Bengals Waive Zach Carter, Activate Myles Murphy, McKinnley Jackson From IR
The Bengals have activated Myles Murphy and McKinnley Jackson from injured reserve, per a team announcement, adding much-needed reinforcements to their defensive line ahead of a crucial AFC North matchup with the Ravens on Sunday.
To make room on the 53-man roster, the Bengals waived 2022 third-round pick Zach Carter, who played in all four of Cincinnati’s games this year with two starts.
Murphy and Jackson both suffered knee injuries in the preseason that forced them on injured reserve, but only Murphy received a preseason return designation, one of the two permitted under the NFL’s new IR rules. That left the Bengals with seven IR activations entering the regular season, with another used on punter Brad Robbins earlier this week. After Jackson’s activation, Cincinnati now has five activations remaining for the rest of the season.
The returns of Murphy and Jackson could not come at a better time for the Bengals, who have allowed 145.5 rushing yards per game and 0.08 EPA/rush, per NextGen Stats, both bottom-10 marks in the NFL. Cincinnati’s defense also owns the league’s fourth-lowest pressure rate (26.7%) and second-lowest sack rate (3.7%). Murphy will add to a defensive end rotation that has relied solely on Trey Hendrickson to set the edge and generate pressure this season, while Jackson will bolster a depleted defensive tackle group that is still missing Sheldon Rankins, though B.J. Hill is expected to return this week.
Murphy and Jackson are both listed as questionable on the Bengals’ Week 5 injury report, but their activation today indicates that they will be ready to play on Sunday. Murphy appeared in all 17 of the Bengals’ games last season with three sacks after being 28th overall in the 2023 draft. Jackson, a third-round rookie out of Texas A&M, will see his first NFL action this weekend.
Those additions will be vital to winning in the trenches against an explosive Ravens rushing attack that has gashed its last two opponents for 545 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Sitting at 1-3 and in last place in the AFC North, the Bengals will need to slow down Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry to keep their divisional hopes alive.
Jackson will be expected to provide more consistent play than the now-waived Carter, who has struggled against the pass and the run this season. He has just two quarterback pressures on 80 pass-rushing snaps in 2024, per Pro Football Focus, and his 44.3 overall defensive grade is the 11th-worst among defenders with at least 100 total snaps on the year. Carter started 14 games across his first two NFL seasons, but recorded just 0.5 sacks in a disappointing return on the Bengals’ third-round investment.
Saints Sign Veteran C Connor McGovern Off Jets’ Practice Squad
The Saints have signed veteran offensive lineman Connor McGovern from the Jets’ practice squad, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, giving them another option at center after Erik McCoy landed on injured reserve at the end of September.
To make room for McGovern on the active roster, the Saints waived 2023 sixth-round pick A.T. Perry, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.
McGovern’s signing happened shortly after Lucas Patrick missed Friday’s practice with a new injury of his own, according to Triplett. Patrick took over at center when McCoy went down before moving to left guard in Week 4 after an injury to Cesar Ruiz. Week 1 starting left guard Landon Young moved to the right side, pressing Shane Lemieux into his first career action at center. Lemieux and Ruiz both missed practice on Thursday and Friday, so Patrick’s addition to the injury report leaves the Saints severely depleted along the interior of their offensive line. With almost 5,000 career snaps at center and several starts at right guard, McGovern was an ideal signing for a depleted New Orleans squad.
It is rare for a proven veteran offensive lineman to be available this late in the season, but McGovern played in just seven games in 2023 before a dislocated kneecap forced him on season-ending injured reserve. While he was sidelined, second-round pick Joe Tippmann took over at center, leaving McGovern without a clear starting job entering this season for the first time since he was a rookie.
While McGovern faces an uphill battle to play in Week 5, he has seven years of NFL experience and previously played under Saints offensive line coach John Benton in New York, so he could could have a shot at playing on Sunday. Justin Pugh famously came “straight off the couch” to start for the Giants last season, and McGovern could be in a similar position this week.
The Saints’ offense leads the NFL in under center and play action rate, two staples of Klint Kubiak‘s offense that make life easier for offensive linemen. With plenty of experience under his belt, it would not be surprising to see McGovern learn the Saints playbook and take the field if necessary in Week 5.
