Minor NFL Transactions: 1/5/26
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Extended: DE Isaiah Foskey, LB Joe Giles-Harris, TE Cam Grandy, LB Shaka Heyward, S PJ Jules, WR Mitchell Tinsley
Denver Broncos
- Signed from practice squad: QB Sam Ehlinger
- Waived: OT Geron Christian, TE Marcedes Lewis
Detroit Lions
- Extended: OL Michael Niese, RB Jacob Saylors, CB Nick Whiteside
Indianapolis Colts
- Extended: LB Austin Ajiake
- Claimed off waivers (from Buccaneers): LB John Bullock
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed from practice squad: DE Larrell Murchison
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: CB Tre Flowers
San Francisco 49ers
- Practice window opened: WR Jacob Cowing
Each of the players who were extended today received deals that last through the 2026 campaign. These contracts differ from reserve/futures contracts, which don’t count towards the team’s active list until after the Super Bowl.
The Bengals were especially active with these extensions today, handing out deals to a handful of players who could be in line for larger roles next season. Journeyman Joe Giles-Harris got into a career-high 10 games for Cincinnati this season, compiling 27 tackles while serving as a key special teamer. Shaka Heyward (16 tackles) and PJ Jules (18 tackles) saw similar roles for the 2025 Bengals. Mitchell Tinsley got some run on the Cincy offense this season, hauling in eight catches for 116 yards in 17 games.
Matt Prater Dealing With Quad Injury; Bills To Work Out Kickers
The Bills are gearing up for this weekend’s wild-card round, but it’s unclear who will kick for them in Jacksonville on Sunday. Matt Prater aggravated a quadriceps injury in the Bills’ Week 18 win over the Jets. Prater is considered day-to-day, head coach Sean McDermott said (via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk).
With Prater’s status uncertain, the Bills will work out kickers this week, McDermott announced. This is the third time the Bills have had to go this route in the past few weeks.
After Prater injured his quad in a Week 15 win over the Patriots, the Bills auditioned Michael Badgley and Matthew Wright on Dec. 16. They signed Badgley, who had been out of a job for two weeks after the Colts cut him.
Although Badgley hit 10 of 11 field goals with the Colts, they moved on after he converted just 18 of 21 extra points. His final PAT miss with Indianapolis proved costly in a Week 13 loss to Houston.
Badgley went on to struggle filling in for Prater in two games with the Bills. He made his lone field goal, but he missed two of four extra points. A blocked PAT against the Eagles in Week 17 helped sink the Bills in a 13-12 loss.
It’s unclear whether the Bills will consider a reunion with Badgley, but it’s worth noting that they worked out other kickers while he was still a member of the organization. Younghoe Koo, Gavin Stewart and Maddux Trujillo tried out on Dec. 23 (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic). The Bills didn’t see any as an upgrade over Badgley at the time. Those three remain on the market alongside the likes of Justin Tucker, Matt Gay and Cade York, among others.
Tucker is easily the most proven kicker available, but the longtime Raven’s performance fell off dramatically in 2024. The 36-year-old has since served a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The league handed down the punishment after allegations of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions went public against Tucker last February. Tucker worked out for the Saints in late November and the Colts in early December, but neither team signed him.
If Prater’s unavailable on Sunday and the Bills don’t turn back to Badgley, they’ll use their third kicker of the season in the opening round of the playoffs. Tyler Bass handled the job from 2020-24, but he began 2025 on IR with a hip/groin injury and underwent season-ending surgery on Dec. 1. With Bass on the shelf, the Bills signed the 41-year-old Prater days before the start of the season.
When healthy, Prater has been a reliable option for Buffalo. The two-time Pro Bowler went 18 of 20 on field goals and 46 of 49 on extra points during the regular season, but it’s anyone’s guess whether he’ll participate in the playoffs.
Rams’ Davante Adams Expected To Return In Wild-Card Round
Davante Adams missed the Rams’ final three regular-season games due to a hamstring injury; the free agent pickup still led the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions. It appears likely the former All-Pro will be back for the playoffs.
