Year: 2023

Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy To Return In Week 2

The Broncos will have their top wide receiver available in Week 2. Jerry Jeudy faced a return timetable of “several weeks” upon suffering a hamstring injury on Aug. 24, but he will make it back after missing just one regular-season game.

Sean Payton said Jeudy is good to go for Sunday’s Commanders-Broncos game. This will help a team that finished its opener without three of its top four pass catchers. Tim Patrick is set to miss another full season, and tight end Greg Dulcich suffered a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out multiple weeks.

Jeudy is going into his fourth NFL season. While the former first-round pick has missed the fewest number of games, Jeudy setbacks have been part of an injury-prone pass-catching cast’s health history. The Broncos have seen Patrick suffer multiple season-ending maladies during training camp and Sutton go down with an ACL tear in Week 2 of the 2020 season. KJ Hamler sustained an ACL tear in Week 3 of the 2021 campaign and missed much of last season as well. A Hamler heart issue led the Broncos to waive the former second-round pick, with the prospect of a reunion in play, during camp this year.

The No. 15 overall pick in 2020, Jeudy missed much of the 2021 season because of a high ankle sprain. He showed progress down the stretch of last year’s abysmal Broncos season. The shifty route runner totaled 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns last year, putting together a strong finish to provide a glimmer of hope after the Broncos’ Russell WilsonNathaniel Hackett season ended with the team dropping to last place in scoring.

Denver picked up Jeudy’s $12.99MM fifth-year option in May, doing so after dangling him in trades. With Patrick out of the picture, both Jeudy and fellow offseason trade chip Courtland Sutton will be needed. Denver needed to use the likes of Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Johnson and Phillip Dorsett alongside Sutton and second-round rookie Marvin Mims against the Raiders. Jeudy returning should provide a boost to the 0-1 team, which did present a more respectable passing attack in Week 1. The Broncos’ progress stalled in the second half, however.

In addition to Jeudy, third-round rookie Riley Moss will make his season debut in Week 2. The Broncos traded up for the Iowa cornerback in April, sending the Seahawks a 2024 third-round pick to climb up for Moss at No. 83. The 6-foot-1 defender, who underwent core muscle surgery this summer, will join a Broncos cornerback corps missing slot defender K’Waun Williams. While All-Pro Patrick Surtain anchors this group, the Broncos have questions at their other corner spots.

Panthers To Place CB Jaycee Horn On IR

SEPTEMBER 15: The Panthers will place Horn on IR, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. While Horn would be eligible to return by Week 6, Rapoport adds a comeback will likely not be in the cards until at least the season’s second-half. The injury is not, however, believed to be season-ending. This hiatus will push Horn’s games-missed number past 20 over the course of his young career.

SEPTEMBER 13: Injuries have dogged Jaycee Horn throughout his NFL career. Another one has cropped up, and Frank Reich confirmed Wednesday the former top-10 pick will miss a significant chunk of the season.

Horn suffered a hamstring injury against the Falcons in Week 1, and Reich indicated (via The Athletic’s Joe Person) surgery is in play. Carolina’s top cornerback is seeking a second opinion. As should be expected, Horn is a candidate to land on injured reserve. The Panthers already moved one starter — left guard Brady Christensento IR on Wednesday.

At the very least, Horn will miss multiple games, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The South Carolina alum has already missed 18 contests as a pro. A broken foot derailed Horn’s rookie season, and he sustained multiple injuries — including a broken wrist — in 2022. Horn missed offseason time due to an ankle injury. The Panthers are planning to add a cornerback, Person tweets. Christensen’s IR move leaves their roster at 52 players.

The Panthers have seen flashes from Horn, and they protected him as trade interest emerged following Matt Rhule‘s October 2022 firing. But the team also passed on two future All-Pro defenders — Patrick Surtain, Micah Parsons — in that 2021 draft. The team chose Horn eighth overall, making him the first corner off the board that year. The Broncos chose Surtain, a 2022 first-team All-Pro, at No. 9. Parsons went 12th overall.

