NFL Approves 2024 Brazil Game; Nine International Games In Play For 2025
The NFL has officially voted to authorize a 2024 game to be played in Brazil. After months of rumors on this front, Sao Paulo will be the site of one of the league’s international contests next season, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
Brazil and Spain had been the candidates for the expansion. While the NFL’s first move into South America represents a significant step, the more notable news item from the league’s Wednesday vote pertains to the 2025 season. A five-game overseas slate is on tap for 2024, but the NFL is considering a major increase in foreign contests soon after.
As many as nine international games could be on the 2025 docket, Rapoport adds. This will include eight dates plus the Jaguars’ agreement to play a London game each year. Considering the league’s international schedule sits at five presently, the football world could be in for quite the expansion in two years. The 2025 plan doubles as the most significant adjustment to the league’s schedule since it launched its international series in 2007.
The Brazil game will take place at Corinthians Arena, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Corinthians Arena hosted matches in the 2014 World Cup and was one of the venues used during the 2016 Rio Olympics. Sao Paulo being two hours ahead of Eastern Time would not mandate an early-morning game like the European venues do, though it is uncertain when this Brazil matchup will fall on the schedule.
Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal broached the subject of this international expansion for 2025, indicating (via NBC Sports’ Peter King) the NFL is considering adjusting its mandate for teams to play at least one “home” game overseas every four years rather than every eight years. Mexico City will be back in play in 2025, per King, following Azteca Stadium’s renovations. London, Germany and Spain will be on the table to host games. France has emerged as a prospective host nation as well, and the Washington Post’s Mark Maske mentions Australia as a possible host site. Sweden has also been mentioned as a possible host down the line.
With the expanded international slate looking like a go for 2025, the NFL would be on tap to see half its teams play an international game. Considering the logistical issues that come with this and certain teams losing a home game, it will be interesting to see if the league expands further. Placing 16 international games would be the fairest number here, potentially awarding overseas “home” games to the conference assigned to play only eight true home games that season. Though, that might be a tough ask given the hurdles the league encounters when formulating a schedule annually.
No organized opposition stood in place to block this effort for as many as nine international games to be played per year, King notes, adding that the eight non-Mexico City games could be presented as a TV package in the 9:30am ET window. That has served as the window for this era’s batch of Europe-based contests. It appears the NFL, which played zero overseas games in 2020 or ’21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has opened the door to a four-window Sunday in at least half of the 2025 season.
Noise about a team stationed in Europe persists, but no true movement in that direction has taken place in years. But the NFL’s travel itineraries will still look a bit different in 2025.
Chargers’ Justin Herbert Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
Justin Herbert‘s finger injury will end his 2023 campaign. The Chargers quarterback underwent season-ending surgery on Tuesday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Bolts have since played their franchise QB on IR.
This represents the expected outcome of this situation, with Herbert’s long-term health being weighed against the Chargers’ slim playoff chances. The 25-year-old consulted two hand specialists yesterday to gain additional opinions on the injury suffered to the index finger in his throwing hand in Week 14. It was reported last night that he would likely undergo surgery, a procedure which would determine his recovery timeline.
With Los Angeles sitting at 5-8 on the year and therefore on the outside of the AFC’s wild-card picture, electing to take the surgical route with Herbert makes sense. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year signed a five-year, $262.5MM extension this offseason as one of several young passers to land a mega-deal. Herbert is on the books through 2029 as a result, and the Chargers’ investment in him makes his long-term outlook an obvious priority.
With Herbert out of the picture, Los Angeles will continue to use Easton Stick under center. The former fifth-rounder took over after Herbert suffered the injury in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. He totaled 179 scoreless yards on 13-of-24 passing upon entering the contest, which represented his first regular season action since 2020. The latter appearance saw him attempt just one pass, so he will now take on starting duties with very little in-game experience. Stick has never started an NFL game.
Being shorthanded on offense will hurt the Chargers’ chances of closing out the season on a high note. That, in turn, would likely lessen head coach Brandon Staley‘s chances of being retained in the offseason. The third-year coach has drawn signficant criticism over the course of his tenure, and the Chargers are on track to miss the postseason for the second time over the past three seasons. Shortcomings on both sides of the ball have led many to expect a change will be made on the sidelines soon.
