2023 October - Pro Football Rumors

Month: December 2024

Jets To Place C Connor McGovern, G Wes Schweitzer On IR

October 30th, 2023 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets managed an improbable win Sunday, but their offensive line left the Giants matchup in bad shape. In addition to being without Joe Tippmann, the Jets lost his replacement and their starting center.

Connor McGovern suffered a dislocated kneecap, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, and Robert Saleh confirmed the veteran center will head to IR. Ditto Wes Schweitzer, a veteran backup with significant starting experience. Schweitzer left Sunday’s overtime win with a calf injury.

Coming into the Giants tilt without Duane Brown as well, the Jets’ O-line IR contingent is now crowded. Brown, who spent most of the offseason rehabbing a rotator cuff surgery, is down with a hip injury. Saleh said this will be the earliest window for Brown to return to practice, despite the 38-year-old being eligible to practice last week.

Both McGovern and Schweitzer are in play to come back this season, per Saleh, but this obviously deals a blow to a Jets team that has seen injuries destabilize their offense. McGovern also may need surgery, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets, but the team is hoping he can rehab without a procedure and return in 2023. While Saleh said the team would be interested in adding an O-lineman before the trade deadline (via the New York Post’s Brian Costello), he cautioned that a move was unlikely due to teams’ presumptive unwillingness to jettison a blocker.

After seeing Aaron Rodgers go down on his fourth play with the team, the Jets lost Brown once again. The former Texans and Seahawks Pro Bowler has missed the past five games. McGovern and Schweitzer are guaranteed to miss four. Gang Green is still in good shape, activations-wise, holding seven entering Week 9. But the O-line figures to comprise multiple such moves going forward.

The Jets re-signed McGovern this offseason — on what turned out to be a massive pay cut, considering he played out a three-year deal worth $27MM — and have only once needed to worry about an injury replacement during his four-season stay. McGovern, 30, started all but one game on his previous Jets contract. He re-signed on a one-year, $1.92MM deal but beat out Schweitzer and Tippmann this offseason. A former Broncos fourth-round pick, McGovern has started every Jets game this season.

Schweitzer, 30, has only started one game, having replaced Tippmann against the Giants. The Jets gave Schweitzer a two-year, $5MM deal before they reconvened with McGovern about a second contract. Schweitzer represented experienced depth for the team, having started 60 games with Atlanta and Washington from 2017-22. An early-season concussion cut his 2022 campaign short, limiting the former sixth-round pick to seven games last year. While Schweitzer bounced back to compete for a Jets starting role this offseason, he settled into a utility spot.

Tippmann missed Week 8 with a thigh injury, but the second-round rookie remains on the active roster. As of now, however, only Laken Tomlinson and Mekhi Becton remain healthy among Jets first-string O-linemen. The Jets were forced to turn to Billy Turner, who had been working more at guard in practice recently, and practice squad elevation Xavier Newman-Johnson in place of the injured vets. Turner should be expected to start at right guard moving forward. Prior to returning to Denver to follow Nathaniel Hackett last year, Turner had spent time at guard in Green Bay. The 32-year-old blocker’s first Denver stint also included guard work, which will allow the Jets to make good use of their veteran O-line depth.

Chiefs Looking Into Richie James Trade

October 30th, 2023 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Chiefs have experienced considerable struggles generating wide receiver consistency, they do not lack for notable names at the position. Mecole Hardman‘s return crowds the group, leaving Richie James potentially without a role when/if he returns from IR.

Hardman has taken over as the Chiefs’ punt returner, and despite his crucial slip-up in the Week 8 loss to the Broncos, he clearly remains in the Chiefs’ plans. On that note, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates the Chiefs are exploring trade possibilities involving James. The free agency addition is on IR but would be ready to return if traded.

The Chiefs have not used any of their IR activations this season, but it does not seem like the defending champions want to allocate one of their eight such moves to James. Resurfacing last year with the Giants, James signed a one-year deal worth $1.23MM in April. The Chiefs used James as their primary punt returner in Weeks 1 and 2, but an MCL injury led him to IR.

A former 49ers slot player, James did not play in 2021 but came back to become a key piece for a receiver-thin Giants team last season. James totaled 569 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 57 receptions, hitting career-high marks across the board. This did not generate James much of a market, however. While James settled in an interesting situation — with a two-time MVP quarterback, in Patrick Mahomes, and on team with uncertainty at wide receiver — he does not appear in Kansas City’s plans any longer.

