Broncos Activate G Ben Powers
The Broncos’ offensive line will receive a boost in time for Week 16. Left guard Ben Powers has been activated from injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
Powers suffered a biceps injury in Week 5, and he has been sidelined since. Denver opened his practice window on December 10, however, signaling a return was imminent. After remaining absent last week, Powers will be able to suit up tomorrow against the Jaguars.
During Powers’ absence, the Broncos have used a pair of replacements at the left guard spot. Matt Peart filled in for one game before suffering his own injury, which paved the way for Alex Palczewski to handle a full-time starting gig. The latter could still see at least a rotational role down the stretch. Head coach Sean Payton said (via 9News’ Mike Klis) Powers will be eased back into action.
In any event, being back to full strength up front will be key for the top team in the AFC. Each of Denver’s other four starters up front (left tackle Garrett Bolles, center Luke Wattenberg, right guard Quinn Meinerz and right tackle Mike McGlinchey) have played in every game this season. That run of availability has been key to the team’s offensive success in 2025.
Powers, 29, has delivered on expectations as a run blocker in particular during his time with the Broncos. The 2023 free agent signing did not miss a game during his first two seasons in the Mile High City, and he is on the books through next year. A trade or release aimed at shedding costs along the offensive line could be entertained during the offseason, but for now Powers will look to reprise his role as a first-team figure up front while Denver seeks the No. 1 seed in the conference.
With Powers back in the fold, the Broncos have three IR activations remaining for the regular season. Another two will become available once the playoffs begin.
Colts To Activate DT DeForest Buckner
A neck injury forced Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to IR on Nov. 7. After a five-game absence, Buckner will return Monday against the 49ers, head coach Shane Steichen announced (via Adam Schefter of ESPN).
The Colts were 7-2 and vying for the No. 1 seed in the AFC when Buckner went down. Major injuries to Buckner, quarterback Daniel Jones, and cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward have knocked their season off course over the past month and a half.
Now 8-6, the Colts suffered their fourth straight loss in a nail-biter in Seattle last Sunday. That spoiled Philip Rivers‘ comeback start and dealt another blow to the Colts’ fading playoff hopes. They’re eighth in the conference with tough contests remaining against San Francisco (Buckner’s ex-team), Jacksonville, and Houston. Those clubs have gone a combined 29-13.
A playoff berth looks unlikely for the Colts, but getting Buckner back should better their chances of a miraculous rally. That’s assuming the herniated disc in Buckner’s neck doesn’t hinder him during the next few weeks. He had to consider his long-term health before deciding to return, per Mike Chappell of FOX59. Buckner traveled for treatment in Panama City, Panama, where he received stem cell injections.
“It’s one of those injuries that’s very serious,’’ Buckner said. “It’s definitely a heavy burden on myself making the decision.’’
Before that issue cropped up, the three-time Pro Bowler continued to produce stellar results. He logged 42 tackles (including nine for loss), 18 quarterback hurries, 11 QB hits, and four sacks in his first nine games this year. Pro Football Focus ranks his 2025 performance 11th among 126 qualifying interior D-linemen.
While the Colts’ front is welcoming back Buckner, their secondary will continue to go without Gardner. A calf injury will shelve Gardner for the third game in a row, but Steichen said he’ll play again this year (via James Boyd of The Athletic).
General manager Chris Ballard made an ultra-aggressive move in sending two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to the Jets for Gardner at the Nov. 4 trade deadline. The Colts had designs on Gardner and Ward forming an elite corner duo. Injuries have prevented it from happening, though, as they’ve played in just two games together (losses to the Chiefs and Texans).
After Ward suffered his third concussion of 2025, the Colts placed him on IR on Dec. 10. Ward’s regular season is over, but the Colts are holding out hope Gardner will return in Week 17 or 18.
Rams Fire ST Coordinator Chase Blackburn
After a costly loss to the NFC West rival Seahawks on Thursday, the Rams have fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Ben Kotwica, previously the assistant special teams coach, will take over for Blackburn.
Blackburn’s dismissal is the first in-season coaching change Sean McVay has made since he took the reins in 2017, Schefter notes. McVay’s unexpected late-season adjustment comes on the heels of the Rams’ latest special teams gaffe.
