Texans Waive G Laken Tomlinson
Laken Tomlinson opened the season as the Texans’ starting left guard, but the team is moving on three months later. The Texans waived Tomlinson on Tuesday. The 33-year-old will be free to sign anywhere if he clears waivers.
Tomlinson joined the Texans on a one-year, $4.25MM contract last March after dividing the first 10 seasons of his career among the Lions, 49ers, Jets, and Seahawks. He was a consistent and durable starter during that span, coming off the bench in just eight of 163 contests. Tomlinson didn’t miss a game between 2018-24.
Tomlinson was Houston’s top option at left guard during most of his time there, starting in seven of 10 games. However, the Texans replaced him with Jarrett Patterson in Week 10, and Tomlinson was inactive in back-to-back games before they cut him. Pro Football Focus ranks Tomlinson’s 2025 performance a below-average 51st among 79 qualifying guards.
With the playoff-contending Texans parting with Tomlinson, they’re left with Patterson, Juice Scruggs, and Jarrett Kingston as reserves along the interior. Tytus Howard, who has lined up at multiple spots this year, and Ed Ingram are operating as their starting guards.
Colts Waive K Michael Badgley
After a costly missed extra point in Week 13, the Colts are moving on from kicker Michael Badgley. The team waived him on Tuesday.
Badgley’s PAT miss last Sunday proved crucial in a 20-16 defeat against the AFC South rival Texans. The four-point deficit prevented the Colts from potentially tying the game with a late field goal and sending it to overtime. They fell to 8-4 and into second place in the division behind the Jaguars, while the Texans improved to 7-5.
A Colt back in 2021, Badgley reunited with the team after starter Spencer Shrader tore his ACL and MCL in Week 5. Badgley hadn’t kicked in the regular season since 2023, but the 30-year-old went on to make 10 of his 11 field goal attempts in seven games with the Colts. However, Badgley hit a less impressive 18 of 21 extra points, which ultimately cost him his job.
The Colts have not lined up a replacement for Badgley, but that seems imminent after they worked out kickers on Tuesday. Former Saint Blake Grupe was among those to audition. It’s up for debate whether Grupe would be an upgrade over Badgley, though. While Grupe did convert all 15 extra points with the Saints this year, he connected on a paltry 69.2% of field goals (18 of 26). New Orleans waived him on Nov. 25 as a result.
Whether they sign Grupe or someone else, the Colts will turn to their third kicker of 2025 in a critical meeting with the Jaguars on Sunday. It will be the first time in franchise history that the Colts have used at least three kickers in a season, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan notes. That’s not ideal for an Indianapolis team that’s now clinging to a playoff spot after dropping three of its past four games.
49ers GM John Lynch ‘Hopeful’ Brandon Aiyuk Will Play In 2025
After months of drama surrounding wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk‘s future, the 49ers handed him a four-year, $120MM extension in August 2024. Considering how Aiyuk’s career has gone since then, it’s a move the 49ers would likely undo if given the chance.
After Aiyuk got off to a slow start last year, his season ended with a torn right ACL, MCL, and meniscus in Week 7. Aiyuk hasn’t played since, and his relationship with the team has soured during his lengthy absence. The 49ers voided Aiyuk’s guarantees for 2026 back in July, which came after he declined to attend offseason appointments to rehab his knee. Aiyuk had a 50-day window to file a grievance through the NFLPA to attempt to recoup his $26MM-plus in guarantees, but he opted against doing that.
Approximately 14 months since Aiyuk suffered his injury, he still hasn’t been physically cleared to return. Aiyuk is rehabbing, though, general manager John Lynch told KNBR on Tuesday (via Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group).
When asked about the potential of Aiyuk playing in 2025, Lynch said: “Realistic, I’m not sure. Hopeful, yeah.”
The 49ers have seen seven different targets catch between 20 and 85 passes during their 9-4 start. Quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Mac Jones haven’t lacked options, but Lynch maintains that the 49ers are “a better team” when Aiyuk is healthy.
While Aiyuk remains on the reserve/PUP list, the 49ers could open his 21-day practice window at some point. Doing so would give the NFC West contenders a chance to evaluate whether Aiyuk will be able to help them late in the regular season and/or in the playoffs.
Currently on a bye, the 49ers will not open Aiyuk’s window this week, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Despite Lynch’s statements, odds are the team will not bring him back this season, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN. If that’s the case, Aiyuk has probably played his last down with the 49ers, who seem primed to either release or trade him during the offseason.
