Tag: nfl news

Broncos promoting RB Blake Watson to 53-man roster

The Broncos are promoting running back Blake Watson from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

The Denver Broncos are promoting running back Blake Watson from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, coach Sean Payton announced Tuesday.

Denver had room for Watson on the active roster after waiving cornerback Levi Wallace on Tuesday. If Wallace clears waivers, he will be a candidate to return on the practice squad.

Watson (5-9, 195 pounds) signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Memphis this spring. He made the team’s initial 53-man roster this summer but was a healthy scratch for five of the team’s first six games before being bumped down to the practice squad.

With Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) sidelined last week, Watson was elevated from the practice squad and served as the team’s No. 3 running back behind Audric Estime and Javonte Williams. Watson rushed four times for 10 yards and hauled in one catch for 13 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers last week.

It remains to be seen how the backfield will shake out going forward. One of Williams, Estime, McLaughlin or Watson will likely be inactive on game days. Payton has indicated that he wants to see more of Estime and Watson, so the team might have a surprise scratch at RB in Week 17.

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Broncos waive cornerback Levi Wallace

The Denver Broncos cut veteran cornerback Levi Wallace from the 53-man roster on Tuesday.

The Denver Broncos have waived veteran cornerback Levi Wallace, coach Sean Payton announced Tuesday.

Wallace was cut to make room for running back Blake Watson to be promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Payton indicated that the team would like to re-sign Wallace to the practice squad.

Wallace (6-0, 179 pounds) signed a one-year contract with the Broncos in April. He started in the place of an injured Riley Moss against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 and he had, by his own admission, the worst game of his life. Wallace was then inactive for the team’s next two games.

With Kris Abrams-Draine playing well and Moss getting closer to return, Wallace apparently became expendable. If he clears waivers, Wallace could return on the practice squad following Watson’s elevation.

Wallace totaled 28 tackles and two pass breakups in 13 games with the Broncos this season. The 29-year-old cornerback will now hit the waiver wire.

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Jaguars reunite with LB Joe Giles-Harris

Jaguars reunite with LB Joe Giles-Harris

The Jaguars signed linebacker Joe Giles-Harris to their active roster on Tuesday, reuniting with the sixth-year pro after he originally signed with Jacksonville via undrafted free agency out of Duke in 2019.

Giles-Harris fills the roster spot vacated by tight end Evan Engram, who the Jaguars placed on their injured reserve on Dec. 14.

Giles-Harris spent the 2019-20 seasons between Jacksonville’s practice squad and active roster. He made 14 appearances and three starts with the Jaguars, accumulating 23 total tackles including two for loss and one sack.

He has since played for the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, appearing in six games and tallying six tackles over his three active seasons with the teams.

Giles-Harris signed to the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad last week, after being released by New England on Dec. 2.

Giles-Harris’ signing follows Jaguars rotational linebacker Ventrell Miller injuring his ankle in Jacksonville’s Week 16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Head coach Doug Pederson labeled Miller “day to day” on Monday.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson to remain as Browns’ starting QB

DTR staying at QB1!

Former UCLA Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson will continue to start for the Cleveland Browns, as long as his calf injury doesn’t keep him out of the lineup, with Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski saying that the UCLA product will “should be” good to go for Cleveland’s Week 17 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

Thompson-Robinson injured his calf during the Browns’ 24-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday that dropped Cleveland to 3-12 on the season. Thompson-Robinson is in his second NFL season after the Browns drafted him in the fifth round of the 2023 draft. Since then, he’s recorded one touchdown in 13 career games (four starts) while throwing nine interceptions.

“They pressured us, we need to do a better job in a bunch of different areas but bottom line, we have to take care of the football,” Stefanski said when asked about Thompson-Robinson’s performance. “I thought he made some plays with his feet certainly.”

With Deshaun Watson recovering from a ruptured achilles and Jameis Winston dealing with a shoulder injury, Bailey Zappe and Thompson-Robinson are the only healthy quarterbacks on the Browns’ active roster. Despite playing through the calf injury that he suffered earlier this week, Thompson-Robinson didn’t miss a snap in Sunday’s loss, going 20-34 for 157 yards with two interceptions and adding 49 yards on the ground off of nine carries. 

“It’s been bothering me for a few days, just try to play through it,” Thompson-Robinson said, while dismissing any notion that he’d miss time with the injury. “I’m playing any and every game. I’m practicing every snap, every walkthrough, every meeting.”

Thompson-Robinson played with UCLA from 2018-2022, totaling over 10,000 passing yards and recording 116 total touchdowns.

Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. receives seventh bid for NFL ROTW

Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. receives seventh bid for NFL ROTW

Jaguars Wire asked last week if a franchise-record-setting performance could finally earn Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. the NFL’s Rookie of the Week Award.

The answer was no, marking Thomas’ sixth nomination without proverbially taking home the hardware this season. Maybe his seventh bid for the honor will finally get him across the finish line.

Thomas was nominated for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week honor for his nine-catch, 132-yard, one-touchdown showing in Jacksonville’s 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16.

He set another franchise record in the game, establishing himself as the Jaguars’ all-time rookie receptions leader, passing Justin Blackmon’s 2012 tally of 64.

Thomas has been nominated for the award in three consecutive weeks, and in total for his performances in Weeks 1, 4, 5, 7, 14 and 15. He has combined to catch 47 passes for 667 yards and seven touchdowns in games he has been placed under consideration for the prize.

