HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Saquon Barkley Wants To Stay With Giants Beyond 2023

October 27th, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Long-running extension talks led to Saquon Barkley entering this season on the franchise tag, and the back-and-forth spanning from November 2022 to July 2023 put the New Jersey native’s future with the Giants in question.

While the Giants have said they are not planning to trade Barkley, the subject of another contract lingers. As do the proposals each side made during the lengthy negotiations that began during the Giants’ 2022 bye week. Barkley is attached to a $10.1MM tag, and while he could be kept for barely $12MM on a second tag, it is unclear if the Giants will want to devote that much to a running back who will be going into his seventh season by then.

The Giants’ initial offer was believed to be in the $12.5MM-per-year range, but ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes New York’s first proposal was heavy on gameday roster bonuses. The Giants offered Barkley an extension with per-game bonuses around $1MM, effectively tying a notable portion of the deal to playing time. Understandably, Barkley balked and the sides revisited the talks in the offseason. Months of back-and-forth commenced during the sides’ offseason talks, but the two-time Pro Bowler was also minutes from free agency, creating a seminal “what if?” for the former Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Barkley joined Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard in being tagged, thinning the running back market. While a high number of starter-caliber backs still reached free agency, no marquee talents were available. That led to modest offers, with Miles Sanders‘ $6.13MM-per-year deal leading the way. But at least one team was prepared to make Barkley a market-value offer had he been available, according to Raanan. While it is unknown who that team was, the Panthers and Lions devoted the most money to free agent backs this offseason. It is logical either Carolina or Detroit — which respectively ended up with Sanders and David Montgomery — would have pursued Barkley. Though, Detroit had initially wanted to retain Jamaal Williams. When he rejected the offer, the Lions pivoted to Montgomery.

Tied to a Giants tag, Barkley turned down a proposal believed to include at least $22MM guaranteed, which would have covered the cost of two tags. But Raanan adds the Giants did not reach that number until the deadline neared. When New York did come up to the $22MM guarantee neighborhood, the final offer included an AAV drop from where the sides previously were. (The team had offered Barkley $13MM per year at the March deadline to apply tags, though the guarantee number was lower than the July proposal.) The team’s 11th-hour call led to Barkley opting to play on the tag.

Barkley stayed away from the Giants during negotiations and was on track to extend his absence up until Week 1, even threatening a Le’Veon Bell-esque path in which he skipped regular-season games. Barkley’s camp, in turn, was not in lockstep on his decision to report to Giants camp on time in exchange for a modest incentive package (one that will not end up being earned), per the 26-year-old back.

“[I] said, ‘You know what? I’m going to keep quiet — hopefully, you know, just show up, put a smile on my face, work hard, do the things the right way,'” Barkley said, via Raanan. “‘Things going to get taken care of.’ And sadly, it didn’t. But you also could learn from the way Jonathan Taylor did it. At the end of the day, all you want is to be able to say you set yourself up, and get a long-term deal, and get money that you deserve — to help for security of your family.”

Although injuries during the 2019, ’20 and ’21 seasons kept Barkley from high touch totals in three seasons, he will still exit 2023 as a six-year veteran. The Penn State product has recovered from the high ankle sprain sustained in Week 2, but another notable injury on Barkley’s resume will not help his 2024 cause. Neither will a heavy workload down the stretch of this season. Even though Taylor secured a $14MM-per-year deal, that contract may become an outlier as another buyer’s market — which could feature Barkley, Jacobs, Pollard, Ekeler and Derrick Henry — is shaping up for March.

Barkley added that he wants to play into his 30s, but as an every-down back throughout his career, doing so will not be automatic. Even after the tag sequence this offseason, the dual-threat talent remains bullish on staying with the Giants beyond this year. While it will be interesting to see if the sides negotiate again or if a second tag comes to pass, Barkley wants to remain in New York. Though Barkley may not end up collecting a lucrative long-term deal in his career, this tag season will put him over $48MM in career earnings.

