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Texans’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson Avoids ACL Tear

August 7th, 2025 at 7:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

A cart transported C.J. Gardner-Johnson off the practice field Thursday, and the Texans expressed a fear the trade acquisition suffered a serious injury. That said, conflicting reports surfaced regarding Gardner-Johnson’s 2025 status.

One report (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson) indicated the recently acquired safety suffered an ACL tear. Another (from Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz) pointed to the team fearing a tear. Minutes later, however, a source told Wilson the new Houston safety did not suffer a tear. While Schultz indicated tests were ongoing, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirmed more encouraging news by indicating tests are showing Gardner-Johnson, in fact, did not suffer a tear. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Texans are no longer concerned about Gardner-Johnson’s ACL, as tests are now being conducted to determine what the lesser injury is.

While “team fears” reports can occasionally lead to sighs of relief — as the Cowboys’ Tyler Guyton situation recently showed — they regularly lead to full-season absences. The Texans appear to have dodged a bullet.

Houston acquired Gardner-Johnson in a trade with Philadelphia in March, sending disappointing first-round guard Kenyon Green to the defending Super Bowl champions for a player who started in both the Eagles’ past two Super Bowl seasons. The Texans threw in a fifth-round pick in a swap that brought back a sixth, but they were landing the more established (by far) player in this trade.

Two seasons remain on the contract Gardner-Johnson signed with the Eagles last year, but a major injury would stand to reshape his Texans outlook. Gardner-Johnson, 27, has a history with season-reshaping injuries, having sustained a torn pectoral muscle in September 2023. That kept him off the field for most of his Lions tenure. If Gardner-Johnson avoided an ACL tear this time around, it will be interesting to learn how long he will be out.

This offseason brought a fourth straight relocation for the trash-talking ace. The Eagles obtained him from the Saints via trade in August 2022, and he joined the Lions as a free agent the following March. The Eagles prioritized CJGJ in 2024, bringing him back to start in Vic Fangio‘s defense, but changed their thinking as raises elsewhere on the roster came due. Gardner-Johnson. who intercepted six passes as an Eagle in 2022 and ’24, joined a safety corps housing Jimmie Ward and Calen Bullock.

That duo would have provided cover for the Texans, and it may still be necessary if Gardner-Johnson is to miss regular-season time, but Ward was arrested on a family violence charge this summer. Ward has an August 13 court date set, and the longtime 49ers DB is still on the Texans’ active/PUP list.

No PUP-list stay would come for Gardner-Johnson, who could only be shifted to IR in the event the Texans were worried about a long-term regular-season absence. The team could carry CJGJ over to its 53-man roster and hold an IR activation for him or use one of its two summer IR-return moves on him, burning one of its eight in-season activations in preparation of a return.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/25

August 7th, 2025 at 7:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: TE Steven Stilianos

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: TE Thomas Yassmin
  • Waived/injured: TE Jordan Petaia

New York Giants

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: LB Ty Summers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Hernandez received full clearance after an October 2024 ACL tear, but his Cardinals return will not come with immediate full-time practice duty. The former Giants second-round pick should be considered a strong candidate to start again for the Cards, but for now, the team is easing him back into action.

Summer expects to be running again soon after suffering a groin injury, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, who indicates a return to the Giants is not off the radar. Summers played 16 games for the Giants last season, starting two.

A former Giants first-rounder who has bounced around the league in recent years, Apple will see his 49ers stint last barely a week. The 49ers were Apple’s seventh NFL team. He spent last season with the Chargers, playing four games.

Lions Place CB Ennis Rakestraw On IR

August 7th, 2025 at 3:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ennis Rakestraw will not play in 2025. The second-year corner was already known to be a candidate to miss time, but the Lions placed him on injured reserve Thursday.

Only players released via an injury settlement are eligible to play after being moved to IR at this point in the offseason. Given his status as a 2024 second-round pick, that will obviously not be the case for Rakestraw. After what was essentially a redshirt rookie season, this news is a major blow for team and player.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell recently said Rakestraw was going to miss time due to a shoulder injury. Surgery took place today, and NFL insider Jordan Schultz notes the procedure was a success. That is of course only a small consolation considering the fact Rakestraw’s rehab process will cost him the entire campaign.

