49ers Activate Malik Mustapha From Reserve/PUP List
The 49ers will get a key defender back in time for their Week 6 matchup with the Buccaneers. The team announced that it has activated safety Malik Mustapha from the reserve/PUP list.
Mustapha will return to the field on Sunday for the first time since he suffered a right ACL injury in Week 18 last year. That was a sour ending to an impressive rookie season for Mustapha. The former Wake Forest defender played in 16 games (12 starts) and totaled 72 tackles, five passes defensed, and an interception in 2024.
Without Mustapha (and several other injured players) around this year, the 49ers have still managed a 4-1 start. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has deployed safeties Marques Sigle and Jason Pinnock on 100 percent of snaps in Mustapha’s absence. Ji’Ayir Brown has seen action on just over 15 percent of snaps. Mustapha should reemerge as an important part of the back end of San Francisco’s defense, leading to less playing time for any or all of Sigle, Pinnock, and Brown.
Along with activating Mustapha, the 49ers elevated defensive lineman Trevis Gipson from their practice squad and waived fellow D-lineman Robert Beal Jr.
Gipson is getting his second standard elevation of the season after playing 14 snaps (eight on defense, six on special teams) in a win over the Rams in Week 5. Beal has appeared in one game this year, the 49ers’ loss to the Jaguars in Week 4, and played 30 snaps (12 on defense, 18 on special teams).
AFC Workout Rumors: Burks, Simmons, Ravens
The Titans finally gave up on their 2022 first-round pick earlier this month when they waived wide receiver Treylon Burks with an injury settlement. Burks cleared waivers without getting claimed, but now that teams have an opportunity to kick his tires, there’s been plenty of interest in the 25-year-old. 
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Broncos appear to be the first team that will host the Arkansas product, whom Rapoport calls one of the top free agents available. Burks first jumped on NFL radars during a COVID-shortened season in his sophomore campaign with the Razorbacks. In only nine games, Burks caught 51 passes for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. He took another step forward in his junior year with a stat line of 66-1,104-11 and heard his name called on the first night of the draft as the 18th player off the board.
Injuries limited Burks in his rookie season, holding him out for six games, but he still showed a ton of promise in the games he did play. He boasted a stat line of 33-444-1 with six starts in 11 games. He missed six games again in Year 2, and though he earned more starts (9), his effectiveness plummeted. He caught barely over half his targets for a 16-221-0 stat line. The start of Year 3 saw him falling down the depth chart, only seeing eight targets in five games before being placed on injured reserve needing ACL surgery.
Burks was recovering well and starting to turn heads in training camp before a diving catch led to a fractured collarbone and placement on IR. Burks received his medical clearance, got released, and will now follow up on all the reported interest. If his visit with the Broncos goes well, he could join a Denver receiving corps that lacks depth behind Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, and Marvin Mims.
Here are a few other workout reports from around the NFL:
- The Steelers worked out former first-round pick Isaiah Simmons earlier this week, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. A versatile defender at Clemson with projections at both safety and linebacker, Simmons was utilized as a linebacker after Arizona drafted him eighth overall in 2020. He started 37 games over his first three years with the team, often showing impressive pass defense but struggling to stop the run. He even requested a move back to the secondary, and though it was announced, his usage remained largely the same. After declining his fifth-year option, the Cardinals traded him to the Giants, who rotated him in at linebacker and played him on special teams. He signed with the Packers in the 2025 offseason but failed to make the initial 53-man roster. Simmons looked to earn an opportunity in Pittsburgh, where Malik Harrison‘s placement on IR has thinned out the linebacking corps a bit, but no deal appears to have resulted from the visit.
- Cashing in on reported interest from earlier in the week, the Ravens hosted cornerback Tre Hawkins for a workout yesterday, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Currently on track to give up the most points in NFL history with an extremely injury-riddled defense, Baltimore has recently made three veteran additions to their secondary, trading for former Chargers safety Alohi Gilman, signing cornerback Amani Oruwariye, and adding safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to their practice squad over the last two weeks. Hawkins could be next to join Baltimore’s ailing defense. After getting significant run as a sixth-round rookie for the Giants, earning three starts while appearing in every game of the 2023 season, Hawkins’ sophomore campaign was hampered by injuries, most notably a spine injury that ended his season. New York let him go with an injury settlement shortly after the start of the season, and after clearing waivers, multiple teams have expressed interest. No deal immediately resulted from the Baltimore workout, but his situation is worth keeping an eye on.
NFC Injury Updates: Commanders, Lions, Mooney
The Commanders will head into a Monday night showdown against the Bears with a shorthanded receiving corps. Terry McLaurin (quad) and Noah Brown (groin) will miss the game, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
This will be the third straight absence for McLaurin, which isn’t what the Commanders had in mind when they signed the two-time Pro Bowler to a three-year, $87MM extension in late August. The agreement came after a well-publicized standoff between the two sides. The 30-year-old has caught 10 of 17 targets for 149 yards and no touchdowns in three games this season.
