Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith Won’t Play This Year
The Cowboys raised some eyebrows this week when they activated linebacker Jaylon Smith from the non-football injury list. However, he won’t be playing this season, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. In fact, the rookie won’t even be practicing this season. 
By activating Smith off the NFI list this week, the Cowboys were merely keeping their options open. The timetable for making his NFL debut is still unclear because of the nature of his injury. Nerve damage is always tough to figure out and the source tells Rapoport that it’s not clear when or if it will “fire” again.
Smith has now been rehabbing his injury for eleven months and he has been earning his full salary while on NFI, even though the Cowboys do not have to do that under league rules. So, the decision to keep Smith off the field will not affect his bank account.
The Cowboys would have liked to add the Notre Dame product to their front seven this year, but they also knew that this could be a lost season for him. Once regarded as a top 10 pick, most teams ruled Smith out in the early rounds. The Patriots, Rapoport says, were the only other team that would have considered Smith in the second round. In time, the Cowboys’ gamble could pay off, but we won’t have a read on that until next year.
Adrian Peterson On Track For Dec. Return
For most players, a significant tear to the meniscus is a season-ender. But, as we all know, Adrian Peterson isn’t like most players. The Vikings believe that the running back can return to action next month, people with knowledge of the situation tell Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. 
Over the next week or two, Peterson will ramp up his workload and that will give the Vikings a better handle on his timetable for return. If all goes well, we could see the veteran make a surprisingly quick comeback after suffering a “bucket handle tear” of the meniscus in September.
Peterson’s attempted return from surgery is admirable, but one has to wonder what Peterson can bring to the table this year. Before the injury, Peterson was uncharacteristically unproductive, totaling just 50 yards off of 31 carries. Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata have done better than that, of course, but they’re also not setting the world on fire. The Vikings added Ronnie Hillman after AD went to IR, but he didn’t do much in limited action and was sent packing earlier this week.
Of course, if Peterson can run like he did at the close of the 2015 season, he’ll provide a huge boost for the 6-4 Vikings. The Vikings face the Lions this afternoon and the winner will be in the driver’s seat of the NFC North.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/16
Wednesday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Colts re-signed cornerback Darryl Morris and placed fellow corner Frankie Williams on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list.
- The Bears announced that they have promoted linebacker Jonathan Anderson to the active roster. Chicago also signed Lawrence Okoye and listed him as an offensive lineman. Okoye has tried his hand as a defensive lineman in the past.
- The Lions have signed quarterback Jake Rudock to the active roster from the practice squad.
- The Seahawks have moved running back George Farmer from their practice squad to their active roster. A receiver at USC, Farmer shifted to cornerback after signing with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He then became a rusher entering this year, and racked up 36 yards on nine carries during the preseason.
- The Rams have signed cornerback Steve Williams, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. This will be Williams’ second stint of 2016 with the Rams, who waived him after he was inactive for their first two games. He then joined the Chargers and started in two of five appearances, but they cut him Nov. 8.
Karlos Williams Handed 10-Game Suspension
The Bills cut ties with running back Karlos Williams earlier this year when they realized that he wasn’t worth the headaches. Now, the Steelers will either have to do the same or keep some Tylenol handy.
Williams has been handed a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Since he’s on the practice squad, the move doesn’t necessarily affect the team’s plans. But it seems likely that he will be released to free up a spot on the 10-man unit.
Not long ago, Williams looked like he could be the the heir apparent to LeSean McCoy in Buffalo. As a fifth-round rookie in 2015, the ex-Florida State Seminole picked up 613 scrimmage yards and scored nine times on just 104 touches. But he earned a four-game substance abuse suspension in July and then showed up to training camp out of shape, leading the Bills to cut him in late August.
Williams joined the Steelers’ practice squad last month, but he didn’t earn a promotion to the team’s active roster and his season – and maybe his Steelers career – will now end thanks to his latest ban.
Eddie Lacy, Sam Shields Won’t Return For Packers
The Packers announced that they are activating cornerback Makinton Dorleant from injured reserve. The move means that running back Eddie Lacy and cornerback Sam Shields can not return this year. 
Lacy had surgery on his injured ankle roughly one month ago, but there was a glimmer of hope that he could see the field again this season. The injury was unfortunate since Lacy trimmed down this season and was boasting a career-best 5.1 yards-per-carry average on 71 attempts. The bruising tailback went down around the same time as top backup James Starks, leaving Green Bay with a major hole at running back.
This fall, Shields suffered his fourth reported concussion in the past six seasons. When healthy, Shields is regarded as one of the better cornerbacks in the entire NFL. However, given his concussion issues, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll ever return to that form. Today, the Packers opted to promote a rookie cornerback over Shields, and that is telling.
Bears’ Jay Cutler Not Done For Season?
Jay Cutler has a torn labrum in his shoulder that will rule him out for the season. Unless he doesn’t. Speaking to reporters today, coach John Fox indicated that Cutler’s injury is not a season-ender, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Fox referred to the injury as a “day-to-day” situation. 
