HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Dolphins LT Terron Armstead Could Miss Multiple Games

November 26th, 2023 at 9:24am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins may be without left tackle Terron Armstead for an extended time. Armstead suffered a quadriceps injury during Miami’s Black Friday victory over the Jets, and according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the veteran blocker could miss multiple games as a result.

Unfortunately, this is familiar territory for Armstead, who missed the first two games of the 2023 season after an assortment of injuries sustained in an August practice delayed his ongoing recovery from offseason arthroscopic knee surgery. Armstead returned to the lineup in Week 3 but exited the Dolphins’ Week 4 loss to the Bills due to a new knee injury that he sustained in the second quarter of that contest. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve and was forced to miss Miami’s next four games as a result.

Armstead played a full complement of snaps in Weeks 9 and 11 — the Dolphins had a Week 10 bye — before running into the quadriceps problem in Week 12. Head coach Mike McDaniel, who classified Armstead’s status as “week to week,” has said that the injury is not as serious as the quad ailment that brought a premature end to fellow offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn‘s season.

Now 32, Armstead has never been healthy for an entire season in his 11-year career, though he continues to perform at a high level. In admittedly limited action in 2023, the four-time Pro Bowler has not surrendered a sack or QB hit, and he has earned a strong 75.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (including a terrific 81.2 pass-blocking mark). As such, his absence will be missed as the 8-3 Dolphins seek to stay atop the AFC East and continue their push for the No. 1 overall seed in the conference.

Kendall Lamm, who has worked at LT in relief of Armstead this season, will once again step into that role if he is healthy enough to do so. Lamm is dealing with a back injury, though he was at least able to finish out the final few snaps of Friday’s matchup with the Jets when Miami was dealing with an OL shortage.

Lamm, 31, has already started six games this season, his highest total since he started 13 contests as the Texans’ primary right tackle in 2018. Unsurprisingly, he has not played as well as Armstead, having yielded three sacks and 13 total pressures. Still, his 65.9 overall PFF grade positions him as a starting-caliber tackle this year.

Jets To Give QB Tim Boyle Another Start

November 25th, 2023 at 10:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Tim Boyle is getting at least one more start for the Jets. Coach Robert Saleh told reporters this morning that the backup QB will be under center next weekend against the Falcons.

“Yeah, we’re giving Timmy a chance to roll again next week,” Saleh said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini).

It wasn’t a great showing for Boyle yesterday in his first start of the season. While the 29-year-old completed a respectable 71.1 percent of his passes, he also tossed a pair of interceptions and had a pair of fumbles. The loss to the Dolphins dropped Boyle to 0-4 as a starter in his career, with the other three losses coming with the Lions in 2021.

If Boyle is replaced, the Jets would likely turn to newly-named QB2 Trevor Siemian. The veteran was signed to the Jets active roster earlier this week as the team reworked their depth chart, a shakeup that saw Zach Wilson get demoted to the third spot on the depth chart. At this point, it seems unlikely that the Jets would turn back to the former second-overall pick, meaning Boyle or Siemian should get the bulk of the snaps at the position.

Of course, Aaron Rodgers has continued to keep the door open regarding a late-season return. However, thanks to yesterday’s loss, the Jets are now armed with the third-worst record in the AFC. Even with a future Hall of Fame QB back in the lineup, it’s unlikely they’d have enough time to insert themselves into the playoff picture.

Speaking of, that Jets loss also means the team would be eyeing a top-10 pick if the season ended today. Even though the organization is quickly climbing into “QB territory” on the draft board, Cimini says it would be a stunner if the front office chose a quarterback in the upcoming draft. The team still plans to roll with Rodgers in 2024, so any move will likely revolve around their win-now mentality.

Latest On Browns, QB Joe Flacco

November 25th, 2023 at 9:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns’ search for a veteran quarterback in the wake of Deshaun Watson‘s season-ending absence resulted in Joe Flacco being added. The latter boasts substantially more experience in the NFL than Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker, the passers he is now competing with on the depth chart.

