Vikings C Garrett Bradbury Wants To Remain With Team
The Vikings declined center Garrett Bradbury‘s fifth-year option in May, thereby making 2022 a platform year for the NC State product. Bradbury’s play through the first five games of the current campaign has considerably raised his free agent stock, though he wants to remain in Minnesota for the long haul, as Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes.
“Absolutely,” Bradbury said when asked if he hopes to stay with the Vikings. “I love this team, I love the offensive line here, I love the coaches. We’ll let that work itself out in the spring because I can’t do anything about it this week.”
Bradbury expressed those same sentiments back in June, but at the time, it seemed unlikely that the team would want to continue what had been a disappointing relationship. After all, Bradbury struggled mightily with his pass-blocking over his first three years in the league, which is why the Vikings decided against exercising the option that would have kept him under club control through the 2023 season. Even in August, Bradbury’s hold on his starting job was reportedly less than secure.
However, Bradbury enters the team’s Week 6 contest as the ninth-best center in the league in the eyes of Pro Football Focus, which has assigned him a strong 72.0 pass-blocking grade and has charged him with one sack. Part of the improvement stems from the 10 pounds of muscle that Bradbury added over the offseason, which he says has helped him in his battles with opposing nose tackles. The fact that he is surrounded by other quality O-linemen also helps.
When asked if he sees Bradbury as a long-term anchor in the middle of the line, head coach Kevin O’Connell was somewhat noncommittal, saying, “I’m a big fan of Garrett, how he’s playing, how he projects in our offense. I know [quarterback] Kirk [Cousins] feels great having him in there as well as those other four linemen. So I love where Garrett’s at right now. He’s just got to keep playing at the level that he’s playing at, which has been pretty darn good.”
Of course, if Bradbury maintains his current level of performance throughout the season, the club would almost certainly want him back. The league’s top pivots are earning in the $10MM-$14MM range in terms of AAV, and if Minnesota had exercised the fifth-year option, Bradbury would have been owed a fully-guaranteed $13.2MM in 2023. So even if the Vikings ultimately need to pay Bradbury at a top-of-the-market rate or something close to it, they will still be in better shape than they would have been otherwise, as they will at least be able to flatten out his 2023 cap hit with a multi-year pact.
For now, the club is 4-1 and at the top of the NFC North, and its O-line play is a big reason for the early success.
49ers DC DeMeco Ryans To Be Top HC Candidate In 2023
49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is expected to be one of the top head coaching candidates in the 2023 hiring cycle, as Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports writes. Citing multiple league sources, Jones says it would be a surprise if Ryans does not land an HC post next year.
Ryans, 38, has earned plenty of recognition for his work with the Niners’ defense. After his playing career ended in 2015, the Alabama product joined San Francisco as a defensive quality control coach in 2017, served as inside linebackers coach from 2018-20, and succeeded Robert Saleh as DC when Saleh left to become head coach of the Jets in 2021.
In his first year in his current role, Ryans’ unit ranked third in the league in total defense — a performance that helped San Francisco reach the NFC title game — and through the first five contests of the current campaign, the 49ers are tops in the NFL in that category. The team is presently yielding a meager 12.2 PPG and has not surrendered more than 19 points in any game this season.
Said one personnel executive, “DeMeco sees it differently. There’s something different when a middle linebacker is calling the defense. He has to know what’s going on in front of him and behind him. The structure of the scheme was already in place, but he took some of the nuance out of it so guys could just line up and play.”
Indeed, Ryans was a successful middle linebacker during his playing days, serving as a full-time starter for the Texans from 2006-11 and the Eagles from 2012-15. He posted over 100 tackles in six different seasons, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2006 and Pro Bowl acclaim in 2007 and 2009. Per Jones, Ryans’ relationship with 49ers star ILB Fred Warner and his role in Warner’s development have been key to his success as DC.
Head coaching interviews will not be new territory for Ryans, who garnered notable attention in the 2022 cycle. He interviewed for the Vikings’ head coaching post and had a chance for a second summit with Minnesota brass but ultimately declined the opportunity, citing his desire to “further his development in San Francisco.” He was also mentioned as a candidate for the Raiders’ HC gig that ultimately went to Josh McDaniels.
