HEADLINES

Year: 2023

Justin Fields To Play In Week 11; Bears To Activate RB Khalil Herbert From IR

November 18th, 2023 at 1:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 18: The Bears made it official today, activating Herbert for the team’s Week 11 matchup in Detroit. It remains to be seen what Herbert’s role will be after he seemed to be firmly establishing himself as the lead back in the two games before his absence. Foreman has had a few decent performances since then while rookie Roschon Johnson has remained a change of pace back and Travis Homer has remained a special teamer.

The activation is the team’s eighth off of injured reserve this year, which is the limit for a season. If any other players are placed on IR, they will be forced to remain there for the rest of the year.

In addition to Herbert’s activation, the Bears announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow. They have selected linebacker Micah Baskerville and outside linebacker DeMarquis Gates to dress up against the Lions.

NOVEMBER 17: The Bears’ offense will see two significant reinforcements in time for Week 11. As expected, quarterback Justin Fields will suit up on Sunday as he was taken off the injury report. Running back Khalil Herbert, meanwhile, will be activated off IR, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes.

Fields has missed the past four games due to a thumb injury, but it was learned earlier this week that Chicago intended to bring the former first-rounder back into the fold. With that now confirmed, Fields can embark on a late-season stretch in which plenty of his post-2023 future will be determined. Recent indications have suggested Fields will need to convince the Bears’ brass – which was not in place when he was drafted – of his worth to avoid having the team draft a new signal-caller in April.

2023 has seen the 24-year-old continue to put up inconsistent numbers, and the thumb injury has added to his missed time. Fields is under contract through at least 2024, though the Bears could add one year to his rookie pact by exercising his fifth-year option this spring. Doing so would represent a sign of confidence in his progression, but the team is slated to have two high first-rounders in April’s draft. That would provide an opportunity to acquire a Fields successor and move on from the Ohio State alum. His play down the stretch will thus be worth watching closely.

Herbert was one of three players the Bears designated for return last week. The others – wideout Equanimeous St. Brown and cornerback Josh Blackwell – were activated, but Herbert was not. The latter will notably represent the eighth and final IR activation used by Chicago this season. While their aggressiveness with using injured reserve as a means of stashing injured players has carried risk, Herbert’s return will be welcomed on the Bears’ offense.

The unit has struggled in a number of categories, although running production has not been one of them. The Bears rank fifth in the NFL with an average of 135 yards per game on the ground, and Herbert sits second on the team with 272 on the year. Free agent addition D’Onta Foreman has taken the lead in that department while logging a heavy workload in Herbert’s absence. It will be interesting to see how the RB snaps are divided with the team’s backfield returning to health.

The 3-7 Bears will aim to ride the return of Fields and Herbert to an uptick in offensive efficiency late in the year. With plenty at stake for the former (along with several members of the coaching staff and/or front office, in the view of many), Chicago will be a team to monitor in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Jaguars Place WR Jamal Agnew On IR, Activate WR Parker Washington

November 18th, 2023 at 12:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars will be without their return man for an extended stretch. A returner and backup wide receiver, Jamal Agnew is moving to IR. This will sideline the veteran weapon for at least four games.

To replace Agnew on their active roster, the Jaguars activated wide receiver Parker Washington on Saturday. A sixth-round rookie out of Penn State, the 21-year-old backup has played in one game this season. Washington worked as a punt returner in that lone outing; the Jags drafted the 5-foot-10 wideout 185th overall this year.

Rib and shoulder injuries will send Agnew to IR; he will not be eligible to return until Week 15. Having made the rare conversion from defensive back to wide receiver after entering the NFL, Agnew has been with the Jaguars since 2021. The former Lions cornerback has operated as the Jags’ return man since signing with the team in 2021. While Agnew landed on IR to cut short his 2021 season, he has been a key part of Jacksonville’s special teams since arriving. An All-Pro in Detroit back in his 2017 rookie year, the former fifth-round pick earned a Pro Bowl nod last season.

