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Raiders’ Davante Adams Facing Multi-Week Absence

September 28th, 2024 at 9:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

Davante Adams is dealing with a hamstring injury, and he will be out of the Raiders’ lineup for tomorrow’s contest. The All-Pro wideout is set to be sidelined for a longer period, however.

Adams’ injury occurred during Vegas’ Thursday practice, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Paul Gutierrez report he is expected to be out for multiple weeks. Hamstring injuries can often linger, and players prematurely returning to the field can lead to lengthier absences. The Raiders will no doubt proceed with caution in this case.

Since being acquired via trade in 2022, Adams as served as the team’s top wideout. The 31-year-old totaled 203 catches across his first two campaigns in Vegas, and expectations remain high for his output moving forward. His 209 yards lead the team in 2024, underscoring how impactful his absence will be in the passing game. While missed time could lower Adams’ trade value, the ESPN report reiterates such a move is not under consideration (as was the case during the offseason). Indeed, Schefter and Gutierrez note that the Raiders turned away multiple teams interested in a trade this offseason before those clubs could even make an offer.

Still, the six-time Pro Bowler was viewed in the build-up to the season as a trade candidate depending on how the campaign played out, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk openly wonders whether Adams has already played his last snaps for Las Vegas. The Raiders sit at 1-2 after a lopsided loss to the Panthers. Head coach Antonio Pierce made his displeasure clear in the aftermath of that contest, leading to speculation signficant changes could be coming. Quarterback Gardner Minshew remains atop the depth chart, however, and the veteran will now rely on other pass-catching options for the time being.

Tight end Brock Bowers has enjoyed a strong start to his rookie season, registering at least 41 yards in each game to date. Vegas’ top pick in April’s draft will be expected to take on a larger target share in Adams’ absence. At the receiver spot, veteran Jakobi Meyers is now positioned to handle an increased workload alongside fellow starter Tre Tucker. The latter posted 96 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions last week, and Vegas’ offense would welcome a repeat performance on Sunday.

Placing Adams on injured reserve would require a four-game absence. It remains to be seen if such a move becomes necessary, but his status will be worth watching closely over the near future as the Raiders (a team which will be without Maxx Crosby on Sunday) look to avoid a 1-3 start to the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/24

September 28th, 2024 at 7:27pm CST by Ely Allen

Minor transactions and practice squad callups for the Week 4 weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Elevated: G Kyle Hergel

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Kliff Kingsbury Addresses Return To Coaching, Commanders Hire

September 27th, 2024 at 2:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

When Kliff Kingsbury was fired as head coach of the Cardinals last January, his coaching future was in doubt. He found himself back in the NFL this offseason, however, and his tenure as offensive coordinator of the Commanders has been impressive to date.

“I really didn’t think I was ever going to coach again,” Kingsbury recalled during an interview with Sam Fortier of the Washington Post. “It was set up so perfectly just to ride off into the sunset.”

The 45-year-old served as coach of the Cardinals from 2019-22, with his first three campaigns producing year-over-year improvement in the win-loss department. The final campaign of that tenure produced a 4-13 record, though, and it came as little surprise when the organization cleaned house. Kingsbury took a trip to Thailand while contemplating his future before ultimately taking a gig on Lincoln Riley‘s USC staff for the 2023 season.

That one-and-done tenure did not produce a desire to remain at the college level on a full-time basis. Kingsbury – who served as Texas Tech’s head coach for six years – noted he does not intend to return to the NCAA level in the near future. He drew considerable interest on the NFL coordinator market during the winter, interviewing with the Bears and Eagles. Kingsbury added he was prepared to take those gigs, but both teams went in a different direction.

A deal then appeared to be in place with the Raiders for their offensive coordinator spot. The agreement fell through, however, and Kingsbury’s interview reveals Vegas offered him a two-year contract. He was aiming for a three-year pact, and that sticking point paved the way for Dan Quinn hiring him to lead Washington’s offense. While minority owner Magic Johnson was initially believed to have played a role in Kingsbury winding up in the nation’s capital, Kingsbury confirmed that was not the case.

