Eagles Activate G Cam Jurgens
Philadelphia’s offensive line will receive a signficant boost in advance of the team’s upcoming Super Bowl rematch. The Eagles announced on Saturday that right guard Cam Jurgens has been activated from injured reserve. 
Jurgens had his 21-day practice window opened more than two weeks ago, but he could have missed Week 11’s Monday night contest against the Chiefs without yet being at risk of reverting to season-ending IR. Instead, he will be available in time for the highly-anticipated game and in turn end a lengthy absence. Bringing Jurgens back will use up one of the Eagles’ seven remaining IR activations.
The 24-year-old has been out since the beginning of October due to a foot injury, an ailment which interrupted his first season as a starter. Jurgens was in place at the RG spot from the start of the season, and he had a four-game run as a first-teamer before the injury. The 2022 second-rounder was not charged with a sack allowed in pass protection by PFF over that span, helping him earn an overall grade of 65.2. That figure ranks 26th out of 80 qualifying guards, and sits much higher than that of his replacement, Sua Opeta.
It also represents an improvement from the mark he posted as a rookie in limited action. Jurgens logged only 35 snaps as a rookie playing behind Isaac Seumalo. With the latter having departed in free agency, a starting spot opened up for Jurgens. The Nebraska product has taken it while developing as the Eagles’ projected Jason Kelce successor at center.
As expected, Philadelphia’s O-line has remained a strength this season, helping lead the team to an 8-1 record. The Eagles have posted top-1o rankings in a number of offensive categories, including strong performances both on the ground and in the air. Jurgens’ return will help in both regards as the NFC leaders look to maintain their place atop the conference and prepare for another postseason run.
Justin Fields To Play In Week 11; Bears To Activate RB Khalil Herbert From IR
NOVEMBER 18: The Bears made it official today, activating Herbert for the team’s Week 11 matchup in Detroit. It remains to be seen what Herbert’s role will be after he seemed to be firmly establishing himself as the lead back in the two games before his absence. Foreman has had a few decent performances since then while rookie Roschon Johnson has remained a change of pace back and Travis Homer has remained a special teamer.
The activation is the team’s eighth off of injured reserve this year, which is the limit for a season. If any other players are placed on IR, they will be forced to remain there for the rest of the year.
In addition to Herbert’s activation, the Bears announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow. They have selected linebacker Micah Baskerville and outside linebacker DeMarquis Gates to dress up against the Lions.
NOVEMBER 17: The Bears’ offense will see two significant reinforcements in time for Week 11. As expected, quarterback Justin Fields will suit up on Sunday as he was taken off the injury report. Running back Khalil Herbert, meanwhile, will be activated off IR, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes. 
Fields has missed the past four games due to a thumb injury, but it was learned earlier this week that Chicago intended to bring the former first-rounder back into the fold. With that now confirmed, Fields can embark on a late-season stretch in which plenty of his post-2023 future will be determined. Recent indications have suggested Fields will need to convince the Bears’ brass – which was not in place when he was drafted – of his worth to avoid having the team draft a new signal-caller in April.
2023 has seen the 24-year-old continue to put up inconsistent numbers, and the thumb injury has added to his missed time. Fields is under contract through at least 2024, though the Bears could add one year to his rookie pact by exercising his fifth-year option this spring. Doing so would represent a sign of confidence in his progression, but the team is slated to have two high first-rounders in April’s draft. That would provide an opportunity to acquire a Fields successor and move on from the Ohio State alum. His play down the stretch will thus be worth watching closely.
Herbert was one of three players the Bears designated for return last week. The others – wideout Equanimeous St. Brown and cornerback Josh Blackwell – were activated, but Herbert was not. The latter will notably represent the eighth and final IR activation used by Chicago this season. While their aggressiveness with using injured reserve as a means of stashing injured players has carried risk, Herbert’s return will be welcomed on the Bears’ offense.
The unit has struggled in a number of categories, although running production has not been one of them. The Bears rank fifth in the NFL with an average of 135 yards per game on the ground, and Herbert sits second on the team with 272 on the year. Free agent addition D’Onta Foreman has taken the lead in that department while logging a heavy workload in Herbert’s absence. It will be interesting to see how the RB snaps are divided with the team’s backfield returning to health.
The 3-7 Bears will aim to ride the return of Fields and Herbert to an uptick in offensive efficiency late in the year. With plenty at stake for the former (along with several members of the coaching staff and/or front office, in the view of many), Chicago will be a team to monitor in the closing weeks of the campaign.
