Lions LB Paul Worrilow To Miss 2-4 Weeks
Lions linebacker Paul Worrilow suffered a MCL strain on Sunday and is expected to miss two-to-four weeks, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Worrilow, signed away from the Falcons this spring, has started two games for Detroit in 2017 and served as a full-time player in base packages. That means he’s playing on roughly a third of the club’s defensive snaps, and he’s managed six tackles in that capacity. Perhaps Worrilow’s most critical role has come on special teams, however, where he’s seen action on nearly 80% of the Lions’ plays. Detroit is typically excellent on special teams under general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Jim Caldwell, and this year is no different, as the team ranks first in ST DVOA.
Steve Longa is Worrilow’s direct backup, so he could be in for increased snaps (he’d played just two heading into Week 4). Veteran Nick Bellore and rookie Jalen Reeves-Maybin are also on Detroit’s roster and could see more usage.
Buccaneers Activate RB Doug Martin
The Buccaneers have activated running back Doug Martin from suspension, the club announced today. In a related move, Tampa Bay waived tight end Alan Cross.
Martin, 28, was handed a four-game PED suspension near the tail end of the 2016 season, so he was able to serve one game of that ban last year. Because the Buccaneers’ Week 1 game was postponed due to weather concerns, Martin is just now finishing up his stay on the suspended list. The ban voided the remaining guarantees on Martin’s contract, and Tampa Bay hasn’t promised that Martin will reclaim his starting job when he returns.
But the Buccaneers’ rushing offense has faltered enough through three games that it’s difficult to imagine Martin not taking the bulk of the carries immediately. Jacquizz Rodgers, Peyton Barber, and Charles Sims have handled the ball for Tampa Bay so far, but the club ranks just 22nd in rushing DVOA and is averaging only 3.8 yards per carry.
Through five NFL seasons, Martin has posted only two campaigns that can be considered successful — 2012 and 2015, when he topped 1,400 yards rushing and scored 17 combined touchdowns. The rest of his pro years have been lackluster, as Martin wasn’t able to top even 500 yards in either 2013, 2014, or 2016. He’s signed through 2020, but the Buccaneers can get out of Martin’s contract at any time.
Falcons WR Mohamed Sanu To Miss Time
Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu is expected to miss two-to-three weeks with a hamstring injury, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, while defensive lineman Jack Crawford has a biceps issue which “doesn’t look good,” a source tells McClure. Atlanta is “planning on moving forward” without Crawford, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, an indication Crawford could be done for the season.
Sanu’s injury is doubly concerning given that Falcons No. 1 wideout Julio Jones left the club’s Week 4 loss with a hip flexor. Jones is not expected to miss any games, but his health history isn’t exactly promising. Without Sanu, Atlanta will turn to Taylor Gabriel, Justin Hardy, Andre Roberts, and Nick Williams to play more snaps. Through four games, Sanu had managed 16 receptions for 163 yards and one touchdown.
Atlanta’s defensive line hardly withstand another loss, as Vic Beasley will be sidelined for another three weeks or so while Courtney Upshaw is also dealing with injury. Crawford, who signed as a free agent this offseason, has played on roughly 40% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps, but graded as just the No. 82 interior defender among 120 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
Head coach Dan Quinn will meet with Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff about adding defensive line reinforcements, per McClure (Twitter link). The obvious free agent solution could speculatively be Dwight Freeney, who appeared in 15 games for Atlanta in 2016. Quinn said last month that the Falcons are still in contact with Freeney, but the club had no interest in signing him at that time.
Cards LB Markus Golden Tears ACL
Cardinals edge rusher Markus Golden is believed to have suffered a torn ACL in his right knee, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
Although an initial report said Golden may miss merely a month with an MCL injury, the franchise feared this scenario. This malady stands to sideline the third-year edge defender for the rest of the season.
Golden, 26, erupted with 12.5 sacks a season ago while playing on nearly 90% of Arizona’s defensive snaps. He hadn’t been quite as productive on 231 snaps in 2017, however, as the former second-round pick had yet to register a quarterback takedown and graded as a bottom-10 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus. Golden, a Missouri product, is signed through the 2018 campaign.
