Packers Not Planning To Shake Up Defensive Coaching Staff
Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry got a vote of confidence from head coach Matt LaFleur last night, but it sounds like frustration may be mounting among players. LaFleur said the team is “absolutely not” going to make a coaching change following their loss to the Bills last night.
However, sources told ESPN’s Rob Demovsky that members of Green Bay’s defense are frustrated with the defensive scheme and playcalling. Specifically, a source said that there was “a declining confidence in the defensive scheme and what’s being called, and it’s led to overall frustration with the defense.”
“Well, first of all, it’s impossible to please everybody,” LaFleur said when asked about growing frustrations. “Everybody has their own opinions, their own ideas. It’s like anything else in life. You have to get the staff on the same page, first and foremost, in making sure that everybody is confident in the plan and then you teach it to the players.”
Barry joined the Packers in 2021 after having served as a defensive coordinator for only two years. The Packers finished top-10 in yards allowed in 2021 and they’re similarly ranked in 2022, but the team ranks towards the bottom of the NFL in many run-stopping statistics. As Demovsky notes, the latest breakdown came last night when Green Bay allowed Buffalo to score on five straight possessions. Speaking after the contest, LaFleur wouldn’t reveal whether players have expressed frustration with the defense.
“I think we’d be foolish not to listen to our players at certain times,” LaFleur said. “Ultimately, we have to make the best decision for our football team in terms of how do you go about winning the game? You know, there were some great moments and then there were some not-so-great moments. It was great that we were able to get a couple turnovers.
“I think from a consistency standpoint, way too many explosive gains, some poor tackling. I think we need to be more physical. I think you look at the teams that are toughest to deal with in this league, especially from a defensive standpoint and physicality, it jumps out to you. There were moments where we’re not always getting that.”
The defense currently consists of seven former first-round picks and a handful of high-priced acquisitions, as Demovsky points out, and the unit was expected to help keep the team afloat while Aaron Rodgers and the offense figured things out on the other side of the ball. Instead, Green Bay’s defensive struggles have contributed to the team’s 3-5 start, and despite LaFleur’s assertion, a change could be coming if things aren’t turned around.
Packers Rule Out WR Allen Lazard For Week 8
The Packers will be without their leading receiver when they attempt to pull of an upset of the Bills Sunday night. The team announced that Allen Lazard has been ruled out due to a shoulder injury, adding further to the question marks surrounding Green Bay’s pass catchers. 
Lazard had played in six straight contests after missing the season opener due to an ankle injury. He has operated as the team’s new No. 1 wideout, as expected given the departures of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling during the offseason. Lazard has seen at least six targets in all but one game this season, eclipsing 100 yards just once as the Packers have struggled to find a consistent passing game.
The news also comes only one week after fellow veterans Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb swapped places with one another regarding their availability. The latter being placed on IR made room for the former to make just his third appearance of the season. Cobb’s absence could be acutely felt, as he ranks second on the team with 257 yards on the campaign.
In more positive news at the position, Christian Watson is listed as questionable and could return after missing three games, including each of the last two. The second-round rookie said during the week that he was “feeling really good, feeling really confident” about his recovery from a hamstring injury. He could see a large role upon his return, given the loss of both Cobb and Lazard, though his and fellow rookie receiver Romeo Doubs‘ lack of consistency and rapport with quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been a talking point amidst the team’s struggles.
