IR Possible For Broncos OLB Baron Browning
A foot injury will keep Baron Browning out for Week 3. The fourth-year Broncos edge rusher could be sidelined for an extended period, however. 
Head coach Sean Payton replied “we’ll see” when asked if Browning could land on injured reserve (h/t Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette). Placing him on IR would guarantee at least a four-game absence and leave the team without a key defender. Browning has started each of the Broncos’ games in 2024, having done so 26 times during his previous three seasons.
Injuries have been an issue for the 25-year-old during his NFL tenure. Browning was limited to 14 games during each of his first two campaigns, and a meniscus injury left him unavailable for the start of the 2023 season. When healthy, he has been a key contributor by logging a snap share of at least 60% every year from 2021-23. A switch from inside to outside linebacker was followed by numerous veteran departures along the edge, paving the way for Browning to handle a regular pass-rushing role.
The Ohio State product notched five sacks in 2022, and he followed that up with 4.5 in only 10 games last year. That production led to high expectations ahead of this season, but Browning was held to just five tackles and no pressures prior to suffering his latest injury. As a pending free agent, an extended stay on the mend would hinder his market value in addition to leaving Denver without a starter in the front seven.
With Browning on the sidelines for at least Sunday’s game, the Broncos will rely on Jonathan Cooper, Nik Bonitto and third-round rookie Jonah Elliss along the edge. The team dedicated one of its eight IR activations before the regular season started in the case of cornerback Damarri Mathis. Doing the same may soon be necessary as it pertains to Browning.
Cowboys Not Eyeing RB Addition
The running back position was a major talking point for the Cowboys this offseason, one in which Tony Pollard departed as a free agent. The team’s moves since then have not quelled debate about whether more is required, but further additions are not a priority at the moment. 
“A few of the media have gotten out here and written some stories early about how we needed a running back in the draft or how we need a running back, and they’re trying to cover their you-know-what as we go through the season,” owner Jerry Jones said during a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
Dallas reunited with Ezekiel Elliott on a one-year deal, although the team did so with a committee approach in mind. Elliott logged at least 231 carries during each of his first seven seasons as a Cowboy before ceding time to Pollard and being released after the 2022 season. That paved the way for a one-and-done campaign in New England during which the 29-year-old set a new career low in yards per carry (3.5). Elliott has matched that figure through two games while logging a 45% snap share.
The Cowboys retained Rico Dowdle in the offseason after he served in a depth capacity with the team for several years. The former UDFA took on an increased role in 2023 with a 22% snap share; that mark has doubled in the early portion of the current campaign. Dowdle received 106 total touches last year, but he is well on track to surpass that figure with 20 through two weeks in 2024.
Not long before the start of the campaign, the Cowboys added Dalvin Cook to their practice squad. The four-time Pro Bowler had a forgettable 2023 season split between the Jets and Ravens, but Dallas represents an opportunity to rebound. Cook, 29, has yet to be promoted to the active roster. Doing so would be a feasible move from the team’s perspective before seeking out any additions.
Dallas has averaged just 85 rushing yards per game this year, which ranks 26th in the league. Frequently linked to Jonathon Brooks in particular leading up to the draft, the team did not add any rookies in the backfield. Reliance on Elliott, Dowdle, 2023 sixth-rounder Deuce Vaughn and (at some point) Cook will remain the case until a move is deemed necessary. With Kareem Hunt having returned to the Chiefs this week, though, the free agent pool has thinned.
Ravens, RB Justice Hill Agree To Extension
The Ravens were among the teams to make a notable outside free agent addition at the running back spot this offseason. One of Baltimore’s incumbent options in the backfield now has a new deal in place, though. 
Justice Hill has agreed to an extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. This will be a two-year, $6MM deal for the veteran, he adds. Hill – who has spent his entire career in Baltimore – will be under contract through the 2026 season as a result of this news, which is now official.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, Hill has remained a complementary option in the backfield through much of his tenure. He was one of three Ravens running backs who suffered a season-ending injury before the 2021 campaign began, but since then he has not had availability issues. Hill has remained a core special teams contributor (both as a kick returner and in other roles), but this new deal comes in the wake of his most productive campaign.
The 26-year-old set career highs across the board in 2023, racking up 593 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns. With J.K. Dobbins suffering an Achilles tear early in the year, Hill was counted on as a key member of the backfield throughout the campaign while splitting reps with Gus Edwards and – for a stretch in the middle of the season – undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell. Plenty has changed since the end of the 2023 slate.
Dobbins and Edwards departed in free agency, while the Ravens added Derrick Henry on a two-year deal. The longtime Titans star nearly found himself in Baltimore ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, but he joined the team amidst high expectations on early downs and goal line situations in particular. With Mitchell continuing to rehab the ACL tear which ended his encouraging rookie year, Hill has been leaned on as a key pass-catching option early in 2024. Today’s deal means that will continue for the foreseeable future.
