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AFC Injury Roundup: Colts, Ivey, Steelers, Wilson

December 17th, 2023 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

The Colts battled through a number of injuries to beat the Steelers and remain in the playoff hunt for the AFC yesterday. Two key players in wide receiver Michael Pittman and running back Zack Moss were forced to exit the game early with injuries and failed to return.

Pittman was knocked out of the game with a concussion after receiving a hit from Steelers safety Damontae Kazee that resulted in Kazee’s ejection. Without his favorite target by far, quarterback Gardner Minshew was required to spread the ball out, completing passes to eight other players for the rest of the game. Though they were able to find success, Indianapolis will hope that Pittman can work his way through the concussion protocols quickly as Pittman is the target on nearly a third of the team’s pass attempts.

There was serious concern when Moss exited the game with an injury to the same arm that was broken around the start of the season. He was forced to leave the game due to issues with grip. With Jonathan Taylor missing most of the season thus far, Moss has taken the crown as the team’s leading rusher. Luckily, X-rays came back negative on Moss’ arm, so he should be able to return next week.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the AFC this week:

  • Joining fellow Bengals defender D.J. Reader, who was announced to be out for the season last night, seventh-round rookie cornerback DJ Ivey left yesterday’s game with a torn ACL that will end his season, as well, per Kelsey Conway of USA Today. The late-round pick out of Miami (FL) will see his rookie season cut short just as he was beginning to earn some more playing time in Cincinnati. He received a game ball last week for making a key pass breakup and recovering a fumble on punt coverage.
  • After Kazee was ejected, the Steelers were left with two backups in the game when Minkah Fitzpatrick left the game with a knee injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Fitzpatrick was able to walk off the field under his own power, but after a brief evaluation on the sideline, it was determined that he should not return for the second half of the game. Another starter, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, will be a question mark to make a Week 16 appearance as he is reportedly in concussion protocol, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
  • Lastly, from today’s games, the Jets were once again forced to turn to a new passer, this time Trevor Siemian, after starting quarterback Zach Wilson was forced to leave the game with a concussion in the second quarter, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. If Wilson is unable to come back next week, it’ll likely be Siemian starting for New York against the Commanders.

Bengals DT D.J. Reader Out For Season

December 16th, 2023 at 7:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals earned an improbable come-from-behind win on Saturday, but they suffered a number of injuries in the process. That includes the collision which knocked defensive tackle D.J. Reader out of the contest and which has put an end to his season.

Reader was carted off the field in the first quarter of today’s game against the Vikings, and he was quickly ruled out. An MRI revealed a quad injury, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. After the game, head coach Zac Taylor expressed concern over the length of time Reader could miss as a result of the injury. Rapoport and colleague Mike Garafolo have since reported the veteran suffered a torn quad tendon and is out for the year.

Reader, 29, has been a maintain on Cincinnati’s defensive front since his arrival in 2020. He inked a four-year, $53MM deal in free agency after his Texans rookie contract expired. A quadriceps injury ended his debut Bengals campaign after only five contests, but he has been a productive contributor and valued veteran presence when healthy. The news marks a blow to the Bengals’ defense, and it will no doubt hinder Reader’s market on a new Bengals pact or a free agent move this offseason.

The Clemson alum had posted 34 tackles, one sack and seven quarterback hits heading into Saturday’s game. Those figures helped contribute to a PFF grade above 80 for the third straight season and fourth time in his career. PFF rated Reader ninth amongst all interior D-lineman, and his absence will be acutely felt on a defense which has struggled in a number of categories this season. With Reader sidelined for much of the contest, Vikings running back Ty Chandler rushed for a career-high 132 yards and a touchdown.

In Reader’s absence, the Bengals will likely lean more heavily on 2022 third-rounder Zach Carter. The latter logged a 38% snap share as a rookie, and that figure has jumped to 42% this season. Cincinnati also has former Jaguars fourth-rounder Jay Tufele as a depth option at the DT spot, and he could be in line for an uptick in usage down the stretch.