Herbert’s presence would make the Chargers an attractive option to coaching candidates with an offensive background in particular. Ben Johnson – one of the top options in the 2024 hiring cycle – is believed to have a mutual interest in an L.A. agreement. Regardless of what happens on the coaching front, though, the Chargers’ offseason will have Herbert’s recovery as a notable storyline.
Browns, S Grant Delpit Agree On Extension
This year’s free agent safety market only included one eight-figure-per-year agreement, with Jessie Bates lapping the field on a $16MM-AAV accord. Grant Delpit and the Browns found a happy medium Sunday.
Delpit will not make it to the 2024 market. The Browns have a deal in place to extend the 2020 second-round pick, 247Sports’ Brad Stainbrook tweets. The LSU alum will be tied to a three-year contract worth $36MM, according to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, who adds the fourth-year safety secured $23MM guaranteed on this deal.
Chosen in Andrew Berry‘s first draft as GM, Delpit has come a long way since missing his entire rookie season. The former No. 44 overall pick suffered an Achilles tear during training camp in 2020. Upon returning, he was not a full-time starter. But the 25-year-old defender has turned the corner in the years since. With the Browns making a substantial improvement in Jim Schwartz‘s first year as defensive coordinator, they have identified Delpit as a keeper alongside the likes of Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and Dalvin Tomlinson.
Delpit’s deal checks in more than $4MM north of any contract handed to a non-Bates free agent safety this offseason. While Bates scored a four-year, $64MM pact, the rest of the lot did not eclipse $8MM per annum. This profiles as an upper-middle-class safety contract, as it will check in tied for 12th overall, AAV-wise, at the position. It is not yet known if the $23MM guarantee is fully locked in at signing or if that total represents the injury-guarantee number. Were Delpit to receive $23MM fully guaranteed, that would place him fifth overall among safeties.
Cleveland participated in this offseason’s midlevel safety market as well, signing Juan Thornhill to a three-year, $21MM deal. The team will complete 2023 having devoted notable capital to two back-line defenders. Ward, Thornhill and Delpit are all signed through at least 2025. Ward sidekick Greg Newsome‘s rookie deal can run through 2025, should the Browns pick up the cornerback’s fifth-year option by May.
Pro Football Focus slots Delpit 30th overall among safeties, while Pro-Football-Reference’s coverage metrics place Delpit’s numbers as slightly worse than last season. But it is undeniable the Browns have made significant strides in pass deterrence compared to where they were under Joe Woods. The three-year DC’s tenure ended with the team ranking 20th in points allowed and 14th in total defense, though Cleveland did finish fifth against the pass last season. The team has built on that this year, leading the NFL in total defense. A No. 1-ranked pass defense fuels that effort, one that has become even more important since the team lost Deshaun Watson for the season.
The Browns have, however, been without Ward for the past three weeks (the high-end corner is out again Sunday). With recent free agent pickup Joe Flacco once again in place as the Browns’ starting quarterback — the team’s fourth QB1 this season — the team’s vaunted pass defense will be tasked with attempting to keep this car on the road en route to the playoffs. Delpit will be a key part of that effort and the Browns’ long-term future on defense.
Dolphins, Austin Jackson Agree On Extension
After missing almost all of the 2022 season, Austin Jackson has been in place for the Dolphins’ offensive surge this year. The team did not pick up its right tackle’s fifth-year option, but it has seen enough to reinvest via an extension.
The Dolphins and Jackson are in agreement on a three-year deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The extension is worth $36MM in base value and includes $20.7MM guaranteed. Although Jackson was months from free agency, he will lock in a nice contract now.
This represents a significant turnaround for the 2020 first-round pick. Jackson missed 15 games last season, playing all of 84 snaps. A Week 1 ankle injury derailed Jackson’s first right tackle season, and an attempt to come back led the USC product to season-ending IR. A year later, Jackson has been a constant on an injury-plagued offensive line.
As the only right tackle to be protecting a quarterback’s blindside this season, Jackson has played in all 12 Dolphins games. This season has also brought rare continuity for a player the team had once identified as its post-Laremy Tunsil left tackle. Miami traded Tunsil to Houston in August 2019, as it shed talent during an aggressive rebuild. Jackson, however, bounced from left tackle to guard to right tackle over his first three seasons, never settling at one spot. This offseason brought his first opportunity to play the same position in consecutive years.
