HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Steelers’ T.J. Watt Placed In Concussion Protocol

December 13th, 2023 at 9:06pm CST by Ben Levine

DECEMBER 13: Watt has been officially cleared by an independent neurological consultant and is no longer in concussion protocol, per the team’s senior director of communications Burt Lauten. There is still the matter of the NFL and the NFL Players Association’s review of the Steelers’ handling of his concussion check in the team’s Week 14 contest with the Patriots, but Watt’s removal from the protocol likely hints at no issue.

After Watt took a knee to the head from Elliott and returned after a brief check-in on the sideline, he reported concussion like-symptoms the next day. Obviously a potentially dangerous situation, the league decided it would investigate how the team handled Watt’s potential head injury. We’ve seen lots of seemingly concussed players come out of protocol within a week, so despite his clearance, Watt still may have suffered a concussion and returned to play. The league and the NFLPA has set out to determine whether or not that is the case.

DECEMBER 9: The Steelers’ depth on the edge could be tested next weekend. Following news that pass-rusher Alex Highsmith was placed in concussion protocol, the Steelers have announced that T.J. Watt has also been placed in protocol (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com).

The Highsmith news didn’t come as a huge surprise. The linebacker exited Thursday’s loss to the Patriots with a neck injury and didn’t end up returning to the game.

The Watt development is a bit more unexpected. The star defender briefly exited Thursday’s game after taking a knee to the face from Ezekiel Elliott on the first play from scrimmage. Florio writes that Watt was briefly checked for a concussion before being cleared to return on the same drive. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes that the medical staff also took an extended look at Watt’s jaw/mouth, and Florio says Watt was spotted wearing a tinted visor at one point.

Mark Kaboly of The Athletic passes along that Watt arrived at the team facility yesterday with symptoms, necessitating his placement into concussion protocol. Both Watt and Highsmith will now need to be cleared by an independent neurologist before returning to practice.

Fortunately, the Steelers have time on their side. Kaboly notes that the Steelers are off the next three days. They’ll resume practices on Tuesday in preparation for their Week 15 game against the Colts next Saturday night.

NFL Lifts Ban On Former Raiders, Cowboys LB Rolando McClain

December 13th, 2023 at 8:27pm CST by Ely Allen

For what it’s worth, free agent linebacker Rolando McClain is officially available to sign after spending a total of almost eight years under an indefinite suspension from the NFL. Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the former No. 8 overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft had his suspension lifted by the league today.

The former first-round pick showed a lot of promise coming out of Alabama a year early but saw his career derailed by a series of off-field incidents. These extracurricular activities, combined with an ineffectiveness on the field, led to the Raiders waiving him after the third year of his rookie deal. The Ravens signed him on a low-risk, high-reward one-year contract, but McClain would announce his retirement before the season began at the age of 23.

He was coaxed out of retirement a year later, when the Cowboys opted to obtain his rights from the Ravens in a trade, and McClain seemingly had an opportunity to revamp his career as he became a leader in Dallas. He received a four-game suspension for substance abuse issues in 2015, but overall, McClain had a productive two years on the Cowboys defense. That suspension would serve as a harbinger, though, as the NFL would levy a 10-game suspension for the same issue in the 2016 offseason.

Before McClain’s suspension could end, he failed a midseason drug test, leading the NFL to make his suspension indefinite. Reports were made that McClain’s struggles with addiction made a return to the NFL nearly impossible. Three years after the initial suspension, McClain was conditionally reinstated by the NFL, just to be released by the Cowboys and put back on indefinite suspension three months later.

That final suspension is that one that is ending now, after nearly four additional years. The transaction is largely nominal, as McClain is now 34 years old and hasn’t played football at a professional level in over eight years. His return in 2016 was nearly impossible; a return now, is even further from reality. As far as the NFL is concerned, though, McClain no longer resides on the no-fly list.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/23

December 13th, 2023 at 7:31pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Agnew has missed the four games required to return from injured reserve, and though he’s not been activated yet, the Jaguars took the first step towards that outcome today in returning him to practice. It was shoulder and rib injuries that led to the return specialist’s placement on IR. During his absence the team had turned to rookie sixth-round receiver Parker Washington to return punts and veteran backup running back D’Ernest Johnson to return kickoffs. Jacksonville still has a few days to determine whether or not they’ll activate him right away for this weekend. If not, the team will have 21 days to activate him before his practice window closes and Agnew is reverted to season-ending IR.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/23

December 13th, 2023 at 6:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: T Joey Fisher

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: G Henry Byrd

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Steelers Notes: Tomlin, Sullivan, Pickett

December 13th, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers’ Mitchell Trubisky-quarterbacked losses to the Cardinals and Patriots are not likely to lead to a Mike Tomlin ouster. The patient organization is not expected to move the 17th-year HC to the hot seat, but some issues with Tomlin’s moves have come up within the building.

