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Colts Fire OC Marcus Brady

November 1st, 2022 at 9:29am CST by Adam La Rose

Midway through a season rife with underwhelming play on the offensive side of the ball, the Colts have made a significant move on the sidelines. The team announced on Tuesday that they have fired offensive coordinator Marcus Brady.

The 43-year-old joined the Colts’ staff in 2018, following a playing and coaching career in the CFL. He served as Indianapolis’ assistant QBs coach that season, being promoted to the same, full-time role one year later. That made him a key member of the team’s staff as their search for a long-term Andrew Luck successor saw them turn to Jacoby Brissett and Philip Rivers.

Last January, after Nick Sirianni departed for the Eagles’ head coaching gig, Brady was promoted to OC as his replacement. Colts HC Frank Reich retained play-calling duties, but the move nevertheless marked another increase in Brady’s influence on the unit. After last year’s one-season experiment with Carson Wentz ended with a playoff absence, he was tasked with transitioning to yet another new signal-caller, this time Matt Ryan.

The latter’s immense struggles to begin his Colts tenure resulted in his being benched for the remainder of the campaign, however. The move away from Ryan in favor of 2021 sixth-rounder Sam Ehlinger was directed by owner Jim Irsay, something which raised questions about Reich’s job status. Today’s news marks the second straight week where a major move has been made in an attempt to right the ship on offense for a team which entered the season with high expectations.

Ehlinger made a reasonable NFL debut during the team’s 17-16 loss to the Commanders, but the unit as a whole has lacked consistency and struggled with turnovers. That has resulted in a 3-4-1 record, a new signal-caller, and now, a new OC. Attention will be turned even more to Reich and his ability to guide the offense through this latest change.

“This was an incredibly hard decision, but one I felt needed to be made in the best interest of the team,” Reich said in a statement. “I appreciate Marcus’ commitment to the organization, and he made a significant contribution to our offensive success over the last five seasons. I wish him the best moving forward.”

Injury Updates: Eichenberg, Smith, Parker, Moore, Bellinger

October 31st, 2022 at 9:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Dolphins guard Liam Eichenberg was carted off the field in this Sunday’s trip to Detroit. The injury isn’t as serious as initially feared, but it appears Eichenberg has suffered an MCL injury and will miss some time, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Miami will have options to replace Eichenberg. Michael Deiter started eight games at center last year for the Dolphins and 15 games at Eichenberg’s left guard position in 2019. Brandon Shell and Greg Little are also options with plenty of starting experience, albeit at tackle. Robert Jones is also an option after starting a game last year.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • The Vikings are expected to be down another tight end after Irv Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. With Ben Ellefson on injured reserve, Minnesota will have to rely on veteran Johnny Mundt who came over from Los Angeles in the offseason. Mundt has had limited targets this year with Minnesota’s litany of talented pass catchers, but his 12 receptions are already more than he had during his five years with the Rams. The Vikings will also likely explore the option of signing one of its two practice squad tight ends, Jacob Hollister and Nick Muse.
  • After suffering a knee sprain on the first play of the Patriots’ win over the Jets this weekend, wide receiver DeVante Parker is not expected to miss extended time, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport reports that if he does miss time, it should only be one game, especially since New England has a bye after next Sunday’s contest against the Colts. He should definitely be back in time for a rematch with the Jets in Week 11.
  • Colts cornerback Kenny Moore suffered a right hand sprain in practice last week, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. As Boyd inquired about the injury, Moore revealed that he has also been playing with a torn ligament in his left hand since the start of the season. Neither injury is expected to hold Moore out of any games, but this interview offered a glimpse into what Moore has been playing through this year.
  • After a gruesome freak accident that saw Jaguars rookie linebacker Devin Lloyd strike Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger directly in the eye on a whiffed attempt to punch the ball out, Bellinger reportedly “underwent successful surgery to correct fractures on (the) lower window of (his) eye socket and damage to (his) septum,” according to Fowler. Bellinger hopes to return in two to six weeks, but other sources indicate that four to six weeks is a much more reasonable timeline.

