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Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/25

December 6th, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Week 14 Sunday slate:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Dort becomes Arizona’s 26th placement on injures reserve this year. The Cardinals’ receiving corps has been stretched thin with Marvin Harrison Jr. out with a heel injury and Zay Jones on injured reserve with an injured Achilles tendon.

Earning more and more responsibility over the course of his sophomore campaign, former undrafted free agent Roland-Wallace will unfortunately head to IR after starting in the Chiefs’ two most recent contests. As a roaming safety, he’s been functioning lately as a nickelback alongside the versatile pair of starting safeties behind him.

With Bosa set to miss this weekend’s game with a hamstring injury, Fox has been called up from the practice squad in Buffalo to help bolster a thin group of defensive ends.

Smyth gets the call again this week as the primary placekicker in New Orleans. He’ll be kicking in his second straight game following the team’s dismissal of Blake Grupe.

For Spector in Buffalo, this will be his third elevation this season, meaning the Bills will need to sign him to the active roster in order for him to appear in another game in 2025. The same is true of Turner in Denver, Hanson in Kansas City, and Banks in Tampa Bay. On the other side of that, Tindall in Arizona, Lewis in Jacksonville, and Cook in New York were all signed to 53-man rosters today after they used up their three allotted practice squad elevations.

Steelers Believed They Were Close To Acquiring WR At Trade Deadline, Inquired About Jaylen Waddle

November 9th, 2025 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Parks

The Steelers were reportedly one of the most aggressive clubs in pursuing a wide receiver at this year’s trade deadline, and they were in on the Raiders’ Jakobi Meyers before Las Vegas shipped the contract-year wideout to the Jaguars. Ultimately, Pittsburgh did not swing a trade for a player to complement Aaron Rodgers’ contingent of pass catchers.

Pittsburgh did sign Marquez Valdes-Scantling shortly before the deadline, and according to Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show, the club was at least somewhat close to adding a receiver. However, that unnamed player ultimately stayed with his current team.

The Titans’ Calvin Ridley or the Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle could have been the receiver in question, as both players were connected to the Steelers in the run-up to the deadline but were not traded. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Pittsburgh did call Miami to discuss Waddle, joining the Broncos and the Bills as known suitors of the 2021 first-rounder.

We heard just this morning that the high price that Dolphins interim GM Champ Kelly set on Waddle was a first- and third-round pick (and, in the case of the division-rival Bills, who did offer a package including those selections, Kelly wanted even more). Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports believes multiple non-Buffalo teams would have been willing to make the deal if the third-rounder were not part of the equation, and despite some chatter that the ‘Fins may have been prepared to lower their asking price as the deadline got closer, they obviously could not come to terms with any interested clubs.

We may never know if the Steelers were one of the teams prepared to pony up a first-rounder for Waddle. In any event, Rodgers & Co. will have to content themselves with the Valdes-Scantling addition as they seek to retain control of the AFC North.

Per Kaboly, the Steelers thought MVS would sign with them in August, after he was released by the Seahawks. The 31-year-old had previously acknowledged he had to choose between San Francisco and Pittsburgh, and at the time, he saw the 49ers as the better fit. 

He wound up playing in five games with the 49ers, catching four balls for 40 yards. He eventually was released with an injury settlement.

Steelers To Sign Marquez Valdes-Scantling

October 27th, 2025 at 6:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aaron Rodgers has not thrown his weight around in Pittsburgh to the degree he did in New York, but one of his former targets will join him in Pennsylvania. Marquez Valdes-Scantling‘s Steelers workout will produce a deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

This marks another nomadic year for Valdes-Scantling, who spent time with the Seahawks and 49ers. In 2024, he moved from Kansas City to Buffalo to New Orleans. This Pittsburgh trek does provide a notable reunion, as Rodgers and MVS played together from 2018-21 in Green Bay.

[RELATED: Steelers Eyeing Second Season With Rodgers]

The Buccaneers also showed interest in the veteran deep threat, according to veteran insider Jordan Schultz, who adds the Steelers were interested after his Seahawks release. Dropped by two teams since August, Valdes-Scantling preferred the Rodgers reunion at this stage, per Schultz.

Now 31, MVS has lost considerable value since his three-year, $30MM Chiefs pact. But the Steelers will hope some familiarity can help — even if this is probably not the end of their much-rumored wideout pursuit. They were previously linked to Jakobi Meyers and Calvin Ridley.

