HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

49ers Attempted Trade For Justin Jefferson Before Draft

September 15th, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Ely Allen

This offseason saw the Vikings sign their young, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson to the biggest contract for a pass catcher in NFL history, The four-year, $140MM deal matched Davante Adams in total value, but with Adams contract for five years, that leaves Jefferson alone at the top in average annual value with $35MM per year. Before the team ensure Jefferson was sticking around for years to come, though, multiple teams reached out with interest in trading for the offensive phenom.

According to a recent report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers checked if Minnesota was open at all to a trade that would land them the NFL’s top wideout. This attempt at a trade happened amidst San Francisco’s contract struggles with their own wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. The Aiyuk-situation devolved to a point at which the 49ers wide receiver even requested a trade himself.

The deal was a no-go for the Vikings from the start. The 49ers weren’t the only ones to try, though. Per Schefter, the Jets and Colts made inquiries, as well, into obtaining the star receiver. Minnesota shut down any interest and delivered on their own plans of extending Jefferson to his record-breaking deal. San Francisco, for their part, ended up inking Aiyuk after their failed trade attempt, signing him to a four-year, $120.01MM contract.

This report is a timely one as the two teams faced off today. Jefferson’s 133-yard performance including a 97-yard touchdown was a key factor in Minnesota’s victory over the favored 49ers. Aiyuk’s season, after his long holdout, is off to a slow start. So far this year, Aiyuk has six catches for 71 yards in two contests.

Latest On Micah Parsons’ Approach To Cowboys Extension

September 15th, 2024 at 5:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb landed monster Cowboys extensions ahead of Week 1. Micah Parsons was eligible for a second contract during the offseason, but to little surprise he did not engage in serious contract talks during the summer.

Parsons has made it clear to the Cowboys’ front office that no extension talks will take place during the regular season. The 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year’s attention is focused on another campaign with standout production, something which would help his bargaining power. Parsons is also well aware of where the edge market as a whole currently stands, though.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms Parsons is prepared for a lengthy wait to secure his second contract. Part of the negotiating process will depend on what happens with the league’s other contracts at the top of the position’s market. As Rapoport notes, both T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett could hammer out new deals with their respective teams next offseason; Watt’s Steelers pact runs through 2025 and does not include guaranteed salary for its final year. Garrett is on the books though 2026, and he too does not have guaranteed salaries beyond the current year.

Watt and Garrett have seen their deals surpassed in terms of annual average value over the past two years. Nick Bosa inked a 49ers extension averaging $34MM per year in 2023, while this past offseason saw Josh Hines-Allen (Jaguars) and Brian Burns (Giants) slot second and third in terms of AAV. If market corrections are made for some of the top veterans seeking to adjust their deals next spring – coupled with an increase in the salary cap ceiling, of course – Parsons could be positioned to command a massive raise.

To little surprise, Rapoport notes Parsons is expected to surpass Bosa as the league’s top earner amongst edge rushers once his deal is in place. Bosa took the title of the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback with his deal and held it until Justin Jefferson landed a Vikings pact with a $35MM AAV. Parsons, 25, was tied in June to an asking price which would move him to the top of the pecking order for non-QBs. It would not surprise if he angled for such a pact, although the Cowboys’ deals for Prescott and Lamb met their desired terms in both cases.

Dallas’ ability to handle the cap implications of Prescott, Lamb and Parsons on monster pacts will be challenging moving forward. The likes of Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence are pending free agents, so they too will need new commitments if they are to be retained beyond the current season. Needless to say, the Parsons negotiating process will be an interesting storyline for the Cowboys in particular and the league as a whole once it begins.

Packers’ Jordan Love Aiming For Week 5 Return

September 15th, 2024 at 2:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers are relying on Malik Willis under center in Week 2 while Jordan Love recovers from his MCL sprain. Injured reserve is not under consideration, and as a result a return to action within four weeks is possible.

In the latest update on Love’s status, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the second-year starter is aiming to be back in place for Week 5 (video link). The injury is not as serious as it originally appeared, Rapoport adds, which is a positive sign. Love initially appeared to be facing a three-to-six week recovery timeline, so Week 5 would represent the best-case scenario in terms of taking the field.

