2023 - Pro Football Rumors

Year: 2023

Lions Designate Julian Okwara For Return

October 2nd, 2023 at 5:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions’ edge rush contingent will receive a boost in the near future. Julian Okwara has been designated for return from IR, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes.

Okwara suffered a knee injury in Detroit’s preseason finale, and his IR designation required at least a four-week absence. The fact his practice window has been opened at the first opportunity is an encouraging sign for his ability to return to game action quickly. Players designated for return have 21 days to be activated once they resume practicing.

The younger brother of teammate Romeo Okwara, Julian has yet to remain healthy for a full season in his NFL career. The 25-year-old missed 21 regular season games across his first three seasons in the Motor City, and his latest injury will delay his 2023 debut until October. When on the field, though, Okwara has proven to be an effective rotational contributor with seven sacks and 22 pressures combined in 2021 and ’22.

The former third-rounder saw three starts during that span, while logging snap shares of 40% and 32% along the way. A path to an increased workload may be hard to come by with the elder Okwara, along with Aidan Hutchinson and Charles Harris in place on the pass-rush depth chart. That group has helped the Lions rack up 13 sacks through four games, and in turn guide the team to a 3-1 start.

Okwara’s rookie deal is set to expire at the end of the season, so a return to the playing field and a strong contract year performance would help his free agent stock. He will first be eligible to play in Week 5 when the Lions look to continue their strong start against the winless Panthers. Okwara will aim to carve out at least a repeat of his depth role upon his return.

QB Notes: Watson, Pickett, Herbert, Cards

October 2nd, 2023 at 4:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a Week 3 bounce-back effort, Deshaun Watson sat out Week 4 due to a shoulder injury. The Browns endured a 28-3 loss. While Kevin Stefanski said the team is on the same page with its high-priced quarterback medically, the fourth-year HC added (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) Watson was cleared to play against the Ravens.

“He knows is body, he’s played through serious pain before, very, very serious injuries,” Stefanski said. “It wasn’t a matter of pain tolerance. He just did not feel like he had his full faculties.”

The 2022 trade acquisition had missed one game due to injury since the ACL tear that ended his 2017 rookie season, being sidelined for a 2019 contest. The Browns, who saw Watson predecessor Baker Mayfield struggle when playing through a shoulder injury in 2021, traded away their Watson backup — Josh Dobbs — just before the regular season, leading to rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson taking the keys.

Here is the latest from the QB landscape:

After limping off the field in Houston, Kenny Pickett received good news upon going through an MRI. The second-year Steelers QB did not sustain serious damage to his knee, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Pickett sustained a bone bruise and a muscle strain, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, but he has a chance to play this week. With the Steelers’ bye in Week 6, it would make sense for the team to hold its starter out. Mitchell Trubisky, who signed an offseason extension, remains in place as Pickett’s backup. After being usurped by the 2022 first-rounder, Trubisky was needed after Pickett sustained two concussions as a rookie.
The Chargers also received fairly good news on their starter. Justin Herbert is not expected to miss time after suffering a finger injury in Week 4. That said, Rapoport notes Herbert did suffer a finger break on his nonthrowing hand. Herbert playing through early-season injuries is, of course, nothing new. The star passer battled rib trouble after a Week 2 injury last year. The Bolts’ franchise centerpiece has never missed a game due to injury.
With Kyler Murray not particularly close to returning, Dobbs’ unexpected starter run will continue. The Cardinals pursued Dobbs in free agency, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com notes the team made him an offer to rejoin OC Drew Petzing. While Dobbs preferred a Cleveland return, he ended up back with Petzing — the Browns’ QBs coach last season — in Arizona via the “out of the blue” Cards trade offer. Dobbs became Arizona’s surprise starter due partially to the new staff’s concerns about Colt McCoy‘s lack of mobility, per Urban. McCoy, 37, did not impress as the starter during training camp. Murray’s two-year backup, who had signed a two-year deal worth $6MM in 2022, remains a free agent.