The Oklahoma State product signed a two-year extension in March 2023; that pact carried an AAV of $2.55MM. His work on offense and special teams since then has clearly drawn strong reviews from the team and earned him a slight raise. The Ravens’ Henry investment does not include any guaranteed salary for next year, leading to uncertainty regarding his status next spring. Likewise, it remains to be seen how Mitchell will fare and how large of a workload he will handle once healthy. However Baltimore’s RB room shakes out in 2024 and beyond, Hill will be a notable presence in it.
QB Jacoby Brissett To Remain Patriots’ Starter
Thursday night saw both Patriots quarterbacks struggle. Drake Maye finished the lopsided loss, but Jacoby Brissett was in place for much of the game. New England will stick with the veteran moving forward. 
“Jacoby is our quarterback until I say he’s not the quarterback,” head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed during a Friday press conference (video link). “I thought last night, he showed a lot of toughness, a lot of grit. On protection breakdowns, tried to do what we asked him to do. But I would say, just as a team, as a coaching staff, we’ve just got to be better.”
The Patriots managed just 139 yards of offense, scoring three points. Brissett completed 12 of 18 pass attempts, but he totaled only 98 yards while taking five sacks. Maye logged 16 snaps in relief, but he took a pair of sacks and completed half of his eight passes. In the wake of a struggle along the offensive line in particular, it comes as no surprise Brissett will remain atop the depth chart for now.
Mayo did add, however, that the team’s practice rep allocation will remain the same moving forward. As a result, Maye will continue to take roughly 30% of the snaps with the first-team offense. As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted prior to yesterday’s game, the first-round rookie has shared reps with both the first-team unit and the scout team in addition to side work with quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney (video link). Maye’s development is a key priority for the 2024 season, and the No. 3 pick drew praise from Mayo for his training camp and preseason showings before a final decision on the team’s starting quarterback was made.
Brissett got the nod for the QB1 spot to start the year, but the expectation has remained that Maye will take over at some point during the campaign. Patience while the team’s offensive line and skill position corps develops is a sensible approach for the Patriots, though, and Brissett is a familiar passer to offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Hired after a strong push was made to bring Nick Caley back into the organization under the OC title, Van Pelt will be counted on as a key figure in Maye’s acclimation to the NFL. That process will continue to take place in a backup capacity for the time being.
Latest On Steelers’ QB Situation
The Steelers are 2-0 with Justin Fields at the helm of their offense, and he is likely to make a third straight start on Sunday. Russell Wilson is still not practicing in full, but when he is healthy his place on the depth chart will be worth watching closely. 
Wilson continues to rehab the calf injury which cost him time during training camp and which he reaggravated shortly before the start of the season. Head coach Mike Tomlin has stated Wilson remains the team’s starter (the role he officially earned after the preseason) once he returns to full health, although strong showings from Fields could sway the team’s opinion on that front. Tomlin does not have a true decision to make until both passers are healthy, but Wilson is making progress.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Seahawks Super Bowl winner will likely receive a chance as the team’s starter once he has recovered. Wilson’s command of the offense, Fowler notes, remains an area where he is deemed to have an advantage over Fields. That is one factor which led to Wilson remaining in pole position for the QB1 spot throughout the offseason, in addition to his experience and lack of turnover issues relative to Fields. The latter has done well in that regard so far, though, and he will aim to deliver another clean performance on Sunday.
Pittsburgh ranks just 26th in scoring at the moment and 29th in passing yardage. The team has scored only one offensive touchdown through two weeks, and improved efficiency (at least, to a degree) will be needed over the course of the campaign. Fields was viewed by many as the signal-caller with the most upside in the Steelers’ QB room, and an update on this situation from before their Week 2 win suggested Tomlin could stick with the former Bears draftee even when Wilson is back to 100%.
“I’m definitely gaining ground,” Wilson – who practiced on a limited basis Thursday – said, via Fowler’s colleague Brooke Pryor. “I feel good. I was able to do a lot more work today, yesterday, so we’re getting better every day.”
Both Wilson and Fields are pending free agents, so their respective financial futures depend on how the 2024 season shakes out. Wilson could very well still see the field at some point, especially if Tomlin holds firm on the team’s pecking order at the position. As the Kenny Pickett–Mason Rudolph situation demonstrated last year, though, changes to the depth chart can be made based on unexpected performances. When (or if) Wilson gets back in the fold will be an interesting storyline to follow.
QB Tyler Huntley Addresses Dolphins Deal
Tua Tagovailoa is on injured reserve in the wake of his latest concussion. A multi-week absence (at a minimum) is in store as a result, and the Dolphins added quarterback depth in the form of Tyler Huntley. 
