Washington Puts Curtis Samuel On IR
The Washington Football Team will place Curtis Samuel on the injured reserve list today (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). It’ll be a short-term IR stint for the wide receiver, allowing him to return after just three missed games.
Samuel joined Washington on a three-year deal this year that could pay him up to $35.25MM with $24.5MM guaranteed. Unfortunately, he’s been saddled by a groin injury that will prevent him from starting the year with his club. At best, Samuel can return for Week 4 against the Falcons. On the plus side, head coach Ron Rivera says that he won’t need surgery.
Washington struggled to find a second receiver to pair with top wideout Terry McLaurin in 2020. Samuel was — and still is — expected to round out the group.
The 2017 second-round pick has progressively improved his numbers during each of his four NFL seasons. His best came in 2020 when he finished with a career-high 1,051 yards from scrimmage to go along with five touchdowns for the Panthers. Samuel also garnered a career-high 41 rushing attempts, showcasing his ability to serve as a Swiss Army Knife-type weapon.
Without Samuel, Washington is left with McLaurin, Adam Humphries, third-round pick Dyami Brown, DeAndre Carter, Cam Sims, and seventh-round rookie Dax Milne at WR.
Ravens Place Nick Boyle On IR
Another one down for the Ravens. On Friday, the team placed tight end Nick Boyle on short-term injured reserve. 
[RELATED: Ravens To Sign Murray]
Boyle is still healing up from the knee injury he suffered in November of last year. He also had microscopic surgery on the knee recently, but that only elongated his rehab. The good news is that Boyle is expected to return this year. The league’s short-term IR list allows for players to return after three games and that’s a feasible timetable, per head coach John Harbaugh.
“[We just want to] get his knee right, get his body right,” Harbaugh told reporters on Friday. “We expect him to be back Week 4, Week 5, somewhere in there, whenever he gets back.”
It’s just the latest blow to an offense that’s already without running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Without Boyle, the Ravens will be leaning more on tight ends Mark Andrews and Eric Tomlinson, though Tomlinson is more of a blocker than a pass catcher, and not as strong of a protector as Boyle.
Boyle’s best season as a receiver came in 2019, when he had 31 catches for 321 yards and two touchdowns. The Ravens have him under contract through 2023 thanks to the two-year, $13MM extension he inked back in January.
Texans Audition Dre Kirkpatrick
The Texans will work out cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick today (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). If signed, Kirkpatrick will help to fortify Houston’s secondary following the Bradley Roby trade. 
[RELATED: Texans Trade Bradley Roby To Saints]
Kirkpatrick was a longtime Bengals starter but he has yet to find work this year. He spent 2020 with the Cardinals, appearing in 14 games with eleven starts. He finished out with 56 tackles, seven passes defended, three interceptions, and a much softer market than anticipated. He’s since worked out for the Niners, Saints, and Patriots, but left all of those visits without a deal.
Now 31, Kirkpatrick has totaled 358 tackles, three sacks, 72 passes defensed, and 13 interceptions across nine NFL seasons. The Texans could certainly use his help and it stands to reason that the Buccaneers could also give him a call. On Thursday, the Bucs watched starter Sean Murphy-Bunting suffer a gruesome elbow injury that will sideline him for a good chunk of the year.
Bucs’ Sean Murphy-Bunting Dealing With Dislocated Elbow
Buccaneers cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting has suffered a dislocated elbow, head coach Bruce Arians announced (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Arians said he’s “going to be alright,” so Murphy-Bunting should be able to return before the season is through. 
Murphy-Bunting suffered the gruesome injury in the first half as he tried to prevent a touchdown from CeeDee Lamb. The Bucs went on to beat the Cowboys 31-29, but they also allowed 400+ yards passing in the process.
The 24-year-old played in all 16 games last year with 13 starts. He turned in 70 stops, three passes defensed, and one interception. As shown by the Bucs’ swiss cheese D on Thursday night, he’s crucial to the defending champs’ secondary.
