Patriots Trade WR Ja’Lynn Polk To Saints
The Patriots are trading second-year wideout Ja’Lynn Polk and a 2028 seventh-round pick to the Saints for a 2027 sixth-round pick, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Polk suffered a shoulder injury during the preseason and was placed on season-ending injured reserve during final roster cuts. He still won’t suit up this year, so New Orleans is betting on his ability to recover and live up to his draft billing in 2026 and beyond.
The Saints were interested in Polk during the 2024 draft, per Jeff Duncan and Luke Johnson of The Times-Picayune, but he was taken by the Patriots at No. 37, four picks before New Orleans was on the clock. (The Saints ended up using their second-rounder on cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.)
The 23-year-old disappointed as a rookie, reeling in only 12 of his 37 targets for 87 yards and two touchdowns. He was thought to be on the roster bubble entering training camp after New England revamped their receiver room this offseason. His shoulder surgery pre-empted a release, but the Patriots still found a way to move on when the Saints came calling.
Per OverTheCap, the Patriots trading Polk will leave $2.9MM in dead money, which can be spread across the team’s 2025 and 2026 salary caps. That assumes that the Saints pick up the entirety of his remaining salary, worth just under $5MM over the next three years. 2025 and 2026 are fully guaranteed, while $637k of Polk’s $2.11MM salary in 2027 is guaranteed.
In terms of both finances and draft capital, acquiring Polk is a low-cost move by the Saints, though it does not come without risk. The first two year of his NFL career have essentially been a wash, and he’ll be coming off shoulder surgery entering his third.
Polk is now the second receiver from the 2024 draft class that New Orleans has added in the last month. In August, they sent two Day 3 picks to the Broncos in exchange for former seventh-round pick Devaughn Vele. Neither move seems to be about upgrading their offense this year. Instead, they’re further indicators – along with the team’s plan to start Spencer Rattler for as long as possible – that the team has finally decided to undergo a rebuild, per Nick Underhill of New Orleans.Football.
The Patriots, meanwhile, have jettisoned yet another player from their 2024 draft class under new head coach Mike Vrabel. First-round quarterback Drake Maye and third-round offensive lineman Caedan Wallace are the only remaining selections on the roster, (h/t Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). While Maye seems to be the future of the team, Wallace spent part of his rookie year on IR and could only carve out a backup guard role entering this season.
Browns Activate RB Quinshon Judkins
The Browns have activated rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, setting him up to make his NFL debut on Sunday against the Ravens.
Judkins was arrested in July on charges of battery and domestic violence that were later dropped. The NFL is still investigating the incident, but for now, Judkins is eligible to play. He was a full-time participant in practice with the Browns on Thursday and Friday this week and will likely have a limited role this week, if he sees the field, as he gets up to speed with the offense.
Judkins’ arrest initially led to significant uncertainty regarding his future. At the time, the No. 36 pick had yet to officially sign with the Browns as second-rounders around the league were holding out for fully guaranteed rookie deals. The two sides agreed to put contract talks aside as Judkins’ legal issues played out, but he finally put pen to paper the day before Cleveland’s regular season opener.
The former Ohio State and Ole Miss rusher met with the NFL representatives on Wednesday in New York before returning to Cleveland. He’s on the Browns’ roster as a standard roster exemption at the moment, making him eligible to play as the league opted not to put him on paid leave via placement on the commissioner’s exempt list.
Before the Ohio State rookie’s legal troubles began, the Browns’ offensive backfield looked to feature the veteran leadership of a 40-year-old Joe Flacco juxtaposed heavily against a healthy dose of youth with two rookie rushers. Though Jerome Ford returned as the incumbent starter, having finished each of the past two seasons as Cleveland’s leading rusher, Judkins and fellow rookie Dylan Sampson looked too talented to be kept off the field early. The added fact that Ford was asked to take a pay cut in the days immediately following the draft seemed to hint at a decreased role for the 26-year-old.
With Judkins unavailable, though, the Browns leaned on Ford’s experience to open the season. While Sampson got the start, Ford played a slightly heavier snap count with 41 snaps to Sampson’s 33. In terms of production, though, Sampson dominated out of the backfield. Neither back saw much success running the ball, but Sampson’s 12 carries for 29 yards were slightly more effective than Ford’s six carries for eight yards. In the passing game, Sampson caught all eight targets from Flacco for 64 yards, while Ford’s only target resulted in a three-yard loss.
