QB Rumors: Packers, Carr, Burrow, Colts
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is expected to play in 2023, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (video link). Fowler cites the ~$60MM balloon payment that Rodgers is due between March and the start of the 2023 regular season as a motivating factor for the four-time MVP, and assuming he does want to suit up, Green Bay will have to decide if it wants him back or wants to seek a trade.
The club’s top power brokers, GM Brian Gutekunst and HC Matt LaFleur, have publicly indicated they want Rodgers back in Wisconsin, which could — in Fowler’s estimation — force Jordan Love to request a trade. The 2020 first-rounder believes he is ready to become a QB1, and as he is entering the final year of his rookie deal, now would be a good time for him to get that chance.
Here are more QB rumors from around the league:
- In the same piece linked above, Fowler says that the Derek Carr sweepstakes will start to heat up as we get closer to the Super Bowl. Carr, whose contract with the Raiders includes a no-trade clause, is beginning to do his homework on possible landing spots, and Fowler hears (unsurprisingly) that the Jets, Saints, and Commanders are expected to have interest. Several clubs have already reached out to Las Vegas to lay the groundwork for trade talks.
- Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will be eligible for an extension when Cincinnati’s season comes to an end, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the club wants to get a new deal done this offseason. A Burrow extension will be hugely expensive, and owner Mike Brown and Burrow himself acknowledged the challenges that such a deal creates for roster construction (via Ben Baby of ESPN.com). Of course, the Bengals will have to operate within the same salary cap confines as every other team in the league, but as Rapoport observes, the small-market franchise does have more cash on hand these days thanks in large part to the success that the team has enjoyed with Burrow under center.
- In a comprehensive piece that is well-worth a read for Colts fans, a piece that details owner Jim Irsay‘s increasingly impulsive decision-making and the ensuing fallout, Zak Keefer of The Athletic (subscription required) says that Irsay wanted to draft and develop a rookie QB in the 2021 draft. However, then-head coach Frank Reich convinced Irsay that he could resuscitate Carson Wentz‘s career. When that experiment went awry, Irsay began to lose faith in Reich, who apologized to his boss for his misstep. The team again opted for an established passer last offseason when it engineered the Matt Ryan trade, and in light of that failure, Adam Jahns of The Athletic (subscription required) believes Indianapolis is finally going to eschew the veteran QB route. The Colts, armed with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, are in prime position to select a top collegiate signal-caller and could trade up to land the player of their choice.
- Dolphins GM Chris Grier recently confirmed reports that Tua Tagovailoa will be the team’s starting quarterback in 2023, as Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald writes. Grier says the medical professionals he has consulted have told him that the concussions Tagovailoa suffered this season will not make him more prone to concussions going forward. He also said “everything’s on the table for us” when asked if the team would exercise Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option for 2024 and/or engage in extension talks.
- The Jets may keep 2021 first-rounder Zach Wilson on the roster in 2023, but the team is widely expected to pursue a veteran like Carr or Rodgers to upgrade the quarterback position. Apparently, that will be a welcome development for some of Wilson’s teammates and coaches, who “rejoiced” when Wilson was benched in favor of Mike White in November and who were disappointed when Wilson was reinserted into the lineup following White’s rib injuries (via Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic (subscription required)). Regardless of whether Wilson’s apologies to his teammates in the wake of his failure to accept much blame for his poor performance in New York’s Week 11 loss to the Patriots helped him regain the respect of the locker room, the consensus seems to be that he is not the passer who will guide the Jets back to the playoffs.
Saints Seeking Two First-Round Picks For Sean Payton?
In the aftermath of the “Tuck Rule” game 21 years ago, the Buccaneers sent the Raiders a monster haul for Jon Gruden. Oakland collected two first-round picks, two second-rounders and $8MM in cash from Tampa Bay. Although the Bucs went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII a year later, their draft capital took a major hit when they replaced Tony Dungy with Gruden.
This trade has become relevant again, with Sean Payton on the market and Saints GM Mickey Loomis discussing his trade price with teams. While Payton said Loomis would likely ask for a mid- to late-first-round pick for his rights this year, NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan points to the Raiders-Bucs trade. Loomis has told teams he wants a Gruden-esque package for Payton’s rights, with Duncan noting two first-round picks will be the starting point.
Should a team offer two first-rounders in future drafts, Duncan adds the Saints will want “higher mid-round picks” in the 2023 draft as part of the package as well. If the ante will be upped to this point, the HC-needy teams keen on hiring Payton will have more to consider. Though, the Broncos and Saints were reported to have agreed on compensation that includes a first-rounder and change already.