Titans’ Ryan Tannehill Not Seeking Release
Speculation (and at least one false report) has emerged recently indicating Ryan Tannehill intends to depart the Titans to pursue a starting role elsewhere in 2023. The veteran quarterback made it clear on Friday that is not the case. 
Tannehill, who entered the season with questions about his future in Tennessee given his age and contract status, has seen his run as a starter come to an end. Despite returning to health from an ankle injury, the 35-year-old has been demoted to backup behind rookie Will Levis. The latter has started each of the past three games, and he will remain the No. 1 moving forward.
That appeared to make Tannehill a trade chip ahead of the deadline, though the Titans would have needed to retain a portion of his remaining 2023 salary ($27MM) for a swap to be feasible. With the trade deadline having come and gone, a release would now be necessary for him to find a new team – either by being claimed off waivers or clearing and signing with an interested suitor as a free agent. When speaking to the media, Tannehill confirmed that is not in the cards.
“I was kind of caught off guard by those reports as well,” the former Comeback Player of the Year said, via Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky (video link). “Obviously, I have a desire to play, but I just don’t know what that looks like at this point.”
Tannehill added no discussions have taken place with head coach Mike Vrabel on the topic of releasing him before the end of the campaign. While a number of teams in contention for a postseason berth could certainly use a veteran signal-caller, Tannehill will be a valued member of a QBs room which features Levis and Malik Willis, who has 66 pass attempts to his name. Unless Levis loses his grip on the starter’s role, though, Tannehill is in line for an interesting free agent period.
The latter will see his four-year, $118MM deal expire in March, setting him up for a departure from Nashville. As things currently stand, though, he is content for that to mark the point at which he entertains offers on a contract allowing him to reclaim a starting gig.
Panthers Expected To Use Franchise Tag On Brian Burns
The Panthers still have time to work out a deal with edge rusher Brian Burns, but signficant progress would need to be made for such a development to take place. A trip to free agency should not be expected in his case, though. 
Burns is playing out his fifth-year option in 2023, valued at $16MM. A long-term deal will check in at a much larger figure than that, and a lucrative extension has been on Carolina’s radar for some time now. Little traction was gained this offseason, however, leaving the franchise tag as the logical backup plan for the Panthers. That is the course of action the team is expected to take at this point, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes.
This latest update comes as little surprise given where things currently stand. A recent report named Burns as an obvious tag candidate in the event a multi-year contract could not be worked out, and the 25-year-old has established himself as a franchise cornerstone. Carolina has turned down signficant trade interest in each of the past two seasons to retain Burns, demonstrating the team’s commitment to him in spite of his uncertain contractual future.
The two-time Pro Bowler is believed to be seeking a much higher AAV on a new deal than what the Panthers value him at. As a result, negotiations have been put on pause since the start of the season, and the passing of the trade deadline (during which at least five teams made a push to acquire him) has not spurred a new round of talks. Barring a signficant breakthrough, then, the one-year tag could loom as Carolina’s only option.
The 2024 tag for defensive ends – which Burns lined up as during the start of his career – will cost a projected $20.4MM. The tag for linebackers – which Burns would be listed as given the team’s switch to a 3-4 scheme this year – is scheduled to cost roughly $3MM less. It would be interesting to see if a compromise could be worked out between the two figures, though in any event a new contract would check in at a significantly higher rate given the upward trajectory of the edge market in recent years.
Nick Bosa‘s historic 49ers deal placed him at the top of the pecking order with an AAV of $34MM. While Burns has been connected to an asking price near that level, the Panthers are aiming closer to the $23.5MM mark Maxx Crosby is currently tied to. A pair of recent deals (Rashan Gary with the Packers, and Montez Sweat shortly upon arrival with the Bears) have been inked just above that rate. Carolina showed interest in the latter despite the fact he, like Burns, was set to see his rookie contract expire in March.
With Sweat now in Chicago for the long term, the Panthers can keep their attention on a new deal for Burns (and, potentially, a much more cost-effective contract for fellow pending free agent Yetur Gross-Matos). Carolina is currently slated to sit mid-pack in terms of 2024 cap space, but plenty of financial moves will be made between now and the new league year. By that point, Burns can be expected to at least have a placeholder contract in hand.
Giants OC Mike Kafka, DC Don Martindale In Danger Of Being Fired
The 2-8 Giants are at the heart of plenty of speculation with respect to job security. Head coach Brian Daboll, general manager Joe Schoen and quarterback Daniel Jones have all been the subject of recent reporting on the topic of significant changes being made in the offseason. 
