J.J. McCarthy Could Practice This Week; Vikings RT Brian O’Neill Sprains MCL
After missing back-to-back games, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy appears to be making progress in his recovery from a high ankle sprain. The Vikings are hopeful that the second-year man will log some practice time this week, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell.
Early last week, O’Connell emphasized the importance of McCarthy receiving an ample amount of practice work before he regains his role as the team’s starter. Having invested the 10th overall pick in 2024 on McCarthy, who didn’t play at all as a rookie after tearing the meniscus in his right knee during the preseason, the Vikings are taking a careful approach with the former Michigan Wolverine.
Minnesota has gone 1-1 with McCarthy fill-in Carson Wentz, a late-August addition who has amassed 96 starts since the Eagles chose him second overall in the 2016 draft. Now a 32-year-old journeyman, Wentz could remain at the helm for the second leg of the Vikings’ European tour this week. Wentz has completed 44 of 66 passes for 523 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions thus far. He and the Vikings dropped a 24-21 decision to the Steelers in Dublin in Week 4, falling to 2-2 on the season.
The Vikings are now gearing up to take on the 1-3 Browns on Sunday in London on Sunday. If McCarthy isn’t under center, a bye after the Cleveland game could set him up to return for a Week 7 showdown with the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles.
McCarthy, 22, has struggled early on, though. He has connected on 24 of 41 passes for 301 yards, two scores, and three picks. McCarthy looked good during a second-half comeback against the Bears in Week 1, but he didn’t fare well early in the game and turned in a rough showing in a loss to the Falcons in Week 2. With that in mind, if Wentz plays this week, he could make an argument to retain the starting job with an impressive performance against Cleveland.
Regardless of who’s at QB for Minnesota, he won’t have right tackle Brian O’Neill as a protector on Sunday. O’Connell announced that O’Neill is week-to-week with an MCL sprain, though the upper-crust RT will not require surgery or go on IR.
A career-long Viking since entering the league as a second-rounder in 2018, the 30-year-old has picked up 110 starts and two Pro Bowl nods. O’Neill represents a substantial loss for the Vikings, who are also without left guard Donovan Jackson after he underwent wrist surgery last week. Worsening matters, Minnesota saw center Ryan Kelly suffer a concussion in its loss to Pittsburgh, helping the Steelers tee off on Wentz for six sacks.
Ravens Sign Kenyon Green To Practice Squad
Baltimore is adding a former first-round pick to its offensive line mix. The Ravens announced that they have signed Kenyon Green to their practice squad. The team worked out Green last week, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
Green, a former Texas A&M standout, entered the NFL as the 15th overall pick of the Texans in 2022. However, the Texas native was unable to live up to his draft status in his home state.
While Green started 14 games as a rookie, Pro Football Focus gave him a last-place grade among guards who played in 10-plus contests. The 6-foot-4, 323-pounder was unable to improve on that in 2023, instead missing the entire season with a shoulder injury. Green returned to play in 12 games (nine starts) a year ago, but the Texans moved on last offseason.
In a trade that hasn’t worked out for either side, the Texans sent Green and a fifth-rounder in last spring’s draft to the Eagles for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and a sixth-rounder in 2026. Green didn’t play a regular-season game for the Eagles, though he did spend time on their practice squad before they waived him last week. Gardner-Johnson, meanwhile, lasted three games with Houston before the team released him last week.
The 24-year-old Green is now heading to his third pro organization, though he’ll have to work his way up to the active roster. The Ravens have Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele serving as starting guards, while Ben Cleveland is on the roster in a backup role.
Dolphins To Sign WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. Off Saints’ Practice Squad
After losing wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a season-ending knee injury during Monday’s win over the Jets, the Dolphins are bringing back an old friend to help the void. Miami will sign receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. off the Saints’ practice squad, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
This will be the second Dolphins stint for Wilson, who played with the team under head coach Mike McDaniel from 2022-23. Wilson combined for 34 catches, 432 yards, and three touchdowns over 30 games during his previous run in Miami after spending the first three seasons of his career in Dallas.
Wilson joined the Saints on a two-year, $5.75MM deal with $2.85MM in guarantees in 2024; he hauled in 20 passes for 211 yards and a score in 15 games last season. He didn’t make the Saints’ season-opening roster this year, though, instead spending time on their practice squad to open the season.
The 29-year-old will now receive an opportunity to return to game action with a Miami. With Hill down, Jaylen Waddle will be the team’s unquestioned No. 1 receiver. Proven options are hard to find after that, however, with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, D’Wayne Eskridge, Malik Washington, and Tahj Washington perhaps taking on expanded roles.
Even with Wilson not delivering on the three-year, $22.05MM Dolphins deal he signed in 2022, the career-long auxiliary receiver has a greater track record than each of those four at the NFL level. Wilson, whose 602-yard Cowboys showing in 2021 caught the Dolphins’ attention, did not eclipse 300 receiving yards in either of his previous two Miami slates.
Realistically, there’s little chance of the Dolphins adequately replacing Hill from within this year. The eight-time Pro Bowler may never suit up again for the Dolphins, who will be able to get out of his non-guaranteed $29.9MM base salary in the offseason. He was already facing an uncertain future before suffering his gruesome injury, which McDaniel confirmed on Tuesday will end his season (X links via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN and Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network).
