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Vikings, Jets Still Eyeing WR Addition; Raiders, Steelers Also In Market

August 25th, 2025 at 4:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the deadline for roster cuts looming, trades around the league remain a distinct possibility over the coming days. The receiver position could be one to watch closely.

The Vikings and Jets are still evaluating the WR landscape with respect to trades, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Last week, Minnesota and New York were among the teams named as suitors on this front, so today’s update comes as no surprise. The Vikings and Jets both face questions about their depth beyond their established No. 1 wideouts.

Garrett Wilson will again lead the way in New York, with free agent addition Josh Reynolds set to play a notable role. Allen Lazard‘s future was a talking point earlier in the offseason given the Aaron Rodgers release, but he is on track to play out this season on a reduced contract. Any receivers brought in will be viewed as depth behind that trio and 2024 third-rounder Malachi Corley.

The Vikings have been connected to an Adam Thielen reunion, and calls have been made to the Panthers about a deal. Nothing is imminent at this point, but the 35-year-old would offer experienced depth behind Justin Jefferson and (when he returns from suspension) Jordan Addison. Minnesota has been busy on the trade front recently, and making an addition at the receiver spot could be the next item on the agenda.

Russini’s report also indicates the Raiders and Steelers are among the potential landing spots for a new wideout. Vegas has witnessed Jakobi Meyers issue a trade request, calling into question his future with the team. The pending free agent is not one the Raiders are looking to move on from, but especially if a swap were to take place an addition could become necessary. Tre Tucker along with rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton are in position to play supporting roles, but further moves could help add a complementary presence to tight end Brock Bowers.

A receiver acquisition has long been talked about in the case of the Steelers this offseason. D.K. Metcalf will lead the way in 2025 and beyond, but the unproven nature of Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson has led to calls for a more established No. 2 option. Multiple free agent visits have taken place with free agent Gabe Davis, but no signing has come about since.

In addition to Davis, Amari Cooper, Tyler Boyd and DJ Chark are among the top unsigned wideouts at this time. Other notable names will no doubt become available over the next 24 hours through trade or cutdowns. A shortlist of teams is worth monitoring as the position’s late-summer landscape takes shape.

Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers Requests Trade

August 25th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:02pm: Meyers has already drawn interest from “several teams,” The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. That will of course be a moot point unless the Raiders’ stance toward accepting an offer changes, but a market exists in the event a deal can be struck over the coming days.

2:40pm: Jakobi Meyers is on the doorstep of entering a season as the Raiders’ No. 1 wide receiver for the first time. Although he spent much of last season in that role, Davante Adams was still with the team to start Meyers’ previous years in Las Vegas.

This status has not come with a contract adjustment, and the 2023 free agency addition — who has made it known he wants to stay in Vegas beyond 2025 — will try to force the issue. Meyers has requested a trade, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.

The former UDFA is tied to an $11MM-per-year contract, and discussions on a new deal have not keyed a resolution. The Raiders, however, have no plans to trade Meyers, per NFL.com. Even though this Raiders regime (or the one before it, for that matter) did not acquire Meyers, Rapoport and Pelissero indicate the seventh-year vet is viewed as too valuable to the team to move right now.

The sides engaged in extension talks earlier this summer, after Meyers let it be known he was interested in another Raiders pact. Added in 2023 on a deal that matched JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s free agency accord that year, Meyers has far exceeded the value Smith-Schuster or fellow 2023 eight-figure AAV recipient Allen Lazard have provided. Meyers posted a quiet 1,000-yard season in 2024, doing so despite one of the NFL’s worst quarterback groups targeting him. But he currently sits miles behind the receiver market’s upper echelon.

Meyers’ deal checks in 31st among wide receiver AAV; he is due a $10.76MM base salary in 2025. Although Meyers reuniting with then-Raiders HC Josh McDaniels brought him a massive raise from his UDFA Patriots terms, a player expected to be Geno Smith‘s top target is off the pace at the position. Then again, Meyers has one career 900-yard season on his resume. That complicates a raise route, even if the possession receiver posted three straight 800-yard years — with a slew of sub-average QBs targeting him in that span — before his 2024 uptick.

