Lamar Jackson Out For Week 8; Ravens To Start Tyler Huntley
2:46pm: Part of the story of Jackson’s downgrade came as Baltimore changed the reporting of his practice participation from yesterday, changing the original “full practice” reporting to “limited practice.” Per Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, the reason for the change was that Jackson only took scout team snaps at practice yesterday, getting no reps with the usual starters. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports provided the snippet from the NFL’s injury policy, which says, “participation on the scout team, no matter how extensive, by a player whose normal repetitions would be with the starters but for his medical condition, would not alter the player’s proper designation as ‘Limited Participation.'”
The NFL’s Management Council regularly investigates injury report disputes to ensure compliance with the policy, and though such investigations could take weeks, Baltimore could, at some point, be hit with a fine. Days after the largest sports gambling story in recent history hit the air waves, though, the league might think to make an example of the Ravens, if they find they can prove ill intent.
11:50am: Injured Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will miss Week 8 against the Bears, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Tyler Huntley, signed from the Ravens’ practice squad, will start. Jackson is expected to return in Week 9 in Miami.
While it was reported that Jackson was a full participant in practice on Friday, that was not the case. The Ravens announced that the two-time MVP remained limited with a hamstring injury. He’ll now miss his third straight game, an unwelcome development as Baltimore returns from its bye.
Off to a stunning 1-5 start after entering the season as Super Bowl hopefuls, the Ravens are 0-2 without Jackson. With Jackson unavailable, the Ravens initially turned to ex-Cowboy Cooper Rush as their starter. That couldn’t have gone worse. The Texans and Rams outscored the Ravens 61-13 in a pair of lopsided defeats. While Rush was a capable backup in Dallas, he went 25 for 39 for 251 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions in his first two starts as a Raven.
With Rush struggling mightily, the Ravens pulled him in favor of Huntley in the Rams game. Huntley finished the day 10 of 15 for 68 yards. Unlike Rush, Huntley can hurt defenses with his legs. He added 39 yards on three rushing attempts last week.
Huntley spent the first four years of his career in Baltimore before a regular-season stint with the Dolphins in 2024. He made nine starts for the Ravens from 2021-23. The team went 3-6 in those games, though Huntley’s 2-2 mark while filling in for Jackson in 2022 helped the Ravens earn a playoff berth.
As the Ravens try to keep their fading playoff hopes alive this year, they’ll need a strong performance out of Huntley against the 4-2 Bears. Regardless of whether the Ravens pull off a victory on Sunday, they’ll get Jackson back with a favorable schedule over the next several weeks. They’re set to face five straight sub-.500 opponents after Chicago, including the winless Jets in Week 12.
Brock Purdy Ruled Out For Week 8; Mac Jones To Start
The 49ers will go another week without starting quarterback Brock Purdy, who’s continuing to deal with a toe injury. While Purdy was a limited participant in practice this week, the team has ruled him out for Sunday’s game in Houston. Backup Mac Jones will start again in Purdy’s place.
This will be the fourth missed game in a row for Purdy, who has sat out all but two contests this year. He started a Week 1 win over the Seahawks and a Week 4 loss to the Jaguars. Otherwise, the 49ers have turned to Jones, an offseason free agent acquisition who divided his first four years between New England and Jacksonville.
Jones signed a two-year, $7MM deal with the 49ers after reportedly spurning richer offers on the open market. The deal has worked out swimmingly for both sides in 2025.
Jones’ stock has likely risen as the former first-round pick has helped keep the injury-plagued 49ers firmly in the NFC playoff mix. The team is 5-2 and atop the NFC West, leading fellow five-win clubs in the Rams and Seahawks, and currently the second seed in the conference.
The 49ers have gone 4-1 under Jones, who has experienced his most success since helping the Patriots to a 10-7 mark and a playoff berth as a rookie in 2021. The 27-year-old has completed 67% of passes for 1,404 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. Jones has been playing through knee and oblique injuries, but he was a full participant in practice this week.
Although the Texans are off to a dismal 2-4 start, their defense should pose a significant challenge for Jones and the 49ers’ offense. Houston has given up a meager 14.7 points per game, which ranks first in the NFL. The Texans’ stop unit is also fourth in yards allowed and fifth against the pass.
