HEADLINES

Year: 2023

Rams’ Cam Akers Back On Trade Block?

September 17th, 2023 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

After his tenure with the Rams seemed to be over in 2022, Cam Akers could find himself on the move soon. The running back will be a healthy scratch in Week 2, as first reported by Jay Glazer during Fox Sports’ pregame show.

Glazer adds that the Rams are looking to trade the 24-year-old. Akers expressed his confusion regarding the situation on social media, but it appears as though his career could take him out of Los Angeles in the near future. He is thus in a similar circumstance to the one he found himself in last year.

The Rams deactivated Akers in Week 6 last year, and head coach Sean McVay confirmed not long after that the team was seeking a trade partner. That seemed to mark an end to his time in Los Angeles, with issues related to his role and communication with the coaching staff being cited as the cause for the apparent split between team and player. In the end, though, the Rams turned down trade offers in advance of the deadline.

That left the former second-rounder in place ahead of the final year of his rookie contract. Fully recovered from his 2021 Achilles tear, Akers was in line to serve in a notable early-down role to start the 2023 campaign. He handled 22 carries in Week 1, though he managed to turn those opportunities into just 29 rushing yards. For today at least, the Rams will likely to turn to 2022 fifth-rounder Kyren Williams as their lead back.

With Akers set to hit free agency at the end of the season, it is doubtful the Rams would be able to land any signficant draft capital in the event they were to deal the Florida State product. Nevertheless, a parting of ways could be in the best interests of all parties involved in this situation. Akers’ status moving forward will remain worth watching closely as the Rams prepare to take on the 49ers later today.

David Montgomery Expected To Miss Time

September 17th, 2023 at 9:38pm CST by Ely Allen

The Lions could be without their leading rusher which would force them to turn the reins over to their rookie for a period if running back David Montgomery‘s comments today are accurate. After Montgomery was carted off the sideline to the locker room in today’s overtime loss to the Seahawks, he told the media that it may take him “a couple weeks” to heal, as reported by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Montgomery hobbled off the field with the help of the team’s training staff after sustaining a thigh bruise in the second half of today’s game. He eventually had to be taken to the locker room on a cart for further inspection.

Thigh bruises can be tricky for running backs but typically will only cost a rusher a week or so. Last year saw Cowboys running back Tony Pollard miss a game late in the season on a short week due to a thigh bruise. There’s a chance that Montgomery’s comments could mean that he can still play but that he will still be hampered by the injury for a couple more weeks. Based on the level of discomfort displayed by Montgomery today, though, he may be hampered quite a bit for a week or more.

If Montgomery isn’t able to play through the injury, Detroit will obviously turn to the first-round rookie out of Alabama, Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs has so far been outgained by Montgomery 141 rushing yards to 59 on 14 carries to the veteran’s 37. Gibbs has had a much larger role in the passing game, though, with nine catches for 57 yards on 11 targets versus Montgomery, who has caught his only target for a seven-yard catch.

Montgomery has been heavily favored in terms of use early in the year, and many in Detroit have been excited and eager to see what Gibbs can offer in a larger role. This may be the door that cracks open, allowing Gibbs to take the reins of the offense and not let go. Montgomery has been a lead back throughout his NFL career in Chicago, never recording fewer than 200 carries in a season, but if Gibbs can shine in relief of Montgomery, we could see the veteran take a backseat for the first time in his career.

Any absence by Montgomery will also mean a few more opportunities for third-stringer Craig Reynolds, who received his first three carries of the season today after Montgomery’s departure. Even if Montgomery’s return sees him coming back in a backup role, the Lions will be hoping to see him back soon to help keep the legs of their rookie rusher fresh.

NFL Injury Updates: Burrow, Richardson, Barkley, Thomas

September 17th, 2023 at 8:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Bengals fans have been plenty frustrated with the team’s return on investment from quarterback Joe Burrow‘s record-breaking extension. Through two games, Burrow has averaged 152 yards per game while throwing two touchdowns and an interception. People were concerned about the calf injury that forced him out of practice early in training camp this summer and how it would affect him as the season began. Burrow has pointed to that injury as a big reason for some of his early struggles, according to Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network.

Morrison noted that Burrow spoke “with a level of concern” after today’s game when addressing his right calf. He claimed to have tweaked his calf in today’s loss to the Ravens. Not only did he consider it a factor today, and likely last week, but he also thought there was a chance that it could end up being a tight rope that he is forced to walk for the remainder of the season.