Agnew, 28, has worked as both the Jags’ kick returner and their punt-return specialist. While all four of Agnew’s punt-return scores came during his four-year run in Detroit, he added a kick-return TD with Jacksonville in 2021. After scoring three receiving TDs last year, Agnew has nine receptions for 90 yards this year. Although an Agnew fumble wounded the Jaguars’ comeback effort in last year’s divisional round, he has been a key performer for the AFC South team.

This is the final season of Agnew’s three-year, $14.25MM deal. Barring this being a season-ending injury, the seventh-year veteran should be expected to re-emerge as a factor for the division-leading team down the stretch. Washington’s activation leaves the Jags with five such transactions remaining.

Latest On Giants, Saquon Barkley

November 18th, 2023 at 12:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

After venturing to the divisional round last season, the Giants franchise-tagged Saquon Barkley while authorizing big-ticket contracts for Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas. With designs on keeping Barkley for another playoff run, the Giants have instead seen injuries drive a major step back this season. As a result, Barkley faces some difficult circumstances over this season’s second half.

The Giants are again turning to rookie UDFA Tommy DeVito at quarterback. While Tyrod Taylor is expected to return at some point from his rib injury — though, it will be interesting to see how the Giants navigate that matter if they move closer to a top 2024 draft pick — Barkley is now tasked with operating as a workhorse back for a 2-8 team.

Barkley has rebounded from the high ankle sprain he suffered earlier this season, but he has also admitted the injury is still an issue. The ankle malady could be an excuse for Barkley to help conserve his body for free agency — or for a 2024 season on a second franchise tag — by taking time off and limiting his touches, but the sixth-year back said (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) he has not considered shutting himself down to rest.

At just about any other position, playing out the string for a bad team would not introduce the consequences Barkley is potentially facing. The Giants placed Darren Waller on IR and, despite midlevel efforts to staff their wide receiver posts this offseason, do not have much of note there, either. DeVito’s presence also stands to restrict New York’s pass catchers, casting Barkley as the team’s lone reliable weapon in a lost season. This could certainly work against the two-time Pro Bowler when he becomes eligible to discuss a contract again.

The Giants also do not have much in the way of complementary RBs. As a result, they have given Barkley three 20-plus-carry games — despite the former No. 2 overall pick missing three contests — this season. Higher mileage will factor into Barkley’s 2024 contract talks, and he took a grimmer stance about his future compared to his recent assessments of his situation.

“Loyalty means nothing,” Barkley said, via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. “Loyalty, that doesn’t mean anything. No matter how loyal, no matter how committed you are, it’s a business at the end of the day. That’s something that I’ve learned. For me, the way I try to handle that, I try not to focus on that. I try my best not to think about it.”

Earlier this season, Barkley both said he did not want to be traded and that he still wanted to finish his career with the Giants. The New Jersey native said this despite occasionally contentious extension talks that did not produce a deal. The July 17 finish line for Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard became a tipping point for the RB market this offseason, leading to a state-of-the-union-type Zoom call among veteran backs. Barkley reported to the Giants soon after that call, while Jacobs took his time coming back to the Raiders. But the former Offensive Rookie of the Year faces a cloudy post-2023 outlook with the team.

As it stands now, Barkley’s 1,093 career carries are 13th among active backs. That number figures to balloon past 1,200 by season’s end. Barkley (568 rushing yards) is averaging 81.1 yards per game, a figure in line with both his Pro Bowl slates. With teams having shown hesitancy to pay veteran backs this year, Barkley’s market could take a hit even if he continues to produce this season. His injuries in 2019, 2020, 2021 and this season will also work against him. The prospect of sustaining another injury while playing in ultimately meaningless games looms as well.

“It’s really crazy when you break it down like that,” Barkley said, via Dunleavy, of his 2023 workload being used against him in contract talks. “Just the way the business is when you’re a premier back in this league — not to talk about myself — they feed you the ball because it helps you and gives you an opportunity to win games more times than not. When it comes to contract or a certain time, you’re a running back, you’re having so much miles on you. It’s a crazy thought process.”