“I want to create a legacy, and the way you do that is by continuing to stay with a team through your whole career,” Barkley said. “As I see the NFL and realize the business, you know, it’s less likely for that to happen for players. But if you’re able to accomplish that, it’s special.”

Bears Rule Out Justin Fields For Week 8

October 27th, 2023 at 2:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 27: After the Giants and Titans ruled out their respective starters, the Bears will do the same. The Bears will sit Fields for Week 8, which will mark his second absence due to the thumb issue. Sunday night’s game will feature Bagent against Justin Herbert.

OCTOBER 23: Justin Fields‘ thumb injury caused him to miss the Bears’ Week 7 win, but questions remained through the weekend regarding his status moving forward. For the time being, it does not appear as though he will be able to suit up for Chicago’s next game.

When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Matt Eberflus confirmed (via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times) that Fields’ status has not changed over the past few days. As a result, he is doubtful to play in Week 8 against the Chargers. That will leave Tyson Bagent in line to start another contest.

Fields is dealing with swelling in his right thumb, but surgery (and the IR stint which would likely come about as a result of it) is not on the table right now. That has left the 24-year-old with a week-to-week prognosis, with his ability to grip the ball being a major determinant in when he will next see the field. Of course, Eberflus’ doubts on that front emerging early in the week suggest Fields will remain sidelined for at least one more game.

Bagent overtook veteran Nathan Peterman on the depth chart in large part due to his strong performances in training camp and the preseason, and he made his first career start on Sunday against the Raiders. The undrafted rookie delivered an efficient, turnover-free outing and helped lead the team to a win. While Eberflus confirmed Bagent will handle starting duties while Fields is away, he has made it clear multiple times the latter will be QB1 upon return.

Nevertheless, all eyes will likely be on Bagent over the next several days as the Bears look for a third win in four games against an underwhelming Chargers team. Fields, meanwhile, will continue his rehab and any further updates on that front will be worth watching closely as the week progresses.

Commanders DE Chase Young Planning To Delay Contract Talks Until Offseason

October 27th, 2023 at 1:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chase Young‘s rookie season put him on track to become a clear Washington priority, but a 2021 campaign that involved an ACL tear and patellar tendon rupture changed his NFL path. The former No. 2 overall pick is now in a contract year and has landed in trade rumors.

A team that agrees to acquire the fourth-year defensive end, however, could be obtaining a rental piece. The Commanders did not pick up Young’s fifth-year option, putting him on track for free agency or a franchise tag in 2024. Although Washington could open the door to keeping both Young and Montez Sweat by extending one of them early (and saving the tag for the other), the former does not seem too interested in that path — at least, not right now.

Young would prefer to play out his contract year and address his status with the Commanders (or another team, in the event of a trade) in the offseason, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. This obviously brings some degree of risk, considering the time Young missed over the previous two seasons. But a bet on himself could re-route the former Defensive Rookie of the Year toward a lucrative second deal.

Teaming with Sweat once again, Young is off to a nice start following the injury-plagued stretch. The Ohio State alum has registered five sacks (to Sweat’s 5.5), despite missing the Commanders’ opener due to a non-knee-related injury. In addition to being on pace for his most sacks as a pro, Young has already topped his lackluster 2021 performance. In nine games before the knee injury, Young only tallied 1.5 sacks and four QB hits. He has nine QB knockdowns thus far, making for an interesting contract year. While Young will need to keep showing good form in the season’s final 11 games, he is on pace to command a big contract in 2024.

A year after picking up Sweat’s option, the Commanders passed on Young’s $17.45MM guarantee for 2024. Young having shown little since that impact rookie season put Washington in a bind, when factoring in his draft status, injury history and a new owner coming in. The Young and Sweat decisions will be Josh Harris‘ first set of major personnel calls. At this juncture, it is also premature to suggest either Ron Rivera or GM Martin Mayhew will be in place to make them. That brings another significant complication, pointing to the organization perhaps wanting to wait on a Young contract as well.

