Minor NFL Transactions: 9/25/25
Thursday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: RB Michael Carter, DL Anthony Goodlow
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from reserve/suspended list: WR Demarcus Robinson
- Placed on IR: DE Nick Bosa (story)
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: T Amari Kight, DT Brandon Pili
A DUI case resulted in a three-game suspension for Robinson. An early effort was made with respect to an appeal, but as expected the standard length for a ban was issued in this instance. Bosa’s ACL tear has created an open roster spot for Robinson, under contract through 2026, to make his season debut this week.
49ers GM John Lynch: No Pass Rush Trade Imminent
In the wake of Nick Bosa‘s ACL tear, the 49ers have become a team to watch regarding an edge rush addition. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday San Francisco is open to making a move on the trade market, but nothing is imminent at this point. 
“Of course, we’re always looking. Prior to Nick getting hurt — that’s our job, is to look at the market and see who might become available,” general manager John Lynch said during a Thursday appearance on KNBR (via Will Simonds of NBC Sports Bay Area). “We’re not afraid, and we’ve been effective in doing that. This is no different.”
Indeed, the 49ers have not been shy about pulling off midseason moves under Lynch and Shanahan. The Christian McCaffrey deal in 2022 is the most notable of those, but San Francisco has also brought in the likes of Jordan Willis, Charles Omenihu, Chase Young and Randy Gregory over the years. Each of those acquisitions were aimed at adding depth at the defensive end spot.
“I think we’re all aware — finding someone who just goes and does what Nick Bosa does — that’s not very feasible,” Lynch continued. “We’ll see what’s out there at the appropriate time, but right now, we’re going to rely on the guys we have, and we believe in our group.”
Based on those comments, incumbents Mykel Williams, Yetur Gross-Matos and Bryce Huff are in line to continue handling the bulk of the workload along the edge. The 49ers rank third in scoring defense early in the campaign but they have totaled just five sacks across three games. The team’s expected productivity across the remainder of the season in that regard has obviously been dealt a major blow with Bosa out of the picture.
It would thus come as little surprise if another rental move along the edge were to take place. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes it can be safely expected a trade of some kind will be worked out before the deadline. It would be understandable, though, if a brief evaluation period of the team’s in-house options were to take place before Lynch and Co. proceeded with an acquisition.
Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez Expected To Play In Week 4
Christian Gonzalez has missed the first three games of the campaign but New England could receive a major boost on defense Sunday. The team’s top cornerback has continued to make progress in rehabbing his hamstring injury. 
As such, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports Gonzalez is “likely” to make his season debut in Week 4. The 2023 first-rounder was limited to just four games as a rookie but he managed to make 16 appearances last season. Avoiding any further missed time this year would represent a major boost to the Patriots’ defense. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds practice participation will be key in determining if a debut will take place on Sunday.
Gonzalez returned to practice last week after a longer-than-expected period on the sidelines. The 23-year-old declined to confirm whether or not he encountered any setbacks in his rehab process, but it now appears as though he will be available against the Panthers. Per Schultz, Gonzalez was close to returning in Week 3 and has managed to handle an increased workload over the past few days.
Through three weeks, the Patriots rank 29th against the pass with an average of 256 yards allowed through the air per game. The free agent addition of Carlton Davis has provided the team with a new perimeter starter, while Marcus Jones remains in place as a key figure in the slot. Adding Gonzalez to the mix should help New England’s defense take a needed step forward.
The Colorado and Oregon product recorded a pair of interceptions in 2024, adding 11 pass deflections and one touchdown from a fumble recovery. Gonzalez earned second-team All-Pro acclaim, raising expectations for his third year in the NFL. He will be eligible for an extension beginning in January, while a fifth-year option decision will need to be made after the current campaign. It will thus be critical for team and player for Gonzalez to remain healthy moving forward; all parties will hope Sunday produces a return to action without any aggravations of his hamstring or any new injuries.
Texans Release S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
SEPTEMBER 25: Though Gardner-Johnson requested a trade, the Texans made no attempt to move him, according to Ryans (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio). Ryan’s comments indicate that the team wanted to get Gardner-Johnson out of Houston as soon as possible, aligning with the report about the tension he created in the locker room.
SEPTEMBER 24: C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s time in Houston has proven to be short-lived. The veteran safety is being released, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 
2025 has seen Gardner-Johnson serve as a starter for Houston, his fourth career team. The former Saint, Lion and Eagle (on two occasions) enjoyed a highly productive second Philadelphia stint last year. To his surprise, the 27-year-old was traded this offseason in a swap which saw former first-round guard Kenyon Green head the other way.
