Washington Places Brandon Scherff On IR
The Washington Football Team has placed offensive lineman Brandon Scherff on injured reserve, per a club announcement. Scherff suffered an MCL sprain on Sunday against the Cardinals, which will keep him out of action for at least three weeks. In a related move, Washington promoted wide receiver Cam Sims from the practice squad. 
At minimum, Scherff will miss the next three games against the Browns, Ravens, and Rams. If he’s cleared in time, he’ll be eligible to return on Oct. 18 against the Giants at the Meadowlands.
Thanks to the franchise tag, Scherff is set to play out 2020 on a one-year, $15.03MM deal. The three-time Pro Bowler was the first guard to receive the franchise tag since 2011, and that’s largely due to the league’s arcane rules regarding offensive lineman. Per the collective bargaining agreement, guards and tackles are classified under the same “offensive lineman” banner. Those franchise tender salaries are calculated off of the average of the top five at any given position, and teams aren’t keen on paying tackle money to guards. At least, they haven’t historically been keen on that. Scherff is one of the better interior linemen in the league, and the cost of quality guards has risen dramatically.
Since entering the league as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Scherff has started in all 67 of his games. Unfortunately, he’s also missed a good chunk of time. Between 2018 and 2019, he was sidelined for 13 games. He’s one of the league’s very best interior protectors when he’s healthy, but the injury bug has unfortunately bitten him once again.
49ers’ Solomon Thomas Suffers Torn ACL
The hits just keep on coming for the 49ers. Shortly after learning that defensive end Nick Bosa is done for the year with a torn ACL, the 49ers announced that defensive lineman Solomon Thomas has suffered the same injury. Needless to say, Thomas’ year is over. 
[RELATED: 49ers’ Nick Bosa Done For Season]
Thomas didn’t just go down in the same game — he went down two plays after Bosa. This marks a lost season for the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 draft after a string of disappointing campaigns. The Stanford product started at least 12 games in each of his first two seasons but was first string just three times in 2019. After playing on just 41% of the Niners snaps, he turned into more of a role player than the star SF envisioned. This year, he started in both of his games, but he won’t have an opportunity to build off of that.
In 2017, Thomas was widely regarded as the second-best defensive lineman in the class, behind only Myles Garrett. On draft night, the Niners sent their No. 2 overall pick to the Bears and tapped Thomas, even though they already had a loaded defensive front featuring Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner. With that, the Bears got Mitchell Trubisky and the 49ers got a king’s ransom for sliding down just one spot. Unfortunately, they missed on Thomas. In four seasons (really, three seasons-and-change), Thomas registered six total sacks while starting just 30 games.
In other Niners injury news, the club received good word on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He’s day-to-day with his high-ankle injury, giving him a small chance of playing this week against the Giants and a better chance of returning for Week 4 against the Eagles (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Running back Raheem Mostert, meanwhile, will be out for several weeks with a knee injury.
Broncos To Sign Blake Bortles
That was fast. Just moments after we learned of Blake Bortles‘ visit with the Broncos, the quarterback agreed to sign with Denver (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). Everything is in place for a one-year deal, pending COVID protocols. 
[RELATED: Broncos’ Courtland Sutton Tears ACL]
This marks Bortles’ third stop in the NFL, following stints with the Jaguars and Rams. Now, Bortles will join the Broncos to give them support under center as Drew Lock heals up. Lock is expected to miss three-to-five weeks with a severe strain of his rotator cuff.
The 28-year-old enjoyed his best season in 2015 when he threw for 4,428 yards with 35 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. In 2017, he was under center for the Jaguars’ deep playoff run, though he was unable to keep their lead in the second half of the AFC title game against the Patriots.
The Broncos have yet to formally move Lock to injured reserve, but they already have available spots following injuries to Courtland Sutton and defensive end Dre’Mont Jones. Sutton, unfortunately, is done for the year with an ACL tear.
Broncos To Meet With Blake Bortles
Former Jaguars and Rams quarterback Blake Bortles will meet with the Broncos on Tuesday afternoon, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former No. 3 overall pick started for five seasons as a pro, but threw just two passes in 2019.