From the Saints’ perspective, such a haul would make sense. Four of the five HC-seeking teams have been connected to Payton, and he will have interviewed with three of them — the Texans, Broncos and Panthers — by week’s end. Payton is also expected to command a top-market coaching salary, as he has obvious leverage via the expanding market for his services and the option of staying at FOX for another year. Payton is seeking a four-year deal worth $20-$25MM per year, per Duncan. Judging by reports of the Broncos being set for an “ultra-aggressive” HC push and Panthers owner David Tepper being willing to give Payton “just about anything he wants,” the salary component here will be the lesser issue for teams.
The Broncos having just traded two first-round picks and two seconds for Russell Wilson certainly complicates their interest in meeting this asking price, though they did acquire a 2023 first-rounder in the Bradley Chubb trade. The Texans would be in better position to meet it, considering the Deshaun Watson swap armed them with three first-rounders. Houston holds two first-round picks and two seconds in the upcoming draft, but sending much of the Watson haul for a coach also would complicate the rebuilding team’s ability to stock its roster.
Payton said recently the Saints’ compensation would change “considerably” if this process is tabled to 2024, when just one season would remain on his contract. Loomis, however, has told Saints staffers he is comfortable waiting a year to trade Payton’s rights, according to Duncan. Teams in the Payton sweepstakes could attempt to test Loomis’ desire here, considering the Saints sent their 2023 first-rounder to the Eagles just before last year’s draft. But the Texans, Panthers and Broncos have fallen on hard times recently. The Saints’ potential push for a huge haul would attempt to capitalize on that while giving themselves a package that would help their now-Dennis Allen–led operation, which did not start especially well in 2022.
“It’s complicated because I have such great respect for him,” Loomis said of Payton last week. “He’s a close friend of mine. He’s a great coach. I want the best for him. I do. We do, collectively as an organization. But I also recognize that … his contract is a valuable asset to our club, and it’s our duty to maximize that.”
The Gruden ask is on the high end of the spectrum in terms of modern swaps for coaches. Bill Parcells cost the Jets first-, second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 1997; the Patriots received a package headlined by first- and fourth-rounders for Bill Belichick in 2000. Mike Holmgren cost the Seahawks a second-rounder in 1999; Herm Edwards cost the Chiefs a fourth in 2006.
Payton, 59, is believed to be 50-50 on coaching in 2023, potentially waiting out other jobs that might be available next year. That was believed to be Payton’s plan before this round of interviews started, but Duncan adds the Texans and Broncos meetings are believed to have gone well. The 16-year Saints HC was particularly impressed with Denver’s ownership group, though he is also intrigued by Houston’s draft capital and cap space. The Texans’ projected $40MM is projected to be among the top five entering the offseason.
Payton’s comfort level with the Broncos’ new ownership has been reported on multiple occasions, and the Rob Walton-fronted contingent would be able to pay top dollar in terms of salary. But the Broncos’ ability to build a team around Wilson would be greatly impacted by a two-first-rounder package. Dan Quinn has been mentioned as leading Denver’s non-Payton contingent; the Cowboys DC interviews with the Broncos on Friday.
Broncos, Texans Remain In Play For Sean Payton; Panthers Preparing Big Offer?
Sean Payton has gone through with two of his scheduled interviews, meeting with the Texans on Monday and the Broncos on Tuesday. As of Wednesday afternoon, both teams remain in play for the costly coaching candidate.
The Broncos may still be in the lead, though Payton has not committed to returning to coaching this year. Denver remains in “very strong position” to be able to lure Payton away from his FOX sabbatical, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. We heard previously Payton was willing to work with Russell Wilson, the QB’s shockingly mediocre season aside, and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes the money the Broncos will be willing to pay will be a factor in these sweepstakes.
Rob Walton‘s ownership group will be able to comfortably out-offer other teams, should the Broncos view Payton as a bank-breaking HC candidate. The team did just see its 1-B candidate, Jim Harbaugh, decide to stay at Michigan. That could increase a Broncos offer. However, the Panthers look to be willing to pay up in terms of money and power. David Tepper is prepared to give Payton “just about anything he wants,” Maske adds (on Twitter). The prospect of Payton wanting to join the Panthers, who would need to give the Saints valuable draft compensation for his rights, remains uncertain.