Valdes-Scantling is still collecting guaranteed money from the Seahawks, who gave him a one-year deal worth $4MM. Seattle ate $3MM fully guaranteed by cutting MVS out of training camp. The reunion with Klint Kubiak proved short-lived, but the receiver-needy 49ers gave him a shot. That partnership ended earlier this month with an injury settlement. The eighth-year veteran appears ready to contribute in Pittsburgh, though Fowler adds this is likely a practice squad deal to start.

After making aggressive pursuits of receivers — most notably Brandon Aiyuk — last year, the Steelers are at it again. They have not seen anyone emerge as a reliable D.K. Metcalf complementary piece. Months ago, they came up as a potential destination for ex-MVS/Rodgers Packers teammate Allen Lazard. No move has transpired, but the team has been tied to the WR market once again. With Jaylen Waddle and Chris Olave not expected to be moved, pickings appear slim for teams eyeing help here ahead of the November 4 deadline.

The Steelers, who did see Calvin Austin return to action Sunday night after a two-game absence, do not have a second wideout beyond 175 yards. Austin sits at 167, with Roman Wilson at 110. Tight ends have served as Rodgers auxiliary options. Valdes-Scantling played in five 49ers games this season, catching four passes for 40 yards. After being a Bills in-season release, MVS caught on with the Saints and impressed, posting 17 catches for 385 yards and four TDs.

This reunion comes after Rodgers influenced the Jets to sign Lazard and Randall Cobb in 2023, when they also hired ex-Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett to the same position and signed ex-Green Bay blocker Billy Turner. Rodgers later pushed for Davante Adams at the 2024 trade deadline, getting his wish. The Steelers are more or less throwing a dart by placating Rodgers via this transaction, but it would not surprise to see MVS — who was part of Rodgers’ third and fourth MVP seasons (2020-21) — see time soon due to his familiarity with Pittsburgh’s high-profile QB.

The Bucs are currently without Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan. And Emeka Egbuka recently returned from a hamstring injury. For now, they will hope Godwin — who is not on IR — can make a near-future return to complement Egbuka. The team still has Sterling Shepard as a No. 3 option in that reality, with rookie Tez Johnson being utilized amid the injuries as well.

Steelers Working Out WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

October 26th, 2025 at 9:46pm CST by Ely Allen

As the Steelers battle to extend their lead atop the AFC North, reports are coming out that the team is entertaining some depth at a position of intrigue. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Pittsburgh will host veteran free agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a workout tomorrow.

Valdes-Scantling started his career in Green Bay, catching passes off current Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The deep-ball menace would become the fourth wide receiver to reunite with the 41-year-old since Rodgers left the Packers. Unlike Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and Randall Cobb, Valdes-Scantling didn’t find his way to New York, but he’ll get his opportunity to reunite with his former quarterback following the weekend.

While Valdes-Scantling didn’t follow Rodgers like the rest, he took a pretty good path of his own. Signing with the Chiefs and going from Rodgers to Patrick Mahomes, Valdes Scantling won two Super Bowl rings in his first two years out of Green Bay. He signed with the Bills — going from Rodgers to Mahomes to Josh Allen — in 2024, but after seeing minimal success in six weeks in Buffalo, Valdes-Scantling was released in order to make room for trade acquisition Amari Cooper. Following his release, Valdes-Scantling rebounded on a contract with the Saints, where he filled in on a receiving corps that had lost Chris Olave for the season.

The Steelers could use another contributor in their receiving corps. Despite their team success, the passing attack ranked 18th in the NFL in yards per game coming into the week. While behind D.K. Metcalf, the team rosters contributors like Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek, the receivers haven’t produced much outside of Metcalf. After Metcalf, four players see more targets than WR2 Austin.

Running backs Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth have been the players Rodgers has relied upon most after Metcalf. While Austin’s two receiving touchdowns are good for second on the team (tied with two other players), he’s fourth in receiving yards and sixth in receptions. Wilson, Skowronek, and Scott Miller have combined to contribute six catches for 67 yards and one touchdown, leaving much to be desired at the position.