Saturday’s win improved the Bengals’ record to 8-6, keeping them firmly in the race in the AFC’s crowded wild-card picture. Losing Reader will deal a signficant blow to the team’s prospects to close out the campaign, however, while also adding an unwanted development with respect to his future with the organization

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 13th, 2023 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two different teams have held the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive years since 2017. Amid a radical rebuild effort, the Browns carried the top pick into the 2017 and ’18 drafts. The Jaguars did the same in 2021 and ’22. It is possible the Bears will follow that up in back-to-back years. The big difference here would be the Bears traded the 2023 top choice and may unload the 2024 top pick for another windfall, depending on their evaluation of Justin Fields.

The Bears and Panthers’ March trade, giving Carolina access to Bryce Young, has become a seminal moment for both teams. As it stands now, Chicago holds two top-five picks. The Panthers are 1-12, giving the Bears a two-game lead on the Patriots and Cardinals for the top slot with four games left. Chicago finishing with the first overall selection, providing access to the quarterback of its choice, would create a big-picture decision for a Bears team that already passed on the 2023 quarterback class to stick with Fields — a QB the Ryan Poles regime did not draft. North Carolina’s Drake Maye has declared for the draft, while USC’s Caleb Williams is widely expected to follow suit.

A new Cardinals regime is also evaluating its QB, though Kyler Murray‘s $46.1MM-per-year contract (which runs through 2028) will be much harder to escape compared to Fields’. This creates an interesting scenario that will have teams who do not land two-two draft slots monitoring how Chicago and Arizona proceed. The Patriots are widely expected to pursue a quarterback in the draft, and they are likely to do so without Bill Belichick.

With gridlock forming in the AFC and NFC wild-card races, considerable movement will take place over the next month. The winner of the NFC South will likely lose several spots in the ’24 draft, as the Buccaneers did this year by winning the ’22 division title at 8-9. Here is how the draft order looks going into Week 15:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. New England Patriots: 3-10
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 3-10
  4. Washington Commanders: 4-9
  5. Chicago Bears: 5-8
  6. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-8
  7. New York Jets: 5-8
  8. New York Giants: 5-8
  9. Tennessee Titans: 5-8
  10. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-8
  11. Atlanta Falcons: 6-7
  12. New Orleans Saints: 6-7
  13. Seattle Seahawks: 6-7
  14. Los Angeles Rams: 6-7
  15. Denver Broncos: 7-6
  16. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  17. Buffalo Bills: 7-6
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-6
  19. Green Bay Packers: 6-7
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-7
  21. Indianapolis Colts: 7-6
  22. Minnesota Vikings: 7-6
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6
  24. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-5
  26. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-5
  27. Detroit Lions: 9-4
  28. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-3
  29. Miami Dolphins: 9-4
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 10-3
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 10-3
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 10-3

NFL Finds Bengals Compliant After Lack Of Injury Report On QB Joe Burrow

December 9th, 2023 at 9:03pm CST by Ely Allen

After Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending torn thumb ligament during a Thursday night loss to the division-rival Ravens in Week 11, the NFL decided to conduct an investigation into whether or not Burrow should have been included on the injury report prior to the matchup. The result of the investigation was reported on today by Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports with Jones stating that the league found no wrongdoing as Cincinnati was “in full compliance with the league’s injury report policy.”

The investigation was deemed necessary after an intriguing series of events that saw the Bengals’ social media team delete a post that showed the team arriving in Baltimore. Closer inspection of video revealed that Burrow has an apparatus on his wrist, the same wrist that he would eventually injure against the Ravens. This led many to believe that the Bengals were perhaps covering up a potential injury from the NFL and their opponents, which would be against NFL regulations.

