Saints RB Eno Benjamin Ruptures Achilles
The Saints’ running back depth has taken another hit. Eno Benjamin ruptured his Achilles during practice today, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football (via Twitter). The injury will presumably keep Benjamin off the field for the entire 2023 campaign.
[RELATED: Saints’ Alvin Kamara Issued Three-Game Suspension]
According to Brooke Kirchhofer of NOF Network (via Twitter), Benjamin suffered the injury towards the beginning of today’s practice. During QB/RB drills, the 24-year-old went to plant his leg and immediately fell to the ground. Benjamin was then carted off the field and obviously didn’t return to the practice field.
The 2020 seventh-round pick didn’t get into a single game with the Cardinals during his rookie campaign but saw a larger role during his sophomore season. Benjamin finished that year with 160 yards from scrimmage in nine games. The running back had a chance to start for the Cardinals during the 2021 campaign, starting three of his 10 appearances with the organization. However, he was cut by the team midway through the year.
He bounced around the NFL a bit to end the 2022 season. Benjamin had a two-game stint with the Texans before catching on with New Orleans, where he got into three contests. In total, Benjamin finished the 2022 campaign with 506 yards from scrimmage, with almost half of those yards coming via the passing game.
We learned yesterday that the organization would be without Alvin Kamara to begin the season, leaving free agent acquisition Jamaal Williams as the current starting RB. Third-round RB Kendre Miller will likely slide in as the primary backup to begin the season, and Benjamin’s injury could open a roster spot for undrafted rookie Ellis Merriweather.
Latest On Falcons CB Jeff Okudah’s Leg Injury
After being carted off the practice field yesterday with an ankle injury, Jeff Okudah received some good news on his MRI. Falcons coach Arthur Smith told reporters that the cornerback has a chance to return from his leg injury early in the season (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Twitter). Smith wouldn’t reveal what exact injury Okudah suffered, but it sounds like it should only take about a month to recover.
“Very positive news with Jeff,” Smith said today (via the team’s website). “We have think he has a great chance to be back in the early part of the season. We feel really good for Jeff, all things considered.”
The third-overall pick in the 2020 draft has dealt with his fair share of injuries during his brief career. Okudah got into nine games (six starts) as a rookie before undergoing surgery to resolve a core muscle injury. He returned in time for the 2021 season opener, but he ruptured his Achilles during that contest and didn’t see the field again during his sophomore campaign.
The cornerback stayed mostly healthy during his third season in the NFL. Okudah started all 15 of his appearances last season, finishing with 73 tackles, seven passes defended, and one pick-six. He finished the season ranked 77th among 118 qualifying cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus, although the site did give him one of the best grades at his position for his rush defense.
With Okudah sidelined, Tre Flowers filled in opposite A.J. Terrell during today’s practice. The team has some additional depth at cornerback, including Dee Alford, Mike Hughes and rookie fourth-round pick Clark Phillips III.
Elsewhere on the injury front, Smith revealed that Calais Campbell is “trending in the right direction” as he looks to return to the practice field (per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein on Twitter). The offseason acquisition is currently sitting on the non-football injury list.
Lions Add CB Tae Hayes, Waive LB Zach Morton
The Lions have started the weekend by reworking the bottom of their roster. The team announced that they’ve signed cornerback Tae Hayes and wide receiver Avery Davis. To make room on the roster, the Lions have waived linebacker Zach Morton.
Hayes has the most experience of the bunch, with the defensive back bouncing around the NFL since going undrafted out of Appalachian State in 2019. Since then, Hayes has spent time with the Jaguars, Dolphins, Vikings, Cardinals, Panthers, and Patriots. The defensive back also had a stint with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL.
In total, the soon-to-be 26-year-old has appeared in 13 career games, collecting 16 tackles and a pair of passes defended. He got into seven games with the Panthers and Patriots in 2022, finishing with six stops. He’ll provide some depth to a Lions secondary that is currently dealing with a number of injuries. Jarren Williams was carted off the field with a leg injury the other day and was ultimately waived/injured. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu is also sidelined while dealing with his own knee injury.
Davis spent four years at Notre Dame, with the prospect listed as a quarterback, cornerback, and wide receiver during his four years at the school. He took on a larger role in the offense in 2021 and 2022, compiling 784 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns.
Morton joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent earlier this offseason. The Syracuse and Akron product finished his collegiate career with 24 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and a pair of interceptions.