Assuming Ryans does get an HC opportunity in 2023, Vic Fangio would be a leading candidate to replace him as San Francisco’s DC, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required). Barrows does not elaborate on that point, so it’s unclear if he has a bead on the team’s thinking or if he is merely acknowledging the fact that Fangio may well be the top defensive coordinator on the market.
Fangio’s three-year tenure as the Broncos’ head coach from 2019-21 did not go as planned, but he remains one of the most influential and respected defensive minds in the game. He declined multiple offers for DC positions this year, though he indicated in August he would be open to another coordinator role in the future. Of course, he previously operated as the 49ers’ DC under then-head coach Jim Harbaugh from 2011-14, and it seems a reunion could be in the cards.
49ers DTs Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw To Miss Time
The 49ers presently boast the best defense in the league in terms of yards per game, but their DL depth is about to be tested in a big way. As Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required) writes, starting defensive tackles Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw are expected to miss at least the next two games.
Armstead, who is dealing with a foot injury, could be placed on injured reserve, which would require that he miss at least four contests. The 2015 first-rounder had been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot and now has a left ankle ailment as well. He missed the club’s Week 3 loss to the Broncos, and while he started the Niners’ Week 4 victory over the Rams, he was forced to leave that game in the fourth quarter.
Until this season, Armstead had been a highly durable player. From 2018-21, he did not miss a single regular season contest and consistently received high marks from Pro Football Focus. If PFF’s grades are any indication, however, Armstead’s foot problems are having an impact on his play. He has struggled to a 52.9 overall grade in an admittedly small sample size this season after posting marks of at least 74.2 since 2018.
Kinlaw, meanwhile, has battled intermittent knee trouble since his college days. A 2020 first-round choice, Kinlaw appeared in 14 games (12 starts) in his rookie campaign, but he played in just four contests in 2021 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery (which was later reported to be an ACL reconstruction). Unlike Armstead, Kinlaw did play in the Denver contest, though he has been on the field for just one practice since then due to a fluid buildup in his surgically-repaired knee.
Given the nature of the surgery, neither Kinlaw nor head coach Kyle Shanahan were surprised by this setback, and Kinlaw acknowledged he would be dealing with some ups and downs throughout the year. Still, this is unwelcome news for a team that invests significant resources into its defensive front and that has been relying heavily on its defense through the first quarter of the season.
In the absence of Armstead and Kinlaw, Kevin Givens and Hassan Ridgeway will serve as the starting DTs.
Development Of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs Will Influence Aaron Rodgers’ Retirement Decision
It seems likely that the playing future of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will once again be a prominent storyline when the calendar turns to 2023. Although the extension he signed this offseason is effectively a three-year, $150MM accord, Rodgers is not necessarily guaranteed to play out the life of the contract.
Indeed, as Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal writes, the development of rookie wideouts Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson will be instrumental in Rodgers’ decision-making process. Green Bay has not drafted a receiver in the first round since 2002, and that fact is frequently mentioned in reports discussing Rodgers’ sometimes strained relationship with the club. After the Packers traded Davante Adams this offseason — a trade made necessary when Adams, noting Rodgers’ uncertain future, declined to sign an extension with Green Bay — it stands to reason that the progress made by Rodgers’ young weapons will factor into his 2023 plans.
It appears that the Packers missed the mark when they selected Amari Rodgers in the third round of the 2021 draft. The Clemson product appeared in only 103 offensive snaps in his rookie year and has seen just four offensive snaps thus far in 2022. He is floundering at or near the bottom of Green Bay’s WR depth chart, and even his kick return duties may be in jeopardy. As of the time of this writing, the Packers are in the midst of their Week 5 contest against the Giants in London, and Watson has been handling kickoff returns (Amari Rodgers is still back deep for punts, but he has fumbled a punt return).
Doubs and Watson, though, offer more hope. Doubs, selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft, has been targeted 16 times over the past two games and has reeled in 13 catches for 120 yards and two TDs. Watson, a second-round pick, has not seen as much action, but Rodgers was effusive in his praise of both players.
“I think both guys can be ‘dudes,'” Rodgers said during his recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “It’s going to be, how does their confidence progress? How many plays can they lock and anchor into their mind as places to go back to and think about when they’ve maybe had a stretch where they haven’t played their best ball or maybe they need some inspiration? … But I think they both have opportunities to be really, really good players in the league.”
