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Cardinals Unsure Of QB Kyler Murray’s Return Timeline

December 1st, 2025 at 4:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:43pm: Gannon said this afternoon (via team reporter Darren Urban) Murray will not practice this week. Evaluation in this case will continue with Murray’s status still unclear.

9:54am: Kyler Murray appeared to be nearing a return to full health following a foot injury when it became clear he would not resume starting quarterback duties upon being medically cleared. Shortly thereafter, the Cardinals moved him to injured return.

That decision ensured an absence of at least four weeks. As early as Wednesday, though, Murray could return to practice. Head coach Jonathan Gannon was asked by ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss if the team plans on opening Murray’s practice window this week, but he replied, “I’m not sure.”

Since Gannon revealed Murray would not immediately reprise his starting role upon being cleared, speculation has understandably increased about a parting of ways taking place this coming offseason. Murray is already owed $36.8MM in guaranteed salary for 2026, so a trade or release would have major cap implications. The former No. 1 pick’s base salary ($19.5MM) is set to vest in March, so a decision will need to be made by that point.

A recent report indicated the Cardinals could elect to retain the current regime featuring Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort and in doing so allow for a reset under center. Gannon and Ossenfort were both hired in 2023, well after Murray had been drafted. Year 3 of the Ossenfort-Gannon tandem has not gone to plan, and Arizona sits at 3-9 on the year. That leaves the Cardinals as one of the teams already eliminated from playoff contention and a potential candidate to select a passer during the opening round of April’s draft.

Murray’s entire seven-year career has taken place in Arizona, but a change in organizational direction could leave him on the move relatively soon. The 28-year-old would be an interesting target for other teams seeking at least a short-term move at the position, but of course his market value will be heavily influenced by his health. Receiving clearance for the end of the campaign would be a welcomed development for all involved.

The coming days will thus be important with respect to Murray’s status over the closing weeks of the season. A return to full health – even without any accompanying playing time – would add an interesting layer to Arizona’s final games of 2025. Whether or not the team plans to open Murray’s practice window in the near future will be worth monitoring.

Bills K Tyler Bass Undergoes Surgery, Unlikely To Play In 2025

December 1st, 2025 at 4:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tyler Bass landed on injured reserve shortly before the start of the Bills’ season. The veteran kicker is set to remain sidelined through the end of the campaign without seeing any game time.

Head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg) Bass recently underwent surgery. As a result, his season has essentially come to an end. A lingering hip/groin issue has resulted in this absence, one which appears as though it will stretch through the playoffs.

As of October, McDermott was unsure of whether or not Bass would be able to suit up at any point in 2025. The team previously thought the ailment was improving, but in the end surgery has been deemed necessary. With the procedure having taken place, Bass will turn his attention to recovery in preparation for the 2026 season.

The 28-year-old has served as Buffalo’s kicker from 2020-24, missing only one game during that span. Bass’ field goal success rates have never topped the league, but they have remained consistent over the course of his career. Overall, the former sixth-rounder has connected on 84.5% of his field goal attempts and all but 10 of his 274 extra point tries. Bass is under contract through 2027 thanks to the $5.1MM-per-year extension he signed in 2023.

That pact does not contain any remaining guarantees in terms of base salary, however. Coming off a full season spent on the sidelines, it will be interesting to see if the Bills explore the possibility of moving on from Bass (or at least attempt to work out a pay cut agreement). In any case, his replacement will be counted on to continue handling kicking duties the rest of the way.

Matt Prater has operated as Buffalo’s kicker all season. The 41-year-old has already missed three extra point attempts, but with respect to field goals he has gone 17-for-19. No indication has been made that McDermott and the Bills are looking for another option at this point, so it will be Prater tasked with continuing his performance down the stretch.

David Blough To Finish Season As Commanders’ QBs Coach

December 1st, 2025 at 3:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last week, Tavita Pritchard accepted the head coaching position at Stanford. That left the Commanders in need of a replacement quarterbacks coach to close out the season.

