Chargers ‘Optimistic’ For Justin Herbert’s Week 14 Availability
As reported earlier this week, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert underwent surgery to address a broken bone in his left (non-throwing) hand. Per Nick Shook of NFL.com, while the 27-year-old passer is still considered day-to-day at the moment, the team — specifically head coach Jim Harbaugh — is “optimistic” that Herbert will be the one under center to start the game on Monday night. 
According to Omar Ruiz of NFL Network, Herbert described the surgery, telling reporters that a plate and a few screws were put into his hand during the procedure. The current plan is just to prepare as if he’s starting against the Eagles this week, though an eye will be kept on his hand to determine if the swelling from the surgery has subsided enough for him to play. In Week 13, he wore a glove on his left hand made to stabilize the injury, and a similar technique could be utilized again in order to stabilize his healing hand.
While Harbaugh is optimistic, and Herbert is preparing like he’s starting, Harbaugh is not depending solely on Herbert. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, backup quarterback Trey Lance is expected to get some run with the first-team offense this week, in case the team feels Herbert’s hand won’t allow him to “function in enough basic ways or protect himself if he falls.” Lance, a former No. 3 overall pick, started four games in his first two years in San Francisco but has only logged one start in the past three seasons combined. If Herbert’s hand hinders him in the ways quoted above, though, Lance would be tapped as the starter.
Lance took all of the first-team reps in today’s practice, with Herbert not practicing in the traditional sense and, instead, just being present on the field through the first sessions of practice. Even if Herbert’s hand is doing well enough for him to start, Lance’s work with the first team could still be handy for certain situations.
Herbert’s hand may prevent him from being literally under center since it could be difficult for him to receive snaps between the center’s legs with his hand injury. Herbert can try to stay in shotgun formations as much as possible, but in short yardage or goal line situations, the team may rely on Lance, whose hand would be less at risk of injury in a scrum.
The news on the matter is still not definitive, but at least we now know what to keep an eye on in the days to come. As long as Herbert and Co. can get the swelling down over the next five days, he should return as the starter. In the meantime, Lance will continue preparing for roles both big and small.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/25
Here are today’s midweek minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Designated for return from IR: DL L.J. Collier
- Signed from practice squad: TE Pharaoh Brown
Atlanta Falcons
- Reverted to season-ending IR: LB Malik Verdon
Cincinnati Bengals
- Designated for return from IR: LB Shaka Heyward
Green Bay Packers
- Signed off Giants’ practice squad: DT Jordon Riley
Houston Texans
- Signed from practice squad: DE Solomon Byrd
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed from practice squad: DE Matt Dickerson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed from practice squad: T Esa Pole
Los Angeles Chargers
- Designated for return from IR: RB Hassan Haskins
Minnesota Vikings
- Designated for return from IR: RB Ty Chandler
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: WR Dante Pettis, G William Sherman
New York Jets
- Designated for return from IR: LB Cam Jones
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return from IR: CB Donte Kent
Collier signed with Arizona after injuries and a failure to live up to his first-round draft stock led to his departure from Seattle. He earned a starting role with his new team, but after his first game for the Cardinals, he was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a bicep injury. He worked his way back to health and started 15 of 17 game appearances last year, but his struggles on the line led to a team reunion with Calais Campbell and the drafting of Walter Nolen in the first round. Collier was working as a depth piece before getting placed on IR back in September, and if he can get back to the active roster, he’ll add to the line’s depth, once again.
As a rookie, Verdon was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list to start the season. The undrafted linebacker had been designated to return from the reserve/NFI list, but now that his 21-day practice window has come and gone without an activation, he moves to IR.
