Rams Activate Aqib Talib From IR
The Rams officially activated cornerback Aqib Talib from injured reserve. Talib, who was designated for return earlier this week, is likely on course to play this Sunday against the Lions. 
Talib’s return is huge for a Rams defense that has struggled in recent weeks. Talib’s surgically repaired ankle is good to go, and he’ll help a unit that has allowed at least 27 points in the past four games. In Talib’s three games with the team, the Rams allowed 0, 13 and 23 points, though two of those contests were against the Raiders and Cardinals.
Before the injury, Talib had a reputation for durability. From 2012-2017, he never missed more than three games in a season.
The 10-1 Rams have pretty much clinched the NFC West. If they beat the Lions, they’ll take another step towards securing a first-round bye.
Latest On Chiefs, Kareem Hunt
In February, Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt was involved in a skirmish with a 19-year-old woman. On Friday, disturbing video evidence of the incident was released by TMZ. 
Security footage from a Cleveland hotel shows Hunt arguing and shoving the woman, who claims that she was ejected from Hunt’s room after refusing to have intercourse with one of the running back’s friends. The woman responded by striking Hunt and friends moved quickly to hold him back. Hunt broke free, accidentally knocked one of his mates into the woman, and sent them both flying into a wall. The woman appeared dazed by the impact, and Hunt kicked her while she was on the ground.
When police came to the hotel, Hunt and the accuser had different accounts of what happened. While she says that she was kicked out of Hunt’s room for refusing to sleep with one of his buddies, Hunt claims that she was asked to leave and retaliated with a racial slur.
No arrests were made at the time, but the shocking footage is likely to result in some serious consequences for Hunt. The Chiefs have only just learned about the video, but it’s hard to imagine Hunt being allowed to suit up for Sunday’s game against the Raiders. Beyond that, Hunt’s status for the remainder of the season may be in jeopardy.
The Chiefs were aware of the incident, but apparently only saw the footage on Friday when it was made public. During training camp, CEO Clark Hunt addressed the matter and clearly did not have all of the details.
“The team is made up of a bunch of young men,” Hunt said. “They’re not always going to make the best decisions, but we have a strong support system both with the coaching staff and with our player development department that works with young guys and talks to them about the situations that they want to be in. Kareem is a young man, second year in the league, obviously had a very big year on the field last year. I’m sure he learned some lessons this offseason and hopefully won’t be in those kinds of situations in the future.”
Hunt, 23, led the league with 1,327 rushing yards last year while adding eight scores on the ground and three through the air. He also caught 53 passes for 455 yards, positioning him as one of the best running backs in the NFL. This year, Hunt is averaging a solid 4.6 yards per carry with 14 touchdowns in total.
The Chiefs lead the AFC with a 9-2 record and can clinch a playoff berth with a win this weekend. The Chargers aren’t far behind at 8-4, but the Chiefs can effectively clinch the division if they beat the Raiders and the Bolts lose to the Steelers.
If Hunt is suspended, the Chiefs will likely turn to Spencer Ware as their primary tailback. Damien Williams and Darrel Williams are also on the roster to serve as backups.
Iowa TE Noah Fant To Enter NFL Draft
Noah Fant will forgo his final year at Iowa in order to enter the 2019 NFL Draft. Fant is widely viewed as one of the top tight ends in this year’s class and may even be a Top 10 selection. 
“Since the very first time I put on a pair of football pads as a child, it has been by dream to play in the NFL,” Fant wrote. “I am very excited for what the future holds and extremely humbled by the amazing opportunity in front of me.”
Fant, understandably, will not risk injury by playing in Iowa’s bowl game this year. His final season on campus ends with a First Team All-Big Ten Conference selection, 518 receiving yards, and a team-high seven touchdowns. All in all, he leaves Iowa with 78 career catches for 1,083 yards and 19 TDs.
At 6’5″, Fant has ideal size for the tight end position and will likely be the first TE to come off of the board. That’s a strong endorsement of his skills considering that this year’s crop at the position is considered to be rather solid. It’s certainly a better group than the 2018 lot as Hayden Hurst was the only tight end selected in the first round.
Colts To Activate Joe Haeg
The Colts will activate tackle/guard Joe Haeg in advance of Sunday’s game against the Jaguars, the team announced. Haeg was designated for return two weeks ago and has looked healthy enough in practice to warrant a return to the field. 
The third-year pro was placed on IR in late September after suffering an ankle injury in the Colts’ Week 3 loss to the Eagles. Prior to that, Haeg started the team’s first three games of the season at right tackle.
