Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/29/25

Here are Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL, including gameday elevations for the remainder of Week 13:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

The Vikings brought back Desmond Ridder as quarterback insurance with J.J. McCarthy concussed. Ridder joined the team’s practice squad, and he will not dress for Minnesota tomorrow. Instead, it will be Wolford handling backup duties while undrafted rookie Max Brosmer makes his first career start.

Diggs returned to Seattle earlier this week. The veteran will receive the opportunity to play right away during his second stint with the Seahawks. Diggs earned three Pro Bowl nods during his first run in Seattle, and he will look to provide depth in the secondary with a familiar team down the stretch.

NFL Minor Transactions: 11/28/25

Here are Friday’s minor NFL transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Washington Commanders

With leading receiver Drake London set to miss his second straight game with a knee injury, Drummond joins the 53-man roster off the taxi squad. He was unable to be a standard gameday practice squad elevation, since he’d already been elevated three times this year.

Chosen is headed to the waiver wire after three games with Washington. He caught five balls for 53 yards on eight targets as an elevation off the practice squad, but after getting signed to the 53-man roster two and a half weeks ago, he only saw one target in the team’s overtime loss to Miami.

NFL Minor Transactions: 11/27/25

Happy Thanksgiving! Here are the holiday’s minor NFL transactions and some standard gameday elevations for today’s night game and tomorrow’s Black Friday game:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Philadelphia Eagles

Newman and Brown were removed from the Bears’ 53-man roster as corresponding moves to make room for their two activations off injured reserve today.

Martin is being called up as a standard gameday practice squad elevation for the third time this year. If the Ravens would like him to play in any more games after this week, they’ll need to sign him to the 53-man roster.

Lampkin was designated to return from IR back on November 6, and his 21-day practice squad window has come and gone without an activation by the Eagles. The undrafted rookie out of North Carolina will spend the rest of his rookie season on IR, as a result of not being activated.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/24/25

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: OT Marques Cox

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Released: WR Jimmy Holiday

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Falcons DB Billy Bowman Jr. Suffers Achilles Tear

During Friday’s walk-through leading up to the Falcons’ Week 12 game, Billy Bowman Jrsuffered an Achilles injury. Doubts have since been expressed about the chances of a return late in the year, and that will indeed not take place.

Bowman’s injury is an Achilles tear, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. That news comes as little surprise after head coach Raheem Morris noted the situation was “not good” in the wake of the fourth-round rookie going down. Bowman was moved to injured reserve on Saturday, and he will obviously not be activated before the end of the campaign.

Instead, Bowman’s attention will turn to surgery and the lengthy recovery process which will follow it. Being without him the rest of the way means Atlanta’s secondary will not have a key figure to close out the season. Bowman logged a defensive snap share of 80% while operating as the team’s top slot corner during his six games played (after being drafted as a safety). That made him one of four rookie playing a critical role on defense for the Falcons.

A hamstring injury cost Bowman time earlier in the season, but this ailment is of course a far more notable one. The Oklahoma product’s recovery timeline will be something to monitor through the offseason as he hopes to heal in time for the start of the 2026 campaign. Expectations will be high in Bowman’s case whenever he is fully recovered.

Atlanta ranks eighth in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game, and Bowman has played a key role in the team’s success on that front. The 22-year-old posted 26 tackles, one interception, two pass deflections, one forced fumble and 1.5 sacks during what has turned out to be a short-lived rookie season. A large workload should nevertheless await him next year.

The Falcons won on Sunday, moving them to 4-7 on the year. The playoffs are likely out of reach, and Atlanta’s offense faces questions with quarterback Michael Penix Jron the mend from a partially torn ACL. It remains to be seen if Penix will be back to 100% in time for the start of the 2026 season, and the same is now true of Bowman as well.

Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. To Miss Start Of 2026 Season?

Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s season ended last week when he suffered a partially torn left ACL in a loss to the Panthers. It’s possible the recovery process will take long enough to jeopardize Penix’s availability for the beginning of the 2026 campaign, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic.

Penix will undergo surgery “sooner than later,” head coach Raheem Morris said this week. Morris also expressed optimism that Penix will be ready for Week 1 next season, but he added “that’s a guestimation by me, not medical information.”

It’s doubtful that Penix will be a full participant in the Falcons’ offseason program, according to Kendall. That could decrease his chances of taking the field in the Falcons’ 2026 season opener, which would throw a wrench into Morris’ plans.

If Penix isn’t ready at the outset of next year, it’s unclear who will take the reins for the Falcons. Kirk Cousins will finish this season as the Falcons’ starter, but his time in Atlanta could end soon after that.

The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $160MM contract with $90MM fully guaranteed a little over a month before drafting Penix eighth overall in 2024. The decision to splurge on the former Washington and Minnesota starter has blown up in Atlanta’s face. Cousins performed poorly enough last year that Morris demoted him in favor of Penix in Week 15. Penix kept the starting job until his injury, leaving Cousins as a ridiculously overpriced backup since last December.

Cousins still has two years remaining on his contract, but he’s due to count an untenable $57.5MM against the Falcons’ salary cap in both 2026 and ’27. An offseason release seems likely. Cutting Cousins would allow the Falcons to spread a much more manageable $35MM hit over the next two seasons, Kendall notes.

