Lions Trade T.J. Hockenson to Vikings, Could Make Minnesota Debut vs. Commanders

And here's more on the Rivera story from Chicago.

OCT 13 BRIAN ROBINSON TO START VS. BEARS In his second NFL game and return from a gunshot wound, rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. is expected to start for the Washington Commanders against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, per NFL Network.

Robinson received first-team work in the team's second preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs back in August, so the start tonight reflects what the team originally wanted at the beginning of the season. Antonio Gibson will backup Robinson.

OCT 10 BRIAN ROBINSON GETS CELEBRITY SHOUT OUT After making his NFL debut six weeks after being shot in the knee, Washington Commanders rookie Brian Robinson Jr. inspired a lot of people, including rapper 50 Cent.

50 Cent, like Robinson, is also a gunshot survivor, so there's a personal connection to the shout out.

Robinson ran the ball nine times for 22 yards in Sunday's loss against the Titans.

OCT 7 RULED OUT The Commanders will not have Sam Cosmi or Jahan Dotson available for Sunday's Week 5 game against the Titans.

Receiver Curtis Samuel, dealing with an illness, should be in the lineup.

Cosmi had surgery on his injured thumb this week while the rookie Dotson has been dealing with a hamstring injury.

Tight end Logan Thomas (calf) is listed as questionable.

OCT 6 WAYNE ROONEY SHOWS UP TO PRACTICE

Wayne Rooney may be taking up a new kind of football.

Rooney, who manages D.C. United, made an appearance at Washington Commanders practice Thursday and was captured in a picture from The Athletic's Ben Standig talking with president Jason Wright and co-CEO Tanya Snyder.

D.C. United wraps up its regular season this weekend against FC Cincinnati.

OCT 4 GARRETT GILBERT SIGNS WITH PATRIOTS

NFL journeyman Garrett Gilbert is on the move again, signing with the New England Patriots practice squad.

Gilbert last appeared in the NFL last season, starting for the COVID-stricken Taylor Heinicke in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Gilbert joins the Patriots after Mac Jones sprained his ankle and Brian Hoyer suffered a head injury in Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.

OCT 3 LANDON COLLINS REUNION? 

No, not in Washington. But maybe in New York?

Hybrid safety Landon Collins is on Monday visiting with the Giants, where he was a three-time Pro Bowler before joining Washington in 2019.

He's a street free agent now, Washington having moved on ... So maybe he gets his old wish, as he once said he was "heartbroken'' at having to leave the Giants.

"When I started there, I wanted to finish there,'' Collins said a few years ago. "I wanted to be one of those guys to finish his career on one team.''

Maybe now he will. Kinda.

OCT 2 ROOKIE RETURN 

Commanders rookie Brian Robinson is coming back.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Robinson is expected to be activated from the NFI list this week. This will mark the return of the running back who was in contention for first-team snaps alongside Antonio Gibson before an attempted robbery in August that saw Robinson absorb two gun-shot wounds to his legs.

Robinson, a third-round pick, could boost a running game that features Gibson, who is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry.

SEPT 30 WES SCHWEITZER OUT VS. COWBOYS

Wes Schweitzer, who filled in for the injured Chase Roullier as the starter last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, won't play Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Schweitzer is still in concussion protocol, meaning Nick Martin is expected to be the starter on Sunday. This will mark three different starting centers in as many weeks for the Commanders.

Offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr. is also questionable with a shoulder injury. Should he be unable to go, Cornelius Lucas should get the nod at left tackle.

SEPT 29 COMMANDERS TO WEAR BLACK JERSEYS VS. COWBOYS

The Washington Commanders are wearing new jerseys all season long, but for the first time this season, the team will wear their black alternate jerseys in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys.

"I think they're sharp," quarterback Carson Wentz said. "Hopefully we execute well wearing them, but I think they're sharp. I think guys will be excited for it."

The Commanders and Cowboys kick off at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

SEPT 24 COMMANDERS MAKE ROSTER MOVES

The Commanders have elevated defensive end William Bradley-King and defensive tackle Benning Potoa'e from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of Sunday's Week 3 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Additionally, Washington updated its injury report and designed cornerback William Jackson III as questionable due to a back injury

SEPT 21 ANOTHER NEW NAME OrthoVirginia is the new naming-rights sponsor for the Commanders' Ashburn, Va. training complex, the announcement about the partnership centering on the 162-acre facility being made Wednesday by coach Ron Rivera.

