Minor NFL Transactions: 9/20/25
Here are today’s minor moves and Week 3’s standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: T Jake Curhan, DE Anthony Goodlow
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Brandon Walton
Chicago Bears
- Signed to active roster: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
- Elevated: CB Dallis Flowers, LB Carl Jones
- Placed on IR: T Kiran Amegadjie, CB Jaylon Johnson (story)
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: WR Kaden Davis, CB Dom Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: WR Jayden Reed (story)
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: FB Jakob Johnson
- Elevated: CB Myles Bryant, CB D’Angelo Ross
- Placed on IR: CB Jaylin Smith
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Quintin Morris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: CB Kevin Knowles
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Alex Bachman, CB Greedy Vance
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LB Emany Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: RB Cam Akers, G Henry Byrd
New England Patriots
- Elevated: CB Kobee Minor, LB Mark Robinson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: WR Kevin Austin
- Elevated: DE Fadil Diggs, TE Treyton Welch
- Waived: TE Moliki Matavao
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: OLB Tomon Fox
- Elevated: DT Elijah Garcia, LB Neville Hewitt
- Waived: WR Xavier Gipson
New York Jets
- Elevated: S Dean Clark, QB Brady Cook
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Marcus Epps, TE Cameron Latu
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: RB Trey Sermon
- Placed on IR: G Max Scharping (story)
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: QB Adrian Martinez, WR Malik Turner
- Placed on IR: OL Spencer Burford
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: S Jerrick Reed II
- Elevated: S D’Anthony Bell, RB Jacardia Wright
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: T Tyler McLellan
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: CB Antonio Hamilton
- Released from reserve/retired list: OL Nate Herbig
There were some eyes on whether or not the Browns would add a kicker for the weekend after Andre Szmyt needed to undergo some MRI testing, but no such moves were made and Szmyt heads into the weekend without an injury designation. The team did report a workout with veteran kicker Matthew Wright, though, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire.
The 49ers will lose some additional offensive line depth as they place their intended swing tackle, Burford, on injured reserve. Additionally, with Martinez not getting signed to the active roster, it appears that injured starter Brock Purdy will not be active as an emergency option, as was rumored a bit yesterday. Purdy should be inactive as a result.
Herbig announced his retirement at the end of July after spending a good portion of the offseason with the Commanders. The 27-year-old was coming off a 2024 season in which he missed the entirety of the year with a shoulder injury. Washington’s release of Herbig from the reserve/retired list gives him an opportunity to sign with a new team as a free agent. There’s no guarantee that he’s headed anywhere specific, but he likely initiated the transaction in order to explore his options.
Titans Place DT T’Vondre Sweat On IR
The Titans defensive line took a larger hit than expected today when it was announced that the team was placing second-year nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat on injured reserve. He’ll now be forced to miss Tennessee’s next four games, at least. 
A second-round pick out of Texas last year, Sweat was an impressive rookie, stepping in to start every game but one in his first year of NFL play. Among full-time starters on the defense, Sweat graded out as the team’s second-best defender, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), behind only his neighbor on the line, Jeffery Simmons.
Sweat had missed the Titans’ Week 2 matchup with an ankle injury but had been working his way back onto the field this week. Per NFL writer Paul Kuharsky, Sweat reinjured his ankle on Thursday, throwing his recovery progress off track. The severity of his ankle injury is unclear at the moment, but Tennessee placing him on IR indicates that it will take at least four weeks for Sweat to recover.
To help fill out the defensive line a bit, the Titans are calling up defensive tackle Carlos Watkins as a standard gameday practice squad elevation. Joining Watkins in that regard will be linebacker Kyzir White.
Practice squad offensive tackle John Ojukwu will also be active for Sunday’s game but as a member of the 53-man roster. With right tackle JC Latham set to miss his second straight game with a hip injury, Ojukwu will continue to fill in as the starter on that side. While Latham not being placed on IR indicates he may not be out for four weeks, signing Ojukwu to the active roster helps the Titans avoid the three-time elevation limit on a single practice squad contract, meaning they likely intend to utilize Ojukwu for more than just three games.
NFL Injury Updates: Penning, Thomas, Seahawks, MNF
The Saints have been dealing with multiple injuries on the offensive line this week. In his first season with the team, guard Dillon Radunz has been spot starting in place of presumed starting guard Trevor Penning, who has been dealing with a turf toe injury since the preseason.
