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Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/25

November 1st, 2025 at 8:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves and practice squad callups for the ninth weekend of the NFL season:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Steelers are getting Harrison back at a crucial time. Fellow linebacker Cole Holcomb has been ruled out this weekend with an illness — as has safety Chuck Clark, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network — and Harrison should be able to reinforce the group. He has plenty of experience playing next to starter Patrick Queen from their time together in Baltimore, so perhaps he’ll be able to step in and contribute right away.

The Chargers continue to see their running backs room plagued with injury. Haskins joins Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris on injured reserve. Johnson and Patterson will suit up tomorrow to provide some depth behind lone survivor Kimani Vidal.

With Terry McLaurin once again set to miss time, Burks, the newly signed p-squad addition, will make his Washington debut. Also a newly signed p-squad addition, Lewis will make his Denver debut this weekend. If he sees game time, 2025 will officially be Lewis’ 20th season in the NFL.

After missing the last three games, Gross-Matos appeared to be close to returning to play. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, the 27-year-old re-injured his hamstring at practice on Thursday and will now miss another four games.

For Leota in New Orleans, Mosby in Green Bay, Sermon in Pittsburgh, Zakelj in San Francisco, and both Proche and Watkins in Tennessee, this Sunday will be their third and final standard gameday practice squad elevation on their current deals. In order to appear in any more games after this, their respective teams will need to sign them to the active roster.

Bengals Likely In For Quiet Trade Deadline

November 1st, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Connor Byrne

Sitting in second place in a winnable AFC North, the 3-5 Bengals let an opportunity to make up ground on the division-leading Steelers slip away last week. Hours before the Steelers fell to 4-3 against the Packers on Sunday night, the Bengals dropped a 39-38 shootout to the Jets, who entered the game 0-7.

The Bengals will have a chance to bounce back Sunday against the Bears in their last game before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Despite dealing with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, quarterback Joe Flacco is expected to start.

Regardless of the outcome against Chicago, it appears the Bengals are in for a quiet deadline. They’re “highly unlikely to make a move” to bring in more outside talent after already acquiring Flacco from the Browns last month, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. The Bengals also received a sixth-round pick in the Flacco deal, but they parted with a fifth-rounder in return.

The team took a flier on Flacco in a season-saving effort after losing starter Joe Burrow to a toe injury and seeing backup signal-caller Jake Browning perform poorly in his place. Cincinnati is “extremely hesitant to ever surrender future picks,” Dehner writes, making it unlikely that it will cough up even more draft capital in the next few days.

On paper, a loss to the Bears could make the Bengals more likely to sell. With that in mind, superstar pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, linebacker Logan Wilson, and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt are on the radar of contending teams. The Rams, 49ers, Lions, Colts, and Eagles are among the clubs that have made calls on those players, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. It appears they’ll have to look elsewhere, though.

Hendrickson is a pending free agent who would bring back a quality return in a trade, but Dehner dismisses the possibility of the Bengals dealing him. They’ve shown no willingness to punt a season in early November to acquire future draft choices, per Dehner. That would rule out a Hendrickson trade.

The Bengals have at least given some consideration to parting with Wilson, Albert Breer of SI.com relays. With rookies Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter eating into his playing time, Wilson requested a deal out of Cincinnati last week. He’s probably not going to get his way, though, with Dehner pointing to his pricey contract (he’s under wraps through 2027 on a four-year, $36MM extension) and his role in the Bengals’ defense as reasons why he’ll stay put. There’s a better chance of the Bengals getting rid of Wilson after the season than during it.

Like Hendrickson and Wilson, Dehner expects Taylor-Britt to finish the season in Cincinnati. The free agent-to-be was a healthy scratch in a win over the Steelers in Week 7, but he returned to play 76% of defensive snaps against the Jets. The Bengals still value him as their No. 3 corner over their options.

