NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/6/26
While many teams are making major decisions on head coaches, those remaining in the playoffs are still tweaking their practice squads before the wild-card round this weekend. Here are the latest updates:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Julian Hicks, WR Kisean Johnson, TE Messiah Swinson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Luke Grimm
- Released: TE Tanner McLachlan
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Ben Niemann
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Jeremiah Pharms
- Released: CB Brandon Crossley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DB Parry Nickerson
- Released: DB Ambry Thomas
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: DB Brandon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: OT David Sharpe
Cardinals Request HC Interview With Patriots’ Thomas Brown
Add Patriots passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Thomas Brown to the Cardinals’ list of head coaching candidates. The Cardinals have requested an interview with Brown, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.
A running back with Atlanta and Cleveland from 2008-10, Brown climbed up the college coaching ranks before joining the Rams’ staff in 2020. He worked under Sean McVay as a running backs coach, assistant head coach and tight ends coach through 2022.
Brown impressed enough on McVay’s staff to land the Panthers’ offensive coordinator job in 2023, but it ended up as a one-and-done stint. The Panthers finished 2-15 during a season in which they fired head coach Frank Reich in late November. With Brown as their on-again, off-again play caller and rookie Bryce Young at quarterback, the Panthers ranked last in total offense and 31st in scoring.
With the Panthers moving on to a Dave Canales-led coaching staff in 2024, Brown spent the season with the Bears. He began the year as the Bears’ passing game coordinator before replacing the fired Shane Waldron as their offensive coordinator in mid-November. That was the first of two in-season promotions for Brown, who finished the year as Chicago’s interim head coach after the firing of Matt Eberflus. The Bears went 1-4 under Brown, and their offense scored the fewest points in the league in quarterback Caleb Williams‘ rookie campaign.
Brown interviewed to become Chicago’s full-time head coach last January, but the role wound up going to Ben Johnson. That decision has worked out beautifully for the NFC North-winning Bears, while Brown has upped his stock as a Mike Vrabel assistant in New England.
Thanks largely to their passing attack, the Patriots pulled off a stunning 10-win improvement from 2024 to 2025. The 14-3 Pats won the AFC East and will enter the postseason as the second seed in the conference. With Brown’s help, second-year quarterback Drake Maye has quickly turned into an MVP front-runner. Maye finished the season first in completion percentage, yards per attempt, traditional passer rating and QBR. He also ranked third in touchdown passes and fourth in yards.
Unlike the Patriots, the Cardinals don’t have an obvious answer at quarterback. They’re expected to trade or release Kyler Murray in the offseason. Veteran Jacoby Brissett is under contract for another year, but he isn’t a long-term solution. It’s an area Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort and their next head coach, whether it’s Brown or another candidate, will likely address in the coming months.
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)
Coaching Notes: Chiefs, Lions, Udinski, Leonhard, Idzik, Brown, Bears, Pitcher, Scheelhaase, Godsey
Matt Nagy looms as one of the top head coaching candidates with an offensive background in this year’s hiring cycle. A departure for a second HC opportunity (or at least a play-calling offensive coordinator role) is something to watch for over the coming days.
In the event Nagy were to head elsewhere, the Chiefs would find themselves in need of an OC replacement. The team could look to familiar options in such a scenario. Kansas City would “welcome back” Mike Kafka or Eric Bieniemy, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report.
Bieniemy, 56, worked under Andy Reid from 2013-22. That span included five years in the offensive coordinator role. Bieniemy led Washington’s offense for one season before doing the same at UCLA. He is currently serving as the Bears‘ running backs coach. Kafka, meanwhile, was with the Chiefs for five years, operating as quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator along the way. As the interim head coach of the Giants, the 38-year-old’s future is currently unclear.
With Black Monday approaching, here are some other coaching notes from around the NFL:
- Lions head coach Dan Campbell recently hinted at staffing changes. It would comes as little surprise if OC John Morton were to be among those let go, seeing as he was stripped of play-calling duties midway through the campaign. Morton said (via Rapoport and Pelissero) “I’d like to be here” when asked about the possibility of remaining in Detroit. Taking on a lesser role for next season could thus be something to watch for as Campbell looks into his coordinator options.
- Overall, the pool of head coaching candidates for 2026 is not seen as being as strong as last year. A large number of firings over the next few days may not be forthcoming as a result. On the other hand, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes (subscription required) this winter could be busier than usual in terms of coordinator changes. Jaguars OC Grant Udinski, Broncos secondary coach Jim Leonhard, Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik and Patriots pass-game coordinator Thomas Brown are among the staffers she identifies among those who have drawn strong reviews for their work this season.
