Torn ACL For Titans’ Taylor Lewan?
The Titans fear that tackle Taylor Lewan has suffered a torn ACL, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports. Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter) has also confirmed the news, though Lewan won’t officially know the diagnosis until he undergoes an MRI. 
Lewan went down in the third quarter of the Titans’ win over the Texans on Sunday. The Titans replaced him with Ty Sambrailo and went on to win 42-36, keeping their undefeated record in tact. Sambrailo allowed J.J. Watt to blow past him and gave up a sack – a sign that they could be in trouble without their three-time Pro Bowl left tackle.
Lewan, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2014 draft, started in at least 15 games between 2015 and 2018, earning Pro Bowl nods in every year from ’16 through ’18. Despite last year’s suspension, the 29-year-old has blossomed into one of the league’s better tackles.
Sambrailo figures to take over, but the Titans could also consider moving tackle Dennis Kelly over to the left side. First-round pick Isaiah Wilson, who was shelved on the NFL’s Reserve/COVID-19 list, could also be an option as he returned to practice earlier this week.
NFC North Notes: Vikings, Cousins, Packers, Workouts, Bears, Castillo
The Vikings fell to 1-5 after their lopsided loss to the Falcons on Sunday, and Kirk Cousins had another bad game. He ended up leading a few scoring drives in garbage time to make his final numbers not look too bad, but his three early interceptions sealed the loss. It was his second game of the year with three picks, and he now has a league-high ten on the year. Speaking to the media after the game, Cousins acknowledged that his turnover issues could lead to a benching if he doesn’t get things cleaned up. “The reality is if the pace that I’m on, in terms of the interceptions, if that were to continue, I won’t finish the season. I won’t,” Cousins said bluntly, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
“There’s a little bit of – you’ve got to improve whether it’s them telling me ‘hey, we’ve got to improve’ or them pulling me, you’ve got to get better and that will be what the rest of the season will be about for me,” the Vikings’ signal-caller said. For what it’s worth, head coach Mike Zimmer said after the game that he didn’t consider benching Cousins during the loss. Minnesota’s backup is former Jared Goff clipboard-holder Sean Mannion, who isn’t exactly the most appealing second-string option. Cousins signed an extension back in March that has him under contract through the 2022 season. His dead cap hit would be $41MM next year, so moving on after this season isn’t really an option. As such, Zimmer is in a pretty tight bind if Cousins keeps playing like this.
Here’s more from the NFC North:
- The Packers worked out kicker Giorgio Tavecchio earlier this week, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). There’s no indication there’s any problem with Mason Crosby, so this was probably just Green Bay doing some due diligence in the event of an injury of COVID-19 problems. Tavecchio has kicked for the Raiders and Falcons in recent years, and also spent time with the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL.
- Tavecchio isn’t the only one the Packers are planning on working out. Green Bay will host linebacker Alvin Jones as soon as he clears the COVID-19 protocols, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Notably, Jones is the win brother of Packers star running back Aaron Jones. A fellow UTEP product, the linebacker spent the past couple years with the Ravens, mostly on injured reserve and the practice squad. He’s yet to appear in a regular season NFL game. “I’m glad he’s going to get his opportunity and get a chance to work out,” Aaron said to the media. “I know he’ll do whatever he needs to do and hopefully he’s on the team with me. I’d love to have that. That’d be a true joy.“
- The Bears improved to 5-1 with their win over the Panthers on Sunday, and they did it without one of their position coaches. Offensive line coach Juan Castillo is away from the team as he self isolates due to a close exposure to someone who is COVID-19 positive, Brad Briggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Castillo is apparently considered high risk, and the positive he was in contact with was someone away from the team and not a player.
Jets Trade Steve McLendon To Buccaneers
Is the fire sale starting? Just hours after their latest loss the Jets have agreed to trade defensive tackle Steve McLendon to the Buccaneers, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
The Buccaneers will send a sixth-round pick in 2022 and get back a seventh-round pick in 2023, Stroud tweets. Tampa Bay was in need of a nose tackle run-stuffer after the season-ending injury to Vita Vea, so they went out and made a quick move. McLendon will be reuniting with Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who was his head coach with the Jets, which helps explain this acquisition.
McLendon was a locker room leader for the Jets and his departure will ‘sting’ some current Jets players, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. McLendon was one of the few vocal guys in the locker room, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. The Jets are now 0-6 on the year, and it’s hard not to feel like this is the beginning of a larger tanking process.
There are still two-plus weeks until the trade deadline, and it wouldn’t be surprising if more of New York’s veterans were shipped out before it as they currently lead in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. McLendon is 34 now, but still capable of clogging up some running lanes.
He’s a free agent at the end of the year, so it makes sense for Jets GM Joe Douglas to get anything for him while he still can, no matter how small. An UDFA from Troy in 2009, McLendon spent his first seven years with the Steelers before signing a three-year, $12MM pact with the Jets in 2016. He’s started at least 14 games in each of the past three seasons. He’s never provided too much as a pass-rusher, although he did have 2.5 sacks last year. He’s not Vea, but this will still be a welcome addition for a contending Tampa team in need of bodies in the middle.