Perhaps, at 31 years old, Valdes-Scantling doesn’t have it in him to be the impact addition the Steelers need on offense. Perhaps, his connection with Rodgers from their time together in Green Bay four years ago will help ignite the offense and elevate their chances for success. He’ll get his chance tomorrow to find out.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/18/25

October 18th, 2025 at 7:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves and practice squad elevations as we head to the seventh Sunday of the regular season:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

As injured reserve activations start to dominate the headlines, a couple teams are making minor additions off their injured lists. In Homer, the Bears are getting a veteran special teamer and some running back depth. Monk adds depth to Green Bay’s offensive line. And Weston will do the same for a linebacking corps in New York that has seen rookie fifth-round pick Francisco Mauigoa starting in place of an injured Quincy Williams.

Ford in Chicago, Sewell in New Orleans, and Jacobs in Tennessee are all being called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the third time this year. In order to appear in any more games after this weekend, their respective teams will need to sign them to the 53-man roster.

49ers To Activate George Kittle, Rule Out Brock Purdy

October 17th, 2025 at 5:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The 49ers ruled out quarterback Brock Purdy for Week 7, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, meaning that Mac Jones will make his fifth start of the season.

Purdy was still limited in practice this week due to a re-aggravation of his toe injury. Jones, meanwhile, progressed to full participation despite dealing with knee and oblique injuries. He has led the 49ers to a 3-1 record in his four starts with a league-high 313 passing yards per game.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan also said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) that tight end George Kittle would be activated from injured reserve for Sunday’s game, ending his four-game absence due to a Week 1 hamstring injury. Kittle is not expected to be on any kind of snap count, according to Tafur.

San Francisco created the space for Kittle’s activation on Friday by placing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on injured reserve, per Wagoner. The eight-year veteran will now be on the shelf for at least four games with a calf injury and becomes the latest 49ers wideout to miss time. Ricky Pearsall has been out for the last two games with a knee issue that will sideline him for Sunday’s contest as well. Jacob Cowing is on IR, though Shanahan said (via Wagoner) that he is “getting close” to returning to practice. Jauan Jennings has missed two games and played through four others with a litany of injuries. That’s not even mentioning Brandon Aiyuk, who will not be back until November at the earliest.

Kittle’s return will obviously go a long way in relieving the pressure on the 49ers’ injured receiving corps. Backup tight end Jake Tonges has performed well in his absence, giving Shanahan the options of using more two-tight end formations until the rest of his offense gets healthier.

Shanahan also said that defensive tackle Kevin Givens will “most likely” be activated from IR as well, which would add depth to a defensive line that has also dealt with a number of injuries this year. The 49ers can easily create a roster spot for Givens by placing linebacker Fred Warner on injured reserve after an ankle injury that is expected to end his season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/2/25

September 2nd, 2025 at 7:55pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves as we inch a day closer to the start of the regular season:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Waived (with injury settlement): CB JayVian Farr, CB Roman Parodie

The 49ers are doing a bit of shuffling in their receiving corps, calling up Valdes-Scantling from the practice squad and cutting Gage. According to multiple sources, it’s believed that Gage will be immediately signed back to the team’s practice squad to remain with the team.

Haener was brought back to the active roster in New Orleans after being waived at the roster cut deadline. The Saints had three quarterbacks, with Iowa Western rookie practice squad passer Hunter Dekkers, but adding Haener gives the team a bit more experienced depth, if only barely, in what may be the league’s youngest quarterbacks room.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling Chose 49ers Over Steelers

August 29th, 2025 at 9:29am CST by Adam La Rose

Following his Seahawks release, Marquez Valdes-Scantling became one of the top receivers on the open market. A deal sending him to the 49ers’ active roster was quickly worked out.

As a result, the veteran deep threat is in position to handle a role right away with a San Francisco team in need of healthy options at the receiver position. Valdes-Scantling had interest from other suitors, though. The runner-up in his market turned out to be the Steelers.

“It was between here and Pittsburgh,” Valdes-Scantling said during his introductory press conference (video link). “Obviously, I have a great relationship with Aaron Rodgers over there, and he wanted me back over there. So, it was a toss-up, 50/50, and I had to weigh my options and see which one I wanted to do, which was going to be better for my career at this point, and I was excited about it.”

Rodgers and Valdes-Scantling played together for four years in Green Bay. It comes as little surprise the Pittsburgh quarterback attempted to engineer a deal given his previous efforts to reunite with former Packers teammates. The Steelers have long been connected to a potential receiver addition this offseason, and their ongoing interest in Gabe Davis points to Pittsburgh looking for a vertical threat in particular.

