Bears Exploring ‘Northwest Indiana’ For Stadium Site
The Bears have been on the search for a new home after playing 54 of the past 55 years in the NFL’s oldest stadium, Soldier Field. Earlier this year, they announced Arlington Heights as their target location for the new facility. Today, Bears president & chief executive officer Kevin Warren published an open letter to the public and mentioned a new potential destination sure to grab headlines: Northwest Indiana. 
According to Warren, Arlington Heights, a suburb just northwest of Chicago, would be the only viable site in Cook County, based on all of the requirements needed to host an NFL stadium. Unlike with many other stadium deals in the league, the Bears are reportedly not asking taxpayers to foot any portion of the bill, offering to invest over $2BB for the stadium and asking only in return that local and State officials commit to the development of “essential local infrastructure (roads, utilities, and site improvements),” which they considered a typical and reasonable ask.
While the team has not been definitively rejected in their plans and proposals, according to Warren, they “have been told directly by State leadership” that the Arlington Heights move will not be a priority in 2026. In his letter, Warren comments that “for a project of this scale, uncertainty has significant consequences,” and the consequences of reticence on behalf of the State of Illinois appear to be a threat to move elsewhere.
Boasting about all the potential perks of a local NFL stadium — significant growth of unionized jobs, year-round attractions and events, increased local business revenue as a result of increased traffic — Warren has suggested that the team may move towards other options, should Illinois continue to dismiss them. Due to the lack of commitment, Warren says the franchise will expand its search to more seriously evaluate other “opportunities throughout the wider Chicagoland region, including Northwest Indiana.”
It’s a bold move from Warren but one that he clearly felt was necessary in order to get some movement in plans for a new deal. If State leadership in Illinois doesn’t respond well to Warren’s veiled threat, there’s apparently a possibility that, akin to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, we could soon see the Chicago Bears of Gary, Indiana.
USC WR Makai Lemon Declares For Draft
We have already talked about how stacked this year’s draft class of wide receivers is, and one of the names we mentioned to underline this point was USC’s Makai Lemon. This evening, Lemon took to Instagram to make it official and declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. As a result, he will be forgoing his final year of eligibility. 
A consensus top 50 recruit out of Los Alamitos HS (CA), Lemon surprised many when he committed to Oklahoma just before his junior year. By November, though, the nearby Trojans got in his ear and earned the flip before the fall semester was even over. He remained so committed to USC that, the next summer, they were the only official visit he took before eventually signing his Letter of Intent on early National Signing Day in 2022.
Lemon was buried on the depth chart as a true freshman, only catching six passes while Caleb Williams threw to Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice. The next year, though, Lemon led the Trojans in receptions (52) and receiving yards (764), while big-bodied fellow sophomore Ja’Kobi Lane dominated the redzone targets to the tune of 12 touchdowns.
This year was a different story. Lemon delivered on expectations of a breakout campaign, setting new personal highs with the team lead in receptions (79), receiving yards (1,156), and receiving touchdowns (11). Lemon put it all on the field this year, and he needed to. Lacking elite speed and weighing with a 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame, Lemon is not about to be a combine riser.
What Lemon does have, though, is an almost professional feel for the game and how to get open. He sees the ball to his hands and becomes an immediate YAC-threat. Again, it’s not speed that earns him those yards after catch but some crafty, fierce, intentional running that makes him so dangerous with the ball in his hands. His ability to make acrobatic, highlight-reel catches helped him earn the school’s second ever Biletnikoff Award (given to the NCAA’s best wide receiver).
In Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s midseason rankings, Lemon checked in as the 20th-best overall prospect and WR3 on the board, behind Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate. In his own recent Big Board, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. also slotted Lemon in as WR3 but had him all the way up at No. 10 overall. In a class full of talented pass catchers, Lemon appears, early on, to be a consensus top three receiver with an easy first-round projection. If teams can look past his size and see him as more than just an elite slot receiver, he could hear his name called very early on Day 1.
Cowboys Open Up Practice Windows For Three Players
The Cowboys are dangerously close to being eliminated from the playoffs, but they haven’t stopped fighting yet. With three weeks left in the season, now’s the time to open 21-day practice windows for players hoping to make a return from injured lists this year.
To that point, Dallas opened the practice window for defensive end Payton Turner, who had been designated to return at the roster cut deadline in August, designated seventh-round rookie running back Phil Mafah to return from injured reserve, and designated cornerback Josh Butler to return from the reserve/physically unable to perform list, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. The three players have been on their respective injured lists since before the season began.
The Cowboys signed Turner to a one-year deal early into free agency to build depth behind a group that, at the time, consisted of Micah Parsons, Sam Williams, and Marshawn Kneeland. To date, only Williams remains after the Parsons trade and Kneeland’s tragic passing. Turner’s depth ended up being a non-factor, considering he spent the first 15 weeks of the season on IR, but if he returns, he’ll now add depth behind Donovan Ezeiruaku, Dante Fowler, Jadeveon Clowney, and Williams.
