Jim Harbaugh Expected To Pursue NFL Jobs?
While Jim Harbaugh-to-NFL rumors are standard fare in January, there looks to be a bit more smoke surrounding the longtime Michigan HC’s connections to a pro return this year. The Broncos are believed to be interested, and Harbaugh appears more receptive to a jump.
If Harbaugh receives an offer, it is believed he will leave Michigan for the NFL, according to The Athletic. Of course, it would need to be a highly competitive offer that makes Harbaugh one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches, but after Michigan’s CFP semifinal loss to TCU, rumors surrounding the Wolverines’ nine-year HC will be on tap. This latest round of Harbaugh buzz comes less than a month after he said he would stay at Michigan for a ninth season.
Harbaugh, 59, met with the Vikings last year but was not offered the position. The Raiders were also connected to Harbaugh, but he ended up signing a new contract with Michigan. Time is running out for Harbaugh to chase an NFL job. The former quarterback would be among the league’s oldest HCs were he to jump back in, and February will mark 10 years since he matched up with brother John in Super Bowl XLVII. Not too many coaches have returned to the league after this long away.
NFL teams are taking the temperature on Harbaugh’s interest, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com offers (video link). Like Jon Gruden in 2018, Harbaugh will be a high-profile candidate. He looks to have at least two known suitors. The Broncos, who have missed on first-time head coaches since Gary Kubiak‘s exit, appear to be interested. They are believed to be prioritizing experience and want to interview the Michigan honcho. The Colts have been connected as well.
Harbaugh’s Michigan contract includes just a $3MM buyout this year, per The Athletic. While the Wolverines can fire Harbaugh for cause if he goes through NFL interviews without informing the school’s athletic director, that seems unlikely to happen. Following the TCU loss, Harbaugh is 74-25 at his alma mater. The Wolverines, who had six- and seven-loss seasons in the two years before Harbaugh’s hire, have won the Big Ten in each of the past two years.
The Broncos are prepared to be “ultra aggressive” to land their preferred head coach. Their new ownership, which was not in place when Nathaniel Hackett was hired, has the league’s deepest pockets — by a wide margin — and hiring Harbaugh would not cost the team draft assets like a Sean Payton move would. The Colts, who rostered Harbaugh from 1994-97 after signing him in the early days of free agency, are also in need of coaching stability.
Both Denver and Indianapolis are retaining their current GMs — George Paton, Chris Ballard — so it would be interesting to see how Harbaugh would fit with an inherited GM. Clashes with Trent Baalke helped lead Harbaugh out of San Francisco. Denver’s next head coach, however, will report directly to Penner. Harbaugh only coached the 49ers for six years, but his .695 NFL win percentage is sixth in NFL history.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/23
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: OL Alec Anderson, WR Cole Beasley
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed from practice squad: CB Allan George
- Promoted: QB Jake Browning
Tennessee Titans
- Signed off Browns’ practice squad: S Mike Brown
- Placed on IR: S Andrew Adams
Dolphins Preparing To Use Teddy Bridgewater, Skylar Thompson In Week 18
The Dolphins have plummeted from 8-3 to 8-8 and are again navigating a Tua Tagovailoa concussion. The team still has a manageable path to the playoffs — a win over the Jets and a Patriots loss to the Bills — but it will probably have to complete part one of that scenario without its starting quarterback.
Mike McDaniel said Monday he is not thinking about Tagovailoa, who remains in concussion protocol, suiting up for Week 18 at this point. The concussion Tua suffered against the Packers was either his second or third of the season, and the first-year HC said he is preparing for either Teddy Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson to start against the Jets.
“I feel compelled every conversation to reiterate, ‘There is no such thing as a timeline. It’s about today.’ … If he’s thinking about going there, I snuff that out,” McDaniel said of Tagovailoa’s timetable (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson). “I have no idea about any sort of when, if, why or how.”
[RELATED: Dolphins Cleared In Concussion Protocol Review]
A report Sunday indicated Tagovailoa is targeting a potential Dolphins wild-card game for a return. Tua missed two full games because of his Week 4 concussion, and while a first-round return would mirror that timeline, McDaniel reiterated he has not discussed a return window with his starter because he believes such conversations make “his recovery worse as a human being.” The rookie Dolphins HC did say Tagoavailoa told him he felt good Monday.