Colts Receiving Calls On RB Nyheim Hines

October 31st, 2022 at 8:20pm CST by Ben Levine

The Colts made it pretty clear that they were focused on the future when they replaced Matt Ryan with second-year QB Sam Ehlinger. It didn’t take long for rival squads to start sniffing around at some of Indy’s available players. One player that’s drawn interest is Nyheim Hines, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting (on Twitter) that teams have inquired about the offensive weapon’s availability.

Hines has had a consistent role on the Colts offense since entering the league as a fourth-round pick in 2018. The running back topped 500 yards from scrimmage in each of his first four NFL seasons, including a 2020 campaign where he finished with 862 offensive yards and seven touchdowns. In seven games this season, Hines has collected 224 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown, and he’s returned 11 punts for 111 yards.

Jonathan Taylor‘s emergence over the past two years meant Hines was eyeing a future backup role with the organization. He still inked a three-year, $18MM extension with the Colts last September, and the team has managed to keep him active in the passing game and on special teams.

The Colts could be inclined to move on from the 25-year-old thanks to the recent emergence of Deon Jackson. The 2021 UDFA out of Duke proved to be more-than-capable when he had a significant role with Taylor and Hines sidelined. In Week 5 and Week 6, Jackson collected 104 rushing yards on 25 carries, and he added another 108 receiving yards on 14 receptions. On the flip side, if the Colts are worried that Taylor’s struggles this season aren’t an anomaly, they may want to keep as much RB depth as possible.

Inquiring teams could be eyeing Hines as a third-down RB and/or a ST option. Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus tweets that Hines has drawn trade interest in the past, although he cautions that there are “more running backs available than teams that need running backs.”

Colts DE Tyquan Lewis Done For Season

October 31st, 2022 at 5:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Tyquan Lewis is done for the season. The Colts defensive end ruptured his patellar tendon and will miss the rest of the campaign, per Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star (on Twitter). The Colts placed Lewis on injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter).

Lewis was carted off the field during the fourth quarter of yesterday’s loss to the Commanders. The injury came nearly one year after Lewis suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his other knee, ending his 2021 season prematurely.

“Our hearts go out to Tyquan,” said head coach Frank Reich (via the team’s website). “He was having a great year. … We’ll support him every step of the way.”

Lewis came off the bench to begin the season, but he started each of Indy’s last four games. In seven appearances this year, the 27-year-old defensive lineman collected 14 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. Pro Football Focus ranked him 93rd among 116 qualifying edge defenders in 2022, but the site graded him much more favorably in 2021 (31 of 110). Lewis inked a one-year deal to stay with the Colts this past offseason and will hit free agency following the season.

To fill the open roster spot, the Colts activated safety Trevor Denbow from injured reserve, per Wilson. The undrafted rookie made the roster out of preseason, and there’s hope that he can develop into one of Indy’s key special team gunners. He landed on IR right before Week 1 and was designated to return last week.

Latest On Colts HC Frank Reich, GM Chris Ballard

October 30th, 2022 at 10:38am CST by Rory Parks

An owner-imposed quarterback change is generally not a good omen for a head coach or general manager, and Colts owner Jim Irsay‘s recent mandate that Indianapolis bench offseason trade acquisition Matt Ryan for 2021 sixth-rounder Sam Ehlinger has led to speculation that HC Frank Reich and GM Chris Ballard could be on the hot seat. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears from multiple sources that Reich is safe and that his job is not at all in jeopardy.

It seems Reich has done enough to merit additional time as the club’s sideline general. The Colts hastily pivoted to Reich after being jilted by Josh McDaniels during the 2018 coaching cycle, and under Reich’s watch, Indy has compiled a 40-30-1 regular season record. The only year in which the team did not post an above-.500 record was in 2019, when Andrew Luck unexpectedly retired weeks before the regular season got underway.

On the other hand, the Colts’ collapse in the final two weeks of the 2021 campaign — which featured a Week 18 loss to the 2-14 Jaguars to eliminate the team from the postseason field — is a black mark on Reich’s resume (though former QB Carson Wentz has shouldered plenty of blame for that disappointment as well). The fact that Indianapolis has not won a eminently-winnable division during Reich’s tenure is also working against him.