It’s not difficult to see that the Burrow we’ve seen so far this year has been far from what we’re used to seeing in recent years. It will be interesting to see how the Bengals move forward with the handling of Burrow’s calf. Pushing him too hard could result in an extended absence, while a short reprieve of a week or two could help him get on top of a recovery that seems to be troubling him. There’s a lot of season left to go, and the Bengals will be keeping a close eye on Burrow in the days and weeks to come.

Here are a few other updates from around the NFL:

  • Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson got off to a hot start in the second game of his NFL career, rushing for two touchdowns early in today’s divisional matchup with the Texans. Richardson had to exit the game in the first half, though, after sustaining a concussion that would hold him out for the remainder of the contest. Richardson was replaced by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who helped secure the team’s first win of the season. Richardson will need to go through concussion protocols in order to return to the field. This season, the protocols for return take about five days to get through, meaning Richardson absolutely has a chance to return for Week 3 if he can pass the necessary tests. If not, Minshew will continue to play in relief.
  • Giants running back Saquon Barkley was injured in the final two minutes of today’s win over the Cardinals. He was obviously kept out of the remainder of the game but was visibly upset on the sideline while surrounded by trainers. They taped Barkley’s ankle, but he continued to walk with a significant limp. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, an x-ray was performed after the game, while Barkley was still experiencing some swelling and discomfort. It has now been reported as a sprained ankle, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, meaning New York may have dodged a giant bullet, forgive the pun. While this bodes well for Barkley’s season-long prospects, the short week will not be his friend. Expect the Giants to exercise caution and, barring a miracle recovery, hold Barkley out for their Thursday night matchup against the 49ers. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Barkley will undergo an MRI tomorrow in order to determine the severity of the injury and gain an idea of just how much time he may miss.
  • Joining Richardson above, Commanders tight end Logan Thomas left the team’s win over the Broncos today with a concussion that he sustained after getting clobbered over the middle by Denver safety Kareem Jackson. Jackson was ejected for the hit. Backup tight ends John Bates and Cole Turner both got significant run in Thomas’ absence and will continue to do so if he isn’t able to return next week.
  • Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney (knee), Cowboys right guard Zack Martin (ankle), and Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) all sustained injuries today that kept them out of their respective games. Reports from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jane Slater and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tell us that none of these injuries are considered serious.

AFC South Notes: Skoronski, Colts, Hughes

September 17th, 2023 at 4:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans’ offensive line was shorthanded for their Week 2 contest against the Chargers due to Peter Skoronski‘s absence. The first-round rookie was declared out in advance of Sunday’s game, but the reason why has since been revealed.

Skoronski underwent an appendectomy, as noted by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. That will lead to an absence of at least one week given his recovery including the team’s game today, though further missed games could ensue as well. The 22-year-old served as the Titans’ left guard starter in Week 1, confirming the team’s plans of using him on the inside to begin his NFL career. The No. 11 pick worked as a tackle in college, and his play at Northwestern has led to high expectations in the short- and long-term future for him on a Titans O-line which saw a number of changes this offseason.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:

  • The Colts made an early commitment to Anthony Richardson as their starter during his rookie season, naming him the No. 1 after a single preseason game. That move came as little surprise given owner Jim Irsay‘s remarks hinting he would see the field early and often, along with the work the team’s new coaching staff put in during the spring and summer to tailor the offense to his skillset. As SI’s Albert Breer notes, head coach Shane Steichen and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter quickly moved on from the split first-team reps approach in training camp to give full attention to Richardson (the No. 4 pick in the draft) as the focal point of the offense in part due to the limited amount of reps modern camps give teams in developing young players compared to years past.
  • Indianapolis saw Zack Moss return to the backfield on Sunday, but the team’s run game was still shorthanded with Jonathan Taylor on the PUP list and Evan Hull on injured reserve. The latter is sidelined until at least Week 6, but a lengthier absence could be in store. In spite of that, the Colts do expect Hull to be back in the fold at some point in 2023, as noted by Joel A Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. With Taylor’s future still up in the air, a return to at least a depth role would be a welcomed sight in Hull’s case.
  • In need of some in-season financial wiggle room, the Texans recently restructured the contract of defensive end Jerry Hughes, ESPN’s Field Yates notes. The 35-year-old is in the final season of his two-year Houston deal, and the move created $2.14MM in cap space. Hughes’ 2023 cap hit now sits at just over $4.1MM, though the team is also scheduled to have a cap charge of over $2MM next season due to the void years present on his pact. The Texans currently have just under $4MM in cap space to work with.

Giants Did Not Look Into High-Priced FA Guards; LT Andrew Thomas Out For Week 2

September 17th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 17: Thomas is indeed inactive for Sunday’s game, as the Giants will play it safe with their blindside blocker. An improved performance compared to Week 1 will be needed up front for New York, but their O-line will be shorthanded against the Cardinals.