Holding a 30-14 lead in Seattle, the Rams allowed a 58-yard punt return touchdown to Rashid Shaheed. That helped the Seahawks storm back to force overtime and pull out a 38-37 victory. The outcome was enormous for both sides. The Rams owned the No. 1 seed in the NFC entering the contest, but they’re now 11-4, trailing the 12-3 Seahawks in the division, and sitting in fifth place in the conference.
The Rams are on the NFL’s shortlist of Super Bowl contenders despite consistent special teams issues. Pro Football Focus ranks the unit 28th in the league. The Rams have gone through multiple kickers and long snappers. A blocked kick against the Eagles in Week 3 cost them a potential buzzer-beating victory and led to a loss.
McVay expressed frustration with the Rams’ special teams difficulties in early November, saying (via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk): “It’s going to cost us — it’s cost us already. It’s been a momentum killer. It does take the air out of our sails. Our guys have shown they can respond and overcome it. But you do have to be — the harsh and the truth of it is, is this is not sustainable to continuously go where we want to go.”
A month and a half later, McVay is waving goodbye to Blackburn. A linebacker with the Giants and Panthers from 2005-14, Blackburn has worked as a special teams coach on multiple staffs since his playing days ended. He was the Panthers’ ST coordinator from 2018-21. After a year on Mike Vrabel’s staff in Tennessee, Blackburn joined the Rams in 2023. Under two full seasons later, the 42-year-old is on his way out of Los Angeles.
Lions Place Kerby Joseph On IR, Activate Christian Mahogany
Kerby Joseph‘s regular season is over. The Lions announced that they’ve placed the safety on IR with a knee injury. The team activated left guard Christian Mahogany from IR in a corresponding move.
Joseph hasn’t played since a loss to the Chiefs in Week 6, which will go down as his last appearance of the regular season. He’ll miss the Lions’ final three games. In the event the 8-6 club makes a successful charge for a playoff spot, Joseph won’t be eligible for its first-round matchup.
After leading the NFL with nine interceptions and earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2024, Joseph inked a four-year, $86MM extension last April. Although the 25-year-old ballhawk only played in six games this season, he still managed to pick off three passes. Joseph had finally been progressing toward a return, but a setback suffered in practice last week forced the Lions to shut him down.
The Lions entered the season with arguably the league’s best safety tandem in Joseph and Brian Branch. They’ll finish the regular season (and perhaps the playoffs) without either.
Branch tore his Achilles in a Week 14 win over the Cowboys. The Lions’ weakened defense then struggled in a 41-34 loss to the Rams in Week 15. The Rams amassed 519 total yards, including 368 through the air. With Joseph, Branch, and the concussed Thomas Harper unavailable, Avonte Maddox and Erick Hallett got the majority of playing time at safety. Hallett is now out of the organization after the Titans signed him off the Lions’ practice squad on Tuesday, but Harper has cleared concussion protocol and will play against the Steelers on Sunday.
Mahogany, a second-year man who has started in all eight appearances this season, has missed six games in a row with a fractured fibula. He’s now active again 10 days after Detroit opened his 21-day practice window, though Mahogany is still listed as questionable for Week 16. Three other Lions offensive linemen (Graham Glasgow, Taylor Decker, and Trystan Colon) are also questionable. Detroit’s banged-up line will face a shorthanded Pittsburgh pass rush, though, with T.J. Watt (lung) and Nick Herbig (hamstring) set to miss the game.
Buccaneers Elevate Jason Pierre-Paul
On the eve of a pivotal game against the NFC South rival Panthers, the Buccaneers are elevating edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul from their practice squad, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Pierre-Paul will play in his first game since Dec. 11, 2023, when he was a member of the Dolphins.
Now 36 years old, Pierre-Paul entered the NFL as a first-round pick of the Giants in 2010. He’s now in his second stint with the Buccaneers, whom he played with from 2018-21. Pierre-Paul amassed 33 sacks during that 54-game span and was part of the franchise’s most recent Super Bowl-winning team in 2020.
Between his Tampa Bay and Miami tenures, Pierre-Paul spent time with the Ravens and Saints. He was out of football until the Buccaneers surprisingly signed him to their practice squad on Dec. 8. Pierre-Paul impressed the team during a workout, and he’s now in line to suit up just two weeks later.
