Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/26
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
- Designated to return from IR: G Chandler Zavala
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Karene Reid
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad QB Desmond Ridder
- Waived: QB Clayton Tune
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DE Darrell Taylor
- Waived: S K’Von Wallace
Set to host the Rams in the wild-card round on Saturday, the Panthers have opened Zavala’s 21-day practice window. That will at least give Zavala a chance to return this week. Zavala has been on IR twice this year – once for a knee injury, again for a calf problem – which limited him to seven games and five starts during the regular season. He hasn’t played since Week 12.
The Packers rested starting quarterback Jordan Love in their regular-season finale against the Vikings. Backup Malik Willis was unavailable because of shoulder and hamstring issues, which led to Tune receiving his second NFL start. It went poorly for the 26-year-old Tune, who completed 6 of 11 passes for 34 yards in a 16-3 loss. Ridder, who combined for 18 starts with the Falcons and Raiders from 2022-24, will replace Tune on the Packers’ roster as they prepare for a playoff showdown with the rival Bears.
Three 49ers Execs Among Dolphins’ Six GM Interview Requests
More than two months after letting Chris Grier go, the Dolphins are at work with GM interview requests. Six have gone out for an AFC East franchise that has not parted with HC Mike McDaniel.
While McDaniel is not a lock to stay, the next Dolphins GM may well begin a tenure working with the long-tenured leader. The Dolphins have sent requests to Tariq Ahmad (49ers), Alec Halaby (Eagles), Jon-Eric Sullivan (Packers), John McKay (Rams) and Josh Williams (49ers), according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport along with ESPN’s Adam Schefter. They have since submitted a request to meet with 49ers assistant GM R.J. Gillen, per Pelissero.
The three 49ers execs would be interesting here, as both were in San Francisco when McDaniel was working under Kyle Shanahan. Ahmed is in place as the 49ers’ VP of player personnel, being in his first year in that role. Ahmed has been with the team since 2014, coming up through the scouting ranks. The former 49ers college scouting director received a request from a Dolphins team eyeing a GM with a scouting background.
Williams has a similar background, serving as the 49ers’ current director of scouting and football operations. He has come up as a name to watch on this year’s carousel, and the Dolphins were connected to him recently. The 49ers have lost a few execs to GM roles, with John Lynch‘s staff seeing Martin Mayhew, Ran Carthon and Adam Peters take top front office jobs. Williams, who was a finalist for last year’s Jaguars GM gig, could be next.
Gillen climbed to the AGM level in San Francisco in 2025, coming up through the scouting ranks to become the team’s player personnel director in 2023. Gillen has been with the 49ers since before Lynch and Shanahan’s arrivals, being hired during Trent Baalke‘s GM tenure. Gillen being included in Miami’s list further points to McDaniel staying.
A 49ers exec being hired certainly could give the embattled HC a new lease on life in Miami, as persistent rumblings have emerged pointing to ownership being fond of the offense-based leader and ready to give him a fifth year. That is not a lock, however.
McKay’s time with the 49ers’ California rival has spanned 10 years now. He arrived a year before Sean McVay, joining Les Snead‘s front office as a scouting assistant. McKay has worked his way up to assistant general manager. This position certainly has been known to launch GM candidacies, with Halaby serving in this role for the Eagles. Halaby does not come from the scouting side, however, being a Harvard graduate who spent five-plus years as the Eagles’ director of football operations and strategy.
Sullivan, who serves as Green Bay’s VP of player personnel, was on last year’s GM carousel and emerged as a possible Dolphins candidate hours after Grier’s dismissal. Sullivan has only worked in Green Bay, being with the Packers since 2003. The former Ted Thompson lieutenant has climbed the ladder under Brian Gutekunst, climbing to his current post through the scouting ranks. Sullivan has been in the VP role since 2022.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
With the AFC North now settled (in rather dramatic fashion), the 2025 regular season is in the books. Following their decisions to shelve Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby, the Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick. After entering Week 17 in that slot, the Giants — as they did in 2024 — slipped out of the top two thanks to a late-season win.
