HEADLINES

Month: August 2025

Broncos To Waive RB Audric Estime

August 25th, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos held a lengthy audition for their running back jobs behind their newly assembled top duo (J.K. Dobbins, R.J. Harvey), and one of the losers in the derby has been revealed.

Denver is waiving second-year back Audric Estime, 9News’ Mike Klis reports. Drafted in the fifth round last year, Estime had been playing behind Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie during the preseason. The Broncos also waived rookie UDFA guard Xavier Truss, per a team announcement.

Even as the Broncos struggled to maximize a good run-blocking O-line last season, Estime could not earn the coaches’ trust to leapfrog Javonte Williams — who had not recaptured his pre-knee-injury form. Williams departed in free agency, but the team added Harvey and then Dobbins.

With McLaughlin still rostered and Badie impressing the team’s coaching staff, Estime had loomed as a likely cut. A practice squad spot could await, but the Notre Dame alum would need to clear waivers — which process at 11am CT Wednesday. The Broncos are indeed interested in retaining Estime on the P-squad, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.

Three years remain on Estime’s rookie contract, but no guaranteed money is left on the deal. Estime is due $960K this season. As a non-vested veteran, Estime will not see that figure guarantee next month. The Broncos will take on barely $250K in dead money.

Last season, Estime produced 310 yards and two touchdowns on 76 carries. Two fumbles proved costly, however, and Sean Payton made Badie — who had missed most of the season due to injury — a gameday active over Estime for Denver’s wild-card game in Buffalo. That proved to be a sign of the coaching staff losing some faith. Estime, who saw a 4.71-second 40-yard dash time at the 2024 Combine ding his draft stock, received a start against the Chargers last December but otherwise came off the bench as a rookie. He will now wait on his next destination.

Clearing up the RB competition, the Broncos are also cutting Blake Watson, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. Watson suffered a PCL strain during Denver’s preseason finale. Trade interest existed for Watson, who spent much of 2024 on the Broncos’ practice squad, so a claim for the second-year UDFA in play. If unclaimed, Watson is also a candidate to land on the Broncos’ practice squad, per Tomasson.

Buccaneers To Release QB Kyle Trask

August 25th, 2025 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Teddy Bridgewater‘s Buccaneers deal looks like it will lead to a relocation for the team’s previous backup. Kyle Trask has been informed he will be waived, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

This will come via an injury settlement or a waived/injured designation, per Fowler, as Trask has dealt with a shoulder issue lately. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that the shoulder issue is only considered “slight.”

A former second-round pick, Trask has spent his entire professional career in Tampa Bay. His first two campaigns saw him as a deep-depth-chart option behind Tom Brady, and he’s spent the past two years serving as Baker Mayfield‘s primary backup.

Considering his backup status, Trask hasn’t gotten much of a look during the regular season. In total, he’s appeared in seven career games, completing four of his 11 pass attempts for 28 yards. The QB previously showed his ability during his time at Florida, where he tossed 69 touchdowns in 27 games. This included a 2020 season where he threw 48 touchdowns en route to a second-team All-SEC nod.

While Trask can’t point to an extensive NFL resume, he has worked under a pair of former coordinators-turned-coaches in Dave Canales and Liam Coen, so perhaps he could find a gig in either of those spots. Fowler also mentions the Raiders as a potential option considering Trask’s connection to GM John Spytek coupled with Aidan O’Connell‘s recent injury. Temporarily, he may have to settle for a practice squad job.

With the move, Bridgewater has secured his spot as Tampa’s QB2. The organization is also rostering UDFA Connor Bazelak.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Vikings, Jets Still Eyeing WR Addition; Raiders, Steelers Also In Market

August 25th, 2025 at 4:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the deadline for roster cuts looming, trades around the league remain a distinct possibility over the coming days. The receiver position could be one to watch closely.

The Vikings and Jets are still evaluating the WR landscape with respect to trades, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Last week, Minnesota and New York were among the teams named as suitors on this front, so today’s update comes as no surprise. The Vikings and Jets both face questions about their depth beyond their established No. 1 wideouts.