Willis only made three starts during his three-year Titans tenure, all of which took place during his rookie campaign. The former third-rounder did not develop as hoped in Tennessee, but he was surprised he found himself on the move shortly before the start of the campaign. Willis, 25, spent the build-up to the regular season attempting to learn head coach Matt LaFleur‘s scheme and he will be counted on to operate the offense for a short-term period. Sean Clifford – who like Michael Pratt was among the Packers’ roster cuts – is in place as the team’s backup.

Love faced questions about his viability as Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers successor ahead of last season. After an inconsistent start to the 2023 campaign, the 25-year-old put up strong numbers down the stretch and through the postseason. In spite of his limited experience, Love joined a number of other young passers in securing a monster extension this offseason. He is now attached to a $55MM AAV, a figure which put him in a tie for the lead in that respect until Dak Prescott‘s new Cowboys deal was worked out.

Given the size of the commitment made by Green Bay to Love, the team will no doubt prefer to take a cautious approach with his return. Success with Willis at the helm could help the Packers elect to sit Love an extra game or so, but even without that their starting signal-caller should be back in relatively short order.

Latest On QB Daniel Jones’ Future With Giants

September 15th, 2024 at 12:39pm CST by Rory Parks

The Giants’ attempts to trade up in this year’s draft to acquire a top quarterback prospect were clearly not a ringing endorsement of incumbent Daniel Jones, who landed a four-year, $160MM contract from the team in March 2023. The ensuing 2023 season was an injury-marred slog for Jones, who played in just six games and who threw for two touchdowns against six interceptions while posting a 1-5 record and 70.5 quarterback rating.

Owner John Mara recently indicated that he did not have buyer’s remorse over the Jones deal, noting that the Duke product’s injuries – he battled a neck ailment before a season-ending ACL tear – the team’s lack of receiving talent, and a porous O-line conspired to make 2023 a forgettable season for Jones and for Big Blue as a whole. And, while there was never any real QB controversy this summer despite speculation to the contrary, that could change if Jones does not begin to perform at a higher level.

Even if the Giants had been successful in their pursuit of a high-end collegiate signal-caller in the draft, they would have been unable to realistically get out from under Jones’ contract this year. 2025, though, is a different story, as New York can release Jones as a post-June 1 cut next year and realize cap savings of $30.5MM while incurring relatively modest dead money charges of $11.1MM in 2025 and 2026. 

However, Jones’ deal also includes $23MM in injury guarantees, a sum that will become fully guaranteed if he suffers an injury and is unable to pass a physical in the offseason. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote this morning, if Jones does not play up to the 2022 standard that helped him secure his notable payday, the Giants could be put to a decision: bench Jones and protect themselves against the injury guarantee – as a number of teams have done in recent history – or continue rolling the dice with the player to whom they made such a sizeable commitment not that long ago?

Connor Hughes of SNY.tv notes that this is not just idle speculation on Schefter’s part, thereby suggesting that the team is already contemplating a Jones benching at some point in the near future (indeed, Hughes reminds us that GM Joe Schoen brought up the topic at his preseason presser, and Hughes himself said he could envision a quarterback change at halftime of the club’s Week 2 contest today if Jones does not play well).

On the other hand, Dan Duggan of The Athletic points out that head coach and offensive play-caller Brian Daboll did not act like a man who was concerned with the injury guarantee in last week’s 28-6 drubbing at the hands of the Vikings. Daboll called three power runs for Jones, and he even called timeouts to get the ball back for a garbage-time drive, during which Jones took two more hits.

Of course, Daboll is very much on the hot seat, and given that his backup QB is Drew Lock, he has every reason to try to get Jones in a rhythm. But Jones, who completed 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards and two picks in the Minnesota contest, may be running out of time to do that, with ESPN’s Jordan Raanan hearing from multiple sources that the sixth-year passer has lost confidence in himself.

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Discusses Knee Injury; Latest On Team’s Development Plan

September 15th, 2024 at 11:48am CST by Rory Parks

The Vikings’ hopes to see quarterback J.J. McCarthy under center at some point this season have been dashed, as the No. 10 overall pick of this year’s draft sustained a torn meniscus that required a full repair and that will force him to miss the entirety of his rookie campaign. Nonetheless, the club obviously is still doing everything it can to ensure that McCarthy has a long and productive career in Minnesota.

As Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reports, the Vikings have implemented “a comprehensive player development plan” to aid in McCarthy’s growth from a mental standpoint. That includes at least an hour of one-on-one time with head coach Kevin O’Connell each week and regular work with assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski.

Of course, McCarthy will remain a constant presence in the quarterbacks room and will receive the weekly game plan. The team will also use virtual reality programs to help him learn how to see the field and process game situations, and per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the Vikings will give McCarthy access to a camera they have attached to the top of starting QB Sam Darnold’s helmet during practice. Once McCarthy is medically cleared – we previously heard that could happen this season, although the Vikings are likely to keep him on the sidelines regardless – he will be “entrenched in the process of a starting quarterback.”

As Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune writes, McCarthy suffered both a medial and radial tear in his meniscus, although he did not realize he was injured until after he appeared in the Vikes’ preseason opener on August 10. McCarthy told reporters, including Goessling and Seifert, that his knee buckled while walking down the stairs at his home the day after the game, and by the following day, the pain was such that he realized he needed to alert the team.

“I just wanted to play it safe and play the long game and understand I could be a tough guy and tough it out and try to grit out that first start that I was going to get [the following week],” McCarthy said. “But at the end of the day, what’s best for this organization and this team is me making smart decisions, especially early on in my career. And that was one of them, to just figure this out before a landmine goes off in my knee.”

McCarthy candidly added that the severity of his injury was a “kick in the balls,” though he believes the mental reps and the other work the team has planned for him will be a boon to his development. 

The Michigan product said that work will “solidify what it’s like to go through the week and with the benefit of not having pressure to perform on Sunday. So, by the time I do play, whenever that is, next year, following year, whenever it is, I’ll be ready, and it won’t be like this is my first game.”

In the meantime, Darnold will have a full season to establish himself as a quality starter parlay his one-year, $10MM deal with Minnesota into a bigger payday elsewhere. He had a successful Vikings debut in Week 1, completing 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception en route to a 28-6 win over the Giants.

Justin Fields Could Remain Steelers’ QB1 Regardless Of Russell Wilson’s Health?

September 15th, 2024 at 10:43am CST by Rory Parks

Earlier this week, we heard that the Steelers were likely to start Justin Fields at quarterback in today’s Week 2 matchup against the Broncos as Russell Wilson continues to work his way back from a calf ailment. We also heard that Wilson, who was named the starting QB at the end of August before aggravating the calf injury, was likely to reclaim the QB1 post when healthy enough to do so.

This morning, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirmed that Fields would get the nod today. However, Rapoport also added that if the former first-round pick of the Bears leads Pittsburgh to a victory, head coach Mike Tomlin may opt to keep the younger passer at the top of the depth chart, regardless of Wilson’s health status.

In Rapoport’s estimation, such a decision would not amount to a Wilson benching per se, but rather a case of riding the hot hand (although Wilson might not see it that way). In the Steelers’ Week 1 victory over the Falcons, Fields did not lead the team to a touchdown, but six field goals and a strong defensive performance were enough to carry the day.

Fields was highly efficient in the Atlanta contest, though he was also quite conservative, completing 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards. He also showed off his running ability, adding 57 yards on the ground on 14 carries.

Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith praised Fields’ measured approach. Smith said of Fields, “he was very disciplined. He wasn’t greedy. When the shots were there, we took advantage of them.”

Fields’ prowess as a runner has never been in doubt. Instead, the fact that he never blossomed into a high-end passer is what ultimately led to his trade out of Chicago this offseason, with the Bears taking advantage of the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft to nab blue chip prospect Caleb Williams. Wilson, on the other hand, has a long history of being a highly-effective passer, even if his last two seasons as a member of the Broncos did not live up to expectations.

As Rapoport observes, Tomlin continued to deploy Mason Rudolph under center in 2023 even after Kenny Pickett was cleared to play, showing that the league’s longest-tenured head coach is not afraid to deviate from his original plans if the situation calls for it. Should Fields deliver another “game manager” performance in Week 2, even if that performance results in a win, Tomlin may still prefer to see what Wilson can do. But if Fields should shine, then the decision could be more complicated.