Bills CB Tre’Davious White Tears Achilles

October 2nd, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Ely Allen

OCTOBER 2: A Monday MRI confirmed the fears. White suffered an Achilles tear, Sean McDermott said. This will bring another early end to the top Buffalo corner’s season. White needed a full year to return from the ACL tear that ended his 2021 campaign, and he will soon start another lengthy rehab journey.

OCTOBER 1: In an otherwise extremely positive day in Buffalo that included the return to the field for Bills safety Damar Hamlin and a rather convincing win over the division-rival Dolphins, the Bills experienced a terrible scare as veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White left the game with an apparent ankle injury.

An update from the team’s public relations account on X informed that White had been downgraded to out for the game and that he was being evaluated for an injury to his Achilles tendon. Unfortunately, those evaluations are not looking promising as it is currently feared that White has suffered a torn Achilles, according to Jeff Darlington of ESPN.

This continues a troubling trend for the 28-year-old cornerback, who has not played in every game since his sophomore season in 2018. While he missed three games in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, White was still able to establish himself as a top cornerback in the league with a first-team All-Pro selection and two Pro Bowl appearances. In 2021, though, White would miss the final six games of the season after tearing his ACL, and that would start an unusually long absence.

Of course, ACL injuries routinely require a lengthy recovery process, but White intentionally decided to slow play his return to the field. The long-term injury was the first of his entire sports career dating back to childhood, and the sedentary lifestyle that recovery required of him took a toll on his mental health. He took an extra couple of months before coming back to play, and the decision paid off, allowing White to be effective in his return to the field.

Unfortunately, including last year’s playoffs, that return only lasted 11 games before he suffered an unrelated, potentially long-term injury. If White truly did tear his Achilles, he would almost certainly be out for the remainder of the season. Hopefully, if an MRI tomorrow confirms the severity of the injury, White is in a better place to deal with a long-term recovery and will be able to make another strong return.

In the meantime, the Bills secondary, already short today starting safety Jordan Poyer with a knee injury and last year’s first-round pick Kaiir Elam, who has been a healthy-scratch for the first four weeks of the season, will turn to a number of backups to fill White’s potential absence. Christian Benford and Taron Johnson have been starting alongside White so far this season. If White is forced to miss the rest of the season, the team will need to rely more on Dane Jackson, Siran Neal, and Cameron Lewis. Figuring out what they’re doing with Elam probably wouldn’t hurt, either.

Colts CB Dallis Flowers Out For Season

October 2nd, 2023 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already dealt an unexpected blow when Isaiah Rodgers‘ gambling suspension surfaced after the draft, the Colts’ cornerback contingent sustained another loss Sunday. Dallis Flowers will not return this season.

The second-year corner suffered a torn Achilles, Shane Steichen said (via ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder). Flowers emerged as a starter during the preseason and had opened each of Indianapolis’ four games as a first-stringer on the boundary.

Flowers joined Julius Brents as Indy’s outside starters alongside slot staple Kenny Moore. The Moore-fronted group went through major changes this offseason, when the team traded Stephon Gilmore to the Cowboys and let Brandon Facyson walk in free agency. Found to have bet on Colts games, Rodgers incurred an indefinite ban and hit waivers soon after the suspension surfaced. Rodgers is now with the Eagles, who will attempt to see if he can contribute — pending reinstatement — once his contract tolls to 2024.

A Division II product out of Pittsburg State, Flowers arrived in Indiana as a UDFA last year. The 26-year-old defender started one game in 2022, working as a kick returner and backup defender. This year, he lined up on 99% of the team’s defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus ranked Flowers just outside the top 40 at the position. An extensive rehab effort will need to take place before the 6-foot-1 defender can resume his on-field growth.

Beyond Moore, the Colts are inexperienced at this position. Second-year UDFA Darrell Baker appears to be the next man up, having played 110 defensive snaps thus far this season. Brents replaced Baker in the lineup, after the latter opened the season as a starter. PFF ranks Baker as the league’s second-worst corner through four games; he might have a second chance soon. Seventh-round rookie Jaylon Jones looms as an option, and sixth-year veteran Tony Brown (four career starts) are also on Indy’s 53-man roster.

