Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz has been placed on injured reserve for a season-ending shoulder injury.
Wentz played through the injury in a loss to the Chargers, visibly wincing in pain throughout the game.
Prime Video analyst Kirk Herbstreit was criticized for rebuking Wentz for showing emotion on the sideline.

Carson Wentz’s face couldn’t hide what the Minnesota Vikings quarterback had tried to obscure.

Operating on a short week in his team’s ‘Thursday Night Football’ showdown last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, the veteran passer clearly understood the assignment. Wentz made his fifth consecutive start in place of J.J. McCarthy, who would only serve as the emergency quarterback for the game as he continued to recover from a high-ankle sprain.

Loaded up with a cumbersome harness and several other wraps to aid an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, Wentz prepared for another outing behind a reshuffled and vulnerable offensive line, which would also lose left tackle Christian Darrisaw after the second series. The onslaught arrived as expected, with the Chargers racking up five sacks and eight quarterback hits.

All through the eventual 37-10 defeat, Wentz grimaced his way to the next play until he was pulled on the final series. In clear pain, he grabbed his arm on several occasions while remaining in the game.

Said Wentz when asked after the game if he’d be able to play again this season: ‘It’s a week-by-week, day-by-day thing right now.’

That assessment might have been the first sign something was amiss.

On Monday, the Vikings placed Wentz on injured reserve, ruling him out for the season with what multiple reports said was a shoulder dislocation that included a torn labrum and fractured socket suffered in the Oct. 5 London matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Further details regarding the injury, however, remain murky.

What does seem clear is this: Wentz deserves an apology. It’s just not clear from whom.

The Vikings’ role

Maybe it’s from Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings. The coach and organization deserve the benefit of the doubt given their established track record of authentic care for players, which is reflected by across-the-board sterling marks in the annual NFL Players Association team report cards.

But O’Connell’s concern for his two other quarterbacks – McCarthy and undrafted rookie backup Max Brosmer – might have clouded his judgment and allowed Wentz to become cannon fodder.

‘Carson’s a veteran player,’ O’Connell said after the game. ‘He understands, kind of, some of our circumstances tonight. I think it’s very difficult to ask a rookie to go in there for his first performance and have to be weathering it a little bit for the group.’

It’s understandable that O’Connell, himself a former NFL quarterback who has bemoaned how teams treat their young signal-callers, would be protective of a first-year passer. But if playing Brosmer wasn’t a realistic option, then O’Connell needed to have a true backup at the ready given all that went into merely getting Wentz prepared for the game.

From a protocol standpoint, the Vikings appeared to have done no wrong here. Wentz repeatedly insisted he wanted to stay in the game, O’Connell said, and the medical team provided continual check-ins.

‘There is a mentality to the quarterback position where when a guy is so committed and so all-in and does not want to be taken off the field, you have to honor that,’ O’Connell said Tuesday on KFAN FM 100.3.

That might be an established precedent, but it’s not a fail-safe one. Wentz’s assertions that he was fine to keep going were undercut by his wincing throughout the game. This became a scene that was uncomfortable to watch, never mind participate in.

After the game, Wentz said the pain was ‘quite possibly’ the worst he’s ever felt in his football career. That’s coming from a player who once tore his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and damaged his meniscus, among a litany of other injuries.

Pain is tricky to assess, and players deserve a good bit of agency in these matters. But they’ve proven to be unreliable narrators when it comes to assessing their own limitations during the middle of a game. Interventions are needed to help protect Wentz and his peers from their own instincts. At the very least, the outcome should prompt some reconsideration of whether the process for assessing similar situations could be improved.

Kirk Herbstreit’s comments

While the Vikings’ actions might have occupied a gray area, there aren’t many subtleties to the way Kirk Herbstreit responded to Wentz’s biggest display of frustration on the night.

After taking yet another hit that left him grabbing his wrist as the game spiraled further out of hand in the fourth quarter, Wentz threw his helmet and became tearful as he sat on the bench. His actions drew a sharp rebuke from the Prime Video analyst.

‘When you’re the captain of the ship, you’re the quarterback, you gotta try to hold some of that emotion in,’ Herbstreit said. ‘And I know he’s frustrated, and he’s hurt, but it’s Week 7. There’s a long way to go.’