Big Blue’s victories over the Raiders and Cowboys dropped them to No. 5, with today’s win allowing the Jets, Cardinals and Titans to leapfrog them. The Giants, who fell out of the No. 1 spot last year thanks to a Drew Lock-led win over the Colts in Week 17, will still hold a top-five pick — just not the one most expected two weeks ago. The Jets saw the Colts’ collapse, which dropped them from 8-2 to 8-9, give them two picks in the top 16.
The Cardinals started 2-0 but managed to close the season with 14 losses over their final 15 games. This will give Arizona a top-four pick for the third time in the Monti Ossenfort era. The GM traded out of that slot in 2023 before drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024; Ossenfort is expected to be retained for a fourth season, providing another opportunity. This will be the third straight year the Titans will hold a top-seven pick.
The Buccaneers beat the Panthers on Saturday, but thanks to a three-way NFC South tie, Tampa Bay’s draft slot will land out of the playoff positions for the first time since 2020. Because Atlanta defeated New Orleans today, Carolina’s first-round pick will slide into the bottom 14 despite its 8-9 finish — one that secured playoff entry for the first time since 2017.
Although the draft order is not fully set due to the upcoming playoffs, the first 18 picks are. Here is how the order looks after Week 18:
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
- New York Jets (3-14)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- New York Giants (4-13)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
- Washington Commanders (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
- Miami Dolphins (7-10)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- Chicago Bears (11-6)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Houston Texans (12-5)
- Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- New England Patriots (14-3)
- Denver Broncos (14-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/26
After the final standard gameday practice squad elevations of the 2025 regular season, the three-game elevation limit resets for the postseason, so only players getting signed to the 53-man roster because of the limit will be noted today. Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: WR Tejhaun Palmer
- Elevated: CB Jaden Davis, WR Steven Sims
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: P Trenton Gill
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: WR Keith Kirkwood, CB Amani Oruwariye
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: LB Keonta Jenkins, DE Matt Judon
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: TE Nikola Kalinic, LB Ty Summers
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Howard Cross III, CB Bralyn Lux
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from practice squad: LB Edefuan Ulofoshio
- Elevated: TE Sal Cannella
- Placed on IR: LB Carson Schwesinger
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: RB Phil Mafah
- Activated from reserve/PUP: CB Josh Butler
- Signed from practice squad: LB Justin Barron
- Elevated: G Nick Leverett
- Placed on IR: G T.J. Bass, RB Malik Davis, RB Javonte Williams
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Levelle Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: TE Zach Horton, OL Chris Hubbard
- Placed on IR: OL Trystan Colon
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad: WR Jakobie Keeney-James, G Lecitus Smith
- Elevated: TE Drake Dabney, LB Jamon Johnson
- Placed on IR: OL Donovan Jennings, WR Savion Williams
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Leki Fotu, S Kaevon Merriweather
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: QB Seth Henigan, TE Sean McKeon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Patrick Herbert
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: WR Jason Brownlee, WR Jimmy Holiday
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: LB Jamin Davis, T Dalton Wagner
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: S Marcus Maye
- Elevated: G Branson Taylor, QB DJ Uiagalelei
- Placed on IR: CB Nikko Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: LB Derrick McLendon, RB Jeff Wilson
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR Jeshaun Jones, LB Sione Takitaki
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: TE Treyton Welch
- Elevated: QB Jake Haener, RB Nyheim Miller-Hines
New York Giants
- Signed from practice squad: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, WR Xavier Gipson, RB Dante Miller
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner, DT Casey Rogers
- Placed on IR: CB Cor’Dale Flott, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr., WR Wan’Dale Robinson
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: QB Hendon Hooker, DE Kingsley Jonathan, G Kohl Levao
- Elevated: RB Raheem Blackshear, CB Samuel Womack III
- Placed on IR: RB Isaiah Davis, OL Xavier Newman-Johnson, TE Mason Taylor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: LS Charley Hughlett, S Brandon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB D’Shawn Jamison
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: LB Eric Kendricks, T Brandon Parker
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: RB Cam Akers, CB Tyler Hall
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: OLB Ali Gaye, WR Bryce Oliver
- Signed from practice squad: CB Kemon Hall
- Elevated: TE Cole Turner
- Placed on IR: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (story), WR Van Jefferson
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Ricky Barber, WR River Cracraft
The Browns made it known yesterday that they were shutting down Schwesinger and tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. for the final week of the season, but the Defensive Rookie of the Year-favorite is the only one to land on IR.
