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Commanders, Jets, Ravens To Meet With Drake Jackson

October 3rd, 2025 at 1:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers’ top draftee in 2022, Drake Jackson did not deliver on his second-round investment. A knee injury derailed the USC product, who has not played in nearly two years.

Jackson went down in November 2023, being shut down by Week 9. At the time, the 49ers did not declare the defensive end out for the season. But as the team’s playoff outlook came into focus, Kyle Shanahan made it clear Jackson would not be part of it. Jackson then spent the 2024 season on the 49ers’ reserve/PUP list, inviting concern about his NFL future since that placement came about as a result of a 2023 injury.

After being given the season-ending PUP designation during training camp, Jackson received his walking papers from the 49ers in May. No updates had tied Jackson to teams since, but that has changed. The former No. 61 overall pick has returned to full health, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reports the recovering edge rusher has booked three visits as a result. The Commanders, Jets and Ravens have scheduled meetings with Jackson, who will huddle up with those interested clubs beginning this weekend.

When available in San Francisco, Jackson was moderately productive. Logging a 33% snap rate as a backup in 2022, Jackson tallied three sacks. In 2023, Jackson added three more on a 38% snap rate. That production came in nine games, as the 6-foot-4 D-end was done by midseason.

The 49ers have made two sets of offseason moves since Jackson’s injury, signing Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos in 2024 and then adding Mykel Williams in Round 1 before trading for Bryce Huff this offseason. The latter duo, with Floyd since cut, is playing a bigger-than-expected role due to Nick Bosa‘s Week 3 ACL tear.

Washington carried a big EDGE need into the summer but did add Von Miller ahead of his age-36 season. Miller has 1.5 sacks and three QB hits through four games, with Dorance Armstrong leading the team with three sacks. Washington has lost Deatrich Wise for the season, however. Ravaged by defensive injuries, the Ravens have been without Kyle Van Noy for two games. They only have four sacks on the season; contract-year EDGE Odafe Oweh is sackless thus far. Jermaine Johnson returned from injury to complement Will McDonald in New York this season. Johnson does not have a sack, having missed the past two games due to a concussion.

Jackson, of course, does not exactly profile as an immediate fix for EDGE-needy teams. The knee injury threw off his developmental track. A practice squad invite may be Jackson’s more likely route here, but significant interest emerging does point to the 2022 draftee receiving another chance soon.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Travis Etienne

October 3rd, 2025 at 1:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Regime change has been a common occurrence during Travis Etienne‘s Jacksonville tenure. Although only two GMs have been in place during the former first-round pick’s time in Duval County, the team has effectively gone through three power structures during the RB’s five-season run.

The coach who drafted Etienne (Urban Meyer) proved unfit for NFL leadership but held full personnel control during his eventful several months on the job. Meyer had shown interesting transparency on the night the Jaguars chose Etienne, indicating the team wanted Kadarius Toney with the second of its first-round picks that night. GM Trent Baalke took over as the lead personnel exec following Meyer’s ouster, but Shad Khan fired him as the unpopular exec had affected the team’s 2025 HC search. The James Gladstone–Liam Coen power structure now controls Etienne’s future — until March, that is.

After a down 2024 during a disastrous Baalke-Doug Pederson finale, Etienne looked like he was fading out of the picture this offseason. Trade rumors emerged, with the Clemson alum’s fit in Coen’s offense questioned, and the Jags added two Gladstone-tabbed draftees (Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen) at the position. Those two crowded the backfield, after Tank Bigsby had forced a timeshare with Etienne last season. But Bigsby ended up being the one moved. This has smoothed Etienne’s runway to impress in a contract year.

Entering Week 5, Etienne leads the NFL with 6.1 yards per carry. His 394 rushing yards rank trail only Jonathan Taylor and James Cook this season. Both Cook and Taylor entered the season entrenched as their teams’ starting running backs. The Tuten-Allen draft class and Bigsby’s presence clouded Etienne’s Jacksonville future, but a 143-yard opener — highlighted by a 71-yard run — showed the potential for a contract-year bounce-back effort.