At the time of the Pritchard news, assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough was named as the logical candidate to take over. To no surprise, that will indeed be the case. Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed on Monday (via Tashan Reed of the Washington Post) Blough will finish the season as the Commanders’ new QBs coach.

Blough was hired in 2024 as part of Quinn’s first Washington staff. That came shortly after his playing career – which included nine regular season NFL appearances – ended. During last year’s hiring cycle, Blough drew interest from a number of teams, with the Commanders blocking an interview request from the Jets. It will be interesting to see if the Washington’s commitment in this case continues past the 2025 season.

As Quinn has clarified (h/t Reed), pass-game coordinator Brian Johnson will assist in coaching the Commanders’ quarterbacks over the closing stages of the campaign. Johnson has also been a part of Washington’s staff for the past two years. His stint in the nation’s capital began after his run with the Eagles (including offensive coordinator duties for 2023) came to an end. No new assistant QBs coach will be named on an interim basis.

For the time being, Blough’s promotion has him on track to work with veteran backup Marcus Mariota. Starter Jayden Daniels continues to work toward a return as early as Week 14, however. Once Daniels is back in the fold, he will finish out his second year with a new (but familiar) position coach.

Ravens’ Ar’Darius Washington, Tavius Robinson Nearing Return

December 1st, 2025 at 2:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

A May Achilles tear threatened to end Ar’Darius Washington‘s 2025 season well before it began. The Ravens defensive back has continued to make progress in his recovery, though, and another step could be coming soon.

When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach John Harbaugh said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) there is a “good chance” Washington will take part in practice this week. The 26-year-old landed on the reserve/PUP list during roster cutdowns, and he has remained there ever since.

Washington has aimed to play late in the season, and the latest update on his situation noted a return to practice was a distinct possibility. Provided the former UDFA can indeed suit up at some point in 2025, he will provide the Ravens with another option in the secondary. Washington emerged as a starter at the end of last season, notching 64 tackles, two interceptions and eight pass deflections.

Returnee Kyle Hamilton, first-round rookie Malaki Starks and trade acquisition Alohi Gilman are in place as safety contributors right now (although since Gilman’s arrival Baltimore has used Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage). If he is activated, Washington would provide the Ravens with a special teams presence capable of rotating in at safety as well as slot corner. As a pending free agent, Washington seeing any game time down the stretch would provide a boost to his market value.

Harbaugh also said third-year edge rusher Tavius Robinson is a candidate to return to practice in the coming days. The 26-year-old has been on IR since suffering a broken foot, an injury which led to the first missed game action of his career. Once Robinson is activated, he will be expected to return to a starting defensive role and in doing so provide the Ravens with a much-needed boost along the edge.

In other injury news, Harbaugh said running back Justice Hill – who landed on IR just before the Ravens’ Thanksgiving game – will be recovering from his neck injury over the next three to four weeks (h/t Zrebiec). A return in time for the postseason could be in store as a result. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie linebacker Chandler Martin recently suffered an ACL tear, so he will undergo season-ending surgery soon. Martin made three appearance on special teams in 2025.

Packers DT Devonte Wyatt Suffers Fractured Ankle

December 1st, 2025 at 2:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

DECEMBER 1: LaFleur confirmed on Monday (via Demovsky) Wyatt will not return this season. In the absence of an extension being worked out, Wyatt will enter the 2026 campaign as a pending free agent.

NOVEMBER 28: Further testing has revealed an ankle fracture, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. As a result, Wyatt is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

NOVEMBER 27: The Packers came away with a critical division win during 2025’s first Thanksgiving game. Their defense appears to have been dealt a major blow in the process, however.

Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt suffered an ankle injury during the second half of this afternoon’s game against the Lions. He was carted off the field without being able to put any weight on his left leg. Shortly thereafter, Wyatt was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. No firm timeline is in place at the moment, but head coach Matt LaFleur‘s initial remarks are far from encouraging.

“It doesn’t look good, guys,” LaFleur said when speaking to the media after the game (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). “I’m sick for him. I’m sick for us. I mean, that’s a critical loss for our football team, for our defense, obviously.”

