Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict was suspended for the rest of the 2019 season on Monday for repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules.
The NFL announced Burfict’s punishment for the helmet-to-helmet hit that prompted his ejection from Oakland’s 31-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Burfict has three days to appeal, and agent Lamont Smith confirmed Monday afternoon that an appeal is coming this week. Two years ago, Burfict had a five-game suspension reduced to three games on appeal.
–Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is not expected to require surgery despite an MRI exam revealing a dislocated left shoulder and a slight labrum tear, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Trubisky will be back “sooner rather than later,” per Schefter, and will travel with the Bears (3-1) to London but is unlikely to play against the Oakland Raiders (2-2) on Sunday.
–The Buffalo Bills announced they are planning to start backup Matt Barkley at quarterback this weekend, as starter Josh Allen remains in the concussion protocol.
Barkley replaced Allen early in the fourth quarter of Buffalo’s 16-10 home loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday after Allen was knocked out of the game by a helmet-to-helmet hit from defensive back Jonathan Jones.
–The New York Jets’ Sam Darnold is cleared for non-contact work in practice as he recovers from mononucleosis, but coach Adam Gase said it “was not an ideal situation” for the second-year quarterback to be ready to play Sunday.
–Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green is not expected to return to the field anytime soon, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Green, who is recovering from preseason ankle surgery, reportedly has been running and participating in workouts since shedding his protective boot.
–Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith’s high right ankle sprain is apparently not as serious as the team first thought, according to multiple media reports.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that while Smith will sit out against this weekend at home vs. the Green Bay Packers, he has not been ruled out for the Cowboys’ Week 6 contest at the New York Jets.
According to a report by ESPN, tests confirmed the six-time Pro Bowler sustained a high right ankle sprain on Sunday.
–Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb sustained a torn ACL on Sunday in Denver’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and will miss the remainder of the season.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio called the injury a “huge loss” for the winless Broncos. Chubb, 23, left the game twice on Sunday, first due to a cramp and then again when his knee locked up while engaging with a Jaguars offensive lineman.
–The Arizona Cardinals released veteran safety D.J. Swearinger, according to multiple media reports. Rookie Deionte Thompson likely will take over the starting role.
–New York Giants rookie linebacker Ryan Connelly sustained a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. The Giants placed Connelly on injured reserve after confirming the extent of the injury.
–The Los Angeles Chargers will be without Melvin Ingram for multiple games after the pass rusher sustained a hamstring injury in the team’s Sunday win over the Miami Dolphins, according to Rapoport.
Per Rapoport, the defensive end is expected to be out “likely a couple weeks.”
–The Philadelphia Eagles traded safety Johnathan Cyprien and a seventh-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for linebacker Duke Riley and a sixth-round selection on Monday. Both late-round picks are for the 2020 draft.
Riley, 25, will boost the Eagles’ special teams units after playing 78 snaps on special teams for the Falcons this season. Cyprien, 29, has two tackles this year in four games with the Eagles.
–Shortly before their home against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the Chicago Bears listed linebacker Roquan Smith as inactive. On Monday, Bears coach Matt Nagy wouldn’t elaborate much, saying only that Smith’s absence was because of a “personal issue.”
It is unknown whether Smith would be available for Chicago’s game against Oakland in London.
–Packers linebacker Oren Burks returned to practice, nearly two months after sustaining a pectoral injury in his team’s preseason opener.
Burks did not offer a timeline for a return to game action but called his participation in non-padded practice “huge.” He injured his chest against the Houston Texans on Aug. 8.
–The San Francisco 49ers signed former Detroit Lions cornerback Teez Tabor to their practice squad Monday, according to Rapoport.
Tabor, 23, was waived by the Lions out of training camp and had remained a free agent since. He was a second-round pick by Detroit out of Florida in the 2017 draft.
–The Houston Texans will sign veteran safety Mike Adams to a contract, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Adams, 38, reportedly worked out with the team over the weekend.
–Field Level Media