- Ben Johnson has impressed during his debut season in Chicago. He could be in line to lose a number of key assistants soon, however. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports names Bieniemy as a candidate to depart this winter with his stock having received a boost. In addition, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, pass-game coordinator Press Taylor and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett have each generated buzz regarding interest around the league. Johnson may have multiple vacancies to fill in the near future in the wake of Chicago’s successful campaign.
- Dan Pitcher has been with the Bengals since 2016. Over that time, he has worked his way up to quarterbacks coach, a role he has had for six seasons and counting. The 38-year-old finds himself as an interview candidate for OC positions, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Losing Pitcher would deal another blow to the stability Zac Taylor enjoyed on his offensive staff until Brian Callahan‘s departure in 2025.
- Fowler also points to Nate Scheelhaase as a “sleeper” with respect to offensive coordinator interviews. Scheelhaase, 35, served in many positions at the college level before joining the Rams in 2024; he currently serves as the team’s pass-game coordinator. Many Sean McVay assistants have gone on to land notable gigs elsewhere in the NFL, and along with D-coordinator Chris Shula Scheelhaase could soon become the latest to do so.
- Since 2022, George Godsey has served as the Ravens’ tight ends coach. That tenure is nearing an end, however, Godsey is finalizing a deal to become the next offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports. By returning to his alma mater, Godsey will end a run of NFL coaching positions which dates back to 2011.
Patriots Activate DT Milton Williams, T Will Campbell From IR
The playoffs are locked up, and the Patriots’ final game of the season is at home against a depleted Dolphins team. As they attempt to secure their highest win total since 2016 and a chance at the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC side of the playoff bracket, they will bring in some reinforcements. New England announced today that it has activated defensive tackle Milton Williams and left tackle Will Campbell from injured reserve. 
Williams suffered the high ankle sprain that landed him on IR back in Week 11 but only had his 21-day practice window opened last week. The former Eagle’s debut season in New England was off to a hot start as he was tracking for potential career-highs in sacks, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits.
When he was lost to injury, Williams wasn’t the only defender to suffer from the loss; fellow interior defender Christian Barmore saw far more double teams with Williams not there to worry about. Williams’ return to the lineup should make big differences to the effectiveness of the Pats’ defensive line just in time for the playoffs.
Campbell, the team’s rookie No. 4 overall pick this year, had arguably been living up to his draft stock as the 2025 draft class’s best offensive tackle this year. Manning the starting job on the blindside in New England, Campbell’s tape from his 12 starts this year grade him out as the league’s 33rd-best tackle, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He was placed on IR after suffering a knee injury in Week 12, but after returning to practice this week and fully participating in three sessions, he’s proven he’s ready to return to the starting lineup.
The Patriots already had one open roster spot, so they just needed to waive defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr. in order to make room for the two returning starters. The team also announced that center Brenden Jaimes and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III will serve as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the team’s regular season finale.
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
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/1/26
Here’s our first minor NFL transactions of the 2026 calendar year:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): LB Austin Keys
- Placed on IR: S Kitan Crawford
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed from practice squad: DE Khalid Kareem
- Placed on IR: CB Mike Hughes
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: G Ben Cleveland
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Raiders’ practice squad: QB Cam Miller
New England Patriots
- Signed from practice squad: CB Kobee Minor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: T Cameron Williams
After suspending him three weeks ago, the Ravens have finally removed Cleveland from the 53-man roster. The former third-round pick out of Georgia has never lived up to his draft stock and, despite struggles with the interior line in Baltimore, failed to ever earn a role on offense. Legal trouble in the offseason didn’t stop the team from re-signing him to a one-year deal, but whatever the cause for the suspension, it seems it was severe enough to end the contract. It’s unclear if they’ll look to retain Cleveland on the practice squad.
After miss two games earlier this year, Hughes has sat out of the Falcons’ last three contests with an ankle injury. The starting cornerback coming back from injury for a meaningless regular season finale doesn’t make much sense, so Atlanta has placed him on injured reserve to free up a spot on the 53-man roster.
Williams, the sixth-round rookie out of Texas, may not make his NFL debut this weekend, unless, maybe, on special teams, but his activation ensures he doesn’t spend nearly his entire rookie year on IR.
Patriots DT Christian Barmore Facing Domestic Assault Charge
Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore faces one misdemeanor domestic assault charge, court documents from Attleborough District Court (Mass.) revealed on Wednesday. 