Of course, the team has been slapping duct tape on its quarterback situation since Luck’s retirement, and while 2020 signal-caller Philip Rivers led the Colts to a playoff berth, the subsequent additions of Wentz and Ryan did not go as well. It would hardly be fair to blame Reich for QB development when the QBs he has had to work with have been near the ends of their careers or otherwise became expendable in the eyes of their prior clubs. Instead, the growth of Ehlinger over the remainder of the season may be more reflective of Reich’s acumen.

It may not even be fair to lay the blame for the QB carousel at Ballard’s feet, as Irsay is more involved when it comes to his franchise’s signal- callers than he is with other aspects of roster construction. Indeed, Ryan’s health and injury guarantees for 2023 may have been a factor in his Irsay-led demotion, and Irsay spearheaded this offseason’s Wentz trade as well.

Nonetheless, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports believes the seats are warming for Reich and Ballard, and he spoke with one AFC executive who said, “I’m concerned for them. They’re already being questioned about how they evaluate quarterbacks, and if [Ehlinger] comes in there and doesn’t play well, it’ll reflect poorly.”

Irsay himself has responded to the speculation in an emphatic way. He said he has given no thought to moving on from either his head coach or GM, and he added, “I’m in a great spot with Chris and Frank. We’re all re-energized with the move to Sam Ehlinger. Nothing is easy but [I] feel really good” (Twitter link via ESPN’s Chris Mortensen).

2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team

October 28th, 2022 at 12:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Days away from this year’s trade deadline (3pm CT, Nov. 1), a few teams have made some in-season moves to bolster their rosters. Several squads have also restructured contracts this season to create additional space. That extra room will matter as most teams will consider adding or subtracting costs before Tuesday’s deadline.

Here is how teams’ cap-space numbers (courtesy of OverTheCap) look ahead of the deadline:

  1. Cleveland Browns: $33.72MM
  2. Las Vegas Raiders: $10.35MM
  3. Carolina Panthers: $9.79MM
  4. Atlanta Falcons: $9.71MM
  5. Philadelphia Eagles: $9.47MM
  6. Denver Broncos: $7.79MM
  7. Pittsburgh Steelers: $7.69MM
  8. Indianapolis Colts: $7.23MM
  9. Dallas Cowboys: $7.16MM
  10. Chicago Bears: $7.08MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $6.6MM
  12. Miami Dolphins: $6.16MM
  13. New York Jets: $5.71MM
  14. Los Angeles Chargers: $4.97MM
  15. San Francisco 49ers: $4.95MM
  16. Los Angeles Rams: $4.93MM
  17. Arizona Cardinals: $4.76MM
  18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $4.3MM
  19. Washington Commanders: $4.26MM
  20. Kansas City Chiefs: $3.86MM
  21. Seattle Seahawks: $3.71MM
  22. Jacksonville Jaguars: $3.67MM
  23. New Orleans Saints: $3.61MM
  24. Cincinnati Bengals: $3.31MM
  25. New York Giants: $3.26MM
  26. Detroit Lions: $3.25MM
  27. Baltimore Ravens: $3.07MM
  28. New England Patriots: $2.19MM
  29. Houston Texans: $2.09MM
  30. Buffalo Bills: $1.93MM
  31. Tennessee Titans: $1.59MM
  32. Minnesota Vikings: $852K

The Browns have held the top spot for months, and the gulf between their cap-space figure and the field almost certainly stems from a desire to carry over cap space before Deshaun Watson‘s cap number spikes from $9.4MM to a runaway-record $54.99MM. Cleveland has recently been linked to creating more cap space. Interest has come in for Greedy Williams, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Kareem Hunt. Although the Browns did not grant Hunt’s summer trade request, it may now take only a fourth-round pick for Cleveland to deal its backup running back.

