Newsstand News & Rumors

Doctors: Damar Hamlin Has Made ‘Substantial Improvement’

January 5th, 2023 at 1:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

More good news is coming out regarding Damar Hamlin‘s recovery. Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center confirmed the Bills safety has made “substantial improvement” after being hospitalized due to cardiac arrest.

Hamlin’s neurological condition and function appear intact, Dr. Timothy Pritts said Thursday (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter). Hamlin has not regained the ability to speak and is using a breathing tube, but he asked his nurse, via pen and paper on a clipboard, who won Monday night’s Bills-Bengals game, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Hamlin remains critically ill, according to the doctors, but he has resumed the use of his hands and feet.

Both doctors and the Bills addressed Hamlin’s neurological functions, and Dr. William Knight said the Pittsburgh-area native has been holding many people’s hands in his room over the past several hours (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). While Hamlin will need to progress to breathing on his own, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds (via Twitter) doctors are now discussing him being sent home.

Doctors are still determining the cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, with commotio cordis — an extremely rare condition that emerges after chest trauma produces waves of electricity that can alter heart rhythm — being one of the possibilities, Garafolo tweets. Hamlin will need to resume breathing on his own to be upgraded to stable condition, the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski tweets.

The doctors have informed Hamlin it is far too soon to know if he will be able to play football again, via ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini (on Twitter), but considering where this situation was as recently as Wednesday, that is a secondary concern. Dr. Knight confirmed Hamlin had a pulse and then lost it while surrounded by medical personnel. The CPR performed at Paycor Stadium resuscitated Hamlin, who suddenly fell backward after making a first-quarter tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

Doctors said Hamlin has been made aware his charity — the Chasing M’s Foundation — has received more than $7MM in donations, Skurski tweets. Numerous NFL players and coaches have made donations. The developments of the past 24 hours have revitalized the Bills, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who adds (via Twitter) the team erupted with applause after Damar’s father, Mario Hamlin, informed the team of his son’s progress. We will continue to provide updates on Hamlin’s condition as news develops.

Cardinals Likely To Fire Kliff Kingsbury

January 4th, 2023 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the NFL expanding to 17 games has an effect here, the Cardinals are likely to match their record for most losses in a season. The 4-12 team faces the 49ers in Week 18; another loss would match Arizona’s 2018 and 2000 seasons (13). It does not look like Kliff Kingsbury will survive such a result.

The Cardinals are expected to dismiss Kingsbury at season’s end, Armando Salguero of Outkick.com reports, noting that such a transaction is “kind of an open secret” by now. This move would come months after Kingsbury signed an extension that runs through 2027. With Steve Keim also rumored to be on the outs months after his extension, this would represent a remarkable course change for the Cardinals.

Kingsbury, 43, took over the Cards after their Steve Wilks-led 3-13 season and made a successful push for Kyler Murray at No. 1 overall. The Cardinals became the first team since the 1982-83 Baltimore Colts to take first-round quarterbacks in back-to-back years. While the Cards were proven right to reinvest via the Murray pick and move on from Josh Rosen, this season marked a significant step back for the dual-threat talent. Murray fell off the Pro Bowl tier and is now rehabbing a torn ACL. Prior to the injury, he and Kingsbury were not believed to be on good terms.

A recent report indicated Kingsbury resigning was possible, but that seemed the less likely conclusion compared to a firing. A resignation would prevent Kingsbury (28-36-1) from cashing in on the extension money he is entitled to by virtue of the deal he inked in March. Little has gone right since the Cards reupped their HC-GM combo, however.

The Cardinals maneuvered through messy Murray situations — the pre-draft extension demand and the fallout from the homework clause included in the five-year, $230.5MM deal — and a report indicated Kingsbury has been “extremely frustrated” with the quarterback he has known since the latter’s high school days. Murray’s deal ties him to the Cards through 2028, which always made him most likely to be the last one standing despite Kingsbury and Keim’s extensions.

Arizona entered the season unable to deploy its newly assembled DeAndre Hopkins–Marquise Brown tandem, due to Hopkins’ six-game PED ban, and Kingsbury then could not use the wideouts together upon the All-Pro’s return because of Brown’s foot injury. It took until Week 12 for the talented pair to see the field together. By that point, the Cardinals were 4-7. Although J.J. Watt has rebounded from another injury-plagued season to record 10.5 sacks in his final NFL campaign, Kingsbury’s team ran into health issues along its aging offensive line and at tight end. Zach Ertz was lost for the season with ACL and MCL tears in Week 10. Murray, who missed two games with a hamstring injury as well, has been out since Week 14 because of his ACL tear.

