HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin Aiming For Postseason Return

October 29th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Chris Godwin‘s recovery process is underway, with his ankle surgery having recently taken place. His injury will sideline him for the remainder of the Buccaneers’ regular season, but he is leaving the door open to a playoff return.

“I mean, I think that’s best-case scenario, right?” Godwin said when asked about his recovery timeline (via ESPN’s Jenna Laine). “Like absolute best case. For all involved. Everything lines up. That’s what you kind of aim for.”

Given those remarks, it should still be considered unlikely Godwin plays again in 2024, even if the Bucs manage a postseason berth. Tampa Bay lost both Godwin and Mike Evans in Week 7 (although the latter’s hamstring injury is not as serious), severely thinning out the team’s receiver depth chart. The Bucs lost the game in which both wideouts went down, along with Sunday’s divisional tilt against the Falcons.

Tampa Bay now sits at 4-4 as a result, so another NFC South title is far from a certainty at this point. Reaching the playoffs will be a challenge given the injuries faced on offense (along with the team’s underwhelming showings on defense). In the event the Buccaneers were able to qualify for the playoffs, though, it would at least open the door to an eventual return on Godwin’s part.

The 28-year-old’s last major injury came in 2021, when he suffered ACL and MCL tears. Godwin managed to top 1,000 yards in each of the past two campaigns, and he was well on his way to surpassing that mark once again in 2024 with a yards per game average of 82.3 (the second-highest of his career). A strong showing would have boosted his market value, but the pending free agent’s attention is now on recovering as quickly as possible.

No talks on an extension are believed to have taken place leading up to the 2024 campaign, leading to plenty of uncertainty surrounding Godwin’s future. Team and player would certainly welcome a return during the postseason, should that become a possibility.

Colts Evaluating Anthony Richardson’s Place In Starting Lineup

October 28th, 2024 at 10:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Anthony Richardson threw 22 incompletions Sunday and took the rare step of asking out of a game due to fatigue. Viewed as a developmental player with a high ceiling, Richardson has not shown consistency since debuting in Week 1 of last season.

The Colts saw the 2023 No. 4 overall pick complete 10 of 32 passes (including 2-for-15 in the first half) against the Texans, and while they only lost to the AFC South leaders by three points, they have not seen Richardson make strides in Year 2. Richardson did not benefit much from his rookie year, seeing a shoulder injury end his season early, but the Colts are at least a wild-card contender in the AFC tied to an unreliable quarterback.

As it stands, Shane Steichen said Richardson remains Indianapolis’ starter. But the second-year Colts HC, responding to a question about Richardson’s Week 9 status, said (via ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder) the team is “evaluating everything.” The Colts have Joe Flacco in place as their backup and used the 39-year-old veteran in two starts while Richardson rehabbed an oblique injury. The Colts kept Richardson in their lineup after struggles before his oblique issue; they appear to be giving stronger consideration to taking the other route now.

For the season, Richardson has completed an astonishing 44.4% of his passes. That is the fifth-lowest number through six games since 2000, per ESPN Stats and Info. Richardson was at 59.5% before going down last season. The Florida product is still 3-3 as a starter who has averaged 7.2 yards per attempt, but he ranks 27th in QBR and last among qualified options in passer rating. Flacco has completed 65.7% of his throws while filling in this season, throwing seven touchdown passes compared to one interception.

Richardson exited Week 8 with a 4-to-7 TD-INT ratio. The highly touted prospect has 242 rushing yards but has completed 10 or fewer passes in four of the five games he finished this season, significantly hindering Indianapolis’ offense. Both Steichen and center Ryan Kelly spoke to the QB after his decision to tap out for a play following a scramble in Houston. It would stand to reason that will be factored into Steichen’s Richardson-or-Flacco decision for Week 9.

“We had a conversation about it this morning in the quarterback room, which I’ll keep private,” Steichen said. “But, obviously, in those situations he knows on those type of deals, you can’t take yourself out and it’s a learned experience for him and he’s got to grow from it.”

Still just 22, Richardson came to Indianapolis after starting one season at Florida. While dazzling at the 2023 Combine, the 6-foot-4, 244-pound passer also struggled with accuracy with the Gators. He completed less than 54% of his throws during the 2022 season. The Colts will need to balance Richardson’s long-term development with a chance to make the playoffs. Steichen had previously said Richardson needed playing time to improve. The former Eagles OC stepped back a bit from that stance Monday.

