Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Unlikely To Play Vs. Packers
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is not expected to play in Baltimore’s Week 17 matchup against the Packers. He is officially listed as doubtful on the team’s injury report.
Jackson went down in Sunday night’s loss to the Patriots after taking a knee to the back late in the first half. He did not return to the game, and head coach John Harbaugh has since described the injury as a “serious back contusion.”
Jackson was initially considered day-to-day, but he could not practice at all this week. Harbaugh said that Jackson could play without practicing, which is why he is designated as doubtful instead of being ruled out.
Backup Tyler Huntley will make his second start of the season in Jackson’s stead. He started in Week 8 against the Bears and led the Ravens to a 30-16 victory over the Bears. That game has looked more and more impressive in hindsight with Chicago’s growing success this season. Huntley himself performed well, as he did in relief of Cooper Rush in Week 6 and Jackson against the Patriots. In fact, many wondered why the Ravens signed Rush and installed him as the backup in the first place rather than reuniting with Huntley earlier in the offseason.
The Ravens’ playoff hopes depend on winning in Green Bay on Saturday night. A loss would eliminate them from playoff contention, and Jackson’s absence is obviously a major detriment.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/25/25
A few NFL teams made transactions on Christmas. Here are the latest updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return from IR: DT Taven Bryan
Denver Broncos
- Signed from practice squad: TE Marcedes Lewis, OL Calvin Throckmorton
- Elevated: LB Levelle Bailey, WR Michael Bandy
- Waived: RB Cody Schrader
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: WR Jason Brownlee, OL Matt Waletzko
- Placed on IR: WR Nikko Remigio
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Tre Flowers
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Several dominoes have fallen so far in Week 16 with respect to the NFL’s playoff picture. The Cowboys have been eliminated while the Patriots, Seahawks, Bears, Eagles and 49ers have locked in a postseason berth.
The final two weeks of the campaign will determine the remaining playoff spots, but they will also sort out the top of the draft order. Six teams remain within striking distance of the No. 1 pick, although the Titans’ win on Sunday greatly weakened their chances of landing the top selection for the second year in a row. One contest in particular will be worth monitoring next week with respect to draft positioning.
The Giants and Raiders each sport a record of 2-13. They will play each other in Week 17, meaning the loser of that contest will have the inside track for the No. 1 pick. New York already has a head coaching vacancy while Pete Carroll is in danger of going one-and-done in Vegas. Plenty of incentive for winning will exist for Carroll in particular, but the outcome of that game will have major implications on the draft order.
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 (2-13)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)
- Cleveland Browns (3-12)
- New York Jets (3-12)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
- Tennessee Titans (3-12)
- Washington Commanders (4-11)
- New Orleans Saints (5-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (5-10)
- Miami Dolphins (6-9)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
- Detroit Lions (8-7)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Carolina Panthers (8-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)
- Houston Texans (10-5)
- Buffalo Bills (11-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
- Chicago Bears (11-4)
- New England Patriots (12-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (12-3)
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Suffers Back Injury
The Ravens’ playoff hopes were dealt a massive blow on Sunday. The team’s loss – along with a win by the Steelers – leaves Baltimore in a must-win situation for Week 17. 
It is unclear if the team’s starting quarterback will be available for that game, however. Lamar Jackson exited yesterday’s contest late in the second quarter due to a back injury and he did not return. Head coach John Harbaugh described the ailment as “a bruise of some kind.” He added (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) it is unclear at this point if Jackson will miss Baltimore’s next game.
The two-time MVP made it clear when speaking to the media that his goal is to suit up against Green Bay on Saturday. Jackson said (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic) he is set to undergo a CT scan today. The results of further testing will go a long way in determining whether or not another missed contest will be in store in this case. Jackson missed three full games earlier in the season, one which has been marred by several injuries.
Since returning to the lineup upon recovering from a hamstring ailment, Jackson has dealt with knee, ankle and toe injuries over an extended period. The 28-year-old has sat out practice time every week since he came back into the fold, an indication of his health status even before last night’s latest injury. Jackson’s situation over the coming days will be worth monitoring closely.
