Tag: running back

Steelers fans react to D.K. Metcalf trade rumors

Fans of the Black and Gold are in a trade rumor frenzy after Steelers RB Cordarrelle Patterson teased the recruitment of WR D.K Metcalf.

Speculation and trade rumors are beginning to reach an all-time high as the November 5th trade deadline, at 4:00 PM EST, is less than one day away. While the Pittsburgh Steelers have been rumored to pursue any and all available wide receivers, such as Carolina Panthers’ Adam Thielen and New York Jets’ Mike Williams, the most recent and perhaps most exciting rumor involves none other than Seattle Seahawks’ former All-Pro WR D.K. Metcalf.

Fans of the Steel City erupted on social media when Steelers RB Cordarrelle Patterson, who has been actively recruiting several receivers for the team in recent weeks, seemingly began to recruit Metcalf following Seattle’s Week 9 loss.

It was rumored that Seattle could consider moving on from their star WR with a Week 9 defeat, but could Steelers General Manager Omar Khan be the hero of Pittsburgh, and bring this elite talent to the Steel City? Only time will tell, but here are some of the best fan reactions to the speculation and rumors.

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ESPN suggests Broncos could trade for pass-catching running back

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes the Broncos could target a pass-catching running back ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

The Denver Broncos traded pass rusher Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday, and more moves could be on the way.

Broncos backup quarterback Zach Wilson and tight end Greg Dulcich will be names to watch leading up to the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes Denver could also add a player ahead of the deadline.

“It wouldn’t shock to see the Broncos comb the market for a pass-catching running back,” Fowler wrote on ESPN.com. “Coach Sean Payton has always coveted those change-of-pace backs, which harks back to the Darren Sproles days.”

The idea of Payton wanting a receiving back is certainly plausible, but it’s hard to imagine there being room for another RB in Denver’s offense. Payton has repeatedly said this season that it’s hard to feature more than two RBs.

Javonte Williams remains the team’s workhorse back and Jaleel McLaughlin has been the change-of-pace back. Audric Estime got a career-high five carries on Sunday and Tyler Badie could return from a back injury at some point this season.

If Payton does bring in a running back, he might have to ship out a current RB to make room. We’ll track any potential moves on Broncos Wire.

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Saints set to work out former draft pick Boston Scott in the coming days

The Saints are hosting Boston Scott for a workout in the near future, potentially bringing a former draft pick of theirs back home

The New Orleans Saints’ depth has been depleted the last few weeks due to injuries, especially at the running back position. Kendre Miller is now on IR with a hamstring injury, and Jamaal Williams missed Week 9 due to a groin injury. Now the Saints are down to the following at the position:

  • Alvin Kamara
  • Jamaal Williams (groin injury)
  • Jordan Mims
  • Jacob Kibodi (practice squad)

So much for taking the workload off of Alvin Kamara, as he got 29 rush attempts for 155 yards against the Carolina Panthers, as well as six receptions on nine targets for 60 yards through the air.

Now, the Saints will turn to other options for depth at the position, as they will workout one of their former draft picks Boston Scott. Scott was a sixth round pick for the Saints in the 2018 NFL Draft, but never made the active roster and was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles off the Saints practice squad. Scott was a solid option for the Eagles, picking up 302 rush attempts for 1,295 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and 16 touchdowns in his 75 games with them. Additionally, he had 71 receptions for 566 yards (8.0 yards per reception) and a touchdown through the air.

Scott partially tore a meniscus before the 2024 season, which led him to miss the time up until now. However he is now fully healthy according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, and will be ready to play for a new team.

Cordarrelle Patterson seemingly recruits All-Pro WR to Pittsburgh

Days before the trade deadline, Cordarrelle Patterson recently hinted at recruiting D.K. Metcalf to Pittsburgh, fueling speculation.

Where there’s proverbial trade smoke, there’s bound to be speculative fire. Pittsburgh Steelers RB Cordarrelle Patterson has more than stirred up trade rumors in the Steel City, as he has previously and publicly attempted to recruit several veteran WRs to Pittsburgh, including Davante Adams and Mike Williams. He hilariously teased fans a little over a week ago about whom to pursue next. However, his most recent attempt is none other than former All-Pro WR D.K. Metcalf. 

