Nov 25, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) carries the ball against the Baltimore Ravens in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Report: Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins out with knee sprain

Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins was diagnosed with a knee sprain and will miss Sunday’s game at Atlanta, NFL Network reported Wednesday.

Dobbins departed Monday night’s 30-23 loss to his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, in the second quarter and did not play in the second half. He had 40 yards on six carries before getting tackled awkwardly about five minutes before halftime.

The left knee injury means Dobbins’ availability beyond Week 13 “will be up in the air,” according to the report.

Dobbins, who turns 26 next month, is having a strong debut season with the Chargers following four injury-riddled years in Baltimore. He has rushed for 766 yards and eight touchdowns, his highest totals since his 2020 rookie year (805 yards, nine touchdowns) with the Ravens.

If Dobbins is ruled out, another ex-Ravens running back, Gus Edwards, would be in line to start Sunday when the Chargers (7-4) visit the Falcons (6-5).

–Field Level Media

Former Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs safety Mike Edwards (21) is reportedly near a deal with the Titans. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Reports: Titans to sign Bills castoff Mike Edwards to aid secondary

Safety Mike Edwards is set to join the Tennessee Titans pending a physical in Nashville on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.

The Bills granted Edwards’ request for his release on Tuesday after attempting to find a trade partner with needs in the secondary.

Edwards, 28, was inactive despite being healthy for most of the season to date for the Bills (7-2), appearing in three games and playing only 20 total snaps on defense and special teams.

Buffalo signed the two-time Super Bowl champion to a one-year, $2.8 million deal in March.

In Tennessee, safety Quandre Diggs is headed to injured reserve with a foot injury, coach Brian Callahan said Tuesday, leaving Tennessee thin at the position after multiple attempts to patch the unit with a veteran. The Titans released Jamal Adams last month after he failed to crack the defensive back rotation.

In Tennessee, Edwards would be reunited with former Kansas City Chiefs teammate L’Jarius Sneed. The Titans acquired Sneed from the Chiefs in an offseason trade after he was given the franchise tag by Kansas City.

A third-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2019, Edwards has recorded 236 tackles, eight interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in 78 games (28 starts) with the Buccaneers (2019-22), Chiefs (2023) and Bills. He won Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay and Super Bowl LVIII with Kansas City.

–Field Level Media

Michigan running back Donovan Edwards (7) runs the ball in for a touchdown in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff national championship game against Washington at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Monday, January 8, 2024.

Michigan RB Donovan Edwards returning for 2024

Count running back Donovan Edwards in for Michigan’s bid to repeat as national champions in 2024.

Primarily a backup to Blake Corum for his first three seasons in Ann Arbor, Edwards has a chance to be a starter next season.

Michigan’s lead back Corum and Edwards’ roommate, quarterback J.J. McCarthy, declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Edwards posted a photo with the words “Michigan fans, I’m back,” to social media on Monday, the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft.

Edge rusher Josaiah Stewart also said he plans to return to Michigan, where he had 5.5 sacks and 38 tackles in 2023. Stewart had one sack and helped corral Jalen Milroe of Alabama on the final play of overtime to secure Michigan’s 27-20 Rose Bowl win.

Michigan pass rushers Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell declared for the draft.

The Wolverines’ strong stable of backs returning despite Corum’s departure includes short-yardage specialist Kalel Mullings. Incoming recruits Jordan Marshall and Micah Ka’apana could also threaten for big roles in 2024.

Edwards took his first two carries of the College Football Playoff national championship for touchdowns in Michigan’s victory over Washington. Edwards’ first carry was a 46-yard TD run down the left sideline and his second went outside down the right sideline for a 41-yard score. He totaled 104 yards on six carries in the game.

He had 113 carries for 393 yards (3.5 yards per carry) and three touchdowns prior to the championship game showing and 30 receptions for 249 yards.

In 2022, Edwards had 991 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards (35) celebrates a touchdown with Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Morgan Moses (78) in the first quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Albert Cesare-USA TODAY Sports

Pair of Ravens OL, RB Gus Edwards return to practice

A pair of key offensive linemen returned to practice Wednesday along with running back Gus Edwards (concussion) and safety Marcus Williams (pec) for the Baltimore Ravens.

Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee) and center Tyler Linderbaum (ankle) both returned to practice after missing the past two games.

However, seven players missed practice Wednesday, including running back Justice Hill (foot). He was joined on the sidelines by wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) and Rashod Bateman (hamstring), outside linebackers Odafe Oweh (ankle) and David Ojabo (ankle), and defensive backs Marlon Humphrey (foot) and Kyle Hamilton (undisclosed).

Edwards left Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the second half to be evaluated for a concussion. He’s rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown in three games (one start) this season.

Stanley, 29, is hoping to stay healthy after playing in just 18 games combined the past three seasons.

Linderbaum, 23, started all 17 games as a rookie in 2022 after the team selected him No. 25 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Ojabo, 23, also left Sunday’s game with his injury. He has six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in three games.

The official injury report for the Ravens (2-1), who travel to Cleveland (2-1) in Week 4, will be released later Wednesday.

–Field Level Media

Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Branson Robinson (22) celebrates as he scores a rushing touchdown against the TCU Horned Frogs during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia RB Branson Robinson (knee) out for season

Georgia running back Branson Robinson will miss the upcoming season with a ruptured patellar tendon, coach Kirby Smart announced Wednesday.

Robinson sustained the injury in a non-contact drill at practice on Tuesday.

Robinson had 68 carries for 330 yards with three touchdowns in 12 games during his freshman season in 2022. He also scored twice as the Bulldogs breezed to a 65-7 victory over TCU in the national championship game on Jan. 9.

“It won’t affect our run-pass ratio,” Smart said of Robinson’s injury. “We have capable backs. He was one of our better backs. When healthy last year, we think he was kind of coming into his own. He was learning how to pass protect. He had a really good spring while he was going, so we were really excited about where he was headed. He was explosive, twitchy, could do some things in pass pro and running the ball that maybe some of the other guys couldn’t do.”

Georgia is expected to lean on Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton, although the latter is nursing a tight hamstring.

Edwards rushed for 769 yards and seven touchdowns last season, while Milton had 592 yards and eight scores.

–Field Level Media

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) lies on the turf after being tackled by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards (57) during the second quarter in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Feb. 12, 2023.

Nfl Super Bowl Lvii Kansas City Chiefs Vs Philadelphia Eagles

Reports: Bears, T.J. Edwards agree to 3-year deal

Linebacker T.J. Edwards is headed home, agreeing to a three-year deal with the Chicago Bears on Monday, according to multiple reports.

NFL Network and ESPN reported the deal includes $12.5 million in total guarantees and is worth a total of $19.5 million. Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham helped bring Edwards to the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2020.

Free agent contracts with new teams are not official until the new league year begins on Wednesday.

Edwards, 26, was one of the top coverage linebackers in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles last season, according to Pro Football Focus. He finished seventh in the NFL with 159 total tackles in 2022, which was the second-most in franchise history behind Byron Evans in 1992 (175).

The Eagles are likely to elevate 2022 third-rounder Nakobe Dean to fill Edwards’ starting role.

Edwards’ high school football field is 20 minutes northwest of the Bears’ Halas Hall practice facility, and he’d join another former Wisconsin linebacker in Chicago. Jack Sanborn was a freshman for the Badgers when Edwards was a senior.

–Field Level Media

Sep 25, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) runs with the ball in front of New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman (foot) to miss ‘few weeks’

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman will be sidelined “a few weeks” with a foot injury he re-aggravated in last week’s game.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Monday that Bateman’s injury is more serious than the team thought coming out of Thursday night’s win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It was first thought Bateman had tweaked his foot. He missed two games earlier this season with the injury. Bateman was targeted just once in 13 snaps against the Bucs. He was ruled out after halftime.

“Bateman’s a little bit more disappointing in the sense that after the game, they thought it was kind of a tweak, but there was a little more there from a strain standpoint,” Harbaugh said Monday. “… It looks like it’s going to be a few weeks for him. We’ll have more to report on that later in the week.”

Bateman, 22, has 15 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns in six games (five starts) this season.