Kingsbury’s fourth Cards offense ranks 21st in both scoring and yardage — down considerably from the team’s playoff offense last season — and Vance Joseph‘s defense ranks outside the top 20 in points and yards as well. Should this firing commence, it will spell another setback for college coaches hoping to establish themselves at the sport’s highest level. Matt Rhule, Chip Kelly, Greg Schiano and Nick Saban are among the latest who failed to carry their success to the NFL. In Kingsbury’s case, he made the strange leap from being fired at Texas Tech in 2018 to joining the Cards — shortly after he signed on to be USC’s OC. If Michael Bidwill follows through on a firing, it can be safely assumed the owner will select his next coach from the NFL level.

Bills-Bengals Game Postponed Following Damar Hamlin Hospitalization

January 3rd, 2023 at 1:38am CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 3, 1:38am: The Bills announced Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field. The on-field treatment restored Hamlin’s heartbeat, according to the team (on Twitter), but he remains in critical condition.

JANUARY 2, 9:37pm: Hamlin’s vitals have normalized, according to his marketing representative (on Twitter). Doctors will put him to sleep to place a breathing tube down his throat. Tests are ongoing.

9:01pm: This game will not resume tonight, according to ESPN. No resumption date has been announced. Goodell announced the postponement. Hamlin is in critical condition, according to the NFL (Twitter link).

“The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin. We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well being,” the union said in a statement.

8:21pm: An ambulance transported Bills safety Damar Hamlin off the field in the first quarter of Monday night’s game. Teams had been given five minutes to warm up to begin play again, but after a discussion, both squads have left the field.

Twenty-five minutes after the Hamlin injury, the game has been suspended. Medical personnel administered CPR to Hamlin, a 24-year-old in his second NFL season. Both teams gathered together around Hamlin and the ambulance as he was stretchered into the vehicle. After Sean McDermott and Zac Taylor spoke briefly, the teams headed to their respective locker rooms.

The terrifying scene began after Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. As Hamlin rose to his feet, he fell backward onto the turf, leading to the game’s stoppage. In addition to the application of CPR, medical staffers gave him oxygen. Hamlin is being transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Hamlin moved into Buffalo’s starting lineup earlier this season, becoming the team’s primary replacement for Micah Hyde, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in September. The Bills drafted Hamlin 212th overall out of Pittsburgh last year. He spent the first season of his pro career as a backup to Hyde and Jordan Poyer but has made 14 starts this year.

Bills officials, including McDermott and GM Brandon Beane, met with referees minutes ago, according to ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg (on Twitter). If tonight’s game ends up being postponed, the NFL will make the decision. Roger Goodell will speak to the teams at some point, but that is obviously the secondary issue here after what just transpired.

Raiders To Bench Derek Carr, Start Jarrett Stidham

December 28th, 2022 at 1:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders may be making a big-picture move. For the first time in his career, Derek Carr will be the Raiders’ backup quarterback. Josh McDaniels announced Jarrett Stidham will start in Week 17.

Carr, 31, is the longest-tenured starting quarterback in Raiders history and the team’s all-time passing leader. He has started 91 straight games. But he threw three interceptions last week and now leads the league with 14 this season. Considering the structure of Carr’s contract, this decision could have long-term ramifications.

This move is for the rest of the regular season, per McDaniels, who said (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, on Twitter) the Raiders will evaluate the younger quarterback as well as other younger players. The team is already shutting down Chandler Jones and Denzel Perryman; other vets could follow. This could impact the AFC and NFC playoff races; the Raiders host the 49ers in Week 17 and the Chiefs in Week 18. For Las Vegas, however, this decision may bring a major change.

Months after McDaniels took over, he and GM Dave Ziegler authorized a second Carr extension — this one a three-year, $121.4MM deal — that locked down the ninth-year quarterback through 2025. But the contract gives the Raiders an out. Three days after Super Bowl LVII, $40.4MM — Carr’s $32.9MM 2023 salary and $7.5MM of his 2024 base — will become guaranteed. The Raiders, then, have a narrow window to find a trade partner.

