2023 - Pro Football Rumors

Year: 2023

Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton Returns To Practice

October 10th, 2023 at 5:24pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots are in dire need of an offensive spark, and they welcomed back one of their most dynamic weapons on Tuesday. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, receiver Tyquan Thornton returned to practice today. This would signal that the Patriots have started the 21-day clock to activate Thornton from injured reserve.

Thornton suffered a shoulder injury in mid-August that ultimately landed him on injured reserve, keeping him off the field for the first four weeks of the season. There’s been increasing optimism that the former second-round pick could soon return, although he was forced to miss a fifth game before returning to practice. It remains to be seen if Thornton will be in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Raiders.

Thornton doesn’t have much of a track record, having finished his rookie season with only 22 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns. It’s unrealistic for him to completely turn around the offense, and any excitement surrounding his return is more a reflection of New England’s current offensive struggles.

The Patriots offense hasn’t found the end zone since Week 3, with Mac Jones tossing four interceptions over the past two games. Many of the offense’s issues can be directly attributed to Jones, and the underwhelming offensive play-calling has also come under fire (despite the return of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien). Still, even if things were clicking, no one would be overly enthusiastic about New England’s receiving depth.

JuJu Smith-Schuster has averaged 17 yards per game since coming over to New England during the offseason. DeVante Parker has been limited to only 668 yards in 15 games with the Patriots (including four appearances this season), and tight end Mike Gesicki has 12 catches through his first five games with the organization. Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and tight end Hunter Henry currently lead the team in receiving, and the team has even leaned on rookie sixth-round pick Demario Douglas for a chunk of snaps.

In other words, the Patriots’ current crop of receiving options haven’t done anything to separate themselves from the pack. The Patriots will likely continue to roll with their committee approach, but there’s at least an opportunity for Thornton to establish himself as the WR1.

Jets Audition T La’el Collins; Giants Book Meeting

October 10th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets have their original starting left tackle and a guard-turned-right tackle on IR. Alijah Vera-Tucker‘s latest season-ending injury will lead to the team exploring the top option available.

La’el Collins worked out for the Jets on Tuesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. The Bengals released Collins from their reserve/PUP list nearly a month ago. While the veteran suffered ACL and MCL tears in late December last year, he passed a physical in late September. A number of teams have expressed interest.

With the Jets’ tackle positions being a problem for months now, they made sense as a team that would look into Collins. The Jets have moved Mekhi Becton back to left tackle, though the former first-round pick spent time on the sidelines in Week 5 due to an injury. Duane Brown is on IR due to a hip malady; this comes after the former Pro Bowler spent the offseason recovering from rotator cuff surgery.

Multiple visits were always likely for Collins, who plays a premium position and is going into his age-30 season. The Giants will also meet with the eight-year veteran, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. In worse shape compared to the Jets up front, the Giants have played without starter Andrew Thomas for the past four games. Thomas sustained a setback in his return from a hamstring injury, and the All-Pro’s absence as wreaked havoc for the Giants, who are dealing with injuries on the interior as well.

Collins has made 86 career starts; 15 of those came for the Bengals last season. Given a three-year, $21MM contract following his Cowboys release, Collins went down in Week 16 last season. The Bengals, who subsequently lost two other O-line starters before their shorthanded playoff games in Buffalo and Kansas City, moved to replace Collins by signing Orlando Brown Jr. to play left tackle and sliding Jonah Williams to the right side. After shifting Collins from the active/PUP list to the reserve/PUP list, the Bengals cut him.

The Bengals were not thrilled with Collins’ pre-injury work last year, but the former first-round talent-turned-UDFA secured two extensions with the Cowboys and operated as their right tackle from 2017-19 and again in 2021 (Collins missed all of 2020 due to injury). The Jets and Giants are also in need, with other teams likely monitoring the experienced blocker as well.

The Giants have not seen Evan Neal develop into a quality starter on the right side yet, and the team has seen center John Michael Schmitz and guard Shane Lemieux go down — both on a failed “Tush Push” attempt in Week 4. The Jets have Max Mitchell and Billy Turner in place as right tackle insurance. One of them will need to start in place of Vera-Tucker, whom the team had moved from right guard once again, after his Achilles tear. Vera-Tucker suffered a season-ending injury in Denver for the second straight year.

