HEADLINES

Month: August 2025

RB Jamaal Williams To Visit Dolphins

August 11th, 2025 at 12:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jamaal Williams took part in a workout with the Bears over the weekend. Another free agent visit has now been lined up.

Williams will meet with the Dolphins today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Miami’s backfield is set to be led once again by De’Von Achane, with 2024 fourth-rounder Jaylen Wright set to operate in a backup role. Raheem Mostert was released this spring in a move which came as little surprise. He ended up signing with the Raiders, while fellow veteran Alexander Mattison departed Vegas to sign with Miami.

Mattison suffered a season-ending neck injury during yesterday’s preseason contest, however. In the wake of that development, the Dolphins will look into one of the top options still on the market deep into free agency. Ex-Miami RB Jeff Wilson recently re-joined the 49ers, taking one of the most experienced backs off the table. The Dolphins still have Achane and Wright in the fold, along with sixth-round rookie Ollie Gordon.

That trio could stand to receive a veteran addition, though. Williams has 117 appearances and 45 starts to his name. After playing out his rookie contract with the Packers, the 30-year-old enjoyed a productive two-season spell in Detroit; during the 2022 campaign, Williams topped 1,000 yards for the first time and led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns. Over the past two years with the Saints, a relatively minor role failed to yield notable production.

Williams was released this spring, and coming off a campaign with only 48 carries it comes as little surprise he is still unsigned at this point. The BYU product could offer short-yardage value to a new team, though, and it will be interesting to see if that winds up being the Dolphins given the injury to Mattison. With almost $12MM in cap space, Miami will easily be able to afford a one-year offer to Williams if today’s workout goes well.

Dolphins RB Alexander Mattison Undergoes Season-Ending Neck Surgery

August 11th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Adam La Rose

Alexander Mattison will not be available to the Dolphins in 2025. The veteran running back is dealing with a neck injury which will require season-ending surgery, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Mattison was injured during yesterday’s preseason game against the Bears. He was transported by ambulance to a Chicago hospital, and Fowler’s colleague Adam Schefter reports the procedure took place shortly thereafter. A 2025 free agent signing, Mattison will now hit free agency next spring after a missed campaign.

Over the course of his five-year Vikings tenure, Mattison operated at first as Dalvin Cook‘s backup. Minnesota moved on from Cook ahead of the 2023 campaign, during which Mattison took on RB1 duties. The 27-year-old set a career high in carries (180) and yards (700) but his 3.9 yards per attempt average left plenty to be desired. Mattison spent 2024 with the Raiders, logging seven starts as part of an offense which struggled to find any success on the ground. As expected, a poor showing hindered his market value.

Mattison took a one-year Miami pact worth $1.38MM in March. That move set him up to handle a role backing up De’Von Achane in the Dolphins’ backfield, one which will be without Raheem Mostert or Jeff Wilson in 2025. Mostert was released, while Wilson remained unsigned until recently. Losing Mattison will leave the Dolphins short on experience behind Achane, 2024 fourth-rounder Jaylen Wright and sixth-round rookie Ollie Gordon.

Miami entered Monday with nearly $12MM in cap space. As a result, finances will not be an issue if a free agent addition is to be pursued. Achane is not in danger of losing his starting spot, of course, but healthy depth would be welcomed in the wake of today’s news. Mattison, meanwhile, will turn his attention to the recovery process ahead of free agency in 2026.

Jets RB Breece Hall Candidate For Midseason Trade?

August 11th, 2025 at 10:35am CST by Adam La Rose

Questions about Breece Hall‘s Jets future arose leading up to the draft. The fourth-year running back was not traded and received assurances from new head coach Aaron Glenn that he would remain in place for 2025.

In spite of that, it remains to be seen if a commitment beyond the coming campaign will be made. 2022 draftees Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson have both received monster extensions, but other members of the class are in position to wait for new deals. That includes Hall, who is entering the final year of his rookie pact and recently confirmed he does not expect an extension to take place any time soon.

As a result, questions about the former second-rounder’s future could continue depending on how he and the Jets perform to begin the 2025 campaign. According to Sportkeeda’s Tony Pauline, some close to the matter “speculate” Hall could still wind up being dealt before this season’s trade deadline. Such a move would lead to 2024 Day 3 selections Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis taking on larger roles in the backfield. Glenn has indicated a desire for a backfield committee approach, meaning a true workhorse gig in Hall’s case would come as a surprise.

The Iowa State product’s encouraging rookie season was cut short by an ACL tear. Expectations were high for Hall upon returning to the lineup in 2023, but his 4.5 yards per carry average marked a notable decline. Averaging 4.2 yards per attempt last season, Hall once again topped 1,300 scrimmage yards but struggled to regain his former efficiency. The 2025 campaign will be critical in his case given the potential of a free agent departure next spring.