Barmore faces one count of assault and battery on a family/household member, as detailed by Emily Maher of WCBV. The charge stems from an alleged incident which took place on August 8, 2025 at a home in Mansfield. Barmore was in a relationship with the alleged victim, a woman with whom he engaged in an argument on the day in question.
According to the charging documents, Barmore grabbed the woman’s phone out of her hand while she was attempting to leave the house. He is alleged to have grabbed the woman before she could leave and “[thrown] her to the floor.” Barmore then grabbed her by the by the shirt “in the area of the neck” before eventually letting go, per the documents.
“The New England Patriots are aware of reports regarding a pending February arraignment involving Christian Barmore, which stems from an alleged domestic incident that occurred in August,” a team statement reads. “The Patriots were made aware at the time of the incident and informed the NFL in a timely manner. The matter remains part of an ongoing legal process. We will respect that process, continue to monitor the situation closely, as we have over the past few months, and cooperate fully with the league. We will have no further comment at this time.”
Court records reveal that on December 4, the alleged victim sent an email to police indicating her desire not to proceed with charges. A criminal complaint then emerged on December 16. Barmore is now scheduled to be arraigned on February 3.
A second-round pick in 2021, Barmore has been a regular contributor during his tenure in New England and a full-time starter this season. The 26-year-old has posted 26 tackles and one sack while playing an important role on the 13-3 Patriots. Barmore – who was limited to four games last season due to blood clot issues – is attached to a $21MM-per-year deal. His contract runs through 2028.
Today’s news comes one day after it was learned Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs faces strangulation and assault charges. Neither player spoke to the media on Wednesday.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/31/25
Several NFL teams completed minor transactions on New Year’s Eve to prepare their rosters for Week 18. Here are the latest updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Designated for return from IR: S DeMarcco Hellams
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: LB Noah Sewell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from the Lions’ practice squad: C Kingsley Eguakun
- Placed on IR: G Wyatt Teller
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad: S Johnathan Baldwin, QB Clayton Tune
- Placed on IR: S Zayne Anderson
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: LB Austin Keys
New England Patriots
- Designated for return from IR: CB Alex Austin
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed from practice squad: OL Jack Driscoll
- Placed on IR: TE Darnell Washington (story)
Washington Commanders
- Placed on IR: C Tyler Biadasz
- Signed from practice squad: OL Julian Good-Jones
Sewell suffered a torn Achilles in Sunday night’s loss to the 49ers, ending his 2025 season and starting a length rehab process for the third-year linebacker.
Teller aggravated a calf injury on Sunday against the Steelers. He will miss the Browns’ last game of the season and is set to hit free agency this offseason. After seven years in Cleveland, Teller may need to find a new home this offseason.
Washington underwent surgery on his broken arm on Tuesday, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. The third-year tight end will not be able to return in the playoffs if the Steelers qualify.
Patriots WR Stefon Diggs Facing Strangulation, Assault Charges
Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs is facing a charge of felony strangulation or suffocation as well as a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery, according to records from Dedham District Court (Mass.) released on Tuesday.
As detailed by Matt Schooley of CBS News Boston, the charges stem from an alleged incident which took place on December 2. Diggs has denied the allegations. The 32-year-old wide receiver’s arraignment is set to take place January 23, though Schooley notes a judge agreed to consider delaying the it until March.
“The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs,” a team statement reads. “Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Diggs has made a financial offer to resolve the dispute with the alleged victim, according to Schooley. Diggs’ attorney argued for the police report to be impounded in order to have the details remain sealed. As it stands, details are sparse at this time. Since the charges stem from an unknown incident, it is difficult to project a potential stay on the rarely used commissioner’s exempt list. That would sideline Diggs while the case is being adjudicated.
Diggs is in his first year with the Patriots, having signed a three-year, $63.5MM deal that came with $16.6MM guaranteed at signing. While only $1.7MM of Diggs’ 2026 compensation came guaranteed at signing, an additional $6MM becomes guaranteed in March, according to Spotrac. Any suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy would stand to void future guarantees on this contract.
Previously tied to the Vikings, Bills and Texans, Diggs has never been suspended during his career. An odd headline did surface during Diggs’ first New England offseason, however. A video showed him flashing an “unidentified pink substance” while partying on a boat with a number of women. No NFL discipline came his way in connection with the video. Diggs welcomed a child with rapper Cardi B in November.
Playing a key role in Drake Maye‘s second-year surge, Diggs has recovered from the ACL tear he sustained midway through his lone Houston season. He leads the Patriots with 82 receptions for 970 yards, adding four touchdowns. The four-time Pro Bowler is close to surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh time in his career.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.