Saints To Activate DE Payton Turner From IR
JANUARY 5: Turner’s activation window is closing, but the Saints still have the former first-round pick in their plans. Rather than let Turner revert to season-ending IR, the Saints are planning to activate him, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com tweets. While Turner figures to be in uniform for New Orleans’ regular-season finale, Marshon Lattimore and Michael Thomas remain on IR and are unlikely to play again this season.
DECEMBER 15: The Saints will be without defensive end Payton Turner for the 13th straight game this weekend, but they have taken a step towards his eventual return by opening his 21-day practice window today. If Turner is not activated by the week of the regular season finale, Turner will no longer be eligible to return from injured reserve. 
Turner was knocked out of the team’s season-opener early in the second quarter with a turf toe injury that was set to require surgery to heal. The story had become an all too familiar one in New Orleans. As a rookie first-round pick two years ago, Turner missed 12 games, spending the second half of his rookie year on IR with a shoulder injury. In his sophomore season, Turner would avoid an IR stint but would still miss most of the year, sitting out for nine games.
In addition, Turner has been determinedly unproductive. In the time that he has been available, Turner has failed to crack a starting lineup that has been anchored by Cameron Jordan and has included Carl Granderson, Tanoh Kpassagnon, and current-Viking Marcus Davenport. When he has entered the game, Turner hasn’t been able to do much with his opportunities, amassing only three sacks and six quarterback hits in 14 games.
Going into training camp this offseason, Turner wasn’t even a guarantee to make the 53-man roster. He was set for a backup role, fighting for snaps behind Jordan and Granderson. He was likely already slotted behind Kpassagnon, and the addition of second-round pick Isaiah Foskey to the room made his chances for playing opportunities that much slimmer. If Turner can make a return soon, though, he may be able to benefit from the recent absences of the rookie Foskey.
In the long run, though, three straight seasons of displaying an inability to stay on the field will not bode well for Turner’s future. The Saints will have the decision concerning his fifth-year option looming in the offseason, but at this point, it doesn’t seem like much of a decision. It will be up to Turner to come back from his most recent injury and make a case to stay in New Orleans.
Dolphins’ Bradley Chubb Suffers Torn ACL
JANUARY 1: An MRI confirmed the worst in Chubb’s case. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports he did indeed tear his ACL late in Sunday’s loss, meaning his season is over. Miami’s Week 18 division-deciding matchup against the Bills will leave the team significantly shorthanded along the edge with Chubb and Phillips out of the picture. The Dolphins’ pass rush in the postseason will likewise be notably thin.
DECEMBER 31: The Dolphins may have missed out on an opportunity to move into the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed in the AFC today in a one-sided loss to the Ravens, but they still have plenty left to play for this year, having qualified for the playoffs and remained in contention to win the AFC East. That’s why it was so disheartening to see a star defender in outside linebacker Bradley Chubb go down with non-contact injury late in the fourth quarter of today’s game. 
The injury occurred during a garbage-time possession late in the team’s decisive loss. With the Ravens’ backups in on offense, Chubb pursued veteran running back Melvin Gordon behind the line of scrimmage. When Gordon performed a juke move in an attempt to evade Chubb, the veteran defender’s momentum seemed to disagree with his foot placement, sending him to the ground, clutching his right knee. The Dolphins’ sideline immediately rushed to his side and eventually carted him off the field.
It was unfortunately a predictable assumption, but word now is that the Dolphins are fearing a torn ACL for Chubb, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. As is the normal procedure, Chubb will undergo an MRI tomorrow morning in order to determine the severity of today’s injury. If it is indeed an ACL tear, Chubb will obviously out for the remainder of the Dolphins’ season and their playoff run and could also miss the start of the 2024 NFL season.
