Jaguars Place Jamal Agnew On IR
The Jaguars have placed wide receiver Jamal Agnew on the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. There’s no official word yet, but his hip injury will likely rule him out for the rest of the year. 
Agnew suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of yesterday’s loss to the Niners. It looked to be serious right off the bat — Agnew’s leg twisted as he was tackled following the three-yard catch. It’s a bad blow to the Jaguars, since Agnew has been one of their most impactful playmakers this season.
Agnew has registered seven return touchdowns since 2017, more than any other player in the NFL. Two of those have come this year — he housed a 102-yard kickoff in Week 2 and returned a botched field goal try for a record 109-yard TD in Week 3. He’s also played a significant role on offense. Just last week, he scored a 66-yard rushing touchdown against the Colts. Meanwhile, as a receiver, he has a 24/229/1 line for the year.
The Jaguars will replace Agnew on the 53-man roster this week, but they’ll be hard-pressed to replace his production. Head coach Urban Meyer may need other reinforcements too, since left tackle Cam Robinson and cornerbacks Shaquill Griffin and Tyson Campbell were also banged up on Sunday.
WFT’s Logan Thomas To Return From IR
Logan Thomas is just about ready to retake the field. The Washington Football Team plans to designate Thomas for return this week by opening his 21-day practice window, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: WFT’s Young Done For Year]
Thomas has been on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury since October 6. While it’s not yet official, his doctors are expected to clear him for football activities in the coming days. In theory, Thomas could be activated for Monday night, when WFT hosts the Seahawks in D.C. However, they’ll want to monitor his progress for a bit, so a December return seems more likely.
The former quarterback enjoyed a career year in 2020 with 72 receptions for 670 yards and six touchdowns. His catch total was good for third among all tight ends in the NFL while his yardage slotted him seventh at the position. Through his four games this year, he tallied 12 catches for 117 yards and two scores.
In his stead, Washington has turned to veteran Ricky Seals-Jones with support from Sammis Reyes, fourth-round pick John Bates, and practice squad call-up Temarrick Hemingway. Seals-Jones has gotten the bulk of Washington’s TE targets, tallying 23 grabs for 230 yards and two scores across nine games.
In other WFT news, standout defensive end Chase Young has been formally placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL.
Eagles Extend LB T.J. Edwards
The Eagles have signed linebacker T.J. Edwards to a one-year extension, per a club announcement. The new deal includes $2.15MM fully guaranteed and could pay as much as $3.2MM, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: Eagles Sign Goedert To Four-Year Extension]
Before the deal, Edwards was on course for restricted free agency in the offseason. However, the Eagles felt compelled to reward him given the way he’s stepped up recently. In the last four games alone, Edwards has notched 44 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, and three passes defensed. All in all, through his eleven games this year, Edwards has 76 stops, one sack, and four tackles for loss. The Eagles like what they’ve seen and the advanced metrics back it all up — Pro Football Focus has Edwards ranked as the 19th best off-ball linebacker in the NFL, ahead of established veterans like Eric Kendricks and K.J. Wright.
Not too shabby for a former UDFA who opened the year towards the bottom of the LB depth chart.
“I think people look at my 40-time three years ago and say ‘no way he’s gotten faster’ so you probably can’t cover can’t play the pass, can’t tackle in space,” the Wisconsin product said recently (via Sports Illustrated). “So I mean, I love all that stuff…I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do at the MIKE linebacker spot.”
Edwards and the Eagles improved to 5-6 on the year with Sunday’s win over the Saints. They’ll aim for the .500 mark this week when meet the Giants in Northern New Jersey.
Broncos, Courtland Sutton Agree To Extension
The Broncos have agreed to a brand new deal with wide receiver Courtland Sutton (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero). Sutton will receive a four-year re-up worth $60.8MM in total, including $34.9MM guaranteed. 
This comes on the heels of a similar extension for fellow WR Tim Patrick. Between those deals and the presence of Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler, the Broncos now have their receiver group locked up for the long haul.
[RELATED: Broncos, Tim Patrick Agree To Extension]
Sutton, a 2018 second round pick under the Broncos’ old regime, is still held in high regard by new GM George Paton. Even after his 2020 ACL tear, Paton prioritized and completed a new deal for the 26-year-old midway through the year.
The Broncos could have deployed the franchise tag for 2022, but that could have cost them upwards of $17MM. Instead, they’ve hashed out a longer arrangement at just over $15MM per year.
Sutton broke out in 2019 with 72 catches and 1,112 receiving yards, capturing his first ever Pro Bowl nod in the process. Although his encore was wiped out by a serious knee injury, he’s bounced back this year to lead the team with 43 catches and 617 yards.
