Transactions News & Rumors

Browns Trade DT Jowon Briggs To Jets

With the roster-setting deadline less than a week away, a key NFL trade window is open. After two deals occurred Sunday, an intra-AFC swap is done. The Browns and Jets have a deal in place.

Cleveland is trading defensive tackle Jowon Briggs to New York, the Browns announced. It is a pick-swap deal, one that will send Briggs and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Jets for a 2026 sixth-rounder.

[RELATED: NFL Trades Completed In 2025]

A 2024 seventh-round pick, Briggs played in six Browns games as a backup last season. The Ohio native made 13 tackles (one for loss) and recovered a fumble as a rookie, playing 133 defensive snaps and 33 special teams plays. This will give the Jets another backup option in their Quinnen Williams-led D-tackle corps.

Briggs played two seasons at Virginia and three at Cincinnati, combining to register 12 sacks during his five-year college run. He earned first-team All-AAC acclaim in 2022 and then was a Big 12 honorable mention honoree — after the Bearcats’ 2023 conference switch — in ’23. He started seven games as a true freshman at Virginia in 2019, making 14 total Cavaliers starts after arriving as a four-star recruit.

The Jets let 2024 starter Javon Kinlaw walk in free agency (to the Commanders) and did not allocate many resources to this position this offseason. The team has ex-Chiefs nose tackle Derrick Nnadi, former Washington second-rounder Phidarian Mathis (claimed during the period between Joe Douglas‘ firing and the Darren Mougey hire), and journeymen Byron Cowart and Jay Tufele as DT options. The team did not address this position in the draft.

These lower-level trades regularly emerge during the days just before teams’ set their initial 53-man rosters; the Browns made one involving a DT last year, sending Chris Williams to the Bears. The Browns cut Dalvin Tomlinson this offseason but made DT the centerpiece of their draft by using the No. 5 overall pick on Mason Graham. That move came after the Maliek Collins signing. Cleveland also has 2024 second-round pick Michael Hall rostered to go with veteran Shelby Harris.

Titans Activate L’Jarius Sneed From PUP List; Latest On CB’s Legal Issue

L’Jarius Sneed‘s Titans tenure has started quite poorly. A quad injury shut him down last season, and a knee surgery kept him out for training camp. A legal issue has also cropped up for the high-priced trade acquisition.

The Titans did activate Sneed from their active/PUP list Wednesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. Sneed will return to work in a limited capacity, though he voiced an expectation (via Main Street Media’s Terry McCormick) of a Week 1 return.

Suffering the quad injury last season, Sneed underwent surgery after it healed slowly. He landed on the Titans’ active/PUP list because of a May knee procedure, further complicating his on-field return. Sneed had proclaimed himself fully healthy during an appearance at a high school football camp this summer, only to be shelved on the PUP list come camp.

It wasn’t my decision. It was coach (Brian) Callahan’s,” Sneed said, via McCormick. “He’s taking it slow with me, and Mike (Borgonzi) is taking it slow. They’re all taking it slow to make sure I’m good for the season.”

Acquired in a deal headlined by a 2025 third-round pick, Sneed signed a four-year, $76.4MM extension upon arrival in Tennessee. That deal has yet to pay off, and an ominous prediction from a Titans team reporter — one that pegged anything the CB contributes in 2025 being a bonus — pointed to that contract delivering a disastrous return. Sneed will attempt to bounce back after a five-game 2024 and two ensuing surgeries, though a notable off-field development has also emerged.

Hit with a felony charge for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Sneed will see his case go to a Dallas County, Texas, grand jury September 25, according to veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. Sneed said he had “no concerns” on the case, which also includes a civil suit. Sneed and former assistant Tekonzae Williams are alleged to have fired shots out of a car at an auto dealership Dec. 6, 2024.

The civil case alleges Sneed and Williams fired shots from a rented Lamborghini Urus into another vehicle, which was parked. Though, Kuharsky adds no reported gunshot wounds emerged. Sneed’s attorney said his client did not fire any shots and did not confirm any were fired from the Urus. Sneed, who started four seasons for the Chiefs before being part of a tag-and-trade transaction, could face NFL discipline regardless of this case’s outcome.

With a grand jury appearance set for September, it is possible a ban comes this year. That would further limit Sneed with the Titans, who will attempt to salvage this investment after cutting fellow 2024 addition Chidobe Awuzie. The Titans did not draft a corner or make a notable free agency addition there, pointing to a belief Sneed — who delivered a standout 2023 season in coverage to help Kansas City to a second straight Super Bowl title — will be ready to return by Week 1.