James made Kansas City’s 53-man roster, joining a seven-wideout contingent in a muddled group following the free agency defections of Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Chiefs largely sought to replace the exiting players internally, with James and second-round pick Rashee Rice being outside additions. But holdovers Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and Marquez Valdes-Scantling have not contributed regularly. Hardman has considerable experience as a Chiefs receiving option, but after being recently reacquired from the Jets, the fifth-year speedster has three receptions for 19 yards in two games. It should be expected Hardman’s role will expand as the weeks pass, and as K.C. keeps seeing receiver unreliability, but the former second-round pick has primarily seen action as a returner in his second stint.

Prior to the Chiefs’ 15-point loss in Denver, a report indicated they were not planning a post-Hardman receiver addition. But Kansas City’s receiver plan has not panned out thus far, pointing to the team exploring a move to find more help for its Travis Kelce-dependent aerial corps. Second-year UDFA Justyn Ross has not contributed much, but the Clemson product is out of the mix right now. The NFL placed Ross on the commissioner exempt list last week, following an arrest that brought a misdemeanor domestic battery charge.

Vikings’ Kirk Cousins Suffers Torn Achilles

October 30th, 2023 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 30: Further testing has confirmed Cousins’ Achilles tear, Rapoport notes. He will miss the remainder of the campaign ahead of an uncertain offseason regarding his future. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero adds that a schedule with respect to surgery and a recovery timeline will come together later this week. The team has since confirmed the unwanted news.

OCTOBER 29: Kirk Cousins has never missed a game due to injury in six years with the Vikings. That streak will likely come to an end soon. The 12th-year quarterback left the Vikes’ Week 8 win over the Packers with what the team fears is an Achilles injury, per Kevin O’Connell.

The contract-year QB will undergo an MRI on what NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirms is an Achilles injury, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter confirms the worst fears. Cousins indeed tore his Achilles, according to Schefter. O’Connell used past tense at points when describing Cousins’ 2023 season, though the second-year HC did not pinpoint the severity of the malady.

This being confirmed would deal a crushing blow to the Vikings, who have rallied back from 0-3 to 4-4 via their road win today. The team has only needed to play without Cousins once since signing him in 2018, with Sean Mannion starting late in the 2021 season due to the starter contracting COVID-19.

Fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall replaced Cousins in Green Bay, but O’Connell did not confirm the BYU product would start if Cousins is indeed out of the mix, ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert notes. The Vikings reacquired Mannion earlier this month, adding the ex-Cousins backup to their practice squad. Nick Mullens will be considered for the role, but the team’s Week 1 backup is not eligible to play in Week 9. Minnesota placed Mullins on IR due to a back injury; he must miss two more games.

Cousins’ good injury fortune dates back to his Washington days. Since replacing Robert Griffin III for good, Cousins has never missed a game due to injury. This comes at an inopportune time for the player as well. Cousins and the Vikings have agreed on three contracts since 2018, but the team let its longtime QB1 go into a contract year this season. The sides agreed on a restructure in March. Cousins, 35, does not expect to revisit negotiations until 2024.

The Vikings are attempting to become the sixth team to book a playoff berth in a non-strike season after starting 0-3. Only one club — the 2018 Texans — have done this in the 21st century. Naturally, with the NFL expanding its playoff bracket to 14 teams in 2021, more teams are bound to join this club. Minnesota seemed poised to make a strong push, as only two games against a team with a winning record — both Lions matchups — remain on the defending NFC champions’ schedule. But Justin Jefferson missing more time — potentially being out longer than the four-game minimum — and Cousins being likely out for the rest of the season will suddenly make a postseason voyage unlikely.

When Cousins went down, he was in the process of leading Minnesota to a second straight win without Jefferson. Cousins completed 23 of 31 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns. The steady QB sits tied with Tua Tagovailoa for the NFL lead with 18 TD passes this season. Cousins entered Sunday on pace for a career-high mark; his current best came in 2020. But the Vikings will be set to regroup, with Jefferson being forced to miss two more games due to his IR placement.

Mullens is in his second season with the Vikings, who signed him just before the 2022 campaign. Of the internal replacement options, Mullens is the most experienced QB on Minnesota’s roster, having started 17 games (16 of those in San Francisco). Mullens is a career 65.3% passer, whose TD-INT ratio sits at 27-22. While Kyle Shanahan‘s system undoubtedly aided the former UDFA, Mullens would seemingly be the team’s best option. But it is unknown if his back injury will cooperate in the near future. Mannion has been in the NFL since 2015 but has made three starts.