Moving on from Cousins with Penix recovering from surgery would put the Falcons in the market for QB insurance during the offseason. They’ll likely consider various free agent and trade options. The Falcons could also draft someone, but it would have to come after the first round. They’re not in position to use another Round 1 selection on a signal-caller until 2027, having traded their 2026 first-rounder to the Rams at last year’s draft. With the Falcons off to a 3-7 start, that pick could wind up in the top 10.

In a best-case scenario for the Falcons, a healthy Penix will establish himself as a franchise passer next season. However, it’s concerning that the 25-year-old carries a lengthy injury history, including two right ACL tears in college. He also hasn’t offered high-level production over his first 12 starts in the NFL. The Falcons have gone 4-8 with Penix at the controls. It’s too soon to write Penix off, but the Falcons will have to come up with an effective backup plan this offseason in the wake of his latest injury.

2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 26 became eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations once the postseason begins.

Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 13:

Arizona Cardinals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Buffalo Bills

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Carolina Panthers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Chicago Bears

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Cincinnati Bengals

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Cleveland Browns

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Denver Broncos

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Detroit Lions

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Green Bay Packers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Houston Texans

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Jacksonville Jaguars

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Los Angeles Chargers

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Los Angeles Rams

Designated for return:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Minnesota Vikings

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

New England Patriots

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Philadelphia Eagles

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Pittsburgh Steelers

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

San Francisco 49ers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Seattle Seahawks

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Tennessee Titans

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Washington Commanders

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Falcons Place Billy Bowman Jr., Zach Harrison On IR

The Falcons will be notably shorthanded on defense for the foreseeable future. Billy Bowman Jr.‘s Achilles injury will leave him sidelined over at least the next four games.

Bowman went down during a walk-through yesterday morning. It was already known the fourth-round rookie would miss Week 12, but head coach Raheem Morris‘ comments suggested a long-term absence would be in store. The Falcons placed Bowman on injured reserve today, a which move certainly points in that direction.

[RELATED: Falcons Activate LB Divine Deablo]

A hamstring injury led to earlier missed time in Bowman’s case but when on the field he has logged a defensive snap share of 80%. The Oklahoma product has joined fellow rookie Xavier Watts as a regular presence in the secondary and thus played a central role in the Falcons’ youth movement on defense. In six games, Bowman has recorded one interception, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble while serving as Atlanta’s top slot corner. His rookie campaign is in danger of being over, however, based on the severity of this latest ailment.

Joining Bowman on IR is Zach Harrison. The third-year defensive lineman is dealing with a knee injury and will be unavailable for an extended period as a result. Harrison missed only one game across his first two seasons with Atlanta, but a notable stretch on the sidelines will now be in store. The 24-year-old has become a starter in 2025 with the Falcons beginning the post-Grady Jarrett period along the defensive interior.

Harrison has taken advantage of the increased workload, posting 4.5 sacks and five tackles for loss in just seven games. The former third-rounder will look to continue that production if he manages to return for the end of the campaign, one which is again on course to see the Falcons outside the playoff picture. Harrison’s rookie contract runs through 2026.

Atlanta did not immediately make any corresponding moves to fill Bowman and Harrison’s spots on the active roster. The team did, however, add safety Jammie Robinson and receiver Dylan Drummond from the practice squad as gameday elevations. Those two are in line to play tomorrow against the Saints.

Falcons Work Out WR K.J. Osborn

The Falcons worked out veteran wide receiver K.J. Osborn on Friday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. No deal has come together, and it’s unclear if the Falcons are considering signing Osborn.

Now 28 years old, Osborn entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Vikings in 2020. After going without a reception in nine games as a rookie, Osborn emerged as a weapon in the Vikings’ Kirk Cousins-led aerial attack from 2021-23. Osborn averaged 53 catches, 615 catches, and five touchdowns per season during that three-year run. He missed just one game and amassed 30 starts along the way.

While Osborn was productive in Minnesota, his success hasn’t transferred elsewhere. He left the Vikings for the Patriots’ one-year, $4MM offer in free agency in March 2024. Osborn wasn’t a fit in New England, though, as he caught just seven passes for 57 yards in seven games with the team.

With his numbers down significantly, Osborn told the Patriots he wanted a trade before last year’s deadline in November. They didn’t find a taker, but the Patriots and Osborn agreed to a mutual parting of ways a month later.

The Commanders claimed Osborn after the Patriots waived him in December. He played only one game with Washington and didn’t catch a pass. Hoping 2024 was an aberration, the Commanders re-signed Osborn last March. They ended up releasing Osborn during final cuts on Aug. 26, and he hasn’t landed elsewhere since then.

Joining the struggling Falcons (3-7) would reunite Osborn with Cousins, who’s taking over as their No. 1 signal-caller for the rest of the season. The Falcons lost starter Michael Penix Jr. to a major knee injury last week. They’ll also go without their No. 1 receiver, Drake London, against the Saints in Week 12. A PCL sprain could shelve London for multiple games.

London’s injury is especially unfortunate for an Atlanta team that has gotten little production from the rest of its wideouts. Darnell Mooney is the team’s only other receiver with double-digit catches, having pulled in 16 in eight games. That explains why the Falcons are looking outside for help.