Titans Place CB Chidobe Awuzie On IR
SEPTEMBER 27: Awuzie has indeed been placed on IR, per a team announcement. A notable absence is thus in store as the team looks to rebound from an underwhelming start to the campaign.
SEPTEMBER 23: A groin injury might lead to an extended absence for Chidobe Awuzie. The veteran corner could be placed on injured reserve, Titans head coach Brian Callahan said on Monday. 
[RELATED: Will Levis To Remain Titans’ Starting QB]
An IR move would guarantee at least a four-game absence. Callahan said injured reserve is “definitely a possibility” at this point (h/t Terry McCormick of Titans Insider), so it would come as no surprise if the team were to take that route. Missing Awuzie for any period will leave the 0-3 Titans without a starter in the secondary.
The 29-year-old began his career with the Cowboys before a three-year stint with the Bengals. Awuzie followed Callahan from Cincinnati to Tennessee this offseason on a three-year, $36MM pact. That commitment illustrates the Titans’ confidence in the second-rounder’s ability to return to his pre-2022 ACL tear form. Awuzie started all three games during his debut campaign in Nashville, collecting four tackles.
Tennessee also has returnee Roger McCreary in place at the cornerback spot, along with trade acquisition L’Jarius Sneed. The latter was franchise-tagged by the Chiefs this offseason, but team and player were unable to come to terms on a long-term deal, prompting the trade. Sneed inked a four-year, $76.4MM contract upon arrival with the Titans, and he will be counted on to remain a focal point in the secondary with Awuzie out of the picture.
Jarvis Brownlee is now in position to take on a starting role for the Titans. The fifth-round rookie has played each game so far this year, logging a minor defensive role in addition to a notable special teams workload. In terms of depth, Tre Avery is a candidate to be promoted from the practice squad to the active roster while Awuzie recovers.
Patriots Encouraged By Drake Maye’s Development; No Timeline For QB Change
Jacoby Brissett remains atop the Patriots’ quarterback depth chart for the time being. It has long been assumed Drake Maye will take over the starting gig at some point in 2024, though, and the first-round rookie continues to draw praise. 
New England has been “very encouraged” by Maye’s progress so far, Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston writes. This year’s No. 3 pick had a strong showing in training camp and the preseason to the point that head coach Jerod Mayo acknowledged the team had a true QB competition. It came as no surprise that Brissett got the nod to begin the campaign, though. The veteran inked a one-year deal in free agency to serve as the Patriots’ bridge starter, and Perry notes there is no firm timeline for a quarterback swap.
Through three weeks, Brissett and the team’s offense have been unable to post notable scoring totals. New England sits 31st in the NFL with an average of just 13 points per game, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes Brissett entered the year with the expectation he would need to keep leading the team to wins to hold onto his starting gig. The Patriots pulled off an upset win against the Bengals in Week 1, but that was followed up by an overtime loss to the Seahawks and a blowout defeat at the hand of the Jets. New England will play San Francisco on Sunday in a bid to avoid dropping to 1-3, something which would no doubt lead to increased calls for Maye to take over.
The North Carolina product made his regular season debut late in Week 3, and he has notably taken a 30% share of first-team reps during practice. With that routine set to continue, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated confirms Maye is still expected to handle a starting role sometime during the 2024 campaign (video link). It would come as no surprise if he were to overtake Brissett on the depth chart given his status as the Patriots’ quarterback of the future and his impressive practice outings. Questions have, on the other hand, been raised about the team’s offensive line, a unit which has remained especially uncertain at the left tackle spot; and while Mark Daniels of MassLive.com echoes Perry’s report that the Pats have been quite pleased by Maye’s work, they still believe in allowing a young passer “maturate” before deploying him in game action.
In spite of that, Maye has long been positioned to ascend to the QB1 spot in relatively short order, falling in line with standard practice regarding rookie passers around the league. Plenty will depend on how Brissett fares over the coming games, of course, but his grip on the starting spot may loosen if Maye continues to impress the team with the opportunities he is given. New England will not be on the bye until Week 14, and it will be interesting to see if a change is made before that point.
Latest On Eagles CB Cooper DeJean
When Cooper DeJean was drafted, he joined an Eagles secondary which underwent a number of changes in 2024. The second-rounder played at both corner and safety during his college tenure, but the team has narrowed down his role for the time being. 
“Yeah, right now he’s the backup nickel,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia). “For the first week, he was starting in dime, as the dime DB. So he was having to learn the dime and be the backup nickel. With all the time he’s lost, we’re going to focus him at nickel right now and see if he can make good enough progress there.”