Chubb was in the middle of what many considered to be a Pro Bowl-worthy season. After failing to reach double-digit sacks in the four seasons since his rookie year, Chubb had already tallied 11.0 sacks in 2023. He paired that with 11 tackles for loss, 22 quarterback hits, and six forced fumbles, which is a career-high and currently leads the league. If Chubb is unable to play from here on out, Miami will be heading into the playoffs without their top two pass rushers. The Dolphins defense has operated without third-year outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips after the 24-year-old suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a Week 12 win over the Jets. Those are two big blows for a team that has thrived with its pass rush, which ranks second in the league in sacks.
Still, part of the team’s success rushing the passer comes from having multiple contributors to their pass rush. With disruptive interior defenders like Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler, as well as versatile defenders like Andrew Van Ginkel and Emmanuel Ogbah, the Dolphins should still be able to generate some pressure in the weeks to come.
Bears Clinch Top Pick In 2024 Draft
The playoffs are not yet set, and we still have a week left to play in the 2023 regular season, but today it was determined that the Chicago Bears will own the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft this coming April. The Bears’ claim to the top overall selection is a result of two games that they had no part in today. It was a Panthers loss and a Cardinals win that ultimately determined the fate of the No. 1 pick. 
The reason these two games affected Chicago comes from last year’s trade that enabled Carolina to draft rookie quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick in 2023. Chicago had possession of the draft’s top pick last year, as well. Having just selected quarterback Justin Fields with the 11th pick in 2021, the Bears didn’t feel the need to stay at No. 1, where Young was the heavy favorite to be selected, deciding instead to shop the pick for additional assets.
[RELATED: Latest On Bears’ Quarterback Situation]
They found buyers in Carolina who sent a haul of draft assets to the Bears. In addition to shipping wide receiver D.J. Moore, who has quietly been one of the NFL’s more consistent receivers, the Panthers sent Chicago the Nos. 9 and 61 picks of the 2023 draft, their first-round pick in 2024, and their second-round pick in 2025. The Bears flipped the No. 9 pick for the No. 10 pick from Philadelphia, which they used to draft their starting right tackle Darnell Wright, as well as a 2024 fourth-rounder. They paired the No. 61 pick with a 2023 fifth-round pick in order to move up to No. 56 and draft University of Miami cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, who has started every game but one this year and recorded his third and fourth career interceptions today.
The key part of that trade now, though, appears to be the 2024 first-round pick that, thanks to the Panthers league-worst 2-14 record, will end up being the top overall pick in the draft. The Patriots, Commanders, and Cardinals held some hope of securing that draft slot coming into the week, with New England and Washington needing the Panthers to win out in order to have any chance, but today’s loss put Carolina out of reach of both teams. The Cardinals could’ve still had a chance next week if they hadn’t shockingly beaten the Eagles today, moving them out of range, as well.
What’s interesting is that the Bears will find themselves in a very similar position to last year. Once again, a quarterback, USC’s Caleb Williams, is the consensus favorite to be the first player selected in the draft. There were some questions about Fields throughout the team’s 14-game losing streak dating back to last year, but since ending the streak, the Bears have gone an impressive 7-5 with Fields going 5-2 as a starter. The Bears may once again decide that they believe in Fields as their quarterback of the future and decide they don’t want Williams at No. 1. Now, they could simply decide to pivot and not select a quarterback, opting to bring in Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. or shocking the world by selecting Georgia tight end Brock Bowers at No. 1. Much more likely, Chicago may, once again, put the pick up for grabs to the highest bidder.
There are going to be a number of quarterback-needy teams heading into the draft this year. The Patriots have effectively moved on from former first-round pick Mac Jones in favor of Bailey Zappe. The Raiders are starting fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell over free agent acquisition Jimmy Garoppolo. Kirk Cousins is currently on the road towards free agency in Minnesota. The Falcons and Buccaneers have options that may not inspire much confidence moving forward. And the Commanders and Giants entered the year thinking they had answers at quarterback that they may be questioning now.
