Injury Updates: Taylor, Eagles, Morse, McCoy
Early in Saturday’s historic loss to the Vikings, the Colts saw star running back Jonathan Taylor leave the game without tallying a single carry. Tests showed that Taylor suffered a sprained ankle, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and while it was considered “nothing major,” it was enough to keep Taylor out for the remainder of the game.
In Taylor’s absence, in-season trade acquisition Zack Moss took over as the team’s lead back, assisted by Deon Jackson. Both put forth good performances for the rest of the contest, combining for 136 rushing yards on 37 carries.
With the Colts on the brink of elimination from postseason contention at 4-9-1, it’s not very surprising that Taylor didn’t risk his long-term health to return. Now the question arises of whether or not interim head coach Jeff Saturday and company will bring back Taylor at all for the rest of the season. If there’s no hope for a playoff run, will Indianapolis want to risk the long-term health of one of its keystone players or will it ride Moss and Jackson for the rest of the year?
Here are a few more injury updates from this weekend, starting with a player who didn’t even get to make an appearance:
- Some were expecting to see Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert return from injury this week against the Bears, but ultimately, Philadelphia did not activate him. According to Schefter, Goedert is still expected to return from the injury soon, but “it’s not expected to be until next” week’s division game in Dallas. The Eagles will be excited to have their starting tight end back after relying on Jack Stoll and rookie sixth-round pick Grant Calcaterra for the past five games.
- The Bills continued to take hits to their interior offensive line today after starting center Mitch Morse was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Backup guard Greg Van Roten, who was already filling in at right guard for an injured Ryan Bates, moved to center following Morse’s departure with backup offensive tackle David Quessenberry filling the empty slot at right guard. There is reason for concern due to Morse’s history with concussions. Back in 2020, it was reported he had suffered his fifth career concussion. It’s unclear if he’s suffered any since then, but the extensive history of brain trauma should not be taken lightly by the Bills training staff.
- Another team that had to dig deep into the depth chart due to concussions, the Cardinals saw quarterback Colt McCoy leave today’s loss to the Broncos with a concussion. McCoy was slated to fill in for the remainder of the season after Kyler Murray‘s torn ACL, so with McCoy out, Arizona turned to third-string quarterback Trace McSorley. McSorley struggled in the loss, completing less than 50-percent of his passes and throwing two interceptions, but the Cardinals didn’t have another option. The team recently signed David Blough off of the Vikings practice squad but did not have him available for today’s game. Already eliminated from playoff contention at 4-10, there’s no reason for Arizona to rush anyone back from injury. If McCoy cannot be cleared by their Christmas night matchup with the Buccaneers, McSorley and Blough will be in line to lead the team from under center.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/22
Here are today’s minor moves heading into the Saturday slate of games:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Anthony Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Daylen Baldwin, LB Tae Davis
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: CB Jacobi Francis
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Darrell Baker, LB Forrest Rhyne
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Parry Nickerson
AFC South Rumors: Gannon, Caserio, Colts
Lovie Smith joins Denver’s Nathaniel Hackett as the first-year coaches on the shakiest ground. The Texans are 1-11-1, on pace to finish with a worse record than they did under Nick Caserio‘s first HC hire (David Culley). Smith following Culley as a one-and-done is on the radar, though the prospect of Caserio being allowed to hire a third coach in three years is also uncertain. If Caserio does fire Smith and is granted permission to stay on and hire another coach, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon will be back on the radar for the job.
Gannon was one of the Texans’ finalists for the Houston HC position this year, and Fowler adds Caserio was impressed by the then-rookie DC. The Texans bringing Gannon back into the finalist discussion might be more difficult in 2023, with Gannon’s Eagles defense making strides. This could well lead to more interested teams; Gannon already interviewed for three jobs (Houston, Denver, Minnesota) this year. The Texans did interview Josh McCown in back-to-back offseasons. Smith was not viewed as a finalist until the end of the process, leaving Gannon in Philly and McCown out of the league.
Here is the latest from the AFC South:
- Jim Irsay said last month he wanted Jeff Saturday to stay on as the Colts‘ next full-time HC. Saturday has said he will pursue that position, should Irsay want to interview him. While an interview seems a certainty, Irsay couched his Saturday support by saying there are “great candidates out there.” “I’m looking forward to the interview process,” Irsay said this week. “I think Jeff’s a candidate, but there’s a lot of great candidates out there. I think there’s a lot of great candidates in college. I think the pool needs to be broadened somewhat more. There’s some great college coaches that may be capable. There’s some unknown coaches that may be capable.” Saturday is 1-3 in his start as Indy’s interim coach.