Washington appeared close to breaking up its Jonathan Allen–Daron Payne defensive tackle tandem, letting Payne play out a contract year. But the club circled back to Payne via a tag-extension sequence in March. Those two high-end D-tackle deals on the books, though, introduced a complex call for the Commanders at defensive end. A Sweat-or-Young decision has loomed, though an extension for one of them — bringing a lower 2024 cap number — could open the door to both staying. That will depend on how much money Harris and Co. want to allocate to one position group and hinge on the team’s decision at the deadline.

The Commanders are believed to have taken calls on both players, and while they are aiming to keep each, the team potentially staring at a 3-5 record — barring an upset over the Eagles — with two coveted D-ends in contract years would run the risk of a value loss if one of them leaves in free agency. Rivera residing on the hot seat would also point to the Commanders keeping both pass rushers, but at least one team has made an offer for Sweat. It should be expected others will join in, with perhaps Young proposals coming in as well, before the 3pm Tuesday deadline.

After the Commanders spent years assembling this all-first-rounder D-line core, time may be running out on the quartet’s run together. While Young appears fine letting the season play out, Washington has a big-picture decision to make either by the Halloween deadline or at the March deadline to apply franchise tags.

Titans Planning To Start Will Levis In Week 8; Malik Willis Expected To See Time

October 27th, 2023 at 1:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 27: As expected, the Titans ruled out Tannehill for Week 8. After not missing a start during his first three seasons with Tennessee, the former injury-prone Miami starter has seen ankle trouble sideline him again. This will be Tannehill’s sixth ankle-driven absence in the past two seasons.

OCTOBER 25: Exiting their bye at 2-4, the Titans made a notable trade Monday in sending All-Pro safety Kevin Byard to the Eagles. On the heels of that decision, Tennessee is expected to roll with an unorthodox plan at quarterback in Week 8.

Mike Vrabel said both Malik Willis and Will Levis are likely to play against the Falcons, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the rookie is expected to make the start in the event Ryan Tannehill cannot go. Dealing with an ankle injury, Tannehill is unlikely to play against Atlanta. The Titans may go as far to alternate Levis and Willis by series, Vrabel added (via ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport), though the sixth-year Tennessee HC did not confirm Tannehill would miss the game.

When Tannehill went down during the Titans’ loss to the Ravens in London, Willis received the first call. The 2022 third-round pick worked as Tannehill’s backup for much of last season, though he experienced initial struggles acclimating to the NFL. Willis still beat out Levis for Tennessee’s QB2 job coming into this season, but the Titans will take a longer look at the second-round rookie. The No. 33 overall pick is on track to see more time than Willis, per Rapoport.

The Titans are in the unusual position of attempting to develop two quarterbacks behind Tannehill. While Willis qualifies as a developmental option, he did not threaten Tannehill’s job security last season. Willis’ first-year woes (50.8% completion rate, 4.5 yards per attempt) led the Titans to sign Josh Dobbs off the Lions’ practice squad late last year and use the latter as their starter in Weeks 17 and 18. Willis also arrived under since-fired GM Jon Robinson, whereas new GM Ran Carthon selected Levis in April.

Closely linked to a quarterback trade-up in Round 1, the Titans engaged in talks with the Cardinals about moving up to No. 3. C.J. Stroud was believed to be the team’s target, but when the Texans chose Stroud at No. 2 overall, the Titans are believed to have backed out of trade talks and regrouped. Tennessee chose guard Peter Skoronski at No. 11 but made its QB strike early the following night, reengaging with the Cards by moving up eight spots for Levis, who was heavily rumored to be a first-round pick.

Mentioned as a Colts target at No. 4 overall, Levis indeed had fans in Indianapolis’ building. But the Colts look to have run a bit of a smokescreen aimed at drafting Anthony Richardson. A two-year starter at Kentucky, Levis tumbled out of Round 1 and hit the developmental track as the other top QBs in this class received calls to start in Week 1.

