HEADLINES

Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin Ruled Out With New Leg Injury

October 10th, 2025 at 2:57pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin gave fans (and fantasy owners) a scare when he popped up on the injury report this week with a fibula injury.

Godwin’s season-ending ankle injury in 2024 also included a fibula fracture, so there was some concern that the veteran wideout had suffered a setback after returning to the field in Weeks 4 and 5. However, Godwin’s injury in a different area of the fibula than last year’s fracture, per FOX Sports’ Rick Stroud. He is considered week-to-week and is not expected to land on injured reserve, which would mandate a four-game absence.

The Buccaneers did rule out Godwin for Week 6 (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) along with Mike Evans. The two have not shared the field this season, with Godwin missing the first three games and Evans missing the last two. They will both be sidelined, which will likely elevate Sterling Shepard into a starting role and increase opportunities for Ryan Miller and Tez Johnson. The absence of running back Bucky Irving, the team’s second-leading pass-catcher, will also have an impact, but backup Rachaad White has been an excellent receiving back in his career.

Of course, Tampa Bay’s passing game will still be heavily reliant on rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka, who has racked up 445 receiving yards in his first five games, more than one-third of the team’s total for the season. The Buccaneers hoped that he could combine with their Pro Bowl veterans to form one of the league’s best receiver trios, but they will have to wait at least one more week to see all three on the field together.

Browns Were Surprised By Bengals’ Joe Flacco Interest

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

For weeks, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor expressed confidence in backup quarterback Jake Browning to keep Cincinnati’s offense afloat with the hopes of a late-season return from Joe Burrow.

But after Browning’s third multi-interception game in four weeks – and the Bengals’ third straight loss – Taylor and the front office finally decided to seek a different signal-caller. They landed on Joe Flacco and reached out to the Browns, who were not expecting the call from their AFC North rivals.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on (via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic) Tuesday that Cincinnati’s interest in Flacco “took us by surprise,” despite the veteran quarterback’s benching the week prior. Handing the keys to the offense over to rookie Dillon Gabriel could signal to an outsider that Flacco was available, but Cleveland may not have been anticipating that they would trade him within the division (and the state).

In his first press conference as a Bengals, Flacco – who has been traded three times in his career – called the NFL a “crazy business” and said players “have to be ready for anything,” per Dehner.

‘Anything’ seems to include being benched, traded, and inserted into a new starting job in the span of a week. Not to mention, Flacco will play for his third AFC North team on Sunday, joining Ryan Fitzpatrick as the only quarterbacks to play for three of the four teams in a single division, per NFL Network’s John Todd.

Jaguars Place TE Brenton Strange On IR

October 10th, 2025 at 1:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 10: Strange’s quad injury also affected his hip and includes a ligament tear, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. He will not need surgery, but he is expected to miss at least five weeks. That would sideline Strange until Week 12 or beyond with the hopes of returning late in the season to help the Jaguars make the playoffs for just the second time in seven years.

OCTOBER 7: Following one of their biggest wins of the Trevor Lawrence era, the Jaguars will lose a key pass catcher for a while. They are placing Brenton Strange on IR, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.

Strange suffered a quad injury, one NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo expects to keep him out for roughly a month. That would align with an IR-return timeline. The team’s top tight end has been a key part of its 4-1 start, making some contributions during its 31-28 win over Kansas City on Monday night. He caught his lone target for 22 yards before injuring his hip late in the first half.

The Jaguars gave Strange a vote of confidence upon releasing Evan Engram early this offseason. While Engram has battled injuries during an unremarkable start in Denver, Strange has fared well to start the season. Strange has 20 receptions for 204 yards, posting three games with at least 45 yards during the Jags’ surprising start.

As part of a Jaguars pass-catching group that features high-profile wide receivers Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter, Strange leads the team in receptions. He’s tied for second in targets (24) and yards. His 73.8 percent snap share easily paces all Jaguars tight ends. Johnny Mundt (34.5) and Hunter Long (23.4) are next in line, though they’ve combined for just nine catches and 58 yards. Quintin Morris has almost exclusively played on special teams.