While a Burrow return sometime in December would be a best-case scenario, the Bengals will likely need to stay in the playoff race for that to become a realistic possibility. For better or worse, it doesn’t appear that their roster will undergo any significant changes in the meantime.

Colts Eyeing Pass Rush, CB Upgrades

November 1st, 2025 at 12:16pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

With an elite, well-rounded offense, Colts general manager Chris Ballard is looking to upgrade their defense before next week’s trade deadline.

Specifically, Indianapolis is checking on available pass rushers and outside cornerbacks, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder.

There is no clear need to upgrade their offense. Jonathan Taylor and the offensive line have created an elite rushing attack, and Daniel Jones has three pass catchers with at least 55.0 yards per game (Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and Tyler Warren) and the team could ask more of Josh Downs and Adonai Mitchell if needed.

As a result, the Colts will direct their pre-deadline attention toward a defense that has benefitted from a dominant offense and significant turnover luck. Indianapolis has allowed the sixth-fewest points in the league but the ninth-most yards, mostly through the air due to their offense consistently building leads. 16.6% of their opponents’ drives have ended in a turnover, which ranks third among all defenses, but that figure may not be sustainable for the whole season.

Upgrading their pass defense, therefore, could be important for the rest of the year as well as the postseason. The Colts’ pass rush has been solid despite an individually dominant player. The team ranks among the top five defenses in sacks and quarterback hits, so a trade may not make sense unless it is a tangible upgrade to their current rotation. So far, they have not made much progress in acquiring such a player. Indianapolis has been linked to Trey Hendrickson, who would certainly offer a major boost to the pass rush, but the Bengals don’t appear to have interest in dealing him.

The cornerback market has largely consistent of slot defenders so far: Jarvis Brownlee was moved in September, while Michael Carter and Roger McCreary joined new teams in the last week. The Colts, however, need more help on the boundary with Charvarius Ward on injured reserve and a rash of other injuries to a group that was already thin entering the season.

Indianapolis did activate Jaylon Jones and promoted Cameron Mitchell to the 53-man roster on Saturday, but only two other cornerbacks on the active roster – Johnathan Edwards and Mekhi Blackmon – consistently line up outside. Kenny Moore and Chris Lammons primarily play in the slot. Again, this could be a situation where the Colts’ preferred player is not available or too pricey, but they may be inclined to at least add some depth before Tuesday’s trade deadline elapses.

Colts Activate CB Jaylon Jones From IR

November 1st, 2025 at 11:15am CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 1: The Colts activated Jones from IR ahead of their Week 9 matchup with the Steelers, per a team announcement. They also promoted cornerback Cameron Mitchell from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Both will provide some much-needed depth on the boundary.

To make room on the active roster, Indianapolis waived linebacker Chad Muma and safety Trey Washington, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

OCTOBER 22: Even at 6-1, the Colts have been dealt a bad hand at cornerback. They have seen each of their top four options go down with significant injuries, with one of whom — third-round rookie Justin Walley — lost for the season.

Indianapolis lost Kenny Moore to an early-season injury, though the slot ace returned in Week 7. The team also placed Charvarius Ward on IR due to a strange pregame incident that resulted in a concussion. This has forced the team’s hand at all three CB spots. Though, Indy could have a reinforcement back soon.

The Colts are opening Jaylon Jones‘ practice window, according to ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder. This will give Jones three weeks to be activated. The Colts could certainly use the starter back sooner, with Ward guaranteed to miss at least three more games.

Jones has been battling the same hamstring injury since training camp. Missing much of the Colts’ summer work, the third-year cornerback aggravated the injury during the team’s season opener. He has been on the shelf since. This has not been a pattern for Jones, who became a key player after injuries did become a trend for JuJu Brents. The former second-round pick’s issues staying healthy opened the door for Jones — a 2023 seventh-rounder — to work as a starter.