Moving on from Aiyuk before June 1 would leave San Francisco with $29.585MM in dead money, Dan Graziano of ESPN notes. Alternatively, designating Aiyuk as a post-June 1 release would give the 49ers the opportunity to spread the dead cap over two years. They’d be on the hook for $13.25MM in 2026. The same goes for a post-June 1 trade, though it seems more likely that the soon-to-be 28-year-old will hit the open market and find his next team in free agency.
Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson Likely To Miss More Time
The Bengals have gone four games in a row without star defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who’s dealing with a hip/pelvis injury, and a return does not appear imminent. Hendrickson is “doubtful” to face the Bills on Sunday, head coach Zac Taylor said (via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer). Taylor doesn’t seem sure if Hendrickson will return this season.
“We’ll just keep taking it week to week,” Taylor said.
After back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons, Hendrickson and the Bengals engaged in a lengthy contract standoff that dragged deep into the summer. The Bengals ultimately revised Hendrickson’s deal in August, giving him a $14MM raise for 2025. The pending free agent is earning $30MM this season, though the Bengals haven’t gotten enough bang for their buck as a result of his injury issues.
Hendrickson has played in seven games, none since Oct. 26, and totaled four sacks. He drew interest leading up to the Nov. 4 trade deadline, but nobody was willing to meet the Bengals’ asking price of a second-round pick. With Hendrickson still out a month later, his post-deadline contributions have been nonexistent.
Having gone without Hendrickson for a significant period, the Bengals rank 30th in the league in sacks, 31st in total defense, and dead last in points per game allowed. To its credit, the unit complemented quarterback Joe Burrow‘s long-awaited return from IR with a strong performance in a 32-14 win over the AFC North rival Ravens on Thanksgiving.
Upsetting the Ravens on the road boosted the Bengals’ chances of a miraculous playoff run, but there’s likely no room for error. At 4-8, they’re two games behind the Ravens and Steelers in the division. Another loss would guarantee a sub-.500 season, which could close the door on a playoff spot, and continuing to go without Hendrickson won’t help matters.
Set to turn 31 on Dec. 5, Hendrickson’s injury woes aren’t doing him any favors with an offseason trip to the open market looming. The Bengals may prevent Hendrickson from reaching free agency via the franchise tag, which would mean giving him another pay bump. He’d cost around $35MM in that scenario.
Deciding Hendrickson’s future will be among the Bengals’ pressing offseason tasks. In the meantime, it appears they’ll have to continue trying to keep their faint playoff hopes alive without him.
Giants’ Abdul Carter Benched For First Quarter Of Week 13
For the second time in three weeks, Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka publicly disciplined rookie outside linebacker Abdul Carter on Monday. The 22-year-old missed “all or part of a team responsibility,” leading Kafka to bench him for the first quarter against the Patriots, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post (Richie O’Leary of On3 first reported the news).
Carter, the third overall pick in this year’s draft, has reportedly had issues with tardiness throughout the season. While head coach Brian Daboll didn’t dole out any known punishment to Carter before his Nov. 10 firing, Kafka hasn’t been as forgiving.
In a Week 11 loss to the Packers, his debut taking over for Daboll, Kafka benched Carter for the Giants’ opening defensive series after he missed a walk-through. A report indicated Carter was absent from the walk-through because he fell asleep at the team’s facility.
Carter vehemently denied he was asleep, per Dunleavy. However, he did admit to “a mistake during the week that was detrimental to the team.”
Asked why Carter didn’t play in the first quarter on Monday, Kafka told ESPN’s Laura Rutledge it was a“coach’s decision.”
Carter’s one-quarter benching temporarily deprived the Giants of two key pass rushers. They were already without Kayvon Thibodeaux, who missed his third straight game with a shoulder injury.
The Patriots, who stand atop the AFC, jumped out to a 17-0 lead before Carter entered the game. The Pats wound up rolling to a a 33-15 win over the Giants, who fell to 2-11. They’re now 0-3 with Kafka at the controls.
Whether Kafka earns a full-time promotion (which seems doubtful) or the Giants hire someone else as their next head coach, getting through to Carter will be among that individual’s most important tasks. The Giants bet big on Carter after he was a force at Penn State, where he recorded 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 2024 en route to Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Giants undoubtedly expect him to turn into a franchise cornerstone.
While Carter did pick up four tackles and a sack on Monday, his production with New York has fallen well short of his Penn State output so far. Carter has logged 31 tackles, 13 QB hits, and 1.5 sacks in his first 13 games as a pro. This will go down as a lost season for the Giants, but their chances of a 2026 rebound will improve with better on- and off-field results from Carter.
