Chiefs Could Be In Market For RBs
With Isiah Pacheco finding himself unavailable due to injury, the Chiefs are reportedly exploring the trade market options at the position, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. There are several different options that could be attractive to Kansas City. 
While featured backs like Breece Hall and Alvin Kamara are seemingly on the market, the Chiefs haven’t really had a true featured back since Patrick Mahomes and Kareem Hunt‘s rookie year, when Hunt carried the ball 272 times and the next running back had 18 carries. Ever since that 2017 campaign, Kansas City hasn’t seen a 1,000-yard rusher, nor has it seen a single back dominate the team’s carries like Hunt did. The Chiefs have, instead, operated with a stable of backs, and that doesn’t seem likely to change now.
Even without Pacheco, there are familiar names of backs the team drafted years ago on the roster. Hunt has been RB2 in Kansas City after returning last year, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire is currently on the team’s practice squad. Behind Hunt, rookie seventh-round pick Brashard Smith and Elijah Mitchell sit on the active roster, though Mitchell has been inactive for every game this year. Hunt has mostly split carries with Pacheco in the run game, and Smith has established a role as a third-down back, utilizing his skills as a receiver, the position he originally played in college before transitioning to running back after transferring to SMU.
So, what kind of options fit in with Kansas City’s approach to the position? After taking a pay cut and watching two rookies pass him up on the depth chart, Jerome Ford could find his way to Kansas City via trade. In the same division, Justice Hill has been a staple in Baltimore since being drafted, mostly for working as if no job is too small. The Ravens have been making a concerted effort to find more touches for third-year back Keaton Mitchell, though, and with Derrick Henry as the featured rusher, Hill may be seen as superfluous in Baltimore’s backfield.
In the NFC, two recently demoted backs could be available. In Carolina, Chuba Hubbard missed some time due to injury and watched Rico Dowdle take the offense by storm and move into the starting role. Philadelphia traded for Tank Bigsby out of Jacksonville, relegating former Packers RB2 AJ Dillon to a fourth-string role. As a power back, Dillon probably makes the most sense to replace Pacheco in the rotation, but as a Super Bowl adversary in two of the past three years, the Eagles may not be super willing to make a trade that could improve the Chiefs this year.
Breer’s report came only this morning, so more clues may make headlines in the days to come indicating what direction Kansas City is looking in. News of Pacheco’s injury is only three days old itself, and there may be no need for a trade if his outlook improves in the next few days. For now, Hunt and Smith will take on larger roles in the backfield, and Mitchell may make his 2025 debut.
Eagles Could Address Pass Rush Before Trade Deadline
Since the start of training camp, the Eagles have already made seven trades as part of their efforts to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and according to multiple NFL sources, if a front office phone is ringing, chances are high that general manager Howie Roseman is on the other end looking for more. Atop the NFC East by 2.5 games with top performers at multiple positions, there is one area at which Philadelphia could see serious improvement. 
Per Zach Berman of The Athletic, “the obvious spot to watch” in Philadelphia is edge rusher. After losing top sack-getter Josh Sweat to free agency in the offseason, filling out the edge has been a focus of the front office. The Eagles didn’t sign a single multi-year deal in free agency but still added a few potential high-ceiling names in Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, and Ogbo Okoronkwo. There were quite a few options in the draft, as well, and the team made an intriguing selection on Day 1, trading up a single spot to draft Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell.
In overall team rankings, Philadelphia has been pretty middle-of-the-road with its overall pass rush. Per Pro Football Reference, the Eagles’ 16 sacks are tied for 19th in the league, and the defense is 17th in overall pressures with 58. Many of these are not coming from the edge, though. Making up 10 of the team’s 16 sacks, are two defensive tackles, Moro Ojomo (4.0) and Jordan Davis (3.0), and inside linebacker Zack Baun (3.0). The team leader in quarterback hits is defensive tackle Jalen Carter (9), and Ojomo (6) is third on the team with Davis (4) and Baun (4) tying for fourth.
