Week 10 of the NFL season is set to begin in full swing with the New England Patriots' matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany to complete the 2023 International Series. The game is more important for the Colts than the Patriots, who are 2-7 and heading towards a Top 5 pick in the draft in their worst season in the Bill Belichick era.
The NFL rumor mill is in full swing again on Sunday, with the headliner being a potential split in New England between Belichick and the team he helped build into a dynasty. Read on for all of the NFL rumors you need to know entering kickoff on Sunday.
Will the Giants be looking for a new quarterback next season?
The season-ending ACL injury for Daniel Jones was really unfortunate for the New York Giants, who just handed him $160 million in the offseason to be their franchise quarterback. Jones wasn't playing particularly well before he got hurt, tossing just two touchdowns against six interceptions in six games this season, and an injury to backup Tyrod Taylor leaves the team in the hands of third-stringer Tommy Devito for the foreseeable future.
If the Giants continue to sink like a stone, they will potentially have a high enough draft pick to draft a successor to Jones as the franchise's future leader. General manager Joe Schoen has been busy scouting many of the top college quarterbacks this fall, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports, which makes all the sense in the world given the unique opportunity New York could receive in a loaded quarterback class.
Any quarterback pick would likely spell the end of Jones, whose guaranteed money from his current contract runs out after next season. Jones would likely either be a very expensive backup or placeholder for one year, although the Giants could explore trading him given the state of quarterback play in the NFL and expect to get some kind of asset in return, particularly if they restructure Jones' contract to make it easier to deal.
Either way, there is a good possibility Jones has played his last snap as a Giant. That would have been an unfathomable outcome just two months ago but life comes at you fast in the NFL.
When will Justin Jefferson be back with the Minnesota Vikings?
Minnesota Vikings fans and fantasy managers are eagerly awaiting the return of Jefferson, who has been on injured reserve with a hamstring injury for the past four weeks. Hopes got raised when the Vikings opened Jefferson's 21-day return to practice window, and he was listed as questionable for Week 10 before getting ruled out on Saturday.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini is reporting that Jefferson isn't 100 percent healthy yet and won't make a push to play until he feels fully ready. Team officials have indicated to her that they expect Jefferson back by their Week 13 bye (subscription required) at the latest, which would offer a boost to a team fighting for a playoff berth despite the loss of Kirk Cousins to a season-ending Achilles injury.
On the surface, such a move may not make financial sense for Jefferson, who does not have a long-term deal beyond his rookie contract. Jefferson, according to Russini, has taken his responsibilities as a team captain seriously and is trying to work hard to get back on the field to help his teammates win games.
As a result, all contract negotiations have been tabled until after the season. Jefferson's next opportunity to play would come in Week 11, when the Vikings take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football.
Will Bill Belichick and New England part ways after the season?
We have some new buzz on this front as Russini is also reporting that there won't be any changes in New England during the course of the season. This makes sense since Belichick has done so much for the franchise, earning him the opportunity to end the season on his terms.
Nothing is guaranteed after the season concludes, however, as Russini's NFL sources have indicated that they expect Belichick and the team to mutually part ways at the end of the season.
This decision would allow Patriots' owner Robert Kraft to start a new era of New England football, potentially with a rookie quarterback, with a clean slate while Belichick can either retire or opt to continue coaching to pursue the all-time wins record for head coaches, which is currently held by Don Shula with 347.
It is unclear at this time whether Belichick has an interest in coaching beyond this season but he wouldn't have any shortage of opportunities if he was available. Given his desire to achieve historical success, don't be shocked if Belichick prioritized a situation with a ready-made contender that already has its quarterback in place.