Vikings Receiving Trade Calls On WR Jalen Reagor
The Vikings traded for Jalen Reagor almost exactly one year ago, but he could be on the move again soon. Minnesota has fielded calls on the availability of the former first-round receiver, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
Reagor was one of six wideouts to hear his name called on Day 1 of the 2020 draft, but his NFL tenure has not gone as well as some of his classmates. He saw a healthy 67% snap share in each of his two seasons with the Eagles, collecting 695 yards on 64 receptions over that span. He also served as Philadelphia’s punt returner in 2021, but his struggles in that capacity left him on the trade block last offseason.
The 24-year-old was dealt to the Vikings during roster cutdowns, which provided him a fresh start and allowed the Eagles to move forward with their new 1-2 punch at the position in the form of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Reagor played all 17 games in Minnesota, but he was buried on the depth chart and logged only 82 snaps on offense. As a result, his statline (eight catches, 104 yards, one touchdown) left plenty to be desired.
With his fifth-year option understandably having been declined, Reagor is entering the final season of his rookie pact in 2023. A strong showing proving that he can translate his success as a deep threat at TCU would help his free agent stock considerably, and potentially price him out of Minnesota. The Vikings have extensions for Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson to attend to amongst their pass-catchers, so recouping draft capital for Reagor at this time of year or closer to the trade deadline would come as little surprise.
Given his struggles to produce either as a receiver or a returner, a tepid market is likely in place for teams looking to acquire Reagor on what could be a one-year rental. His age and draft stock could help him land an expanded role in another new environment, though, so it will be worth watching how the Vikings proceed in the coming hours as teams sort out their final roster cuts.
Dolphins To Release RB Myles Gaskin
The Dolphins have been connected to a number of running back additions this offseason, but they are beginning the deadline for roster cutdowns with a subtraction at the position. Myles Gaskin is being released, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
Miami has been pegged as a landing spot for a number of high-profile backs in recent months, but the team retained its backfield options during free agency. That process included re-signing Gaskin on a veteran minimum deal in March. The pact included no guaranteed money, so his roster security was a talking point through training camp and the preseason. The Dolphins will save just over $975K in cap space with this move.
Gaskin joined the Dolphins as a seventh-round pick in 2019. He saw limited action as a rookie, but took on a much larger role the following year with 183 total touches. His production in the passing game (388 receiving yards) led to increased expectations for future seasons, but that has not materialized as hoped. The 26-year-old averaged just 3.5 yards per carry while working as the starter for much of 2021, and that figure fell to 2.6 in limited action last year.
If Gaskin has made the Dolphins’ 53-man roster, he thus would have done so in a depth capacity behind the likes of Jeff Wilson, Raheem Mostert and third-round rookie Devon Achane. Salvon Ahmed, like Gaskin, has frequently been mentioned as a trade or cut candidate during the offseason. Today’s news could help his chances of remaining with the team, although it would be somewhat surprising if the Dolphins elected to keep four running backs on the active roster to start the season.
The Dolphins did not work out a trade or free agent deal for Dalvin Cook, but they are the suitor most frequently mentioned as a destination for Jonathan Taylor if the Colts elect to trade the former rushing champion. Nothing is imminent on that front as talks continue, but for now Miami’s backfield situation is a bit clearer.
Titans CB Caleb Farley To Begin Season On PUP List
The Titans will be without Caleb Farley to begin the season. The 24-year-old corner is headed to the reserve/PUP list, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
Farley is dealing with a back injury, along with the recent death of his father. His attention will thus be focused outside of football for the time being. By beginning the campaign on the PUP list, he will be sidelined for at least four weeks. The move will leave Tennessee shorthanded at corner in a year where they will rely heavily on their young options at the position.
A 2021 first-rounder, Farley has battled injuries at both the college and NFL levels. His Titans tenure has been limited to just 12 contests so far, and his record of missed time will now continue into 2023. The Virginia Tech product has a pair of interceptions to his name, but his struggles in coverage have led to poor PFF evaluations in both of his Nashville campaigns.
Tennessee signed Sean Murphy-Bunting in free agency to a one-year, $3.5MM deal. That contract could prove to be a bargain if the former Buccaneer can deliver a productive season. Murphy-Bunting will be pegged for a starting role on the outside, as will 2020 second-rounder Kristian Fulton. The Titans also have Roger McCreary and Elijah Molden, another pair of recent Day 2 selections, in place to log a signficant defensive workload.
Upon his return, Farley will aim to carve out a more signficant role than the one he has received to date in his NFL career. He has logged 163 snaps on defense, and saw only a moderate workload on special teams last year. With a decision on his fifth-year option needing to be made at the end of the 2023 season, plenty is at stake for him this year. His debut this will be delayed, though, adding to the urgency he will have when he receives a clean bill of health.
