September 26th, 2025 at 1:30pm CST by Adam La Rose
SEPTEMBER 26: Though the Falcons did sign Sauls this week, Romo will be the team’s kicker on Sunday, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. A performance that resembles his Week 2 output more than last week’s would likely be enough to keep the job moving forward, but missing multiple kicks again could give Sauls a shot in Week 5.
In Week 2, Romo connected on all five of his field goal attempts and his lone extra point kick. He appeared to be set for a lengthy spell as Atlanta’s preferred kicking option as a result, but things took a different turn in Week 3. During Sunday’s blowout loss to the Panthers, Romo missed both of his field goal tries. The team now appears to be set for a new round of auditions at the position.
“We have to bring competition in,” head coach Raheem Morris said of the kicker spot (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic). “You have to do that until we get it right. That’s something we will work diligently at.”
After a Week 1 loss in which Koo struggled, Morris made it clear free agent options would be explored. That resulted in the Romo signing and, shortly thereafter, the decision to release Koo after a run of six-plus years with the franchise. Workouts were held with free agents Zane Gonzalez, Michael Badgley, and Ben Saulslast time around.
It would come as little surprise if one or more of those kickers were to receive another look. Atlanta also has Lenny Krieg – who lost a training camp competition to Koo – in place on the practice squad. Moving on from Romo after one poor outing would certainly raise a number of eyebrows, especially given his strong showing in Week 2. Nevertheless, Morris and Co. seem to be in position to continue seeking out replacement options over the coming days.
That decision will position Marcus Mariota to start for the second week in a row, this time facing his former team. He impressed against the Raiders last Sunday, completing 15 of his 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. He also added 40 yards and a touchdown on the ground as he led Washington’s offense to 34 points.
Daniels was pushing to play this week, per Reed, telling reporters on Wednesday that he feels back to full strength after spraining his knee in Week 2. He was absent from Friday’s practice, but participated in a limited capacity on Wednesday and Thursday. When asked about his activity level, he said that he did “enough to feel good if I play on Sunday.”
However, he admitted that his status would be “up to the doctors,” adding, “It’s not my decision.”
Despite concerns about Daniels’ propensity to take big hits as a runner, the 2024 first-round pick played through an October chest injury to start all 17 games as a rookie. Despite an apparent desire to do the same this year, the Commanders are taking a more cautious approach with their franchise quarterback.
Washington’s passing game will also be without multiple receivers on Sunday. As expected, Terry McLaurin was ruled out with a quad injury, and Noah Brown is likely to miss his second game in a row. The Commanders will need Luke McCaffrey, Chris Moore, and Jaylin Lane to step up alongside Deebo Samuel, who leads the team in receptions.
The Commanders did get some encouraging news for their offense on Friday with rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt returning to practice after missing the last two days. His availability would be crucial to a Commanders backfield that lost Austin Ekeler to a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 2.
McLaurin did not practice at all this week, while RB JCM returned to practice on Friday and would be crucial on Sunday to a Commanders backfield that lost Austin Ekeler to a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 2.
Godwin practiced in full on Wednesday, had a planned rest day on Thursday, and returned to the field on Friday, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Wirfs had been limited for the last few weeks before an upgrade to full participation on Thursday. Both are officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup with the Eagles.
Godwin is coming off a season-ending ankle injury in 2024, while Wirfs underwent knee surgery in July. Tampa Bay opted not to place either on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, allowing them to ramp up over the first three weeks. Had they been on the PUP list, they would have been ineligible to practice until after Week 4 and would likely need a few more weeks to be game-ready.
Both returns couldn’t come at a better time for a Buccaneers offense that is dealing with injuries at wide receiver and along their offensive line. Mike Evans went down with a hamstring injury in Week 3 and will miss multiple games, while Tampa Bay has already started eight different offensive linemen this season. RG Cody Mauchand RT Luke Goedeke are on injured reserve, which has brought Luke Haggard and Charlie Heck into the starting lineup.
Godwin may still be on a snap count when he returns, but this is Wirfs’ third week of practice, which could position him to assume a full-time role right away. The Buccaneers could then move Graham Barton to center and Ben Bredeson to left guard, per Stroud, getting multiple players back to their natural positions.
