Raiders Want Day 2 Pick For Jakobi Meyers
The NFL’s trade market is heating up ahead of next week’s deadline, but the wide receiver position is not drawing as much action as past years.
Teams have expressed interest in young stars like Jaylen Waddle and Chris Olave, but their teams have no interest in moving them. The best wideout available is probably Jakobi Meyers, who is entering the last year of his contract with the Raiders.
Meyers requested a trade before the regular season after failed extension talks with the team, but rescinded the request shortly after. The Raiders are reportedly listening to offers, but the scarcity of proven wideouts on the market could drive up their asking price. Their starting point is a Day 2 pick, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, and there are teams interested. Getting offers from multiple could raise Las Vegas’ demands further.
That is an expensive deal for a rental, but Meyers might be worth it. He has been uber-consistent in his career with at least four receptions and 50 yards per game since becoming a starter in 2020. He’s versatile to line up in the slot or out wide and has an adaptable skillset that can fit in almost any offense.
However, he is turning 30 years old next year, which will limit an acquiring team’s interest in an extension. He could be worth a short-term pact to an offense with a young, inexpensive receiving corps that could use his all-around abilities.
Trade compensation for wide receivers has been difficult to judge over the last few years. Davante Adams and Amari Cooper were both traded for third-round picks at last year’s deadline, but DeAndre Hopkins was moved for a fifth-rounder. Meyers’ pedigree is not as strong as any of those players, so it seems unlikely that the Raiders will get their desired compensation.
Falcons To Start Kirk Cousins Due To Michael Penix Jr. Injury
OCTOBER 26: Penix has a “real chance” to be back in the starting lineup when the Falcons take on the Patriots in Week 9, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. If today’s game against Miami were a playoff contest, Rapoport says Penix may be playing.
OCTOBER 25, 9:44pm: Cousins will indeed start tomorrow, Schefter reports in a follow-up. It will mark his first opportunity of the season to handle starting duties since Penix overtook him on the depth chart late in 2024.
2:40pm: Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins hasn’t made a start since the Falcons benched him for then-rookie Michael Penix Jr. in mid-December last season. Penix remains Atlanta’s QB1, but he’s now dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee. As a result, it’s “highly likely” that Cousins will start Sunday against the 1-6 Dolphins, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Penix, who suffered his injury in a loss to the 49ers last Sunday night, was limited in practice all week and is now listed as questionable. On Friday, Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Cousins had taken “significant” reps this week in practice and more reps later in the week rather than earlier.
“I’m really confident in our backup,” Morris said of Cousins. “We’re going to give [Penix] every opportunity we can give him. The kid is tough. He’s a guy. He’s a stud.”
As a four-time Pro Bowler who’s in the second season of a four-year, $180MM contract (with $100MM guaranteed), Cousins isn’t your typical backup. Cousins signed with the Falcons with the expectation that he’d serve as their unquestioned starter for multiple seasons. However, the team surprisingly used the eighth overall pick on Penix a little over a month later, immediately giving the Falcons an heir apparent.
Despite his exorbitant contract, Cousins fell out of favor in his first season with the Falcons as he struggled to regain form after tearing his Achilles while with the Vikings in 2023. He also dealt with shoulder and elbow injuries last season.
While Cousins wanted out of Atlanta during the offseason, the team wasn’t willing to grant his wish. Although Cousins has come up in trade rumors since then, the Falcons haven’t actively shopped him. They also won’t move him unless an acquiring team takes on the remainder of his fully guaranteed $27.5MM salary for 2026. That makes a trade before the Nov. 4 deadline highly unrealistic, setting up the 37-year-old to ride out the season in Atlanta.
For his part, Penix hasn’t come out of the gates quickly since he took over for Cousins. The Falcons are 4-5 in his starts, including 3-3 this season. The 25-year-old lefty has completed 61% of passes for 1,409 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions in 2025. His 47.7 QBR ranks 22nd in the NFL, while advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus indicate that he has actually regressed since last year. Penix’s percentage of big-time throws, average depth of target, and turnover-worthy plays have all gone in the wrong direction.
