Jaguars Cut Josh Lambo
The Jaguars have released Josh Lambo. The kicking job now belongs to Matthew Wright, who sank two 50+ yard field goals to top the Dolphins on Sunday.
In 2019, Lambo led the NFL with a 97.1% field goal conversion rate. Then, in 2020, he lost the bulk of the year to injury, but went 5-of-5 on his FG tries while making 8-of-10 extra point attempts. This year, he went 0-3 and 5-of-7 on XPs, leading the Jaguars to promote Wright from the taxi squad.
Previously, Lambo was set to play out his four-year, $15MM deal, which would have run through 2022. The early termination will leave the Jaguars with a few million in dead money but may help them avoid finishing in the league’s cellar for a second straight year.
The Jaguars are now one of three one-win teams in the NFL, alongside the Texans, Dolphins, and Giants. They’ll aim for their first winning streak on Halloween when they face the Seahawks in Seattle.
Saints’ Wil Lutz Designated For Return
Wil Lutz has been designated for return from the injured reserve list (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). It’s not clear if he’ll be ready for this week’s game against the Seahawks, but the Saints expect to see him in the next 21 days.
[RELATED: Latest On Saints’ Michael Thomas]
Lutz has served as New Orleans’ primary kicker since 2016. All in all, he’s made 86.6% of his field goal tries across his five-year career, positioning him as one of the best kickers in the game. He’s also made 253 out of 260 extra point attempts in the elongated XP era. Unfortunately, he aggravated a groin issue in early August, leaving the Saints to scramble. First, they turned to Aldrick Rosas, who went 1-4 on field goal tries. He’s since been replaced by veteran Cody Parkey.
Lutz, 27, is still attached to a five-year, $20.25MM extension he signed in March 2019. He’ll aim to resume his post this week when the Saints face the Seahawks in Seattle.
Packers’ David Bakhtiari To Practice This Week
All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari will practice this week, according to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). This will trigger a three-week return window for the lineman now that his ACL is mostly good to go. 
[RELATED: Panthers, WFT Wanted Jaylon Smith]
Bakhtiari, 30, opened the year on the PUP list. He’s served as Green Bay’s starting left tackle ever since his 2013 rookie season and has blossomed into one of the league’s best. Bakhtiari earned first-team All-Pro acclaim twice between 2018-2020 and his absence was clearly felt in the NFC championship game. Bucs edge rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaquil Barrett had a field day with Green Bay’s healthy tackles, underscoring his importance to the offense.
Even though Bakhtiari will practice, LaFleur isn’t sure if he’ll be ready to face the Washington Football Team this week. “There is a ramp up period,” LaFleur cautioned (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
Latest On Saints’ Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas is still a few weeks away from returning to action (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Saints star is already eligible to come off of the PUP list, but he can’t feasibly play again until sometime in November. 
[RELATED: Saints Release CB Desmond Trufant, Others]
The sixth-year standout underwent surgery later than the Saints wanted, causing a rift between the parties. While Thomas and Sean Payton are believed to be on better terms, the Saints are surely still annoyed with the receiver’s decision.
Thomas missed much of the 2020 slate due to injuries and a one-game suspension. His stock has dipped a bit, but he’s still not far removed from back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons, including the NFL’s single-season reception record (149) in 2019.
The Saints are near the NFL cellar in passing yards, unfamiliar territory for one of the game’s most prolific aerial offenses. Until Thomas returns, they’ll forge ahead with Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harris, Ty Montgomery, Chris Hogan, Kenny Stills, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey as their WRs.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/18/21
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Claimed off waivers: OT Brandon Knight (from Cowboys)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: G John Molchon
- Released: WR/KR Jaydon Mickens
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: S Amani Hooker
- Placed on IR: CB Kristian Fulton
Free Agents
- Suspended: OT Jarron Jones
Jones has slapped with a 10-game ban, effective Week 5. The former Steelers offensive lineman previously faced a pair of felony domestic violence charges.
Vikings Place Patrick Peterson On IR
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told reporters that Patrick Peterson will be placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Fortunately, it’s not believed to be a season-ender, so the cornerback could return in as little as three weeks, per league rules. 
Peterson joined the Vikes on a one-year, $8MM deal in March, choosing Minnesota over the incumbent Cardinals and other NFC clubs like the Cowboys, 49ers and Eagles. Through six games, the 31-year-old has tallied 13 stops and two passes defensed for his new club.
