Bills’ Von Miller Arrested On Domestic Violence Charge
6:34pm: Miller has turned himself in to the Glenn Heights Police and has already departed after posting a $5K bond, according to Josina Anderson.
10:34am: The Dallas Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for Bills defensive end Von Miller, according to WFAA’s Rebecca Lopez. This is in connection with alleged domestic violence.
Miller’s longtime girlfriend accused the 34-year-old pass rusher of assaulting her in their Dallas home Wednesday. Miller has not been arrested, but police are prepared to charge him with assault of a pregnant person, which Lopez notes is a third-degree felony in Texas. A Dallas-area native, Miller is in his second season with the Bills.
This incident occurred around 11am Wednesday, according to Spectrum News 1’s Jon Scott, and a preliminary investigation indicates Miller and his girlfriend engaged in a verbal argument before the accused player “assaulted the victim.” Miller left the scene before officers’ arrival. The woman was not transported to a hospital but received treatment for minor injuries, per Scott.
The Dallas Morning News has released additional details. During an argument between Miller and his girlfriend, the woman slamming the door made Miller “visibly angry,” according to a police report (via the Morning News’ Jamie Landers and Kelli Smith). Once Miller told the woman to leave, he is alleged to have pushed her and stomped on her laptop. Miller then allegedly pulled out a chunk of the woman’s hair and put his hands on her neck, applying pressure, according to Landers and Smith.
The affidavit indicates the woman had “minor abrasions” on her left hand, along with bruising on her abdomen, neck and left bicep. The indication by the woman she was calling the police prompted Miller to leave the couple’s apartment, per the Morning News. Miller’s girlfriend told police she is six weeks pregnant.
In 2021, a Colorado police department’s unspecified investigation into Miller did not produce charges. No details emerged surrounding that offseason issue, and Miller was not suspended. The details here are obviously problematic, and past NFL decisions have shown the league’s personal conduct policy does not require a conviction for a suspension to take place.
Miller signed a six-year, $120MM deal with the Bills in 2022, picking Buffalo over pursuits from the Rams and Cowboys. The future Hall of Famer has attempted to move past the ACL tear sustained on Thanksgiving 2022, but he has struggled in an effort to do so. In eight games, the 13th-year veteran does not have a sack. He has totaled just two tackles, working strictly as a backup for the Bills.
The Bills released a statement confirming they are aware of the arrest warrant. The team is currently in its bye week. In a statement, the NFL declined to comment about Miller’s potential placement on the commissioner’s exempt list, which would move him off the roster — with pay — while this matter is sorted out.
Following Miller’s second Super Bowl win, he prioritized a deal that guaranteed money into the third season of a contract. Neither the Cowboys nor Rams were willing to do so, but the Bills signing off on this aim finished off what was viewed at the time as a free agency win. Miller started off well in Buffalo, recording eight sacks in 11 games. But he has not recaptured the form he showed before his second ACL tear. Miller successfully bounced back from his first tear — in December 2013 — to become the best pass rusher in Broncos history and drive the team to a Super Bowl 50 win. Denver extended him at a defender-record rate the following offseason.
A suspension in connection with this alleged incident would put the veteran’s 2024 guaranteed money in jeopardy. Miller’s $17.1MM 2024 base salary is guaranteed for injury, and $10.71MM of that is fully guaranteed. A suspension would threaten to void those guarantees. Given Miller’s current form, a suspension would make it easier for the Bills to cut their losses. But it is too early to tell how this situation will play out.
Panthers Claim CB Shaquill Griffin
Shaquill Griffin did not make it past team No. 1 on the waiver wire. Despite the veteran cornerback sitting in free agency for nearly two months between his Jaguars and Texans stays, he generated immediate interest after Houston waived him Wednesday.
The Panthers will use their top waiver priority to claim Griffin, the team announced Thursday. This will mark a return to the NFC for the former Seahawks starter. This is Griffin’s third team this year. In 10 Texans games, the seventh-year defender made six starts. But Houston’s depth improving led the resurgent team to cut bait.
