Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy Returns To Practice; Carson Wentz Dealing With Shoulder Injury
The Vikings are currently on their bye after two straight overseas games. It remains to be seen what their quarterback situation will be for Week 7, but J.J. McCarthy is making strides toward a return. 
Minnesota’s 2025 starter took part in practice Monday. That development came after McCarthy was sidelined through each of the past three weeks due to a high ankle sprain. The Vikings have not rushed the 2024 first-rounder back onto the field, relying on Wentz to handle starting duties in Week 3 as well as both of their international contests. With McCarthy participating in practice, though, he could be in line to return in time for Week 7.
“J.J. got some work today, and he’ll get some work the rest of the week,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said (via Emily Leiker of the Minnesota Star Tribune). “We’ll pick it up officially next week, but I’m encouraged about where he’s at right now.”
McCarthy missed his entire rookie campaign while recovering from meniscus surgery, but he was the Vikings’ unquestioned QB1 entering this season. His first action atop the depth chart did not go according to plan, aside from a strong fourth quarter in Week 1. That no doubt played a role in O’Connell declining to conclusively state McCarthy will reprise his role as starter once he is fully healed. By next week, though, Wentz may not be in position to play even if that were to be the team’s presence.
Wentz injured his left (that is, non-throwing) shoulder during Minnesota’s comeback win against the Browns on Sunday. O’Connell noted the 32-year-old was “pretty sore” upon returning from London. The coming days will be key in evaluating his status for Week 7. It will be interesting to see how the Vikings proceed at the quarterback spot if both McCarthy and Wentz are available by that point.
Minnesota sits at 3-2 on the year and a stable run of play from the quarterback spot will be key in determining if another playoff berth proves to be attainable. The team’s long-term plans will of course depend largely on McCarthy’s development, a process which could resume as early as Week 7 against the Eagles.
Lions CB Terrion Arnold To Miss Time
OCTOBER 7: Arnold’s injury could end his season, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (video link). He adds additional opinions are being sought out at this point. More clarity could emerge soon in this case as a result.
OCTOBER 6: The Lions’ depth at the cornerback spot has taken another hit. Detroit is already without Ennis Rakestraw and D.J. Reed, and Terrion Arnold is now sidelined as well. 
When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Dan Campbell said Arnold will be out for “a while” due to a shoulder injury (video link). It is unclear at this point if the ailment will prove to be season-ending. In any case, losing Arnold for an extended period will deal a notable blow to Detroit’s’ secondary.
[RELATED: Lions Among Suitors For Tre Hawkins]
Rakestraw landed on injured reserve this summer, meaning his 2025 campaign was over before it started. Reed, meanwhile, was moved to IR last week as a result of a hamstring injury. Reed will miss at least the next three games. Even when he comes back, though, depth at the cornerback spot will be an issue provided Arnold’s absence lasts as long as the team fears it will.
The 2024 first-rounder logged over 900 snaps as a rookie, and he remained a starter on the perimeter to begin the current campaign. Arnold was in line to have his workload reduced, but the Reed injury made it difficult to keep him off the field. Now, both of the Lions’ projected boundary starters will be unavailable for the time being. Rakestraw’s absence will be acutely felt since he would have been a candidate to take on a notable role in the wake of these other injuries.
Nevertheless, the 4-1 Lions will be tasked with moving forward without several key players at the CB spot. Amik Robertson could find himself in a full-time role on the outside despite being best suited to the slot. Rock Ya-Sin, Tre Flowers and Avonte Maddox are also in the fold at this point; some or each of them could be in store for a notable uptick in workload through the remainder of the campaign.
The Lions entered Monday with over $26MM in cap space. Finances will therefore not be an issue if one or more cornerback additions are to be pursued in the near future.
Recent Broncos Extensions Highlight Post-Russell Wilson Recovery
The Russell Wilson miss remains a central part of the Broncos' roster construction, even though the now-well-traveled quarterback is two teams removed from his Denver stay. Year 2 of the Wilson contract's dead money albatross has undercut the Broncos' ability to build around Bo Nix's rookie contract.