Eagles Designate Nakobe Dean For Return

October 10th, 2023 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Letting T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White walk in free agency, the Eagles had a Nakobe Dean starter debut planned for a while. But the second-year linebacker landed on IR after one game.

Dean is on his way back. The Eagles designated the first-time starter for return Tuesday. Having missed the required four games, Dean can return in Week 6 if the Eagles deem him ready. Philadelphia has not used any of its IR activations thus far.

A foot injury sent Dean to IR. Following that transaction, the Eagles called up Nicholas Morrow from their practice squad. After Morrow went from projected starter to not making the Eagles’ 53-man roster, he came back and has started the past four games. Morrow and mid-training camp signee Zach Cunningham have worked as Philly’s ILBs during Dean’s absence.

Although the Eagles cut him in August, Morrow has played well in relief of Dean. The former Raiders and Bears starter has offered versatility from his linebacker post during his early Eagles work, notching three sacks — which nearly tops his career total (four) coming into this season — and six tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus slots Morrow as the NFL’s fifth-best off-ball linebacker through five games. Cunningham’s 33 tackles sit second among Eagles — behind Reed Blankenship‘s 34. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles navigate this issue, with Dean having been in their starter plans for several months.

Edwards signed with the Bears, while White followed Jonathan Gannon to the Cardinals. Dean played sparingly behind the NFC champions’ starter duo last season, logging only 34 defensive snaps as a rookie. But the Eagles (and their newfound hub of Georgia defenders) dramatically updated their payroll this year, authorizing a then-record-setting Jalen Hurts extension and reupping cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry. This path resulted in both starting linebackers and safeties leaving in free agency, providing opportunities for lower-cost cogs at those positions.

The 2021 Butkus award winner, Dean was expected to go off the draft board much earlier than he did. But the Eagles were able to snag Dean at No. 83 overall. This foot injury was not expected to be a season-threatening malady for Dean, who will be on track to come back soon. The Eagles have three weeks to activate Dean from IR, when he will rejoin ex-college teammates Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith.

Lions To Add CB Anthony Averett

October 10th, 2023 at 3:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two of the Lions’ three starter-level free agency additions in their secondary have suffered major injuries. The team will attempt to patch up the unit by adding another veteran.

Anthony Averett will join the Lions on a practice squad deal, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Averett enjoyed a short stint with the 49ers during training camp, but a preseason injury brought his time in San Francisco to a close. A mid-August injury settlement, however, led Averett off the 49ers’ IR list and opens the door to the sixth-year veteran playing in 2023.

The Lions are down both C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Emmanuel Moseley in the secondary. Moseley made his season debut in Week 5, returning from the ACL tear that ended his 49ers tenure early. But the veteran cover man tore his other ACL against the Panthers on Sunday, knocking him out for the season and throwing cold water on potential hopes to use this year as a springboard to a lucrative multiyear deal.

Averett worked out for the Texans last week, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, providing an indication he has recovered from the unspecified injury he suffered with the 49ers. The former Ravens and Raiders starter will join a Lions team that is still in decent shape at corner, but in light of Moseley’s injury, Aaron Glenn‘s defense will pick up some insurance.

Injuries have hindered Averett for a bit now. Thumb and toe issues shortened Averett’s Raiders season to seven games. While the former Ravens fourth-rounder parlayed his 14-start 2021 season (in relief of Marcus Peters) into a Raiders first-string opportunity, he could not stay on the field. The Raiders then scrapped their 2022 CB setup this offseason, letting Averett and Rock Ya-Sin walk in free agency (and eventually signing Peters), and Averett went without a job until August.

Pro Football Focus did not grade Averett’s 2022 sample especially well, slotting him just inside the top 100 among corners. The Alabama alum worked as a backup to Peters and Marlon Humphrey from 2019-20, but due largely to the past two seasons, the 5-foot-11 cover man has 27 career starts. The Lions have lost Moseley but still have two veterans — Sutton and Will Harris — joining ascending second-year cog Jerry Jacobs. Averett, 28, could take the route many 2020s veterans have by using the P-squad as a quick-forming passage back to an active roster.

