HEADLINES

Texans Waive RB Dameon Pierce

November 21st, 2025 at 3:15pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

NOVEMBER 21: Pierce may clear waivers today due to the timing of when his Texans tenure ended, but Wilson reports there are multiple teams interested in him. If/when Pierce reaches free agency, a new deal could be lined up in short order.

NOVEMBER 20: The Texans waived fourth-year running back Dameon Pierce on Thursday, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. To fill his spot on the active roster, cornerback Ajani Carter was signed from the practice squad.

Pierce, 25, once seemed like he could be the future of the Texans’ backfield before injuries derailed his time in Houston. The former Florida Gator was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 draft and earned a starting job as a rookie. Pierce racked up 939 yards in 13 games – 72.2 yards per game, the eighth-most in the league – before a high ankle sprain landed him on injured reserve and ended his season.

The Texans signed veteran Devin Singletary during the 2023 offseason and handed him the lead back role. Pierce struggled behind him, averaging just 2.9 yards per carry and missing three games due to another ankle sprain. Houston then got Joe Mixon, reducing Pierce’s workload further. Another injury, this time to his hamstring, sidelined him at the start of the 2024 season and limited his work for the rest of the year. He finished with just 40 carries for 293 yards, though 92 of those came on a single rush. Without that play, he still averaged a solid 5.15 yards per carry, but again, Houston looked elsewhere in the offseason, signing Nick Chubb and draft Woody Marks with a fourth-round pick.

With Mixon sidelined by a foot injury to start the 2025 season, Chubb and Marks have led the backfield with just 10 carries for Pierce. Mixon is now expected to miss the rest of the season, which was reported hours before Pierce’s release hit the NFL’s transaction wire, making it a somewhat surprising move. If anything, it speaks volumes about how much Pierce fell out of favor under DeMeco Ryans‘ regime. Despite a promising rookie season, Pierce’s opportunities undeniably plummeted after Ryans was hired. Other teams will now have a chance to claim him off waivers; if that does not happen, he will be free to sign with any team (or their practice squad) as a free agent.

Carter, an undrafted rookie out of the University of Houston, signed with the Texans’ practice squad in September and saw his first NFL action against the Titans last week. His special teams work must have satisfied the coaches, earning him a 53-man roster spot and a role on game days for the foreseeable future.

The Texans also elevated veteran safety Jalen Mills and undrafted rookie linebacker Jackson Woodard to the active roster for Thursday night’s matchup with the Bills.

Bengals Activate TE Mike Gesicki From IR

November 21st, 2025 at 2:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

On Wednesday, Mike Gesicki returned to practice. No setbacks have taken place since, and the veteran tight end is set to suit up this week as a result.

Gesicki was activated from injured reserve by the Bengals on Friday, per a team announcement. He is therefore in line to play in Week 12 against the Patriots. Cincinnati will be without Ja’Marr Chase on Sunday due to his one-game suspension. Getting Gesicki back will help compensate for his absence.

[RELATED: IR Return Tracker]

It remains to be seen if Joe Burrow will be able to play on Sunday. Even if that is not the case, the team’s offense will be closer to full strength with Gesicki back in the fold. The 30-year-old made six appearances in 2025 before landing on IR due to a pectoral injury. Prior to going down, he managed just eight scoreless catches.

An uptick in production could be in store down the stretch, though, especially once Burrow is on the field. Gesicki posted a 65-665-2 statline in 2024, his debut Bengals season. That made the former second-rounder a strong complementary option in the passing game behind Chase and fellow receiver Tee Higgins. Things have not been the same this season, but a rebound will be targeted over the closing stages of the season in this case.

Gesicki initially joined the Bengals on a one-year deal. His strong showing led to a $25.5MM contract being worked out this past offseason, and the Penn State product is owed a $2MM roster bonus next spring. With plenty of money still owing on his contract, Gesicki’s performances down the stretch will be worth watching closely.