The Jaguars will now have to go at least four games without their No. 1 tight end. With the Jaguars’ bye coming in Week 8, Strange won’t be eligible to return until a Week 11 meeting with the Chargers on Nov. 16. For now, they’ll go forward with Mundt, Long, and Morris as their options at the position.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

RB Breece Hall Hopes To Remain With Jets

October 10th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Dating back to the offseason, Breece Hall has been attached to trade rumors. As the 2025 deadline approaches, it remains to be seen if the fourth-year running back will stay in place with the Jets.

Hall is a pending free agent, and it has been clear since the summer an extension is not expected. As a result, he looms as a trade candidate particularly if the 0-5 Jets are unable to rebound from their poor start to the season. If the 24-year-old has his way, though, no trade will be made.

“This is my fifth month dealing with this now,” Hall said when speaking to the media (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “At this point, it is what it is. I’m here. I want to be here. I love being a New York Jet and everything. At the end of the day, I don’t control what goes on, I only control what I do on the field and how I handle my business off the field.”

Hall averaged 5.8 yards per carry as a rookie before suffering an ACL tear. The former second-rounder managed to avoid major injuries in the two subsequent years, surpassing 1,300 scrimmage yards both times. His efficiency fell short of his pre-injury campaign, leading to questions about the chances of Hall returning to his rookie form. That has essentially taken place in 2025, however.

The Iowa State product is averaging 70 yards per game on the ground this year, the highest total of his career. Hall has surpassed 100 scrimmage yards three times early in the current campaign, and he figures to remain a focal point in the backfield moving forward with Braelon Allen sidelined. Still, rumors about a trade ahead of the deadline could persist depending on how the next few weeks play out.

New head coach Aaron Glenn assured Hall a trade was not being pursued after the draft; that could offer a degree of comfort regarding his near-term future. On the other hand, a different regime is in place (led by Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey) than the one which selected Hall in 2022. That will no doubt be a factor when the matter of a trade is considered.

If the Jets decide to keep Hall in the fold beyond next month’s deadline, it will be interesting to see how contract talks are handled. The running back market contains nine players attached to an AAV of $10MM or more. Hall will no doubt look to reach that figure on his second contract, but it is unclear which team it will come from.

Ravens Don’t Think Firing DC Zach Orr Is ‘The Answer’

October 10th, 2025 at 10:34am CST by Ely Allen

OCTOBER 10: When speaking to the media ahead of the Ravens’ Week 6 game, Orr was asked about his job security. To little surprise, he indicated (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) he is not concerned about a firing at this point. It will be interesting to see if things change on this front after Sunday’s contest which will see Orr’s unit take on the NFL passing (Matthew Stafford) and receiving (Puka Nacua) leaders.

OCTOBER 5: Things have gone from bad to worse in Baltimore. An extremely tough opening slate that included trips to Buffalo and Kansas City in Weeks 1 and 4, not to mention a home matchup with the Lions in Week 3, resulted in a less than ideal 1-3 start. Today’s blowout loss to the Texans has put Baltimore in rare territory as they’ve given up 40 points per game against teams not from Cleveland. Still, defensive coordinator Zach Orr‘s job appears safe for now.

In Week 1, the Ravens looked to be on their way towards a big win over the Bills, going up 40-25 with just under 12 minutes remaining. The Bills rattled off three straight scoring drives to win the game 41-40 and leave the Ravens sitting with a very familiar feeling. Over the last few years, Baltimore has seen several double-digit late-game leads disappear, but these games have usually been outliers.

Despite Mike Macdonald‘s defenses also being susceptible to the occasional late-game collapse, his two years coordinating for the Ravens saw the team give up the third-fewest points in 2022 and the fewest points in 2023. When Orr took over, there appeared to be a bit of a learning curve. Through the first 10 weeks of the season, Baltimore’s defense was 25th in scoring defense, 27th in total defense, and 32nd in pass defense. Orr made adjustments, players stepped up, and over the last six weeks of the season, the Ravens ranked 1st in all three categories to end up with the ninth-best scoring defense and 10th-best total defense in the NFL.