Cardinals To Place RB James Conner On IR

October 10th, 2023 at 2:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

2:48pm: This will end up being Arizona’s course of action. Conner is headed to IR, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Conner cannot be activated until Week 10; the Cardinals’ bye does not arrive until Week 14. Although injuries have sidelined Conner regularly, he has not been on IR since his 2017 rookie season.

2:31pm: A central cog in what has been a surprisingly effective Cardinals offense, James Conner will be shut down for a bit. The Cardinals are expected to be without their starting running back for multiple games, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Conner sustained a knee injury in Arizona’s Week 5 loss to Cincinnati. With the Cardinals already without backup Keaontay Ingram due to a neck injury the second-year player sustained, they are starting to make other plans. The exact injury Conner sustained is unknown, but Schefter adds an IR stint is in play. Jonathan Gannon also said during an appearance on Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo this week Conner could miss “a little bit” of time.

Rewarding the Cardinals after their decision to extend an offer in free agency two years ago, Conner has continued to battle injuries with his second NFL team. The former Steelers third-round pick missed four games last season and was down for two games during his pivotal 2021 campaign. The cancer survivor also missed 14 games during his four-year Pittsburgh career. This will deliver a blow to the Cardinals’ backfield, which Conner has effectively led since 2021.

Although Chase Edmonds operated as Arizona’s nominal starter that year, Conner broke through with 18 touchdowns. The Cards then re-signed him to a three-year, $21MM deal. Conner, 28, enjoyed good timing by hitting free agency in 2022. He and Leonard Fournette scored matching accords. But the Buccaneers bailed on Fournette’s $7MM-per-year pact this offseason; he remains unsigned. While several developments dinged the RB market in the spring and summer, Conner stayed on his Cards contract. His ability to come back from this injury will certainly impact if the organization keeps him on that deal in 2024.

The former Le’Veon Bell Steelers successor’s 18-TD season came on just a 3.7-yard rushing average. Last year, Conner’s YPC checked in at 4.3. Through five games this year — behind a Cardinals O-line that generated a number of questions at the season’s outset — Conner is at 5.4. Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected metric places Conner 10th. The Cards’ Josh Dobbs-directed offense has enjoyed 364 Conner rushing yards this season.

Ingram’s neck injury has cost him the past two games, but the 2022 sixth-rounder is not on IR. The Cardinals claimed Tony Jones Jr. off waivers from the Saints on Monday, and they have Damien Williams stashed on their practice squad. When Conner went down, rookie UDFA Emari Demercado became the next man up. Kendre Miller‘s former TCU backup totaled 57 scrimmage yards and a touchdown against the Bengals.

Texans Sign DE Kerry Hyder

October 10th, 2023 at 2:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another former DeMeco Ryans 49ers charge is heading to Houston. The Texans picked up Kerry Hyder, whom the 49ers dropped last week, on Tuesday.

Hyder, who will join the Texans on a practice squad deal, played for the 49ers during the second of Ryans’ two seasons as their defensive coordinator. The well-traveled defensive end was also with San Francisco in 2020, when Ryans was in place as a position coach. He will follow Jimmie Ward and Hassan Ridgeway in signing with Houston. The Texans also released tackle Geron Christian and wide receiver Lance McCutcheon from their P-squad.

The 49ers released Hyder on roster-cutdown day in August but did so with the understanding he would be brought back soon after. The team followed through on that pledge, re-signing Hyder after making other moves to free up roster spots. But San Francisco’s decision to acquire Randy Gregory from Denver differentiated the latest Hyder cut. A spot did not appear to be available for the former UDFA any longer, but with two former 49ers DCs now in leadership roles elsewhere, Hyder had some important references on which to rely.

While Hyder also played for Robert Saleh during the current Jets head coach’s final season as the 49ers’ DC, the Texans have been busy adding former 49ers. Ward signed a two-year deal this offseason, while Ridgeway followed Ryans on a one-year agreement. It is unclear if the 49ers offered Hyder, 32, a spot on their practice squad.