Second-year pass rusher Jalyx Hunt ranks second on the team in quarterback hits with eight, but he’s only amassed one sack in the first half of his sophomore campaign. Uche has spent the second-most time on the edge behind Hunt, but he, too, only has one sack to his name while only accounting for three quarterback hits. Okoronkwo suffered a triceps tear that may have ended his season after only four snaps in his only game of the year. Finally, third-year edge rusher Nolan Smith, who started three games across from Hunt to start the season, only tallied one quarterback hit while failing to notch a sack before landing on injured reserve with a pectoral injury.
The Eagles had also signed veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, who still leads the position group with 1.5 sacks despite suddenly retiring a little over two weeks ago. Retirement giveth and taketh, though, as on the heels of Smith’s retirement, long-time Eagles veteran Brandon Graham came out of retirement to sign back on with the team. Graham may be more of a culture builder or locker room presence, though, considering his final two seasons in Philadelphia paled in comparison to his career-best 2022 campaign.
The rookie Campbell is an intriguing option at the position, as well. The 21-year-old came out of high school and started his career with the Crimson Tide as an edge rusher, only moving to off-ball linebacker due to injuries at the position. He played the 2023 season almost exclusively in that role but found more versatility in where he lined up throughout his final year with the team, spending increased time in his original position.
Due to this experience, there was a good amount of speculation in how he would be used in the NFL. It seemed early on that the Eagles would be willing to entertain his usage at both positions, but they started him as an off-ball linebacker, and he earned a starting role. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Campbell has excelled in the role, ranking as the team’s second-best defender and the sixth-highest graded linebacker in the NFL, so it doesn’t appear likely he’ll be moving positions.
Hence why Berman has identified the position as one the team may target in the trade market. If they do move on a pass rusher, though, they can’t make any more small moves. They’ll need to target players who can move the needle as a consistent defensive presence. Berman is one of several reporters who have identified the Dolphins as a franchise Roseman should reach out to, along with Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports. Specifically, edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips were identified as targets in Miami.
Both player’s careers have ebbed and flowed as injuries have taken a toll on their consistent outputs. Chubb logged a career-high 12.0 sacks as a rookie in 2018 and didn’t see double digits again until he tallied 11.0 in his first full year in Miami. Chubb missed the entire 2024 campaign with a torn ACL but has looked strong this year with four sacks and seven quarterback hits. He has no guaranteed money left on his contract after this year, so he makes perfect sense as a half-year rental that may become a cap casualty after that.
After two strong seasons to start his career, Phillips was on pace for a 14.0-sack season in 2023 before tearing his Achilles tendon after eight games. Season-ending knee surgery would cut off his 2024 campaign after half as many games. Phillips has rebounded decently, as well, though, logging three sacks and seven quarterback hits so far this year. Phillips in currently playing out the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and could leave the team in free agency, with Miami getting nothing in return.
The Eagles aren’t the only ones interested in Chubb and Phillips, though. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, multiple teams have reached out with significant interest in the oft-injured pass rushing pair. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated added recently that veteran pass rusher Matt Judon, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick have also been points of order on phone calls.
Per Breer, Miami has been steadfast in telling the team’s inquiring about Waddle “no” in no uncertain terms. He believes the team “may be more receptive” on Fitzpatrick, though. For the pass rushers, Wolfe claims the Dolphins’ front office has been hesitant, but with the trade deadline looming, their grip may loosen a bit. The asking price for Phillips is thought to be at least a third-rounder. There was some thought that, with general manager Chris Grier parting ways with the organization this morning, a fire sale of assets may take place, but interim general manager Champ Kelly is thought to be auditioning for a full-time role, so he’ll still be fairly strategic and judicial with any trade talks that take place, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
The Eagles are eager to deal, though. With an expectation of up to three compensatory draft picks in their future, there’s a chance Philadelphia could be sitting on 10 picks for the 2026 NFL Draft. Roseman is reportedly unafraid to trade those picks, and there’s even speculation players like wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back AJ Dillon could be available in packages, as well. Even if the Dolphins are playing hard ball with their most sought-after assets, the Eagles may be willing to play ball en route to a chance at back-to-back championships.
