NFL Waiver Priority Now Based On 2016 Record
We’re coming up on Week 4 of the NFL season and that means that waiver claim priority will be based on the current league standings instead of last year’s. Of course, waiver priority is based on the inverted NFL standings, which have built in tiebreakers to sort out the many logjams that naturally occur.
Throughout the offseason and the first three weeks of the regular season, the Titans enjoyed top priority thanks to their 3-13 finish last year. Now, we have a brand new pecking order. Here is a full rundown of the current waiver claim priority, which will change from week to week:
1. Jaguars
2. Saints
3. Bears
4. Browns
5. Chargers
6. Lions
7. Jets
8. Cardinals
9. Bills
10. Colts
11. Dolphins
12. 49ers
13. Buccaneers
14. Bengals
15. Titans
16. Redskins
17. Panthers
18. Falcons
19. Cowboys
20. Giants
21. Raiders
22. Packers
23. Chiefs
24. Rams
25. Seahawks
26. Texans
27. Steelers
28. Ravens
29. Eagles
30. Broncos
31. Vikings
32. Patriots
Lions Audition DL Quinton Coples
The Lions worked out pass-rusher Quinton Coples today, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. However, Detroit will not be signing him at this time. 
Defensive end Ziggy Ansah is expected to be out for Sunday’s game and perhaps longer as he deals with a high ankle sprain. The Lions wanted to take a closer look at Coples in the event that Ansah is out for a while, but it doesn’t sound like they were blown away by what they saw from the No. 16 overall pick in the 2012 draft. The Lions’ decision to pass on Coples could also be a sign that Ansah’s return is not far off.
Coples was cut by the Dolphins in February before his fifth-year option for the 2016 season became fully guaranteed. He hooked on with the Rams, but L.A. dropped him in late August. Coples had his best year as a pro in 2014, but even that amounted to just 35 tackles and 6.5 sacks, modest totals for a first-round pass rusher.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Redskins Sign Sullivan, Lichtensteiger To IR
Big changes are coming for the Redskins at the center position. After working him out today, the Redskins have agreed to sign John Sullivan, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter) adds that it is a one-year deal. Meanwhile, Kory Lichtensteiger is being placed on IR after suffering a calf injury. 
Sullivan, 31, has long been one of the league’s more underrated centers. Though he has never been named an All Pro or Pro Bowler, he’s been considered among the top at his position in the NFL. Until last year, he had started at least 14 games in every season since 2009. Sullivan missed all of 2015 due to injury, and veteran Joe Berger performed like a top-five center in his stead. The Vikings went with the much Berger this offseason, leaving Sullivan without a job.
Earlier this year, the Redskins traded for Bryan Stork as a possible understudy or replacement for Lichtensteiger, but he failed the physical. After he was sent back to New England, the Redskins were left looking thin on the interior line. Now that Lichtensteiger is likely done for the year, the Redskins are shaking things up and bringing in Sullivan, a lineman with a solid resume.
Lichtensteiger becomes the third Redskins starter to be placed on IR, joining DeAngelo Hall and Kedric Golston, as John Keim of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bears To Sign Joique Bell
The Bears have signed running back Joique Bell, as NFL reporter Rand Getlin tweets. Bell met with Chicago late this morning and it didn’t take long for the two sides to shake hands on a deal. 
Bell has been on the market since he was released by the Lions in February. Prior to his release, the tailback turned down a pay cut proposal. In hindsight, Bell might have been too confident in the strength of his market. Regardless, Bell is now back in the game and back in the NFC North. The veteran will have an opportunity to exact revenge on his old team this Sunday when the Bears face off against Detroit.
Bell, 30, averaged just 3.5 yards per carry last season, the lowest of his career. However, he has a history of productivity and has shown that he can be an effective runner and pass catcher when given the opportunity. Before Theo Riddick was doing damage as a pass-catching back in the Lions’ offense, it was Bell who was making things happen with his hands. In his first two seasons with Detroit, Bell averaged 52 catches for 516 yards.
Bell will likely serve as a reserve tailback behind Jordan Howard while starter Jeremy Langford heals up from a ankle injury. Ka’Deem Carey is also dealing with a hamstring injury and his status going forward is uncertain.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bears Working Out RB Joique Bell
The Bears are working out running back Joique Bell today, as freelance reporter Rand Getlin tweets. Chicago is exploring depth options after losing Jeremy Langford to injury. 
Langford is expected to be out for 4-6 weeks with a sprained ankle and backup Ka’Deem Carey is dealing with a hamstring issue. If Carey cannot go in Week 4, the Bears will likely use rookie Jordan Howard as their primary back. Raheem Mostert is also on the depth chart, but the Bears will need another RB with experience behind the Indiana product if Carey cannot suit up.