Pro Football Focus ranks Jackson 36th among tackles this season, but his availability has been important for a Dolphins O-line that has seen every other starter miss time. Big-ticket UFA addition Terron Armstead has again battled injuries, while left guard Isaiah Wynn is likely out for the season. Connor Williams, who angled for a new deal this offseason, has missed multiple games. Right guard Robert Hunt, who also looms as an extension candidate, has battled a hamstring injury. Despite Jackson’s ankle issue and nomadic positional past leading the Dolphins to pass on his $14.18MM fifth-year option, he will lock in an upper-echelon RT deal seven months later.
This is not a top-tier RT accord. The Texans gave 2019 first-rounder Tytus Howard a more lucrative three-year deal this summer; that pact checked in at $18.7MM per year, putting Howard in the top five at the position. Jackson’s deal profiles as a team-friendly contract. The AAV puts the 24-year-old blocker 11th among right tackles. While Jackson could have attempted to bet on himself and maximize his leverage by heading toward the market or hitting free agency in March, he opted to lock in Dolphins-favorable terms now.
Adding intrigue to Jackson’s decision, two right tackles — Jawaan Taylor and Mike McGlinchey — signed deals north of $17.5MM per year as free agents this offseason. Jackson’s deal, however, does check in north of the contract the Falcons gave Kaleb McGary (three years, $34.5MM) on the market. Considering Jackson does not have a multiyear sample size of quality play, this could be looked at as a reasonable middle ground for team and player.
The Dolphins now have both their tackles signed through 2026, though Armstead’s injury troubles continue to impede him. Williams and Hunt are on track for 2024 free agency, leaving Miami with some work to do. But Jackson’s unavailability forced the team into some patchwork RT solutions last season — a year that brought Tua Tagovailoa concussion issues that overshadowed the team’s season. The ascending southpaw quarterback suffered two confirmed concussions, and an apparent head injury in Week 3 led to an overhaul of the NFL’s concussion protocol. Jackson was not on the field when any of these injuries occurred.
Tagovailoa and Jackson’s rebounds have coincided with Miami leading the NFL in total offense (second in points scored) and soaring to a 9-3 record, one that has the team three games up on Buffalo in the AFC East. The Dolphins are closing in on their first division title since the Chad Pennington-piloted 2008 season. With Tagovailoa likely on the cusp of an extension, the team now has his blindside blocker locked in.
Eagles, Shaquille Leonard Agree To Deal
The Shaquille Leonard sweepstakes have come to an end. The All-Pro free agent has come to terms on a one-year deal with the Eagles, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. The team has since announced the agreement.
Leonard’s choice was widely understood to be down to the Eagles or the divisional-rival Cowboys. Both teams hosted the veteran linebacker on a visit last week, expressing an interest in a deal provided the terms were reasonable. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed a wait-and-see attitude earlier today while awaiting Leonard’s decision, but as Rapoport notes, Philadelphia was always his “preferred destination.” 
After both Dallas and Philadelphia hosted Leonard, it became clear he would wait until after the Week 13 slate of Sunday games to decide on his next home. Today’s news means he will join a team other than the Colts for the first time in his career, but his addition could prove to be crucial in the race for the NFC East crown. The Cowboys and Eagles play each other in Week 14, which could very well mark Leonard’s debut for his new employer.
Issues related to playing time led the Colts to move on from the 28-year-old last month. All teams were eligible to add him via waivers, but putting in a claim would have tied them to the remainder of his contract. To no surprise, he cleared and became a free agent. A short list of teams emerged, with the Eagles and Cowboys immediately at the forefront. The Broncos and Vikings were briefly mentioned as potential suitors, but neither squad hosted him on a free agent visit. Now, attention will turn to the Eagles’ general linebacker situation and where Leonard will fit into it.
Zach Cunningham has been dealing with a hamstring injury, and his absence was a major factor in Philadelphia’s pursuit of Leonard. The former was missed during the Eagles’ blowout loss to the 49ers yesterday, a game in which the team’s defense endured a sustained inability to slow down San Francisco’s offense. Leonard could play a part in helping a unit which ranks 23rd and 24th in total and scoring defense, respectively. Especially after Cunningham returns, though, a rotational role will likely await the three-time Pro Bowler.
