NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/16/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DB Trevian Thomas
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Jalen Cropper
Detroit Lions
- Signed: S Loren Strickland
- Released: DL Keith Cooper
New England Patriots
- Signed: TE Thomas Odukoya, DL Leonard Taylor
- Released: TE Marshall Lang, DL David Olajiga
Panthers OLB Patrick Jones Out For Season
One key piece to the Panthers’ reshaped outside linebacker puzzle will not factor into their rest-of-season equation. The back injury Patrick Jones is battling will put him on the shelf the rest of the way.
Dave Canales confirmed Wednesday (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) Jones will need season-ending surgery to address the issue. Signed to a two-year deal this offseason, Jones has started in all four games he has played as a Panther.
After making a modest effort to fill the void the Brian Burns trade created, the Panthers signed Jones and used Day 2 picks on Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. The team then cut Jadeveon Clowney, clearing the road for Jones and the rookies. Jones has one sack and two QB hits through four games, missing two already. These will be his year-end totals.
Carolina gave Jones a two-year, $14MM deal on Day 1 of the legal tampering period. The ex-Vikings pass rusher generated some late free agency buzz and drew a nice market as a younger option. Jones posted seven sacks as a backup to Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel last season, and the Panthers asked him to start while developing Scourton and Umanmielen. Jones joined D-linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown as notable front-seven additions in free agency.
While the pack of offseason adds has helped Ejiro Evero‘s defense on the whole, the Panthers have just five sacks in six games. Scourton and holdover edge rusher D.J. Wonnum do not yet have sacks, though Evero’s defense has climbed from 32nd in points and yardage allowed last season to 21st and 10th in those categories, respectively. Derrick Brown‘s return has provided the biggest spark here, but the well-paid D-lineman will need more help now that Jones is out.
Scourton has logged a 59% snap share, starting two games, while Umanmielen is at 28% strictly as a backup. The Panthers made the Clowney decision to help clear the runway for the rookies, and the Jones setback will widen it. Jones secured a partial guarantee on his 2026 salary; $1.75MM of the $6.4MM number is locked in. That will make his recovery worth monitoring over the next several months.
Panthers Designate Austin Corbett For Return
OCTOBER 15: As planned, the Panthers have designated Corbett for return and opened his practice window, per Joe Person of The Athletic. He will have three weeks to practice with the team before he must be moved to the active roster or revert to season-ending IR.
OCTOBER 14: Carolina has gone most of the season without starting center Austin Corbett, but he’s progressing toward a return. The Panthers are planning to open Corbett’s practice window on Wednesday, according to Darin Gantt of the team’s website. Once that happens, the Panthers will have 21 days to activate Corbett from injured reserve.
The Panthers’ offensive line took multiple hits in a Week 2 defeat to Arizona, losing Corbett and right guard Robert Hunt to significant injuries. Corbett went down with a Grade C MCL injury, while Hunt tore his left biceps. It’s uncertain if Hunt will return this year, but the team is about to set the wheels in motion on a Corbett comeback.
Despite their O-line injuries, the Panthers have won three of four since an 0-2 start. Running back Rico Dowdle has unexpectedly amassed a jaw-dropping 389 yards on the ground during a two-game winning streak. Fourth-year man Cade Mays has been filling in for Corbett in the middle of the line, while Brady Christensen is starting in Hunt’s place.
Now in his fourth season in Carolina, injuries have been a frequent occurrence during Corbett’s tenure with the team. After a 17-game 2022, he missed 13 contests in 2023 and sat out another 12 last season. Despite that, Corbett beat out Mays for the starting center job during the summer.
If Corbett comes off IR in the next few weeks, the Panthers will have to decide whether to plug him back in over Mays. Notably, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranks Mays’ early season performance eighth among 35 centers.
It seems likely that Carolina will announce a move with Corbett on Wednesday. In the meantime, the team made a couple of minor transactions on Tuesday. The Panthers waived defensive back Trevian Thomas and released offensive lineman Darrian Dalcourt from their practice squad.
