Minor NFL Transactions: 12/31/25
Several NFL teams completed minor transactions on New Year’s Eve to prepare their rosters for Week 18. Here are the latest updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Designated for return from IR: S DeMarcco Hellams
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: LB Noah Sewell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from the Lions’ practice squad: C Kingsley Eguakun
- Placed on IR: G Wyatt Teller
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad: S Johnathan Baldwin, QB Clayton Tune
- Placed on IR: S Zayne Anderson
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: LB Austin Keys
New England Patriots
- Designated for return from IR: CB Alex Austin
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed from practice squad: OL Jack Driscoll
- Placed on IR: TE Darnell Washington (story)
Washington Commanders
- Placed on IR: C Tyler Biadasz
- Signed from practice squad: OL Julian Good-Jones
Sewell suffered a torn Achilles in Sunday night’s loss to the 49ers, ending his 2025 season and starting a length rehab process for the third-year linebacker.
Teller aggravated a calf injury on Sunday against the Steelers. He will miss the Browns’ last game of the season and is set to hit free agency this offseason. After seven years in Cleveland, Teller may need to find a new home this offseason.
Washington underwent surgery on his broken arm on Tuesday, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. The third-year tight end will not be able to return in the playoffs if the Steelers qualify.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Aside from tonight’s Rams-Falcons game, Week 17 is in the books. Most of the playoff field has been set in both conferences, but there is still plenty to be determined regarding the first-round draft order.
By virtue of their loss on Sunday, the Raiders are now in pole position to secure the No. 1 pick. Vegas sits at 2-14 on the year, with four teams sporting a record of 3-13. Only one of those, however – the Giants – is still in contention to land the top selection. Vegas will play against Kansas City in Week 18, while New York’s season will end against Dallas.
Fernando Mendoza looms as the projected top quarterback option in the 2026 class, with the futures of Dante Moore and Ty Simpson still uncertain. Demand usually outweighs supply at the top of the draft when it comes to signal-callers, and scarcity at the position could very well come into play in April. Mendoza may find himself on the radar of teams not immediately in need of a quarterback depending on how things play out.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)
- New York Giants (3-13)
- New York Jets (3-13)
- Tennessee Titans (3-13)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
- Cleveland Browns (4-12)
- Washington Commanders (4-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-10)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Miami Dolphins (7-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
- Detroit Lions (8-8)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Carolina Panthers (8-8)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-5)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
- Buffalo Bills (11-5)
- Chicago Bears (11-5)
- Houston Texans (11-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
- New England Patriots (13-3)
- Denver Broncos (13-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/29/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Chris Blair, EDGE Khalid Kareem
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Bears): DT Jonathan Ford
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: WR Justin Watson
- Waived: DE Solomon Byrd
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: OL AJ Arcuri, S Tanner Ingle
- Activated from IR: CB Roger McCreary
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed from practice squad: CB Zemaiah Vaughn
- Placed on IR: DL Elijah Williams
New England Patriots
- Waived: CB Miles Battle, OL Brenden Jaimes
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: LS Charley Hughlett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: RB Josh Williams
The Packers added a former Bear ahead of a potential playoff matchup with the division rival. Jonathan Ford actually started his NFL career in Green Bay, although the seventh-round pick never got into a game with the Packers. He appeared in 12 games with Chicago between 2024 and 2025, collecting 13 tackles while seeing time in about a quarter of his team’s defensive snaps.
Bears Fear Achilles Tear For Noah Sewell
The Bears lost out on the opportunity to secure the No. 1 seed during their loss yesterday. The team’s defense was also dealt a blow in the process. 
Linebacker Noah Sewell was carted off the field Sunday and quickly ruled out with an ankle injury. Upon further testing, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports an Achilles tear is feared to have occurred. An MRI is pending, but Sewell is in danger of missing the rest of the season.
The linebacker position has been among those hit hard by injuries for Chicago in 2025. Sewell did not register any starts during his first two seasons in the league, but he has made nine this year. Handling a 50% snap share, the former fifth-round pick has registered 59 tackles and one forced fumble. It appears as though he will not be able to add to that production, however.
Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards were mainstays on defense last night. That will no doubt remain the case for Week 18 and into the playoffs. Losing Sewell for the remainder of 2025 will leave Chicago thin at the LB position, however, and how defensive coordinator Dennis Allen replaces him will be interesting to see. D’Marco Jackson is a candidate to step into an increased defensive workload, although even after Sewell’s injury he did not see any snaps last night against San Francisco.
