NFC South

The Carolina Panthers are reportedly open to trading wide receiver Robbie Anderson ahead of the Nov. 1 NFL trade deadline.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Panthers have had trade conversations focused on Anderson with other teams leading up to the deadline.

Schefter also reported that the Panthers are listening to offers on star running back Christian McCaffrey, although they aren't inclined to move him unless they receive a strong offer that includes a high draft pick or multiple draft picks.

Anderson is in the midst of his third season with the Panthers, recording 13 receptions for 206 yards and one touchdown. Since racking up five grabs for 102 yards and one score in an impressive season-opening performance, Anderson hasn't done much as part of a struggling Panthers passing game led by quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The 29-year-old Anderson is just two years removed from the most productive season of his career in 2020 when he set career highs with 95 receptions and 1,096 yards, while also scoring three touchdowns.

Prior to joining the Panthers in free agency, Anderson spent the first four seasons of his career with the New York Jets. Anderson signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent out of Temple.

Anderson played under then-Temple head coach Matt Rhule in college, and Rhule later went on to become his head coach with the Panthers as well.

Following a disappointing 1-4 start to the 2022 season, Rhule was fired this week and replaced by interim head coach Steve Wilks.

The Panthers are trending toward competing for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, which they would likely use on the franchise quarterback they have been seeking since the decline and departure of Cam Newton.

Trading away key pieces like Anderson and McCaffrey would likely aid in securing the No. 1 overall pick, and there isn't a ton of incentive to keep them given how unlikely it is that Carolina will turn things around and compete for a playoff spot.

Anderson has been inconsistent throughout his career, especially over the past two seasons, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him generate some interest leading up to the deadline among teams in need of wide receiver depth and a deep threat.

Christian McCaffrey could be playing for another team come next month.

With the Nov. 1 trade deadline approaching, the Carolina Panthers are "listening" to offers for the veteran running back following the firing of head coach Matt Rhule, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, who notes "a deal might not be easy to complete."

"The Panthers rebuffed at least two teams' inquiries into trading for McCaffrey last week and will continue to reject overtures that they don't consider to be significant offers, according to sources," Schefter wrote.

While the Panthers aren't actively shopping McCaffrey, he "is receiving the most significant interest from teams" compared to some of Carolina's other players who might be available, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills are among the teams to have expressed interest in McCaffrey, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million extension with the Panthers in April 2020, making him the highest-paid running back in football. However, he hasn't lived up to that contract since, mostly because of injuries.

The 26-year-old appeared in just three games during the 2020 campaign because of a high-ankle sprain, a shoulder injury and a thigh injury. In 2021, he played just seven games before missing the remainder of the season with an ankle ailment.

McCaffrey has appeared in all five games to start the 2022 season, rushing for 324 yards and two touchdowns, but the Panthers are fourth in the NFC South with a 1-4 record and appear headed toward their fifth straight season without a playoff appearance.

McCaffrey, the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, isn't slated to become a free agent until 2026. That being said, any team that wants to acquire him must be willing to make it worth Carolina's while, such as including a high draft pick or multiple draft selections.

It's no surprise the Broncos are one of the teams to have expressed interest in McCaffrey. Javonte Williams is sidelined for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, so the franchise is currently set to move forward with Melvin Gordon, Mike Boone and Latavius Murray.

The 49ers are in a similar situation, with Elijah Mitchell on injured reserve with a sprained MCL. The team has relied on a combination of Jeff Wilson Jr., Tevin Coleman, Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price.

The Rams' situation is slightly different. Darrell Henderson has served as the team's top running back even though Cam Akers is healthy. Akers has been ruled out for Week 6 because of personal reasons, and it seems that a trade of the veteran running back could be possible.

Buffalo, meanwhile, is lacking a significant playmaker like McCaffrey out of the backfield, relying on Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and James Cook.

If McCaffrey is traded, it likely won't be until closer to the deadline as teams begin to get more desperate entering the second half of the season.

The NFL is reportedly fining Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady for trying to kick Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett during the teams' Week 5 game.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Brady has been docked $11,139 for kicking at Jarrett on the play the Falcons defender was flagged for roughing the passer.

Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reported earlier in the day the NFL was working to determine whether it was an intentional act.

Jarrett was flagged on the fourth-quarter play, a highly controversial call, and video from the incident shows Brady kicking his leg toward the Falcons defender. It's unclear if he makes contact.

The play in question happened with three minutes left in the final quarter Sunday and the Falcons trailing 21-15. On third down, Jarrett wrapped up Brady and took him down for a 10-yard sack, which would have forced a Bucs punt and a chance at a comeback win for Atlanta.

Instead, a flag was thrown for roughing the passer, which referee Jerome Boger described as Jarrett "unnecessarily throwing him to the ground." It was the latest in a recent trend of questionable penalty calls for roughing the passer.

Jarrett said Tuesday on 680 The Fan in Atlanta (via ESPN's Michael Rothstein) he remained in "disbelief" about the game-changing call—the Bucs were able to run out the clock to secure the win—and also stated he spoke with officials about Brady's kicking motion.

"'Look, you see him now. Let's clean it up.' You know what I'm saying? And then it happened again at the end of the game," he said. "I'm like, 'So, we going to let this slide?'"

Brady, who simply stated "I don't throw flags" after Sunday's game, expanded on his thoughts about the play Monday on his Let's Go! podcast (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com).

"It was a long hug, a long unwelcome hug from Grady," the 15-time Pro Bowler said. "And he was in the backfield all day. So as I said after the games, I don't throw flags. What I do throw is tablets, and I didn't have one accessible at that time. He had a hell of a game. I'll leave it at that."

The Buccaneers quarterback didn't make any reference to the apparent kick.

Brady was previously fined $10,000 for kicking legendary Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed in 2013, per Spotrac. It's the only on-field fine of his career.

Tampa Bay and Atlanta will face off again in Week 18 to wrap up the regular season.

This week, the Bucs travel to Acrisure Stadium to face off with the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Falcons host the San Francisco 49ers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Both games are 1 p.m. ET kickoffs Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady addressed the recent string of questionable roughing the passer penalties that have happened around the NFL.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Brady said he doesn't think the referees are robots and they aren't "trying to get it wrong" when they throw flags after a quarterback is hit.

Brady and the Bucs benefited from a questionable penalty called in Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Grady Jarrett appeared to sack Brady clean for a loss of 10 yards on 3rd-and-5 with 3:03 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Falcons trailing 21-15. The officials called Jarrett for roughing the passer, giving the Bucs a fresh set of downs.

Tampa Bay picked up another first down and was able to run out the clock to preserve the win.

Referee Jerome Boger told reporters after the game that Jarrett "unnecessarily" threw Brady to the ground.

During his weekly appearance on 680 The Fan (h/t USA Today's Victoria Hernandez), Jarrett said he was in "a lot of disbelief" about the penalty being called.

On the heels of the controversy involving Brady, Monday's game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs saw another questionable roughing the passer penalty called.

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones sacked Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and had possession of the football when both players landed on the ground. Instead of being credited with a sack and fumble recovery, Jones was assessed a 15-yard penalty and the Raiders retained possession.

Referee Carl Cheffers told reporters after the game that Jones landed on Carr with his full body weight and the quarterback "is protected from being tackled with full body weight."

The Chiefs erased a 17-point deficit to defeat the Raiders 30-29, so the call didn't impact the final outcome of the game in the same way it may have in the Falcons-Bucs contest.

Per Rob Maadi of the Associated Press, the NFL plans to discuss the roughing the passer penalty during next week's owners meetings in New York.

There are currently no plans to make changes to the rule, but recommendations can be made by the competition committee or teams that would then be voted upon by all 32 club owners.

At least 24 owners would have to vote in favor of a rule in order for it to be changed.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield avoided "major damage" and will not need surgery on the high ankle sprain he suffered, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Mayfield is expected to miss 2-6 weeks with the injury. By avoiding a spot on injured reserve, the quarterback could return within the next four games.

