Eagles DE Za’Darius Smith Retires
Za’Darius Smith has taken part in five of the Eagles’ six games this season, but his time with Philadelphia is abruptly coming to an end. The veteran pass rush announced on Instagram Monday that he is retiring. 
“Who would’ve thought that a kid from Greenville, Alabama, with just one year of high school football experience, would go on to play professional football in the NFL for 11 incredible years,” Smith’s announcement reads in part. “Football has transformed my life and my family’s lives forever – and for that, I’m forever grateful.”
Smith has served as a starter for much of his career, and he notched four sacks upon arriving via trade in Detroit last season. In spite of that, the three-time Pro Bowler remained unsigned through training camp. One day after opening the campaign, the Eagles signed Smith to a one-year deal. He has played in all five of the team’s games since then, logging a 38% snap share.
Today’s announcement comes as quite the surprise as a result, as Smith was in position to continue handling a rotational role with his latest team. Instead, his NFL career has come to an end. This decision is a personal one and not tied to his playing time in Philadelphia, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Nevertheless, an Eagles team which entered the campaign with questions about pass rush production will be shorthanded moving forward. This news could steer the team toward a trade for an edge rusher in the near future.
Smith entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Ravens in 2015. He flashed potential with 5.5 sacks as a rookie, and after developing into a regular on defense posted 8.5 sacks in the final year of his rookie contract. That resulted in a big-ticket free agent deal with the Packers, the first of three NFC North teams Smith wound up playing for in his career.
Following his 2022 release from Green Bay, Smith seemed to have a Ravens reunion lined up. In the end, however, he signed with the Vikings. That did not lead to a lengthy tenure in Minnesota, as the Kentucky alum was traded to the Browns after one season. Smith was limited to just one game in 2021, but across his healthy campaigns with Green Bay and Minnesota he amassed 36 sacks. Expectations remained high for continued production with the Browns.
Smith was unable to establish himself as a long-term complement to Myles Garrett with a downturn in sack totals during his one full Cleveland campaign. After Aidan Hutchinson suffered a season-ending injury last year, Smith was named as a candidate to be dealt to the Lions. That took place as expected, and during this past offseason Smith remained in contact with Detroit even after being released in a cost-shedding move.
With no deal being worked out on that front, though, Smith eventually took a pact with the Eagles. The defending Super Bowl champions have lost two straight but they sit at 4-2 on the year and could again find themselves in contention for a deep postseason run in 2025. The team’s plans ahead of the deadline could now include the pursuit of a Smith replacement.
Smith will now turn his attention to his post-playing days at the age of 33. He exits the NFL with 154 combined regular and postseason appearances and nearly $91MM in career earnings.
Browns Willing To Trade DT Shelby Harris
After Sunday’s loss, the Browns sit at 1-5 on the year. The team has already authorized two notable trades, sending Greg Newsome to the Jaguars in a swap for fellow cornerback Tyson Campbell after Joe Flacco was dealt to the Bengals. 
It would come as no surprise if other trades were to take place ahead of next month’s deadline. Provided the Browns continue to sell, a number of veterans will presumably draw trade interest. One of those is defensive tackle Shelby Harris.
The Browns will listen to offers on Harris, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. Likewise, ESPN’s Adam Schefter names the 11th-year veteran as one of the league’s top trade candidates. Harris is a pending free agent, so he would be viewed as a rental for an acquiring team. With a base salary of just $2MM, the 34-year-old would also be an affordable target for any number of suitors.
Cleveland invested a second-round pick in defensive tackle Mike Hall last year. The Ohio State product has yet to play this season, but Cabot notes he is nearing a return to full health. When that takes place, Hall will join Mason Graham – selected fifth overall in April after the Browns traded out of the No. 2 slot – as a tandem along the defensive interior for years to come. With those two in the team’s plans well beyond the current campaign, Harris could be deemed expendable in the near future.
The former seventh-rounder has 135 appearances and 84 starts to his name. Harris was a first-team presence through much of his five-year Broncos run before heading to Seattle as part of the Russell Wilson trade. After a single campaign with the Seahawks, the Illinois State alum signed the first of two contracts with the Browns. In addition to drafting Graham this offseason, though, the team added Maliek Collins in free agency, something which threatened to limit Harris’ playing time.
As a result, Harris was a cut candidate this summer. The Browns elected to keep him in the fold through training camp and into the start of the season, and Harris has handled a 42% snap share so far. He could offer a rotational presence to a contending team for the second half of the campaign, and it will be interesting to see how strong of a market develops on the trade front in this case.