Sewell, 23, is attached to his rookie contract through the 2026 season. He will soon be eligible for an extension for the first time in his career, but a major injury would of course lessen the chances of a new pact being worked out early. While Sewell’s attention will turn to a lengthy recovery process, the 11-5 Bears will look to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC during the final week of the regular season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/25
Here are today’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for the penultimate weekend of the regular season:
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: LB Jay Higgins IV
Buffalo Bills
- Signed from practice squad: TE Keleki Latu
- Elevated: K Michael Badgley, DE Andre Jones Jr.
- Waived: WR Mecole Hardman Jr.
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: G Luke Newman
- Elevated: CB Dallis Flowers, WR JP Richardson
- Waived: DT Jonathan Ford
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Howard Cross III, CB Bralyn Lux
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: TE Sal Cannella, QB Bailey Zappe
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: TE Drake Dabney, QB Clayton Tune
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from IR: WR Ashton Dulin
- Signed from practice squad: DT Chris Wormley
- Elevated: C Jimmy Morrissey, G Josh Sills
- Placed on IR: WR Anthony Gould, TE Andrew Ogletree
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: G Jerome Carvin, S Juan Thornhill
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: OL Andrew Meyer
- Signed from practice squad: WR Theo Wease Jr.
- Placed on IR: WR Dee Eskridge, CB Isaiah Johnson, DT Benito Jones
- Elevated: LB Derrick McLendon, OL Josh Priebe
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Ronnie Bell, TE Treyton Welch
New York Giants
- Signed from practice squad: DE Elijah Chatman, C Bryan Hudson, S Raheem Layne, K Ben Sauls
- Elevated: TE Zach Davidson, RE Dante Miller
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: CB Tre Brown, G Marquis Hayes, WR Quentin Skinner
- Elevated: QB Hendon Hooker
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: CB Brandon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: T Jack Driscoll, CB D’Shawn Jamison
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: LB Eric Kendricks, TE Brayden Willis
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: RB Cam Akers, T Amari Kight
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: OLB Jason Pierre-Paul
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: CB Kemon Hall
- Placed on IR: CB Marcus Harris
With Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox both dealing with injuries, the Bills add Latu to the 53-man roster for depth. To make room, Buffalo has parted ways with the veteran, Hardman, just a week after activating him from injured reserve.
A number of players are being called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the third and final time on their current contracts. This is the case for Flowers in Chicago, Zappe in Cleveland, Sills in Indianapolis, Driscoll in Pittsburgh, and Kight in Seattle. If their respective teams wish to see them appear in another game this year, they will need to be signed to the 53-man roster, as was done with Wormley in Indianapolis and Chatman in New York this week after they exhausted their three elevations already this year.
Injury Updates: Wright, Giants, Adams
A handful of notable injury updates heading into Week 17:
- Set to face the 49ers on Sunday in a battle of NFC heavyweights, the Bears may go without right tackle Darnell Wright. The 24-year-old is questionable with an illness, and he will not join the team in traveling to San Francisco on Saturday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Since going 10th overall in the 2023 draft, Wright has started in all 47 NFL appearances, including 14 this year. If Wright can’t go on Sunday, it’s likely Theo Benedet will start in his place.
- Giants tight end Theo Johnson (illness) and center John Michael Schmitz (finger) are the latest starters the team has ruled out for Sunday, joining left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring). The Giants and Raiders, both 2-13, will square off with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft likely at stake. The Raiders decided earlier this week to shut down their two best players, defensive end Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers, ahead of what could be a franchise-altering game.
- The Rams are likely to go a second straight week without star wide receiver Davante Adams. He’ll be listed as doubtful for Monday’s matchup against the Falcons, Schefter relays. With the postseason nearing, the Rams are playing it safe with Adams, who aggravated a hamstring injury in Week 15. Adams, the Rams’ top Puka Nacua complement, leads the league with 14 touchdown grabs.
- The Jaguars have downgraded running back Bhayshul Tuten from questionable to out for Sunday’s meeting with the Colts. Tuten suffered a finger injury in a Week 15 win over the Jets and subsequently underwent surgery, keeping the rookie fourth-rounder out of last Sunday’s victory in Denver. Tuten ranks second among Jaguars RBs in carries (78), yards (284) and touchdowns (four), trailing Travis Etienne in those categories. LeQuint Allen will back up Etienne on Sunday as the hard-charging Jags go for their seventh win in a row.
