Buccaneers DT Calijah Kancey Underwent Surgery, Could Return In Playoffs
Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is expected to miss the rest of the regular season due to a pectoral injury, but he has a chance of returning in the playoffs if Tampa Bay advances past the first round, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Kancey underwent successful surgery on Monday for what has been reported as a pectoral tear, according to FOX Sports’ Greg Auman. Offering a somewhat murkier timetable, Auman notes it is “too early in the recovery process to know whether he could make any kind of return this season if the Bucs had an extended playoff run.”
The Buccaneers were hoping that the 2023 first-rounder could take another step forward after his second-year leap to 7.5 sacks. Instead, he will miss virtually all of his third season, but he could still be an impactful postseason addition to the defense if his recovery goes smoothly.
Veteran defensive tackle Greg Gaines saw an uptick in snaps in Week 3 after Kancey was placed on injured reserve, as did rookie Elijah Roberts. UDFA Elijah Simmons made his NFL debut against the Jets and will factor into the rotation moving forward. Practice squad DT C.J. Brewer was also promoted to the active roster on Tuesday to provide more depth.
The Buccaneers seem confident in their young defensive linemen to fill the void left by Kancey’s absence, but upcoming matchups with the Eagles and Lions, two teams with strong offensive lines, will offer a significant challenge. If Tampa Bay struggles as Baltimore did against Detroit on Monday night, they could be in the market for a D-line addition by the trade deadline.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/23/25
As teams enter Week 4, here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Elliott Brown, S Patrick McMorris
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: K Ben Sauls, WR Deven Thompkins
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Otis Reese
- Released: CB Jalen Kimber
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Dan Chisena
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Luke Floriea
- Released: DE K.J. Henry
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Jakobie Keeney-James
- Released: WR Mecole Hardman
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: WR Tyler Scott
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OL Roy Mbaeteka, OL Kadeem Telfort
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: WR Lucky Jackson, RB Xazavian Valladay
New England Patriots
- Signed: DB Tyron Herring
- Released: DB Corey Ballentine
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on injured reserve: RB Jacardia Wright
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Caden Prieskorn, DL Desmond Watson
- Released: S Jack Henderson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Raheem Blackshear
The Falcons’ kicking rollercoaster took another turn in Week 3 with John Parker Romo missing both of his attempts in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers. Granted, those kicks came from 49 and 55 yards, so Atlanta may have some patience after signing Romo to a two-year contract last week. The Falcons still brought in some potential competition in Sauls, an undrafted rookie who spent training camp with the Steelers and made five of his six field goals in the preseason.
Wright is expected to be out for four to six weeks due to a foot injury, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
Watson signed with the Buccaneers after the draft but remained on the non-football injury list as he worked to get his weight to a more manageable level. He was waived during final roster cuts, but the team hosted him for a workout last week, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman. Watson met the team’s athletic requirements to earn his way back on the practice squad, according to Auman, and will return just in time for the Bucs’ Week 4 matchup with the Eagles. The massive nose tackle does feel like a direct counter to the tush push, but Bowles previously said (via Auman) that Watson wouldn’t be re-signed just for one matchup and would instead need to be ready to contribute to the defense as a whole.
Panthers TE Ja’Tavion Sanders Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks
Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s victory over the Falcons, according to Joe Person of The Athletic.
The 2024 fourth-round pick will miss multiple weeks as a result with veteran Tommy Tremble likely stepping back into a starting role.
After largely playing behind Tremble as a rookie, Sanders started Carolina’s first three games this season and outsnapped his veteran teammate 129 to 97. He ranks second on the team in receptions (11) and receiving yards (92), both top-20 marks among tight ends through three games, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Tremble caught all six of his targets for 38 yards to open the year and will likely see an uptick in snap count and receiving opportunities. Fifth-round rookie Mitchell Evans stands to benefit even more, as he only played 35 snaps in the first three weeks but will be elevated to a TE2 role during Sanders’ absence.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales also confirmed that right guard Robert Hunt underwent biceps surgery. His earliest return would be at the end of the season, according to ESPN’s David Newton, while center Austin Corbett avoided surgery but will be out for at least six to eight weeks. Both linemen are on injured reserve.
