Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott Out For Week 10
NOVEMBER 13: Unsurprisingly given the team’s moves yesterday, Elliott will be inactive once again. That will leave Pollard with a heavy workload as the undisputed lead back for the second straight week.
NOVEMBER 12: Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is listed as questionable going into this Sunday’s game in Green Bay. The team’s practice squad elevations today may hint at which direction Elliott is trending, though. Dallas is elevating running back Qadree Ollison and guard Dakoda Shepley for tomorrow afternoon’s game. 
Ollison has only been called up for one game this season and appeared sparingly, but Dallas’ season trends make the elevation a decision that we can read into a bit more. The Cowboys have had three running backs active in every game this year. Elliott’s questionable designation means that he could technically be active for the game, but if he is, it will be the first game of the year for the Cowboys that they would have four active running backs available to play.
If Elliott is unable to go, Tony Pollard will take the start and the majority of the work on offense. Rico Dowdle was the third back on the roster for much of the season behind Elliott and Pollard before being placed on injured reserve a month ago. With Dowdle out, undrafted rookie Malik Davis served as the third running back for the following two games. With Elliott out last week, the Cowboys were forced to give Davis his first offensive snaps behind Pollard as Ollison made his first appearance of the season as the third back.
If the trend continues, Ollison’s call up points to an inactive Elliott, leading to a second straight game of Pollard as the lead back with Davis and Ollison backing him up.
Bears Activate WR Byron Pringle From IR
The Bears added to their receiving corps during the trade deadline, but the team received another boost at the position ahead of today’s game against the Lions. The team announced that Byron Pringle has been activated off of IR. 
A calf injury sidelined the veteran in September, after he had made three appearances and only two catches at the beginning of his debut season in Chicago. The 28-year-old joined the Bears on a one-year contract this offseason following his four years in Kansas City.
He did so coming off a career-high 42 catches, 568 yards and five touchdowns in 2021. That led to high expectations for a notable role within the Bears’ receiving corps, but Pringle was certainly part of the team’s struggles through the air. His absence was nevertheless felt given Chicago’s lack of proven options at the position. Given the time at which Pringle was designated to return, he needed to be activated before Week 10 to be eligible to return this season.
Since he was, he will re-join a WR room led by Darnell Mooney and which saw a notable arrival at the deadline when Chicago acquired Chase Claypool from the Steelers. The Bears entered today’s action ranked last in the league with an average of just 148 passing yards per game. Despite his lack of early production, then, Pringle being back in the fold will be a welcomed development.
A resurgent Bears offense led by quarterback Justin Fields has taken steps forward in recent weeks, with the former first-rounder’s rushing ability being a driving force. The team has seemingly continued their positive trend so far against Detroit, with Fields going 9-of-13 for 104 yards and one touchdown, and Pringle contributing one of those receptions. With 151 rushing yards, the ground game has been key once again, but the veteran could help Chicago’s efficiency through the air improve while boosting his own free agent stock.
Cardinals Place C Rodney Hudson On IR, Sign K Tristan Vizcaino
The Cardinals have placed center Rodney Hudson on injured reserve, per a team announcement. Hudson has dealt with knee trouble since training camp, and while he played in the first four games of the season, he has been sidelined ever since.
It is fair to wonder whether this is the end of the line for Hudson, who reportedly contemplated retirement this offseason. In 2021, his first season with the Cardinals, he was one of Pro Football Focus’ worst-rated centers after years of high-level performance. Since he became a full-time starter in 2013, his third professional season, he had not registered a PFF grade below 71.0, but that number fell to 60.9 last season.
2021 also saw the typically-durable blocker miss five games due to rib and shoulder injuries, and combined with this year’s knee ailment, his health is clearly an increasing concern. He is under contract through 2023, though the Cardinals’ interior O-line has been hit hard by injury this year, and the club could seek to remake that unit this offseason.
Arizona first turned to Sean Harlow to replace Hudson, and then to former Bengals first-rounder Billy Price. Price never lived up to his draft status in Cincinnati, which is why he was available for the Cards to pluck him off the Raiders’ taxi squad in early October. While it appears he will continue operating at the pivot in the near-term, his performance has not improved. His dismal 38.6 overall grade, underscored by four penalties and four sacks allowed, is the second-worst mark in the league among players with enough snaps to qualify.
