NFL Player News

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni apparently ceded play calling duties to Steichen at midseason in 2021 following the team’s immense struggles with a pass-first offense. Steichen implemented one of the run-heaviest offensive schemes in recent NFL history: Philadelphia had a league-low 45 percent pass rate over the season’s final nine weeks, running the ball on 67 percent of their plays while leading in the season’s second half. It’s a play calling formula that led to ample rushing opportunity for Jalen Hurts and whoever was the team’s lead back in a given week. It also slashed target volume for every pass catcher besides Dallas Goedert. Sirianni in December told reporters he was sharing play calling duties with Steichen. “Shane calls it in, but we discuss what that flow will be before each one, and then Shane rolls with that series of five plays and … it can be different each series I guess is what I’m saying,” Sirianni said. “Sometimes Shane is going to roll with those five or six plays that we talked about, and sometimes Shane is a going to call it in the order we talked about, and then I’m going to tell him, ‘No, I want this here.’” The addition of A.J. Brown this offseason could portend a slightly pass-heavier approach, though fantasy gamers should assume the Eagles will be among the three or four most run-committed teams in 2022.

Parsons has missed the Cowboys’ last four games while recovering from a high-ankle sprain but appears set to return for Week 10 against the Eagles. This announcement comes just hours after it was revealed Dak Prescott (hamstring) would miss several weeks, which could make things tough for the 3-5 Cowboys. Parsons has totaled 14 tackles and one sack in the four games he’s appeared in this season. The Cowboys are currently allowing the second-most points per game (28.1) and the sixth-most yards per game (364.8), so Parsons’ return will be a welcomed one as Dallas looks to save its season.

He added “I’m not going down that road.” Rizzi will have to leave that road for Michael Thomas on X: The Everything App. Carr will remain an uninspiring fantasy QB2 against the Falcons in Week 10, but at least he won’t be Spencer Rattler.

Jarrett noted that the “tendon looked good” in his MRI and that he’s positive about his recovery. We’d expect a missed practice or two this week, but perhaps this will just be a minor injury for the Falcons’ longest-tenured defender.

It’s possible the Vikings will need to bring in a new kicker this week as Reichard missed multiple kicks against the Colts and was clearly in pain after he followed through for much of the night. The Vikings are also placing snapper of snaps longer than normal snaps Andrew DePaoloa on injured reserve with a hand injury.

A special teams coordinator who had the assistant head coach label added to his mantle in 2022, Rizzi has been with the Saints since 2019. The long-time Dolphins special teams coordinator has not been a head coach since he handled things for the 2008 Rhode Island Rams. We mostly expect the status quo to rule in New Orleans as the season peters out for the Saints, though Rizzi noted that “they’ll evaluate everything and see if changes are needed ... maybe change is needed” and called the product “unacceptable” at his initial presser.

Cooper’s deal includes $33 million in guaranteed money, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Cooper was a seventh-round pick of the Broncos back in 2021 and has carved out a nice career for himself thus far. He’s totaled 18.5 sacks in 56 career games and is sitting on 5.5 sacks through his first nine games of this season. He’s on pace to surpass last season’s 8.5 sack total — which set a new career high, and has been an instrumental piece of Sean Payton’s defense since Payton arrived in the Mile High City in 2023. Now secured through the 2028 season, Cooper will remain a key piece of the defense for years to come.

The Panthers have until Wednesday to activate Brooks from the PUP list or rule him out for the season. It’s mildly concerning that Canales won’t come out and say Brooks is playing in Week 10, especially after reports over the weekend said he was expected to return. The Panthers have pushed Brooks’ recovery about as far as it can go. We assume he’ll be officially activated on Wednesday barring an unexpected setback.

Canales also conceded that gamesmanship was part of the reason they hadn’t decided yet. OK, Dave. It makes little sense for the team to turn back to Andy Dalton with Bryce Young showing flickers of life the last two weeks, but perhaps they’ll get an offer for Young that is simply too good to pass up at the trade deadline. We’d list Young as the favorite to start against the Giants in Germany on Sunday.

He will practice with the team today, though there is no actual practice report for a Monday session. McCaffrey’s 21-day window to return is now open, meaning he could return as soon as this week or as late as Week 13 against the Bills. Obviously all the reporting is pretty optimistic about a return this week, and Ian Rapoport says “he has a real chance to play this week.” We will see how practice goes for McCaffrey on Wednesday.

Browning was activated from injured reserve last month after dealing with a knee injury he suffered in Week 2. The fourth-year linebacker has totaled 9.5 sacks in 43 career games and tallied 4.5 sacks last season. The Cardinals hope Browning can add to a pass rush that currently ranks 13th in the league in sacks with 21.