HEADLINES

Month: April 2024

Colts’ Jonathan Taylor To Undergo Surgery

November 29th, 2023 at 10:50am CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 29: The Colts are not looking to save a roster spot here. They will go week to week with Taylor, per Shane Steichen, who said (via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson) the team is not considering an IR stint. Steichen pointed to Irsay’s timeline of a Week 15 or Week 16 Taylor return being a realistic target.

NOVEMBER 28, 3:01pm: Taylor will indeed miss time. The standout back is set to undergo thumb surgery, according to Jim Irsay (via The Athletic’s James Boyd). This is not a season-ending procedure, but Boyd notes a multiweek absence is expected. The Colts hope Taylor will be able to return in two or three weeks, though Rapoport adds an IR move — one that would sideline Taylor for four games — may be under consideration before this week’s game.

1:13pm: Just as he has reestablished himself as a full-time player, Jonathan Taylor may need some additional time off. The Colts running back — who has overtaken Zack Moss after his re-acclimation period upon returning from the reserve/PUP list — is uncertain for Week 13 due to a thumb injury, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

Taylor sustained the injury during his 91-yard, two-touchdown game against the Buccaneers, a Colts win that helped the team to 6-5 and into the No. 7 spot in the AFC’s playoff race. All options are on the table here, per Rapoport, though ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder notes the team remains in evaluation mode. No IR decision has been made.

Coming into last season, Taylor had not missed any time due to injury during his NFL or college careers. He attempted to play through an ankle issue last season but missed six games and eventually required surgery. That problem may or may not have dragged into the summer, with Taylor’s contractual impasse and subsequent trade request having plenty to do with his absence from training camp as well. But Taylor still missed the season’s first four games. After signing a three-year, $42MM extension, the fourth-year running back was in uniform for Week 5.

The Colts had steadily increased their standout starter’s workload in the weeks since his return. His snap share went from 15% to 42% to 50% to 61% to 74% to 88% from Weeks 5-10. In Week 12, Taylor played 58% of Indianapolis’ offensive snaps; he was, however, on the field to convert a game-clinching first down in the final minutes. The Wisconsin alum has two 90-yard rushing games over his past four.

Having made an unexpected voyage into surefire playoff contention, the Colts have a clear Taylor backup plan. Moss remains 10th in the NFL with 672 rushing yards. While not as talented as Indy’s starter, Moss holds a 4.8-yard average per carry (compared to Taylor’s 4.1 number) and has played well in a contract year. If Taylor needs to miss time, the 2022 trade acquisition will likely step in as a full-time player once again. After sustaining a broken hand during camp and missing Week 1, Moss retook the reins and kept them until the Colts deemed Taylor ready to go. He played at least 76% of Indy’s offensive snaps in four games this season.

Texans To Waive CB Shaquill Griffin

November 29th, 2023 at 9:52am CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans will become the second AFC South team this year to cut ties with Shaquill Griffin. Houston is waiving the veteran cornerback Wednesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.

After the Jaguars released Griffin this offseason, he ended up in Houston. The Texans have used the former Seahawks draftee as a starter in six games, but the team had benched him for the past two. Although Jackson went straight to free agency following his Jacksonville release, all players cut after the trade deadline are subject to waivers.

Houston gave Griffin a one-year, $3.5MM deal in May. Because the Texans used void years to lower Griffin’s cap hit, they will be on the hook for nearly $2MM in dead money as a result of this release. But the team is healthier at corner than it has been for most of the season, leaving Griffin without a clear role.

Derek Stingley Jr., Tavierre Thomas and Grayland Arnold had missed time due to injuries this season, and the team recently re-signed Desmond King to a practice squad deal. King worked as a gameday elevation in Week 12.

The Texans used Griffin exclusively on special teams over the past two weeks, demoting the seventh-year veteran after he had logged a 95% defensive snap share in five straight games earlier this season. Griffin, 28, had entered the Texans’ starting lineup following a Stingley hamstring injury that moved the top-three draftee to IR in September. The team activated Stingley in Week 10.

Pro Football Focus measured Griffin as a mid-pack corner this season, slotting him 52nd at the position. He intercepted one pass and broke up four more in 10 Texans games. The Jaguars had given the former third-round pick a three-year, $40MM contract during Urban Meyer‘s year in charge. A back injury stalled Griffin’s Jacksonville run, ending his 2022 season after five games. The Trent Baalke–Doug Pederson regime moved on this offseason, saving $13MM in the process.