SEPTEMBER 14: First- or second-round picks are stationed at both tackle spots and center along the Giants’ offensive line, but middling guard investments join the Andrew Thomas–Evan Neal–John Michael Schmitz trio. Against the Cowboys, the Giants’ O-line plan did not hold up.

Dallas’ top-tier pass rush sacked Daniel Jones seven times and tallied 15 quarterback hits in the 40-0 drubbing Sunday night. ESPN’s pass block win rate metric graded both Neal and right guard Mark Glowinski in the bottom three at their respective positions in Week 1, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes.

The team used Glowinski and Ben Bredeson as its guard starters. This came after a lengthy competition, one that featured 2022 third-round pick Joshua Ezeudu vying for a role. The Giants expected Ezeudu to beat out Bredeson, a 2021 trade acquisition, for the left guard job, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post notes. This optimism helped influence the Giants to not pursue a notable free agency guard addition. The team had been mentioned as interested in retaining Nick Gates, but the Commanders signed him and deployed the ex-Giants starter at center in Week 1.

The Giants preferred to devote funds to retaining their own talent this offseason, giving Jones, Thomas and Dexter Lawrence pricey extensions. Saquon Barkley‘s $10.1MM franchise tag also limited how Big Blue could devote its free agency dollars. The team had also given Glowinski a three-year, $18.3MM deal ($11.4MM guaranteed) in 2022. Despite Pro Football Focus rating Glowinski as a top-30 guard last year, the Giants held a three-way guard battle in training camp. The 31-year-old blocker kept his RG gig but enters Week 2 under a microscope after his showing against the Cowboys.

Outside options do exist at guard for the Giants. Justin Pugh, who began his career with the team and started at guard and tackle following a 2013 first-round investment, has expressed interest in rejoining the team. Pugh, 33, is coming off a torn ACL sustained in October of last year. The five-year Cardinals starter said he was eyeing a Giants return in August, though the Syracuse alum has not been closely tied to a team since he received clearance to resume football work.

Oddly, Dalton Risner also remains a free agent. The four-year Broncos starter entered free agency as, at worst, a second-tier option at guard. But he did not sign anywhere and took the surprising path of remaining unattached entering the year. A handful of teams showed interest in Risner, who may well be waiting for an injury to shake up a team’s O-line plans. The 28-year-old blocker probably qualifies as the top option available.

Elsewhere on New York’s O-line, Thomas is battling a strained hamstring. An MRI revealed the All-Pro left tackle avoided a serious setback, per Raanan, but it is possible he misses some time. Injured after the Giants’ botched field goal attempt that resulted in a Cowboys TD, Thomas did not practice Wednesday. This offseason, the Giants gave the 2020 first-rounder a five-year, $117.5MM deal that sits second among tackles.

Matt Peart, a 2020 third-round pick, sits as the Giants’ swing tackle, though Schwartz adds Ezeudu has taken LT reps in practice over the past two weeks. Ezeudu spent time at tackle while at North Carolina. Moving to left tackle after failing to win a starting guard job in his second training camp might make be a stretch. Peart has not made a start since 2021; the UConn alum has six career starts.

Saints Sign OL Cesar Ruiz To Extension

September 17th, 2023 at 1:29pm CST by Ben Levine

SEPTEMBER 17: Details on the Ruiz pact are in, courtesy of ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. The 24-year-old will see fully guaranteed base salaries of $1.33MM and $1.35MM over each of the next two seasons, along with an $8MM roster bonus in 2024. Ruiz’s 2025 salary ($9.15MM) will become guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year. Overall, his cap hits will remain flat beginning next season, ranging from $10.65MM to $11MM.

SEPTEMBER 9: Cesar Ruiz is sticking in New Orleans for the foreseeable future. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Saints have signed their offensive lineman to a four-year extension. 

[RELATED: Saints OL Cesar Ruiz Still Has Potential Future In New Orleans]

The contract is worth $44MM and has a max value of $46MM. The deal also includes $30MM in guaranteed money. Ruiz was set to hit free agency following the 2023 season after previously having his fifth-year option declined.

Ruiz hasn’t necessarily lived up to his first-round billing through three seasons in the NFL. He became a full-time starter during his sophomore season and has started all 31 of his appearances over the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been fond of his performance, never ranking him higher than 56th at his position (among 82 qualifying guards in 2021).

This past season, Ruiz ranked 59th among 77 qualifiers at offensive guard. He was sidelined for the final three games of the 2022 season after suffering a Lisfranc injury. The front office declined his fifth-year option back in May.