That made the late-game collapse in Buffalo all the more shocking. It seemed Orr had figured things out, but even though there were few personnel changes, it appeared the defense was back to its woeful ways of starting the season slow. A strong Week 2 performance from the defense gave a bit of hope for a quicker rebound than the prior year, but a 38-point outing for Detroit in the Ravens’ house brought some concern back into the picture.

A second factor began to emerge, though. Injuries began to stack up. Highly paid defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and pass rusher Kyle Van Noy were the first absences that hurt the team’s ability to get to the quarterback. While Van Noy made his return today, Madubuike will miss the rest of the season, and he was joined on injured reserve by his fellow defensive tackle Broderick Washington. Madubuike’s fellow starter on the line, Travis Jones, would avoid IR but was also ruled out in Week 4, leaving a thin defensive front against Patrick Mahomes, a quarterback who thrives on extending the play.

The game against the Chiefs saw several additional injuries take out one starter after another. Already down three starters to open the game, at some point linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins all left the game. Injuries to left tackle Ronnie Stanley and star quarterback Lamar Jackson also affected the offense’s ability to give the defense a rest with long drives, leaving a depleted, exhausted unit on the field in Kansas City.

In today’s matchup against the Texans, five starters (Madubuike, Smith, Humphrey, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, and star safety Kyle Hamilton) were not available to play. Jackson was held out, as well, resulting in the team’s worst loss since an injury-riddled 2021 campaign.

The 2024 Panthers set a record by allowing the most points in NFL history (534); the Ravens are on pace to allow 602. The 1966 Giants hold the all-time record for most points allowed per game, giving up 501 points in a 14-game season for a 35.79 average; Baltimore is currently allowing 35.4.

The issue could absolutely be on Orr’s shoulders. The early issues against Buffalo and Detroit can hardly be attributed to injuries, but the litany of injuries in the past two weeks have made it hard to blame the scheme and play-calling. Regardless, when asked, head coach John Harbaugh told the media he “does not think firing Zach Orr is the answer,” per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.

Perhaps some of the short-term injuries quickly subside, and perhaps Orr engineers another midseason turnaround as impressive as the one last year. Whatever the expectation, Harbaugh has put his faith in Orr. If he’s not careful and the Ravens continue to flounder as the season goes on, he may just tie his fate to Orr’s, as well.

Trade Candidate: Christian Harris

October 10th, 2025 at 9:50am CST by Adam La Rose

Through his first three seasons with the Texans, Christian Harris totaled 26 starts. Now a pending free agent, the linebacker’s role has declined sharply in 2025, leading to questions about his future.

Harris handled over 700 defensive snaps during each of first two seasons in the league. He remained a full-time starter for the 2024 campaign but was limited to just five combined regular and postseason games that year due to a calf injury. The former third-rounder then dealt with an ankle injury during the offseason, but he managed to return to full health in time for training camp.

That resulted in Harris playing in each of Houston’s first four games. During that span, however, the Alabama product saw a snap share of just 13% on defense, a massive drop compared to his other seasons. Harris was a healthy scratch in Week 5. Given his status as a player seemingly not in the team’s immediate plans – coupled with the fact he is attached to the final year of his rookie contract – ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler names Harris as a trade candidate.

Per Fowler, Harris is held in high regard by other teams. That could result in a market being generated with respect to trade interest, especially since he is 24. Harris is attached to a base salary of $3.41MM for 2025; an acquiring team would need to take on a prorated portion of that figure to close out the campaign. Any team willing to trade for him now (as opposed to a free agent pursuit) would presumably look into an extension as well.

After making a notable impact as a rookie, Harris set career highs in tackles (101), sacks (two) and pass deflections (seven) in 2023. Returning to that level of performance would be key in helping his market value, but it appears as though that will not be possible down the stretch if the rest of Houston’s linebacking corps remains healthy. The Texans have Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o and free agent addition E.J. Speed in place, with each having handled a larger workload than Harris this season. Al-Shaair is under contract for next year, while To’oTo’o will be eligible for an extension this coming spring.