DeJean exceled at Iowa while wearing multiple hats for the team’s defense. He totaled seven interceptions (three of which were returned for touchdowns) across his final two years with the Hawkeyes, earning All-American honors in 2023. A fractured fibula ended DeJean’s season and left him on the mend until August, which limited his time during training camp ahead of his rookie campaign.
Fangio confirmed during the summer DeJean would be used at corner rather than safety, but whether or not he would be used on the inside remained to be seen at that time. First-rounder Quinyon Mitchell has, as expected, started each of Philadelphia’s first three games while playing on the boundary opposite veteran Darius Slay. Avonte Maddox – who was released in March but returned to the team one month later – has logged a 78% snap share in the slot so far, and he will continue to be relied on in a first-team role while DeJean develops.
After posting defensive stops was akin to pulling teeth for much of the 2023 campaign, revamping the secondary was a key Eagles offseason priority. Both Mitchell and DeJean are positioned to be central figures in the team’s pass defense (which currently sits 17th in the NFL) for years to come. The latter has only logged seven defensive snaps to date, but he has handled a notable special teams workload during that time. With Maddox attached to a one-year deal, DeJean could find himself in the starting lineup by next season after an extended period working at one position.
Colts Expected To Stick With Anthony Richardson As Starting QB
Anthony Richardson has shown flashes during his second year in the NFL, but he still faces a steep development curve. The Colts do not appear to be preparing a change at the QB depth chart in the wake of his inconsistent start to the year. 
Last year’s fourth overall pick is set to remain atop the depth chart for at least “a while,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. The Colts made it clear during the 2023 offseason that a young signal-caller would be targeted in lieu of another shot-term veteran addition. That resulted in Richardson being selected, but his rookie campaign was limited to only four games.
Expectations were nevertheless high for the 22-year-old individually and Indianapolis in general entering 2024. Head coach Shane Steichen – hired in no small part for his success in developing Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts during his Chargers and Eagles tenures – has remained confident in Richardson’s potential over the short- and long-term future. The first three weeks of the season have been marked by accuracy issues and inconsistent decision-making, however.
Richardson’s completion percentage sits at just 49.3% on the season, and his six interceptions lead the league. The Florida product (who saw limited starts in college) has remained effective on the ground with 117 rushing yards and one touchdown, and his arm strength has been on display this year (16.2 yards per completion average, the highest in the NFL). Sitting Richardson for a stretch – as the Panthers are currently doing with Bryce Young – could allow for a reset, although such a move should not be expected.
The Colts signed Joe Flacco as their backup in the offseason, adding the former Super Bowl MVP after his surprisingly successful run at the end of last season in Cleveland. That stretch demonstrated the 39-year-old’s ability to remain productive at this stage of his career, and a Richardson injury would thrust Flacco into the lineup just as Gardner Minshew was last year. For the time being, though, Richardson will remain in place as the team aims to continue developing him while rebounding from a 1-2 start.
Lions Sign Allen Robinson To Active Roster
Allen Robinson made his Lions debut on Sunday, and he is now positioned to remain a regular presence on gamedays. The veteran wideout was signed to the active roster on Thursday, per a team announcement. 
Robinson was released by the Steelers early in the 2024 offseason, marking an end to his one-year tenure in Pittsburgh. The 31-year-old then caught on with the Giants, although he was unable to carve out a role in the team’s receiving room. That left him as one of New York’s final roster cuts and threatened to leave him without a deal in time for Week 1. Robinson quickly caught on with the Lions after being released by New York, though.
That move came shortly after Tim Patrick was added on a practice squad agreement. The former Bronco was signed to the active roster earlier this week, and the Lions have now done the same with Robinson. The latter played all 18 regular and postseason games with Pittsburgh last season, but he posted 280 scoreless yards. That production helped inform Robinson’s release, a move he did not see coming. The former Pro Bowler made it clear he did not consider retirement, however, and he is aiming to rebuild his value in the Motor City.
Detroit has Amon-Ra St. Brown atop the WR depth chart, and 2022 first-rounder Jameson Williams has taken on by far the largest workload of his young career this season. Questions were raised about the team’s depth at the position after Josh Reynolds departed in free agency, although a number options are in place for the WR3 gig. Kalif Raymond, Antoine Green, Tre’Quan Smith and Isaiah Williams are also on the active roster as things stand.