In Dallas, Williams failed to practice this week as he dealt with shoulder and neck issues. With Davis also being placed on IR, the Cowboys will rely on rookie fifth-rounder Jaydon Blue and the recently activated Mafah, a seventh-round rookie, in Week 18. The team used their eighth and final IR activation to bring Mafah back for a potential NFL debut.
Because Green Bay didn’t elevate recently signed practice squad quarterback Desmond Ridder, it appears either Malik Willis will be healthy enough to back up Clayton Tune or Jordan Love will serve as the potential QB2 for the Packers in Week 18.
Judon is set to make his Bills debut in the team’s regular season finale after signing to their practice squad two weeks ago.
With Saints backup quarterback Spencer Rattler not practicing this week with a finger injury, Haener gets the call to back up rookie Tyler Shough.
Hall in Tennessee had already been called up as a standard gameday practice squad elevation three times this season. In order for him to appear in the Titans’ regular season finale, the move to the 53-man roster was necessary.
NFL Injury Updates: Seahawks, Packers, Olave, Hall
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold heads into Week 18 with a game that could cement his team as the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the second season in a row. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he’s also looking to earn up to $1.5MM in incentives by throwing for at least 150 yards and three touchdowns and raising his passer rating (99.2) to 100. Unfortunately, he’ll be doing so without a few key pieces.
Starting left tackle Charles Cross has missed each of the team’s last two games, and according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, he’ll be out for Week 18, as well. Backup swing tackle Josh Jones has played well in Cross’ absence these past two weeks and will be relied upon again in a winner-take-all matchup with the 49ers.
Curtis Crabtree of FOX Sports adds on that, although rookie fifth-round receiver Tory Horton is eligible to be activated off injured reserve, he is not expected to play again this season. The shin injury that’s kept him out since early November has likely ended his rookie campaign. Head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters, “The best way I can describe it is just, what he has, it just takes a long time to heal…we’re not planning on having him.”
Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:
- Packers head coach Matt LaFleur gave updates on the two defensive backs recently placed on injured reserve earlier this week. Both safety Zayne Anderson and cornerback Nate Hobbs suffered injuries in the team’s home loss to Baltimore. According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, LaFleur told the media that he didn’t anticipate either player being able to return in time for the playoffs, so both players were put on IR to make room on the 53-man roster for players who can contribute in the postseason.
- Saints wide receiver Chris Olave was a surprise scratch for the team’s regular season finale. According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, a blood clot was detected in Olave’s lung, though it was caught early, “before anything bad could happen,” and the 25-year-old will be fine. ESPN’s Adam Schefter added that Olave has no prior history with blood clots and that the injury should sideline him for about four weeks before he’ll be ready for any offseason activities.
- The Bills are locked into a wild card slot in the playoffs, though their exact seeding is still up in the air. They should have a fairly easy Week 18 matchup against a tanking Jets team, but they’ll be going into it without rookie defensive tackle Deone Walker, per Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. A fourth-round pick out of Kentucky, Walker has stepped up as a starter for nearly all of his rookie year as Ed Oliver, T.J. Sanders, Jordan Phillips, Larry Ogunjobi, and DaQuan Jones have all missed time at different points of the year.