While Flacco was signed (to the team’s practice squad, at first) to offer a higher floor as a backup compared to Walker, the veteran will not be in uniform for Week 12. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com notes Flacco will likely find himself second in the QB pecking order relatively soon, but it will again be a Thompson-Robinson-Walker tandem on Sunday. The Browns elected not to make Flacco a gameday elevation, confirming those short-term plans.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski quickly confirmed Thompson-Robinson would continue as the Browns’ starter in the wake of the Flacco signing (h/t ESPN’s Jake Trotter). The rookie has put up far from spectacular numbers in his two starts so far (55% completion percentage, zero touchdowns, four interceptions), but his play in preseason earned him the No. 2 role behind Watson and his familiarity with the offense obviously far outpaces that of Flacco. The latter was Cleveland’s top target for a midseason addition, though.

On that point, Tony Grossi of ESPN 850 reports the Browns were satisfied not only with Flacco’s arm strength but also his mobility. The former Super Bowl MVP was never known for being fleet of foot in his prime, so at the age of 38 expectations in that department will no doubt be tempered. Still, it is notable he managed to draw positive reviews from the team’s evaluation as a street free agent in his bid to continue what is now a 16-year career. It will be interesting to see how quickly Flacco manages to get a look as the backup.

Walker’s performances in that capacity (should he get the opportunity to play in the near future) will of course play a role in Cleveland’s decision at the QB spot. Given his inexperience and level of play so far, Thompson-Robinson also has far from a firm grip on the starter’s role at this point. For at least one more week, though, he will reside atop the depth chart while Flacco’s acclimation period and the changes it could bring about will be a storyline to watch for the Browns’ offense.

Saints Place CB Marshon Lattimore On IR; Derek Carr Clears Concussion Protocol

November 25th, 2023 at 7:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints’ offense will be without wideout Michael Thomas for an extended stretch after he was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. The same is now true of cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

The latter was moved to IR on Saturday, per a team announcement. Like Thomas, Lattimore exited the Saints’ loss to the Vikings and was subsequently deemed to have suffered a “signficant injury.” The ankle ailment kept Lattimore out of practice this week, and New Orleans will elect to shut him down during a pivotal point in the campaign. He will be forced to miss at least four weeks as a result of today’s move.

Lattimore’s absence will be acutely felt given his importance to the Saints’ secondary. That unit has helped New Orleans rank seventh in the league in passing yards allowed per game (199); he has also recorded one of the team’s 12 interceptions, a figure which places the team second in the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler has had another strong season in 2023 with 48 tackles, eight pass deflections and a 57.4% completion percentage allowed.

Fellow starters Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor will be leaned on more heavily at the CB spot moving forward with Lattimore facing a lengthy injury absence for the second consecutive season. A lacerated kidney and broken ribs led to a 10-game stay on the sidelines last year, though Lattimore did not go on IR in that case. With him now guaranteed to be shelved for at least a medium-term stretch, veteran Isaac Yiadom (who has primarily played on special teams) could be in line to take on a starting role.

In more positive injury news, quarterback Derek Carr cleared concussion protocol on Thursday. He is thus in line to suit up tomorrow after exiting the Saints’ Week 12 game. With the team’s bye week having come and gone, Carr’s throwing shoulder – which was banged up earlier in the campaign – should also be healthier, which could lead to improvement in the passing game on offense. That would be a welcomed development for the 5-5 Saints as they look to maintain their lead in the NFC South down the stretch.

In addition to placing Lattimore on IR, the Saints made defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul a gameday elevation. The two-time Super Bowl winner signed last week to New Orleans’ practice squad, and it comes as no surprise that he will quickly be eligible to make his Saints debut. Fullback Adam Prentice was also elevated to the gameday roster for tomorrow’s contest against the Falcons.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/25/23

November 25th, 2023 at 6:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves and callups for Week 12’s Sunday slate:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Texans Activate C Juice Scruggs From IR

November 25th, 2023 at 5:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 25: Finally, some good news for the Texans’ interior offensive line. After season-ending injuries to Quessenberry and Kenyon and Kendrick Green, and Patterson, the substitute starter at center, getting carted off with a broken fibula, nearly a month ago, Houston is finally getting some reinforcement. The team announced that they have officially activated Scruggs from injured reserve, allowing the second-round rookie to finally be available to potentially make his NFL debut. Whether or not he plays or starts has yet to be determined. He has only been back at practice since Wednesday and is trying to unseat the team’s fourth option at center, Dieter, who currently ranks as the NFL’s 23rd-best center, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

In order to make room for Scruggs on the active roster, the Texans have waived linebacker Garret Wallow. Wallow spent most of this year on the practice squad after being waived halfway through his rookie contract in the preseason. The former fifth-round pick started five games in his first two seasons but only made an appearance this year when he was promoted to the active roster a week ago. If he clears waivers, Wallow will almost certainly be retained on a practice squad contract.