Regardless, the No. 1 overall pick is the Bears to decide what to do with. They may decide to add to their offensive line or bring in a weapon for Fields, they could decide to bring in some competition for Fields, or for the second straight year, general manager Ryan Poles may flex once again and flip the pick for a massively improving haul. Time will tell, but Chicago’s fate is currently in its own hands, thanks to Carolina.
Georgia T Amarius Mims Declares For 2024 NFL Draft
The Georgia Bulldogs continue to churn out top-tier NFL talent. Following the team’s blowout 63-3 victory over Florida State in the Orange Bowl, giant human and Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims has officially declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, forgoing his senior year of eligibility. Widely considered a top-five tackle prospect, Mims is expected to be a Day 1 pick come April. 
Mims came out of Bleckley County HS (GA) as a five-star offensive tackle, enrolling in Athens a semester early in order to get a head start on his development. Mims failed to crack the starting lineup as a freshman, sitting behind future NFL draft picks Warren McClendon and Jamaree Salyer. With future first-round draft pick Broderick Jones set to replace Salyer at tackle in 2022, Mims made the decision to explore his options in the transfer portal. He would visit FSU before ultimately deciding to withdraw his name from the portal and remain at UGA, knowing that he would once again be serving in a reserve role.
After an injury to McClendon late in the year, though, Mims was asked to step up to start in a College Football Playoff game and the team’s victorious National Championship game. McClendon would be drafted in the fifth round this past April, opening the door for Mims to finally enter the season as the Bulldogs’ starter. After three starts, Mims suffered a high ankle sprain and was forced to undergo tightrope surgery. It would take nine weeks for Mims to finally get back on the field. Following his return, Mims would exit the team’s loss in the SEC Championship Game early and was not dressed yesterday against the Seminoles.
While in limited time Mims has graded out well, with Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranking him as college football’s 52nd best offensive tackle, most of his first-round hype is based on projection. In three years at Georgia, Mims started only eight contests. Still, listed at 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds on the Bulldogs’ roster, Mims is an absolute, physical specimen, serving as a potential development prospect with incredible upside. The Athletic slotted Mims in as the 19th-best overall prospect (and the fourth-best offensive tackle) in Dane Brugler’s midseason rankings. ESPN’s Mel Kiper put Mims at 23rd overall, ranking him as the draft’s fifth-best offensive tackle.
There aren’t many examples of offensive tackles with so little starting experience being drafted so highly, but that likely won’t stop a team with desperate offensive line needs from taking a chance on the big-bodied 21-year-old. Interested teams will likely be paying close attention in interviews, the Scouting Combine, and Georgia’s pro day. While his lack of experience and recent injury history will pose a hurdle on his road to the NFL, his freakish size and immense potential should overshadow any doubts.
NFL Coaching Rumors: Harbaugh, Eberflus, Rivera
The rumors have not slowed down linking University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL. Harbaugh has been continuously mentioned as a candidate for any open head coaching position in the last few years, and his latest move is only adding fuel to the fire. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Harbaugh has hired a new agent in Don Yee, a longtime agent with such notable clients as Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
Harbaugh is currently in a complicated position. As NFL teams have begun parting ways with coaches or making their intentions for the future clear, Harbaugh still has to deal with his current position. The top-ranked Wolverines are one of four college football teams in the country with something still to play for. Tomorrow afternoon, Michigan will face off against the 4-seed Crimson Tide for a chance to play in the National Championship the following Monday. In addition to being in contention to win it all at the college level, Harbaugh has also been in major discussions for an extension to remain at Michigan.
The possibility of an extension is one likely reason for Yee’s hiring. Entering complicated contract negotiations that have been rumored to include a clause restricting Harbaugh’s ability to leave for an NFL job is reason enough to bring in representation. That being said, Yee’s NFL ties are not easy to ignore. The obvious tie with Yee comes from his relationship with Brady. Brady has been rumored as a potential candidate for partial ownership in the Raiders, who recently parted ways with head coach Josh McDaniels. Interim head coach Antonio Pierce has been making a strong case to hold on to the permanent position with a 4-3 record since taking over, but we saw a similar interim situation not pan out for the incumbent coach in Carolina last year, so anything is still possible.
