Bengals Drop Christian Hackenberg
Former Jets second-round pick Christian Hackenberg is out of work yet again. On Monday, the Bengals released the quarterback from the practice squad and replaced him with fellow signal-caller Connor Cook. The team also signed tight end Andrew Vollert to the ten-man unit. 
[RELATED: Bengals DE Carl Lawson Tears ACL, Done For Season]
Hackenberg, one of Mike Maccagnan‘s most regrettable draft picks, bounced between the Jets, Raiders, and Eagles this offseason. Now in his third year as a pro, he has yet to attempt a pass in the NFL.
Cook, meanwhile, might not be far from a 53-man roster opportunity. Currently, the Bengals are carrying just two QBs in Andy Dalton and Jeff Driskel. Cook represents the only QB on the practice squad and he may be the Bengals’ first choice if another arm is needed.
Redskins To Sign OT Austin Howard
Redskins have agreed to sign veteran tackle Austin Howard, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Howard will help replenish an offensive line that has been rocked by injuries. 
[RELATED: Redskins Lose Scherff, Lauvao, Richardson For Season]
On Monday, the Redskins announced that guards Brandon Scherff and Shawn Lauvao are done for the year with season-ending injuries. On top of that, the Redskins could be without star tackle Trent Williams for up to a month thanks to a thumb malady. Howard is the first significant addition to the Redskins’ O-Line this week, but he surely won’t be the last.
Howard has bounced around lately but has given multiple teams quality right tackle work in recent years. After playing well in spots for the Raiders from 2014-16, Howard caught on with the Ravens and gave them 16 starts at right tackle. However, the 31-year-old blocker could not commandeer the Colts’ right-side job and was released before the regular season.
Howard already banked $1.3MM this year thanks to the guarantee in his Colts deal, and he’ll have an opportunity to make some more scratch with the Redskins. He’ll also have a chance to be a hero for the Redskins, who are fighting to keep their lead in the NFC East despite their rash of injuries.
Broncos’ Matt Paradis Done For Year
Broncos center Matt Paradis is done for the year after suffering a fractured fibula and ligament tears in his leg, head coach Vance Joseph announced. Paradis will undergo surgery and the Broncos will place him on injured reserve. 
Pro Football Focus ranks Paradis as the third best center in the league this year, giving him an 79.0 overall grade with similarly strong marks for his run blocking. After his exit, the Broncos moved Connor McGovern from guard to center, which may be an indicator of their plans moving forward.
Paradis is due to reach free agency in the spring, so Sunday’s loss to the Texans may mark his final game in Denver. Paradis was retained with a $2.9MM second-round RFA tender this season and he’s due for a pay raise regardless of where he lands. The Broncos and Paradis discussed an extension in August, but so far, the two sides have been unable to come to terms. Paradis, who celebrated his 29th birthday last month, has spent his entire career with the Broncos.
Sunday’s loss dropped the Broncos to 3-6 on the year. They’ll try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive on Sunday after the bye when they face the red-hot Chargers.
Raiders To Sign Kony Ealy
The Raiders are expected to sign free agent defensive end Kony Ealy to a one-year deal, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Ealy, 27 in December, has been out of work since being released by the Cowboys on Labor Day weekend. The Raiders also signed defensive end Jacquies Smith, per a club announcement.
Ealy hooked on with the Jets last year after being cut by the Patriots and proved to be a quality addition. While he didn’t light up the stat sheet in New York, he graded out as the No. 61 edge defender in the league. The Chargers, Dolphins, Falcons, and Bengals all looked at him in the fall, but he left each audition without a contract.
Smith had a combined 13.5 sacks over his first two NFL seasons with the Buccaneers in 2014 and 2015. Unfortunately, a torn ACL in 2016 has kept him off the field for much of the last three seasons.
Predictably, the Raiders’ pass rush has struggled since the Khalil Mack trade. The arrival of Ealy and Smith will not fill that void, nor will it address the Raiders’ issues in every other facet of the game.
