REPORT: JETS, SAINTS NEAR TOP OF ADAMS’ WISH LIST; OTHER TEAMS INTERESTED
The New York Jets and New Orleans Saints are high on Davante Adams’ wish list of preferred destinations due to familiarity with the teams’ quarterbacks, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Multiple teams are interested in the Raiders receiver, with the Jets and Dallas Cowboys having checked in with Las Vegas about Adams, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers have also had discussions and are keeping an open line of communication with the Raiders, Russini adds.
The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t expected to be a potential landing spot, Schefter reports.
A potential trade to the Jets would reunite Adams with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who threw him passes for the first eight years of his NFL career while they were both members of the Green Bay Packers. A move to New Orleans would bring together Adams and former Raiders signal-caller Derek Carr.
In response to the rumors linking his team to Adams, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday that he has “tremendous love and respect” for the Raiders wideout but feels “very confident” in his own receiver room, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic.
Adams reportedly informed the Raiders that he’d prefer to be traded. The wideout was involved in trade speculation recently, including after head coach Antonio Pierce seemingly liked an Instagram post Monday about the possibility that the star receiver could be dealt.
While Adams would like to be traded as soon as possible, the Raiders’ front office is in no rush to move the 31-year-old until its asking price is met, Russini notes.
Las Vegas is rumored to want a second-round pick and additional compensation.
Adams is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury that’s reportedly week-to-week.
He’s in the midst of a five-year deal worth $140 million that runs through 2026. The NFL’s trade deadline is Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. ET.
REPORT: PATS C DAVID ANDREWS (SHOULDER) NEEDS SEASON-ENDING SURGERY
New England Patriots center David Andrews is expected to have season-ending shoulder surgery, NFL Network reported on Wednesday morning.
Andrews, 32, was weighing whether to have the procedure now or at the end of the season because he also wants to play in 2025, MassLive.com reported.
He was injured on the first offensive drive for the Patriots (1-3) on Sunday at San Francisco and replaced by veteran Nick Leverett in the 30-13 loss to the 49ers.
Andrews spoke of his situation on his “Quick Snap Podcast” earlier this week.
“Being hurt is a very frustrating thing, especially when you want to be out there playing,” he told former teammate Brian Hoyer. “As a player, sometimes you have to make decisions if you being out there is the best thing for the team, and if you can perform. … I’m going to try to get better as quick as I can, and see where things go — or what has to go. I’m just trying to figure all that stuff out.”
The starter in the first four games, Andrews has played 78 percent (194) of the offensive snaps this season after playing 100 percent (1,051 snaps) in starting all 17 games last season
Andrews has won two Super Bowl rings since joining the Patriots as an undrafted rookie out of Georgia in 2015. He spent the 2019 season on injured reserve.
He has started 121 of his 124 regular-season games for New England. He also has 10 starts in 12 playoff games.
In May, he agreed to a contract extension through 2025, earning a base salary of $12 million in each season with a max value of $13 million, plus a total of $8 million fully guaranteed, according to reports.
GIANTS WR MALIK NABERS (CONCUSSION) MISSES PRACTICE
New York Giants standout rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers is still in the “early stages” of the concussion protocol and missed Wednesday’s practice.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll said the team is taking a day-to-day approach with Nabers, the team’s top offensive weapon through four games. He will have to go through the five phases of the protocol in order to play when the Giants (1-3) visit the Seattle Seahawks (3-1) on Sunday.
Giants running back Devin Singletary (groin) also missed practice.
Nabers was injured late in last Thursday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
With New York facing a fourth-and-6 from its 39-yard line and trailing 20-15 with 3 1/2 minutes to play in East Rutherford, N.J., quarterback Daniel Jones rolled left and found Nabers along the left sideline at the Dallas 35.
Trying to complete the reception and keep his feet in bounds while falling out of bounds, Nabers was unable to hold onto the ball. As he came down, his head hit the ground facemask-first. He remained on the ground for several minutes before heading to the blue medical tent. He was ruled out of the game with a concussion shortly afterward.
The No. 6 overall pick out of LSU in this year’s draft, Nabers has a league-high 35 catches for 386 yards and three scores in four games so far.
