Jets Place LT Duane Brown On IR
SEPTEMBER 24: Saleh’s comment about Becton’s position switch notwithstanding, SNY’s Connor Hughes reports it will be Becton taking over at left tackle. Right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is shifting back to right tackle — a rumored move during training camp — and second-round pick Joe Tippmann is moving into the starting lineup at right guard.
The Jets had preferred to keep Vera-Tucker at guard, but the team’s long-running tackle problems will bring the 2021 first-rounder back to tackle. Becton spent the offseason insisting he would return to left tackle, his position as a rookie back in 2020. Becton criticized the Jets shifting him to right tackle last year but has been back at that post since midway through camp. This will be Becton’s first regular-season left tackle work since Week 1 of the 2021 season.
SEPTEMBER 23: Zach Wilson‘s second start in 2023 will come without the Jets’ starting blindside blocker in place. Left tackle Duane Brown has been ruled out for Week 3, per a team announcement.
The Jets have since placed Brown on IR, meaning he will miss at least the next four weeks. New York’s plan at the blindside will become increasingly important with Brown’s replacement(s) now tasked with filling in on a medium-term basis. 
Brown has been dealing with hip a injury, and the ailment kept him out of practice this week. In spite of that, head coach Robert Saleh had expressed optimism Brown would be able to suit up on Sunday against the Patriots. Now that the team will be shorthanded up front, questions have been raised regarding who will fill in at the left tackle spot, with Mekhi Becton representing an option.
Pointing toward a right-to-left tackle switch being unlikely, however, Saleh said “[Becton’s] been practicing a certain way this entire week, so to move him at the last second would be irresponsible on our part” (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini).
Becton was moved to right tackle on a permanent basis this offseason after tensions over his usage last year came to a (rather public) head. After dealing with a litany of injury issues, the former first-rounder has been able to play every snap so far, though, an accomplishment in its own regard considering the missed time which has dominated his Jets tenure. Given Saleh’s expectation Brown would play tomorrow, it would indeed come as a surprise if the team elected to shift Becton to the blindside (where he was originally drafted to play) on short notice.
Presuming the Jets keep Becton at the RT spot, Billy Turner could find himself in the starting lineup tomorrow. The latter has 75 starts to his name, including seven last year with the Broncos. One of several players with ties to quarterback Aaron Rodgers and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, Turner was brought in on a one-year deal to provide experienced tackle depth given the team’s uncertainty up front.
Turner last saw time at left tackle in 2020, though, so an adjustment period would be needed if he were to be called upon to man the blindside tomorrow. Likewise, swingman Max Mitchell‘s only time last season came at right tackle, so using him at the LT spot would mark a new endeavor for him. In any event, it will interesting to see how the Jets proceed along the O-line as they look to protect Wilson during his time at the helm.
Saints, Carl Granderson Agree To Extension
8:35pm: Per PFF’s Brad Spielberger, Granderson will receive an $11MM signing bonus, and his 2023 and ’24 compensation is guaranteed at signing. His salary in 2025 ($7.73MM) will become guaranteed on the third day of the 2024 league year, and the same holds true the following year for $5.44MM of his 2026 compensation.
Annual sack incentives are also present in the deal, beginning at $500K for 12 sacks up maxing out at $2MM for 15. The Saints will save $200K in 2023 cap space with this extension, and Granderson’s cap hits after this year will range between $9.93MM and $14.95MM. With his new pact in place, he is now the highest-paid former UDFA (in terms of guaranteed money) amongst defensive linemen.
1:27pm: In a year in which they have ensured Cameron Jordan will remain in place for the foreseeable future, the Saints have done the same with fellow edge rusher Carl Granderson. The latter agreed to terms on a four-year extension Saturday, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that Granderson will receive $52MM on this new deal. $35.3MM is guaranteed, making this quite the pay raise for the former undrafted free agent. Granderson was playing on the final year of his current contract, so he will now be on the books through the 2027 campaign, with this new pact taking the place of a void year in 2024.
The 26-year-old played sparingly during his first two Saints campaigns, but he has seen an uptick in playing time with each passing season. Granderson recorded five sacks in 2020, then set a new career high last year with 5.5. He also notched a new personal benchmark in tackles (53) and PFF grade (80.4) in 2022. That made his second New Orleans pact – a two-year, $5.63MM extension signed last March – seem like a bargain.
With Marcus Davenport having departed in free agency, a starting defensive end spot opposite Jordan was available this summer. Rather than former first-rounder Payton Turner, it was Granderson who got the nod for a first-team role on a full-time basis for the first time in his career. The latter has not disappointed to date, having racked up 2.5 sacks and seven QB pressures over the first two weeks of the season. He is currently PFF’s seventh-highest graded edge rusher in 2023.
