Latest On Odell Beckham Jr.’s Free Agency
OCTOBER 9: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Beckham continues to target a mid-November return. At that point, the trade deadline will have passed, so any club with playoff aspirations that did not satisfy its WR needs via trade will be in the mix. Rapoport suggests that Beckham will be eyeing a multi-year contract, which is the only factor that will limit what is expected to be a significant number of suitors.
In addition to the Bucs, Bills, Rams, and Saints, the Packers and Chiefs may be interested, and in the Charles Robinson piece linked below, the Ravens were also named as a realistic landing spot. Helping Beckham’s cause is the fact that his knee is reportedly much healthier than it was when he signed with the Rams last November, and he has already been cleared for non-contact work.
OCTOBER 6: Shifting briefly into reporter mode, Von Miller revealed at least part of Odell Beckham Jr.‘s free agency itinerary. The future Hall of Fame edge rusher said (via ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg, on Twitter) his former teammate will visit the Buccaneers, Saints and Giants.
Beckham’s Giants visit already commenced, but Jeff Howe of The Athletic described this week’s meeting as a checkup on former teammate Sterling Shepard rather than an official visit with the team (Twitter link). No free agency traction exists between Beckham and the Giants, Howe adds, and Beckham’s New York trip was not reported as an official visit. This is not exactly surprising, considering the Giants’ 2019 trade decision and its status as a rebuilding squad.
Like offseason Saints addition Tyrann Mathieu, Beckham is a New Orleans native. A Saints commitment would also reunite Beckham with LSU and Browns teammate Jarvis Landry, who attempted to recruit his longtime teammate to New Orleans this summer. The Saints restocked their receiving corps this offseason, adding Landry and trading up for Chris Olave. But Michael Thomas is dealing with an injury again — this one a foot ailment — after missing much of the 2020 and ’21 seasons. The Saints also pursued Beckham during his midseason free agency bid last year.
Despite the presences of Pro Bowlers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Tom Brady-era Bucs have not hesitated to bolster this position group. Tampa Bay has added Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and Cole Beasley during the superstar quarterback’s tenure. Beasley abruptly reversed course this week, opting to retire. At full strength, the Bucs seemingly would not have a Beckham need. But they have not exactly operated passively at receiver with Brady; the team has also dealt with multiple wideout injuries this season.
Miller concluded his Beckham-related remarks by saying (via Getzenberg, on Twitter), “When it’s time to like get down to business, like we already know where he’s gonna be at. We know. Just in my eyes, I think I know where he’s gonna be at.” Unless Miller can convince his former teammate to trek to Buffalo, this would seem to point to Beckham rejoining the Rams, although Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports believes Miller was suggesting that his longtime friend would indeed be joining the Bills.
The Rams’ re-recruitment of OBJ has bordered on relentless, and with Allen Robinson struggling in his first games with the team and Van Jefferson on IR, Beckham could be a necessary piece for a reigning champion that looked to have its receiver situation sorted out. Though, Jefferson is expected to be back when first eligible. It is likely Beckham will not be ready until at least November, however, with Howe confirming that previously reported timeline remains in place.
Even before Robinson’s early-season woes and Jefferson’s injury, the Rams still courted Beckham. Mutual interest exists regarding a reunion, almost certainly evidenced by Beckham crashing Sean McVay‘s wedding and then being at SoFi Stadium in Week 1 celebrating the Super Bowl LVI banner being raised. Money has been an issue, of course, but the time will soon come for OBJ to make a decision. Teams beyond the NFC South will likely join the Rams in pursuing the talented pass catcher, but the past several months revealed the defending champs will almost certainly stay in the mix until Beckham makes his decision.
Edge Notes: Ravens, Lions, Browning, Hawks
After letting both Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue walk during the 2021 free agency period, the Ravens acquired a first-round pick in the Orlando Brown Jr. trade. The team entered the draft determined to use one of its two first-round choices on an edge defender, but strategy played a role in the team ending up with Odafe Oweh. The Ravens would have been happy with either Oweh or Greg Rousseau, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes, but also wanted to leave last year’s first round with a wide receiver.