Horn, 24, made it through 20 defensive snaps before going down in Week 1. The 6-foot-1 cover man remains Carolina’s centerpiece corner, though the team has Donte Jackson signed to a three-year, $35.18MM deal. Carolina added slot defender Troy Hill late in the summer and acquired former Jaguars top-10 draftee C.J. Henderson shortly after losing Horn two years ago. Henderson, however, has not played particularly well since coming to Charlotte. The Panthers passed on his fifth-year option in May.

Horn’s rookie contract runs through 2024, though it can be extended through 2025 via the fifth-year option. The run of injuries Horn has encountered will complicate Carolina’s decision regarding his fifth-year option; that call is due in May 2024.

Chris Jones, Travis Kelce To Play In Week 2

SEPTEMBER 15: After practicing during the week, Kelce will indeed take the field in Week 2, Reid confirmed on Friday (via Teicher). With both he and Jones in the fold, the Chiefs will be well-positioned to rebound from their season-opening performance as they look to repeat last year’s postseason win over the Jaguars.

While it was already known Jones would be in the lineup on Sunday, SI’s Albert Breer notes the team will monitor his workload closely. No pitch count is planned as of now, but after missing all of training camp, it will be interesting to see how much he will see the field in his return.

SEPTEMBER 13: Patrick Mahomes looks like he will have more help against the Jaguars than he did against the Lions. The Chiefs will have Travis Kelce back at practice Wednesday, marking a good step for the future Hall of Fame tight end.

Kelce will log a limited practice session today, which represents a positive sign for his prospects of suiting up in Jacksonville. Kelce missed Week 1 after suffering a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise during the Tuesday practice leading up to Kansas City’s Week 1 game against Detroit. Seeing as the Chiefs had not been without Kelce due to injury since 2013, his absence proved noticeable in a game in which both Mahomes and Kansas City’s inexperienced receiving corps struggled.

Andy Reid also confirmed (via ESPN’s Adam Teicher) Chris Jones will return to action against the Jags. The Chiefs reached a revised agreement with Jones to end his lengthy holdout. While Jones is not guaranteed to recoup what he lost by holding out and missing Week 1, an incentive package is present for the dominant defensive tackle.

Jones pushed his holdout longer than Zack Martin or Nick Bosa and did not achieve what he sought — an Aaron Donald-level extension. While he is a strong candidate to reach free agency, the Chiefs have not given up on an extension that would keep him in Missouri on a long-term third contract. The Chiefs having franchise-tagged Jones in 2020 would run his 2024 tag number past $32MM. For perspective, it cost the Commanders $18.94MM to tag D-tackle Daron Payne this year.

Although the Lions’ run game moving the chains on a Jones-less defensive front helped key the upset victory, the Chiefs’ passing attack became a bigger story. Kansas City won Super Bowl LVII after trading Tyreek Hill, but the team also relied on Kelce and, to a lesser extent, JuJu Smith-Schuster last season. Reid confirmed the Chiefs were not close to matching the Patriots’ three-year, $25.5MM Smith-Schuster offer, and while plans for Kadarius Toney as a WR1 existed early this offseason, the ex-Giants first-rounder has proven inconsistent at every turn since being drafted. The injury-prone wideout’s drops plagued the Chiefs in Week 1, with their other young receivers not moving the needle much during a sluggish opener. A first- or second-team All-Pro selection in seven straight years, Kelce returning will at least provide a sturdy safety net for Mahomes.

In other Chiefs news, they restructured veteran guard Joe Thuney‘s deal. The move, which ESPN’s Field Yates notes frees up $8.7MM in cap space, will make room for Jones’ $19.5MM base salary. Jones had resided on K.C.’s reserve/did not report list. Thuney, who signed a $16MM-per-year deal in 2021, is under contract through the 2025 season. The Chiefs will need to make a decision on the 31-year-old blocker by next year, when his cap number spikes to $26.97MM. Thuney will almost certainly not be brought back at that rate, pointing to another contract-related move coming.

