Patriots DC Terrell Williams Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel announced Friday that defensive coordinator Terrell Williams has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Williams stepped away from the team in May due to an undisclosed health issue but returned to New England for training camp. He had to leave once again before Week 2, with inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr taking on play-calling duties.
Williams, 51, is undergoing treatment and consulting with specialists, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss adds. Although Williams is expected to remain around the team as much as possible during his treatment process, Vrabel understandably did not offer a timeline for when the first-time DC could return to full-time duty.
Vrabel hired Williams after the assistant had spent a season with the Lions, but the two had an extensive history working together in Tennessee. Williams was Vrabel’s defensive line coach from 2018-22, covering the HC’s first five seasons on staff, and rose to assistant HC in 2023.
Following Vrabel’s January 2024 Titans dismissal, Williams caught on as the Lions’ D-line coach and defensive run-game coordinator. Vrabel’s return led to Williams’ first DC opportunity — at any level — in January. Williams has been an NFL assistant since 2012 and has been in coaching since 1998. The Pats only interviewed two candidates — Williams and Dolphins OLBs coach Ryan Crow — for the job, one Vrabel filled less than two weeks after being hired as HC.
“This is a hard business; this is tough,” Vrabel said, via Reiss. “When you do this, you have to have people that you trust implicitly, that are loyal. He’s been that. He has an ability to reach everybody, and it always kept me in perspective.”
Kuhr worked on Vrabel’s Titans staff from 2020-23, serving as a defensive assistant. He held the same role with the Giants last season. Far less experienced than Williams, Kuhr has spent time in the offseason and in-season calling the shots on defense. The Patriots, who have missed All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez to open the season, rank 18th in scoring defense and 17th in yards allowed. The Gonzalez-less unit has struggled against the pass, ranking 30th. The third-year CB is expected to make his 2025 debut Sunday.
Vinny DePalma, a Jerod Mayo hire retained this offseason, has taken on more responsibility with Kuhr’s linebacking crew during Williams’ time away. DePalma serves as a defensive assistant in New England.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Packers To Reassess Zach Tom After Week 5
11:26am: Belton will be unavailable in Week 4 after suffering an ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice, according to head coach Matt LaFleur (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That will likely position Kinnard to start at right tackle with Morgan likely continuing at left guard in Banks’ absence.
9:56am: Packers right tackle Zach Tom is unlikely to take the field for Sunday night’s showdown with the Cowboys, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Tom suffered an oblique injury in Week 1 that sidelined him for one game. He returned in Week 3 only to reaggravate the injury on the first snap. He has not participated in practice this week.
Green Bay is planning to reassess Tom’s oblique after their Week 5 bye in the hopes that he can quickly return to the field and ramp up for the team’s next game vs. the Bengals, per Schefter.
The Packers have tried three players at right tackle in Tom’s absence to varying amounts of success. Former Eagle Darian Kinnard and rookie Anthony Belton both stepped in after Tom went down in Week 1. Belton got the start in Week 2 and replaced Tom in Week 3, with Kinnard getting snaps in both games. The Packers also put 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan at right tackle for a handful of snaps in Week 3.
Belton was limited in practice on Wednesday before missing Thursday’s session, so Green Bay may rely on Kinnard and Morgan in Week 4 vs. Cincinnati, though the latter may be needed to replace injured left guard Aaron Banks. Like Tom, he was sidelined in Week 2, re-injured himself in the next game, and has yet to practice this week.
Tom has been durable in his career, appearing in 40 straight game since cracking the starting lineup as a rookie until his Week 2 absence. The Packers will be hoping that he can return to the field quickly and play the rest of the season without issue.
Lions To Decrease CB Terrion Arnold’s Role
The Lions are planning to decrease Terrion Arnold‘s role with the second-year cornerback struggling to contain opposing receivers to start the year. 
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said on Thursday (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press) that veteran Amik Robertson would take on a higher snap share at outside cornerback with Arnold seeing a commensurate decrease in his workload.
