Jacksonville Jaguars
Morris, already elevated three times from the Jaguars’ practice squad this year, signed to their active roster before Monday’s matchup against the Chiefs. The 28-year-old has played just three offensive snaps this season, though he has seen action on about 54 percent of special teams snaps. A member of the Bills from 2022-24, Morris has tallied 15 catches, 146 yards, and three touchdowns in 48 games in the NFL.
OCTOBER 6: Walker will miss Monday’s game, according to Wolfe. This will be Walker’s first missed contest since Week 16 of his 2022 rookie season.
OCTOBER 2: Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker injured his wrist in his last game and underwent surgery this week, according to head coach Liam Coen (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe).
However, Walker is still considered day-to-day and has not been ruled out for Jacksonville’s Monday night matchup with the Chiefs. Coen said that Walker “would do everything in his power” to play in Week 5. Perhaps he uses a club, brace, or other method to protect his wrist, but such a rapid return from surgery carries significant risk of exacerbating the original problem.
Walker, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, underwhelmed as a rookie with just 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss, but he exploded for 20.5 sacks and 23 TFLs over his next two seasons. He was off to a solid start in 2025 with two sacks and two TFLs, but may be limited by his injury until he is fully recovered.
While Walker has certainly not matched the form 2022’s No. 2 overall pick (Aidan Hutchinson) has shown when healthy, he has been durable. Missing two games as a rookie, the Georgia alum delivered perfect attendance over the past two seasons. That run of health appears in danger of stopping ahead of a key AFC matchup.
If Walker does not play, veteran edge defenders Dawuane Smoot, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Dennis Gardeck will take on more snaps against Kansas City. All three have been solid run-stoppers in their career without high-end pass-rushing production.
We are a month away from the November 4 trade deadline, and the league’s contingent of buyers and sellers is starting to take shape. Eric D. Williams of Fox Sports identifies a handful of teams that league sources believe could be active buyers.
That includes a trio of NFC West clubs: the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks. All three of those teams currently sport winning records, and even the division’s fourth-place outfit, the Cardinals, are 2-2 (their two losses have come by a combined four points). It therefore stands to reason that the combatants in what could be a tightly-contested division will be seeking any possible advantage at the deadline.
Moving over to the AFC East, Williams’ sources name the Bills and Patriots as potential buyers. The Bills, who have become a perennial contender in the Josh Allen era, are just one of two undefeated teams left after the first four weeks of the campaign, and Buffalo may be on the lookout for upgrades as it tries to break through to the Super Bowl after a number of recent postseason heartbreaks.
New England, at 2-2, was not necessarily expected to contend this year. New head coach Mike Vrabel and second-year quarterback Drake Maye presented reasons for optimism in Foxborough, but the general consensus was that the club — which underwent more than 50% roster turnover from 2024-25 and which entered the regular season as the league’s fifth-youngest team (h/t ESPN’s Mike Reiss) — was still at least a year away from true competitiveness.
And that still may be the case. After all, much can change between now and the first week of November, and even tonight’s matchup with the division-rival Bills could go a long way towards solidifying the Pats’ status as legitimate contender or otherwise.
After a last-second loss to the Bengals in Week 2, the Jaguars bounced back with victories over the Texans and Niners to improve their record to 3-1. As Williams notes, the rookie GM/HC duo of James Gladstone and Liam Coen both cut their NFL teeth with the Rams, whose Les Snead/Sean McVay operation has developed a reputation for making bold strikes.
Ditto Eagles GM Howie Roseman, and Philadelphia – the league’s other undefeated club – is unsurprisingly named by Williams’ sources as another team that could look to acquire talent in advance of the deadline. Per OverTheCap.com, the Eagles also have just shy of $12MM in cap space, so they should have the flexibility to make a move or two.
The Patriots, 49ers, and Seahawks are all in the top-five in terms of cap room as of the time of this writing, and the Rams are just outside the top-10. The Bills, with just $2.57MM of space, could have a harder time making a splash acquisition.
The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.
In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.
All players designated for return on August 26 are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations at that point.
Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 8:
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 5
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 5
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 5
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activated:
Activations remaining: 5
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 8
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activated:
Activations remaining: 4
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 8
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 6
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 4
Activated:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for Return:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 8
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 6
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
Activations remaining: 7
Regime change has been a common occurrence during Travis Etienne‘s Jacksonville tenure. Although only two GMs have been in place during the former first-round pick’s time in Duval County, the team has effectively gone through three power structures during the RB’s five-season run.
The coach who drafted Etienne (Urban Meyer) proved unfit for NFL leadership but held full personnel control during his eventful several months on the job. Meyer had shown interesting transparency on the night the Jaguars chose Etienne, indicating the team wanted Kadarius Toney with the second of its first-round picks that night. GM Trent Baalke took over as the lead personnel exec following Meyer’s ouster, but Shad Khan fired him as the unpopular exec had affected the team’s 2025 HC search. The James Gladstone–Liam Coen power structure now controls Etienne’s future — until March, that is.
After a down 2024 during a disastrous Baalke-Doug Pederson finale, Etienne looked like he was fading out of the picture this offseason. Trade rumors emerged, with the Clemson alum’s fit in Coen’s offense questioned, and the Jags added two Gladstone-tabbed draftees (Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen) at the position. Those two crowded the backfield, after Tank Bigsby had forced a timeshare with Etienne last season. But Bigsby ended up being the one moved. This has smoothed Etienne’s runway to impress in a contract year.
Entering Week 5, Etienne leads the NFL with 6.1 yards per carry. His 394 rushing yards rank trail only Jonathan Taylor and James Cook this season. Both Cook and Taylor entered the season entrenched as their teams’ starting running backs. The Tuten-Allen draft class and Bigsby’s presence clouded Etienne’s Jacksonville future, but a 143-yard opener — highlighted by a 71-yard run — showed the potential for a contract-year bounce-back effort.
The Jags traded Bigsby to the Eagles for fifth- and sixth-round picks days later, and Etienne has regained his role as the backfield leader. Etienne also posted a 100-yard rushing performance against the 49ers, giving the Jags a road upset over a team with a high-level defense. We are only at the quarter pole for the season, but Etienne’s free agency value has increased based on his start and return to surefire RB1 duty in Jacksonville.
The ex-Trevor Lawrence college teammate had held this position in 2022 and ’23, submitting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons after missing his rookie year with a Lisfranc injury. A costly fumble at the goal line during a narrow Week 1 loss to the Dolphins proved a harbinger of a step backward last year, however, as Etienne stumbled to a 558-yard season in 15 games. Bigsby also outgained him by a wide margin, tallying 766 yards. The landscape looks different for Etienne post-Bigsby, and the 2026 free agent market also lost some key names this summer.
Both Cook and Kyren Williams signed extensions, moving two 2022 draftees out of the free agent picture. Etienne became grouped with the 2022 draft class due to the Jags picking up his fifth-year option — an affordable $6.14MM — in May 2024. The rest of the 2021 RB class has already moved onto second contracts. The other first-round RB that year, Najee Harris, saw his fifth-year option declined and joined the Chargers in free agency. The Patriots and Panthers respectively extended Rhamondre Stevenson and Chuba Hubbard on similar deals — pacts that certainly could be relevant for Etienne.
The New England and Carolina RBs are tied to $9MM- and $8.3MM-per-year extensions, respectively. The contracts check in outside the top 10 in RB AAV. Etienne will need to stick the landing on this turnaround campaign if he is to move toward the Cook-Williams level; the Bills and Rams gave their respective starters $11MM- and $11.5MM-AAV extensions. Another sizable cap increase would help the five-year Jaguar’s cause, but matching the Cook and Williams numbers might be overly optimistic for a player whose value has fluctuated.
Etienne having a better resume compared unsigned 2022 draftees Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker could make him the top RB available next year, but age also stands to be a factor for the Jags ballcarrier. Hall is in an age-24 season, while Walker will turn 25 this month. Because Etienne both surprised by staying at Clemson for his 2020 senior season and was then restricted by the fifth-year option, he will be 27 when free agency opens. That is certainly on the older end for a first-time RB UFA.
Among RBs, only Etienne and Saquon Barkley have seen their fifth-year options exercised over the past seven offseasons. The Giants delayed Barkley’s path to free agency by franchise-tagging him after that option year, and the team did not show interest in re-signing him due partially to age. Barkley proceeded to deliver an all-time RB season in Philly, though the gulf in talent between he and Etienne (or he and just about every active running back) is fairly wide. Still, Etienne staying healthy should create a decent market — especially if he stays on this track.