Jordan and the Saints made it very clear during the offseason that they would work out a deal putting any speculation about his future to rest. They ultimately did just that in August, agreeing on a fully-guaranteed pact worth $27.5MM which will take him through 2025. The Jordan-Granderson pairing is now in place for the foreseeable future given today’s news.
With Turner currently sidelined with a turf toe injury, New Orleans has had to lean heavily on Jordan and Granderson as every-down rushers. They have shouldered the load effectively to date, with the Saints’ defense having led the team to a 2-0 start. With a $13MM-per-year deal now in place, Granderson (who has earned just over $3.2MM in the NFL to date) can carry on his encouraging start to the campaign with his long-term future having been taken care of in emphatic fashion.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/23/23
Here are the various practice squad elevations and other minor moves from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: DL Ben Stille
- Placed on IR: DL Carlos Watkins
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: DL Timmy Horne, OL Tyler Vrabel
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to active roster: OLB Jeremiah Moon
- Elevated: RB Melvin Gordon, RB Kenyan Drake
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB Dicaprio Bootle, QB Jake Luton
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DL Daniel Hardy, S A.J. Thomas
- Placed on IR: LB Khalid Kareem
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: T Ty Nsekhe
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: CB C.J. Goodwin
- Elevated: C Sean Harlow, C Brock Hoffman
- Placed on IR: CB Trevon Diggs (story)
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: RB Dwayne Washington
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: S Brandon Joseph, OL Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine, RB Patrick Taylor
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Khalil Davis, T Austin Deculus
- Placed on IR: CB Derek Stingley Jr. (story)
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: G Ike Boettger, WR Juwann Winfree
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: WR Jacob Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen, WR Montrell Washington
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DE Isaac Rochell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: OL Zack Bailey
- Elevated: S Dean Marlowe
- Waived: S A.J. Finley
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: WR Robbie Chosen, LB Cameron Goode
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR Trishton Jackson
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: S Jonathan Abram, CB Cameron Dantzler
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: LB Sam Eguaveon
- Elevated: OL Chris Glaser
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: RB Qadree Ollison
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: LB Jon Rhattigan, S Teez Tabor
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: DL Jaleel Johnson, OL Justin Murray
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: FB Alex Armah
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/23/23
Saturday’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: DL Jacob Slade
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released: DE Garrett Nelson
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Xazavian Valladay
Saints Place RB Jamaal Williams On IR
Already without their top running back for one more game this season, the Saints will be particularly thin in the backfield tomorrow. Jamaal Williams was placed on IR Saturday, per a team announcement. 
Williams has been dealing with a hamstring injury, one which forced him to leave the team’s Monday night win early and miss the subsequent week of practice time. He will be sidelined for at least the next four games as a result of this move. With Alvin Kamara still required to miss one more contest as a result of his three-game suspension, New Orleans will be lacking in experience at the running back spot on Sunday.
With Kamara’s early-season availability in the air, the Saints added Williams on a three-year, $12MM deal in free agency. The latter enjoyed a career-year in 2022 with the Lions, rushing for 1,066 yards and leading the league with 17 touchdowns on the ground. Detroit elected to sign David Montgomery as their early-down and goal line replacement, though, leaving Williams to venture outside the NFC North for the first time in his career.
The former Packers fourth-rounder got off to a slow start to begin his Saints tenure, turning 27 carries into 74 scoreless yards. That 2.7 yards per carry average falls well short of his previous performances, and an improvement will be expected upon return. With Kamara set to resume lead back duties by the time that is possible, though, Williams will no doubt see a reduced role when he next sees the field.
With neither Kamara nor Williams available, New Orleans will look to third-round rookie Kendre Miller and former UDFA Tony Jones Jr. in the backfield in Week 3. The former has yet to see game action in his inaugural season, while the latter scored a pair of touchdowns and received 13 carries in the team’s win over the Panthers on Monday night. Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill is, as always, another option at the Saints’ disposal with respect to the ground game.
Bringing back Williams will require the usage of one of the Saints’ eight IR activations available throughout the campaign. His return will be welcomed, but it will be interesting to see how the team’s backfield pecking order shakes out over the course of his absence.
Cardinals To Sign DT Roy Lopez
Not long after his time with the Texans came to an end, Roy Lopez has found a new home. The defensive tackle is set to join the Cardinals, reports Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. 
Lopez was given an injury designation during final roster cuts, then waived with an injury settlement shortly thereafter. As part of that agreement, he would not have been able to re-join the Texans for four weeks, something which would have been unlikely given his chances of finding another opportunity by then. Wilson reported at the time that Lopez was garnering interest as a free agent, and that has now produced this Arizona pact.