Broncos Host WR Elijah Moore
Recently released wide receiver Elijah Moore could hop from one AFC playoff contender to another. Moore visited the AFC West-leading Broncos on Monday, Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette reports.
Moore has been searching for a new team since Buffalo waived him last Wednesday. After the Bills added Brandin Cooks to what has been an underwhelming receiving corps in 2025, they and Moore mutually agreed to part ways.
Moore, a 2021 second-round pick from Mississippi, divided the first four seasons of his career between the Jets and Browns. The 5-foot-10, 178-pounder averaged roughly 50 catches, 541 yards, and two touchdowns per year during that span.
Despite his decent production in New York and Cleveland, Moore went without a free agent contract until after the draft. The Bills scooped him up in late April on a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $2.5MM.
Although the Bills’ investment in Moore was modest, they got little to no value out of it. Moore played in nine games with Buffalo and snagged just nine of 17 targets for 112 yards. His only touchdown came on a four-yard run in Week 2. The Bills moved on after a Week 12 performance in which he caught one pass for minus-three yards in a loss to the Texans.
Like the Bills, the Broncos were reportedly interested in swinging a deal for a receiver before the Nov. 4 trade deadline. Neither team succeeded on that front. The Broncos then reunited with Lil’Jordan Humphrey, whom they signed off the Giants’ practice squad, on Nov. 12.
With Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, and Marvin Mims locked in as the Broncos’ top four receivers, Humphrey has played just 23 offensive snaps over two games in his return to Denver. He didn’t catch a pass in either of those contests.
It’s unclear whether the Broncos are considering adding Moore to their active roster, which could come at Humphrey’s expense, or as veteran insurance on their practice squad. The Broncos’ taxi squad includes receivers Michael Bandy, A.T. Perry, and Kyrese Rowan, but those three have combined for just 23 catches in the pros.
Browns Open To Giving Shedeur Sanders ‘Extended Look’ As Starting QB
NOVEMBER 30: In the wake of the Browns’ loss on Sunday, Stefanski confirmed to little surprise (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com) that Sanders will get the nod once again next week. His third consecutive start will come against the Titans.
NOVEMBER 29: Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make the second start of his career on Sunday against the 49ers. The team is open to giving Sanders an “extended look” as its starter beyond then, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
A fifth-round pick after a decorated career at Colorado, Sanders made his NFL debut when rookie third-rounder Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion in a Week 11 loss to the Ravens. Sanders completed just 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception in relief.
With Gabriel’s concussion holding him out last week, Sanders took the reins against the Raiders. After a full week receiving first-team reps, Sanders finished 11 of 20 for 209 yards, a touchdown, and a pick. The Browns picked up a 24-10 victory to improve to 3-8.
Although Gabriel cleared concussion protocol on Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that he’s sticking with Sanders. Stefanski’s decision didn’t come as a surprise on the heels of a win with Sanders at the helm. Gabriel’s struggles when healthy surely made it an even easier choice for Stefanski.
The Browns stumbled to a 1-5 mark between Gabriel’s promotion to the starting role in Week 5 and his concussion. Gabriel only managed 116 passing yards in his lone win, a 31-6 blowout over the Dolphins in Week 7. The left-hander from Oregon has thrown seven touchdowns against two interceptions, but he has completed just 59.2% of passes and averaged a meager 5.1 yards per attempt. He ranks 31st among 33 qualifiers in QBR, beating out the Raiders’ Geno Smith and the Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy.
While Sanders didn’t exactly light it up against the Raiders, he doesn’t have a high bar to clear to outdo Gabriel’s output. It also helps that practice squad signal-caller Bailey Zappe is the only other healthy QB in the fold. It’s too early to say Gabriel won’t turn into an NFL-caliber starter, but he hasn’t looked the part yet. With that in mind, it makes sense for the out-of-contention Browns to give Sanders a longer look as they map out their future.
Assuming the Browns no longer regard the injured Deshaun Watson as the answer, they’ll need to find a franchise quarterback somewhere. If the Browns don’t believe they have one in Gabriel or Sanders when the offseason rolls around, they’ll have to consider upgrading in free agency, the trade market, and the draft. The 2026 rookie QB class hasn’t drawn rave reviews, but with the Browns set to enter the draft with two first-rounders (one from Jacksonville), that may be their best hope for a long-term solution.
Panthers Place G Chandler Zavala On IR, Elevate LB/S Isaiah Simmons
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
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
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.