The Rams expect Adams to be on the field when they begin this year’s playoff slate against the Panthers, Sean McVay said (via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop) Monday. Adams returned to practice Thursday and finished last week with two limited sessions.
A proponent of resting players when possible in the final week of the regular season, McVay held Adams out of the Rams’ Week 18 matchup against the Cardinals. The Rams won without him, though they only went 1-2 without their high-end No. 2 receiver. Losses to the Seahawks and Falcons dropped the Rams off the No. 1 seed line and into the No. 5 position. As a result, L.A.’s playoff docket will likely come entirely on the road.
No IR move commenced, giving the Rams flexibility with Adams. He has rewarded the team for its two-year, $46MM investment, catching 14 touchdown passes. Adams, 33, has done plenty to bolster Matthew Stafford‘s MVP campaign. After Cooper Kupp struggled to reprise his earlier form last season (before being released), Adams has brought a step up. The former Packers, Raiders and Jets standout is in the playoffs for the first time since he left Green Bay. He enters the game with 60 catches for 789 yards.
Puka Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions, doing so despite missing a game. Adams’ return will help the star third-year pass catcher, who finished second in receiving yards (to Jaxon Smith-Njigba) with 1,715 this season while giving the Rams’ offense a significant boost. Adams playing well in the playoffs will increase his chances of seeing the Rams pay out his $6MM roster bonus, which is due on Day 3 of the 2026 league year.
McVay added Quentin Lake — who signed a three-year extension last week — and tight end Terrance Ferguson are expected to play Saturday in Charlotte. Lake will need to be activated off IR to return. The Rams joined the other 13 playoff teams in receiving two additional IR activations for the playoffs. L.A. is in good shape there, having seven remaining. Lake underwent elbow surgery in November.
WR Alec Pierce Open To New Colts Deal
Alec Pierce looms as one of the top free agent options at the receiver position this spring. Remaining with the Colts appears to still be on the table, although an exploration of the market also seems to be approaching. 
“I’ve got great relationships here with this organization and the people in this building, this city,” Pierce said on Monday (via Nathan Brown of the Indy Star). “They’ve done so much for me so far, and I definitely would love to continue to be part of this organization, and we’ll see where things go.
“But I don’t know. I don’t know how this will all work out… I think I’ve got to see it all laid out in front of me. There’s so many different variables that go into that decision. I think it’s really hard to say what the priorities are, because you’re looking at 50 different variables at each place.”
While playing out his rookie contract, Pierce has emerged as one of the league’s premier deep threats. In each of the past two seasons, the former second-rounder has topped the NFL in yards per reception average. Pierce enjoyed a career year in 2025, setting a new personal best in catches (47) and yards (1,003).
Even after quarterback Daniel Jones suffered his Achilles tear, Pierce managed to have strong games at times down the stretch (including a two-touchdown performance yesterday). The Cincinnati product could be highly sought after during his first trip to free agency, especially if George Pickens winds up receiving the franchise tag from the Cowboys to prevent a departure. Whether it comes from the Colts or a new team, a major raise is forthcoming in Pierce’s case.
With Indianapolis having elected to retain head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard, attention will turn to the matter of re-signing Jones. The 2024 free agent signing enjoyed a stellar campaign prior to being injured, and he wants to stay in place. Keeping Jones in the fold will require more than the $14MM he signed for last spring, although the injury could complicate his value.
Pierce, 25, said continuing to play with Jones represents an attractive selling point in the case of re-signing with the Colts. Based on his comments, however, it would come as little surprise if he were to at least test the waters in March.
Titans Arrange Raheem Morris HC Meeting
His Falcons tenure cut short after two seasons, Raheem Morris represents a prime defensive coordinator candidate. But a report earlier today indicated the two-time NFL HC would be expected to draw interest for another top job.
The Titans will make good on that, as ESPN’s Peter Schrager reports Morris will meet with the AFC South team about its HC vacancy. The interview is scheduled for this week. Morris is among a host of candidates linked with the Tennessee job thus far; a round of interview slips went out today.
