Eagles Activate S Marcus Epps
Marcus Epps will be in the lineup for the Eagles during tonight’s game. The veteran safety has been activated from injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
The Eagles opened Epps’ practice window last Tuesday. As a result, today’s news confirms he did not encounter any setbacks upon returning to football activities. Philadelphia could have waited to bring Epps back into the fold, but instead he will be available for Monday Night Football against the Chargers.
2025 marks Epps’ second stint with the Eagles. The 29-year-old played began playing in Philadelphia in 2019, and he remained there through the 2022 campaign. After emerging as a starter during the final year of his first stint, Epps landed a two-year, $12MM free agent pact with the Raiders. The former sixth-rounder’s Vegas tenure ended with an ACL tear last season.
That prompted a return to the Eagles this past offseason. Epps has played almost exclusively on special teams so far in 2025, but that is set to change tonight. Andrew Mukuba is on IR, leaving a vacancy in the starting lineup alongside fellow safety Reed Blankenship. Sydney Brown operated as a first-team defender during the Eagles’ Black Friday loss, but Epps will give them another option in that regard.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio recently confirmed (via Geoff Mosher of Philly Voice) Epps would start in Week 14 provided he was activated in time for the game. That has now taken place, so it will be interesting to see how he performs in an elevated role. Meanwhile, today’s move leaves the Eagles with three IR activations for the remainder of the regular season.
Eagles Designate S Marcus Epps To Return From IR
The Eagles designated safety Marcus Epps to return from injured reserve on Tuesday, per a team announcement.
Epps, 29, landed on IR at the beginning of November with an undisclosed injury. He appeared in Philadelphia’s first eight games of the season, primarily playing special teams with a handful of snaps on defense.
The eight-year veteran is in the middle of his second stint with the Eagles. Epps started his career in Minnesota as a sixth-round pick in 2019, but he made his name in Philadelphia. The Eagles claimed him off waivers during his rookie year and he immediately stepped into a core role on special teams and a rotational one on defense. His snap share in both phases ticked up over the next two years, which included eight starts on defense, culminating in a full-time time job in 2022. Epps started every game that year and played all but 10 of the Eagles’ defensive snaps. His 94 tackles were a career-high and ranked third on the team.
Epps parlayed his contract-year success into a two-year deal with the Raiders. He started 17 games in 2023 but tore his ACL early in the following season. He hit free agency this year and spent the summer with the Patriots before returning to Philadelphia shortly before the regular season.
Epps has 21 days to practice with the team before he must be activated or revert to season-ending injured reserve.
Eagles Trade For Ravens CB Jaire Alexander
The Eagles continue to stay aggressive in the trade market, even attacking for a rare Saturday acquisition. The latest move sees them send a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for cornerback Jaire Alexander and a 2027 seventh-rounder, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. A team announcement of the trade further reports that safety Marcus Epps and outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari have been placed on injured reserve.
Alexander was considered one of the league’s more intriguing free agents this offseason after the Packers were unable to work out a trade agreement anywhere and released the veteran corner to the open market. In the days following his release, there were a few reports of teams who weren’t interested in pursuing Alexander, but after eight days of free agency, he landed in Baltimore with his former college teammate, Lamar Jackson.
After seeing injuries keep him out of over half of the past two seasons, Alexander was dealing with a knee issue in Baltimore’s training camp, but he found his way off the injury report in time to debut in Week 1 of the season. Alexander had an extremely poor showing against Josh Allen and the Bills, and the Ravens reacted by making him a healthy scratch for the next three games. He was active again in Baltimore’s Week 5 home blowout at the hands of the Texans and again the following week against the Rams, but he didn’t see the field in Week 6. After the team’s bye week, Alexander was made a healthy inactive for their last two games.
There doesn’t appear to be any bad blood between Alexander and the Ravens. In fact, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Baltimore has “raved about how well he’s handled (his benching), how hard he’s worked to stay ready.” Ultimately, despite his desire to play, the Ravens didn’t have an immediate path to playing time for the veteran.
Today’s trade will provide that opportunity to Alexander while relieving the Ravens of $2MM of cap space. Zrebiec points out that the extra sixth-rounder, which originally belonged to the Broncos, gives Baltimore eight picks for the 2026 NFL Draft, and there’s an expectation the team could receive as many as three compensatory picks, as well. With additional cap space and a bevy of theoretical draft picks, the Ravens are well set up to continue their own pursuits in the trade market.
