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Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/25

December 6th, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Week 14 Sunday slate:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Dort becomes Arizona’s 26th placement on injures reserve this year. The Cardinals’ receiving corps has been stretched thin with Marvin Harrison Jr. out with a heel injury and Zay Jones on injured reserve with an injured Achilles tendon.

Earning more and more responsibility over the course of his sophomore campaign, former undrafted free agent Roland-Wallace will unfortunately head to IR after starting in the Chiefs’ two most recent contests. As a roaming safety, he’s been functioning lately as a nickelback alongside the versatile pair of starting safeties behind him.

With Bosa set to miss this weekend’s game with a hamstring injury, Fox has been called up from the practice squad in Buffalo to help bolster a thin group of defensive ends.

Smyth gets the call again this week as the primary placekicker in New Orleans. He’ll be kicking in his second straight game following the team’s dismissal of Blake Grupe.

For Spector in Buffalo, this will be his third elevation this season, meaning the Bills will need to sign him to the active roster in order for him to appear in another game in 2025. The same is true of Turner in Denver, Hanson in Kansas City, and Banks in Tampa Bay. On the other side of that, Tindall in Arizona, Lewis in Jacksonville, and Cook in New York were all signed to 53-man rosters today after they used up their three allotted practice squad elevations.

AFC North Rumors: Browns, Burrow, Bush, Kent

December 5th, 2025 at 9:05pm CST by Ely Allen

Much of the focus of the Browns‘ 2025 NFL Draft class was on the excitement of the early-round rookie defenders and the novelty of being the only team in NFL history to have drafted two running backs and two quarterbacks in the first five rounds of the draft.

With some crystal-clear hindsight, Zac Jackson of The Athletic lamented that the Browns neglected to bring in any rookie offensive linemen as they came into the season with all four established starters playing on contract years, while the fifth starter had proven to be prone to injury. The Browns traded to acquire left tackle Cam Robinson from Houston back in September after the injury-prone starter, Dawand Jones, went down with injury, but Robinson, too, is playing on the final year of his current deal, meaning all five current starters should be headed to free agency at the end of the year.

Because of this, Jackson asserts with some certainty that the Browns “will be looking to draft a left tackle of the future” in the 2026 NFL Draft. Cleveland has two first-round picks in 2026 — their own and Jacksonville’s. They may use one to address the quarterback position, but the second one could certainly go to an offensive lineman. A surefire top offensive tackle has not necessarily been identified at this point in the pre-draft process, but names like Utah’s Spencer Fano, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa could all be candidates to fill out a Browns offensive line that could feature five new starters in 2026.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North:

  • Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow‘s first game back from injured reserve was a mixed bag. He delivered a convincing win — thanks in part to a surprisingly dominant performance from his defense — while only completing 52.2 percent of his passes. Encouragingly, though, he was only sacked once and threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns — both season highs. While Burrow has made an impressive comeback, returning much earlier than many expected, it hasn’t come without its caveats. Per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the carbon fiber plate and orthotic in his cleat to prevent his shoe from bending is “not comfortable for Burrow,” causing the starter discomfort specifically while playing. When not on the field, he alleviates the pain by taking the cleat off and wearing a sneaker on the sideline. He’ll continue to manage his discomfort as the Bengals push with renewed vigor for a surprisingly open AFC North title.
  • Our last update concerning the legal battles of Browns linebacker Devin Bush saw a jury trial scheduled for December 2. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi reported on Tuesday that, instead, Bush’s case has been continued in the form of a non-jury trial that will now take place on December 16.
  • Two days ago, the Steelers opened the 21-day practice window for seventh-round rookie cornerback Donte Kent. The Central Michigan product had spent the first 13 weeks of his first year on IR but looked like he might just be able to get healthy in time to make his NFL debut as a rookie. Unfortunately, though, Kent suffered a new injury in his first practice back on the field. According to Steelers senior director of communications Burt Lauten, the injury is severe enough that he will miss the remainder of the season. No move to IR will be necessary. Instead, Kent will be too injured to be activated, and once his 21-day practice window officially expires, he will return to IR without the possibility of being activated again.