Carolina has since switched to Chandler Zavala at RG and Cade Mays at C while also poaching Nick Samac off the Ravens’ practice squad to back up both spots. The Panthers offense has struggled behind their injured O-line thus far and will be hoping Corbett can recover on the shorter end of his timeline
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/23/25
Here are the latest minor moves around the NFL coming out of Week 3:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: OL Demontrey Jacobs
- Placed on injured reserve: RB James Conner (story)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad: OT Brant Banks
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: WR Tim Jones
- Waived from IR: DE Alex Williams
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: TE Moliki Matavao
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: S Jerrick Reed II
- Signed: WR Cody White
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed from practice squad: DT C.J. Brewer
- Placed on IR: TE Ko Kieft
Kieft’s leg injury is likely to end his season, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The 27-year-old had just started his fourth season as a core special teams contributor for the Bucs and will now spend the year rehabbing before he hits free agency in the spring.
Giants To Sign K Younghoe Koo
The Giants are signing Younghoe Koo to the practice squad as insurance for injured kicker Graham Gano, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Gano tweaked his groin during warmups before Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. That clearly affected the Giants’ decision-making. Punter Jamie Gillan was inserted for kickoffs and PATs, and Brian Daboll elected to go for a fourth-and-3 rather than kick a 45-yard field goal on New York’s first drive. Gillian’s extra point attempt on the Giants’ sole touchdown was blocked, and the team later called on Gano for a successful 25-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Adding Koo to the practice squad indicates that there is at least a chance that Gano’s injury could sideline him for the Giants’ Week 4 matchup with the Chargers. This would not be Gano’s first injury absence as a Giant. He has been one of the more unreliable kickers in recent memory, missing seven games last season and nine in 2023.
That would give Koo another chance to play in 2025 after being released by the Falcons last week. He missed a game-tying field goal as time expired in the regular season opener, and Atlanta decided to bench him in Week 2 favor of John Parker Romo. He aced his audition by making all six of his kick and received a two-year deal before Week 3 while Koo was sent packing.
The Giants will be hoping Koo can look more like his pre-2024 form if he has to play. From 2019-2023, he was one of the most accurate kickers in the league with a 89.9% conversion rate across 74 games for the Falcons.
The team will also be monitoring Gano carefully this week. He was extremely consistent during his first three years in New York and was five-for-five on field goals and four-for-four on extra points to start the 2025 season. However, his play took a hit amid IR stints in 2023 and 2024, so taking a cautious approach and allowing his groin to fully heal might be the smartest path forward. Signing Koo gives the Giants flexibility to do just that.
Pats’ Christian Gonzalez Returns To Practice
SEPTEMBER 20: The Patriots have officially ruled Gonzalez out for this weekend. As expected, a rapid ramp-up ended up being too much to ask of the third-year defender. His return to practice this week remains good news, though, as he’ll now have another full week to work his way up to full strength without having to rush anything.
SEPTEMBER 17: Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez practiced for the first time since July 28 as he works his way back from a hamstring injury, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe) that Gonzalez could return Patriots’ Week 3 matchup against the Steelers, according to but that would require a rapid ramp-up from an injury that has sidelined him for almost seven weeks.
Earlier in September, Vrabel hinted that the team was hoping for a quicker recovery from Gonzalez, according to Reiss, but he now appears to be trending in the right direction. After Wednesday’s practice, the former first-round pick declined (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) to answer questions about his injury, including one about a potential setback in his rehab process.
Gonzalez’s return would be a major boost to a Patriots secondary that has allowed the most passing yards in the NFL through two weeks. Fellow third-year corner Alex Austin has struggled in both games, allowing a 144.4 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Gonzalez’s game-changing ability to shadow and shut down opposing WR1’s would take significant pressure off of New England’s safeties, especially with a strong start from No. 2 cornerback Carlton Davis.
Gonzalez was likely limited in his return to the practice field, but his status over the next few days will be worth monitoring as the Patriots prepare to host the Steelers.
Week 4 Return ‘A Real Possibility’ For Chris Godwin
A Week 4 return from Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin “feels like a real possibility,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 
Godwin returned to practice last week but has yet to be upgraded from limited participation. The same is true of left tackle Tristan Wirfs, though both were ruled out for Week 3. Wirfs’ timeline is still unknown, but Godwin seems to be trending in the right direction.
Godwin’s return would be a major boost to a Buccaneers passing game that seems to have taken a step back from last season. Tampa Bay currently ranks 26th in yards and 31st in yards per attempt, though they have been effective enough on the ground and defense to win their first two games.
