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49ers To Place RB Christian McCaffrey On IR

September 14th, 2024 at 10:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Christian McCaffrey is officially out for at least the next month. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 49ers are placing their star running back on injured reserve.

NFL Network Ian Rapoport says the team is hoping McCaffrey will be ready to play when first eligible in Week 6. That October 10th showdown with the Seahawks could end up marking the running back’s season debut, although ESPN’s Nick Wagoner cautions that it’s “no guarantee” that McCaffrey is ready by that date.

McCaffrey was limited with calf issues during the preseason and the practices preceding Week 1, leading to him being a sudden inactive for the team’s season opener. It’s since been revealed that the RB is dealing with a serious case of Achilles tendinitis, although both the player and the team expressed some optimism that the star would be back for Week 2. At the very least, there was optimism that McCaffrey would only have to miss one more game.

However, the organization’s tone changed over the past 24 hours. Yesterday, coach Kyle Shanahan definitively ruled out McCaffrey for Week 2 while also admitting that an IR stint was a real possibility. Now, the team will be rolling without their top offensive weapon for at least the next four games.

Jordan Mason had a breakout performance while filling in for his star teammate. The running back finished Week 1 with 152 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown, and it sounds like the third-year back will continue to lead the depth chart.

The team actually didn’t give any carries to backups Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor, with wideout Deebo Samuel getting eight rushing attempts of his own. When asked about the receiver’s usage in the running game, Shanahan said it would be a “game by game proposition” (per Wagoner). The head coach also expressed trust in Guerendo and Taylor, so perhaps we’ll see more of the duo in the coming weeks.

Patriots T Chukwuma Okorafor Leaves Team

September 14th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots made a pair of transactions today ahead of their matchup tomorrow with the Seahawks. One of those transactions was essentially an announcement as offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor was placed on the exempt/left squad list, per Patriots staff writer Evan Lazar.

According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Okorafor informed the team that he would be leaving. As Kyed puts it, “the team’s understanding is that this is not a temporary decision” as Okorafor “has been checked out mentally over the past month or so.” These events must have taken place in the last 24 hours or so as Okorafor was present in the locker room yesterday. This is the second year in a row that New England has seen a player voluntarily walk away, though quarterback Matt Corral did not give notice of his departure before leaving the team last season.

After six years of playing right tackle for the Steelers, Okorafor was asked to step in as a left tackle for New England in 2024 after the departure of Trent Brown this offseason. In 12 snaps of football during the team’s Week 1 game against the Bengals, Okorafor was asked to pass block six times. In those six passing snaps, Okorafor allowed three quarterback pressures. He was quickly replaced by Vederian Lowe, who played on the first-team offense for the remainder of the game.

Lowe seems to be the next man up as the Patriots move forward without Okorafor. A former sixth-round pick for the Vikings in 2022, Lowe was traded to the Patriots last year for a 2024 sixth-rounder and made eight starts in 11 games for New England at both left and right tackle. The swingman will once again be asked to step into a starting role.

In addition to placing Okorafor on the exempt/left squad list, the team also called up offensive guard Michael Jordan as a standard gameday practice squad elevation for the second straight week. Jordan was promoted in Week 1 as the Patriots expected starting guard Sidy Sow to miss the game with an ankle injury. Jordan ended up starting the game and playing all 64 snaps at left guard. With Sow expected to miss this week’s game, as well, Jordan could be lined up with the first-team offense, once again.

Practice squad players can only be called up as gameday elevations twice, so if the team has plans to start, or even play, Jordan any more after this week, they will need to sign him to the active roster. After doing so, they can still cut Jordan and return him to the practice squad, where he can be called up twice again.

Chiefs’ Marquise Brown To Miss 2024 Season

September 14th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Shortly after Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown was placed on injured reserve ahead of undergoing shoulder surgery, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Brown is expected to miss the entire 2024 regular season. We had already been told by head coach Andy Reid that Brown’s recovery period had been adjusted to “months” and not “weeks,” but the sternoclavicular injury will seemingly keep Brown from returning this year.

Brown signed a one-year, $7MM deal with the Chiefs this offseason after finishing out his rookie contact with the Cardinals. Originally a Ravens Day 1 selection, Brown was impressive over his time in Baltimore, scoring 21 touchdowns over those three seasons and breaking the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his final year with the team. The Ravens surprisingly included him in a draft day trade that allowed them to move back into the first round and select Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum.

