Cardinals Open DT Bilal Nichols’ Practice Window
The Cardinals opened the 21-day practice window for defensive tackle Bilal Nichols to return from the physically unable to perform list, per team writer Zach Gershman.
Since Arizona played on Thursday night in Week 4, they started their practice week on Monday with Nichols in the mix. The eight-year veteran started the 2025 season on the physically unable to perform list after sustaining multiple stingers in 2024 that turned into a season-ending neck injury. He will have three weeks to practice before he must be added to the active roster or revert to the PUP list for the rest of the season.
Nichols’ return would be a major boost to a Cardinals defensive line that has been decimated by injuries. Veterans Justin Jones and L.J. Collier are already out for the year, while first-round rookie Walter Nolen landed on the PUP list before training camp even began. Second-year defensive tackle Darius Robinson also left last week’s game with a chest injury and did not practice on Monday.
The injuries have forced the Cardinals to rely heavily on third-year UDFA Dante Stills alongside veteran starters Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson. Campbell and Tomlinson have largely held up, but Stills’ 47.2 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) is the seventh lowest among defensive linemen with at least 115 snaps. (Robinson’s 35.5 grade is the second-lowest in the same group.) As such, Nichols’ return would significantly help reinforce the unit.
“[Nichols] can play a couple of different hats for us,” said head coach Jonathan Gannon after Monday’s practice. “Good to have him back out there today. He plays the way we want him to play. He’s got energy and juice, so it was good to see him out there.”
Opening Nichols’ window as soon as he became eligible is a good sign for his return timeline, but neck injuries are notoriously tricky and the Cardinals are unlikely to rush him back to the field.
Cowboys’ Jadeveon Clowney Expects To Play In Week 4
SEPTEMBER 28: Clowney is expected to make his Dallas debut against the Packers in Week 4, per Machota. As the Cowboys go up against Micah Parsons, the superstar they traded to Green Bay shortly before the start of the season, they will hope Clowney can give their Parsons-less pass rush a lift.
SEPTEMBER 21: Clowney is indeed inactive for Week 3, as noted by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. His debut will need to wait at least one more week. In more positive injury news, cornerback Trevon Diggs – who emerged on the injury report yesterday – will be active.
SEPTEMBER 20: Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on Friday afternoon (via team writer Patrik Walker) that edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney will be a game-time decision on Sunday, adding that “the lean is toward him not playing this week.”
However, owner Jerry Jones said on Friday morning (via the Athletic’s Jon Machota) that he expected Clowney to make his Cowboys debut, though his snap count might be limited. Clearly, the team has yet to make a final determination regarding their recent signing.
Even Clowney has waffled on his status for Week 3. When asked on Monday, he said that he expected to play in Chicago, adding, “That’s what I’m here for,” per Walker. On Friday, he was much less certain.
“Whatever they have planned, I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to get out there,” he said, according to Walker.
The former No. 1 overall pick missed training camp and is joining a different team for the third year in a row, so he needed some time to ramp up physically and get acclimated to a new scheme.
On Monday, Clowney also revealed that the addition of Kenny Clark was a major factor in bringing him to Dallas. He instructed his agent to reach out to the Cowboys “as soon as Kenny Clark signed here,” and days later, the deal was done.
Clowney has also been dealing with an unfortunate incident off the field. He was arrested in his hometown of Rock Hill, Texas while attempting to park at his aunt’s house before a high school football game, according to Clarence Hill of All City DLLS. Clowney was officially charged with trespassing and failure to provide his ID, per WSPA’s Doug Coats.
The 32-year-old also told Hill that he has dealt with similar situations in Texas in the past, but had never been arrested before. He is planning to fight the case.
Commanders Rule Out Jayden Daniels For Week 4; QB Expected To Return In Week 5
SEPTEMBER 28: Daniels is expected to return for Washington’s Week 5 game against the Chargers, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link). Rapoport says Daniels’ workout on Saturday went well.
SEPTEMBER 27: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler gave some updates on Daniels and McLaurin this morning. Fowler confirmed Reed’s report from yesterday that Daniels is pushing to play, but the medical and coaching staffs view his knee injury as a mobility issue. Per Fowler, if Daniels’ legs didn’t add so much to his game, the Commanders may be willing to stick him back there and force him to be a pocket passer for a few games until healthy. Instead, they’re opting to give him more time to heal his knee, so that he’ll be able to deliver a more complete product upon his return and avoid the disaster of further injury that the franchise has seen in the past.
