Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/2/25

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

The 12-year veteran wide receiver, Woods, had been signed to the Steelers’ practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster. Per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, Woods requested to be released from his practice squad contract but told Pittsburgh that he would be open to returning if a spot on the active roster opened up for him. The team granted his request.

The Cardinals are able to add two players while only releasing one because Daxon is part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, having been born in the Bahamas. Teams can have one more than the 16-player limit for their practice squad, as long as the 17th players is in the IPPP.

Per Brady Henderson of ESPN, it’s believed that the Seahawks have made this transaction as a courtesy to Campbell, Gaines, and Laumea, who’ve all spent most of the offseason in Seattle with the team. This week on the practice squad will potentially get each player a minimum check for $13K, but the Seahawks are expected to bring Martinez and Jean-Charles back to the p-squad. The same has yet to be confirmed for Kight.

Elijah Wilkinson To Start At RT For Falcons

The Falcons were dealt a significant blow when it became clear they would need to put starting right tackle Kaleb McGary on season-ending injured reserve. Veteran Elijah Wilkinson was McGary’s immediate replacement in practice, and D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution confirms Wilkinson will open the season as the club’s starting RT.

With southpaw Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback, Atlanta’s right tackle position is particularly important. McGary, who recently inked a two-year extension keeping him under club control through 2027, has not earned any Pro Bowl accolades like left tackle Jake Matthews and right guard Chris Lindstrom, but he has established himself as an above-average tackle, particularly in terms of run-blocking.

Plus, as Penix enters his first full season as a starter, stability along the O-line would be welcome. While the Falcons return Matthews, Lindstrom, and left guard Matthew Bergeron, they lost center Drew Dalman in free agency this offseason and will rely upon Ryan Neuzil – a 2021 UDFA who has eight career starts – as Penix’s full-time snapper. Team brass thinks highly of Neuzil, though he was not particularly impressive as an injury fill-in for Dalman last year.

Instead of replacing just one starting O-lineman, Atlanta will be forced to replace two. And it is quite possible there will be a noticeable drop-off in performance with Wilkinson on the first-team unit in lieu of McGary. This will be Wilkinson’s second Falcons stint; he played as a nine-game guard starter in 2022.

Now 30, Wilkinson does have 45 starts to his name, but his last start at right tackle came in 2021, when he was with the Bears. The well-traveled blocker started nine games at left guard for the Cardinals in 2023 and earned an abysmal 46.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, one of the worst marks in the league. Arizona released him during final roster cutdowns last August, and though he quickly caught on with the Falcons’ taxi squad, he ultimately appeared in just two games for the team and played one offensive snap. Wilkinson did serve as the Broncos’ primary RT in 2019 and added seven more starts at the position in 2020. For most of this decade, however, teams have employed the eight-year veteran as a backup.

The Falcons at least saw enough from Wilkinson to re-sign him this offseason – albeit on a veteran-minimum salary – and they used him at left tackle in their second preseason contest. He indicated he is looking forward to playing alongside Lindstrom, and Lindstrom’s presence certainly could help elevate Wilkinson’s play.

If Wilkinson is not up to snuff, Atlanta has recent trade acquisition Michael Jerrell waiting in the wings, and veteran swing tackle Storm Norton could be an option later in the season. Placed on short-term IR this week, Norton recently underwent ankle surgery and is expected to miss at least the first month of the 2025 campaign.

2025 NFL Trades

The modern NFL features four clear trade windows. While the Cowboys and Steelers’ George Pickens swap showed moves can be made at other points on the NFL calendar, early March, the draft, the late-August 53-man roster-setting date and the November deadline reside as the primary points trades occur around the league. On that note, it is a good time to check in on what has transpired on the trade market between windows two and three.