In a corresponding roster move, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt has been moved to IR. That comes as little surprise since the pending free agent is in danger of missing the remainder of the season due to a Lisfranc injury. Taylor-Britt will be sidelined for at least the next four games, but that absence could extend much longer.

Giants Rule Out QB Jaxson Dart For Week 12

November 21st, 2025 at 1:44pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka announced that Jaxson Dart is still in concussion protocol and will not play in Week 12 against the Lions.

The team was expecting their rookie quarterback to be cleared for Sunday’s game, per SNY’s Connor Hughes, but they will instead turn to Jameis Winston for a second game in a row. Winston started last week against the Packers and completed 19 of his 29 passes for 201 yards, plus a rushing touchdown to take the lead in the fourth quarter. However, after Green Bay got back on top with a touchdown of their own, Winston threw an interception to dash any hopes of a late comeback. He will be looking for better results in Detroit, though the Lions’ defense projects to be a difficult matchup.

Dart went down at the end of the third quarter of New York’s Week 10 loss in Chicago. Russell Wilson finished the drive with a field goal, but the Bears scored 14 unanswered points to hand the Giants their eighth loss. In the wake of that game, Brian Daboll was fired and replaced with Kafka for the remainder of the campaign. That change on the sidelines saw a swap in the QB depth chart, one which will last at least one more game.

Dart has remained in concussion protocol since suffering his injury, but he did take a step toward a return by participating in practice earlier this week (h/t ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). The first-rounder will look to continue making progress over the coming days. New York’s schedule includes a Week 13 matchup with New England before the team’s bye week.

A cautious approach in Dart’s case would of course come as little surprise given his status as the team’s present and future under center and its 2-9 record. One of Kafka’s priorities once Dart is back in the fold will be a reduction in the number of hits the Ole Miss product takes. As Raanan’s colleague Adam Schefter writes, Dart has been hit a total of 84 times between passing situations and QB runs since he took over the starter’s gig in Week 4. Reducing that figure is something which has been stressed to the 22-year-old from people inside and outside the Giants’ building, per Schefter.

Winston, added in free agency prior to the Dart selection, is under contract through 2026 (as opposed to Wilson, who is a pending free agent). The veteran half of New York’s quarterback tandem for next season will look to lead the team to a win in his second Giants start, while Dart’s status will remain one to watch.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Packers Open WR Jayden Reed’s Practice Window

November 21st, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers are still without tight end Tucker Kraft. Their receiving corps could receive a boost in the near future, though.

Jayden Reed returned to practice on Friday, as noted by The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. His 21-day activation window is now open as a result. Reed has been on injured reserve since undergoing foot and clavicle surgeries in mid-September.

The 25-year-old’s absence has limited him to just two games in 2025. Reed led the team in receiving yards during each of his first two seasons in the league. As a result, his return will give the Packers a notable boost in the passing game. That is especially true, of course, with Kraft’s standout campaign having come to an abrupt end due to an ACL tear.

Green Bay sits mid-pack in the NFL in a number of offensive categories. Becoming more efficient through the air would be key for the team down the stretch, and Reed’s return could prove to be pivotal in that regard. The timing of this news comes as little surprise, with the Packers’ Thanksgiving game against the Lions previously being viewed as a target for him to suit up.

Indeed, it would come as a surprise if Reed were to be available this Sunday after just one practice. The former second-rounder’s status will nevertheless be worth watching closely as Green Bay’s Thanksgiving contest approaches. Schneidman predicts Week 14 could be a realistic return date in Reed’s case given the length of his absence depending how things progress over the coming days.

Romeo Doubs has led the way for Green Bay in terms of receiver production (499 yards, four touchdowns on 39 catches) and he is averaging a career-best 50 yards per game in 2025. Christian Watson is now healthy, and he has joined first-round rookie Matthew Golden as an option in the passing game. Reed will look to do so as well in the near future while the 6-3-1 Packers continue jockeying for position in the NFC North.

