HEADLINES

Steelers Looking To Add WR To Maximize Success With Aaron Rodgers

October 23rd, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Steelers are interested in adding a wide receiver before the NFL’s trade deadline, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

This is nothing new for Pittsburgh, who are constantly mentioned in receiver trade rumors. They have been as active in the position’s market as any other team in the last year, acquiring Mike Williams before the 2024 deadline, landing D.K. Metcalf in a blockbuster move in March, and sending George Pickens to the Cowboys in May. Despite interest in adding another wideout before the season, the Steelers decided to see what their offense would look like with Aaron Rodgers under center.

The results so far have been encouraging. Pittsburgh is 4-2 with sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Behind them are the 3-4 Bengals, who are hoping that Joe Flacco can keep their offense afloat until a potential late-season return from Joe Burrow. The 2-5 Browns are reportedly targeting a top quarterback prospect in the 2025 draft, indicating they have no intention of competing this year. The Ravens are 1-5 and enter Week 8 desperately needing Lamar Jackson to return from his hamstring injury before their season slips completely away.

As a result, the Steelers have a clear opportunity to run away with the division and even compete for a top AFC playoff seed. That has created a desire to maximize the team’s chances of making a run while they have Rodgers, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. Running back Jaylen Warren is averaging 36.8 receiving yards per game and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has deployed all three of his tight ends effectively, but the Steelers could use more consistent production from their receiver room.

Rodgers has established a good connection with Metcalf, but Pittsburgh’s other wideouts have not stepped up. Calvin Austin went quiet after a 70-yard performance in Week 1 and missed the last three games with a shoulder injury. 2024 third-rounder Roman Wilson has only five targets on 92 snaps despite hopes of a second-year breakout. Depth options Ben Skowronek and Scott Miller have not offered much, either.

Whether it’s adding a more reliable rotational piece or a legitimate WR2, the Steelers seem intent on adding a wide receiver in the coming weeks, according to FOX Sports’ Eric Williams. Unlike last year, the positions trade market isn’t particularly hot, which might mean that Pittsburgh has less competition to acquire a receiver, but also that there are fewer players for them to target.

NFL Dissatisfied With Onside Kick Setup

October 23rd, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Offseason rule changes are regularly dictated by which way the league office leans on a particular issue. The 2026 offseason may bring legitimate momentum to changing the onside kick.

NFL executive VP Troy Vincent said it may be time for a true discussion about altering the play, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones noting the onside kick’s increasingly anticlimactic status has disappointed the league. This language once applied to the extra point, and it was then moved back to the 15-yard line. That has brought far more compelling sequences compared to the setup still used at the college level.

Vincent indicated it may be time to revisit a fourth-and-15 alternative here. A frequent offseason topic, the fourth-and-15 alternative has not gained serious traction in the recent past. The league tabled the matter this offseason. Back in 2020, however, some support for the fourth-and-15 play existed. Vincent’s comments are certainly notable from that angle, and the onside kick recovery data has shifted toward the play being a near-foregone conclusion since the seminal rule change banned running starts from kickoff coverage units.

Only one onside kick (out of 21 tries) produced a recovery this season. In 2024, teams trying them were 3-for-50. Prior to the dynamic kickoff’s 2024 implementation — which removed surprise onside efforts and limited declared onside tries to fourth quarters — success rate fell below 8% four times from 2018-23 (per Odds Shark). The NFL banned running starts on kickoffs, as a safety measure, in 2018. From 2010-17, non-surprise onside kicks were recovered by kicking teams 13.2% of the time.

The league will be highly unlikely to reintroduce running starts on onside plays, and the dynamic kickoff looks here to stay. Kick returns are up significantly, thanks to the league moving the touchback line from the 30 to the 35 this offseason, so the fourth-and-15 alternative — or something comparable — will be a storyline to monitor going into the spring meetings, where rule changes launch.

It can be argued teams should not have a play that gives them a reasonable chance of stealing a possession, but the running-start era did provide better odds at recoveries. Fourth-and-15 plays would favor those with high-end passing attacks, but they would undoubtedly inject more drama into late-game sequences.