Playing decorum police was a regrettable move in the moment. It looks even worse with the full picture of Wentz’s health now revealed.

Yet even when responding to criticism about his remark, Herbstreit seemed to double down.

‘I talked the entire game about how impressive it was that he was playing through a lot of pain and mentioned several times how mentally and physically tough he was-all I said was he can’t throw his helmet and it was a bad look. That’s it,’ Herbstreit wrote Monday on X. ‘Doesn’t take anything away from all the great things we said about him all night. Just was surprised to see that from him. That’s it.’

For someone so concerned with optics, Herbstreit sure doesn’t seem to get how bad of a look this is.

Public perception and pressures

For a full picture of just how badly things got twisted with Wentz’s injury, look no further than his response to a question about his emotional display.

“Yeah, I’m not proud of that,’ Wentz told reporters after the game. ‘I apologize to the equipment guys for that one, but yeah, I was in a good amount of pain.”

Those actions, however, might have been one of the few genuine glimpses into just how strong the pressures facing Wentz truly were.

The Bismarck, North Dakota, native got to live out his childhood dream by leading the team he grew up following. Signed in late August after the Vikings traded away backup Sam Howell, he was tasked with taking over the offense less than a month after his arrival.

Minnesota’s roster proved to be a resounding disappointment coming off last year’s 14-3 campaign, yet Wentz found himself taking the fall for many of the team’s shortcomings. It’s easy to tear down a player who began his career as the No. 2 overall pick and a legitimate MVP candidate before becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to start for six different franchises in six consecutive seasons as his standing took repeated hits. And as the recent case of New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields reinforced, it’s all too easy for fans to strip players perceived as busts of their humanity.

Those are the conditions that create a culture that can skew internal compasses. Other quarterbacks, such as Baker Mayfield, have played through torn labrums before, and it wasn’t an unprecedented move for Wentz and the Vikings to see if he could forge ahead. But that dynamic only ratcheted up the demand on the veteran to stick through it.

Said Wentz in another contradiction of his later description of just how taxing his injuries were: ‘Pain is pain.’

Only to a point, though.

When it comes to load management in the contemporary NBA, Michael Jordan isn’t very impressed.

Jordan, the 14-time All-Star and six-time NBA champion many consider to be the greatest player to ever set foot on the court, was also one of the more consistently available players in history.

Throughout his 15-year career, Jordan played in all 82 regular season games nine times. He played in at least 80 two more times.

During a new NBA on NBC segment called ‘MJ: Insights to Excellence,’ in which Jordan, 62, is asked about some of the larger issues facing the league, he blasted the concept of load management, which is when veteran players use intentional rest days to recover and heal the body.

‘Well, it shouldn’t be needed, first and foremost,’ Jordan said. ‘I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove. It was something that I felt like – the fans are there to watch me play – I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his ass off to get a ticket.’

To deliver his point, Jordan brought up a talking point he had used during his playing days, understanding that fans in attendance at arenas all over the country had made a sacrifice to spend the money to go watch him play – even in opposing markets.

‘Yeah, cause I know he’s probably yelling at me and I wanted to shut him up,’ Jordan said when asked if he was also thinking about the opponent fan. ‘He’s calling me all kinds of names. I definitely wanted to shut him up. You have a duty that if they’re wanting to see you, and as an entertainer, I want to show.

‘If guys are coming to watch me play, I don’t want to miss that opportunity. Now, physically, if I can’t do it, then I can’t do it. But physically, if I can do it, and I just don’t feel like doing it, that’s a whole different lens.’

The NBA tightened player participation policies ahead of the 2023-24 season that not only limited when teams would be able rest star players, but also punish them for resting star players during nationally televised games. The NBA also implemented a 65-game threshold for a player to be eligible for postseason awards.

Jordan recalled a sprained ankle he suffered early in his career, when a teammate suggested he sit and rest up on the bench.

‘I said, ‘No, man, I need to make a name for myself, there’s no way I can sit,’ ‘ Jordan recalled. ‘I need to show what I’m capable of. I want to play. I want to win. I want to make an impact. I twisted my ankle, I taped it up and I went back out and played. I always felt that necessary need that I could never leave my comrades out if could perform.’