Using second overall pick Jayden Daniels at quarterback right away during his rookie season, the Commanders have impressed so far on offense. Washington ranks fifth in scoring and sixth in yardage, and the team has not punted over the past two games. Daniels has yet to commit a turnover, and remaining comfortable in Kingsbury’s scheme could allow Washington to exceed expectations moving forward. In that event, Kingsbury’s head coaching stock could become something to monitor for future hiring cycles.

Chargers, Raiders, Ravens Considered Justin Fields In Trades; QB Moving Toward Steelers’ Starting Job

September 26th, 2024 at 10:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Justin Fields appears to be moving toward solidification of the Steelers’ starting quarterback job, one he could not win during training camp. Pittsburgh is 3-0, and Russell Wilson saw a calf injury deny him the chance to begin a starter run with the team. Wilson remains limited in practice.

While Mike Tomlin is slow-playing this matter, it would be somewhat difficult to see the Steelers pivot back to Wilson after Fields piloted the team to three wins. This always loomed as a possible scenario, despite the Steelers’ offseason party line favoring the more experienced option. Wilson’s status changed when the Steelers acquired Fields days after officially signing the 13th-year veteran, and the Bears helped steer the younger passer to Pittsburgh.

Although it remains farfetched the Bears turned down a notably better offer to send Fields to the Steelers, they are still believed to have done right by their three-year starter to move him to a team without a solidified QB1. Fields confirmed the Bears helped him out by trading him to the Steelers, indicating on Cam Heyward‘s Not Just Football podcast the NFC North team gave him a chance to choose his destination. Months before losing a higher-profile trade sweepstakes that featured Brandon Aiyuk ultimately preferring to stay with the 49ers, the Steelers benefited from a somewhat similar process — in a deal that only cost them a conditional sixth-round pick.

With Wilson looking likely to be Pittsburgh’s backup when he returns to full strength, Fields will probably cost the Steelers a 2025 fourth due to playing more than 51% of the team’s offensive snaps this season. The former first-round pick preferred this situation to others the Bears entertained, telling Heyward other teams with solidified starters pursued him. The Chargers and Ravens were two of those, while Fields added the Raiders — who did not have a surefire starter at that point — were also in the mix.

Bears GM Ryan Poles confirmed other trade paths existed, and Fields was intrigued by the Falcons, Vikings and Raiders before QB dominoes fell. The Raiders, who hired two-year Bears OC Luke Getsy to be their play-caller (after Kliff Kingsbury backed out), were viewed as unlikely to make a serious Fields pursuit in February but then — minutes before agreeing to terms with Gardner Minshew — were reconnected to the Ohio State product. Minshew heading to Las Vegas on a two-year, $25MM deal undoubtedly helped push Fields to Pittsburgh, even though the former needed to win a months-long competition to win the Raiders’ starting job.

The 25-year-old passer said his Bears exit interview gave him the impression he would be traded, with QB recalling Bears brass telling him they faced a “tricky situation” due to holding the No. 1 overall pick for a second straight year. This reminded of Poles’ comments to the media shortly after Chicago’s season ended. As expected, the Bears passed on a fourth Fields season by giving the Steelers the fifth-year option decision. Pittsburgh declined the option, but the team is interested in a post-2024 relationship with the dual-threat QB. Although immediate interest in a post-2024 Wilson contract surfaced as well, that seems less likely to come to pass based on this season’s early arc.

The Chargers received inquiries from the Patriots and Vikings on Justin Herbert but shot them down, leaving no doubt about their QB plan in Jim Harbaugh‘s first season. The Ravens’ penchant for employing dual-threat Lamar Jackson backups — from Robert Griffin III to Tyler Huntley — would have made Fields an interesting piece in Baltimore, but he would have seen no route to a starting job there. Every non-Steelers team to discuss Fields with the Bears viewed him as a backup, and the QB told Heyward he was concerned about the musical chairs game that featured a few spots filled during the legal tampering period. (The Steelers obtained Fields five days into free agency.)

