Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant Done For Season
Dolphins wideout Jakeem Grant will be placed on injured reserve after suffering an Achilles injury in Week 10, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
Grant didn’t suffer a ruptured Achilles, which would have required him to undergo a comprehensive operation that could have knocked him out for 10-12 months, per Salguero. Instead, Grant underwent a separate, less-invasive procedure which should allow him to return for 2019 training camp.
Grant, 26, took on a larger role in Week 8 due to injuries on the Dolphins’ receiver depth chart, managing eight targets while Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson were sidelined. Stills is now back in the fold, but Wilson has since been placed on injured reserve. Miami still has other options at the receiver position, however, including Danny Amendola, DeVante Parker, Leonte Carroo, and the recently-signed Brice Butler.
While Grant wasn’t a key player on offense, his loss will be strongly felt on special teams, where Grant was Miami’s No. 1 kick and punt returner. Grant had managed 16.3 yards per punt and 29.7 yards per return this season, both of which are among the best figures in the NFL. Additionally, Football Outsiders ranks the Dolphins’ punt return unit as the league’s second-most efficient, while the club is fourth in FO’s kick return metrics.
Bills’ Josh Allen Likely To Start In Week 12
Rookie quarterback Josh Allen is “in line” to start for the Bills when they return from their bye in Week 12, head coach Sean McDermott told reporters, including Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (Twitter link).
Allen reportedly felt as though he could have played against the Jets in Week 10, but Buffalo’s decision-makers opted to hold him out with the hope the first-round signal-caller could fully recover from an elbow injury over the bye week. Instead, the Bills turned to journeyman Matt Barkley, who didn’t have any trouble against New York, posting 232 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-10 rout of the Jets. Allen will return to action having missed four contests, during which Buffalo posted a 1-3 record.
Allen, the seventh overall pick in this year’s draft, hasn’t had much talent to work with this season, as Buffalo’s skill players and offensive line leave much to be desired. In six games (five starts), Allen has completed 54% of his passes for 832 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. Among quarterbacks with at least 130 attempts this season, Allen ranks dead last in both passer rating and adjusted net yards per attempt. Allen has contributed on the ground, though, averaging 4.4 yards per carry and scoring three times via rush.
When the Bills return from bye, four of their final six games will come within the AFC East. Buffalo will face the Jaguars, Dolphins, Jets, Lions, Patriots, and Dolphins again to close out the 2018 campaign.
Rams To Activate WR Pharoh Cooper
The Rams are expected to activate wide receiver/returner Pharoh Cooper from injured reserve before Monday night’s game against the Chiefs, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Cooper Kupp, who went down with a torn ACL in Week 11, has formally been placed on injured reserve. 
Cooper has appeared in just one game this season, as the ankle injury he suffered in Los Angeles’ season opener landed him on IR. Now that he’s missed eight weeks, Cooper is eligible to return and began practicing last week. That opened up a three-week window during which the Rams had to decide whether to activate Cooper, or keep him on injured reserve for the remainder of the year.
A fourth-round pick out of South Carolina in 2016, Cooper earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2017 as a return man. The 23 year-old Cooper handled 66 combined kick and punt returns, and led the NFL in yards per kickoff return (27.4). He will immediately take back both of those roles from Blake Countess and Jojo Natson, who have been handling kicks and punts, respectively.
Cooper hasn’t been much of an offensive force through two-plus years in the NFL. He played roughly 400 offensive snaps from 2016-17 and managed only 25 total receptions during that time. Cooper could conceivably see snaps at receiver now that Kupp is done for the season, but the Rams typically stick with the same three wideouts (Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and — now — Josh Reynolds) in their “11” personnel package.
5 Key NFL Stories: 11/11/18 – 11/18/18
Le’Veon Bell won’t play in 2018. A 2019 franchise tag for Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell would cost more than $25MM, so that tender isn’t an option for Pittsburgh. Bell doesn’t need to accrue another season to reach free agency next spring, so he never reported by Tuesday’s deadline, meaning he won’t play during the 2018 campaign. The transition tag is still in play for Bell next year, but that option wouldn’t give the Steelers any compensation if Bell leaves via free agency.
Redskins lose Alex Smith. 33 years to day of Joe Theismann’s horrific leg injury, another Washington quarterback suffered a gruesome break of his own. Smith fractured both his tibia and fibia and will require immediate surgery, and he’ll miss the rest of the season. In the midst of a solid season that nonetheless failed to match the highs of his 2017 campaign, Smith had guided the Redskins to a 6-3 record and first place in the NFC East. Colt McCoy, who hasn’t attempted a pass since the 2015 season, will now take over under center.
Cooper Kupp goes down. Kupp had already missed two games earlier this season after suffering an MCL injury, but an ACL tear will now knock him out for the rest of the year. One of Jared Goff‘s favorite red zone weapons, Kupp has been incredibly efficient since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2017. After racking up 62 catches for 869 yards and five scores last season, Kupp was on pace for roughly 70 catches, 985 yards, and ten touchdowns in 2018. Josh Reynolds figures to take over as Los Angeles’ third receiver and will see a ton of action given the Rams’ use of three-receiver sets.
