September 26th, 2025 at 5:56pm CST by Sam Robinson
Even compared to the Chiefs’ middling offenses in 2023 and ’24, this year’s version has brought a new low for the Patrick Mahomes era. Operating without Rashee Rice and largely without Xavier Worthy, Kansas City has slogged through three unremarkable performances.
The Chiefs did manage a win over the Giants in Week 3, beating the hosts by two scores before Russell Wilson‘s demotion, but the team ranks 21st in scoring offense and 18th in yardage through three games. Although the Chiefs managed a Super Bowl win and another appearance with 15th-ranked offenses, their early-season form has brought concern.
A key reinforcement is coming back, however. Worthy will play against the Ravens in Week 4. The Chiefs have not given the speedy wideout an injury designation, after he went through three full practices this week. Worthy has been sidelined since the first quarter of the Chiefs’ Week 1 loss to the Chargers, suffering a shoulder injury after colliding with Travis Kelce on a crossing route.
Worthy managed three limited practices last week but was held out. The 165-pound pass catcher is attempting to play through a fully torn labrum by wearing a harness, delaying surgery. This gutsy effort will be interesting to observe, especially for a player Worthy’s size, but the 2024 first-rounder’s presence figures to make a difference for a team that has been unable to rely on its passing game much this season.
Kansas City has used ex-Patriots cuts Tyquan Thornton and JuJu Smith-Schuster alongside Marquise Brown at receiver. Thornton scored two long-range touchdowns over the past two weeks, and Mahomes also missed him on a would-be long TD against the Eagles. Worthy’s return stands to impact Thornton’s usage, but the Chiefs’ offense will not look like its planned version until Rice’s six-game personal conduct suspension wraps. The Chiefs will face the Ravens, Jaguars and Lions before having Rice back against the Raiders in Week 7.
Trading up four spots (via the Bills) for Worthy at No. 28, the Chiefs observed an increasingly promising rookie season. His record-setting Combine 40-yard dash performance did not lead to a role as a Mahomes long-range weapon; rather, the Chiefs opted to use him more as a shorter-range target for catch-and-run purposes. Worthy caught 59 passes for 638 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie; like Rice, he showed promise down the stretch. Also logging 20 regular-season handoffs, the Texas product totaled at least 40 receiving yards in his final 10 games last season. This included an 85-yard showing in the AFC championship game and a garbage-time-fueled 157 in Super Bowl LIX. The Chiefs will hope their preferred No. 2 wideout’s reemergence will give them a lift in a key Ravens matchup Sunday.
September 26th, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Sam Robinson
Here are the latest details from recently agreed-upon contracts:
Tyler Smith, G (Cowboys). Four years, $96MM. Receiving $41.66MM guaranteed at signing, the NFL’s highest-paid guard secured a rolling guarantee structure. Smith’s 2025 and ’26 base salaries are locked in at signing. A $12MM portion of his 2027 compensation becomes fully guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2026 league year, per Spotrac. A $19MM chunk of Smith’s 2028 compensation shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2027 league year. On Day 5 of the ’28 league year, Smith stands to see $6.6MM of his ’29 compensation lock in. The Cowboys would owe Smith a $21MM option bonus by Week 1 of the 2029 season; a $20MM option bonus would be due by Week 1 of the 2030 slate. Four void years are in this contract.
Colton McKivitz, RT (49ers). Three years, $45MM. Of McKivitz’s $27MM guaranteed, $18.71MM is guaranteed at signing (per OverTheCap). McKivitz’s money is guaranteed in 2025 and ’26, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who notes an early guarantee date exists in this contract as well. McKivitz’s $12.67MM 2027 option bonus features an $8.29MM injury guarantee; $6.29MM of the latter number vests on April 1, 2026, giving the veteran tackle some early security. Another $2MM of that bonus becomes guaranteed on April 1, 2027. McKivitz’s 2028 compensation is nonguaranteed. Because of the option bonuses and four void years, the deal does not bring a $10MM cap number until 2028.