We heard previously the Ravens expected the Packers to select Bateman, whom several execs viewed as the team most likely to draft the Big Ten prospect. That played into Baltimore’s edge defender blueprint as well. The team had Oweh and Rousseau ranked similarly on its 2021 draft board, Zrebiec adds, leading to Bateman being prioritized with the No. 27 pick. Waiting for No. 31 to make its edge rusher selection paid off, as Oweh remained on the board. The Bills took Rousseau at 30. (The Packers took cornerback Eric Stokes at 29.) Through 1 1/4 seasons, Oweh has six sacks, four forced fumbles and 17 quarterback hits. Rousseau checks in with similar production, having tallied eight sacks — four already this season — along with one strip and 16 QB hits.
Here is the latest from the NFL’s edge defender landscape:
- The Ravens used Jason Pierre-Paul extensively alongside Oweh in Week 4, playing the recently signed veteran on 55 defensive snaps. Their one-year Pierre-Paul deal is worth $1.35MM, according to OverTheCap. The contract includes a $150K signing bonus and playing time- and sack-based incentives that could take the price north of $5MM, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. This is a lower-priced deal than JPP is accustomed to signing, but he has a chance to be the rare free agent to sign in-season and earn potentially far more than the veteran minimum.
- The Lions will be waiting a bit longer to deploy their two-Okwara edge-rushing attack. Eligible to return from the Lions’ PUP list this week, Romeo Okwara will likely need more time to recover from his 2021 injury, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes. Okwara, who suffered an Achilles tear just more than a year ago, did not return to practice this week when first eligible.
- Detroit’s pass rush, when at full strength, is set to include Romeo and Julian Okwara, Charles Harris and first- and second-round picks Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal. That said, the Lions are adding another edge rusher to the equation. Rookie UDFA Demetrius Taylor is going to play defensive end in his debut this week, Birkett notes. Signed as a UDFA defensive tackle, Taylor will shift to a big D-end role as the Lions attempt to pick up the pieces on defense. This will likely lead to Hutchinson, who had previously played the team’s “big end” spot, rushing from around the formation, per Birkett. Taylor saw some time at D-end at Appalachian State.
- It will not be second-round pick Nik Bonitto getting the call to replace Randy Gregory; Baron Browning will play that role for the Broncos beginning Thursday night, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. This will be an interesting stretch for Browning, whom the Broncos used as an inside linebacker during his 2021 rookie season. The third-round pick moved to the outside this offseason, helping lead to the late-August Malik Reed trade, and has impressed the coaching staff. Bonitto, who began the season as a healthy scratch despite being Denver’s top 2022 draftee, will see more time as a rotational cog behind Browning and Bradley Chubb.
- The Seahawks will give second-rounder Boye Mafe more playing time, Pete Carroll said this week. This will be interesting considering the rookie logged a season-high 32 defensive snaps against the Lions. Mafe, who has one sack thus far this season, registered 10 in his final college campaign.
QB Blake Bortles Announces Retirement
Blake Bortles is not planning to continue his efforts at returning to a team’s active roster. The former No. 3 overall pick announced his retirement during an appearance on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast.
The longtime Jaguars starter has not played in a regular-season game since the 2019 season, when he appeared in three as Jared Goff‘s backup with the Rams. But he has bounced around the league in the years since, last being with a team in April. The Saints released Bortles at that point, and the former AFC championship game starter said during the podcast he has not touched a football since January.
Since his 2019 Rams signing, Bortles caught on with the Broncos and Packers and also circled back to the Rams. He finished his career as a Saints emergency roster option, amid the team’s COVID-19 surge during the Omicron variant’s height. Mostly from his rookie contract and the three-year, $54MM extension he signed with the Jaguars in 2018, Bortles walks away from the game having made more than $47MM. The Jags bailing on that deal after one season, however, abruptly ended the oft-scrutinized passer’s run as a starter.
