HEADLINES

Browns Open To Giving Shedeur Sanders ‘Extended Look’ As Starting QB

November 30th, 2025 at 3:50pm CST by Connor Byrne

NOVEMBER 30: In the wake of the Browns’ loss on Sunday, Stefanski confirmed to little surprise (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com) that Sanders will get the nod once again next week. His third consecutive start will come against the Titans.

NOVEMBER 29: Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make the second start of his career on Sunday against the 49ers. The team is open to giving Sanders an “extended look” as its starter beyond then, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

A fifth-round pick after a decorated career at Colorado, Sanders made his NFL debut when rookie third-rounder Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion in a Week 11 loss to the Ravens. Sanders completed just 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception in relief.

With Gabriel’s concussion holding him out last week, Sanders took the reins against the Raiders. After a full week receiving first-team reps, Sanders finished 11 of 20 for 209 yards, a touchdown, and a pick. The Browns picked up a 24-10 victory to improve to 3-8.

Although Gabriel cleared concussion protocol on Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that he’s sticking with Sanders. Stefanski’s decision didn’t come as a surprise on the heels of a win with Sanders at the helm. Gabriel’s struggles when healthy surely made it an even easier choice for Stefanski.

The Browns stumbled to a 1-5 mark between Gabriel’s promotion to the starting role in Week 5 and his concussion. Gabriel only managed 116 passing yards in his lone win, a 31-6 blowout over the Dolphins in Week 7. The left-hander from Oregon has thrown seven touchdowns against two interceptions, but he has completed just 59.2% of passes and averaged a meager 5.1 yards per attempt. He ranks 31st among 33 qualifiers in QBR, beating out the Raiders’ Geno Smith and the Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy.

While Sanders didn’t exactly light it up against the Raiders, he doesn’t have a high bar to clear to outdo Gabriel’s output. It also helps that practice squad signal-caller Bailey Zappe is the only other healthy QB in the fold. It’s too early to say Gabriel won’t turn into an NFL-caliber starter, but he hasn’t looked the part yet. With that in mind, it makes sense for the out-of-contention Browns to give Sanders a longer look as they map out their future.

Assuming the Browns no longer regard the injured Deshaun Watson as the answer, they’ll need to find a franchise quarterback somewhere. If the Browns don’t believe they have one in Gabriel or Sanders when the offseason rolls around, they’ll have to consider upgrading in free agency, the trade market, and the draft. The 2026 rookie QB class hasn’t drawn rave reviews, but with the Browns set to enter the draft with two first-rounders (one from Jacksonville), that may be their best hope for a long-term solution.

Raiders HC Pete Carroll On Hot Seat?

November 30th, 2025 at 3:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Pete Carroll became the NFL’s oldest head coaching hire this past offseason when he was brought in by the Raiders. His return to the sidelines has not gone well, though, and it remains to be seen if a second Vegas season will be in store.

Carroll has already dismissed two coordinators – Tom McMahon (special teams) and Chip Kelly (offense) – this month. The Raiders sit at 2-9 at this point, and plenty of work will need to be done in the spring to improve the current roster. At 74, Carroll may not been seen as a strong fit for a rebuilding process.

The Super Bowl winner took a three-year contract to join the Raiders. Expectations for a relatively strong debut season were based in large part on the success Carroll had with quarterback Geno Smith. The two were reunited when Smith was acquired via trade, but that move has not yielded the desired results. Smith’s 13 interceptions lead the NFL, and finding consistent production on offense has proven to be a challenge.

Vegas will enter free agency and the draft this spring with questions about the team’s long-term outlook under center, but by that point another change on the sidelines may have taken place. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes (video link) Carroll is on the hot seat. A Saturday Rapoport report detailed the extent to which Carroll influenced the Raiders’ offense in 2025 and the tension it caused with Kelly. With notable firings having been made in-season, it will be interesting to see if Carroll remains in place for next year.

Instability on the sidelines and in the front office has been a defining characteristic of the Raiders during their time in Vegas. The team will look for a period of consistency with general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady (whose voice carries more weight than his title would imply) through the remainder of this season and beyond. Replacing Carroll would constitute a swing and miss from that duo while also continuing an unwanted trend of short HC tenures.

Since Jon Gruden‘s 2021 resignation, the Raiders have cycled through Rich Bisaccia, Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce and now Carroll as head coaches. A positive end to the season would quiet the talk surrounding a potential switch on the sidelines, although Vegas does not face high expectation in that respect.

