Jerry Jones: Cowboys Not Only Exploring Rental Trade Options
Nothing appears to be imminent at this point, but the Cowboys have made it clear they are in the market for at least one trade addition. Rentals are of course common at this time of year, although Dallas is also open to long-term acquisitions. 
During his latest appearance on 105.3 The Fan, owner Jerry Jones said (via Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News) the Cowboys are open to making a deal for a player under contract beyond 2025. Last season provided an example of that approach in the form of the Jonathan Mingo trade.
“[Jonathan] Mingo was that type of trade last year,” Jones said when speaking about potentially adding a player with term on their contract. “We liked the value in a going forward basis.”
That assessment of the Mingo swap is certainly notable given his non-impactful Cowboys tenure to date. Dallas sent Carolina a fourth-round pick at the deadline one year ago for Mingo and a seventh-round selection. The 24-year-old made just one catch in eight appearances upon arrival with the Cowboys. He has not suited up this season, although the fact Mingo is under contract through 2027 leaves him time to emerge as a contributor.
To no surprise, a number of the players mentioned most frequently in trade talk recently are pending free agents. That applies to several defenders who could offer a short-term boost to the Cowboys, but there are of course other options on the team’s radar. Dallas has shown an interest in high-profile edge rushers which would offset the production lost in the Micah Parsons trade and Jones has expressed a willingness to use the draft capital added in that swap under the right circumstances.
Parting with one or more first-round picks would obviously not be feasible in a rental acquisition, but adding a player with term could open the door to a blockbuster swap over the coming days. The Jets are willing to entertain offers on defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, for instance, and the three-time Pro Bowler was the subject of Cowboys interest this past offseason. Dallas has nearly $31MM in 2025 cap space and the team’s post-Parsons era will include an increase in financial flexibility over the coming years.
It will be interesting to see if a swap of one kind or another is pulled off in the Cowboys’ case. The team has until November 4 to finalize an acquisition, something which could include a repeat of the Mingo deal with respect to contract length.
Bengals DT McKinnley Jackson Requests Trade Or Release
OCTOBER 31: Head coach Zac Taylor said (via Baby) he and Jackson have engaged in “great conversations” about the situation. He added Pennel’s departure will lead to more opportunities for other players along the defensive line moving forward, so it will be interesting to see if an uptick in usage will be in store for Jackson.
OCTOBER 30: Yet another defender wants out of Cincinnati. Bengals defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson has requested a trade or his release, according to ESPN’s Ben Baby.
The Bengals selected the Texas A&M product in the third round (No. 97) of the 2024 draft. After starting his rookie season on injured reserve with a knee issue, Jackson got into each of the Bengals’ remaining 13 games. He saw 248 of his 299 snaps on defense, and he finished his rookie season with 15 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.
Jackson has barely seen the field as a sophomore. He got into six defensive snaps back in Week 5, but he’s otherwise been sidelined, including healthy scratches in six of Cincy’s eight games. As Baby notes, this downtick in playing time coincided with Al Golden taking over for Lou Anarumo at defensive coordinator.
While the Bengals managed Trey Hendrickson‘s very-public push for a new contract (and the corresponding trade rumblings), the team has dealt with a handful of additional requests on defense. Linebacker Logan Wilson requested a trade last week, while veteran defensive tackle Mike Pennel asked for and was granted his release on Tuesday. Pennel has since landed back with the Chiefs.
Jackson’s situation is a bit different than that of Wilson and Pennel considering his lack of track record. While teams could gamble on the DT’s youth and relatively inexpensive rookie contract, Jackson’s best chance of reviving his career elsewhere would be via his Bengals release and a subsequent taxi squad gig.
Dolphins-Chris Grier Fallout: McDaniel, Waddle, Replacement Candidates
Chris Grier‘s lengthy tenure with the Dolphins – including a GM run dating back to 2016 – has come to an end. It remains to be seen if head coach Mike McDaniel will remain in the organization past the end of this season, but that is a possibility at this point. 
Owner Stephen Ross “still believes in” the embattled coach, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. That stance was confirmed by the news earlier today stating McDaniel will continue in his role through the end of the campaign. His performance over the coming weeks will in large part dictate whether or change on the sidelines will be made as well. Per Jackson, McDaniel has made a number of small changes in his approach over the past two weeks, including more one-on-one time being spent with players.