Thomas, an undrafted rookie from Arkansa State, earned a call-up from the practice squad for Week 5. He played 12 special teams snaps in a win over the Dolphins. Dalcourt signed with the Panthers’ practice squad last week after a stint with the Commanders.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/25
Here are the minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations heading into the sixth Sunday of the NFL season:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed from practice squad: DT C.J. Okoye
- Elevated: QB Tyler Huntley, S Keondre Jackson
- Waived: S Reuben Lowery
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: CB Keion Crossen, G Brandon Walton
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: G Jaxson Kirkland
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: CB Tre Avery
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed from practice squad: WR Jalen Cropper
- Elevated: WR Parris Campbell
- Placed on IR: RB Miles Sanders (story)
Detroit Lions
- Signed from practice squad: S Erick Hallett, DT Quinton Jefferson, CB Nick Whiteside
- Elevated: T Devin Cochran, CB Arthur Maulet
- Placed on IR: T Giovanni Manu (story)
- Waived: C Kingsley Eguakun, DT Chris Smith
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: RB Ameer Abdullah, CB Cameron Mitchell
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: CB A.J. Green, LB Elias Neal
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: LB Quinton Bell, CB Isaiah Johnson
New England Patriots
- Elevated: RB Terrell Jennings, DE Truman Jones
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: LB Nephi Sewell
New York Jets
- Elevated: WR Brandon Smith, WR Isaiah Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed from practice squad: WR Ke’Shawn Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: CB Shaquill Griffin, S Jerrick Reed II
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: RB Owen Wright
Tennessee Titans
- Signed from practice squad: TE Thomas Odukoya
- Elevated: LB Curtis Jacobs, K Matthew Wright
- Waived: T John Ojukwu
Manu was ruled out for this week with a knee injury after making the first start of his career with Detroit. Unfortunately, he’ll miss the team’s next three games, as well, after being placed on injured reserve.
Wright will fill in as placekicker for the Titans in Week 6. Regular kicker Joey Slye has been ruled out with a calf injury after missing practice all week.
Avery in Cleveland and Walton in Carolina are both being called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the third time this year. If either of their respective teams want them to be active for another game, they will need to sign them to the 53-man roster.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/25
Today’s minor moves as we head into the sixth weekend of the regular season:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: P Pat O’Donnell
Carolina Panthers
- Waived (with injury settlement): WR Dalevon Campbell
Miami Dolphins
- Released (with injury settlement): CB Cornell Armstrong
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: RB Antonio Gibson (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed from practice squad: S Kendell Brooks
Cardinals punter Blake Gillikin appeared on the injury report with a back injury in Week 2 but has been otherwise healthy without missing any game time throughout the season so far. Gillikin showed back up on Arizona’s injury report yesterday with his back ailing him once again. He didn’t participate in practice at all today, and it doesn’t look good for his chances on Sunday that the team signed O’Donnell.
Following the Colts’ signing of Michael Badgley on Tuesday, O’Donnell becomes the second veteran specialist out of Miami (FL) to get signed out of free agency this week. O’Donnell punted for the Bears for eight years after Chicago drafted him in the sixth-round in 2014. He spent one year after Chicago with the Packers but remained a free agent throughout the 2023 season. Last year, he got a similar call from the 49ers, who held on to him for eight games after Mitch Wishnowsky was sidelined for the second half of the season with a back injury.
O’Donnell won out in a punting competition with fellow free agents Jack Browning and Matt Haack.
Panthers Designate Jalen Coker For Return
A quad strain has prevented Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker from taking the field in his second NFL season. It appears Coker’s 2025 debut is nearing, though, as the Panthers opened his practice window on Wednesday, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. He’ll likely work with the scout team in his first practice, according to Person. The Panthers will have 21 days to activate Coker from injured reserve.
As an undrafted rookie from Holy Cross, Coker was more productive than expected last year. The 6-foot-3, 213-pounder started in four of 11 games and hauled in 32 of 46 targets for 478 yards (14.9 YPC) and a pair of touchdowns. Coker impressed the Panthers so much that it helped lead them to trade slot receiver Adam Thielen to the Vikings in late August.
A day after the Panthers dealt Thielen, Coker suffered his injury. Had Coker stayed healthy, general manager Dan Morgan said he would have taken Thielen’s place as Carolina’s top choice in the slot. Once those plans were dashed, the team re-signed veteran Hunter Renfrow after releasing him during final roster cuts.
Renfrow caught just one pass for 7 yards as the Panthers beat the Dolphins to improve to 2-3 last week. While he does have two TDs this season, Renfrow has averaged a meager 5.9 yards on 14 receptions. Rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan, a first-round pick last spring, served as quarterback Bryce Young‘s No. 1 target during a six-catch, 73-yard afternoon against the Dolphins. McMillan has turned heads during his first NFL action, but the Panthers are otherwise lacking weapons in the passing game. Xavier Legette, who was a rookie alongside Coker in 2024, has only pulled in six of 18 targets for 39 yards in three games.
