Tag: return

Alabama QB Jalen Milroe announces he will return to Alabama in 2024

Alabama’s Jalen Milroe to return to the Crimson Tide in 2024

It should not come as much of a surprise, but Alabama quarterback [autotag]Jalen Milroe[/autotag] officially announced that he will forego the 2024 NFL Draft and be returning to the Crimson Tide next season. Milroe finished sixth overall in this year’s Heisman Trophy voting and will likely be the odds-on betting favorite heading into next year.

His growth and resiliency in 2023 has been a blast to watch in real time as he went from being benched in Week 3 against USF to leading the Tide to ten straight wins, an SEC Championship and a College Football Playoff berth. Milroe and the Alabama team are totally dialed in on the work they have this upcoming month, but this question still needed to be asked. During an appearance on the Next Round this morning Milroe was asked if he would be back to which he laughed and definitively said yes.

After beating Georgia and sneaking into the Playoffs Alabama fans should be soaking up every second of this season, but man it’s hard not to look forward to 2024. With Milroe returning now and a 12-team Playoff, it’s pretty hard to imagine that the Tide won’t be in the thick of it next year as well.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

WATCH: LB Nick Bolton at Chiefs practice on Wednesday

#Chiefs LB Nick Bolton was seen at Kansas City’s Wednesday practice session after a lengthy recovery from a wrist injury.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ linebacking corps is set to get a huge boost with the return of star linebacker Nick Bolton, who attended his first practice on Wednesday after an extended recovery from a wrist injury.

Bolton was seen at Kansas City’s workouts in a video that was posted to Twitter by KSHB 41 News Sports Anchor Aaron Ladd.

While Bolton was all smiles during workouts, it remains unclear if he will play in Week 13 when the Chiefs take on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

In Bolton’s absence, free agent addition Drue Tranquill has stepped up to fill the gaping hole in the middle of Kansas City’s defense and seems to be the hot hand at the position after putting together a stellar performance against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have some tough decisions to make at the linebacker position this week, but one thing is certain: Bolton’s return should have the Chiefs defense trending up as the team enters the home stretch of its 2023 campaign.

Alvin Kamara announces his return to the Saints: ‘First day out’

Alvin Kamara announced his return to the New Orleans Saints after serving a three-game suspension: ‘First day out’

He’s back: Alvin Kamara is eligible to be reinstated on the New Orleans Saints’ 53-man roster Monday after serving a three-game suspension. He sat out the Saints’ first three weeks for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy due to his role in a beating in Las Vegas last year. Kamara announced his return on social media with an edited video showing Dennis Allen and Derek Carr welcoming him back (the audio is not safe for work).

And his return couldn’t come at a better time. While the Saints have gone 2-1 without him, they haven’t had much success running the football and Kamara’s backups haven’t quite filled in for him as a receiver. On top of that, the offensive line has been a mess and starting quarterback Derek Carr is nursing a shoulder injury.

Kamara isn’t going to fix those problems on his own. But if he can help the offense pick up a first down here or create a big play there — and most importantly, put points on the scoreboard — his return should be celebrated. The Saints need all they can get offensively.

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Chiefs DT Tershawn Wharton spoke about his return to the field

Chiefs defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton spoke about returning to the field and his desire to participate in a Super Bowl victory. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive line looks very different without Chris Jones in training camp. The All-Pro tackle’s holdout continues, and with the first preseason game less than two weeks away, Kansas City’s depth up front will be something to watch moving forward.

A player with more eyes on him in Jones’ absence is defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton who is almost fully recovered from an ACL injury that he sustained in Week 5 last season. The versatile lineman made his return to the field for practice recently with hopes of picking up where he left off in 2022. Wharton opened up to reporters about his recovery and desire to participate in a Super Bowl.

“Just seeing the guys come in and see me on the train and tables, they encouraged me to always like [to] keep my head up. And then I like to attack everything, like a pro,” said Wharton. “So attacking it and just seeing my strides when, you know, as the months come along, and being able to do things that I wasn’t able to do. It always made me continue to keep my head up and smile through the process.”

Wharton’s absence from the Chiefs’ run to Super Bowl LVII run was disappointing for him during the injury recovery, but he made it clear that he is using it as motivation for the coming season.

“I’m ready to go. You know, I’m tired of watching. You know, I kind of feel like a cheerleader right now. But it’s coming. It’s coming,” Wharton explained. “I mean, of course, I’ve made it to the Super Bowl with them my rookie year, and we played, we didn’t get the outcome we wanted. I’m happy for them, of course; I know, the training camp that they went through the season ups and down well, and I mean they worked for it, so watching it,  I want to go get one. I want to go play in it.”

