Latest On Bill Belichick’s Future With Patriots
It’s seeming increasingly likely that Bill Belichick and the Patriots are heading towards a divorce after the 2023 campaign. While many pundits assumed the iconic coach would be a hot commodity, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post isn’t so sure.
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La Canfora spoke to league sources around the NFL that believe Belichick’s market may not be as robust as initially believed. As the reporter notes, there doesn’t appear to be a “slam dunk” suitor for the coach, and there’s a sentiment that it’ll be a “soft market” for the future Hall of Famer.
As one personnel executive explained, teams with coaching vacancies will likely target young, inexpensive coaches…the 71-year-old Belichick is neither young nor cheap. The executive also opined that Belichick “doesn’t really fit with any of these owners” who will have HC vacancies.
It seems unlikely that the Patriots would outright fire Belichick since the team would be on the hook for his remaining salary. The organization could look to amicably part ways with Belichick and allow their coach to either retire or hit the HC free agency carousel.
The Patriots could also take a hard stance on Belichick’s contract status and require compensation from potential suitors. “Three high-ranking executives” indicated to Jeff Howe of The Athletic that this might be the best route for the organization. Those executives agreed that Belichick could fetch a first-round pick in a potential trade. Other executives weren’t as sure, and one echoed La Canfora’s report that Belichick could have a tough time even finding a new job.
“I’ve got questions about how he relates to this generation of players,” the executive told Howe. “Can he still be a motivator? A leader of men? How does he pivot and adjust his culture?
“I’ve got a lot of questions with those recent roster moves. Is he going to just be the coach, or does he want (general manager) responsibilities? Because I’m not trading for that.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Tarik Black
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Kerry Hyder
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Derek Rivers
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Simi Fehoko
- Released: CB Matt Hankins
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT John Penisini
- Activated from IR: WR Shaquan Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Tyrion Davis-Price
- Released: WR Isaiah Winstead
As expected, Tyrion Davis-Price has landed back with the 49ers after getting cut by the big-league club earlier this week. The 2022 third-round pick has seen time in just one game for San Francisco this season, collecting 21 yards from scrimmage on six touches. He appeared in six games as a rookie, collecting 99 rushing yards. He’ll join Jeremy McNichols as the 49ers’ practice-squad options at RB.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/23
Today’s minor moves:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Designated for return from IR: CB Christian Braswell
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers (from Eagles): LB Christian Elliss
- Promoted: QB Malik Cunningham, RB Kevin Harris
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: LB Kyron Johnson
Elliss was waived by the Eagles yesterday following the team’s signing of Shaquille Leonard. The linebacker spent the better part of the past three seasons in Philadelphia, getting into 19 total games. He appeared in a career-high 12 games this season, collecting 21 tackles while appearing in about 15 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. Elliss also had a significant role on special teams.
Since the Patriots play tonight, the move will be deferred to tomorrow, per ESPN’s Field Yates.
49ers Interested In TE Zach Ertz
DECEMBER 6: Going further here, Barrows indicates the 49ers are one of the most interested Ertz suitors. Connected to a potential Eagles reunion, Ertz would fit in as a Kittle backup/tandem partner in San Francisco. Dwelley is set to miss time and could land on IR, per Barrows. Ertz may wait another week to decide where he wants to land, while hoping a better offer emerges. But it appears the 49ers are firmly in the mix for a proven skill-position player to join Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
DECEMBER 4: It sounds like a new suitor could be emerging in the Zach Ertz sweepstakes. When asked about the 49ers interest in the free agent tight end, coach Kyle Shanahan indicated that GM John Lynch has looked into a potential signing. On the flip side, Shanahan also acknowledged that he doesn’t expect a deal to materialize.
“I haven’t heard anything now, so I don’t think so at this time,” Shanahan said of a potential Ertz signing (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic). “But I have a lot of respect for him as a player. I’ve always been a fan…But right now, at least from my standpoint, we’re good with our (TE) group. But we have injuries and things change. So we’ll look into all options as always.”
As Shanahan hinted, the 49ers could use some additional depth at the position. As Barrows passes along, Ross Dwelley is currently dealing with a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss multiple weeks. This isn’t the end of the world for San Francisco’s tight ends depth chart, as Charlie Woerner is the clear TE2 behind George Kittle. Still, the injury opens a spot, and it remains to be seen if the 49ers would prefer a veteran or someone like practice squad TE Jake Tonges.
Elsewhere, the Ravens and coach John Harbaugh appear to be distancing themselves from the free agent tight end. As Harbaugh noted today, the team still isn’t counting out Mark Andrews for an eventual return, meaning the Ravens could be fine at the position come playoffs.
“Any time a great player is out there, you look at it,” Harbaugh told reporters (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). “But I would say this: we like our TEs. We really like our guys. I’m not ruling out Mark Andrews for down the road. … I think right now, we’ll just roll with those guys.”