From changing the extra point to adding a seventh playoff team per conference to adjusting the late-season schedule to ensure Christmas Day games occur, the league acts frequently to make viewer-friendly changes. It appears momentum exists for a significant change on special teams, one that will make the quarterback position slightly more valuable than it already is.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/23/25

October 23rd, 2025 at 8:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL, including the Chargers practice squad elevations for Thursday Night Football.

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Jets

  • Waived: OT Esa Pole

Philadelphia Eagles

Chargers ‘Desperate’ For RB Upgrade?

October 23rd, 2025 at 7:57pm CST by Connor Byrne

Having lost top two options Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris to significant injuries, the Chargers are “desperate” for an upgrade at running back, Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports reports. A deal doesn’t appear imminent, however, as Vacchiano notes there’s more demand than supply leading up to the Nov. 4 trade deadline.

Hampton, the 22nd overall pick in last spring’s draft, was productive over his first five games before suffering an ankle injury in a Week 5 loss to the Commanders. The Chargers quickly placed Hampton on IR, setting him up for at least a four-game absence. He missed his third game on Thursday versus Minnesota and won’t be eligible to return until Week 10 against Pittsburgh.

While Hampton could rejoin the Chargers’ offense this year, Harris is done for 2025 after tearing his Achilles in a Week 3 win over the Broncos. That’s a notable shot to the Chargers’ depth.

With Hampton and Harris out of commission, Kimani Vidal has gotten the lion’s share of the work over the past couple of weeks. The 2024 sixth-round pick helped the Chargers to a Week 6 win in Miami with 124 yards on 18 carries, but he managed just 20 yards on nine attempts in a loss to the Colts last Sunday.

Hassan Haskins acted as the backup to Vidal in the wake of Hampton’s IR placement, but a hamstring injury kept him out of Thursday’s game. The Chargers elevated practice squad RBs Nyheim Hines and Jaret Patterson to add some much-needed depth. Hines missed all of the previous two seasons after tearing his ACL in a jet ski accident, and he hasn’t gotten a carry since 2022. Meanwhile, Patterson entered Thursday with just 85 carries since he entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2021.

Considering the Chargers aren’t content with their in-house options, the Jets’ Breece Hall and the Saints’ Alvin Kamara are among running backs who could be on their radar. As far as RBs go, Hall and Kamara are the “biggest names that have come up in league circles,” Vacchiano writes.

Either Hall or Kamara would give the Chargers a proven starter to fill in for Hampton and a capable complement if he returns. There are roadblocks to a deal in both cases, though. Hall is a pending free agent on a winless team, which makes him a logical trade candidate, but the Jets “don’t seem interested” in dealing him, per Vacchiano. Meanwhile, Kamara has made it known that he doesn’t want to leave New Orleans.

With Hall and Kamara looking like unrealistic targets, the Chargers may have to settle for a less established addition if they succeed in trading for a back. The Browns’ Jerome Ford and the Dolphins’ Jaylen Wright are among backups who have surfaced in trade rumors in recent weeks. They’d be more obtainable than either Hall or Kamara, though it’s unclear if the Chargers are interested.

Chargers OT Joe Alt Returns In Week 8

October 23rd, 2025 at 7:46pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

After missing three games due to an ankle sprain, Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt is officially active for the team’s Thursday night matchup with the Vikings.

After starting at right tackle as a rookie, Alt took over on the blind side this year after Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury in training camp. He played left tackle at Notre Dame and translated seamlessly back into his former position in his first four games, allowing only three pressures and one sack, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

When the Chargers drafted Alt with the No. 5 pick in last year’s draft, they were counting on his ability to flip to right tackle right away. They were also preparing for a situation like Slater’s injury. General manager Joe Hortiz came up in the Ravens front office and saw firsthand how Ronnie Stanley‘s 2020 ankle injury altered their fortunes for years to come. So, with his first major move in charge in Los Angeles – and the franchise’s highest draft pick since Joey Bosa – he selected Alt. A little more than a year later, and the decision appears to be vindicated by Alt’s performance on the blind side.

Right tackle Trey Pipkins is also active for Thursday’s game after missing two weeks with an ankle injury. He stepped into the starting right tackle role after Slater’s injury this summer after primarily playing right guard in 2024. However, Bobby Hart still got the start against the Vikings, signaling that he may have the job moving forward.

