Clemson DT Peter Woods To Enter 2026 Draft
After a stellar run as a three-year starter at Clemson, defensive tackle Peter Woods is on his way to the pros. Woods announced that he’ll enter the 2026 NFL Draft.
[RELATED: Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order]
Woods could have remained with the Tigers in 2026, but he’ll forgo his senior year after earning first-team All-ACC honors this season. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder put up 30 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and two sacks in 12 games in 2025. With 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, he logged even stronger numbers across 11 games last year.
While plenty could change between now and April’s draft, Woods is currently considered a slam dunk to go somewhere in the first round. ESPN ranks the 20-year-old as the third-best player and top defensive tackle in the class.
Woods is versatile enough to line up inside or outside, and with 42 hurries, he showed the ability to disrupt quarterbacks in college. Although Matt Miller of ESPN notes that Woods didn’t produce great sack numbers at Clemson, his “position-specific traits” may make him a top 10 pick.
Mason Graham, the fifth overall selection of the Browns, was the first defensive tackle to come off the board in the 2025 draft. Woods could follow in Graham’s footsteps as a top five pick next spring.
Lions To Bring Back CB Arthur Maulet
Two weeks after waiving Arthur Maulet, the Lions are reuniting with the cornerback. Maulet will rejoin the Lions’ active roster, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.
A veteran of several teams, including the Ravens from 2023-24, the well-traveled Maulet first joined the Lions’ practice squad on Oct. 8. They were dealing with injuries to cornerbacks D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, and Khalil Dorsey at the time. Maulet went on to appear in six games after that, tallying 14 tackles and an interception.
With Reed, Arnold, and Dorsey healthy heading into a Week 13 Thanksgiving showdown with Green Bay, the Lions moved on from Maulet. However, the playoff contenders’ secondary has taken a beating since then.
Arnold is done for the season as a result of a shoulder injury that bothered him throughout the year. The Lions suffered an even worse blow when star safety Brian Branch tore his Achilles in a Week 14 win over the Cowboys.
Detroit addressed its safety depth to some degree with the signing of veteran Damontae Kazee to its practice squad on Monday. The team is now making a more aggressive move in committing an active roster spot to the 32-year-old Maulet ahead of a Week 15 meeting with the high-flying Rams, currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Maulet will rejoin Reed, Dorsey, Amik Robertson, and Rock Ya-Sin to comprise the 8-5 Lions’ cornerback group as they attempt to rally for a playoff berth.
Latest On Raiders’ Pete Carroll, John Spytek
DECEMBER 9: Several NFL executives predict Carroll will wind up being a one-and-done Raiders coach, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writes. If that holds true, it will be interesting to see if another NFL gig winds up presenting itself during the 2026 hiring cycle.
DECEMBER 8: After finishing a dismal 4-13 last season, the Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco. Their replacements, Pete Carroll and John Spytek, are on pace to produce similarly poor results in 2025. At 2-11, the Raiders are tied with the Giants and Titans for the NFL’s worst record with four games remaining.
Although Carroll joined the Raiders with plenty of past success under his belt, he’s already on the hot seat. Carroll has fired two key assistants – offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, then the league’s highest-paid OC, and special teams coach Tom McMahon – in what has been a nightmarish season. With the Raiders having lost seven in a row, Carroll’s reshuffling of the coaching staff hasn’t worked.
Despite the Raiders’ struggles, Carroll hasn’t lost any desire to continue coaching, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Already the oldest head coach in league history, Caroll will roam the sidelines at the age of 75 if he returns in 2026. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Raiders move on from Carroll after this season, Jones says.
While Carroll’s Raiders tenure may go down as a one-and-done stint, the same isn’t true for Spytek. The 45-year-old “will continue to be considered safe,” Jones reports. That isn’t a surprise when considering Spytek’s ties to Raiders part-owner Tom Brady, who wields heavy influence over the franchise’s decisions.
Spytek and Brady were college teammates at the University of Michigan. Their paths crossed again when Spytek was a bigwig in the Buccaneers’ front office and Brady was their quarterback from 2020-22.
A few days after hiring Spytek, the Raiders brought in Carroll, who initially had reservations about the job. Carroll said Brady’s presence “shifted my thought about what this opportunity was about.” Expectations were that the Mark Davis-owned Raiders would afford the former Super Bowl winner a longer leash than they gave Pierce and Josh McDaniels, their most recent full-time head coaches. Pierce lasted 26 games (seven in an interim role), while McDaniels was in charge for 25. Carroll may not make it that far.
