Deshaun Watson To Start For Browns In Week 9
In and out of the lineup over the past several weeks, Deshaun Watson is set to make his latest return to the field on Sunday. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Watson will be the team’s Week 9 starter. 
Watson was a full participant in practice Friday, and he is off the team’s injury report altogether. Today’s news comes just one day after he admitted (via ESPN’s Jake Trotter) to being “unsure” of his availability against the Cardinals. During that media session, he also acknowledged his start against the Colts in Week 7 marked a premature return to action.
The 28-year-old re-injured his throwing shoulder early in that game, and the team elected to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the contest. That marked the latest aggravation of Watson’s strained rotator cuff, an injury which he picked up in Week 3. It has caused numerous developments in the time since, with Cleveland at times electing to sit him despite being cleared and at others taking the more cautious approach with their franchise passer. P.J. Walker has filled in for Watson, though his performances have left plenty to be desired in spite of the team’s 2-1 record over the past three games.
Walker has thrown five interceptions and one touchdown during his time in Cleveland this year while completing 49.5% of his passes. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson did not fare well in his regular season debut, either, so the Browns are lacking in proven options behind Watson on the depth chart. For that reason, it came as a surprise to many that Cleveland did not pursue a QB addition before this week’s trade deadline. Of course, that will become a moot point if Watson is able to remain healthy for the rest of the season.
The three-time Pro Bowler was never seriously considered an IR candidate during his recovery, and the Browns’ decision to avoid at least a four-week shutdown left him with a day-to-day evaluation status leading up to Friday’s announcement. In the second year of his fully-guaranteed, $230MM deal, Watson’s ability to not only remain healthy but deliver an uptick in performance relative to his showings early in the campaign will be critical.
It still remains to be seen who Watson and the Browns will face in Week 9. The Cardinals dealt Josh Dobbs to the Vikings on Tuesday, leaving either Clayton Tune or Kyler Murray in place to take on first-team duties. The latter has yet to make his season debut, but he will need to be activated from the PUP list in the coming days to be eligible to play at any point in the campaign. Regardless of what happens regarding Arizona’s QB situation, though, Cleveland’s has now become clearer.
Jets, DE Bryce Huff Discussing Extension
The Jets have a number of high-end contributors along the defensive front, but Bryce Huff has proven to be an unheralded member of the unit. He may be playing his way into an extended stay in New York. 
Huff joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent, and he has established himself as a full-time contributor to their edge rush group. The 25-year-old logged seven starts and a 51% snap share in 2021, though his playing time has dipped since then with New York making draft and free agent investments in the pass-rush department. Still, Huff has made the most of his opportunities, having matched his career-highs in sacks (3.5) and pressures (16) in seven games this year.
The Memphis product is playing on his RFA tender this season, valued at $4.3MM. If his production continues, he could be in line for a raise on a multi-year pact, something which would confirm his status as a key member of the Jets’ young edge group. 2022 first-rounder Jermaine Johnson leads the team in sacks, and the Jets’ top pick this past April (Will McDonald) has made six appearances in a rotational role in his rookie campaign. Huff could soon have a deal in place to keep him on the books alongside those two.
“There’s been some informal conversations with Bryce’s representatives and they’re trending in a positive direction,” general manager Joe Douglas said on the topic of an extension (video link via SNY). “Still a long way to go. Bryce is another… unbelievable player development story. For him to come in as an undrafted free agent and just work and work and work and get better every day. I think the last two years you’ve really been able to see a huge progression for him. Everyone’s excited about Bryce.”
New York currently has two signficant financial commitments along the edge in John Franklin-Meyers and Carl Lawson. The latter was on the trade block given his expiring contract and lack of playing time, but no partner was found for a deal. While Lawson will thus play out the rest of the season with the Jets before a likely free agent departure, it appears Huff will have the chance to remain in place beyond 2023 if talks on a new deal continue to progress.