Ravens Sign OLB Carl Lawson

October 23rd, 2025 at 6:16pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens signed veteran edge rusher Carl Lawson on Thursday, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

The seven-year veteran will join Baltimore’s practice squad after a workout earlier this week, according to KPRC2’S Aaron Wilson. A shortage of outside linebacker depth could press Lawson into action right away, though he will have to get up to speed quickly after not signing with any team this offseason.

The Ravens currently have three healthy edge rushers on their active roster after trading Odafe Oweh to the Chargers and losing Tavius Robinson to a broken foot in Week 6. Robinson was placed on injured reserve and is not expected back until late November at the earliest. 2024 third-rounder Adisa Isaac started the year on IR and could return sooner than Robinson, but he barely played as a rookie and is still somewhat of an unknown quantity.

Lawson brings plenty of experience with 89 appearances and 34 starts in his career. The 2017 fourth-round pick logged 20.0 sacks for the Bengals in his first four seasons before signing a three-year deal with the Jets in 2021. A torn Achilles ended his season in training camp, but he came back strong in 2022, starting all 17 games with seven sacks and nine tackles for loss. Injuries hampered Lawson in 2023, but he rebounded again in 2024 with five sacks in a rotational role for the Cowboys.

The Ravens also waived tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden on Thursday, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, signaling that veteran fullback Patrick Ricard will be making his season debut on Sunday. Ricard missed the first six games with a nagging calf injury with Mitchell-Paden filling his role in the offense, but his absence has had a noticeable impact on the Ravens’ run game.

NFC North Notes: Bears, Decker, Vikings

October 23rd, 2025 at 4:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three years as the Bears‘ left tackle starter, Braxton Jones won a competition to keep the gig during training camp. But the contract-year blocker has since been benched, ceding his blindside spot to Theo Benedet. This leaves the former fifth-round pick in limbo. Teams are now monitoring Jones as a potential trade chip, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Rival clubs are viewing Jones as a “sensible” trade candidate, per Fowler, as the Division I-FCS find has 44 career starts on his resume.

Being benched early in a contract year, Jones does not figure to feature in Chicago’s post-2025 plans. A path to the 2026 free agent market appears clear. Teams are generally reluctant to part with proven O-linemen in trades, but with Chicago having Benedet in place and having used a second-round pick on tackle Ozzy Trapilo, Jones could be deemed expendable. This chain of events has led teams to at least monitor this situation, as Jones’ experience would be intriguing to a team with a tackle need. Pro Football Focus ranks Jones 57th among tackle regulars this season; the advanced metrics site, however, bestowed top-25 marks on the Southern Utah alum in 2022 and ’24.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • In and out of the Lions‘ lineup this season, Taylor Decker is battling a shoulder injury. After missing Weeks 5 and 6, Decker reemerged to start against the Buccaneers on Monday night. Decker allowed a sack-strip in protection in the Lions’ Week 7 win but graded out well in PFF’s view. Dan Campbell cast some doubt (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett) about Decker returning to 100% this season, considering the unspecified shoulder injury he is battling. Following Frank Ragnow in playing through an injury (as the since-retired center did in 2024), Decker is tied to a three-year, $60MM contract that runs through 2027. The 32-year-old blocker has been the Lions’ starting left tackle since 2016.
  • Staying with the O-line theme here, the Vikings are considering moving Blake Brandel to the center position on a full-time basis. Brandel has started at both center and left guard this season, having filled in for Ryan Kelly at center, but has primarily been a guard in the pros. Vikings OC Wes Phillips said (via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert) center might be his best position. Kelly suffering two concussions early this season makes his IR-return timetable murky, amplifying the importance of the Vikes having Brandel as a swingman. Brandel made 17 starts at guard last season, being demoted due to the Kelly, Will Fries and Donovan Jackson additions this offseason. But he is back in a first-string role as the Vikings face the Chargers tonight.
  • Leading up to the 2024 draft, the Giants and Vikings aggressively pursued Drake Maye. Both made strong trade offers for the Patriots’ No. 3 overall pick. Minnesota offered its Nos. 11 and 23 picks, along with its 2025 first-rounder. That rivaled the Giants’ proposal (Nos. 6 and 47, along with a 2025 first). In addition to the Vikes’ first-round choices included in the offer, they and the Pats would have swapped Day 3 picks in the deal, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Though, the third-day component in this offer brought Minnesota-favored terms, Breer adds. The Pats held onto the pick and chose Maye, which certainly looks like a wise decision. The Vikings moved up one spot to No. 10 for J.J. McCarthy, passing on Bo Nix. The jury is still out on McCarthy’s NFL trajectory.

