Steelers OC Matt Canada, Saints OC Pete Carmichael Could Be On Hot Seat
Last month, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed offensive coordinator Matt Canada‘s job status and noted that he would not make a “knee-jerk reaction” with respect to Canada’s position. Given that the Steelers generally refrain from making a major coaching move during the season, and since Canada was retained for 2023 to offer some continuity for second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett, it seemed reasonable to expect that the OC would at least finish out the year in Pittsburgh.
However, that may not be the case. While Tomlin again said several days ago that he would not be making a change “at this juncture,” sources close to the situation tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that Canada could find himself on the hot seat if Pittsburgh’s offensive output does not improve.
Based on the offense’s performance under Canada to date, it is difficult to forecast such improvement. Since getting promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator in 2021, Canada has been unable to coax much production out of his unit. The Steelers dropped from 22nd in points scored in 2021 to 24th in 2022, and while they jumped from 25th to 19th in total yards, the passing offense took a major step back.
Of course, there are always going to be growing pains with a young passer like Pickett. Nonetheless, it is easy to understand why the Steelers faithful are frustrated and have taken to gracing their team with “Fire Canada” chants. Pittsburgh presently ranks 29th in total offense, is averaging just 15.5 points per game, and is one of four teams that have scored fewer than ten points in multiple games in 2023. As a result, Canada could soon find himself on the wrong side of Steelers history; the last time the team made a significant in-season coaching shakeup was in 1998, when then-HC Bill Cowher removed then-OC Ray Sherman’s play-calling duties.
Like the Steelers, the Saints are averaging just 15.5 points per game, and according to Rapoport, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is not necessarily a safe bet to make it through the end of the season. In fairness, New Orleans was 2-0 and was leading its Week 3 contest against the Packers 17-0 when a shoulder injury forced quarterback Derek Carr out of that game, which the team ultimately lost by an 18-17 score. Then, the Saints dropped a 26-9 decision to the Bucs in Week 4 while deploying a less-than-healthy Carr under center.
Still, even the Saints’ victories and near-victories have been earned largely on the strength of the defense, and they are just one of three teams that have scored fewer than 20 points in every game this season. Carmichael, a longtime Sean Payton lieutenant, has been New Orleans’ OC since 2009, so it would be somewhat jarring to see someone else in that role. But while HC Dennis Allen noted on October 2 that it was too soon to make a staff change, it sounds as if a change could be in the offing if there is no substantial improvement.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/23
Here are the day’s minor transactions heading into Week 5:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: RB Corey Clement, DL Ben Stille
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Xavier Malone
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Kenyan Drake, WR Laquon Treadwell
- Placed on IR: DB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram, DT Kendal Vickers
- Placed on IR: CB Tre’Davious White (story)
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB Dicaprio Bootle
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: WR Kwamie Lassiter
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: S P.J. Locke
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: OLB Julian Okwara
- Activated from exempt/commissioner permission: WR Jameson Williams
- Elevated: WR Dylan Drummond
- Placed on IR: FB Jason Cabinda
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: WR Parker Washington
- Activated from exempt/commissioner permission: T Cam Robinson
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: DE Chase Winovich
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR N’Keal Harry
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: G Tommy Kraemer
- Elevated: S Johnathan Abram, S Daniel Sorensen
- Waived: RB Tony Jones Jr.