The 23-year-old logged just 141 total snaps across eight games last season. A starting cornerback role was not in play since Detroit still has Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson in the fold and replaced Carlton Davis with D.J. Reed via free agency. Still, Rakestraw was in position to occupy a backup spot on the perimeter, so an injury to Arnold or Reed could have elevated him to first-team action. Now, the Lions’ secondary depth will be tested after the unit dealt with numerous injuries last season. Luq Barcoo and D.J. Miller were signed earlier this week.

Veteran Avonte Maddox represents an experienced option amongst the team’s remaining backups, although he is best suited for slot and/or safety duties. Rock Ya-Sin has spent his entire career as a corner, but the Lions have tried him at safety this offseason. In the wake of Rakestraw’s injury, it will be interesting to see that plan changes and Ya-Sin’s attention turns back to the cornerback position.

With nearly $48MM in cap space, Detroit can easily afford a one-year deal amongst the remaining free agents at the CB spot. Asante Samuel Jr., Rasul Douglas and Kendall Fuller are some of the veterans still looking for a gig at this point in the offseason. With a vacancy in the secondary, it will be interesting to see if the Lions pursue a contract with any member of that trio or another cover man on the market.

Cardinals, G Will Hernandez Agree To Deal

August 7th, 2025 at 2:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Will Hernandez is set to continue his career in the desert. The veteran guard’s recent Cardinals visit has produced a one-year agreement, he announced on Instagram Thursday. The team has since confirmed the move.

Late in July, Hernandez received full clearance upon completing the rehab process for his 2024 ACL tear. That made him one of the top free agent blockers on the market, and in short order the 29-year-old met with Arizona to discuss a new pact. Things have clearly gone well in that regard.

After playing out his rookie deal with the Giants, Hernandez has spent the past three years with the Cardinals. The former second-rounder initially took a one-year pact but was retained on a raise after his debut Arizona season. Hernandez has started each of his 35 games with his second career team, and he could reprise his first-team gig in 2025.

The Cardinals re-signed Evan Brown and he is in position to handle left guard duties. The other guard position is currently unsettled, however. As a result, Hernandez could fill that spot upon returning to the team. It will be interesting to see how large his workload is in training camp practices and preseason contests now that he is officially back in the fold.

Hernandez played on a $4.5MM-per-year pact when he re-signed with the Cardinals for the first time. Given his missed time last year, the UTEP product will no doubt be attached to a less lucrative deal this time around. Arizona entered Thursday with over $35MM in cap space, so this move will not affect any other roster moves planned for the near future.

2024 third-round pick Isaiah Adams started five games at right guard last season in Hernandez’s absence. He was the top option to handle that role on a full-time basis this season for much of the offseason, but things have now changed. With Hernandez in place once more, Adams will likely find himself as a backup option once again.

Steelers Sign Andrus Peat, Logan Woodside

August 7th, 2025 at 12:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

In advance of their first preseason game, the Steelers have made a pair of additions. Offensive lineman Andrus Peat and quarterback Logan Woodside were signed on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Peat played for the Saints from 2015-23. During that span, the former first-rounder largely split his time between left tackle and left guard. Toward the end of his New Orleans tenure, Peat was exclusively used on the interior. That resulted in a stretch including three consecutive Pro Bowl nods (2018-20), but last offseason a fresh start was sought out.

On the open market, Peat took a one-year, $2MM pact with the Raiders. Doing so appeared to set him up to compete for a starting gig, but despite playing 15 games last season the 31-year-old logged only 57 snaps. After a lengthy stay in free agency this offseason, Peat will look to earn a roster spot with Pittsburgh as a veteran depth option.

Woodside has only 13 regular season appearances and no starts to his name. The former seventh-rounder is, however, a familiar face to Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The two worked together in Tennessee and again in Atlanta. With Aaron Rodgers and other starters not playing against the Jaguars on Saturday (per head coach Mike Tomlin), Woodside could find himself in the quarterback rotation.

That is especially true since sixth-round rookie Will Howard is currently dealing with an injury in his throwing hand. Tomlin said (via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) this is a short-term issue, adding Howard could be available to play later in the preseason. A broken finger is the issue in this case, as noted by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor; surgery will not be needed. In Rodgers’ absence and with Howard on the mend, Mason Rudolph should be in position to handle starting duties for Pittsburgh’s preseason opener.

