Saquon Barkley Suffers Ankle Sprain; Giants RB Facing Multi-Week Absence
SEPTEMBER 21: While previous reports indicated the contrary, Barkley confirmed tonight that he did indeed suffer a high ankle sprain, per Thursday Night Football’s Taylor Rooks (h/t Pat Leonard of New York Daily News).
The running back admitted that his injury isn’t as serious as it could have been, and he said that his absence from tonight’s game was more due to pain tolerance. Barkley also pointed out that New York’s next game is in 11 days, so he’ll have some extra time to get right before Week 4. While Barkley wouldn’t guarantee only a one-game absence, it certainly sounds like he’s leaving that door open.
SEPTEMBER 20: Although Brian Daboll stopped short of ruling out Barkley earlier this week, the Giants have done so Wednesday. Barkley will at least miss one 49ers game, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com confirms the sixth-year veteran is not battling a high ankle sprain. That stands to shorten his time away.
The Giants will also be without Andrew Thomas for a second straight game, and left guard Ben Bredeson‘s concussion will keep him out of Big Blue’s Thursday-night tilt. Outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari will also be down for the Giants.
SEPTEMBER 18: Saquon Barkley was sidelined for the final offensive play of the Giants’ Week 2 comeback victory, and it was feared after the game he would be dealing with a serious ankle injury. The worst-case scenario has been avoided, but he is nevertheless set to miss time. 
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that an MRI revealed an “ordinary” ankle sprain for the Pro Bowl back. As a result, Barkley is expected to miss roughly three weeks. At a minimum, that will keep him sidelined for the team’s upcoming Thursday night contest against the 49ers.
Barkley played all but one snap in New York’s surprise win against the Cardinals, proving his importance to the team’s offense. Given his heavy workload, replacing him will be a tall order for the Giants as they look to rebound from the struggles suffered in the first six quarters of their season. That task will fall to Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell and Eric Gray.
After initially representing the team’s higher priority with respect to a long-term extension, Barkley saw quarterback Daniel Jones ink a four-year, $160MM pact in March. That allowed the Giants to use the franchise tag on the former No. 2 pick, though extension talks continued through to the deadline for players hit with the one-year tender. No deal materialized, with Barkley turning down offers which increased in AAV at the expense of guarantees.
In the end, a training camp holdout was avoided with the parties agreeing to a small incentive package which allows Barkley’s 2023 compensation to max out at $11MM. Individual statistical performances, along with team success, is required for his earnings to reach the maximum value, though, so any missed time is signficant from a financial outlook.
With Barkley unavailable for the time being, the Giants’ ground game will look much different. He leads the team in rushing yards with 114, putting him slightly ahead of Jones. Breida and Brightwell have combined for 19 yards on four carries, but an increased role for at least one of them will be necessary moving forward. An IR stint for Barkley is unlikely given his recovery timeline, but New York will no doubt proceed with caution with the 26-year-old given his status as an offensive focal point.
Rams RB Cam Akers Drawing Trade Interest
With Cam Akers‘ time with the Rams set to come to an end, multiple suitors appear to have emerged for his services as a mid-season rental. At least four teams have reached out regarding the contract-year back, reports Jordan Schultz of the Score. 
Schultz names the Buccaneers, Ravens, Raiders and Browns as being among the clubs which have show interest in a deal for Akers. The 24-year-old was a healthy scratch in Week 2, and head coach Sean McVay has since confirmed that the Rams are once again interested in finding a trade partner to move on from their former second-rounder. Today’s update points further to a trade being the end to this situation.
Both Baltimore and Cleveland have seen their No. 1 backs go down with massive injuries early in the year. J.K. Dobbins suffered an Achilles tear in Week 1, while Nick Chubb is likely to miss the remainder of the campaign after encountering multiple ligament tears in his knee last night. It thus comes as no surprise those squads would seek out short-term help in the backfield, though Ravens head coach John Harbaugh recently stated his confidence in the team’s incumbent RB options.
Kevin Stefanski confirmed, via Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald, the Browns are looking for backfield help in the wake of the Chubb injury. Akers would represent a low-cost addition (in terms of draft capital and finances) to help stabilize the team’s ground game while turning to Jerome Ford in a larger capacity. Even with Deshaun Watson and a new-look receiving corps in place, Cleveland’s offense is still likely to depend in large part on the run game, particularly if a notable addition is made.