Vikings Host G Dalton Risner On Visit
AUGUST 2: Risner left his Vikings visit without a deal in place, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes. While Ingram may well be ticketed to keep his starting job, Kevin O’Connell said Reed does not have a return timetable just yet. Risner figures to have other options, with a handful of teams showing some degree of interest earlier this summer. But the Vikings may be in the market for a lower-priced guard should Reed not show progress.
JULY 31: One of the best remaining free agent linemen is heading out for a visit. Veteran offensive guard Dalton Risner is visiting with the Vikings, according to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (on Twitter).
Risner was a 2019 second-round pick by the Broncos and proceeded to earn PFWA All-Rookie Team honors after starting all 16 games that season. The lineman ended up starting all 62 of his appearances in Denver, playing primarily at left guard.
This past season, the 28-year-old missed a pair of games thanks to an elbow injury but otherwise started all 15 of his appearances. When he was on the field, he didn’t do a whole lot to impress, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 42nd among 50 qualifying offensive guards in 2022. In fact, the site has never been all that fond of the lineman, with Risner peaking as the 28th-best guard in 2021.
As ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweets, there’s little chance Risner would be brought in to battle guards Ezra Cleveland or Ed Ingram for their starting spots. Rather, Risner would be viewed as a depth piece in Minnesota, especially with the Vikings currently dealing with some injuries at the position. That includes Chris Reed, who is currently on the non-football injury list with an undisclosed issue.
With Reed sidelined, that leaves inexperienced options like Bobby Evans, Alan Ali, and Jack Snyder to soak up snaps at offensive guard. Risner would provide a bit of veteran know-how, especially when you consider his experience playing under Vikings OL coach Chris Kuper and assistant OL coach Justin Ruscati during the trio’s time in Denver.
Latest On Dalvin Cook’s Jets Visit
By all accounts, Dalvin Cook‘s visit with the Jets went well. However, the free agent running back ended up leaving New York without a deal. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter), Cook is traveling home to Florida after spending all day Sunday visiting the Jets.
[RELATED: Jets To Meet With Dalvin Cook]
Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter), Cook “enjoyed” his visit with the Jets yesterday and “there’s still mutual interest” in adding the All-Pro running back to the roster. Cimini also cautions that Cook continues to mull his options before making a final decision. Cook previously mentioned that he didn’t have any other visits on his docket. Josina Anderson adds (on Twitter) that the Jets didn’t “sense an immediate rush from Cook’s side” to immediately agree to a contract.
Interestingly, we’ll soon get an extensive look at Cook’s visit with the Jets. Per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter), the Hard Knocks crew followed the free agent RB for the entirety of his visit. The first episode of the series is set to air next Tuesday on HBO.
While the Dolphins were initially considered the favorites in the Cook sweepstakes, the Jets have come on strong in recent weeks, with the running back hinting that New York could ultimately be his landing spot. Aaron Rodgers’ recently restructured deal opened up a significant chunk of cash, and the Jets could immediately use those funds to lure the long-time Vikings RB.
After his rookie campaign ended with a torn ACL, the door remains open for Breece Hall to be ready to go to start the regular season. Still, the Jets haven’t been shy about adding depth at the skill positions, and a hypothetical Cook signing would likely result in a two-headed monster at the RB position (vs. one of the players emerging as a clear-cut bell cow).
Speaking of Hall, coach Robert Saleh said yesterday that he remains optimistic about the player’s availability for Week 1 (via Cimini on Twitter). The head coach added that Hall could be cleared for practice in a couple of weeks. Hall is currently stashed on the PUP as he continues to recover from his knee injury.
Injury Notes: Zylstra, Cowboys, Giants, Kancey
Shane Zylstra will likely miss the upcoming season thanks to a knee injury. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Lions tight end suffered a “serious and significant” knee injury that will keep him off the field for six months.
Rapoport notes that Zylstra is set to undergo more tests “but there isn’t a lot of optimism.” As Justin Rogers of the Detroit News tweets, the tight end suffered the injury while taking a “low shot” during a red zone drill.
Zylstra emerged as one of Jared Goff‘s favorite red zone targets in 2022. The tight end finished the season with only 11 catches for 60 yards, but four of those receptions were touchdowns. The Minnesota State product had another three catches during his rookie campaign.
Fortunately for Detroit, the team has some depth at tight end. The organization used a second-round pick on Sam LaPorta, and the rookie is expected to slide right into the starting lineup. The team is also rostering the likes of Brock Wright, James Mitchell, and Derrick Deese.