Being set for an age-29 season also increases some urgency for Meyers, who would be a slightly less attractive free agent ahead of an age-30 campaign next year. Though, Meyers could also still probably do well on the open market — provided his fit with Smith in Chip Kelly‘s offense goes well. Tom Brady having been the Patriots’ QB in Meyers’ rookie season, when he carved out a role for the defending Super Bowl champions, adds an interesting wrinkle to this process as well. But veteran reporter Jordan Schultz confirms extension talks have stalled.

Two players from Meyers’ rookie class — Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf — changed teams via trade this year. Another, ex-third-rounder Terry McLaurin, just landed a monster Commanders extension after a holdout turned into a hold-in. Meyers participated in training camp and probably is not a candidate to skip regular-season games. The Silver and Black also appear to be counting on him as a Brock Bowers complement in Pete Carroll‘s debut. The Raiders have him tied to a team-friendly deal, and while nearly two weeks remaining until Las Vegas’ opener, beginning the season on this contract may be how this plays out.

Pete Carroll: Raiders Exploring QB Addition

August 24th, 2025 at 10:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

As a result of Aidan O’Connell‘s wrist fracture, the Raiders will be shorthanded at the quarterback position to begin the season. Acquiring depth represents a priority over the coming days.

[RELATED: Recapping Raiders’ Offseason]

“All possibilities are available right now,” head coach Pete Carroll said on Sunday when asked about the team’s QB plans (via ESPN’s Ryan McFadden). ” I mean, wherever they come from, and we’re looking everywhere to see [if] we find the best guy that fits us.”

With teams beginning the process of reaching 53 on their respective rosters, plenty of players have become available recently. That includes a few quarterbacks. Earlier today, the Vikings released Brett Rypien as part of their shake-ups at the position. Since then, the Browns have made the expected move of cutting Tyler Huntley. Both veterans will immediately reach free agency (without needing to clear waivers first).

The Raiders have Geno Smith atop the depth chart for 2025, and undrafted rookie Cam Miller is in the fold as a depth option. Fellow UDFA Tommy Mellott played quarterback in college, but as expected he has worked as a receiver upon entering the NFL. For at least as long as O’Connell is unavailable, the team could benefit from having a veteran presence behind Smith.

Indeed, Carroll noted experience is a factor which will play an important role in the team’s search process. For that reason, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal names Ryan Tannehill as a potential target. Tannehill did not play last year, but with 151 starts to his name the 37-year-old would certainly qualify as a veteran QB2 option.

With nearly $35MM in cap space, the Raiders will not have a problem affording any short-term addition which winds up being made in time for Week 1. Free agency (amongst the signal-callers already cut) and/or trades represent avenues for a new passer to be brought in. The waiver wire will also be busy over the coming days, and Vegas could elect to take that route instead.

Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell Suffers Fractured Wrist, Out Six To Eight Weeks

August 24th, 2025 at 7:44am CST by Rory Parks

Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell suffered a fractured right wrist during the team’s preseason finale against the Cardinals on Saturday, as head coach Pete Carroll told reporters after the game (including Tashan Reed of The Athletic). Carroll announced O’Connell would need surgery and would be out for six to eight weeks, thus making him an obvious candidate for injured reserve.

This offseason, the Raiders acquired Geno Smith via trade with the Seahawks, and he will serve as the starting QB. O’Connell, a fourth-round pick in 2023, cropped up in trade rumors prior to this year’s draft, but Las Vegas did not select a passer until adding North Dakota State’s Cam Miller in the sixth round. As such, O’Connell was retained and was in line to serve as Smith’s backup.

O’Connell, who will turn 27 next week, lost last summer’s QB1 competition to Gardner Minshew, though he still ended up starting seven games over the course of the 2024 season. After a somewhat encouraging 5-5 record in his rookie campaign in 2023, O’Connell went just 2-5 as a starter last year.

His career numbers are respectable enough for a backup passer: 20 TDs against 11 interceptions, a 62.6% completion percentage, and an 85.1 QB rating. However, he was not especially sharp during this year’s preseason schedule; over the first two games, he completed 33 of 53 passes for just 343 yards (6.5 yards per attempt) for one touchdown and three interceptions.

He started Saturday’s contest by completing three of his first four passes for 36 yards, but he also lost a fumble, his fourth turnover of the preseason. As ESPN’s Ryan McFadden observes, O’Connell also struggled in training camp practices, and Carroll acknowledged the offense did not move as quickly with O’Connell at the controls.

