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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/29/25

October 29th, 2025 at 8:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are today’s taxi squad moves:

Buffalo Bills

  • Activated from practice squad IR: WR Gabe Davis

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Bears Sign S C.J. Gardner-Johnson

October 29th, 2025 at 8:25am CST by Connor Byrne

Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is joining his third organization of the 2025 season. The Bears are signing the 27-year-old to their active roster, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Gardner-Johnson appeared in 16 of the Eagles’ regular-season games in 2024 and tied a career high with six interceptions. He was also part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning playoff run, but they parted with him after the season.

In a trade that hasn’t worked out for either side, the Eagles sent Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Texans for offensive lineman Kenyon Green and a fifth-rounder in next year’s draft.

Green, who couldn’t crack the Eagles’ roster, is now a member of the Ravens’ practice squad. Gardner-Johnson lasted just three games in Houston before the team released him. He reportedly clashed with teammates and was unhappy with his role in the Texans’ defense.

After the Texans said goodbye to him, Gardner-Johnson joined Green on the Ravens’ practice squad. It was a short-lived stay, however, as the Ravens moved on a week later. Gardner-Johnson signed with Baltimore before the team acquired safety Alohi Gilman from the Chargers. With Gilman’s arrival blocking a path to playing time, Gardner-Johnson’s agent asked for his client’s release. The Ravens granted it.

After a couple of weeks on the open market, Gardner-Johnson will indeed find a clearer avenue to playing time on Chicago’s active roster. He’ll also reunite with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who coached Gardner-Johnson in New Orleans from 2019-21. Those were Gardner-Johnson’s first three NFL seasons, a 43-game span in which he picked off five passes. Allen left a positive impression on Gardner-Johnson.

“He got my career going. I appreciate him,” Gardner-Johnson told the CHGO Bears podcast last February.

While the 4-3 Bears have two established starting safeties in Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard, who lead their defense in snaps, their secondary is dealing with multiple significant injuries. Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are on IR. A groin injury has kept Johnson out since Week 1, while Gordon landed on the shelf with calf and groin issues before the Bears’ loss to the Ravens last Sunday. Gordon is Chicago’s top nickel corner, but the addition of Gardner-Johnson could help fill the void during his absence. The Bears plan to use Gardner-Johnson as a slot corner, head coach Ben Johnson announced (via Courtney Cronin of ESPN).

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/25

October 28th, 2025 at 7:28pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Tuesday’s minor NFL moves as the headlines are taken up by bigger names due to the impending trade deadline:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

The Bengals cleared out a few roster spots today as Heyward will need about four weeks to work his way back from a hairline fracture in his fibula. Pennel, a 12-year veteran on the interior defensive line, had started to cede his defensive snaps to younger options and found himself falling down the depth chart despite appearing in every game this season. He requested his release from the team, and it was granted.

Similar to when San Francisco brought Greenlaw back from injured reserve, the 49ers are releasing Ehlinger to make room on the 53-man roster. Like last time, the plan is for Ehlinger to remain in Denver via an addition to the practice squad tomorrow.

Bears Lose DT Shemar Turner For Season; DE Dominique Robinson To Miss Time

October 27th, 2025 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Seeing their four-game win streak snapped in Baltimore, the Bears came out of that game banged up on their defensive line. One of their pieces — rookie Shemar Turner — will not return this season.

Ben Johnson confirmed (via the Marquee Sports Network’s Scott Bair) Turner will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear sustained Sunday. A second-round pick, Turner had worked as a backup for the team during his first batch of games. Additionally, Johnson mentioned Dominique Robinson is expected to miss a few weeks with a high ankle sprain.

Selected 62nd overall out of Texas A&M, Turner had played as a backup in five games this season. The Bears used him on 24% of their defensive snaps. A lengthy rehab effort will be required before Turner is considered for a bigger role. Chosen a round after Aggies D-line mate Shemar Stewart (Bengals), Turner made six tackles (two for loss) and tallied two quarterback hits in his brief rookie-year sample.

The Bears, who carried six D-tackles on their 53-man roster in Week 8, have Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter in place as starters. While free agency addition Dayo Odeyingbo regularly slid inside with the Colts, only 20 of the D-end’s 331 Bears snaps have come at DT. Chicago also rosters Andrew Billings, Jonathan Ford and 2024 trade pickup Chris Williams at the position.

At D-end, however, the team only rosters four players. A move will be needed to staff the backup level, as Robinson has spent his contract year in a second-string role. Chosen in Ryan Poles‘ first draft as GM, Robinson has not started more than one game in a season since his 2022 rookie year (when he made seven starts for a rebuilding team). Robinson has played 27% of Chicago’s defensive snaps this season, registering 1.5 sacks and three TFLs. Daniel Hardy resides as Chicago’s other active-roster backup at DE.

Bears Place Kyler Gordon, Braxton Jones On IR

October 25th, 2025 at 1:13pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Bears have placed cornerback Kyler Gordon and offensive tackle Braxton Jones on injured reserve, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Both players will miss at least four games.

This represents another major setback for Gordon, a slot standout who missed the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury. Gordon returned to play the Bears’ past two games, a pair of victories in which he logged 81 defensive snaps and six tackles. He’s now dealing with calf and groin issues that will keep him out of the Bears’ lineup until at least Nov. 23.

Gordon’s injury troubles aren’t what he or the Bears had in mind when they shook hands on a three-year, $40MM contract extension in April. Worsening matters for Chicago, the team also has another key corner, Jaylon Johnson, on IR with a groin injury. Johnson has played just one game this year. If he comes back, it won’t be until later in the campaign.

Along with Gordon and Johnson, the Bears will also go without corner Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) in Week 8 against the Ravens. The good news for Chicago, which has won four in a row since an 0-2 start, is that it won’t face injured starting quarterback Lamar Jackson on Sunday. Tyler Huntley will start in Jackson’s place.

