HEADLINES

Lack Of Momentum Behind Offensive Candidates Could Shape 2026 HC Carousel

November 29th, 2025 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL's upcoming coaching carousel lacks a Ben Johnson- or Mike Vrabel-level presence. Barely a month out, no slam dunks look to be heading to the upcoming market. The makeup of said market also figures to create some complicated decisions among ownership and, in certain situations, within front offices.

A breakdown of the NFL's offensive coordinator list does not reveal a candidate on Johnson's level or even where Shane Steichen was as a 2023 HC aspirant. Flaws and negative stock fluctuations abound among this year's OC ranks. Some of the coordinators for successful teams are unrealistic candidates, and the some of the NFL's top-shelf quarterbacks are tied to play-callers whose value has not climbed since rides on the 2025 HC carousel.

Hiring an offensive-oriented coach represents the most logical path to sustained success. A glance at recent Super Bowls highlights this path. That team's quarterback, in most cases, will not lose his play-caller if an offense-based candidate is hired. That creates vital stability. QB success has provided teams a playoff fast-pass for ages, while defense carries more volatility. Having your HC be the offensive play-caller is not a must-have, as the Eagles have shown by advancing to Super Bowls with two different OCs under CEO leader Nick Sirianni. Then again, this Eagles period also show the value of a long-running play-caller.

The performances of Kevin Patullo and Brian Johnson have underwhelmed, with the former (Jalen Hurts' fifth play-caller as a pro) commanding a cascade of boos in Philadelphia's Black Friday loss to Chicago. The value Ben Johnson has brought the Bears reinforces how a proven play-caller with leadership chops can change a franchise's direction.

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Lions C Frank Ragnow Fails Physical, Will Not Play In 2025

November 29th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Lions center Frank Ragnow failed his physical and will not play in 2025, per a team announcement.

Detroit’s medical team found a Grade 3 hamstring strain that will prevent Ragnow from completing his comeback attempt after retiring this offseason. Head coach Dan Campbell said that Ragnow informed the team about the injury, prompting further evaluation. That revealed a more severe injury that immediately eliminated the chance of Detroit’s longtime center playing this season.

Ragnow, 29, came out of retirement after the Lions’ suffered multiple injuries along their offensive line. Left guard Christian Mahogany broke his leg in Week 9 and could be out until the new year. Center Graham Glasgow did not play on Thanksgiving due to a knee injury.

Mahogany has been replaced by Kayode Awosika, while Trystan Colon filled in for Glasgow on Thursday. If Ragnow had returned, he would have taken over at center and moved Glasgow to left guard, his spot in 2024, once he was healthy.

Ragnow would have been a boost to the Lions’ offensive line. Though the unit is not exactly struggling, the injuries have left them without their preferred options. Ragnow, a four-time Pro Bowler, has been one of the league’s best centers for the last several years. In his last five seasons, he allowed just four sacks and earned a 90.0 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) three times.

Instead, the Lions will have to stick with Awosika, Colon, and Glasgow to fill their left guard and center spots. The first has only played guard, but the latter two line up at both spots, giving Detroit a few potential combinations. Rookie Miles Frazier came off the non-football injury list this week and could get a look as well. He primarily played right guard in college, but spent time at left guard in 2022 and would likely step in there.

As for Ragnow, his age indicates that he could try again in 2026, but his initial retirement was partially driven by the injuries he suffered throughout his career. His only full season came in 2020. Since his comeback was foiled by another injury, he may take it as confirmation of his initial decision.

Campbell said that nothing had been discussed regarding Ragnow’s future, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Nick Sirianni Backs Kevin Patullo, Will Not Change Offensive Play-Caller

November 29th, 2025 at 9:19pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Despite the Eagles’ offensive woes, head coach Nick Sirianni has no intention of taking play-calling duties away from OC Kevin Patullo.

“We’re not changing the play caller, but we will evaluate everything,” Sirianni said after Philadelphia’s 24-15 loss to the Bears (via Zach Berman of The Athletic). “It’s never just about one person. You win as a team, you lose as a team, and you try to evaluate everything, win, lose or draw and get better from it.”