If Doubs and Watson progress as Aaron Rodgers hopes, they could find themselves as the team’s top WR options in 2023. Indeed, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins are all out of contract at season’s end, and Amari Rodgers’ hold on his roster spot seems tenuous at best. In a scenario where Doubs and Watson have proven themselves worthy, Aaron Rodgers may want to stick around for at least one more year to reap the rewards.
“Look, my decision, when it comes down to it, will be, obviously, the physical part, the mental part, seeing where the team is at,” Aaron Rodgers said. “There’s some moving pieces that’ll factor in, for sure. But seeing the development of [Doubs and Watson] can’t help but be a part of the decision.”
After a Week 1 dud against the Vikings, the Packers have won three in a row. Aaron Rodgers has completed 69% of his passes and has thrown six TDs against three interceptions.
Commanders C Chase Roullier Likely Out For Season, Restructures Contract
Commanders center Chase Roullier is likely done for the season, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported earlier this week (via Twitter). Roullier played in only eight games last season due to a fibula fracture, so this is an especially disappointing development for player and team.
It was the fibula injury, suffered in Week 8 of the 2021 campaign, that landed Roullier on the PUP list at the start of this year’s training camp. The Wyoming product was able to suit up for the 2022 opener, but he went down with a serious injury to his right knee — which John Keim of ESPN.com reports is a torn MCL — in the waning moments of Washington’s Week 2 loss to the Lions. He underwent surgery on the knee on Thursday.
A starter since his rookie year in 2017, Roullier established himself as a quality blocker over his first few professional seasons, with Pro Football Focus consistently awarding him high marks for his pass-blocking prowess. 2020 was his best year yet, and he earned a four-year, $40.5MM extension in January 2021. Unfortunately, after appearing in 46 of a possible 48 regular season games from 2018-20, it looks like Roullier will have appeared in just 10 of a possible 34 games from 2021-22.
He will, however, get a little extra financial security despite the injury. In order to carve out some much-needed cap space, the Commanders have converted $4.5MM of Roullier’s base salary into a signing bonus, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The transaction gives Washington an additional $3MM in cap room.
PFF graded Washington’s O-line as the sixth-best unit in 2020 and 2021, but that group is facing some serious hardship this year. The Commanders lost longtime right guard Brandon Scherff in free agency and tried to replace him with veteran Trai Turner. Turner, though, missed most of training camp with a quad injury and was replaced by Saahdiq Charles during the club’s Week 4 loss to the Cowboys due to poor performance.
Meanwhile, Roullier’s replacement, Wes Schweitzer, sustained a concussion one week after Roullier’s injury and has been placed on IR, so the Commanders will deploy recent acquisition Nick Martin at the pivot for at least a few games. Furthermore, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post reports that right tackle Sam Cosmi underwent surgery on his right thumb on Tuesday and will miss an undisclosed amount of time.
Commanders Activate RB Brian Robinson
OCTOBER 3: As expected, the team is indeed opening the three-week window for Robinson’s return to practice, head coach Ron Rivera confirmed on Monday.
OCTOBER 2: The Commanders are expected to activate running back Brian Robinson from the reserve/NFI list this week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. While Robinson has been trending in the right direction, this news is nonetheless a welcome development given that he suffered multiple gunshot wounds in an attempted carjacking at the end of August.
Robinson, a third-round rookie, was impressive in spring work and in training camp, leading to reports that he could be in line for the RB1 role, ahead of 2020-21 starter Antonio Gibson. Robinson took on a larger offensive workload in the early stages of the preseason, whereas Gibson was used as a kick returner for the first time in his pro career. Then, in the preseason finale, Robinson sat out, another sign that he was poised to work with the starting offense.
Shortly after the shooting, it was reported that Robinson was eyeing a return to the field this season, and in the middle of September, we learned that the Alabama product was already doing footwork and agility drills, which suggested that he was getting closer to game action. Rapoport cautions that Robinson is not necessarily assured of playing in Washington’s Week 5 matchup against the Titans; his activation would simply open a three-week window for him to practice before he either has to play or else be shut down for the remainder of the year.
