Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/25
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Keni-H Lovely
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from non-football injury list: LB Jake Hummel
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Deon Cain
- Waived: CB Daryl Porter Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from active/NFI list: DT Bobby Brown, P Sam Martin
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Toa Taua
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Nick Whiteside
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: OL Elgton Jenkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Josh Tupou
- Placed on IR: OT Jack Wilson
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: RB Nate Noel
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from active/PUP list: LB Chaz Chambliss
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/NFI list: S Josh Minkins
New Orleans Saints
- Released: OT Josh Ball
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/retired list: RB Zach Evans
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: WR Quintez Cephus
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Donovan Kaufman
- Placed on IR: RB Kenny McIntosh (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Ramel Keyton
Jenkins, who switched to center this offseason, was dealing with a back injury in training camp and participated in a limited capacity on Monday, per USA Today’s Ryan Wood.
Evans, a sixth-round pick by the Rams in 2023, played in 10 games as a rookie but didn’t make the 53-man roster in 2024. He joined the Jets’ practice squad in December and signed a reserve/futures contract in January, but opted to retire instead.
Chiefs Aiming To Extend CB Trent McDuffie Before Week 1
The Chiefs extended two members of their 2022 draft class already this summer, and according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, they’re hoping for a third agreement — with cornerback Trent McDuffie — before Week 1.
Negotiating a new contract with McDuffie will force the Chiefs to wade into a cornerback market they have largely avoided in recent years. They let Charvarius Ward leave in free agency in 2022 and traded L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans last offseason rather than sign him to an extension. While Kansas City did sign Kristian Fulton to a two-year, $20MM deal this offseason, the rest of their cornerback room is largely made up of recent Day 3 picks.
The Chiefs seem more inclined to keep McDuffie after a stellar start to his NFL career. They traded up to the No. 21 pick to draft him in 2022, and he has since developed into one of the league’s best cornerbacks. He earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2023 while playing primarily in the slot with seven passes defended, five forced fumbles, four tackles for loss, and three sacks. The former Washington Husky earned a second-team All-Pro berth for his efforts with his first two interceptions and 13 passes defended, but he fewer impact plays after moving to the boundary full-time.
Extending McDuffie will be a costly proposition after cornerback pay exploded this offseason. Fellow 2022 first-rounders Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley both reached $30MM per year on their new contracts, and McDuffie will likely be demanding a similar sum. He missed six games due to injury as a rookie but has been healthy since, giving him a better record of availability compared to Stingley. McDuffie also put up a stronger 2024 season than Gardner in several categories, which should position him for a $30MM APY extension.
That will likely be the number required to get a deal done before the regular season starts. The Chiefs already picked up McDuffie’s fifth-year option for 2026 (worth $13.6MM), giving them a long runway to agree on terms before they worry about losing their star corner.
Cowboys LT Tyler Guyton Suffers Bone Fracture
Cowboys left tackle Tyler Guyton suffered a knee injury during training camp today that has been diagnosed as a bone fracture, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Guyton is also dealing with a sprained knee, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.
Initial signs pointed toward an ACL tear, Guyton will not require surgery and may even be ready for Week 1 with a projected four- to six-week absence. In the meantime, Dallas will have to find a new first-team left tackle for training camp who can step up in the regular season if Guyton experiences a setback.
The current roster doesn’t offer any obvious answers. Chuma Edoga, who started four games amid Guyton’s injury woes last year, is now in Jacksonville. Asim Richards replaced Guyton for one game and rotated in during several others, but has been lining up at guard in training camp. Left guard Tyler Smith moved to left tackle for two games in 2024 as well, but he spent the other 14 developing into one of the best guards in the league.
2024 seventh-rounder Nathan Thomas, who spent his rookie season on injured reserve, may also be an option. He has been rotating in as the second-team left tackle in training camp in addition to some time at guard, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Guyton, the No. 29 pick in the 2024 draft, dealt with some injuries in college with five absences due to his injury over his last two seasons at Oklahoma. Despite appearing in 15 games with 11 starts as a rookie in Dallas, he only played 57.22% of the team’s offensive snaps over the course of the year. Guyton played every snap in the first four games before leaving the game in Week 5 and missing Week 6. He played almost every snap in Weeks 8 and 9 before another injury that sidelined him for Week 10. From Week 11 on, he only commanded a 43.4% snap share with a rotational role at left tackle due to poor play that may have been exacerbated by his injuries.
