NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/30/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Jalen Brooks, TE Messiah Swinson
- Released: CB Jaden Davis
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Liam Anderson, LB Brian Asamoah
- Released: DE Myles Cole
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Myles Gaskin
- Released: WR Velus Jones
A day after adding Velus Jones and releasing Myles Gaskin, the Seahawks have reversed course. Gaskin had more than 600 rushing yards with the Dolphins back in 2021, but he’s been limited to 26 rushing yards in seven total games since that season. Jones got into five games with the Saints earlier this year, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/30/25
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: DT Taven Bryan, S Keondre Jackson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed from practice squad: LB Joe Giles-Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Practice window opened: LS Josh Harris
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: CB Jason Marshall
- Elevated: CB Isaiah Johnson, TE Hayden Rucci
New England Patriots
- Signed off Dolphins’ practice squad: S John Saunders Jr.
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): G Drew Moss
After trading safety Kyle Dugger earlier this week, the Patriots have added some depth at the position, as the team snagged John Saunders Jr. off Miami’s practice squad. The rookie went undrafted out of Ole Miss in this year’s draft, and he quickly found a job with the Dolphins. He’s spent the entire season on Miami’s taxi squad, and now he’s set to make his NFL debut with their division rivals.
Bengals’ Joe Flacco Battling AC Joint Injury
The Bengals have seen their offense climb out of the NFL basement since Joe Flacco‘s first half of action with the team, even as they are only 1-2 with the trade pickup at the controls. Another injury-driven return to Jake Browning, however, is in play.
Flacco is dealing with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. While Zac Taylor said (via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.) Flacco could play on minimal practice reps — as he showed during his first week with the team — he did not practice today and is uncertain to play in Week 9 against the Bears.
Flacco left the field briefly Sunday but returned for the Bengals’ last-ditch drive in their loss to the Jets. Finishing with 223 passing yards, Flacco accounted for two touchdown passes and a rushing score in defeat. This came after he delivered a throwback performance to lift the Bengals to a win over the Steelers, narrowing the team’s AFC North deficit. Pittsburgh’s Week 8 loss to Green Bay kept the margin where it is, but the Bengals’ form with Browning could be a break for the struggling Steelers.
Cincy endured three straight blowout losses with Browning, who lost his support in the building ahead of the Bengals’ ultra-rare in-season trade pickup. Just the third player over the past 53 years to be added by the team via trade in-season, Flacco has made a significant difference to the team’s offense. The Bengals lost by a combined 113-37 margin during Browning’s three starts in relief of Joe Burrow.
Flacco confirmed (via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer) he did not ask the Browns to trade him, but the 18th-year quarterback noted team brass approached him to see if he’d be interested in the intra-Ohio transfer. The Browns, who had demoted Flacco for Dillon Gabriel, traded him to the Bengals in a Day 3 pick-swap move in Week 6. This came as the Bengals cast a wide net — which included retired QB Derek Carr — for an emergency Browning replacement.
“Now I don’t know if they would’ve done it anyway, if I wasn’t interested. If I said, ‘No, I really don’t want to do that, guys,’ I don’t know if they would’ve said, ‘OK, yeah, that’s cool, we won’t do it then,’” Flacco said. “But it did seem like Andrew [Berry] was like, ‘Listen, man, we appreciate what you’ve done. Would this be something you’d be open to?’ So we had a conversation about it, for sure.”
Flacco can earn 75K bonuses for Bengals wins in games in which he reaches the 50% snap threshold, but ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano indicates the team-based incentive does not kick in until a fourth occurrence. This minor bump would not be available to the 40-year-old passer until he wins a fourth game with the team.