The Central Florida product started 73 career games, and while he ended up being benched months after signing that extension, the former Doug Marrone pupil had Jacksonville on the cusp of a Super Bowl LII berth. Bortles threw for 293 yards in a narrow AFC championship game loss in New England, doing so after the Jaguars won a divisional-round shootout in Pittsburgh.
Despite having chosen Blaine Gabbert in the top 10 three years prior, the Jags went back to the Round 1 QB well with Bortles, who came off the 2014 board far earlier than his QB contemporaries — in a class that included Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr. Numerous The Good Place references aside, Bortles frequently drew criticism during his rocky Jags tenure. Working with Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, Bortles finished the 2015 season with 35 touchdown passes. But the Jags went 5-11 that year; Bortles then struggled in 2016. He threw 51 interceptions from 2014-16, but the team nevertheless stuck with its starter — as Marrone replaced Gus Bradley as HC– leading to a 2017 outlier season that nearly produced one of the most unlikely Super Bowl entrants in the game’s history.
Jacksonville assembled a strong defense in 2017 — one that led the league in DVOA and lived up to its “Sacksonville” nickname — helping the team to a 10-6 record and the AFC title game. The Jags could not sustain that formula in 2018 and began a decline that led to their talented defense splintering and, eventually, the Urban Meyer year. The Jags released Bortles in March 2019, taking on $16.5MM in dead money as they pivoted to one-and-done option Nick Foles. Bortles concludes his career with 103 touchdown passes and 75 interceptions; his 17,646 passing yards are second-most (behind Mark Brunell) in Jags history.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/22
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: RB Jerome Ford
Green Bay Packers
- Signed off Saints’ practice squad: LB Eric Wilson
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: OLB Mario Addison
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: K Chase McLaughlin
- Waived: WR Dezmon Patmon
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed off Falcons’ practice squad: NT Khyiris Tonga
- Placed on IR: S Lewis Cine (story)
- Activated from reserve/PUP list: LB Ryan Connelly
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return from IR: WR Calvin Austin
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: WR Willie Snead
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DL Sam Okuayinonu
- Waived: OLB Wyatt Ray
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Tommy Hudson
Cine has now undergone two surgeries in London to repair his leg fracture. The first-round pick underwent a preparatory procedure before his Tuesday operation to repair the compound fracture he sustained. The Georgia product will stay in England for the time being, with Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press noting (via Twitter) doctors want to ensure no infections develop. Cine could travel back to Minnesota as soon as this weekend.
Following Latavius Murray off the Saints’ practice squad this week, Wilson did not see any action for the team this season. The former multiyear Vikings starter signed a one-year, $2.75MM Eagles deal in 2021, but Philadelphia bailed on that contract during the season. Wilson, 28, finished last season with the Texans. In his lone full season as a Vikings starter (2020), Wilson made 122 tackles, registered three sacks and intercepted three passes.
