HEADLINES

Colts QB Anthony Richardson Uncertain To Return In 2025

December 8th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Daniel Jones suffering what has widely been reported as an Achilles tear yesterday, the Colts are set to rely on other options under center. It is unclear if the team’s backup from early in the season will be one of them.

Anthony Richardson suffered an orbital bone fracture during warmups in October. That led to an injured reserve stint, one which has continued without any clear signs of when it will end. The Colts have left the door open to Richardson returning to action late in the campaign, but there is still nothing imminent on that front.

The former No. 4 pick was not able to take part in football activities last week, as noted by Fox59’s Mike Chappell. Meanwhile, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Richardson remains sidelined at this point. He adds the Colts are still unsure of whether or not a return at any point this season will be possible. If Richardson does not return to practice, he will close out the campaign on IR.

That would deal another blow to the 23-year-old’s value, something which has steadily sunk since his arrival in the NFL. Richardson’s Indianapolis future is unclear, and the possibility of a trade allowing for a fresh start has been raised. Of course, the Colts appeared to be positioned for a long-term Jones commitment before his injury took place. It will be interesting to see if the team’s QB planning changes moving forward.

In the meantime, Riley Leonard is set to receive his first NFL start next week. The Colts have dropped to 8-5, and their playoff chances will now hinge in large part on the sixth-round rookie’s ability to guide the offense successfully. Brett Rypien resides on the practice squad, and he can be expected to sign to Indianapolis’ active roster in the near future. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports points to a quarterback acquisition being likely (video link). He names Sam Ehlinger – who began his career with the Colts and is currently with the Broncos – as a target on that front.

Richardson would be tasked with handling QB1 duties in the event he were to return for any or all of the Colts’ remaining four games. As things stand, however, it does not appear as though he will be able to do so.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s Status Uncertain For Week 14

December 8th, 2025 at 11:06am CST by Adam La Rose

Since Justin Herbert underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his non-throwing hand, his availability for Week 14 has been in question. That remains the case as of early Monday.

The Chargers have expressed optimism in recent days about Herbert being able to play through the injury tonight against the Eagles. The Pro Bowler has logged limited sessions in practice, but head coach Jim Harbaugh noted (h/t ESPN’s Kris Rhim) Herbert has managed to participate in seven-on-seven as well as 11-on-11 work this week. He is therefore still a candidate to suit up.

In the event Herbert does play, though, his mechanics will be something to monitor closely. Throughout his preparation in recent days, he has not been able to receive snaps from under center. Shotgun operations have been normal, as noted by Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Managing to handle snaps of all kinds without issue will of course be critical in determining whether or not Herbert will be able to finish (or even start) the Bolts’ Week 14 game.

Entering tonight, the Chargers sit at 8-4. Catching the Broncos for top spot in the division will be difficult even with a win, but Los Angeles is in a strong position to secure a wild-card berth. The 8-5 Colts are set to finish the season without quarterback Daniel Jones, while the Chiefs, Ravens and Dolphins all sport records of 6-7. Needless to say, Herbert’s health will be critical down the stretch.

The Chargers will have running back Omarion Hampton in place tonight. The first-round rookie will be counted on to handle a large workload in his first game action since late October. A run-based approach will be key especially if Herbert is limited or if he winds up being unable to play.

Trey Lance will be tasked with guiding Los Angeles’ offense in the event Herbert is ruled out for tonight. The former No. 3 pick has made three appearances so far this season, attempting just 13 passes. Those figures will increase if Herbert is ruled out later today, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case.

Ravens Received Trade Interest In RB Keaton Mitchell

December 8th, 2025 at 9:39am CST by Adam La Rose

Keaton Mitchell has flashed potential when on the field, something which has caught the eye of interested teams. The third-year running back was the subject of trade calls ahead of last month’s deadline.

Teams reached out to the Ravens to discuss a Mitchell trade, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. To little surprise, he adds Baltimore (a team which was involved in three in-season swaps) turned down interest on that front. Instead of changing teams at the deadline, Mitchell remained in place for the closing stages of the 2025 season.

After entering the league as a UDFA, Mitchell was unused for the beginning of his rookie season. Things changed when he found himself in the lineup, though, as he totaled 489 scrimmage yards on just 56 touches while scoring a pair of touchdowns. An ACL tear ended his standout showing in 2023, and the 23-year-old only made five appearances last year upon returning to game action.

