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Panthers Expected To Pick Up Bryce Young’s Fifth-Year Option, Wait On Extension

December 3rd, 2025 at 10:34pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

In the last 15 season, the Panthers have won more than seven games only three times. They are already at seven wins in 2025 with four games to go after their Week 14 bye, putting them on pace for their best finish since 2017.

Carolina’s success is primarily due to a defense that has improved from dead-last in 2024 to middle of the pack this year, but clutch play from third-year quarterback Bryce Young has been a major factor. He has led four fourth-quarter comebacks and five game-winning drives.

However, he is not exactly setting the world on fire statistically, averaging fewer than 200 passing yards per game and ranking 23rd in passer rating (87.9) and QBR (45.6). Young has also thrown nine interceptions already; last season, he threw nine picks in 14 games, and in 2023, he threw 10 in 16 games.

His performance this season has set up an interesting two years for the Panthers and their young quarterback. Young will be eligible for an extension this offseason, and a decision on his fifth-year option will be due on May 1.

The latter situation is simpler than the former. Young’s fifth-year option is projected by OverTheCap to be $26.5MM, though that could rise to $39.7MM if he makes the Pro Bowl this season. That feels unlikely, but a surprise playoff berth on the back of Young’s clutch performances could garner him some consideration. He does have to be selected on the original ballot to upgrade his fifth-year option, according to the NFL’s CBA; a 2022 Tyler Huntley situation (filling in for an injured original selection) would not qualify. A Pro Bowl bump would make Young’s fifth-year option a much tougher decision, but for now, the team is expected to pick it up, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

Picking up the fifth-year option ensures that Young is under contract at an affordable price for a starter. It would also allow the Panthers to wait on an extension. They are not expected to pursue one this offseason, as Young has not quite cemented himself as the future of the franchise. Another, more significant leap in 2026 may do so, at which point the Panthers would likely try to finalize an extension before the 2027 season.

As a result, the cost of an extension may be substantially lower this offseason as opposed to the next. That sets up a clear dichotomy for the Panthers. Do they want to bet on Young now in the hopes of continue development and a contract that looks like a steal a few years from now? Or do they want to wait and see if he is really their long-term starter.

It is worth noting that Panthers head coach Dave Canales came in the year after the team selected Young with the No. 1 overall pick. As a result, he had to give Young a chance for at least a year or two. The 24-year-old quarterback has responded with some development, but it is hard to argue that he is even a mid-tier starter.

If Young cannot reach or eclipse that level next season, Canales may want to handpick his next quarterback himself. He may already have designs to do so. As the saying goes, NFL stands for Not For Long. Coaches can have extremely short leashes, especially under owners whose teams are struggling and/or are too involved in day-to-day operations. Both could be said of Panthers owner David Tepper, so if Canales wants to be in Carolina for the long haul, he may want to choose the quarterback that will give him the best chance.

The rest of the 2023 class becomes eligible for an extension next offseason. C.J. Stroud is the only quarterback that looks like the future of his franchise, so the Texans are considered more likely to pay him than the Panthers are to pay Young, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Chargers ‘Optimistic’ For Justin Herbert’s Week 14 Availability

December 3rd, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Ely Allen

As reported earlier this week, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert underwent surgery to address a broken bone in his left (non-throwing) hand. Per Nick Shook of NFL.com, while the 27-year-old passer is still considered day-to-day at the moment, the team — specifically head coach Jim Harbaugh — is “optimistic” that Herbert will be the one under center to start the game on Monday night.

According to Omar Ruiz of NFL Network, Herbert described the surgery, telling reporters that a plate and a few screws were put into his hand during the procedure. The current plan is just to prepare as if he’s starting against the Eagles this week, though an eye will be kept on his hand to determine if the swelling from the surgery has subsided enough for him to play. In Week 13, he wore a glove on his left hand made to stabilize the injury, and a similar technique could be utilized again in order to stabilize his healing hand.

While Harbaugh is optimistic, and Herbert is preparing like he’s starting, Harbaugh is not depending solely on Herbert. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, backup quarterback Trey Lance is expected to get some run with the first-team offense this week, in case the team feels Herbert’s hand won’t allow him to “function in enough basic ways or protect himself if he falls.” Lance, a former No. 3 overall pick, started four games in his first two years in San Francisco but has only logged one start in the past three seasons combined. If Herbert’s hand hinders him in the ways quoted above, though, Lance would be tapped as the starter.

