HEADLINES

Raiders’ Christian Wilkins Undergoes Foot Surgery; DT Out Indefinitely

October 8th, 2024 at 6:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Davante Adams may well depart the Raiders shortly. The team will also be without one of its key veterans on the defensive side of the ball for an extended period.

Christian Wilkins underwent surgery to repair a Jones fracture he suffered on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. As a result of the procedure, the high-priced free agent will be out indefinitely, with Rapoport adding an IR stint is coming. Injured reserve will require at least a four-game absence, but a lengthier one would not come as a surprise.

Wilkins exceled against the run in particular during his five-year Miami tenure. He posted a career-high nine sacks last season, though, and that production in the pass-rush department helped his market value considerably. The 28-year-old inked a four-year, $110MM deal with the Raiders and in doing so became one of the latest defensive tackles to cash in on the position’s surge in value.

That commitment added considerably to Vegas’ expectations along the defensive front for 2024 and beyond. All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby remains in place through 2026 on his restructured deal, but he was counted on more heavily than usual given the season-ending injury suffered by Malcolm Koonce. Now that Wilkins will miss considerable time, the Raiders’ D-line will be significantly shorthanded aside from Crosby.

John Jenkins has started every game for Vegas so far on the interior, logging a 52% snap share along the way. That figure could increase with Wilkins (who racked up 17 tackles and a pair of sacks before suffering the injury) out of the picture for the foreseeable future. The likes of Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu and Nesta Jade Silvera round out the remaining healthy options on depth chart at the defensive tackle spot, and they will compete for increased snaps moving forward.

Wilkins is on the books through 2027, and his pact includes major guarantees next season as well as his 2025 base salary ($25.25MM) vesting early this spring. Returning to full health will thus be critical for team and player, but it will be quite some time until that is the case.

Derek Carr Expected To Miss Time; Saints Could Start QB Spencer Rattler

October 8th, 2024 at 4:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The oblique injury Derek Carr suffered last night could hinder the Saints’ offense for the time being. The team’s starting quarterback is expected to miss multiple games, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report.

New Orleans is set to play the Buccaneers on Sunday followed by a Thursday night matchup with the Broncos. That quick turnaround will make it challenging for Carr to suit up for each (or potentially either) game during that span, meaning the Saints will likely need to turn to a new starter under center. The team’s offense has generally outperformed expectations to date in 2024, so Carr’s absence will be notable.

The four-time Pro Bowler – much like the Saints themselves – had a middling campaign in 2023, his first in New Orleans. Klint Kubiak was brought in as offensive coordinator this offseason, and his work in installing a scheme much different than the one dating back to the Sean Payton era has paid dividends. Carr has posted a passer rating of at least 82.8 in four of his five games this year, with the team’s first two outings in particular yielding a major offensive output. For now, though, a contingency plan will need to be in place.

As Carr begins a multi-week rehab process, the Saints have Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener in place as quarterback options. The former impressed during the summer, one which included a direct competition for the QB2 gig. Rattler was the seventh quarterback to be selected in April’s draft, hearing his name called with the No. 150 pick (after the first six signal-callers were drafted with the opening 12 selections).

Rattler, 24, had a strong season with Oklahoma in 2022, but after a poor follow-up season he transferred to South Carolina. He eclipsed 3,000 passing yards in both of his years with the Gamecocks, but his 20 total interceptions during that span point to the issues related to turnovers which hurt his draft stock. Rattler could nonetheless be viewed as having more upside than Haener, who was drafted in the fourth round last year and did not see the field as rookie after his six-game PED suspension to open the campaign.

The Saints sit at 2-3 on the year, and last night’s loss was their third in a row. Rebounding over the next few games will be key to the team’s playoff chances as a result. That stretch will likely not include Carr, however.

Eagles Release LB Devin White

October 8th, 2024 at 3:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Devin White‘s free agent spell with the Eagles has come to an abrupt end. The former first-round linebacker was released on Tuesday, per a team announcement.

White began his career in Tampa Bay as a highly impactful player from a statistical perspective. He lost his starting role late in the 2023 season, however, and as a result it came as little surprise when he departed on the open market. White took a one-year deal with the Eagles, but he has yet to make a regular season appearance. Now, the team will move on.

The former No. 5 pick was once attached to an asking price on a Bucs extension which would have made him one of the league’s highest-paid middle linebackers. By contrast, White took a one-year deal worth only $4MM to join Philadelphia’s efforts at finding a suitable setup at the position. With $3.5MM of that total being guaranteed, this move figures to create a dead money charge of just over $3MM. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes White worked out an agreement which could grant the team “potential savings,” however. Still, today’s news marks an unceremonious ending to this relationship.