Leonard has been limited to 12 games across the past two seasons as back issues have led to surgery and signficant missed time. Questions abound regarding his ability to regain his previous form after he logged a snap share of 70% in Indianapolis this season, by far his lowest in a full campaign. The Colts have moved on with younger, less expensive options at the second level, but the Eagles will take a flier on Leonard still being able to make an impact. Philadelphia entered the day with $3.39MM in cap space, meaning today’s deal will not be a lucrative one.
Still atop the division despite yesterday’s loss, the Eagles remain in the driver’s seat for the NFC’s top seed. Leonard will look to give their postseason push a boost and in doing so help his free agent prospects. How he fits into Philadelphia’s defense and the impact he can make will be a key storyline to follow down the stretch.
Cardinals Waive TE Zach Ertz
Entering Thursday on the Cardinals’ injured reserve, Zach Ertz will see his three-season tenure with the team come to a surprising end. The veteran tight end asked for his release, and CBS Sports’ J.J. Watt reports the Cardinals will grant the request.
A two-year Ertz Cardinals teammate, Watt indicates the 11th-year pass catcher hopes to sign with a contender. The Cardinals had given Ertz a three-year, $31.65MM deal in 2022, but the Steve Keim regime authorized that pact. GM Monti Ossenfort will sign off on a separation. The Cardinals have since announced the move.
Although Ertz is a vested veteran, the trade deadline passing mandates he must clear waivers before becoming a free agent. Though, given his quad injury and $8.8MM salary, he would stand to have a decent chance of reaching free agency once again. Ertz, 33, has missed the past five games due to the quad issue. The Cardinals designated guard Elijah Wilkinson for return this week, but Ertz remained on IR. It is unclear if he is ready to return, but now that he is off Arizona’s IR, teams will be able to check on this matter.
A team considering an Ertz claim would be responsible for just more than $2.5MM in remaining base salary. Teams can certainly afford this claim, and Ertz’s productive past should at least prompt some to consider it. Ertz is due a $7.96MM base salary in 2024, but that amount is nonguaranteed. But the accomplished tight end has missed significant time in each of the past two seasons.
The Cardinals will be hit with a few million in dead money, but the team has shifted to a rebuilding direction since hiring Ossenfort. In exchange for this release, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds Ertz agreed to give up a game check. He earns more than $517K per game.
Since re-signing Ertz, the Cardinals chose Trey McBride in the 2022 second round. The Colorado State product has shown improvement during his stretch of full-time usage, which came about because of Ertz’s October injury. McBride has 48 receptions for 521 yards. Since moving to Arizona in 1988, the Cardinals have struggled for decades to find tight end production. Illustrating this, McBride — who has only started seven games this season — is 53 yards from breaking the franchise’s Arizona-years record for receiving yards in a season by a tight end.
Ertz holds that modest mark presently, but it came during an abbreviated 2021 season — one that saw the Eagles send the former Pro Bowler to the Cardinals. Ertz rolled to 574 yards in 11 Cards games that year, helping the NFC West franchise snap a playoff drought. The Cardinals sent the Eagles a fifth-round pick and cornerback Tay Gowan for Ertz in October 2021, and the partnership paid off for both parties for a bit. But Ertz suffered a season-ending knee injury last year, missing a messy stretch run that ended with Kyler Murray tearing an ACL and the Keim-Kliff Kingsbury duo dismissed. In seven games this season, Ertz totaled just 187 yards (a career-low 6.9 per catch).
While Ertz recovered in time for Week 1, the Cardinals had made major changes during his rehab odyssey. Watt retired, and veterans Zach Allen, Byron Murphy and Markus Golden ventured elsewhere this offseason. After trying to trade DeAndre Hopkins for weeks, the Cardinals moved on via release in May. James Conner and Marquise Brown remain as veteran skill-position presences under Jonathan Gannon, but the Cards are in a clear rebuild mode.
