Raiders Designate QB Aidan O’Connell For Return; Daniel Jones Rules Out Las Vegas
NOVEMBER 26: The Raiders do indeed plan to start O’Connell this week, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. With Minshew sidelined for the remainder of the year, O’Connell will be in place to retain QB1 duties the rest of the way.
NOVEMBER 25: Gardner Minshew failed to finish a Raiders-Broncos game for the second time, with the oft-benched quarterback going down with a broken collarbone yesterday. Antonio Pierce confirmed reports of the break Monday and said Aidan O’Connell is in play to return this week.
The Raiders have since designated O’Connell for return from IR. This marked the second-year quarterback’s first week of return eligibility. The Raiders will now have 21 days to activate the QB to the active roster, but it sounds like O’Connell could return as soon as Black Friday. The signal caller has been rehabbing a broken thumb suffered in late October.
With Minshew failing to impress to begin the campaign, O’Connell eventually took over atop the depth chart. He got his first start in Week 6, completing 27 of his 40 pass attempts for 227 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. However, he was knocked out of his second start after only 14 snaps, and his placement on IR kept him off the field for the past four games.
In four appearances this season, O’Connell completed 63.4 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions. This followed a 2023 campaign where the rookie fourth-round pick went 5-5 while throwing 12 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions. While the Raiders are well outside of the playoff picture, O’Connell will still have a chance to build on his career numbers for the stretch run of the season.
He could also make an argument for the QB1 role ahead of the 2025 campaign. O’Connell remains attached to his rookie contract through 2026, while Minshew was added on a two-year pact in the spring. The Raiders should also be armed with a top pick in next year’s draft, so there’s a chance the team adds another QB to the mix before the start of the 2025 season.
With Minshew being lost for the season, the Raiders will no longer have to make a decision following O’Connell’s activation. Minshew improved on his turnovers over his past four starts, with the veteran tossing five scores vs. two picks over that span. When the QB was knocked out of yesterday’s game, he was replaced by Desmond Ridder, who completed five of 10 passes while also taking a pair of sacks.
Considering the Raiders’ inconsistent play at the position in 2024, they’ve been mentioned as a natural suitor for Daniel Jones. While the team did indeed show some interest in the former Giants starter, the quarterback has “eliminated Las Vegas from consideration,” per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Jones has received interest from “multiple” playoff squads and is interested in joining a contender.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Seahawks’ Uchenna Nwosu To Return To Practice
Uchenna Nwosu has been out of the Seahawks’ lineup since October, but he is making progress in his recovery. The team’s highest-paid edge rusher is set to practice today, per head coach Mike Macdonald. 
“This week is going to be pretty limited,” Macdonald acknowledged when speaking about Nwosu’s immediate workload in practice (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson). “So we won’t be seeing him this week, and then we’ll take it from there.”
Nwosu suffered a thigh injury in Week 5, his season debut. The 27-year-old missed Seattle’s first four games due to an MCL sprain; that did not lead to time on injured reserve, but he was moved to IR after the thigh ailment was suffered. Nwosu’s 21-day activation window will open once he officially takes part in practice, and Macdonald’s remarks confirm he will spend a portion of that time ramping up before he returns to game action.
Once that takes place, the Seahawks’ pass rush will receive a notable boost. Nwosu set a career high with 9.5 sacks during his debut Seattle campaign (2022), and expectations were high entering this season after he was limited to only six games the previous year. Remaining healthy the rest of the way would allow for Nwosu – who is on the books through 2026 – to reprise a starting role along the edge as Seattle looks to remain in contention to win the NFC West.
In his absence, the Seahawks have relied on Derick Hall and Boye Mafe for pass rush production. Hall leads the team with six sacks, and Mafe is tied for second with five; adding Nwosu to the mix will give Seattle a notable trio of options on the edge along with Leonard Williams on the interior. Sitting at 6-5 on the year, the Seahawks rank only 17th in the league in sacks, so improving in that department could be key in reaching the postseason.
Seattle has six IR activations remaining, and using up one of them will be required to bring Nwosu into the fold. Doing so will allow him to make an impact in 2024 as he looks to move past his recent injury troubles.
Mike Tannenbaum, Rick Spielman To Participate In Jets’ HC, GM Searches
The Jets’ process of finding their next head coach and general manager will include outside consultation. The 33rd Team has been hired to assist in the search for Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas‘ replacements, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports. The news is now official.