Bears Hopeful Rome Odunze, Kyler Gordon Will Return This Season
DECEMBER 26: Odunze has officially been ruled out for Week 17, meaning the Bears will once again be shorthanded at the receiver spot on Sunday. Attention will now turn to a return for the regular season finale or the opening week of the playoffs.
DECEMBER 25: No matter what happens over the last two weeks of the regular season, the 11-4 Bears are heading for the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Like most successful teams, they’ve had to overcome injuries to important contributors. Wide receiver Rome Odunze and cornerback Kyler Gordon are among key Bears who have missed time this year. Both players could return in the coming weeks.
Chicago has gone three straight games without Odunze, who’s dealing with a stress fracture in his foot. Odunze is trending toward missing this Sunday’s high-stakes meeting with the 49ers, another contender for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, per Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Bears have considered placing Odunze on injured reserve, but doing so now would render him ineligible for two playoff games (if the team advances that far). Head coach Ben Johnson still believes Odunze is “going to be able to help us this year” (via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune).
Perhaps Odunze will be ready for a Week 18 matchup against Detroit. If not, an immediate postseason return appears realistic.
With 44 catches, 661 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games, Odunze led all Bears receivers in those categories before his absence. The Bears have won two of three without him, though, with D.J. Moore and two rookies – first-round tight end Colston Loveland and second-round receiver Luther Burden – serving as quarterback Caleb Williams‘ most reliable targets for a large portion of that stretch.
Burden missed a thrilling Week 16 win over the Packers with an ankle injury, but he combined for 10 receptions and 151 yards in the previous two weeks. After returning to practice on a limited basis Wednesday, it’s possible Burden will reenter the lineup on Sunday.
While Odunze has avoided a stint on IR, Gordon hasn’t been as fortunate. Gordon’s regular season came to an early end when a groin injury forced him to IR on Dec. 13. The standout nickel corner was previously on IR this season with groin and calf issues. He also missed the Bears’ first four games with a hamstring malady. Gordon has played just three games during an injury-ravaged 2025, though Johnson said he’s “hopeful” the 26-year-old will come back in the playoffs (via Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network). He’ll be eligible for activation in the first round.
The late-October free agent addition of C.J. Gardner-Johnson has helped cover for Gordon’s health struggles this year. In eight games with the Bears, Gardner-Johnson has put up 40 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. He was on the field for 78% of defensive snaps against Green Bay before departing with a knee injury. With Gardner-Johnson a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, there’s hope he’ll be available against the surging 49ers.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/24/25
Here are today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: QB Logan Woodside
- Released: S Patrick McMorris
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Richard Gouraige
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Thomas Gordon
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: TE Qadir Ismail
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LS Luke Elkin, T Joshua Miles
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: C Josh Kaltenberger
- Released: TE Tanner McLachlan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Brandon Johnson
- Released: DT Kyler Baugh
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/23/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Eugene Asante
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB M.J. Devonshire
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Michael Reid
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Thomas Gordon
Denver Broncos
- Placed on practice squad/injured: S Delarrin Turner-Yell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Royce Freeman
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Jack Henderson
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB Elijah Mitchell, WR Brandon Smith
- Released: OT Sebastian Gutierrez
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Tyler Hall
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Nick Jackson
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/25
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Designated for return from IR: OL Luke Newman
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: RB Quinshon Judkins (story)
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: CB Ajani Carter
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: RB Jaret Patterson
New England Patriots
- Signed from practice squad: OL Brenden Jaimes
- Placed on IR: DT Joshua Farmer
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Returned to practice: RB Josh Williams
Washington Commanders
- Waived: WR Jamal Agnew
Buccaneers running back Josh Williams returned to practice today after serving his six-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. According to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, the player’s suspension has been officially lifted and he’s now attached to the exempt/commissioner permission designation, which doesn’t count against the 53-man roster limit. However, Williams will need to be activated to the actual roster if the Buccaneers want him on the field before the season ends. The running back has seen time in three games this season, collecting 11 yards on four touches.
Meanwhile, Jamal Agnew won’t be joining the Commanders after he was claimed off waivers yesterday. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the veteran wide receiver was waived today with a failed physical designation.