If those two remain key parts in the Texans’ plans for the second level of their defense, moving on from Harris before the November 4 deadline could be a sensible move. Sitting at 2-3 on the year, Houston will presumably avoid a seller’s stance if the team can continue the momentum generated over the past two weeks. Still, Harris will be a player to watch regarding a change of scenery if he continues to serve in a limited capacity leading up to the deadline.

Aidan Hutchinson Could Reach In-Season Lions Extension Agreement

October 10th, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Over the past two offseasons, the Lions have reached extension agreements with several key in-house players. Aidan Hutchinson does not have a new deal in hand at this point, but even with the campaign ongoing that could change relatively soon.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes Hutchinson “looks destined” for an extension. Nothing appears imminent at this point, but Fowler suggests an agreement could be reached during the season. Team and player have conducted talks, and it has long been widely believed Hutchinson will be among the league’s top earners for pass rushers once his pact is in place.

As expected, the EDGE market witnessed several jumps over the course of the 2025 offseason. Micah Parsons moved the bar to a record-shattering high when he inked his Packers extension upon arriving via trade. Parsons’ deal averages $46.5MM per year and contains $120MM in guarantees. Given his age (26), the ex-Cowboy will no doubt be used as a comparable player for Hutchinson’s extension negotiations.

Since being selected second overall by his hometown team, Hutchinson has emerged as one of the league’s top defenders. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up posted 11.5 sacks in his second campaign and earned a Pro Bowl nod along the way. Hutchinson was on track for a repeat of that honor – and quite possibly others – last season before a leg fracture ended his campaign just five games in. Fully healed in time for 2025, the 25-year-old has already racked up five sacks so far (including at least one in each of the past four games).

As a result, it would come as no surprise if a Hutchinson deal were to move him to at least second in the financial pecking order for pass rushers. In terms of average annual value, T.J. Watt currently occupies that spot at $41MM; Myles Garrett landed an AAV of $40MM this spring. Those two are attached to their third NFL contracts, whereas Hutchinson will be inking his second deal when he signs.

For the time being, the Michigan product is on track to earn $19.87MM in 2026 on his fifth-year option. That leaves plenty of time for negotiations to continue, although Lions general manager Brad Holmes noted in April a long-term deal will require a massive cap commitment. That is especially true considering the particulars of the Parsons extension. It will be interesting to see if a Hutchinson accord is worked out in the near future or if talks are paused until the offseason.

49ers GM John Lynch: Conversations Ongoing For DE Trade

October 9th, 2025 at 10:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Since Nick Bosa‘s ACL tear, many have pointed to the 49ers as a logical candidate to pursue a pass rush addition before next month’s trade deadline. The latest comments on the matter from general manager John Lynch point in that direction.

“I’m having a lot of conversations, a lot of good and productive ones,” Lynch said during a Thursday appearance on KNBR radio when speaking about a defensive end trade (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area). “If we find a way to make our football team better and it aligns, then we will not be shy on pulling the trigger.”

The 49ers have a track record of making in-season moves, and the likes of Charles Omenihu, Randy Gregory and Chase Young have all been acquired via trade to provide depth along the edge. A clear expectation exists for San Francisco to make at least one move over the coming weeks, and it would come as no surprise if a Bosa replacement were to be targeted. Finding production along the edge has proven to be a challenge so far.

In addition, Yetur Gross-Matos is among the latest members of the 49ers to encounter injury troubles. Especially if he misses notable time, the 49ers could be forced to move with urgency in terms of making an addition. San Francisco sits near the top of the league with nearly $24MM in cap space at the moment; much of those funds will be earmarked for carrying over to next season, but swinging a trade for a rental should still be feasible.