[RELATED: Jets Targeting Experienced HC, GM Candidates]
Specifically, Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman will take part in the process of identifying and interviewing candidates. Owner Woody Johnson will lead the search, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes, but having the 33rd Team onboard will allow for a pair of experienced former front office members to assist. This marks the NFL think tank’s first such collaboration with a franchise for a hiring process.
Tannenbaum founded the 33rd Team in 2019, one year after his tenure as the Dolphins’ EVP of football operations came to an end. That, in turn, was preceded by a run as general manager of the Jets from 2006-12. The 55-year-old constructed the team’s most recent playoff roster and has a familiarity with Johnson which could help over the coming months. Tannenbaum was in place when Rex Ryan was hired as head coach; the latter has publicly campaigned to return to that position, but Costello notes there have been no signs the organization reciprocates that desire.
Spielman worked his way to the title of general manager of the Dolphins for the 2004 season before ultimately having an extended tenure in that role with the Vikings. He took charge of the franchise in 2012 and remained in place until he was fired following the 2021 campaign. Since then, the 61-year-old has had a number of media-related roles. He also assisted the Commanders in their general manager search this past offseason.
Johnson fired Saleh after Week 5 in the hopes a change on the sidelines would spark a turnaround. Instead, the Jets are 1-5 under Jeff Ulbrich. Those continued struggles led to the decision to move on from Douglas early rather than waiting for his contract to expire at the end of the campaign. Interviews with executives employed by other teams cannot take place at this point, but those unaffiliated with the Jets’ competitors are free to speak with Johnson and Co. at any time.
On that note, Jones lists Dawn Aponte as a name to watch. A former Jets exec – who also worked under Tannenbaum in Miami – she currently serves as the NFL’s chief administrator of football operations. Aponte interviewed for the Chargers’ GM gig this past winter and was mentioned as a candidate for a high-ranking position in the Commanders’ front office.
It will be interesting to see if Aponte is interviewed by the Jets in the near future as the team sorts out its front office and coaching targets. However that process unfolds, Tannenbaum and Spielman will play an important role along the way.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order
The Week 12 slate of games is in the books. For many teams, attention is increasingly turning toward the offseason with a playoff berth no longer in reach.
Plenty of time remains for the draft order to change over the coming months, and it will be interesting to see which teams wind up in position to add at the quarterback spot in particular. The crop of prospects for 2025 is not held in high regard after Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, meaning the demand for potential franchise passers is set to outweigh demand at the top of the board. Of course, players like Sanders’ Colorado teammate Travis Hunter will be among the ones worth watching closely as well.
The Jets have moved on from head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, inviting questions about a reset under center as well. Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but it remains to be seen how his relationship with the organization will take shape down the stretch and if a new regime will prefer to move on at the position. The Giants, meanwhile, confirmed they will be in the market for a new signal-caller with Daniel Jones no longer in the fold.
Teams such as the Raiders have long been mentioned as a team to watch regarding a rookie QB pursuit. Jayden Daniels was a target for head coach Antonio Pierce last spring, and it would come as no surprise if Vegas were to make a push for a long-term starting option this time around. Other franchises not on track to qualify for the playoffs figure to give the Raiders plenty of competition in that department, though.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-9
- New York Giants: 2-9
- Las Vegas Raiders: 2-9
- New England Patriots: 3-9
- Carolina Panthers: 3-8
- Tennessee Titans: 3-8
- New York Jets: 3-8
- Cleveland Browns: 3-8
- New Orleans Saints: 4-7
- Cincinnati Bengals: 4-7
- Dallas Cowboys: 4-7
- Chicago Bears: 4-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 5-7
- Miami Dolphins: 5-6
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-6
- Los Angeles Rams: 5-6
- San Francisco 49ers: 5-6
- Arizona Cardinals: 6-5
- Atlanta Falcons: 6-5
- Seattle Seahawks: 6-5
- Washington Commanders: 7-5
- Houston Texans: 7-5
- Denver Broncos: 7-5
- Los Angeles Chargers: 7-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-3
- Green Bay Packers: 8-3
- Minnesota Vikings: 9-2
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-2
- Buffalo Bills: 9-2
- Kansas City Chiefs: 10-1
- Detroit Lions: 10-1
Ulbrich: Aaron Rodgers To Remain Jets’ QB1
Rumblings about an imminent Jets divorce with Aaron Rodgers have surfaced in the wake of Joe Douglas‘ firing. An awkward period figures to precede that separation, potentially one that features the quarterback shut down early.