For the Eagles, this is their eighth trade since the beginning of August, and two of the others also included the acquisition of cornerbacks. Trades rarely ever occur on Saturdays, with game prep normally dominating the schedule, but the stars aligned for this deal to happen. With the Eagles on a bye week and the Ravens coming off a victory Thursday night, both staffs have an advantage that 26 other teams don’t get to enjoy — the Dolphins (Thursday night) and the Browns, Jets, and Buccaneers (bye) also get this advantage.
Despite Philadelphia’s secondary housing two of the NFL’s stronger cornerbacks in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, the team’s depth at the position has been sorely lacking. Thus, two CB trades this week, the other being the Michael Carter II acquisition from the Jets. The lack of depth provides a clear road for Alexander to get onto the field, and the Eagles are willing to roll the dice on Alexander’s injury history and his struggles in Baltimore, as long as it takes a bit of stress off Mitchell and DeJean.
The move also reunites Alexander with passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker, whose first NFL job came as a Packers defensive quality control coach working with defensive backs in Alexander’s second and third years in the league. Excluding pick-for-pick trades, this Alexander move is the Eagles’ 11th trade of 2025.
While Epps has mostly played on special teams this year, losing Ojulari hurts an already ailing position group. We detailed yesterday how the Eagles could be focusing on addressing the pass rush before the deadline, and with Ojulari landing on IR, it becomes much more likely that Philadelphia will stay aggressive in the trade market.
Eagles Place LB Nolan Smith On IR
SEPTEMBER 25: Bennett revealed on Friday (via ESPN’s Tim McManus) his IR move was brought about by a pectoral injury. The issue has been in place since Week 1, but during Sunday’s win over the Rams it was “tweaked.” Bennett will look to reprise his depth role upon returning to full health.
SEPTEMBER 24: The Eagles lost two pass-rushing pillars during the offseason, seeing Brandon Graham retire and Josh Sweat sign with the Cardinals. Those moves increased Nolan Smith‘s importance to the team.
Philadelphia will need to get by without its top edge rusher for the foreseeable future, however. The team placed Smith on IR today, with cornerback Jakorian Bennett joining the young sack artist in being sidelined for at least four games via an IR transition. Philly also placed wide receiver Darius Cooper on IR.
None of these injuries are believed to be season-ending, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s EJ Smith, who adds surgeries are not expected for Smith, Bennett or Cooper. All would be eligible to return in Week 8, but with the Eagles’ bye in Week 9, an extra recovery week will factor into the club’s decision-making here. Indeed, The Athletic’s Zack Berman indicates the Eagles hope each will be recovered around the bye.
Smith tweaked the triceps injury he had surgically addressed, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. He suffered a strained triceps muscle in Week 3, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who indicates an injury absence that runs through Philly’s Week 9 bye is anticipated. An aggravation months later is certainly a storyline to follow for the Eagles, particularly given Smith’s impact on their pass rush. For now, the expectation is a midseason return.
The 2023 first-round pick suffered a triceps tear in Super Bowl LIX, joining Graham in sustaining that injury during the Eagles’ February romp. Graham re-tore the triceps he rehabbed, and Smith has now aggravated his. The key difference here being Graham did not undergo surgery during his speedy recovery, while Smith did go under the knife this offseason.
Despite their 3-0 record, the Eagles have struggled to pressure quarterbacks this season. They have three sacks in three games; Smith has yet to record one, while new starter Jalyx Hunt is also sackless through three games. More pressure will be on Hunt, a former third-rounder, now. The Eagles did make a key addition before Week 2, ending Za’Darius Smith‘s free agency stay. The nomadic edge rusher will be expected to play a bigger role moving forward. Za’Darius Smith, 33, has three double-digit sack seasons on his resume and recorded nine between stays in Cleveland and Detroit last year.
Tallying only one QB hit this season, Nolan Smith notched 6.5 sacks and 11 QB hits in 2024. The speed rusher came up big in the playoffs, registering four sacks during the Eagles’ three NFC postseason games and two hits on Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. This represents a key year for Nolan Smith, whose fifth-year option will need to be exercised or declined shortly after the draft. How he fares to close out this season could well determine how Philly proceeds there.
The Eagles’ late-summer trade binge included a Bennett addition, nabbing him from the Raiders. Bennett has played a small part on defense early, logging only 24 defensive snaps. He started 11 games with the Raiders from 2023-24. A former UDFA, Cooper has only played 20 offensive snaps. He does not have a reception in his pro career yet.