That has led to the Packers being named as a team interested in making a move at the position via trade. Their league ranking in passing yards per game (19th, with an average of 239), along with their relatively flexible situation with respect to cap space would make it unsurprising if they executed a move to boost their pass-catching corps. Two nights before the deadline, they will take on the AFC’s top seed; a victory would be made even more noteworthy given Lazard’s absence.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/29/22
Here are the minor moves leading into Sunday’s slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Antwaun Woods, T Badara Traore
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: CB Cornell Armstrong
- Promoted from practice squad: S Jovante Moffatt, DL Jalen Dalton
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Spencer Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: T Joe Haeg
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: RB Malik Davis, TE Sean McKeon
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Qadree Ollison, G Dakoda Shepley
- Placed on IR: LB Devin Harper
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: RB Devine Ozigbo
- Promoted from practice squad: T Quinn Bailey, DE Jonathan Kongbo
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: K Michael Badgley
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Maurice Alexander, WR Stanley Berryhill
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Innis Gaines, DE Kobe Jones
Houston Texans
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Jalen Camp, T KC McDermott
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Nickell Robey-Coleman
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: WR Van Jefferson, CB Troy Hill (story)
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Ronnie Rivers, T Chandler Brewer
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted from practice squad: S Verone McKinley, WR Braylon Sanders
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jacob Hollister
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: T Yodny Cajuste
- Promoted from practice squad: OL Kody Russey
- Placed on IR: G Chasen Hines
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: S Chris Harris
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Kevin White
- Released: WR Keith Kirkwood
New York Jets
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Chris Streveler, OL Conor McDermott
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE Tarron Jackson
- Waived: K Cameron Dicker
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: WR Willie Snead
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Tay Martin, DT T.Y. McGill
- Waived: T Blake Hance
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: RB Travis Homer
- Promoted from practice squad: OLB Bruce Irvin, WR Cade Johnson
Washington Commanders
- Promoted from practice squad: FB Alex Armah, WR Kyric McGowan
2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team
Days away from this year’s trade deadline (3pm CT, Nov. 1), a few teams have made some in-season moves to bolster their rosters. Several squads have also restructured contracts this season to create additional space. That extra room will matter as most teams will consider adding or subtracting costs before Tuesday’s deadline.
Here is how teams’ cap-space numbers (courtesy of OverTheCap) look ahead of the deadline:
- Cleveland Browns: $33.72MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $10.35MM
- Carolina Panthers: $9.79MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $9.71MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $9.47MM
- Denver Broncos: $7.79MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $7.69MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $7.23MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $7.16MM
- Chicago Bears: $7.08MM
- Green Bay Packers: $6.6MM
- Miami Dolphins: $6.16MM
- New York Jets: $5.71MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $4.97MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $4.95MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $4.93MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $4.76MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $4.3MM
- Washington Commanders: $4.26MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $3.86MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $3.71MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $3.67MM
- New Orleans Saints: $3.61MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $3.31MM
- New York Giants: $3.26MM
- Detroit Lions: $3.25MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $3.07MM
- New England Patriots: $2.19MM
- Houston Texans: $2.09MM
- Buffalo Bills: $1.93MM
- Tennessee Titans: $1.59MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $852K
The Browns have held the top spot for months, and the gulf between their cap-space figure and the field almost certainly stems from a desire to carry over cap space before Deshaun Watson‘s cap number spikes from $9.4MM to a runaway-record $54.99MM. Cleveland has recently been linked to creating more cap space. Interest has come in for Greedy Williams, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Kareem Hunt. Although the Browns did not grant Hunt’s summer trade request, it may now take only a fourth-round pick for Cleveland to deal its backup running back.
Another potential seller could move up on this list while creating some additional space in 2023. The Broncos are believed to have made Jerry Jeudy available. Unlike fellow trade chip Bradley Chubb, Jeudy is under contract for 2023 (on a $4.83MM cap number). Denver appears more likely to move Chubb. That departure would remove the franchise tag from the team’s equation in 2023 — barring a tag for fellow 2023 UFA-to-be Dre’Mont Jones — thus freeing up more free agency funds. It will be interesting if the Broncos, if they are to move Chubb, agree to eat much of his fifth-year option salary. George Paton‘s club took on most of Von Miller‘s 2021 money to increase draft compensation.
The Eagles are still near the top despite acquiring Robert Quinn. Philadelphia is paying just $684K of Quinn’s contract, which now runs through 2022 instead of 2024. Chicago is on the hook for $7.1MM. The Bears are on track to have a gargantuan lead on the field for 2023 cap space. They are projected to hold more than $125MM next year, according to OverTheCap.
New Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney checks in at just $784K on their 2022 cap sheet. The former Giants first-rounder’s figures bump to $1.9MM (2023) and $2.53MM (’24). Kansas City recently restructured Travis Kelce‘s deal, creating some wiggle room for the Toney addition. The Chiefs, who did not touch Patrick Mahomes‘ deal this year, restructured Kelce’s contract twice in 2022. Thursday’s trade hit the Giants with a $2.33MM dead-money charge. Toney will count $3.67MM in dead money for the Giants in 2023.
The Panthers picked up nearly $19MM in 2022 dead money via the Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey trades. Unlike the Eagles and Bears, last week’s Panthers-49ers McCaffrey swap did not involve Carolina taking on additional salary. McCaffrey’s offseason restructure dropped his 2022 base salary to the league minimum; the 49ers have him on their books at just $690K. McCaffrey’s record-setting extension will still represent $18.35MM in dead money on the Panthers’ 2023 cap, but his nonguaranteed base salaries from 2023-25 ($11.8MM, $11.8MM, $12MM) transferred fully from Carolina to San Francisco.
On the subject of 2022 dead money, the Bears lead the way with $80.32MM. The Falcons added to their total this month, however, by trading Deion Jones to the Browns. That deal saddled the Falcons with $11.38MM in additional dead money — accompanying the franchise’s record-setting Matt Ryan dead-money hit ($40.53MM) — and ballooned Atlanta’s overall total to $78.57MM. Ryan is off the Falcons’ books after this year, but Jones will carry a $12.14MM dead-money figure in 2023.
Giants Interested In Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy
The Giants created a bit of cap space by sending Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs. They are believed to be looking to another AFC West team for help at this position.
Jerry Jeudy is on the Giants’ radar, according to Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, who notes the team is interested in the third-year wide receiver — a player who spent his freshman season at Alabama working with Brian Daboll. League buzz is indeed pointing to a Giants Jeudy run, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes. The Broncos have made Jeudy available, but with the former first-round pick signed through 2023 and able to be kept through 2024 on his rookie deal, the struggling team has a big-picture decision to make ahead of the Nov. 1 deadline.
[RELATED: Bradley Chubb Expected To Fetch Day 2 Picks]
The Broncos will hold out for a high return, according to Denver7’s Troy Renck. That return could be a second-round pick or multiple selections, an NFL exec told The Athletic’s Dan Duggan (subscription required). The Giants have their own first-, second- and third-round picks in 2023 and now have a Chiefs compensatory selection in Round 3.
If the Broncos do end up trading Jeudy, the return will certainly be interesting. As the prospect of the Broncos acquiring Aaron Rodgers loomed for nearly a year, Renck adds the Packers eyed Jeudy in a prospective trade. The Packers have been linked to a wide receiver move for a bit now. Multiple offers will obviously lead to a better market for the Broncos.
Jeudy did not break out at Alabama until his sophomore season, after Daboll had left for Buffalo. Jeudy’s freshman campaign with Daboll, the Tide’s OC during an Alabama national championship season, centered around Jalen Hurts‘ rushing abilities. Calvin Ridley worked as the powerhouse’s No. 1 target that year.
Denver used the No. 15 overall pick in 2020 to select Jeudy but has not seen consistency from the ex-Crimson Tide standout. Of course, the Broncos have gone through several quarterbacks and two offensive systems since drafting Jeudy, undoubtedly affecting his development. The team will need to weigh Jeudy’s potential long-term impact with Russell Wilson against the offers it receives ahead of this year’s trade deadline.
Toney may have flashed more after the catch, but he has been seldom available since being last year’s No. 20 overall choice. Jeudy, 23, has shown plus route-running skills and has settled in as Denver’s No. 2 wideout behind Courtland Sutton. Jeudy led the 2020 Broncos in receiving (856 yards) and has 24 catches for 386 yards and two touchdowns this year. Jeudy has also battled injuries, most notably the high ankle sprain that sidelined him for a chunk of last season. After a productive debut against the Giants (six receptions, 72 yards), Jeudy missed the next six games and finished last season without a touchdown.
