NFL Player News

The Ravens are finalizing a trade with the Cardinals that will send Brissett to Baltimore, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The deal is expected to be completed over the weekend.

Brissett was set to become a free agent this offseason and was demoted from the starting role earlier this week, making him an expendable piece for the Cardinals, who will move forward with Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck as their quarterbacks. Baltimore, meanwhile, had a critical need for an experienced signal-caller after losing Lamar Jackson (thumb) and Tyler Huntley (foot) to injuries that will send both quarterbacks to injured reserve and potentially keep them out for the rest of the season, so Brissett will fill a void. Since the trade won't be made official for a few more days, Brissett won't be available for the Ravens' Thursday night game against the Jaguars. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano will direct the Baltimore offense against Jacksonville, but Brissett could step in as the Ravens' new starter beginning with a Week 10 matchup with the Chargers.

McKee will shift to a backup role for Sunday's game against the Giants with the Eagles set to move forward with Joe Milton as their starting quarterback in Week 9, Adam Schefter of ESPN and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report.

Just two days after announcing that McKee would draw a fourth straight start this weekend, head coach Nick Sirianni appears to have changed his tune. The Eagles' decision to move forward with Milton comes after McKee went 0-3 as a starter while completing 63.2 percent of his passes for 5.6 yards per attempt and a 2:2 TD:INT since replacing Jalen Hurts (calf) atop the depth chart. Since McKee is set to become a free agent next spring and may not be part of the Eagles' long-term plans, he could end up serving as the No. 3 quarterback if the team wants to give rookie fifth-round pick Cole Payton the opportunity to suit up on game days.

Milton is set to be the Eagles' starting quarterback Sunday against the Giants, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Philadelphia signed Milton off of the Cowboy's practice squad Oct. 16, and less than a month later, he's getting the call after the Tanner McKee experience so far has resulted in three consecutive losses. In five appearances (no starts) between New England and Dallas in his career, Milton has competed 37 of 53 passes for 424 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing 15 times for 66 yards and one TD and losing both of his fumbles.

Lock (elbow) is slated to start Sunday's game against the Cardinals, perNFL reporter Andrew Siciliano.

Siciliano adds that Lock has an elbow injury that the team will manage during the week, but he's nonetheless set to get the starting assignment Sunday, with fellow signal caller Sam Darnold unavailable due to quad and rib issues. Beyond this weekend, it's possible that Lock's QB1 stint could continue, given that Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that Darnold is viewed as week-to-week, according to coach Mike Macdonald.

Head coach Mike Macdonald announced that Darnold won't play Sunday against the Cardinals due to a quadriceps injury, NFL reporter Andrew Siciliano reports.

In addition to a quad issue that Darnold sustained late in Monday's loss to the Bears, Macdonald revealed that the quarterback suffered a rib injury early in that contest. The pair of health concerns may have played a part in Darnold's subpar performance, which included 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 17-for-34 passing and two carries for 20 yards. With Darnold out for the first time since Week 2, backup QB Drew Lock will draw the Week 9 start under center for the Seahawks.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggests that Watson may have difficulty clearing the NFL's concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's game against the Saints.

In the wake of Wednesday's news that Watson is in the protocol, the Browns' Week 9 QB situation will be worth monitoring closely as Sunday's 1:00 pm ET kickoff approaches. Key context on that front will arrive via the team's upcoming practice report, but if Watson is unable to gain clearance to play this weekend, Shedeur Sanders would be in line to get his first regular-season start.

Sanders could be needed to start Sunday's game at New Orleans after Deshaun Watson was placed in concussion protocol when he experienced symptoms Monday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

During this past Sunday's 27-6 loss to the Steelers, Watson briefly departed the game in the first quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit from safety Jaquan Brisker. Sanders checked in and completed both of his pass attempts for two yards across four total plays before Watson was cleared to return for the Browns' next possession. However, with the concussion symptoms surfacing a day later, Watson's availability for Week 9 is now in jeopardy. Watson will still have time to clear the five-step protocol ahead of Sunday, but expect Sanders to at least get some reps in with the first-team offense Wednesday during the team's first practice of the week.

The Browns announced Wednesday that Watson has been placed in concussion protocol.

Watson took a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first quarter of Sunday's 27-6 loss to the Steelers, and after being examined by an independent consultant he was cleared to return to the game. Though subsequent tests after the game and Monday morning showed no symptoms of a concussion, Watson informed the Browns on Tuesday morning that he was experiencing symptoms and was "immediately placed in the concussion protocol," per the team. Watson will need to clear the five-step protocol in order to play in Cleveland's Week 9 matchup with New Orleans, but if he's unable to go, Shedeur Sanders would be in line to start at quarterback for the first time this season.

Huntley (toe) has reportedly sustained a season-ending turf toe injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter previously noted that Huntley could be a candidate for injured reserve, and Schefter's report suggests that such a transaction is looming. With star QB Lamar Jackson out indefinitely with a right thumb injury, Joe Fagnano is in line make his first career NFL regular-season start Thursday night against the Jaguars, while Kedon Slovis is on hand to serve as his backup. Beyond that, it's likely that the Ravens will add further QB depth in the coming days.

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter said Tuesday that Huntley (toe) could be a candidate for injured reserve, Sam Cohn of The Baltimore Sunreports.

Following Sunday's 36-10 loss to the Bills, Minter confirmed that Lamar Jackson required thumb surgery and was ticketed for IR, and Huntley looks like he could join Jackson in being deactivated. Minter said that he expects to know by Wednesday whether Huntley will require an IR stint, as the Ravens are presumably still waiting on test results on the signal-caller's right toe injury. At the very least, Huntley is tracking toward sitting out Thursday's game against the Jaguars, as Minter announced Tuesday that undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano will serve as the Ravens' Week 9 starter.