Bears Place Kyler Gordon, Braxton Jones On IR
The Bears have placed cornerback Kyler Gordon and offensive tackle Braxton Jones on injured reserve, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Both players will miss at least four games.
This represents another major setback for Gordon, a slot standout who missed the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury. Gordon returned to play the Bears’ past two games, a pair of victories in which he logged 81 defensive snaps and six tackles. He’s now dealing with calf and groin issues that will keep him out of the Bears’ lineup until at least Nov. 23.
Gordon’s injury troubles aren’t what he or the Bears had in mind when they shook hands on a three-year, $40MM contract extension in April. Worsening matters for Chicago, the team also has another key corner, Jaylon Johnson, on IR with a groin injury. Johnson has played just one game this year. If he comes back, it won’t be until later in the campaign.
Along with Gordon and Johnson, the Bears will also go without corner Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) in Week 8 against the Ravens. The good news for Chicago, which has won four in a row since an 0-2 start, is that it won’t face injured starting quarterback Lamar Jackson on Sunday. Tyler Huntley will start in Jackson’s place.
After making 40 straight starts in his first three years in the NFL, Jones opened 2025 as the Bears’ top option at left tackle. However, the team benched Jones in favor of Theo Benedet after Week 4, relegating him to an unfamiliar backup role.
While teams had been eyeing Jones as a potential trade chip leading up to the Nov. 4 deadline, his knee injury may put the kibosh on that. The pending free agent should not require a long-term IR stint, though, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports. Second-round rookie Ozzy Trapilo will serve as the Bears’ primary backup at tackle in Jones’ absence.
In addition to placing Gordon and Jones on IR, the Bears made a few other moves Saturday, per Scott Bair of Marquee Sports. The Bears signed defensive lineman Jonathan Ford from their practice squad to the 53-man roster, and they elevated tight end Stephen Carlson and defensive back Dallis Flowers.
Jets DL Quinnen Williams Drawing Interest
OCT. 25: The Jets aren’t “actively shopping” or “entertaining moving” Williams, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. It would take a massive offer for the Jets to change their minds.
OCT. 23: With the Nov. 4 trade deadline nearing, a host of Jets have drawn interest from around the NFL. Add defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the list, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. Teams have been inquiring about Williams’ availability, Hughes reports.
Although the Jets are off to a league-worst 0-7 start, first-year general manager Darren Mougey isn’t going to conduct a fire sale or trade anyone for “pennies,” per Hughes. As one of the Jets’ best players, Williams would surely command a significant haul. The Cowboys would have wanted Williams in a potential Micah Parsons trade with the Jets, but Mougey wouldn’t bite on that.
Now 27 years old, Williams joined the Jets as the third overall pick in the 2019 draft. The former Alabama star has continued to hold his own in the pros, where he has racked up 40 sacks and three Pro Bowl nods. Former GM Joe Douglas awarded Williams a four-year, $96MM extension in July 2023, meaning the Jets aren’t in danger of losing him in the immediate future. He’s on the team’s books through 2027.
Williams has just one sack in seven games this year, but he has still been one of the Jets’ few bright spots. The 303-pounder has already forced three fumbles, and he ranks second among defensive tackles in run stop win rate and 20th in pass rush win rate. Pro Football Focus ranks his overall performance eighth among 124 qualifying D-tackles.
Barring an unexpected trade request from Williams, who has yet to make the playoffs in the NFL, it’s hard to believe the Jets will move him over the next week and a half. Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson is a more realistic trade candidate, but it doesn’t appear he’s going anywhere. Johnson told Rich Cimini of ESPN.com that he “received” clarity on his status from the front office on Thursday.
“I’m definitely wanted here, and I want to stay here,” Johnson said.
After earning a Pro Bowl trip in 2023, Johnson missed all but two games last season as a result of a torn Achilles. That didn’t stop the Jets from picking up the former first-round pick’s fifth-year option for 2026. Johnson has missed another three games this season with an ankle injury. In the four games he has played, Johnson has collected 16 tackles and a sack. He’s set to earn $13.41MM next year, and based on what Johnson said Thursday, it seems the Jets plan to keep him beyond the deadline.
Chargers ‘Desperate’ For RB Upgrade?
