Eagles’ Carson Wentz To Miss Time
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is not expected to play this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Wentz has been dealing with a back issue and, depending on how things go on Sunday against the Rams, he may not play again in 2018. 
The NFC East ship has pretty much sailed, but the defending champs presently have an 18% chance of making the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight.com. A win against the Rams on Sunday night would go a long way towards improving their Wild Card odds, but they’ll be behind the 8-ball if they lose. If they can’t stop Todd Gurley & Co., Wentz will likely be shut down for the rest of the year.
Wentz came back this year from a torn ACL and LCL suffered late in the 2017 season. He hasn’t looked quite the same this year, in part because of his inability to properly plant on his left foot. Between that and the back issue, the Eagles are inclined to play it safe when it comes to their franchise quarterback.
The Eagles would obviously like to have Wentz as they take on one of the league’s most fearsome teams, but they are fortunate to have last year’s Super Bowl hero Nick Foles waiting in the wings. The Rams are also coming off of a tough loss to the Bears, so the absence of Wentz certainly doesn’t rule out an upset. If Foles can guide the Eagles to victory, they could conceivably have Wentz back in time for their Dec. 23 game against the Cardinals, depending on how the QB responds to treatment.
The Eagles are 5-6 in Wentz’s starts this year. He’s completing a career-high 69.6% of his throws, but he has thrown for just 21 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Last year, Wentz finished out with 33 TDs against seven INTs.
NFL Doesn’t Plan To Make Changes After Kareem Hunt Incident
The NFL’s handling of the Kareem Hunt incident has some owners questioning whether the league should change its procedures or get out of investigations altogether. However, the NFL isn’t planning to make any adjustments in that arena at this time, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post. 
League owners will huddle up in Dallas on Wednesday, and the recent events surrounding Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster (formerly of the 49ers) and Hunt may be a topic of discussion. However, the owners might not be able to make any real changes until the next round of labor talks with the NFLPA. Even assuming they can get the players on board, they’ll need a consensus among owners to change Roger Goodell‘s disciplinary procedures.
The personal conduct policy was revised in 2014, bringing harsher penalties for domestic violence incidents and empowering the league office to conduct independent investigations. However, without subpoena power and a willingness to pay for security footage, the NFL’s investigative branch is somewhat limited. It’s possible that some owners will advocate for the investigative arm to stand, but with a change to policy that will allow the league to pay for video evidence and obtain footage before outlets like TMZ.
For now, Hunt and Foster are on the Commissioners’ Exempt List, meaning that they are barred from playing. Hunt is technically a free agent, but it’s unlikely that any team will consider signing him until he is formally suspended by the NFL.
FAU RB Devin Singletary To Enter NFL Draft
Florida Atlantic running back Devin Singletary announced that he will enter the 2019 NFL Draft. The 5’9″ tailback could be in the first or second round mix, so it’s a logical move from his perspective. 
“I hope I left a lasting impression on The University, football program, and the entire community,” Singletary said. “As I take the next step in to my career I will continue to represent FAU in the right way and you will forever be in my heart.”
Singletary, 20, ran for 1,920 yards and an FBS-leading 32 rushing touchdowns in 2017. This year, he had 22 touchdowns and 1,348 rushing yards, but the drop in production could be attributed to the team’s overall step back. In 2017, the team’s first year with Lane Kiffin at the helm, the Owls went 11-3 and defeated Akron in the Boca Raton Bowl. This year, they finished out 5-7 and did not qualify for a bowl game.
On his latest big board, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller has Singletary ranked as the No. 10 overall running back behind David Montgomery (Iowa State), Damien Harris (Alabama), Darrell Henderson (Memphis), Benny Snell Jr. (Kentucky), Rodney Anderson (Oklahoma), Bryce Love (Stanford), Justice Hill (Oklahoma State), Karan Higdon (Michigan), and Mike Weber (Ohio State). However, he has Singletary pegged as the biggest sleeper of the bunch, and he could vault up draft boards with a strong showing in workouts.
Colts Waive TE Erik Swoope
The Colts waived tight end Erik Swoope, according to a team announcement. The move was not quite expected, but it may signal the impending return of Mo Alie-Cox. 
