HEADLINES

Month: November 2025

Jacoby Brissett To Remain Cardinals’ Starting QB

November 4th, 2025 at 3:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jacoby Brissett helped lead the Cardinals to a win last night and continued to guide the offense in a way which invited questions about a change atop the quarterback depth chart. Head coach Jonathan Gannon shut those down, but a change of heart may have quickly taken place.

Brissett will in fact continue in his position as Arizona’s QB1, Gannon announced on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if Kyler Murray will be healthy in time for Week 10, but even in that event he will dress as the team’s backup. That would of course represent a major development.

Arizona’s offense has not matched expectations with Murray at the helm. By contrast, the unit has delivered more consistent performances during Brissett’s starts. Gannon’s comments about no permanent swap being considered came as little surprise given the team’s financial commitment to Murray. The former No. 1 pick is under contract through 2028 on a pact which averages $46.1MM per year. Spending any time on the bench while healthy would no doubt lead to a spike in speculation about his Cardinals future.

Gannon noted Murray continues to recover, leaving the door open to him being able to dress in Week 10. The 28-year-old faces the risk of reaggravating his foot injury in the event he returns to action too quickly, however. As such, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports a timeline of four to eight weeks remains in place after consultations with multiple doctors. Surgery is not under consideration, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds.

Gannon has repeatedly spoken glowingly about Murray, who is already owed $36.8MM in guarantees for next season. Similarly, his 2027 salary will vest this coming March. By that point, a clearer picture will emerge regarding Murray’s status in terms of his health and his standing with the franchise. The two-time Pro Bowler has started each of his 88 combined regular and postseason appearances to date.

Brissett, 32, has seen time with six NFL teams over the course of his career. He has posted strong numbers (102.5 passer rating, 6:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio) this season while overseeing the Cardinals’ offense. It remains to be seen if that will continue on a permanent basis, but in addition to Murray’s progress in recovery it will be worth monitoring how the team operates when both of its passers are healthy.

Eagles Designate Nolan Smith For Return From IR

November 4th, 2025 at 3:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles made a trade addition along the edge yesterday. The team’s pass rush could receive an internal boost in the near future as well.

Nolan Smith has been designated for return from injured reserve, per a team announcement. The move allows him to return to practice and opens his 21-day activation window. If Smith is not brought onto the active roster within that span, he will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

A strained triceps muscle landed Smith on IR in September. That injury dealt a blow to Philadelphia’s EDGE room, one which has since undergone plenty of changes. Za’Darius Smith retired shortly into his Eagles tenure, while Brandon Graham has returned to the franchise after hanging up his cleats. Most recently, Jaelan Phillips has been acquired in a trade with the Dolphins.

Phillips is a pending free agent, but the Eagles parted with a third-round pick to acquire him. The 26-year-old can be expected to handle a heavy workload upon arrival, and it will be interesting to see how fares during his second stint working with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Once Smith is back in the fold, he will look to form a strong tandem along the edge with Phillips.

The 2023 first-rounder developed into a starter during his second campaign, notching 6.5 sacks. Smith was a first-team presence to begin the current season before going down. Remaining healthy the rest of the way will be critical to the Eagles’ chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions. It will be interesting to see if he is activated in time for the team’s Week 10 contest.

The Eagles have six IR activations remaining for the year. Smith will (just like cornerback Jakorian Bennett) account for one when he is brought back into the fold, something which will provide a needed spark to Philadelphia’s pass rush group.

Saints To Send OL Trevor Penning To Bolts

November 4th, 2025 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Minutes before the trade deadline, the Chargers struck a deal to address their depleted offensive line. They are acquiring Trevor Penning from the Saints, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The Bolts will send the Saints a 2027 sixth-rounder, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds.

Penning has logged extensive time at three positions along the Saints’ O-line, spending full seasons at both tackle positions before kicking inside to guard this year. New Orleans is moving on from its left guard starter after not picking up his fifth-year option this offseason.

[RELATED: 2025 NFL Trades]

Despite not coming up in trade rumors, Penning loomed as a logical candidate to be moved thanks to his starting experience at premium positions and walk-year status. The Saints did not see Penning become the left tackle mainstay they hoped when they drafted him in 2022, and passing on his 2026 guarantee made him a free agent-to-be. Now, the Chargers will evaluate him. Though, their situation points to Penning still making it to the market come March.

Los Angeles has lost both its starting tackles — Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt — to season-ending injuries. Alt has battled a high ankle sprain for much of the year, and the fast-emerging tackle aggravating it in Week 9 prompted the Chargers to shut him down. The 2024 top-five pick is set for season-ending ankle surgery, creating a glaring void on Justin Herbert‘s blind side. It appears the Saints will ask Penning to shift back to his original NFL position.