“I think it could go either way,” Steichen said of a quarterback developing by playing or observing. “There’s certain [teams] that throw guys into the fire early and there’s other guys that let them sit back and watch. Like I’ve said before, the more you play, the more you learn at that position. But is there a benefit sometimes in sitting back and watching it? Yeah, of course there is.”

The fact that the Colts went from 2017-23 with seven different Week 1 starting QBs — tied for the second-longest stretch since the 1970 merger — and cycled through veterans post-Andrew Luck will undoubtedly factor into their decision as well, but Richardson is officially on notice. The Colts would be unlikely to go through with a benching that leaves Richardson’s long-term future in doubt, as the Panthers did with Bryce Young, but they would need to walk a fine line if they sit their prospect midway through his second season.

Chiefs Acquire Josh Uche From Patriots

October 28th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Uche is indeed on the move. The fifth-year edge rusher is being traded from the Patriots to the Chiefs, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

Kansas City will send New England a 2026 sixth-round pick, Rapoport adds. That level of compensation comes as little surprise given Uche’s status as a pending free agent. He was a healthy scratch yesterday, an indication that a trade was possible. After the Patriots elected not to pull of a trade in his case last year, he will now be on the move.

Nearing the end of his rookie contract last year, Uche drew trade interest and the Pats nearly worked out a deal ahead of the deadline. Instead, he remained in place and ultimately re-signed on a one-year deal. That pact included a base salary of only $1.3MM, and with much of that total already being paid out this will be a very low-cost addition on the Chiefs’ part. The league’s only remaining undefeated team will now have another rotational option along the edge.

Uche’s best year came in 2022 when he posted 11.5 sacks. Considering he only logged a snap share of 38% that season, expectations were raised for continued production or at least a heavier workload moving forward. Neither has turned out to be the case, with the Michigan product totaling five sacks since the start of last season and logging a similar snap count to the earlier portion of his career. He will be viewed as a third-down specialist upon arrival with Kansas City.

The Chiefs have of course continued to rely on Chris Jones as a foundational contributor in the pass-rush department. Along the edge, the team has Mike Danna, Charles Omenihu along with recent draftees George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Uche will aim to carve out a role as part of that group while attempting to boost his free agent stock. For Kansas City, meanwhile, this move marks another midseason addition (following the DeAndre Hopkins trade) as a third straight Super Bowl title is sought.

The Chiefs entered Monday near the bottom of the league in terms of cap space, so any further moves could be challenging unless they were also of the short-term, low-cost variety. Kansas City has been linked to pursuing a cornerback in the wake of Jaylen Watson‘s (likely season-ending) injury, and it will be interesting to see if anything happens at that position before the November 5 deadline.

Kansas City currently sits 22nd in the NFL with 15 sacks through seven games. Improving in that department could provide a notable boost to the league’s No. 5 scoring defense, and Uche will look to chip in on that front. At 2-6 on the year, meanwhile, New England could be a team to watch from a seller’s perspective regarding further moves.

Lions Moving Closer To Trading For Edge Rusher?

October 28th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions have won two games without Aidan Hutchinson, the most recent a dismantling of the Titans. Detroit holds the NFC’s best record and the tiebreaker over Minnesota by virtue of a narrow Week 7 win, but the team may well need another piece to help cover for losing Hutchinson, who went down with a broken leg while holding the NFL’s sack lead.

Detroit has notched five quarterback hits in each of its past two wins, turning four from the Minnesota matchup into sacks. The Lions notched one sack against the Titans. The team, however, is playing without Hutchinson and the player added to be his primary sidekick. Marcus Davenport, who came over after missing most of last season with the Vikings, is out for the year as well due to an elbow injury.

Considering the problems the Lions have run into finding an EDGE complement to Hutchinson since drafting the standout player in 2022, it would make sense for the team to bring in help before the Nov. 5 trade deadline. Dan Campbell offered a hint that will be coming. Acknowledging the deadline as a viable tool to address this prospective concern, the fourth-year Lions HC said (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett) a move could be imminent when asked about a potential transaction.

A weekend report named the Lions as a team that would love to acquire defensive help, and after Za’Darius Smith made interesting comments about a Detroit fit, the NFC North leaders are believed to be interested in the ex-NFC North staple-turned-Browns trade chip. The Jets reached a resolution with Haason Reddick, whom the Lions checked in on. It is worth wondering, however, if New York — which faces Houston on Thursday — could revisit trade talks involving a player whose holdout produced a seven-game absence. The Jets sit 2-6 before that Texans matchup and may find themselves, even after the Davante Adams trade, in a strange position as a potential seller.

