Jets Sign DT Khalen Saunders
4:47pm: Sanders has now officially signed with the Jets, per a team announcement. He will look to handle a larger workload in New York over the coming weeks than he did in Jacksonville.
2:07pm: Khalen Saunders was cut by the Jaguars last week. It appears as though the veteran defensive tackle will not have to wait long to line up his next gig. 
Saunders is expected to sign with the Jets, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. Shortly before Pelissero’s report, veteran insider Jordan Schultz noted a deal was likely to be struck in the near future. Per Schultz, the list of teams which have shown interest in Saunders includes the Jets but also the Ravens, Colts and Cardinals.
In August, Saunders was traded from the Saints to the Jaguars. That move ended his two-year run in New Orleans but it did not yield a notable workload upon arrival with his new team. The 29-year-old played just two games with Jacksonville before the team elected to move on.
Saunders is a vested veteran, but since the end of his Jaguars tenure came after the trade deadline he went on waivers. Upon clearing, the former third-rounder became free to sign with any team. Nothing is officially in place yet, but a Jets agreement would come as little surprise given their reported interest on this front.
New York’s defensive tackle group was shaken up at the deadline by the blockbuster Quinnen Williams trade. The Jets received Mazi Smith from the Cowboys as part of the swap, but the team could still look to made further additions down the stretch. Signing Saunders would provide New York with a veteran presence who could audition for an extended stay with the team through 2026.
On the other hand, Saunders was understandably seen as a candidate to join a contender for the closing stages of the campaign. The 2-8 Jets (along with the 3-7 Cardinals, for that matter) certainly fit that description to much less of an extent than teams likes the Colts and Ravens. It will be interesting to see if a deal is nevertheless struck between Saunders and the Jets in the near future.
New York entered Monday with nearly $19MM in cap space. As such, a low-cost Saunders pact will not be a challenge for the team as its roster moves continue in the second half of the season.
Commanders Release K Matt Gay
Matt Gay‘s struggles continued on Sunday. The veteran kicker’s time in the nation’s capital has come to an end as a result. 
Gay was released on Monday, per a Commanders announcement. He will now hit the waiver wire. In the likely event no claims are made, the 31-year-old will become a free agent. Based on how the 2025 season has gone, it will be interesting to see how much interest Gay generates.
“The performance, you’ve got to have it,” head coach Dan Quinn said of the decision to move on (via ESPN’s John Keim). “We wanted it to work long term with Matt. It wasn’t [about] one game.”
Gay has played in 10 of the Commanders’ 11 games this season. Over that span, he connected on just 13 of 19 attempts. Five of his misses came from beyond 50 yards, including two during yesterday’s game against the Dolphins. Washington wound up losing that contest 16-13 in overtime. Moving forward, the team will be in the market for a kicker addition to close out the season.
A Pro Bowler in 2021, Gay enjoyed a strong run during his time with the Rams and Colts. Accuracy from short range (including extra points) has been a consistent positive in his case, but long-distance field goals have remained an issue at every stop during his career. Gay’s overall success rate on tries beyond 50 yards sits at just 59.2%.
Recent years have seen a massive uptick in the range for many kickers around the league, and as such an ability to consistently convert from 50 yards (or well beyond) has increasingly become the expectation for NFL teams. With that in mind, Gay may struggle to generate a market among potential suitors for the remainder of the year as well as the coming offseason.
Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt Could Miss Remainder Of Season
Cam Taylor-Britt suffered a left foot injury during the Bengals’ loss on Sunday. The fourth-year corner is uncertain to return in 2025. 
Head coach Zac Taylor said on Monday (via ESPN’s Ben Baby) Taylor-Britt will “likely” require surgery to repair the Lisfranc injury he sustained yesterday. If the procedure takes place, his season will be over. Taylor-Britt was seen in a walking boot while using a knee scooter today (h/t Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated).
The timing of this news is critical. 2025 marks the final year of Taylor-Britt’s rookie contract. Suffering a season-ending injury heading into free agency will no doubt hinder the 26-year-old’s value during his first trip to the open market. In the meantime, Cincinnati’s much-maligned defense will be without a regular contributor to finish the campaign.