49ers LB Fred Warner Out For Season
10:34pm: According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has revealed Warner’s diagnosis to be both a broken and dislocated ankle. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner quickly followed the report confirming that Warner will require surgery, and the injury will be season-ending.
5:07pm: The 49ers have been ravaged by injury throughout this young season, but they may have taken their biggest hit today. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner has been diagnosed with a dislocated ankle. Russini reports that Warner will meet with doctors to determine his exact prognosis, but given the nature of the injury, it has the potential to be season-ending. 
We saw Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin suffer an ankle dislocation about a week later into the season last year, and though he had intentions to be ready for the postseason after undergoing surgery, he didn’t play another snap that season. Godwin then needed a second procedure on his ankle that held him out for the full offseason, training camp, and the first three weeks of this year’s regular season. Obviously, we can’t project this onto Warner, whose details are not yet known, but Godwin’s recent example serves as a possible outcome for this type of injury.
No matter how long the absence is, unless the 28-year-old comes back two weeks from now, this is uncharted territory for Warner. Since getting drafted by San Francisco in the third round back in 2018, Warner has appeared and started in every possible game except for one. While the four-time All-Pro will have his own new challenges to tackle over a potentially extended absence, the 49ers’ uncharted territory of fielding a defense for multiple games without Warner poses other serious challenges.
Warner’s backup at middle linebacker is Tatum Bethune. A seventh-round pick out of Florida State last year, Bethune spent his rookie year almost exclusively on special teams. Active for 11 games, he only appeared on the field for 12 defensive snaps before starting San Francisco’s season finale. This year has been more of the same for the 24-year-old; after appearing in three defensive snaps in Week 1, Bethune has been all special teams before today.
At the very least, Warner will end up adding to an injury report that featured 18 other players this week for the 49ers. If the injury ends up being as serious as it looked, Warner could be the 12th Niner placed on injured reserve this season. He would join such stars on the IR as pass rusher Nick Bosa and tight end George Kittle, with more starters like quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall merely sporting “out” designations on the injury report.
While the injury suffered by Warner today looked bad, no determinations have been made on the severity of his ankle injury just yet. Once more is learned, San Francisco will be able to formulate a plan for return. Until then, they’ll continue to do as they have been doing, fielding the next man up and relying on their depth to put themselves in as good a position to win as possible.
Saints Unlikely To Trade Alvin Kamara
With the Saints sitting at 1-4 and expected to sell before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, running back Alvin Kamara stands out as someone who could move in the next few weeks. While Kamara has drawn interest from other teams, he’s unlikely to go anywhere, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.
Still under team control through next season on the two-year, $26.5MM extension he signed last October, Kamara has no intention of leaving New Orleans. While Kamara does not have a no-trade clause, general manager Mickey Loomis approached the five-time Pro Bowler to gauge his interest in a change of scenery. He told Loomis his goal remains to play his entire career with the Saints. Kamara is so committed to a one-team career that he’d potentially retire if a trade occurred, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
[RELATED: Several Saints Drawing Trade Interest]
Now 30 years old, Kamara has been with the franchise since it used a third-round pick on the ex-Tennessee Volunteer in 2017. Eight years later, Kamara is the Saints’ leader in career rushing yards and touchdowns. The longtime dual threat ranks second in team history in receptions.
Five games into 2025, Kamara has seen his effectiveness wane as part of one of the NFL’s lowest-scoring offenses. His 3.9 yards per carry on 73 attempts is among the lowest of his career. While Kamara has added 17 receptions, he has averaged a paltry 4.5 yards per catch.
Moving to a contender before the deadline could lead to a jump in production for Kamara. The Chargers are among playoff hopefuls looking for help in the backfield. However, it doesn’t appear that they or anyone else will be able to pry Kamara out of New Orleans.
Jets Still Committed To Justin Fields As Starting QB
Justin Fields was absent from Week 3 while recovering from a concussion. Head coach Aaron Glenn made it clear at the time, however, that the starting gig would be his upon return. 
Indeed, Fields has led New York’s offense since he came back in Week 4. Things have largely not gone according to plan with the free agent signing in the lineup, though, and that was especially the case on Sunday. During the Jets’ loss to the Broncos in London, Fields amassed just 45 passing yards while being sacked nine times.
Following the Jets’ 13-11 loss, Glenn was asked whether or not a quarterback change is being considered. Benching Fields – who inked a two-year deal this spring containing $30MM guaranteed – would result in veteran Tyrod Taylor taking over. Once again, Glenn offered a reply stating Fields will remain atop the depth chart at this point.
