HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Latest On Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase

August 29th, 2024 at 12:57pm CST by Ben Levine

AUGUST 29: Chase was again present for practice without participating on Thursday, as noted by Baby. Taylor declined to offer a firm timeline on when he expects Chase to return to team drills, meaning plenty of uncertainty remains over a situation which appeared to to be nearing at least a short-term resolution earlier this week.

AUGUST 28: The Ja’Marr Chase saga took an interesting turn today. After returning to practice earlier this week, the Bengals wideout didn’t participate in today’s session. Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, Chase was spotted at the team facility wearing only street clothes. ESPN’s Ben Baby confirms that Chase did not practice with the team today. This development comes 24 hours after coach Zac Taylor said he expected his star wideout to practice fully on Wednesday and Thursday.

After staging a training camp hold-in in pursuit of a new contract, Chase seemed to abandon his stance this week. The receiver participated in lighter practices to begin the week, and Taylor even told reporters yesterday that his star player was expected to suit up for Week 1.

Things took a turn today. With the Bengals preparing for “a more traditional game week practice” (per Baby), Chase was on the sideline. Taylor later walked back his previous comments about Chase’s practice availability, noting that he likely spoke “too quickly” while declaring the receiver day-to-day (although the coach also acknowledged that Chase is completely healthy).

“I think every day is a new day. We’ll keep working through it,” Taylor said (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “I am not going to make any predictions to what tomorrow brings. At the end of the day, Ja’Marr is a great dude that means a lot to this team, and we’ll just continue to take it day to day.”

While the Bengals have continually expressed interest in extending Chase, the front office is in no rush to hand him a lucrative new contract with two years remaining on the current deal. Chase doesn’t have a whole lot of leverage besides protecting his health and staying off the practice field, but one of the sides will eventually have to blink if the receiver is going to play in Week 1.

Jets GM Joe Douglas Addresses Haason Reddick Holdout

August 29th, 2024 at 10:50am CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets have at least the bulk of their 53-man roster in place as the countdown to Week 1 continues. Haason Reddick remains away from the team, however, and general manager Joe Douglas‘ comments on the matter do not suggest a resolution is imminent.

“Nothing has changed from our end,” Douglas said on Thursday (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “Obviously [I have] a ton of respect for Haason and awaiting his arrival and, you know, looking forward to when he does, he’s going to be welcomed with open arms.”

The Pro Bowl edge rusher has one year remaining on his current deal. Failed attempts to land an Eagles extension resulted in a trade with the Jets being worked out. Brief communication with New York on a new contract took place, but no agreement was worked out. Team and player appeared ready to continue negotiating during the offseason; instead, no talks have taken place recently. That has led to $50K in mandatory daily fines being accumulated and no progress being made toward a resolution.

Reddick is still absent from the Jets after his trade request went public. Douglas – who insisted no consideration will be given to dealing him – has remained firm in his stance that no new negotiations will commence until Reddick reports to the team. The 29-year-old’s holdout could stretch into the regular season, although some time still remains for an extension to be hammered out or for incentives to be added for 2024.

“In simple terms, we did talk about an extension,” Douglas added. “Once one wasn’t agreed upon, we had the conversation and we felt good about making the trade. Obviously, he came here, reported [for an introductory press conference], had a great day here. And, again, we’re just awaiting his arrival.”

New York has a number of edge rushers in place, and the team’s front seven is expected to remain one of the stronger units in the league with or without Reddick in the fold. The veteran sack artist’s presence would be a major boost, however, considering Bryce Huff departed in free agency and John Franklin-Myers was traded during the draft. Reddick would be subject to missed game checks on a weekly basis if his holdout continued into September, something which appears to remain a distinct possibility.

Vikings Sign QB Brett Rypien, Waive QB Jaren Hall

August 29th, 2024 at 9:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Brett Rypien has not needed to wait long to find a new gig. The veteran quarterback signed with the Vikings on Thursday, per a team announcement.

In a corresponding move, 2023 fifth-rounder Jaren Hall has been waived. Minnesota’s depth chart is still set at the top with Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens. In the wake of rookie J.J. McCarthy‘s season-ending season-ending meniscus surgery, though, the team looked into options for the third quarterback role. Matt Corral was briefly with the team, but he was among the Vikings’ initial roster cuts.