Commanders’ Chase Young Cleared To Play In Week 2

The wait for Chase Young‘s 2023 debut is about to end. The Commanders removed the former No. 2 pick from the Friday injury report after he was given clearance to return to game action.

Young will suit up for Washington’s contest against the Broncos on Sunday, as was hoped after he was ruled out for the regular season opener. The injury-plagued defensive end had been dealing with a neck stinger suffered in the preseason, and the team understandably gave him time to practice in a controlled environment to evaluate him before inserting him into the lineup.

The Ohio State alum practiced on a limited basis last week and this past Wednesday. Over the past two days, however, he was a full participant, proving he dealt with live contact as expected. Still, Young is likely to play on a pitch count in his return to the field, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson notes. Having him back in the fold will give the Commanders a boost along the defensive front, and provide Young the opportunity to put together a healthy campaign moving forward.

Doing so would be crucial considering how important the 2023 season is for Young’s future. The 24-year-old has been limited to just 12 games since winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. It thus came as little surprise when the Commanders declined his fifth-year option, a move which puts him on track for free agency. A productive year would set Young up for a multi-year commitment from the Commanders or at least make the franchise tag a viable option.

With 7.5 sacks as a rookie, expectations for continued career ascent have been present ever since. Young has managed just 1,5 since then, though, despite the presence of fellow former first-rounders Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Montez Sweat along the team’s defensive front. That quartet will be at full strength on Sunday, and plenty of attention will be on Young’s performance to begin his contract year.

Seahawks Place RT Abraham Lucas On IR; CB Devon Witherspoon Expected To Play In Week 2

SEPTEMBER 15: As expected, the Seahawks will be without both starting tackles on Sunday. Carroll confirmed that Cross will be out for Week 2 while he recovers from a toe injury. He added, encouragingly, that the blindside blocker made progress in his recovery during the week, meaning he might be available come Week 3. With Peters not ready to play so soon after signing, though, Seattle will be notably shorthanded along the O-line for the time being.

Lucas underwent knee surgery this week, Carroll said. It is not known if the second-year tackle will be back when first eligible (Week 6). Forsythe and Curham will start at tackle Sunday, per the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta.

SEPTEMBER 13: As the Jason Peters signing foreshadowed, the Seahawks will be shorthanded at offensive tackle for a stretch. The team announced on Wednesday that Abraham Lucas has been placed on injured reserve.

As a result of the move, Seattle’s right tackle starter will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks. Lucas, part of the team’s highly impactful 2022 draft class, was a first-teamer right away as a rookie. He partnered with first-round selection Charles Cross to give the team a young tackle tandem with the potential to give the offense a consistent presence up front for both the short- and long-term.

Like Lucas, Cross is banged up following the Seahawks’ Week 1 loss. His status moving forward is also in question, so it comes as no surprise that the team added tackle depth in the expected absence of both its left and right tackle starters. Seattle signed Raiqwon O’Neal off the Buccaneers’ practice squad, and added McClendon Curtis from the Raiders’ taxi squad. Both players are undrafted rookies, so they have less experience than incumbents Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan. The latter two, likewise, have far less service time than Peters.

Having not taken part in spring workouts or training camp, Peters’ most recent team practices came during his time with the Cowboys last season. The 41-year-old would thus be a longshot to suit up on Sunday, as head coach Pete Carroll noted (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson). Cross being unable to play, coupled with the timeline of Peters’ ramp-up period, would leave the Seahawks particularly thin up front for Week 2.

In more positive injury news, Carroll said earlier this week that first-round corner Devon Witherspoon will be a full participant in practice in the build-up to his NFL debut, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Taken with the No. 5 pick in April’s draft, Witherspoon was held out of Week 1 with a hamstring injury but playing him on Sunday will give Seattle’s secondary a notable boost when they look to rebound from their season-opening defeat to the Rams.

