The Kansas City Royals appoint 42‑year‑old Hunter Mense as assistant hitting coach, marking his return to the franchise after a stint with the San Francisco Giants. Mense, a Liberty, Mo. native and former Marlins draftee, began his coaching career in the Blue Jays’ minor system and became Toronto’s big‑league assistant hitting coach in 2022. The Giants posted a .245/.306/.400 line (97 wRC+) in his lone season, while the 2026 Royals slumped to .248/.316/.402 (98 wRC+). Royals fans hope Mense’s Missouri roots and recent experience will spark a needed offensive upgrade.
In Week 9 Thursday Night Football, the Baltimore Ravens thrust rookie Joe Fagnano into his first NFL start after injuries sideline both Lamar Jackson (thumb surgery, IR) and Tyler Huntley (season‑ending turf toe). Backup Kedon Slovis, signed from the Packers’ practice squad, sits behind Fagnano, while Austin Reed remains a peripheral option. Opposing them, the Jacksonville Jaguars field veteran Trevor Lawrence with Quinn Ewers as backup, offering stark contrast in quarterback stability. The matchup pits an inexperienced Ravens Q B corps against a settled Jaguars unit, setting the stage for a pivotal quarterback‑room storyline.
Patriots tight end Hunter Henry misses a second day of practice after a foot injury limited him to eight snaps in the Week 8 win over Miami. The veteran, who has logged 85 targets, 60 catches and 650 yards per season and posted 29 catches for 326 yards and two TDs this year, remains doubtful for the Week 9 home game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 8. New England sits 5-3, second in the AFC East, and may need to explore other options if Henry isn’t cleared in time.
This one trade can turn them into Super Bowl favorites.
A former wide receiver of the Pittsburgh Steelers is back with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Bears release their Week 9 injury report ahead of Sunday’s 7:20 p.m. CT showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Linebacker D’Marco Jackson (ankle) and guard Joe Thuney (rest) are listed as non‑participants. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (groin) and left tackle Theo Benedet (shoulder) move up to limited practice, while T.J. Edwards returns to full participation after a personal absence. Running backs Kyle Monangai (thumb/toe) and Zavier Scott (now on IR) remain out, and rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad stays limited. Jarrett’s upgrade is the key defensive development as Chicago prepares to face the league’s top rushing attack.
The Athletic’s mock trade deadline puts beat writers from every NFL team in the driver’s seat, forcing them to negotiate realistic deals that balance both sides’ needs. In the latest exercise, writers craft a hypothetical Steelers trade, revealing how fans often misjudge player value and what it truly takes to acquire talent league‑wide. The article details the proposed exchange, key player names, and the strategic reasoning behind the deal, offering a rare insider look at trade dynamics.
Jonathan Taylor at trade crossroads! Will he stay or go? IU Basketball tonight! RIP LIV Golf!
Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano (25, 6‑3, 230 lb) leaps from UConn’s 2025 breakout—3,448 yards, 28 TDs, one interception—to a first‑start for the Baltimore Ravens after injuries to Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. After seven college seasons at Maine and Connecticut, he signs a three‑year, $3.1 million deal in April 2026, with base salaries of $885K, $1.05M and $1.165M. The coach announces his debut against Jacksonville on Nov 5, 2026. The profile also highlights his college accolades, including a Fenway Bowl MVP and Heisman candidacy.
The Las Vegas Raiders cut veteran wide receiver Cody White on Nov. 4, 2026, after his early-season surge of three touchdown catches in his first three receptions fell short of securing a roster spot. The move clears space to activate reserve tight end Carter Runyon from injured reserve, a deadline‑driven decision that could see White return to the practice squad if he clears waivers. White finished the season with eight catches for 112 yards and three TDs, while Runyon—a 2025 undrafted free agent—has logged significant special‑team snaps and will compete for a game‑day role alongside receivers Dont’e Thornton and Malik Benson.
The Patriots head into Sunday’s 4:25 p.m. ET clash with the Packers missing four key players. Cornerback Marcus Jones joins RB TreVeyon Henderson, TE Hunter Henry and WR A.J. Brown on the non‑participant list, all sidelined by foot, illness, ankle/knee issues. Meanwhile, Green Bay lists TE Josh Whyle (concussion), OT Travis Glover (knee), C Sean Rhyan (ankle), LB Zaire Franklin (shin) and CB Keisean Nixon (shoulder) as out. Jones has logged over 81% of defensive snaps this season with 41 tackles, a sack and an interception. Patriots QB Drake Maye remains the only starter at full participation, boasting a 67.2% completion rate, 1,199 yards and 12 TD passes through October.
After Sam Darnold’s glute injury sidelines him for the second straight game, Seattle’s backup Drew Lock steps in against the Arizona Cardinals with the Seahawks’ playoff hopes hanging by a thread. The article questions whether head coach Brian Fluery can revive a stagnant offense and whether Darnold’s confidence is shattered after a turnover‑laden 2025 season and a shaky start to 2026. Lock’s impressive debut—16 of 22 passes for 187 yards, a fourth‑down touchdown to Jaxon Smith‑Njigba, and a crucial scramble—suggests he could cement the starting role and revive Seattle’s fortunes before a home game in Las Vegas and the upcoming bye.