If the Raiders fire Carroll, they could wind up in the unenviable position of searching for a new head coach and a different starting quarterback for the second straight offseason. The modest success Carroll and former Seahawks starter Geno Smith had together in Seattle has not transferred to Las Vegas. Hoping he would provide a short-term answer under center, the Raiders traded a third-round pick for Smith last April and immediately gave him a two-year, $75MM extension. The move has backfired, though, with the 35-year-old performing like one of the league’s worst QBs this season. If Carroll isn’t safe, Smith might not be either.
Seahawks To Open Jalen Sundell’s 21-Day Practice Window
The Seahawks have won three of four despite the absence of starting center Jalen Sundell, who has been on IR since Nov. 15. With Sundell now eligible to return, the Seahawks will open his practice window this week, head coach Mike Macdonald announced (via Brady Henderson of ESPN). They’ll have 21 days to activate Sundell.
Sundell, undrafted from North Dakota State in 2024, came off the bench in 12 games as a rookie. He won the Seahawks’ center competition entering this season and started their first nine games before suffering a knee injury. Seattle has turned to Olu Oluwatimi in the middle of its line over the past few weeks.
The return of Sundell could boost the 10-3 Seahawks’ chances of overtaking the Rams in the NFC West and potentially securing the No. 1 seed in the conference. However, it’s unclear if Sundell will reprise his role as the Seahawks’ top center if he comes back.
Asked if Sundell could practice at right guard, where he also competed during the summer, Macdonald said (per Henderson), “We’ll see.”
While third-year man Anthony Bradford has been a full-time starter at right guard this season, Pro Football Focus ranks his performance an unimpressive 69th among 80 qualifiers. The Seahawks are tied for the fewest sacks allowed in the NFL (17), but Bradford has struggled as a pass blocker.
Although PFF hasn’t been enamored of Bradford’s work, Macdonald praised the 24-year-old after Seattle’s Week 14 blowout over Atlanta. Macdonald said Bradford enjoyed the best showing among Seahawks O-linemen on Sunday (via Henderson). If that continues, it may be difficult for Macdonald to pull him from the lineup.
No matter which interior linemen Macdonald chooses to start, a healthy Sundell would at least strengthen the team’s depth up front. Thanks in part to Sundell, Oluwatimi, and Bradford, the Seahawks’ line has paved the way for the league’s second-ranked scoring offense.
Poll: Who Will Win AFC South?
As a back-to-back AFC South champion, Houston entered the 2025 season as the odds-on favorite to rule the division again. While few expected either the Jaguars or Colts to seriously contend, they’re ahead of the Texans entering Week 14. With the exception of the 1-11 Titans, who may be on their way to a second straight No. 1 overall pick, the AFC South is anyone’s to win with five games remaining.
Jacksonville and Indianapolis, both 8-4, will meet on Sunday with first place on the line. They’ll also square off in Week 17. The Texans (7-5) will go on the road to face the Chiefs (6-6) in something resembling a do-or-die game for the reigning conference champions. Having already beaten the Colts in Indianapolis last Sunday, the Texans will host them in a game that could decide the division or a playoff berth in Week 18. The Texans and Jaguars split their season series. They won’t see each other again unless they match up in the postseason.
The Colts have been atop the division for most of 2025, but they dropped to second place in Week 13. Thanks in part to an unexpected resurgence from quarterback Daniel Jones, a free agent addition who previously flamed out with the Giants, the Colts stormed to a 7-1 start. They held the No. 1 seed in the AFC at that point.
Acquiring star cornerback Sauce Gardner from the Jets before the Nov. 4 deadline was supposed to bolster the Colts’ chances of at least winning the division. They’ve now lost three of four, though, and Gardner could miss multiple weeks with a calf strain. Jones is playing through a fibula injury, meanwhile, and league-leading rusher Jonathan Taylor is coming off back-to-back mediocre showings.
While the shine has come off the Colts in recent weeks, the Jaguars and Texans have surged. Despite losing prized first-round rookie wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter to a season-ending knee injury in early November, the Jaguars have won three in a row. They’ve succeeded despite underwhelming numbers from quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a major downturn in production from second-year receiver Brian Thomas.
The Texans have survived despite a significant injury to C.J. Stroud, who returned last week. The third-year signal-caller missed three full games with a concussion. The Texans went undefeated in that span under backup Davis Mills, who led a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback over the Jags in Week 10.
Mills’ heroics proved crucial against Jacksonville, but the Texans’ top-ranked defense is the main reason they’re still in the race. Winners of seven of nine and four straight, the Texans have a legitimate chance to become the latest team to rally for a playoff berth after starting 0-3. Only six, including the 2018 Texans, have done so since 1979.
