Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/25
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions:
Houston Texans
- Signed off Browns’ practice squad: TE Brenden Bates
- Placed on IR: WR Justin Watson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed off Vikings’ practice squad: S Kahlef Hailassie
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: S Terrell Burgess
- Placed on IR: DT Vernon Broughton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: G Kenyon Green
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed from practice squad: DE DeMarvin Leal
- Placed on IR: DE Isaiahh Loudermilk
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed from practice squad: WR Cody White
- Released: CB Shaquill Griffin
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: DT Elijah Simmons
- Placed on IR: DT Calijah Kancey (story)
Broughton, the third-round rookie out of Texas, is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a hip injury, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The team sought multiple opinions on the injury and was unsure about whether or not surgery would be necessary, but the “significant” hip issue will shut him down for the year.
Green rejoins the reigning champs, once again. It’s been a rollercoaster of employment for the 24-year-old guard, who failed to make the initial 53-man roster in Philadelphia, signed to the practice squad, was promoted back to the active roster, and then was waived two days after the team’s season opener.
Loudermilk had been working as a starter for the first time in his five-year career, but he will miss at least the next four games with a high ankle sprain. Leal, a 2022 third-round pick out of Texas A&M, has disappointed in his first three years of play. After moving to more of an outside linebacker role this summer, Leal failed to make the initial 53-man roster but was retained to the practice squad. He’ll take Loudermilk’s spot on the active roster for the time being.
Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Watson has been sidelined indefinitely with a calf muscle and Achilles injury. The tendon is not torn, so it may not be season-ending, and Watson could return at some point down the line. Luckily, the receiving corps is set to return some reinforcements as head coach DeMeco Ryans announced that both Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios are expected to be back in Week 3. Wilson also reports that tight end Cade Stover had successful surgery recently for his broken foot.
Texans Sign DB Jalen Mills To Practice Squad
Jalen Mills is back in Houston. After being included among the team’s final preseason cuts, the veteran defensive back is signing with the Texans practice squad, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Mills brings plenty of experience to Houston’s taxi squad, as the 31-year-old has made 115 regular-season appearances during his career. A former seventh-round pick, Mills evolved into a full-time starter during his time in Philly, where he hauled in five interceptions across five seasons. After being limited to 17 combined games between 2018 and 2019, Mills rebounded with a 15-game showing in 2020.
Mills inked a four-year, $24MM deal with the Patriots ahead of the 2021 campaign and ended up spending three years with the organization. He was a starter through his first two seasons in New England but settled into more of a rotational role in 2023, when he collected 45 tackles in 17 games (eight starts).
He joined the Giants last offseason but didn’t make it to the regular season with his new squad. He joined the Jets in late September and proceeded to start eight of his nine appearances, tallying 44 stops, six passes defended, and one interception. He suffered an injured collarbone in December that ended his season prematurely.
Mills joined the Texans this past August but was cut by the team only a few weeks later. Mills brings some familiarity with DeMeco Ryans‘ defense, as the veteran is coming off a 2024 campaign where he played under Robert Saleh, another member of the 49ers coaching tree. The Texans will likely be counting on Mills to provide that veteran savviness during this current stint with the team, where he’ll serve as depth behind C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Calen Bullock, and M.J. Stewart.
To make room on the practice squad, the Texans cut wide receiver Silas Bolden and offensive tackle Jaylon Thomas, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/15/25
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: C Cooper Beebe
Houston Texans
- Elevated: FB Jakob Johnson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Alex Bachman
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived from IR: S Lewis Cine
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: OL Michael Jordan
Washington Commanders
- Signed from practice squad: DE Jalyn Holmes, WR Chris Moore
- Placed on IR: RB Austin Ekeler (story), DE Deatrich Wise (story)
As expected, Cowboys center Cooper Beebe landed on injured reserve today after suffering an ankle and foot injury during yesterday’s win over the Giants. The lineman suffered a lateral sprain in his ankle along with a bone fracture in his foot, an injury that’s expected to keep him sidelined for six to eight weeks. During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones expressed optimism that the injury timeline is “on the shorter end of that” (per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com).
NFL Injury Updates: Wharton, Lions, Colts
Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton suffered a hamstring injury in his Panthers debut and will miss time as a result.
Head coach Dave Canales said (via team reporter Darin Gantt) that Wharton’s absence would be “somewhere in the two- to four-week range.” That could preclude a move to injured reserve, as Wharton would be sidelined for a mandatory four week after his placement. Given the nature of his injury, the Panthers likely want to get him back on the practice field sooner as he ramps up to game readiness.
