Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa Could Return In Week 8
The Dolphins produced another underwhelming offensive output on Monday while trying to find a temporary replacement under center for Tua Tagovailoa. A return target for the team’s franchise passer appears to be in place, though. 
Tagovailoa continues to sit out while on injured reserve. Miami moved him to IR shortly after the Week 2 concussion which sidelined him from the contest and led to renewed questions about his playing future. The 26-year-old does not intend to retire, and his attention has remained focused on recovering in full to avoid any setbacks during the 2024 season. The Dolphins have one more game until their bye week, and Tagovailoa could be in the fold shortly after that point.
The 2023 Pro Bowler has a “real possibility” of returning in time for Week 8, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday night (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). The Dolphins have a matchup against the Patriots in Week 5 before their bye and then a contest against the Colts. Week 8 will see Miami take on Arizona in a matchup which will no doubt be critical to the team’s efforts to make a postseason run. Neither Skylar Thompson nor Tyler Huntley have managed to lead the Dolphins to a strong offensive showing in their respective starts.
Tagovailoa’s return is therefore highly anticipated. The Alabama product has made progress in his recovery, and the team has remained confident he will be back in the fold at some point in 2024. Huntley was signed off the Ravens’ practice squad, but no other QB moves are being considered. Tagovailoa’s IR stint guaranteed at least a four-week absence, a recovery timeline necessary for his brain to heal in full (as opposed to simply a lack of concussion symptoms showing), as Jackson details.
Tagovailoa has suffered at least four concussions in the last five years – one of which dates back to his college tenure – so a cautious approach on the team’s part would come as no surprise. With the Dolphins sitting at 1-3 on the year, though, having the former No. 5 pick back in the fold would be a welcomed sight as they attempt to rebound on offense. Miami ranks last in the NFL in scoring and 24th in total yardage after lopsided losses to the Seahawks and Titans with Thompson and Huntley under center.
Miami also has Tim Boyle as a stopgap option at the quarterback spot, but either Thompson (if healthy) or Huntley will likely get the nod for the team’s next two games. After that, it will be interesting to see if Tagovailoa is activated.
Panthers Sign CB Caleb Farley
Caleb Farley‘s time in Tennessee did not go as planned, but he has lined up a new NFL opportunity. The former first-round corner is signing with the Panthers, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal is now official, per a team announcement. 
Schultz notes, to little surprise, this will be a practice squad agreement. Farley is expected to soon find himself on Carolina’s active roster, though, as he seeks to post a healthy stretch and rebuild his value. The 25-year-old struggled with a multitude of injuries during his college and NFL careers, including a pair of ACL tears and three back surgeries. The Titans made a predictable move in declining his 2025 fifth-year option, but they also waived him ahead of roster cutdowns.
That move was followed by a Patriots workout, although no deal materialized. Farley visited the Panthers shortly before this agreement, as noted by KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The Virginia Tech product missed the entire 2023 season after playing only 12 total games across his first two seasons in the league. He was held without an interception, and his coverage statistics left plenty of room for improvement. Carolina could offer Farley a chance to put together a string of healthy games played while developing into at least a depth contributor in the secondary.
Tennessee took on a $4.29MM dead money charge by moving on from Farley in the offseason. This Panthers deal will no doubt check in at a lesser cost, which will be necessary given the team’s financial situation. Carolina entered Tuesday with only $571K in cap space, the lowest figure in the league. This flier carries a degree of upside for the 1-3 outfit, though.
In other roster moves, the Panthers signed Chandler Wooten from the practice squad to the active roster. The former UDFA has 17 appearances to his name, all with Carolina. Wooten will look to help fill the void created by fellow linebacker Shaq Thompson‘s Achilles tear. Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields was waived from the 53-man roster, and he could be retained on the practice squad if he clears.
Steelers Sign G Max Scharping Off Commanders’ Practice Squad
In need of depth along the interior offensive line, the Steelers have brought in veteran reinforcements. Max Scharping was signed to Pittsburgh’s roster off the Commanders’ practice squad, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The move is now official. 
Left guard Isaac Seumalo has yet to play this season as he rehabs a torn rotator cuff. Pittsburgh elected not to place him on injured reserve, meaning a return could be close. Still, Pittsburgh’s offensive line is not at full strength and will not be for the remainder of the campaign. Right guard James Daniels suffered a torn Achilles in Week 4, and he will be out for the rest of the season.
Starting center Nate Herbig is also out of the picture after he suffered a torn rotator cuff before the start of the campaign. Second-round rookie Zach Frazier has handled first-team duties in his absence while playing with multiple contributors at the guard spots. Scharping could enter that mix in his return to the AFC North.