Butler went undrafted out of Michigan State all the way back in 2020, and after a short stint in the short-lived The Spring League and a strong season in the USFL, Butler earned himself a chance in Dallas in 2023. The next year, he made his NFL debut and, two games later, made his first of three consecutive starts. His quick rise came to an unfortunate end, though, when he tore his ACL, ending his debut NFL season.
Mafah, a two-year starter at Clemson, was one of two rookies the team drafted this year. He suffered a shoulder injury in the Cowboys’ final preseason game, and it was announced that he would eventually be put on IR. With the team opting to assign its two allotted pre-deadline return designations to Turner and wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, they opted to keep Mafah on the initial 53-man roster, so they could immediately place him on IR the next week and give him a chance to return later into the year, as well.
There is no longer the usual pressure to get activated within the 21-day window as we only have three weeks remaining in the regular season. The 21-day window will take them past the Week 18 slate of games, so being reverted to season-ending IR would not the worst fate. Still, these three will be working hard to get onto the field in 2025 and help their team push for a still technically possible playoff berth, and at worst, they’ll give the Cowboys three more bodies at practice for the remainder of the season.
Seahawks T Charles Cross Could Be Out Until Playoffs
In anticipation of tomorrow’s matchup between the two teams with the best record in the NFC, the Seahawks’ final injury report delivered some disappointing news. During the team’s game-winning field goal over the Colts last week, left tackle Charles Cross suffered a hamstring injury, and as a result, he will miss this week’s Thursday night game. To make matters worse, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Cross’ injury could hold him out for two to four weeks. 
To be clear, the team has not corroborated Rapoport’s estimate. Per Seahawks.com senior reporter John Boyle, head coach Mike Macdonald told the media that they do not have a timeline on Cross’s return. The fourth-year starter hasn’t practiced at all this week, though, and on a short week, there’s just no way he was going to be able to play after a hamstring injury. If Rapoport is correct, though, Cross could miss the remainder of the regular season.
Starting in Cross’s place will be veteran swing tackle Josh Jones. A former third-round pick out of Houston, Jones started 21 games over his second and third years with the Cardinals. The next year, he was traded to the Texans, with whom he started three games. That was back in 2023, and it was the last time that Jones started a game in the NFL.
He signed with the Ravens last year to back up the oft-injured Ronnie Stanley and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten but didn’t end up getting utilized that much. Luckily for the Seahawks, though, Jones got a good amount of playing time with the first-team offensive line during the preseason as Cross worked his way back from finger surgery.
This injury could hurt Cross’ chances at an extension that he’s been really pushing for this year. Seattle has exercised his fifth-year option, so he’s under contract through next season, but the Seahawks have repeatedly made it known that any potential extension isn’t happening this year. While the time off for injury gives Cross plenty of time to try to negotiate, the reason for his time off likely won’t help him in those discussions.
In reality, Cross’ focus will be on making it back to the field as soon as possible. Whether Rapoport’s report is accurate or not, Seattle is in the thick of the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and every game counts. Getting Cross back for an all-but-certain playoff run is paramount but getting him back even sooner could be extremely beneficial.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/17/25
Wednesday’s NFL practice squad transactions:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Montrell Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: C Wesley French
Denver Broncos
- Signed: G Nash Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Marcus Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Jimmy Holiday
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: G McClendon Curtis
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OLB Andre Carter II
- Released: TE Tanner Conner
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: T Caleb Etienne
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Amari Gainer
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR John Rhys Plumlee, RB Trey Sermon
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: QB Adrian Martinez
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S D’Anthony Bell
- Released: CB Tyler Hall
Martinez parted ways with San Francisco a week ago and signed with the Jets, who elevated him on Sunday to back up undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook. New York released him from their taxi squad yesterday, so Martinez has found his way back to the Bay Area.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/25
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return from IR: LB Jay Higgins
Buffalo Bills
- Designated for return from IR: WR Mecole Hardman
Carolina Panthers
- Designated for return from IR: WR David Moore
Cleveland Browns
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: LB Winston Reid
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return from IR: LB Karene Reid
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return from IR: T Giovanni Manu
Green Bay Packers
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: G John Williams
- Placed on IR: LB Micah Parsons (story)
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Darrell Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: QB Patrick Mahomes (story)
- Opened practice window: TE Jake Briningstool, DB Nazeeh Johnson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DE Jahfari Harvey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: LB Jackson Woodard
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: S Rashad Wisdom
Tennessee Titans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Ali Gaye, LB Oluwafemi Oladejo, WR Bryce Oliver
Probably the most overqualified transaction we’ve ever listed in this space, Mahomes is heading to IR for the first time. The superstar Chiefs quarterback suffered ACL and LCL tears and has undergone surgery. Generally, Chiefs IR-return moves are impactful at this stage of the season. In the cases of Briningstool and Johnson, they are returning to practice for a 6-8 team. The Chiefs designated both for return in August, meaning both have already counted toward the team’s eight-activation total. As our IR return tracker shows, Kansas City has not used any other injury activations this season.