Bengals QB Joe Flacco Trending Towards Playing
The Bengals’ chances of sticking close enough to the playoff race for an eventual, hopeful Joe Burrow late-season return took a huge hit on Sunday, when the team gave the Jets their first win of the season. Making matters worse, backup quarterback Joe Flacco, who had breathed new life into the team, suffered a shoulder injury in the game that threatened his future availability. According to Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer, barring a setback leading up to Sunday, Flacco is expected to play. 
Following the injury, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor gave the 40-year-old passer a 50-50 chance at recovering in time to play in this weekend’s game. Flacco, though, reportedly “never let his mind think about not playing,” approaching the week with the mindset that his number would be called on Sunday. Essentially, until a point came in which a staffer or his body told him he couldn’t play, his plan was to return to the starting lineup for Sunday.
Taylor and Co. couldn’t function under that same mindset, not after giving him only a 50-50 chance. Jake Browning, the initial replacement starter for Burrow who was unseated after Cincinnati acquired Flacco, was given all the first-team reps in practice on Wednesday and Friday, in order to ensure that he would be ready in the case that Flacco couldn’t go. Flacco had voiced a desire to get some work in at least one practice to see if he could even throw with the shoulder injury. He was a limited participant Thursday, giving his shoulder plenty of time to rest up for Sunday.
“I feel pretty good,” Flacco told the media. “You don’t want to assume you’ll be able to throw and not really know. I wanted to go out there this week and feel good about what was going on.”
The result? Flacco’s analysis up to this point:
“I’ve never really talked about injuries before, so I don’t know what to say. I feel good.”
Taylor seemed to agree, saying that Flacco “did a nice job out there” and that the head coach had seen what he had hoped to see in order to believe Flacco would be able to play on Sunday. Both parties seemed to stop just short of committing to that point, emphasizing that the work over the next two days will be crucial in determining his availability.
Flacco will be QB1 for a walk-through tomorrow, and on Sunday, they’ll have Flacco go through his usual pre-game warmups. If there are no setbacks, the veteran passer will start the game under center for the Bengals. Otherwise, Cincinnati will have to put its fate in Browning’s hands, once again.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Expected Back In Week 9
OCTOBER 29: Jackson himself confirmed on Tuesday that he was back to 100% and would start in Miami, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He was a full participant in the Ravens’ first two practices of the week and may not even have an injury designation for Thursday night’s matchup.
OCTOBER 26: Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Ravens expect that quarterback Lamar Jackson will make his return from injury in Week 9’s Thursday night trip to Miami, per Jay Glazer of FOX Sports. These reports come on the heels of a weekend of Jackson injury news that could land the franchise in a bit of hot water. 
Way back after Week 6 as the Ravens’ four-game losing streak brought them to 1-5, many assumed that Jackson (and several other injured Ravens) would be coming back after the team’s Week 7 bye. That proved mostly true, as Jackson’s “questionable” designation on the injury report was the only injury designation for any Baltimore player this week. Yet even that injury designation wasn’t exactly what it seemed.
The team had listed Jackson as a full participant at practice on Friday after planning a day of scout team reps for the mobile passer and seeing him complete the day with no issues. NFL regulations concerning injury reporting don’t allow this, though. If injury causes a player that would normally be getting starting reps to practice with the scout team, they have to be listed as a limited participant at practice. After notice from the league, Baltimore was forced to retroactively change Jackson’s practice participation, and the team announced that he would not play in Week 8’s game.
