HEADLINES

Month: October 2024

NFC West Rumors: Seahawks OL, Jackson, Greenlaw, Humphries

August 13th, 2022 at 5:42pm CST by Ely Allen

With Brandon Shell departing in free agency and Duane Brown and Ethan Pocic now rostered with the Jets and Browns, respectively, the Seahawks have had a bit of work this offseason piecing their offensive line back together. Seattle may even be in the extremely rare position of bookending their offensive line with two rookie tackles, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

While Charles Cross has long been expected to start for the Seahawks on the blindside as the No. 9 overall pick in the draft, it appears that third-round pick Abraham Lucas is currently favored to man the tackle spot opposite Cross. The most recent instance of this in the NFL that I could find is back in 2012 when the Cardinals were forced to start seventh-round pick Nate Potter across from fourth-round pick Bobby Massie late in the season. That was a result of some injuries, though. The last time a team started the season with two rookie offensive tackles, I believe, was in 2009 when Jacksonville trotted out in Week 1 with first-round pick Eugene Monroe at left tackle and second-round pick Eben Britton at right tackle.

Additionally, while the Seahawks return Gabe Jackson and Damien Lewis as the starting guards from last year, backup guard Phil Haynes has reportedly been pushing both for playing time this offseason. According to a tweet from ESPN’s Brady Henderson, head coach Pete Carroll had plenty of good things to say about Haynes.

“Phil could start. He plays like a starter,” Carroll extolled. He looks like a starter out there and he’s pushing Gabe, he really is. He’s our guy that’s swinging right and left side right now. If he had to start for either guy right now, I would feel absolutely comfortable…I feel like we’ve got three starting guards right now that we could play and be fine with.”

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West, starting with a couple rumors from the Bay Area:

  • The 49ers used a second-round pick this year to select Drake Jackson, a big-bodied defensive end out of USC. But they are determined not to limit Jackson to the outside of the line, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. San Francisco has been lining Jackson up all over the defensive line this offseason, placing him not only on both ends but at defensive tackle, as well.
  • When the 49ers rush an extra defensive back on the field in passing situations, one of their three starting linebackers is going to have to come off the field. When asked which starting linebacker would stay on the field with Fred Warner in those situations, Barrows posited that it had to be Dre Greenlaw. Barrows went on to say that the only way Azeez Al-Shaair would take hold over the No. 2 linebacker spot in San Francisco is if Greenlaw is injured.
  • Cardinals offensive tackle D.J. Humphries recently signed a three-year, $51.76MM extension. According to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the deal has a guaranteed amount of $32.82MM consisting of a $17MM signing bonus, the 2022 salary of $3.82MM, $4MM of the 2023 salary, and the 2023 roster bonus of $8.24MM. Additionally, the 28-year-old tackle can earn a per game active bonus of $14,117 for a potential season total of $240,000.

Latest On Jets QB Zach Wilson’s Knee Injury

August 13th, 2022 at 3:59pm CST by Ben Levine

3:59pm: With Wilson expected to be out for two to four weeks, many have wondered if the Jets might need to make a move at quarterback, in case his knee injury ends up taking longer to heal than expected. But the Jets have confidence in backup veteran quarterback Joe Flacco “to hold the fort down” until Wilson’s eventual return, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.

Anderson even put forth the idea that naming Flacco the Week 1 starter may be the most responsible thing to do, so that Wilson and company don’t feel rushed to try to get him back to the field in time for the regular season before he’s fully healed. While an announcement for Week 1 may be a bit premature, those in the building know that there is no need to rush Wilson back to the field.

Flacco has been with the Jets for a little under two years as a backup quarterback, initially behind Sam Darnold and then behind Wilson. After his first year backing up for the Jets, he signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia to back up Jalen Hurts before being traded back to the Jets in late-October of last year.

Flacco has yet to win a game with the Jets going 0-5 in his five starts. He’s proven to be a serviceable starter during this time, though, throwing nine touchdowns to only three interceptions as a Jet.