Vikings’ Danielle Hunter Addresses 2018 Contract, Offseason Trade Talk

For much of the offseason, it appeared as though Danielle Hunter‘s time with the Vikings would be coming to an end. Instead, team and player reached a compromise for the 2023 campaign, something the veteran edge rusher recently addressed.

Hunter skipped OTAs and minicamp, then staged a hold-in during training camp in the hopes of leveraging a raise from the $5.5MM he was originally due in 2023. That effort came amidst reports that a trade sending him out of Minnesota was being considered. Such a move would have been in line with much of the team’s offseason, one which was dominated by the departure of several veteran players. The Vikings were indeed active in the trade market amongst pass rushers before working out a new Hunter agreement.

That pact – which includes $17MM in guaranteed money and a no-tag clause – will keep the three-time Pro Bowler in place for at least one more season. It also allowed him to move up the financial pecking order amongst edge defenders, something made necessary by the position’s upward market in the years following his $14.4MM-per-year contract being signed in 2018. When speaking about his second Vikings deal, Hunter expressed no regret about the long-term commitment.

“I signed that deal when I was 23 years old,” he said, via Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune“I mean, look at this picture: Most of the guys who come into this league are 23 when they sign their rookie deals. I came into this league at 20 years old, so I don’t regret anything. I’m here now, Year 9, still with my team. I love everybody. I play for my teammates. And I’m still only 28 years old.”

Despite frequently being mentioned in trade talks through the offseason, Hunter added that he never asked to be moved. His 2022 performance (10.5 sacks, 34 pressures) helped confirm his return to form after missing all of the 2020 season and much of 2021. His production thus would have made him a prime extension candidate for an acquiring team, but instead he will play out at least one more year with the only only franchise he has been with in the NFL.

“This is a great organization, and they love me here,” he said. “If anything were to have happened, it was out of my control. I love the Vikings. This is the only thing I know.”

Colts In Communication With RBs Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette

With their Jonathan Taylor-less backfield still in flux due to injuries, the Colts remain interested in a free agent addition at the running back spot. As a result, they are in talks with two of the top options still available.

Indianapolis has communicated with both Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The former met with the Colts last month as part of his late-offseason free agent tour, though no deal materialized. Hunt also drew interest from the Saints and Vikings, but they too elected not to sign him in advance of the regular season.

The former Chief and Brown was reported to have received four offers around the time of final roster cuts, but he has remained patient on the open market. Hunt would have a path to immediate playing time with the Colts for the time being, giving the absence of Taylor until at least Week 5. That is the earliest point at which the 2021 rushing champion can suit up in Indianapolis, though a trade sending him elsewhere is still in the cards. A lead role will be unlikely for Hunt in 2023, however, barring further injury developments around the league.

The same holds true for Fournette, whose release request was granted by the Buccaneers in February. The 28-year-old lost his starting role to Rachaad White in the 2022 campaign, and in the wake of Tom Brady‘s retirement, he favored a fresh start. Not much in the way of interest was shown in him through the offseason, however, with the Patriots hosting him on a workout but coming away unimpressed with his conditioning. It will be interesting to see if the Colts’ interest rises to the point of bringing him in for a free agent visit in the near future.

Indianapolis lost another member of its backfield in Week 1 with Evan Hull suffering a knee injury. He is now on IR and will thus miss at least the next four weeks of the season. The fifth-round rookie’s absence adds to Taylor’s stay on the PUP list, and questions remain regarding when Zack Moss will be able to suit up after recovering from a broken arm. The Colts worked out Darrell Henderson earlier this week, so Hunt and Fournette will have competition for a roster spot if they match the team’s interest in a potential deal. In any case, a move at the RB spot could be coming soon in Indianapolis.

49ers Were Prepared To Offer No. 2 Overall Pick For Kirk Cousins In 2017

The late 2010s featured three offseasons filled with Kirk Cousins headlines. A number of “what if?” scenarios emerged from the saga that produced two Cousins franchise tags and a fully guaranteed Vikings free agency offer.