Shedeur Sanders Not Guaranteed QB1 Role In 2026, Deshaun Watson Unlikely To Play In 2025

December 4th, 2025 at 10:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Shedeur Sanders hasn’t looked completely hopeless through the first two starts of his career, but the Browns aren’t ready to hand him the reins. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano write, the rookie quarterback will be afforded a long leash through the end of the 2025 season, but Sanders is unlikely to be guaranteed the QB1 role for 2026 unless he “lights it up.”

[RELATED: Browns Open Deshaun Watson’s Practice Window]

As Fowler notes, Sanders has reinforced the coaching staff’s belief that he’s able to limit turnovers; the rookie has only thrown a pair of picks this season, although one of those was during a relief appearance in Week 11. And, while Sanders had a reputation for taking an unsustainable amount of sacks during his college career, he’s only been sacked four times in his two starts.

At the same time, the Browns understand that the fifth-round pick may not be their answer at the position, especially since the team could easily pursue an alternative via free agency or the draft this offseason. The team also has Dillon Gabriel on the roster, although Fowler notes that the rookie third-round pick projects as more of a capable QB2. Rival coaches opined that Gabriel is further along in his development than Sanders, but there’s also a belief that Sanders has a higher upside with his arm strength and larger frame.

Either way, the Browns will use the final stretch of the season to see if Sanders or Gabriel may be their answer for the 2026 season. The team already gave Gabriel six starts, and it appears the coaching staff is determined to give Sanders a similar amount of reps before the season is through. As Fowler notes, it’s pertinent that the franchise knows whether their 2026 starter is currently on the roster.

Of course, Deshaun Watson‘s recent return to practice slightly complicates things. However, sources told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that the highly paid quarterback only has a slim chance of seeing the field in 2025. The veteran will continue to take limited practice reps, but Jones estimates that Watson will only have 10 practices under his belt by the time the Browns have to make a decision on his activation for Week 17.

Taking into account the player’s lengthy rehab of a torn Achilles, it seems the organization simply wants to give Watson some practice reps ahead of the 2026 offseason. Considering the quarterback’s release would leave the organization with a record-breaking $80MM in dead cap for the 2026 season, it’s all but certain that Watson will remain on the roster next year. If neither Sanders nor Gabriel establish themselves as a sure-thing starter heading into the offseason, the Browns seem destined to have at least a four-man competition for the QB1 spot during next year’s training camp and preseason.

Jets, Raiders, Browns Among Suitors For First-Round QBs

December 4th, 2025 at 9:35pm CST by Ben Levine

While there’s still five weeks to go in the regular season, a handful of teams are already eyeing the 2026 campaign. These bottom dwellers will have a quarterback atop their list of offseason needs, and these franchises will also be primed to pursue the position via the first round of the draft.

A recent ESPN article took an early look at the 2026 draft and identified three organizations that could turn to first-round quarterbacks: the Jets, Raiders, and Browns.

The Jets are an obvious suitor for a quarterback. However, with the front office now armed with multiple first-round picks in both 2026 and 2027 (thanks to the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades), Rich Cimini says there’s a chance the Jets decide to kick the can down the road a bit. Both coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey will naturally feel some pressure to improve the team’s outlook ASAP, but Cimini notes that they’d only pursue the position if they have “conviction” in a particular player.

The Raiders are another obvious landing spot for a quarterback considering Geno Smith‘s struggles in 2025. Ryan McFadden says that even if Smith is leading the depth chart in 2026, the front office will strongly consider “a succession plan.” Plus, with Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers in place, it’s in the organization’s best interest to add a young signal caller to the mix sooner than later.

The Browns’ situation is a bit more complex. Deshaun Watson will surely be back considering his hefty dead cap hit, and the team is also evaluating rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel as potential options at the position. Daniel Oyefusi notes that the front office may find themselves behind a handful of QB-needy teams in the draft, but with two first-round picks in their possession (and 10 picks overall), the Browns will be well positioned to move up if necessary.