Lance took all of the first-team reps in today’s practice, with Herbert not practicing in the traditional sense and, instead, just being present on the field through the first sessions of practice. Even if Herbert’s hand is doing well enough for him to start, Lance’s work with the first team could still be handy for certain situations.

Herbert’s hand may prevent him from being literally under center since it could be difficult for him to receive snaps between the center’s legs with his hand injury. Herbert can try to stay in shotgun formations as much as possible, but in short yardage or goal line situations, the team may rely on Lance, whose hand would be less at risk of injury in a scrum.

The news on the matter is still not definitive, but at least we now know what to keep an eye on in the days to come. As long as Herbert and Co. can get the swelling down over the next five days, he should return as the starter. In the meantime, Lance will continue preparing for roles both big and small.

Seahawks Release DT Johnathan Hankins From NFI List

December 3rd, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Today, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Seahawks released veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who had spent the season on the team’s reserve/non-football injury list due to a back injury he had sustained in the offseason. Because the season has already progressed past the trade deadline, even vested veterans have to clear waivers before hitting free agency, so Hankins will be available to be claimed tomorrow.

It isn’t likely that Hankins will be claimed by a new team, though. Two weeks ago, Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald informed the media that Hankins was not going to be activated from the NFI list during the 2025 season. There’s always a chance Hankins disagreed with that opinion and asked to be released so that he could have a chance to play this season with another club, but we’ll find that out if he clears waivers.

At 33 years old, Hankins may not slot in as a starter anywhere he goes the way he did in his prime. Routinely a strong interior defender over his first two contracts, Hankins’ level of play has leveled out as he continues to count the seasons. Still, after his time as a starter for the Raiders came to a close after four and a half years, punctuated by a trade to Dallas, Hankins was able to reestablish himself as a starter for the Cowboys in his first full year with the team.

With the Seahawks, his defense left a bit to be desired, but the team depended on him in the interior. No other lineman saw more snaps over center, and he was utilized frequently enough to log eight starts while playing in every game of the season for the first time since 2020. It earned him another one-year deal with the team, and even though he would’ve been a free agent at the end of the year anyway, Seattle has given him a headstart on free agency by putting him on waivers today.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/3/25

December 3rd, 2025 at 7:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: WR Joaquin Davis

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Jefferson, Sheppard, and Trammell all found themselves signing to the practice squads of the teams that waived them two days ago. Having cleared waivers, the free agents returned to their lockers as members of the taxi squad.

Indianapolis cut Morrissey today in order to make room for kicker Blake Grupe, whom they signed yesterday. Grupe should be in line to take over kicking duties following the waiving of Michael Badgley yesterday, while Spencer Shrader remains on injured reserve.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/25

December 3rd, 2025 at 6:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s midweek minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • Designated for return from IR: LB Cam Jones

Pittsburgh Steelers

Collier signed with Arizona after injuries and a failure to live up to his first-round draft stock led to his departure from Seattle. He earned a starting role with his new team, but after his first game for the Cardinals, he was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a bicep injury. He worked his way back to health and started 15 of 17 game appearances last year, but his struggles on the line led to a team reunion with Calais Campbell and the drafting of Walter Nolen in the first round. Collier was working as a depth piece before getting placed on IR back in September, and if he can get back to the active roster, he’ll add to the line’s depth, once again.

As a rookie, Verdon was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list to start the season. The undrafted linebacker had been designated to return from the reserve/NFI list, but now that his 21-day practice window has come and gone without an activation, he moves to IR.

Pharaoh in Arizona, Dickerson in Duval, and Pettis in New Orleans all had used up their three standard gameday practice squad elevations. If their respective teams wanted to see them play in any more games this season, a move to the 53-man roster was necessary.

Eagles’ Dave Caldwell Accepts Florida GM Job

December 3rd, 2025 at 3:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another NFL staffer is moving to the college GM level. After Ron Rivera, Andrew Luck and Michael Lombardi landed on this tier in the ever-changing college game, the Eagles will lose one of their execs to such a post.

