Steelers WR D.K. Metcalf Issued Two-Game Suspension
TODAY: Metcalf’s suspension has been upheld, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The wide receiver will officially miss the final two games of the regular season. Notably, Metcalf will also see $45MM in future guarantees voided, including the $25MM that was fully guaranteed for the 2026 season.
DECEMBER 22: D.K. Metcalf‘s interaction with a fan during the first half of yesterday’s Steelers-Lions game led to the widespread expectation it would result in league discipline. After a league review, a suspension has been handed down. 
Metcalf has received a two-game suspension, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. That would keep the Pittsburgh wideout unavailable for the remainder of the regular season if upheld. Per Pelissero, Metcalf plans to appeal. As things stand, he is set to lose just over $555K in pay.
Metcalf grabbed and then released the shirt of a fan in the stands who has since identified himself as Ryan Kennedy (video link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). No flags were thrown as a result of the incident, and the Steelers did not take any action stemming from it. Metcalf declined to speak to reporters after the game.
Earlier today, Pelissero was the first to report that Metcalf and Kennedy have a history with one another, with Metcalf having reported Kennedy to security last year while he was playing for the Seahawks. A verbal exchange between the two sparked yesterday’s incident. Metcalf has alleged Kennedy used derogatory language toward himself and his mother. Kennedy “categorically denies” doing so, as noted in a statement issued by his attorneys. According to Kennedy, the incident stemmed from Metcalf taking issue with being called by his full name.
With no penalty being issued, the league office was not allowed by rule to direct an ejection in this case. Nevertheless, it comes as little surprise a suspension has been issued given the NFL’s policy regarding altercations with fans. Metcalf ultimately made four receptions during Sunday’s win, three of which came after the incident.
Pittsburgh wound up winning in Week 16, moving the team’s record to 9-6. With Baltimore losing shortly after that contest ended, the Steelers are in a commanding position regarding the AFC North standings. A Ravens loss in Week 17 (Saturday against the Packers) or a win by Pittsburgh one day later (against the Browns) would be enough to clinch the division. Pending the outcome of the appeal, though, Metcalf will be unavailable for the Cleveland matchup and a Week 18 Baltimore game which could prove to be pivotal.
The offseason trade acquisition has been hot and cold in terms of production this season with the Steelers playing through inconsistency on offense. In all, Metcalf has totaled 850 yards and six touchdowns on 59 receptions during his debut Pittsburgh campaign. He comfortably leads the team in yardage, especially when compared to the Steelers’ other receivers. The remainder of that group will be tasked with filling in over a brief period, though.
OT Trent Williams Intends To Play In 2026
Trent Williams has been attached to retirement speculation for several years, but it doesn’t sound like the offensive lineman is close to hanging up his cleats. When asked about his status beyond the 2025 season, Williams made it clear that he’ll at least be back on the field next year.
“I’m nowhere near done, so I’ve got a few more years,” said Williams (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “I’m not leaving. I’m not going nowhere.”
After he missed the 49ers’ last seven games of the 2024 season due to a bruise in his ankle joint, the OT once again staved off retirement rumblings. Besides being one of the league’s oldest players, there doesn’t seem to be much merit to Williams calling it a career.
For starters, the lineman has continued to perform as one of the league’s top offensive tackles. Pro Football Focus currently ranks the 37-year-old third among 83 qualifying tackles, the sixth-straight year he’s positioned to finish in the top-10. Williams was also named to his 12th Pro Bowl today. As Branch notes, this broke a tie with Anthony Munoz, Jonathan Ogden and Willie Roaf for the most in league history among offensive tackles.
Williams is also under contract through the 2026 season, and his average annual value still ranks second among offensive tackles. After inking a three-year, $82MM extension back in 2024, Williams can probably expect at least one more lucrative contract before his career is through.
To top it off, Williams has indicated that he’s interested in playing through his age-40 season. Barring an unexpected drop off, Williams shouldn’t lack for suitors, so it seems likelier than not that his plan will come to fruition.
Jets Place Justin Fields On IR
Jets quarterback Justin Fields‘ first (and likely lone) season with the organization will end on injured reserve. The Jets have placed Fields on IR with a knee injury, head coach Aaron Glenn announced (via Rich Cimini of ESPN).