- In the event the Texans go the other way with Caserio, the Titans could be a landing spot for the longtime Bill Belichick right-hand man. A GM who spoke with the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora indicated Tennessee would be an ideal fit for Caserio, given Vrabel’s Patriots background. Caserio was in New England’s front office during throughout Vrabel’s nine-season Pats tenure. Amy Adams Strunk said Vrabel will be included in the Titans’ next GM search process, and while it might look strange to see an exec who has overseen a woeful two-year stretch (Houston is 5-24-1 under Caserio) in the AFC South be considered for another top front office gig so soon, Vrabel’s presence will be important for how Tennessee proceeds.
- Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae will hold more responsibility on Saturday’s staff going forward. The Colts‘ assistant offensive line coach will transition to the role of tight ends coach, Saturday said. Mawae will replace Klayton Adams, whom KCRA’s Michelle Dapper notes is leaving to become Stanford’s O-line coach (Twitter link). Adams will join new Cardinal HC Troy Taylor in Palo Alto. Adams, 39, coached at the college level for 14 years prior to joining Frank Reich‘s staff in 2019. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019, Mawae is in his second season on the Colts’ staff.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/15/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Khalil Dorsey
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT McTelvin Agim
- Released: WR Robert Foster
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Jack Heflin
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Jaylen Smith
- Released: RB Wayne Gallman
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Carson Strong
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Nate Landman
- Released: OL Parker Ferguson
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Cole Beasley (story)
- Released: WR Marquez Stevenson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Tae Hayes
- Released: RB Nate McCrary
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Storey Jackson
Denver Broncos
- Released: DL McTelvin Agim
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OT Jean Delance, C Michal Menet
- Released: DL Jack Heflin, WR Dede Westbrook
Houston Texans
- Signed: RB Gerrid Doaks, WR D.J. Montgomery
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Robert Foster
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Kana’i Mauga, OT Willie Wright
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Marquiss Spencer
- Placed on IR: LB Marcell Harris
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Anthony Harris, P Brett Kern
- Released: S Marquise Blair, WR Auden Tate
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: QB Kevin Hogan, OL Zach McCloud, G Jordan Roos, WR Jonathan Ward
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/22
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Brandin Bryant
- Waived: DT C.J. Brewer
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: DL Daviyon Nixon
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: RB Mike Boone
- Signed off Dolphins’ practice squad: WR Freddie Swain
Houston Texans
- Signed from practice squad: QB Jeff Driskel
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed off practice squad: TE Nikola Kalinic
- Waived: WR Keke Coutee
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed off Broncos’ practice squad: G Netane Muti
- Placed on IR: LB Jayon Brown
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: P Arryn Siposs (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed off Jets’ practice squad: DT Jonathan Marshall
- Signed: LB Olasunkanmi Adeniyi
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: LB Olakunle Fatukasi
Colts To Start Matt Ryan In Week 15
DECEMBER 12: Any changes will need to wait for at least one more game. Saturday confirmed when speaking to the media today that Ryan will remain the starter against the Vikings in Week 15. Foles, meanwhile, will once again dress as the backup, leaving Ehlinger inactive.
DECEMBER 11: The Jeff Saturday era was marked by return of Matt Ryan as the Colts’ starting quarterback, and a win during his first game as an NFL head coach. Since then, however, the veteran’s struggles have continued, inviting questions about another quarterback change taking place. 
Ryan started for the first seven weeks of the season, but he and the offense struggled immensely. A shoulder sprain necessitated the move to Sam Ehlinger in the short term, but then-head coach Frank Reich said it was intended to be permanent. Not long after, Reich had been replaced by Saturday in a highly controversial decision, bringing about a return for the longtime Falcons starter.
Despite missing two games, Ryan still leads the league in interceptions (13) and total turnovers (18). Saturday had voiced his continued support of the 37-year-old after Week 12, but admitted that things could change during the team’s bye week. Personnel moves could entail another shake-up under center.
“We’re going to look at everything – no position in particular,” Saturday said via the Indy Star’s Joel A. Erickson. “We need the best 11 on the field every time. If we think somebody gives us a better chance to win, let’s have those discussions this week.”
Sitting at 4-8-1 on the campaign, Indianapolis has been underwhelming in most aspects on offense and defense. That could lend itself to younger players at a number of positions, including Ehlinger, being given an extended look to close out the season. The status of Ryan’s shoulder could factor into the team’s decisions as well, though Saturday insisted that health is not an issue with respect to his ability to continue starting.
The other options available to the Colts, of course, is veteran Nick Foles. Acquired in no small part due to his connection with Reich dating back to their time together in Philadelphia, the 33-year-old was benched in favor of Ehlinger as Ryan’s backup in October. He dressed last week during the team’s loss to the Cowboys, however, leading some to wonder if he will see first-team action at some point. With Saturday attempting to earn the full-time HC position for 2023, decisions made for the closing games of the season will still be made with the immediate future in mind.
“It won’t be about next-year evaluation,” he said. “It will be about what gives us the best chance to win in these final four.”
Leslie Frazier An Option For Colts HC?
