Titans Place CB L’Jarius Sneed On IR
L’Jarius Sneed has managed to play in each of the Titans’ first seven games this season. The veteran corner’s run of availability to begin the 2025 campaign has come to an end, however. 
Sneed has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. The move ensures he will miss at least the next four games. Tennessee’s secondary will be shorthanded as a result.
After playing just five games in 2024, Sneed’s Titans future was a talking point ahead of the current campaign. The former Chief has operated as a full-time starter this year, though, posting three pass deflections. Sneed has surrendered three touchdowns in coverage, a continuation of his poor showing in that regard from his time on the field last season.
In spite of those numbers, Sneed was in position to continue operating as a key figure in Tennessee’s secondary. The team will instead move forward without him in the picture for the time being. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is dealing with a hamstring injury at the moment. As such, the Titans will be notably shorthanded on defense as interim head coach Mike McCoy prepares for his second game at the helm.
Sneed received the franchise tag from Kansas City last offseason before ultimately being traded to Tennessee. Upon arrival, the 28-year-old signed a $19.8MM-per-year pact. Sneed is under contract through 2027, with $7.5MM in next year’s salary shifting to a full guarantee on March 18. Depending on the severity of this injury, Sneed could find himself being let go before that date given his missed time on his second career team.
In a corresponding move, the Titans have signed linebacker Joe Bachie from the practice squad to the active roster. Bachie has made five appearances so far this season, each of them coming with the Colts. The 27-year-old was recently moved to IR and then released, though, leaving him free to sign with a new team. Shortly after doing so, Bachie will now have the opportunity to make his Tennessee debut.
Dolphins Restructure Jordyn Brooks’ Deal
In advance of the trade deadline, the Dolphins have freed up some 2025 cap space. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks‘ deal has been restructured, per ESPN’s Field Yates. 
This is a simple restructure, with part of Brooks’ $7.82MM base salary for the season being converted into a signing bonus. The move has created $3MM in cap space. Miami entered Thursday near the bottom of the league with $4.9MM in available funds.
As the trade deadline approaches, teams expecting to operate as buyers are generally the ones which carve out immediate cap space to absorb incoming contracts. Sitting at 1-6 on the year, though, the Dolphins are certainly not seen as a candidate to make a notable addition over the coming days. On the contrary, Miami is viewed as a seller and several notable players have drawn interest.
Brooks is not among them, and today’s move if obviously a sign he will remain in the fold moving forward. The former first-rounder easily topped 100 tackles during his final three seasons with the Seahawks before signing with Miami during his first trip to free agency in 2024. Brooks took a three-year pact averaging $8.75MM per season upon joining the Dolphins.
The 28-year-old totaled 143 tackles and three sacks during his debut Miami campaign. He has continued to operate as a full-time starter this season, and that will no doubt remain the case moving forward. Brooks is under contract through 2026. He is in line to stay in place with the Dolphins at a time when other members of the team’s defense could be on the move shortly. It will also be interesting to see how the team proceeds over the coming days with additional cap room.
Texans Will Not Fire OC Nick Caley
After two seasons with Bobby Slowik guiding their offense, the Texans made a coordinator change this offseason. Nick Caley was tapped as his replacement, setting up the former Patriots and Rams staffer to handle OC duties for the first time in his career. 
Things have not gone as Houston hoped in 2025. The team’s struggles on offense from last season have carried over to the current campaign, leading to a 2-4 record. The Texans lead the NFL in scoring defense but rank just 21st in points scored per game (21.2).
In spite of that dichotomy, no changes are currently being considered along the sidelines. Caley is safe for the time being. The 42-year-old has been in the NFL since 2015, spending much of his time at the pro level as a tight ends coach. After eight seasons in New England, Caley spent a pair of campaigns in Los Angeles. That span included the role of pass-game coordinator for the Rams in 2024. Houston’s air attack has plenty of room for improvement, and Caley will be tasked with overseeing a turnaround.
“We’re pressing forward with everybody we have,” head coach DeMeco Ryans said (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2). “We’re collectively in this together. If you want to point the finger at somebody, put it on me. Ultimately, it’s my job. We’re rolling with what we have.”
The Texans posted a 10-7 record during each of Ryans’ first two seasons at the helm. On both occasions, the team was eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs. 2025 was seen by many as the point at which Houston could emerge as a true AFC heavyweight; doing so would of course depend on Caley’s ability to help the team’s offense return to its 2023 successes.
That has not taken place so far, and the Texans’ ground game has suffered from the absence of Joe Mixon. With his return still unclear at this point, Houston is in the market for a running back trade addition. Regardless of what happens on that front, an increase in overall offensive productivity will be needed if the team is to contend for the playoffs in 2025. Caley and his unit will be worth watching closely through the remainder of the campaign as a result.
