Browns WR Jakeem Grant Out For Season
AUGUST 27: Sadly, Grant has sustainted a ruptured patella tendon and will therefore miss the entire 2023 season, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.
AUGUST 26: For the second straight year, Jakeem Grant is facing a major injury suffered in August. The Browns wideout and returner suffered a patella injury on Saturday, and it could keep him sidelined for the campaign. 
Grant has suffered a potential broken patella, per Mary Cay Kabot of cleveland.com. A break would represent the best-case scenario compared to a tear, which would be season-ending. Cabot adds that an MRI will be conducted tomorrow, and more will be learned then.
A tear would be a particularly brutal development for the 30-year-old, since he is barely one year removed from an Achilles tear. The latter ailment ended his 2022 campaign before it began, delaying his Browns regular season debut in the process. Grant spent the first five-plus years of his career with the Dolphins before being traded to the Bears in 2021. During the subsequent offseason, he signed with the Browns on a three-year deal.
Expectations were high for the former sixth-rounder given the maximum value (nearly $14MM) of that pact, but the injury altered Grant’s situation. He restructured his contract this offseason, a move which lowered his 2023 cap hit to just under $1.8MM. More notably, especially in light of today’s news, the agreement removed the final year of his contract; 2024 is now classified as a void year on the Browns’ cap sheet.
If Grant does wind up missing most (or all) of the coming season, he will hit free agency after two years spent on the sidelines. The MRI results will go a long way in determining if he makes Cleveland’s 53-man roster during cutdowns in the coming days. Releasing the Texas Tech product would yield $1.13MM in cap savings while creating $667K in dead money.
Grant’s best offensive season came in 2020, when he posted 373 yards. His more notable contributions have come on special teams, as he has totaled 119 punt returns and ran back 110 kickoffs across his 81 career games. His presence would be missed once again by the Browns if he is shelved for another campaign. For the time being, team and player will hope that is not the case.
Buccaneers To Place C Ryan Jensen On IR
AUGUST 27: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Jensen’s career is likely over (via Michael Baca of NFL.com). Jensen, however, is unwilling to throw in the towel just yet.
Jensen says the decision to suit up for the Bucs’ lone playoff contest did not lead to a setback, and he also does not believe that surgery would be helpful (via ESPN’s Jenna Laine). Before making the decision to forego surgery last year, he consulted with five orthopedic surgeons, and he suggested that going under the knife would only exacerbate the problem.
“I’m gonna fight and do whatever I’ve gotta do to get this knee healthy,” Jensen said. “Right now it’s just time and doing what we need to do to get it feeling better.”
AUGUST 26: After being a question mark to suit up for Week 1, Ryan Jensen‘s 2023 prospects having taken another turn. The Buccaneers center will be placed on IR, general manager Jason Licht said on Saturday. Jensen will miss the season as a result. 
Tampa Bay was without its starting pivot for the full regular season last year as Jensen dealt with a major knee injury. He elected not to have surgery, and rehabbed to the point that he was able to take part in the team’s wild-card loss. Another full offseason of recovery seemed to have Jensen on the right track, and he expressed optimism earlier this month that he was back at 100%.
However, the Buccaneers proceeded with caution with respect to using him in team (as opposed to individual drills) upon his activation. As he dealt with complications from the knee injury, it became clear he would be hard-pressed to receive enough reps in the remainder of training camp and the preseason to be ready in time for the start of the campaign. In spite of that, a return to the field at some point in 2023 had been expected.
Now, Jensen will be sidelined for a full campaign for the second straight year. The 32-year-old took out a $5MM insurance policy in the wake of his knee injury last year, and today’s news will lead to legitimate questions about his playing future in the NFL. A Pro Bowler in his last healthy season, Jensen was in line to once again serve as a vital part of the Buccaneers’ offensive line upon his return.