Ross Cockrell stepped into Murphy-Bunting’s spot last night. It’s likely that he’ll serve as a Week 2 starter for the Bucs when they face the Falcons in Tampa on Sunday 9/19. Beyond that, the Buccaneers will probably consider some out-of-house reinforcements. Even in a best case scenario, Murphy-Bunting is probably looking at two months of rehab.
Ravens, RB Latavius Murray Agree To Deal
The Ravens have agreed to sign Latavius Murray (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). It’s a one-year deal for the running back, giving Baltimore yet another accomplished veteran in the backfield. 
The Ravens recently added Le’Veon Bell and Devonta Freeman to their practice squad, giving them the most star-studded 16-man unit in the league. There’s no doubt that they needed the reinforcements after losing J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill to season-ending injuries. Now, they’ve got UDFA Ty’Son Williams, recent pickup Trenton Cannon, and Murray as their three RBs on the main roster.
Murray averaged 4.0 yards per carry in his two seasons as the Raiders’ primary starter. While he rushed for 12 touchdowns in 2016, Murray saw Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington eat into his workload. That led him to the Vikings in 2017 followed by a four-year, $14.4MM deal with the Saints in 2019.
Missing just one game during his two-year Saints stay, Murray totaled 1,293 rushing yards with the team. He scored eleven touchdowns as a Saint, filling in for an injured Alvin Kamara at times in both seasons. The Saints moved on from the 31-year-old earlier this week, but the Ravens were happy to put him to work.
Between Murray, Freeman, Bell, and quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Ravens now employ four players with a 1,000+-yard rushing season on the resume.
Ravens Finalizing Deal With RB Latavius Murray
The Ravens have been busy adding to their depleted running backs corps, and it sounds like the team is on the verge of adding another veteran. The team is “working on finalizing a deal” with free agent running back Latavius Murray, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Ravens To Sign RB Devonta Freeman]
Murray agreed to a four-year, $14.4MM deal with New Orleans in 2019, coming over from Minnesota to replace Mark Ingram as Kamara’s between-the-tackles sidekick. Missing just one game during his two-year Saints stay, Murray totaled 1,293 rushing yards with the team. He scored 11 touchdowns as a Saint, filling in for an injured Kamara for short stretches in both seasons, and provided a smooth transition from Ingram.
The Saints moved on from the 31-year-old earlier this week, allowing the veteran to sign anywhere. The team’s pay-cut request certainly came at a late juncture; Murray was set to make $2.95MM in base salary this season.
The Ravens have already lost a full depth chart of running backs, with J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill succumbing to season-ending injuries. The team recently added veterans Le’Veon Bell and Devonta Freeman to their practice squad, pairing the duo with former UDFA Ty’Son Williams and recent free agent acquisition Trenton Cannon.
Buccaneers DB Sean Murphy-Bunting Exits Thursday’s Game, Won’t Return
Buccaneers defensive back Sean Murphy-Bunting suffered an elbow injury during tonight’s season opener that will sideline him for at least the rest of the game. The team announced that Murphy-Bunting has been ruled out for the rest of the contest.
Murphy-Bunting suffered the injury in the first quarter in a play that saw Dak Prescott connect with CeeDee Lamb for a touchdown. The defensive back was seen holding his shoulder and arm while retreating back to the locker room.
Some pundits have speculated that Murphy-Bunting suffered a dislocated elbow, an injury that would likely sidelined the 24-year-old for a handful of games. Of course, we’ll learn more over the upcoming days about the player’s status moving forward.
Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, their cornerbacks depth isn’t a strength. Ross Cockrell moved to the nickle following the injury, with Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean playing the outside.
Murphy-Bunting, a 2019 second-round pick, has started 23 of his 32 games since entering the NFL. He had a career season in 2020, finishing with 70 tackles, three passes defended, and one interception. He also came up big during the playoffs, collecting three interceptions in four games.
Steelers LB T.J. Watt Got Three Fully Guaranteed Years On Extension
One of the major sticking points between T.J. Watt and the Steelers was the organization’s refusal to fully guarantee contracts beyond the first year of the pact. Well, the team ignored their policy today. As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes, the Steelers organization fully guaranteed three years of Watt’s extension.