Skylar Thompson will serve as Miami’s starter moving forward, but the team opted to add Huntley off the Ravens’ practice squad on Monday. That move came in lieu of promoting Tim Boyle from the Dolphins’ own taxi squad. Huntley is now the team’s QB2, a role he envisioned for himself shortly after Tagovailoa’s injury.
“I was thinking about it a lot,” the Dania, Florida native said when speaking to the media upon arrival with the Dolphins (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “I was really thinking about it coming out of the draft and I was hoping Miami would have come and got me. But, you know, God’s plan and we’re here now.”
Huntley went undrafted despite a strong finish to his college career. The Utah product led the country in passer rating and completion percentage in 2019, and his dual-threat skillset made him a target of the Ravens. Upon signing with Baltimore, Huntley spent time as Lamar Jackson‘s backup for several years. He made 22 total regular and postseason appearances, a figure which includes 10 starts. One of those was during the wild-card round of the 2022 playoffs, but with Jackson healthy last year his only full contest came during a meaningless Week 18 game.
The 26-year-old signed with the Browns in free agency, but Cleveland also brought in Jameis Winston as a Joe Flacco backup replacement. The team elected to keep Winston and Dorian Thompson–Robinson in place behind Deshaun Watson, leading Huntley to return to the Ravens. Baltimore has Jackson and Josh Johnson on the active roster, though, so the Dolphins offer a better path to playing time at least while Tagovailoa is sidelined.
Thompson’s performances over the coming weeks will be critical as the Dolphins look to remain competitive without Tagovailoa. Huntely may play a role in that effort, but even if not he is now with the team he originally hoped to join upon entering the NFL.
Jon Gruden Eyeing College HC Gig
Jon Gruden‘s lawsuit against the NFL has not been settled, and a return to the pro coaching ranks before it does remains highly unlikely. In the meantime, the former Raiders head coach is open to a college head coaching opportunity. 
“Yeah, I’m interested in coaching,” Gruden said during an interview with CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello. “Hell yeah, I’m interested in coaching. I know I can help a team, I know I can help young players get better, and I know I can hire a good staff, and that’s the only thing I can guarantee. But yeah, I’m very interested in coaching at any level, period.”
The 61-year-old resigned midway through the 2021 season after emails he sent while an ESPN analyst were uncovered during an investigation into former Commanders owner Dan Snyder. Gruden filed a suit against the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, one which the league has attempted to handle via arbitration. Gruden has pressed to have the case heard in open court, although that process has hit a number of obstacles. In July, his legal team asked to have a split decision by the Nevada Supreme Court favoring arbitration overturned.
It remains to be seen if the case will ultimately be presided over by Goodell or an appointee (if the arbitration route is taken) or in open court provided Gruden’s appeals processes work out. A full-time coaching gig at the NFL level would come as a surprise at this point, but the former Buccaneers Super Bowl winner has played a temporary role on staffs recently. Gruden worked as a consultant with the Saints last year, and he spent time alongside Andy Reid and the Chiefs this offseason. His stock could be rebuilt with a successful run at the NCAA level.
Marcello notes that opinion is split amongst college administration officials and athletic directors with respect to a potential Gruden hire. A number of coaches with past off-the-field issues have received second chances at the NCAA level, though, and a market could pick up as Gruden eyes a long-term opportunity to coach again. It will be interesting to see if he manages to land a college gig while his lawsuit against the NFL continues to play out.
“If there’s somebody out there that thinks they need a candidate, somebody to come in there, maybe lather it up a little bit, jazz it up a little bit, I’ll be down here in Tampa,” Gruden added. “I’ll be ready to go if needed.”
Browns DT Mike Hall Pleads No Contest To Disorderly Conduct
Mike Hall‘s legal situation reached a conclusion on Thursday, paving the way for NFL discipline under the personal conduct policy. The Browns rookie entered a plea of no contest to disorderly conduct in the Avon Lake Municipal Court, per court records. 
That fourth-degree misdemeanor represents a lower charge than the ones Hall was originally facing. The 21-year-old was arrested in August on domestic violence charges. An incident involving Hall and his fiancée led to the arrest, although the victim has since filed a motion for a protective order against Hall to be removed. That motion was granted.
Hall’s legal resolution includes a suspended 30-day sentence, a $250 fine and a placement on two-year monitor time, as detailed by Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. His original court date was scheduled for September 10, but it was moved back to Thursday. That day was meant to be the start of a pre-trial hearing, but today’s news brings a close to the case.
As is common in instances of domestic violence, Hall was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list. That move prevented him from taking part in the Browns’ regular season opener and had him set to remain away from the team until his legal process played out. Now that it has, the NFL can proceed with an investigation in advance of a fine and/or suspension being issued for a personal conduct violation. A league statement confirms Hall remains on the exempt list for the time being (h/t Easterling).