Tennessee is hoping to interview Kevin Stefanski, Matt Nagy, Steve Spagnuolo, Vance Joseph and Lou Anarumo. Morris joins Stefanski as a dismissed HC on the market. Because Morris and Stefanski are unattached, they can meet in-person with any interested team. Coaches who are tied to a team presently cannot, giving the unemployed options a leg up to start the process.
Anarumo, Joseph, Nagy and Spagnuolo can meet with the Titans starting Wednesday. Joseph can meet with the team remotely. Had the Broncos not won in Week 18, Joseph would have been unable to meet about the job until after three days after the wild-card round. Since Denver secured a first-round bye, its DC can discuss the position this week. The Titans must interview two external minority candidates to satisfy the Rooney Rule. Joseph is seen as one of this market’s top candidates; after Morris went two-and-done in Atlanta, it is difficult to gauge his standing.
Morris, 49, went 16-18 in his second Falcons stint. Overall, he is 37-56. It is fair to point out Morris has been tied to inconsistent quarterbacks throughout his coaching career. The Buccaneers’ failed Josh Freeman experiment occurred during Morris’ time leading the Tampa Bay staff, and Michael Penix Jr. struggled before going down with a season-ending injury this year. The Falcons made the atypical decision to hand out a big free agency deal (to Kirk Cousins) only to turn around and use a top-10 pick on a passer six weeks later. This made for a convoluted setup, though Morris’ staff was believed to be a key part of the Penix investment.
A defensive coach who won a Super Bowl ring as the DC for the Rams, Morris also is the rare leader with extensive experience on both sides of the ball. He coached Falcons wide receivers from 2015-19 and served as Dan Quinn‘s offensive pass-game coordinator during part of that time. This past season, the Falcons rejuvenated their pass rush; Atlanta’s 57 sacks trailed only Denver this season. That represented a remarkable turnaround, but while that occurred during a season in which the Falcons won their final four games, the team still opted to reboot and fire both its HC and GM (Terry Fontenot).
49ers LB Tatum Bethune Out For Playoffs; Latest On Fred Warner
The 49ers’ Week 18 loss to the Seahawks prevented them from securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a division title. To worsen matters, the 49ers’ banged-up defense took more shots in the regular-season finale.
Linebacker Tatum Bethune will miss the postseason after suffering a groin injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced (via Nick Wagoner of ESPN). Fellow linebackers Dee Winters (ankle) and Luke Gifford (quadriceps) are also dealing with injuries from the Seattle game. Their statuses for the wild-card round are uncertain, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
As a 2024 seventh-round pick, Bethune barely factored into the 49ers’ defense as a rookie. The former Florida State Seminole played 11 games and logged 165 of his 216 snaps on special teams.
Bethune remained a relatively anonymous member of the 49ers’ roster early this season, but he took on a far bigger role when all-world linebacker Fred Warner broke and dislocated his ankle in a Week 6 win over the Buccaneers.
Warner’s injury opened up playing time for Bethune, who wound up starting in eight of 14 appearances and totaling 94 tackles. While Pro Football Focus ranked Bethune’s performance an unspectacular 69th among 88 qualifying linebackers, he earned a respectable 73.2 grade against the run.
Warner hasn’t played in almost three months, though there’s hope he’ll return if the 49ers make a deep playoff run. Shanahan said Monday that Warner may come back if the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game (via Matt Barrows of the The Athletic). In the meantime, sixth-seeded San Francisco will have to go on the road to beat Philadelphia this weekend and then knock off another opponent in the divisional round.
The 49ers’ defense will face more adversity if Winters and Gifford can’t go Sunday. Winters finished second among 49ers defenders with a 91.5% snap share, trailing only cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, and picked up 101 tackles, five passes defensed and an interception. Gifford’s a lesser presence on defense, but he earned his first Pro Bowl nod for his work on special teams. He led the 49ers’ ST unit with an 80.9% snap share in 2025.