Perhaps, this was an honest mistake, as head coach John Harbaugh reiterated in comments to the media after today’s game, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Perhaps, it was a desperate attempt from a one-win team hoping to get any advantage possible by muddying the waters and keeping Chicago from knowing which quarterback it would be facing. After expressing hopes for two weeks that Jackson would return following their bye, it could certainly have been the latter, but that’s a matter for the NFL’s Management Council to determine.
Regardless, what makes this proclamation different from the ones for Week 8? According to Glazer, while Jackson may have been able to suit up for this weekend’s game, the Ravens were looking at a different benchmark. Because this weekend’s game will be so closely followed with an appearance on Thursday Night Football, Jackson needed to be at a place in which he would be fully confident playing two games in a five-day stretch. It was in the opinion of those involved that there was too high a risk of reinjury for him to play both games, so he was ruled out for Week 8 with an expectation to play back in his old digs in South Florida in Week 9.
With a short week providing fewer practices in which the team can gauge where Jackson is at, it will continue to be difficult to predict Jackson’s availability. Harbaugh certainly gave nothing away in today’s post-game press conference, merely telling reporters that “he’s hopeful that Lamar will play Thursday.”
The Ravens were able to pull off a win today with new backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. In his return to Baltimore, Huntley avoided turnovers, and the offense put up more points today (30) than they had in two games with Cooper Rush under center (13). This moves the team to 2-5 as they take the first of several steps necessary to make an improbable return to the playoffs. If Jackson can return in Miami Gardens, their chances for taking the next step will increase greatly.
Ravens Buyers Or Sellers At Trade Deadline?
As the NFL’s trade deadline approaches a week from today, franchises are taking a candid look in the mirror to determine if they are a few key pieces short of a championship roster or if now is the time for them to unload restrictive or burdensome contracts en route to a rebuild, big or small. At several different points in this young season, the Ravens have appeared to reflect both teams in that mirror. 
The team started as a Super Bowl favorite in the eyes of Vegas, coming in with one of the league’s more talented rosters. They came out the gates swinging, looking much like the class of the AFC they had been billed to be, before crashing back to reality at the hands of the team that had ended their season eight months prior. They rebounded with a win over former franchise quarterback Joe Flacco — who they’ll somehow get to play against two more times this regular season — but saw injuries derail their vaunted roster over the next several weeks.
Coming out of their Week 7 bye with a 1-5 record, the Ravens faced a crossroads. While the odds aren’t phenomenal, there have been multiple teams to come back from that same record to make the playoffs; a 1-6 record has only ever been overcome once in NFL history. This statistic put immense weight on the Ravens’ Week 8 game against the visiting Bears.
If the Raven ended up falling to Chicago, it was thought that they might begin to prepare for future seasons. Per Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, with things looking dire, there were rumors Baltimore could look to move players on the final year of their contract. This likely wouldn’t include younger players expecting new deals in the future like center Tyler Linderbaum or tight end Isaiah Likely, but more likely would be the case for veterans like tight end Mark Andrews, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, or pass rusher Kyle Van Noy. It could also encompass young players who might price themselves out of Baltimore in free agency like defensive tackle Travis Jones.
After Lamar Jackson was ruled out for the weekend, though, a 1-6 record seemed a likely destination. Facing a team that came into town sporting the only offense in the NFL to put up at least 21 points in each game this season, the Ravens were averaging 6.5 points per game in contests without Jackson. Newly anointed QB2 Tyler Huntley had other ideas in mind, and Sunday’s victory may have forced general manager Eric DeCosta to shift strategies for the trade deadline.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Ravens were already making calls concerning trades for a cornerback, even before their win changed their immediate outlook. Coming into the season, the new-look secondary was looking strong with Marlon Humphrey coming off a resurgent, first-team All-Pro season, first-rounder Nate Wiggins looking to take the next step, and newcome veterans Chidobe Awuzie and Jaire Alexander appearing to provide significant upgrades to the depth of the room.