NFC East Notes: Giants, Board, Thomas, Eagles, Jackson
There was a scary injury in the Giants game Sunday, as New York receiver C.J. Board went down with a neck injury that required him to be immobilized and carted off the field. Fortunately, it looks like the worst case scenario was avoided. The team announced that Board had been diagnosed with a neck sprain and concussion after being taken to a local hospital. Giants coach Joe Judge said after the game that the initial feedback he had gotten from doctors was “pretty positive.”
He also said Board was responsive and has movement in his extremities. A 2017 UDFA, Board is in his first season with the Giants. The Chattanooga product has seven catches for 66 yards on the year. Here’s to hoping he makes a swift and full recovery.
Now for more from the struggling NFC East:
- The Giants didn’t start first-round rookie Andrew Thomas at left tackle on Sunday, but it wasn’t because of his performance even though he hasn’t been playing as well as the other first-round tackles. Thomas was benched for disciplinary reasons after breaking a team rule, Judge said after the game. Judge wouldn’t go into too many details, but he didn’t make it sound too serious. Thomas entered the game in the second quarter and while this doesn’t seem like a huge deal, it’s also not a great sign for the fourth overall pick’s development.
- The Giants will play the Eagles on Thursday Night Football this week, and Philly is finally starting to get healthier. DeSean Jackson is expected to make his return from his hamstring injury for this Week 7 game, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jackson has missed the last three games as the Eagles’ offense has been besieged by injuries. Philly’s group of pass-catchers in particular have been banged up, and Jackson will return a much-needed vertical threat to the passing attack. Through two and a half games he had ten catches for 121 yards before going down.
Steelers’ Devin Bush Has Torn ACL
The Steelers picked up a dominant 38-7 win over the Browns on Sunday, but they didn’t escape the rivalry game unscathed. Linebacker Devin Bush indeed tore his ACL and will be done for the season, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Bush started 15 games as a rookie last year and every game so far this season, so it’s a huge loss. In fact, the tenth overall pick of last year’s draft had played every snap this season before going down. Pittsburgh’s defense has been the driving force behind their perfect 5-0 start, and it won’t be easy to replace him. Robert Spillane, a 2018 UDFA who plays almost entirely on special teams, filled in after Bush got hurt.
The Steelers were allowing only 3.3 yards per carry, the second best figure in the league, entering Sunday. They completely shutdown Kareem Hunt and Cleveland’s vaunted rushing attack, but slowing down opponent ground games will be a lot more difficult without Bush in the middle of the field.
Patriots Place Sony Michel, Shaq Mason, Derek Rivers On Reserve/COVID-19 List
Just as the Patriots took their two highest-profile players off the reserve/COVID-19 list, they placed three more players on it. Sony Michel, Shaq Mason and Derek Rivers landed on the list Saturday, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Michel has tested positive, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports (on Twitter). Mason and Rivers have not. Although Michel was on New England’s IR list, this is certainly a situation to monitor for the league. The NFL moved the Patriots’ Week 4 game to Monday after Cam Newton‘s positive test surfaced the previous Saturday and postponed the Denver-New England Week 5 game to the following Monday and then, after another Pats positive test emerged Sunday morning, delayed it another week.
Players do not have to test positive for the coronavirus to be placed on teams’ COVID lists; they can land on there if they are deemed close contacts of someone who has tested positive. The Pats took Newton and Stephon Gilmore off their list this week but still have multiple players on it. James Ferentz and defensive end Byron Cowart were already on New England’s COVID list.
Approaching 4pm CT Saturday, the Pats’ Week 6 game against the Broncos remains scheduled for noon Sunday. The NFL was aware of the team’s impending Saturday adjustment to its COVID list, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, the Pats did not resume practice until Thursday — after their game against the Broncos was moved off its Monday date — and canceled their in-person workouts Friday because of another positive test.
Michel has been on New England’s IR list since before their Week 4 game against the Chiefs; Mason missed Week 4 and was questionable for Week 6. The Pats will be down Mason and Ferentz from their starting O-line on Sunday, should the game remain scheduled. Rivers has played 21% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps this season; the defensive end has 1.5 sacks.
To help with depth, the Pats have elevated tackle Caleb Benenoch, tight end Rashod Berry, defensive end Nick Thurman and wide receiver Isaiah Zuber from their practice squad to their active roster.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: S Marcus Gilchrist, LB Kristian Welch
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: WR Keith Kirkwood
- Promoted: DT Woodrow Hamilton, DE Austin Larkin
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DT Kahlil McKenzie
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: S Elijah Benton
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Jeremy Cox, LB Josh Watson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: G Joe Dahl
- Promoted: QB David Blough, TE Isaac Nauta
- Waived: CB Chris Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Houston Texans
- Promoted: S Jonathan Owens
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: DE Jabaal Sheard
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: DT Eli Ankou
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: DT Benito Jones
New York Giants
- Promoted: LB Trent Harris
New York Jets
- Promoted: LB Blake Cashman, WR Vyncint Smith, QB Mike White
- Released: S Marqui Christian
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: WR Deon Cain
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: WR Richie James
- Promoted: DT Darrion Daniels, WR Kevin White
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: DT Jeremiah Ledbetter
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: LB Daren Bates, WR Cameron Batson, DB Kareem Orr
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: TE Temarrick Hemingway
Raiders Hosting DL David Irving On Visit
A day after the NFL conditionally reinstated defensive lineman David Irving, he booked a visit. The Raiders are hosting the former Cowboys pass rusher, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The conditional reinstatement — after an 18-plus-month suspension — allows Irving to make free agent visits. He is not yet eligible to play, however. Still, the Raiders will take a look at the once-productive Cowboys D-lineman.
