HEADLINES

Duane Brown

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/7/23

January 7th, 2023 at 4:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions heading into the final Sunday of the regular season:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Promoted from practice squad: WR Josh Ali

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Injury Updates: Penny, Jets, Bills

October 13th, 2022 at 9:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny is done for the season, but he did get some good news following an MRI. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the ankle was shown to be “relatively clean,” with “no deltoid or associated issues.”

Penny underwent “tight-rope” surgery earlier this week, requiring his fibula to be plated in order to stabilize the ankle. The running back will ultimately need four months to recover, meaning he’ll have plenty of time to get healthy for next season.

Of course, it remains to be seen if Penny will be playing in Seattle next season, as the running back is set to hit free agency. The former first-round pick has spent his entire five-year career in Seattle, including a 2021 campaign where he collected a career-high 797 yards from scrimmage.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • We previously heard that Jets offensive tackle Duane Brown was opting for rehab instead of surgery while he nursed his injured shoulder. Rapoport tweets that Brown is actually playing through a torn rotator cuff. The veteran landed on injured reserve right before Week 1 after suffering a shoulder injury in practice, and he made his debut with the Jets this past weekend.
  • Micah Hyde is eyeing a significant recovery timeline. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter), the Bills All-Pro safety could take anywhere from six to nine months to return to the field. Hyde recently underwent successful surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck, and he’s already been ruled out for the season.
  • 49ers defensive end Jordan Willis is still “a few weeks” away from returning, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Willis landed on injured reserve last month with a knee injury. The veteran saw time in 10 games last season for San Francisco, collecting 15 tackles and three sacks.
  • Saints wide receiver Deonte Harty suffered a turf toe injury on Sunday, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football on Twitter. Harty will certainly miss some time, and there’s fear that the injury could be “significant.” Indeed, Rapoport tweets that Harty will get a second opinion, but if nothing changes, he’ll likely miss a few months. After collecting 36 receptions in 2021, Harty only has a pair of catches in four games this season. He’s also returned six kickoffs and three punts.
  • Chiefs defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton tore his ACL on Monday night, ending his season. The former undrafted free agent hasn’t missed a game for Kansas City since joining the organization in 2020. In five games this season, Wharton collected eight tackles and one sack.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/8/22

October 8th, 2022 at 5:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the roster moves for today, leading into gameday tomorrow. Reminder that gameday elevations will revert to the practice squad after this weekend’s games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Jets OL Duane Brown, DE Vinny Curry Return To Practice

October 7th, 2022 at 4:09pm CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 7: Brown looks ready to be the Jets’ first IR activation this season. The 15th-year tackle said he is “good to go” for a Week 5 debut against the Dolphins, via the Associated Press’ Dennis Waszak Jr. (on Twitter). Robert Saleh said Brown would be a game-time decision. The Jets would need to move Brown off IR by Saturday afternoon’s deadline to give them the chance to start or sit the veteran. All signs point to that happening.

OCTOBER 5: The Jets will soon be getting some help on both sides of the ball. The team announced that they’ve designated offensive tackle Duane Brown and defensive end Vinny Curry to return from injured reserve.

Curry signed with the Jets prior to the 2021 season, but he missed his first season in New York after getting diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. He re-upped with the organization this offseason but a hamstring injury delayed his return to the field. During his last two healthy seasons with Philly in 2019 and 2020, he collected eight sacks in 27 games.

Brown landed on injured reserve right before Week 1 after suffering a shoulder injury in practice. The veteran was originally brought in to replace Mekhi Becton, who was previously lost for the season with a knee injury. The team later lost George Fant, whose versatility was key at the start of the season, to a knee injury that will keep him off the field until late November. Once Brown is ready to return to the lineup, he’ll provide some stability to what has been an uncertain offensive line.

The team did get some good news on the injury front regarding Max Mitchell, who was carted off the field during Sunday’s win over the Steelers. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the rookie lineman avoided a season-ending knee injury. Mitchell suffered a “dislocation,” however, and he’s set to miss a handful of weeks.

Thanks to the rotating chairs on the OL, Mitchell’s injury means guard Alijah Vera-Tucker will likely continue to start at offensive tackle for the time being. Assuming Brown isn’t ready to go this weekend, the team will have to reach further into their bag at OT, with Conor McDermott, Cedric Ogbuehi, and Mike Remmers all options to start (per ESPN’s Rich Cimini on Twitter).

Jets Place LT Duane Brown On IR

September 10th, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 10: Brown is being placed on IR, Garafolo tweets. He adds that surgery was an option to address the issue, but Brown has instead opted for rehab. He will be eligible to return as early as Week 5, meaning that Fant will once again see an extended stretch manning the blindside.