Excluding pick-for-pick trades, here are the moves NFL teams have made thus far in 2025:

March 1

49ers chose running back Jordan James at 147

March 4

Rams traded pick to Vikings, moving up to No. 172 for linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

March 5

March 6

March 7

Seahawks chose quarterback Jalen Milroe at 92

March 9

Seahawks used No. 52 to trade up (via the Titans) 17 spots for safety Nick Emmanwori, drafted running back Damien Martinez at 223; Steelers selected quarterback Will Howard at 185

March 10

Texans added wide receiver Jaylin Noel at 79, sent 236 to Jaguars in Day 2 trade; Commanders chose wideout Jaylin Lane at No. 128 

Eagles used No. 164 to climb one spot (via Chiefs) in first round for linebacker Jihaad Campbell

March 11

March 12

Bills took Ohio State cornerback Jordan Hancock at 170; Cowboys chose guard Ajani Cornelius at No. 204

Titans drafted running back Kalel Mullings at No. 188; Cowboys chose running back Phil Mafah at 239

March 13

March 15

Vikings packaged No. 187 in trade-down move (via Texans); 49ers drafted safety Marques Sigle at 160

April 3

Patriots traded down from No. 171 (via Lions) to draft kicker Andres Borregales; Cowboys chose defensive tackle Jay Toia at 217

April 26

Seahawks selected defensive lineman Rylie Mills at No. 142; Vikings traded No. 172 to Rams

May 7

June 2

Pick could upgrade to fourth-rounder if performance-based conditions are met

June 30

July 1

August 4

August 17

August 20

August 22

August 24

August 25

August 26

August 27

August 28

September 8

2026 fifth-round pick (from Bryce Huff trade) could upgrade to fourth-rounder, which would be sent to Jacksonville if 49ers DE meets those conditions

September 14

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/28/25

Teams around the NFL continued to adjust their practice squads as new players came free from Wednesday’s transactions. Here are all the latest updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Falcons

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: CB Jalen Kimber, DE Andre Jones Jr.
  • Released: CB Daequan Hardy

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos:

  • Signed: TE Patrick Murtaugh (international exemptin)

Detroit Lions: 

Green Bay Packers:

Houston Texans: 

  • Signed: OT Reid Holskey, WR Josh Kelly

Indianapolis Colts: 

Jacksonville Jaguars: 

Kansas City Chiefs:

Los Angeles Chargers:

Miami Dolphins:

  • Signed: RB JaMycal Hasty

Minnesota Vikings:

New England Patriots: 

New York Giants: 

  • Signed: TE Qadir Ismail

New York Jets: 

  • Signed: OL Marquis Hayes, DB Korie Black

Philadelphia Eagles:

  • Signed: WR Britain Covey, OT Luke Felix Fualalo (international exemption)

San Francisco 49ers: 

Seattle Seahawks: 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 

Tennessee Titans: 

Washington Commanders: 

Signed: RB Donovan Edwards, CB Darius Rush

Ismail was one of 17 players to work out for the Giants on Thursday, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. He won the practice squad spot over more notable players like former Broncos safety Caden Sterns and former Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Canadian quarterback Taylor Elgersma also attended the workout, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, suggesting that the Giants might be looking for extra depth at the position.

Wallace worked out for the Vikings on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. It must have gone well, as he was signed to the practice squad hours later as extra depth both in the secondary and on special teams.

Griffin returned to the Seahawks this offseason, eight years after they made him a third-round pick in the 2017 draft. He did not make Seattle’s 53-man roster, but as a vested veteran, he was able to re-sign to the practice squad without going through waivers.

Falcons Place Bralen Trice On IR; Xavier Watts, Billy Bowman In Line For Starting Roles

Bralen Trice missed his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear, and he will not be available at the start of the coming campaign. The 2024 third-rounder was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per a team announcement.

Head coach Raheem Morris said Trice aggravated the same knee affected by last year’s ACL tear. It is not known if surgery will be required at this point, but a procedure could be deemed necessary. Landing on IR at this time ensures Trice will miss at least the first four games of the campaign.