Singletary’s status is also in question for Sunday. He’s rushed 56 times for 221 yards and two TDs in four games. The Giants have gone six straight quarters without scoring a touchdown.
Giants cornerbacks Dru Phillips (calf) and Adoree’ Jackson (calf) also missed practice after missing the Cowboys’ game. Neither practiced at all last week. Daboll said both have “made progress.”
BROWNS RB NICK CHUBB PRACTICES FOR FIRST TIME SINCE SEPT. 2023
Nick Chubb suited up for practice with the Cleveland Browns for the first time since September 2023.
“Nick’s working through injuries and rehabbing, you’re always excited when they’re back in pads,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Nick has been here every day so not far from what we’re doing, not far from what we’re thinking about. He’s in every meeting. He’s here very early. This is just the next natural progression for him.”
Chubb and running back Nyheim Hines, both rehabbing knee injuries, are returning to practice with a 21-day window to be activated by the Browns. They’ve pushed each other in rehab and workouts, training sessions and film study since graduating to straight-line sprints early in training camp.
The next steps are the trickiest to predict and the Browns plan to follow the lead of their medical team and the individual players to determine when — and if — either is part of the plan by November.
The Browns are averaging 4.3 yards per carry with Jerome Ford leading the team in rushing (39 carries, 203 yards) behind an offensive line decimated by injuries.
Chubb was placed on injured reserve Week 2 of last season with a torn meniscus and ACL in his left knee. He required multiple reconstructive knee surgeries even to get to the rehab phase. Once he got there, Chubb lived up to his reputation as a dogged weightlifter and worked on a training regimen that began at the University of Georgia and continued at the Browns’ facility in Berea, Ohio.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry said Chubb was “doing two-a-day practices for rehab,” which guided the franchise’s decision to fight to keep him on the roster with a restructured deal.
Chubb made four consecutive Pro Bowl teams (2019-22) and rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of those seasons, including 1,525 in 2022.
Since being selected by the Browns with the 35th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, Chubb has run for 6,511 yards and 48 touchdowns in 77 games.
Berry said that during the 2023 season, Chubb kept his preparation locked in as if he were playing in a regular season game. The routine, down to his pre-dawn arrivals and workout recovery plan, didn’t change. All of the money Chubb could have earned in base salary is now available in incentives if he returns.
“I probably came into (last season), let’s say on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of respect for Nick Chubb — it was a 10. And probably coming out of this year, it’s now a 20,” Berry said.
Prior to camp, Chubb posted a video of himself squatting 540 pounds. A month later, a video featured Chubb doing one-legged lateral jumps.
Asked in the preseason if Chubb could possibly return Week 1, Stefanski said he “would never doubt this young man.”
But Chubb was placed on the physically unable to perform list on Aug. 27. Hines went on the PUP list on the same date and was also activated to return to practice Wednesday. A player designated for return remains on the reserve list for the remainder of the season if not activated at the end of the 21-day window.
Stefanski said Hines “is a talented ball-carrier whether you hand it to him or throw it to him” and expects his potential role to go beyond special teams. Hines was primarily a return specialist with the Bills but missed all of last season after a jet ski accident. In 2022 with Buffalo, he worked with current Browns offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and special teams coach Bubba Ventrone.
BUCS WITHOUT ANTOINE WINFIELD JR., 4 OTHERS VS. FALCONS
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ruled out five players for their NFC South game on Thursday night against the host Atlanta Falcons.
All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) as well as right tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion), defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (calf) and wide receivers Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Trey Palmer (concussion) will not play in the short week for the Bucs (3-1) against the Falcons (2-2), the team confirmed Wednesday.
“We knew we had a Thursday (game),” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said after Wednesday morning’s practice. “I’m sure it makes it harder for the guys that wanted to play that could’ve played if it were probably Sunday — a couple of them. But we’ll go with what we’ve got, we’ve been going with what we’ve got. We’ve got guys that stepped up, they’ve got to step up again.”
Goedeke was listed as a limited participant on Monday and Tuesday, while the other four did not practice.
