Vikings Clips
The Jets won’t be getting running back Breece Hall back in the lineup for Sunday’s home date against the Dolphins.
Hall was listed as questionable on Friday due to the quad injury that’s kept him out for the last two games, but he wound up on the wrong side of that decision when the team released its inactive list for Week 7. Hall was limited in practice during the week and a move to full practice may be necessary for him to get back in the lineup.
Braelon Allen has 41 carries for 194 yards and a touchdown as the starter in Hall’s absence.
While Hall remains out, the Jets will be getting wide receiver Adonai Mitchell back in the lineup. He’s missed the last four games with a finger injury.
Dolphins at Jets
Dolphins: LB Willie Gay, WR Jalen Tolbert, CB Marcellas Dial, CB Reese Taylor, DE Rob Beal, OL DJ Campbell, OT Chukwuebuka Godrick
Jets: CB Jarvis Brownlee, RB Kene Nwangwu, RB Breece Hall, LB Joseph Ossai, OL Max Mitchell, G Dylan Parham, DL Jack Heflin
49ers at Falcons
49ers: DE Nick Bosa, WR Mike Evans, WR Deebo Samuel, LB Luke Gifford, LB Garret Wallow, S Marques Sigle, QB Kurtis Rourke
Falcons: QB Jack Strand, LB Divine Deablo, CB Avieon Terrell, QB Andy Dalton, WR Olamide Zaccheaus, RB Brian Robinson, DB Billy Bowman
Giants at Texans
Giants: OL Josh Sills, TE Theo Johnson, OL Marcus Mbow, CB Greg Newsome, CB Nikko Reed, S Jevon Holland, QB Jake Haener
Texans: T Blake Fisher, G Febechi Nwaiwu, T Nathan Thomas, TE Marlin Klein, RB David Montgomery, S Jalen Pitre, S Reed Blankenship
Bengals at Ravens
Bengals: S Russ Yeast, C Connor Lew, OT Myles Hinton, DE Shemar Stewart, DT Landon Robinson
Ravens: QB Lamar Jackson, S Jaylinn Hawkins, WR Elijah Sarratt, G Andrew Vorhees, DT Broderick Washington
Buccaneers at Panthers
Buccaneers: DL DeMonte Capehart, WR Emeka Egbuka, CB Ayden Garnes, T Luke Goedeke, G Billy Schrauth, S Antoine Winfield Jr.
Panthers: TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, LB Jaelan Phillips, QB Haynes King, RB AJ Dillon, C Sam Hecht, OT Stone Forsythe, DT TeRah Edwards
Colts at Vikings
Colts: LB Bryce Boettcher, LB CJ Allen, CB Sauce Gardner, TE Tyler Warren, WR Anthony Gould, G Dalton Tucker, QB Riley Leonard
Vikings: S Jakobe Thomas, QB Max Brosmer, CB Chuck Demmings, RB Demond Claiborne, OT Caleb Tiernan, DL Elijah Williams
Browns at Titans
Browns: QB Taylen Green, LB Justin Jefferson, CB Noah Igbinoghene, RB Audric Estime, DT Mike Hall Jr., C Parker Brailsford
Titans: WR Calvin Ridley, RB Tyjae Spears, RB Nick Singleton, TE Kylen Granson, OT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, DT Jackie Marshall, CB Jaylon Jones
With the Colts turning the page at the top of the front office — and possibly, in time, at the top of the coaching staff — the possibility of trading veteran players is on the table.
But with the deadline still 16 days away, and with most of three full weekends left to be played, it’s still too early to sell off contracts.
Via the Batman-and-Joker turned Batman-and-Robin of ESPNFL, the plan is to see whether the Colts can improve their 2-4 record in the coming three games against the Vikings, Jaguars, and Cowboys before deciding whether to trade away certain players.
The biggest name of the bunch belongs to running back Jonathan Taylor. Per the carefully (but also a little clunkily) worded report: “The Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Vikings are among the teams that have, or are expected to, pondered the possibility of a trade for the star running back, according to sources.”
That feels like an effort by the Colts to maximize the market, in an effort to maximize the return. The more teams that are at the table, the more the Colts will get for their biggest star.