Addison signed with the Texans shortly after the draft, joining fellow ex-Bills edge rusher Jerry Hughes in joining the rebuilding team on a two-year deal. The Texans placed Addison on IR with a groin injury; he is eligible to be activated to the 53-man roster this week. Teams can make eight activations from their injured lists — be it IR, PUP or NFI — this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/1/22
Today’s minor moves around the league, including practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s action:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, WR Andre Baccellia
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: RB Caleb Huntley
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to active roster: CB Kevon Seymour
- Promoted: LB Brandon Copeland, T David Sharpe
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: DT Prince Emili
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Marquise Blair
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: K Michael Badgley, RB Darrynton Evans (story)
- Released from IR: CB Michael Joseph
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: TE Miller Forristall
- Promoted: DL Roderick Perry, DE Curtis Weaver
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: QB Will Grier
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: WR Kendall Hinton, G Netane Muti
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: T Dan Skipper, K Dominik Eberle
- Promoted: WRs Tom Kennedy, Maurice Alexander
- Waived: TE Shane Zylstra, G Drew Forbes
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: CB Kiondre Thomas
- Placed on NFI list: T Caleb Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: S Grayland Arnold
- Promoted: TEs Jordan Akins, Mason Schreck
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: K Chase McLaughlin, DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: OL Darryl Williams, LB Ty Summers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: LB Elijah Lee, K Matthew Wright (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: G Alex Bars
- Promoted: CBs Nickell Robey-Coleman, Javelin Guidry
- Waived: T Jackson Barton
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: WR Michael Bandy
New England Patriots
- Promoted: T Marcus Cannon
- Placed on IR: T Yodny Cajuste
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: QB Jake Luton
- Promoted: RB Latavius Murray, TE J.P. Holtz
- Waived: FB Adam Prentice
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: LB Jaylon Smith
- Promoted: WR Marcus Johnson, DT Henry Mondeaux
New York Jets
- Promoted: LB Hamsah Nasirildeen, OL Grant Hermanns
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed to active roster: WR Britain Covey
- Promoted: S Andre Chachere
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: LB Ryan Anderson, CB Josh Jackson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Cullen Gillaspia
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cole Beasley
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: OL Jordan Roos
- Promoted: LB Joe Schobert, DB Theo Jackson
- Waived: RB Julius Chestnut
Washington Commanders
- Promoted: OL Wes Martin
- Placed on IR: OL Wes Schweitzer (story)
2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team
As we exit September, trade rumors will become a steady NFL topic. This year’s deadline falls on Nov. 1. That will return cap-space discussions to the forefront. Here is how every team stacks up financially going into October, via Over The Cap.
- Cleveland Browns: $35.94MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $10.89MM
- Denver Broncos: $10.67MM
- Carolina Panthers: $10.47MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $10.35MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $9.25MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $8.64MM
- Green Bay Packers: $8.57MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $7.97MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $7.92MM
- New York Jets: $6.97MM
- Chicago Bears: $6.84MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $6.75MM
- Miami Dolphins: $6.51MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $6.25MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $5.83MM
- New York Giants: $5.49MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $5.41MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $5.38MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $4.51MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $3.87MM
- New England Patriots: $3.5MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $3.16MM
- New Orleans Saints: $2.86MM
- Detroit Lions: $2.64MM
- Washington Commanders: $2.58MM
- Buffalo Bills: $2.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $2.41MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $2.28MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $2.12MM
- Houston Texans: $1.64MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $1.47MM
The Eagles’ number is certainly far closer to the Vikings’ last-place figure than what the Browns have stockpiled. Cleveland would stand to have room to augment its 2022 roster, via a patient free agent or a trade. That could depend on where Jacoby Brissett has the team stationed going into the Nov. 1 deadline. But the Browns also appear to be preparing for their Deshaun Watson future. Watson’s unprecedented contract spikes from a $9.4MM cap number (2022) to a record-shattering $54.99MM numbers from 2023-26. As that reality awaits, the Browns rolling over cap space to 2023 would be prudent.
With Sterling Shepard‘s ACL tear moving the veteran wide receiver to IR, the Giants will need to both cover that cost ($6.3MM) and add a contract to fill the roster spot. Every team will go through versions of that issue this season, as injuries pile up. The Giants are prepared to eat a significant chunk of Kenny Golladay‘s 2022 base salary ($13MM) to move him, eyeing an escape from his $4.5MM 2023 guarantee. No takers have emerged, though it will be interesting to see if a market for the former Pro Bowler forms once injuries affect more teams’ receiver situations.