[RELATED: Steelers, T.J. Watt Agree On Record-Setting Extension]
To review: the star linebacker inked a new four-year, $112MM deal with the Steelers, including $80MM guaranteed. $35MM of that guaranteed money came via a signing bonus, while the other $45MM will be handed out in each of the next three years. Watt’s $1MM 2021 base salary is predictably guaranteed, as is his 2022 base salary ($24MM) and 2023 base salary ($20MM). Watt has identical $21.05MM base salaries in both 2024 and 2025, neither of which are guaranteed.
The Steelers were willing to move past their stubborn financial policy, but it’s still uncertain if Watt is an exception or a changing of philosophy. As Florio notes, today’s move could simply be an “aberration” instead of a “trend.”
Florio also explored how those three fully guaranteed years compare to the NFL’s other top defensive deals. Watt will earn that $80MM through the first three years of his contract; Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa will receive $78 million through the first three years of his extension, while Watt also outpaced Bears linebacker Khalil Mack ($73.7MM through three years) and Browns defensive end Myles Garrett ($62.546MM through three years).
Interestingly, Watt may have actually left money on the table. As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports, Watt’s agents believed they could squeeze the Steelers for more cash, but Watt simply went into the office of Steelers president Art Rooney to tell him that the deal was done (Twitter link). He then excused himself to go work out.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/21
Today’s practice squad changes:
Detroit Lions
- Released: WR Javon McKinley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Christian Elliss
- Released: G Ross Pierschbacher
Ravens Fear ACL Tears For Marcus Peters, Gus Edwards
7:12pm: Edwards’ ACL tear has been confirmed. Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Ravens running back indeed suffered the season-ending injury. The organization will soon have three RBs sitting on IR.
6:58pm: The Ravens will be without at least one of these starters this season. Peters’ MRI confirmed an ACL tear, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This will be the All-Pro corner’s first significant injury as a pro. Edwards’ tear has yet to be confirmed.
2:57pm: Injuries have already impacted the Ravens considerably coming into the season. Thursday’s practice brought more trouble. The team cut its workout short after Marcus Peters and Gus Edwards suffered knee injuries, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Peters and Edwards went down on consecutive plays, and Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (via Twitter) team is concerned the maladies are severe. Indeed, the Ravens fear both players suffered ACL tears, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Each is undergoing tests. Both injuries are believed to be of the non-contact variety, NFL.com’s Peter Schrager tweets.
Edwards is the last man standing among Baltimore’s running backs, at least among those on last year’s squad, while Peters is entering his third season as a key Baltimore starter. The Ravens have already lost starting running back J.K. Dobbins and third-year reserve Justice Hill for the season.
Baltimore is down to second-year UDFA Ty’Son Williams at running back. Williams, interestingly, has worked his way back from an ACL tear sustained during the 2019 season while at BYU. The Ravens signed veteran special-teamer Trenton Cannon on Wednesday and have Le’Veon Bell stashed on their practice squad. Both moves take on greater importance after this Edwards development.
The Ravens are already set to begin their season without first-round pick Rashod Bateman, who is on IR after suffering a groin injury that required surgery early in training camp. Edwards was set to be Baltimore’s starter, after three straight seasons of 700-plus rushing yards north of 5.0 yards per carry. The Ravens extended the former UDFA back on a three-year, $12.38MM deal earlier this summer.
Peters signed a three-year, $42MM extension near the end of his first season in Maryland. He has been the NFL’s top turnover producer during his six-year NFL tenure. The former Chiefs first-round pick and Rams Super Bowl starter is going into his age-28 season. In 23 Raven games, Peters already has seven interceptions and four forced fumbles. Peters’ deal runs through 2022.
Beyond Bell and Cannon, the Ravens could certainly reach out to Latavius Murray, whom the Saints just released after he refused a pay cut. Todd Gurley is also available, joining Kerryon Johnson, Lamar Miller, Alfred Morris and Adrian Peterson in that regard. Replacing Peters would be much tougher for the franchise. The Ravens do possess some cornerback depth, however, with 11th-year veteran Jimmy Smith still in place behind boundary starters Peters and Marlon Humphrey. Smith, however, missed a few weeks of practice after suffering a sprained ankle during camp.