Two other teams were mentioned as suitors for quarterbacks, although reporters weren’t as convinced that those front offices would actually pull the trigger. Sarah Barshop acknowledged that Matthew Stafford‘s retirement is rapidly approaching, and the team will be well positioned to select a QB since they have a pair of first-round selections. Considering the Rams’ contender status, Barshop is ultimately skeptical if the franchise will pursue the position in the first round. Even if they do, the reporter doesn’t believe the hypothetical QB would start as a rookie.

Meanwhile, Field Yates lists the Cardinals as a franchise that could pursue the position, and the reporter points to the fact that the front office could easily get out of the Kyler Murray contract. Yates believes the Cardinals may be a better fit for a veteran signal caller, although the reporter says the front office will at least “do its quarterback homework in the draft.”

A handful of highly touted quarterbacks like Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, and Cade Klubnik have slipped a bit in 2025, leading to some question marks atop the positional draft class. ESPN’s Jordan Reid believes there will be three QBs with first-round grades: Oregon’s Dante Moore, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson.

Browns Open Deshaun Watson’s Practice Window

December 3rd, 2025 at 10:41pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Browns have started three different quarterbacks this season. A fourth could be on the way. Cleveland opened Deshaun Watson‘s practice window on Wednesday. The team will have 21 days to activate Watson from the reserve/PUP list.

Watson hasn’t appeared in a game since Oct. 20, 2024, when he tore his right Achilles in a loss to the Bengals. The 30-year-old tore the same Achilles while rehabbing last January. He had to undergo surgery shortly after that.

Coming off two major injuries, it’s unclear if Watson will be healthy enough to take the field this season. He’ll only take individual practice reps for now before “potentially” moving up to the scout team at some point, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski (via Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland).

Asked if he wants Watson to play in 2025, Stefanski said (via Zac Jackson of The Athletic): “Really not my focus. Not his focus right this minute. His focus is putting a helmet on, shoulder pads, throwing a football.”

Watson’s Achilles injury was the latest unwelcome development in what has been a disastrous run in Cleveland. Then with the Texans, Watson sat out the entire 2021 season while angling for a new contract. He was also facing ongoing sexual misconduct allegations.

Despite his troubling off-field issues, the Browns sent four picks (three first-rounders and a third-rounder) to the Texans for Watson in March 2022. The trade has turned out to be one of the most lopsided swaps in NFL history, especially considering Cleveland immediately gave Watson a five-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $230MM.

The allegations against Watson led to an 11-game suspension to begin his first season with the Browns. The three-time Pro Bowler has not regained his past form since then. Watson has started just 19 games for the Browns, who have gone 9-10 with him at the helm. He has posted a lackluster 80.2 passer rating with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions since leaving Houston.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam admitted last spring that the Watson trade was a “big swing-and-miss” move for Cleveland, which didn’t land the franchise QB it thought it was getting. The Browns are still searching for an answer under center.

Joe Flacco opened this season as the Browns’ starter, but they traded the 40-year-old stopgap to the Bengals in early October. Flacco’s departure led to the promotion of third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel, who struggled in six outings before suffering a concussion in a Week 11 loss to the Ravens. While Gabriel is now healthy, his injury allowed fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders to grab the reins. The 3-9 Browns have gone 1-1 under Sanders, who will start again in a meeting with the Titans on Sunday.

Cleveland will have four more games left after it faces Tennessee. It’s up in the air whether Watson will play in any of them. It’s also unknown if Watson will be in the mix to compete for the Browns’ starting job next season. He’s owed $46MM in 2026, the last year of his contract, and will count a league-high $80.7MM against the salary cap. Releasing Watson in the offseason would leave the Browns with an absurd $131.6MM dead cap charge.

