2023 - Pro Football Rumors

Year: 2023

Injury Updates: Lions, Garoppolo, Giants

October 22nd, 2023 at 9:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions suffered a lopsided defeat against the Ravens on Sunday, but plenty of attention after the game was paid to rookie running back Mohamed Ibrahim after he exited the contest as a result of an awkward collision.

The 25-year-old Baltimore native was injured on a kick return – his first touch of the ball in his NFL career. He was placed on a stretcher before being carted off the field. Ibrahim immediately underwent surgery to repair his dislocated hip and he will remain in hospital overnight, as detailed by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Head coach Dan Campbell said Ibrahim is expected to be OK as a result of the procedure, but he obviously encountered an unfortunate situation and will now face an unwanted recovery process. The Minnesota alum’s absence could be acutely felt on the RB depth chart given the Lions are already without veteran David Montgomery for the time being.

Here are some other injury updates from around the league:

The Raiders used both veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O’Connell in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday in a game where the offense struggled en route to a loss to the Bears. The latter has already missed a pair of games in his debut season in Vegas, but a quick turnaround from his back ailment should be forthcoming. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Garoppolo is expected to be available for the Raiders’ next game, a Monday night tilt against the Lions in Week 8. The veteran hasn’t had the start to his tenure in Sin City that he would have wanted, so pressure will be on he and the team whenever he is cleared to return.
Still dealing with a number of injuries on offense, the Giants pulled off a win against the Commanders in Week 7, and a boost along the offensive line could be on the way. The team is eyeing a return for left tackle Andrew Thomas next week, Schefter reports. Such a development would mark an end to a six-game absence for the former first-round pick, something which has exacerbated injury and performance issues elsewhere along the O-line for the Giants. Thomas (who has been battling a hamstring issue) signed a five-year, $117.5MM extension in July, confirming his status as a franchise cornerstone for the foreseeable future, so his return will be welcomed.
Returning to injuries from today’s action, Packers tight end Luke Musgrave was in a walking boot as he left the locker room, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes. The second-round rookie was wearing it on his left foot, and testing on it will be worth watching in the coming days. Musgrave is one of many first- or second-year pass-catchers in place for Green Bay, a team which has struggled recently on offense. The Oregon State alum has personally carved out a role for himself, though, receiving 16 targets in the three games leading up to Week 7 and another five in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. Musgrave has totaled 189 scoreless yards to date in his debut season, and any absence would be felt amongst the other inexperienced options available at the TE spot.

Latest On Bears QB Justin Fields

October 22nd, 2023 at 8:27pm CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 22: Prior to the Bears’ Week 7 win, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports confirmed that IR is not a consideration in Fields’ case while noting that “multiple” missed weeks remains a distinct possibility. Of course, much will depend on the swelling in his right thumb and his ability to grip the ball in the coming days. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that the 24-year-old is “determined” to return as soon as possible, which means suiting up in Week 8 is still in play at this point.

Bagent impressed in the victory, completing 21 of 29 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown. He added 24 yards on the ground and avoided any turnovers, which should boost the team’s confidence in him should he be needed moving forward. To no surprise, though, Eberflus confirmed in his post-game remarks that Fields will remain the unquestioned starter upon his return.

OCTOBER 21: As expected, Justin Fields has been ruled out for tomorrow’s game against the Raiders. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like the Bears quarterback will miss much time. Per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, there’s optimism “about the quarterback’s prognosis beyond Week 7.”

Further, coach Matt Eberflus said the Bears are “not on that path” when asked if Fields will require surgery and/or a stint on injured reserve (per Adam Jahns of The Athletic). Swelling in the quarterback’s injured thumb has gone down this past week, but Eberflus did caution that Fields may eventually need to go under the knife after the season. The coach also indicated that the training staff is especially focused on Field’s “grip strength,” and it doesn’t sound like the QB is at the necessary level to play this weekend.

“He’s improving,” Eberflus said (via ESPN). “The mobility’s getting better, the swelling went down, the grip strength is better. It’s trending in the right direction. He’ll be week to week and we’ll know more Monday.”

Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent will earn the spot start on Sunday in place of Fields. The DII Shepherd product filled in for Fields last weekend against the Vikings, completing 10 of his 14 pass attempts for 83 yards and one interception. The rookie also had a pair of rushes for four yards and one touchdown. Bagent earned a number of accolades during his college career, including a pair of first-team DII All-American nods.

Fields has guided the Bears to a 1-5 record through six starts this season, perhaps leaving the door open to a QB competition if Bagent plays well. However, Eberflus quickly shut down that notion, declaring that Fields will return to the starting lineup when he’s healthy.

“Yeah, obviously Justin’s our starter and we’re working him back in there,” Eberflus said. “So we’ll see where it goes and as he progresses we’ll see where it is.”

Vikings LB Jordan Hicks Drawing Trade Interest

October 22nd, 2023 at 7:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings have been connected to plenty of trade talk centered on quarterback Kirk Cousins recently, but the team has a few defenders who could be attractive to interested teams. One of those is edge rusher Danielle Hunter, but another is inside linebacker Jordan Hicks.

The latter has drawn “outside interest,” per Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson. Hicks earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Vikings’ Week 6 win over the Bears, part of his strong performance so far this season. The 31-year-old has posted 53 tackles, one interception and a fumble return touchdown through six contests, proving his continued ability to fill the statsheet.

Hicks joined the Vikings on a two-year, $10MM pact last March after finding himself as a cap casualty of the Cardinals. He reworked his pact this past offseason to stay in Minnesota and move his 2023 salary to $3.25MM. An acquiring team would take on a prorated portion of that figure in any possible trade. Dealing him would create $3.5MM in cap space for the Vikings.

The former Eagles third-rounder has eclipsed 100 tackles in each of the past four seasons, and he has reached double-digits in that regard four times already this year. A resurgence in pass coverage relative to the past several campaigns has resulted in a standout 80.3 PFF grade, something which could add further to his value for contending teams. As Robinson notes, however, Hicks’ age, position and status as a rental would put a firm limit on the value the Vikings could receive in draft capital in a swap. As such, it would come as little surprise if they turned down offers.

The same may not be true for Hunter, who entered Week 7 with the league lead in sacks. Positional value would no doubt help Minnesota extract more draft assets in a trade involving Hunter, but Hicks’ play should have him firmly on the radar of teams in search of low-cost additions in the middle of their defense. Minnesota (2-4) has not committed to a seller’s stance in advance of the October 31 deadline despite their slow start and Justin Jefferson‘s absence, though, so it will be interesting to see how willing they could be to part ways with Hicks.

Browns’ Deshaun Watson Exits Week 7 Game With Shoulder Injury

October 22nd, 2023 at 6:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns won a shootout against the Colts in Week 7, the contest which marked Deshaun Watson‘s return to action. That did not last long for the Cleveland quarterback, however, as he exited the game early.

Watson took a hit in the first quarter which appeared to reaggravate his shoulder injury. That ailment led to a surprise deactivation in Week 4, and was later diagnosed as a micro tear in his right rotator cuff. The Browns adopted a week-to-week approach with their high-priced passer, understandably proceeding with caution given his importance to the team’s offense (especially with star running back Nick Chubb out for the season).

After a brief evaluation period, Watson was cleared to return to the game , head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed when speaking to reporters. It was out of an abundance of caution, he added, that he decided to keep Watson sidelined and turn to P.J. Walker under center to finish the game. The latter went just 15-of-32 for 178 scoreless yards and one interception, but a late drive helped lead the Browns to victory.

“I want to go out there and try to help the team as much as possible,” Watson said when asked about the move to keep him on the bench after his brief return to the lineup, via NFL.com’s Michael Baca. “Go out there and play and perform and compete. The decision was best for the team. They felt that was the best. P.J. did a great job of finishing the game.”

Watson added that more testing will take place on Monday, with the hope being that no new damage to his throwing shoulder will have been done. As of now, though, Stefanski is confident he will be able to return to QB1 duties in Week 8 against the Seahawks. If that doesn’t turn out to be the case, Cleveland will again have Walker and fifth-round rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson in place as options at the position.