That move had Hall positioned to remain on the 53-man roster, but instead he will now hit the waiver wire. The BYU product made three appearances and two starts during his rookie season after Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear. Minnesota allowed Cousins to depart in free agency, adding Darnold on a one-year deal and moving up in the first round of the draft to select McCarthy. The Vikings have moved quickly in adding Rypien as a Hall replacement for the QB3 role.

Rypien was joined by Austin Reed in attempting land a spot with the Bears in 2024. Both passers wound up being cut, although the latter has since been signed to the practice squad. Rypien immediately became a free agent upon being released, a move which left him on the move yet again in his career. The 28-year-old made three starts during a span between 2020 and ’22 with the Broncos, but he has bounced around since that point. He has landed deals with the Rams, Seahawks and Jets in addition to the Bears pact in signed in March. Now, Rypien will look to carve out a role with his next NFC North team.

For Hall, meanwhile, the waiver process will allow teams to put in a claim if they are interested in adding him to their active rosters. Failing that, he will become a free agent eligible to re-sign with the Vikings or join a new team via a practice squad agreement. Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said (via Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune) the team does indeed hope to keep the 26-year-old in place via the taxi squad. That move will be possible by the end of the week if no claim is put in.

Browns To Release QB Tyler Huntley, Re-Sign RB D’Onta Foreman

August 29th, 2024 at 8:15am CST by Adam La Rose

Cleveland’s logjam at quarterback was not cleared out during roster cutdowns after the team was unable to trade away a depth passer. As a result, the Browns are moving forward with the release of Tyler Huntley.

Cleveland will let go of the former Ravens signal-caller, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Huntley is a vested veteran, so he will immediately become a free agent without needing to pass through waivers. As a result of this move, the Browns’ QB depth chart now consists of Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston.

In a corresponding move, Cleveland is set to bring back D’Onta Foreman. The veteran running back will be re-signed, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon-Journal reports. Foreman was among the veterans let go during roster cutdowns, but it was clear at the time that was merely a procedural move. The 28-year-old will provide backfield depth to a team which is without Nick Chubb to begin the campaign.

The latter will start the year on the reserve/PUP list, guaranteeing at least a four-week absence. Chubb may well need more time than that to return to full health as he continues to rehab the knee injury which ended his 2023 campaign. Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong are in place as Cleveland’s top backs while Chubb is on the mend, and Foreman – who has a career 4.2 yards per carry average but has played for four different teams in his six-year career – will offer another option, as will returner and pass-catcher Nyheim Hines once he is activated.

Huntley signed with Baltimore as a UDFA and spent much of his tenure there as Lamar Jackson‘s backup. The 26-year-old has made 22 regular and postseason appearances in his career, including 10 starts. He could draw interest as a backup option from interested teams as depth charts continue to be tinkered with in the build-up to Week 1. For Cleveland, Winston (who earned $4MM guaranteed on his one-year deal) will serve as a veteran backup option to Watson while Thompson-Robinson (a 2023 fifth-rounder) continues to develop.

Lewis Cine Backs Out Of Jets Deal; S To Join Bills’ Practice Squad

August 29th, 2024 at 8:09am CST by Adam La Rose

Lewis Cine was available on waivers after the Vikings moved on from him. The third-year safety went unclaimed, but in short order he appeared to line up a Jets agreement. Instead, he will be joining the Bills.

Cine is set to sign with Buffalo, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. As was the case with yesterday’s development, this will be a practice squad deal at first. Cine will attempt to rebuild his value while providing safety depth to the Bills, a team which has seen plenty of turnover in the secondary this offseason.

Buffalo no longer has either member of the Jordan Poyer–Micah Hyde tandem at the safety spot, although the latter could rejoin the team if he elected to avoid retirement. The Bills re-signed Taylor Rapp, added Mike Edwards in free agency and kept special teamer Damar Hamlin on the 53-man roster. Those three offer plenty of experience on the backend, and they are positioned to handle notable roles in 2024.

The Bills also invested in the safety position during this year’s draft, adding Cole Bishop in the second round. The Utah product was unable to remain healthy throughout his first training camp, but he has the upside to take on starting duties relatively early in his career. While the top of the depth chart gets sorted out in the fall, Cine will look to earn a promotion to the Bills’ active roster in short order.

