NFL Player News

Brissett is expected to move into a backup role with the Patriots planning to start Drake Maye in Sunday's game against the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Though he won the starting job coming out of the preseason, Brissett never looked to be in line for a long-term stay atop the depth chart after the Patriots selected Maye with the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft. After Brissett presided over an offense that ranks 31st in the league with averages of 250.8 yards and 12.4 points per game, not to mention a 1-4 record, the Patriots are now ready to turn the keys over to Maye. Brissett will slide back into the familiar No. 2 role he's occupied across multiple stops in his NFL career, and if Maye stays healthy and provides a lift to the offense, the Patriots could even explore moving the 31-year-old veteran to a quarterback-needy team ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline. Brissett is on an expiring contract and carries a modest cap number of $7.88 million.

The Patriots are planning to have Maye start Sunday's game against the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

While New England has yet to officially confirm the move, expect head coach Jerod Mayo to announce it when he meets with the media Wednesday. The decision to turn to Maye -- the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft -- isn't a major surprise, as the Patriots had struggled to a 1-4 start with Jacoby Brissett directing an offense that averaged 250.8 yards and 12.4 points per game, both of which are the second-worst marks in the NFL. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Maye boasts an ideal frame for a quarterback and is blessed with a strong arm and good mobility, but his fantasy upside could be limited in 2024 due to the Patriots' shaky offensive line and dearth of high-quality pass-catching threats.

Fields will begin Week 6 prep Wednesday as the Steelers' first-team quarterback, while Russell Wilson (calf) works with the second team in his first full practice since Week 1, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

After being named the Steelers' starter coming out of the preseason, Wilson aggravated a calf injury during Week 1 prep and he has yet to play this season. Fields has since guided the team to a 3-2 record while completing 67.6 percent of his passes for 7.1 yards per attempt and a 5:1 TD:INT to go with 172 yards and three scores on the ground. Though Fields has generally performed well, coach Mike Tomlin stopped short of declaring that he will retain the starting role for Sunday's game in Las Vegas, especially with the 25-year-old coming off his least efficient outing of the season in a Week 5 loss to Dallas. Tomlin indicated that the Steelers will wait and see how Wilson comes out of his first full practice in more than a month before potentially mixing him in with the first team Thursday and/or Friday. The Steelers will presumably lock in a Week 6 starter following Friday's practice, though Tomlin may not disclose to the media whether Fields or Wilson will get the nod.

Wilson (calf) is scheduled to be a full participant in practice Wednesday and will open Week 6 prep with the second-team offense, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.

According to Dale Lolley of the Steelers' official site, coach Mike Tomlin added that while Wilson will open the practice week with the backups so as not to disrupt Justin Fields' preparation, the coach is leaving the door open for Wilson to potentially take reps with the first team later on in the week. Fields appears set to pick up another start Sunday against the Raiders, but Tomlin has yet to make that official. Wilson was named the Steelers' starting quarterback coming out of the preseason, but he has yet to make his team debut after aggravating a calf injury in practice leading up to Week 1.

Young completed four of seven pass attempts for 58 yards and took one carry for eight yards in Sunday's 36-10 loss to the Bears.

With the Panthers trailing by 26 points late in the fourth quarter, head coach Dave Canales turned the offense over to Young, who made his first appearance since losing his starting role to veteran Andy Dalton in Week 3. Though the Bears' big lead may have resulted in him facing vanilla defensive schemes, Young drew praise for his brief cameo, with Canales saying the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft did a "fantastic job," per David Newton of ESPN.com. Canales relayed that Dalton will draw a fourth straight start in Week 6 against the Falcons, but given the Panthers' investment in him, Young should get another opportunity to start at some point this season.

Martinez reverted to the Jets' practice squad Monday.

Martinez was an emergency option for the Jets at quarterback behind Tyrod Taylor on Sunday as Aaron Rodgers played through an ankle injury in the team's loss to the Vikings.

Boyle reverted to the Dolphins' practice squad Monday.

Boyle was elevated to the active roster for Sunday's game against the Patriots, and operated as Tyler Huntley's backup but never got on the field.

Carr will undergo an MRI on his left oblique Tuesday, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.

The veteran quarterback completed 18 of 28 pass attempts for 165 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in Monday's 26-13 loss to Kansas City before leaving the game with 9:32 remaining in the fourth quarter. After the game, Carr admitted his condition was "not good," but he said that he will do everything in his power to play in the Saints' Week 6 game against the Buccaneers on Sunday. The MRI should provide a clearer picture of his chances of suiting up. 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Haener directed the offense for the Saints' final offensive drive Monday and could draw the Week 6 start if Carr is unable to go, with rookie Spencer Rattler also being an option.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski reiterated Monday that Watson is still the team's starting quarterback, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. "I have to coach better," Stefanski said. "As offensive coaches, we have to coach better. As players, we have to play better. Deshaun can play better, he will play better."

Stefanski said as much following Sunday's 34-13 loss to the Vikings and still feels the same way after having a night to sleep on it. Watson and the Browns travel to Philadelphia for Week 6, bringing an offense that ranks last offensively in yards per play (3.8), yards per game (239.4) and third-down efficiency (18.2 percent). The Eagles rank 27th in total yards allowed per game (365.8) and 24th in passing yards allowed per game (237.0).

Haener entered Monday's 26-13 loss to the Chiefs in the fourth quarter in relief of injured starter Derek Carr (oblique) and completed two of seven pass attempts for 17 yards while adding 11 yards on two carries.

Carr tweaked his oblique on an incomplete fourth-down pass attempt with 9:32 remaining in the fourth quarter and didn't return for the Saints' final drive of the night, with Haener getting pressed into duty in his stead. Haener's prior two NFL regular-season appearances had come at the tail end of blowouts, but the 2023 fourth-round pick saw his first action in a more competitive setting Monday. Carr will likely undergo further testing on his oblique in the coming days before the Saints have a better feel for his status heading into their Week 6 game against the Buccaneers on Sunday, but if Carr is forced to miss that contest, Haener would presumably be in line for his first career start.