Dave Caldwell is leaving Philadelphia for Florida, with ESPN.com’s Jeff Darlington reporting the former Jaguars GM will head back toward that region to become the Gators’ GM. Florida has since announced the hire.

Best known for his time in Jacksonville, Caldwell has been with the Eagles since 2021. Howie Roseman appointed his former GM peer as a senior personnel director. Roseman, who is a Florida alum, named him to that post in June 2022. The Eagles lost four staffers to NFL assistant GM jobs that offseason, and Caldwell helped fill the void. This earned him a Super Bowl ring.

The Jags fired Caldwell before the 2020 season ended, canning HC Doug Marrone soon after. While Jacksonville’s next move proved to be a misstep — the disastrous Urban Meyer hire — Caldwell’s operation had bottomed out by 2020, when the Jags went 1-15. Caldwell helped build the 2017 Jags roster — one that went 10-6 and nearly qualified for Super Bowl LII — but the team could not find steady success in his tenure.

Brought over from Atlanta in 2013, Caldwell hired Gus Bradley as HC and watched the Jags finish 15-49 in his first four GM seasons. The franchise’s 2014 Blake Bortles pick at No. 3 overall in 2014 came to define this period. Rather than can Caldwell, Shad Khan brought in Tom Coughlin to oversee him as executive VP. After a grievance-filled tenure, Coughlin was out by December 2019. Caldwell remained GM during the Coughlin tenure, but he reassumed his place atop the front office hierarchy in 2020.

The Gators finished 4-8 this season and have changed coaches. Linked to now-LSU leader Lane Kiffin, the SEC program hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as its new HC. Like Rivera (Cal), Luck (Stanford) and Lombardi (North Carolina), Caldwell will play a lead role in allocating money to players — as the Gators look to both retain talent and pay for replacements via traditional recruiting and through the transfer portal — in this complex era for the sport.

Von Miller Reached Out To Broncos GM About Role In Offseason; Seahawks Pursued DE

December 3rd, 2025 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although this Commanders season has skidded well off track, Von Miller has quietly compiled five sacks as a rotational rusher. This came after a six-sack rebound season with the Bills, who saw him record zero in a 2023 return from ACL surgery. Miller is hoping to play in 2026, potentially in Washington, but he drew outside interest this past offseason.

Following his Bills release, Miller was believed to have made taken visits meetings to his Commanders signing. As it turns out, the Seahawks were the runner-up for the 15th-year edge rusher’s services. Miller said this summer he largely chose the Commanders because of confidence in Jayden Daniels, who ended up suffering three injuries and missing much of this season. While a trade rumor reconnected Miller to the Bills at the deadline, the Commanders held onto him.

“Nothing against Sam Darnold, but it was Jayden Daniels. In my opinion, it was the best situation,” Miller said of his free agency choice, via the Denver Post’s Troy Renck. “They were coming off the NFC championship game. And Dan Quinn had a plan for me as a veteran player. He gets it.”

The Seahawks are 9-3 and virtually assured of a playoff berth. After an overtime loss to the Broncos, the Commanders are 3-9. While Miller could conceivably be waived to catch on with a contender, no signs of that happening have emerged. Miller said he would like to re-sign with Washington but noted he would like a “rain check” before any commitments are made. It would stand to reason Miller would want to catch on with an assured contender in 2026, though he has already won two Super Bowls.

Seattle signed DeMarcus Lawrence early this offseason and have seen Uchenna Nwosu play in 11 games after two injury-marred seasons. The team has Boye Mafe and Derick Hall as supplementary rushers, but the two former second-rounders have combined for just two sacks this season. Miller would have seemingly fit in as an upgrade there. Seattle has relied more on its defensive line, which features a strong Leonard Williams–Byron Murphy combo. Miller would have fit in as a rotational rusher at this point in his career. The Commanders have used him as a one-game starter, playing him on 37% of the snaps.

Miller is on a one-year, $6.1MM deal that included incentives; it is unclear what the Seahawks offered. He needs two more sacks to trigger a $500K bonus. No Broncos reunion was on the table for the future Hall of Famer, though the 11-year Denver resident personally did due diligence there. Miller reached out to Denver GM George Paton before his Washington signing, only to hear an expected answer.