But Eagles fans do not agree. Chants of “Fire Kevin” rang out at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday as Philadelphia’s offense converted only four of their 12 third downs and turned the ball over twice. The Bears finished with a massive advantage in rushing yards (281-87), number of plays (85-51), and time of possession (39:18-20:42). But Sirianni does not think Patullo is the problem.

“I know it will keep coming back to Kevin, but again, if I thought it was one thing, then you make those changes,” Sirianni said. “Obviously, it’s a lot of different things, but I don’t think it is Kevin. Now, we all have a part in it. Kevin has a part of it. I have a part of it. All the coaches have a part of it. All the players have a part of it.”

However, Patullo’s offense is the Eagles’ worst in years. Currently, the unit are ranked 19th in points and 24th in total yards, which would be the franchise’s worst finishes since 2020. That, of course, was Doug Pederson‘s last year in Philadelphia before Sirianni took over the top job. In other words, this is the Eagles’ least productive offense in the Sirianni era.

Patullo is also the Eagles’ fourth coordinator in four years. After running Sirianni’s offense for the first two years of his tenure, Shane Steichen took the Colts’ head coaching job in 2023 and was replaced by Brian Johnson. But Johnson’s offense sputtered in the second half of the season and only put up nine points in a wild card loss to the Buccaneers. Kellen Moore took over in 2024, and he put together a dominant offense that fueled the Eagles’ playoff run, especially in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. He was hired as the Saints’ next head coach, and Patullo was promoted from pass game coordinator to OC.

As a result, Sirianni may be hoping that he can weather the storm with Patullo in the hopes that the 44-year-old coach can bounce back by the rest of the season. That would prevent Sirianni from finding another offensive coordinator and, ideally, allow Patullo to learn from his initial mistakes and put together a stronger campaign next year.

Raiders HC Pete Carroll Heavily Influenced Offense During Chip Kelly’s Tenure

November 29th, 2025 at 9:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders have fired two coordinators this month, including OC Chip Kelly. His brief Vegas tenure fell well short of expectations to say the least.

Despite giving Kelly $6MM per year to return to the NFL, the Raiders moved on in the immediate aftermath of a dismal loss against the Browns in Week 12. The team is tied for last in the NFL in scoring (15 points per game) and finding success on the ground has been a major challenge despite the presence of sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty. Further details have emerged regarding the dynamic between Kelly and head coach Pete Carroll.

Many expected Kelly to receive a long leash in terms of handling the offense considering his contract and his track record at the NFL and college levels. As Ian Rapoport of NFL Network writes, however, Vegas’ offense in 2025 has been far different than any unit Kelly has led before. That is an illustration of the influence Carroll has yielded during his first year with the Raiders.

Per Rapoport, Kelly was “miffed” at the extent to which Carroll was “heavy-handed” with his role in directing the offense. Much of Vegas’ attack, opposing defensive coordinators have observed, has closely resembled what was in place during Carroll’s final season in Seattle. The Super Bowl-winning coach carrying over elements of his Seahawks schemes was always expected when he took the Raiders gig, but things have certainly not gone according to plan so far.

Trade acquisition Geno Smith reunited with Carroll this offseason. He has thrown an NFL-worst 13 interceptions, leading in large part to the 35-year-old posting a lower passer rating than any of his five Seahawks campaign. The coming Raiders offseason will once again be dominated by questions at the quarterback position. There is also a chance Carroll’s tenure could be in doubt even after one year in place.

Minority owner Tom Brady – well known to be a major voice in the Raiders’ decision-making – reportedly played a leading role in the Kelly hire. It will be interesting to see how Brady, owner Mark Davis and general manager John Spytek proceed with respect to Carroll’s status. That, in turn, will largely determine the team’s offensive coordinator for 2026.