After establishing himself as one of the most effective centers in the league over his four rookie-contract years in Baltimore, Jensen signed a four-year, $42MM deal in Tampa Bay. As has been the case with many Buccaneers veterans in recent years, his subsequent extension was restructured for salary cap purposes. That leaves the team on the hook for a cap hit of $17.2MM next year and $11.8MM in 2024, which is a void year.
Tampa Bay will again rely on Robert Hainsey as Jensen’s fill-in at the C spot. The former earned a respectable PFF evaluation last season, but the Buccaneers will be without their ideal O-line quintet in 2023, a year in which they are already beginning life after longtime left tackle Donovan Smith. While the team’s offense will be shorthanded without Jensen, attention will turn to his willingness and ability to rehab once more after what will be a second year out of football.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/23
Saturday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: CB Blessuan Austin, OL Jalen Mayfield, DL Delontae Scott, DT Justin Ellis
Detroit Lions
- Released: DT Christian Covington, TE Daniel Helm
- Released from IR via injury settlement: RB Ibrahim Mohamed
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from PUP list: TE Hunter Long
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: T Roderick Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DE Taco Charlton
Mayfield missed all of last season due to injury, but he started each the 16 games in his rookie campaign the year prior. The former 23-year-old struggled at guard, which prompted a change in plans for the Falcons on the interior. They tried Mayfield at tackle this offseason, but that has clearly not gone according to plan given today’s move. It will be interesting to see if Atlanta tries to keep him in the fold via the practice squad if that option presents itself next week.
Covington, 29, could have provided experienced depth along the defensive interior for the Lions had he made the 53-man roster. The former sixth-rounder has 102 games to his name, including 20 with the Chargers over the past two years. Covington has also spent time with the Texans, Cowboys and Bengals, collecting 196 tackles and 9.5 sacks. He will now have a slight head start on many other players with respect to finding a new home as teams sort through their final roster decisions.
Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Addresses Trey Lance Trade
The Cowboys won a brief, Day 3 picks-laden bidding war last night for Trey Lance last night. The move gives Dallas a notable name on the QB depth chart behind Dak Prescott, and owner Jerry Jones elaborated on the thought process behind the move on Saturday. 
The Cowboys acquired Lance for a 2024 fourth-round pick – a pittance of a return from San Francisco’s perspective considering the price they paid to move up in the 2021 draft to select him third overall. The deal sorts out the 49ers’ situation under center with Brock Purdy set to be backed up by Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen. Dallas, meanwhile, has Prescott and Cooper Rush in place, along with Lance as a developmental project.
“Quarterbacks are a precious commodity in the NFL,” Jones said when asked about the deal (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “We should have in the wings a quarterback on the come. When San Francisco called, I didn’t want them to hang up… We want to back Dak Prescott up as well as we can… You can’t have enough quarterbacks. We’ll see how it works out, but it’s worth any risk we’re taking here.”
Jones added that he does not foresee Lance playing during the regular season this year, but questions have been raised about how it could affect Prescott’s future. The latter is on the books through 2024, but he is due to carry a cap hit of $59.5MM that year. An extension for the 30-year-old aimed at lowering that figure has been on the team’s radar for several months now. The presence of Prescott for the short- and, in all likelihood, medium-term future did not play a role in the Lance deal.
Jones added (via ESPN’s Todd Archer) that Prescott’s financial situation was not a consideration when negotiating the Lance trade, and that the two-time Pro Bowler was not notified about the trade before it was official. The Cowboys have been eyeing a developmental passer in each of the past several drafts, with Jones saying the team was prepared to draft Jalen Hurts in 2020. They now have a 23-year-old to attempt to develop in Lance while relying on Prescott for at least the time being.
From a financial standpoint, Lance will not be a burdensome signal-caller until next year. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated tweets that the 49ers already paid out a $2.82MM roster bonus, leaving the Cowboys responsible for only his base salary ($940K) in 2023. Next season, on the other hand, Lance will be due a fully guaranteed $5.31MM. Where he stands in the Cowboys’ organizational plans by that point will be worth watching closely.