Miller finished the Arizona game by completing 12 of 24 passes for 124 yards. The Raiders likely do not want to have a developmental rookie working as Smith’s backup, so the team may well look to add a quarterback in short order.

Carson Wentz, who just visited the Vikings on Saturday, is the biggest name on the free agent market as of the time of this writing. With teams needing to trim their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday, more QBs will become available, by trade or otherwise.

Jordan Meredith Moving Toward Raiders’ C Job; Latest On Team’s CB Situation

August 20th, 2025 at 4:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jordan Meredith has been involved in two position battles this year; the second of those has proven transformative. Shifting from guard to center, Meredith is moving toward commandeering the starting job in Pete Carroll‘s first Raiders season.

Playing only guard last season (365 snaps at LG, 209 at RG), Meredith began his offseason battling for a starting position there. As training camp progressed, however, the Raiders have liked what they have seen from the former UDFA at center — to the point he now appears the favorite (per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore) to open the season as the starter.

Meredith looks to have nearly changed the Raiders’ snapper plan, which had been centered (no pun intended) around Jackson Powers-Johnson. But the 2024 second-round pick, after working at center during the offseason program, is now competing at right guard with free agency addition Alex Cappa. This would leave either a second-round pick or an ex-Tom Brady teammate who has 96 career starts on the bench.

“Jordan is really holding on to his spot,” Carroll said. “I really like him playing there for us. I think it just helps everybody, and that’s a real positive aspect if your front cover and your center can really communicate, be consistent and be on point all the time.”

Meredith, 27, made eight starts last season but just one over his previous two years. He has impressed a new coaching staff, however, to the point Powers-Johnson — the 2023 Rimington Award winner who became a No. 44 overall pick under Tom Telesco — may not start. Though, Cappa has missed more than a week with a rib injury and has not played in the preseason. That has given Powers-Johnson (14 rookie-year starts at guard and center) a chance to make his RG case; only 29 of Powers-Johnson’s 956 rookie-year snaps came at guard. Dylan Parham is set to start at left guard. Cappa has not worked as a backup since his 2018 rookie season; he is tied to a two-year, $11MM deal ($5.5MM guaranteed).

Cornerback also features a notable position battle. Although Eric Stokes is moving toward his second-chance season involving a Week 1 starting role, third-round rookie Darien Porter‘s grip on the other Las Vegas perimeter job may be slipping as a result of an unlikely source. Kyu Blu Kelly, a 2023 draftee already on his fifth team, is pushing Porter, per Bonsignore, who notes the young journeyman is “tightening his grip” on the first-string job.

Moving from Baltimore to Seattle to Green Bay to Washington to Vegas, Kelly played in four Raider games as a backup last season. His Seahawks stop also came during Carroll’s final season in charge. It would be quite the development if a player cut that many times in two seasons commandeered a starting job by Year 3 — even considering Carroll’s past developing Day 3 cornerback draftees — but Bonsignore notes he started the Raiders’ second preseason game. Carroll said Kelly (zero NFL starts) has “made the push” to be considered for a starting spot.

Stokes residing as the elder statesman among the team’s boundary corners shows how young the Raiders now are at this position. A potential addition is something to monitor as well. Barring a starter-level add, Kelly could have quite the opportunity. Though, such an ascent might be as a placeholder while Porter — chosen in Round 3 and used as a starter for most of the Raiders’ spring and summer work — develops into that role.

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Adams, Perryman

August 14th, 2025 at 6:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nik Bonitto played in the Broncos‘ preseason opener but will miss some time leading up to the season. The 2024 All-Pro selection is down because of a procedure to have a bone spur removed in the top of his foot, per 9News’ Mike Klis. Sean Payton expects Bonitto to be ready to return by next week, though it can be safely assumed the edge rusher’s preseason is over. The Broncos also have an extension to sort out with Bonitto, who is entering a contract year. Denver has reached agreements with Courtland Sutton and Zach Allen during training camp, and a few Bonitto contract rumors have circulated this offseason.