Payton is expected to meet with Tepper and Co. this week, he said during an interview with Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd (video link). That meeting is expected to take place in New York. Tepper chasing a prime commodity is not exactly new. He shelled out a seven-year contract for Matt Rhule in 2020 — a deal the Panthers were able to escape after three years, thanks to Rhule’s Nebraska accord — and pursued Deshaun Watson for two years. Thus far, however, the NFL’s second-wealthiest owner has struck out. It will be interesting to see how the Panthers’ NFC South proximity affects a deal, should Payton be interested. Intra-divisional coach trades — both involving the Patriots and Jets — occurred in 1996 and 2000, deals that sent Bill Parcells‘ rights to the Jets and Bill Belichick‘s to the Pats.
In terms of trade compensation, Payton expects the Saints to ask for a mid- to late-first-round pick and reminded Cowherd the Broncos do, in fact, hold a first-round pick (the 49ers’ choice via the Bradley Chubb trade) despite sending their own to the Seahawks for Wilson. Payton and Saints GM Mickey Loomis have discussed the situation, per NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan, who expects a 2023 first-rounder or a future first to anchor this trade package. Payton adds a future No. 1 choice could potentially complete a deal.
Payton said recently ownership and the front office are the most important factors here, and the 16-year New Orleans HC is believed to be intrigued by Denver’s new owners. As far as how personnel power would go with Payton and George Paton, it would be difficult to envision the Broncos’ current GM — who was hired before this ownership group arrived — fielding final-say power over a coach with Payton’s pedigree. Payton, who did confirm teams’ quarterback situations will factor into his decision, has also been rumored to want to bring personnel staffers with him to his next coaching destination.
While the Texans are well behind the Broncos in terms of achievements and have not won more than four games in a season since 2019, they do again have — thanks to the Watson trade — four picks in the first two rounds. This includes the No. 2 overall selection this year. Payton confirmed the Texans are in the running, citing some familiarity with the Cal McNair-fronted ownership group — through years of Saints joint practices with the Texans — along with the team’s draft capital and potentially favorable division. As far as the Cardinals go, Duncan would be “stunned” if Payton became their next head coach (Twitter link). The Saints have granted permission for the Cards to interview Payton, though no confirmed meeting time has surfaced.
Cardinals, Texans Granted Permission To Meet With Sean Payton
TODAY, 7:40pm: Payton’s interview with the Texans took place this evening, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston (on Twitter). The coach still has interviews with the Broncos and Panthers on the docket.
JANUARY 11, 2:30pm: Linked to Sean Payton for a bit now, the Cardinals will explore this path. The Saints granted the Cards permission to speak with Payton, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Texans are in the mix as well, with NFL.com’s Peter Schrager indicating they have requested permission to speak with Payton. The Saints have also granted this request, Rapoport adds (Twitter links).
Payton, who is set to interview with the Broncos at some point, remains under contract with the Saints through 2024. Compensation will need to be negotiated between the Saints and interested teams, in the event a hire is imminent. The Cardinals are starting their HC-GM search with the GM part, but the team may be willing to make an exception for Payton.
Rumblings about the Cardinals looming as a dark horse for Payton emerged several weeks ago, when the longtime Saints HC had been connected only to the Cowboys, Chargers and Dolphins. None of those teams have vacancies, which could put Payton’s patience to the test. The Cardinals would satisfy Payton’s warm-weather preference, and although Kyler Murray is coming off a down season that ended with an ACL tear, he certainly qualifies as a franchise quarterback.
Payton is a fan of Murray, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. If the Cardinals are able to snag Payton, it seems likely he would be a central part of selecting a GM. Arizona has not hired a GM from outside the organization since the 1990s, and the team has internal and external candidates in place. Payton is believed to want to bring personnel people with him wherever he goes. While that could be a complication in Denver, which has a GM (George Paton), it would be less disruptive in Arizona.
Although the Cardinals had success with Bruce Arians and Ken Whisenhunt, the franchise has not employed a coach with this level of prestige since moving to the desert. Payton coached the Saints to nine playoff berths during his time in New Orleans, and all but one of the the playoff wins in franchise history came under Payton. While Drew Brees had a lot to say about that, Payton played the lead role in elevating Brees to the top tier at his position.
The Broncos’ new ownership would present a challenge for the Cardinals, depending on how much money will play into Payton’s thinking. Rob Walton‘s net worth dwarfs every other NFL owner’s, and the Broncos also are positioned to give Payton final say on personnel matters. Murray may be the better draw compared to a 34-year-old Russell Wilson, but the Cardinals’ roster also has several aging pieces. There is also the possibility Payton punts on a landing spot this year and waits for more attractive jobs to open up down the road.