During a 2020 season in which the 49ers lost Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas in Week 2, Hyder helped out Saleh’s unit with 8.5 sacks. The ninth-year veteran has two eight-plus-sack seasons on his resume, notching eight with the Lions in 2016. This will mark Hyder’s first trip to the AFC. In addition to four Lions seasons, the Texas Tech alum has also spent a season apiece with the Cowboys (2019) and Seahawks (2021). Seattle bailed on Hyder’s two-year, $6.8MM contract after one season, but the 49ers offered him his old job back. Working as a rotational rusher for Ryans’ No. 1-ranked 49ers defense last season, Hyder played 36% of the team’s defensive snaps. Although Hyder’s 2022 stat line was light on production (one sack), he batted down a career-high three passes.

The 49ers have bid adieu to several veteran DEs this year, letting Charles Omenihu, Arden Key and Jordan Willis walk in free agency. While the team re-signed Hyder to a league-minimum deal in April, Gregory now takes his roster spot. Bosa, Gregory, Drake Jackson and Clelin Ferrell are in place as the 49ers’ D-ends.

Rams Shopping WR Van Jefferson

October 10th, 2023 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

A key auxiliary target for Matthew Stafford during the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI-winning season, Van Jefferson has seen younger wideouts vault past him in the current team’s aerial pecking order. The second-generation NFL wide receiver may not be in Los Angeles much longer.

The Rams are shopping the contract-year wideout, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. A former second-round pick, Jefferson is now behind Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell. With Cooper Kupp back, the Rams have a fairly established top three at the position. Nacua and Atwell becoming promising Kupp sidekicks is a welcome development for the Rams, who saw both Kupp and Jefferson battle injuries last season.

Jefferson sustained a knee injury early during the Rams’ 2022 training camp, undergoing surgery to repair the issue. The Rams had held out hope the operation would allow Jefferson to return at some point last September, but the team delayed the Florida alum’s return by placing him on IR after multiple weeks went by. Although Jefferson came back and played in 11 games during his third season, he only caught 24 passes for 369 yards. While one of those was a touchdown to complete a stunning Baker Mayfield-piloted 98-yard drive to cap a comeback over the Raiders, Jefferson’s stock has dipped since he served as the team’s No. 3 option behind Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. two seasons ago.

After teetering on bust status, Atwell has belatedly emerged in the Rams’ WR3 role. The undersized pass catcher — a 2021 second-round pick — has caught 24 passes for 279 yards. Kupp’s injury did not end up accelerating a Jefferson contract-year breakthrough; the former No. 50 overall selection has eight receptions for 108 yards and no touchdowns. This comes as Nacua continued his historic start in Week 5. Despite Kupp’s return, Nacua’s first-month surge persisted; the fifth-round rookie now has an NFL-high 46 catches for 572 yards.

The Bears were able to send the underperforming Chase Claypool to the Dolphins, but the 2020 second-rounder only brought a pick-swap trade with the Dolphins. Although Jefferson caught six touchdown passes during his promising second season — a 50-catch, 802-yard year in which he helped the Rams cover for Robert Woods‘ ACL tear — his performance since will likely not inspire a team to give up more than a late-round pick.

Sean McVay’s team has some recent history dealing wideouts as well. Since April 2020, they have dealt three starters at the position, revamping Kupp’s supporting cast. The third team to trade Brandin Cooks, the Rams collected a second-rounder in a deal in which they sent the Texans Cooks and a fourth. The other two Rams receiver trades are probably more relevant here. The team sent Woods to the Titans for a 2024 seventh-round pick and paid part of Allen Robinson‘s salary to move up 17 spots in this year’s seventh round. Jefferson can probably fetch L.A. a bit more than the Woods and Robinson swaps did, as he is on a $1.37MM base salary to close out a rookie contract.

Commanders Place S Darrick Forrest, S Jeremy Reaves On IR

October 10th, 2023 at 11:22am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 10: While Forrest may be able to return later this year, the same does not appear to be the case for Reaves. The latter suffered a partially torn ACL, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. He is likely out for the season as a result, though Reaves is seeking further opinions before making a decision with respect to his recovery plan. Going the rest of the campaign without the 27-year-old will deal a notable blow to Washington’s special teams.