The Cowboys will be hoping that Guyton can hit the ground running when he returns in late August or early September so he can put together a much stronger 2025 season compared to his disappointing performance as a rookie.
Jets QB Justin Fields Returns To Practice On Limited Basis
JULY 27: Fields took part in individual drills and 7-on-7 work on Saturday, per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. The club’s new QB1 thrived in the 7-on-7 session, showing good mobility and completing all six of his passes, including one touchdown toss.
Fields did not take any 11-on-11 reps, and Glenn says the passer still has “a ways to go” before he returns to full participation. Still, a frightening situation is clearly trending in the right direction.
JULY 24, 9:30pm: Fields’ injury is not considered significant, Cimini reports. In spite of the relatively positive update, missed time should still in store. Per Vacchiano, Fields could be sidelined for a portion of training camp along with some or all of the preseason. Both follow-up reports indicate a return to full health in time for Week 1 is expected, and the team has since confirmed Fields is dealing with a dislocated toe, a much less severe ailment than some of the alternative outcomes.
10:07am: Jets quarterback Justin Fields was carted off the field this morning after suffering a dislocated toe during practice, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The severity of Fields’ injury remains unknown, but the Jets appear to have avoided a worst-case scenario with a toe injury rather than one to the knee or lower leg. Furthermore, the affected toe was not fractured, nor is it the big toe, per Rapoport.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) that he believes Fields’ toe was stepped on during a play. The 26-year-old quarterback is expected to undergo more tests to determine how long he will be sidelined.
Glenn expressed confidence in Fields’ backup, Tyrod Taylor, a journeyman quarterback who played for four different teams over the past five seasons.
“We have an outstanding backup in Tyrod, who’s been in this league for around 14 years,” said Glenn. “[With] the leadership he brings, we’re all good.” Glenn also noted that Taylor brings a similar skillset to Fields that will allow the Jets to continue developing their offense with minimal interruption.
“I don’t think there’s any drop-off as far as what we want to do in terms of play-calling,” continued Glenn (via FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano). “We’re all excited to have that guy here.”
That excitement won’t continue if Fields’ injury is more severe and he ends up sidelined for an extended period of time. It appears initially that the Jets have avoided major disaster, but further testing will provide a more definitive outlook.
Dolphins Sign CBs Jack Jones, Mike Hilton
After a season-ending injury to Artie Burns, the Dolphins are making two veteran additions to their cornerback room.
The first is former Patriots and Raiders cornerback Jack Jones in a signing made official on Saturday, per a team announcement. Jones started 16 games for the Raiders last season and led the team with three interceptions and 16 passes defended.
The second, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is veteran slot corner Mike Hilton. Hilton started 23 games over the last two years as the Bengals’ primary nickel, a role he has held in both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh over the last eight seasons.
Cornerback has long been a need for Miami, even before the team traded Jalen Ramsey to the Steelers. Jones primarily plays on the boundary, where he will likely compete for a starting job, while Hilton could be the starting nickel right away if Kader Kohou moves outside. Kohou also appeared to suffer a minor injury in Saturday’s practice, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
Jones, a 2022 fourth-rounder, began his career with the Patriots and started two games as a rookie. He was cut five games into the 2023 season after disciplinary issues in New England and claimed off waivers by the Raiders. Jones earned a starting job in Las Vegas by the end of the year and continued it into 2024 but was released by the Raiders in April, presumably as part of the roster turnover that comes with regime change.
Originally an undrafted free agent signing by the Steelers, Hilton is one of the league’s most experienced nickels. His 36 career starts don’t properly represent his contributions, as he maintained a snap share around 60% during his four years in Pittsburgh and stayed above 70% for his next four in Cincinnati. His last two seasons were arguably his best, racking up 13 passes defended and 157 tackles with a whopping 24 tackles for loss.
Hilton earned grades of 77.4 and 75.9 from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2023 and 2024, respectively, his two best marks outside of his breakout rookie season. With a slew of younger corners on the roster, however, the Bengals declined to retain Hilton when his contract expired this year.
The Dolphins waived Ryan Cooper Jr. in a corresponding move to their signing of Jones. Cooper appeared in one game for the Ravens last year and finished the season on the Seahawks’ practices squad.
Dolphins S Minkah Fitzpatrick Hires New Agent
Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is hiring a new agent shortly after his trade back to Miami, a potential indicator that he will be seeking a new contract from the Dolphins.