Morris also said the best-case scenario for Trice would be a return after Atlanta’s bye week. That happens to fall on Week 5, the earliest point at which the 24-year-old could have his practice window opened anyway. Activating Trice at any point will use up one of the Falcons’ eight IR activations on the season. The team already spent two when designating Ta’Quon Graham and Storm Norton for return during roster cutdowns.

Today’s move marks another injury setback for Trice, who was drafted as a candidate to handle a notable workload off the edge early in his career. Pass rush production has been hard to come by for Atlanta in recent years, something the team aimed at addressing through free agency (by signing Leonard Floyd) and the draft (by selecting Jalon Walker and James Pearce in the first round) this offseason. The team’s new options will be relied on without Trice in place at least early in the season.

In other news regarding the Falcons’ defense, Morris also announced rookies Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman will have starting roles. Watts, added in the third round, will operate as a first-team safety alongside Jessie Bateswhile Bowman – taken one round later – will handle slot corner duties. Earlier this week, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted how Bowman (who was drafted as a safety) impressed upon transitioning to a slot corner during camp, surpassing incumbent Dee Alford on the depth chart.

Morris’ announcement thus comes as no surprise, and it confirms Watts, Bowman and Bates will be joined by AJ Terrell and Mike Hughes in the starting secondary. That unit will work in tandem with a heavily renovated edge rush group, one which will be shorthanded in the fall.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC South

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These BuccaneersFalconsPanthers and Saints moves are noted below.

Atlanta Falcons

Signed to practice squad:

Carolina Panthers

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

New Orleans Saints

Claimed:

  • WR Trey Palmer (from Buccaneers), G Xavier Truss (from Broncos)

Signed to practice squad:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Signed to practice squad:

2025 NFL Waiver Order

Many of the players cut Tuesday were subject to waivers, giving teams a chance to pick them up (along with the rest of their contract). Teams can claim as many players as they want before the next team gets their remaining targets.

It’s also worth noting that relatively few players are claimed off waivers during final roster cuts each year. Waiver claims will be processed at 11am CT in the following order (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo). In reverse order of the 2024 NFL standings, here is how the waiver priority sits:

  1. Titans
  2. Browns
  3. Giants
  4. Patriots
  5. Jaguars
  6. Raiders
  7. Jets
  8. Panthers
  9. Saints
  10. Bears
  11. 49ers
  12. Cowboys
  13. Dolphins
  14. Colts
  15. Falcons
  16. Cardinals
  17. Bengals
  18. Seahawks
  19. Buccaneers
  20. Broncos
  21. Steelers
  22. Chargers
  23. Packers
  24. Vikings
  25. Texans
  26. Rams
  27. Ravens
  28. Lions
  29. Commanders
  30. Bills
  31. Chiefs
  32. Eagles

Falcons Cull Roster To 53 Players

The Falcons trimmed their roster down to 53 players with the following moves:

Released

Waived

Placed on injured reserve (designated to return)

Placed on reserve/PUP

Placed on reserve/NFI

  • LB Malik Verdon

Released from IR with injury settlement

Fuller, Harrison, and Henderson all have previous starting experience in the secondary, though Harrison has since converted to linebacker and exclusively played special teams last season. Fuller missed half of the 2024 season due to injury, while Henderson, a former top-10 draft pick, spent the year with the Steelers but didn’t appear in a regular-season game.

With right tackle Kaleb McGary landing on season-ending IR, Parker could be a candidate to have a handshake agreement to be signed to the practice squad and remain in the team’s game day plans for the season. He will be crucial tackle depth with Norton sidelined for at least four weeks (and likely more) after ankle surgery

Bryant was a projected Day 3 pick who surprisingly went undrafted. Though he didn’t do enough to make the 53-man roster, the Falcons are hoping that he can clear waivers and return to the practice squad, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Though Younghoe Koo is coming off a down year, the Falcons are sticking with the veteran kicker and waived Krieg, a German-born rookie. The Falcons are planning to re-sign him to the practice squad if he clears waivers, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. As an international player, Krieg is eligible to be an extra, 17th player on Atlanta’s practice squad.