As far as Fields’ Steelers situation goes, he may not only to be moving toward being the team’s starter but reaching a place where the club would allow him to play through mistakes (rather than receiving a quick hook), ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Wilson, who battled injuries in Denver, is not yet moving well on his balky calf. This continues to give Fields a runway to win the long-term gig. Even though QBR ranks Fields 21st, he has done enough to keep a defense-powered Steelers team in games.

Fields’ low-octane work does not completely slam the door on Wilson, so it will be a situation to monitor for a while. This could become awkward when Wilson recovers, as the potential Hall of Famer was given some early assurances upon signing. But the vet’s calf injury allowed Fields extensive reps in training camp, where he impressed. And he has continued to gain ground in the weeks since, leading the youngest of Pittsburgh’s passers to the precipice of a QB1 announcement.

Owners Approving Tom Brady Raiders Stake Would End Any Unretirement Bid

September 26th, 2024 at 10:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tom Brady‘s loose Raiders affiliation has already forced the NFL to place significant restrictions on his broadcasting career, preventing him from entering team facilities ahead of covering games for FOX. Brady also cannot take part in pregame meetings with players, representing a highly unusual arrangement for an announcer. Another notable wrinkle will come to pass if the all-time QB great is finally approved as a Raiders part-owner.

Should owners approve Brady’s Raiders ownership stake, it will officially put an end to a second unretirement. Brady, who mentioned the prospect of unretiring once again this offseason, would be prohibited from following through with any plan if he becomes a part-owner for the Las Vegas franchise, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes.

This summer, Brady said he was not opposed to making an in-season return. This was interesting since the 23-year veteran had closed the door on a comeback in 2023, shortly after purchasing a stake in the Raiders. This included rebuffing his hometown 49ers, who sought to have him start and mentor Brock Purdy last year.

NFL owners had cited issues with Brady’s stake price and conflict of interest with his broadcasting gig, Those matters have since been resolved, but owners did not approve Brady’s stake at their most recent meetings, continuing a trend with the matter not coming up. Attending a Raiders practice late in the 2023 season even tripped alarms for owners.

Momentum does appear to be building toward Brady finally becoming a part-owner in December, but if the 47-year-old is voted in, he will officially bid farewell to a second unretirement. While Brady famously attempted to become a player/owner for the Dolphins during his first retirement in 2022, leading to a stiff penalty for that organization, a 2023 rule change would prohibit him from playing for the Raiders while owning a piece of the franchise.

Previously, Brady could have been a player/owner in Vegas had 24 owners approved it. Now, Jones writes no such vote would take place. Shortly after MLS club Inter Miami added Lionel Messi as a player while giving the soccer legend equity in the franchise, the NFL passed a rule nixing teams from doing the same. Owners would have been unlikely to approve Brady as a player/owner in Miami, but the matter was on the table. Now, Brady would need to decide — if an opportunity arose for him to leave the broadcast booth and take part in this season. He has certainly been given plenty of time on this front, as the NFL’s finance committee has tabled this matter since Brady agreed to buy a piece of the Raiders in May 2023.

Brady retired in both February 2022 and February 2023, famously backtracking on the first exit to play the age-45 season he had long sought to do. Stretching the boundaries of the quarterback position in terms of accomplishments and longevity, Brady is widely considered to have put together the greatest career in NFL history. His 2022 season brought a significant step back from a 2021 campaign for which the first-ballot Hall of Famer-to-be earned second-team All-Pro accolades. But Brady remains on the NFL periphery in terms of another comeback. His Raiders agreement seemingly puts the kibosh on the matter, though the aspiring owner — one whose planned passive role has caused several issues — may be months away from stepping into those ranks.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/25/24

September 25th, 2024 at 6:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR John Jiles

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: DT Shakel Brown

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Trenton Gill has caught on with the Buccaneers practice squad after getting cut by the Broncos back in August. Gill spent the previous two seasons as the Bears full-time punter, with the 25-year-old averaging 46 yards per punt while landing 28.6 percent of his punts inside the 20. As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes, this addition is a sign that Bucs punter Jake Camarda may be on the hot seat. The former fourth-round pick is averaging a career-low 39.8 net yards per punt.