After getting blown out by the Nick Mullens-led 49ers, the Raiders will face the rival Chargers on Sunday. If active, Ealy and Smith will provide support behind Frostee Rucker, Arden Key, and Fadol Brown.
Redskins Lose Scherff, Lauvao, Richardson
The Redskins suffered a major blow this week. In addition to losing 38-14 to the Falcons, the Redskins are also down three key players. Guard Brandon Scherff (torn pectoral), guard Shawn Lauvao (torn ACL), and WR Paul Richardson Jr. (AC joint) will all undergo surgery, ruling them out for the remainder of the season.
Losing Scherff and Lauvao is particularly tough as the club is already without tackle Trent Williams as he rehabs from a thumb injury. As they fight to keep their place atop the NFC East, the Redskins will have to move forward without 60% of their starting line.
Scherff, the former No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 draft, earned Pro Bowl nods in each of the last two seasons. He’s continued his strong play into 2018 and is a big reason for Adrian Peterson‘s surprising resurgence in D.C. Behind the Redskins’ offensive line, Peterson has averaged 4.4 yards per game, topped 100 yards in two games, and flirted with the century mark a couple of other times. But, behind a depleted front five on Sunday, Peterson had just 17 yards off of nine carries.
At the midway point of the season, Scherff ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 11 ranked guard in the NFL. Lauvao, who mans the opposite side, is near the back of the Top 60.
The Redskins gave Richardson a five-year, $40MM deal in the offseason to defect from the Seahawks, but shoulder trouble has dogged him as of late. The 26-year-old receiver flashed early in the year, but has been held to just four catches over the past two games. His first year in D.C. will end with just 20 catches for 262 yards and two touchdowns in seven games.
Latest On Steelers, Le’Veon Bell
The Steelers have not had contact with Le’Veon Bell this week and they do not expect the running back to report in time for Thursday night’s game against the Panthers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. Bell’s debut may come on Nov. 18 against the Jaguars, but some uncertainty’s emerged on this front.
Bell must report to the Steelers by Nov. 13 in order to play this season, but contrary to what ESPN and other outlets have previously reported, he does not have to report to the Steelers by a certain date to get an accrued season to become eligible for free agency. Bell already has played the four-plus seasons he needs to become a free agent after the season.
The two-time All-Pro running back has missed out on more than $7MM and could conceivably wind up on the Steelers’ exempt list, which would allow the franchise to pay Bell at its discretion. Now that Bell has already missed out on half of his franchise tag salary ($14.1MM), would be merely sit out the season?
“[It] doesn’t make any sense for [Bell] to play now,” a source told ESPN. “If he doesn’t want to play for $14.5MM, why would he want to play for $5MM?”
Bell returning would net him millions, but he’s already sacrificed nearly eight figures to stay healthy for free agency. While a return would allow him to minimize his workload, he could still be injured during Pittsburgh’s stretch run and ruin this bold strategy’s purpose in advance of a potential March windfall.
If Bell does not report, the Steelers will have the right to franchise tag him for a third time, but at the rate of a second tag.
Despite his differences with the Steelers, Bell refused to go along with a midseason trade in order to give himself the best opportunity to showcase himself before free agency. It remains to be seen whether that was a smart move. When Bell returns, he may be in a timeshare with his one-time backup, James Conner, and that could hurt his value in the spring.
Even without one of the game’s most talented running backs, the Steelers have looked the part of a contender thanks to Conner’s play. On Sunday, the Steelers improved to 5-2-1 on the year as Conner ran for 107 yards off of 24 carries against the Ravens. His 1,085 yards from scrimmage sit only behind Todd Gurley, who’s played one more game than Conner.
Eagles’ Timmy Jernigan Cleared To Practice
Eagles defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan has been cleared to return to practice, the team announced on Monday. Jernigan has been on the non-football injury list since undergoing back surgery in May, but he could be on the cusp of rejoining the team soon. 