Wharton, 27, signed in Carolina this offseason for $15MM per year with the hopes of combining with Derrick Brown and A’Shawn Robinson to upgrade the Panthers’ interior pass rush. The former Chief put up a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2024 and added two more in the playoffs.
Until Wharton returns to the field, the Panthers will lean on a backups Bobby Brown and Jaden Crumedy. Rookie Cam Jackson should also get more opportunities after sitting as a healthy scratch in Week 1.
Here are several other injury updates from around the NFL:
- Lions offensive tackle Jamarco Jones, who was placed on injured reserve before Week 1, will be out for the season with an ankle injury, per Justin Rodgers of the Detroit Football Network. Safety Daniel Thomas, meanwhile, is planning to play through a broken hand, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
- The Texans‘ offense has taken another hit with center Jake Andrews sustaining a high ankle sprain, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The veteran starter has an unclear return timeline with backup Jarrett Patterson set to take his place.
- Eagles running back Will Shipley sustained a fractured rib in Week 1, according to 97.5 The Fanatic’s Derrick Gunn, partially explaining the team’s recent acquisition of Tank Bigsby from the Jaguars. In addition to replacing Shipley as Saquon Barkley‘s primary backup, Bigsby will also be able to contribute as a returner on special teams.
- The Colts could be without multiple pieces of their secondary in Week 2, per Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. Starter Charvarius Ward is still in concussion protocol, and third-year corner Jaylon Jones could land on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Head coach Shane Steichen said that Jones would be “out for a while” and declined to put a timeline on his return.
- The Packers will be without a pair of starting offensive linemen on Thursday night against the Commanders. Left guard Aaron Banks and right tackle Zach Tom were both ruled out with 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan and rookie third-rounder Anthony Belton taking their respective places.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/10/25
Wednesday’s taxi squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Channing Tindall
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Phidarian Mathis
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE K.J. Henry
Houston Texans
- Signed: T Jaylon Thomas
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: LB Cole Christiansen
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released from practice squad/injured list (with injury settlement): WR Jalen Reagor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Jacob Sykes
- Released: CB Eli Ricks
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: QB Logan Woodside
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Messiah Swinson
Washington Commanders
- Signed: P Mitch Wishnowsky
- Released: TE Lawrence Cager
With regular punter Tress Way in danger of missing this week’s Thursday Night matchup in Green Bay with a back injury, Washington has signed the former 49ers veteran as insurance.
Texans Place TE Cade Stover On IR, Promote Harrison Bryant
Cade Stover will be unavailable to the Texans for an extended period. The second-year tight end was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, per a team announcement. 
Stover suffered a broken foot in Week 1, so today’s move comes as little surprise. He will now miss the next four games at a minimum. Houston’s tight end depth had already taken a hit with Brevin Jordan being lost for the season.
Now, the position will be even thinner through the early portion of the campaign. Stover made a team-high four catches in Week 1 as the Texans struggled on offense, and he was in line to continue operating as a key figure in the passing game. In his absence, veteran Dalton Schultz will take an an increased role. Stover, whose rookie contract runs through 2027, will aim for a midseason return to the lineup.
The Texans entered Wednesday with a pair of tight end options on their practice squad. As expected, the team is taking the internal route to replace Stover. Veteran Harrison Bryant was promoted to the active roster in a corresponding move to Stover’s IR placement. Bryant has been in the fold since he was included in the John Metchie trade.
That swap prevented the 27-year-old from seeing any regular season time with the Eagles despite signing with them in free agency this spring. Bryant played out his rookie deal with the Browns and took a one-year pact with the Raiders in 2024. The former fourth-rounder has 78 appearances and 33 starts to his name, so he will add experience (but a limited pass-catching presence, based on his production over the past two seasons in particular) to Houston’s offense.
Houston will be part of a doubleheader on Monday night during a game against Tampa Bay. As the team looks to bounce back from its Week 1 loss, the tight end position could be one to watch closely.
Texans Sign DL Tommy Togiai To Extension
Tommy Togiai is sticking in Houston through the 2026 season. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Texans have signed the defensive tackle to a one-year extension.
After spending the first two-plus months on the Texans practice squad to open the 2024 campaign, Togiai was signed to the team’s active roster last November. He ended up getting into eight games for Houston, collecting 28 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The lineman inked an extension last year that kept him in Houston through the 2025 campaign.
Togiai stuck around on Houston’s offseason roster and made the Texans initial 53-man squad. The 25-year-old was inactive for the team’s season opener, with Sheldon Rankins, Tim Settle, Mario Edwards, and Folorunso Fatukasi garnering the snaps at defensive tackle. However, the team still clearly believes enough in Togiai to commit to him beyond this year.