- Speaking of the tanking Jets, already without quarterback Justin Fields and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, New York has also now ruled out running back Breece Hall, according to Schefter. This means Hall may have already played his final game in a Jets uniform, as the 24-year-old is set to hit free agency at the end of the season. According to Rich Cimini, also of ESPN, the Jets are expected to at least attempt to retain him, but Hall may be tempted to test the market. Cimini doesn’t rule out that franchise/transition tags may enter the picture. With all the absences on offense, the Jets starting group will be led by Brady Cook at quarterback, Khalil Herbert and Kene Nwangwu at running back, and John Metchie III, Adonai Mitchell, and Isaiah Williams at receiver. Per Cimini, starting cornerback Brandon Stephens will miss the Jets’ final game of the season, as well.
- The Ravens have a win-or-go-home game tomorrow night against the division-rival Steelers, but they will be heading into the matchup without wide receiver Rashod Bateman after ruling him out for the weekend. Bateman missed practice all week with illness and will not travel to Pittsburgh.
Dolphins Seeking GM With Scouting Background; Latest On Mike McDaniel
With newly hired consultant Troy Aikman aiding the Dolphins’ search for a general manager, the team is expected to appoint a GM with a scouting background, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The Dolphins want someone whose “expertise is in team building,” Pelissero says.
Having gone without a full-time GM since parting with Chris Grier on Halloween, Miami is poised to move quickly in its hunt for a replacement, per Pelissero. Interim GM Champ Kelly will reportedly interview, but Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan and 49ers director, scouting and football operations Josh Williams are among outside names to watch, Albert Breer of SI.com relays.
This is the second time Sullivan has come up in connection to Miami’s GM vacancy since Grier’s exit. The 50-year-old has worked for the Packers since he began as a training camp intern in 2003.
Sullivan has garnered extensive experience as a scout in Green Bay, which may make him an ideal fit for the Dolphins. After interviewing for multiple GM openings last offseason, Sullivan should be well prepared for the process.
Williams joined Sullivan in interviewing for Jacksonsville’s GM role twice last winter, though the job ultimately went to James Gladstone. A year later, expectations are Williams will parlay a strong scouting resume into further interest from GM-needy teams.
Now in his 14th season in San Francisco, Williams is familiar with Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who was on the 49ers’ coaching staff from 2017-21. With the 7-9 Dolphins set to miss the playoffs for the second year in a row, McDaniel’s future is in question.
If the Dolphins select Williams as their GM, it could boost McDaniel’s odds of returning for a fifth season. However, the Dolphins are not prioritizing hiring someone based on how that individual meshes with McDaniel, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. Rather, they want “the best fit in general.”
Although McDaniel has an important fan in owner Stephen Ross, that doesn’t mean he’s a lock to keep his job. Ross will listen to his high-ranking front office members before deciding the coach’s fate, according to Breer.
Miami’s next GM will likely join McDaniel (or a different head coach) and senior VP of football and business administration Brandon Shore in forming the team’s power structure on the football side, Breer notes. Shore has taken on a larger role since Grier’s ouster. He’ll work alongside Ross and president Tom Garkfinkel as Miami searches for its next GM, per Breer.
Titans’ HC Search Expected To Include Mike McCarthy, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh
Just under three months after firing head coach Brian Callahan on Oct. 13, the Titans made another significant organizational change Friday. Owner Amy Adams Strunk announced a shift in responsibilities for president of football operations Chad Brinker and general manager Mike Borgonzi. Going forward, Borgonzi will assume full roster control. He’ll also lead the hunt for Callahan’s full-time successor.
The Titans’ Borgonzi-led coaching search will be “wide-ranging and deliberate,” according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and a few defensive coordinators – Jeff Hafley (Packers), Jesse Minter (Chargers), Robert Saleh (49ers) and Chris Shula (Rams) – are expected to interview with the Titans.
Most of the above names have already come up in connection to the Titans’ job since Callahan’s firing. Nagy’s inclusion on the list is especially unsurprising when considering his familiarity with Borgonzi.