A first-round pick for the Packers out of Georgia back in 2022, Wyatt has been working as a full-time starter in Green Bay for the first time this season. Wyatt played a pretty minor role as a rookie, buried on the depth chart behind veterans Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed, and Dean Lowry. With Reed and Lowry out the next year, T.J. Slaton took over an open starting slot, while Wyatt got a bit more run in his sophomore campaign as a rotational third interior defender. At times he proved to be a bit of a liability in the run game, but Wyatt excelled as a pass rusher, logging 5.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, and 11 quarterback hits in 2023.

In Clark’s final year with the team last year, Wyatt and Karl Brooks, a sixth-round addition in 2023, worked as the main rotational options behind starters Clark and Slaton. Wyatt continued to excel as an interior pass rusher — five sacks, nine tackles for loss, and nine quarterback hits — but still struggled as a run stopper.

With Slaton making his way to Cincinnati in free agency over the offseason and Clark getting traded to Dallas in the Micah Parsons-trade, two new starting spots became available on the Packers defensive line. Wyatt claimed one spot while Colby Wooden, another 2023 draft addition, claimed the other. Brooks, though not running as a full-time starter, has actually surpassed both starters in snap count as a main rotational piece on the interior defensive line. With Wyatt seemingly out for the foreseeable future, Brooks is likely to step into the starting role next to Wooden, but without Wyatt, the pass rushing potential of the interior line takes a big hit.

The other aspect of today’s injury concerns Wyatt’s contract. Green Bay picked up the former Bulldog’s fifth-year option on his rookie deal, but expectations were in place for extension talks to occur. If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement on a second contract, the fifth-year option would give them more time to work things out. In his fourth year of play, Wyatt had shown more of the same for the Packers defense with four sacks, five tackles for loss, and seven quarterback hits in a starting role. That being said, his struggles in the run game continued, as well.

If this injury ends Wyatt’s 2025 campaign, this leaves the Packers with a few options. They may try to work out an extension that rewards Wyatt for his pass rushing prowess without giving him top-end money due to the injury or his run-stopping struggles. They may try to make it a more incentive-laden deal to safe-guard against future struggles coming back from injury. They also might just let him play out his fifth-year option and make a determination on how to proceed off of his 2026 performance.

Regardless, it sounds like any plans for Wyatt may be a thought for the offseason. While testing will be done in the days to come, and his prognosis may change, at the moment, LaFleur’s comments seem to indicate that we’ve seen the last of Wyatt in 2025.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Lions Likely To Pursue 2026 RB Jahmyr Gibbs Extension

December 1st, 2025 at 1:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

Recent years have seen the Lions work out several big-ticket extensions with their core players. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs could be the next in line to receive a notable payday.

As a 2023 draftee, Gibbs will first be eligible for an extension this coming offseason. Having been a first-round pick, he is a candidate for a fifth-year option covering the 2027 campaign. The Lions will need to make a decision on that front during the spring, but it would of course come as no surprise if they opted to exercise the option.

Likewise, the team can be expected to pursue an extension in the near future. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes (video link) Detroit is likely to make Gibbs an early priority for a long-term pact, meaning one could be worked out early in the offseason. Per Rapoport, the running back market will likely shift once Gibbs has his second contract in hand.

That report is certainly no surprise. Gibbs – along with draft classmate Bijan Robinson – has played his way into a major raise on his next deal. At least one member of that tandem could very well surpass Saquon Barkley as the league’s highest earner at the RB position. Barkley’s Eagles deal averages $20.6MM per year, and three other backs are attached to an AAV of at least $14MM.

At the age of 23, Gibbs will be expected to remain one of the league’s top producers at the running back spot for years to come. The Alabama product has increasingly become a focal point of the Lions’ offense, finding success on the ground and through the air. Gibbs tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns last season (16), and he has already reached 1,000 yards and double-digit scores with five games remaining in the season.

The Lions have made massive investments on offense with extensions for the likes of quarterback Jared Goff, wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell. Running back David Montgomery – with Detroit for each of Gibbs’ three seasons to date – is under contract through 2027. It will be interesting to see how much the Lions are prepared to spend in their backfield provided Montgomery remains productive in his role.