The 26-year-old will begin on the Cardinals’ practice squad, Wilson adds. With Lopez having recovered from the strained hamstring which ended his time in Houston, however, he could soon find himself on the team’s active roster. The former sixth-rounder has logged 33 appearances and 29 starts in the NFL, so he should be able to carve out a role for himself before long.
Lopez has posted defensive snap shares of 46% and 48%, recording at least 30 tackles in each campaign. He had just one sack in both 2021 and ’22, though his pressure totals doubled from his rookie season (three) to last season (six). In spite of that production, the New Mexico State and Arizona alum has drawn poor reviews from PFF, something he will look to improve upon with a fresh start.
A native of Tempe, Arizona, Lopez’s deal represents a homecoming in addition to a depth addition for the team. The Cardinals currently have the likes of Jonathan Ledbetter, Kevin Strong, Carlos Watkins and Leki Fotu in place along the defensive interior. Lopez will look to find a spot among them and in doing so earn an extended stay in the desert or at least boost his free agent stock amongst other potential suitors in the spring.
Colts’ Gardner Minshew To Start In Week 3
2:15pm: The Colts have, as expected, officially ruled out Richardson for Sunday’s contest. That leaves Minshew in place to carry on the starting duties he had to close out Week 2. A successful run in the QB1 spot – however brief it may be – could boost the latter’s free agent prospects with the Colts or another interested team come the offseason.
11:55am: Anthony Richardson exited the Colts’ Week 2 victory with a concussion, leading to questions about his ability to recover in time for the team’s next contest. He remains sidelined during practice, leaving it highly unlikely he will be under center come Sunday. 
Richardson has not taken part in practice all week, including an absence on Friday, per The Athletic’s James Boyd. The No. 4 pick has yet to be ruled out officially, but his chances of clearing the league’s concussion protocol within the next 48 hours are slim. As a result, Gardner Minshew is in line to start for Indianapolis against the Ravens in Week 3.
Minshew took over for Richardson after he exited the Colts’ win over the Texans. The 27-year-old went 19-for-23 and recorded 171 passing yards and one touchdown, numbers which helped move the offense at an efficient clip and prove his effectiveness as a fill-in option. Minshew split first-team reps with Richardson at the onset of training camp, but it was quickly decided that the latter would assume starting duties right away with Minshew representing a known commodity available on the bench.
The former sixth-rounder signed a one-year deal in March, following head coach Shane Steichen from Philadelphia to Indianapolis. Minshew spent a pair of season under Steichen during his time as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, making four starts and nine total appearances. His performance there wasn’t enough to garner interest as a starter on a new team, and it was widely understood the Colts would follow up the Minshew signing by drafting a signal-caller early in April. Their decision to add a well-known insurance policy will be proven to be a sound one, presuming Richardson is indeed ruled out in the near future.
While it is likely the 21-year-old will sit out Sunday’s contest, he is optimistic he will be back in action for the following week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. A cautious approach would come as no surprise so early in Richardson’s career, considering the investment made in him and the presence of a veteran as a spot starter while he recovers. For at least one full game, it will in all likelihood be Minshew at the helm.
Marcus Williams Will Not Undergo Surgery; Ravens S To Avoid IR
The Ravens will be without Marcus Williams for the second straight came on Sunday, as he continues to deal with a pectoral injury. The starting safety will be back in the fold at some point this season, though, given his rehab decision. 
Williams has elected not to undergo surgery to address the injury, as detailed by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. As a result, he will not be placed on injured reserve. Players stashed on IR are required to miss at least four weeks, though the fact he will avoid that designation does not necessarily mean Williams is set to make a return to the field in the near future.
“There’s a sort of a vague timeframe right now,” head coach John Harbaugh said when asked about Williams’ recovery, “but I just don’t want to put it out there and then everybody be mad at me later.”
Williams, 27, was Baltimore’s top free agent addition in 2022 having signed a five-year, $70MM deal. That led to substantial expectations, and he recorded a team-leading four interceptions along with eight pass breakups. However, he was limited to 10 games due to a dislocated wrist, his first major injury in the NFL. That has now been followed up by the pectoral injury, which did not constitute a complete tear of the muscle.
Both team and player took some time to arrive at the non-surgical option, but the fact Williams will be back at some point will be welcomed news for Baltimore. The team’s secondary has been hit hard by injuries at the cornerback spot, so the former second-rounder’s absence has left the team particularly thin on the backend. Fill-in starter Geno Stone did, on the other hand, notch an interception in Week 2, presumably giving the Ravens optimism for their safety play moving forward.
