NFL rumors: Jets aren't adding another QB just yet despite Zach Wilson's Week 2 struggles
The New York Jets season started with such promise after they acquired quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But on his fourth play in a Jets uniform, Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon and was ruled out for the remainder of the regular season. With that, Zach Wilson was the next man up for the Jets, and he did help lead the team to a win over the Buffalo Bills in their season-opener. Head coach Robert Saleh expressed confidence in Wilson's abilities and said he would be the starter moving forward. That and Saleh revealed that they aren't bringing in a quarterback to compete with Wilson.
This past Sunday, Wilson had his first loss of the season against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite throwing a 68-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson, the third-year quarterback struggled against the Cowboys defense, losing 30-10. Wilson threw for just 170 yards and tossed three interceptions. It wasn't the greatest of performances by Wilson. So, Jets fans are probably wondering if there will be quarterback help on the way.
Saleh was asked on Monday by reporters if the team is adding another quarterback this week, ahead of their Week 3 matchup against the New England Patriots.
Saleh praised Wilson for how much better he was in the pocket than last year. The head coach noted that Wilson's interceptions took place in garbage time when they were trying to force the football. Saleh also said that Wilson probably won't face a defense as good as Dallas'.
"Anyone who watches football -- and you look at it from a global standpoint -- will see that he's so much improved in the pocket, his presence in the pocket," said Saleh, h/t ESPN's Rich Cimini. "I thought he delivered a lot of really good passes. ... He took care of the ball. He scrambled when he needed to. He stepped up in the pocket when he needed to. ...
"Did it get away from him in the fourth quarter, when I felt like he was trying to make a play with us being down three scores? Yeah, he made a couple of throws that he didn't need to make. But up until then, I felt like if we could have just got them the damn ball and gave them some more opportunities, I think people were seeing that he was playing pretty well up until when it was garbage time and he was trying to force the ball."
It sounds as though the Jets will go forward with Wilson as the starter with Tim Boyle backing him up.
NFL rumors: Vikings sign guard Dalton Risner to bolster offensive line
The Minnesota Vikings have completed their first two games of the season, and they are without a win. The Vikings lost 20-17 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 and fell 34-28 to the Philadelphia Eagles this past Thursday.
One common theme in those two games (besides the seven turnovers by the offense) is their running game or lack thereof. This season, the team averaged 34.5 rushing yards per game. Not to mention that the Viking's offensive line has been decimated by injuries early on, with Christian Darrisaw, Chris Reed, Garrett Bradbury, and Oli Udoh all dealing with ailments. Now, the team is bringing in some help.
According to NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport, the Vikings have signed former Denver Broncos guard Dalton Risner. The deal is worth $4 million, per reports.
Risner had a link in Minnesota dating back to his time in Denver. The Vikings' offensive line coach, Chris Kuper, was Risner's assistant offensive line coach on the Broncos in his first three seasons with the team. During the summer, Risner visited the Vikings but left without a deal.
Last season with the Broncos, Risner allowed three sacks and was issued one penalty on 967 snaps played, per Pro Football Focus.
The Vikings are tied with the Chicago Bears for last place in the NFC North. The hope is that Risner can bring some stability and improvement to the offensive line.
NFL rumors: Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson hits the injured reserve
The Pittsburgh Steelers had a season-opener to forget last weekend. Facing off against the San Francisco 49ers, the Steelers' offense didn't live up to the hype they had in the preseason, while the defense also struggled. The end result? A 30-7 loss.
During the loss, the Steelers lost wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who exited the game due to a hamstring injury. ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the expectation is that Johnson could miss "a few weeks" due to the injury. The Steelers have just made a move that made it official.
Ahead of the team's Week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns on Monday night, the Steelers placed Johnson on the injured reserve. With that, Johnson will be sidelined for a minimum of four games.
The injury took place on a 26-yard catch and run against the 49ers. As he made a cut, Johnson said that his hamstring gave out on him.
"I just put my foot in the ground," Johnson said, h/t ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "Fluke incident, it just gave out on me. I can't do nothing about that."
With Johnson out for the next four games, expect George Pickens to receive a ton more attention, from both quarterback Kenny Pickett and the opposing defensive backs. With that, expect Allen Robinson and Calvin Austin III to receive an uptick in targets.