NFL Minor Transactions: 8/19/25

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Reverted to IR: DL Keith Randolph

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Ameer Abdullah landed on IR earlier this month with a rib injury, but he’ll now have an opportunity to play in 2025 following his release. The veteran is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2024, when he compiled 572 yards from scrimmage in 16 games (three starts) with the Raiders. The 49ers filled his spot on the roster by signing veteran Jeff Wilson.

Equanimeous St. Brown will also have a chance to play in 2025, as the WR was previously ruled out with a foot injury. The veteran wideout only has five catches over the past two seasons.

49ers To Sign QB Nate Sudfeld

With Mac Jones nursing a knee injury, the 49ers are adding a familiar face to their roster. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, the team is signing quarterback Nate Sudfeld. The veteran QB worked out for the team yesterday.

Sudfeld spent the 2021 campaign in the 49ers organization. After starting the season on the practice squad, he was elevated to the active roster after Trey Lance went down with a knee injury. Sudfeld stuck around for the rest of the season, although he didn’t get into a game as Jimmy Garoppolo‘s backup.

A former sixth-round pick, Sudfeld still hasn’t started a game through his eight seasons in the NFL. He did have an extended outing with the Eagles in 2017, when he completed 19 of his 23 pass attempts for 134 yards. Otherwise, the QB has attempted 14 other passes in his NFL career.

The veteran spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons in Detroit, although he missed that latter campaign thanks to a torn ACL suffered during a preseason game. He was among the Lions final cuts at the end of the 2024 preseason.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes that Jones suffered his knee injury during Saturday’s loss to the Broncos, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the QB2 is out for the team’s preseason finale. Still, there’s hope that Jones will be ready to be Brock Purdy‘s primary backup for Week 1. If Jones can’t go, Sudfeld would be an option to be the QB2, although he’d have to compete with UDFA Carter Bradley. Seventh-round rookie Kurtis Rourke is expected to start the season on NFI as he works his way back from a torn ACL.

Dolphins Waive P Ryan Stonehouse, Sign CB Cameron Dantzler

Ryan Stonehouse has proven to possess one of the strongest legs in NFL history, going 3-for-3 in seasons with 50-plus-yard punting averages. The player who broke Sammy Baugh‘s longstanding single-season punting record has now been jettisoned twice this year, however.

The Dolphins waived Stonehouse on Tuesday, per a team announcement. Initially reporting the Dolphins’ decision to cut the strong-legged specialist, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes the team will go with incumbent Jake Bailey for a third season. This release also came despite the Dolphins hiring ex-Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman this offseason.

[RELATED: Reviewing Dolphins’ 2025 Offseason]

This decision comes months after the Titans declined to tender Stonehouse as an RFA. The original-round tender price spiked to $3.26MM this year, leading to more nontender calls than usual, and a punter being nontendered at this rate was not exactly shocking. Still, Stonehouse had made it back from ACL and MCL tears sustained during the 2023 season. He posted his third 50-plus-yard punting average as well.

As a rookie, Stonehouse brought down Baugh’s hallowed single-season punting mark (51.4 yards per boot) — one that had stood 1940 — by averaging 53.1 yards a kick. Baugh also set that record on 35 punts; Stonehouse punted 90 times as a rookie. He then matched that punting average a year later, though the ACL and MCL tears sustained on a blocked punt ended his 2023 season after 12 games. In 17 contests last season, Stonehouse averaged 50.6 yards per punt.

While the three-season sample size would seemingly hold some weight, the Dolphins saw Bailey average 56 yards (on three preseason punts) to Stonehouse’s 43.3 during the team’s first two preseason games. Bailey averaged 45.7 and 47.1 yards per punt in 2023 and ’24, respectively. The Stonehouse cut will tag the Dolphins with just $75K in dead money. Bailey is tied to a two-year, $4.2MM deal; it would have cost $550K to drop him. Stonehouse should generate some interest before the season.

Announcing their Matt Judon signing, the Dolphins also added cornerback Cameron Dantzler and waived wide receiver Tarik Black. The Dolphins also placed offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste on IR, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

A former third-round pick who started 26 games with the Vikings from 2020-23, Danzler has become an NFL nomad. The Dolphins are the veteran corner’s sixth NFL team; he stopped through Washington, Buffalo, Houston and New Orleans. Dantzler did not play in the NFL last season but saw time in the UFL — with the San Antonio Brahmas and Memphis Showboats — during that league’s past two seasons. Miami is amid a full-scale cornerback makeover and already lost Artie Burns and Kader Kohou to season-ending injuries, leading to this flier on Dantzler.