That move appeared to give Houston another veteran presence in the secondary and add further to a defense which faced high expectations entering 2025. That unit has fared well with an average of just 17 points allowed per game, but the Texans are moving on nonetheless. Jalen Mills was recently brought back into the fold as a depth option at safety, while Jimmie Ward was removed from the commissioner’s exempt list yesterday. In the wake of those developments, Gardner-Johnson is being let go.
Friction with teammates was an issue in this case, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Gardner-Johnson criticized other members of the Houston secondary and was unhappy with his role in the team’s scheme, per Wilson. Without even one month in the books, the decision has been made on the team’s part to move on rather than attempting to salvage the situation. Wilson adds a trade request was issued prior to today’s cut.
Team and player recently agreed to a restructure, with Gardner-Johnson’s base salary for 2025 being reduced to the veteran minimum in exchange for a conversion to a signing bonus. That spread out guaranteed cap charges over several years, an indication this relationship would continue through at least the remainder of the campaign. Instead, Houston will take on a $5.66MM dead money charge for 2025 as a result of this move.
Mills and (when he is healthy) Ward represent options to take on a starting role at the safety spot. Ward has been a key figure when available during his Texans tenure, but an NFL investigation stemming from domestic violence allegations is ongoing and he is currently on the reserve/PUP list while recovering from offseason ankle surgery. In any case, Calen Bullock is set to remain in place as a safety starter moving forward. M.J. Stewart is currently in line to join him as a first-team presence.
Gardner-Johnson is now set to hit free agency. With two six-interception seasons and four campaigns of at least eight pass deflections to his name, the former fourth-rounder is not lacking in production. Today’s move marks the latest example of a team preferring not to keep him in the fold in spite of that, however. As such, it will be interesting to see if a strong market develops over the near future.
Giants To Start QB Jaxson Dart In Week 4
SEPTEMBER 24: As should be expected given Dart’s first-round pedigree, Daboll confirmed (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) the intention is for Dart to start for the rest of the season. Wilson will be the confirmed backup, with Daboll adding (via Dunleavy) he made the call to bench the 14th-year veteran.
The Giants proceeded this way with Daniel Jones after he replaced Eli Manning in Week 3 of the 2019 season, and they made a full-on transition to Manning in Week 11 (in place of Kurt Warner) of the 2004 slate. With Wilson on a one-year contract and the Giants at 0-3, this change will give Dart a long runway to develop in Daboll’s offense.
SEPTEMBER 23: Following another sub-par performance from Russell Wilson in Week 3, questions were again raised about the possibility of a quarterback change being made by the Giants. Head coach Brian Daboll left the door open to Jaxson Dart taking over during his Monday remarks. 
It appears that will indeed be the case. Dart is expected to receive the nod for Week 4, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This will be the first-round rookie’s first start in the regular season and presumably bring about an end to Wilson’s time atop the depth chart moving forward. After starting for three weeks, Wilson will handle backup duties, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network add.
New York sits at 0-3 on the year and a matchup with the 3-0 Chargers is next on the schedule. That led many to predict Wilson would remain atop the depth chart for one more game before what should be a much more manageable contest against the Saints in Week 5. Indeed, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports conversations took place about waiting one more week before making the switch. Instead, Dart will get the nod against Los Angeles.
The Chargers rank fourth in the NFL in points allowed and eighth in total defense. They will thus represent a strong challenge for Dart as he takes on first-team duties on Sunday. Regardless of how things go in that game, though, Daboll and Co. are set to commit to the 22-year-old moving forward. With the Giants’ coaching staff and general manager Joe Schoen widely known to be on the hot seat, the expected move to Dart at some point in the season has been a major talking point in 2025.
Given today’s news, that transition is now set to take place before the first month of the campaign is even in the books. Dart impressed during the spring as well as training camp and the preseason, leading to a report earlier this month that he could ascend to the QB1 role earlier than expected. Nevertheless, it appeared after Week 1 that New York’s preference was to keep Wilson in place as the team’s starter as long as possible.
That stance appeared to be a sound one when Wilson threw for 450 yards during a high-scoring overtime loss to the Cowboys in Week 2. However, the Giants’ Sunday night loss to the Chiefs produced a return to Wilson’s previous form (and that of the offense in general). With improvement sorely needed moving forward, Dart will now take charge.
Wilson – who was added on a one-year deal featuring $10MM guaranteed this spring – has struggled mightily on third down and in the red zone. The Giants rank 31st in the league in both categories (h/t Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer), something which has driven this decision but also represents another illustration of Wilson’s decline. The 36-year-old did not manage to duplicate his Seahawks success during a two-year run in Denver (which saw him benched late in Year 2). 2024 saw the Steelers experiment with Wilson and Justin Fields at the QB spot, but things did not go according to plan.