Carr’s market should be expected to heat up after the Super Bowl, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets, though the Pro Bowl QB’s extension does include a no-trade clause. That will complicate a potential deal. If the Raiders do move him, it would free up $29.3MM in cap space, Joel Corry of CBS Sports offers (via Twitter).

Raiders brass discussed the Carr plan over the past two nights, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, and Wednesday’s decision increases the likelihood Carr could be on the move in February. No trade can become official until the 2023 league year begins in March, but high-profile QB swaps — such as the Matthew Stafford deal or the Alex Smith exchange — have taken place around the Super Bowl in recent years. The Raiders sitting Carr now protects against an injury affecting the longtime starter’s value, even though the 6-9 team is not technically eliminated. On the fringes of “In the hunt” graphics, however, the Raiders are effectively looking ahead to next season.

Carr trade rumors persisted during Jon Gruden’s tenure, but given his performance level, the Raiders securing a replacement who could outplay him was difficult. Thus, Carr stayed on and steadily improved under Gruden. Under McDaniels this season, he has taken a step back. The former second-round pick has thrown nine INTs over his past five games, completing 57% of his passes in that span.

Were the Raiders to make Carr available, a few teams would likely be interested. The Jets, Commanders, Saints, Panthers and Colts are teams who could upgrade with Carr. Excepting the Colts, that lot will not hold top-five draft choices. The Commanders, Panthers, Colts and Saints were in this offseason’s QB market, while the Jets are likely to enter the mix in 2023. Zach Wilson may already be on the way out, and Mike White‘s contract is up after the season. If Carr becomes available, he would join Jimmy Garoppolo, Tom Brady and Daniel Jones as the top potential targets. Other QBs, as recent years have shown, may be on the trade market. But the Seahawks are aiming to retain Geno Smith. And it will take a Deshaun Watson-level package to pry Lamar Jackson from the Ravens, who are all but certain to use their franchise tag on the former MVP.

Carr has enjoyed an up-and-down run in Oakland and Vegas but offered the Raiders QB stability for the first time since Rich Gannon in the early 2000s. The JaMarcus Russell pick and Carson Palmer trade highlighted a wayward stretch between Gannon and Carr. The team is currently sitting in the No. 9 draft slot; multiple quarterbacks will likely be off the board by that point. Of course, moving Carr would give the team more assets to potentially climb in the draft. With Stidham (zero starts in New England) unlikely to be a true option for 2023, the Raiders will seemingly join the aforementioned teams in the QB market — provided they pull the trigger on a deal.

McDaniels’ previous HC stay — an eventful Denver tenure cut short before the end of his second season — featured him moving on from the team’s starting quarterback (Jay Cutler) just weeks into the polarizing HC’s stay. Multiple quarterbacks set for free agency — Brady, Garoppolo — have extensive pasts with the former Patriots OC. The Raiders potentially preparing to move on so soon after this year’s extension/trial balloon — and months after they acquired longtime Carr friend Davante Adams — will inject more intrigue into what promises to be another action-packed quarterback market.

Dolphins To Start Teddy Bridgewater In Week 17; NFL, NFLPA Launch Investigation

December 28th, 2022 at 10:40am CST by Sam Robinson

Teddy Bridgewater will return to action for the Dolphins. After indicating Tua Tagovailoa‘s latest stay in concussion protocol was indeed induced by a concussion, Mike McDaniel said Bridgewater is in line to start against the Patriots in Week 17.

This will be Bridgewater’s second start this season. The journeyman passer left his first outing after landing in concussion protocol. This is Tagovailoa’s second confirmed concussion this season, though concussion-like symptoms in Week 3 ignited a controversy and led to the NFL firing an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant and changing its protocols.

Although Tagovailoa head injuries have been one of this season’s defining storylines, the Dolphins are not yet planning to shut down their starter. McDaniel said this will be a day-by-day process. That makes sense when considering the disparity between the team’s record in games Tagovailoa finishes (8-4) and in games featuring Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson (0-3). The Dolphins have lost four straight and have plummeted to the AFC’s No. 7 seed. Tagovailoa being ready to go in Week 18 could determine Miami’s playoff fate, but the team will also need to factor in the former No. 5 overall pick’s long-term health ahead of that decision.