According to Wilson, the lineman’s new contract could hit a max value of $3.3MM in 2026. That’s a significant pay raise, as Togiai is earning $1.2MM this season. Edwards is the only one of the aforementioned DLs attached to a 2026 contract, so Togiai’s new deal may indicate that the player is in line for a larger role next season.
Texans TE Cade Stover Suffers Broken Foot
The Texans’ tight end depth has been dealt another blow early in the season. Cade Stover suffered a broken foot yesterday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports.
Stover is now out indefinitely as a result. The news comes after fellow tight end Brevin Jordan was lost for the season in August. A lengthy absence in Stover’s case would leave Houston notably short on options at the position.
The 2024 fourth-rounder played 16 combined regular and postseason games as a rookie despite undergoing an emergency appendectomy in December. Stover also had offseason shoulder surgery but was at full strength in time for Week 1. Losing him for an extended period will leave the Texans with Dalton Schultz as their top tight end; only he and Stover dressed at that position on Sunday.
Houston has a pair of replacement options on the practice squad. Harrison Bryant – acquired from the Eagles in the John Metchie trade – as well as seventh-round rookie Luke Lachey are in place on the team’s taxi squad at the moment. It would come as little surprise if at least one were to be elevated to the active roster shortly. Bryant is a veteran of 78 games, so the pending free agent could offer experienced depth at the position at least until other roster moves take place.
Stover recorded just 15 receptions and one touchdown last season, but he served as the Texans’ starter yesterday. The 25-year-old led the team in catches with four, producing 22 yards along the way. As Houston looks to improve on offense moving forward, the team will do so without an important figure in the picture for the time being.
2025 Offseason In Review Series
Here are PFR’s breakdowns of each NFL team’s 2025 offseason.
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
NFC West
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/25
With our first slate of Sunday games tomorrow, we’ll see our first slew of standard gameday practice squad elevations. Here are today’s minor transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR David Sills, RB Carlos Washington Jr.
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: G Kendrick Green, K Matt Prater
Carolina Panthers
- Signed from practice squad: DT Jaden Crumedy
- Placed on IR: CB Damarri Mathis (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Mike Pennel
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: FB Adam Prentice, LB Levelle Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Signed from practice squad: RB Jacob Saylors
- Elevated: LB Anthony Pittman
- Placed on IR: T Jamarco Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: CB Micah Robinson
Houston Texans
- Elevated: FB Jakob Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: LB Austin Ajiake, RB Ulysses Bentley IV
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: T Ricky Lee
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Alex Bachman, S Terrell Edmunds
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: RB Cody Schrader
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: K Riley Patterson, RB Jeff Wilson
New England Patriots
- Signed from practice squad: DT Cory Durden
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine, LB Mark Robinson
- Released: DT Jeremiah Pharms
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: DE Fadil Diggs
- Elevated: TE Jack Stoll, DE Jonah Williams
- Waived: QB Jake Haener
New York Giants
- Elevated: DT Elijah Garcia
New York Jets
- Elevated: WR Tyler Johnson
- Placed on IR: G Alijah Vera-Tucker (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB James Pierre
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: WR Russell Gage, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: CB Shaquill Griffin, DT Quinton Bohanna
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: DT Adam Gotsis, G Michael Jordan
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: C Corey Levin, DT Carlos Watkins
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: C Michael Deiter, WR Chris Moore
Each NFL team is granted up to two standard gameday practice squad elevations each game, allowing them to call up two members of their practice squad who are able to play in that weekend’s game. After the game is played, the elevated players revert back to the practice squad with no transaction required. This differs from the situation with somebody like Crumedy in Carolina. With Mathis’ placement on injured reserve opening a spot on the 53-man roster, Crumedy has been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, where he will remain until he is cut or his contract expires.
Practice squad players can be called up a maximum of three times under a single practice squad contract. If a team wants to call up a player who’s been called up three times already, the team will usually sign the player to their active roster for a game, cut them after, and then sign them to a new practice squad contract. Under the new contract, the player would be eligible to be elevated for three more games.
As the Dolphins await Jason Sanders‘ return from IR, Patterson was named the winner of a kicking audition with three other veteran kickers. Miami will be able to elevate him three times but will have to promote him to the active roster for any games between that and Sanders’ activation. Similarly, Prater will likely be on the same plan in Buffalo.
Haener’s stint on the Saints’ active roster was short-lived as the team decides to move forward with only two quarterbacks. Spencer Rattler will handle starting duties to begin the campaign with second-round rookie Tyler Shough serving as his backup.