The Saints bailed on the Penning-at-LT plan in 2024, drafting Taliese Fuaga in the first round and moving the Oregon State product from right tackle to Derek Carr‘s blind side. Penning then slid to right tackle and started 17 games there. After being quickly benched at LT in 2023, the Northern Iowa alum fared better at RT. But the Saints did not view him as a keeper there, either, using their No. 9 overall pick on Kelvin Banks. The Texas product kicked Fuaga to RT and Penning to yet another position. The Saints had him train at left guard this offseason, and he won the job — before temporarily ceding it after a turf toe bout.

L.A. is in decent shape on its interior, despite Mekhi Becton missing time recently. Becton is not on IR, and Zion Johnson is healthy at LG. The team could use immediate help at tackle, and Penning has started 23 tames at those spots in his pro career. The 26-year-old blocker has made six guard starts this season.

Pro Football Focus rates Penning’s guard work 64th at guard this season; the advanced metrics site graded Penning 60th among tackles during his RT experiment year. The underwhelming first-rounder did not grade well during his five-game LT sample in 2023. Being asked to move around the line certainly is not an easy task, but Penning could have an immediate chance to create some free agency value by providing decent LT work as a stopgap.

The Chargers have primarily been using summer trade pickup Austin Deculus at left tackle when Alt has missed time. He has been one of the Bolts’ blockers to look overmatched this season. PFF has graded Deculus, emergency add Bobby Hart and Trey Pipkins outside the top 65 at tackle this season.

This has left the Bolts scrambling, as they have been unable to field a healthy O-line. The team also has ex-Slater LT fill-in Jamaree Salyer, but Jim Harbaugh has opted for Deculus instead. While Penning may not be plugged in immediately, it would surprise if the Division I-FCS product was not seeing tackle work fairly soon given the Chargers’ status as a playoff contender.

Jets Will Not Trade WR Garrett Wilson; Latest On LB Quincy Williams

November 4th, 2025 at 2:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets have traded away Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. Jermaine Johnson continues to draw interest, meanwhile, while Breece Hall has asked to be dealt.

With all that going on around the franchise, New York has understandably received calls about Garrett Wilson as well. In that case, however, no swap is forthcoming. Wilson is considered untouchable, SNY’s Connor Hughes reports.

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post confirms Wilson will not be on the move. The 25-year-old was linked to trade talk last season after the Jets reunited Aaron Rodgers with Davante Adams. Neither were retained in the offseason, though, and Wilson wound up inking a four-year, $130MM extension in July. That pact moved Wilson into fifth in the league in terms of receiver compensation on an annual basis.

Considering the fact New York’s current regime (led by general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn) authorized that extension, it would stand to reason Wilson will be staying in place. Of course, the same was also true of Gardner, who has been dealt just eight games after signing his extension. While the Jets’ defense will look vastly different moving forward, Wilson, 25, will remain a focal point of offense for the foreseeable future.

As for another Jets trade candidate, nothing is imminent at this point for Quincy Williams. The former All-Pro linebacker has been on the radar of interested teams leading up to the deadline, but no deal has been worked out yet. The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports New York has been seeking a fourth-round pick for Williams, whose brother is no longer his teammate. Quincy Williams is a pending free agent.

Time still remains for the Jets to swing one or more trades, but it seems as though that will not be the case. Wilson in particular can be assured of remaining in the fold as the team engages in a rebuild.

Bills Eyeing Deebo Samuel, Von Miller?

November 4th, 2025 at 2:24pm CST by Connor Byrne

Wide receiver and defensive line are among areas the Bills could address before the trade deadline. With 3 p.m. CT fast approaching, Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel and pass rusher Von Miller are names to watch for Buffalo, according to Tim Graham of The Athletic.

The Commanders were expected to remain NFC contenders this year after advancing to the conference title game last season. With an eye on bettering their chances in 2025, they swung an offseason deal with the 49ers for Samuel. Through his first eight games with the Commanders, Samuel leads the team in receptions (42) and yards (367, on just 8.7 per catch), and he has added four touchdowns.

Several months after trading for Samuel, the Commanders signed Miller to a one-year, $6.1MM contract over the summer. That came after the longtime Bronco spent three seasons as a member of the Bills, with whom he could reunite. Miller has only played 35% of defensive snaps for the Commanders, but the 36-year-old has collected four sacks in nine games.

Even though Samuel and Miller have been productive, the 3-6 Commanders may be ready to wave the white flag during an injury-plagued season. Quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered what could be a season-ending elbow injury in a loss to the Seahawks in Week 9. With little room for error left and Daniels out for the foreseeable future, it could lead to exits for Samuel and/or Miller.