Vikings Activate RB Aaron Jones From IR

October 23rd, 2025 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings are now halfway through their injury activations for the regular season. The fourth is being used on a quick activation. Aaron Jones is back on Minnesota’s active roster two days after being designated for return.

This certainly reveals the team’s confidence in its highest-paid running back, who will come off IR in time for tonight’s Vikings-Chargers matchup. The Vikings waived linebacker Kobe King to clear roster space. They are also making guard Henry Byrd a gameday elevation.

Minnesota used two of its injury activations this summer, taking advantage of the NFL’s 2024 rule change that allows for up to two IR-return slots to be used to preserve roster spots on cutdown day. Those went to fullback C.J. Ham and linebacker Tyler Batty. The team also activated linebacker Blake Cashman off IR. Jones, though, profiles as the most significant of Minnesota’s early-season IR-return moves.

Thursday’s move marks the second time Jones, who is coming off a hamstring injury sustained in Week 2, has been activated from IR. The Packers did so in 2023 and proceeded to watch him finish the season with five straight 100-yard rushing efforts. Jones is now 30, and trade pickup Jordan Mason has been the Vikings’ lead back this season. It will be interesting to see how Minnesota reintegrates Jones, who delivered a strong season in his Twin Cities debut.

On a one-year, $7MM deal in 2024, Jones posted a career-high 1,138 rushing yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground. The Vikings gave him a two-year, $20MM contract to re-sign, though they traded for Mason days later. Mason has played well in Jones’ absence, totaling 380 yards (4.5 per tote) and four rushing TDs. The duo will work in tandem again beginning tonight in Los Angeles, which will feature another Carson Wentz start. The team has still deemed J.J. McCarthy unready to return from a Week 2 high ankle sprain.

Only a one-time Pro Bowler despite having four 1,000-yard seasons on his resume and remaining a productive starting back into his early 30s, Jones has a chance to reestablish the momentum he did in Year 1 with Kevin O’Connell. A strong second half would give the ninth-year veteran a chance to stick in Minnesota for a third year.

The Vikings will see $2MM of Jones’ $9MM 2026 base salary become guaranteed on Day 3 of the ’26 league year. Jones may not be able to afford another injury absence, as that $9MM number — coupled with Mason’s more affordable deal and far lower mileage — makes the vet a cut candidate. For now, Jones will attempt to play a key role in the Vikings booking their third O’Connell-era playoff berth.

Negotiations On 18-Game Schedule Paused During NFLPA Leadership Search

October 23rd, 2025 at 12:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

David White is currently in place as the NFLPA’s interim executive director. The search for his permanent replacement is underway, and that process will be at the center of the union’s attention until it is complete.

A new full-time executive director is expected to be in place at some point next year. Until a hire is made, negotiations on the next collective bargaining agreement – in particular, expanding the schedule to 18 regular season games – will understandably be put on hold. Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed as much when speaking at the league’s fall meeting.

“I can’t see anything of significance happening on our side as far as starting formal negotiations until that’s determined,” Goodell said (via Mark Maske of the Washington Post). “In the meantime, we spent a lot of time even in the last couple days talking about our priorities.

“You can’t start negotiations or discussions until both parties are ready. So from my standpoint, we’re going to do our part to be ready… There are a lot of issues that we are going to raise and certainly the players will raise… So they’re going to need time to make sure that they’re prepared, that they’re ready for the negotiations [and] they have their priorities straight.”

Given the fact NFL owners instituted a 17-game schedule at the first opportunity under the current CBA, it has long been assumed another expansion of the regular season would be inevitable. Howell noted last month that may not be the case, and negotiations on this front will see a number of union priorities factored in (such as a potential second bye week along with concerns related to travel and playing surfaces).

The CBA runs through the 2030 campaign, so plenty of time remains for an agreement on the schedule to be reached. Nevertheless, any efforts on the part of owners to approve an 18-game setup along an early timeline will essentially be on hold until White’s successor is in place.

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