HEADLINES

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.

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.

Cardinals May Have To Eat Salary To Create Trade Market For QB Kyler Murray; Jacoby Brissett Seen As Trade Candidate?

December 7th, 2025 at 8:35am CST by Rory Parks

Speculation regarding quarterback Kyler Murray’s future with the Cardinals began to ramp up in early November, as the effects of the foot injury he suffered in Week 5 lingered longer than expected and afforded backup Jacoby Brissett the opportunity to show he could run the offense more productively. In the wake of head coach Jonathan Gannon’s recent announcement that Murray will not return to the field this season, the rumblings have grown even louder.

As longtime Cardinals beat reporter Josh Weinfuss notes, multiple sources told ESPN colleague Adam Schefter back in November that Arizona will likely part ways with Murray this offseason. One source even went so far as to say such a parting is imminent, and Gannon’s non-answer when asked if Murray would be the club’s QB1 in 2026 supports that notion.

Given the salary cap ramifications of a release versus a trade – even a post June-1 release would result in a dead money charge of $50.6MM in 2026, whereas a trade would create a maximum dead money hit of $17.9MM – a swap appears to be the more likely route. That is especially true since Murray still seems to have at least some trade value.

Several executives told Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports that Murray is far superior to any veteran passer expected to be on the free agent or trade markets this offseason. One AFC general manager was especially bullish, saying, “[w]hen you start comparing him to some of the other guys that might be available, [Murray’s] good is still on a totally different level.”

That GM believes the Cardinals could fetch a third-round pick for Murray, while other execs believed a fourth-round pick was the maximum return Arizona could expect, depending on how much of Murray’s salary the team is willing to eat. Broadly speaking, Robinson suggests the Cardinals will have to absorb some money in order to create a market. A decision will need to be made one way or another by the fifth day of the 2026 league year in March, at which point $19.5MM of Murray’s 2027 pay will become guaranteed.

Interestingly, Weinfuss indicates Brissett, who is under contract through 2027, has played well enough to merit a mid-round pick in a trade. Of course, the Cardinals are going to need a quarterback themselves, and their current draft position – if the season ended today, Arizona would have the No. 8 overall selection – puts them behind a number of other teams that could be looking for a QB (like the Raiders, Browns, Saints, and Jets). Considering the 2026 class of collegiate prospects has seen its stock fall this year, it would come as no surprise if the Cardinals elected to keep at least one of Brissett and Murray.

The Jets and Vikings have already been named as potential Murray suitors if the Cardinals put him on the market.

DeMeco Ryans, Deshaun Watson Trade Fuel Texans’ Defensive Ascent

December 6th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

This year's AFC has presented one of the stranger collections of contenders in the conference's history. After the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens -- with some memorable Bengals involvement -- controlled Super Bowl paths since Tom Brady's last stand in New England, the Patriots and Broncos' two-loss ledgers ruling the day remains odd. The 2025 Bills have glaring weaknesses, and the Chiefs' close-game mojo has faded. The Ravens are far from certain to be part of this season's seven-team field.

As Kansas City and Baltimore struggle to stay afloat and Buffalo faces the prospect of needing its road whites for the wild-card round for the first time since 2019, the other constant from the past two divisional-round weekends is surging. The Texans started 0-3; this Houston edition is attempting to become the first 0-3 team to book a playoff berth since the franchise's 2018 squad did so.

Plenty went down between the Deshaun Watson-directed efforts in the late 2010s and DeMeco Ryans' arrival, as the team reminded of the Astros as a Houston club bottoming out before reemerging with a trove of assets. While the now-controversial MLB team capitalized on a then-lottery-less draft system to nab prime draft picks, the Texans did the same and cashed in Watson for a historic bounty. This two-front effort helped the Texans recover from a rough ending to Bill O'Brien's short but memorable HC/GM overlap.

This Texans iteration sits 7-5, having won four straight -- three of which without C.J. Stroud -- and has moved to within a game of the AFC South lead. Although the Jaguars and Colts sit 8-4, the Texans' snarling defense represents a tool the Jaguars lack. The Texans beating the high-powered Colts offense in Indianapolis brought a strength-on-strength triumph for the resurgent visitors. With the Texans leading the NFL in scoring defense, yards allowed and EPA per play -- ahead of a pivotal game against the Chiefs -- it is a good time to examine how this unit came to be.