Fields went 11th overall to the Bears in the 2021 draft, but he was unable to establish himself as their long-awaited answer under center. He spent 2024 in Pittsburgh and mostly worked as a backup behind Russell Wilson. The Jets’ new regime of Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey saw enough positives to hand Fields a two-year, $40MM contract in free agency last March. The deal came with $30MM in guarantees. It will go down as a regrettable investment, though, with the Jets “likely” to release Fields by the middle of March, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
Fields started in six of the Jets’ first seven games this year. His only absence came as a result of a concussion that kept him out of a loss to the Buccaneers in Week 3. Fields struggled when healthy, though, and Glenn pulled him for Tyrod Taylor in a 13-6 loss to the Panthers in Week 7. Owner Woody Johnson publicly criticized Fields’ performance the next day.
“It looks like (Glenn) is turning around part of it,” Johnson said on Oct. 21 (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy). “It’s hard when you have a quarterback with the rating that we’ve got. He has the ability, but something is not jiving. If you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you are going to similar results across the league. You have to play consistently at that position and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
In the wake of Johnson’s comments, it appeared Glenn would start Taylor over Fields in a Week 8 matchup in Cincinnati. However, a knee injury to Taylor prevented that from happening. Fields wound up enjoying one of his most productive passing days of the season in a 39-38 win. The 26-year-old completed 21 of 32 attempts for 244 yards and a touchdown.
Fields was unable to build on his strong showing against the Bengals in a post-bye, special teams-driven win over the Browns in Week 10. After a loss to the Patriots the next week, Glenn pulled the plug on Fields and replaced him with Taylor. It turns out that was Fields’ last appearance of 2025.
Over nine games (all starts), Fields connected on 62.7% of passes, averaged 6.2 yards per attempt, and threw seven touchdowns against one interception. Although Fields put up a passable 89.5 rating, his 37.3 QBR ranks 28th among 32 qualifiers. As has typically been the case, the mobile Fields was more a threat on the ground than through the air this year. He ran for 383 yards, posted a robust 5.4 YPC, and added four more TDs.
Like Fields, Taylor hasn’t been any kind of solution for the Jets this season. Now 3-12, they’ve started undrafted rookie Brady Cook in back-to-back games (both losses). Cook, who will start again versus New England on Sunday, could finish out the season as the Jets’ starter. Not long after the campaign ends, the Jets may wave goodbye to Fields and Taylor, a soon-to-be free agent. While Fields expects to garner more starting opportunities in the future, another chance will likely have to come with a different organization.
Vikings Claim QB Brett Rypien
With injured quarterback J.J. McCarthy set to miss Week 17, the Vikings are welcoming Brett Rypien back to the organization. They claimed Rypien off waivers from the Colts on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports.
Rypien will quickly land on his feet just one day after the Colts waived him. The 29-year-old spent two-plus months with the Colts, but he didn’t see any game action as a member of the organization.
After Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in Week 14, Indianapolis shockingly brought Philip Rivers, 44, out of retirement. Rivers has started two straight games since then (and will keep the reins in Week 17), while rookie sixth-rounder Riley Leonard has backed him up.
Since going undrafted out of Boise State in 2019, Rypien has spent time with eight NFL franchises. That includes a run with the Vikings from August 2024 through last summer.
The Vikings elected to enter this season with McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer as their top three QBs, leaving Rypien as the odd man out. He caught on with the Bengals after the Vikings released him. While Rypien appeared in one game with Cincinnati, he hasn’t attempted a pass this season.
Over 17 games and six starts in the NFL, Rypien has completed 58.3% of passes with 5.7 yards per attempt, four touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a 59.9 rating. Those aren’t impressive numbers, but Rypien will give the Vikings a second healthy QB option for this week’s game against the Lions. McCarthy will miss at least one game with a hairline fracture in his right hand, and Wentz is unavailable after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in October. Brosmer, an undrafted rookie, will make his second career start on Thursday.
Keon Coleman A Healthy Scratch In Week 16; ‘Professionalism’ An Issue
Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman played a pivotal role in a 41-40 victory over the Ravens in Week 1. Coleman began his second NFL season with eight receptions, 112 yards, and a touchdown to help spark a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback. A 2025 breakout looked like a possibility at that point, but Coleman’s impact has been minimal since then.