Giants Activate LT Andrew Thomas

Sidelined to date through training camp, Andrew Thomas is now cleared to practice. The Giants’ left tackle was activated from the active/PUP list on Tuesday, per a team announcement.

An October 2024 Lisfranc injury limited Thomas to just six games last season and set him up for a lengthy rehab process. A return to full health in time for Week 1 remained the target, though. When speaking to the media on Tuesday, head coach Brian Daboll said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post) today had long been the expected activation date in Thomas’ case.

Given the timing of this move, the 26-year-old will have time to ramp up in advance of the regular season. Thomas is entering his sixth campaign in New York, each of which have been spent as the team’s starter on the blind side. Considering the term remaining (five years) on his $23.5MM-per-year extension, a full season would be critical for team and player.

Thomas had been trending in this direction, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. Though, he has missed substantial practice work while recovering from an injury sustained in Week 6 of last season. The Giants had seen some stumbling blocks form during the All-Pro’s recovery, but they had not wavered in confidence he would be ready to start the season. Thomas did stop short (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) of proclaiming he will start the season on time. That still seems likely, given the timing of this activation.

Chosen fourth overall in 2020, Thomas has proven to be the Giants’ best O-lineman by a wide margin. The team may well, should Evan Neal‘s bid to unseat Greg Van Roten at right guard fail, start the same O-line it did to open last season. That is certainly an atypical path after a 3-14 season, but having Thomas available again changes the equation.

The Giants are also expected to have Malik Nabers ready to roll to open the season, but injury trouble continues to slow the promising wide receiver. After a lingering toe problem kept Nabers on the shelf alongside Thomas during the Giants’ offseason program, he missed nearly two weeks of camp due to what is being classified as a minor back injury, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes. While a source informed Raanan Nabers is experiencing “normal camp tightness,” a two-week absence is a bit concerning regardless. Nabers returned to work Tuesday but has missed most of the Giants’ 2025 practices.

Nabers is certainly not the only NFL regular likely to miss his team’s full preseason slate, but his light participation since last season ended obviously differs from most players’ schedules. A shoulder issue also sidelined Nabers early during training camp, limiting his work with new QB Russell Wilson and eventual replacement Jaxson Dart.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Commanders, T George Fant Agree To Deal

George Fant met with the Commanders last week, and a deal has emerged shortly thereafter. The veteran tackle has agreed to terms with Washington, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports.

Fant was limited to just two games last season upon returning to the Seahawks. He had won the right tackle gig in 2024, but a depth spot will be in store this time around. The 33-year-old nevertheless has 75 starts to his name, so he will offer experience at either tackle spot if needed.

Upgrading along the offensive line was a priority for the Commanders this offseason. The team’s most notable move in that respect was the trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. The five-time Pro Bowler will handle blindside duties on his third career team, with Brandon Coleman shifting to guard as a result. Tunsil has two years remaining on his pact, although none of his scheduled $21MM salary for 2026 is guaranteed.

A potential left tackle successor was added during the first round of the draft. Josh Conerly Jr. is currently focused on competing for the starting right tackle gig. He and incumbent Andrew Wylie are contesting the position. The runner-up will no doubt be viewed as the primary RT backup for 2025. Fant will also be an option in that respect, though, in addition to offering Washington a fill-in on the blindside.

The former UDFA saw considerable playing time over the course of his first Seahawks tenure as well as his Jets and Texans stints. Fant was contemplating signing with the Titans or Ravens earlier this offseason, but in the absence of an agreement on either front he continued searching for an opportunity. That included a visit with the Buccaneers, a team looking for depth until Tristan Wirfs is healthy. Instead of Tampa Bay, Fant is headed to the nation’s capital.

The Commanders entered Tuesday with nearly $17MM in cap space, and today’s signing will not considerably affect that total. Washington’s offense faces questions with the Terry McLaurin and Brian Robinson situations unresolved, but the unit will have veteran depth up front in 2025.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/25

Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Ameer Speed

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: DL Devonte O’Malley, DB Jaylin Simpson
  • Waived: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
  • Waived/injured: DL Keith Randolph

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR Phil Lutz
  • Waived/injured: DT Isaiah Iton

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Ojemudia is returning to the NFL after playing for the UFL’s DC Defenders in the spring, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. After starting 11 games for the Broncos as a rookie in 2020, he struggled with injuries and hasn’t played in the regular season since 2022.. The 27-year-old will add depth to a Cowboys cornerback room that isn’t expecting Trevon Diggs or Shavon Revel back until September. Second-year corner Caelen Carson is also dealing with a knee injury, so Ojemudia could get some snaps in Dallas’ last preseason game on Friday. A 53-man roster spot is unlikely given how late he signed with the team, but a strong first week could keep him in contention for the practice squad.