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Steelers Face Decision On HC Mike Tomlin’s 2027 Option

December 6th, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers’ Week 13 loss sparked a new round of debates about head coach Mike Tomlin and his job security. No changes on the sidelines are imminent, but an important decision on his future will be coming after the season.

Tomlin is under contract through 2026, and the Steelers have a team option for the following year. A firing will not take place before the end of the current campaign, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports to no surprise. He adds, however, a decision on the option will need to be made before March 1.

For several years now, questions have been raised about Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh. The team has regularly worked out two-year extensions in alternating offseasons and by doing so avoided a lame-duck situation. That would of course be the case entering 2026 if the Steelers were to decline the option, though. Barring a long-term commitment, this situation is set to once again be a major talking point during the head coach hiring cycle.

This past June, it became clear Tomlin was not on the hot seat despite a drought for playoff success dating back to 2016. Shortly thereafter, a report confirmed this is being handled as a year-to-year situation, with Tomlin’s hypothetical departure being seen as something which will only take place when he chooses to leave. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that is still the case, and sources have told him that if Tomlin does not coach the Steelers in 2026, it will be because he made that decision. The 53-year-old is the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL and one of the league’s best compensated staffers.

The Steelers have opted for stability along the sidelines throughout their history. Only three head coaches (Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Tomlin) have been in place since 1969. Tomlin is in his 19th season at the helm, moving him closer to Noll’s franchise record of 23 years. With the team sitting at 6-6, extending his streak of non-losing seasons is a distinct possibility.

Nevertheless, the Steelers face questions at the quarterback spot as they have since the waning stages of Ben Roethlisberger‘s career. A number of moves – via free agency, trade and the draft – have not yielded a long-term solution under center. That has not stopped Tomlin and the team from generally being successful on a consistent basis in the regular season, but the issue of sustained production on offense remains a sticking point. Matt Canada became a rare in-season OC firing in 2023, but his replacement (Arthur Smith) has guided the team to middling results in total offense before and after Aaron Rodgers‘ arrival.

Pittsburgh has invested heavily on defense in recent years, but in 2025 in particular things have not gone according to plan with respect to the unit. Tomlin’s influence on that side of the ball and his loyalty to defensive coordinator Teryl Austin have increasingly become used as arguments against keeping him in the fold. On the other hand, owner Art Rooney II has not wavered in his support for Tomlin.

With that in mind, Rooney’s stance on the matter will be imperative when a decision on Tomlin’s future will be made. Winning the AFC North would certainly help the latter’s cause, although another one-and-done postseason would add further to the case against keeping him. Declining Tomlin’s option but retaining him for 2026 would make for an interesting situation to say the least.

A trade was raised as a possibility last offseason when the Bears showed interest in speaking with Tomlin. The Steelers denied Chicago’s request for a meeting, but in the event Pittsburgh were to decline the 2027 option Tomlin could look into the opportunity to move on. For now, such a scenario is strictly hypothetical, and Rapoport acknowledges that a 2026 trade appears unlikely.

After the season, this situation will be one worth monitoring closely. If Tomlin chooses to step down, Rapoport suggests his most likely path would be the one Sean Payton forged several years ago: take a year off, perhaps do some media work, and then return to the sidelines in 2027. In that scenario, the Steelers would receive trade compensation, just as the Saints did when the Broncos hired Payton.

Rory Parks contribued to this post.

Poll: Who Will Win AFC South?

December 6th, 2025 at 10:01pm CST by Connor Byrne

As a back-to-back AFC South champion, Houston entered the 2025 season as the odds-on favorite to rule the division again. While few expected either the Jaguars or Colts to seriously contend, they’re ahead of the Texans entering Week 14. With the exception of the 1-11 Titans, who may be on their way to a second straight No. 1 overall pick, the AFC South is anyone’s to win with five games remaining.

Jacksonville and Indianapolis, both 8-4, will meet on Sunday with first place on the line. They’ll also square off in Week 17. The Texans (7-5) will go on the road to face the Chiefs (6-6) in something resembling a do-or-die game for the reigning conference champions. Having already beaten the Colts in Indianapolis last Sunday, the Texans will host them in a game that could decide the division or a playoff berth in Week 18. The Texans and Jaguars split their season series. They won’t see each other again unless they match up in the postseason.

