HEADLINES

Month: August 2023

Commanders Release 12, Place OL Braeden Daniels On IR

August 28th, 2023 at 5:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

With roster cuts in full swing, the Commanders are among the teams to unveil their latest list of players who will not be on their initial 53-man roster. The team announced the release of the following 12 players:

Kalu and Kemp have the most NFL experience amongst the group. The former has made 44 appearances since 2020, all with the Titans. After primarily playing on special teams, the 28-year-old saw a signficant jump in playing time last season with a 44% defensive snap share. Kalu signed with the Commanders earlier this month, but he will now have the chance to find another opportunity as a depth option in the secondary.

Kemp, meanwhile, is a veteran of the Chiefs over most of the past five years. He has been used sparingly on offense, but the defending champions relied on him early and often with respect to special teams contributions. The Commanders have a well-established pecking order amongst their pass-catchers on offense, but Kemp would have provided a known commodity in the third phase if retained. He still could do so, of course, if he winds up being retained via the practice squad.

Patterson has played in 20 games in Washington since joining the team as a UDFA. He saw more opportunities as a rookie in 2021 than he did last year, but the Buffalo alum still showcased an ability to contribute on offense and special teams. The 23-year-old operated briefly as a kicker returner in 2022, and with the top of the RB depth chart accounted for in Washington, that may represent a path to playing time moving forward if Patterson is to remain in the nation’s capital.

In addition to the above cuts, the Commanders placed fourth-round rookie Braeden Daniels on IR, meaning he will be sidelined for the entire campaign. Daniels suffered a torn rotator cuff in the team’s preseason finale, reports ESPN’s John Keim.

Vikings Pushing For Justin Jefferson Extension Before Regular Season

August 28th, 2023 at 5:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

A regular topic early in the offseason, the prospect of a Justin Jefferson extension before his fourth season lost steam this summer. T.J. Hockenson, who is going into a contract year, appears to be staging a hold-in. But the Vikings have not given up on extending their best player early.

Via the fifth-year option, the Vikings have Jefferson signed through 2024. Since teams became eligible to sign their 2011 first-round picks, during the 2014 offseason, no franchise has given a first-round wide receiver an extension with two years of control remaining. This is the 10th offseason since fifth-year options became an annual transaction, but the Vikings have seen Jefferson soar to unprecedented heights over his first three years and look to still be considering an exception to this rule.

The NFL’s all-time leader (by a wide margin) in receiving yards through three seasons, Jefferson became extension-eligible in January. Preliminary talks occurred earlier this year, but a June report indicated the Vikings may be more keen on hammering out a record-setting Jefferson re-up in 2024. But SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the Vikings are indeed aiming to have a Jefferson extension in place before Week 1.

This is quite the complex stretch for the Vikes, who have Hockenson angling to become the NFL’s highest-paid tight end. Jefferson will undoubtedly become the league’s highest-paid receiver when he signs his second contract, but will Minnesota complete both of these deals within the next two weeks? Hockenson is going into his fifth-year option season and is far from the NFL’s best tight end. Jefferson, 24, has a clear claim to being the best player at his position.

After some cost cuts and trades this offseason, the Vikings sit at $10.8MM in cap space. Unlike some other players with contract issues this year, Jefferson did not skip minicamp or stage a hold-in. It will be interesting to see if an increased sense of urgency forms here, with the All-Pro wideout 13 days from playing on a $2.4MM base salary. The Vikings have the option of stringing this out, via the fifth-year option and a 2025 franchise tag, but the organization appears interested in making a last-ditch effort to wrap this up soon.

Tyreek Hill‘s $30MM-per-year contract has represented the wideout ceiling since March 2022, but an inflated final year of the Dolphins star’s contract was necessary to drag the AAV to that $30MM place. Jefferson will likely not need a backloaded deal to inflate the AAV, and given the cap being back on the rise and a four-year age gap existing between Jefferson and Hill, the fourth-year Viking can argue for a push toward $35MM per year. Jefferson dropping another monster season will only increase his price, with the cap expected to move toward or beyond $250MM in 2024.

Buccaneers To Release QB John Wolford

August 28th, 2023 at 4:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after sorting out the top of their quarterback depth chart, the Buccaneers are moving on from the third member of their crop at the position. The team is releasing John Wolford, as noted by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Tampa Bay held a competition between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask for much of the offseason, with the former ultimately winning out. Each member of the pair has received praise for their performances in training camp and the preseason, though, and no other roster spots will be deemed necessary at the position. Stroud adds that the Bucs will be interested, however, in bringing in a signal-caller on their practice squad.