As things currently stand, each member of that trio appears to be safe, although plenty remains to be seen in the second half of the campaign. Given the team’s struggles throughout the season, however, it would come as no surprise if changes of some kind were made. On that point, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Don Martindale are among the staffers expected to be let go at the end of the year.
Both coordinators have been in place since 2022, the start of the Daboll-Schoen regime. Kafka, 36, joined New York after five seasons in Kansas City. That span included a four-year stretch as QB coach, and his role in Patrick Mahomes‘ success made him a highly talked-about member of the coaching ranks. Kafka’s unit put up middling overall numbers in terms of scoring and total offense last year, but success on the ground helped lead the Giants on an unexpected run to the divisional round.
That success earned Kafka signficant head coaching interest during the 2023 season, but things have not gone according to plan this year. Struggling with a plethora of injuries – including to Jones and, at times, running back Saquon Barkley, among many others – the Giants sit at the bottom of the NFL in both points (11.8) and yards (288) per game. Few signs pointing to a late-season improvement have been shown, so it will be interesting to see how Daboll (assuming he survives off the back of last year’s success) handles the side of the ball he has experience in.
Martindale, in contrast to Kafka, has a long track record at the pro level, including two different stints as a DC prior to his Giants appointment. The 60-year-old saw his 10-year tenure with the Ravens come to an end when Baltimore elected to move on following his poorest showing as a coordinator there. In each of the three seasons prior to his unit’s mediocre 2021 performance, Martindale had guided the Ravens to a top-three finish in scoring defense.
Like with the Giants’ offense, however, the team has taken a step back on Martindale’s side of the ball. New York currently sits 29th in points allowed per game (26.6), with the run and pass defense having regressed compared to last season. Martindale recently went public with his response to safety Xavier McKinney‘s criticism of the coaching staff and a perceived lack of communication with the team’s captains, a matter which appears to have since been resolved.
Pauline cites Giants sources who believe Kafka in particular is likely to be on the way out soon. It will be interesting to see how he handles the continued run of undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito under center with pressure appearing to build on his job security. Martindale’s performance, likewise, will be worth watching closely as the Giants evaluate their shortcomings in a lost season.
DL Akiem Hicks Drawing Interest, Undecided On Playing In 2023
A number of veteran defensive linemen are on the open market for teams interested in adding them for a postseason push. One of those is Akiem Hicks, who could soon find himself inking a deal. 
Hicks has discussed a contract with multiple teams, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Those talks could result in an agreement being reached, since he adds that interest remains “high” in the 34-year-old. Fowler also notes, however, that Hicks has not made a firm commitment to playing in 2023.
Hicks played with the Buccaneers last season, and he remained a regular contributor in Tampa Bay as he was previously in Chicago. The former third-rounder logged a 55% snap share in 11 games. Injuries were again a hindrance to his availability in 2022, though, with a torn plantar fascia costing him time. In spite of that, the Buccaneers showed interest in another deal.
No such agreement came about, leaving Hicks in free agency past the trade deadline. Just like fellow veteran Ndamukong Suh, he therefore finds himself as an option for contending teams searching for experienced depth down the stretch. Hicks has 156 combined regular and postseason games to his name, and if healthy he could provide a rotational presence over the short term. Doing so would add to his career accolades (which do not include a Super Bowl title) and help his 2024 free agent prospects.
Many of Hicks’ best seasons came during his six-year run with the Bears, a tenure which overlapped with that of Vic Fangio. The current Dolphins defensive coordinator had been named as a logical coach for Hicks to reunite with in the event he signed a deal in 2023. Miami has relied extensively on starters Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler along the defensive interior, and adding Hicks could ease their workloads late in the season. A reunion with Fangio does not appear to be in the cards, however.
When speaking publicly on Thursday, the latter said (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald) Hicks’ name was mentioned in conversations with head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier “a while ago,” adding no traction was generated on a potential deal. With little interest in place from the Dolphins, Hicks will thus need to look elsewhere if he intends to suit up this season. If interest from other teams remains strong, though, he could generate a late-season market for his services.
Texans LB Denzel Perryman’s Suspension Reduced On Appeal
NOVEMBER 15: Perryman did, in fact, opt to appeal the three-game suspension he was handed yesterday. According to NFL senior vice president of football & international communications Michael Signora, Perryman’s appeal was successful, and his ban has been reduced from three games to two. The decision was handed down by James Thrash, a hearing officer appointed by joint decision of both the NFL and the NFL Players Association. He will now be eligible to return in time for the Texans’ Week 13 matchup with the Broncos.
NOVEMBER 14: Denzel Perryman drew an unnecessary roughness flag for lowering his head to make a hit during Houston’s Week 10 win. The Texans will be without the veteran linebacker for a short stretch as a result. 