Waiving Perry is a somewhat surprising move by the Saints after they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. New Orleans sent Adam Trautman and a seventh-rounder to the Broncos in exchange for the pick they used on Perry, who made the 53-man roster and appeared in 10 games as a rookie. He emerged as a deep threat later in the season, averaging 20.5 yards on his 12 receptions. Perry was listed as the third wide receiver on the Saints’ depth chart, but will now have to clear waivers and potentially sign with the practice squad to stay in New Orleans.
Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks
OCTOBER 3: Pittsburgh is targeting a Week 7 return for Highsmith, ESPN’s Mark Kaboly reports. That would leave him out of the lineup for upcoming matchups against the Cowboys and Raiders but allow him to be back in place with time to spare before the bye.
SETEMBER 24: A groin injury will sideline Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith for multiple weeks, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. Highsmith initially dealt with the injury during training camp and aggravated it during Pittsburgh’s Week 3 win over the Chargers on Sunday.
Highsmith’s injury is not considered major, nor will it require surgery, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, so the veteran could avoid a stint on injured reserve. Still, this will deal a blow to one of the NFL’s best defenses, which has relied on Highsmith as T.J. Watt‘s top wingman for a while.
2023 fourth-round pick Nate Herbig is expected to take over Highsmith’s role, giving the former Wisconsin linebacker his first starting gig in the NFL. Herbig has appeared in 17 games, making 23 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles during a rookie year spent as a rotational edge defender behind Highsmith and Watt.
Herbig took advantage of his opportunity after Highsmith went down on Sunday, finishing the game with two sacks, including a strip-sack of Justin Herbert after beating Chargers Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater.
Highsmith’s injury leaves the Steelers thin at outside linebacker, with only Jeremiah Moon backing up Watt and Herbig. Rookie linebacker Payton Wilson has the versatility and size to slide outside and play off the edge, a role he occasionally filled at North Carolina State. Practice squad outside linebacker Adetokunbo Ogundeji will likely receive some game day elevations as well.
Highsmith is in the second year of a four-year, $68MM extension signed in 2023 after his 14.5-sack breakout campaign in 2022. The former third-round pick recorded just seven sacks last year and only one over the Steelers’ first three games this season.
While the Steelers are fortunate Highsmith is not facing a long-term absence, his time away will give the team a chance to develop a more well-rounded pass rush beyond relying on its two star edge rushers. Expanded opportunities for Herbig and Moon – plus a potential exploration of Wilson’s versatile blitzing ability — could help Pittsburgh in the long run, giving the 3-0 team more options to pressure opposing quarterbacks later this season.
Cowboys’ Brandin Cooks To Miss Time
4:53pm: Providing further details on the matter, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports Cooks underwent injections in his knee to avoid a scope being necessary. That is when the infection occurred, and the Cowboys’ team doctor later performed a scope to address the infection and its effect on Cooks’ meniscus. He should be out of the lineup for roughly one to three weeks, Slater adds.
11:11am: The Cowboys’ injury luck continues to worsen, as veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks will be sidelined for Week 5 and potentially longer after an infection developed in his right knee, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Cooks injured his knee against the Giants on Thursday and remained in New York for a medical procedure that resulted in the infection, which threatens his status for the Cowboys’ upcoming slate of games. Head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed Cooks’ absence for Week 5 on Wednesday, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.
Dallas is already contending with injuries to Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence on the defensive side of the ball, with Cooks’ infection now thinning out their receiving corps behind CeeDee Lamb.
Cooks dealt with knee soreness during training camp, though it is unclear if his current injury and infection is related. The veteran wide receiver has struggled to begin the season, catching just nine of his 19 targets for 91 yards and one touchdown. His 0.67 yards per route run is tied for fifth-lowest among receivers with at least 10 targets in 2024, per Pro Football Focus.
Dallas has virtually no proven depth behind their top three of Lamb, Cooks and Jalen Tolbert, with KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Brooks combining for just eight receptions this season. Rookie Ryan Flournoy was a healthy scratch in Weeks 1-4, though that is likely to change with Cooks sidelined.
Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will need to make adjustments to his passing game in Cooks’ absence. Dallas has used three-receiver sets on more than 75% of their offensive plays this season, per SumerSports. Schottenheimer could rely more on tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker moving forward, which could aid a rushing attack that has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry this season, the second-lowest in the NFL.
The Cowboys could look to an external WR addition if Cooks’ infection results in a long-term absence, but initial reports indicate that they are not expected to pursue Davante Adams as his trade market heats up.
Texans DE Dylan Horton Returns To Practice Following Cancer Remission
Texans defensive end Dylan Horton will return to practice today after starting the season on the reserve/non-football injury list, according to KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson.