Yesterday’s report on Cutler’s injury noted that the quarterback would seek a second opinion on his shoulder, which left the door open to a more favorable diagnosis. It sounds like Cutler got the good news he was looking for. The veteran quarterback won’t be playing to put the 2-8 Bears in playoff contention, but he could strengthen his case as he nears free agency. It seems unlikely that Chicago will welcome him back in 2017, so a strong finish to the year will be crucial for Cutler’s market.
This year, Cutler has a 59.1% completion percentage with a weak 4-to-5 touchdown/interception ratio. Still, he’s not far removed from a solid 2014 campaign and plenty of QB-needy teams would roll the dice on Cutler if he can show some signs of life this winter.
If Cutler does miss some time, Matt Barkley will start with the newly-(re)acquired David Fales as the No. 2.
Falcons Release RB Stevan Ridley
The Falcons have released running back Stevan Ridley, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
The Lions signed Ridley this offseason with the idea that he would fulfill their “big back” role. He slid down the depth chart over the summer, however, and was released in late August. After a cup of coffee with the Colts in the preseason, he was on the couch until the Falcons came calling in October. Less than one month later, he’s once again looking for work.
In 2012, Ridley looked like a star in the making for the Patriots. Unfortunately, he fell out of favor due to fumbling issues and a major knee injury kept him out of action. Given all that he has been through, it’s not clear if the 27-year-old will ever be able to regain his old form.
With Ridley gone, the Falcons are slated to move forward with Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, and Terron Ward at running back. No additional move has been announced yet, but running back Jhurell Pressley could be promoted from the p-squad to fill the spot.
Cardinals Designate Tyvon Branch For Return
In early October, both safety Tyvon Branch and running back Chris Johnson were placed on injured reserve with severe groin injuries. At the time, coach Bruce Arians indicated that it would be a race between the two to see who could get healthy first. It appears that Branch has won. 
Branch will come off IR and is on the field practicing today, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (on Twitter). The safety cannot play before Dec. 4 but he is on the path to return.
Branch appeared in all 16 games for the Chiefs last season and recorded 43 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble, and four passes defensed. The advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus placed Branch as the 30th best safety in the NFL last year, slotting him ahead of free agents like Chris Conte, Eric Weddle, and David Bruton. While he did not start in 2015, the Cardinals believed that he was capable of a larger role. Branch was shelved after just five games this year, but he’ll get the opportunity to rejoin the club for the final stretch of the season.
Because only one player can return from IR, Johnson’s season is through. In 2015, Johnson was surprisingly productive for Arizona before a fractured tibia ended his season early. He re-signed with the Cardinals in the spring where he was expected to be David Johnson‘s primary backup. His season ends with a grand total of 95 yards and one touchdown off of 28 carries.
Buccaneers Bring Back Charles Sims
The Buccaneers announced that running back Charles Sims has been designated for return from injured reserve. Sims will now begin his 21-day practice window. 
The Bucs’ backfield was cursed this season with injuries claiming Doug Martin, Sims, Jacquizz Rodgers, and Antone Smith (done for year). In August, the Bucs’ running back group was one of the stronger units in the league. Mere weeks later, Tampa Bay was hard up for RB production.
Martin, who wishes that you no longer refer to him as “Muscle Hamster,” returned to action a couple of weeks ago. In the last two games, he has amassed just 96 yards off of 40 carries. As Martin works his way back to 100% health, Sims could help to jumpstart Tampa Bay’s running game.
Sims’ return means that Vincent Jackson cannot play again in 2016. Jackson did not suffer a complete ACL tear as initially feared, so a comeback was still possible for him this season. However, it sounds like he’ll need additional recovery time. The 5-5 Buccaneers still have a shot at the playoffs and they are opting for a mostly healthy Sims to help their running game over a banged up Jackson.
Bengals Pick RB Cedric Peerman For Return
The Bengals announced that they have designated running back Cedric Peerman to return. Teams only get one IR-DTR move per season, so today’s news means that we will not see rookie cornerback William Jackson III take the field this season. 
So far this year, the Bengals’ secondary has been lackluster, leading some to believe that Jackson would get the nod. However, the team is also hurting in the third facet of the game. Peerman is a special teams stalwart for Cincinnati and the Bengals decided that they would benefit more from having him on the field than the young Houston product.
When Rams quarterback Jared Goff made his debut earlier this month, Jackson was the only 2016 first-round pick who was still waiting to take the field. Now, he has solidified the unfortunate distinction. Jackson will turn his focus to 2017 when he hopes to propel the Bengals’ defense with his exceptional speed.
At 3-6-1, the Bengals are not likely to make the playoffs, but they also haven’t been mathematically eliminated. After losing Giovani Bernard for the season and losing A.J. Green for multiple games, the Bengals are sending a message today that they are not giving up on 2016.