HEADLINES

Dolphins Designate RT Austin Jackson For Return

November 12th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Carrying the mantle as the NFL’s lone left-handed starting quarterback for a few years, Tua Tagovailoa has since seen Michael Penix Jr. and Dillon Gabriel join him among the league’s southpaw ranks. But the Dolphins have long built their offensive line around a lefty; that has made Austin Jackson‘s absence more noticeable in Miami.

The Dolphins have been without their starting right tackle since Week 1, when he suffered a toe injury. A team already replacing Terron Armstead after his retirement needed to turn to a second new starter there, with Larry Borom — whom the Bears had benched years ago — taking over for Jackson. Although the Dolphins are 3-7 and facing questions about their quarterback and head coach’s futures after a GM departure, they may receive some up-front help soon.

Jackson returned to practice Wednesday, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, starting his 21-day activation clock. The Dolphins placed Jackson on IR ahead of Week 2. They had initially targeted a Week 6 return, when Jackson was first eligible, but the sixth-year blocker has needed more time.

This marks Jackson’s third season in four years to be largely defined by injury. He missed 15 games in 2022 and was sidelined for nine last season, with a major knee injury ending his 2024 campaign midway through. Not a lock to return this week, getting in a limited practice Wednesday, Jackson has missed nine games this year. That runs his career count to 37 since going off the 2020 draft board in Round 1.

The USC product timed his most notable healthy season well, starting 16 games in 2023 — as injuries engulfed the Dolphins elsewhere on their O-line — and earning a three-year, $36MM extension. Jackson, who had experienced a summer setback in his return from knee surgery, has not rewarded the Dolphins on that deal, inviting questions about his future.

Miami turned to Patrick Paul at left tackle post-Armstead, and the second-year tackle has fared decently. Pro Football Focus grades Paul 40th among qualified tackles; the advanced metrics site ranks Borom near the bottom of that list — in 65th. Borom has made all nine RT starts since Jackson’s injury. He had been only a spot starter in Chicago since being benched midway through his second season. Borom is on a one-year, $2.5MM contract, usurping Lamm as Miami’s top swing tackle.

No guaranteed money remains on Jackson’s deal, but because of an offseason restructure that now has three void years included in this contract, it would still cost the Dolphins to cut Jackson in a contract year. A 2026 release would bring a $13.74MM dead money hit, though that could be halved with a post-June 1 designation. Then again, the Dolphins have seen post-June 1 moves (involving Byron Jones, Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey) pile up dead money in recent years. Chris Grier‘s GM successor will still have a decision to make on Jackson, who can help his cause with a strong finish back on Tagovailoa’s blind side upon returning.

Falcons OT Storm Norton Reverts To Season-Ending IR

November 12th, 2025 at 4:48pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Falcons offensive tackle Storm Norton reverted to season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday, per team reporter Terrin Waack, the first player in the league to do so this season.

Norton landed on IR with a return designation during final roster cuts after undergoing ankle surgery in the preseason. He returned to practice on October 22 and was a full practice participant right away. He then re-aggravated the injury the following week and has not practiced since. His 21-day practice window expired on Wednesday, forcing him to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines.

Head coach Raheem Morris declined to give details on Norton’s setback, but acknowledged that “it wasn’t great news.”

The Falcons already lost starting right tackle Kaleb McGary for the year after he suffered a leg injury in training camp. That was a major loss for Atlanta’s offensive line, especially considering McGary’s job to protect left-handed quarterback Michael Penix‘s blind side. The team has relied on Elijah Wilkinson to fill McGary’s spot, but he has allowed 30 pressures, the fifth-most among all offensive tackles this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Norton would not necessarily have been an upgrade. His only full year as a starter came in 2021 for the Chargers, when he allowed 59 pressures, the second-most by an offensive tackle that season and the third-most in a single season since 2019. Since then, he has only started four games, though he still could have pushed Wilkinson for his job.

The Falcons will also place fourth-year linebacker DeAngelo Malone on IR. He suffered a broken ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Colts and underwent surgery on Monday. Malone will miss at least four games, but his absence could be longer, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 2022 third-round pick is a core special teams contributor who has not had more than a peripheral role on defense since his rookie year.