Prior to being traded two years ago, Ertz had angled for an Eagles raise. The Eagles balked and then extended Dallas Goedert. Ertz ended up getting his money in Arizona and has signed two lucrative deals over the course of his career. Ertz made the Pro Bowl from 2017-19, eclipsing 800 yards in five straight seasons (2015-19) and topping out with a 1,163-yard 2018 showing.
The Ravens would seemingly profile as an interested party, having lost Mark Andrews to what is likely a season-ending ankle injury. The Broncos have placed Greg Dulcich on IR four times over his first two seasons; they have not designated their top receiving TE for return yet. The Dolphins did not re-sign Mike Gesicki this offseason. A Stanford product, Ertz also grew up in the Bay Area. The 49ers’ George Kittle employment notwithstanding, they lead the NFL in cap space.
As far as familiarity goes, Doug Pederson coached Ertz from 2016-20, while Shane Steichen was the Eagles’ OC during the tight end’s partial 2021 season in Philly. Though, Pederson’s Jaguars are well situated at tight end after the Evan Engram extension. Would a return to the Eagles make sense? Goedert is on his way back from his forearm fracture, but he has missed time in each of the past two years. The Eagles do not have a viable backup, either.
Jets Open Aaron Rodgers’ Practice Window
Continuing to brief the public on his surprising effort to make an in-season return from an Achilles tear, Aaron Rodgers will take a pivotal step. The Jets are preparing to open their quarterback’s practice window Wednesday.
This transaction will give the Jets three weeks to determine if Rodgers makes sense as a candidate to come off IR. Going down four plays into his Jets tenure, Rodgers has insisted he wants to return. The future Hall of Famer underwent a speed-bridge surgery to repair the injury, and the operation is believed to allow for a quicker path back. So far, that has proven true.
Rodgers has stopped short of guaranteeing he will be back, citing the Jets’ playoff chances. But he has also not ruled out rejoining a team out of contention. With the Jets 4-7, this looms as a curious comeback effort. Though, the team will follow through with the first part of it.
During his most recent Pat McAfee Show-based update, Rodgers reaffirmed (via the Washington Post’s Mark Maske) hopes to return but determined he was not ready to make a full determination on coming back this season. Although Rodgers pried the door back open regarding a comeback for a team without legitimate playoff aspirations, he again said the Jets’ record will be a factor. ESPN’s FPI gives Gang Green a 0.4% chance to make the playoffs. That would seemingly point to the soon-to-be 40-year-old passer storing his cleats and preparing for the offseason program, but he will begin to see how he feels in practice.
An activation would mark a historic comeback from an Achilles tear. Players have come back from Achilles ruptures in the not-so-distant past — just not this quickly. Then-Rams running back Cam Akers went down in July 2021 but was back by Week 17. Terrell Suggs and Michael Crabtree, respectively, suffered tears during the spring of 2012 and 2013, respectively. The Ravens linebacker and 49ers wide receiver each came back during the season. Suggs was back by Oct. 21, 2012; Crabtree returned Dec. 1, 2013.
While Rodgers’ position is not predicated as much on athleticism, coming back around three months after an Achilles tear would be a significant NFL accomplishment. Even returning to practice in-season is notable as far as Achilles recoveries go. It reminds of Jerry Rice‘s 1997 timetable. The legendary wideout suffered a partially torn ACL in Week 1 of his 13th season but was back in uniform for San Francisco’s Week 16 matchup with Denver. Rice scored a touchdown upon returning but was lost for the season after reinjuring the knee during that Monday-night game, hurting the eventual No. 1-seeded team’s Super Bowl chances. The Jets’ 2023 season will not stand to complicate a Rodgers return, as the team’s recent struggles make this more about one player’s quest than a return that impacts the AFC playoff race.
Robert Saleh said Wednesday that Rodgers has been cleared for functional football activity and added the 19th-year veteran returning to practice now would not jeopardize his long-term outlook. Rodgers almost definitely would not be signing off on this if he feared a reinjury, one that would impact his 2024 status, and will only come back upon receiving full clearance, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. Saleh had previously said the Jets would not stand in Rodgers’ way if he wants to come back — even in a potentially lost season — and ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano adds the team indeed is not expected to block its starter from returning under these circumstances.