Raiders Not Benching Gardner Minshew

September 25th, 2024 at 3:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 25: Pierce ended the suspense regarding his starter, declaring Wednesday that Minshew “is the quarterback.” It would have been strange for the new HC to bring forth a change so soon, but leaving the door open as he did does leave this situation unstable before September’s end.

SEPTEMBER 24: Gardner Minshew did not finish the Raiders’ Week 3 loss to the Panthers, and Antonio Pierce left the door open to benching the quarterback he went with after a months-long position battle. It does not appear Pierce is ready to pull the plug just yet.

The Raiders parked Minshew during a stunning loss, and Pierce declined to confirm postgame his starting QB plan would remain the same. Aidan O’Connell entered and completed 9 of 12 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, coming in weeks after losing a close competition to the more experienced passer. O’Connell may well have a chance to start again, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates Minshew will remain at the controls for the Raiders in Week 4.

Although Pierce criticized certain Raider players for their effort in the team’s home defeat, Minshew is barely a week removed from leading the team to a comeback win in Baltimore. The former Jaguars and Colts starter completed 30 of 38 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens; a switch to O’Connell two weeks later would certainly feel premature. But a change will be a Raiders storyline to monitor, as this is a transition season that features Minshew as a placeholder.

Signed in the event the Raiders did not end up with a quarterback prospect in the draft, Minshew inked a two-year, $25MM deal. That led all non-Kirk Cousins FA quarterbacks this offseason. Minshew played effectively in helping the Colts stay in the playoff race last season, and Indianapolis currently is not enjoying the kind of stability — albeit without a high ceiling — its primary 2023 starter offered. After ranking 13th in QBR last season, Minshew sits 24th through three games.

The Raiders showed steady interest in trading up for Jayden Daniels, most likely being the only team to submit an offer to the Commanders for No. 2 overall. Las Vegas also discussed the Nos. 3-5 picks, with Pierce potentially readier to part with necessary assets in a trade-up compared to GM Tom Telesco‘s mindset. Linked to Michael Penix Jr., the Raiders were not prepared to trade up for the player the Falcons surprisingly chose at No. 8 overall. Once the Broncos drafted Bo Nix at 12, the Raiders were effectively locked out of first-round-level QBs. They then chose Brock Bowers, effectively tabling their quarterback plan to 2025.

Vegas links to the likes of Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders and Quinn Ewers figure to emerge in the coming weeks and months, though those passers’ values have yet to crystalize. Minshew’s contract guarantees $3.16 of his $11.84MM 2025 base salary, giving the Raiders some flexibility next year. O’Connell, who started every game during Pierce’s interim HC season (after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s benching), is signed through 2026. He makes more sense as a Raiders 2025 bridge option/eventual backup compared to Minshew, who could be a trade candidate next year.

O’Connell was believed to be ahead of Minshew for several weeks this offseason, only to lose the battle due to the coaching staff’s feeling the latter option was better equipped to help this team avoid a slow start. With the Raiders at 1-2, Minshew will begin to test Pierce’s patience. The 28-year-old passer remains at the helm in Pierce’s first season as a full-time HC. The leash still appears short, as it always looked to be, but the sixth-year passer will hold off O’Connell for at least one more week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/24/24

September 24th, 2024 at 7:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Chicago Bears

 Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts but he quickly landed a deal with the Lions on their practice squad. Healthy after back-to-back years featuring major injuries, the 30-year-old has twice been a gameday elevation so far this year and logged a 44% offensive snap share. He will aim to remain in a depth role while now permanently on the active roster.