Winfield, 26, and Goedeke, 25, started in the season-opening victory over the Washington Commanders. Winfield made seven tackles and neither missed a snap on their sides of the line. They will miss their fourth straight game.
Rookie McMillan, 22, started the first three games before missing the 33-16 victory over the host Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. He has three receptions on six targets for 59 yards and one touchdown.
Palmer, 23, has played in four games (one start) and has four receptions on six targets for 45 yards and one TD.
Kancey, 23, started all 14 games he played as a rookie for Tampa Bay in 2023 and had 26 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and four sacks. He has not played in a game this season.
The Buccaneers are also placing linebacker SirVocea Dennis (shoulder) on injured reserve, Bowles said. Dennis, 24, has 22 tackles, including one sack, in four games as a reserve this season.
STREAKING AGAIN, JAGUARS QB TREVOR LAWRENCE KEEPS FAITH IN U-TURN
Losing streaks are nothing new to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The No. 1 pick in 2021, Lawrence lost his first five starts that year and later endured an eight-game skid. Jacksonville went through another five-game slump in 2022 and posted a four-game losing streak last December.
But he didn’t see Jacksonville’s 0-4 start coming in 2024. Lawrence said Wednesday he doesn’t believe the Jaguars’ preparation equates to his personal nine-start losing streak dating to last season.
“Being a rookie and pretty naive, I didn’t understand the situation either. At this point even in ’21, we lost a close one in Cincinnati on Thursday night, lost on a walk-off field goal to Cincinnati that ended up going to the Super Bowl that year,” Lawrence said Wednesday. “We’ve got to go win games. I have a lot of faith in this group.”
The Jaguars are donning throwback jerseys to the 1994 expansion franchise iteration and are home for only the second time in five games this week against the Indianapolis Colts (2-2).
Streaking is part of the path for the Jaguars in recent seasons, but only one NFL team has gone from 0-4 to the playoffs. The 1992 San Diego Chargers, who eventually lost to the 49ers in the Super Bowl.
In 2022, the Jaguars started 2-1, then lost five in a row. But they closed on a five-game winning streak to win the AFC South and reach the postseason and deliver a dramatic comeback (31-30) to knock off the Chargers.
Lawrence said he still believes the Jaguars are close to rattling off a streak in the other direction. But the issues are many.
Outscored 109-60 through Week 4, Jacksonville ranks 25th in the NFL in total offense and 30th in total defense.
Lawrence, sacked 12 times in 2024, is completing just 53.3 percent of his passes.
After leading the Dolphins in Week 1, missing a chance — due to penalty — to take the lead over the Browns in Week 2 and losing a lead again last week at Houston, head coach Doug Pederson is preaching situational execution.
That also applies to Lawrence. He’s completing 38.5 percent of his passes in the fourth quarter (10 of 26) and 46.2 percent in the red zone this season.
It’s the red zone where Jaguars running back Travis Etienne said Jacksonville has allowed wins to turn into losses. He also had a big hand in the current streak, fumbling away a chance to score and sparking the Dolphins’ rally in Week 1.
“I’ve dealt with a few of these in my career, unfortunately. It’s never fun. You have to be thick-skinned. You have to be persistent when you’re in a situation like this. Keep your head down and keep working,” Lawrence said. “I’ve been on teams where we’ve come out of it, where we won six straight after we lost five straight. It’s a long season. You just have to keep playing. You can’t sulk in the past either. We’re at where we’re at. … It just takes one.”
BENGALS OPEN PRACTICE WINDOW FOR DE MYLES MURPHY
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy and defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson were cleared to return to practice Wednesday.
The Bengals opened the 21-day practice window for both players, who began the season on injured reserve.
Murphy landed on IR on Aug. 27 with a knee sprain. Jackson joined him two days later, also with a knee injury.
Murphy, 22, was the Bengals’ first-round pick in 2023 and Jackson, also 22, was their third-round selection in 2024.
Murphy appeared in all 17 games (no starts) in 2023 and contributed three sacks and 20 tackles.
Cincinnati (1-3) hosts the Baltimore Ravens (2-2) in an AFC North contest on Sunday.