Fitzpatrick hired Drew Rosenhaus, according to the Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly, who represents several high-profile NFL players including two of Fitzpatrick’s new teammates: Tyreek Hill and Zach Sieler. The Dolphins seem to have quelled the dissatisfaction Hill expressed at the end of last season, while Sieler is seeking a raise after posting his second double-digit sack season in a row. Fitzpatrick was previously represented by Joe Segal of WME Sports.
The seven-year veteran had two years and a non-guaranteed $33.1MM remaining on his contract when he was traded to the Dolphins for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith, per OverTheCap. After seeing the Steelers sign Ramsey and Smith to new contracts after the deal went through, Fitzpatrick may be expecting the same treatment from the team that drafted him in the first round in 2018.
While he can be confident that he will earn his $15.5MM salary this year after Miami moved to acquire him at the end of June, Fitzpatrick would prefer to add guarantees to his $17.5MM salary in 2026, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. He may also be looking to take advantage of a safety market that eclipsed $21MM per year since he signed for a $18.25MM AAV in 2022. The 28-year-old will likely see the next two years as his last chance to sign a multi-year deal for a premium price.
Contract talks may not take place right away as the Dolphins will want to ensure that Fitzpatrick can fit back into their defense. Fitzpatrick’s play also appeared to take a step back in 2023 and 2024 compared to his three All-Pro seasons between 2019 and 2022, so his performance this year will be crucial to setting his market.
However, Miami is just as thin at safety as they are at cornerback. Their other projected starter is former Jet Ashtyn Davis, who has never started more than 10 games in a season with just six starts over the last two years. Behind Fitzpatrick and Davis are recent Day 3 draftees Patrick McMorris and Dante Trader, as well as a few undrafted free agents. Given the Dolphins’ lack of safety talent and use of resources to acquire Fitzpatrick this offseason, it’s hard to imagine that they don’t see him as a multi-year investment and will likely have to engage in negotiations as a result.
Bears CB Jaylon Johnson To Miss Several Weeks
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is expected to miss most of training camp due to a leg injury, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin.
Johnson was placed on the non-football injury list when veterans reported to Chicago for camp. He suffered the injury during offseason training, according to Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
Johnson is coming off his second consecutive Pro Bowl and is headed into the second year of a four-year, $76 million deal signed last year. He has dealt with a number of injuries over his career, playing no more than 15 games in a season over the first four years of his career. In 2024, he played a full season for the first time, starting all 17 games with a career-high 1,032 snaps.
An extended absence into the regular season would force Chicago to find another starting cornerback among their veteran depth, but Poles said that the team is not “overly concerned” about a long-term injury.
“We’ve got a lot of faith that he’s going to put in the time to rehab and be his full self when he comes back,” said Poles on Tuesday.
2023 fifth-rounder Terell Smith will likely step into a first-team role in Johnson’s absence. Chicago largely relied on a cornerback trio of Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Kyler Gordon last year; Smith is the only remaining defensive back on the roster who played at least 150 snaps on the boundary for the Bears in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus (subscripton required).
Offseason signings Nick McCloud and Tre Flowers may also see a bump in reps over the coming weeks as Johnson rehabs his leg with his eyes on returning for the Bears’ Week 1 opener against the Vikings.
Falcons WR Darnell Mooney To Miss Time
A shoulder injury is expected to sideline Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney for a few weeks, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The injury occurred when Mooney dove for a deep ball during full-team work on Thursday and left the field with a trainer, according to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. The sixth-year wideout could be sidelined for most of training camp, per WSB’s Zach Klein.
DJ Chark‘s workout was already scheduled before Mooney went down, but his injury seems to explain why the Falcons completed the signing yesterday. The team announced the one-year deal this morning.
The Falcons have a number of receivers who can step up in Mooney’s place during his absence, including KhaDarel Hodge, who played with the first team on Saturday, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. Veteran Jamal Agnew, who arrived in Atlanta this offseason on a one-year, $2.5MM deal, could also be in line for more reps. The same goes for Chark as he learns Atlanta’s offense.
Mooney’s injury doesn’t appear to threaten his Week 1 availability. He signed a three-year, $39MM deal with the Falcons last offseason and immediately turned in a strong debut season in Atlanta. He finished second on the team to Drake London in virtually every receiving category with 64 receptions on 106 targets for 992 yards and five touchdowns. Those were Mooney’s best numbers since 2021, and the team’s lack of investment in their receiver room this offseason shows that they believe in a repeat performance this year.
