Steelers get Metcalf back for monday night
DK Metcalf is "on track" to play Monday night against Miami, according to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. The receiver spent Sunday night hospitalized after taking an abdominal hit, then stayed overnight in Baltimore. That hospital visit might limit his practice participation early this week, but Tomlin's making it clear—Metcalf's playing.
This matters because the Steelers need every weapon available against a Dolphins defense that's found some late-season form. Metcalf's size and speed create matchup problems Miami can't replicate in film study. He suits up, Pittsburgh's offense has another dimension. Simple as that.
Falcons losing London for fourth straight
Drake London hasn't played in three games. Make it four. The Falcons receiver is still dealing with a knee injury and hasn't practiced Monday or Tuesday. Atlanta faces Tampa Bay on Thursday night, and London's absence all week screams he's not playing.
Three games without your top receiver is manageable. Four starts testing depth charts and quarterback chemistry. The Falcons need to beat the Buccaneers to keep pace in the NFC South, and they're doing it without their most reliable pass-catcher. That's a problem.
Buccaneers lose second starting guard
Ben Bredeson's season is done. The Buccaneers guard suffered a knee injury and hits injured reserve, meaning he's out until at least the Wild Card round if Tampa Bay makes it. Michael Jordan steps into the starting role, giving the Bucs their second starting guard replacement this season after losing Cody Mauch earlier.
Offensive line continuity matters more than fans realize. Tampa Bay's now mixing and matching pieces up front, hoping Jordan can hold up against quality defensive tackles down the stretch. Good luck with that.
Cardinals lose left tackle Johnson
Paris Johnson is out with an MCL sprain, possibly longer. The Cardinals left tackle got hurt Sunday against the Rams and couldn't finish. Rookie Josh Fryar takes over, making his first career start against the Texans. No pressure, kid—just protect Kyler Murray's blind side against one of the league's better pass rushes.
Johnson's injury timeline depends on MCL severity, but even a mild sprain means weeks, not days. Arizona's offensive line was already getting tested. Now they're throwing a rookie into the deep end and hoping he swims.
Seahawks welcome back Sundell
Jalen Sundell returns to practice after a month-long knee injury absence. The Seattle center started the first nine games before getting hurt, and his replacement Olu Oluwatimi played well enough to create a legitimate question: does Sundell get his job back?
Even more interesting—could Seattle try Sundell at guard to replace the struggling Anthony Bradford? That's the move that makes tactical sense. Oluwatimi's earned playing time, Bradford's been inconsistent, and Sundell's versatile enough to handle the position switch. We'll see if the Seahawks are smart enough to make it happen.
Sirianni doubles down on offensive involvement
Nick Sirianni announced last week he'd get more involved with Philadelphia's offense. The Eagles then lost while delivering an offensive stinker. Sirianni's response? He's staying involved.
"I'm the head coach, so my attention goes where I think it needs to be," Sirianni explained after the Chargers loss. "This week I focused on the offense, and I'm going to keep working with those guys."
Sources say Sirianni's been more vocal in offensive meetings, presenting play ideas alongside coordinator Kevin Patullo. He's talking longer than usual before handing meetings back to Patullo. Three straight losses means something needs to change. Whether Sirianni's increased involvement fixes things or makes them worse—we're about to find out.
Ravens sign Tomlinson for depth
Laken Tomlinson didn't stay unemployed long. Cut by Houston last week, the veteran guard joins Baltimore after the Ravens lost backup Ben Cleveland to a three-game suspension for violating substance abuse policy. Tomlinson started for the Texans through Week 8 before getting benched, but his 173 career games mean he's ready if Baltimore needs him.
This is depth insurance, nothing more. But depth matters when you're chasing playoff seeding and can't afford your offensive line falling apart.
49ers activate Pineiro, cut Gay
Eddy Pineiro returns from injured reserve, reclaiming his starting kicker job in San Francisco. Matt Gay, who went perfect on field goals and extra points in two games, gets cut. That's NFL life—perform flawlessly, still lose your job when the veteran's healthy.
Gay will land somewhere quickly. The kicker carousel never stops spinning, and teams always need reliable legs. Pineiro's been out since November 16, but he's back now and the 49ers clearly trust him more.
Colts tried convincing Carr to unretire
OutKick reports Indianapolis contacted Derek Carr about coming out of retirement to play quarterback. The 34-year-old, who retired this offseason, would've been a more credible backup option than Philip Rivers. Carr said no.
Can't blame the Colts for asking. When you're desperate for quarterback depth, you call everyone. Can't blame Carr for declining either—he walked away for a reason, and Indianapolis in December isn't changing that calculation.