This injury rehab stretch could give Bonitto’s camp time to hammer out a deal before the team’s top sack artist returns to practice, though the prospect of a Micah Parsons Cowboys extension raising the market’s ceiling — and thus the kind of deal Bonitto could command south of Parsons’ price point — could factor into the proceedings here.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • Another injury development coming out of Denver is not as kind. Fullback/tight end Nate Adkins will miss regular-season time due to a tightrope procedure to address a high ankle sprain, Payton said. Adkins could be a candidate for one of the Broncos’ two allotted August IR-return slots. Teams must announce the players for those spots by roster-cutdown day August 26. Those moves count toward teams’ eight injury activations — whether the player is eventually activated or not — in-season. Adkins played a healthy amount of snaps last season, logging 420 during a 10-start season. He caught 14 passes for 115 yards and three TDs last season, his second with the Broncos.
  • The Broncos might need to consider a fourth active-roster RB due to J.K. Dobbins‘ injury history; their early hierarchy may exclude a 2024 draft pick. Audric Estime did not enter the team’s preseason opener until the third quarter, as his entrance came after Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie saw action. The Broncos also have Blake Watson as a candidate, and the 2024 UDFA entered the game in the second half as well. Estime is firmly on the roster bubble, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel notes. It would not surprise if the team aimed to trade one of its options before cutdown day later this month, but ensuring two of these players are rostered behind Dobbins and R.J. Harvey would make sense as well.
  • Jamal Adams is vying for a Raiders roster spot and doing so, technically, at a new position. Adams is giving linebacker another try, confirming (via the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore) Pete Carroll told him immediately he would be working there. The Seahawks had asked Adams to play linebacker before, but he declined at the time. The 2024 Seattle cap casualty played sparingly as a backup with the Titans and Lions, representing a steep fall from formerly signing a safety-record extension. Adams’ best work has always come in the box or as a safety blitzer, making a linebacker transition more natural. On a one-year, $1.26MM contract with no guarantees, the ninth-year vet is also not exactly in a position to refuse such a request.
  • The gun charges against linebacker Denzel Perryman has been dropped, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes. Perryman was arrested on felony weapons charges during a traffic stop earlier this month. Five firearms, including two assault-style rifles, were found in the Chargers defender’s vehicle. He was initially held without bail, but ESPN.com’s Kris Rhim notes Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman declined to file charges. Perryman is on a one-year, $2.66MM deal to continue a second Chargers stint.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/25

August 13th, 2025 at 8:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Signed: CB Keni-H Lovely
  • Released from IR (injury settlement): CB Levi Wallace

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: CB Nehemiah Shelton
  • Waived/injured: CB Jordan Oladokun

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: LB Cam Gill, LB Max Tooley
  • Reverted to IR: C Zeke Correll

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

The Titans swapped linebackers today, replacing Otis Reese with Brian Asamoah II. The latter was waived by the Vikings yesterday, but he’ll quickly land on his feet in Tennessee. The former third-round pick spent three years in Minnesota, collecting 30 tackles in 46 games. 802 of his 990 snaps came on special teams. He’ll be taking the spot formerly held by Reese, who started five games for the Titans over the previous two seasons.

Saints Lose OL Will Clapp For Season

August 12th, 2025 at 7:33pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Saints have lost another piece of interior offensive line depth with center Will Clapp joining guard Nick Saldiveri on season-ending injured reserve, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Clapp, 29, is dealing with a Lisfranc injury, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. He was listed as the Saints’ second-team center on their unofficial depth chart; now, New Orleans will have to find a new backup to Erik McCoy.

The job will likely fall to veteran Shane Lemieux, who recently re-signed with the Saints after Saldiveri’s knee injury. Lemieux, currently listed as the backup right guard, started four games as the team’s center in 2024. A majority of his experience prior to arriving in New Orleans last year came as a left guard for the Giants, making the 28-year-old a valuable multi-positional backup for the 2025 season.

Clapp’s injury could also help second-year UDFA and third-team center Kyle Hergel make the 53-man roster. Even if Lemieux holds down the backup center role, his potential to be needed at guard may keep Hergel around as an emergency center.

