HEADLINES

New Names Emerging For Potential Day 1 QBs

December 7th, 2025 at 10:18pm CST by Ely Allen

Recent expectations that standout underclassmen quarterbacks Dante Moore (Oregon) and Ty Simpson (Alabama) will stay in college for at least another year have reduced the number of likely first-round quarterbacks in the class from three to one. With the value of quarterbacks tending to vary drastically in relation to the scarcity at the position and the demand in the league, new names are sure to rise.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his updated prospect rankings about a month ago and gone from the top of the rankings were former projected prospects like Texas’ Arch Manning, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, and several others. Only Indiana Heisman-favorite Fernando Mendoza remained as a prospect widely considered to be a Day 1 pick.

Mendoza was joined by a new pair of names, though, as the two emerging new starters at the powerhouse programs mentioned in the first paragraph proved to be more productive than expected in their first seasons as starters. With Moore and Simpson no longer considered surefire 2026 prospects, Mendoza is the lone name atop the class with first-round considerations. Rarely does that stay the case as the pre-draft process goes on, though. Desperation for savior arms tends to elevate names considered worthy of later rounds to the early rounds based on scarcity alone.

We saw this two years ago, when Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were considered the only two first-round worthy passers of the class early on in the pre-draft process. When it became clear that several teams were looking to draft a top quarterback in the first round, other names quickly started climbing the board. Drake Maye, considered a late-first-rounder at best early on, elevated all the way up to No. 3 overall. Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix were all considered Day 2 or 3 picks early on, but all three ended up in the top 12 picks of the draft.

Last year, Cam Ward was widely seen as the only first-round passer in the class, though Shedeur Sanders was seen as a possible late first-round possibility. Sanders’ wildly unprecedented slide aside, Jaxson Dart found his way into the first round after spending much of the pre-draft process as a likely Day 2 pick.

According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, a name to look for in that same vein is Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby. Sorsby started his collegiate career at Indiana, serving as the main starter as a redshirt freshman in 2023. When then-head coach Tom Allen was fired, Sorsby made the move to become a Bearcat. Sorsby has just finished his third year as a full-time starter and his second in Cinci.

Sorsby showed promise starting for the Hoosiers, throwing 15 touchdowns to just five interceptions, but his accuracy left a lot to be desired. In his first year with the Bearcats, he improved his completion percentage but got a bit undisciplined throwing 18 touchdowns to seven interceptions. This season, Sorsby put up his most efficient campaign with 27 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He also has impressive mobility averaging about 500 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns in each of his two seasons at Cincinnati.

It’s far too early to call Sorsby a first-round prospect, but he’ll have plenty of time to improve his stock if he decides to declare after his redshirt junior year concludes. Plus, several other names are sure to emerge as teams dust off every possibility hoping to find a diamond in the rough. As names continue to drop out of first-round consideration for 2026, history has told us that others are sure to rise in their place.

Bengals Suspended WR Jermaine Burton For Week 14

December 7th, 2025 at 8:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jermaine Burton has yet to play this season for the Bengals. The second-year wideout continued that trend in Week 14 after he did not travel with the team.

On Saturday, Burton was ruled out for the Bengals’ matchup against the Bills today for non-injury-related reasons. The team later announced that he had been suspended for the game. The decision will lead to over $59K in lost money by means of a forfeited game check (h/t Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). Details on what prompted this discipline have not yet emerged. Nevertheless, this represents another unwanted development for Burton.

A third-round pick last year, Burton had a quiet rookie season as Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Mike Gesicki, and Chase Brown accounted for nearly 80 percent of quarterback Joe Burrow‘s targets. Burton was targeted 14 times in 2024 but only caught four balls. He did make the most of those receptions, though, proving his deep threat ability with 107 receiving yards.

This isn’t the first time the 24-year-old has not been allowed to travel with the team. In late-December 2024, Burton was accused of assault in a domestic dispute with an ex-girlfriend. Four days later, the Bengals announced that Burton would not be traveling on the team’s trip to Pittsburgh to end the season.

He hasn’t appeared in a game since that announcement, so there’s reason to believe the two data points could connect, but there’s been no reporting on the prior incident to suggest it’s been behind his extended absence this season. In fact, yesterday’s announcement of his suspension for today’s game indicates that he hasn’t been suspended to this point, so the absence throughout the year could be totally unrelated to discipline.