September 26th, 2025 at 11:26am CST by Nikhil Mehta
11:26am: Belton will be unavailable in Week 4 after suffering an ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice, according to head coach Matt LaFleur (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That will likely position Kinnard to start at right tackle with Morgan likely continuing at left guard in Banks’ absence.
Tom suffered an oblique injury in Week 1 that sidelined him for one game. He returned in Week 3 only to reaggravate the injury on the first snap. He has not participated in practice this week.
Green Bay is planning to reassess Tom’s oblique after their Week 5 bye in the hopes that he can quickly return to the field and ramp up for the team’s next game vs. the Bengals, per Schefter.
The Packers have tried three players at right tackle in Tom’s absence to varying amounts of success. Former Eagle Darian Kinnard and rookie Anthony Beltonboth stepped in after Tom went down in Week 1. Belton got the start in Week 2 and replaced Tom in Week 3, with Kinnard getting snaps in both games. The Packers also put 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan at right tackle for a handful of snaps in Week 3.
Belton was limited in practice on Wednesday before missing Thursday’s session, so Green Bay may rely on Kinnard and Morgan in Week 4 vs. Cincinnati, though the latter may be needed to replace injured left guard Aaron Banks. Like Tom, he was sidelined in Week 2, re-injured himself in the next game, and has yet to practice this week.
Tom has been durable in his career, appearing in 40 straight game since cracking the starting lineup as a rookie until his Week 2 absence. The Packers will be hoping that he can return to the field quickly and play the rest of the season without issue.
September 26th, 2025 at 11:01am CST by Nikhil Mehta
The Bengals are considering a change at right guard for Week 4 after veteran Dalton Risner‘s struggles in the last two weeks.
Lucas Patrick won the starting job out of training camp, but landed on injured reserve after Week 1 with a calf injury. He will be eligible to return in Week 6.
The Bengals were originally planning to start Risner until then, but he injured his calf in Week 3 with rookie Jalen Rivers finishing the game.
Though Risner appears to be healthy this week – he was a full participant in practice on Thursday – head coach Zac Taylor indicated (via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that the team was considering starting Rivers in Week 4. Risner has not played well this year; his 42.4 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) is the ninth-worst among guards with at least 125 snaps this year.
Rivers only received a 50.7 grade from PFF in Week 3, but practicing with the first-team could improve his chemistry and confidence for Week 4.
“This week, I’m getting some reps with the 1s,” said Rivers, per Conway. “Getting the cadence down. Being next to the guys, [center Ted Karras] and [right tackle Amarius Mims], just gelling with them. If I am in on Monday…it’s good to gel with the guys. Monday Night Football, everyone is watching, they are going to trust me, I’m going to make the most of my opportunity.”
Starting Rivers would introduce a second rookie into the Bengals’ starting OL. Third-round pick Dylan Fairchild has started all three games at LG, with somewhat disappointing results. His 52.3 PFF grade ranks among the bottom-20 guards (min. 125 snaps).
There is certainly some risk with starting a pair of rookie offensive linemen, though they won’t be responsible for protecting franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Rivers and Fairchild would instead be playing in front of backup Jake Browning, who has struggled under pressure since taking over the starting job. It’s not that the Bengals don’t care about Browning’s health, but they might be willing to roll the dice with him under cetner rather than Burrow.
The Bengals have struggled to develop their drafted offensive linemen over the last few years, but starting Rivers could help his long-term progression. He would get starting reps against starting-caliber competition, which could be a baptism by fire that helps him in the long run.
September 25th, 2025 at 11:42pm CST by Adam La Rose
One of the key questions surrounding the Giants leading up to the 2025 season concerned the quarterback position. Russell Wilsonhandled starting duties through the first three weeks, but the expected transition to rookie Jaxson Darthas officially taken place.
When first speaking about the move, head coach Brian Daboll made it clear Dart is viewed as New York’s QB1 the rest of the way. That comes as little surprise, especially given the inherent link between the promise Dart could show upon taking the field and the job security of Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. Notably, Daboll has since doubled down on the fact he acted alone in making the switch.