Wilson remains the top single-player cap hit on Denver's payroll -- by a wide margin. Although the Broncos absorbed the larger blow last year by taking on $53MM in dead cap, Wilson's $32MM 2025 number leads the Denver payroll by nearly $10MM. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey's $23.78MM sits second. The historic miss, though somewhat overshadowed by the Browns' cataclysmic Deshaun Watson decision (which occurred barely a week later in March 2022), has handicapped Sean Payton's team. But the Broncos have built a 2025 contender regardless.
A mix of investments from Payton's time in control join players brought in during GM George Paton's two years at the controls, while left tackle Garett Bolles and wide receiver Courtland Sutton remain from John Elway's GM tenure. The Broncos are 3-2, having become the first team to hand the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles a loss in a game Jalen Hurts finished since Week 4 of last season. Reaching this place amid the reality of the record-setting Wilson dead money hit reflects well on the Payton-Paton partnership, one that certainly did not look like a long-term fit.
Jets’ Breece Hall, Alijah Vera-Tucker Could Draw Trade Interest
Sunday’s loss dropped the Jets to 0-5 on the season. As the new regime led by general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn approaches its first trade deadline, a seller’s stance would certainly come as no surprise. 
Provided New York shows a willingness to move on from one or more players over the coming weeks, a few notable names could be mentioned rather frequently in the near future. Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reports the Jets are among the teams viewed as likely sellers ahead of the deadline. Colleague Eric Williams adds guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is a potential trade candidate.
Vera-Tucker suffered a triceps tear shortly before the start of the regular season. He is out for the campaign as a result, adding further to the injury woes the former first-rounder has dealt with. After playing just 12 games between the 2022 and ’23 campaigns, Vera-Tucker managed to log 15 appearances last season. Given his latest major ailment, though, suitors would not be acquiring the 26-year-old as a blocker capable of contributing this season.
Vera-Tucker is currently attached to his fifth-year option, which carries a salary of $15.31MM for 2025. Paying out the remainder of that figure for a player who continues to rehab could of course be a tall task for an acquiring team. Still, if a suitor viewed the USC product as the target of a deal beyond 2025, acquiring him via trade would prevent the need to win a bidding war in free agency. Likewise, the Jets would be in line for 2026 draft compensation through trade as opposed to a 2027 compensatory pick in the event of a departure on the open market next spring.
Elsewhere on the Jets’ roster, running back Breece Hall is still the subject of speculation regarding a trade. Glenn assured the 24-year-old he would not be dealt this past offseason, but as of August a swap remained something to watch for as the campaign unfolded. Given the start to the season, the Jets are not in contention for a playoff berth. That could increase Mougey’s willingness to swing a deal, although moving on from Hall – who is playing out the final year of his rookie contract – would leave the Jets thin in the backfield given Braelon Allen‘s long-term knee injury.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes New York has provided “no indication” Hall is being shopped. A deal allowing him to remain with the Jets could of course still be possible after the campaign, although with a regime other than the one which drafted the former second-rounder now in place, a departure would not be entirely surprising. Hall has yet to score a touchdown this season, but he has averaged an impressive six yards per touch, the highest figure in that regard since his rookie campaign.
The 2025 trade deadline falls on the afternoon of November 4. Plenty of time remains for key decisions to be made until that point, but the Jets could field offers on a number of players over the coming weeks.
Bengals Open To QB Change?
Ahead of yesterday’s game, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor expressed confidence in Jake Browning‘s ability to handle quarterback duties in place of Joe Burrow. After another poor outing, though, things could change soon. 
Browning wound up throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns during Sunday’s loss to the Lions. However, much of that production (and all three scores) came during the fourth quarter with Cincinnati trailing by a large margin. Browning’s early showing included three interceptions, and after the game Taylor seemed to leave the door open to a change under center.
“After a game like that, we’re going to look at all personnel to make sure we’re doing the right thing,” Taylor said (via ESPN’s Ben Baby). “I won’t shy away from that because it’s a very fair question after the amount of turnovers that we had.”
