NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/22/25
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Tysheem Johnson
Houston Texans
- Signed: DL Leki Fotu
New England Patriots
- Placed on practice squad/injured: TE Thomas Odukoya
New York Giants
- Released: P Cameron Johnston
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Tyler Hall
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Nick Jackson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: NT Isaiah Raikes, LB Cam Riley
- Released: WR Kristian Wilkerson
After getting waived by the Bills in November, Cameron Johnston caught on with the Giants as insurance for Jamie Gillan. Johnston ended up getting into one game for his new squad, punting four times for 22.8 net yards per punt. The team held on to the veteran to make sure Gillan made it through his return unscathed. Apparently everything checked out, and the Giants will proceed with just one punter in their organization for the rest of the season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/17/25
Wednesday’s NFL practice squad transactions:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Montrell Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: C Wesley French
Denver Broncos
- Signed: G Nash Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Marcus Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Jimmy Holiday
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: G McClendon Curtis
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OLB Andre Carter II
- Released: TE Tanner Conner
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: T Caleb Etienne
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Amari Gainer
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR John Rhys Plumlee, RB Trey Sermon
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: QB Adrian Martinez
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S D’Anthony Bell
- Released: CB Tyler Hall
Martinez parted ways with San Francisco a week ago and signed with the Jets, who elevated him on Sunday to back up undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook. New York released him from their taxi squad yesterday, so Martinez has found his way back to the Bay Area.
2025 NFL Dead Money, By Team
As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season:
- New Orleans Saints: $107.83MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $103.77MM
- New York Jets: $102.1MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $87.79MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $87.27MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $86.1MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $85.49MM
- Cleveland Browns: $83.22MM
- Miami Dolphins: $72.45MM
- Houston Texans: $66.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $59.42MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.98MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $56.23MM
- New England Patriots: $50.56MM
- Denver Broncos: $42.78MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $41.34MM
- Detroit Lions: $40.71MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $40.39MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $38.78MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $38.38MM
- Buffalo Bills: $37.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $36.55MM
- New York Giants: $33.74MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $33.7MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $30.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $27.29MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $27MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $20.99MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $20.33MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $17.37MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $16.51MM
- Chicago Bears: $8.6MM
The $100MM trio dwarfs last year’s leaders — the Broncos — in this unwanted area. The Saints began taking some overdue medicine for their cap-gymnastics past by trading Marshon Lattimore last year. That move coming after June 1 pushed $31.67MM onto New Orleans’ 2025 cap sheet. Derek Carr also counts $19.2MM on this year’s Saints cap, while Ryan Ramczyk‘s retirement covers more than $11MM.
The Carr punishment covers $55.88MM in total, meaning nearly $37MM from the QB’s retirement will land on New Orleans’ 2026 payroll. Mickey Loomis‘ spree of restructures on that contract created that inflated figure.
Deebo Samuel brought a receiver-record dead money total to the 49ers, who absorbed $34.12MM by trading the seventh-year veteran in March. The second leg of the post-June 1 Arik Armstead transaction from 2024 created a $15MM dead cap hit this year, with void years on Charvarius Ward‘s deal covering more than $12MM.
Gang Green took on barely $20MM combined from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades and will do the same next year, reflecting the low signing bonus figure on the Gardner extension. The Jets, though, have taken $56MM in total from the Aaron Rodgers release ($21MM this year, $35MM next). That is the second-highest total dead cap hit in NFL history.
The team that authorized the highest dead money sum in league annals — Denver, via the 2024 Russell Wilson release — is still carrying $32MM on that contract. It comes off the books next year, and the Broncos do not have any other player counting more than $3MM in dead cap on their 2025 payroll.
The Eagles and Seahawks are also moving toward the playoffs with higher dead money counts compared to the 2024 Broncos, though it should be noted the cap’s $24MM increase from last year plays into this. Philadelphia is still carrying a combined $26MM from the 2024 Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retirements. Josh Sweat void years also comprise $16.44MM of this year’s cap. The Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf trade brought $21MM in dead cap, while Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and Dre’Mont Jones combine to cover more than $41MM in dead money.
Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith‘s 2024 Cleveland exits via trade tagged the Browns with more than $36MM in dead money together, while the Dolphins are dealing with more than $30MM combined from the post-June 1 designations on Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. The latter counts $15.7MM in dead money this year and $20.9MM in 2026. That eclipses Lattimore’s defender-record total for dead cap.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/25
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: WR Jalen Brooks
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed off waivers (from Steelers): WR Ke’Shawn Williams
Houston Texans
- Signed from practice squad: RB Jawhar Jordan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: RB DeeJay Dallas
- Opened practice window: LB Jalen McLeod
- Placed on IR: LB Jack Kiser
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: DT Leki Fotu
New England Patriots
- Signed off Colts’ practice squad: LB Chad Muma
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: S Jarius Monroe
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: S D’Anthony Bell
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Browns): G Garrett Dellinger
A steady presence in Arizona a couple years ago, Fotu started four of six game appearances for the Raiders this year. The occasional starts were not indicative of his true usage, though, as he hasn’t gotten consistent time on the field for Las Vegas in 2025. The Raiders will move on from the veteran as they shift focus in a lost season towards evaluating young talent with more gametime.
As a practice squad elevation this weekend, Jordan became the first Texans running back to eclipse the century mark in a game this year. Houston wasted little time in returning him to the active roster
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Sunday’s action provided more clarity on a number of fronts relating to the playoff pushes in each conference. The list of teams still in contention for the top pick in the 2026 draft remains long, however.
Week 15 saw the Broncos and Rams clinch a postseason berth. Meanwhile, the Chiefs, Bengals and Vikings have each officially been eliminated from the playoffs. They will join the group of teams turning their attention to offseason planning. That of course includes extensive evaluation of the top prospects in this year’s class; several have already turned pro (with some exceptions).
Sunday’s results mean there are nine teams with two, three or four wins. Each of them remain candidates to secure the No. 1 selection, although victories by the Saints and Commanders yesterday will greatly hinder their chances of moving to the top of the order. Jockeying amongst teams like the Raiders, Jets and Cardinals (each on track to pursue a new quarterback this spring) will be a storyline worth following closely down the stretch.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- Tennessee Titans (2-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- New Orleans Saints (4-10)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Carolina Panthers (7-7)
- Detroit Lions (8-6)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4)
- Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-2)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/15/25
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Jamari Thrash
- Waived: G Garrett Dellinger
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: DT Mario Edwards Jr. (story)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed from practice squad: LB Quinton Bell
- Elevated: OL Kion Smith
- Waived: OLB Andre Carter II
New England Patriots
- Waived: LB Caleb Murphy
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed from practice squad: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Elevated: OL Jack Driscoll, DE DeMarvin Leal
- Waived: WR Ke’Shawn Williams
Jamari Thrash is already back on Cleveland’s active roster after getting waived the other day. The former fifth-round pick has only seen time in a single game since the beginning of November. Before that, he tallied 10 receptions for 107 yards.
In other receiver news, Marquez Valdes-Scantling made his way to the active roster for tonight’s game against the Dolphins. The veteran got into 16 offensive snaps during his Steelers debut in Week 14. Before that, he hauled in four catches for 40 yards in five appearances for the 49ers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/25
Here are today’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for Week 15’s Sunday slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: T Christian Jones
- Elevated: WR Jalen Brooks, WR Trent Sherfield
- Placed on IR: DT Bilal Nichols
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: CB Dane Jackson, DE Andre Jones Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: LB Isaiah Simmons
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from practice squad: OL Garrett Dellinger
- Elevated: S Chris Edmonds, DT Maurice Hurst
- Waived: WR Jamari Thrash
Denver Broncos
- Signed from practice squad: LB Jordan Turner
- Elevated: WR Michael Bandy, QB Sam Ehlinger
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: TE Shane Zylstra
- Elevated: S Erick Hallett, TE Giovanni Ricci
- Placed on IR: S Brian Branch (story)
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: RB Pierre Strong
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: TE Harrison Bryant
- Elevated: RB Jawhar Jordan, S K’Von Wallace
- Waived: RB Cody Schrader
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed from practice squad: G C.J. Hanson
- Elevated: T Chukwuebuka Godrick, DT Zacch Pickens
- Placed on IR: T Wanya Morris (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Shedrick Jackson, G Atonio Mafi
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Dalevon Campbell, S Marcus Williams
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: S Tanner Ingle
New England Patriots
- Signed from practice squad: RB D’Ernest Johnson
- Elevated: DT Leonard Taylor
- Placed on IR: RB Terrell Jennings
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Kevin Austin, K Charlie Smyth
New York Giants
- Signed from practice squad: WR Dalen Cambre, OLB Tomon Fox
- Elevated: DT Elijah Chatman, P Cameron Johnston
- Placed on IR: OLB Victor Dimukeje, CB Nic Jones
- Waived: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Cam Jones
- Elevated: CB Tre Brown, QB Adrian Martinez
- Placed on IR: CB Azareye’h Thomas
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Andre’ Sam
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: DE Rylie Mills
- Elevated: RB Velus Jones
- Placed on IR: TE Elijah Arroyo
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: T John Ojukwu
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: CB Darius Rush
Nichols began the year on the reserve/PUP list. The eight-year veteran has been hampered by injuries since signing with the Cardinals in 2024. After playing just six games last year, Nichols’ 2025 campaign will end after only four appearances.