Rams To Place WR Puka Nacua On IR; Nacua To Miss Five To Seven Weeks

September 15th, 2024 at 7:35am CST by Ben Levine

SEPTEMBER 15: Nacua is expected to miss five to seven weeks, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. While the wideout could still return as early as Week 7, this timeframe puts him in danger of missing that Week 7 bout with the Raiders as well as the Rams’ Week 8 contest against the Vikings (which is a Thursday night game).

SEPTEMBER 9: Puka Nacua‘s knee injury will keep him off the field for the next four weeks. Coach Sean McVay told reporters that the wideout will be placed on injured reserve. The Rams have a bye during Week 6, so the earliest Nacua can return to the field is Week 7.

McVay also revealed that Nacua’s latest injury is a continuation of a nagging knee issue that forced him to miss several weeks during training camp. McVay said Nacua aggravated his knee injury in a “more significant” manner (per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic), and the wideout was officially diagnosed with a PCL sprain. The second-year wideout hauled in four catches last night before limping off the field during the second quarter. He briefly returned to the contest before exiting for good.

The 2023 fifth-round pick set the NFL rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486), earning him All-Pro and All-Rookie team honors. He only got into 12 games alongside Cooper Kupp in 2023, and the Rams will now be extra reliant on the 31-year-old wideout over the next month. Both Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson saw increased roles following Puka’s exit on Sunday night, and tight end Colby Parkinson also contributed four receptions.

The Rams’ injury issues don’t end there. Offensive lineman Steve Avila suffered an MCL sprain and is also a candidate for injured reserve, per Rodrigue. Avila is also on track to miss at least four games, Rodrigue adds, even though the team has not yet placed him on IR yet.

The 2023 second-round pick earned All-Rookie team honors after starting all 17 games as a rookie, but he could end up missing a handful of weeks during his sophomore campaign. Avila started at left guard last night and was later replaced by sixth-round rookie Beaux Limmer, who bumped Jonah Jackson from center to left guard. Jackson will move back to LG, McVay said. The Rams signed Jackson to play left guard but shuttled him to center recently; a four-year Lions starter, Jackson played LG for nearly his entire time in Detroit.

Left tackle Joe Noteboom is week-to-week with an ankle injury. The lineman was limited to 27 snaps before being replaced by practice squad callup AJ Arcuri. Starting right guard Kevin Dotson didn’t miss a snap last night, but McVay said the lineman is day-to-day while recovering from a lateral ankle sprain.

49ers To Place RB Christian McCaffrey On IR

September 14th, 2024 at 10:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Christian McCaffrey is officially out for at least the next month. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 49ers are placing their star running back on injured reserve.

NFL Network Ian Rapoport says the team is hoping McCaffrey will be ready to play when first eligible in Week 6. That October 10th showdown with the Seahawks could end up marking the running back’s season debut, although ESPN’s Nick Wagoner cautions that it’s “no guarantee” that McCaffrey is ready by that date, and Rapoport added that CMC could be sidelined for six weeks, and possibly longer (video link).

McCaffrey was limited with calf issues during the preseason and the practices preceding Week 1, leading to him being a sudden inactive for the team’s season opener. It’s since been revealed that the RB is dealing with a serious case of Achilles tendinitis, although both the player and the team expressed some optimism that the star would be back for Week 2. At the very least, there was optimism that McCaffrey would only have to miss one more game.

However, the organization’s tone changed over the past 24 hours. Yesterday, coach Kyle Shanahan definitively ruled out McCaffrey for Week 2 while also admitting that an IR stint was a real possibility. Now, the team will be rolling without their top offensive weapon for at least the next four games.

Jordan Mason had a breakout performance while filling in for his star teammate. The running back finished Week 1 with 152 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown, and it sounds like the third-year back will continue to lead the depth chart.

The team actually didn’t give any carries to backups Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor, with wideout Deebo Samuel getting eight rushing attempts of his own. When asked about the receiver’s usage in the running game, Shanahan said it would be a “game by game proposition” (per Wagoner). The head coach also expressed trust in Guerendo and Taylor, so perhaps we’ll see more of the duo in the coming weeks.