We can only report what we hear, and little has been coming out of Cincinnati this year concerning the second-year Alabama product. Whatever the situation, Burton may want to get on the right side of things soon. Glowing reports have already come through on the wide receivers at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft class, and the Bengals may decide to dip back into those waters if they think they can’t rely on Burton after this season.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Buccaneers WR Mike Evans Pushing For Week 15 Return

December 7th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Ely Allen

When the Buccaneers saw veteran wide receiver Mike Evans return to practice this week for the first time since suffering a broken clavicle in October, many anticipated seeing him come off of injured reserve this weekend. Unfortunately, after a series of limited practices, Evans was ultimately ruled out for Week 14, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter assured us today that an Evans return to play is on the horizon.

Per Schefter, Evans has been “pushing to play as soon as” Tampa Bay’s Week 15 matchup with the Falcons on Thursday. His return to practice five days ago opened up a 21-day practice window, but he can be activated at any point over those three weeks. Many expected that, once he returned to practice, he would quickly get back in football shape and return, but it seems a more realistic date required at least a few more days of practice.

If Evans is unable to make his return after the short week in the coming days, the team’s Week 16 trip to Carolina would be the next more reasonable, realistic date. Evans’ window would close three days after that game, at which point, the 32-year-old pass catcher would need to be activated for the final two games of the regular season and a postseason run or be reverted to season-ending IR.

The Buccaneers are fully in the playoff race at present, as they sit tied with the Panthers for the division lead at 7-6. They’ll play Carolina twice in the last three weeks of the season, and winning those two games alone would be enough to secure their berth in postseason play. Getting Evans back at any point before the postseason could do wonders for a Tampa Bay team that has overcome a litany of injuries en route to their current situation. If Evans has his say, though, we’ll see him suit up as early as Thursday.

Colts QB Daniel Jones Suffers Achilles Injury

December 7th, 2025 at 7:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

7:24pm: Adam Schefter of ESPN reported tonight that Jones will undergo surgery for his torn Achilles tendon, seemingly confirming the diagnosis of the Colts starter before the team’s official announcement. It’s a tough break for the resurgent quarterback, who had been in the midst of perhaps the strongest season of his career. It could be a tougher break for the Colts as, with Jones and Richardson on IR, the team will now attempt to move forward this season with Leonard as QB1.

Mike Chappell of FOX59/CBS4 Sports attempted to take a bit of wind out from Schefter’s sails following his breaking post on X. Chappell offered to “clear” things up, emphasizing that the situation is still just a “fear” of injury and potential surgery at the moment, and official confirmation won’t be available until Monday morning.

4:52pm: When speaking after the game, Colts head coach Shane Steichen said (via James Boyd of The Athletic) the injury “could” be season-ending but did not confirm if the worst-case scenario has taken place. On that note, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio also reports a tear is the situation in this case. Once testing ocurs, it will certainly come as no surprise if/when that diagnosis is confirmed.

2:37pm: Things have gone from bad to worse for Daniel Jones and the Colts. Indianapolis’ starting quarterback suffered a non-contact injury (video link) during the team’s game against the Jaguars.

Jones’ reaction has led to concerns he suffered a major injury. Indeed, Outkick’s Armando Salguero reports a tear is feared to have occurred. In any event, Jones has been ruled out for the remainder of the game.

In recent weeks, the free agent addition has been dealing with a fibula injury which was reported to be a fracture. No confirmation emerged on that front, but Jones’ health and mobility was already a talking point leading up to Sunday. In the event of something like a calf strain, missed time would be in store. Of course, an Achilles tear would represent the worst-case scenario and end his season.

After seeing his Giants tenure end and departing the Vikings on the open market, Jones faced tempered expectations for 2025. The former No. 6 pick did not surprise many by winning a competition with Anthony Richardson given the fact much of his $14MM in compensation was guaranteed in full. Nevertheless, Jones’ strong start helped power to the Colts to a 7-1 record. Doing so set him up for a major raise on a second Colts contract or one worked out in free agency this spring.

Indianapolis parted with a pair of first-round picks at the trade deadline to acquire Sauce Gardner. That signaled a desire to commit to Jones and the other members of the Colts’ core. An offer on a long-term pact is expected, although no talks on that front have taken place yet. Needless to say, a major Jones injury would make a massive impact on the financial situation in this case.

With Richardson still on injured reserve, rookie Riley Leonard has taken over QB duties for the Colts. The sixth-rounder had only made one appearance prior to today, making two pass attempts. For now, at least, it will be Leonard counted on to lead the team’s offense. If that remains the case down the stretch, Indianapolis’ chances of winning a division it was once firmly in control of will be dealt a massive blow.

The Colts entered today sitting at 8-4 after losing three of their last four games. The team’s outlook will hinge in very large part on Jones’ diagnosis. Likewise, his future will be greatly impacted by any significant injury if one is to be confirmed by further testing.