Ex-Browns backup Kareem Hunt is still on the open market, and he would represent a logical candidate for a reunion if Cleveland does elect to add a veteran back. Given Ford’s skillset, though, adding Akers for early-down contributions would also come as little surprise. The Florida State alum has been used sparingly as a pass-catcher during his time with the Rams, one which has included serious trade talk for each of the past two seasons.
Both the Raiders and Bucs have their lead back in place at the moment (Josh Jacobs and Rachaad White, respectively), but each squad could use a depth addition. Jacobs – who like Akers is set to hit free agency at the end of the season – has averaged only 1.6 yards per carry through two weeks as Vegas has struggled to find success on the ground. White has likewise seen his efficiency (3.3 yards per attempt) drop compared to last season despite Tampa Bay’s 2-0 start.
Akers struggled in his lone game of the 2023 campaign, turning 22 carries into just 29 rushing yards (though he did find the endzone as well). That performance helped inform the Rams’ decision to turn to Kyren Williams as their new lead back, and no doubt hindered Akers’ trade value. Now far removed from his 2021 Achilles tear, however, the latter could prove to be an effective pickup for a team in need of healthy bodies in the backfield. A favorable new environment could produce a rebound performance for Akers, something which would boost his free agent value come the spring. With multiple interested parties, meanwhile, the Rams may be able to secure somewhat notable draft compensation in a swap.
DL Byron Cowart To Sign With Dolphins
Byron Cowart has found another new home in 2023. The veteran defensive lineman has agreed to terms on a deal with the Dolphins, his agency announced on Tuesday. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes this will be a practice squad arrangement. 
Cowart began his career with the Patriots in 2019, and he made five appearances as a rookie. His playing time saw a notable spike the following year, as he started all 14 games he played in while logging a 48% snap share. An injury in 2021 cost him that entire season and led to the eventual end of Cowart’s tenure in New England, however, and his career has seen him bounce around the AFC since then.
The 27-year-old spent last season with the Colts. He played every game with Indianapolis, though he did so while seeing the field for only 20% of the team’s defensive snaps. Cowart totaled 12 tackles during the campaign, and he received by far the worst overall PFF grade (30.4) of his brief career. It thus comes as little surprise that he has struggled to find a full-time opportunity throughout the past several months.
Cowart signed with the Chiefs in March, but he was let go shortly thereafter. That allowed him to join the Texans in a return to the AFC South. Houston’s general manager, Nick Caserio, was with New England when Cowart was drafted. That familiarity did not pay off for the latter, however, as he was among the Texans’ final roster cuts. After a few weeks on the open market, he will now get another opportunity to crack an active roster.
The former fifth-rounder will likely be elevated on gamedays from the Dolphins’ taxi squad as he looks to find playing time in a depth capacity. Miami has leaned heavily on Zach Sieler and Christian Wilkins along the defensive front, and that will continue so long as they are both healthy. Seiler is on the books through 2026 after inking a three-year, $30.75MM extension last month. Wilkins, however, was not able to come to terms on a new Dolphins deal in the summer and his contract talks will be paused until the offseason. With a strong showing, Cowart could play his way into an extended look in South Beach.
Eagles To Host CB William Jackson
In need of depth in the secondary, the Eagles are turning their attention to a veteran corner still on the open market. William Jackson is headed to Philadelphia for a free agent visit, per Jordan Schultz of the Score. 
Veteran slot man Avonte Maddox is set to undergo surgery on a torn pectoral muscle, a procedure which may very well sideline him for the rest of the season. It thus comes as no surprise the Eagles are now in the market for an addition at the cornerback spot, though Jackson has seen far more time on the perimeter than the inside over the course of his career.
The former first-rounder had a forgettable 2022 campaign, seeing time in only four games with the Commanders before being dealt to the Steelers. While battling a back injury, he failed to see any game time in Pittsburgh, and the team made the easy decision to release him in the offseason. As was reported in May, and as Schultz confirms, however, Jackson is now fully healthy.