Cowboys Designate Trevon Diggs For Return

November 30th, 2025 at 2:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

It was learned yesterday that the Cowboys were aiming to open Trevon Diggs‘ practice window this weekend. That has indeed taken place.

Diggs was designated for return on Sunday, per a team announcement. The veteran corner is now eligible to practice as a result. He can be activated any time within the next 21 days.

[RELATED: IR Return Tracker]

Getting Diggs back in the fold shortly will represent another positive development for the Cowboys’ defense. That unit has received reinforcements recently with the likes of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and rookie cornerback Shavon Revel suiting up. The trade acquisitions of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson have also played a key role in Dallas’ defensive turnaround during the team’s three-game winning streak.

Diggs suffered a concussion at home before ultimately landing on IR. Issues regarding his knee – albeit not the one which has been responsible for considerable missed time in previous years – were also a factor in Diggs being sidelined for an extended period. The two-time Pro Bowler will be expected to reprise a starting role once he is activated.

Known as a man coverage specialist, Diggs was among the members of the Cowboys who struggled early in the season under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ reliance on zone coverage. The former All-Pro posted the worst figures of his career in terms of completion percentage and passer rating allowed during his six games played prior to being moved to IR. Improvement on that front would help Diggs contribute down the stretch, and it could boost his chances of remaining in Dallas past the current season.

Diggs is under contract through 2028, but the lack of future guarantees makes him a potential cut candidate for the coming offseason. The 27-year-old could help his stock over the closing weeks of the campaign with a healthy stretch and a consistent level of performance. Of course, that would also provide a boost to the Cowboys’ playoff chances.

Jets GM Darren Mougey Has Scouted QBs Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore In Person; Latest On Team’s 2026 QB Plans

November 30th, 2025 at 12:36pm CST by Rory Parks

If the season ended today, the 2-9 Jets would hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 draft. Even if they do not end up with that pick – and it is certainly feasible they lose enough games down the stretch to find themselves even higher on the draft board – they should be in prime position to select one of next year’s top quarterback prospects.

To that end, GM Darren Mougey has scouted Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore in person, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes. Unfortunately for Mougey, the 2026 class of signal-callers, once viewed as a promising one, has seen its stock drop over the course of the 2025 season. 

Mendoza has been among the most impressive collegiate QBs and is viewed by many as the top prospect likely to declare for the 2026 draft. Although the game that Mougey attended featured Mendoza leading a dramatic, game-winning drive against Penn State, opinions are split on his ceiling at the NFL level. Moore, meanwhile, is only 20 and could benefit from another year of development in the college ranks.

If players like Moore, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, and Texas’ Arch Manning decide to stay in school for one more season, that will strengthen a 2027 class that is already set to include Florida’s DJ Lagway and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola. We had heard one of the reasons Mougey was willing to accept a 2027 first-round pick from the Cowboys in this month’s Quinnen Williams trade was because of his belief that the ‘27 draft class offers more promise than its ‘26 counterpart. So, while the first-year GM is obviously doing his due diligence, he may wait another year to make a high-end draft investment in a QB (though Cimini says in a separate piece that there is “growing buzz” in league circles connecting Mendoza to the Jets).

Whether it is Mendoza or someone else, Cimini thinks the Jets will add a rookie QB in the 2026 draft, and he also believes Mougey will acquire a veteran passer. Despite the fact that Justin Fields’ 2026 salary includes $10MM in guaranteed money, Cimini indicates Mougey will likely release the recently-demoted signal-caller – which jibes with previous reports on the matter – and will not try to re-sign his replacement, Tyrod Taylor.

As per usual, the 2026 crop of free agents offers little by way of starting-caliber quarterbacks, and the one that does qualify as such, Daniel Jones, may not make it to free agency. Mougey could therefore look to the trade market to acquire a bridge passer, and Cimini names Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, and Kirk Cousins as potential targets (Murray and Jones, at least, could also be in the Vikings’ crosshairs).

UDFA rookie Brady Cook has spent most of the year on the Jets’ practice squad, though he has been elevated on several occasions to operate as a backup (he has not, however, seen any regular season game action). In response to a question about whether Cook would get into a game in 2025, head coach Aaron Glenn conceded it was a possibility, but he offered no guarantees. 

