49ers RB Christian McCaffrey Resumes On-Field Work
October 6: According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the bilateral tendinitis is not regarded as a pressing concern, as the issue is mostly concentrated in just one of McCaffrey’s legs. CMC did indeed take part in on-field work this week, and he did not experience any setbacks with either his Achilles or his calf ailments.
There is still a chance that McCaffrey will return to game action for the 49ers’ Week 7 tilt with the Chiefs on October 20, provided that his recovery continues to go smoothly. It still seems that the Week 8 contest against the Cowboys or Week 10 matchup with the Bucs are more likely return dates — San Francisco has a Week 9 bye — but the fact that Week 7 is even in play is obviously good news.
October 4: Last we heard, NFL media was circulating good news coming off of Christian McCaffrey‘s medical trip to Germany, where he sought treatment for the Achilles tendinitis that has held him out of the season thus far. Reports claimed that McCaffrey would start running on hard ground this past week and that he was expected back by November. The next day, though, head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that some updates were maybe not as optimistic, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. 
Specifically, Shanahan confirmed reports that McCaffrey’s is dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis, meaning that the injury is affecting both of the running back’s lower limbs. In the quote, Shanahan hypothesizes that the injury manifested in one leg and that, due to compensating to stay off of that leg, it developed in the other leg as a result.
After being placed on injured reserve just before their Week 2 contest, McCaffrey still will be required to sit out one more game before he’s even eligible to return from IR, but no one seems to anticipate that early of a return. The reason for the extended recovery period is that the 49ers’ plan has been to give McCaffrey time simply to rest before returning for rehabilitation.
“We’ll try the ramp-up,” general manager John Lynch told the media, “and God willing, the thing has quieted down, and we can build him back up in a really smart and thoughtful way.”
While everyone seems to be saying all the right things at times, the air of uncertainty casts a shroud of doubt on the situation. Once McCaffrey reports back to practice, we’ll finally have some eyes on the situation and some expectations to come along with it. Until then, though, McCaffrey’s situation remains as cloudy as ever.
David Tepper Signed Off On Benching Bryce Young
So much transpired to land quarterback Bryce Young in Carolina last year. A Panthers team that had struggled to find consistency at quarterback after the departure of Cam Newton decided to shy away from signing more free agents like Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield and draft and develop a passer. They took an opportunity to trade with Chicago into the top spot and made the decision on who would lead their offense in the coming years. 
With hindsight being 20/20, it’s easy for outsiders to speculate on the decision-making that led Carolina to take Young instead of C.J. Stroud, who has looked much more accomplished and successful in his first 23 weeks of football (including last year’s playoffs). While it seems crystal-clear at this point who the right decision was, as Young sits on the bench with a 2-16 record as a starter and Stroud continues to start with a 12-7 record, Adam Jahns and Joe Person of The Athletic report that there was very little doubt when the decision was being made.
Team owner David Tepper‘s comments over time have made it clear that Young was the unanimous choice over Stroud with the No. 1 overall pick last year. While there was certainly some intrigue around Stroud, and some argued that the S2 cognitive test — a test that Stroud performed poorly on but Young nearly perfected — was weighted too much, the decision was still a clear one.
General manager at the time, Scott Fitterer reportedly met with then-head coach Frank Reich and the scouting staff shortly after Reich’s hiring. Fitterer went around the table and posed a question to the scouts: if they traded up for the top pick, which quarterback would they choose? All of the scouts chose Young.
Fastforward to today: Young sits on the bench, his opportunities to improve “limited to QB meetings, individual drills, and his snaps running the scout-team offense against the first-team defense.” The leash was short on Young to start the season, but with Carolina scoring only 13 points while giving up 73 in the first two weeks, it was clear a change was necessary, and Tepper signed off on the demotion.
The immediate improvement was obvious. 204 passing yards in the first two weeks was improved to 526 when Andy Dalton took over the offense. With the passing game working, the run game took off, too, improving from 148 yards in the first two contests to 286 in the next two. The team has decreased turnovers by the offense from four under Young to only one under Dalton, and after only scoring 13 points before the change, the Panthers have put a combined 60 on the scoreboard since.
There are still sentiments that Young will be able to return to a starting role at some point, perhaps even this year. For now, though, he’ll get the opportunity that he didn’t get his rookie season to sit behind a seasoned veteran and learn. It’s Dalton’s offense for now, but Young can take this time to develop and earn his way back into the lofty expectations that came with his selection as the first overall pick in 2023.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/24
Today’s minor moves in the NFL:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: TE Jody Fortson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DL Jonah Williams
- Activated from IR: DT Larrell Murchison
Miami Dolphins
- Released: QB Tim Boyle
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: WR A.T. Perry
The Rams get Murchison back in his third season with the team. The veteran defensive tackle was placed on injured reserve before final roster cuts, but thanks to the NFL’s new return designation rules, Murchison is not forced to miss the entire season. Los Angeles designated him to return when placing him on IR in August, and after opening his practice window on Wednesday, he’ll have the opportunity to debut in Week 5.