As of now, it does not look likely the Steelers will make another in-house promotion to fill the offensive coordinator role. Play-caller Mike Sullivan has next to no chance to follow in Randy Fichtner and Matt Canada‘s footsteps, according to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post.

Although the Steelers received an initial bump with Sullivan calling the shots, it was short-lived. They surpassed 400 total yards for the first time since Week 2 of the 2020 season, but the team has endured ugly home losses in the weeks since. A former Buccaneers and Giants OC, Sullivan is working as the Steelers’ play-caller while Eddie Faulkner — previously the team’s running backs coach — holds the interim OC title. Both Fichtner (who replaced Todd Haley in 2018) and Canada (who replaced Fichtner in 2021) were elevated from QBs coach to OC; Sullivan is unlikely to make the same move. Some of Tomlin’s hiring choices have drawn questions inside the organization, and La Canfora adds it is likely ownership will play a role as Tomlin searches for his next play-caller.

Slow starts and the inconsistent usage of promising former UDFA Jaylen Warren have also confounded some in the team’s building, per La Canfora, but Kenny Pickett‘s status is also worth monitoring. Last year’s No. 20 overall pick has not taken off in his second season, and while he has not had much time to work with Sullivan calling the plays, the Pitt product has underwhelmed based on his draft status. Questions within the organization remain concerning Pickett’s development, JLC adds.

Two years remain on Pickett’s rookie contract, and although the Steelers’ next OC will play the lead role in this development effort, the team has seen its efforts thus far stall. Pickett sits 25th in QBR, after ranking 20th in a low-octane rookie season that did include some promising late-game showings near its conclusion. Pickett has managed only 13 touchdown passes in 24 starts; he has posted just a 6.3-yard average per attempt over his career. It is not yet known if the Steelers want to take the route the 2020 Bears took with Trubisky, acquiring a veteran (Nick Foles) to compete with the scuffling starter. But concern about Pickett’s progress is probably warranted at this point.

Tomlin, 51, did not receive an extension this offseason, but if the Steelers are planning to retain him for 2024 — thus far, all signs point to the affirmative — they will likely hand out another contract before next season to avoid lame-duck status. Once again, the well-regarded HC’s .500-or-better streak is in jeopardy. Trubisky is set to make another start, and the wild-card contender (7-6) is sinking fast.

Even with the Steelers’ penchant for coach stability, Tomlin has generated scrutiny in recent years. The team has not won a playoff game since a touchdown-less triumph over the Chiefs in the 2016 divisional round, losing twice at home since. The Steelers’ status quo may face bigger-picture questions in 2024. How the franchise, which is still positioned in a wild-card spot despite the recent defeats, reassembles pieces may well become pivotal toward Tomlin’s long-term standing.

Commanders To Waive CB Danny Johnson

December 13th, 2023 at 4:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Danny Johnson has spent his entire career in Washington, being with the team through its two recent name changes. The sixth-year cornerback will now be available for other teams.

The Commanders informed the veteran defender he will be waived, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. This comes nine months after the team re-signed Johnson to a two-year, $5MM deal. This cut will cost Washington more than $1MM in dead money.

Washington will fill Johnson’s roster spot with another cornerback. The team claimed Kyu Blu Kelly off waivers from the Packers, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post tweets. A fifth-round Ravens pick this year, Kelly is already on team No. 4. The Ravens, Seahawks and Packers have waived the Stanford product.

Since Johnson re-signed with the team this offseason, significant changes have occurred. Ron Rivera fired DC Jack Del Rio and defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer after a Thanksgiving Day loss. Johnson has been with the team long enough he predates Rivera and Del Rio, however. Among Washington defenders, only Jonathan Allen has been with the team longer. Washington initially picked up Johnson as a UDFA in 2018.

Johnson, 28, has started eight games over the course of his career; four came last season. The 5-foot-9 defender has operated exclusively as a backup this year, though he has played 24% of Washington’s defensive snaps. Johnson’s snap count has tailed off in recent weeks; Johnson has only played more than 11 defensive snaps once since Week 8.

Kelly is six years younger and remains attached to his rookie contract. Three teams have now claimed him. The Seahawks did so in August, and the Packers followed suit in November. Kyu Blu Kelly, the son of ex-Buccaneers Super Bowl-winning cornerback Brian Kelly, has played just one defensive snap over six games this season.

Broncos TE Greg Dulcich Back At Practice

December 13th, 2023 at 3:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Battling chronic hamstring trouble over his first two NFL seasons, Greg Dulcich has landed on IR four times due to this particular issue. While this has happened twice in 2023, the Broncos have not given up on the pass-catching tight end contributing this season.