This year has brought an undeniable fall for Griffin, who was one of the top defensive free agents in 2021. The Jaguars gave him a three-year, $40MM contract. A back injury in 2022 led to Griffin being a cap casualty after the season, as no guaranteed money remained on the deal for 2023. It took until May for Griffin to find another home, via a one-year deal worth $3.5MM in Houston, but he made some notable contributions during the Texans’ 6-5 start. The Panthers will be responsible for the remaining $529K of Griffin’s base salary.
Pro Football Focus ranks Griffin 52nd among corners, a middle-of-the-pack placement after his injury-marred 2022. With Derek Stingley Jr. and multiple slot cornerbacks suffering injuries early in the season, the Texans turned to their mid-offseason pickup as a starter. Griffin intercepted a Joe Burrow pass to help the Texans complete an upset victory. With Stingley activated from IR following that game, the Texans demoted Griffin to a special-teamer. He has not played a defensive snap since that Week 10 win over the Bengals.
For his career, Griffin has made 78 starts. Most of them came in Seattle, where the former third-round pick became a regular as the NFC West squad moved on from Richard Sherman. The Seahawks have not shown a penchant, aside from Sherman’s 2014 extension, to give cornerbacks second contracts. Many Pete Carroll-era cogs have moved on; Griffin did so after earning a Pro Bowl invite in 2019 and intercepting three passes in 2020. The 28-year-old defender will have another chance this season — albeit on the NFL’s worst team.
Centering their corner situation on Jaycee Horn, the Panthers are still waiting for the former No. 8 overall pick to break through. Injuries have hounded the South Carolina alum, who has been out since Week 1 with a severe hamstring injury. The Panthers designated Horn for return recently and have until Monday to activate him. The team could activate Horn and keep him inactive, in order to keep the door open for a late-season return. But Griffin will provide some veteran insurance alongside Donte Jackson and C.J. Henderson.
NFC East Notes: Neal, Cowboys, Commanders
While the Giants have seen Andrew Thomas become one of the NFL’s better tackles — en route to a $23.5MM-per-year extension — they have not observed their right tackle make a second-year leap. Evan Neal has missed time with injuries and struggled when on the field. Thomas was a Dave Gettleman draft choice, while Neal went in Joe Schoen‘s first draft in charge. Pro Football Focus has assigned this season’s third-worst tackle grade to Neal. The Alabama product was seen as a player who could potentially slide to guard at some point, having played there at times in college. For the time being, Schoen is not entertaining such a switch.
“No, I don’t think so,” Schoen said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “We are looking forward to getting him back, but he knows there are some things he can do better — and that’s what we expect from him. … I went back and watched the Alabama stuff: The kid can play. We just have to get him to be more consistent. I have a lot of confidence in Evan.”
In 20 starts over two seasons, PFF charges Neal with 10 sacks allowed. Just two of those have come this year, but the former No. 7 overall pick has missed five games. Neal has missed five of the Giants’ past six contests; the team has not placed him on IR. The Giants will certainly hope to see signs of promise from Neal down the stretch.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- DaRon Bland has morphed from a 2022 fifth-round pick into an NFL record holder, via the fifth pick-six he notched on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys could see two cornerbacks become first-team All-Pros in three seasons, after Trevon Diggs‘ 11-INT season landed him on the 2021 top team. Diggs’ 2023 replacement played at Division I-FCS Sacramento State and then spent a year at Fresno State. Cowboys scout Ross Wuensche identified Bland as a target, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes (video link), and the team brought him in for a visit. Describing Bland as a late-blooming prospect, Rapoport adds interest came in late enough he could not turn all his invitations for “30” into meetings before the 2022 deadline. With Stephon Gilmore‘s contract up after this season, the Cowboys extended Diggs and have Bland signed through 2025.
- Recent Cowboys pickup Martavis Bryant remains in redevelopment mode. The team has not elevated its practice squad stash for a game yet, making it now more than five years since the former Steelers starter has played in an NFL game. No timetable is in place for a Bryant move to the active roster, but executive VP Stephen Jones said (via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill) the team sought the recent XFL wideout for his size-speed combo. The Cowboys are fairly well stocked at receiver, but Bryant’s 6-foot-4 frame would be a new dimension for this particular Dallas receiving cadre. It remains to be seen if the soon-to-be 32-year-old pass catcher still has NFL-viable form left.