Since their Jimmy Garoppolo restructure, the 49ers agreed to a two-year extension with Dre Greenlaw. The team is not expected to extend Nick Bosa until 2023, however. The Texans, Falcons, Bears and Eagles all sit north of $60MM in dead money, meaning more than a quarter of their respective cap space is tied to players no longer on the roster. Watson, Matt Ryan and Khalil Mack are responsible for massive dead-money hits on the Houston, Atlanta and Chicago payrolls. Philadelphia still has Alshon Jeffery, Malik Jackson and Brandon Brooks dead money on its cap sheet.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/28/22
Here are the practice squad signings and releases for today:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Xavier Rhodes (story), DT Prince Emili
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Arron Mosby
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Reggie Roberson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Corey Ballentine
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Cortez Broughton, LB Elijah Lee, K Matthew Wright
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR John Hightower
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Keith Kirkwood
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Makai Polk, CB Olaijah Griffin
New York Jets
- Signed: OT Mike Remmers
- Released: WR Diontae Spencer
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OT Roderick Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Cullen Gillaspia
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Kaylon Geiger
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OLB Gerri Green
Packers LT David Bakhtiari Expected To Play In Week 3
Green Bay appears to be receiving some long-awaited injury news with respect to one of their top players. Left tackle David Bakhtiari is expected to play tomorrow, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 
Bakhtiari is officially listed as questionable as he continues to deal with the effects of his 2020 ACL tear. That injury left him sidelined for all but the regular season finale last year, and required a third operation this offseason. With plenty of uncertainty surrounding his short- and long-term future, things appeared to take a positive turn on the eve of the season.
The two-time First-Team All-Pro stated that he expected to be available for Week 1, but the Packers continued to rely on Yosuah Nijman instead. That remained the case again the following week, as Nijman continued to operate effectively on the blindside in PFF’s eyes. With a pass-blocking grade of 84.7 and only one penalty committed, he has helped stabilize a Green Bay offensive front which just got Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins back in Week 2.
Still, a return to the field – and elite form – from Bakhtiari would be a welcomed sight for the Packers. The 30-year-old has been a full-time starter on the blindside since his rookie season, and is the team’s second highest-paid player. With his cap hits scheduled to soar to $29MM and $33MM for the final two years of his contract, it will be important for both player and club to see if he can handle a regular workload.
Doing so could be made easier by the light practice schedule he will be following this season. The first significant test, though, will come tomorrow when the Packers face the Buccaneers in an attempt to move to 2-1. With healthy tackles on both sides of the o-line, Green Bay’s prospects in that game and beyond could be notably improved.
Packers Place WR Sammy Watkins On IR
The Packers ruled out veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins yesterday as he deals with hamstring issues, but they took the ruling a step further today as the team placed him on injured reserve. The new ruling means that not only will Watkins miss tomorrow’s game against the Buccaneers, but quarterback Aaron Rodgers will have to wait four weeks to get his top receiver back. 
Watkins has seen a bit of a resurgence so far in his ninth NFL season. The 29-year-old has led the Packers in receiving yards through the first two games with six catches for 111 yards. Watkins’ resurgent season has seen the benefit of Rodgers’ top returning target, Allen Lazard, missing Week 1 as he deals with an ankle injury. He also has taken advantage of his competition for targets being rookies and a 32-year-old Randall Cobb. Regardless, Watkins has made the most of his early opportunities and the Packers will have to make up for some lost production in his absence.
Lazard has been cleared to play but is still dealing with that ankle injury. Rookie Christian Watson joins Watkins in his hamstring issues and Cobb has not practiced recently due to illness. Both are currently listed as questionable. Beyond those four, Rodgers will have to rely on two more rookies in Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure, second-year return specialist Amari Rodgers, and practice squad gameday call-up Juwann Winfree.
Watkins dealt with hamstring issues during his lone season in Baltimore last year, as well, missing four games and being mostly held out of the final three. He’s never quite been the portrait of health. Watkins hasn’t played in every game of the regular season since his rookie year back in 2014. Since then, he’s missed an average of four games per season. Watkins will be eligible to return to play in time for the Packers Week 7 matchup with the Commanders.