Washington has gone even longer without Brown, who hasn’t played since a Week 2 loss to the Packers. After a 35-catch 2024, his first season with the Commanders, Brown has hauled in three of seven targets for 36 yards in two games this year.
First-year Commander and former 49er Deebo Samuel has served as the team’s top target in McLaurin’s absence. Luke McCaffrey, who’s behind Brown on the depth chart, pulled in a 50-yard reception in a win over the Chargers last week. While McCaffrey only has seven catches this year, he has averaged 20.9 yards per grab and scored a pair of TDs.
More NFC injury updates heading into Week 6:
- The Lions will face the Chiefs on Sunday without starting left tackle Taylor Decker. The 10th-year man will miss his second game in a row as a result of a shoulder injury. Worsening matters for the Lions, they’ve also ruled out backup tackle Giovanni Manu. After making his first career start in place of Decker last week, Manu is down with a knee injury. With Decker and Manu unavailable, Dan Skipper is expected to start at left tackle in Kansas City.
- The Falcons will go without receiver Darnell Mooney on Monday against the Bills, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports. Mooney, who’s dealing with a hamstring injury, will miss his second game of the season. He missed a Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers after suffering a shoulder injury in late July. With 64 catches, 992 yards, and five touchdowns in his first season with the Falcons in 2024, the former Bear enjoyed one of the best years of his career. His production has dropped over three games this year, though, with Mooney having caught seven of 16 targets for 79 yards. No. 1 receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, and running back Bijan Robinson are the only Falcons with double-digit receptions this season.
Jags DE Travon Walker To Return In Week 6
Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker missed Week 5 after undergoing surgery on his left wrist, but he will limit his absence to one game and play on Sunday against the Seahawks, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco.
Walker was seen at practice sporting a hefty club (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) and seems prepared to play without the full use of his left hand.
The former No. 1 overall pick from Georgia disappointed as a rookie with just three sacks and five tackles for loss, but he lived up to his draft status in 2023 and 2024 with 20.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. Walker carried that performance into the 2025 season with two sacks in his first four games before his wrist injury. News of surgery raised concerns about a long-term impact on Walker, but he quickly worked his way back to the field.
After back-to-back 17-game seasons, the durable Walker’s absence this past Monday against the Chiefs was his first since he sat out two contests as a rookie. Even though the Walker-less Jaguars failed to sack Patrick Mahomes, they pulled off a 31-28 home upset and improved to 4-1. Linebacker Devin Lloyd, whom the Jags took 27th overall in the same draft class as Walker, helped lead the way with a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Walker’s comeback this week should help the Jaguars’ cause in a meeting with the Seahawks in Jacksonville. Seattle is averaging 29.2 points per game, good for fifth in the league, and ranks ninth in yardage gained. Sam Darnold has only taken six sacks in his first five games with the Seahawks, but perhaps Walker will add to that total.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Bills To Place T.J. Sanders, Damar Hamlin On IR
The Bills will place defensive tackle T.J. Sanders and safety Damar Hamlin on injured reserve, head coach Sean McDermott announced (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic). Sanders will undergo knee surgery, while Hamlin is dealing with a pectoral injury. Both players will miss at least four games. It’s more likely that Sanders will return than Hamlin this year, McDermott said.
The Bills moved up in last spring’s draft to grab Sanders with the 41st overall pick. The former South Carolina standout has gotten off to a slow start in the NFL. Over four games and 111 defensive snaps, Sanders has picked up two tackles. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranks his performance 115th among 120 qualifying defensive tackles.
Although Sanders has struggled in the early going, losing him is an unwelcome hit to the Bills’ depth. They’ve already gone without their best defensive tackle, Ed Oliver, in every game since his tremendous Week 1 effort in a win over the Ravens. Oliver has been down with an ankle injury over the past few weeks, but he could return against the Falcons on Monday night.
If Oliver comes back this week, he’ll comprise the Bills’ top two at DT alongside DaQuan Jones. Rookie fourth-rounder Deone Walker, who has played well, is also in the mix. The Bills have Zion Logue, Jordan Phillips, and Phidarian Mathis on their practice squad. Offseason free agent addition Larry Ogunjobi will be eligible to return from a six-game PED suspension after Buffalo’s Week 7 bye.
Logue has already received three standard gameday elevations this year, meaning the Bills will have to sign him to their active roster if they want to bring him back for a fourth game. Phillips and Mathis have gotten one call-up apiece, and the former is a candidate for a permanent roster spot in the wake of Sanders’ injury, according to Buscaglia.
