HEADLINES

NFL Minor Transactions: 12/12/25

December 12th, 2025 at 6:37pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles had already waived Hughlett’s injury replacement, Cal Adomitis, when they opened Hughlett’s practice window, so this was a fully expected move in Philadelphia. Shortly after returning to practice, Hughlett resumes his role as the team’s primary long snapper.

In Miami, Isaiah takes Caleb’s spot on the 53-man roster. This is convenient for the Dolphins because Isaiah had run out of standard gameday practice squad elevations back in early-November. With his promotion today, the three-game limit will no longer restrict his ability to suit up.

Commanders, Laremy Tunsil Likely To Discuss Extension In Offseason

December 12th, 2025 at 5:47pm CST by Connor Byrne

Riding the momentum of an appearance in the NFC championship game, the Commanders swung a trade with the Texans last March for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler and a 2025 fourth-round pick cost the Commanders four draft choices: a 2025 third, a 2025 sixth, a 2026 second, and a 2026 fourth.

The Tunsil pickup was supposed to increase the Commanders’ chances of contending again this year. This will instead go down as a lost season for Washington, which is 3-10 and out of playoff contention.

The Commanders haven’t been able to overcome a slew of injuries, including to quarterback Jayden Daniels. After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, multiple ailments have limited Daniels to seven games this season. Backup Marcus Mariota will fill in for Daniels again in Week 15.

Although this has been a nightmare campaign for the Commanders, Tunsil has delivered in his first season with the franchise. Currently on track for the third 17-start season of his career, the 31-year-old ranks as Pro Football Focus’ eighth-best offensive tackle. He has earned the site’s third-highest pass blocking grade among qualifying OTs. While Tunsil took a league-worst 17 accepted penalties last season, that number has plummeted to five this year, Tashan Reed of the Washington Post notes.

Tunsil is slated to return to Washington next season to close out the three-year, $75MM extension he signed with Houston in 2023. He and Commanders general manager Adam Peters will “almost certainly” discuss a new deal in the offseason, Reed reports. Despite a disappointing season, Tunsil likes the culture Peters and head coach Dan Quinn have built, per Reed.

“I want to play for DQ as long as I can,” Tunsil told Reed. “He’s become one of my favorite coaches that I had in the league.”

At $25MM per year, Tunsil became the league’s highest-paid left tackle on an annual basis when he inked his current contract. He’s now fifth in that category. The Chargers’ Rashawn Slater leads the way at $28.5MM. The Buccaneers’ Tristan Wirfs ($28.1MM), the 49ers’ Trent Williams ($27.56MM), and the Vikings’ Christian Darrisaw ($26MM) round out the group ahead of Tunsil. With the exception of Williams, who landed his current deal at the age of 36, all of those players inked their extensions while in their mid-20s.

Even though Tunsil’s on the wrong side of 30, his performance suggests he deserves to remain among the league’s top annual earners at his position. The Commanders may be impressed enough to lock him up to a new multiyear arrangement in the coming months.

Michigan Interested In Browns’ Tommy Rees

December 12th, 2025 at 3:03pm CST by Connor Byrne

Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has been under consideration for multiple college head coaching positions over the past year. He was a finalist at North Carolina before the hiring of Bill Belichick last December. Rees interviewed with Penn State earlier this month, but the Nittany Lions chose Matt Campbell instead.

Shortly after finishing as a runner-up to Campbell, Rees is already a candidate for another high-profile college opening. Michigan has interest in the 33-year-old, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The Wolverines are scrambling to find a replacement for Sherrone Moore, who was stunningly fired on Wednesday over an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Michigan has not yet set up an interview with Rees. However, it’s “likely” he’d be willing to discuss the position, according to Cabot.

A former Notre Dame quarterback, Rees began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with Northwestern in 2015. He later worked as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Fighting Irish from 2020-22. He served in the same roles at Alabama in 2023, the final season of head coach Nick Saban‘s legendary career. Rees oversaw a breakout campaign from then-sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe, who’s now a backup with the Seahawks.

After his lone season under Saban, Rees joined the Browns as their tight ends coach and pass game specialist. Head coach Kevin Stefanski promoted Rees to offensive coordinator after firing Ken Dorsey last January.

The Browns rank an uninspiring 29th in scoring and 30th in total offense, but Stefanski has called the plays for most of the season. He gave the keys to Rees ahead of Week 10. Cleveland’s offense has continued to underwhelm, though fifth-round rookie QB Shedeur Sanders has provided an upgrade over third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel since taking over in Week 12. Sanders is coming off a 364-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 31-29 loss to the Titans last Sunday. The Browns put up 412 total yards after amassing under 300 in each of Rees’ first four games calling plays.