Kareem Martin replaced Golden in the Cardinals’ overtime victory against the 49ers on Sunday, but Arizona will likely need to add another outside linebacker going forward. The club has three candidates — Bryson Albright, Obum Gwacham, and Earl Okine — for promotion on its practice squad, and the Cards could also look to the free agent market. Mario Williams, Trent Cole, and Akeem Ayers are among the best available edge rushers, while Arizona has experience with fellow unsigned veterans Dwight Freeney and Sio Moore.
Alternatively, the Cardinals could sign an inside ‘backer such as Philip Wheeler (who has bounced on and off the Arizona roster this season), and play first-round rookie Haason Reddick on the edge, as Jurecki tweets. Deone Bucannon‘s impending return also gives the Cards more options at linebacker.
Bills WR Jordan Matthews To Miss Time
Bills wide receiver Jordan Matthews is expected to undergo thumb surgery and will miss at least one month of action, according to Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 (Twitter link).
Matthews, whom Buffalo acquired (along with a third-round pick) in an August trade in exchange for cornerback Ronald Darby, had been serving as the Bills’ de facto No. 1 wideout, although he is actually third in receptions behind running back LeSean McCoy and tight end Charles Clay. On 13 targets, the 25-year-old Matthews has managed 10 catches for 162 yards and one touchdown for the surprisingly 3-1 Bills. Playing in his contract season, Matthews is scheduled to become a free agent next spring.
Given that the Bills were already fielding one of the NFL’s worst receiving corps before the Matthews injury, the club will likely lean on the run game even more heavily than it had in Weeks 1-4. Buffalo has thrown the ball at a lower rate than any other team in the league thus far (just 45.31% of plays), and it wouldn’t be surprising to see that percentage dip even further.
Zay Jones, Andre Holmes, and Kaelin Clay will likely see more targets with Matthews sidelined, while the Bills could also promote either Malachi Dupre or Brandon Reilly from their practice squad. A free agent addition probably doesn’t make sense given that Matthews will return later this year, but Anquan Boldin is still available after retiring from the Bills just before the season began. The veteran pass-catcher has ruled out a late-season return, however.
Matthews wasn’t the only Buffalo player to go down on Sunday, as linebacker Ramon Humber suffered a broken thumb and will miss time, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Humber, who has never been a full-time starter during his nine-plus-year NFL career, had played on nearly 95% of the Bills’ defensive snaps to this point and graded as the league’s No. 33 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus. Matt Milano is likely to step into the starting lineup, while Deon Lacey and Tanner Vallejo could also see increased usage.
Bears To Start QB Mitch Trubisky
The Bears will start rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky over veteran Mike Glennon in Week 5, according to Adam Schefter and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Signed to a three-year, $45MM deal during the offseason, Glennon has done nothing to prove that he’s a capable NFL starter through four weeks. Chicago has gone 1-3 in his four starts, and Glennon ranks 25th in touchdown percentage, 28th in interception percentage, 29th in adjusted net yards per attempt, and 29th in quarterback rating. The 27-year-old Glennon will now be relegated to backup duty while Mark Sanchez presumably will stick at No. 3 on the depth chart.
The Bears paid a hefty price to acquire Trubisky in the 2017 draft, as they shipped the two third-round picks and a fourth-rounder to the 49ers for the right to move up from No. 3 to No. 2 overall. The North Carolina product was strong during the preseason, but Chicago still went with Glennon at the season’s outset. But Glennon’s performance, the Bears’ team record, and — speculatively — head coach John Fox‘s job status have now led to Trubisky moving under center.
Trubisky won’t face an easy test in his first NFL start, as he’ll go up against the division rival Vikings (although he’ll have the benefit of a home game). While Minnesota’s defensive unit hasn’t played well statistically, head coach Mike Zimmer fields a strong pass rush and a top-notch secondary that could fluster a rookie signal-caller. Luckily for the Bears, they’ll have a 11-day layoff between games, so Trubisky should have time to get first-team reps in advance of Week 5.
Glennon, for his part, can easily be released after the 2017 season, as Chicago would only incur $4.5MM in dead money by cutting him (versus $11.5MM in cap savings). The Bears could potentially look to trade Glennon, although it’s difficult to see any club offering anything of value — or even being willing to take on his few remaining guarantees — given his production this year. Glennon has an offset on his $2.5MM guarantee in 2018, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, so the Bears could hypothetically get out from under that total.