Wolford’s opportunity to earn a spot in Tampa Bay came to an abrupt end during the team’s second preseason contest when he suffered a neck injury. While the ailment was likely not a factor in the Buccaneers’ decision to commit to Mayfield and Trask, it could have an effect on the interest shown in Wolford by other interested teams around the league.

The 27-year-old spent the first three years of his career with the Rams, serving as a depth option across that span. He made three of his four career starts last season, though, and did enough in that audition period to draw interest from Tampa Bay in free agency. Wolford signed for the veteran minimum, so his roster security was always going to be in doubt as roster cutdowns commenced.

Now, the Wake Forest product will likely seek out a backup opportunity with a new team, or at least a third-string role amongst the squads committed to carrying three QBs on their active roster. Tampa Bay could retain him via the practice squad but if the team decides against that, they will be in the market for another depth option at the position.

Also amongst the players the Bucs are cutting loose is edge rusher Jose Ramirez, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That move is notable, since the Eastern Michigan product is a sixth-round rookie. Teams will have the option to claim him off waivers, but if he clears, he will presumably find a spot on the team’s taxi squad.

Eagles To Sign CB Isaiah Rodgers

August 28th, 2023 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles will take a flier on one of the players who incurred a full-season gambling suspension earlier this year. They are signing cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Suspended for betting on NFL games, Rodgers is out for the 2023 season. He must apply for reinstatement. The Colts were planning on using Rodgers as a starting cornerback, and the gambling ban did not surface until after the draft. Rodgers was found to have bet on Colts games; Indianapolis waived the fourth-year defender after the gambling ban became official.

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni and assistant Marcus Brady were with the Colts when they drafted Rodgers back in 2020. This will bring a reunion, but it is a bit too early to tell if Rodgers will play for the Eagles. Rumors emerged indicating the former sixth-round pick placed approximately 100 bets — via a sportsbook account created under the name of one of an associate — that came under scrutiny. While Calvin Ridley was reinstated shortly after applying earlier this year, it cannot be assumed the NFL will immediately greenlight a Rodgers return.

The Colts used Rodgers, 25, as a nine-game starter alongside Stephon Gilmore last season. Rodgers also operated as Indy’s primary kick returner from 2020-22, taking a kick back for a touchdown as a rookie. Pro Football Focus ranked Rodgers as the fifth-best cornerback during the 2022 season. This assessment came on just 283 defensive snaps, but Rodgers had shown promise in limited duty. The 170-pound defender intercepted three passes in 2021 and recovered four fumbles last season.

After C.J. Gardner-Johnson turned down a multiyear offer and joined the Lions, the Eagles pivoted to corner, extending Darius Slay and re-signing James Bradberry. Slay is going into his age-32 season, Bradberry his age-30 campaign. Rodgers has some hurdles to clear before suiting up for the Eagles, residing on the reserve/suspended list. But he is a younger corner the Eagles hope to take a look at in 2024.

Titans Activate OL Dillon Radunz

August 28th, 2023 at 3:21pm CST by Rory Parks

The Titans have activated offensive lineman Dillon Radunz from the PUP list, the team announced. That means that Radunz has passed a physical, which is rather a significant development for a player that tore his ACL a little over eight months ago.

Nonetheless, head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters, including Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, that recent acquisition Chris Hubbard remains in line to start the year at right tackle (Nicholas Petit-Frere was initially ticketed for that role, but his six-game gambling suspension will require at least a temporary change of plans). Radunz, who was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft with the expectation that he would serve as a long-term OT, presumably would have been the top choice to fill in for Petit-Frere if not for his injury.

Radunz, 25, started just one game in his rookie campaign as he learned and developed behind former right tackle David Quessenberry. Although Quessenberry signed with the Bills in the 2022 offseason, Tennessee picked Petit-Frere in the third-round of that year’s draft, and he ultimately beat out Radunz for the RT post. Radunz was therefore relegated to a reserve role, and while he did end up starting four games last season — splitting his time just about equally between left guard and right guard — he received an abysmal 40.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (though to be fair, he did earn a terrific 78.1 pass-blocking mark).

Vrabel made it clear that Radunz would be eased back into action. Eventually, the North Dakota State product may have a chance to once again vie for the right tackle job, or perhaps for the right guard spot that still appears unsettled, but that will not happen right away.

Caleb Williams Not Certain To Enter 2024 NFL Draft?

August 28th, 2023 at 2:47pm CST by Rory Parks

The 2023 college football season is underway, and USC quarterback Caleb Williams led his team to a resounding victory over San Jose State in the first game of the campaign by completing 18 of 25 passes for 278 yards and four TDs. Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner who has drawn favorable comparisons to quarterbacks like Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, and Trevor Lawrence, is off to a hot start.