It’s been more than a decade since Leslie Frazier last served as a head coach, but the current Bills defensive coordinator could soon get his shot. ESPN’s Dan Graziano passes along that multiples sources have connected Frazier to the Colts potential HC vacanacy.
There are a few things going for Frazier. The coach does have some connections to Indy, as he served as the Colts assistant head coach/defensive backs coach in 2006. Further, as Graziano writes, Frazier has the support of Tony Dungy, and the former head coach’s “word carries some weight” within the organization. Frazier actually interviewed for the Colts’ head coaching gig back in 2018 before the team hired Frank Reich, so there’s clearly some respect for his coaching ability.
On the flip side, Frazier’s wheelhouse is on the defensive side of the ball. Graziano writes that the organization could be seeking both a quarterback and an offensive play-caller this offseason, and some could assume that those holes would be easier to navigate with an offensive-minded coach. Further, Frazier’s track record as a head coach wasn’t great. He helped guide the Vikings to the playoffs with a 10-6 record in 2012, but the team otherwise went 11-26 during his two-plus seasons at the helm.
Still, there’s no denying Frazier’s ability to coach a defense. Since taking over as Buffalo’s defensive coordinator in 2017, the Bills have developed into one of the top defenses in the NFL, including three top-five finishes in defensive yards allowed between 2018 and 2021. Buffalo’s emergence has led to more and more head coaching opportunities for the coordinator. Just this past offseason, Frazier interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Dolphins, Bears, and Giants, and he was generally considered the runner-up for the gig in New York.
The Colts fired Reich following a 3-5-1 season. Jeff Saturday unexpectedly took over as head coach and won his first game in the position, but the Colts have since dropped three straight. Considering Saturday’s lack of coaching experience, he was always deemed a temporary solution as the HC spot.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
The NFL now has its first teams eliminated from playoff contention. The Texans and Bears, as they essentially have been doing throughout this season, are playing for next year. Other eliminations will soon follow, as the league’s playoff picture heats up.
Through that lens, the 2023 draft order will become an increasingly more pertinent topic. The 2023 draft will present an interesting subplot near its outset. Traded picks are set to produce early selections for the Seahawks, Lions and Eagles. Each of those picks currently land in the top five, as the teams on the other end of those trades — the Broncos, Rams and Saints — have disappointed, spectacularly so in Los Angeles and Denver’s cases.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order would look entering Week 14:
- Houston Texans: 1-10-1
- Chicago Bears: 3-9
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Carolina Panthers: 4-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-8
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-8
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-8-1
- Atlanta Falcons: 5-8
- Green Bay Packers: 5-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 5-7
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-7
- Detroit Lions: 5-7
- Los Angeles Chargers: 6-6
- New England Patriots: 6-6
- Washington Commanders: 7-5-1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-6*
- Seattle Seahawks: 7-5*
- Tennessee Titans: 7-5*
- New York Jets: 7-5*
- New York Giants: 7-4-1*
- Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)*
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-4*
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-4*
- Dallas Cowboys: 9-3*
- Kansas City Chiefs: 9-3*
- Minnesota Vikings: 10-2*
- Buffalo Bills: 9-3*
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-1*
* = Denotes playoff team
The 2023 first round will resemble 2008 and 2016, when the Patriots were docked their Round 1 pick for their respective “gate” scandals. This year’s Dolphins saga never developed “gate” status, but the team lost a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-rounder due to the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering case. Thus, a 31-pick first round will commence.
While the Broncos, Rams and Browns lost their first-round picks due to trades for quarterbacks, the Saints passed theirs to the Eagles in this year’s pre-draft trade that allowed New Orleans a path toward moving up for Chris Olave. The No. 16 pick which was initially transferred from the Colts to the Eagles in 2021’s Carson Wentz trade was then moved to the Saints, netting Philadelphia a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 second.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/22
Here are the league’s minor transactions leading into the Sunday-slate of Week 13 games:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted from practice squad: DE Quinton Bell, C Jonotthan Harrison
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to active roster: WR Binjimen Victor
- Promoted from practice squad: WR DeSean Jackson, S Ar’Darius Washington
- Placed on IR: WR Tylan Wallace
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: P Drue Chrisman
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted from practice squad: S Mike Brown
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted from practice squad: T Aviante Collins
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Micah Abernathy, RB Patrick Taylor
Houston Texans
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Jacobi Francis
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Forrest Rhyne
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted from practice squad: S Zayne Anderson, WR Cornell Powell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Kyle Peko
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: T Zack Bailey
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed to active roster: OLB Keir Thomas, WR Austin Trammell
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Malcolm Brown, DE T.J. Carter
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted from practice squad: OL James Empey, T Kendall Lamm
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: LB William Kwenkeu
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: RB Elijah Mitchell (story)
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Vi Jones, WR Laquon Treadwell
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: OLB Olasunkanmi Adeniyi
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Julius Chestnut, CB Davontae Harris
- Waived: K Caleb Shudak
Washington Commanders
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Alex Erickson