Latest NFL News & Rumors: Thursday, September 22

Baltimore Ravens sign DE Jason Pierre-Paul

• It’s a one-year deal for JPP, who worked out for Baltimore earlier this week. 
• The 33-year-old has spent the past four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the New York Giants. 
• He dealt with a shoulder injury most of last season and earned a career-low 49.1 PFF grade. He underwent shoulder surgery in February and is now fully recovered.

Carolina Panthers add RB Christian McCaffrey to injury report 

• McCaffrey is dealing with an ankle injury, which the team described as “lingering stiffness” from Sunday’s game. They still fully expect him to play this week against New Orleans.
• McCaffrey has dealt with several injuries the last two years, playing in just 10 total games. With that in mind, McCaffrey has a “rest” day every Wednesday of the season.
• Through two games, McCaffrey has carried the ball 25 times for 135 yards and a TD. He’s earned an 81.7 grade, third best among running backs.

New England Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers dealing with knee injury

• Meyers has missed both days of practice this week. The injury is not considered significant.
• Meyers had nine catches for 95 yards in last Sunday’s win, and he leads the team in receptions (13), targets (19) and receiving yards (150) through two weeks. He’s earned a 72.9 PFF grade. 
• The Patriots welcome the Baltimore Ravens to town on Sunday.

Sean Payton confirms he’d be interested in comeback if right opportunity comes along

• “If the right situation presented itself, I would definitely be interested,” Payton told NewOrleans.Football. “And there’s no utopia, if you will, when it comes to teams, but if I felt like it was the right situation, I would have an interest in that. That all being said, that could come in a year, that could come in two years.”
• The former longtime New Orleans Saints head coach is working with FOX this season as a studio analyst.
• The Saints still control his rights, so an interested team would have to trade for him.

Free agent LB Blake Martinez visiting the Las Vegas Raiders

• Martinez was released by the Giants before the start of the regular season. He took a visit with the Ravens earlier this week but left without a deal in place.
• The 27-year-old missed most of last year due to a torn ACL but has since fully recovered. 
• In his last full season in 2020, he earned a 75.9 overall grade, 75.2 run-defense and an 81.9 tackling grade. His defensive coordinator was Patrick Graham, who is now in Las Vegas.