HEADLINES

Poll: Who Will Win AFC South?

December 6th, 2025 at 10:24am CST by Connor Byrne

As a back-to-back AFC South champion, Houston entered the 2025 season as the odds-on favorite to rule the division again. While few expected either the Jaguars or Colts to seriously contend, they’re ahead of the Texans heading into Week 14. With the exception of the 1-11 Titans, who may be on their way to a second straight No. 1 overall pick, the AFC South is anyone’s to win with five games remaining.

Jacksonville and Indianapolis, both 8-4, will meet on Sunday with first place on the line. They’ll also square off in Week 17. The Texans (7-5) will go on the road to face the Chiefs (6-6) in something resembling a do-or-die game for the reigning conference champions. Having already beaten the Colts in Indianapolis last Sunday, the Texans will host them in a game that could decide the division or a playoff berth in Week 18. The Texans and Jaguars split their season series. They won’t see each other again unless they match up in the postseason.

The Colts have been atop the division for most of 2025, but they dropped to second place in Week 13. Thanks in part to an unexpected resurgence from quarterback Daniel Jones, a free agent addition who previously flamed out with the Giants, the Colts stormed to a 7-1 start. They held the No. 1 seed in the AFC at that point.

Acquiring star cornerback Sauce Gardner from the Jets before the Nov. 4 deadline was supposed to bolster the Colts’ chances of at least winning the division. They’ve now lost three of four, though, and Gardner could miss multiple weeks with a calf strain, Jones is playing through a fibula injury, meanwhile, and league-leading rusher Jonathan Taylor is coming off back-to-back mediocre showings.

While the shine has come off the Colts in recent weeks, the Jaguars and Texans have surged. Despite losing prized first-round rookie wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter to a season-ending knee injury in early November, the Jaguars have won three in a row. They’ve succeeded despite underwhelming numbers from quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a major downturn in production from second-year receiver Brian Thomas.

The Texans have survived despite a significant injury to C.J. Stroud, who returned last week. The third-year signal-caller missed three full games with a concussion. The Texans went undefeated in that span under backup Davis Mills, who led a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback over the Jags in Week 10.

Mills’ heroics proved crucial against Jacksonville, but the Texans’ top-ranked defense is the main reason they’re still in the race. Winners of seven of nine and four straight, the Texans have a legitimate chance to become the latest team to rally for a playoff berth after starting 0-3. Only six, including the 2018 Texans, have done so since 1979.

Although Indianapolis is reeling while Jacksonville and Houston are trending up, the Colts are still slight favorites to conquer the South, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. At 41%, they’re narrowly edging out the Jaguars (40%) ahead of Sunday’s showdown. The Texans (19%) are a distant third.

How do you expect this three-team battle to play out over the final month of the season? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Giants Fire Assistant DL Coach Bryan Cox

December 6th, 2025 at 8:39am CST by Connor Byrne

The Giants have fired assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports. Defensive line coach Andre Patterson remains in place.

Cox’s dismissal is the latest change to a New York staff that has gone through upheaval during a dismal campaign. The Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll on Nov. 10, replacing him with interim choice Mike Kafka. Two weeks later, Kafka let go of defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

Cox, who had a long and successful NFL career as a linebacker, coached with the Jets, Browns, Dolphins, Buccaneers, and Falcons before joining the Giants. Daboll hired Cox when he assumed the reins in 2022.

Cox’s Giants tenure began with coordinator Wink Martindale running the defense. He survived Martindale’s January 2024 firing and stayed in place under Bowen. Two weeks after waving goodbye to Bowen, the Giants are going in another direction under Kafka and interim D-coordinator Charlie Bullen.

No specific reason has been given for the firing of the 57-year-old Cox, though the Giants’ last-ranked run defense surely didn’t help his cause. A long line of coaches could follow Cox out the door in the coming weeks. Although it seems improbable, Kafka has a shot to earn the job on a full-time basis. If that happens, he’ll likely continue shaking up the staff he inherited from Daboll.

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray Will Not Return This Season

December 5th, 2025 at 11:06pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon announced on Friday (via team reporter Darren Urban) that quarterback Kyler Murray would not play again this season.

Jacoby Brissett will remain Arizona’s starter for the rest of the season with Kedon Slovis serving as his backup. Any issues with either would likely bring practice squad quarterback Jeff Driskel into play.

Murray has not played since Week 5 due to a foot sprain. Initially, the Cardinals hoped that he would come back within a few weeks, but the injury continued to bother him through October. Murray was eventually placed on injured reserve on November 7, stirring doubt about his future in Arizona.