Residing as a key player in the Cousins market — due to Kyle Shanahan‘s ties to the productive quarterback — the 49ers removed themselves from the equation back in 2018, when they re-signed then-recent trade acquisition Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan had confirmed at the time the organization had Cousins on the radar between the point of the Garoppolo trade (October 2017) and his extension (February 2018). San Francisco was willing to make a bigger move for Shanahan’s former Washington pupil before that point.

A source rather close to this situation, Mike Shanahan said Kyle was willing to offer Washington the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft for Cousins, via The Athletic’s Alec Lewis (subscription required). The 49ers’ 2-14 showing in 2016 led them to holding the second overall pick in 2017, the first year of the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch regime. After making back-to-back HCs one-and-dones, 49ers CEO Jed York gave Shanahan and Lynch six-year contracts. The second-generation NFL HC appeared prepared to put the long leash to good use in the first weeks of his San Francisco tenure.

At the time, we heard three teams expressed interest in Cousins via trade. Washington had franchise-tagged Cousins in 2016 and was preparing to do so again, and the 49ers always appeared likely to be involved in an effort to acquire him. Prior to venturing to Cleveland and then Atlanta, Kyle Shanahan had coached Cousins for two seasons in Washington, operating as his father’s OC.

An offer of the No. 2 overall pick for a franchise-caliber QB going into his age-29 season would have been interesting, but Mike Shanahan indicated, via Lewis, his former team “wouldn’t even return the phone call.”

Dan Snyder and president Bruce Allen ran the Washington franchise at this point, and stability proved elusive. Contentious negotiations took place later that year, with Allen famously mispronouncing Cousins’ first name — the “Kurt” interview — multiple times in the wake of a second round of July negotiations not producing a deal. Cousins, of course, played out a second season on the tag and signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $84MM deal with the Vikings in 2018.

This trade proposal also came about during a period that did not feature the quarterback movement the 2020s have brought. This saga played a part in that change. After previously being told Garoppolo was unavailable, the 49ers quickly accepted the Patriots’ offer of the then-Tom Brady backup for a second-rounder. Three months later, Washington agreed to trade for Alex Smith — more than a month before Cousins hit free agency — in 2018.

The 49ers did not carry a starter-level QB into the 2017 season, beginning the year with Brian Hoyer and third-round pick C.J. Beathard as their top options. They had used the high draft choice on Solomon Thomas, trading down with the Bears, who had drafted Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2. The early part of the 49ers’ 2017 draft did not age well, with Thomas going ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson and the team’s No. 31 overall choice (Reuben Foster) washing out after multiple off-field incidents. Shanahan’s team found its footing with Garoppolo in the years to come, though QB headlines have been constant during the Garoppolo-Trey LanceBrock Purdy era in San Francisco.

Cousins, 35, is now in the final year of his third Vikings contract. The team extended its starter for a second time in 2022 but only restructured the deal in 2023. Cousins does not expect another round of Vikes talks until 2024, though he has said many times he wants to stay in Minnesota. It would be unlikely the 49ers would circle back to Cousins were he to reach free agency next year, as Brock Purdy has received steady praise from Shanahan. But with Lance gone and the former Mr. Irrelevant not yet fully entrenched as a long-term option, this door may not be fully closed.

Extra Points: Jefferson, Maye, International Pathway Program

An undrafted wideout is working his way back to the field following a tragic car crash earlier this year. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the 49ers worked out Louisiana receiver Michael Jefferson today.

Jefferson earned third-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2022 after finishing with 51 receptions for 810 yards and seven touchdowns. Thanks to his performance, the receiver was projected to be a mid-round pick in the 2023 draft. However, Jefferson was injured in a car accident in April that killed another driver, and the player required multiple surgeries.

He was expected to resume his career in 2024, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported earlier this month that Jefferson had been cleared by doctors to “fly, take physicals and join a team.”