- Having fired DC Jack Del Rio after a Cowboys Thanksgiving romp, Ron Rivera is set to call the Commanders‘ defensive plays. The team also fired multi-stop Del Rio lieutenant Brent Vieselmeyer, who was Washington’s DBs coach this season. To help manage the workload, Rivera hired Jimmy Salgado as an interim staffer, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Salgado had spent six seasons on Sean McDermott‘s Bills staff, but the team fired him this offseason. Salgado spent the 2023 season at Michigan State, working as the Spartans’ cornerbacks coach.
Seahawks Activate T Abraham Lucas
Having lost three of their past four games, the Seahawks are in the middle of their toughest schedule sector. After a one-sided loss to the 49ers, the Seahawks face the Cowboys tonight and then match up against the Eagles before their San Francisco trip. With wild-card hopes hinging on this stretch, Seattle will have a key player back for Week 13.
The team activated right tackle Abraham Lucas from IR on Thursday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The 2022 third-round pick has been out since going down with a knee injury in Week 1. Two games have passed since Seattle opened his practice window, but a third will not. Lucas will be in position opposite Charles Cross against Dallas.
[RELATED: Week 13 Injured Reserve Return Tracker]
One of the only two-rookie tackle setups in NFL history, the Cross-Lucas tandem played a key role in Geno Smith‘s Comeback Player of the Year campaign and the Seahawks’ surprising playoff appearance. With the team having dropped to 6-5 and Smith’s production dipping from his stunning 2022 run, the Seahawks will need all the help they can get as they face the NFC’s best teams.
Lucas’ return gives the Seahawks some options, and ESPN.com’s Ed Werder notes the team is considering moving Jason Peters to guard. A career-long tackle until last season, Peters helped the Cowboys at guard at points in 2022. The 20th-year veteran has mixed in regularly at right tackle in recent weeks. Seahawks right guard Phil Haynes is set to miss tonight’s game with a toe injury. Haynes did not practice this week, while Lucas logged back-to-back full efforts as he moved into position to build on his rookie-year success.
Chosen 72nd overall out of Washington State, Lucas moved into Seattle’s starting lineup to begin his rookie season. He and Cross, last year’s ninth overall pick, started 16 games together; this partnership covered 94% of the 2022 Seahawks iteration’s offensive plays. Pro Football Focus graded Lucas just inside the top 40 at tackle last season. With Lucas out of the mix since going down in Week 1, the Seahawks have used Peters and young backup Stone Forsythe on the right edge.
As a whole, PFF ranks the Seahawks’ O-line 29th. Lucas’ return would not stand to solve every issue Seattle’s front has encountered, but the prospect of he and Peters on the right side provides some intrigue ahead of a game in which a team that recently made a buyer’s trade — sending the Giants second- and fifth-round picks for Leonard Williams — is a two-score underdog.
Seattle also moved Haynes to IR. Haynes had been a Seahawks backup for four seasons, but after the team released two-year starter Gabe Jackson this offseason, an in-house promotion occurred. The former fourth-round pick’s eight starts already surpass his pre-2023 total (five). This transaction will sideline Haynes until at least Week 17, however. PFF ranks the new starter outside the top 60 at guard, but this injury could force a creative replacement attempt — if Peters ends up being kicked inside.
Jets Open Aaron Rodgers’ Practice Window
Continuing to brief the public on his surprising effort to make an in-season return from an Achilles tear, Aaron Rodgers will take a pivotal step. The Jets are preparing to open their quarterback’s practice window Wednesday.
This transaction will give the Jets three weeks to determine if Rodgers makes sense as a candidate to come off IR. Going down four plays into his Jets tenure, Rodgers has insisted he wants to return. The future Hall of Famer underwent a speed-bridge surgery to repair the injury, and the operation is believed to allow for a quicker path back. So far, that has proven true.
Rodgers has stopped short of guaranteeing he will be back, citing the Jets’ playoff chances. But he has also not ruled out rejoining a team out of contention. With the Jets 4-7, this looms as a curious comeback effort. Though, the team will follow through with the first part of it.