Tayl0r-Britt was a full-time starter for his first three Bengals seasons; he recorded seven interceptions and 33 pass deflections over that span. Things have been different this year under new defensive coordinator Al Golden, however. Tayl0r-Britt’s defensive snap share sits at 61% on the year, by far the lowest of his career. Now, the possibility exists he will not play again in 2025.
Dax Hill and DJ Turner have been mainstays at the cornerback position for the Bengals this season. That setup is likely to continue, but depth will be an issue in the secondary presuming Taylor-Britt is sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. The Nebraska product has not enjoyed a productive season, and his PFF coverage grade for 2025 (57) is the worst of his career.
Those factors did not stop Taylor-Britt from drawing interest ahead of the trade deadline. The Bengals elected to keep him in the fold, but his future will now be uncertain. If a deal allowing Taylor-Britt to remain in Cincinnati is to be worked out in the spring, it will come in the wake of a highly disappointing campaign. In the event of a departure, this injury will go a long way in informing his market value.
Jags Sign S Juan Thornhill To Practice Squad
Juan Thornhill‘s time with the Steelers came to an end one week ago. After being cut by Pittsburgh, the veteran safety cleared waivers and became a free agent. 
In short order, a deal has been lined up in this case. Thornhill signed with the Jaguars on Monday, per a team announcement. To little surprise, this is a practice squad arrangement. It will be interesting to see how quickly Thornhill sees game time with his new team.
The seventh-year veteran severed as a full-time starter through much of his career prior to 2025. Thornhill was a first-team regular in Kansas City while playing out his rookie contract and again in Cleveland for two seasons after doing so. In Pittsburgh, however, things did not go as planned. The 30-year-old logged a defensive snap share of 49%, the lowest of his career.
The Steelers lost DeShon Elliott to a knee injury, something which brought about shuffling at the safety position. Pittsburgh swung a trade for Kyle Dugger shortly before moving on from Thornhill. Dugger and Jalen Ramsey have since operated as a safety tandem for the AFC North leaders.
The Jaguars secured a blowout win on Sunday, improving their record to 6-4. Thornhill will look to carve out a role on a team which moved on from another veteran defensive back in Darnell Savage in September. Andrew Wingard and Eric Murray have operated as safety starters in 2025 for Jacksonville, and that setup is likely to continue. Thornhill will look to serve as a backup capable of chipping in on special teams.
Jacksonville entered Monday with $8.75MM in cap space. This Thornhill signing will no doubt check in well short of the $7MM AAV he secured with his second contract and the $3MM he signed for with the Steelers this offseason. Nevertheless, he could prove to be a valuable low-cost addition down the stretch.
Dolphins CB JuJu Brents To Undergo Season-Ending Foot Surgery
JuJu Brents did not survive roster cuts with the Colts this summer, but he managed to find a role with the Dolphins in 2025. The third-year corner’s season is set to come to an end, however. 
Brents is set to undergo foot surgery which will sideline him for the remainder of the campaign, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. The report adds he will be be recovered in full by the start of next season. In the meantime, Miami will be left without yet another corner during the closing stages of the season.
Dating back to the summer, the Dolphins have been hit by a slew of major injuries at that position. The team’s need for depth in the secondary led to Brents being claimed off waivers in August. That move allowed the 25-year-old to carve out a rotational role with his new team. Brents made seven appearances and two starts as a Dolphin prior to suffering the injury, totaling 14 tackles.
One year remains on Brents’ rookie contract, so the Dolphins could elect to keep him in the fold through the coming offseason. Doing so would allow him to compete for a place on what could be a much different looking CB depth chart than what the team currently has. Of course, a decision on that front will be made not by Chris Grier but rather by interim general manager Champ Kelly or his full-time replacement.
Miami has won two straight games to move to 4-7 on the year. The team ranks 13th in the NFL against the pass despite being shorthanded in the secondary all season. Maintaining that level of performance will be more difficult moving forward with Brents no longer in the picture.
Joe Burrow To Return Regardless Of Bengals’ Record; Latest On Trey Hendrickson
With Joe Burrow having returned to practice this week, attention around the Bengals has turned to his ability to suit up for the closing stages of the season. Playoff consideration is far from certain in Cincinnati’s case, but that will not impact Burrow’s recovery process. 