With Morris regarding Penix as a “stud,” Cousins may not have a chance to reclaim the starting job even if fills in and plays well. However, it will be intriguing to see if a successful Cousins start leads to a QB controversy. The Falcons are second in total defense and seventh in total offense, but they rank 28th in points per game under Penix and are tied for the league’s second-worst red zone touchdown percentage. They’re sitting in 11th place in the NFC as a result.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Chiefs LT Josh Simmons To Miss Week 8, Return In A Few Weeks
5:57pm: Simmons might not be the only lineman missing for the Chiefs on Monday night. Per Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star, starting right guard Trey Smith is considered “doubtful” to play as he deals with low back spasms. The injury took Smith out of last week’s blowout win over the Raiders, and third-year backup lineman Mike Caliendo filled in during Smith’s absence. If Smith’s likelihood of playing continues to trend in the wrong direction, Caliendo will be in line to make his first start of the year.
9:19am: Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons is expected to return in a few more weeks after missing two games due to a personal matter, according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor.
Simmons was a late addition to Kansas City’s injury report in Weeks 5 and 6. He did not play in the second matchup or the Chiefs’ next game against the Raiders. He was listed as questionable with an illness in Week 5, which is reportedly related to the situation he’s dealing with now. In the last two weeks, his absence has been explained with a non-injury-related/personal designation.
The Chiefs have a bye in Week 10, so Taylor’s report suggests that Simmons will not be back until Week 11 or later. That will keep former 49ers offensive tackle Jaylon Moore on the field for the foreseeable future. The five-year veteran has started in Simmons’ place for the past two games, which both featured Chiefs victories and at least 30 points.
Moore arrived in Kansas City on a two-year, $30MM deal this offseason as a potential starting left tackle. The Chiefs landed Simmons in the draft, and he quickly emerged as the starter, but Moore’s value as a reliable replacement has been apparent for the last two weeks.
2023 third-rounder Wanya Morris will now be the next man up in the Chiefs’ offensive tackle room. If Moore or right tackle Jawaan Taylor were to miss any time as the latter did for part of the team’s last game. Taylor has been dealing with knee and shoulder injuries, but he was a full participant in practice this week and should be good to go on Sunday.
Cowboys Place CB Trevon Diggs On IR With Concussion
OCTOBER 25: It turns out Dallas will be placing Diggs on IR, per Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS. The starting corner missed last week’s game with a concussion and will now miss at least four more before he’ll be able to return to the active roster. WFAA’s Ed Werder conveyed that “residual problems with (Diggs’) right knee” is what prompted the move to IR. Taking advantage of the absence already caused by the concussion, the Cowboys want Diggs to take the time to get healthy.
To supplement the secondary, the Cowboys have called up cornerback Corey Ballentine — signed a month ago — as a standard gameday practice squad elevation. The team’s other elevation will be running Malik Davis.
OCTOBER 24: Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs was ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Broncos due to a concussion suffered at home that sidelined him last week.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Friday afternoon (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) that Diggs was still in concussion protocol and unlikely to play in Denver but added that talk of an injured reserve placement was premature. Schottenheimer also said that the team had more details about how the injury happened but added that it would be something for Diggs to address.
A few hours later, however, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 103.5 The Fan (via NFL Network’s Jane Slater) that Diggs would not play in Week 8. Jones then revealed that the team was looking into placing Diggs on IR, partially because he is also dealing with a knee injury, per All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill.
That would sideline the veteran cornerback for at least four games. Dallas’ Week 10 bye means that Diggs’ earliest return would come in Week 13 if he’s placed on IR before Sunday’s game. He would have plenty of time to clear concussion protocol and get his knee back to playing shape after undergoing surgery in the offseason.
The Cowboys may also benefit from clearing a roster spot. They opened three practice windows for players on injured lists this week and will need room on the 53-man roster in the next three weeks. Diggs might come back two weeks later, but having an extra roster spot for a month might be crucial for a Cowboys team that could still win the NFC East.
