Jerry Jones Willing To Deal Packers Picks In Right Trade
A loss on Sunday dropped the Cowboys to 2-3-1, although there have been some signs of life. Dallas has collected 178 points through six games, good for third in the NFL. Much of that production has come without offensive star CeeDee Lamb, with the likes of George Pickens, Jake Ferguson, and Javonte Williams stepping up.
On the flip side, the Cowboys are rostering one of the worst defenses in the league, as the team’s 184 points allowed is the second-worst mark in the NFL. Jerry Jones believes his team is close to contention and could patch up the defense with some trade acquisitions. In a bit of an ironic twist, the Cowboys owner also acknowledged that he’d consider dealing some of the assets he acquired when he traded away defensive star Micah Parsons.
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“If we can improve our team and it makes sense for what we give up in the future, all of it’s there,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “We have major, major, major resources that we wouldn’t have had had we not made that trade. … I promise you, yours truly or anybody associated with the Cowboys has got our eyes really opened to ways we can help this defense and certainly don’t want to preclude anything on offense, either.
“There’s nothing untouchable in our resources to help our team. And there’s no way that I’m at a point right now to where I would not do something because of where we are into the season, six games. I would go as early as I would if we were talking three games back.”
The Parsons trade sent shockwaves through the league, and his subtraction from the Cowboys defense is a big reason why that unit is struggling at the moment. Still, there’s no denying that the front office received two worthwhile assets in the trade, with Green Bay sending a pair of first-round picks to Dallas. The Cowboys are minus a 2026 third-round pick that was sent to the Steelers in the Pickens trade, but the team is otherwise armed with all of their early- and mid-round picks.
While it seems unlikely that a defensive player would become available that would warrant a first-round pick, it should still be encouraging for Cowboys fans that their owner is willing to deal from their stockpile of draft selections. The team’s performance over the coming weeks will surely influence the organization’s approach to the trade deadline.
Besides potential acquisitions, the Cowboys are also counting on some returning players to add a spark to their defense. Jones said the return of DeMarvion Overshown could influence how the team approaches the trade deadline, per Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports. The linebacker is still working his way back from a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL suffered towards the end of the 2024 season, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be back to his former form when he returns to the field. After missing his entire rookie campaign, Overshown showed flashes in 2024, finishing with five sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Browns WR David Bell Announces Retirement
David Bell is walking away from football. The Browns wide receiver announced he’s retiring from the NFL, with the fourth-year player citing complications from a recent injury.
“Several months ago, I was blindsided by an off-field injury that was beyond my control, which put my football future in jeopardy,” Bell wrote on social media. “After consulting with medical experts and praying, I accept that continuing to play football would literally risk life and limb. Although it is the last thing I would otherwise want to do, with a heavy heart I am announcing my retirement.”
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the player retired following a surgical complication on an undisclosed injury. The procedure took place during the offseason, and the complication would have made it “life-threatening” for Bell to play football again. This injury wasn’t related to the dislocated hip that ended the receiver’s season in 2024. Bell has been on the non-football injury list since the beginning of training camp.
The former third-round pick spent his entire career in Cleveland, appearing in 32 games. He had his best showing as a rookie in 2022, when he finished with 24 catches for 214 yards. He had 14 catches in 2023 before his standout performance in the Browns’ playoff loss, when he hauled in eight receptions for 54 yards. Bell was limited to three touches in his lone appearance in 2024.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/14/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: NT Josh Tupou
Buffalo Bills
- Released: CB Jalen Kimber
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Eugene Asante, DL Simeon Barrow
- Released: OT Joshua Miles
Denver Broncos
- Signed: G Karsen Barnhart, LB Garrett Nelson
Green Bay Packers
- Released: K Mark McNamee
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: OT Bayron Matos, QB Brett Rypien
- Released: OT Marcellus Johnson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: G McClendon Curtis
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Jaret Patterson
- Released: LB Clelin Ferrell
New England Patriots
- Signed: TE Marshall Lang
- Released: DB Tyron Herring, TE Gee Scott Jr.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: WR Javon Baker, RB Audric Estime
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Isaac Alarcon, DL Robert Beal Jr.