Awuzie and Wiggins have certainly played their parts early in the season, but Humphrey has had perhaps the worst half of a season of his career. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) grades Humphrey as the 110th-best cornerback in the NFL out of 113 players graded at the position. And, though Alexander has not appeared on the injury report since Week 2 nor been put on any injury list, he has been inactive from Week 3 on.
Russini’s colleague at The Athletic, Jeff Zrebiec, helped identify pass rusher and offensive guard as two more areas of interest for the Ravens over the next week. Zrebiec saw the team’s Week 8 win, which put the ailing team just two games out of the division lead, as a strong indicator that Baltimore could look to make some acquisitions. If the team were to win again two days from now in Miami, Zrebiec would see that as a green light for DeCosta, who has a history of being aggressive this time of year, previously bringing in contributors like Roquan Smith and Marcus Peters.
Zrebiec focuses the possibilities on athletes Baltimore can realistically acquire, quickly ruling out Maxx Crosby, Trey Hendrickson, and other alike expensive stars whose names have frequented trade rumors. He also steers away from possibilities who wouldn’t provide enough of an upgrade over their current situation, avoiding options like Azeez Ojulari, Arden Key, Evan Neal, and Deonte Banks. Instead, he circles the names of players with tremendous upside who may have some limiting factor keeping their costs down. 
First, he suggests reunions with defensive lineman Calais Campbell and guard Kevin Zeitler. Despite the advanced age of both players — 35 years old for Zeitler and 39 years old for Campbell — each has maintained a high level of play since their respective departures from Baltimore. Upon their potential return, either lineman would immediately find their place on the first team.
Two pass rushers he identifies as likely are Jaelan Phillips and Jermaine Johnson — two 26-year-olds. Neither player will be as affordable on the trade market as the aforementioned veterans, but there are reasons Baltimore has a chance at acquiring each of them. Phillips and Johnson have both struggled with injuries in their young careers. When healthy, though, both players have shown impressive production, but their injury history has made their current teams skeptical about the idea of a long-term deal.
So, what can we expect from the Ravens in the coming days? If Baltimore loses Thursday night in Miami Gardens, that question becomes harder to predict. But if the Ravens show signs of heating up in the oddly still within reach AFC North, look for DeCosta to get aggressive in finding assets to help fix the team’s biggest weaknesses. Also, it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise is some of those veterans on contract years make their way into potential deals in order to lower Baltimore’s draft compensation.
Jets S Andre Cisco Suffers Pectoral Tear
The Jets may have earned their first win of the season this weekend, but it didn’t come without its lumps. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, starting safety Andre Cisco has sustained “a pectoral tear that needs repair.” 
Cisco came to New York on a one-year, $8.5MM deal following the expiration of his rookie contract as a third-round pick in Jacksonville. Over his time with the Jaguars, Cisco quickly inserted himself into the defensive gameplan, earning a full-time starting job by his sophomore season. He showed impressive ball skills, logging seven interceptions and 15 passes defensed in his first two years as a starter, but failed to capitalize on a contract year, leading to the one-year contract he signed.
New head coach Aaron Glenn brought his defensive mindset from Detroit, and star cornerback Sauce Gardner has looked strong alongside a career year for newcomer Brandon Stephens and a strong sophomore campaign for Jarvis Brownlee Jr. The team has been decently middle-of-the-road in passing yards allowed, but they’ve given up the fourth-most passing touchdowns in the NFL, and they’re the only team in the NFL without an interception.
So far this season, the safeties have been a weak spot for the Jets defense. Tony Adams, who began the season as the starter next to Cisco, was benched after Week 4 in favor of fourth-round rookie Malachi Moore, who hasn’t fared much better. The only other player currently labeled as a safety on the roster is former nickelback Isaiah Oliver, though undrafted rookie Dean Clark resides on the practice squad.
The severity of the repair is not apparent from Fowler’s report. With a complete tear, the “repair” in question would be a surgical one requiring months of recovery and rehabilitation. If Cisco suffered only a minor tear, though, the team may be able to treat it non-surgically and have him back quicker after some rest.
