Colts, QB Philip Rivers Agree To Deal
After a successful workout, Philip Rivers has lined up an unexpected comeback. The 44-year-old quarterback is set to finish the 2025 season with the Colts. 
Team and player agreed to a practice squad deal on Tuesday, as first reported by Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Indianapolis thus has an experienced (to say the least) option at the quarterback spot as the team looks to reach the playoffs. This move comes in the aftermath of Daniel Jones suffering an Achilles tear.
[RELATED: Riley Leonard Injury Could Move Rivers To Week 15 Start]
Rivers’ workout took place last night, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. He adds things went well, which has of course been confirmed by today’s signing. As the Colts plan their immediate future under center, they could find themselves relying on a passer whose last NFL game was played on January 9, 2021 relatively soon. Of course, that final Rivers contest came as a member of the Colts.
Following a storied Chargers career (which included time spent with current Colts head coach Shane Steichen), the eight-time Pro Bowler played his last NFL campaign with Indianapolis. That 2020 season produced a record of 11-5 and it marked the last time the Colts made the playoffs. If another postseason berth is to be possible this time around, Rivers could find himself playing a part.
Jones – added this past spring on a one-year free agent deal – enjoyed career highs in several categories prior to going down. A long-term Colts commitment may well have been on the horizon, but as his attention turns to recovery it remains to be seen if that will still come to bear. Meanwhile, backup Anthony Richardson is still on IR as he continues to deal with an orbital bone fracture. This Rivers signing is a strong indication Indianapolis feels Richardson will not be cleared to return any time soon.
That leaves Leonard and practice squad veteran Brett Rypien as the Colts’ other QB options. The team could stick with Leonard for at least one start, but with a record of 8-5 there is little (if any) margin for losses over the final month of the season. Deciding Rivers – who is now a grandfather – is the best path to a playoff berth would certainly represent an interesting choice on the part of Indianapolis. At a minimum, he will make for a notable taxi squad addition.
Whether or not the former NFL passing leader finds his way onto the active roster will be worth monitoring for a number of reasons. Rivers is currently in his first year of eligibility for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he is among the 26 semifinalists for the 2026 class. As Rapoport notes, that will not change if Rivers remains on the practice squad. Should a promotion to the active roster take place, however, his five-year waiting period for HOF eligibility will reset. That will be the case regardless of if Rivers sees any playing time or not.
The Colts face a daunting schedule over the final stretch, with games remaining against the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars and Texans. Finding offensive success against each of those opponents will be challenging, but a comeback attempt from an unlikely passer could become part of Indianapolis’ 2025 season.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Week 14’s action brought about a few notable updates to the standings at both ends of the NFL’s conferences. Another four teams are officially out of playoff contention, while wins by Tennessee and New Orleans could prove to be rather important once the campaign has ended.
The Jets, Browns, Falcons and Commanders were eliminated from the postseason through the results of recent days. Of course, each of those teams have been out of the running for a playoff push for some time now. Still, that group will be worth watching closely over the closing four weeks of the season as the top-10 order for Day 1 of the draft gradually comes into focus.
Uncertainty regarding the quarterback class of 2026 will no doubt remain a talking point over the coming months. Fernando Mendoza strengthened his case to be QB1 in April’s draft, although it remains to be seen if other top signal-callers like Dante Moore and Ty Simpson will turn pro or elect to remain in school for one more season. Decisions on those fronts will be central storylines carrying significant implications for the teams near the top of the order which find themselves in need of a quarterback investment.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-11)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Chicago Bears (9-4)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
- Denver Broncos (11-2)
Buccaneers Place G Ben Bredeson On IR
The Buccaneers’ offensive line has been dealt another blow late in the year. Ben Bredeson will not be able to play again during the regular season. 
The veteran guard was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, per a team announcement. That means Bredeson will be sidelined for at least Tampa Bay’s four remaining games until the playoffs. If the Bucs manage to reach the postseason, getting Bredeson back would be key for an O-line which has dealt with several injuries throughout the year.
A knee injury suffered on Sunday caused Bredeson to exit Tampa Bay’s upset loss against New Orleans. Yesterday, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman noted how the sixth-year blocker was already in line to miss the Buccaneers’ upcoming Thursday night game. He indicated an IR stint was a possibility in this case. As such, today’s move comes as little surprise.