The Colts have been atop the division for most of 2025, but they dropped to second place in Week 13. Thanks in part to an unexpected resurgence from quarterback Daniel Jones, a free agent addition who previously flamed out with the Giants, the Colts stormed to a 7-1 start. They held the No. 1 seed in the AFC at that point.

Acquiring star cornerback Sauce Gardner from the Jets before the Nov. 4 deadline was supposed to bolster the Colts’ chances of at least winning the division. They’ve now lost three of four, though, and Gardner could miss multiple weeks with a calf strain. Jones is playing through a fibula injury, meanwhile, and league-leading rusher Jonathan Taylor is coming off back-to-back mediocre showings.

While the shine has come off the Colts in recent weeks, the Jaguars and Texans have surged. Despite losing prized first-round rookie wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter to a season-ending knee injury in early November, the Jaguars have won three in a row. They’ve succeeded despite underwhelming numbers from quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a major downturn in production from second-year receiver Brian Thomas.

The Texans have survived despite a significant injury to C.J. Stroud, who returned last week. The third-year signal-caller missed three full games with a concussion. The Texans went undefeated in that span under backup Davis Mills, who led a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback over the Jags in Week 10.

Mills’ heroics proved crucial against Jacksonville, but the Texans’ top-ranked defense is the main reason they’re still in the race. Winners of seven of nine and four straight, the Texans have a legitimate chance to become the latest team to rally for a playoff berth after starting 0-3. Only six, including the 2018 Texans, have done so since 1979.

Although Indianapolis is reeling while Jacksonville and Houston are trending up, the Colts are still slight favorites to conquer the South, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. At 41%, they’re narrowly edging out the Jaguars (40%) ahead of Sunday’s showdown. The Texans (19%) are a distant third.

How do you expect this three-team battle to play out over the final month of the season? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Titans Expected To Trade QB Will Levis

December 6th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans turned aside interest in the first overall pick last spring to select Cam Ward. He is set to handle starting quarterback duties for the foreseeable future, but it remains to be seen if Will Levis will remain in Tennessee for 2026.

Ward was of course widely expected to handle QB1 duties right away during his rookie season, but he did not spend training camp competing for the top spot on the depth chart. In late July, Levis underwent season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder. Provided he is fully healed in time for next year, the former second-rounder may find himself on a new team.

The Titans have a new front office in place compared to the one which drafted Levis. General manager Mike Borgonzi and president of football operations Chad Brinker will need to decide on keeping him in the fold or moving on. On that note, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reports a “solid expectation” exists among those familiar with Borgonzi that the Titans will explore a Levis trade this offseason.

Drafted as the team’s Ryan Tannehill successor, Levis made a total of 21 starts across the 2023 and ’24 seasons. The Kentucky product did not develop as hoped, and it came as little surprise when Ward was drafted as his replacement. Levis’ rookie contract runs through 2026. Especially with the shoulder surgery taken into account, the return in any potential trade would be quite low.

As Robinson notes, the Titans’ preference for 2026 would be to insulate Ward with a veteran backup to aid in his Year 2 progression. Levis does not fit that description, and a fresh start would presumably be seen as rather feasible for the Borgonzi-Brinker duo. Recent years have produced several success stories in terms of quarterbacks seen as reclamation projects, and at the age of 26 Levis could be seen as one by a suitor willing to make a low-cost addition.

Of course, interested teams in this case will be cautious about Levis based on the status of his recovery. Provided his shoulder heals as planned, though, he could be a trade target this spring.

Eagles Shifting Blame Away From OC Kevin Patullo

December 6th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Ely Allen

9:45pm: Sirianni has taken on a larger role in offensive meetings this week, ESPN’s Tim McManus reports. Patullo has also been present, but it will be interesting to see if a heavier hand on the part of the head coach will yield the desired results against the Chargers. If not, the Eagles’ dynamic on that side of the ball will no doubt remain a major talking point.

2:28pm: Coming out of their Week 6 bye, the Eagles felt good about their season, winning two more games against some top competition in the NFC right out the gates, but concerns were really starting to build amidst some struggles on offense. Naturally, much of the initial external blame fell to offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, but head coach Nick Sirianni was quick to defend the first-time play-caller.

Sirianni has reportedly not been alone in his support of the first-year coordinator. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, even recently challenging wide receiver A.J. Brown has stood up, vocally, behind Patullo. When asked if a coaching change might improve the team’s recent offensive struggles, Brown called it a “crazy question.” Staying in line with the veteran receiver, the sentiment appears to be constant throughout the locker room, as Garafolo claims to see no signs of mutiny from the players.