Bryant makes his return to the Texans’ offense to replenish a thinned out tight ends group, while in Seattle, the Seahawks place their second-round rookie tight end, Arroyo, on injured reserve with a knee injury.
In Buffalo, this will be Jackson’s third and final standard gameday practice squad elevation. If the team wants to see him in another game this season, they’ll need to sign him to the 53-man roster. The same is true for Strong in Green Bay, Jackson and Mafi in Las Vegas, Smyth in New Orleans, Sam in Philadelphia, and Jones in Seattle.
On the flip side of that, in Denver, Turner has been signed to the 53-man roster after running out of elevations last week.
Thomas suffered a shoulder injury in Week 14 and it will end his season. The third-round rookie confirmed on social media today he is set to undergo surgery in the near future. Thomas made five starts in 2025, totaling 22 tackles and seven pass deflections.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/10/25
Today’s NFL practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: G Wyatt Bowles, G Tyler Cooper
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Jordan Fuller
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Ty Summers
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR Xavier Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Maurice Hurst
- Released: DT Simeon Barrow Jr.
Houston Texans
- Signed: FB Jakob Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: C Jimmy Morrissey
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Jaret Patterson, DT Kyle Peko
New England Patriots
- Activated from practice squad/injured list: RB Jashaun Corbin
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: RB Craig Reynolds
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Xavier Gipson
- Released: WR Ray-Ray McCloud
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Adrian Martinez, TE Nick Muse
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: T David Sharpe
- Released: RB Trey Sermon
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Isaiah Bolden
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB Kevon Seymour
Gipson is changing clubs for the third time this season after getting claimed off waivers by the Giants for the second time this year. After starting the season with the Jets and getting cut after a crucial fumble in Week 1, Gipson found his way across town to the other New York team. The Giants waived him after about two and a half weeks, and he was claimed by Philadelphia. His stint with the Eagles has been his longest with any team this year, but he’ll return to the Giants after getting waived once again.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Week 14’s action brought about a few notable updates to the standings at both ends of the NFL’s conferences. Another four teams are officially out of playoff contention, while wins by Tennessee and New Orleans could prove to be rather important once the campaign has ended.
The Jets, Browns, Falcons and Commanders were eliminated from the postseason through the results of recent days. Of course, each of those teams have been out of the running for a playoff push for some time now. Still, that group will be worth watching closely over the closing four weeks of the season as the top-10 order for Day 1 of the draft gradually comes into focus.
Uncertainty regarding the quarterback class of 2026 will no doubt remain a talking point over the coming months. Fernando Mendoza strengthened his case to be QB1 in April’s draft, although it remains to be seen if other top signal-callers like Dante Moore and Ty Simpson will turn pro or elect to remain in school for one more season. Decisions on those fronts will be central storylines carrying significant implications for the teams near the top of the order which find themselves in need of a quarterback investment.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-11)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Chicago Bears (9-4)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
- Denver Broncos (11-2)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/8/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: S Damontae Kazee (story), DL Pat O’Connor
- Released: WR Andrew Armstrong
New England Patriots
- Signed: G Mehki Butler
- Released: G Bill Murray
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Casey Rogers