The initial thought, if the prognosis for Wilson is correct, is that Flacco would only be needed for one regular season game at most, but, if Wilson needs any extra time to get back to 100%, New York has the utmost confidence in the 37-year-old Flacco.

10:24am: Wilson suffered a meniscus tear, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). Coupled with the bone bruise, Wilson is expected to be sidelined for two or four weeks. This is obviously great news for the Jets, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini tweets that the team believes their starting QB could be ready to go for Week 1.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Wilson will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair the issue. That upcoming surgery will determine whether Wilson’s return is closer to the two-week timeline or the four-week timeline, per Schefter (on Twitter). Wilson will get more opinions to determine if he needs a knee scope, tweets Howe.

10:07am: Wilson suffered a bone bruise and his ligaments are “in good shape,” per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (on Twitter). The QB is set to undergo more tests to determine if there was any damage to his meniscus. At that time, we should get more clarity on a recovery timeline.

9:09am: The Jets are hoping they dodged a major bullet with their franchise quarterback. After Zach Wilson exited last night’s preseason opener with a knee issue, there was concern that the injury could end his season. Fortunately, ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes that the organization is hopeful that Wilson avoided a season-ending injury.The QB will undergo an MRI today to determine the extend of the knee damage.

Coach Robert Saleh said after the game that Wilson’s ACL is “supposed to be intact.” There are early indications that the QB may have reinjured his PCL, according to Cimini. That would be the same PCL that forced Wilson to miss four games during his rookie campaign. Assuming the Jets’ optimism turns out to be correct, the best-case scenario, according to Connor Hughes of SNYtv (on Twitter), would see Wilson sidelined for only two to three weeks, while the “worst case” would have the QB out for four to six weeks.

The non-contact injury certainly didn’t look great when it happened. Wilson suffered the injury during the Jets’ second offensive series, with the QB’s knee appearing to “buckle” before he fell to the ground. Wilson was able to walk off the field under his own power, but he did have a noticeable limp. Mike Kaye of ProFootballNetwork.com questions Wilson’s decision to scramble for extra yards; after passing the line of scrimmage, Wilson could have continued his path toward the sideline, but he decided to cut for extra yards. He “planted his foot awkwardly,” leading to the injury. Saleh seemed to agree with this sentiment, telling reporters that Wilson should have ran out of bounds instead of trying to shake the defender (per Kaye on Twitter).

The Jets have been a bit tight lipped since last night, but that has nothing to do with Wilson’s outlook. Rather, as Hughes notes, the staff is a bit “spooked” after how things unfolded with offensive lineman Mekhi Becton. When the right tackle suffered his knee injury, there was hope that he wouldn’t be out long. However, subsequent tests showed that the lineman suffered a fractured kneecap and would be done for the season.

“I’m over with trying to decipher doctor language, so I’m just going to let the MRI play out and figure it out tomorrow,” Saleh said after the game (via Kaye).

Assuming Wilson misses at least a few weeks, the Jets can use the extra reps to determine the No. 2 QB on the depth chart. Veteran Joe Flacco seems to have a solid hold of that gig, although he didn’t leave the sideline during last night’s contest. Mike White got an extended look in place of Wilson, with former UDFA Chris Streveler also getting some reps.

Bengals DE Wyatt Hubert Announces Retirement

August 13th, 2022 at 3:23pm CST by Ely Allen

One of the members of Cincinnati’s extremely successful 10-man 2021 rookie class has unfortunately decided to walk away from football. In a tweet this afternoon, Bengals defensive end Wyatt Hubert cited his physical health as the root cause of his retirement. 

“Unfortunately I have dealt with many injuries that have taken a permanent toll on my game, body, and performance on the field,” Hubert elaborated. “This decision has been difficult and humbling as I have been blessed to have made it to the NFL and be drafted by a great organization in the Cincinnati Bengals.”