For the second time this season, Bridgewater left a start due to injury. Bridgewater started against the Jets but left with concussion-like symptoms. Against the Patriots on Sunday, the ninth-year quarterback exited because of a dislocated pinkie finger on his throwing hand. The Dolphins need both Bridgewater and Thompson to be available against the Jets, McDaniel said, adding the team will explore adding another quarterback this week. Miami does not have a QB on its practice squad.
Miami used the Bridgewater-Thompson setup in Week 5 — a 40-17 Jets romp — and considering Tagovailoa’s status, it sounds like it will be necessary for this matchup. The QBs combined to go 24-for-40 for 265 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in Foxborough. McDaniel said he would like to have his starter known Wednesday. Adding to the Dolphins’ QB predicament: neither Bridgewater nor Thompson has finished a start this season. Bridgewater, who suffered two concussions last season, has not made it through a start since Week 14 of last season. FiveThirtyEight gives the Dolphins a 42% chance to make the playoffs.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/2/23
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DE Taco Charlton
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: S Nate Meadors
Panthers Place CB Jaycee Horn On IR
JANUARY 2: The Panthers have placed Horn on IR, per a team announcement. That comes as little surprise, considering Carolina has now been eliminated from postseason contention. Horn’s season is over, but his performance when available this year will lead to significant expectations in 2023.
DECEMBER 25: The Panthers came into this week knowing they needed to win every remaining game to make the playoffs and took a huge first step by beating the surging Lions handedly. With two games remaining, if they can go on the road twice and beat the division-leading Buccaneers and the Saints, they can punch their ticket to the postseason. Unfortunately, that job just got one degree harder as they will be going into those two games without starting cornerback Jaycee Horn. 
Horn left Saturday’s win over the Lions late in the game with a broken wrist, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. This late in the year, the injury is likely one that will end Horn’s sophomore season, his second straight season with an early exit.
Last year’s top-10 draft pick for the Panthers’ rookie season ended after he had only started three games. A fractured foot landed Horn on injured reserve and he would sit out the remainder of the season, forcing Carolina to push for acquisitions such as C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore has since moved on to Indianapolis, but Henderson has been performing as Carolina’s de facto third corner, starting in Weeks 6 and 7 when Horn was dealing with a rib injury and in Week 9 when starting cornerback Donte Jackson missed a contest then taking over the starting job for Jackson when he was placed on IR.
Horn’s comeback season had been going really well. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Horn graded out as the league’s 23rd-best cornerback and a top-ten cornerback in the NFC. While he could stand to improve on his tackling a bit in run defense, Horn has been outstanding in coverage this season recording three interceptions and seven passes defensed while not allowing a single touchdown.
Now, without Jackson and Horn out for the remainder of the season, the Panthers will likely have to start second-year cornerback Keith Taylor opposite Henderson. Taylor has factored heavily into the Panthers rotation of defensive backs several times this season, splitting time with Henderson during his earlier time as a substitute for Jackson and Horn. Carolina doesn’t have much else to work with, unfortunately. If they place Horn on IR, he’ll join Jackson and Stantley Thomas-Oliver III. Recently claimed special-teamer Justin Layne was designated as did not report, leaving veteran cornerback T.J. Carrie as the Panthers’ only healthy backup on the active roster.
The Panthers do have two cornerbacks on the practice squad: Madre Harper and Gavin Heslop. Both are second-year players with Harper coming out of Southern Illinois and Heslop hailing from Stony Brook.
Colts To Start Sam Ehlinger In Week 18
The 2022 season will come to an end for the Colts on Sunday, but not before yet another change at the quarterback position. Interim head coach Jeff Saturday announced on Monday that Sam Ehlinger will be under center for Indianapolis’ Week 18 contest against the Texans. 
Veteran Nick Foles had been moved to the top of the depth chart two weeks ago as part of the team’s plans to shut down Matt Ryan. That gave the former Eagle, Jaguar and Bear another chance to take the reins of an offense – albeit one, in this case, which has woefully underperformed relative to preseason expectations. Foles threw three interceptions in a 20-3 loss to the Chargers in his first start in one year.
Things were not faring much better during yesterday’s loss to the Giants before the 33-year-old suffered a rib injury. It forced him to exit the game, and he did not return. Saturday confirmed that he will not be available to suit up this Sunday, meaning that Ryan will once again dress, but as the backup. The Colts’ intentions of preventing an injury to the former MVP (and the associated 2023 salary cap issues that would incur) were behind that latest decision.