Ravens Hoping For 2023 Return By OLBs Tyus Bowser, David Ojabo
The Ravens lead the NFL in sacks entering Week 9, despite the team’s edge rushing group being less than full strength throughout the season. It appears likely that will remain the case for the rest of the campaign, but the team has not closed the door on one or two notable reinforcements arriving. 
Baltimore is “holding out hope” that Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo could return later in the 2023 season, as noted by Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (subscription required). The former has yet to play this year, as he continues to rehab a knee injury. A setback encountered on that front during the summer led to Bowser starting the year on the NFI list, but head coach John Harbaugh has since admitted the 28-year-old’s availability for 2023 could be in doubt.
Bowser saw a signficant jump in playing time each season from 2019-21, and he recorded 14 sacks across that span. That increased production from his first two years, along with his versatility as a run defender and in coverage, seemed to make his four-year, $22MM extension inked in March 2021 a wise investment. The former second-rounder suffered an Achilles tear at the end of the 2021 campaign, however, and he was limited to nine games last season. Being able to have Bowser in the fold in any capacity this year would be a welcomed development for the Ravens, a team which counted on signficant production from its young edge rushers ahead of 2023.
That included big expectations for Ojabo. The 2022 second-rounder only made two appearances as a rookie after rehabbing the Achilles tear he suffered during his Pro Day. At full health by the start of this campaign, the 23-year-old had a clear path to an increased workload and he logged a 38% snap share in his three games in 2023. Ojabo is now dealing with knee and ankle injuries, however, which have landed him on IR. Harbaugh said one month ago that the Michigan alum is in danger of missing the rest of the campaign, so a late recovery and return to the field would come as a surprise at this point.
With Bowser and Ojabo out of the picture for now, Baltimore will continue to relay on Odafe Oweh, Jadeveon Clowney, Kyle Van Noy and Tavius Robinson along the edge. The Ravens showed some interest in trading for Chase Young ahead of this week’s deadline, but their inaction on that front marked a show of confidence in their incumbent options. Getting back even one of Bowser or Ojabo would nevertheless represent a considerable boost to the team’s already impressive defense.
Bears, Andrew Billings Agree To Extension
The Bears have a pair of notable extensions to work on, but another priority has been taken care of. The team announced on Thursday that defensive tackle Andrew Billings has signed a two-year extension. 
As a result of the move, Billings will remain on the books through 2025. The 28-year-old joined Chicago this offseason on a one-year deal worth up to $3.5MM. He will see a raise on this latest pact, however; Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the deal has a maximum value of $8.5MM with $6MM guaranteed.
Billings has proven to be an effective member of the Bears’ defensive interior, posting 14 tackles (three for loss) and one quarterback hit so far. PFF has credited him with 14 pressures, making him one of the more disruptive members of an otherwise underwhelming Chicago D-line. The former fourth-rounder has also provided a veteran presence to a DT group which includes rookies Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens.
As a result, Billings will receive an extended look in the Windy City. The Baylor alum spent three seasons in Cincinnati to start his career before opting out of the 2020 season. He has also had one-year stints with the Browns and Raiders, while spending time on the Dolphins’ and Chiefs’ practice squadx. Billings has played a signficant role in Chicago’s success against the run this season (the team ranks third in the league, allowing 79 yards per game on the ground), though, and he has been rewarded with multi-year security as a result.
“We’re extremely excited to be able to keep Andrew in Chicago,” general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement. “The professionalism, dependability and toughness he brings exhibit the type of player we want in our organization.”
Chicago has work to do on an extension for newly-acquired defensive end Montez Sweat, and the team’s decision to retain cornerback Jaylon Johnson leaves them in search of an agreement on a new contract in the near future as well. Regardless of what happens on those fronts, Billings’ future has now received clarity.
Raiders Sign LB Jaylon Smith Off Saints’ Practice Squad
The Raiders have made their first roster move under interim general manager Champ Kelly. Veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith has joined Vegas by signing off the Saints’ practice squad, his agency announced. 