Hubert never made it to the field at the NFL-level. In college, Hubert was a key contributor at Kansas State, starting about 2.5 of the 4 seasons he spent in Manhattan. After redshirting his first year, Hubert started seven of twelve games as a redshirt freshman ranking third in the nation among freshman in sacks per game. He started every remaining college game of his career after that, earning first team All Big 12 honors after leading the Wildcats in tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (7.0) as a redshirt sophomore.

Despite playing in two fewer games as a redshirt junior, Hubert increased his career highs with 13.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, good enough to earn him a second-consecutive year on the All Big 12 first team. As the only unanimous first team All Big 12 selection on defense, Hubert also earned votes as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.

His two-year run of success led him to forgo his final year of college eligibility and declare for the 2021 NFL Draft. Hubert was selected by Cincinnati in the seventh-round, but suffered a torn pectoral muscle before the season began, landing him on the reserve/non-football injury list.

A year later, it seems injuries like that have taken their toll on the 24-year-old, influencing him to change his career path before it harms him beyond repair. While the Bengals never got the privilege of seeing his contributions on the field, those who watched him rock the royal purple in college, know what a loss Cincinnati’s defense has suffered.

NFC South Rumors: Darnold, Christensen, Bucs, Murphy-Bunting, Werner

August 13th, 2022 at 2:20pm CST by Ely Allen

As Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield starts to run away with the starting job, questions have been raised about the future of incumbent starter Sam Darnold. When a rumor surfaced that Carolina may be shopping the fifth-year passer, general manager Scott Fitterer pulled Darnold aside to set him at ease, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic.

“I talked to Scott,” Darnold explained. “He said not to worry about it. To be honest, before he talked to me, I didn’t even see it. So I’m just gonna continue to do me and do what I can to put myself in a good position and put this team in a good position.”

Aiding Fitterer in convincing Darnold that he’s not likely to be dealt is Darnold’s $18.86MM salary. There could certainly be a team willing to make a call about Darnold if an injury occurs to their starter, but if the Panthers wanted to offload him, they’d likely have to eat some of his contract, as well.

There’s a good chance, though, that Darnold stays put. As Person explained, “in a league that saw only 12 teams make it through the 17-game regular season in 2021 with one quarterback,” the backup quarterback is still a crucially important position. And, while Darnold may not rank highly among the starters in today’s game, he certainly ranks as one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league. The backup job appears to be his, too, as long as the Panthers continue to slow play the development of rookie third-round pick Matt Corral.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC South, starting with another note out of the Tar Heel state:

  • As certain as it seems that rookie first-round pick Ikem Ekwonu will start the 2022 season as the Panthers’ starting left tackle, Carolina is still giving last year’s third-round pick, Brady Christensen, plenty of snaps at the position. According to Person, Christensen took the majority of the first-team reps this past Thursday at the position. Christensen has a highly sought after versatility that gives the Panthers the option of playing him as a guard or a tackle. With Ekwonu still expected to win the starting job, perhaps offensive line coach James Campen just wants to ensure his best backup option has enough experience at one of the offensive line’s most important positions.
  • The Buccaneers‘ interior offensive line will look completely different in 2022 after the departures of Alex Cappa and Ali Marpet, as well as an injury that may cause center Ryan Jensen to miss a significant amount of time. Trade acquisition Shaq Mason will man the right guard position, while the left guard and center positions are still up in the air, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine. The center position is currently a battle between Robert Hainsey and Nick Leverett. Leverett is also competing for the left guard starting job with Aaron Stinnie and rookie second-round pick Luke Goedeke. A tweet from Bucs staff writer Scott Smith, though, may hint at one of the positions. Smith reports that assistant head coach & run game coordinator Harold Goodwin “hopes a decision (at left guard) will be made prior to the third preseason game” so that the new left guard can “build chemistry with Donovan Smith and (Hainsey).” Smith is projected to be the starting left tackle, so this comment from Goodwin may point to the fact that Hainsey has won the position battle at center.
  • We recently did a rundown of the Buccaneers’ cornerbacks room, but an update, provided by Matt Matera of the Pewter Report, may give us some new information. We claimed that Sean Murphy-Bunting was in a competition with Jamel Dean for the No. 2 cornerback spot opposite Carlton Davis, but that the loser of that battle would still likely get plenty of time as the top option at nickel. According to Matera, though, Murphy-Bunting is no longer working in the slot and is solely competing with Dean for the outside job. Matera adds that Dean seems to have the inside-track which will leave Murphy-Bunting coming off the bench.
  • It appears that Saints second-year linebacker Pete Werner has taken hold of the starting weak-side linebacker position next to Demario Davis, according to Jeff Duncan of nola.com. Duncan comments that the staff’s confidence in Werner is high enough that it assisted in their decision to allow former starter Kwon Alexander to walk in free agency.