It seems Hill avoided nerve damage, but McDaniel revealed “several ligaments including the ACL are part of the dislocation.” A report Tuesday morning indicated Hill’s 2026 season is in doubt, with the future Hall of Famer suffering an ACL tear in addition to the knee dislocation and other ligament tears. This thrusts the all-time speed merchant toward a career crossroads, with an age-32 season coming in 2026. The accomplished wideout had only missed extensive time in one season — the Chiefs’ 2019 campaign — but that will change beginning in Week 5.
Bills Sign P Mitch Wishnowsky, Place P Cameron Johnston On IR
The Bills finished their Week 4 game without their usual kicker and punter. Cameron Johnston joined Tyler Bass as injured specialists in Buffalo, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating the punter would miss time with a leg injury.
As a result, the Bills will add former 49ers staple Mitch Wishnowsky, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Wishnowsky is joining Buffalo’s 53-man roster. Rather than carry two punters on the active roster, Buffalo is placing Johnston on IR, per Schefter. The 33-year-old will now miss at least four games after suffering an injury on a roughing the punter penalty in a win over the Saints last Sunday.
Wishnowsky, also 33, is already the third punter the Bills have employed this season. Interestingly, he joins Johnston as the second Australian the Bills have used at the position this year.
The Bills began 2025 with Brad Robbins as their punter, but they cut him loose after he averaged 39.5 yards per boot (38.0 net) in a win over the Ravens in Week 1. Johnston, a former Eagle, Texan, and Steeler, averaged 44.0 yards with a nearly identical 37.9 net in two games before landing on IR.
A 49er from 2019-24, Wishnowsky carries a career average of 45.6 yards per punt and 40.7 net. He played in just nine games last year before going on IR with a season-ending back injury in mid-November. Wishnowsky began this season on the Commanders’ practice squad, but they released him on Sept. 13. He’ll now get an opportunity to give the undefeated Bills something they haven’t found in 2025 — a solution at punter.
Giants Didn’t Consider QB In Round 2
The Giants did well for themselves in this year’s draft, but they did not select a quarterback, instead focusing on their lines in the early going after declining QB Daniel Jones‘ fifth-year option for 2023. It turns out the team didn’t consider drafting a QB in Round 2 after taking defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux and offensive tackle Evan Neal in the first round, according to general manager Joe Schoen (via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, on Twitter).
New York doesn’t seem to have a long-term solution under center in Jones or veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor. The team drafted Jones sixth overall out of Duke in 2019, but he hasn’t been the answer to this point, and the Giants weren’t willing to pick up his $22.4MM option for 2023 as a result. And Taylor, who just joined the club in free agency on a two-year pact, hasn’t shown he’s a legitimate starter. Barring a breakout from Jones or Taylor during the upcoming season, the Giants will have to continue looking for a franchise QB.
The Giants had five picks in the top 85 of this year’s draft, but they nonetheless opted against choosing a signal-caller. Kenny Pickett (20), Desmond Ridder (74) and Malik Willis (86) all came off the board in the early portion of the draft.
Rams To Acquire Troy Hill From Browns
The Rams are bringing back corner Troy Hill, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. They’re reacquiring him from the Browns. Los Angeles will give up a fifth-round pick in 2023, the Rams announced.
The 30-year-old Hill started his career as a Bengal in 2015, but he then spent six seasons as a Ram before signing a four-year, $24MM contract with the Browns entering last season. Hill ended up appearing in 12 games and making four starts as a Brown in 2021, but he didn’t record an interception after picking off a career-high three passes the previous year.
Hill had his greatest success as a Ram to this point, and he’ll reunite with the reigning Super Bowl champions. He’ll join Jalen Ramsey and Jordan Fuller near the top of their CB depth chart in 2022.
Jets Acquire 36th Pick From Giants, Select Breece Hall
The Jets have acquired the 36th pick in the draft from the Giants in exchange for the 38th and 146th selections, Field Yates of ESPN was among those to report. The Jets chose Iowa State running back Breece Hall with their pick.
In Hall, the Jets are getting one of the most explosive backs in this year’s draft. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder averaged 5.5 yards per carry during his college career, piled up nearly 4,000 yards on 718 attempts, and is coming off back-to-back seasons with 20 or more rushing touchdowns. He’ll complement Michael Carter as a Jet.
The Giants, meanwhile, acquired an extra pick from a local rival just to move down two spots. They’ve already added Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal in this draft.
Jaguars Sign Ross Matiscik To Extension
The Jaguars have signed long snapper Ross Matiscik to a contract extension, per Josh Alper of PFT. Matiscik ended up getting a five-year extension worth $5.965MM, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The deal includes a $550K signing bonus. The extension will keep the key special teamer in Jacksonville through the 2026 season.
Jacksonville signed Matiscik, now 25, as an undrafted free agent out of Baylor heading into the 2020 season. He has since appeared in 33 straight games as the Jags’ long snapper.
Bengals Exercise Jonah Williams’ Fifth-Year Option
The Bengals have exercised left tackle Jonah Williams‘ fifth-year option, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. As a result, Williams will remain under Bengals control through the 2023 season.
Although he was the 11th overall pick of the 2019 draft, Williams didn’t play as a rookie because of left shoulder problems. However, the former Alabama standout has since developed into a key member of the Bengals’ offensive line. Williams has started in all 26 of his appearances, including 16 last season for the AFC champions.
While Cincinnati could work out an extension with quarterback Joe Burrow‘s blindside protector sometime soon, the club currently doesn’t have to worry about losing Williams for at least another couple of years. Williams, 24, is due to earn $12.6MM in 2023 under his option.