HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Latest On Steelers QB Kenny Pickett

December 8th, 2023 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers made unwanted history over the past few days by losing consecutive contests against teams eight games under .500 via their upset defeats against the Cardinals and Patriots. In the latter contest, backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky filled in for an injured Kenny Pickett. That setup will likely continue for the time being.

Pickett suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s loss to Arizona, and he underwent surgery the next day in an attempt to minimize the time he missed as a result of the injury. Pittsburgh elected not to place him on injured reserve, a move which would have guaranteed a four-week absence. In spite of that, the team is indeed “bracing” for the possibility of Pickett missing that much time, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

The 2022 first-rounder was immediately ruled out for the Steelers’ Thursday night game in the wake of his procedure, but no further updates to his status have been announced. While his availability on a game-by-game basis will thus be worth monitoring closely, the Steelers face the possibility of relying on Trubisky at the helm for a critical late season stretch. Pittsburgh now sits at 7-6 on the outside of the AFC’s wild-card picture.

Pickett’s Year 2 performance had not lived up to expectations prior to his injury, with the Steelers’ offense as a whole struggling to find consistent production. The decision to dismiss offensive coordinator Matt Canada – which came about from head coach Mike Tomlin after multiple discussions with owner Art Rooney II – seemed to spark a turnaround in a win over the Bengals. The Steelers topped 400 yards in that game, but their offense took a step back in the Cardinals and Patriots losses, leaving the team with a challenging path in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Trubisky – who began the 2022 season as the starter before being replaced by Pickett on a full-time basis – has 56 starts to his name, making him an experienced spot starter. The former Bears No. 2 pick has generally put up underwhelming numbers during his time in Pittsburgh, however, which will lead to questions about the team’s offensive capabilities down the stretch. As Pickett’s status remains in the air, the possibility looms that Trubisky will be counted on to steer the Steelers back into the playoff picture.

Dolphins, Austin Jackson Agree On Extension

December 7th, 2023 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

After missing almost all of the 2022 season, Austin Jackson has been in place for the Dolphins’ offensive surge this year. The team did not pick up its right tackle’s fifth-year option, but it has seen enough to reinvest via an extension.

The Dolphins and Jackson are in agreement on a three-year deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The extension is worth $36MM in base value and includes $20.7MM guaranteed. Although Jackson was months from free agency, he will lock in a nice contract now.

This represents a significant turnaround for the 2020 first-round pick. Jackson missed 15 games last season, playing all of 84 snaps. A Week 1 ankle injury derailed Jackson’s first right tackle season, and an attempt to come back led the USC product to season-ending IR. A year later, Jackson has been a constant on an injury-plagued offensive line.

As the only right tackle to be protecting a quarterback’s blindside this season, Jackson has played in all 12 Dolphins games. This season has also brought rare continuity for a player the team had once identified as its post-Laremy Tunsil left tackle. Miami traded Tunsil to Houston in August 2019, as it shed talent during an aggressive rebuild. Jackson, however, bounced from left tackle to guard to right tackle over his first three seasons, never settling at one spot. This offseason brought his first opportunity to play the same position in consecutive years.

Pro Football Focus ranks Jackson 36th among tackles this season, but his availability has been important for a Dolphins O-line that has seen every other starter miss time. Big-ticket UFA addition Terron Armstead has again battled injuries, while left guard Isaiah Wynn is likely out for the season. Connor Williams, who angled for a new deal this offseason, has missed multiple games. Right guard Robert Hunt, who also looms as an extension candidate, has battled a hamstring injury. Despite Jackson’s ankle issue and nomadic positional past leading the Dolphins to pass on his $14.18MM fifth-year option, he will lock in an upper-echelon RT deal seven months later.

This is not a top-tier RT accord. The Texans gave 2019 first-rounder Tytus Howard a more lucrative three-year deal this summer; that pact checked in at $18.7MM per year, putting Howard in the top five at the position. Jackson’s deal profiles as a team-friendly contract. The AAV puts the 24-year-old blocker 11th among right tackles. While Jackson could have attempted to bet on himself and maximize his leverage by heading toward the market or hitting free agency in March, he opted to lock in Dolphins-favorable terms now.