White appeared to be on track to handle a starting workload during the summer, be instead he began the campaign in a backup capacity. Since the 26-year-old does not have extensive experience on special teams, he found himself a healthy scratch in Week 2 (after an ankle injury kept him out of the season opener). Rather than remaining out of the picture – barring injuries further up the depth chart – team and player have elected to part ways, Since this move has been made before the trade deadline, White will not be subject to waivers.

As such, the LSU product will be free to sign with any interested team in a bid to rebuild his market value. Interest figures to be limited given the way White’s career has gone recently, but he posted at least 124 tackles each year from 2020-22 and racked up 23 sacks during his Tampa Bay tenure. He could serve in a rotational capacity with a team seeking out linebacker depth, especially one which was planning on addressing the position via trade.

In the meantime, the Eagles will move forward with Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean – who beat out White for a first-team role during the lead-in to the season – as starters at the second level of their defense. It will be interesting to see if a depth addition is made with special teams contributions being targeted. Regardless of how that transpires, White will turn his attention to another fresh start.

Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Avoids Worst-Case Scenario; WR Out For Season

October 8th, 2024 at 2:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 8: Rice’s Tuesday procedure was a success, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. He will indeed miss the remainder of the campaign after the surgery repaired his LCL in addition to his hamstring. As hoped, though, no such repairs were needed on Rice’s ACL or meniscus and a full recovery is expected. Rice remains attached to his rookie contract through 2026.

OCTOBER 7: A clear recovery timetable for Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice is still not in place. After further testing on his injured knee Monday, though, the worst-case scenario has been avoided.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Rice will need an LCL repair, but he adds that may be the only ligament requiring such a procedure. Rice’s Week 4 injury was initially feared to be an ACL tear, but it appears that is not the case. While Rapoport notably indicates the second-year wideout is expected to miss the remainder of the season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms Rice’s recovery timeline will be much shorter than originally expected.

On Monday, Rice had an arthroscopic procedure performed by Dan Cooper, the Cowboys’ team doctor. A wide range of outcomes existed with respect to that process, and no structural damage of any kind represented an ideal circumstance which remained high unlikely. The best-case scenario has indeed not come to bear, but if a full ACL reconstruction proves to be unnecessary Rice’s timetable to return to full health will be greatly shortened. Rapoport adds a three-month timeframe could be in play based on the outcome of Rice’s next procedure, which will take place tomorrow.

Even on the short end of that timeline, it would come as a surprise if Rice were to take the field at any point in 2024 (barring a deep postseason run). The SMU product was placed on injured reserve last week, a move which ensured a four-game absence. It was well known Rice would be sidelined for much longer than that, and today’s update means any action on his part in the postseason would be considered a bonus. That puts Rice in a similar situation to fellow receiver Marquise Brown.

With both pass-catchers out of the picture for the foreseeable future, receiver has been named as a position of need for the two-time defending champions. An addition before the November 5 deadline could take place, with Christian Kirk of the Jaguars representing a potential target. A firm decision with respect to a midseason move depended in part on Rice’s prognosis, but now that some clarity has emerged on that front the Chiefs could seek out a deal relatively soon.

In the meantime, attention in Rice’s case will turn to his legal situation. The 24-year-old faces eight felony charges stemming from his offseason hit-and-run incident, and he may seek to serve any potential NFL suspension this season while sidelined by his injury. With a trial not expected until December, though, it would be surprising if the league were to finish an investigation and arrive at a disciplinary decision before Rice is next healthy enough to see the field. When that takes place is still unclear, but it should be sooner than team and player once feared.

Sean McDermott: Concern Exists With Wide Receiver Group

October 8th, 2024 at 11:46am CST by Sam Robinson

Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs‘ departures brought scrutiny on the Bills’ wide receiver group this offseason. While some of the players the perennial AFC East champions have turned to have enjoyed moments, the passing game has regressed against stiffer competition over the past two weeks.

Down his most reliable target (Khalil Shakir) in Week 5, Josh Allen completed 9 of 30 passes for 131 yards. Allen’s 4.37 yards per attempt marked the third-lowest figure of his career, with the only two showings south of that place coming during the passer’s developmental 2010s seasons. The Bills might be running into a problem, though Shakir and second-round pick Keon Coleman have shown they will be regular contributors this season as long as they are healthy.