During his most recent Pat McAfee Show-based update, Rodgers reaffirmed (via the Washington Post’s Mark Maske) hopes to return but determined he was not ready to make a full determination on coming back this season. Although Rodgers pried the door back open regarding a comeback for a team without legitimate playoff aspirations, he again said the Jets’ record will be a factor. ESPN’s FPI gives Gang Green a 0.4% chance to make the playoffs. That would seemingly point to the soon-to-be 40-year-old passer storing his cleats and preparing for the offseason program, but he will begin to see how he feels in practice.
An activation would mark a historic comeback from an Achilles tear. Players have come back from Achilles ruptures in the not-so-distant past — just not this quickly. Then-Rams running back Cam Akers went down in July 2021 but was back by Week 17. Terrell Suggs and Michael Crabtree, respectively, suffered tears during the spring of 2012 and 2013, respectively. The Ravens linebacker and 49ers wide receiver each came back during the season. Suggs was back by Oct. 21, 2012; Crabtree returned Dec. 1, 2013.
While Rodgers’ position is not predicated as much on athleticism, coming back around three months after an Achilles tear would be a significant NFL accomplishment. Even returning to practice in-season is notable as far as Achilles recoveries go. It reminds of Jerry Rice‘s 1997 timetable. The legendary wideout suffered a partially torn ACL in Week 1 of his 13th season but was back in uniform for San Francisco’s Week 16 matchup with Denver. Rice scored a touchdown upon returning but was lost for the season after reinjuring the knee during that Monday-night game, hurting the eventual No. 1-seeded team’s Super Bowl chances. The Jets’ 2023 season will not stand to complicate a Rodgers return, as the team’s recent struggles make this more about one player’s quest than a return that impacts the AFC playoff race.
Robert Saleh said Wednesday that Rodgers has been cleared for functional football activity and added the 19th-year veteran returning to practice now would not jeopardize his long-term outlook. Rodgers almost definitely would not be signing off on this if he feared a reinjury, one that would impact his 2024 status, and will only come back upon receiving full clearance, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. Saleh had previously said the Jets would not stand in Rodgers’ way if he wants to come back — even in a potentially lost season — and ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano adds the team indeed is not expected to block its starter from returning under these circumstances.
Rodgers also left the door open to this practice return not leading to game action. If the Jets do not activate Rodgers by Dec. 20, he will land on season-ending IR. Given their recent woes, that still seems like the most likely outcome. The Jets benched Zach Wilson once again and have turned to Tim Boyle, who is on track to return as the team’s Week 13 starter. New York has lost four straight, seeing Wilson flatline and Boyle lead a 159-yard offensive effort in a one-sided Week 12 loss to the Dolphins.
This once-farfetched return scenario reached the point in which GM Joe Douglas said the team expected to have its starter back before season’s end. Those remarks came at the trade deadline, when the Jets still enjoyed more realistic playoff goals. The team would have a chance to see how Rodgers looks with its set of skill-position players, though offensive line injuries should also be a factor when the parties determine if a comeback is worthwhile. Alijah Vera-Tucker is out for the season, while Connor McGovern and Wes Schweitzer are on IR. Both Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton have missed time this year. Assuming the Jets retain their coaching staff for 2024, the team would not exactly need to see Rodgers in its system this season. Rodgers worked with embattled OC Nathaniel Hackett from 2019-21.
A $35MM guaranteed roster bonus awaits Rodgers next year, and despite being close to retirement this offseason, the four-time MVP has since said he viewed the Jets trade as a path toward a multiyear partnership. The Jets reworked Rodgers contract this summer, with the outspoken QB taking a pay cut in order to help the team bolster its roster. The team has received criticism for not doing more to replace Rodgers, and Wilson’s repeated shortcomings have led the route to 4-7. But Rodgers remains in the Jets’ future beyond 2023. Will this long-rumored plan of a return before that point actually lead to more game action?
WR DeSean Jackson To Retire
One of the great deep threats in modern NFL history, DeSean Jackson is not planning to play a 16th season. The veteran wide receiver instead intends to announce his retirement as a member of the Eagles, according to the team.