Smith worked out with the Raiders this summer, but he joined New Orleans in time for the preseason. The 28-year-old impressed during his exhibition performances, though it quickly became clear a special teams role would represent his best path to playing time. Smith was part of the Saints’ final roster cuts; to no surprise, however, he was immediately signed to the team’s taxi squad.
In spite of that, he has yet to see any game action in 2023. Today’s decision to head to Vegas will give Smith a better chance to be active on gamedays, and it will be interesting to see what kind of a role he can carve out under interim head coach Antonio Pierce. The latter will have a number of lineup decisions to make – aside from the move to bench quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to clear a path for rookie Aidan O’Connell to take over – with respect to a defense which has struggled in a number of categories, particularly against the run.
Vegas – led at the LB spot by Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo – has surrendered an average of 141 yards per game on the ground this season, and Smith will look to aid in that department. It remains to be seen how effective his efforts on that front will be, however. The former second-rounder has yet to make much of a statistical impact (or find a permanent home) since his Cowboys tenure came to an end. Smith has bounced around to the Giants, Packers and Saints since he was released by Dallas midseason in 2021.
The two-time Pro Bowler recorded at least 121 tackles every year between 2018 and ’20, adding eight sacks during that span. Smith saw a notable drop in playing time the following season, though he served in a starting capacity with the Giants in 2022. While logging a 72% snap share, he posted 88 tackles but drew the second-worst PFF grade (56) of his career. Improving on that mark with the Raiders, presuming he sees the field in some capacity, will no doubt help his free agent stock come March.
Bills Place CB Kaiir Elam On IR, Sign DT Linval Joseph
After coming up in trade rumors, Kaiir Elam will now be sidelined for an extended stretch. The Bills corner has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
As a result of the move, Elam will be required to miss at least the next four games. An ankle injury is the cause of the former first-rounder’s absence, though he has been a healthy scratch at multiple points this season. That lack of Year 2 development led to a report from last week indicating Elam was on the trade block. However, general manager Brandon Beane made it clear after this week’s trade deadline that no consideration was given to moving on from the 22-year-old.
Buffalo acquired veteran Rasul Douglas from the Packers on Tuesday, accomplishing the team’s goal of finding help in the secondary in the wake of Tre’Davious White‘s Achilles tear. Beane confirmed (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic) that White’s injury prompted a search for a CB addition. That included a roughly week-long negotiating period with Green Bay over the Douglas swap, and the latter will no doubt have a large role in Buffalo upon arrival. Bringing back Elam will use up one of the team’s seven remaining IR activations.
To fill the open roster spot created by Elam being sidelined, the Bills have signed defensive tackle Linval Joseph. The 35-year-old signed with the Eagles last November, and he helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl while serving in a depth capacity (38% snap share). Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports Joseph’s one-year pact has a maximum value of $3.72MM.
The two-time Pro Bowler has logged 179 games across his time with the Giants, Vikings, Chargers and Eagles. He will meet Buffalo’s stated intention of making an addition along the defensive interior while using up a portion of the team’s remaining spending power. The Bills entered Thursday with $3.64MM in cap space, so the base value of Joseph’s deal will drop the figure to an extent. If he can provide a rotational presence for a banged-up defense down the stretch, though, his addition will prove to be worthwhile.
Latest On Packers, QB Jordan Love
In the midst of a four-game losing streak, the Packers’ struggles have led to renewed questions about Jordan Love‘s status as the team’s projected long-term starting quarterback. Head coach Matt LaFleur endorsed the former first-rounder last week, but general manager Brian Gutekunst has since struck a different tone. 
Love got off to an encouraging start in 2023, his first season at the helm and thus the beginning of his audition period as Aaron Rodgers‘ successor. The 25-year-old has taken a step back statistically in recent weeks, however, throwing at least one interception in each of the past five games (and eight total during that span). Love sits last in the NFL in completion percentage (57.7%), a sign of his growing pains but also those of Green Bay’s offense as a whole.