Assuming that he continues to perform at a high level and does not suffer a major injury, there is every reason to believe that Williams will be the first player selected in next year’s NFL draft (or at least the first QB). Indeed, as ESPN’s Pete Thamel writes, Williams’ father, Carl, asked schools when his son was being recruited how those schools planned to help Caleb on the path to becoming the NFL’s No. 1 overall pick in 2024.

However, Williams is still leaving his options open, and he suggested that he could remain with the Trojans for what would be his senior season next year.

“That’s for sure now going to be an in-the-moment decision at the end of the year,” Williams said. “It’s my third year, and the dream and goal was to go three-and-out (to turn pro after three seasons in college). Being around these guys and in college and enjoying it, we’ll have to see at the end of this year.”

On the one hand, it’s not surprising for a player in Williams’ situation to be non-committal, even if he has every intention of entering the draft as soon as he is eligible to do so. After all, there is still a long way to go between now and the time when he must declare for the draft, and it stands to reason that his focus is currently on helping USC win football games (which will only help his draft stock). But ESPN’s Matt Miller has heard that if the team that would be most likely to select Williams is not a team that Williams wants to play for, the talented passer could forego the draft and try again in 2025.

Obviously, that would be an exceedingly risky strategy that could backfire in a big way. If Miller’s sources are accurate, it could also create a scenario like the one that unfolded in 2004, when the Chargers held the No. 1 overall pick and hoped to make Eli Manning their long-term signal-caller. Manning had made it clear, however, that he did not want to play for the San Diego franchise, so while the Chargers did draft the Ole Miss product, they quickly swung a deal with the Giants whereby Manning wound up with Big Blue and Philip Rivers landed with the Chargers, a transaction that had an indelible impact on both clubs and on the league as a whole.

Another factor at play here is the fact that collegians are now entitled to earn money through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) ventures, and as one of the top athletes in all of college sports, Williams has taken full advantage of that. As noted in a recent article by the Sports Business Journal, Williams has built a “seven-figure portfolio” through deals with brands like Beats by Dre and PlayStation, so he may have the financial wherewithal to pass on an NFL landing spot that he considers less than ideal.

Williams spent 2021, his first college season, at Oklahoma before transferring to USC in 2022. Across those two years, he completed 469 of 711 passes (a 65.9% completion rate) for 67 TDs against just nine interceptions. He also carried the ball 192 times for 824 yards (a 4.3 YPC rate) and 16 scores.

Lions QB Nate Sudfeld Suffers Torn ACL; Team Waives Adrian Martinez

August 28th, 2023 at 2:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

2:30pm: While Sudfeld will wind up being released or placed on IR, fellow depth quarterback Adrian Martinez has likewise missed the cut. The latter is being waived, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Given the fact that Hooker will begin the season on the NFI list, the news means only Goff and Bridgewater will be in place on the Week 1 roster, barring an addition. Birkett notes that Martinez could be a practice squad candidate if he clears waivers.

9:16am: The Lions’ quarterback depth has suffered a blow before the start of the season. Nate Sudfeld suffered a torn ACL during Detroit’s preseason finale, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Sudfeld will miss the 2023 campaign as a result.

The 29-year-old has bounced around the NFC in his career, seeing his first game action with the Eagles. He made four appearances during his time in Philadelphia, followed by a brief spell with the 49ers. Sudfeld was among San Francisco’s final roster cuts last offseason, but he did not need to wait long to find a new home in Detroit ahead of the campaign.

Sudfeld took part in two games in his first Lions season, and he was retained in free agency as the team explored its options under center. The position has seen a pair of notable additions made since then, including the decision to select Hendon Hooker in the third round of the draft and the signing of Teddy Bridgewater earlier this month.

Hooker is recovering from his own ACL tear, and it remains to be seen how involved he will be in his rookie season. The Tennessee alum will be activated as soon as he is cleared for full football activities, though, and his shared presence with Bridgewater behind starter Jared Goff will leave the Lions with three signal-callers they are confident in. Sudfeld was recently named as a player on the Lions’ roster bubble in advance of this week’s cutdowns.

Head coach Dan Campbell declined to confirm if Sudfeld has indeed torn his ACL, adding that the former sixth-rounder is seeking a second opinion. In any case, he is facing an extended absence and his tenure in the Motor City is in serious jeopardy. The Lions still have three passers assured of making the final roster, but Sudfeld’s absence will be a notable one after serving as their backup last year.

“That’s tough, because Nate’s given us everything he’s had,” Campbell added, via Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons. “He came in last year and brought something to us. Somebody we were very comfortable with, enough to sign him back. So I hate that, if that’s the way it goes here.”