Chargers To Trade K Dustin Hopkins To Browns; Cade York Waived
One day after kicker Cade York received his least-glowing endorsement yet from the Browns, Cleveland is adding a veteran kicker. Dustin Hopkins has been acquired from the Chargers via trade, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that Los Angeles will acquire a 2025 seventh-round pick as part of the deal. In a corresponding move, York has been cut, as first reported by the Score’s Jordan Schultz. 
[RELATED: Browns Acquire RB Pierre Strong From Patriots]
The news means Cameron Dicker has won the Chargers’ kicking competition, making Hopkins expendable. The latter will now head to Cleveland where he will provide a much more experienced option at the position compared to York. The Browns’ fourth-rounder from one year ago has struggled throughout the preseason, leading to speculation a move of some kind would need to be made.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski had publicly exuded confidence in York for much of this offseason, but the latter declined to confirm he would be the team’s Week 1 kicker yesterday. Now, his fate has been learned as a rough summer will result in him needing to find a fresh start to continue his NFL career, something which will be complicated by the flurry of moves made around the league this week.
York, 22, converted on 75% of his field goal tries and all but two of his extra points during his rookie season. His training camp and preseason performances represented a step back from those figures, though, and the team has decided to move on. Hopkins, by contrast, will have an immediate opportunity to hold down the kicking gig in a new home despite losing the Chargers’ competition.
The 32-year-old spent six-plus years in Washington before surprisingly being released. That led him to the Chargers, with whom he made 16 total appearances across two seasons. Hopkins – who missed time last year while dealing with a hamstring injury – went 27-for-30 on field goals and 42-for-44 on extra points during his time in Los Angeles. If he can duplicate that success in Cleveland, he will represent an upgrade over York, whose future with the Browns or another team will be worth watching.
Texans To Release LB Christian Kirksey, CB Desmond King, TE Nick Vannett
7:50pm: Nick Vannett joined King and Kirksey in not making the Texans’ 53-man roster, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The Texans signed the veteran in early August. Teams frequently release veterans on the bubble to protect younger players from reaching the waiver wire. Vested vets’ contracts becoming guaranteed just before Week 1 also factors into cuts at this time of the year, but as of now, Houston will be without this experienced trio.
3:45pm: Wilson reports that another notable veteran has received his walking papers from Houston in the form of cornerback Desmond King. The 28-year-old, like Kirksey, spent the past two years with the Texans. King started 25 games with the team, collecting five interceptions and 14 pass deflections, making him a name to watch with respect to potential interest from other teams in need of secondary depth. His release will yield $3MM in cap savings.
2:52pm: Another veteran has found themselves on the outside of roster-building decisions. The Texans are releasing linebacker Christian Kirksey, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
The soon-to-be 31-year-old had been in Houston over the past two years. Kirksey signed a one-year deal to join the Texans in 2021, then a two-year pact the following offseason. He was due to carry a cap hit of $6.25MM this year, but by parting ways with him the Texans will save all but $1MM of that amount.
Kirksey proved himself to be a capable starter during his time with the Browns and Packers before heading to Houston. He played 789 snaps in 2021, then a career-high 1,141 last season while collecting over 100 tackles for the third time in his NFL tenure. The former third-rounder operated as one of the team’s captains as one of the few veterans entrenched within an otherwise young roster. It will be interesting to see how willing the Texans are to bring him back at a reduced rate, or if they will proceed with their other LB options.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes that free agent addition Denzel Perryman eclipsed Kirksey (who had been dealing with a hamstring injury for much of the offseason) on the depth chart, making today’s move an easier one to go through with given its financial benefits. Houston also has Cory Littleton in place as a veteran, and the team has drafted an Alabama ‘backer (Christian Harris and Henry To’oTo’o) in each of the past two years. That new corps at the second level will aim to deliver an improvement on defense this season under new head coach DeMeco Ryans.
In addition to Kirksey, offensive lineman Rashaad Coward is among the Texans’ Monday cuts, Wilson adds. Coward has logged 18 starts across 38 regular season games with the Bears, Steelers and Cardinals. He signed in Houston earlier this month amidst the team’s injury concerns up front, especially at right tackle. The Texans swung a deal with Arizona for Josh Jones last week, though. Coward will now head to another new home via waivers if claimed, or he can remain with Houston if the team elects to place him on the practice squad.