“That’s the direction I wanted to go, and that’s the direction we’re going to go,” the fourth-year coach said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “There are good conversations we had. Those are private, but ultimately it comes down to me.”
Daboll specified those conversations took place with players, but not with the other members of his coaching staff (h/t SNY’s Connor Hughes). Collaboration has long been a talking point during the Schoen-Daboll era, but the absence of it in this case has drawn attention. Considering the magnitude of Dart – a passer the current regime drafted after inheriting Daniel Jones– taking over as it pertains to potential changes on the sidelines and/or in the front office, it is indeed surprising this call was made unilaterally.
Just before the Giants’ Week 2 game, a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter stated the team was in no hurry to bench Wilson. The Super Bowl winner then threw for 450 yards in a high-scoring overtime loss, a game which seemed to earn him a longer look atop the depth chart. However, a primetime loss to the Chiefs (punctuated by more poor play in the red zone) led to Dart getting the nod for Week 4.
As Hughes notes, the Schefter report did not originate from Daboll. The embattled HC did not specify that Schoen and/or members of ownership were the source of the report, but Hughes adds that is the (rather strong) implication. This represents another layer to the Dart decision, one which will surely go down as a defining one for the current iteration of the Giants based on his success upon taking on starting duties.
The 0-3 Giants will host the 3-0 Chargers on Sunday. That will of course prove to be a challenge for Dart and the offense, a unit which will continue to see OC Mike Kafka handle play-calling duties. Given the specific nature of the decision to change quarterbacks, scrutiny on Daboll will no doubt increase quickly if things do not go according to plan.
Robertson primarily aligned as a nickel corner in 2024 and led the team in slot snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Lions’ heavy use of base personnel on defense has limited Robertson’s role this year, per Birkett, and the team wants to get him on the field for more plays.
Sheppard said that the cornerback change “has nothing to do with [Arnold’s] play or performance,” but it’s hard to deny that the 2024 first-rounder has taken a step back from his rookie year. In 2024, he allowed a 55.6% completion rate and 7.3 yards per target; those numbers have jumped to 72.6% and 11.0 this year, respectively. He also leads all NFL cornerbacks in yards allowed, per PFF.
The 2025 offseason saw Carlton Davisdepart on the open market. D.J. Reedwas brought in as a replacement, and the eighth-year veteran inked a similar contract (three years, $48MM) to the one Davis took in New England. Reed has operated as a full-time perimeter starter so far with Detroit; that can certainly be expected to continue moving forward. 2024 second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw, meanwhile, is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in August.
Arnold’s rookie contract runs through 2027. The 22-year-old’s tenure in the Motor City could continue beyond that point with his fifth-year option being picked up and/or a long-term extension being finalized. Neither of those can take place until after the 2026 season, so the Lions have plenty of time before needing to make a decision on Arnold’s future with the team. For now, it will be interesting to see how this change in workload will affect Detroit’s secondary.
September 25th, 2025 at 10:49pm CST by Adam La Rose
Six teams currently find themselves at 0-3 to begin the year. Managing to rebound from that mark and reach the playoffs has proven to be an extremely difficult task over the years.
Only four times has a team reached the postseason after starting 0-3 since 1990. Crucially, none have achieved the feat since the playoffs were expanded from six to seven teams in each conference in 2021. Whether or not that continues this season will be interesting to see.
Chances are slim for any of the league’s winless teams to rally into the postseason, but there is of course variance with respect to their prospects of doing so. There is an argument to be made the Texans represent the likeliest candidate to pull off such a comeback, based largely on their defensive success to date. Houston ranks fifth in the NFL in points allowed (17 per game on average) and the team’s losses have come by a combined margin of 13 points.
Improvement on offense could thus help turn things around in short order, but the Texans’ offseason renovations up front have not gone as planned so far. Third-year quarterback C.J. Stroudhas not been able to return to the form shown during his stellar rookie campaign, and a number of new pass-catchers are in the process of acclimating to an offense lacking a strong ground game. Catching the undefeated Colts for top spot in the AFC South would be a surprise at this point, but a wild-card berth could very much still be within reach if Nick Caley‘s unit can turn things around.