The Colts gave Taylor a new contract in the offseason, a two-year, $44 million extension. A trade would result in a 2027 cap charge of $10 million, and it would shift the final two years of his current deal to his next team, at a compensation package of $16.02 million for 2027 and $17.98 million in 2028. The deal also has $1 million in incentives attached to each of the final two seasons.
The Colts don’t have a first-round draft pick in 2027, thanks to the Sauce Gardner trade. Surely, they’d want at least that much for Taylor, especially after giving him a $15 million signing bonus when Taylor signed his extension.
Of the teams that were listed, the Vikings, Broncos, and Seahawks make the most sense. Each is a contender with an offense that would benefit from the presence of an elite tailback. The Packers, who are getting Josh Jacobs back today, make the least sense; adding them to the list seems to be nothing more than an effort to get the Vikings to give up a little more in an effort to ensure he won’t land with a viable division rival.
Other potential trade candidates mentioned by the report include veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (who could go back to the 49ers, who traded him to the Colts), guard Quenton Nelson (who’s in the last year of his deal), and defensive tackle Grover Stewart.
Whatever the Colts do, or don’t do, at the trade deadline will impact the deck of cards the next G.M. has. Without knowing who the next G.M. will be, it’s impossible to know whether that person would prefer to have Taylor moving forward or whatever the Colts can get for him.
Regardless — and this is true for any team thinking about trading players before the deadline — the remaining weeks will be a factor. Some teams won’t be ready to make their moves until Week 9 has ended; in some cases, the final decision hinges on winning or losing in the last game before the window closes.
Entering Week 7, three teams are undefeated. If three teams exit Week 7 undefeated, it will be a rarity.
The 49ers take their 6-0 record to Atlanta. The 5-0 Chiefs face the Seahawks in Seattle. The 5-0 Vikings play the Colts in Minneapolis.
Via NBC Sports research, only twice since the merger have three or more teams been undefeated through seven weeks of a season (with the exception of the 1982 strike year).
In 2009, three teams were unbeaten through seven weeks: the Saints, Colts, and Broncos. In 2015, five teams were perfect through seven weeks: the Panthers, Packers, Broncos, Patriots, and Bengals.
On both occasions, two of the unbeaten teams through seven weeks made it to the Super Bowl. In 2009, it was the Colts and the Saints. In 2015, the Panthers and the Broncos played in the Super Bowl.
The 49ers last went 7-0 in 2019. That year, they made it to the Super Bowl, losing to the Chiefs. The Chiefs last went 6-0 in 2024, when they made it to the Super Bowl for the third straight year, losing to the Eagles. The Vikings last went 6-0 in 2009. They lost to the Saints in the NFC Championship.
The Vikings released running back Deejay Dallas on Friday, according to the NFL’s personnel notice.
The move makes room for running back Jordan Mason’s return to the active roster. Mason fractured his thumb in the season opener against the Packers, and the Vikings placed him on injured reserve Sept. 16.
He has a questionable designation for Sunday’s game, but Dallas’ release signals that Mason will play.
Dallas is not subject to waivers and could sign back to the team’s practice squad on Saturday and be activated for Sunday’s game, if the Vikings so choose.
Dallas has played 40 offensive snaps and 92 on special teams in five games this season. He has seven touches for 44 yards.
The Vikings list running back Jordan Mason as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Colts.
Mason is the team’s only player with an injury designation, with wide receiver Justin Jefferson among those players ready to go.
He fractured his thumb in the season opener against the Packers, and the Vikings placed him on injured reserve Sept. 16. Mason’s 21-day return-to-practice window opened Monday, and he was a full participant all week.
It seems likely that Mason returns Sunday, but the Vikings will have to make a move Saturday to get him back on the active roster.
Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. split the carries in Week 1 with Mason geting 15 and Jones 12. Jones became the workhorse back in Mason’s absence despite a sprained MCL in his left knee, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.
The Colts officially will not have a few key players for Sunday’s game against the Vikings.
Head coach Shane Steichen ruled out cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf), tight end Tyler Warren (groin), and receiver Anthony Gould (concussion) during his Friday press conference.
