HEADLINES

Browns Designate S Juan Thornhill For Return

October 16th, 2024 at 7:28pm CST by Ben Levine

Juan Thornhill could soon provide a spark to the Browns defense. The team announced that they’ve designated the safety for return from injured reserve. The Browns now have 21 days to activate Thornhill to the active roster.

The defensive back started Cleveland’s Week 1 loss, collecting nine tackles while getting into 60 defensive snaps. However, he suffered a calf injury in that game that ultimately landed him on the shelf. Thornhill was first eligible to return from IR this past weekend.

Thornhill inked a three-year deal with the Browns during the 2023 offseason. A calf injury forced him to miss six games during his debut season in Cleveland, but he otherwise managed to start all 11 of his appearances while contributing 54 tackles. The former second-round pick started his career in Kansas City, where he hauled in eight interceptions in 65 games (52 starts). He appeared in nine additional postseason contests, winning two Super Bowl rings along the way (although he was inactive during the team’s 2019 run).

The Browns have been forced to deal with an inconsistent safeties corps in 2024. Rodney McLeod Jr. and Ronnie Hickman both stepped up alongside Grant Delpit during Thornhill’s absence. However, both Delpit and Hickman were inactive for Week 6, forcing the team to turn to D’Anthony Bell.

Chargers WR DJ Chark Returns To Practice

October 16th, 2024 at 6:39pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers could soon add some veteran talent to the WR depth chart. Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports that DJ Chark returned to practice today, meaning the team opened the wideout’s 21-day activation window.

Chark caught on with the Chargers this offseason and was expected to help soak up the snaps left by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. However, the veteran suffered a hip injury prior to Week 1 that ultimately landed him on injured reserve. Chark required more than a minimum stay on IR, but it sounds like he’s now zeroing in on a return to the field.

The former second-round pick had a breakout sophomore campaign with the Jaguars, hauling in 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was unable to stay completely healthy in his two follow-up seasons, including a 2021 campaign where he was limited to four games thanks to an ankle injury.

Chark has bounced around the NFL in recent seasons. He spent the 2022 season with the Lions, where he collected 502 receiving yards in 11 games. He managed to get into 15 games with the Panthers in 2023, but he was limited to only 35 receiving yards per game, his lowest average since his rookie year.

In Los Angeles, Chark was initially expected to start alongside Josh Palmer in Jim Harbaugh‘s new-look offense. With the veteran out of the lineup, rookie second-round pick Ladd McConkey and 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston have stepped up, with the young duo leading the Chargers in targets. Chark may have an uphill battle to break the starting lineup, but he could slide in ahead of the likes of Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko, and rookie Brenden Rice.

Seahawks Place S Rayshawn Jenkins On IR

October 16th, 2024 at 5:24pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks have lost a key defender for at least the next four games. The team announced that they’ve placed safety Rayshawn Jenkins on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the Seahawks signed practice-squad safety Ty Okada to the active roster.

As ESPN’s Brady Henderson notes, Jenkins was a mainstay on the injury report over the past two weeks with a hand injury. The safety also played the past two games with a cast over his left hand. The injury will now force him off the field for at least the next four games. Jenkins will be eligible to return in Week 12.

The Seahawks have been especially reliant on their offseason acquisition, as Jenkins hasn’t missed a defensive snap through the first six weeks. The veteran has collected 38 tackles, and he returned a fumble for a touchdown in Week 5. Pro Football Focus only ranks Jenkins 56th among 84 qualifying safeties, although the site is high on his coverage ability.

The former fourth-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Chargers, evolving from a special teamer into a starting defender. He inked a four-year, $35MM deal with the Jaguars in 2021, but he was handed his walking papers back in March after starting all 48 of his appearances in three seasons with the organization.

Julian Love will continue to sit atop the depth chart, and K’Von Wallace will likely slide into the starting lineup during Jenkins’ absence. The team could also turn to versatile defensive back Coby Bryant, and they’ve now added Okada to the grouping. The former UDFA has appeared in six games for the Seahawks over the past two seasons.