New York Giants
- Elevated: G Jalen Mayfield, T Jaylon Thomas
New York Jets
- Elevated: WR Irvin Charles, CB Craig James
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: P Braden Mann, CB Bradley Roby
- Placed on IR: G Cam Jurgens (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: OL Ryan McCollum, P Brad Wing
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DE Austin Bryant, CB Kendall Sheffield
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: WR Kyle Philips
- Elevated: S Dane Cruikshank, DT Jaleel Johnson
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/4/23
Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Released: S Macon Clark
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Michael Bandy
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Taylor Stallworth
- Activated from practice squad/injured: S Brandon Hill
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DT Junior Aho
New England Patriots
- Released: P Corliss Waitman
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Cameron Erving
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Dez Fitzpatrick, TE Noah Gindorff
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Ilm Manning, RB Jeremy McNichols
- Released: FB Jack Colletto, DL Marlon Davidson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Mason Kinsey
Erving finds a new home in 2023 after originally re-signing to stay with the Panthers in the offseason. The former first-round pick has plenty of starting experience over his eight years in the NFL and has started games at center, guard, and tackle. With several injuries nagging the offensive line in New Orleans, the addition of Erving could prove beneficial.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/23
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: DL Jacob Slade
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released: QB Reid Sinnett
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Trey Quinn
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: TE Noah Togiai
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: DL Junior Aho
New Orleans Saints
- Released: LB Terrell Lewis
Saints QB Derek Carr To Start In Week 4
Derek Carr will be back under center for the Saints in the club’s Week 4 contest against the Buccaneers today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com first reported that New Orleans’ QB1 had a good chance to play.
Carr, who signed a four-year, $150MM contract with the Saints in March shortly after his tenure with the Raiders came to an end, had guided his new team to a 2-0 record and a 17-0 lead in its Week 3 tilt with the Packers before sustaining a shoulder injury in the third quarter of that game. After Carr’s departure, backup Jameis Winston completed 10 of 16 passes for 101 yards, but the Saints were unable to add to their point total, and Green Bay rallied for an 18-17 win.
To be clear, New Orleans’ top-10 defense has been the primary catalyst for its 2-0 (and nearly 3-0) start. During his first two-and-a-half games in a Saints uniform, Carr has posted a mediocre 85.2 quarterback rating, completing roughly 65% of his throws for two TDs against two interceptions.
Still, the team will doubtlessly be happy to have its marquee offseason acquisition back in the fold, especially in light of the disappointing loss to the Packers. Carr, who was diagnosed with a sprained AC joint, has taken first-team reps in practice over the past two days and will suit up as long as the coaching staff believes he will be able to protect himself.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, who covered the Bucs during Winston’s five-year run with the club, recalled a time when Winston was dealing with an AC joint injury of his own. As Stroud notes, it will be interesting to see whether Carr, in his first game after suffering the injury, turns down open looks because he lacks the arm strength and/or confidence to make the throw.
Luckily for Carr, he will have running back Alvin Kamara back in the fold to handle short tosses out of the backfield and to otherwise take some pressure off of the passing game. Kamara will make his 2023 debut after serving a three-game suspension to start the season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/23
Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves ahead of tomorrow’s slate of Week 4 games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: RB Corey Clement, DL Eric Banks
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: DL Timmy Horne
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Melvin Gordon, WR Laquon Treadwell
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB Dicaprio Bootle, S Matthias Farley
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DB A.J. Thomas
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: TE Tanner Hudson
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, QB P.J. Walker
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: C Brock Hoffman
- Elevated: LB Malik Jefferson, TE Sean McKeon
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Ben Niemann, RB Dwayne Washington
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: DT Khalil Davis, T Austin Deculus
- Released: S DeAndre Houston-Carson
- Elevated: T Geron Christian, OL Jimmy Morrissey
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: G Ike Boettger, WR Amari Rodgers
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Jacob Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: LB Kana’i Mauga
- Placed on IR: LB Curtis Bolton
- Elevated: CB Tyler Hall, OLB Malik Reed
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: S Dean Marlowe, S A.J. Finley
- Placed on NFI list: C Corey Linsley (story), S JT Woods
- Elevated: WR Keelan Doss, DE Andrew Former
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: RB Royce Freeman, WR Austin Trammell
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: WR Robbie Chosen, LB Cameron Goode
- Elevated: DE Chase Winovich
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR N’Keal Harry
New England Patriots
- Elevated: DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: S Johnathan Abram, CB Cameron Dantzler
New York Jets
- Elevated: OL Chris Glaser
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Tristin McCollum, P Braden Mann
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: P Brad Wing
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: CB Kendall Sheffield, WR Willie Snead
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: CB Keenan Isaac, LB J.J. Russell
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: CB Shyheim Carter, TE Kevin Rader
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: RB Derrick Gore
Walker’s elevation comes amidst a degree of uncertainty regarding Deshaun Watson‘s Sunday availability. The latter is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has expressed confidence he will be able to suit up. In the event he is unable to play, though, Walker will provide insurance under center. NFL Network’s James Palmer reports Watson will be a game-time decision.