No Giant receiver has topped 200 yards yet, as the team has reached the 6-1 mark without wideout consistency. The team was eyeing receiver help early this season, when the bulk of its top contributors were down. New York has since lost Sterling Shepard for the season and seen Kenny Golladay suffer an MCL sprain. Tied to a four-year contract worth $72MM, Golladay came up in trades earlier this year. Even with the Giants willing to eat some of his 2022 money, no team budged on a player who has been one of the bigger free agency busts in recent years. The team shopped Darius Slayton all offseason, one that saw his stock drop and a pay cut ensue, but Daboll’s club has since turned to the former fifth-round pick as a key target for Daniel Jones.
Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson profile as Big Blue’s top receivers. Jeudy, who has seen extensive time in the slot and outside, would help fill a need for the Giants. With Toney gone, Slayton and Shepard in a contract years and Golladay a cap casualty-in-waiting, receiver will be one of the team’s top needs in 2023. While Jones and Saquon Barkley‘s contract-year statuses bring bigger questions for the resurgent team, its receiver situation will need addressing.
Chiefs, Packers, Rams Looking Into Texans’ Brandin Cooks
As another trade deadline approaches, this era’s trade kingpin is naturally being mentioned in potential deals. Teams are looking into Brandin Cooks ahead of the Nov. 1 deadline, amid another season in which the Texans are not expected to challenge for a playoff spot.
The Chiefs, Packers and Rams have discussed Cooks with the Texans, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. While a trade would put Cooks alongside the likes of Eric Dickerson, Earl Morrall, Norm Snead and Co., the thrice-dealt wide receiver has said previously he did not want to be moved again. Cooks nevertheless remains a viable trade chip in his ninth season and is now winding down his 20s with a rebuilding team. No deal appears close, Wilson adds, but Cooks appears back on the market.
Cooks, 29, signed an extension to stay with the Texans in April, cutting off his previous batch of trade rumors. Signed to a two-year, $39MM deal, Cooks is nevertheless tied to a $1.17MM base salary. The veteran’s salaries spike after this season — to $18MM (guaranteed) and $13MM in 2023 and ’24, respectively — but thanks partially to a September restructure, Cooks’ 2022 money would not be particularly imposing for a team to add.
Each of these teams has been connected to wide receiver pursuits. The Packers have been mentioned as a team looking for wideout help. That report emerged before a rough outing from Green Bay’s passing attack, one that preceded Aaron Rodgers suggesting players who are making too many mistakes should see their playing time reduced. Randall Cobb is on IR, and second-round pick Christian Watson has missed the past two weeks due to a hamstring injury. Allen Lazard is also battling a shoulder ailment he sustained in Washington; Green Bay’s top wideout was outfitted with an arm sling Monday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes.
While calls for the Packers to augment their post-Davante Adams receiver situation came in this offseason, the team resisted. It is now 3-4, increasing the urgency ahead of Rodgers’ 39th birthday. Cooks fetched first-round picks in his initial two trades (from the Saints to the Patriots in 2017 and from the Pats to the Rams in 2018) and a second-rounder (from Los Angeles to Houston in 2020), prices that will test the Packers’ resolve.
It probably will not cost a second-rounder this time around, though the Texans were seeking such a return this spring. Cooks’ 2023 guarantee will affect his trade market this time around. The Packers are also being connected to the Cardinals’ A.J. Green via trade, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes. With Green now 34 and seeing minimal Arizona playing time, the Packers would not need to pay much. Cooks would also provide a bigger boost for Green Bay’s passing attack. The Packers’ pass-catcher search also includes tight ends, per Graziano.
Kansas City has been linked as an Odell Beckham Jr. suitor, joining Los Angeles on this front as well, but the team has seen its free agency additions — JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling — make leaps in recent weeks. Both topped 100 receiving yards against the 49ers, a game in which the Chiefs surpassed 500 yards. Cooks would become the most experienced player in the Chiefs’ receiving corps, and with second-rounder Skyy Moore not making much of an impact yet, the six-time 1,000-yard receiver could buy the rookie some time.