Today’s game moved the Browns to 4-2 largely on the strength of their elite defense. Watson’s availability will go a long way in determining their potential on offense, though, so it will be interesting to see what is revealed in the coming days once more is known about his status. Given the team’s cautious approach, though, it should be expected at this point that he will be able to suit up in Week 8.

Latest On Kyler Murray’s Cardinals Return

October 22nd, 2023 at 4:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cardinals took a signficant step toward having Kyler Murray back in the lineup this past week by designating him for return. it may still be some time until the team’s franchise quarterback next sees the field, though.

By opening Murray’s practice window, the Cardinals started the three-week countdown for him to be activated from the PUP list. Failure to do so will prevent him from suiting up in 2023, but the team has expressed confidence he has made major progress from last season’s ACL tear from a physical standpoint in particular. An acclimation process within new OC Drew Petzing‘s scheme is, understandably, required.

Early or mid-November represents the expected return time for the former No. 1 pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Murray was quickly ruled out for today’s contest, but coming back at or past the end of his three-week practice window would have him line him to play either Nov. 5 or Nov. 12. For some time that has been the rough point in the schedule at which Murray’s expected return has realistically been placed at, and players are of course not required to play immediately upon being activated.

Given Murray’s contract status, his health situation through the second half of the season will be worth watching. The monster extension he signed last summer has him on the books through 2028, with plenty of rolling guarantees in place for much of the pact. That includes $29.9 million in 2025 compensation which will be come guaranteed in full if Murray is unable to pass a physical this coming March, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter details.

For that reason, some have speculated the Cardinals would elect to keep the 26-year-old sidelined for the entire campaign to ensure he will be healthy come the offseason. The team is confident in their commitment to him for the short- and long-term future, though, something head coach Jonathan Gannon has repeatedly commented on. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer confirms Arizona – a team sitting at 1-5 heading into Week 7 – is not eyeing a strategy which would include moving on from Murray and drafting a successor in April (video link).

Rapoport’s report notes how the Murray pact could be relatively easy for an acquiring team to absorb, although previous pieces on that question have pointed to apathy on the part of other clubs with respect to its tradability. So long as the Cardinals stay the course with their current plan, though, that will be a moot while all eyes turn to his ongoing rehab in anticipation of his 2023 debut.

Raiders Trying To Trade WR Hunter Renfrow; Latest On Josh McDaniels’ Job Status

October 22nd, 2023 at 9:10am CST by Rory Parks

OCTOBER 22: While owner Mark Davis told Russini at the annual fall meetings last week that the team is trying to win and not sell, Renfrow remains available (subscription required). The problem, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes in a subscriber-only piece, is the $10.82MM in salary and roster bonuses that Renfrow is due this year. A little over half of that amount would become the responsibility of an acquiring team if Renfrow were dealt at the deadline, and the Raiders are presently unwilling to pick up any portion of the tab to facilitate a deal.

If the Raiders and another club can come to terms on the financial components of a trade, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports hears that Renfrow could be had for nothing more than a late-round selection.

OCTOBER 15: The Raiders would like to add a pass rusher in advance of the October 31 trade deadline — preferably without sacrificing any draft picks — and they are apparently willing to do some selling as well. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required), the club is trying to deal wide receiver Hunter Renfrow.

That represents a departure from the team’s stance in July, when it was reported that the Raiders were not shopping the 27-year-old slot man. Of course, even if Las Vegas was not actively calling teams to discuss a Renfrow trade, it has been clear for some time that GM Dave Ziegler and HC Josh McDaniels are willing to move the Mike Mayock draftee. Indeed, a report from May indicated that Renfrow would almost certainly be elsewhere by 2024, the last year of his current deal.

In 2022, the first year of the McDaniels/Ziegler partnership in Las Vegas, Renfrow took a major step back from the 103/1,038/9 line that earned him a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 and a two-year, $32MM extension last June. While Ziegler and McDaniels signed off on that investment, Renfrow has proven to be a poor fit in McDaniels’ offense, especially since McDaniels cut down on the route improvisations that Jon Gruden encouraged. The fact that Renfrow was limited to 10 games in 2022 due to a number of injury concerns certainly did not help matters.