Browns C Nick Harris Likely Out For Season

August 13th, 2022 at 12:49pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Nick Harris will be sidelined for the entire 2022 season. The Browns starting center will undergo surgery on his injured right knee that will likely knock him out for the entire season, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (via Twitter).

Jeff Schudel of the The News-Herald tweets that the team isn’t “ready to say he’ll miss the entire season,” with the team awaiting more information before making that determination. However, it sounds like the lineman is all be destined to go under the knife, and recovery time would likely last through the entire 2022 campaign. Harris was injured on the second snap of yesterday’s preseason opener. After receiving contact from Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, the offensive lineman fell to the ground. He was unable to put weight on his right leg before being helped on to a cart.

“All these injuries stink. You don’t like anybody to get injured,” coach Kevin Stefanski said (via Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal). “Nick certainly is a guy that’s been working so hard this offseason. Really hoping that it’s not a season-long thing because the kid just works so hard.”

Harris was a fifth-round pick out of Washington in 2020. He started two of his 23 games through his first two seasons in the NFL, and while he didn’t play enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ 2021 OL rankings, he earned an above-average grade in both pass blocking and run blocking. He was expected to take over the starting center gig in place of free agent J.C. Tretter, who remains unsigned. Ethan Pocic filled in at center last night, and the team is also rostering seventh-round rookie Dawson Deaton and UDFA Brock Hoffman.

Baker Mayfield To Start Panthers Preseason Opener

August 13th, 2022 at 9:22am CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Baker Mayfield is getting the first crack at the Panthers’ starting QB gig. The team announced that their offseason acquisition will start today’s preseason opener against the Commanders.

[RELATED: Baker Mayfield Moving Ahead In Panthers QB Race]

Mayfield and teammate Sam Darnold have been alternating first-team snaps throughout training camp, but it will be Mayfield who will get the first look on Saturday. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects Mayfield to get one or two series before giving way to Darnold, who will also get one or two series (Twitter link). After that, the Panthers will likely lean on PJ Walker and rookie third-round pick Matt Corral for the rest of the exhibition.

On one side, it’s clearly telling that Mayfield will be playing alongside other definitive offensive starters, and throughout training camp, we’ve been given every indication that the former first-overall pick was in the lead for the starting QB job. However, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington cautions (on Twitter) that we shouldn’t take too much away from today’s game. Rather, the “true barometer” for the competition will come next week when Carolina practices against New England. According to Darlington, people with the team believe the QB decision will be made following that August 19 game against the Patriots.

Head coach Matt Rhule echoed that next week will be essential for the QB competition, noting that it was an “ongoing process” with no clear deadline.

“When we know, we know,” Rhule said (via Darin Gantt of the team’s website). “If we knew for sure, we would say it and just move on with it. When we, we know. Every day brings new evidence. Every day brings new insights. But at the same time, they’re both competitors. If one guy has a strong day, the next guy fights back the next day. I think it’s been healthy for our team. It’s been healthy for the staff. I think it’s been done the right way. I’m pleased with where it’s at.”