The deal will reportedly include practice-jersey branding and continues the overall re-branding efforts of the newly renamed Washington NFL franchise.

SEPT 21 JETER BROUGHT BACK The Washington Commanders re-signed defensive tackle Donovan Jeter to the practice squad, just days after cutting him in favor of rookie John Ridgeway, who the team claimed off waivers.

Jeter played 18 defensive snaps in the team's loss against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

In a corresponding move, the team placed offensive lineman Nolan Laufenberg on the practice squad's Injured Reserve (IR).

SEPT 19 DC CLAIMS COWBOY The Dallas Cowboys spent the weekend in a md scramble to keep injured players (like Dak Prescott) on the 53-man roster, meaning they had to waive fifth-round rookie defensive tackle John Ridgeway (6-5, 322), with the plan that he might slip through waivers and be re-signed to the Dallas practice squad.

Unfortunately for Dallas - but maybe fortunately for Washington and for the colorful Arkansas product who upon his arrival at The Star announced that he wanted to "break necks''' (read more here)'- the D-line-needy Commanders put in a claim and so the self-named "Vanilla Gorilla'' is making his move from one NFC East foe to another.

SEPT 16 TERRY MCLAURIN HONORED Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 2 after the launch of his new foundation, The Terry McLaurin Foundation.

McLaurin celebrated his birthday by delivering gifts to kids from CASA of DC and Big Brothers Big Sisters National Capital Area.

SEPT 15 JOE PATTON PASSES AWAY AT 50 Former Washington offensive lineman Joe Patton passed away Thursday. Tré Johnson, his former teammate, broke the news on Instagram.

Patton, a 1994 third-round pick from Alabama A&M, played in 61 games for Washington from 1994-98 and started 54 games across the offensive line.

Details behind how he passed away or information on a celebration of life have not been given.

SEPT 14 NFL REVEALS UPDATE ON SNYDER INVESTIGATION NFL executive Jeff Miller answered questions on a conference call Wednesday morning to the media, which included an update regarding Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder.

According to NFL.com, attorney Mary Jo White continues to investigate the toxic workplace allegations regarding Snyder, including the latest testimonies with the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

There is no timeline for when the investigation will end.

SEPT 13 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS ADD DT BENNING POTOA'E Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Benning Potoa'e joins the practice squad while safety Farrod Gardner was released in a corresponding move. 

This makes two defensive linemen added to Washington's roster since rookie Phidarian Mathis was placed on injured reserve, with Michigan rookie Donovan Jeter joining the team on Monday.

SEPT 12 RYAN ANDERSON SIGNS WITH STEELERS Former Washington linebacker Ryan Anderson is signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad Tuesday. 

Anderson, 28, was a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and spent four seasons in Washington.

Signing Anderson comes just days after T.J. Watt tore his pectoral muscle in the Steelers' win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.

SEPT 8 DESHAZOR EVERETT SENTENCED Former Washington defensive back Deshazor Everett was sentenced to three months of house arrest after driving in a car crash that killed his girlfriend Olivia Peters in December.

Everett, 30, was placed on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) List after the crash and was cut by the team in March.

He appeared for 89 games with Washington since 2015.

SEPT 5 COMMANDERS CUT FORMER DRAFT PICK The Washington Commanders have reached an injury settlement with backup center Keith Ismael, releasing him from injured reserve.

Ismael, a 2020 fifth-round pick, was placed on IR with an undisclosed injury earlier in camp. He played in 10 games last season for the Commanders, starting five games at the end of the season for an injured Chase Roullier.

With Ismael a free agent and Tyler Larsen on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List, the Commanders only have Jon Toth, a practice squad signee, as the only listed backup center.

SEPT 2 SEAN TAYLOR'S LITTLE BROTHER and SI As written via our SI daily cover story ...

"Almost 15 years have passed since Sean Taylor was killed by a burglar at age 24, on Nov. 27, 2007, in the middle of his fourth NFL season with Washington. In that time, his little brother has never shied away from the shadow Sean left behind. Growing up, Gabriel played on a Miami-area youth football team that honored Sean by putting his name on the back of every player’s jersey. In high school, at nearby Gulliver Prep, he competed on Sean Taylor Memorial Field. And today, as a third-year sophomore at Rice, he proudly wears Sean’s college number, 26, while manning the same safety position.''

A terrific profile about the legacy of the Washington legend - starring Gabriel Taylor, who "when he was 9 years old (was) just walking around the house, acting like him. Getting into that mode, that mindset ... where he did his thing'' - can be read here.