Dolphins Release LB Malik Reed

August 28th, 2023 at 1:41pm CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins have released linebacker Malik Reed, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Reed signed with the club in March.

Reed started his career in Denver, joining the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada in 2019. In the defense installed by then-head coach Vic Fangio, Reed quickly made an impact, tallying his first sack by Week 4 of his rookie season and going on to start the next eight games. His strongest season came the following year, when he and Bradley Chubb formed a dynamic pass rushing duo that generated 15.5 sacks (Reed led the team with eight sacks, and Chubb was right behind him with 7.5).

Unfortunately, he fell off a bit in 2021, as he posted just five sacks and was regarded by Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics as the 89th-best edge defender out of 110 qualifiers. Fangio was dismissed after that season, and Reed was dealt to the Steelers almost one year ago today.

Although PFF was kinder to Reed in 2022 than it was the year prior, he produced just one sack in 14 games, and he was forced to settle for a one-year, veteran minimum contract this offseason. He was always unlikely to become a starter for Miami, but there was a chance that Reed could rekindle some of his Mile High magic working under Fangio, who was hired as the ‘Fins defensive coordinator in February. Clearly, that will not happen, and Reed will instead search for a new employer.

Another team will surely take a flier on Reed given his past production and the general need for pass rushing talent, though he could be running out of opportunities.

Jets To Cut RB Zonovan Knight

August 28th, 2023 at 1:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The logjam in the Jets’ backfield has been cleared. New York is moving on from running back Zonovan Knight, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

New York’s situation at the running back position was clouded by the Dalvin Cook signing. His addition, along with 2022 second-rounder Breece Hall, left the team with a highly-regarded tandem at the top of the depth chart. With those two in place, however, it seemed inevitable that only one of Knight or 2021 fourth-round pick Michael Carter would make the roster.

The latter, who has two years remaining on his rookie contract, will remain in the fold. The same is likely to hold true of fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda. That would come as little surprise, though Rapoport notes that Knight drew some interest on the trade front. It will therefore be interesting to see how many teams show a willingness to claim him on waivers. If that does not take place, he will be eligible to remain with the Jets via the practice squad.

Knight, 22, started last season on the taxi squad before Hall’s ACL tear opened the door to playing time. The former UDFA started four of his seven games, recording 300 rushing yards and one touchdown on 85 carries (good for an average of 3.5 yards per attempt). He showcased an ability to produce in the passing game as well, though, recording 100 yards on 13 receptions.

The NC State alum is one of many young backs who could find themselves in a new situation (one which could provide an increase in playing time) in the near future. Unless that happens, the Jets will presumably have a keen interest in again stashing him on the practice squad to begin the campaign.

Patriots Cut QB Trace McSorley

August 28th, 2023 at 12:54pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots have cut quarterback Trace McSorley, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports. The former Ravens draftee signed with New England in April to compete for a third-string job behind starter Mac Jones and 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe.

McSorley threw just four passes in this year’s preseason and completed only one of them. It was clear that he did not have much of a future in Foxborough, so the most intriguing aspect of his release is that it increases the likelihood that UDFA rookie Malik Cunningham will make the roster.

Like 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson, Cunningham is a Louisville product. And like Jackson, Cunningham is a dangerous dual-threat athlete, having thrown for 70 TDs against 29 picks in his collegiate career to go along with 3,182 rushing yards (on a 5.1 yards-per-carry average) and a whopping 50 rushing TDs. He is not the passing prospect that Jackson was, however, and there were plenty of concerns about Jackson’s acumen as a passer when he entered the league.

In light of that, Cunningham has taken the bulk of his reps as a receiver and special teamer in camp. He did see a bit of action as a quarterback in the preseason, completing three of six attempts for 19 yards. As a receiver, he caught just one of nine targets, but he had six carries for 40 yards and a touchdown. He is raw in most aspects of the game, but his athleticism is highly appealing, and it may be hard to sneak him through waivers and onto the practice squad. Even if the Pats were successful in that regard, another club could poach him at any time.

Since Zappe appears capable of handling the QB2 role, it would make sense for New England to dedicate a roster spot that might otherwise be used on a more traditional third-string passer on an intriguing player with unique upside. But as Jeff Howe of The Athletic cautions, the team has not made a decision on Cunningham despite McSorley’s departure.

“Malik is a really interesting player,” head coach Bill Belichick recently said (h/t Khari Thompson of Boston.com). “The kid never played receiver before or returned kicks and he’s done both, he’s returned kickoffs and played receiver. As far as playing quarterback, we’ll see how it goes. He’s certainly got some things on his resume, and so do other players so we’ll see how it all plays out.”

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