Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/26
Friday’s minor moves and a couple standard gameday practice squad elevations for Saturday’s lineup:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB David Long, LB Jacoby Windmon
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Commanders’ practice squad: RB Donovan Edwards
- Placed on IR: TE Darren Waller
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed from practice squad: DT Taki Taimani
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: WR Ronnie Bell, DE Fadil Diggs, WR Samori Toure
- Placed on IR: CB Michael Davis, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, TE Jack Stoll, WR Mason Tipton
After missing several games down the stretch of the season as he dealt with appendicitis, Harrison returned to play in the Cardinals’ past two games with far fewer snaps than his usual starter’s share. Ahead of the team’s regular season finale, Arizona has shut last year’s No. 4 overall pick down for the small remainder of the regular season.
The same is being done for Waller in Miami. The veteran tight end was able to make his return from retirement with the Dolphins after sitting out in 2024, but injury limited him to only nine contests. He was extremely effective in the short time he played (six touchdowns), but the injuries that bookended his short stints of activity will certainly be brought up in any contract negotiations for him in the future.
The Panthers are choosing not to activate guard Robert Hunt or wide receiver David Moore for tomorrow’s game. If Carolina is able to get into the postseason, an activation could still happen next week.
Diggs had already been elevated three times for New Orleans this season, so the team needed to sign him to the 53-man roster in order for him to appear in the regular season finale.
Frank Ragnow Expected To Stay Retired; Lions Could Move Tate Ratledge To Center
The Lions’ offensive line suffered a brutal blow when four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow retired last June. Ragnow hung it up a couple of weeks after his 29th birthday, but five months later, he staged a comeback bid in late November. That attempt never got off the ground, though, as a failed physical prevented Ragnow from rejoining the team this season.
A Grade 3 hamstring injury stopped Ragnow from potentially aiding the Lions during the stretch run. Detroit was 7-4 and firmly in the playoff race when Ragnow tried to come out of retirement. Now 8-8, the Lions will not follow up last year’s 15-win campaign with another postseason appearance.
As the eliminated Lions turn their attention toward next season, it appears they’ll continue to go without Ragnow (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
Asked if Ragnow will play in 2026, quarterback Jared Goff told WXYT-FM, “No, I don’t think that’s in the cards at all.”
While Goff plans to talk to Ragnow, he added, “I just don’t think his interest level is there.”
With Ragnow likely to remain in retirement, Birkett points to the center position as a potential offseason priority for the team. Ragnow was a 16-game starter during a masterful offensive display in 2024. The Lions led the league in scoring and finished second in total offense. Pro Football Focus regarded Ragnow as an important part of their success, ranking him as the league’s third-best center.
The Lions’ Ragnow-less offense still sits near the top of the league in scoring (third) and yardage (sixth) this season, but replacement Graham Glasgow has been far less effective than his predecessor. Over 14 games (13 starts), PFF places the 33-year-old’s performance 35th among 41 qualifying centers. He’s under contract next season for $6.5MM, but Glasgow’s “not expected back” at that salary, Birkett writes.
Glasgow earned his current deal – a three-year, $20MM pact – in March 2024. He was a starting guard at that point. Ragnow’s retirement led the Lions to move Glasgow to center, but it initially seemed the role would go to rookie Tate Ratledge. The second-rounder from Georgia has instead started all 16 of Detroit’s games at right guard, his college position. A first-team All-American in his final season with the Bulldogs, Ratledge now leads all Lions offensive players in snap share (98.8%) and ranks as PFF’s 22nd-best guard out of 80 qualifiers.
Although Ratledge has acquitted himself well as a professional guard, a Year 2 shift to center is “not off the table,” head coach Dan Campbell said (via Birkett). Whether the Lions commit to a position change for Ratledge will count among their key offseason decisions. If the Lions don’t go down that road, they could seek their next starting center on the open market (the Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum is the premier pending free agent at the position) or in the draft.
Ravens To Extend LS Nick Moore
This afternoon, Ravens long snapper Nick Moore announced that he had agreed to a four-year extension to stay in Baltimore during an appearance on the Ryan Ripken Show. The contract agreement will be the specialist’s fifth with the team. 
An undrafted free agent out of Georgia in 2019, Moore initially signed with the Saints but failed to make the initial 53-man roster. He found himself in the XFL for a short period of time, but when the league ceased play after only six games and allowed players to seek NFL contracts, Moore landed on Baltimore’s practice squad as a backup to long-time veteran Morgan Cox.