Given a one-year, $4.75MM deal by the Texans, Taylor worked as a backup in four games before going down with an ankle injury. Despite his contract, the former Seahawks second-rounder played just 64 defensive snaps before hitting IR.
Lions Unlikely To Extend S Brian Branch In Offseason
Already extending a handful of players drafted under GM Brad Holmes, the Lions have another glut of key starters approaching extension-eligible status. Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch will be up for new deals in January.
LaPorta and Branch, because they were drafted in the second round, will be in contract years; the Lions can move former first-rounders Gibbs and Campbell’s contracts through 2027 via the fifth-year option. Our Adam La Rose covered this rich man’s problem in a recent mailbag, but Branch’s Achilles tear occurred soon after. That offers a complication for Detroit.
Branch going down brings unfortunate timing, but he does have one more season on his rookie contract. That gives him time to build up and show top form once again. But any plans for a near-top-market extension coming before next season likely ended when the tear was confirmed.
The Lions should not be expected to extend Branch during the 2026 offseason, the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett notes. Instead, the team will likely make the standout safety show he has returned to form before making the decision to pay him.
Detroit has experience proceeding down this road, extending Aidan Hutchinson this season after he showed dominant form once again. Though, the Lions were interested in paying Hutchinson before Week 1; the Micah Parsons Packers contract brought a delay. Detroit also extended Alim McNeill in-season, showing an openness to completing big-ticket deals outside of the offseason. Branch would make sense for such a move, provided he recovers from the Achilles injury.
The Lions introduced a complication with Branch by giving Kerby Joseph a then-safety-record extension in April. Joseph was in a contract year at the time, but rather than risk the situation leading to a franchise tag (with a Branch payday in mind for 2026) or a free agency exit, the Lions paid up via a four-year, $85MM accord. Joseph, however, has run into a knee injury that has kept him off the field since Week 6. While Joseph has vowed to come back before season’s end, he has not returned to practice as of Wednesday. Joseph is not on IR, a shutdown could commence. That clouds the Lions’ safety situation.
Branch’s injury stings a secondary that also lost Terrion Arnold for the season, and it could conceivably impact how Detroit proceeds with its 2023 draftees. Gibbs is a priority, while LaPorta — also out for the year — may well take precedence over Campbell. The latter should be considered unlikely to have his fifth-year option exercised; no team has picked up an off-ball linebacker’s option since the Buccaneers exercised Devin White‘s in 2022. All linebackers being grouped together under the franchise tag and option formulas makes tagging them or exercising options tricky. The Packers passed on Quay Walker‘s option for this reason. This will accelerate Campbell’s clock if/when the Lions pass on his 2027 guarantee.
Branch, 24, earned a Pro Bowl nod last year; Pro Football Focus slots him ninth among safeties this season. Showing quality form post-surgery next year would open the door to the Alabama alum pushing to eclipse Joseph’s $21.25MM AAV to bridge the gap closer to two-time All-Pro Kyle Hamilton — whom the Ravens gave a market-shifting $25.1MM per year. A resolution on this matter may be tabled until at least next fall. The Lions have exclusive negotiating rights with Branch until March 2027.
Elsewhere on the Lions’ roster, Dan Campbell said (via Birkett) he hopes left guard starter Christian Mahogany can return from IR in Week 16. Mahogany has missed the past six games with a knee injury. The Lions designated him for return last week. The first-year starter’s IR-return clock will not expire until December 31, but with the Lions at 8-6 and stationed on the “in the hunt” line in playoff graphics, time is running out for a third straight playoff berth.
Cardinals Waive DT Justin Jones From IR
The Cardinals waived defensive tackle Justin Jones from injured reserve on Wednesday, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The move came without an injury settlement, according to Howard Balzer of CardsWire.
Jones, 29, was placed on injured reserve before the regular season due to a knee injury suffered in training camp. He will now go on waivers and can be claimed by any team except the Cardinals, though his interest will depend on the state of his knee. Even if he is healthy, Jones has barely played in the last two seasons, so he may be a better fit on a practice squad as he gets up to speed.
Despite an injury to first-round pick Walter Nolen, the Cardinals’ defensive line has largely remained healthy this year otherwise. Dante Stills, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Calais Campbell have all played more than 400 snaps, while Darius Robinson has chipped in 382 of his own. That rotation has not thrived, though, as Campbell leads the group with 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. The other three have combined for just one sack and five tackles for loss.
