Colts, CB Mike Hilton Agree To Deal; CB Kenny Moore To Miss Time
11:45am: Moore’s calf injury is expected to leave him sidelined for multiple weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Given that update, the Hilton signing comes as no surprise. Per Rapoport, his addition has come about via a practice squad deal, but Hilton could land on the active roster in short order.
11:02am: Shortly after Miami release, Mike Hilton met with the Colts. No deal was worked out with the veteran corner, but that has now changed. 
Hilton is signing with Indianapolis, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The pact represents a reunion between the veteran slot corner and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. The latter led Cincinnati’s defense from 2019-24, overlapping with Hilton over that span.
As such, it came as little surprise when a Colts visit took place shortly before the start of the season. After no agreement was reached, Hilton also met with the Eagles. Upon seeing the first three weeks (with tonight’s contest pending) of the campaign go by without a contract in hand, though, Hilton now has his next NFL gig lined up. He could see notable playing time right away.
Kenny Moore suffered a calf injury yesterday, meaning the Colts’ regular slot starter could be unavailable for a period. ESPN’s Stephen Holder reports there is initial optimism with respect to a serious injury having been avoided in this case. Further testing will nevertheless take place on Monday, and more clarity will presumably emerge once that takes place.
In any event, Hilton will be counted on to play a role on a Colts secondary which dealt with a number of ailments even before the Moore injury. Having amassed 56 starts and 123 appearances in the regular season, Hilton represents a highly experienced option to be brought in during the season (and his familiarity with Anarumo’s scheme should make his acclimation process a relatively seamless one). The 31-year-old’s production has been consistent over the course of his career, and the same has generally been true in coverage.
Details on the pact are not known at this point, but it would come as no surprise if this were to be a deal near the veteran minimum covering the remainder of the campaign. Indianapolis entered Monday with roughly $4.8MM in cap space, and that figure will be lowered to an extent once the Hilton agreement become official. He will look to chip in defensively as the 3-0 Colts aim to maintain their strong start.
49ers DE Nick Bosa Suffers Knee Injury
The 49ers earned a win on Sunday but their defense suffered a notable blow in the process. Defensive end Nick Bosa went down with a knee injury during the contest and did not return. 
At this point, a clear diagnosis is not in place. The initial fear was an ACL tear, although head coach Kyle Shanahan said (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) that has been ruled out. Further testing will take place on Monday.
“We can’t rule everything out,” Shanahan added (via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News). “They checked [Bosa’s] ACL and it was good with that. But we have to check on everything.”
That is an encouraging first sign, although Shanahan later clarified an ACL injury other than a tear could still be possible (h/t ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). A serious injury affecting Bosa’s knee would of course be crippling to San Francisco’s defense, a unit which currently ranks third in the NFL in points allowed and fourth for yards surrendered. It would also mark the second time Bosa, 27, has been forced to miss considerable time in a season.
The former Defensive Rookie of the Year was limited to just two games during his second NFL campaign. Bosa managed to remain healthy (largely speaking) since then, however, playing between 14 and 17 games over each of the past four years. The five-time Pro Bowler saw a downturn in production with nine sacks in 2024, but he has already posted two in the early stages of the current campaign.
Adding to that total would help allow for the 49ers’ defense to remain among the league’s best. Without Bosa – who is attached to a $34MM-per-year extension – for a long period, though, San Francisco’s 3-0 start to the campaign would be undone to an extent. Further clarity once follow-up tests take place will be worth watching for during the day.
Steelers No Longer Considering Tyreek Hill Trade
It did not take long for Tyreek Hill trade rumors, which swirled throughout the early stages of the offseason, to resurface. Shortly after the Dolphins’ brutal 33-8 loss to the Colts in Week 1, a report indicated the Chiefs and Steelers were eyeing a potential trade for Miami’s talented but mercurial wideout.
Pittsburgh has removed itself from the Hill sweepstakes, at least for now. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the club is concerned that the latest round of domestic violence allegations against Hill – his estranged wife, Keeta Vaccaro, has accused Hill of eight separate violent acts against her, some of which took place while she was pregnant – could result in a suspension.
Those allegations came to light just one day after the Indianapolis loss, and Florio’s prior report on the matter implied the Steelers’ interest in Hill spawned prior to the accusations. It is therefore no surprise that the team will not entertain a move for the 31-year-old wideout until there is more clarity on this off-field situation.
That may well be the case for any club interested in acquiring Hill. However, the trade deadline is not until November 4. By that point, teams may feel comfortable that Hill will be able to avoid a suspension at least for the remainder of the 2025 season and will thus be amenable to swinging a deal.