The gameplan isn’t likely to be too different against the Ravens tomorrow. Especially after watching Baltimore’s defense give up a league-worst 389 yards through the air in Week 1, Cleveland may attempt to let Flacco cut it loose in his old home stadium, which would mean a lot of checkdowns and screens for Sampson. Moving past Week 2, though, Judkins could find a lot of success working alongside Sampson, considering he’s more than used to sharing a backfield from his time at Ole Miss and Ohio State.
In their running styles, Judkins and Sampson seem like a perfect fit. Judkins runs with more of a decisive, one-cut style, attempting to get to his top speed by the time he hits the second-level defender. He’s not afraid of lowering the shoulder for contact with his strength and balance, making him difficult to bring down. Sampson plays with a bit more quickness and agility, finding his desired angle and cutting with speed. He certainly fights for every yard, but rather than lowering the boom, he’s more effective when he’s using small cuts and shakes to avoid getting hit head-on to eke out a couple more yards. Neither back was much of a receiver in college, but Sampson has clearly picked up that role quickly.
While it remains to be seen just how ready Judkins is for NFL play, just how much the Browns will be willing to utilize him, even just how long they’ll be waiting to hear on potential punishments levied by the league, tomorrow could be the start of something exciting for the Browns offense. It’s a lofty measuring stick, but visions of a 2020 Nick Chubb–Kareem Hunt duo don’t feel entirely out of reach for the two rookies’ ceilings together. While expectations for contention this year aren’t plentiful in Cleveland, if Sampson and Judkins can establish a strong rushing game for the Browns moving forward, the team’s two 2026 first-round picks could be instrumental in initiating a quick rebuild on the road back to the playoffs.
In order to make room for Judkins on the active roster, the Browns waived wide receiver Gage Larvadain.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Steelers, Chiefs ‘Eyeing’ Tyreek Hill?
SEPTEMBER 13: Dianna Russini of The Athletic confirms (subscription required) the Dolphins are not actively looking to trade Hill, adding calls have yet to be made on the subject. In the event Miami continues to struggle, however, interest could pick up before the trade deadline.
SEPTEMBER 11: Trade rumors followed Tyreek Hill throughout the offseason, and the Dolphins’ 33-8 drubbing at the hands of the Colts has only intensified speculation that the veteran wide receiver could be on his way out of Miami.
The Steelers and the Chiefs are both “eyeing” Hill after Week 1, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio (via the Rich Eisen Show).
Kansas City has a clear need at wide receiver following Xavier Worthy‘s injury and Rashee Rice‘s suspension. Hill would especially help a Chiefs downfield passing game that has stagnated since he left the team in 2022.
The Steelers, meanwhile, could continue their apparent all-in push for the 2025 season by pairing Hill with D.K. Metcalf to give Aaron Rodgers one of the top receiver duos in the NFL. Pittsburgh did have Calvin Austin emerge as a potential WR2 in Week 1 with a 4-70-1 statline, but Hill’s All-Pro pedigree and track record of high-end production would still be an upgrade.
Hill is due $36MM in nonguaranteed compensation in 2026 with a $51.9MM cap hit, per OverTheCap, making it unlikely that he stays in Miami past this year. His contract could be a major obstacle to an offseason trade, so the Dolphins might try to move on early to get a better return. Hill is due $11.8MM this season, which is now down to $11.1MM after Week 1 and will drop by an additional $694K per week.
However, the potential for a suspension resulting from recent domestic violence allegations will likely delay any trade inquiries until after the league completes a potential investigation. Until there is some clarity on the situation, other teams won’t want to move draft capital for a rental with an uncertain outlook for the rest of the season. Florio said the accusations against Hill are “a massive complication that wasn’t there when the chatter began.”
Indeed, the Dolphins have received “zero” calls regarding Hill, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, nor is the team currently looking to move him.
Were that to change, trade compensation would still need to be negotiated. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes the Dolphins would want “something in the range of a third-round pick and maybe a Day 2 pick on top of that,” while Florio referenced the 2025 deal that sent Davante Adams from the Raiders to the Jets in exchange for a third-round pick. The Steelers also gave up a second-round pick for Metcalf earlier this year, offering another framework for a potential Hill trade.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Underwent MRI On Knee
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to pick up an injury on a fourth-quarter tackle during Thursday night’s game against the Packers.
He didn’t leave the field and played all 69 of Washington’s offensive snaps in the 27-18 loss. The team evaluated his knee right after the game, per 106.7 The Fan’s Grant Paulsen, followed by an MRI on Friday morning.