Here are a few other coaching rumors from around the NFL:
- In a report last night, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport delivered an update on Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. Entering the 2023 season on a 10-game losing streak after having gone 3-14 in his first season as head coach, patience for Eberflus in Chicago seemed to be wearing thin. After the team finally ended the skid at 14 games, Eberflus has led the Bears to a 6-5 record since, keeping the team improbably in the playoff race. The Bears are playing winning football recently, with even their most recent two losses coming in one-score games against playoff teams from Detroit and Cleveland. At this point, Rapoport claims that he would be surprised to not see Eberflus back for the 2024 season. Additionally, Eberflus has been handling defensive coordinator duties since the untimely resignation of Alan Williams at the start of the season, a role he also may retain going into next year.
- On the other hand, Rapoport wasn’t nearly as optimistic about the prospects for current Commanders head coach Ron Rivera. With new owner Josh Harris in the building, it was expected that Rivera would at least be granted the opportunity to make a case to retain his position. After a six-game losing streak that has eliminated Washington from playoff contention, Rivera’s audition is not going well. Spelling further possible doom for Rivera, after putting all of his eggs in the Sam Howell-basket, hoping to develop the young gunslinger into a franchise passer, Rivera has been forced to bench Howell in each of the team’s last two losses in favor of Jacoby Brissett. Nothing seems to have been decided quite yet, but things aren’t looking promising for Rivera and company in Washington.
Seahawks Waive Frank Clark, Place S Jamal Adams, WR Dee Eskridge On IR
After a short reunion in Seattle, the Seahawks have opted to part ways with veteran pass rusher Frank Clark, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former three-time Pro Bowler will hit the waiver wire and potentially be available to sign for a playoff run. Additionally, the team will spend the remainder of the season without safety Jamal Adams and wide receiver Dee Eskridge, announcing that both players have been placed on injured reserve. 
The Seahawks drafted Clark back in the 2015 second round and franchise-tagged him four years later, but the team executed a tag-and-trade transaction to send the former Michael Bennett–Cliff Avril sidekick to the Chiefs. While the Chiefs were viewed as perhaps the lead candidate to sign Clark, the recent Bronco found his way back to the Pacific Northwest. Injuries and poor fit led to his departure from Denver, so established fits like Seattle and Kansas City were really the best options for Clark.
Adams has missed the team’s last two games with a knee injury, and he will now miss their final two games of the season, as well. Despite Adams’ return to practice this week, head coach Pete Carroll made the call, determining that Adams was not doing well enough to play. This continues a troubling trend as Adams has not played a full, healthy season since joining the Seahawks three years ago. After missing almost all of the 2022 season, Adams will now have missed eight more games in 2023.
With continuing large cap hits over the next two seasons, there’s been plenty of speculation that Adams’ injury issues could lead to him becoming a salary cap casualty. Even if Seattle opts not to take that route, Adams himself considered calling it quits after last year’s season-ending quadriceps injury. More injury trouble this year may push Adams even closer to retirement. Regardless, this may have been the last season that we see Adams in navy and green.
Eskridge will now see a stint on IR for the third straight year to start his career. It’s safe to say that the Seahawks have not quite seen the return on investment out of their former second-round pick. Including a six-game suspension to start his 2023 campaign, Eskridge will have missed 27 of a possible 51 games since being drafted in 2021. He failed to catch his lone target of this year and only has 17 catches for 122 yards and a touchdown in his career.