The Colts waived Brents before the season, having used Jones as a 17-game starter last season. With Jones having missed so much time during Lou Anarumo‘s first offseason in charge, the Colts signed Xavien Howard and plugged him into their starting lineup immediately. Howard did not fare well and abruptly retired, preceding Za’Darius Smith with a surprise early-season exit. With Howard also out of the picture, the Colts have used Mekhi Blackmon and rookie UDFA Johnathan Edwards as boundary starters.

Pro Football Focus graded Jones 49th among CB regulars in 2024. The Colts are looking for more help on defense, potentially in the secondary as injuries pile up, but they will likely have Jones ready to contribute to this bounce-back season soon.

Dolphins-Chris Grier Fallout: McDaniel, Waddle, Replacement Candidates

October 31st, 2025 at 4:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

Chris Grier‘s lengthy tenure with the Dolphins – including a GM run dating back to 2016 – has come to an end. It remains to be seen if head coach Mike McDaniel will remain in the organization past the end of this season, but that is a possibility at this point.

Owner Stephen Ross “still believes in” the embattled coach, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. That stance was confirmed by the news earlier today stating McDaniel will continue in his role through the end of the campaign. His performance over the coming weeks will in large part dictate whether or change on the sidelines will be made as well. Per Jackson, McDaniel has made a number of small changes in his approach over the past two weeks, including more one-on-one time being spent with players.

As Jackson adds, Ross is evaluating everything in the organization at this time. With respect to the front office, interim GM Champ Kelly will look to earn the full-time position while the fate of McDaniel (who landed an extension last offseason) will continue to be a talking point as the campaign winds down. Last night’s loss dropped Miami to 2-7 on the year, making the team an interesting one to watch ahead of next week’s trade deadline.

Several notable players have long been connected to trade interest, especially given the Dolphins’ struggles in 2025. Jaylen Waddle is among them, although it would come as a surprise if a deal were to be worked out on that front. Indeed, Grier was insistent on keeping the 26-year-old, SNY’s Connor Hughes reports. That was certainly a reasonable approach given Waddle’s importance to the Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill-less passing game. Now, though, the decision to part ways with Grier could open the door to more trades taking place than otherwise would have.

The timing of this move is intriguing since it comes just before the deadline. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports some around the NFL were surprised by the fact Grier’s run ended at this point of the season. He adds, on the other hand, the longtime executive was increasingly “feeling the pressure” with respect to his job security as the campaign progressed, meaning today’s news does not come entirely as a shock.

Kelly has until Tuesday afternoon to make a final decision on trades. In the meantime, attention will turn to his ability to earn the full-time gig while outside candidates receive consideration during the 2026 hiring cycle. With respect to potential general manager hires, Jones lists Alec Halaby (Eagles), Ed Dodds (Colts), Ian Cunningham (Bears), Glenn Cook (Browns), Jon-Eric Sullivan (Packers) and Lance Newmark (Commanders) as names to watch. Each of those executives have been connected to GM vacancies in recent years and at least most of them no doubt will be again in 2026. Connections to Miami’s opening will be worth watching for as the hiring cycle takes shape.

Vikings Submitted Daniel Jones Better Offer Than Colts

October 31st, 2025 at 1:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Completing one of the more stunning first halves in recent NFL history, the Colts enter Week 9 an NFL-best 7-1. Their offense has rolled to a historic modern-era point, scoring more points through eight games than any post-merger team in franchise history. At the center of this surprising charge: Daniel Jones, who needed to beat out Anthony Richardson for the starting job.

Richardson is now on IR, and Jones’ performance through eight games both showed no indication the QB competition would be revisited and has rocketed the Colts’ enduring core back to relevance. Jones chose the Colts over the Vikings in free agency, and Minnesota has seen its QB quality drop significantly after also letting Sam Darnold walk. While the Vikes did not aggressively pursue a second Darnold contract, The Athletic’s Michael Silver notes they did expect to re-sign Jones as J.J. McCarthy insurance.