Jordan also recalled the infamous ‘flu game’ during Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals when he gutted through food poisoning to score 38 points, haul in 7 rebounds and dish out 5 assists.

Still, Jordan’s view might be considered a little outdated, as teams devote more resources to rest and recovery to limit injuries and maximize a player’s production. In the contemporary NBA, the typical player also spends several hours getting treatment, studying film and going through practice sessions, which can also generate wear and tear on the body.

‘You play basketball two-and-a-half, three hours a day,’ Jordan continued. ‘That’s your job. That’s what you get paid to do as an NBA player. What are you doing the other 21 hours? To me, that’s when you should be preparing for your next day of work, or your next challenge.’

Quarterback issues continue to find the Cincinnati Bengals.

They lost Joe Burrow early in the season, forcing Jake Browning into the starting role. Browning’s struggles led to the team swinging a deal for Joe Flacco.

The Flacco deal paid off for one week before the veteran suffered an injury that might make the team pivot back to Browning. As the playoff race continues to take shape, Cincinnati is hoping it can stay in striking distance when Burrow potentially returns late in the season.

A 1-5 record in games without Burrow certainly won’t help that case and Flacco’s shoulder ailment is only set to complicate matters even more.

Here’s the latest on Flacco.

Joe Flacco injury update

Flacco is dealing with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His status for Week 9 against the Chicago Bears is now up in the air.

Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters that Flacco won’t practice on Wednesday, Oct. 29, and they’ll see how the week goes before making a determination on his status for Week 9.

Taylor added that the issue is with Flacco’s throwing shoulder and it’s a painful injury. Since the quarterback arrived just a few weeks ago, Taylor acknowledged that there isn’t enough familiarity to know what Flacco could do with limited reps in practice.

Flacco did tell Taylor he wants to play, adding another layer of intrigue.

The initial injury report will be released on Oct. 29, setting the benchmark for Flacco’s availability. The progress, or potential lack thereof, throughout the remainder of the week will provide some clues into Flacco’s availability for Nov. 2.

Flacco initially left the Bengals’ Week 8 loss prior to the final drive. As the New York Jets were driving for the lead, the quarterback was spotted running up the tunnel to the locker room.

It was reported on the broadcast that he was dealing with a shoulder ailment. While the situation unfolded, Browning started warming up on the sidelines before Flacco returned for the final drive.

Bengals QB depth chart

Joe Burrow (injured)
Joe Flacco
Jake Browning
Sean Clifford (practice squad)

If Flacco can’t start, Browning is next in line to step in as QB1. The Bengals traded for Flacco as a result of Browning’s struggles and a thin QB room.

The current backup has posted an 0-3 record as a starter this season, tossing six touchdowns and eight interceptions in all of his game action.

Clifford is the insurance policy on the practice squad if Flacco is ruled out, but the Bengals continue to hold out hope for Burrow’s potential return later in the season.

The Breeders’ Cup is known as one of the most prestigious international events in the horse racing world.

The event returns this week to feature some of horse racing’s best at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

It is considered ‘one of the richest two days in sports,’ according to the event’s website, with payout purses expected to total more than $34 million and 14 total races over two days.

Breeders Cup Schedule

All Post Times listed are Eastern

Friday, Oct. 31

Juvenile Turf Sprint: 5:45 p.m.

Juvenile Fillies: 6:25 p.m.

Juvenile Fillies Turf: 7:05 p.m.

Juvenile: 7:45 p.m.

Juvenile Turf: 8:25 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 1

Filly & Mares Sprint: 3 p.m.

Turf Sprint: 3:41 p.m.

Dirt Sprint: 4:21 p.m.

Distaff: 5:01 p.m.

Turf: 5:41 p.m.

Classic: 6:25 p.m.

Mile: 7:05 p.m.

Dirt Mile: 7:45 p.m.

Filly & Mare Turf: 8:25 p.m.

How to watch Breeders’ Cup?

Start time:  5:45 p.m. ET (Friday, Oct. 31), 3 p.m. (Saturday, Nov. 1)
Location: Del Mar Race Track (Del Mar, California)
TV: NBC (Saturday), USA Network, FanDuel TV
Stream: Peacock 

Watch the 2025 Breeders’ Cup with Peacock

The NFL trade deadline is set for 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 4, and plenty of teams have glaring needs.
Pulling together a deal for a marquee contributor, however, could be difficult given that this looks like a sellers’ market.
Contenders like the Patriots and Eagles could stand to add some top-tier talent, if any becomes available.