John Keim of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that Robinson will have his right leg reexamined today (the gunshots hit his hip and knee, though there was no serious damage to his ligaments, tendons, or bones). Assuming the examination goes well, he would be activated Monday and practice on Wednesday. In his absence, Gibson and J.D. McKissic have split reps in the offensive backfield, with Gibson taking most of the handoffs and McKissic being used in more of a receiver role. Gibson has rushed 40 times for 124 yards, good for a meager 3.1 YPC average. Washington is ranked in the bottom-eight in the league in terms of rushing offense, so the club is doubtlessly eager to get Robinson going.
In other injury news, defensive end Chase Young, who is recovering from an ACL tear, is continuing to target a midseason return. That is consistent with what we heard in August. Center Tyler Larsen, meanwhile, will come off the PUP list this coming week and will be evaluated in practice (Twitter link via Keim). Larsen, who started three games for the Commanders last year, is dealing with an Achilles injury.
Colts LB Shaquille Leonard Exits Week 4 Game With Concussion
4:02pm: Leonard did indeed play in today’s game, registering a pair of tackles. However, he suffered a concussion during the contest, as noted by The Athletic’s Zak Keefer (on Twitter). With the Colts scheduled to play this Thursday, it seems doubtful that Leonard would be available for Week 5.
9:28am: Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard is expected to make his 2022 debut against the Titans on Sunday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Barring a setback, Indianapolis will have its three-time First Team All-Pro assuming his familiar role as the anchor of the team’s defense.
Leonard underwent offseason back surgery to relieve the pressure that two discs in his spine were putting on his nerves. Earlier this week, Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star published an article discussing Leonard’s status, noting that some have wondered why he has not returned to game action despite having practiced for nearly a month and being listed as a full participant. Those questions intensified when Leonard was shown moving and celebrating on the video board at Lucas Oil Stadium during the Colts’ Week 3 win over the Chiefs last Sunday.
In responding to that criticism, Leonard referenced the ankle injury that required offseason surgery last year, hampered him throughout the 2021 campaign, and lingered into this past summer. “I’m going to say this, because I’ve seen it all on social media: If I’m ready to go, I’m going to play,” he said. “Everybody knows me. I went out there last year with one ankle. I love this game, I love this game with all my heart and I’d do anything to play this game for 100 years. There’s no such thing as me standing on the sideline because of me.”
Leonard indicated he has not suited up for the first three games of the 2022 season simply because he did not believe he was ready to make a positive contribution to the defense. “People think it was just back and ankle, but there were a lot of nerve things that went wrong,” he added. “Practicing for four weeks: People have to understand, that first week was nothing but stiffness. The second week was OK, how can I cover ground? Third week, OK, let me see how can I tackle? Can I tackle in space? Can I move left and right? Can I do the things that I know I’m supposed to do? That’s what it comes down to.”
Head coach Frank Reich said that the team has been comparing Leonard’s practice tape with tape of him performing at full strength, and that review led him to conclude that Leonard was not yet close enough to his normal self to play. However, Rapoport’s report suggests that the situation has sufficiently improved over the past few days.
It goes without saying that the return of a player of Leonard’s caliber will be a significant development for the 1-1-1 Colts. Despite the ankle injury, Leonard posted 122 total tackles, four interceptions, eight passes defensed, and a league-leading eight forced fumbles in 2021.
Rams G David Edwards In Concussion Protocol
The Rams will be without starting left guard David Edwards for Monday’s matchup against the division-rival 49ers. As Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports, Edwards told head coach Sean McVay that he was feeling “foggy,” and he entered the concussion protocol on Saturday morning (Twitter link).
Given the situation surrounding Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, which prompted the league and union to amend the concussion protocols, the way in which NFL teams handle brain injuries will be even more scrutinized in the near-term. McVay, though, was clear that the Tagovailoa matter had no impact on Edwards’ treatment.
“[I]t was great for [Edwards] to be able to kind of communicate,” McVay said (via Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com). “We took the right steps, especially, with the [Tagovailoa] situation that occurred on Thursday. But really just in general, regardless of whether or not that happened with [Tagovailoa], [it’s] something we take very serious and I appreciate him handling it the right way.”
Edwards, a 2019 fifth-rounder, spent more time at right guard than left in his rookie campaign, but he has settled in as the club’s starting LG over the past several seasons. He received above-average marks from Pro Football Focus in both the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, and a repeat performance in 2022, his platform year, could set him up for a multi-year extension from the Rams or a lucrative free agent contract in 2023.