As of this afternoon, Ertz was still taking his time evaluating all of his options (per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler). It shouldn’t take long for the veteran to find his next landing spot, and it sounds like there are plenty of squads still in the running.
Dolphins To Host LB Reuben Foster
As Jerome Baker tends to an injury, the Dolphins are eyeing some additional depth at linebacker. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Dolphins will be hosting Reuben Foster on a workout this Wednesday.
After being selected by the 49ers in the first round of the 2017 draft, Foster only got into 16 games across one-plus seasons with San Francisco. He was slapped with a two-game ban to begin the 2018 season after being hit with a weapons offense and a misdemeanor drug offense. Following a subsequent arrest for domestic violence, the linebacker was cut loose by the 49ers.
Foster was claimed by Washington, and after spending most of the 2018 campaign on the commissioner’s exempt list, Foster was reinstated during the 2019 offseason. However, during his first practice with his new squad, Foster suffered a torn ACL and torn MCL. The linebacker spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons on injured reserve before hitting free agency.
Foster has drawn some interest around the NFL since that time, garnering previous workouts with the Dolphins and Seahawks. He most recently spent time with the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL, collecting 52 tackles in eight games.
The 29-year-old will now get a second look from the Dolphins as they look for a temporary fill-in for Baker. Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the starting linebacker is dealing with an MCL injury that isn’t a season-ender but could keep him off the field for a few weeks. Duke Riley was inserted into the lineup yesterday when Baker exited the game. The veteran ended up getting into a season-high 31 defensive snaps in the win over the Commanders.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/4/23
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: WR Dan Chisena
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated to return from IR: LB Malik Hamm
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: G Brett Toth
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: QB A.J. McCarron
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): DB David Long
Indianapolis Colts
- Reinstated from suspended list: DT Grover Stewart
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: TE Josh Pederson
New York Giants
- Waived: QB Matt Barkley
While the Giants haven’t activated Tyrod Taylor, the veteran QB is expected to be back on the active roster next Monday. In preparation, the team has moved on from Matt Barkley, who has been serving as the backup to Tommy DeVito since Daniel Jones went down with an injury. Barkley hasn’t seen the field for a regular season game since 2020, when he got into five games with the Bills.
Titans DL Jeffery Simmons To Miss “A Couple Weeks”
The Titans will be without a key defender for a handful of games. Coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that Jeffery Simmons will definitely miss Monday’s game against the Dolphins and will likely be sidelined for “a couple weeks.”
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Simmons exited Sunday’s loss to the Colts with a knee injury but ended up returning to the contest. The team’s training staff ultimately forced him to leave the game for good, and they later determined that the veteran will have to miss multiple games while dealing with the issue.
“I think he really did everything that he could and even made a play,” Vrabel said (via the team’s website). “He just wasn’t going to be able to do anything. And if you can’t protect yourself out there, nobody wants to put a player in harm’s risk. We’re going to trust Jeff to say when he can go and when he can’t.”
The former first-round pick has turned into Tennessee’s top defender, earning two-straight All-Pro nods after finishing with 16 sacks between 2021 and 2022. This year, Simmons has collected 44 tackles and 5.5 sacks while ranking 33rd among 126 qualifying interior defenders, per Pro Football Focus. The site also gave him a top-25 positional grade for his pass-rushing ability.
With Simmons limited to a season-low 37 defensive snaps this past weekend, Teair Tart and Kyle Peko soaked up the majority of the leftover snaps. Jaleel Johnson also earned one of his highest snap totals of the season after having previously seen an inconsistent role on defense.
Jets To Place TE C.J. Uzomah On IR
C.J. Uzomah exited Sunday’s loss with a knee injury, and the Jets tight end will now miss at least the next four games. Coach Robert Saleh told reporters that Uzomah will be placed on injured reserve as he recovers from an MCL injury (via the team’s website).
Uzomah suffered the injury early in the first quarter against the Falcons. While blocking on a Breece Hall run, the tight end got his legs caught in the ensuing pile and had to exit the contest. Saleh described the injury as “extensive,” and there’s a chance Uzomah may not return to the field in 2023.
After spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Bengals, Uzomah joined the Jets prior to the 2022 campaign on a three-year, $24MM contract. Uzomah’s numbers took a step back during his first season in New York. After finishing with career-highs in 2021, the tight end hauled in only 21 catches for 232 yards and two touchdowns during his debut season with the Jets.
Uzomah saw an even lesser role on offense this season, catching just eight passes for 58 yards and one touchdown. The 30-year-old was appearing in about a third of his team’s offensive snaps while mostly serving as a blocker.
The injury shouldn’t do a whole lot to impact the team’s depth chart. Tyler Conklin still soaks up most of the snaps at the position, and Uzomah recently started ceding snaps to Jeremy Ruckert.