Another potential seller could move up on this list while creating some additional space in 2023. The Broncos are believed to have made Jerry Jeudy available. Unlike fellow trade chip Bradley Chubb, Jeudy is under contract for 2023 (on a $4.83MM cap number). Denver appears more likely to move Chubb. That departure would remove the franchise tag from the team’s equation in 2023 — barring a tag for fellow 2023 UFA-to-be Dre’Mont Jones — thus freeing up more free agency funds. It will be interesting if the Broncos, if they are to move Chubb, agree to eat much of his fifth-year option salary. George Paton‘s club took on most of Von Miller‘s 2021 money to increase draft compensation.

The Eagles are still near the top despite acquiring Robert Quinn. Philadelphia is paying just $684K of Quinn’s contract, which now runs through 2022 instead of 2024. Chicago is on the hook for $7.1MM. The Bears are on track to have a gargantuan lead on the field for 2023 cap space. They are projected to hold more than $125MM next year, according to OverTheCap.

New Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney checks in at just $784K on their 2022 cap sheet. The former Giants first-rounder’s figures bump to $1.9MM (2023) and $2.53MM (’24). Kansas City recently restructured Travis Kelce‘s deal, creating some wiggle room for the Toney addition. The Chiefs, who did not touch Patrick Mahomes‘ deal this year, restructured Kelce’s contract twice in 2022. Thursday’s trade hit the Giants with a $2.33MM dead-money charge. Toney will count $3.67MM in dead money for the Giants in 2023.

The Panthers picked up nearly $19MM in 2022 dead money via the Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey trades. Unlike the Eagles and Bears, last week’s Panthers-49ers McCaffrey swap did not involve Carolina taking on additional salary. McCaffrey’s offseason restructure dropped his 2022 base salary to the league minimum; the 49ers have him on their books at just $690K. McCaffrey’s record-setting extension will still represent $18.35MM in dead money on the Panthers’ 2023 cap, but his nonguaranteed base salaries from 2023-25 ($11.8MM, $11.8MM, $12MM) transferred fully from Carolina to San Francisco.

On the subject of 2022 dead money, the Bears lead the way with $80.32MM. The Falcons added to their total this month, however, by trading Deion Jones to the Browns. That deal saddled the Falcons with $11.38MM in additional dead money — accompanying the franchise’s record-setting Matt Ryan dead-money hit ($40.53MM) — and ballooned Atlanta’s overall total to $78.57MM. Ryan is off the Falcons’ books after this year, but Jones will carry a $12.14MM dead-money figure in 2023.

AFC Notes: Ryan, Jets, Bills, Chargers

October 27th, 2022 at 9:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Matt Ryan has started each of his 239 appearances (including playoffs) in the NFL, but he’ll find himself behind Sam Ehlinger on the depth chart for Sunday’s game against the Commanders. Despite the sudden change of role, Ryan told Joel E. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star that he hasn’t thought about asking the Colts for a trade.

Ryan is currently dealing with a shoulder issue, and while there’s a chance he’ll be active against Washington, the QB admitted that the injury is significant. Either way, the Colts made it clear that their change atop the QB depth chart would have happened regardless of the veteran’s health. Now, Ryan will likely find himself serving as a backup for the rest of the season.

“That part is different,” Ryan said of his new role. “But I’ve also learned in this league, it’s tough to assume anything. The minute you start to make assumptions about how things are going to shake out, you just never know. For me, No. 1, it’s about getting healthy and getting myself into a position where I’m staying ready.”

Ryan also acknowledged that he was disappointed in his performance through the first seven games. While the Colts are a respectable 3-3-1, the offense has been inconsistent, with Ryan completing 68.4 percent of his passes while tossing nine touchdowns vs. nine interceptions.

“Individually and personally disappointed,” Ryan said. “As a player and a competitor, you want to be out there. You want to go. … It’s part of the deal in this league. You’ve got to produce.”