Jets QBs Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor Splitting Practice Reps
Week 7 saw the Jets make a halftime change at the quarterback spot. Since then, owner Woody Johnson has offered a scathing evaluation of Justin Fields‘ play during his debut campaign in New York. 
[RELATED: List Of Jets Trade Candidates Grows]
In the wake of those comments, the expectation has emerged Tyrod Taylor will take over starting duties on a permanent basis. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the team is certainly operating as though a change in the depth chart will take place in time for Week 8. Fields said (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) he and Taylor split first-team reps during practice on Wednesday.
Taylor’s second-half performance against the Panthers saw him complete just 10 of 22 passes for 126 scoreless yards. The 36-year-old also threw a pair of interceptions. The Jets will need better play from under center regardless of who handles starting duties moving forward. Taylor is a pending free agent, whereas Fields inked a deal in March which runs through the 2026 season and contains $30MM in guarantees.
When speaking to the media about the quarterback situation (video link via SNY), head coach Aaron Glenn said a decision has been made with respect to the Jets’ Week 8 starter. It has not been announced, though, meaning speculation about the team’s direction will continue over the coming days. The Jets have a top-10 rushing offense this season but they rank last in the NFL in passing yards per game. Finding a better balance on offense will be key to ending the team’s seven-game losing streak.
Provided New York moves forward with Taylor, questions will be raised about Fields’ chances of operating as a QB1 again in the NFL. The former Bears first-rounder went 4-2 as a starter with the Steelers last season, indicating he could find success on his third career team. That has not proven to be the case so far, and Fields’ first campaign in New York could soon include a backup spell.
Jets Receiving Calls On DE Jermaine Johnson, RB Breece Hall; Team Willing To Trade WR Allen Lazard?
Two weeks remain until the trade deadline. The NFL’s lone winless team could operate as a seller, and there is certainly interest from potential suitors. 
The Jets have received trade calls on a number of players recently. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required) defensive end Jermaine Johnson and running back Breece Hall are on the radar of suitors. That comes as little surprise in the latter’s case in particular. Hall has been seen as a trade candidate since before the 2025 campaign began.
While the 24-year-old wants to remain with the Jets and head coach Aaron Glenn has attempted to shoot down trade speculation multiple times, Hall will no doubt remain a target to watch on this front. No extension is forthcoming in his case, and as a pending free agent Hall could land with a contender for at least the second half of the campaign. A number of teams have been connected to running back interest in the trade market, so a bidding war of sorts could take place in this instance.
Johnson saw fellow 2022 first-rounders Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson sign monster extensions this offseason. No long-term pact is expected in his case, though, based in large part on the 26-year-old’s 2024 Achilles tear. Johnson’s fifth-year option was nevertheless picked up in the spring, meaning he is attached to a base salary of $13.41MM for next season. Any acquiring team would need to take that into account even though the Florida State product would be an inexpensive target for the closing stages of the 2025 campaign.
Confirming Hall and Johnson are receiving notable interest, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports the Jets are indeed a team to watch closely over the coming days. One source informed him, however, that New York has been “stubborn” in terms of the asking price on coveted players to date. There is of course plenty of time for that to change, and movement elsewhere on the trade front could lead to an increase in efforts to swing a deal with the Jets before the deadline.
One player who could be on the move relatively soon, by contrast, is Allen Lazard. Per Jones, New York “wouldn’t mind” moving on from the veteran. Lazard – who was seen as a trade or release candidate this offseason before accepting a pay cut to stay in place – has made just six catches in five games. A large return via trade should not be expected as a result, but the Steelers are known to still be on the lookout for a wideout addition. Dealing Lazard to Pittsburgh would allow him to (once again) reunite with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
2025 marks the first season of the Jets’ new regime. Glenn and rookie general manager Darren Mougey will have a number of key decisions to make over the next two weeks, and their actions over that span will be worth monitoring.
No Dolphins Firings Imminent; Tua Tagovailoa To Remain Starting QB
After their lopsided Week 7 loss, the Dolphins were once again the focus of speculation about major changes taking place. For now, though, the status quo remains.
No changes on the coaching staff or in the front office are currently expected, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Head coach Mike McDaniel‘s job security has been a talking point all season, but on multiple occasions he has been viewed as being safe from a firing. The same holds true for general manager Chris Grier despite Miami’s 1-6 record and continued regression dating back to last season.
As improvement is sought out throughout the organization, changes on the depth chart will be something to watch for. McDaniel said yesterday that “everything is on the table” in that regard, which led to questions about even a move as noteworthy as benching Tua Tagovailoa taking place. At least for now, that will not be the case. McDaniel later confirmed Tagovailoa will remain atop the depth chart.