Robinson – who does not play on special teams – will aim to carve out a depth role among that group. The former second-rounder topped 1,100 yards three times across his time with the Bears and Jaguars, but expectations for a repeat of that feat are of course absent regarding his Lions tenure. Robinson played a single snap in Week 3, but that figure could rise in the near future.
Latest On Dolphins WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Beckham Jr. started the campaign on the reserve/PUP list after he underwent surgery to address an unspecified injury. Questions still linger over Beckham’s exact status, but he could be nearing his 2024 debut. 
[RELATED: Dolphins’ Week 4 Starting QB Unclear]
Players who start the year on PUP are required to miss at least the first four weeks of the season. As a result, Beckham cannot be activated until after Miami’s upcoming game against Tennessee. His practice participation at that point will be worth watching closely, but head coach Mike McDaniel‘s latest comments on the situation strike an encouraging tone.
“I’m optimistic when his window opens up,” McDaniel said regarding Beckham’s return timeline (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “We will see how his body responds. He hasn’t had the setbacks we made sure to avoid.”
The Dolphins took a cautious approach with Beckham after he signed a one-year, $3MM deal in free agency. The three-time Pro Bowler is in line to occupy the No. 3 receiver role once healthy, though, and depth at that spot behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will be important with Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve. Regardless of who plays quarterback in the meantime, having a full array of pass-catchers available would help the Dolphins’ outlook on offense.
Beckham’s latest deal reflects his status as a complementary option at this point in his career much more than his 2023 Ravens one ($15MM guaranteed) did. The 31-year-old made 14 appearances with Baltimore last season, his first after being out of the league for the previous two years. His 16.1 yards per catch average was the highest of his career, albeit on only 35 receptions. Beckham will look to post solid secondary production once he is on the field, and the Dolphins will aim to avoid any further missed time once he is activated.
Bringing Beckham back into the fold will not use up one of Miami’s IR activations. The same is true of edge rusher Bradley Chubb and offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn, whose respective recoveries will also be key storylines for the team over the near future.
Cowboys’ Stephen Jones Addresses Potential In-Season Trades
The Cowboys will look to avoid a 1-3 start tonight when they take on the Giants. Dallas is not planning to make major moves with respect to players or personnel, but the door is of course open to an in-season trade in the coming weeks. 
The 2024 offseason was dominated by negotiations on the Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb fronts. Both players eventually worked out a deal, but their combined AAV of $94MM will lead to a number of difficult financial decisions moving forward. The team’s top remaining priority is a monster extension for Micah Parsons, something which will not be finalized until after the 2024 season. Any additions made before the trade deadline will keep Parsons’ looming raise in mind.
“Could we take advantage of an opportunity if we felt like the situation was there? Absolutely we can,” COO Stephen Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “Obviously the cap is a lot more than just about this year. Where our pressure starts to hit is going forward, as we try to have three players the caliber of Dak and CeeDee and Micah.”
The Prescott and Lamb accords will begin next season, while Parsons remains attached to his rookie deal through 2026 given the Cowboys’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option. The two-time All-Pro is set to earn $21.32MM that year, although a long-term accord will cost much more annually. Taking on players with term beyond the current season would complicate the Cowboys’ Parsons extension efforts (along with other matters like a second contract for Tyler Smith or new commitments in pending free agents Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence). As a result, Dallas will be targeting rentals in any upcoming trade acquisitions.
With nearly $24MM in cap space, the Cowboys certainly have the flexibility to make a notable addition by taking on an expiring contract. Plenty will depend on the team’s success over the next few games in determining whether or not a move is contemplated as Dallas looks to post another double-digit win campaign (or at least do enough to qualify for the postseason). Jones reiterated his confidence in the Cowboys’ in-house options to rebound from the losses of the past two weeks, though.
“We believe in our process,” he added. “We believe in this football team. We believe in this coaching staff. We believe we’re going to right the ship.
Browns To Place G Wyatt Teller On IR
SEPTEMBER 25: The team has moved Teller to IR, per Cabot. Considering the veteran guard’s timetable, this move is unsurprising. Though, it comes as the Browns continue to see their tackles unable to play together. Wills and Conklin have not completed a game together since the 2022 season. Teller is now out until at least Week 8.
SEPTEMBER 23: Wyatt Teller suffered a knee injury on Sunday, and he is now facing a notable absence. The Pro Bowl Browns guard is dealing with a Grade 2 MCL sprain, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. 
