Bears DE Dayo Odeyingbo Out For Season With Torn Achilles
Bears defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo is out for the season with a torn Achilles suffered in a Week 9 victory over the Bengals, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Odeyingbo, originally a Colts second-round pick in 2021, arrived in Chicago this offseason on a three-year, $48MM deal. He started the Bears’ first eight games this year with a 75% snap share, but only logged one sack and two tackles for loss before his injury on Sunday.
Shemar Turner and Dominique Robinson are already dealing with injuries, so the Bears’ defensive line depth will be tested further by Odeyingbo’s absence. The return of Austin Booker from his knee injury will help, and 2022 seventh-rounder Daniel Hardy will likely be asked to play more snaps as well.
The Bears may regret their decision to release Tanoh Kpassagnon from their practice squad last month. He has since signed with the Colts’ practice squad, but Chicago could still sign him to its 53-man roster. The Bears also have Jonathan Garvin and Jamree Kromah on their own practice squad for game day elevations and/or a promotion to the active roster.
Odeyingbo’s debut season in Chicago will now be considered a disappointment due to his lack of production and, now, availability. Beyond his low counting stats, Odeyingbo has only logged a 4.8% pressure rate and a 8.9% pass rush win rate, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Last year, those numbers were 9.6% and 12.6%, respectively.
The 26-year-old edge rusher will likely aim to return by the beginning of the 2026 season when he can retake a starting job opposite Montez Sweat. The Bears may still bring in some depth off the edge to bolster a pass rush that has not consistently gotten to opposing quarterbacks this season. Their defense overall has been a bottom-10 unit, but their results on the other side of the ball appear to be proof-of-concept for the Ben Johnson–Caleb Williams partnership. A return from Odeyingbo and additional investments in the defense could help them take a bigger leap in 2026.
Patriots Had Interest In Jaelan Phillips
The Patriots had interested in Jaelan Phillips before the Dolphins traded him to the Eagles on Monday morning, according to Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal.
New England sent Keion White to the 49ers last week, likely because he did not fit in new head coach Mike Vrabel‘s vision for the defense. That raised the need for a third edge rusher behind Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson. Phillips would have fit the bill, but it seems that the Patriots were not willing to beat the Eagles’ offer. Miami also may have hesitated to trade Phillips within the division.
The Patriots have made a huge leap under Vrabel to start the 2025 season with a 7-2 record and a +68 point differential. They lead the AFC East with one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league, making them a contender not only for a divisional title, but a top playoff seed as well. That could inspire an aggressive trade-deadline investment in their pass rush to take advantage of an impressive season thus far. Upgrading a defense that has already excelled this year could mean even more if and when the Patriots play the AFC’s best offenses in the postseason.
Giardi also notes that Arden Key may make more sense for the amount of draft capital that the Patriots are willing to move. The Titans seem to be full-on sellers after firing Brian Callahan, and Key’s production has dipped enough for him to be a cheap acquisition. A trade to the Patriots would reunite Vrabel with another of his pass rushers from his time in Tennessee – the first being Landry.
Bills S Jordan Poyer Likely To Retire After Season
After 13 years in the NFL, Bills safety Jordan Poyer is expecting to hang up his cleats after the 2025 season.
“Look, I’m not naïve” Poyer said last week (via WGRZ’s Jonathan Acosta). “This is most likely my last one. I’m trying to enjoy every moment: the good, the bad, the indifferent and just be part of this team for this run and go out the right way.”
Poyer was drafted in 2013 by the Eagles and spent his first four years in the NFL with the Browns. He then signed with the Bills in 2017 to form one of the league’s top safety duos with Micah Hyde. The two played next to each other for the next seven years before both left Buffalo during the 2024 offseason as part of the team’s salary cap reset in preparation for the extensions they have handed out over the last 18 months.
Poyer signed with the division rival Dolphins, a move he admitted was “a little bit out of frustration, a little bit out of anger about the situation, wanting to see Buffalo twice a year.” But a rough season in Miami had Poyer yearning for a reunion with his longtime team.
“The game tested my soul last year,” Poyer said. “The team I was on, we weren’t connected. It was tough to go to work every day, and it took a lot out of me.”
Poyer has started the Bills’ last two games after Taylor Rapp‘s Week 8 injury that is expected to end his 2025 season. The safety position was already somewhat of a weakness for Buffalo, so the defense will be counting on Poyer’s veteran experience to tide the unit over through the end of the regular season and into the playoffs.