Adding intrigue to Jackson’s decision, two right tackles — Jawaan Taylor and Mike McGlinchey — signed deals north of $17.5MM per year as free agents this offseason. Jackson’s deal, however, does check in north of the contract the Falcons gave Kaleb McGary (three years, $34.5MM) on the market. Considering Jackson does not have a multiyear sample size of quality play, this could be looked at as a reasonable middle ground for team and player.

The Dolphins now have both their tackles signed through 2026, though Armstead’s injury troubles continue to impede him. Williams and Hunt are on track for 2024 free agency, leaving Miami with some work to do. But Jackson’s unavailability forced the team into some patchwork RT solutions last season — a year that brought Tua Tagovailoa concussion issues that overshadowed the team’s season. The ascending southpaw quarterback suffered two confirmed concussions, and an apparent head injury in Week 3 led to an overhaul of the NFL’s concussion protocol. Jackson was not on the field when any of these injuries occurred.

Tagovailoa and Jackson’s rebounds have coincided with Miami leading the NFL in total offense (second in points scored) and soaring to a 9-3 record, one that has the team three games up on Buffalo in the AFC East. The Dolphins are closing in on their first division title since the Chad Pennington-piloted 2008 season. With Tagovailoa likely on the cusp of an extension, the team now has his blindside blocker locked in.

Jets Aiming For Zach Wilson To Start For Rest Of Season; Latest On Team’s Coaching Staff

December 7th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets’ latest round of quarterback adventures will feature Zach Wilson reinstalled as the starter. Robert Saleh called the former No. 2 overall pick the best option the team has, and the third-year coach indicated he had always viewed Wilson as the most talented healthy QB on the team despite demoting him for a third time last month.

This marks the second Wilson re-emergence after a benching. The Jets demoted the BYU alum from starter to third-stringer in November 2022, but after leapfrogging Joe Flacco for the QB2 role weeks later, Wilson regained the gig following Mike White‘s rib injury. The Jets will dispense with a Wilson incremental depth chart climb, moving him from QB3 to QB1 in Week 14. Last week’s QB1 (Tim Boyle) being off the team makes that jump a bit easier. Trevor Siemian and ex-Nathaniel Hackett Broncos charge Brett Rypien are now on the roster, with Rypien guaranteed to stay for at least three weeks due to the Jets poaching him off the Rams’ practice squad.

Although Aaron Rodgers remains in the IR-return window, the Jets’ preferred starter is not expected to play this season. Saleh did not rule out Rodgers, who has linked a return to the Jets’ chances at a playoff berth, but said Wilson “God willing” will be New York’s starter the rest of the way.

At 4-8, the Jets are all but eliminated from the postseason race. The team has lost five straight, reminding of its close to last season, which involved a six-game skid to wrap the slate. The rumor about Wilson being reluctant to start again may have come from the embattled QB asking at least one teammate for advice on how to handle the team’s final few games, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. Wilson said The Athletic’s report depicting reluctance to return as the starter was “absolutely not” accurate.

One more season remains on Wilson’s rookie contract. Even with Wilson costing the Jets $11MM-plus in dead money to waive during the 2024 offseason, Cimini indicates the disappointing passer is unlikely to be part of the ’24 Jets. Given his performance and repeated benchings, it certainly adds up the organization will have had its fill by season’s end. The Jets attempting to redevelop Wilson — by handing him the QB2 job this offseason and then declaring him their unquestioned starter once Rodgers went down — can be scrutinized; assuming Rodgers is back next season, it makes sense for the organization to bring in a more reliable backup for its 40-year-old starter.

Regarding Rodgers’ comments about the Jets’ poor culture leading to the Wilson information leaking, Saleh disagrees with the injured veteran about the Jets having a culture problem, Cimini tweets. It is quite possible the Rodgers-Saleh-Hackett-Joe Douglas quartet will be back next season, with ownership writing this one off as a lost campaign due to Rodgers’ Week 1 Achilles tear. Of course, how much more losing will Woody Johnson tolerate even in these unusual circumstances?