Heading into Week 17, Coleman has underwhelmed with 36 catches, 355 yards, and four TDs in 12 games. Despite owning one of the league’s least effective receiving groups, and despite using a second-round pick on Coleman in 2024, the Bills have made him a healthy scratch multiple times.
Head coach Sean McDermott first benched Coleman ahead of a Week 11 win over the Buccaneers. He was inactive again the next week. McDermott punished Coleman after he was late to a team meeting, which wasn’t the first time Coleman had an issue with punctuality.
“It’s a professionalism thing — but he’s going to be OK. We need him,” a team source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN at the time.
The Bills didn’t consider releasing Coleman at that point, according to Fowler, but the 22-year-old hasn’t regained a guaranteed spot since then. After appearing in three straight games and combining for four grabs, 25 yards, and a TD, Coleman sat out a 23-20 win over the Browns last Sunday. McDermott confirmed he was a healthy scratch (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic).
With McDermott scratching both Coleman and Gabe Davis, the Bills rolled with Khalil Shakir, Josh Palmer, Brandin Cooks, Tyrell Shavers, and Mecole Hardman as their receivers in Cleveland. Shakir led the unit with a paltry 34 yards on four catches. Palmer, Cooks, Shavers, and Hardman combined for 23 yards on two receptions. Cooks and Hardman each went without a catch.
“Just a combination of receivers, offensively, that we wanted up,” McDermott said of his receiver choices in Week 16 (via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN). “And then obviously, Mecole was moved into the 5 spot there for primarily special teams purposes, but also a little bit of receiver as well.”
The Bills are 11-4 and on the way to the playoffs for the seventh straight year, but their receiving corps’ lack of production has been a problem throughout 2025. Shakir, a solid slot target, has been the only consistent option. The dearth of quality receivers hasn’t helped reigning MVP quarterback Josh Allen‘s cause, though he and league-leading rusher James Cook have still lifted Buffalo’s offense to a No. 4 ranking this year.
Along with Coleman not developing as hoped, the free agent addition of Palmer has been a swing and a miss. The former Charger, now in the first season of a three-year, $36MM contract, has hauled in 20 passes for 290 yards and no TDs in 10 games. Cooks, Curtis Samuel (currently injured), and Elijah Moore (now on Denver’s practice squad) join Palmer as veteran receivers who have recently come up short after choosing Buffalo in free agency.
With Palmer injured at the time, general manager Brandon Beane was in the market for a receiver addition in advance of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. Beane reportedly made a significant offer to the division rival Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle, but he came up empty. While Beane reeled in Cooks in late November after the Saints released him, the 32-year-old hasn’t provided a boost to the offense. Despite an impressive resume that includes 730 receptions, Cooks has caught just one of five targets in four games with the Bills.
Regardless of how the rest of the campaign plays out, Beane will likely focus a good deal of offseason attention on the receiver position. It’s a “distinct possibility” that Shakir will be the only current Bills receiver who has a major role next year, Buscaglia contends. If Buffalo doesn’t trade or release Coleman in the offseason, he may wind up as a low-end option on the depth chart for the second straight year. That wasn’t what Buffalo had in mind when it used a high selection on Coleman just a few weeks after trading away former No. 1 wideout Stefon Diggs.
Colts To Start Philip Rivers In Week 17
Fans of Philip Rivers‘ comeback story will have at least one more chance to observe it. The Colts’ Week 16 loss has all but buried them in the playoff race, but Shane Steichen will not turn to one of his younger passers for Week 17.
Rivers will start against the Jaguars on Sunday, the third-year HC said (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler). Sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard is a healthy option on Indianapolis’ bench, and Anthony Richardson is in the IR-return window. It is not known if Richardson will return this season (or play for the Colts again), but Leonard is signed through the 2028 season.
Tied to the veteran minimum, Rivers submitted impressive work against the 49ers — all things considered — and finished 23 of 35 for 277 yards and two touchdowns. While the 44-year-old QB also threw a pick-six to help San Francisco to a blowout win, this is already one of the most memorable comebacks in modern sports history.