Cowboys Not Expected To Be Active At Trade Deadline

October 16th, 2024 at 4:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jones has continually been asked to explain his franchise’s 2024 inaction regarding outside augmentations. Most recently, the longtime Cowboys owner/de facto GM fired back at radio hosts — during his 105.3 The Fan appearance — when this topic came up.

Issues at running back and at both defensive end and defensive tackle have come up since training camp, with the pass-catching situation beyond CeeDee Lamb being an issue essentially since the team’s post-Amari Cooper offense revealed itself. The Cowboys checked on Davante Adams but quickly bowed out when it became clear the Raiders wanted a team to pick up his full salary.

The Cowboys still managed a 12-5 record in each of the post-Cooper seasons, but they have been on the wrong side of two NFC blowouts this year and sit 3-3 after the second — a 47-9 Lions dismantling — brought more concerns about Mike Zimmer‘s defense.

Jones already responded in the negative when asked about potential coaching or coordinator changes, showing faith this batch will craft a turnaround. Though, the owner already put Mike McCarthy in a rare lame-duck season due to how poorly the team played in a wild-card loss to Green Bay. As far as roster improvements at the deadline, however, Cowboys fans should not be expecting much. Jones told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini the team will not be active in deals before the Nov. 5 deadline.

Although the Cowboys beat the Bills by six years in trading for Cooper to spark a midseason turnaround, Jones said this Dallas team has “great personnel” and is not leaning toward an aggressive direction he once did. The Cowboys then considered the 2019 receiver free agent class to be shaky, leading to the team giving up a first-rounder for Cooper. That acquisition helped Jones’ perception given what happened following the Joey Galloway and Roy Williams trades. The Raiders import helped turn Jason Garrett‘s team from 3-4 to a making a divisional-round appearance.

That round has been a rather infamous stage for Jones’ franchise in the years since Super Bowl XXX, as the team’s streak of seasons without an NFC championship game berth has reached 28. Thanks to the Lions’ cameo last season, only Washington surpasses Dallas’ run of active seasons without an NFC title game berth. McCarthy has gone 36-15 during the past three regular seasons but is now 1-3 in the playoffs in his second-chance HC gig.

Zimmer’s defense, which has played the past two games without Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence while going the full season without DaRon Bland, ranks 27th in DVOA. More damning, McCarthy and Brian Schottenheimer‘s offense is 25th despite Lamb’s big- ticket extension and Dak Prescott‘s market-resetting payday hours before Week 1’s kickoff. Following those deals, the Cowboys hold $21.7MM in cap space — seventh-most in the NFL. They are in the bottom 10 for projected 2025 cap space, however, and Parsons will then be due a monster extension.

The Cowboys ranked first in scoring offense last season; they now sit 19th. The run game, which the team did not reinforce this offseason, ranks last in total yardage and YPC (3.5). Dallas added Dalvin Cook to its practice squad but has yet to elevate the former Vikings 1,000-yard rusher. Jones has famously said he could not afford Derrick Henry, to whom the Cowboys were connected dating back to 2023, but beyond the Ezekiel Elliott signing (which has produced scant production), the team punted on the backs in free agency and did not draft one. Pro Football Focus also ranks the Cowboys’ O-line 22nd after Week 6.

Although Parsons will have a chance to come back in Week 7, both Lawrence and second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland have gone down with injuries expected to sideline them into November. Third-year DE Sam Williams is out for the season. The Cowboys signed K.J. Henry off the Bengals’ practice squad, doing so after trading for Jordan Phillips (now on IR) and signing Linval Joseph in August. Departing DC Dan Quinn also poached regulars Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Tyler Biadasz in free agency. Dallas’ run defense ranks 26th.

The collection of Cowboys rostered will face significant pressure following the team’s bye week, but Jones has said McCarthy is safe for at least this season. The team will begin its inward-focused post-bye mission in San Francisco.