NFC West Rumors: Hopkins, Brunskill, Seahawks, Rams

August 12th, 2022 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

While there was some contention in regards to the six-game suspension handed down to Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the NFLPA considers his case a closed issue, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. There was a sliver of hope that the ban may be reduced from six to four games, and Hopkins still believes there may be, but it seems all but certain that he will be out for all six.

With Hopkins out, Arizona’s receiving room will be led by trade acquisition Marquise Brown, veteran A.J. Green, and second-year player Rondale Moore. The depth gets pretty thin behind those three with Andy Isabella, Antoine Wesley, and Greg Dortch on the roster, among a few others. The Cardinals also shopped Isabella earlier this year.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West, starting with a note out of the Bay Area:

Latest On Seahawks’ CBs Room

August 12th, 2022 at 9:31pm CST by Ely Allen

The cornerback position group in Seattle is one of the more intriguing in the NFL this year. The Seahawks look to put together a formidable group of corners with last year’s trade acquisition, a veteran attempting a comeback, and two mid-round rookies. 

With D.J. Reed leaving for the Jets, Tre Flowers to the Bengals, and Bless Austin in Denver, the Seahawks return only three cornerbacks who started games in 2021 for the team: Sidney Jones, Tre Brown, and John Reid. To fill out the roster, Seattle brought in Artie Burns as a free agent and drafted Cincinnati’s Coby Bryant and Texas-San Antonio’s Tariq Woolen in back-to-back rounds.

Jones was a second-round pick out of Washington back in 2017 for Philadelphia. He only appeared in one game of his rookie season due to an Achilles injury, but received a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Eagles. A nagging hamstring injury kept him from consistently contributing during his sophomore season, but he was able to start four games that year for Philadelphia. An injury to starter Ronald Darby gave Jones an opportunity in Year 3, but another hamstring injury sidelined him and Jones was cut just prior to the 2020 season having only started eight games for the Eagles.

Jones signed with Jacksonville and started six games for the Jaguars, but, once again, injuries held him out of multiple games. The Jaguars extended his contract in March 2021 just to trade Jones five month later to the Seahawks. In Seattle, Jones finally found himself healthy, appearing in all but one game and starting 11. Jones is currently taking some time off the field after sustaining a concussion in practice, but he is is expected to return to a starting role in 2022.

Burns is the other cornerback running with the ones this offseason. Burns is a former first-round pick that many in Pittsburgh will regard as a bit of a disappointment. Burns started his career in Pittsburgh as the No. 3 cornerback behind William Gay and Ross Cockrell. He eventually replaced fellow rookie Sean Davis as the starting nickelback and, in his first career start, picked off Joe Flacco for the Steelers’ first interception by a defensive back that season. Burns was a full-time starter in his second season before losing playing time to Davis, Coty Sensabaugh, Mike Hilton, and Cameron Sutton over the next two years. Pittsburgh declined Burns’ fifth-year option and allowed him to walk in free agency.

Burns signed with the Bears but was carted off the practice field with a torn ACL weeks before the season started. He re-signed with the Bears and, after getting small morsels of special teams snaps in the team’s first 10 games, Burns started six of Chicago’s final seven games last season. Following the dismantling of the Bears’ coaching staff after the 2021 season, Burns followed former Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai to Seattle, where Desai would take the role of associate head coach/defensive assistant. Seattle seemed to notice how Burns was progressing in Desai’s defense and decided that bringing him in could certainly benefit the Seahawks secondary.

“We still feel like he is an ascending player and, sure enough, he has familiarity with the scheme from being in Chicago last year,” defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt said, via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “You’ve seen that benefit pay off since he has been here. He has great command, helps out the young guys.”