A national audience observed Rivers’ form Monday, and he had the Colts in an early shootout with the favored 49ers. Finding Alec Pierce for two touchdowns early, Rivers had surpassed his Seahawks showing for yardage in the first quarter. The 49ers largely bottled up Jonathan Taylor, leaving Rivers to do more work. Although deep shots did not work out for the recently unretired Rivers, he made plenty happen on shorter throws.
This Rivers human interest story notwithstanding, the Colts are passing up a chance to look at Leonard as a starter here. While it is understandable Steichen will start Rivers while the team is still standing in the playoff race, ESPN’s FPI gives Indianapolis a 2% chance to make the postseason.
Leonard should remain in Indy’s plans as a backup option for 2026; Richardson’s path is cloudier. The Colts parked the former No. 4 overall pick on the bench throughout Daniel Jones‘ healthy stretch this season, after the two had competed for the job. Jones winning the camp competition did not go over too well with Richardson in the first place. The erratic Florida product later suffered an orbital fracture in a freak locker-room accident. While Richardson is back at practice, Rivers starting again does not point to an activation from IR this week. If Richardson is activated for Week 18, who the Colts turn to in what could be a meaningless game will still bring intrigue.
If the Colts are eliminated, Steichen would presumably give stronger consideration to starting Leonard or Richardson in Week 18. Rivers, who had said he had not given strong consideration to an unretirement in a few years, all but certainly has two games remaining as a Colt. He has delayed his Hall of Fame clock by five years. While the former Chargers mainstay is not a lock to reach Canton, he has certainly tacked on a memorable ending — and at least three TD passes — to an 18-year career.
Browns Will Not Activate Deshaun Watson From PUP List
Wednesday marks 21 days since the Browns opened Deshaun Watson‘s practice window. Rather than moving the high-priced quarterback to the active roster and allowing more practice work, the Browns are shutting him down.
Watson’s journey back from two Achilles tears will end today, as Kevin Stefanski confirmed Tuesday (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) Browns will let his practice window close. This will prevent Watson from playing this season, though that was always a long-shot proposition. He will revert to the season-ending PUP list.
This will bring a second full Watson season to a close without a snap taken. The Texans made their then-franchise QB a healthy scratch throughout the 2021 season, after Watson had requested a trade before an avalanche of sexual assault or misconduct allegations surfaced to effectively stall the former Pro Bowler’s career. The Browns were undeterred, sending three first-round picks and more to the Texans for the embattled QB in 2022. That has proven to be a disastrous decision, as Watson was given an unprecedented contract and had not come close to delivering a return on investment before the October 2024 injury.
After submitting woeful on-field work to start the 2024 season, Watson suffered an Achilles tear. During his rehab process, the ninth-year veteran retore the tendon to set back his rehab. The Browns parked Watson on their reserve/PUP list after training camp, and although he did return to practice on December 3, it was never viewed as likely Cleveland would reinsert him into a game. The step toward that happening would have been an activation from the PUP list, which will not take place.
Shedeur Sanders is currently in place as Cleveland’s starting quarterback. The fifth-round rookie has shown flashes, but it is far from certain — regardless of Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry‘s futures in Ohio — the organization will prioritize the second-generation pro to the point he will receive a legitimate shot to become a long-term option. Sanders’ rookie contract does complement Watson’s albatross accord, but the Browns have two first-round picks in 2026. This could be an avenue for the team to finally make a big-ticket investment at a position doomed by the Watson trade.
Watson, 30, still has one season remaining on the five-year, $230MM extension. The Browns memorably guaranteed that contract in full to convince Watson to come to Cleveland, as the Falcons were believed to be where the QB — a Georgia native — was set to go had Berry and Jimmy Haslam not put the $230MM guarantee on the table. Haslam has since admitted a mistake on acquiring Watson, but in the NFL’s closest example of a contract genre the NBA and MLB have seen cripple teams, the deal has been too onerous to remove from the payroll. This pattern well persist into 2026.