Either way, if Cisco is forced to miss any time, it will be at the detriment of an already thin position group. New York will likely need to seek reinforcements, though they’ve been identified pretty clearly more as sellers than buyers in the trade market. More likely, they may look to add depth out of the existing free agent pool.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/28/25
Today’s practice squad transactions from across the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB AJ Woods
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T Michael Tarquin
- Released: CB Michael Reid
Denver Broncos
- Released: OLB Garrett Nelson, WR Samori Toure
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Justin Shorter
- Released: LB Brian Asamoah II
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Tyler Scott
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Ethan Robinson
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: CB Kendall Sheffield
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: S K’Von Wallace
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB Rushawn Baker, RB Jonathan Ward
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: RB Jashaun Corbin
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Swayze Bozeman
- Released: WR Juice Wells Jr.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Parry Nickerson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S Darrick Forrest
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Andre Dillard
- Released: T Brandon Parker
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Kemon Hall, WR Hal Presley
- Released: LB Ochaun Mathis
Washington Commanders
- Released: K Matthew Wright
The Steelers have seen injuries ravage their secondary in recent weeks. They made a big move not long ago to address the position, but Forrest comes in with some additional experience, providing depth at safety.
The 49ers are letting go of Parker, a former third-round pick who failed to find success with the Raiders, in order to make room for Dillard, a former first-round pick who failed to ever establish himself as a full-time starter in the NFL. Dillard spent the offseason with San Francisco, eventually getting released from injured reserve with an injury settlement. He’s been a free agent ever since and now signs his first ever practice squad deal.
After getting signed to the Commanders’ practice squad to fill in for an injured Matt Gay last night, Wright returns to free agency. In a low-scoring Sunday night affair, Wright made his only kick — a single extra point attempt.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/25
Here are Tuesday’s minor NFL moves as the headlines are taken up by bigger names due to the impending trade deadline:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Tommy Akingbesote
Carolina Panthers
- Signed off 49ers’ practice squad: OLB Trevis Gipson
- Waived: DT Jaden Crumedy
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: DE Austin Booker
- Placed on IR: DL Shemar Turner (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: LB Shaka Heyward, C Matt Lee
- Released: DT Mike Pennel
Denver Broncos
- Activated from commissioners/suspended list: LB Dre Greenlaw
- Released: QB Sam Ehlinger
Los Angeles Chargers
- Practice window opened: CB Deane Leonard
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: CB Tre Brown
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: CB Storm Duck (story)
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Browns): CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
- Placed on IR: RB Cam Skattebo (story)
New York Jets
- Waived: WR Brandon Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived (with injury settlement): DT Domenique Davis
Tennessee Titans
- Signed off Packers’ practice squad: CB Micah Robinson
- Signed off Patriots’ practice squad: OLB Truman Jones
- Placed on IR: OLB Ali Gaye
The Bengals cleared out a few roster spots today as Heyward will need about four weeks to work his way back from a hairline fracture in his fibula. Pennel, a 12-year veteran on the interior defensive line, had started to cede his defensive snaps to younger options and found himself falling down the depth chart despite appearing in every game this season. He requested his release from the team, and it was granted.
Similar to when San Francisco brought Greenlaw back from injured reserve, the 49ers are releasing Ehlinger to make room on the 53-man roster. Like last time, the plan is for Ehlinger to remain in Denver via an addition to the practice squad tomorrow.
Browns’ Carson Schwesinger Suffers High Ankle Sprain
OCTOBER 27: An MRI has confirmed the diagnosis in this case, as noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He adds the sprain is not considered to be a major one, which is a small consolation. Per Rapoport, Schwesinger will be reevaluated after the Browns’ upcoming bye week.
OCTOBER 26: One of the homeruns of the 2025 draft has been Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger. The first pick of the second round immediately stepped up as a starter for the defense. Unfortunately, the 22-year-old may miss some time after suffering a high ankle sprain in today’s loss to the Patriots, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. 