In other Cardinals news, the team signed kicker Tristan Vizcaino to the active roster. Matt Prater, who has battled a hip injury this year, will miss Arizona’s Week 10 contest against the Rams. Vizcaino has made nine of his 10 career field goal tries, though he is just 12-for-17 on PATs.
Colts Activate WR Ashton Dulin, Place LB Shaquille Leonard On IR
NOVEMBER 13: Leonard may miss the remainder of the season, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The 27-year-old ‘backer is scheduled to meet with renowned neck surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles on Monday, which will provide some clarity on his playing status.
NOVEMBER 12: The Colts are getting some reinforcement on offense and special teams. The team has activated wide receiver/special teams ace Ashton Dulin from injured reserve. To make room on the roster, the team officially placed linebacker Shaquille Leonard on IR. The Colts have also promoted tight end Nikola Kalinic and running back Jordan Wilkins from the practice squad.
Dulin suffered a foot injury back in October, landing him on injured reserve. He returned to practice earlier this week. The 25-year-old made a name for himself in 2021 after earning a second-team All-Pro nod on special teams, with his 17 ST tackles ranking second in the league. Dulin also started to see a larger role on offense in 2021, finishing with 13 catches for 173 yards and two scores. Dulin was continuing to see a role on offense in 2022, with the wideout hauling in 12 catches for 168 yards in five games (one start).
We learned yesterday that Leonard had suffered a setback with his back injury during practice this week. The injury will now knock him out for at least four games. The linebacker has been limited to only three games in 2022 thanks to a concussion, nose surgery, and back injury.
“I had no power in my leg, just trying to fight through that through the whole season and Wednesday practice, something didn’t feel right,” Leonard said on Instagram (via The Athletic’s James Boyd on Twitter). “I had a setback.”
Wilkins, a 2018 fifth-round pick by the Colts, has seen a reduced role in recent years following three consecutive 300-plus-yard seasons to begin his career. The 28-year-old has seen time in one game for Indy this season, getting seven touches for 28 yards. Kalinic was a former second-round pick in the CFL. After spending the preseason with the Colts, he landed on the organization’s practice squad.
Titans Activate WR Treylon Burks, CB Elijah Molden
The Titans will likely have their starting quarterback available for tomorrow’s game against the Broncos. Their offense will also have a key piece back in the fold in time for the contest. 
The Titans announced on Saturday that wideout Treylon Burks has been activated from IR. That is in line with what was expected, after the team designated him to return earlier this week. The first-round rookie should have an immediate role available once again when he suits up tomorrow.
Burks played in each of the team’s first four games this season, after he was unavailable at times during the offseason. He logged a snap share just over 50% during that stretch, making 10 catches for 129 scoreless yards. The Arkansas alum was expected to have a slow start to his NFL career, in part due to the missed time in the spring, but also his unique skillset and usage in college. The Titans rank 31st in the league with an average of 155 passing yards per game, so his return will be a welcomed sight.
The same holds true of Elijah Molden, whom the team has also activated in time for Sunday’s game. The second-year cornerback has yet to play this season, but showed promise as a rookie. The third-rounder took on a starting role, registering 60 tackles, one interception and four pass breakups. He had been designated for return last week as well, making his activation little surprise. Molden will provide a boost to the league’s 30th-ranked pass defense.
To make room for those two additions, the Titans moved a pair of players onto IR. One of them is linebacker Zach Cunningham, who has already missed significant time this season. The former Texan immediately took on a starting role after Tennessee claimed him off waivers last December, and did the same this year with 24 tackles. Cunningham missed three games earlier in the campaign, and will again be sidelined as he recovers from an elbow injury.
Undrafted rookie defensive back Josh Thompson has also been placed on IR. He, like Cunningham, will be unavailable for at least the next four games. Tennessee has five IR activations remaining for the season.
Packers CB Eric Stokes Unlikely To Return This Season
NOVEMBER 12: The Packers announced on Saturday that Stokes has been placed on IR. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that the team originally hoped he had only suffered sprains in the affected areas, but that further testing revealed structural damage (Twitter link). Green Bay has used the open roster spot by signing journeyman Corey Ballentine from their practice squad to the active roster.
NOVEMBER 11: The Packers’ defense is expected to be without a key piece for the rest of the season. Matt LaFleur views it likely Eric Stokes will be shut down.