As a former Chiefs executive, Borgonzi has several years’ experience working with Nagy. A late-December report identified Nagy as a “serious candidate” for the position. If the Titans hire Nagy, it would give the 47-year-old a second chance at an NFL head coaching gig. Nagy led the Bears to a 34-31 record and two playoff berths from 2018-21. He earned Coach of the Year honors in his first season in Chicago.
There isn’t a more established option in this bunch than McCarthy, who went 174-112-2 in 18 combined seasons between Green Bay and Dallas from 2006-24. McCarthy’s teams went to the playoffs 12 times in that span. His lone Super Bowl victory, which capped off the 2010 campaign, came with an in-his-prime Aaron Rodgers as Green Bay’s quarterback.
If the Titans prioritize experience, McCarthy could have a leg up on the competition. It could also tip the scales in his favor (or Nagy’s) if the Titans prefer an offensive-minded hire. Quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in last spring’s draft, is the most important player in the organization. The onus will be on a new coaching staff to hasten Ward’s development entering his second season in 2026. That’s assuming the Titans don’t promote interim HC Mike McCoy. Considering they’ve gone 2-8 with McCoy at the helm, that seems unlikely to happen.
While Saleh is mostly known for his defensive acumen, he joins McCarthy and Nagy in bringing past head coaching experience to the table. Saleh didn’t mimic McCarthy or Nagy in guiding teams to the playoffs, however. Rather, the Jets went a horrid 20-36 under him in three-plus seasons.
The Jets fired Saleh five games into 2024, but the 46-year-old has revived his stock this season with a San Francisco team that will earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC if it beats Seattle on Saturday. Saleh has overseen a respectable defense despite largely going without his two best players, injured pass rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner. Meanwhile, the Jets haven’t shown any progress since firing Saleh. New York started 2-3 before canning him last year. The team has spiraled to a 6-22 mark without him.
Saleh, who finished 2024 as an offensive consultant in Green Bay, landed multiple head coaching interviews last offseason. He spoke with the Cowboys, Jaguars and Raiders, who all passed on him for different candidates. A year later, it appears he’ll have a chance to convince the Titans he’s the right fit.
Packers Claim CB Trevon Diggs
JANUARY 1: The Packers were the only team to submit a claim in this case, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Diggs could see time right away and a familiar face on the sidelines will help in that regard. As Rapoport notes, Packers defensive pass-game coordinator Derrick Ansley was Diggs’ secondary coach at Alabama. It will be interesting to see if that dynamic helps spark a rebound in play late in the campaign.
Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley expressed to the media that “he wants (Diggs) to play on Sunday against the Vikings.” Hafley made sure to emphasize that they “need to make sure that he’s ready to go” and didn’t make any promises, but both Diggs and his coaches seem to want him on the field this weekend.
DECEMBER 31: One day after the Cowboys cut him, cornerback Trevon Diggs will land with a playoff team. The Packers have claimed Diggs off waivers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.
In claiming Diggs, the Packers will commit to paying his $472K game check for Week 18. He’ll earn another $58,823 if he’s active against the Vikings this Sunday, per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. Beyond that, there’s no guaranteed money left on Diggs’ contract. However, he remains under team control through 2028 on the five-year, $97MM extension he signed with Dallas in July 2023.
Diggs, a 2020 second-round pick from Alabama, scored his enormous payday after a scintillating start to his career. He made the Pro Bowl twice in his first three years, a stretch in which he intercepted 17 passes. He finished with a jaw-dropping 11 picks in 2021, the most in a season since former Cowboy Everson Walls came down with 11 in 1981, en route to first-team All-Pro honors.
Diggs’ 11-INT showing remains his only 17-game season to date. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has dealt with a laundry list of injuries since then. An ACL tear limited Diggs to two games in 2023. He missed six more games in 2024 as a result of a calf tear and another knee surgery. It was more of the same in Diggs’ last hurrah with the Cowboys, who placed him on IR with lingering knee problems and a concussion on Oct. 25. He played in just eight of Dallas’ 16 games this year before the team cut him.