SEPTEMBER 9: As head coach Robert Saleh confirmed on Friday, Brown will indeed miss the season opener against the Ravens. That will move Fant to left tackle, while Mitchell will start on the right side (video links). Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets that Brown could land on IR, depending on the severity of the injury.

SEPTEMBER 8: The Jets have already been dealt one significant blow this offseason with respect to their offensive line, losing Mekhi Becton for the year. His replacement may not be available to start the season. 

[RELATED: Flacco To Start For Jets In Week 1]

Duane Brown is “being evaluated for a shoulder injury,” reports ESPN’s Rich Cimini (Twitter link). He adds that the five-time Pro Bowler did not practice yesterday, and is absent once again today.

The 37-year-old represented arguably the top free agent option once the news of Becton’s season-ending knee injury was learned, and was quickly named as a potential replacement. Not long after visiting New York, Brown ultimately signed a two-year, $22MM deal to occupy the left tackle spot.

His absence would be substantial for the Jets. Brown was expected to provide more consistency than the team has had since drafting Becton, as part of the team’s upgraded unit which now features left guard Laken Tomlinson. In addition, the team would have to consider several options to fill the void Brown would leave if he were to be sidelined.

Moving veteran George Fant from right tackle back to the blindside would be a possibility. Fant was initially slated to play on the left side with Becton moving to the right edge, but that plan changed upon Brown’s arrival. Manning the LT spot last season in Becton’s absence, Fant earned a PFF grade of 71.1 – the second highest of his career.

Even assuming Fant is the Jets’ short-term option on the left, their choice at the right side would likely come down to Conor McDermott and rookie Max Mitchell. The former just re-signed with the team, which will increase his tenure in the Big Apple to four years. He has had availability troubles of his own in 2022 already though, having missed the preseason due to an ankle injury. The latter, meanwhile, was a fourth-rounder in April’s draft out of Louisiana.

The Jets lost Morgan Moses during free agency, and waived Chuma Edoga last week. Without either player available as insurance, Brown’s health will be worth watching closely in the build-up to New York’s season opener.

AFC East Notes: Patricia, Dolphins, Armstead, Jets

August 20th, 2022 at 12:44pm CST by Ben Levine

If you’re keeping track at home, Matt Patricia now appears to be the favorite to be New England’s offensive play-caller. As Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com writes, Patricia was the only coach calling plays from the Patriots sideline during last night’s preseason contest. This is a change from the preseason opener, when Patricia alternated play-calling duties with Joe Judge.

Bill Belichick has continued to play coy on the entire situation, and he even hinted after the game that Patricia was merely communicating with Mac Jones vs. calling plays. Regardless of who ends up calling plays on offense, it’s clear that the organization is going with a committee approach to replace departed offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

“It’s still a process,” Belichick told reporters after the game (via NESN.com). “He (Matt Patricia)… communication with the quarterback? Yeah. But as far as calling the plays, there’s a whole other process on that.

However, if you ask some NFL sources, then it may be neither Patricia nor Judge calling offensive plays for the Patriots in 2022. As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, there are a “lot of smart NFL people who know the Patriots well” and believe it will ultimately be Belichick who ends up calling plays for Jones and the Patriots offense. Breer cautions that the head coach will end up calling plays “at some point this season,” perhaps a hint that the organization may role into the season with one of Patricia/Judge but will be prepared to pull the plug on the experiment.

More notes out of the AFC East…

  • A Patriots‘ seventh-round rookie may end up missing the entire season. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, offensive tackle Andrew Stueber doesn’t have a timetable for his return from the NFI list. Stueber suffered an injury while training after the draft, and Reiss hints that the injury could end up delaying the Michigan product’s NFL debut until the 2023 season.
  • Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has told league executives that he intends to leave the Dolphins organization to his family, according to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). While this isn’t a huge surprise, it seems pretty clear that Ross won’t be leaving the franchise to limited partner Bruce Beal. Both Ross and Beal were slapped with suspensions following Miami’s tampering investigation.
  • The Dolphins inked left tackle Terron Armstead to a massive deal this offseason. However, the offensive lineman has never been able to make it through an entire season healthy, and that includes a 2021 campaign when he was limited to only eight snaps. If Armstead is forced to miss any time, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald suggests (on Twitter) that the coaching staff could end up moving right tackle Austin Jackson or guard Liam Eichenberg to LT, although the reporter notes that coach Mike McDaniel prefers to keep players at their starting position instead of shifting them around.
  • Duane Brown‘s two-year, $22MM deal with the Jets includes a $7.88MM signing bonus and three void years, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). As a result, the offensive tackle’s cap hit for the 2022 season is only $3.69MM. The veteran will earn a base salary of $1.12MM in 2022, but he’ll see that number jump to $9MM.