Wharton entered the league as an undrafted free agent after signing with the Chiefs in 2020. He has five career sacks, 64 tackles, and three forced fumbles heading into the 2023 season.

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Jimmy Graham shares Drew Brees’ reaction to surprise Saints reunion

Jimmy Graham says Drew Brees reached out to him after re-signing with the Saints: ‘He was, let’s say, shocked for sure’

The NFL is all about relationships. When Jimmy Graham first joined the New Orleans Saints back in 2010, he arrived without many resources to lean on — so it didn’t take long for him to bond with his new quarterback Drew Brees. When they weren’t setting records on the field, Graham grew close with Brees’ family, filling in as a (very) big brother to the quarterback’s children and joining them for Thanksgiving dinner.

And that relationship endured when the Saints traded Graham away all those years ago. Brees was quick to congratulate Graham on his return to New Orleans, which the big tight end shared after Saturday’s training camp practice.

“Yes he has (reached out),” Graham replied with a big smile. “I’m gonna call him tomorrow, I’ll probably FaceTime him and catch up. He was, let’s say, shocked for sure. Tomorrow we’ll have a conversation and I’ll be able to relate some things to him. Obviously we’ve always communicated over the years.”

Those bonds mean a lot to Graham. He still sees Brees as one of his greatest influences in the NFL, and he’s eager to return the favor to the next generation of pros.

Graham continued, “He’s an older brother to me, everything he taught me, how he brought me under his wing, now I’m in the reverse role with other guys on the team. It’s interesting, and fun, to do the things that were done for me.”

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REPORT: Kadarius Toney expected to return from injury before regular season

Kadarius Toney went down with a knee injury during the #Chiefs’ Sunday practice session and is likely to return before the regular season.

The Kansas City Chiefs may have dodged a bullet after a recent injury to receiver Kadarius Toney kept fans on edge after the team’s first training camp practice on Sunday.

According to a report, Toney aggravated a knee injury that required him to undergo a clean-up procedure in the offseason, and while he is expected to miss some time in training camp, early indications are that he will be ready to play when the regular season starts in September.

Toney is no stranger to injuries, which defined his time with the New York Giants early in his career before Kansas City acquired him via trade last year. He missed time with the Chiefs during their 2022 campaign, but made a triumphant return in the playoffs, helping Kansas City secure their Super Bowl LVII title in February with a now-iconic punt return.

Keep a close eye on Toney’s status moving forward, as his absence could give rookie Rashee Rice more opportunities for snaps in practice and the preseason ahead of the regular season kickoff.

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Carlos Dunlap provides free agency update, says Chiefs haven’t ruled out his return

In a recent interview with Forbes, Carlos Dunlap revealed that he wants to keep playing and that the #Chiefs haven’t ruled out his return.

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Former Kansas City Chiefs DE Carlos Dunlap doesn’t appear ready to call it a career.

Dunlap accomplished his three goals of reaching 100 career sacks, winning a playoff game and winning a Super Bowl just a season ago. Yet, the 34-year-old still believes there’s more for him left to accomplish in the NFL.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Dunlap spoke on his football-playing future and whether a return to the Chiefs remained a possibility. After getting a taste of postseason success in Kansas City during the 2022 NFL season, Dunlap is convinced that he can still help an NFL team seeking a Super Bowl title.

“I can help another team get one of their own or help the Chiefs again,” Dunlap told Forbes’ Jeff Fedotin. “The Chiefs haven’t ruled that out, but currently it’s a waiting game.”

Dunlap remains a free agent after signing a one-year deal with Kansas City last July — and he’s not in any hurry to sign a new contract. He knows that the right opportunity will come along, whether that opportunity is with the Chiefs or elsewhere.

“I’m a free agent and I feel great and I still love the game,” Dunlap told Fedotin. “I’m a realist.”

The waiting game is certainly real if he’s eyeing a return to Kansas City for a second season. The Chiefs currently have the least salary cap space in the NFL, making a deal for Dunlap a difficult move in the interim. Later in the offseason, however, things could prove different for both Dunlap and Kansas City.

“The Chiefs obviously have a special spot for me because they were the first team to help me win a playoff game and to win a Super Bowl,” Dunlap explained. “So that would be a great opportunity.”

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Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney expected to play in Week 15 vs. Texans

After missing the past three weeks with a hamstring injury, #Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney is expected to play against the #Texans in Week 15.

The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to get WR Kadarius Toney back for their Week 15 game against the Houston Texans.