More notes from around the AFC…

  • After asking for a trade and sitting out Week 7, Elijah Moore has rejoined the Jets, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). The receiver is expected to be active for Week 8. The 2021 second-round pick has been limited to only 16 catches in six games this season, including zero catches on zero targets in New York’s Week 6 win over the Packers. That empty stat line ultimately prompted Moore’s trade request.
  • Speaking of the Jets, the team made headlines when they acquired running back James Robinson from the Jaguars earlier this week. While Robinson saw a reduced role during his last few games in Jacksonville, it wasn’t necessarily because of an impending trade. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters that the team wasn’t actively shopping the running back, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco on Twitter. The Jets initiated trade talks after losing star rookie RB Breece Hall for the season. “I have a ton of respect for James,” Pederson said. “He put himself in a position to help our football team, and now he gets a chance to do that with the Jets and wishing him well.”
  • Tre’Davious White has missed the first chunk of the season while recovering from a torn ACL, but Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier told reporters that the cornerback’s return to the lineup doesn’t appear to be “that far away” (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic on Twitter). White returned to practice before Week 6, and his three-week window will soon be coming to an end. While it doesn’t sound like he’ll be active on Sunday night, there’s a good chance he’ll be back for Week 9.
  • Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson had surgery yesterday to repair his patellar tendon, per NFL Network’s Bridget Condon on Twitter. The surgery generally takes around eight to nine months to recover from. The offseason acquisition ruptured the tendon on Sunday, ending his 2022 campaign prematurely.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/26/22

October 26th, 2022 at 6:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jim Irsay Led Charge For Colts’ Matt Ryan Benching

October 25th, 2022 at 9:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jim Irsay has placed his hands on the Colts’ personnel steering wheel at key junctures this year. Nine months after the owner insisted Carson Wentz be a Colts one-and-done, he led the way to Wentz’s replacement being benched.

Over the past few weeks, Irsay let Chris Ballard and Frank Reich know a change was needed at quarterback, Zak Keefer of The Athletic reports, noting Ballard was onboard with benching Matt Ryan for Sam Ehlinger before Reich reached that conclusion (subscription required).

Pointing out that the quarterback position provides an exception to Irsay’s policy of letting Ballard and Reich run the show, Keefer adds a Sunday-night meeting — similar to the Irsay-Ballard-Reich summit shortly after the Colts’ Week 18 meltdown in Jacksonville — led to the call to demote Ryan. Ryan’s sprained shoulder will sideline him in Week 8, but he will soon become a healthy backup for the first time since Boston College’s 2005 season. Ryan’s 12 turnovers — nine interceptions, three lost fumbles — lead the league.

Irsay’s prompting also comes months after he instructed Ballard to finalize the trade for Ryan, whom the Falcons dealt to the Colts for a 2022 third-round pick. Indianapolis went more than a week in between the Wentz and Ryan trades, discussing a deal with Jameis Winston during the days between those moves. But once the Falcons’ Deshaun Watson courtship commenced, the Ryan-to-Indy path formed.

The Colts have traded a first-rounder and two thirds to bring in their past two starting QBs, though they recouped considerable value by shipping Wentz to Washington this offseason. Indianapolis will now turn to a former sixth-round pick at the game’s marquee position.

Select scouts communicated to SI.com’s Albert Breer they believe Ryan’s arm is shot, and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio points to Ryan’s injury guarantees as the reason the Colts are moving away from him seven games in. The Colts restructured Ryan’s contract this offseason, ballooning his 2023 cap number to $35.2MM. Ryan will see $12MM guaranteed next year, but $7.2MM more would come via injury guarantees if the 37-year-old passer cannot pass a physical on Day 3 of the 2023 league year, Florio adds. Ryan’s $10MM 2023 roster bonus is also guaranteed for injury, leading to the Colts’ effort to bubble-wrap their initial 2022 starter.

The Colts continue to battle uphill in the years after Andrew Luck‘s August 2019 retirement. After acquiring Ryan, they joined the Broncos and Commanders in starting a sixth Week 1 quarterback in six years. Fewer than 10 teams have gone through that much QB1 turnover since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Indianapolis will run that streak to seven next season. Only two post-merger teams — the Chargers from 1987-93 and Browns from 2013-19 — have trotted out different Week 1 starting QBs in seven straight years. Ehlinger, who has yet to throw a regular-season pass, will attempt to make his case to be that starter.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/25/22

October 25th, 2022 at 8:12pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: P Nolan Cooney, LB Forrest Rhyne
  • Released: WR DeMichael Harris, CB Ryan Smith

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

  • Signed: TE Andre Miller

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

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