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Eagles Place DE Bryce Huff On IR

November 22nd, 2024 at 3:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 22: The Eagles placed Huff on injured reserve on Wednesday, sidelining him for at least four weeks. He will be eligible to return in Week 16 for Philadelphia’s crucial divisional tilt against the Commanders.

NOVEMBER 20: The Eagles’ defense has made strides in recent weeks, helping the team to an 8-2 record. Bryce Huff, however, has not played the kind of role his contract would generally warrant. And the big-ticket free agency addition will see his season pause soon.

Huff is set to undergo wrist surgery, ESPN.com’s Tim McManus tweets. This is not believed to be a season-ending malady, as Huff is slated to return at some point down the road, but it appears he will head to IR. This marks another speedbump for Huff, who had climbed from Jets UDFA to $17MM-per-year Eagle. Huff has played recent games with a cast, limiting his effectiveness; the procedure will occur Thursday, All PHLY’s Zach Berman notes.

Philadelphia deployed Huff as a starter to open the season, but the player the Jets deemed a high-end situational rusher has drifted to a backup role. Huff has not started since Week 8 and has not played more than 21% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in a game since then as well. Huff has played only 32 combined defensive snaps over the past three games, sitting on 2.5 sacks for the season.

Jets GM Joe Douglas showed interest in re-signing Huff, being prepared to make an offer. Owner Woody Johnson ultimately blocked this effort, as Gang Green’s plan careened off course this year. The Jets not franchise-tagging Huff led him to the market, where extensive interest formed. The Commanders, Giants, Seahawks and Vikings pursued Huff, who joined the Eagles early during the legal tampering period. The team reached a reworked agreement with Josh Sweat, leading to Haason Reddick being traded to the Jets — to set off a rumor spree due to the sides’ subsequent impasse.

Although Huff has struggled to acclimate in Philly, the Eagles sit sixth in scoring defense and first in yards allowed. Vic Fangio‘s unit has made improvements, with Sweat leading the team with six sacks. The team is waiting for Huff or 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith to show consistency. Both edge rushers are sitting on four QB hits for the season; Smith has replaced Huff in the Eagles’ lineup. More will be on the shoulders of Smith and stalwart Brandon Graham while Huff recovers.

Titans To Place CB L’Jarius Sneed On IR

November 22nd, 2024 at 12:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans’ revamped cornerback group has sustained heavy losses this season. Chidobe Awuzie has not played since Week 3, and L’Jarius Sneed will join the free agent signing on IR.

Sneed is moving to the injured list, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, due to a quad issue. Sneed has not played since Week 6; this will tack on four more absences to the highly paid cornerback’s ledger in what has been another tough season for the Titans’ CB corps on the injury front.

Tennessee rarely saw 2021 first-round pick Caleb Farley healthy, helping to lead to this overhaul. The Titans let Kristian Fulton and Sean Murphy-Bunting walk in free agency, adding Awuzie on a $12MM-per-year contract and then extending Sneed upon acquiring him from the Chiefs. Even with Patrick Surtain signing an extension and Jalen Ramsey being paid again, Sneed’s $44MM guaranteed at signing (on a four-year, $76.4MM deal) outflanks both and sits third among corners. The Titans have not seen the formerly reliable Chiefs cog justify the payday yet.

The Chiefs tagged Sneed but did so, as Chris Jones was the team’s priority in free agency, with the understanding he would be traded. Kansas City allowed the young starter to find a trade partner. After several teams checked in, the price did not dazzle. Although it only cost the Titans a 2025 third-round pick to acquire a tagged performer, the team needed to reward the player with an extension. Sneed, 27, certainly commanded a lucrative payday thanks to becoming a dependable boundary starter during the Chiefs’ past two Super Bowl-winning seasons; he just has not stayed healthy for his new team yet.