The Ravens and Giants hosted Jackson in August, confirming reports that interest was picking up late in the offseason. His visit to those teams signaled a deal could be on the horizon, but he remains unsigned well into the start of the regular season. The 30-year-old does have 64 starts to his name, though, and he could provide at least quality depth at the CB spot for the Eagles as they look to sort out their plans at the position moving forward.
James Bradberry saw time in the slot during training camp, and a Jackson addition could move him there on a full-time basis. The Eagles could shift to a CB alignment including Bradberry on the inside, with Darius Slay and former UDFA Josh Jobe on the perimeter, allowing Jackson to serve as a backup. The latter will surely see a low-cost deal when he ultimately signs with the Eagles or another interested team. Philadelphia should be able to comfortably afford him in such a scenario, though, as the team currently has just under $6MM in cap space.
Joe Burrow’s Week 3 Status Uncertain
Joe Burrow finished the Bengals’ Week 2 game with soreness in his calf after reaggravating the injury he suffered in July. As a result, missed regular season time could now be in the cards. 
Head coach Zac Taylor told the media it is currently “hard to say” if Burrow will be able to suit up for Cincinnati’s Week 3 game against the Rams. That contest will take place on Monday night, giving the team’s franchise signal-caller an extra day to rest. Still, much will depend on Burrow’s ability to manage the strain which cost him the entire preseason and briefly threatened to keep him out for Week 1.
“First of all we have to hear what the doctors have to say before we start to assume anything,” Taylor said of Burrow (who would have continued playing in the closing moments of Sunday’s contest had he needed to), via ESPN’s Ben Baby. “Once we get that information, we have those [conversations], figure out what we’re going to do.”
Burrow and the Bengals’ offense have struggled to begin they year, with the injury likely to blame for at least some of the team’s 0-2 record out of the gate. Given the ground the defending AFC North champions have already lost in the division with losses to the Browns and Ravens, however, signficant urgency exists in the immediate future for Cincinnati. Having Burrow in place would obviously represent the preferred situation to former UDFA Jake Browning being called upon.
On the other hand, Burrow’s five-year, $275MM extension gives the Bengals plenty of cause to proceed cautiously with their franchise cornerstone. A brief absence would give him extra time to heal, though he has previously admitted to the strain being something which will require pain management throughout the campaign. Plenty of attention will be focused on his ability to participate in practice in the coming days.
If Burrow were to end up missing game action, the Bengals would rely on Browning (who attempted one pass in Week 1 after relieving Burrow in the team’s lopsided Week 1 defeat) and Will Grier, who joined the team after roster cutdowns in part due to the chance offered of a backup role given the free agent departure of Brandon Allen. Neither passer would offer anywhere near the upside of Burrow, of course, so such a scenario is one the team will aim to avoid.
Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes Agree To Restructured Deal
The Chiefs have revisited the contract in place with their star quarterback, agreeing to a signficant raise in the short- and intermediate-term future. Patrick Mahomes has agreed to a revised contract in which his compensation through 2026 is guaranteed, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter notes that Mahomes will receive $210.6MM between now and 2026, the most in league history across a four-year span. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds the two-time Super Bowl MVP can earn up to $218.1MM over that stretch via escalators. He and the Chiefs will reconvene after the 2026 campaign to address their relationship, as that year now essentially marks the end of his monster extension first signed in 2020. 
That 10-year. $450MM pact has regularly led to speculation a signficant revision would be coming at some point down the road. After several (less accomplished) passers inked mega-deals of their own which exceeded his $45MM AAV, plenty have pointed to this offseason as a time when the defending champions may bring their passer back toward the top of the pecking order in terms of annual compensation. Schefter adds that Mahomes – who sat ninth in that regard after Joe Burrow‘s Bengals extension was signed – will now move “near the top” of the pile.
Knowing the likes of Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert would be in line for enormous second contracts this offseason, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said in April that Kansas City would wait for those pacts to be signed before addressing the Mahomes situation. Each member of that quartet took turns holding the title of the league’s highest-paid player on a per-year basis, eclipsing the $51MM AAV mark along the way.
A report emerged in May indicating the Chiefs may have an agreement in place by Week 1 ensuring Mahomes moved back to the top of the heap. That timeline has proven to be slightly off, but the just-turned 28-year-old will now carry on with the 2023 season knowing his future for the remainder of the campaign (and the three following it) is in a more certain position. The move comes not long after All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones signed a revised one-year deal to end his holdout in Kansas City.