The Jets’ new regime did not select a running back in April’s draft, an indication Hall will have a run atop the depth chart to at least begin the coming season. The team’s success through the first two months of the campaign will of course be critical in determining how the trade deadline is approached for New York. In the absence of a investment for 2026 and beyond in Hall’s case, it will be interesting to see if the prospect of a trade gains steam over time or if an encouraging start to the campaign quells speculation about such a move.

Commanders Sign CBs Antonio Hamilton, Essang Bassey; T Lucas Niang Out For Season

August 11th, 2025 at 9:43am CST by Adam La Rose

A set of Sunday workouts for the Commanders quickly resulted in a deal being worked out for linebacker Duke Riley. More signings have taken place on Monday.

The Riley deal is now official, per the team. It was also announced that cornerbacks Essang Bassey and Antonio Hamilton have been signed. Both of them took part in yesterday’s workout, as noted by The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala.

Bassey has spent his entire career in the AFC West to date, bouncing between the Chargers and Broncos. The 26-year-old has 43 appearances and five starts to his name, and he will spend the coming weeks looking to carve out a special teams role. Hamilton, like Bassey, joined the NFL as an undrafted free agent but he has managed to stay in the league for nine years. Hamilton has made 18 starts (nine of which came with the Cardinals in 2023) but with 190 games to his name he will add experience to Washington’s secondary.

In corresponding moves, edge rusher Viliami Fehoko, cornerback Allan George and linebacker Dominique Hampton have been waived. Hampton was a fifth-round pick last year, so even though he made just one appearance as a rookie it is somewhat surprising to see him let go at this point. All three players will now hit the waiver wire; provided they go unclaimed, each will become a free agent.

The Commanders also placed offensive tackle Lucas Niang on injured reserve, ending his season. Head coach Dan Quinn announced yesterday (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports) that Niang suffered an ACL tear. The former Chief signed with Washington this spring and was set to handle a backup role along the offensive line. Now, that unit’s depth will take a hit behind Laremy Tunsil, Andrew Wylie and first-round rookie Josh Conerly Jr. Veteran cornerback/special teamer Kevon Seymour was also moved to IR on Monday. Unless he is released via an injury settlement, his season is over as well.

Titans RB Tyjae Spears To Miss Time

August 11th, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans could be shorthanded in the backfield to begin the regular season. Tyjae Spears is dealing with a high ankle sprain and is set to miss time as a result.

[RELATED: Reviewing Titans’ Offseason]

Head coach Brian Callahan said (via ESPN’s Turron Davenport) the team does not expect Spears to return in time for either of Tennessee’s remaining preseason games. Missed time in September could be in store as well depending on how his recovery process shakes out. Spears is in line to once again operate as part of a tandem with Tony Pollard in 2025.

Pollard topped 1,000 rushing yards for the third consecutive season during his debut Tennessee campaign. Spears – who impressed as a rookie spelling Derrick Henry – missed five games last year as a result of multiple injuries. That limited the former third-rounder to 536 scrimmage yards in 2024, but a clean bill of health for the coming season could see him take on an increased workload and thus enjoy an uptick in production. If Spears is forced to miss regular season game action, Julius Chestnut and sixth-round rookie Kalel Mullings would be tasked with backing up Pollard.

In other Titans injury news, Callahan noted center Lloyd Cushenberry is nearing a return. The 2024 free agent addition suffered an Achilles tear last season, and he has been on the active/PUP list throughout training camp while continuing to rehab. Cushenberry could return to practice this week, per Callahan, something which would be a welcomed sight for the Titans’ new-look offensive line.

Callahan also said cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is close to returning. A number of updates (ranging from positive to worrisome) have emerged in his case, but the latest indicated Sneed’s 2024 quad injury has healed. An offseason knee surgery was instead responsible for the trade acquisition landing on the active/PUP list in July. Sneed missed 12 games last year, so a healthy campaign this time around would be key for himself and Tennessee’s secondary.

Bills’ James Cook Sits Out Preseason Opener; HC Sean McDermott Wanted RB To Play

August 10th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Rory Parks

Bills running back James Cook, who was an active participant in Buffalo’s practices when training camp began, switched to a hold-in strategy last week as extension talks with the team drag on. That approach has now carried over into preseason games.

Per Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News, Cook warmed up with his teammates before the Bills’ preseason opener against the Giants on Saturday. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg adds Cook was in full uniform and even took a snap with the first-team offense during 11-on-11 drills. However, he did not play in the game.