The Bills rank toward the bottom of the NFL in spending space, though they did create $1.75MM in breathing room when they restructured cornerback Taron Johnson‘s contract on Monday. That could help them fit either Samuel or Miller under the cap. Samuel, like Miller, is due to become a free agent after the season. The 29-year-old is earning a $1.57MM base salary with a $5.16MM cap hit.

If he ends up with the Bills, Samuel will immediately become the most established member of their receiving corps. Slot target Khalil Shakir has been effective again in 2025. However, second-year man Keon Coleman has underwhelmed, Josh Palmer has been out since mid-October with a knee/ankle injury, and no other Bills wideout has caught double-digit passes.

The Bills released Miller last March to open up cap space and then quickly replaced him with another decorated pass rusher in Joey Bosa. That decision has worked out well for the Bills, who are off to a 6-2 start and have received strong work from Bosa.

While Injuries have been a problem throughout Bosa’s career, he has stayed healthy this season. The rest of the Bills’ D-line hasn’t been as lucky, though. Starting tackle Ed Oliver suffered a torn biceps in Week 8 and won’t return until the postseason (if at all). End Michael Hoecht went down with a season-ending torn Achilles in Week 9.

With Oliver and Hoecht unavailable for the second half, it could point the Bills back to Miller. In returning to Buffalo, he’d join a group of outside pass rushers that currently includes Bosa, Greg Rousseau, and A.J. Epenesa.

Jets RB Breece Hall Wants Trade

November 4th, 2025 at 1:52pm CST by Connor Byrne

After already swinging two jaw-dropping trades on Tuesday, the Jets are attempting to make yet another move leading up to the 3 p.m. CT deadline, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The Jets previously said goodbye to two defensive cornerstones, cornerback Sauce Gardner and lineman Quinnen Williams, in blockbusters with the Colts and Cowboys.

With Gardner and Williams gone, running back Breece Hall wants a trade, per Schultz . Despite Hall’s wishes, expectations are that the Jets will retain him, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

While Hall is due to reach free agency in the offseason, making him a pure rental for an acquiring club, the Jets are requesting a third-round pick in return, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Although contenders like the Chiefs, Chargers, and Patriots have come up as speculative fits for the 24-year-old, no one has met the Jets’ asking price. However, there are offers on the table for Hall, Connor Hughes of SNY relays.

If a Hall trade doesn’t come together, it’s possible the Jets will make an attempt to re-sign the fourth-year man and former second-rounder between now and the offseason. Hall has won over rookie head coach Aaron Glenn, who said in mid-October there were no plans to trade him (there probably weren’t plans to trade Gardner or Williams then either). One of the few bright spots on a 1-7 team, Hall has rushed for 581 yards and two touchdowns on 5.0 YPC this season.

With the Jets seemingly unafraid to part with anyone, Hall will continue to be a name to watch going up to the deadline. The same goes for EDGE rusher Jermaine Johnson, who’s reportedly generating second-round offers.

Broncos Eyeing Trade Addition?

November 4th, 2025 at 1:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos are not among the teams which have made a trade acquisition so far this season. That could change over the coming hours, however.

Denver is among the teams to watch regarding a splashy addition, according to veteran insider Jordan Schultz as well as Bleacher Report’s James Palmer. The Broncos elected to undertake a number of aggressive moves on the open market this spring, looking to build around Bo Nix while it plays out his rookie contract. So far, that plan has worked well.

Sean Payton and George Paton‘s team currently sits in a three-way tie for the top seed in the AFC. Its 7-2 record has not brought about much in the way of breathing space in terms of the race for the AFC West, but a second straight playoff berth can certainly be expected. As such, a buyer’s stance would come as no surprise.

After Denver spent big on defense during the offseason, that unit has delivered. The team currently ranks in the top eight in the NFL against both the pass and the run. Adding on that side of the ball would be a luxury, whereas bringing in help on offense would likely move the needle to a larger extent. Indeed, the Broncos were recently linked to interest in making moves along the interior of the offensive line and/or at the receiver position.

No O-linemen have been dealt in the recent build-up to the trade deadline. It is uncommon for teams to part with quality blockers even when they operate as a seller. The wide receiver spot, by contrast, has seen movement today. Jakobi Meyers (Raiders) and Rashid Shaheed (Seahawks) have been dealt. Both of those cases are rentals who were acquired for a pair of Day 3 picks. Denver is currently projected to own 10 selections in the 2026 draft, so capital will not be an issue for any swap.

Finances, on the other hand, could be. The Broncos entered Tuesday near the bottom of the league with roughly $4.7MM in cap space, so a pricey move would be unlikely. Still, Denver will be worth watching as trade calls around the league continue.

Jalen Ramsey Sticking At Safety In Week 10

November 4th, 2025 at 1:30pm CST by Connor Byrne

Jalen Ramsey has starred at cornerback since entering the NFL as the fifth overall pick of the Jaguars in 2016. Nine years later, a position change may be in store for the seven-time Pro Bowler.