Though snubbed for the Pro Bowl, Sneed allowed just a 51% completion rate as the closest defender (at 4.8 yards per target) and a 56.2 passer rating. The Louisiana Tech alum did not yield a touchdown last season, playing an elite level for a Chiefs team suddenly unable to rely on its star-studded offense. Kansas City, however, has passed on paying cornerbacks over the past several years. The team also traded Marcus Peters and let the likes of Charvarius Ward, Kendall Fuller and Steven Nelson walk as free agents. The Chiefs have continued to churn out CBs, though Jaylen Watson‘s injury this season has exposed this plan a bit. The reigning champs are still in better shape than the Titans at this position.

Awuzie has been down with a groin injury, though he is expected to be designated for return next week. The Titans gave the ex-Cowboys and Bengals starter a three-year, $36MM deal that came with $19MM at signing. Sneed did not practice this week, and slot cog Roger McCreary has also missed both Tennessee practices leading up to its Week 12 game. Sneed had not played well before being shelved; Pro Football Focus rated the former Steve Spagnuolo lockdown option as the worst corner among qualified options this season.

As the Titans take a long-term approach during a season that has produced a 2-8 record, they will hope to see Sneed and Awuzie team up to at least establish some momentum for the future. Sneed cannot return until Week 16. The Titans have primarily used waiver claim Darrell Baker and fifth-round rookie Jarvis Brownlee on the perimeter this season.

49ers’ Brock Purdy, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa In Doubt For Week 12

November 22nd, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have run into steady injury trouble this season, and arguably their three most important players are in doubt for a Week 12 game against the Packers. Most notably, Brock Purdy has now gone through an MRI on his injured throwing shoulder.

Limited in practice over the past two days, Purdy is iffy for San Francisco’s Green Bay trip. John Lynch said during a KNBR interview (h/t Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News) the situation is “tenuous” and noted Brandon Allen would take the snaps in front of Joshua Dobbs if Purdy were unable to go.

Purdy has not missed a start due to injury since suffering a UCL tear in the 2022 NFC championship game, establishing himself as the 49ers’ full-time starter in that span. Meanwhile, the 49ers have seen neither Nick Bosa nor Trent Williams practice this week. Bosa is dealing with the oblique injury suffered against the Seahawks in Week 11, while Williams has played through an ankle issue.

Sounding alarm bells about the All-Pro left tackle’s situation, Kyle Shanahan said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) the painkilling injection Williams received last week has not helped. Considering how the 49ers fared without Williams last season, this becomes a central concern for a team that has fallen to 5-5 and has a Packers-Bills road stretch upcoming.

Williams took the pregame injection and played every offensive snap for the 49ers in Week 12, but the aftermath threatens to keep him out. Williams, 36, has not missed any time this season; his absences last year point to trouble if the 49ers do not have the future Hall of Famer available Sunday. The 49ers lost to the Bengals and Vikings without Williams, starting their second-half push when he and Deebo Samuel returned to action. Williams has been the NFL’s first-team All-Pro left tackle for the past three seasons, riding those accolades to secure a lucrative rework in August.

Bosa sustained hip and oblique damage during San Francisco’s loss to Seattle, significantly hindering the team’s pass rush. The 49ers have relied on the dominant edge defender throughout his career, with the team’s Shanahan-era surge not beginning until it drafted Bosa second overall in 2019. The 49ers’ lone non-playoff season in that span (2020) came when Bosa suffered a torn ACL in Week 2, and the team has played only one game without Bosa since he recovered from knee surgery. While the team added Leonard Floyd in free agency and has activated Yetur Gross-Matos from IR, its pass rush will be compromised if Bosa cannot go.

The 49ers named Allen their backup QB to open the season, despite Dobbs momentum forming earlier in the offseason. It goes without saying a Purdy-to-Allen downgrade would be noticeable, even though the 49ers’ last two QB injuries (those to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo) did not lead to steps back. Allen, 32, signed with the 49ers shortly after the 2023 draft and became their third-stringer once the team traded Lance to the Cowboys. Allen re-signed this year. Unlike 2023 backup Sam Darnold, Allen may well need to start at least one game of consequence.