In other Falcons news, linebacker Malik Verdon was designated to return from the non-football injury list. The team signed the former Iowa State safety as an undrafted rookie with the intention of converting him to linebacker in Jeff Ulbrich‘s defense. Verdon played through an arm injury during his last year of college, but it is unknown if it is related to the shoulder issue that landed him on the NFI list in July.

Finally, Atlanta signed safety Jammie Robinson to their practice squad. The 2023 fifth-round pick appeared in 21 games for the Panthers over his first two years, primarily on special teams. He was waived before the end of his second season and has since spent time with the Cardinals, Chiefs, and Lions, though he has not played this year. He will add special teams depth in Atlanta, which may come in handy with Malone sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Ravens, Tyler Linderbaum Not Close On Extension

November 12th, 2025 at 3:31pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens have signaled their desire to sign center Tyler Linderbaum to an extension before he hits free agency, but the two sides “are not within striking distance of a deal,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The Ravens did not pick up the fifth-year option for Linderbaum this offseason, making 2025 a contract year for the 2022 first-round pick. Because the NFL groups all offensive linemen together for contract designations, Linderbaum’s fifth-year option would have come in at $23.4MM. That’s an appropriate price for a top tackle, but far too much money for a center.

Linderbaum, a two-time Pro Bowler, is likely looking to reset the center market, which is currently topped by Creed Humphrey at $18MM per year. Inflating Humphrey’s contract to match the 2025 salary cap would yield a $19.7MM APY for Linderbaum. That feels a little high given Linderbaum’s struggles in pass protection this year, not just relative to Humphrey, but to the entire league. The fourth-year Raven has allowed 16 pressures this year, the fifth-most among all centers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He is on pace to eclipse the 29 pressures he allowed as a rookie; in 2023 and 2024, he allowed 18 and 19 pressures, respectively.

Baltimore is in a tough spot. Pay for interior offensive linemen has exploded in the last few offseasons, and Linderbaum would be one of the best centers to hit free agency in recent years. That could create a bidding war if he hits the open market, something he and his representation are sure to know as they negotiate with the Ravens.

A franchise or transition tag is not an option, either. The first would be $27.2MM, and the second would be $24.6MM, per OverTheCap. Besides the inflated value for a center, the Ravens would also struggle to absorb a one-year cap hit of that size, and their long-term financial situation isn’t pretty, either.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson is set to count for $74.5MM against the cap in 2026, and though the Ravens want to lower than number with an extension, past negotiations indicate such a deal will take time. Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike has an uncertain future after a season-ending neck injury; if the Ravens have to part ways with him this offseason, they will have to account at least some of the dead money from his contract next year. Defensive tackle Travis Jones and tight end Isaiah Likely are also key young players who the Ravens would like to retain. In fact, Madubuike’s injury and the pending free agency of all three of Baltimore’s tight ends could make those Jones and Likely just as much of a priority as Linderbaum. That’s not even mentioning other contract situations with players like running back Keaton Mitchell and punter Jordan Stout, among others.

As a result, negotiating a Linderbaum extension is only one part of a complicated financial picture for the Ravens. Between a potential Jackson extension, clarity on Madubuike’s future, and negotiations with Jones, Likely, and Linderbaum, general manager Eric DeCosta will have his hands full for the next several months as his team navigates the rest of the 2025 season and prepares for 2026.

Vikings Designate C Ryan Kelly To Return From IR

November 12th, 2025 at 2:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Vikings are designated center Ryan Kelly to return from injured reserve, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Kelly, 32, suffered two concussions in the first four weeks of the season. The first came in Week 2 against the Falcons, sidelining the 10-year veteran for the Vikings’ next game. He returned in Week 4 in Dublin, but he quickly went down with another concussion that landed him on injured reserve. The longtime Colt also suffered multiple concussions during the 2023 season.