“I think he’s done a lot of really good things,” Gutekunst said of Love, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “Really like the way he’s responded to the adversity, how he’s led the team. Again, we’ve got to be better as a unit, and I expect that to happen over the next 10 games. And I think that we’re going through some things that we knew we would go through. We haven’t had the results that we want, but I do like the way guys are responding to things.”
Gutekunst added that the final 10 games of the Packers’ season will be “very important” as it pertains to the organization’s evaluation of Love. The Utah State product signed an extension which took the place of his fifth-year option this offseason, a pact which has him on the books through 2024. Improvement will be needed to quell doubts on the team’s part that another option under center should be sought out, although it comes as little surprise that Green Bay’s highly inexperienced offense has encountered issues in the first half of the campaign.
“When the group as a whole is not functioning the way it should function, then it’s hard to evaluate anybody,” Gutekunst added. “At the same time, it’s on us to get that right so we can move forward and evaluate the guys we have in that room. But yeah, when we’re not clicking, it’s tough to evaluate anything.”
Plenty of attention will be on Love in particular to close out the season as the 2-5 Packers aim for signs of growth over the second half of the campaign. Green Bay elected not to add a veteran presence at this week’s trade deadline, with the team’s only move being the one which sent corner Rasul Douglas to the Bills. While Gutekunst expressed confidence the Packers’ young offense nucleus will take a step forward, his remarks make it clear progress will be necessary in the near future on Love’s part for the organization to feel comfortable about a long-term commitment.
Bears Acquire DE Montez Sweat From Commanders
Montez Sweat‘s time in the nation’s capital has come to an end. The contract-year edge rusher has been dealt from the Commanders to the Bears in exchange for a second-round pick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Sweat’s name has frequently been mentioned in trade talk, with the expectation he would be more likely to be moved than fellow Washington defensive end Chase Young. A third-round pick was known to be on the table for the former, but reports indicated the Commanders were angling for a second-rounder. With that in hand, Sweat is now headed to the Windy City. As a previous report indicated and SI’s Albert Breer confirms, the Bears were also involved in “extensive” talks for Young.
The Falcons were named as a team to watch for Sweat in particular. Atlanta was indeed in on the 27-year-old, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones confirms. Interest in Sweat helped drive up the Commanders’ asking price, which to no surprise has come in higher than that of the third-round compensatory pick Washington would have been in line to receive had he departed in free agency.
The Commanders already have defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne on the books with hefty financial commitments. Since the team elected to decline Young’s fifth-year option, the former Defensive Rookie of the Year is set to see his rookie contract expire at the end of the season. Young is content to wait until that point to negotiate what will be a sizeable raise on his second pact. Schefter confirms the challenge of keeping both Young and Sweat under contract beyond 2023 played a role in the decision to pull off today’s trade.
It will be interesting to see how Young (who has remained healthy in 2023 and registered five sacks) performs without Sweat lining up opposite him. The latter has also had a strong season with 6.5 sacks, and he will look to translate that production to a Bears team desperately in need of a long-term boost in the pass rush department. Sweat – who is PFF’s third-highest rated run defender amongst edge rushers (and 56th in terms of pass rush grade) – is attached to his $11.5MM fifth-year option in 2023, and he too will be due a lucrative extension at some point in the near future.
Chicago is set to once again have considerable cap space this offseason (a league-leading $110MM entering today), as was the case in 2023. General manager Ryan Poles was active in a number of areas during free agency, but the main edge rush addition was a one-year deal given to nomadic sack artist Yannick Ngakoue. The 28-year-old received $10.5MM in a bid to give the Bears a consistent presence on third downs and help his chances of securing a multi-year commitment in the spring. Things have not gone according to plan so far, however, with Ngakoue registering just a pair of sacks in eight games.
Sweat will provide a starting presence for the Bears, who sit at the bottom of the league with just 10 sacks on the year. The Mississippi State alum has managed between five and nine in that regard in every season so far, and a strong showing to close out the year will help his bargaining power regarding extension talks with Chicago at the end of the year (unless, of course, an extension will have already been worked out by that point).