Rodgers also left the door open to this practice return not leading to game action. If the Jets do not activate Rodgers by Dec. 20, he will land on season-ending IR. Given their recent woes, that still seems like the most likely outcome. The Jets benched Zach Wilson once again and have turned to Tim Boyle, who is on track to return as the team’s Week 13 starter. New York has lost four straight, seeing Wilson flatline and Boyle lead a 159-yard offensive effort in a one-sided Week 12 loss to the Dolphins.
This once-farfetched return scenario reached the point in which GM Joe Douglas said the team expected to have its starter back before season’s end. Those remarks came at the trade deadline, when the Jets still enjoyed more realistic playoff goals. The team would have a chance to see how Rodgers looks with its set of skill-position players, though offensive line injuries should also be a factor when the parties determine if a comeback is worthwhile. Alijah Vera-Tucker is out for the season, while Connor McGovern and Wes Schweitzer are on IR. Both Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton have missed time this year. Assuming the Jets retain their coaching staff for 2024, the team would not exactly need to see Rodgers in its system this season. Rodgers worked with embattled OC Nathaniel Hackett from 2019-21.
A $35MM guaranteed roster bonus awaits Rodgers next year, and despite being close to retirement this offseason, the four-time MVP has since said he viewed the Jets trade as a path toward a multiyear partnership. The Jets reworked Rodgers contract this summer, with the outspoken QB taking a pay cut in order to help the team bolster its roster. The team has received criticism for not doing more to replace Rodgers, and Wilson’s repeated shortcomings have led the route to 4-7. But Rodgers remains in the Jets’ future beyond 2023. Will this long-rumored plan of a return before that point actually lead to more game action?
Panthers Fire HC Frank Reich
1:15pm: In addition to Reich, a pair of other Panthers staffers have been let go. Running backs coach Duce Staley – who also held the title of assistant head coach – is out, as is quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, Pelissero reports. Both coaches were hired to Reich’s staff in February, adding to the number of highly-regarded voiced playing a role in shaping the Panthers’ offense. With the unit as a whole and Young in particular struggling, though, it comes as little surprise that they have been dismissed. It will be Brown and Caldwell at the controls on offense moving forward for Carolina.
8:44am: Frank Reich‘s initial season with the Panthers has come to a premature end. The veteran head coach has been let go, as first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The team has since confirmed the move, noting that special teams coordinator Chris Tabor will serve as interim HC. 
After another low-scoring output by the team’s offense, the Panthers sit at 1-10. Carolina has struggled with respect to offensive output and developing rookie quarterback Bryce Young. Issues in that regard led to Reich’s decision to cede play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, but that setup was quickly abandoned. Little progress was shown in Reich’s second go-round at the controls on offense, leading to increasing speculation he could find himself going one-and-done in Carolina.
A recent report indicated both Reich and general manager Scott Fitterer were on the hot seat heading into the second half of the season. While Panthers owner David Tepper has established a reputation for having a quick trigger finger on the topic of moving on from coaches, many believed Reich would at least have the remainder of the campaign to show signs of improvement. Instead, the latter is now out just 11 games into a tenure which began with signficant long-term promise.
Reich, 61, was let go midseason last year by the Colts as part of their unconventional decision to turn to Jeff Saturday to close out the campaign. That left him free to pursue other openings, and the Panthers job carried signficant appeal given the understanding a rookie quarterback would be added in the draft. Reich was praised for adding the likes of Brown and senior assistant Jim Caldwell to his staff, but things have not gone according to plan. The former will, to no surprise, reclaim play-calling duties for the remainder of the season, the team announced.
In the end, Reich’s 11-game tenure in Carolina represents the second-shortest head coaching tenure in NFL history. Today’s move marks an end to his sentimental return to Charlotte, as he served as the Panthers’ first quarterback during his playing career. Reich enjoyed success as an OC with the Chargers and Eagles before his Colts appointment, winning a Super Bowl in Philadelphia. Now, his head coaching record sits at 41-42-1.