As expected, Derrick Henry – who signed an extension this past offseason – has continued to lead the way in Baltimore’s backfield in 2025. The future Hall of Famer has received at least 10 carries all but once this season, and a heavy workload will no doubt continue down the stretch. Henry has endured rough patches multiple times in 2025, and especially with Justice Hill residing on IR due to a neck injury, Mitchell is in position to operate as Baltimore’s change-of-pace option at the RB spot.

Mitchell scored a touchdown during the Ravens’ Thanksgiving loss, and his performance yesterday included a 55-yard run. The East Carolina product has only handled 93 carries to date in his brief NFL career, but he has averaged 7.0 yards per attempt. Maintaining that level of efficiency over time will obviously be difficult, but Mitchell will look to remain an effective contributor through the remainder of his Baltimore tenure.

Henry and Hill are both under contract for next season. Mitchell, by contrast, is a pending restricted free agent. Given the fact teams were interested in exploring a trade, suitors could emerge in short order provided he is non-tendered and reaches the open market. A more likely scenario would be a decision on the Ravens’ part to tender Mitchell; that would leave an unmatched offer sheet (or trade, of course) as the only means by which a change of scenery could be possible in this case.

Texans, TE Brevin Jordan Agree To Extension

December 8th, 2025 at 8:44am CST by Adam La Rose

Brevin Jordan has not played in 2025, but he will not be changing teams this offseason. The veteran tight end remains in the Texans’ plans for next year.

Jordan and the Texans have agreed to a one-year extension, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. As a result, he will not reach free agency during the spring. Instead, Jordan will be able to compete for a role upon returning to full health.

A 2024 ACL tear limited the former fifth-rounder to just two games that season. Jordan managed to recover in time for training camp this past summer, but a torn patellar tendon suffered in practice resulted in the Texans placing him on injured reserve. The timing of that move ensured he would be sidelined for the entire campaign. Houston is confident Jordan will be able to contribute in 2026, however. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports the recovery process has gone to plan so far.

Jordan, 25, played out his rookie contract with the Texans, logging a rotational role on offense during that time. The Miami product did not serve as a consistent presence in the passing game, but his work as a run blocker helped lead to a one-year extension being worked out almost exactly one year ago. That 2024 pact was worth $2.1MM and included $850K guaranteed. It certainly stands to reason this new deal will be worth less on both counts.

Injuries at the tight end spot have been an issue for Houston during much of this season, although Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover are healthy at the moment. Those two will be counted on to lead the way at the position as the Texans aim to continue their five-game winning streak. Top spot in the AFC South is possible despite the team’s 0-3 start to the year. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, Jordan will remain in the fold through to 2026.

Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Expected To Declare For 2026 NFL Draft; Dante Moore, Ty Simpson Likely To Return To School

December 7th, 2025 at 10:51pm CST by Rory Parks

It is looking increasingly likely that Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza will be the first college QB to hear his name called in the 2026 draft, and he bolstered his case on Saturday by leading the Hoosiers to a victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. Unsurprisingly, multiple sources have told Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports.com that Mendoza will declare for the draft.

In addition to the stellar season Mendoza is having, which has him firmly in the mix for the Heisman Trophy, several of the other top passers who are eligible for the draft appear headed back to campus in 2026. According to Pauline, there is an “overwhelming belief” that Oregon’s Dante Moore will return to the Ducks next season, where the 20-year-old has an eight-figure NIL package waiting for him. In addition to the money, Moore could use more time to continue developing and growing into the potential that his elite physical tools create.

Like Moore, Alabama’s Ty Simpson does not have a great deal of starting experience, and he could therefore stand to benefit from another year in college (where he will remain under the tutelage of renowned offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ryan Grubb). Although much can obviously change in a year’s time, Moore and Simpson project as early frontrunners for the 2027 Heisman, and Pauline hears that Simpson is also likely to forego the NFL draft for another season.

However, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini observes, Mendoza, Moore, and Simpson are the consensus top QB prospects for 2026, and ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid says there is a substantial drop-off between that trio and the next tier of signal-callers. So if Moore and Simpson do not declare, then Mendoza will essentially comprise a one-man class, which will make his decision to turn pro even easier.