The 6-foot-4 target is now locked up through 2025 while Patrick is under club control through 2024. Jeudy and Hamler, meanwhile, are tied to rookie deals through the 2023 season, though Jeudy’s first-round status means he can be kept through 2024 via the fifth-year option.
It’s been an expensive couple of days for the Broncos, but they had the cap room to make it all work. Before Patrick’s extension, the Broncos were in the league’s top five for projected 2022 space. Even after these deals, the Broncos still have enough capital to pursue trades for top-end quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson.
Packers’ Elgton Jenkins Done For Year
Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins has been formally diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). This was the expected outcome following Jenkins’ non-contact injury on Sunday against the Vikings. 
Jenkins, a 6’5″, 311-pound lineman, made his name on the interior and earned a Pro Bowl nod last year as a guard. This year, with All-Pro David Bakhtiari still recovering from his own ACL tear, he was shifted to left tackle. Left without their top two options, the Packers deployed backup Yosh Nijman at LT yesterday. They went on to lose 34-31, dropping them to 8-3 on the season.
“Oooof,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after yesterday’s game (via Packers News). “He’s been so versatile for us. He can play every position on the line, I think he’s played at least four of them, so definitely hate to see that happen. Not sure what his official status is coming out of the game, but with Dave [Bakhtiari’s] status unknown we’re going to have to rely on probably Yosh [Nijman], he’s played some good football for us.”
The Packers can also turn to backup lineman Dennis Kelly for support, but they’ll be short-handed in any scenario. Meanwhile, the injury is doubly frustrating for Jenkins, who will be eligible for an extension this winter. For now, he remains under club control through 2022, per the terms of his rookie deal. The former second-rounder will earn $1.4MM in his walk year.
Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb Ruled Out With Concussion
Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has been ruled out for the rest of today’s game vs. the Chiefs with a concussion (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Lamb will undergo additional testing throughout the week, but it’s unlikely that he’ll be cleared in time for the team’s Thanksgiving game against the Raiders. 
Lamb, 22, was coming off of a strong performance against the Falcons, catching six passes for 94 yards and two scores in the 43-3 rout. Ironically, while celebrating his second touchdown, he clashed his helmet against Dak Prescott‘s helmetless-head.
“I realized it as soon as I did it,” said Lamb (via WFAA). “My helmet is still on. You know, man, let me take this off and apologize. I’m glad he’s all right: no concussion protocol, no nothing. I’m sorry, fans. Don’t kill me.”
Fortunately, Prescott was OK, but Lamb’s status is TBD after the first-half scare. The wide receiver hit the ground head-first when he driven to the ground by Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward. After initially being listed as questionable, the Cowboys ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
The Cowboys are also without Amari Cooper following his COVID-19 positive, so they’ll head into Thursday without two of their best offensive weapons. As it stands, the Cowboys are left with Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Malik Turner and Noah Brown at WR.
Through the first nine games of the year, Lamb has notched 47 catches for 726 yards and six touchdowns.
5 Key Stories: 11/14/21 – 11/21/21
Been busy? Let’s get you caught up with a look back at some of the NFL’s biggest stories from the past week:
- Bears’ Mack Done For Year: Khalil Mack‘s season is over. The Bears hoped to get their All-Pro pass rusher back on the field after a bit of rest, but doctors recommended foot surgery instead. It’s a frustrating setback considering the 30-year-old’s hot start to the year. Through six games, Mack tallied six sacks, putting him on course for a vintage double-digit campaign. Without Mack and longtime defensive leader Danny Trevathan (also done for the year), the Bears fell to the Ravens today for their fifth-straight loss.
- Ravens, Jackson Not Close To Extension: The Ravens haven’t made much progress on a new deal with Lamar Jackson, setting the stage for a tense winter. Jackson, 25 in January, is earning just $1.78MM in base salary this season. Next year, he’ll make roughly $23MM by way of the fifth-year option. After that, the Ravens can cuff Jackson with the franchise tag, but they want to avoid a Dak Prescott scenario. Ultimately, those protracted negotiations wound up costing the Cowboys many millions more over the long haul.
- Eagles’ Dallas Goedert Signs Extension: A few weeks after trading Zach Ertz to the Cardinals, the Eagles cemented Dallas Goedert’s status as their long-term TE1. Goedert inked a brand new four-year deal worth approximately $59MM, making him one of the three highest-paid TEs in the game. The deal, which also includes $35.7MM guaranteed, marks a massive bump from his current $1.24MM salary. In terms of new money, Goedert trails only George Kittle ($15MM/year) and Travis Kelce ($14.3MM) at tight end.
- Eagles, Maddox Agree To Deal: The Eagles also re-upped cornerback Avonte Maddox with a three-year extension worth $22.5MM. The new deal furnishes Maddox with $13.3MM in guarantees while keeping him under club control through the 2024 season.