More injury notes from around the NFL…
- A bruised toe has kept Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs off the practice field, Mike McCarthy told reporters (via Jon Machota of The Athletic on Twitter). The injury isn’t serious, and it sounds like the coaching staff is simply playing it safe with the star defender. Elsewhere in Dallas, tight end Luke Schoonmaker revealed that he’s dealing with a partial tear of his plantar fascia (via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News on Twitter). The rookie said the injury is more challenging to deal with than a complete tear, but the player is still hopeful he’ll be able to return to the practice field in a week or two.
- It sounds like Giants backup offensive lineman J.C. Hassenauer is set to miss a significant chunk of the upcoming season, if not the entire campaign. Coach Brian Daboll told reporters that Hassenauer injured his triceps and will require surgery (via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News on Twitter). The lineman is expected to be sidelined “long term.” Second-round rookie John Michael Schmitz is expected to lead the depth chart, but Hassenauer’s injury could open opportunities for Jack Anderson and Shane Lemieux.
- There was a scare at Buccaneers practice today when first-round defensive tackle Calijah Kancey was carted off the field with a leg injury. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that an MRI showed nothing serious, but the Buccaneers may still take it easy on the rookie so he’s ready to go for the start of the season. Per ESPN’s Jenna Laine, the Buccaneers organization had been thrilled with Kancey’s preparation for his first professional season. “He’s adapting to the scheme mentally, and then he was adding his physical part to it,” coach Todd Bowles said (via Laine). “He’s putting it together quicker than normal rookies do. So hopefully it’s not that bad and he can get back.”
- Texans fullback Troy Hairston was carted off the field today with an undisclosed injury, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston (via Twitter). The former edge rusher went undrafted out of Central Michigan last year but caught on with the Texans. He changed positions to fullback and beat out Andy Janovich for the starting gig, resulting in Hairston getting into 16 games for the Texans last season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/23
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: K Matthew Trickett
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from PUP: DB Damarion Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DT Nick Thurman
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Jared Pinkney
- Waived: WR Thyrick Pitts
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Lorenzo Burns
Denver Broncos
- Signed: G Yasir Durant
- Waived: OT Christian DiLauro
Detroit Lions
- Activated from NFI: WR Marvin Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Dalton Keene
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from PUP: TE Will Mallory
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Anthony Witherstone
- Placed on IR: LB Isaiah Moore
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from PUP: OT Warren McClendon
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: G Trai Turner (story)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OT Liam Ryan, RB SaRodorick Thompson
- Waived: LB Cam Bright, S Morrell Osling
Washington Commanders
- Signed: RB Derrick Gore
Derrick Gore is probably the most intriguing signee on the list, with the running back having seen time in 11 games for the Chiefs in 2021. He finished that season with 361 yards from scrimmage and a pair of touchdowns, but he didn’t have a chance for a followup performance in Kansas City. After landing on IR in late August last year, he was ultimately released by the Chiefs. Gore caught on with the Saints and spent the majority of the 2022 season on their practice squad.
Yasir Durant is another Chiefs product, with the lineman getting into 11 games for Kansas City in 2020. He appeared in seven games for the Patriots in 2021 before spending most of last season on the Saints practice squad. He’ll be taking the roster spot previously held by Christian DiLauro, who got into five games for the Titans and Broncos over the past two years.
Darius Harris will be joining the Raiders following a career year in Kansas City. After being limited to only 11 games through his first two seasons in the NFL, Harris got into all 17 games for the Chiefs last year, including four starts. The former UDFA finished the year with 43 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and he added another five tackles in three playoff games. One of Harris’s strongest performances of the 2022 season came against the Raiders when he had 10 tackles and a sack.
Vikings’ Danielle Hunter On Trade Block?
Danielle Hunter continues to seek a new contract, and the Vikings are now considering “creative solutions” in case they can’t agree to a deal with the pass rusher. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Vikings have “evaluated trade options” for Hunter, with sources from multiple teams indicating that the Vikings have made the player available.
[RELATED: Danielle Hunter Reports To Vikings Training Camp]
Potential suitors reportedly reached out to the Vikings about a trade for Hunter earlier this offseason, although there were never any serious talks. While previous reports seemed to hint that rival teams were initiating the trade talks, it now appears to be the other way around.
This news probably doesn’t bode well for Hunter’s chances of getting a new deal in Minnesota. The veteran is set to earn $5.5MM next season thanks to previous contract restructurings, and he’s looking for a raise following a bounce-back 2022 campaign that saw him finish with 10.5 sacks. Per Fowler, the Vikings have made extension offers to Hunter’s camp but “not on a long-term deal the player feels is commensurate with his skill set.”
