NFL Player News

Dalton has one year left on his current deal in Carolina. The team signed him as Bryce Young’s backup in 2023. He saw significant playing time in 2024 and the team kept him around as a break glass incase of emergency option to replace Young. Dalton was only needed for one start last year. He threw for 175 scoreless yards and an interception while taking seven sacks. The Panthers got trounced by the Bills with a final score of 9-40. The fact that there are still teams interested in Dalton, even as a backup, speaks to the stagnant state of quarterback play across the league. The Panthers wouldn’t fetch more than a late-round pick for Dalton.

As were fellow starters Darnell Wright (ankle) and Jonah Jackson (ankle), all three upgraded from DNPs on Wednesday. They all seem to be trending in the correct direction for Week 5.

It’s an upgrade from Wednesday’s DNP. Swift has been a constant presence on the midweek injury reports, but hasn’t seemed at any real risk of missing a game yet. We’d imagine he’s more likely than not to avoid a questionable tag again on Friday.

Ben Johnson has repeatedly said this is not an issue and that Monangai is “going to be okay,” but we’d sure like to see a Friday full session to prove that. As is, Monangai may be headed for a questionable listing for Week 5, even if the supposition will continue to be that he’ll play.

“I don’t see any change in terms of the depth chart at all. I felt I was underutilizing a strength,” McDaniel said about the increased usage of Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal. McDaniel’s statement is good for Hampton in the sense that we know Hampton will retain a reasonable role. And it’s bad because McDaniel is all but confirming the pecking order will remain the same. Expect more low-end RB2/FLEX nonsense from Hampton.

Brady said the same goes for nickel CB Dee Alford (ankle). While this is positive news for the Bills’ defense, Oliver has already missed one game this season with a hip injury. Alford is not a top-tier coverage defender, but both players will be missed in the short term.

Tyler Goodson has had the RB2 role for the past couple of weeks and is set to continue now that Demercado was waived to make room for Tyler Smith to come off injured reserve. Demercado has now been waived twice in two months, and though he may be claimed again, he could also wind up on a practice squad next week.

Gonzalez and fellow starting perimeter CB Carlton Davis (neck) have missed each of the Patriots’ first two practices this week, putting them on the wrong side of questionable for Week 5 against the Raiders. Las Vegas lines up Brock Bowers as a wide receiver most of the time. Missing both starting coverage defenders would make life tough on the defense.

The Colts’ starting center is back, sporting a brace on his right ankle. Assuming he makes it through today and tomorrow without suffering a setback, he should be good to go for Week 5.

Joe Brady is quoted as saying that if Moore feels he’s healthy enough to play, he “owes it to the WR to let him be out there.” It’s not exactly a quote that inspires a lot of confidence in Moore’s availability for Monday night’s matchup with the Rams after he left Week 4’s game due to landing on the shoulder. We would regard Moore as on the doubtful side of questionable at this point, but there’s time to turn that around on Friday and Saturday.

With C Cam Jurgens now a Raven, Kendall is the Eagles’ starting center. Unfortunately, he is not practicing this week, leaving practice squad C/OG Jake Majors as his potential Week 5 fill-in. Potential starting OT Fred Johnson (knee) is practicing.