As Jackson adds, Ross is evaluating everything in the organization at this time. With respect to the front office, interim GM Champ Kelly will look to earn the full-time position while the fate of McDaniel (who landed an extension last offseason) will continue to be a talking point as the campaign winds down. Last night’s loss dropped Miami to 2-7 on the year, making the team an interesting one to watch ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
Several notable players have long been connected to trade interest, especially given the Dolphins’ struggles in 2025. Jaylen Waddle is among them, although it would come as a surprise if a deal were to be worked out on that front. Indeed, Grier was insistent on keeping the 26-year-old, SNY’s Connor Hughes reports. That was certainly a reasonable approach given Waddle’s importance to the Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill-less passing game. Now, though, the decision to part ways with Grier could open the door to more trades taking place than otherwise would have.
The timing of this move is intriguing since it comes just before the deadline. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports some around the NFL were surprised by the fact Grier’s run ended at this point of the season. He adds, on the other hand, the longtime executive was increasingly “feeling the pressure” with respect to his job security as the campaign progressed, meaning today’s news does not come entirely as a shock.
Kelly has until Tuesday afternoon to make a final decision on trades. In the meantime, attention will turn to his ability to earn the full-time gig while outside candidates receive consideration during the 2026 hiring cycle. With respect to potential general manager hires, Jones lists Alec Halaby (Eagles), Ed Dodds (Colts), Ian Cunningham (Bears), Glenn Cook (Browns), Jon-Eric Sullivan (Packers) and Lance Newmark (Commanders) as names to watch. Each of those executives have been connected to GM vacancies in recent years and at least most of them no doubt will be again in 2026. Connections to Miami’s opening will be worth watching for as the hiring cycle takes shape.
Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. To Return In Week 9
The Falcons were without their starting quarterback and top receiver in Week 8. Both are on track to return in time for Sunday’s game, though. 
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is off Atlanta’s injury report. The second-year passer was absent last week due to a bone bruise in his knee. After nearly being in position to play through the injury this past Sunday, it comes as little surprise he will manage to return in time for the Falcons’ upcoming game against the Patriots.
The same is also true of receiver Drake London, who was absent in Week 8 as a result of a hip injury which emerged late in preparation for the game. The 24-year-old was a limited participant in practice over the past two days before logging a full session on Friday. As a result, London is now set to return at the same time Atlanta’s QB1 will resume his first full campaign atop the depth chart.
The Falcons have run hot and cold in 2025. The team suffered a 24-point loss against the Dolphins in Week 8 with Kirk Cousins making his first start of the season alongside a shorthanded skill position group. Having Penix and London back in the fold will be key against a Patriots team riding a five-game winning streak.
Atlanta’s offense has flashed potential when at full strength this season, although the 3-4 team would certainly benefit from better consistency in all facets. A strong run of availability would be a critical factor in that regard, especially as Penix’s evaluation period in a full-time starting role continues. That process will see him take the field with a healthier group around him on Sunday.
Vikings Submitted Daniel Jones Better Offer Than Colts
Completing one of the more stunning first halves in recent NFL history, the Colts enter Week 9 an NFL-best 7-1. Their offense has rolled to a historic modern-era point, scoring more points through eight games than any post-merger team in franchise history. At the center of this surprising charge: Daniel Jones, who needed to beat out Anthony Richardson for the starting job.
Richardson is now on IR, and Jones’ performance through eight games both showed no indication the QB competition would be revisited and has rocketed the Colts’ enduring core back to relevance. Jones chose the Colts over the Vikings in free agency, and Minnesota has seen its QB quality drop significantly after also letting Sam Darnold walk. While the Vikes did not aggressively pursue a second Darnold contract, The Athletic’s Michael Silver notes they did expect to re-sign Jones as J.J. McCarthy insurance.
At the time the Colts signed Jones to a one-year, $14MM contract, it was known the Vikings made an offer to keep the QB — one they mostly employed as a practice squad stash late last season (Jones was not even the backup in the Vikings’ playoff game). However, Silver reports the Vikings made a bigger offer — one that topped the $13.15MM guarantee in the Colts’ proposal.
Shortly before the legal tampering period, we heard the Colts were preparing to enter the Jones market. Jones faceplanting on his four-year, $160MM Giants deal naturally did not lead to a multiyear guarantee. But the market for his “prove it” deal did escalate. Jones, 28, determined his best chance to see immediate action came in Indianapolis. Being in the building as the Vikings were grooming McCarthy, Jones correctly surmised he had a better chance to unseat Richardson than delay McCarthy’s ascent.