The Titans entered their bye week bracing for another Tannehill absence. The 12th-year quarterback missed two sections of last season because of ankle trouble, the first of which coming around midseason and leading Willis into the lineup. Vrabel likened Tannehill’s current injury to the one he sustained midway through last year, as opposed to the malady that required a season-ending surgery last December. Tannehill, 35, is in the final season of a four-year Titans contract. Levis seeing extended time this season makes sense, and signs of a long Levis look open the door to more seller’s trades from a Titans team that made several cost-cutting moves this offseason.

Chiefs WR Justyn Ross Lands On Commissioner Exempt List

October 27th, 2023 at 12:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Justyn Ross will not be available for the Chiefs going forward. After an arrest on misdemeanor domestic battery and misdemeanor property damage charges this week, Ross landed on the Commissioner Exempt list Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.

Placement on the list will prevent the second-year wide receiver from practicing or playing in games for the Chiefs. Kansas City signed Ross as a UDFA in 2022, marking an opportunity for a player who was once on track to be a highly drafted receiver. A neck injury at Clemson scuttled those hopes, and a foot injury nixed Ross’ rookie season. His career is now at an early crossroads.

Used when unusual circumstances cloud a player’s status, the exempt list is essentially paid leave. While players frequently play after arrests — as recent Chiefs defensive end pickup Charles Omenihu did after a domestic violence charge before the 2022 NFC championship game — and face suspensions at later dates, the seldom-utilized exempt list will prevent Ross from suiting up. Ross had been active for the Chiefs’ first seven games.

Ross was arrested Monday following an incident involving his ex-girlfriend. The alleged victim said in a 911 call Ross was “dragging her through the house and has torn up the house.” TMZ also reported Ross broke his ex-girlfriend’s phone, as she called police from a neighbor’s house. Ross, 23, pleaded not guilty to both charges. Ross, who could also face a suspension once this matter is adjudicated, must appear in court Dec. 4.

The above-referenced neck injury halted Ross’ promising run at Clemson. Joining Tee Higgins as a key Trevor Lawrence target for a 2018 Tigers team that won a national championship, Ross totaled 1,000 yards and nine touchdown receptions as a freshman. He remained in a prominent role as a sophomore, but the injury kept him off the field as a junior and altered his draft trajectory. Ross returned in 2021 but only tallied 514 yards (11.2 per catch) and went undrafted. Thus far with the Chiefs, Ross has three catches for 34 yards.

While Ross flashed during Kansas City’s preseason slate, the 6-foot-4 pass catcher has not carved out a steady role in an inconsistent receiving corps. Issues separating in practice have plagued the young receiver. Although Ross remains a developmental player, this arrest could certainly affect his chances of remaining with the Chiefs going forward.

Jets’ Dalvin Cook Seeking Trade; Carl Lawson Eyeing Larger Role

October 27th, 2023 at 10:19am CST by Sam Robinson

While veteran additions highlighted the Jets’ offseason plan, their Aaron Rodgers-centered blueprint quickly changed. Although the future Hall of Fame quarterback has not given up hope of returning late this season and is under contract through 2024, some of the vets the Jets eyed as complementary pieces this year do not presently possess notable roles.

The Jets already traded Mecole Hardman because of the speed merchant’s reduced playing time, and Dalvin Cook is seeking to follow him out the door. Going from a free agent linked to a few teams to an afterthought, Cook said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) he is planning to approach GM Joe Douglas about a trade. Cook’s name has already come up in trade rumors, with a recent report indicating the Jets would be fine with moving him.

“It’s something I can’t control, that my name is being floated around in trade rumors,” Cook said, via Cimini. “It might be a good thing. Maybe [it’s] a bad thing.”