Pierre-Paul will join YaYa Diaby, Haason Reddick, Elijah Roberts, Anthony Nelson, and Chris Braswell as the Bucs’ options at edge rusher against the Panthers. Tampa Bay and Carolina, both 7-7, will meet twice over the final three weeks of the season. One of them will win the division, while the other is likely to miss the playoffs.
Along with elevating Pierre-Paul, the Buccaneers are calling up defensive lineman Adam Gotsis from their taxi squad, per Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Gotsis has played in one game and logged eight defensive snaps this year.
Bears Activate LB Tremaine Edmunds
DECEMBER 20: The Bears have activated Edmunds and elevated wide receiver Maurice Alexander from their practice squad.
DECEMBER 19: Set for a crucial meeting with the NFC North rival Packers on Saturday, the Bears could see one of their most important defenders return from IR. They’re planning to activate linebacker Tremaine Edmunds before the game, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
A groin injury forced Edmunds to the shelf on Nov. 22, and the Bears opened his practice window on Monday. That gave them 21 days to activate the 27-year-old, but it appears he’ll be back much quicker than that.
The Bears were off to a surprising 7-3 start when they lost Edmunds, who was a key contributor during that stretch. The two-time Pro Bowler has tallied 89 tackles, four interceptions (tied for a career high), nine passes defensed, and a sack this year. Thanks in part to Edmunds, the Bears lead the NFL with 30 takeaways and 21 INTs.
Having won three of four in Edmunds’ absence, the 10-4 Bears are atop their division and in second place in the conference entering Week 16. The Packers could knock them off the NFC North pedestal with a win in Chicago, though. They defeated the Edmunds-less Bears at Lambeau Field in Week 14.
Edmunds’ return may give the Bears a better chance of preventing a season sweep at the hands of the Packers, though D’Marco Jackson filled in well while he was out. Jackson earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after notching seven tackles, a sack, and a pick in a 31-3 blowout over Cleveland last Sunday. He played 67% of defensive snaps against the Browns. Fellow linebacker T.J. Edwards was on the field for all 57 defensive plays. He and Edmunds should again comprise the Bears’ top two LBs, but Jackson at least gives defensive coordinator Dennis Allen another capable option.
Seahawks S Coby Bryant To Miss Time
Seahawks safety Coby Bryant is expected to miss time with a knee injury suffered in Thursday night’s win over the Rams, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
His absence would deprive Seattle of another key defender for their Week 17 matchup with the Panthers. Outside linebacker Derick Hall was hit with a one-game suspension on Friday, while cornerback Riq Woolen went down with a knee injury of his own on Thursday night. Woolen’s injury is not thought to be serious, per Fowler.
Seattle’s defense has been hit hard by injuries this year, especially in their secondary. Bryant has played the most football of any Seahawks defender with 977 snaps, 95% of the team’s total on the season. No other player has eclipsed 80%.
Bryant is also the only Seahawks defensive back to start every game this season. Fellow safeties Nick Emmanwori and Julian Love have missed multiple games, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon spent October on injured reserve. Even Woolen has been in and out of the starting lineup this year, when healthy.
Both Emmanwori and Love are available now, so the Seahawks have two starting safeties ready to go if Bryant cannot play in Week 17. However, head coach Mike Macdonald may want to keep Emmanwori in his versatile role and could instead tap Ty Okada – who stepped in for Love while he was on IR – to replace Bryant.
Bryant ranks fourth on the team in tackles and passes defended, and his ability to protect the deep areas of the field has been crucial to Seattle’s dominance on defense. The Seahawks are still evaluating Bryant’s knee to determine his return timeline. With a playoff spot secured and the NFC West all-but-one, they may take a cautious approach to ensure that Bryant is ready for the postseason.
Saints Sign Charlie Smyth To Multiyear Deal
Northern Ireland native Charlie Smyth took over as the Saints’ kicker in late November. Three weeks later, the Saints are clearly satisfied with the results. They’ve signed Smyth to a three-year contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
This is the second three-year pact for Smyth, who joined the Saints in March 2024 as part of the NFL’s international player pathway program. He played Gaelic football before immigrating to the United States.