Robertson primarily aligned as a nickel corner in 2024 and led the team in slot snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Lions’ heavy use of base personnel on defense has limited Robertson’s role this year, per Birkett, and the team wants to get him on the field for more plays.
Sheppard said that the cornerback change “has nothing to do with [Arnold’s] play or performance,” but it’s hard to deny that the 2024 first-rounder has taken a step back from his rookie year. In 2024, he allowed a 55.6% completion rate and 7.3 yards per target; those numbers have jumped to 72.6% and 11.0 this year, respectively. He also leads all NFL cornerbacks in yards allowed, per PFF.
The 2025 offseason saw Carlton Davis depart on the open market. D.J. Reed was brought in as a replacement, and the eighth-year veteran inked a similar contract (three years, $48MM) to the one Davis took in New England. Reed has operated as a full-time perimeter starter so far with Detroit; that can certainly be expected to continue moving forward. 2024 second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw, meanwhile, is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in August.
Arnold’s rookie contract runs through 2027. The 22-year-old’s tenure in the Motor City could continue beyond that point with his fifth-year option being picked up and/or a long-term extension being finalized. Neither of those can take place until after the 2026 season, so the Lions have plenty of time before needing to make a decision on Arnold’s future with the team. For now, it will be interesting to see how this change in workload will affect Detroit’s secondary.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
John Lynch: 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk ‘Not Close’ To Return
49ers general manager John Lynch said that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is “not close” to returning to the field from last year’s devastating knee injury.
“There’s no absolutes on these things,” said Lynch on Wednesday (via KNBR). “He’s gotta continue to hit markers. He’s tracking well, we’ll be a better team when Brandon’s out there.”
Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL in Week 7 last year, setting him up for a lengthy recovery process that will extend well into this season. In August, Lynch said that there was no timetable for Aiyuk’s return, while head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested that the veteran wideout could return around Week 6.
Aiyuk started the season on the physically unable to perform list, making him ineligible to practice until next week. He would then have three weeks to be activated to the 53-man roster or revert to season-ending injured reserve, a situation the 49ers will want to avoid. Lynch’s comments further indicate that Aiyuk won’t be back anytime soon, though the veteran receiver was seen working out during a practice last week, per CBS Sports’ Matt Lively.
As a result, San Francisco will continue to work with a thin receiving corps until Aiyuk’s return, as the team has dealt with injuries to Jauan Jennings (ankle, shoulder) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) this year as well. Rookie Jordan Watkins is dealing with a calf injury, but has avoided injured reserve for the time being despite some early prognostications of an extended absence. All three wideouts were absent on Wednesday, though Pearsall said (via KNBR) that he would play “if there was a game today.” Jennings missed every practice last week and didn’t play on Sunday, though the 49ers will certainly be hoping he’s ready to go for Week 4.
Pearsall has impressed amid his teammates’ absences this year, racking up 281 yards in 16 catches through three games. Jennings has 105 yards in his two starts, while Kendrick Bourne has added 70 yards in the last two games. If their WR health issues continue, the 49ers will need Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to step up for their next few games.
Jets QB Justin Fields Returns To Practice
Jets quarterback Justin Fields returned to practice on Thursday, per Brian Costello of the New York Post, but he is still in concussion protocol with four days to go until the team’s Week 4 matchup with the Dolphins.
Fields was knocked out of the game in Week 2 and missed Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers. Backup Tyrod Taylor started in his stead and completed 26 of his 36 passes (72.6%), but only managed 5.5 yards per attempt. He also threw an interception that was returned by Jamel Dean for a touchdown. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed on Monday that Fields would remain the team’s starter once he cleared concussion protocol.
Fields impressed in his first start of the year, leading the Jets to 30 points against the Steelers, but went 3-for-11 in Week 2 before suffering his concussion in Week 2. A return to the field would be a boost to a New York offense that has been surprisingly effective to start the year with at least 27 points in two of their three games.
