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Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/25

By | at October 11, 2025 8:31 pm

Here are the minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations heading into the sixth Sunday of the NFL season:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Manu was ruled out for this week with a knee injury after making the first start of his career with Detroit. Unfortunately, he’ll miss the team’s next three games, as well, after being placed on injured reserve.

Wright will fill in as placekicker for the Titans in Week 6. Regular kicker Joey Slye has been ruled out with a calf injury after missing practice all week.

Avery in Cleveland and Walton in Carolina are both being called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the third time this year. If either of their respective teams want them to be active for another game, they will need to sign them to the 53-man roster.

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Browns Officially Name Shedeur Sanders QB2

By | at October 10, 2025 9:45 pm

After it was announced that rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel had officially been named the Browns’ starting quarterback, there were a lot of questions about why fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders wasn’t moving up the depth chart, as well. With only two healthy quarterbacks on the roster, though, head coach Kevin O’Connell told the media today that Sanders would be the primary backup.

We covered the reason that Sanders hadn’t been named QB2 when the team’s initial starter, Joe Flacco, was demoted. Essentially, Cleveland didn’t want Sanders’ introduction to the NFL to be him running an offensive gameplan designed for a shorter, shiftier, left-handed quarterback in a desperation setting. Not wanting to see Sanders struggle early, the Browns resolved to keep him off the field unless he was ready to run a gameplan designed around his own capabilities.

This thought process led the team to keep Flacco ahead of Sanders on the depth chart, thinking that Flacco’s leadership and experience would make him more well-suited to the uncomfortable situation of running an unfamiliar offensive gameplan than Sanders. But then, a surprise trade removed Flacco as an option as he made his way southwest to Cincinnati.

Even with Flacco out of the picture, though, the Browns weren’t quite ready to commit to naming Sanders the primary backup behind Gabriel, likely for the same reason as previously mentioned. The primary Browns starter, Deshaun Watson, remains on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, where he’s likely to be for the rest of the season as he recovers from multiple tears of his Achilles tendon, but there is one other option.

Practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe was the other name in consideration for the QB2 role. Zappe started eight games over his first two years in the league with the Patriots and even got a start in Cleveland last year. While he may not give the Browns a better chance at winning than Sanders, his use as a backup would protect Sanders from having to run Gabriel’s offense in his first NFL snaps.

Ultimately, Sanders got the job. It’s hard to say whether it was Sanders who advocated to play regardless of the offensive gameplan or if the coaches finally resolved to just put their best arms on the field. Regardless, the first man off the bench behind Gabriel will be his draft classmate taken two rounds later.

Gabriel shouldn’t have to worry about his own job, though. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Gabriel is expected to get a pretty “lengthy run” as the starter. Even with Sanders rising in the ranks behind him, Gabriel should have a fairly long lead with which he can find his sea legs. Sanders may get a run of his own down the line, but for now, he’ll be available off the sideline in case of injury.

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Browns Were Surprised By Bengals’ Joe Flacco Interest

By | at October 10, 2025 2:10 pm

For weeks, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor expressed confidence in backup quarterback Jake Browning to keep Cincinnati’s offense afloat with the hopes of a late-season return from Joe Burrow.

But after Browning’s third multi-interception game in four weeks – and the Bengals’ third straight loss – Taylor and the front office finally decided to seek a different signal-caller. They landed on Joe Flacco and reached out to the Browns, who were not expecting the call from their AFC North rivals.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on (via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic) Tuesday that Cincinnati’s interest in Flacco “took us by surprise,” despite the veteran quarterback’s benching the week prior. Handing the keys to the offense over to rookie Dillon Gabriel could signal to an outsider that Flacco was available, but Cleveland may not have been anticipating that they would trade him within the division (and the state).

In his first press conference as a Bengals, Flacco – who has been traded three times in his career – called the NFL a “crazy business” and said players “have to be ready for anything,” per Dehner.

‘Anything’ seems to include being benched, traded, and inserted into a new starting job in the span of a week. Not to mention, Flacco will play for his third AFC North team on Sunday, joining Ryan Fitzpatrick as the only quarterbacks to play for three of the four teams in a single division, per NFL Network’s John Todd.

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Browns, Jaguars Swap Greg Newsome, Tyson Campbell

By | at October 9, 2025 10:32 am

OCTOBER 9: The deal is now official. As part of the agreement, Jacksonville will take on a dead cap charge of $19.5MM in 2026, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports. The Jags are not retaining any of Campbell’s remaining salary, and they will free up nearly $50MM in cap space for the 2027 and ’28 campaigns with Campbell off the books by that point.

OCTOBER 8: The Browns and Jaguars are swapping starting cornerbacks. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns are sending Greg Newsome and the Jets’ 2026 sixth-round pick to the Jaguars for Tyson Campbell and the Eagles’ 2026 7th-round pick.

This is a sudden move involving a pair of defensive backs who were expected to guide their respective teams’ secondaries for years to come. The two players haven’t played up to their usual standards in 2025, so perhaps the organizations are hoping a fresh start can revitalize their respective acquisitions.