The Giants are still interested in keeping Barkley beyond this season, leading to the team hanging onto him at the trade deadline. But this upcoming stretch with DeVito could be dicey for the top Giants weapon’s long-term future.

Eagles Expect Dallas Goedert To Avoid IR

November 18th, 2023 at 11:28am CST by Sam Robinson

Seeing a shoulder injury produce an IR stint last season, Dallas Goedert became one of several Eagles starters to sustain a short-term malady that required him to be moved off the 53-man roster for at least four games. While Goedert underwent surgery to repair a fractured forearm, he remains on the Eagles’ active roster a week later.

Placing the veteran tight end on IR nearly two weeks after arm surgery would be unusual, but it would not result in any additional missed games. Since the Eagles’ bye came in Week 10, the team still has the option of placing Goedert on IR and seeing him eligible to return by Week 15. Nick Sirianni, however, said (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane) he expects the sixth-year vet to remain on the active roster during his rehab effort.

Goedert’s surgery took place Nov. 6. A one-month timetable surfaced initially, and with the injury occurring just before Philadelphia’s bye, the team is planning a week-to-week strategy. Goedert remaining on the 53-man roster (and then being scratched on gamedays) will give the Eagles the chance to see if the former second-round pick can return earlier than expected. Parking him on IR would also mandate missed time during a key schedule sector.

Goedert will not play against the Chiefs on Monday night, and a return against the Bills in Week 12 appears unlikely as well. But the Eagles holding off on an IR move should put a return over the ensuing two weeks — against the 49ers and then the Cowboys rematch — in play. Given the strength of the Eagles’ schedule in this span, it is understandable they want to keep all options open with Goedert.

Trading Zach Ertz in 2021, the Eagles committed to Goedert — via a four-year, $57MM extension — soon after. He has since solidified himself as one of the league’s best all-around tight ends. This season, Goedert has dominated Philly TE production. Jack Stoll is the only other tight end to have caught a pass for the team this season; the former UDFA has two catches. The Eagles also have August trade acquisition Albert Okwuegbunam rostered, though the ex-Bronco has only played in one game this season. Grant Calcaterra, a 2022 sixth-rounder, practiced fully after missing Week 9 with a concussion. Goedert’s absence may point to the Eagles leaning more on their wide receivers, with Julio Jones now joining Olamide Zaccheaus as auxiliary Jalen Hurts weaponry with Quez Watkins still on IR.

The Eagles are attempting to match the Seahawks (2013-14) and Packers (2020-21) as recent NFC teams to repeat in securing home-field advantage. The No. 1 seed is more critical under the NFL’s current playoff format, which has forced No. 2-seeded teams to play in the first round since the 2020 postseason expansion. At 8-1, the Eagles sit a game ahead of the Lions in this race. Although the Eagles must navigate a difficult upcoming stretch, they still have two Giants games and a Cardinals matchup remaining. Tankathon lists the Lions as having the 26th-most difficult schedule remaining; Philly’s ranks 24th.

Titans’ Ryan Tannehill Not Seeking Release

November 17th, 2023 at 10:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Speculation (and at least one false report) has emerged recently indicating Ryan Tannehill intends to depart the Titans to pursue a starting role elsewhere in 2023. The veteran quarterback made it clear on Friday that is not the case.

Tannehill, who entered the season with questions about his future in Tennessee given his age and contract status, has seen his run as a starter come to an end. Despite returning to health from an ankle injury, the 35-year-old has been demoted to backup behind rookie Will Levis. The latter has started each of the past three games, and he will remain the No. 1 moving forward.

That appeared to make Tannehill a trade chip ahead of the deadline, though the Titans would have needed to retain a portion of his remaining 2023 salary ($27MM) for a swap to be feasible. With the trade deadline having come and gone, a release would now be necessary for him to find a new team – either by being claimed off waivers or clearing and signing with an interested suitor as a free agent. When speaking to the media, Tannehill confirmed that is not in the cards.

“I was kind of caught off guard by those reports as well,” the former Comeback Player of the Year said, via Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky (video link). “Obviously, I have a desire to play, but I just don’t know what that looks like at this point.” 