Kelly spent five weeks on the shelf – one more than the minimum requirement – but his designation to return suggests that he has progressed through concussion protocol enough to practice. Limited participation this week would indicate that he will need more time before being fully cleared, especially if he practices with a non-contact jersey. Returning to full participation right away would indicate that he has cleared concussion protocol and should be in line to return for the Vikings’ upcoming matchup with the Bears.

Kelly signed in Minnesota this offseason and put together a solid performance to start the year. He earned a 72.2 overall grade and had yet to allow a pressure on 62 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

The Vikings called on 2024 seventh-round pick Michael Jurgens to finish the game in Weeks 2 and 4, but five-year veteran Blake Brandel took over the starting center job when Kelly was on IR. Brandel has also stepped in at left guard and left tackle amid Minnesota’s other O-line injuries this year.

A strong return from Kelly would give second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy a major boost in terms of his blocking and leadership along the offensive line. The Vikings committed eight false start penalties (at home!) in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens and will certainly want to improve their operation at the line of scrimmage moving forward.

Lions Designate CB D.J. Reed, DE Marcus Davenport To Return From IR

November 12th, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Lions are designating cornerback D.J. Reed and defensive end Marcus Davenport to return from injured reserve, per Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers. Both defenders are expected to practice with the team on Wednesday.

Reed landed on IR at the beginning of October due to a strained hamstring. He signed in Detroit this offseason and was off to an excellent start with his new team. Through four games, he allowed receptions on only eight of his 16 targets with four passes defended, putting him on pace for the best season of his career. Rock Ya-Sin has seen an increase in playing time in Reed’s absence and will likely return to a backup role upon his return. However, Terrion Arnold is dealing with a concussion, so Ya-Sin could still start this week even if Reed is ready to play.

Davenport suffered a Week 2 injury for the second year in a row. In 2024, it was a season-ending elbow injury, but he avoided disaster this time with a pectoral strain. The veteran defensive lineman has taken longer to return than the four-game minimum stay on IR, but he could be a late-season boost to the Lions’ pass rush.

The team has 30 sacks on the season, which ranks fourth in the league, though most of that production has come from four players. Edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad both have eight sacks, while linebackers Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes have chipped in four apiece. Davenport will add some depth on the edge and potentially allow defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard to come up with some more creative pressure packages.

Packers C Elgton Jenkins Suffers Lower Leg Fracture, Ligament Damage

November 12th, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 12: Jenkins also suffered ligament damage, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Set for surgery, the versatile offensive lineman hopes to return late in the 2025 season. But Fowler cautions that might be overly optimistic.

Losing Jenkins for the campaign’s duration would deal a blow to a contending team while also hurting Jenkins’ cause. The former Pro Bowl guard pushed for a contract adjustment this offseason but did not receive one. Jenkins would now head into a contract year coming off a major injury.

NOVEMBER 11: The Packers’ offensive line was dealt a significant blow during yesterday’s game. Center Elgton Jenkins departed the contest and it appears he is in store for a notable absence.

Jenkins suffered an injury late in the second quarter when quarterback Jordan Love rolled into his leg. Jenkins went to the sidelines at first but he was later carted to the locker room. X-Rays have revealed a lower leg fracture, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports.

No timeline is initially in place regarding Jenkins’ absence, but a lengthy period out of the fold is likely in store. The team termed the ailment an ankle injury when ruling him out for the remainder of the game. Head coach Matt LaFleur said it “doesn’t sound promising” when asked for an update on Jenkins. The Packers have dealt with a number of absences up front in 2025, and that will now continue at the center spot.

Left guard Aaron Banks as well as right tackle Zach Tom – who each signed big-money deals this offseason – have missed time this year. Both were healthy in time for Week 10, and the Packers had their preferred starting five available up front. Jenkins going down will require further shuffling along the O-line, though. Sean Rhyan took over at center to finish the game, and he could continue in that role moving forward.

Jenkins has earned a pair of Pro Bowl nods over the course of his career, but his best seasons have come at left guard. The Packers moved him to center ahead of the 2025 campaign, something which prompted discussions about a potential contract adjustment. Nothing was worked out on that front, meaning the 29-year-old remains on the books through 2026. His future beyond this season is not particularly in doubt, but it will be interesting to see how much time Jenkins is set to miss down the stretch due to this injury.