Horton was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December 2023, sidelining him for Houston’s last seven regular-season matchups and the postseason. He completed his cancer treatment in May but did not practice with the team during training camp as he finished his recovery. The Texans placed Horton on the NFI list during final roster cuts, giving him additional time to get back into playing shape before hitting the field with his teammates.
The TCU alum played 175 defensive snaps as a rotational presence last season with Houston, seeing time on special teams as well. The Texans have largely the same DE group they did last season, with one notable free agency update, so the second-year player will have a chance to mix in soon. Horton joins 2022 second-round wide receiver John Metchie as Texans to battle cancer and resume their football careers since being drafted.
Now in remission, Horton will play football for the first time since last November, hoping to fortify a Texans defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest points but 11th-most yards. He will slot in behind Houston’s deep defensive end group, featuring 2023 no. 3 overall pick Will Anderson, 2024 free agency signing Danielle Hunter, and veterans Derek Barnett and Jerry Hughes.
That depth will allow head coach DeMeco Ryans to take a conservative approach with Horton’s return to the field, instead prioritizing the 2023 fourth-rounder’s health and long-term development.
Panthers Open Practice Window For Dane Jackson, Ian Thomas; Josey Jewell To Miss Time
The Panthers have opened the 21-day window for cornerback Dane Jackson and tight end Ian Thomas to return to practice after both players started the season on injured reserve, according to ESPN’s David Newton.
Carolina took advantage of the NFL’s new IR rules after Jackson’s training camp hamstring injury, using one of its two preseason IR return designations to keep him eligible for the regular season without carrying him on the team’s initial 53-man roster. The Panthers did the same with safety Sam Franklin, leaving them with six return designations for the regular season. They will use one on Thomas after a nagging calf injury forced him onto injured reserve after final roster cuts, sidelining him for the team’s first four games.
Both Jackson and Thomas now have 21 days to begin practicing with the team while still on injured reserve. After those three weeks are up, the Panthers will either have to activate them to the 53-man roster or revert them to season-ending IR.
Jackson was expected to start at outside cornerback opposite Jaycee Horn heading into the season, but his injury gave Michael Jackson a chance to secure a starting job.
Thomas, meanwhile, could be a major boost to a tight end group that has struggled to begin the year. Tommy Tremble is leading the Panthers’ TEs with six catches for 52 yards, and neither he nor rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders have a single receiving touchdown. Thomas is not known as a dynamic pass-catcher, but his prowess as a blocker will aid a Carolina rushing attack that has relied heavily on Chuba Hubbard to start the year.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales announced that running back Jonathon Brooks and outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum will not be designated for return this week, per Joe Person of The Athletic. Brooks is still working his way back from a November 2023 ACL tear suffered in college, while complications from last season’s quadriceps tear have delayed Wonnum’s recovery and return to the field. Brooks resides on the reserve/NFI list, Wonnum on the reserve/PUP list.
Carolina will also be without inside linebacker Josey Jewell, who will miss “a few weeks” with a hamstring and groin injury, according to Newton, joining fellow starting ILB Shaq Thompson on the sidelines as he deals with an Achilles injury. Claudin Cherelus and Trevin Wallace are the next men up at inside linebacker, with veteran Jon Rhattigan also an option further down the depth chart.
Patriots C David Andrews Mulling Season-Ending Surgery
The Patriots have struggled to field a healthy offensive line this season, with Cole Strange, Sidy Sow, Vederian Lowe, and Caedan Wallace dealing with various injuries over the first four weeks.
Now, New England will lose starting center and team captain David Andrews for the remainder of the season after he injured his shoulder against the 49ers in Week 4. Andrews will undergo surgery to fix his shoulder, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, after briefly debating if he could play through the injury for the rest of the year. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed the season-ending surgery during a press conference on Wednesday, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.
Backup center Nick Leverett is expected to replace Andrews in the Patriots’ starting lineup. The majority of Leverett’s NFL experience has come at guard, but the Patriots gave him plenty of snaps at center in the preseason after projected backup center Jake Andrews suffered an offseason injury that required surgery and ended his season. The Patriots also have undrafted rookie center Bryan Hudson on their practice squad. He could see some gameday elevations or even a promotion to the active roster as New England figures out their center depth.
Known as one of the toughest players in the NFL, Andrews considered delaying his surgery until the offseason, explaining the process to former teammate Brian Hoyer on a recent episode of their co-hosted podcast, The Quick Snap.