Jones went so far as to communicate to the Vikings, per Silver, Kevin O’Connell‘s presence creating a QB-friendly infrastructure would lead to McCarthy succeeding — and thus little chance for the veteran free agent to block his path. The Vikings continued down this road with Aaron Rodgers, who almost definitely would have blocked McCarthy’s route to the lineup.
Rodgers expressed interest in joining O’Connell in Minnesota, pegging the Vikings as his preferred destination. But he ended up in Pittsburgh, forming a partnership in which neither side received its desired outcome (the Steelers had wanted to either re-sign Justin Fields or trade for Matthew Stafford over signing Rodgers).
With Jones committed to Indianapolis, Minnesota traded for Sam Howell during the draft and signed Max Brosmer as a UDFA. Howell’s struggles in camp led to the Vikings trading him to the Eagles and then signing Carson Wentz. The Wentz experiment is over, as the QB nomad is out for the season with a shoulder injury, while Brosmer is still being prioritized as Minnesota’s QB2.
Entering the season as the Vikings’ third-stringer, Brosmer (per Silver) drew some internal Brock Purdy comps. It is obviously too early there, but Purdy did impress as a 49ers third-stringer behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo in 2022 — before injuries opened the door to the starting job. Brosmer is now one injury away, and while McCarthy is returning in Week 9, the former top-10 pick has already suffered two notable maladies since entering the NFL.
Prior to the 2024 draft, Vikings ownership was believed to be pushing for a young quarterback who could keep the role long term. This offseason, Silver adds the Mark and Zygi Wilf remain committed to seeing if McCarthy can be that long-term answer.
The Vikings did roster Kirk Cousins for six years but had not had much luck through the draft since 1999 first-rounder Daunte Culpepper. The former standout’s severe knee injury — sustained shortly after the Wilfs bought the team — in 2005 wrecked his Twin Cities stay, leading to a slew of veterans. Teddy Bridgewater‘s injury-marred stay interrupted this, and McCarthy’s meniscus tear last year reminded of some unfortunate knee-related setbacks for Minnesota QBs. The Vikings will now hope McCarthy can prove O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah right for passing on franchise-tagging Darnold or signing Rodgers.
The Jones offer does show some degree of hesitancy with McCarthy this year, as the Vikings offered more than they paid Darnold in 2024 (one year, $10MM). Jones is flourishing in Indy, sitting third in QBR during a bounce-back season. The Colts, whose QB carousel has spun much faster than the Vikings’ in recent years, are interested in extending him. The Vikings reside as an interesting “what if?” for the former first-round quarterback.
Bills S Taylor Rapp Likely Out For Season
The Bills placed Taylor Rapp on IR before their Week 8 game. While that move only mandates a four-game absence, the veteran safety appears unlikely to factor into Buffalo’s plans for the rest of the season.
Sean McDermott confirmed (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia) Rapp underwent knee surgery this week; that procedure is likely to shelve him for the rest of the season. While the ninth-year HC did not confirm Rapp is done, it does not sound like he will factor into the Bills’ IR-return calculus this season.
[RELATED: Bills Eyeing Field-Stretching WR At Deadline]
Rapp had not played well before being moved to IR; Pro Football Focus rated him 84th out of 88 qualified safeties. The Bills had re-signed Rapp in 2024, giving him a low-cost deal (three years, $10.63MM) to stick around and replace Jordan Poyer at the position. After Poyer’s Dolphins one-off, he is back receiving regular reps. The Bills have signed Poyer from the practice squad ahead of their pivotal Week 9 Chiefs matchup.
While Micah Hyde‘s second stint did not involve any game action (before the standout’s offseason retirement), Poyer has taken over as Buffalo’s primary option alongside Cole Bishop. The Bills also have Damar Hamlin on IR, thinning their safety corps to the point Poyer (34) is suddenly being counted on — while tied to vet-minimum money — after the team released him in March 2024.
Hamlin and Rapp’s exits have Cam Lewis, Sam Franklin and fifth-round rookie Jordan Hancock as Buffalo’s backups at safety. Rapp is on Buffalo’s books for 2026, but his base salary ($2.58MM) is nonguaranteed.