Philly signed safety Marcus Epps, tight end Cameron Latu and cornerback Parry Nickerson to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. Linebacker Lance Dixon, cornerback Eli Ricks and wideout Quez Watkins are now on the P-squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/20/25
Here are today’s minor moves and Week 3’s standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: T Jake Curhan, DE Anthony Goodlow
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Brandon Walton
Chicago Bears
- Signed to active roster: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
- Elevated: CB Dallis Flowers, LB Carl Jones
- Placed on IR: T Kiran Amegadjie, CB Jaylon Johnson (story)
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: WR Kaden Davis, CB Dom Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: WR Jayden Reed (story)
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: FB Jakob Johnson
- Elevated: CB Myles Bryant, CB D’Angelo Ross
- Placed on IR: CB Jaylin Smith
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Quintin Morris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: CB Kevin Knowles
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Alex Bachman, CB Greedy Vance
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LB Emany Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: RB Cam Akers, G Henry Byrd
New England Patriots
- Elevated: CB Kobee Minor, LB Mark Robinson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: WR Kevin Austin
- Elevated: DE Fadil Diggs, TE Treyton Welch
- Waived: TE Moliki Matavao
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: OLB Tomon Fox
- Elevated: DT Elijah Garcia, LB Neville Hewitt
- Waived: WR Xavier Gipson
New York Jets
- Elevated: S Dean Clark, QB Brady Cook
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Marcus Epps, TE Cameron Latu
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: RB Trey Sermon
- Placed on IR: G Max Scharping (story)
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: QB Adrian Martinez, WR Malik Turner
- Placed on IR: OL Spencer Burford
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: S Jerrick Reed II
- Elevated: S D’Anthony Bell, RB Jacardia Wright
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: T Tyler McLellan
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: CB Antonio Hamilton
- Released from reserve/retired list: OL Nate Herbig
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.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/13/25
Here’s are today’s minor transactions and standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: TE Josiah Deguara
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: LB Keonta Jenkins, DT Zion Logue
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: WR Ryan Flournoy
- Elevated: CB Zion Childress, CB Robert Rochell
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: FB Adam Prentice, LB Garret Wallow
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: LB Monty Rice
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: RB Ulysses Bentley IV, CB Chris Lammons
- Placed on IR: CB Jaylon Jones (story)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Quintin Morris
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: CB Cornell Armstrong
- Elevated: K Riley Patterson, RB Jeff Wilson
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: CB Fabian Moreau, OLB Gabriel Murphy
New England Patriots
- Elevated: CB Kobee Minor, LB Mark Robinson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: DE Jonah Williams
- Elevated: S Terrell Burgess, DE Fadil Diggs
- Placed on IR: S Julian Blackmon (story)
New York Giants
- Elevated: LB Swayze Bozeman, DT Elijah Garcia
New York Jets
- Elevated: CB Korie Black
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Marcus Epps, TE Cameron Latu
- Placed on IR: T Cameron Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: LB Jon Rhattigan
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: LB Curtis Robinson
- Elevated: QB Adrian Martinez, TE Brayden Willis
- Waived: DE Robert Beal Jr.
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: S D’Anthony Bell, DT Brandon Pili
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: C Corey Levin
- Elevated: RB Jordan Mims, T John Ojukwu
- Waived: T Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
With one quarterback on the reserve/non-football injury list and starter Brock Purdy inactive, Martinez comes up with the potential to appear in his first ever NFL game, though Niners fans hope his presence will not be necessary.
Bell will be active for tomorrow’s game as the Seahawks work to replace second-round rookie Nick Emmanwori in the secondary. Emmanwori has been ruled out with an ankle injury. Similarly, Wallow will be part of the Broncos’ efforts to fill in for injured linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who has been ruled out for the second week in a row.
NFL Minor Transactions: 9/4/25
As we prepare for tonight’s season opener, here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed to active roster: S Sam Franklin
- Placed on IR: DT DeWayne Carter
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: WR Ryan Flournoy, LB Buddy Johnson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Marcus Epps, OLB Patrick Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived from IR: QB Carter Bradley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived from IR: CB Tyrek Funderburk, LB Antonio Grier, C Jake Majors, OL Raiqwon O’Neal
Eagles Reuniting With S Marcus Epps
The Eagles are set for another reunion in the days leading up to the regular season. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, veteran safety Marcus Epps is signing with Philadelphia after two seasons away from the team.
A former sixth-round pick out of Wyoming in 2019, Epps got his start in Philadelphia when Minnesota, the team that drafted him, waived him partway through his rookie season. The Eagles claimed him off waivers and immediately put him to use. After being primarily a special teamer for the Vikings, playing only 12 total snaps on defense in eight games, Epps became a frequent presence in the Eagles secondary as a rookie, playing as a third safety behind Rodney McLeod and Malcolm Jenkins.