Let’s make a deal. Maybe.

NFL teams are down to their final week of the year to make a trade before this season’s deadline expires at 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 4.

This year is probably a prime example of why the league should consider pushing the cutoff at least one more week, which would coincide with the start of the season’s second half. Because in a model designed to foster parity, the 2025 campaign has certainly delivered – 17 teams currently at .500 or better (including a whopping 10 above .700) with another four within a game of being level. Three other teams (Baltimore, Cincinnati, Washington) are all dealing with injuries but have certainly shown they have sufficient ability already in-house to make a run.

What does all of that mean? It should be a sellers’ market for the seven or so clubs that appear fully out of it, while everyone else has to determine how aggressive they want to be … if they should be at all.

Week 8 didn’t really manage to separate any more chaff from the wheat, but perhaps Week 9 will. Barring that, here are the needs all 32 teams, which are listed alphabetically, should consider as the deadline draws ever closer (salary cap figures courtesy of OverTheCap):

Arizona Cardinals

Where they are: Losers of five in a row, they’re just trying to get back onto the periphery of the playoff chase.

What do they need to do? Get more from alleged stars like QB Kyler Murray and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. But until the Cards start enjoying better production from their core players, little reason searching for quick fixes from the outside. And if GM Monti Ossenfort is compelled to sell, he might try to export veteran linemen like Calais Campbell (maybe back to Baltimore or on to Buffalo?) and Kelvin Beachum into situations where they might get a chance to compete for the rings that have eluded both.

Atlanta Falcons

Where they are: If it’s not quite free fall − yet − but a crash and burn could be coming, the Dirty Birds already closer to the bottom of the NFC South than the top. Not only are the spiraling Falcons losing games they should win, they’re poorly positioned to participate in this year’s market.

What do they need to do? Maybe pray to the football gods. Sunday’s embarrassing loss to Miami not only sent a broadside into ATL’s playoff hopes, it did the opposite of creating any demand around exorbitantly expensive QB2 Kirk Cousins – not that there was ever going to be much barring another club suffering a quarterbacking catastrophe. OLB Arnold Ebiketie has been rumored as a player Atlanta might move, though hard to figure why any other teams would want a former second-rounder who could never establish himself as anything more than a role player here. Starting to seem like the Falcons could be making more noise around Black Monday than on Election Day.

Baltimore Ravens

Where they are: Do Ravens rise from ashes? In this case, just maybe. Sunday’s win allowed the two-time-defending AFC North champs to pick up a game on the rest of a fairly uninspiring division. And with QB Lamar Jackson set to finally return from his hamstring injury Thursday night in Miami, this hyper-talented club could finally be ready to take flight.

What do they need to do? Go for it. Barring a season-ending injury to Jackson, it would be silly to trade TE Mark Andrews. Conversely, if the Ravens, who already acquired S Alohi Gilman earlier this month, want to harness their massive potential, they need to remain aggressive. Going after someone like the Jets’ Quinnen Williams pushes the bounds of deadline realism – especially since Jackson and Pro Bowl C Tyler Linderbaum need new contracts in 2026 – but Baltimore’s weakened front seven could use help given Pro Bowl DL Nnamdi Madubuike isn’t coming back this season.

Buffalo Bills

Where they are: In an unexpected dogfight to win their sixth straight AFC East title … and, they hope, more beyond that.

What do they need to do? They have all of $2.5 million in the salary cap slush fund, which severely limits their capacity to take on a veteran contract without having to restructure some of their own. Yet with the league’s second-worst run defense losing DT Ed Oliver indefinitely to biceps surgery, it’s pretty obvious where the priority should be if GM Brandon Beane is able to execute anything (and they’re fine at wide receiver for you remaining naysayers).

Carolina Panthers

Where they are: Inconsistent yet still relevant, which nevertheless feels like progress in Charlotte.

What do they need to do? While their defense has been markedly better than last year’s historically bad unit, it feels like it could use more help – especially the front seven. The offensive line was full of backups by the end of Sunday’s loss to Buffalo. Still, this doesn’t feel like the time that GM Dan Morgan should start making bold maneuvers – only ones that potentially assuage short-term gaps at very low cost.