Chosen, formerly Robbie Anderson, made his Dolphins debut in Week 3, scoring a 68-yard touchdown on his only catch. His performance – along with other depth wideouts currently being sidelined for Miami – will give the 30-year-old a longer look with his new team.
Gore’s elevation will give him the chance to see regular season game action for the first time since 2021. The former UDFA recorded 361 scrimmage yards with the Chiefs that season, but a subsequent IR stint marked the end of his time in Kansas City. Gore has since spent time on the Saints’, and now Commanders’, taxi squads. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes that fellow depth back Chris Rodriguez has bee ruled out with an illness, opening the door to Gore seeing limited snaps.
NFL Injury Updates: Carr, Kupp, Beckham
After taking a big shot to his throwing shoulder in a Week 3 loss to the Packers, Saints quarterback Derek Carr is reportedly unlikely to appear when New Orleans plays host to the Buccaneers this Sunday, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Backup quarterback Jameis Winston is set to start in his place.
Carr wasn’t necessarily struggling in his debut season playing for any team other than the Raiders, but he wasn’t striving either. After winning the first two games of the season, Carr was only averaging 266.5 passing yards per game with one touchdown and two interceptions. Protection had been a bit of an issue as he had been sacked four times in each of his first two starts with the Saints. This past weekend, that questionable protection led to the shoulder injury that’s expected to hold him out of this week’s game.
Winston will now, once again, take the reins of the Saints’ offense. Over four years with the team, Winston has appeared in 15 games: five coming off the bench and 10 as a starter. In his first season as a full-time starter in New Orleans, Winston started the season 5-2 while throwing 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions before a torn ACL would end his 2021 season early. Last year, Winston started three games despite reports of fractures in his back and went 1-2 with four touchdowns and five interceptions before spending the rest of the season as QB2 behind Andy Dalton.
Winston will get his chance to prove he can still be an effective starter in the NFL this weekend while Carr recovers. According to Nick Underhill of neworleans.football, no consideration has taken place in respect to moving hybrid tight end Taysom Hill to quarterback this week.
Here are some other injury updates from around the league:
- ESPN’s Sarah Barshop provided an update today on the recovery timeline of Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. She reported that head coach Sean McVay told the media that it is “the hope” that Kupp will be able to come off of injured reserve as soon as he is eligible to in Week 5. Kupp has missed the first three games of the season due to a hamstring injury and will have to miss this weekend, too, due to his stint on IR. McVay was hesitant to make any promises that might pigeonhole his All-Pro wideout, but the update is surely encouraging news for the Rams’ offense.
- The injury woes will continue a little longer for Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as ESPN’s Dan Graziano tells us that Beckham is likely to miss “another game or two” with the ankle injury that’s dogged him since the offseason. While Baltimore’s offense will have to do without Beckham, Graziano reports that running back Justice Hill has a chance to return this week from the toe injury that held him out of last week’s loss.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/27/23
Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Chris Blair
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Michael Dwumfour
- Released: DT Bruce Hector
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Daniel Arias
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: RB Myles Gaskin
New England Patriots
- Signed: DL Manny Jones
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Mark Evans II, S Daniel Sorensen
- Released: RB Kirk Merritt
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Jalen Camp
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Tre Norwood, CB Kendall Sheffield, TE Jake Tonges
- Released: RB Jeremy McNichols
Gaskin was released from the Vikings’ active roster yesterday, a likely result of the addition of former Rams rusher Cam Akers. It looks like he’ll remain in Minnesota, though, for the time being as a member of the team’s 16-man practice squad.
