Buccaneers’ Antoine Winfield Jr. Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks
Antoine Winfield Jr. has run into further injury trouble in 2024. The All-Pro safety is expected to miss multiple weeks with a knee sprain, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Monday. 
Winfield suffered an ankle and foot sprain in Week 1, and that injury led to missed time. After missing four games, the 26-year-old returned to the lineup and had remained healthy until going down during Sunday’s game. His absence will once again be felt in the Tampa Bay secondary.
Over his first four seasons in the league, Winfield established himself as one of the league’s most productive defensive backs, and it came as little surprise when he received the franchise tag this offseason. That move was used to provide additional time for negotiations on a long-term deal, and in May the sides agreed to a four-year, $84.1MM extension. The contract is the most lucrative one in NFL history for safeties.
The former second-rounder has not enjoyed as productive of a season as 2023, but Winfield has remained a full-time starter and a key member of the Bucs’ secondary when healthy. He has amassed 60 tackles and a pair of sacks this year, and while his coverage statistics have not been impressive the team will be shorthanded down the stretch while attempting to improve against the pass. Tampa Bay is averaging 253 yards allowed through the air per game, which ranks 30th in the NFL.
Efforts to take a step forward in that regard will depend on other options on the backend, although Winfield’s injury is not the only one the team is dealing with at the moment. Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes fellow safety Jordan Whitehead will miss Week 15, while Mike Edwards‘ status is in the air. That will leave Christian Izien and Kaevon Merriweather in place to handle a large defensive workload for the time being. Veteran Ryan Neal recently returned to Tampa Bay on a practice squad deal.
The Buccaneers’ win on Sunday (coupled with a loss by the Falcons) has left them alone atop the NFC South. The 7-6 outfit still has plenty of work down the stretch to do to clinch another division title, and that process will not feature Winfield for the time being.
Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart To Enter Draft
Shemar Stewart will not take part in Texas A&M’s upcoming bowl game. The junior defensive lineman announced on Monday that he is declaring for April’s NFL draft. 
A former five-star recruit, Stewart arrived with high expectations based on his size and athleticism. He has been a key figure along the D-line throughout his three seasons with the Aggies, although his production does not stand out compared to other prospects seen as potential edge rushers at the NFL level. Stewart just recorded 1.5 sacks every year, but he set a new career high in total stops (31) and tackles for loss (six) in 2024.
Given his 6-6, 290-pound frame, Stewart certainly has the potential play on the interior upon turning pro. His ability to see time as a defensive end could add to his versatility, something which will be key in determining his draft stock. Stewart’s upside will be weighed against his limited production as teams consider him as a Day 1 option.
Both ESPN Matt Miller and The Ringer’s Danny Kelly have Stewart landing in the middle of the first-round order in their latest mock drafts. Any team making that notable of an investment would bank on his athletic upside, and Stewart’s performance at the Combine in March will be critical in establishing his range during the draft. A strong showing in that respect could increase the number of suitors interested in adding him during the spring.
A number of high-profile edge rushers figure to be available on Day 1 of this year’s draft, and the extent to which Stewart is viewed as a hybrid defender (as opposed to being strictly a five-technique) will be interesting to follow over the coming months. His stock could fluctuate considerably over the pre-draft process.
Browns Will Not Replace K Dustin Hopkins
Sunday’s loss saw Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins‘ 2024 struggles continue. No thought is being given to finding a replacement at this time, though. 
“He’s our kicker,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said after Cleveland’s 27-14 loss to Pittsburgh (via Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal). “We expect him to make those. He’s a veteran. He’s a pro. I expect him to work through it. He’s our kicker.”
Hopkins missed field goal attempts of 38 and 45 yards while the Browns were trailing 13-7, continuing his accuracy struggles endured through much of the campaign. The 34-year-old has connected on only 16 of 25 attempts in 2024, including five misses from inside 50 yards. Hopkins’ overall accuracy rate of 64% is by far the lowest of his career and it represents a stark contrast to his success from last season.
The former sixth-rounder missed only three of his 36 field goal tries last year, and he went 8-for-8 beyond 50 yards. That success helped land Hopkins a three-year, $15.9MM extension during the summer, a deal which obviously created high expectations for 2024 and beyond. The Florida State product sits in a tie for eighth in terms of annual average compensation amongst kickers, but like a number of the players ahead of him in that regard he has not enjoyed a strong campaign. Cleveland is 3-10 and Sunday’s loss officially knocked the team out of postseason contention.