Broncos Expect CB Patrick Surtain, LB Alex Singleton Back After Bye

November 30th, 2025 at 12:04pm CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 30: Singleton is off the injury report and is expected to play against the Commanders in Week 13, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

NOVEMBER 25: During an interview with Good Morning America, Singleton confirmed he hopes to return in Week 13 against the Commanders. He has been cleared to practice, so the next few days will be key in determining his status.

NOVEMBER 22: The Broncos were able to pull off a crucial win for the division race last week despite being without star cornerback Patrick Surtain II and starting linebacker Alex Singleton. As they look to build onto an eight-game win streak, the team is optimistic that the defense won’t continue to be short-handed following this week’s bye, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Surtain hasn’t played since October, when he sustained a pectoral injury against the Cowboys. In the immediate aftermath, the Broncos called the two-time first-team All Pro “week-to-week.” They were aware that recovery could take over a week but weren’t willing yet to place him on injured reserve and guarantee a four-game absence.

When Surtain exited with injury four weeks ago, Denver turned to Kris Abrams-Draine, a fifth-round pick last year out of Mizzou, to finish the game in his place, keeping first-round rookie Jahdae Barron in his rotational role in the slot. Up to that point in the season, Abrams-Draine had only played two snaps on defense.

The Broncos did give Barron a chance to start across from Riley Moss the next week against the Texans, but some early struggles led to Abrams-Draine taking the first-team role back partway through the game. Abrams-Draine started each of the next two games, and even though Surtain’s expected return should reduce his role moving forward, he’ll likely get more defensive opportunities after playing the first half of the season mainly as a special teamer.

Last week was only Singleton’s first missed game of the year, but the nature of the absence left plenty of room for concern for his future availability. Singleton underwent surgery earlier this month to have a cancerous tumor removed from one of his testicles, but Fowler reports that, in his recovery, Singleton “has received encouraging results post-surgery.” Singleton is considered slightly less likely than Surtain to play in Week 13, but both players are reportedly trending very much in the right direction.

Vikings Made QB Sam Darnold Offer Similar To Seahawks’ Proposal

November 30th, 2025 at 11:13am CST by Rory Parks

A June report from Michael Silver of The Athletic indicated the Vikings did not make a multiyear offer to quarterback Sam Darnold, who parlayed a surprising run as Minnesota’s starting signal-caller in 2024 into a three-year, $100.5MM free agent contract with the Seahawks this offseason. As the ‘Hawks and Vikes prepare to face each other on Sunday, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (video link) provides some additional context.

According to Pelissero, the Vikings did, in fact, make an offer very similar to the one the Seahawks made. Pelissero acknowledges that the offer only contained a one-year commitment, but the contract Seattle authorized for Darnold also includes a “pay-as-you-go” structure. Indeed, the only guaranteed compensation for future years that Darnold presently enjoys is a $17.5MM injury guarantee, which does not convert to a full guarantee until after Super Bowl LX. 

So, depending on how one plays with semantics, Silver’s and Pelissero’s respective reports are not necessarily contradictory; after all, neither Seattle nor Minnesota made Darnold an offer that tethered them to the USC product beyond 2025, even if their respective proposals were multiyear commitments on paper. Pelissero says the only reason the Vikings did not increase their offer was not because of Darnold’s disappointing end to the 2024 campaign, but because of their faith in J.J. McCarthy (although the team may be regretting that decision at the moment).

From Darnold’s perspective, with money being more or less equal, the Seahawks were a more logical destination, since McCarthy’s presence and status as a 2024 first-rounder represented more of a threat than anyone Seattle had on its depth chart at the time. The ‘Hawks did add Jalen Milroe in the third round of the 2025 draft, but he was always viewed as a player who would take some time to develop.

Despite a nightmarish, four-interception outing in a narrow loss to the Rams in Week 11, Darnold largely has justified his contract and appears to be in line to unlock his 2026 payout. Seattle boasts an 8-3 record, and Darnold presently sits fourth in the league in terms of traditional quarterback rating (106.2) and sixth in QBR (69.4).

Steelers Place LT Broderick Jones On Season-Ending IR; CB Asante Samuel To Make 2025 Debut

November 30th, 2025 at 10:39am CST by Nikhil Mehta

NOVEMBER 30: Jones’ neck injury is more serious than originally thought, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He will be miss the remainder of the season as a result.