“First of all, it’s frustrating. Being hurt is a very frustrating thing, especially when you want to be out there playing,” Andrews said. “As a player, sometimes you have to make decisions if you being out there is the best thing for the team, and if you can perform.”
But Andrews has both the Patriots’ and his own long-term plans to consider. The ninth-year center — in place as a starter since Tom Brady‘s age-38 season — signed a one-year extension with New England in May that keeps him on the team through 2025. Mayo opted to start veteran Jacoby Brissett over third overall pick Drake Maye partially due to the uncertain state of New England’s offensive line.
At 1-3, the Patriots are not expected to make a playoff push as they develop a young roster with a first-time head coach. With Maye expected to take over at quarterback in 2025 (or potentially later this season), Andrews and the Patriots would likely prefer that the veteran center be fully healthy for the prized prospect’s first full season as a starter.
Chargers DC Jesse Minter Generating Early HC Buzz
After allowing more than 23 points per game last season, the Chargers’ defense has emerged as one of the league’s top units in 2024. The unit has allowed just 33 points over its first three games, earning new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter some attention early in his second NFL coaching stint.
Los Angeles underwent an organizational overhaul this offseason, hiring Jim Harbaugh as head coach and former Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz as general manager. Hortiz brought several ex-Ravens players, coaches and front office personnel with him to Los Angeles, while Harbaugh installed Minter as defensive coordinator after the pair led Michigan to an undefeated record and national championship last season.
The Chargers did not make any major roster additions to their defense this offseason, though they did convince OLBs Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack to take pay cuts. That freed up the cap space to add a few veterans on one-year deals, including cornerback Kristian Fulton, linebackers Bud Dupree and Denzel Perryman, along with defensive tackle Poona Ford.
Those veterans have performed well, but Minter has received the lion’s share of the credit for whipping one of the league’s worst defenses since 2021 into shape. The Bolts rank third in scoring defense and sixth in yardage, marks that come in well ahead of the team’s offensive marks through three games.
Minter’s pedigree at Michigan – which includes a historic 2023 defense that allowed just 10.4 points per game – and the early returns from his work in Los Angeles have placed him in the conversation for future head coaching jobs, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. If Minter keeps it up, he could start receiving interview requests at the end of this season after other teams move on from their current head coaches.
A few years ago, Minter’s candidacy for a head coaching position may not have made sense with the NFL embracing offensive-minded coaches like the Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel, the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell, and the Giants’ Brian Daboll. But more teams have hired defensive coaches for their top job over the last two seasons, including Mike Macdonald in Seattle, DeMeco Ryans in Houston, Jonathan Gannon in Arizona and Raheem Morris in Atlanta. A successful season for the Chargers’ defense could make Minter one of the league’s premier defensive coordinators and a top candidate for a head coaching gig.
Macdonald made a similar leap, going from Wolverines DC in 2021 to a two-year stay as Ravens defensive boss to his current Seahawks gig. Macdonald and Minter overlapped in Baltimore but not in Ann Arbor, with the latter still being at Vanderbilt (as the Commodores’ DC) during Macdonald’s Michigan DC season.
League decision-makers may believe that Minter requires more seasoning before taking a top coaching job, but this is not his first stint in the NFL. He coached in Baltimore from 2017 to 2020, rising to the position of Ravens defensive backs coach. Minter also has some head coaching experience after serving as interim HC for the Wolverines during Harbaugh’s three-game suspension to begin the 2023 season.
Harbaugh was suspended after the NCAA’s investigation into illegal scouting and sign-stealing allegations, and he is now facing an additional four-year show-cause order for violations of COVID recruitment and coaching rules, according to ESPN. If Harbaugh wants to return to coaching in the NCAA down the road, the school hiring him must explain its decision to an NCAA committee and suspend him for the first full season. Even after the first year, Harbaugh would not be allowed to attend athletics-related activities, such as practice, team meetings, and recruiting, until the show-cause order expires in 2028.
Essentially, Harbaugh is barred from coaching in the NCAA until 2028, but his five-year, $80MM contract with the Chargers indicates he has little interest in returning to college football. If all goes well in Los Angeles, Harbaugh will be there through the end of his contract, and by that time, Minter will likely have earned a shot at an NFL head coaching job of his own.
OL Jason Peters Visits Seahawks; RT Abe Lucas Not Expected Back Until Midseason
Jason Peters became the rare NFL player to log a 20th season, with the Seahawks being the vehicle for the accomplished offensive lineman to reach that milestone. With Seattle dealing with similar injury trouble a year later, the team is looking into the likely Hall of Famer once again.