Pharaoh in Arizona, Dickerson in Duval, and Pettis in New Orleans all had used up their three standard gameday practice squad elevations. If their respective teams wanted to see them play in any more games this season, a move to the 53-man roster was necessary.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/2/25
Twenty-one different teams made practice squad transactions on Tuesday. Here are the latest updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: RB Montrell Johnson, RB Sincere McCormick
- Signed: LB Eku Leota
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB William Kwenkeu, RB Jonathan Ward
- Placed on practice squad IR: LB Chandler Martin
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DE Andre Jones
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Jalen Kimber
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Simeon Barrow, G Jack Conley, RB Ahmani Marshall, LB Mark Robinson
- Placed on practice squad IR: DE Julian Okwara
- Released: LB Eugene Asante
Denver Broncos
- Released: WR Kyrese Rowan
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Shemar Bartholomew
- Released: CB Tyron Herring, WR Michael Woods
Houston Texans
- Signed: OLB Xavier Thomas
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: K Greg Joseph
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: C Josh Kaltenberger, OT Foster Sarell
- Released: WR Luke Grimm, OT David Sharpe
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: OL Wyatt Bowles
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OL Kion Smith
- Released: OL Braeden Daniels
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: QB Desmond Ridder
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Beanie Bishop
- Released: RB Ian Wheeler
New York Jets
- Signed: CB Samuel Womack
- Released: WR Brandon Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: DB Parry Nickerson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Daequan Hardy
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OLB Ja’Markis Weston
- Released: C Doug Kramer, WR Brenden Rice
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Owen Wright
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Kristian Wilkerson
Washington Commanders
- Signed: WR Robbie Chosen
- Released: LS Zach Triner
With J.J. McCarthy close to a return from his concussion, the Vikings parted ways with Ridder. He was signed last week after McCarthy entered concussion protocol, but was not elevated to back up Max Brosmer in Week 13. That responsibility instead went to John Wolford, who remains in Minnesota.
Bishop was released by the Steelers at the beginning of November. After appearing all 17 games last year with a 50% snap share, he did not make the 53-man roster this season and remained on the practice squad. He will now join the Saints in the hopes of making his 2025 debut in New Orleans.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Week 12 saw the Giants become the first team in the NFL to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Based on Sunday’s results, another two teams from each conference saw their postseason chances officially come to an end.
The Titans, Saints, Raiders and Cardinals have now been eliminated as well. Attention in the case of those teams will increasingly turn toward the offseason. For some, questions about changes at the quarterback spot will be ongoing through the spring. Free agency is not expected to include many notable options, so the draft will be sought out in several instances as a means of finding a 2026 starter.
Of course, the incoming class of passers has largely underwhelmed this season. That has led to uncertainty regarding the ceiling for many of the top prospects at the quarterback position. Nevertheless, supply often outweighs demand at the top of the Day 1 order in the NFL draft. How things shake out over the closing weeks of the season will be key in determining which QB-needy teams find themselves in the best position to select a new QB1.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an early look at the first-round order:
- Tennessee Titans (1-11)
- New York Giants (2-11)
- New Orleans Saints (2-10)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
- Cleveland Browns (3-9)
- Washington Commanders (3-9)
- New York Jets (3-9)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-9)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (4-8)
- Miami Dolphins (5-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)
- Detroit Lions (7-5)
- Houston Texans (7-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
- Buffalo Bills (8-4)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Seattle Seahawks (9-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (9-3)
- Denver Broncos (10-2)
- Chicago Bears (9-3)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
Justin Herbert To Undergo Hand Surgery
DECEMBER 1: The Chargers announced that Herbert underwent successful surgery today. The quarterback is now day-to-day, and his status for next Monday’s matchup with the Eagles “will be determined later in the week.”
NOVEMBER 30: Following today’s victory over the Raiders, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh told the media that quarterback Justin Herbert has suffered a broken bone in left (non-throwing) hand and that Herbert would be undergoing a procedure tomorrow to address the injury, per Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Harbaugh also told reporters that he doesn’t know whether Herbert will have to miss time because of the surgery or not. 
It’s been a rough go for the Chargers offense this year. Injuries have taken their toll on a group that has seen both starting tackles and three running backs land on injured reserve. With so many pieces missing already, losing Herbert for even a week or two could be very hard for this team to weather. They’re currently a game behind the Broncos for the division lead, and it could be two, depending on the outcome of tonight’s game. They’re in a Wildcard spot at the moment, but there are multiple teams lapping at their heels in the standings.