REPORT: COWBOYS WR BRANDIN COOKS (INFECTION) TO MISS WEEK 5
Dallas Cowboys starting wide receiver Brandin Cooks will not play in Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh and could miss more time because of an infection in his right knee, ESPN reported Wednesday.
The infection followed a medical procedure Cooks had on the knee while remaining in New York after the Cowboys’ 20-15 victory over the Giants last Thursday, per ESPN.
In four starts for the Cowboys (2-2), Cooks has nine receptions on 19 targets for 91 yards and one touchdown.
He caught 54 passes for 657 yards and eight TDs in 16 games (15 starts) in his first season with Dallas in 2023.
Cooks, 31, has 693 catches for 9,364 yards and 58 scores in 152 games (139 starts) with five teams since 2014. The Houston Texans traded him to Dallas for a 2023 fifth-round draft pick and a 2024 sixth-rounder.
NFL WEEK 5: HOW LOW CAN PATRIOTS-DOLPHINS GO?
If sportsbooks offer the option to bet on punts over points in Week 5, action would be hot and heavy in a pair of NFL games where touchdowns are far from expected.
AFC East rivals huddle in Foxborough, Mass., on Sunday with the Dolphins (1-3) and Patriots (1-3) drawing heavy action betting the under, which is set at 35.5. If that number sounds preposterously low, it’s because 35.5 is tied for the lowest total this season with another Week 5 game, Raiders at Broncos.
After the Dolphins finished second in the NFL in scoring at 29.2 per game last season, not many expected Miami’s scoring machine to be muted to this extent.
But it’s possible Miami will utilize a third starting quarterback in five games with Tua Tagovailoa (concussion), Skylar Thompson (ribs) and Tyler Huntley (96 passing yards Monday vs. Tennessee) not looking like the right answer for head coach Mike McDaniel.
Miami is the NFL’s only team with an 0-4 record against the spread.
As of Wednesday morning, BetMGM counted 75 percent of bets and 82 percent of money on the under (35.5) in Patriots-Dolphins. There’s more action on the over in Raiders-Broncos.
Taking the over on the Dolphins is 1-3 this season, missing by an average of 7.6 points. Miami’s once high-octane offense has four touchdowns in four games and ranks 32nd in the NFL in scoring.
New England is No. 31 — 52 total points to Miami’s 45 — and also has four total TDs in four games.
Miami snapped a streak of 10 quarters without a touchdown on Huntley’s TD run in the fourth quarter on Monday.
The Patriots have one touchdown in the past eight quarters, losses to the 49ers and Jets, in which New England had 16 total points.
In what sets up as a rock fight on Sunday, the names to know aren’t Jacoby Brissett and Huntley. But Bryce Baringer and Jake Bailey.
Baringer has punted 20 times for the Patriots and averages 51.7 yards per attempt. Bailey is at 47.6 yards per punt with only one trickling into the end zone. Baringer has 13 downed inside the 20 and at least three in all four games this season, assuring the Dolphins a long field to work with on multiple possessions.
Barring a big surprise, Sunday sets up as punter appreciation day and prime viewing for under plays.