The 24-year-old was unable to live up to expectations during his brief Vikings tenure. Cine, the final pick in the first round of the 2022 draft, has played just 10 regular season games to date. He will join veteran Kareem Jackson on the taxi squad to begin the campaign as he hopes to find a long-term opportunity. If one does not arise, Cine will be free to sign to the active roster of another team during the year if he draws interest.

Patriots Name Jacoby Brissett Starting QB

August 29th, 2024 at 8:02am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have landed on a starting quarterback with one week remaining until the start of the regular season. Jacoby Brissett will get the nod for Week 1, head coach Jerod Mayo announced on Thursday.

“I have decided Jacoby Brissett will be our starting quarterback this season,” the first-year head coach said when confirming the decision (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “As an organization, we’re 100% behind Jacoby.”

The 31-year-old returned to New England this offseason on a one-year, $8MM contract in free agency. That pact gave the team a veteran capable of serving as a bridge starter, but after trading away Mac Jones it was clear the Patriots would draft a quarterback in April. Turning aside considerable trade interest for the No. 3 pick, the team remained in place and selected Drake Maye. The North Carolina product will begin his NFL career as a backup given today’s news.

To no surprise, Brissett entered training camp atop the depth chart with Maye acclimating to the pro level in general and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt‘s scheme in particular. His success in doing so allowed him to surpass Bailey Zappe as the team’s backup, and continued development over the course of the summer created a genuine competition for the QB1 gig. Mayo noted on multiple occasions during the preseason that Maye closed the gap on Brissett, and he acknowledged earlier this week that the rookie had been the team’s better performer during their exhibition contests. Brissett’s experience will see him take the reins for at least the beginning of the campaign, though.

Jones had an encouraging rookie season, but his play dropped off significantly over the past two seasons. Dealing him to the Jaguars allowed for a fresh start for the former first-rounder, but he left the Patriots in need of a new long-term investment at the position. Maye had a more impressive 2022 campaign than he did last year, but his age and upside could allow him to serve as a starter for the long term. As is the case with many rookies, of course, Maye could still find himself in the lineup midway through his first season.

“I think it’s important to remember, what’s good for the team today may not be good for the team weeks down the line,’ Mayo added. “I think the challenge is you want to win every single game now, but also you’re trying to build something special. So to me, that was a challenge.”

On the books through at least 2027 (with the potential for another season via the fifth-year option), Maye will have plenty of opportunities to cement himself as New England’s starter. For the time being, however, the Patriots’ offense – a unit which has seen a number of new arrivals in the pass-catching corps and faces questions up front – will be led by Brissett. The veteran’s free agent stock will be determined by his play when on the field and how long into the 2024 season he will be able to maintain his place atop the depth chart.

Steelers Name Russell Wilson QB Starter

August 28th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Russell Wilson faced a challenge from his pole-position spot, but the veteran will hold off Justin Fields. The Steelers will go with the 13th-year passer to open the season, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reports. The Steelers have since announced it will be Wilson in Week 1.

The Steelers went to some lengths to assure Wilson he would be the starter. This was communicated to the decorated veteran before the Kenny Pickett trade and then after the team acquired Fields. While the latter has made a push that indicates this situation is not resolved from a long-term perspective, Fields will begin his Pittsburgh tenure as a backup.

Fields was believed to have supporters in the building, as the Steelers went about adjusting his footwork from his Bears days. Rather than name a starter before the third preseason game, Mike Tomlin waited until midway through the Steelers’ final week of summer workouts. This does not suggest Wilson will have a firm grip here, despite the early-offseason buzz about this job, but the 35-year-old passer will soon make his 189th career start.

Despite Fields closing the gap, the 25-year-old trade acquisition never emerged as a frontrunner. The Steelers may have been more inclined, after seeing Pickett stumble, to go with a more experienced option early. After trading Pickett, Pittsburgh signed off on a unique arrangement. Wilson and Fields are on low-cost deals that expire at season’s end. The team is not deviating from its policy of not negotiating extensions in-season, and no talks are planned to commence before the campaign. Both passers will head into contract years, and although reports about the Steelers eyeing a post-2024 future with both have come out, this Wilson-Fields setup will almost certainly be a one-and-done situation.