Houston will take on the Titans in Week 4 in a clash of teams seeking their first win. Tennessee entered the year with far lower expectations, but the team’s performance to date has still left plenty to be desired. The Titans lead the league in penalties (31) and rookie quarterback Cam Wardhas been sacked an NFL-high 15 times. Second-year head coach Brian Callahan sports a record of 3-17 at this point, and it remains to be seen if he will be entrusted with overseeing Ward’s development over the long term.
Callahan relinquished offensive play-calling duties this week, and he will now look to increase his involvement in other aspects of the team. Finding success in that regard would no doubt help his job security. It would also, presumably, allow for Tennessee to improve on last season’s 3-14 showing and offer signs of progress from Ward and a supporting cast in need of improvements moving forward.
Another intra-divisional Week 4 game will see the Dolphins take on the Jets. The first half of the upcoming Monday Night Football doubleheader will be key in determining both teams’ immediate futures. Miami was seen as a disappointment given how the 2024 campaign played out. Head coach Mike McDaniel has certainly not helped his standing in the organization so far this season, although a concerted effort to improve the Dolphins’ culture could help stave off a firing for he and general manager Chris Grier.
Finding a rhythm on offense has proven to be highly challenging in 2025, even with quarterback Tua Tagovailoamanaging to avoid any injuries to date. Stronger play on both sides of the ball will be needed if Miami is to reach the playoffs for the third time in McDaniel’s fourth season at the helm. Winning a postseason contest will become a major objective in that event, but for now quieting the rumors about major organizational changes will be the goal.
By contrast, 2025 marks another new beginning for the Jets. Rookie head coach Aaron Glennand first-year general manager Darren Mougey are seeking to provide the team with long-term stability in addition to ending a playoff drought which dates back to 2010. That effort has not gone according to plan so far, but a key element will be the evaluation of new quarterback Justin Fields. The former first-rounder is back at practice, and he will return to starting duties upon being cleared from concussion protocol.
Fields is under contract through 2026, but helping lead the Jets to the playoffs would greatly increase his chances of landing a long-term accord. It would also help Glenn and Mougey’s standing, although at this point their job securities are of course not in question. Still, a strong first campaign in New York (something which could be attained without a postseason berth, at least in theory) would be welcomed by the duo; a quick rebound from the way things have started would suffice, and it would be less surprising than one from some of the league’s other winless outfits.
New York’s NFC squad is in a state of flux in no small part due to another unwanted beginning to a campaign. Giants head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen managed to remain in place this offseason, but aside from a high-scoring output against the Cowboys things have not gone according to plan. The decision has been made to replace quarterback Russell Wilsonwith first-round rookieJaxson Dart, and the outcome of that move (beginning with a debut against the 3-0 Chargers) will be critical on a number of fronts.
Daboll and Schoen are known to be on the hot seat, and showing potential for a turnaround with Dart in place would go a long way in helping ensure they remain in place. Owner John Mara made clear his mandate for a step forward compared to 2024 (3-14), and plenty of work remains given how things have gone early in the current campaign. If the Giants are to at least contend for a wild-card spot this season, Dart will no doubt be a key figure in the process.
Joining the Jets as a team led by a rookie head coach encountering early struggles are the Saints. New Orleans underwent a number of offseason changes, with Kellen Moore‘s hire being the most noteworthy. The longtime NFL OC was a central figure in the decision to draft Tyler Shough, but instead of the second-rounder handling starting duties it has been Spencer Rattlerat the helm so far.
The Saints’ QB setup raised eyebrows amongst some of their players, but Rattler has improved upon his output from last season’s late spell in the starter’s role. Two of New Orleans’ losses, meanwhile, came about in one-score games. A postseason berth was not expected from the team, with many pointing to the 2026 draft as the point where a new franchise quarterback would arrive. Rattler (or potentially Shough, depending on how things play out) could earn an extended look in the QB1 role, however. A quick recovery toward postseason contention would come as a surprise, but at a minimum a bounce-back from last week’s lopsided loss in Seattle will be sought out. Doing so against the undefeated Bills will of course be a tall task.