Additionally, McDermott said (via Buscaglia) the team hopes second-round defensive tackle T.J. Sanders — on IR after knee surgery — will be able to return in a few weeks. The Bills are in decent shape for injury activations, having only used two thus far. The Bills are in trouble at defensive tackle, however, with Ed Oliver‘s best-case scenario of returning from a biceps tear being late in a potential playoff run. Also ruling out DaQuan Jones for the annual Kansas City regular-season matchup, team has fourth-round rookie Deone Walker and Larry Ogunjobi in place at the position. Buffalo mainstay Jordan Phillips is also back on the team’s 53-man roster as a rotational option.
Jayden Daniels To Return In Week 9; Terry McLaurin Ruled Out
OCTOBER 31: The Commanders confirmed Daniels will return for Week 9. This will cap his hamstring-driven absence count at one game, though the dynamic quarterback has missed three in total this season.
OCTOBER 29: Marcus Mariota has been needed during multiple points over the first half of this season, as Jayden Daniels has run into two injuries significant enough to sideline him. The second instance required a Mariota start against the Chiefs on Monday, but it appears the veteran’s second starter stint will be capped at one game. 
Daniels is set to practice in full this week, via ESPN.com’s John Keim, moving him into position to miss just one full game with a hamstring injury. However, Daniels will once again not have his top wide receiver available.
The Commanders have already ruled out Terry McLaurin, who reinjured his quad during the Chiefs matchup. Daniels and McLaurin, as The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala points out, have only played two games together this season. Daniels’ arrival proved vital for McLaurin last season, ending a QB carousel that had begun to spin following Kirk Cousins‘ 2018 exit. McLaurin’s 13-touchdown season, followed by key playoff production, placed him on track to secure a three-year, $87MM extension. That deal has preceded this rare bout of McLaurin injury absences.
Washington sits at just 3-5 on the campaign, meaning the team has already lost as many games in 2025 as it did last year. A rebound in short order will be needed to reach the playoffs and leave the door open to a replication of 2024′ surprise run to the NFC title game. Having a healthy Daniels the rest of the way would be crucial, although the Commanders’ passing attack will still be notably shorthanded as long as McLaurin is absent. A long-term absence in his case is not anticipated by the team, head coach Dan Quinn said (via Keim).
Offseason trade acquisition Deebo Samuel arrived in the nation’s capital with more in the way of concerns regarding his durability compared to McLaurin. To date, though, the former 49ers All-Pro has managed to make seven appearances. In that time, Samuel has racked up 372 scrimmage yards and scored four touchdowns. An uptick in production could be in store provided Daniels returns, and in the event McLaurin missed notable time Samuel would remain a focal point on offense.
Daniels’ recovery will be handled with caution given his immense importance to the Commanders and the presence of a veteran QB2 in Mariota. Still, barring any setbacks over the coming days he will be in line to reprise his starting role against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to monitor McLaurin’s recovery timeline as Washington seeks to bounce back from a poor start to the campaign and a return on the team’s latest investment in him.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
NFL Mailbag: Bills, Falcons, Garrett, Crosby
This week's PFR mailbag covers a number of trade-related questions ahead of the upcoming deadline as well as an inquiry tied to a quirk in the NFL rulebook.
Jason asks:
Are the Bills going to land a receiver at the deadline this year? When compared with what the Chiefs now have there, they seem shorthanded in that area.
Talk about Buffalo adding at the deadline has increasingly pointed in this direction. That comes as no surprise, given the impact seen from the receiver spot so far. Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Josh Palmer have combined to average only 128 receiving yards per game in 2025. A strong running attack can offset much of that low-end production, but an upgrade would be a logical target in the coming days.
Rashid Shaheed’s name has been floated for quite some time and the Bills are among the teams which have been (at least loosely) connected to him. The Saints are treating the remainder of the season as an audition period for rookie quarterback Tyler Shough so a number of pending free agents could be on the move shortly.
‘No Chance’ Browns Trade Myles Garrett Before Deadline
It’s not often that someone regrets taking $160MM. But Myles Garrett‘s visible frustration during the Browns 32-13 loss to the Patriots suggested he may have second thoughts about signing an extension in Cleveland earlier this year.
Garrett notched 5.5 sacks in New England on Sunday, setting a Browns single-game record (that he first set in 2021 with 4.5 sacks). But immediately after his final sack, Garrett slammed his helmet on the sidelines (via FOX Sports). After the game, he strode into his press conference playing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “A Simple Man” on his phone, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, and continued to express his disappointment with the Browns’ season.
“I want to win,” said Garrett (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson). He added that his sideline frustration stemmed from a desire to stay in the game. Cleveland had pulled their starters, but New England’s were still in the game.
