Giants Not Considering Coaching Changes
Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is under fire after his unit allowed 33 points in the fourth quarter to blow a 19-point lead in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos.
Star edge rusher Brian Burns expressed his frustration with Bowen’s late-game play-calling as he walked into the locker room (via Bleacher Report’s James Palmer), and New York’s defense as a whole has struggled in their first seven games this season. The Giants are among the bottom 10 teams in points, yards, and yards per play allowed, with plenty of trouble against the run and the pass.
However, head coach Brian Daboll said on Monday (via The Athletic’s Charlotte Carroll) that he is not considering any immediate changes to his coaching staff and plans to keep play-calling duties with his coordinators.
“We all got to do a better job,” Daboll said. “Starts with me, and there’s plenty of opportunities to finish that game the way we wanted to. We didn’t get the job done.”
Both Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen were thought to be on the hot seat entering the 2025 season, but the emergence of rookie Jaxson Dart as a potential franchise quarterback may give them a longer leash. The Giants’ ownership (and fans) may still demand accountability if they have a third-straight losing season, especially if their final record resembles last year’s 3-14 debacle. The offense has improved, but the defense seems to have regressed. If that continues, it could be Bowen who finds himself out of a job in 2026, but he is safe for now.
Panthers To Add QB Mike White To Practice Squad
As Bryce Young nurses a high ankle sprain that’s expected to sideline him for at least Week 8, the Panthers are adding some quarterback depth. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Panthers are signing Mike White to their practice squad.
[RELATED: Panthers QB Bryce Young Dealing With High Ankle Sprain]
After being drafted by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, White embarked on a tour of the AFC East. He had a notable stop in New York, where he went 2-5 in seven starts with the Jets. That stint still represents the majority of his career tape, and he ended his stint with the team having completed 62.2 percent of his passes for 2,145 yards, eight touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
He spent the 2023 campaign serving as the QB2 in Miami behind Tua Tagovailoa, but after getting leaped on the depth chart by Skylar Thompson, he was cut loose at the end of the 2024 preseason. He ended up catching on with the Bills practice squad, where he’d spend the majority of the 2024 campaign.
White was among Buffalo’s final cuts at the end of this past preseason. He had a brief stop on the Bengals practice squad following Joe Burrow‘s injury, but he was cut loose a few weeks after signing.
Now, he’ll resurface in Carolina, where Young’s injury carries a recovery timeframe of two to four weeks. Andy Dalton will be the stopgap, and the Panthers will be counting on the veteran to carry the momentum from their active three-game winning streak. White will be an option to serve as the temporary QB2, although the Panthers are also rostering Hendon Hooker on their practice squad.
Cowboys To Designate C Cooper Beebe, CB Shavon Revel For Return
The Cowboys are designating center Cooper Beebe and cornerback Shavon Revel for return, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Both players will participate in practice this week.
Beebe landed on injured reserve after Week 2 with an ankle sprain and a foot fracture. Coming back after five weeks with a three-week practice window aligns neatly with his original six- to eight-week return timeline. The 2024 third-rounder took over a starting job as a rookie and appeared in 16 games last year, though the Cowboys had one of the worst rushing attacks in the league.
Dallas’ offense has not skipped a beat without Beebe, averaging 32.4 points. per game over their last five contests. Backup Brock Hoffman has played well enough, but Dak Prescott will no doubt be glad to have his starting center back in the lineup.
Revel, a third-round pick in April’s draft, has been on the non-football injury list since July as he completes his recovery from last year’s ACL tear. The Cowboys were hoping that he would be ready by Week 5, but the rookie cornerback will miss that mark by at least three weeks.
Revel impressed during his time at Eastern Carolina and has the talent to contribute right away. However, coming back from a major injury after missing all of the preseason will likely require a multi-week ramp up and keep him from reinforcing the Cowboys’ bottom-ranked passing defense anytime soon.
The Cowboys also designated linebacker DeMarvion Overshown for return on Monday, so they could have as many as three impact players return in the next month. All three will have 21 days to practice with the team before they must be activated to the 53-man roster or revert to season-ending IR.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/20/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Colton Dowell
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB David Long Jr.
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Brayden Willis
David Long Jr. brings some experience to Indy’s practice squad, as the veteran defensive back has seen time in 79 career games. This included a 13-game showing with the Colts in 2024, although all but nine of his 117 snaps came on special teams. If he finds his way to the active roster, he’ll likely be eyeing a similar role this time around.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/20/25
Today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed from practice squad: CB Arthur Maulet
- Elevated: CB Tre Flowers, S Loren Strickland
- Released: LB Ty Summers
Houston Texans
- Elevated: CB D’Angelo Ross
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers (from Chargers): LB Caleb Murphy
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: CB Shaquill Griffin, S Jerrick Reed II
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: G Mike Jordan, RB Owen Wright
It didn’t take long for Arthur Maulet to earn a full-time spot on the Lions active roster. The veteran cornerback just joined the organization earlier this month, and he already had one promotion in Week 6. He’ll likely continue seeing a rotational role in Detroit’s secondary moving forward, although his addition is partly due to absences from Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed.