Raiders To Start Kenny Pickett In Week 15

December 12th, 2025 at 2:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

DECEMBER 12: Pickett will start on Sunday, Carroll announced (via Rapoport).

DECEMBER 10: Geno Smith‘s Raiders debut has not gone as expected, something that could be applied to the Las Vegas situation as a whole. The Smith-Pete Carroll floor-raising hopes are dashed, and the Super Bowl-winning HC is in danger of being a one-and-done — for a franchise that has failed to find stability this decade.

The Raiders lost Smith to a shoulder injury in Week 14, a loss to the Broncos, and the well-paid starter is not expected to return to face the Eagles in Week 15. Kenny Pickett is on track to start against one of his former teams, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. This injury comes weeks after Smith suffered a quad contusion; the latter ailment did not force him to miss any starts.

Philadelphia traded Pickett after one season, marking the second of the former first-rounder’s three trade transactions to occur since March 2024. Philly sent Pickett to Cleveland this past March, leading to rumblings he would be the favorite to start for the Browns to open the season. A significant hamstring injury sidetracked any Pickett-QB1 hopes in Cleveland, and the Browns dealt him to the Raiders — who were looking for an Aidan O’Connell injury replacement — just before the season.

Although O’Connell is back off IR, the Raiders turned to Pickett to replace Smith on Sunday. Pickett threw a touchdown pass in garbage time, completing 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards. The Eagles installed the ex-Steeler draftee as their backup last season, acquiring him in a trade package headlined by a third-round pick, but decided Tanner McKee was ready to move up this offseason. Pickett facing a reeling Philly squad would certainly be interesting given both sides’ familiarity, though the Raiders’ current form makes them heavy underdogs regardless of QB.

Who the Raiders start in Week 15 is obviously less significant than their post-2025 plans, given their 2-11 record. Smith’s extension stood to buy the team some time in its quest for a true answer at QB. The team did not want Sam Darnold and joined the Giants in striking out on Matthew Stafford. One of the QB-needy teams to pass on Shedeur Sanders, the Raiders still profile as a team interested in a first-round addition here.

Smith’s two-year, $75MM extension runs through 2027 and carries $18.5MM in guaranteed salary for 2026. That would be the only dead money the Raiders would need to eat in the event of a release. Smith’s form this season certainly makes his Vegas future unstable, particularly if Carroll is out after one year.

Smith, 35, angled for a Seahawks extension and declined an offer similar in value to Darnold’s three-year, $100.5MM deal. He expected to be a Raider after Carroll was hired but has struggled for most of the season. Smith’s 14 interceptions lead the league, and only Cam Ward sits behind him (among 31 qualified passers) in QBR.

A return to the backup level may well be in the cards — via a Raiders demotion after a first-round investment or elsewhere — for 2026. For now, it will be interesting to see if Smith reclaims his job. Carroll has backed his former Seattle pupil this year, but concern about Smith’s form emerged as early as October. What is clear is the Raiders, who had Derek Carr in place as QB1 for nine seasons, will be looking hard at QBs for a fourth straight offseason.

Todd Bowles Addresses Job Security Questions; Bucs HC’s Future Uncertain?

December 12th, 2025 at 12:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last night’s collapse resulted in the Buccaneers losing to the Falcons. As a result, Tampa Bay’s playoff outlook has continued to take a turn for the worse.

The Bucs were 6-2 and comfortably atop the NFC South when they entered their bye week. Since then, very little has gone according to plan. Tampa Bay has gone 1-5 since the bye, and the team’s defense in particular has regressed. That unit ranks 31st in the NFL in points allowed over the past six weeks (h/t Fox Sports’ Greg Auman).

Especially given head coach Todd Bowles‘ defensive background, criticism of his 2025 performance has steadily increased. In charge of the team since Bruce Arians stepped aside in 2022, Bowles and the Buccaneers have won the division every year in that span. With another NFC South crown seriously in doubt, though, the matter of job security was something Bowles was asked about in the wake of yesterday’s game.

“I don’t think I worry about it at all,” the 62-year-old said when speaking about his status with the Bucs (video link). “It doesn’t creep into the locker room. Players play and coaches coach. I got more years behind me than I do ahead of me. I think we’re in a situation where we’re right back in it and our only focus is on winning a ball game.”

Bowles served as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator for three years before Arians retired from the sidelines. Since then, the Buccaneers have gone 34-31. Tampa Bay’s three straight playoff appearances have only produced one postseason win, and it remains to be seen if reaching (let alone advancing past) the wild-card round will be possible in 2025.