Texans Designate Cameron Johnston For Return; Tytus Howard Moving Toward Debut

October 2nd, 2023 at 2:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Texans punter normalcy looks likely to return this week. On IR for the season’s first four games, Cameron Johnston is on track to come back for Week 5.

Houston waived its replacement punter, Ty Zentner, on Monday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. With no punters on the active roster or practice squad as a result of this transaction, the Texans are also designating Johnston to return from IR. Johnston’s return to practice will start his 21-day activation clock, but Monday’s other Houston punter transaction points to a quick ramp-up period coming.

A calf injury has sidelined Johnston, who has been the Texans’ primary punter since 2021. The ex-Eagles specialist is tied to a three-year, $8MM deal. This will be Johnston’s sixth year as an NFL punter. The 31-year-old Australian had never missed a game during his career prior to this calf injury.

Johnston averaged 48.1 yards per punt last season. A Kansas State alum, Zentner sits at 42.1 through four games. The Texans signed Zentner as Johnston insurance in late August. The rookie UDFA, who also came to Houston after a Philadelphia stint, will become a free agent if he goes unclaimed.

Houston will be preparing to use some of its eight allotted IR activations early. Right tackle Tytus Howard is on track to be activated from IR this week, Wilson adds. Howard broke his hand in two places and underwent surgery in August. The Texans have played without four starting O-linemen at points this season, with Laremy Tunsil missing extensive time as well. The NFL’s O-line salary kingpin has a chance to return this week, per Wilson.

The Texans, who placed 2022 first-round guard Kenyon Green on season-ending IR in August, have both Howard and second-round pick Juice Scruggs on short-term IR. The team’s projected center starter, Scruggs is out with a hamstring injury. He is tracking toward returning by Week 6, however. But the Texans could soon have both their tackles back to project promising rookie C.J. Stroud.

Cam Jurgens Facing Extended Absence

October 2nd, 2023 at 12:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles played without Cam Jurgens during the second half and overtime Sunday. They will need to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Jurgens is expected to miss time due to the foot injury he sustained against the Commanders.

Jurgens suffered a foot sprain, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, who adds this setback could sideline the second-year guard for “several weeks.” Jurgens is in his first season as a regular Eagles starter.

Sua Opeta, a fifth-year Eagles reserve, filled in for Jurgens at right guard. The Eagles are reasonably well equipped to handle such an absence. They chose Tyler Steen in this year’s third round, using a Day 2 pick on an interior O-lineman for a third straight year. Steen, who competed for the right guard job this summer, was inactive for Week 4. The Alabama product, who finished his college career as a tackle, has not made his Eagles debut yet.

Opeta is indeed the next man up, per Nick Sirianni, who praised his relief effort. Opeta has been with the Eagles since arriving as a 2019 UDFA. While Opeta did not see any action as a rookie, he has worked as a backup since. The Weber State alum started two games in 2020 and ’21. Sirianni labeled Jurgens week to week, 94WIP.com’s Eliot Short-Parks notes.

Drafted as a Jason Kelce heir apparent at center, Jurgens entered the guard mix after two offseason developments. Kelce opted to return for a 13th season, and the Eagles let longtime starter Isaac Seumalo defect to the Steelers in free agency. The team’s run of interior O-line selections on Day 2 — Steen, Jurgens, Landon Dickerson — has produced two starters, with Jurgens beating out Steen for the RG post a year after he spent his rookie slate as a swingman. Jurgens only played 35 offensive snaps last season but came into this year with a big opportunity.

The Nebraska product resides in the interesting position of being Philadelphia’s center of the future and right guard of the present. For the time being, however, he will work to return to his temp job.

Broncos Not Looking To Be Early Sellers

October 2nd, 2023 at 11:25am CST by Sam Robinson

No team has been a more active seller than the Broncos over the past few years. Denver parted with three of its Super Bowl 50 cornerstones — Demaryius Thomas (2018), Emmanuel Sanders (2019) and Von Miller (2021) — and moved Bradley Chubb last year. The team used the Miller and Chubb picks to form the Russell Wilson–Sean Payton partnership.