The Cowboys opened Diggs’ 21-day practice window on Nov. 30, but they didn’t activate him until Dec. 20. It came as a surprise after Diggs indicated he was healthy enough to play the previous week. He said he was “upset“ the Cowboys didn’t activate him in Week 15. It wasn’t the first disagreement between Diggs and first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
The decision to move on from Diggs reportedly came on the heels of Schottenheimer denying the Maryland-born defender’s request to remain in Washington after the Cowboys’ Christmas Day win over the Commanders. Diggs, who wanted to stay with his family, ignored Schottenheimer’s orders and skipped the team’s flight back to Dallas. That may have sealed his fate with the Cowboys.
While Diggs and Schottenheimer clashed, a massive decline in the corner’s effectiveness was likely the main reason Dallas parted with him. The 27-year-old has gone without an interception this season, and Pro Football Focus ranks his performance 80th among 113 qualifiers at his position. Worse yet, according to Pro-Football-Reference, Diggs has yielded a 77.3% completion rate to the nearest receiver and a 157.2 passer rating over a sample of 22 targets. A perfect rating checks in at 158.3.
Although Diggs has struggled immensely this year, the Packers aren’t risking much in claiming him. The Packers will be able to move on after the season if they want, and they desperately need healthy cornerbacks right now.
Locked into the seventh seed in the NFC with one game left, the Packers are dangerously thin at corner behind Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. Green Bay placed Kamal Hadden on IR on Tuesday and did the same with Nate Hobbs on Wednesday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Hobbs, who has played in 11 games and started five this year, will miss at least four contests with a knee injury.
Diggs, Shemar Bartholomew and Jaylin Simpson will provide the Packers a few more game-ready options at the position. The Packers signed Bartholomew and Simpson from their practice squad to their active roster on Tuesday.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/1/26
2026’s first practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: G Tyler Cooper
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: P Trenton Gill
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: S Mark Perry
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: TE McCallan Castles
New England Patriots
- Signed: CB Miles Battle, C Brenden Jaimes
Packers QB Jordan Love Clears Concussion Protocol; Clayton Tune To Start In Week 18
Packers quarterback Jordan Love has cleared concussion protocol, but head coach Matt LaFleur will rest his starter in Week 18. With the 9-6-1 Packers locked into the seventh seed in the NFC, they will start third-stringer Clayton Tune against the Vikings on Sunday (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic).
Love suffered his head injury in a 22-16 loss to the Bears in Week 16. Backup Malik Willis impressed in relief that night and played well again filling in for Love in Week 17, but the Packers fell 41-24 to the Ravens to extend their losing streak to three.
Willis is now dealing with a hamstring injury, making it unclear who will serve as the Packers’ No. 2 QB in their regular-season finale (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN). Desmond Ridder, who joined Green Bay’s practice squad on Wednesday, may back up Tune.
Although the Packers are skidding as they head toward the postseason, it’s a relief for them that Love is healthy again as the wild-card round approaches. Assuming he doesn’t play this week, the fifth-year man will end his regular season with a 66.3% completion rate, 7.7 yards per attempt, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in 15 games. Love ranks second in QBR (73.4), trailing only Patriots MVP candidate Drake Maye, and seventh in traditional passer rating (101.2).
Tune, 26, is in line for his second NFL start. The Houston product entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2023. His lone start came as a rookie against the Browns in Week 9. It didn’t go well for Tune, who completed 11 of 20 passes for a meager 58 yards and two interceptions in a 27-0 loss. He has only attempted six passes in the regular season since then, including four after Willis aggravated a shoulder injury last week. He completed one pass and tossed another pick against the Ravens.
Tune, whom Green Bay signed from its practice squad to its active roster Wednesday, joined the organization after Arizona released him in late August. Four months later, he’ll have an opportunity to start a game for a playoff-bound team.