Browns Fear Achilles Injury For Ethan Pocic

December 7th, 2025 at 6:29pm CST by Ely Allen

It was a difficult scene in Cleveland this afternoon, where, despite a big statistical day for rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the Browns were officially eliminated from postseason contention. In addition to that loss, Cleveland’s already banged up offensive line experienced another loss as center Ethan Pocic was carted off the field early in the fourth quarter of today’s game, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Cabot’s early report noted Pocic grabbing his ankle, and the team’s associate editor & staff writer Kelsey Russo called it a calf injury shortly after he left the field of play. According to Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal, though, head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media following the game that “it’s likely an Achilles injury.” The 30-year-old veteran will undergo further testing to determine the extent of the injury.

Once the first center (and fifth offensive lineman) taken in the 2017 NFL draft out of LSU, Pocic played out his rookie contract in Seattle, not earning a full-time starting role until his final year with the team, though he did start 16 games over his first three seasons as an injury replacement. The Seahawks were unwilling to commit to Pocic long-term but signed him for an additional, fifth year. He ended up losing the starting job to Kyle Fuller, who handed the job right back eight weeks into the season.

After that year, Pocic decided to test the free agent waters and landed himself in Cleveland on a veteran minimum one-year deal. Starting 13 games for the Browns that year, Pocic played the best football of his career, with Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranking him as the 3rd best center in the NFL that season. Cleveland rewarded Pocic with a three-year, $18MM commitment, and though he hasn’t quite played to the same level over the course of that deal, he’s been a mostly dependable presence on the offensive line.

In truth, Pocic has not played in every game of a season since his rookie year, be it due to injury or benching. His last three years in Cleveland have been his most consistent, seeing him only miss three games from the start of the 2023 season to today, but if this truly is an Achilles injury that sidelines him, he’ll fall five games short of a full season this year, continuing the streak of incomplete campaigns.

As a result, it will be interesting to see what the future brings for Pocic. This was a contract year for the nine-year veteran, and it looks like he’ll be limping into free agency. Cleveland will likely look to get younger across the line as they move forward, and Pocic will have a long road to recovery, if his Achilles tendon has indeed ruptured, as suspected. It will be a long time before he’s able to start working out for teams again.

When Pocic exited the game today, the Browns turned to Luke Wypler, a sixth-round pick out of Ohio State two year ago. Earlier this year, Wypler got a start against the Dolphins as a sixth offensive lineman, eventually subbing in to replace Cornelius Lucas at right tackle. Despite a fumbled snap that cost the team a two-point conversion today in their two-point loss to the Titans, Wypler will likely be the man in the middle for what’s left of the Browns’ season. If right guard Wyatt Teller and right tackle Jack Conklin, who missed today’s game with injury, are unable to play again next week, left guard Joel Bitonio will be the only Day 1 starter left standing in Cleveland.

Commanders Fear ACL Tear For TE Zach Ertz

December 7th, 2025 at 4:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders dealt with a number of new injuries on offense during their Sunday game. Among the players who exited was tight end Zach Ertz. 

Ertz was carted off the field after injuring his knee. Shortly thereafter, the three-time Pro Bowler was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. When speaking to the media after the game, head coach Dan Quinn said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic) there is concern about an ACL tear. Concerningly, he added “the early signs aren’t good.”

Further testing, including an MRI, will no doubt take place in the near future. Provided the team’s fears wind up being confirmed, however, Ertz’s season will be over. The 35-year-old was emotional as he made his way off the field, a further indication he will be in store for a lengthy recovery process.

Ertz joined the Commanders on a one-year deal in 2024. The former Eagle and Cardinal played a key role in quarterback Jayden Daniels‘ stellar rookie campaign, scoring seven touchdowns and totaling 654 yards. To little surprise, another pact was worked out in March to ensure Ertz remained in Washington. He posted 493 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games entering today’s action.

The Commanders lost 31-0 against the Vikings on Sunday during a game in which Daniels suffered a new injury. The second-year passer had just returned from an elbow ailment, but Quinn indicated he will be able to play again this season. It remains to be seen if the same will also be true for Ertz, who has been in the NFL since 2013.

The Stanford product has not been linked to a retirement decision in the past, but a major injury such as an ACL tear could of course change his thinking on that front. Ertz is a pending free agent, so his outlook from a health standpoint will be critical in determining his future. The Commanders are now 3-10 on the year, and their attention will turn to preparing for 2026. In Ertz’s case, testing will determine if is able to play again this season.

Eagles Waive WR Xavier Gipson

December 7th, 2025 at 1:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

Xavier Gipson‘s tenure with the Eagles has come to an end. Philadelphia has waived him and by doing so made a change at the returner spot.