Jets Work Out Riley Patterson, Cade York

October 16th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Greg Zuerlein‘s third Jets season has not started off well. Albeit in suboptimal conditions, Zuerlein combined to miss three field goals in home losses to the Broncos and Bills. As a result, the Jets are looking into other options.

Riley Patterson, Cade York and Matt Coghlin worked out for the team today, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. Zuerlein is 8-for-12 this season, missing one of his two kicks Monday night from inside 40 yards. Zuerlein previously missed a game-winning 50-yarder in the rain against the Broncos.

The Jets re-signed Zuerlein in March, agreeing to a two-year, $8.4MM deal. That contract included $4.2MM guaranteed and included three void years for cap purposes. While the Jets would eat more than $2MM in dead money by moving on from the established option, they have certainly attempted to shake things up as of late. No signings have been made, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, but Zuerlein may be running out of time to bounce back.

Robert Saleh is out, while Nathaniel Hackett has been demoted. Todd Downing is in the play-calling role, and Davante Adams is set to debut for the team in Week 7. Mike Williams is on the trade block. The Jets have not tampered with their special teams core just yet, but Zuerlein is clearly on notice.

A Division II success story known as one of the NFL’s strongest-legged kickers, the 37-year-old specialist has never been cut in-season. The Cowboys did release him after the 2021 campaign, however. Zuerlein made 35 of 38 field goals in his second Jets season — including a 5-for-6 connect rate from 50-plus yards — to lead to the two-year contract, but he may be kicking for his job soon.

Patterson entered training camp as the Commanders’ kicker, having been claimed following a Jaguars cut, but did not make it to the regular season in that role. York came in via trade as a replacement for Patterson, who struggled during the preseason.

Split between Detroit and Cleveland, Patterson went 16-for-18 on field goals last season; he made 30 of 35 tries as the Jaguars’ kicker in 2022. A 2022 Browns draftee, York has kicked in one game over the past two seasons. It did not go well. York did not make it to Week 2 in the Commanders role, being waived after missing two kicks in a season-opening loss. Coghlin spent six years at Michigan State but has yet to kick in an NFL game; the 49ers worked him out last week before signing Matthew Wright.

AFC West Notes: Raiders, Chiefs, Harbaugh

October 16th, 2024 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tom Brady‘s playing days are officially over, as his near-two-year odyssey toward becoming a Raiders part-owner is now complete. Brady’s broadcasting restrictions remain firmly in place, and a note coming out of Tuesday’s approval (h/t Bleacher Report) indicates Brady is prohibited from publicly criticizing officials and other clubs. That will make his Sunday FOX gig quite challenging, as the now-Raiders-affiliated broadcaster already cannot attend practices, appear at other teams’ facilities or take part in virtual or in-person pregame production meetings with personnel from the teams he will cover that week. Brady is also subject to the league’s anti-tampering policy, as all coaches and execs are. Nevertheless, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes Brady’s Raiders stake purchase was approved 32-0 by owners Tuesday.