- Torn ACL For WFT’s Young: You didn’t need a medical degree to diagnose Chase Young‘s non-contact injury. On Monday, Washington confirmed that the defensive end is done for the year with a torn ACL. Young, the No. 2 overall pick last year, finished 2020 with Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and 7.5-sacks. This year, he’ll be capped at just 1.5 sacks and 25 total tackles.
Jaguars Expected To Overhaul Coaching Staff
The Jaguars’ coaching staff figures to look pretty different next year. Offseason firings are “inevitable” at this point, according to sources who spoke with Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. 
[RELATED: Jaguars Add WR John Brown To Practice Squad]
Trevor Lawrence has yet to live up to his billing in Jacksonville, prompting some internal debate about whether the Jaguars should replicate his system from Clemson. Heading into today’s game, the No. 1 overall pick had completed just 58% of his throws for 1,983 yards and eight touchdowns against nine interceptions. His work on the ground — 37 carries for 169 yards and two scores — hasn’t been enough to offset the bad reads, nor has it approached his rushing work at Clemson. Lawrence, playing against lesser defenders in the NCAA, managed 766 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns between 2019 and 200.
Meyer, who is in favor of gearing the offense towards the Tigers’, finds himself at odds with several of his assistants. Wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal and running backs coach Bernie Parmalee could be on the chopping block, per JLC’s sources. And, if things don’t improve for Lawrence this year, quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer may also find himself on the hot seat.
“It starts with execution,” offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said last week (via the team website). “That’s really our focus this week, being on our details and being able to execute.”
Unfortunately, the Jaguars failed to execute today, losing 30-10 to the 49ers. Now at 2-8 on the year, they’ll try to improve next week when they host the Falcons in Jacksonville.
Torn ACL For Packers’ Elgton Jenkins?
Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins is believed to have suffered an ACL tear (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The team won’t know for sure until he undergoes additional testing, but the early indication is that this’ll be a season-ending injury. 
Jenkins, 26 in December, suffered the injury in the third quarter while getting ready to stuff Harrison Smith‘s blitz attempt. There didn’t seem to be contact on the play, but Smith was left writhing in pain and clutching his left knee. After that, Smith had to be carted off and replaced by backup Yosh Nijman at left tackle. The Packers went on to lose 34-31 to the Vikings, dropping them to 8-3 on the year.
Jenkins, a Pro Bowl left guard, has been filling in at left tackle for All-Pro David Bakhtiari. If Jenkins is done for the year, they’ll be left even thinner up front. Meanwhile, there’s no word on when Bakhtiari will bounce back from his own ACL recovery.
“I’m not going to get into it, guys,” head coach Matt LaFleur said last week when asked about Bakhtiari (via The State Journal). “You can ask a million different ways. I’m just going to tell you the same thing over and over. It’s day to day. It’s part of the process. He’s coming off a major injury. He’s doing everything in his power to get back as quickly as possible, and that’s just where we are right now.”
The Packers should know more about Jenkins’ condition by tomorrow morning. But, barring any unexpected good news, they’ll have to place the 6’5″, 311-pound lineman on season-ending IR.
Ravens Hope To Extend Bradley Bozeman, Patrick Ricard
The Ravens are looking to extend the contracts of center Bradley Bozeman and fullback/tight end Patrick Ricard, according to league sources who spoke with Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, they’ve yet to make real progress on either front. 
[RELATED: Ravens’ Jackson Out For Week 11]
The Ravens want to keep both players, but they’re up against a tight cap situation already with less than $900K in room, according to Over The Cap. Meanwhile, they also have to prioritize Lamar Jackson‘s next contract. Reportedly, the star quarterback wants something in the range Patrick Mahomes‘ $45MM/year deal with the Chiefs. The Ravens can probably shave a few million off of that total — without matching KC’s ten-year commitment to Mahomes — but it’ll be a whopper of a contract no matter what.
The Ravens could consider the transition tag for Bozeman, but he’d be lumped in with the league’s highest paid tackles with the offensive lineman designation. That’d mean a ~$15M salary for next year, which is outsized even for this year’s No. 9 ranked center (per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics). The same goes for Ricard — whether he’s classified as a tight end or a running back, the ~$10MM transition tag would be far too pricey, despite his blocking ability. For now, he’s playing out the remainder of his two-year, $7.3MM pact.
Bozeman, who turns 27 later this week, could probably garner upwards of $10MM/year on the open market. For reference, there are are currently eight centers in the eight-figure per annum club: Frank Ragnow (Lions), Corey Linsley (Chargers), Ryan Kelly (Colts), J.C. Tretter (Browns), Ryan Jensen (Buccaneers), Brandon Linder (Jaguars), Chase Roullier (Washington), and Rodney Hudson (Cardinals).