Covey will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks given today’s move. His injury is particularly notable given the fact A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are both injured at the moment, thinning out the team’s receiver room. Covey, 27, received seven targets across the past two games and Philadelphia will need to turn to other options for a complementary role at wideout (along with the return game).

Raiders Eyeing Roster Changes?

September 23rd, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders were handily beaten by the Andy Dalton-led Panthers on Sunday. In his post-game press conference, head coach Antonio Pierce suggested roster moves could be coming in the near future in response to his team’s performance.

“As the game went on… I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions,” Pierce said while declining to name specific players (via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez). “And we’ll make business decisions going forward as well.”

The Panthers racked up 437 yards of offense en route to a 36-22 victory. Dalton – inserted into the starting lineup in place of the struggling Bryce Young – became the first quarterback in 2024 to amass at least 300 passing yards and three touchdowns in a game. Pierce’s comments suggest notable changes could be coming in the near future to at least the depth chart at certain positions.

The 2024 offseason produced a number of changes, with ex-Chargers general manager Tom Telesco being hired as Vegas’ new GM. Owner Mark Davis previously expressed regret over not retaining Rich Bisaccia as head coach after he held the title at the end of the 2021 season. Pierce, by contrast, had the interim tag removed this spring, allowing him to carry on following his stint to close out last year. That makes 2024 his first full season as a head coach at the NFL level.

The 45-year-old will be tasked with overseeing development on the part of the Raiders, a team which faces questions at quarterback in particular. Gardner Minshew won a summer competition for the starter’s role over Aidan O’Connell after the team was active in seeking a move up the draft board to add a signal-caller. Both Minshew and O’Connell are under contract for 2025, but struggles on offense will no doubt lead to continued speculation about a move at the position during the spring.

On defense, the Raiders rank near the bottom of the league in a number of categories. Improvement on that side of the ball will be a goal moving forward, although the team’s edge rush group is shorthanded in the absence of Malcolm Koonce. It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff reacts to Sunday’s loss after it dropped the Raiders to 1-2 on the year.

Raiders S Marcus Epps Suffers ACL Tear

September 23rd, 2024 at 3:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders were dealt a major blow during Sunday’s loss. Safety Marcus Epps suffered an ACL tear, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Epps was part of the Raiders’ efforts to rebuild in the secondary last offseason. He inked a two-year deal as a free agent worth $12MM. That pact included $8MM in guarantees, and it proved to be a worthwhile investment from the team’s perspective last year. The 28-year served as a full-time starter, collecting 66 tackles and three pass breakups. Similar play was expected of him in 2024, but his attention will turn to recovery.

As Pelissero notes, Epps’ knee is otherwise intact, which is a positive sign regarding his long-term outlook. For the time being, though, the Raiders will be shorthanded at the safety spot. The Wyoming product logged more than 1,000 defensive snaps for the second straight year in 2023, and replacing him will be a tall order for Las Vegas. The team ranks 28th in scoring defense through three games, including poor numbers against the pass (226 yards per game), and those figures could worsen in Epps’ absence.

The former Viking and Eagle did not hold down a full-time starting role in Philadelphia until his final year with the team. Epps did not deliver strong coverage statistics that season, but his leadership and communication made him an attractive option for the Raiders to pair with Tre’von Moehrig. The latter had his best season to date in 2023, but he will close out the current campaign with a new safety partner. The likes of Isaiah Pola-Mao, Amari Burney, Christopher Smith and Trey Taylor are options to take on an increased defensive role.

The news of Epps’ injury comes not long after it was learned starting defensive end Malcolm Koonce is also out for the year. Those absences will leave the Raiders without a pair of impactful defenders moving forward as they look to improve from a 1-2 start. With nearly $28MM in cap space, a move aimed at adding safety depth to help replace Epps would be feasible from a financial standpoint.

For the former sixth-rounder, this injury will no doubt impact his free agent value. Epps will look to rehab in time for the start of the 2025 campaign, but his market will not be as strong as it would have been had he remained healthy and productive for Vegas.

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