It is tough to see a Payton-Texans partnership coming to fruition. Houston is still early in what has already been a lengthy rebuild process, one that has now featured GM Nick Caserio making back-to-back coaches one-and-dones. Payton, 58, would be given a much longer leash compared to David Culley and Lovie Smith, but this situation would be a strange one for a Payton comeback.
Houston, however, does have draft capital that outflanks both Arizona and Denver. Caserio’s deft maneuvering with Deshaun Watson gave the Texans additional first-round picks from 2022-24. Thanks to a 3-13-1 record this season, Houston holds the No. 2 pick next year. The Browns going 7-10 gave the Texans the No. 12 choice as well. While that presents an interesting opportunity, the state of the Texans’ roster is still fairly bleak. Payton also said last year he would eliminate certain teams based on their reputations.
“It would be the comfort level with ownership and the front office, with the leadership structure, with likeminded thinking,” Payton said of the circumstances describing his preferred destination in November. “Are more of those opportunities out there? I don’t think many. I think there are a lot of dysfunctional teams in our league. There are some places where talent can die. I just want to avoid those places.”
Payton once turned around a Saints team that had one playoff win in 38 years of existence, but he can be choosier about his destination given what he achieved in New Orleans. Both the Cardinals and Texans have experienced their fair share of dysfunction, and while the Broncos have been to eight Super Bowls and won three, they have changed coaches a few times during what is now a seven-season playoff drought. Some pushback on Payton’s Cardinals interest also surfaced last month. It will be interesting to see if Payton interviews with all three teams. He cannot begin interviewing until Jan. 17.
Panthers Granted Permission To Interview Sean Payton
Another team has entered the fray for this year’s most talked-about head coaching candidate. The Panthers have requested and received permission to interview Sean Payton, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).
Payton has, as expected, drawn considerable interest from HC-needy teams this offseason as he contemplates a return to the sidelines, something which is not guaranteed to take place during this year’s cycle. He is still under contract to the Saints, however, which led to an expectation that the division-rival Panthers would not be a realistic contender to acquire him via trade.
Deals sending head coaches from one team to another in the same division are rare, but not entirely unprecedented. Payton’s level of interest in the Panthers’ vacancy – one brought on by the firing of Matt Rhule after his highly underwhelming two-plus year tenure with the team failed to show sufficient signs of a turnaround for the franchise – will be worth watching relative to his desire to head elsewhere.
The Super Bowl winner has his first interview lined up with the Broncos this week, the earliest point at which he is allowed by rule to meet with interested teams. Denver reportedly has a general understanding of the trade compensation which will be needed to acquire him from New Orleans; a first-round pick is widely thought to be included in the package the Saints will be asking for.
In addition, both the Texans and Cardinals have been granted permission to interview Payton, giving him plenty of options to consider. The Panthers put themselves in contention to win the NFC South with their improved play under interim HC Steve Wilks, who has already interviewed for the full-time role a number of Carolina’s players have publicly campaigned for him to be granted. The Panthers are widely expected to pursue an experienced, offensive-minded HC, and Payton would certainly fit into both of those categories.
Here is the updated look at the Panthers’ search:
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interview requested
- Ken Dorsey, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): No longer on radar
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
- Jerod Mayo, inside linebackers coach (Patriots): Interview declined
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Granted permission to interview
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Interview expected
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview postponed
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/14
- Steve Wilks, interim head coach (Panthers): Interviewed 1/10
Falcons Request DC Interviews With Jerry Gray, Ryan Nielsen
The Falcons have reportedly hit a roadblock with their first target to take on their vacant defensive coordinator position. Two new names have quickly emerged as candidates the team is interested in meeting with, however. 
Atlanta has put in an interview request with Packers defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Jerry Gray, per Benjamin Albright of KOA Colorado (Twitter link). A sit-down is expected to take place next week, Albright adds. That news comes as little surprise, given the fact that Gray was quickly named as a candidate to replace Falcons DC Dean Pees following his retirement announcement.
Gray, 60, has NFL coaching experience dating back to 1997. His time on the sidelines at the pro level began in Tennessee, and includes a stint as the Bills’ DC from 2001-05. Gray ultimately found himself back with the Titans in 2011, when he took charge of their defense. His unit put up generally sub-par numbers during his time in Nashville, aside from his first year in charge where the team’s defense ranked eighth in scoring.
