Raiders, Donald Penn Agree To Extension
It’s a done deal. The Raiders and tackle Donald Penn have agreed to a two-year, $21MM extension, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
The new deal will give him guarantees that go into the 2018 season. In addition to that, he could get guarantees in 2019 based on how well he plays this year.
Penn was a summer holdout, but he reported to the team near the end of August. The 34-year-old came back to the Raiders without the deal he wanted, but they took care of him roughly three weeks later. Initially, he was slated to earn a $5.8MM base salary for 2017 before reaching free agency.
Penn didn’t quite reach the top ten money he was seeking, but his new money average of $10.5MM isn’t far off from Andrew Whitworth‘s $11.25MM average annual value. His previous deal’s average annual value had him outside of the top 20 tackles in the NFL, so it’s a clear step up.
Over the last ten years, Penn has not missed a single regular season game. Last year, he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 12 tackle in the NFL.
Colts To Start Jacoby Brissett At QB
The Colts are planning on starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett on Sunday against the Cardinals, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Scott Tolzien, who started for the Colts in Week 1, will head to the bench. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter) hears that Brissett was actually informed of the team’s decision on Monday. 
The Colts were criticized this offseason for not upgrading their backup QB situation. Right around the 53-man cutdown deadline, the Colts acquired Brissett from the Patriots in exchange for wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. Brissett was supposed to be Tolzien’s backup while Andrew Luck recovered from injury, but Tolzien’s putrid performance in the season opener has vaulted Brissett into the starting job.
Earlier this week, Colts coach Chuck Pagano admitted that he was thinking about starting Brissett.
“He’s got a sense of calm to him, poise,” Pagano said of Brissett. “Obviously, you love his physical traits, he’s a big man. He can see over things. … Been there before, so obviously it’s not too big.”
Tolzien went 9-of-18 in the season opener for 128 yards and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times. Brissett was called in at the end and completed two of three passes for 51 yards.
Broncos To Sign DT Ahtyba Rubin
The Broncos are set to sign defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, according to Peter Schrager of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rubin was let go by the Seahawks in early September. 
[RELATED: Broncos’ Jared Crick To Have Back Surgery]
The Seahawks shopped Rubin after acquiring Sheldon Richardson from the Jets on Friday, but they could not find takers for his contract. After he was dropped from his three-year, $12MM deal, Rubin auditioned for the Bills and 49ers but did not sign with either club. He’ll now join up with a contending team in Denver.
Rubin will help to fill in the gaps for the Broncos while Jared Crick recovers from back surgery. No one knows exactly when Crick will be back in action, but it is clear that he will be out for a while.
The 31-year-old started in all 32 of his appearances with the Seahawks, recording 75 tackles and three sacks. Before that, he started in 75 of 99 games as a Brown from 2008-14.
Ravens Place RB Danny Woodhead On IR
The Ravens have placed running back Danny Woodhead on injured reserve with a hamstring) injury. To take his place on the 53-man roster, the Ravens have promoted Jeremy Langford from the practice squad. 
The Ravens initially thought they would be without Woodhead for 4-6 weeks. Unfortunately, further tests showed that his condition was worse than initially thought. He’s now facing a 6-8 week timetable, meaning that the Ravens were essentially forced to clear out his roster spot. Per league rules, Woodhead can become one of two players to return from IR for the Ravens, but he’ll first have to sit out for a full eight weeks.
Woodhead joined the Ravens on a three-year, $8.8MM deal with $4.25MM guaranteed back in March. It was a surprisingly large investment considering Woodhead’s age, injury troubles in 2016, and how weak the RB market has been.
A former fourth-round pick, Langford rushed for 537 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie with the Bears. At one point it looked like his future was bright in Chicago, but he was displaced from the roster altogether in early September. The Bears cut Langford in favor of UDFA Taquan Mizzell, who ironically was released by the Ravens. In 2016, he had only 62 carries in 12 games.
Brian Cushing Gets 10-Game Suspension
The NFL announced Wednesday that it has suspended Texans linebacker Brian Cushing 10 games without pay for violating its policy on performance-enhancing drugs (Twitter link via Mark Berman of FOX 26). Cushing will be eligible to return to the Texans’ active roster Nov. 28. In the meantime, he’ll lose $4MM in salary and the Texans could attempt to recoup some of his signing bonus, per Field Yates of ESPN (on Twitter).
This is the second PED-related suspension for Cushing, a ninth-year man who served a four-game ban in 2010. Another such suspension would force Cushing to sit for at least two years, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). The 30-year-old is now in line for his shortest season since 2012, when injuries limited him to five games. Aside from that season and 2013, when he only suited up seven times, Cushing entered this year having played in no fewer than 12 games in any individual campaign. He has also started in all 100 career appearances.
While the former USC star has been a staple in Houston since it drafted him 15th overall in 2009, this suspension could give the team another reason to cut ties with him after the season. The Texans used a second-round pick this past offseason on a potential replacement, Zach Cunningham, as Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com tweets. Further, releasing Cushing would save the Texans $8.5MM and leave them with only $1.2MM in dead money in 2018.
While Houston will have an interesting decision to make on Cushing in the offseason, it has nearly a full slate to play before then. Already off to an 0-1 start after taking a beating from AFC South rival Jacksonville last week, the Texans will now have to go the next couple months without a key defensive starter (albeit one who has had a rather inconsistent career, according to Pro Football Focus). Along with Cunningham, possible in-house fill-ins include Brian Peters and Dylan Cole – two players who lack NFL track records as defenders.
