The results of the Rams’ midseason kicking competition are in.
Head coach Sean McVay announced that Harrison Mevis will get the nod over Joshua Karty on Sunday, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. Mevis was signed this week after Karty converted just 10 of his 15 field goal attempts in the first eight games of the season. Three of his five misses came inside 40 yards, a clear step back from his 2024 rookie season that featured just five misses all year. Karty has also missed three extra points on 26 attempts this season after missing only four on 32 attempts last year.
However, McVay also that Karty “isn’t going anywhere,” indicating that the kicking job may be assigned on a week-to-week basis until one of the two clearly wins the job.
The Rams will be going with a different long snapper in Week 10, as well. Alex Ward has held the job for the last three seasons, but 14-year veteran Jake McQuaide was re-signed by the Rams this week and will play on Sunday. McQuaide was the Rams’ long snapper from 2011 and 2020, a period that included the franchise’s move from St. Louis to Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is clearly trying to experiment with a new kicking battery to figure out their best combination for the rest of the season. Karty has two years remaining on his rookie contract, but it would cost the Rams virtually nothing to move on from him this year. That could give Mevis, who has never kicked in the regular season, a chance to secure the kicking job this year and potentially into the future.
Ward, meanwhile, is in the final year of his UDFA contract and will not be worth a restrict free agent tag in the spring. Like Karty, his contract is not an obstacle to releasing him. However, McQuaide is 37 years old and may be close to retirement, which would force the Rams to find another long snapper next year and potentially put them in a similar position to their current one.
NOVEMBER 7: Gano is not taking part in Friday’s practice. To little surprise, then, Daboll said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan) he “assumes” it will be Koo handling kicking duties in Week 10.
NOVEMBER 6: Injuries have been a frequent problem for Giants kicker Graham Gano since he signed a three-year, $16.5MM contract extension in 2023. After combining for 18 of a possible 34 appearances from 2023-24, Gano has already missed four of the Giants’ nine games this year. He could sit out again when the Giants face the Bears on Sunday.
Gano, now battling neck soreness, spent time on IR earlier this season with a groin injury. The 38-year-old missed a field goal in a 34-24 loss to the 49ers last Sunday, his second game since coming off IR, but has connected on his other nine attempts this season. Gano is is also a perfect 9 for 9 on extra points.
While Gano has put together a more-than-respectable career since debuting with Washington in 2009, the former Pro Bowler admitted Thursday that injuries and outside criticism have taken their toll (via Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports).
“It’s unbelievably frustrating,” Gano said. “I can’t control the injuries that have happened. It’s not like I’ve done something that is out of the ordinary outside of the building to hurt myself or anything. I just want to play ball, and constantly not being able to is tough. Doing everything I can to try to come back and play, and that’s my hope.”
If Gano is unable to suit up in Week 10, the Giants are preparing to use practice squad kicker Younghoe Koo, head coach Brian Daboll said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). Also a former Pro Bowler, Koo had a long run with the Falcons, who released him after a costly missed field goal in a 23-20 loss to the Buccaneers in Week 1. The 31-year-old caught on with New York’s practice squad on Sept. 23.
Although Koo has been with the Giants for about a month and a half, he hasn’t kicked in a game with them yet. The Giants instead turned to Jude McAtamney during Gano’s four-game absence. McAtamney converted his only two field-goal attempts while filling in for Gano, but he missed three of his 12 extra-point tries. Two of those misses came in a 33-32 loss to the Broncos in Week 7. The Giants cut and re-signed McAtamney to their practice squad after their Denver disaster, and the Northern Ireland native is now behind Koo in the pecking order.
Despite having Koo and McAtamney around as fallback options, the Giants worked out free agent kicker Ben Sauls on Thursday, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. As Duggan notes, the undrafted rookie from Pittsburgh signed with Atlanta’s practice squad after the team moved on from Koo. The Falcons cut Sauls on Tuesday.
Renovations to EverBank Stadium will require the Jaguars to temporarily relocate for the 2027 season. It appears as though the team’s home for that year has been chosen.