A 2026 tag would seem a bit pricey here, with OverTheCap projecting the RB figure to come in beyond $14MM. The Jags also have Tuten as a potential replacement for 2026, with Allen as a passing-down option as well.
Etienne could force the new regime’s hand by continuing a strong season, with the current power brokers clearing out the veteran skill-position contracts (Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, Devin Duvernay) on the payroll this offseason. But as it stands entering October, Etienne is pointed toward a 2026 Jacksonville exit. The Jags hold exclusive negotiating rights with their RB1 until the legal tampering period begins March 9, but this will be an interesting market to monitor in the coming months.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Jacksonville Jaguars
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle Seahawks
Here are Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
With Colts cornerback Kenny Moore presumed to potentially miss a few weeks, the recent signee, Hilton, will get his opportunity to supplement the team’s secondary. He may be able to earn an official spot on the 53-man roster with an impactful game. Similarly, Cropper may be able to get into his first NFL game since going undrafted in 2023 as he gets elevated to a receiving corps that will sorely miss CeeDee Lamb.
Morris is getting called up for the third time for Jacksonville. If the Jaguars intend for him to appear in another game after this week, they’ll need to sign him to the 53-man roster.
Here are today’s minor moves and Week 3’s standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington Commanders
There were some eyes on whether or not the Browns would add a kicker for the weekend after Andre Szmyt needed to undergo some MRI testing, but no such moves were made and Szmyt heads into the weekend without an injury designation. The team did report a workout with veteran kicker Matthew Wright, though, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire.
The 49ers will lose some additional offensive line depth as they place their intended swing tackle, Burford, on injured reserve. Additionally, with Martinez not getting signed to the active roster, it appears that injured starter Brock Purdy will not be active as an emergency option, as was rumored a bit yesterday. Purdy should be inactive as a result.
Herbig announced his retirement at the end of July after spending a good portion of the offseason with the Commanders. The 27-year-old was coming off a 2024 season in which he missed the entirety of the year with a shoulder injury. Washington’s release of Herbig from the reserve/retired list gives him an opportunity to sign with a new team as a free agent. There’s no guarantee that he’s headed anywhere specific, but he likely initiated the transaction in order to explore his options.
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions:
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
New Orleans Saints
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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.
Losing a battle for a starting job in his second Jacksonville offseason, Darnell Savage no longer appears in the team’s plans. The Jaguars released the veteran DB on Tuesday, per a team announcement.
The Jags will take on nearly $10MM in dead money by dropping Savage, who had been tied to a three-year, $21.75MM contract. The team’s Trent Baalke-Doug Pederson regime, however, authorized that deal. The Liam Coen-James Gladstone partnership has moved off a few notable contracts held over from the previous staff, and the duo has bid farewell to Savage.
As a vested veteran, Savage will pass straight to free agency. The 2019 Packers first-round pick entered the season having started 82 games, having played both safety and the slot cornerback position as a pro. This offseason brought a three-year, $30MM Jourdan Lewis contract, however, leaving Savage to compete for the safety post Andre Cisco vacated upon signing with the Jets. Andrew Wingard, however, beat out Savage for that job.
The Jags have used Wingard and free agency addition Eric Murray as their starting safeties through two games. Savage played just 36% of Jacksonville’s defensive snaps in that time. Pro Football Focus graded him as a bottom-five safety in that short span. The team still has Antonio Johnson — who joined Wingard and Savage in the above-referenced training camp competition — and sixth-round rookie Rayuan Lane as backup options.
Savage secured $12.5MM guaranteed at signing last year, giving him considerable security. This came after he played out a five-year Packers rookie contract. That tenure involved a 2022 benching, and while Savage rebounded to a degree in 2023, Green Bay let him walk as a free agent. While Jacksonville pounced, that fit proving short-lived will force the 28-year-old DB to look for another landing spot.
Last season, Savage split time between safety and slot corner. PFF ranked him as a bottom-five safety in 2024. Even with the Jags losing Cisco, the Murray signing set up a competition. Wingard, despite coming off an injury-marred season, prevailed in that matchup. As a result, a former No. 21 overall pick becomes an interesting early-season free agency option.