Chicago Bears

Where they are: In the thick of the NFC playoff race, quite capable of qualifying for postseason for the first time since 2020.

What do they need to do? Maybe leave well enough alone? After retooling their offensive line recently, the running game has taken off and is nicely complementing an opportunistic defense − one that just added DB C. J. Gardner-Johnson, a guy known to make an impact (one way or another) off the street. As rookie HC Ben Johnson continues to exert his influence and philosophy on his charges, probably no need to make more drastic changes midstream as the Bears continue to find out who they are and who they want to be.

Cincinnati Bengals

Where they are: At the precipice. Credit the Bengals for recognizing backup QB Jake Browning wasn’t going to sustain them during injured Joe Burrow’s absence and obtaining graybeard Joe Flacco from Cleveland to fill in. Cincinnati’s mistake was not asking for the Browns defense, too. It’s only one game, but Sunday’s 39-38 loss to the previously winless Jets could actually be the death knell for the Stripes, who are about to encounter far better opponents.

What do they need to do? Lose to the Bears on Sunday, and it’s time to aggressively shop DE Trey Hendrickson, who has very little reason to re-sign with this team in March. Though he’s battling a hip injury at the moment, the 2024 league sack champion could realistically fetch a Day 2 draft pick, particularly for a savvy contender playing a longer game – say the Eagles or Patriots. There’s also little reason at this point to not seek takers for CB Cam Taylor-Britt, who’s also unsigned beyond this year.

Cleveland Browns

Where they are: Keeping it a buck, they’re self-scouting ahead of what could be another seismic draft in 2026 after the Browns appeared to hit it out of the park this year − even if a talented crop of rookie position players have managed to help this group to just two wins so far.

What do they need to do? Yeah, it’s too bad DE Myles Garrett’s talent is languishing here, but no one forced him – after he requested a trade earlier this year – to sign a four-year, $160 million extension, one that will carry cap implications tying him to the franchise for years to come. To a lesser extent, the same is true of WR Jerry Jeudy. But the Browns do have nice pieces that should be available, namely veterans like TE David Njoku and RB Jerome Ford. It would also be interesting if aging interior O-linemen like Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller and/or Ethan Pocic would be willing to move on given they’re all north of 30 and on expiring deals.

Dallas Cowboys

Where they are: Nearly break even, baby, at 3-4-1 – certainly not a juncture that will prevent owner Jerry Jones from fueling speculation he could sign off on one of his patented deals – whether or not it’s a good one or even one that dips into his Micah Parsons windfall.

What do they need to do? This Parsons-less defense is dreadful, especially up the middle at every level. Jones has the cap wherewithal (an NFC-high $31 million) and draft assets to go small- or big-game hunting, it just remains to be seen whether or not he actually will or should – especially given he has a few injured players, namely LB DeMarvion Overshown and rookie CB Shavon Revel Jr., who could return soon. Regardless, a pass rusher on the order of Hendrickson or Jaelan Phillips could have a profound effect here – if Jones really decides it’s worth anteing up for this year’s team.

Denver Broncos

Where they are: Atop a hyper-competitive AFC West, though the Chiefs and Chargers are only a game back.

What do they need to do? Coach Sean Payton’s track record doesn’t suggest he’ll do major tinkering to a team on a roll – aside from demanding more consistency from second-year QB Bo Nix. However Payton should know after next Sunday if they need some kind of Band-Aid for however long reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II is out.

Detroit Lions

Where they are: Since a rough opening day, they’ve generally looked like Dan Campbell’s Lions, new coordinators or not, and are currently a half-game off the Packers’ NFC North pace.

What do they need to do? A year after essentially being undone by defensive injuries, they’re dealing with another flurry of them. Practically, with more than $25 million at his disposal, GM Brad Holmes should strongly consider getting more depth for his secondary. Fancifully? Sure would be nice to get another edge rusher to take advantage of the double teams DE Aidan Hutchinson draws.

Green Bay Packers

Where they are: Riding a three-game heater that’s pushed them atop the NFC heap. Thank you, Parsons and Jordan Love … and Jerry Jones.