The subject of Brady’s participation regarding ownership has gone from “passive” to rumors he will play a big role as a part-owner. Mark Davis offered a hint the latter path will come to fruition, indicating (via NFL.com’s Judy Battista) Brady can help the Raiders select their quarterback of the future. Brady playing a central role in player acquisitions would certainly be of interest, as the Raiders just hired a new GM (Tom Telesco). It will be interesting to see how much input the Raiders want Brady to provide their football-ops department.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • As the Jets and Bills took their wide receiver swings Tuesday, the Chiefs have thus far stood pat. The two-time defending champions have gotten by — thanks largely to a reliable defense — with holdovers. Scheme familiarity remains a priority for the Chiefs, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who writes Kansas City has not been overly active in the receiver market thus far. The Chiefs have been linked to DeAndre Hopkins, whom they pursued in a 2023 trade and later in free agency that summer, and Jaguars slot cog Christian Kirk. Thus far, no traction has (knowingly) occurred. The Chiefs saw reacquisition Mecole Hardman catch the Super Bowl LVIII game-winning pass and just observed JuJu Smith-Schuster — re-signed shortly after his Patriots release — post 130 yards against the Saints. It could then be realistic the Chiefs re-sign the recently cut Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the cheap. Though, the Marquise Brown– and Rashee Rice-less team still has a deep threat — in first-rounder Xavier Worthy. A higher-profile add should still be considered in play before the November 5 deadline.
  • While the Chargers might be more likely to deviate from their Telesco-era pattern of not acquiring players at the deadline, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes Jim Harbaugh‘s high salary stands to contribute to how the organization proceeds. The Bolts are 27th in cash spent on players this year, as Harbaugh is on a five-year, $80MM deal. Coaching contracts, of course, do not factor into the salary cap, but those expenses are part of a team’s cash outlay. The Bolts, who obtained Taylor Heinicke and Elijah Molden via trade in August, also figure to pay more attention than usual to compensatory selections. After all, GM Joe Hortiz comes from the comp pick-obsessed Ravens. If a buyer’s trade does commence, it should be expected the return will be a low-cost performer.
  • Harbaugh needed to leave the sideline for a medical evaluation in Week 6, and while the new Bolts HC returned not long after, he confirmed the exit was due to an atrial flutter episode. As a result, the 60-year-old coach will wear a heart monitor for two weeks before a reevaluation commences, Popper tweets.
  • Similar to Harbaugh’s penalty for his Michigan violations, Raiders HC Antonio Pierce received a show-cause penalty stemming from recruiting infractions while he was at Arizona State. While Harbaugh’s show-cause penalty covers four years, Pierce’s spans eight. Due to recruiting violations during a COVID-19 dead period, a school that hires Pierce over the next eight years would need to suspend him for the first full season. Pierce’s lack of cooperation with the NCAA during its investigation since he resigned from the then-Pac-12 program (just before his Raiders arrival) contributed to the penalty.
  • In addition to Brady, owners approved Pistons owner Tom Gores‘ Chargers stake. Gores purchased a 27% stake in the Dean Spanos-owned franchise, which has been in the Spanos family since 1984.

Vikings LB Blake Cashman Expected To Miss Time

October 16th, 2024 at 1:20pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Vikings will be without starting linebacker Blake Cashman for their NFC North matchup with the Lions in Week 6 and potentially longer, according to Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Cashman is currently dealing with turf toe, which could sideline him for the Vikings’ Week 7 matchup against the Rams — a Thursday-night tilt — as well.

Cashman started all five of the Vikings’ games this season and leads the team with 40 tackles as a key leader of Brian Flores‘ aggressive defense. His coverage ability has been crucial to closing down blitz-beaters and preventing yards after the catch.

Second-year linebacker Ivan Pace missed Weeks 3 and 4 due to injury, but he has started Minnesota’s other three games next to Cashman. Pace only played 36% of the team’s defensive snaps in Week 5, but the Vikings’ Week 6 bye likely gave him enough time to work back to full health and take over a larger role in Cashman’s absence.

Safety Josh Metellus started both games in Pace’s absence, so he will likely step up with Cashman out and allow Flores to continue his heavy use of dime personnel. Veteran Kamu Grugier-Hill will play some early-down snaps against the run, while Brian Asamoah could also see an increased role after just 13 defensive snaps on the season.

Cashman has struggled with injuries throughout his career, averaging just over eight games across his six NFL season. He played in just 14 games across his first three years, but appeared in 30 over the last two. The Vikings signed Cashman to a three-year deal in free agency this past offseason, beating out a number of other suitors after the Minneapolis-area native’s productive Texans season, so they are hoping he has put his injuries behind him and can remain relatively healthy for his tenure in Minnesota. That will likely motivate them to take a cautious approach with Cashman’s current injury, giving him multiple weeks to recover before retaking his starting role.