In the event Winters and Gifford are unavailable this week, the 49ers will go into the playoffs with Eric Kendricks (currently on the practice squad), Curtis Robinson and Garret Wallow as their top options at linebacker, Barrows notes. Kendricks is a former Pro Bowler with 143 starts on his resume, but the 33-year-old amassed just 46 defensive snaps in three games with the 49ers during the regular season. Robinson has only started three games (all in 2025) during his five-year career, while Wallow’s most recent start came with the Texans in 2022. The 49ers claimed him off waivers from the Broncos on Dec. 6. A month later, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh may have to rely on Wallow in the playoffs.
Saleh’s defense overcame long-term injuries to Warner and Nick Bosa, who tore his ACL in Week 3, during a 12-win campaign. As injuries continue to mount ahead of the postseason, Saleh’s job isn’t getting any easier.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa Would Welcome Fresh Start
Tua Tagovailoa avoided major injuries in 2025, but the season will still be remembered as a disappointment in his case. A change of scenery could be coming relatively soon, depending on how the Dolphins choose to proceed. 
When speaking to the media on Monday, Tagovailoa was asked about the possibility of a fresh start. He responded, “that would be dope. I would be good with it” (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). Reporters then clarified they were referring to the idea of Tagovailoa playing elsewhere. He declined to comment further.
In theory, a ‘fresh start’ could take place in the form of sweeping coaching changes on the part of the Dolphins. Of the three head coach firings which have taken place so far today, though, none have included Miami. The latest updates on Mike McDaniel‘s status point to him being safe for 2026.
Not long ago, the possibility of Miami retaining McDaniel was tied to the success he had with Tagovailoa in previous seasons. Consistent play under center proved elusive in 2025, however, and after Week 15 the Dolphins proceeded with a new QB depth chart. Tagovailoa was replaced by rookie Quinn Ewers as the starter and demoted to third-string status. Since then, questions have been raised about a potential trade.
During the 2024 offseason, Tagovailoa joined the list of quarterbacks earning $50MM or per year on their contracts. The 27-year-old is on the books through 2028, and he is owed $54MM guaranteed for next year. Absorbing that figure – not to mention a 2026 cap hit of $56.4MM – would be challenging for any acquiring team. A strong market is unlikely based on that factor but also Tagovailoa’s poor play this year. The former fifth overall pick threw multiple interceptions four times in 14 games prior to being benched.
Ewers projects as a presence in the Dolphins’ quarterback setup for the foreseeable future, although his brief showing late in the season is obviously not a large enough sample size to determine his viability as a starting option. Selecting a new signal-caller early in the draft could be something to watch for; that would likely require trading up in the first-round order. Miami is currently set to select 11th in April’s draft.
Tagovailoa’s entire six-year career has taken place with the Dolphins. He could wind up remaining in place in the absence of preferred replacement options emerging once a full-time general manager is in place. Regardless, a move allowing for a clean slate on a new team is clearly something Tagovailoa would be open to.
Philip Rivers Expected To Receive Coaching Interest
JANUARY 5: When speaking to the media on Monday (video link), Rivers confirmed he would be open to coaching at the NFL level. He added, however, that “there has been no substantive interest” to this point from teams in need of a new head coach. It remains to be seen if any formal interview requests will be made over the coming days.
JANUARY 4: Though he was deemed a healthy scratch for the Colts’ final game of the season, Philip Rivers‘ NFL comeback may not be over quite yet.
While the 44-year-old quarterback will retire from playing for a second time after the end of the regular season, he could stay in the league as a coach. Rivers is expected to receive interest from teams seeking new head coaches this offseason, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, with at least one interview expected.
Both NFL and college teams have considered Rivers for coaching jobs in the past, but he has generally been uninterested. That may have changed after his shocking return to the professional playing field this year.
Rivers’ appeal to NFL teams is obvious. He has already found success as a head coach, albeit as a high school level. His ability to come off the couch and start for the Colts showed that he is still in tune with the pro game. He has ties to a number of coaches across the league and could build a strong staff. Rivers’ age also makes him an old player but would also make him a young head coach. Being a former player would also help him connect with players, many of whom watched Rivers growing up. He had a reputation for taking huge hits in the pocket to get throws off; players who knew their coach gave it his all when he was on the field may be more inclined to do so as well.