Moore made his NFL debut in the 2020 season, when Cox missed a game due to COVID-19, and signed a reserve/futures contract with the team at the end of the season. A week after he signed, the Ravens announced they would move on from their long snapper of the past 11 years, making Moore their new primary long snapper.
After his first full season in the primary role, Baltimore brought him back as an exclusive rights free agent. Moore earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2022 and was re-signed to a one-year deal after not being tendered as a restricted free agent. Unfortunately, a torn Achilles tendon knocked him out for the season, so the Ravens gave him a one-year extension so that he could avoid needing to worry about contract discussions after not playing for the year.
Today’s announcement marks the Ravens’ first long-term commitment to Moore after watching him play four of the past six seasons as the team’s primary long snapper. The move cements him in place for the next three years aside rookie kicker Tyler Loop, assuming Loop doesn’t find a way to get waived from his rookie deal.
With Moore and Loop under contract, the Ravens may now turn their attention to former fourth-round punter Jordan Stout. Stout is also facing free agency with the expiration of his rookie contract at the end of the season. Stout is having a career-best campaign this season, averaging 50.3 yards per punt (fourth-best among punters who have played in over six games) and 44.9 net yards per punt (first among punters who have played in over six games). He was recognized with Pro Bowl honors this season to underline that fact.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/2/26
Miami Dolphins
- Released: CB Clarence Lewis
The Dolphins were the second NFL organization for Lewis, an undrafted rookie who combined for 63 games and four interceptions with Notre Dame and Syracuse from 2020-24 . Lewis signed with the Titans two weeks after the draft, though he didn’t survive final roster cuts in late August. He lasted about two months on Miami’s practice squad, which added him on Nov. 4, but didn’t see any game action.
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.
Titans GM Mike Borgonzi Takes Over Control Of 53-Man Roster
Chad Brinker had managed a promotion despite being part of two sub-.500 Titans teams, but the current Tennessee football ops president will now see his role reduced.
The Titans are increasing GM Mike Borgonzi‘s responsibilities. Ahead of his second year as GM, Borgonzi will now control the Titans’ 53-man roster, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Both Borgonzi and Brinker will report to owner Amy Adams Strunk, while Rapoport adds the next Titans HC will report to Borgonzi. Strunk has since confirmed in a statement both execs will report to her.
The timing here reminds of 2024, when Strunk gave Ran Carthon full roster control. She fired Carthon a year later. Brinker was originally hired as Carthon’s assistant GM, but he stayed on following the GM’s January 2025 ouster. Strunk gave Brinker roster control upon firing Carthon. Now, Borgonzi will lead the way as the team searches for another HC.
Borgonzi previously reported to Brinker, but after another woeful Tennessee season, another shakeup is coming. The Titans hired Borgonzi as GM, and while he ran the draft last year, the former Chiefs exec still did not report directly to ownership — as most GMs do. That will change, perhaps complicating Tennessee’s power structure. While changes of this sort have become commonplace under Strunk, shaking up the front office after a three- or four-win season certainly makes sense.
“Over the past few years, several job descriptions in our football organization were established to address specific situations and challenges that existed at the time,” Strunk said in a letter to fans (via TennesseeTitans.com’s Jim Wyatt). “After working together for the past year, they believe – and I agree – there is a long-term benefit to clarifying and honing the focus areas of our football leadership.
“For that reason, we’re returning to a front office that feels more straightforward to them and me. Going forward, Mike will serve as general manager in the most traditional sense – pick and support the players, oversee the coaching staff – while Chad will continue to lead everything else about the football team.”
Strunk said Borgonzi will lead the HC search, while Brinker will over see cap management, analytics and other departments. Some teams have football ops presidents or VPs in addition to GMs, though many simply go with an owner-GM-HC workflow. The Titans technically have an additional exec in the mix, but with the next full-time coach to report to Borgonzi, an owner-GM-HC flow will be in place for the struggling AFC South franchise.
The Titans had a fairly stable setup in place for more than six years, with Mike Vrabel and Jon Robinson aligned from 2016 through Robinson’s December 2022 firing. Strunk had extended both Vrabel and Robinson earlier that year. Instability has defined the Titans since.
Vrabel received more control post-Robinson and wanted interim GM Ryan Cowden to be given the full-time job. Strunk disagreed and eventually butted heads with her successful HC, who later desired full roster control. Strunk then fired him (rather than trading his rights) and elevating Carthon — hired over Vrabel’s objections — within the organization. A year after the Carthon-over-Vrabel decision, Strunk replaced her GM with Borgonzi.