Jackson, who had joined the Raiders and Ravens as an in-season addition over the past two years, played 15 seasons for six teams. While the 2008 second-round pick will primarily be remembered for his contributions in Philadelphia, he made an impact in a few cities. Jackson started 159 games and is one of just 40 players to surpass 11,000 receiving yards for his career.
“DeSean Jackson was a dynamic playmaker who captivated Eagles fans with his game-breaking speed, unique skill set, and explosive play,” Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie said in a statement. “What made DeSean truly stand out during his accomplished 15-year career was his ability to make miraculous plays look routine.”
The Cal product spent time in Philly, Washington, Tampa, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Baltimore during his NFL run. He led the NFL in yards per reception in four seasons, most recently in 2018 with the Buccaneers, and remained a coveted player into his mid-30s. Jackson will turn 37 on Friday, choosing that notable date to retire with the team that drafted him.
While no wide receivers went off the board in the 2008 first round, the second produced quality performers. Jordy Nelson and Eddie Royal also became Round 2 picks 15 years ago. Jackson made a quick impact, becoming an immediate long-range threat for Donovan McNabb on an Eagles team that voyaged to the 2008 NFC championship game. Jackson became the fifth player to reach 900 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons; he eclipsed 1,000 in two of those slates. Over the course of his career, Jackson produced five 1,000-yard seasons; the most recent came with Washington in 2016.
Jackson scored 66 touchdowns over the course of his career; one will probably stand out as his most memorable. Used regularly as a punt returner early in his career, Jackson finished off a 24-point Eagles rally to stun the Giants in Week 15 of the 2010 season, completing a walk-off 65-yard punt return. This came a week after he accumulated a career-high 210 yards against the Cowboys, helping the Eagles to the NFC East title in Michael Vick‘s first season as the team’s starter.
Although the deep passing game was more prominent in prior eras, Jackson stood out on that front in this one. Only Devery Henderson produced a higher yards-per-catch average in a season than Jackson’s 22.5 (2010) during the 21st century. Despite Jackson’s deep-ball brilliance, he wore out his welcome in Philly in 2014. Deemed a poor fit during Chip Kelly‘s second offseason in charge, Jackson wound up in Washington on a four-year, $24MM contract. This came after the Eagles had given the 5-foot-10 weapon a five-year, $47MM extension in 2012, Andy Reid‘s final year at the helm.
Washington’s Jackson and Pierre Garcon additions ignited Kirk Cousins, who set single-season franchise records for touchdown passes and passing yards while targeting the two free agency pickups in the mid-2010s. Jackson topped 1,000 yards in 2014 and ’16, but Washington let both veterans walk in 2017 — a year before losing Cousins. While Jackson’s post-Washington years did not generate the same kind of production he offered during his initial run in the NFC East, Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s 9.6 yards per attempt in 2018 came with significant Jackson contributions. The then-Mike Evans sidekick finished that season with a 18.9 yards per reception.
The Eagles reacquired Jackson via trade in 2019, sending a fifth-round pick to the Bucs. But injuries marred Jackson’s second Philly stint. In two seasons back with the Eagles, Jackson suited up for just eight games. The team cut him once again in 2021.
After the Rams released Jackson during the 2021 season, the veteran pass catcher was linked to a few teams. He ended up helping the Raiders to a surprising playoff run, which came after the exits of Jon Gruden and Henry Ruggs. A Ravens team that lost Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay to season-ending injuries sporadically used Jackson while limping into the playoffs last season. Jackson did not play in Baltimore’s wild-card game, however. He operated as the NFL’s oldest receiver in 2022.
Jackson made three Pro Bowls and earned more than $91MM over the course of his career. While Jackson ranks 39th in both career receiving yards and yards per catch, his 17.6 yards per grab rank second among 21st-century wideouts.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/29/23
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Tom Kennedy
- Released: WR Dylan Drummond
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Bo Melton, RB James Robinson
Houston Texans
- Signed: K Matt Ammendola
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Mathew Sexton, K Matthew Wright
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Shemar Jean-Charles
Rumored to be eyeing kickers after rookie Chad Ryland‘s game-tying miss in Week 12, the Patriots will give Wright another opportunity. The Jaguars’ primary 2021 kicker, Wright has not kicked in a game this season. He logged six as a replacement leg — for the Steelers and Chiefs — last season. The Pats drafted Ryland in the fourth round and jettisoned Nick Folk on roster-cutdown day, trading the veteran to the Titans. Ryland has missed 35-yard field goals in back-to-back games; the Patriots will now give him competition.