While there’s a decent chance Daniels could return for Week 5, the question marks remain that week for McLaurin. While Fowler has been told that Fowler will not go on injured reserve, he’s still week-to-week without a clear timetable for a return.
SEPTEMBER 26: The Commanders ruled out star quarterback Jayden Daniels for their Week 4 matchup with the Falcons, per Tashan Reed of The Washington Post.
That decision will position Marcus Mariota to start for the second week in a row, this time facing his former team. He impressed against the Raiders last Sunday, completing 15 of his 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. He also added 40 yards and a touchdown on the ground as he led Washington’s offense to 34 points.
Daniels was pushing to play this week, per Reed, telling reporters on Wednesday that he feels back to full strength after spraining his knee in Week 2. He was absent from Friday’s practice but participated in a limited capacity on Wednesday and Thursday. When asked about his activity level, he said that he did “enough to feel good if I play on Sunday.”
However, he admitted that his status would be “up to the doctors,” adding, “It’s not my decision.”
Despite concerns about Daniels’ propensity to take big hits as a runner, the 2024 first-round pick played through an October chest injury to start all 17 games as a rookie. Despite an apparent desire to do the same this year, the Commanders are taking a more cautious approach with their franchise quarterback.
Washington’s passing game will also be without multiple receivers on Sunday. As expected, Terry McLaurin was ruled out with a quad injury, and Noah Brown is likely to miss his second game in a row. The Commanders will need Luke McCaffrey, Chris Moore, and Jaylin Lane to step up alongside Deebo Samuel, who leads the team in receptions.
The Commanders did get some encouraging news for their offense on Friday with rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt returning to practice after missing the last two days. His availability would be crucial to a Commanders backfield that lost Austin Ekeler to a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 2.
McLaurin did not practice at all this week, while RB JCM returned to practice on Friday and would be crucial on Sunday to a Commanders backfield that lost Austin Ekeler to a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 2.
Dolphins’ Darren Waller Will Debut In Week 4
Dolphins tight end Darren Waller will finally make his return to the NFL on Sunday against the Jets.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said on Saturday (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald) that the 33-year-old “looks firmly ready to contribute, which is why he will play in the game.”
Waller came out of retirement this offseason to replace Jonnu Smith after he was traded to the Steelers. McDaniel also noted that the 6-foot-6 tight end would add some much-needed size to Miami’s group of pass-catchers.
Waller spent most of training camp ramping up after more than a year away from the field. He was activated from the physically unable to perform list in late August but suffered a hip strain before the regular season.
The Dolphins offense has struggled to start the year with minimal production from tight ends Julian Hill and Tanner Conner. Smith proved with his breakout 2024 that the position isn’t completely ignored in McDaniel’s offense, and the team is hoping that Waller can replicate some of his impact. Waller’s size should help in the red zone, but it’s worth noting that he only has 20 career touchdowns across 63 starts with only one season with more than three scores.
Miami’s offense could make another change on Sunday after an early-season competition at right guard following an injury to Week 1 starter James Daniels. Kion Smith took over after Daniels and started the next two games, but was benched last week for Daniel Brunskill. Former Patriots first-rounder Cole Strange has also taken first-team reps at guard this week and could factor into the picture, giving Miami multiple alternates if their starter – likely Brunskill, per Jackson – falters.
Patriots Not Punishing RB Rhamondre Stevenson For Fumbles
SEPTEMBER 27: Vrabel said on Friday (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) that Stevenson is not “on some sort of discipline,” suggesting that he may maintain his normal workload after all. Vrabel indicated that Stevenson may not get the official start, but he is not being benched outright, either.
SEPTEMBER 25: Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson led his position with seven fumbles last year, and his ball security issues seem to have continued into 2025.
The five-year veteran fumbled twice in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, which is likely to reduce his workload in the short-term, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. That will “help the coaches make a point to the rest of the team about accountability,” an especially important precedent for Mike Vrabel to establish after his predecessor, Jerod Mayo, struggled to maintain the support of his players.
A downgrade for Stevenson would result in more action for Antonio Gibson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson. Gibson has played just 34 snaps through three games and is trending towards career-low production, primarily due to Henderson taking over his RB2 role. However, the second-round pick has received fewer opportunities than expected to start the year with just 19 rushing attempts, though his 11 receptions lead the running back room.
Henderson clearly profiles as the future of New England’s backfield and only fumbled twice across four years and 590 carries in college, so it would not be surprising to see him take on a much bigger role in Week 4. However, Graziano cautions that changes to the running back snap distribution may not be permanent.