Tabor does not have full-time head coaching experience (having previously worked with the Bears on an interim basis), but his performance so far has been something of a bright spot in an otherwise disastrous season. The Panthers rank second in the league in special teams DVOA, and they will aim to take a step forward on offense and defense to close out the campaign as they move through a switch on the sidelines for the second consecutive season. Steve Wilks went 6-6 in 2022 after Matt Rhule was fired early in his third season in Carolina. Now, another search will commence in the offseason.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was frequently connected to the Panthers’ opening in 2022 before electing to remain in Detroit for at least one more season. It will be interesting to see how aggressively Carolina pursues Johnson in the near future, although the quick Reich dismissal will invite understandable questions about how attractive the Panthers gig is. That is especially true given the team’s lack of a first-round pick in 2023 owing to the blockbuster trade made to acquire the No. 1 selection last spring. In any event, Reich now joins Josh McDaniels as a head coach let go midway through the campaign.
“I met with Coach Reich this morning and informed him that he will not continue as head coach of the Carolina Panthers,” Tepper said in a statement. “I want to thank Frank for his dedication and service, and we wish him well.”
Bengals’ Joe Burrow Placed On IR
NOVEMBER 25: The Bengals announced today that they have officially placed Burrow on injured reserve. In addition to placing their newest franchise quarterback on IR, the team filled his roster spot by activating fifth-round rookie running back Chase Brown off of IR. Brown made an appearance in five games before being placed on IR with a hamstring injury. He played extremely sparingly on offense, only tallying two carries and three receptions, but was a consistent presence on special teams.
The team also announced practice squad quarterback A.J. McCarron as Cincinnati’s only standard gameday elevation for tomorrow. With Burrow out, McCarron will be available to serve as Browning’s backup.
NOVEMBER 17: The carnage from Thursday night’s game will hit the Bengals as well. Following the news of Mark Andrews likely being done for the season, Zac Taylor announced Friday that Joe Burrow has suffered a torn thumb ligament.
Burrow will miss the rest of the season with the wrist injury, Taylor revealed Friday. This is a devastating blow for the Bengals, who have seen Burrow change their trajectory over the past four seasons. Burrow entered Thursday having not missed a game due to injury since his rookie-year ACL tear. 
After playing through calf trouble early this season, Burrow had recovered. The Bengals’ fortunes reversed. The team won four straight, including victories over the 49ers and Bills, and had moved into a showdown with the Ravens. But Burrow arrived in Baltimore sporting a brace on his right wrist. The Bengals did not list their star quarterback on the Week 11 injury report, creating speculation the AFC North team was attempting to conceal a malady. As a result, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicates the NFL is investigating the Bengals.
While putting two and two together points to Burrow having an issue coming into Thursday night’s matchup, Taylor adds (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) the injury the fourth-year standout sustained is “completely unrelated” to the wrap he wore earlier in the day. When speaking publicly on the matter, Burrow confirmed as much (via ESPN’s Ben Baby). While attention around the league will turn to the league’s probe into the Bengals, Cincinnati will be forced to make a late run at the postseason with a major question mark under center.
Jake Browning, who took over for Burrow to close out last night’s contest, will assume starting duties for the rest of the season. The former UDFA had attempted one regular season pass in the NFL prior to Week 11, but he did enough in training camp and the preseason to earn a low-cost No. 2 job. Risk was incurred on the Bengals’ part by entrusting a relative unknown to serve as Burrow’s fill-in option, but Browning will now be tasked with leading the team toward a wild-card spot.
The Bengals entered Thursday’s loss ranked last in the league in rushing yards per game, so transitioning to a ground-heavy attack led by Joe Mixon may not offer a viable strategy. The team’s defense has delivered consecutive poor performances as well, so that unit will be hard-pressed to handle, in all likelihood, a larger workload with respect to having a role in victories down the stretch. Cincinnati sits at 5-5 on the year with an 0-3 record against the AFC North. A strong showing in the coming weeks will be needed for the team to remain in the hunt for what would now be considered an underdog postseason run.
Prior to the start of the 2023 season, Burrow inked a five-year, $275MM extension. That deal made him the latest in a line of young passers to land market-altering deals, and ensured his long-term future in Cincinnati. The 26-year-old will remain the foundation of the Bengals’ franchise for years to come, but today’s news will add another season-ending injury to his NFL career.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Commanders Fire DC Jack Del Rio
The Commanders have not yet fired their head coach, and plans do not appear in place for that to happen during the season. But the team is moving on from one of its coordinators. After a one-sided Thanksgiving loss in Dallas, Washington will fire DC Jack Del Rio, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
A former Jaguars and Raiders head coach, Del Rio had been with Washington throughout Ron Rivera‘s four-year tenure. But the veteran HC/assistant’s defense has struggled this season. Following the Cowboys’ 45-10 romp, the Commanders will make a significant change. Rivera will now call the Commanders’ defensive plays, per the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala. The Commanders have since announced Del Rio’s ouster.