Eagles Showed Interest In Andrew Van Ginkel During Free Agency

November 22nd, 2024 at 9:58am CST by Sam Robinson

Vic Fangio did not endear himself to several Dolphins defenders last season. Select Dolphins have addressed what appeared to be a poor fit, and a perception also emerged the one-and-done Fins DC was interested in returning to Philadelphia while he was on the job in Miami.

That ended up happening, as Fangio became the Eagles’ DC shortly after he and the Dolphins agreed to mutually part ways. This brought a reunion between the Eagles and the veteran coordinator, who was a consultant for Philly’s 2022 team before appearing squarely on the radar to succeed Jonathan Gannon. The latter’s Cardinals defection complicated Fangio’s 2023 offseason, and the DC’s eventual destination looks to have impacted the Eagles’ free agency plan this year.

The Eagles showed interest in Andrew Van Ginkel during the hybrid linebacker’s brief free agency stay, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. The team ultimately viewed him as a bit too expensive. Van Ginkel had options to follow multiple former Dolphins coaches elsewhere, taking another one by signing with the Vikings. The former Brian Flores Miami charge has excelled in Minnesota.

Van Ginkel, 29, helped his free agency prospects in Fangio’s Dolphins defense by registering six sacks. The Wisconsin alum logged a career-high 321 pass-rushing snaps last season, helping secure a two-year, $20MM deal from the Vikings. While a foot injury sustained in Week 18 of last season kept Van Ginkel out of Miami’s wild-card loss in Kansas City, he enjoyed a nice market following a season in which he tallied 19 QB hits. The Rams also pursued Van Ginkel, who has been crucial to the Vikings’ 8-2 start.

The former fifth-round Dolphins draftee has notched a career-high eight sacks, registering two in Week 11. He has helped a Vikings team that said goodbye to Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum. Minnesota remade its edge group by adding Jonathan Greenard early in the tampering period and then drafting Dallas Turner, also bolstering its off-ball LB corps by signing Blake Cashman. Van Ginkel leads the NFL with 13 tackles for loss, having added two pick-sixes during a strong reunion season with Flores, who was Miami’s HC when the team drafted him.

Fangio has reignited the Eagles’ defense, which crumbled after the team started 10-1 start last season. Philly ranks first in total defense, though only one player (Josh Sweat) has more than 3.5 sacks; the contract-year EDGE has six. As Van Ginkel also has a past as a standup linebacker, the Eagles had also already allocated much of their free agent budget to Bryce Huff and Saquon Barkley. The team also added low-cost linebackers in Zack Baun and the since-released Devin White. Now tied to the Vikings through the 2025 season, Van Ginkel keeping up this pace would stand to put him in line for a bigger payday in the not-too-distant future.

Daniel Jones ‘Processing’ If He Will Finish Season With Giants

November 21st, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jarrett Stidham has effectively owned a specific corner in the NFL, at least in recent years. Both the Raiders and Broncos inserted him as a starter in Week 17, doing so for the purpose of ensuring the previous starters — Derek Carr and Russell Wilson, respectively — would not suffer an injury. Tommy DeVito is now part of this chapter, as the Giants have parked Daniel Jones.

The Jones benching has not gone over too well in the locker room, as it is a thinly veiled effort to ensure a $23MM injury guarantee does not come into play for 2025 — when the Giants will release Jones. Although Jones is under contract through 2026, the Giants will drop him after six seasons as their starter. When informing Jones he will be benched, Brian Daboll spoke with the supplanted passer about his future with the organization.

Jones, 27, has lasted longer than many expected in this role. The Duke alum is the only QB to date to see a team decline his fifth-year option and then circle back and re-sign him. Jones is also the first quarterback in the rookie-scale era (2011-present) to average less than seven yards per attempt in each of his first five seasons only to be kept as a starter by the same team for a sixth. The Eli Manning successor has endured constant scrutiny, but his Big Apple tenure will end soon. A topic of discussion this week: will Jones take the Carr or Wilson route out of town?

