Lane Johnson’s Suspension Upheld
Lane Johnson‘s 10-game suspension has been upheld by the NFL, attorney Steve Zashin tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Johnson’s ban initially came down over the summer, but he has been fighting the decision. Now, the fight is over and Johnson will be out of action until Philly’s Week 16 game against the Giants. 
Johnson tested positive for PEDs in August but he claimed that he unknowingly took a tainted amino acid. His previous positive test for PEDs probably hurt his credibility on the matter. Johnson had $25MM in remaining guarantees on his contract, but that money is no longer secured thanks to the suspension.
Without Johnson, the Eagles will be missing a key part of their O-Line for the bulk of the season. Johnson, the fourth overall pick in 2013, has been a starter for the Eagles since the team drafted him out of Oklahoma, playing primarily at right tackle before spending some time at left tackle in 2015.
Now that Johnson’s ban has been upheld, Philadelphia will reportedly start Halapoulivaati Vaitai at right tackle in order to leave Allen Barbre at left guard.
This past season, Pro Football Focus ranked Johnson 24th among 81 qualified offensive tackles.
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Vikings To Sign Jake Long
Former No. 1 overall pick Jake Long has a new home. The Vikings are expected to sign the offensive tackle today, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
Long auditioned for Minnesota on Monday after the team was forced to place Andre Smith on IR. While Smith deals with his bothersome elbow, Long is expected to provide veteran depth for the Vikings’ O-Line. He likely won’t be penciled in as a starter, but we should know more about his role when coach Mike Zimmer addresses reporters today.
Long appeared to have a deal with the Ravens this summer, but his physical raised red flags for the team and the tackle declined to sign an injury waiver. When that deal went bust, Long remained on the open market and there was little news about him until yesterday’s Vikings audition. After two torn ACLs, it will be interesting to see what Long is capable of doing this season.
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Extra Points: Garoppolo, Cards, Packers
What would it take for the Patriots to trade Jimmy Garoppolo? ESPN.com’s Mike Sando (Insider sub. req’d) asked around the NFL to try and figure out where the QB’s market might be. “You get a first and a second in a heartbeat, but you ask for two firsts,” one executive said. “That is where the divide is. And the middle ground might be a first and two seconds. San Francisco got two seconds for Alex Smith, but he had already failed.” A better question might be: Would the Patriots trade Garoppolo?Given his strong play to start the season and Tom Brady‘s age, it’s possible that the Patriots would not entertain offers at all.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Cardinals GM Steve Keim told 98.7 FM in Arizona (Twitter link) that guard Evan Mathis could potentially return from IR this year. Of course, Mathis could only return after eight weeks on IR and the team can only activate one player from IR this year. That means that even if Mathis is healthy enough, the Cardinals might opt to promote a healthy Chris Johnson or Tyvon Branch instead. Mathis sustained a bad ankle injury against San Francisco on Thursday, prompting the team to put him on the shelf. Over the weekend, Mathis hinted that he is planning on retiring after the 2016 season, so it is possible that he has played his last down of football.
- The Packers have been granted one-week roster exemptions for defensive tackle Mike Pennel and defensive back Demetri Goodson, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Pennel (substance abuse) and Goodson (PED) are both coming off four-games suspensions. The exemptions expire on Monday, so if Green Bay wants either of the two to play on Sunday, the club will have to make a transaction.
- After promoting quarterbacks coach Marty Mornhinweg to replace fired offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, the Ravens don’t plan to hire a new QBs coach, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Instead, longtime coach Craig Ver Steeg — listed as a senior offensive assistant in the club’s media guide — will assist in quarterback meetings.
- A botched hold cost the Chargers a chance at overtime on Sunday, and San Diego will “explore options” at holder, according to head coach Mike McCoy (Twitter link via Eric Williams of ESPN.com). Drew Kasar, the man who mishandled the snap in question, will remain the club’s punter, however.
Cardinals Cut QB Zac Dysert
The Cardinals announced that they have released quarterback Zac Dysert, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic tweets. The release of Dysert is likely a sign that the Cardinals believe Carson Palmer will be healthy enough to take on the Jets on Sunday. The Cardinals also signed tackle Martin Wallace to the practice squad. 
The Cardinals promoted Dysert from the p-squad earlier this month when Palmer was knocked out of action with a concussion. Dysert held the clipboard for Drew Stanton while Palmer was sidelined, but he won’t be needed now that the veteran is once again ready for action.
Dysert, 26, has now been on six different rosters after being chosen in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. Dysert has yet to attempt a regular season pass.
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Bills Activate Seantrel Henderson
The Bills announced that they have activated offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson. To make room, safety Colt Anderson has been placed on injured reserve. 