Rookie cornerback Trikweze Bridges will likely join Kaiir Elam and DaRon Bland in the starting lineup in Week 8 as he did in the Dallas’ last game. He would also be in line to take over the starting job until Diggs comes back.
Diggs’ continued injury woes are a primary reason that the Cowboys could move on from him in the offseason. He has no guaranteed money on his deal past 2025, per OverTheCap, with $56MM due over the next three seasons. Dallas has an expensive roster, and getting Diggs off the books would allow give them more flexibility to retool their roster next year.
Dolphins’ Jaelan Phillips More Valuable Than Bradley Chubb?
After a 1-6 start to the season, the Dolphins are expected to be sellers at this year’s trade deadline.
No position has a hotter market than edge rusher, and Miami has two that could be moved: Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb. Teams are interested in both players, and a recent report suggests that the team is more likely to deal them than wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The Eagles are thought to be pursuing an edge rusher, and both Phillips and Chubb spent time under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic.
Phillips is believed to have more value, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The 2021 first-rounder was an ascending player before season-ending injuries in 2023 and 2024, and he appears to be back this season. He only has two sacks and two tackles for loss in seven games, but underlying metrics from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) indicate a stronger performance. Phillips leads the Dolphins with 22 pressures and a 18.2% pass rush win rate. The latter statistic, along with his 15.5% pressure rate, are the best marks of his career; his closest season was his breakout campaign in 2022.
Chubb has four sacks and five tackles for loss with a similar snap share to Phillips. His performance is a solid return after tearing his ACL in 2024 with a pace that is slightly behind his 11.0-sack, 11-TFL 2023. However, his 15 pressures and 10.5 pass rush win rate (via PFF) indicate a less consistent ability to get to the passer relative to his younger teammate.
Both players could have value to other teams in the long-term, too. Phillips could be an extension candidate for his new team, making him more valuable. However, he could could also net Miami a 2027 compensatory pick if he leaves in free agency next spring. The Dolphins are currently projected to be over the 2026 cap with only 34 players under contract, per OverTheCap, so they may not have enough space to offer Phillips a competitive extension. Given the difficult in predicting the compensatory pick distribution every year, Miami might want to get what they can right now.
Chubb, meanwhile, is due $39.5MM in 2026 and 2027 with no guarantees. If his production so far this year continues, he may be worth more to another team at that price than he is to the Dolphins with cap hits over $31MM in those years. If Miami is planning to part ways with him this offseason anyway, they may want to take advantage of his hot start and move him now rather than risk his value dropping in the offseason.
Despite the interest in their edge rushers, the Dolphins seem hesitant to engage in trade talks with general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel both uncertain of their job security, according FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano. Reports have generally indicated that both are safe, but the Dolphins’ losing ways could force a change eventually.
Either way, Miami should be considering trade offers for both Phillips and Chubbs. It’s unlikely that either can take their performance to a level that would change the team’s fortunes this season, and the Dolphins probably need more draft capital for cheap talent more than veteran edge rushers on expensive contracts.
Steelers Looking To Add WR To Maximize Success With Aaron Rodgers
The Steelers are interested in adding a wide receiver before the NFL’s trade deadline, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
This is nothing new for Pittsburgh, who are constantly mentioned in receiver trade rumors. They have been as active in the position’s market as any other team in the last year, acquiring Mike Williams before the 2024 deadline, landing D.K. Metcalf in a blockbuster move in March, and sending George Pickens to the Cowboys in May. Despite interest in adding another wideout before the season, the Steelers decided to see what their offense would look like with Aaron Rodgers under center.
The results so far have been encouraging. Pittsburgh is 4-2 with sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Behind them are the 3-4 Bengals, who are hoping that Joe Flacco can keep their offense afloat until a potential late-season return from Joe Burrow. The 2-5 Browns are reportedly targeting a top quarterback prospect in the 2025 draft, indicating they have no intention of competing this year. The Ravens are 1-5 and enter Week 8 desperately needing Lamar Jackson to return from his hamstring injury before their season slips completely away.