Perryman was issued a three-game suspension by the NFL on Tuesday. Sunday’s infraction marked the seventh time he was flagged for a use of helmet foul this season, and the accumulation of such penalties has escalated to a ban. Perryman had been fined over $66K in Week 2 for lowering his head, but today’s news will incur a larger financial penalty.
The 30-year-old has the option to appeal the suspension, a process which could result in the ban being reduced. That ended up being the case for Broncos safety Kareem Jackson earlier this year, as he appealed a four-game suspension for an accumulation of unnecessary roughness penalties. Jackson managed to have his absence reduced to a pair of contests. Perryman will likely look to do the same in the coming days.
After spending his first eight years in the AFC West, Perryman signed a one-year deal in free agency to join the rebuilding Texans. The low-cost deal allowed him to reunite with former Raiders teammate Cory Littleton as a member of Houston’s re-worked front seven, though the latter has bounced on and off the Texans’ roster throughout the year. Perryman has posted 41 tackles in six games while logging a 72% snap share.
Houston will thus be in need of a starting-caliber replacement for however long Perryman is sidelined. Fifth-round rookie Henry To’oTo’o has already established himself as a first-teamer at the LB spot by leading the team in tackles, and Littleton could see usage on defense (as opposed to special teams) with an open spot in the lineup. The Texans – currently ranked eighth in the league against the run – also have the likes of Blake Cashman, Christian Harris and Neville Hewitt available to fill in for Perryman.
Panthers HC Frank Reich Reclaims Play-Calling Duties
NOVEMBER 15: Brown’s initial run as Panthers play-caller will stop after three games. Reich will indeed take back the play-calling reins, he revealed Wednesday. Reich, who called plays throughout his Colts HC tenure, said early this offseason he saw Brown as a future play-caller. The Panthers picked up their first win with Brown calling the shots, though after topping 20 points in three of its first six games, the team has not exceeded 15 over the past three.
While Reich said (via Person and ESPN’s Adam Schefter) this will still be a collaborative process and that it will not impact Brown’s standing with the team, the quick turnaround certainly qualifies as an interesting development for the 1-8 team. Although the Panthers are in a clear rebuild, this season is obviously pivotal to Young’s long-term growth. Through that lens, Reich’s experience calling plays is rather important.
NOVEMBER 14: Frank Reich made it clear before his debut season as Panthers head coach that he would begin the year as the team’s play-caller, but that offensive coordinator Thomas Brown would be handed the reins at some point. A switch was made one month ago, but a quick change in course may be coming soon. 
With Carolina struggling to produce on offense early in rookie quarterback Bryce Young‘s career, Reich chose the bye week as the time to delegate to Brown. The latter had never called plays at the NFL level, but his time with the Rams earned him a reputation as one of the league’s top young offensive minds. Brown’s three games in charge have not gone as planned, however, with the Panthers managing just two offensive touchdowns.
When speaking publicly in the wake of Carolina’s Thursday night loss to the Bears, Reich has on multiple occasions declined to confirm that Brown will remain the team’s play-caller. He has indicated, though, via Joe Person of The Athletic, that personnel changes are being considered on offense (subscription required). It remains to be seen what that will entail, but pressure is believed to be mounting for improvements to be made by Reich and Co. before the end of the campaign.
Panthers owner David Tepper has reportedly grown frustrated with the lack of progress shown by Young and a unit which has struggled both on the ground and through the air. Carolina ranks near the bottom of the league in a number of offensive categories, including 29th in both points (17) and yards (305) per game. A lack of week-to-week improvement shown during Brown’s (very brief) period at the helm could lead Reich to take back play-calling duties at some point in the near future, a move which would give the team a more experienced voice guiding the unit.
“However we’ve done the play-calling – whoever’s been doing the play-calling – we haven’t performed as an offense. So let me just make that point clear, first of all, Reich said. “As I look toward, now, the last half of the season, what’s the best dynamic and why? Any decision that’s ultimately made is just gonna be based on that one pure factor. So that’s how we’ll approach it.”
The 1-8 Panthers do not own their first-round pick in 2024 due to last year’s trade which landed them Young. With no incentive to continue their poor first half of the campaign, it will be interesting to see what changes are made down the stretch, and how the offense responds to them.
Bills Fire OC Ken Dorsey
In the aftermath of another underwhelming performance, the Bills are making a signficant change on the sidelines. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey has been fired, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since confirmed the move. 