This weekend’s trip to Miami offers a major opportunity for Fields to bounce back from his Week 2 struggles. The Dolphins have allowed the most points and the second-most yards per passing attempt so far this year.
If Fields is unable to play, Taylor will start for the second week in a row with rookie Brady Cook likely receiving another practice squad elevation to serve as the backup.
Jarvis Brownlee, Titans Teammates Shocked By Trade
Early-season trades are always somewhat of a surprise in the NFL, but the Titans’ decision to trade Jarvis Brownlee to the Jets was shocking to the second-year cornerback and his teammates in Tennessee.
Titans linebacker James Williams said (via Terry McCormick of Main Street Media) that he was with Brownlee when he learned of the trade, adding that both were taken aback by the unexpected news. Veteran cornerback L’Jarius Sneed called the move “unfortunate,” but admitted, “It’s the NFL and things happen.”
Williams said that he didn’t know why the Titans made their decision, though McCormick offered his own explanation.
“The Titans had seemingly become disenchanted with Brownlee’s approach and fit in the locker room as the team tries to build a culture around a certain type of desired character that Brownlee in their estimation must have fallen short of,” wrote McCormick.
Titans head coach Brian Callahan said that there were “short-term” and “long-term” reasons behind the move, though he declined to elucidate further. He did say that the trade was a “one-off situation,” per McCormick, though Tennessee’s 0-3 start may loosen the team’s grip on some of their players as they near the trade deadline.
Brownlee noted (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini) he felt surprised and “hurt” by the trade, but his new team seems ecstatic to have him. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn (via Brian Costello of the New York Post) said that the deal was a “no-brainer” and revealed that he liked Brownlee as a prospect in the 2024 draft.
No Giants-Russell Wilson Split Expected
The Giants will be starting rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart in Week 4, but their move toward the future is not expected to drive Russell Wilson out of New York.
Head coach Brian Daboll saidthat he expects Wilson to be the backup quarterback for the rest of the season, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. A parting of ways via a release or a trade is not under consideration. Wilson also shut down any talk of such a move.
“I’m focused on helping this team win. I’m focused on helping Jaxson,” he said on Wednesday (via Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic). “I want to be here. I love this organization.”
The Giants’ quarterback switch will naturally lead to trade speculation regarding Wilson, especially with quarterback injuries piling up around the league. But if neither side is interested in parting ways, it would take some significant interest to pry the 36-year-old out of New York. Given that his 78.5 passer rating is eighth-worst among QBs with at least 40 passing attempts to start the year, such an aggressive suitor is unlikely to come calling.
Wilson has also been in the NFL long enough to know that his early-season benching does not necessarily mean that he’ll be riding the pine for the rest of the year. The Giants originally planned to bring Dart along slowly but accelerated their timeline due to his progression and Wilson’s regression. If he struggles to get settled on the field, a coaching staff that’s rumored to be on the hot seat could get antsy and go back to their proven veteran.
In other words, there’s always a place for a quarterback with Wilson’s experience and pedigree on a team desperate for a solution under center.
Aaron Rodgers: Conversations With Vikings Did Not Progress Far
Pro Football Rumors relayed this offseason that Aaron Rodgers and Kevin O’Connell spoke on multiple occasions as the veteran quarterback searched for a new team.
Minnesota’s interest never materialized into an offer or even a formal meeting, and Rodgers later signed in Pittsburgh. Months later, both teams are 2-1, though the Vikings started backup Carson Wentz in Week 3 with J.J. McCarthy sidelined by an ankle injury.
Rodgers confirmed on Wednesday (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) that he did reach out to O’Connell, but added that their discussions “never progressed beyond catch-up conversations.” The two have known each other since 2008, when O’Connell entered the NFL as a Patriots fourth-round pick. They became more familiar with one another when O’Connell joined the NFC North as the Vikings’ head coach in 2023.
Rodgers signing with his former rival always seemed like a long shot considering Minnesota’s investment in McCarthy last offseason. The team made it clear when they let Sam Darnold leave in free agency that they intended to hand over the keys to the offense to McCarthy after he missed his rookie year due to injury. As a result, Rodgers would have been a placeholder at best and a backup at worst.