The Buccaneers’ only other injury designation is rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (hip/groin), who is tied for the league lead with three receiving touchdowns through two games. The first-round pick missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday but returned in a limited capacity on Friday. Egbuka is listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup with the Jets; even if he misses the game, he should have a strong chance at playing in Week 4.
Once Godwin and Egbuka are back on the field with Mike Evans, they will form arguably the best wide receiver trio in the league. Godwin and Evans combined to average more than 150 yards per game in 2024, while Egbuka has looked the part of a first-round receiver thus far.
Chiefs Rule Out WR Xavier Worthy For Week 3
The Chiefs have ruled out second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy for their Week 3 matchup with the Giants, per a team announcement.
Worthy was knocked out of the game in Week 1 in a collision with teammate Travis Kelce. The injury, later diagnosed as a labrum tear, sidelined Worthy for Week 2, but the Chiefs expressed optimism about his Week 3 status last Sunday. He was considered “50-50” on Friday, but did not make enough progress to play against the Giants.
Worthy’s absence will once again place a significant burden on Kansas City’s other pass-catchers. The Chiefs offense has been middling in an 0-2 start, but it should have a bounce-back opportunity in New York on Sunday night. The Giants have allowed 910 yards this year, the most in the NFL through two games, including 555 yards through the air.
That should allow Marquise Brown and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ leading receivers, to thrive in some winnable matchups. JuJu Smith-Schuster was reliable in Week 2, catching all five of his targets for 55 yards, while Tyquan Thornton has emerged as a deep threat with 25.0 yards per catch. As a result, Sunday night should be less of a concern for the Chiefs, and holding Worthy out might be a wise move to preserve his long-term healthy, especially since he’s elected not to undergo surgery.
However, the Chiefs will be hoping that Worthy can get back on the field for tough upcoming matchup’s with two Super Bowl contenders in the Ravens and the Lions in the next three weeks. Rashee Rice will not return from his suspension until Week 7, so Worthy’s availability for those games will be crucial for Kansas City’s success.
Vikings S Harrison Smith To Debut In Week 3
Vikings safety Harrison Smith is expected to make his 2025 debut in Week 3 against the Bengals after recovering from a personal health issue that has sidelined him since August 11, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
Smith and the Vikings have declined to provide any information about the nature of Smith’s health problem, though he clarified it was a “physical” issue. Minnesota kept him on the 53-man roster to start the season believing he would be ready within the first four weeks of the season. Smith’s comments last week indicated that he was hoping to be back by Week 4 at the latest, but he has beat that timeline by one game.
Smith will retake his starting spot alongside Josh Metellus from fourth-year safety Theo Jackson, though Jackson will likely remain involved in the Vikings’ three-safety looks.
Brian Flores‘ defense has been a top-five unit against the pass through two games while struggling to stop the run. Most safeties are known for helping the former than the latter, but Smith has been an impactful run defender throughout his career. He has averaged 100 tackles and four tackles for loss per season, both solid numbers for a defensive back.
Also making his 2025 debut will be quarterback Carson Wentz, who is replaced injured starter J.J. McCarthy. Backing him up will be undrafted rookie Max Brosmer rather than recently-signed veteran Desmond Ridder, per Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper. Ridder will designated as the team’s emergency third quarterback.
Falcons CB A.J. Terrell Ruled Out
The Falcons have ruled out star cornerback A.J. Terrell for Sunday’s matchup with the Panthers, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Terrell left the game in Week 2 with a hamstring injury and did not practice this week. Head coach Raheem Morris described him as week-to-week on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Fifth-year cornerback Dee Alford is expected to replace Terrell in the starting lineup after finishing the game in his stead last week. He has primarily lined up in the slot in his career with 16 starts across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but will have to play on the boundary during the Falcons’ visit to the Panthers on Sunday.
Terrell, a 2020 first-round pick, broke out as a second-team All-Pro in his second year with 4.8 yards and a 61.0 passer rating when targeted. He’s been solid in coverage since, but has not returned to the heights of his 2021 campaign. Still, he’s a major loss to a Falcons defense that has been middling against the pass so far this year.
Wide receivers Jamal Agnew (groin) and Casey Washington (concussion) were both ruled out for Sunday’s game as well. Rookie edge rusher James Pearce (groin) is questionable, but should have a good chance at taking the field after practicing all week, albeit as a limited participant. Starting wideouts Drake London and Darnell Mooney have no injury designations and will be full-go against the Panthers.