The Lions used journeyman Al-Quadin Muhammad as an EDGE starter Sunday. No one besides Hutchinson has more than seven QB hits on their roster, and no non-Hutchinson performer has produced more than 2.5 sacks. Among pure Lions edge rushers, no one has collected more than one sack. It would seem a move will happen, and given the Lions’ surge over the past two seasons, how they go about filling this need will be one of the trade deadline’s top subplots.

49ers Eyeing Week 10 Return For RB Christian McCaffrey

October 28th, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 28: While the 49ers are on their bye this week, McCaffrey will “hit it hard” and simulate a practice to determine how close he is to a return, Shanahan told reporters (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows). If McCaffrey can exit those simulated sessions without any pain, then the 49ers would plan to open the RB’s practice window next Monday. The team would then give McCaffrey a full week of real practice before activating him to the roster ahead of Week 10.

OCTOBER 21: While a definitive activation date hasn’t been set, it sounds like Christian McCaffrey is getting closer to his return. Coach Kyle Shanahan said there’s “hope” that the star RB could make his return following the team’s bye (per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). That Week 10 target would be dependent on McCaffrey’s continued progress in his recovery from Achilles and calf issues.

While the coach acknowledged that the running back hasn’t experienced any setbacks, he also admitted that it’d be a surprise if McCaffrey returns to practice this week and plays against the Cowboys on Sunday. A post-bye return to practice would provide the All-Pro RB with another two weeks of recovery time, and considering the performance of fill-in Jordan Mason, it’s not a surprise the organization is opting to take it slow.

McCaffrey went to Germany last month to seek treatment on his Achilles tendinitis, a lingering issue that has affected both of the player’s lower limbs. The trip apparently had a positive impact, as the RB was spotted taking part in light on-field work earlier this month. After sitting out the season opener, McCaffrey landed on IR prior to Week 2, so he was only recently eligible for activation.

The 49ers have been snake bitten by injuries this season, with Brandon Aiyuk‘s season-ending ACL tear being the latest inclusion on a long list of ailments. Despite sitting at 3-4, the defensive NFC champs only sit a game behind Seattle in the NFC West standings. If McCaffrey is indeed able to return for Week 10, he’ll provide an instant spark as the 49ers look to make a postseason push.

Speaking of absences, Deebo Samuel exited yesterday’s loss to the Chiefs after getting into only four snaps. Shanahan has since revealed that the wide receiver has since been hospitalized with fluid in his lungs, which Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes is technically pneumonia. Shanahan noted that Samuel’s illness first popped up on Sunday morning, and after the receiver was struggling to breathe during the early portion of yesterday’s game, it was decided the player should exit the contest (per Barrows).

Shanahan also said he’s unsure when Samuel will be able to return to the lineup. When coupled with Aiyuk’s season-ending injury, this could make the 49ers especially light at WR this weekend. Jauan Jennings had a standout Week 3 performance and should lead the depth chart, although the veteran missed yesterday’s game with a hip issue. Ricky Pearsall should also have an opportunity for a significant role. After getting shot in the chest in early September, the first-round rookie made his season debut yesterday, hauling in three catches while getting into 48 snaps.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/24

October 28th, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Cowboys defensive lineman Sam Williams has already been ruled out for the 2024 season thanks to a torn ACL, and now he’s been slapped with a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy (via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). The unpaid suspension went to effect prior to Week 8, and the player will be eligible for reinstatement prior to Week 11. The punishment stems from Williams’ reckless driving charge from 2023.

The Colts lost a key special teamer for the season in Trevor Denbow, as Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star reports that the player suffered “injuries to multiple ligaments and cartilage” during yesterday’s game. Denbow has appeared in 65 percent of his team’s ST snaps over the past two seasons, and he’s been limited to only six defensive snaps over that time.

Cardinals Activate Darius Robinson From IR

October 28th, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Ben Levine

Darius Robinson could end up making his NFL debut this Sunday. With the first-round rookie’s activation window coming to an end later this week, the Cardinals have added Robinson to the active roster. Howard Balzer reports that the team has activated the defensive lineman from injured reserve.

Per Darren Urban of the team’s website, Robinson’s 21-day activation window was set to end this Wednesday. This meant the Cardinals either had to activate the defensive lineman or lose him for the rest of the season.

