Giants LB Micah McFadden To Undergo Foot Surgery
Micah McFadden suffered a foot injury during the Giants’ season opener. The fourth-year linebacker is facing a lengthy absence as a result. 
McFadden is set to miss a “significant” portion of the 2025 campaign, as first reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Surgery is now on tap, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan adds. McFadden is considered likely to return at some point this season, per Raanan.
Even so, losing the 25-year-old will deal a blow to New York’s defense. McFadden played a rotational role during his rookie season before becoming a full-time starter the following year. His snap share jumped once more in 2024, reaching 75%. Another impactful campaign was expected in McFadden’s case for this season, the final one of his rookie contract.
As a pending free agent, the timing of McFadden’s injury is particularly troublesome. The former fifth-rounder’s market value will be dictated in large part by his play in 2025, but that will prove to be a small sample size. In McFadden’s absence, Darius Muasau – selected in the sixth round of last year’s draft – took over as a starter on defense in Week 1. That could continue moving forward, although other options will be explored at the second level of the Giants’ defense.
When speaking to the media on Thursday, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said (via Raanan) the team has “got to consider” using Abdul Carter as a weakside linebacker in the wake of losing McFadden. Carter, this year’s No. 3 overall pick, worked exclusively as an edge rusher last season and thrived in that capacity. The Penn State product previously saw time as a linebacker, however, so at least a part-time role in that regard could be feasible.
The Giants have Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux in place as starters along the edge, something which led to questions entering the season about Carter’s workload. He handled a 50% snap share in Week 1, and Bowen noted that will change on a week-to-week basis. Given McFadden’s absence for the foreseeable future, it will be interesting to see if Carter’s rookie campaign winds up including responsibilities at more than one position.
NFL Minor Transactions: 9/9/25
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived from IR: CB Christian Matthew
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed (off Rams practice squad): RB Cody Schrader
New England Patriots
- Waived: CB D.J. James
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: TE Jack Stoll
New York Giants
- Waived from IR: CB Tre Hawkins
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: DL Gabe Hall
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived from IR: CB Cameron McCutcheon
Tre Hawkins was waived/injured at the end of the preseason and reverted to IR, meaning he wouldn’t be able to play during the 2025 campaign. After agreeing to an injury settlement today, he’ll now have an opportunity to take the field elsewhere. The former sixth-round pick started three of his 17 appearances as a rookie, but he was limited to only three games in 2024 thanks in part to a season-ending fractured lumbar spine injury.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/8/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DT Tommy Akingbesote, DB Israel Mukuamu
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Pierre Strong
- Released: RB Israel Abanikanda
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Ameer Abdullah
- Released: RB Khalil Herbert
New York Giants
- Signed: OT Reid Holskey
- Released: G McClendon Curtis
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Liam Fornadel
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: RB Montrell Johnson, OL Hollin Pierce
- Released: WR Elijah Cooks
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Rakim Jarrett
- Released: WR Lance McCutcheon
2025 Offseason In Review Series
Here are PFR’s breakdowns of each NFL team’s 2025 offseason.
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
NFC West
Jaxson Dart Will Be Giants’ QB2; Team Has Designed Package Of Plays For Dart
One month ago, it was reported that the Giants were willing to let rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart sit out the entirety of the 2025 campaign. However, after an impressive training camp and preseason, Dart could see the field as soon as Week 1.
As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post observed earlier this week, the Giants listed Dart as the No. 2 QB on their unofficial depth chart, behind starter Russell Wilson but ahead of Wilson’s fellow veteran passer, Jameis Winston. And, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, the team has designed a package of plays for Dart, whose status as the QB2 will allow him to enter and exit the game at will (as opposed to the third, emergency quarterback, which is the role Winston will occupy, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan).
Of course, there is no guarantee the package of plays will be utilized, as that will be dictated by situational strategy. It is nonetheless noteworthy that the Giants’ coaching staff would take this route.
As Dan Duggan of The Athletic points out, Dart is more athletic than Wilson at this stage of the two players’ careers, but he is not a Taysom Hill-esque threat as a runner. So if he is simply going to enter the game and run a series of “traditional” plays, the team risks getting Wilson out of rhythm while also relying on a rookie to effectively run the offense without the opportunity to develop a rhythm of his own. And, if Wilson struggles but Dart shows promise (however limited his cameo might be), the coaching staff could be facing a full-blown QB controversy this week.
Rapoport and Garafolo also acknowledge the fact that Dart does not pose the type of athletic threat that players like Hill and Jalen Milroe do. Instead, they believe the goal of the “Dart package” is simply to get the young signal-caller on the field and get his feet wet in regular season action.
In three preseason games, Dart connected on 32 of 47 passes (68% completion rate) for three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception, and he added six carries for 52 yards and a score.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/25
With our first slate of Sunday games tomorrow, we’ll see our first slew of standard gameday practice squad elevations. Here are today’s minor transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR David Sills, RB Carlos Washington Jr.