Hopkins’ contract includes $2.8MM in guaranteed compensation for 2025, and even a post-June 1 release would not create salary cap savings (although the $3.5MM dead money charge it would generate is not an unrealistic figure to absorb). As a result, it comes as little surprise Stefanski is publicly backing him as the Browns prepare to play out the final weeks of a lost season. If Hopkins manages to rebound down the stretch, he will help his chances of offseason competition not being brought in. Failing that, however, his status could be a talking point during the spring.
Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson On Future With Jets
The Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention by virtue of today’s loss to the Dolphins. Of course, the 3-10 club – which came into the season with championship aspirations – has not looked like a viable contender at any point during the campaign, and it will go into the offseason at yet another organizational crossroads.
Gang Green will need to hire a new head coach and general manager and will need to make a final decision on the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. There are also plenty of high-profile, non-QB talents to monitor, including the top two wideouts on the team’s depth chart.
Davante Adams’ dissatisfaction with the Raiders’ quarterback situation led him to engineer a midseason trade to the Jets in the hopes that a reunion with Rodgers would help both players recapture some of the form they displayed as longtime teammates in Green Bay. In the immediate aftermath of the trade, Adams expressed his desire to remain with the Jets beyond 2024, though he has naturally become more non-committal in the waning days of another lost season.
When asked this week about his future with the club, Adams said, “[that’s] a great question, and I truly don’t have the answer to it right now” (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini).
Adams further indicated that his contract situation and Rodgers’ status would be factors in his New York future.
“I would love to be a part of this football team,” he said (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). “… I’d love to go to war with these guys, but it’s a business and there are a lot of pieces, contractually, and, obviously, with Aaron’s future — a lot of things that I can’t control. Hopefully, we do enough to where everybody’s feeling like it’s the right thing to do for us to stay here.”
Cimini, echoing recent reports, says that Rodgers is unlikely to be back with the team in 2025, which would encourage Adams to cut ties. Adams is still under club control through 2026 thanks to the Raiders-constructed deal that the Jets took on when they acquired him, but as Rapoport observes, the three-time First Team All-Pro controls his own destiny.
New York restructured Adams’ 2024 salary while leaving his 2025 and 2026 figures untouched, meaning that Adams is due base salaries of $35.6MM over each of the next two years. However, no portion of those salaries is guaranteed, and all parties know that the Jets will not retain Adams at those price points. Another restructure would therefore be necessary to keep the soon-to-be 32-year-old on the roster, but if Adams wants to leave, he can simply decline such a restructure – if the Jets even approach him about one – and effectively force his release.
Per Cimini, there has been no indication that Adams’ younger running mate, Garrett Wilson, is planning his own exit strategy by requesting a trade. The 2022 draftee is eligible for an extension at the end of the 2024 season, and though he continues to be one of Rodgers’ top targets, his production has declined in recent weeks. Unlike Adams, however, Wilson says his tenure with the Jets will be unaffected by Rodgers’ fate.
“No impact. No impact,” Wilson said. “I’ve been here with Aaron, and I’ve been here without him. No impact.”
The Jets rebuffed trade interest in Wilson at this year’s deadline, and the immensely talented 24-year-old is clearly a foundational piece upon which New York can rebuild. Wilson’s trade suitors were reportedly willing to offer him a new contract this offseason, and while the Jets could do the same, they can also control him at team-friendly rates through 2026 and franchise tag him in 2027. Speculatively, Wilson’s thoughts about requesting a trade could change if it becomes clear that his current employer is not interested in immediate extension negotiations.
For now, he is clearly suggesting that he will be back next year.
“[Whichever quarterback] they send me out there with (in 2025), I’m going to put my best foot forward and try to show that I belong, that I’m one of the guys in this league that’s a great player,” Wilson said. “So I just have to figure out a way to prove that. I thought it would be easier this year. It hasn’t been.”
Vikings Expected To Offer Extension To Kevin O’Connell; No Talks Ongoing
Kevin O’Connell‘s third season at the helm of the Vikings has gone well to date, in no small part due to his work guiding Sam Darnold to a productive showing so far. A new commitment from the front office could soon be coming as a result. 
The matter of extensions for O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (also in place since 2022) came up this offseason. Owner and president Mark Wilf noted no thought had been given at that point to new deals, but strong start to 2024 has no doubt boosted O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah’s stock. The Coach of the Year candidate is expected to receive an extension offer, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required).