Tannehill added no discussions have taken place with head coach Mike Vrabel on the topic of releasing him before the end of the campaign. While a number of teams in contention for a postseason berth could certainly use a veteran signal-caller, Tannehill will be a valued member of a QBs room which features Levis and Malik Willis, who has 66 pass attempts to his name. Unless Levis loses his grip on the starter’s role, though, Tannehill is in line for an interesting free agent period.

The latter will see his four-year, $118MM deal expire in March, setting him up for a departure from Nashville. As things currently stand, though, he is content for that to mark the point at which he entertains offers on a contract allowing him to reclaim a starting gig.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/17/23

November 17th, 2023 at 10:12pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s only minor moves:

Seattle Seahawks

Free Agent

The Seahawks signed Peters to their practice squad early on in the year after seeing starting right tackle Abraham Lucas head to injured reserve. The team opted to start Stone Forsythe in Lucas’ place, but eventually, Forsythe started dealing with some issues of his own, missing parts of the Seahawks’ last three games. Peters had been a standard gameday elevation for the last three weeks. In order for him to be called into game action any more this year, a move to the active roster was necessary. The post by Peters’ representation claims that he’ll be on the active roster for the remainder of the season, but there’s still a chance that after this week, Seattle could waive Peters and re-signed him to a new practice squad deal that would allow him to be called up three more times. With all players hitting the waiver wire after the trade deadline, though, they would have to count on no other teams making a claim on him for him to return.

Munyer announced his retirement in an Instagram post this evening. Having most recently played for the Titans, the former undrafted free agent out of Colorado started one game in his career (for the Cardinals) while making an appearance in 21 total contests over his time in Tennesse, Arizona, and Kansas City. A reason for his departure from the league was not proffered, as he solely stated in the caption of the photo that he is “on to the next chapter.” From all of us here at Pro Football Rumors, good luck to Munyer on all his future endeavors.

49ers Work Out CB Jason Verrett

November 17th, 2023 at 8:28pm CST by Ely Allen

After 32-year-old cornerback Jason Verrett parted ways with DeMeco Ryans, who served as his defensive coordinator in San Francisco and his head coach in Houston, Verrett looked to return to his home of the past four years. The 49ers hosted Verrett for a workout this week, and according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN, the team is hoping to add the veteran to their practice squad.

Verrett, a former first-round pick for the Chargers back in 2014, has had a career defined by injury. Currently in his tenth season of NFL play, Verrett has never appeared in every game of a season. In fact, he’s only appeared in at least half of a team’s games in any given year twice. Not counting the time he’s spent on the Texans’ practice squad this season, Verrett has only made an appearance in 40 of a possible 146 career games.

In his rookie year, it was a shoulder injury as he would require surgery for three labrum tears and a tear to his rotator cuff, missing 10 contests due to the injuries. In a Pro Bowl sophomore campaign, Verrett missed one game with a foot injury before sitting out of the team’s season finale. In 2016, Verrett started the first four games of the season but is believed to have played through a partially torn ACL for the latter half of that time before being placed on season-ending injured reserve. After a Week 1 start in 2017, continued knee soreness forced Verrett towards another surgery that would hold him out for the remainder of that season. His 2018 season was over before it began after Verrett suffered a torn Achilles tendon on the first day of training camp.

In 2019, San Francisco took a flier on Verrett. Unfortunately, they would only get 14 snaps out of the defensive back before he was placed on season-ending IR with an ankle injury. 2020 finally saw a return to play for Verrett. He started 13 games for the 49ers, broke up seven passes, and intercepted two. His lucky streak would end there, unfortunately, as Verrett would tear his ACL once again in a Week 1 start of the 2021 season. He spent the first two months of the 2022 season on the physically unable to perform list as he continued to recover, but about two weeks after his activation, Verrett would once again tear his Achilles tendon, ending his season early for an appalling seventh time and marking the second season in his career in which he would fail to make a regular season appearance due to injury.