While fans typically take Patterson’s recruitment tactics with a grain of salt, with only a few days until the trade deadline, could Pittsburgh actually be in trade talks with the Seattle Seahawks regarding Metcalf? 

The Seahawks lost their Week 9 matchup to the Rams, relinquishing their control over the NFC West to the now first place Arizona Cardinals. Could the 4-5 Seahawks consider trading one of their top receivers, if the price is right, to the Pittsburgh Steelers? General Manager Omar Khan could orchestrate one of the biggest blockbuster trades of the season, and acquiring Metcalf would propel Pittsburgh into Super Bowl contender status.

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Jovantae Barnes turning it on for the Oklahoma Sooners

Jovantae Barnes putting it all together at the right time for the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners needed a day like Saturday. It was a cleansing experience for an offense that has struggled since entering SEC play. But Oklahoma erupted in a big way, led by the efforts of [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag].

Barnes exploded for a 74-yard run on the Sooners’ second drive of the day en route to 203 rushing yards and three touchdowns. It was a career day for Barnes, who topped his previous career best of 108 yards against Florida State in the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl.

The Sooners’ offense has needed a spark and in the last few weeks, Barnes has been that spark, playing with an inspiring energy and effort. He’s been a bright spot for the offense and exploded on Saturday.

Prior to Saturday’s huge day, Barnes had put together strong performances against South Carolina and Ole Miss. He averaged more than four yards per carry in both games and topped 100 total yards against the Rebels.

The Sooners needed someone on the offense to step up and find another gear as they hit rock bottom against Texas. And Barnes has been that answer. He’s silenced the critics and created zero doubt as to who the No. 1 running back is on this team. At the same time, he’s established himself as the go-to player for the offense.

Oklahoma won’t have an easy road ahead, but they’ve found that they can rely on Barnes in both the run and pass game. And they’ll need every bit of his ability and his effort over the final three games starting next week at Missouri.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Insider believes Najee Harris is unlikely to re-sign with Steelers

Ray Fittipaldo said that while Najee Harris’ play has been great this season, the odds of him re-signing remain low.

Najee Harris has been one of the best running backs in the NFL this season, ranking seventh in rushing yards with 592 on 4.4 yards per carry.

But in the eyes of Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo, Harris is unlikely to be back in Pittsburgh next year.

While making an appearance on “The Joe Starkey Show,” Fittipaldo was asked if Harris’ numbers were enough for Pittsburgh to re-sign the running back.

Much to the dismay of Steelers fans, Fittipaldo stated: “The guy is having a great season, but when you decline the option in May, I think, you know, eight, nine times out of 10, you’re not gonna go do business with that guy when the season ends.”

He was, of course, referencing how Pittsburgh declined to pick up Harris’ fifth-year option, which would allow him to hit free agency in 2025.

Could Harris force the Steelers to acknowledge his elite performance in his contract year, ultimately earning himself a big payday with the team? Or will Pittsburgh instead choose to re-sign the potentially cheaper option in RB Jaylen Warren?

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Could potential trade target give Pittsburgh three-headed RB monster?

While WR is a big area of concern for Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, the team should inquire about Chicago’s RB Khalil Herbert.

The Steelers’ RB room could go from great, to unstoppable with a potential trade for Chicago Bears RB Khalil Herbert.  Fans of the Steel City understand the team’s identity on offense and what they do well—running the football.  Third-string Steelers’ RB and kick returner, Cordarrelle Patterson, has been injured for the past four Steelers’ contests, forcing the the team to rely on practice squad elevations to alleviate depth concerns.

Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren form one of the most deadly rushing attack tandems in the league today, and a cheap trade for Herbert could make this Steelers offense even deadlier.

As Herbert has been used sparingly by Chicago, he would likely be relatively cheap to acquire. Steelers’ General Manager Omar Khan has a track record of acquiring great talent for far less than their expected market value, and Herbert could be seen as a layup for the Pittsburgh GM.