This season, the Clemson product has appeared in all five of the Raiders’ games but has seen just nine targets, which he has converted into six receptions for 59 yards. On the other hand, his abilities, youth, and Pro Bowl pedigree would make him an attractive change-of-scenery prospect for any number of teams. While his $11.15MM base salary for 2024 is a bit hefty in light of his 2022-23 output, that number could easily be lowered with an extension or could be removed entirely if Renfrow struggles in new environs.

At the risk of burying the lede, Russini has heard whispers that McDaniels’ job could be in jeopardy if the 2-3 Raiders do not start winning more games. It is unclear, however, whence those whispers emanate, and the fact that McDaniels does not wish to trade draft capital to acquire a pass rusher, is prepared to part ways with a talented wideout for what would presumably be minimal compensation, and considered a trade-down manuever in the first round of the 2023 draft suggests that he is not overly concerned about his job status.

For what it’s worth, owner Mark Davis offered an emphatic endorsement of McDaniels in November, though it does not appear Davis gave McDaniels any guarantees that he would remain the Raiders’ HC into 2024.

Titans Unlikely To Trade Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins

October 22nd, 2023 at 8:49am CST by Rory Parks

The Titans are currently 2-4 and may be without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill for their last contest before the October 31 trade deadline (they have a bye this week and face the Falcons on October 29). They clearly profile as potential deadline sellers, but head coach Mike Vrabel is not throwing in the towel on the 2023 season, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports.

As such, Tennessee is not motivated to trade star running back Derrick Henry, as Robinson reports. While there is obvious concern about how many carries Henry has accumulated over the past few years, the two-time rushing leader has trade value. He still has some burst and is maintaing a solid 4.3 yards-per-carry average this season, and it is fair to expect that he will remain productive for the rest of the campaign.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic, though, has not found a team with much interest in Henry (subscription required). Perhaps that is because of his high usage rate and the fact that he is less than three months away from his 30th birthday, or perhaps it is simply because rival execs do not believe the Titans will seriously consider trading the longtime focal point of their offense. In any event, it presently appears likely that Henry will stay in Nashville through at least the end of the current season.

Likewise, it seems that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will stay put. Robinson has spoken to a few receiver-needy clubs, and he does not get the sense that Tennessee will be able to get much of a return in a Hopkins trade. The three-time First Team All-Pro made plenty of PFR headlines during his free agency stint this year, though he later conceded that his market did not develop as he expected after he was released by the Cardinals in May. He ultimately joined the Titans on a two-year, $26MM deal, and it does not sound as if other clubs are anxious to take on the balance of that contract. Through six games in 2023, Hopkins has 27 catches on 47 targets for 376 yards. He has yet to find the endzone.

As opposed to his veteran teammates on the offensive side of the ball, safety Kevin Byard is receiving trade interest, per Russini. However, Robinson does not believe Byard would fetch anything more than a late-round pick, and assuming that’s the case, the Titans would be better served by keeping him in the fold.

Wideout Treylon Burks, a 2022 first-round pick who was supposed to help replace A.J. Brown‘s production, has also been the subject of trade inquiries, as Russini writes. Unsurprisingly, the Titans are not inclined to move any young player, let alone a player who was taken on Day 1 of the draft just one year ago.

Commanders Not Looking To Trade DEs Chase Young, Montez Sweat?

October 22nd, 2023 at 8:18am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 22: Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) contradicts Fowler’s report to some degree. She hears that while the Commanders are staying patient for the time being, they have made calls to gauge the market on both Young and Sweat. She gets the sense that one of the two pass rushers will be on the move (provided, of course, that a team meets Washington’s asking price).

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports is more closely aligned with Fowler, saying that there have been no internal conversations about moving either player, since the next two games will be so pivotal in determining the direction of a club that is currently 3-3. Jones believes it is unlikely that either player is traded at the deadline.

OCTOBER 20: As the trade deadline draws closer, many teams have important decisions to make with short- and long-term roster implications. In the case of the Commanders, the team’s plans regarding its top two edge rushers will be worth watching.