Garrett Wilson will again lead the way in New York, with free agent addition Josh Reynolds set to play a notable role. Allen Lazard‘s future was a talking point earlier in the offseason given the Aaron Rodgers release, but he is on track to play out this season on a reduced contract. Any receivers brought in will be viewed as depth behind that trio and 2024 third-rounder Malachi Corley.

The Vikings have been connected to an Adam Thielen reunion, and calls have been made to the Panthers about a deal. Nothing is imminent at this point, but the 35-year-old would offer experienced depth behind Justin Jefferson and (when he returns from suspension) Jordan Addison. Minnesota has been busy on the trade front recently, and making an addition at the receiver spot could be the next item on the agenda.

Russini’s report also indicates the Raiders and Steelers are among the potential landing spots for a new wideout. Vegas has witnessed Jakobi Meyers issue a trade request, calling into question his future with the team. The pending free agent is not one the Raiders are looking to move on from, but especially if a swap were to take place an addition could become necessary. Tre Tucker along with rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton are in position to play supporting roles, but further moves could help add a complementary presence to tight end Brock Bowers.

A receiver acquisition has long been talked about in the case of the Steelers this offseason. D.K. Metcalf will lead the way in 2025 and beyond, but the unproven nature of Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson has led to calls for a more established No. 2 option. Multiple free agent visits have taken place with free agent Gabe Davis, but no signing has come about since.

In addition to Davis, Amari Cooper, Tyler Boyd and DJ Chark are among the top unsigned wideouts at this time. Other notable names will no doubt become available over the next 24 hours through trade or cutdowns. A shortlist of teams is worth monitoring as the position’s late-summer landscape takes shape.

Panthers Release K Matthew Wright, Waive 17

August 25th, 2025 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers settled their kicker situation and halved their quarterback depth chart. Here are the first wave of Carolina cuts ahead of Tuesday’s roster-setting deadline:

Released:

Waived:

The Wright release leaves rookie UDFA Ryan Fitzgerald as the only kicker on Carolina’s roster. Making a career as a fill-in kicker (save for a full-season 2022 Jaguars stop), Wright has kicked for six teams in games. This was the veteran specialist’s second Panthers stop; he filled in for Eddy Pineiro for a game during the 2023 season.

The Panthers did not re-sign Pineiro this offseason; as of now, they are planning to go with Fitzgerald, a Florida State alum part of the team’s priority free agent class this year. Dave Canales said recently the Panthers were still looking around at kicker. They are a team to watch regarding a late addition — via the waiver wire or free agency. It should be noted Pineiro, the Panthers’ three-year option who is the third-most accurate kicker in NFL history, remains available.

Perkins and Plummer brought the Panthers’ QB count to four; now, only Bryce Young and Andy Dalton are rostered. One of the QBs figures to receive a look for the practice squad, but the Panthers will have other options to look at as P-squad candidates following the other 31 teams’ cuts. Teams are seeing an early preview of who will be available today, as dozens are being released around the league. Perkins only signed with the Panthers last week; Plummer spent most of last season on Carolina’s practice squad, making him a more realistic candidate to land there.

Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers Requests Trade

August 25th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:02pm: Meyers has already drawn interest from “several teams,” The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. That will of course be a moot point unless the Raiders’ stance toward accepting an offer changes, but a market exists in the event a deal can be struck over the coming days.

2:40pm: Jakobi Meyers is on the doorstep of entering a season as the Raiders’ No. 1 wide receiver for the first time. Although he spent much of last season in that role, Davante Adams was still with the team to start Meyers’ previous years in Las Vegas.

This status has not come with a contract adjustment, and the 2023 free agency addition — who has made it known he wants to stay in Vegas beyond 2025 — will try to force the issue. Meyers has requested a trade, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.

The former UDFA is tied to an $11MM-per-year contract, and discussions on a new deal have not keyed a resolution. The Raiders, however, have no plans to trade Meyers, per NFL.com. Even though this Raiders regime (or the one before it, for that matter) did not acquire Meyers, Rapoport and Pelissero indicate the seventh-year vet is viewed as too valuable to the team to move right now.