An acquisition of Herbert takes nothing away from the team’s need for a WR trade at the November 5th deadline, but makes all the difference in adding another dynamic playmaker to the running game.

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Broncos prepare for dynamic duo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry

“These guys have been rushing it extremely well [and] throwing it extremely well,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the Ravens’ offense.

There’s not a more intimidating quarterback-running back duo in the NFL than Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens.

Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, has 2,600 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns through eight games. Henry is one of just eight players in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season (2020), and he’s on pace for another 2,000-yard season this year (and 23 touchdowns).

The dynamic duo will be a huge test for the Denver Broncos‘ defense on Sunday.

“Anytime the quarterback’s a run threat, you kind of get a man back offensively,” coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. “It’s not 10 versus 11. When you have a really good running back, that makes it really difficult. These guys have been rushing it extremely well, throwing it extremely well and scoring.

“Then I would say from a complementary football standpoint, they’re defending the run well. They’ve gotten teams in a number of the games they’ve played this year into a one-dimensional game and that’s with scoring. This is one of those teams obviously that we’ve seen in the postseason and playing late in the postseason for a reason. John [Harbaugh] does a great job. He has a for a number of years.”

If the Broncos sell out to stop the run, Jackson is capable of beating them over the top. Denver cornerback Pat Surtain said the unit will have to be disciplined this weekend in Baltimore.

“We know how dynamic he is as far as running the ball,” Surtain said of Henry. “Defensively, some defenses fill the box, but that sets up a lot of opportunity with the passing game when you’re committed to stopping the run. It allows the play pass, the boots, the RPOs, all those things that feed off the run to have success in the passing game.

“We just have to read our keys the right way and understand how they’re trying to attack us defensively on our side of the ball. We just have to be able to stop the run and try to make them one-dimensional at the end of the day.”

The Ravens lead the NFL in total yards per game (452.1) and rushing yards per game (200). They have the second-best offense in the league in terms of points per game (30.3). Sunday will be the Broncos’ biggest test of the season thus far. Denver’s defense ranks near the top of the league in many categories this fall, but the trip to Baltimore threatens to change that.

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on CBS (TV broadcast map). Playing on the road, Denver is considered a big underdog in Week 9.

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Saints re-sign a running back to their practice squad

The Saints have re-signed a familiar running back to their practice squad. Preseason fan-favorite Jacob Kibodi is back on the team:

The New Orleans Saints have re-signed running back Jacob Kibodi to the practice squad, per a report from Saints News Network’s John Hendrix.

This comes shortly after Saints rusher Kendre Miller went down with a hamstring injury after he only played 10 snaps offensively on Sunday.

The undrafted rookie out of ULL was originally released from the practice squad at the beginning of October. He received a lot of love from the fan base and took advantage of the opportunity to play for a team that was all but completely in his own backyard.

“That was a dream come true. Coming from Louisiana, that’s a blessing. Everybody dreams of that as a kid,” Kibodi said after his two-touchdown preseason gamje against the Tennessee Titans, adding that his mother Meta and brothers Uriah and Caleb were in attendance.

It will be interesting to see how this venture with the Saints pays off for Kibodi in his second shot in New Orleans.

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Broncos RB Tyler Badie eligible to return from IR this week

Broncos running back Tyler Badie (back) is eligible to return from injured reserve this week.

After spending the last four weeks on injured reserve, Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (back) is eligible to return this week.

Badie (5-8, 197 pounds) was placed on IR earlier this month after he suffered a scary back injury against the New York Jets in Week 4. It’s unclear if he’ll need more time to recover, but his window to return is now open.

Once the running back returns to practice, the Broncos will have 21 days to active him to the 53-man roster. If Badie is not activated within three weeks after returning to practice, he will spend the rest of the season on IR.

Badie, 24, rushed 11 times for 86 yards and hauled in three receptions for negative two yards in three games before injuring his back.

Denver currently has Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime on the active roster and Blake Watson on the practice squad. Badie will likely compete for the RB3 role once he returns from the injury.

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