Za’Darius Smith, OLB (Eagles). One year, $4.25MM. Initially reported as being worth up to $9MM, Smith’s Philadelphia contract carries $4.25MM in base value, per Florio. There are $2MM in sack-based incentives included, and a $500K Pro Bowl bonus is part of the package as well. The “up to” report also brought a minor inflation, with Florio adding Smith maxing out incentives would bring the value to $8.25MM.
Dalton Risner, G (Bengals). One year, $1.34MM. This value (reported by OverTheCap) is barely above the veteran minimum, but with Risner on the Bengals’ Week 1 roster, it is fully guaranteed (rather than just the $168K guarantee-at-signing figure). This is another pay cut for Risner, who earned $2.78MM in 2023 and $2.41MM last season.
September 26th, 2025 at 1:30pm CST by Adam La Rose
SEPTEMBER 26: Though the Falcons did sign Sauls this week, Romo will be the team’s kicker on Sunday, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. A performance that resembles his Week 2 output more than last week’s would likely be enough to keep the job moving forward, but missing multiple kicks again could give Sauls a shot in Week 5.
In Week 2, Romo connected on all five of his field goal attempts and his lone extra point kick. He appeared to be set for a lengthy spell as Atlanta’s preferred kicking option as a result, but things took a different turn in Week 3. During Sunday’s blowout loss to the Panthers, Romo missed both of his field goal tries. The team now appears to be set for a new round of auditions at the position.
“We have to bring competition in,” head coach Raheem Morris said of the kicker spot (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic). “You have to do that until we get it right. That’s something we will work diligently at.”
After a Week 1 loss in which Koo struggled, Morris made it clear free agent options would be explored. That resulted in the Romo signing and, shortly thereafter, the decision to release Koo after a run of six-plus years with the franchise. Workouts were held with free agents Zane Gonzalez, Michael Badgley, and Ben Saulslast time around.
It would come as little surprise if one or more of those kickers were to receive another look. Atlanta also has Lenny Krieg – who lost a training camp competition to Koo – in place on the practice squad. Moving on from Romo after one poor outing would certainly raise a number of eyebrows, especially given his strong showing in Week 2. Nevertheless, Morris and Co. seem to be in position to continue seeking out replacement options over the coming days.
September 26th, 2025 at 11:26am CST by Nikhil Mehta
11:26am: Belton will be unavailable in Week 4 after suffering an ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice, according to head coach Matt LaFleur (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That will likely position Kinnard to start at right tackle with Morgan likely continuing at left guard in Banks’ absence.
Tom suffered an oblique injury in Week 1 that sidelined him for one game. He returned in Week 3 only to reaggravate the injury on the first snap. He has not participated in practice this week.
Green Bay is planning to reassess Tom’s oblique after their Week 5 bye in the hopes that he can quickly return to the field and ramp up for the team’s next game vs. the Bengals, per Schefter.
The Packers have tried three players at right tackle in Tom’s absence to varying amounts of success. Former Eagle Darian Kinnard and rookie Anthony Beltonboth stepped in after Tom went down in Week 1. Belton got the start in Week 2 and replaced Tom in Week 3, with Kinnard getting snaps in both games. The Packers also put 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan at right tackle for a handful of snaps in Week 3.
Belton was limited in practice on Wednesday before missing Thursday’s session, so Green Bay may rely on Kinnard and Morgan in Week 4 vs. Cincinnati, though the latter may be needed to replace injured left guard Aaron Banks. Like Tom, he was sidelined in Week 2, re-injured himself in the next game, and has yet to practice this week.
Tom has been durable in his career, appearing in 40 straight game since cracking the starting lineup as a rookie until his Week 2 absence. The Packers will be hoping that he can return to the field quickly and play the rest of the season without issue.