Head coach Sean McDermott acknowledged after the game that he wanted Cook to participate. Outside of quarterback Josh Allen and several other players who have injury concerns, most of the team’s projected starters did play to some extent. McDermott also said he had a “good conversation” with Cook on Friday, at which point Cook agreed to participate in warmups but made plain he would not actually play.

“We wanted him to play. I wanted him to play, but I don’t really want to go into it any further,” McDermott said (via Getzenberg). “There is really no change at this point in time from what it was going into this weekend and the game today, so he warmed up, like I said, but at this point, due to the situation and position he’s in, he was not willing to play, so that’s where we’re at. Again, it was a good conversation, but really no change overall.”

Shortly after it became clear Cook was holding in, a follow-up report indicated player and team were still engaged in contract discussions and were not too far apart in those discussions. But GM Brandon Beane, while confirming he hoped to strike a deal keeping Cook in the fold beyond 2025, appeared to leave open the possibility that such an agreement may not come until after the season.

Between those comments and McDermott’s “no change” remarks, it is difficult to say where negotiations stand at this point. Cook declined to comment after the game, though his agent, Zac Hiller, did send a text to ESPN.

“I don’t know what else he can do to show he only wants to play for the Bills,” the text read (via Getzenberg). “Hopefully we can figure this out and refocus all energy on bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo.”

Missing training camp practices is one thing, but missing regular season games is quite another, and it may not be a viable option for Cook. Still, the championship-caliber Bills clearly want to have their RB1 available and in football shape for the upcoming campaign, which opens with a contest against the Ravens, one of their top AFC competitors.

For now, the stare-down continues. 

Patriots LB Anfernee Jennings On Roster Bubble; S Kyle Dugger A Release/Trade Candidate?

August 10th, 2025 at 10:01pm CST by Rory Parks

Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings started 16 games last season and enjoyed a 79% snap share, both career-high marks. However, he may not be with the team in 2025.

As ESPN’s Mike Reiss observes, Jennings was playing late in the fourth quarter of New England’s first preseason game on Friday, which is not the typical milieu for an established player. In Reiss’ estimation, that is reflective of Jennings’ precarious spot on the roster.

Now entering the second year of the three-year, $12MM contract he signed in March 2024, Jennings has failed to make much of an impact as a pass rusher but has proven himself to be a stout defender against the run. He earned a stellar 85.9 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus in 2023, and though his grade slipped to 73.0 in 2024, he still turned in a solid showing.

While former head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo valued Jennings’ contributions as an edge-setter, new HC Mike Vrabel favors a more aggressive, penetrating style of play. Reiss says Jennings is firmly behind new acquisitions Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson on the depth chart, and the sixth-year pro is competing with younger talents like Truman Jones, Bradyn Swinson, and Elijah Ponder.

New England would have to eat $3.35MM in dead money if it were to move on from Jennings and would realize cap savings of just under $2MM. Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal agrees with Reiss’ assessment of the situation and points out that Jennings has been “looking up at the depth chart” since spring practices began. Giardi suggests the Pats will indeed part ways with their 2020 third-rounder at some point.

Another 2020 draftee and stalwart on the Patriots’ defense, Kyle Dugger, could also be a release/trade candidate, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. While Dugger’s status in that regard could be more speculation than anything else at this point, Volin does say the 29-year-old has had a quiet camp and may only be on the roster because of his fully-guaranteed 2025 salary of $9.75MM (part of the four-year, $58MM deal he signed last April). 

That said, if another team is willing to absorb some money, Volin believes Dugger could be traded. But no other club produced an offer sheet after the Patriots put the transition tag on Dugger last year — though he did attract some interest at the trade deadline — and the Lenoir-Rhyne product’s frequent struggles in coverage continued in 2024. He allowed a massive 137.4 QB rating as the nearest defender, and PFF placed him near the very bottom of the league in terms of coverage grades.

In Sunday’s training camp practice, Dugger was running with the second-stringers, while rookie Craig Woodson took his place on the first-team unit (via Volin).