The Jags plan to play their home games in Orlando for 2027, Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel reports. He adds the news is not official at this point since NFL owners have yet to formally approve the plan. Per Bianchi, officials for the city of Orlando and at the university of Florida have been informed of the Jaguars’ intent.
“As far as the league is concerned, I don’t know that they put as much of a priority on this as we would like them to,” Jaguars president Mark Lamping told Bianchi. “We wish the timeframe [on the decision] would be earlier, but that’s because our fans want to know and the people in Orlando want to know.”
Jacksonville hoped final approval would have been granted at the recent fall league meeting, but that did not take place. As a result, it is unclear when the plan will be formally announced. As Bianchi notes, though, it is known to all parties at this point that Orlando is set to host the Jags for one season.
A $400MM renovation to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium is set to begin in December. That project will be complete by the time the 2027 campaign begins, giving the Jaguars a recently-expanded temporary home. The stadium’s capacity will be increased to roughly 65,000 as part of the renovations.
The Jaguars have been a regular in the NFL’s International Series since its inception, routinely playing in London. That has led to questions over the years about possible relocation, but nothing is imminent on that front. In terms of temporarily moving, Orlando along with Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – home of the Gators – represented the two most-discussed destinations. The latter is also scheduled to undergo a major renovation, but it will not begin until April 2027.
In terms of logistics, Orlando thus represents a reasonable choice. The city is among those which will play host to a relocated UFL franchise for the spring league’s 2026 campaign. It will also house an NFL franchise one year later barring any unforeseen developments.
NOVEMBER 7: Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort said (via Urban) he expects Murray to return this season. Whether or not he will reclaim the starting gig even if healthy is another matter, of course, and on that front Ossenfort added “a lot can happen” between now and when a decision may be required.
NOVEMBER 5: Headlines emerged Tuesday when Jonathan Gannon praised his team’s offensive direction under backup Jacoby Brissett, who will start in Week 10. But the Cardinals will have Brissett at the controls for much longer than expected.
Kyler Murray is heading to IR with his mid-foot sprain, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This will sideline the Arizona starter for at least four games. It comes after some new information, per Gannon, who said (via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban) he viewed Murray as having a chance to return in Week 10 previously.
Gannon was careful not to deem Murray benched when speaking Tuesday, as he pointed to the dual-threat passer needing to return to full strength. He repeated that today. Still, the Cards were seemingly ready to have Murray back for their Cowboys matchup. Days later, Brissett will be confirmed — barring injury — to end up starting for a sizable chunk of Arizona’s season. Brissett, 32, is tied to a two-year, $12.5MM deal.
Tuesday’s Murray update also brought a four- to eight-week return timetable. By placing him on IR, the Cardinals are veering toward the longer end of that recovery stretch. Surgery is not believed to be a consideration, but the former No. 1 overall pick’s rehab timeline will be extensive now that the IR move will be executed.
This will be the second IR stay of Murray’s career. He landed there in December 2022 because of the ACL tear he suffered. By the time he returned to action — midway through the 2023 season — the Cardinals had cleaned house, firing Kliff Kingsbury and GM Steve Keim. The Gannon-Monti Ossenfort duo, however, consistently praised Murray — chosen in Kingsbury’s first draft alongside Keim — and has stuck by him throughout its tenure. Murray, though, has not recaptured his Pro Bowl form from the Kingsbury years. This has led to speculation a Cards-Murray separation is coming in 2026.
Gannon’s praise for Brissett is certainly not unwarranted. As was the case during his 2022 Browns stopover, Brissett has run the offense better than the starter. Current Cardinals OC Drew Petzing was the Browns’ QBs coach while Brissett held the job during Deshaun Watson‘s suspension.
While Brissett has enjoyed an up-and-down career, five teams have asked him to be their starter — though, all of these assignments have been due to injuries or as a bridge option (for Drake Maye last season). Brissett is averaging 7.7 yards per attempt to Murray’s 6.0 this season, and the Cardinals are averaging 25.6 points per game under Brissett compared to 21.6 with Murray. This is still a small sample size, but Brissett’s 11-game sample under Petzing in 2022 did make him familiar with the offense coming into this season.