Boyle found his way to Miami’s practice squad just before the season began after spending most of his offseason in Houston. Following another concussion for starting passer Tua Tagovailoa, Boyle was called up to serve as an emergency quarterback behind Skyler Thompson and Mike White. With the arrival of Tyler Huntley from Baltimore, as well, the room became too crowded, and it appears that Boyle will be the odd man out.
Perry is being waived shortly into his second year with the Saints. The former sixth-round pick out of Wake Forest only caught 12 passes as a rookie in 10 games last year, but at 6-foot-5, he proved productive with the long ball and in the red zone, averaging 20.5 yards per reception and catching four touchdowns.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/4/24
Friday’s practice squad moves to close out the week:
Carolina Panthers
- Released: CB Justin Hardee
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Darius Rush
Dolphins Working Out Potential Edge Replacements
The Dolphins received some unfortunate news yesterday as they discovered that a knee injury will sideline former first-round pick Jaelan Phillips for the remainder of the season. They filled Phillips’ vacant roster spot today with Tyus Bowser, signing him off of the Seahawks’ practice squad, but the additions may not stop there. 
In addition to reuniting Bowser with defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver after their time together in Baltimore, Miami brought in a few names to work out for potential contracts. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, veterans Shaq Lawson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Cam Gill were all in South Florida today to audition for potential roster spots.
While both Lawson and Weaver have spent time with the Jets, Bills, and Dolphins, their time never lined up together. Lawson does have experience in Miami, though, starting seven games for the team in 2020 and delivering four sacks and a career-high 18 quarterback hits. Since then, he has remained in the AFC East, spending a year with the Jets and two more seasons with the Bills, who drafted him in 2016. His role in Buffalo last year was minimal as he served as an occasional sub in the defensive pass rush.
Muhammad had an impressive 2021 campaign in Indianapolis. In his first season as a full-time starter, the Miami (FL) product delivered career highs in sacks (6.0), total tackles (48), and quarterback hits (13). Rewarded with a new contract in Chicago, Muhammad struggled to find similar success in his new role with the Bears. He spent last year on the Colts’ practice squad but didn’t play, especially after a six-game suspension was levied on him by the league for violating the NFL’s PED policy.
Gill, a former undrafted free agent for the Buccaneers, fought back from his own recent injury history to play 15 games in Tampa Bay last year. He doesn’t quite have the pass rushing upside that Lawson and Muhammad bring to the table, but he remains a potential body that Miami could add on defense.
Weaver has plenty of options to try and replace Phillips as the team moves forward with its season, though none of the options will likely match the production Phillips brought to the table. Regardless, as Miami continues to be plagued with injuries on both sides of the ball, adding quality bodies continues to be the focus.
Assessing Jets’ Compensation In Potential Davante Adams Trade
One of the most popular potential new destinations for Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams is New York. The Jets form an obvious connection to Adams due to the presence of a few former Packers, including offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and wide receiver Allen Lazard. But what would it take to make this deal happen? Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York dove into this hypothetical today, looking into just what options were available for the Jets. 
For starters, Las Vegas reportedly wants draft compensation. The Jets do not lack for that this year. They currently have their full cache of draft picks in 2025 (minus a seventh-round pick that was sent to Kansas City along with Mecole Hardman in return for a sixth-round pick). In addition to the Chiefs’ sixth-round pick, the Raiders also hold an additional third-round pick from the Lions, who received a fourth-round 2024 draft pick in exchange.
They’ll have six picks in 2026. Their second- or third-round pick will go to Philadelphia depending on the playing time and sack production of Haason Reddick. Based on Reddick’s holdout for a new contract, it’s looking more likely to be their third-round pick that changes hands. The Jets also gave up their seventh-rounder in 2026 along with undrafted rookie cornerback and return man Brandon Codrington in exchange for the Bills’ sixth-round pick, and they sent John Franklin-Myers to Denver for their sixth-rounder, as well.
New York doesn’t just have draft compensation to offer, though. If the Raiders are looking for a receiver in return for Adams, the Jets would likely be willing to part ways with one, since too many mouths to feed on offense can be a detriment at times. Garrett Wilson is surely not on the table, but Hughes notes that Lazard, Mike Williams, Xavier Gipson, and Malachi Corley could all be included in a trade package.
Lazard and Williams aren’t too likely to be included. In a resurgent year with his former Packers quarterback, Lazard leads the team in receiving yards (206) and touchdowns (3). Williams started the season slow as he works his way back from offseason knee surgery but has improved each week en route to eight catches for 120 yards. The young receivers, Gipson and Corley, have been virtual non-factors this year on the offense, but Gipson’s return ability and Corley’s third-round draft stock could both add value to a trade package.
As for Reddick, Hughes reports that there is belief that he could be included, but as of today, that is not the case, though the situation remains fluid.