Raiders, Donald Penn Nearing Extension
The Raiders and left tackle Donald Penn are closing in on a two-year extension, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal should be completed by this week, he adds. 
Penn held out from the Raiders for nearly a month before reporting towards the end of August. Penn was pushing for an increase over his $5.8MM base salary for 2017 and it appears that he’ll either get a bump for this year or a nice chunk of change starting in 2018.
Raiders brass told Penn that they would discuss an extension if he suited up for team activities. It seems the organization has kept its word.
“We don’t talk contracts unless a guy is here,” said GM Reggie McKenzie over the summer.
Penn is 34, but he stands as one of the game’s best offensive tackles. He has been seeking top ten money and the new contract should at least put him close to that. His previous deal’s average annual value had him outside of the top 20 tackles in the NFL.
Over the last ten years, Penn has not missed a single regular season contest. Last year, he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 12 tackle in the NFL.
Ravens Could Place Danny Woodhead On IR
Danny Woodhead‘s injury is worse than the Ravens initially thought. The latest diagnosis on his hamstring malady has left him with a 6-8 week timetable for recovery, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That would make him a candidate for the injured reserve list.
League rules dictate that two players can return from IR each season. The Ravens’ best bet might be to park Woodhead on IR for the next two months and promote former Bears standout Jeremy Langford or second-year pro Alex Collins from the practice squad.
Woodhead missed the majority of the 2016 season with the Chargers and the injury bug has apparently followed him to Baltimore. He is under contract with the Ravens through 2019 at a total of $8.8MM, but the Ravens could conceivably cut him before the start of next season, leaving just $1.5MM in dead money against the cap.
At minimum, Woodhead will miss games against the Browns, Jaguars, Steelers, Raiders, Bears, and Vikings.
Packers To Release Ricky Jean-Francois
The Packers evidently have not preferred the work Ricky Jean-Francois gave them during his 2017 stay in Green Bay. The team released the veteran defensive lineman, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Jean-Francois played only six snaps Sunday against the Seahawks. The Packers signed Jean-Francois to a one-year, $2MM deal and gave the veteran defensive end a $250K signing bonus. The 30-year-old interior defender is a vested veteran and will become a free agent.
Green Bay becomes the second franchise to release Jean-Francois this year, with Washington doing the same during the offseason. He caught on with the Packers, who had reportedly eyed him for years, after visiting the Bears and Seahawks.
The Packers were without rookie third-rounder Montravius Adams, sidelined with a foot injury, in Week 1. This could be an indication the Auburn product will be ready to play soon. Jean-Francois served as a backup last week behind Mike Daniels and Dean Lowry.
Jean-Francois began his ninth NFL season on Sunday, doing so with a fourth team. The former 49ers, Colts and Redskins cog vacillated between starter and backup status throughout his career. He started seven games for the Redskins last season.
Cardinals Sign RB Chris Johnson
With star running back David Johnson set to undergo wrist surgery, the Cardinals are turning to a familiar face. Arizona signed running back Chris Johnson today, the team announced. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com first reported the signing.
The 31-year-old rushed for 814 yards and three touchdowns before giving way to David Johnson as the club’s starting running back in 2015. Unfortunately, he missed the bulk of last year due to injury.
CJ2K missed the team’s initial 53-man cut this year. Luckily for the Cardinals, he was still available when they needed him. The former Titans star now profiles as an insurance addition. This marks his latest go-round with the team, and the backfield looks similar to how it did during Johnson’s productive 2015 slate.
Chris Johnson, Andre Ellington and Kerwynn Williams each remain on the team and will likely be expected to form an emergency committee in place of David Johnson. Each has been with the Cards for at least three seasons, with Ellington now in his fifth Arizona campaign. Ellington served as the Cardinals’ primary starter in 2014 before CJ2K relegated him to backup work a year later.
But the Cards now possess plenty of experience for a team that experienced the setback they did. While none of their replacement options is on David Johnson’s level, the Cardinals may be able to use this depth to reasonably withstand this seminal development collectively.
Cardinals’ David Johnson To Have Wrist Surgery
Cardinals running back David Johnson will undergo wrist surgery this week, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. He’s expected to miss between two and three months of action. The Cardinals will place him on IR with the hope that he’ll be able to return during the season.
Sunday will represent Johnson’s first missed game as a pro, and while the Cardinals — who are now signing Chris Johnson — have some veterans who will take over, none are on David Johnson‘s level. While David Johnson sat behind both Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington as a rookie in 2015, he’s taken massive leaps as the latest Arizona third-round success story.
David Johnson must spend at least eight weeks on IR, so Week 10 would profile as his earliest return window. The Cardinals play both Seahawks games in the second half, with Week 10 being the NFC West contenders’ first meeting.
The Cardinals hoped the second opinion Johnson sought could prevent this, but AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban categorized the attempt as a “hail mary” (Twitter link).
The 2016 first-team All-Pro was Arizona’s top weapon and its most reliable factor in making a potential playoff return. But this changes the Cardinals’ season before Week 2 even begins. The third-year back totaled over 2,100 yards from scrimmage and scored 20 touchdowns last season.
In addition to Ellington and Chris Johnson, the Cardinals employ Kerwynn Williams — who’s functioned as a backup in Arizona for four seasons — and just signed D.J. Foster off the Patriots’ practice squad. Arizona also has 2016 UDFA Elijhaa Penny, although with CJ2K now back in the fold, this five-running back setup may not last — especially now that David Johnson will be on IR.