Lastly, the Texans announced that cornerback Desmond King and wide receiver Steven Sims have been activated from the practice squad as standard gameday elevations for tomorrow’s divisional matchup against the Jaguars. King has appeared in three games this year for the Steelers after spending the past two seasons in Houston as a starter. The Texans brought him back to their p-squad this week. Sims was elevated last week and caught both his targets for 25 yards. Sims also took punt returner duties, fielding two for 16 yards.

NOVEMBER 22: Juice Scruggs has endured a long journey back from the hamstring injury he suffered during the preseason. The second-round Texans draftee has not yet made his NFL debut, despite his injury occurring in the team’s preseason finale.

The Texans have finally designated the Penn State product for return Wednesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Scruggs, who was moving toward being the Texans’ starting center during training camp, now has three weeks to be activated from IR. No activation in that span will make this a true redshirt year for the high-end interior O-line prospect.

Making multiple trades for O-linemen in August, the Texans have also seen long-term injuries affect their front. Projected guard starter Kenyon Green is out for the season, and trade pickup Kendrick Green joins him on season-ending IR. The team’s primary center starter last season, Scott Quessenberry, suffered season-ending injuries — ACL and MCL tears — early during training camp. That paved the way for Scruggs, but his hamstring setback has thus far defined his rookie year.

The Texans will give the No. 62 overall pick a chance to change that soon. Houston has also dealt with center availability issues in-season. Jarrett Patterson started seven games this season, but the sixth-round rookie is on IR after being carted off the field in Week 8. Free agent pickup Michael Deiter resides as option 4 for the Texans; the ex-Dolphins third-rounder has started the past three games at center.

Houston has just two IR activations remaining this season. It stands to reason Scruggs will be given a shot to come back. Though, the 6-4 team is contending for a playoff spot. A key performer going down with a short-term injury now could still be brought back later this season, but the ascending team may need to keep players on the active roster in the event of multiweek injuries going forward. DeMeco Ryans‘ previous team ran into this issue, with the 49ers using all their IR activations during the 2022 regular season.

Scruggs has already needed to overcome obstacles to keep his career going. A 2019 car accident left his playing future in serious doubt. The 6-3, 315-pound blocker earned third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2022, cementing his status as one of the top interior linemen in this year’s class.

Rams Activate RB Kyren Williams, S Jason Taylor II From IR

November 25th, 2023 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 25: Williams has now officially been activated off of injured reserve. The second-year rusher out of Notre Dame had been one of the NFL’s most fun surprises in the early weeks of the season, racking up 561 scrimmage yards and seven total touchdowns in six games. Freeman has done his best to handle the Rams’ rushing attack since Williams and Rivers went down, but Williams provides a significant upgrade to the offense in Los Angeles.

Joining Williams on the active roster off of IR is safety Jason Taylor II. Taylor was initially considered a sleeper candidate to win the starting safety job next to Jordan Fuller in the preseason but only saw special teams snaps before being placed on IR after the team’s Week 1 contest. His activation comes at just the right time as Quentin Lake, the team’s starting free safety for the past two games, has been ruled out this week in Arizona. Taylor will compete with John Johnson for snaps behind Fuller and Russ Yeast.

Los Angeles had already cleared space for Williams, but in order to make room for Taylor, the Rams waived offensive tackle Zachary Thomas. Thomas made two in-game appearances, getting some run on the line during the team’s loss to Cincinnati earlier this season but has been inactive ever since.

NOVEMBER 22: The Rams waiving Darrell Henderson provided a fairly clear indication Kyren Williams was ready to come off IR. The team began that transition officially Wednesday, designating the second-year running back for return.

Missing the minimum four games, Williams will be eligible to play in Week 12. Although the Rams have three weeks from today to activate the former fifth-round pick, it seems likely that transaction will take place ahead of this week’s Cardinals matchup.