The testing could just be precautionary, but it’s definitely a situation worth monitoring. Further reporting on the MRI results and Daniels’ practice status next week will be more indicative of a potential absence.
The Commanders have 10 days between their Week 2 and 3 contests, giving their star quarterback plenty of time to rest his knee. Should Daniels miss any time, No. 2 QB Marcus Mariota would start in his place with journeyman Josh Johnson elevated to a backup role.
Daniels started all 17 games as a rookie in 2024 with a 91% snap share. A rib injury – later revealed to be a fracture – knocked him out of the game in Week 7, but he didn’t miss any additional time. In fact, Daniels’ award-winning Hail Mary against the Bears came in the very next game with the 2024 No. 2 pick launching the ball downfield despite the rib injury.
After losing Austin Ekeler (Achilles) and Deatrich Wise (quad) to season-ending injuries on Thursday, the Commanders will be hoping that Daniels, by far their most important player, will not need to miss any time.
K Eddy Piñeiro Chose 49ers Over Falcons
Multiple teams considered a change at kicker after disappointing performances in Week 1.
The Browns are sticking with Andre Szmyt, but the 49ers and the Falcons both scoured the free agent market for a new kicker. They landed on the same preferred option: veteran Eddy Piñeiro, who ranks fourth all-time with a 88.1% field goal conversion rate.
Piñeiro revealed (via NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco) that both San Francisco and Atlanta made him offers on Monday. He didn’t say why he chose the 49ers, but it’s likely because they offered him a 53-man roster spot. while the Falcons were looking to make a practice squad addition. After Piñeiro turned them down, the Falcons brought in John Parker Romo as competition to Younghoe Koo.
The interest in Piñeiro highlights the quietly competitive in-season market for kicking talent. Due to a combination of poor performance, injury, and the occasional suspension, NFL teams typically combine to use more than 40 kickers every year. Even if one doesn’t earn a starting job during training camp, more opportunities are sure to pop up throughout the season.
As a result, the 49ers’ quick decision to move on from Jake Moody gave them the best opportunity at securing their desired target. If Piñeiro can continue his consistency in San Francisco, he should hold onto his roster spot for the rest of the year.
Jaguars’ Travis Hunter To Play More CB In Week 2
After playing 87.5% of his Week 1 snaps on offense, Jaguars first-round pick Travis Hunter is expected to take on a bigger defensive role in Week 2.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said (via ESPN’s Michael DiRocco) that there would be a “likely uptick” in Hunter’s defensive snaps as part of the team’s plan to incorporate him on both sides of the ball. In Week 1, he played 42 snaps on offense and only six on defense. As a receiver, he led the team with six catches, though they only went for 33 yards; as a cornerback, he made one tackle with no targets. Now that he’s clearly comfortable in the offense, the Jaguars can ramp him on defense.
“The goal is to increase and continue to increase,” added Coen. “It just so happens that we’re playing Cincinnati with two good wideouts this week.”
Coen’s comments may also hint at the Jaguars’ overarching strategy with Hunter and the reason they traded up to the No. 3 pick to draft him in the first place. It seems likely, based on his stated preferences as well as comments from Coen and general manager James Gladstone, that Hunter will be a receiver first. However, his two-way capabilities can be adjusted to fit the game plan week-by-week. If the Jaguars are facing a top passing offense or injuries in their secondary, Hunter may see a more even offense-defense split. If they’re more worried about scoring points, he could see a distribution similar to Week 1.
This was always the fascinating potential of Hunter’s transition to the NFL after he played both ways full-time at Colorado. He wasn’t expected to maintain that workload in the NFL, with some floating a hybrid role as an every-down WR and a CB in high leverage and/or obvious passing situations. But the Jaguars seem willing to experiment with his usage to maximize his impact depending on their personnel and opponent.
NFL DB Injury Updates: Seahawks, Steelers, Gonzalez, Bland, Johnson
Seahawks are nursing a banged-up secondary heading into Week 2 and will likely be without starting cornerback Devon Witherspoon and first-round safety Nick Emmanwori.
Witherspoon played every snap in Week 1 but didn’t practice this week due to a knee injury. He’s listed as doubtful on Seattle’s injury report and seems very unlikely to take the field. The injury is not thought to be serious, said head coach Mike Macdonald (via Michael Shawn-Dugar of The Athletic).