Per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, Radunz has been ruled out as he deals with a toe injury of his own. Penning, though, may be available to retake a starting spot. The fourth-year lineman hasn’t played yet in 2025, but he returned to practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.
Formerly the Saints’ starting right tackle, Penning was expected to shift into a starting role on the inside as first-round Texas rookie Kelvin Banks took the starting left tackle job, pushing last year’s first-round rookie left tackle, Taliese Fuaga, to the right side of the line. Penning was a limited participant for the rest of the week of practice, and he’s listed as questionable, but with Radunz out, Penning may be challenged to make his season debut.
Fuaga is also listed as questionable, despite not practicing at all this week as he deals with knee and back issues. Joining Radunz with an out designation is defensive end Chase Young, who like Penning, has not played yet this year.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:
- Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas has yet to play in 2025 as he works his way back from a Lisfranc injury from 2024. The veteran lineman is listed as questionable this week and has been rumored as likely to play. He may be able to do so without fully coming back. Per Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, Thomas hasn’t “ruled out that he could play in a rotation as he works his way back” with a focus on longevity. The team will see how he feels today before making a final decision on his status for tomorrow, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, but the idea of using a rotation to ease him in is seemingly gaining popularity.
- The Seahawks sustained injuries over the last week to running back Zach Charbonnet, cornerback Devon Witherspoon, and safety Julian Love. There was worry that each player could be out for an extended period of time, but The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar reports that none of the three are being considered for stints on injured reserve. All three, though, are doubtful to play in Week 3.
- After tight end Isaiah Likely suffered a foot injury in training camp, the Ravens opted not to place him on any injured lists to avoid a guaranteed four-week absence. The 25-year-old returned to practice this week but won’t be active to play on Monday. They’ll likely aim to have him back in time Week 4. Joining Likely as a scratch this week will be defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Madubuike is dealing with a neck injury, and the team is evaluating some symptoms they’ve seen throughout the week to be safe. Sixth-round rookie Aeneas Peebles is likely to get some increased run this week as a result.
- As for the other Monday Night Football team, the Lions will be without pass rusher Marcus Davenport for their trip to Baltimore, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Davenport declined to give any details about the nature of his injury, but his arm has been seen in a sling. Whatever the situation, head coach Dan Campbell does not see the situation as season-ending.
Pats’ Christian Gonzalez Returns To Practice
SEPTEMBER 20: The Patriots have officially ruled Gonzalez out for this weekend. As expected, a rapid ramp-up ended up being too much to ask of the third-year defender. His return to practice this week remains good news, though, as he’ll now have another full week to work his way up to full strength without having to rush anything.
SEPTEMBER 17: Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez practiced for the first time since July 28 as he works his way back from a hamstring injury, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe) that Gonzalez could return Patriots’ Week 3 matchup against the Steelers, according to but that would require a rapid ramp-up from an injury that has sidelined him for almost seven weeks.
Earlier in September, Vrabel hinted that the team was hoping for a quicker recovery from Gonzalez, according to Reiss, but he now appears to be trending in the right direction. After Wednesday’s practice, the former first-round pick declined (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) to answer questions about his injury, including one about a potential setback in his rehab process.
Gonzalez’s return would be a major boost to a Patriots secondary that has allowed the most passing yards in the NFL through two weeks. Fellow third-year corner Alex Austin has struggled in both games, allowing a 144.4 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Gonzalez’s game-changing ability to shadow and shut down opposing WR1’s would take significant pressure off of New England’s safeties, especially with a strong start from No. 2 cornerback Carlton Davis.
Gonzalez was likely limited in his return to the practice field, but his status over the next few days will be worth monitoring as the Patriots prepare to host the Steelers.
Week 4 Return ‘A Real Possibility’ For Chris Godwin
A Week 4 return from Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin “feels like a real possibility,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 
Godwin returned to practice last week but has yet to be upgraded from limited participation. The same is true of left tackle Tristan Wirfs, though both were ruled out for Week 3. Wirfs’ timeline is still unknown, but Godwin seems to be trending in the right direction.
Godwin’s return would be a major boost to a Buccaneers passing game that seems to have taken a step back from last season. Tampa Bay currently ranks 26th in yards and 31st in yards per attempt, though they have been effective enough on the ground and defense to win their first two games.