In addition, the Falcons have their eyes on the Saints’ Ryan Nielsen, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic tweets. The 43-year-old has exclusively worked with New Orleans during his time as an NFL staffer, beginning with the team in 2017. He spent five years working strictly with the defensive line, before being promoted to the role of co-DC this past offseason.
That move was necessitated by Dennis Allen being promoted to New Orleans’ head coach, of course, and increased Nielson’s importance (along with that of Kris Richard) to the Saints’ defense. The unit delivered a strong performance in 2022, ranking fifth in the league in yards allowed and ninth in scoring. That wasn’t enough to guide the Saints to a postseason berth given their offensive struggles, but it likely boosted Nielson’s stock as a high-end coordinator candidate.
Either option would bring significant experience to the rebuilding Falcons’ defense, so they could be serious candidates for the job. Atlanta is expected to cast a wide net in their search for Pees’ successor, however, so their list of interviewees is likely to grow in the coming days.
Saints To Retain HC Dennis Allen
Rumors about a quick Sean Payton New Orleans return emerged late last month, but Mickey Loomis squashed that prospect Friday. The longtime Saints GM said Dennis Allen is not going anywhere.
Allen will return for a second season as the Saints’ HC. While it was trending in this direction, despite the team’s first 10-loss season since 2005, Loomis confirming it adds finality to what had become a murky situation. Allen has been with the Saints for the past eight seasons, returning to New Orleans after a failed stint as a head coach in Oakland.
Although Payton’s potential interest in returning generated understandable attention, ownership is behind Allen — for at least as second season. The Saints have granted permission for Payton to speak with other teams — a Broncos interview is on tap for Tuesday — but Loomis said (via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football, on Twitter) compensation has not been finalized, citing different levels each of the interested teams are able to send.
Payton, who coached the Saints for 16 seasons, is believed to want to bring personnel staffers with him wherever he goes. As far as coaches, Loomis said (via Underhill) the Saints would probably block contracted staffers from leaving — so long as it is a lateral move, as rises to coordinator positions are unblockable. No GM interview requests have come in for Saints execs yet this offseason, and no New Orleans coordinators are on this year’s coaching carousel.
A report indicated the Saints and Broncos had agreed on a Payton compensation package — without Payton having agreed to terms to become Denver’s HC yet — that includes a first-round pick and then some. It is unclear if that will be the final price. No head coach has been traded since the Chiefs sent the Jets a fourth-round pick for Herm Edwards in 2006. It took just a second-rounder for the Seahawks to acquire Mike Holmgren‘s rights in 1999, though the Jon Gruden (2002), Bill Belichick (2000) and Bill Parcells (1997) trades all involved first-round picks.
As for Allen, he did have the Saints back in relative contention — since the NFC South was historically bad this season — late in the season. The Saints won three of their final four games to finish 7-10. Were it not for a late-game collapse in Tampa, New Orleans would have entered Week 18 with a chance to win the division. The longtime Saints DC-turned-Payton replacement oversaw fifth- and ninth-place defensive rankings (yardage, points), but New Orleans’ offense ranked 22nd in scoring its first post-Payton slate.
Loomis said the team has no plans to “blow things up,” so an Allen-overseen rebuild is not in the cards. The Saints are again in need at quarterback, with Andy Dalton‘s contract expiring and Jameis Winston having been benched. The team has not begun any negotiations with Dalton about a return yet, per Underhill (Twitter links). Dalton, 35, signed a one-year, $3MM deal but ended up usurping Winston early in the season. Dalton started 14 games for the Saints — his most starts since the 2017 season. New Orleans figures to be in the mix for a QB upgrade this offseason.
Broncos Schedule Sean Payton Interview
The Broncos will be the first team to meet with Sean Payton during this year’s hiring period. The parties will get together for an interview in Los Angeles.
Payton surfaced on the Broncos’ radar weeks ago, and the team will meet with the former Saints HC on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Broncos are not the only team expected to interview Payton this year, but they were the first to receive permission from the Saints to do so.
[RELATED: 2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Prior to the Cardinals and Texans receiving permission from the Saints to interview Payton, the Broncos discussed the Super Bowl-winning coach with the NFC South club. The sides reportedly agreed on compensation in the event of a trade for Payton’s rights — a first-round pick and more — but it is not known exactly what it would cost for Denver to pry the highly regarded play-caller from New Orleans. No coach has been traded since the Chiefs acquired Herm Edwards from the Jets (for a fourth-round pick) in 2006. Bigger prices for HCs (Jon Gruden, Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren) were required over the previous decade, however.