This continues a disturbing trend along the Rams’ O-line. Starting center Brian Allen, who underwent a knee procedure following Los Angeles’ season-opening loss to the Bills, will also miss the San Francisco game — his third straight absence — while both Tremayne Anchrum and third-round rookie Logan Bruss are out for the season.
Per Rodrgiue, Bobby Evans will fill in at LG in Edwards’ stead (Twitter link). Evans was selected several rounds before Edwards in 2019, and while he started seven games in his first professional season, he has started only one contest since.
Chargers To Start Jamaree Salyer At LT
The Chargers have placed starting LT Rashawn Slater on injured reserve, and they will be turning to a rookie to fill the void. As Daniel Popper of The Athletic reported earlier this week, the Bolts will deploy 2022 sixth-rounder Jamaree Salyer on QB Justin Herbert‘s blind side for the team’s Week 4 matchup with the Texans (Twitter link).
It would have been fair to expect veteran Storm Norton, who started 15 games at right tackle for the Chargers in 2021 and who filled in at left tackle in Week 3 when Slater went down with a torn biceps tendon, to get the nod, at least for the next couple of games. That is especially true given that Salyer, who is listed at 6-3, has less than ideal height for an NFL tackle. Given his size, Salyer was originally drafted as a guard, though he does have long arms and acquitted himself well as a tackle against Aidan Hutchinson — this year’s No. 2 overall pick — in the College Football Playoff semifinals last year.
Salyer also has a higher ceiling than Norton, a 2017 UDFA who lost this summer’s training camp battle for the starting RT job to Trey Pipkins III. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, the expectation is that Salyer will be a capable replacement for Slater. In the first three weeks of his pro career, Salyer has seen the field for 11 special teams snaps, so Sunday’s game will represent a trial by fire.
Herbert, of course, needs all the protection he can get. The passer is dealing with fractured rib cartilage, and while he came off the injury report on Friday, head coach Brandon Staley has confirmed that the injury will linger and will impact Herbert for some time. Luckily, starting center Corey Linsley — who exited the team’s Week 2 loss to the Chiefs due to a knee injury and who was inactive for the Week 3 loss to the Jaguars — is active for Sunday’s Houston contest.
RapSheet also passes along some good news with respect to Slater. Despite reports that the second-year pro would miss the remainder of the season, he may be able to return near the end of the campaign. If the Chargers are in the playoff hunt, Slater could suit up for one of the final two games of the season, or at least for the first game of the postseason if Los Angeles should qualify.
Cornerback J.C. Jackson, like Herbert, also came off the injury report on Friday.
Bills Place CB Xavier Rhodes On P-Squad Injured List
The hits keep coming for the Bills’ secondary. Veteran cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who signed with Buffalo just a few days ago, has been placed on the team’s practice squad injured list (Twitter link via ESPN’s Field Yates). Head coach Sean McDermott said that Rhodes sustained a hamstring injury (Twitter link via Chris Brown of OneBillsLive).
Buffalo’s top corner, two-time Pro Bowler Tre’Davious White, began the season on the PUP list and will therefore miss at least one more game as he continues to recover from an ACL tear. Fellow starter Dane Jackson suffered a neck injury in Week 2, and rookie Christian Benford fractured his hand during last Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins. That is not to mention safety Micah Hyde‘s season-ending neck injury or safety Jordan Poyer‘s foot ailment, which kept him out of the Miami contest and which rendered him questionable for the Bills’ Week 4 matchup against the Ravens.
The practice squad injured list operates under the same rules as the injured reserve. In other words, Rhodes will be forced to miss at least the next four games, at which point there may no longer be a roster spot for him. Indeed, Jackson returned to practice this week and is expected to suit up for the Baltimore game, as Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic tweets. The hope is that White will return shortly, and while Benford will miss time, he could nonetheless beat Rhodes back to the field.
Furthermore, even though Rhodes is on the taxi squad injured list, his activation from that list would still count as one of the Bills’ eight “return from IR” designations. It is possible that the team would elect against using such a designation on a player that had minimal practice time and never appeared in a game.
Rhodes, therefore, could be a free agent again in a few weeks and could be of interest to another team in need of secondary depth.