Dulcich is back at Broncos practice Wednesday; the team designated the second-year tight end to return from IR, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. Dulcich has been out since aggravating his hamstring injury in Week 6. The UCLA product initially suffered the injury in Week 1. Teams can activate a player from IR twice in one season, but both moves go toward the team’s activation total. The Broncos have five IR activations left.

While the Broncos have turned their season around by winning six out of their past seven games, they have not received much production from their tight end position. Adam Trautman‘s precise placement on a touchdown against the Browns notwithstanding, no Denver tight end has surpassed 150 receiving yards this year. In just 10 games last year, Dulcich posted 411.

The Broncos placed Dulcich on IR twice as a rookie, stashing him on the injured list to start his career and moving him back to close the season. While Dulcich stood out on a broken offense in between, his hamstring issues followed him to Year 2. The UCLA product hit IR after Week 1, and after only 11 snaps against the Chiefs in Week 6, he needed to be shut down once again. Dulcich has already missed 17 games through two seasons.

During the Broncos’ first draft after trading a bounty for Russell Wilson, they selected Dulcich with their second pick. Last year’s No. 80 overall choice scored twice and averaged 12.5 yards per catch in 2022, but injuries have obviously marred his career. With Sean Payton having not been in Denver when the team chose Dulcich, the young pass catcher is not off to a good start with the new HC. Payton traded for ex-Saint Trautman during the draft.

Trautman is playing on an expiring contract, and Dulcich has spent much his NFL time rehabbing. These circumstances will likely lead the Broncos making a notable investment in a tight end during Payton’s second offseason in charge. But Dulcich staying healthy to close this season would help his cause. The Broncos have three weeks from today to activate the 6-foot-4 talent.

Beyond Dulcich and safety Caden Sterns, the Broncos have gone through the season healthier than in recent years. The team did lose one of its top edge rushers against the Chargers, but Payton noted Wednesday (via Denver7’s Troy Renck) Nik Bonitto is not a candidate to land on IR. The 2022 second-round pick suffered a knee injury in Week 14.

Dolphins To Sign C Jonotthan Harrison, C Matt Skura

December 13th, 2023 at 3:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

In the wake of Connor Williams‘ ACL tear, Mike McDaniel said the Dolphins would consider outside options. The AFC East leaders will act on that, signing two experienced centers.

The Dolphins are adding Jonotthan Harrison to their active roster and signing Matt Skura to the practice squad. Harrison will take Williams’ roster spot; the Dolphins placed their two-year starting pivot on IR.

The structure of this two-center plan is a bit unusual, considering Skura started eight Rams games last season and Harrison has not played in a regular-season game since 2019. But both will head to Miami as emergency depth options. The Dolphins are preparing to slide Liam Eichenberg from guard to center, where the third-year lineman played in place of an injured Williams in Week 4.

Harrison, 32, has 42 career starts on his resume. Skura, 30, has 73. Both have bounced around over the past few seasons, but the most notable centers available either announced plans to retire recently or were linked to considering it.

Last seeing action with the Jets in 2019, Harrison has journeyed the Eastern Time Zone since. Starting 10 games for the 2019 Jets, Harrison has since joined the Bills, Giants and Falcons. After spending much of last season on Atlanta’s practice squad, Harrison went to camp with the team this summer. The Falcons cut Harrison in August; he has been out of football since. Harrison is best known for his time in Indianapolis and New York. He started 23 games for the Colts and 19 for the Jets.

Skura, who joined a battered Rams O-line during the 2022 season, would seem a more likely candidate to contribute. But he will join Miami’s P-squad. The Ravens used Skura as a four-year starter, deploying him at guard and center. A modest market awaited the former UDFA in free agency, leading him to the Giants in 2021. It took until late September of last year for Skura to land a gig. As injuries decimated the Rams’ front, Skura stepped in and started eight games. Pro Football Focus graded Skura as an adequate pass blocker last season but maligned his run-blocking performance.

The Dolphins, who let backup Michael Deiter walk in free agency, still have Lester Cotton as an interior backup option. But Skura and Harrison are now part of the contingency plan.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 13th, 2023 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two different teams have held the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive years since 2017. Amid a radical rebuild effort, the Browns carried the top pick into the 2017 and ’18 drafts. The Jaguars did the same in 2021 and ’22. It is possible the Bears will follow that up in back-to-back years. The big difference here would be the Bears traded the 2023 top choice and may unload the 2024 top pick for another windfall, depending on their evaluation of Justin Fields.