September 25th, 2025 at 11:42pm CST by Adam La Rose
One of the key questions surrounding the Giants leading up to the 2025 season concerned the quarterback position. Russell Wilsonhandled starting duties through the first three weeks, but the expected transition to rookie Jaxson Darthas officially taken place.
When first speaking about the move, head coach Brian Daboll made it clear Dart is viewed as New York’s QB1 the rest of the way. That comes as little surprise, especially given the inherent link between the promise Dart could show upon taking the field and the job security of Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. Notably, Daboll has since doubled down on the fact he acted alone in making the switch.
“That’s the direction I wanted to go, and that’s the direction we’re going to go,” the fourth-year coach said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “There are good conversations we had. Those are private, but ultimately it comes down to me.”
Daboll specified those conversations took place with players, but not with the other members of his coaching staff (h/t SNY’s Connor Hughes). Collaboration has long been a talking point during the Schoen-Daboll era, but the absence of it in this case has drawn attention. Considering the magnitude of Dart – a passer the current regime drafted after inheriting Daniel Jones– taking over as it pertains to potential changes on the sidelines and/or in the front office, it is indeed surprising this call was made unilaterally.
Just before the Giants’ Week 2 game, a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter stated the team was in no hurry to bench Wilson. The Super Bowl winner then threw for 450 yards in a high-scoring overtime loss, a game which seemed to earn him a longer look atop the depth chart. However, a primetime loss to the Chiefs (punctuated by more poor play in the red zone) led to Dart getting the nod for Week 4.
As Hughes notes, the Schefter report did not originate from Daboll. The embattled HC did not specify that Schoen and/or members of ownership were the source of the report, but Hughes adds that is the (rather strong) implication. This represents another layer to the Dart decision, one which will surely go down as a defining one for the current iteration of the Giants based on his success upon taking on starting duties.
The 0-3 Giants will host the 3-0 Chargers on Sunday. That will of course prove to be a challenge for Dart and the offense, a unit which will continue to see OC Mike Kafka handle play-calling duties. Given the specific nature of the decision to change quarterbacks, scrutiny on Daboll will no doubt increase quickly if things do not go according to plan.
Robertson primarily aligned as a nickel corner in 2024 and led the team in slot snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Lions’ heavy use of base personnel on defense has limited Robertson’s role this year, per Birkett, and the team wants to get him on the field for more plays.
Sheppard said that the cornerback change “has nothing to do with [Arnold’s] play or performance,” but it’s hard to deny that the 2024 first-rounder has taken a step back from his rookie year. In 2024, he allowed a 55.6% completion rate and 7.3 yards per target; those numbers have jumped to 72.6% and 11.0 this year, respectively. He also leads all NFL cornerbacks in yards allowed, per PFF.
The 2025 offseason saw Carlton Davisdepart on the open market. D.J. Reedwas brought in as a replacement, and the eighth-year veteran inked a similar contract (three years, $48MM) to the one Davis took in New England. Reed has operated as a full-time perimeter starter so far with Detroit; that can certainly be expected to continue moving forward. 2024 second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw, meanwhile, is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in August.
Arnold’s rookie contract runs through 2027. The 22-year-old’s tenure in the Motor City could continue beyond that point with his fifth-year option being picked up and/or a long-term extension being finalized. Neither of those can take place until after the 2026 season, so the Lions have plenty of time before needing to make a decision on Arnold’s future with the team. For now, it will be interesting to see how this change in workload will affect Detroit’s secondary.
September 25th, 2025 at 10:49pm CST by Adam La Rose
Six teams currently find themselves at 0-3 to begin the year. Managing to rebound from that mark and reach the playoffs has proven to be an extremely difficult task over the years.
Only four times has a team reached the postseason after starting 0-3 since 1990. Crucially, none have achieved the feat since the playoffs were expanded from six to seven teams in each conference in 2021. Whether or not that continues this season will be interesting to see.