Tagovailoa missed two games because of the concussion he suffered in Week 4. That scary scene in Cincinnati came four days after the seminal sequence against Buffalo, when Tua returned to play shortly after showing concussion-like symptoms. The NFL has since revised its concussion protocol, leading to more attention given to players who show symptoms of head injuries. That said, spotters did not notice Tagovailoa displaying any concussion signs during Miami’s loss to Green Bay on Christmas Day. Tagovailoa also did not report any symptoms; he was placed in the protocol Monday.

The NFL and NFLPA are also moving forward with a joint review into the circumstances behind Tua’s most recent concussion, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports (on Twitter). This will be the second NFLPA probe into a Tagovailoa injury this year. A video that circulated on Twitter showed a possible concussion-inducing hit taking place in the first half. Tua did not leave Sunday’s game, and this inquiry will once again scrutinize the Dolphins and independent spotters’ handling of a head injury. The last inquiry did not find any violations, but changes nevertheless occurred.

Tagovailoa’s three-interception half in Week 16 did not knock him off his perch as the NFL’s leader in passer rating. The third-year QB still sits fourth in QBR as well. Miami’s Tyreek Hill–Jaylen Waddle pairing has helped Tagovailoa to an 8.9 yards-per-attempt figure. That also leads the league. Going from Tagovailoa to Bridgewater will be a step back for the Dolphins — in a crucial spot.

Bridgewater, who suffered two concussions during his 2021 season in Denver, displayed signs of ataxia when taken out of his Week 5 start against the Jets. The 30-year-old QB navigated concussion protocol ahead of Week 6, when he replaced Thompson against the Vikings. Both Bridgewater and Tagovailoa cleared concussion protocol that week, but the Dolphins made Bridgewater their emergency backup over Tua. This season, Bridgewater has completed 37 of 60 passes for 522 yards to go along with three touchdown passes and three interceptions. He led the Broncos to a 7-7 mark last season, without the benefit of the defense this year’s Denver iteration has deployed, before a Week 14 concussion ended his time with the team. Sunday will be Bridgewater’s first start against the Patriots.

FiveThirtyEight gives the Dolphins a 62% chance to make the playoffs, but Tagovailoa missing both games would stand to reduce the team’s chances of booking a postseason spot for the first time in six years. Tagovailoa also becomes extension-eligible next month, and the head injuries he has suffered this season cloud the progress he has made.

J.J. Watt To Retire After 2022 Season

December 27th, 2022 at 10:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

As the Cardinals’ season winds down, the team has little remaining to play for given their collective struggles as a team. For defensive end J.J. Watt, however, the final two weeks of the 2022 regular season will mark his last action in the NFL. The veteran announced (on Twitter) that he is retiring at the end of the campaign.

Specifically, Watt called Arizona’s Christmas Day loss to the Buccaneers his “last ever NFL home game.” The Cardinals close out the season with road contests against the Falcons and 49ers, which will allow him two final opportunities to add to his illustrious career and substantial statistical accomplishments.

The 33-year-old will, of course, be best remembered for his 10-year stint in Houston after he was drafted 11th overall in 2011 by the Texans. Over the course of that span, Watt established himself as a sure-fire Hall of Famer and one of the most decorated defensive players in league history. The Wisconsin alum broke out in his second season, leading the league with 20.5 sacks. That earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors, along with his first All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.

His production continued for years after that, as he strung together three consecutive All-Pro and Pro Bowl seasons after his 2012 performance. Watt topped the league in sacks once again in 2015, the third year in which he was named the league’s best defensive player. One season prior, he finished second in MVP voting as he was the focal point of the Texans’ defense in particular and franchise as a whole.

That 2014 year saw Watt sign a six-year, $100MM extension to keep him in Houston. He remained with the Texans through the 2020 campaign – at which point many other franchise pillars were no longer in the fold and the team’s playoff runs of the mid-2010s had begun to give way to the rebuilding phase it now finds itself in. In total, Watt racked up 101 sacks and 25 forced fumbles during his time in Houston, establishing himself as a highly-respected off-the-field pillar along the way.

The 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year winner became one of the most sought-after free agents last offseason, as he looked for a new home to continue his career amidst turmoil in Houston. He ultimately landed in Arizona, signing a two year contract worth $31MM. Questions were raised in the aftermath of his decision with respect to his potential remaining production, in no small part due to his injury history. Watt missed considerable time in 2016, 2017 and 2019. To perhaps little surprise, then, he was limited to only seven contests in his inaugural campaign with the Cardinals.