After making 40 straight starts in his first three years in the NFL, Jones opened 2025 as the Bears’ top option at left tackle. However, the team benched Jones in favor of Theo Benedet after Week 4, relegating him to an unfamiliar backup role.

While teams had been eyeing Jones as a potential trade chip leading up to the Nov. 4 deadline, his knee injury may put the kibosh on that. The pending free agent should not require a long-term IR stint, though, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports. Second-round rookie Ozzy Trapilo will serve as the Bears’ primary backup at tackle in Jones’ absence.

In addition to placing Gordon and Jones on IR, the Bears made a few other moves Saturday, per Scott Bair of Marquee Sports. The Bears signed defensive lineman Jonathan Ford from their practice squad to the 53-man roster, and they elevated tight end Stephen Carlson and defensive back Dallis Flowers.

NFC North Notes: Bears, Decker, Vikings

October 23rd, 2025 at 4:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three years as the Bears‘ left tackle starter, Braxton Jones won a competition to keep the gig during training camp. But the contract-year blocker has since been benched, ceding his blindside spot to Theo Benedet. This leaves the former fifth-round pick in limbo. Teams are now monitoring Jones as a potential trade chip, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Rival clubs are viewing Jones as a “sensible” trade candidate, per Fowler, as the Division I-FCS find has 44 career starts on his resume.

Being benched early in a contract year, Jones does not figure to feature in Chicago’s post-2025 plans. A path to the 2026 free agent market appears clear. Teams are generally reluctant to part with proven O-linemen in trades, but with Chicago having Benedet in place and having used a second-round pick on tackle Ozzy Trapilo, Jones could be deemed expendable. This chain of events has led teams to at least monitor this situation, as Jones’ experience would be intriguing to a team with a tackle need. Pro Football Focus ranks Jones 57th among tackle regulars this season; the advanced metrics site, however, bestowed top-25 marks on the Southern Utah alum in 2022 and ’24.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • In and out of the Lions‘ lineup this season, Taylor Decker is battling a shoulder injury. After missing Weeks 5 and 6, Decker reemerged to start against the Buccaneers on Monday night. Decker allowed a sack-strip in protection in the Lions’ Week 7 win but graded out well in PFF’s view. Dan Campbell cast some doubt (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett) about Decker returning to 100% this season, considering the unspecified shoulder injury he is battling. Following Frank Ragnow in playing through an injury (as the since-retired center did in 2024), Decker is tied to a three-year, $60MM contract that runs through 2027. The 32-year-old blocker has been the Lions’ starting left tackle since 2016.
  • Staying with the O-line theme here, the Vikings are considering moving Blake Brandel to the center position on a full-time basis. Brandel has started at both center and left guard this season, having filled in for Ryan Kelly at center, but has primarily been a guard in the pros. Vikings OC Wes Phillips said (via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert) center might be his best position. Kelly suffering two concussions early this season makes his IR-return timetable murky, amplifying the importance of the Vikes having Brandel as a swingman. Brandel made 17 starts at guard last season, being demoted due to the Kelly, Will Fries and Donovan Jackson additions this offseason. But he is back in a first-string role as the Vikings face the Chargers tonight.
  • Leading up to the 2024 draft, the Giants and Vikings aggressively pursued Drake Maye. Both made strong trade offers for the Patriots’ No. 3 overall pick. Minnesota offered its Nos. 11 and 23 picks, along with its 2025 first-rounder. That rivaled the Giants’ proposal (Nos. 6 and 47, along with a 2025 first). In addition to the Vikes’ first-round choices included in the offer, they and the Pats would have swapped Day 3 picks in the deal, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Though, the third-day component in this offer brought Minnesota-favored terms, Breer adds. The Pats held onto the pick and chose Maye, which certainly looks like a wise decision. The Vikings moved up one spot to No. 10 for J.J. McCarthy, passing on Bo Nix. The jury is still out on McCarthy’s NFL trajectory.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/21/25

October 21st, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OL Raiqwon O’Neal
  • Placed on IR: OL Ryan Hayes

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: OL Marques Cox
  • Released: OL Karsen Barnhart

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: DE Seth Coleman
  • Released: CB Keenan Garber

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Signed: DT Fatorma Mulbah

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/18/25

October 18th, 2025 at 7:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves and practice squad elevations as we head to the seventh Sunday of the regular season:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

As injured reserve activations start to dominate the headlines, a couple teams are making minor additions off their injured lists. In Homer, the Bears are getting a veteran special teamer and some running back depth. Monk adds depth to Green Bay’s offensive line. And Weston will do the same for a linebacking corps in New York that has seen rookie fifth-round pick Francisco Mauigoa starting in place of an injured Quincy Williams.

Ford in Chicago, Sewell in New Orleans, and Jacobs in Tennessee are all being called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the third time this year. In order to appear in any more games after this weekend, their respective teams will need to sign them to the 53-man roster.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/18/25

October 18th, 2025 at 5:44pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Saturday’s practice squad moves:

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers

When Ehlinger was released yesterday to make room for linebacker Dre Greenlaw to come off injured reserve, it was announced that Ehlinger was expected to remain in Denver on a practice squad contract. Both sides followed through on that report today.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/25

October 17th, 2025 at 7:03pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves as we head into the seventh weekend of the regular season:

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers

The Broncos designated veteran linebacker Dre Greenlaw for his eventual return to the active roster on Wednesday. It looks like one week of practice may have been all Denver needed to see. According to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette, Ehlinger’s release is designed to clear a spot for Greenlaw on the 53-man roster as he comes back from injured reserve. Ehlinger is expected to sign back with the team’s practice squad.

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