Having lost top two options Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris to significant injuries, the Chargers are “desperate” for an upgrade at running back, Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports reports. A deal doesn’t appear imminent, however, as Vacchiano notes there’s more demand than supply leading up to the Nov. 4 trade deadline.
Hampton, the 22nd overall pick in last spring’s draft, was productive over his first five games before suffering an ankle injury in a Week 5 loss to the Commanders. The Chargers quickly placed Hampton on IR, setting him up for at least a four-game absence. He missed his third game on Thursday versus Minnesota and won’t be eligible to return until Week 10 against Pittsburgh.
While Hampton could rejoin the Chargers’ offense this year, Harris is done for 2025 after tearing his Achilles in a Week 3 win over the Broncos. That’s a notable shot to the Chargers’ depth.
With Hampton and Harris out of commission, Kimani Vidal has gotten the lion’s share of the work over the past couple of weeks. The 2024 sixth-round pick helped the Chargers to a Week 6 win in Miami with 124 yards on 18 carries, but he managed just 20 yards on nine attempts in a loss to the Colts last Sunday.
Hassan Haskins acted as the backup to Vidal in the wake of Hampton’s IR placement, but a hamstring injury kept him out of Thursday’s game. The Chargers elevated practice squad RBs Nyheim Hines and Jaret Patterson to add some much-needed depth. Hines missed all of the previous two seasons after tearing his ACL in a jet ski accident, and he hasn’t gotten a carry since 2022. Meanwhile, Patterson entered Thursday with just 85 carries since he entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
Considering the Chargers aren’t content with their in-house options, the Jets’ Breece Hall and the Saints’ Alvin Kamara are among running backs who could be on their radar. As far as RBs go, Hall and Kamara are the “biggest names that have come up in league circles,” Vacchiano writes.
Either Hall or Kamara would give the Chargers a proven starter to fill in for Hampton and a capable complement if he returns. There are roadblocks to a deal in both cases, though. Hall is a pending free agent on a winless team, which makes him a logical trade candidate, but the Jets “don’t seem interested” in dealing him, per Vacchiano. Meanwhile, Kamara has made it known that he doesn’t want to leave New Orleans.
With Hall and Kamara looking like unrealistic targets, the Chargers may have to settle for a less established addition if they succeed in trading for a back. The Browns’ Jerome Ford and the Dolphins’ Jaylen Wright are among backups who have surfaced in trade rumors in recent weeks. They’d be more obtainable than either Hall or Kamara, though it’s unclear if the Chargers are interested.
Texans Interested In Acquiring Running Back
With injured starter Joe Mixon uncertain to play in 2025, the Texans have interest in acquiring a running back before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reports.
Mixon, acquired from the Bengals in March 2024, was one of the Texans’ top offensive weapons during an AFC South-winning campaign last year. He earned his second Pro Bowl nod after rushing for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns on 245 carries over 14 games. Mixon also added 36 catches for 309 yards and another score.
The Texans have taken steps backward during a 2-4 start this season, and they’ve gotten nothing from Mixon. The 29-year-old remains on the reserve/NFI list with a foot/ankle injury. There’s still no word on whether he’ll play this season. Regardless, the Texans could move on from Mixon in the offseason. Although they signed him to a three-year, $27MM extension after trading for him, none of his $8MM base salary for 2026 is guaranteed.
The Texans are months away from deciding Mixon’s future. In the meantime, they’ll look to improve a ground game that ranks a below-average 18th in yards per game (106.2).
Quarterback C.J. Stroud easily leads the team in yards per carry (7.3), though he has only totaled 20 attempts. Running back Nick Chubb has averaged a respectable 4.2 per tote and added two touchdowns on a team-high 63 carries. However, after an injury-riddled last couple of years in Cleveland, Chubb isn’t the workhorse he once was. The 29-year-old hasn’t totaled more than 13 attempts in a game this season. He ran just five times for 16 yards in a loss to the Seahawks in Week 7.
Rookie fourth-rounder Woody Marks joined Chubb in struggling in Seattle. The Seahawks held him to 15 yards on 10 tries, though he did pick up a receiving touchdown. Marks has scored three TDs (one on the ground), but he has posted a meager 3.3 YPC on 46 attempts.