The 28-year-old is a veteran of 79 games and 33 starts across his time with the Texans and Bengals. Scharping saw heavy usage in Houston compared to his sparse role in Cincinnati, which limited his market value this offseason. He signed with the Eagles in a bid to land a roster spot, but Philadelphia cut him in advance of Week 1. That led to a practice squad deal with the Commanders. Scharping has not seen game action this year, however, and he will look to secure a role in Pittsburgh moving forward.
In a corresponding move, the Steelers placed Daniels on injured reserve. The team also released defensive backs Jalen Elliott and Darius Rush from the 53-man roster as part of its collection of Tuesday transactions. Scharping may not be used in a starting capacity, but he figures to have a role in relatively short order as Pittsburgh looks to find a healthy combination up front.
Browns DT Mike Hall Receives Suspension
Mike Hall started the 2024 season on the commissioner’s exempt list while a league investigation into a domestic violence incident took place. That process has now concluded. 
The Browns rookie received a five-game suspension on Tuesday for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes, however, games spent on the exempt list count toward any suspensions levied by the league. For all intents and purposes, therefore, today’s news constitutes a one-game ban.
Hall was arrested in August on domestic violence charges. The NFL typically places players in that situation on the exempt list before a final decision with respect to discipline is made. Hall’s legal situation was resolved in September; the 21-year-old entered a no contest plea to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct. His fiancée (the victim of the incident) had a protective order against Hall removed.
The Ohio State product was sidelined for Cleveland’s first four contests, and that will remain the case for the team’s upcoming game. After that point, though, he will be eligible for reinstatement. Hall could make his debut in Week 6 against the Eagles. When he is back in the fold, he will aim to provide depth along the Browns’ defensive interior.
The team’s top choice in April’s draft (No. 54 overall), Hall established himself as one of the top D-line prospects in the 2024 class. He could carve out a rotational role early in his rookie season as the 1-3 Browns look to rebound from an underwhelming start in a number of categories. The team ranks 19th against the run, an area in which Hall could provide reinforcements upon being reinstated.
Buccaneers To Sign WR Sterling Shepard To Active Roster
Sterling Shepard has made a pair of appearances with the Buccaneers this season as a gameday elevation, but he is now set to receive a more permanent opportunity. The veteran wideout is being signed to Tampa Bay’s active roster, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. 
Players can be designated as a gameday elevation from the practice squad up to three times, so Tampa Bay could have taken that route once more before making today’s move. However, Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer are both dealing with injuries, leaving the Bucs thin at wideout behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Shepard represents a veteran candidate for the WR3 role on a temporary basis.
The 31-year-old remained with the Giants for an eighth season in 2023, doing so after an Achilles tear. Shepard was used sparingly, though, and his 15% snap share was by far the lowest of his career. He took a deal with the Buccaneers in June after being recruited by former college teammate Baker Mayfield. That agreement did not leave Shepard on the team’s initial roster, but to little surprise he re-signed to the practice squad after cutdowns. Now, the Oklahoma product is positioned to handle a rotational role in Tampa.
Shepard was not targeted during his Bucs debut, but he was much more involved on Sunday during the team’s win against the Eagles. The former second-rounder caught three of five targets for 51 yards, and a continuation of that production would help complement Evans and Godwin while Tampa Bay deals with other injuries in the receiving corps. Shepard could of course help his value on a new deal in the offseason by enjoying a strong spell on the active roster over the coming weeks.
To make room on the roster, the Buccaneers waived Ben Stille, per a team announcement. The 26-year-old has made 15 appearances in his career, including three this season. Stille will be a practice squad candidate for Tampa Bay provided he clears waivers.
Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence Dealing With Lisfranc Injury; IR Stint On Tap
SEPTEMBER 30: The Cowboys are indeed planning to place Lawrence on IR, the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore tweets, adding workouts — in a situation similar to how the Cowboys tried to replace Williams this summer — are likely on tap.
Both Lawrence and Parsons were in walking boots moving around the team’s facility on scooters Monday, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota. Parsons is not expected to play in Week 5 (against the Steelers), but the All-Pro edge rusher is holding out hope for a return in Week 6 (against the Lions). Dallas’ bye, however, is in Week 7.
SEPTEMBER 29: Both DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons exited the Cowboys’ Week 4 win, and their respective injuries threaten to leave Dallas shorthanded along the edge for a notable period. Parsons’ exact recovery timeline is unclear at this point, but Lawrence should not be expected back on the field in the near future. 
Lawrence is dealing with a Lisfranc injury, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. He adds the affected bones were not displaced when the 32-year-old went down, and as a result surgery will not be required. While that is a positive development, Archer still notes a four-to-eight week recovery is in store. As a result, Lawrence is a strong injured reserve candidate.