Gipson was cut by the Jets in September, but he managed to initially remain in New York. The third-year pro was claimed off waiver by the Giants, although he did not see any playing time with them. Gipson was waived once more in short order. That led to the Eagles’ decision to claim him.

In five games with Philadelphia, Gipson was targeted only twice on offense. As expected, his main contributions came on special teams. The 24-year-old returned six punts and seven kickoffs for the Eagles, totaling 246 yards in that capacity. Moving forward, though, Philadelphia will use Britain Covey in the returner role. Those responsibilities were primarily shared by Kenneth Gainwell and Isaiah Rodgers last year, although they both departed in free agency.

The Eagles have increasingly faced questions on offense, but OC Kevin Patullo is safe for the time being. Covey will not be counted on to make a major contribution in that regard, of course, although he will provide depth at the WR spot. Covey has returned one kick and one punt so far in 2025, and those totals will now increase moving forward.

Gipson, meanwhile, will now hit the waiver wire once again this season. Teams seeking a new option in the return game could look to put in a claim. Otherwise, Gipson will become a free agent and attempt to land with a contender for the closing stages of the season.

Browns Expected To Retain QB Deshaun Watson In 2026

December 7th, 2025 at 12:23pm CST by Rory Parks

The dead money charge the Browns will be saddled with if they release Deshaun Watson this offseason, even if they designate him a post-June 1 cut, always made it possible they would retain their embattled passer through the last year of his contract in 2026. Multiple reporters have recently confirmed that is the expectation.

On Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com said Watson would be on the roster next year, barring an unforeseen development. On Saturday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter echoed that report, and both Cabot and Schefter noted Watson has served as a valuable veteran presence for the Browns’ rookie QBs, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

Watson, 30, has not appeared in a game since October 20, 2024, when he suffered a torn Achilles. He tore the same Achilles while rehabbing last January and had to undergo surgery shortly thereafter. He has spent the entire 2025 campaign on the PUP list as a result, though the fact that the Browns recently opened his 21-day practice window suggested he could see the field before the season ends.

That still appears unlikely, but Watson will at least get some practice reps to allow head coach Kevin Stefanski & Co. the chance to see him in action. As Cabot notes, that will give the Browns a little more data as they plan for the 2026 draft, at which point they could be selecting a quarterback yet again. Of course, Watson’s performance in practice surely will not dissuade Cleveland from picking a collegiate signal-caller it believes in, but it still needs to know if Watson can operate as at least a bridge to a younger passer.

In the meantime, Sanders will look to keep his name in the mix of 2026 starting options. Unsurprisingly, Sanders will not be penciled in atop next year’s depth chart unless he “lights it up” over the last few games of the current slate. Gabriel, whose Week 11 concussion opened the door for Sanders to take the reins, projects as more of a capable backup at the professional level, and he did not do much in his six starts this year to suggest otherwise.

Though Watson’s salary cap situation is perhaps the primary reason why he is seen as a safe bet to remain with the Browns in 2026, it should be mentioned that the club has an insurance policy on his contract that could result in a hefty payout and corresponding credit to Cleveland’s cap sheet. If the Browns retain Watson, they will again restructure his contract to smooth out his 2026 cap charge of $80.72MM, as Cabot reports. So if Cleveland realizes some cap relief from an insurance payout, it stands to reason the team may consider cutting ties immediately and allow the credit to help offset Watson’s existing dead money hit, thus preventing even more dead money from being added to future void years. 

That is merely speculation, but it does add another wrinkle to the Browns’ decision. For now, however, Watson is set to be back in Cleveland next season and could even be the Week 1 starter.

Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Expected To Declare For 2026 NFL Draft; Dante Moore, Ty Simpson Likely To Return To School

December 7th, 2025 at 10:51am CST by Rory Parks

It is looking increasingly likely that Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza will be the first college QB to hear his name called in the 2026 draft, and he bolstered his case on Saturday by leading the Hoosiers to a victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. Unsurprisingly, multiple sources have told Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports.com that Mendoza will declare for the draft.

In addition to the stellar season Mendoza is having, which has him firmly in the mix for the Heisman Trophy, several of the other top passers who are eligible for the draft appear headed back to campus in 2026. According to Pauline, there is an “overwhelming belief” that Oregon’s Dante Moore will return to the Ducks next season, where the 20-year-old has an eight-figure NIL package waiting for him. In addition to the money, Moore could use more time to continue developing and growing into the potential that his elite physical tools create.