After all, Hill profiles as an obvious trade candidate. Although he is under contract through 2026, he is due $36MM in total compensation and carries an untenable $51.9MM cap charge next year. Florio confirms Hill will likely be cut by March if he remains with the ‘Fins through the end of the current season, so if the Dolphins – who are currently 0-3 and looking like an obvious seller – are unable to engineer a dramatic turnaround, they will surely consider a trade.
Through the first three games of the season, Hill has recorded 15 catches for 198 yards and a score. The Steelers apparently have interest in pairing his talents with another trade acquisition, D.K. Metcalf, and just as Miami’s status as sellers or otherwise will be solidified by early November, so too will Pittsburgh’s status as legitimate playoff contender or possible also-ran.
Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Willing To Be Patient With HC Mike McDaniel; Latest On GM Chris Grier, Team’s Culture Changes
Earlier this month, a report came to light indicating that Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel may not retain their jobs through the end of the current season. Prior to the club’s loss to the Bills on Thursday, Ian Rapoport and Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network said owner Stephen Ross was willing to be patient with McDaniel (the same may be true of Grier, though neither pundit substantively mentioned him in their reports).
Rapoport said Ross likes and believes in McDaniel and does not want to fire him (to say nothing of last year’s extension that tethered the HC to the organization through 2028). As such, a McDaniel dismissal is not imminent (video link).
Rapoport acknowledges that Ross’ stance could change in a hurry if fans stop showing up to games or if McDaniel’s players stop playing hard for him. Fan discontent was on full display before Miami’s Week 2 loss to the Patriots in the form of a banner reading “FIRE GRIER. FIRE MCDANIEL.” borne by a small aircraft flying above Hard Rock Stadium. However, according to Wolfe, Dolphins players were not panicked about their disappointing start to the campaign and had not quit on their coach (video link).
That said, the players did express frustration and concern to Wolfe, and losing the Buffalo contest to fall to 0-3 surely did not assuage those feelings. Again, the Rapoport and Wolfe reports preceded the game, and while Wolfe said even a loss to the Bills would not change Ross’ immediate plans with respect to McDaniel, it is fair to wonder how long the patience will last.
Underscoring all of this is the cultural change that Grier and McDaniel tried to implement this season. In a long-form piece on the matter that will be of particular interest to ‘Fins fans, ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques says the club has attempted to improve the culture within the team facility since the 2024 campaign came to an end.
Part of those efforts included a focus on “player-driven accountability,” and McDaniel told his team after the 2024 season finale that anyone who took issue with that notion could simply say as much, and that the club would look to trade or release them. Indeed, multiple sources said tardiness for, and absences from, team meetings was a significant problem last year.
Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill, both team captains in 2024, were reportedly among the repeat offenders, and a current Dolphins player said the high-profile duo took advantage of their captaincy and used it as justification for their poor attendance record. Sources said Ramsey in particular was a “drain” on morale – he would show up late to team activities and even leave practice while it was ongoing – and Hill famously took himself out of Miami’s last game of the season.
Hill, who did not deny missing meetings or arriving late to meetings and practice, is still with the team despite trade rumblings early in the offseason, though Ramsey was traded to the Steelers in June. Grier’s recent comments on the Ramsey deal suggest there is at least some truth to the allegations concerning the player’s lack of accountability, and while Grier indicated back in April that the club and Ramsey mutually agreed to seek a trade partner, one source told Louis-Jacques that the move was actually driven by the team.
Interestingly, a former Dolphins player who worked under McDaniel said the lateness/absence issues were not new developments in 2024. Instead, they only became problematic when the losses began to pile up.
“Everyone was fine with cutting meetings, cutting practice when they’re winning, but once you’re losing, it’s like now you can’t get mad at that,” the player said. “You were just enjoying it when you were winning.”
Multiple sources said the disregard for timeliness and attendance reflected a lack of respect for McDaniel, who was reluctant to take action other than imposing fines (which McDaniel himself later conceded did not do much to change behavior). One source said McDaniel has been more willing to publicly admonish players this year, though the comments regarding lack of respect last season will not help the HC’s cause.
Only six teams have qualified for the postseason after an 0-3 start, and the last team to accomplish that feat was the 2018 Texans. A source familiar with Ross’ thinking said Grier’s and McDaniel’s job security will not depend exclusively on whether the Dolphins defy the odds and make the playoffs, and the team did put up competitive showings against the Patriots and Bills following a Week 1 blowout loss to the Colts.
Still, Louis-Jacques and Wolfe made reference to the comments Ross offered just hours after the 2024 season ended, when the owner said, “I believe in the value of stability. However, continuity in leadership is not to be confused with an acceptance that status quo is good enough.”
Even though a source told Louis-Jacques that Ross’ remarks with respect to the status quo pertained more to process than results, the ESPN scribe notes there is a limit to Ross’ patience with undesirable results. In other words, Grier and McDaniel may need their team to start winning immediately to preserve their futures in South Beach.