As a result, Ehlinger will be back atop the depth chart. The 2021 sixth-rounder took over for Ryan in Week 8, and remained as the No. 1 for the following game. He totaled 304 scoreless yards during that span, while throwing an interception and taking 11 sacks. The Texas product performed better in relief of Foles yesterday, including his first career touchdown pass, but a significant follow-up would be required this week to cast any doubt on the sense that the Colts will once again be heavily involved in the offseason quarterback market.
This latest switch adds even further to the fluidity Indianapolis has dealt with throughout the 2022 campaign. As Zak Keefer of The Athletic illustrates (on Twitter), the Colts have had seven different QB depth charts this year, with all three passers occupying each spot at least once. In Ehlinger’s case, he has been a starter, backup and third-stringer on multiple occasions over the course of the season. Week 18 will offer him one final chance to audition for playing time in 2023 and help inform the team’s offseason QB plans.
Falcons WR Cameron Batson Facing Five Criminal Charges
2:36pm: The Falcons announced on Monday that Batson has been released from the practice squad. He is now a free agent, though a new NFL deal is certainly unlikely given his current situation.
9:58am: Falcons practice squad wideout Cameron Batson was involved in an altercation with police following a traffic stop over the weekend. He is now facing a total of five criminal charges stemming from the incident.
Batson was pulled over early Saturday morning in Atlanta for speeding, and the officer on scene attempted to take him into custody after determining he was intoxicated. Batson “resisted and violently fought with the officer,” as noted in the official police statement. The altercation between the two resulted in the officer firing his gun (without hitting anyone), and Batson fleeing the scene on foot. After his eventual arrest, both he and the officer were hospitalized.
As detailed by ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, Batson has since been officially booked and is now facing five criminal charges. Those charges are: assault, battery, aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer when engaged on official duty, removal of weapon from public official and driving-fleeing to elude a police officer. Rothstein notes that the 27-year-old could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
“We have been made aware of an overnight incident involving Cameron Batson and are currently gathering information from law enforcement agencies,” the Falcons said in a statement following his arrest on Saturday. “We take this matter seriously and have no further comment at this time.”
A former UDFA, Batson began his NFL career in 2018 with the Titans. He made a total of 27 appearances in Tennessee (including three starts) across three seasons, posting 22 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns. He also totalled 311 yards as a kick returner during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The Texas Tech alum was among the Falcons’ final roster cuts at the start of the season, but he has remained on their practice squad throughout the year. Batson has yet to see any time on Atlanta’s active roster.
Alabama’s Bryce Young, Will Anderson Jr., Jahmyr Gibbs Declare For Draft
In a move which comes as no surprise, three of Alabama’s top players from this season are set to turn pro. In a joint announcement made on Monday, quarterback Bryce Young, pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. and running back Jahmyr Gibbs confirmed that they are declaring for the upcoming NFL draft. 
Young made seven appearances as a freshman in 2020, but took over as the team’s starter the following year. That campaign saw him re-write the school’s record books and establish himself as a serious candidate to be the top quarterback in the 2023 class. Young threw for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns as a sophomore; both figures rank first in single-season program history.
That made him an unsurprising Heisman winner, and led to the expectation that a repeat performance could be on tap in 2022. Young took a step back this season, but still totaled over 3,000 passing yards for the second straight year – another unprecedented feat for an Alabama passer – while playing three fewer games. A weakened offensive line and skill-position corps have generally not been held against him, putting Young squarely in contention to be this year’s No. 1 pick.
That could especially hold true if the Texans wind up with the top draft slot for this spring. They are widely believed to be in need of a short- and long-term move at quarterback, and Young’s demonstrated ability as a pocket passer (albeit one who, at 6-0, 197 pounds, faces size concerns) could address that need. Young has a realistic chance of becoming the first member of the Crimson Tide to be selected first overall since 1948.
Anderson is likewise expected to face a very short wait on draft night before hearing his name called. He flashed plenty of potential as a freshman with seven sacks, and took a massive step forward in 2021. The 6-4, 235-pounder led the country in sacks (17.5) en route to a number of individual accolades including SEC Defensive Player of the Year and being named a consensus All-American.
Anderson repeated both of those feats in 2022, a season in which he racked up another 10 sacks. His decorated resume led to sky-high expectations for this past campaign, and his inability to fully live up to them contributed to midseason speculation that he would be overtaken by Young or another defender (likely Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter) as the No. 1 overall prospect. Regardless of where he lands in the NFL, Anderson is likely to make an immediate impact off the edge.