O’Connell – like Adofo-Mensah – is under contract through 2025. As a result, the Vikings do not need to act with much urgency especially in the immediate aftermath of the current season. Still, it would come as no surprise if that tandem were to remain in place on new accords given the track record currently in place. Minnesota went 13-4 in 2022 before injuries to Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson contributed to a 7-10 campaign which left the team out of the playoffs. Moving on from Cousins opened to door to Darnold’s one-year free agent pact, which put the latter in position to rebuild his value this year.
With J.J. McCarthy out for the year, Darnold has not faced competition for the QB1 spot and has generally thrived atop the depth chart in 2024. The former No. 3 pick is in position to land a lucrative free agent deal this spring, one which will will likely send him out of Minnesota. Regardless of how the Vikings proceed in that event, O’Connell’s success in leading Darnold to a strong outing this year has boosted his stock in terms of being considered one of the league’s top offensive minds. As Russini notes, though, no extension talks are ongoing at this time.
O’Connell, 39, helped lead the Vikings to a 42-21 win over Cousins and the Falcons on Sunday; as a result, Minnesota sits at 11-2 on the year and remains in contention for the top seed in the NFC. O’Connell could boost his stock even further by landing the No. 1 spot, but in any case the regular season can be considered a success. The team’s defense entered Week 14 at No. 5 in scoring, a testament to the job done by Brian Flores (hired as defensive coordinator by O’Connell in 2023).
Of course, success in the playoffs could be a key factor in determining how Minnesota operates on the O’Connell front. The Vikings were upset at home in the wild-card round in his only postseason contest to date, but 2024 is on track to provide him with the opportunity to go on a run. O’Connell’s standing in the organization will be an interesting storyline to follow over the coming weeks.
Jets Expected To Release LB C.J. Mosley In Offseason
2024 has been a disappointing year for many Jets players, veteran linebacker C.J. Mosley among them. Mosley recently landed on injured reserve, thus ending his season after just four games played, and our Adam La Rose speculated that the 32-year-old defender could become a cap casualty in the coming months. Today, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported that Mosley is indeed expected to be released this offseason.
Mosley, who was selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2014 draft, earned Pro Bowl acclaim in four of his five seasons in Baltimore, setting himself up for a lucrative payday after he played out the fifth-year option of his rookie deal in 2018. He signed a five-year, $85MM contract with the Jets in March 2019, which shattered the then-record for inside linebackers and which felt like an overpay at the time, even when taking his Pro Bowl accolades into account.
Indeed, authorizing Mosley’s contract was one of then-GM Mike Maccagnan’s final acts at the helm of the Jets’ front office, as he was fired in May 2019 and replaced by Joe Douglas a month later. Gang Green felt the financial burden of Mosley’s deal even more acutely when the Alabama product played in just two games of the 2019 season due to injury and exercised his COVID opt-out for 2020.
However, he settled in nicely over the following three seasons, averaging nearly 160 tackles per year and earning another Pro Bowl nod in 2022. Last season, the advanced metrics finally placed him among the ranks of the game’s elite middle linebackers, as Pro Football Focus assigned him an 82.9 overall grade that was good for the sixth-highest mark out of 82 qualified players.
This offseason, Mosley – who was originally slated to be a free agent after the current campaign – agreed to a brief extension that keeps him under club control through 2025. By signing that deal, Mosley agreed to a pay cut in exchange for additional guarantees, though just over half of his $8.25MM salary for 2025 is guaranteed. In order to minimize Mosley’s cap hit in 2024, when the Jets were fully expecting to contend, the club tacked on three void years, which means that it will be taking on $16.4MM in dead money if it follows through with a 2025 release.
Nonetheless, New York could still save money against the cap by designating Mosley a post-June 1 cut and spreading the dead money tab over two years. The team will also be led by a new GM, who will likely not be too worried about incurring dead money generated by the Douglas regime.
Steelers Rumors: Wilson, Pickens, RBs
We’ve touched a bit recently on the Steelers’ intention to re-sign veteran quarterback Russell Wilson and even touched a bit on the possibilities for his free agent stock, but recent reports have gone even further in reassuring that the intent is for Wilson to continue starting into the 2025 NFL season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
This is a small specification, as clearly, if they wanted him to stick around, he was probably going to continue to be the starter. But with the younger Justin Fields also having a decent showing during his tenure as the starter earlier this year, there was certainly a chance that Wilson was acting as a placeholder for a developing Fields. After Fields opened the season with a 4-2 start, many were curious why the Steelers wouldn’t stick with the hot hand.