With that in mind, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times states Bowles can indeed be counted as one of the coaches currently on the hot seat. A firing this late in the season should not be expected, of course, especially considering the fact the Buccaneers are still in contention for top spot in their division. Still, Stroud’s assertion is noteworthy given the investment the team recently made on the sidelines.

In June, Bowles and general manager Jason Licht each received contract extensions. Bowles is on the books through 2028 as a result, so a dismissal in his case would have a financial impact for many years. Nevertheless, it will no doubt be something mentioned throughout the coming weeks if Tampa Bay falls short of a playoff spot in 2025.

Steelers OLB T.J. Watt Hospitalized With Lung Injury

December 12th, 2025 at 11:46am CST by Nikhil Mehta

DECEMBER 12: Testing at the Steelers’ facility revealed a “tiny hole” in one of Watt’s lungs, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports (video link). That led to his hospitalization, and the issue has been addressed. A final determination for Week 15 has not yet been made, but Pelissero deems it unlikely that Watt – who merely needs time to recover at this point – will be available for Monday.

DECEMBER 11: Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt has been hospitalized due to a lung injury, per a team announcement.

The injury happened while Watt was receiving medical treatment at the Steelers’ facility on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Head coach Mike Tomlin said on Thursday (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) that Watt is still in the hospital undergoing additional testing which will determine his status for their Week 15 matchup against the Dolphins.

Watt, 31, has started all 13 of the Steelers’ games this season with an 82% snap share. He is having another excellent season with seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss, which rank first and second on the team. He has also been credited with 43 pressures, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) which lead the Steelers and rank 19th in the NFL.

In other words, an absence from Watt would be a major blow to Pittsburgh’s defense, though they are positioned to withstand it in the short-term. The four-time All-Pro almost exclusively lines up on the left side of the defense with Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig splitting snaps on the right side. One of the two – likely Herbig – can fill some of Watt’s snaps off the left edge

Rookie Jack Sawyer will also be in line for some more opportunities. The second-round pick has appeared in every game this year but played just 182 snaps (19.4% snap share) without much production. Sawyer has primarily rotated in for Watt on the left side and should see an uptick if he cannot play. That could also result in a practice squad elevation for fourth-year defensive end DeMarvin Leal.

The Steelers will be monitoring Watt’s condition carefully over the next few days to evaluate his availability for Monday night’s game.

Jets To Start QB Brady Cook In Week 15

December 12th, 2025 at 10:37am CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets’ quarterback injuries will result in a third different passer receiving a start in 2025. Brady Cook will get the nod for Week 15, head coach Aaron Glenn announced on Friday.

Both Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields have been sidelined during practice this week. As they recover, Cook will make his first career start on Sunday. The undrafted rookie has been able to participate in practice in recent days, with the same also being true of Adrian Martinez (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini).

As such, a Cook-Martinez tandem will be in place at the QB spot on Sunday against the Jaguars. Cook replaced Taylor last week, allowing him to see his first regular season game action. For at least one week, Cook will now be tasked with handling quarterback duties during a full contest. Sunday’s game does not carry playoff implications for New York but it will for Jacksonville.

The 9-4 Jags are competing for top spot in the AFC South down the stretch. The Jets, meanwhile, are one of eight teams entering Week 15 with either two or three wins. Where the team winds up in the first-round draft order will of course be critical given New York’s need for a long-term quarterback investment.

Fields began the season atop the depth chart, but his struggles in the passing game resulted in Taylor taking over. Fields was surprised by his benching, and he has expressed an expectation for future starting opportunities. The free agent addition is under contract for 2026, but a parting of ways would not surprise many in his case. Taylor, 36, is set to reach the open market this spring.

The Jets’ new HC-GM combo of Glenn and Darren Mougey will therefore have the opportunity to rebuild at the quarterback position this offseason. Part of their planning at the position, of course, will be dictated by how Cook and – if he manages to see the field – Martinez perform late in the campaign. At least one could provide depth under center for 2026 depending on how the next several months play out.

Signed to a futures contract in January, Martinez was waived by the Jets during roster cutdowns. The former UDFA wound up joining the 49ers and making one appearance with them. Earlier this week, Martinez returned to New York via a practice squad deal to give the team a healthy option. That will see him dress for Week 15, but it will be Cook leading the offense on Sunday.

Jets, C Josh Myers Agree To Extension

December 12th, 2025 at 8:02am CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Myers will not reach the open market in March. The veteran center has a new deal in place with the Jets, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Team and player have agreed to a two-year, $11MM extension, per Fowler. He adds this new pact contains $6MM in guaranteed money. Myers was on course for free agency after signing a one-year pact with New York this past spring. Instead, he will remain in place as the team aims for stability up front. This contract places Myers 13th in terms of AAV for centers.