During his two years in Arizona, Brown failed to find the same consistent success in the endzone. Though he twice finished second on the team in receiving yards, Brown only secured seven touchdowns during his time as a Cardinal. That hurt his free agent market during the offseason, although with a career yards per reception average of 11.6, the 27-year-old represented one of the top speedsters available and positioned himself to handle a notable role in Kansas City. Now, any game action he sees this campaign will come during the playoffs.

Consistency at the receiver position was an issue for the Chiefs in 2023, with the team’s passing efficiency not reaching its previous heights en route to a second straight Super Bowl title. Brown’s signing was followed by the decision to draft Xavier Worthy in the first round. The latter enjoyed an impressive debut (68 scrimmage yards, two total touchdowns) while logging a 63% snap share and he will be counted on to operate as a key vertical threat in Brown’s absence.

Since 2023 second-rounder Rashee Rice is set to continue playing without the threat of any suspension for the time being, he will remain a focal point for Kansas City’s offense. The team also has familiar faces in Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster in place after Hardman was re-acquired midway through last season and Smith-Schuster returned to the team following his Patriots release. The Chiefs’ depth chart is rounded out by Skyy Moore and Justin Watson as things stand.

With roughly $6MM in cap space, Kansas City does not have nearly as much spending power as many other teams at the moment. That would make an outside addition challenging, but the team has a number of other pass catchers (including, of course, All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce) to rely on. For Brown, meanwhile, his attention will turn to recovery once his operation takes place ahead of what will no doubt be a relatively tepid free agent Market next spring.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Packers Unlikely To Exercise LB Quay Walker’s Fifth-Year Option?

September 14th, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

In 2022, the Packers double-dipped in terms of adding former Georgia defenders during the first round of the draft. The team’s first selection in that effort – linebacker Quay Walker – appears to have work to do to ensure his tenure with the organization continues beyond 2025.

Walker stepped into a starting role right away, and he racked up 121 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a rookie. While his run defense was poorly rated by PFF, his work in coverage drew a strong evaluation. That situation reversed last year, as Walker’s completion percentage and passer rating allowed took a step back compared to the 2022 season. In the early stages of his third campaign with the Packers, Walker faces the prospect of having his fifth-year option declined next spring.

Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette writes it is currently “pretty iffy” with respect to the Packers exercising the option. Walker would currently be in line for $16.12MM in compensation for 2026 if the option were to be picked up, per Over the Cap. That figure would jump to $22.64MM in the event Walker were to earn a Pro Bowl nod this season, something which would take place through a step forward in his development. The 24-year-old had a productive start to the campaign with 11 tackles in Week 1.

Green Bay has continued to invest considerable draft capital at the linebacker spot not long the Walker addition. Edgerrin Cooper (regarded by many as the position’s top prospect in 2024) was selected in the second round, and Ty’Ron Hopper was taken with one of the team’s two third-round picks. Both were primarily used on special teams during their NFL debuts, but Cooper in particular has the potential to become an impact defender at the second level. For at least the coming season, though, much will still be expected of Walker.

Recent history around the league has seen linebackers devalued regarding fifth-year option decisions. 2020 draftees Isaiah Simmons, Kenneth Murray, Jordyn Brooks and Patrick Queen all had their options declined. Likewise, this past spring saw Zaven Collins and Jamin Davis (both of whom were drafted as off-ball linebackers who have since seen time as edge rushers) had their options turned down, although Collins did receive a Cardinals extension last month. The Packers elected not to exercise cornerback Eric Stokes‘ 2025 option, a move which came as no surprise.

A pair of decisions on that front will be made after the 2024 season. Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt saw a major uptick in playing time last year, and he posted 5.5 sacks. A similar campaign would make him a logical candidate to be kept through at least the 2026 campaign given the surging value of the DT market. Whether or not the same approach will be taken with Walker will be an interesting storyline to follow as the season progresses.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/14/24

September 14th, 2024 at 8:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor transactions and gameday practice squad callups:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts after a Saints trade was discussed. The 30-year-old missed the 2022 and ’23 campaigns due to ACL and Achilles tears, respectively. Patrick did not need to wait long to find a new opportunity, though, quickly landing a practice squad deal with the Lions. He is now positioned make his season debut tomorrow as a complementary option in Detroit’s passing attack.