Patriots T Chukwuma Okorafor Leaves Team

September 14th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots made a pair of transactions today ahead of their matchup tomorrow with the Seahawks. One of those transactions was essentially an announcement as offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor was placed on the exempt/left squad list, per Patriots staff writer Evan Lazar.

According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Okorafor informed the team that he would be leaving. As Kyed puts it, “the team’s understanding is that this is not a temporary decision” as Okorafor “has been checked out mentally over the past month or so.” These events must have taken place in the last 24 hours or so as Okorafor was present in the locker room yesterday. This is the second year in a row that New England has seen a player voluntarily walk away, though quarterback Matt Corral did not give notice of his departure before leaving the team last season.

After six years of playing right tackle for the Steelers, Okorafor was asked to step in as a left tackle for New England in 2024 after the departure of Trent Brown this offseason. In 12 snaps of football during the team’s Week 1 game against the Bengals, Okorafor was asked to pass block six times. In those six passing snaps, Okorafor allowed three quarterback pressures. He was quickly replaced by Vederian Lowe, who played on the first-team offense for the remainder of the game.

Lowe seems to be the next man up as the Patriots move forward without Okorafor. A former sixth-round pick for the Vikings in 2022, Lowe was traded to the Patriots last year for a 2024 sixth-rounder and made eight starts in 11 games for New England at both left and right tackle. The swingman will once again be asked to step into a starting role.

In addition to placing Okorafor on the exempt/left squad list, the team also called up offensive guard Michael Jordan as a standard gameday practice squad elevation for the second straight week. Jordan was promoted in Week 1 as the Patriots expected starting guard Sidy Sow to miss the game with an ankle injury. Jordan ended up starting the game and playing all 64 snaps at left guard. With Sow expected to miss this week’s game, as well, Jordan could be lined up with the first-team offense, once again.

Practice squad players can only be called up as gameday elevations twice, so if the team has plans to start, or even play, Jordan any more after this week, they will need to sign him to the active roster. After doing so, they can still cut Jordan and return him to the practice squad, where he can be called up twice again.

Chiefs’ Marquise Brown To Miss 2024 Season

September 14th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Shortly after Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown was placed on injured reserve ahead of undergoing shoulder surgery, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Brown is expected to miss the entire 2024 regular season. We had already been told by head coach Andy Reid that Brown’s recovery period had been adjusted to “months” and not “weeks,” but the sternoclavicular injury will seemingly keep Brown from returning this year.

Brown signed a one-year, $7MM deal with the Chiefs this offseason after finishing out his rookie contact with the Cardinals. Originally a Ravens Day 1 selection, Brown was impressive over his time in Baltimore, scoring 21 touchdowns over those three seasons and breaking the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his final year with the team. The Ravens surprisingly included him in a draft day trade that allowed them to move back into the first round and select Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum.

During his two years in Arizona, Brown failed to find the same consistent success in the endzone. Though he twice finished second on the team in receiving yards, Brown only secured seven touchdowns during his time as a Cardinal. That hurt his free agent market during the offseason, although with a career yards per reception average of 11.6, the 27-year-old represented one of the top speedsters available and positioned himself to handle a notable role in Kansas City. Now, any game action he sees this campaign will come during the playoffs.

Consistency at the receiver position was an issue for the Chiefs in 2023, with the team’s passing efficiency not reaching its previous heights en route to a second straight Super Bowl title. Brown’s signing was followed by the decision to draft Xavier Worthy in the first round. The latter enjoyed an impressive debut (68 scrimmage yards, two total touchdowns) while logging a 63% snap share and he will be counted on to operate as a key vertical threat in Brown’s absence.

Since 2023 second-rounder Rashee Rice is set to continue playing without the threat of any suspension for the time being, he will remain a focal point for Kansas City’s offense. The team also has familiar faces in Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster in place after Hardman was re-acquired midway through last season and Smith-Schuster returned to the team following his Patriots release. The Chiefs’ depth chart is rounded out by Skyy Moore and Justin Watson as things stand.

With roughly $6MM in cap space, Kansas City does not have nearly as much spending power as many other teams at the moment. That would make an outside addition challenging, but the team has a number of other pass catchers (including, of course, All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce) to rely on. For Brown, meanwhile, his attention will turn to recovery once his operation takes place ahead of what will no doubt be a relatively tepid free agent Market next spring.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

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