Irving has been suspended four times over the course of his four-year career. Substance-abuse policy violations resulted in three of those bans; a positive PED test triggered the other penalty. After a stay on the Chiefs’ practice squad, Irving played four seasons with the Cowboys. His most recent season (2018) included just two games and ended with an injury and a leave of absence.
Prior to Irving’s March 2019 suspension, the Cowboys were not planning to re-sign him. Irving said shortly after he was done with football, but he has worked his way back to conditional reinstatement.
The Raiders hired former Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli this offseason. Marinelli works as Las Vegas’ defensive line coach. He coached Irving in each of the pass rusher’s four seasons in Dallas. Irving mostly operated as a depth player in Dallas, with suspensions preventing him from being a steady performer. That said, he did register seven sacks in eight regular-season games (all starts) for the 2017 Cowboys. Irving, 27, has flashed as both an interior and edge rusher and may be set to receive another opportunity soon.
Jaguars To Place 12 Practice Squad Players On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The NFL’s expanded coronavirus protocols have resulted in more players landing on teams’ respective reserve/COVID-19 lists. The Jaguars have the most crowded list, as of Saturday afternoon.
The Jags placed 12 of their 16 practice squad players on their reserve/COVID-19 list, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This does not yet appear to be a case of a dozen positive tests. Jacksonville P-squad offensive lineman K.C. McDermott tested positive, and the league’s new contact tracing protocols have led the team to put the bulk of its practice squad on the COVID list for the time being.
Here are the players who joined McDermott on the Jags’ reserve/COVID list:
- RB Nathan Cottrell
- TE Ben Ellefson
- LB Nate Evans
- LB Joe Giles-Harris
- WR Terry Godwin
- WR Josh Hammond
- T Jared Hilbers
- DB Doug Middleton
- DB Josh Nurse
- T Austen Pleasents
- WR Trey Quinn
Suspended defensive end Josh Mauro will join McDermott and the slew of P-squad players on the COVID-19 list, Pelissero adds (on Twitter). Mauro has been suspended throughout the season for a positive PED test.
Considering players placed on this list must isolate for five days, the Jaguars will need to make some moves to fill out a practice squad following their Week 6 game. Even players who are asymptomatic after close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 must isolate for at least five days. The Jags face the Chargers next Sunday; there will be several new P-squad players to start their next week of practice.
West Rumors: Broncos, Bell, Rams
Broncos running backs coach Curtis Modkins will not travel with the team to New England for the rescheduled Broncos-Patriots game due to a positive COVID-19 test, the team announced Saturday. Modkins, 49, is in his third season as Denver’s running backs coach. He is not experiencing symptoms from the virus, according to the team, which has performed the customary contact tracing after this positive test. The former Bills and 49ers offensive coordinator is a holdover from the Vance Joseph regime and has been retained despite the Broncos changing OCs the past two offseasons. Modkins has been an NFL assistant since the 2008 season. Modkins’ son, Jett, is a Broncos intern and lives with his father. Jett Modkins will not make the trip either, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes. The Broncos will also be without Melvin Gordon from their backfield mix Sunday.
Here is the latest from the West divisions:
- Le’Veon Bell‘s Chiefs deal will come with a $1MM base salary, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The Dolphins were believed to be offering more money and potentially a multiyear deal, but another report indicated Miami did not dangle two years in its Bell proposal. Bell will have around $1MM more available to him through incentives. One of those incentives will be based around Bell’s workload. Bell’s Chiefs contract, to some degree, lessen the Jets’ burden. They owed the former All-Pro back approximately $6MM after releasing him after five games.
- Another team’s running backs coach will be out of action as well. Rams RBs coach Thomas Brown blew out his Achilles’ tendon during practice Thursday, Sean McVay confirmed. In his first season as an NFL assistant, Brown joined the Rams’ staff this offseason. The 34-year-old position coach will undergo surgery next week.
- Drew Lock is set to return as the Broncos‘ quarterback Sunday. He will have far from his optimal group of skill-position players. Phillip Lindsay will play; so will Jerry Jeudy. However, Denver will be down Noah Fant and K.J. Hamler. Fant suffered an ankle injury in Denver’s win over the Jets more than two weeks ago; Hamler reinjured the hamstring he pulled during training camp. Lock was able to target Courtland Sutton when he last played (Week 2), but Denver’s No. 1 wide receiver is out for the season with an ACL tear. Lock will have a difficult task against the Patriots, who will have Stephon Gilmore back after his stay on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list.