IR would guarantee at least a four-week absence, but if his prognosis is confirmed it would come as no surprise if the Cowboys took that route with Lawrence. The four-time Pro Bowler leads the team with three sacks this season, so his absence would be felt with or without Parsons in the fold. The fact the latter is also in line to miss time compounds the Cowboys’ situation in the edge rush department. Sam Williams is out for the year, so Chauncey Golston and Marshawn Kneeland will be counted on to handle large workloads moving forward.
The free agent market is thin at the moment with respect to veteran edge rushers, and Haason Reddick represents a hypothetical trade target as his Jets holdout continues. Dallas is not interested in a Reddick pursuit, however, so the team’s in-house options will entrusted to fill in for Lawrence and Parsons over the interim. The Cowboys rebounded on defense in their Thursday night win against the Giants, but the unit will still face questions moving forward given its injury situation.
Lawrence has remained a full-time starter over the past several years, and 2021 was the last time he was sidelined for an extended period. The Boise State product is a pending free agent, making him one of the players whose futures will be determined by how the Cowboys handle a Parsons extension next offseason. Lawrence – who has spent his entire 11-year career in Dallas – will see his market value take a hit with a lengthy absence, but he should be able to return later in the season.
WR Parris Campbell Addresses Decision To Remain With Eagles
Parris Campbell found himself out of the Giants’ lineup midway through the 2023 season. As a result, it came as no surprise the veteran wideout departed in free agency this spring, making an intra-divisional move to the Eagles. 
Campbell was unable to carve out a depth spot in his new team’s receiving corps during training camp and the preseason, however. Philadelphia released him ahead of roster cutdowns, leaving the 27-year-old as a free agent once again. Campbell did not originally consider remaining with the Eagles on a practice squad deal, but he ultimately had a change of heart.
“My pride was in the way, for sure,” the former second-rounder recalled (via PHLY’s Zach Berman). “And once I did get let go, and they told me that they wanted to come back on practice squad, I immediately was like, ‘No, that’s not me. That’s not for me’… Like, I talked to my agent, and he was like, ‘Do you want to do practice squad?’ I kind of just shut the door. ‘I’m cool. You can tell them no.'”
Campbell was quickly contacted by Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni expressing the team’s desire to sign him on a taxi squad deal. The Ohio State product – whose market value was certainly rather low given his 20-catch showing last year – accepted, setting himself up to handle a role in the early portion of the current campaign. With A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith both missing time through injury, Campbell was a gameday elevation ahead of today’s contest. That was his third elevation, meaning Philadelphia will now need to sign him to the active roster to continue using him.
Campbell made only a pair of catches across his first two Eagles contests, but he added another four (including a touchdown) during today’s loss against the Buccaneers. Brown and Smith were sidelined, and if that remains the for Week 5 Campbell could continue to handle a role in the passing game. At a minimum, his decision to re-sign with Philadelphia has paid early dividends as he looks to rebound from last season’s disappointing performance.
Latest On Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson
Like a number of other high-profile players, T.J. Hockenson is eligible to be activated from the PUP list in the coming days. The Vikings tight end does not have a firm return target, but he continues to make progress in his recovery. 
Week 5 is the earliest Hockenson could see the field by rule, but Week 7 was reported earlier this month to be a more realistic point for him to be activated. That contest would double as an important matchup for the two-time Pro Bowler since it is against the Lions. A game against his former team would be signficant, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Detroit matchup may now be seen as an “ambitious” return date.
Schefter does add, however, that Hockenson has impressed the Vikings with his rehab progress from the ACL and MCL tears which ended his 2023 campaign. The season – his first full one in Minnesota – produced career highs in catches (95) and yards (960) along with five touchdowns. Hockenson’s absence was acutely felt on offense to close out the year, although the Vikings have surged out of the gate in 2024. Having the former first-rounder back in the fold will nevertheless give the team a notable boost.
Minnesota has a strong receiver tandem with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but the team’s tight end depth has been tested with Hockenson out of the picture. Josh Oliver logged a 50% snap share through the first three games of the season, but he registered only two catches during that span. Johnny Mundt and Nick Muse are also in place, but of course none of those options offer the upside of Hockenson.
The Iowa product is on the books through 2027 as a result of $16.5MM-per-year extension he inked last offseason. Hockenson’s long-term health is a key priority given Minnesota’s financial commitment to him, and a cautious approach would come as no surprise. Further updates on his recovery and the team’s practice plan will be worth watching closely as a return to action draws closer.