To make from for the additions of Peat and Woodside, long snapper Tucker Addington and guard Nick Broeker have been waived. Provided both of them go unclaimed, they will become free agents and seek out a new opportunity during the closing weeks of the offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/25

August 6th, 2025 at 7:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

  • Waived/injured: TE Jordan Murray

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived: TE McCallan Castles

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Bills LB Baylon Spector suffered a calf injury earlier this week that ultimately cost him his roster spot, but he seems destined to ultimately land on the team’s injured reserve. Buffalo was quick to add Jimmy Ciarlo as the replacement. The former West Point captain spent most of his rookie campaign with the Jets, and he garnered auditions with the Giants and Patriots after getting let go by Gang Green in May.

The Texans added some depth at wide receiver in Quintez Cephus, although it came at the expense of Johnny Johnson III. The former Lions draft pick lasted three seasons in Detroit, where he hauled in 37 receptions for 568 yards and four touchdowns. Cephus was banned for the 2023 campaign for violating the league’s gambling policy, and he’s since had stints with the Bills, Texans, Rams, and 49ers. Following his first gig in Houston, he had a brief stint playing under Nick Caley in Los Angeles.

Chargers Bring Back WR Keenan Allen

August 5th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Ely Allen

After only a year away from Los Angeles, veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen has indeed returned to the Chargers. After much speculation in the past few days, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero broke the news of Allen’s new one-year, $8.52MM deal.

After finishing his lone season in Chicago, in which he had a modest yet still impressive 70 receptions for 744 yards and seven touchdowns, Allen expressed interest in playing in only one of two cities in 2025: Chicago or Los Angeles. In the weeks leading up to free agency, though, the Bears seemed all but willing to let Allen walk in free agency. The Chargers, on the other hand, expressed some openness to a reunion with their long-time leading receiver.

Los Angeles had already reunited with Allen’s long-time teammate Mike Williams in March, and the idea of getting the band back together after only a one-year hiatus was looking like a decent possibility. Unfortunately for that possibility, Williams opted to announce his retirement just two and half weeks ago, perhaps opening the door for another veteran leader to take his slot on the roster.

Four days ago, the 33-year-old pass catcher visited the team that drafted him in the third round all those years ago out of Cal, and a day after head coach Jim Harbaugh finally expressed some interest in bringing Allen back to the locker room, the deal gets done.

Allen joins a young group of receivers in Los Angeles for the 2025 season. The Chargers’ top talent at the position is a second-year Ladd McConkey, a third-year Quentin Johnston, a rookie second-round Tre Harris, and a third-year Derius Davis. The TCU alums, Johnston and Davis, are familiar to Allen from his last season with the team, but the SEC pair are new faces in Allen’s return to the room.

With McConkey expected to be a mainstay in the slot after a phenomenal rookie season (82 catches, 1,149 yards, seven touchdowns), Allen can’t easily slip into that inside role, despite the tendency for players of his age to transition from an outside role. Johnston and Harris have plenty of size to work on the outsides, while Davis works as the primary return man.

Roles seem to be pretty clearly defined, so Allen could end up as the first man off the bench at any position or he may still be able to work effectively as an outside starter over either Johnston or Harris. Whatever role he plays, he shouldn’t have to work hard to reestablish the existing chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert. We’ll see how he fits in with the new group in the weeks to come, but in the end his most valuable asset may be the leadership jersey No. 13 provides to the room in Year 13.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/25

August 5th, 2025 at 6:32pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): TE Mason Pline
  • Waived: TE Seth Green

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dial, the Patriots second-year cornerback and special teamer, will miss his second year in the NFL after suffering a torn ACL. In cheerier news, Opeta returns to a practice field for the first time in over a year. The former Eagles backup lineman was hoping to compete for a starting left guard spot last year before tearing his ACL in the first week of camp.

Campbell makes his way off the Cowboys roster after being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Injuries continue to be an issue for the Ohio State alum, who has missed 51 of a possible 100 regular season games over his first six years in the league and is set to miss even more this year.

Titans To Re-Sign S Quandre Diggs

August 5th, 2025 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Quandre Diggs recently returned to full strength, opening the door to another opportunity. The veteran safety will land in a familiar spot, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting a Titans deal will come to pass.

The former Lions and Seahawks standout joined the Titans last year. Diggs received clearance to return to action, after suffering a season-ending Lisfranc, injury last year, in late July, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes.