The Commanders are clearly adopting a seller’s stance given today’s move, but a recent report suggested a fire sale should not be expected. Sweat may therefore be the only notable name to depart Washington, but the Bears will remain a team to watch over the coming hours given the newfound uncertainty surrounding cornerback Jaylon Johnson‘s future in Chicago.
Jets Remain Confident In 2023 Aaron Rodgers Return
Zach Wilson has helped lead the Jets to three straight wins, giving the team reason for optimism they could remain in the postseason hunt later in the year. As a result, the door remains open to Aaron Rodgers returning this season. 
Many personnel within the organization are confident Rodgers can rehab in time to play again before the end of the campaign, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes. While no one – including the 39-year-old himself – has made a definitive statement on the topic, it is clear all parties are still intent on his Achilles rehab reaching the point where he able to suit up again relatively soon. During his latest Pat McAfee Show appearance, Rodgers said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) he can now walk without issue but still has a long way to go in his recovery process.
“Obviously, I’m not going to put words in Aaron’s mouth,” general manager Joe Douglas said in a media appearance on Tuesday. “We’re obviously excited to see him progress through his rehab. Look, we’re taking everything day by day… I’m not a doctor, so I can’t go into the specifics of the rehab, but yeah, we’re expecting Aaron to be back” (video link via SNY).
Douglas clarified that he anticipates Rodgers will simply be back with the organization on a full-time, in-person basis rather than on the field. Still, the latter scenario is believed to be in play, as has been the case for some time now. Rodgers underwent a relatively new procedure aimed at dramatically shortening the recovery time, and his progress to date has been encouraging. Any in-season return would only be reasonable if the Jets were to be in contention, of course, something which seemed highly unlikely during Wilson’s first few games under center.
After New York made it clear a starting-caliber replacement would not be brought in, the former second overall pick has seen his performances stabilize to a degree. Wilson posted a passer rating of 105.2 in the Jets’ primetime loss to the Chiefs, and that figure has landed in the mid-70s each week since. While his 58.3% completion percentage and 5:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio certainly leave plenty to be desired, the team’s stout defense could keep them in the running for a wild-card berth in the AFC.
If that turns out to be the case, serious attention will no doubt continue to be paid to Rodgers’ ongoing rehab process. For the time being, though, there is notable optimism all around that a once-surprising comeback is still very much in play.
Jets, OL Rodger Saffold Agree To Deal
The Jets stood pat on the trade front ahead of today’s deadline, but the team has nevertheless made an addition. New York has signed veteran offensive lineman Rodger Saffold to the practice squad with plans to quickly elevate him to the active roster, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Saffold will provide a wealth of experience at the guard spot for the Jets. The 35-year-old has 176 games and 173 starts to his name, including a nine-year stint with the Rams. That was followed by three seasons with the Titans, a stretch which ended with his release with one year remaining on his $44MM pact. He last played with the Bills in 2022. This move will reunite him with offensive line coach Keith Carter who worked with Saffold in Tennessee.
The Jets have suffered a number of injuries on offense, and the team’s O-line has been shorthanded as a result. Former first-rounder Alijah Vera-Tucker – who had been given serious consideration for a full-time right tackle spot but has primarily played at both left and right guard – is out for the year due to an Achilles tear. Connor McGovern and Wes Schweitzer have both also landed on IR. Saffold will have the chance to fill in along the interior, though he has also seen time at left tackle during his career.
Suiting up for 16 games in Buffalo last season, Saffold earned a second straight Pro Bowl nod in 2022 despite a precipitous drop in his PFF evaluations. He earned a career-high mark of 80.7 in 2017, but has taken a step back in that department every year since. At a minimum, Saffold will be able to work as a depth option at a number of spots as the 4-3 Jets look to continue their recent success with Zach Wilson at the helm on offense.
New York entered the day with just under $8MM in cap space. Rather than using that figure on trading for O-line help, Saffold will fit the bill on what will no doubt be a low-cost addition. It will be interesting to see how quickly the Jets use him on gamedays and in what capacity.