Browning has thrown eight interceptions on just 124 pass attempts since taking over from an injured Burrow. Ending Cincinnati’s three-game losing streak will require an improved showing in terms of avoiding turnovers, something which could be brought about by a switch at the quarterback spot. Brett Rypien is currently second on the depth chart, while in-season signings Mike White and Sean Clifford reside on the practice squad.
To date, the Bengals have yet to make inquiries about a trade aimed at shoring up the QB position. As long as Burrow remains on track to return at some point late in the year following toe surgery, Cincinnati could continue looking internally. That approach could still see Browning handling QB1 duties – Taylor added in his post-game press conference he remains confident in the 29-year-old – but it will be interesting to see what changes are made on offense over the next few days.
Regardless of what happens under center, improving on defense will be critical if the Bengals are to contend for a postseason berth. The team ranks 30th in points and yards allowed and sits at 2-3 on the year. Defense was a major issue last season and that has remained the case early in 2025. Taylor and his staff will have a number of important decisions to make before visiting the Packers in Week 6.
Chargers To Place Omarion Hampton On IR
The Chargers’ backfield will be considerably shorthanded for the time being. Omarion Hampton suffered an ankle injury during yesterday’s game. 
After the contest, the first-round rookie was seen in a walking boot (h/t Daniel Popper of The Athletic). Further testing has clearly not produced an encouraging prognosis. Hampton will be placed on injured reserve, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced on Monday (via Popper).
As a result, Los Angeles’ lead back will be sidelined for at least the next four games. Week 10 marks the earliest point at which Hampton could be back in the fold, although the Bolts’ bye is set for Week 12. Depending on the severity of this injury, it could take until past that point for the Chargers to have him available again.
Free agency saw Los Angeles sign Najee Harris to a one-year contract. The former Steeler suffered an Achilles tear early in his debut Chargers campaign, however, an injury which prevented the team from using a tandem approach in the backfield. Hampton logged 12 or more carries in four of his first five career games, and a similar workload no doubt would have been in store through the remainder of the campaign. Instead, the North Carolina product will turn his attention to recovery.
Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal represent the top candidates to take on running back responsibilities with Harris and now Hampton out of the picture. Those two have combined to handle 111 carries in the regular season in their respective careers. Leaning more on the passing game could be a priority, although with offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt also injured that will of course be challenging.
The Chargers began the campaign with three straight wins against AFC West opponents. They have since lost two straight, and injuries on offense could become a key issue through the middle portion of the campaign. Los Angeles will move forward with a depleted backfield beginning with a Week 6 contest in Miami.
Colts Work Out Kendall Fuller, Lewis Cine
The Colts worked out defensive backs Kendall Fuller and Lewis Cine on Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports. Those two join Tre Hawkins as free agent DBs on the Colts’ radar.
At 4-1, Indianapolis has emerged as one of the NFL’s most unexpected success stories early in 2025. After a 40-6 dismantling of the Raiders on Sunday, the Colts’ defense ranks third in the league in points per game allowed (17.8). Nevertheless, the team is on the lookout for help in the secondary after starting cornerback Xavien Howard abruptly retired last week.
Like Howard, Fuller comes with an extensive resume in the NFL. A third-round pick in 2016, the 30-year-old has amassed 128 appearances, 104 starts, and 16 interceptions in nine seasons divided among Washington, Kansas City, and Miami.
In 2024, his lone season with the Dolphins, Fuller started in all 11 of his games and racked up 50 tackles with seven passes defensed. Fuller failed to pick off a pass for the first time since 2019, though, and the Dolphins released him in February.
Cine, a safety, entered the league as a first-round selection (No. 32) of the Vikings in 2022. The former Georgia Bulldog hasn’t established himself in the pros, however, thanks in part to a gruesome injury that derailed his rookie season. Cine suffered a compound fracture of his left leg during the third game of his career and had to undergo multiple surgeries to repair it. The 26-year-old has played in just eight regular-season games since then (seven with the Vikings in 2023, one with the Bills in 2024), and he hasn’t been a factor on defense. Almost all of his snaps (134 of 144) have come on special teams.