The Jets have scored 10 offensive touchdowns this season, topping the 2006 Raiders and 2011 Rams (11 apiece) for the fewest through 12 games this century. Given Hackett’s disastrous showing as the Broncos’ play-caller last season, his stock has cratered since a three-year run as the Packers’ non-play-calling OC. But a perception around the league has pointed to the Jets taking a mulligan on this season, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes. Rodgers’ influence is also believed to be strong enough he will be able to dictate how the Jets proceed with their staff. Rodgers’ first seven months in New York lend credence to that, which could bode well for the current staff. Saleh is 15-31 leading the Jets.

Johnson was serving as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom when both Douglas and Saleh were interviewed, and Graziano adds acting owner Christopher Johnson is believed to have overseen the Saleh hire in January 2021. How Wilson and the Jets fare down the stretch could have some sway in terms of which staffers have the opportunity to lead a presumably Rodgers-quarterbacked team in 2024.

Bills LB Von Miller Expected To Play Sunday

December 7th, 2023 at 9:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Von Miller faces a third-degree felony charge of assaulting a pregnant person following an incident in Dallas last week. With Buffalo coming off their bye week, Bills general manager Brandon Beane told reporters that the linebacker is back with the team and is expected to play on Sunday.

[RELATED: Latest On Bills DE Von Miller]

“Right now, we don’t expect anything based on our conversations,” Beane said of a potential punishment (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia). “Anytime it’s an ongoing investigation if something was uncovered, the commissioner does have that at any point if he feels there was something that, ‘Hey, this doesn’t look good,’ or something like that. If at any point that, they could. But, with our knowledge of what we have today, we don’t expect that.”

An arrest warrant was issued for Miller last week after his pregnant girlfriend accused him of shoving and choking her. Miller turned himself in to police and was subsequently released on $5K bond, and his girlfriend later described the charges as a “huge misunderstanding.” Beane told reporters that the organization is letting the legal situation play out and will follow the league’s lead concerning punishment. Even if the charges are dropped, Miller could still face punishment under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Further, Miller is expected to avoid placement on the Commissioner Exempt list, which would have sidelined him indefinitely. As Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports pointed out (and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio passed along), the NFL wouldn’t put Miller on paid leave unless he was formally charged with a crime.

After sitting out Wednesday’s practice for a standard veteran off day, Miller was back on the practice field today. Per ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg, the player declined comment when he was approached by reporters at his locker.

Daniel Jones Targeting Training Camp Return

December 7th, 2023 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Daniel Jones provided an encouraging update on his knee injury. The Giants quarterback told reporters that he suffered only an ACL injury and didn’t have any other structural damage, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.

[RELATED: Giants Expect Daniel Jones To Start In 2024]

Two weeks removed from his knee surgery, Jones now has a clearer outlook on his rehab. The quarterback told reporters that he intends to “check all the boxes” along the way but is targeting training camp as his return date.

“I mean, it’s a long road. I think it depends, kind of how I do with each stage of it and, and how it progresses,” Jones said (h/t Yahoo’s Ben Krimmel). “I’m going to try to focus on what’s right in front of me during each stage and do as well as I can with each of those. It’s a long road ahead.”

Jones suffered the torn ACL in early November, meaning there would be around 10 months between his injury and the start of next season. There was hope that the quarterback would be on the field for the 2024 season opener, but it was uncertain how many reps he’d be able to get during training camp and the preseason. Jones’ ambitious target means he’d be able to get a full preseason with his squad.

Considering the player’s injury, uneven play, and hefty $40MM price tag, it was uncertain if the former sixth-overall pick would stick around New York. GM Joe Schoen acknowledged that the player’s uncertain status for the start of next season could require the front office to make a move at the position, but he also noted that Jones is expected to be the QB1 when he’s healthy enough to play.