After Ramsey lined up at free safety in a 27-20 win over the Colts last Sunday, he’ll work “exclusively” at the position as the Steelers prepare to face the Chargers on Sunday, according to head coach Mike Tomlin (via Brooke Pryor of ESPN). The Steelers have updated their depth chart, placing Ramsey as the starting free safety, Kyle Dugger as the No. 1 strong safety, and Brandin Echols as their top slot cornerback, per team correspondent Mark Kaboly.

When discussing Ramsey this week (via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), Tomlin said that his ability to handle multiple positions “will provide opportunities for Brandin Echols to step up, which he did, and play more nickel. It will give guys like James Pierre more reps outside. We have more depth at corner than we do safety right now. We’re simply pivoting and doing what’s required to keep the train rolling.”

As Tomlin alluded to, the Steelers were severely shorthanded at safety against the Colts’ top-ranked offense, necessitating Ramsey’s switch from corner. DeShon Elliott, Jabrill Peppers, Chuck Clark, and Miles Killebrew were all out with injuries and/or illnesses. Meanwhile, Dugger played his first game as a Steeler after they acquired him from the Patriots last Tuesday. Ramsey (78) and Dugger (77) ended up among Pittsburgh’s leaders in defensive snaps during a six-turnover, five-sack performance.

Just months after trading safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami in a June blockbuster that delivered Ramsey (and Jonnu Smith) to Pittsburgh, the Steelers are now relying on Ramsey to help strengthen the position. As Pro Football Focus’ 32nd-ranked corner out of 107 qualifiers, Ramsey has been a bright spot on a struggling Steelers defense this year. While the team is 5-3 and atop the AFC North, its pass defense ranks last in the NFL.

Unless the Steelers move Ramsey back to corner, he’s in line to join Peppers, Clark, Dugger, and Juan Thornhill as their choices at safety for the rest of the season. Elliott and Killebrew (primarily a special teamer) are on IR with knee injuries and questionable to return in 2025. Ramsey said back in 2021 that he’d one day like to emulate Charles Woodson, a Hall of Famer who made a successful transition from corner to safety late in his career. Four years later, Ramsey may be getting his wish.

Jets Receiving Second-Round Offers On EDGE Jermaine Johnson

November 4th, 2025 at 1:25pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jets are continuing to take calls on Jermaine Johnson, with teams offering second-round picks in deals for the fourth-year edge rusher, per SNY’s Connor Hughes.

Johnson has been a popular trade target with the Jets thought to be seeking a second-round pick in exchange. New York seems to be going through a full roster reset after trading both Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams before the deadline. They are likely trying to garner as much draft capital as possible for a quarterback prospect in the next two years and rebuild their roster under their new regime.

Hughes’ specific wording – “offers include a second-round pick.” – and the timing of his report suggest that the Jets are being asked to send a pick back to an acquiring team as part of the deal. They may be trying to drum up better offers before the deadline elapses in less than two hours.

It seems likely that Johnson will be on his way out of New York later today, and other Jets like Breece Hall could also join the apparent fire sale. The Jets’ moves are arguably the most significant back-to-back trades made by a franchise in years, if not decades. They now have the draft picks to land their desired quarterback prospect in one of the next two drafts while also searching for new franchise cornerstones to replace the ones they just sent out of town.

Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon On Kyler Murray: ‘Nothing’s Changed’

November 4th, 2025 at 12:42pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cardinals are not planning to keep Jacoby Brissett at quarterback after Kyler Murray returns from injury.

Murray has missed Arizona’s last three games with a foot injury. The offense has looked better with Brissett under center, averaging five more points per game in his starts compared to Murray’s. Brissett has three straight games with at least 260 passing yards and two touchdowns; Murray has none.

That has led to questions about the Cardinals sticking with Brissett after Murray comes back, but head coach Jonathan Gannon shut such talk down on Monday night.

“Nothing’s changed on that,” Gannon said (via ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss) when asked about making a change at quarterback.

However, the Cardinals have not found much success under Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort since they were hired together in 2023. They did not draft Murray or sign him to his current contract extension, and could be looking to find a different long-term quarterback that meshes better with their vision for the team.

It would still seem to be unwise for the Cardinals to bench Murray this year. Such a move could be an alarming sign to other teams and drop his trade value in the offseason, and he has enough guaranteed money remaining on his deal to make an outright release uncomfortable for Arizona’s salary cap.

It is also fair to wonder if Murray has been put in the best position to succeed. His results were much better with Kliff Kingsbury calling the offense rather than current OC Tommy Rees, and the Cardinals have not consistently had a strong offensive line since drafting Murray. The Cardinals seem to be approaching a major decision point regarding Murray’s future, but they seem unlikely to bench him before making that call.

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