Olszewski is dealing with a groin injury and he was known to be facing a long-term absence. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise, but it ensures at least a four-week absence. The former All-Pro scored a punt return touchdown with Pittsburgh early last season and added another during his 10-game Giants stretch to close out the year. The team will need to rely on other options in the return game for the time being.

Bills LB Terrel Bernard Suffers Pec Strain

September 14th, 2024 at 7:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 14: When speaking about the injury, head coach Sean McDermott confirmed (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg) Bernard is facing a multi-week absence. A decision has yet to be made regarding an IR stint, however. As expected, McDermott added that Spector will be counted on as Bernard’s replacement moving forward, setting him up for a signficant workload over at least a short-term span.

SEPTEMBER 13: Terrel Bernard exited Buffalo’s win on Thursday night, and he is now set to miss multiple games. The third-year linebacker avoided the worst-case scenario, however.

Bernard’s pectoral injury has proven to be a strain rather than a full tear after further testing, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. As a result, the 25-year-old is facing a recovery timeline of roughly one month. While that represents positive news in one sense, it makes Bernard a candidate for injured reserve and leaves Buffalo’s linebacking corps even thinner for the time being.

Matt Milano suffered a biceps tear one month ago, sidelining him indefinitely. The All-Pro hopes to return at some point during the year, but being without him (especially after he missed much of 2023) constitutes a notable challenge for the Bills’ second level. Bernard was set to remain a key figure on defense after he logged a full-time starting role last year and collected 143 tackles. The former third-rounder will miss a minimum of four weeks if he is placed on IR, though.

2022 seventh-round selection Baylon Spector stepped in for Bernard on Thursday, and he collected 10 tackles. Spector totaled only 15 appearances during his first two seasons in the league, playing primarily on special teams. A major uptick in playing time could be in store for the Clemson product over the coming weeks with Bernard on the mend as the Bills sort out their remaining linebacker options.

The team also has 2023 third-rounder Dorian Williams in place; he started only two games as a rookie but has already matched that total this season. Williams has seen a 77% defensive snap share so far in 2024, a steep increase from his workload last year. With Milano (who was designated for return during roster cutdowns) and now Bernard out of the picture, Buffalo will rely more on Williams, Spector and the likes of Nicholas Morrow, Edefuan Ulofoshio and Joe Andreessen at the LB position.

Rams Waive S Russ Yeast

September 14th, 2024 at 4:21pm CST by Ely Allen

The Rams made a number of roster moves in advance of their Week 2 trip to Arizona. Among those moves, Los Angeles made the decision to place defensive back Russ Yeast on injured reserve.

Yeast is in his third season since getting drafted in the seventh round by the Rams. He played a bit of a reserve role as a rookie in 2022, making one start as a fifth defensive back in 15 game appearances. Yeast followed that up with a more impactful 2023 campaign, starting nine of 17 games and recording 61 total tackles and five passes defensed. Yeast played all over the field last year, spending most of his time at safety but playing a healthy number of snaps in the slot and in the box.

Yeast entered the year as the presumed starting nickelback for Los Angeles, but in the season opener in Detroit, Yeast only appeared on the field for one defensive snap. Not yet a vested veteran, Yeast will be subjected to the waiver wire, where any team can claim him if they so desire. In his place, Quentin Lake will take over that nickel role. Lake started four games late into last year before taking the starting role in the opener last week. Lake was drafted a round before Yeast back in 2022, and the two have jockeyed for preference on the depth chart ever since.

Taking Yeast’s spot on the active roster will be practice squad cornerback Cam Lampkin. Lampkin was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Washington State. He failed to make the initial 53-man roster but was signed to the practice squad, where he remained until today’s promotion.

Joining Lampkin off the practice squad as standard gameday elevations are offensive lineman Justin Dedich and tight end Nikola Kalinic. Both players will revert back to the practice squad after tomorrow’s contest.

Bears Place G Ryan Bates On IR

September 14th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Ely Allen

As the Bears prepare for a Week 2 trip to Houston, they will be doing so without a key depth piece on the offensive line. According to Bears senior writer Larry Mayer, interior offensive lineman Ryan Bates will find his way to injured reserve.

Bates was traded to Chicago early in the offseason this year after five seasons with the Bills. Since entering the league in 2019, Bates has made 19 starts in 73 game appearances, spending only one season as a full-time starter. Upon arriving in Chicago, Bates immediately entered into a position battle at center, losing out to current Bears starter Coleman Shelton.

