News
11/10/22
28 min read
NFL Week 10 News & Notes
Monday, Nov. 14
Cardinals Unexpectedly Release RB Benjamin
The Arizona Cardinals released Eno Benjamin, who started three games at running back while James Conner was injured earlier this season. This comes one day after Benjamin played a season-low five snaps in Sunday's win over the Los Angeles Rams.
The third-year, former seventh-round pick has averaged 4.3 yards per attempt on 70 attempts this season and has posted a strong 72.4 PFF offense grade.
The Cardinals are currently left with only rookie Keaontay Ingram on the active roster backup up Conner at the moment. Ingram had just one carry for 5 yards in the previous game as Conner played a fully featured role. Arizona currently has veteran backs Ty'Son Williams and Corey Clement on the practice squad, and may promote one of them to the active roster in the coming days. Benjamin, meanwhile, is likely to surface elsewhere quickly.
Report: Raiders Guarantee McDaniels' Return
Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis made a statement in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal supporting embattled coach Josh McDaniels on Monday.
"I like Josh. I think he’s doing a fantastic job. That’s why I hired him,” Davis told the Review-Journal. “We did an exhaustive search and found the person we believe is going to bring the Raiders to greatness.”
Additional reporting by The Athletic indicates McDaniels already has a guarantee from ownership he'll return in 2023.
The Raiders dropped to 2-7 on the season on Sunday after losing to the Indianapolis Colts and first-time coach Jeff Saturday. The Raiders have also blown more 17-point leads than any other team in the NFL this season. McDaniels and the Raiders will play the Denver Broncos this upcoming Sunday.
Vikings OT Darrisaw in Concussion Protocol
Minnesota Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw is in concussion protocol, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters on Monday. The Vikings' next opponent is the Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons, so Darrisaw's status is one to watch as the week unfolds.
Titans CB Farley Will Miss Time With Disc Injury
Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley is likely to miss time following a disc injury suffered in the Titans' Week 10 win over the Denver Broncos, according to NFL Media. Farley is undergoing further testing to better assess how significant the injury is and how long he will be sidelined.
Farley was a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but missed the majority of his rookie season after tearing his ACL.
Fournette (Hip Pointer) Won't Miss Games
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette suffered a hip pointer during the team's 21-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 10, according to ESPN.
However, the Buccaneers have their bye week coming up. This should allow ample time for Fournette to recover before missing any live action. In Week 12 Tampa Bay will take on the Cleveland Browns and the Buccaneers expect to have Fournette available in that contest.
In ten games thus far in 2022, Fournette has 777 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns for a 5-5 Tampa Bay team in first place in the NFC South.
Jeudy Undergoing MRI for Mild Ankle Injury
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy is undergoing an MRI to judge the extent of the damage done to his ankle, according to NFL Media. Jeudy is believed to have suffered an injury to the muscle behind his ankle and is undergoing these additional tests in order to get a better picture of how much time he might miss.
Recent reports indicate Jeudy's injury is more mild than initially feared, though no determination has been made on his status for Week 11.
Jeudy, a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, was at the center of a great deal of trade speculation prior to the NFL's trading deadline. The Broncos chose to hang onto the wideout, who has compiled 30 catches for 449 yards receiving and three touchdowns through eight games in 2022 with new quarterback Russell Wilson. The Broncos fell to the Titans in Week 10 leaving them in third place in the AFC West at 3-6.
Bengals Open Practice Window for DJ Reader
The Cincinnati Bengals opened the practice window for defensive lineman DJ Reader on Monday, according to NFL Media. Reader hasn't played since suffering a knee injury in the team's Week 3 victory over the New York Jets. The Bengals subsequently placed Reader on injured reserve, shutting him down for a minimum of four weeks.
Following their Week 10 bye, the Bengals are preparing for a divisional matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Reader's status for the game is up in the air, though this news is a clear indicator that he's taken a step forward in his recovery and could be back soon.
The Bengals are 5-4 thus far in 2022 and stand alone in second place in the AFC North.
Panthers QB Walker Out, Mayfield Will Start
Quarterback PJ Walker will reportedly miss Carolina's Week 11 game due to a high ankle sprain. Walker started under center for the Panthers in each of the previous five weeks but will turn the reigns over to Baker Mayfield for the team's matchup against the Ravens in Baltimore.
Mayfield was Carolina's starter for the first five weeks of the season before surrendering the job to Walker. The Panthers traded for Mayfield this past offseason but the franchise has undergone a huge change since then. So far this season the team has traded away RB Christian McCaffrey and moved on from coach Matt Rhule.
With Mayfield as the starting signal-caller next week, Sam Darnold will be the Panthers' primary backup.
Young Inactive Monday Night, Could Debut Next Week
Washington Commanders edge rusher Chase Young will not be activated off of injured reserve for Washington's Monday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles, per NFL media. However, Young does appear to be nearing his return.
There is a real possibility Young will be able to make his season debut for Washington next week when they take on the Houston Texans. Young was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and in his first season with the Commanders, he was named a Pro Bowler and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Commanders are off to a respectable 4-5 start but sit in last place in a talented NFC East division.
Kupp Appears to Avoid Disaster
Initial tests on Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp indicate he's avoided a worst-case scenario with his injured ankle, The Athletic reported. Kupp will get more tests to confirm the severity of the injury early this week, but he will likely miss some time at the least.
Watson Returns
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is allowed to return to practice this week despite still serving his 11-game suspension, ESPN reported. Watson was suspended after the NFL investigated him for allegedly sexually assaulting more than 20 women.
The Browns are 3-6 with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, and Watson can return to the field in Week 13 against his old team, the Houston Texans.