[RELATED: Texans Initiated Diggs Talks At Combine]

That said, Sean McDermott indicated (via the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski) concern exists with the team’s wide receiver group. While the eighth-year Buffalo HC otherwise expressed confidence in the recently assembled WR cadre, the Bills may well be a player short here. They have been mentioned as a Davante Adams suitor, but they are among the teams who are believed to view the Raiders’ asking price — at least a second-round pick — as too high for an expensive, soon-to-be 32-year-old standout.

Buffalo threw a few darts at this group in free agency, signing Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Chase Claypool. While Samuel, Hollins and Valdes-Scantling remain on Buffalo’s roster, none has moved the needle. Samuel has been the biggest disappointment, given where the Bills went to reunite him with OC Joe Brady (three years, $24MM); he has nine receptions for 48 yards in five games. Of this group, only Shakir (230 yards) and Coleman (175) have posted more than 75 yards.

If Adams is not a true Bills target, the team — if it, in fact, does attempt to belatedly equip Allen with a starter-level option — should have some other available WRs to target. DeAndre Hopkins, whom the Bills discussed with the Cardinals last year, may be available. Christian Kirk has been brought up as a trade chip, and despite acquiring Diontae Johnson via trade in March, the Panthers have not engaged in extension talks. The ex-Steeler has come up as a player teams are monitoring as well, and The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia mentions Johnson as a name to watch in connection with the Bills’ need (subscription required).

While the Bills have been no stranger to hiring ex-Panthers, this would not exactly qualify for the McDermott-Brandon Beane pipeline since Johnson only arrived in Carolina this offseason. Johnson carries $4.91MM in prorated base salary, were a team to acquire him this week. That number will drop as we head toward the Nov. 5 deadline. The Bills filled a need at last year’s deadline, acquiring Rasul Douglas from the Packers. Douglas remains a Buffalo starting cornerback.

Johnson’s skillset would somewhat overlap with Shakir’s, but the sixth-year veteran obviously brings more experience. He is among the NFL’s top separators, having finished in the top four in ESPN’s Open Score metric from 2019-22, ranking first in multiple seasons during that span. Regardless of any overlap with Shakir, Johnson would give the Bills a borderline No. 1 target and upgrade their passing attack. If the team is not keen on paying up for Adams, who still looks to be eyeing a reunion with either Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr, a player like Johnson would make sense.

As mentioned in an offseason Trade Rumors Front Office piece, the Bills seemed a man down if only due to this being the age-28 season of a quarterback who has absorbed more punishment compared to some of his top-tier contemporaries. Allen runs the risk of his prime being shorter than the likes of Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow due to his run-game workload, and the Bills maximizing these years would seem prudent. For now, the team is going with its Shakir- and Coleman-fronted group. After two straight losses, however, the heat may be on this contingent. Otherwise, noise about a Douglas-style pre-deadline swap will become louder.

Seahawks To Place Uchenna Nwosu On IR

October 8th, 2024 at 11:25am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Seahawks are expected to place edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu on injured reserve after injuring his thigh in Seattle’s Week 5 loss to the Giants, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

This is a disappointing setback for Nwosu after he missed the Seahawks’ first four games with a sprained MCL suffered at the end of the preseason. He avoided a stint on injured reserve after that injury, debuting Sunday against the Giants, but his thigh will sideline him for four more games and potentially longer.

Nwosu has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons, landing on season-ending injured reserve with a pectoral injury in October 2023. He played all 17 games in 2022, his first year in Seattle, with career highs in tackles (66), tackles for loss (12), sacks (9.5), and forced fumbles (three). That earned him a three-year extension off of an initial two-year deal, but Nwosu has appeared in just six games since.

The Seahawks will rely on a trio of young outside linebackers to replace Nwosu in head coach Mike Macdonald‘s defense: Derick Hall, Boye Mafe, and Trevis Gipson. Macdonald also has multiple potential options on the practice squad, including former fifth-round pick Tyreke Smith.

The Seahawks had ex-Ravens linebacker Tyus Bowser on their practice squad last week, but he was signed to the Dolphins’ active roster on October 3. Seattle could take a look at Yannick Ngakoue, who is currently on the Ravens’ practice squad. He played his first 11 snaps of the season against the Bengals on Sunday with a strong first step and one quarterback pressure on eight pass-rushing snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Macdonald briefly coached Ngakoue during the 2021 season when Baltimore acquired the veteran edge rusher at the deadline while Macdonald was the team’s linebackers coach.