At the time the Colts signed Jones to a one-year, $14MM contract, it was known the Vikings made an offer to keep the QB — one they mostly employed as a practice squad stash late last season (Jones was not even the backup in the Vikings’ playoff game). However, Silver reports the Vikings made a bigger offer — one that topped the $13.15MM guarantee in the Colts’ proposal.

Shortly before the legal tampering period, we heard the Colts were preparing to enter the Jones market. Jones faceplanting on his four-year, $160MM Giants deal naturally did not lead to a multiyear guarantee. But the market for his “prove it” deal did escalate. Jones, 28, determined his best chance to see immediate action came in Indianapolis. Being in the building as the Vikings were grooming McCarthy, Jones correctly surmised he had a better chance to unseat Richardson than delay McCarthy’s ascent.

Jones went so far as to communicate to the Vikings, per Silver, Kevin O’Connell‘s presence creating a QB-friendly infrastructure would lead to McCarthy succeeding — and thus little chance for the veteran free agent to block his path. The Vikings continued down this road with Aaron Rodgers, who almost definitely would have blocked McCarthy’s route to the lineup.

Rodgers expressed interest in joining O’Connell in Minnesota, pegging the Vikings as his preferred destination. But he ended up in Pittsburgh, forming a partnership in which neither side received its desired outcome (the Steelers had wanted to either re-sign Justin Fields or trade for Matthew Stafford over signing Rodgers).

With Jones committed to Indianapolis, Minnesota traded for Sam Howell during the draft and signed Max Brosmer as a UDFA. Howell’s struggles in camp led to the Vikings trading him to the Eagles and then signing Carson Wentz. The Wentz experiment is over, as the QB nomad is out for the season with a shoulder injury, while Brosmer is still being prioritized as Minnesota’s QB2.

Entering the season as the Vikings’ third-stringer, Brosmer (per Silver) drew some internal Brock Purdy comps. It is obviously too early there, but Purdy did impress as a 49ers third-stringer behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo in 2022 — before injuries opened the door to the starting job. Brosmer is now one injury away, and while McCarthy is returning in Week 9, the former top-10 pick has already suffered two notable maladies since entering the NFL.

Prior to the 2024 draft, Vikings ownership was believed to be pushing for a young quarterback who could keep the role long term. This offseason, Silver adds the Mark and Zygi Wilf remain committed to seeing if McCarthy can be that long-term answer.

The Vikings did roster Kirk Cousins for six years but had not had much luck through the draft since 1999 first-rounder Daunte Culpepper. The former standout’s severe knee injury — sustained shortly after the Wilfs bought the team — in 2005 wrecked his Twin Cities stay, leading to a slew of veterans. Teddy Bridgewater‘s injury-marred stay interrupted this, and McCarthy’s meniscus tear last year reminded of some unfortunate knee-related setbacks for Minnesota QBs. The Vikings will now hope McCarthy can prove O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah right for passing on franchise-tagging Darnold or signing Rodgers.

The Jones offer does show some degree of hesitancy with McCarthy this year, as the Vikings offered more than they paid Darnold in 2024 (one year, $10MM). Jones is flourishing in Indy, sitting third in QBR during a bounce-back season. The Colts, whose QB carousel has spun much faster than the Vikings’ in recent years, are interested in extending him. The Vikings reside as an interesting “what if?” for the former first-round quarterback.

Colts, Lions Seeking Cornerback Help

October 27th, 2025 at 10:37pm CST by Connor Byrne

With the Nov. 4 trade deadline approaching, a couple of the NFL’s top teams are interested in bolstering their secondaries. The 7-1 Colts and 5-2 Lions are making calls for cornerback help, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

Although the Colts own the league’s best record, their success has come despite a depleted cornerback group. Their issues at the position began when they lost third-round rookie Justin Walley to a season-ending ACL tear in August. He had been pushing for a starting role alongside No. 1 corner Charvarius Ward and slot CB Kenny Moore.

Walley’s injury led the Colts to sign veteran Xavien Howard, but that didn’t yield positive results. He abruptly retired after a rough showing over the Colts’ first four games.