Emmanwori only played four snaps in his NFL debut before going down with a high ankle sprain. He didn’t participate this week, either, and was ruled out for Sunday’s game. Macdonald added that Emmanwori will avoid injured reserve for right now after mentioning the possibility earlier in the week, per Shawn-Dugar.
Witherspoon’s absence this weekend will force another Seahawks defender to step up in the slot, a decision that will be further complicated with Emmanwori sidelined. He could have been another option at nickel or lined up at safety with Julian Love in the slot; instead, Seattle will have to flip an outside cornerback into the slot or put inexperienced third-year safety Ty Okada on the field.
Here are some other secondary injury updates from around the NFL:
- Seattle will also be facing a depleted secondary on Sunday with Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (hamstring) joining DeShon Elliott (knee) on the sidelines, per Seahawks team reporter John Boyle. First-round defensive tackle Derrick Harmon will also have to wait another week before his NFL debut as he recovers from a knee injury.
- Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed (via All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill) that cornerback DaRon Bland would miss two to three weeks with a foot sprain. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer added that an IR placement is not expected at this time, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.
- Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez was ruled out for a second week in a row, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 2023 first-round pick still hasn’t returned to practice since July 28 due to a hamstring injury.
- The Bears will get cornerback Jaylon Johnson back in Week 2 as he finished the week without an injury designation for Sunday’s game against the Lions.
Giants Could Play Jaxson Dart ‘Sooner Than Later’
Russell Wilson‘s Week 1 struggles have naturally led to calls for the Giants to start first-round pick Jaxson Dart in Week 2.
Head coach Brian Daboll reaffirmed Wilson’s starting status for Week 2 with the goal of keeping him under center for the foreseeable future. However, repeated poor performances will only intensify the pressure to let Dart take over the offense.
The Giants seemed poised to resist, for now. They made it clear throughout the offseason that they didn’t feel the need to start Dart right away. Instead, Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka have prioritized his long-term development by keeping him on the sidelines until the coaches are satisfied with is progress, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
A strong preseason from Dart may have “expedited the process,” according to Graziano’s colleague, Jeremy Fowler, making it likely that the rookie plays “sooner than later.” The Giants named Dart the backup quarterback to enter the season, signaling their comfort with putting him on the field on game days if needed. Daboll and Kafka also installed a specific package of offensive plays for Dart, though none were used in Week 1.
As a result, it seems more likely that New York would give Dart a chance before going to Jameis Winston. Winston was designated as the team’s emergency third quarterback in Week 1, meaning that Wilson and Dart would both have to get hurt for him to enter the game.
The Giants may also be cautious of playing Dart behind a Giants offensive line that allow pressure on 48.9% of Wilson’s Week 1 dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats (subscription required). Left tackle Andrew Thomas is still working his way back to full health, so the team may not want to throw Dart to the wolves until Thomas is ready to protect his blind side.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/11/25
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Tyrek Funderburk, LB Sione Takitaki
New England Patriots
- Signed: G Jack Conley
- Released: G Mehki Butler
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Gabe Hall
- Released: DT Jacob Sykes
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Cody White
Funderburk and Takitaki earned practice squad spots in Minnesota after a successful tryout. Other players who worked out for the Vikings on Thursday include cornerbacks Shemar Bartholomew and Brandon Crossley and linebackers Jamin Davis and Ty Summers, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.
The Seahawks released White from their 53-man roster on Thursday to make room for Shaquill Griffin, who was promoted from the practice squad. White, a vested veteran, did not need to pass through waivers and immediately re-signed to the Vikings’ practice squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/11/25
Here are Thursday’s minor moves from around the league:
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated from practice squad: OT Brant Banks, CB Micah Robinson
- Placed on injured reserve: DL Brenton Cox
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed from practice squad: WR Tim Jones, TE Nick Vannett
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Jets): WR/KR Xavier Gipson
- Placed on IR: LB Micah McFadden (story)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed from practice squad: CB Shaquill Griffin
- Released: WR Cody White
Washington Commanders
- Elevated from practice squad: C Michael Deiter, P Mitch Wishnowsky
Gipson was waived by the Jets after a costly fumble in Week 1, but will not need to switch states (or even home stadiums) when joining the Giants. The 24-year-old will serve as a depth receiver for his new team and could also contribute as a returner.
The NFL also issued a three-game suspension for free agency safety Qwuantrezz Knight, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Knight appeared in six games for the Cardinals in 2023.