Team news: Denver Broncos | Page 8

Matt Ryan is done. He’s out. He won’t play again, for reasons rooted in his contract. Put simply, once the team decided (and it was clear from coach Frank Reich’s comments that owner Jim Irsay made the decision) that Ryan won’t be the quarterback in 2023, it was time to pull the plug on 2022.

Ryan’s contract already pays him $12 million in base salary next year, fully guaranteed. But millions more would become fully guaranteed if Ryan suffers an injury that keeps him from passing a physical by the third day of the 2023 league year in March, when the payments that are currently guaranteed for injury become fully guaranteed.

Specifically, Ryan has $7.205 million in additional 2023 salary guaranteed for injury, and a 2023 roster bonus of $10 million, which is also guaranteed for injury. That’s $17.205 million that the Colts would potentially owe Ryan (in addition to the $12 million) if he emerges from the 2022 season with an injury that prevents him from passing a physical by the middle of March.

Related players: Sam Ehlinger, Nick Foles

Ehlinger officially becomes the starting quarterback of the Colts. If he fails or gets injured, Foles will take over. And if Foles gets injured, the quarterback will be anyone but Ryan, the story said.

Tests today revealed that Chargers’ WR Mike Williams suffered a high ankle sprain and, according to a source, “will miss some time.”

Related Players: DeAndre Carter, Keenan Allen, Michael Bandy

Awful news for Williams, who was having a great year, averaging over eight targets per game. Keenan Allen was eased back into the lineup during Week 7, and Williams' injury will force the Chargers' hand in getting him back into a full-time role very soon. Allen has proven over his extensive career that he has the chops to be a target hog, and the team will need him to step up quickly, assuming he is back to full health.

Colts head coach Frank Reich said QB Sam Ehlinger will start vs. Washington as Matt Ryan recovers from a Grade 2 shoulder sprain. Nick Foles will operate as the backup quarterback.

Though we would typically see this as a downgrade for the fantasy pieces in Indianapolis, it honestly doesn't get much worse than a Matt Ryan who can't push the ball down the field. It's very possible that Ehlinger will remain the starter for the immediate future.

Ravens cuts: QB Anthony Brown, RB Tyler Badie, FB Ben Mason, NT Isaiah Mack, LB Zakoby McClain, RB Nate McCrary, OLB Jeremiah Moon, DT Rayshad Nichols, TE Tony Poljan, WR Makai Polk, CB David Vereen, WR Binjimen Victor, DB Ar'Darius Washington, WR Raleigh Webb, OLB Chuck Wiley.

Related players: J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Mike Davis, Justice Hill, Kenyan Drake

The team signed Drake with a lot of uncertainty surrounding Dobbins and Edwards for at least the early part of the season. It looks like Hill beats out Badie for the final RB spot. With Edwards out for Week 1 and Dobbins a big question mark, it's possibly going to be Davis, Hill and Drake getting the work if Dobbins can't go in Week 1.

As expected, Kenyan Drake is signing with the Ravens.

Related players: J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Mike Davis, Tyler Badie, Justice Hill

Those who have fantasy stock in the Ravens backfield were likely pretty worried when word got out Drake was visiting the Ravens. Now that he's signed, the backfield has got a little more crowded to say the least. Drake's role will likely be mostly pass catching, especially when the backfield is healthy. We know Edwards won't be ready for Week 1, and Dobbins remains a big question mark. That means a backfield of Davis and Drake for Week 1 is a possibility.

This means the running back will miss at least the first four games of the season as he continues to rehab from his knee injury.

Related Players: J.K. Dobbins, Mike Davis, Tyler Badie

We were already certain that Gus Edwards would be missing Week 1, but this puts a bigger damper on Edwards' fantasy prospects. This would presumably raise the ceiling on J.K. Dobbins as veteran RB Mike Davis shouldn't pose much of a threat outside usurping some goal-line work.

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh is still in a wait-and-see mode on whether starting running back J.K. Dobbins will be ready for the regular-season opener.

"He's made some good progress this week," Harbaugh said after Wednesday's practice. "We measure times of how fast he runs, how fast he decelerates, how fast he changes direction. You can see the improvement is tangible. So, we'll see."

Related players: Gus Edwards, Tyler Badie, Mike Davis, Justice Hill

Dobbins, who tore his left ACL last August, has been participating in individual drills for five days since being activated off the physically unable to perform list. The Ravens remain non-committal on if Dobbins will be recovered enough to play Sept. 11 at the New York Jets, the story went on to say. The story added Dobbins is ahead of schedule compared to Edwards who is still on the PUP list. Badie, Davis and Hill would be up next assuming neither Dobbins nor Edwards would be ready for Week 1.

Per the article, "Edwards, by the way, is not expected to be ready for the start of the season."

Related Players: J.K. Dobbins, Tyler Badie, Mike Davis

While Dobbins isn't likely to be seen much before the season-opener, expect to see a lot out of Badie, Justice Hill, and Corey Clement in the preseason while the Ravens get a better read on Dobbins' health. Clement seems be the special teams specialist while Hill is reportedly on the right side of the roster bubble.

The presumptive new WR3 after Tim Patrick's season-ending torn ACL was Hamler's first padded reps with Russell Wilson and the gang today.

Related Players: Kendall Hinton, Jerry Jeudy, Greg Dulcich, Albert Okwuegbunam

There are a fair amount of mouths to feed within the Denver Broncos offense, but nonetheless, Hamler will have an opportunity to cut out a portion of the offense for himself as he returns from his own torn ACL that he suffered last season. A second-round pick in 2020, he has only seen the field in 17 career games, accruing a 35-455-3 stat line in the process.

Source: MRI confirmed Broncos standout WR Tim Patrick suffered season-ending ACL injury Tuesday.

Related players: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, K.J. Hamler, Kendall Hinton, Albert Okwuegbunam, Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon

The worst is confirmed for Patrick, and he'll miss the 2022 season. Hamler should see an increased role as the team's WR3, but it could also mean more passing work for the RBs and TE Okwuegbunam.