OL Rumors: Teller, Bears, Packers, Ravens

December 3rd, 2025 at 2:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wyatt Teller has been with the Browns since 2019, as the team made a savvy trade with the Bills to acquire a talented blocker who had not hit his stride just yet. The 2018 fifth-round pick has been selected to three All-Pro teams (as a second-teamer) and three Pro Bowls. Teller was a linchpin of Browns O-lines that paved lanes for Nick Chubb and produced two playoff berths this decade. But that group could splinter soon. Teller joins Joel Bitonio and Jack Conklin as longtime Cleveland blockers on expiring contracts.

The Browns lost Teller to a calf injury against the 49ers, but they had already cut into his workload in what The Athletic’s Zac Jackson calls a preplanned benching. This brought ex-Bears starter Teven Jenkins into the lineup, which NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe notes was by design. Jenkins is also in a contract year, signing for one season at $3.1MM. He has not started a game in Cleveland, but that is expected to change this week. As Jenkins prepares to replace Teller due to injury, the Browns having planned to reduce his playing time already points to a likely 2026 exit for the seven-year starter.

Teller said earlier this season he wanted to finish his career in Cleveland, and a new deal was believed to be under consideration as of September. Unlike Bitonio, the 31-year-old has not been linked to retirement. Teller’s four-year, $56.8MM extension voids on Feb. 10, 2026; no extension by that point would leave $10.39MM on Cleveland’s 2026 cap sheet. While Teller could expect to draw free agency interest, it will be worth following if he reacquires his starting job after this calf injury. Jenkins has plenty to play for as well, after his market underwhelmed this past offseason.

Here is the latest from the O-line ranks:

  • The Bears also made another change at left tackle, inserting Ozzy Trapilo into their lineup to open their Black Friday matchup. Trapilo replaced Theo Benedet against the Eagles, helping the Bears compile a stunning 281 rushing yards in a road upset. Ben Johnson pointed to the second-round rookie, primarily a right tackle at Boston College, receiving more time at LT. The first-year HC called Trapilo “an ascending player,” via 670 The Score’s Chris Emma, and hinted at more reps coming his way. Benedet, who started seven games after usurping Braxton Jones, worked as a reserve against Philly. Considering Jones’ likely free agency departure, Trapilo seemed on track to receive a chance. Given Chicago’s success up front this season, plenty of eyes will be on the 6-foot-8 newcomer playing on a veteran O-line. Pro Football Focus ranks Benedet 67th among tackles.
  • Green Bay also made a Week 13 change involving a second-round O-lineman, inserting Anthony Belton into its lineup at right guard over Jordan Morgan. After Belton ate into the first-round pick’s time in Week 12, he took over as the starter against the Lions. The Packers had alternated first-half series between Morgan and Belton in Week 12, but as The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman notes, Belton worked the entire second half. It appears the job is his. A 2024 first-rounder, Morgan has been unable to find a home on Green Bay’s O-line. He has competed at guard and left tackle. With Rasheed Walker likely departing as a 2026 free agent, Morgan’s next chance to start (barring injury) could come then. Schneidman points to Morgan moving to that spot if/once Walker departs in March.
  • Staying on the subject of O-lineman rotating into action, Ravens rookie Emery Jones did so at left guard Thursday. Jones, who came off Baltimore’s reserve/NFI list in late October, played 16 snaps in his debut. John Harbaugh pointed to more work, though the 18th-year HC said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) it is unlikely Jones will be cross-trained at RG as well. Primarily a college tackle, Jones cut into Andrew Vorhees‘ playing time at LG in Week 13. A 2024 seventh-rounder, Vorhees has started every Ravens game there this season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/2/25

December 2nd, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Twenty-one different teams made practice squad transactions on Tuesday. Here are the latest updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed: CB Jalen Kimber 

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Released: WR Kyrese Rowan

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Released: OL Wyatt Bowles

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: OL Kion Smith
  • Released: OL Braeden Daniels

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: DB Daequan Hardy

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

With J.J. McCarthy close to a return from his concussion, the Vikings parted ways with Ridder. He was signed last week after McCarthy entered concussion protocol, but was not elevated to back up Max Brosmer in Week 13. That responsibility instead went to John Wolford, who remains in Minnesota.