The reasons why Rivers might consider a coaching job are just as clear. It would be a new challenge and a significant step up from high school ball. He would be able to stay in the NFL after clearly enjoying his comeback this year. But Rivers also has 11 kids. Taking an NFL coaching job would take him away from his family (or force them to uproot their lives and move).
A career in broadcasting may allow more flexibility; it certainly would not come with the burden and time constraints of being a head coach. He said on Up & Adams this week that he has “not ruled it out,” but noted that other opportunities haven’t “felt right.”
“The one thing I’ve loved since I was however old playing this game and being now as a coach is I’ve been able to have some impact on the score.” Rivers added. “You might be good at it, talking about it, but I have nothing to do with the outcome of this game.”
It’s hard to impact the outcome of the game from the broadcasting booth. But as a coach on the sidelines, everything he does would impact the outcome of the game.
Falcons Request HC Interviews With Klint Kubiak, Anthony Weaver
An eighth straight season without a playoff berth led to a major organizational shakeup for the Falcons, who fired general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris on Sunday. The Falcons’ former franchise quarterback, Matt Ryan, is expected to take over as president of football operations.
Although Ryan hasn’t officially rejoined the organization yet, Atlanta – with the help of search firm ZRG Partners – is acting quickly to find a new head coach. The team has requested interviews with Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
This head coaching market doesn’t feature many slam-dunk offensive-minded candidates, but the 38-year-old Kubiak has made a case for a promotion this season. Thanks in part to the Seahawks’ Kubiak-led offense, which finished the regular season third in scoring and tied for seventh in yardage, the team went 14-3 and earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
With Kubiak’s help, quarterback Sam Darnold put together a second straight strong season in 2025 – his first with the Seahawks after reviving his career with the Vikings in 2024. Darnold’s favorite target, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, led the league with 1,793 yards.
Kubiak’s presence helped draw Darnold to the Seahawks on a three-year, $100.5MM contract last March. It’s possible the success the two have had since then will lead to a first head coaching job for Kubiak. Moving on from Seattle would mean a third straight one-and-done stint as an offensive coordinator for Kubiak, the son of former Texans and Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak.
Klint Kubiak’s first OC opportunity came with the Vikings in 2021, when he succeeded his retired father in the role. With productive efforts from Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook, the unit finished with above-average rankings in yards (12th) and points (14th). However, the Vikings then made a head coaching change in replacing Mike Zimmer with Kevin O’Connell, and Kubiak did not return in 2022.
After leaving Minnesota, Kubiak divided the next two seasons between Denver and San Francisco. His year as Russell Wilson‘s quarterbacks coach went poorly, but Kubiak boosted his stock as Kyle Shanahan‘s passing game coordinator in 2023. He first worked with Darnold, then a backup to Brock Purdy, that year. It was the first full season as a starter for Purdy, who fared well with Kubiak and helped the 49ers advance to the Super Bowl.
Kubiak’s performance with the 49ers led to his second shot as an offensive coordinator with the Saints last year. In what proved to be quarterback Derek Carr‘s final season, an injury-limited campaign in which he played 10 games, the Saints’ offense wound up 21st in yards and 24th in points. With New Orleans in the midst of a coaching search last January, Kubiak left for Seattle – a move that has gone swimmingly for both sides.
Weaver, 45, was a defensive lineman for the Ravens and Texans from 2002-08. After coaching D-lines with the Jets, Bills, Browns and Texans from 2012-19, he took over as Houston’s D-coordinator under Bill O’Brien in 2020. O’Brien did not last the full season, though, and after the Texans’ defense finished 27th in yards and 30th in points, Weaver didn’t retain his post for a second year.
Following his Houston exit, Weaver had a three-year run as a D-line coach on John Harbaugh‘s staff in Baltimore. He impressed enough with the Ravens to grab the reins as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator in 2024. While the Dolphins ranked fourth in total defense and 10th in points under Weaver last year, they fell to 22nd and 24th in those categories this season. Nevertheless, Weaver will be part of the head coaching interview cycle for the second straight offseason. He met with the Bears and Saints last winter.
