Steelers-Titans Game Bumped From Week 4
The Steelers and Titans will not play their scheduled game in Week 4, the NFL announced on Thursday morning. The game has been postponed indefinitely due to additional positive tests in the Titans’ latest round of COVID-19 testing.
The Titans were forced to cancel in-person activities this week after three players and five personnel members tested positive. After Wednesday’s round of tests, the organization is up to eleven positive tests in total — five players and six staffers (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). The team facility will remain closed until further notice, with many more rounds of tests to come between now and their next scheduled game on October 11 vs. the Bills.
The Vikings were also put through expanded testing after their Week 3 game against the Titans, but everyone in the organization tested negative. Their game against the Texans is slated to go on as scheduled on Sunday afternoon in Houston.
On Wednesday, head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that no one on the Titans was seriously ill, beyond the usual flu-like symptoms. Hopefully, that’s still the case after word of three more positives.
Ravens, Marlon Humphrey Agree To $98MM+ Deal
The Ravens have agreed to a brand new five-year, $98.75MM extension with star cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). The deal, which includes $66MM in total guaranteed cash, makes him one of the league’s highest paid players at his position. The Ravens have also confirmed the extension via social media.
[RELATED: Ravens CB Tavon Young Done For The Year]
“Marlon is the type of player we want in Baltimore,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said. “Besides his obvious talents as a playmaking corner, he’s a passionate competitor who craves winning. We are excited that he’s going to remain with us for seven seasons.”
Humphrey, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 draft, was previously cuffed through the 2021 season via the fifth-year options. Per league rules for the fifth-year option on first-round picks, he was in line for the average salary of the league’s No. 3 – No. 25 highest-paid CBs, which came out to just over $10MM. His new pact will give him $19.5MM per annum, and $37MM paid out by March of 2021.
Humphrey, 24 in July, started nearly every game for the Ravens last year en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection and first ever First-Team All-Pro nod. Along the way, he notched three interceptions, recovered three fumbles, returned two of them for touchdowns. In the interest of equal time: the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 37th best cornerback in the NFL; solid standing, though most evaluators and fans would probably rank him higher.
Humphrey is just the latest corner to hit the jackpot this year, following extensions for Jalen Ramsey (five-year, $105MM deal), Byron Jones (five years, $82.5MM), Tre’Davious White (four years, $70MM), and Darius Slay (three years, $50.05MM). After losing slot corner Tavon Young for the season, the Ravens will be banking on Humphrey more than ever in 2020.
AFC East Notes: Douglas, Pats, White
Jets head coach Adam Gase may soon receive his walking papers, and though the leash for GM Joe Douglas will be a bit longer, Douglas is not without blame for the club’s struggles over his first 16 months or so on the job. In a piece that colorfully recounts all of Douglas’ missteps, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News includes an interesting nugget indicating that Douglas nixed an impending agreement for free agent DB Logan Ryan — whom Douglas reportedly coveted — because he was unhappy that the agreement was leaked to the media.
To be fair, other reporters wrote that Ryan’s asking price was the real obstacle to the deal, and Mehta himself has noted on more than one occasion that Douglas is operating under owner-imposed financial constraints, so it’s unclear what actually prevented Ryan from joining Gang Green. And obviously the Jets would still look just as directionless with Ryan as they do without, but when Douglas’ body of work is laid out in black-and-white, one can understand any skepticism Jets fans might feel about the GM’s abilities.
Now for more from the AFC East:
- Doug Kyed of NESN.com believes the Patriots should try to trade for a top-flight wide receiver. His piece was published before QB Cam Newton threw the ball all over the place in the team’s narrow loss to the Seahawks in Week 2, but in New England’s Week 3 triumph over the Raiders, it was clear that Newton could use another receiving threat. After posting eight catches for 179 yards against Seattle, Julian Edelman caught just two passes for 23 yards against Las Vegas, and the Pats want to reduce Edelman’s snap count. Meanwhile, N’Keal Harry is still coming into his own, and Damiere Byrd is hardly irreplaceable. Kyed believes a player like the Bears’ Allen Robinson would be a great fit, and that New England should not be hesitant to give up 2021 draft capital.
- Prior to the Patriots‘ win over Las Vegas, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com suggested that Sony Michel needed a big game to keep his job as New England’s RB1, and Michel delivered. He reeled off 117 yards on just nine carries, though he and J.J. Taylor both had 11 touches and Rex Burkhead had 13 (three of which ended in touchdowns). As usual, it looks like the Pats will take a committee approach to their backfield, and the committee will become even more crowded when Damien Harris returns from IR. Still, it’s encouraging for New England that Michel, who has not exactly lived up to his status as a former first-rounder, looked as good as he did.
- The Bills signed cornerback Tre’Davious White to a massive extension shortly before the season started, a deal that temporarily positioned him as the highest-paid CB in the league in terms of AAV ($17.25MM). But as Jason Wolf of the Buffalo News writes, some league observers believe Buffalo came out ahead in that deal, as Jalen Ramsey signed a five-year, $105MM extension shortly after the ink dried on White’s contract. The NFL world knew that Ramsey’s deal was coming soon, so pundits like Joel Corry of CBS Sports believe White could have gotten himself at least $19MM per year if he had been more patient, and that the Bills were wise to strike when they did. Of course, with $55MM in guaranteed money coming his way, most people won’t be too sad for White.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/30/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S T.J. Green
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Marcus Gilchrist
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: G Deion Calhoun, LB Kendall Donnerson
- Released: OT Josh Knipfel
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Krishawn Hogan
- Released: QB Chad Kelly
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Chad Williams
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB B.J. Bello
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S Damarious Randall, LB Tim Williams
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Malik Henry
- Placed on PS-IR: Lil’Jordan Humphrey
49ers To Place Dee Ford On IR
The 49ers will place edge rusher Dee Ford on injured reserve this week, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan (Twitter link via NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco). With that, Ford will be held out for a minimum of three games.