Waived to make room for Monday claim Derek Barnett, Ammendola remains in place as the Texans’ Ka’imi Fairbairn fill-in. Ammendola, who also worked as a Harrison Butker replacement last season in Kansas City, will be elevated to Houston’s active roster once again, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. Ammendola missed two 50-plus-yard field goals, including a game-tying 58-yard try, last week. Fairbairn, who is recovering from a strained quad, can be activated from IR next week.
Chiefs LB Nick Bolton Returns To Practice
The Chiefs remain in the top five in total defense and points allowed, and they check in eighth in defensive DVOA. But the 8-3 team has lost two games without its top linebacker.
Nick Bolton is rehabbing a dislocated wrist that required surgery. Despite the third-year defender’s initial timetable being approximately two months, he returned to Chiefs practice Wednesday. The AFC West leaders officially designated Bolton for return from IR, starting his 21-day activation clock.
Kansas City looks to be proceeding in accordance with Bolton’s previously reported timetable. Andy Reid said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher) the standout tackler will be brought along slowly. The Chiefs placed Bolton on IR five weeks ago, with their bye coming during this stretch. That stands to help the defending champs, who lost to the Broncos and Eagles during Bolton’s second absence this season. The team’s oft-discussed pass-game inconsistency obviously contributed to those defeats, but Kansas City having Bolton back will be critical to tightening a sturdy defensive safety net.
While overshadowed by the two future Hall of Famers on offense and Chris Jones on defense, Bolton has become one of the league’s top young linebackers. The former second-round pick ripped off a 180-tackle season in 2022 and scored a touchdown in Super Bowl LVII, coming a split-second away from a second TD in that game. This season, however, Bolton has only suited up for four games. An ankle injury sidelined the 23-year-old ‘backer for a three-game stretch earlier this year.
Willie Gay is in a contract year, and the Chiefs fortified their linebacking corps by signing former Charger Drue Tranquill to a low-cost deal (one year, $3MM) this offseason. Those two have played the most snaps among Chiefs linebackers this season, while second-year performer Leo Chenal has seen more time compared to his rookie year.
Bolton will profile as an extension candidate next year, joining fellow 2021 second-round pick Creed Humphrey in that regard. The Mizzou product will attempt to solidify his value with a strong stretch run this season.
Patriots Eyeing QBs In Free Agency, Draft In 2024
As Bill Belichick continues this spree of noncommittal offerings about his quarterback position — one that has seen Mac Jones repeatedly benched — the Patriots will have their eye on what could be a pivotal offseason at the position.
It is not fully known if the Pats will move on from the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach, who has already been connected to a few teams, but New England obviously knows its current QB situation will not cut it for 2024. Jones may be playing out the string for the Pats, who will almost definitely pass on the struggling passer’s fifth-year option.
Jones would enter a 2024 contract year in that scenario, but it is also possible the Pats simply move on from the former first-round pick. (Jones is tied to a guaranteed $2.79MM in 2024 base salary.) The team is likely to add a quarterback both in free agency and the draft next year, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. A two-pronged approached would be about reconstructing the position, per Fowler, but one avenue stands to take precedence.
With the loss to the Giants, the Patriots plummeted to 2-9. With six games remaining, New England sits third in the 2024 draft order — behind Chicago (via Carolina) and Arizona. The No. 3 choice could be enough to land the draft’s second-best signal-caller, but given the demand at quarterback, the ’24 class’ second-best option will be a live candidate to go second overall. QBs have gone first and second in a draft four times since 2015.