“There’s a number of guys that, you know, I mean, sometimes this league is like this,” Glenn said when asked if Fields will be benched (video link via SNY). “There are guys that have bad games. That doesn’t mean you just bench him.”
Across his four games with the Jets this year, Fields has completed 67% of his attempts while posting a passer rating of 100.1. Both of those marks are career bests. The 26-year-old has also matched his personal watermark with an average of 7.1 yards per attempt, and he has yet to throw an interception. With an additional 204 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, it is easy to see the appeal of keeping Fields in place moving forward. The former Bear and Steeler is already owed $10MM in guaranteed salary for next year, something which adds further to the upside of maintaining the current depth chart from Glenn’s perspective.
Taylor has been with the Jets since last season. During that time, he has made just four appearances and one start (while Fields was sidelined). The 36-year-old is a pending free agent, so any extended run as QB1 would of course be key in determining his market value next spring. For now, at least, Taylor should not be expected to take over.
Glenn and the Jets fell to 0-6 with today’s loss. As such, New York is expected to operate as a seller ahead of next month’s trade deadline. No quarterback moves are anticipated in that respect, but by the time the second half of the campaign begins it will be interesting to see if Fields is still viewed as the team’s starter.
Mark Sanchez Booked, Released From Jail
The next step in the Mark Sanchez-saga saw the former NFL quarterback booked at the Marion County Jail today, promptly getting released after being processed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 38-year-old needed to be released from the hospital before getting processed at the jail, and both things needed to occur in order for Sanchez to be allowed to leave the state. 
In an interview (via Max Lewis of FOX59) outside the jail, Sanchez expressed many thanks to the first responders that treated him in the aftermath of the altercation that led to him getting stabbed. In particular, he became emotional as he thanked the surgeon that operated on him, claiming that she “saved his life.” He informed the media that he was recovering slowly and, before leaving, apologized that he was unable to answer more questions.
Sanchez’s alleged victim, Perry Tole, is also reportedly suing both Sanchez and Fox Corp. Per ESPN, the lawsuit claims he sustained “severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function, other physical injuries, emotional distress and other damages” resulting from Sanchez’s alleged attack. Reportedly, a picture of Tole in a hospital bed with a neck brace and a deep gash in the side of his face is making the rounds in the media, but it’s unclear if the image is legitimate evidence related to the case.
Initially charged with three misdemeanor charges of battery resulting in injury, public intoxication, and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, Sanchez now faces a single felony battery charge. Our original report on the felony showed that the Level 5 charge could carry a prison sentence of one to five years and that the next step in the process would be a conference on November 4. ESPN’s latest update slightly adjusts these facts, claiming that the felony charge could carry a sentence up to six years and that the pretrial conference will take place on November 5.
Bengals Contacted Several Teams On QBs; Cincinnati Considered Derek Carr
The Bengals went from throwing support behind Jake Browning to frantically seeking an outside upgrade. Joe Flacco became that option, being sent across Ohio early this week in a Day 3 pick-swap exchange.
Prior to landing on Flacco — a development that surprised the Browns — the Bengals looked into many reserve QBs around the league and one who recently wrapped his NFL career. In addition to calling the Eagles on Sam Howell and the Seahawks on Drew Lock, the Bengals contacted the Texans on Davis Mills, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
[RELATED: Flacco Hail Mary Comes At Key Point On Bengals’ Timeline]
A long-hesitant franchise regarding the acquisition of players via in-season trades, the Bengals also made a call on Derek Carr. Rapoport indicates the recently retired passer became part of Cincinnati’s search. Had this progressed, the team would have needed to make a deal with the Saints for Carr’s rights. Like they did with Sean Payton when he stepped away in 2022, the Saints hold Carr’s rights after his mid-offseason retirement.
Carr did not enter the offseason assured of retaining his starting job. Kellen Moore took over in New Orleans, leading to rumors about a QB change — even in the event Carr kept playing. Two years remained on his Saints contract. Carr was not open to a pay cut on the four-year, $150MM deal and remained in the Saints’ plans for several weeks between Moore’s arrival and the post-draft retirement decision. As of September, Carr has not slammed the door on returning. But with the Saints needing compensation, that introduced a wrinkle they may have kept the 11-year veteran in retirement.
