Jeff Okudah

NFC North Notes: Watson, Lions, Vikings

An ill-timed ACL tear could prove costly for Christian Watson. Not only is the Packers wide receiver entering a contract year, his injury occurring in January has been expected to keep him off the field into next season. A tentative timetable has emerged, with The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman pointing to a likelihood of at least a half-season absence taking place. Brian Gutekunst offered support for a potential return earlier but did not provide specifics, and the Packers are generally cautious with injury returns. Gutekunst had already confirmed Watson would miss time in 2025, which represents a key window for the injury-prone North Dakota State alum to impress ahead of a potential free agency run. His history of hamstring injuries preceding this ACL tear could well lead to a “prove it” deal taking place come 2026.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • The Lions lost Kevin Zeitler to the Titans, and GM Brad Holmes said (via Detroit Football’s Justin Rogers) a veteran guard addition and/or a rookie move is still in play. Graham Glasgow is set as a starter, while 2024 sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany appears the top internal option — barring a veteran addition or early-round draft choice. Holmes called Mahogany’s 2024 work (75 offensive snaps, one start) encourating.
  • The Eagles stood down on Isaiah Rodgers, after aiming to re-sign their post-suspension flier, after the Vikings made him a two-year, $11.1MM deal that came with $7.99MM guaranteed. Rodgers will play a regular role defensively, as Kevin O’Connell referred to the 2024 Philly rotational CB as a player ticketed for an every-down role. This would point to Rodgers having a clear runway to earn the starting job opposite re-signed CB Byron Murphy. When Murphy shifts into the slot, Jeff Okudah would be set to come off the bench and man a perimeter post, O’Connell added (via the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling).
  • Minnesota lost Camryn Bynum to Indianapolis but reached an agreement to retain Harrison Smith for a 14th season, after the latter had considered retirement. Smith (192 career games) can move into third place for Vikings defender longevity with nine more games played; he is back on a one-year, $10.25MM deal that (per Goessling) comes with $8MM fully guaranteed. There are $750K in playing-time incentives, per Goessling, who adds Smith can collect additional $500K bonuses by reaching the four-INT and three-sack benchmarks. A $1MM bump would come if Smith lands a first-team All-Pro nod; that number drops to $500K for a second-team accolade. Smith, 36, last earned All-Pro honors in 2018. The Vikings are again using void years, meaning a Smith departure in 2026 would bring a $12MM dead money hit.
  • Jonathan Allen‘s three-year, $51MM Minnesota deal includes snap- and sack-based incentives. The longtime Washington DT can earn $3MM if he plays 70% of Minnesota’s defensive snaps; that tiered structure begins with a $500K payout by reaching 50% usage. Allen played between 68-82% of Washington’s snaps from 2018-23 but came in at 59% during an injury-altered 2024. The soon-to-be 30-year-old lineman can earn $500K with five sacks, another $1MM with seven and another $1.5MM with 10, Goessling tweets.
  • While Allen, Will Fries (tibia fracture) and Javon Hargrave (triceps tear) are expected to be ready for Vikes camp, O’Connell stopped short of guaranteeing Rondale Moore will be. Moore suffered an unspecified knee injury during Falcons camp last year, and O’Connell said he wants to see how the $2MM investment looks in his first weeks with the team before making a determination on camp.
  • Jordan Addison‘s DUI case continues. The Vikings wideout took part in a pretrial hearing last month, and ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert indicates a pretrial conference is set for April 10. This matter, stemming from an August 2024 arrest, puts the former first-round pick in play to serve a 2025 suspension.
  • Lastly, the Vikes are hiring former QB Charlie Frye as a defensive assistant. This interesting role, for a 23-start QB, comes after a two-year run as Florida Atlantic’s OC. Frye, 43, was also the Dolphins’ QBs coach in 2021 under current Vikings DC Brian Flores. That represents the ex-Browns starter’s only previous NFL coaching work.

Vikings, CB Jeff Okudah Agree To Deal

Jeff Okudah is set to play for a fourth career team in 2025. The former third overall pick has agreed to a one-year deal with the Vikings, per his agent (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).