A 78-game starter during his run in Seattle, Jacksonville and Houston, Griffin could certainly land elsewhere on waivers. It will be interesting to see if another team takes a flier on the 6-foot defender.

Texans’ Tytus Howard Out For Season

November 29th, 2023 at 8:35am CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans made Tytus Howard a key component of their offseason, handing the fifth-year offensive lineman a lucrative extension. The resurgent team will not see the former first-round pick finish out the season.

After suffering a knee injury in Week 12, Howard is expected to miss the rest of the season, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Tests have revealed Howard will need surgery. Howard did well to secure a high-end contract this summer, but this represents a blow to a Texans O-line that has already absorbed a few this year. Specifically, Howard has battled a patellar tendon issue for the past few weeks, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adding the injury worsened Sunday.

Houston began the season without Howard, placing its starting right tackle on IR to start the season. Howard had undergone hand surgery. But the Texans used one of their IR activations on the 2019 draftee. Having signed George Fant in the wake of Howard’s hand injury, the Texans slid Howard to guard — a position he played at points during his rookie contract. The team has already lost three interior O-linemen — including guard starter Kenyon Green, a 2022 first-rounder — for the season. Howard joining that list doubles as the biggest blow this battered unit has sustained.

Houston is committed to Howard, who has played a few positions over the course of his career. The team gave Howard a three-year, $56MM accord. That pact came with $36MM guaranteed at signing. The Texans had drafted the Division I-FCS product during Brian Gaine‘s short run as GM, but Nick Caserio made him part of an offseason O-line blueprint. The Texans extended Laremy Tunsil and gave Shaq Mason a new deal after trading for him. The O-line fortifications have helped C.J. Stroud rocket to the Offensive Rookie of the Year lead and have played a major role in the No. 2 overall pick elevate into the MVP race.

In addition to Kenyon Green, the Texans have lost Scott Quessenberry — their primary 2022 center starter — and late-summer trade pickup Kendrick Green for the season. The team activated second-round pick Juice Scruggs just last week; the Penn State alum had missed nearly three months due to a hamstring injury sustained during the team’s preseason finale. Rookie Jarrett Patterson, who has been Houston’s primary center this season, is also on IR.

Pro Football Focus has viewed Howard’s move back to guard as a somewhat challenging odyssey, slotting him 69th at the position. Months before the Texans traded for Tunsil, they drafted Howard to play right tackle. Howard began his career there but played 10 games at guard to open the 2021 season. He then upped his stock by faring well replacing Tunsil at left tackle. Tunsil’s 2022 return slid Howard back to right tackle, and he played well enough to earn a top-five RT contract. At guard, Howard’s $18.6MM-per-year deal ranks third overall.

With Fant on a one-year contract, Howard may well be back at right tackle by the time he is healthy again. For now, Tunsil and Fant remain at tackle. Scruggs replaced Howard at right guard against the Jaguars, with free agent signing Michael Deiter remaining at center. After Scruggs missed 10 games to start his career, the No. 62 overall pick may be set to start his first game — at a position he was not drafted to play. The Texans also have trade acquisition Josh Jones, who has played both tackle and guard as a pro, as an option opposite Mason.

Raiders Interested In David Shaw?

November 28th, 2023 at 9:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce has established himself as a legitimate candidate to take over the full-time gig following the 2023 season. Of course, that won’t stop Mark Davis and co. from eyeing other options. As Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal passes along, a “name to keep an eye on” in the sweepstakes is former Stanford head coach David Shaw.

Shaw spent more than a decade running Stanford’s program, earning three conference titles and five bowl victories. He was fired following two-straight 3-9 campaigns, and he’s spent the past year out of football entirely.

Shaw actually spent time with the Raiders early on in his coaching career, serving as the team’s offensive quality control coach and later the quarterbacks coach. He spent four seasons with the Ravens before getting recruited by Jim Harbaugh to be the receivers coach at the University of San Diego. He followed Harbaugh to Stanford, serving as the offensive coordinator before getting promoted to head coach when Harbaugh left for the 49ers.

This isn’t the first time the coach has been connected to head coaching gigs. Shaw was a candidate for the Broncos head coaching job last offseason before the organization traded for Sean Payton.

Depending on how the Raiders finish the season, Shaw might not even have a shot at the job. Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes that a 6-3 record for Pierce “would get him the full-time job.” Following last weekend’s loss to the Chiefs, the Raiders are now 2-2 under the interim head coach, meaning they’ll need to go 4-1 the rest of the way to reach that record. Of course, Pierce could also earn the job without the strong finish; as Tafur writes, Davis “loves” how the players have responded to their new head coach.