So far, Bortles hasn’t come close to living up to his draft status. Since Bortles entered the league with the Jaguars, roughly 20 quarterbacks have attempted at least 2,000 passes: among those signal-callers, Bortles ranks dead last in adjusted net yards per attempt, quarterback rating, and interception rate, and is second-to-last in touchdown rate.
Despite all of his flaws, the Jaguars handed Bortles a three-year, $54MM deal in 2018 with $26.5MM guaranteed. Oddly enough, he was the first 2014 first-round pick to receive an extension –ahead of stars like wide receiver Odell Beckham, defensive lineman Aaron Donald, and linebacker Khalil Mack. One year later, they pushed him out the door for Nick Foles, leading him to L.A.
The Broncos are in need of some help under center after losing Drew Lock for three to five weeks with a strained rotator cuff. For now, Jeff Driskel is slated to serve as the fill-in, but he’ll need a signal caller to backstop him. Depending on how the meeting goes, Bortles could be their Plan B.
Broncos’ Courtland Sutton Tears ACL
Courtland Sutton’s season is over. On Monday morning, doctors confirmed that the Broncos’ talented wide receiver has suffered a torn ACL (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).
Sutton, 25 in October, was forced out early from Sunday’s game against the Steelers, but not before he notched three receptions for 66 yards. For the Broncos, it was a tantalizing preview of what could have been another impressive season. Last year, Sutton enjoyed a breakout campaign, finishing out with 72 grabs for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns.
It’s another devastating blow for the Broncos, who have been bit hard by the injury bug recently. Right before the season started, star pass-rusher Von Miller was likely lost for the year with an ankle injury. Then on Sunday, quarterback Drew Lock went down as well, and will miss multiple games with a shoulder injury. Starting cornerback A.J. Bouye and running back Phillip Lindsay are also currently on the shelf.
Sutton missed Week 1 with a shoulder injury, and had just made his return against Pittsburgh. In his absence, rookie first-round pick Jerry Jeudy will take on a more prominent role in the offense. Fellow young pass-catchers like DaeSean Hamilton, K.J. Hamler, and tight end Noah Fant will all be leaned on more as well.
Fortunately, Sutton should be ready in time for the start of the 2021 season. At 0-2 now and with a depleted roster, it’s looking like a potential lost year for the Broncos. Jeff Driskel will start at quarterback for the time being.
Eagles Place Isaac Seumalo On IR
The Eagles can’t catch a break. On Monday, head coach Doug Pederson announced that starting left guard Isaac Seumalo has been placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. 
Per league rules, Seumalo will miss at least the next three weeks. This was the outcome the Birds feared after the interior lineman went down in the second quarter against the Rams. After his early exit, Matt Pryor moved into his spot, and he profiles as the likely LG replacement in the interim.
The Eagles’ bad luck on the O-Line began this summer, when star guard Brandon Brooks was lost for the season. Fortunately, they had old friend Jason Peters on speed dial, and he was ready to return and change positions to help fill the gap. Then, the injury bug bit Andre Dillard, pushing Peters back to his native spot at left tackle.
As the Eagles move ahead with yet another new front five, there is at least one silver lining – Seumalo’s injury does not appear to be a season-ender. But, at the very least, they’ll be without the 26-year-old (27 in October) for the next three games against the Bengals, 49ers, and Steelers. And, of course, they’re working their way out of an 0-2 hole following losses to the Washington Football Team and the Rams.
Colts’ Malik Hooker Suffers Torn Achilles
It’s official. On Monday, Colts safety Malik Hooker was diagnosed with a torn Achilles tendon (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Hooker will be placed on injured reserve and shut down for the remainder of the 2020 season. 
It’s heartbreaking news for Hooker, who has seen his young career derailed by injuries. In 2017, the Ohio State product likely would have been a Top 10 pick. But, with concerns about his surgically-repaired sports hernia and a torn labrum, he fell to the Colts in the middle of the first round. Then, as a rookie, he missed more than half of the season with a torn ACL.
Hooker stayed on the field for much of 2018 and 2019, but he was less than 100%. With questions about his long-term health, the Colts declined Hooker’s fifth-year option in May. Instead of an injury-guaranteed $6.7MM next year, Hooker is now on course for free agency, though he won’t have the strength of a strong platform year to show to teams.