Robinson suffered a calf injury in August that ultimately landed him on IR. He returned to practice earlier this month but suffered a brief setback with his calf that kept him out of practice. That unexpected absence likely played a role in Robinson’s almost-21-day stay in the activation window.

The Missouri star transitioned from the interior to the edge in 2023, leading to a career-high 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. That performance helped put him on the first-round radar, and the Cardinals ended up selecting the DL with the No. 27 pick in this year’s draft.

With BJ Ojulari being lost for the season with a torn ACL, the Cardinals were going to be especially dependent on their rookie in 2024. The Cardinals rank towards the bottom of the league in sacks (15), so Robinson could certainly add a spark to a pass-rush unit currently led by Dennis Gardeck and Zaven Collins.

Patriots Open To Further Trades

October 28th, 2024 at 3:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Despite yesterday’s win, the Patriots sit at 2-6 on the year. As a result, the team can comfortably be placed in the seller’s category, something confirmed by today’s decision to deal away Josh Uche to the Chiefs.

That trade yielded a 2026 sixth-round pick, and adding further draft capital represents a logical goal ahead of the November 5 trade deadline. Indeed, Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini report New England is open to making additional trades. Giardi adds one or two veterans can be expected to be on the move over the coming days.

Uche’s name was again in trade talk – as was the case last season – not long before he was dealt on Monday. Among the other candidates to be traded are defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, who was linked over the weekend to a potential 49ers deal. While the veteran run-stuffer would provide a notable boost on early downs to San Francisco’s D-line, he inked a Patriots extension this offseason which guaranteed his salaries for 2024 and ’25. Godchaux does not expect to be dealt.

A more realistic spot to look for trade candidates would likely be the receiver room. Kendrick Bourne has also been connected to the 49ers (his former team), but he too would prefer to remain with the Patriots past the deadline. Bourne is under contract through 2026, but none of his salary after this year is guaranteed. In terms of pure rentals, K.J. Osborn represents a potential target. The former Viking has seen his usage dwindle since the start of the year, and he is likely among the team’s wideouts who is frustrated with his current situation.

As ESPN’s Mike Reiss notes, the Patriots have additional late-round draft picks for each of the next two years. Adding more valuable selections appears to be the plan for de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and Co. before the deadline, and it will be interesting to see how much of a market develops over the coming days.

Rams, CB Tre’Davious White Discussing Potential Trade

October 28th, 2024 at 3:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 28: Head coach Sean McVay confirmed on Monday White and his agent have received permission to seek out a trade. The Rams are still willing to retain him, but as a pending free agent it would be understandable if White preferred a fresh start and the opportunity to once again operate as a starter.

OCTOBER 26: Tre’Davious White was a key member of the Rams’ secondary early in the year, but he has been a healthy scratch for each of the past three games. The veteran corner could soon be on the move as a result.

[RELATED: Rams Not Expecting To Trade Cooper Kupp]

White and the Rams are discussing their future, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. A trade is one potential outcome in this instance, although the team is also open to retaining him. As Los Angeles knows (like all other teams), attrition throughout the season could lead to injuries elsewhere on the CB depth chart. That could thrust White back into the first-team role he held for the first four weeks of the year.

As Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes, the Rams indicated upon signing White he would not be tasked with a heavy workload right away, although that is what wound up happening. The former Bills All-Pro handled a 98% defensive snap share during Weeks 1-4 before falling out of the gameday lineup altogether. White surrendered four touchdowns and a 138.4 passer rating in coverage, something which has no doubt played a role in his lack of usage over the past three contests.

Those struggles in coverage could hinder White’s trade value, although the 29-year-old is a pending free agent. He inked a one-year pact on the open market with a base value of $4.25MM. Incentives are also in place with that pact, though, and logging a 60% snap share with the Rams would trigger additional compensation. Any acquiring team would take on the prorated remainder of a $1.5MM base salary, something which would be a feasible task for contenders.

White was among the league’s top corners during the first five years of his Buffalo tenure. Injuries have stalled his career, however, and between 2022 and ’23 he played only 10 games. The LSU product managed to recover from the Achilles tear he suffered last October in time for the start of the season, although his poor coverage showing will lead to questions about his ability to return to his pre-injury form.

The Rams have Darious Williams back after his IR stint, along with Cobie Durant and Ahkello Witherspoon in place at the cornerback spot. Missed time from any member of that trio could lead White back into the lineup, but if a strong enough trade market emerges it will be interesting to see if the team prefers to move on.

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