Of course, the same is also true of Packers starter Jordan Love. A concussion knocked him out of Green Bay’s Week 16 loss, and Love remains in the protocol at this time. As a result, there is a possibility the upcoming matchup between the teams will feature backups Malik Willis and Tyler Huntley under center.
Huntley led the Ravens to a win earlier this season, and he came close to doing so again yesterday. Nevertheless, the Ravens’ preference would obviously be to have Jackson available on Saturday. A win against Green Bay followed by a Steelers loss the following day will be necessary for Baltimore to remain in playoff contention in Week 18. Whether or not the team’s starting QB will suit up remains to be seen.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/20/25
Here are Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL, including gameday elevations for tomorrow’s Week 16 slate:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: CB Jaden Davis, WR Steven Sims
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed from practice squad: CB C.J. Henderson
- Waived: WR/KR Jamal Agnew
- Elevated: WR Chris Blair, OLB Khalid Kareem
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: DT Josh Tupou, LB William Kwenkeu
- Placed on IR: LB Teddye Buchanan (story)
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: WR Mecole Hardman
- Elevated: K Michael Badgley, DE Andre Jones Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: LB Isaiah Simmons, OL Saahdiq Charles
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Howard Cross, CB Bralyn Lux
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: QB Sam Ehlinger, S Delarrin Turner-Yell
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: OL Kingsley Eguakun, TE Giovanni Ricci
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Marlon Davidson, CB Alijah Huzzie
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: S Marcus Williams, G Branson Taylor
Miami Dolphins
- Signed from practice squad: CB Ethan Robinson
- Placed on IR: DB Elijah Campbell
- Elevated: OL Kion Smith, WR Theo Wease
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed from practice squad: CB Dwight McGlothern
- Elevated: LB Sione Takitaki
New York Giants
- DT Elijah Chatman, K Ben Sauls
New York Jets
- Elevated: DB Tre Brown
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: T Easton Kilty, TE Moliki Matavao
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB Daryl Porter Jr., T Jack Driscoll
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: LB Nick Martin
Tennessee Titans
- Signed from practice squad: DT Cam Horsley
- Waived: DT Shy Tuttle
- Elevated: CB Kemon Hall
Agnew’s time in Atlanta has come to an end after 11 appearances with his third career team. The veteran did not see any usage on offense, but he handled 45 total returns between kickoffs and punts this season. Agnew totaled 855 yards in that capacity, but he will now hit the waiver wire. Provided he clears, the 30-year-old will become a free agent.
The same is true of Tuttle. A veteran of 105 games, he has made just one start so far this season. Tuttle has only handled a 25% snap share on defense, so he is unlikely to generate much interest as a free agent. Nevertheless, a depth role could await him on a contender down the stretch.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/25
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return from IR: LB Jay Higgins
Buffalo Bills
- Designated for return from IR: WR Mecole Hardman
Carolina Panthers
- Designated for return from IR: WR David Moore
Cleveland Browns
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: LB Winston Reid
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return from IR: LB Karene Reid
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return from IR: T Giovanni Manu
Green Bay Packers
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: G John Williams
- Placed on IR: LB Micah Parsons (story)
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Darrell Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: QB Patrick Mahomes (story)
- Opened practice window: TE Jake Briningstool, DB Nazeeh Johnson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed from practice squad: DE Jahfari Harvey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: LB Jackson Woodard
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: S Rashad Wisdom
Tennessee Titans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Ali Gaye, LB Oluwafemi Oladejo, WR Bryce Oliver
Probably the most overqualified transaction we’ve ever listed in this space, Mahomes is heading to IR for the first time. The superstar Chiefs quarterback suffered ACL and LCL tears and has undergone surgery. Generally, Chiefs IR-return moves are impactful at this stage of the season. In the cases of Briningstool and Johnson, they are returning to practice for a 6-8 team. The Chiefs designated both for return in August, meaning both have already counted toward the team’s eight-activation total. As our IR return tracker shows, Kansas City has not used any other injury activations this season.