It will also drive up the price to acquire the right to draft him. As of the time of this writing, the Titans have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, but they just selected Cam Ward with the top pick in 2025 and will continue to develop him in the hopes he can become their franchise QB. They could demand a hefty trade package for their top choice if teams like the Jets, Browns, Raiders, or Saints decide Mendoza is their guy.

We recently learned that evaluators are split on Mendoza’s professional ceiling, but the need to find a quality quarterback always leads to overvaluation of college passers. Plus, it’s not as if the California transfer has not earned the mantle of best QB in his class. He boasts a 71.5% completion percentage along with an FBS-leading 33 passing touchdowns (against just six interceptions) and 10.66 air yards per attempt. And while his stats in the Ohio State victory do not jump off the page (15/23, 222 yards, one TD, one interception), his mettle in leading the Hoosiers to victory in a championship game against an elite defense surely caught the attention of NFL front offices.

We know that Jets GM Darren Mougey has already scouted Mendoza in person – Mougey witnessed the 22-year-old engineer a dramatic comeback win over Penn State – and Mendoza will continue to be one of the most-discussed prospects in the run-up to the draft. The same could be true of South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, who is having a disappointing year but who is still viewed as a late first-round pick, per Pauline. Sources close to Sellers believe there is too much risk for him in returning to college and perhaps reducing his draft stock even further, so he may make the decision to declare.

Colts QB Daniel Jones Suffers Achilles Injury

December 7th, 2025 at 10:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

10:24pm: Adam Schefter of ESPN reported tonight that Jones will undergo surgery for his torn Achilles tendon, seemingly confirming the diagnosis of the Colts starter before the team’s official announcement. It’s a tough break for the resurgent quarterback, who had been in the midst of perhaps the strongest season of his career. It could be a tougher break for the Colts as, with Jones and Richardson on IR, the team will now attempt to move forward this season with Leonard as QB1.

Mike Chappell of FOX59/CBS4 Sports attempted to take a bit of wind out from Schefter’s sails following his breaking post on X. Chappell offered to “clear” things up, emphasizing that the situation is still just a “fear” of injury and potential surgery at the moment, and official confirmation won’t be available until Monday morning.

4:52pm: When speaking after the game, Colts head coach Shane Steichen said (via James Boyd of The Athletic) the injury “could” be season-ending but did not confirm if the worst-case scenario has taken place. On that note, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio also reports a tear is the situation in this case. Once testing ocurs, it will certainly come as no surprise if/when that diagnosis is confirmed.

2:37pm: Things have gone from bad to worse for Daniel Jones and the Colts. Indianapolis’ starting quarterback suffered a non-contact injury (video link) during the team’s game against the Jaguars.

Jones’ reaction has led to concerns he suffered a major injury. Indeed, Outkick’s Armando Salguero reports a tear is feared to have occurred. In any event, Jones has been ruled out for the remainder of the game.

In recent weeks, the free agent addition has been dealing with a fibula injury which was reported to be a fracture. No confirmation emerged on that front, but Jones’ health and mobility was already a talking point leading up to Sunday. In the event of something like a calf strain, missed time would be in store. Of course, an Achilles tear would represent the worst-case scenario and end his season.

After seeing his Giants tenure end and departing the Vikings on the open market, Jones faced tempered expectations for 2025. The former No. 6 pick did not surprise many by winning a competition with Anthony Richardson given the fact much of his $14MM in compensation was guaranteed in full. Nevertheless, Jones’ strong start helped power to the Colts to a 7-1 record. Doing so set him up for a major raise on a second Colts contract or one worked out in free agency this spring.

Indianapolis parted with a pair of first-round picks at the trade deadline to acquire Sauce Gardner. That signaled a desire to commit to Jones and the other members of the Colts’ core. An offer on a long-term pact is expected, although no talks on that front have taken place yet. Needless to say, a major Jones injury would make a massive impact on the financial situation in this case.

With Richardson still on injured reserve, rookie Riley Leonard has taken over QB duties for the Colts. The sixth-rounder had only made one appearance prior to today, making two pass attempts. For now, at least, it will be Leonard counted on to lead the team’s offense. If that remains the case down the stretch, Indianapolis’ chances of winning a division it was once firmly in control of will be dealt a massive blow.

The Colts entered today sitting at 8-4 after losing three of their last four games. The team’s outlook will hinge in very large part on Jones’ diagnosis. Likewise, his future will be greatly impacted by any significant injury if one is to be confirmed by further testing.