Although Indianapolis is reeling while Jacksonville and Houston are trending up, the Colts are still slight favorites to conquer the South, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. At 41%, they’re narrowly edging out the Jaguars (40%) ahead of Sunday’s showdown. The Texans (19%) are a distant third.
How do you expect this three-team battle to play out over the final month of the season? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Who will win the AFC South?
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Texans 41% (586)
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Jaguars 34% (486)
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Colts 25% (364)
Total votes: 1,436
Colts Activate LB Jaylon Carlies From IR; K Blake Grupe Elevated
The Colts announced that they have activated linebacker Jaylon Carlies from injured reserve. He’ll make his season debut on Sunday against the AFC South rival Jaguars with first place in the division on the line.
[RELATED: Will The Colts Win The AFC South?]
Carlies, a fifth-round pick in 2024, has had trouble staying healthy during his young NFL career. The former Missouri safety missed seven games with a leg injury as a rookie, and he hasn’t played at all this season as a result of an ankle issue. The Colts gave Carlies a return designation when they placed him on IR on Aug. 26.
Carlies started in six of 10 appearances and made 36 tackles last year. After the departure of E.J. Speed to the division rival Texans in free agency, the Colts expected Carlies to start alongside Zaire Franklin this season. Carlies’ injury scuttled those plans, though, and a lack of in-house solutions led the Colts to sign Germaine Pratt on Oct. 8.
Pratt has served as a full-time starter over seven games with the Colts. Carlies figures to work in a reserve role as a result.
In other Saturday moves, the Colts elevated kicker Blake Grupe and defensive tackle Chris Wormley from their practice squad to their active roster.
Grupe, previously with the Saints, signed with the Colts earlier this week. He’s replacing Michael Badgley, whom the Colts cut after he missed an extra point in a loss to the Texans in Week 13. Badgley joined the team after Spencer Shrader suffered a season-ending torn ACL and MCL in Week 5. With Grupe replacing Badgley, the Colts are poised to use three kickers in a season for the first time in franchise history.
This is the second standard gameday elevation of the year for Wormley, who joined the Colts’ practice squad on Nov. 18. In his Colts debut, the 32-year-old played 19 defensive snaps and recorded a sack against Houston.
Chargers To Activate RB Omarion Hampton
After a two-month absence, Chargers running back Omarion Hampton is set to return in Week 14. The Chargers are activating Hampton from injured reserve, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. He’ll play against the Eagles on Monday night.
The Chargers invested heavily in their backfield in the offseason, first signing former Steeler Najee Harris to a one-year deal worth up to $9.5M. Hampton joined the team over a month later as the 22nd overall pick in the draft.
Unfortunately for the Chargers, injuries have prevented Hampton and Harris from forming a strong duo. Hampton has been out since fracturing his ankle in Week 5, which was brutal timing after Harris went down with a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 3.
Hampton, a former North Carolina standout, performed well in his first five games. The 22-year-old averaged 4.8 yards per carry on 66 attempts and added two rushing touchdowns. He also caught 20 of 22 targets for 136 yards.
In the wake of the injuries to Hampton and Harris, the Chargers reportedly showed interest in running backs ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. No deal came to fruition, but they found an in-house solution in backup Kimani Vidal. The 24-year-old has amassed 543 yards and three scores on 121 attempts (4.5 YPC). Vidal has rushed for 100-plus yards in three games, including 126 in a win over the Raiders in Week 13, while chipping in 13 receptions and another score.
Thanks in part to Vidal, the Chargers have overcome a slew of notable injuries – including to starting offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt – to start 8-4. Hampton’s return should aid the Chargers in their quest to win the AFC West, which the 10-2 Broncos lead, or at least earn a wild-card berth. They’ll face a rough closing schedule with the Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, and Broncos on the docket. Like the Chargers, all of those clubs are pushing for a playoff spot.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Packers, Willis
Chicago (9-3) and Green Bay (8-3-1) will renew their storied rivalry on Sunday with first place in the NFC North on the line. The Bears snapped an 11-game losing streak at Lambeau Field last season. Another victory there in Week 14 would clinch the Bears’ first season of double-digit wins since 2018. The Packers lead the all-time series 108-96-6.
Here’s more on the two teams heading into Sunday’s meeting:
- Journeyman quarterback Case Keenum accepted the Bears’ one-year offer worth up to $3MM last March. It turns out that Keenum was ready to retire before he signed with the Bears, Dan Pompei of The Athletic writes in an interesting profile of the 37-year-old. Previously with the Texans, Keenum missed all of last season with a Lisfranc injury before joining the Bears, his eighth NFL team. While he hasn’t taken a regular-season snap since 2023, Keenum’s presence has benefited the Bears’ young quarterbacks. Keenum has formed a bond with starter Caleb Williams and No. 2 signal-caller Tyson Bagent, as Pompei’s piece details. Rookie head coach Ben Johnson also appreciates having Keenum aboard. “He’s another voice of reason for me, a guy that knows he’s not going to hurt my feelings and tell me how he sees it through a player’s lens, which I think is invaluable for me,” said Johnson, whose team is atop the conference. Keenum has considered going into coaching when his playing career ends, according to Pompei.