According to David Bonilla of 49ers Web Zone, head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted to keeping track of the updates to Verrett’s recovery from the Achilles injury during his time in Houston. “I heard they were good in Houston,” Shanahan said about the reports on his former player’s injury. “And they’ve been, when we worked him out, everyone said it was good…so it’s amazing that he’s even back and able to do that stuff. So, if we got a chance, we’d love to get him in here.”

It sounds like the team is optimistic about where Verrett’s health is at during this stretch of his career, but there may be a bit of homework left to do. Shanahan told reporters that while they “don’t have him signed yet,” they’ll “work through that over this weekend and see how it ends up for next week.”

Regardless of his injury history, Verrett’s perseverance made him a locker room favorite among 49ers players. His impression on the team over the years was so strong that there were reportedly seven or so of his former teammates watching and supporting him during his tryout. If he gets to rejoin them in the locker room, it sounds like we’ll find out about it sometime after the weekend.

Joining Verrett in a team tryout today was free agent quarterback Chris Streveler, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Streveler, who started a game for the Jets last season, also has in-game experience with the Cardinals. New York waived the 28-year-old during the preseason this year.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/17/23

November 17th, 2023 at 7:21pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s only practice squad transactions:

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Kramer returns to Chicago after spending a little over a week in Arizona. The Cardinals had claimed Kramer after he was waived in order to make room for left tackle Braxton Jones on the Bears’ active roster. Arizona waived Kramer on Wednesday, and after clearing waivers, Kramer has found his way back to Chicago.

Farniok should find his way onto someone’s roster. The third-year interior lineman started two games for the Cowboys last year and appeared in 19 games over his first two seasons.

Browns To Work Out Joe Flacco

November 17th, 2023 at 4:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:04pm: Flacco’s visit will not produce an agreement at least at this time, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. As he notes, the update may be a simple matter of the veteran not being able to suit up for Week 11 so soon after the workout and thus not being needed on the roster. In any case, both team and player will assess where they stand at this point with the potential to work out a deal down the road.

8:42am: Browns GM Andrew Berry indicated the Browns’ QB plan will hinge on Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker, but the team will add a third passer in the wake of Deshaun Watson‘s upcoming surgery. A workout will determine how Cleveland proceeds.

Joe Flacco will audition for the team today, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. While a multi-QB workout has been rumored, ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter notes Flacco is the only passer the Browns are bringing in today. The former Super Bowl-winning Ravens QB expressed interest in playing this season, and he later reached out to the Jets following Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear. Nothing came of that, and Flacco has remained in free agency since his latest Jets contract expired in March.

Now 38, Flacco is far removed from his prime. He spent time at all three positions on the Jets’ QB depth chart last season. The two-stint Jet began last season as a starter, however, due to a Zach Wilson injury. The Jets later pivoted to Mike White as their starter upon benching Wilson, though Flacco factored into the AFC East team’s past three QB plans.

The Browns are likely looking to add a practice squad QB, Rapoport notes. Options are obviously limited, especially with the Rams signing Carson Wentz last week. This addition is not certain to occur today, but cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot adds the Browns will have a third QB on their roster before their Week 12 game against the Broncos.

Cleveland will turn back to Thompson-Robinson this week, doing so after the fifth-round rookie’s previous start led to a quick demotion. Walker has completed only 49% of his passes this season, and with the Browns showing enough confidence in Thompson-Robinson they traded Josh Dobbs to the Cardinals in August, they will see how the UCLA product fares after a full week of practice reps.

The Ravens traded Flacco to the Broncos in 2019, doing so after moving to Lamar Jackson on a full-time basis. Following that Denver one-off, the former Super Bowl MVP has been with the Eagles and Jets during the 2020s. Not seeing any game action with Philly, Flacco received nine Jets starts from 2020-22. He went 1-8 in those outings; the win came in Cleveland. Flacco directed a come-from-behind victory in Week 2 of last season, carving up a then-suspect Browns defense during a 307-yard, four-touchdown passing day. The 15-year veteran did not sustain that form, with the Jets giving White and then Chris Streveler work later in 2022.