This could be the injury that prompts a Carson Wentz discussion. The Jets passed on pursuing the 30-year-old free agent when Aaron Rodgers went down in Week 1, but given the midseason emergency circumstances, it would stand to reason the Vikings would consider a one-time MVP candidate who has 92 starts on his resume. The Commanders released Wentz in March; the former No. 2 overall pick has not been closely connected to a team since. Colt McCoy auditioned for the Vikings earlier this month, but the team brought back Mannion soon after.

Bills To Sign RB Leonard Fournette

October 30th, 2023 at 12:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a seven-plus-month stay in free agency, Leonard Fournette has found a new home. The former top-five pick agreed to terms with the Bills on Monday, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets.

Fournette will join a Bills team that recently placed Damien Harris on IR. While this will be a practice squad deal for the former Jaguars and Buccaneers back, it would certainly not surprise if Fournette suited up soon. Teams continually use the P-squad as a bridge to bring veterans onto active rosters, and Schultz indicates that will be the plan here.

This agreement comes after an interesting news cycle, one that featured a report indicating the Bills planned to meet with Fournette and another confirming no such visit took place. Nevertheless, the Bills had the seventh-year back on their radar. Fournette will join a backfield housing James Cook and Latavius Murray.

He of two 1,000-yard seasons in Jacksonville and a key role in Tampa, Fournette profiles as an interesting piece for the Buffalo offense. The Bills had added Harris on a one-year, $1.77MM accord in March. But the neck injury he sustained in Week 6 changed the team’s plans. Harris had worked as a Cook complementary piece, taking handoffs near the goal line at points. Murray has been a between-the-tackles supporting-caster as well, and the Bills have rolled with a Cook-Murray tandem since the Harris injury. It is unclear if Harris will return this season, but the Bills have insurance going forward.

When the Bucs released Fournette in February, it was described as a mutual separation. But Fournette languished in free agency for much of the year and did not land a deal until midseason. The LSU product worked out for the Patriots and was on the Colts’ radar during their period with both Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss out of the picture. No deals commenced; both teams brought in other backs. Fournette, 28, should at least be fresh after taking half the season off. He also has not topped 200 carries in a season since his final Jaguars slate (2019).

Choosing Fournette over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson in 2017, the Jaguars did benefit from the power runner in the late 2010s. Fournette drove a Jags offense down Allen Robinson to the AFC championship game, but a falling out transpired that led to a summer 2020 release. The Bucs used Fournette primarily as a backup during the 2020 regular season, but the “Playoff Lenny” moniker soon took hold, with the free agency pickup totaling 448 scrimmage yards in four Bucs postseason efforts that year. Fournette supplanted Jones as the Bucs’ starter and held that job for two more seasons.

After a productive 2021, the Bucs gave Fournette a three-year, $21MM deal in March 2022. This mirrored the contract the Cardinals handed James Conner. While the latter remains attached to those terms, Fournette had to settle for a P-squad pact that will turn into veteran-minimum money if/once he lands on Buffalo’s active roster. The Bucs guaranteed Fournette $9MM at signing, and he earned $27MM fully guaranteed on his Jags rookie deal. Hitting free agency during a brutal time for the RB position, Fournette will now attempt to re-establish his value as a Bills role player.

Latest On Commanders’ Deadline Plans, DE Montez Sweat

October 30th, 2023 at 12:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders saw their record drop to 3-5 on Sunday, potentially giving the team extra incentive to move on from one or more of their players on expiring deals. A surge in deals sending numerous contributors out of Washington should not be expected however.

ESPN’s John Keim reports that the Commanders are unlikely to have a “fire sale.” The team has had a number of close losses, and the landscape of the NFC could keep them in contention for a wild-card spot depending on how the second half of their season goes. Still, it comes as no surprise that defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young have frequently come up in trade talks.

The former in particular has received the most interest, with a third-round pick reportedly on the table from the Falcons. Ben Standig of The Athletic reports that one team has offered a third-rounder which would become a second-round selection in the event Sweat signed an extension. Whether or not that team is Atlanta is unclear, however. Overall, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano confirms Sweat is likelier than Young to fetch a notable trade haul given the latter’s injury history.

Both former first-rounders are pending free agents, and many have questioned Washington’s willingness or ability to retain each of them on lucrative second contracts. To no surprise, the Commanders declined Young’s fifth-year option and decided to evaluate his health in 2023 before making a long-term commitment. The former Defensive Player of the Year has had a strong season to date, though.