The Jags traded Bigsby to the Eagles for fifth- and sixth-round picks days later, and Etienne has regained his role as the backfield leader. Etienne also posted a 100-yard rushing performance against the 49ers, giving the Jags a road upset over a team with a high-level defense. We are only at the quarter pole for the season, but Etienne’s free agency value has increased based on his start and return to surefire RB1 duty in Jacksonville.

The ex-Trevor Lawrence college teammate had held this position in 2022 and ’23, submitting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons after missing his rookie year with a Lisfranc injury. A costly fumble at the goal line during a narrow Week 1 loss to the Dolphins proved a harbinger of a step backward last year, however, as Etienne stumbled to a 558-yard season in 15 games. Bigsby also outgained him by a wide margin, tallying 766 yards. The landscape looks different for Etienne post-Bigsby, and the 2026 free agent market also lost some key names this summer.

Both Cook and Kyren Williams signed extensions, moving two 2022 draftees out of the free agent picture. Etienne became grouped with the 2022 draft class due to the Jags picking up his fifth-year option — an affordable $6.14MM — in May 2024. The rest of the 2021 RB class has already moved onto second contracts. The other first-round RB that year, Najee Harris, saw his fifth-year option declined and joined the Chargers in free agency. The Patriots and Panthers respectively extended Rhamondre Stevenson and Chuba Hubbard on similar deals — pacts that certainly could be relevant for Etienne.

The New England and Carolina RBs are tied to $9MM- and $8.3MM-per-year extensions, respectively. The contracts check in outside the top 10 in RB AAV. Etienne will need to stick the landing on this turnaround campaign if he is to move toward the Cook-Williams level; the Bills and Rams gave their respective starters $11MM- and $11.5MM-AAV extensions. Another sizable cap increase would help the five-year Jaguar’s cause, but matching the Cook and Williams numbers might be overly optimistic for a player whose value has fluctuated.

Etienne having a better resume compared unsigned 2022 draftees Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker could make him the top RB available next year, but age also stands to be a factor for the Jags ballcarrier. Hall is in an age-24 season, while Walker will turn 25 this month. Because Etienne both surprised by staying at Clemson for his 2020 senior season and was then restricted by the fifth-year option, he will be 27 when free agency opens. That is certainly on the older end for a first-time RB UFA.

Among RBs, only Etienne and Saquon Barkley have seen their fifth-year options exercised over the past seven offseasons. The Giants delayed Barkley’s path to free agency by franchise-tagging him after that option year, and the team did not show interest in re-signing him due partially to age. Barkley proceeded to deliver an all-time RB season in Philly, though the gulf in talent between he and Etienne (or he and just about every active running back) is fairly wide. Still, Etienne staying healthy should create a decent market — especially if he stays on this track.

A 2026 tag would seem a bit pricey here, with OverTheCap projecting the RB figure to come in beyond $14MM. The Jags also have Tuten as a potential replacement for 2026, with Allen as a passing-down option as well.

Etienne could force the new regime’s hand by continuing a strong season, with the current power brokers clearing out the veteran skill-position contracts (Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, Devin Duvernay) on the payroll this offseason. But as it stands entering October, Etienne is pointed toward a 2026 Jacksonville exit. The Jags hold exclusive negotiating rights with their RB1 until the legal tampering period begins March 9, but this will be an interesting market to monitor in the coming months.

Jets RB Braelon Allen To Miss 8-12 Weeks

October 3rd, 2025 at 11:58am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) that running back Braelon Allen is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks due to the knee injury that landed him on injured reserve on Thursday.

Allen could opt to rehab his knee with or without surgery, per Glenn, with the same timetable for both options. That will keep the 2024 fourth-round pick sidelined until the very end of November at the earliest.