Adding to the Colts’ problems, they placed Jaylon Jones on IR with a hamstring injury after Week 1 and sent Ward to the shelf with a concussion after Week 6. The team has continued to win without them, though, and could get both players back soon.

The Colts opened Jones’ 21-day practice window on Oct. 22, which should lead to a return in the near future. Ward, meanwhile, has missed two games and is only required to sit out two more. He’ll be eligible to rejoin Indy’s secondary after a Week 11 bye.

With Ward and Jones unavailable, the Colts have been relying on the relatively untested group of Mekhi Blackmon, undrafted rookie Johnathan Edwards, Chris Lammons, and Cameron Mitchell to pick up the slack. While defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo‘s unit has persevered to allow the league’s sixth-fewest points per game (19.3), Indianapolis ranks a much less encouraging 28th against the pass.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard reportedly wants to acquire a “proven defensive playmaker,” an addition that could come in the secondary before the deadline.

The AFC South rival Titans traded corner Roger McCreary to the Rams on Monday, taking him off the board, but the Saints’ Alontae Taylor, the Seahawks’ Riq Woolen, and the Bengals’ Cam Taylor-Britt are among other names that have surfaced in the rumor mill. Taylor-Britt played under Anarumo, then Cincinnati’s D-coordinator, from 2022-24.

Any of Taylor, Woolen, or Taylor-Britt could also appeal to the Lions, who have joined the Colts in dealing with multiple injuries to notable cornerbacks. Starters D.J. Reed, a big-ticket offseason signing, and Terrion Arnold have been out of commission for the past few weeks.

Reed went on IR with a hamstring injury on Oct. 1. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 10, though it’s unclear if that will happen. Arnold last played on Oct. 5, but he’s making progress in his recovery from a shoulder injury. Head coach Dan Campbell said that Arnold will return to practice on Tuesday (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

Despite the absences of Reed, Arnold, and Avonte Maddox (hamstring), the Lions stymied Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield and a banged-up receiving corps in Week 7. Amik Robertson, Nick Whiteside, Arthur Maulet, and Rock Ya-Sin led Lions corners in snaps in a 24-9 win.

Detroit is getting healthier coming out of its bye week, which could give general manager Brad Holmes less urgency to swing a trade in the coming days. However, Holmes is at least doing his due diligence with just over a week left until the deadline.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/27/25

October 27th, 2025 at 8:15pm CST by Connor Byrne

A look at Monday’s practice squad moves from around the NFL…

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Commanders

The Lions have moved on from Fuller just under two weeks after they brought him into the fold. A 104-game starter in the NFL, the 30-year-old joined the Lions on Oct. 14 with injuries ravaging their secondary. He didn’t appear in a game with the Lions, though, and they’re parting with him after their secondary held its own in a Week 7 win over the Buccaneers. Now coming off their bye, the Lions could get injured corner Terrion Arnold (shoulder) back from a two-game absence on Sunday against the Vikings. Arnold will participate in padded practice on Tuesday, per Rainer Sabin of the Detroit Free Press.

A second-round pick of the Chiefs in 2017, Kpassagnon played in four games with the Bears earlier this season. The 31-year-old picked up five tackles and a sack before the team released him on Oct. 21.

Chosen, who signed with the Commanders on Sept. 30, made his lone appearance with them in a loss to the Cowboys in Week 7. As part of what was a depleted receiving corps, Chosen hauled in all four targets for 36 yards. However, Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel are healthy again, leading the Commanders to cut ties with Chosen. Since debuting with the Jets in 2016, Chosen has amassed 384 receptions and 30 touchdowns.

Colts Hope To Retain Daniel Jones Beyond 2025; Latest On Anthony Richardson

October 26th, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

To date, no known talks on a new Colts deal for Daniel Jones have taken place. It is the team’s intention, however, to keep its surprisingly productive new quarterback in the fold past the current campaign.