As a result, the Steelers have a clear opportunity to run away with the division and even compete for a top AFC playoff seed. That has created a desire to maximize the team’s chances of making a run while they have Rodgers, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. Running back Jaylen Warren is averaging 36.8 receiving yards per game and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has deployed all three of his tight ends effectively, but the Steelers could use more consistent production from their receiver room.
Rodgers has established a good connection with Metcalf, but Pittsburgh’s other wideouts have not stepped up. Calvin Austin went quiet after a 70-yard performance in Week 1 and missed the last three games with a shoulder injury. 2024 third-rounder Roman Wilson has only five targets on 92 snaps despite hopes of a second-year breakout. Depth options Ben Skowronek and Scott Miller have not offered much, either.
Whether it’s adding a more reliable rotational piece or a legitimate WR2, the Steelers seem intent on adding a wide receiver in the coming weeks, according to FOX Sports’ Eric Williams. Unlike last year, the positions trade market isn’t particularly hot, which might mean that Pittsburgh has less competition to acquire a receiver, but also that there are fewer players for them to target.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/23/25
Here are the latest practice squad moves from around the NFL:
New York Giants
- Released: DB LaMareon James
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OLB Trevis Gipson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Lance McCutcheon
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/23/25
Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL, including the Chargers practice squad elevations for Thursday Night Football.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: RB Nyheim Hines, RB Jaret Patterson
New York Jets
- Waived: OT Esa Pole
Philadelphia Eagles
- Practice window opened: WR Darius Cooper
Chargers OT Joe Alt Returns In Week 8
After missing three games due to an ankle sprain, Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt is officially active for the team’s Thursday night matchup with the Vikings.
After starting at right tackle as a rookie, Alt took over on the blind side this year after Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury in training camp. He played left tackle at Notre Dame and translated seamlessly back into his former position in his first four games, allowing only three pressures and one sack, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
When the Chargers drafted Alt with the No. 5 pick in last year’s draft, they were counting on his ability to flip to right tackle right away. They were also preparing for a situation like Slater’s injury. General manager Joe Hortiz came up in the Ravens front office and saw firsthand how Ronnie Stanley‘s 2020 ankle injury altered their fortunes for years to come. So, with his first major move in charge in Los Angeles – and the franchise’s highest draft pick since Joey Bosa – he selected Alt. A little more than a year later, and the decision appears to be vindicated by Alt’s performance on the blind side.
Right tackle Trey Pipkins is also active for Thursday’s game after missing two weeks with an ankle injury. He stepped into the starting right tackle role after Slater’s injury this summer after primarily playing right guard in 2024. However, Bobby Hart still got the start against the Vikings, signaling that he may have the job moving forward.
Ravens Sign OLB Carl Lawson
The Ravens signed veteran edge rusher Carl Lawson on Thursday, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
The seven-year veteran will join Baltimore’s practice squad after a workout earlier this week, according to KPRC2’S Aaron Wilson. A shortage of outside linebacker depth could press Lawson into action right away, though he will have to get up to speed quickly after not signing with any team this offseason.
The Ravens currently have three healthy edge rushers on their active roster after trading Odafe Oweh to the Chargers and losing Tavius Robinson to a broken foot in Week 6. Robinson was placed on injured reserve and is not expected back until late November at the earliest. 2024 third-rounder Adisa Isaac started the year on IR and could return sooner than Robinson, but he barely played as a rookie and is still somewhat of an unknown quantity.
Lawson brings plenty of experience with 89 appearances and 34 starts in his career. The 2017 fourth-round pick logged 20.0 sacks for the Bengals in his first four seasons before signing a three-year deal with the Jets in 2021. A torn Achilles ended his season in training camp, but he came back strong in 2022, starting all 17 games with seven sacks and nine tackles for loss. Injuries hampered Lawson in 2023, but he rebounded again in 2024 with five sacks in a rotational role for the Cowboys.
The Ravens also waived tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden on Thursday, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, signaling that veteran fullback Patrick Ricard will be making his season debut on Sunday. Ricard missed the first six games with a nagging calf injury with Mitchell-Paden filling his role in the offense, but his absence has had a noticeable impact on the Ravens’ run game.