Another factor in the trade could come from the Raiders’ side of things. Financially, taking on this year of Adams’ contract at this time would require the Jets to pay him around $13MM this year. It’s expected that, in order to lessen the financial burden of taking on Adams, the Jets could request that Las Vegas restructure their deal with Adams before trading him. The request would entail the Raiders converting a portion of his remaining salary for the year into a signing bonus (that would be paid by Las Vegas), lowering the remaining salary for New York to pay. The restructuring part of the agreement would likely need to be compensated for with an additional late-round draft pick.
Like Reddick’s involvement, everything about this situation remains fluid. General manager Joe Douglas has lots of options if he and the Jets decide that Adams is worth pursuing. They won’t be lacking for competition to land the talented wide receiver, though, so every one of those options could prove to be a valuable trade piece in the making.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/24
Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: G Matt Hennessy, LB Josh Woods
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated to return from IR: RB Rasheen Ali
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: OLB Jaelan Phillips (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to active roster: TE Robert Tonyan
- Released: RB Myles Gaskin
New Orleans Saints
- Opened practice window: RB Kendre Miller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: P Trenton Gill, WR Cody Thompson
Phillips’ spot on the 53-man roster was filled today when Miami signed outside linebacker Tyus Bowser from Seattle’s practice squad.
The young running back in Baltimore will have his 21-day practice window opened as he attempts to come back from injury after being placed on injured reserve the day of the season opener.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Ben Stille
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Gary Brightwell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: Devin Richardson
Brightwell returns to Cleveland via the practice squad after getting waived earlier this week. The team is perhaps attempting to clear space for running back Nick Chubb to eventually make his way off the IR. Chubb was designated to return from the reserve/physically unable to perform list today.
Richardson was signed to the practice squad spot that was vacated when outside linebacker Tyus Bowser was signed to the Dolphins active roster today off of Seattle’s practice squad.
Titans DT Jeffery Simmons Injured UCL
If Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons were a pitcher in the MLB, this post would be a lot more concerning, but as a defender in the NFL, the news comes as a mere speedbump on the road of his 2024 campaign. Per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, Simmons told the media today that he missed the team’s win over the Dolphins last night due to an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament. 
The UCL is a well-known ligament for baseball fans. Often the reconstruction of this ligament, nicknamed Tommy John Surgery, is cause for mourning as it usually requires a recovery time of 12 to 18 months for pitchers. The pressure applied to the elbow of a pitcher’s throwing arm requires that amount of time to heal, whereas the requirements on that same ligament for a defensive lineman are much lighter.
“I had (torn) my ligament,” Simmons told reporters. “I’m sure everybody heard of the Tommy John with baseball players. I had that injury, but I’m good now.”
The injury reportedly occurred in an act of “friendly fire” when Simmons collided with a teammate. While Simmons had to wear a large brace on his left arm last week, he was told that he wouldn’t require surgery to fix the issue. Still, limitations on his ability to extend his arm led the Dolphins to hold him out of practice and last night’s game.
Luckily for Simmons, Tennessee approaches a conveniently timed bye week. The 27-year-old veteran expressed confidence that, following the team’s bye, he would be available to play against the division-rival Colts.
Latest On Davante Adams’ Trade Potential
In a scene that’s been building for quite some time, Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams made it clear today that he prefers to be traded. The timing of today’s events was a bit surprising, but according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, the situation “has been brewing for a while.” Reed points out that, since Adams’ arrival in Las Vegas, the Raiders are just 16-22 and Adams has been on the receiving end of passes from six different quarterbacks.
One catalyst for the recent developments could have been the official hiring of head coach Antonio Pierce after his term as interim head coach last season. While Pierce’s official promotion was a popular decision among the players in Las Vegas, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that, lately, Pierce’s relationship with the team’s star receiver has been deteriorating. As a result, teams became aware yesterday that Adams could be available in a trade, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe.
Howe adds that “the general projection so far is” that Adams will draw a third-round draft pick in a trade, perhaps more if a team makes a harder push based on their level of interest. This doesn’t necessarily align with the Raiders’ desires as ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez informed readers that they would consider trading Adams “for a package that would include a second-round draft pick and additional compensation.”
The “additional compensation” part of that package may be a hard one to come by, though, as there seems to be an assumption that acquiring Adams will require some adjustments and restructuring to his current contract. According to Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS, this would likely require teams to get access to communicate with Adams in order to negotiate a restructure.
Because of the potential commitment of capital that will be required for a restructured deal, it appears that teams are pushing for third-round compensation, as opposed to second-round. NFL Insider Josina Anderson reported that an NFC team has shown interest in acquiring Adams, just not for a second-round pick. Anderson also posited that some teams may push for Las Vegas to absorb some of Adams’ 2024 salary, a sticking point that may make it difficult for Adams to be moved.
It’s an extremely fluid situation and the optics will likely continue to change over the coming days and weeks. For now, though, the Raiders are hoping for a second-round pick with some additional compensation, while other teams are hesitant to commit a second-round pick knowing they’re likely going to have to work out a new contract for the 31-year-old. It’s a situation to watch as things continue to develop.