That comes as little surprise given the Dolphins’ investment in this case. Tagovailoa is under contract through 2028, and he is already owed $54MM in guarantees for next year. The 27-year-old’s best seasons have come under McDaniel, but even without any injury concerns he has not been able to consistently perform at a high level in 2025. Tagovailoa has thrown at least one interception in five of his seven games this year, and limiting turnovers will be key if the Dolphins are to rebound in the second half of the campaign.
McDaniel added (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) he and Tagovailoa engaged in “direct communication” about Sunday’s loss to the Browns yesterday while breaking down film together. He added that is a process which has already been repeated on multiple occasions in 2025. Needless to say, things have not gone according to plan in terms of performance at the quarterback spot this season, leading to speculation about a potential change in the depth chart.
As for the backup gig, seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers saw time late in Week 7 after he overtook Zach Wilson for the QB2 role days earlier. McDaniel said (via Louis-Jacques) an open competition will take place this week for the backup spot, adding he hopes that will not become a regular occurrence. Wilson was traded by the Jets to the Broncos last spring; after not seeing any playing time in Denver, the former No. 2 pick returned to the AFC East in free agency by signing with Miami.
Neither Ewers nor Wilson will be expected to play in Week 8 barring any injuries on Tagovailoa’s part. In any case, the quarterback position will be one to watch closely as McDaniel and Co. continue their efforts to avoid a continuation of the Dolphins’ unwanted start to the campaign.
Saints C Erik McCoy Suffers Biceps Tear
OCTOBER 21: McCoy and Kendre Miller are now on IR, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Miller suffered an ACL tear in a rather damaging game for the Saints’ offense.
OCTOBER 20: The Saints’ offensive line will be shorthanded for the remainder of the season. Center Erik McCoy suffered a biceps tear yesterday, and will miss the rest of the campaign as a result. 
McCoy exited Sunday’s game, and head coach Kellen Moore stated his “concern” about the possibility of a major recovery timeline being needed (h/t ESPN’s Katherine Terrell). The ailment is indeed season-ending, as first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. This marks another campaign brought to an abrupt end in McCoy’s case.
The two-time Pro Bowler managed to avoid major injuries during his first five years in the NFL. In 2024, however, McCoy found himself in and out of the lineup as a result of a groin injury suffered early in the campaign. That year, he was limited to just seven contests. That figure will wind up being duplicated in 2025, and as such New Orleans’ offensive line will be notably shorthanded.
McCoy was one of several veterans whose deals were (as usual) restructured this past offseason. The 28-year-old is under contract through 2027, with roster bonuses due in March for each of the next two league years. How the Saints proceed with him will depend in part on the success of McCoy’s recovery efforts. For now, the 1-6 team will look to find a suitable setup along the O-line with quarterback Spencer Rattler continuing in his first full season as a starter.
The Saints have made several investments at the offensive tackle spots during recent drafts. Doing so has not been necessary at center for several years, though, given McCoy’s status as a full-time starter since arriving in 2019. Right guard Cesar Ruiz has seen time at center in the past, and shifting him to that spot is a move which will no doubt receive consideration to close out the campaign.
New Orleans ranks near the bottom of the league in several offensive categories this year. Rattler has flashed potential at times, but losing McCoy will hinder the Saints as the they look to continue developing over the final weeks of the season.
Ravens Host Carl Lawson, Efe Obada
As the Ravens prepare for the post-bye portion of their schedule, they find themselves on the lookout for depth additions along the edge. A number of free agents are receiving a look. 
Among the veterans Baltimore is interested in is Carl Lawson. The former Bengal, Jet and Cowboy recently took part in a workout, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes. Lawson has 89 regular season appearances to his name, including 15 with Dallas last season. After seeing his contract expire in the spring, the 30-year-old was not linked to any interested teams through training camp or the first month-plus of the campaign.
Another veteran edge rusher on the Ravens’ radar is Efe Obada. He is among the players being hosted today, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Obada has played 80 games split between the Panthers, Bill and Commanders; he posted between four and 5.5 sacks each year from 2020-22. Like Lawson, the 33-year-old would be expected to take on a rotational role in the event he signed with the Ravens.
No area of Baltimore’s defense has lived up to expectations so far in 2025, and the unit’s struggles have contributed to a 1-5 record. In particular, a lack of pass rush production has been a sore spot. The Ravens have recorded just eight sacks this season, the fewest in the NFL. Improving in that regard will be critical if the season is to be salvaged over the coming weeks.
Baltimore traded away Odafe Oweh recently after it became known no extension would be worked out with the former first-rounder. More recently, Tavius Robinson has suffered a broken foot; he will be sidelined for an extended period as a result. With the team short on healthy options along the edge, it comes as little surprise the Ravens are looking into available free agents.