Nevertheless, Bredeson’s absence will be acutely felt. Tampa Bay has already been without starting right guard Cody Mauch since September, and he will not return this season. Graham Barton missed time at the start of the year, and Bredeson replaced him at center until his return. The latter has totaled 11 appearances in 2025, his second straight season as a full-time Buccaneers starter. Bredeson, 27, is under contract through 2027.
In his absence, Auman predicts Tampa Bay will continue with a guard tandem of Michael Jordan and Dan Feeney moving forward. In other words, the 7-6 team will need to rely on a far different setup at that position than it envisioned at the start of the year. The struggling Buccaneers are tied with the Panthers for top spot in the NFC South as things stand, so a playoff berth is far from assured.
In a corresponding move, linebacker Nick Jackson has been signed from Tampa’s practice squad to the active roster. Jackson made a pair of appearances in September, and he will now be in position to contribute on special teams down the stretch.
Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson Undergoes Core Muscle Surgery
DECEMBER 9: Hendrickson has indeed undergone surgery, Rapoport reports. The procedure took place this morning, and its recovery timeline ensures a return in time for Cincinnati’s final four games will not be possible. Now, attention will turn to the matter of Hendrickson’s pending free agency.
DECEMBER 8: Trey Hendrickson remains out of the Bengals’ lineup. Last year’s sack leader will not play in Week 15, and there is a strong chance his final appearance of the season has already taken place. 
Hendrickson has been dealing with what has been termed a hip injury for much of the season. After briefly returning to action, the All-Pro edge rusher has been sidelined since Week 9. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor ruled Hendrickson out for this week when speaking to the media on Monday, noting (via ESPN’s Ben Baby) a visit with a specialist is upcoming.
Since Taylor’s remarks, Baby’s colleague Adam Schefter has reported Hendrickson is set to undergo core muscle surgery to correct an issue which has not healed as expected with rest. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero caution that the upcoming visit with Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia comes as Hendrickson is merely considering surgery at this point. Provided he does go under the knife, though, Hendrickson’s season will almost assuredly be over.
Schefter notes the procedure will carry a recovery timeline of roughly six weeks. The Bengals have four games remaining in the regular season and at 4-9 they are not in position to qualify for the playoffs. Barring a major turnaround over the coming weeks, Hendrickson will thus not be able to return (presuming he does proceed with surgery).
In that event, this situation will become one to watch closely. Hendrickson’s 2025 round of contract talks with the Bengals nearly produced an extension agreement. With the team unwilling to provide guarantees beyond the first year of a long-term pact, though, a compromise was reached. Hendrickson received a bump in compensation for this season while remaining on track for free agency in the spring.
Given today’s update, the four-time Pro Bowler is now in position to reach the open market after a season in which he played just seven games. Hendrickson racked up 57 sacks across his first four Bengals season, but he has registered just four in 2025. If that remains the case through to the end of the campaign, his free agent stock will certainly take a notable hit.
On the other hand, Hendrickson drew trade interest before and during this season. The 31-year-old will no doubt be among the top edge rushers on the market in March, provided he and the Bengals do not reach agreement on a new deal. For now, attention will turn to Hendrickson’s decision regarding surgery.
In the meantime, a Bengals defense which has underperformed in several areas will continue with its best player still unavailable. Cincinnati has recorded 21 sacks this season, which ranks 29th in the NFL. A return on the part of Hendrickson would aid the team’s efforts to improve in that regard, but it appears that will not be taking place.
Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. Declares For Draft
Anthony Hill Jr. will be among the prospects available in April’s draft. Per an announcement from the Texas linebacker, he has elected to turn pro. 
As a true junior, Hill could have remained in place with the Longhorns for 2026. Instead, that year will represent his rookie season in the NFL. Hill will no doubt be among the top options at the linebacker spot during the pre-draft process.
In 2023, Hill emerged as a key presence on Texas’ defense, making 14 appearances and six starts. He was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and also took home Freshman All-American honors. Expectations were raised in Hill’s case for his follow-up seasons with the Longhorns moving to the SEC, and he delivered.
The 6-3, 238-pounder filled the statsheet during Texas’ run to the CFP semifinals in 2024. Hill totaled a team-leading 113 stops, along with 16.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and four forced fumbles. That production led to a number of accolades, including first-team All-SEC and All-American honors. Hill remained highly impactful against both the run and pass in 2025, although a broken hand left him sidelined for the final two games of the season.