From a short- and long-term perspective, Brissett’s play over the next month will be interesting. While a Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield/Sam Darnold/Daniel Jones-like arc will be a bit difficult to envision here, Brissett faring well would give Gannon a decision to make when Murray returns to full strength.
Murray, 28, secured $32.84MM guaranteed of his $42.84MM 2026 compensation by remaining on Arizona’s roster back in March. If the Cardinals were to arrange a trade, Murray would count less than $18MM on their 2026 cap sheet. That could well become a front-burner conversation near season’s end, but for now, Murray will continue his rehab while on IR.
The Colts’ defensive line will be notably shorthanded for the time being. Head coach Shane Steichen announced on Friday DeForest Bucknerwill be placed on injured reserve. The move has since officially taken place.
Buckner suffered a neck injury during Indianapolis’ Week 9 loss. This move ensures he will miss at least the next four games, but no timetable is in place for a return. Steichen added (via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall) the team is “hopeful” Buckner will be back in place later this season.
Being without the three-time Pro Bowler for any period will represent a major blow. Buckner missed five games in 2024 due to a high ankle sprain, and the Colts’ defense suffered without him. A similar situation could now be in store once again. Indianapolis’ defensive front will still have Grover Stewartfor Week 10, but the unit will be missing several key figures.
Along with Buckner, Tyquan Lewisand Samson Ebukamremain out of the lineup. Their absences will be felt along the edge, especially with an impactful pass-rush presence along the interior missing. The Colts sit at 7-2 on the year, but improvements in the turnover department on offense in particular will be needed for a rebound from Sunday’s loss. There will be increased pressure on that side of the ball given the injuries Indianapolis is facing in the front seven. The likes of Adetomiwa Adebaworeand Neville Gallimore will be in line for an increased role on defense moving forward.
Last offseason, Buckner and the Colts agreed to a short-term extension. As a result of that pact, he is under contract through 2026. The 31-year-old is scheduled to receive a $10MM roster bonus in March, something which will confirm his status as a key figure for next season. The Colts will hope to have Buckner back in place by the end of the current campaign, but his recovery from this latest injury will be worth watching closely.
Indianapolis will take part in the NFL’s first ever regular season Berlin game by taking on Atlanta Sunday. That contest will mark the debut of blockbuster trade acquisitionSauce Gardnerin the secondary, a unit which could emerge as one of the league’s best depending on how he performs with his new team. In any case, the Colts’ defensive front will be thin for the time being.
With the trade deadline having come and gone, it is now known only one quarterback move (Joe Flaccoto the Bengals) occurred. That leaves Jameis Winstonin place to continue serving as the Giants’ third-string passer.
The free agent addition has spent 2025 as New York’s emergency No. 3 quarterback. That situation did not change when Jaxson Darttook over starting duties from Russell Wilson. After the switch, many expected at least one of Wilson or Winston to be dealt. Instead, both are still in the fold and Winston (under contract through 2026) remains in the team’s plans beyond the second half of the current campaign.
The Giants did not receive calls about Winston in the days leading up to this week’s trade deadline, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports. Both of New York’s veteran signal-callers were on the radar of the Bengals before they ultimately traded for Flacco, but since then Winston had not been firmly linked to any suitors. As Raanan notes, the Giants would have been unlikely to accept any trade offers on the Winston front anyway.
“When a team gives me the opportunity and believes in me, they give me a job, I want to play for that team and do my best for that team,” Winston said when speaking about his commitment to New York. “I’m a solutions-oriented guy, so I want to be a part of the solution. I don’t just want to run away when things get bad.”
Wilson (briefly) handled starting duties at the start of the campaign, but given the team’s decision to turn to Dart it would come as no surprise if he departed on the open market this spring. That would leave Winston, 31, to handle QB2 duties for 2026. The former No. 1 pick signed a two-year, $8MM pact in free agency; a portion of his salary for next season is already guaranteed.
Dart’s development will be a critical storyline for the Giants down the stretch as they contemplate the futures of head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. Regardless of if one or both are still in place by the start of the 2026 campaign, Winston will be present as a veteran insurance policy under center.
Both of the Raiders’ guards suffered injuries during last night’s game. In the case of Jackson Powers-Johnson, at least, further missed time is in store.