Vikings To Consider QB Change During Bye Week

November 28th, 2023 at 9:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Dobbs endured his worst performance during his brief time with the Vikings during last night’s loss, and it remains to be seen if he will remain atop the quarterback depth chart after the team’s bye week. Head coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledged changes could be made ahead of Minnesota’s next game.

Dobbs was acquired at the trade deadline to provide depth in the wake of Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear. Fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall was initially set to take over starting duties, but his own injury thrust Dobbs into the lineup days after arriving with the team. The Vikings enjoyed early success with the latter in place, but he threw four interceptions in Week 12, bringing him to a total of eight turnovers in his four Minnesota appearances. Dobbs nearly received the hook yesterday, O’Connell said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert).

Hall has cleared concussion protocol, while Nick Mullens – initially in place as Cousins’ backup to start the season – has come off injured reserve. As a result, O’Connell will have multiple options to choose from during his evaluation of the QB situation over the team’s week off. Sitting at 6-6 on the year, the chances of a push for a wild-card spot need to be taken into account along with the upside of giving Hall developmental reps down the stretch.

“We’re going to take a look and really evaluate the inventory of plays we have of Josh,” O’Connell said, via Seifert. “We got healthy. We got Jaren back available to us, and then Nick Mullens is available as well.”

Dobbs and Mullens have similar levels of regular season experience and they have each bounced around to several teams in their respective careers. The latter has far more familiarity with O’Connell’s system, though, having been in Minnesota since 2022. On the other hand, Hall was drafted this past spring in the team’s only move to add a potential Cousins successor, so giving him an extended look could carry signficant importance for 2024 and beyond.

Cousins is set to hit free agency this offseason, though he and the team have expressed a desire to continue their relationship. While that situation will be a central one for the Vikings, their more immediate future under center is also uncertain as the stretch run looms.

Bill Belichick Candidate For Panthers HC Job?

November 28th, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Since buying the Panthers in 2018, David Tepper has employed six head coaches (including interims). So, with the organization eyeing a replacement for the recently-fired Frank Reich, Tepper surely wants his new hire to stick. So, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that the Panthers are already connected to the biggest potential name on the HC market.

[RELATED: Panthers Fire HC Frank Reich]

League sources told Chad Finn of the Boston Globe that the Panthers are a team to watch in the upcoming Bill Belichick sweepstakes. The iconic head coach could see his illustrious tenure with the Patriots come to an end following the season, and while Robert Kraft and co. could hold out for trade compensation, Belichick will likely have a say in his next landing spot.

Since most teams would surely welcome in one of the greatest head coaches of all time, you would figure the lowly (and tumultuous) Panthers would be hard pressed to recruit Belichick. However, Finn notes that there are a number of factors that could draw the 71-year-old to Carolina.

For starters, the smaller media market means the curmudgeonly Belichick wouldn’t have to deal with the same headaches caused by the Boston media. Next, the coach would be “far away” from the Patriots and the AFC East, and the Panthers aren’t scheduled to take on New England until the 2025 campaign. Belichick would also be closer to his home in Florida, where he likes to spend parts of the offseason.

Of course, financials could also convince Belichick to join the Panthers. Tepper is the third-richest owner in the NFL, meaning he’d be able to pay Belichick while also spend on a pricey roster. Plus, considering general manager Scott Fitterer‘s uncertain future with the organization, Belichick would probably have carte blanche to run the front office as he wishes.

From the Panthers perspective, a Belichick hire would run counter to recent reports that the organization was eyeing more of an offensive-minded coach. Further, Tepper made it clear that he wants his next coach to be with the organization for the long haul. While Belichick might still have a few years left in the tank, the Panthers would be foolish to expect a long-term commitment from the coach.

Belichick will be one of many coaches connected to the Panthers gig once the season comes to an end. For what it’s worth, interim head coach Chris Tabor might not be included in that grouping of candidates. Tabor told reporters that he was given no assurances that he’ll be considered for the full-time job (per ESPN’s David Newton).

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/28/23

November 28th, 2023 at 7:58pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: CB Cameron McCutcheon
  • Released: OL Grant Miller

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

After getting cut by the Patriots this past weekend, Will Grier is back with the organization. Considering the uncertainty surrounding New England’s QB situation, there was some speculation that Grier could get a look before the end of the season, and his addition to the taxi squad leaves that door open. The former Cowboys backup started two games for the Panthers back in 2019, going winless while tossing zero touchdowns vs. four interceptions.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/23

November 28th, 2023 at 7:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed to active roster: CB Ekow Boye-Doe

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Following the addition of Michael Carter and the return of Emari Demercado, the Cardinals didn’t have any room for Keaontay Ingram. The 2022 sixth-round pick got into 20 games across one-plus seasons in Arizona, collecting 181 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. If the running back passes through waivers, there’s a chance he lands on the Cardinals practice squad.