Calling this a “difficult decision,” Tomlin communicated it to both QBs today. This was Wilson’s first time in a quarterback competition since his rookie year, when he beat out Matt Flynn for the Seahawks’ job. The potential Hall of Famer held it for 10 years, but the Seahawks — after Wilson’s first injury-related absence came during a season that brought a step back from his Pro Bowl-level form — dealt his $35MM-per-year contract to the Broncos for an eight-asset package in March 2022. Wilson then signed a $49MM-AAV deal with Denver, going through an infamous tenure with the AFC West franchise.

Wilson’s Broncos run can be classified as a financial disaster, and while Sean Payton made it clear his fit with the off-script maven was poor, the 2023 season went much better for the former third-round pick compared to the shocking 2022 outcome.

Wilson rebounded from his rough season with Nathaniel Hackett, a campaign in which the Broncos allowed the QB to help design the offense and then gave him other perks, by throwing 26 touchdown passes compared to just eight interceptions with Payton at the controls. This still produced a late-season benching — after a behind-the-scenes drama unfolded regarding Wilson’s 2025 guarantee vesting date — but Wilson did show some better form, helping the Broncos to a five-game win streak that moved them into the playoff chase.

Denver took on a record-smashing dead money sum to separate from the embattled quarterback; regardless of offset language, Denver’s cap penalty over the next two years more than doubles any other single-player number. The Steelers swooped in an have the accomplished passer on a one-year, $1.21MM deal. But Wilson, who battled injuries in 2022 to contribute to his stunning regression, missed multiple weeks of training camp with a calf injury and only recently received full clearance. This allowed Fields to catch up a bit, and this situation will be one to monitor early in the season.

In the preseason, Fields went 19-for-27 for 199 yards. Playing in two preseason games, Wilson was 10 of 12 for 73 yards. Both struggled to move the offense in Pittsburgh’s second preseason game, but Wilson led a TD drive in the team’s finale. Fields did not lead any scoring drives against Detroit this past weekend. Fields probably offers more upside at this point, as Wilson will turn 36 in November, but the veteran brings a higher floor.

The Steelers will aim to pair Wilson with a veteran-laden defense, and it remains to be seen if the team will pry Brandon Aiyuk from the 49ers. Though, that scenario appears a longshot right now.

Jerry Jones: Cowboys “Don’t Need” To Extend Dak Prescott Before Start Of Season

August 28th, 2024 at 10:48pm CST by Ben Levine

CeeDee Lamb got his wish for a new contract, but Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is still set to play the 2024 campaign on the final year of his deal. Neither side has showed much urgency in completing an extension, and owner Jerry Jones seemed to acknowledge that a new contract was unlikely to be completed before Prescott and the Cowboys take the field for Week 1.

“We don’t need to get this done before the season,” Jones told Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS last week. “We just don’t need to get it done before the season. Because it’s in all of our interest, Dak and everybody, to have a great season. And as a matter of fact, that’s probably not realistic to think before the season. But my thought sitting right here is we’ll have Dak [as Cowboys quarterback in 2025 and beyond]. But all I’m gonna say is this: it’s not done yet.”

Logically, the Cowboys wouldn’t have invested so much money in a wideout without a plan to retain their franchise quarterback. While the two extensions may be mutually exclusive for the front office, Lamb’s new deal will probably have little impact on Prescott’s stance, and it’s seeming increasingly likely that the QB will play out the 2024 season on his current pact. While there’s a bit of risk from the Cowboys’ perspective to let this play out, but Jones still expressed optimism that Prescott will remain under center for 2025 and beyond.

“I think I am. I am,” Jones said of his confidence about an eventual Prescott extension. “But I understand completely. I understand our challenge. But confident is not a word for me here. I feel that I think that we can do it. We have not figured it out yet.”

With Prescott likely pushing for an average annual value of at least $55MM (and potentially north of $60MM), the organization will likely have to tighten the belt elsewhere on the roster. Jones is already preparing for the fallout from a Prescott extension, and the owner seemed to warn fans that a lucrative QB deal would mean concessions elsewhere on the roster.

“I’m looking at having less supporting cast around him than he’s had any time in his career,” Jones said. “He’s going to have to make up for that and some because we haven’t gotten to the games we want to be playing in. … And he’s going to have to do it in the future with less of a supporting cast. That’s what I’m fighting for. … What kind of supporting cast can we have around Dak? I know you understand that. Do our fans? Do our fans know that Dak is going to have less of a supporting cast than his career has allowed him to have up until now.”