QB Jayden Daniels Suffers Dislocated Elbow
1:03am: A bit of overnight clarity has emerged here. Daniels is believed to have sustained a dislocated left elbow, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. While the star quarterback is not certain to be done for the season, Schefter notes he is out indefinitely. An MRI is scheduled for Monday.
11:10pm: Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to suffer a significant left arm injury in Sunday night’s game against the Seahawks.
Team medical staff quickly put an air cast on Daniels’ arm. The cart came out onto the field, but he was able to walk off under his own power. Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed in his postgame presser that Daniels injured his left elbow and said that he would provide an update once he knows more.
Despite a 38-7 deficit in the fourth quarter, Daniels was still in the game when a sack by Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas caused his elbow to bend in an unnatural direction. Quinn will surely get criticized for leaving his star quarterback in the game, especially if Daniels’ injury results in an extended absence
Backup Marcus Mariota finished the game, a loss that drops the Commanders to 3-6. Their playoff chances are now just 5%, according to The Athletic, and if Daniels is sidelined, their odds will be even slimmer. Missing the postseason would be a disappointing result for a Commanders squad that made a surprise run to the NFC championship game last season and seemed poised to build on that success this year.
The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels headlined a deep quarterback class by soaring to the top rookie award on his side of the ball. He then piloted the Commanders to the conference title game, the franchise’s first appearance since its 1991 Super Bowl-winning season. The follow-up effort has skidded well off track.
Daniels entered Sunday night having missed time because of two previous injuries this season. Missing Week 8 with a hamstring injury, Daniels was down in Weeks 3 and 4 because of a knee malady. The Commanders have not used IR on their starting QB yet, but it would not surprise — especially after the team lost its sixth game — to see him moved off the roster to foster a smooth recovery. The team re-signed Mariota on a one-year, $8MM deal this offseason. After zero starts in 2024, the 11th-year veteran will almost definitely be needed for another QB1 stint.
Cardinals Not Interested In Selling Before Trade Deadline
Despite a 2-5 start to the season, the Cardinals are not interested in selling players before Tuesday’s trade deadline, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
Arizona is currently in last place in the NFC West with their three divisional rivals all sitting at five wins or better. With a 1% chance of making the postseason, according to The Athletic, the Cardinals could be seen as sellers, but the team seems to be more confident internally. Their five losses have come by a combined 13 points, with no margin of defeat bigger than four points; their two wins, meanwhile, were by five points or more.
Kyler Murray has also been dealing with a foot injury that sidelined him for the Cardinals’ last two games, both losses. He is not expected to play on Monday against the Cowboys, either. However, the star quarterback’s return and some better results in close games could fuel a second-half playoff run.
A loss to the Cowboys on Monday night would drop Arizona to 2-6 and all but end their postseason hopes. That could change their mind about not selling players, but it is unclear who would even be available. They do not have many players on expiring contracts; the only two notable names that could be of interest to other teams are defensive tackle Calais Campbell and safety Jalen Thompson.
Campbell, who is still playing excellent football in his age-39 season, is the type of player that is coveted by playoff contenders this time of year. However, the 18-year veteran recently indicated that he does not want to leave Arizona after reuniting with the team that drafted him this offeseason.
“I came here, I want to be here. And I want this team to go out there and make a run,” Campbell said last week (via Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic).
Thompson, meanwhile, has played every defensive snap for the Cardinals this season. That does not seem like the type of player a team would trade away midseason, even if they were motivated to sell.
As a result, the Cardinals seem inclined to hold onto their talent instead of flipping players for draft picks. Even if their early-season losses are too much to overcome, they have virtually all of their roster under contract in 2026 and therefore would not want to jettison talent who could play a role next year.
Bills DE Michael Hoecht Suffers Torn Achilles
Bills defensive end Michael Hoecht suffered a torn Achilles in Sunday’s win vs. the Chiefs, head coach Sean McDermott announced after the game (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).
Hoecht, 28, arrived in Buffalo on a three-year, $21MM deal this offseason. He was suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy, though the Bills were aware of the infraction before finalizing his contract. He was reinstated during the Bills’ Week 7 bye and made a splashy debut in Week 8 against the Panthers. After Buffalo’s defensive line lost Ed Oliver in the first half, Hoecht took over a larger snap share and logged 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble that the Bills offense converted into a touchdown.
