Rams Fire ST Coordinator Chase Blackburn
After a costly loss to the NFC West rival Seahawks on Thursday, the Rams have fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Ben Kotwica, previously the assistant special teams coach, will take over for Blackburn.
Blackburn’s dismissal is the first in-season coaching change Sean McVay has made since he took the reins in 2017, Schefter notes. McVay’s unexpected late-season adjustment comes on the heels of the Rams’ latest special teams gaffe.
Holding a 30-14 lead in Seattle, the Rams allowed a 58-yard punt return touchdown to Rashid Shaheed. That helped the Seahawks storm back to force overtime and pull out a 38-37 victory. The outcome was enormous for both sides. The Rams owned the No. 1 seed in the NFC entering the contest, but they’re now 11-4, trailing the 12-3 Seahawks in the division, and sitting in fifth place in the conference.
The Rams are on the NFL’s shortlist of Super Bowl contenders despite consistent special teams issues. Pro Football Focus ranks the unit 28th in the league. The Rams have gone through multiple kickers and long snappers. A blocked kick against the Eagles in Week 3 cost them a potential buzzer-beating victory and led to a loss.
McVay expressed frustration with the Rams’ special teams difficulties in early November, saying (via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk): “It’s going to cost us — it’s cost us already. It’s been a momentum killer. It does take the air out of our sails. Our guys have shown they can respond and overcome it. But you do have to be — the harsh and the truth of it is, is this is not sustainable to continuously go where we want to go.”
A month and a half later, McVay is waving goodbye to Blackburn. A linebacker with the Giants and Panthers from 2005-14, Blackburn has worked as a special teams coach on multiple staffs since his playing days ended. He was the Panthers’ ST coordinator from 2018-21. After a year on Mike Vrabel’s staff in Tennessee, Blackburn joined the Rams in 2023. Under two full seasons later, the 42-year-old is on his way out of Los Angeles.
Lions Place Kerby Joseph On IR, Activate Christian Mahogany
Kerby Joseph‘s regular season is over. The Lions announced that they’ve placed the safety on IR with a knee injury. The team activated left guard Christian Mahogany from IR in a corresponding move.
Joseph hasn’t played since a loss to the Chiefs in Week 6, which will go down as his last appearance of the regular season. He’ll miss the Lions’ final three games. In the event the 8-6 club makes a successful charge for a playoff spot, Joseph won’t be eligible for its first-round matchup.
After leading the NFL with nine interceptions and earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2024, Joseph inked a four-year, $86MM extension last April. Although the 25-year-old ballhawk only played in six games this season, he still managed to pick off three passes. Joseph had finally been progressing toward a return, but a setback suffered in practice last week forced the Lions to shut him down.
The Lions entered the season with arguably the league’s best safety tandem in Joseph and Brian Branch. They’ll finish the regular season (and perhaps the playoffs) without either.
Branch tore his Achilles in a Week 14 win over the Cowboys. The Lions’ weakened defense then struggled in a 41-34 loss to the Rams in Week 15. The Rams amassed 519 total yards, including 368 through the air. With Joseph, Branch, and the concussed Thomas Harper unavailable, Avonte Maddox and Erick Hallett got the majority of playing time at safety. Hallett is now out of the organization after the Titans signed him off the Lions’ practice squad on Tuesday, but Harper has cleared concussion protocol and will play against the Steelers on Sunday.
Mahogany, a second-year man who has started in all eight appearances this season, has missed six games in a row with a fractured fibula. He’s now active again 10 days after Detroit opened his 21-day practice window, though Mahogany is still listed as questionable for Week 16. Three other Lions offensive linemen (Graham Glasgow, Taylor Decker, and Trystan Colon) are also questionable. Detroit’s banged-up line will face a shorthanded Pittsburgh pass rush, though, with T.J. Watt (lung) and Nick Herbig (hamstring) set to miss the game.
Buccaneers Elevate Jason Pierre-Paul
On the eve of a pivotal game against the NFC South rival Panthers, the Buccaneers are elevating edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul from their practice squad, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Pierre-Paul will play in his first game since Dec. 11, 2023, when he was a member of the Dolphins.
Now 36 years old, Pierre-Paul entered the NFL as a first-round pick of the Giants in 2010. He’s now in his second stint with the Buccaneers, whom he played with from 2018-21. Pierre-Paul amassed 33 sacks during that 54-game span and was part of the franchise’s most recent Super Bowl-winning team in 2020.
Between his Tampa Bay and Miami tenures, Pierre-Paul spent time with the Ravens and Saints. He was out of football until the Buccaneers surprisingly signed him to their practice squad on Dec. 8. Pierre-Paul impressed the team during a workout, and he’s now in line to suit up just two weeks later.
Pierre-Paul will join YaYa Diaby, Haason Reddick, Elijah Roberts, Anthony Nelson, and Chris Braswell as the Bucs’ options at edge rusher against the Panthers. Tampa Bay and Carolina, both 7-7, will meet twice over the final three weeks of the season. One of them will win the division, while the other is likely to miss the playoffs.