Winfree, a five-year veteran, will land with his fourth NFL team after a workout in Houston. The Texans also worked out former Chiefs wideout Cornell Powell, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Freeland, a 2023 fourth-round pick, started nine games as a rookie and spent 2024 as the Colts’ swing tackle. He will be out for the season with a fractured leg, per Colts.com writer JJ Stankevitz, as will Phillips (bicep), who hasn’t played in the regular season since 2022. Wohler sustained a Lisfranc injury, according to Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. The seventh-round safety will miss his rookie year after appearing to carve out a role in the Colts defense with an impressive preseason.

Chiefs To Place Felix Anudike-Uzomah On IR

Felix Anudike-Uzomah‘s third NFL season has ended before it began. The Chiefs will moved him to injured reserve, per a team announcement.

A strained hamstring will result in this move. Earlier today, head coach Andy Reid noted (via ESPN’s Nate Tice) that taking the IR route was a consideration. Now that it is official, Anudike-Uzomah will be sidelined for the entire campaign.

The 2023 first-rounder played a full 17 games during his rookie campaign, adding one playoff appearance along the way. Anudike-Uzomah logged just a 20% snap share that season, but his workload increased in 2024 (a campaign which also did not include any missed time). The 23-year-old saw his usage rate jump to 31%, and he produced 2.5 sacks along with 10 QB pressures.

Another step forward could have been in store for 2025. Instead, Anudike-Uzomah will turn his attention to recovery while the Chiefs move on to other options along the edge. The Kansas State product is attached to his rookie contract through 2026, with a decision on his fifth-year option needing to be made this spring. Obviously, today’s news is a strong indication the option will be declined.

Kansas City’s defensive end depth chart will once again be led by George Karlaftis in 2025 but also many years to come. He agreed to a four-year extension last month, and the big-ticket accord ensures he will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Mike Danna and Charles Omenihu are holdovers from last season, and they combined to record 4.5 sacks in 2024. That tandem’s availability (along with that of Karlaftis, of course) will be crucial for the reigning AFC champions given today’s news.

Third-round rookie Ashton Gillotte could be in position to take an increased role with Anudike-Uzomah out of the picture for 2025. If Kansas City intends to pursue a veteran addition to compensate for the latter’s absences, a signing could be feasible. The Chiefs have nearly $17MM in cap space at the moment. With roster cuts approaching, a decision will need to be made on whether or not using those funds will be necessary while shorthanded along the edge.

The team also waived undrafted running back Elijah Young. Free agent signings defensive end Owen Carney and linebacker Xander Mueller (undrafted out of Northwestern) will fill the vacant roster spots of Anudike-Uzomah and Young.

Steelers Sign LS Jake McQuaide; LS Christian Kuntz Could Miss Time

Christian Kuntz exited the Steelers’ second preseason game due to injury. The veteran long snapper is now set to miss time.

Kuntz suffered an injury to his sternum on Saturday, and Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show reports it is believed to be broken. Provided that is indeed the case, Kuntz is set to miss regular season time. The 31-year-old has handled a full 17-game slate during each of his first four Steelers campaigns.

That is set to change in 2025 based on his recovery period, however. Kuntz could be a candidate to begin the season on injured reserve depending on his prognosis. An IR stint would require at least a four-game absence to begin the campaign. Any missed time will be felt on special teams for the Steelers given the former UDFA’s performances so far in his career.

When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Mike Tomlin described Kuntz’s injury as being “short term” (h/t Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). That is certainly an encouraging update, though the possibility of missed time will remain depending on how the recovery process unfolds.

The Steelers announced on Monday that 14-year veteran Jake McQuaide has been signed. He will be tasked with replacing Kuntz for the time being. McQuiade has 197 regular season appearances to his name based on time spent with the Rams, Cowboys and Lions leading up to last season. In 2024, the two-time Pro Bowler played a total of seven games between the Vikings and Dolphins.

McQuaide’s Pro Bowl nods came during the 2016 and ’17 campaigns. A return to that form would come as a surprise, but the 37-year-old could offer stability to Pittsburgh as an injury fill-in as needed this season. It will be interesting to see how long Kuntz – under contract for another two years – is sidelined for and thus the length of time during which the Steelers will be without a key specialist.