The Saints also worked out a number of veteran offensive linemen, according to Underhill. including Cody Whitehair, Scott Quessenberry, and Nick Harris. However, New Orleans decided to sign a less experienced option in Mike Panasiuk, who also tried out on Tuesday. Panasiuk, 27, spent time with the Raiders, Panthers, and Colts as a defensive tackle before converting to center last year, but has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Clapp, meanwhile, will spend the season rehabbing his foot. Lisfranc injuries are notoriously tricky to recover from, so shutting him down this early in the year should give him a chance at getting back on the field in time for the 2026 season.

The seven-year veteran is in his second stint with the Saints after starting his NFL career in New Orleans as a seventh-round pick in 2018. He started seven games across his first four years with the Saints before signing with the Chargers in 2022 to back up center Corey Linsley. Clapp took over the starting job when Linsley stepped away from the field due to a health issue, but ended the season on the IR with a knee injury. The Chargers went in a different direction when replacing Linsley in the offseason, and Clapp signed with the Bills ahead of the 2024 season. He didn’t appear in a game until Week 18, when he started at right guard and played every snap.

In addition to placing Clapp on the IR, the Saints also waived tight end Mason Pline with an injury designation, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. With a third spot opened by waiving injured wide receiver Chris Tyree, New Orleans signed tight end Seth Green, defensive tackle Jayden Peevy, and wide receiver Roderick Daniels, per Terrell.

Raiders Could Pursue CB Addition

August 12th, 2025 at 2:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders’ secondary will look much different in 2025 than it did last year. Further changes could be coming at the cornerback spot in particular.

[RELATED: Recapping Raiders’ Offseason]

Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes it would not come as a surprise if a cornerback addition were to be made prior to Week 1. Former Packers first-rounder Eric Stokes – added this spring via free agency – is in line to operate as a starter on the perimeter. The top slot job, meanwhile, looks to belong to Darnay Holmes, who handled a rotational during his debut Vegas campaign.

As for the other first-team gig on the perimeter, training camp has resulted in a number of corners receiving a look. Third-round rookie Darien Porter has enjoyed a strong summer so far, per Bonsignore, and he has a strong chance of beating out 2024 fourth-rounder Decamerion Richardson as a result. The team’s depth chart ahead of this week’s preseason action lists Porter as a starter and Richardson as a backup, although of course that does not offer any finality on the matter.

Per The Athletic’s Tashan Reed, Kyu Blu Kelly received a portion of first-team reps during today’s practice. The 2023 draftee has made only 12 appearances to date in his career, although four of those came with the Raiders last season. Kelly is listed as a backup on this week’s depth chart, but he has two more preseason contests to attempt to play his way into a starting gig.

The likes of Asante Samuel Jr., Rasul Douglas and Kendall Fuller remain unsigned at this point, and they could be added on a one-year deal to offer experience and starting-caliber play at the CB position. Vegas has nearly $35MM in cap space, so finances will not be an issue if a short-term addition is deemed necessary later this summer.

NFL Minor Transactions: 8/11/25

August 11th, 2025 at 8:18pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: TE McCallan Castles
  • Waived/injured: TE Anthony Torres

Minnesota Vikings

  • Claimed off waivers (from Falcons): G Michael Gonzalez
  • Placed on IR: OT Matt Nelson

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: TE Kevin Foelsch, DB Mikey Victor
  • Waived: TE D.J. Thomas-Jones
  • Waived/injured: DB Cameron McCutcheon

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: LB Alphonzo Tuputala
  • Waived: CB Kam Alexander

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

A handful of players injured in the first week of the preseason were placed on IR today, effectively ending their seasons early. These players won’t be allowed to play for their current squads in 2025, although they could place elsewhere if they’re released from injured reserve (often via an injury settlement).

Among those who landed on IR includes Texans DT Marlon Davidson, who remained in his team’s preseason opener after suffering a biceps injury. Vikings lineman Matt Nelson also suffered a biceps injury that will land him on IR. The veteran just joined Minnesota last week.

In addition to bringing back old friend Jeff Wilson, the 49ers made a handful of additional moves today. This includes shifting veteran RB Ameer Abdullah to injured reserve. Abdullah suffered a rib injury that will prevent him from taking the field with San Francisco this season. The veteran is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2024, when he compiled 572 yards from scrimmage in 16 games (three starts) with the Raiders. The 49ers also added defensive lineman Trevis Gipson, who started 19 games for the Bears between 2021 and 2022.

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