- Released: OL Bruce Hector
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Michael Wiley
- Released: TE Caden Prieskorn
Washington Commanders
- Released: G Tyler Cooper
With Anthony Richardson heading to injured reserve with an eye injury, the Colts are set to add some QB depth in veteran Brett Rypien, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The 29-year-old brings four games of starting experience to Indy, with his most recent start coming with the Rams in 2023. In total, Rypien has completed 58.3 percent of his career passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Riley Leonard will temporarily be the QB2 behind Daniel Jones, but there’s a chance Rypien eventually works his way up to the active roster.
The Chargers moved on from a notable edge defender today in Clelin Ferrell. The former Raiders first-round pick started all 17 games for the 49ers just two years ago, with the edge rusher finishing that campaign with 3.5 sacks and 13 QB hits. He started 10 of his 14 appearances with the Commanders in 2024, adding another 3.5 sacks to his resume. After being among Washington’s final preseason cuts, Ferrell caught on with the Chargers practice squad and ended up getting into one game with the big-league club.
The Eagles moved on from a pair of skill players today. Audric Estime was a fifth-round pick by the Broncos last year, with the running back compiling 337 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 81 touches. He was waived by Denver back in August and landed on Philly’s practice squad. Javon Baker was a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in last year’s draft, but he was limited to a single catch in 11 games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/14/25
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: LB Jimmy Ciarlo
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from practice squad: CB Tre Avery
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: WR Jalen Cropper
New York Jets
- Waived: DL Leonard Taylor
Titans Place LB Oluwafemi Oladejo On IR
Oluwafemi Oladejo‘s leg injury is going to cost him some games. According to Paul Kuharsky, the Titans linebacker is heading to injured reserve. Linebacker Ali Gaye has been signed to the active roster to take his teammate’s place.
Kuharsky adds some context, noting that the rookie suffered a fractured leg during Sunday’s loss. Fortunately, the injury won’t be a season ender, but it will still sideline the linebacker for at least the next month.
Oladejo was selected by the Titans in the second round of this year’s draft following a breakout 2024 campaign at UCLA. The rookie has mostly been deployed as an edge rusher in 2025, and he collected 13 tackles through his first six career games. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been particularly fond of his NFL performance so far, grading him 101st among 110 qualifying edge defenders.
Jihad Ward saw a season-high 51 defensive snaps this past weekend, and he’ll likely play opposite Dre’Mont Jones on the defensive line. The team is also rostering Arden Key, although the veteran missed Week 6 while nursing a quad injury. Sophomore Jaylen Harrell could be in line for more playing time, as well.
Gaye is another option, although the linebacker will likely have to work his way up the depth chart. The former UDFA got into 15 games for the Titans in 2024, finishing with eight tackles and one sack while getting into about 20 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.
Raiders Are “Mildly Concerned” About QB Geno Smith
OCTOBER 12: No substantial discussions have occurred regarding a Smith-for-Pickett quarterback change, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Smith has been a starter for the past four seasons and has not been benched for non-injury-related purposes since his one-off start for Eli Manning in 2017 triggered a Giants regime change.
Conversely, Pickett has been on the backup level since the Steelers did not reinsert the 2022 first-rounder into their lineup late in the 2023 season. Smith enters Week 6 sitting 29th in QBR, with injuries to Bowers and Miller providing a notable effect early in Carroll’s run.
OCTOBER 8: Unsurprisingly, the concerns about Raiders quarterback Geno Smith are starting to mount. Following a two-interception showing that dropped Las Vegas to 1-4, the Raiders are “mildly concerned” about their veteran QB, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The organization understands that their offseason acquisition has to improve his play quickly. However, there isn’t any panic that Smith is a “broken” quarterback, and Graziano doesn’t anticipate a benching at any point during Week 6. Further, there’s some understanding that Smith has had to rely on an underwhelming receivers corps while also dealing with key TE/OL injuries to the likes of Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, and Kolton Miller.