Latest On Bill Belichick’s Future With Patriots

December 7th, 2023 at 7:56pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s seeming increasingly likely that Bill Belichick and the Patriots are heading towards a divorce after the 2023 campaign. While many pundits assumed the iconic coach would be a hot commodity, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post isn’t so sure.

[RELATED: Bill Belichick Candidate For Panthers HC Job?]

La Canfora spoke to league sources around the NFL that believe Belichick’s market may not be as robust as initially believed. As the reporter notes, there doesn’t appear to be a “slam dunk” suitor for the coach, and there’s a sentiment that it’ll be a “soft market” for the future Hall of Famer.

As one personnel executive explained, teams with coaching vacancies will likely target young, inexpensive coaches…the 71-year-old Belichick is neither young nor cheap. The executive also opined that Belichick “doesn’t really fit with any of these owners” who will have HC vacancies.

It seems unlikely that the Patriots would outright fire Belichick since the team would be on the hook for his remaining salary. The organization could look to amicably part ways with Belichick and allow their coach to either retire or hit the HC free agency carousel.

The Patriots could also take a hard stance on Belichick’s contract status and require compensation from potential suitors. “Three high-ranking executives” indicated to Jeff Howe of The Athletic that this might be the best route for the organization. Those executives agreed that Belichick could fetch a first-round pick in a potential trade. Other executives weren’t as sure, and one echoed La Canfora’s report that Belichick could have a tough time even finding a new job.

“I’ve got questions about how he relates to this generation of players,” the executive told Howe. “Can he still be a motivator? A leader of men? How does he pivot and adjust his culture?

“I’ve got a lot of questions with those recent roster moves. Is he going to just be the coach, or does he want (general manager) responsibilities? Because I’m not trading for that.”

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/23

December 7th, 2023 at 7:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

As expected, Tyrion Davis-Price has landed back with the 49ers after getting cut by the big-league club earlier this week. The 2022 third-round pick has seen time in just one game for San Francisco this season, collecting 21 yards from scrimmage on six touches. He appeared in six games as a rookie, collecting 99 rushing yards. He’ll join Jeremy McNichols as the 49ers’ practice-squad options at RB.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/23

December 7th, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Elliss was waived by the Eagles yesterday following the team’s signing of Shaquille Leonard. The linebacker spent the better part of the past three seasons in Philadelphia, getting into 19 total games. He appeared in a career-high 12 games this season, collecting 21 tackles while appearing in about 15 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. Elliss also had a significant role on special teams.

Since the Patriots play tonight, the move will be deferred to tomorrow, per ESPN’s Field Yates.

Broncos GM George Paton On Hot Seat?

December 7th, 2023 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Some of George Paton‘s draft choices as Broncos GM have become core pieces now at Sean Payton‘s disposal, and Denver’s new HC said upon taking the job the staffer with an identical-sounding surname reminded him of Saints GM Mickey Loomis. But rumors of Payton wanting to bring in one of his ex-New Orleans coworkers emerged this offseason.

Although the Broncos have turned their season around after a 1-5 start, Paton having predated Payton in Denver does make for a situation to monitor. Many look to be doing so, with the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora indicating steady rumblings about Paton not being back in Denver next year have surfaced.

Paton played a central role in negotiating Payton’s trade compensation with Loomis in January, doing so as it was widely expected his own role would diminish as a result of the Broncos acquiring a high-profile HC. CEO Greg Penner, who was not in place when Paton was hired, changed the Broncos’ power structure last December by indicating the next HC would report to ownership.

Upon being hired, Payton pushed back on a desire to have full-on control. But he has also been connected to wanting to bring in Jeff Ireland, with whom he worked for six years in New Orleans. Ireland, the former Jets GM, remains in place as the Saints’ assistant GM. Payton also mentioned Paton, among others, as being responsible for the franchise’s 2022 troubles.