Officially, teams are required to disclose injuries in the spirit of fairness, so that an opposing club has the ability to strategize against the correct personnel. It’s also in the best interest of the players, as playing with injuries can lead to more severe consequences for the individual. In theory, if a team fails to report concussion symptoms from a practice injury, the NFL would be unable to hold that player from participation. Unofficially, now that gambling has become a prevalent source of income for the NFL, accurate injury reports become crucial for the appropriate setting of lines. Unknown injuries, especially at a position as critical as quarterback, could result in major line swings.

The Bengals immediately denied any wrongdoing, with team doctors claiming that Burrow’s injury was “acute and not one that happened over time.” Burrow would later claim that the apparatus was merely a compression sleeve used to help prevent swelling during flights and was unrelated to any injuries.

Regardless, Cincinnati turned over medical records and practice footage from the week prior to the game. After reviewing the materials and interviewing Burrow and relevant medical personnel, the league determined that the team had been in compliance with their reporting. Burrow successfully underwent wrist surgery at the end of November and is expected to return to play well before the start of the 2024 season.

While some have speculated that the league’s young ties to the betting world made this their only possible conclusion, the Bengals have avoided the potential punishment of a team fine, individual fines, or the loss of future draft picks. The team reportedly followed the necessary protocol on disclosing their injuries and should have Burrow back next year.

LB Josh Bynes Retires

December 8th, 2023 at 9:44am CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Bynes‘ NFL career will not extend to a 13th season. The veteran linebacker revealed on Friday that he has retired as a member of the Ravens, the team with which he spent much of his career.

Bynes entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, finding his first regular opportunity with Baltimore. He established himself as a rotational member of the team’s defense and a key special teams contributor in 2012, something which became evident in the postseason. Bynes made the final tackle in Super Bowl XLVII, a play which earned him his lone championship and helped put him on the radar of other teams.

The Auburn alum spent three seasons with Detroit from 2014-16, starting 19 of his 38 games in the Motor City. He then joined the Cardinals on the most lucrative pact of his career (three years, $5.58MM). Bynes served as a full-time starter in his second and final Arizona season before returning to the Ravens in 2019. His play his second Baltimore stint earned him a deal with the Bengals for the following season, during which he posted a career-high 99 tackles.

That campaign was followed by another return to the Ravens, where Bynes earned 19 combined starts across the 2021 and ’22 seasons. In all, he racked up 582 tackles, 8.5 sacks and five interceptions in 138 career games (82 starts). Now 34, Bynes will hang up his cleats with roughly $9.4MM in career earnings. As he turns his attention to the next chapter of his life, he indicated (via Ryan Mink of the Ravens’ team website) coaching could very well be in his future.

“The thing I’m most proud of is perseverance,” Bynes said when reflecting on his career. “I’ve been released, cut. I’ve been told I wasn’t good enough, not fast enough to play in the league, wouldn’t be in the league long at all even if I had the opportunity to play. I can show my peers that regardless of what anybody says, you can do anything. You just go out there and prove it every single day. I feel like I proved that for my entire 12 years.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/4/23

December 4th, 2023 at 8:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Designated to return from IR: LB Malik Hamm

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

  • Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): DB David Long

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Promoted: TE Josh Pederson

New York Giants

While the Giants haven’t activated Tyrod Taylor, the veteran QB is expected to be back on the active roster next Monday. In preparation, the team has moved on from Matt Barkley, who has been serving as the backup to Tommy DeVito since Daniel Jones went down with an injury. Barkley hasn’t seen the field for a regular season game since 2020, when he got into five games with the Bills.

Bengals Place CB Cam Taylor-Britt On IR

December 4th, 2023 at 4:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals’ secondary will be shorthanded tonight and for an extended stretch beyond that. Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt was placed on injured reserve Monday, per a team announcement.

The 2022 second-rounder was already known to be sidelined for Week 13 due to an ankle injury, but today’s news means he will be shut down for at least four weeks. Missing Taylor-Britt will mark a major blow to Cincinnati’s defense given his jump in production in his second season in the league.