During his final two years at Ohio State, Hall collected six sacks and 10 tackles for loss. That production made him one of the top defensive linemen in the 2024 draft class, and upon being selected with the No. 54 pick he was the Browns’ top choice in April. Expectations are high based on his potential, but it remains to be seen when he will be cleared to make his NFL debut.
QB Bryce Young Did Not Anticipate Panthers Benching
Year 2 of Bryce Young‘s NFL career took an unwanted turn yesterday with the Panthers electing to bench him in favor of Andy Dalton. Last year’s No. 1 pick now faces an unknown timeline to return to the field. 
Young was caught off guard by head coach Dave Canales‘ decision to insert Dalton into the lineup, ESPN’s David Newton reports. The 23-year-old started all but one game (due to injury) during his rookie campaign, one in which he and Carolina’s offense struggled immensely. A step forward with Canales in the fold, along with new investments up front and at the skill positions, was expected for 2024.
Instead, Young’s showings during the first two games of the season – blowout losses to the Saints and Chargers – remained underwhelming. He has totaled 245 scoreless passing yards to date this season while throwing three interceptions. In spite of those figures, Newton’s colleague Jeremy Fowler notes there was “some surprise” in the Panthers’ organization based on how early the QB change was made. Dalton will aim to provide the team with more stability under center amidst questions on the decision to bench Young for an unspecified period.
“I owe it to all the guys — the coaches, the staff, the players, everybody involved — to be really critical about what we put on film, about what I’m seeing and to make sure I’m constantly making the best decision for the team every week,” Canales said when addressing the decision, via Joe Person of The Athletic (subscription required). It happens to be the quarterback position, so it’s loaded that way.
“But it’s every position. It’s all the guys. I was able to stand in front of the team and challenge all the guys that we all have to step up our passion for what we’re doing to play with the play style that we’re looking for.”
Canales endorsed Young as the Panthers’ starter in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s loss, but he consulted with other members of the coaching and front office staff upon watching the film from that contest. As Person notes, Canales did not specify how large of a role owner David Tepper (who has a reputation for meddling) played in the decision to bench Young, adding it was ultimately his call to make. Canales is in his first year as a head coach, and his hiring was based in large part on his success in working with Geno Smith in Seattle and Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay. The development process for Young will include time on the sidelines moving forward.
Person adds Canales never discussed Young’s benching as a temporary move aimed at giving him a temporary reset. Dalton could be in place atop the depth chart for a notable stretch as a result. The 36-year-old made just one start last year when filling in for an injure Young, but he is a veteran of 170 games. Dalton is also a pending free agent, so a strong showing (relative to the potential in Carolina’s offense) could help his market value. A step forward on offense would no doubt be welcomed by all parties in the Panthers’ organization, even with Young’s future now even more of a question mark than it was following the 2023 campaign.
For now, at least, more competition at the quarterback spot will not be forthcoming. Canales said (via Newton) the team will not be making an addition under center, meaning Young will handle backup duties beginning in Week 3. When he next sees the field – and how the organization proceeds with him on a long-term scale – will be storylines worth following closely.
Browns WR David Bell To Undergo Season-Ending Hip Surgery
SEPTEMBER 17: As a result of the season-ending surgery for his dislocated hip, Bell has officially been placed on injured reserve, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. His third NFL season has officially come to an end.
SEPTEMBER 16: David Bell suffered a dislocated hip in Week 2, and the third-year Browns wideout will miss the remainder of the campaign as a result. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Bell is set to undergo season-ending surgery. 
The 23-year-old was carted off the field during the third quarter of Cleveland’s win on Sunday. A notable absence was thus in the cards, but today’s news means Bell’s attention will turn to rehab ahead of the 2025 campaign. Already on the roster bubble for that year, as demonstrated by his time on and off the practice squad in 2024, this is a notable setback for him.
Selected in the third round of the 2022 draft, Bell logged a 47% snap share as a rookie. That playing time resulted in 35 targets, although he managed just 214 scoreless yards on 24 receptions that season. The Purdue product saw his usage take a significant step back last year, and handled only a rotational role. During his brief healthy period in the current campaign, he was only on the field for nine offensive snaps.
Nevertheless, the fact Bell is under contract through 2025 is a sign the Browns hope to keep him in the fold for at least the short-term future. For the time being, Cleveland will continue to rely on Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman atop the WR depth chart. The Browns could look to make an addition aimed at filling Bell’s complementary role or remain inside the organization for such a move.
In other injury news, Stefanski said running back Pierre Strong is considered week to week due to a hamstring ailment. The team’s backfield will be shorthanded if he misses time, but Cleveland’s offense could see the return of any or all of left tackle Jedrick Wills, right tackle Jack Conklin and tight end David Njoku as early as Week 3. Their respective presences would be welcomed, but Bell will be out of the picture for the rest of the campaign.