Gardner suffered his injury during last week’s loss to the Titans.
Warren, who leads the Colts with 30 receptions, suffered his injury late last week in practice.
Indianapolis will be on the road to play Minnesota this weekend.
Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was a full participant in Thursday’s practice.
Jefferson’s ankle injury limited him Wednesday.
The Vikings are coming off their bye, so Jefferson had extra time to heal.
He had six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown in Week 5.
Offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (knee) and cornerback James Pierre (foot) were also full participants after limited work Wednesday.
Every other player on the roster had full participation, including wide receiver Jordan Addison (hamstring).
The Colts got a few players back at practice on Thursday, but they remained without starters on both sides of the ball.
Tight end Tyler Warren (groin) and cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf) did not practice for the second straight day. Head coach Shane Steichen said Warren, who did not play last week, is progressing well and Gardner said his injury is not as bad as last year’s calf injury, but their practice absence doesn’t bode well for their availability against the Vikings on Sunday.
Wide receiver Keenan Allen (rest), linebacker Bryce Boetticher (groin), guard Matt Goncalves (ankle), tight end Drew Ogletree (ankle), defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (personal), cornerback Justin Whalley (knee), and cornerback Charvarius Ward (rest) all returned to practice.
Linebacker CJ Allen (ankle) and wide receiver Ashton Dulin (hamstring) were both limited participants. Wide receiver Anthony Gould (concussion), punter Rigoberto Sanchez (right foot), and defensive tackle Grover Stewart (rest) did not practice.
After suffering a groin injury late last week, Colts tight end Tyler Warren remained sidelined on Wednesday.
Warren was listed as a non-participant on Indianapolis’ first injury report of the week as the club gets ready to face Minnesota on Sunday.
“He’s progressing really well, but I’ll defer to the injury report this week on a lot of those guys,” head coach Shane Steichen said in his Wednesday press conference of Warren.
Warren leads the Colts with 30 receptions. He’s tallied 213 yards with two touchdowns. He also has rushed for 6 yards with a TD.
Indianapolis has a lengthy injury report, particularly in the secondary. Cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf), cornerback Justin Walley (knee), and cornerback Charvairus Ward (rest) all did not practice.
Linebacker Bryce Boettcher (groin), guard Matt Goncalves (ankle), receiver Anthony Gould (concussion), tight end Drew Ogletree (ankle), punter Rigoberto Sanchez (right foot), receiver Keenan Allen (rest), and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (personal) also did not practice.
Linebacker Austin Ajiake (concussion evaluation), linebacker Jaylon Carlies (ribs), receiver Ashton Dulin (hamstring), offensive tackle Jalen Travis (foot), and running back Jonathan Taylor (rest) were all limited.
Last Tuesday, a key document in the ongoing Brian Flores litigation was made public. The item, a summary of Flores’s strengths and weaknesses as listed by the Korn Ferry search firm, contains several statements that will strengthen multiple aspects of his case alleging racial discrimination and retaliation for filing suit.
Here’s a full explanation of the significance of the document.
During Flores’s first media availability since the document was released, he was asked about it.
“I prefer . . . to use this forum, to talk about our players, our coaches, this team, you know, and so, you know, I think I’ll probably take this time just to say that,” Flores said. “This forum is about our players, not any personal situation for me. So I’ll just kind of leave it there. I understand the question, respect it, but, you know, I think this, I use this time to talk about our players, our coaches, our team.”
It’s the smart move, as it relates to the lawsuit. Anything he says about the case can be used against him, and the NFL surely will be looking for anything it can to make him look bad in the eyes of a jury.
Indeed, as Flores’s lawyers aggressively attempt to find documents and other evidence that will bolster their position, the NFL and the teams Flores have sued will be digging for anything it can use. Which will mean exploring the factual rabbit hole as to any remotely relevant incident at any of his NFL employers — the Patriots, Dolphins, Steelers, and Vikings.
The higher the stakes of a civil action, the more intense the defense will become. In this case, Flores has the tiger by the tail. At some point, the tiger will uses its claws.