Fields handled starting duties until Wilson was healthy from a summer calf injury; not everyone in the Steelers’ building agreed with the switch. Head coach Mike Tomlin kept the Super Bowl winner in place through the remainder of the campaign, though, a period which included a four-game losing streak to end the regular season and then a wild-card loss. Wilson’s market was strong enough to include interest from multiple teams, but it came as little surprise he accepted a short-term gig in New York despite the team’s need of a long-term QB investment.
After taking Abdul Carter third overall, the Giants traded back into the first round to select Dart. The USC and Ole Miss alum saw his production increase with each passing campaign, and he drew praise for his athleticism and efficiency in college. On the other hand, questions linger about Dart’s ability to acclimate to the NFL game in a more complex offense. That process will begin very early in his rookie campaign.
Titans HC Brian Callahan Cedes Play-Calling Duties To QBs Coach Bo Hardegree
Having started the year 0-3, the Titans are making a notable change on offense. Head coach Brian Callahan has ceded playing-calling duties.
When speaking to the media on Monday, the second-year head coach made it known he was considering a number of moves, including delegating his role as play-caller. Today, such a change officially took place. Quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree will call plays for the rest of the season.
The news is interesting on a number of fronts, including the fact play-calling responsibilities will now be handled by neither Callahan nor offensive coordinator Nick Holz. The latter does not have experience calling plays, whereas Hardegree does based on his nine-game run as interim OC of the Raiders in 2023. This in-season decision marks a noteworthy call on Callahan’s part given his inability to generate success on offense, something which was expected of him upon being hired.
“I’ve had zero disappointment in my play-calling,” the 41-year-old said of the move (via veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky). “I got hired to be the head coach. Part of that process was being involved on offense, but my job is to be the head coach of the football team and I think that this allows me to do that job a little bit better, pay more attention to some things that might require my attention and be more present.”
When going into further detail about today’s changes, Callahan specified (via Kuharsky) how duties will be divvied up amongst his staff. Holz will remain in charge of the Titans’ base offense, while Hardegree will oversee preparations for third downs. Red zone work will be handled by receivers coach Tyke Tolbert as well as Mike McCoy, while running backs coach Randy Jordan will be heavily involved with the screen game.
After five years with the Bengals as an offensive coordinator who did not call plays, Callahan’s first head coaching opportunity came about in Tennessee. He was tasked with replacing Mike Vrabel and helping develop quarterback Will Levis, a process which did not go as planned. The Titans finished last season 3-14 and used the top pick in April’s draft on Cam Ward. So far, the 23-year-old has posted a passer rating of 71.4 while taking a league-leading 15 sacks.
Overall, the Titans sit just 28th in scoring after checking in at No. 27 in that department last year. Plenty of time remains for Ward to improve and for the team’s showings on offense to do the same as a result. If that is to happen, though, it will not be with Callahan at the helm.
Titans Trade CB Jarvis Brownlee To Jets
Jarvis Brownlee has served as a starter for much of his time in Tennessee, but his tenure there is coming to an end. The second-year corner is being traded from the Titans to the Jets, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal is now official.
Per Schultz, this deal will see late-round picks swapped in 2026. Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds Brownlee and a seventh-rounder in next year’s draft are being exchanged for a sixth-round pick. The Titans will take on a modest dead cap figure ($789K) as part of this agreement. Schultz reports the Patriots also showed interest before the swap was worked out.
[RELATED: Traded 2026 Draft Picks]
Brownlee joined the Titans as a fifth-round pick in 2024, and with the team dealing with injuries in the secondary he took on a large role. Playing in all 17 games, he made 14 starts and logged over 900 defensive snaps. Brownlee started each of Tennessee’s first two games this season before missing Week 3.
This move will leave the Titans without an important figure at the cornerback spot as they look to rebound from a poor start to the year. Tennessee is among the NFL’s 0-3 teams, and earlier today head coach Brian Callahan announced he has ceded offensive play-calling duties. It will be interesting to see how that impacts the team on that side of the ball, but changes will also be in store on defense with Brownlee not in the fold.
The Jets are also 0-3 to begin the campaign. New York’s cornerback room is led by Sauce Gardner – who reset the position’s market with his extension this offseason – along with free agent addition Brandon Stephens and veteran slot man Michael Carter II. Brownlee, who notched one interception and nine pass deflections as a rookie, will look to take on a backup role with his new team. The 24-year-old has struggled in coverage this season compared to his showing in that regard in 2024.
Under contract through 2027, Brownlee represents a low-cost addition for the Jets and one who could remain in place for years to come. It will be interesting to see how large of a workload he handles upon arrival in New York.