In the team’s first coaching search headed by its new ownership group, the Broncos are preparing to be “ultra aggressive” in landing a leader this time. The Broncos went with first-time HCs with each of its past three hires — either brought in by John Elway or current GM George Paton — but they are prioritizing experience this time around. Paton is part of the Broncos’ search, but new CEO Greg Penner is running it. Through a football lens, that is a rather interesting setup. But Penner has effectively stripped some of Paton’s power, announcing the next head coach will report to him and not the third-year GM.
Payton and Jim Harbaugh are believed to be the frontrunners here, with Cowboys DC Dan Quinn in the mix as well. Though, it remains to be seen if either Payton or Harbaugh are ultimately interested. Rob Walton‘s checkbook may well impact that. The Broncos have interviewed Harbaugh, DC Ejiro Evero, ex-Stanford HC David Shaw and former Colts and Lions HC Jim Caldwell. They are planning to meet with Rams DC Raheem Morris and 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans as well. The Broncos’ previously reported Morris meeting will take place later Tuesday in L.A., Schefter tweets. The team does not have any other interviews scheduled, Mike Klis of 9News tweets, adding that Quinn and Ryans are expected to interview next week as well.
No more Payton interviews are scheduled, but Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football adds all five HC-needy teams have reached out to the Saints about their former coach (Twitter link). Cardinals and Texans meetings could follow, and the prospect of Payton waiting out the Chargers or Cowboys playoff results — to see if jobs he was initially linked to open up — should be in play as well. Payton staying at FOX and waiting until next year will obviously be a consideration as well.
NFC Injury Rumors: Rams, Commanders, Penning, Swift
Rams rookie safety Russ Yeast endured a scary moment on Sunday in the team’s loss to the Seahawks, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. The seventh-round pick earned the first start of his career in place of Nick Scott, who was placed on injured reserve last week.
In the game, Yeast suffered a pulmonary contusion and needed to be taken to the hospital via ambulance. Head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Yeast was in stable condition but would stay in the hospital overnight. Yeast was reportedly scheduled to return to Los Angeles on Monday, according to The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue.
Following the dramatic events around Bills safety Damar Hamlin, another cardiac event requiring a hospital visit was the last thing the NFL wanted to see in Week 18.
Here are a few other injury rumors from around the NFC:
- As the Commanders‘ season came to an end, Washington decided to address some players’ injuries, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. Head coach Ron Rivera informed the media before their final regular season matchup that running back Antonio Gibson underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his foot. Additionally, defensive tackle John Ridgeway tore a pectoral muscle in the team’s season finale against the Cowboys. He’ll have the full offseason to recover.
- Saints first round rookie tackle Trevor Penning missed much of his first NFL season with a foot injury. What was initially thought to be a “bad case of turf toe” ended up being a torn ligament in his foot, resulting in him missing the first 11 games of his debut season. Penning would eventually work his way back and earn some snaps as a backup lineman before earning the first start of his career in Week 18. Unfortunately, a rough start for the Northern Iowa product has gotten even tougher as he suffered a Lisfranc injury in the season finale against the Panthers, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Penning faces a long recovery of approximately five to six months, but if he can come back by June, he should be able to make it back for part of the offseason training program in New Orleans.
- Early in the season, Lions running back D’Andre Swift suffered a high ankle sprain and a separated shoulder that would dog him for the rest of the year. Despite playing through those ailments for much of the season, there doesn’t appear to be any need for surgery in the offseason, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Swift will reportedly meet with medical professionals in the next few weeks but is under the impression that, come next season, he will be fully healthy and ready to go.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/11/23
Teams continue to sign players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing the organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:
Arizona Cardinals
- P Nolan Cooney, OL Julién Davenport, LS Joe Fortunato, K Elliott Fry, CB Nate Hairston, S JuJu Hughes, LB Blake Lynch, TE Chris Pierce, TE Bernhard Seikovits, OL Lachavious Simmons, WR Auden Tate, S Josh Thomas, OL Badara Traore, WR Javon Wims
Denver Broncos
New Orleans Saints
- G Koda Martin, CB Troy Pride
New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Dez Fitzpatrick, DB Madre Harper, DB Kenny Robinson, DB Chris Wilcox