Smyth spent all of last season and most of this year on the Saints’ practice squad. Blake Grupe, who’s now a Colt, served as New Orleans’ kicker until the team waived him on Nov. 25. The Saints brought in veteran Cade York on a practice squad deal at the time, but they instead turned to Smyth as Grupe’s replacement.
While it’s a small sample of work, Smyth has been more accurate than Grupe. The Saints cut ties with Grupe after he made just 18 of 26 field goals over 11 games this year. Smyth has connected on 4 of 5 field goals and all five extra point tries through three games.
The 24-year-old immediately made his mark in his debut in Week 13. Although the Saints lost to the Dolphins, Smyth hit a 56-yarder and also pulled off a successful onside kick. He went on to nail a game-winning 44-yarder in an upset over the Panthers last Sunday. The Saints waived York on Thursday, leaving Smyth as the only kicker in the organization.
Chiefs Place OT Jawaan Taylor, LB Leo Chenal On IR
The Chiefs made a flurry of roster moves on Saturday ahead of their Week 16 matchup with the Titans, per a team announcement.
Right tackle Jawaan Taylor and linebacker Leo Chenal were placed on injured reserve, ending their seasons. Taylor started the first 12 games in the season but has been absent for the last three weeks due to a triceps injury. He is the second Chiefs starting offensive lineman to land on injured reserve this month, joining left tackle Josh Simmons. Jaylon Moore has taken over the right tackle job in Taylor’s stead and will likely continue in that capacity.
Chenal commanded a 53% snap share in the first 14 games of the season before going down with a shoulder injury. He was the Chiefs’ third inside linebacker behind Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill; the trio have taken virtually all of the team’s snaps at the position. Chenal’s absence will likely put fourth-year linebacker Jack Cochrane into a bigger role, though Kansas City could also give rookies like Cooper McDonald and Jeffrey Bassa some opportunities.
To replace Taylor and Chenal on the active roster, the Chiefs signed offensive tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick and quarterback Chris Oladokun from their practice squad. Godrick will provide tackle depth amid the team’s current O-line injuries and Oladokun will back up Gardner Minshew for the rest of the year. Linebacker Cole Christiansen and offensive tackle Matt Waletzko were also elevated from the practice squad to provide depth at the Chiefs’ injured positions.
The Chiefs also waived running back Elijah Mitchell and replaced him with Dameon Pierce. Mitchell signed in Kansas City this offseason but has only appeared in one game during the regular season. Pierce was waived by the Texans in November and signed with Kansas City’s practice squad shortly after. Sunday will be Pierce’s Chiefs debut, and his promotion to the active roster suggests he’ll be in line for some touches during the game.
Cowboys Activate Trevon Diggs, Place DaRon Bland On IR
1:03pm: The Cowboys have activated Diggs and placed Bland on IR, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Bland may require foot surgery.
11:17am: The Cowboys are expected to activate cornerback Trevon Diggs from injured reserve on Sunday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The move will clear the path for Diggs to return from a two-month absence caused by a lingering knee injury and a concussion. However, he is unlikely to return to the starting role he occupied at the beginning of the year.
Diggs’ recovery and return to the field has been somewhat of a saga. He was designated to return from IR at the end of November and practiced for two weeks in a limited capacity. Diggs said he was expecting to play in Week 15 but was not activated ahead of the game. He clarified this week that he was healthy enough to play and still did not know why he was not activated, though he still was a limited participant in practice.
The Cowboys will make the procedural move to activate Diggs so that he does not revert to season-ending injured reserve, but that is no guarantee of a game day role. Recent updates have indicated a disconnect between player and team with some believing that the two sides will part ways this offseason. Diggs and the Cowboys have both stated that they envision their partnership extending into 2026, but most teams and players give that kind of an answer to such questions.
Starting cornerback DaRon Bland has been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup against the Chargers, so the Cowboys might need Diggs at some point during the game. He appears to be ready to play, but may no longer be a core part of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus‘ plans for this season. With Dallas eliminated from the playoffs and Diggs’ injury history, the team may be hoping that he can avoid a re-aggravation this season that could affect him into 2026.