A 2021 first-round pick, Stokes will see ankle and knee injuries end his sophomore NFL season early. This will certainly be a big loss for a Green Bay team in unexpected territory at the nine-game mark.
Green Bay devoted considerable resources to stocking its cornerback position this offseason, re-signing Rasul Douglas and extending Jaire Alexander on a corner-record AAV ($21MM). Stokes has been a key part of this puzzle since being taken 29th overall last year. While Alexander missed most of the 2021 campaign and Douglas did not become a key factor until midway through last season, Stokes has been a constant during his career. Sunday will only be the Georgia product’s second missed game as a pro.
Week 9’s Lions matchup has ended up costing the Packers essential personnel. Rashan Gary suffered a torn ACL during the upset loss, and Stokes’ forthcoming absence will shake up Green Bay’s secondary. DC Joe Barry mentioned the prospect of moving safety Darnell Savage into the slot. The team now has an extra player that would help allow for such a transition, in recent waiver claim Johnathan Abram. Still, the Packers being without Gary and Stokes will bring difficulties during a season that has drifted well off course.
Stokes, 23, moved into the Packers’ starting lineup in Week 3 of this rookie season. By Week 5 of last year, Alexander was out of the picture with a significant shoulder injury. Stokes manned one of Green Bay’s boundary positions, joining Douglas. The latter, re-signed on a three-year deal worth $21MM, moved inside this year. Stokes’ injury would allow Douglas to move to the position at which he is more familiar, but the Packers losing two starting defenders in the same week will remind of last season.
The team lost Alexander and Za’Darius Smith early last season. David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins were also out of the mix for Green Bay’s stretch run. That team, which of course featured Davante Adams, navigated the injuries effectively and zoomed to a second straight NFC No. 1 seed. This edition, which is sitting with its worst nine-game mark (3-6) since 2005, stands to be more impacted by major injuries.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/22
Here are the minor roster moves in anticipation for Sunday’s slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: S Charles Washington
- Promoted from practice squad: OL Rashaad Coward
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: OLB Gerri Green, CB Harrison Hand
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: T Quinn Bailey, DE Jonathan Harris
Detroit Lions
- Activated from reserve/PUP: FB Jason Cabinda
- Signed to active roster: TE Shane Zylstra
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Stanley Berryhill, LB Jarrad Davis
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: K Ramiz Ahmed, LB Ladarius Hamilton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted from practice squad: S Ugochukwu Amadi
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Kyle Peko
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: RB Larry Rountree
- Promoted from practice squad: K Cameron Dicker, T Foster Sarell
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: S Verone McKinley III
- Promoted from practice squad: T Kion Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Nick Muse
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: G Josh Andrews
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Jordan Howard, CB Bryce Thompson
New York Giants
- Activated of reserve/PUP: T Matt Peart
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Lawrence Cager, DL Henry Mondeaux
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: DT T.Y. McGill
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Vi Jones
- Placed on IR: FB/OLB Cullen Gillaspia
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Ulysees Gilbert, CB Ryan Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Larrell Murchison, WR C.J. Board
Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick Out With Appendicitis; OLB T.J. Watt Activated
6:00pm: After undergoing an appendectomy to deal with the appendicitis Fitzpatrick suffered through in walkthroughs today, the two-time All-Pro safety is expected to miss multiple weeks in recovery, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Steelers will want Fitzpatrick back on the field as soon as possible, but typically, appendectomies have resulted in missing more than one week. Schefter points at the most recent major player to undergo the procedure as an example. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow underwent the surgery just before training camp and missed two-and-a-half weeks.
A similar-length absence would see Fitzpatrick miss tomorrow’s game and next weekend’s matchup vs the Bengals. An extra day means that he could return in time for the team’s Monday night game in Indianapolis the week after, but that’s an extremely optimistic timeline.
Behind Norwood, whom we mentioned below as the likely replacement, Pittsburgh recently returned Damontae Kazee from IR. They’ll also have Miles Killebrew and the practice squad elevation, Riley.
2:09pm: The Steelers have been looking forward to the return of star pass rusher T.J. Watt from injured reserve this week but are now expected to be without safety Minkah Fitzpatrick who is reportedly dealing with appendicitis, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The team has also officially activated Watt from IR and placed cornerback William Jackson III on IR. 
