Take a look at the latest news and notes from the National Football League following Week 3 of the season:
Garoppolo Out With Torn ACL
The San Francisco 49ers will be without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for the remainder of the season after an MRI confirmed that he has a torn ACL. Garoppolo suffered the torn ACL in his left knee during a play in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs. Garoppolo was in his second season with the 49ers, and was considered to be their franchise quarterback of the future.
The 49ers will be forced to place Garoppolo on season-ending injured reserve and will look to find quarterback depth in the free agent market or via trade. San Francisco hopes that Garoppolo will be ready to return before the start of the 2019 season. C.J. Beathard will be promoted to starting quarterback for the 49ers. The 49ers also lost starting running back Jerick McKinnon to a torn ACL earlier this season.
Steelers Trying to Trade Bell
The Pittsburgh Steelers have announced that they are willing to trade Le’Veon Bell for the right price. Bell has still not reported to the team after being placed under the franchise tag by the Steelers again this season. The Steelers were hopeful and expecting Bell to show up before the season opener, but the team has not had any communication with their star running back.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the New York Jets reached out to the Steelers to check on the availability of Bell, but no offer was made. Bell is only under contract for the 2018 season, and can’t sign a long-term contract with any team until after the 2018 season. Bell is currently owed 11.8 million dollars this season, but that number continues to decrease with each week that passes. The NFL Trade Deadline is October 30, and Bell is expected to be traded by that date.
Rams Dealing With Injuries
The Los Angeles Rams could potentially be without both of their starting cornerbacks for Thursday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Rams will definitely be without Aqib Talib on Thursday night after he suffered a high ankle sprain in their week three victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Talib is expected to be sidelined at least a month for the Rams. Cornerback Marcus Peters is officially listed as questionable after straining his calf in the first half of the Rams week three win. Peters leads the NFL with 20 interceptions since the 2015 season, and scored a touchdown for the Rams in their season opener.
Olsen Progressing Well For Panthers
Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen announced on Monday that he expects to return to the team sooner rather than later. Olsen refractured his right foot in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Olsen suffered the same injury last season, and was forced to miss nine games for the Panthers after having surgery. The team decided that surgery wasn’t necessary this time around, and they will reevaluate him in one month.
Olsen is a three-time Pro Bowl selection who made history during the 2016 season. He became the first tight end in NFL history to have three straight seasons of 1,000 receiving yards dating back to 2014. The Panthers are scheduled to return from their bye week October 7, almost exactly one month after Olsen’s injury. Olsen sounds optimistic that he could potentially make his return at that time.
Vikings Concerned About Griffen
Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman issued a statement on Monday night to shed some light on their defensive end, Everson Griffen. Spielman stated that the Vikings are concerned about Griffen’s “well-being” after an incident occurred over the weekend. Spielman didn’t give any more detail about the incident, but police investigated Griffen and his role in an incident at a Minneapolis hotel on Saturday night.
Griffen did not play in the Vikings week three loss to the Buffalo Bills, and he was also not seen on the sideline for that game. The Vikings listed Griffen as DNP on the simulated injury report on Monday. The talented defensive end has faced some legal trouble throughout his Vikings career. He was arrested twice after his rookie season in 2011 for various incidents. Griffen has spent his entire nine year career with the Minnesota Vikings.