What do they need to do? Hold their water. The Pack’s collective health is improving, and they should get WRs Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks back to rejoin recently returned Christian Watson. The offensive line has been beaten up along the way this season, so it wouldn’t hurt to add depth there … not that the league tends to have extra serviceable blockers just lying around.

Houston Texans

Where they are: The reigning AFC South champs are mired in third place, yet are only a game-and-a-half out of the AFC’s final wild-card spot entering Week 9. Defensively, they’re locked in with what’s currently the league’s top-ranked unit. Offensively, they’ve begun to figure things out over the past month.

What do they need to do? Probably let injured WR Nico Collins (concussion) get back onto the field and basically stay the course. Even a middling running game has come alive in recent weeks, so suggesting GM Nick Caserio should make a move for the sake of it seems silly.

Indianapolis Colts

Where they are: At 7-1, they own the league’s best record, though five of those victories have come against teams with two or fewer wins.

What do they need to do? If it ain’t broke, particularly given GM Chris Ballard’s general reluctance to pounce on outside players … and the meager $3+ million in his cap bank? But you can imagine that he’s talked to DC Lou Anarumo given some of his former players in Cincinnati (Hendrickson, Taylor-Britt, LB Logan Wilson) might be of use for a vastly improved, though still 24th-ranked defense … albeit one that’s allowing the sixth-fewest points per game.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Where they are: It’s been up and down, but a 4-3 record still represents a solid start under rookie HC Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone, the latter still tinkering with the roster – including a recent trade for Browns CB Greg Newsome II in an ongoing bid to find players who better fit their new schemes.

What do they need to do? While the defense could probably use more TLC, notably the secondary, a team that already spent next year’s first-rounder on CB/WR Travis Hunter probably doesn’t want to spend too much more draft capital at this point – especially if Hunter continues growing into his multiple roles.

Kansas City Chiefs

Where they are: After winning five of six, they’re pretty much in their customary spot for the past decade-plus – right in the thick of the title mix.

What do they need to do? Despite the return of WR Rashee Rice, they’re actually still not at full strength, the knee injury to RB Isiah Pacheco the latest obstacle. And while it’s unwise to ever count out the possibility of HC Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach pulling off a stunner, hard to envision a scenario where K.C. lands a Breece Hall or certainly a pricey star like Hendrickson.

Las Vegas Raiders

Where they are: Still looking (way) up at the rest of the AFC West.

What do they need to do? After signing WR Tyler Lockett this week – as coach Pete Carroll continues collecting over-the-hill Seahawks – it’s definitely high time to grant WR Jakobi Meyers’ trade request to leave, unless the Silver and Black just want to wait for the compensatory pick he’ll probably generate – eventually – whenever he signs with another team next year. And while it makes a ton of sense logically to field offers for DE Maxx Crosby, the emotional bonds between him and the organization remain … for now.

Los Angeles Chargers

Where they are: Like the Chiefs, one game back of the Broncos in the AFC West, though currently projected as a wild-card entry.

What do they need to do? Get closer to full strength, an issue that historically seems to plague this team like few others. However LT Joe Alt is back, and RB Omarion Hampton will be eligible to return from injured reserve as early as next week. It should also be noted that only the Bills have less cap space than the Chargers’ $2.9 million – though that would be sufficient to target an experienced backup quarterback, something the Bolts currently don’t have, such as the Giants’ Russell Wilson or even (gasp!) the Raiders’ Kenny Pickett.

Los Angeles Rams

Where they are: Kicking over every rock even as they sit tied with Seattle for first place in the NFC West.

What do they need to do? Probably not much, though you can bet GM Les Snead and coach Sean McVay won’t rest on their laurels. Monday’s trade with Tennessee for CB Roger McCreary smacked more of long-term contingency planning than any sort of desperation. Any subsequent moves would surely be of a similar ilk.

Miami Dolphins

Where they are: Seemingly on the verge of (belatedly?) blowing it all up, even if coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier make it to the end of the season.

What do they need to do? Assess any offers (obviously), though given QB Tua Tagovailoa is effectively tied to the team through next season, eating a ton of money to offload his prime target, WR Jaylen Waddle, would surely require quite a hefty bounty. The obvious move is to dangle LB Jaelan Phillips, a talented player on an expiring contract. Fellow pass rushers Bradley Chubb (contract) and Matt Judon (age) seem more problematic to move.