The same is true of Sweat, who is playing on his $11.5MM option this year. The 27-year-old (as well as Young) has been the subject of trade inquiries for months, Keim adds, due to his unresolved contract situation. In Sweat’s case, that is not for a lack of desire on the team’s part to work out an agreement. The Commanders wanted to extend Sweat this past offseason, one in which the organization’s purchase by Josh Harris put a halt on contract and staff matters.

The Mississippi State product has racked up 6.5 sacks this year, giving him a strong chance of surpassing his career high (9.0, in 2020). A number of teams could be in the market for help along the edge, but the possibility of receiving a third-round compensatory pick in free agency in the event he departed will give Washington reason to command a high price in any Sweat trade. The Commanders are prepared to keep both of their starting edge rushers in place beyond tomorrow’s deadline, but interest in Sweat in particular will no doubt remain high before then.

Sean Payton Addresses Broncos’ Trade Deadline Approach

October 30th, 2023 at 11:41am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 30: Doubling down on the team’s stance, Payton said the Broncos are “not remotely shopping anybody,” via Denver7’s Troy Renck. The new Broncos HC confirmed teams have called, and while the Broncos’ past and sub-.500 record indicates a seller move should not be ruled out, they are not the team attempting to unload pieces. It will clearly take a better offer for Denver to begin unloading pieces on the heels of two victories.

OCTOBER 29: Coming through with one of their better wins since Peyton Manning‘s retirement, the Broncos have won two straight going into the trade deadline. While the 24-9 win over the Chiefs snapped a 16-game skid in that series, it improved Denver to 3-5.

Steady rumors this month had pegged the Broncos as willing sellers, but the home wins over the Packers and Chiefs may throw cold water on other teams’ hopes of prying an upper-echelon starter from Colorado. Although Sean Payton did not confirm the Broncos would stay off the phones before Tuesday’s 3pm CT deadline, the team does not appear prepared to shop veterans at this juncture.

“The teams that aren’t doing as well always fall into this position, and I understand it, but we’re not the team looking to go out and buy,” Payton said, via 9News’ Mike Klis. “We can’t control the buyers that call. We always pick the phone up—you have to professionally, but that’s it.

“We have a plan on where we see ourselves, and that’s an honest answer. When I see or hear [certain trade rumors], I chuckle because I’m thinking, ‘Well I haven’t talked to anyone about that,’ and if I haven’t, then it’s probably not true.”

Prior to Payton’s arrival, the Broncos were not shy about dealing away assets. Last year, they moved on from Bradley Chubb — for a package headlined by a first-round pick that helped secure the team Payton’s rights. Two falls ago, the Broncos dealt the best pass rusher in team history, dealing Von Miller to the Rams at the deadline. Emmanuel Sanders left at the 2019 deadline, with Demaryius Thomas being traded a year earlier. Of this quartet, only Thomas did not qualify as a rental. The late wide receiver was signed through 2019 at the time of the trade. Denver’s top batch of 2023 trade chips consists of players signed through at least 2024.

Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton have been the team’s most heavily rumored trade pieces, with each coming up at the 2022 deadline and this offseason. Unsurprisingly, the Broncos have not received any offers remotely close to what they aimed for this offseason. Denver wanted a first-rounder for Jeudy and a second for Sutton. Jeudy is signed through 2024, Sutton through 2025. With the veteran receivers each contracted beyond this season, the Broncos seeing if either can increase their trade value down the stretch could open the door to more trade rumors during the ’24 offseason. If the offers do not increase by Tuesday, that appears where this long-running process is headed next.

Justin Simmons and Garett Bolles are each inked through 2024. Long mentioned as unavailable, Patrick Surtain will be signed through 2025 once the Broncos pick up his fifth-year option. Josey Jewell would make sense as a more realistic trade chip, seeing that his two-year, $11MM deal expires after this season. Should the Broncos move on from Jewell, third-round rookie Drew Sanders would be poised to step in alongside Alex Singleton.

The Broncos are not in position to trade future assets for help, given their early-season struggles. The team also made the Chubb trade at 3-5 and dealt Miller at 4-4. With current GM George Paton in position for both those moves, the Broncos remain a team to monitor ahead of the deadline. But it does not look like viable offers have come in for the team’s bevy of trade chips.

Cowboys Not Eyeing Running Back Addition

October 30th, 2023 at 11:19am CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott in March, they did not commit to cutting costs at running back. Tony Pollard is attached to a $10.1MM franchise tag, but the 2022 Pro Bowler has not offered a strong contract-year sample just yet.