“I’ve always said I worry about legacy and winning rings more than making money at this moment,” Mahomes said in the spring. “We see what’s going on around the league, but at the same time, I’ll never do anything that’s going to hurt us from keeping the great players around me. So it’s kind of teetering around that line.”
With Jones back in the fold – and open to a new Chiefs deal keeping him in place beyond 2023 – and cost certainty now having been attained with Mahomes – Kansas City can proceed with a clearer financial outlook. The team’s Super Bowl window will likely remain open as long as the latter is healthy, but efforts to maintain as many core pieces as possible will remain a top priority with Mahomes occupying a large portion of its cap sheet.
The two-time league MVP will continue to face massive expectations given not only the success he has enjoyed to begin his career, but also the move on the Chiefs’ part to accelerate substantial cash flow over a relatively short period of time. With the end of the 2026 season now looming as a (practical) end to his deal, it will be worth watching how he performs until that point with respect to his future earning potential.
Latest On Rams, RB Cam Akers
6:55pm: The Rams have spoken with a few teams on Akers, McVay said Monday (via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue). The seventh-year HC confirmed a trade is where this process appears headed. The Rams made an effort to move Akers before last year’s deadline. This process might end up resolved well before this year’s Oct. 31 deadline. Considering the developments in the running back market between last year’s deadline and now, the Rams will not be in position to collect much for the trade-block mainstay.
9:50am: Cam Akers found himself a healthy scratch in Week 2, and his tenure with the Rams is once again in question. When asked about the situation, head coach Sean McVay confirmed the team is still exploring all options with respect to keeping or trading its former lead running back. 
A report from Sunday indicated the Rams are again looking to trade Akers, who was deactivated midway through the 2022 campaign amidst a dispute with the coaching staff related to his role. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms that Los Angeles has indeed re-engaged in trade talks relating to the 24-year-old with his role of No. 1 back having been ceded to 2022 fifth-rounder Kyren Williams.
When speaking to the media following the Rams’ loss to the 49ers, McVay said this latest Akers situation is different from that of last year, with his benching simply being a coach’s decision based on practice and performance. He added that Williams, former UDFA Ronnie Rivers and veteran Royce Freeman – the running back trio which handled backfield duties on Sunday – will retain their respective spots on the depth chart for the time being. That leaves Akers’ future with the team in question.
“I think there’s going to be an opportunity to see what that looks like moving forward, but it’s not going to be a back-and-forth thing,” McVay said of Akers, via Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network. “He and I have had great dialogue, and we’ll see what happens over the next couple of days.”
The Rams attempted to move on from the Florida State product in the lead-in to last year’s trade deadline, but no offer they deemed sufficient emerged. The uncertainty regarding Akers’ tenure with the team seemed to be put to rest with his lead role restored during Week 1, but his inefficiency led to Williams receiving a larger workload for the following contest. The latter saw 20 touches on Sunday, producing 100 scrimmage yards and a pair of touchdowns.
With Akers set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2023, the Rams attempted to add veteran depth in the backfield by reuniting with Sony Michel in the offseason. The 28-year-old wound up retiring in July, however, leaving the team thinner at the RB spot. That would become the case to an increased extent if an Akers trade were to be worked out in the future, though Williams’ success to date suggests he could handle RB1 duties on a full-time basis. Los Angeles also has sixth-round rookie Zach Evans in place as a depth option, though he has yet to see the field this season.
Vikings, G Dalton Risner Agree To Deal
One of the top free agents still on the open market has found a home. Guard Dalton Risner has agreed to a deal with the Vikings, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 9News’ Mike Klis adds the one-year pact includes $2.5MM guaranteed and can reach a value of up to $4MM. 
Risner was one of the best O-linemen in the 2023 free agent class, particularly amongst interior blockers. The 28-year-old saw a number of other guards ink lucrative deals at the onset of free agency – including Ben Powers, who is in place as Denver’s new left guard starter. Risner himself remained unsigned through the summer, and it was not until July that he reportedly picked up interest regarding a deal.