Tom Brady Raises Offer For Raiders Ownership Stake, Could Be Approved As Part-Owner By 2025

October 8th, 2024 at 11:19am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Tom Brady has moved one step closer to joining the Raiders’ ownership group after raising his offer for a reported 10% stake in the team, Mark Maske of The Washington Post reports.

Brady originally received a hefty discount from Raiders owner Mark Davis, but concerns from the NFL finance committee forced Brady to improve his bid. The finance committee can now recommend approval of the deal to the rest of the owners ahead of its meeting in Atlanta on October 15, Maske adds.

If the vote does not happen then, the matter would likely be taken up at the December ownership meeting in Dallas. Of course, owners meetings have repeatedly come and gone without Brady’s ownership bid being addressed. Recent reporting has pointed to that pattern changing, and the all-time QB great is zeroing in on joining the league’s ownership ranks.

Brady is still receiving a discount on his ownership stake relative to market price, but his revised offer is significantly greater than the original and should be enough to sway the finance committee as well as the full ownership body. Now that Brady has cleared this financial hurdle, he is expected to be approved by at least 24 of the NFL’s 32 owners, who view the seven-time Super Bowl champion as a strong ambassador for the league.

The restrictions imposed on Brady’s new FOX broadcasting gig before the start of the regular season were an early signal that Brady would eventually succeed in his bid to join Davis in Las Vegas. Brady is not permitted to enter any team’s facilities other than the Raiders’, nor can he take part in production meetings leading up to games he covers to avoid any conflicts of interest. He will also be subject to league rules prohibiting public criticism of referees or other teams as well as the NFL’s gambling and tampering policies.

Brady’s ownership stake will also close the door on any late-40s return as a player. He attempted to join the Dolphins as a player/owner during his first retirement in 2022, which ultimately ended with a return to Tampa Bay for his age-45 season. Since his second retirement in 2023, he has hinted at the idea of a comeback but declined to take an opportunity with the 49ers last year.

Jets Not Planning To Fire Nathaniel Hackett

October 8th, 2024 at 10:42am CST by Sam Robinson

Under intense scrutiny essentially since he took over as Jets offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett remains in place after Robert Saleh‘s Tuesday-morning ouster. The Jets are not planning to can the embattled OC, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

Considering Hackett’s ties to Aaron Rodgers, this is unsurprising. The Jets have gone through interesting efforts to curb Hackett’s power, however, having made an effort to hire an assistant that would limit the ex-Packers OC’s reach in the building. That plan, which looked to have Saleh’s fingerprints on it based on his view of Hackett coming out of last season, did not come to fruition.

Hackett surviving may have caught some in the organization by surprise. Rather than Saleh being in jeopardy of losing his job post-London, SNY’s Connor Hughes notes some suspected Hackett to be closer to the chopping block. Jets front office figures have been scrutinizing Hackett’s work recently, Hughes adds. Rodgers, though, has endorsed Hackett on numerous occasions — including this offseason.

Hackett, 44, is no stranger to in-season firings. The Jaguars removed him from his OC post during the 2018 season. More memorably, the Broncos made him one of the few first-year HCs in NFL history to be fired before his first season ended. Hackett’s disastrous Denver stint lasted all of 15 games. The Jets, however, hired him to call plays soon after. The move certainly had an impact on the team acquiring Rodgers, who was near retirement at the time Hackett signed on to call Jets plays.

Scrutiny aside, Hackett has the backing of Rodgers, effectively an organizational power broker given his importance to this Jets regime’s chances of sticking around beyond 2024. Seemingly, the only chance that happens is if interim HC Jeff Ulbrich leads a turnaround. Hackett’s tie to Rodgers, stemming from three seasons as a non-play-calling Green Bay OC, has proven strong enough to stabilize — to a degree, at least — the second-generation NFL coach’s career.

The Jets’ Zach Wilson offense fared worse under Hackett than it did with Mike LaFleur calling the plays. The Jets’ 10 touchdowns through 12 games last season represented the fewest in that timespan to start a season since 2000. New York ranked 29th in scoring and 31st in total offense last season. Even with Rodgers back this year, Hackett’s West Coast Offense-based attack sits 25th in points and 27th in yards. They sit 23rd in offensive DVOA.

Sean Payton memorably called Hackett’s 2022 performance one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history. The latter’s short tenure points to the organization agreeing, as Russell Wilson bottomed out to display a shocking decline that, for the first time, injected real doubt about the former Super Bowl winner’s Hall of Fame case. Wilson rebounded, to a degree, under Payton last season. The Broncos appeared disjointed in 2022, and Hackett ceded play-calling duties to QBs coach Klint Kubiak late in his abbreviated tenure. Denver featured three play-callers that year, with OC Justin Outten succeeding the dismissed Hackett in that role.

