RG3 To Miss Multiple Games?
On Sunday, RG3 suffered a shoulder sprain and told reporters after the game that it wasn’t a significant injury. Apparently, the shoulder is in worse shape than the quarterback realized. Griffin is hurt and could be out for a while, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter). 
The full extent of Griffin’s injury is not yet known. If he misses games, the Browns are fortunate to have veteran Josh McCown ready to step in. This offseason, Cleveland fielded interest from clubs who wanted to trade for the 37-year-old, but they rebuffed those offers knowing that Griffin is extra susceptible to injuries with the way he plays. The Browns told teams they wanted a high draft pick for McCown, a price that no team was willing to meet.
Griffin, a fifth-year pro, set NFL rookie records for passer rating (102.4), interception percentage (1.27), and rushing yards by a quarterback (815) en route to being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012. Starting 13 games in 2013, Griffin recorded a career-high 3,203 passing yards and became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to record 3,000 passing yards in each of his first two seasons. He was hoping to be reignited by a change of scenery in Cleveland, but it sounds like he may have suffered a setback to start off the 2016 season.
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Saints’ Delvin Breaux Out Six Weeks
The Saints’ worst fears were confirmed today with regards to cornerback Delvin Breaux. The 26-year-old suffered a broken fibula and will be sidelined for six weeks, as Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune tweets. 
Breaux was carted off the field during the second quarter of Sunday’s contest against the Raiders. The Saints had to go the rest of the game without their best cornerback and they could have more high-scoring affairs in their future if he is sidelined. Without Breaux, the Saints are left with P.J. Williams, Sterling Moore, and a pair of UDFAs. It stands to reason that the Saints will explore their options at cornerback in the coming days.
Breaux, a New Orleans native and CFL import, started 15 games for New Orleans last season and had 19 pass deflections with three interceptions.
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Eagles’ Ertz, McKelvin Suffer Injuries
We’re one game into the season and the Eagles are already a little bit banged up. Today, coach Doug Pederson told reporters that tight end Zach Ertz and cornerback Leodis McKelvin are both week-to-week after suffering injuries (Twitter link via Eagles’ team account). Ertz suffered an especially painful-sounding injury as one of his ribs has displaced itself under his collarbone. McKelvin, meanwhile, has a hamstring strain that could sideline him for multiple games. 
[RELATED: Eagles Notes: Johnson, Wentz, Fullbacks]
Ertz, the 35th overall pick in the 2013 draft, is coming off a career year in which he caught 75 passes for 853 yards in 2015. This offseason, he was rewarded with a lucrative extension that should keep him in Philly through the 2021 season. On Sunday against the Browns, Ertz caught six of his seven targets for 58 yards. The Eagles have Brent Celek and Trey Burton on the depth chart behind the 6’5″, 249 pound tight end.
In the case of McKelvin, the Eagles could simply promote from within by calling up C.J. Smith from the practice squad. Pederson acknowledge that as a possibility while also adding that the team will explore its options at cornerback if McKelvin has to miss significant time.
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Bills To Re-Sign Jerome Felton
Weeks after cutting him, the Bills have agreed to re-sign Jerome Felton, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Felton was a roster casualty when the Bills trimmed down to a 53-man roster. 
Felton was signed as a free agent last offseason to a four-year pact worth $9.2MM with $4MM guaranteed. Known as a great lead blocker, Felton put himself on the map as he cleared the way for Adrian Peterson in his 2012 MVP campaign. This offseason, however, he found himself leapfrogged by Glenn Gronkowski, a younger and cheaper fullback option.
In other Bills news, we learned today that the team could be without Sammy Watkins for multiple games as the wide receiver is experiencing pain in his surgically-repaired foot.
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Sammy Watkins To Miss Multiple Games?
In the past, Sammy Watkins has managed to play through some serious pain. However, the pain he is now experiencing in his surgically repaired foot could cause him to miss several weeks of action, sources tell Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The good news here, however, is that x-rays did not reveal any new fractures.
[RELATED: Bills, C Patrick Lewis Agree To Extension]
After having a perfect attendance record in his rookie season, Watkins was forced to miss three games in 2016. In the spring, Watkins suffered what was termed as a minor foot fracture and had to have a screw inserted. In his 13-game season, Watkins hauled in 60 passes for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns in his shortened season.
On Sunday, Watkins had four catches for 43 yards in Buffalo’s loss to the Ravens. Losing Watkins for any length of time would be devastating for Buffalo, particularly given the holes they have on the other side of the ball already. It doesn’t help that this is a short week for the Bills as they face off against the rival Jets on Thursday night.
Beyond Watkins, the Bills have Robert Woods, Marquise Goodwin, Greg Salas, Brandon Tate, and Walt Powell at wide receiver. Buffalo also has a pair of receivers on the practice squad in Matt Hazel and Dez Lewis.
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Latest On Larry Fitzgerald
On Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com heard that Larry Fitzgerald was telling close friends that this season would likely be his last. However, the Cardinals’ wide receiver has no plans to retire after this year, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Download The Must-Have Trade Rumors App Today!]