Like Moore, Alabama’s Ty Simpson does not have a great deal of starting experience, and he could therefore stand to benefit from another year in college (where he will remain under the tutelage of renowned offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ryan Grubb). Although much can obviously change in a year’s time, Moore and Simpson project as early frontrunners for the 2027 Heisman, and Pauline hears that Simpson is also likely to forego the NFL draft for another season.

However, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini observes, Mendoza, Moore, and Simpson are the consensus top QB prospects for 2026, and ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid says there is a substantial drop-off between that trio and the next tier of signal-callers. So if Moore and Simpson do not declare, then Mendoza will essentially comprise a one-man class, which will make his decision to turn pro even easier.

It will also drive up the price to acquire the right to draft him. As of the time of this writing, the Titans have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, but they just selected Cam Ward with the top pick in 2025 and will continue to develop him in the hopes he can become their franchise QB. They could demand a hefty trade package for their top choice if teams like the Jets, Browns, Raiders, or Saints decide Mendoza is their guy.

We recently learned that evaluators are split on Mendoza’s professional ceiling, but the need to find a quality quarterback always leads to overvaluation of college passers. Plus, it’s not as if the California transfer has not earned the mantle of best QB in his class. He boasts a 71.5% completion percentage along with an FBS-leading 33 passing touchdowns (against just six interceptions) and 10.66 air yards per attempt. And while his stats in the Ohio State victory do not jump off the page (15/23, 222 yards, one TD, one interception), his mettle in leading the Hoosiers to victory in a championship game against an elite defense surely caught the attention of NFL front offices.

We know that Jets GM Darren Mougey has already scouted Mendoza in person – Mougey witnessed the 22-year-old engineer a dramatic comeback win over Penn State – and Mendoza will continue to be one of the most-discussed prospects in the run-up to the draft. The same could be true of South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, who is having a disappointing year but who is still viewed as a late first-round pick, per Pauline. Sources close to Sellers believe there is too much risk for him in returning to college and perhaps reducing his draft stock even further, so he may make the decision to declare.

Lions LT Taylor Decker To Contemplate Retirement In Offseason

December 7th, 2025 at 9:47am CST by Rory Parks

As a result of the lucrative extension he signed in July 2024, Lions left tackle Taylor Decker is under contract through 2027, but he may not even get to the penultimate year of that deal. Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Decker will consider retirement in the upcoming offseason.

In the spring, Decker underwent surgery to relieve pain in his shoulder caused by bone spurs in his rotator cuff. He began training camp on the PUP list as a result, and though he suited up for the start of the regular season, he did miss two games earlier this year due to a shoulder ailment.

Decker, 32, is now in his 10th professional season, though it has not been a smooth ride. This spring’s shoulder procedure was the fifth major surgery of his career, and he has also dealt with finger, ankle, toe, MCL, and pectoral injuries. He has also undergone nerve ablations on his vertebrae to dull pain in his neck, and he played in fewer than 10 games in both 2017 and 2021.

The 2024 Pro Bowler has maintained his usual strong standard of play this year, though he tells Birkett that he struggled to lift his arm above 90 degrees earlier this season. While his mobility in that regard has improved, the pain has not subsided, and he has received eight steroid injections to help manage that pain.

He does not expect to go under the knife again in 2026, but if he is forced to do so, that could nudge him closer to retirement. Even without a forthcoming operation, the injuries he has already experienced and his desire to be with his young family could put an end to his playing days.

“I think I can maintain this level of play for five more years if I wanted to,” Decker said. “But it’s all the other variables. Like, what are you willing to put your body through? What are you willing to put your family through? What time are you willing to spend? Stuff like that.”

Birkett’s entire piece is worth a read for Lions fans in particular, as Decker candidly discusses all of the factors that will influence his decision. From an on-field perspective, Detroit would obviously be loathe to lose the Ohio State product, who has anchored its blindside since 2016.

The Lions lost accomplished center (and Decker’s good friend) Frank Ragnow to an early retirement in June, largely due to health and family reasons. Though Ragnow recently tried to unretire and return to Detroit to assist in the club’s playoff push, he could not pass a physical and will therefore be unable to play in 2025.

Decker, who has already accomplished his goal of playing 10 years in the NFL and who has amassed over $100MM in career earnings, said he expects his retirement decision to be final whenever he makes it.

“When this is done, I’m done,” he said. “When I’m done playing football, then it’s like, you can never have it back. You’re gone. It’s over. And I’ve played football since second grade. At this point, almost a third of my life has been on the Lions, so that’s a big decision. So that’s not one that’s going to be like, it’s not going to be spur of the moment or drop of the hat. And I do not want it to be an emotional decision. I want to think about it logically.”

Obviously, Decker’s retirement would move offensive tackle close to the top of the Lions’ offseason needs.

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