Browns Extend DE Alex Wright
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
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).
Saints Plan To Waive WR Brandin Cooks
NOVEMBER 20: While the Saints/Cooks divorce still appears to be happening, there is a slight holdup. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the move still hasn’t gone through as the two sides work through “contractual technicalities.” The wideout is still destined for the waiver wire before potentially hitting free agency.
NOVEMBER 19: Well-traveled wide receiver Brandin Cooks could land with another team in the coming days. The Saints and Cooks mutually agreed to part ways on Wednesday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. Cooks will be free to sign anywhere if he goes through waivers unclaimed.
The move to cut Cooks came after he renegotiated his contract down, according to Underhill. He had a little over $2MM in guarantees left, including a 2026 salary of approximately $1.7MM, NewOrleans.Football colleague Mike Triplett notes.
Now 32 years old, Cooks entered the NFL as a first-round pick of the Saints in 2014. After spending his first three years in New Orleans, he divided the next eight among the Patriots, Rams, Texans, and Cowboys. Cooks returned to the Saints on a two-year, $13MM pact last March.
With the Saints well out of contention, Cooks’ name came up in the rumor mill ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. A trade involving Cooks would have been his fifth. That would have set a new NFL record, but the Saints didn’t find a taker. However, one could emerge now that adding Cooks won’t require surrendering draft compensation.
The Bills, Broncos, and Steelers are among contenders that were looking for receivers before the deadline. None of those teams acquired one, which could make any of them logical landing spots for Cooks. It’s worth pointing out that Cooks began his career under Broncos head coach Sean Payton, then with the Saints.
Whether it’s Denver or another club, Cooks’ next employer will be picking up someone who has recorded 729 catches, 9,697 yards, and 60 touchdowns in 168 career regular-season games. While that’s excellent production, Cooks’ output has experienced a dramatic decline over the past couple of years.
Cooks caught 26 of 54 targets for 259 yards and three TDs in 10 games with the Cowboys last season. In his reunion with the Saints this year, Cooks grabbed 19 of 25 targets for just 165 yards and no scores. Cooks played 34 offensive snaps in a win over Carolina in Week 10, which proved to be his final game with the Saints, but rookie quarterback Tyler Shough didn’t target him.
Now that he’s leaving New Orleans, there’s a good chance Cooks will enter into a better QB situation than he had with the Saints this year or the Cowboys in 2024. Before working with the inexperienced duo of Shough and Spencer Rattler in New Orleans, Cooks mostly teamed with Cowboys backup Cooper Rush last season. He hasn’t paired with an above-average QB since Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 9 of 2024.
For their part, the Saints have now subtracted a pair of notable veteran receivers this month. Cooks is following Rashid Shaheed, whom the Saints traded to the Seahawks, out the door. Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, and Mason Tipton are the only WRs left on the Saints’ active roster.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/20/25
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Kaden Davis
- Placed on IR: LB Cameron McGrone
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: C Doug Kramer
- Released: RB Myles Gaskin
Washington Commanders
- Signed: WR Jacoby Jones
- Released: S Daryl Worley
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/20/25
Today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return from IR: CB Khalil Dorsey
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: CB Dwight McGlothern
It’s encouraging to learn that Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey is back on the practice field. The player broke his leg towards the end of the 2024 campaign but was able to work his way back for the start of the 2025 season. After getting into the first four games, Dorsey was sidelined with a concussion, and as he worked his way through protocol, he suffered a wrist injury that landed him on IR. The former UDFA has appeared in 37 career games, collecting 31 tackles and three passes defended. He’s also seen some time as a returner.
Bills Place WR Mecole Hardman On IR, Promote WR Gabriel Davis From Practice Squad
The Bills are down another offensive weapon. Less than a week after making his Bills debut, Mecole Hardman is heading to injured reserve, according to the team.
The veteran wideout seemed to be trending towards being at least inactive for Thursday Night Football. After getting into seven offensive snaps on Sunday, the receiver didn’t practice this week while nursing a calf injury. Now, that injury will keep him off the field for at least the next month.
After spending the preseason with the Packers, Hardman landed on Green Bay’s practice squad to start the 2025 campaign. He was released after only a few weeks, and he was a free agent until landing with Buffalo’s taxi squad earlier this month. He was quickly activated to the active roster, and he garnered a single target in his team debut.