Charlie Heck is back on the Texans active roster after missing the first two-plus months of the season. The offensive lineman was recovering from a back injury that “involved sciatica that went down to his foot,” per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The former fourth-round pick will look to carve out a role after starting 17 of his 35 NFL appearances through his first three seasons in the NFL.

Vikings Waive WR N’Keal Harry

November 28th, 2023 at 6:15pm CST by Ben Levine

With Justin Jefferson officially back on the roster, the Vikings have moved on from another receiver. The team announced that they’ve waived wideout N’Keal Harry.

[RELATED: Vikings Activate Justin Jefferson From IR]

The former first-round pick spent the preseason with Minnesota and ultimately landed on the practice squad to start the regular season. He ended up seeing time in nine games for the Vikings, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams. He got into 23 offensive snaps but didn’t garner a target.

Harry started his career with the Patriots, and despite playing alongside Tom Brady in 2019, the wideout finished with only 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns. It got a bit better with the rebuilding Patriots in 2020, as Harry finished with 309 receiving yards. He didn’t find the end zone in 2021, and after having his fifth-year option declined in 2022, he was dealt to the Bears. He got into seven games with Chicago last season, finishing with seven catches.

The Vikings are now rostering five receivers, with Jefferson joining rookie Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn in the starting lineup. If the team is looking for additional depth, they could turn to any of the four receivers stashed on the practice squad.

49ers Pursued Raiders CB Nate Hobbs At Deadline

November 28th, 2023 at 4:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers made multiple inquiries on some big-ticket defenders before the trade deadline, discussing Brian Burns with the Panthers and Jaylon Johnson with the Bears. Chase Young ended up being San Francisco’s addition, but the team still tried to bolster its secondary last month.

Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs became a 49ers target, according to ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan. This came at a rather interesting point on the Raiders’ timeline, as the team was hours away from firing Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler. Mark Davis made the unusual call to let the soon-to-be-fired staffers manage the trade deadline — one that included Davante Adams interest — before letting them go. Prior to the Oct. 31 deadline, however, the ex-Patriots staffers informed the 49ers they were not interested in trading Hobbs.

Playing both inside and outside during his career, Hobbs has been the closest thing the Raiders have had to an anchor at corner over the past several years. The team has not been able to settle on corners recently, cycling through veterans after cutting 2020 first-rounder Damon Arnette. Neither Rock Ya-Sin (a 2022 trade acquisition) nor Anthony Averett (free agency) were re-signed this offseason, and the team has already bailed on two of its 2023 pickups — Duke Shelley, Marcus Peters. The Raiders waived Peters on Monday, and Vic Tafur of The Athletic indicates the team nearly cut the 30-year-old defender earlier this season (subscription required). An issue with inconsistent Peters effort likely led to the decision to move on, per Tafur.

Pro Football Focus rates Hobbs as Las Vegas’ top corner, slotting the third-year cover man 36th at the position. After yielding a 120.2 passer rating as the closest defender last season, Hobbs’ 2023 number comes in at 95.2. The Raiders have Hobbs signed through 2024. Pierce has since reunited with Jack Jones, whom he coached at Arizona State; Jones’ rookie deal runs through 2025. This could be the pairing the Raiders roll with beyond this season, though the team will likely still pursue more help at the position.

At the trade deadline, the 49ers were mired in a three-game losing streak. Injuries to standout starters impacted that swoon. The team has since moved Ambry Thomas into a regular role alongside Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir. Thomas has been a full-timer for the past three games — all wins. A 2021 third-round pick, Thomas carries a 90.1 passer rating-against mark. PFF slots Thomas 11th overall

The 49ers have each of their top three corners signed beyond this season, and they are in better shape — thanks partially to the Young addition, which cost only a compensatory third-rounder — than they were heading into the deadline. The Bears opted to hold onto Johnson, though they discussed him with a few teams after an 11th-hour decision to allow the contract-year cover man to find a trade partner. After keeping him out of trades, the Raiders will be eligible to enter extension talks with Hobbs in January. With a new GM-HC combo likely coming in during the 2024 offseason, the current cogs’ futures largely remain cloudy.

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