NFL Player News

Born and bred into an Ohio State family, Cooper (6’2/253) grew up in the Columbus area and realized his boyhood dream of playing for the Buckeyes. A five-star prospect who was rated as the third best weakside defensive end from the 2016 prep class according to 247Sports, he was crowned as the Ohio Defensive Player of the Year as a high school senior. A locker room leader and program tone-setter, Cooper was named a two-time team captain. Sat out the remainder of his 2019 season after suffering a high-ankle injury that cost him 10 games so he could preserve his redshirt, return to school in 2020 to boost his draft profile and finish his OSU career on a high note. That’s just what he did, as Cooper achieved All-Big Ten status for a second time while registering 24 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a 21 percent pass rush win rate and a crisp 90.5 pass rush grade on the year. He brings heavy hands and a tireless motor to his approach, which helps him to convert his speed into power. Not a threat to corner on tackles on the edge due to his tight frame and failed to record a single non-sack TFL in eight 2020 contests. He tested pretty well, throwing up 28 bench reps (90th percentile), a 4.71 40-yard dash (86th) and a 7.02 second 3-cone (90th). He lacks the requisite length to be a true every down threat in the NFL and would likely be destined for a reserve, passing down 4-3 defensive end role if he can stick.

Okudah has been on injured reserve since September 11th after he suffered a hip injury in Week 1. The former first-rounder did not play a defensive snap in his first and only game and will likely serve as added depth for the Texans’ secondary on Monday night against the Cowboys if active.

Smith left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Steelers and did not return. If we don’t have an update before Thursday, then the most we’ll know about his Week 12 availability will come when the team releases its first injury report. The Ravens face the Chargers on Monday night, giving Smith an extra day to heal up. He briefly attempted to play through the injury, so it’s possible some rest and rehab is all he’ll need to avoid missing Week 12.

That opens his 21-day practice window. Dean held a presser today and told reporters he was “ready now,” so it would not be surprising to see him officially activated ahead of Tampa’s Week 12 game against the Giants. Dean initially suffered the injury against the Saints in Week 6.

He’ll miss at least the next four weeks. Thomas has just three catches for seven yards this year while missing several games with the calf listing, and we can’t imagine the Panthers would be desperate to bring him back in Week 16. He’s an impending free agent after the season.

“Went though a lot of tests last night and this morning,” Rizzi told reporters. McCoy re-aggravated the injury in the first half of Week 11’s game against the Browns after missing two months with it. The Saints are on bye this week.

We’re beginning to think we’ll never get to see Desmond Ridder waste the Raiders time. Minshew went for 282, two touchdowns, and one pick on Sunday against a Dolphins team that seemed pathologically unable to guard Brock Bowers. The Broncos will be a tougher test, one that likely will make Minshew a bottom-tier QB2 at best in most Week 12 rankings.

Payton rug pulled fantasy managers yet again when he played Javonte Williams in a lead role after limiting him to just one carry in Week 10. Any thoughts of Audric Estime stepping into the team’s RB1 role can be temporarily shelved, as Payton appears unwilling to commit to any of his three backs as the focal point of their offense. This will make for a sticky situation going forward as the Broncos prepare to face the Raiders in Week 12.

Spears played just 26 snaps against the Vikings in Week 11 and was mostly a spectator, with three carries and three targets to Tony Pollard’s nine and four. If you have a bye week crunch, Spears can probably head to the waiver wire ahead of Week 12. Even if he did play, it’s unlikely he’d do all that much against the Texans. It’s good news for Tony Pollard’s volume in a year that has been full of good news for Tony Pollard’s volume.

“That was tough to watch and really unfortunate but he was playing well,” Callahan said after Gibbens rode a cart off on Sunday in a cast. It’s possible this injury lingers into next year. A 2022 UDFA, Gibbens had made 14 and 15 tackles the last two games as a starter and carried a 83.2 PFF grade. Jerome Baker, who came over in the Ernest Jones trade with the Seahawks, picked up as Tennessee’s other inside linebacker next to Kenneth Murray.

Davis ends his first year in Jacksonville with nine starts, 20 catches, and 239 yards with two scores. He played at least 69 percent of the snaps in every game he finished and never had more than five catches in any game, settling for a one-catch game on four separate occasions. For the privilege, Davis got a $10 million signing bonus. One of Trent Baalke’s greatest follies yet — and that’s saying something — Davis will almost undoubtedly be brought back on a $6.7 million cap figure next year since cutting him would cost the Jaguars $13.6 million in cap space. In his absence, look for Tim Jones and Devin Duvernay to get more run. No Jaguars are truly fantasy viable while Mac Jones is leading the charge.