Prescott is currently set to earn $34MM in cash this upcoming season. The organization could look to reduce his $55.13MM with an impending extension, although that would likely kick even more money down the road. The Cowboys front office clearly has to juggle multiple considerations as they navigate negotiations, and it sounds like they may just be willing to play out the 2024 campaign before biting the bullet.

Falcons Trade QB Taylor Heinicke To Chargers

August 28th, 2024 at 10:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Taylor Heinicke is heading to Los Angeles. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the Falcons are trading the quarterback to the Chargers. Atlanta will receive a conditional sixth-round pick in return. The conditions of that pick are based on playing time, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

[RELATED: Falcons Hoping To Trade QB Taylor Heinicke?]

We heard earlier this month that the Falcons were eyeing a Heinicke trade. While the veteran represented the team’s lone holdover at the position, his future was uncertain after the Falcons revamped their depth chart this offseason. First, the front office signed Kirk Cousins to a lucrative contract, and they later surprised many when they selected Michael Penix Jr. in the first round. That left Heinicke without a clear role on the team.

While the Falcons generally opted for three active QBs in 2023 while taking advantage of the league’s emergency quarterback spot, it sounded like the team preferred to stash their QB3 on the practice squad for the 2024 campaign. Atlanta ultimately carried Heinicke on the 53-man roster through final roster cuts, but they’ll now move forward with only a pair of QBs on their active roster.

While Heinicke was pushed off the roster in Atlanta, it’s not necessarily a reflection of his standing in the league. The former UDFA had a successful two-year stint in Washington between 2021 and 2022, guiding his squad to a 12-11-1 record as a starter. That performance helped earn him a two-year, $14MM deal with his hometown Falcons last offseason, where he was expected to provide former third-round pick Desmond Ridder with some competition. Heinicke ultimately got four starts for Atlanta, going 1-3 while completing a career-low 54.4 percent of his passes. The veteran took a pay cut from $5MM to $1.21MM to stick in Atlanta for 2024, but now he’ll be earning that reduced salary in Los Angeles.

The Chargers were only carrying a pair of QBs following final cuts, with Easton Stick lined up to be the QB2 behind Justin Herbert. Stick, a former fifth-round pick, has spent his entire career with the Chargers, and he finally got an extended look while filling in for Herbert in 2023. While the Chargers went 0-4 in his four starts, Stick still managed to complete 63.8 percent of his passes for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Heinicke will provide the organization with a bit more starting experience behind Herbert, but it’s uncertain how the depth chart will ultimately shake out.

49ers Medically Clear WR Brandon Aiyuk

August 28th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Ben Levine

As the 49ers continue their standoff with Brandon Aiyuk, the organization made a significant decision today. According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the team medically cleared their wide receiver, paving the way for Aiyuk to start facing fines.

Aiyuk has been engaged in a hold-in throughout the summer, although the team seemed to accommodate his stance. The player attended training camp on time and was present for team meetings, and since the organization attributed his on-field absences to back and neck soreness. the player was able to avoid daily fines of $40K. Following today’s medical clearance, the 49ers now have a clear path to start fining Aiyuk for “unexcused missed activities.” The organization also has the option to suspend the player for “conduct detrimental to the team,” per Wagoner.

While neither coach Kyle Shanahan nor general manager John Lynch would reveal if they’d slap Aiyuk with those punishments, they did express optimism that the medically clearance would coax the player into practicing. Predictably, that didn’t end up happening on Wednesday, as Wagoner notes that Aiyuk was absent from the portion of practice that was open to reporters.

Shanahan later admitted that he was preparing as if the wideout wouldn’t be available for Week 1. When asked about the regular-season status of Aiyuk and offensive tackle Trent Williams (who also continues to push for a new deal), the head coach said he’s planning for Week 1 with the players he currently has on the practice field.

“I’m optimistic that things will work out with Trent,” Shanahan said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m not sitting here knowing what day it will be. I mean, we’re getting close to playing a game. So, like, my mind is completely on preparing for a game without those guys. But I feel when two sides want to get a deal done, usually it happens.”

Shanahan also told reporters that Aiyuk’s uncertainty played a role in the team’s decision to carry seven wideouts on their initial 53-man roster (per Wagoner). With Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall, and fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing seemingly safe regardless of Aiyuk’s status, the likes of Chris Conley and Ronnie Bell were the main beneficiaries of this continued saga.

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