For now, Detroit’s attention will be on reaching the playoffs. The 7-5 team has endured an up-and-down season in 2025, the first since former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson‘s departure. Gibbs – who is averaging career highs in both yards per carry (5.8) and receptions per game (4.3) this year – will no doubt continue to operate as a central figure down the stretch. Provided he continues to produce at a high level, a long-term deal could await him shortly thereafter.

Browns DT Maliek Collins Out For Season

December 1st, 2025 at 12:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

Maliek Collins exited the Browns’ loss yesterday. The veteran defensive tackle will not return, marking an end to his strong 2025 season.

Collins was carted off the field Sunday, and the team quickly ruled out a return. The 30-year-old was listed with a knee injury at the time, and he had a brace on his right leg after the game (h/t Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal).

When speaking to the media today, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Collins has a quad injury which will require season-ending surgery. The news brings an end to what had been a highly productive campaign in this case. In 12 games, Collins set a new career high with 6.5 sacks. His absence will be acutely felt along the defensive line.

The Browns rank near the top of the league in several defensive categories, and Collins has played a major role in that success. The former third-rounder posted 14 quarterback pressures and 13 QB hits prior to suffering the injury. Replacing his production will be difficult down the stretch, although at 3-9 the Browns are not in postseason contention.

Collins inked a two-year deal to head to Cleveland in free agency this past spring. As a result, the Nebraska product is under contract for next season. He will look to return to full health in time for the start of the 2026 campaign, one in which another productive outing could yield a notable payday. Meanwhile, the Browns will also be shorthanded along the offensive line.

Stefanski added (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson) guard Wyatt Teller is dealing with a calf injury. He is considered week-to-week at this point. Right tackle Jack Conklin was also injured yesterday, and he suffered his second concussion of the season. Stefanski confirmed Conklin is in the league’s concussion protocol, all-but guaranteeing he will miss at least one game.

Teller is a candidate for a new deal this offseason, whereas Conklin is a pending free agent. Injuries have largely derailed the latter’s time in Cleveland, and it would come as a surprise if he were to be retained for 2026. Decisions on that front will need to be made this offseason while Collins takes part in a lengthy rehab process.

Vikings Waive Adam Thielen; WR To Retire Following 2025 Season

December 1st, 2025 at 11:25am CST by Adam La Rose

Adam Thielen‘s second stint with the Vikings has come to an end. The veteran receiver was waived on Monday, per a team announcement.

Thielen was inactive for yesterday’s loss despite being healthy. Instead of finishing the season buried down the depth chart on a Minnesota team in line to miss the playoffs, he will now seek out a new situation for the stretch run. Thielen will hit the waiver wire and, provided he clears, become a free agent.

“Last week Adam’s representation approached the team and asked if we would be willing to release Adam, expressing his desire to play a bigger role in the remaining weeks of what he has indicated will be his final NFL season,” a team statement reads in part. “Following discussions through the weekend and out of respect for Adam, we have agreed to give him the opportunity to pursue more playing time elsewhere.”

Thielen spent his first 11 years and 10 NFL seasons with Minnesota. The former UDFA emerged as a key figure on offense for the Vikings, but a downturn in production ultimately led to his release in 2023. Thielen joined the Panthers in free agency, and during two years in Carolina he served as a full-time starter.

Amidst questions regarding a potential retirement decision, Thielen committed to playing one more season. The Panthers traded him back to the Vikings shortly before the start of the campaign. During his second run with his hometown team, the Minnesota State product has made just eight scoreless catches while handling a snap share of only 29%. The Vikings have struggled mightily on offense all season, something punctuated during yesterday’s shutout loss.

While the team looks for answers under center for 2025 and beyond, Thielen will look for a suitable fit over the closing weeks of the season. The two-time Pro Bowler hinted in May that this year would likely be his last. To no surprise, Thielen has since confirmed in a statement of his own that he will indeed be hanging up his cleats after the year comes to an end. It will be interesting to see if he lands with a contender and in doing so sets up a potential run at a first career Super Bowl.