In addition to the Del Rio move, the Commanders are also firing defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Like Del Rio, Vieselmeyer had been on Washington’s defensive staff since 2020. He served as a Raiders assistant during Del Rio’s three-year Oakland tenure. Cristian Garcia will take over as Washington’s DBs coach, Jhabvala adds, with safeties coach Richard Rodgers assisting Rivera with game-planning.
Although Commanders ownership playing the lead role in the team trading top defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young has factored into the team’s defensive unraveling, Del Rio’s unit was not thriving before the deadline deals. The Commanders allowed at least 33 points five times between Weeks 2-8, with both Young and Sweat being in the lineup in each of those contests. Following the Cowboys’ demolition, the Commanders rank last in points allowed, 29th in total defense and 30th in defensive DVOA.
Del Rio received this opportunity after not coaching for two years. The Raiders fired Del Rio following his third season, despite the team going 12-4 a year prior, to give Jon Gruden a 10-year contract. The 60-year-old coach did not have an NFL gig during the 2018 and ’19 seasons. His Washington tenure produced a mixed bag. The team ranked fourth in points allowed in 2020 and seventh in this area last season, though the 2021 campaign produced a 25th-place result. While this Commanders edition saw its edge-rushing muscle stripped away, ownership will sign off on Rivera making an in-season change.
Giving Rivera a green light to make these moves would point to ownership being committed to the veteran HC through season’s end. Rivera appears a likely chopping-block candidate in January, but Del Rio served as one of the Commanders’ interim HC options in the event Josh Harris axed Rivera during the season. OC Eric Bieniemy resides as an interim option as well, but the team would not have much in the way of defensive leadership in the wake of Friday morning’s dismissals. This appears likely to end with Rivera and potentially Bieniemy being gone as well, as Harris remodels the organization he recently acquired, but the fourth-year HC remains in place for now. A Harris statement indicates Rivera recommended the changes.
In the Rivera-Del Rio partnership’s first season, Washington won the NFC East — albeit with a 7-9 record — after forming a stacked defensive line by drafting Young second overall. Young paired with former first-rounders Sweat, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Ryan Kerrigan to form a strong pass rush. This unit helped cover for a QB situation that featured a struggling Dwayne Haskins and a limited Alex Smith, and Washington accounted itself well in a close wild-card loss to Tampa Bay. But the team is headed toward a fourth straight .500-or-worse season under Rivera. Del Rio’s role in that will cost him his job early.
The Del Rio-Rivera defense fared well despite Young barely playing in 2022, with the unit also withstanding the free agency miss on William Jackson, whom the team benched early last season and sent to the Steelers for a low-end return. This year brought a regression on most fronts, even with Young returning to full strength following his November 2021 knee injury. High-powered offenses like the Bills and Eagles ran out to 30-plus points against the Commanders, but the Bears and Broncos also combined for 73 points during the season’s first half. Although a six-turnover effort hamstrung the Commanders in the Giants rematch, Del Rio’s unit allowed rookie UDFA Tommy DeVito to throw three touchdown passes in New York’s two-score Week 11 win (as a two-score underdog).
A former linebacker, Del Rio has been an NFL staffer since 1997. Vieselmeyer has only served as an NFL coach under Del Rio. Primarily vacillating between the high school level and a Del Rio assistant (with a few college seasons mixed in), Vieselmeyer was on the Raiders’ staff throughout Del Rio’s three-year tenure. Washington hired him as its assistant secondary coach in 2020. Following Chris Harris‘ defection to the Titans this offseason, Vieselmeyer moved up to DBs coach. The Commanders exit Week 12 having allowed an NFL-most 49 pass plays of at least 20 yards, per ESPN.com’s John Keim. Washington has not intercepted a pass in six games.