Henderson was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The tackle started all 16 games in his rookie season in Buffalo, and had started ten games for the team in 2015 before he was sidelined with Crohn’s. In May, head coach Rex Ryan and some of Henderson’s teammates indicated that they had not heard from him in some time.
This offseason, there were also rumblings that Henderson’s heart wasn’t in playing football and some teammates indicated that he had a problem with marijuana. The 24-year-old now has a chance to silence his critics as he joins the Bills this week.
Anderson suffered an arm injury in Buffalo’s 30-19 victory over the Rams. After spending the first six years of his career with the Eagles and Colts, Anderson joined Buffalo this offseason to beef up their special teams unit. He’ll be eligible for free agency after the season.
The Bills host the Niners on Sunday.
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Vikings Audition Jake Long
The Vikings worked out Jake Long today, as Chad Graff of the Pioneer Press tweets. Coach Mike Zimmer confirmed the workout to reporters at a press conference earlier today. 
Long, 31, could be a good pickup in the wake of Andre Smith‘s elbow injury. Smith was placed on IR earlier today, meaning that he will be out for at least eight weeks.
Long, a former No. 1 overall pick, spent the 2015 season with the Falcons after signing on midway through September. The veteran was hoping to have a bounce-back season in Atlanta, but he wound up only appearing in four games and he didn’t start in any of those contests. In the year prior, Long saw time in just seven games for the Rams last season due to a torn ACL. In the year before that, Long also tore his ACL in St. Louis.
In 2014, Long’s last season which could be measured by advanced metrics, Pro Football Focus ranked Long as just the No. 36 tackle out of 84 qualified players. In 2013, however, Long graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the league with a strong 22.5 overall score, based on PFF’s advanced metrics. Those numbers suggest that Long could still be a productive player if he can return to full health.
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Browns Claim OL Jonathan Cooper
The Browns have added a former first-round pick to the roster. Cleveland claimed offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper off waivers from the Patriots, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Cooper, the seventh-overall pick in the 2013 draft, was part of the deal that sent Chandler Jones to the Cardinals this offseason. After having started 11 of his 24 career games in Arizona, the 26-year-old was expected to slide in as the Patriots’ starting right guard. However, the guard suffered a foot injury early in camp and did not take the field for the Patriots this season.
It’s unlikely that Cooper will fulfill his first-round potential, but he could be a useful piece for the Browns if he is able to get healthy.
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Dolphins Claim Bene Benwikere
The Dolphins have claimed cornerback Bene Benwikere off waivers from the Panthers, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). Benwikere was a surprise cut by Carolina earlier this week. 
A starting cornerback for Carolina this year, the team decided to part ways with “Big Play Bene” after Julio Jones exploded for a 300-yard game with 228 of those yards coming against the young corner. After the game, Benwikere admitted to reporters that he was gassed and that may have played a role in his release. The Panthers were expected to shake things up in the secondary, but few expected them to drop one of their top cornerbacks. Once he was cut, however, it was expected that Benwikere would be claimed on waivers.
The 1-4 Dolphins had a high waiver priority and they took advantage of it this week to grab the 25-year-old. Given Xavien Howard‘s knee injury and Byron Maxwell‘s shortcomings, Benwikere makes a lot of sense for Miami.
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Vikings To Place Andre Smith On IR
It’s official – the Vikings are placing offensive tackle Andre Smith on IR. Coach Mike Zimmer told reporters today that the veteran will have surgery tomorrow, likely ending his season in October. 
On Friday, we learned that Smith’s elbow injury could be a season-ender. Minnesota has been ravaged by injuries this year, but they have powered through and now sit atop the league with a 5-0 record. After topping the Texans 31-13 at home, the Vikings will rest up before traveling to Philadelphia in Week 7.
Smith came to the Vikings on a one-year, $3.5MM deal this offseason. While he was brought in to hold down the right tackle spot, reserve tackle Jeremiah Sirles has actually been outperforming him according to the advanced metrics. Pro Football Focus has Smith ranked as just the 71st best tackle out of 75 qualified players. Meanwhile, Sirles is No. 15.
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Buccaneers Place Charles Sims On IR
The Buccaneers are placing running back Charles Sims on IR, a source tells ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (via Twitter). The move will create room for the previously reported promotion of running back Russell Hansbrough. 
Sims was considered unlikely to play tonight and it turns out that he won’t be suiting up for at least two months. The Bucs will have the option of reinstating Sims to the roster if he proves to be healthy, but the team can only make one such maneuver per season.
Sims entered the season as Doug Martin‘s primary backup and some expected him to have a near-even share of the carries this year. In four games, the 26-year-old drew 41 carries but averaged just 2.8 yards per attempt. He also caught 14 passes for 112 yards.
Tonight, the Bucs will have Jacquizz Rodgers as the lead back with Peyton Barber and Hansbrough in support. The team will hope to have Martin back on the field on the other side of their Week 6 bye.
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