Hamlin was a 14-game starter who logged 98% of defensive snaps in 2024, leading the Bills to re-sign him to a one-year, $2MM deal in the offseason. His playing time has significantly decreased this year, though. Hamlin has taken a backseat to second-year safety Cole Bishop and worked on a mere 4.2% of defensive snaps. It’s possible that the Bills will add former All-Pro and current practice squad safety Jordan Poyer to their roster to take Hamlin’s place, Buscaglia reports.
Poyer, now 34, was consistently one of Buffalo’s most valuable defenders during his previous stint with them from 2017-23. After the Bills released him in March 2024, Poyer hooked on with the division-rival Dolphins and made 16 starts for them last season. On the heels of his second straight interception-less year, Poyer went without a deal until the Bills signed him to their practice squad in late August. A month and a half later, Poyer may be on his way back to their active roster.
Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving Out For Week 6, Potentially Longer
Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was ruled out for Week 6, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine. According to her colleague Dan Graziano, Irving may be at risk of missing Week 7 as well.
The second-year running back did not play in Tampa Bay’s last game due to a foot sprain and a shoulder injury that was later revealed to be a subluxation, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Both injuries are expected to heal in two to three weeks, per FOX Sports’ Rick Stroud.
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said (via FOX Sports’ Greg Auman) on Wednesday that Irving is “getting better by the day,” but did not set any expectations for a speedy return. He will likely need to return to practice next week to have a shot at playing in the team’s next game.
Tampa Bay will be more than comfortable turning to Rachaad White and Sean Tucker in the meantime. White has not turned out to be an especially dynamic rusher, but he is among the best pass-catching backs in the league. Tucker flashed with 308 yards on 50 carries (6.2 yards per carry) in 2024 but has just four attempts so far this year. Both should see plenty of touches as long as Irving is out. He was only averaging 3.3 yards per attempt when healthy, so White and Tucker could make strong arguments for their involvement for the rest of the year.
Undrafted rookie running back Josh Williams could have seen his first offensive touches in Irving’s absence, but he entered concussion protocol after Thursday’s practice and was also ruled out for Sunday’s game.
The Buccaneers are dealing with a number of other injuries at other positions. Pro Bowl wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans were ruled out, as were cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison. Bowles said (via team writer Scott Smith) that McCollum played through a thumb injury in Week 5 and had a minor procedure this week. He was seen by Auman sporting a cast and a sling at practice. Morrison has not played since Week 3 due to a hamstring injury and may not be close to returning.
The secondary will have veteran Jamel Dean back in Week 6 after a one-game absence due to a hip injury. He was taken off the injury report entirely and should be full-go on Sunday.
Cowboys RB Miles Sanders Out For Season
Cowboys running back Miles Sanders will miss the rest of the 2025 season due to knee and ankle injuries suffered in Dallas’ Week 4 tie with the Packers.
On Friday, team executive and co-owner Stephen Jones made the announcement on 105.3 The Fan (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota), adding that Sanders would need surgery on his knee. Specifically, he is expected to need a chondral tissue graft, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs underwent a similar procedure in January.
Sanders was Dallas’ No. 2 running back to start the season behind bell-cow starter Javonte Williams. Though he was not a featured part of the offense, Sanders recorded 20 carries for 117 yards while catching all eight of his targets across his eight appearances. His touches will likely go to Jaydon Blue, a fifth-round pick out of Texas. The Cowboys raised some eyebrows by designating Blue as a healthy scratch for his first four games, but he was active in Week 5 with Sanders sidelined. An injury to his veteran teammate will give the rookie running back his first expanded opportunities in the NFL, though Blue will still be a clear second-fiddle to Williams.
“We’re so fired up about what Jaydon Blue can do for this offense,” said Jones.
Sanders, meanwhile, is on a one-year deal for close to the veteran minimum. He will have to rehab in Dallas before he hits free agency next spring ahead of his age-29 season. He will likely need to take a ‘prove it’ deal to show that he can come back from a major injury and surgery as he approaches the traditional running back brightline of 30 years old.
The Cowboys are expected to move Sanders to season-ending injured reserve, though they have yet to officially make the move.
NFL Mailbag: Cardinals, Steelers, Cowboys, Tua, Herbert, Dolphins
The debut of the Pro Football Rumors mailbag looks into the Cardinals' potential offseason moves, the Steelers' future under center, the question of whether the Cowboys can end their Super Bowl drought and Dolphins' Tua vs. Herbert debate.
Ben asks:
If the Cardinals continue on their current trajectory and definitively look like the worst team in the NFC West, this has to be considered a major disappointment after they entered the season with postseason aspirations.
Assuming they miss the postseason and finish around .500, what changes (or lack thereof) do you anticipate this offseason? Will they double down and invest more on pieces surrounding Kyler [Murray]? Could a rebuild be in the cards (including moving on from Murray altogether)?