Graziano notes that Smith’s two interceptions from this past weekend weren’t necessarily his fault, including one that followed a missed offsides call against the Colts. On the flip side, scouts told Graziano that Smith seems overly reliant on his arm talent as he (unsuccessfully) throws the ball into tight windows. There’s also a belief that the veteran has been a bit slow with releasing the football.
Smith is currently pacing the NFL with nine interceptions, and the team’s six passing touchdowns ranks towards the bottom of the NFL. The Raiders acquired the veteran from the Seahawks this past offseason and later handed him a two-year, $75MM extension that technically keeps him tied to the franchise through the 2027 season. If Smith is indeed done, the team would be left with a significant cap hit (although there is an easy out after the 2026 campaign). Because of that financial commitment (coupled with his relationship with head coach Pete Carroll), it seems like Smith will be afforded a relatively long leash.
If the Raiders do decide to make a move at quarterback, Kenny Pickett would be the natural pivot. The Raiders snagged the quarterback in a trade with the Browns at the end of the preseason, providing the franchise with a low-cost veteran backup. The former Steelers draft pick did win 14 games in his two seasons as a mostly full-time starter, but ESPN’s Dan Graziano echoes Fowler’s sentiment that Smith would have to completely implode for the Raiders to make a change.
While much of the talk about the Raiders’ offensive struggles has surrounded the players, some of the coaches are also starting to feel the heat. Graziano notes that offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is starting to draw criticism. Some league sources opined that Kelly’s scheme isn’t “creating enough advantages to overcome the Raiders’ personnel deficiencies,” which is also a clear indictment on the organization’s front office.
Browns, Jaguars Swap Greg Newsome, Tyson Campbell
OCTOBER 9: The deal is now official. As part of the agreement, Jacksonville will take on a dead cap charge of $19.5MM in 2026, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports. The Jags are not retaining any of Campbell’s remaining salary, and they will free up nearly $50MM in cap space for the 2027 and ’28 campaigns with Campbell off the books by that point.
OCTOBER 8: The Browns and Jaguars are swapping starting cornerbacks. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns are sending Greg Newsome and the Jets’ 2026 sixth-round pick to the Jaguars for Tyson Campbell and the Eagles’ 2026 7th-round pick.
This is a sudden move involving a pair of defensive backs who were expected to guide their respective teams’ secondaries for years to come. The two players haven’t played up to their usual standards in 2025, so perhaps the organizations are hoping a fresh start can revitalize their respective acquisitions.
Campbell, a 2021 second-round pick, inked a lucrative four-year, $76.50MM extension ($53.40MM guaranteed) with the Jaguars about 15 months ago. The Georgia product looked the part of a star cornerback through his first two NFL seasons. He collected 143 tackles and five interceptions between those campaigns, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the league’s seventh-best CB in 2022.
He’s ranked below league-average in those same metrics in each of the past two-plus seasons. Campbell dealt with various injuries in both 2023 and 2024, missing a combined 11 games. While PFF only ranked him 71st among 106 qualifiers this season, the Jaguars have been especially reliant on him, with the cornerback appearing in 99 percent of his team’s defensive snaps through five games.
Newsome, a 2021 first-round pick, is currently playing on the final season of his rookie contract (via the fifth-year option). The cornerback was one of Cleveland’s defensive standouts through his first three seasons in the NFL, but he was demoted to a backup role in 2024. He ultimately finished last season with 27 tackles and one interception while getting into about 70 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in 13 appearances.
He was back starting alongside Denzel Ward to begin the 2025 campaign. He appeared in 95 percent of his team’s defensive snaps through five starts, collecting 23 stops. PFF currently has him ranked 40th at his position.
From the Browns perspective, the team may be anticipating a sell-off, and Campbell would represent a future piece over the expiring Newsome. With the Jaguars sitting at 4-1, the team is presumably looking to load up for a postseason run, and the front office clearly considers Newsome as an upgrade over Campbell, especially since they’ll be facing a significant dead cap hit after dealing their CB so soon after agreeing to an extension.
Jacksonville’s acquisition could also have an impact on how the team utilizes second-overall pick Travis Hunter. While both Newsome and Campbell have primarily played as outside CBs this season, the newest Jaguar has extensive experience playing in the nickel. That could open up an opportunity for Hunter to line up opposite Jourdan Lewis in the team’s base defense.