Despite his struggles and the Saints’ lack of commitment, general manager Mickey Loomis implied this offseason that Ruiz could still have a future with the team. The executive described the lineman as an “ascending player” and hinted that Ruiz could be a candidate for an extension. Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.football notes that the lineman was a standout during training camp and preseason, while Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com believes Ruiz “enjoyed one of the best camps of any player on the roster.”

Texans WR John Metchie III Active For Week 2 Matchup With Colts

September 17th, 2023 at 12:39pm CST by Rory Parks

Texans wide receiver John Metchie III is active for the team’s Week 2 game against the Colts today. As such, the 2022 second-rounder will finally make his regular season debut.

It has been a long road for Metchie. The rebuilding Houston franchise selected the Alabama product, a first-round talent, with the No. 44 overall pick in last year’s draft as something of a buy-low maneuver. Although the team knew that Metchie, who suffered a torn ACL in the SEC title game in December 2021, would not be ready for the start of his rookie campaign, there was hope that he would be able to suit up at some point in 2022 and begin to provide a return on the Texans’ investment.

Sadly, Metchie with diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia last July, at which point it became clear he would miss all of 2022. He progressed enough in his recovery to participate in the Texans’ offseason program this year, though a hamstring strain prevented him from getting much OTA work. And while Metchie was able to see preseason action, the hamstring issue kept him out of last week’s regular season opener against the Ravens.

With his health issues hopefully in the rearview mirror, Metchie will try to begin capitalizing on his vast potential. Now 23, Metchie put himself on the draft radar with a pair of productive seasons with the Crimson Tide in 2020 and ’21. Across that span, he totaled 151 catches, 2,058 yards, and 14 touchdowns.

Although Houston dropped its Week 1 bout, the defense and rookie QB C.J. Stroud showed some promise. With Metchie and fellow pass catchers like Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Xavier Hutchinson, to go along with second-year running back Dameon Pierce, the Texans hope they have a young core of skill position talent to build upon.

As of the time of this writing, Metchie has not yet recorded a catch in the matchup with Indianapolis.

Raiders DE Chandler Jones: Mark Davis Is Holding A “Huge Secret”

September 17th, 2023 at 11:39am CST by Rory Parks

The odd situation between Chandler Jones and the Raiders does not appear to be any closer to a resolution. On September 15, the edge defender posted a tweet indicating that the team has not yet contacted him or his reps, though just last week he posted to his Instagram account what appears to be a text exchange between him and Raiders owner Mark Davis (via Tashan Reed of The Athletic).

To recap, in the days leading up to Las Vegas’ regular season opener, Jones posted a series of angry messages to his Instagram account alleging that the Raiders locked him out of the team facility, thereby forcing him to work out at a local gym. In those since-deleted posts, he went on say that he could not get in touch with either head coach Josh McDaniels or general manager Dave Ziegler and no longer wanted to play for the club as long as McDaniels and Ziegler remain in charge.

Then, in another round of social media posts that he later deleted, Jones — who missed several practices towards the end of training camp for undisclosed reasons — said that the Raiders had sent a member of the Las Vegas crisis response team to his home. The CRT member allegedly told Jones that he was in danger and needed to go with her.

Speculation has swirled that Jones is dealing with a mental health matter, though there has been no confirmation in that regard. The organization has, unsurprisingly, declined to comment about the situation.

In a new string of tweets, at least some of which have been deleted, Jones spoke more directly about Davis.

“I wish mark Davis told the ppl why I really can’t play,” Jones said (as relayed by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “I think I know why, but I want y’all to ask him. I’ll let him say it to the public not me lmao. I wish I could play with my brothers, but marky mark is holding a huge secret that only I know! That’s why I was asking for my protection sorry if I sound scared because I’m not lol, when I found out I was lol.”

It is unclear what secret Jones is referring to, or what information he discovered. In the above-referenced text exchange, the only substantive portion of Davis’ dialogue read, “I care for you the person more than I care for you the player.. I’m here for you should you feel the need to talk.. Man to man.. With respect..”

Jones was inactive for the Raiders’ Week 1 victory over the Broncos and is also inactive for today’s matchup with the Bills. At this point, it is difficult to say when (or even if) Jones will hit the field again.

In his most recent tweets, Jones added, “[Davis] can’t cut me, I have proof of his reps saying I’m under contract, and they want me on the team.. but not playing right now. Lol.”