Wilson, though, has gone 5-1 since taking over as the starter, giving Pittsburgh a couple of options for the future. When Fields was starting, he was acting mostly as a game manager for a middling offense, but when Wilson came in, the offense exploded into production. Wilson’s chemistry with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been the difference and given Wilson a clear road to a permanent starting job in Pittsburgh.
Here are a few other rumors coming out of the Steel City:
- In a recent Q&A on X, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic gave an answer on the future of leading wide receiver George Pickens. While Pickens’ immaturity can get in his own way at times, Kaboly believes the youth and talent of the 23-year-old are enough to warrant an extension in the near future, predicting a good chance that it happens.
- In a different Q&A, Kaboly also made a prediction on the team’s future at running back. With both Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris in contract years, Kaboly calls it a “no brainer” that Pittsburgh tenders an offer to Warren. He goes on to say that he doesn’t see Harris back with the team next year, unless the free agent market doesn’t provide much competition for him, and he returns for a year on a “prove it” deal. It’s an interesting stance given the difference in production between the two this year, but many analysts have favored Warren in recent years, and the Steelers may be on the same page.
Raiders Fear QB Aidan O’Connell Suffered Season-Ending Knee Injury
9:15 PM: Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports has broken the confirmation that O’Connell’s leg injury is indeed serious. Per Schultz, O’Connell suffered a season-ending knee injury in today’s loss to the Buccaneers.
With O’Connell likely joining Minshew on IR, the remaining four starts of the season should fall to Ridder. The only other quarterback in Las Vegas, aside from part-owner Tom Brady, of course, is practice squad rookie Carter Bradley out of South Alabama, who will likely need to be called up to the active roster. If the Raiders want more bodies in the room, they’ll need to sign a free agent or practice squad member from another franchise.
3:21 PM: The Raiders have already been dealt one notable blow on the injury front with respect to the quarterback position. They appear to have endured another during Sunday’s action. 
Aidan O’Connell went down with a leg injury during the third quarter of Vegas’ game against the Buccaneers. An air cast was placed on his left leg before he was carted off the field. Such circumstances are often tied to major injuries and lengthy absences, and the Raiders will be further shorthanded at the QB spot if that proves to be true in this instance.
Gardner Minshew suffered a broken collarbone last month, leaving O’Connell in position to reclaim starting duties upon being activated from injured reserve. Minshew had won the offseason competition used to determine Vegas’ Week 1 starter, but neither passer impressed during training camp or the preseason. O’Connell saw playing time prior to landing on IR, and Minshew’s injury coincided with his return to action.
The 2023 fourth-rounder has not enjoyed much success this year, although his showing against the Chiefs on Black Friday (314 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions) showcased the potential for a late-season run of stronger outings. Instead, O’Connell’s attention will now turn to recovery as the Raiders move forward with Desmond Ridder under center. The former Falcon has made three appearances so far in 2024, his debut Vegas campaign. Ridder – a pending restricted free agent – could play his way into a deal with the Raiders or another team with his showings in the coming weeks if he finds himself as their only available passer.
For O’Connell, this development marks another unwanted mark on his efforts to secure a starting gig with the Raiders. He and Minshew are under contract for next year, but Vegas has long been seen as a suitor for a notable QB addition this offseason. With neither signal-caller easing doubts about their future before being injured, the Raiders will no doubt be a team to watch closely on that front.
Vegas lost 28-13 to Tampa Bay on Sunday, dropping the team’s record 2-11 on the year. The Raiders could very well be in position to select a passer during the first round of the draft as a result. O’Connell, 26, could return again this season depending on the severity of his injury, but he may well be sidelined until a 2025 campaign which could included new faces under center.
NFL Coaching Rumors: Bears, Shanahan, Sanders
As we continue to inch closer to the end of the season, head coaching jobs are becoming open, and more and more speculations are connecting candidates to new locations. According to Diana Russini of The Athletic, there are quite a few mixed opinions on whether or not Chicago is a premier destination for a new head coach.
There are certainly factors that make the Bears an attractive team to coach. Rookie No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams has shown promise throughout his first season on the team. There are a few other young, talented players ready to be developed, and even with some veteran contributors likely to be on their way out soon, Chicago should be in a pretty good position salary cap-wise over the next few years.