This certainly would have presented an interesting opportunity for Carr, as the Bengals paid up to retain their high-end Ja’Marr Chase–Tee Higgins duo this offseason. Carr struggled to stay healthy in New Orleans, running into a few injuries. Most notably, a shoulder malady sustained in 2023 plagued him and ultimately led the ex-Raider to retirement. Should health circumstances improve, that could conceivably change the equation. Carr did gauge the trade market this offseason. But Carr is 34, limiting his window. During the summer, a report also indicated the former playoff starter is not likely to return to the league.
The Bengals made calls to teams with three quarterbacks and those with viable practice squad options, Rapoport adds. Mills obviously remains in the Texans‘ plans, having signed a one-year extension that moves his contract through 2026 in September. The Texans also rebuffed trade inquiries on Mills in 2023, keeping he and Case Keenum behind C.J. Stroud that season. A 2021 third-round pick, Mills has played his entire career in Houston. The team replaced him as their primary starter via the Stroud selection but still values him in the QB2 post.
Cincinnati did not inquire about Giants veterans, Kirk Cousins or Ryan Tannehill. In not making Tannehill part of their QB search, the Bengals wanted a player who had been active recently, Rapoport adds. Tannehill has not played since the 2023 season, when the Titans benched him for second-round rookie Will Levis. Tannehill had been connected to the Vikings early this offseason and later came up for the Raiders following Aidan O’Connell‘s injury, but the 37-year-old passer remains out of football.
Flacco, 40, will make a start despite being acquired Tuesday afternoon. The Bengals sent Flacco cutups on his flight from Cleveland, per Rapoport, as he was getting up to speed in Zac Taylor‘s offense by Tuesday night. With the Browns giving Flacco two weeks to prepare before his first start with the team in 2023, today’s shorter-notice Packers matchup presents a daunting assignment. For the foreseeable future, however, the Bengals will have Flacco at the controls.
49ers WR Jauan Jennings Playing With Broken Ribs
There was a bit of a scuffle on the 49ers’ sideline in today’s loss to the Buccaneers. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings was seen arguing with head coach Kyle Shanahan, and when asked about it, Jennings directed the media to his head coach for any information. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Jennings also added that he has been playing with five broken ribs. 
Seeing how injured the 49ers roster is at this moment, it’s no wonder Jennings is pushing through. The team’s reserve/non-football injury list and reserve/physically unable to perform list still each hold a player, 11 players are currently on injured reserve, and 16 more appear on the injury report. Those numbers don’t even include the loss of four-time first-team All-Pro Fred Warner, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury today. With the roster so thin throughout, any players dealing with injuries that can be played through are likely being asked to play through those injuries.
Playing through broken ribs is nothing uncommon. Multiple quarterbacks renowned for their toughness — Steve McNair, Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, Ben Roethlisberger — reportedly played through rib injuries. Last year, it was reported that Saints running back Alvin Kamara played through a rib injury, as well. That certainly doesn’t mean it’s a pleasant or easy thing to do, though.
Whether or not the source of the animosity on the sideline stemmed from Jennings’ ribs is unknown, but the veteran receiver was clearly dealing with frustrations on and off the field today. Until his teammates start disappearing from injury reports and injured lists, Jennings will likely continue to work through those frustrations.
Ravens Expect Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith Back After Bye
7:48pm: Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh doubled down on the “hope” that Jackson would be ready to play after the team’s Week 7 bye. He told the media today that “he expects both (Jackson) and (linebacker) Roquan Smith to be back after” the week off.
Baltimore saw left tackle Ronnie Stanley, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, and safety Kyle Hamilton all return to play today after missing the Week 5 massacre. Adding Jackson and Smith, the two players usually designated to communicate with the sideline when healthy, would bring the Ravens back almost to a fully healthy starting line up.
12:58pm: The Ravens are currently in the midst of their second straight game without superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson. The two-time MVP was inactive on Sunday against the Rams because of a hamstring injury. The Ravens have a bye next week, and they’re “hopeful” that Jackson will come back after that, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Baltimore entered the season as a popular Super Bowl pick, but injuries and an uncharacteristically poor defense have helped lead to a dismal 1-4 start. With their defense allowing 400-plus yards and over 35 points a game, it’s imperative for Jackson to return if the Ravens are going to keep pace with the division-leading Steelers (3-1) in the AFC North.
The Ravens figured they had a capable backup to Jackson when they signed former Cowboy Cooper Rush to a two-year contract with $4.2MM in guarantees last offseason. Rush’s first start in Jackson’s place was a disaster, though. He went 14 of 20 for 179 yards and three interceptions in a 44-10 blowout loss to the Texans last Sunday. The Ravens and Rams are still in the first half of their Week 6 matchup as of this writing, but Rush has already tossed another INT.