With that in mind, it makes sense that Herbert will try not to miss any time because of this surgery. When asked if he would need to miss time, Herbert told reporters that doctors are “pretty hopeful” he won’t need to. According to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, Herbert wore a hard cast on his left hand underneath his glove today, so it stands to reason that that may be a postop option, as well. “It’s one of those things where you just stabilize it,” Herbert told reporters. “I’m not the doctor, but yeah, they were hopeful, so I think that’s a good thing.”
Rhim’s fellow ESPN staffer Adam Schefter added on that Herbert is approaching next week’s game as if he will be playing in it. The Chargers next contest will be a Monday night road trip to Philadelphia. If Herbert is forced to miss any time, backup quarterback Trey Lance would likely get the start. Lance has four games of starting experience from his time in San Francisco, plus a start for the Cowboys last year, but he hasn’t thrown a touchdown since his rookie campaign in 2021.
Popper pointed to a moment earlier in Herbert’s career, two years ago, in which Herbert broke a finger in his left hand early in the season. He didn’t miss any games because of the injury back in 2023. Herbert drew on that experience to underline his confidence in being able to play for Monday Night Football next week, telling reporters, “In terms of experience, I’ve gone through similar things, so I think it will be helpful.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/1/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Brittain Brown
- Released: LB Dominique Hampton
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Andrew Armstrong, TE Giovanni Ricci, RB Jabari Small
- Released: CB Tre Flowers, OL Netane Muti
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Royce Freeman
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: K Joshua Karty
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Terrace Marshall
Joshua Karty is already back with the Rams. After getting waived by the team the other day, the kicker has landed back with the Rams practice squad. Harrison Mevis will continue to operate as the team’s kicker for the time being, and the Missouri product continued his perfect season with four XP makes yesterday. The organization apparently isn’t completely ready to hand over the gig to Mevis, however, as Karty will stick around as insurance.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/29/25
Here are Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL, including gameday elevations for the remainder of Week 13:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Deven Thompkins
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: OL Tylan Grable
- Elevated: TE Keleki Latu, LB Baylon Spector
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: DT Sam Kamara
Houston Texans
- Elevated: CB Ameer Speed
- Placed on IR: CB Ajani Carter
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: DE Chris Wormley
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: DE Matt Dickerson, S Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: OL Atonio Mafi, CB Greedy Vance
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: RB Jaret Patterson
- Waived: OL Foster Sarell
- Elevated: RB Trayveon Williams
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: CB Dwight McGlothern Jr., QB John Wolford
New York Jets
- Elevated: DE Eric Watts, DB Jordan Clark
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: K Matt Gay, LB Jalen Graham
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed from practice squad: RB Myles Gaskin
- Placed on IR: RB George Holani
- Elevated: S Quandre Diggs, RB Velus Jones
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed from practice squad: QB Connor Bazelak
- Waived: RB Owen Wright
- Elevated: S Marcus Banks
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: WR Xavier Restrepo, CB Kemon Hall
The Vikings brought back Desmond Ridder as quarterback insurance with J.J. McCarthy concussed. Ridder joined the team’s practice squad, and he will not dress for Minnesota tomorrow. Instead, it will be Wolford handling backup duties while undrafted rookie Max Brosmer makes his first career start.
Diggs returned to Seattle earlier this week. The veteran will receive the opportunity to play right away during his second stint with the Seahawks. Diggs earned three Pro Bowl nods during his first run in Seattle, and he will look to provide depth in the secondary with a familiar team down the stretch.
Chargers Designate RB Omarion Hampton For Return From IR
NOVEMBER 26: A day after his 21-day practice window opened, Hampton revealed some previously unknown details on the injury that put him on IR for the past seven weeks. While we had known it was a left ankle injury that sidelined the North Carolina rookie, Hampton revealed that the nature of the injury was a fracture, per ESPN’s Kris Rhim. He’ll have a chance to make his return as soon as this weekend, if Los Angeles opts to activate him by Saturday.
NOVEMBER 25: Najee Harris will not play again this season for the Chargers. The other member of the team’s backfield tandem from the start of the season could be back soon, however. 
Head coach Jim Harbaugh announced on Tuesday (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim) Omarion Hampton will return to practice today. That means his 21-day activation window will open. Hampton must be brought back onto the active roster within that time to avoid reverting to season-ending injured reserve.