The Commanders have confirmed the IR moves for Forrest and Reaves while also announcing other roster tweaks. In addition to Burgess, linebacker De’Jon Harris has been signed from the practice squad to the active roster. The former UDFA made five appearances in each of the past two seasons in the nation’s capital, playing primarily on special teams. To fill the vacancy on the taxi squad, veteran safety Sean Chandler has been signed. The 27-year-old played all 17 games with the Panthers last season but he was suspended for two games in 2023 due to a substance-abuse policy violation.

OCTOBER 9: Days after a rough performance against the previously winless Bears, the Commanders received bad news on one of their starting safeties. Darrick Forrest is believed to have suffered a shoulder fracture, according to the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala.

A second-year starter in Washington, Forrest broke into the lineup on a full-time basis down the stretch last season. The Commanders have used Forrest as a first-stringer throughout his third NFL season; the former fifth-round pick played 95% of the team’s defensive snaps against the Bears before going down late with the injury. The Commanders hope Forrest will be able to come back after his four-week absence, Jhabvala adds.

The Commanders released Bobby McCain in March, ending a two-season partnership. Forrest, who commandeered the Commanders’ back-line job alongside Kamren Curl in Week 10 of last season, is signed through the 2024 season. The Commanders are planning to use second-year cog Percy Butler and second-round rookie Jartavius Martin at Forrest’s spot, Ron Rivera said.

Butler has seen more time than Martin this season. The latter sustained a concussion in Week 1 and has not logged any defensive snaps thus far in his second NFL slate. A hybrid player, Martin was the Commanders’ second DB choice to start the draft, being ticketed for Washington a round after the team chose Emmanuel Forbes. Butler has seen steady work in Year 2, playing 154 defensive snaps already. Through five games, Pro Football Focus ranks Forrest 59th and Butler 69th, respectively, among safeties.

Additionally, the Commanders will place backup safety Jeremy Reaves on IR; the sixth-year veteran suffered a knee injury against the Bears. Reaves has operated strictly on special teams this season but has been a spot starter in the past. Last season, Reaves earned first-team All-Pro acclaim for his special teams work, dealing Washington a blow in that department.

To help out at the position, the Commanders made multiple moves Monday. They are promoting safety Terrell Burgess to the active roster and adding Joshua Kalu to the practice squad. A former Rams third-round pick, Burgess split time with the Rams and Giants last season. Burgess was in camp with the Commanders but landed on the team’s practice squad after a late-August cut. Kalu started five games for the Titans last season.

Jets WR Mecole Hardman On Trade Block?

October 10th, 2023 at 10:35am CST by Adam La Rose

Mecole Hardman was a healthy scratch in Week 5, as his Jets tenure continues to disappoint so far. The wideout’s time in New York may soon be coming to an end as a result.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Jets are exploring their options with Hardman, which could include a trade. The former Pro Bowl returner has made just one catch this season, and his absence from the team’s offensive gameplans has been questioned by many. Hardman himself recently went public with his frustration about essentially being an afterthought with his new club.

“I’m probably the best in the league in space,” the 25-year-old said in advance of the Jets’ Week 5 win. “Maybe (the coaches) see something different. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I think when I was in K.C., I proved that I was probably the most dangerous guy on the jet sweep, or whether it be on the end-around or on the screen, I think I proved year-out that I was that guy you had to worry about doing that.”

Hardman was a dangerous kick and punt returner during his four-year run in Kansas City, and he showed promise as at least a gadget player on offense. His best season came in 2021 when he posted 693 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 59 catches. Similar complimentary production was expected when he headed to New York on a one-year, $4MM deal.

Incentives in the pact provide a maximum value of $6MM, proving the expectations the Jets had for Hardman upon arrival. He, like former Packer Allen Lazard, was positioned to serve as a depth option in the passing game behind 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson. With Aaron Rodgers‘ 2023 campaign having essentially ended before it began, though, the team’s offense has generally struggled to find a rhythm under quarterback Zach Wilson.

The Jets managed to move to 2-3 on the year with a win over the Broncos on Sunday, but their 407 yards of offense came in large part on the ground, and their success through the air came without Hardman in the lineup. Since he is on an expiring contract, teams in need of receiving help could be interested in a rental which would allow club and player to move on from a situation which has not gone according to plan.