Gannon’s latest pronouncement will add fuel to that fire, though he clarified that a second opinion and a lack of progress regarding Murray’s foot was the driver behind this decision. But, when asked if Murray would be the team’s starter in 2026, Gannon would only say that he was “worried about the Rams,” the Cardinals’ next opponent, per ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss.

For the rest of this season, at least, Brissett will stay under center in Arizona. The 10-year veteran has started every game since Murray went down and averaged an impressive 312.6 passing yards per game. The Cardinals have gone 1-6 in that span, though, dropping them out of playoff contention and positioning them for a top-10 pick in next year’s draft.

Such a high draft pick could play a role in the Cardinals’ decision on Murray’s future this offseason. Gannon could have the opportunity to handpick his own quarterback – which he did not get to do with Murray – and immediately start retooling the team to reverse their recent struggles. Murray could also be an appealing asset on the trade market that could result in even more picks for Arizona to kickstart their rebuild.

If Murray has indeed played his last snap in Arizona, he will have finished with a 38-48-1 record in 87 starts, 235.2 passing yards per game, 121 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions.

Pro Football Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 12/5/25

December 5th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pro Football Rumors' Sam Robinson will be holding a live chat at 3pm Central today, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers!

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Cowboys Comfortable Using Franchise Tag On George Pickens?

December 5th, 2025 at 10:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

Thursday marked a rare down night in terms of production for George Pickens. His debut season with the Cowboys has overwhelmingly been a success, and a major financial windfall is expected.

No known talks on a long-term deal have taken place yet, which is an understandable stance from both sides. Pickens remains on track for free agency at this point, although it remains to be seen if he will reach the open market. A recent report indicated the Cowboys would be willing to use the franchise tag to retain Pickens for 2026.

Tagging the Georgia product will cost roughly $28MM for next year. Dallas would need to take on that figure as a cap charge unless a multi-year pact could later be worked out. In spite of that, ESPN’s Todd Archer and Jeremy Fowler write the Cowboys do not appear to be “afraid” of the cost of applying the tag in this case. Dallas has taken that route several teams over the years, and it would come as little surprise if ensuring Pickens remains in place were to be a major 2026 priority.

Of course, a long-term deal close to the top of the receiver market could be the target from Pickens’ camp if his career year finishes on a high note. Nine receivers are attached to an AAV of $30MM or more, and the former second-rounder could certainly look to join that group. Pickens has been a focal point for the Cowboys on offense this year, averaging 15.1 yards per reception and scoring eight touchdowns.

That production will set him up for a major raise compared to his rookie contract in one way or another. Still, the Cowboys could be hesitant about a long-term commitment in this case. Pickens drew criticism for off-the-field matters like punctuality during his tenure with the Steelers, and it appears they have followed him to Dallas. Per the ESPN report, the 24-year-old has been fined by the Cowboys for being late at times this season.

Overall, the matter is not considered a major issue, with quarterback Dak Prescott‘s leadership cited as a factor for why Pickens has not been involved in any controversies so far for Dallas. Provided that remains the case down the stretch, team and player will be willing to negotiate a big-ticket contract. Things would certainly become complicated in the event of a tag – given the fact it could lead to absences during the spring and training camp – but for now that looks to be a path the Cowboys are fully prepared to go down.

Bills Claim Darnell Savage, Place Darius Slay On Reserve/Retired List

December 5th, 2025 at 10:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

As of Darius Slay‘s most recent remarks on his situation, he had not yet been moved to the Bills’ reserve/retired list. That is now taking place, though.

Buffalo is making the expected procedural move, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. This ensures Slay will not play for the Bills while opening a roster spot in the process. The team has not waited long to find a replacement in the secondary.

Darnell Savage has been claimed off waivers, per Rapoport. Savage joined the Commanders in September shortly after his Jaguars release. After not seeing much in the way of playing time in Washington, however, the former first-rounder requested to be let go. The Commanders granted it, moving Savage to the waiver wire. Instead of reaching free agency for the second time during the season, he will now (presumably, at least) head to Buffalo. Both moves are now official, per a team announcement.

Slay’s Steelers tenure came to an end after Asante Samuel Jr. signed with Pittsburgh. Reversing his intra-Pennsylvania switch from the offseason seemed to be in store at the time, and Philadelphia put in a waiver claim. With a reported mutual interest between Slay and the Eagles regarding a reunion, many have pointed to the parties reconnecting as a possibility. For now, though, Slay’s rights still belong to the Bills.

Savage, 28, made eight appearances with the Commanders but played only a rotational role on defense. His workload was set to shrink even further with Will Harris returning to the fold. Given this move, Savage will have a brief opportunity to carve out a role of some kind in Buffalo. With the Bills sitting at 8-4, he will at least have a much better chance of seeing postseason action compared to finishing out the year in the nation’s capital.