Even without Haeg, the Colts’ offensive line has been dominant over the last two months. From Weeks 5 through 12, Andrew Luck attempted 239 passes without being sacked, which was the third-longest such streak in NFL history. All in all, the front five has allowed just eleven sacks on the year, which is the lowest total in the NFL.
Haeg is the second of two players activated off of IR by the Colts this season, meaning that they cannot bring anyone back from IR again this year. The first slot was burned earlier this month when second-round pick Tyquan Lewis was brought onto the 53-man roster.
The Colts, who are riding a five-game winning streak, will look to stay on the right path when they face the Jaguars in Jacksonville on Sunday. According to Five Thirty Eight, they still have a 29% chance of reaching the playoffs with a 10% shot at capturing the AFC South title.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Trey Flowers
Sack artists tend be among the highest earners in free agency, but in 2019 we’ll find out whether the same applies to a defensive end who has generated a ton of pressure against opposing QBs without a ton of sack dances. We’re talking about Patriots standout Trey Flowers, who will look to cash in among a star-studded class of edge rushers. 
This spring, teams will be champing at the bit for free agents like Frank Clark (10 sacks), Dee Ford (9 sacks), DeMarcus Lawrence (9.5 sacks), Jadeveon Clowney (7 sacks). Flowers, meanwhile, has just 3.5 sacks through ten games this season, meaning that he’s on pace for less takedowns than his seven sacks in 2016 and his 6.5 sacks last year.
Of course, sacks don’t tell the whole story when it comes to evaluating edge rushers. Flowers has been terrorizing opposing QBs all season long and Jets signal caller Josh McCown can attest to that after he was hit four times by the Arkansas product last week. Heading into the meat of Week 13, Flowers ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 ranked edge defender, behind only Texans superstar J.J. Watt. That’s not too shabby for a player who won’t turn 26 until August.
Watt, by the way, is under contract through 2021 thanks to the six-year, $100MM contract extension he inked in 2014. Given the widespread need for high-level pass rushers, the increase of the salary cap, and the advancement of the market for DEs, it’s possible that Flowers can flirt with or best Watt’s $16.67MM average annual value.
The Patriots typically don’t shell out big bucks for defensive linemen, but they may want to make an exception here. The Patriots’ group of defensive ends beyond Flowers is far from star-studded and they should have the cap room to make his salary fit. A long-term extension with Flowers would cost no less than $13MM annually, so if they’re unwilling to commit, they can franchise tag Flowers for about $17.1MM.
If Flowers hits the open market, what kind of contract will he command? Which teams do you think will be in the mix for him? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
Fritz Pollard Alliance Recommends HC Candidates
Every year, the Fritz Pollard Alliance releases a list of recommended minority head coaching candidates. This year’s edition is nearly double in size and features the likes of Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores and Cowboys defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator Kris Richard, as Mike Jones of USA Today writes. 
Here’s the complete list of suggested candidates:
- Keith Armstrong (Falcons special teams coordinator)
- Teryl Austin (Former Bengals defensive coordinator)
- Eric Bieniemy (Chiefs offensive coordinator)
- Jim Caldwell (former Lions and Colts head coach)
- George Edwards (Vikings defensive coordinator)
- Brian Flores (Patriots linebackers coach)
- Leslie Frazier (Bills defensive coordinator)
- Raheem Morris (Falcons assistant head coach/wide receivers coach)
- Hue Jackson (special assistant to the head coach of the Bengals; former Browns head coach)
- Kris Richard (Cowboys defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator)
- Duce Staley (Eagles assistant head coach/running backs coach)
Flores, the de facto defensive coordinator of the Patriots, figures to be a hot coaching candidate this year. The same goes for Bieniemy, who is helping to guide one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.
Others on this list, such as Jackson and Austin, seem unlikely to garner real consideration for head coaching positions this offseason. The Browns turned the corner after dumping Jackson and appointing Gregg Williams as the team’s interim head coach, which isn’t a great endorsement for the offensive guru. Meanwhile, the Bengals hired Austin in January but fired him earlier this month as his defense was one of the lowest ranked in the NFL.
Georgia Tech To Interview Ken Whisenhunt
FRIDAY: Whisenhunt will now not be flying to Atlanta this weekend to interview for the Georgia Tech job and is expected to now go sometime next week, ESPN’s Eric Williams tweets. Head coach Anthony Lynn has spoken with Whisenhunt about the job and says his focus is on the team’s upcoming game against the Steelers.