As for other in-house options, Dameon Pierce has fallen out of favor since a 939-yard rushing season as a rookie in 2022. The Texans have made him a healthy inactive four times this year, including in Seattle. He has recorded just 10 carries in 2025, while Dare Ogunbowale and British Brooks have combined for four.
With just under two weeks left until the deadline, no RB has come up in trade rumors more than the Jets’ Breece Hall. The pending free agent ranks 12th in the league in carries (99) and 13th in yards (448). He could be on the Texans’ radar.
As is the case with Hall, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Browns’ Jerome Ford head elsewhere soon. The former Chubb backfield mate has taken on a diminished role this season with the emergence of rookie Quinshon Judkins. It would make sense for the Browns to move Ford for the best offer.
Graziano points to the Dolphins’ Jaylen Wright as another potential deadline acquisition. After rushing for 249 yards on 68 attempts as a rookie in 2024, Wright has played in just one game and hasn’t gotten a carry this year. Wright has fallen behind rookie backup Ollie Gordon on the depth chart, which could lead him out of Miami and perhaps to Houston before the deadline.
Patriots Expected To Search For Edge Help
While it’s up in the air how much activity will take place before the trade deadline, pass rushers and wide receivers are the positions that are the most in demand leading up to Nov. 4, according to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports. At 5-2 and leading the AFC East, the Patriots are among buyers expected to push for an edge rusher, Chad Graff of The Athletic reports.
Led by new head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots have already surpassed the four wins they posted during Jerod Mayo‘s lone season at the helm in 2024. They’ve won four in a row to set themselves up as deadline buyers. With the most cap room in the league (around $55MM), the Patriots are in prime position to make a splash over the next couple of weeks.
The Patriots have been effective at taking down opposing quarterbacks this year, which has helped lead to their successful start. They rank 11th in the league in sacks with 18, but most of those have come from three players – offseason additions Harold Landry (5.5), K’Lavon Chaisson (4.5), and Milton Williams (3.5).
Landry and Chaisson have been among the league’s best edge players when it comes to pass run win rate, per ESPN Analytics. The same is true of Williams and fellow Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore, though the latter hasn’t picked up a sack yet.
While it’s unclear which edge players the Patriots have targeted to join their pass-rushing group, it’s unlikely they or anyone else will pry prized defensive end Trey Hendrickson from the Bengals. Likewise, the Raiders aren’t trading Maxx Crosby.
The division rival Jets (Jermaine Johnson, Will McDonald) and Dolphins (Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and former Patriot Matt Judon) could have edge help for sale, but they may be reluctant to deal with the Patriots. The Saints’ Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson have come up as trade candidates. Meanwhile, the Titans’ Arden Key and Dre’Mont Jones might be part of a pre-deadline fire sale. Key played under Vrabel with the Titans in 2023.
Seahawks CB Riq Woolen ‘Strong Trade Candidate’
With the Nov. 4 trade deadline approaching, a change of scenery could be in store for Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen. Multiple executives believe Woolen is a “strong trade candidate,” according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
“They’ve been wanting to move him for a while,” an executive told Fowler, adding that Woolen isn’t a fit in the Seahawks’ defense under head coach Mike Macdonald.
A fifth-round pick in 2022, Woolen was at his best early in his career under head coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt. Woolen went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and tied for the league lead with six interceptions. He added another two picks in 2023, the last year of the Carroll/Hurtt regime.
While Woolen continued to flash his playmaking skills last year with three INTs under Macdonald and D-coordinator Aden Durde, his production has gone backward this season. Woolen has continued to log significant playing time (he ranks fourth among Seahawks defenders), but he hasn’t registered a pick through six games. Pro Football Focus ranks his performance 101st out of 112 qualifying corners.
Although Woolen may not be an ideal fit for Macdonald’s defense, the Seahawks’ cornerback depth would take a hit in the event of a trade. The team has already gone without two-time Pro Bowl corner Devon Witherspoon in five of seven games (including three in a row) because of injuries, though Macdonald expects him back after a Week 8 bye (via John Boyle of Seahawks.com). A Woolen-less Seattle defense would rely on Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, and Derion Kendrick as its top options at corner.
If a team pries Woolen from the 5-2 Seahawks by the deadline, that club would be acquiring a pure rental. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder is due to reach free agency in the offseason. He’s earning a $5.35MM base salary and carries a $5.44MM cap hit.