Reed is approaching the first offseason in which he will be eligible for an extension. Green Bay’s young pass-catching group is highly affordable, but long-terms investments in some of its members will be needed shortly. Reed could help his chances of securing an extension with a strong showing late in the year once he returns to game action.

Cardinals RT Jonah Williams To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

November 21st, 2025 at 12:20pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Cardinals right tackle Jonah Williams will miss the rest of the 2025 season after undergoing shoulder surgery, head coach Jonathan Gannon announced on Friday (via ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss).

Williams, 28, started the Cardinals’ first nine games of the season before going down in Week 10. Kelvin Beachum closed out the game, but picked up a groin injury. He still started in Week 11, but had to be replaced by Josh Fryar. Beachum has missed practice all week, which will likely position Fryar, an undrafted rookie, for his first career start.

Williams is set to hit free agency this offseason, and he seems like a long shot to re-sign in Arizona. The Cardinals gave him a two-year, $30MM contract in 2024 after four years in Cincinnati, but since then, Williams has only started 15 games. He was excellent in 2024, allowing just seven pressures and zero sacks in six games, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). This year, he took a step back this year with 21 pressures and three sacks allowed through nine games. Williams’ contract will void on February 20, per OverTheCap, which will leave $7MM in dead money on the Cardinals’ salary cap.

The Cardinals seem headed towards a major shake-up this offseason after hopes of a 2025 bounce-back quickly gave way to disappointment over a losing record. Among their needs will be a new right tackle. No obvious long-term candidate is on the roster, though Fryar or Demontrey Jacobs could both have opportunities to audition this year.

Arizona also signed practice squad running back Jermar Jefferson to the active roster and filled his spot with running back Sincere McCormick, per team reporter Darren Urban. Those moves suggest that Trey Benson, who is on injured reserve with his practice window opened, is not ready to be activated and will not play on Sunday against the Jaguars.

Lions TE Sam LaPorta Underwent Back Surgery, Unlikely To Return In 2025

November 21st, 2025 at 11:06am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Lions tight end Sam LaPorta underwent surgery on his back and will likely miss the rest of the 2025 season, head coach Dan Campbell announced on Friday

Campbell said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press) that chances of LaPorta returning this year were “very, very slim.” The 24-year-old was already slated for three more weeks on the sidelines after landing on injured reserve before Week 11. He is now expected to miss the Lions’ seven remaining games as well as the postseason, should they qualify.

LaPorta, 24, was having another excellent season, his third in the NFL since Detroit made him the 34th overall pick in the 2023 draft. He was on pace for career-highs across nearly every receiving category; 2025 will still stand as his most efficient season with 54.3 yards per game, 12.2 yards per reception, 10.0 yards per target, and a 81.6% catch rate.

LaPorta’s absence will be a significant, but perhaps not crippling blow to the Lions offense. The unit currently ranks fourth in points scored and fifth in total offense with top-10 numbers on the ground and through the air. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are still one of the best backfield duos in the league, and Jared Goff is having another fine season targeting wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

However, LaPorta was the Lions’ third-leading receiver with a key role as a blocker, and backup tight end Brock Wright will not be able to replace his impact through the air. Gibbs, Montgomery, and third-string wideout Kalif Raymond will see more work in the passing game, and losing LaPorta’s physical presence may lead to some red zone opportunities for 6-foot-4, 214-pound rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa.

This is the first major injury of LaPorta’s NFL career. He played at least 900 snaps in each of his first two seasons with just one game on the sidelines. He will be hoping for a smooth recovery from surgery as he enters the final year of his rookie deal in 2026, when he will be eligible for an extension. The Lions have established a pattern of rewarding their young stars with strong second contracts, often at the top of their positional market. However, with fellow 2023 draftees Gibbs, Jack Campbell, and Brian Branch also reaching extension-eligibility, general manager Brad Holmes will have to get creative to keep all of his core players and stay under the salary cap.