Allen’s injury, believed to be an MCL sprain, will set back a sophomore campaign that was seen as an opportunity for the 21-year-old after playing second fiddle to Breece Hall as a rookie. Regime change is often accompanied by roster turnover, and the new leadership could let Hall – a second-round pick under previous general manager Joe Douglas – walk in free agency and install Allen as the team’s future starter.

Hall has gotten off to a strong start this year, and Allen’s injury will likely rob him of the chance to impress his new coaches. Hall did not emerge as an extension candidate, as of this summer, but rumblings about an in-season trade will likely cease following this Allen news.

Allen’s timetable is on the high end for MCL sprains, but these injuries can be tricky. While Allen’s 2025 season stands to be marred by this malady, time remains on the running back’s side. The Wisconsin alum played his entire rookie season at age 20, and the Jets will have his age-22 and age-23 campaigns (perhaps with Hall elsewhere) to continue this evaluation. Allen finished with 334 rushing yards on 92 carries last season, playing in all 17 Jets games. He is at 76 (on 18 totes) thus far this year.

This will deplete an offense already lacking for auxiliary playmakers beyond Hall and Garrett Wilson. With Allen on IR and RB/return specialist Kene Nwangwu missing practice this week with a hamstring injury, the Jets will likely make a roster move to fill out their Week 5 backfield depth chart. Only Hall and Isaiah Adams are healthy options going into the team’s Cowboys matchup.

Chosen one round after Allen in last year’s draft, Adams gained 174 rushing yards on 30 handoffs as a rookie. The South Dakota State product will be expected to play a bigger role with Allen out of the picture. Rookie UDFA Lawrance Toafili is the only running back on Gang Green’s practice squad. Toafili has yet to make his NFL debut.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Brock Purdy Suffered Setback With Turf Toe Injury, Could Miss Week 6

October 3rd, 2025 at 10:45am CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 3: Shanahan confirmed (via Cam Inman of the Bay Area Sports Group) that Purdy re-aggravated his injury and will again be week-to-week moving forward.

“[I] don’t know how it will heal,” added Shanahan.

The 49ers can be patient with Purdy’s recovery, as Jones has played well in his three starts, including a 342-yard, two-touchdown perfomance on Thursday night against the Rams. However, the team’s financial commitment to Purdy will likely stave off any chance of a quarterback controversy. Instead, Jones could follow in Sam Darnold‘s footsteps and parlay his success in San Francisco into a starting gig elsewhere.

OCTOBER 2: While it sounded like a short turnaround was the main reason for Brock Purdy‘s absence from tonight’s Week 5 contest, the 49ers QB may actually be sidelined for more than just this week. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Purdy suffered a setback with his turf toe injury and is now considered week-to-week.

Per Rapoport, the quarterback reported soreness following his return in Week 4. The player later underwent an MRI, which revealed an aggravation of his lingering injury. As a result, Purdy is now at risk of missing more than just Week 5, with Rapoport hinting that the 25-year-old could also sit out the 49ers’ Week 6 matchup against the Buccaneers.

Purdy missed Weeks 2 and 3 while dealing with the turf toe injury. He returned for Week 4 and didn’t miss a snap, but he informed coach Kyle Shanahan of some soreness following the loss. Shanahan noted that Purdy and the team had to navigate “a totally different element” considering the four-day turnaround before Thursday Night Football, and after being listed as a non-participant on Monday, the quarterback was later ruled out for Week 5.

Now, it sounds like Purdy is at risk of missing at least his fourth game of the 2025 campaign. The former Mr. Irrelevant has generally stayed healthy throughout his career. He suffered a torn UCL as a rookie during the NFC Championship Game but managed to return for 16 games as a sophomore. He also missed a pair of games in 2024 thanks to shoulder and elbow injuries.

In two games this season, Purdy has completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 586 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. After tossing 31 touchdowns as a sophomore, Purdy finished the 2023 campaign with 20 touchdown passes. The QB inked a five-year, $265MM extension with the 49ers back in May.