The Bengals may be ready to redeploy Burrow by that point, as the superstar starter (via ESPN.com’s Ben Baby) has not endured any setbacks on his recovery road. The team did not say how close Burrow is to returning from toe surgery, however. December remains the target window, though Flacco (or Browning) will need to keep the car on the road for that to make sense.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/25
Here are Tuesday’s minor NFL moves as the headlines are taken up by bigger names due to the impending trade deadline:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Tommy Akingbesote
Carolina Panthers
- Signed off 49ers’ practice squad: OLB Trevis Gipson
- Waived: DT Jaden Crumedy
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: DE Austin Booker
- Placed on IR: DL Shemar Turner (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: LB Shaka Heyward, C Matt Lee
- Released: DT Mike Pennel
Denver Broncos
- Activated from commissioners/suspended list: LB Dre Greenlaw
- Released: QB Sam Ehlinger
Los Angeles Chargers
- Practice window opened: CB Deane Leonard
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: CB Tre Brown
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: CB Storm Duck (story)
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Browns): CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
- Placed on IR: RB Cam Skattebo (story)
New York Jets
- Waived: WR Brandon Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived (with injury settlement): DT Domenique Davis
Tennessee Titans
- Signed off Packers’ practice squad: CB Micah Robinson
- Signed off Patriots’ practice squad: OLB Truman Jones
- Placed on IR: OLB Ali Gaye
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.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/25
Here are Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s slate of games:
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: DT Taven Bryan, S Keondre Jackson
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: OLB Boogie Basham, QB Hendon Hooker
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: LB Joe Giles-Harris
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: DT Sam Kamara, QB Bailey Zappe
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Jordan Turner
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: CB Jaylin Smith
- Elevated: WR Jared Wayne
- Waived: TE Brenden Bates
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: CB Cameron Mitchell, DE Durell Nchami
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: TE Hayden Rucci, CB Kendall Sheffield
New England Patriots
- Elevated: S Richie Grant, RB Terrell Jennings
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: LB Eku Leota
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: WR Darius Cooper
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DE Trevis Gipson, OL Nick Zakelj
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: QB Connor Bazelak, OLB Mohamed Kamara
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: WR James Proche
Recently named QB2 Shedeur Sanders found his way to the injury report today with a back injury. By elevating Zappe, Cleveland is ensuring Sanders won’t play tomorrow, since in order to have three quarterbacks dressed for gameday, all three passers must be on the 53-man roster. Zappe will back up Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders will likely be in sweats. Similarly in Carolina, with Bryce Young set to sit this week, Hooker has been called up to back up Andy Dalton.
Both Buccaneers quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Teddy Bridgewater, were on the injury report this week, though neither received a “questionable” injury designation as result of their ailments. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that both passers are expected to be available, but with Bazelak taking up a spot on the active roster, it seems likely that only one other quarterback will be suited up alongside the practice squad callup. Because Bazelak’s not on the 53-man roster, only two passers can be active. Tampa Bay can still designate Bazelak as the inactive third quarterback, but doing so would seemingly be making this elevation moot.
There is no corresponding move necessary for Philadelphia to add Cooper. The team received a two-game roster exemption after signing veteran defensive end Brandon Graham, so they had an open roster spot.
For Basham in Carolina and Jennings in New England, this will be their third and final standard gameday practice squad elevations. If either of their respective teams want them to play in another game this season, they will need to first be signed to the 53-man roster.
Bengals LB Logan Wilson Requests Trade
Logan Wilson came up as a trade candidate this week, being mentioned as a player who could move after the Bengals reduced his role. Now, Wilson can be added to the growing list of Bengals to have asked to be moved in recent years.
The veteran linebacker has requested a trade, ESPN.com’s Ben Baby reports. Although Wilson has started all seven Cincinnati games this season, rookies Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter have cut into his role. Wilson is tied to a four-year, $36MM contract, a deal that runs through the 2027 season.
Since 2023, the Bengals have received trade requests from Jonah Williams, Tee Higgins, Trey Hendrickson and Germaine Pratt. Not known as being particularly accommodating on the trade or contract fronts, the team gave into none of those asks.
Williams played out his contract year — at right tackle, after the team signed Orlando Brown Jr. — and left as a 2024 free agent. Requesting a trade in March 2024, Higgins played last season on the franchise tag. Although Hendrickson trade drama did not become lead NFL story until this offseason, the All-Pro defensive end submitted his request in 2024. It did not move the needle. Weeks after Pratt requested a trade, the Bengals cut him.
The Pratt release came after the Bengals drafted both Knight (Round 2) and Carter (Round 4). With Wilson still rostered, those selections marginalized Pratt, who is now on his third team of the year (Bengals, Raiders, Colts). Carter has usurped Wilson in the Bengals’ linebacking hierarchy, playing 100% of the team’s defensive snaps over the past two games. Knight has held a steadier role this season, and he played almost every snap over Cincinnati’s past two contests.
A mainstay at linebacker since the Bengals drafted him in the 2020 third round, Wilson played 100% of the team’s defensive snaps in Week 5. Over the past two games, however, his usage has dipped considerably. Wilson played 19.7% of Cincy’s defensive snaps in Week 6 and 45.6% of the plays in Week 7. Al Golden has pivoted to the rookies on his second level, with Zac Taylor reiterating the team’s commitment to the Knight-Carter duo, leaving Wilson as a part-timer. Not long after that switch, the sixth-year veteran is attempting to force the issue.
While the Bengals are famous for not budging in these situations, a report this week indicated they would be open to dealing Wilson. The former Super Bowl starter signed a $9MM-per-year extension during the 2023 offseason, doing so weeks after the Bengals re-signed Pratt. With Lou Anarumo now in Indianapolis, the Bengals changed up at linebacker. Wilson (65 career starts) is tied to a $5.37MM base salary this season.