A Saturday report indicated Rodgers was likely to finish the season on IR or on the bench. We do not appear at that point yet. Interim Jets HC Jeff Ulbrich said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) Rodgers would “absolutely” start against the Seahawks in Week 13.
[RELATED: Rodgers Still Aiming To Play In 2025]
The Jets sit 3-8, leading to Douglas’ firing, and a number of reports have detailed Woody Johnson‘s outsized influence in personnel matters during the GM’s final year in charge. The Rodgers-Johnson relationship, viewed by some to be frosty, may determine how this chapter ends. A Sunday report, however, did describe a fracture between QB and owner as overblown.
Johnson is widely believed to have suggested his then-Robert Saleh-led coaching staff bench Rodgers after he struggled against the Broncos in Week 4. As could be expected, Jets coaches talked the owner out of that audacious effort. Rodgers, 41 next week, has not closely resembled his MVP-level form this season but has also been battling injuries.
The future Hall of Famer has run into ankle, knee and hamstring trouble this season, with the hamstring issue believed to be the most significant. When asked about a report that indicated Rodgers refused medical scans in an effort to keep his injuries’ severity hidden, Ulbrich said that was “news to me.” Ulbrich added Rodgers is feeling healthier now, coming out of New York’s bye week, than he did earlier this season.
Rodgers attempted to make a historically quick return from an Achilles tear last year, resurfacing at practice with an official IR-return designation. Though, he admitted he was not 100% — as could be expected — once he came back to practice. But Rodgers has displayed toughness as a Jet, albeit while failing to turn the team around as many anticipated. QBR places Rodgers 24th this season, reminding of his 2022 form (26th). He has averaged just 6.4 yards per attempt this season; that would be a career-low mark for the 17th-year starter.
The Jets are 1-5 under Ulbrich and 1-4 since acquiring Davante Adams, at Rodgers’ urging. The team ranks 27th in scoring and total offense, while Ulbrich’s leadership has brought a defensive regression as well. Rodgers has nevertheless backed Ulbrich, who had been the Jets’ DC from 2021 until Saleh’s firing. Both are highly likely to be elsewhere in 2025.
Unless the Browns take an unfathomable dead money hit by cutting Deshaun Watson next year, the Jets dropping Rodgers would bring the second-most dead money one player ever has. Only the Broncos’ $83MM-plus Russell Wilson release will come in higher, as it would cost the Jets $49MM — likely to be split up via a post-June 1 designation — to release Rodgers.
If the Jets are to turn away from Rodgers as they both prepare for a fresh start — while potentially aiming to ensure a better chance at a top-five draft choice — they would stand to replace him with Tyrod Taylor, who signed a two-year, $12MM deal with the team this offseason. It is unclear if the team would want a full-on overhaul at the position, but Taylor is tied to a $6MM base salary for 2025. Of that total, $2.5MM is guaranteed.
Rams WR Demarcus Robinson Arrested
Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of DUI, according to a California Highway Patrol press release obtained by NFL Media (via Grant Gordon of NFL.com). TMZ Sports was first with the news.
According to the report, officers observed a white sedan traveling at speeds of 100 miles per hour on US-101 northbound around 5 a.m. this morning. After stopping the vehicle, officers identified the driver as Robinson, with the report noting that there were “observed signs of alcohol impairment.”
Robinson refused to perform a sobriety check and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI. The 30-year-old was cited before being released to a “responsible party.”
The arrest came only hours after the Rams loss to the Eagles on SNF. The receiver finished the game with two catches, including a two-yard touchdown reception. In his second season with the Rams, Robinson has hauled in 26 catches for 384 yards and six touchdowns. Thanks to absences for both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, the veteran leads the WRs room in snaps this season. The long-time Chiefs wideout is attached to a one-year, $5MM deal he signed this past offseason.
Robinson could eventually face punishment from the league via the NFL’s personal conduct policy. There’s not a whole lot of time for the process to play out this season, but if Robinson does miss games, it’d provide more opportunities for the likes of Tutu Atwell and Tyler Johnson.