Although Jones and Burns will slot in as the starters going into the season, Burns’ influence on “the young guys” is crucial as first- and second-year players fill out the depth chart just behind them. Brown is entering his second season out of Oklahoma. Brown’s rookie season saw two separate stints on injured reserve, but he started three of the five games he appeared in. Add to the roster the two rookies, Bryant and Woolen. Bryant was a playmaker for the Bearcats en route to winning last year’s Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in college football. Woolen made the switch from wide receiver to cornerback while with the Roadrunners. He put together a productive college career but really shot up draft boards with a 4.26 40-yard dash time and a 42-inch vertical at the NFL Combine. All three will play significant roles in the Seahawks secondary, along with veteran free agent addition Justin Coleman.

Rounding out the current roster is Reid, former Cowboys’ fifth-round pick Mike Jackson, and undrafted rookies Elijah Jones and Josh Valentine-Turner. With a top six of Jones, Burns, Brown, Bryant, Woolen, and Coleman, it’s going to be a tough run for Reid, Jackson, Jones, or Valentine-Turner to make the final roster. After spending last year with the Seahawks, Reid may be in the best position to push Coleman for a spot, but Coleman has seniority and experience over Reid.

An injury-riddled Washington native returning as starter, a fallen star from Miami looking for a resurgence, and a host of young go-getters with everything to prove, this secondary is a bit of an island of misfit toys. The Seahawks may need some minor miracles on offense to put them in playoff contention, though, which means it’s the perfect time to experiment with some interesting projects, like they are at cornerback, to see what they can make work.

AFC North Rumors: Pickett, Ravens, Boykin

August 12th, 2022 at 7:31pm CST by Ely Allen

It appears that the Steelers‘ quarterback job is Mitchell Trubisky‘s to lose and, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett is not quite ready to push Trubisky for the role.

Pittsburgh has been riding with Trubisky as the first-team quarterback for much of the offseason with incumbent backup Mason Rudolph as the primary second stringer. While it’s become quite trendy for rookie quarterbacks to start from Day 1, Pittsburgh has stayed patient with Pickett with no plans of rushing him into the starting role.

Rudolph has proven to be better competition for Trubisky early in the preseason and has truly made things interesting. In order for him to overtake Trubisky on the depth chart, though, he’d likely have to be near perfect this preseason and will need Trubisky to fall off.

Pickett in the meantime will have this time to grow and mature at the NFL level. He still may be the quarterback of the future in Pittsburgh, but he’ll have to take the old-fashioned route of sitting and learning before he gets his opportunity on the field.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North, starting with a rumor from the rival Ravens:

  • When considering Baltimore’s weakest position groups, wide receiver and pass rusher are the two most often mentioned. But the Ravens‘ lack of depth at inside linebacker could cause them to reach out for some help, according to Jeff Zrebiec at The Athletic. With Patrick Queen and Josh Bynes sitting out the team’s first preseason game last night, Malik Harrison and Kristian Welch saw initial snaps with the defense. Several undrafted rookies came in after that. Without even considering that the combination of Queen and Bynes is not the scariest inside linebacker duo, that depth is concerning. Zrebiec suggests the easy answer is a reunion with free agent L.J. Fort who has spent most of the last three seasons with Baltimore. If things look desperate, though, a call could always be made for a price-check on Bears’ disgruntled linebacker Roquan Smith.
  • In a question and answer this week, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly addressed the potential roster outlook at receiver for the Steelers this year. With the depth chart topped by Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, George Pickens, and Calvin Austin III, the question was brought up who slots in as the team’s fifth-receiver. Kaboly threw out an idea suggesting that if Austin can serve double-duty as a return-man, that could affect the roster status of Anthony Miller, Cody White, or Gunner Olszewski. But he was adamant that offseason waiver claim Miles Boykin would not be making the final roster. While Kaboly states there in an array of reasons for this certainty, he points to salary as the main one. The Steelers picked up Boykin with his rookie contract from the Ravens. The final year of that deal is set to pay Boykin $2.54MM with a $2.75MM cap hit.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/22

August 12th, 2022 at 5:40pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions:

Buffalo Bills

  • Activated from active/PUP list: DT Eli Ankou

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: LB C.J. Avery

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: CB Dylan Mabin

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

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