Harris suffered an Achilles tear in Week 3, something which ended the chances of Hampton being eased into action in terms of workload. The first-round rookie was slated for a clear-cut RB1 role with Harris out of the fold, but that setup did not last long. Hampton suffered an ankle injury in early October, and he has resided on IR ever since. Getting him back in the fold at some point late in the season will be key.
The Chargers’ offense has been without left tackle Rashawn Slater all season. His replacement on the blindside, Joe Alt, thrived in that role when healthy be he too has been lost for the remainder of the campaign. Los Angeles traded for Trevor Penning at the deadline, but the team’s O-line will remain a major point of concern moving forward.
The Bolts find themselves in the top 10 in the league in scoring but they sit just 20th in total offense. Improvement on the ground would be welcomed, and having a healthy Hampton could go a long way in that regard. The North Carolina product received double-digit carries in four of his five appearances prior to going down. Overall, Hampton produced 450 scrimmage yards while averaging 4.8 yards per carry.
Hampton could be back as early as Week 13, and the same is also true for defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia. The latter’s practice window is also being opened, per Harbaugh (h/t Daniel Popper of The Athletic). Ogbonnia has been sidelined since Week 7 due to an elbow injury, but he will likely be back in the fold shortly barring a setback in practice over the coming days.
The Chargers have been hit hard by injuries throughout the campaign, and they have only three IR activations remaining. Bringing back Hampton and Ogbonnia will leave them with one for the closing weeks of the regular season.
2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker
The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.
In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.
All players designated for return on August 26 became eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations once the postseason begins.
Here is how the 14 remaining teams’ activation puzzles look for the wild-card round:
Buffalo Bills
Designated for return:
- S Damar Hamlin (1/7)
Eligible for activation:
- DT Ed Oliver (playoff return in play)
- S Taylor Rapp (unlikely to return this season)
- WR Curtis Samuel (story)
- CB Dorian Strong (story)
Activated:
- CB Maxwell Hairston (Week 8)
- DT T.J. Sanders (Week 11)
- OL Tylan Grable (Week 13)
- WR Mecole Hardman (Week 16)
Activations remaining: 6
Carolina Panthers
Designated for return:
- G Chandler Zavala (1/6)
Activated:
- DE LaBryan Ray (Week 5)
- WR Jalen Coker (Week 7)
- C Austin Corbett (Week 7)
- G Chandler Zavala (Week 9)
- G Robert Hunt (wild-card round)
- WR David Moore (wild-card round)
Activations remaining: 4
Chicago Bears
Designated for return:
- T Braxton Jones (1/6)
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
- RB Travis Homer (Week 7)
- DE Austin Booker (Week 9)
- LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (Week 10)
- CB Kyler Gordon (Week 13)
- CB Jaylon Johnson (Week 13)
- LB Tremaine Edmunds (Week 16)
- OL Luke Newman (Week 17)
- CB Kyler Gordon (wild-card round)
Activations remaining: 2
Denver Broncos
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
- LB Drew Sanders (practice window opened 1/10)
Eligible for activation:
- RB J.K. Dobbins (playoff return in play)
- S Brandon Jones (eligible for divisional-round return)
- TE Lucas Krull (story)
- OL Matt Peart (story)
Activated:
- DL Malcolm Roach (Week 6)
- LB Dre Greenlaw (Week 7)
- LB Garret Wallow (Week 11)
- G Ben Powers (Week 16)
- LB Karene Reid (wild-card round)
Activations remaining: 4
Green Bay Packers
Activated:
- OL Jacob Monk (Week 7)
- WR Jayden Reed (Week 14)
- RB MarShawn Lloyd (Week 16)
- DL Brenton Cox (Week 16)
- LB Nick Niemann (wild-card round)
Activations remaining: 5
Houston Texans
Designated for return:
- CB Ajani Carter (12/23)