As it stands, Watson is set to count $80.72MM on Cleveland’s 2026 payroll. The 2026 cap hit would have checked in south of $50MM as originally designed, but Berry has gone to the restructure well several times to save cap space over the course of this franchise-altering pact. It would cost the Browns $131.16MM in dead money to release Watson in 2026. Even with a post-June 1 designation available to spread that amount through 2027, the team is viewed as likely to retain the nonfunctional QB next year.
While a Browns party line has called Watson a valuable veteran presence for rookies Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, he assuredly would have been jettisoned long ago had the team not fully guaranteed the contract. Teams have not followed suit, much to the NFLPA’s chagrin, on anything close to a fully guaranteed long-term deal since this Browns extension emerged. Based on its calamitous outcome, Watson’s deal should remain an outlier for the foreseeable future in the NFL.
Jonathan Gannon’s Cardinals Seat Hotter Than GM Monti Ossenfort’s?
While the Cardinals being unable to sustain momentum is not exactly new, given the franchise’s history of slim contention windows, this year’s step backward has been rather alarming. Arizona sits 3-11 after a 2-0 start, inviting obvious questions about the current regime’s future.
Last year’s Cards finished 8-9, representing a substantial improvement from the 2022 and ’23 campaigns — both featuring 4-13 records — as a rebuild commenced. But this move down the standings will keep Gannon’s seat hot until season’s end. A Sunday report indicated Jonathan Gannon is more likely than not to stay, but the Cardinals lost yet again — a 26-19 home blemish to the struggling Falcons.
[RELATED: Kyler Murray Likely To Bring Limited Trade Market]
Monti Ossenfort certainly bears some responsibility for this season, but as it stands, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer views Gannon as being in a bit more trouble than the GM. Front office bosses typically receive longer leashes than coaches, as second-chance GMs have become a rare commodity in today’s game. This season has featured 32 first-time GMs/de facto GMs.
The Cardinals have operated this way as well. Steve Keim received the chance to work with three HCs — Bruce Arians, Steve Wilks, Kliff Kingsbury — while predecessor Rod Graves was on staff with three as well (Dave McGinnis, Dennis Green, Ken Whisenhunt). Both GMs were in-house promotions, and both lasted 10 years. Ossenfort was tasked with launching a rebuild in 2023, and the Cards’ history points to him being retained even if Gannon is fired.
Gannon, however, has overseen a seven-game losing streak during a stretch featuring 11 losses in 12 games. Eight of those losses have come by one score, but Arizona’s defense has regressed despite notable offseason investments. A defense-oriented coach, Gannon has seen he and Nick Rallis‘ unit sink to 26th in scoring and 29th in yardage. A 2024 group lacking the front-seven talent this year’s team possesses finished 15th and 21st in those categories, respectively.
This Cards regime also has not had the opportunity to acquire its own starting quarterback. Though, Gannon and Ossenfort praised Kyler Murray at nearly every turn between being hired and Week 1 of this season. Murray has since been shut down and is widely expected to be elsewhere in 2026.
Ossenfort’s first-round picks have been a mixed bag as well. Paris Johnson Jr. has performed well, playing both tackle spots during his career, but Marvin Harrison Jr. has not taken off as a No. 1-level wideout yet (though, 2023 third-rounder Michael Wilson has flashed brightly during this season’s second half). Pro Football Focus ranks Darius Robinson 128th out of 128 qualified interior D-linemen. Fellow first-round D-tackle Walter Nolen did not debut until November this season due to injury.
Michael Bidwill has given three of his past four HCs at least four seasons, but Whisenhunt, Arians and Kingsbury produced playoff trips by Year 3. The exception was Wilks, whom the team canned after a 3-13 season. This Cards edition has not been as bad as that 2018 squad, which was outscored by 200 points (it is at minus-93 presently), but this group’s struggles leave Gannon’s future up in the air.
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy To Miss Week 17 With Hairline Fracture In Hand
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffered a hairline fracture in his right hand in Week 16, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. He’ll miss this Thursday’s game against the Lions as a result.
McCarthy will not require surgery, but his status for Week 18 is in question, head coach Kevin O’Connell announced (via Matthew Coller). With that in mind, it’s possible McCarthy’s season is over.
McCarthy went 9 for 14 for 108 yards and an interception before exiting early in a 16-13 win over the Giants last Sunday. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer finished the game. He’ll start in Week 17 against a Detroit team clinging to slim playoff hopes.