The Bengals exited Sunday’s game against the Steelers with a 3-7 record. The state of the AFC North leaves the door slightly open to a run at top spot in the division for Cincinnati, something which would of course be more likely in the event Burrow were to return in the near future. Even if the team falls out of contention, though, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network writes Burrow will suit up upon receiving full medical clearance.
For now, the 28-year-old has been limited to seven-on-seven work in practice as he awaits clearance for full participation. Even when Burrow is back in game action, Rapoport notes he is expected to do so with a metal plate in his shoe, adding Burrow will not have full mobility. Nevertheless, a return around Thanksgiving or one week later remains the target.
The Bengals’ offense received a boost thanks to the midseason Joe Flacco trade. Defensive struggles have remained an issue for the team, however, and they threaten to result in another year defined by the failure to meet expectations. Burrow is under contract through 2029, and a cautious approach would be understandable from the team’s perspective given the financial commitment made to the former No. 1 pick. Burrow is nonetheless on track to see the field soon.
Cincinnati hopes the same will be true of Trey Hendrickson. The Bengals elected to retain him past the trade deadline despite lowering their asking price to a second-round pick. Last year’s sack leader is out for Week 11, his third missed came of the season. Hendrickson is dealing with a core muscle injury, Rapoport reports. He adds a move to injured reserve has received consideration but team and player are aiming to avoid it.
Likewise, Hendrickson hopes to avoid undergoing surgery to address the issue until after the season is over. The latest round of failed extension talks in this case resulted in the four-time Pro Bowler agreeing to a straight raise regarding his 2025 compensation. Hendrickson, 31 in December, could receive the franchise tag this spring but otherwise he remains on track for free agency.
Of course, Hendrickson’s value will take a hit if he remains sidelined for an extended period. If things go according to plan, though, he will be healthy along with Burrow for the closing weeks of the season.
Jaguars Envision Two-Way Travis Hunter Role For 2026
Travis Hunter‘s rookie season ended much earlier than he or the Jaguars hoped. Once the 22-year-old is healthy, though, he will once again be counted on to handle a two-way workload. 
Jacksonville plans to continue using Hunter as a regular at the receiver and cornerback positions, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The Heisman winner wound up logging 324 snaps on offense and 162 on defense across seven games prior to suffering a knee injury in practice. The damage on that front was limited to an LCL tear, and a six-month recovery timeline is in store.
The Jaguars had planned to increase Hunter’s workload prior to his injury, with a move toward full-time cornerback work being likely. Instead, his attention will turn to recovering from the season-ending surgery which took place earlier this week. Head coach Liam Coen declined to specify what the plan will be for 2026 in terms of usage, although that will of course be influenced by Hunter’s recovery process.
“I understand there’s a lot of questions about if he’ll remain a two-way player and all those kind of things,” Coen said (via ESPN’s Michael DiRocco). “All of that is very premature and at the end of the day, like every player on this roster, he’ll be evaluated at the end of the season and we’ll be able to give him his three better, three best and the things that we need to continue to improve upon and the things we need to build on.”
Jacksonville traded for Jakobi Meyers as a rental receiver addition at the deadline. Especially if he is not retained for next season, Hunter will be relied on to remain a starter at that position along with 2024 first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr. At least a rotational corner role could very well still be in store regardless of how the team proceeds at that spot this offseason.
Upon entering the league – doing so after the Jaguars traded up to the No. 2 slot in the draft for him – questions were raised about Hunter’s ability to remain a two-way player at the NFL level. His injury did not occur during a game, nor was it related to the wear and tear of a full season playing on both sides of the ball. As such, the Jaguars continuing with their previous plan in 2026 would come as little surprise.
Titans WR Calvin Ridley Out For Season
Calvin Ridley exited today’s game and he will not return this season. Titans interim head coach Mike McCoy announced the veteran receiver suffered a broken fibula. 
Ridley made a 10-yard catch early in Tennessee’s Week 11 game. It was immediately clear he suffered an injury on the play, however. Ridley managed to walk off the field but he was transported by cart from the sidelines to the locker room. The Titans ruled out a return shortly thereafter.
Testing has clearly revealed a major injury in short order. Today’s news ends Ridley’s second season with Tennessee and it will leave the team without a key veteran presence on offense. Entering Sunday’s game, Ridley had been averaging a career-best 18.1 yards per reception.