When Coker returns, it will likely impact the playing time of Renfrow, Jimmy Horn, and Brycen Tremayne, Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer writes. Horn, a sixth-round rookie from Colorado, made his debut last week and caught two of three targets for 21 yards. Tremayne, a second-year man who’s in his first season with the Panthers, has picked up nine receptions for 108 yards in five games.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/7/25
Today’s practice squad moves in the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: S Patrick McMorris
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Jalen Kimber, LB Baylon Spector
- Released: LB Otis Reese
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Keion Crossen, G Darrian Dalcourt
- Released: S Israel Mukuamu, G Aiden Williams
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: S Julius Wood
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Troy Pride Jr.
- Released: CB Mike Hilton
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Tim Jones
- Released: WR Erik Ezukanma
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: P Brad Robbins
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: T Matt Waletzko
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB Jashaun Corbin
- Released: G Royce Newman
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Ronnie Bell, TE Moliki Matavao
- Released: T Sataoa Laumea, WR Tommy Mellott
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: LB Ja’Whaun Bentley
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: S Jaylen Mahoney
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Owen Wright
- Released: G Sua Opeta
Tennessee Titans
- Released: CB Alex Johnson
Panthers Activate DT LaBryan Ray From IR
OCTOBER 4: The Panthers have officially made the move to activate Ray from IR. With defensive end Tershawn Wharton ruled out this week with a toe injury, Ray’s added depth is well-timed. Additionally, linebacker Krys Barnes has been called up as a standard gameday practice squad elevation.
OCTOBER 1: A slew of transactions came out of Carolina today, including the opening of defensive tackle LaBryan Ray‘s 21-day practice window to return from injured reserve. The team announced Ray’s return to practice today among several other roster announcements.
Once a five-star recruit who came out of Alabama undrafted, Ray will look to join an improved defensive line rotation for the Panthers. Ray earned nine starts last year filling in for an injured Derrick Brown. He’ll now have 21 days to return from an injury of his own before being reverted to season-ending IR if he can’t be activated.
Carolina had three open spots on their active roster after some injured reserve placements, and taking those spots on the 53-man roster will be practice squad running back DeeJay Dallas and practice squad safety Trevian Thomas. Dallas signed to Carolina’s taxi squad after being cut by the Cardinals one year into a three-year deal. While he adds depth the running backs room as Chuba Hubbard continues to be limited at practice with calf issue, his real value in the NFL has come a return man, where he can add depth after the loss of David Moore.
To fill the open slots on the practice squad, the Panthers signed offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles, running Anthony Tyus III, and offensive lineman Aiden Williams.
Panthers Place G Chandler Zavala, WR David Moore On IR
The Panthers’ offensive line is already shorthanded with Robert Hunt and Austin Corbett set for lengthy absences. The unit will be missing another notable contributor for the time being. 
Guard Chandler Zavala was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, per a team announcement. The 2023 fourth-rounder took over from Hunt in Week 2 after he went down. For each of the past two games, Zavala handled starting duties at the right guard spot. With Hunt likely to miss most of the season’s remainder, that setup was set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Instead, Carolina’s offensive line plans will need to change once more. Zavala – who is dealing with a knee injury – is now set to miss at least the next four weeks. The 26-year-old’s absence will deal another blow to a Carolina offense which has battled inconsistency in 2025. It will also mark the second of Zavala’s three NFL seasons in which he has missed time.
The Panthers have also placed depth receiver David Moore on IR. The veteran has what head coach Dave Canales termed a “significant” elbow dislocation (h/t Joe Person of The Athletic). A lengthy recovery timeline is expected in this case, and Moore is set to be sidelined longer than Zavala. Carolina’s receiving corps will move forward without a regular presence (albeit one with only one reception to date) in the fold for a notable stretch.
In need of healthy O-line options, Carolina also announced today that Jake Curhan has been signed off the Cardinals’ practice squad. The former UDFA has made 40 appearances and 11 starts in his career, but he has yet to see any playing time on offense so far with Arizona. That could soon change given this change of scenery.
The 1-3 Panthers will host a Dolphins team sporting the same record in Week 5. Carolina’s efforts to rebound from a poor start to the season will include an offense featuring even fewer available contributors, though.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/25
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: OLB DJ Johnson
- Waived/injured: WR Dalevon Campbell
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: OT Brant Banks
Houston Texans
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: OL Jarrett Kingston
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: LB Buddy Johnson
- Waived: LB Cameron McGrone
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed from practice squad: TE Carter Runyon
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed off Steelers’ practice squad: S Sebastian Castro
- Placed on IR: S Rashad Wisdom