Los Angeles lost its top two RBs — Williams and Ronnie Rivers — during its initial matchup with Arizona. Williams landed on IR with an unspecified ankle injury shortly after that Week 6 game. This marked the second straight season in which an ankle malady forced Williams to IR. The Notre Dame product missed rookie-year time because of a high ankle sprain, but he did not serve as L.A.’s starter last season. He moved into that role immediately in Year 2.

Williams showed promise before his latest ankle injury, putting together two 100-yard rushing performances in his past three games. During the game in which he sustained the injury, Williams blazed for a career-high 158 yards — nearly all of them coming after halftime. For the season, Williams has 456 yards and six touchdowns. After four weeks of using backs that were not on the team’s initial 53-man roster, the Rams’ offense stands to receive a boost soon.

Trading Cam Akers to clear a path for Williams and ending a multiyear separation saga, the Rams turned to veterans Henderson and Royce Freeman as their backfield mainstays during Williams’ latest IR stint. Henderson averaged just 2.4 yards per carry. While Freeman has been more efficient (4.3 YPC), the sixth-year back — who began the season on the Rams’ practice squad — will likely serve as a Williams sidekick moving forward. Rivers, who suffered a PCL sprain, has not returned to practice. The Rams still have sixth-round rookie Zach Evans on their roster, but Henderson and Freeman leapfrogged the TCU and Ole Miss product.

The Rams also designated safety Jason Taylor II for return on Wednesday. Drafted in the seventh round (and not related to the Hall of Fame defensive end), Taylor has not played since Week 1. The Rams have four IR activations remaining.

Eagles Activate WR Quez Watkins From IR

November 25th, 2023 at 4:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 25: It didn’t take long for the Eagles to officially activate Watkins. They are doing so today in time for tomorrow’s matchup against the Bills. With Watkins returning to the fold, Philadelphia now has their full assortments of receivers for a difficult stretch of the schedule. Having the whole receiving corps available is a huge plus as Hurts will be without tight ends Goedert and Grant Calcaterra for at least this upcoming game.

Tight end Noah Togiai will be brought up from the practice squad as a standard gameday elevation to help fill out a thin tight ends position. Joining him as a gameday elevation tomorrow will be practice squad linebacker Ben VanSumeren.

NOVEMBER 22: The NFL’s only one-loss team is moving closer to having its full wideout corps back at work. Quez Watkins returned to Eagles practice Wednesday, opening his 21-day activation window.

Placed on IR after suffering a hamstring injury, Watkins has been sidelined for longer than the IR-minimum requirement. The Philadelphia slot receiver has missed the past five games.

During Watkins’ absence, the Eagles added Julio Jones to their A.J. Brown– and DeVonta Smith-fronted wideout crew. Playing 82 snaps during his four-game run with the defending NFC champions, Jones has four receptions for 16 yards. Prior to Watkins’ injury, the fourth-year receiver was struggling to make an impact as well. Watkins will eventually come off IR with a four-catch, 21-yard stat line.

This is a contract year for Watkins, a 2020 sixth-round pick, and he will need to produce more to command a notable deal in free agency. Watkins did deliver more impressive work in the past. During Jalen Hurts‘ first season — one that became a run-leaning operation as Shane Steichen took over play-calling — Watkins posted a career-high 647 receiving yards. Once the Eagles traded for Brown during the 2022 draft, Watkins’ role took a hit. He finished last season with 354 yards — at just 10.7 per reception.

The Eagles also have Olamide Zaccheaus as a slot option; the ex-Falcon has just six receptions for 87 yards this year. With Dallas Goedert out, the Eagles could certainly use a viable third wideout. And it is worth wondering how frequently the team will use Watkins now that Jones is on the roster. The 8-1 team has six IR activations remaining this season. Goedert would not count toward this total, as the team is not planning to place its top tight end on IR.

Chiefs Place WR Mecole Hardman On IR

November 25th, 2023 at 2:32pm CST by Ely Allen

It looks like the Chiefs may have to wait a little longer to see the dividends from their recent reacquisition of wide receiver Mecole Hardman as they have officially placed their former second-round pick on injured reserve. The move comes after Hardman reportedly sprained his thumb during the team’s loss to the Eagles last week.

Hardman had parted ways with his former team after signing a one-year free agent deal with the Jets. Despite proving to be a strong contributor in Kansas City over his first four seasons, highlighted by his scoring of 18 touchdowns over that time, Hardman struggled to break through the depth chart in New York.