A second-round pick of the Packers in 2021, Myers played out his rookie contract with Green Bay. During that time, he started all 56 of his appearances and – aside from his debut season – avoided any lengthy absences. Nevertheless, inconsistent showings on the field resulted in the Ohio State product only securing a $2MM deal from the Jets during his first trip to free agency. Myers has now landed a notable raise on his third NFL contract.

PFF has not graded any of Myers’ five seasons favorably, and his 53.6 mark for 2025 is the lowest of his career. The 27-year-old has remained consistent in that regard, however, and he will be expected to maintain his current level of play through the 2027 season. As a result of this agreement, the Jets have four of their cuttent starting offensive linemen under contract through at least next year.

That includes tackles Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, taken in the first round of the past two drafts. Left guard John Simpson is a pending free agent, so it is unclear if he will continue playing alongside Myers beyond the final four games of the current season. Another projected vacancy up front for next year is at the right guard spot, as Alijah Vera-Tucker is set to see his rookie contract expire this spring. The oft-injured blocker is currently set to reach the market after missing the entire 2025 season.

That will deal a major blow to Vera-Tucker’s value, and it remains to be seen if he will remain in New York or move on in March. Regardless of what happens on that front, though, Myers will be counted on to continue operating as a full-time starter up front for a Jets team seeking improvements on offense for 2026 and beyond.

NFL Mailbag: Mayfield, Titans, Patriots, QBs

December 11th, 2025 at 9:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

This week's edition of the PFR mailbag covers questions about the pending extension between the Buccaneers and their franchise quarterback, along with the Titans' and Patriots' respective outlooks and some of the top QB prospects for 2026.

Rick asks:

Baker Mayfield was in the MVP conversation in the first half of the season but has cooled off. The Buccaneers will probably still extend him; what do you think his deal will look like?

Mayfield first arrived in Tampa Bay on a one-year deal in 2023. That $4MM contract came at a time when his future as an NFL starter was in question, to say the least. He has surpassed expectations by a wide margin since then.

The Buccaneers made a three-year, $100MM investment in Mayfield last March. The returns on that deal have been strong as well, so the widespread expectation another pact will be finalized after the season makes plenty of sense. I would agree Mayfield’s value has (if anything) taken a slight dip in recent weeks – a stretch where the Bucs have been decimated by injuries, to be fair – but he should still be in store for a major payday.

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Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon’s Job Security Still Uncertain

December 11th, 2025 at 9:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

After beginning the season with a series of close losses, the Cardinals have struggled for much of their time after the bye week. Especially if things continue the way they have in recent games, head coach Jonathan Gannon‘s job security will become even more of a talking point.

Arizona missed the playoffs during each of the first two years with Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort at the helm. Still, a four-win improvement took place from 2023 to last season. As such, expectations for further improvement in 2025 were reasonable. Instead, the Cardinals find themselves well out of playoff contention with a 3-10 record.

The closing month of the current campaign could prove to be critical with respect to how owner Michael Bidwill approaches the head coaching spot. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes, Gannon and the Cardinals may need to win one or two games down the stretch for him to “reach solid footing” for 2026. Arizona’s season will end with games against Texans, Falcons, Bengals and Rams.

Once that slate of contests is over, a decision will need to be made regarding Gannon and Ossenfort’s future. Last month, Fowler and colleague Dan Graziano reported that pair was likely to be retained for at least one more season. The thinking behind that approach would be to allow the Gannon-Ossenfort regime to identify a new franchise quarterback beginning in the 2026 offseason. Kyler Murray will not return this year, and many expect a parting of ways to take place in his case.

Indeed, the latest ESPN piece includes Graziano predicting the Cardinals will allow the current HC-GM combo to remain intact. In that event, the team’s QB approach would be one of the league’s top offseason storylines. Murray is already owed $36.8MM in guarantees for next season, with a portion of his 2027 compensation currently scheduled to vest on March 22. By that date, there will likely be clarity regarding his future. A trade will be difficult to pull off given the finances of this situation, while veteran backup Jacoby Brissett (under contract for next year) could be viewed by suitors as an affordable bridge option.

If a new quarterback is to be drafted in April, it will mark the first time since Gannon and Ossenfort’s arrival that a rookie is added. The Cardinals are among the teams within reach of securing the No. 1 pick, although the final four weeks of the season leave plenty to be determined. The list of unanswered questions includes whether or not it will fall to Arizona’s current regime to decide on the team’s future under center.

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