Gibbs transferred to Alabama from Georgia Tech last offseason, and enjoyed a career year after the move. He posted 926 rushing yards (at a clip of 6.1 per carry) and seven touchdowns, adding 444 yards and another three scores in the passing game. That dual-threat ability has him in first-round consideration alongside Texas tailback Bijan Robinson.
Young and Gibbs took part in Alabama’s Sugar Bowl win over Kansas State, a notable distinction from a number of other high-profile college players who declare early for the draft. They, alongside Anderson, are primed to become the latest Crimson Tide products who feature predominantly in the spring on their way to the NFL.
Titans Name Joshua Dobbs Week 18 Starter
Entering this week’s winner-take-all game to decide the AFC South, it had been an open question with respect to who the Titans would start at quarterback. Head coach Mike Vrabel put the issue to rest on Monday, naming Joshua Dobbs the team’s Week 18 starter. 
The move comes as little surprise given the fact that the veteran got the nod for Tennessee’s Thursday night loss to the Cowboys. That decision, in turn, came just over one week after the veteran was signed off the Lions’ practice squad to give the team another healthy option under center.
Dobbs completed 20-of-39 passes last week, totaling 232 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The loss against Dallas carried zero playoff implications for the Titans, so they rested a number of key players to protect against injury in advance of their crucial matchup with the Jaguars. One starter who was sidelined out of necessity, of course, was starting signal-caller Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill suffered an ankle injury in Week 15, and his availability for the remainder of the season remains very much in doubt. While the Pro Bowler has not been shut down this season, he is not expected to see the field again until next year. That pointed to rookie backup Malik Willis taking over for last week’s game as a means of gaining much-needed experience, but Dobbs was Vrabel’s preferred choice.
Today’s announcement confirms that Vrabel trusts Dobbs more at this point in his career than the third-rounder for a must-win contest, despite the lack of familiarity the former has within the team’s offense. In three starts this year, including Week 16, Willis has attempted only 49 passes and totaled 234 yards. He has added 95 yards on the ground over that span, at times demonstrating the dual-threat ability which made him one of the top options in the 2021 QB draft class.
Willis will once again remain on the sidelines for on Saturday, however, with the Titans’ playoff hopes resting on their ability to halt a six-game losing streak. There is a scenario in which the Jaguars could make the playoffs as a Wild Card team, but for Tennessee the only path to the playoffs is a division title which seemed all-but certain until recently. Their ability to win the AFC South will be decided in no small part by Dobbs’ ability to further acclimate himself to his newest team in the coming days.
Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks Suffers Torn ACL
11:57am: Brooks has suffered a torn ACL, head coach Pete Carroll said on Monday. The news confirms the team’s worst fears, and means he will be unavailable for the remainder of the season, regardless of how deep (if at all) Seattle goes into the postseason. Brooks will now focus on the rehab process as he looks to the 2023 campaign.
8:59am: The Seahawks kept their playoff hopes alive yesterday, but their defense is likely to be shorthanded for next week’s regular season finale. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks exited Seattle’s win over the Jets with a knee injury which has the team fearing the worst. 
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Brooks is believed to be dealing with a “significant” injury, and that the initial outlook on his condition is “not good at all” (Twitter link). Further testing is required at this point before a firm diagnosis can be confirmed, but any absence would represent a crucial blow to Seattle’s defense given the former first-rounder’s production.
Brooks suffered the injury midway through the second quarter of Sunday’s contest, and was carted off the field and quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. That left the Seahawks without their defensive signal-caller and leading tackler. Brooks had already made four stops prior to suffering the injury, giving him 161 on the season, his second straight as a full-time starter in the middle of Seattle’s defense.
The Texas Tech alum set a franchise record with 183 tackles in 2021, and put up similar numbers prior to the injury. Brooks currently sits third in the league in that department, having added one sack and five pass deflections. His struggles in pass coverage have led to a third straight underwhelming year in terms of PFF grade on the other hand, something which comes as little surprise given his skillset coming out of college.
Cody Barton took over for Brooks in the middle of the second level after the latter’s injury, with Tanner Muse playing the weak side. That combination helped the Seahawks hold the Jets to just six points on Sunday, and they will both likely need to play starter’s snaps once again in Week 18 if Brooks’ injury does indeed turn out to be significant. Seattle needs a win against the Rams and help from the Lions to clinch the NFC’s final postseason berth, though their prospects in the playoffs would be hindered significantly if Brooks were unable to play.