49ers GM John Lynch Addresses Christian McCaffrey’s Achilles Rehab; Latest On RB’s Potential Return
SEPTEMBER 29: Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link), McCaffrey’s treatment in Germany went well, and he is back in the US. The three-time Pro Bowler could begin running on hard ground this week, and the club presently expects him back no later than early November.
SEPTEMBER 27: Among many other prominent players on the team, Christian McCaffrey remains sidelined for the 49ers. He is on injured reserve while recovering from the Achilles tendonitis which has affected him since the summer. 
[RELATED: 49ers Eyeing Midseason Dre Greenlaw Return]
McCaffrey went to Germany earlier this week to consult with a specialist as he and the team aim to find the best route regarding his recovery. It remains to be seen when he will be able to approach a practice schedule (and therefore become a candidate to be designated for return). A ramp-up period could begin soon, however.
“We needed to quiet it down,” 49ers GM John Lynch said when discussing McCaffrey’s Achilles during a KNBR appearance. “The plan was to give it the time to do that and then at some point in a thoughtful way to ramp him back up… What he does and where he goes, he’s got people who work on his body and have for a long time… Now he’s back here and we’ll have to hit certain markers and try the ramp up.”
Having been moved to IR ahead of Week 2, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year will not be eligible to make his 2024 debut until Week 6. Considerable progress will need to be made for that timeline to be feasible, and the team will no doubt proceed with caution in McCaffrey’s case. He is far from the only professional athlete to travel to Germany while rehabbing an Achilles injury, and the fact he went there suggests he may have received an orthobiologic treatment.
Such treatment consists of stem-cell and platelet-rich plasma injections and is specifically focused on accelerating the healing process for injuries such as Achilles tendonitis. Dr. Kenton Fibel (the Anaheim Ducks’ medical director) recently spoke about the specifics of orthobiologic treatments – which are not FDA approved but are permitted by North American professional sports leagues – and how receiving one would impact McCaffrey’s recovery timeline.
“Usually whenever you’re having some sort of a biologic procedure for a tendon, particularly an Achilles tendon, typically that’s going to require you to have enough time to rest and protect the tendon after the procedure,” Fibel said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “And then start to progress things forward while the tissue has a chance to biologically start to heal and restructure… With some of these more important weight-bearing tendons, it’s pretty safe to say that they’re not returning within the first four weeks of the procedure.”
If McCaffrey did indeed receive an injection while in Germany, it will be interesting to see how he and the team proceed with a gradual ramp-up period. If not, further rest could be in store before a return to action becomes realistic. While he recovers, San Francisco will continue to rely on Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo in the backfield.
Raiders’ Davante Adams Facing Multi-Week Absence
Davante Adams is dealing with a hamstring injury, and he will be out of the Raiders’ lineup for tomorrow’s contest. The All-Pro wideout is set to be sidelined for a longer period, however. 
Adams’ injury occurred during Vegas’ Thursday practice, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Paul Gutierrez report he is expected to be out for multiple weeks. Hamstring injuries can often linger, and players prematurely returning to the field can lead to lengthier absences. The Raiders will no doubt proceed with caution in this case.
Since being acquired via trade in 2022, Adams as served as the team’s top wideout. The 31-year-old totaled 203 catches across his first two campaigns in Vegas, and expectations remain high for his output moving forward. His 209 yards lead the team in 2024, underscoring how impactful his absence will be in the passing game. While missed time could lower Adams’ trade value, the ESPN report reiterates such a move is not under consideration (as was the case during the offseason). Indeed, Schefter and Gutierrez note that the Raiders turned away multiple teams interested in a trade this offseason before those clubs could even make an offer.
Still, the six-time Pro Bowler was viewed in the build-up to the season as a trade candidate depending on how the campaign played out, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk openly wonders whether Adams has already played his last snaps for Las Vegas. The Raiders sit at 1-2 after a lopsided loss to the Panthers. Head coach Antonio Pierce made his displeasure clear in the aftermath of that contest, leading to speculation signficant changes could be coming. Quarterback Gardner Minshew remains atop the depth chart, however, and the veteran will now rely on other pass-catching options for the time being.
Tight end Brock Bowers has enjoyed a strong start to his rookie season, registering at least 41 yards in each game to date. Vegas’ top pick in April’s draft will be expected to take on a larger target share in Adams’ absence. At the receiver spot, veteran Jakobi Meyers is now positioned to handle an increased workload alongside fellow starter Tre Tucker. The latter posted 96 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions last week, and Vegas’ offense would welcome a repeat performance on Sunday.
Placing Adams on injured reserve would require a four-game absence. It remains to be seen if such a move becomes necessary, but his status will be worth watching closely over the near future as the Raiders (a team which will be without Maxx Crosby on Sunday) look to avoid a 1-3 start to the season.