Browns Expected To Retain QB Deshaun Watson In 2026

December 7th, 2025 at 10:23pm CST by Rory Parks

The dead money charge the Browns will be saddled with if they release Deshaun Watson this offseason, even if they designate him a post-June 1 cut, always made it possible they would retain their embattled passer through the last year of his contract in 2026. Multiple reporters have recently confirmed that is the expectation.

On Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com said Watson would be on the roster next year, barring an unforeseen development. On Saturday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter echoed that report, and both Cabot and Schefter noted Watson has served as a valuable veteran presence for the Browns’ rookie QBs, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

Watson, 30, has not appeared in a game since October 20, 2024, when he suffered a torn Achilles. He tore the same Achilles while rehabbing last January and had to undergo surgery shortly thereafter. He has spent the entire 2025 campaign on the PUP list as a result, though the fact that the Browns recently opened his 21-day practice window suggested he could see the field before the season ends.

That still appears unlikely, but Watson will at least get some practice reps to allow head coach Kevin Stefanski & Co. the chance to see him in action. As Cabot notes, that will give the Browns a little more data as they plan for the 2026 draft, at which point they could be selecting a quarterback yet again. Of course, Watson’s performance in practice surely will not dissuade Cleveland from picking a collegiate signal-caller it believes in, but it still needs to know if Watson can operate as at least a bridge to a younger passer.

In the meantime, Sanders will look to keep his name in the mix of 2026 starting options. Unsurprisingly, Sanders will not be penciled in atop next year’s depth chart unless he “lights it up” over the last few games of the current slate. Gabriel, whose Week 11 concussion opened the door for Sanders to take the reins, projects as more of a capable backup at the professional level, and he did not do much in his six starts this year to suggest otherwise.

Though Watson’s salary cap situation is perhaps the primary reason why he is seen as a safe bet to remain with the Browns in 2026, it should be mentioned that the club has an insurance policy on his contract that could result in a hefty payout and corresponding credit to Cleveland’s cap sheet. If the Browns retain Watson, they will again restructure his contract to smooth out his 2026 cap charge of $80.72MM, as Cabot reports. So if Cleveland realizes some cap relief from an insurance payout, it stands to reason the team may consider cutting ties immediately and allow the credit to help offset Watson’s existing dead money hit, thus preventing even more dead money from being added to future void years. 

That is merely speculation, but it does add another wrinkle to the Browns’ decision. For now, however, Watson is set to be back in Cleveland next season and could even be the Week 1 starter.

New Names Emerging For Potential Day 1 QBs

December 7th, 2025 at 10:18pm CST by Ely Allen

Recent expectations that standout underclassmen quarterbacks Dante Moore (Oregon) and Ty Simpson (Alabama) will stay in college for at least another year have reduced the number of likely first-round quarterbacks in the class from three to one. With the value of quarterbacks tending to vary drastically in relation to the scarcity at the position and the demand in the league, new names are sure to rise.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his updated prospect rankings about a month ago and gone from the top of the rankings were former projected prospects like Texas’ Arch Manning, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, and several others. Only Indiana Heisman-favorite Fernando Mendoza remained as a prospect widely considered to be a Day 1 pick.

Mendoza was joined by a new pair of names, though, as the two emerging new starters at the powerhouse programs mentioned in the first paragraph proved to be more productive than expected in their first seasons as starters. With Moore and Simpson no longer considered surefire 2026 prospects, Mendoza is the lone name atop the class with first-round considerations. Rarely does that stay the case as the pre-draft process goes on, though. Desperation for savior arms tends to elevate names considered worthy of later rounds to the early rounds based on scarcity alone.

We saw this two years ago, when Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were considered the only two first-round worthy passers of the class early on in the pre-draft process. When it became clear that several teams were looking to draft a top quarterback in the first round, other names quickly started climbing the board. Drake Maye, considered a late-first-rounder at best early on, elevated all the way up to No. 3 overall. Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix were all considered Day 2 or 3 picks early on, but all three ended up in the top 12 picks of the draft.

Last year, Cam Ward was widely seen as the only first-round passer in the class, though Shedeur Sanders was seen as a possible late first-round possibility. Sanders’ wildly unprecedented slide aside, Jaxson Dart found his way into the first round after spending much of the pre-draft process as a likely Day 2 pick.