The second-year blocker suffered an ankle injury during the second quarter of Vegas’ loss to Denver. Powers-Johnson was helped off the field and brought at first to the medical tent. Shortly thereafter, he was carted to the locker room and did not return.
“He hurt his ankle, legit,” head coach Pete Carroll said (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “I don’t want to go into any of the details but he hurt his ankle. He’ll be out for a while.”
Further testing will no doubt take place shortly, but based on those remarks Powers-Johnson should not be expected to return in the near future. The 2024 second-round pick saw time at all three interior O-line spots as a rookie after being drafted into the NFL as a center. Powers-Johnson has exclusively worked as a right guard this season, though. His PFF evaluations have fluctuated greatly from one week to the next while attempting to establish himself as a full-time option at that spot.
That process will now be paused as the Oregon product recovers. Powers-Johnson, 22, is attached to his rookie contract through 2027. That will leave plenty of time for him to continue competing for a first-team spot at center or guard upon returning to health. In the meantime, though, Vegas will be shorthanded up front.
Left guard Dylan Parhamexited last Thursday’s game. He also suffered an ankle injury and was also unable to return to the contest. Alex Cappafilled in for Powers-Johnson after his departure, and he may be needed for in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future. A new plan will also be needed at the other guard spot until Parham is able to suit up again.
The past few days have seen Jayden Danielsconsult with a number of specialists about his dislocated elbow. The worst-case scenario has been avoided.
Daniels’ left (non-throwing) elbow was not injured as much as originally thought, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. No ligament damage was found upon further testing. As a result, surgery will not be required in this case. Rapoport adds Daniels is not heading to injured reserve at least for the time being.
Further assessments will take place during Washington’s bye week. The team has two games (at home against the Lions and on the road against the Dolphins) before that point. Backup Marcus Mariotawill handle QB1 duties for at least those two contests. Part of how the Commanders proceed with Daniels past that point will no doubt be influenced by their record.
Washington sits at 3-6 on the year thanks to a four-game losing streak. A return to the postseason is far from certain as a result, and that will especially be true if the team drops even one of its two remaining games before the bye. If the season is essentially over by that point, there would be little upside to bringing Daniels back into the fold (even if that were possible). For now, attention will turn to Washington’s ability to stay afloat on offense without Daniels or top wideout Terry McLaurinin place for the time being.
Daniels played every game during the 2024 campaign, one in which he took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. This season has played out much differently on the health front, with last year’s No. 2 pick already missing time prior to his elbow dislocation. That ailment – suffered late in a blowout game – will hinder the Commanders’ chances of reaching the playoffs, let alone repeating 2024’s surprise run to the NFC title game.
Mariota has made three starts and five appearances this season in place of Daniels. Those figures will continue to rise as the 32-year-old guides Washington’s offense for the time being (potentially through the rest of the campaign). As a pending free agent, Mariota’s performances down the stretch will dictate his market value. Daniels, meanwhile, will look to rehab his injury without any procedure being necessary. Especially if he is not moved to IR, the door will remain open to a return at some point this season.
The NFL’s latest trade deadline featured eight Tuesday trades, but a total of 22 in-season swaps occurred this year. Some teams made multiple trades; several others stood pat. Two of the biggest trades in deadline history went down this week.
As we detailed Wednesday in the latest Trade Rumors Front Office post, the Jets’ perspective brought strong value for young players toiling on a downtrodden team. The three first-rounders plus the 2026 second will give New York’s new decision-makers a chance to retool while having assets to either find a quarterback in the draft or trade for a veteran. While it will be difficult to replace Gardner and Williams, the Jets’ Darren Mougey-Aaron Glenn regime made the decision to cash in their top assets to launch a true rebuild — one that suddenly features plenty of QB ammo.
From the Colts’ perspective, Gardner brings an accomplished starter at a young age. Indianapolis received a player signed through 2030, though New York’s contract structure on the July extension limited the Gardner dead money to $19.75MM — far less than the Dolphins just took on for Ramsey or what the Saints absorbed upon trading Marshon Lattimore last year.