Bears Place WR Dante Pettis On IR
Dante Pettis will not play a second Bears campaign. The team announced on Friday that the receiver and returner has been placed on IR. 
As a result of that move, Pettis will not be eligible to play in 2023. He signed with Chicago last offseason and contributed both on offense and special teams. He registered 19 catches for 245 yards and three touchdowns, while serving as the Bears’ punt returner. He ran back 18 punts on an average of 9.1 per return.
The former second-rounder opened training camp on the non-football injury list, and he was only activated earlier this month. That gave him limited opportunies to earn a place in Chicago’s new-look receiver room or the primary punt return gig. Both a depth role on offense and a more prominent one on special teams was something Pettis was in competition for with 2022 third-rounder Velus Jones. After finding himself on the roster bubble, the latter is now in better position to secure a spot during next week’s cutdowns.
Pettis re-signed for the veteran minimum in April after his debut Bears season. Today’s news will keep him sidelined for the campaign and hurt his value on the open market next offseason. After flashing potential as a rookie with 467 yards and five touchdowns, the Washington alum has failed to replicate that success during his subsequent campaigns, which were also spent with the 49ers and Giants. Another low-cost deal no doubt awaits him upon his return to full health.
In addition to moving on from Pettis, the Bears waived fellow wideout and returner Joe Reed with an injury designation. The latter, a 2020 Chargers fifth-round pick, made 11 appearances as a rookie but has yet to see any regular season action since then. He will revert to IR if he goes unclaimed.
Jets Release S Dane Cruikshank
Dane Cruikshank‘s time with the Jets will not last into the start of the regular season. The team announced on Friday that they have released the depth safety.
New York originally planned to use Chuck Clark as a starter on the backend, having acquired him via trade from the Ravens. That plan will not come to fruition this season, however, with the former sixth-rounder having suffered a torn ACL. Clark will spend the year on injured reserve, something which opened the door to Cruikshank joining the team in the wake of the former’s unfortunate injury development.
Cruikshank signed in July in a bid to find a depth role in on the backend. The former firth-rounder has primarily been used on special teams during his career, which began in Tennessee. He spent his first four years with the Titans, and in 2021 he saw extended usage on defense. Cruikshank made four starts and 14 appearances that year, and totaled 43 tackles.
That production earned him a deal with the Bears last March, but not a continuation of his defensive playtime. Cruikshank logged a 60% snap share on special teams in Chicago, and was on the field for only one defensive play during the campaign. He suffered a hamstring injury in November and landed on IR as a result. The ailment hurt his value on the open market, and his performances with the Jets in training camp and the preseason have not been sufficient to ensure a roster spot.
In Cruikshank’s absence, New York’s safety room now consists of starter Jordan Whitehead, along with free agent signing Adrian Amos and 2020 third-rounder Ashtyn Davis. The group also has former UDFA Tony Adams, whom ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes has impressed this summer (Twitter link). The Jets still have a slew of roster decisions to make before next week’s deadline for teams to confirm their 53-man squads, but one with implications for their special teams has already been made.
Bengals Waive DE Tarell Basham
The Bengals brought in Tarell Basham to compete for a depth role, but they have moved on days before roster cutdowns. The veteran defensive end was waived on Friday, per a team announcement. 
Basham signed with Cincinnati during the second wave of free agency, a move which saw him add further to his journeyman status. The 29-year-old has seen time with the Colts, Jets, Cowboys and Titans, splitting time between the latter two clubs in 2022. Basham joined the Bengals in the hopes of securing a rotational role behind Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard on the edge.
That goal was interrupted by an injury on the opening day of training camp, as noted by The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. (Twitter link). As a result, Basham fell behind other pass-rush contenders such as Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample and first-round rookie Myles Murphy for a roster spot. Presuming he goes unclaimed, Basham will now seek out another new home in the midst of impending roster cuts.