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: G Kendrick Green, K Matt Prater
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: DT Jaden Crumedy
- Placed on IR: CB Damarri Mathis (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Mike Pennel
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: FB Adam Prentice, LB Levelle Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: RB Jacob Saylors
- Elevated: LB Anthony Pittman
- Placed on IR: T Jamarco Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: CB Micah Robinson
Houston Texans
- Elevated: FB Jakob Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: LB Austin Ajiake, RB Ulysses Bentley IV
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: T Ricky Lee
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Alex Bachman, S Terrell Edmunds
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: RB Cody Schrader
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: K Riley Patterson, RB Jeff Wilson
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: DT Cory Durden
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine, LB Mark Robinson
- Released: DT Jeremiah Pharms
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: DE Fadil Diggs
- Elevated: TE Jack Stoll, DE Jonah Williams
- Waived: QB Jake Haener
New York Giants
- Elevated: DT Elijah Garcia
New York Jets
- Elevated: WR Tyler Johnson
- Placed on IR: G Alijah Vera-Tucker (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB James Pierre
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: WR Russell Gage, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: CB Shaquill Griffin, DT Quinton Bohanna
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: DT Adam Gotsis, G Michael Jordan
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: C Corey Levin, DT Carlos Watkins
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: C Michael Deiter, WR Chris Moore
Each NFL team is granted up to two standard gameday practice squad elevations each game, allowing them to call up two members of their practice squad who are able to play in that weekend’s game. After the game is played, the elevated players revert back to the practice squad with no transaction required. This differs from the situation with somebody like Crumedy in Carolina. With Mathis’ placement on injured reserve opening a spot on the 53-man roster, Crumedy has been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, where he will remain until he is cut or his contract expires.
Practice squad players can be called up a maximum of three times under a single practice squad contract. If a team wants to call up a player who’s been called up three times already, the team will usually sign the player to their active roster for a game, cut them after, and then sign them to a new practice squad contract. Under the new contract, the player would be eligible to be elevated for three more games.
As the Dolphins await Jason Sanders‘ return from IR, Patterson was named the winner of a kicking audition with three other veteran kickers. Miami will be able to elevate him three times but will have to promote him to the active roster for any games between that and Sanders’ activation. Similarly, Prater will likely be on the same plan in Buffalo.
Haener’s stint on the Saints’ active roster was short-lived as the team decides to move forward with only two quarterbacks. Spencer Rattler will handle starting duties to begin the campaign with second-round rookie Tyler Shough serving as his backup.
Giants OC Mike Kafka To Return To Play-Calling Duties
Mike Kafka will once again be calling offensive plays for the Giants in 2025. Head coach Brian Daboll revealed that his offensive coordinator will return to his role as offensive play-caller, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
“Mike’s done a great job this preseason. He’s done a good job with the staff,” Daboll said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). “Got a lot of confidence in Mike and the offensive staff. Up to this point, relative to all the preseason games and the meetings we’ve had, I’ve been very pleased with the offensive staff.”
After working his way up the coaching ranks in Kansas City, Kafka joined Daboll’s new staff as offensive coordinator in 2022. After impressing during his first preseason at the helm, Kafka was handed the reins to the offense by his boss. He spent two years handling the offensive play calling while also garnering some head coaching interest.
After finishing as a middle-of-the-road offense in 2022, the Giants had one of the league’s worst offensive showings in 2023. This led Daboll to strip Kafka of his play-calling duties several times towards the latter part of that season, according to Raanan. With “noticeable discontent” on offense, Daboll decided to take over full-time play-calling duties for the 2024 season.
The offense didn’t show much progress with the head coach running the show, and Giants owner John Mara hinted that the team considered pivoting back to Kafka the moment the 2024 campaign came to an end.
“Maybe [Daboll] makes some other changes in the way he operates going forward. I talked to him about, ‘Do you really believe that it’s in our best interest for you to continue calling the plays?'” Mara said (via Raanan). “I said, ‘I’m not going to demand that you do one thing or the other. But are you better off letting somebody else call the plays?'”
There will be one major difference this time around. As Duggan notes, Kafka will call the plays on the sideline, just as he had done throughout the 2025 preseason. During his first three seasons as offensive coordinator, Kafka had been in the booth.
“It was good to be on the sideline,” Kafka said (via Raanan). “It’s always to be right there with the players and see it eye to eye and communicate with them more directly. You can do certain elements of that up in the box. But there’s really no substitute for being on the field.
“I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer. Guys obviously operate a bunch of different ways. So I thought it was cool. It was fun.”
The team’s QB grouping stayed somewhat consistent through the coaching staff’s first three seasons, but with the Giants adding both veteran Russell Wilson and first-round QB Jaxson Dart, it seems they want to optimize their offensive approach ahead of a critical 2025 season.