Latest On Jonathan Taylor’s Colts Extension

October 9th, 2023 at 9:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a dreary several months that included an NFL grievance against the NFLPA, the state of the running back position perked up over the weekend. Jonathan Taylor secured a surprising extension agreement, ending his standoff with the Colts and giving a depressed market a vital update as the year winds down.

Taylor’s $14MM AAV checks in third among running backs, behind only the extensions Christian McCaffrey ($16MM per year) and Alvin Kamara ($15MM) signed in 2020. With Kamara needing an inflated $22MM salary in the contract’s final season to prop up the per-year number, McCaffrey’s deal has stood alone since the Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott. Taylor’s three-year, $42MM pact contains no dummy contract year, making this a true $14MM-AAV agreement.

The fine print for the former rushing champion is in, per OverTheCap, which indicates Taylor signed for $19.35MM fully guaranteed. The $26.5MM reported guarantee covers some additional injury guarantees, which pertain to the 2025 season. In terms of fully guaranteed money, Taylor’s deal sits behind McCaffrey ($30.1MM), Derrick Henry ($25.5MM) and Bijan Robinson‘s rookie deal ($21.96MM). Taylor became the first back since Nick Chubb in July 2021 to sign an eight-figure-per-year contract, and the Colts agreement resembles the one the Browns authorized two summers ago.

Like Chubb, Taylor signed a three-year extension. The rest of the active big-ticket RB contracts covered four (McCaffrey, Henry, Joe Mixon) or five (Kamara). CMC’s deal tied him to the Panthers for six years since he signed it with two years left on his rookie contract. Jones re-signed with the Packers in 2021, serving the same purpose as the Chubb and Taylor three-year re-ups due to those being contract-year extensions.

This timeline would allow Taylor to potentially cash in again, albeit ahead of his age-28 season. Although Taylor’s deal is not as friendly as McCaffrey’s, the Colts deviating from their stance against extending him provided a nice reward for his rookie-contract production.

Taylor received a $10.25MM signing bonus and will see his 2023 and ’24 base salaries ($1.74MM, $7.8MM) fully guaranteed. Taylor’s new agent did well to secure a year-out guarantee structure for his 2025 salary as well. The contract calls for an $11.98MM base salary in 2025; $7.15MM of that total is guaranteed for injury at signing, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. That sum becomes fully guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2024 league year. This stands to give Taylor three years’ worth of security, seeing as the Colts would need to cut or trade him before that March 2024 date to avoid that $7.15MM 2025 guarantee vesting. Taylor’s 2026 base salary ($11.98MM) is nonguaranteed.

The Colts give pay Taylor’s signing bonus in two installments, per Florio, with a $2.56MM payment coming Oct. 20 and a $7.69MM guarantee coming March 29, 2024. The 2020 second-round pick was tied to a $4.3MM base salary this season; Saturday’s agreement obviously generated a better outcome. This contract gives Taylor some security for his age-25 and age-26 seasons and removes a big name from the 2024 free agent market. Although the threat of an Indianapolis 2024 franchise tag helped drive the wedge between Taylor and the team, the Colts bending in ways the Giants and Raiders did not helped produce a resolution. (The Giants, Raiders and Cowboys also have veteran quarterbacks under contract for 2024; the Colts pivoting away from that years-long strategy, via Anthony Richardson, helped Taylor’s cause.)

Henry, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard, Austin Ekeler and Taylor fill-in Zack Moss are among the backs on track to hit free agency. Taylor’s deal likely will not lead to that lot of high-profile backs matching him, as an even snazzier buyer’s market could form in 2024. But it does provide a positive development after an offseason filled with releases, pay cuts and trade requests going nowhere.

While Taylor previously had the Indy backfield to himself, it should be expected Moss will retain a role after his early-season production. The 2022 trade-deadline acquisition amassed 195 scrimmage yards in Indy’s win over Tennessee on Sunday. That showing does help to illustrate why teams have shied away from big payments to RBs, but Taylor’s ramp-up period will undoubtedly end with him back in the starter role.

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