Falcons Have Not Received Trade Calls On QB Kirk Cousins
Week 3 saw the Falcons suffer a blowout defeat to the Panthers. Kirk Cousins took over quarterback duties late in the shoutout loss, marking his first game action with Atlanta this year. 
Starter Michael Penix Jr. was healthy when his Week 3 participation came to an end, but he was benched with the game out of hand. Penix completed 18 of 36 attempts for 172 yards and a pair of interceptions. Cousins took over and went five-for-seven in mop-up duty. For the time being, his future is set to consist of further backup duties as a member of the Falcons.
Cousins requested a trade this past offseason once it became clear Atlanta would hand the reins over to Penix on a full-time basis. That was the situation at the end of the 2024 campaign, and after being selected eighth overall Penix naturally represents the Falcons’ long-term plan under center. At no point did a Cousins trade appear imminent over the summer, though, and that is still the case at this point.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (video link) Atlanta has yet to receive any calls on the four-time Pro Bowler. Every current injury being dealt with by a starting quarterback – aside from Joe Burrow‘s – is a short-term one. Cincinnati does not intend to add a veteran passer, so a market does not exist at this point for an in-season deal (presuming Cousins, who holds a no-trade clause, would sign off on one anyway).
Of course, finances are a major factor in this case. Cousins’ 2025 salary ($27.5MM) is guaranteed in full, and his $10MM roster bonus for next March is already locked in. Keeping in line with their earlier stance, the Falcons would only entertain a trade involving the 37-year-old if an interested team were to take on the remainder of his compensation. Rapoport adds a “premium” draft pick would also be required for Atlanta to sign off on a Cousins trade.
Barring another major injury to an established starter, then, the status quo should remain the expectation in this situation. ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes the Falcons would need to upgrade their QB2 situation behind Penix for a Cousins trade to be feasible, something which has not appeared imminent. For now, attention will turn to a rebound on offense for Atlanta coupled with a stronger showing by Penix. Failing that, the team will have a highly experienced backup to turn to.
Commanders S Will Harris Suffers Leg Fracture
As the Commanders overcame one injury to tally a win this weekend, they unfortunately suffered another. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, safety Will Harris suffered a fractured fibula in today’s game. He’ll reportedly undergo further tests to determine the full extent of the injury, but a multi-week absence is likely and could lead to a placement on injured reserve. 
Harris is in his first season with the Commanders. A third-round pick for the Lions in 2019, the Boston College product immediately became a strong rotation piece in Detroit’s secondary behind then-starters Tracy Walker and Tavon Wilson in Year 1 and Walker and Duron Harmon in Year 2. By Year 3, it was Harris’ turn to start next to Walker, and in 17 starts, he finished second on the team in total tackles.
As useful as Harris’ versatility in playing snaps all over the field was, it also allowed him to be moved when new starters came in to occupy his position. This happened in 2022, when Harris was utilized more as a cornerback and nickelback after new additions to the roster put him fourth in the pecking order at safety. His role as a safety continued to diminish in 2023, and he saw severely reduced playing time overall on the Lions defense in his final year with the team.
Last year, Harris signed a veteran minimum contract with the Saints and won a camp competition for the starting strong safety job next to Tyrann Mathieu. In 13 starts with New Orleans, Harris had a resurgent season with 74 total tackles, five passes defensed, and an interception. Harris leveraged the strong year into a two-year, $8MM deal with the Commanders to start next to Quan Martin, replacing Jeremy Chinn.
The Commanders aren’t terribly deep at the safety position. Former All-Pro special teamer Jeremy Reaves holds the most experience in the group as an eighth-year veteran, but he hasn’t played significant snaps on defense since 2022. Percy Butler could step into a role as a starter that he held for most of 2023, but Butler fell down the pecking order at safety over the last year and a half. He’ll likely have to do, though, since Tyler Owens — an undrafted rookie last year who played solely on special teams — is the only other safety on the roster.
While Reaves or Butler fill in on defense, Washington will keep a close eye on Harris. If Harris’ fracture is minor enough, there’s certainly a chance that he’ll be able to make a return later on in the year. Until then, the Commanders will have to continue to overcome injury issues early in the season.
Giants K Graham Gano Injures Groin Minutes Before Game
The Giants may be working without their primary placekicker in tonight’s matchup with the Chiefs. Minutes before kickoff, kicker Graham Gano was seen heading back into the locker room before being announced as questionable with a groin injury, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic. 
New York does have backup kicker Jude McAtamney on the practice squad, but McAtamney is not active to play tonight. That would mean the likeliest option to kick field goals and extra points would be punter Jamie Gillan. Gillan is the field goal formation’s usual holder and return man Gunner Olszewski is the backup holder. One wonders, though, if part of Olszewski’s responsibilities as backup holder requires practicing on both sides, considering Gillan is a lefty.