The Vikings attempted to trade Cook for weeks before releasing him in May. The Dolphins had discussed a trade with the Vikings, but Cook ended up spending several weeks in free agency. Connected to Miami and New England, Cook instead ended up in New York, with Rodgers playing a key part in bringing the former Pro Bowler to town. Cook, who is tied to a one-year deal worth $7MM, entered the season as the only back who had surpassed 1,100 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons. Through six Jets games, he has 109 yards on 39 carries. Breece Hall‘s return from an October 2022 ACL tear has marginalized Cook, whose 2.8-yard average ranks last out of qualified backs this season.

Cook said he expected more responsibilities with the Jets, per Cimini. After an 11-touch Week 4, Cook has combined for 16 over the past three games. Of course, Cook’s performance will not make him an appealing trade piece. Austin Ekeler pushed for a Chargers exit this year and was not believed to have generated much interest. Derrick Henry‘s name has resurfaced in pre-deadline rumors, but teams appear to be angling for the Titans to eat a chunk of his salary. Even with Cook not being attached to the lucrative Vikes contract, his production would not stand to generate much trade interest.

The Jets are still giving Cook reps; Carl Lawson was a healthy scratch in Week 5. The Jets have gone from giving the ex-Bengal a three-year, $45MM contract ahead of Robert Saleh‘s first season to burying the former big-ticket free agent on their defensive line depth chart. Connected to trade rumors along with Hardman last week, Lawson confirmed he would be interested in being dealt to a team that would use him more frequently.

“I definitely want to play and contribute. I know I can; I’ve proven that,” Lawson said. “Yeah, I always want to contribute, but right now I’m with the Jets, but I definitely want to play more. I definitely want to do what I did last year. … I’m a football player, not a cheerleader.”

Lawson, 28, accepted a pay cut this offseason but is still attached to a $6MM salary. The Jets turning him from starter to bench stash has also obviously dented his trade appeal. Lawson’s seven sacks and 24 QB hits played a major role in helping the Jets go from 32nd to fourth in scoring defense last season. Now two years removed from the Achilles tear that wiped out his 2021 season, the former third-round pick has not factored in prominently thus far this year. This surprising contract-year demotion also stands to impact his 2024 free agency value.

Looming as a franchise tag candidate in Cincinnati two years ago, Lawson has seen his career hit a crossroads. He will have a much better chance of earning another noteworthy contract next year than Cook will, but the Jets will likely continue to see if any trade materializes for either first.

Ravens, Cowboys Eyeing Derrick Henry?

October 26th, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Derrick Henry has emerged as, at least, a fringe candidate to be traded before Tuesday’s deadline. The greatest running back of the Oilers-Titans franchise’s Tennessee years is in the final year of his contract, and with the Titans dealing away Kevin Byard, rumors have emerged about other marquee players exiting.

The latest round of Henry buzz connects the Ravens and Cowboys to the two-time rushing champion. Baltimore is viewed around the league as an interested party, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, who adds the Ravens are on track to explore trades for running backs.

Jerry Jones has made some interesting proclamations at his recent availability sessions, indicating the Cowboys are not planning to reach out to teams about trades. Thursday, the Dallas owner doubled down on this stance. The Cowboys are 4-2 and rank in the top five on offense and defense, though given the firepower at the top of the NFC, the team would obviously be taking a risk by standing pat.

“I don’t see anything heated up to a level that would cause something to happen,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken. “… If we don’t do anything at this trade deadline, we’ve got a team, in my mind, that can get us where we want to go.”

The Cowboys cut Ezekiel Elliott and have bumped Tony Pollard into a full-time role, but Pauline adds the Cowboys are expected to look into Henry. A caveat here: the NFC East team would want the Titans to eat some of Henry’s salary. This component came up Wednesday regarding Henry, whose walk-year salary is $10.5MM. An acquiring team would only be on the hook for barely $5.5MM if it landed Henry after Week 8, which would be the expectation if the eighth-year standout is traded. Considering how the RB trade market unfolded this offseason, that $5.5MM number is seen as too rich for a team to take on. The Ravens would likely require this as well, holding just more than $6MM in cap space. The Cowboys are at $7.7MM.