As a result, Garafolo adds an absence of roughly four weeks is expected. Head coach Kevin Stafanski said on Monday the team is considering injured reserve, a move which would require at least four games on the sidelines. An IR stint would come as no surprise given Teller’s reported recovery timeline, although Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes a second opinion is being sought out before any final decisions are made.
Losing Teller for any extended period would of course represent a major blow to Browns’ O-line. The 29-year-old has formed one of the league’s top guard tandems alongside Joel Bitonio since 2019. The last time Teller missed signficant time was in 2020, when he was sidelined for five games. A similar span on the sidelines appears to be in store.
Teller earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020 and again the following year. He has been a Pro Bowler for each of the past three seasons, leading to expectations for another standout campaign in 2024. As the Browns move forward with question marks at the quarterback spot, though, they will be increasingly shorthanded up front. Left tackle Jedrick Wills made his season debut yesterday, but fellow lineman James Hudson suffered a shoulder injury which Cabot notes will require an MRI. Right tackle Jack Conklin has yet to play this season.
Third-round rookie Zak Zinter logged a career-high 51 offensive snaps in Week 3, and he could be in line to handle starting duties while Teller is sidelined. Cleveland dedicated two return slots to Michael Dunn and Nyheim Hines before roster cutdowns, leaving the team with six IR activations. Teller will use up one of them once healthy in the event he is indeed moved to injured reserve.
Dolphins Unsure Of Week 4 Starting QB
Skylar Thompson started the Dolphins’ Week 3 loss, the first contest following Tua Tagovailoa‘s concussion. Thompson had to exit the game due to a rib injury, however, and his status is now in the air. 
“I think we have an important 48 hours to see where [Thompson’s] at,” head coach Mike McDaniel said when speaking to the media on Tuesday (via NFL.com). “We’ll just have to take it a day at a time. There’s a lot on the table.”
Indeed, Thompson’s health situation will be closely monitored in the immediate future. The former seventh-rounder beat out Mike White for the backup gig the offseason; that set him up to take over from Tagovailoa, who is on injured reserve and does not have a return timeline at this point. Thompson completed 13 of 19 passes on Sunday, but he was sacked five times and did not lead any touchdown drives during the 24-3 loss against the Seahawks. He will likely remain atop the depth chart if healthy, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case for Week 4.
If Thompson is unable to play, Tim Boyle (who was a gameday elevation from the practice squad for Week 3 and took over from Thompson on Sunday) would be an option to get the start. The other route available to Miami would be giving Tyler Huntley the nod. Huntley was signed off the Ravens’ practice squad in the wake of the Tagovailoa injury, a move he hoped would come to pass. The 26-year-old has not had a long period to acclimate to the Dolphins’ offense, but McDaniel added (via Jason Owens of Yahoo Sports) starting Huntley is a possibility at this point.
The 1-2 Dolphins will play the 0-3 Titans in Week 4, a game both teams will need to win to rebound from poor starts to the campaign. In Tennessee’s case, the quarterback position is not a question mark with Will Levis recently receiving a vote of confidence. For Miami, though, the situation under center is yet to be determined.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/24/24
Here are Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: LB Joe Evans
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S Alex Cook, Justin Hardee
- Released: OLB Eku Leota
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Teagan Quitoriano
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DB Morice Norris
Green Bay Packers
- Released: TE Johnny Lumpkin
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Josiah Bronson, DE Derek Rivers
- Placed on IR: QB Jason Bean
- Released: CB Kelvin Joseph
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: TE Luke Benson, CB Nehemiah Shelton
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR John Jiles
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Joel Wilson
- Placed on IR: TE Lawrence Cager
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Brandon Smith
- Released: S Jaylen Key
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR John Ross
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Marcus Haynes
- Released: TE Matt Sokol
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: S Tracy Walker
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Ty Hall, DT Matt Gotel
- Placed on IR: RB George Holani
- Released: S Marquise Blair
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: P Trenton Gill, CB Keenan Isaac
- Released: P Seth Vernon
This year’s ‘Mr. Irrelevant,’ Key did not make the Jets’ initial 53-man roster. The 24-year-old was retained via the practice squad, but he did not see any regular season action. Now a free agent, Key will look to latch on with another organization.
Ross signed with the Eagles in May as part of his bid to return to the NFL. The former Combine 40-yard dash record holder was released during roster cutdowns, however, after he was unable to carve out a depth role on offense. Ross will rejoin the team in a bid to provide Philadelphia with a complementary receiving option as the team deals with a number of injuries at the WR spot.