When asked about the team’s current situation more generally, Garrett responded, “It doesn’t get any easier each week you ask it.”
The Browns’ struggles have reignited trade talk surrounding the four-time All-Pro, but there is no way that Garrett is moved before this year’s deadline, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Garrett’s contract is often cited as a primary reason that he won’t be traded, but Graziano notes that the finances are still workable for Cleveland. His deal includes fully guaranteed option bonuses in 2026, 2027, and 2028 (via OverTheCap) that an acquiring team would have to pay. The Browns would only have to absorb a $41MM dead cap hit in 2026, hardly a desirable outcome but still just over half of what the Broncos ate when they parted ways with Russell Wilson. Graziano also mentioned the Browns’ offseason pursuit of public funding for a new stadium, which could have been complicated by trading away the face of the franchise. The funding was signed into law via the state of Ohio’s budget in July, so that potential obstacle to moving Garrett is now gone.
In other words, the Browns could trade Garrett if they want to, but it seems the desire is just not there. Their strategy may be to wait until the end of the season when they can acquire a veteran quarterback or, more likely, target a top prospect in the 2026 draft. That could convince Garrett to stick around, but he may not be willing to trust the franchise after putting his faith in them to build a competitive team this season. It seems possible, if not likely, that he renews his trade request in the offseason in an attempt to play for a championship contender next year.
Trading Garrett could also give the Browns even more draft capital to aggressively pursue a rookie quarterback next spring. They already have two first-round picks after trading down from No. 2 with the Jaguars (who moved up for Travis Hunter), and another could ensure that they can trade for virtually any pick, if it’s available.
Jets Setting High Asking Price On Breece Hall; Team More Open To Re-Signing RB?
Five days remain until this year’s trade deadline. Even after sending Michael Carter II to the Eagles, the Jets remain a team to watch regarding more seller’s moves.
Teams are monitoring a few Jets, defenders Jermaine Johnson, Quincy Williams and Quinnen Williams among them. While Allen Lazard is known to be available, Breece Hall remains the top skill-position trade chip. As it stands, Gang Green continues to set a high price, according to Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano and Eric Williams. The team is rebuffing inquiries as it stands, and it is possible its stance has changed in recent weeks.
[RELATED: Hall Wants To Remain With Jets Past Deadline]
Although Aaron Glenn said earlier this month he did not want to see his starting running back traded, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes his previous expectation was for Hall to be dealt at the deadline. Now, though, some in the Jets’ building are leery about moving on from the team’s four-year starting RB.
The situation now looks to feature stronger Jets consideration of re-signing Hall as a free agent, which will obviously produce a higher asking price to part with him now in a trade. No extension talks are known to have taken place, and preseason word pointed to the former second-round pick playing out his rookie contract. Trade buzz has persisted in the weeks since.
Thus far, Hall has delivered a bounce-back season. He was instrumental in the Jets picking up their first Glenn-era win, rushing for two touchdowns and adding a TD toss to Mason Taylor. Hall has three 100-yard games this season and is naturally generating interest from RB-needy teams.
Going through a bye week, the Jets also would need to make a significant pivot if they moved Hall. The team’s top Hall complementary piece entering the season, Braelon Allen, is recovering from knee surgery, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. Allen was not certain to undergo a procedure, with rehab a route believed to be available as well. While the second-year back did go under the knife, Cimini adds this does not change his two- to three-month recovery timetable.
A Hall trade would bump 2024 fifth-round pick Isaiah Davis to the top of the Jets’ depth chart. Davis has provided a spark as a backup with Allen sidelined, but a Hall trade would also force the Jets to consider how an Allen-Davis tandem would look anchoring the team’s backfield come 2026.
Hall could net the Jets a 2027 compensatory pick as a departing free agent, depending on the RB’s market and how the team approaches free agency in 2026. A move now would likely hand the Jets a pick or two in 2026, as Glenn and GM Darren Mougey look to continue adding their own talent to mix in with Joe Douglas‘ pieces.
After averaging 4.2 yards per carry in 2022, Hall is at 5.0 (581 in total) through eight games. Like Javonte Williams in Dallas, Hall appears to have completed a belated return to form after a 2022 ACL tear. The Jets would have competition for his services in free agency, but the team has until the mid-March legal tampering period to negotiate exclusively with the RB — that is, if it does not move on before the Nov. 4 deadline.