Cowboys Place S Malik Hooker On IR
The Cowboys placed safety Malik Hooker on injured reserve on Saturday, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
Hooker started the team’s first four contests of the season before exiting last week’s game against the Packers with a toe injury. Now, he will be out for at least four games and will be eligible to return in Week 9.
The eight-year veteran has gotten off to a rough start in 2025, allowing a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He has been better as a run defender, consistently playing downhill to meet ballcarriers in the hole and missing just one of his 16 tackles.
Hooker will be replaced in the starting lineup by Juanyeh Thomas, who closed out the game in Week 4. The 2023 UDFA has been a depth safety and core special teams player during his three years in Dallas, so starting in Hooker’s absence is a major opportunity.
The Cowboys also signed safety Alijah Clark to the active roster from the practice squad. The undrafted rookie will further reinforce the secondary while helping out on special teams as well. Wideouts Jalen Brooks and Jalen Cropper were both elevated from the practice squad for Week 5 to bolster a receiving room that will be without CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin on Sunday.
K Justin Tucker Receiving Interest
Veteran kicker Justin Tucker has received interest from multiple teams as he awaits his reinstatement from a 10-game suspension stemming from 16 allegations of sexual misconduct, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The accusations came to light at the end of January after the worst statistical season of Tucker’s career. The NFL swiftly opened an investigation, and the Ravens parted ways with their longtime kicker in May after finding his replacement in the draft.
Tucker’s suspension will be lifted on November 11, and he could be a late-season addition to a team with an injured or struggling kicker. Health has never been an issue for Tucker, but his performance dipped over the last three years. He made 91.1% of his field goals in his first decade in the NFL; since 2022, he has an 82.7% make rate including a career-low of 73.3% last year.
The difference has been distance. His conversion percentage from 50-plus yards went from 72.7% in his first 10 years to 53.3% in his last three. Teams will want to see that Tucker still has the booming leg that powered him to seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams.
The Ravens, meanwhile, have been satisfied with the early returns on rookie kicker Tyler Loop, who stepped into Tucker’s role this offseason. Loop has made all seven of his field goal attempts to start the year and 14 of his 15 PATs, though his one miss came in the Ravens’ 41-40 Week 1 loss to the Bills.
Buccaneers Work Out CBs Arthur Maulet, Duke Shelley
Amid a rash of injuries in their secondary, the Buccaneers worked out veteran cornerbacks Arthur Maulet and Duke Shelley on Friday, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Jamel Dean, Benjamin Morrison, and Christian Izien were all ruled out for Sunday’s matchup with the Seahawks, leaving Tampa Bay without their No. 1 and No. 3 outside cornerbacks as well as key slot and special teams depth in Izien.
Working out Maulet and Shelley would appear to be a response to Izien’s quad injury more than anything else. Maulet and Shelley have extensive experience at nickel, where Izien has played majority of his career snaps, and they both could fill his role on special teams as well.
Maulet, a former UDFA out of Memphis, has spent two seasons each with the Jets, Steelers, and Ravens over the last six years. He was coming off a solid debut season in Baltimore when a knee injury in training camp sidelined him for most of the 2024 season. The Ravens released him as a cap casualty this offseason and he relocated to Houston, but could not make their regular-season roster.
Shelley is a six-year veteran with only 11 starts to his name. He only played 14 snaps in his sole appearance for the Giants in 2024 and only played 86 defensive snaps for the Rams the year before that. Shelley signed with the Colts before training camp but was released during final roster cuts.
A Friday workout, of course, is too late to add depth for Sunday’s game, but the Buccaneers’ coaching staff was able to evaluate the two veteran corners to help inform their decisions coming out of Week 5.
Concern About Arch Manning In Scouting World
Texas quarterback and potential top 2026/2027 draft prospect Arch Manning has not lived up to the hype in his first season as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback.
Among qualified FBS quarterbacks, Manning ranks 42nd in yards per attempt (8.4), 62nd in yards per game (222), and 88th in completion percentage (61.3%). Those numbers fall far short of the expectations for the preseason Heisman favorite, and it is impacting his perception at the NFL level.
Manning’s particularly rough performance against Ohio State in the season opener has created “real concern about him within the scouting world,” per Bruce Feldman of The Athletic. The 21-year-old has been scrutinized for his entire playing career due to his family tree with much of the college football world talking about his potential for the last two years.
“He’s talented, but he needs to get rid of what’s going on with him,” said one of Feldman’s NFL sources. “I don’t know if it’s all mental, but I do know he’s dealing with a level of pressure that nobody else we’re talking about is dealing with.”
This is also Manning’s first year as a full-time starter, and that is not the only change to the Longhorns offense. They have several new starters, including four along the offensive line, so some early missteps are understandable, but NFL scouts will be looking for Manning to bounce back in a big way for the rest of the year.
Unsurprisingly, Feldman’s sources within the Texas program are more optimistic about Manning, particularly his athleticism and natural throwing ability. They may also be more confident that he will stay in college for four years. Many suspect that will be the case because his uncles Peyton and Eli Manning did the same thing on the advice of their father (Arch’s grandfather and namesake) Archie Manning. Sticking around in Austin in 2026 will give Arch Manning more time to develop in college and potentially recover from a disappointing 2025 season before entering the 2027 draft.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Receives Medical Clearance, To Return In Week 5
OCTOBER 3: To no surprise, the Commanders announced on Friday that Daniels will play this week. Washington (2-2 on the year) will take on the Chargers Sunday with expectations for increased production on offense.
OCTOBER 1: Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced on Wednesday (via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones) that quarterback Jayden Daniels was medically cleared for full participation at practice.
Daniels has been sidelined for the last two games with a knee injury suffered in Week 2. The Commanders went 1-1 in his absence with Marcus Mariota under center.
The veteran quarterback was efficient in Week 3, though 14 of Washington’s 41 points had little to do with Mariota. One touchdown was a 60-yard rush by running back Jeremy McNichols; another was a 90-yard punt return by rookie wide receiver Jaylin Lane. Mariota was not as effective in Week 5, though the Commanders still scored 24 points against a sneaky-good Falcons defense.
Mariota’s performance showed exactly why he is among the league’s top backups. He was a fine caretaker of the Commanders offense, but Daniels no doubt offers a much higher ceiling of play through the air and on the ground. Returning to full participation this week is an excellent sign for his chances to play in Week 5, provided that he doesn’t experience a setback in practice.
Quinn did not have any concrete updates on other injured players like Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown, and John Bates, saying (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic) that all three are “trending up” and “making good progress.”
Jets RB Braelon Allen To Miss 8-12 Weeks
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) that running back Braelon Allen is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks due to the knee injury that landed him on injured reserve on Thursday.
Allen could opt to rehab his knee with or without surgery, per Glenn, with the same timetable for both options. That will keep the 2024 fourth-round pick sidelined until the very end of November at the earliest.
Allen’s injury, believed to be an MCL sprain, will set back a sophomore campaign that was seen as an opportunity for the 21-year-old after playing second fiddle to Breece Hall as a rookie. Regime change is often accompanied by roster turnover, and the new leadership could let Hall – a second-round pick under previous general manager Joe Douglas – walk in free agency and install Allen as the team’s future starter.
Hall has gotten off to a strong start this year, and Allen’s injury will likely rob him of the chance to impress his new coaches. Hall did not emerge as an extension candidate, as of this summer, but rumblings about an in-season trade will likely cease following this Allen news.
Allen’s timetable is on the high end for MCL sprains, but these injuries can be tricky. While Allen’s 2025 season stands to be marred by this malady, time remains on the running back’s side. The Wisconsin alum played his entire rookie season at age 20, and the Jets will have his age-22 and age-23 campaigns (perhaps with Hall elsewhere) to continue this evaluation. Allen finished with 334 rushing yards on 92 carries last season, playing in all 17 Jets games. He is at 76 (on 18 totes) thus far this year.
This will deplete an offense already lacking for auxiliary playmakers beyond Hall and Garrett Wilson. With Allen on IR and RB/return specialist Kene Nwangwu missing practice this week with a hamstring injury, the Jets will likely make a roster move to fill out their Week 5 backfield depth chart. Only Hall and Isaiah Adams are healthy options going into the team’s Cowboys matchup.
Chosen one round after Allen in last year’s draft, Adams gained 174 rushing yards on 30 handoffs as a rookie. The South Dakota State product will be expected to play a bigger role with Allen out of the picture. Rookie UDFA Lawrance Toafili is the only running back on Gang Green’s practice squad. Toafili has yet to make his NFL debut.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Anthony Richardson Open To Developing Under Offensive Coach
It seems like the Anthony Richardson experiment in Indianapolis is over.
The No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft only played 15 games in his first two seasons and lost a training camp battle to Daniel Jones this year. Jones’ success at the helm of a Colts offense that is mostly unchanged from their last two campaigns has seemingly made it clear that Richardson was simply not ready for a starting role.
The Colts have seemingly decided to move on from Richardson at some point. They won’t pick up his $22.9MM fifth-year option for the 2027 season (via OverTheCap) and could even try to trade him in the next year before his rookie contract expires.
Teams may even have interest at this season’s trade deadline. There is no doubt that Richardson has struggled to start his career, but his physical traits will remain tantalizing for any coach who believes that they can get the best out of him. Acquiring him this year (as opposed to in the offseason) will allow him to get acclimated in a new system and hit the ground running in 2026.
Such a path forward might be appealing to Richardson, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who mentioned Sean McVay and the Rams as a potential possibility. Retirement rumors have followed Matthew Stafford in the past two offseason, and Richardson could be a low-cost lottery ticket for future starter.
The Steelers come to mind as a team in a similar situation with Aaron Rodgers, though offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has not fielded a top-10 unit since his time in Tennessee. The Raiders also have an uncertain future under center beyond 34-year-old Geno Smith. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and minority owner Tom Brady could be part of the appeal in Las Vegas.
Of course, this is all assuming that there is a team who wants Richardson and a desire from both Richardson and the Colts to part ways. That does not seem to be the case quite yet, though offers of opportunity for the former and draft capital for the latter may be enough to change their minds.
49ers Sign QB Adrian Martinez From Practice Squad
The 49ers signed quarterback Adrian Martinez to their active roster from the practice squad on Thursday, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
For the third time in four weeks, Martinez will serve as the backup to Mac Jones, who is starting once again in place of an injured Brock Purdy.
Martinez was elevated from the practice squad in Weeks 2 and 3, and the 49ers had the option to use up his third and final elevation for Thursday’s game. Instead, they signed him to the 53-man roster, which will ensure he is available to play as long as Purdy is sidelined after his recent setback.
Jones played every snap in his two starts, winning both games with a total of 563 passing yards and four touchdowns. Turnovers are somewhat of a concern – Jones threw one interception and fumbled twice (one lost) – but he would have to implode for the 49ers to put in Martinez for his NFL debut. Instead, the team will be hoping that Martinez only takes the field if they have built up a massive lead.
A former starter at Nebraska, Martinez spent his senior year at Kansas State, where he tossed six touchdowns vs. one interception. He also had a standout performance while running the ball, collecting another 627 yards and 10 touchdowns. He joined the Lions after going undrafted in 2023, and he later won UFL MVP before winning the league championship with the Birmingham Stallions. He spent the 2024 season on the Jets practice squad and was among the team’s final cuts following the 2025 preseason. He caught on with the 49ers practice squad in late August.
The 49ers offense will also be without wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings on Thursday night, giving them an uphill battle against a strong Rams defense on a short week.
Joining Martinez from the practice squad will be defensive end Trevis Gipson and wide receiver Malik Turner, who have been called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations. To make room for Martinez on the 53-man roster, defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson was waived, and to fill Martinez’s open spot on the practice squad, the team signed cornerback Derrick Canteen.
Cowboys Open To George Pickens Extension?
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated (via Clarence Hill of All City DLLS) that Dallas was open to signing wide receiver George Pickens to a contract extension.
Jones praised Pickens as an “exemplary teammate” and again referred to the Micah Parsons trade as an opportunity to sign multiple players for the price of one.
Pickens was traded to the Cowboys in May and initially said that he was planning to play out the final year of his contract. That may still be the case, but he indicated in August that he was open to an extended stay in Dallas. Pickens also hinted that he was more comfortable in the locker room relative to his time in Pittsburgh, which was marked by attendance issues and sideline outbursts.
The 24-year-old wideout got off to a good, but not great start in Dallas with 13 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns in his first three games. But after CeeDee Lamb went down with a high ankle sprain, Pickens exploded for an 8-134-2 stat line in his first full game as the Cowboys’ WR1. He is now on pace for career-highs across the board, though Lamb’s eventual return will eat into his target share. Continuing to produce will certainly keep him as a featured target in the Cowboys offense, even when Lamb retakes his role.
Pickens could be in line for a massive contract if he finishes with another 1,000-yard season, especially if he reaches 4,000 career receiving yards by the end of his fourth season. Fellow 2022 draftee Jameson Williams signed a three-year, $80MM extension earlier this year, though that value is inflated by per-game roster bonuses, workout bonuses, and a non-guaranteed option bonus due in the final year of the deal. Williams has significantly less production than Pickens, so the latter should be able to match or eclipse that deal with a more player-friendly structure.
Signing Pickens to an extension would certainly make sense given that the Cowboys gave up third- and fifth-round picks for him (and a sixth-rounder in a pick-swap exchange) in the offseason. That is not too high a price for a one-year rental, but trading for a young, productive player at the end of his rookie deal suggests that Dallas made the move with the future in mind.
Jets To Place RB Braelon Allen On IR
11:36am: The Jets officially placed Allen on the IR, per a team announcement. To fill their roster vacancy, they signed veteran running back Khalil Herbert. Herbert terminated his practice squad deal with the Seahawks on Wednesday, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, freeing him up to join the Jets’ backfield.
Herbert’s arrival in New York will also be a reunion with Justin Fields. They were both part of the Bears’ 2021 draft class and played together for three-and-a-half years in Chicago. Herbert was a solid but unspectacular rusher in his first three seasons, but fell out of favor in 2024 and was traded to the Bengals, where he had little impact for the rest of the year.
9:52am: The Jets are placing second-year running back Braelon Allen on injured reserve with what head coach Aaron Glenn called a “pretty serious knee injury,” according to Brian Costello of the New York Post.
Allen went down in Week 4 with an initial report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport claiming that he “suffered an MCL sprain that will likely land him on injured reserve.”
Glenn seemed to confirm that diagnosis on Wednesday but added that Allen was seeking a second opinion. Apparently, further evaluation has not changed Allen’s outlook: the 2024 fourth-rounder will be sidelined for at least four games as he recovers.
Despite some predictions of a second-year breakout, Allen has not been able to steal many touches away from starter Breece Hall. He has only carried the ball 18 times for 76 yards and one touchdown while adding two receptions for 17 yards through the air.
Hall leads the backfield with 52 carries for 238 yards, and his 13 catches and 108 receiving yards also rank second on the team. Quarterback Justin Fields has been the team’s secondary ballcarrier with 24 carries for 178 yards (7.4 YPC).
Hall and Fields may not see a big bump in carries in Allen’s absence. His touches are more likely to go to third-stringer Isaiah Davis. The 2024 fifth-round pick has been efficient on a limited sample size, averaging 5.7 yards per carry on 35 carries (30 as a rookie, five so far this year). The Jets will likely add another running back to their roster, either by promoting Lawrance Toafili from the practice squad or making an external signing. They do have Kene Nwangwu on the roster, but he is almost exclusively a returner with 61 total offensive snaps in his career in his five-year career.