“I was just frustrated and upset at how [Cardinals] upper management handled the situation,” Peterson said earlier this year. “You tell me one thing, then when it’s time to talk, you turn your shoulder on me like it’s cold shoulder. I’ve been in this league a long time. Thirty years old. Grown man. Talk to me like a grown man, not like a child or your side piece.”
So far, things are going well for P2 in Minnesota. Still, he’ll have to rest up for a while before getting back to business.
Broncos LB Alexander Johnson Done For Year
Broncos linebacker Alexander Johnson will miss the rest of the year with a torn pectoral muscle, per a club announcement. He’ll be placed on injured reserve today, opening up a spot on the 53-man roster. 
The Broncos are already without fellow starting ‘backer Josey Jewell, who also suffered a torn pec. It’s a bad blow to Vic Fangio‘s front seven and especially poor timing for Johnson. The middle linebacker is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in the spring, after he wraps his one-year, $3.384MM tender.
Johnson, 30 in December, joined the Broncos in 2018 and found his way to the starting lineup in October of 2019. He immediately improved the team’s run defense and kept his first-string gig throughout 2020. Johnson made 124 tackles and forced two fumbles last season while Pro Football Focus rated the 255-pound defender as a top-25 off-ball linebacker. In his six games this year, Johnson recorded 32 stops, two sacks, and three passes defensed.
Meanwhile, the Broncos also say that wide receiver Jerry Jeudy is unlikely to play on Thursday night when they face the Browns.
Giants Add Benardrick McKinney To P-Squad
The Giants are set to add Benardrick McKinney to the practice squad (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). RapSheet hears that the linebacker had interest from multiple teams, but chose the Giants because he saw them as the best fit. 
McKinney was traded from the Texans to the Dolphins this year but didn’t make their final cut. When McKinney was at his best, he formed one of the league’s best run-stuffing tandems with Zach Cunningham. He earned Pro Bowl nod in 2018 and racked up 100+ tackles again in 2019. Last year, however, a shoulder injury limited him to just four games.
The 28-year-old (29 in November) was set to play for about $3MM this year following a restructure. The Giants will have him on call for a fraction of the price, providing insurance for their current group of ‘backers.
The Giants may give McKinney the best path to the field, but they won’t give him a great opportunity to see the postseason. Yesterday’s 38-11 showing against the Rams has dropped them to 1-5 with the Panthers on the horizon.
Seahawks Talk To Cam Newton
The Seahawks have had talks with Cam Newton, according to head coach Pete Carroll (Twitter link via Brady Henderson of ESPN.com). Carroll declined to say whether they’ve discussed terms, but there’s at least some interest in bringing the former MVP to Seattle. 
“Just so you know, we have talked to him,” Carroll said. “We’re talking to everybody that could help us.”
Newton could backstop Geno Smith, the Seahawks’ current starter. For what it’s worth, Newton claims that he would have been willing to sit behind Mac Jones in New England had the Patriots kept him on the Week 1 roster.
The 32-year-old recently announced that he’s been vaccinated for COVID-19, clearing another potential hurdle for interested clubs like the Seahawks. Even though he struggled in 2020 and ranked 29th in cumulative QBR from 2016-19, there’s no denying that he’d be a high-upside pickup at the right price.
The Seahawks are 2-4 following Sunday’s overtime loss to the Steelers. Next up, a Monday night showdown with the Saints.
Browns’ Kareem Hunt To Miss Time
The Browns are pretty banged up. Running back Kareem Hunt‘s calf injury is “pretty significant,” according to head coach Kevin Stefanski (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Meanwhile, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is also dealing with a calf strain. Both injuries generally require 4-6 weeks of recovery, leaving Cleveland short-handed on both sides of the ball.
Both players are likely to be placed on injured reserve, allowing the Browns to restock their roster. Per league rules, they can return in as little as three weeks, but it sounds like they’ll be shelved until late November or early December.
The Browns were already hurting in the backfield, thanks to Nick Chubb‘s calf injury. They’re down to just two RBs now — D’Ernest Johnson and sixth-round rookie Demetric Felton.
Hunt saw a much larger role in 2020, his second Browns season. He totaled 1,145 yards from scrimmage and eleven scores, plus three touchdowns in two playoff games. Hunt remains under contract through the 2022 season while Chubb is signed through 2024 thanks to his three-year, $36.6MM extension.
Through six games, Chubb has 361 rushing yards off of 69 carries, good for an average of 5.2 yards per tote. He’s also registered 20 grabs for 161 yards — roughly half of last year’s receiving totals.