NOVEMBER 29: The Steelers placed left tackle Broderick Jones on injured reserve and elevated cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Bills, per a team announcement.

The 2023 first-round pick will miss at least four games due to his IR placement. His earliest return would come in Week 17 against the Browns.

Jones suffered a neck injury during Pittsburgh’s Week 12 loss to the Bears. Six-year veteran Calvin Anderson closed out the game, but head coach Mike Tomlin said on Saturday that Andrus Peat would take over blind side duties in Week 13.

Jones, 24, started the Steelers’ first 11 games of the season, allowing six sacks and 23 pressures in 356 pass-blocking opportunities, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His 95.9 pass block efficiency is not much better than his 95.3 marks in the previous two season.

Peat will start at left tackle in the meantime. He has barely played in the last two years, but started 11 games at left tackle in New Orleans in 2023. He allowed two sacks and 30 pressures in 459 pass-blocking opportunities, per PFF, suggesting he can be a solid but unspectacular fill-in for Jones.

Samuel, 26, will make his 2025 debut against the Bills He was cleared from offseason spinal fusion surgery at the beginning of November and signed with the Steelers after taking visits with a number of teams. Sunday’s game will be Samuel’s first action in over a year and the Steelers are entering Week 13 with a relatively healthy cornerback room. As a result, he may not see much action, though Pittsburgh may try to get him in the game so he can reacclimate to the field. That would also give the Steelers a chance to evaluate Samuel and see what he can contribute for the rest of the year.

Vance Joseph’s Head Coaching Stock Rising; Broncos DC Discusses Future

November 30th, 2025 at 10:08am CST by Rory Parks

Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who also served as the team’s head coach from 2017-18, interviewed for the Raiders’ and Jets’ HC posts in this year’s carousel. While he did not appear to be a serious contender for either job, an October report suggested he would be back on the head coaching radar in a more meaningful way in 2026, and Mike Klis of 9News confirms as much.

According to Kils, Joseph is the candidate who has been mentioned most frequently with respect to one of the HC vacancies in the upcoming cycle. After working as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator from 2019-22, the 53-year-old joined Sean Payton’s first staff in Denver in 2023. Although his ‘23 unit finished near the bottom of the league in terms of both total defense and points per game, his 2024-25 defenses have been among the NFL’s best.

As Klis notes, Joseph is particularly well-regarded for his ability to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks, which is perhaps the most important attribute of a defense in the modern game. The Broncos have amassed a league-leading 112 sacks in the past one-and-a-half seasons, which is one of the reasons why Joseph is expected to generate so much HC interest (he has already been connected to the Titans’ vacancy).

When asked earlier this week about the attention his work has earned, Joseph predictably downplayed his HC aspirations while acknowledging that working under Payton has provided him with valuable insight as to how to “fix” a team (which is similar to what Commanders offensive coordinator and former Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, Joseph’s ex-boss, recently said about working under Dan Quinn).

“It’s flattering, but my second time through the process, or my third or fourth time through the process, I don’t think about it,” Joseph said. “I really don’t because I know it’s about winning. Everyone wants to hire winners. They want to hire someone who’s fixed something. And there’s no better example than what we’ve done here the last three years. Being with Sean Payton helped my learning with how to fix a team.”

Joseph posted a disappointing 11-21 record in his two seasons as the Broncos’ bench boss, but Denver’s quarterback situation during that time left much to be desired. Additionally, Joseph’s team was 6-6 in 2018 before injuries to Pro Bowlers Chris Harris and Emmanuel Sanders helped key a four-game skid to close that season.

As of the time of this writing, the 9-2 Broncos are just a half-game behind the Patriots for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Naturally, Joseph indicated his attention is focused on his team’s postseason push, and he said he will be happy to return to Denver if he does not land an HC job in 2026.

“The key is to win. And not worry about the process,” he said. “It’s the Broncos’ season right now and that’s my focus, honestly. If it happens, I’ll be happy. And if it doesn’t, I’m still going to have a good job. I have good players. I’m in a great city. I have no worries, honestly.”

His accomplishments aside, there could be another reason for the buzz around Joseph. As our Sam Robinson recently wrote in a subscribers-only piece, the would-be 2026 crop of offensive-minded HC talent (like Kingsbury) has not generated much momentum in 2025, which could make teams more inclined to consider defensive-oriented candidates.