The Patriots snagged a linebacker from the Chargers today. Caleb Murphy has some familiarity with Mike Vrabel, as the former Titans coach added the linebacker as an undrafted free agent back in 2023. Murphy has gotten into 14 games in stints with the Titans and Chargers, compiling 17 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
WR Tyler Lockett Granted Release By Titans
Tyler Lockett‘s stint in Tennessee has unceremoniously come to an end. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the veteran wideout asked for and was granted his release by the Titans today. The move allows Lockett to sign with another team after 4pmET on Wednesday.
After spending 10 seasons in Seattle to begin his career, Lockett was released by the Seahawks this past offseason. He quickly caught on with the Titans via a one-year, $4MM deal. The hope was that the receiver would provide another experienced target for Cam Ward, but the acquisition clearly wasn’t clicking with his new offense.
Through seven games, Lockett has hauled in 10 of his 21 targets for 70 yards. While he’s garnered the third-most snaps among Titans receivers, his role has been trending downwards in recent weeks. This seemed to culminate yesterday, when the 33-year-old was firmly playing as the WR4 despite Calvin Ridley being sidelined with a hamstring injury.
This move should now work out for both sides. The 1-6 Titans will get an opportunity to get a longer look at their younger wideouts, including Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, who hauled in his first-career touchdown during yesterday’s loss. Paul Kuharsky wonders if the Titans may also lean more into two tight end sets, which would presumably consist of Chig Okonkwo and Gunnar Helm.
For Lockett, the veteran will have an opportunity to catch on with a more competitive squad, although he may be hard pressed to find a significant role with a new team. Lockett’s numbers dropped a bit during his final seasons in Seattle, including a 2024 campaign where he finished with 49 receptions for 600 yards and two touchdowns.
This was a far cry from the four-straight 1,000-yard campaigns he put up between 2019 and 2022, and his recent role in Tennessee could indicate that he doesn’t have a whole lot left in the tank. At the very least, the veteran can now ride off into the sunset with a team that’s perhaps destined for the postseason.
Bills Designate CB Maxwell Hairston For Return
Maxwell Hairston is moving closer to his NFL debut. The first-round rookie had his practice window opened by the Bills on Monday, per the transactions wire. 
Last week, head coach Sean McDermott indicated a return to practice would be coming shortly. As such. today’s news comes as little surprise. The Bills now have 21 days to activate Hairston and avoid having him revert to season-ending injured reserve.
During roster cutdowns, Buffalo moved Hairston to IR with a return designation. That used up one of the team’s IR activations, meaning another will not be needed once the 22-year-old is officially brought back into the fold. More importantly, having Hairston available will provide a boost to Buffalo’s secondary – a unit which may be without fellow rookie Dorian Strong the rest of the way – as early as Week 8 as the team returns from its bye.
The Bills sit second in the NFL in pass defense, but their play against the run has been an issue so far. Buffalo has surrendered an average of 156 yards per game on the ground, the second-worst figure in the league. Adding Hairston to the mix is unlikely to make much of a different against the run, but the Kentucky product could certainly help a defense which has posted just two interceptions to date.
Over the course of his college career, Hairston posted six interceptions. Five of those came in 2023, although his lone pick from last season was returned for a touchdown. The 5-11, 183-pounder will look to add a playmaking element to Buffalo’s cornerback room early and often in his career. The Bills have Christian Benford and Tre’Davious White atop the depth chart for perimeter corners; Hairston will look to compete with the latter for playing time upon being activated.
Lions DT Alim McNeill To Make Season Debut In Week 7
OCTOBER 20: With no setbacks having taken place in recent days, McNeill is indeed set to make his debut tonight. The Lions have activated him from the reserve/PUP list, per a team announcement.
OCTOBER 15: After returning to practice earlier this month, Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill is nearing his long-awaited season debut. Head coach Dan Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket on Wednesday that McNeill will suit up against the Buccaneers in Week 7 in a showdown between NFC contenders (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
“Barring something happening this week, Alim’s fricking playing, man,” Campbell said.