The 2010s All-Decade member posted just one sack in 2021, which tempered expectations for him heading into his twelfth NFL season. Watt has turned back the clock this year, however; he leads the Cardinals with 9.5 sacks, his highest total since 2018, the season in which he earned his fifth All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods. Watt has been a mainstay of the Cardinals’ defense all year, missing only the season opener and logging a snap share of 77% on the campaign.

Watt’s 111.5 career sacks rank 26th all time and fourth amongst active players. He will have the opportunity to climb those lists even more in his last two games, as he is only one-half sack behind Chandler Jones and one behind Cam Jordan. Regardless of his performance over the course of the next two weeks, Watt – who has amassed more than $115MM in career earnings – will go down as one of the top defensive linemen in league history.

“My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude,” he wrote in his retirement announcement. “It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.”

Broncos Fire Nathaniel Hackett, Name Jerry Rosburg Interim HC

December 26th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:00pm: The Broncos have gone with senior assistant Jerry Rosburg as their interim HC to close out the season, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets and the team has since confirmed. The veteran coach was hired in September to assist with in-game operations and decisions, including clock management. The 67-year-old’s background is in special teams, including stints with the Browns, Falcons and, for one decade, the Ravens; he will oversee the team’s staff in all three phases.

Pelissero adds that the interim HC role was originally offered to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who has become a prime candidate for a full-time head coaching gig given his performance in 2022 (Twitter link). He has instead decided to remain the DC to close out the campaign, as he heads towards what will likely be a busy offseason filled with interest from Denver and elsewhere.

11:45am: After yet another disastrous performance in front of a national audience, Nathaniel Hackett‘s time in Denver is coming to an end. The first-year head coach has been fired by the Broncos, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). The team has confirmed the decision.

Hackett has become just the fifth coach in league history to have his first season as a bench boss come to an end before the campaign is completed. Denver sits a 4-11 on the year after yesterday’s 51-14 loss to the shorthanded Rams. That qualifies them as one of, if not the largest disappointments in the league considering the expectations surrounding the team heading into the fall.

Hackett was hired with the intention of reviving the Broncos’ offense, a unit which was seen as by far the weak point on an otherwise capable team. That, coupled with the trade for, and extension of, quarterback Russell Wilson, was presumed to put the organization on a path to success on both sides of the ball. Instead, the team ranks dead last in the NFL with an average of just 15.5 points per game. Improvement has generally not been seen even after Hackett ceded play-calling duties to QBs coach Klint Kubiak in November.

As offensive struggles (including several shockingly poor performances by Wilson), injuries and a lack of consistency continued to pile up, expectations grew over the passing weeks that Hackett would be let go at some point. The matter of whether or not he would be fired before the end of the campaign was a matter of debate, but questions on that subject have now been answered. Denver will now join the Panthers and Colts in their search for a long-term replacement.

A statement from team owner Greg Penner reads in part, “We sincerely appreciate Nathaniel’s efforts and wish him and his family all the best in the future. Following extensive conversations with [GM] George [Paton] and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos… We recognize and appreciate this organization’s championship history, and we understand we have not met that standard.

“Moving forward, we will carefully evaluate every aspect of our football operations and make whatever changes are necessary to restore this franchise’s winning tradition. I will lead our head coaching search with support from our ownership group and George, whom I have confidence in as our general manager.”

That final sentence is noteworthy, as Paton has drawn sharp criticism this season for his role in the decisions to hire Hackett and acquire Wilson. Conflicting reports have emerged recently regarding whether or not Paton’s tenure would be cut short after only two seasons at the helm in the Mile High City. A public vote of confidence from the team’s new ownership group bodes well for his job security in at least the short-term future.

Nevertheless, Paton and the rest of the Broncos’ front office will be under intense scrutiny in the coming months as they look to undo the damage caused by Hackett’s hiring. Wilson is under contract through 2028 as a result of the mega-extension he signed before making his regular season debut with Denver this fall, so he is tied to the franchise for years to come. That, along with coaching uncertainty for the second straight offseason will leave a significant stain on the 2022 season for the Broncos, the sixth straight in which they have produced a losing record.

Hackett, meanwhile, is unlikely to find himself on the head coaching radar anytime soon. The total inability of the Broncos to find consistency on offense in particular and build any momentum during the season suggests he is best suited as an offensive coordinator, the role he held for eight total years with the Bills, Jaguars and Packers before taking the Denver gig this offseason.