Minnesota Vikings

Where they are: In a weird spot. While obviously talented, the Vikes are currently in the NFC North cellar, and QB2 Carson Wentz’s shoulder injury now compels them to go back to starter J.J. McCarthy, though that was always the plan whenever his high ankle sprain healed.

What do they need to do? This organization was very intentional about heavily resourcing the roster around McCarthy in order to give him the best chance to succeed – despite the second guessing that’s grown louder regarding the decisions not to re-sign 2024 QBs Sam Darnold and/or Daniel Jones. While there’s probably little point in taking a big swing now, maybe GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should call Cleveland about veteran OT Cam Robinson, who helped the Vikes while coming over at midseason last year. A decimated O-line has probably been this team’s biggest issue aside from the instability behind center.

New England Patriots

Where they are: On track for their first AFC East crown since Tom Brady last served as their quarterback in 2019, and maybe even a No. 1 playoff seed. And with, by far, the most available cap space (approximately $54 million), the Pats easily have the financial bandwidth to make a significant move, or even multiple ones.

What do they need to do? Strongly maintaining an aggressive tack, similar to their free agency strategy earlier this year, given QB Drake Maye still can’t even broach a new contract until 2027. If Hendrickson is in play, the Pats need to strike – especially given they’re in position to immediately offer him a deserved extension Cincinnati never granted. Offensive line help/depth should also be something of a priority, especially given how rookie LT Will Campbell struggled mightily to safeguard Maye on Sunday. And after agreeing to trade DE Keion White and S Kyle Dugger on Tuesday – neither were starters – New England now has even more ammo if and when it moves into acquisition mode.

New Orleans Saints

Where they are: Going nowhere fast, currently in position to pick first overall in the 2026 draft – where they could take their first Round 1 passer since Archie Manning … in 1971. The Saints are also poised to shake up the league to a degree if they choose to begin a roster overhaul now.

What do they need to do? GM Mickey Loomis should at least be doing all he can to create interest around WR Chris Olave, who seems like he could be just about the most prominent player on the move given his talent and ability to be a long-term building block elsewhere – if Loomis thinks he’s more valuable as a commodity than as a cornerstone who will soon require an extension paying north of $30 million annually. CB Alontae Taylor, who’s also nearing the end of his rookie contract, is in a similar category. Barring that, deep-strike WR Rashid Shaheed, who seems to go 50 yards any time he gets his hands on the ball, should be available at a far more palatable asking price. On the wizened veteran front, LB Demario Davis would be easier to move contractually than RB Alvin Kamara, though the latter seemingly has no interest in leaving the Big Easy anyway.

New York Giants

Where they are: In last place and leaking oil as budding offensive stars like WR Malik Nabers and RB Cam Skattebo are waylaid by season-ending injuries.

What do they need to do? The Giants should certainly consider any and all offers for players like WR Wan’Dale Robinson or certainly one of their backup quarterbacks (Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston). But they also must be careful not to undermine themselves to the degree any potential depletion begins stunting the development of QB Jaxson Dart. Fourth-year OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux apparently isn’t going anywhere.

New York Jets

Where they are: They had an electrifying first win Sunday, but they’re obviously not in contention. However they’re off in Week 9, which gives GM Darren Mougey a nice interlude to focus on potential negotiations without necessarily having to pull the trigger on anything before he’s ready.

What do they need to do? Decide who they are and want to be – and whether that means players like RB Breece Hall, OLB Jermaine Johnson, slot CB Michael Carter II or even Pro Bowl DT Quinnen Williams − hard as it is to imagine he’d get moved − are long-term building blocks here. Or not. The market for Hall, who’s coming off a spectacular game at Cincinnati but isn’t signed beyond this season, might never be better – though he could be franchised on the less cost-prohibitive running back tag next year. The same may not necessarily be true for Johnson, who’s only a year out from an Achilles tear and not yet back to his 2023 Pro Bowl form. Carter could be tougher to deal given his base salary approaches $10 million each of the next two seasons, while a player of Williams’ caliber would require an outlandishly hefty return.