Brinker was elevated during this time, with the team’s other assistant GM — Anthony Robinson — being fired last year. The Titans then fired Carthon HC hire Brian Callahan. They went 1-5 under Callahan this season and are now 2-8 under interim leader Mike McCoy.
The Tians have sunk to the NFL’s basement over the past four years, with Vrabel’s final two beginning the descent. That said, Tennessee has gone 6-27 since firing Vrabel, who is among the Coach of the Year frontrunners after immediately revitalizing the Patriots. The Titans, meanwhile, hold a minus-160 point differential. That is the second-worst number (behind only 2014) since the franchise relocated from Houston in 1997. Set to hold another high pick, Tennessee will hope its latest change can steer an improvement.
Buccaneers To Activate DL Calijah Kancey From IR
A fast-sinking Buccaneers season now needs more than one NFC South development to be salvaged, as the Saints now must topple the Falcons in addition to Tampa Bay defeating Carolina. The Bucs will have more help when they suit up Saturday.
The team will activate defensive lineman Calijah Kancey from IR, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The former first-round pick has made it back from a pectoral tear. Kancey, who has not played since Week 2, will be on a pitch count, per Todd Bowles (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud). Every little bit helps here, as the Bucs are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]
Tampa Bay is also elevating Jason Pierre-Paul from its practice squad, per Stroud. This marks JPP’s third elevation this season; another appearance on the Bucs’ gameday roster would require an official signing from the P-squad. The team waived linebacker John Bullock as well.
We have seen September pectoral tears turn into late-season IR activations recently. This happened thrice in 2023, with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DaQuan Jones and Avonte Maddox reemerging after suffering this injury. Kancey’s return falls at a similar spot on this timeline, and rumblings about a playoff return — after pectoral surgery — began to emerge weeks ago.
Kancey will beat that by a week. This season has certainly marked a delay in Kancey’s development, with the prospect it ends after three games squarely in play. But he will have a chance to contribute as the Bucs attempt a last stand in their Panthers rematch.
The Bucs drafted Kancey 19th overall in 2023 and saw him show considerable promise in 2024. Last season, Kancey registered 7.5 sacks and added 19 QB hits. He also combined for 21 tackles for loss over his first two seasons. This year represents a disappointment for the Pittsburgh product, and it may complicate the team’s fifth-year option decision (due shortly after the draft). But Kancey returning to full strength should help his cause there.
Tampa Bay did not see Joe Tryon-Shoyinka make much of an impact and saw Devin White trend downward steeply. But they have hit on Tristan Wirfs, Graham Barton, Kancey and Emeka Egbuka out of Round 1 in this span. Bowles and Jason Licht received extensions this offseason. While Bowles has overseen a drop from 6-2 to 7-9, the NFC South’s evergreen status as a down division has kept the Bucs in the mix. Bowles also looks more likely than not to receive another chance in 2026. That will be Kancey’s contract year unless his option is exercised.
T.J. Watt Planning To Play In Week 18
JANUARY 2, 1:55pm: Watt confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) he is planning to play in Week 18. The future Hall of Fame defender called the incident a “fluke,” per the AP’s Will Graves. Watt will refrain from the dry needling procedure for the time being.
JANUARY 2, 9:15am: The Steelers remain optimistic about Watt’s availability this weekend, though he has yet to be a full participant in practice, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. As a result, he explains, Pittsburgh is still in “wait-and-see mode” when it comes to their All-Pro edge rusher.
DECEMBER 30: The Steelers have gone three games in a row without star pass rusher T.J. Watt. With the AFC North title at stake in Week 18, Watt may return to face the Ravens on Sunday.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said he’s “optimistic about“ Watt’s “potential inclusion” in this week’s do-or-die showdown between division rivals (via Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports). Watt’s most recent appearance came in a 27-22 win over the Ravens in Week 14. He underwent surgery on a partially collapsed lung a few days later.
Watt suffered his injury during a dry needling session — a common treatment — at the team facility. The NFLPA quickly made contact with Watt afterward, though it’s unknown if he’ll take action against the Steelers’ medical staff.
The Steelers have been Watt’s only NFL team since he entered the league as the 30th pick in the 2017 draft. Pittsburgh signed Watt to a record-setting extension worth $123MM over three years last summer. The club awarded the former Defensive Player of the Year an eye-popping $108MM in fully guaranteed money.
Despite sitting out three games, Watt has earned his eighth straight Pro Bowl nod this season. The 31-year-old has racked up 53 tackles, 43 pressures, 18 QB hits, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception in 2025. With a playoff berth on the line, Watt rejoining fellow edge rushers Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig against Baltimore would be ideal for Pittsburgh. That’s especially the case if the Ravens have two-time MVP-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson, whose status is uncertain as a result of a back injury.