Hunter skipped OTAs and mandatory minicamp but showed up for the start of training camp. Fowler notes that the edge defender is still not practicing, an indication that Hunter could be engaging in a hold-in. Fowler adds that the general understanding is that Hunter still prefers his release or a trade if he doesn’t get a new contract from the Vikings.
Hunter missed the entire 2020 campaign and was limited to only seven games in 2021 before returning to his All-Pro production in 2022. The 28-year-old finished the season with 65 tackles and 10.5 sacks while finishing as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-best edge defender (among 119 qualifying players). Hunter is still playing out a five-year, $72MM extension he signed with the Vikings back in 2018.
Patriots Host RB Ezekiel Elliott
6:25: Elliott departed the Patriots’ facility without a deal in place, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). He adds that interest exists on both sides, however, which is corroborated by The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. The latter tweets that Elliott discussed contract terms with New England today, adding that the two-time rushing champion is likely close to deciding on his next destination. Since they also have interest in Elliott, the Jets could be a player in this situation, Howe notes, depending on how they fare in the Cook sweepstakes. Both veteran backs could find new homes in the very near future.
9:22am: The Patriots have been connected to a number of free agent running backs, and now the team is set to host one of the biggest remaining names on the market. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter), Ezekiel Elliott will visit New England today. Jordan Schultz was first with the news (via Twitter).
Elliott hasn’t generated a whole lot of reported interest since getting cut by the Cowboys earlier this offseason. He was briefly connected to the Eagles, Bengals, and Jets, but obviously no deal materialized. There were also rumors that he could simply land back in Dallas, but it sounds like the Cowboys want to evaluate their in-house options before making any additional moves at the position.
Despite starting 14 of his 15 games in 2022, Elliott struggled running the ball. His 3.8 yards-per-rushing-attempt marked a career-low, and despite generating 231 carries, he also finished with a career-low 876 rushing yards. On the flip side, the veteran RB proved that he’s still got a nose for the end zone, scoring 12 touchdowns.
The 28-year-old is only a year removed from his last 1,000-yard rushing season, and while he’ll probably never come close to replicating his 77-catch season in 2018, he still averaged 51 catches per season between 2019 and 2021. Plus, Elliott proved that he can still be effective in other parts of the game, with the running back earning the second-best positional grade for run blocking, per Pro Football Focus. In other words, while Elliott certainly started to show signs of decline last season, it might be a bit too early to write him off entirely.
Rhamondre Stevenson topped 1,400 yards from scrimmage for the Patriots in 2022, and with Damien Harris having left for Buffalo, the third-year back should see an even bigger role in 2023. However, behind Stevenson, the Patriots lack experienced depth. The team does have pass-catching veteran Ty Montgomery (who suffered an injury during practice this week, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss on Twitter), but the team is otherwise eyeing backup options like 2022 fourth-round pick Pierre Strong, 2022 sixth-round pick Kevin Harris, and former UDFA J.J. Taylor.
That lack of depth could explain why the organization has been connected to a number of free agent running backs. Most notably, the Patriots have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Dalvin Cook, although it remains to be seen if they’d pay the Pro Bowler his desired salary. The Patriots also recently hosted veteran free agents Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson.
Panthers Sign QB Jake Luton
The Panthers have added another arm to their revamped quarterbacks room. According to ESPN’s David Newton (via Twitter), the Panthers have signed Jake Luton.
[RELATED: Panthers Name Bryce Young Starting QB]
As Newton notes, the Panthers had been seeking another arm to help soak up some training camp and preseason snaps. Luton will presumably have a legitimate chance to make the roster or practice squad.
Luton was a sixth-round pick by the Jaguars in 2020, and he ended up starting three games as a rookie. Jacksonville was winless in those three contests, with Luton completing only 54.5 percent of his passes for 624 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. The Oregon State product also scored a touchdown on the ground.
The Jaguars moved on from Luton at the end of the 2021 preseason, and he’s since spent time with the Seahawks, Dolphins, Jaguars (second stint), and Saints. The 27-year-old inked a futures contract with New Orleans back in January but was waived by the organization a few months later.
The Panthers used the first-overall pick on Bryce Young, and the organization has made it abundantly clear that the rookie will start at quarterback in 2023. The team also added veteran Andy Dalton via a two-year deal, so the top spots on the depth seem pretty set in stone. Luton could theoretically compete with Matt Corral for the QB3 spot, although the organization just used a third-round pick on the quarterback in last year’s draft. Corral missed his entire rookie season while recovering from a Lisfranc injury.