Indeed, if the Raiders were to release Jones, they would be saddled with a dead money charge of roughly $13MM (though as a post-June 1 transaction, such a release would actually yield a modest cap savings on the 2023 ledger). Presumably, Las Vegas would like for Jones to return to action and try to live up to the three-year, $51MM contract he signed last offseason, a deal that looks like a signficiant misstep given the current impasse and Jones’ disappointing 2022 campaign.

It is fair to wonder if the NFLPA will become involved in this matter, particulary in light of Jones’ accusations against Davis.

Falcons Clinch 2024 Fourth-Round Pick In Calvin Ridley Trade

September 17th, 2023 at 10:10am CST by Rory Parks

Last November, in the midst of wide receiver Calvin Ridley‘s year-long gambling suspension, the Falcons traded Ridley to the Jaguars in exchange for a two-pick package comprised of one 2023 and one 2024 selection. As Ridley was reinstated prior to this year’s draft, Atlanta received Jacksonville’s 2023 fifth-round choice, which it subsequently flipped to the Lions in exchange for cornerback Jeff Okudah.

The 2024 selection was originally reported as a conditional fourth-rounder, and the Falcons have clinched at least that level of compensation given that Ridley was on the Jaguars’ 53-man roster after last month’s cutdown day and subsequently suited up for the team’s Week 1 contest against the Colts. However, the pot could continue to get sweeter for Atlanta.

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, the fourth-round pick will become a third-rounder if Ridley plays at least 60% of the Jaguars’ offensive snaps or records either 75 receptions or 1,000 receiving yards. The Falcons will receive a second-round pick if Ridley — who is presently playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which tolled to 2023 due to his suspension — signs an extension with Jacksonville.

Schefter notes that contract talks between Ridley and the Jags will not commence until the end of the season, so it will be a while before we know whether the Falcons will end up with a second-round choice. However, Ridley recorded eight catches (on 11 targets) for 101 yards and a score in his Jacksonville debut, so as long as he stays healthy, it seems he will have an excellent shot at securing at least a 2024 third-round pick for his former club.

The Jags are presumably content to pay that price as long as Ridley continues to perform at a high level. In his last full season in 2020, the former first-rounder set career-highs in catches (90) and receiving yards (1,374), and he makes an already-talented Jacksonville offense even more formidable.

A healthy and productive season will allow Ridley to take advantage of a booming wide receiver market in 2024, whether he re-signs with the Jags or finds a more lucrative deal elsewhere.

Cowboys’ Brandin Cooks Suffers MCL Sprain

September 17th, 2023 at 7:35am CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 17: Cooks will indeed miss today’s game against the Jets, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. There is not yet any confirmation that Cooks will be able to suit up next week.

SEPTEMBER 14: The early part of Brandin Cooks‘ Cowboys tenure may involve an injury-driven absence. The veteran deep threat is dealing with an MCL sprain, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telgram’s Clarence Hill.

Although Cooks played through his recent injury to close out the Cowboys’ 40-0 romp over the Giants, his Week 2 status is up in the air. This injury commonly causes players to miss at least multiple games, though timetables vary. Cooks sustained a grade 1 sprain, the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore tweets, adding the team does not view it as a multiweek injury.

Cooks played 39 offensive snaps Sunday night and, per the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken, was walking without favoring the knee ailment this week. While Cooks said he feels good, it would not surprise to see the Cowboys exercise caution here. The team sent fifth- and sixth-round draft choices to the Texans for Cooks in March. Two years remain on the accomplished wideout/trade mainstay’s contract.

Dallas did not need much in the way of receiver contributions in Week 1, but the Week 2 Jets matchup will present tougher assignments for the team’s set of pass catchers. The team has starters CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup healthy, the latter now being nearly two years removed from a career-sidetracking ACL tear. The team also saw offseason improvement from 2022 third-rounder Jalen Tolbert, who struggled to make an impact as a rookie. Tolbert caught just two passes last season.

Injury absences have not been common for Cooks in his career. A calf injury sidelined the well-traveled veteran briefly last season, following his short time away from the team after trade talks did not produce an in-season deal. From 2015-21, however, Cooks combined to miss only four games. A two-concussion 2019 season proved concerning, and the Rams dealt the former first-round pick to the Texans months later. But Cooks has otherwise not needed to navigate much on the injury front.

Joining Brandon Marshall in totaling 1,000-yard receiving seasons for four franchises, Cooks is trying to make NFL history by clearing that bar for a fifth. The most recent of Cooks’ six 1,000-yard years came in Houston with Davis Mills as the primary triggerman. Seventh-round rookie Jalen Brooks and return man KaVontae Turpin are the other receivers on Dallas’ 53-man roster. Brooks was inactive Sunday night. Veteran Tyron Johnson resides on Dallas’ practice squad.

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