THURSDAY: Whisenhunt will indeed interview for the Georgia Tech position over the weekend, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
WEDNESDAY: Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt is “a top candidate” to take over as the head coach of Georgia Tech’s football program, ESPN.com’s Andy Rittenberg (on Twitter) hears. It’s not immediately clear whether Whisenhunt is interested in the position, but it stands to reason that he will be at least intrigued by the job since he played for the Yellow Jackets. 
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson is expected to retire in the coming days, creating a vacancy. Whisenhunt, meanwhile, profiles as an extremely attractive candidate given the Bolts’ success in 2018.
Whisenhunt is in the midst of his second stint as the Chargers’ OC. His first run came in 2013, under then-head coach Mike McCoy. Whisenhunt left to become the Titans’ head coach for one-and-a-half seasons before returning in 2016. This year, Whisenhunt’s offense ranks sixth with 4,422 total yards and is tied for seventh with 27.9 points per game.
The Chargers, who are currently 8-3, will presumably make a competitive offer to the OC when/if he gets interest from other NFL and college teams. This Sunday, they’ll look for another W when they take on the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
Broncos Waive LB A.J. Johnson
The Broncos waived linebacker Alexander Johnson, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets. To take his place, the club promoted outside linebacker Jeff Holland from the practice squad to active roster. 
Johnson, a Tennessee product, signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in the offseason. The talented ‘backer hadn’t played football in more than four years before landing signing with Denver, thanks to a rape charge of which he was later acquitted. Despite his potential and the $50K guarantee on his contract, he was active for just one game this year.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old recently plead guilty to simple possession and failure to exercise due care while driving, but prosecutors dropped the DUI charge stemming from his 2017 arrest. With no present legal troubles, it’s possible that another team will claim him on waivers, but it’s more likely that he’ll hit the workout circuit as a free agent next week.
Holland, meanwhile, will serve as a pass rusher while Shaquil Barrett is out with a hip flexor issue. Holland received a $15K signing bonus on his UDFA deal, just like standout running back Phillip Lindsay, so the Broncos are excited to see what he can do.
Jets’ Robby Anderson Wants Extension
Robby Anderson does not want to receive a restricted free agent tender from the Jets this offseason, as Manish Mehta of the Daily News writes. But, unfortunately for the wide receiver, he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter. 
Anderson was hoping to break out this season and garner a multi-year extension from the Jets. So far, things have not gone according to plan. With just 23 catches for 368 yards and three touchdowns so far this year, it’s unlikely that the Jets will make a lengthy commitment to Anderson, but that won’t stop him from trying.
“I would hope not to be tendered,” said Anderson. “Because I don’t want to be here for possibly just one more year. I want to be here for the long term. I feel like I worked hard. [The RFA tender] is a step up from where I’m at now. But I want to be here for the long term.”
The RFA tender would indeed mark a big step up for the 25-year-old (26 in May). This year, he’s earning roughly $633K this year, but the tender would pay him about $3.1MM for 2019.
It’s not a given that the Jets will use the tender on Anderson, but it seems awfully probable after they turned down the Eagles’ offer of a fourth-round pick before the trade deadline. After that, if Anderson stays healthy and out of off-the-field trouble, the Jets would probably be willing to discuss a longer arrangement.
“I want to be one of the best to ever do it,” Anderson said. “That’s my goal and my mission. And I know that’s not going to happen overnight. It’s not going to happen in a year. It’s going to take time. I know it’s a journey. And I know it’s in God’s hands more than anything. So, I just try to keep a positive mindset and keep working.”
Anderson is a long way from GOAT discussion, but he did show promise last year. The former UDFA finished out the 2017 season with 63 catches for 941 yards and seven touchdowns.
NFL Teams Interested In Kliff Kingsbury
Rumors are circulating about former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury heading to USC to become their new offensive coordinator. That may still come to fruition, but no deal has been struck just yet and Kingsbury continues to consider offers from both the college ranks and the NFL, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 
Kingsbury was canned by Texas Tech on Nov. 25 after the Red Raiders finished with a 5-7 record. Kingsbury went just 35-40 in his six seasons at the helm, but NFL teams – and other college programs – remain intrigued by his offensive mind and ingenuity.
Kingsbury is unlikely to receive head coaching consideration in the NFL, particularly at this juncture of the season, but he may fit as a quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator elsewhere. There aren’t a ton of true vacancies for those positions out there, but clubs that are high on Kingsbury may be willing to bust out some pink slips and make room.