According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, a name to look for in that same vein is Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby. Sorsby started his collegiate career at Indiana, serving as the main starter as a redshirt freshman in 2023. When then-head coach Tom Allen was fired, Sorsby made the move to become a Bearcat. Sorsby has just finished his third year as a full-time starter and his second in Cinci.

Sorsby showed promise starting for the Hoosiers, throwing 15 touchdowns to just five interceptions, but his accuracy left a lot to be desired. In his first year with the Bearcats, he improved his completion percentage but got a bit undisciplined throwing 18 touchdowns to seven interceptions. This season, Sorsby put up his most efficient campaign with 27 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He also has impressive mobility averaging about 500 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns in each of his two seasons at Cincinnati.

It’s far too early to call Sorsby a first-round prospect, but he’ll have plenty of time to improve his stock if he decides to declare after his redshirt junior year concludes. Plus, several other names are sure to emerge as teams dust off every possibility hoping to find a diamond in the rough. As names continue to drop out of first-round consideration for 2026, history has told us that others are sure to rise in their place.

Bengals Suspended WR Jermaine Burton For Week 14

December 7th, 2025 at 8:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jermaine Burton has yet to play this season for the Bengals. The second-year wideout continued that trend in Week 14 after he did not travel with the team.

On Saturday, Burton was ruled out for the Bengals’ matchup against the Bills today for non-injury-related reasons. The team later announced that he had been suspended for the game. The decision will lead to over $59K in lost money by means of a forfeited game check (h/t Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). Details on what prompted this discipline have not yet emerged. Nevertheless, this represents another unwanted development for Burton.

A third-round pick last year, Burton had a quiet rookie season as Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Mike Gesicki, and Chase Brown accounted for nearly 80 percent of quarterback Joe Burrow‘s targets. Burton was targeted 14 times in 2024 but only caught four balls. He did make the most of those receptions, though, proving his deep threat ability with 107 receiving yards.

This isn’t the first time the 24-year-old has not been allowed to travel with the team. In late-December 2024, Burton was accused of assault in a domestic dispute with an ex-girlfriend. Four days later, the Bengals announced that Burton would not be traveling on the team’s trip to Pittsburgh to end the season.

He hasn’t appeared in a game since that announcement, so there’s reason to believe the two data points could connect, but there’s been no reporting on the prior incident to suggest it’s been behind his extended absence this season. In fact, yesterday’s announcement of his suspension for today’s game indicates that he hasn’t been suspended to this point, so the absence throughout the year could be totally unrelated to discipline.

We can only report what we hear, and little has been coming out of Cincinnati this year concerning the second-year Alabama product. Whatever the situation, Burton may want to get on the right side of things soon. Glowing reports have already come through on the wide receivers at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft class, and the Bengals may decide to dip back into those waters if they think they can’t rely on Burton after this season.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Buccaneers WR Mike Evans Pushing For Week 15 Return

December 7th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Ely Allen

When the Buccaneers saw veteran wide receiver Mike Evans return to practice this week for the first time since suffering a broken clavicle in October, many anticipated seeing him come off of injured reserve this weekend. Unfortunately, after a series of limited practices, Evans was ultimately ruled out for Week 14, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter assured us today that an Evans return to play is on the horizon.

Per Schefter, Evans has been “pushing to play as soon as” Tampa Bay’s Week 15 matchup with the Falcons on Thursday. His return to practice five days ago opened up a 21-day practice window, but he can be activated at any point over those three weeks. Many expected that, once he returned to practice, he would quickly get back in football shape and return, but it seems a more realistic date required at least a few more days of practice.

If Evans is unable to make his return after the short week in the coming days, the team’s Week 16 trip to Carolina would be the next more reasonable, realistic date. Evans’ window would close three days after that game, at which point, the 32-year-old pass catcher would need to be activated for the final two games of the regular season and a postseason run or be reverted to season-ending IR.

The Buccaneers are fully in the playoff race at present, as they sit tied with the Panthers for the division lead at 7-6. They’ll play Carolina twice in the last three weeks of the season, and winning those two games alone would be enough to secure their berth in postseason play. Getting Evans back at any point before the postseason could do wonders for a Tampa Bay team that has overcome a litany of injuries en route to their current situation. If Evans has his say, though, we’ll see him suit up as early as Thursday.

Load More Posts