Jets’ Mekhi Becton Expected To Miss Season

August 16th, 2022 at 3:18pm CST by Ben Levine

AUGUST 16: The Jets have placed Becton on IR as rosters are cut down to 85, per a club announcement. That confirms that Becton will indeed miss the entire 2022 campaign, as had been feared.

AUGUST 9: More official word has come down on Becton’s injury. He suffered an avulsion fracture of the right kneecap, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The injury, Becton’s second kneecap issue in less than a year, is expected to sideline the former first-round pick throughout the season. Becton will receive a second opinion Wednesday, but it looks like he will be out until 2023. Robert Saleh also conceded Becton will not play this season. The Jets have Brown on their radar, and the 14-year veteran is interested in a deal.

AUGUST 8: It’s gone from bad to worse for the Jets and right tackle Mekhi Becton. According to SNY’s Connor Hughes (on Twitter), Becton suffered a knee cap and patella injury that is expected to sideline him for at least a “chunk” of the 2022 campaign, if not the entire season.

According to Aaron Wilson ofProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter), Becton suffered a “small chip-sized fracture” in his surgically repaired right knee. The lineman is set to undergo more tests to determine the true extent of his injured knee, but according to Hughes, the Jets are “bracing for the worst.”

The former first-round pick exited Jets practice today with the injury, but there wasn’t any initial cause for concern. Trainers described the injury as “stable,” and the MRI was merely precautionary and intended to confirm the original prognosis. However, that MRI ended up showing that the injury was far more troublesome than initially believed. In fact, there’s fear that Becton may have suffered additional damage beyond the knee cap and patella injuries, per Hughes (on Twitter).

This is poor timing for both Becton and the Jets. The lineman had already lost out on the left tackle competition to George Fant, but it sounds like the Jets were still committed to their former first-round pick as their right tackle. Ahead of an offseason decision about his fifth-year option, this was going to be a pivotal third year for Becton. The 11th-overall pick in the 2020 draft, Becton showed his potential in 14 games (13 starts) as a rookie. He suffered a dislocated kneecap and MCL damage during Week 1 of the 2021 campaign, knocking him out for the rest of the season.

Assuming the subsequent MRI confirms the Jets’ concerns, the front office may need to hustle to add a replacement. Backup Conor McDermott is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, and Chuma Edoga has yet to live up to his third-round billing through his first three seasons in the NFL. The Jets hosted Duane Brown last week, and while he left New York without a contract, ESPN’s Rich Cimini tweets that the veteran tackle is still on the organization’s radar. According to Hughes, the Jets already had Brown take a physical and meet with coaches, so it might not take long for the organization to ink the free agent to a contract.

Jets To Sign LT Duane Brown, Shift George Fant to RT

August 14th, 2022 at 12:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 14: Fant will indeed be moved to RT, head coach Robert Saleh confirmed (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). That will leave the door open for Brown to assume his familiar role on the blindside.

Saleh acknowledged that Becton is expected to miss the entire season, but Becton is traveling to Los Angeles for a consultation to confirm that prognosis (Twitter link via Cimini).

AUGUST 11: Not long after visiting the team, Duane Brown is indeed joining the Jets. New York is signing the veteran offensive tackle to a two-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). He adds that the contract is worth $22MM (Twitter link).

Brown, 36, met with the Jets last week, leading to speculation that a contract could be forthcoming. The five-time Pro Bowler had been in Seattle since midway through the 2017 season. The Seahawks’ addition of Charles Cross with their first-round pick in this year’s draft left Brown on the open market deep into training camp.

Further reason for the Jets to add the Virginia Tech product came earlier this week, as it was learned that Mekhi Becton is dealing with another major knee injury which is expected to keep him sidelined for the entire 2022 campaign. With an opening needing to be filled quickly, Brown became a logical candidate to step into a starter’s role once again.

Given the fact that Becton will be under contract through at least 2023 (or one year beyond that, in the increasingly unlikely event the Jets exercise his fifth-year option), the fact that Brown is receiving a two-year deal is significant. He will, in all likelihood, slide into the left tackle spot which was set to go to George Fant for a second consecutive season, although Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets that no decision has been made yet. In any case, the former Seahawks teammates will form the bookends of New York’s o-line, which also added Laken Tomlinson on a lucrative free agent pact. How much the addition of the latter, and now Brown, affects Fant’s contact status with the Jets will be worth watching throughout the year.

