Washington To Bench Dwayne Haskins
The Washington Football Team is making a quarterback change. Former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins will be benched in favor of Kyle Allen, as Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweet. Furthermore, Haskins will be moved down to No. 3 on the QB depth chart with Alex Smith taking over as the primary backup. 
Washington tried to tailor the offense to Haskins’ strengths this offseason while giving him all of the first-string reps in practice. So far, that hasn’t panned out. After their comeback win over the Eagles to start the season, WFT has gone without a W in the last three games.
Haskins, the No. 15 overall pick of the 2019 draft, has been sacked a ton — the offensive line is partially to blame, though Haskins has not been able to locate his open targets quickly, either. Between his three interceptions and one fumble against the Browns, Haskins is coming off of a four-turnover game, one that may change the trajectory of his NFL career. All in all, Haskins has completed just 56.4% of his passes with four touchdowns against three INTs.
Washington is set to play the Ravens this week, presenting Allen with a tough task. But, after that, they have a fairly soft stretch that includes the Rams, Giants (2x), Cowboys, and Lions. Ron Rivera & Co. believe that Allen can take advantage of that stretch and put them on the right track.
Meanwhile, this marks yet another remarkable milestone for Smith, who suffered a gruesome leg injury in November of 2018.The injury was thought to be a potential career ender, especially after Smith contracted sepsis. Now healthy, the 36-year-old could be on the verge of taking his first snap in years.
Titans Have Two New COVID-19 Positives
The Titans received two positive tests results in their latest round of COVID-19 testing, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Previous to this, the Titans seemed to have the viral spread under control with consecutive days of zero new positives.
[RELATED: Patriots’ Gilmore Tests Positive For COVID-19]
The Titans are scheduled to play the Bills in Week 5. As it stands, that game is still on; as is the Patriots’ Sunday tilt against the Bills. Of course, the league will keep a watchful eye on the Titans and Patriots, who just received word of star cornerback Stephon Gilmore‘s positive test.
The Titans were forced to call off their Week 4 game against the Steelers and close their team facility following the first outbreak. They’ve shut down their building once again in light of the latest positives. In total, the Titans have had ten players test positive in the last two weeks, plus nine personnel members.
Patriots’ Stephon Gilmore Tests Positive For COVID-19
Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore has tested positive for COVID-19, as NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. With that, the Patriots have called off Wednesday’s practice.
Gilmore’s positive tests comes on the heels of quarterback Cam Newton‘s diagnosis. In addition, practice squad defensive lineman Bill Murray has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, which means that he has either come in close contact with someone that has the coronavirus or has it himself.
The Chiefs — who played the Patriots on Monday night — had zero positive tests in Wednesday’s round. However, Gilmore was in close contact with numerous Chiefs players during the game, including star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Gilmore was also on one of the Patriots’ two team planes, meaning that many more players and personnel members were potentially exposed.
Gilmore, 30, was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. He’ll be ineligible to play on Sunday against the Broncos, per league protocol, and his diagnosis will likely have a ripple effect on the schedule. More importantly, the hope is that the virus has not spread and that Gilmore remains in good condition.
Seahawks Meet With Mychal Kendricks
Mychal Kendricks is visiting with the Seahawks today, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). Kendricks, who spent the last two years with the Seahawks, remains a free agent after passing on at least one offer over the summer. 
Kendricks, 29, started in 14 games last year after serving an eight-game suspension for his insider trading matter. Playing alongside Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright on passing downs in the base formation, the veteran logged 71 tackles, three sacks, one interception, and a forced fumble. Then, he finished the year on IR after a late-season ACL tear.
The Seahawks went on to draft Jordyn Brooks in Round 1 and let Kendricks walk in free agency, but he could be on the verge of rejoining the club here in October. The Raiders discussed a deal with Kendricks in October, but the two sides couldn’t come to terms.
If everything’s a go, Kendricks could be active for Sunday night against the Vikings. The Seahawks, who have beat the Vikings six straight times, will look to keep their perfect record going.
49ers To Release Mohamed Sanu
The 49ers will release wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With Deebo Samuel and Richie James on the mend, the Niners will shift their focus to their younger targets. Meanwhile, Sanu is now available for teams in need of an experienced receiver. 
Sanu joined the Niners just a few weeks ago on a deal worth just over the veteran’s minimum. The former Bengals, Falcons, and Patriots wideout reunited with former Falcons coach Kyle Shanahan, but the party didn’t last long. Sanu suited up for three games, but he leaves SF with just one catch for nine yards from their Week 2 romp over the Giants.
The 31-year-old didn’t impress in his eight regular season games (six starts) with the Patriots last year, either. He finished out with 26 grabs (on 47 targets) for 207 yards and one score. Then, he was invisible during New England’s playoff loss to the Titans as he caught just one pass for eleven yards. Although he’s accomplished and experienced, the Niners are far more fixated on the acrobatics of rookie Brandon Aiyuk and the rest of the bunch.
In 2018, Sanu turned in perhaps the best performance of his career, catching 66 passes for 838 yards and four TDs with the Falcons. He might not be able to reprise that performance, but he will try to get a bit closer to that.