Brian Flores, Brian Daboll On Raiders’ Radar?
The Raiders have fired a coach for the third time since Halloween 2023, making the expected move to oust Pete Carroll following a 3-14 season. Las Vegas is expectedly retaining GM John Spytek, and Tom Brady will of course be a central figure as the team pursues new sideline leadership.
The first of these recent HC firings removed Josh McDaniels from his position, with GM Dave Ziegler and OC Mick Lombardi booted as well. That effectively ended the Patriot Way in Las Vegas, but Brady’s arrival a year later may change that. Brady may be looking at some of his former coaches this time around.
Rumblings around the NFL have introduced Brian Flores as a candidate to become the next Raiders HC, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes, with Brian Daboll on the OC radar. Following that report, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson floated Flores and Daboll as staff options for the Raiders. Brady has a history with both.
Flores, 44, coached in New England from 2008-18, closing his chapter with a dominant defensive performance in Super Bowl LIII. With Flores as the de facto Patriot DC, the Rams scored three points in that game to give Brady a low bar to clear en route to his sixth Super Bowl win. The Dolphins soon hired Flores as HC.
Daboll, 50, enjoyed two stints with the Patriots. He was part of Bill Belichick‘s first staff back in 2000 and stayed on through 2006, collecting three Super Bowl rings during that period and ending his run as Pats wide receivers coach. Daboll returned to add two more rings while working as New England’s tight ends coach from 2013-16.
Flores has appeared on the HC carousel previously, though perhaps not as much as someone with his experience and credentials should have. Regarded as a top-tier defensive coordinator, Flores is presently suing the NFL and four teams for racial discrimination. A ruling this past summer will allow that lawsuit to proceed to open court, representing new territory for the league. A team hiring Flores as HC under these circumstances may be challenging to envision, and even conducting interviews may meet obstacles based on where the Vikings DC’s lawsuit is headed.
In Minnesota since 2023, Flores no longer has a Vikings contract. Mutual interest exists between the parties to continue working together, but Flores is a coaching free agent. This means the Vikes cannot block a lateral move, with SI.com’s Albert Breer noting DC-needy teams may pursue him. Flores could potentially be a defensive coordinator option in Vegas, depending on the team’s offer, but it would be expected he receives multiple lucrative proposals to leave Minnesota to lead a defense.
The Vikings ranked seventh in scoring defense this season and allowed the third-fewest yards. The latter number represents a significant improvement after a 16th-place finish in 2024. Flores could certainly challenge Vic Fangio to become the NFL’s highest-paid DC; that number is believed to be near $5MM. The Vikings will probably need to go near or beyond that territory to retain Flores.
Flores and Brady are believed to have a good relationship, per Florio, who adds the former Dolphins HC was onboard with bringing in Brady — assuming he kept the Miami job beyond the 2021 season. But Flores’ ensuing lawsuit bombshell and tanking allegations against Stephen Ross scuttled the Dolphins’ rumored plan to bring in Brady — amid retirement No. 1 — and Sean Payton in 2022. Brady circling back to Flores after that would be interesting, and Mark Davis signing off on more ex-Patriots staffers would qualify as unusual given how poorly the McDaniels-Ziegler experiment went. But Davis has entrusted Brady with plenty of responsibility since the NFL approved his minority stake.
It is quite possible Flores will be stuck on the coordinator level thanks to his lawsuit. Teams will be leery of meeting with him after he used private conversations with owners as ammunition to craft a lawsuit, ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert adds. Part of Flores’ lawsuit touches on the Giants hiring Daboll over him in 2022. That pair of ex-Belichick lieutenants reuniting in Vegas would be quite interesting through that lens.
Daboll, however, is on track to receive OC interest after three-plus years as the Giants’ HC. Daboll has been an NFL OC on four occasions, and he called Giants plays in 2024. The recently fired HC’s experience will be a plus for coordinator interest, and the Raiders will surely not be the only team to call him in for an interview. Whichever OC candidate lands that job could soon be working with a quarterback drafted first overall.