All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews is dealing with shoulder and knee issues, but Harbaugh said both are minor. He, too, was ruled out of the rest of the Bucs’ game after playing just 10 snaps.

“Mark Andrews looks like it’s not a major, major thing,” Harbaugh said. “It’s something he’s dealing with … think he’ll be OK.”

Harbaugh said running back Gus Edwards will likely be questionable with a minor hamstring injury for the Week 9 game against New Orleans. The Ravens and Saints play next Monday night.

Finally, Harbaugh said the team would designate linebackers Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo for return from injured reserve this week. Harbaugh expects Bowser to play against the Saints while Ojabo will need more time to recover from his pre-draft Achilles tear.

–Field Level Media

Sep 25, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA;  Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) stiff arms Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Logan Ryan (26) in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Bucs rule out three defensive players vs. Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Logan Ryan, defensive tackle Akiem Hicks and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting have been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the host Pittsburgh Steelers, coach Todd Bowles announced Friday.

Ryan and Hicks are dealing with foot injuries, while Murphy-Bunting is nursing a quad injury. All three players did not practice this week for the Buccaneers (3-2).

Safety Mike Edwards (elbow) will be a game-time decision, Bowles said. Edwards and Murphy-Bunting were injured in Tampa Bay’s 21-15 victory over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, while Ryan is in line to miss his second straight game.

Keanu Neal has stepped up in Ryan’s absence, while Murphy-Bunting received his first playing time this season after Carlton Davis exited Sunday’s game with a hip injury. Davis has been a full participant in practice this week.

Bowles said he feels confident in his team’s depth in the secondary.

“Well, it’s big for the young guys to step up,” Bowles said. “They’ve trained all year. We keep people on this team for a reason and at some point, everyone’s going to have to contribute when it’s their turn.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 27, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Clark Lea coaches during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports

Vanderbilt dismisses two players

Vanderbilt freshmen Maurice Edwards and Daniel Martin are no longer part of the program, Commodores coach Clark Lea announced Wednesday.

Edwards is a running back and Martin is a linebacker. Neither player saw action in last Saturday’s 63-10 season-opening victory at Hawaii.

“We take pride in having the highest standards as a program, and in doing so ensure that it is a privilege to be a part of this team,” Lea said in a statement. “A strong ecosystem will undoubtedly strengthen our program’s performance on and off the field, and this ecosystem is my responsibility.”

Vanderbilt is back in action on Saturday when it hosts Elon.

Lea said the departures will have no effect on the program.

“With respect to what it means moving forward, this program is going to be fine,” Lea said. “We’re not defined by any one person in the program. … We have a lot of guys in the locker room that we lean upon who are going to step into roles moving forward. We’re not going to bat an eye.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 8, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Latavius Murray (28) runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter of a NFL game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Ravens, RB Latavius Murray agree to 1-year deal

The Baltimore Ravens addressed their injury-ravaged backfield by agreeing to terms on a one-year contract with running back Latavius Murray, multiple media outlets reported Friday.

Per ESPN, the deal is worth up to $2 million.

Murray, 31, was released by the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday after reportedly refusing to take a pay cut. He signed a four-year, $14.4 million contract with the Saints in 2019.

The addition of Murray comes one day after Ravens running back Gus Edwards reportedly sustained a torn ACL in practice.

Edwards was elevated to the team’s No. 1 running back after J.K. Dobbins tore his ACL on Aug. 28 in a preseason game. The team also lost reserve running back Justice Hill to a torn Achilles on Sept. 2.

Murray is the latest in a number of new faces in the Ravens’ backfield. The team signed running backs Trenton Cannon, Le’Veon Bell and Devonta Freeman, with the latter two being placed on the practice squad.

Ty’Son Williams is expected to make his first career start in Baltimore’s season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night.

As the Saints’ change-of-pace back behind Alvin Kamara, Murray rushed for 656 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games in 2020, averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. He added 176 receiving yards and one touchdown catch.

In his seven-year career with the then-Oakland Raiders (2014-16), Minnesota Vikings (2017-18) and Saints (2019-20), Murray has totaled 4,991 rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns.

–Field Level Media