After moving Watkins to IR, Green Bay signed practice squad running back Patrick Taylor to the active roster in a corresponding move. Winfree, as mentioned above, has also been called to the active roster, but, as a standard gameday elevation, he will revert back to the practice squad after the game.
NFC Injury Updates: Bucs, Packers, Smith
Tampa Bay knew it would be without two of its bigger playmakers in wide receiver Chris Godwin and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks this week. That is no surprise, as Godwin missed last week with a hamstring ailment and Hicks is predicted to miss a month with a foot injury. The Buccaneers were hoping to get back offensive tackle Donovan Smith this week, but he is doubtful to appear this Sunday against the Packers, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.
Smith suffered a hyperextended right elbow in Tampa Bay’s Week 1 victory over the Cowboys. Last week, the Buccaneers slotted Josh Wells in to start for Smith, but, after Wells suffered a calf injury that landed him on injured reserve in the team’s matchup with the Saints, they’ll likely turn to Brandon Walton who replaced Wells last Sunday.
It was also reported, by Buccaneers staff writer Brianna Dix, that wide receiver Julio Jones is expected to be a game-time decision, according to head coach Todd Bowles.
Here are a few other Sunday game statuses we heard about today, starting with two top receivers in Green Bay:
- The Packers‘ top returning receiver from last year had to miss Week 1 while dealing with an ankle injury. While they got Allen Lazard back last week, he was seen limping at points of the game. Regardless, Lazard “is optimistic about playing” this week versus Tampa Bay, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Packers have been cautious with him in practice this week, but it’s likely been precautionary. On the other hand, quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be without one of his top targets as Sammy Watkins has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Rookie wide receiver Christian Watson is also dealing with hamstring issues but is listed as questionable going into the weekend.
- Vikings safety Harrison Smith is expected to miss his first game due to injury since 2016, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Smith did sit out two games last year on the COVID-19/reserve list and took a rest day in the 2019 season finale, but a concussion suffered in Monday night’s loss to the Eagles will likely hold him out against the Lions this week.
- Tyler Kroft has been the man for the 49ers at tight end, starting twice to begin the season in place of the injured star, George Kittle. He has never been a strong receiving threat, but his ability to run block has made him a valuable asset to the San Francisco offense. In the team’s Week 2 win over the Seahawks, though, Kroft suffered a sprained MCL. He’s expected “to miss several weeks” because of the knee injury, but, due to new injured reserve rules, the veteran will not be placed on IR, according to David Lombardi of The Athletic. The new rules this year dictate that only eight players can be designated to return from IR, so, even though Kroft will be eligible to return after several weeks, the 49ers are choosing to save their designated to return IR spots for more valuable players who may end up sustaining injuries later on in the season. The timing of Kroft’s injury is not the worst it could possibly be as Kittle is set to return this week from injury. Kittle is mostly known for his receiving ability but is a decent run blocker in his own right and will help to vacate any deficit resulting from Kroft’s absence.
- The Lions will be down one of their rotational defensive linemen when they play the Vikings and, according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, a recent surgery will hold him out for a while. Defensive lineman John Cominsky is dealing with a wrist injury that required the surgery. Cominsky may not be a household name, but, when he was put on waivers after three years of playing with the Falcons, Cominsky drew the interest of one-fourth of the league, as eight teams were intrigued enough to put in claims on the former Golden Eagle out of Division II Charleston in West Virginia. The Lions were second in the waiver order and were granted the 6-foot-5 lineman, but the Commanders, Colts, Browns, Texans, Cardinals, Vikings, and Bengals all attempted to bring him in. With Cominsky out, Lions head coach Dan Campbell suggested that the starting four defensive linemen will be backed up by the likes of Austin Bryant and undrafted rookie Demetrius Taylor.