“When Garett [Bolles] brought it up, I was like, ‘Come on, man.’ You have Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper,” Miller said (via the Denver Post’s Troy Renck) about a conversation with the Broncos’ left tackle. “But I started thinking, ‘You have all these people on the team and there’s not a spot for me? I know there probably won’t be, but let me check and see.’ I talked with George and I already had an idea how it was going to go. And that is exactly what he said.”

Paton traded the former Super Bowl MVP to the Rams in his first year as GM, fetching second- and third-round picks for the high-profile rental chip. One of those picks brought back Bonitto, who has since signed a four-year, $106MM extension. Cooper signed an extension in October 2024, checking in at a more affordable $13.5MM per year. The Broncos have seen rotational rusher Jonah Elliss miss time due to injury this season, leading to a bigger role for USFL import Dondrea Tillman. The team also used a fourth-round pick on OLB Que Robinson, who has played sparingly.

Miller has moved into 13th on the all-time sack list this season, sitting on 134.5 for his career. He is just three away from the top 10, a goal Miller confirmed he would like to play in 2026 to reach. It would take 16 more sacks to reach the top five, which may require the aging talent to play multiple additional seasons. It should be expected Miller will draw interest as a 2026 free agent, with teams undoubtedly eyeing him as a pass-rushing specialist at this point.

OL Rumors: Teller, Bears, Packers, Ravens

December 3rd, 2025 at 2:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wyatt Teller has been with the Browns since 2019, as the team made a savvy trade with the Bills to acquire a talented blocker who had not hit his stride just yet. The 2018 fifth-round pick has been selected to three All-Pro teams (as a second-teamer) and three Pro Bowls. Teller was a linchpin of Browns O-lines that paved lanes for Nick Chubb and produced two playoff berths this decade. But that group could splinter soon. Teller joins Joel Bitonio and Jack Conklin as longtime Cleveland blockers on expiring contracts.

The Browns lost Teller to a calf injury against the 49ers, but they had already cut into his workload in what The Athletic’s Zac Jackson calls a preplanned benching. This brought ex-Bears starter Teven Jenkins into the lineup, which NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe notes was by design. Jenkins is also in a contract year, signing for one season at $3.1MM. He has not started a game in Cleveland, but that is expected to change this week. As Jenkins prepares to replace Teller due to injury, the Browns having planned to reduce his playing time already points to a likely 2026 exit for the seven-year starter.

Teller said earlier this season he wanted to finish his career in Cleveland, and a new deal was believed to be under consideration as of September. Unlike Bitonio, the 31-year-old has not been linked to retirement. Teller’s four-year, $56.8MM extension voids on Feb. 10, 2026; no extension by that point would leave $10.39MM on Cleveland’s 2026 cap sheet. While Teller could expect to draw free agency interest, it will be worth following if he reacquires his starting job after this calf injury. Jenkins has plenty to play for as well, after his market underwhelmed this past offseason.

Here is the latest from the O-line ranks:

  • The Bears also made another change at left tackle, inserting Ozzy Trapilo into their lineup to open their Black Friday matchup. Trapilo replaced Theo Benedet against the Eagles, helping the Bears compile a stunning 281 rushing yards in a road upset. Ben Johnson pointed to the second-round rookie, primarily a right tackle at Boston College, receiving more time at LT. The first-year HC called Trapilo “an ascending player,” via 670 The Score’s Chris Emma, and hinted at more reps coming his way. Benedet, who started seven games after usurping Braxton Jones, worked as a reserve against Philly. Considering Jones’ likely free agency departure, Trapilo seemed on track to receive a chance. Given Chicago’s success up front this season, plenty of eyes will be on the 6-foot-8 newcomer playing on a veteran O-line. Pro Football Focus ranks Benedet 67th among tackles.
  • Green Bay also made a Week 13 change involving a second-round O-lineman, inserting Anthony Belton into its lineup at right guard over Jordan Morgan. After Belton ate into the first-round pick’s time in Week 12, he took over as the starter against the Lions. The Packers had alternated first-half series between Morgan and Belton in Week 12, but as The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman notes, Belton worked the entire second half. It appears the job is his. A 2024 first-rounder, Morgan has been unable to find a home on Green Bay’s O-line. He has competed at guard and left tackle. With Rasheed Walker likely departing as a 2026 free agent, Morgan’s next chance to start (barring injury) could come then. Schneidman points to Morgan moving to that spot if/once Walker departs in March.
  • Staying on the subject of O-lineman rotating into action, Ravens rookie Emery Jones did so at left guard Thursday. Jones, who came off Baltimore’s reserve/NFI list in late October, played 16 snaps in his debut. John Harbaugh pointed to more work, though the 18th-year HC said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) it is unlikely Jones will be cross-trained at RG as well. Primarily a college tackle, Jones cut into Andrew Vorhees‘ playing time at LG in Week 13. A 2024 seventh-rounder, Vorhees has started every Ravens game there this season.