The Bills currently rank fist in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (163). Issues against the run could remain down the stretch, but the team’s secondary will be a unit continuing to face high relatively high expectations. Savage could chip in for the closing stages of the campaign and in doing so provide a slight boost to his free agent value.

Latest On Bills’ Injuries

December 5th, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s been a brutal year for injuries in the NFL, and the Bills have not been safe from the carnage. A couple reports today provided some insight on some of the team’s short-term and long-term injury situations.

In the short term, a report from earlier this week that pass rusher Joey Bosa would miss some time was confirmed with the release of the team’s final injury report of the week. As the defensive end missed the entire week of practice with a hamstring injury, he’s been ruled out for this weekend. The same is true of linebacker Terrel Bernard, who missed last week, as well, with an elbow injury.

In Bernard’s absence last week, veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson stepped up as a replacement starter. Injuries have made Buffalo extremely thin at defensive end, though. With Bosa out, A.J. Epenesa should see an increased role across from Gregory Rousseau. At times this year, second-year pass rusher Javon Solomon has seen some increased usage, and this could be a perfect opportunity to earn more playing time. The team has also shifted defensive tackle T.J. Sanders out to the edge recently to fill out the line.

In the long term, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic offers a glimmer of hope for defensive tackle Ed Oliver. A long-time pillar on the defensive line in Buffalo, Oliver has been out since the third week of the season with a torn bicep. At the time of the injury, there was some speculation that he may be able to make a return in time for the playoffs, and head coach Sean McDermott has maintained that a window could exist in which Oliver would have the potential to return after the regular season but in time for the playoffs. Anything sooner, though, is not considered likely.

Additionally, any hope of reinforcement from third-round rookie pass rusher Landon Jackson has been shut down. The prolific pass rushing Razorback saw his rookie season put on pause when he suffered a torn MCL and PCL in November. Per Buscaglia, McDermott confirmed today that Jackson is not returning this year.

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.

49ers’ Fred Warner Pushing For Unlikely Return This Season

December 5th, 2025 at 8:14pm CST by Ely Allen

Nearly two months ago, when 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner went down with a brutal ankle injury, he didn’t even get to the end of the day before reports announced that he would be out for the remainde of the season. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, Warner never accepted that prognosis for a moment, and he’s been pushing to make a return before the 2025-26 NFL season comes to an end.

A rumor about this was floating around in late-October, suggesting that Warner could be healthy enough to return for the postseason, should the team make it there. Realistically, 49ers fans should read little into that past simply appreciating the drive and passion of a core teammate. While Warner tells general manager John Lynch “every day” that he’ll return to the field before the 49ers finish playing, Lynch broke down the reality of the situation.

“Well, medically, no,” Lynch answered as questions about a potential postseason return have continued to circulate. “I mean, the docs say it’s probably on the wrong side of the range that they would suggest. But even the docs with Fred say, ‘You know what, let him rehab as if he’s coming back for something and we’ll see where he’s at.'”

Ultimately, medical experts are likely going to need to curb him at some point. Lynch continued, “I think it’s outside the realm, and I promise you, it’s our duty, with a player like Fred, not to ever put himself in harm’s way, in terms of not being ready. And so, we’ll follow the orders of the doctors. They’ll control this, but Fred is going to push the limits, and he is doing everything possible.”

According to his head coach, Warner “lives” in a hyperbaric chamber, utilizing it for two or three hours a day. He’s at the team’s facilities “all the time” in his efforts to make a return. There’s certainly a balance between encouraging Warner in his determination and making sure he doesn’t do anything that could ultimately delay his return. When the playoffs begin, Warner will only be 13 weeks removed from his injury. As much as the four-time first-team All-Pro wants to be back to help his team make a playoff run, it’s still unlikely that it will be feasible without risking reinjury.

Lynch also commended defensive end Nick Bosa, who suffered a torn ACL three weeks before Warner’s injury. While Bosa is also bringing an impressive approach to his rehabilitation sessions, the 28-year-old pass rusher is working towards a much more reasonable target return date. Per Maiocco, Bosa is “aiming to be ready for the opening of the 2026 season.”

NFL Minor Transactions: 12/5/25

December 5th, 2025 at 6:37pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s only minor transactions:

Green Bay Packers

Bohanna’s journeys continue as he finds himself on his fourth team in five years of play. A former sixth-round pick out of Kentucky, Bohanna became a starter for the Cowboys in his sophomore campaign. He was passed up on the depth chart the next year and failed to make the 53-man roster as a result. Since then, he’s bounced around, spending time on practice squads in Detroit, Tennessee, and Seattle. The Seahawks called him up to the active roster for a month before putting him on waivers yesterday.

To make room on the 53-man roster, the Packers put Wyatt on injured reserve following his recent ankle fracture.

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