The timetable for returns from high ankle sprains can vary along with the grade of severity. While a minor high ankle sprain can be overcome in a week or two, we’ve seen high ankle sprains severely limit a number of players this year. Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb missed three games, Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman spent five games on injured reserve, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young missed today’s game, and Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been out since Week 2 all because of high ankle sprains.
After being initially diagnosed and treated in the post-game locker room today, Schwesinger was seen walking out with a walking boot on his right ankle. The team is likely going to pursue more information to determine the exact severity of the injury before making any determinations on availability for the week. The Browns’ bye week is next up on the schedule, so if the injury is a lower grade sprain, he may not miss any time at all.
If Schwesinger does miss time, though, a thin linebacking corps behind him will be tasked with stepping up. Linebackers Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Nathaniel Watson, and Winston Reid all remain on their respective injured lists waiting to make their season debuts. Schwesinger and veteran Devin Bush have dominated time at linebacker so far this year, with backups Jerome Baker and Mohamoud Diabate seeing about a quarter of the snaps of the starters.
Baker and Diabate would likely be the two names in consideration to start in place of Schwesinger. So far this year, Baker has just edged out Diabate for playing time and has done more with his opportunities. Though both have starting experience, Baker has more and would likely be the choice to start next to Bush if needed for a couple of weeks. That would only matter if the rookie starter misses time, and we won’t know the likelihood for that until he undergoes further evaluation.
Another Browns rookie got injured today. Fellow second-round pick Quinshon Judkins left today’s game early with a shoulder injury. After getting rolled over on a tackle, the starting running back was quickly announced as out for the remainder of the game. The promptness of the announcement could have had to do with the disparity in scores of the two teams at the time of the injury, but it might also have been due to the severity of the injury, as well. His diagnosis will be one to look out for in the next few days, as well.
Steelers Working Out WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
As the Steelers battle to extend their lead atop the AFC North, reports are coming out that the team is entertaining some depth at a position of intrigue. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Pittsburgh will host veteran free agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a workout tomorrow. 
Valdes-Scantling started his career in Green Bay, catching passes off current Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The deep-ball menace would become the fourth wide receiver to reunite with the 41-year-old since Rodgers left the Packers. Unlike Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and Randall Cobb, Valdes-Scantling didn’t find his way to New York, but he’ll get his opportunity to reunite with his former quarterback following the weekend.
While Valdes-Scantling didn’t follow Rodgers like the rest, he took a pretty good path of his own. Signing with the Chiefs and going from Rodgers to Patrick Mahomes, Valdes Scantling won two Super Bowl rings in his first two years out of Green Bay. He signed with the Bills — going from Rodgers to Mahomes to Josh Allen — in 2024, but after seeing minimal success in six weeks in Buffalo, Valdes-Scantling was released in order to make room for trade acquisition Amari Cooper. Following his release, Valdes-Scantling rebounded on a contract with the Saints, where he filled in on a receiving corps that had lost Chris Olave for the season.
The Steelers could use another contributor in their receiving corps. Despite their team success, the passing attack ranked 18th in the NFL in yards per game coming into the week. While behind D.K. Metcalf, the team rosters contributors like Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek, the receivers haven’t produced much outside of Metcalf. After Metcalf, four players see more targets than WR2 Austin.
Running backs Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth have been the players Rodgers has relied upon most after Metcalf. While Austin’s two receiving touchdowns are good for second on the team (tied with two other players), he’s fourth in receiving yards and sixth in receptions. Wilson, Skowronek, and Scott Miller have combined to contribute six catches for 67 yards and one touchdown, leaving much to be desired at the position.
Perhaps, at 31 years old, Valdes-Scantling doesn’t have it in him to be the impact addition the Steelers need on offense. Perhaps, his connection with Rodgers from their time together in Green Bay four years ago will help ignite the offense and elevate their chances for success. He’ll get his chance tomorrow to find out.