Panthers Waive LB Charles Harris
The Panthers have moved on from their co-leader in sacks. The team announced that they’ve waived linebacker Charles Harris. The move was made to accommodate cornerback Akayleb Evans, who was claimed off waivers from the Vikings.
The Panthers added Harris ahead of Week 2, and the veteran linebacker came in and immediately played a role for his new squad. After coming off the bench in his debut, the 29-year-old proceeded to start the next six games for Carolina. But with D.J. Wonnum recently returning to the lineup, Harris found himself quickly falling down the depth chart.
Harris was suddenly inactive for Week 10 when Wonnum returned to the lineup. Following the team’s bye week, Harris returned to the field and played 33 snaps yesterday. However, his Week 12 appearance coincided with D.J. Johnson‘s absence with a concussion. The Panthers now have their full edge rusher grouping, and Joe Person of The Athletic notes that the team wants to give young players like Cam Gill and Kenny Dyson more reps. That meant there was no spot left for a temporary veteran like Harris.
The linebacker’s Panthers tenure will end with him having compiled three sacks, 21 tackles, and seven QB hits. Harris hinted at some top-end pass-rush ability when he collected 7.5 sacks with the Lions in 2021, but his three-sack cameo with Carolina represents his highest total in three years. Harris should find another gig elsewhere, but he may be hard pressed to earn significant playing time with a new squad.
A 2022 fourth-round pick by the Vikings, Evans started all 15 of his appearances as a sophomore, finishing with 65 tackles, seven passes defended, one interception, and three forced fumbles. Minnesota brought in Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin this offseason, and Evans found himself buried on the depth chart. After getting into only three defensive snaps (along with 83 ST snaps) in seven games, the defensive back was waived by the Vikings this past weekend.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/25/24
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Tre Flowers, DE Durell Nchami
- Released: OT Sebastian Gutierrez, DE Derek Rivers
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LS Zach Triner
- Waived: LS Tucker Addington
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Tomon Fox
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE K.J. Henry
With Blake Ferguson still injured and the Dolphins having used Tucker Addington‘s three promotions, the Dolphins are turning to a new long snapper. In comes Zach Triner, who is coming off a long stint in Tampa Bay. Triner ultimately spent five-plus seasons with the Buccaneers, getting into 81 games. He was cut by the team earlier this month after his replacement, Evan Deckers, returned from injury.
The Eagles are set to add K.J. Henry to their practice squad, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The 2023 fifth-round pick has already bounced around the league in his short career, spending time with the Commanders, Bengals, and Cowboys. He cleared waivers today after getting cut by the Cowboys this past weekend. The defensive end got into a pair of games for Dallas this season, and he’s collected three sacks in 17 career games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/25/24
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: NT Josh Tupou
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: TE Nick Muse
The Vikings reduced their tight end depth today by moving on from Nick Muse. The 2022 seventh-round pick has spent the past three seasons in Minnesota, appearing in 15 games. He was limited to only nine offensive snaps in 2024, and he has a single catch on his career resume. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Muse will land back on Minnesota’s practice squad if he clears waivers.
Chargers Place TE Hayden Hurst On IR
Ahead of tonight’s Harbaugh Bowl, the Chargers made a handful of changes to their roster. Most notably, the team announced that they’ve placed tight end Hayden Hurst on injured reserve.
After not being listed earlier in the week, Hurst popped up on the injury report this past Friday with a hip injury. That issue ended up being severe enough to sideline the player for at least the next four games. Hurst will be first eligible to return in Week 16.
After getting cut by the Panthers this offseason, Hurst quickly caught on with the Chargers. The veteran led the Chargers TE grouping in snaps through the first four weeks, but he’s since been passed by both Will Dissly and Eric Tomlinson on the depth chart. In seven appearances this year, Hurst has hauled in seven catches. The tight end topped 50 catches in both 2020 and 2022.
The Chargers made additional moves today, including activating Deane Leonard from IR. The cornerback has missed the past five games while nursing a hamstring injury. After garnering three starts last season, Leonard reverted back to primarily a special teams role in 2024.
The team added more defensive depth ahead of tonight’s game. The Chargers signed cornerback Eli Apple to the active roster while promoting safety Tony Jefferson and outside linebacker Caleb Murphy from the practice squad. To open extra roster space, the team waived safety AJ Finley.