Mac Jones will continue to start for the 49ers as long as Purdy is sidelined. The former first-round pick has guided the 49ers to a pair of wins through his first two starts, tossing four touchdowns vs. only one interception.

Concern About Arch Manning In Scouting World

October 3rd, 2025 at 10:27am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Texas quarterback and potential top 2026/2027 draft prospect Arch Manning has not lived up to the hype in his first season as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback.

Among qualified FBS quarterbacks, Manning ranks 42nd in yards per attempt (8.4), 62nd in yards per game (222), and 88th in completion percentage (61.3%). Those numbers fall far short of the expectations for the preseason Heisman favorite, and it is impacting his perception at the NFL level.

Manning’s particularly rough performance against Ohio State in the season opener has created “real concern about him within the scouting world,” per Bruce Feldman of The Athletic. The 21-year-old has been scrutinized for his entire playing career due to his family tree with much of the college football world talking about his potential for the last two years.

“He’s talented, but he needs to get rid of what’s going on with him,” said one of Feldman’s NFL sources. “I don’t know if it’s all mental, but I do know he’s dealing with a level of pressure that nobody else we’re talking about is dealing with.”

This is also Manning’s first year as a full-time starter, and that is not the only change to the Longhorns offense. They have several new starters, including four along the offensive line, so some early missteps are understandable, but NFL scouts will be looking for Manning to bounce back in a big way for the rest of the year.

Unsurprisingly, Feldman’s sources within the Texas program are more optimistic about Manning, particularly his athleticism and natural throwing ability. They may also be more confident that he will stay in college for four years. Many suspect that will be the case because his uncles Peyton and Eli Manning did the same thing on the advice of their father (Arch’s grandfather and namesake) Archie Manning. Sticking around in Austin in 2026 will give Arch Manning more time to develop in college and potentially recover from a disappointing 2025 season before entering the 2027 draft.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving Battling Foot Sprain

October 3rd, 2025 at 9:30am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 3: Irving will miss the Buccaneers’ Week 5 matchup with the Seahawks; the team ruled him out. He missed practice all week and is at risk of being sidelined for the team’s Week 6 contest as well, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

OCTOBER 2: One of the NFL’s biggest running back success stories in recent years, Bucky Irving commandeered the Buccaneers’ starting job last year and entered this season as the unquestioned leader of the team’s backfield. Irving delivered a strong performance in Tampa Bay’s narrow loss to Philadelphia in Week 4.

Irving came out of that game worse for wear, however, and is battling two injuries. Suiting up for Week 5 will be an uphill battle for the second-year player, as NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport indicate the player is gathering medical options on an injury ESPN’s Adam Schefter later labeled a foot sprain. Although Irving came out of Sunday’s game with a shoulder malady as well, the foot issue is the one that would stand to impede a return against the Seahawks.

The former fourth-round pick was spotted on crutches and with a walking boot on his injured left foot, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, while Todd Bowles said the boot will need to be shed by Friday if he is to consider deploying his starter against the Seahawks. IR does not appear a consideration just yet, with Irving labeled day-to-day, but gathering medical opinions and an ultimatum on a walking boot do not present positive signs for the RB’s Week 5 availability.

This creates an issue for the Bucs, who have seen Irving become a regular producer since he usurped Rachaad White in the backfield. The team is also already without offensive regulars Mike Evans, Luke Goedeke, Cody Mauch and Jalen McMillan.

Joining Bo Nix in transferring to Oregon in 2022, Irving landed in Tampa after his Day 3 draft arrival. Despite mid-round status, the ex-Minnesota recruit impressed with a 1,122-yard rushing season as a rookie. Irving also added 392 receiving yards, becoming an all-around option for Baker Mayfield. Irving managed 1,514 scrimmage yards despite starting only three 2024 games. Only Alvin Kamara (1,554) tops that among rookies with three or fewer starts throughout NFL history.