Swoope originally signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in March of 2014. He made his first real impact in 2016, when he caught 15 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. After losing his 2017 season to a knee issue, he returned this year to appear in seven games and catch eight passes for 87 yards and three scores.
Swoope was largely eclipsed by Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle (who recently went on IR), but he was regarded as a positive presence in Indy. It’s possible that he’ll be back after some roster juggling, but for now, he’ll be subject to the waiver wire.
Eagles Place RB Corey Clement On IR
It’s official now. The Eagles have placed running back Corey Clement on injured reserve, according to a team announcement, and defensive end Josh Sweat has also been shut down for the year. To take their places, the Eagles added running back Boston Scott from the Saints’ practice squad and signed defensive end Daeshon Hall.
Clement picked up the slack for Philly in the absence of Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles. Sproles recently returned to action, but the Eagles lost Ajayi for the year thanks to a torn ACL, and they’re still looking for an adequate punch in the backfield. The loss of Clement won’t help matters, but they’ll try to get by with Sproles, Josh Adams, Wendell Smallwood, and Scott for the rest of the season.
Sweat, a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft, flashed serious potential with a 4.53 second 40-yard-dash time at the combine. This year, he was largely buried behind a deep group of defensive linemen, but the Eagles still have high hopes for him going forward.
The Eagles – sans Clement and Sweat – will face the Rams on Sunday night. It’s a tough matchup for sure, but the defending champs may be emboldened by L.A.’s weak performance against the Bears in Week 14.
Lions Shut Down DE Ziggy Ansah
Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah has been placed on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. Ansah has been hurt for much of the season and was forced out of Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury, so the move does not come as a surprise. 
This has been a frustrating year for the Lions and Ansah alike. In the offseason, the Lions kept Ansah from the open market by applying the expensive $17.1MM franchise tag. At the time, the Lions indicated that they were willing to discuss a long-term deal because they wanted to see if Ansah could deliver a second consecutive monster season. Unfortunately, injuries completely derailed Ansah and the Lions’ season tanked.
Ansah managed four sacks in his seven games, but he appeared in just 146 snaps on the entire year. That’s hardly the follow-up the Lions wanted after he notched 12 sacks and 44 overall tackles in 2017.
Ansah will be a fascinating case to watch in free agency. The 29-year-old (30 in May) has turned in two great seasons (2015, 2017), two good seasons (2013, 2014), and two dud seasons (2016, 2018) thus far in his career and his health moving forward is obviously a concern. The silver lining here is that his placement on IR will allow him to immediately undergo surgery for a labrum issue, meaning that he should be ready for training camp in 2019.
The veteran figures to be one of several intriguing pass rushers to hit the open market in March. Frank Clark (Seahawks), Jadeveon Clowney (Texans), Trey Flowers (Patriots), Dee Ford (Chiefs), and DeMarcus Lawrence (Cowboys) are also on course for free agency in 2019.
The Lions also placed tight end Michael Roberts (shoulder) on IR. To fill the two spots, the Lions signed tight end Jerome Cunningham and offensive lineman Leo Koloamatangi from the practice squad.
Bears CB Bryce Callahan To Miss Time
Bears cornerback Bryce Callahan will miss time after breaking a bone in his foot in Sunday’s win over the Rams (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com). His timeline for recovery is unclear, but given his importance to the defense, the Bears will likely avoid putting him on IR until they have no other choice. 
The Bears have virtually wrapped up the NFC North and they’ll want Callahan on the field for the playoffs, if possible. Through 14 weeks of action, Callahan ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 11 ranked corner in the NFL, thanks to his strong scores in both coverage and the pass rush. Callahan has two sacks and five total QB hits, showing that his speed can be used for more than just neutralizing receivers.
Without Callahan, the Bears could turn to Sherrick McManis or Kevin Tolliver as the third corner alongside Prince Amukamara and Kyle Fuller. Their first game without Callahan will come on Sunday when they face the Packers at Soldier Field on Sunday.
Titans Place RT Jack Conklin On IR
The Titans have formally placed right tackle Jack Conklin on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. The club also officially placed tight end Jonnu Smith on IR. 
Both Conklin and Smith went down in Thursday night’s game against the Jaguars. For Smith, the seriousness of the injury was readily apparent – the Titans learned on Friday that he would be sidelined for the year with a severe MCL injury. However, the Titans were hoping to get Conklin back on the field for the postseason, should they qualify.