The Rams rostered Cooks for two seasons, having traded their 2018 first-round pick for him, and gave him a lucrative second contract. The team used Cooks as a starter alongside Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, and while the former Saints first-round pick posted a career-high 1,204 yards in the Rams’ Super Bowl LIII-qualifying season, concussions limited him in 2019. This year’s Rams edition is struggling on offense — partially due to UFA addition Allen Robinson‘s minimal impact — and the team has not shied away from splashy moves.
A Cooks trade would seemingly cut off an OBJ path. The Rams have been the clubhouse leaders for Beckham for months, but with their offense ranking 29th in scoring and OBJ not expected to be ready until December, the team may be facing a timeline question. Van Jefferson is on track to return from IR soon, but the team initially added Beckham despite rostering Kupp, Woods and Jefferson last year. The Chiefs appear better positioned to wait for Beckham compared to the 3-4 Rams.
This season, Cooks (28 receptions, 281 yards, one touchdown) is not on 1,000-yard pace. While the Texans could retain the 5-foot-10 target for the purposes of Davis Mills development, stockpiling future draft capital should certainly be considered given where the franchise resides on its rebuild timeline. Cooks may end up serving as a consolation prize for one of the three teams involved in the latest Beckham sweepstakes.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/25/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Sage Doxtater
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Thakarius Keyes
- Released: LB Jordan Brailford
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: S Mike Brown
Detroit Lions
- Signed: S J.R. Reed
- Released: DL Bruce Hector
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Josh Babicz
- Released: TE Shaun Beyer
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: P Nolan Cooney, LB Forrest Rhyne
- Released: WR DeMichael Harris, CB Ryan Smith
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OT Sebastian Gutierrez
- Released: CB Javelin Guidry
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Calvin Jackson, DB Jamal Perry
- Placed on IR: WR Freddie Swain
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Andre Miller
New York Jets
- Signed: G Myron Cunningham
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: RB Godwin Igwebuike, LB Christian Jones
Inactives Today: Dotson, Swift, Bakhtiari, Horn
Washington was hoping to get its rookie first-round pick back today after missing the past two weeks with a hamstring injury, but, after seemingly reaggravating the hamstring in practice Thursday, Dotson will miss his third game in a row, according to Stacey Dales of NFL Network. In his absence, Washington will rely on Curtis Samuel and Dyami Brown to work opposite Terry McLaurin on offense.
The Commanders have been a mixed bag without Dotson in the lineup. In the team’s loss to the Titans two weeks ago, Brown and Samuel combined to catch eight balls for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Brown’s production came on two long touchdown catches, while Samuel was peppered with eight targets working a shorter range. The two did enough to compliment McLaurin and open him up to snag five passes for 76 yards.
There wasn’t much offense to be found the next week during the Commanders’ win in Chicago, as quarterback Carson Wentz only accumulated 99 passing yards. McLaurin showed up, as usual, catching three balls for 41 yards, while Samuel only caught two of his five targets for 6 yards and Brown was only targeted once. The team has also utilized Cam Sims and Dax Milne, but Samuel and Brown seem to be the most capable candidates to replace Dotson’s production.
Here are a few other notes on players listed an inactive today:
- Continuing a trend from his first two seasons, injuries seem to be weighing down Lions running back D’Andre Swift this year as he is also set to miss his third straight game, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Lions have the very capable legs of backup Jamaal Williams who, despite the offense’s struggles during a Week 5 trip to New England, has performed admirably in the lead role during Swift’s absence. Craig Reynolds has taken up the backup duties with Justin Jackson contributing, as well. All three will likely be needed for a tough trip to Dallas.
- The Packers continue to get intermittent play out of star tackle David Bakhtiari due to the lingering effects of his recovery from last year’s ACL tear. After playing sparingly in two of the last four games, Bakhtiari will be out today against the Commanders, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Zach Tom is likely to sub in to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers blindside, while Yosh Nijman slots in at right tackle.
- The Panthers will be without second-year cornerback Jaycee Horn for the second week in a row. Last week, the team called on C.J. Henderson to start opposite Donte Jackson but split much of the playing time with second-year backup Keith Taylor. They’ll likely depend on a similar gameplan today against the Buccaneers.