Even though he lost out on the center job, Bates became an instant competitor for snaps at an uncertain right guard spot. Despite seeing Nate Davis start at right guard, Week 1 saw Bates split time at the position, actually dominating the snaps in the game 38 to 18. With Bates going on IR, Davis will be relied upon more heavily in Week 2.

Taking Bates’ spot on the active roster will be long snapper Scott Daly. This transaction felt inevitable after the Bears placed long-time long snapper Patrick Scales on IR back in August. Daly was elevated off the practice for Week 1, but practice squad players can only be elevated twice off of one contract. With a roster spot opening up, Chicago took advantage and promoted Daly, as Scales will be forced to miss at least three more games.

Joining Daly from the practice squad will be wide receiver Collin Johnson, who will come up as a standard gameday practice squad elevation. Johnson flashed in this year’s Hall of Fame Game, catching two touchdowns from quarterback Brett Rypien but missed the rest of the preseason with an injury. The former fifth-round pick out of Texas will get another regular season opportunity tomorrow before being relegated back to the practice squad after the game.

Browns Add James Proche To Active Roster, Waive Jaelon Darden

September 14th, 2024 at 12:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The Browns made a handful of moves today ahead of their Week 2 matchup vs. the Jaguars. The team announced that they’ve signed wideout James Proche and linebacker Winston Reid to the 53-man roster. The team also promoted offensive tackle Germain Ifedi and tight end Blake Whiteheart from the practice squad. To make room on the roster, the team waived special teamer .

Proche got into 10 games last season with Cleveland, with the majority of his production coming as a punt returner. The former Ravens draft pick was released by the Browns at the end of the 2024 preseason before landing on the team’s practice squad, although he wasn’t promoted for Week 1. He’ll presumably be taking over return duties for Darden, who was actually productive in his role last week. The former fourth-round pick returned five punts for 72 yards, including one for 28 yards.

Reid caught on with the Browns this offseason as an undrafted free agent out of Weber State. The rookie stuck with the organization after getting cut, and he earned a promotion from the taxi squad for Week 1. While Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was on the injury report this week, the linebacker was a full participant for the team’s final three practices. Reid could see playing time if the depth chart thins out, but he’ll likely be stuck to special teams tomorrow.

Ifedi’s promotion vs. an outright signing is an indication that the Browns’ offensive tackles “will be back sooner than later,” per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin were limited participants this week at practice after missing Week 1 with injuries. James Hudson and Dawand Jones got the starts at the tackle spots last weekend, with Ifedi serving as the temporary backup.

QB Kirk Cousins Experiencing No Lingering Issues From Achilles

September 14th, 2024 at 11:10am CST by Ben Levine

Kirk Cousins struggled during his Falcons debut, which has naturally led to questions about the QB’s health. Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the quarterback’s “leg feels good” following his comeback from an Achilles injury, and there aren’t any “lingering issues from his surgery.”

Russini admits that “there is some rust,” which is probably as expected. Cousins didn’t play in the preseason, meaning his Week 1 start was the first time he took the field since suffering his Achilles injury in Week 8 of last season. Russini adds that the offseason acquisition is still showing signs of “hesitation when it comes to getting hit again at game speed,” something the 13-year veteran will surely shake off.

The other contributing factor to the Falcons’ Week 1 offensive struggles surround new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. After serving on the Rams coaching staff for years, this is Robinson’s first time calling plays, with one source telling Russini that we should “extend the same understanding” to first-year play callers as we do with first-year quarterbacks.

Things couldn’t have gone much worse for Cousins in his debut. The veteran tossed a pair of interceptions while leading his squad to only one touchdown. The Falcons offense also had a botched snap and several penalties. Cousins is hopeful that he can guide the offense to a more “crisp” performance on Monday night.

“I got to play better, I got to operate better and I was probably at the center of it not being clean and crisp,” Cousins said (via ESPN’s Marc Raimondi). “So, that frustrated me deeply, because I can place such an importance on that, in running the operation clean and crisp. And that’s what has to be better Monday.”

While the Faclons’ sizable offseason commitment to Cousins would indicate they’re willing to stick through early-season hiccups, that probably won’t stop the veteran from looking over his shoulder. The team surprised many by taking Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the draft, and the front office may have unintentionally set up a QB controversy if Cousins’ struggles continue.

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