While Wilson is early in the process of bouncing back from a wildly disappointing Broncos debut season, the team started this one 0-3. Denver’s defense, easily its most reliable unit in the years since Peyton Manning‘s retirement, has taken a massive step back. Since 2000, no defense has produced a worst EPA figure since 2000, The Athletic’s Mike Sando notes (subscription required). Even though the Broncos rallied from 21-point deficit to beat the Bears in Week 4, Vance Joseph‘s defense is under a microscope.

Despite this unexpected freefall defensively, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the Broncos are not looking to build for the future just yet by becoming an early seller. The team’s status as a true seller figures to hinge on how it performs over the next few weeks. Before the Oct. 31 deadline, the Broncos face the Jets, Packers and will check off both their Chiefs matchups — the second of which, the home tilt — coming two days before the deadline.

The Broncos discussed Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton with teams this offseason, holding out for a first-round pick for Jeudy and a second-rounder for Sutton. No such offers emerged, and the homegrown draftees remain Denver’s top two wideouts. While Marvin Mims has been effective when utilized — to the point the second-rounder is the team’s leading receiver (242 yards) — he has only played 27% of the team’s offensive snaps.

Denver also rosters longtime starters in Justin Simmons and Garett Bolles; both would stand to generate interest. No trade rumors have surfaced around these cornerstones, but if the team struggles this month, players outside of Jeudy and Sutton figure to come up for a team that has shown no hesitation in selling. John Elway dealt Thomas and Sanders, but current GM George Paton was at the wheel when the Miller and Chubb trades transpired.

Wilson’s performance will naturally lead the way in determining if the Broncos want to begin collecting assets for 2024 and beyond. Through four games, the scrutinized QB sits third in the NFL in passer rating, second in touchdown passes (nine) and sixth in yards per attempt (7.7). QBR slots the 2022 trade acquisition 19th, however. While the Wilson-Payton rapport has come up many times as a topic, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes the duo are “flourishing” early in their relationship. Wilson has made strides in recovering from a poor fit with Nathaniel Hackett, but if the Broncos’ defense cannot get back on track, the team’s post-deadline nucleus might be worse.

One change that came on defense in Week 4 involved Randy Gregory, whom the team benched in Week 4, as Denver7’s Troy Renck observes. Through four games, Pro Football Focus ranks Gregory as a bottom-10 edge defender. Although Denver’s defense as a whole endured one of the worst showings in NFL history, as the Dolphins became the first team since 1966 to score 70 points, Gregory received some punishment in the wake of the rout. The Broncos benched Gregory despite having Baron Browning on their reserve/PUP list. The team gave Gregory a five-year, $70MM deal in 2022 but saw him miss much of last season due to a knee injury. Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper served as the Broncos’ first-string edges in Chicago.

Vikings Not Looking To Trade Kirk Cousins; Jets Have Not Inquired About QB

October 1st, 2023 at 10:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

After an 0-3 start to the season, many named the Vikings as a potential seller in advance of the 2023 trade deadline. Quarterback Kirk Cousins would be a notable trade chip in such a scenario, but that is not the case at this point.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the Vikings “have no plans” of trading the 35-year-old (subscription required). Cousins’ future in Minnesota has been in question throughout the offseason, since 2023 marks the final year of his contract. Talks on a new deal are expected to take place after the season, and he has acknowledged his play this year will go a long way in determining his free agent value on a new Vikings pact or one in a new home.

Optimism has been expressed on both sides that another short-term arrangement can be made. Cousins has played on a fully-guaranteed three-year, $84MM pact after joining the team in free agency, as well as a two-year, $66MM extension. He will make $30MM this season as a result of the restructured deal which has him on track for free agency. As a rental, there would no doubt be a number teams interested in adding him.

One of those would be the Aaron Rodgers-less Jets, of course. As Russini notes, however, New York has not called Minnesota about Cousins’ availability, and it is unlikely that will change any time soon. The Jets have signed Trevor Siemian to serve as another veteran option behind much-maligned starter Zach Wilson, but no further moves under center are expected. That increases the chances of Cousins staying put through the remainder of the campaign.