Campbell, a 2021 second-round pick, inked a lucrative four-year, $76.50MM extension ($53.40MM guaranteed) with the Jaguars about 15 months ago. The Georgia product looked the part of a star cornerback through his first two NFL seasons. He collected 143 tackles and five interceptions between those campaigns, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the league’s seventh-best CB in 2022.

He’s ranked below league-average in those same metrics in each of the past two-plus seasons. Campbell dealt with various injuries in both 2023 and 2024, missing a combined 11 games. While PFF only ranked him 71st among 106 qualifiers this season, the Jaguars have been especially reliant on him, with the cornerback appearing in 99 percent of his team’s defensive snaps through five games.

Newsome, a 2021 first-round pick, is currently playing on the final season of his rookie contract (via the fifth-year option). The cornerback was one of Cleveland’s defensive standouts through his first three seasons in the NFL, but he was demoted to a backup role in 2024. He ultimately finished last season with 27 tackles and one interception while getting into about 70 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in 13 appearances.

He was back starting alongside Denzel Ward to begin the 2025 campaign. He appeared in 95 percent of his team’s defensive snaps through five starts, collecting 23 stops. PFF currently has him ranked 40th at his position.

From the Browns perspective, the team may be anticipating a sell-off, and Campbell would represent a future piece over the expiring Newsome. With the Jaguars sitting at 4-1, the team is presumably looking to load up for a postseason run, and the front office clearly considers Newsome as an upgrade over Campbell, especially since they’ll be facing a significant dead cap hit after dealing their CB so soon after agreeing to an extension.

Jacksonville’s acquisition could also have an impact on how the team utilizes second-overall pick Travis Hunter. While both Newsome and Campbell have primarily played as outside CBs this season, the newest Jaguar has extensive experience playing in the nickel. That could open up an opportunity for Hunter to line up opposite Jourdan Lewis in the team’s base defense.

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Shedeur Sanders Uncertain To Move Into Browns’ QB2 Role; Latest On Deshaun Watson

By | at October 8, 2025 9:16 pm

Shedeur Sanders‘ eventful 2025 included early buzz about being a top-five pick, before a freefall to Round 5 capped a regrettable pre-draft process. The rookie went from Cleveland’s QB4 during training camp to preseason starter, due to other passers’ injuries, and then saw the team’s Kenny Pickett trade shake up the depth chart.

The Browns installed Sanders as their No. 3 option, and that did not change after they demoted Joe Flacco to start Dillon Gabriel. Flacco worked as Cleveland’s backup in Week 5, with Sanders stuck at QB3. Even though Flacco has since followed Pickett out the door via trade, Kevin Stefanski stopped short of confirming Sanders would be the team’s backup moving forward.

Bailey Zappe resides on the Browns’ practice squad. Stefanski said (via the Lorain Morning Journal’s Jeff Schudel) he was not ready to name a backup as of Wednesday, calling into question Sanders’ role once again. Although Sanders is believed to have shown improvement and received additional work post-practice, maturity concerns have presented themselves.

Multiple speeding violations occurred in the offseason, and Sanders took a strange step when interviewed following the news of Gabriel’s promotion last week. As could be expected, the Colorado alum pantomiming answers to media questions went over oddly. While Sanders held a discussion with Browns officials (per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) about his decision to conduct a silent press conference of sorts, the Browns not turning to him as their unquestioned backup post-Flacco does not exactly paint a glowing picture of the fifth-rounder’s organizational standing.

Jimmy Haslam said in August the Browns needed to see both Gabriel and Sanders play before determining their 2026 draft path. Sanders’ scout-team work in practice has led to a role as the team’s emergency QB3, meaning (thanks to the Brock Purdy rule) he could only play if the team’s first two passers went down. Zappe rejoined the Browns after the Chiefs cut him in training camp and has resided on the team’s practice squad since. The Browns could elevate Zappe for Week 6 without making a corresponding roster move.

If Cleveland elevates Zappe over Sanders, more attention will be paid to the latter’s development (or lack thereof). It would lend more weight to the narrative ownership wanted Sanders while Stefanski and Andrew Berry did not. Haslam and Berry denied such an order took place, of course, though the Browns circling back to Sanders after choosing Gabriel in Round 3 remains an unusual route. A value-based play led Sanders to Ohio. The Browns want Sanders to be ready if/when he is called upon. A former Patriots draftee, Zappe has made nine NFL starts — including one with the Browns last season — and would make sense as a stopgap backup while Sanders continues to acclimate.

The Browns, of course, technically have four quarterbacks rostered. Deshaun Watson remains on the team’s reserve/PUP list. It has long been viewed as unlikely the Browns will deploy Watson this season, and Rapoport adds nothing is believed to have changed on that front.

Watson is recovering a second Achilles tear. The high-priced quarterback submitted woeful work last season, with Stefanski repeatedly asked to justify why he had not benched him. Because of the five-year, fully guaranteed $230MM extension Watson signed in 2022 (and the numerous restructures the team has made for cap purposes), he remains on Cleveland’s roster.