Greg Olson will handle play-calling duties for the remainder of the season, one in which the Raiders would be expected (given their 2-9 record) to increasingly turn their attention to developing younger players. Largely speaking, that has not been the case to date with rookies other than Jeanty yet to receive major workloads. Rapoport notes there has been a “disconnect” based on Carroll’s mandate to compete right away and the reality of where Vegas stands in terms of talent on the roster.

The Raiders have lost five straight games, and they are among the teams which could be eliminated from playoff contention tomorrow. Moving forward, how (or if) Vegas manages to rebound on offense – along with Carroll’s impact in that regard – will be a storyline worth following.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/29/25

November 29th, 2025 at 8:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL, including gameday elevations for the remainder of Week 13:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

The Vikings brought back Desmond Ridder as quarterback insurance with J.J. McCarthy concussed. Ridder joined the team’s practice squad, and he will not dress for Minnesota tomorrow. Instead, it will be Wolford handling backup duties while undrafted rookie Max Brosmer makes his first career start.

Diggs returned to Seattle earlier this week. The veteran will receive the opportunity to play right away during his second stint with the Seahawks. Diggs earned three Pro Bowl nods during his first run in Seattle, and he will look to provide depth in the secondary with a familiar team down the stretch.

Saints To Use K Charlie Smyth In Week 13

November 29th, 2025 at 7:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sunday will mark the Saints’ first game since their decision to move on from kicker Blake Grupe. His immediate replacement will not be the veteran signed earlier this week, though.

The Saints have made Charlie Smyth one of their practice squad gameday elevations for Week 13. The Northern Irishman is thus in line to make his first ever regular season appearance tomorrow. He will look to provide New Orleans with an improved performance compared to Grupe’s inconsistent 2025 season.

Grupe’s third year as the Saints’ kicker did not go nearly as well as the first two. His field goal accuracy rate for 2025 sits at 69.2%, and the team moved on shortly after auditioning free agent options to replace him. One of them – Cade York – was signed on Tuesday. Instead of York (who has made 23 appearances across spells with three different teams), it will be Smyth getting the first opportunity to handle kicking duties.

The 27-year-old entered the NFL when he signed with the Saints in 2024 by way of the International Player Pathway Program. Smyth has been in the organization ever since, but given his background as a Gaelic football player prior to joining New Orleans he has been seen to date more as a developmental project than a reliable backup kicking option. It will be interesting to see how his debut goes as the 2-9 Saints look to identify players worth retaining for next season.

New Orleans has also elevated receiver Dante Pettis for tomorrow’s game against the Dolphins. This is the veteran’s third elevation, so for the Saints to continue using him down the stretch he will need to be signed to the active roster in the near future.

Panthers Place G Chandler Zavala On IR, Elevate LB/S Isaiah Simmons

November 29th, 2025 at 5:39pm CST by Connor Byrne

Exactly four weeks after activating right guard Chandler Zavala from injured reserve, the Panthers have placed him back on IR, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. A calf injury will knock Zavala out for at least four games.

Zavala began the season as a backup, but the third-year man stepped in as a starter after Robert Hunt tore his left biceps in Week 2. A knee injury then forced Zavala to IR, but the Panthers brought him back on Nov. 1.

With Hunt still on the shelf, Zavala started in five straight appearances before his latest IR placement. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been impressed with Zavala’s work this year, though, ranking the former fourth-round pick’s performance a lowly 78th among 81 qualifying guards.

After Zavala went down in a Week 12 loss to the 49ers, Jake Curhan finished the game in his place. Curhan has appeared in eight games since the Panthers signed him off the Cardinals’ practice squad on Oct. 1. He hasn’t logged a start with Carolina yet, but that could change Sunday against the NFC’s No. 1 seed, the Rams.

Having also ruled out center Cade Mays (ankle), the Panthers will have to face the league’s top-ranked scoring defense down multiple starting offensive linemen. It’s a less-than-ideal development for a 6-6 Panthers team battling the 6-5 Buccaneers for an NFC South title.