Now, Hill’s attention will turn to the pre-draft process. If things go well on that front, he could be one of the top defensive prospects in the 2026 class. There is of course plenty of time for things to change, but for the time being Hill is ranked 33rd overall by ESPN and fourth in terms of linebackers.
Buccaneers Bring Back Jason Pierre-Paul
Jason Pierre-Paul is making an NFL comeback. The veteran edge rusher worked out for the Buccaneers on Monday, and things went well on that front. 
Pierre-Paul has a deal in place with Tampa Bay, Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. Pelissero noted earlier today that a workout had been arranged. Now, the Bucs will seek out a pass-rush boost in the form of a familiar face. This practice squad pact is now official, per a team announcement.
Pierre-Paul’s first stint with the organization spanned four seasons, as the pass rusher collected 33 sacks across 54 games. The veteran also added another 2.5 sacks in six playoff appearances with Tampa Bay, including two sacks en route to the Buccaneers championship in 2020.
Since leaving the franchise after the 2021 campaign, JPP has bounced around the NFL. He started 13 of his 14 appearances for the Ravens in 2022 but finished with only three sacks. He then split the 2023 season between the Saints and Dolphins, when he was limited to only a pair of tackles in three games. The veteran has been pushing for an NFL return since getting cut by Miami two years ago, and he’s finally found that opportunity in Tampa Bay.
Considering the layoff, the Buccaneers shouldn’t expect a whole lot from their newest acquisition. Still, JPP will represent a healthy body on the defensive line as the organization makes a late-season push towards the postseason. The Buccaneers have relied on each of their edge defenders in 2025, with YaYa Diaby, Haason Reddick, Elijah Roberts, Anthony Nelson, and Chris Braswell all garnering at least 200 defensive snaps this season. Reddick is currently nursing an ankle injury, so perhaps Pierre-Paul could be a short-term stopgap for the defense.
When the Buccaneers are fully healthy, JPP may be forced to accept a practice squad role. If he could discover the fountain of youth, he could theoretically provide some pass-rush prowess to a unit that doesn’t have any one standout edge rusher. Diaby currently paces the team with only six sacks.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Shedeur Sanders To Serve As Browns’ Starter For Remainder Of Season
Since taking over starting quarterback duties, Shedeur Sanders has played his way into an extended look atop the depth chart. Cleveland will stick with the oft-discussed rookie the rest of the way.
When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Sanders will operate as the team’s QB1 for the remainder of the season. That update comes as little surprise based on the performance from fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel prior to his concussion. That absence opened the door for Sanders to start three games in a row, and that figure will extend to seven.
“I’ve been really impressed by his work ethic, going back to when he got here,” Stefanski said of Sanders (via Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand). “When they embrace it, that’s the fun part. He’s still very early in his career. There’s moments in games that are hard to replicate in practice.”
The Browns cleared out their QB logjam to a degree by trading away Kenny Pickett shortly before the start of the season. In the wake of Joe Burrow‘s injury, Joe Flacco went from serving as Cleveland’s starter to being dealt to Cincinnati. That opened the door for Gabriel to make six starts before missing time due to the concussion. Since then – and as many predicted prior to the beginning of the campaign – it has been Sanders at the helm, something which will remain the case moving forward.
The Browns only have a single win in Sanders’ three starts, but the Colorado star has shown flashes under center. In his three starts, Sanders has completed 57 percent of his passes for 722 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Three of those scores came during yesterday’s loss to the Titans, a game in which the QB also tallied 29 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
We heard recently that while Sanders will be granted a long leash for the remainder of this season, he won’t be guaranteed the QB1 role in 2026. The Browns will still likely have Deshaun Watson on the books next year, and the team could use their first-round pick at the position. Still, Sanders has a chance to make a lasting impression on the organization as he looks to retain his role next year.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Falcons Claim WR Malik Heath, Waive S Jordan Fuller
Jayden Reed‘s return led to the Packers waiving fellow receiver Malik Heath. The latter will not make it back to Green Bay on the team’s practice squad. 
Heath has been claimed off waivers by the Falcons, the team announced on Monday. The move will give Atlanta needed depth at the receiver spot as Drake London continues to deal with a PCL injury. The Falcons are on a short week as they prepare for a Thursday night game; if London remains sidelined during practice, he will face short odds of being able to play.