NFL Mailbag: Falcons, Taylor, Chiefs

November 20th, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

This week's edition of the PFR mailbag addresses questions about the Falcons' future, the case for a non-quarterback MVP contender, the Chiefs' struggles and the long-term outlook of the AFC's top teams.

Kurt asks:

Arthur Smith received three seasons; the Falcons have technically seen Raheem Morris as head coach for three years if his 2020 interim season is included. Once the Falcons finish under .500 again, will he be retained? Also, Terry Fontenot has been GM for five years now. What exactly does he need to do to be fired?

It’s rare for a head coach to depart a team on good enough terms to end up returning in the same capacity. That’s what happened in the case of Morris and the Falcons, something we should keep in mind when considering how willing owner Arthur Blank will be to make any changes.

With that said, Morris’ overall Atlanta record across his two stints is 15-23. When we add in his Buccaneers tenure (17-31), there’s a growing case for him to be viewed best as a defensive coordinator moving forward. Even so, Atlanta has enjoyed strong showings (at times) on offense since Michael Penix Jr. took over as the team’s starting quarterback.

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Jets’ Benching Of QB Justin Fields Seen As Permanent

November 20th, 2025 at 9:26pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jets’ benching of Justin Fields is “not expected to be temporary,” per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. Barring injury, Tyrod Taylor is slated to start for the rest of the 2025 season, and Fields is likely to leave New York this offseason.

The Jets believe it will be easier to evaluate their young pass-catchers – particularly rookie tight end Mason Taylor and wideouts John Metchie and Adonai Mitchell – with Tyrod Taylor under center. The 36-year-old quarterback is more willing to play within the structure of the offense as opposed to Fields, who is more liable to hold onto the ball, throw a check down to a running back, or take off on a scramble. Though Taylor has three interceptions in 69 attempts compared to Fields’ one in 204 attempts, the Jets are willing to weather the risk of interception in exchange for more opportunities for their skill players.

The team is also planning to find a new quarterback this offseason, whether it be a rookie draft pick or another veteran acquisition. The draft from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades has given New York enough draft capital to land nearly any available passer in the offseason.

The Jets are also expected to part ways with Fields after the 2025 season concludes. $10MM of his $20MM salary in 2026 is guaranteed; between that and his poor performance, he is unlikely to draw trade interest and will likely be released as a post-June 1 cut. That would save $10MM against the Jets’ 2026 salary cap with a $13MM dead cap charge with another $9MM of dead money in 2027. However, the team has more than $70MM of dead money to account for next year, per OverTheCap, including $35MM from Aaron Rodgers, $11MM from Gardner, and $9.8MM from Williams. The Jets may prefer to push as much dead cap from Fields’ deal into 2027.

They could do so by converting his remaining guaranteed salary into a signing bonus and prorating it across the remainder of his contract. The Jets’ 2026 savings would stay at $10MM, but only $5MM of Fields’ dead money would hit with the remaining $17MM being pushed to 2027. Fields’ deal already has four void years built in, suggesting that the team wanted to have this contract option in case 2025 went poorly, which it did.

The first three void years were used to prorate his signing bonus, while the fourth was left empty in case of a 2026 restructure. Adding a void year to a contract, even for purposes of a restructure, requires player consent, which Fields may not give. Instead, general manager Darren Mougey designed his deal to ensure that the Jets had more flexibility after the 2025 season.

It almost feels like Mougey and new head coach Aaron Glenn saw 2025 as a reset year in New York. They took a chance on Fields without too hefty of a commitment; once it became clear that he was not the Jets’ long-term quarterback, they pivoted to blow up the core of their roster. Now, they have enough draft capital to acquire a quarterback and the opportunity to complete rebuild the Jets from the ground up.

Browns Extend DE Alex Wright

November 20th, 2025 at 9:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Browns are signing defensive end Alex Wright to a three-year, $33MM extension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal also includes $21MM in guaranteed money, and it has since been made official.