In 13 games for Detroit last season, Bell racked up 311 yards off of 90 carries with four touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 286 yards. Despite giving the Lions multiple seasons of production, Bell was cut earlier this year to save $1MM against the cap.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Tyler Eifert Won’t Play On Thursday?
Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert has hinted that he might play this week, but it’s not expected to happen, according to Bob Holtzman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). We’ll have to wait longer for Eifert to make his 2016 debut, though a Week 5 return is possible. Eifert has not participated in a full practice yet and has not done any 11-on-11 work. 
Eifert missed the bulk of the 2014 season with an elbow injury and missed three games in 2015. Last year, the tight end caught 52 passes for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns. This year, he was expected to take on an even larger role in the Bengals’ passing game, particularly with Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones out of the picture. Eifert could still be an impact player for Cincinnati, but it sounds like we’ll have to wait until October to see him in action.
After facing the Dolphins on Thursday night, the Bengals travel to Dallas on Oct. 9. While Eifert is out, Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah will remain as the Bengals’ top tight ends.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Colts Place LB Trent Cole On IR
The Colts announced that they have placed defensive end/linebacker Trent Cole on injured reserve. It’s not immediately clear why Cole is being shut down, but he has been dealing with a back injury early on this season. 
Cole, 33, signed a two-year, $14MM contract with the Colts in March of 2015. In his first year in blue and white, Cole didn’t have the kind of impact the team was hoping for. While his Pro Football Focus grade was respectable – he placed 34th out of 110 edge defenders – Cole recorded just three sacks, matching a career low. This offseason, he accepted a significant pay cut that trimmed his cap hit for 2016 from $7.125MM to $4.875MM.
During his ten years in Philadelphia, Cole played 155 games (145 starts), racking up 85.5 sacks, 569 tackles, and 19 forced fumbles. But, after posting six consecutive seasons with eight or more sacks from 2006 to 2011, Cole’s production fell off starting in 2012. Cole hopes to get back to his old form, but he’ll have to get healthy first and that likely won’t happen until 2017. Soon to be 34, Cole will be a free agent in the spring.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
49ers OL Anthony Davis Retires – Again
7:32pm: Davis’ retirement stems somewhat from the concussion he suffered earlier this season. “I just want to keep my time and mind intact,” Davis posted on Twitter. He suffered a concussion in practice Sept. 15, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, and didn’t practice with the 49ers after that injury.
6:41pm: Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. The 49ers announced that offensive lineman Anthony Davis is retiring from the NFL. 
Davis, a first-round pick in 2010, originally announced his retirement during the summer of 2015, citing injury concerns. He returned to the 49ers this offseason and it’s not quite clear if both sides were happy with the reunion. New coach Chip Kelly asked Davis to move over to the interior line and he may or may not have been acting in protest when he missed a crucial practice prior to the season-opener.
Davis, 27 in October, has not seen the field since SF’s strong debut against the Rams. Prior to tonight’s surprising announcement, he was considered to be questionable for this week’s matchup against the Cowboys due to concussion-like symptoms. Davis missed nine games in 2014 due to injury and called his retirement a break for his body and brain.
The Rutgers product has had an unusual career to say the least, but he is ostensibly putting his long-term health ahead of his football aspirations with today’s announcement. We here at PFR wish Davis the best in retirement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Chargers Sign RB Andre Williams To Practice Squad
The Chargers signed running back Andre Williams to the practice squad, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Williams was dropped from the Bolts’ active roster over the weekend. 
On Saturday, the Chargers opted to promote tight end Asante Cleveland from the practice squad and dropped Williams in order to make room. Despite having some success as a member of the Giants, Williams passed through waivers unclaimed, allowing him to stay in sunny San Diego.
In 2014, Williams racked up more than 700 rushing yards, but he was not as effective in 2015 for the G-Men. Still, Williams is a physical runner with experience and someone the Chargers can call on if they are hit by the injury bug again. The Chargers have already lost Branden Oliver and Danny Woodhead for the year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cowboys OL La’El Collins Out For 6-10 Weeks?
Cowboys offensive lineman La’el Collins is believed to have torn a ligament in his foot, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Collins will be out for 6-10 weeks and a forthcoming second opinion will determine whether he needs surgery. 
Collins was rated as a top talent in the 2015 draft but a bizarre set of circumstances led him to sign a UDFA contract with the Cowboys. The Cowboys came away with a first-round talent in the guard, but they’ll now have to wait until November or later to see him on the field again.
The Cowboys will miss having Collins in the lineup, but they must be especially grateful to have Ronald Leary as a fill-in. Leary tried to force his way out of Dallas this offseason so that he could start elsewhere, but the Cowboys did not find an offer to his liking. Now, Leary once again has an opportunity to shine. Leary was on the field for only 137 pass snaps and 84 run snaps in 2015, according to the stats compiled by Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Although he did not qualify to be ranked based on that limited sample size, Leary was given an overall grade of 72.2, which would have placed him among the top 30 guards in the NFL last season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.