Browns To Extend RT Jack Conklin

December 23rd, 2022 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

This is turning into quite the morning for high-profile offensive line moves. Barely an hour after the Packers locked down Elgton Jenkins, the Browns agreed to a deal that will keep Jack Conklin off the market.

The Browns and Conklin agreed on a four-year, $60MM extension Friday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Conklin’s deal includes $31MM fully guaranteed. Conklin, who arrived in Cleveland as a free agent in 2020, was set for free agency again in March. The Browns, as they have done at other O-line positions in the recent past, will prevent that from happening.

Like Jenkins, Conklin spent this offseason recovering from a major knee injury. The patella tendon tear Conklin suffered in November 2021 sidelined the former first-round pick until Week 3 of this season, but Cleveland’s right tackle has played in every game since that debut. After locking in guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, the Browns will keep another upper-echelon blocker.

Conklin only made his way to Cleveland after the Titans passed on his fifth-year option and a free agency accord. Tennessee drafted Conklin in the 2016 first round; he was the first player recently fired GM Jon Robinson chose. While Conklin earned All-Pro honors as a rookie, he suffered a torn ACL in 2018. The following May, the Titans did not pick up his option. After he played a major role in the first of Derrick Henry‘s two rushing titles (during the 2019 season), the Titans — who had both Henry and Ryan Tannehill as free agents in 2020 — let him hit the market. That ended up being the Browns’ gain, and Friday’s extension will set up Conklin for a long-term Ohio stay.

Armed with extensive cap space in 2020, the Browns used a chunk of it to land Conklin on a three-year, $42MM pact. The short-term deal allowed the Michigan State product a chance to hit the market again before turning 30. Finishing up his age-28 season, Conklin ended up using that three-year accord to his advantage and will become the rare player to sign three lucrative deals in his 20s.

Although this $15MM-per-year extension does not place Conklin among the top five wage-earners at his position, the $31MM fully guaranteed sits fourth among right-siders. For AAV, Conklin’s deal checks in sixth at the position. The 2023 O-line free agent market is now considerably worse, with Jenkins and Conklin off the board. Conklin had said recently he wanted to finish his career in Cleveland.

Coming off the severe injury, Conklin sits just inside Pro Football Focus’ top 40 at tackle. PFF gave him top-20 assessments from 2019-21, and it stands to reason Conklin will be in better form as more time passes from the patella tendon setback. PFF rates the Browns’ O-line eighth overall, though the team’s center issues have dinged the unit a bit. The team will not have to worry about right tackle for the foreseeable future.

The Browns were unable to stay in the thick of the playoff race during Deshaun Watson‘s suspension, and the highly paid quarterback has not shown much of his Texans form since returning from the 11-game ban (and 17-game paid absence last year). But Nick Chubb booked a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl this week. The star running back has rushed for 1,252 yards and matched his career high in touchdowns (12) already. The Browns cut center J.C. Tretter this year, leading to his retirement, but have prioritized extensions for their O-line finds. Bitonio and Teller are signed through 2025, and left tackle Jedrick Wills‘ rookie deal — based on how the Browns handle his fifth-year option — can run through 2024. Conklin is now signed through 2026.

Packers, Elgton Jenkins Agree On Extension

December 23rd, 2022 at 9:28am CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers will not let Elgton Jenkins hit free agency. They agreed to a four-year extension with the fourth-year offensive lineman, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The versatile blocker agreed to bypass a run on the 2023 market by signing a $68MM deal that could max out at $74MM. While Jenkins has worked at both guard and tackle, he has settled in at guard this season. This deal makes him the league’s second-highest-paid guard — behind only Quenton Nelson. Incentives can take the deal to the $74MM mark, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein (on Twitter).

Davante Adams notwithstanding, Green Bay has an extensive history of keeping its priority free agents. (Though, this deal does come around the same point on the calendar when the Packers locked down Adams to his second NFL contract back in 2017.) Months after Jaire Alexander‘s cornerback-record contract, the Packers have Jenkins locked in through the 2026 season. The former second-round pick will collect a $24MM signing bonus, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has the signing bonus at $22MM (Twitter link).