The 49ers are 4-1 despite the list of players who have been sidelined for a considerable period so far. That, coupled with the Bosa injury, could very well drive the decision to make another midseason acquisition along the edge. Few established options at that spot are known to be on the market, but the list of pending free agents includes Jaelan Phillips (Dolphins) and Trey Hendrickson (Bengals).

No links with specific players have been made yet in terms of who Lynch and the 49ers could be targeting. Based on today’s remarks, though, San Francisco is certainly in the market.

UFL Relocating To Columbus, Louisville, Orlando For 2026 Season

October 9th, 2025 at 10:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Shortly after entrepreneur Mike Repole became a UFL investor and took over as the league’s head of business operations, it became clear changes would be coming for 2026. Relocation in particular was a talking point through the past several months.

It is now known how the UFL’s landscape for 2026 will shake out. The Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers and San Antonio Brahmas are no longer in operation, and each of those three teams have been relocated. Columbus, as expected, will serve as the host city for a franchise beginning next spring. The same is true of Louisville and Orlando.

“Due to stadium constraints, the available venues in these areas do not align with our new vision of focusing on smaller, more intimate settings that elevate the fan experience,” the UFL said in a statement regarding the decision to move on from Memphis, Michigan and San Antonio (via Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal).

With attendance seen as a key priority, a driving factor in the decision to relocate was the fact the new teams will play in much smaller venues than their predecessors. Each of the new franchises will play their home games in stadiums with a capacity of 20,000 or less. Similarly, both Texas teams will play in Major League Soccer stadiums moving forward.

“It’s going to feel real, real different, and it’s going to show better on TV,” Repole said when speaking about the move toward smaller venues (via ESPN.com). “The sound is going to be better, and the experience and the engagement is going to be better.”

The Texas-based teams will continue operating during the 2026 season, but they will do so under new monikers. The Renegades franchise is once again known as Dallas instead of Arlington (which was the case during its XFL existence), while Houston’s is now the Gamblers. Keeping with the league’s setup from previous years, the UFL’s headquarters will remain in Arlington. During the week, each of the eight teams will continue practicing in the Dallas area before traveling to games.

The other three UFL franchises – the St. Louis Battlehawks, the D.C. Defenders and the Birmingham Stallions – will carry on in their respective locations and with their current monikers for 2026. The coming campaign will nevertheless include several changes, though, as the league looks for stability amid long-term plans for expansion.

Brock Purdy Likely Out For Week 6; Mac Jones Expected To Start

October 9th, 2025 at 10:44pm CST by Connor Byrne

It appears that 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy‘s toe injury will force him to sit out again this week. Purdy did not practice on Thursday, setting up backup Mac Jones to start against the Buccaneers on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

San Francisco is heading into Tampa Bay for a battle of 4-1 NFC contenders, but the 49ers’ success has come despite limited contributions from Purdy. After securing a five-year, $265MM contract extension in May, turf toe has held Purdy out of three games this season. The former Mr. Irrelevant has completed 48 of 73 passes (65.8%) for 586 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions while winning one of two starts this year. He last played in a loss to the Jaguars in Week 4.

Jones, who joined the 49ers on a two-year, $7MM deal last March, has looked like one of the shrewdest signings of the offseason so far. The ex-Patriots first-round pick and multiyear starter has hit on 86 of 129 passes (66.7%) for 905 yards, six TDs, and a pick while helping the 49ers to a 3-0 record. Jones racked up 342 yards and two scores in a Week 5 victory over the NFC West rival Rams, but he hardly escaped L.A. unscathed.

Now nursing knee and oblique injuries, Jones was a limited participant in practice on Thursday. Although head coach Kyle Shanahan said Jones was unable to throw on Thursday (via Jerry McDonald of the Mercury News), he added that his No. 2 signal-caller “should be able to go on Sunday.”

With Purdy and Jones banged up, Adrian Martinez received reps with the first-team offense on Thursday. He’s in line to back up Jones for the fourth time this year. Previously with the Jets, who cut him in August, Martinez hasn’t seen any regular-season action since he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Kansas State in 2023. The 49ers signed Martinez from their practice squad to their active roster a week ago.

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