Instead of reuniting with Rodgers for 2025, Valdes-Scantling will look to carve out an immediate role in San Francisco. The 49ers will be without Brandon Aiyuk and Jacob Cowing for at least the first four weeks of the season. Demarcus Robinson will be sidelined until Week 4 due to suspension, and it remains to be seen if Jauan Jennings will be available for the season opener. A short acclimation period will be in store, but Valdes-Scantling noted a familiarity with the 49ers’ scheme based on his time with Klint Kubiak in New Orleans last year and Seattle this summer. Kubiak’s brother Klay is San Francisco’s offensive coordinator.

The Steelers are set to move forward with a WR room led by trade acquisition D.K. Metcalf and returnees Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson. Davis is still unsigned, and especially with Valdes-Scantling turning down the opportunity to head to Pittsburgh it will be interesting to see if the team pursues a deal on that front over the coming days.

49ers To Sign WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

August 27th, 2025 at 11:15am CST by Sam Robinson

Marquez Valdes-Scantling did not make the Seahawks’ 53-man roster. Rather than a potential practice squad deal, the veteran wide receiver will accept an active-roster offer elsewhere in the NFC West.

The well-traveled wideout is signing with the 49ers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. San Francisco is shorthanded at receiver, and the team now has three ex-Chiefs in the fold. While Demarcus Robinson serves a three-game suspension, however, MVS and Skyy Moore are now in place. This is a practice squad deal, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.

Valdes-Scantling signed a one-year, $4MM Seahawks deal in March, staying with Klint Kubiak after their short time together in New Orleans. The Seahawks took on $3MM in dead money by cutting MVS, though the experienced wideout will be in a familiar system. Kyle Shanahan oversaw both Kubiak and Matt LaFleur during his career; that will make Valdes-Scantling a fit as a tertiary target.

The 49ers placed Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/PUP list Tuesday and shifted Robinson to the reserve/suspended list. The team also has not seen Jauan Jennings practice in weeks due to a calf injury; a contract issue is also a factor for Jennings, though time is running out on that front. Second-year player Jacob Cowing made the 49ers’ 53-man roster but is also battling an injury. MVS might not be the only WR the 49ers add; they are believed to be interested in reuniting with Kendrick Bourne after his Patriots release.

Despite being released by the Bills months into his tenure, Valdes-Scantling made some contributions to the Saints to generate interest ahead of the $4MM Seahawks deal. The 30-year-old receiver — who had been one of the NFL’s more notable deep threats for a period in Green Bay and Kansas City — caught 17 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns in New Orleans.

A penchant for drops notwithstanding, MVS made some pivotal playoff receptions for the Chiefs — including a touchdown grab in Super Bowl LVIII — as they closed out a championship season in 2023. A year prior, the ex-Packers fifth-rounder eclipsed 100 receiving yards in an AFC championship game in which the Chiefs were battered at wide receiver. The 49ers will call on the seven-year vet for some short-term aid.

Seahawks To Release WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

August 26th, 2025 at 1:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Marquez Valdes-Scantling is among the Seahawks’ cuts ahead of this afternoon’s deadline. The veteran wideout is being released, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

This move comes as little surprise considering the way Valdes-Scantling’s summer has gone. As ESPN’s Brady Henderson notes, the 30-year-old was outdone during training camp by fifth-round rookie Tory Horton. As a result, Horton is on track to operate as Seattle’s No. 3 receiver behind returnee Jaxon Smith-Njigba and free agent addition Cooper Kupp. Without a track record of special teams play, Valdes-Scantling is not a strong candidate for a backup gig.

Upon signing in Seattle, the former fifth-rounder took a one-year pact. The deal contained $3MM in guarantees, making this one of the more expensive cut decisions of the day so far. While the Seahawks will absorb that amount as a dead money hit, they will offset it to an extent with $955K in cap savings. The team will now move forward with its other WR options.

Changes at the receiver position were expected in 2025, and that proved to be the case. D.K. Metcalf‘s talks on an extension led to the decision a parting of ways would be be best, leading to his trade to the Steelers. Longtime starter Tyler Lockett was also released as expected. While a Kupp homecoming will give Seattle a veteran presence to augment Smith-Njigba, the Ohio State product will be counted on to carry the load this season. Horton’s role as a starter will be interesting to see as well.

Valdes-Scantling has played for four teams across his seven-year career. He has averaged 17.4 yards per catch in the NFL, and a market could exist for his services over the coming days amongst teams eyeing a vertical threat.

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