The Packers do not have too much history with the franchise tag, going 12 years between bringing it out for Ryan Pickett (in 2010) and Adams. But Rapoport notes a tag was likely here. Jenkins’ signing bonus comes in a few million north of the projected $18.3MM O-lineman tag, which undoubtedly came into play during the talks. Jenkins, 27 next week, would have been one of the top free agents on next year’s market. Instead, the Packers paid to make him a long-term cornerstone.

At $17MM per year, Jenkins’ extension checks in closer to the guard field than to Nelson, who is attached to a $20MM-per-year accord. But Nelson’s accomplishments are on another level compared to his age group. Like Alexander, the Packers did not appear to deviate from their preferred contract structure of not including guarantees beyond Year 1. If the signing bonus represents the full guarantee here, Jenkins will be tied to either the fifth- or seventh-highest figure among guards.

This agreement also punctuates Jenkins’ return from the ACL tear that cut his 2021 season short. Although the Packers’ 2022 season has fallen well shy of expectations, this deal rewards a player who has bounced to a few positions along the O-line. Jenkins has made a Pro Bowl at guard — in 2020 — but began last season filling in for David Bakhtiari at left tackle. After Bakhtiari made his long-awaited return to his blindside post this season, Jenkins began his contract year at right tackle. But the Packers kicked him back inside to guard. Despite the move, Friday’s extension compares favorably to most right tackles’ money. The AAV matches Taylor Moton‘s for the fifth-highest at right tackle.

Green Bay selected Jenkins 44th overall in 2019 and made him an instant starter. Stationed alongside Bakhtiari, the Mississippi State alum soon teamed with the All-Pro blindsider to form one of the league’s top inside-outside duos. After Bakhtiari’s career-altering ACL tear on New Year’s Eve 2020, it took until this season for he and Jenkins to play together again. By the time they did, Corey Linsley — whom the Packers let walk in 2021 — was in his second season with the Chargers. Letting Linsley leave freed up funds for Jenkins, who is four years younger.

Last season represented a missed opportunity, though the Packers still secured the No. 1 seed without either standout. Bakhtiari, who underwent three surgeries to address the knee injury, has bounced in and out of the lineup this season. He remains tied to the four-year, $92MM contract he inked during the 2020 campaign. While Bakhtiari has missed five games this season, Jenkins has only missed two. He returned in Week 2 and has played at a Pro Bowl level. No such honor came this week, but Pro Football Focus ranks Jenkins as the league’s No. 7 overall guard. The Packers are paying up for what should be his prime seasons.

Titans’ Ryan Tannehill Likely Out For Season

December 22nd, 2022 at 1:14pm CST by Ben Levine

DECEMBER 22: It will be Willis, for this week at least, at quarterback for the Titans. Vrabel ruled out Tannehill for the Titans’ Week 16 rematch against the Texans. This will be Willis’ second start against the Texans.

DECEMBER 21: Ryan Tannehill‘s ankle injury could ultimately end his season. According to Paul Kuharsky, the Titans quarterback’s injury could require surgery and “will very likely end his season.”

Tannehill suffered a right ankle injury during Sunday’s loss to the Chargers. While the veteran QB only missed one series, he dealt with significant pain after returning to the game. Tannehill suffered an injury to the same ankle earlier this season, forcing him to miss a pair of games.

We heard yesterday that Tannehill was facing an uphill battle to play in Week 16, and as Kuharsky notes, offensive coordinator Todd Downing spoke as if third-round rookie Malik Willis will start against the Texans. Coach Mike Vrabel also gave the young signal-caller a vote of confidence this week.

“I’ve seen a lot of maturity and growth, seen the way that his reps are coming in our show team and trying to get him to act like the starting quarterback and lead that unit and communicate our language, the call that’s on the card, the operation, the snap count, the cadence, whether we go on the ball the next play,” Vrabel said (via Nick Suss of the Nashville Tennessean). “All those looks that we try to give him, I’ve seen a lot of maturity and growth in that regard.”

Willis didn’t look completely hopeless during his two starts, although the coaching staff limited him to only 26 pass attempts between the two games. With Derrick Henry in the backfield, the Titans should have enough to get past the Titans in Week 16.

The Titans would surely prefer their veteran QB under center against the Cowboys and Jaguars, but it’s not like he was doing a whole lot to help their playoff chances. While Tennessee currently sits atop the AFC South, they’ve dropped four straight, with Tannehill throwing three touchdowns vs. two interceptions over that stretch.

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