In order to fill the three newly vacated roster spots, the Seahawks have signed linebacker Patrick O’Connell, safety Ty Okada, and offensive tackle Jake Curhan to the active roster from the practice squad. With linebacker Jordyn Brooks ruled out for this week’s matchup, O’Connell should provide some added depth at the position. Additionally, Seattle announced that nose tackle Austin Faoliu and cornerback Kelvin Joseph will join the above three as standard gameday elevations from the practice squad this weekend.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/23
Here are today’s minor transactions and callups for the remainder of the Week 17 matchups:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: CB Bobby Price
- Elevated: WR Dan Chisena
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: OL John Leglue
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to active roster: WR Laquon Treadwell
- Elevated: S Andrew Adams, OLB Jeremiah Moon
- Placed on IR: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G J.D. DiRenzo, CB AJ Parker
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: WR Collin Johnson
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis, LB Buddy Johnson
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: WR Michael Bandy
- Elevated: WR Phillip Dorsett, OLB Ronnie Perkins
- Placed on reserve/non-football illness list: RB Dwayne Washington
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: TE Anthony Firkser
- Elevated: DL Tyson Alualu, DE Bruce Irvin
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: LB Liam Anderson, WR Ethan Fernea
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: RB Keaontay Ingram, NT Mike Pennel
- Waived: DT Matt Dickerson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: DT Matthew Butler, TE Cole Fotheringham
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: WR Keelan Doss
- Elevated: DT Christopher Hinton, OL Austen Pleasants
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: OLB Melvin Ingram
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to active roster: DL T.J. Smith, LB Nick Vigil
- Elevated: WR Lucky Jackson, CB Jaylin Williams
- Placed on IR: LB Troy Dye
New England Patriots
- Elevated: TE Matt Sokol, OL Andrew Stueber
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: CB Shemar Jean-Charles
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: LB Darrian Beavers
- Elevated: K Mason Crosby, WR Dennis Houston
- Placed on IR: TE Lawrence Cager
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: LB Brandon Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: LB Myles Jack, S Eric Rowe
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: S Erik Harris, WR Tay Martin
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: CB Derrek Pitts, TE David Wells
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: DT Ross Blacklock
- Elevated: LB Tae Crowder, CB Kendall Sheffield
- Placed on IR: TE Josh Whyle
Alualu is set to make his Lions debut after signing earlier this month. Given the injury issues Detroit has faced up front, the 36-year-old has the chance to see playing time through the close of the regular season and into the playoffs. Alualu expressed a desire to continue playing with the Steelers this offseason, but he remained a free agent deep into the year. His tenure in the Motor City could help boost his free agent stock if he wishes to remain in the league in 2024, though.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/30/23
Not many practice squad transactions today:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Germain Ifedi
- Released: S Tre Norwood
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Chase Lucas
Packers Place CB Eric Stokes Back On IR
The 2023 season is going to be one to forget for Packers cornerback Eric Stokes. Two weeks after being activated from injured reserve, the 24-year-old out of Georgia will be headed back to IR for the remainder of the season. His 2023 season ends now after only three games played. 
Stokes, a first-round pick out of Georgia two seasons ago, started out his career on a strong note. As a rookie, he missed only one game while starting 14. He put up strong numbers in pass defense, as well, recording an interception and 14 passes defensed. His sophomore season started off in a similar fashion. He started the first nine games of the season and recorded fewer stats, with quarterbacks targeting him at a much lower rate.
Unfortunately, this is when his injury troubles started. After structural damage was discovered in testing on ankle and knee injuries, Stokes was shut down for the second half of 2022. He was forced to undergo surgeries to his knee and foot in the offseason and faced a tough road back to a starting role with the emergence of Rasul Douglas across from Jaire Alexander and primary kick returner Keisean Nixon excelling in the slot.
Stokes started the 2023 season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and was finally activated in mid-October, days before the team completed a trade that sent Douglas to Buffalo. Perhaps expecting Stokes to slide back into the starting role, Green Bay was surely disappointed when, after only four special teams snaps, Stokes was placed back on IR with a hamstring injury.