It was understandable that Hardman may slot behind Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and perhaps even Randall Cobb in the pecking order. It was the preference of head coach Robert Saleh for undrafted rookies like Xavier Gipson and Jason Brownlee that made spelled the doom of Hardman’s time in New York. This had Gang Green searching for a way to offload their offseason signing, eventually agreeing to a deal with Hardman’s former squad.

Unfortunately for Hardman, the fifth-year receiver has continued to struggle to find his role as the Chiefs have retooled their receiving corps. In four games back with his old team, Hardman has only eight catches for 41 yards. Unfortunately for Kansas City, they would still prefer to have him available, especially with wide receiver Kadarius Toney being ruled out of this Sunday’s contest in Las Vegas. Regardless, Hardman will be unavailable for at least the next four weeks.

In addition to placing Hardman on IR, the Chiefs also announced their two practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s clash with the Raiders. Wide receiver Montrell Washington will be called up to try and fill out the receiving corps with the absences of Hardman and Toney. Running back La’Mical Perine will also be called up to fill in for Jerick McKinnon, who has also been ruled out for tomorrow.

Bengals’ Joe Burrow Placed On IR

November 25th, 2023 at 1:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 25: The Bengals announced today that they have officially placed Burrow on injured reserve. In addition to placing their newest franchise quarterback on IR, the team filled his roster spot by activating fifth-round rookie running back Chase Brown off of IR. Brown made an appearance in five games before being placed on IR with a hamstring injury. He played extremely sparingly on offense, only tallying two carries and three receptions, but was a consistent presence on special teams.

The team also announced practice squad quarterback A.J. McCarron as Cincinnati’s only standard gameday elevation for tomorrow. With Burrow out, McCarron will be available to serve as Browning’s backup.

NOVEMBER 17: The carnage from Thursday night’s game will hit the Bengals as well. Following the news of Mark Andrews likely being done for the season, Zac Taylor announced Friday that Joe Burrow has suffered a torn thumb ligament.

Burrow will miss the rest of the season with the wrist injury, Taylor revealed Friday. This is a devastating blow for the Bengals, who have seen Burrow change their trajectory over the past four seasons. Burrow entered Thursday having not missed a game due to injury since his rookie-year ACL tear.

After playing through calf trouble early this season, Burrow had recovered. The Bengals’ fortunes reversed. The team won four straight, including victories over the 49ers and Bills, and had moved into a showdown with the Ravens. But Burrow arrived in Baltimore sporting a brace on his right wrist. The Bengals did not list their star quarterback on the Week 11 injury report, creating speculation the AFC North team was attempting to conceal a malady. As a result, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicates the NFL is investigating the Bengals.

While putting two and two together points to Burrow having an issue coming into Thursday night’s matchup, Taylor adds (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) the injury the fourth-year standout sustained is “completely unrelated” to the wrap he wore earlier in the day. When speaking publicly on the matter, Burrow confirmed as much (via ESPN’s Ben Baby). While attention around the league will turn to the league’s probe into the Bengals, Cincinnati will be forced to make a late run at the postseason with a major question mark under center.

Jake Browning, who took over for Burrow to close out last night’s contest, will assume starting duties for the rest of the season. The former UDFA had attempted one regular season pass in the NFL prior to Week 11, but he did enough in training camp and the preseason to earn a low-cost No. 2 job. Risk was incurred on the Bengals’ part by entrusting a relative unknown to serve as Burrow’s fill-in option, but Browning will now be tasked with leading the team toward a wild-card spot.

The Bengals entered Thursday’s loss ranked last in the league in rushing yards per game, so transitioning to a ground-heavy attack led by Joe Mixon may not offer a viable strategy. The team’s defense has delivered consecutive poor performances as well, so that unit will be hard-pressed to handle, in all likelihood, a larger workload with respect to having a role in victories down the stretch. Cincinnati sits at 5-5 on the year with an 0-3 record against the AFC North. A strong showing in the coming weeks will be needed for the team to remain in the hunt for what would now be considered an underdog postseason run.

Prior to the start of the 2023 season, Burrow inked a five-year, $275MM extension. That deal made him the latest in a line of young passers to land market-altering deals, and ensured his long-term future in Cincinnati. The 26-year-old will remain the foundation of the Bengals’ franchise for years to come, but today’s news will add another season-ending injury to his NFL career.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

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