Cine, who ended last season with the Super Bowl-winning Eagles, has been available since they waived him from IR last month. That came after he dealt with another leg injury during the preseason.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/6/25
The latest practice squad updates from around the NFL…
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Marlon Davidson
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Isaiah Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Raheem Blackshear, S Jack Henderson
Davidson is returning to the Houston organization almost two months after it waived him from IR with an injury settlement in mid-August. The former Auburn Tiger entered the NFL as a second-round pick (47th overall) of the Falcons in 2020, but he has since combined for just four starts and two sacks in 24 games between Atlanta and Tennessee.
After waiving him over the weekend, the Jets are quickly reuniting with Williams. The 24-year-old committed a costly turnover in a loss to the Dolphins last Monday when he fumbled the opening kickoff return of the second half. He later opted to fair catch a punt at the Jets’ 3-yard line in the fourth quarter. The Jets opened the season with Xavier Gipson as their returner, but they cut him after a Week 1 fumble in a loss to the Steelers. With Isaiah Williams and Gipson unable to hold down the job, Avery Williams handled return duties in the Jets’ loss to the Cowboys on Sunday. He avoided fumbles while averaging 26.6 yards on five kickoff returns and 10.3 yards on four punt runbacks.
Chargers To Open LB Denzel Perryman’s Practice Window
The Chargers have gone without injured linebacker Denzel Perryman for almost the entire season, but a return is on the horizon. The team plans to open Perryman’s practice window this week, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced (via Kris Rihm of ESPN). When that becomes official, the Chargers will have 21 days to activate Perryman from injured reserve.
[RELATED: Omarion Hampton Heads To IR]
The Chargers won their season opener over the AFC West rival Chiefs in Brazil on Sept. 5, but they lost Perryman to a high ankle sprain after he took just eight defensive snaps. While the team went on to a 3-0 start without Perryman, it has since dropped back-to-back games to the Giants and Commanders to fall to 3-2.
Thanks to their two-game skid, the Chargers now own the same record as the division-rival Broncos. The reigning AFC champion Chiefs could join those two as the division’s third 3-2 club if they pull out a road win over the Jaguars on Monday.
With Perryman out of commission, Troy Dye has taken over as a starter at linebacker alongside Daiyan Henley. Dye, mostly a backup for the Vikings and Chargers from 2020-24, has totaled 36 tackles and a sack this year. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranks his performance a respectable 30th among 74 qualifiers at his position.
At the very least, the Chargers seem to have a capable fallback option in Dye, which is important in light of Perryman’s extensive injury history. Along with already missing four full games in 2025, Perryman sat out either five or six contests in each of the previous three seasons. The 32-year-old has missed at least two games in all 11 of his NFL seasons since the Chargers chose him in the second round of the 2015 draft.
After stints with the Raiders and Texans, Perryman reunited with the Chargers before the 2024 campaign. He picked up 55 tackles and a sack in 11 games last season, leading the Chargers to re-sign the former Pro Bowler to a a one-year, $3.65MM deal in March.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/6/25
Today’s minor moves from around the NFL…
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: TE Tip Reiman
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed from practice squad: TE Quintin Morris
- Released: RB Cody Schrader
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: DT Marlon Tuipulotu
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: TE Nick Vannett
- Waived: G Vershon Lee
Reiman suffered a season-ending right ankle injury in a loss to the Titans on Sunday and will spend the rest of the year on IR. The blocking tight end and Trey McBride backup logged 98 offensive snaps and 50 on special teams during the first five weeks of the season. He also caught three of five targets for 18 yards.
Morris, already elevated three times from the Jaguars’ practice squad this year, signed to their active roster before Monday’s matchup against the Chiefs. The 28-year-old has played just three offensive snaps this season, though he has seen action on about 54 percent of special teams snaps. A member of the Bills from 2022-24, Morris has tallied 15 catches, 146 yards, and three touchdowns in 48 games in the NFL.
After receiving a standard elevation from the practice squad, Tuipulotu is in line to play his second game of the season on Monday. The 6-foot-2, 307-pounder took three defensive snaps in the Chiefs’ loss to the Chargers in Week 1.
Vannett appeared in three of the Vikings’ first five games before they released him. He only took the field for four offensive snaps and 20 on special teams.