Trey Hendrickson Rejects Bengals’ Latest Offers Without Future Guarantees
JULY 25: Hendrickson and the Bengals have indeed reached an agreement on the average annual value of an extension, Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline reports. The issue remains the matter of guarantees, with Pauline adding Hendrickson’s asking price includes locked in money for the next three years. The question of when (or if) a compromise on this front will be made remains a central Bengals storyline as training camp continues.
JULY 23: Trey Hendrickson spent the last month in Cincinnati, working out to prepare for the season and hoping the Bengals would finally offer an acceptable contract extension.
Instead, he has retreated to Florida to commence a long-threatened holdout as the rest of the team begins training camp.
During a recent press conference, Bengals owner Mike Brown and de facto general manager Duke Tobin struck an optimistic tone about the state of negotiations with Hendrickson. Behind the scenes, however, the team still refused to meet Hendrickson’s core demands regarding length and guarantees. Neither of the Bengals’ two most recent offers included guaranteed money past the first year, per The Athletic’s Diana Russini.
Hendrickson received and rejected both offers in a 24-hour span before packing his bags and following through on his threat to hold out from training camp.
“I wanted to be there,” said Hendrickson (via Russini), “but there’s no way I would be able to sit there in the house and hear the practice whistles while also being a distraction. I don’t want to ruin the other 10 guys’ 2025 season on my contract language.”
Length and guarantees remain the main obstacle to a deal, suggesting that the two sides have been able to find a middle ground on APY. Hendrickson has emphasized that he is not demanding a market-resetting figure, something he reiterated in his interview with Russini.
“I was more than willing to take less in some ways in order to make a deal work,” explained Hendrickson, who expressed a desire to be a team captain and help mentor his younger teammates, including first-round pick and fellow holdout Shemar Stewart. But none of that can begin until and unless the Bengals meet Hendrickson’s demands, or at least enough of them to convince him to put pen to paper and get back on the field.
Despite the prolonged stalemate, Hendrickson is not expected to be traded, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (via ESPN Chicago). Hendrickson told Russini that he wants to be in Cincinnati and knows the team feels the same way, something both sides have been consistent about throughout the offseason.
Commanders’ Terry McLaurin Begins Holdout
JULY 24: During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show (video link), NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted McLaurin is currently in the Virginia area as his holdout continues. Per Pelissero, all options – anything from requesting a trade to backing down and playing the 2025 season without an extension in hand – remain on the table at this point. In the absence of an agreement, an escalation on the part of McLaurin’s camp looms as a potential development in this saga.
JULY 22: Terry McLaurin did not report to Commanders training camp, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, marking the start of a holdout amid his protracted extension talks with the team.
Washington’s veterans were due to report today for a conditioning test, which was described as an “unofficial start” to training camp by Schefter. McLaurin was the only Commander not in attendance, which is expected to remain the case until he reaches an agreement on a new contract.
General manager Adam Peters made it clear earlier today that the organization would “do whatever we can to get a deal done,” although the front office apparently didn’t show enough urgency to avoid a holdout. McLaurin will now face daily fines of $50K for missed practices.
Entering the final season of his three-year, $68MM extension from 2022, McLaurin has cited recent deals signed at his position. Garrett Wilson was the most recent wideout to receive a lucrative extension, as the Jets WR garnered a four-year, $130MM contract that included $90MM in guaranteed money. McLaurin’s situation is a bit unique considering he’s set to enter his age-30 campaign, but the Commanders star could still expect a hefty payout on his next deal.
The former third-round pick has topped 900 receiving yards in each of his six NFL seasons, including five-straight years of 1,000-plus yards. The 2024 season was one of the most productive campaigns of his career, as McLaurin finished with 82 catches for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns.
While the Commanders appear motivated to work out a long-term pact, there shouldn’t be a lack of suitors if the organization suddenly pivots to a trade. Just the other day, we heard that the Patriots would have interest in acquiring the star receiver, and New England surely wouldn’t be the only potential landing spot for the Pro Bowler.
In the meantime, McLaurin’s absence will give several players an opportunity to push for first-team reps in Washington. This group includes veterans K.J. Osborn and Michael Gallup as well as recent draftees Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.