The New York Giants held workouts Thursday for four wide receivers—Maurice Alexander, River Cracraft, Steven Sims, and Wes Pahl, according to the NFL’s Official Transaction Wire. The focus is on veteran WR River Cracraft, 32, who has bounced between practice squads and futures contracts with the Broncos, Eagles, 49ers, Dolphins, Seahawks and Commanders, appearing in a single 2025 game with no stats. The Giants’ interest hints at a possible depth addition ahead of the season’s second half.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, reporting more than $3.45 million in debt. The 26‑year‑old cites $2.1 million tied to civil suits, including a $979,837 obligation from a March 2024 Dallas crash that resulted in a $1 million judgment. His assets total $677,054, featuring a Mercedes‑Benz and a Super Bowl LVIII ring pledged for legal fees. Rice, who was jailed in May for probation violations and served a 30‑day sentence after pleading guilty to two felonies from the crash, faces a creditors’ meeting on Dec 11. The Chiefs and his attorney declined comment.
The Washington Commanders held a workout for punter Bryce Baringer on Thursday, according to the NFL transaction wire. Baringer, a former Patriots starter for three seasons, missed last summer after an injury and was released after spending his rookie deal on injured reserve. In 2025 he played all 17 games, registering 51 punts with a 47.4-yard average, four touchbacks and 21 punts inside the 20. The workout signals Washington’s interest in reviving his career.
The Carolina Panthers welcomed former Raiders and Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett for a visit on Thursday, according to NFL Transactions. Bennett, a 25‑year‑old Maryland standout drafted in the fourth round in 2023, is on the final year of his four‑year rookie deal after the Raiders traded him to Philadelphia for DT Thomas Booker in August. He was released by the Eagles this week after a 2025 season with 11 games, seven tackles and one pass deflection.
Despite a 2‑6 record and a three‑game losing streak, New York Jets fan confidence in a November 5, 2026 poll nudged upward after a recent loss to the Raiders. While confidence had plunged to 21% following a defeat by the winless Miami Dolphins, about one‑third of respondents still trust the team's direction, citing a promising rookie class and three upcoming first‑round picks. The article notes the poll isn’t scientific, critiques coaching, and hints that the upcoming weekend matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs could shift sentiment.
The Chicago Bears place running back Zavier Scott on injured reserve on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after a thumb injury forces him to miss at least four games. Scott, who was promoted from the practice squad nine days earlier and contributed on special teams in a recent win over Seattle, joins an already injury‑laden backfield that includes Kyle Monangai. The move leaves the Bears shorthanded as they prepare to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday night at Soldier Field.
Former Steelers fullback Merril Hoge warns future foes that Pittsburgh has finally locked in a championship‑style identity. After a dominant win over the Cleveland Browns—200 rushing yards and eight sacks on Deshaun Watson—the Steelers enter the bye week 6‑2 atop the AFC North. Hoge highlights the versatile defensive fronts and relentless front‑seven pressure, while RB Jaylen Warren sits third in the AFC with 704 yards and seven runs of 20+ yards, trailing only Bijan Robinson. The combo of a smothering defense and a bruising ground game makes the Steelers a scary opponent.
The New England Patriots add depth to their secondary by signing cornerback Kindle Vildor to the practice squad, according to the NFL Transaction Wire. The 28‑year‑old, a 2020 fifth‑round pick of the Bears, has bounced around the league—stints with the Titans, Eagles, Lions (where he earned a $1.3 M one‑year deal for 2024), and Buccaneers—before joining New England in 2026. Vildor has already played five games for the Patriots, posting seven tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass defended and a forced fumble.
The Patriots sit at last season’s loss total but still vie for an AFC playoff spot, hampered by early‑season injuries. With the NFL trade deadline looming on Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET, New England may pursue a roster overhaul, adding targets like A.J. Brown, Jaylen Reed, Corey Kiner or Walter Rouse, or offloading players as in 2025. Recent rumors include Colts interest in WR Josh Downs, a former teammate of QB Drake Maye, while All‑Pro guard Quenton Nelson heads to Seattle for a 2027 third‑round and 2028 fifth‑round pick. The tracker will update as deals develop.
On his “Hustle Like You’re Broke” podcast, Michael Strahan reveals that winning Super Bowl XLII with Eli Manning in 2008 did more than end a championship drought—it kick‑started his TV career. Strahan says the 17‑14 upset over the previously unbeaten Patriots gave him the chance to fill in for Regis Philbin on “Live! with Regis and Kelly,” leading to a permanent co‑host role, two Daytime Emmys, and subsequent stints on Good Morning America and Fox NFL Sunday. He credits Manning’s MVP‑level performance and the championship bond for the life‑changing opportunities that followed.
Tight end Isaiah Likely hinted that the New York Giants are eager to add "great players" at the upcoming trade deadline, fueling speculation about a possible pursuit of running back Jonathan Taylor. The Giants sit atop the NFC East at 4-2-1, while teammates safety Jason Pinnock and rookie guard Francis Mauigoa also voiced enthusiasm for a Taylor acquisition. With the Cowboys three games behind, the Giants' aggressive stance could shape the mid‑season race.
The Dallas Cowboys hit the practice field Thursday ahead of their Sunday clash with the Indianapolis Colts, but injury woes persist. TE Jake Ferguson and rookie Malachi Lawrence remain sidelined with ankle issues, likely costing Lawrence the game. Safeties Caleb Downs and PJ Locke return as limited participants after concussion concerns, while KaVontae Turpin stays out with a rib injury. George Pickens, Luke Schoonmaker, Tyler Smith, Joey Porter Jr., and DeMarvion Overshown are also limited, though linebacker Dee Winters is fully cleared. The Colts report knee problems for Akeem Davis‑Gaither and Justin Walley, with Andrew Ogletree upgraded to limited.
The New York Jets' Thursday injury report suggests David Bailey is set to return in Week 9, but Garrett Wilson seems unlikely to suit up.