Indianapolis wants to keep Jones in place beyond 2025, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (video link). That comes as little surprise given the way in which the Colts have thrived early this year. The team sits atop the AFC with a 6-1 record, and maintaining that strong play could increase the chances for Jones to command a major raise compared to the deal he signed in March. The former Giants starter took $14MM on a one-year pact when joining his current team.

Jones won out a training camp competition with Anthony Richardson but expectations were tempered given the latter’s struggles when on the field so far in his career. The Colts have enjoyed plenty of success on offense thanks to strong showings by their offensive line and skill position group. Jones has played a role as well, and he has set new career bests in several passing categories early on. If things continue along a similar path over the coming weeks, it would certainly be feasible for the Colts to work out a long-term agreement.

Things obviously did not go as planned when the Giants did the same in 2023. Jones landed a four-year, $160MM pact that year but found himself out of the organization by the end of last season. After a brief stint with the Vikings, the Duke product moved on in free agency. Doing so again could be possible this coming spring, and Jones would profile as the top signal-caller on the market if his strong showing continues. If the Colts could negotiate a lucrative multi-year pact, though, they could secure their future under center as the Richardson selection was aimed at doing.

The 23-year-old landed on injured reserve earlier this month following the orbital fracture he suffered during a pregame accident. In an update on Richardson’s status, Rapoport notes a return to action at some point this season could be in store. The former No. 4 pick has fallen well short of expectations early in his career, with injuries and inconsistent showings as a passer limiting his value.

The Colts will need to decide on Richardson’s fifth-year option this spring. If a trade opportunity presents itself, it will be interesting to see if Indianapolis explores it. Part of the team’s plan on that front will of course depend on whether or not a long-term Jones pact can be worked out.

Colts, QB Daniel Jones Have Not Conducted Extension Talks

October 25th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Daniel Jones arrived in Indianapolis via a one-year free agent pact. Winning out a training camp competition over Anthony Richardson allowed him to secure the starting gig and set the table for a remarkable opening to his Colts tenure.

Jones has comfortably set career highs in several passing categories so far in 2025. His strong play has been a key factor in the Colts’ 6-1 start to the campaign. As the team looks to remain atop the AFC moving forward, Jones will continue boosting his market value if he manages to sustain his performances.

The former Giants first-rounder ended last season on the Vikings’ quarterback depth chart. Like Sam Darnold, Jones departed via free agency with Minnesota opting to hand the reins over to J.J. McCarthy. The Colts prioritized adding a veteran capable of winning the QB1 gig over Richardson, leading to a notable Jones investment. Indianapolis gave him a $14MM pact (with nearly all of that figure being guaranteed), a strong indication he would be counted on to lead the team’s offense for at least one season. Richardson’s future meanwhile, remains far from certain.

Jones’ success in the QB1 role – coupled with the play of the other foundational pieces in place heading into the campaign – has Indianapolis on track to return to the playoffs in 2025. Among other things, an effective first season with the Duke product at the helm would greatly increase his asking price on a new deal. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, no talks have taken place to date about a Colts extension (subscription required).

Plenty will of course depend on Jones’ ability to maintain his early success with respect to his market value for 2026. The 28-year-old was released by New York not long after signing a four-year, $160MM just ahead of the franchise tag deadline in 2023. Given the disastrous nature of that agreement, the Colts or any other suitors could be rather hesitant to make a long-term investment next spring.

On the other hand, Indianapolis has been unable to find a true Andrew Luck successor since his surprise retirement. The team cycled through eight different Week 1 starters under center over a nine-season span, and ending that run of instability would be highly valuable. Taking Jones’ age into account, the former No. 6 pick could profile as a candidate for a multi-year pact if the Colts become satisfied his play can be repeated.

As things stand, Jones is on course to find himself the top free agent at the quarterback spot (by a wide margin) in 2026. An extension with the Colts – or a re-signing in the event he were to test the market in March – would prevent a departure, but no early signs have emerged indicating he will be more than a one-and-done passer in Indianapolis.

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