The Seahawks hosted Peters for a recent visit, but he left without signing, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates. Although KPRC2′s Aaron Wilson adds that no deal is imminent between the Seahawks and Peters, it is certainly notable that both the player is still chugging along at 42 and that a team that changed coaching staffs still has him on the radar.
Seattle has been dealing with multiple injuries at right tackle to start the season, with Abe Lucas starting the year on the PUP list and George Fant landing on IR after a Week 1 knee injury. Peters appeared in eight games for the Seahawks last season, making two starts at right tackle. Peters often replaced Lucas, who played through a nagging knee issue that required corrective surgery during the offseason. Originally a 2004 UDFA who has defied odds to play 248 career games, Peters logged 217 offensive snaps last season.
Fant was the team’s original solution at right tackle. Seattle signed him to a two-year, $9.1MM contract in March as a premium swing tackle who could start on the right side until Lucas’ return. But with Fant’s second Seattle stint producing an early IR trip and Lucas not expected back before midseason, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, the Seahawks are considering a reunion with Peters to help them sustain their 3-0 start.
Fourth-year tackle Stone Forsythe took over the right tackle job after Fant went down in Week 1 and has started both games since, leaving the Seahawks precariously thin at left tackle. Forsythe started two games there last season in place of an injured Charles Cross, but no other player on Seattle’s roster has NFL experience at the position. Peters would come in as a more reliable, proven player than McClendon Curtis or Michael Jerrell, with the ability to quickly step in at either tackle spot if more injuries occur.
The Seahawks are one of five undefeated teams in the NFL through three weeks, leading the NFC West behind a strong start from Geno Smith and a revitalized defense under new head coach Mike Macdonald. Smith’s 787 passing yards are third in the league, while the defense is ranked in the top three in points, yards, and yards per play allowed. Injuries have been an issue, with 18 players appearing on the team’s Week 3 injury report, which is why Seattle will want to remain proactive in adding depth like Peters.
Lucas’ name is not part of that injured contingent, since he is off the active roster, but the news of the former third-round pick being sidelined until midseason is certainly notable. Lucas joined Cross in becoming an instant starter in 2022, playing 16 games that year. Knee trouble — an issue Pete Carroll dubbed “chronic” — has since caused him to miss 14, and a midseason return goal threatens to run that count toward 20. With Macdonald’s staff now running the show, Lucas is running out of time to show he can be a reliable option for the Seahawks on the right side.
Dolphins Unlikely To Consider QB Trade
Despite a worsening injury crisis under center, the Dolphins are not expected to trade for an available QB, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
Tua Tagovailoa landed on injured reserve after his Week 2 concussion, only for his replacement, Skylar Thompson, to exit with a chest injury in Week 3. The Dolphins also have Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle on the roster, but Graziano adds the team likely prefers to start Thompson. Huntley arrived in Miami just last week, and Boyle only completed seven of 13 passing attempts for 79 yards in his relief appearance on Sunday.
The Dolphins’ Week 3, undecided at this juncture, starting QB likely comes down to practice availability. If Thompson is healthy enough to practice, Mike McDaniel could stick with the more familiar signal-caller and give Huntley an additional week to learn the offense. If Thompson cannot practice, though, Huntley will be able to take even more reps to pick up McDaniel’s system, or at least a simplified version of it.
Miami’s focus on a short-term fix at quarterback stems from the belief that Tagovailoa intends to return to the field this season. He is still consulting neurologists to determine the best path forward after hits third concussion in as many years, with an earliest possible return date of Week 8. Making a splash move for another QB – whether it be a veteran like Russell Wilson or young reclamation project like Bryce Young – could complicate Tagovailoa’s recovery and return and impact the relationship between the Dolphins and their franchise quarterback.
Instead, the Dolphins are more likely to stick with stopgap options under center. Even if Thompson is healthy enough to start in Week 4, he will have to show improvements to keep the job. Another lackluster performance could give Huntley — Lamar Jackson‘s top backup for three seasons — and opening to earn a few starts of his own once he’s fully up to speed in Miami.
Either way, the starting gig will go back to Tagovailoa if he is cleared to play again this season. But if additional tests and evaluations reveal a long-term problem, the Dolphins will need to consider a more concrete answer at quarterback — potentially through trade if their short-term replacements cannot produce.