The Bills have struggled to an extent on offense in 2023, Dorsey’s second year in charge of the unit. He will be replaced by quarterbacks coach Joe Brady, Schefter adds. The latter has also been in Buffalo since 2022, having previously served as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator under head coach Matt Rhule.
The departure of Brian Daboll led to questions about Buffalo’s ability to remain amongst the league’s top offenses with Dorsey at the helm. It came as little surprise when the Bills decided to look in-house for Daboll’s successor, promoting Dorsey from the QB coach position he had held with the team for the previous three years. While Buffalo has posted strong statistical showings during Dorsey’s time as OC, he has been dismissed in the hopes of providing a spark for the unit and getting the team’s postseason push back on track.
The Bills ranked second in the league in both total and scoring offense last season, a sign that the switch to Dorsey could have been one with long-term appeal. However, the team suffered a lackluster defeat in the postseason during the divisional round, and week-to-week consistency has been hard to come by in 2023. This year, Buffalo sits eighth in the NFL in both points (26) and yards (377) per game.
After recording three straight high-scoring wins starting in Week 2, the Bills have failed to score 30 points in their last six games. Turnovers have been a major issue for the unit, which has led to increased criticism of quarterback Josh Allen. Aiming to produce a rebound from their franchise passer, the team will now proceed with a new face for the stretch run. Today’s move will leave Buffalo with neither the offensive nor defensive coordinator which was in place following the end of the 2022 campaign.
DC Leslie Frazier stepped away from football in February, though he intends to return to the sidelines either as a coordinator or a head coach in the future. Head coach Sean McDermott has called plays on defense this season, and that unit has not delivered to the extent it has in past seasons. Injuries on defense have been a major storyline for Buffalo this year, but McDermott has drawn criticism on a number of fronts, including most recently the disorganization which resulted in a penalty to give the Broncos a chance to win in come-from-behind fashion last night. In the wake of that special teams mistake, McDermott will move forward with a new voice for the offense.
Dorsey will now join the 2024 coaching cycle early. The 42-year-old interviewed with the Panthers for their head coaching vacancy last offseason. Given the manner in which his Buffalo tenure has come to an end, it will be interesting to see how much of a market he generates in the winter. Buffalo, meanwhile, will aim for a step forward in efficiency with Brady at the helm.
Aaron Rodgers Aiming For Mid-December Return?
NOVEMBER 14: Rodgers provided some more context on a potential return during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. The QB admitted that he “never said anything definitive” regarding a potential return date and said “nothing’s changed” about his timeline (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com).
However, the QB is clearly keeping the door open to a return this season. In addition to his actual recovery, Rodgers will also consider the Jets’ playoff positioning over the upcoming weeks.
“There’s no set date,” Rodgers said. “It could change. If I have a great week this week and next week, that could be accelerated. If we are not in it in three or four weeks, that could take it a different way. I expect us to be in it and I expect to come back, so that’s about all I can tell you at this point.”
NOVEMBER 13: The Jets delivered another poor performance on offense during Sunday night’s loss to the Raiders, adding to the list of disappointing showings by Zach Wilson under center. He remains in place as New York’s starter, but the possibility still exists that Aaron Rodgers could suit up by the end of the season. 
The latter has publicly stated his intention of returning to full health at least in time for the start of the 2024 campaign. That would represent a realistic goal under normal circumstances, but Rodgers has repeatedly hinted at an improbable comeback in time for the stretch run this year. In the latest development on that front, the four-time MVP said he is aiming to suit up in mid-December during last night’s broadcast (h/t NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo).
Rodgers underwent a ‘speed bridge’ procedure on his torn Achilles, a relatively new operation aimed at greatly shortening the recovery process. Still, being available for any game action in 2023 would represent a highly impressive feat. Having resumed throwing roughly one month ago, the 39-year-old showed signs of being able to play late in the season (with the caveat that doing so would only realistically be possible if the Jets found themselves in postseason contention late in the year).
The Jets are on board with the notion of Rodgers being able to play in the relatively near future, so his update represents a further sign of the parties’ shared goal to rescue a season which is under threat of going off the rails due to poor offensive play. New York has managed just three offensive touchdowns over the past five games, and Wilson has yet to develop as hoped. The latter still had the unanimous backing of the organization before Week 10, and it will be interesting to see if a change to the QB depth chart will be given new consideration in the coming days.
For now, the hopes of the 4-5 Jets will still rest on Wilson’s shoulders with respect to sufficiently complementing a strong defense and running game. Roughly one month from now, however, Rodgers could be on track to reprise his starter’s role depending on his continued recovery and the state of the team in the closing stages of the campaign.