Brosmer made the first start of his career in Week 13 in Seattle, which trounced Minnesota 26-0. The Seahawks picked off Brosmer four times and held him to 126 yards on 19 of 30 passing.
This is the latest in a growing line of injuries for McCarthy, a former Michigan national champion whom the Vikings chose 10th overall in 2024. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season after tearing his right meniscus. The Vikings had a capable veteran on hand in Sam Darnold, who enjoyed a long-awaited breakthrough season. Although Minnesota finished an excellent 14-3, the team let Darnold walk in free agency in the wake of a blowout loss to the Rams in the wild-card round.
After inking a three-year, $100.5MM deal with the Seahawks, Darnold has transferred his 2024 success to Seattle. He has been among the NFL’s most effective signal-callers for the second year in a row, and the Seahawks are currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Meanwhile, thanks in part to subpar QB play, the Vikings are 7-8 and out of playoff contention. The team tried last offseason to retain Daniel Jones, who ended 2024 as a Darnold backup, but he took a lesser offer from the Colts. Jones’ thinking was he’d have a clearer path to playing time in Indianapolis, which proved true.
The Vikings entered the season committed to McCarthy, though they added a credible No. 2 in Carson Wentz in late August. McCarthy’s run as their starter hasn’t gone according to plan so far. The 22-year-old already missed a combined six games with a high ankle sprain and a concussion before going down with a hand injury. When healthy, McCarthy has completed just 57.3% of throws with 6.6 yards per attempt, 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 71.2 passer rating. His 33.9 QBR ranks 31st among 32 qualifying signal-callers. Wentz out-performed McCarthy before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in late October.
Considering McCarthy’s on-field struggles and expansive injury history, the Vikings may require him to compete for the starting job in 2026. Depending how aggressive the Vikings are in looking for a quarterback in the offseason, the aforementioned Daniel Jones, Wentz, Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, Anthony Richardson, Aaron Rodgers, and Joe Flacco are among pending free agents or trade candidates who could pique the interest of O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Patriots To Open DT Milton Williams’ IR-Return Window
Although the Patriots have been without rookie left tackle Will Campbell for a bit, they have been a dormant operation when it comes to using injury activations. Through 16 weeks, New England has only activated one player from IR.
Beyond activating linebacker Jahlani Tavai in Week 5, the Pats have not turned to this transaction during their bounce-back season. They will almost definitely be doing so at least two more times this year. Campbell (MCL sprain) is not out for the season and will be eligible for activation next week. Milton Williams is already eligible to come back, and the high-priced defensive tackle will indeed see his IR-return clock start.
Mike Vrabel confirmed (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) Williams will resume practicing this week. The fifth-year defensive lineman has been on IR since suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 11. This has hindered the Patriots’ defense, particularly in a loss to the Bills that featured the visitors score 35 points and gain 246 rushing yards.
No free agent received more fully guaranteed money this offseason than Williams, who generated a bidding war that involved the Panthers and presumably others in March. Williams collected a whopping $51MM at signing on a four-year, $104MM deal, leapfrogging several more accomplished interior defensive linemen on the salary spectrum; he entered the season as the NFL’s second-highest-paid D-tackle.
Williams has been effective for the Pats, though he has a ways to go to justify the big-ticket contract he received. The former third-round pick has 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss. Williams closed last season with five sacks and seven TFLs, though he was certainly on track to surpass those benchmarks had this ankle injury not intervened. Pro Football Focus ranks Williams 47th among interior D-linemen this season, but he represents a valuable piece in a new-look AFC puzzle featuring the Pats as key players.
The Chiefs are out of the picture, and the Patriots moved the Ravens toward the elimination cliff Sunday night. New England and Denver are neck and neck, odds-wise, to claim the No. 1 seed. The Pats have the easier schedule to close the season, with games against the Jets and Dolphins remaining, while the Broncos follow their Arrowhead Stadium tilt with a home matchup against the Chargers. Regardless of the Pats’ seed, it appears they will have Williams back alongside Christian Barmore soon. That will help fortify a defense that still ranks seventh in points allowed ahead of Week 17.