Fitzgerald signed an extension just last month that will keep him under contract through the 2017 season, though it is guaranteed for injury only. Of course, the 33-year-old is still producing at a high level. Last year, Fitzgerald turned in his best stat line in some time as he hauled in 109 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Last night, he caught eight passes for 81 yards and two scores against the Patriots. To put it simply – it looks like the nine-time Pro Bowler has a lot of football left in him.
This year, Fitzgerald is earning $11MM, tying him for tenth amongst all wide receivers in the NFL in terms of yearly compensation. If Fitzgerald continues playing beyond 2016 and the Cardinals keep him on the roster, he’ll earn $11MM once again in 2017.
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Lions, RB Theo Riddick Agree To Extension
SATURDAY, 9:25am: The Lions have confirmed the extensions for both Riddick and Martin, with general manager Bob Quinn releasing a statement:
“We are excited to announce contract extensions for Sam Martin and Theo Riddick. Both players have earned these extensions through their hard work that dates back to 2013 when both joined the Lions. I would like to thank Sam, Theo, and their representatives for their hard work assisting us in our goal of completing these extensions prior to the start of the regular season. I’m very pleased that both players can join their teammates in fully concentrating on our opening game.”
FRIDAY, 11:10am: The Lions have agreed to a contract extension with running back Theo Riddick, according to a source who spoke with Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a three-year deal worth $12.75MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Lions, P Sam Martin Agree To Extension]
Last season, Riddick caught 80 passes (most of any running back in 2015) for 697 yards and three scores. This year, he is slated to get a good amount of work behind primary tailback Ameer Abdullah. Abdullah figures to get the bulk of the carries thanks to his speed and agility, but Riddick will be in on passing downs and should get a good number of targets from Matthew Stafford.
Riddick, who turned 25 this spring, was slated to hit the open market after the 2016 season. It seems like Riddick did pretty well on this deal, especially when considering that Giovani Bernard‘s new contract with the Bengals is only worth a little more at $15.5MM over a three year period. Riddick is roughly the same age as Bernard, but Bernard has shown to be a more well-balanced running back.
This has already been a busy day for the Lions as they extended punter Sam Martin minutes ago.
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Vikings, Joe Berger Agree To Extension
SATURDAY, 9:15am: Berger received a $915K roster bonus with the one-year extension, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The lineman is now due around $2MM in 2016 and $1MM in 2017 (not including incentives).
FRIDAY, 1:48pm: The Vikings announced that they have reached agreement on a one-year extension with center Joe Berger. Berger’s new contract is technically a two-year deal, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (on Twitter) which means it could include a slight bump for 2016. Berger is now under contract through the 2017 season. 
Berger, entering his 12th NFL season, was rated by Pro Football Focus as one of the league’s top centers in 2015. This offseason, Berger won the starting job at center and made long-time starter John Sullivan expendable, leading to his release.
A sixth-round pick in the 2005 draft, Berger had two stints with the Dolphins and spent time with the Cowboys before joining the Vikings in 2011. Since then, Berger has appeared in 77 games and made 34 starts for Minnesota.
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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/16
Here are Friday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Chase Farris (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein)
- Cut: RB George Winn
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Earl Okine (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
- Cut: DB Julian Wilson
New Orleans Saints
- Cut: CB Taveze Calhoun (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Dan Vitale (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
- Retired: WR Evan Spencer
NFC South Notes: Newton, Evans, Shorts
Quarterback Cam Newton took at least four helmet-to-helmet hits in the Panthers’ season-opening loss to Denver on Thursday, but officials only flagged the Broncos once. That led Panthers head coach Ron Rivera to opine Friday that refs discriminate against the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Newton because of his size (via David Newton of ESPN).
“There’s a little bit of prejudice to that,” stated Rivera. “It’s kind of like what happened to [former NBA star] Shaquille O’Neal. Here’s a big, physical basketball player and he goes to set a pick, a guy falls down and they call a foul on him. He goes to shoot a little layup and gets hacked and hammered and they don’t call it.”
The NFL admitted Friday that a helmet-to-helmet shot Newton took from Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall should have been called, per Judy Battista of NFL.com (on Twitter).
On whether proper concussion protocol was followed with the banged-up Newton, Rivera added, “I’m not going to question the doctors. OK?” There is a protocol. There is a set of rules that these doctors, these trained professionals have to follow. The understanding is when everything first happened, they followed the protocol.”
According to Battista (Twitter links here), medical officials checked on Newton during a stoppage late in the game and determined that he did not have a concussion. Officials have since examined Newton several more times, including Friday, and still haven’t seen concussion symptoms.
Here’s more from the NFC South:
- Guard Jahri Evans’ one-year deal with the Saints is worth $1MM and contains no guarantees or signing bonus, Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets.
- Wide receiver Cecil Shorts‘ contract with the Buccaneers is a one-year, $1.05MM pact, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). He’ll also earn a $15K+ roster bonus for each game he’s active.
- Former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims worked out for the Falcons as a running back, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll be signing him at this time, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.