The Jets have a former OC on their staff, in Todd Downing, who serves as QBs coach and the team’s pass-game coordinator. Downing has received two chances at being an OC, having served in the role for the 2017 Raiders and then for the Titans from 2021-22. Tennessee fired Downing after the ’22 season, weeks after he was arrested on a DUI charge.

49ers To Add K Matthew Wright

October 8th, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The 49ers look to have their temporary kicker selected. After a five-specialist workout, San Francisco is going with Matthew Wright. The veteran fill-in will be added to the team’s practice squad, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets.

The 49ers lost starting kicker Jake Moody to a high ankle sprain during their Week 5 loss to the Cardinals, and their next game on Thursday gave them little time to find a replacement.

Wright has spent four years in the NFL as a mercenary kicker for teams in need of stopgap solutions due to injury like the 49ers. He played 14 games for the Jaguars in 2021 after Josh Lambo went down, and has also spent time with the Steelers, Chiefs, and Panthers. Wright has made 40 of his 47 career field goal attempts (85.7%), with a long of 59, and his PAT conversion rate is 94.6%.

Wright beat out Randy Bullock, Anders Carlson and Matt Coghlin for San Francisco’s kicking job, per Schefter. Riley Patterson also auditioned for the gig, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Wright will have to quickly get on the same page as punter/holder Mitch Wishnowsky. Wishnowsky hit a 26-yard field goal against Arizona, but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan declined to give him a chance from 44 yards, instead electing to attempt a fourth-and-23. The conversion failed, and the Cardinals would go on to score 10 unanswered points to win.

Wright is expected to be elevated from the practice squad for the 49ers’ Thursday matchup with the Seahawks. He will need to overcome a raucous Seattle crowd to help San Francisco keep up in the NFC West.

Teams Unwilling To Meet Raiders’ Davante Adams Asking Price Absent Salary Retention

October 7th, 2024 at 9:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

A resolution to the Davante Adams situation could be coming soon, but the Raiders may well need to make a concession on one of two fronts. The team is asking for a package involving a second-round pick in an Adams trade, and Vegas hopes to avoid retaining any of his remaining 2024 salary.

If the Raiders are to have their asking price in terms of draft capital met – something they are reportedly insistent on – a lower financial cost will be needed for an acquiring team. Veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports teams interested in adding Adams view it as “unrealistic” to send a Day 2 pick to Vegas while also taking on the remainder of Adams’ salary. That figure would sit at $11.92MM if a deal were to be worked out this week without any retention.

CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones confirms Adams’ trade market will likely force the Raiders to eat some of the six-time Pro Bowler’s outstanding compensation before a deal is made. Vegas obviously prefers to avoid doing so, but with nearly $27MM in cap space the team has the flexibility to take that route provided it becomes conditional for a swap to take place. A number of suitors are in place, but the field of contenders could widen if the financial cost of an Adams acquisition were to be lowered.

As expected, the Jets and Saints are at the top of the list regarding teams to watch in this case, with New Orleans having been the most aggressive in the pursuit of an agreement. A weekend report stated Adams has concerns about quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ future in New York beyond 2024, something which could factor into a reunion between the two. Adams is under contract through 2026, but the absence of guaranteed money after the current year essentially makes him a rental as things stand.

If the three-time All-Pro were to work out an extended stay with a new team, a restructure would be necessary. That, in turn, would no doubt include at least some guaranteed money being added for 2025 while lowering his future cap hits. With Adams, 31, running out of time to land future big-money contracts, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports predicts his financial outlook will be a key factor in determining where he lands (in addition to trade terms being worked out between the Raiders and an acquiring team, of course).

Robinson adds Adams is no longer viewed as highly in league circles as he once was. The Fresno State product topped 1,100 yards five times from 2018-23, and his 69.7 yards per game average this season nearly falls in line with his career average. Still, his age and the hamstring injury which sidelined him for the past two games – but is expected to fully healed in time for Week 6 – threaten to limit how much teams like the Jets or Saints (in addition to other potential suitors like the Steelers, Bills, Ravens and Commanders) are willing to commit.

When speaking to the media on Monday, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said the situation has not changed regarding Adams’ health or his trade status (video link). Keeping in line with his previous stance on the matter, he declined to comment on the reasoning behind Adams’ trade request from last week, something which emerged amongst reports Vegas was making contact with other teams. Whether or not an agreement is worked out with one of them shortly remains a major midseason storyline.

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