AFC Notes: Broncos, Jets, Chargers, Chiefs
John Bowlen, the younger brother of Broncos majority owner Pat Bowlen, is aiming to sell his minority stake (30-35%) in the club, sources tell Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. John Bowlen’s decision to sell wouldn’t necessarily affect the day-to-day operations of the Broncos, as Pat Bowlen — who stepped down as principal owner in 2014 due to Alzheimer’s disease — would still hold the majority of the team and be entitled to designate one of his children as his successor. But John Bowlen reportedly believes the Bronocs are “not being run the way Pat would have run it in many, many capacities” and wants a new owner in charge, per Jhabvala.
Here’s more from the AFC as Week 4 draws to a close:
- Although the Jets re-signed offensive Ben Ijalana to a two-year deal this spring, they’ve barely used him through four weeks of the 2017, leading Rich Cimini of ESPN.com to wonder if Gang Green could place Ijalana on the trade block. An acquiring club would only be responsible for the rest of Ijalana’s $1MM base salary this season plus $4.75MM (all non-guaranteed) in 2018. New York, meanwhile, would take on $2.5MM in dead money over the next two seasons by dealing Ijalana. Now in his age-28 campaign, Ijalana started 13 games in 2016 and is capable of playing either left or right tackle, but he’s played only five offensive snaps this season.
- Under the terms of his four-year deal with the Chargers, edge rusher Melvin Ingram can collect a $1MM bonus if registers 12.5 sacks or earns a Pro Bowl nod, tweets veteran NFL reporter Adam Caplan. Through four games, Ingram has already posted 5.5 sacks (though he didn’t manage any against the Eagles today), so he should have a good shot at collecting that bonus. Ingram is Pro Football Focus‘ No. 9-rated edge defender thus far in 2017.
- Rookie running back Kareem Hunt was advised to return to college following the 2015 season before entering the draft and being selected by the Chiefs in the third round in 2017, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes. Hunt, of course, leads the NFL in rushing yards through three games and would arguably be the favorite for MVP if the season ended today. As La Canfora details, Hunt re-tooled his body prior to his senior season at Toledo and posted more than 1,800 yards from scrimmage in his final collegiate campaign.
- The Ravens had planned to promote fullback Ricky Ortiz from their practice squad and integrate him as a large part of their offensive gameplan in Week 4, but an Ortiz injury prevented that transaction from going through, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Baltimore doesn’t currently have a fullback on its roster, but it did use Kyle Juszczyk enough in 2016 that he became the NFL’s highest-paid FB with the 49ers. Ortiz is a 2017 undrafted free agent out of Oregon State.
Titans QB Marcus Mariota To Undergo MRI
After leaving today’s loss to the Texans, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of his hamstring injury, according to Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. Sources in the Tennessee lock room expressed “optimism” that Mariota will return to action quickly, as Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com tweets.
Mariota returned to Sunday’s contest following the initial hit that led to injury, and warmed up before the second half as if he planned to re-enter the game. But following discussions with the Titans’ staff, Mariota went to the locker room and didn’t re-appear on Tennessee’s sideline until the fourth quarter, per Wyatt. With the Titans already down 30-14 at halftime, head coach Mike Mularkey decided not to risk further injury to Mariota.
“He wanted to see if he could play,” Mularkey said, referring to Mariota. “He came out, warmed up and I said to him: ‘I’d like to be smart about it. There’s a lot of football still to go. We have 12 games to go, so let’s be smart about it. I’ll know more about the extent of it (later).”
Following today’s 54-17 defeat, the Titans now stand at 2-2, tied with the Jaguars and Texans for first place in the AFC South (pending a result in the Colts’ Sunday night contest). Mariota, for his part, has played well thus far in 2017, as he’d completed 60% of his passes for 696 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception heading into Week 4. He ranks eighth among NFL quarterbacks in adjusted net yards per attempt, and has also added 77 yards and one score on the ground.
Matt Cassel replaced Mariota in today’s loss, and completed nearly as many passes to the Texans as he did to Titans wide receivers. On 10 attempts, Cassel managed only four completions for 21 yards while tossing two interceptions. He’d start for Tennessee against Miami next week if Mariota can’t go, while practice squad quarterback Tyler Ferguson would presumably be promoted to the active roster.