Okudah had other options on the table, per Schefter, but this move will allow him to return to the NFC North after starting his career with the Lions. The 26-year-old visited the Vikings yesterday, so this news comes as little surprise. Okudah will now look to compete for a depth role on defense with Minnesota.

Expectations were high for the Ohio State product upon entering the NFL. Things did not go according to plan for much of his Lions tenure, however, with injuries limiting him to only 10 games across his first two seasons. Okudah managed to suit up for 15 contests in 2022, but during the subsequent offseason he was traded to the Falcons. Playing out the final year of his rookie contract, he made nine Atlanta starts.

During his first foray into free agency, Okudah took a one-year with the Texans worth $4.75MM. The Grand Prairie, Texas, native suffered an injury in Week 1 and spent much of the campaign on injured reserve as a result. Okudah was thus limited to just six games for Houston, a team which has newly-extended Derek Stingley Jr. and 2024 second-rounder Kamari Lassiter atop the CB depth chart. It comes as no surprise Okudah is on the move once more, again taking a one-year pact in the process.

The secondary was a key talking point for the Vikings in the lead-in to free agency. Byron Murphy was on track to be on the of the top corners to reach the market, but he wound up re-signing on a three-year, $54MM pact. That contract (which can max out at $66MM via incentives) will keep Murphy in place as Minnesota’s top cover man, and the team has also added Isaiah Rodgers on a two-year deal. Tavierre Thomas – who has starting experience but also a long track record of special teams contributions – is in the fold as well.

Meanwhile, the likes of Stephon GilmoreShaquill Griffin and Fabian Moreau are all free agents at this point. The Vikings could retain one or more of those veterans, and doing so would add further to Okudah’s competition for a 2025 roster spot.

Texans’ Jimmie Ward Out For Season; Shaq Mason To Miss Time

Tank Dell‘s injury headlined the Texans’ issues coming out of their Week 16 loss in Kansas City, but Houston also lost a key presence on defense. With Jalen Pitre out, Jimmie Ward had filled in back in a slot cornerback role. The veteran safety, however, is out of the picture for the season’s remainder.

Ward is set to undergo season-ending foot surgery. While it is believed the 11th-year defender dodged a fracture and did not sustain structural damage, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson indicates the second-year Texan is out indefinitely. Ward could not put weight on his injured foot and left Saturday’s game on a cart.

Injuries have been a regular issue for Ward over the course of his career. As he has toggled between pure safety and slot corner, the former first-round pick has missed 51 games as a pro. This included seven absences last season and five more coming into Week 16. The Texans still reached a second contract agreement with the longtime 49er this summer, giving him a one-year add-on. The second Texans deal brought Ward $8.8MM at signing, putting him under contract through 2025, though it would cost Houston only $4.6MM in dead money to move on.

Ward’s injury troubles may prompt the Texans to have that conversation, but the 33-year-old cover man has played four seasons under DeMeco Ryans during the latter’s time as a head coach or defensive coordinator. Overall, Ryans has been on staff — as a quality control coach or position coach, initially — in eight of Ward’s 11 seasons. He has operated exclusively as a starter since following Ryans to Houston in 2023.

The Texans placed Pitre on IR due to a partially torn pectoral muscle, an injury expected to sideline the recent second-round pick for the season. Ward’s injury further thins a secondary that appears in some trouble. Houston used Myles Bryant initially to replace Ward in the slot, before then sliding rookie boundary corner Kamari Lassiter inside and moving Jeff Okudah to the perimeter position opposite Derek Stingley Jr. One of these two plans will be needed moving forward, as the Texans deal with another setback in their secondary. The Stingley-Okudah-Lassiter play is expected to be Houston’s play here, per Wilson. Signed to a one-year, $4.75MM deal this offseason, Okudah has only played in five games (with zero starts) with the Texans.