Eligible for activation:
- DT Folorunso Fatukasi (story)
- S Jaylen Reed (story)
- CB Jaylin Smith (story)
Activated:
- S Jaylen Reed (Week 7)
- CB Jaylin Smith (Week 8)
- FB Jakob Johnson (Week 11)
- TE Cade Stover (Week 11)
- TE Harrison Bryant (Week 15)
- WR Justin Watson (Week 18)
- OLB Darrell Taylor (wild-card round)
Activations remaining: 3
Jacksonville Jaguars
Reverted to season-ending IR:
- LB Jalen McLeod (practice window closed 1/7)
Activated:
- TE Brenton Strange (Week 12)
- S Eric Murray (Week 14)
Activations remaining: 7
Los Angeles Chargers
Activated:
- OLB Khalil Mack (Week 7)
- ILB Denzel Perryman (Week 7)
- DT Da’Shawn Hand (Week 10)
- LS Josh Harris (Week 10)
- DB Deane Leonard (Week 10)
- RB Omarion Hampton (Week 14)
- RB Hassan Haskins (Week 14)
- DL Otito Ogbonnia (Week 14)
- TE Tucker Fisk (wild-card round)
Activations remaining: 1
Los Angeles Rams
Designated for return:
- CB Roger McCreary (12/24)
Eligible for activation:
- RT Rob Havenstein (story)
Activated:
- CB Ahkello Witherspoon (Week 13)
- WR Tutu Atwell (Week 15)
- TE Tyler Higbee (Week 18)
- S Quentin Lake (wild-card round)
Activations remaining: 6
New England Patriots
Designated for return:
- CB Alex Austin (12/31)
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
- LB Jahlani Tavai (Week 5)
- LT Will Campbell (Week 18)
- DT Milton Williams (Week 18)
Activations remaining: 7
Philadelphia Eagles
Reverted to season-ending IR:
- T Myles Hinton (practice window closed 12/10)
- G Willie Lampkin (practice window closed 11/27)
Designated for return:
- OLB Azeez Ojulari (1/7)
Activated:
- WR Darius Cooper (Week 8)
- OLB Nolan Smith (Week 10)
- CB Jakorian Bennett (Week 11)
- S Marcus Epps (Week 14)
- LS Charley Hughlett (Week 15)
- T Cameron Williams (Week 18)
Activations remaining: 3
Pittsburgh Steelers
Reverted to season-ending IR:
- CB Donte Kent (practice window closed 12/24)
- DB Cory Trice (practice window closed 11/19)
Designated for return:
- DE Isaiahh Loudermilk (1/9)
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
- LB Malik Harrison (Week 9)
- QB Will Howard (Week 11)
Activations remaining: 7
San Francisco 49ers
Designated for return:
- WR Jacob Cowing (1/5)
Activated:
- DL Kevin Givens (Week 7)
- TE George Kittle (Week 7)
- OL Spencer Burford (Week 8)
- G Ben Bartch (Week 10)
- DE Yetur Gross-Matos (Week 16)
Activations remaining: 5
Seattle Seahawks
Designated for return:
- TE Elijah Arroyo (1/7)
Eligible for activation:
- RB George Holani
- WR Tory Horton (story)
- LB Chazz Surratt
Activated:
- FB Robbie Ouzts (Week 9)
- G Christian Haynes (Week 11)
- S Julian Love (Week 14)
- DT Jarran Reed (Week 14)
- TE Eric Saubert (Week 15)
- C Jalen Sundell (Week 15)
- WR Dareke Young (Week 15)
Activations remaining: 3
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/19/25
Wednesday’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers (from Cowboys): LB Damone Clark
- Waived: K Matthew Wright
Los Angeles Chargers
- Claimed off waivers (from Rams): S Chris Smith
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed from practice squad: K Harrison Mevis
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Rams’ practice squad: CB A.J. Green
- Placed on IR: CB JuJu Brents (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: WR Kevin Austin
New York Giants
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: RB Eric Gray
Philadelphia Eagles
- Practice window opened: T Myles Hinton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Reverted to season-ending IR: CB Cory Trice
21 days have gone by since the Steelers opened Trice’s practice window. They’ve made the decision not to activate him from injured reserve, so he will remain on IR without the possibility of being activated.
Gray has been on New York’s physically unable to perform list since they set their initial 53-man roster. With rookie running back Cam Skattebo hitting IR earlier in the season, Gray’s return could add some needed depth at the position.