The former third-rounder played 42 of his 82 career games (and made 12 of his 18 starts) during his time in New York. He registered 3.5 sacks with the Jets in 2020, and matched that total the following year with the Cowboys. Dallas’ depth on the edge led to the team’s decision to move on from him midseason, however, which opened the door to a five-game stint in Tennessee to finish the campaign. Basham logged a notable 41% snap share with the Titans, but that did not translate to statistical success.
A smaller workload likely awaits the Ohio alum upon arrival with his next team. Basham will look for another new gig as squads sort out final roster decisions in the coming days, while the Bengals will move forward with their remaining edge rush contingent, a group which will look to improve on the team’s poor showing in the sack department (30) last season.
No Deal Imminent Between 49ers, Nick Bosa?
The 49ers have a signficant decision to make on the offensive side of the ball with respect to retaining or moving on from quarterback Trey Lance. The franchise’s other recent top-three pick is firmly in their long-term plans, but plenty of work remains to ensure that he will be in the fold for years to come.
Nick Bosa remains absent from training camp as negotiations on an extension are ongoing. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is under contract for 2023 via the fifth-year option, but a multi-year deal keeping him on the books well beyond that point – and at a much higher price tag than the $17.9MM he will earn this year – has long been considered an inevitability given his importance to the team. 
The former No. 2 selection has earned a Pro Bowl in each of his three healthy seasons, rebounding effectively from an injury-shortened 2020 campaign over the past two years. Bosa has racked up 34 sacks and 40 tackles for loss during that span, and he was named a first-team All-Pro in 2022. That success has, as general manager John Lynch acknowledged in July, complicated contract talks. Urgency seems to be picking up on the team’s side to hammer out an agreement.
“I don’t like the situation,” Lynch said during an appearance on KNBR when asked about where things stand on the Bosa front (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “Since our tenure here, we haven’t had a holdout to anywhere towards this magnitude. So it’s not something I’m comfortable with. We’re working really hard to try to change that. We’re in good communication with his reps. He’s a special player. He’s going to get a special contract, I can tell you that.”
Lynch has expressed optimism regarding the chances of getting a monster pact signed this summer, something which the team has long planned to work out in the 2023 offseason. As one of the NFL’s top young defenders, the possibility has frequently been floated of Bosa, 25, eclipsing Aaron Donald as the highest-paid player on that side of the ball. Donald’s re-worked Rams accord carries an annual average value of $31.67MM. Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, meanwhile, holds the title of the NFL’s best-compensated edge rusher at a rate of $28MM per year.
By holding out of training camp, Bosa has incurred daily fines of $40K. Those penalties are mandatory for veteran players per the CBA, but CBS Sports’ Joel Corry notes that they can be waived for players still on their rookie deals (Twitter link). Bosa’s absence during each of the 49ers’ preseason games opens to door to over $992K in fines (the equivalent of a regular season game check) per contest, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As he notes, however, it is likely San Francisco will waive those penalties once a deal is agreed to, something Lynch remains hopeful will happen soon despite the ground which still needs to be made up.
“We’re getting closer and eager to bring this thing to a close,” he added. “Just know that we’re working diligently to try to bring it to a close.”
Latest On Ravens’ J.K. Dobbins, Rashod Bateman
The 2023 offseason saw the Ravens make a number of changes on offense, but returnees will still have a major role to play in the unit’s success. That group includes running back J.K. Dobbins and wideout Rashod Bateman, who recently addressed the injury troubles which have marred their respective careers. 
Dobbins missed all of 2021 and much of last season due to a major knee injury. The 24-year-old was able to return for the closing weeks of the campaign and Baltimore’s wild-card loss, but he was then absent for much of this offseason. Dobbins was not in attendance for OTAs or minicamp, and it was not until last week that he was activated from the PUP list.
Uncertainty clouded whether an injury or dissatisfaction with his contract status was the reason Dobbins did not take part in spring practices and most of training camp. His return was welcomed by a team which should again rely on him to lead its backfield, although the Ohio State product has not received the workload of many other No. 1 backs when on the field. In any case, he is confident in his prospects for 2023.
