Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension is back on … for now:
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has ruled in favor of the NFL, allowing the league to impose its six-game suspension on the Dallas Cowboys star running back. Back in September, Elliott’s suspension was blocked when U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant granted a preliminary injunction to prevent the suspension that was originally handed down in August.
Elliott has run for 393 yards on 105 carries and is Pro Football Focus’ ninth highest graded running back.
The Cowboys are on a bye this week, which gives Elliott and his legal team some time to plan and make their next move. Dallas Morning News reporter Kate Hairopoulos tweets Elliott and the NFLPA will file for another injunction – this time in New York – to keep playing.
In other running back news…
This would’ve been awesome years ago:
The New Orleans Saints signed Adrian Peterson hoping he would bring a boost to the team’s running game, but it never came to fruition. So four games, 27 rushes, and 81 rushing yards later, the Saints dealt Peterson to the Arizona Cardinals – a team in search of backfield support after seeing David Johnson hit injured reserve early in the season. The Cardinals haven’t been able to get their ground game going with backups Andre Ellington and Kerwynn Williams, so they’ll turn to Peterson and hope he encounters the fountain of youth in Arizona.
If you think the Bears are haunted by the injury bug, you should check out the unfortunate news happenings in New York – particularly with their receivers. Odell Beckham is expected to have surgery on his broken left ankle, as will fellow receiver Brandon Marshall, who has an ankle injury of his own that will require surgery. The Giants now have three receivers who will be out for the season with injuries, depleting a team that had aspirations of returning to the playoffs again this winter.
Houston Texans defensive studs J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus are the latest players to hit injured reserve, tweets Ian Rapoport. Watt has played in just eight games in the last two seasons and will miss the rest of this season with a fractured leg. Mercilus, who has logged 20.5 sacks in his last 30 games, is out with a pectoral muscle injury.
After being hit hard with injuries to their top pass rushers, the Texans have signed former Bears edge defender Lamarr Houston.
The Minnesota Vikings made a call to the bullpen when Case Keenum replaced Sam Bradford during the team’s win against the Bears on Monday Night Football. However, the Vikings No. 1 quarterback could be on his way back soon. Teddy Bridgewater is going to be re-evaluated by his surgeon, tweets Chris Tomasson. Bridgewater hasn’t played since preseason 2016 because he suffered a serious knee injury in a summer practice. He started the year on the physically unable to perform list, and could come back in 2017 if he checks out medically.
Quarterback Tom Brady has a nagging shoulder injury that caused him to miss practice. Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston reports his absence was due to him taking a MRI on his left shoulder. Teammate Mike Giardi tweets Brady’s injury is an AC joint sprain that stems from taking a sack from Julius Peppers in the team’s Week 4 loss against the Carolina Panthers. Brady is expected to play against the New York Jets.
NEWSLETTER