Also included in Baltimore’s recent batch of workouts is linebacker Jesse Luketa, per Zrebiec. The 26-year-old Canadian was drafted by the Cardinals in 2022, and he made 31 appearances across three seasons. Luketa has a track record of heavy usage on special teams and he posted a career-high three sacks last season. It will be interesting to see if he or any of the other defenders being auditioned land a deal in the near future. Baltimore currently has $14.65MM in cap space.
Mutual Extension Interest Between Cowboys, WR George Pickens?
OCTOBER 21: During his latest appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones confirmed (via Machota) the Cowboys have had conversations about a Pickens extension. It will be interesting to see if a deal is worked out before the end of the campaign of if the parties elect to wait until the spring to engage in serious contract talks.
OCTOBER 20: After George Pickens was traded from the Steelers to the Cowboys, no extension was worked out. The pending free agent wideout said in May he was focused on his performance in 2025, knowing a strong showing would boost his market value this spring. 
So far, things have certainly gone well in Pickens’ debut Dallas campaign. The 24-year-old has racked up 607 yards and is tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions with six through seven games. Part of that production can be attributed to CeeDee Lamb‘s absence, but with both of the Cowboys’ top receivers now back in the fold it will be interesting to see if Pickens can continue his strong start.
The former second-rounder said in August he would be open to the idea of remaining in Dallas past 2025. A decision on that front will of course depend largely on how the rest of the season plays out, but Pickens has enjoyed his time with the team to date. As a result, his latest comments on the matter confirm an extension (or at least a re-signing prior to the start of free agency) could be in store.
“I wouldn’t mind it,” Pickens said when asked about the possibility of re-upping with the Cowboys (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “The guys in the locker room are super cool, the energy is great. I always want to showcase my talents.”
On-field production is of course only one factor to consider in this instance in particular. The Steelers elected to move on from Pickens following the 2024 campaign due in no small part to concerns over his attitude and professionalism. Indeed, a small market was in store on the trade market despite the Georgia product’s substantial upside. Pickens already has one 1,000-yard campaign to his name and he is well on his way to another in 2025.
“He is doing more than we did expect or that we could have expected,” owner Jerry Jones said when speaking about Pickens and the possibility of a new deal in his case. “What’s really special is he’s a real plus to have around the team. He’s a real plus around his teammates, he’s a great plus around those coaches… We knew full well that if things really went like we want them to go that certainly we need to think about having some [salary cap] room available if we’re going to pay a second receiver at that level.”
Lamb is attached to a $34MM-per-year deal signed last summer, tying him to the Cowboys for the long term. Making another major receiver investment by retaining Pickens would have major cap implications, although of course the Micah Parsons trade created financial flexibility for future contracts. Earlier this month, Jones stated a willingness to keep Pickens in the fold. If that sentiment – which looks to be mutual – holds through the coming months, a long-term arrangement could be worked out.
49ers’ Bryce Huff, Jake Brendel To Miss Time
Week 7 saw the 49ers improve to 5-2 on the year. The team is now dealing with even more injuries, though, and San Francisco’s edge rush group has been dealt another blow. 
Defensive end Bryce Huff has a hamstring injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). An absence of multiple weeks is expected as a result. Starting center Jake Brendel finds himself in the same situation as Huff.
Matt Hennessey filled in at center to close out Sunday’s contest, and he could continue in that role moving forward while Brendel recovers. The interior of San Francisco’s offensive line could manage in that instance, but the team’s depth along the edge is now even more of a concern. Nick Bosa is out for the remainder of the season due to an ACL tear, something which has led many to expect a 49ers pass rush trade acquisition in the near future.
With Bosa sidelined, Huff has taken on an increased role. The former UDFA recorded one sack against the Falcons on Sunday, bringing his season total to four. After last year’s trade to the Eagles did not go as planned, Huff has managed to find success upon reuniting with 49ers defensive coordinator (and former Jets head coach) Robert Saleh. Having him unavailable for any period will be detrimental as a result. Shanahan added (via Wagoner’s colleague Adam Schefter) he hopes Huff does not miss more than two weeks.
General manager John Lynch has publicly confirmed the 49ers’ interest in making a trade to help compensate for Bosa’s absence along the edge, with 2024 sack leader Trey Hendrickson a name to watch on that front. More recently, however, he has suggested San Francisco could avoid costly acquisitions with not only Bosa but also All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner sidelined. It will be interesting to see how the team operates with two weeks remaining before the trade deadline given Huff’s status.
Tarron Jackson was moved to injured reserve in July after suffering a neck injury during practice. That move ended his campaign before it started, so instead of serving in a depth role behind Bosa and Huff he is on the mend as well. With a thin depth chart still in place along the edge, the 49ers will look to at least remain one of the NFC’s top teams until Huff is back in the fold.