“The goal with Stevenson is to get him past this problem so he can be a big contributor on offense — not to cast him aside as punishment,” Graziano writes.
The Patriots’ willingness to be patient with Stevenson may stem from their financial commitment to the 27-year old. He signed a four-year, $36MM extension before the 2024 season and still has $3.25MM in guaranteed salary in 2026, per OverTheCap, so the team is likely hoping to keep him for at least another year. However, Stevenson’s fumbling issues seem to be chronic, and continuing to turn the ball over will not allow him to last long under Vrabel.
Jets QB Justin Fields To Play In Week 4
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced the quarterback Justin Fields had cleared concussion protocol and would return to the field in Week 4.
“Justin is playing,” said Glenn (via SNY’s Connor Hughes).
Fields sustained the concussion after a poor start against the Bills in Week 2. He was sidelined for a week of practice and the Jets’ next game, but returned as a full participant this week. After starting last Sunday, veteran Tyrod Taylor will return to his backup role.
New York still scored 27 points against the Buccaneers without Fields, but the offense should have more upside with him in the lineup. He will get an exploitable matchup right away against a Dolphins defense that has allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw for a league-high 128.9 passer rating this year. The unit is also one of three in the NFL that has not forced a turnover so far this year.
Fields’ debut as a Jet was one of the best games of his career, and the team will be hoping he can quickly return to that level. He showed off a rapport with former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson on an early touchdown connection before scoring twice on the ground himself in the second half. He also limited negative plays, taking just one sack and avoiding any turnovers.
A repeat performance in Miami could go a long way to steady a Jets team that has started the season 0-3. Their defense, however, will be without edge rusher Jermaine Johnson for a second week in a row due to an ankle injury, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. He returned from last year’s Achilles tear in time for the season opener, but didn’t have much of an impact before going down in Week 2. Rookie Tyler Baron saw his playing time increase in Week 3 and will likely have a similar role on Sunday.
Bucs’ Tristan Wirfs, Chris Godwin Expected To Return In Week 4
SEPTEMBER 27: Wirfs hinted that he would take the field in Week 4 with a social media post, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine, while her colleague Adam Schefter confirms that Wirfs, Godwin, and Baker Mayfield should all play. Mayfield has been dealing with a biceps injury,, but participated in practice every day this week.
SEPTEMBER 26: The Buccaneers offense is expected to get a major boost in Week 4 with both left tackle Tristan Wirfs and wide receiver Chris Godwin on track to make their 2025 debuts.
Godwin practiced in full on Wednesday, had a planned rest day on Thursday, and returned to the field on Friday, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Wirfs had been limited for the last few weeks before an upgrade to full participation on Thursday. Both are officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup with the Eagles.
Godwin is coming off a season-ending ankle injury in 2024, while Wirfs underwent knee surgery in July. Tampa Bay opted not to place either on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, allowing them to ramp up over the first three weeks. Had they been on the PUP list, they would have been ineligible to practice until after Week 4 and would likely need a few more weeks to be game-ready.
Both returns couldn’t come at a better time for a Buccaneers offense that is dealing with injuries at wide receiver and along their offensive line. Mike Evans went down with a hamstring injury in Week 3 and will miss multiple games, while Tampa Bay has already started eight different offensive linemen this season. RG Cody Mauch and RT Luke Goedeke are on injured reserve, which has brought Luke Haggard and Charlie Heck into the starting lineup.
Godwin may still be on a snap count when he returns, but this is Wirfs’ third week of practice, which could position him to assume a full-time role right away. The Buccaneers could then move Graham Barton to center and Ben Bredeson to left guard, per Stroud, getting multiple players back to their natural positions.
Patriots DC Terrell Williams Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel announced Friday that defensive coordinator Terrell Williams has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Williams stepped away from the team in May due to an undisclosed health issue but returned to New England for training camp. He had to leave once again before Week 2, with inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr taking on play-calling duties.
Williams, 51, is undergoing treatment and consulting with specialists, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss adds. Although Williams is expected to remain around the team as much as possible during his treatment process, Vrabel understandably did not offer a timeline for when the first-time DC could return to full-time duty.
Vrabel hired Williams after the assistant had spent a season with the Lions, but the two had an extensive history working together in Tennessee. Williams was Vrabel’s defensive line coach from 2018-22, covering the HC’s first five seasons on staff, and rose to assistant HC in 2023.