Irving also managed this with a 5-foot-10, 195-pound frame. His size created moderate concern about durability, but the Bucs gave him 254 touches last season. He has impressed in Year 2, totaling 430 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. One of those came on a 72-yard toss from Mayfield against the Eagles.

If Irving cannot go, White looms as the next man up. The Bucs’ starter in 2023 and for most of 2024, White is in a contract year and likely to depart — thanks to Irving’s emergence — in 2026. Though, the Bucs sure have displayed a penchant for re-signing their own in recent years, potentially not shutting the door on White staying. White is averaging an impressive 4.7 yards per carry, but that has come on 23 totes compared to Irving’s 71. The Bucs have given Irving at least 20 touches in three straight games. Sean Tucker, a third-year UDFA, would be White’s backup/change-of-pace option if Irving sits.

Titans’ Coaching Staff Growing Uneasy?

October 2nd, 2025 at 10:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans have nosedived since their 2021 divisional-round appearance brought nine Joe Burrow sacks but a Bengals win. Since, the team has finished 7-10, 6-11 and 3-14. This season shows no signs of that trend reversing, as Tennessee is 0-4 and coming off a shutout loss.

Houston blanked its division rival in a 26-0 Week 4 result, and Tennessee has lost three of its four games by at least 14 points. The Titans rank 32nd in offense and 28th defensively. Finding bright spots is difficult here, leading to natural speculation Brian Callahan is coaching for his job. Some internal buzz further points to that.

Entering Week 5, moderate concerns exist among the Titans’ coaching staff the front office may not be as patient as initially believed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Although Titans brass came into the season confident Callahan could turn the ship around and did not set a win-loss benchmark for its coach to keep his job, per Fowler, team brass obviously wants to see an improving squad. That has not happened, and Fowler indicates the feeling around the league points to the temperature rising here.

Deck chairs are already being rearranged. Callahan benched himself as play-caller, going around his OC (Nick Holz) to give the duty to QBs coach Bo Hardegree. This reminds of an ill-conceived 2022 Broncos setup, when Nathaniel Hackett turned to QBs coach Klint Kubiak over OC Justin Outten due to the former’s play-calling experience. (Denver fired Hackett after Week 16; Outten was in Tennessee weeks later.) Holz’s lack of play-calling experience compared to Hardegree, the Raiders’ interim OC during the second half of the 2023 season, influenced Callahan’s call.

Hardegree’s debut with the call sheet did not go well, and Cam Ward then criticized his play and the performance of the team as a whole postgame. The Titans’ minus-69 point differential is the league’s worst, and a defense that ranked second in yardage in Dennard Wilson‘s debut (as Will Levis‘ poor play contributed to the team’s 30th-place scoring defense ranking) now sits 25th.

Callahan is also in the interesting position of being a second-year coach for a team that made another power-structure shift this offseason. Ran Carthon hired Callahan last year, but Amy Adams Strunk fired Ran Carthon in January, promoting assistant GM Chad Brinker to president of football operations. Brinker was in Nashville when Callahan was hired, but he had been operating as Carthon’s top lieutenant at the time. Brinker being promoted to control the Titans’ roster was somewhat eyebrow-raising after a 3-14 season, but he and new GM Mike Borgonzi are not tied to Callahan in the way Carthon was.

In a normal circumstance, offensive line coach Bill Callahan‘s past as a head coach (with the Raiders and at Nebraska) would make him a candidate as an interim option. Bill Callahan served in that capacity after Washington fired Jay Gruden in 2019. Bill being Brian’s father would certainly make it shocking if he stuck around, however, leaving an experience void for the Titans were they to can the younger Callahan (and likely lose Bill from the staff as well).

Neither Wilson nor Holz has conducted a head coaching interview previously. Senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy served as Chargers HC for four years; he could be an emergency option.

