Eli

Apple

LA also brought Eli Apple off IR. Both players will fill depth roles for the Chargers’ in their Wild Card Round matchup with Houston. With Josh Palmer ruled out, Fehoko could be in the mix for WR3 duties along with DJ Chark.

Apple will be eligible to return Week 18 if the Chargers deem it important for him to do so. He played 47 snaps for the Chargers between three games this year. The 2016 10th overall pick has mostly been on practice squads this year and is essentially just a journeyman corner at this stage of his career.

Leonard’s practice window was opened 12 days ago. He’ll be back after missing all but five defensive snaps so far this year. They also signed Eli Apple to the active roster. It’s an infusion of DB depth ahead of Monday’s game against the Ravens.

Apple struggled to career-worst coverage grades in 2022 but brings a veteran presence to the Miami secondary after the newly acquired Jalen Ramsey was lost until at least December. Expect Apple to slot into a depth role in Vic Fangio’s aggressive defensive scheme.

Apple left the field of play with medical staff and was taken to the medical tent after writhing in pain and holding his shoulder. He was checked out and cleared to return to the game, reclaiming his spot in the secondary opposite Cam Taylor-Britt.

Apple was banged into by his own teammate and remained on the field late in the second quarter. He was eventually escorted by team medical staff to the blue medical tent and was replaced by 2022 first-round rookie Dax Hill. Further update on Apple’s status will be provided once made available.

Whether he was giving up big plays in the secondary or having rough days on social media by claiming things like “actually, New Orleans is bad,” it was an interesting 2021 for Apple in Cincinnati. Ideally, he would no longer be an every-snap player, but the Bengals know they can run Apple out there every play if they truly need to. He has some occasional smoke-and-mirrors success. The Bengals are returning most of last year’s secondary, though they have yet to make any notable additions to the back end of their defense. This is merely holding the line.

Now a journeyman, Apple was limited to two 2020 regular season appearances with the Panthers. Although still somehow only 26 (in August), Apple’s career has been headed in the wrong direction thanks to injury. He failed his Raiders physical last year before getting into a dispute with the Panthers over his condition. There is still bounce-back potential with the right coaching staff, but the Bengals are unlikely to be it.

Apple could not practice Tuesday, and it was apparently the final straw. Per The Athletic’s Joe Person, Apple left Tuesday’s session early after “telling coaches he couldn’t go on his injured hamstring today.” This sounds like a grievance in the making. Apple was active in Week 7 for only his second appearance all year after missing time with hamstring and ankle issues. It caps a bizarre year for Apple, who had a one-year, $6 million agreement with the Raiders fall apart after nearly one month. He then didn’t land in Carolina until 56 days later. Never terribly effective, 25-year-old Apple was decent for the Saints in 2019. Perhaps he just needs another change of scenery.

Nothing to see here. The Panthers catch a Julio Jones-less Falcons squad who is bound to blow another multi-score lead today. It’s in their DNA.