“That’s a tough question,” Dobbins said, via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, when speaking about his absence in the spring (subscription required). “I was just being cautious. My teammates need me, so I want to be there for my teammates. That’s all it was. My teammates understood what was going on. So, it’s all good now. I’m out here.
“I’m pretty dang confident, especially coming off the end of the year last year,” he added. “A lot of people could see that I wasn’t all the way 100 percent healthy, but I still had some pretty good games there… If I get the volume as some of the other guys, it’ll be a really good year.”
Signficant usage for Dobbins would mark a change from Baltimore’s previous approach with him, seeing as he has received more than 15 carries in a game only once so far in his career. It could also result in a productive campaign, something with signficant financial implications. Dobbins is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and, as Zrebiec confirms, nothing is imminent on the extension front. A healthy year would, in any event, help Dobbins’ case dramatically.
The same is true of Bateman, who has been limited to just 18 games across his first two years in the NFL. The former first-rounder was shut down due to a Lisfranc injury in 2022, and he too was not activated until August. Bateman has amassed 800 yards on a healthy 13.1 yards per reception average to date, but more will be expected of him in 2023 if he can put together a full season with respect to availability. He echoed Dobbins’ confidence in being healed in full at this point, and that his previous injury issues are now behind him.
The Minnesota product is joined in the WR corps by free agent additions Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor, along with first-round rookie Zay Flowers. Those new faces have increased expectations for Baltimore’s passing game, which will be directed by new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Bateman, 23, will nevertheless be a focal point if he can reach his potential, which was showcased by his first two Ravens campaigns and a strong career in college.
Amongst their remarks, both Dobbins and Bateman expressed a desire to remain in Baltimore for years to come. With the former set to hit free agency next March and the latter due to have a decision made on his fifth-year option next spring as well, the health and play of both will be worth watching closely in 2023.
John Lynch: ‘Most Likely’ Trey Lance Remains With 49ers
The news that Sam Darnold beat out Trey Lance for the backup quarterback job in San Francisco seemed to spell the end of the latter’s time with the 49ers. That may still end up being the case, but at least for now the team’s top decision-makers are exuding confidence in his future in the Bay Area. 
The 49ers are prepared to proceed with Brock Purdy and Darnold atop the QB depth chart, and they are willing to entertain trade offers on Lance. The former No. 3 pick came at an enormous cost with respect to moving up in the 2021 draft, and any deal they agree to will bring back a far smaller return. Interest will be difficult to gauge on the 23-year-old given his extremely limited NFL experience. It is not a guarantee the latest round of trade talks will result in Lance finding a new home.
“I think [Lance staying is] the most likely option,” general manager John Lynch said during an appearance on KNBR aimed at addressing the situation. “As I said, we’re very happy with Trey. That’s probably the most likely option: That he’s here. If we could find a landing spot for Trey that is a really good one for him and works for our organization, that’s not something we’d turn a blind eye to.
“But that’s not where our focus is right now… There’s viable options for all players. But right now, Trey’s a part of our team and we’re going to move forward with that in mind” (h/t Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle).
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that a trade allowing Lance a fresh start is something the 49ers – who have denied reports he was being shopped around the draft – would be open to if mutual interest existed to pull one off. Both Lynch and Shanahan declined to give a firm answer one way or another, however, if the North Dakota State product has asked to be moved. Lance publicly stated his intention to remain in San Francisco in May, but that was long before he learned he will begin 2023 as a third-stringer after heading into the 2022 campaign as the team’s undisputed starter.
Lynch added Lance is scheduled to take part in the 49ers’ preseason finale, coming into the game after both Purdy and Darnold have received their respective reps. That will give Lance one final opportunity to boost his stock with his current team, or showcase himself for an interested team looking to end his roller-coaster tenure in San Francisco.