Carr left the Raiders once the team benched him for Stidham. While this was themed around not being a distraction, Carr later said he was “very upset” once he learned of the benching. Wilson certainly expressed disappointment as well, but he both stuck around to back up Stidham last season and then — even as the writing appeared on the wall — publicly said he wanted to stay in Denver. Cuts commenced in both situations, with the Broncos’ decision bringing a record-smashing dead money sum.

When asked if he would stay with the Giants through season’s end, Jones said (via SNY) he was “processing” that call. With Daboll not confirming Jones would even be the team’s emergency QB in Week 12 — as recent signee Tim Boyle is under consideration for that role — it would stand to reason the 2019 No. 6 overall pick will give strong consideration to leaving the team. Jones would continue to collect his fully guaranteed salary ($35.5MM) if he goes the Carr route or stays with the team like Wilson did.

Embattled QBs certainly do not make a habit of receiving six-year opportunities, as Jones did well to sandwich a solid season (2022) between several unremarkable slates. His free agency status will be interesting to monitor. The league’s latest QB reclamation project, Sam Darnold looks like he will be the top free agent option. Jones may well be the second-most appealing name on a market that will include an underwhelming 2021 draft class and a host of backup-level options.

Steelers Intend To Re-Sign Russell Wilson

November 21st, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Russell Wilson will turn 36 next week, and while the decorated quarterback has not been on the league’s top tier at the position for a bit, he has found some traction in Pittsburgh. The 13th-year veteran has established himself as the Steelers’ starter, and the team is not deviating from an aim it expressed upon acquiring him.

The Steelers had gone to notable lengths to assure Wilson he was the priority this offseason, with rumors about a second contract — despite the two-year Broncos starter having just signed his first with the team — coming out immediately after the Justin Fields trade commenced. Fields and Wilson remain free agents-to-be, and with the Steelers not changing their policy of not negotiating in-season to account for this unique situation, the team has some decisions to make early in the 2025 offseason.

Although Fields caught up with Wilson during training camp — to force a late-August Mike Tomlin call — and started the first six games due to the veteran’s nagging calf injury, Wilson has stayed healthy since the September setback. The former Super Bowl winner has not done anything to prompt the Steelers to change plans, with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac indicating the club intends to re-sign its current starter.

With the Steelers not changing their in-season negotiating policy — in place for 30-plus years — they have a narrow window to complete a second Wilson contract. How far Pittsburgh advances in the playoffs will shape that window, as 2025 UFAs will be free to speak with other teams beginning March 10. The franchise tag window opens Feb. 18, but like Baker Mayfield this past offseason, Wilson does not seem a true candidate to clog a team’s cap with a QB tag number (2024’s was $38.3MM) just so the Steelers can keep negotiating without outside interference. The March 10 deadline will apply here.

The Bucs re-signed Mayfield a day before this year’s legal tampering period, agreeing to a three-year deal worth $100MM. Mayfield being six years younger than Wilson complicates the latter’s path, though midlevel QB1 deals like Mayfield’s and those given to Derek Carr, Geno Smith and Daniel Jones could certainly be relevant. Smith’s three-year, $75MM Seahawks deal became team-friendly quickly, as he is the only quarterback with an AAV between $12.5MM and $33.3MM.

Wilson’s age makes that territory the Steelers will likely try to explore, though the potential Hall of Famer has a past as a shrewd negotiator. While Wilson’s fiercest negotiations came in Seattle, his Denver deal (five years, $245MM) has introduced a historically high hurdle for the Broncos to clear due to the record-setting dead money stretching to 2026. Wilson is tied to a veteran-minimum contract, as he had guaranteed money coming his way from Denver, with Pittsburgh.

