This morning after huddle is brought to you by yours truly, as I pinch hit for the real Megatron, Meg Hall. The news is really schedule-focused, as we are barreling towards the complete NFL schedule release on Saturday. Let’s dive right in, unlike Cam Newton on the fumble in the Super Bowl versus Denver.
- The NFL announced that the Super Bowl champion Rams and Russell Wilson’s Denver Broncos will headline the Christmas Day slate. A matchup this late in the season should have playoff implications for both teams, and you get a marquee QB matchup with star power on both sides.
- Speaking of the Rams, they lost some RB depth yesterday. Ian Rapaport reported that Sony Michel has joined Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins, where he will presumably back up free agent addition Chase Edmonds. Michel is coming off a season where he rushed for 845 yards and 4 TDs filling in for Cam Akers.
- Speaking of the schedule, the NFL also announced their week 2 Monday Night Football doubleheader: they will open with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will take on the great mentor that is Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans, and it will be followed by Kirk Cousins and the Vikings taking on an Eagles team who had one of the better drafts.
- Now that the NFL Draft is in the clear, teams have started to finalize cuts that were rumored all offseason. One such cut is CB James Bradberry, who was one of Dave Gettleman’s expensive signings as General Manager of the New York Giants. The Giants released him yesterday, saving $10.1M (leaving a dead money hit of $11.7M, yikes!) and thus being able to sign their rookies. The Giants will enter training camp, barring any additional moves, with Adoree Jackson as their best cornerback in a system that relies heavily on corners being left on an island.
- Lastly, Aidan Hutchinson has agreed to his rookie deal with the Detroit Lions. Due to the rookie scale, we’ve seen less holdouts than in years past, with a majority of them coming from offset language. It’s a great look for the Lions, still building their identity, to get their top pick signed and ready for camp.
That does it for today’s edition. Check back tomorrow for the latest in NFL news.