Chase Young and Montez Sweat have been mentioned in trade speculation given their lack of commitments beyond this year from Washington. The former is set to hit free agency in March since his fifth-year option was not picked up, while the latter is playing out his option ($11.5MM) this season. Both remain full-time starters whose performances will go a long way in determining their respective futures in the nation’s capital.

On that point, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Commanders plan to have both Young and Sweat in the fold for years to come, meaning they are not looking to trade either of them. Young, the second overall pick in 2020, has been marred by injury troubles since his Rookie of the Year-winning debut season. This year, however, the 24-year-old has suited up in five of six games and produced three sacks and 15 QB pressures.

Sweat leads the Commanders with 4.5 sacks this year, putting him halfway to his career-high in that department from 2020. Washington has posted 19 total sacks this season, demonstrating the effectiveness of its Day 1-laden defensive front – led along the interior by Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen – when healthy. Both Allen (in 2021) and Payne (this past March) inked big-ticket extensions, making it a potentially tricky proposition to commit to one or both of Young and Sweat on lucrative second contracts of their own.

As Fowler adds, the Commanders’ desire to keep both of their starting defensive ends won’t preclude them from listening to offers ahead of this year’s October 31 deadline. In the event a deal were to be given serious consideration and ultimately finalized, Young would be the likelier edge rusher to be moved, Fowler notes. That falls in line with the prevailing thought concerning the latter, who did not come close to replicating his Pro Bowl season from 2020 in his limited action over the two following campaigns (although his play so far this season has been more encouraging).

Sitting at 3-3, the Commanders are one of several teams which cannot be firmly placed into the buyers or sellers category at this point. Continued strong play from both Young and Sweat could make the team’s decision on their fates easier, but interested teams could emerge with a less cumbersome financial outlook along the D-line regarding 2024 and beyond. It will thus be interesting to see how much of a market develops for the pair, and the price at which Washington could be willing to pull off a trade.

Panthers OLB Brian Burns Generating Trade Interest; Latest On Team’s Other Trade Candidates

October 22nd, 2023 at 7:50am CST by Rory Parks

Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns is once again the subject of trade rumors. Burns is in a platform year, and as the Panthers are sitting at 0-6, GM Scott Fitterer is unsurprisingly fielding calls on the two-time Pro Bowler, as Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required).

Burns was also a popular name at last year’s deadline, and Fitterer turned down an offer from the Rams that featured two first-round picks. That development ostensibly gave Burns plenty of leverage in negotiations on a long-term contract, negotiations that apparently have not generated much traction. Indeed, previous reports indicated that the two sides have not come close to striking an accord, as Burns is said to be seeking a deal with an average annual value approaching Nick Bosa‘s astronomical $34MM figure, while Carolina believes Maxx Crosby‘s $23.5MM AAV is a more appropriate comp.

In September, we learned that the Panthers were willing to continue contract talks in-season, though it is unclear if that has actually happened. Of course, an acquiring team would need to work out a lucrative contract extension in addition to parting with a premium trade package, which is perhaps one reason why Russini reports the Panthers are not expecting to deal Burns.

That said, they are listening to offers, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports writes. Robinson acknowledges that Carolina would prefer to keep Burns, but the club’s top priority is to furnish the offense with more talent to aid the development of rookie quarterback Bryce Young. As such, Fitterer could be willing to move Burns and would be seeking a first-round pick plus a talented, young offensive player or a first-round pick plus additional draft capital — including at least one Day 2 selection — in exchange.

Per Robinson, the 5-1 Lions — who have recorded a middling 15 sacks in 2023 — are one possible suitor for Burns. Robinson also believes the Rams could get in the mix again if they should win their next two contests and hit the October 31 deadline with a 5-3 record.

Generally, both Russini and Robinson hear that the Panthers are operating as both buyers and sellers in the run-up to the deadline. We have heard repeatedly over the past several weeks that the club is in pursuit of a high-end wideout, and a report from earlier this month suggested that receiver Terrace Marshall, safety/linebacker Jeremy Chinn, and cornerback Donte Jackson are all on the trade block.