A third straight 1,000-yard campaign was not likely in Ridley’s case, but his absence will felt nonetheless. The 30-year-old had been a starter prior to today’s injury. The Titans elected to keep him in the fold instead of moving on via trade. Ridley’s attention will now turn to recovering in time for next season.
The former first-rounder is under contract through 2027. Ridley is already owed over $3MM in guarantees for that campaign, and he will receive a $1MM roster bonus in March. It would therefore come as no surprise if Tennessee decided to retain him through the offseason and have him reprise his role as a regular on offense despite a new regime being in place.
In the meantime, the Titans will move forward with a receiving core led by the likes of Elic Ayomanor and fellow rookie Chimere Dike. With Tyler Lockett having been released earlier in the year, this Ridley injury will leave the team short on veterans at the WR spot. Van Jefferson and tight end Chig Okonkwo will look to continue serving complementary roles through the remainder of the season as quarterback Cam Ward‘s development goes on.
Tennessee lost 16-13 to Houston in Week 11. That leaves the team at 1-9 on the year and 0-4 under McCoy. Expectations were already limited for the Titans’ offense in particular and their late-season outlook in general, but being without Ridley will deal a blow in both cases.
Hall Of Fame S Kenny Easley Dies At 66
Seahawks icon Kenny Easley passed away on Friday, per an announcement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was 66 years old. 
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Seahawks legend Kenny Easley,” a team statement reads in part. “Kenny embodied what it meant to be a Seahawk through his leadership, toughness, intensity, and fearlessness. His intimidating nature and athletic grace made him one of the best players of all-time.”
Easley joined the Seahawks as a first-round pick in 1981 and spent his entire career with the team. Within that span, he racked up numerous accolades including five Pro Bowl nods. Easley also secured first-team All-Pro honors every year from 1983-85.
The UCLA product won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 1984. Easley was named to the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 1980s. After a career which included 95 combined regular and postseason games, he was included in the Hall of Fame class of 2017.
Nicknamed ‘the Enforcer,’ Easley developed a reputation over the course of his decorated career for his physicality. He also delivered consistent performances in terms of ball production, however. Easley racked up 32 interceptions, leading the league with 10 in that regard during the 1984 campaign (and returning two for touchdowns). He also recorded nine forced fumbles and was limited to single digits in terms of games played only once in a season.
A kidney ailment resulted in Easley’s career ending at the age of 28. He sued the team over allegations that large doses of ibuprofen resulted in the damage to his kidneys and that the team failed to inform him of the issue during his final season; a settlement out of court was ultimately reached. The sides reconciled in 2002, and in that year Easley was inducted into the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor.
Seahawks Activate OL Christian Haynes, Place C Jalen Sundell On IR
The Seahawks will have a different look up front when they play their pivotal game against the Rams tomorrow. The team’s roster shuffling in advance of the game includes a pair of offensive line moves. 
Christian Haynes has been activated from injured reserve, per a team announcement. The second-year blocker has not played this season, but his practice window was opened just over two weeks ago. Haynes is now back on the active roster in time to play on Sunday.
The timing of Haynes’ return is key. Seattle lost starting center Jalen Sundell to a knee injury in Week 10, leading the expectation a long-term absence could be in store. Sundell will indeed be sidelined for an extended period, as the Seahawks have moved him to IR. A new first-team option will be needed at the center spot over at least the next four games as a result.
After Sundell went down in Week 10, Olu Oluwatimi took over as his replacement. Sundell won a training camp competition with Oluwatimi, but the latter could regain a starting role if the Seahawks keep him in place for the time being. Another option would be to insert Haynes into the starting lineup immediately upon returning to action by playing him at center.
Haynes, 25, made 16 appearances but no starts during his rookie season. The former third-rounder worked exclusively at guard during that time. However, head coach Mike Macdonald recently named Haynes as an option to fill in for Sundell at center. In any case, sixth-round rookie Bryce Cabeldue remains likely to continue operating as a backup along the interior with Haynes now available.
Seattle’s other Saturday roster move was the decision to make linebacker Patrick O’Connell a gameday elevation. The 26-year-old has made one appearance to date in 2025 and seven in his career, all with the Seahawks.