Bleacher Report Taylyn Hadley made a list of three possible options for Elliott and had the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 1.
“Joe Burrow and the Bengals are 8-8 after a thrilling 30-24 overtime win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday kept their playoff hopes alive,” Hadley said. “Bengals starting running back Chase Brown had 67 yards on 20 carries with zero touchdowns but suffered what is believed to be a mild right high-ankle sprain late in Saturday’s victory. As the Bengals prepare to face Pittsburgh in a must-win game on Saturday, they could be without their star running back, who was not available for Tuesday’s walk-through practice, according to NBC Sports’ Myles Simmons.
“This would clear the way for Elliott to potentially join the playoff-hopeful team, taking over at the running back position in place of Brown.”
If Elliott is trying to make the postseason, the Bengals would be a gamble. They have a chance still and could be a contender if they get in, but they need a lot to go right. Cincinnati needs to win and both the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins need to lose for the Bengals.
Elliott would get a solid role on the Bengals, but there is a chance it would be just for one game.
When the Philadelphia Eagles hit their bye week with a 2-2 record, rumors of head coach Nick Sirianni being replaced either midseason or in 2025 dominated national headlines. Even Philadelphia’s Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns, a game that ended with Sirianni jawing with Eagles fans at the Linc, did little to help his cause.
Sirianni deserves credit, though, for what the Eagles have accomplished since that point: 11 wins in 12 games, including a run of 10 straight, and some superb locker room management that’s helped stem the tide. From A.J. Brown’s cryptic post-game comments in Week 14, to Jalen Hurts’ concussion two weeks later, to the decision to rest Saquon Barkley with the star running back just 101 yards shy of NFL history, Sirianni has kept the team together and pointed in the same direction — gearing up for a Super Bowl run.
Despite Philly’s dominance over the second half of the season, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler isn’t convinced Sirianni’s job is safe in 2025 and beyond.
MORE: NFL Pro Bowl 2025: 3 Philadelphia Eagles who were snubbed despite team’s 6 total selections
In a Thursday morning report for ESPN, Fowler wrote that “people around the league” are wondering whether Sirianni could survive a second first-round playoff exit in as many years. Here was Fowler’s take on the situation:
Sirianni’s 47-20 record is impressive. Yet his standing was a talking point coming off a tumultuous 2023 campaign, and he doesn’t have a contract extension in place. The sideline and on-field spats are sort of hard to ignore. Any firing here would be a sizable upset, but if we’re talking surprises, this would be one to list because his status was a regular debate four months ago.
Sirianni’s contract reportedly runs through the 2025 season, so the note about a potential extension is interesting. Could team brass be waiting until after the season to make a call on Sirianni? It’s possible, especially after the Eagles had to bring in offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to help bridge the divide between Hurts and Sirianni after an ugly finish to 2023. It’s probably more likely than not that Sirianni sticks around in 2025. Whether he’s asked to coach on an expiring contract, a la Mike McCarthy in Dallas this year, is another story.
With Hurts and tight end Dallas Goedert expected to be back to 100 percent for the playoffs, rejoining a loaded roster with no major weaknesses, the Eagles will be a trendy pick to come out of the NFC and win the Super Bowl this year.
This is also the NFL, and Philly’s two potential opponents for Wild-Card Weekend, the Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers, are more than capable of pulling off an upset. If that happens, expect another offseason full of rumors about Sirianni’s job status.
All five of these players were absolutely deserving of a spot but there is another player who could’ve made sense too. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a six-time Pro Bowler and hasn’t missed the Pro Bowl since 2017.
The three quarterbacks from the AFC who were named to the Pro Bowl are Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson. Mahomes had a somewhat down year stats-wise, but the Chiefs are 15-1 on the season and have the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Although Mahomes’ numbers may not be great, he’s the biggest reason why the Chiefs have been the best team in the AFC. It’s somewhat surprising that he didn’t earn one of the spots. Allen, Jackson, and Burrow are all absolutely deserving and even have better numbers than Mahomes. But, the Chiefs are 15-1 and there’s an argument to be made that he should be in the Pro Bowl as well.
Should the Chiefs star gotten a little more recognition or did the league get the picks right?
After it passes, the Cowboys will be able to put the season behind it and turn its full attention to the offseason. The Cowboys are going to need to be busy and make a handful of additions if they want to turn things around in 2025.
Cooper Rush has been solid for the team with Dak Prescott injured, but it could make sense to upgrade the backup quarterback spot. Because of this, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin predicted that Dallas will end up signing Pro Bowler Gardner Minshew to back up Prescott.
“Gardner Minshew signs with the Cowboys as Dak Prescott’s new backup,” Benjamin said,
Minshew signed a two-year, $25 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders but the 2024 season has been a roller coaster. There’s an out in his contract at the end of this season and it seems like a near guarantee that Minshew will be available once again.
The 28-year-old has been a great backup throughout his career so far. He’s filled in as a starter on multiple occasions and is capable. If the Cowboys want to upgrade the backup quarterback spot, Minshew will be one of the better options this upcoming offseason.
The Chiefs have Carson Wentz as the current backup for Mahomes. He’s a solid backup option with a Super Bowl ring under his belt from his time with the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s unclear if he will be back in 2025, though.
Wentz is going to be a free agent at the end of the season. CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin predicted that the Chiefs will end up signing Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans veteran quarterback Mason Rudolph.
“Mason Rudolph signs with the Chiefs as Patrick Mahomes’ new backup,” Benjamin said.
Rudolph landed a one-year, $2.8 million deal with the Titans ahead of the 2024 season. He has appeared in seven games and has 1,490 passing yards to go along with nine touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
He’s 29 years old and wouldn’t be as solid of a backup option as Wentz, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be a solid fit. This is just a hypothetical prediction, but there does seem to be some pretty sound logic behind it.
