positions. Tampa Bay used a third-round pick on Hainsey in 2021 and a second-rounder on guard Luke Goedeke. The latter is expected, due to Jensen and Stinnie’s severe injuries, to be a starter. More clarity on Hainsey’s status will help clear up the Bucs’ O-line picture for Week 1. The team has lost linemen during practice and preseason games this summer. Depth, at least, may be needed this week.

Cowboys To Waive QB Ben DiNucci

August 28th, 2022 at 8:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ben DiNucci will not be on the Cowboys’ 53-man roster to start the season. Dallas is cutting the third-year passer, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets.

The former seventh-round pick was behind Cooper Rush and Will Grier on the Dak Prescott-topped depth chart. Rush and Grier have vied for the backup job during the preseason, and the presence of both could impact DiNucci’s status as a practice squad arm.

That said, the Cowboys kept three quarterbacks last season, with Rush — who returned after his Giants stint — and Grier on the team’s active roster. DiNucci, who started a game and played in three during Prescott’s injury hiatus in 2020, spent last season on Dallas’ P-squad. DiNucci, who attempted 43 passes as a rookie out of James Madison two years ago, stayed with the team via reserve/futures contract this offseason.

Teams must pare their rosters from 80 to 53 by 3pm Tuesday. Waiver claims will process Wednesday afternoon. At that point, teams can begin assembling their practice squads. Despite the NFL doing away with the reserve/COVID-19 list this season, taxi squads remain at 16 players. If the Cowboys are planning to keep the same arrangement as 2021, DiNucci — should he clear waivers — would be on track to stick with the organization as its fourth QB.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/22

August 28th, 2022 at 7:55pm CST by Rory Parks

We will keep track of today’s minor moves right here:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders:

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Summers is a 2019 seventh-round pick who has just one career start but who has established himself as a key contributor on Green Bay’s special teams unit over his first three seasons in the league. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com expects the TCU product to generate interest on the waiver wire (Twitter link). Indeed, Packers HC Matt LaFleur said that the team made the decision to part ways with Summers now in order to give him a chance to hook on with a new club before the wave of impending cuts that will soon flood the market (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).

The Seahawks’ decision to move Brown to the PUP list means that he will be sidelined for at least the first four games of the season. That marks a disappointing start to his second NFL campaign; the fourth-rounder had two separate IR stints last year. That limited him to just five games (three starts), during which he registered 10 tackles and one pass deflection. Seattle has seen plenty of roster turnover at the CB position this offseason, leaving Brown in line for at least a rotational role. In his absence, the team will rely even more on starters Sidney Jones and Artie Burns, with rookies Coby Bryant likely to play in the slot.

Raiders RT Brandon Parker Out For Season

August 28th, 2022 at 5:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders’ right tackle competition has seen an unfortunate development. Per a team announcement, projected starter Brandon Parker has been placed on injured reserve, ending his 2022 season. 

The 26-year-old was in line to operate with the first team, but suffered an injury which was recently confirmed as being serious. In his absence, Vegas had several options available as replacements, and were subsequently reported to not be eyeing a free agent addition.

Parker has starting experience dating back, primarily, to his rookie season and the 2021 campaign. He re-upped with the team in free agency on a one-year deal worth $3.5MM, a contract which would have given the team a cost-effective lineman and allowed the former third-rounder to earn a more lucrative pact next offseason. Instead, his market will be weighed down by this year-long absence.

For the past few weeks, Vegas has weighed their options at the position, which include veteran Jermaine Eluemunor, seventh-round rookie Thayer Munford and 2021 first-rounder Alex Leatherwood. The latter struggled during his rookie season, resulting in a shift to guard. He has been similarly underwhelming during this offseason, potentially leaving his roster spot in jeopardy despite his age and draft status. Indeed, the team’s braintrust – now featuring GM Dave Ziegler and HC Josh McDaniels – has explored the possibility of trading Leatherwood, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

Between that possibility and a minor ailment for Munford, Eluemunor can be considered the RT favorite at least to start the season. Especially given the expectations surrounding the Raiders, though, that spot (along with the 0-line as a whole) will be heavily scrutinized, particularly if Vegas holds firm on using internal options to replace Parker.

The team also confirmed on Sunday that defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster and linebacker Tae Davis have been placed on IR. Lancaster had been a rotational presence throughout his four-year Packers tenure before signing in May; Davis, meanwhile, primarily played on special teams with the Giants and Browns to begin his career. He missed the 2021 campaign, and had recently been released by the Texans.

NFC WR Notes: Isabella, Turpin, Doubs, Turner

August 28th, 2022 at 4:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

Andy Isabella came to the Cardinals in 2019 with plenty of expectations. The 2019 second-rounder has yet to live up to his potential, though, which has led to his name being involved in plenty of trade speculation.

Arizona was shopping the 25-year-old speedster in the run-up to free agency, after his first three seasons in the league resulted in just 31 catches and three touchdowns. Given that they granted Isabella permission to seek a new destination, it seemed inevitable that a swap could be coming, but nothing materialized.

Immediately after the draft – during which the Cardinals acquired Marquise Brown – the UMass alum was again available to outside teams. However, Isabella has impressed the team during training camp and preseason, and he appears to have increased his chances of finishing his rookie contract in the desert. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that he has “had as good a camp as just about anyone,” which should strengthen his grip on a roster spot. Aside from Brown, the Cardinals also have DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore and A.J. Green ahead of Isabella on the depth chart, but he could be in line for a career-year in 2022.

Here are some other WR notes from around the NFC:

  • The Cowboys took a flier on the USFL’s leading receiver, KaVontae Turpin, late last month. After the TCU alum enjoyed a two-touchdown preseason contest against the Chargers in the return game, HC Mike McCarthy was asked about whether or not Turpin would handle the team’s kick return duties come Week 1. “I think there is a great chance he will be returning kicks against Tampa Bay,” he responded (Twitter link via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram) – a rather ringing endorsement of the five-foot-nine, 153-pounder looking to turn his spring success into a full-time NFL role.
  • Aaron Rodgers was publicly critical of the young receivers the Packers are incorporating into their offense last week, but one of them has established a noteworthy rapport with the reigning MVP. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes that Romeo Doubs has “really” earned Rodgers’ trust this summer, something which could pay dividends for Green Bay’s offense. The Nevada product put up back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns to finish his college career, and has seen first-team reps in training camp. He could be in line for a productive rookie season in a WR corps featuring plenty of unknowns.
  • 49ers wideout Malik Turner received a fine of $5,750 for unsportsmanlike conduct during the team’s preseason win over the Vikings, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The 26-year-old split his first four seasons evenly between the Seahawks and Cowboys, playing primarily on special teams. He is likely to have a similar role in San Francisco, though the league’s discipline won’t help his impressions with the team in the build-up to the season.
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