Year 1 of the Monti Ossenfort-Jonathan Gannon regime resulted in four wins, but that figure doubled last year. That meant another step forward and playoff contention was a reasonable expectation for 2025, and I would agree falling short (at least by a wide margin) would be a notable disappointment. But the first five weeks of the year certainly suggest Arizona should be in the mix.
The Cardinals won two straight one-score games before their current streak of three consecutive losses on game-ending field goals. Sunday’s blown lead – especially given the Emari Demercado goal line fumble – cannot be repeated if Arizona is going to contend in the NFC West with the division's other teams starting a combined 10-5. Still, a wild-card berth will be in reach if the Cards wind up back on the right side of those close games moving forward.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Out Until He Can Return To Dual-Threat Nature
The Ravens still have tomorrow to make final injury designations for their Week 6 matchup against the visiting Rams, but their Friday injury report already lists six players with “out” designations, the most notable of which would be star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Unfortunately, it may be a while until he returns to the field. 
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, team sources have said that “he’s not going to go back out there unless he can be his normal, dual-threat self.” He hasn’t practiced once since injuring his hamstring over a week and a half ago, and depending on the severity, hamstring injuries can take weeks to come back from. There have been reports that Jackson has been rehabbing behind the scenes, getting pool work with the underwater treadmill in the Ravens facility.
Fowler’s report came before the injury report, and he claimed that if Jackson could see the practice field Saturday, there would be a chance of him playing against Los Angeles, but obviously, that’s no longer the case. Instead, the Ravens will either return to Cooper Rush to make his second start in a Ravens jersey, or they’ll return to practice squad passer Tyler Huntley to make his first start in Ravens jersey since 2023.
Likely Rush will be under center to start Sunday. Despite the rough, three-interception performance last weekend, Baltimore paid Rush way too much in free agency to come be the primary backup to just give up on him after one start. And while Huntley has seen success at times as a close fit for Jackson’s gameplan, his effectiveness has waned as team’s get more film on him each year.
On one last note with Jackson, ESPN’s Dan Graziano noted recently that despite Baltimore’s recent efforts to extend key players on expiring deals, there hasn’t been much movement on a new record extension for Jackson. The pressure is mounting to make something happen in that regard as a $75MM cap hit looms on the horizon for the 2026 season.
While one might think this recent injured stretch may give the Ravens the upper hand in negotiations, Jackson’s MVP-level play last year and the massive cap hit lingering as a potential consequence of not finding common ground swing momentum in Jackson’s corner pretty heavily. The two sides have plenty of time to work something out still, but like with their previous contract dispute, this may go down to the wire before seeing an eventual resolution.
Browns Officially Name Shedeur Sanders QB2
After it was announced that rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel had officially been named the Browns’ starting quarterback, there were a lot of questions about why fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders wasn’t moving up the depth chart, as well. With only two healthy quarterbacks on the roster, though, head coach Kevin O’Connell told the media today that Sanders would be the primary backup. 
We covered the reason that Sanders hadn’t been named QB2 when the team’s initial starter, Joe Flacco, was demoted. Essentially, Cleveland didn’t want Sanders’ introduction to the NFL to be him running an offensive gameplan designed for a shorter, shiftier, left-handed quarterback in a desperation setting. Not wanting to see Sanders struggle early, the Browns resolved to keep him off the field unless he was ready to run a gameplan designed around his own capabilities.
This thought process led the team to keep Flacco ahead of Sanders on the depth chart, thinking that Flacco’s leadership and experience would make him more well-suited to the uncomfortable situation of running an unfamiliar offensive gameplan than Sanders. But then, a surprise trade removed Flacco as an option as he made his way southwest to Cincinnati.
Even with Flacco out of the picture, though, the Browns weren’t quite ready to commit to naming Sanders the primary backup behind Gabriel, likely for the same reason as previously mentioned. The primary Browns starter, Deshaun Watson, remains on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, where he’s likely to be for the rest of the season as he recovers from multiple tears of his Achilles tendon, but there is one other option.
Practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe was the other name in consideration for the QB2 role. Zappe started eight games over his first two years in the league with the Patriots and even got a start in Cleveland last year. While he may not give the Browns a better chance at winning than Sanders, his use as a backup would protect Sanders from having to run Gabriel’s offense in his first NFL snaps.
Ultimately, Sanders got the job. It’s hard to say whether it was Sanders who advocated to play regardless of the offensive gameplan or if the coaches finally resolved to just put their best arms on the field. Regardless, the first man off the bench behind Gabriel will be his draft classmate taken two rounds later.
Gabriel shouldn’t have to worry about his own job, though. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Gabriel is expected to get a pretty “lengthy run” as the starter. Even with Sanders rising in the ranks behind him, Gabriel should have a fairly long lead with which he can find his sea legs. Sanders may get a run of his own down the line, but for now, he’ll be available off the sideline in case of injury.