Mayfield, who was acquired in July trade with the Cleveland Browns, suffered the ankle injury during the Panthers' Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The 2018 No. 1 overall pick suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2 last season. It lingered throughout the year, causing him to miss three games before underwent surgery in the offseason.

He hadn't missed any contests because of injury over his first three NFL seasons after taking over the Cleveland offense in Week 3 of his rookie year.

Mayfield has completed 54.9 percent of his throws for 962 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions across five appearances for Carolina this season. The offense's struggles likely played a role in the franchise's decision to fire head coach Matt Rhule.

P.J. Walker is in line to take over as the team's starter for the time being.

Mayfield received a second chance to establish himself as a franchise cornerstone following the trade to the Panthers. While he's yet to take advantage of that opportunity, he'll probably continue to get chances to lead the offense when healthy.

The Carolina Panthers may be forced to turn to backup quarterback P.J. Walker after Baker Mayfield suffered a high-ankle sprain during Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport provided more context:

#Panthers QB Baker Mayfield suffered a high-ankle sprain in Sunday’s game, sources say. That means he’ll miss time, but how much will be determined by more tests and opinions. PJ Walker in line to start at QB this week vs. the #Rams.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 10, 2022

With Mayfield sidelined, the fantasy value of wide receiver D.J. Moore and running back Christian McCaffrey has been impacted. So, what is their outlook moving forward?

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D.J. Moore

Moore's outlook shouldn't change much with Mayfield sidelined, and it may even improve.

The 25-year-old has been one of Carolina's top receivers across four seasons and has posted more than 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last three years.

He posted those numbers while playing with a number of different quarterbacks, including Sam Darnold, Teddy Bridgewater, Walker, Cam Newton, Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen. So, he should have an easy time linking up with Walker, especially given his familiarity with the backup.

It's also not as if Moore was finding success with Mayfield under center.

He has 17 catches for 197 yards and one touchdown through fives games, which is a far cry from his production before Mayfield arrived.

Perhaps Walker can help him rediscover his form.

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Christian McCaffrey

Provided he's healthy, McCaffrey will still have a significant impact in the Carolina lineup.

McCaffrey is the team's top running back and unquestioned leader in the backfield. With Mayfield injured, he could see even more snaps and more looks while Walker fills in.

He has already rushed for 324 yards to go with 188 receiving yards this season.

The 26-year-old is one of the best running backs in the league when healthy, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2018 and 2019. However, injuries have derailed his career since then, which has hurt his value to fantasy managers.

Still, he should be in starting lineups as long as he's healthy.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts won't play in Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because of a hamstring injury.

ESPN's Michael Rothstein noted the Falcons ruled out their second-year tight end on Friday.

It seemed unlikely Pitts would be given the green light to play after missing all three days of practice. He played a season-low 62 percent of Atlanta's offensive snaps in a Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns.

The 21-year-old was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft and hit the NFL as one of the most-hyped tight end prospects ever. Part of that hype was the 6'6", 245-pound Florida product possessing the ability and athleticism of a wide receiver in the prototypical tight end body. Few players combine his size, athletic ceiling and receiving talents

NFL legend Tony Gonzalez said before the 2021 season he believed "the sky's the limit" for Pitts at the NFL level if he works hard, stays healthy and is "self reflective," as he told CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr:

He'll be an All-Pro tight end for a long time. He'll set records. He'll do incredible stuff. I watched a preseason game where he caught a flat route and took it up the sideline and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this kid's special.' He can be right up there with George Kittle and Travis Kelce very soon. It might take him a year or two, but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets close to that by the end of the season.

Pitts answered the hype with a productive rookie season, catching 68 passes for 1,026 yards and one score. He hasn't been nearly as effective thus far in 2022. The Pennsylvania native alum has just 150 yards on 10 receptions with no touchdowns in four games.

There isn't a natural replacement on Atlanta's roster for Pitts' unique skill set. But while he's out of action, look for Parker Hesse to step into the starting lineup. The 27-year-old has 32 yards on three receptions this season.

The Falcons and Bucs are tied for first place in the NFC South with identical 2-2 records. Atlanta has lost four straight games against its division rival dating back to 2020.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was apparently close to being on the other sideline for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers.