Bears CB Jaylon Johnson Could Return During 2025 Season
Early in his season debut in Week 2, Jaylon Johnson suffered a groin injury after missing considerable training camp time with a different one. Shortly after going down, it became clear the Bears’ top corner could miss the remainder of the season.
The door is open to a return late in the campaign, though. Johnson is expected to finalize plans for core muscle surgery this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Head coach Ben Johnson confirmed that is the case (h/t ESPN’s Courtney Cronin) while adding a return late in the campaign could be possible.
Losing Johnson has dealt a major blow to the Bears’ secondary, and he remains on track to miss at least the bulk of Chicago’s remaining schedule. The unit has also been without star nickel Kyler Gordon so far this season due to a hamstring injury. Their replacements – Nahshon Wright on the boundary and Nick McCloud in the slot – have given up four touchdowns and more than 300 yards when targeted in their first three games, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Getting their starting cornerbacks back on the field as soon as possible would be a significant boost to a struggling defense. The Bears sit 28th in points allowed under Dennis Allen and 29th in total defense. Gordon should return to the field well before Johnson, though the Bears may take a cautious approach and hold him out until after their Week 5 bye. Johnson will take much longer, and if the Bears are out of playoff contention when he’s ramping up, the risk of re-injury might not be worth a few appearances at the end of the season.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
Jets Place Quincy Williams On IR, Add Mark Robinson From Patriots’ Practice Squad
The second level of the Jets’ defense will be shorthanded for a notable period. Linebacker Quincy Williams is headed to injured reserve, as first reported by ESPN’s Rich Cimini. The team has since confirmed the news. 
Today’s news ensures Williams will miss at least the next four games. The 29-year-old is dealing with a shoulder injury, and he will be sidelined for a stretch. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Williams is not in danger of missing the remainder of the season but this shift to IR is a sign a lengthy absence is in store.
Williams was not among the Jets who received an extension this offseason, but the 2023 All-Pro had $1.5MM in incentives added to his pact in August. Reaching those targets will now be much more difficult with missed time set to occur. New York will also be without an impact starter for the time being. Since being claimed off waivers in 2021, Williams has served as a full-time starter and remained highly consistent. He is a pending free agent.
The Jets’ linebacking core will also be without Marcelino McCrary-Ball for the time being. The third-year special teams contributor has also been placed on IR. Cimini notes he suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday. McCrary-Ball has only logged 80 career snaps on defense in his career, but his third phase ability will be missed while also leaving New York without another linebacker option.
To help compensate for their losses, the Jets are looking to an AFC East rival for help at the LB position. Mark Robinson has been signed off the Patriots’ practice squad. The 26-year-old was among the Steelers’ final roster cuts in August, ending his three-year run in Pittsburgh. Robinson quickly landed in New England, and he was a gameday elevation for each of the team’s three games this season. The Patriots would have needed to promote the former seventh-rounder to the active roster for at least one week to continue playing him, but that will no longer be possible.
Robinson handled a part-time defensive role in 2023, but since then he has played all-but exclusively on special teams. A third phase workload can be expected with the Jets, especially given the McCrary-Ball injury. It will be interesting to see how the Jets’ defense fares without Williams available, though.
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks
Mike Evans missed time last year due to a hamstring injury. The Buccaneers’ No. 1 receiver is once again in store for a stint on the sidelines for that reason. 
Evans suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday, and testing took place today to determine the extent of the damage. The worst-case scenario has been avoided, but a spell out of the lineup is still on tap. Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report Evans is expected to miss multiple weeks.
Notably, this latest ailment is affecting the opposite hamstring which was injured last season. The 2024 injury led to an absence of three games and nearly cost Evans his streak of 1,000-yards campaigns. Per the NFLN report, the six-time Pro Bowler’s current hamstring injury is less severe than the one he suffered last season. As such, there is optimism a long-term absence will again be avoided.
That would of course be welcomed news for a Buccaneers team which has dealt with numerous key injuries already in 2025. Tampa Bay’s offensive line is far removed from full strength, while the team’s WR room has been without Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan to date. Godwin could be back in the fold as early as Week 4, and with Evans now set to miss that game the Bucs would very much stand to benefit from a return on that front.
Evans has averaged 10 yards per reception so far this season, which represents a career-worst figure. The 32-year-old will break a tie with Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns (12) if he can reach that mark again in 2025. Today’s news will make it more challenging for Evans to do so, however.
The Texas A&M product recently revealed he could retire after the 2025 season. As a pending free agent, his future beyond the current campaign is unclear, and that will be especially true if serious thought is given to hanging up his cleats. For now, Evans’ attention will turn to recovering from his latest short-term ailment.