Chances are slim for any of the league’s winless teams to rally into the postseason, but there is of course variance with respect to their prospects of doing so. There is an argument to be made the Texans represent the likeliest candidate to pull off such a comeback, based largely on their defensive success to date. Houston ranks fifth in the NFL in points allowed (17 per game on average) and the team’s losses have come by a combined margin of 13 points.
Improvement on offense could thus help turn things around in short order, but the Texans’ offseason renovations up front have not gone as planned so far. Third-year quarterback C.J. Stroudhas not been able to return to the form shown during his stellar rookie campaign, and a number of new pass-catchers are in the process of acclimating to an offense lacking a strong ground game. Catching the undefeated Colts for top spot in the AFC South would be a surprise at this point, but a wild-card berth could very much still be within reach if Nick Caley‘s unit can turn things around.
Houston will take on the Titans in Week 4 in a clash of teams seeking their first win. Tennessee entered the year with far lower expectations, but the team’s performance to date has still left plenty to be desired. The Titans lead the league in penalties (31) and rookie quarterback Cam Wardhas been sacked an NFL-high 15 times. Second-year head coach Brian Callahan sports a record of 3-17 at this point, and it remains to be seen if he will be entrusted with overseeing Ward’s development over the long term.
Callahan relinquished offensive play-calling duties this week, and he will now look to increase his involvement in other aspects of the team. Finding success in that regard would no doubt help his job security. It would also, presumably, allow for Tennessee to improve on last season’s 3-14 showing and offer signs of progress from Ward and a supporting cast in need of improvements moving forward.
Another intra-divisional Week 4 game will see the Dolphins take on the Jets. The first half of the upcoming Monday Night Football doubleheader will be key in determining both teams’ immediate futures. Miami was seen as a disappointment given how the 2024 campaign played out. Head coach Mike McDaniel has certainly not helped his standing in the organization so far this season, although a concerted effort to improve the Dolphins’ culture could help stave off a firing for he and general manager Chris Grier.
Finding a rhythm on offense has proven to be highly challenging in 2025, even with quarterback Tua Tagovailoamanaging to avoid any injuries to date. Stronger play on both sides of the ball will be needed if Miami is to reach the playoffs for the third time in McDaniel’s fourth season at the helm. Winning a postseason contest will become a major objective in that event, but for now quieting the rumors about major organizational changes will be the goal.
By contrast, 2025 marks another new beginning for the Jets. Rookie head coach Aaron Glennand first-year general manager Darren Mougey are seeking to provide the team with long-term stability in addition to ending a playoff drought which dates back to 2010. That effort has not gone according to plan so far, but a key element will be the evaluation of new quarterback Justin Fields. The former first-rounder is back at practice, and he will return to starting duties upon being cleared from concussion protocol.
Fields is under contract through 2026, but helping lead the Jets to the playoffs would greatly increase his chances of landing a long-term accord. It would also help Glenn and Mougey’s standing, although at this point their job securities are of course not in question. Still, a strong first campaign in New York (something which could be attained without a postseason berth, at least in theory) would be welcomed by the duo; a quick rebound from the way things have started would suffice, and it would be less surprising than one from some of the league’s other winless outfits.
New York’s NFC squad is in a state of flux in no small part due to another unwanted beginning to a campaign. Giants head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen managed to remain in place this offseason, but aside from a high-scoring output against the Cowboys things have not gone according to plan. The decision has been made to replace quarterback Russell Wilsonwith first-round rookieJaxson Dart, and the outcome of that move (beginning with a debut against the 3-0 Chargers) will be critical on a number of fronts.
Daboll and Schoen are known to be on the hot seat, and showing potential for a turnaround with Dart in place would go a long way in helping ensure they remain in place. Owner John Mara made clear his mandate for a step forward compared to 2024 (3-14), and plenty of work remains given how things have gone early in the current campaign. If the Giants are to at least contend for a wild-card spot this season, Dart will no doubt be a key figure in the process.