It sounds like his first opportunity could come in San Francisco. The 49ers are currently stashing four receivers on their practice squad in Willie Snead, Chris Conley, Tay Martin, and Isaiah Winstead.

More notes from around the NFL…

  • Saints safety Marcus Maye got six months of probation stemming from a 2021 driving under the influence charge, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. Maye will have his drivers license suspended for six months as a result of the plea deal, and he was also given 50 hours of community service with the opportunity to buy them out. Maye allegedly crashed into another car while driving on the Florida Turnpike and was initially charged with driving under the influence, DUI/damage to property and person, and leaving the scene of the crash. The player also continues to deal with a civil suit from the driver of the other car who is seeking $30K due to injuries.
  • The NFL International Pathway Program has expanded in scope since it’s inception in 2016, with the 2023 iteration allowing teams from the AFC West and NFC North to allocate an extra roster spot to an international player. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the NFL will provide an international player exception to all 32 teams starting in 2024. There are currently 24 active players who participated in the International Pathway Program.
  • The NFL has established an ownership committee that will evaluate current ownership rules, potentially allowing “institutional capital” to invest in teams, per Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal. As Liz Clarke, Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske of the Washington Post write, this committee could open the door to private equity firms buying stakes in teams, following the ownership rules previously established by the NBA, MLB, and NHL. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports that the committee includes Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, and Broncos owner Greg Penner.

Jets Notes: Rodgers, Whitehead, Mosley

Aaron Rodgers underwent surgery on his torn Achilles in Los Angeles yesterday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Jets quarterback posted on Instagram that the surgery “went great” and he’s “on the road to recovery.”

While Rodgers is now focused on his rehab, the fallout from the future Hall of Famer’s season-ending injury continues. According to Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, Rodgers was not a fan of the play calls that involved cut blocks, and he voiced his displeasure to the coaching staff. Two of the QB’s four snaps on Monday night involved the cut block, including the play that injured Rodgers.

Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari, who spent years blocking for Rodgers, also noticed the team’s peculiar blocking strategy.

“I blocked for Aaron for a decade,” Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari told The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. “I’ve gotten a lot of s— from him about cutting and pretty much the rule of thumb, at least working with him, is you don’t cut unless Aaron says so in the huddle or at the line of scrimmage. And that’s no dig at Aaron. … When people were defending and saying that’s what they’re supposed to do, I was like: Well, clearly there’s miscommunication. Because if your coach is telling you to do that, then he doesn’t know Aaron. And I know for a fact, Aaron definitely has probably brought it up. So I’m like: You’re not all on the same page. Again, that’s not the reason why (the sack) happened. There’s so many other factors.”

Blame has also been placed on MetLife Stadium’s turf. Michael Rosenberg of SI.com spoke to three experts on Achilles tendons, and while they acknowledged that turf could certainly cause injuries, it’s unlikely to cause this type of injury.

More notes out of New York…

  • Jordan Whitehead was a standout in Week 1 for the Jets, with his performance earning him AFC Defensive Player of the Week. The safety also managed to secure one of his season-long incentives in just one game, with his three interceptions earning him a $250K bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates. Whitehead signed a two-year, $14.5MM deal with the Jets last March.
  • As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes, Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley had his $17MM non-guaranteed salary locked in during the season opener. After being limited to only two games during his first season with the Jets, Mosley has emerged as a defensive leader in New York over the past two seasons, collecting 326 tackles in 33 games. The veteran inked a five-year, $85MM deal with the Jets back in 2019.
  • While the Jets continue to scour the market for some reinforcement at quarterback, Zach Wilson will be the definitive QB1 moving forward. While Rodgers will be sidelined for the entire 2023 campaign, the veteran quarterback still had a lasting impact on his younger counterpart. “I feel like I’ve been trying to copy every little thing he’s doing, from his footwork to the coaching tips he has given us,” Wilson said today (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “He’s done an amazing job, more than we could ask for as quarterbacks.”