After the Chiefs didn’t make any practice squad elevations on Saturday, it was clear that Toney was trending toward making a return. Now, we have confirmation from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reports that Toney is expected to play against the Texans on Sunday.

The midseason trade acquisition hasn’t played since Week 11 against the Los Angles Chargers. In the early goings of that game, he aggravated a hamstring injury that he dealt with earlier this season with the New York Giants. He missed each of the past three games with that injury, but he has been a limited participant in practice as of late.

Some fans might disagree with the team’s decision to play Toney ahead of the playoffs, but the Chiefs feel that enough time has elapsed for the hamstring injury to subside. The front office and coaches are eager to see their investment back on the field. Toney got off to a hot start with his new team, recording six receptions on seven targets for 69 yards and a touchdown, plus two carries for 33 yards in his first two games. They’re hopeful that he can pick up right where he left on and be a key contributor down the line.

In addition to the news on Toney, Schefter reports that Mecole Hardman is expected to be activated to the 53-man roster and make his return in Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks. Hardman was placed on injured reserve with an abdominal injury on Nov. 17 and was designated to return from injured reserve this past week.

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Trevor Penning designated to return from Saints injured reserve list

Rookie left tackle Trevor Penning designated to return from Saints injured reserve list, opening his window to practice with the team:

Here’s some good news: the New Orleans Saints designated rookie left tackle Trevor Penning to return from injured reserve on Thursday, opening a 21-day window in which he may practice with teammates and work his way back into the lineup. Penning must pass a physical and prove he can fully participate in practice before he’ll be cleared to join the 53-man roster, but so far he’s on the right track.

“Four weeks on a scooter, then I was four weeks in a walking boot. So eight weeks total,” Penning told reporters at NewOrleans.Football on Thursday. He reflected on the procedure to insert a metal plate in his foot and months of rehab that followed, adding, “Wasn’t able to really wear a left shoe, I guess, but other than that it’s been good.”

James Hurst hasn’t been bad at left tackle for New Orleans, but there’s room for an upgrade there. Whether Penning starts over the veteran when healthy remains to be seen. He didn’t look ready in training camp practices and two preseason games before going down with this turf toe injury, and now the admittedly-raw prospect has missed out on half his rookie season while recovering. So there’s a very real chance that he’ll be coming off the bench as the sixth man once he’s able to play.

The Saints could see enough in practice to make a move, but at this point it feels unlikely. Penning has to earn his opportunity just like anyone else. The last time we saw him, he didn’t look like someone ready to start on Sundays.

But hey, we’ll see where it goes. Penning has to be officially activated first, and this designation to return is just the first step in that process. He’s got three weeks to progress into a heavier workload and make his case for reps currently going to Hurst. Stay tuned.

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Saints officially designate P.J. Williams to return from injured reserve

The Saints officially designated P.J. Williams to return from injured reserve, bringing much-needed reinforcement to the secondary:

Thursday’s biggest story was the surprise placement of Michael Thomas on the New Orleans Saints injured reserve list, with the star wide receiver scheduled to undergo surgery on a dislocated toe that will likely end his season. It was a gut punch to a Saints team that appeared to be rallying after their shutout win last week, so it’s understandable if you didn’t catch other news.

So let’s highlight one of those positives. The Saints designated veteran safety P.J. Williams to return from injured reserve on Thursday’s update to the daily NFL transactions wire, opening a 21-day window in which he can practice with his teammates. Once he’s proven he can pass a physical and fulfill all of his responsibilities, he’ll be activated onto the 53-man roster. That’s good news for a secondary that hasn’t quite met expectations this year, and which is currently embroiled in injuries.

Williams is a competent player, but the impacts of his return will be better felt at other positions. He’s spent the last two years cross-training at free safety, and he’s well-suited to pair with Marcus Maye in that role as the two deep safeties guarding the furthest reaches of the field. That frees up Tyrann Mathieu to line up in other spots better suited to his strengths. Mathieu is more of a flexible defender much like Malcolm Jenkins was, so the Saints can get creative, maybe even a little weird, and line him up where he can make the biggest positive impact.

That’s not to say they’ll be shutting out opponents each week, and there are still several players missing form the lineup: most notably star cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who has missed their last three games with kidney and rib injuries. They’re also down veteran corner Bradley Roby, who went on injured reserve with an ankle issue. That leaves rookie standout Alontae Taylor, second-year starter Paulson Adebo, and journeyman Chris Harris Jr. as the only healthy corners available on the 53-man roster. Undrafted rookie Vincent Gray is also on the practice squad but he hasn’t been brought up for a game yet this season.

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