Bishop was released by the Steelers at the beginning of November. After appearing all 17 games last year with a 50% snap share, he did not make the 53-man roster this season and remained on the practice squad. He will now join the Saints in the hopes of making his 2025 debut in New Orleans.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/2/25

December 2nd, 2025 at 8:29pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Several NFL teams made minor roster on Tuesday as they prepare for crucial Week 14 games with major playoff implications. Here are the latest updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order

December 1st, 2025 at 10:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Week 12 saw the Giants become the first team in the NFL to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Based on Sunday’s results, another two teams from each conference saw their postseason chances officially come to an end.

The Titans, Saints, Raiders and Cardinals have now been eliminated as well. Attention in the case of those teams will increasingly turn toward the offseason. For some, questions about changes at the quarterback spot will be ongoing through the spring. Free agency is not expected to include many notable options, so the draft will be sought out in several instances as a means of finding a 2026 starter.

Of course, the incoming class of passers has largely underwhelmed this season. That has led to uncertainty regarding the ceiling for many of the top prospects at the quarterback position. Nevertheless, supply often outweighs demand at the top of the Day 1 order in the NFL draft. How things shake out over the closing weeks of the season will be key in determining which QB-needy teams find themselves in the best position to select a new QB1.

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 early look at the first-round order:

  1. Tennessee Titans (1-11)
  2. New York Giants (2-11)
  3. New Orleans Saints (2-10)
  4. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
  5. Cleveland Browns (3-9)
  6. Washington Commanders (3-9)
  7. New York Jets (3-9)
  8. Arizona Cardinals (3-9)
  9. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
  10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
  11. Minnesota Vikings (4-8)
  12. Miami Dolphins (5-7)
  13. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
  14. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6)
  15. Carolina Panthers (7-6)
  16. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)
  17. Detroit Lions (7-5)
  18. Houston Texans (7-5)
  19. Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
  21. Buffalo Bills (8-4)
  22. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
  23. New York Jets (via Colts)
  24. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
  25. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
  26. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
  27. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
  28. Seattle Seahawks (9-3)
  29. Los Angeles Rams (9-3)
  30. Denver Broncos (10-2)
  31. Chicago Bears (9-3)
  32. New England Patriots (11-2)

Browns DT Maliek Collins Out For Season

December 1st, 2025 at 12:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

Maliek Collins exited the Browns’ loss yesterday. The veteran defensive tackle will not return, marking an end to his strong 2025 season.

Collins was carted off the field Sunday, and the team quickly ruled out a return. The 30-year-old was listed with a knee injury at the time, and he had a brace on his right leg after the game (h/t Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal).

When speaking to the media today, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Collins has a quad injury which will require season-ending surgery. The news brings an end to what had been a highly productive campaign in this case. In 12 games, Collins set a new career high with 6.5 sacks. His absence will be acutely felt along the defensive line.

The Browns rank near the top of the league in several defensive categories, and Collins has played a major role in that success. The former third-rounder posted 14 quarterback pressures and 13 QB hits prior to suffering the injury. Replacing his production will be difficult down the stretch, although at 3-9 the Browns are not in postseason contention.

Collins inked a two-year deal to head to Cleveland in free agency this past spring. As a result, the Nebraska product is under contract for next season. He will look to return to full health in time for the start of the 2026 campaign, one in which another productive outing could yield a notable payday. Meanwhile, the Browns will also be shorthanded along the offensive line.

Stefanski added (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson) guard Wyatt Teller is dealing with a calf injury. He is considered week-to-week at this point. Right tackle Jack Conklin was also injured yesterday, and he suffered his second concussion of the season. Stefanski confirmed Conklin is in the league’s concussion protocol, all-but guaranteeing he will miss at least one game.

Teller is a candidate for a new deal this offseason, whereas Conklin is a pending free agent. Injuries have largely derailed the latter’s time in Cleveland, and it would come as a surprise if he were to be retained for 2026. Decisions on that front will need to be made this offseason while Collins takes part in a lengthy rehab process.

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