While Ward has battled injuries throughout his career, the Texans also saw their most durable offensive lineman go down. Shaq Mason, who had not missed a game since the 2021 season, left the Chiefs matchup with a knee injury. The 2023 trade pickup, however, is believed to have avoided a serious injury, Wilson adds. Though, Houston’s right guard starter is still expected to miss between two and four weeks, Wilson adds. This could affect the former Patriots and Buccaneers starter’s playoff availability, but this timetable also at least keeps him in play to come back before season’s end.

Kendrick Green replaced Mason, who had been the only Texans player not to miss time during Ryans’ first season. Mason entered Week 16 having started 60 straight games. The Texans had already moved Tytus Howard from right tackle to left guard, with Juice Scruggs out with a foot injury. Scruggs is not on IR and could return in Week 17.

Texans Activate Jeff Okudah, Mario Edwards

In advance of their Week 11 matchup, the Texans will have a pair of defenders available. Cornerback Jeff Okudah has been activated from injured reserve, per a team announcement. Defensive end Mario Edwards, meanwhile, has returned to the active roster with his one-week exemption having expired.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Tracker]

Okudah returned to practice two weeks ago, opening his 21-day window to be activated. The former No. 3 pick was injured in Week 1, and he has remained sidelined ever since. Now healthy, he will have the opportunity to see playing time on his latest team. The former Lion and Falcon could earn an extended look with the Texans depending on his performance down the stretch as he aims to find stability in at least a depth role.

Edwards was issued a four-game PED suspension last month. Upon serving it, he received a one-week roster exemption which allowed the team time to make other moves in advance of activating him. Now that Edwards is back in the fold, he will be set to reprise his role as a starter along Houston’s defensive line. The 30-year-old posted 18 tackles and a pair of sacks in six games before being sidelined by the ban.

The Texans enter Monday night atop the AFC South with a 6-4 record. The team’s defense has fared well in a number of categories, but by virtue of ranking 18th in points allowed there is certainly room for improvement. Getting Edwards back in the fold in particular should help, although with Kamari Lassiter out for tonight’s game due to a concussion Okudah could also find himself playing a role on defense for at least one contest.

In corresponding roster moves, the Texans waived cornerback Myles Bryant and running back J.J. Taylor. They will be available to any interested teams while on the wire, but if they go unclaimed they will become free agents. In that event, a return to Houston via a practice squad deal will be possible.

Texans Designate DE Jerry Hughes, CB Jeff Okudah For Return

Defensive reinforcements could be on the way soon for the Texans. Defensive end Jerry Hughes and cornerback Jeff Okudah returned to practice on Monday, per a team announcement.

As a result, both players have had their 21-day activation windows opened. They must be moved to the active roster within that span or else they will revert to season-ending injured reserve. Provided both are indeed activated in the near future, Houston will have three such moves available for the rest of the campaign.

Hughes was moved to IR one month ago. That guaranteed at least a four-game absence, one which has in fact stretched to five. The team has extra time at the moment by virtue of playing on Thursday night in Week 9, though, so it would come as no surprise if Hughes were to be activated in time for Week 10. If that were to take place, the 36-year-old would reprise his rotational role behind Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter along the edge.

Okudah played in Houston’s season opener but found himself on injured reserve shortly thereafter. Injuries have been a major problem for the 2020 draft’s third overall pick, and he has made double-digit appearances only twice to date in his career. The Texans represent another opportunity for the former Lion and Falcon to establish his value, although a starting gig on defense should be expected upon return. Instead, Okudah will offer depth at the perimeter corner spot in addition to chipping in on special teams.

Sitting at 6-3 on the year, the Texans are atop the AFC South. Given the Colts’ loss last night, Houston resides as the only team in the division with a winning record. A home playoff game remains a strong possibility as a result, although the team’s offense has significant room for improvement and its defense ranks only 14th in points allowed per game (22.2). The latter unit could see a pair of contributors back in action as early as Week 10.

Texans Place CB Jeff Okudah On IR, Sign DE Rashad Weaver

One of Houston’s defensive free agency additions, Jeff Okudah will not be part of the team’s game plans for the foreseeable future. The former No. 3 overall pick is now on IR.