The issue comes from the organization’s management. For years and years now, horror stories have come out of Halas Hall concerning the uncertain hierarchy in the building. Candidates and their agents are doing research on team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles in order to determine who will have the ability and intent to potentially overrule the head coach. How stable or risky the situation is will likely contribute to the quality of candidates that interview for the job.
Here are a few other rumors about coaching situations across the NFL:
- We touched recently on some of the “comical” rumors that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was approaching a hot seat. General manager John Lynch shut down those rumors, but Shanahan felt the need to speak on a similar rumor after today’s win, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. When asked about speculation that another team should trade for him this offseason, Shanahan told the media, “I don’t want to be any place in the world more than here.”
- In what has been viewed as a relatively weak candidate pool for head coaching candidates this year, some college coaching names are popping up in conversations. One name that many have been looking for is fast-rising Colorado head coach and NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders. Sanders began his head coaching career at Jackson State, finding immediate success that led to his hiring at Colorado. After a rough first year under Sanders, the Buffaloes turned it around with a 9-3 season behind two separate Heisman candidates this season. With his obvious connections to certain NFL franchises, it makes sense that this would be the next step for Sanders, but according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, his name has not been making the rounds in coaching circles yet. The two teams that he has been linked to as a good fit, the Cowboys and Raiders, don’t have open coaching jobs, and he is currently not viewed as a natural fit for Chicago, New Orleans, or New York.
Lions Super Bowl Appearance Would Likely Feature Aidan Hutchinson
DECEMBER 8: As Hutchinson’s rehab continues, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports the Lions remain hopeful a return in time for the NFC title game could be in play (video link). Plenty still needs to happen for that to become feasible, but having the team’s top edge rusher available prior to the Super Bowl would be crucial for Detroit’s defense.
DECEMBER 6: Aidan Hutchinson sightings during Lions games have become commonplace, and the star edge rusher continues to make progress. It now appears more likely than not the Lions maximizing their game count this season would involve a final-act cameo from Hutchinson.
Suffering a fractured fibula and tibia in Week 6, the third-year pass rusher is now walking without crutches and has progressed to running in a pool. This has created more optimism of a possible return before season’s end. Hutchinson’s recovery has reached the point that it appears the expectation is for him to play in Super Bowl LIX were Lions to qualify, Amazon’s Albert Breer notes.
We heard last month a Hutchinson Super Bowl reemergence was possible, but Breer offers a bit more in the direction of it being likely. This would be game-changing news for the Lions, though they obviously have work to do before this window could be open. It would now stand to reason Hutchinson’s IR-return window could open earlier in the playoffs, and it would be worth wondering if the timetable could include an NFC championship game.
That said, the Super Bowl featuring the bye week appears to loom as crucial for Hutchinson. Dan Campbell said in October that Hutchinson was looking at a four- to six-month recovery timetable. He went down Oct. 13; the Super Bowl is Feb. 9. The NFL’s season-ender coming at the front end of the recovery timeline points to Super Bowl-or-nothing for Hutchinson, though any return being in play would be a win for a Lions team gunning for its first No. 1 seed since home-field advantage became record-based in the mid-1970s.
The Packers consistently tested the Lions’ battered defense in the second half of a 34-31 thriller Thursday night. Detroit has seen Za’Darius Smith produce early; the trade acquisition has three sacks in four Lions games. But the team finished Thursday’s game without both its top D-tackles — D.J. Reader, Alim McNeill — and is not expected to have Marcus Davenport back this season. Linebackers Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez are all on IR. Barnes is not a lock to miss the entire season, and D-lineman John Cominsky could return in the playoffs. The Lions will need to save an injury activation for Hutchinson. They have five left, keeping a scenario in which Anzalone, Barnes, Cominsky and Hutchinson all return. Rodriguez suffered an ACL tear and is out for the year.
Gifted to the Lions after the Jaguars made a potential-over-production pick in Travon Walker to start the 2022 draft, the Michigan alum has become one of the NFL’s best defensive players early in his career. He was the early clubhouse leader for Defensive Player of the Year when he went down, having already registered an NFL-most 7.5 sacks and 17 QB hits — a year after leading the league in QB pressures — through five-plus games. The Lions still do not have another four-sack player, as McNeill leads all non-Hutchinson Lions with 3.5. Though, Smith has seven total sacks if his Browns games are included.
The Lions have plenty of work to do before the prospect of a Hutchinson re-emergence becomes real, but the 12-1 team has liked what is has seen from the soon-to-be extension-eligible EDGE’s rehab thus far.