Wright, 25, is in the final year of his rookie contract and will now stay in Cleveland through 2028. He has emerged as an impact run defender this season with nine tackles for loss, a career-high and tied for the eighth-most among all NFL defenders. Wright is also on pace to record the most tackles of his career and could put up his best pass-rushing numbers, too, though that part of his game is far less impactful.

Wright was a somewhat surprising third-round pick in 2022 after solid but unspectacular production at UAB, almost all of which came against Conference USA opponents. He started four games in placed of an injured Za’Darius Smith as a rookie, but did not flash until his second season when he put up five sacks and six tackles for loss on a 38% snap share. In 2024, he suffered a season-ending triceps injury in Week 4, but had a smooth recovery and was able to participate in the Browns’ offseason program.

Wright’s $11MM APY is in the same range of what Malcolm Koonce, Dorance Armstrong, and DeMarcus Lawrence have received in the last two years, per OverTheCap. His pass-rushing production has not hit the same peaks, but he is younger and just as good of a run defender as his similarly-paid contemporaries.

All in all, it’s not a bad deal for the Browns to lock down an inexpensive starter opposite Myles Garrett, who has the fourth-biggest contract of any defender in the league. Keeping Wright does not break the bank for Cleveland, who are projected to be over the 2026 salary cap with just 44 players under contract. There are ways to clear up more space, but paying $11MM per year for a high-end run defender with the league’s best pass rusher on the other side of the line seems to be a logical roster management strategy. It also makes sense for the Browns to use some of their 2025 cap space on a signing bonus for an extension rather than having all the new money kick in next year.

Cleveland’s other pending free agents include all five of their starting offensive linemen, tight end David Njoku, linebacker Devin Bush, and safety Ronnie Hickman. It seems unlikely they will move on from their entire O-line, but rookie Harold Fannin appears set to take over for Njoku. Bush and Hickman could also be seeking more substantial paydays in free agency after signing ‘prove it’ deals this offseason and doing so thus far this year.

Darren Sproles Expected To Join Broncos’ Coaching Staff

November 20th, 2025 at 9:18pm CST by Ben Levine

Darren Sproles is back in the NFL, but the former pass-catching RB is now joining the coaching ranks. During a recent appearance on Up & Adams with Kay Adams, Sproles revealed that he’s been invited by Sean Payton to join the Broncos as a coaching intern.

“Sean has called me up on it, and I think I’ll take him up on it,” Sproles said (h/t Trent Finnegan of DenverSports.com). “I feel like my next calling is to coach.”

Sproles had the most productive stretch of his career playing under Payton in New Orleans. The former Chargers fourth-round pick joined the Saints ahead of the 2011 season and proceeded to set career-highs in touches (173), yards from scrimmage (1,313), and touchdowns (nine). While he wouldn’t match those numbers again in his career, he still averaged more than 860 yards per season between 2012 and 2013.

With 553 receptions, Sproles rightfully earned a reputation as one of the league’s premier pass-catching backs. Naturally, the new coach is focused on working with similar players, and he pointed to Broncos practice squad RB Deuce Vaughn as the player he’s most excited to work with.

“I see a younger me. I see it in him,” Sproles said about Vaughn. “His quickness, his speed, the way he is in space, I just want to tweak a couple things from him, but I feel like he can have a long career. Especially if he’s there in Denver with Sean, Sean’s going to put him in the right positions.”

Sproles isn’t the only former player that Payton recruited to Denver. Terron Armstead revealed earlier this year that Payton called him shortly after he announced his retirement. While the former Pro Bowl OL has an open invitation to join the coaching staff, he isn’t as interested as Sproles in pivoting to a coaching career.

“I said, Sean, I appreciate you, but no I’m not doing it because his hours is—nah, it’s not for me,” Armstead recently told the media (h/t NOF Network).

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