Backup Tyler Huntley filled in for Jackson in a 41-24 win over the Packers in Week 17. Running back Derrick Henry‘s 216-yard, four-touchdown masterclass was the driving force in keeping the Ravens’ season alive in Lambeau Field on Saturday. The Watt-less Steelers could have clinched the division and eliminated the Ravens with a win on Sunday, but they fell 13-6 to the last-place Browns. An offense missing its two best wide receivers – the suspended D.K. Metcalf and the injured Calvin Austin – couldn’t get anything going in Cleveland.
There’s a chance Austin will come back from a hamstring injury in the regular-season finale, but Metcalf and injured tight end Darnell Washington won’t be available. With a shorthanded offense, the Steelers may need a stifling defensive performance to knock out the Ravens and earn their first AFC North crown since 2020. If that’s the case, Watt’s return would boost their chances.
Ravens Sign NT John Jenkins To Extension
The Ravens have signed veteran nose tackle John Jenkins to a contract extension, per a team announcement.
The deal is worth around $2.1MM, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, a slight raise over the $1.75MM deal that brought him to Baltimore this past offseason. The 36-year-old has emerged as a key part of the Ravens’ defensive line rotation this season, appearing in every game with 13 starts and a 46% snap share. His contributions have helped keep the unit afloat after losing Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington to injury early in the year.
Jenkins is a 13-year veteran who will be one of the league’s oldest non-quarterback or -specialists next season. Originally a Saints third-round pick in 2013, he earned a starting role by his third year in the NFL but was released before the end of his fourth. He then bounced around the league with one-year stints with the Seahawks, Bears, Giants, and Dolphins. He then returned to Chicago in 2020 before settling in Miami for two seasons. Jenkins then signed with the Raiders in 2023 and started every game over the next two seasons.
Jenkins is the second Ravens nose tackle to receive an extension this winter; Travis Jones was rewarded with a three-year deal last month. Both will return to Baltimore’s defensive line in 2026 alongside current rookie Aeneas Peebles, but the outlooks for Madubuike and Washington are unclear. Madubuike’s season-ending neck injury has stirred significant concern about his future in the NFL, while Washington could be a cap casualty as he enters the last year of his contract. The team will certainly be able to keep C.J. Okoye on an exclusive rights free agent contract, but he has yet to cement himself as a long-term contributor.
Still, it is possible that Jenkins’ abilities fall of a cliff when he enters his 14th NFL season. He has, however, improved over the course of his career and put up his best three seasons in the last three years. This deal could age poorly, but it accordingly comes at a reasonable price tag. Jenkins is an established veteran who will continue to bring leadership and experience to the Ravens’ defensive line room, which could be especially important if they have to remake the unit this offseason.
Dan Campbell Endorses Kelvin Sheppard
Despite the regression of the Lions defense under Kelvin Sheppard, head coach Dan Campbell signaled his support for his first-year defensive coordinator this week.
“‘Shep’ has really grown this year,” Campbell said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I think with any first-time coordinator, first-time coach, you go through a lot and you learn along the way.”
Sheppard had a tough task this year. Aaron Glenn left some big shoes to fill when he departed for New York, and Detroit’s defense has been decimated by injuries over the past few months. The secondary has been particularly devastated, with star safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph and cornerbacks D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, and Ennis Rakestraw all spending time on injured reserve. Branch, Joseph, Arnold, and Rakestraw all saw their seasons end early and were not available down the stretch as the Lions lost four of their last five games and missed the playoffs.
“There’s always going to be things that you learn from this job, but I like Shep,” Campbell added.
Campbell also offered some words of support for quarterback Jared Goff after a rough performance against the Vikings in Week 17 contributed to the Lions’ elimination from postseason contention.
“We’re fortunate to have him as a quarterback,” Campbell said. “He’s a winning quarterback in this league. He played at a very high level all season long. He played even better than he played the year before, and he’s continued to play better.”
Statistically, Goff may have slightly regressed from last year, but he still led the Lions to the third-most points and the sixth-most yards in the league. Among qualified quarterbacks, he ranked second in touchdowns (33), third in yards (4,233) and passer rating (107.0), fourth in interception rate (1.3%), fifth in completion percentage (68.3%), and eighth in yards per attempt (7.9). This all happened after the departure of Ben Johnson, one of the league’s foremost offensive minds who built the Lions elite offense practically from the ground up.
In other words, Goff is still producing like a top-10 quarterback and is “going nowhere,” per Campbell.