Broncos To Bring Back Lil’Jordan Humphrey

November 12th, 2025 at 1:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

A day after adding tackle Geron Christian off the Cowboys’ practice squad, the Broncos are raiding another NFC East team’s P-squad to add more offensive help.

The team is bringing back Lil’Jordan Humphrey, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, adding him off the Giants’ taxi squad. Humphrey, who played for Sean Payton in New Orleans and Denver, is likely to play against the Chiefs on Sunday.

Joining the Giants this offseason (before yoyoing on and off their roster), Humphrey has played in three games. Although he has only seen action in a fraction of New York’s contests, the journeyman wideout started two of those and logged an 81% snap share in the game he has played. The Broncos used Humphrey regularly last season and are making an update to their receiving depth chart ahead of a crucial contest.

The Giants had used the maximum of three gameday elevations on Humphrey this season. With the team needing to give him a spot on its 53-man roster in order to give him a game uniform again this season, Mike Kafka‘s operation will instead see him depart. Humphrey joins a Broncos team loosely linked to wide receiver trades before this year’s deadline, but like the Bills and Steelers, the AFC contender stood pat.

Payton used Humphrey on 50% of the Broncos’ offensive plays last season, giving him the most run of anyone besides Courtland Sutton and Devaughn Vele at the position in 2024. Second-year cog Troy Franklin has seized Denver’s No. 2 wideout role this year, and the team has increasingly used Pat Bryant more as the season has progressed. Bryant’s blocking has appealed to Denver’s coaching staff, but Humphrey was viewed as a plus blocker previously. The Broncos have also missed Marvin Mims for the past two games due to a concussion. With Trent Sherfield rounding out the group, Humphrey will give Denver six WRs on its 53-man roster.

Humphrey, 28, played for Payton from 2019-21 with the Saints. After spending the 2022 season in New England, the big-bodied backup followed Payton to Denver in 2023. Humphrey made 15 starts from 2023-24 and posted a career-high 293 receiving yards last season, doing so after catching three touchdown passes in 2023. He caught four passes for 55 yards with the Giants, who are letting him go despite losing Malik Nabers for the season and having seen Darius Slayton miss time this year.

Cardinals To Place Zay Jones, Simi Fehoko On IR; Marvin Harrison Jr. To Miss Time

November 12th, 2025 at 1:03pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cardinals are heading into Week 11 with a shorthanded wide receiver room. Zay Jones and Simi Fehoko are both being placed on injured reserve, while Marvin Harrison Jr.  will miss at least one game due to a bout of appendicitis, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Josh Weinfuss.

Jones suffered a torn Achilles in Arizona’s loss to the Seahawks on Sunday, which will sidelined him for the rest of the season. Fehoko is dealing with an arm injury and will miss at least four games. His earliest return would come in Week 14 against the Texans.

Harrison had surgery on Monday night. It is unknown when his appendicitis was discovered and diagnosed; he played in Sunday’s game with a full workload (12 targets on a 90.8 snap share).

The trio of receiver absences will push Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and Xavier Weaver into bigger roles. Wilson has 22 receptions for 231 this season, which both rank third on the team behind Harrison and tight end Trey McBride. With Jones going on IR, no other Cardinals receiver has more than 15 catches or 75 yards this year. Dortch has just 73 yards on 16 targets this year, but has flashed some playmaking ability in the past. Weaver has only been targeted three times in six games over the last two years.

The Cardinals made one immediate move to bolster their receiver room, promoting Andre Baccellia to the active roster from the practice squad. He appeared in 13 games in the last two years, though his last offensive involvement came in 2023. The team also has Jalen Brooks, Tejhuan Palmer, and Jalen Virgil – the last of whom was signed today – available for practice squad elevations.

Arizona also re-signed cornerback Jaden Davis to their practice squad. He was a Cardinals seventh-round pick a year ago, but has yet to appear in a regular-season game.