The Texans shifted the former Lions and Falcons cornerback to their IR list due to a hip injury. Okudah worked as a backup in the team’s season opener, playing behind Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter.

Filling Okudah’s roster spot, Rashad Weaver will come up from the practice squad. The Texans signed the former Titans edge rusher to their 53-man roster. This will mark a quick rebound opportunity for Weaver, a three-season Tennessee contributor who did not make the Titans’ 53-man unit last month.

Houston signed two former top-10 cornerback picks this offseason. While ex-Jaguars and Panthers CB C.J. Henderson did not make the team, Okudah did. The one-year, $4.75MM contract made it a good bet the Texans would hold a roster spot for the former Ohio State standout. Kris Boyd resides as an active-roster backup on the perimeter. The Texans also have slot corner Myles Bryant on their active roster. The team added Desmond King and Troy Pride to its practice squad Tuesday.

This certainly qualifies as disappointing for both parties, as Okudah has battled injuries throughout his career. The ex-Detroit draftee, who had started 24 games from 2022-23, lasted just five snaps before going down against Indianapolis. Okudah missed 29 games during his first four NFL seasons; this transaction will add at least four more absences. The Texans have six injury activations remaining, having used their allotted two upon cutting their roster to 53 last month.

Weaver initially caught on with DeMeco Ryans‘ team shortly after the Titans waived him. Weaver cleared waivers and landed on Houston’s P-squad earlier this month. The Titans had used Weaver as one of their top Harold Landry replacements in 2022, when the former fourth-round pick registered 5.5 sacks. Weaver, however, did not tally a sack during the 2021 or 2023 seasons. With a new regime running the show in Tennessee, Weaver did not make the team. Arden Key skirting a rumored six-game suspension helped lead Weaver off the roster.

The 26-year-old edge rusher joins Jerry Hughes and Derek Barnett as the Texans’ reserve options behind starters Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.. King represents insurance at corner for the defending AFC South champions, playing with the team for the past three seasons.

Texans, CB Jeff Okudah Agree To Deal; Team To Add CB Mike Ford

Jeff Okudah has a deal in place with the Texans. The former first-round corner is set to join Houston, as first reported by Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. The one-year deal is worth $4.75MM with $2.5MM guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 adds.

Veteran corner Mike Ford is also on his way to Houston. Ford will receive $4.5MM on a two-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The third-overall pick in the 2020 draft, Okudah struggled during his time in Detroit. He started six of his nine appearances as a rookie before a ruptured Achilles tendon limited him to only one game in 2021. He managed to get into 15 games for the Lions in 2022, finishing with 73 tackles and one interception.

He was shipped to the Falcons last offseason for a fifth-round pick, and Okudah once again struggled to carve out a consistent role. He started nine of his 13 appearances in Atlanta, finishing with 44 tackles.

Ford also got his start in Detroit and was teammates with Okudah in 2020. The former UDFA has bounced around the NFL in recent years, spending time with the Broncos, Falcons, and Browns over the past three years. He started only one of his 16 appearances in Cleveland this past season, finishing with 28 tackles.

NFL Injury Updates: Armstead, Andrews, Waller, Okudah, Moss

The Dolphins are expected to be productive on offense with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa under center, but protection for him up front will be critical to his success. Miami will be shorthanded up front to begin the campaign.

Left tackle Terron Armstead is out for the Dolphins’ opener against the Chargers, as noted by NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. The four-time Pro Bowler is dealing with back, knee and ankle injuries and has not practiced since August 16. He was carted off the field that day, which represented a setback from his ongoing recovery from offseason knee surgery.

Armstead, 32, expressed optimism that he would be healthy in time for Week 1 before suffering the new injuries last month. His absence will be sorely missed given his importance to the team as a high-end blocker when available, and the five-year, $75MM pact he signed with the Dolphins last offseason. Wolfe notes that veteran Kendall Lamm is expected to get the nod in place of Armstead.