The operation cost Jernigan the first half of the season and could also prove to be costly from a financial perspective. After the surgery, the Eagles pushed Jernigan to alter the remaining three years on his four-year, $48MM extension. Those seasons are now team option years with no guaranteed money, so Jernigan will have ample motivation when/if he returns to the field this year.
The Eagles boast one of the deepest defensive line units in the league and have held up well even without Jernigan on the field. They rank second in Football Outsiders‘ adjusted line yards and 14th in adjusted sack rate.
Despite the D-Line’s success, the Eagles have some critical games on the horizon, including a Nov. 18 date against Drew Brees and the Saints. They’re hoping to get Jernigan back on the field as soon as possible as they chase the Redskins for the NFC East crown.
Bruce Arians Interested In Browns Job
The Browns say they’re open to giving Gregg Williams the full-time head coaching job if things go well in his half-season audition. If things don’t go well, former Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians says that he would be interested, adding that it would be “the only job” that he would consider (via Steve Doerschuk of The Canton Repository). 
Arians, 66, retired as the Cardinals’ head coach after the 2017 season. He previously indicated that he is happy in retirement, but he would be willing to don the headset again for a chance to get the Browns on the right track. In 2002, Arians helped push the Browns in the right direction as their offensive coordinator. The Browns were unable to topple the Steelers in the playoffs, but Arians believes that he is the right man for the job as the club looks to take a giant leap forward in 2019.
The Cardinals went 49-30-1 in Arians’ five seasons at the helm. He also did a phenomenal job of guiding the Colts during Chuck Pagano‘s absence in 2012, coaching the club to a 9-3 finish over the last three months of the season.
The supremely confident Arians believes that he is the best man for the job in Cleveland, but if he does not wind up with the gig, he suggests that the Browns should consider Pagano.
For now, the Browns are Williams’ team, and the defensive guru will look to snap the Browns’ four-game losing streak when they take on the Falcons on Sunday.
Bengals Sign LS Clark Harris To Extension
The Bengals have signed long snapper Clark Harris to a two-year-contract extension, according to a team announcement. In other Bengals news, the club promoted wide receiver Auden Tate from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and formally placed linebacker Carl Lawson on injured reserve.
Harris, 34, earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season. He has been with the club since 2009 and boasts a nearly perfect attendance record over the last ten decade.
Tate’s promotion will provide the Bengals with insurance as they await word on A.J. Green‘s toe. Green is relying on the advice of foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson and the club is waiting to find out whether he’ll require surgery. Even if he doesn’t go under the knife, it’s expected that Green will miss some time.
Chris Johnson Retires From NFL
On Monday, running back Chris Johnson formally announced his retirement from the NFL. The 33-year-old was said to be seeking a contract in the offseason, but did not appear to receive any interest. 
“I would like to take this time to thank my family, friends, fans, and teammates who have given their continued support throughout my 10-year career,” Johnson said in a statement released by his agency. “My time in the NFL has given me so many opportunities and memories. After a great deal of thought and consideration, I have decided to close this chapter of my life and I look forward to the new possibilities that have been afforded to me.”
Johnson averaged 1,328 yards per season over his six years with the Titans, including a 2,000+ yard campaign in 2009. He leaves the game with a stellar list of accomplishments, including three Pro Bowl selections and one First-Team All-Pro nod.
After an awkward exit from Tennessee, Johnson hooked on with the Jets. He was quietly productive with an average of 4.3 yards per carry and turned in a similarly strong year with the Cardinals in 2015. After that, he was slowed by injuries and eclipsed by the emergence of David Johnson. Johnson’s last NFL game came on Oct. 8, 2017 as he was ushered out of Arizona days later to make room for Adrian Peterson.
Johnson likely won’t be a Hall of Fame candidate, but he’ll be long remembered for his blazing speed, aggressive running style, and countless memorable moments with the Titans. We here at Pro Football Rumors wish CJ2K the best in retirement.