49ers’ K’Waun Williams Suffers ACL Injury
49ers cornerback K’Waun Williams played through a somewhat rare ACL sprain on Sunday, but he won’t need surgery to correct the issue, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. If rehab goes well, Williams could be back in action in as little as three weeks. For now, he’ll be shelved on the injured reserve list.
[RELATED: Torn Biceps For 49ers’ Ziggy Ansah]
That’s relatively good news, though the Niners are already shorthanded due to a rash of injuries. Hopefully, Williams is able to make a quick recovery while also healing up from his previous hip issue. Fellow cornerback Richard Sherman might not be back for a little while either, putting more pressure on Jason Verrett and the rest of the group to keep a lid on things. Starter Emmanuel Moseley remains in concussion protocol and the Niners are waiting to see if Ahkello Witherspoon‘s hamstring will allow him to play this week.
Williams, 29, has started in 26 of his 47 games since joining the 49ers. Last year, he set a new personal watermark with two interceptions and also tallied his fourth career sack.
The Niners dropped to 2-2 on Sunday as the Eagles pulled ahead in the fourth quarter. This week, they’ll look to get over the .500 mark against the Dolphins, who are rolling with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starter.
Falcons’ Damontae Kazee Done For Year
Falcons safety Damontae Kazee suffered a torn Achilles in last night’s game against the Packers, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). Unfortunately, the diagnosis didn’t come as a huge surprise after Kazee was carted off the field. 
Kazee, 27, was hoping for a big platform season in the final year of his rookie contract. The opportunity was there for him, too, with a slew of injuries in the secondary. Now, he’ll focus on rehab so that he can showcase himself to teams — or land a fresh deal with the Falcons — in the spring.
The versatile former fifth-rounder has started in 34 of his 52 career games for the Falcons, including virtually all of his appearances from 2018-2020. In 2018, Kazee made some serious noise as he led the league with seven interceptions. Last year, he followed up with three INTs, plus 74 total stops.
The Falcons dropped to 0-4 on Monday night without the services of cornerbacks A.J. Terrell and Darqueze Dennard or safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen. Now, they’ll turn their attention to the Panthers in Week 5.
Packers To Meet With Snacks Harrison
Defensive tackle Damon Harrison will meet with the Packers on Wednesday, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That will follow Harrison’s previously-reported Tuesday get-together with the Seahawks. 
The Packers – who have been without Kenny Clark for the last three games – could use the help up front. The Seahawks, meanwhile, don’t necessarily need Snacks. So far, they rank third in the NFL in rush defense, allowing just 3.4 yards per carry to opposing running backs.
Harrison made his name as a fierce run-stuffer with the Jets before signing a lucrative free agent deal with the Giants in 2016. Then, he was shipped to Detroit midway through the 2018 campaign, where he became the first defensive lineman to appear in 17 games during an NFL regular season.
Harrison wasn’t happy with the Lions and considered retirement last year. Eventually, he decided that he still wanted to play, but only for a winning team. The undefeated Packers and Seahawks would fit the bill, giving him a chance to get further than he ever did with the Lions, Giants, or Jets.
Broncos, Mike Purcell Agree To Extension
The Broncos have agreed to a brand new deal with defensive tackle Mike Purcell, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The new pact, which the Broncos announced Tuesday afternoon, will keep Purcell under contract through the 2023 season.
The deal is worth $14.8MM and will guarantee the nose tackle $6.8MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Not bad for a former UDFA whose journeyman career whose final pre-Broncos stop came with the Alliance of American Football. 
[RELATED: Broncos Add LB Nigel Bradham To Practice Squad]
Purcell has been on a nationwide tour for much of his NFL career. After playing for six different teams, being released 10 times over, and having a cup of coffee with the AAF’s Salt Lake Stallions, Purcell found a home with the Broncos. Now, he has a home in Denver for years to come.
While Purcell isn’t much of a pass-rusher, he’s excellent as stopping the run. In fact, Pro Football Focus ranked the 6’3″, 330-pounder as the league’s best run-defending interior player in 2019. Purcell, 29, played in 13 games (seven starts) for the Broncos last season while posting 48 tackles (eight for loss).
The new three-year deal will begin with the 2021 season. For now, the former UDFA will earn $3.259MM, per the terms of his restricted free agent tender.
Titans, Patriots Have No New COVID-19 Positives
The Titans received no new positive tests for the second straight day, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Patriots received good news as well — three days after Cam Newton‘s diagnosis, no one else on the team has tested positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter).
With two straight days of zero positives, the Titans may be able to reopen their facilities on Wednesday. The Titans have been barred from holding in-person activities since Sept. 29. Later that week, the NFL postponed their scheduled Week 4 game against the Steelers.
The NFL is ramping up the pressure on teams to follow COVID-19 protocols and contain potential outbreaks. On Monday, the league office informed clubs that they could be forced to forfeit games if an outbreak occurs due to lax internal standards.
The Patriots’ game against the Chiefs was played as scheduled on Monday night, though things didn’t exactly go according to plan. With Brian Hoyer under center for the first three quarters and Jarrett Stidham finishing out the game, the Chiefs rolled to a 26-10 victory. Meanwhile, Newton was said to be asymptomatic as of Monday, a promising sign for his recovery and eventual return.