Rookie coach Aaron Glenn is preaching the same things his former boss, Dan Campbell, did in Detroit – running the ball, grit and relentless effort. But even he didn’t get the Lions off the ground until Year 2, and Campbell had an answer at quarterback, something the Jets apparently don’t. Mougey should accept kicking tees for any inquiries made about WR Allen Lazard or Williams’ brother, LB Quincy Williams.

Philadelphia Eagles

Where they are: The drama kinda reminds you of the ill-fated 2023 squad. The talent certainly reminds you of the 2022 and ’24 teams that reached the Super Bowl, last year’s championship edition certainly among the five best teams of this century.

What do they need to do? Doesn’t seem like they’ll be moving enigmatic WR A.J. Brown – and it certainly would be hard to replace a player who was so intrinsic to the success of Philly’s recent Super Bowl squads, especially on the fly. EVP/GM Howie Roseman has seemingly been in the pass rush market for months, and it stands to reason that the return of DE Brandon Graham, 37, will only go so far. Roseman is certainly known for his ability to pull off a Hendrickson-level transaction on the sly – and at reasonable cost. Yet he could also use another DB or maybe target an interior O-lineman like one of the Browns’ vets or even, say, Titans G Kevin Zeitler. Maybe the talented Eagles can stand pat and be fine. But kinda feels like they might need to make a tweak or two, if even on the order of Roseman’s deft September trade for Jags RB Tank Bigsby.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Where they are: Treading water, though the sharks (meaning Ravens) could be circling soon.

What do they need to do? A horrid pass defense was further crippled by the injury to S DeShon Elliott, though GM Omar Khan pried Dugger loose on Tuesday. A plodding offense that lacks much explosiveness beyond WR DK Metcalf might have found something in second-year WR Roman Wilson and just signed deep strike veteran WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who played with QB Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Given a relative dearth of cap space, it would make sense if Khan sticks to street free agents rather than pricier trade targets moving forward.

San Francisco 49ers

Where they are: Also trying to tread water despite the seemingly mortal blows suffered by the defense.

What do they need to do? Apparently aggressively patchwork things as best they can, GM John Lynch importing White from New England on Tuesday rather than remaining complacent – though he knows better than anyone that there’s no replacing injured stars like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. But expect Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan to assess further opportunities – though, at the end of the day, the offense will have to kick it up a notch or two and carry a team that will likely have to simply try and get by on D.

Seattle Seahawks

Where they are: Kicking over every rock even as they sit tied with the Rams for first place in the NFC West.

What do they need to do? Like Snead, his counterpart in LA, expect GM John Schneider to be selectively proactive. Another weapon for this defense would help. So, too, seemingly would another interior blocker. But the ‘Hawks are in a good place, though they could be ready to move on from CB Riq Woolen, an exceptional athlete who seems like he’d help another secondary more given he appears to be square peg in this one.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Where they are: In their customary NFC South perch, albeit licking their many wounds.

What do they need to do? While GM Jason Licht has more than $16 million at the ready, his team may now have enough flexibility to wait for its own healthy reinforcements on offense – meaning at running back, wideout and the O-line. Crazy to think the Bucs are suddenly thin at receiver, but it appeasr as if their young guys can get them by until (and assuming) Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and/or Jalen McMillan can convalesce. Another defender who can generate pressure with DL Calijah Kancey out until 2026 would help, but every defensive coordinator would like that kind of assistance.

Tennessee Titans

Where they are: Squarely in position to potentially pick first overall in successive drafts.

What do they need to do? Play their youngsters and figure out who’s part of the long-term vision – which apparently includes Pro Bowl DT Jeffery Simmons. But Lockett has already been released, while McCreary was just traded. TE Chig Okonkwo and OLBs Arden Key and Dre’Mont Jones could be the next ones on the move.

Washington Commanders

Where they are: Unable to replicate (so far) last season’s magic carpet ride, a rash of injuries leading to their uneven 3-5 record. But QB Jayden Daniels is apparently on the way back from his latest setback, a hamstring injury, and GM Adam Peters has more than $26 million in cap space.

What do they need to do? There’s no silver bullet fix-all here, and last year’s aggressive move for CB Marshon Lattimore has yet to prove worth the Round 3-plus draft investment. Still, a player like Hall could boost a running-back-by-committee situation – which would further take the load off hobbled Daniels – and/or Meyers could fortify a receiving corps that lacks proven depth behind battered starters Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel.