Ravens Offer Injury Updates On Adisa Isaac, Emery Jones
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic) that second-year edge rusher Adisa Isaac will start the season on injured reserve after undergoing elbow surgery.
Harbaugh previously disclosed that Isaac suffered a dislocated elbow in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Cowboys, per Zrebiec. The Ravens were hoping that the 2024 third-round pick could contribute to their edge rotation after a hamstring injury as a rookie held him out of spring practices and limited him to four games and 78 total snaps.
Isaac is still expected to play this year and will likely be placed on IR with a designation to return during roster cut-downs next week. That will mandate a four-week absence before he can return to practice, though Harbaugh projected a post-midseason return.
Isaac’s injury could open a roster spot for 2022 second-round pick David Ojabo, who similarly struggled to stay on the field in his first two NFL seasons. Even when he did enjoy an extended stretch of good health in 2024, he only recorded 2.0 sacks and two tackles for loss across 13 games. Ojabo was thought to be on the roster bubble entering training camp, especially since his release would clear $1.8MM of cap space, but he’s now poised to stick around in Baltimore, at least for the start of the season.
Harbaugh also revealed that rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones will not be ready for the start of the regular season. He has been on the non-football injury list since the beginning of training camp after undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this year. Rather than a quick recovery to push for a starting guard job as a rookie, Jones is waiting until he is “fully right” before taking the field.
“That’s the way it should be,” added Harbaugh. “We respect that.” The Ravens can move Jones to the reserve/NFI list during cut-downs, which will sideline him for at least another four weeks.
Jones is the third Ravens draft pick to miss significant time as a rookie. Day 3 cornerback Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam have already landed on season-ending IR with major leg injuries. Kone tore both his ACL and his MCL, while Longerbeam sustained a torn patella tendon, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. Harbaugh declined to confirm Schultz’s report on August 11, but confirmed that the rookie corner would undergo surgery.
With their cornerback depth taking a hit in training camp, the Ravens hosted eight-year veteran Kyle Fuller for a workout on Sunday, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. Fuller hasn’t played since 2022, when he earned a starting job in Baltimore’s defense but tore his ACL in Week 1.
Harbaugh was less forthcoming when asked about Isaiah Likely. The fourth-year tight end is coming off minor foot surgery with a tight recovery window before the Ravens’ regular-season opener against the Bills. Accordingly, Harbaugh offered a vague answer when asked about Likely’s Week 1 availability, saying (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) that he “might want to keep [Buffalo] guessing a little bit.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/25
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived/injured: QB Emory Jones
- Signed: LB Ronnie Perkins
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Thomas Graham
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: TE Tyler Mabry
Chicago Bears
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Ameer Speed
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Michael Ojemudia
- Waived/injured: CB Bruce Harmon
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/PUP list: CB Khalil Dorsey
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DL Devonte O’Malley, DB Jaylin Simpson
- Waived: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
- Waived/injured: DL Keith Randolph
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Juwann Winfree
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Jake Chaney, LB Joseph Vaughn
- Placed on IR: OT Blake Freeland, LB Jacob Phillips, S Hunter Wohler
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from active/PUP: LB Del’Shawn Phillips
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OL Mason Brooks
- Placed on IR: OL Yodny Cajuste
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: RB Xazavian Valladay
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Phil Lutz
- Waived/injured: DT Isaiah Iton
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: DB Kris Boyd
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Kam Alexander, OT Julian Pearl
- Released: DL Breiden Fehoko, WR Roc Taylor, LB Devin Harper
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Will Brooks
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DT T.J. Smith
Ojemudia is returning to the NFL after playing for the UFL’s DC Defenders in the spring, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. After starting 11 games for the Broncos as a rookie in 2020, he struggled with injuries and hasn’t played in the regular season since 2022.. The 27-year-old will add depth to a Cowboys cornerback room that isn’t expecting Trevon Diggs or Shavon Revel back until September. Second-year corner Caelen Carson is also dealing with a knee injury, so Ojemudia could get some snaps in Dallas’ last preseason game on Friday. A 53-man roster spot is unlikely given how late he signed with the team, but a strong first week could keep him in contention for the practice squad.
Winfree, a five-year veteran, will land with his fourth NFL team after a workout in Houston. The Texans also worked out former Chiefs wideout Cornell Powell, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Freeland, a 2023 fourth-round pick, started nine games as a rookie and spent 2024 as the Colts’ swing tackle. He will be out for the season with a fractured leg, per Colts.com writer JJ Stankevitz, as will Phillips (bicep), who hasn’t played in the regular season since 2022. Wohler sustained a Lisfranc injury, according to Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. The seventh-round safety will miss his rookie year after appearing to carve out a role in the Colts defense with an impressive preseason.
Commanders Shopping RB Brian Robinson
AUGUST 18: A mutual decision between team and player has been made for Robinson not to suit up for tonight’s preseason contest, as first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. That represents a clear sign a trade is on tap with the Commanders looking to ensure an injury does not occur. This situation remains one to watch closely.
AUGUST 17: The Commanders are open to trading running back Brian Robinson, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Robinson, 26, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He was a consistent but unspectacular ballcarrier in his first three seasons, recording between 700 and 800 rushing yards in each of the last three seasons with 20 total touchdowns. In 2024, Robinson put up career-highs in 2024 as a rusher (799 yards, eight touchdowns), but veteran signing Austin Ekeler ate into his passing-down snap share.
Robinson is currently listed as the Commanders’ starting running back on the team’s unofficial depth chart, so their willingness to trade him suggests a few things. First, with Robinson entering a contract year, he may be seeking an extension without mutual interest from Washington’s front office. Two running backs from his draft class – James Cook and Kyren Williams – recently signed second contracts with the teams that drafted them. Cook, who statistically outpaces Robinson by a significant margin, received $11.5MM per year with $30MM in total guarantees.
Williams is more comparable and signed for $11MM per year with $23MM in total guarantees. As a result, Robinson could be seeking upwards of $10MM per year and $20MM in guaranteed money. The Commanders could have concerns about his pedestrian rushing efficiency (4.1 career yards per carry) and may want to recoup some value in a trade rather than meeting his demands.
Placing Robinson on the trade block also indicates that the Commanders are confident in the other running backs on their roster. Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, and Jeremy McNichols were all more efficient than Robinson last year, albeit on smaller sample sizes. Preseason hype has also been building around seventh-rounder Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who could make the 53-man roster and compete for a role in the backfield.
However, a trade seems unlikely to come together this close to the regular season. The Commanders could re-bait the hook closer to the trade deadline, by which time injuries could increase teams’ need for backfield depth.
Saints Trade DT Khalen Saunders To Jaguars For C Luke Fortner
The Saints are trading veteran defensive tackle Khalen Saunders to the Jaguars, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The swap is now official.
In exchange, fourth-year center Luke Fortner will be heading to New Orleans, per Pelissero. Though they didn’t match up on the field, both players appeared in the Saints-Jaguars preseason game earlier on Sunday in what turned out to be auditions for their new teams.
Saunders, 29, started 27 games for the Saints over the last two seasons. He was not viewed as a good fit for the 3-4 scheme imported by new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football and Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com. With plenty of defensive line depth in New Orleans, the six-year veteran was deemed surplus to requirements and sent to Jacksonville to shore up their depth in the trenches.
Saunders will join veteran starters DaVon Hamilton and Arik Armstead in the Jaguars’ defensive line room. He can add some veteran experience to a backup rotation that currently features young defensive tackles Jordan Jefferson, Maason Smith, and Tyler Lacy.
Fortner, originally a Jaguars third-round pick in 2022, will likely push for the Saints’ backup center job right away with Will Clapp sidelined for the season with a Lisfranc injury. The Saints have been evaluating their options behind Erik McCoy since Clapp went down; undrafted rookie Torricelli Simpkins got the start against the Jaguars with second year lineman Kyle Hergel handling the rest of the snaps. Neither did enough to lock down the backup job, as evidenced by Fortner’s arrival after the game.
Fortner, 25, started every game at center in his first two seasons but lost his spot to veteran signing Mitch Morse last year. Rather than go back to Fortner, the Jaguars opted to sign former Liam Coen Buccaneer charge Robert Hainsey in free agency. They also added Patrick Mekari, who is competing to start at right guard but has plenty of center experience from his time in Baltimore. Even if Mekari wins the right guard battle, he can still provide depth at center, as can seventh-round rookie Jonah Monheim.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/17/25
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: QB Bryce Perkins
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: OL Nick Gargiulo
- Signed: FB Adam Prentice
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: DL Philip Blidi
Perkins, the reigning UFL MVP, will add some depth to the Panthers’ quarterback room with Andy Dalton sidelined by an elbow injury, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Perkins appeared in five games for the Rams between 2020 and 2022, but has not played in the last two NFL seasons.
The Broncos were looking to add another fullback after a hamstring injury to starter Michael Burton, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. They auditioned Prentice, Khari Blasingame, and Troy Hairston on Saturday, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, with Prentice earning a roster spot. This will be his second stint in Denver after starting his career there as an undrafted rookie in 2021.
Kevin Stefanski: Browns’ Starting QB Decision Coming Soon
One of the NFL’s most closely watched training camp competitions will soon have a winner.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Sunday (via Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal) that a decision on the team’s starting quarterback would come “sooner rather than later.” He also offered “the next couple of days” as a rough timeline on two occasions.
[RELATED: Browns Not Planning To Cut One Of Top Four QBs]
The Browns’ quarterback competition has long appeared to be a two-man race between veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Pickett has been sidelined since late July with a hamstring injury, allowing Flacco to take virtually all of the first-team reps in practice. The 18-year veteran seems to have a commanding lead at this point.
Both of the team’s rookies – third-rounder Dillon Gabriel and fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders – had successful preseason debuts but don’t seem any closer to the starting gig. Both have missed time due to injury this preseason – a recurring theme for the Browns quarterback room – putting them even further behind in the race as they adjust to a new offense at a higher level of competition.
Gabriel recovered from his hamstring injury to start against the Eagles on Saturday, while Sanders performed well against the Panthers on August 8 before suffering an oblique injury earlier this week. The Browns are hopeful Sanders can return for their third preseason game.
Stefanski will need to name a backup quarterback as well. Pickett would be the obvious choice, but if his absence extends into the regular season, one of the rookies will get the QB2 role initially. Gabriel has taken 14 series with the first-team offense in recent weeks, per Easterling, trailing only Flacco (50 first-team series). That would appear to give the former Oregon standout a slight edge, but Sanders can make a push if he gets back on the field for the Browns’ last preseason game next Saturday.
Commanders Activate Terry McLaurin Off PUP List; No Progress On Contract
The Commanders have activated wide receiver Terry McLaurin off the active/physically unable to perform list, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, but the move is not an indicator of progress in extension negotiations.
Head coach Dan Quinn said (via NBC4 Sports) that McLaurin’s activation is “definitely separate” from his contract talks. “This is about his getting ready to play,” continued Quinn.
However, McLaurin’s activation did come a day after offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury indicated that he wanted his star wide receiver to get back on the practice field as soon as possible.
“Time on task together on the grass is really the only way you can continue to build,” said Kingsbury (via 106.7 The Fan’s Grant Paulsen).
McLaurin did not practice on Saturday, per The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala, though that’s not necessarily an indicator of a hold-in. Quinn and Kingsbury both indicated that McLaurin had been spending time with trainers and other medical staff, so he may be going through workouts out of view of the media.
Still, the 29-year-old’s willingness to practice will be a situation worth monitoring over the next week. There is still a “sizable gap” between McLaurin and the Commanders, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, and the two-time Pro Bowler is “dug in” and “remains frustrated.” Despite his trade request and some interest from other teams, the Commanders still believe that they can get a deal done before the season.
Bills’ Larry Ogunjobi On Roster Bubble
Bills defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi could be on the chopping block when 53-man roster cuts roll around in less than two weeks.
There are a number of reasons Buffalo may want to part ways with the eight-year veteran despite adding him earlier this offseason. The first is a PED suspension the team did not know about when upon signing Ogunjobi. Both Ogunjobi and defensive end signing Michael Hoecht were given PED bans shortly after their Bills deals, but the team was aware of Hoecht’s beforehand.
Ogunjobi will be sidelined for the first six games of the season, during which time he can be placed on the reserve/suspended list to open up a roster spot. Ogunjobi has also had a quiet training camp, according to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, mixing in with the Bills’ second- and third-team defenses. If the ninth-year veteran doesn’t have a clear role waiting for him when he comes off suspension, it might not be worth carrying him on the 53-man in the first place.
Releasing Ogunjobi would also clear $1.25MM in 2025 cap space, per OverTheCap, not an insignificant amount this close to the season. At barely $1.3MM, the Bills rank last in available funds. Ogunjobi, 31, has not been especially productive as an interior pass rusher in recent years. He posted 1.5 sacks in 2022 and ’24 and has not cleared 10 QB hits since that ’22 Pittsburgh debut. Still, the Steelers gave him a three-year, $40.5MM deal after the 2022 slate. They cut bait early this offseason, leading to the Buffalo landing.
A younger Bills option make be changing Ogunjobi’s outlook, opening the door for a second 2025 release. The team also has a fairly crowded D-tackle group, with recent third- and fourth-round picks (DeWayne Carter, Deone Walker) behind starters Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones. Buffalo also drafted T.J. Sanders in this year’s second round.
Chosen 41st overall out of South Carolina (after the Bills traded up 15 spots in Round 2), Sanders has enjoyed a strong camp, Buscaglia adds. The Bills have used him as a three-technique option regularly; such a role would eat into Ogunjobi’s playing time when his suspension ends. While Sanders resides as Oliver’s top backup, Buscaglia notes situations could call for the two interior rushers playing alongside each other. Passing downs would seemingly present opportunities for the duo to work together. And it will now be interesting to see if the Bills merely drop Ogunjobi rather than keep both he and Hoecht on their reserve/suspended list.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Cowboys CB DaRon Bland Hoping For Extension Before Week 1
Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland indicated this week (via Clarence Hill of All City DLLS) that he wants to finalize a contract extension before the regular season.
The 2022 fifth-rounder is entering the final season of his rookie contract and his representation has been negotiating with the team this summer.
Former Day 3 picks are sometimes willing to accept a more team-friendly deal in exchange for an upfront signing bonus that can be worth many multiples of their entire rookie contract. Bland has made less than $3MM to date, per OverTheCap; he outplayed that figure in his rookie year alone, not to mention his All-Pro 2023. The potential of cashing in this summer rather than next spring may incentivize him to get a deal done quickly.
However, Bland will be receiving an upgraded salary of $5.346MM this season as a result of the NFL’s Proven Performance Escalator program. That may allow for a little more patience as he tries to capitalize on a cornerback market that exploded this offseason. A stress fracture in training camp last year sidelined Bland until Week 12, and he wasn’t the same playmaker in coverage compared to his first two years when he got back on the field. A healthy season at his pre-injury form could drive his price higher if a deal isn’t struck before the season, giving the Cowboys some motivation to find some common ground as well.
The Cowboys may have one other piece of cornerback business to address before Week 1. With Trevon Diggs and Shavon Revel both weeks away from taking the field, the secondary lacks a clear third starting cornerback behind Bland and Kaiir Elam, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. That could bring about a veteran signing before the regular season depending on second-year corner Caelen Carson‘s ability to recover from a knee injury.
D.J. Humphries Moving Toward Rams’ LT Job?
The Rams are evaluating their left tackle options with starter Alaric Jackson still limited in practice due to blood clots — an issue that surfaced in mid-June.
McVay said at the beginning of training camp in July that Jackson would participate in a limited capacity, including individual drills and “some of the jog-throughs.” “The actual physical stuff, he will not partake in right now,” McVay said. This could deal a big blow to the Rams’ O-line to open the season, especially as the team re-signed the former UDFA on a three-year, $57.75MM deal ($30MM guaranteed).
As a result, veteran signing D.J. Humphries and 2023 fifth-round Warren McClendon have been taking turns as the first-team left tackle during full-speed reps, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. McVay has praised both, as well as David Quessenberry, who has primarily been lining up at right tackle in practice but has past NFL experience on the blind side.
“I’ve been pleased with those three guys,” said McVay (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “I think D.J. has really played his best ball as of late, which has been cool to see.”
Humphries, a 10-year veteran, would make sense as an experienced short-term fill-in as the Rams await Jackson’s return to the field. An indication Humphries is the clubhouse leader for the Jackson LT stopgap role came when the Rams held him out of their preseason opener. This should be viewed as the Rams tipping their hand on their preferred swing option, per the Orange County Register’s Grosbard.
This represents a third chance for Humphries, the longtime Cardinals left tackle who became a cap casualty after a December 2023 ACL tear. After his rehab effort ended in-season last year, the Chiefs quickly signed him in hopes he could solve their LT problem. That did not happen, as Humphries suffered a hamstring injury in his Kansas City debut. Although Humphries returned for a Week 18 start in a game in which the No. 1-seeded Chiefs rested starters, he did not make another start of consequence — as K.C. took its chances with LG Joe Thuney at LT — last season. After it looked like Humphries would sign with the 49ers as their swing tackle, no deal transpired — and a Rams pledge emerged.
Humphries made 98 starts with the Cardinals from 2016-23. Injuries were an issue during most of the former first-rounder’s Arizona tenure; he missed 11 games in 2017, seven in 2018 and nine in 2022. A 2021 Pro Bowl nod and two Cardinals extensions occurred during that nine-year tenure as well.
A 2023 fifth-round pick, McClendon (24) is nearly eight years younger than Humphries. He also made five starts last season, seeing 279 right tackle snaps in place of Rob Havenstein. It seems, regardless of Jackson’s status, McClendon will be a backup to open Week 1 of this season as well. Though, Humphries’ injury history stands to make McClendon’s readiness quite important for the Rams to open the season.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.