Stefanski declined to address the prospect of Watson playing this season, indicating he is “so focused on this week.” Watson resumed throwing in mid-May but spent camp on the active/PUP list before being transferred to the reserve/PUP list in late August. Over the summer, some in the embattled QB’s camp were optimistic he would be cleared in late October or early November, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. But nothing has come to pass yet.

Considering Haslam admitted the trade was a mistake, it would surprise if Watson played for the Browns again. But with Pickett and Flacco gone, the QB technically has fewer obstacles in his path. Though, the Browns’ need to evaluate Gabriel and Sanders — and the team’s natural interest in the 2026 QB class — would interfere with a Watson return.

“He’s doing an excellent job with his rehab,” Stefanski said, via Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons. “We haven’t seen him as part of the throwing process with the team and those types of things. But he’s working very hard. He’s doing a great job in the meeting room.”

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Traded Draft Picks For 2026

By | at October 8, 2025 8:05 pm

Many months remain before teams know where they are picking in the 2026 draft, but many clubs have made moves to acquire 2026 draft capital. Headlined by the Browns, Rams and Cowboys’ efforts, here are the 2026 picks to have changed hands thus far. When more deals involving picks are made (or conditions on moves already completed become known), that information will be added.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/8/25

By | at October 8, 2025 7:01 pm

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

With starting cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold both sidelined (along with backup Khalil Dorsey), the Lions have brought in some veteran reinforcement at the position. Arthur Maulet brings 85 games of experience to Detroit, although he’s struggled to carve out a starting role throughout his career. The cornerback has mostly served as a depth piece in stops with the Saints, Colts, Jets, Steelers, and Ravens. He spent the past two seasons in Baltimore, where he compiled 42 tackles and a pair of sacks in 17 appearances.

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Minor NFL Transactions: 10/8/25

By | at October 8, 2025 6:49 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

San Francisco 49ers

Khalil Dorsey was recently nursing a wrist injury, and that issue will now sideline him for at least the next four games, as the cornerback landed on injured reserve today. After getting into the first four games of the season for the Lions, Dorsey didn’t see the field for Week 5. The majority of his playing time has come on special teams this season.

Kevin Givens is back at practice after landing on IR before the season even started. The defensive tackle has been working his way back from a pectoral injury that wiped out the first month of his 2025 campaign. According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the defensive lineman will be evaluated throughout the week to determine his availability for Week 6. Givens is coming off a 2024 season where he compiled a career-high 3.5 sacks.

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Bengals To Start QB Joe Flacco In Week 6

By | at October 8, 2025 1:45 pm

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor announced Wednesday (via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.) newly acquired quarterback Joe Flacco will take all the reps in practice this week and start against the Packers on Sunday.

Trading for Flacco expressed Cincinnati’s clear desire to make a change at quarterback after three straight losses with Jake Browning under center. They will make the switch right away, which will force Flacco to quickly get up to speed in his new offense.

The Bengals were hoping Browning could keep the offense afloat after Joe Burrow‘s injury and keep their season alive in case the two-time Pro Bowler makes a return late in the year. Instead, Browning threw multiple interceptions in three of his four games, handicapping Cincinnati on both sides of the ball.

Historically light in terms of in-season player acquisition volume in trades, the Bengals bent on their usual stance after Browning threw three more interceptions in a one-sided loss to the Lions. They acquired Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick from the Browns for a 2026 fifth. Flacco also struggled with INTs with the Browns, leading to his benching, and Pro Football Focus ranking the Bengals’ O-line 32nd through five games still could create a high degree of difficulty for the statuesque trade pickup. But the Bengals were sinking fast; they will try Flacco immediately.

Taylor left the door open to a Browning benching, after previously voicing support for Burrow’s backup, after Week 5. The team considered several QB options early this week, and VP of player personnel Duke Tobin brought Flacco to Taylor’s attention (via ESPN.com’s Ben Baby) to gauge the coach’s interest before making the deal. As could be expected, Kevin Stefanski confirmed (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson) the Bengals made the first trade contact on the QB. After Taylor gave his approval, another Ohio learning curve will take place for Flacco.

While Flacco will be in the historically interesting position of facing the Packers twice in three weeks with two different teams, he has considerable success picking up an offense on the fly. His first Browns stint, though, did feature a longer ramp-up period.

With Deshaun Watson suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, the Browns initially signed Flacco on Nov. 19, 2023. They faced the Broncos with Dorian Thompson-Robinson at the controls days later, not turning to Flacco until the following week. Flacco debuted Dec. 3 and lost his first start (to the Rams). The aging QB, who did not receive much free agency interest that offseason, proceeded to win his next four starts to move the injury-battered Browns to a surprising wild-card berth. That earned him Comeback Player of the Year acclaim and Stefanski his second Coach of the Year honor.

The Bengals will give Flacco a similar assignment, counting on the 18th-year veteran to salvage a sinking season. He will team with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown. Although Flacco played with Amari Cooper in 2023, the Chase-Higgins combo will easily be the best of his career. While challenges present themselves in terms of Cincy’s O-line keeping Flacco upright, the team’s pass-catching talent will make this an interesting experiment.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

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