Even if Brian Callahan shows some improvement, he is certainly a long-odds candidate to be given a third season. Game management issues have cropped up during the former Bengals OC’s tenure as well, and Ward would need to show major improvement to convince Adams Strunk — who has acted rather impulsively in the past, with the Mike Vrabel and Jon Robinson firings preceding Carthon’s two-and-done stint — to stay the course beyond 2025.

Bengals Express Confidence In Jake Browning; Team Unlikely To Make QB Trade?

October 2nd, 2025 at 10:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the worst Bengals two-game stretches in years came between Weeks 3 and 4 this season, when Zac Taylor‘s team was outscored 76-13 in losses to the Vikings and Broncos. Although Cincinnati won its Week 2 game after Joe Burrow‘s injury, they have not remotely kept pace since.

The Bengals did not cross midfield during the final three quarters Monday night in Denver. After submitting surprisingly productive work in relief of Burrow down the stretch in 2023, Jake Browning has struggled. The veteran backup is on a two-year, $1.95MM deal. While that contract would support the Bengals pursuing a veteran as a potential upgrade, Burrow’s $55MM-per-year extension brings a complication for a franchise not known for in-season trade pickups.

Cincinnati has only acquired two players — offensive lineman B.J. Finney and running back Khalil Herbert — in-season via trade over the past 53 years. Many around the league are indeed skeptical the team would change its stripes for a quarterback, the Washington Post’s Mark Maske notes.

Doubt about Cincy going after a QB is generally based on the organization’s M.O. Despite the payments going to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason, the team again took criticism for thriftiness during the Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart standoffs. Although it would stand to reason Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins would be an upgrade on Browning, Taylor reaffirmed his confidence in his backup following the 28-3 Broncos loss. Taylor said he has “a ton” of confidence in Browning and is unwavering in his faith in Burrow’s multiyear backup.

If Browning continues to produce duds, it would stand to reason the Bengals consider upgrading. They did not show such interest following Burrow’s injury, however. Browning’s knowledge of Taylor’s system works in his favor, but the team will need to show immediate progress if it is to salvage the season and make a late-season Burrow return from toe surgery worthwhile. Burrow has been mentioned as a candidate to come back potentially in December, but if the Bengals continue to play like they did in Minnesota and Denver, a reemergence would not make much sense.

Wilson is on just a $2MM base salary, meaning the Bengals would only be responsible for a prorated amount. The Giants gave the since-benched passer an $8MM signing bonus, covering the bulk of his $10.5MM deal. New York having gone to Jaxson Dart makes Wilson an obvious trade candidate, with Jameis Winston signed through 2026 as a backup option. The team going to Dart makes one of the veterans redundant, and Wilson has indeed circulated as a trade chip. Given the investments the Bengals have made in Chase and Higgins — to go with Hendrickson being given a contract-year raise but not an extension — it would make sense if they pursued Wilson due to his experience and low base salary.

Cousins would seemingly be a nonstarter, as the Falcons are still holding onto the NFL’s most expensive (by far) backup. Atlanta has not displayed a willingness to pay down much (if any) of Cousins’ salary ($27.5MM), continuing a refrain from the offseason.

Cousins looked for a way out in March and April, but nothing materialized. It had long been assumed a high-profile injury would be necessary for Cousins to escape Atlanta, but unless the Falcons agree to pay down almost all of his base pay, it would be hard to see the Bengals eyeing him as a Burrow emergency replacement.

For in-house options, the Bengals have Brett Rypien as their active-roster backup and Mike White and Sean Clifford stashed on the practice squad. None of the other arms is close to matching Browning’s experience under Taylor, with each being acquired late in the summer (Rypien) or following Burrow’s injury (Clifford, White). For now, the team will continue to hope Browning can improve. The team faces the Lions, Packers, Steelers, Jets and Bears before its bye week.

Anthony Richardson Open To Developing Under Offensive Coach

October 2nd, 2025 at 10:41pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

It seems like the Anthony Richardson experiment in Indianapolis is over.