Here are some other injury updates in advance of Sunday’s action:

  • The focal point of the Ravens‘ new-look passing game will likely not be in action tomorrow. Tight end Mark Andrews was listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report, but he is not expected to play against the Texans, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The three-time Pro Bowler has been dealing with a quad injury recently, but he practiced on a limited basis each day this week. If he does indeed miss the contest, Baltimore will turn to 2022 draftees Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar at the TE spot, while leaning on a revamped receiver room which added Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round rookie Zay Flowers in the offseason.
  • Darren Waller‘s Giants debut may be delayed. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the 30-year-old is dealing with a hamstring injury, and his availability for Monday night against the Cowboys is in question. Waller is no stranger to hamstring issues, and they caused signficant missed time during his Raiders tenure. Upon being traded to New York, he received an opportunity to serve as the team’s top pass-catcher, so any absence would deal a blow to the Giants’ offense. 2022 fourth-rounder Daniel Bellinger would take on an increased role at the TE spot if Waller were unable to play.
  • Cornerback Jeff Okudah has been ruled out by the Falcons, Wolfe notes. The former No. 3 pick had a disappointing run in Detroit which included a number of significant injuries, one of which was a 2021 Achilles tear. Plenty is at stake for him in Atlanta, as he is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Okudah, 24, suffered a leg injury last month and his recovery was not expected to last deep into the start of the regular season. Free agent signing Tre Flowers could step into a starting role opposite A.J. Terrell against the Panthers on Sunday.
  • Colts running back Zack Moss was downgraded to doubtful by a team announcement on Saturday. He is recovering from a broken arm, and it was always in the air whether or not he would recover in time to play Week 1. Of course, the absence of the former Bills draftee will compound the fact that Jonathan Taylor is on the PUP list to begin the season, meaning he will be sidelined for at least four weeks. Plenty of rushing responsibility will likely fall to former UDFA Deon Jackson and 2021 Rams seventh-rounder Jake Funk in quarterback Anthony Richardson‘s NFL debut.

Latest On Falcons CB Jeff Okudah’s Leg Injury

After being carted off the practice field yesterday with an ankle injury, Jeff Okudah received some good news on his MRI. Falcons coach Arthur Smith told reporters that the cornerback has a chance to return from his leg injury early in the season (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Twitter). Smith wouldn’t reveal what exact injury Okudah suffered, but it sounds like it should only take about a month to recover.

“Very positive news with Jeff,” Smith said today (via the team’s website). “We have think he has a great chance to be back in the early part of the season. We feel really good for Jeff, all things considered.”

The third-overall pick in the 2020 draft has dealt with his fair share of injuries during his brief career. Okudah got into nine games (six starts) as a rookie before undergoing surgery to resolve a core muscle injury. He returned in time for the 2021 season opener, but he ruptured his Achilles during that contest and didn’t see the field again during his sophomore campaign.

The cornerback stayed mostly healthy during his third season in the NFL. Okudah started all 15 of his appearances last season, finishing with 73 tackles, seven passes defended, and one pick-six. He finished the season ranked 77th among 118 qualifying cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus, although the site did give him one of the best grades at his position for his rush defense.

With Okudah sidelined, Tre Flowers filled in opposite A.J. Terrell during today’s practice. The team has some additional depth at cornerback, including Dee Alford, Mike Hughes and rookie fourth-round pick Clark Phillips III.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Smith revealed that Calais Campbell is “trending in the right direction” as he looks to return to the practice field (per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein on Twitter). The offseason acquisition is currently sitting on the non-football injury list.

2020 Draft Class Sets Record For Fewest Fifth-Year Options Exercised

Tuesday marked the deadline for teams to decide on fifth-year options. The NFL’s annual round of choices regarding rookie-contract bumps moved a large number of players into contract years.

A few players were not eligible to see their options picked up, due to teams already cutting ties. The Raiders waived both their 2020 first-rounders — Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette — following off-field events. The Titans bailed on tackle Isaiah Wilson after one season and four career snaps. Former Vikings draftee Jeff Gladney tragically died in a car accident last year, weeks after the Cardinals had signed him. Because the Falcons restructured Jeff Okudah‘s contract, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) the former No. 3 overall pick is ineligible for the fifth-year option.