Aaron Rodgers Unlikely To Play This Season
DECEMBER 3: In keeping with Rodgers’ comments, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Rodgers is not expected to play in a game if the Jets are eliminated from playoff contention by the time he is ready to do so. The 4-7, Tim Boyle-piloted Jets are unlikely to pull themselves back into the postseason picture over the next couple of weeks, which means, as Rapoport observes, that Rodgers probably will not play this year.
For all of Rodgers’ efforts to make an unprecedented return to the field, this always felt like the most plausible outcome. Rapoport says that New York could still activate Rodgers before his activation window closes on December 20, but if that happens, he would only be utilized as the third, emergency QB. And, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Rodgers will not take any starter reps.
NOVEMBER 30: The Jets opened Aaron Rodgers‘ practice window yesterday, giving the team three weeks to decide if they should activate the quarterback to the active roster. As ESPN’s Rich Cimini points out, many believed that Rodgers could be eyeing a return for the December 24 game against the Commanders, and the QB confirmed that’s his target. However, when speaking to reporters today, Rodgers wouldn’t rule out an earlier return, noting that “anything is possible.”
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Of course, there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome before Rodgers can enter the starting lineup. While the QB acknowledged how great it felt to return to the practice field, he admitted that he’s “not anywhere near ready to play.” Rodgers also reiterated that the Jets would have to be in playoff contention for him (or the organization) to consider a return this season.
“A comeback this year before the four-month mark would mean I’m not 100 percent healthy, so it’d be a risk for myself,” Rodgers said (via Cimini). “For the team to sign off on if we’re out of it, I’d be surprised if they would OK that to come back.”
While Rodgers noted the “risk” that would accompany an in-season return, he explained that the chance of re-injury wouldn’t have much of an impact on his 2024 availability. While he wouldn’t be 100 percent healthy, Rodgers said there was little “downside” to playing this year, and if he did injure his Achilles, he’d be ready to go in five to six months anyway (per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic).
While the risk of re-injury won’t have any impact on Rodgers’ desire to play in 2024, it’s uncertain if the Jets’ brass would change his opinion. Per Connor Hughes of SNYtv, Rodgers wouldn’t say if his 2024 plans are tied to the job status of head coach Robert Saleh, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, and/or general manager Joe Douglas.
Rodgers returned to practice on a limited basis yesterday, participating in a handful of seven-on-seven drills. Rodgers sat out today’s practice, and Cimini tweets that these off-days are part of the player’s rehab plan.
“Obviously, I can drop back, I can do some things in a small circle, but I don’t think I can protect myself as well as I’d like to at this point,” Rodgers said. “So I’ve got to do a little more. In practice, I have to take live team reps [in 11 on 11].”
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/2/23
Today’s gameday callups and minor moves heading into Sunday:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: WR Dan Chisena
- Elevated: DT Phil Hoskins, CB Divaad Wilson
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: LB Milo Eifler, TE Parker Hesse
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: QB Joe Flacco (story), CB A.J. Green
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: WR Brandon Johnson
- Elevated: QB Ben DiNucci, TE Lucas Krull
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: DT Quinton Bohanna, LB Bruce Irvin
Houston Texans
- Elevated: K Matt Ammendola
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: RB Tyler Goodson, WR D.J. Montgomery
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: RB Deneric Prince
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: WR Alex Erickson
- Elevated: TE Stephen Anderson
- Waived: RB Elijah Dotson
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner
New England Patriots
- Elevated: QB Malik Cunningham
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Marquez Callaway, FB Adam Prentice
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: CB Justin Hardee, G Wes Schweitzer
- Elevated: OL Jake Hanson, DT Perrion Winfrey
- Waived: OL Xavier Newman
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: LB Kyron Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: WR Chris Conley, S Erik Harris
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: WR Ryan Miller, WR David Moore
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: LB Joe Jones
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DE Joshua Pryor
The Chiefs have ruled out running back Jerick McKinnon for tomorrow’s game against the Packers, necessitating some extra depth at the position. The team will turn to Prince, an undrafted free agent who has spent the entire season on Kansas City’s practice squad. Prince had a breakout season at Tulsa in 2022, finishing with 813 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns.
Winfrey, a 2022 fourth-round pick, was cut by the Browns last July after being investigated for pulling a gun on a woman. He joined the Jets practice squad in early November and will finally earn his first promotion of the season. Winfrey got into 13 games for Cleveland last year, collecting 22 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
At age 36, Irvin will be making his debut for a sixth NFL team. The veteran pass rusher signed with Detroit midway through November and will finally have a chance to extend his streak of regular season appearances to 12 straight years. The only absence on the Lions’ front-seven will be linebacker Alex Anzalone, so Detroit may be looking to stand Irvin up to help the team’s depth at linebacker.