Mike McDaniel Still On Hot Seat, Isn’t Seen As Package Deal With Chris Grier
Mike McDaniel has been on the hot seat since the end of the 2024 campaign. While we recently heard that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was willing to be patient with his head coach, it sounds like that patience may quickly be wearing thin. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com, frustrations are mounting following another Dolphins loss, this time to the Panthers on Sunday. The head coach himself admitted after the game that his owner isn’t happy with the team’s performance, and it doesn’t sound like McDaniel has much longer to right the ship.
A source told Pauline that Ross will likely give it two or three more games before pulling the trigger on a firing. That same source indicated before the season that McDaniel may only have a couple of months to fight for his job. It’s uncertain what the coach could exactly do to keep his gig, but it’s assumed that he’ll have to secure at least a couple of wins in upcoming matchups with the Chargers, Browns, and Falcons.
There’s been plenty of speculation surrounding McDaniel’s job security since the end of the 2024 season. While the 42-year-old represents one of the franchise’s most successful hires, the situation also took a turn for the worse in 2024. While the team still managed to finish 8-9, there were plenty of reports about disfunction within the locker room, with sources criticizing the coach’s willingness to let the likes of Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill “walk all over” him. As a result, McDaniel was deemed a candidate to be the first canned coach of the 2025 campaign.
If the Dolphins do eventually move off McDaniel, Pauline says it’s assumed the organization will pursue more of a “disciplinarian” type of head coach, with the source describing a veteran in the “Dan Quinn mold.” Interestingly, one name that’s popped up is former AFC East foe Rex Ryan. The former Jets head coach pushed for that same gig this offseason but wasn’t hired, and he’s remained in his current role as an ESPN analyst.
Ryan would certainly fit the team’s desire for a veteran head coach, although he wouldn’t necessarily fit their desire for a disciplinarian. According to sources, the team would still be receptive to a defensive-minded coach like Ryan, as long as he was paired with a talented offensive coordinator who could maximize Tua Tagovailoa‘s production.
General manager Chris Grier has also found himself on the hot seat, and while Ross gave the executive a vote of confidence following the 2024 season, the public declaration was a clear warning in and of itself. A source told Pauline that there’s no guarantee that McDaniel and Grier are a package deal. In other words, just because the head coach may be sent packing, it doesn’t necessarily mean the GM will be out of a job.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/8/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Nick Muse
- Released: S Patrick McMorris
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Dee Williams
- Placed on IR: CB Ameer Speed
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Arthur Maulet
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Jamin Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Bruce Hector
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S Maxen Hook
- Placed on IR: G Shane Lemieux
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: K Matthew Wright
With starting cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold both sidelined (along with backup Khalil Dorsey), the Lions have brought in some veteran reinforcement at the position. Arthur Maulet brings 85 games of experience to Detroit, although he’s struggled to carve out a starting role throughout his career. The cornerback has mostly served as a depth piece in stops with the Saints, Colts, Jets, Steelers, and Ravens. He spent the past two seasons in Baltimore, where he compiled 42 tackles and a pair of sacks in 17 appearances.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/8/25
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from practice squad: CB Dom Jones
Detroit Lions
- Signed from practice squad: OL Dan Skipper
- Placed on IR: CB Khalil Dorsey
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: RB Cody Schrader
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: RB Kimani Vidal
San Francisco 49ers
- Designed for return from IR: DT Kevin Givens
Khalil Dorsey was recently nursing a wrist injury, and that issue will now sideline him for at least the next four games, as the cornerback landed on injured reserve today. After getting into the first four games of the season for the Lions, Dorsey didn’t see the field for Week 5. The majority of his playing time has come on special teams this season.
Kevin Givens is back at practice after landing on IR before the season even started. The defensive tackle has been working his way back from a pectoral injury that wiped out the first month of his 2025 campaign. According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the defensive lineman will be evaluated throughout the week to determine his availability for Week 6. Givens is coming off a 2024 season where he compiled a career-high 3.5 sacks.