In part of his long road to recovery, Stokes finally was activated once again in time to start the Packers’ last two games. Unfortunately for both parties, Stokes’ hamstring issue has lingered, forcing the young corner back onto IR in a solemn continuation of hardship. Assuming his absences cease in next year’s season opener, Stokes will have missed 22 of a possible 25 games dating back to the ankle injury that started it all last season.
With Alexander serving a team-enforced suspension for crashing an official coin toss despite not being named a captain for the game, Green Bay’s stores are looking fairly bare. Robert Rochell is currently questionable with a neck injury, leaving Nixon to start alongside the likes of rookie seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine, and David Long.
They will be joined by practice squad safety Benny Sapp III, who will serve as one of the team’s two standard gameday elevations tomorrow. In addition to Sapp, the Packers will also call up wide receiver Bo Melton.
QB Jayden Daniels Climbing Draft Boards
For much of the past year, it has been a two-man race at the top of the quarterback prospect rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft, with USC’s Caleb Williams sitting at a commanding 1 and North Carolina’s Drake Maye trailing at 2. Don’t look now, but LSU quarterback, and now the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels is reportedly gaining steam in the race for the top-two, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. 
Daniels is fairly new to this conversation. The fifth-year starter spent three seasons at Arizona State before finding his way to LSU. After an impressive freshman year that saw him throw for nearly 3,000 yards and 17 touchdowns to just two interceptions, COVID-19 limited Daniels and the Sun Devils to only four games in 2020, in which he would throw five touchdowns and only one interception. He would also add four scores on the ground as a sophomore, an improvement in only four games over his three-touchdown total as a freshman. His final year in Tempe saw Daniels struggle, throwing only 10 touchdowns and rushing for six, but throwing a career-high 10 interceptions.
Daniels would transfer to LSU the following year and immediately show the promise from his freshman season, with almost identical passing stats of nearly 3,000 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and three interceptions, while adding on 885 rushing yards for 11 more scores on the ground. Daniels would elevate things to a whole new level in his Heisman-winning campaign. Utilizing his extra COVID year of eligibility, Daniels returned to throw for 3,812 yards, completing 72.2 percent of his passes for an outstanding 40 touchdowns to only four picks. He elevated his rushing, too, racking up 1,134 yards for 10 more touchdowns.
Now this certainly isn’t a consensus decision, but all it takes is one team to believe in what Daniels has to offer over Maye in order to secure his status as a top draft pick in April. According to Breer, at least one NFL executive is feeling that way. Breer explains that he was tasked with determining if Daniels has a chance at all to catch Maye as the second-best quarterback in the draft.
An AFC executive replied that it’s already happened, saying, “It might be going in the opposite direction. Jayden is pulling away from Drake for me…He makes every throw, his deep accuracy is rare, he’s explosive as a runner but is a pocket passer. It’s like (Deshaun Watson).”
Others maybe weren’t ready to go that far but offered the sentiment that, even if Daniels hasn’t quite reached Maye’s level, there isn’t much separation between the two, though the quarterbacks are considered “different types of players.” An NFC executive agreed, saying that the gap is “not big anymore,” and that if a team is willing to build around his skillset, like the Colts are trying to do with Anthony Richardson, he could end up going just as early.
There are still others who don’t quite see Daniels encroaching on Maye. An AFC scout gave his evaluation, stating that he sees a floor of Dak Prescott and a ceiling of Justin Herbert for Maye, claiming he projects as a potential Pro Bowler. On the flipside, he sees Daniels as more of a system quarterback with a ceiling comparison of Jimmy Garoppolo or Kirk Cousins. That scout praises Daniels’ athleticism but doesn’t hold the same esteem for his abilities as a passer.
It’s a common argument that we’ve seen time and again. Regardless of the dissenting opinions, it appears that Daniels has done enough in Baton Rouge this year to put himself in the conversation. Once considered a likely Day 3 draft pick, Daniels is having his name tossed around with a potential top-five pick. If he keeps it up through the NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day, Daniels could end up in the top few picks among Williams and Maye.