Only once since 1990 has a team started 0-4 but managed to reach the playoffs. By contrast, moving to 1-3 has been more beneficial (with 35 teams doing so in that same span). The success of this year’s group in recording a first win this weekend and generating momentum beyond that point will make for an interesting storyline.
Out of this group of winless teams, which do you feel will have the best chance of rebounding and qualifying for the postseason in 2025? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section below.
September 25th, 2025 at 10:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta
Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson led his position with seven fumbles last year, and his ball security issues seem to have continued into 2025.
The five-year veteran fumbled twice in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, which is likely to reduce his workload in the short-term, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. That will “help the coaches make a point to the rest of the team about accountability,” an especially important precedent for Mike Vrabel to establish after his predecessor, Jerod Mayo, struggled to maintain the support of his players.
A downgrade for Stevenson would result in more action for Antonio Gibsonand rookie TreVeyon Henderson. Gibson has played just 34 snaps through three games and is trending towards career-low production, primarily due to Henderson taking over his RB2 role. However, the second-round pick has received fewer opportunities than expected to start the year with just 19 rushing attempts, though his 11 receptions lead the running back room.
Henderson clearly profiles as the future of New England’s backfield and only fumbled twice across four years and 590 carries in college, so it would not be surprising to see him take on a much bigger role in Week 4. However, Graziano cautions that changes to the running back snap distribution may not be permanent.
“The goal with Stevenson is to get him past this problem so he can be a big contributor on offense — not to cast him aside as punishment,” Graziano writes.
The Patriots’ willingness to be patient with Stevenson may stem from their financial commitment to the 27-year old. He signed a four-year, $36MM extension before the 2024 season and still has $3.25MM in guaranteed salary in 2026, per OverTheCap, so the team is likely hoping to keep him for at least another year. However, Stevenson’s fumbling issues seem to be chronic, and continuing to turn the ball over will not allow him to last long under Vrabel.
September 25th, 2025 at 9:12pm CST by Adam La Rose
The Commanders could have quarterback Jayden Danielsavailable for Week 4 depending on the status of his knee sprain. Even if he is back in the fold for Sunday, however, Washington’s top receiver will likely be unavailable.
Terry McLaurinhas been dealing with a quad injury since the third quarter of the Commanders’ Week 3 win. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the two-time Pro Bowler’s status for this week was uncertain, adding further opinions on his injury would be sought out. Indeed, a visit has taken place with Dr. Williams Meyers, as noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Dr. Meyers is an expert on core muscle injuries, something of note given the relatively uncertain nature of McLaurin’s injury. With his prognosis still unclear at this time, signs point to an absence at least covering Washington’s upcoming game. According to Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo, though (video link), the decision to seek out multiple opinions has produced a consensus that core muscle surgery will not be required.
Procedures of that kind often entail long-term absences, so today’s update is an encouraging one for McLaurin. Still, it remains to be seen what his recovery timeline will look like at this point. Any missed time on the part of the 30-year-old would of course deal a major blow to Washington’s offense.
“It’s pretty normal that, when you have something, a second opinion takes place,” head coach Dan Quinn said when speaking about the injury (via Tom Schad and Vic Tafur of the Washington Post). “So as I get into Friday, then we’ll have a sense of ‘Okay, what does it look like for Sunday?’”
McLaurin was among the most talked-about players around the NFL this offseason as he engaged in a contract standoff with the Commanders. In the end, a three-year, $87MM extension was worked out to avoid a potential free agent departure next spring. The Ohio State product has recorded 149 scoreless yards to date as he seeks out a sixth straight season of 1,000 or more yards. Efforts on that front will be hindered by a long absence, but Thursday’s update suggests one may not be in store.
Trade acquisition Deebo Samuelhas scored one touchdown through the air and another on the ground early in his Commanders career. The former 49ers All-Pro will be counted on to handle a larger role on offense for however long McLaurin is sidelined, and further updates on that front will be worth monitoring over the coming days.