Along with elevating Pierre-Paul, the Buccaneers are calling up defensive lineman Adam Gotsis from their taxi squad, per Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Gotsis has played in one game and logged eight defensive snaps this year.
Bears Activate LB Tremaine Edmunds
DECEMBER 20: The Bears have activated Edmunds and elevated wide receiver Maurice Alexander from their practice squad.
DECEMBER 19: Set for a crucial meeting with the NFC North rival Packers on Saturday, the Bears could see one of their most important defenders return from IR. They’re planning to activate linebacker Tremaine Edmunds before the game, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
A groin injury forced Edmunds to the shelf on Nov. 22, and the Bears opened his practice window on Monday. That gave them 21 days to activate the 27-year-old, but it appears he’ll be back much quicker than that.
The Bears were off to a surprising 7-3 start when they lost Edmunds, who was a key contributor during that stretch. The two-time Pro Bowler has tallied 89 tackles, four interceptions (tied for a career high), nine passes defensed, and a sack this year. Thanks in part to Edmunds, the Bears lead the NFL with 30 takeaways and 21 INTs.
Having won three of four in Edmunds’ absence, the 10-4 Bears are atop their division and in second place in the conference entering Week 16. The Packers could knock them off the NFC North pedestal with a win in Chicago, though. They defeated the Edmunds-less Bears at Lambeau Field in Week 14.
Edmunds’ return may give the Bears a better chance of preventing a season sweep at the hands of the Packers, though D’Marco Jackson filled in well while he was out. Jackson earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after notching seven tackles, a sack, and a pick in a 31-3 blowout over Cleveland last Sunday. He played 67% of defensive snaps against the Browns. Fellow linebacker T.J. Edwards was on the field for all 57 defensive plays. He and Edmunds should again comprise the Bears’ top two LBs, but Jackson at least gives defensive coordinator Dennis Allen another capable option.
Seahawks S Coby Bryant To Miss Time
Seahawks safety Coby Bryant is expected to miss time with a knee injury suffered in Thursday night’s win over the Rams, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
His absence would deprive Seattle of another key defender for their Week 17 matchup with the Panthers. Outside linebacker Derick Hall was hit with a one-game suspension on Friday, while cornerback Riq Woolen went down with a knee injury of his own on Thursday night. Woolen’s injury is not thought to be serious, per Fowler.
Seattle’s defense has been hit hard by injuries this year, especially in their secondary. Bryant has played the most football of any Seahawks defender with 977 snaps, 95% of the team’s total on the season. No other player has eclipsed 80%.
Bryant is also the only Seahawks defensive back to start every game this season. Fellow safeties Nick Emmanwori and Julian Love have missed multiple games, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon spent October on injured reserve. Even Woolen has been in and out of the starting lineup this year, when healthy.
Both Emmanwori and Love are available now, so the Seahawks have two starting safeties ready to go if Bryant cannot play in Week 17. However, head coach Mike Macdonald may want to keep Emmanwori in his versatile role and could instead tap Ty Okada – who stepped in for Love while he was on IR – to replace Bryant.
Bryant ranks fourth on the team in tackles and passes defended, and his ability to protect the deep areas of the field has been crucial to Seattle’s dominance on defense. The Seahawks are still evaluating Bryant’s knee to determine his return timeline. With a playoff spot secured and the NFC West all-but-one, they may take a cautious approach to ensure that Bryant is ready for the postseason.
Saints Sign Charlie Smyth To Multiyear Deal
Northern Ireland native Charlie Smyth took over as the Saints’ kicker in late November. Three weeks later, the Saints are clearly satisfied with the results. They’ve signed Smyth to a three-year contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
This is the second three-year pact for Smyth, who joined the Saints in March 2024 as part of the NFL’s international player pathway program. He played Gaelic football before immigrating to the United States.
Smyth spent all of last season and most of this year on the Saints’ practice squad. Blake Grupe, who’s now a Colt, served as New Orleans’ kicker until the team waived him on Nov. 25. The Saints brought in veteran Cade York on a practice squad deal at the time, but they instead turned to Smyth as Grupe’s replacement.
While it’s a small sample of work, Smyth has been more accurate than Grupe. The Saints cut ties with Grupe after he made just 18 of 26 field goals over 11 games this year. Smyth has connected on 4 of 5 field goals and all five extra point tries through three games.
The 24-year-old immediately made his mark in his debut in Week 13. Although the Saints lost to the Dolphins, Smyth hit a 56-yarder and also pulled off a successful onside kick. He went on to nail a game-winning 44-yarder in an upset over the Panthers last Sunday. The Saints waived York on Thursday, leaving Smyth as the only kicker in the organization.
Chiefs Place OT Jawaan Taylor, LB Leo Chenal On IR
The Chiefs made a flurry of roster moves on Saturday ahead of their Week 16 matchup with the Titans, per a team announcement.
Right tackle Jawaan Taylor and linebacker Leo Chenal were placed on injured reserve, ending their seasons. Taylor started the first 12 games in the season but has been absent for the last three weeks due to a triceps injury. He is the second Chiefs starting offensive lineman to land on injured reserve this month, joining left tackle Josh Simmons. Jaylon Moore has taken over the right tackle job in Taylor’s stead and will likely continue in that capacity.