The five-year veteran chipped in another 0.5 sacks before he left Buffalo’s Week 9 victory over Kansas City. He will now miss the rest of the season, certainly a disappointing result after serving his suspension.
The Bills’ defensive line depth will be tested without Hoecht and Oliver, the latter of whom is out for the rest of the regular season with a biceps tear. However, Buffalo’s pass rush has been solid this year with 11 different defenders logging at least one sack. More injuries could spread the group even thinner, but they seem to have enough talent to keep pressuring opposing quarterbacks at a solid rate. Defensive ends Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa, and A.J. Epenesa have all turned in solid performances thus far, as has defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
Hoecht will spend the better part of the next year recovering with the hopes of returning for the start of the 2026 season.
Panthers Place OL Brady Christensen On IR, Sign QB Mike White To Active Roster
NOVEMBER 2: The thumb on Dalton’s throwing hand is actually broken, per Person (subscription required). Dalton broke the thumb during the second series of the Buffalo contest, though he did not immediately tell the coaching staff about the injury.
Young returned to practice as a full participant on Wednesday, and he has no injury designation for Week 9. He will therefore return to his QB1 post.
OCTOBER 30: Panthers offensive lineman Brady Christensen underwent surgery for a torn Achilles on Wednesday and was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per team reporter Darin Gantt.
Christensen went down in the Panthers’ Week 8 loss to the Bills and will miss the rest of the season. He had started the last four games at right guard after Robert Hunt and Chandler Zavala both landed on injured reserve. Five-year veteran Jake Curhan finished the game at right guard.
Christensen’s injury was one of several to the Panthers’ offensive line on Sunday. Center Cade Mays injured his ankle and right tackle Taylor Moton injured his knee; they were replaced by Austin Corbett and Yosh Nijman, respectively. Head coach Dave Canales said this week (via Gant and his colleague Kassidy Hill) that Mays was not expected to play in Week 9, but Moton might. That would keep Corbett at center and potentially insert Nijman into the starting lineup.
At right guard, the Panthers could stick with Curhan, but Zavala is expected to be activated from IR ahead of Sunday’s game against the Packers, according to The Athletic’s Joe Person. That will likely position him to start, potentially for the rest of the season if Hunt does not come back.
With the open spot on their roster, the Panthers promoted veteran quarterback Mike White from the practice squad. That may not be a good sign for Andy Dalton‘s availability this week. He is dealing with a thumb injury on his throwing hand and did not practice on Wednesday. Bryce Young is trending towards a return after missing Week 8 with a high ankle sprain; if Dalton can’t go, White would be Young’s backup on Sunday.
The Panthers also filled the open practice squad spot created by White’s promotion by re-signing defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy.
Broncos Eyeing OL, Deep Threat WR Before Deadline
NOVEMBER 1: Fowler confirms (video link) the Broncos remain interested in a guard and/or speed wideout addition. He describes the team as a “window shopper” at this point, though, indicating nothing is imminent.
OCTOBER 30: The second year of the Broncos’ Sean Payton–Bo Nix partnership has gotten off to an excellent start with a 6-2 record and sole possession of first place in the AFC West.
That could position Denver as a buyer ahead of the trade deadline. The Broncos already have an elite defense and are looking to add on the other side of the ball, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. In particular, they are looking at offensive guard, tight end, and wide receiver.
Week 1 starting left guard Ben Powers landed on injured reserve earlier this month, pressing Alex Palczewski into duty in the last two games. Palczewski, who has played on the right side of the offensive line for all of his college and professionally, used the Broncos’ DARI Motion technology to track and improve his technique on the left side, according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. As a result, he has held up well at an unfamiliar position, but Powers’ earliest return would come in December. Adding a guard could offer an upgrade on Palczewski as well as added insurance if Powers cannot come back this season.
Tight end Evan Engram has been somewhat of a disappointment to start the year after signing with the Broncos in free agency. He is only averaging 30.7 yards per game with just one touchdown, far below his production in Jacksonville in the last three years. Denver could explore trading for tight end, but there may not be a clear upgrade available.
An addition at wide receiver seems more likely. Courtland Sutton has been excellent as usual, and Troy Franklin has thrived in the short and intermediate areas of the field. The Broncos are therefore interest in a “classic, field-stretching receiving option” (via Fowler) who would be a more consistent deep threat than Marvin Mims. Fowler’s colleague Dan Graziano floated a deal with Payton’s former team, the Saints, that would bring Rashid Shaheed to Denver. Such a move would not be a reunion as Payton had already left New Orleans by the time Shaheed was drafted in 2022.