With Hooker out of the picture, the Colts will turn to third-round safety Julian Blackmon for deep-field help. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Hooker will concentrate on rehab.
The Colts advanced to 1-1 with their 28-11 victory over the Vikings on Sunday. Next, they’ll face the Jets with Blackmon making his first career start.
Panthers’ RB Christian McCaffrey To Miss Time
Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to be sidelined for “multiple weeks,” according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The early hope on Sunday was that CMC’s ankle injury was not especially serious. Now, it sounds like McCaffrey will be a candidate for the injured reserve list. The expectation is that he’ll be out for the next 4-6 weeks, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).
McCaffrey turned his right ankle during Sunday’s contest against the Bucs, capping his day with 18 carries for just 49 yards. Afterwards, the Panthers turned to Mike Davis, who finished the game with eight catches for 74 yards. Davis is a solid understudy who drew rave reviews throughout camp, but the Panthers will obviously miss having CMC, who is the focal point of their offense.
Although the Panthers fell short in their season opener, McCaffrey was his usual stellar self. After coming just shy of 100 yards rushing and averaging ~13 yards per reception on three grabs, there was little doubt that the 24-year-old was setting himself up for another elite season. The Panthers are counting on more big performances from McCaffrey after he inked his record-breaking four-year, $64MM deal in the offseason.
Even in a down 2019 for the Panthers, McCaffrey still managed 1,387 rushing yards off of 287 carries, giving him an average of 4.8 yards per tote. He also caught 116 passes for 1,005 yards through the air. All combined, he notched 19 touchdowns on the year.
If McCaffrey misses the next six weeks, he’ll be absent for games against the Chargers, Cardinals, Falcons (twice), Bears, and Saints.
Giants’ Saquon Barkley Tears ACL
The Giants’ fears have been confirmed. On Monday morning, the club announced that star Saquon Barkley has suffered a torn ACL. The running back will be formally placed on injured reserve, officially ending his season after just two games. 
The severity of Barkley’s knee injury was readily apparent when he was forced out early from Sunday’s game against the Bears. After an MRI of his right knee at the Hospital for Special Surgery, the former No. 2 overall pick now knows that he’ll be headed to the operating table. After that, Barkley will begin his road to recovery with an eye on 100% health to open the 2021 season.
Barkley was hampered by an ankle issue last year that limited him to only 13 games and had him hobbled in several others. In his full 16-game season as a rookie in 2018, the Penn State product notched 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. He also added another 721 and four through the air while averaging 5.0 yards per carry. That was the kind of season that the Giants and Barkley were banking on.
Now 0-2 after falling to the Steelers and Bears, the Giants are left with Dion Lewis and Wayne Gallman as their backfield leaders. Both players profile as capable backups — and Gallman has impressed on the practice field — but the Giants are still expected to scour the market for alternatives. There aren’t a ton of high-end free agent options at this stage of the season, but the trade market could provide the Giants with some opportunities.
49ers To Sign Ziggy Ansah?
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. The 49ers are meeting with Ezekiel Ansah this week, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Ansah previously met with the Niners twice, but left both meetings without a deal. This time, the club is much more optimistic about a deal coming together. 
It sounds like Ansah will, at long last, join the Niners, pending the results of his COVID testing. The 31-year-old has also drawn interest from the Ravens and Bills, but it seems like teams have purposely waited until the end of Week 1 to get into serious talks with him. Had Ansah signed before the season opener, his deal would have been fully guaranteed for the season. Now, the talented yet injury-prone veteran can be signed without a full commitment.
For the Niners, Ansah can serve as a talented reserve behind Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead, The No. 5 overall pick of the 2013 draft, Ansah posted a double-digit sack campaign as recently as 2017. A shoulder injury marred his 2018 season and delayed his 2019 debut, but he is now another year removed from that injury. He could exhibit some of his old form in 2020, perhaps in a smaller number of snaps.
After topping the Jets 31-13 in Week 2, the Niners will turn their attention to the Giants on Sunday afternoon.