The 24-year-old has posted a team-leading four interceptions this season after failing to record one as a rookie. Taylor-Britt has also totaled 10 pass deflections and 46 tackles while improving in coverage. The Nebraska product has allowed a 56.7% completion percentage and an opposing passer rating of 75.1 through 10 games; the latter figure represents a signficant improvement from last season.

Taylor-Britt’s performance has only yielded an incremental uptick in PFF evaluation, but he has established himself as a long-term core member of the Bengals’ defense. The unit has struggled this season, ranking near or at the bottom of the league in a number of categories. Taylor-Britt’s ball production has helped Cincinnati rank top-five in interceptions (12), however, and the team’s pass defense has fared slightly better than its play against the run.

A step back in both departments could be coming with Taylor-Britt sidelined until at least Week 17. The Bengals will move forward with the likes of Chidobe Awuzie, DJ Turner, Mike Hilton and special teamers Jalen Davis and DJ Ivey at the CB spot. The 5-6 Bengals will need a strong finish to the season to keep themselves in postseason contention, but doing so without Taylor-Britt in the fold will make a late-season surge more challenging.

Injury Updates: Garrett, Bengals, Etienne, Dolphins

December 2nd, 2023 at 12:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett likely suffered some structural damage in his left shoulder, an injury that was aggravated during last weekend’s loss. As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes, it’s uncertain if the injury will even require surgery, and Garrett is determined to continue playing this season.

“I feel terrible,” Garrett said following Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. “Everything hurts, shoulder hurts. But we’ve got to keep on going, keep on rolling till the wheels fall off. We’re having great success and enjoying how this team is really coming together, especially down the stretch. And we’re going to continue to keep on working hard to be fresh and fit whenever we get to Sunday.”

Garrett said he felt a pop in his shoulder during the game, but he also admitted that he’s been dealing with a shoulder issue for the entire season. The injury could be attributed to the AC joint sprain Garrett suffered last season, or it could be an entirely new injury, with Cabot speculating that the pass rusher may be dealing with a partial dislocation.

The former first-overall pick is on track to earn another All-Pro nod in 2022. In 11 games, Garrett has collected 13 sacks, 23 QB hits, and 12 tackles for loss.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • The Bengals got some good news on both sides of the ball ahead of Monday Night Football. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Bengals wideout Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson will play against the Jaguars. Higgins has missed the past three games while dealing with a hamstring injury, while Wilson is recovering from an ankle injury suffered last weekend. Unfortunately, it’s not all good news in Cincinnati. After suffering a sprained ankle at practice this week, Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt will not play on Monday night, per Schefter.
  • On the other side, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said he’s expecting running back Travis Etienne to play on Monday night, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco. Etienne suffered a rib injury last weekend that briefly forced him to exit the game, and he’s been practicing on a limited basis throughout the week. If he is sidelined on Monday, the Jaguars would lean on D’Ernest Johnson and rookie Tank Bigsby.
  • De’Von Achane is expected to play for the Dolphins this weekend, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. After returning from a knee injury in time for Week 11, the running back was once again sidelined with the issue for Week 12. Meanwhile, Terron Armstead said he intends to play this weekend despite suffering a quadriceps injury on Black Friday. It was initially thought that the offensive tackle could miss multiple weeks, so this is an encouraging update for the Dolphins offense.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 1st, 2023 at 1:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Week 13 underway, the picture at the top of the NFL draft board continues to become clearer. Plenty is yet to be determined with respect to the top of the order, however.

The Panthers’ ongoing struggles led to Frank Reich‘s firing, but the Bears own Carolina’s top pick this year due to the 2023 swap which landed Bryce Young via the No. 1 selection. Chicago being able to have the top pick once again – coupled with their own selection landing in the top-10 – would make the Bears a team to watch closely come April. The race for the top two or three slots (and, as such, the ability to draft QBs Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, along with wideout Marvin Harrison Jr.) will also be a key late-season storyline for the Cardinals and Patriots.