He told reporters the NFC South team was "at the top of the list, one of the top couple" clubs in pursuit of him via trade this offseason.

There was a time this offseason when it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the veteran quarterback would be traded. After all, the 49ers traded up to select Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft and were ready to hand the offense to the younger option.

Carolina was connected to Garoppolo during the offseason but ultimately decided to trade for Baker Mayfield instead.

Perhaps it would want a do-over at this point considering it is off to a 1-3 start with Mayfield largely struggling while completing 54.7 percent of his passes for 747 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

San Francisco never traded Garoppolo, and his shoulder surgery may have weakened the market in trade discussions.

That is a fortuitous break for the 49ers at this point because Lance was lost for the season to injury. Having Garoppolo means the team still had a veteran option who led it to the NFC Championship Game last season and the Super Bowl during the 2019 campaign.

It has been an up-and-down start for Garoppolo and the 2-2 49ers, as he stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety and threw a late pick during an ugly loss to the Denver Broncos and managed the game while effectively getting the ball into Deebo Samuel's hands during the most recent win over the Los Angeles Rams.

He could have been managing games for Carolina had a trade happened, but he is instead looking to lead San Francisco to the postseason once again.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady put to rest any doubt he would be out of the lineup Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Brady returned to practice on Thursday and later told reporters his shoulder "feels great" and that he'll "be there" when the Buccaneers take the field Sunday.

Brady returned Thursday after sitting out yesterday's session with right shoulder and right finger injuries. Brady was later listed as a full participant.

#Bucs QB Tom Brady (right shoulder/right finger) was listed as a full participant in practice today.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 6, 2022

Brady appeared to suffer a shoulder injury during a Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, although he later said that he was fine.

Other than when he played just one game in 2008 because of a torn ACL, Brady's durability has been a defining characteristic of his legendary career. He was suspended for four games in 2016 but hasn't missed a contest because of injury since that 2008 campaign.

Brady temporarily retired this past offseason but changed his mind, which kept the Buccaneers on the short list of realistic Super Bowl contenders. After all, his resume includes seven Lombardi Trophies, five Super Bowl MVPs and three MVPs, and he is widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time.

The Michigan product has completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 1,058 yards, six touchdowns and one interception in four games so far this season.

The Buccaneers will likely turn toward Blaine Gabbert under center if Brady for some reason Brady is unable to play.

Since winning their first two games of the season, the Bucs have dropped back-to-back contests to the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. Their defense allowed 41 points and 417 yards to the Chiefs after giving up a total of 27 points and an average of 289 yards in the first three games.

Brady and the Bucs will look to get back on track Sunday when they host the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady missed practice Wednesday because of right shoulder and right finger injuries, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The 45-year-old Brady, who is playing in his 23rd NFL season, has completed 68.4 percent of his passes for six touchdowns (one interception) and 1,058 yards in 2022.

Brady previously appeared on the Bucs' Week 3 injury report with a right ring finger injury, but he still practiced in full Friday prior to the team's Sept. 25 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. Brady started and threw for 271 yards and one touchdown.

He also appeared on the Week 4 injury report with a right finger injury but participated in full practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP is in his third season with the Bucs. His first ended with a Super Bowl victory, and this year's team figures to contend for the Lombardi Trophy as well.

Thus far, the Bucs are just 2-2, but that's good enough to co-lead the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons at the moment. Tampa Bay will host Atlanta in its next game on Sunday.

Behind Brady, the remainder of the Buccaneers' quarterback depth chart consists of Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask.

Gabbert, who has been in the NFL since 2011, serves as Brady's backup. The former Missouri star has played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and Bucs during his career.

In 66 games (48 starts), Gabbert has completed 56.3 percent of his passes for 50 touchdowns (47 interceptions) and 6.1 yards per pass attempt.

For the Bucs over the past two years, Gabbert has completed 16-of-27 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns.

Tampa Bay selected Trask with the No. 64 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. The former Florida star completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 69 touchdowns (15 interceptions) and 9.1 yards per attempt during his college career. He notably threw for 43 touchdowns in 12 games during the 2020 season.