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL CAPSULE
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-1) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2)
Thursday, October 3, 2024 | 8:15 PM ET | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Referee: Ron Torbert
All-Time Series History
Regular Season: TB leads series, 31-30 (ATL won 2 of past 3)
Postseason: —
The Last Time…
Regular Season: 12/10/23: TB 29 at ATL 25
Postseason: —
BUCS NOTES:
QB BAKER MAYFIELD tied his career high with 30 completions, passed for 347 yards, had 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) & 100.2 rating in Week 4, his 14th-career 300-yard game. Had 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) in the last meeting. Has 8 TDs (7 pass, 1 rush) vs INT in 5 career Thursday games (3 starts), with a 90+ rating in each game. • RB RACHAAD WHITE had 84 scrimmage yards (49 rush, 35 rec.) last week. Had 135 scrimmage yards (102 rush, 33 rec.) & TD catch in the last meeting & aims for his 3rd in a row vs. Atl. with 95+ scrimmage yards. • RB BUCKY IRVING (rookie) had a 1st-career rush TD last week. IRVING is the only rookie RB with 200+ rush yards (203). Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his 1st 4 career games. • WR MIKE EVANS had 8 catches for 94 yards & 3rd rec. TD of the season last week, his 97th-career reg. season TD catch. Has 75+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5 vs. Atl. • WR CHRIS GODWIN had 6 catches for 69 yards last week & is the only player with 6+ catches in each of 1st 4 weeks. Aims for his 6th in a row overall & 6th in a row vs. Atl. with 6+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. Aims for his 6th in a row on Thursday with 5+ receptions. • TE CADE OTTON aims for his 3rd in a row with 6+ catches. Had a TD catch in the last meeting. • LB LAVONTE DAVID led team with 8 tackles & had 2 sacks & FF in Week 4, his 4th-career 2-sack game & his 30th-career FF, tied-most among active players. Aims for his 3rd in row with FF. Has 5+ tackles in 21 of his 23 career games vs. Atl. • NT VITA VEA had a sack & 2 TFL in Week 4, his 5th-career game with 2+ TFL. • LB YAYA DIABY had 1st sack of season & 2nd-career FF last week. • DL LOGAN HALL had 1st sack of the season in Week 4. • CB JAMEL DEAN had 2 PD last week. Aims for his 5th in row with 5+ tackles. • CB ZYON MCCOLLUM had 9 tackles, 2 PD & FF in the last meeting. • S JORDAN WHITEHEAD aims for his 5th in a row with 6+ tackles.
FALCONS NOTES:
QB KIRK COUSINS passed for 238 yards last week. Has 886 pass yards (295.3 per game) & 7 TDs (6 pass, 1 rush) vs. INT for a 107.7 rating in 3 career starts vs. TB. Has 2,528 pass yards (316 per game) & 19 TD passes vs. 6 INTs for a 107.9 rating in his past 8 Thursday starts, incl. 2+ TD passes in 7 of 8 games. Has 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in 4 of his past 5 primetime starts. • RB BIJAN ROBINSON had 74 scrimmage yards (46 rec., 28 rush) in Week 4. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 19 of his 1st 21 career games, incl. each of his 1st 11 home games. Had 88 scrimmage yards (54 rec., 34 rush) & rush TD in the last meeting. • RB TYLER ALLGEIER had a season-high 80 scrimmage yards (60 rush, 20 rec.) in Week 4. Has 110+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3 vs. TB. • WR DRAKE LONDON had 6 catches for 64 yards in Week 4 & aims for his 4th in a row with 6+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. Had career highs in catches (10) & rec. yards (172) in the last meeting & aims for his 3rd in a row at home vs. TB with 120+ rec. yards. • WR DARNELL MOONEY aims for his 4th in a row with 50+ rec. yards. • TE KYLE PITTS had a TD catch in the last meeting. • LB MATTHEW JUDON had 1st PD of the season last week. Had a sack & 2 TFL in his last game vs. TB (10/3/21 w/ NE). • LB KADEN ELLISS aims for his 5th in a row with 6+ tackles. Had 10 tackles in the last meeting. • LB TROY ANDERSEN had a career-high 16 tackles & 1st-career INT-TD last week. Aims for his 3rd in a row with 12+ tackles. • S JESSIE BATES aims for his 5th in a row overall & 10th in a row in primetime with 5+ tackles. Had TFL & PD in the last meeting. • CB DEE ALFORD had 9 tackles, PD & 1st-career full sack last week.
Pro Football Network Prediction: Lean Bucs
“Is there a more confusing team in the NFL right now than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? … Tampa Bay currently sits 12th in terms of net EPA per game, seventh on offense, and 22nd on defense. The Bucs’ injury situation remains a concern, however. The Atlanta Falcons are a puzzle that isn’t any easier to figure out. They enter Week 5 at 2-2, with all of their games decided by eight points or less. They’re 20th in net EPA per game, 17th on offense, and 23rd on defense. The Falcons aren’t as injury-hit as the Buccaneers, though, which might be the key ultimately. Lean towards Tampa Bay getting the points here, even on the road. The Bucs have played three good games and collapsed in a heap once.”