The Buccaneers’ only other injury designation is rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (hip/groin), who is tied for the league lead with three receiving touchdowns through two games. The first-round pick missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday but returned in a limited capacity on Friday. Egbuka is listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup with the Jets; even if he misses the game, he should have a strong chance at playing in Week 4.
Once Godwin and Egbuka are back on the field with Mike Evans, they will form arguably the best wide receiver trio in the league. Godwin and Evans combined to average more than 150 yards per game in 2024, while Egbuka has looked the part of a first-round receiver thus far.
Chiefs Rule Out WR Xavier Worthy For Week 3
The Chiefs have ruled out second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy for their Week 3 matchup with the Giants, per a team announcement.
Worthy was knocked out of the game in Week 1 in a collision with teammate Travis Kelce. The injury, later diagnosed as a labrum tear, sidelined Worthy for Week 2, but the Chiefs expressed optimism about his Week 3 status last Sunday. He was considered “50-50” on Friday, but did not make enough progress to play against the Giants.
Worthy’s absence will once again place a significant burden on Kansas City’s other pass-catchers. The Chiefs offense has been middling in an 0-2 start, but it should have a bounce-back opportunity in New York on Sunday night. The Giants have allowed 910 yards this year, the most in the NFL through two games, including 555 yards through the air.
That should allow Marquise Brown and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ leading receivers, to thrive in some winnable matchups. JuJu Smith-Schuster was reliable in Week 2, catching all five of his targets for 55 yards, while Tyquan Thornton has emerged as a deep threat with 25.0 yards per catch. As a result, Sunday night should be less of a concern for the Chiefs, and holding Worthy out might be a wise move to preserve his long-term healthy, especially since he’s elected not to undergo surgery.
However, the Chiefs will be hoping that Worthy can get back on the field for tough upcoming matchup’s with two Super Bowl contenders in the Ravens and the Lions in the next three weeks. Rashee Rice will not return from his suspension until Week 7, so Worthy’s availability for those games will be crucial for Kansas City’s success.
Vikings S Harrison Smith To Debut In Week 3
Vikings safety Harrison Smith is expected to make his 2025 debut in Week 3 against the Bengals after recovering from a personal health issue that has sidelined him since August 11, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
Smith and the Vikings have declined to provide any information about the nature of Smith’s health problem, though he clarified it was a “physical” issue. Minnesota kept him on the 53-man roster to start the season believing he would be ready within the first four weeks of the season. Smith’s comments last week indicated that he was hoping to be back by Week 4 at the latest, but he has beat that timeline by one game.
Smith will retake his starting spot alongside Josh Metellus from fourth-year safety Theo Jackson, though Jackson will likely remain involved in the Vikings’ three-safety looks.
Brian Flores‘ defense has been a top-five unit against the pass through two games while struggling to stop the run. Most safeties are known for helping the former than the latter, but Smith has been an impactful run defender throughout his career. He has averaged 100 tackles and four tackles for loss per season, both solid numbers for a defensive back.
Also making his 2025 debut will be quarterback Carson Wentz, who is replaced injured starter J.J. McCarthy. Backing him up will be undrafted rookie Max Brosmer rather than recently-signed veteran Desmond Ridder, per Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper. Ridder will designated as the team’s emergency third quarterback.
Falcons CB A.J. Terrell Ruled Out
The Falcons have ruled out star cornerback A.J. Terrell for Sunday’s matchup with the Panthers, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Terrell left the game in Week 2 with a hamstring injury and did not practice this week. Head coach Raheem Morris described him as week-to-week on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Fifth-year cornerback Dee Alford is expected to replace Terrell in the starting lineup after finishing the game in his stead last week. He has primarily lined up in the slot in his career with 16 starts across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but will have to play on the boundary during the Falcons’ visit to the Panthers on Sunday.
Terrell, a 2020 first-round pick, broke out as a second-team All-Pro in his second year with 4.8 yards and a 61.0 passer rating when targeted. He’s been solid in coverage since, but has not returned to the heights of his 2021 campaign. Still, he’s a major loss to a Falcons defense that has been middling against the pass so far this year.
Wide receivers Jamal Agnew (groin) and Casey Washington (concussion) were both ruled out for Sunday’s game as well. Rookie edge rusher James Pearce (groin) is questionable, but should have a good chance at taking the field after practicing all week, albeit as a limited participant. Starting wideouts Drake London and Darnell Mooney have no injury designations and will be full-go against the Panthers.