Fitzpatrick is set to miss his first game of the season and just the second game of his career. Despite the team’s struggles this year, Fitzpatrick has maintained a high level of play. He has been all over the defensive backfield this year racking up six passes defensed along with three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Being only halfway through the season, Fitzpatrick is on track for career highs in both numbers, assuming he can make a quick return from his appendicitis.
In the lone game Fitzpatrick has missed before this, which occurred last season, the Steelers started then-rookie seventh-round pick Tre Norwood in his place. Norwood had already made two starts at the time, being one of the first defensive backs off the bench in packages that called for five or six defensive backs, but that was his first game playing 100% of the team’s defensive snaps and playing specifically in Fitzpatrick’s role. The Steelers’ pass defense struggled that day in a loss to the Chargers in which quarterback Justin Herbert passed for nearly 400 yards. It’s hard to blame the loss on Norwood’s stand-in performance, but considering the Steelers finished 2021 as a top-10 passing defense, one can infer some importance concerning Fitzpatrick’s absence. This year, Norwood started in place of an injured Terrell Edmunds in a Week 5 matchup against the Bills. Again, correlation does not exactly equal causation, but the team’s pass defense once again struggled as quarterback Josh Allen passed for 424 yards and four touchdowns on only 20 completions.
The return of Watt should be heralded in the Steel City as a giant addition to the defense. Outside of outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, the Steelers have struggled to produce an effective pass rush. Pittsburgh will gladly welcome pack their star defender who produced 22.5 sacks in only 15 games last season. Returning the reigning Defensive Player of the Year back to the field may not totally make up for the absence of Fitzpatrick, but it sure helps.
Jackson has yet to make his Steelers debut after being traded from the Commanders 11 days ago, and his debut will have to wait at least four more games after being placed on IR. Jackson had already missed the past three games for Washington while dealing with a back injury. Even though the season is only half over, the Steelers are far enough back in the division race that there is no sense in rushing Jackson to return from a back injury before he’s ready.
Lastly, in response to Fitzpatrick’s absence, the Steelers have elevated safety Elijah Riley from the practice squad for this weekend’s game against the Saints.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/12/22
Today’s only practice squad transactions:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Jake Tonges
- Released: CB Davontae Harris
Bills Elevate CB Xavier Rhodes, RB Duke Johnson From Practice Squad; No QB Elevated
Two veterans that have been stashed on the Bills practice squad are set to make their season debuts for the team this week. Buffalo has elevated cornerback Xavier Rhodes and running back Duke Johnson for this weekend’s matchup against the Vikings. 
The Bills are extremely deep at cornerback, but an injury to first-round rookie Kaiir Elam has him currently listed as doubtful going into Sunday. With Elam out, Dane Jackson would be expected to start opposite Tre’Davious White at cornerback, with Taron Johnson and Siran Neal providing key snaps off the bench. That’s still a reliable amount of depth but adding the veteran Rhodes will provide the Bills with just a bit more security if Elam can’t play.
This has been an interestingly quiet season for Rhodes, who started at least 13 games in every season dating back to his sophomore season before this year. The longtime shutdown cornerback for the Vikings spent two years doing more of the same in Indianapolis before signing to the Bills practice squad in the offseason. After eight years as a fulltime starter, coming in off the practice squad is an unfamiliar role for the 32-year-old.
The Bills traded for another former Colt in running back Nyheim Hines at the deadline in an attempt to bring in a back who can catch passes out of the backfield, something that the team was lacking with Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, and James Cook. The elevation of Johnson from the practice squad may indicate that Hines is not totally comfortable enough with the playbook to take hold of that role yet.
Johnson spent the majority of his career as one of the league’s premier pass-catching running backs. Over his career, Johnson has more receiving yards (2,870) than rushing yards (2,261). He’s an effective weapon, even at 29-years-old, that the Bills have kept stashed on the practice squad all year. Johnson was given an opportunity to start for a depleted Dolphins team last year and rewarded them with two 100-yard rushing performances and three touchdowns in four starts.
Many, including NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, noted that Buffalo was not elevating quarterback Matt Barkley, indicating that the team is confident that starter Josh Allen will be able to play after sustaining an elbow sprain last week. Allen had been limited in practice this week but was able to grip the ball and provide enough for the Bills staff to show that he can start.