It is interesting to see Henry pop up as a trade option, seeing as Austin Ekeler was not believed to have generated much of a market after requesting a trade this offseason. The Colts also did not see their Jonathan Taylor asking price met, though Indianapolis also did not appear motivated to seek out a trade partner. The dual-threat Charger led the NFL in touchdowns in 2021 and ’22, while Henry’s throwback skillset does not include much of a passing-down role.

Henry, 29, is averaging 4.3 yards per carry (425 total), despite a shaky Titans offensive line — one Pro Football Focus ranks last presently — and Next Gen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric measures the former Heisman winner’s total seventh. While Henry is likely near the end of his run as a full-time starter, he would be an interesting trade chip. The Ravens rank eighth in yards per carry; the Cowboys sit 21st.

The Ravens have been the NFL’s most run-oriented team during Lamar Jackson‘s career. Baltimore’s 230 rushing attempts trail only the Eagles (235) this season. The Ravens lost J.K. Dobbins to another season-ending injury and have been rolling with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill as their primary ball carriers. Speedy rookie Keaton Mitchell came off IR recently but has not factored into the Ravens’ run game much yet. Ravens officials have downplayed the team’s need for a starter-caliber back, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes (subscription required), but Henry would not be Maryland-bound to become a backup.

It is not yet clear if the Titans are truly motivated to move Henry, nor is it locked in the team would recoup a needle-moving asset for a veteran with 1,848 career carries. A weekend report classified Henry interest as scarce. But Tennessee rosters intriguing rookie Tyjae Spears positioned as the former All-Pro’s successor. The third-round pick is averaging 5.5 yards per tote and has carved out a bigger role than any of Henry’s backups since the bulldozing starter began his back-to-back run of rushing titles.

Henry trade buzz circulated this offseason, however, and the Titans may be in transition soon. Contract-year QB Ryan Tannehill is not expected to play this week, which would lead to Will Levis‘ first start. Will it double as Henry’s last game with the Titans?

Jalen Ramsey Expected To Return This Week

October 26th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins have been continuously optimistic about the recovery of cornerback Jalen Ramsey from what was reported to be a full meniscus repair that the veteran underwent in late-July, originally expressing hope that he could be back from knee surgery as soon as November. It appears that Ramsey is set to surpass even that extremely optimistic deadline as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the All-Pro cornerback is expected to return this Sunday against the Patriots.

Miami stunned many when they opened his 21-day practice window last Wednesday. By doing so, the team was risking losing Ramsey to season-ending injured reserve if he was unable to make a return by the end of the 21 days. Although nothing is official yet, the finish line appears to be in view for Ramsey’s insanely speedy recovery.

The injury, originally thought to be a displaced meniscus tear, which would’ve required that full meniscus repair, was apparently an outer rim meniscal tear, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, allowing the injury to be repaired with a trim. A full repair would’ve necessitated a recovery timeline of five to six months, while an outer rim tear, which receives better blood flow, can heal on a timeline closer to 12 weeks, which seems to explain the change from a late-season return prediction to what we’re seeing now.

To be perfectly clear, this is solely a reported expectation from the Dolphins, as Ramsey himself has made perfectly clear. Shortly after the news broke from ESPN, Ramsey took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify that, while “there’s a CHANCE that (he) can play this Sunday…that decision genuinely (hasn’t been) made yet.” This isn’t necessarily Ramsey refuting the report, he’s simply clarifying that the news isn’t coming from him, and as far as he’s concerned, the decision is still his to make. He goes on to say that he will only play if he feels “great.” Anything less than that, and Ramsey will continue to sit.

Ramsey’s refusal to commit to a Week 8 return is more in line with the reports yesterday from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler who claimed that the team is considering waiting until Miami’s bye week to bring Ramsey back. Fowler makes it clear that there’s a road that sees Ramsey back earlier, but the way the Dolphins timed their designation for return, Ramsey would be able to wait until the team’s two-week break to officially come back.