Given a one-year, $4.75MM deal by the Texans, Taylor worked as a backup in four games before going down with an ankle injury. Despite his contract, the former Seahawks second-rounder played just 64 defensive snaps before hitting IR.
2025 NFL Dead Money, By Team
As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season:
- New Orleans Saints: $107.83MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $103.77MM
- New York Jets: $102.1MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $87.79MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $87.27MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $86.1MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $85.49MM
- Cleveland Browns: $83.22MM
- Miami Dolphins: $72.45MM
- Houston Texans: $66.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $59.42MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.98MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $56.23MM
- New England Patriots: $50.56MM
- Denver Broncos: $42.78MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $41.34MM
- Detroit Lions: $40.71MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $40.39MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $38.78MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $38.38MM
- Buffalo Bills: $37.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $36.55MM
- New York Giants: $33.74MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $33.7MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $30.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $27.29MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $27MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $20.99MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $20.33MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $17.37MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $16.51MM
- Chicago Bears: $8.6MM
The $100MM trio dwarfs last year’s leaders — the Broncos — in this unwanted area. The Saints began taking some overdue medicine for their cap-gymnastics past by trading Marshon Lattimore last year. That move coming after June 1 pushed $31.67MM onto New Orleans’ 2025 cap sheet. Derek Carr also counts $19.2MM on this year’s Saints cap, while Ryan Ramczyk‘s retirement covers more than $11MM.
The Carr punishment covers $55.88MM in total, meaning nearly $37MM from the QB’s retirement will land on New Orleans’ 2026 payroll. Mickey Loomis‘ spree of restructures on that contract created that inflated figure.
Deebo Samuel brought a receiver-record dead money total to the 49ers, who absorbed $34.12MM by trading the seventh-year veteran in March. The second leg of the post-June 1 Arik Armstead transaction from 2024 created a $15MM dead cap hit this year, with void years on Charvarius Ward‘s deal covering more than $12MM.
Gang Green took on barely $20MM combined from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades and will do the same next year, reflecting the low signing bonus figure on the Gardner extension. The Jets, though, have taken $56MM in total from the Aaron Rodgers release ($21MM this year, $35MM next). That is the second-highest total dead cap hit in NFL history.
The team that authorized the highest dead money sum in league annals — Denver, via the 2024 Russell Wilson release — is still carrying $32MM on that contract. It comes off the books next year, and the Broncos do not have any other player counting more than $3MM in dead cap on their 2025 payroll.
The Eagles and Seahawks are also moving toward the playoffs with higher dead money counts compared to the 2024 Broncos, though it should be noted the cap’s $24MM increase from last year plays into this. Philadelphia is still carrying a combined $26MM from the 2024 Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retirements. Josh Sweat void years also comprise $16.44MM of this year’s cap. The Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf trade brought $21MM in dead cap, while Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and Dre’Mont Jones combine to cover more than $41MM in dead money.
Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith‘s 2024 Cleveland exits via trade tagged the Browns with more than $36MM in dead money together, while the Dolphins are dealing with more than $30MM combined from the post-June 1 designations on Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. The latter counts $15.7MM in dead money this year and $20.9MM in 2026. That eclipses Lattimore’s defender-record total for dead cap.
Titans Place Safeties Kevin Winston, Xavier Woods, Mike Brown On IR
The Titans placed safeties Kevin Winston, Xavier Woods, and Mike Brown on injured reserve on Tuesday, per team writer Jim Wyatt.
All three went down in the Titans’ loss to the 49ers on Sunday and will be out for the rest of the season. Winston and Woods suffered hamstring injuries, while Brown hurt his ankle.
Winston and Woods combined for 16 starts and 839 snaps on defense this year and are the team’s sixth- and eighth-leading tacklers. Winston, a third-round rookie, had emerged as a full-time starter in the second half of the season, while Woods’ role has varied. Their absences will force Tennessee to start a different safety alongside Amani Hooker.