Jones began his career as a Chargers third-round pick in 2018 and emerged as a starter in his second year, though he did not play a full season on his rookie contract. He signed a two-year deal with the Bears in 2022 and played in every game over the next two seasons with the best statistics of his career. That earned him plenty of interest in free agency last offseason, culminating in a three-year deal from the Cardinals worth just over $30MM.
The seven-year veteran was only three games into his Cardinals tenure when he suffered a season-ending torn triceps. A parting of ways between player and team was expected in the offseason, but the team decided to make the move before the end of the 2025 season. He will leave Arizona after playing just 100 snaps after earning just over $20MM.
By waiving Jones, the Cardinals freed up $8.8MM in 2026 cap space with $3.25MM in dead money, per OverTheCap.
2025 NFL Dead Money, By Team
As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season:
- New Orleans Saints: $107.83MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $103.77MM
- New York Jets: $102.1MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $87.79MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $87.27MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $86.1MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $85.49MM
- Cleveland Browns: $83.22MM
- Miami Dolphins: $72.45MM
- Houston Texans: $66.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $59.42MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.98MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $56.23MM
- New England Patriots: $50.56MM
- Denver Broncos: $42.78MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $41.34MM
- Detroit Lions: $40.71MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $40.39MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $38.78MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $38.38MM
- Buffalo Bills: $37.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $36.55MM
- New York Giants: $33.74MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $33.7MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $30.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $27.29MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $27MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $20.99MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $20.33MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $17.37MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $16.51MM
- Chicago Bears: $8.6MM
The $100MM trio dwarfs last year’s leaders — the Broncos — in this unwanted area. The Saints began taking some overdue medicine for their cap-gymnastics past by trading Marshon Lattimore last year. That move coming after June 1 pushed $31.67MM onto New Orleans’ 2025 cap sheet. Derek Carr also counts $19.2MM on this year’s Saints cap, while Ryan Ramczyk‘s retirement covers more than $11MM.
The Carr punishment covers $55.88MM in total, meaning nearly $37MM from the QB’s retirement will land on New Orleans’ 2026 payroll. Mickey Loomis‘ spree of restructures on that contract created that inflated figure.
Deebo Samuel brought a receiver-record dead money total to the 49ers, who absorbed $34.12MM by trading the seventh-year veteran in March. The second leg of the post-June 1 Arik Armstead transaction from 2024 created a $15MM dead cap hit this year, with void years on Charvarius Ward‘s deal covering more than $12MM.
Gang Green took on barely $20MM combined from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades and will do the same next year, reflecting the low signing bonus figure on the Gardner extension. The Jets, though, have taken $56MM in total from the Aaron Rodgers release ($21MM this year, $35MM next). That is the second-highest total dead cap hit in NFL history.
The team that authorized the highest dead money sum in league annals — Denver, via the 2024 Russell Wilson release — is still carrying $32MM on that contract. It comes off the books next year, and the Broncos do not have any other player counting more than $3MM in dead cap on their 2025 payroll.
The Eagles and Seahawks are also moving toward the playoffs with higher dead money counts compared to the 2024 Broncos, though it should be noted the cap’s $24MM increase from last year plays into this. Philadelphia is still carrying a combined $26MM from the 2024 Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retirements. Josh Sweat void years also comprise $16.44MM of this year’s cap. The Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf trade brought $21MM in dead cap, while Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and Dre’Mont Jones combine to cover more than $41MM in dead money.
Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith‘s 2024 Cleveland exits via trade tagged the Browns with more than $36MM in dead money together, while the Dolphins are dealing with more than $30MM combined from the post-June 1 designations on Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. The latter counts $15.7MM in dead money this year and $20.9MM in 2026. That eclipses Lattimore’s defender-record total for dead cap.
Browns LB Devin Bush Found Not Guilty Of Simple Assault, Harassment Chargers
Browns linebacker Devin Bush was found not guilty of simple assault and harassment charges, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi.
Bush, 27, was arrested and charged in May after an altercation with his girlfriend, Shkurte Leka. He pled not guilty and scheduled a bench trial for December. A judge ruled on Tuesday that Bush was not guilty, though Leka could pursue civil action.
The incident came two months after Bush re-signed in Cleveland on a one-year, $3.25MM deal. After a rotational role in 2024, he has stepped up as a starter this season. Bush ranks second on the Browns in tackles (93) and third on passes defended (seven).
Bush’s arrest obviously created the potential for discipline from the NFL. Presumably, his acquittal will reduce the chances of punishment, but the NFL may conduct their own investigation into the incident.
Bush entered the pros as the Steelers’ No. 10 pick in the 2019 draft. He never lived up to his draft billing – due partially to a torn ACL in his second year – and was not retained after his rookie contract expired. He signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks in 2023 before joining the Browns in the following offseason.