The Bears and Panthers’ March trade, giving Carolina access to Bryce Young, has become a seminal moment for both teams. As it stands now, Chicago holds two top-five picks. The Panthers are 1-12, giving the Bears a two-game lead on the Patriots and Cardinals for the top slot with four games left. Chicago finishing with the first overall selection, providing access to the quarterback of its choice, would create a big-picture decision for a Bears team that already passed on the 2023 quarterback class to stick with Fields — a QB the Ryan Poles regime did not draft. North Carolina’s Drake Maye has declared for the draft, while USC’s Caleb Williams is widely expected to follow suit.

A new Cardinals regime is also evaluating its QB, though Kyler Murray‘s $46.1MM-per-year contract (which runs through 2028) will be much harder to escape compared to Fields’. This creates an interesting scenario that will have teams who do not land two-two draft slots monitoring how Chicago and Arizona proceed. The Patriots are widely expected to pursue a quarterback in the draft, and they are likely to do so without Bill Belichick.

With gridlock forming in the AFC and NFC wild-card races, considerable movement will take place over the next month. The winner of the NFC South will likely lose several spots in the ’24 draft, as the Buccaneers did this year by winning the ’22 division title at 8-9. Here is how the draft order looks going into Week 15:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. New England Patriots: 3-10
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 3-10
  4. Washington Commanders: 4-9
  5. Chicago Bears: 5-8
  6. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-8
  7. New York Jets: 5-8
  8. New York Giants: 5-8
  9. Tennessee Titans: 5-8
  10. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-8
  11. Atlanta Falcons: 6-7
  12. New Orleans Saints: 6-7
  13. Seattle Seahawks: 6-7
  14. Los Angeles Rams: 6-7
  15. Denver Broncos: 7-6
  16. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  17. Buffalo Bills: 7-6
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-6
  19. Green Bay Packers: 6-7
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-7
  21. Indianapolis Colts: 7-6
  22. Minnesota Vikings: 7-6
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6
  24. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-5
  26. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-5
  27. Detroit Lions: 9-4
  28. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-3
  29. Miami Dolphins: 9-4
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 10-3
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 10-3
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 10-3

Browns Place S Grant Delpit On IR; DE Ogbo Okoronkwo Out For Season

December 13th, 2023 at 12:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Grant Delpit will become the latest Browns starter set to miss significant time due to injury. Hours after agreeing to an extension, Grant Delpit sustained a groin injury. That will lead the Browns to make a roster move.

The Browns placed Delpit on IR on Wednesday; this transaction will sideline the fourth-year safety for the rest of the regular season. Joining a host of starters out of the mix for the regular season’s remainder, Delpit has already undergone surgery, Jake Trotter of ESPN.com notes. Kevin Stefanski said Delpit will be in play to come back if the Browns make the playoffs.

Cleveland is already without its starting quarterback (Deshaun Watson), running back (Nick Chubb) and top three tackles (Jedrick Wills, Jack Conklin, Dawand Jones). Its defense has been a bit healthier this season, leading to a No. 1 ranking in yards allowed. But Delpit will be out of the mix for the time being. To replace him on their 53-man roster, the Browns signed safety Duron Harmon from the practice squad. The Browns now have 13 players on IR.

In addition to Delpit, the Browns’ defense will take a hit up front. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo suffered a pectoral injury that cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot indicates will knock him out for the rest of the season. The former Rams and Texans defensive end sustained a torn pec, per Cabot. Signed this offseason, Okoronkwo has been a key rotational rusher for the Browns. The fifth-year edge defender has registered 4.5 sacks coming off the bench behind Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith.

For Delpit, this injury makes his extension timing rather important. The LSU alum and the Browns completed a rare gameday-morning agreement Sunday, locking the fourth-year defender into a three-year, $36MM deal. Delpit will receive $14.9MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap, and $23.6MM guaranteed for injury. The latter guarantee number only comes into play if Delpit cannot pass a physical once a new league year starts, but locking in nearly $15MM at signing now proves pivotal considering Jessie Bates was the only free agent safety to score a contract worth more than $8MM per year this offseason.

Okoronkwo signed a three-year, $19MM accord in March, coming to Cleveland two months before the Browns traded for Smith. On that contract, Okoronkwo collected $10.8MM fully guaranteed. Given the void years attached, Okoronkwo is prohibitive to release in 2024. With Smith set to become a free agent once again, Okoronkwo moving into the Browns’ 2024 starting lineup alongside Garrett could be in play. But he will need to complete a rehab journey first.

Behind Garrett and Smith, the Browns also have 2022 third-round pick Alex Wright, rookie fourth-rounder Isaiah McGuire and third-year UDFA Sam Kamara. No Browns player behind Garrett has collected more than five sacks. Of the healthy DE options behind the starters, only Wright has even registered one. The Browns also lost defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr. for the season this week, completing a rough span on the injury front for the 8-5 team.

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