Vikings Fear RB Dalvin Cook Has Torn ACL
Vikings rookie running back Dalvin Cook is believed to have suffered a nearly complete ACL tear, according to Ian Rapoport of and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). An MRI on Monday will confirm the severity of Cook’s knee issue.
Cook has been revelation for Minnesota since the Vikings traded up to acquire him in the second round of the 2017 draft. The Florida State product had averaged 4.7 yards per carry heading into Week 4, and had also added 10 receptions for 82 yards through the air. Cook’s only real negative had been his pass-blocking, as he ranked No. 27 among 28 qualifiers in that capacity, per Pro Football Focus. All told, Cook had been on the field for roughly 70% of the Vikings’ offensive snaps.
If Cook is lost for the season, Minnesota does have internal options readily available. Veteran Latavius Murray signed a three-year, $15MM deal with the Vikings in March, but has barely seen the field thanks to Cook’s presence. He offers experience, however, as he’s toted the ball more than 550 times in his NFL career. Jerick McKinnon is on the roster, too, and would presumably take over third-down work. Bronson Hill, an Eastern Washington product, is a candidate for a potential practice squad promotion.
The Vikings could look to the free agent market in search of another running back, although no unsigned player is likely to replace Cook’s electricity. Tim Hightower, Ryan Mathews, Shaun Draughn, C.J. Spiller, and DeAngelo Williams are among the veterans available for an immediate signing. A trade could also be possible, and candidates for a deal speculatively include Matt Forte, Jeremy Hill, and former Viking Adrian Peterson.
Cook isn’t the only critical Minnesota offensive player who’s suffered a knee injury this year, as quarterback Sam Bradford experienced swelling following Week 1 and hasn’t played since. With backup Case Keenum leading the offense, the Vikings have posted a 1-2 record and are now 2-2 on the season.
5 Key NFL Stories: 9/24/17 – 10/1/17
Danny Trevathan punished by NFL. Following a jarring helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers wide receiver Davante Adams on Thursday, Trevathan was suspended two games by the league, meaning he’ll miss the Bears’ contests against the Viking and Ravens. Trevathan can appeal the ban, however, and possibly see it reduced. From an on-field perspective, Chicago can ill-afford to lose another linebacker, as Jerrell Freeman is already on injured reserve while fill-in Nick Kwiatkoski is dealing with a pectoral issue. Adams, thankfully, escaped the violent play with only a concussion.
Quarterback returns on the horizon. Andrew Luck could potentially return for the Colts by Week 6, although his lack of practice time could delay that timeline. Luck didn’t practice last week, and would likely need some sort of ramp up period before getting back to game action. Still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Luck would give Indianapolis a massive boost if he can return in the near future. Vikings signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater, meanwhile, should be ready to play by Week 7, which could complicate a Minnesota quarterback room that includes an injured Sam Bradford and backup Case Keenum.
Darren Sproles done for season, possibly career. Sproles suffered both a broken arm and a torn ACL on the same play in Week 4, meaning he won’t play again during the 2017 campaign. Whether or not he’ll return in 2018 is something of an open question — Sproles had indicated he’d retire following this year but backtracked on confirming it ahead of this season. Now that won’t finish out what could have been his final NFL season, Sproles could rethink his position. The Eagles signed old friend Kenjon Barner to join a backfield that includes LeGarrette Blount, Wendell Smallwood, and Corey Clement.
Canadian Football League in the news. The CFL was linked to two out-of-work quarterbacks this week, as both Colin Kaepernick and Johnny Manziel were attached to north of the border clubs. The Montreal Alouttes reached out to Kaepernick regarding his interest in joining the league, but Kaepernick reportedly doesn’t want to sign with a CFL team. Manziel, meanwhile, has been barred from playing in the CFL this season but is eligible to join the league in 2018.
Dolphins reinstate Lawrence Timmons. Miami allowed Timmons to return to the club following an indefinite suspension, one that was levied after Timmons went AWOL during the Dolphins’ Week 2 contest. Timmons reportedly visited his old team — the Steelers — during Miami’s Week 1 bye and expressed his regret at signing in South Beach. On the field, Timmons’ return is important given that the Fins already lost rookie ‘bakcer Raekwon McMillan for the season.