Marshall has been granted permission to seek a trade, while Chinn is dealing with a significant quadriceps injury that will sideline him until December, which obviously represents a major blow to his trade value (though Russini hears that the contract-year defender is still available).

Jackson, meanwhile, is under club control through 2024, and both Robinson and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com report that there is outside interest in his services.

Rams Elevate Darrell Henderson; RB Kyren Williams Placed On IR

October 22nd, 2023 at 7:04am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 22: The Rams are expected to give the majority of the workload to Freeman and Henderson in today’s matchup against the Steelers, per Schefter. Evans will get some touches, while Gaskin is likely to be a healthy scratch (though the plan is for him to be active for the club’s Week 8 bout with the Cowboys).

Each player’s performance in today’s game will help determine how McVay divvies up the work until Williams returns from IR. None of the current backs, however, are expected to dominate touches the way that Williams did, as McVay plans to distribute the opportunities more evenly. In a disappointing development for fantasy coaches, a more equitable distribution could continue even when Williams is activated.

OCTOBER 21: Williams is headed to injured reserve, the Rams announced on Saturday. That move means he and Rivers will be shut down until at least Week 12. Henderson, to no surprise, has indeed been promoted to the active roster, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes he is expected to suit up tomorrow. Henderson could have a notable workload available in the short- and intermediate-term future given how banged up the Rams’ backfield has suddenly become.

OCTOBER 20: Henderson’s ramp-up period will be short. The Rams are planning make their former starter a gameday elevation, McVay said Friday. Teams can elevate two practice squad players each week. Henderson will join Evans, Freeman and Gaskin in this reconfigured RB mix. Introducing obvious complications for deeper-league fantasy GMs eyeing this backfield, McVay said, “all four of those guys are possibilities” to contribute. McVay did stop short of indicating all four would be active, pointing to one of the new additions potentially being a healthy scratch.

Henderson has not played in a game since Week 11 of last season. The Rams waived him soon after, and although the Jaguars made a claim, they parted ways with the former third-round pick. He of two 600-plus-yard rushing seasons, Henderson will be back in action Sunday.

OCTOBER 18: The Rams’ running back corps will look much different in Week 7 compared to how the situation looked to start the season or even in last week’s Cardinals matchup. As expected, Ronnie Rivers is heading to IR. But Kyren Williams is not expected back soon.

Los Angeles’ starting back is expected to miss multiple games because of the ankle injury he sustained in Week 6, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Williams suffered a sprain during his career-high rushing day. Sean McVay confirmed Williams will miss Sunday’s matchup but did not rule out the second-year back going on IR, though The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes the team will not make that decision today.

Coming out of training camp, the Rams rostered Williams and Rivers behind expected starter Cam Akers. Sixth-round pick Zach Evans rounded out the group. After Williams operated as Los Angeles’ starter to open the season, the team went back to the healthy-scratch well with Akers but moved him this time. Following the Williams and Rivers setbacks, Evans is the only healthy option left among the Rams’ originals.

The team brought in reinforcements this week. Royce Freeman, who has worked as a gameday elevation in three games this season, is now on L.A.’s 53-man roster. So is Myles Gaskin, who spent time with ex-McVay OC Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota to start this season. The Rams signed the ex-Dolphins starter off the Vikings’ practice squad. Darrell Henderson is back with the Rams as well, though the former starter is on their P-squad. Teams have regularly used the taxi squad as a bridge for veterans to return to an active roster, so Henderson’s status will be worth monitoring given his knowledge of McVay’s system.

Rivers will be out until at least Week 12, with the Rams’ bye coming in Week 10. The 2022 UDFA suffered a PCL sprain Sunday. Williams is not a lock to return before the bye, per Fowler, though he adds the Notre Dame product should be back by Week 11 at the latest. Still, a three-game absence would certainly cut into Williams’ rookie-year performance. The 2022 fifth-round pick had showed quality form in his first games as the starter, dominating backfield snaps and touches. He finished with 158 rushing yards — 154 of those in the second half — in the Rams’ come-from-behind win over the Cardinals.

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