Bills DE Joey Bosa To Miss Time

December 3rd, 2025 at 1:57pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Bills defensive end Joey Bosa is expected to miss time with a hamstring injury, according to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.

Bosa went down in Buffalo’s Week 13 victory over the Steelers. The team hopes he only misses a game or two, but an extended absence is possible. It seems likely that Bosa will miss the Bills’ next game against the Bengals after he was a non-participant in Wednesday’s practice. He is also dealing with a wrist injury, per the team’s official injury report.

Bosa’s absence could be a significant loss for the Bills. He leads the team with five sacks – no other player has more than three – and eight tackles for loss. Those numbers represent somewhat of a resurgence for Bosa after he only managed five sacks and five tackles for loss in 14 games last season.

Bosa’s bounce-back campaign is also reflected in his stats and grades from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His 41 pressures, 16.0% pass rush win rate and 90.1 pass rushing grade all lead the Bills; the last number ranks fifth among all NFL edge rushers.

Rookie defensive tackle T.J. Sanders will likely see more time at defensive end in Bosa’s absence, though he has been part of that rotation for the last several weeks. The second-round pick did not typically line up off the edge in college, but his athleticism makes it feasible in Buffalo’s 4-3 defensive scheme. In fact, two of Sanders’ last three games have featured his best PFF grades of the year. In those matchups, he lined up just once as a defensive tackle with 37 snaps at defensive end.

2024 fifth-rounder Javon Solomon, who has primarily featured on special teams this year, should also see an uptick in defense playing time. Buffalo may also consider calling up one of their three practice squad defensive ends – Morgan Fox, Andre Jones, and Shaq Lawson, but none have seen any in-game action this year. One could replace Bosa on the game day roster, but Sanders and Solomon will likely take on the lion’s share of the available snaps.

The Bills’ optimism about Bosa’s return timeline indicates that he is not a candidate to be placed on injured reserve, which would mandate a four-week absence not only from games, but also from practices.

Seahawks Designate S Julian Love, 2 Others To Return From IR

December 3rd, 2025 at 1:22pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Seahawks designated safety Julian Love, defensive tackle Jarran Reed, and wide receiver Dareke Young to return from injured reserve on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.

Love was placed on IR on November 1 after a setback in his recovery from an early-season hamstring injury. Reed and Young joined him a week later, Reed with wrist and thumb issues, while Young with a quad strain.

Love has only played three games this season, though he played all of Seattle’s defense snaps in those contests. Third-year safety Ty Okada has stepped up in Love’s absence with a solid all-around performance. He ranks 19th among NFL safeties (min. 100 snaps) with a 74.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He also earned grades of at least 70.0 for his run defense, pass rushing, and coverage. As a result, Okada could maintain a role in the Seahawks defense even after Love returns to the field.

Reed, a 10-year veteran, appeared in Seattle’s first eight games with a 47% snap share, a notable decrease from 72% in 2023 and 60% last year. His production has dipped accordingly; he only recorded 17 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one tackle for loss at the start of the season. The Seahawks have primarily called on Brandon Pili to fill Reed’s snaps, though Mike Morris and Quinton Bohanna have also seen an uptick in playing time.

Young occupied a core special teams role to start the year with only 34 snaps on offense in his six appearances. The fourth-year wideout had a similar snap distribution during his first three seasons in the NFL. A number of Seahawks saw additional playing time in Young’s absence, including outside linebacker Connor O’Toole and wide receiver Cody White.

Love, Young, and Reed will all have 21 days to practice before they must be activated or placed on season-ending IR.

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