Just more than $3MM remains on that contract now, and if the Bengals move on just before the Nov. 4 deadline, barely $2.5MM in base salary would remain for 2025. No guarantees are in place, as this is a Bengals contract, beyond this season. That would give a team flexibility with a 29-year-old defender who had been a regular for years in Cincy. Wilson posted four straight 100-plus-tackle seasons, getting to 104 last season despite missing six games, and Pro Football Focus ranked him as a top-25 off-ball LB in 2022 and ’24. He sits 47th on that list this season.
Bengals Unlikely To Trade Trey Hendrickson
The Bengals deviated from their general stance against in-season trades for players by acquiring Joe Flacco from the Browns. To the chagrin of Mike Tomlin, that trade has already proven beneficial — after the Bengals upended the Steelers in Week 7.
Prior to that game, a host of Trey Hendrickson rumors emerged. Cincinnati is not typically helpful for buyers at the trade deadline, either, though Hendrickson’s contract-year status naturally influenced contenders to closely monitor this situation. With the Bengals now 3-4, do not expect them to part with their best defensive player.
A Hendrickson trade will not happen, according to The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. The Bengals would lose their right to keep Hendrickson via the franchise tag by moving him now, and with the team having narrowed its AFC North deficit (in a season that has brought a stunning 1-5 Ravens start), it makes sense for the typically rigid team to hold tight here.
If a club were to acquire Hendrickson, the Bengals also may not be especially helpful in terms of picking up salary. With Hendrickson on a $16MM base salary in his walk year, game checks come in at nearly $1MM apiece. That is a big haul for a team to add halfway through a season. As it stands, that appears a moot point.
Endless Hendrickson-Cincy rumors related to the All-Pro defensive end’s extension talks did not produce a deal this offseason, with the team circling back on a late-August raise rather than agreeing on a post-2025 contract. This came after a host of trade rumors at multiple junctures. The Bengals set a lofty asking price in March, seeking more than a first-round pick for the 30-year-old edge rusher. Although they were believed to have dropped that price by August, no trade commenced. This led the sides to come back to the negotiating table.
Hendrickson sought guarantees beyond Year 1 of an extension; the Bengals’ offers did not include such terms, leading the sides to compromise with this raise. That bump will make Hendrickson harder to move, but his consecutive 17.5-sack seasons naturally still make him an appealing commodity on the trade market.
The 49ers came up as a suitor and have been expected to check in. The Colts, who employ longtime Hendrickson DC Lou Anarumo now, join the Eagles and Cowboys as other teams with interest. Those teams are almost definitely going to need to pivot to other options. While the Bengals slipping up against the Jets or Bears at home before the deadline could change the equation, they are set to stand pat right now.
Hendrickson’s ninth season has brought a team-high four sacks and eight QB hits. The Bengals still rank 31st defensively, struggling to start Al Golden‘s DC tenure. Seeing as Cincinnati’s defensive struggles last year prevented an MVP-caliber Joe Burrow season and a Ja’Marr Chase triple-crown effort from producing a playoff berth, Golden’s unit will need to improve quickly. Hendrickson, though, will remain as the team’s centerpiece player on that side of the ball.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/22/25
Here are today’s midweek minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Opened practice window: T Storm Norton
Cincinnati Bengals
- Opened practice window: DE Cedric Johnson
Denver Broncos
- Signed from practice squad: QB Sam Ehlinger
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: LB Zach Cunningham
Houston Texans
- Designated to return from IR: CB Jaylin Smith
Miami Dolphins
- Designated to return from IR: CB Jason Marshall
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: DT John Ridgeway
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated to return from IR: CB Jakorian Bennett
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated to return from IR: QB Will Howard
- Waived (with injury settlement): T Gareth Warren
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed from practice squad: DE Robert Beal Jr.
- Designated to return from IR: OL Spencer Burford
- Released: DE Trevis Gipson
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: TE Eric Saubert
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed from practice squad: G Michael Jordan
- Placed on IR: WR Mike Evans (story)
While several players were designated to return from injured reserve today, Norton and Johnson’s designations took place back on 8/26, the roster cut deadline. The Texans are in danger of being without their top three receivers in Week 8. Tank Dell is already on IR, but Nico Collins and Christian Kirk’s statuses for the weekend are up in the air as Collins deals with a concussion and Kirk has been dealing with n hamstring injury.
Not that they’ve needed him, since Aaron Rodgers has looked a bit more effective than he was in his days with the Jets, but Howard is nearing a return to the roster for the remainder of his rookie season. It will be interesting to see where the sixth-rounder slots in on the depth chart as he adds another level of security behind the 41-year-old Rodgers.
