The Bills will try to wrap up a playoff berth without the help of wide receiver Keon Coleman on Sunday.
Coleman is inactive for Buffalo’s game in Cleveland. Coleman was not on the injury report at all this week, but will miss his third game of the season. Coleman was scratched for disciplinary reasons earlier this year, but Cameron Wolfe of NFL Media reports Sunday’s deactivation is solely a coach’s decision. Coleman was a 2024 second-round pick and he has 36 catches for 355 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Mecole Hardman, who was activated from injured reserve this week, is active.
The Bills need a win and a loss by either the Texans or Colts in order to book a playoff berth. A win will also help their chances of ending the season as the AFC East champs for the sixth straight season.
Bills at Browns
Bills: WR Keon Coleman, WR Gabe Davis, DT Jordan Phillips, K Matt Prater, OL Tylan Grable, DB Darnell Savage, DT Larry Ogunjobi
Browns: CB Denzel Ward, RB Dylan Sampson, DT Mike Hall Jr., G Wyatt Teller, WR Jamari Thrash, TE David Njoku, DT Sam Kamara
Buccaneers at Panthers
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, TE Devin Culp, G Elijah Klein, WR Sterling Shepard, DL Elijah Simmons, LB Anthony Walker, S Rashad Wisdom
Panthers: WR Hunter Renfrow, LB Trevin Wallace, S Demani Richardson, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, OT Ikem Ekwonu, TE James Mitchell, DT Tershawn Wharton
Jets at Saints
Jets: QB Justin Fields, TE Mason Taylor, DT Mazi Smith, LB Kiko Mauigoa, DT Payton Page, DE Eric Watts
Saints: RB Alvin Kamara, OL Cesar Ruiz, OL Asim Richards, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, S Ugo Amadi, CB Rejzohn Wright, DT Khristian Boyd
Chiefs at Titans
Chiefs: WR Rashee Rice, CB Trent McDuffie, OT Jaylon Moore, WR Tyquan Thornton, RB Dameon Pierce, OL CJ Hanson, DT Derrick Nnadi
Titans: OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OL Garrett Dellinger, OL Drew Moss, DL Cam Horsley, LB Cedric Gray, S Erick Hallett
Chargers at Cowboys
Chargers: WR Derius Davis, S RJ Mickens, EDGE Bud Dupree, OL Branson Taylor, OT Trey Pipkins, TE Tyler Conklin
Cowboys: DT Quinnen Williams, WR Jalen Tolbert, CB Caelen Carson, RB Jaydon Blue, DT Jay Toia, OT Tyler Guyton
Vikings at Giants
Vikings: LB Austin Keys, DT Javon Hargrave, OT Walter Rouse, QB John Wolford
Giants: LB Caleb Murphy, WR Ryan Miller, WR Jalin Hyatt, LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, G Jon Runyan, DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches, QB Russell Wilson
Bengals at Dolphins
Bengals: QB Jake Browning, WR Charlie Jones, DB Brayln Lux, S P.J. Jules, DE Joseph Ossai, TE Noah Fant, DT Jordan Jefferson
Dolphins: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, CB Isaiah Johnson, T Kendall Lamm, WR Tahj Washington, DT Matthew Butler, QB Tua Tagovailoa
Sometimes, old news that becomes new news becomes new news for a reason.
A Saturday Preview! of a Sunday Splash! report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com dusts off the well-known reality that the Dolphins tried to trade up from No. 5 to No. 1 in 2020, with the goal of drafting quarterback Joe Burrow. Given the current circumstances, the resurrection of the dated report is significant, to say the least.
To be fair, the new report advances the ball, a bit. As of late January 2022, when the Bengals were preparing to play in the Super Bowl that capped Burrow’s second season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that the Dolphins were willing to give up each of their three 2020 first-round picks “and potentially more.” The Bengals, however, refused to engage.
Schefter now reports that the Dolphins offered four first-round picks for Burrow.
Whatever the Dolphins offered, the Bengals were determined to take Burrow. Given Burrow’s recent comments about his current lack of happiness playing football and the possibility of eventually playing for another team, it’s a given (as discussed during Thursday’s PFT Live) that one or more teams will call the Bengals in the offseason to assess whether Burrow may be available.
Here’s what I think, as explained both during PFT Live and a recent appearance on Pardon My Take: Burrow doesn’t want to demand a trade, but he’d like the Bengals to decide to make the move on their own. That would allow him to exit Cincinnati without being regarded as a villain in his home state.
The fact that he grew up in Ohio is significant. The Playmakers book (which can be purchased for a mere $18.99) reported that, if Burrow had been from Athens, Georgia, and not Athens, Ohio, he would have made an Elway-Eli-style power play with the Bengals in 2020.
Six years ago, the Bengals refused any and all offers from the Dolphins. If another team makes the Bengals a big offer for a quarterback who has made his feelings abundantly clear, what will the Bengals do?
In leaking to Schefter the fact that the Dolphins offered four first-round picks, someone seems to be trying to speak into existence a fresh effort to trade for Burrow. And even if Burrow won’t publicly say he wants out, what is he privately saying to the team?
That’s something we don’t know, and something we won’t know. Perhaps until the Bengals stun the football-following world by trading Burrow without Burrow ever having to stand up and say, “Carson Palmer was right.”
The Bills have added another veteran player who became available after the trade deadline.
First, it was receiver Brandin Cooks. Now, it’s defensive end Matthew Judon.
The Bills announced on Saturday that Judon has been added to the practice squad. (Defensive end Morgan Fox was released from the Buffalo practice squad.)
Judon, 33, was a fifth-round pick of the Ravens in 2016. He has played for Baltimore, New England, Atlanta, and Miami.
The Dolphins released Judon this week, and he passed through waivers uncleaimed.
He appeared in 13 games with three starts in his only season with the Dolphins. He registered no sacks.
For his career, Judon has 72.0 sacks, with a career-best 15.5 in 2022 as a member of the Patriots.
Meanwhile, the Bills are still waiting for a veteran player they claimed on waivers to show up. Cornerback Darius Slay, released by the Steelers, remains on Buffalo’s reserve/did not report list. Some think he wants to eventually join the Eagles. And some think the Bills won’t release him until after the Bills host the Eagles in Week 17.
The Bills are looking to add some defensive help.
Via NFL Media, edge rusher Matthew Judon is taking a visit with Buffalo on Friday and the club intends to sign him to its practice squad.
Judon was released by the Dolphins earlier this week and cleared waivers.
In his 13 games with Miami this season, Judon registered 19 total tackles with one tackle for loss and three QB hits.
Last season with Atlanta, Judon totaled 5.5 sacks with seven tackles for loss and nine QB hits in 17 games with 15 starts.
At this point in the week, it’s still unclear whether or not Tee Higgins will be available to play the Dolphins.
Via multiple reporters, head coach Zac Taylor said on Friday that Higgins (concussion) will be listed as questionable for Week 16 as he still has one hurdle left to clear the protocol.
Higgins has missed two of Cincinnati’s last three games due to a concussion. He’s been limited in practice this week.
Taylor also noted that defensive end Joseph Ossai (ankle), defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (ankle), tight end Noah Fant (ankle), and receiver Charlie Jones (ankle) have all been ruled out.
Jenkins is set to go on injured reserve, which will end his 2025 season.
Additionally, defensive end Shemar Stewart will be activated and is set to play on Sunday. Stewart mentioned earlier in the week that he planned to play. The Bengals will need to officially get him on the 53-man roster on Saturday.