The Vikings as a whole are not committed to a seller status ahead of the deadline, meaning a number of other veterans will likely not be on the trade block in the coming weeks (at least barring a continuation of their early losing streak). Cousins – who has posted the most passing yards (1,075) and touchdowns (nine) through three games this season – is safe in Minnesota for the time being, and it will be worth watching if he can help guide the team to a rebound in October. His absence from the trade market would also no doubt have a number of effects on the rest of the league as teams begin to evaluate if they will be aggressive in pursuing help in the near future.

Panthers Looking To Acquire Wide Receiver

October 1st, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Rory Parks

The Panthers have started the Bryce Young era 0-4, though Young was unable to play in last week’s loss to the Seahawks due to an ankle injury. In spite of the disappointing start, Carolina is not necessarily going to be a seller at the October 31 trade deadline and is actually looking to acquire another wide receiver, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.

Of course, the Panthers traded former WR1 D.J. Moore to the Bears in order to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft and select Young, and the team added veteran wideouts Adam Thielen and DJ Chark, along with tight end Hayden Hurst, to aid in the development of its rookie passer. Carolina also selected Jonathan Mingo in the second round of the 2023 draft.

Thielen, Chark, Mingo, and 2021 second-rounder Terrace Marshall have seen plenty of playing time, but only Thielen and Chark have topped 100 receiving yards through the first three games of the season. Per Rapoport, the Panthers believe that another wideout will help to unlock Young’s potential, and GM Scott Fitterer has called several teams that may be looking to move a receiver.

Rapoport does not identify the teams that Fitterer has called or the players that he might be targeting. A report from this morning indicated that the Bears are looking to trade WR Chase Claypool, but Claypool is in a contract year, and Rapoport suggested that the Panthers could be looking for a player with more club control (he did not explicitly say so, but he did write that Carolina is seeking to solidify its roster for 2023 “and beyond.”) Given Claypool’s difficulties in Chicago and the fact that his effort has been questioned by his coaching staff and his teammates, he may not be the most logical target.

In addition to another receiver, the Panthers could also be in the market for a safety, according to Rapoport. Starting safety Xavier Woods is dealing with a hamstring injury, and Carolina may want additional depth in the defensive backfield.

Matt Judon To Miss Time With Biceps Injury

October 1st, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots might have been dealt a significant blow today in what was already a tough day with an extremely one-sided loss in Dallas. During the game against the Cowboys, star pass rusher Matt Judon suffered an injury that could affect him for a significant portion of the season. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Judon suffered a lower biceps tendon tear that is expected to sideline him for some time.

Judon would be a significant loss for a Patriots defense that has routinely depended on him as their source for pressuring the quarterback since he arrived in 2021. During his first season in New England, Judon led the team in sacks with 7.5 more than the next closest defender, setting a career-high for himself of 12.5. Last year, Judon once again led the team with a new career-high 15.5 sacks while being joined in double-digit totals by Josh Uche, who had 11.5.

This season has been more of the same for Judon who currently leads the team with four sacks, three more than anyone else on the team. The Patriots are already dealing with a litany of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, so if Judon is forced to miss significant time, New England may be scratching the bottom of the barrel for replacement options.

On the team’s depth chart, Anfernee Jennings and Chris Board are listed behind Judon as weakside linebackers. Board is a career special teamer who, through hard work, was able to earn some defensive snaps during his time in Baltimore and Detroit, but so far, the Patriots have only utilized him on special teams. Jennings, on the other hand, has never proven to be much of a pass rusher since being drafted in the third round three years ago, only amassing 1.5 sacks over his career.

While a diagnosis has already been determined, according to Schefter’s report, the severity of the injury is still to be determined by an MRI that will likely take place tomorrow. While Judon and the Patriots will have their fingers crossed for good news, similar injuries have had a history of being season-ending. Hopefully, Judon’s scans come back hinting at the possibility of a return this season, but in the case that they don’t, Judon will surely be thankful for the recent adjustment to his contract that increased his guaranteed earnings over the next two years.

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