The sides engaged in extension talks earlier this summer, after Meyers let it be known he was interested in another Raiders pact. Added in 2023 on a deal that matched JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s free agency accord that year, Meyers has far exceeded the value Smith-Schuster or fellow 2023 eight-figure AAV recipient Allen Lazard have provided. Meyers posted a quiet 1,000-yard season in 2024, doing so despite one of the NFL’s worst quarterback groups targeting him. But he currently sits miles behind the receiver market’s upper echelon.

Meyers’ deal checks in 31st among wide receiver AAV; he is due a $10.76MM base salary in 2025. Although Meyers reuniting with then-Raiders HC Josh McDaniels brought him a massive raise from his UDFA Patriots terms, a player expected to be Geno Smith‘s top target is off the pace at the position. Then again, Meyers has one career 900-yard season on his resume. That complicates a raise route, even if the possession receiver posted three straight 800-yard years — with a slew of sub-average QBs targeting him in that span — before his 2024 uptick.

Being set for an age-29 season also increases some urgency for Meyers, who would be a slightly less attractive free agent ahead of an age-30 campaign next year. Though, Meyers could also still probably do well on the open market — provided his fit with Smith in Chip Kelly‘s offense goes well. Tom Brady having been the Patriots’ QB in Meyers’ rookie season, when he carved out a role for the defending Super Bowl champions, adds an interesting wrinkle to this process as well. But veteran reporter Jordan Schultz confirms extension talks have stalled.

Two players from Meyers’ rookie class — Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf — changed teams via trade this year. Another, ex-third-rounder Terry McLaurin, just landed a monster Commanders extension after a holdout turned into a hold-in. Meyers participated in training camp and probably is not a candidate to skip regular-season games. The Silver and Black also appear to be counting on him as a Brock Bowers complement in Pete Carroll‘s debut. The Raiders have him tied to a team-friendly deal, and while nearly two weeks remaining until Las Vegas’ opener, beginning the season on this contract may be how this plays out.

Bengals Release DT Taven Bryan, Waive 11

August 25th, 2025 at 3:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals are now among the teams to announce some early cuts. With rosters required to be at 53 in less than 24 hours, Cincinnati parted ways with 12 players early:

Released:

Waived:

A former first-round Jaguars pick, Bryan has settled into a rotational role after not panning out like Jacksonville hoped. Bryan still started 13 combined games for the Colts over the past two seasons, stopping through Indianapolis after a 2022 season as a Cleveland starter. For his career, the Florida alum has started 46 games. His $1.42MM Bengals contract did not contain any guaranteed money. Cincy has 2024 Day 2 draftees Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson as backups to B.J. Hill and offseason addition T.J. Slaton.

A 2022 Patriots seventh-round pick, Stueber played in seven Bengals games lats season. Brooks, a UFL performer attempting to resume a stalled NFL career, went to back-to-back Bengals camps but has not seen game action since 2020. The Bengals still have a ways to go on their 90-to-53 journey, which must be done by 3pm CT Tuesday.

Dolphins K Jason Sanders, RB Jaylen Wright To Miss Time

August 25th, 2025 at 3:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins will be shorthanded to begin the campaign. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Monday that neither kicker Jason Sanders nor running back Jaylen Wright will be available for Week 1.

Sanders is dealing with a hip injury, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. An absence of four to five weeks is expected in this case. As a result, the Dolphins will need to find a replacement kicker to cover the early portion of the campaign.

Surgery will not be needed for Sanders, McDaniel said (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). Losing him for a notable period will nevertheless be significant. The 29-year-old is entering his eighth season with the Dolphins; he has yet to miss a game. That run of availability will come to an end in 2025, though, something which could impact Miami’s special teams early.

An All-Pro in 2020, Sanders sports a career accuracy rate of 84.6% on field goals. He has reached the 90% mark three times during a season, including in 2024. Expectations will be high upon returning to full health, but that will not happen until the Dolphins’ campaign is already underway.