5 Key Stories: 8/3/25 – 8/10/25

August 10th, 2025 at 9:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Preseason is in full swing around the NFL. As the countdown to Week 1 continues, key developments on a number of fronts have taken place recently. In case you missed any of this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:

  • Chargers Reunite With Allen, Lose Slater: Shortly after taking a free agent visit with the Chargers, Keenan Allen agreed to return to his original team. While playing out the 2024 season in Chicago, the six-time Pro Bowler remained a productive starter and expressed a willingness to remain with the Bears or return to Los Angeles. By taking the latter route, Allen will continue adding to his decorated Bolts tenure in a receiver room which lost Mike Williams to retirement this summer. In unwanted news for the team, left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a torn patellar tendon in practice. The recently-extended Pro Bowler will miss the season as a result. Joe Alt represents an enviable contingency option on the blindside, but losing Slater marks a massive blow for the Chargers’ offense.
  • Sieler Lands Dolphins Raise: Over the course of his Dolphins career, defensive tackle Zach Sieler has emerged as one of the team’s most important defenders. The 29-year-old represented an extension candidate this offseason as a reflection of his high-end production, and one was in fact worked out. Team and player agreed to a three-year, $67.75MM pact despite the fact Sieler still had two years remaining on his previous contract. The former seventh-round pick has notched 10 sacks in each of the past two seasons, and with $34MM in cashflow covering 2025 and ’26 he will be expected to remain one of the league’s standout interior defenders for years to come.
  • NFLPA Taps White As Interim Leader: The NFLPA has sought stability in the wake of Lloyd Howell and, shortly thereafter, J.C. Tretter, resigning from their respective positions. A search for Howell’s interim replacement as executive director resulted in David White being hired for the role. White was the runner-up to Howell during the hiring process in 2023, and he will now get the opportunity to lead the union on at least a short-term basis. Numerous scandals led to an abrupt end for Howell and Tretter, and White will be tasked with restoring trust from the NFLPA’s members while at the helm. The search for a full-time executive director will begin shortly and include each team’s player representative along with the union’s senior committee members.
  • Rams Extend Williams: Throughout the 2025 offseason, signs pointed to an extension being worked out between running back Kyren Williams and the Rams. To no surprise, then, an agreement was reached with plenty of time before Week 1. Williams landed a three-year, $33MM pact containing $23MM in guaranteed money. Los Angles’ lead back is under contract through 2028 as a result, and he is thus positioned to remain a focal point on offense for years to come. Williams, 24, received 260 offensive touches in 2023 and 350 last season. He will be counted on to continue in a workhorse role while attempting to return to his previous mark in terms of efficiency. Now seventh in the position’s pecking order for average annual value, Williams is set to serve as a core member of the Rams’ offense for the foreseeable future.
  • McGary, Falcons Agree To Extension: The Falcons extended left tackle Jake Matthews in March, and they did the same with right tackle Kaleb McGary ahead of his seventh Atlanta campaign. The latter took a two-year, $30MM deal to remain in place through 2027. McGary has emerged as one of the league’s top run blockers and has been a mainstay up front for the Falcons throughout his tenure. The former first-rounder secured a raise in terms of AAV on his third career contract, and his ongoing presence will allow for continuity along Atlanta’s O-line. It will be interesting to see if the team’s notable investments in the unit will help allow for a playoff berth in 2025.

Chiefs S Deon Bush Suffered Torn Achilles

August 10th, 2025 at 9:55pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said (via ESPN’s Nate Taylor) that veteran safety Deon Bush suffered a torn Achilles in a preseason loss to the Cardinals on Saturday night.

Bush was entering his fourth year in Kansas City and competing for a backend roster spot as a depth safety and core special teams contributor. He filled that role during the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl runs in 2022 and 2023, but only appeared in two games in 2024, both in the regular season.

Bush’s injury will also take him out of the 53-man roster competition with the Chiefs’ other depth safeties. Kansas City is returning 17-game starter Bryan Cook as well as nickel/safety hybrid Chamarri Conner with second-year Jaden Hicks and veteran Mike Edwards leading the reserves.

Given how often Conner drops into the slot, keeping Bush on the roster may have been appealing, especially given his NFL special teams experience that undrafted rookies Glendon Miller, Major Williams, and Jacobe Covington can’t match. Now, that trio might have a better chance of sticking around, though Kansas City could opt to carry an extra cornerback instead.

Bush, originally a Bears fourth-round pick in 2016, spent six years in Chicago with six starts on defense and a consistent role on special teams. The nine-year veteran will now spend the season on the sidelines as he rehabs from his injury and prepares for what would be his age-33 season in 2026.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/25

August 10th, 2025 at 9:09pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

  • Placed on IR: CB Robert Longerbeam

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

New England Patriots

  • Signed: RB Deneric Prince, DE Jereme Robinson
  • Waived: S Josh Minkins
  • Placed on IR: RB Lan Larison

New Orleans Saints

  • Waived/injured: WR Chris Tyree

Larison suffered a foot injury during a promising preseason debut against the Commanders on Friday night. He will undergo surgery and spend the season rehabbing, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, with the hope of renewing his 53-man roster push next summer.

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