Titans Not Shopping DeAndre Hopkins

October 16th, 2024 at 1:07pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The NFL’s trade market has roared to life this week, with Davante Adams and Amari Cooper both finding new homes in exchange Day 2 draft capital.

Teams have already been circling another Pro Bowl receiver – the Titans’ DeAndre Hopkins – though neither Tennessee nor its veteran wideout seem interested in a trade, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Hopkins is set to hit free agency after this season, but he is not in a hurry to get out of Tennessee despite a losing season and an uneven quarterback situation. The former All-Pro said this offseason he wanted to finish his career in Nashville and, as of now, this situation does not look to have changed.

That said, Hopkins might be able to force his way out of Tennessee like Adams did in Las Vegas; however, Titans ownership has been resistant to trading star players in the recent past. The team did not unload Derrick Henry despite interest, with Ran Carthon reportedly overruled on moving the standout running back at the deadline.

The second-year Tennessee GM denied ownership intervened on a deal (almost definitely with the Ravens), and the Titans did move on from former All-Pro Kevin Byard last year. But they held onto Henry and D-lineman Denico Autry despite struggling around the deadline last year. Autry joined Henry in leaving in free agency this offseason. Interest came in for Hopkins last year as well, but the Titans — who had signed him to a two-year, $26MM deal — stood pat, keeping the veteran wideout around to help Will Levis‘ development.

The number of interested teams may also have dwindled after the Jets and the Bills landed their desired targets. The Chiefs pursued Hopkins during free agency in 2023, after trade negotiations with the Cardinals broke down, and their need for a receiver has only grown as the season has progressed. The Steelers have also been connected to nearly every available receiver this year, though no reports have emerged about any surefire interest in Hopkins. Players like Diontae Johnson, Christian Kirk and Mike Williams are other targets receiver-needy teams can pursue — if the Titans hang onto Hopkins once again.

It is also unrealistic to expect Hopkins to net the Titans as much compensation as the Raiders and Browns received for their star wideouts. Hopkins is coming off a 1,000-yard season in 2023, the seventh of his career, but injuries limited him to 19 games and 1,289 yards across 2021 and 2022. He has just 14 catches for 175 yards this year, on track for the lowest per-game averages of his career.

If Hopkins does garner significant trade interest in the coming weeks, the Titans should at least consider dealing the 32-year-old as they rebuild, either around Levis or a new quarterback. Hopkins is a friendly veteran target, but it is unlikely he factors into the team’s long-term outlook — especially with a new coaching staff being hired this year.

Davante Adams Fallout: Jets, Raiders, Johnson, Davis, Rodgers

October 16th, 2024 at 11:53am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jets‘ 23-20 loss may have felt like the catalyst for their long-awaited acquisition of Davante Adams, but the trade was “essentially in place before kickoff” on Monday night, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.

It would have been odd if Jets general manager Joe Douglas watched Allen Lazard and Garrett Wilson combine for 14 catches, 221 yards, and two touchdowns against the Bills and immediately thought he needed to upgrade his wide receiver corps. Lazard’s five touchdowns are tied for first in the NFL, while Wilson ranks second with 41 receptions on a league-high 67 targets. But the Jets have been interested in Adams dating back to last season, where they attempted to acquire him at the deadline for a higher price than they ultimately paid this year. Rather than add depth to fill out the wideout room, they added to the top of the rotation, which will likely squeeze Lazard back into a tertiary role, though Aaron Rodgers will still look for his 6-foot-5 frame in the red zone.

The Adams trade has reverberations down the depth chart, with Mike Williams already on the trade block. The Jets have also rarely played third-round rookie Malachi Corley, but the presence of a veteran mentor like Adams may help the rookie shore up the receiving fundamentals required to see the field in the NFL.