The Commanders have lost three straight games, overshadowing a promising season from first-year starter Sam Howell. After deciding to move on from defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat at the trade deadline, the team’s defense has continued to struggle. DC Jack Del Rio is out as a result, and head coach Ron Rivera‘s position is not believed to be on strong footing. A top-five pick could make the job in Washington more attractive presuming a opening arises this offseason.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Arizona Cardinals: 2-10
  3. New England Patriots: 2-9
  4. Chicago Bears: 4-8
  5. Washington Commanders: 4-8
  6. New York Giants: 4-8
  7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-7
  8. New York Jets: 4-7
  9. Los Angeles Chargers: 4-7
  10. Tennessee Titans: 4-7
  11. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-7
  12. New Orleans Saints: 5-6
  13. Green Bay Packers: 5-6
  14. Los Angeles Rams: 5-6
  15. Cincinnati Bengals: 5-6
  16. Buffalo Bills: 6-6
  17. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  18. Denver Broncos: 6-5
  19. Atlanta Falcons: 5-6
  20. Minnesota Vikings: 6-6
  21. Seattle Seahawks: 6-6
  22. Indianapolis Colts: 6-5
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-4
  24. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  25. Miami Dolphins: 8-3
  26. Detroit Lions: 8-3
  27. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-3
  28. Dallas Cowboys: 9-3
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-3
  30. San Francisco 49ers: 8-3
  31. Baltimore Ravens: 9-3
  32. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-1

AFC North Rumors: Bengals, Battle, Watson, Steelers

November 26th, 2023 at 9:41pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bengals have already announced that starting quarterback Joe Burrow‘s season is over after he suffered a thumb ligament tear. The only information left to report on Burrow’s situation is that he is set to undergo wrist surgery tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The expectation is that Burrow will be able to make a full recovery in time for the 2024 season.

On the administrative side of things, Rapoport also reports that the league is “investigating if Cincinnati should have listed Burrow on its injury report prior to” the game in which he seemingly suffered the season-ending injury. The night before the team’s matchup in Baltimore, Burrow was shown on a team social media post with an apparatus on his right wrist before the post was taken down. That same wrist is the one receiving surgery tomorrow. Rapoport says that the Bengals have “turned in hours of footage to the NFL showing that Burrow was healthy prior to the game.” The team’s doctors claim that the injury was acute and not one that happened over time.

The team opted to run Burrow’s offense and playbook in Jake Browning‘s first career start. The Bengals coaches had full confidence in Browning running the offense but still planned to run the ball a bit more than usual to take some pressure off his shoulders. Browning and the Bengals would lose to Pittsburgh, but Browning would complete 19 of 26 pass attempts for 227 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The plan to run the ball a bit more fell through as limited possession time and offensive success led to only 11 carries.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North, staying in Cincinnati for a beat:

  • Another position for the Bengals experienced a change in starter as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo announced rookie third-round pick Jordan Battle as the team’s starting strong safety over Nick Scott earlier this week, per Kelsey Conway of USA Today. Scott still had a role in today’s game but played a clear second fiddle to Battle. Asked what about Battle made him the choice at starter, Anarumo claimed it was his tackling ability.
  • Another AFC North starting quarterback underwent surgery for their season-ending injury as the Browns‘ Deshaun Watson had a procedure done on his shoulder earlier this week, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Watson is expected to be healed in time to start the 2024 season.
  • A big story in the struggles of the Steelers’ offense this year has been the frustration of wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Those frustrations reportedly boiled over after last week’s loss to the Browns, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, leading to a heated argument with star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick that needed to be broken up by teammates Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt. Johnson only had two catches on the day and was visibly upset on the sideline as he engaged in an animated conversation with head coach Mike Tomlin. Johnson’s annoyance would continue as he was later seen “chirping” at the coaches all the way to the locker room after the game before being confronted by Fitzpatrick. Perhaps the firing of former offensive coordinator Matt Canada helped to cool Johnson down, as Johnson received eight targets today.
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