The No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft only played 15 games in his first two seasons and lost a training camp battle to Daniel Jones this year. Jones’ success at the helm of a Colts offense that is mostly unchanged from their last two campaigns has seemingly made it clear that Richardson was simply not ready for a starting role.

The Colts have seemingly decided to move on from Richardson at some point. They won’t pick up his $22.9MM fifth-year option for the 2027 season (via OverTheCap) and could even try to trade him in the next year before his rookie contract expires.

Teams may even have interest at this season’s trade deadline. There is no doubt that Richardson has struggled to start his career, but his physical traits will remain tantalizing for any coach who believes that they can get the best out of him. Acquiring him this year (as opposed to in the offseason) will allow him to get acclimated in a new system and hit the ground running in 2026.

Such a path forward might be appealing to Richardson, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who mentioned Sean McVay and the Rams as a potential possibility. Retirement rumors have followed Matthew Stafford in the past two offseason, and Richardson could be a low-cost lottery ticket for future starter.

The Steelers come to mind as a team in a similar situation with Aaron Rodgers, though offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has not fielded a top-10 unit since his time in Tennessee. The Raiders also have an uncertain future under center beyond 34-year-old Geno Smith. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and minority owner Tom Brady could be part of the appeal in Las Vegas.

Of course, this is all assuming that there is a team who wants Richardson and a desire from both Richardson and the Colts to part ways. That does not seem to be the case quite yet, though offers of opportunity for the former and draft capital for the latter may be enough to change their minds.

Giants Unlikely To Pursue WR Addition

October 2nd, 2025 at 10:19pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Giants have a gaping hole in their receiving corps after losing No. 1 target Malik Nabers to a season-ending ACL tear in last Sunday’s upset win over the Chargers. However, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com hears that the Giants will not seek an outside addition, as a source told him, “There are no replacements for Malik Nabers. You can’t replace that guy.”

It’s hard to argue with that. The 22-year-old Nabers emerged as one of the NFL’s premier receivers as a rookie in 2024 despite subpar quarterback play. The former sixth overall pick from LSU hauled in 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. He opened this season with another 18 catches, 275 yards, and two scores in parts of four games while mostly working with Russell Wilson.

The Giants will now have to wait until 2026 to see if Nabers and newly named starter Jaxson Dart, a rookie first-round pick, will be able to form a franchise-altering rapport. Dart hit Nabers twice for 20 yards last week before the wideout went down for the year.

With Nabers out of commission, the Giants are set to audition free agent Samori Toure on Friday. That would be a low-end depth pickup, though, as Toure has a mere 13 catches on his resume since the Packers chose him in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. He hasn’t even appeared in a regular-season game since 2023.

Assuming the 1-3 Giants don’t venture outside the organization for an impact pass catcher, it could provide Jalin Hyatt an opportunity to finally establish himself. In doing so, Hyatt would give the Giants a useful complement to their top two healthy receivers, Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton.

The Giants spent a third-round pick on Hyatt in 2023, but the move hasn’t gone according to plan. The former Tennessee standout caught 23 of 40 targets for 373 yards over 17 scoreless games as a rookie in 2023. Hyatt followed that up with an eight-catch, 62-yard, zero-touchdown showing in 16 games last year. Despite the underwhelming start to Hyatt’s career, general manager Joe Schoen reportedly rebuffed interested teams when they asked about him before the season.

While Schoen wouldn’t move Hyatt during the summer, he has been a non-factor so far in 2025. The 24-year-old has played in two games, logged 35 snaps, and failed to record a catch. Nevertheless, Hyatt is confident he’ll rise to the occasion in the wake of Nabers’ injury.

“I knew I’d get my chance this year — just didn’t know when,” Hyatt said this week (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “Can’t wait for the opportunity I’ve been waiting a long time for. Now, just have to take advantage of it.”

Hyatt also expressed optimism that he and Dart will continue building on a connection that began forming when the two were on the Giants’ scout team earlier in the season. They’ll have a chance to carry that over into this Sunday’s game against the winless Saints.

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