Packers Activate WR Sammy Watkins, Place WR Randall Cobb On IR
It’s one in, one out for the Packers receiving corps. Just as Green Bay is able to activate veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins off of injured reserve, the team has to place its other veteran, Randall Cobb, on IR, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The shuffle continues what has been a struggle for quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense. 
Watkins was placed on the reserve list only two weeks into the season in order to deal with hamstring injuries. It was early in the season, but, after a 93-yard day against the Bears, Watkins was looking like a dangerous target for Rodgers. Through two games this season, Watkins was already on pace to have his best season since his early days in Buffalo. Rodgers should feel a bit of relief getting one of his favorite targets from early in the season back.
Cobb stepped up when Watkins went down and became the Packers’ second-leading receiver behind Allen Lazard. Just as Watkins is ready to return, though, Cobb will take his turn on IR. There was a bit of silver-lining reported yesterday as Cobb’s injury was determined not to be a broken ankle, as was initially feared, but a high ankle sprain that will keep him out for an expected “two to six weeks,” as opposed to the initial diagnosis of a season-ending injury.
With Cobb out and rookie second-round pick Christian Watson also dealing with hamstring issues, the Packers will look forward to getting Watkins back in the lineup, but they’ll likely be cautious with his return. Watkins is listed as questionable going into Sunday’s game in Landover, and he will likely have limited participation against the Commanders. Lazard and rookie fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs will be the main targets alongside Watkins with return specialist Amari Rodgers and rookie seventh-round pick Samori Toure filling in where needed.
In a couple other moves leading in the Week 7 slate, the Packers also placed offensive lineman Jake Hanson on IR and promoted outside linebacker La’Darius Hamilton as a gameday elevation.
Injury Updates: Cobb, Wilson, Waletzko, Leonard
The Packers and veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb were granted a silver-lining after hearing that what was feared to be a season-ending broken ankle was potentially a high ankle sprain that would require several weeks of recovery. The diagnosis of a high ankle sprain was confirmed, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, and Cobb told reporters that he “expects to return in two to six weeks,” a much more optimistic timeline than what was initially feared.
Green Bay had lost another veteran receiver when Sammy Watkins was placed on injured reserve back in September. Watkins was the team’s leading receiver at the time and now the Packers will lose their second-leading receiver as Cobb is being considered for an IR stint. With no Cobb and Watkins, and with rookie receiver Christian Watson also ailing, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has only Allen Lazard, Romeo Doubs, Amari Rodgers, and Samori Toure as targets out wide. Head coach Matt LaFleur did express some optimism that Watkins could be working his way towards a return soon, though.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the league:
- After he suffered a hamstring injury in their game against the Chargers, Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett announced that quarterback Russell Wilson will be a gametime decision this week against the Jets, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. The 11th-year veteran has struggled to lead Denver to the endzone this year but still represents the team’s best chance to win by far. If Wilson is unable to suit up this week, third-year backup Brett Rypien is the next name on the depth chart. Rypien has one start on his record from his rookie season. In his starting debut from 2020, Rypien led the Broncos to a win over the Jets, completing 19 of 31 attempted passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing three interceptions.
- The Cowboys lost rookie fifth-round pick Matt Waletzko after only three weeks as the backup offensive lineman’s lingering left shoulder issues continued to trouble him. Waletzko knew that surgery was an inevitable outcome but delayed the procedure in an attempt to become a contributor in his rookie season, but, after three subluxations, his first year will come to an end, according to Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News. Waletzko had played in all of the team’s first three games, mostly serving on special teams units and earning one offensive snap in the team’s Week 3 win over the Giants. Dallas doesn’t have a ton of depth behind the starters on the offensive line, but backups Josh Ball, Jason Peters, and Matt Farniok provide some versatility that allow them to fill in most empty spots in the lineup.
- Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard cleared concussion protocol today, according to Mike Chappell of FOX59/CBS4 Sports, but the team will still hold him out against the Titans this week. In addition to the concussion, Leonard is listed with a nose injury, which he recently had surgery on, according to Zak Keefer of The Athletic. Fourth-year linebacker E.J. Speed will continue to start in Leonard’s place as he works his way back to the field.