Miami had to drastically shift its plan in the secondary with Ramsey out. Kader Kohou has once again stepped up to start across from Xavien Howard, like he did as an undrafted rookie last year, but both have been banged up lately with Howard sitting out of the team’s loss to the Eagles. Last-second offseason addition Eli Apple has been able to contribute, but second-round rookie Cam Smith has yet to establish a role in the Dolphins’ secondary. A huge contributor last year, Nik Needham has also been out on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, getting activated from the PUP just yesterday. The addition of Ramsey would be another huge relief to the Miami cornerbacks group.

Essentially, all this to say that things are looking increasingly optimistic for the Dolphins and Ramsey. He’ll almost certainly make his return by the conclusion of the team’s bye week, but it sounds like the team is confident that they may see him suit up this weekend against Miami’s division rival.

AFC West Rumors: Ross, Broncos, Williams

October 26th, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

While Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross is dealing with some pretty serious issues off the field, his inability to get onto the field before then never made much sense to people. Yet, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, it was his problems on the field that kept him from making more of an impact.

After an incredibly productive freshman and sophomore year at Clemson, injuries and a bit of a downgrade at quarterback would keep Ross from reaching those heights again for the remainder of his college career. Even after those late struggles kept him from being drafted, many believed that a transition to the NFL, coupled with the opportunity to work in an offense with Patrick Mahomes, would result in a return to greatness for the former top-100 recruit.

Ross would spend his rookie year on injured reserve following offseason foot surgery but would finally enter the 2023 season ready to make his NFL debut. Instead, what we’ve seen is a role receiver who plays mostly on special teams while occasionally rotating in on offense.

Breer’s report claims that there are legitimate football issues keeping him off the field. While Ross is a big body at receiver, he’s not very versatile, struggling to create separation with speed or route-running. In an offense that requires its weapons to contribute in several different ways, it becomes less surprising that Ross is only able to find the field in certain situations.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of the AFC West, starting with an update on one of the Chargers‘ top missing weapons:

  • Los Angeles has been tasked with running an effective offense without wide receiver Mike Williams following the veteran receiver’s season-ending ACL tear. While his status for this year is obviously not going to change, Williams underwent a successful surgery yesterday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. This may not provide much solace to fans in 2023, but undergoing surgery at this point sets the expectation that Williams will be fully ready by training camp next year.
  • The Broncos made an alteration to their ownership shares earlier this month, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. With the team’s chief executive officer Greg Penner has been handling day-to-day operations since the Walton-Penner group purchased the organization, the Broncos’ controlling owner Rob Walton transferred a block of his shares to Penner, allowing Penner to take the mantle of controlling owner in addition to CEO. Penner’s four children will also receive an allotment of Walton’s shares in the exchange.
  • Denver cornerback K’Waun Williams suffered a setback from a preseason foot surgery that was reported this week to likely be season-ending. The setback required further surgery, which Williams underwent this past Monday, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. The procedure on Williams’ left ankle reportedly went “very well” and will require a recovery period of approximately 12 weeks, allowing him to return in time for spring football practice.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/26/23

October 26th, 2023 at 7:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Reagor has been called up as a standard gameday elevation three times now for the Patriots, the maximum under a single practice squad contract. It remains to be seen if he will stick on the team’s active roster, but if he’s going to see any more game action this year, the promotion was a necessary one. He’s obviously able to play while on the active roster, but if the team were to release him and re-sign him to the practice squad, he would have the ability to be elevated three more times on the new deal.

The Bills and Buccaneers are making their standard gameday elevations for Thursday Night Football tonight. Veterans Isabella and Norman will both be making their season debuts if they see the field tonight in Buffalo, as will LeCounte and Senat for the Bucs. Norman has a good chance to see the field with Kaiir Elam out and Tre’Davious White still on injured reserve. Senat likewise should get a chance to rotate in for Tampa with Vita Vea currently inactive.

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