Colts, Dolphins Continue Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks
7:09pm: Although this reported deadline looms in less than 24 hours, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes this should be considered a loose deadline. The actual trade deadline is Oct. 31. It would certainly be interesting to see how the Colts play this if they do not unload Taylor by Tuesday afternoon, but Jackson and ESPN’s Adam Schefter note the AFC South team is operating methodically here. The Colts are not believed to be close to a trade.
12:10pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com said on the Pat McAfee Show that he expects a Taylor trade to be consummated (video link). He echoes Holder’s report that there is at least one other team in the mix, though he cannot say for sure what team it is. Meanwhile, Outkick’s Armando Salguero reports (via Jackson) that no team has of yet been willing to offer a first-round pick for Taylor.
10:06am: Plenty of attention is aimed at roster cuts during this time of year, but the Jonathan Taylor situation remains a key talking point as well. The former rushing champion’s status as a member of the Colts is still in doubt ahead of the team-imposed deadline for a trade to be worked out. 
Indianapolis granted Taylor permission to seek out a trade partner one week ago, marking the latest point in his fractured relationship with the team which drafted him in 2020. Taylor has long been seeking a fresh start, but the Colts will understandably demand a high price to seriously consider a deal. They are believed to be seeking either a first-round pick or a package similar to what the 49ers paid for Christian McCaffrey last year.
The team most closely connected to a Taylor deal so far has been the Dolphins. Miami and Indianapolis have already engaged in trade talks, and ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes that they continue to do so at this point. This situation could, as he adds, come right down to tomorrow afternoon’s deadline for 53-man rosters to be finalized. The Dolphins are not alone in their pursuit of the 24-year-old, however.
Holder notes that a second team is in trade talks on Taylor, which could certainly boost the Colts’ chances of seeing their asking price met. Multiple teams have long been thought to be willing to at least entertain trade negotiations, including the Bears and Broncos. It remains to be seen if those clubs have submitted an offer, but it comes as little surprise that the Dolphins appear to be a serious suitor.
Miami has been connected to numerous high-profile backs this offseason, including, most notably, Dalvin Cook. The Dolphins were close to working out a trade which would have sent the ex-Viking to his hometown team, but he instead wound up signing with the Jets. Like Cook, Taylor would comfortably move to the top of the team’s RB depth chart if acquired; they currently roster returnees Jeff Wilson, Raheem Mostert, Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed, along with third-round rookie Devon Achane.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins have already proposed multiple trade packages with the Colts on a potential Taylor deal. None of them have produced an agreement as of yet, perhaps due to the upside on Indianapolis’ part of stoking a bidding war between multiple interested parties. In any event, this storyline will remain one to watch closely over at least the next several hours.
Dolphins Begin Roster Trimming, Cut 14
Monday saw the Dolphins take a signficant step toward reaching 53 players on the active roster in time for tomorrow’s deadline. Here are the team’s latest round of cuts, including three players who were released and 11 who were waived:
- T Geron Christian
- WR Keke Coutee
- LB Alexander Johnson
- LB Mitchell Agude
- QB James Blackman
- DT Josiah Bronson
- DE Randy Charlton
- WR Chris Coleman
- LB Aubrey Miller
- LB Garrett Nelson
- S Keidron Smith
- T James Tunstall
- DT Jaylen Twyman
- DT Jamal Woods
Coutee attempted to land a depth spot with the Saints this offseason, but his release put an end to that endeavor. He was quickly signed by the Dolphins, but he will remain with the team only via the practice squad ahead of Week 1. Johnson, like Woods, was signed very recently in depth moves which gave each player an opportunity to earn a roster spot at the conclusion of the preseason. In both of their cases, that has not happened.
Commanders Release 12, Place OL Braeden Daniels On IR
With roster cuts in full swing, the Commanders are among the teams to unveil their latest list of players who will not be on their initial 53-man roster. The team announced the release of the following 12 players:
- WR Zion Bowens
- LB Milo Eifler
- CB DaMarcus Fields
- LB Ferrod Gardner
- S Joshua Kalu
- WR Marcus Kemp
- DT Isaiah Mack
- DT Anthony Montalvo
- T/G Aaron Montiero
- RB Jaret Patterson
- DE Joshua Pryor
- CB DJ Stirgus
Kalu and Kemp have the most NFL experience amongst the group. The former has made 44 appearances since 2020, all with the Titans. After primarily playing on special teams, the 28-year-old saw a signficant jump in playing time last season with a 44% defensive snap share. Kalu signed with the Commanders earlier this month, but he will now have the chance to find another opportunity as a depth option in the secondary.