While news on the Williams front is relatively positive, the same is not true of fellow defensive back Ar’Darius Washington. The latter – who served as the Ravens’ starting slot corner in Week 2 – might be out for the season, Harbaugh said (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). A chest injury landed Washington on IR, but today’s update suggests he will at least be sidelined for a lengthy stretch. The former UDFA is one of several player the Ravens have used at both corner and safety, and the team’s versatile defenders will remain a vital part of the secondary especially until Williams is able to return to the field.
Giants Notes: Gano, Jackson, Ryan, Workouts
Graham Gano is underway in his fourth Giants campaign. His play so far this season (3-for-5 on field goal tries) has not lived up to his previous success, but past performances led to an extension before the campaign began.
Further details on the 36-year-old’s deal are in, courtesy of The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. Gano received a $5MM signing bonus, and his base salaries this season ($1.25MM) and next ($3.1MM) are guaranteed in full. He will also see a $2MM roster bonus in 2024, which is guaranteed at signing. Gano’s cap hit fell to $4.3MM in 2023, meaning it created a bit of breathing space for this season. His cap charges will rise to $7.2MM in 2024, then $5.8MM and $5.7MM the two years after that. The team is banking on continued high-level play deep into Gano’s career given their latest investment in him.
Here are some other Giants notes:
- Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson has seen plenty of time in the slot this season, following through on the Giants’ plans of moving him inside to allow rookies Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins to log starting roles on the perimeter right away. That alignment was foreshadowed in the summer, but it was not something thought of exclusively in 2023. The Giants first considered playing Jackson as their nickel corner last year, as detailed by Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, but that plan had to be scrapped due to his knee injury. The 28-year-old’s play on the inside will go a long way in determining his free agent value in the spring, since he is playing out the final year of his contract.
- A resolution has emerged in the Logan Ryan injury grievance, which was filed last April. The veteran defensive back contested the $3MM which was guaranteed for injury in his 2022 compensation should have been paid out owing to his postseason finger surgery. He ultimately received $2.7MM of that total, Duggan notes. The Giants carried a cap charge of $1.2MM last season with the case remaining unresolved at the time; they will be on the hook for $1.5MM in 2023.
- New York hosted a group of wideouts on free agent visits recently, and return specialist Andre Roberts was among them, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The 35-year-old spent last season in Carolina, making three appearances. His limited time has no doubt hindered the three-time Pro Bowler’s ability to find a new home for what would be a 13th season played in the NFL. Fifth-round rookie Eric Gray has handled both kick and punt return duties for the Giants so far, recording 16 yards on his lone kick return and eight yards per runback on punts.
- In addition to Roberts, the Giants brought in James Proche for an audition, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The former sixth-rounder was among the Ravens’ final roster cuts after spending his first three seasons with the team. Proche found himself as the odd man out of Baltimore’s new-look receiving corps, leaving him in search of a new opportunity. He has also worked out for the Jets, but as is the case with his Giants visit, that endeavor has yet to produce a contract offer.
Latest On Vikings’ RB Room
Cam Akers‘ time in Los Angeles came to an expected end earlier this week when he was dealt to Minnesota. The move has led to questions about the Vikings’ pecking order at the running back spot, but the team’s depth chart appears set to remain the same at the top. 
Alexander Mattison took over RB1 duties this offseason when the Vikings released Dalvin Cook, but that move has not yielded success on the ground to date. Minnesota has the league’s least productive run game through Week 2, having totaled just 69 rushing yards. Mattison’s inefficiency is among the causes for that figure, but he is safe in his role as starter even with Akers in the fold.
“We haven’t lost confidence in Alex Mattison,” Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “I will say that. Unfortunately we’ve had a couple turnovers in the run game where we obviously need to clean that up. Everyone’s aware of that. But we still feel very strongly in Alex and [backup Ty Chandler] and those guys being able to go in and produce. We know we have to be better in the run game. A lot of that starts with us, and the players fundamentally. All those things we’ve addressed, and… I think it will improve dramatically.”
Phillips and head coach Kevin O’Connell are among the Vikings staffers with ties to Akers dating back to their shared time with the Rams. That level of familiarity should help the latter’s acclimation period with his new team, one which figures to use him in a rotational capacity early on. Expectations will be tempered considering the fact Minnesota only needed to swap future Day 3 picks to acquire Akers, but a strong showing in the coming weeks would help his free agent stock considerably ahead of the offseason.
It would also give the team another option in the run game aside from Mattison, whom Seifert notes does not expect to see his role changed with Akers now in the picture. Improvement on the ground in any capacity would be welcomed for the 0-2 Vikings, but it will be interesting to see how the backfield is managed with a former second-round pick (who started 15 of his 30 Rams contests) in place. For now, at least, Mattison is safe atop the RB depth chart.