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin To Return In Week 13; Latest On QB Jayden Daniels

November 30th, 2025 at 9:51am CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 30: Both Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) and ESPN’s Adam Schefter note that Daniels has not been cleared for contact yet and is officially out for Week 13. While Daniels could suit up in Week 14 and has expressed his desire to do so (per Schefter), it remains unclear 1) whether he will be medically cleared; and 2) if the team will believe it is worth the risk to put him back on the field for the stretch run of a lost season.

NOVEMBER 28: The Commanders are not in position to contend for a playoff spot in 2025, but they could be much closer to full strength on offense down the stretch. Receiver Terry McLaurin is in line to make his return on Sunday.

“I plan to play as much as I can and as much as they’ll allow me to,” McLaurin said (via ESPN’s John Keim). “It’s really encouraging to hear from my teammates and coaches that they don’t feel like I’ve missed a step. I just have a confidence about myself.”

McLaurin was available for the first three games of the season before suffering a quad injury. His next game action came in Week 8, and he aggravated the issue. That has resulted in by far the most missed time in the seven-year veteran’s career while dealing a blow to Washington’s offense. The Commanders sit at 3-8 on the year ahead of a primetime matchup with the Broncos.

A return to the postseason in 2025 is not in store as a result, but Washington’s outlook for the coming weeks would receive a boost with McLaurin back in the fold. The two-time Pro Bowler topped 1,000 yards every year from 2020-24, something which helped land him a $29MM-per-year extension in August. Expectations for the McLaurin-Jayden Daniels connection will remain high for the foreseeable future, and that duo could be back on the field together shortly.

Daniels is set to miss Week 13, but his recovery from an elbow injury is ongoing. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year has returned to practice, setting up a potential return for next week. The possibility of shutting Daniels down for the remainder of the season has been raised, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirms team and player have engaged in “big-picture conversations” about returning this late in a lost season. For now, though, a return as early as Week 14 can be expected.

Both Daniels and receiver Noah Brown – who was designated for return from IR on Monday – were full participants in yesterday’s practice. As such, they could soon rejoin McLaurin in game action, something which would give the Commanders a rare instance of offensive availability in 2025.

Bucs WR Jalen McMillan Expected To Begin Practicing This Week

November 30th, 2025 at 9:37am CST by Rory Parks

A recent report suggested Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan is close to seeing regular season game action for the first time in 2025, and Sunday brought more good news in that regard. As Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network writes, McMillan has received clearance from a spine specialist and is expected to begin practicing this week.

McMillan had a strong rookie showing in 2024 but has been on injured reserve since the current season began due to a neck injury he sustained in an exhibition contest in August. Originally described as a “severely strained neck,” we subsequently learned the second-year pro was also dealing with a fracture in his neck, although the ligament issue (the strain) was actually more problematic and was what forced McMillan to wear a brace.

In a follow-up to Rapoport’s story, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times added that McMillan actually suffered three fractures in his neck while reiterating that the strain was the more significant concern. In any event, the Bucs surely will be happy to open McMillan’s practice window, which will give them 21 days to activate him or shut him down for the rest of the season. Obviously, the fact that they are planning to have him return to practice suggests they are optimistic about his ability to play.

And his return will be especially welcome for a 6-5 team that has dealt with major injury concerns this season and that has just a half-game lead in the NFC South as of the time of this writing. McMillan’s fellow wideouts, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, have combined to play in just seven games in 2025, and while Godwin returned to action on a pitch count in Week 12, Evans remains on the shelf with a broken clavicle (though he is also expected to return soon). RB1 Bucky Irving is set to return in Week 13 after a lengthy absence, and starting quarterback Baker Mayfield was unable to finish the Bucs’ Week 12 loss to the Rams due to a sprained AC joint (he will nonetheless play in Week 13).

For a time, it appeared Tampa Bay would easily capture its fifth straight division title, but a three-game losing streak has kept the Panthers (6-6) and even the Falcons (4-7) alive in the NFC South race. The Bucs appear to be getting healthy at the right time, and they may soon have the loaded WR corps they expected to field when they selected Emeka Egbuka in the first round of this year’s draft. 

Egbuka has played well in his rookie campaign, and a WR contingent comprised of him, Evans, Godwin, and McMillan, to go along with Irving and Rachaad White in the offensive backfield and Mayfield under center, will make the Bucs a tough out in the playoffs if they should qualify.

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