Kemp, meanwhile, is a veteran of the Chiefs over most of the past five years. He has been used sparingly on offense, but the defending champions relied on him early and often with respect to special teams contributions. The Commanders have a well-established pecking order amongst their pass-catchers on offense, but Kemp would have provided a known commodity in the third phase if retained. He still could do so, of course, if he winds up being retained via the practice squad.
Patterson has played in 20 games in Washington since joining the team as a UDFA. He saw more opportunities as a rookie in 2021 than he did last year, but the Buffalo alum still showcased an ability to contribute on offense and special teams. The 23-year-old operated briefly as a kicker returner in 2022, and with the top of the RB depth chart accounted for in Washington, that may represent a path to playing time moving forward if Patterson is to remain in the nation’s capital.
In addition to the above cuts, the Commanders placed fourth-round rookie Braeden Daniels on IR, meaning he will be sidelined for the entire campaign. Daniels suffered a torn rotator cuff in the team’s preseason finale, reports ESPN’s John Keim.
Buccaneers To Release QB John Wolford
Not long after sorting out the top of their quarterback depth chart, the Buccaneers are moving on from the third member of their crop at the position. The team is releasing John Wolford, as noted by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. 
Tampa Bay held a competition between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask for much of the offseason, with the former ultimately winning out. Each member of the pair has received praise for their performances in training camp and the preseason, though, and no other roster spots will be deemed necessary at the position. Stroud adds that the Bucs will be interested, however, in bringing in a signal-caller on their practice squad.
Wolford’s opportunity to earn a spot in Tampa Bay came to an abrupt end during the team’s second preseason contest when he suffered a neck injury. While the ailment was likely not a factor in the Buccaneers’ decision to commit to Mayfield and Trask, it could have an effect on the interest shown in Wolford by other interested teams around the league.
The 27-year-old spent the first three years of his career with the Rams, serving as a depth option across that span. He made three of his four career starts last season, though, and did enough in that audition period to draw interest from Tampa Bay in free agency. Wolford signed for the veteran minimum, so his roster security was always going to be in doubt as roster cutdowns commenced.
Now, the Wake Forest product will likely seek out a backup opportunity with a new team, or at least a third-string role amongst the squads committed to carrying three QBs on their active roster. Tampa Bay could retain him via the practice squad but if the team decides against that, they will be in the market for another depth option at the position.
Also amongst the players the Bucs are cutting loose is edge rusher Jose Ramirez, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That move is notable, since the Eastern Michigan product is a sixth-round rookie. Teams will have the option to claim him off waivers, but if he clears, he will presumably find a spot on the team’s taxi squad.
Lions QB Nate Sudfeld Suffers Torn ACL; Team Waives Adrian Martinez
2:30pm: While Sudfeld will wind up being released or placed on IR, fellow depth quarterback Adrian Martinez has likewise missed the cut. The latter is being waived, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Given the fact that Hooker will begin the season on the NFI list, the news means only Goff and Bridgewater will be in place on the Week 1 roster, barring an addition. Birkett notes that Martinez could be a practice squad candidate if he clears waivers.
9:16am: The Lions’ quarterback depth has suffered a blow before the start of the season. Nate Sudfeld suffered a torn ACL during Detroit’s preseason finale, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Sudfeld will miss the 2023 campaign as a result. 
The 29-year-old has bounced around the NFC in his career, seeing his first game action with the Eagles. He made four appearances during his time in Philadelphia, followed by a brief spell with the 49ers. Sudfeld was among San Francisco’s final roster cuts last offseason, but he did not need to wait long to find a new home in Detroit ahead of the campaign.
Sudfeld took part in two games in his first Lions season, and he was retained in free agency as the team explored its options under center. The position has seen a pair of notable additions made since then, including the decision to select Hendon Hooker in the third round of the draft and the signing of Teddy Bridgewater earlier this month.
Hooker is recovering from his own ACL tear, and it remains to be seen how involved he will be in his rookie season. The Tennessee alum will be activated as soon as he is cleared for full football activities, though, and his shared presence with Bridgewater behind starter Jared Goff will leave the Lions with three signal-callers they are confident in. Sudfeld was recently named as a player on the Lions’ roster bubble in advance of this week’s cutdowns.
Head coach Dan Campbell declined to confirm if Sudfeld has indeed torn his ACL, adding that the former sixth-rounder is seeking a second opinion. In any case, he is facing an extended absence and his tenure in the Motor City is in serious jeopardy. The Lions still have three passers assured of making the final roster, but Sudfeld’s absence will be a notable one after serving as their backup last year.
“That’s tough, because Nate’s given us everything he’s had,” Campbell added, via Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons. “He came in last year and brought something to us. Somebody we were very comfortable with, enough to sign him back. So I hate that, if that’s the way it goes here.”