Chenal commanded a 53% snap share in the first 14 games of the season before going down with a shoulder injury. He was the Chiefs’ third inside linebacker behind Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill; the trio have taken virtually all of the team’s snaps at the position. Chenal’s absence will likely put fourth-year linebacker Jack Cochrane into a bigger role, though Kansas City could also give rookies like Cooper McDonald and Jeffrey Bassa some opportunities.
To replace Taylor and Chenal on the active roster, the Chiefs signed offensive tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick and quarterback Chris Oladokun from their practice squad. Godrick will provide tackle depth amid the team’s current O-line injuries and Oladokun will back up Gardner Minshew for the rest of the year. Linebacker Cole Christiansen and offensive tackle Matt Waletzko were also elevated from the practice squad to provide depth at the Chiefs’ injured positions.
The Chiefs also waived running back Elijah Mitchell and replaced him with Dameon Pierce. Mitchell signed in Kansas City this offseason but has only appeared in one game during the regular season. Pierce was waived by the Texans in November and signed with Kansas City’s practice squad shortly after. Sunday will be Pierce’s Chiefs debut, and his promotion to the active roster suggests he’ll be in line for some touches during the game.
Cowboys Activate Trevon Diggs, Place DaRon Bland On IR
1:03pm: The Cowboys have activated Diggs and placed Bland on IR, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Bland may require foot surgery.
11:17am: The Cowboys are expected to activate cornerback Trevon Diggs from injured reserve on Sunday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The move will clear the path for Diggs to return from a two-month absence caused by a lingering knee injury and a concussion. However, he is unlikely to return to the starting role he occupied at the beginning of the year.
Diggs’ recovery and return to the field has been somewhat of a saga. He was designated to return from IR at the end of November and practiced for two weeks in a limited capacity. Diggs said he was expecting to play in Week 15 but was not activated ahead of the game. He clarified this week that he was healthy enough to play and still did not know why he was not activated, though he still was a limited participant in practice.
The Cowboys will make the procedural move to activate Diggs so that he does not revert to season-ending injured reserve, but that is no guarantee of a game day role. Recent updates have indicated a disconnect between player and team with some believing that the two sides will part ways this offseason. Diggs and the Cowboys have both stated that they envision their partnership extending into 2026, but most teams and players give that kind of an answer to such questions.
Starting cornerback DaRon Bland has been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup against the Chargers, so the Cowboys might need Diggs at some point during the game. He appears to be ready to play, but may no longer be a core part of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus‘ plans for this season. With Dallas eliminated from the playoffs and Diggs’ injury history, the team may be hoping that he can avoid a re-aggravation this season that could affect him into 2026.
Browns Place RT Jack Conklin On IR
The Browns will finish 2025 without starting right tackle Jack Conklin. The two-time first-team All-Pro is going on injured reserve, the Browns announced.
Conklin hasn’t played since he suffered his second concussion of 2025 in a loss to the 49ers on Nov. 30. The 31-year-old will end up sitting out the Browns’ last five games of the season. KT Leveston is expected to fill in for Conklin for the rest of the year.
Conklin, who has also dealt with eye, elbow, and knee injuries this year, will end 2025 with eight starts in as many appearances. The sixth-year Brown has been a full-time starter over 57 games with the team, but durability has long been an issue. Conklin has missed between five and 16 games in four of his seasons with the Browns, whom the ex-Titan joined on a three-year, $42MM contract in March 2020.
Conklin scored a second lucrative pact with Cleveland – a four-year, $60MM extension – in December 2022. He would have been under club control through 2026, but Conklin agreed to restructure the deal last March. He’ll be a free agent in the offseason as a result.
The Browns are primed for major offseason changes up front with left tackle Cam Robinson (who has filled in for the injured Dawand Jones for most of 2025), guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio, and center Ethan Pocic also unsigned past this season. Both Conklin and Pocic (Achilles) endured injury-ruined campaigns, which won’t do either any favors on the market.
To take Conklin’s roster spot, the Browns signed safety Chris Edmonds to their active roster. Primarly a special teamer, he’ll make his seventh appearance of the season in a Week 16 meeting with Buffalo. Defensive tackles Keith Cooper Jr. and Maurice Hurst will join Edmonds on Sunday. The Browns elevated Cooper and Hurst from the practice squad.
NFL Mailbag: Tua, Pickens, Sanders, HCs
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag covers questions relating to Tua Tagovailoa's future in Miami, the chances of playoff-bound coaches being fired, George Pickens' contract outlook and the Browns' quarterback setup.
Rick asks:
Is this the end of Tua time in Miami? He padded his stats at the end of [Monday] night's game, but that was bizarre to watch. As Aikman said repeatedly, there was zero urgency even though the team was playing for the postseason. Could something else be going on to lead to such an odd performance on the big stage?
This question came amidst the report Tagovailoa would be benched for Week 16, which has since been confirmed. Head coach Mike McDaniel opened the door to such a move in his postgame remarks.