Only making four starts with his new team before Thursday night’s game, Wilson has directed the Steelers to a 4-0 record. Starting off better than he did with the Broncos, Wilson has averaged 7.8 yards per attempt (60.3% completion rate) and thrown six touchdown passes compared to two interceptions. This is still a small sample size, but Pro-Football-Reference would rank Wilson 33rd in QBR (43.0) were he to have enough snaps to qualify. This is south of his 2023 Denver mark (50.7). The Steelers not negotiating in-season will allow for more data to emerge, as this probably will not be a simple negotiation assuming Wilson proves enough to be viewed as a 2025 starter.

The Steelers have not enjoyed quality QB play since before Ben Roethlisberger‘s 2019 elbow injury, with the Kenny Pickett plan backfiring quickly. How Wilson fares down the stretch will be a key NFL subplot, as Fields drifting to the backup level moves the 2021 draftee closer to free agency. Wilson and the Steelers’ price points will be fascinating, as the sides’ quest to find middle ground on a medium-term deal will be one of the 2025 offseason’s top storylines.

Jerry Jones: QB Cooper Rush Gives Cowboys ‘Best Chance’ To Win

November 21st, 2024 at 9:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Cooper Rush has delivered two-straight underwhelming showings as the Cowboys starting QB, leading to some calls for Trey Lance to take over atop the depth chart. If owner/GM Jerry Jones has his way, the Cowboys will continue to roll with their current quarterback hierarchy. Jones told reporters that he thinks Rush offers the team the “best chance” to win.

“I don’t know about that,” Jones said about Lance as a starter (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “I want to give our team the very best chance it can — in all phases — to be successful. So, we’re going to go here with the quarterback that gives us the best chance to win the game.”

Since Rush took over for an injured Dak Prescott in Week 9, the fill-in has completed 58 of 103 pass attempts (56.31 percent) for 514 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The Cowboys have dropped each of those three games, and the offense has only found the end zone twice over that span.

Rush did provide a spark while filling in for Prescott in 2022, guiding the Cowboys to a 4-1 record. But with a career completion percentage below 60 percent, a 10/6 career touchdown/interception ratio, and little rushing upside, it seems unlikely that the former UDFA can engineer a similar run in 2024.

As for Lance, the Cowboys gave up a fourth-round pick for the former third overall pick ahead of the 2023 campaign. Lance has only seen the field for one regular season game across his one-plus seasons in Dallas. That came this past weekend, when he completed four of six passes while tossing an interception. The Cowboys staff sees Lance everyday at practice, so they presumably haven’t gotten enough from the young QB to warrant a promotion to QB1.

While Lance will continue to serve as the backup, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll receive all DNPs. Coach Mike McCarthy told reporters (including Jon Machota of The Athletic) that the Cowboys have a package prepared for the fourth-year player, an option that could be used as soon as this Sunday against the Commanders.

Colorado’s Travis Hunter Will Declare For 2025 Draft

November 21st, 2024 at 9:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 campaign was widely expected to be Travis Hunter‘s final one at the collegiate level. The two-way Colorado star confirmed on Thursday he is indeed headed for the NFL draft this spring.

When asked if he will be declaring, the true junior said “that’s definitely for sure” (h/t ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg). To no surprise, then, Hunter will be among the top prospects in the 2025 class. One of the main talking points over the coming months will be whether NFL teams evaluate him as a corner or receiver, but in any case he will not need to wait long to hear his name called on draft night.

One of head coach Deion Sanders‘ top recruits during his time at Jackson State, Hunter made history as the first five-star recruit to commit to an FCS school. The nation’s top prospect was limited to eight games during his one and only season at Jackson State, but he flashed considerable potential on both sides of the ball during that time. He followed Sanders to Colorado last offseason, and in 2023 Hunter scored five offensive touchdowns while adding three interceptions.

That success resulted in a first-team All-American nod as well as the Paul Hornung award (given to the country’s most versatile college player). Hunter entered 2024 with high expectations, and he has delivered so far with a 74-911-9 statline as a receiver (to go along with one rushing touchdowns). On defense, he has matched last year’s interception total while adding eight pass deflections. After averaging nearly 115 total snaps per game last year, Hunter has remained a mainstay on both sides of the ball in 2024.