Ford played 46 snaps in the 49ers’ Week 1 loss to the Cardinals, but back issues have kept him out ever since. As it turns out, the Niners didn’t need much help against the Jets and Giants, drumming New York’s teams with ease in Weeks 2 and 3. Still, it’s another frustrating setback for both Ford and the Niners. The 29-year-old registered 6.5 sacks last year despite missing five games, and he was said to be looking sharp after offseason knee surgery.
The 49ers sent a second-round draft pick to the Chiefs in 2019 to acquire Ford in a tag-and-trade deal. The impressive edge rusher managed 13 sacks for Kansas City in 2018, but his five-year, $85MM contract has yet to really pay off for John Lynch & Co. Even when he did suit up last year, Ford had to be restricted by a pitch count, putting him on the field for just 22% of SF’s defensive snaps.
The 49ers — sans Ford — will face the Eagles at home on Sunday night.
Bears Work Out Lamar Miller
Lamar Miller‘s workout tour continues. On Wednesday, the Bears auditioned Miller and a handful of other running backs in the wake of Tarik Cohen’s injury, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Bears Lose Tarik Cohen]
Miller inked a one-year deal with the Patriots over the summer, but failed to inch ahead of Damien Harris, Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead before the cutdown deadline. The veteran has been itching to return to the field for a while — he tore his ACL in the 2019 preseason with the Texans and hasn’t seen live action in over a year.
Miller is reportedly healthy now, and he could be a great mid-season grab for the Bears. The 29-year-old earned a Pro Bowl nod during his last healthy season, rushing for five scores and 973 yards on 210 carries (4.6 yards per carry) with the Texans. He also added 25 receptions for 163 receiving yards and one touchdown during that 2018 campaign. Those numbers don’t quite match Cohen’s best receiving work, but the Bears would gladly take that sort of production alongside David Montgomery.
Texans To Pass On Earl Thomas?
Earl Thomas‘ scheduled workout with the Texans was scuttled, and head coach Bill O’Brien says it was due to the league’s most recent COVID-19 advisory (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). However, that’s not quite the full story, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), who hears that the Texans do not currently see Thomas as a great fit for their locker room. 
[RELATED: Texans Sign Corey Liuget]
Thomas, a seven-time Pro Bowler, left his past two clubs on bad terms. In Seattle, Thomas literally left the team with an extended middle finger as he was carted off of the field. In Baltimore, Thomas failed to grasp the playbook in his first year and wore out his welcome last week when he got into an altercation with a teammate.
Thomas’ perceived attitude problems would explain his ongoing unemployment. The years-long love affair between Thomas and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did not result in a deal this year, and the Chargers were quick to pass on him after losing star Derwin James for the season.
For now, the Texans will continue with third-year starter Justin Reid and newcomer Eric Murray as their starting safeties. Meanwhile, they’re without key backup A.J. Moore, who has been placed on IR due to the hamstring injury he suffered against the Steelers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: RB Dontrell Hilliard
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB LeVante Bellamy, LB Derrek Tuszka
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LS Taybor Pepper
- Released: LS Kyle Nelson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: S Ryan Neal
Panthers Designate Eli Apple For Return
The Panthers have designated cornerback Eli Apple and wide receiver Keith Kirkwood to return from injured reserve, according to Joe Person of The Athletic (on Twitter). The club now has a three-week window to activate either player. If they are not activated in that span, they’ll be ineligible to return for the remainder of the year. 
[RELATED: Panthers Promote RB Reggie Bonnafon]
A former Giants first-round pick, Apple inked a one-year deal with the Panthers in May. At the time, he was thought to be on track for a starting role, especially since the Panthers waited until the fourth round before addressing their need at corner.
Without James Bradberry to lead the way, the Panthers weren’t left with much. Pro Football Focus graded none of Carolina’s incumbent corners higher than 89th at the position last season. Apple, meanwhile, was only 20 when he was drafted and he only just turned 25 over the summer, so there’s reason to believe that he can be a quality contributor when healthy.
Latest On Cowboys’ La’el Collins
Cowboys right tackle La’el Collins could be done for the year. Collins is still working towards a return, but contact during offensive line drills have proven to be a major hurdle for him, Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Season-ending surgery could be in Collins’ future, but all parties are holding off on that option for now.
“If it was Week 10 and the team was 0-8 it would be something they would explore,” a team source told Slater. “But, we are still hoping it’s manageable.”
Collins was placed on IR after the September roster deadline, so he’s theoretically eligible to return at any time. But, right now, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be ready for live action anytime soon.
The former LSU standout has become one of the NFL’s better right tackles, doing so after making a mid-career move from the guard spot. Since 2015, Collins has appeared in 62 games (61 starts) as one of Dak Prescott’s trusted protectors. Last year, Collins finished as the fourth-highest graded offensive tackle in the league, according to Pro Football Focus, making his five-year, $50MM deal look like an absolute bargain.
Without Collins up front, the Cowboys were held to just 17 points in the season opener against the Rams. Though the offense was sharp enough to top the Falcons in Week 2, they fell 38-31 to the Seahawks on Sunday. This week, they’ll aim for the .500 mark when they face the Browns in Dallas.