Seahawks C Jalen Sundell To Miss ‘Multiple Weeks,’ Could Go On IR

November 12th, 2025 at 12:48pm CST by Connor Byrne

After serving as a backup during his rookie season in 2024, Seahawks center Jalen Sundell has emerged as their top option at the position this year. The former undrafted free agent from North Dakota State has started in every game for the 7-2 Seahawks. Sundell suffered a knee injury in a win over the Cardinals last week, though, and he’ll miss some time as a result.

Head coach Mike Macdonald announced (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times) that Sundell will sit out “multiple weeks.” While Macdonald said Sundell won’t require surgery (per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic), he acknowledged that an IR stint is a possibility. Sundell would miss at least four games in that case.

Although Pro Football Focus ranks Sundell’s performance an underwhelming 28th among 37 qualifying centers, he’s an important part of a successful line. The Seahawks have allowed the fewest sacks in the league (10). With top-tier protection, quarterback Sam Darnold has performed like an MVP candidate in his first season in Seattle.

Darnold will now have to work with a different center for a key Week 11 matchup with the NFC West rival Rams. That will likely be Olu Oluwatimi, who lost the starting competition to Sundell over the summer. Oluwatimi suffered a back injury during training camp, helping lead to a demotion after he started eight games last year. The 6-foot-6, 309-pounder stepped in at center after Connor Williams‘ abrupt retirement in mid-November.

With Oluwatimi expected to fill in for Sundell, sixth-round rookie Bryce Cabeldue is in line to serve as the primary backup. However, Macdonald pointed out that guard Christian Haynes is capable of playing the position, per Condotta. Haynes has been on IR all season with a pectoral injury, but the Seahawks opened the 2024 third-rounder’s practice window on Oct. 29. Assuming the Seahawks activate him by next week, Haynes could function as depth while Sundell’s out.

Giants Name Tim Kelly Interim Offensive Coordinator; Mike Kafka Remains Play-Caller

November 12th, 2025 at 11:49am CST by Connor Byrne

After a promotion from offensive coordinator to interim head coach earlier this week, Mike Kafka will continue to call the plays for the Giants. Kafka named an interim offensive coordinator on Wednesday, though, announcing that tight ends coach Tim Kelly will take the reins (via Dan Duggan of The Athletic).

Kafka confirmed that he and Kelly will work with a new starting quarterback this week in Jameis Winston. With Jaxson Dart battling a concussion, Winston will face the Packers on Sunday.

Dart is “right on track and right on pace” in his recovery, Kafka said (via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). The Giants haven’t ruled Dart out yet, but they’re understandably taking a cautious approach with the prized first-round rookie.

Kelly, who joined the Giants’ staff ahead of the 2024 campaign, is becoming an O-coordinator for the third time. The 39-year-old previously served in that role with the Texans from 2019-21 and the Titans in 2023.

Kelly was at the helm in Houston during quarterback Deshaun Watson‘s final two years of action with the club. Watson went to the Pro Bowl in both 2019 and 2020 under Kelly, who led an offense that was a middle-of-the-pack unit in those seasons. The Texans were a playoff team in 2019, but they fired head coach Bill O’Brien after an 0-4 start the next year. Romeo Crennel finished the campaign as Houston’s interim HC.

After going 4-8 under Crennel, the Texans hired David Culley in 2021. He retained Kelly, but the OC no longer had Watson at his disposal. Watson spent the entire season inactive after sexual harassment allegations came to light. The Texans primarily turned to Davis Mills under center in Watson’s place. Houston’s offense was among the worst in the league that year, and the team moved on from Culley and his coaching staff after the season.

Kelly quickly landed on his feet on Mike Vrabel‘s staff in Tennessee, working as the Titans’ passing game coordinator in 2022 before taking over the offense the next season. With a fading Ryan Tannehill and struggling rookie Will Levis as their QBs, the Titans finished a woeful 27th in points and 28th in yardage during a 6-11 showing in 2023. They didn’t retain Vrabel or his staff beyond then.

The Giants will look outside for a full-time replacement for Brian Daboll, whom they fired Monday, though Kafka will receive consideration for the job. He and Kelly will try to make their cases for promotions over the next several weeks.

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