Giants Restructure LT Andrew Thomas’ Deal
For the second year in a row, the Giants have restructured Andrew Thomas‘ contract. Another reworking has taken place just before the start of the season, ESPN’s Field Yates notes. 
New York entered Thursday with roughly $2.5MM in cap space, so a move such as this was necessary to create financial breathing room for the campaign. Today’s restructure will free up $12.2MM in 2025 cap space since it is a maximum conversion of base salary to signing bonus. Thomas will see his cap charges increase by $3.05MM over the four remaining years on his pact (h/t ESPN’s Yates’ colleague Jordan Raanan).
[RELATED: Reviewing Giants’ Offseason]
The 26-year-old’s health has been a talking point throughout the offseason. Thomas was limited to six games last season due to a Lisfranc injury, one which required a screw to be inserted into his foot. The screw has since been removed, something which caused a slight delay in his rehab process. Thomas also underwent an ankle scope this offseason, and his Week 1 availability is uncertain.
The Georgia product was on the PUP list until mid-August, so he has seen limited reps in practice since being activated. Thomas did not participate in the preseason, something which would of course generally be the case with healthy players of his stature. Still, his small summer workload means it remains to be seen if he will be able to suit up in time for Sunday’s game against the Commanders.
James Hudson may be called into action on the blindside as a result, but even if so Thomas will be counted to remain an anchor up front for the Giants once he is fully cleared. The latter is on the books through 2029 thanks to his $23.5MM-per-year extension inked during the 2023 offseason. Thomas managing to stay healthy over the coming years would be critical for New York’s offense. The team is confident in the chances of that taking place, something demonstrated in part by the decision to rework his pact once again.
NFL Minor Transactions: 9/3/25
Today’s list of minor moves consists of players removed from injured reserve via injury settlements:
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR: S Tysheem Johnson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released from IR: OT Caleb Etienne
Miami Dolphins
- Released from IR: Bayron Matos
New York Giants
- Released from IR: Jermaine Terry
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR: QB Tanner Mordecai
Seattle Seahawks
- Released from IR: John Rhys Plumlee
Giants’ Jameis Winston, Jalin Hyatt, Daniel Bellinger Drew Trade Interest
Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, a third-round choice in 2023, played in over half of the team’s offensive snaps in his rookie year, but his workload was dramatically reduced last season. With Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, and Wan’Dale Robinson ahead of him on the depth chart, Hyatt read the writing on the wall as early as last summer and suggested the Giants should trade him if they planned on using him in a reserve capacity.
At the time, Big Blue was unwilling to entertain the notion, and the club’s stance in that regard has not changed, even though the Nabers/Slayton/Robinson triumvirate remains. According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, other teams checked in with the Giants about the possibility of acquiring Hyatt, who averaged 18.9 yards per catch and who scored 15 TDs in his final collegiate season at Tennessee (which is what encouraged New York to trade up for him in the 2023 draft).
General manager Joe Schoen rebuffed the outside interest and will continue to carry Hyatt on the roster. The former Volunteer caught just eight passes for 62 yards last year, and though he bulked up this offseason with the goal of becoming a more versatile player, it is unclear whether he will see a great deal of action absent an injury to one of the top three wideouts.
The club has also elected to retain tight end Daniel Bellinger, who, per Dunleavy, drew trade inquiries of his own. Like Hyatt, Bellinger is a recent draftee (fourth round, 2022) who saw his playing time slashed last season. After appearing in 62% of the Giants’ offensive snaps in 2023, Bellinger’s snap share dropped to 32% in 2024. He caught just 14 passes for 125 yards.
That reduction in playing time was largely due to the arrivals of veteran Chris Manhertz and 2024 fourth-rounder Theo Johnson, and both players are still around (Manhertz was re-signed in March). It is therefore likely Bellinger will again be used quite sparingly, which is especially unlucky for him as he enters the final year of his rookie pact.
Fellow tight end Greg Dulcich, whom the Giants claimed off waivers in November, was unable to carve out a spot on this year’s depth chart. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, New York would have liked to keep Dulcich on its practice squad, but — perhaps taking Bellinger’s plight into account — Dulcich saw a clearer path to playing time in Miami. He recently signed with the Dolphins’ taxi squad.
With Russell Wilson slated to handle starting quarterback duties at the start of the 2025 campaign, and with first-round rookie Jaxson Dart impressing in the preseason, there was already some trade chatter surrounding Jameis Winston. Assistant GM Brandon Brown attempted to shoot down those rumors, though that did not stop other teams from at least calling the Giants about Winston’s availability, as Dunleavy reports.
Brown has said Winston wants to remain with the team, and former NFL quarterback Matt Simms offers at least one reason why. In a recent appearance on the Talkin’ Ball With Pat Leonard podcast (video link), Simms said Winston’s perspective and influence helped the Giants’ QB room jell this offseason. With so much of the team’s future hinging on Dart’s right arm – to say nothing of the job security of Giants brass – maintaining a positive dynamic for Dart can’t hurt.