Thomas has logged 73 receptions for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns 15 games into his NFL career.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving and Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (who caught 11 passes for 99 yards against the Jaguars on Sunday) are also up for the award for Week 16.

Fans can vote for NFL Rookie of the Week here.

NFL draft order watch: Where the Jaguars are after Week 16

NFL draft order watch: Where the Jaguars are after Week 16

The Jaguars are back in the top three of the 2025 NFL draft order after their 19-14 loss in Las Vegas, while the Raiders fell from the No. 1 spot to outside the top five after beating Jacksonville in Week 16, per Tankathon.

So while Jacksonville vs. Las Vegas was anything but must-watch football on Sunday, the matchup’s result sent shockwaves across the league.

Two weeks remain in the 2024 season, and the Jaguars will face the No. 4 team in the draft order, the Tennessee Titans, this Sunday in Jacksonville.

The picking order remains subject to change, accordingly. But with only two games left on its schedule, Jacksonville finds itself in prime position to land a top-rated prospect in the first round come April.

Find the top 18 picks of the 2025 NFL draft order, the non-playoff team range, through Week 16 below, via Tankathon.

  1. New York Giants (2-13, .555 strength of schedule tiebreaker)
  2. New England Patriots (3-12, .463)
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12, .480)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-12, .512)
  5. Cleveland Browns (3-12, .532)
  6. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12, .543)
  7. Carolina Panthers (4-11, .498)
  8. New York Jets (4-11, .502)
  9. Chicago Bears (4-11, .557)
  10. New Orleans Saints (5-10, .506)
  11. San Francisco 49ers (6-9, .565)
  12. Miami Dolphins (7-8, .420)
  13. Indianapolis Colts (7-8, .463)
  14. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8, .478)
  15. Dallas Cowboys (7-8, .514)
  16. Arizona Cardinals (7-8, .533)
  17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7, .506)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (8-7, .510)

Sean Payton pushes back on ‘garbage’ criticism of ‘TNF’ play calling

“I read more stuff that I just looked at and thought, ‘This is garbage,'” Sean Payton said of criticism of his play-calling before halftime.

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton faced criticism for his game management following a 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday.

One of Payton’s decision that was questioned was his opting to throw while leading by 11 points deep in his own territory with 41 seconds until halftime. That decision backfired as Denver ended up punting and the Chargers scored three points after a penalty on the punt.

During his conference call with reporters on Monday, Payton defended his play-calling before halftime.

“So much was made — I thought one of the dumber storylines was the end of the half in regards to us being aggressive with 41 seconds, two timeouts,” Payton said. “We punt the ball, [and] the half is over with.

“I read more stuff that I just looked at and thought, ‘This is garbage.’ Number one, it didn’t shift the momentum. We got the ball back to start the second half, went down the field [and] kicked a field goal. We were back up 11.”

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix defended the decision after the game.

“Well, we had about 45 seconds and two timeouts and I think every offense in the league is trying to go score,” Nix said last Thursday.

Payton and Nix will attempt to bounce back from last week’s loss when they go on the road to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17. Denver needs one more win to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs.

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Fourth person arrested following Josh Reynolds shooting

Daniel Olivarez was arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder (and other charges) following the Josh Reynolds shooting.

A fourth person has been arrested in connection to the Josh Reynolds shooting in October, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Darren Whitehead.

Police arrested Daniel Olivarez, 30, on Dec. 16. He was taken into custody on suspicion of six counts of attempted first-degree murder, six counts of attempted first-degree assault, three counts of illegally discharging a firearm, six counts of weapon used during a violent crime and four counts of violent crime causing death or serious bodily injury.

Olivarez is set to appear in court on Dec. 24. He has a cash-only bail of $300,000.

Two other men — Luis Mendoza, 35, and Burr Charlesworth, 42 — were previously arrested with charges including six counts of attempted first-degree murder. Another man, Dirk Lisica-Lange, 31, was arrested “on suspicion of attempting to influence a public servant.”

Reynolds, 29, was shot after leaving a Denver area strip club on Oct. 18. He was already on injured reserve with a finger injury when the shooting happened. The Denver Broncos released Reynolds before his deadline to return from IR and the wide receiver now plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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The Huddle’s Blitzed Fantasy Football Podcast: Episode 228

Talking NFL news, lineup advice, a look ahead to 2025, and more!

In this episode, Steve and Harley bring you NFL news, too early top-10s for 2025, and “DFS Pay-ups, Stay-aways, and Value Plays.” So Huddle up, tune in, and get Blitzed!

Or, click here to listen

Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins designated to return from injured reserve

The Chargers’ offense should soon be getting some reinforcement.

The Chargers’ offense should soon be getting some reinforcement.

On Monday, Los Angeles designated running back J.K. Dobbins for return from injured reserve. Dobbins has spent the past four weeks on IR after sustaining a knee injury in Week 12 against the Ravens.

Dobbins began practicing with the team on Monday, opening a 21-day window during which he can participate in all team activities without being counted against the 53-man roster.

He may be activated during those three weeks and could return as soon as before this weekend’s game against the Patriots.

Getting Dobbins is huge for an offense that has struggled with efficiency on the ground. In the past three weeks, the Chargers have averaged 81.0 rushing yards per game, which ranks 28th in the NFL.

Dobbins has 158 carries for 766 yards and eight touchdowns this season.