The 2020 first round housed Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa, along with standout receivers Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb. A few left tackle anchors came off the board as well. In addition to the likes of Roger Goodell‘s recliner and Bill Belichick‘s dog, the 2020 first round will be remembered for misfires. Only 12 fifth-year options ended up being exercised. Seventeen (the class of 2016) marked the previous low, Albert Breer of SI.com notes (on Twitter). Twenty-three (2014) remains the record for most options picked up.

A few factors contribute to this low total. While the 2020 Scouting Combine took place, the COVID-19 pandemic nixed most pre-draft visits and shut down in-person workouts and meetings. The virtual draft led to some missteps, particularly in the second half of Round 1. But the CBA agreed to weeks earlier in 2020 changed the option structure. Fifth-year options — guaranteed for injury only as part of the 2011 CBA — became fully guaranteed in 2020. This helped prevent teams from picking up a player’s option, thus delaying agency, and cutting him a year later if he passed a physical. This change introduces more risk with option calls.

Still, the 2018 first-round contingent — the first to see their options come with full guarantees — produced 21 exercised options and one option-negating extension (the Raiders’ Kolton Miller). The 2019 class produced 19. The Packers reached an extension agreement with Jordan Love earlier today, though it is not a traditional re-up like Miller’s. Love’s fully guaranteed money ($13.5MM) compared to what it would have cost the team to pick up the option ($20.27MM).

Via PFR’s fifth-year option tracker, here is how teams proceeded with 2020 first-rounders’ 2024 options:

  1. QB Joe Burrow, Bengals ($29.5MM): Exercised
  2. DE Chase Young, Commanders ($17.45MM): Declined
  3. CB Jeff Okudah, Falcons* ($11.51MM): N/A
  4. T Andrew Thomas, Giants ($14.18MM): Exercised
  5. QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins ($23.2MM): Exercised
  6. QB Justin Herbert, Chargers ($29.5MM): Exercised
  7. DT Derrick Brown, Panthers ($11.67MM): Exercised 
  8. LB Isaiah Simmons, Cardinals ($12.72MM): Declined
  9. CB C.J. Henderson, Jaguars** ($11.51MM): Declined
  10. T Jedrick Wills, Browns ($14.18MM): Exercised
  11. T Mekhi Becton, Jets ($12.57MM): Declined
  12. WR Henry Ruggs, Raiders: N/A
  13. T Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers ($18.24MM): Exercised
  14. DT Javon Kinlaw, 49ers ($10.46MM): Declined
  15. WR Jerry Jeudy, Broncos ($14.12MM): Exercised
  16. CB AJ Terrell, Falcons ($12.34MM): Exercised
  17. WR CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys ($17.99MM): Exercised
  18. OL Austin Jackson, Dolphins ($14.18MM): Declined
  19. CB Damon Arnette, Raiders: N/A
  20. DE K’Lavon Chaisson, Jaguars ($12.14MM): Declined
  21. WR Jalen Reagor, Vikings*** ($12.99MM): Declined
  22. WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings ($19.74MM): Exercised
  23. LB Kenneth Murray, Chargers ($11.73MM): Declined
  24. G Cesar Ruiz, Saints ($14.18MM): Declined
  25. WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers ($14.12MM): Exercised
  26. QB Jordan Love, Packers ($20.27MM): Extended through 2024
  27. LB Jordyn Brooks, Seahawks ($12.72MM): Declined
  28. LB Patrick Queen, Ravens ($12.72MM): Declined
  29. T Isaiah Wilson, Titans: N/A
  30. CB Noah Igbinoghene, Dolphins ($11.51MM): Declined
  31. CB Jeff Gladney, Vikings: N/A
  32. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs ($5.46MM): Declined

* = Lions traded Okudah on April 11, 2023
** = Jaguars traded Henderson on Sept. 27, 2021
*** = Eagles traded Reagor on August 31, 2022