The Panthers-Vikings trade included a conditional pick, but today’s news confirms its status. The final tally on the swap is Thielen, a 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder in exchange for fifth- and fourth-round selections in the next two drafts. Thielen accepted a pay cut to facilitate the move.

Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are in line to remain atop the Vikings’ WR depth chart for years to come. The team will not have Thielen in place for the final few games of his career, however.

Colts CB Sauce Gardner Suffers Calf Strain

December 1st, 2025 at 10:34am CST by Adam La Rose

DECEMBER 1: With the MRI having taken place, Pelissero and colleague Ian Rapoport confirm Gardner suffered a calf strain. He is week-to-week as a result, with the Colts hoping Gardner will be able to return by the end of the regular season.

NOVEMBER 30: Sauce Gardner exited the Colts’ Week 13 game and was unable to return. The high-profile trade acquisition could be in store for missed time, although the worst-case scenario appears to have been avoided.

Gardner was unable to put weight on his left leg as he made his way to the sidelines upon suffering the injury. He was initially listed by the team as questionable to return with a calf ailment, but the Colts later confirmed he was out for the remainder of Sunday’s contest. Gardner was in a walking boot on the sidelines as he watched the end of the game.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports a calf strain is believed to have occurred in this case. Critically, he adds Gardner’s Achilles appears to be intact. The All-Pro corner has since confirmed (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder) he feels he is dealing with a strain rather than a tear of any kind. Further testing will take place, including an MRI. At this point, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Colts expect to be without Gardner for “a couple weeks.”

Needless to say, any notable missed time for Gardner would represent a major blow to the Colts. Indianapolis gave the Jets two first-round picks along with receiver Adonai Mitchell to acquire him at the trade deadline. The 25-year-old – under contract at a record-breaking cornerback rate of $30.1MM per year through the 2030 season – is obviously a major part of the team’s plans now and for several years to come.

The Gardner acquisition has been viewed as an indication the Colts see themselves as being inside a Super Bowl window with a core of many returning players along with free agent signing Daniel Jones. Indianapolis’ new starting quarterback is not full healthy himself, although he is in line to continue playing through a fractured fibula. A run of availability in the secondary down the stretch would be welcomed by the Colts given the injuries they have dealt with in that department this season.

Indianapolis’ loss on Sunday dropped the team to 8-4. That record matches that of the Jaguars, who won today. Meanwhile, the Texans now sit at 7-5. Gardner’s health down the stretch will be something to watch closely as the Colts attempt to close out what has become a three-way race for top spot in the AFC South.

Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order

December 1st, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

Week 12 saw the Giants become the first team in the NFL to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Based on yesterday’s results, another two teams from each conference saw their postseason chances officially come to an end.

The Titans, Saints, Raiders and Cardinals have now been eliminated as well. Attention in the case of those teams will increasingly turn toward the offseason. For some, questions about changes at the quarterback spot will be ongoing through the spring. Free agency is not expected to include many notable options, so the draft will be sought out in several instances as a means of finding a 2026 starter.

Of course, the incoming class of passers has largely underwhelmed this season. That has led to uncertainty regarding the ceiling for many of the top prospects at the quarterback position. Nevertheless, supply often outweighs demand at the top of the Day 1 order in the NFL draft. How things shake out over the closing weeks of the season will be key in determining which QB-needy teams find themselves in the best position to select a new QB1.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.

Here is an early look at the first-round order:

Tennessee Titans (1-11)
New Orleans Saints (2-10)
New York Giants (2-10)
Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
Cleveland Browns (3-9)
Washington Commanders (3-9)
New York Jets (3-9)
Arizona Cardinals (3-9)
Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
Minnesota Vikings (4-8)
Miami Dolphins (5-7)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6)
Carolina Panthers (7-6)
Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)
Detroit Lions (7-5)
Houston Texans (7-5)
Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
Buffalo Bills (8-4)
Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
New York Jets (via Colts)
San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
Seattle Seahawks (9-3)
Los Angeles Rams (9-3)
New England Patriots (10-2)
Chicago Bears (9-3)
Denver Broncos (10-2)