- Sticking with the Bears, Johnson is hopeful linebacker Tremaine Edmunds will return this year. “I think so, yeah,” Johnson recently said when asked if Edmunds would play again in 2025 (via Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network). A groin injury forced Edmunds to IR on Nov. 22. The two-time Pro Bowler has missed a pair of games since then, and he’ll sit out at least two more. In a best-case scenario, Edmunds will be back for a Week 16 rematch with Green Bay. While the Bears have gone 2-0 in Edmunds’ absence, he has been one of their most productive defenders this season. Edmunds has posted 89 tackles, four interceptions, and nine passes defensed in 10 games.
- Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis performed well in place of an injured Jordan Love last year, helping the team to wins in each of his two starts. Love has stayed healthy this season, which has limited Willis to three pass attempts (all completions). Considering Willis’ desire to compete for a starting job and a forthcoming pay raise in the offseason, his time with the Packers may be winding down, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel observes. Willis, who’s a few months from reaching free agency, could earn anywhere from $5MM to $8MM per year, three NFC personnel officials told Silverstein. That may prove too pricey for Green Bay, which could lead the 26-year-old Willis to his third NFL team. He entered the league as a 2022 third-round pick of the Titans, who traded him to the Packers for a 2025 seventh-rounder before last season.
Giants Fire Assistant DL Coach Bryan Cox
The Giants have fired assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports. Defensive line coach Andre Patterson remains in place.
Cox’s dismissal is the latest change to a New York staff that has gone through upheaval during a dismal campaign. The Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll on Nov. 10, replacing him with interim choice Mike Kafka. Two weeks later, Kafka let go of defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
Cox, who had a long and successful NFL career as a linebacker, coached with the Jets, Browns, Dolphins, Buccaneers, and Falcons before joining the Giants. Daboll hired Cox when he assumed the reins in 2022.
Cox’s Giants tenure began with coordinator Wink Martindale running the defense. He survived Martindale’s January 2024 firing and stayed in place under Bowen. Two weeks after waving goodbye to Bowen, the Giants are going in another direction under Kafka and interim D-coordinator Charlie Bullen.
No specific reason has been given for the firing of the 57-year-old Cox, though the Giants’ last-ranked run defense surely didn’t help his cause. A long line of coaches could follow Cox out the door in the coming weeks. Although it seems improbable, Kafka has a shot to earn the job on a full-time basis. If that happens, he’ll likely continue shaking up the staff he inherited from Daboll.
Buccaneers WRs Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan Out For Week 14
DECEMBER: 5: Bowles said on Friday (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) both Evans and McMillan have made progress this week during practice. However, neither of them will play in Week 14.
DECEMBER 3: Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that injured wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan could return to practice this week. It’s official in Evans’ case, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Buccaneers are also expected to open McMillan’s practice window on Wednesday, Rapoport adds. The team has 21 days to activate the wideouts from IR.
Evans entered the season tied with the legendary Jerry Rice with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard showings, but injuries will prevent him from claiming the all-time record for himself. After missing time with a hamstring issue earlier this season, Evans broke his clavicle in a Week 7 loss to the Lions. The future Hall of Famer has played in just four games this year and logged 140 yards on 14 catches.
McMillan, meanwhile, has been unable to contribute at all in 2025 after suffering a severe strain and three fractures in his neck during the preseason. As a rookie in 2024, the third-round pick from Washington was a force toward the end of the season. McMillan caught an eye-opening seven touchdowns in his last five games, averaging five catches and 63 yards per contest during that span.
Evans and McMillan were key factors in the NFL’s third-ranked passing offense a year ago. With minimal help from those two and Chris Godwin, who has missed eight games with injuries, the Bucs’ Baker Mayfield-led attack has dropped to a pedestrian 19th. That figures to improve with Evans and McMillan joining Godwin and rookie sensation Emeka Egbuka as Tampa Bay’s top options at receiver.
Despite the myriad injuries they’ve dealt with, the 7-5 Buccaneers are on track to win the NFC South for the fifth year in a row. The 7-6 Panthers are nipping at their heels, though, and the rivals still have to face each other in Weeks 16 and 18. If Evans and McMillan are back for those matchups, it should bolster the Buccaneers’ chances of holding off the Panthers.