It appears the Browns are only planning to turn to other QBs if they are unsatisfied with Flacco’s current form. Flacco signing with Cleveland would make him the NFL’s second-oldest active passer, behind only Rodgers. Flacco has made 160 career starts. While Berry had become the Browns’ GM by the time Flacco signed with the Eagles in 2021, assistant GM Catherine Raiche was in Philly during Flacco’s months-long stay. The Eagles traded Flacco back to the Jets in October 2021.

Ravens Not Expecting Mark Andrews To Return This Season

November 17th, 2023 at 2:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

2:48pm: An MRI has revealed a cracked fibula in addition to the ankle ligament damage, Rapoport tweets. With a slightly clearer picture, Andrews is still unlikely to play again in 2023, though further information will be gathered soon. Rapoport adds the Ravens will meet with Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte next week to devise a firm course of action. More will likely be known then regarding a recovery timeline.

8:21am: The early-game injury Mark Andrews sustained Thursday night is expected to result in the Pro Bowl tight end missing the rest of the season, according to John Harbaugh.

Andrews is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain and more damage, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video link). This will be new territory for the Ravens, who have relied on Andrews throughout the Lamar Jackson era. The former third-round pick has never previously missed more than two games in a season.

A hip-drop tackle from Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson left Andrews in pain after a first-quarter reception. The Ravens quickly ruled Andrews out during a game that featured high-profile injuries. The extent of Joe Burrow‘s wrist injury is not fully known, while Jackson returned to action after a Wilson tackle led him into the medical tent. Despite the Ravens pulling away against a Jake Browning-dependent Bengals outfit, they came out of the Week 11 divisional matchup worse off.

Andrews is set for an MRI on Friday morning. This purely being a high ankle sprain would not stand to end Andrews’ season, but the potential ligament damage here resides as the chief concern. Andrews is not currently leading the Ravens in receiving yards, which marks a change from the norm. Zay Flowers exited Week 11 with 588, but Andrews (544, six TDs) has proven indispensable during Jackson’s tenure. As the team has struggled to identify steady receiving talent in recent years, Andrews morphing from a No. 86 overall pick into one of the NFL’s best tight ends has been pivotal for Jackson’s growth as a passer.

The Ravens have Isaiah Likely and fellow 2022 fourth-rounder Charlie Kolar as Andrews backups. Andrews, 28, is attached to a four-year, $56MM extension he signed during his dominant 2021 season. That deal runs through 2025. Flashing immediate potential, Likely finished with 36 receptions for 373 receiving yards and three touchdowns as a rookie. The Coastal Carolina alum is poised to step in as the Ravens’ lead receiving tight end moving forward.

Choosing Andrews two rounds after picking Hayden Hurst in 2018, the Ravens quickly determined the Oklahoma product had considerable potential. The Ravens later traded Hurst to the Falcons, but Andrews had already taken off as the team’s top option by that point. Breaking through with a 10-touchdown campaign during Jackson’s superstar turn in 2019, Andrews has three Pro Bowls on his resume. He led all tight ends with 1,361 yards in 2021, doing so despite Jackson missing a chunk of that season.

Andrews has not always led the Ravens in receiving yardage during his career, with Marquise Brown doing so twice, but there has not been any doubt as to the team’s most important pass catcher. The Ravens have chosen three first-round wideouts since drafting Andrews while throwing free agency resources at the position. Jackson has shown a steady rapport with Andrews, with the standout QB’s immediate dejection upon seeing the sixth-year tight end go down an ominous sign of the ensuing fallout. Baltimore’s wide receivers will now become a bigger part of the division-leading team’s equation.

The Ravens have assembled a deeper receiving corps compared to recent years, signing both Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor and then using their first-round pick on Flowers. The Boston College product appears to be a hit, and the team still has 2021 first-rounder Rashod Bateman available. Bateman has battled injuries throughout his career and was on the shelf with a season-ending foot injury at this time last year. All four of Baltimore’s top wideouts are healthy at this point; that will be critical in the Ravens’ quest to win their first division title since 2019.

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