Once Jenkins went back to New Orleans, Epps shared the defensive backfield with McLeod and a roaming Jalen Mills, making five starts and logging two interceptions. The team ran back a similar system in 2021, substituting Anthony Harris for a departed Mills. In 2022, McLeod went the way of Jenkins and Mills, and Epps took a full-time starting role as a deep safety, sharing the area with C.J. Gardner-Johnson and a rookie Reed Blankenship.
Epps’ first season as a full-time starter in a contract year paid off in free agency when he landed a two-year, $14MM deal with the Raiders. In his first season in Las Vegas, Epps formed a formidable safety duo with Tre’von Moehrig. Unfortunately, in the second year of the deal last season, Epps suffered a season-ending ACL tear only three games into the year.
Coming off the injury in free agency, Epps signed a one-year deal with the Patriots to join a crowded safeties room. Ultimately, he was unable to find a role in New England, and the team released him in final roster cuts yesterday. Luckily, he’s rebounded with the team that took a shot on him as a rookie on waivers.
In Philadelphia, the Eagles are once again filling a question mark with an old name, much like they did at swing tackle. The starting spot next to Blankenship has been up in the air as Sydney Brown tries to take back the starting job he lost to Gardner-Johnson last year and rookie second-round pick Andrew Mukuba works to get up to speed after missing time in training camp with a shoulder injury. With Epps coming into the picture, the Eagles still have the ability to see if Brown or Mukuba can handle a starting role, but the veteran will be available as a safety blanket, if needed.
Patriots Set 53-Man Roster
Mike Vrabel‘s first roster as Patriots head coach is taking shape. The team announced the following moves as they set their initial 53-man roster:
Released:
Waived:
- CB Miles Battle
- G Mehki Butler
- G Jack Conley
- CB Brandon Crossley
- TE C.J. Dippre
- RB JaMycal Hasty
- OT Demontrey Jacobs
- RB Terrell Jennings
- WR John Jiles
- DE Truman Jones
- C Alec Lindstrom
- DB Kobee Minor
- DT David Olajiga
- LB Cam Riley
- DT Jahvaree Ritzie
- K John Parker Romo
- TE Gee Scott
- G Cole Strange (story)
- LB Bradyn Swinson
- WR Jeremiah Webb
Placed on IR (designated for return):
Placed on IR:
- WR Ja’Lynn Polk
In addition to cutting Strange, the organization also moved on from Demontrey Jacobs, who started 13 games for the Patriots last season. Elsewhere on the OL, it sounds like David Olajiga will land back on New England’s practice squad if he clears waivers, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
Perhaps the most surprising moves were the cuts the Patriots didn’t make. Kyle Dugger will stick around despite days of trade speculation. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Patriots did receive multiple trade offers for the safety, but his $9.75MM salary (and how much the Patriots would be forced to take on) was a hurdle during negotiations. Meanwhile, the Patriots are temporarily holding on to eight wide receivers, with players like Kendrick Bourne and Javon Baker making the squad.
Patriots To Release S Marcus Epps
The safety position in New England has brought some changes, to the point Kyle Dugger could be on the move barely a year after his big-ticket extension. Another veteran piece will not stick under a new coaching staff.
New England is releasing Marcus Epps, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Epps did not catch on during Mike Vrabel‘s first offseason in charge. The former Eagles and Raiders starter, who signed with the team this offseason, will head straight to free agency as a vested veteran. Epps requested the release, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.
The Pats gave Epps a one-year, $2.03MM deal; they will eat the $500K guarantee as dead money. Epps is coming off an injury-marred 2024, having suffered an ACL tear in Week 3 of last season. Epps did not require a stay on the Pats’ active/PUP list, however, and Pelissero adds the veteran wanted a fresh start. It should be expected he will land elsewhere soon, though the former Super Bowl LVII starter has lost momentum since signing a two-year, $12MM Raiders deal in 2023.
Dugger’s move to the trade block comes as the Patriots are prepared to use Jabrill Peppers and Jaylinn Hawkins as starters at safety. While it represents an about-face for the team on Dugger, Epps only spent a few months in Foxborough. The 29-year-old veteran will look to land with a fifth NFL team.
The Vikings chose Epps in the 2019 sixth round, but he did not finish that season in Minnesota. The Eagles developed Epps into a starting safety but disbanded their Super Bowl LVII tandem (Epps, C.J. Gardner-Johnson) in 2023, seeing Gardner-Johnson join the Lions days after Epps signed with the Raiders. Epps started 17 Las Vegas games in 2023 before going down three games into his follow-up season.