The Colts, after building from within for years, now have three high-cost DB contracts added this year in the Gardner accord and those given to Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum. Tied for the best record in the AFC (at 7-2), the Colts made a move and watched the Patriots, Broncos, Bills and Chiefs hold off on buyer’s trades.
Dallas’ stance is a bit more complicated. The Cowboys went from trading Micah Parsons for two first-rounders ahead of his age-26 season to acquiring Williams, who will turn 28 in December. The team still has three first-round picks between 2026 and ’27, but sending the higher-value ’27 first to the Jets strips away a prime asset for a player not on Parsons’ level.
Jerry Jones harped on the team’s run defense upon acquiring Kenny Clark in the Parsons trade, but that unit has faceplanted this season. Williams joins Clark and Osa Odighizuwa in a suddenly pricey Dallas D-tackle corps, and the longtime Jet had angled for a contract rework — something the Cowboys may now have to navigate.
The Cowboys also addedLogan Wilson, after trying to grabQuincy Williams from the Jets in a two-brother trade, but the younger Williams brother represents the obvious talking point here. Dallas’ interior D-line is well stocked. Will Quinnen Williams help transform a sub-.500 Cowboys team in the way Amari Cooper did after the team surrendered a first at the 2018 deadline?
Meyers will help the Jags replace Travis Hunter and provide some stability in a receiving corps also dealing with a Brian Thomas Jr. injury. Shaheed joins a surging Seattle squad, reuniting with 2024 New Orleans OC Klint Kubiak, and will be an interesting complementary piece for All-Pro candidate Jaxon Smith-Njigba. With Smith-Njigba, Shaheed, Cooper Kupp and rookie Tory Horton, the Seahawks look to have one of the NFL’s best receiving cadres.
Jacksonville also engaged in a cornerback swap, prying contract-year cover man Greg Newsomefrom the Browns in October. Newsome has started two games with the Jags and has incentive to perform well this season, as he is uncontracted for 2026. Tyson Campbell is signed through 2028, giving the Browns some cost certainty — albeit now carrying two upper-crust CB contracts, along with Denzel Ward‘s — at a premium position.
Cleveland did not aggressively sell, keeping its guards, David Njoku and other rumored trade assets, though they did do Joe Flacco a solid — to Mike Tomlin‘s chagrin — by trading the demoted QB within the division. Flacco immediately became the Bengals’ starter and has rejuvenated Cincy’s offense.
The Rams quietly bolstered their CB contingent by obtaining Titans contract-year slot playerRoger McCreary, while Tennessee also sent Dre’Mont Jones to Baltimore. The Ravens added Jones and Alohi Gilman, the latter becoming an immediate starter and helping maximize All-Pro Kyle Hamilton. Jones, who has 4.5 sacks this season, replaces Odafe Oweh — traded to the Chargers in the Gilman swap — in Baltimore’s OLB rotation. A former 3-4 defensive end, Jones gives Baltimore some pass rush options after Gilman supplied them with a deep safety. Gilman is also in a contract year.
While the Dolphins did not dive into full sales mode, retaining Jaylen Waddle and Bradley Chubb, after parting with longtime GM Chris Grier, they did obtain a third-round pick for Phillips — who is in his fifth-year option season. The Chargers also added two more trades before the 3pm buzzer Tuesday, most notably addingTrevor Penning — a three-position starter for the Saints — for a late 2027 draft choice. A contract-year blocker, Penning will be an option for a battered Bolts’ tackle corps.
The Steelers’ long-rumored wide receiver quest did not lead to a deal, but the team did add veteran safetyKyle Dugger, who had fallen out of favor with the Patriots despite signing an eight-figure-per-year extension as a transition-tagged player in 2024.
Who do you think did the best job at this year’s deadline? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Head coach Sean McVay announced that Harrison Mevis will get the nod over Joshua Karty on Sunday, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. Mevis was signed this week after Karty converted just 10 of his 15 field goal attempts in the first eight games of the season. Three of his five misses came inside 40 yards, a clear step back from his 2024 rookie season that featured just five misses all year. Karty has also missed three extra points on 26 attempts this season after missing only four on 32 attempts last year.