Sorensen, the nine-year veteran formerly of Kansas City, is back for a second year in New Orleans. Last year, Sorensen appeared in all 17 games for the Saints, making two starts. He recorded two interceptions, three passes defensed, and 17 tackles, including eight stops on special teams.
Saints Sign QB Jake Luton, Release WR Tre’Quan Smith From IR
The Saints are adding some much-needed depth at the quarterback position. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, New Orleans is signing quarterback Jake Luton off the Panthers practice squad.
[RELATED: Saints’ Derek Carr Suffers AC Joint Sprain]
Luton spent most of the 2022 campaign on the Saints’ practice squad, so he’s plenty familiar with Pete Carmichael’s system. Luton was waived by New Orleans back in May and caught on with the Panthers. He was among the team’s final cuts but eventually signed on with Carolina’s practice squad.
The former sixth-round pick has turned into a true journeyman despite being in the league for only three-plus seasons. Luton has spent time with the Jaguars (two stints), Seahawks, Dolphins, Saints, and Panthers. The quarterback’s resume consists of three starts with Jacksonville as a rookie. The Jaguars went 0-3 in those three contests, with Luton completing 54.5 percent of his passes for 624 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions.
While the Saints “dodged a bullet” when it came to Derek Carr‘s injury on Sunday, the quarterback is still expected to miss some time with a AC joint sprain. Carr has been deemed week-to-week, although he hasn’t officially been ruled out for Week 4. With rookie fourth-round pick Jake Haener still serving a suspension for failing a drug test, Jameis Winston was the only healthy QB on the Saints roster before today’s move.
The team wasn’t done making moves today. According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, the Saints have released wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith from injured reserve. The former third-round pick was a productive member of New Orleans’ receivers room for five seasons, hauling in 131 receptions for 1,764 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also got into four playoff games, collecting another two scores.
Smith inked a two-year, $6MM extension with the Saints prior to the 2022 season, but with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed stealing snaps, Smith had one of the least productive seasons of his career, finishing with 19 catches for 278 yards. Smith landed on injured reserve after final cuts, meaning he only needed one more week before he could be activated. Ultimately, it sounds like the Saints didn’t see a future for him in New Orleans, and the receiver is now free to sign (and immediately play) elsewhere.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/26/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Jacob Slade, LB Davion Taylor
- Released: CB Quavian White
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Tarik Black, WR Dontay Demus
- Released: G Kyle Fuller, FB Ben Mason
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Matt Landers
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Deon Jackson
- Released: RB Hassan Hall, DT Trysten Hill
Houston Texans
- Signed: OT Geron Christian
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Chase Cota
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S A.J. Finley
New England Patriots
- Released: CB William Hooper
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Matt Landers
- Released: OL Jake Merritt
New York Jets
- Released: DB Craig James
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: CB Kalon Barnes
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Jeremy McNichols
- Released: TE Troy Fumagalli
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Otis Reese, WR Shi Smith
Geron Christian is back in Houston for his second stint with the team, as the lineman started eight of his 14 appearances for the Texans in 2021. The former Washington third-round pick spent the 2022 campaign with the Chiefs, where he mostly played on special teams in his 10 games.
A pair of notable running backs found jobs today. Deon Jackson joined the Browns practice squad after getting cut by the Colts last week. The RB started Week 1 for Indy, and he ultimately finished his stint with the team having collected 504 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in 27 games. Meanwhile, Jeremy McNichols is heading to San Francisco after having spent the past two seasons as one of Derrick Henry‘s backups. The former fifth-round pick got into 30 games between 2021 and 2022, collecting 655 yards from scrimmage.