Joining the Jets as a team led by a rookie head coach encountering early struggles are the Saints. New Orleans underwent a number of offseason changes, with Kellen Moore‘s hire being the most noteworthy. The longtime NFL OC was a central figure in the decision to draft Tyler Shough, but instead of the second-rounder handling starting duties it has been Spencer Rattlerat the helm so far.
The Saints’ QB setup raised eyebrows amongst some of their players, but Rattler has improved upon his output from last season’s late spell in the starter’s role. Two of New Orleans’ losses, meanwhile, came about in one-score games. A postseason berth was not expected from the team, with many pointing to the 2026 draft as the point where a new franchise quarterback would arrive. Rattler (or potentially Shough, depending on how things play out) could earn an extended look in the QB1 role, however. A quick recovery toward postseason contention would come as a surprise, but at a minimum a bounce-back from last week’s lopsided loss in Seattle will be sought out. Doing so against the undefeated Bills will of course be a tall task.
Only once since 1990 has a team started 0-4 but managed to reach the playoffs. By contrast, moving to 1-3 has been more beneficial (with 35 teams doing so in that same span). The success of this year’s group in recording a first win this weekend and generating momentum beyond that point will make for an interesting storyline.
Out of this group of winless teams, which do you feel will have the best chance of rebounding and qualifying for the postseason in 2025? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section below.
Ballentine’s only regular season appearance to date has come with New England, but he spent training camp with the Packers. The 29-year-old was among Green Bay’s final roster cuts, and after recently being let go by the Patriots he was free to join any interested suitor. Dallas would obviously qualify (at least for the next few days) given the team’s upcoming matchup with Green Bay.
September 25th, 2025 at 7:45pm CST by Sam Robinson
SEPTEMBER 25: Nothing is certain at this point regarding the 49ers’ Week 4 quarterback situation, but the team could have two healthy passers to choose from. Purdy was a limited practice participant Wednesday and again today, and he said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) he is happy with his recovery progress. Jones, meanwhile, stated (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) he will be ready to play if needed on Sunday.
SEPTEMBER 22: Facing perennial issues keeping key players healthy, the 49ers have two injured quarterbacks entering Week 4. Mac Jones joins Brock Purdy in rehabbing an injury.
Jones aggravated a PCL sprain Sunday, informing reporters (including NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) of the malady — one he initially sustained during training camp. Jones was not on San Francisco’s injury report last week, but it sounds like he will be for Week 4. Fortunately for the 49ers, they look to have a good chance of seeing Purdy back in action by then.
Purdy has now missed three career starts due to injury — the past two weeks and Week 18 of the 2024 season — after seeing a Jimmy Garoppolo injury launch his stunning ascent. The 49ers have been without Purdy, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings and Ben Bartch on offense. They improved to 3-0 under these circumstances, beating the Saints and Cardinals, but their Nick Bosa loss represents a more significant issue. Having Purdy back should help the cause, though the 49ers are again battered by maladies at an early-season juncture.
Four years after being closely linked to the 49ers during the pre-draft process, Jones joined the team on a two-year, $7MM deal. He delivered back-to-back wins, following a three-touchdown performance in New Orleans with a 284-yard, one-TD showing in a 16-15 win over Arizona. Benched in New England and traded to Jacksonville as a clear backup, Jones has given the 49ers an upgrade at the QB2 position. Considering the injury trouble the franchise has run into at QB during Shanahan’s tenure, that is rather important. Jones probably raised his stock during this stretch, but in signing a two-year deal, no near-future path to a starting role elsewhere is on the horizon.
As for Bosa, Shanahan said (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman) the former Defensive Player of the Year suffered a clean ACL tear. Bosa came back on time after his September 2020 ACL tear, playing 17 games in 2021 to lead a 49ers resurgence. The 49ers will hope this largely Bosa-less season goes far better than their injury-riddled 2020 campaign — a 6-10 slate that also included an extensive Garoppolo absence — and having Purdy back soon would be a good sign for the long-running contender.
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