McNeill, now in his fifth season, has emerged as an integral piece of Detroit’s defensive line since the team chose him in the third round of the 2021 draft. After mostly working as a reserve as a rookie, the 6-foot-2, 310-pounder has started in all 44 appearances since his second year. McNeill totaled 25 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 14 games last season before suffering a torn ACL in a mid-December loss to the Bills.
Now 10 months removed from his injury, the 25-year-old McNeill is ready to return to action. Notably, Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of McNeil landing a four-year, $97MM contract extension. Considering the Lions’ investment in McNeil, they may ease him back in upon his return. The Lions have a bye following their matchup with the Buccaneers, which will give McNeill a week to rest after his first game back.
Although he missed the Lions’ last three regular-season games, McNeil still led their defensive tackles in snaps in 2024. D.J. Reader has paced the group this year, while first-round rookie Tyleik Williams has received the second-most snaps. Roy Lopez, Pat O’Connor, and Tyler Lacy have also gotten a good chunk of playing time in depth roles during McNeill’s absence.
Despite going without McNeill this season, Detroit’s defense still ranks fourth in the NFL in sacks and ninth in yards per game, though it’s a middle-of-the-pack 15th in points per contest. With the 4-2 Lions looking to bounce back from a loss to the Chiefs and down a few key defenders in their secondary (D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, and Brian Branch if his one-game suspension holds up), McNeill will be a welcome reinforcement against the Bucs (5-1), the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Commanders DE Dorance Armstrong Out For Season
The Commanders’ defensive front will be shorthanded for the remainder of the campaign. Dorance Armstrong suffered a knee injury on Sunday, and he will not be able to return in 2025. 
Earlier today, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reported Armstrong was seeking out a second opinion on his injury. Since then, head coach Dan Quinn has announced the veteran defensive end is out for the year. The news deals a blow to Washington’s defensive front, a unit which Armstrong was leading.
The Commanders rank fifth in the NFL with 19 sacks in 2025. A team-high 5.5 of those have come from Armstrong, so his loss will be acutely felt. The 28-year-old has reached five or more sacks every year since 2021, and he has remained a productive contributor for Washington after his time in Dallas. Following head coach Dan Quinn from one team to the other last spring, Armstrong operated as a full-time starter during his first year in the nation’s capital.
In 2025, the former fourth-rounder’s playing time dropped compared to his career-high workload from last season. Still, it will be challenging for the Commanders to replace Armstrong while looking to take needed steps forward elsewhere on defense. Washington sits just 27th in total defense at the moment, something which has played a crucial role in the team’s 3-4 record and overall struggles compared to last year.
Armstrong is under contract through 2026, although none of his base salary for next season ($8.6MM) is guaranteed. As such, a restructure amounting to a pay cut could be in store based on his missed time to close out the current campaign. Keeping the Kansas product in the fold will no doubt be a priority for the Commanders this offseason, but his value has obviously taken a hit with this news.
In the meantime, Washington will move forward with a pass rush group led by Von Miller, Jacob Martin and hybrid linebacker Frankie Luvu. The Commanders recently signed Drake Jackson, but as planned he was moved to injured reserve shortly after being added. As such, Washington could be in the market for an EDGE addition ahead of the trade deadline.
Texans Activate Denico Autry, Jaylen Reed
Shortly before their 21-day activations windows closed, both Denico Autry and Jaylen Reed are back in the fold. Both defenders were activated by the Texans on Monday, per a team announcement. 
Autry was moved to the reserve/PUP list during roster cutdowns. Reed, meanwhile, was classified as injured reserve-designated for return at that time. In both cases, an absence of at least the first four games of the season was guaranteed. Both players returned to practice at the beginning of October, opening their three-week activation windows.
Most of that time has been used up, but the timing of today’s move ensures Autry and Reed will be in the fold moving forward. They are both on the active roster in time to play in tonight’s contest against the Seahawks. Houston already has the league’s No. 1 defense in terms of points allowed per game (12.2), and that unit will now have reinforcements.
Autry dealt with a lingering knee injury dating back to last season while preparing for the current campaign. Upon returning from suspension last year, the 35-year-old posted three sacks in 10 games. That marked a notable decline relative to his highly productive Titans stint prior to arriving in Houston. Still, the 12th-year veteran will offer solid depth to the pass rush tandem of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.
Reed was taken in the sixth round of April’s draft. He will look to provide depth at the safety spot, something which would be welcomed after the decision to move on from C.J. Gardner-Johnson during the season. A large special teams workload could await Reed during his rookie campaign. The Texans still have seven of their eight allotted IR activations for the season since designating Reed for return in August used one.
In a corresponding move, cornerback Zion Childress has been waived. The undrafted rookie made a pair of appearances with Dallas before signing to Houston’s active roster. That did not result in further playing time, though, and Childress will now hit the waiver wire.