Conklin, the No. 8 pick in the 2016 draft, played in every possible regular season game over the first two years of his career before going down with a torn ACL in the Titans’ divisional round loss to the Patriots. That injury cost Conklin time this year, as he missed the first three games of the season before returning in Week 4. Since then, Conklin played nearly every snap for Tennessee (save for Week 5 when he suffered a concussion), grading as the NFL’s No. 42 offensive tackle among 78 qualifiers in the process, per Pro Football Focus.
Unfortunately, Conklin’s knee issue will keep him out of action the rest of the way. The Titans, meanwhile, still have a 34% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight.
To fill the gaps, the Titans signed tight end Cole Wick off of the 49ers’ practice squad and signed veteran offensive lineman Austin Pasztor.
Steelers May Move On From Chris Boswell
After Chris Boswell‘s slip cost them a chance to beat the Raiders on Sunday, the Steelers are considering a change at kicker. At his weekly news conference on Tuesday, head coach Mike Tomlin admitted that the team will “explore” alternatives. 
“We acknowledge that Chris has struggled. He has struggled to find consistent footing,” Tomlin said (via WTAE). “We are willing to explore options that give us the best chances of the ball going through the uprights this week. That being said, those options include Chris.”
Boswell’s botched attempt to tie the game can be blamed on the poor turf at Oakland Alameda County Coliseum, but he also missed a 39-yard kick in the first half and got lucky on an extra point try that went through after hitting the upright. All in all, he’s made just 10 of 16 field goal tries this year and has missed five extra points. It’s a far cry from his work last year – Boswell sank 35 of 38 field goal attempts in 2017 and made 37 of his 39 XPs.
It remains to be seen when or if the Steelers will audition other kickers. Their frustration with Boswell is understandable, but there aren’t a ton of quality kickers available at this stage of the season.
“At this time of the year, we are cognizant of what’s available, and we realize it’s prudent to include Chris in those options,” Tomlin said. “His performance merits us turning stones over and looking at options.”
The Steelers dropped to 7-5-1 and extended their losing streak to three games with Sunday’s heartbreaking loss. With three games to go, they’ll fight to stave off the Ravens for the AFC North title.
Vikings Fire OC John DeFilippo
Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo has been fired, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). DeFilippo was a hot name in coaching circles after helping to guide the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory last year, but things have not gone according to plan in Minnesota. 
[RELATED: Vikings’ George Paton Remains Top GM Candidate]
After the Vikings were blown out in the NFC Championship game by the Eagles, they hired Philly’s quarterbacks coach to oversee their offense. They also gave Kirk Cousins a historic three-year, fully guaranteed contract with the expectation that he would greatly outperform Case Keenum. Cousins, so far, has not lived up to the deal, and the Vikings seem to think that DeFilippo is partly to blame.
Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski will replace DeFilippo as OC, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). Stefanski becomes the fourth offensive coordinator to serve under Mike Zimmer since 2014, following Norv Turner (quit), Pat Shurmur (hired away by the Giants), and DeFilippo (fired).
The midseason change is far from ideal, but Stefanski has been with the team since 2006 and was a candidate for the OC position before DeFilippo was hired, so he’s qualified for the role. Stefanski was also a top candidate for the Giants’ OC post in February before the Vikings denied their request for an interview.
DeFilippo’s dismissal comes hours after an embarrassing 21-7 loss to the Seahawks. The defeat dropped their playoff odds to just 57%, according to FiveThirtyEight, ramping up the pressure in advance of this week’s tilt against the Dolphins. The good news here is that the Vikings still control their own destiny – wins over the Dolphins, Lions, and Bears would clinch their spot in the postseason.
This wasn’t a banner year for DeFilippo, but he figures to be a popular target for teams yet again this offseason. The 40-year-old may or may not get head coaching interviews, but he’ll probably be in the mix for multiple OC vacancies.
DeFilippo has been criticized for relying on the pass too much and ignoring the run game, but it’s worth noting that he was without star rusher Dalvin Cook for much of the fall. The offensive line has also been shaky and it’s fair to wonder whether GM Rick Spielman did enough to bolster the unit in the offseason.