Eagles pass defense loses another starter. Philadelphia has already witnessed safety Rodney McLeod go down for the year, while cornerbacks Jalen Mills and Sidney Jones have also missed a good deal of time. Now, starting corner Ronald Darby will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL. Darby had graded as a top-30 CB on the year, per Pro Football Focus, while Football Outsiders ranked him as a top-15 defensive back in both yards allowed per attempt and success rate. Scheduled to become a free agent next spring, Darby’s market will certainly be affected by his injury.
Bengals make staff changes. Following an embarrassing Week 11 loss to the Saints, Cincinnati fired defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who had just joined the club this season. The change marks the second consecutive season the Bengals have terminated a play-caller, as Ken Zampese lost his job as Cincinnati’s OC after two 2017 games. Head coach Marvin Lewis will take over as DC, while recent hire Hue Jackson could eventually pitch in on defense.
Bruce Arians Likely To Be Considered In 2019 Head Coaching Searches
Bruce Arians is currently retired and working as a CBS commentator, but he’s expected to be considered for a number of head coaching vacancies in 2019, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Arians has already been linked to one open position, as he suggested earlier this month he’d be interested in the Browns’ head coaching gig, going as far as to say it’s the “only” job he’d consider this offseason. Arians later (somewhat confusingly) walked those comments back, saying he was merely trying to pump up Chuck Pagano‘s chances of landing in Cleveland.
The Browns are one team that will definitely be looking for a new head coach next year, but many other clubs could also make a change. If Arians does take another position, the Cardinals — Arians’ former employer — could theoretically attempt to seek draft pick compensation from his new club. Arians still had time left on his contract when he retired in January, so Arizona still holds his rights.
Arians, 66, served as an offensive coordinator for several teams before taking over as the Colts’ interim head coach in 2012. He served in that capacity while Pagano dealt with a cancer diagnosis, leading Indianapolis to nine wins while taking home Coach of the Year honors. Arians subsequently landed in the desert, and posted a 49-30-1 regular season record with the Cardinals over five seasons.
PFR Originals: 11/11/18 – 11/18/18
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- The Browns are searching for a new head coach after firing Hue Jackson earlier this month, leading Zach Links to ask PFR readers who they think will be the new leader in Cleveland. Candidates such as Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, and Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub could all make sense for the Browns, but Packers head coach Mike McCarthy won a plurality of the vote with 21%.
- Now that the playoff picture is beginning to take form, I asked PFR readers which non-first place team could still make its way into the postseason. While the odds favored the Titans (at least, prior to today’s loss to the Colts), voters actually went with the Vikings, who will face the Bears on Sunday night football in a contest with massive playoff implications.
- The Chargers have all but locked up the AFC’s No. 5 seed, but the sixth seed is still up for grabs. Sam Robinson asked PFR readers which team is in the best position to take that final playoff spot, and while options such as the Bengals, Ravens, Colts, and Dolphins could still have a chance, voters think the Titans have the best shot.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/18
Today’s minor moves:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Gehrig Dieter
Washington Redskins
- Waived: WR Brian Quick
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/18
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Released: C James Stone
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Nicholas Grigsby
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: QB Phillip Walker
- Released: DE Anthony Winbush
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DB Josh Hawkins
Redskins QB Alex Smith Breaks Tibia, Fibia
Redskins quarterback Alex Smith was carted off the field during today’s game against the Texans after suffering a gruesome leg injury. Following the contest, head coach Jay Gruden announced Smith broke his tibia and fibia and will require immediate surgery.
With Smith out for the rest of Sunday’s contest against the Texans (and presumably for the remainder of the year), Washington will turn to backup Colt McCoy, who has not attempted a pass since 2015. McCoy is considered one of the NFL’s better No. 2 quarterbacks, and the Redskins even considered deploying him as a starter in recent years, as Mike Florio of Pro football Talk tweets. But he does represent a downgrade from Smith and the 6-3 Redskins, who are currently leading the NFC East.
Smith, 34, posted the best campaign of his NFL career in 2017 as a member of the Chiefs before being shipped to the nation’s capital in exchange for a third-round pick and cornerback Kendall Fuller. Smith had reverted to his conservative ways in Washington, as his yards per attempt had dropped by more than a yard from 2017-18. Among the 26 quarterbacks with at least 250 attempts, Smith ranks 19th in adjusted net yards per attempt and 20th in passer rating.
Smith and McCoy are the only signal-callers on the Redskins’ roster, as the club traded third-stringer Kevin Hogan to the Broncos prior to the regular season. Washington doesn’t have a quarterback on its practice squad, either, so it could dip into a free agent market that includes Sam Bradford, Matt Moore, Mark Sanchez, Paxton Lynch, and Nathan Peterman as they aim to find a new backup.
Titans DC Dean Pees Taken To Hospital
Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees was taken to a local hospital after suffering a “medical issue” during today’s game against the Colts, the club announced.
Pees, 69, previously announced his retirement in January after six seasons as the Ravens’ defensive play-caller, but he changed his mind about continuing his NFL career after Mike Vrabel was hired as Tennessee’s head coach. Pees was hired as the Titans’ defensive coordinator at the end of January, and has led a defense that currently ranks in 12th in DVOA.
While it’s unclear who is currently calling defensive plays for the Titans, Vrabel does have experience as a DC. PFR extends it best wishes to Pees and wishes him a speedy recovery.