Diggs was among the injured performers during a brutal health season for the Titans’ secondary. Cornerback imports L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie both lasted less than half the season, with Diggs’ eight-game slate also falling into that category. The Titans released Awuzie and have Sneed on their active/PUP list to open training camp. Diggs, though, will be back in position to provide a veteran presence in this secondary. This signing comes a year and a day after Diggs’ initial Titans agreement, though his experience last season will provide a different level of familiarity.

Adding both Diggs and Jamal Adams last year, the Titans preferred the older of the two ex-Seahawks starters. Diggs started all eight games he played last season (as Tennessee cut Adams in-season), but a lengthy rehab odyssey became necessary after the significant foot setback. The Titans rostered Diggs on just a one-year, $3MM deal last season. Considering the injury, it would surprise if Diggs surpassed that this year.

A Pro Bowler from 2020-22, Diggs became a Seahawks cap casualty early in Mike Macdonald‘s HC tenure. Diggs showed no durability concerns in Seattle, starting every Seahawks game — as Adams routinely ran into injury trouble — from 2020-23. Pro Football Focus graded Diggs’ abbreviated Titans season positively as well, slotting him 20th among safety regulars.

The Titans were busy at the position this offseason, adding Xavier Woods and using a third-round pick on Kevin Winston Jr.. The latter is coming off a partial ACL tear suffered while at Penn State. Winston, though, avoided the active/NFI list and has been developing during the Titans’ preseason workouts. Diggs would stand to be a stopgap while Winston learns, but Woods’ arrival alongside secondary staple Amani Hooker could relegate the “new” arrival to a high-profile backup role. Indeed, veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky notes Diggs is competing for the fourth safety role. (Of note, Diggs is also a cousin of No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.)

Tennessee also added safety Joshuah Bledsoe while waiving safety Mark Perry and edge rusher Titus Leo to clear roster space.

Bucs To Sign QB Teddy Bridgewater

August 5th, 2025 at 1:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

1:05pm: The deal is a go. Bridgewater is joining the Bucs on a one-year agreement, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The formerly retired quarterback passed his physical and is joining Mayfield and Trask in Tampa.

10:50am: When speaking to the media, Licht confirmed Tampa’s intention of finalizing a Bridgewater deal. He added (via Greg Auman of Fox Sports) that Trask is still seen as the backup at this point, but that could of course change depending on how the coming weeks play out.

8:39am: Teddy Bridgewater has lined up another NFL opportunity. The once-retired quarterback is taking part in a visit with the Buccaneers today, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports a signing is expected in this case.

Bridgewater retired after the 2023 season but later made it clear he was interested in a return. Late in the regular season, the 32-year-old reunited with the Lions and handled backup quarterback duties the rest of the way. Bridgewater recently coached Miami Northwestern high school to begin his post-playing days, but his tenure there ended after only one season due to a suspension over using his own money to pay for food, rides and other accommodations for his players.

Tampa Bay is not one of the six teams Bridgewater has played for to date in the NFL, but this agreement will still allow him to work with a few familiar faces. Bucs defensive line coach Charlie Strong spent time with Bridgewater at Louisville, and offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was on the Dolphins’ staff when the former first-rounder was in Miami. Provided Bridgewater officially signs in the near future, he will be in position to see preseason game time upon returning (again) to the NFL.

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht noted (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times) Bridgewater’s experience is a key factor in the decision to add him. Former second-rounder Kyle Trask has attempted just 11 regular season passes in three years while backing up Tom Brady as a rookie and Baker Mayfield for the past two campaigns. Trask is currently dealing with a back injury, per Schefter. Mayfield, meanwhile, recently suffered a contusion in his throwing hand.

Bridgewater will thus provide the Buccaneers with a healthy option under center through the remainder of training camp, although Stroud notes Mayfield is set to return to practice this week. The former No. 1 pick is of course assured of his QB1 gig when healthy over the final two years of his contract. An extension next spring would also come as no surprise.

A veteran of 65 starts, Bridgewater’s most recent run atop a depth chart came in 2021 with the Broncos. He will not be counted on to run Tampa Bay’s offense for an extended period barring a Mayfield injury, but if today’s workout goes as planned another backup opportunity will be in play.

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