Brown could have fit the bill had he not been injured on Sunday, too. He played special teams almost exclusively this season, but last year, he occupied a 37% defensive snap share with 250 snaps at free safety, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). This is Brown’s second stint on IR this year; he previously suffered a knee injury in October and missed five games.
Kendell Brooks finished Sunday’s game at safety for the first significant defensive workload of his career. He could be tapped to start with Hooker in the next few weeks. Another option is former Seahawk Jerrick Reed, who has played a handful of defensive snaps in the last three years, but has primarily featured on special teams.
The Titans also added two safeties to their 53-man roster after placing Winston, Woods, and Brown on IR. 2023 sixth-rounder Erick Hallett, who started two games for the Lions amid their safety injuries this year, was signed off Detroit’s practice squad and could see playing time immediately. Tennesee also signed Sanoussi Kane off the Ravens’ practice squad; the 2024 seventh-rounder spent his rookie season as a core special teams contributor in Baltimore but was waived earlier this season in favor of undrafted rookie standout Keondre Jackson.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Sunday’s action provided more clarity on a number of fronts relating to the playoff pushes in each conference. The list of teams still in contention for the top pick in the 2026 draft remains long, however.
Week 15 saw the Broncos and Rams clinch a postseason berth. Meanwhile, the Chiefs, Bengals and Vikings have each officially been eliminated from the playoffs. They will join the group of teams turning their attention to offseason planning. That of course includes extensive evaluation of the top prospects in this year’s class; several have already turned pro (with some exceptions).
Sunday’s results mean there are nine teams with two, three or four wins. Each of them remain candidates to secure the No. 1 selection, although victories by the Saints and Commanders yesterday will greatly hinder their chances of moving to the top of the order. Jockeying amongst teams like the Raiders, Jets and Cardinals (each on track to pursue a new quarterback this spring) will be a storyline worth following closely down the stretch.
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 (2-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- Tennessee Titans (2-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- New Orleans Saints (4-10)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Carolina Panthers (7-7)
- Detroit Lions (8-6)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4)
- Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-2)
Ravens LB Teddye Buchanan Tears ACL
2:05pm: Harbaugh confirmed on Monday that Buchanan has in fact torn his ACL. The team hopes a return in time for training camp next summer will be possible (h/t Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).
8:59am: The Ravens’ defense recorded a shutout on Sunday. The unit will likely be without another starter for the remainder of the season, however. 
Linebacker Teddye Buchanan was carted off the field yesterday after suffering a knee injury during punt coverage. After the game, head coach John Harbaugh expressed concern a lengthy absence would be in store and it appears that will indeed be the case. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Buchanan is feared to have suffered an ACL tear.
Further testing will take place today to confirm the diagnosis. Presuming that takes place, Baltimore will be without a starter at the second level of the defense. Trenton Simpson began the year in a timeshare with Buchanan for playing time, but the latter quickly took on a full-time role. A fourth-round rookie, Buchanan has totaled 93 tackles in 2025; that figure ranks second on the team behind only Roquan Smith.
Instead of continuing in his role down the stretch and potentially into the postseason, Buchanan’s attention will now turn to a lengthy recovery process. The 23-year-old’s availability for the start of next season will be in question provided an ACL tear winds up being confirmed in his case. Meanwhile, a Ravens front seven which is already without All-Pro defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike for the remainder of the year will move forward with a different tandem at the linebacker spot.
Smith will be tasked with remaining one of the Ravens’ top producers on defense. It now remains to be seen who will start alongside him at the other LB position, though. Simpson – a third-round pick in 2023 who has totaled 16 starts in his career – is the likeliest candidate. The Clemson product took over as a first-team presence after Buchanan exited, registering nine tackles. Undrafted rookie Jay Higgins resides on IR, so veteran special teamer Jake Hummel rounds out Baltimore’s depth chart at the moment.
Yesterday’s win moved the Ravens to 7-7 on the year. Top spot in the AFC North is still within reach, and winning the division is likely the only path to a postseason berth for Baltimore. If that is to be achieved, Buchanan will not be able to play a role the rest of the way.