Besides a brief stop with the Jets, Hardman had spent the majority of his career playing with the Chiefs. After averaging close to 600 receiving yards per season through his first three years in the NFL, Hardman has been limited to only 511 yards since 2022. He hauled in only 12 catches in 12 games with the Chiefs in 2024, although he did serve as the team’s primary punt returner.
The Bills will be digging into their offensive depth tonight against the Texans. Besides Hardman, the team will also be without tight end Dalton Kincaid, receiver Curtis Samuel, and probably wideout Keon Coleman, who is heading towards a second-straight week of sitting on the sideline. As a result, the team has once again elevated Gabe Davis from the practice squad.
The former Bills standout reunited with the team back in September but sat out the first few months as he continued to recover from a torn meniscus and torn PCL. He made his season debut on Sunday, hauling in three catches for 40 yards. He’ll join a receiver corps that also includes Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Tyrell Shavers, and Elijah Moore. With Kincaid out, the Bills have also promoted TE Keleki Latu from the practice squad.
49ers LB Tatum Bethune To Miss Multiple Games
Even the 49ers’ injury replacements are getting hurt. Linebacker Tatum Bethune, who stepped in for All-Pro Fred Warner after he went down in Week 6, will now miss multiple games with a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 11.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced (via NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco) Bethune’s injury on Thursday and named five-year veteran Curtis Robinson as the team’s new starting middle linebacker. Robinson is primarily a special teams contributor, but has played the most defensive snaps of his career this season. That workload will grow further as he steps into a full-time role in the 49ers defense.
Bethune, 25, has not been able to replicate Warner’s all-around impact – few players in the NFL could. But he has been a reliable tackler, racking up 60 tackles in his five games before getting injured. San Francisco will be hoping that he can return before the end of the season to bolster a defense that has been decimated by injuries.
Sunday’s game against the Panthers will be Robinson’s first NFL start. Carolina’s offense has been extremely inconsistent this season, but Bryce Young just set a franchise record with 448 passing yards last week. The 49ers, meanwhile, just gave up 452 yards and an NFL-record 47 completions to Jacoby Brissett and the Cardinals.
CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens Benched For First Series Of Week 11; Latest On Pickens’ Future
NOVEMBER 20: Lamb revealed on Thursday (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) that he and Pickens were disciplined for missing curfew the night before the game. The two were out late at Red Rock Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Sunday night.
NOVEMBER 18: Dallas rolled to a 33-16 win in Las Vegas on Monday, but the game started oddly for the Cowboys. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer left the Cowboys’ top two wide receivers, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, on the bench for the team’s first offensive series. Both players ended up making major contributions in the Cowboys’ victory, but it was initially unclear why they didn’t start.
Owner Jerry Jones addressed the situation afterward (links via Jon Machota of The Athletic), saying Schottenheimer’s decision “had to do with meeting type discipline.” Jones added that Lamb and Pickens “had a late problem there.”
Lamb declined to discuss the matter on Monday, while Pickens said the brief benching had to do with “certain personnel” (via Machota).
Regardless of what exactly happened, it quickly became water under the bridge for Schottenheimer. The first-year HC was effusive when speaking about the receiving tandem after the game (via Todd Archer of ESPN).
Schottenheimer said that “[Lamb and Pickens] literally jump-started the offense when they got back in. They didn’t hang their heads, didn’t do any of that stuff. That’s why I love those guys, man.”
Lamb had a strong night, catching five passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Pickens produced all-world numbers with nine grabs, 144 yards, and a score. They accounted for more than half of quarterback Dak Prescott‘s 25 completions and 210 of his 268 passing yards.
The Cowboys already have Lamb under wraps for the next few seasons, having signed the star WR1 to a four-year, $136MM extension in August 2024. Pickens’ future is up in the air, though, as he remains on track to reach free agency in the offseason.
Pickens had some behind-the-scenes issues, including with punctuality, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers then decided to move on from Pickens in the offseason, trading him and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys for a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Aside from Schottenheimer’s minor disciplinary measure on Monday, there hasn’t been any reported drama involving Pickens since he got to Dallas. On the field, the 24-year-old is easily on pace for the best season of his career. He ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards (908), tied for third in TDs (seven), and 11th in catches (58).