McDaniel noted (via Jackson) it is unclear at this point if Wright will require surgery. Regardless of if a procedure ends up taking place, a lengthy stint on the sidelines should not be expected. Wright played sparingly as a rookie in 2024, but he could take on a larger role behind De’Von Achane in the backfield this season. When he will first be available is unclear, given today’s news, though.

The Dolphins have a number of further roster decisions to make between now and tomorrow afternoon’s deadline for cuts to take place. As the team weighs its options on that front, the looming absence of both Sanders and Wright will need to be taken into account.

Texans’ Joe Mixon Headed To Reserve/NFI List

August 25th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

AUGUST 25: The Texans announced on Monday that Mixon will be moved to the reserve/NFI list. As a result, he will miss at least the first month of the season while continuing to recover from his injury. Houston could be in the market for a backfield addition over the coming days.

AUGUST 16 Texans running back Joe Mixon may not be ready for Week 1 as he rehabs from a “lingering foot-ankle injury,” according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Mixon missed three games in 2024 due to a similar issue and aggravated it while training this offseason. He has been on the non-football injury list since the start of training camp, missing crucial practice time as new offensive coordinator Nick Caley installs his scheme.

The Texans are taking a cautious approach with Mixon given the uncertain state of his injury. He has progressed out of a walking boot and into a brace as he tries to regain mobility, but getting back on the field still seems a ways away.

In the meantime, the Texans will likely take a committee approach to their backfield. Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale and Woody Marks are the top four running backs on the depth chart (in order); each offers a different skillset to the offense.

Chubb has been an extremely consistent ballcarrier throughout his career, but he’s entering his age-30 season and coming off two straight injury-marred seasons. Though he could certainly bounce back in Houston, it seems unlikely that he could shoulder a heavy load right away.

After a strong rookie year, Pierce took a step back in 2023 before turning in an efficient 2024 on a small sample size. He and Chubb will likely split early-down snaps, while Ogunbowale will be the Texans’ third-down back. Marks, a fourth-round rookie out of USC, could be a change-of-pace back with a small pass-catching role of his own.

The Texans will want Mixon to get back on the field sooner rather than later, but a lingering injury and a new offensive coordinator will likely force him to ramp up gradually as the season starts. Ideally, he reaches full-strength in time to contribute to Houston’s push for another AFC South crown.

Saints Waive 13 Players

August 25th, 2025 at 2:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints have taken a step toward the 53-man roster limit. In addition to releasing running back Cam Akers, the team announced on Monday that the following 13 players have been waived:

Each player listed will now hit the waiver wire. Claims can be made through Wednesday of this week, the first day in which practice squads can be put together. Several of the Saints’ cuts from today and tomorrow are likely to wind up on the team’s taxi squad in advance of Week 1.

Burnip was part of the Saints’ undrafted free agent class this spring. The Alabama product was brought in as competition at the position, but today’s news means he will not handle punting duties to begin the campaign. Fellow undrafted rookie Kai Kroeger is now the only punter on New Orleans’ roster.

Bears Move CB Zah Frazier To Reserve/NFI List, Cut 11

August 25th, 2025 at 2:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears were among the teams which moved early in beginning their roster cuts. Chicago has announced another batch of moves today while continuing to move toward the requisite 53:

Placed on Reserve/NFI list:

Released:

Waived:

As a result of today’s transactions, the Bears are down to 73 on their roster. Like all other teams, they have until tomorrow afternoon to reach the roster limit.

Frazier will be required to miss at least the first four weeks of the season given his spot on the non-football injury list. Losing the fifth-round rookie until at least October adds further to the injury issues at the cornerback position for Chicago. Terrell Smith was placed on injured reserve yesterday, ending his season.

The tight end spot is crowded for the Bears, so Wilson being let go comes as little surprise. After leading the team in preseason receptions, though, he could remain in the Windy City through the start of the campaign. KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports Chicago plans to retain the 25-year-old via the practice squad provided he clears waivers.

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