Bengals Open To Trading Logan Wilson
While the Bengals are unlikely to trade superstar pass rusher Trey Hendrickson before the Nov. 4 deadline, they could move another longtime defensive linchpin in the next couple of weeks. They’re “open to dealing” linebacker Logan Wilson, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Now in his sixth season, Wilson joined the Bengals as a third-round pick from Wyoming in 2020. After mostly working as a reserve during his rookie campaign, Wilson has started in all 65 of his appearances since his second season.
In his most productive season, 2023, Wilson tallied 135 tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles over 17 games. The Bengals signed him to a four-year, $37.25MM extension prior to that season. He’s under team control through 2027 as a result.
Despite the long-term commitment the Bengals made to Wilson, and despite his past production, the team has reduced his role this season. Wilson has played in all seven of the Bengals’ games and notched 41 tackles, but fourth-round rookie Barrett Carter has begun eating into his playing time under first-year defensive coordinator Al Golden. While Golden coached Wilson and the rest of the Bengals’ linebackers from 2020-21, Lou Anarumo ran the defense during the first five years of his career. Anarumo is now the D-coordinator for the Colts, who are looking for defensive help.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor indicated last week that Carter will continue to get more reps than Wilson, per Ben Baby of ESPN.com, saying: “I just felt he’s shown enough to [have us] continue to work through it. We’re going to see constant improvement every single game.”
With Carter usurping Wilson’s role alongside Demetrius Knight, the Bengals’ other primary linebacker, a deadline trade looks like a realistic possibility. Fowler and colleague Matt Bowen name the Colts as a potential fit, which would enable Wilson to reunite with Anarumo. They also identify the Cowboys, 49ers, and Bills as other teams that could swing a deal for Wilson.
Although the Cowboys boast an elite offense, they’re in dire need of defensive help, whether that’s Wilson or a more splashy acquisition. The 49ers could have interest in Wilson after losing four-time first-team All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner to a season-ending ankle injury. The Bills extended LB Terrel Bernard on a four-year, $50MM pact last March, but the oft-injured Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson aren’t under contract past this season, and third-year man Dorian Williams has struggled in 2025.
Bengals Considered Long List Of QBs Before Joe Flacco Trade
After a Week 5 loss to the Lions, their third straight lopsided defeat under backup signal-caller Jake Browning, the Bengals aggressively began searching for a different Joe Burrow fill-in. Led by director of player personnel Duke Tobin, the Bengals put together an extensive list of potential upgrades over Browning, Albert Breer of SI.com details.
Before swinging a trade with the division-rival Browns for Joe Flacco, the Bengals considered Anthony Richardson (Colts); Kirk Cousins (Falcons); the Giants’ backup duo of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston; the Rams’ Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett; Tanner McKee (Eagles); and Josh Johnson (Commanders). They joined the previously reported Derek Carr (Saints), Sam Howell (Eagles), Drew Lock (Seahawks), and Davis Mills (Texans) in Cincinnati’s exhaustive search.
The Bengals narrowed the list down to five before choosing Flacco as the best option, according to Breer. It’s unclear who joined the 40-year-old in the group of finalists or whether the Bengals even made calls on all of those QBs.
In the end, Flacco won out as a result of a few factors. Flacco is affordable ($1.26MM base salary) and only cost a fifth-round pick. The well-traveled Super Bowl XLVII MVP also has plenty of AFC North experience, and coordinator Dan Pitcher identified him as a clear fit based on similarities between Cincinnati’s offense and Cleveland’s in terms of “spacing the field and progressing pass concepts,” Breer writes.
Two weeks into what will be a short-lived run as the Bengals’ starter, Flacco has looked like a shrewd acquisition. The Bengals lost his first start to the Packers, but they bounced back with an upset over the division-rival Steelers on Thursday.
Flacco outdueled fellow 40-something Aaron Rodgers in Week 7, going 31 for 47 for 342 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-31 thriller. He made superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase the focal point of the offense, targeting him on a jaw-dropping 23 throws and hitting him 16 times for 161 yards and a score. Chase has already hauled in 26 passes and two of Flacco’s five TDs as a Bengal. Flacco has yet to throw a pick with the team after tossing six in four games with the Browns.
The goal in acquiring Flacco was to hang around long enough to make a potential Burrow return worthwhile in 2025. Burrow, who underwent toe surgery on Sept. 19, is expected to miss at least three months. That means the Bengals will have to stay in the race into December under Flacco. At 3-4, they trail the division-leading Steelers (4-2) and sit in ninth place in the AFC. While the Bengals are still facing an uphill climb, Flacco has at least given them a more credible option than Browning under center.