As a Pro Bowl alternate last season, Brown demonstrated that he can still operate at a high level despite his age. The Jets will be counting on him to remain an effective blindside blocker for the immediate future. With Becton’s long-term health even more of a question mark, Brown could prove to be a wise stop-gap investment as the team looks to take a significant step forward on offense this year.

Jets Notes: Brown, Becton, Mims, Curry

August 11th, 2022 at 4:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier today, the Jets turned a visit from offensive tackle Duane Brown into a two-year deal. He will fill an urgent roster void in the absence of Mekhi Becton, and could provide the team with high-level play if he maintains his Pro Bowl form of last season.

The veteran showed interest in joining the Jets not long after his free agent workout, something which comes as little surprise considering today’s news of a deal. Brown did have other options on the table, though. He had offers outside of New York, including “contending teams,” reports SNY’s Connor Hughes (Twitter link). He adds that Brown admits the playoffs are an unlikely target for the team in 2022, but that the 36-year-old wanted to head to the Big Apple.

Expectations have been raised for Robert Saleh‘s team this year; a campaign which doesn’t result in a postseason berth wouldn’t be considered a failure, but a significant step forward from last year’s 4-13 finish is considered the minimum performance. Brown could help stabilize the OT position, in turn giving a boost to the team’s offense.

Here are some other notes from East Rutherford:

  • The player Brown was signed to replace, Becton, is scheduled to undergo knee surgery next week (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). The 23-year-old was limited to one game last season, and is expected to be sidelined for all of 2022 after he suffered an avulsion fracture of his right kneecap. Per Rapoport, the procedure will be done by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles; its success will go a long way to determining the former first-rounder’s health (and career future) moving forward.
  • Denzel Mims remains in trade talk. The 24-year-old wideout has had an underwhelming start to his NFL career, with only 31 catches in two years. He has frequently been named as a standout in training camp, though, something which could boost his trade stock. ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes that Mims could be the victim of a “numbers game” at the position, one which is headed in New York by Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Garrett Wilson and Braxton Berrios. “It’s up to them if they play me or not,” Mims said, when asked if he has earned a starting role.
  • In a similar vein, the Jets could be forced to move on from one or more notable names along the defensive line when roster cuts take place at the end of the month. Cimini names Vinny Curry as a cut candidate, given the team’s depth amongst other, younger options. Curry, 34, re-signed on a one-year deal in April, but since he missed the 2021 campaign due to a number of health issues, he has yet to play a game with the Jets. Unless the team opts against carrying three QBs, for instance, the Super Bowl winner could find himself on the outside looking in shortly.

Mutual Interest Between Jets, Duane Brown

August 9th, 2022 at 9:29am CST by Sam Robinson

Mekhi Becton‘s latest setback leaves the Jets vulnerable at tackle, and while the team let Riley Reiff join the Bears after hosting him on a visit, it may not be prepared to pass on Duane Brown.

The former Texans and Seahawks tackle remains on the Jets’ radar, after visiting the team Saturday, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) mutual interest exists between the parties. Other teams have shown interest in Brown, but he is waiting for a satisfactory offer.

[RELATED: Becton Dealing With Serious Knee Injury]

A 14-year veteran, Brown spent the past four-plus seasons as the Seahawks’ left tackle. Seattle selecting Charles Cross ninth overall closed Brown’s Pacific Northwest path, but the Jets appear to loom as a needy suitor. Becton’s injury news may well drive up Brown’s price. The team is believed to have an offer out, with SNY’s Connor Hughes noting (on Twitter) the ball is in the player’s court here. Other teams’ interest, which Hughes also confirms, and Becton’s injury are undoubtedly complicating matters for the Jets.

The Jets have George Fant preparing to play left tackle for a second season. That would position the former Seahawks backup for a potential windfall in 2023 free agency or via a Jets extension. With Becton’s career at a crossroads, Fant would seemingly become a higher Jets priority. Brown, 37, coming in and relocating Fant to the less lucrative right side would be an interesting development, especially considering the two were Seahawks teammates. Brown has been a left tackle throughout his career, making five Pro Bowls at the position. One of those came last season, albeit as an alternate.

But the Jets are now in need of a starting-caliber tackle. They considered Ikem Ekwonu at No. 4 overall but went with Sauce Gardner instead. Fant’s experience on both sides, having started opposite Becton at right tackle in 2020 and then moving to the left side opposite Morgan Moses, should prove valuable here. Moses signed with the Ravens this offseason. With Becton out of the picture, former third-round pick Chuma Edoga (12 career starts) is working as the team’s first-string right tackle, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets.

Load More Posts