He still had reportedly had interest in signing with the Vikings with the belief that he could thrive in O’Connell’s offense, but such an addition would raise questions about Minnesota’s plans for McCarthy. Losing a training camp competition could shake the young QB’s confidence, and if he won the starting job and struggled – as he did to start the year – having a backup with Rodgers’ pedigree could have put pressure on the team to make a switch. Of course, the same could still happen if Wentz leads the Vikings to a few more wins as McCarthy works his way back to the field.
Browns Exploring LT Options After Dawand Jones Injury
The Browns are looking for help on the blind side after losing offensive tackle Dawand Jones to a season-ending injury in Week 3. After Jones underwent surgery on his knee, the team placed him on injured reserve. 
Jones opened the season as Cleveland’s starting left tackle but flipped to the right side in Week 3 with veteran Cornelius Lucas was struggling to fill in for an injured Jack Conklin. Lucas allowed five pressures in each of the Browns’ first two games of the season, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so the team moved him to the blind side hoping for some improved play until Jones and Conklin could move back to their normal spots.
That approach did not go to plan, as Lucas struggled even more at left tackle in Week 3, allowing nine pressures, while Jones went down just four plays into the game. Even if Conklin is able to return in Week 4, Lucas doesn’t seem like a viable starter on either side. As a result, the Browns are already exploring other left tackle options with several weeks until the trade deadline, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The trade route would be an interesting one for Cleveland. The best targets are going to likely be aging veterans on expiring deals, especially if they aren’t playing to the levels of their prime. The teams with those players are likely either expecting them to leave in free agency or not planning on re-signing them. Players like Rob Havenstein with the Rams or Colts tackle Braden Smith come to mind. As opposed to letting good players walk away and getting nothing in return, Los Angeles and Indianapolis could instead attempt to bring in some trade value for their potentially departing assets.
But then again, one has to look at Cleveland and how the Browns are set up. The team is clearly not in a win-now mode, so how much good would it do to part with valuable draft assets in exchange for a short-term rental. With so many young players throughout the roster and an intriguing pick collection next year, the Browns may be hesitant to part with any draft capital solely for a temporary fix.
They’ll have plenty of time to explore that avenue, though, and others. Just this morning they signed Thayer Munford to their active roster off the Patriots’ practice squad. A former seventh-round pick for the Raiders, Munford started 18 games over the first three years of his rookie contract in Las Vegas. Munford appears to be the first of many options that Cleveland will explore as they work to rebuild their offensive line on the fly.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Ravens Sign DTs Taven Bryan, Josh Tupou
The Ravens signed veteran defensive tackles Taven Bryan and Josh Tupou to their practice squad on Wednesday, per a team announcement.
Baltimore’s D-line additions come during an injury crisis for the unit, as Nnamdi Madubuike will be out for at least another week, according to head coach John Harbaugh. Harbaugh said that he couldn’t comment further, but the uncertainty surrounding the star defensive tackle’s neck injury is growing into a major concern for the Ravens defense.
The team’s other two starting defensive linemen, Travis Jones and Broderick Washington, also missed Wednesday’s practice, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. As a result, Bryan and Tupou could both be pressed into action as soon as this weekend against the Chiefs.
Bryan was actually drafted three picks before Lamar Jackson in the 2018 draft, but never lived up to that billing with only 5.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss on his rookie contract with the Jaguars. Bryan started 16 games for the Browns in 2022 before handling a rotational role for the Colts defense in 2023 and 2024.
Tupou spent the first six years of his career in Cincinnati before joining the Ravens in 2024. He appeared in three games in purple and black last year, also amid injuries to Baltimore’s defensive line, with one sack and one tackle for loss.
Bryan and Tupou both worked out for the Ravens on Wednesday prior to signing with the practice squad, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire. Former Jaguars defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter also tried out in Baltimore, but did not impress enough to earn a contract.