The third-year Broncos GM’s performance can be looked at through multiple lenses. The longtime Vikings exec was in place to help bring Payton to town, doing so after showing his acumen in the draft. In Paton’s first draft, the Broncos selected Patrick Surtain, Javonte Williams and ascending guard Quinn Meinerz in the first three rounds. Outside linebacker regulars Baron Browning and Jonathon Cooper also came to Denver from Ohio State in the 2021 draft. Denver’s next two drafts started late due to the trades for Payton and Russell Wilson, the latter introducing a complication for Paton.

While Wilson has steadied his career after a woeful first season in Denver, the former Seahawks star has not proven worth the trade compensation (headlined by two first-round picks and two seconds) or $49MM-per-year extension — one that complicates the Broncos’ cap sheet in 2024. Denver’s new ownership arriving drove the Wilson extension past the finish line, despite two years remaining on his previous contract, but Paton also hired the coach who proved the catalyst for the quarterback’s 2022 freefall. The Broncos became the third team since the 1970 merger to fire a first-year head coach (Nathaniel Hackett) before the season ended. The team has also already bailed on Randy Gregory, a Paton free agency addition in 2022.

Paton, 53, was a sought-after GM candidate for years. The former Rick Spielman right-hand man was a regular on the GM interview circuit, eventually agreeing to succeed John Elway in Denver in January 2021. Elway took a different position in the Broncos organization before eventually stepping away earlier this year. The Broncos’ next five games may have an impact on Paton’s 2024 standing, but this storyline will be worth watching regardless of how the 6-6 team closes out the season.

Michigan Extension In Play For Jim Harbaugh

December 7th, 2023 at 1:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jim Harbaugh‘s NFL return has moved toward evergreen status as a late-season or early-offseason talking point, but after the Michigan HC’s two-suspension 2023, rumblings of this hiring period finally being the one in which he returns have been steady.

But Harbaugh NFL momentum has previously led to Michigan extensions. That plot may reform once again. Harbaugh and Michigan have resumed talks on an extension, according to Yahoo.com’s Dan Wetzel, who reports the ninth-year Wolverines HC’s salary would eclipse $11MM per year on this deal. The sides are negotiating a five-year agreement, though that component is not too relevant regarding any Harbaugh aspirations to return to the NFL. Harbaugh signed extensions in each of the past two years. Barring language that prevents Harbaugh from speaking with NFL teams, another extension would merely delay more talk of the fiery HC’s return to the league for a bit.

Harbaugh has been embroiled in controversy this season, but his second three-game suspension served during the campaign – stemming from Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal – has not done too much to deter teams from looking into the former 49ers HC. The NCAA still may punish Harbaugh further for his alleged role in the scandal. Harbaugh has also been away from the NFL for almost a decade. As the extensions with his alma mater keep piling up, the more difficult it will be to envision Harbaugh making a move back to the professional ranks.

The former Super Bowl HC has interviewed with NFL teams in each of the past two offseasons. He met about the Vikings’ job in 2023 but was never offered the position. Harbaugh then became the first candidate to interview for the Broncos’ gig this year. That keyed an up-and-down process. Harbaugh interviewed with Denver’s new ownership group on Jan. 9; on Jan. 16, he agreed to stay at Michigan. But he then met with Broncos CEO Greg Penner in late January in Ann Arbor. That meeting did not produce an agreement, as the Broncos soon finalized a trade for Sean Payton’s rights.

The Raiders, who gave Harbaugh his first coaching job (as quarterbacks coach under Bill Callahan), have been rumored as a team that will have interest. Harbaugh, 59, would also have a chance to interview before current NFL staffers, who are now prevented from speaking with teams until after the divisional round. The other team with a vacancy, Carolina, may not be a fit due to a potential for Harbaugh to seek full personnel control.

Despite the controversy this year brought, Harbaugh has the Wolverines entrenched as one of college football’s top programs. Michigan has qualified for the College Football Playoff for a third straight year, beating rival Ohio State in each of those campaigns. The Wolverines received the No. 1 position in the CFP hierarchy this year and will match up with Alabama on New Year’s Day. It is possible that game will take place with assurances Harbaugh will not be testing the NFL waters, something that has eluded the Wolverines for the past two years.

Load More Posts