Cardinals To Start QB Jacoby Brissett In Week 9
After he missed back-to-back games with a foot injury, it appeared that Cardinals starting quarterback Kyler Murray would return Monday in Dallas. That will not be the case, however, as head coach Jonathan Gannon announced on Saturday that Jacoby Brissett will start in Week 9. (via ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss).
Murray suffered a version of a Lisfranc injury in a Week 5 loss to the Titans. A Week 8 bye was not enough for the former No. 1 pick to get back to game-readiness, so his veteran backup will get the nod for the third game in a row.
“He’s just not ready to go yet,” Gannon said of Murray, clarifying that his absence is purely health-related.
Gannon also indicated that Murray could still have a “role” on Monday, but that seems to be as more of an emergency option, according to team reporter Darren Urban. Kedon Slovis is the only other QB on the Cardinals’ roster.
A stint on injured reserve is not under consideration at the moment, meaning Murray may be ready for a Week 10 meeting with the NFC West rival Seahawks. Though the Cardinals have lost both of their games without Murray, they went 2-3 in his starts and Brissett has outpaced him statistically.
Murray has completed 68.3% of attempts with six touchdowns against three interceptions this year, but his 6.0 YPA and 88.6 passer rating have underwhelmed. The dual threat has added 173 yards (6.0 YPC) and another touchdown on the ground. Brissett, meanwhile, helped the Cardinals put up fights against high-level opponents in the Colts and Packers over the previous couple of weeks. He combined to go 52-for-80 (65%) for 599 yards, four touchdowns, and a pick, also chipping in 47 rushing yards on 10 attempts.
So far, the Cardinals have gotten plenty of bang from their buck from Brissett since signing him to a two-year, $12.5MM contract in free agency last offseason. The journeyman will have a chance to impress again while facing a Dallas team that ranks 31st in pass defense and and points per game allowed. The Brissett-led Cardinals will look to take advantage of that and snap a five-game losing streak. Remarkably, all of their defeats have come by four or fewer points.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Colts Eyeing Pass Rush, CB Upgrades
With an elite, well-rounded offense, Colts general manager Chris Ballard is looking to upgrade their defense before next week’s trade deadline.
Specifically, Indianapolis is checking on available pass rushers and outside cornerbacks, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder.
There is no clear need to upgrade their offense. Jonathan Taylor and the offensive line have created an elite rushing attack, and Daniel Jones has three pass catchers with at least 55.0 yards per game (Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and Tyler Warren) and the team could ask more of Josh Downs and Adonai Mitchell if needed.
As a result, the Colts will direct their pre-deadline attention toward a defense that has benefitted from a dominant offense and significant turnover luck. Indianapolis has allowed the sixth-fewest points in the league but the ninth-most yards, mostly through the air due to their offense consistently building leads. 16.6% of their opponents’ drives have ended in a turnover, which ranks third among all defenses, but that figure may not be sustainable for the whole season.
Upgrading their pass defense, therefore, could be important for the rest of the year as well as the postseason. The Colts’ pass rush has been solid despite an individually dominant player. The team ranks among the top five defenses in sacks and quarterback hits, so a trade may not make sense unless it is a tangible upgrade to their current rotation. So far, they have not made much progress in acquiring such a player. Indianapolis has been linked to Trey Hendrickson, who would certainly offer a major boost to the pass rush, but the Bengals don’t appear to have interest in dealing him.
The cornerback market has largely consistent of slot defenders so far: Jarvis Brownlee was moved in September, while Michael Carter and Roger McCreary joined new teams in the last week. The Colts, however, need more help on the boundary with Charvarius Ward on injured reserve and a rash of other injuries to a group that was already thin entering the season.
Indianapolis did activate Jaylon Jones and promoted Cameron Mitchell to the 53-man roster on Saturday, but only two other cornerbacks on the active roster – Johnathan Edwards and Mekhi Blackmon – consistently line up outside. Kenny Moore and Chris Lammons primarily play in the slot. Again, this could be a situation where the Colts’ preferred player is not available or too pricey, but they may be inclined to at least add some depth before Tuesday’s trade deadline elapses.