Falcons Promote John Parker Romo, Release Younghoe Koo
The Falcons have made their Week 2 kicking change permanent by signing John Parker Romo to the active roster and releasing Younghoe Koo, per Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Koo missed a game-tying field goal as time expired in Week 1, leading Atlanta to explore other kicking options last week. Romo earned a spot on the practice squad with a tryout and was elevated to start in Week 2. He delivered with a perfect 5-for-5 performance on field goals with a long of 54 yards. Along with an extra point, Romo scored 16 of Atlanta’s 22 points in their victory over the Vikings.
It seemed clear after the game that Romo had earned another start, but the Falcons seem to believe they’ve found a long-term starter. Not only did they replace Koo with Romo on the active roster – solidifying his starting status for the rest of the season – they also handed him a two-year contract to prevent another kicker-needy team from scooping him up next offseason.
Romo is now up to 16 makes on 17 attempts in his career after going 11-for-12 in four games for the Vikings last season. Koo, meanwhile, will leave Atlanta after six seasons and 93 appearances for the Falcons. Despite a down year in 2024, which included a 73.5% field goal conversion rate and six misses inside 50 yards, the team did not bring in any veteran competition for training camp.
That changed quickly after Koo faltered in Week 1, and he will now hit free agency with the hopes of catching onto with another team that is looking for a new kicker, either due to injury or poor performance. Koo still owns a solid 85.8% conversion rate in his career, though he will have to convince a new suitor that his last year-and-a-half was an aberration.
This release will create more than $2MM in Falcons dead money, stemming from the four-year, $24.25MM extension Koo had signed. That contract ran through 2026. Koo, who caught on with the Falcons after washing out quickly with the Chargers, will look for a third chance in his age-31 season.
HC Brian Daboll, DC Shane Bowen On Hot Seats?
Coming into the season, rumors were already hinting that Giants head coach Brian Daboll‘s seat was starting to heat up with pressure to win. An 0-2 start to the year has done nothing to cool things off, and according to Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen may be starting to feel the heat, as well. Pauline’s sources claim that both coaches are “hanging on by a thread.” 
Daboll started his career as a head coach on a strong note, going 9-7-1 in 2022 — good for 3rd in the NFC East and a wild card spot in the playoffs, where his team defeated a 13-4 Vikings squad before falling to the Eagles. The next year, a season-ending injury to Daniel Jones derailed New York’s offense, while the defense, despite a high efficiency on third downs, struggled as the sixth-worst unit in the NFL. The resulting 6-11 record led the Giants and then-defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to part ways.
Bowen came in to replace Martindale, fresh off three seasons in the same role in Tennessee. In his first season with Big Blue last year, Bowen’s defense showed improvement, ranking 21st in scoring allowed and eighth in passing yards allowed. In 2025 so far, no defense has given up more yards through their first two games. If things don’t change soon, both Bowen and Daboll could find themselves in danger of becoming the first coaching casualties of the young season.
So, how might things change? Pauline’s sources point to the quarterback position. Unfortunately for starting passer Russell Wilson, despite his 450-yard Week 2 performance, the fate of his starting role could be tied to the security of Daboll and Bowen’s jobs.
Per Pauline, if an expected rout by the Chiefs takes place this weekend at the Meadowlands, rookie first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart may find himself running on the first-team offense as soon as next weekend, when the Chargers come to town. If the presumed bad result against the Chiefs doesn’t boost Dart to the starting role in time for Los Angeles, Pauline’s sources claim Dart should be starting in time for a Week 5 trip to New Orleans at the latest.
If a change at quarterback is as guaranteed as they seem to be implying, it may behoove the team to make the move sooner, rather than later. While the Saints would, perhaps, be a softer test for Dart, the stretch of games immediately following sees matchups with the Eagles (twice), Broncos, 49ers, Bears, Packers, and Lions, who all could make life tough for a first-year starter. With that in mind, it may be smart to get Dart incorporated into the starting lineup with as much time to get up to speed as possible.
Of course, this is all speculation at the moment. Currently, Daboll’s fate is in the hands of Wilson, who led the Steelers to a playoff appearance just last year. Things haven’t gone according to plan so far, but Daboll may view Wilson’s experience as his best chance at turning around the season. If things continue to go poorly, though, showing potential for improvement behind a younger arm may be his only chance at saving his job. As for Bowen, his job may be fully dependent on the defense’s ability to turn things around against a grueling upcoming slate of games.