Following Vrabel’s January 2024 Titans dismissal, Williams caught on as the Lions’ D-line coach and defensive run-game coordinator. Vrabel’s return led to Williams’ first DC opportunity — at any level — in January. Williams has been an NFL assistant since 2012 and has been in coaching since 1998. The Pats only interviewed two candidates — Williams and Dolphins OLBs coach Ryan Crow — for the job, one Vrabel filled less than two weeks after being hired as HC.
“This is a hard business; this is tough,” Vrabel said, via Reiss. “When you do this, you have to have people that you trust implicitly, that are loyal. He’s been that. He has an ability to reach everybody, and it always kept me in perspective.”
Kuhr worked on Vrabel’s Titans staff from 2020-23, serving as a defensive assistant. He held the same role with the Giants last season. Far less experienced than Williams, Kuhr has spent time in the offseason and in-season calling the shots on defense. The Patriots, who have missed All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez to open the season, rank 18th in scoring defense and 17th in yards allowed. The Gonzalez-less unit has struggled against the pass, ranking 30th. The third-year CB is expected to make his 2025 debut Sunday.
Vinny DePalma, a Jerod Mayo hire retained this offseason, has taken on more responsibility with Kuhr’s linebacking crew during Williams’ time away. DePalma serves as a defensive assistant in New England.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Packers To Reassess Zach Tom After Week 5
11:26am: Belton will be unavailable in Week 4 after suffering an ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice, according to head coach Matt LaFleur (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That will likely position Kinnard to start at right tackle with Morgan likely continuing at left guard in Banks’ absence.
9:56am: Packers right tackle Zach Tom is unlikely to take the field for Sunday night’s showdown with the Cowboys, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Tom suffered an oblique injury in Week 1 that sidelined him for one game. He returned in Week 3 only to reaggravate the injury on the first snap. He has not participated in practice this week.
Green Bay is planning to reassess Tom’s oblique after their Week 5 bye in the hopes that he can quickly return to the field and ramp up for the team’s next game vs. the Bengals, per Schefter.
The Packers have tried three players at right tackle in Tom’s absence to varying amounts of success. Former Eagle Darian Kinnard and rookie Anthony Belton both stepped in after Tom went down in Week 1. Belton got the start in Week 2 and replaced Tom in Week 3, with Kinnard getting snaps in both games. The Packers also put 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan at right tackle for a handful of snaps in Week 3.
Belton was limited in practice on Wednesday before missing Thursday’s session, so Green Bay may rely on Kinnard and Morgan in Week 4 vs. Cincinnati, though the latter may be needed to replace injured left guard Aaron Banks. Like Tom, he was sidelined in Week 2, re-injured himself in the next game, and has yet to practice this week.
Tom has been durable in his career, appearing in 40 straight game since cracking the starting lineup as a rookie until his Week 2 absence. The Packers will be hoping that he can return to the field quickly and play the rest of the season without issue.
Lions To Decrease CB Terrion Arnold’s Role
The Lions are planning to decrease Terrion Arnold‘s role with the second-year cornerback struggling to contain opposing receivers to start the year. 
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said on Thursday (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press) that veteran Amik Robertson would take on a higher snap share at outside cornerback with Arnold seeing a commensurate decrease in his workload.
Robertson primarily aligned as a nickel corner in 2024 and led the team in slot snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Lions’ heavy use of base personnel on defense has limited Robertson’s role this year, per Birkett, and the team wants to get him on the field for more plays.
Sheppard said that the cornerback change “has nothing to do with [Arnold’s] play or performance,” but it’s hard to deny that the 2024 first-rounder has taken a step back from his rookie year. In 2024, he allowed a 55.6% completion rate and 7.3 yards per target; those numbers have jumped to 72.6% and 11.0 this year, respectively. He also leads all NFL cornerbacks in yards allowed, per PFF.
The 2025 offseason saw Carlton Davis depart on the open market. D.J. Reed was brought in as a replacement, and the eighth-year veteran inked a similar contract (three years, $48MM) to the one Davis took in New England. Reed has operated as a full-time perimeter starter so far with Detroit; that can certainly be expected to continue moving forward. 2024 second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw, meanwhile, is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in August.
Arnold’s rookie contract runs through 2027. The 22-year-old’s tenure in the Motor City could continue beyond that point with his fifth-year option being picked up and/or a long-term extension being finalized. Neither of those can take place until after the 2026 season, so the Lions have plenty of time before needing to make a decision on Arnold’s future with the team. For now, it will be interesting to see how this change in workload will affect Detroit’s secondary.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.