The Raiders are unlikely to contend for a playoff spot, but with Carroll as their head coach, they’ve come up as potential Woolen suitors. Unlike the Raiders, the 6-1 Colts and 5-2 Patriots are front-runners for playoff berths. Those two are among teams looking for corners in advance of the deadline. Either could be a fit for Woolen, whose days as a Seahawk may be numbered.
Giants Sign Ray-Ray McCloud To Practice Squad
Just one day after his rocky tenure with the Falcons ended, wide receiver/returner Ray-Ray McCloud has already found a new team. He’s signing with the Giants’ practice squad, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
McCloud entered 2025 off a career year with the Falcons, his first season with the team. He set personal bests across the board with 17 games played, 13 starts, 62 catches, 87 targets, and 686 yards.
McCloud was unable to carry last year’s improved production into this season. He caught just six of 14 targets for 64 yards in the Falcons’ first four games, and his role in the offense decreased after the firing of receivers coach Ike Hilliard on Sept. 22.
Head coach Raheem Morris made McCloud a healthy scratch in Week 6; he then dismissed the slot target from practice on Oct. 17. Two days later, the Falcons scratched McCloud for the second week in a row. They officially cut ties with McCloud when they released him Tuesday.
Morris said the Falcons moved on from McCloud over performance-based concerns, per Ledbetter, but the 29-year-old will try to rebound with his sixth NFL franchise. He’ll reunite with Giants head coach Brian Daboll, McCloud’s first offensive coordinator when he entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Bills in 2018. McCloud caught five passes as a rookie under Daboll. He later spent parts of 2019 and ’20 on the Bills’ practice squad while Daboll was still on their staff.
While McCloud will begin his tenure with the Giants on their practice squad, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him earn an elevation to the active roster sometime soon. The Giants’ receiving corps took a massive hit when they lost No. 1 option Malik Nabers to a season-ending ACL tear in Week 4, and Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton are their only other wideouts with double-digit catches this season. Slayton missed the Giants’ previous two games with a hamstring injury, but he returned to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. It’s unclear if he’ll play Sunday against the Eagles as the Giants go for a season sweep of their division rivals.
Bengals Open To Trading Logan Wilson
While the Bengals are unlikely to trade superstar pass rusher Trey Hendrickson before the Nov. 4 deadline, they could move another longtime defensive linchpin in the next couple of weeks. They’re “open to dealing” linebacker Logan Wilson, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Now in his sixth season, Wilson joined the Bengals as a third-round pick from Wyoming in 2020. After mostly working as a reserve during his rookie campaign, Wilson has started in all 65 of his appearances since his second season.
In his most productive season, 2023, Wilson tallied 135 tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles over 17 games. The Bengals signed him to a four-year, $37.25MM extension prior to that season. He’s under team control through 2027 as a result.
Despite the long-term commitment the Bengals made to Wilson, and despite his past production, the team has reduced his role this season. Wilson has played in all seven of the Bengals’ games and notched 41 tackles, but fourth-round rookie Barrett Carter has begun eating into his playing time under first-year defensive coordinator Al Golden. While Golden coached Wilson and the rest of the Bengals’ linebackers from 2020-21, Lou Anarumo ran the defense during the first five years of his career. Anarumo is now the D-coordinator for the Colts, who are looking for defensive help.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor indicated last week that Carter will continue to get more reps than Wilson, per Ben Baby of ESPN.com, saying: “I just felt he’s shown enough to [have us] continue to work through it. We’re going to see constant improvement every single game.”
With Carter usurping Wilson’s role alongside Demetrius Knight, the Bengals’ other primary linebacker, a deadline trade looks like a realistic possibility. Fowler and colleague Matt Bowen name the Colts as a potential fit, which would enable Wilson to reunite with Anarumo. They also identify the Cowboys, 49ers, and Bills as other teams that could swing a deal for Wilson.
Although the Cowboys boast an elite offense, they’re in dire need of defensive help, whether that’s Wilson or a more splashy acquisition. The 49ers could have interest in Wilson after losing four-time first-team All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner to a season-ending ankle injury. The Bills extended LB Terrel Bernard on a four-year, $50MM pact last March, but the oft-injured Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson aren’t under contract past this season, and third-year man Dorian Williams has struggled in 2025.