While Rush has struggled as a passer this season, the 31-year-old has also never been a threat with his legs. It’s the opposite with Jackson, who pairs his excellent passing with all-time great skills as a runner. The 28-year-old ranks first in history in rushing yards among QBs (6,339). Team sources indicated earlier this week that the Ravens don’t expect Jackson to get back on the field until he looks like “his normal, dual-threat self.” It turns out that could be as early as Week 8 against the Bears.
Penn State QB Drew Allar Out For Season
The 2026 NFL Draft is still far off into the future, but an injury yesterday may have made a big impact on how things will turn out next April. Often viewed as a potential first-round pick, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar may not be able to reach the heights many expected for him after suffering what looked to be a season-ending ankle injury in a loss to Northwestern on Saturday, per ESPN’s Field Yates. 
Despite being the backup to Sean Clifford in his first year with the Nittany Lions, Allar saw plenty of garbage time snaps as a true freshman. Former head coach James Franklin‘s statement that the injury will end Allar’s season comes six games into his senior year. An injury redshirt is only available to a player who has appeared in four or fewer games, and because the team decided to burn his redshirt with 10 garbage time appearance in his freshman year, the injury will also end Allar’s collegiate career as his runs out of eligibility.
Allar came out of Medina HS (OH) as a consensus five-star quarterback. 247Sports listed him as the top passer of the Class of 2022, but other recruiting sites lauded recruits like Cade Klubnik, Conner Weigman, and Ty Simpson over Allar. Allar committed to Penn State in March of his junior year and never wavered on his commitment. Ohio State, a program a short two-hour drive away, offered to keep him in his home state just before his senior year, but Allar stuck with the Nittany Lions and went to a school twice as far from home.
Following what could’ve been a redshirt season, Allar took over as the starting quarterback for his sophomore campaign. Allar was lauded for his poise as a young starter. In his first full season, he delivered an impressive 25 passing touchdowns to only two interceptions. While the mistake-free football is a trait to be desired, his offense often lacked efficiency and explosiveness. A completion percentage of 59.9 and a yards per attempt of only 6.8 help underline why Allar barely managed to eclipse 200 yards per game.
He was able to improve on both numbers as a junior, completing 66.5 percent of his passes at 8.4 yards per attempt, but his increase in risk-taking led to a less desirable touchdown to interception ratio of 24:8. In six games this year, Allar seemed to regress in those key metrics. Though he was still completing 64.8 percent of his passes this year, he was only on track for 16 touchdowns through a 12-game season and had already thrown three interceptions. With his yards per attempt dropping back down to 6.9, Allar only averaged 183.3 yards per game as a senior.
Another criticism on Allar was his effectiveness in big games. His three losses as a sophomore were all against teams ranked 11th or higher. In those games, he completed only 45.2 percent of his passes for 185.3 yards per game. As a junior, Penn State lost to the only top 10 team they faced, lost the Big Ten Championship game, and after two playoff victories, lost to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff’s semifinal round. Even the two playoff wins didn’t help Allar’s case as, over those five games against strong competition, he completed only 54.3 percent of his passes for six touchdowns and four interceptions while averaging 161 yards per game.
Allar only got a shot at one big game this year, losing to a sixth-ranked Oregon team. Despite the game going to two overtimes, Allar only amassed 137 yards while completing 56 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and an interception. Instead of using this final season to make a statement for deserving to be selected early in the draft, Allar’s shortened senior year displayed more of the same with two losses to unranked UCLA and Northwestern teams adding insult to injury.
The draw for Allar comes in potential. At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, the 21-year-old has prototypical size for the position. Though it wasn’t on display a ton, he has a strong arm and a pretty good deep ball that saw success when utilized at Penn State. His knack for avoiding turnovers is a huge draw, and he can move pretty well for his size.
His inability to put up big numbers could be attributed to a lot of outside factors — the talent of Penn State’s running backs and offensive line during his tenure shifting focus to the run game, playcalling, an underwhelming group of receivers. Regardless, we’ve seen plenty of scouts in the past fall in love with athletes who lacked production but oozed potential. Those scouts will also have to look past this most recent injury, but that will be easier to do when more information has come out.
Penn State has produced a decent number of quarterbacks over the past 10 years, but Christian Hackenberg, Trace McSorley, and Clifford have done little to set a good precedent for the school in the NFL. Allar’s focus will now shift towards being the one to buck that trend as he attempts to find success in the NFL. Over the next several months, we should get a clearer idea of how scouts are viewing Allar as a prospect following these developments.