Here is the rest of the fallout from the Adams trade:

  • With the deal all but confirmed, Adams flew from Las Vegas to New Jersey on Monday night, arriving at the Jets’ facility on Tuesday morning to get a physical examination and meet his new team, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
  • Provided his hamstring checks out, Adams should be able to quickly acclimate to a familiar Nathaniel Hackett offense (albeit one now featuring QBs coach Todd Downing calling plays) in New York in time to make his Jets debut in primetime on Sunday night against the Steelers, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. Pittsburgh was constantly mentioned in wide receiver trade talks this year – first with Brandon Aiyuk, then with Adams – but instead, the AFC North team will have to face the All-Pro in his new home.
  • Adams was one of the leaders in the Raiders‘ locker room coming into the season, but the drama surrounding his discontent and eventual trade request made his teammates “ready to move on,” according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.
  • Raiders owner Mark Davis consulted with head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco but left the ultimate decision up to them, per The Athletic’s Diana Russini. Davis had been reluctant to deal Adams dating back to last trade deadline, when he turned down a bigger package from New York, but recognized it was time to move on less than a year later.
  • Jets owner Woody Johnson admitted the obvious while at the NFL owners’ meeting in Atlanta: Adams’ relationship with Rodgers was a key factor in bringing the wideout to New York. That connection will also help Adams slide into a major role in the Jets offense right away, joining Wilson to become one of the deadliest receiver duos in the league.
  • Johnson also said that “thinking is overrated” when asked for his perspective on the Jets’ championship hopes after a 2-4 start, according to Russini. The Jets will attempt to prove skeptics wrong by rebounding from a three-game losing streak, one that has the futures of some of their key principals up in the air. With Adams soon to debut for his third NFL team, it will be worth monitoring Rodgers’ thoughts on playing beyond 2024. Past Rodgers indecision has affected Adams’ choices in the past, and a recent report suggested the All-Pro wideout was leery of the QB’s future in New York. But the Jets now have Adams’ through-2026 contract, giving Rodgers more incentive to stick around.

Panthers Open RB Jonathon Brooks’ Practice Window

October 16th, 2024 at 9:45am CST by Nikhil Mehta

OCTOBER 16: This is now official. Brooks will begin practicing with the Panthers, who have 21 days to activate him. This week will mark the second-round rookie’s first practices since his November 2023 ACL tear.

OCTOBER 14: Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks is one step closer to making his NFL debut. The Panthers are set to open his 21-day practice window, setting up a prepared activation from the non-football injury list, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Carolina did not officially make the move on Monday, but head coach Dave Canales told reporters a practice debut is imminent. This will be a welcome development for a Panthers team still in the early stages of a rebuild, and Brooks is expected to play a key role in that plan.

The 46th overall pick back in April, Brooks tore his ACL in late 2023, which damaged but did not plummet his draft stock. The Panthers still took him in the second round as the potential future of their backfield, a decision that drew criticism considering Carolina’s other needs and lack of future draft capital after the Bryce Young trade. No other team chose a running back in the first or second round this year, illustrating Carolina’s confidence in Brooks’ talents.

Brooks began the season on the NFI list, with the Panthers prioritizing his long-term health over a speedy return. Chuba Hubbard has excelled as Carolina’s lead back in the meantime, ranking third in rushing yards (485), second in success rate (64.0%), and fifth in yards per attempt (5.6). Hubbard’s early success should allow Brooks to slowly build up his workload as he adjusts to the NFL and acclimates to Canales’ offense.

At 1-5, the Panthers need all the help they can get, but Brooks’ return will do little to kickstart an anemic offense that has struggled with poor quarterback play and offensive line injuries this year. The Texas product should be a bigger pass-catching threat out of the backfield, as both Hubbard and Miles Sanders have yet to crack 100 receiving yards on the year.

Once he is designated for return, Brooks will have 21 days to be added to the Panthers’ 53-man roster. Otherwise, he will revert to season-ending injured reserve, though that would only happen with a significant health setback.

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