While the Cardinals and Bears represent variables due to Kyler Murray and Justin Fields‘ statuses, both are in play to draft QBs in Round 1. The Cards, as they were this year, could also be a gateway into the top three — should Arizona’s new regime still back Murray next year — via a trade. Moving parts exist, but with no NFL lottery in place, more losses piling up for the Patriots would form a direct route to landing a top QB prospect. The team inched into the 2021 draft at quarterback, waiting on Jones to fall to No. 15. The Pats will have a chance to choose a passer earlier in 2024.
The free agent market will include several backup options. While some signed two-year deals this offseason, Sam Darnold, Jacoby Brissett, Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor, Teddy Bridgewater and Joshua Dobbs are among the options to fill in as a bridge player or a true backup. Given the injuries to starters this season, it would not surprise to see the QB2 market increase come free agency.
Gardner Minshew and Baker Mayfield would represent higher-end bridge options, with Ryan Tannehill potentially dropping into that boat after his midseason benching. Kirk Cousins resides as the top free agency option. As of now, the Vikings look like the favorites there. The Pats’ draft position also would point to a stopgap free agent or backup supplementing a rookie — as opposed to a veteran as the answer for a team in need of significant upgrades on offense.
Belichick’s status will hover over all of this. As the losses increase, the chances of the Patriots either forcing the legendary sideline presence out or trading his rights elsewhere seemingly increase. Belichick’s extension is believed to run through only 2024.
Lions Designate Hendon Hooker For Return
While the Lions’ 8-3 start has put Hendon Hooker‘s rookie season on the back burner, the third-round pick will put on a uniform this season. He will start with a practice jersey. The Lions designated Hooker for return from the reserve/NFI list Wednesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Hooker fell in the draft due to the ACL tear he suffered Nov. 19, 2022. The Lions have exercised considerable caution with their QB project, with this return designation coming 53 weeks later. This marks the second straight year a key Lions draftee will return to practice after spending much of the season on the NFI list. Jameson Williams came back in December of last season after sustaining an ACL tear in January 2022.
Dan Campbell hinted (via the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers) a Hooker practice debut would happen soon. With Jared Goff healthy and entrenched as Detroit’s starter and signed through 2024 (with an extension on the radar), the Lions can take their time with Hooker, whom they chose 68th overall. While it is unlikely the Tennessee- and Virginia Tech-developed QB prospect will play this season, he is moving close to a potential role as the team’s emergency quarterback on gamedays. Even that may be a bridge too far, as the Lions have used a two-QB gameday setup thus far.
If Hooker is not activated in the next three weeks, he must spend the season on the NFI list. Were that to happen, Hooker would see his rookie contract toll, moving the four-year deal from 2024-27 instead of 2023-26. Rather, the Lions had planned to activate the rookie when he became eligible.
Hooker met with several teams during the pre-draft process. Gauging the former Heisman candidate’s rehab process made sense for QB-seeking clubs. Rumors about Hooker potentially going as high as the late first round circulated, but he fell out of Round 2. The Lions had traded down from No. 63 to 68, and they stopped Hooker’s slide. They are in the unusual position of developing a quarterback who will likely not be viewed as even a backup option until his age-26 season. Hooker spending five seasons in college, using his extra eligibility year the NCAA granted during the COVID-19 pandemic, likely affected his draft slot as well. Campbell said Hooker’s age was not a factor for them.
Detroit appeared to be OK going into the season with only Nate Sudfeld behind Goff, but the team signed Teddy Bridgewater in July. The veteran has not been needed this season, but he stands to finish out the year as the Lions’ backup. The Lions would have a spot for Hooker, as the No. 3 QB, with Sudfeld on season-ending IR. David Blough sits as Detroit’s de facto QB3, residing on the practice squad. Hooker’s return could affect Blough, but the Lions may also keep all four once they activate the rookie.
Prior to his ACL tear, the 6-foot-3 prospect piloted Tennessee to five wins over ranked competition — including a shootout conquest over Alabama — last season. Hooker finished his two-year Vols run with 58 touchdown passes and five interceptions; the six-year collegian was far less prolific at Virginia Tech. As our Ely Allen pointed out in April, Hooker playing in what is viewed as a QB-friendly offense at Tennessee could affect his NFL development. The Lions will begin that process in earnest today.