Instead, the team has had a series of what they’ve called “no-BS discussions” in anticipation for a Monday night trip to Los Angeles, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The objective of these meetings has been to put an end to the blame game, to “stop pointing fingers.” Instead of pinning fault solely on missed throws from quarterback Jalen Hurts, the health and execution of the offensive line, careless, undisciplined penalties negating big plays, or simply, the play calling from Patullo, the team has been forced to reckon with the fact that all of these issues plaguing the reigning Super Bowl champions have jointly contributed to the offensive struggles amidst this two-game slide.

In addition to some group accountability, Sirianni hinted that actual adjustments are still happening behind the scenes. “Everything was being evaluated,” the head coach told media earlier this week (via Zach Berman of The Athletic). “We’ll think about some different things, what we want to do, scheme, everything.” The fifth-year skipper declined to go into detail on just what adjustments fans may expect to see, claiming that it probably wouldn’t “benefit” him to share.

It remains to be seen whether or not these adjustments or the team’s ability to hold everyone accountable will improve an offense that ranks 20th in points scored, 24th in total yards, and 22nd in rushing yards after ranking seventh, eighth, and second, respectively, in those categories last year. After this week’s showdown with the Chargers, a trip to Buffalo remains the only true test as a home matchup against the Raiders and a home-and-home with the Commanders should give Philadelphia a decent opportunity to get into a rhythm before the postseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/25

December 6th, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Week 14 Sunday slate:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Dort becomes Arizona’s 26th placement on injures reserve this year. The Cardinals’ receiving corps has been stretched thin with Marvin Harrison Jr. out with a heel injury and Zay Jones on injured reserve with an injured Achilles tendon.

Earning more and more responsibility over the course of his sophomore campaign, former undrafted free agent Roland-Wallace will unfortunately head to IR after starting in the Chiefs’ two most recent contests. As a roaming safety, he’s been functioning lately as a nickelback alongside the versatile pair of starting safeties behind him.

With Bosa set to miss this weekend’s game with a hamstring injury, Fox has been called up from the practice squad in Buffalo to help bolster a thin group of defensive ends.

Smyth gets the call again this week as the primary placekicker in New Orleans. He’ll be kicking in his second straight game following the team’s dismissal of Blake Grupe.

For Spector in Buffalo, this will be his third elevation this season, meaning the Bills will need to sign him to the active roster in order for him to appear in another game in 2025. The same is true of Turner in Denver, Hanson in Kansas City, and Banks in Tampa Bay. On the other side of that, Tindall in Arizona, Lewis in Jacksonville, and Cook in New York were all signed to 53-man rosters today after they used up their three allotted practice squad elevations.

Texans Sign S Jalen Mills To Active Roster, Place S Jaylen Reed On IR

December 6th, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans’ secondary is really starting to thin out with injuries. Friday’s injury report confirmed that rookie sixth-round safety Jaylen Reed will miss tomorrow night’s game in Kansas City with a forearm injury. With Jimmie Ward still on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and replacement starter M.J. Stewart recently placed on season-ending injured reserve, practice squad safety Jalen Mills has been signed to the 53-man roster to bolster the group.

In a corresponding move, Reed has been moved to injured reserve. The sixth-round rookie broke a metal plate in his forearm in Week 13, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Surgery will be required as a result. Today’s move ensures Reed will miss at least the next four weeks.

Mills signed to the Texans’ taxi squad following an 0-2 start to the season after he had spent two weeks of the preseason with the team but failed to make the initial 53-man roster. The 31-year-old defensive back has been elevated from the practice squad for three of the last four games, so with his presence on the defense still needed, Houston has promoted him up to the active roster.

While two of his elevations have simply seen Mills play in a special teams role with minimal time on defense, three weeks ago, the veteran was asked to start against the division rival Titans next to Calen Bullock. A similar situation can be expected for Week 14 given Houston’s injury situation in the secondary. Mills is of course familiar with heavy defensive workloads as a veteran of 92 starts (many of which, in fairness, came as a cornerback).

The LSU product is a pending free agent. As a result, his play down the stretch will be key in determining his value on a new Texans pact or one sending him elsewhere. In the meantime, Mills will look to chip in on a Texans defense which leads the league in points and yards allowed as the team aims to win the AFC South.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

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