That included a visit with the Vikings, but no deal came about as a result. Minnesota has run into injury troubles up front to begin the campaign, however, and they have now circled back to the former second-rounder as an in-season addition. Risner’s preference was to join the Vikings, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes, and he will now have the opportunity to resume his career and boost his 2024 free agent stock.
The Kansas State alum logged 62 starts across his four Broncos campaigns, proving to be durable along the way. Risner drew consistent PFF evaluations during that span, with his pass protection receiving encouraging marks. He will look to maintain his level of play on a Vikings O-line which has seen Oli Udoh go down for the season while also dealing with injuries to left tackle Christian Darrisaw and center Garrett Bradbury.
Ezra Cleveland and Ed Ingram are in place as the Vikings’ guard starters. It will be interesting to see if Risner unseats either of them for a first-team role or serves in a depth capacity along the interior. In any event, Minnesota has acquired a reinforcement up front while allowing Risner to land a new gig following his lengthy free agent stay.
Cowboys Release RB Ronald Jones
Ronald Jones will not get the opportunity to play for the Cowboys. With his PED suspension having been served, the veteran back was released on Monday, per a team announcement. 
Jones was issued a two-game ban in July, meaning he was prevented from taking the field in Dallas until this point. Given his tenuous hold on a roster spot, it was uncertain if he would have made the team’s final 53-man roster without the suspension in place. The Cowboys are prepared to move forward with their other backfield options in lieu of giving Jones a look in regular season action.
The 26-year-old inked a one-year Cowboys pact in his latest bid to find a more permanent home. Jones began his career in Tampa Bay, but he never found himself as the undisputed lead back during his time with the Buccaneers. He spent 2022 in Kansas City, a team which kept him in place all the way through the Super Bowl but gave him only 18 combined carries between the regular and postseason.
With Ezekiel Elliott‘s release, the Cowboys turned the RB1 role over to Tony Pollard on a full-time basis. The latter – who is playing on the $10.1MM franchise tag in 2023 – has logged a league-leading 48 touches so far, leaving his status on the depth chart unquestioned. Dallas also has former UDFA Rico Dowdle and sixth-round rookie Deuce Vaughn as backups, and their collective performances have made Jones expendable.
Having played sparingly last season and missed game action to begin the 2023 campaign, it will be interesting to see how much of a market Jones generates now that he is free to sign with any team. Other veteran backs – including, most notably, Kareem Hunt – are also unsigned, so Jones’ stay on the open market may be a lengthy one and his next deal will, like his Cowboys one, no doubt be a low-cost flier.
Eagles Sign P Braden Mann To Practice Squad, Release Arryn Siposs
After relying on Arryn Siposs as their punter for the first two games of the season, the Eagles have made a change at the position. The 30-year-old has been released from the practice squad with Braden Mann being signed as his replacement, the team announced on Monday. 
Philadelphia – which relied on Siposs in the 2021 and ’22 campaigns – elevated him from the practice squad ahead of each of their contests this season. The Australian’s gross punting average this year (43.4 yards) is a step back from his performance in his previous campaigns, however. He could also be elevated from the taxi squad to the gameday roster only once more this season, so a decision needed to be made in short order.
The Eagles have elected to turn to Mann, who spent his first three seasons with the Jets. The 25-year-old saw his gross and net punt average increase in each of his campaigns in New York, but the team added Thomas Morstead in March, leaving Mann in search of a new home. He spent training camp with the Steelers, but lost out on their punting competition to incumbent Pressley Harvin.
Head coach Nick Sirianni said on Monday that the team felt a change was needed at the punter spot. They will now have as many as three weeks available with Mann in place if they intend to make him a gameday elevation ahead of each contest in the near future. If he performs well enough, the former sixth-rounder could be signed to the active roster and secure a role for the remainder of the season. The Eagles are next in action on Monday against the Buccaneers.
In another update, Sirianni added (via PHLY’s Zack Berman) that the Eagles are content with their internal options at slot corner. With Avonte Maddox potentially out for the season with a torn pec, the team will need to rely on a group including undrafted rookie Mario Goodrich on the inside; perimeter corner James Bradberry could also see time in the slot. In any event, Philadelphia’s secondary will maintain continuity for at least the time being while its special teams unit sees a shakeup.