Pollard has gone from being an overqualified change-of-pace back to an every-down role. That has impacted the Dallas starter’s per-play numbers. Pollard’s 3.9 yards per carry and 6.8 yards per reception are considerably down from his 2022 production (5.2, 9.5), and the Cowboys have been mentioned as a team interested in adding to its backfield.

Jerry Jones minimized this prospect Monday morning, indicating (via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill) a trade for a back is “not on the radar.” Considering Jones’ overarching stance on the Cowboys’ desire to make a deal at any position, it is unsurprising the longtime owner would point to the organization standing down in the backfield.

Citing roster confidence, Jones said last week the Cowboys would not initiate trade talks this year. The Eagles made a move to bolster their roster last week, in acquiring All-Pro safety Kevin Byard from the Titans. The Cowboys are tied for the NFC’s second-best record, at 5-2, though the blowout loss to the 49ers invited questions about the team’s big-game viability. More questions will be answered in Week 9, when the Cowboys face the Eagles. Signs continue to point to inactivity before this year’s deadline, which arrives at 3pm CT on Tuesday.

“For a player to come in and help this team right now, it’s more than likely, unfortunately, it’s gonna probably be somebody who is an established guy and he’s usually well paid and they probably want a lot for him,” executive VP Stephen Jones said (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “That makes it a challenge. It’s probably why you don’t see as many trades as you might think.”

Dallas is obviously not averse to making deals at the deadline, having dealt a first-round pick for Amari Cooper in 2018 and having made offers for Brandin Cooks and Jerry Jeudy last year. The team sits in the middle of the pack in terms of cap space, with just more than $7MM available, but it does not appear running back is a position it is interested in bolstering this season.

The Cowboys have been connected to Derrick Henry, but the Titans have informed the two-time rushing champion he will — barring a major offer — be staying in Tennessee for the season’s remainder. It would certainly be interesting if the Cowboys reacquired Elliott, who is on a 2-6 Patriots team, seeing as rumors emerged about the parties reuniting this summer. Elliott did not indicate a deal was close, though.

Dallas added Ronald Jones this offseason but cut him rather than reinstate him following a PED suspension. Rico Dowdle, who went two full seasons without a carry coming into this year, has resided as Pollard’s backup. The fourth-year back has 33 carries for 125 yards, joining Pollard with a sub-4.0-yard average. The Cowboys rank 11th on the ground, though Pollard’s minus-17 rushing yards over expected figure — per Next Gen Stats — resides outside the top 30 this season. Pollard finished third in this metric in 2022.

Cardinals Not Shopping QB Kyler Murray

October 30th, 2023 at 10:31am CST by Sam Robinson

Kyler Murray is more than 10 months removed from the ACL tear that ended his 2022 season, and the Cardinals have deemed the former No. 1 overall pick fully healthy. But Joshua Dobbs has been assured he will start in Week 9, either leaving Murray on the reserve/PUP list or putting the two-time Pro Bowler in an unusual role as an active-roster backup.

It would seem likely the Cards will leave Murray on the PUP list, as he does not need to be activated until Nov. 8. Speculation has emerged about a potential trade, seeing as Arizona has a new regime in place that has signed off on a rebuild. Though, Jonathan Gannon has repeatedly said Murray is part of the team’s future.

That does not appear to have changed, despite the talented quarterback’s status as a healthy player who will not play in Week 9. The Cardinals are not shopping Murray, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who adds the team expects Murray to suit up in the next few weeks. While a recent report placed Nov. 5 as a potential return window, Murray’s return date will now be pushed back to at least Week 10.

Murray having signed a five-year, $230.5MM extension last summer undoubtedly affects his trade value, though Russini notes there are teams that could be interested in acquiring the fifth-year veteran. Coming off an ACL tear and meniscus damage, however, Murray has certainly held higher trade value compared to where it would be today. While speculation about the Cardinals drafting a quarterback — particularly if they land the 2024 No. 1 pick — may continue, Murray remains in the Gannon-Monti Ossenfort duo’s plans.

Midseason has loomed as the latest point in which a Murray return would commence. That said, the Cardinals — repeated competitiveness notwithstanding — have plunged into expected territory. Arizona is 1-7. That currently sits as the NFL’s worst record, with the Panthers having won in Week 8 to move to 1-6. We are still a bit away from draft-slot projections mattering too much, but the Caleb Williams rumors stand to intensify if this Cardinals trajectory persists. Murray departure rumors would gain steam in that event, so when exactly the team redeploys its four-year starter will be worth monitoring.