Washington is expected to spend his third NFL season on the Falcons’ practice squad, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was only elevated once in 2024 and played exclusively special teams in that game.

Graham started 16 games over his first four years in the NFL but saw his snap share drop to a career low in 2024. He’ll be out for a minimum of four games with an undisclosed injury.

Falcons Place RT Kaleb McGary On IR

Teams have had the option of stashing two players on IR with return designations over the past two Augusts. While that was the expectation for Kaleb McGary, the Falcons’ roster revealed a significant setback for the team’s O-line.

Atlanta did not stash McGary on IR with a return designation, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo clarifies. That will sideline the recently extended blocker for the season. That deals a blow to a Falcons team that also is without swing tackle Storm Norton, who suffered a knee injury recently.

The Falcons did place Norton on their IR-return list, which also includes defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham. Norton is expected to miss between six to eight weeks. McGary injury specifics are not yet known, but him being done for the year deals a blow to a Falcons team employing one of the NFL’s two left-handed starting QBs (in Michael Penix Jr.).

Raheem Morris did say last week that McGary would miss significant time, and it now represents good timing on his part to secure a second Falcons extension. Atlanta gave McGary a two-year, $30MM deal that brings $17.99MM guaranteed, per Spotrac. McGary will have plenty of time to rehab, but locking in that guarantee when he did probably spared him a value loss in free agency.

McGary, 30, was tied to a three-year deal that expired after the 2025 season. He joined Jawaan Taylor and Mike McGlinchey on a strong RT market in 2023. While the former first-round pick did not match the eventual Chiefs and Broncos RTs’ contracts, he did well and delivered two more years as a Falcons starter. The seventh-year veteran has started 92 career games, never missing more than three in a season.

Norton will be an option to replace McGary once he comes off IR, but for now, the Falcons are in a bind. They did trade for second-year blocker Michael Jerrell, whose 245 rookie-year snaps all came at right tackle, earlier today. Jerrell joins veteran swingman Elijah Wilkinson as immediate options. Wilkinson, a former Broncos swing tackle who had shifted inside in recent years, became McGary’s immediate replacement in practice. The Falcons are already replacing Drew Dalman, their three-year center starter who signed a high-priced Bears deal; they will now see more O-line turnover to start the season.

Falcons To Release CB C.J. Henderson

After the joining the Falcons earlier this month, C.J. Henderson will not make the team’s initial 53-man roster. The former first-round cornerback is being released, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports.

As Schultz notes, however, Atlanta is planning on retaining Henderson via the practice squad. For that to be possible, he will have to avoid signing with any interested teams upon reaching free agency once the Falcons’ cuts are official. Of course, agreements of that nature are commonplace around the NFL with respect to roster maneuvering.

Henderson had multiple suitors in 2025, including a new opportunity with the Steelers. The former Jaguar and Panther instead elected to return to the NFC South by joining the Falcons shortly after a workout with the team. The 26-year-old’s Atlanta pact did not contain any guaranteed money, however; as such, today’s move will not incur any dead money charges while creating $1.03MM in cap savings.

The No. 9 pick in 2020, Henderson was dealt from the Jags after playing only 10 games for them. His Carolina tenure saw him remain healthy for the most part, but struggles in coverage were a consistent issue. Finishing last season on injured reserve, he did not see any game time with Pittsburgh. That resulted in a tempered market despite his age and draft pedigree.

Provided Henderson winds up on Atlanta’s practice squad, he will offer depth behind starters AJ Terrell and Mike Hughes, returnees Dee Alford and Clark Phillips and fourth-round rookie Billy BowmanElevations to the active roster will mark his first opportunity to see regular season game time.