Pickens is playing his way into a sizable multiyear contract, especially if he hits the open market. However, the Cowboys could place the franchise tag on Pickens if they don’t reach an agreement before March. That would cost around $29MM, and it’s reportedly an avenue the Cowboys will strongly consider. Jones seems prepared to keep Pickens one way or other.
Asked if the Cowboys could build a balanced roster with Lamb, Pickens, and a $60MM defensive tackle trio (Quinnen Williams, Osa Odighizuwa, and Kenny Clark) eating up an enormous amount of cap space, Jones told 105.3 The Fan, “Yes. Yes.”
The Cowboys will enter the offseason needing to clear out roughly $47MM just to get back to even, per Over the Cap. While Jones seems unfazed, he’ll have work to do to open up spending room to retain Pickens and address other needs on the roster.
Texans RB Joe Mixon Not Expected To Play In 2025
Texans running back Joe Mixon is not expected to play in 2025, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Mixon suffered a foot injury while working out in the offseason, which landed him on the non-football injury list at the beginning of training camp. He missed all of training camp and was placed on the physically unable to perform list to start the regular season, stirring significant concerns about him playing at all in 2025.
Updates at the end of September added more doubt that Mixon would suit up anytime soon, and Rapoport’s most recent report indicates that Mixon will likely stay on the PUP list for the rest of the year. That will keep veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks in place as the team’s primary ballcarriers, but they have not led the Texans’ running game to as much success as Mixon did last year.
Houston finished the 2024 season with the 15th-most rushing yards, touchdowns, and yards per attempt. Currently, they rank 22nd or worse in all of those categories. That may not only be a result of Mixon’s absence – the Texans also overhauled their offensive line this offseason – but the eight-year veteran is clearly missed this year.
The Texans acquired Mixon from the Bengals via trade last offseason and signed him to a two-year, $19.75MM extension. He missed three games with an ankle injury, but ranked ninth in the league with 72.6 yards per game. His 11 touchdowns were tied with Jonathan Taylor for 11th-most in the NFL.
Houston added running back depth this offseason in the form of Chubb ($2.5M free agency signing) and Marks (fourth-round pick, No. 116 overall). Chubb is averaging 4.2 yards per carry, while Marks is only at 3.5. Both have two touchdowns and 17 first downs on the ground, but Marks has been a far more effective pass-catcher. The youngster seems to have a role in the Texans’ offense as a third-down back, but Chubb is on a one-year deal and Mixon has no guaranteed money in 2026. Houston could remake their backfield this offseason with more investments in external additions.
Packers LT Rasheed Walker Expected To Hit Free Agency
Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker could be the best player at his position to hit free agency in 2026. Green Bay is not expected to re-sign Walker before his contract expires, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, which would make him one of the biggest prizes of the offseason.
Starting-caliber left tackles rarely make it to free agency, much less a prototypical physical talent like Walker who has already established himself in the NFL. He was originally projected to be a Day 2 pick before falling on draft weekend due to lingering injuries from college.
The Packers took a change with the No. 249 pick, and a little over a year later, it paid off when David Bakhtiari suffered a season- and ultimately, career-ending injury. Walker stepped right in and has started all but one game since. This year, his 94.3% pass block win rate ranks seventh among the league’s offensive tackles, per ESPN’s Matt Bowen, and the 25-year-old still has room to grown.
The Packers have just $10.2MM in 2026 cap space with only 41 players under contract, per OverThe Cap. They can obviously find ways to create more room, but they just paid right tackle Zach Tom this offseason and already have an expensive interior offensive line. A seventh-round pick like Walker may also want to hit his full earning potential by auctioning his services to the highest bidder.
That should set him up to eclipse Dan Moore‘s four-year, $82MM deal with the Titans, an example of how much even unheralded left tackles can make on the open market. He hit free agency last offseason and earned a contract that put him in the company of Garett Bolles, Dion Dawkins, and Ronnie Stanley, who have all received Pro Bowl and/or All-Pro recognition in their careers. Walker is thought to be better than Moore and one NFC executive expects him to get “paid paid,” per Fowler.