The Vikings losing Kirk Cousins for the season could conceivably make them an interested party, though the Jets — after Aaron Rodgers went down four plays into his Gang Green run — stood down and proceeded with an internal solution. Murray, 26, is also coming off a down year — one that helped lead to Kliff Kingsbury‘s firing. But he also stacked Pro Bowl invites on top of each other from 2020-21.

The Cardinals have given him an extended onramp in new OC Drew Petzing‘s system, but it will also be interesting to see if the team trades away more pieces at this week’s deadline, thus putting Murray in position to return with a worse nucleus around him. A few key variables exist here, but for now, Arizona’s plan still looks to be bringing the Steve Keim-era investment back this season.

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne Tears ACL

October 30th, 2023 at 10:01am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots’ receiving corps has been dealt a blow for the rest of the season. Kendrick Bourne has suffered an ACL tear, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

There was initial hope that Bourne had only suffered an MCL injury, as noted by Garafolo’s colleague Ian Rapoport. Instead, the worst-case scenario has now been confirmed by an MRI. The 28-year-old will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign, something with implications for New England’s passing game but also, potentially, the team’s trade deadline plans.

Bourne had been mentioned as a trade chip in the lead-up to tomorrow’s trade deadline, given his status as a rental. A number of other wideouts have drawn more attention, however, and more recent reports pointed to the Patriots retaining the former UDFA. New England is nevertheless actively seeking out trade partners, and today’s news removes one contributor the team could have moved to attain draft capital from the picture.

After a strong stint with the 49ers as a complementary option in the passing game, Bourne enjoyed a career year in 2021 with 800 yards and five touchdowns. His playing time took a step back the following season, though, leading to questions about his long-term Patriots future. 2023 had seen Bourne take on a larger share of the team’s offense with a 72% snap share, something which yielded an uptick in production. His final statline for the season will sit at 37-406-4.

New England has struggled on offense this season, leading to a fresh round of criticism for quarterback Mac Jones. Part of his inability to take a signficant step forward in Year 3 has been tied to a lack of high-end receiving options, however. Bourne comfortably led the Patriots in receiving yards, and the next-highest WR in that department is sixth-round rookie Demario Douglas. He, along with the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton will need to carry the load moving forward.

With 2023 marking the end of Bourne’s three-year, $15MM Patriots deal, he is set to reach free agency in March. Given the months-long recovery he is now facing, though, his market will no doubt be hindered. In advance of potentially signing elsewhere in the near future, Bourne will turn his attention to rehab while New England will be forced to regroup on offense.

Daniel Jones Receives Clearance; Giants QB In Line To Start Week 9

October 30th, 2023 at 9:48am CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants’ offense is on track to move closer to full strength as early as next week. Quarterback Daniel Jones has been cleared for contact, as first reported by Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.

Jones was actually given the green light prior to Sunday’s game, Dunleavy notes, but it comes as no surprise that the Giants played it safe by ensuring at least one week of full practice. Given the injury suffered by Tyrod Taylor on Sunday, Jones’ return would be welcomed by a team in desperate need of improvement in the passing game.

The Giants mustered negative nine passing yards in their overtime loss to the Jets on Sunday, a game in which undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito took over following Taylor’s injury. New York’s offense relied all-but exclusively on running back Saquon Barkley, who logged 36 carries in the game. The latter will no doubt remain the focal point of the Giants’ offense once Jones returns, but such a scenario will give the team another starter in the fold.

Jones has missed the past three games due to his latest neck injury, one which has been described as being less severe than the one suffered in 2021 which ended his season. The risk of reinjury was high in the event Jones was rushed back into action, however, making it no surprise the Giants elected to wait until the former first-rounder logged a slate of full practices before bringing him back into the lineup.

An IR stint was never a consideration on New York’s part, but recent reports pointed to Week 10 as their targeted return date for Jones. Bringing their franchise passer back one week earlier than that would help compensate for Taylor’s absence in the event he is forced to miss time, but it would no doubt invite questions about Jones’ ability to rebound from a slow start to the season. 2023 – the first year of his four-year, $160MM extension – has not gone according to plan for the 26-year-old individually or the 2-6 Giants collectively.

Jones’ participation in practice will be worth watching in the coming days as he prepares for a likely return to action in advance of New York’s Week 9 game against the Raiders. It will also be interesting to see what moves (if any) the Giants make in the next two days with respect to the trade deadline.

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