Banged up along the O-line, the Panthers elevated guard Saahdiq Charles from their practice squad on Saturday. The former Commander hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since 2023. Charles, then with the Titans, retired before the 2024 season. He came out of retirement to sign with the Cowboys last April, but they released him at the end of August. Charles joined the Panthers’ practice squad on Oct. 1.

The Panthers also elevated linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons from their practice squad and signed cornerback Kalen King from their taxi squad to their active roster. The team is quickly turning to Simmons after adding him on Tuesday.

Simmons entered the league as the eighth overall pick of the Cardinals in 2020, but the former Clemson Tiger didn’t live up to his draft stock over three years with them or two seasons with the Giants. Simmons has 42 starts, 8.5 sacks, and five interceptions under his belt, though, and could be a multi-position option for Carolina. The Panthers need help at linebacker and safety with starters Christian Rozeboom (hip/hamstring) and Tre’von Moehrig (suspension) out on Sunday.

Cardinals Place Will Hernandez On IR, Activate Hayden Conner

November 29th, 2025 at 4:43pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Cardinals made a pair of changes to their offensive line on Saturday, per Darren Urban of the team’s website. Right guard Will Hernandez is headed to IR with hip and knee injuries. Rookie O-lineman Hayden Conner is coming off IR to take Hernandez’s roster spot.

Hernandez was a durable starter for the Giants and Cardinals from 2018-23. The former second-round pick missed just seven regular-season games out of a possible 99 during that six-year span.

Hernandez’s career was thrown off course when he tore his ACL in October 2024, limiting him to five contests. Shortly after receiving medical clearance, Hernandez re-upped with Arizona on a one-year contract in August. He played in seven games this season before going on IR.

Hernandez won’t be eligible for activation until Week 17. With the Cardinals sitting at 3-8 and all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs, it’s possible he won’t return in 2025. Regardless, the Cardinals will have to decide whether to re-sign Hernandez in the offseason. For now, Isaiah Adams is likely to take over again as the Cardinals’ starting right guard. The 2024 third-rounder started five games earlier this season when Hernandez was working back from last year’s knee injury.

The Cardinals spent a sixth-rounder in last spring’s draft on Conner, who is finally in position to debut after suffering a knee injury in the preseason. Conner started in 43 of 51 games with the Longhorns.

In other moves on Saturday, Arizona elevated two practice squad players – tight end Pharaoh Brown and linebacker Channing Tindall – for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers. It’s the third standard gameday elevation of the year for Brown. That’s the limit, which means the Cardinals will have to sign Brown to their active roster if they want to use him again.

Commanders Activate S Will Harris From IR

November 29th, 2025 at 4:15pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Commanders announced that they have activated safety Will Harris from IR. After missing eight games, he’s in line to return Sunday against the Broncos.

Harris, a former Lion and Saint, entered 2025 as a starter after signing a two-year, $8MM deal with the Commanders in free agency. He made 11 tackles in parts of three games before fracturing his fibula in a Week 3 win over the Raiders. The Commanders have since dealt with a slew of other injuries during a 3-8 start.

Knowing Harris would miss a significant amount of time, the Commanders signed veteran Darnell Savage to help fill the void. The ex-Packer and Jaguar hasn’t been much of a factor in Washington, though.

With Savage working as a backup, Jeremy Reaves has taken over as a starting safety next to Quan Martin. Reaves has mostly functioned as a special teamer since his career began with Washington in 2018, but he has notched personal bests in starts (seven), tackles (63), and passes defensed (three) this season.

In addition to welcoming back Harris, the Commanders made a series of other moves on Saturday. The team signed long snapper Zach Triner to its practice squad and elevated him to its active roster. It also elevated defensive end T.J. Maguranyanga from the taxi squad and placed wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks on the practice squad injured list.

Triner combined for 84 appearances with the Buccaneers and Dolphins from 2019-24 (81 with Tampa Bay). He’ll make his 2025 debut Sunday if Commanders long snapper Tyler Ott is unable to play. Ott is is questionable with an illness and a back injury.

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