It will be interesting to see if teams near the top of the draft board consider Hunter as a corner, receiver or a player capable of handling a role on offense and defense. To little surprise, he said (via Troy Renck of the Denver Post) he wants to play both ways at the NFL level, but plenty of time remains for a determinization on that front to be made.

Only one defensive back in NFL history has been selected first overall (Gary Glick in 1956), while four receivers have had that honor (the most recent being Keyshawn Johnson in 1994). In a year where the quarterback position is not highly thought of, Hunter could find himself in contention to hear his name called first during the opening night of the draft. In any case, NFL suitors can now proceed knowing he will be turning pro ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Chiefs Exec Mike Borgonzi Expected To Be Popular GM Candidate

November 21st, 2024 at 9:24pm CST by Ben Levine

GM-needy teams could turn to Kansas City for a front office leader. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com writes that Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi is already the “hot name” that’s circulating ahead of the offseason hiring cycle.

Borgonzi has worked in Kansas City for 16 years, working his way up from college scouting administrator to his current role as right-hand man to general manager Brett Veach. Borgonzi has worked under three GMs during his tenure with the Chiefs (Scott Pioli, John Dorsey, Veach), and it sounds like he’ll finally get a serious shot at running his own front office. The Brown graduate has been linked to several GM gigs over the years. He was connected to the job in Carolina several years ago, and he garnered an interview with the Commanders this past offseason.

Pauline also mentions Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown as a name to watch. Brown was already popular during last year’s cycle, with the executive earning an interview with the Raiders while also landing on the Patriots’ short list of candidates. Brown got his front office start in New England before joining Philly’s operation in 2013. He ended up spending six years with the Eagles, working his way up to director of college scouting. After a few years in the AAF and XFL, he landed with the Bengals in 2021.

Fortunately for both Borgonzi and Brown, there should be plenty of gigs to go around. Josina Anderson recently pointed to at least five GM gigs that will open this offseason (not including the recently fired Joe Douglas with the Jets).

League Considering More Tom Brady Broadcasting Restrictions

November 21st, 2024 at 8:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Tom Brady already faces several restrictions as he juggles his roles as part-owner of the Raiders and as an announcer for FOX Sports. As the iconic QB’s television gig continues to evolve, the NFL may implement even more rules to prevent any competitive advantages for the Las Vegas franchise.

According to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, some NFL owners recently discussed complications surrounding Brady’s one-on-one player interviews. The league pointed to a recent chat between Brady and Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, and there are concerns that the NFL may need to create additional conditions “to ensure Brady does not receive information he shouldn’t as a Raiders partner.”

Specifically, the NFL is considering restricting Brady to “live or recorded interviews for broadcast only,” which will ensure that his conversations are shared publicly. The NFL would also prohibit Brady from having private one-on-one conversations with players, and the NFL could force Brady to conduct broadcast interviews outside of team facilities and even outside of team hotels. The interviews could also require prior approval and monitoring by the league.

The NFL has already prohibited Brady from attending pregame production meetings with coaches/players. Brady is also barred from visiting opposing teams’ practice facilities, and he’s not allowed to publicly criticize officials. As Fischer notes, these restrictions are common for any team owners, although they naturally provide some obstacles for Brady as a broadcaster. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, one team attempted to waive these restrictions and allow Brady to attend a pre-production meeting. However, the NFL refused, and Florio says there was a sense that neither FOX Sports nor their broadcaster were interested “in pushing back.”

Beyond Brady’s announcing role, the former QB’s role as a Patriots team ambassador is also under the microscope. The future Hall of Famer will always be connected to the franchise, and per Fischer, he agreed in 2023 to occasionally attend Patriots events. The league is debating whether it’s “appropriate” for Brady to have a role with one team while serving as a part-owner of another franchise.

If the finance committee decides to act on any of these restrictions, the matter could be taken up by all of the league’s owners. NFL owners are set to meet in mid-December.

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