Especially with that in mind, today’s Heath acquisition makes plenty of sense. The former UDFA will look to carve out a role with the Falcons down the stretch. Heath has made each of his 37 regular season appearances to date with Green Bay, but that will now change. As part of the Packers’ logjam at the receiver spot, he has yet to log an offensive snap share above 30%. Heath is a pending restricted free agent.
In a corresponding move, veteran safety Jordan Fuller has been waived. The former Ram and Panther has plenty of first-team defensive experience (56 starts in 63 appearances), but he has not been a regular during his time with the Falcons. Fuller has played in six games for Atlanta in 2025, logging only 16 defensive snaps along the way. The 27-year-old will now hit the waiver wire. Fuller will become a free agent if he clears.
After Sunday’s blowout loss, the Falcons sit at 4-9 on the season. A playoff push will certainly not be in store for the final four games of the campaign, but Heath could play his way into a longer look in Atlanta depending on his performances. Fuller, meanwhile, will look to join a contender in time for the postseason.
Eagles Activate S Marcus Epps
Marcus Epps will be in the lineup for the Eagles during tonight’s game. The veteran safety has been activated from injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
The Eagles opened Epps’ practice window last Tuesday. As a result, today’s news confirms he did not encounter any setbacks upon returning to football activities. Philadelphia could have waited to bring Epps back into the fold, but instead he will be available for Monday Night Football against the Chargers.
2025 marks Epps’ second stint with the Eagles. The 29-year-old played began playing in Philadelphia in 2019, and he remained there through the 2022 campaign. After emerging as a starter during the final year of his first stint, Epps landed a two-year, $12MM free agent pact with the Raiders. The former sixth-rounder’s Vegas tenure ended with an ACL tear last season.
That prompted a return to the Eagles this past offseason. Epps has played almost exclusively on special teams so far in 2025, but that is set to change tonight. Andrew Mukuba is on IR, leaving a vacancy in the starting lineup alongside fellow safety Reed Blankenship. Sydney Brown operated as a first-team defender during the Eagles’ Black Friday loss, but Epps will give them another option in that regard.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio recently confirmed (via Geoff Mosher of Philly Voice) Epps would start in Week 14 provided he was activated in time for the game. That has now taken place, so it will be interesting to see how he performs in an elevated role. Meanwhile, today’s move leaves the Eagles with three IR activations for the remainder of the regular season.
Commanders TE Zach Ertz Suffers ACL Tear
DECEMBER 8: Quinn confirmed on Monday (via ESPN’s John Keim) Ertz did indeed tear his ACL yesterday. Ertz will move to season-ending IR as a result while he begins a lengthy rehab process ahead of free agency.
DECEMBER 7: The Commanders dealt with a number of new injuries on offense during their Sunday game. Among the players who exited was tight end Zach Ertz. 
Ertz was carted off the field after injuring his knee. Shortly thereafter, the three-time Pro Bowler was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. When speaking to the media after the game, head coach Dan Quinn said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic) there is concern about an ACL tear. Concerningly, he added “the early signs aren’t good.”
Further testing, including an MRI, will no doubt take place in the near future. Provided the team’s fears wind up being confirmed, however, Ertz’s season will be over. The 35-year-old was emotional as he made his way off the field, a further indication he will be in store for a lengthy recovery process.
Ertz joined the Commanders on a one-year deal in 2024. The former Eagle and Cardinal played a key role in quarterback Jayden Daniels‘ stellar rookie campaign, scoring seven touchdowns and totaling 654 yards. To little surprise, another pact was worked out in March to ensure Ertz remained in Washington. He posted 493 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games entering today’s action.
The Commanders lost 31-0 against the Vikings on Sunday during a game in which Daniels suffered a new injury. The second-year passer had just returned from an elbow ailment, but Quinn indicated he will be able to play again this season. It remains to be seen if the same will also be true for Ertz, who has been in the NFL since 2013.
The Stanford product has not been linked to a retirement decision in the past, but a major injury such as an ACL tear could of course change his thinking on that front. Ertz is a pending free agent, so his outlook from a health standpoint will be critical in determining his future. The Commanders are now 3-10 on the year, and their attention will turn to preparing for 2026. In Ertz’s case, testing will determine if is able to play again this season.