Per a narrative timeline from Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York, Gano came back from the locker room with his helmet and started kicking into the net on the sideline. After a few kicks, though, Gano went to talk to a trainer, and Gillian began taking reps in the kicking net, leading one to believe that Gillan may be the man tapped to fill in for Gano if the veteran kicker truly can’t go.
Through one quarter of play, no field goals, extra points, or kickoffs were attempted by the Giants. It will be interesting to see if Gano ends up being inactive or if his absence affects the way New York calls plays in situations where field goals make sense. Whenever they do kick, it looks like the punter Gillan will be called on for the try.
Giants LT Andrew Thomas To Make 2025 Debut
Following rumors throughout the week that Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas may finally make his way back to the field again this season, the team officially announced that Thomas is active for tonight’s matchup with the Chiefs. The question remains, though, just how active Thomas will be. 
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, resulting in plenty of uncertainty in his regular season availability.
Thomas took part in practice for Weeks 1 and 2 but was listed as doubtful for both contests. With an increased workload this week, some optimism arose that keeping him off of any type of injured lists to open the season was, perhaps, a good move. While things were certainly improving, Thomas was reportedly still not at 100-percent health. This led to some speculation on what might be the best way to get Thomas back up to speed.
Yesterday saw reports that Thomas could certainly make his season debut tonight, but it may not be as a full-time starter. As he focuses on longevity on his way back, it had been proposed that Thomas may play in a rotation on the offensive line. Marcus Mbow has been helping to fill in on the blindside for Thomas and would likely be the one rotating with him at left tackle, especially considering that the team is not considering moving Mbow inside to guard with Thomas’ return.
Regardless of how much time he sees, the Giants will certainly be happy to get Thomas back on the field tonight. It will be interesting to see just how much he can go as he continues to ramp his way back up to full health.
Mike Vrabel: Patriots Not Considering K Change
Andres Borregales just took part in his third career regular season NFL game. The Patriots’ kicker did not impress during his first two outings, but for now his job appears to be safe. 
The sixth-round rookie missed one of his three field goal attempts in Week 1. Borregales connected on both of his field goal tries the following game, but he also missed a pair of extra point kicks. Those inconsistencies prompted questions about a change taking place or at least competition being added.
“I don’t think we’re ready to have that conversation yet,” head coach Mike Vrabel said after Week 2 when asked about the subject (h/t Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). Such a sentiment is understandable given Borregales’ status as a rookie and the fact he was brought in by the Patriots’ current regime. On the other hand, of course, teams have been known to move on from kickers in short order if they fail to live up to expectations.
Over the course of his four-year career at Miami, Borregales proved to be a highly effective and consistent kicker. The 23-year-old Venezuelan converted 74 of his 86 field goal attempts (good for a success rate of 86%) and only missed one extra point try. It thus came as little surprise when he was among the kickers who were selected in April’s draft.
Borregales’ play moving forward will be worth watching over the coming weeks following the (relative) vote of confidence he received. During Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, he connected on both of his extra point kicks while not attempting any field goals. As the Patriots look to bounce back in Week 4, they will presumably do so with Borregales still in place.
Tush Push’s Future Remains Uncertain
During the 2025 offseason, efforts to ban the Tush Push proved to be highly controversial and ultimately unsuccessful. A vote on the matter in May produced a 22-10 result. 
Rule changes require the support of 24 teams at a minimum, so for at least the 2025 campaign the play is still legal. Of course, given the nature of the opposition to the Tush Push, it would come as no surprise if a new campaign aimed at eliminating it were to take place after the season. At this point, however, it is not certain if that will be the case.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required), momentum for banning the play is currently “stronger than ever.” She adds a contingent within the NFL’s league office remains opposed to the Tush Push; that group would presumably still include commissioner Roger Goodell, who was known to favor a ban last year. Philadelphia’s Week 2 win over Kansas City fueled a fresh wave of discussions about the play being outlawed in 2026.
During the league’s standard training tape for officials ahead of this week’s action, the NFL stated at least one of the Eagles’ Tush Push touchdowns against the Chiefs should have been flagged for a false start. As Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes, the league has instructed referees to tighten their officiating on the play moving forward. Regardless of what happens on that front through the remainder of the campaign, the Tush Push will no doubt remain a talking point.
In spite of that, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports there are currently “no assurances” another vote regarding a ban will be brought up this offseason. An important factor, as Schefter observes, is the fact a different author of any new proposal for a ban will be needed. Mark Murphy and the Packers led the charge last offseason, but in accordance with team policy he retired as CEO during the summer. Ed Policy now holds that position. He or the executive of another team will need to serve as the focal point of any renewed efforts made at a ban this coming offseason.
Initial talks on the Tush Push produced strong opinions on both sides, and an informal poll of teams resulted in a 16-16 split. Opinions clearly shifted after Green Bay’s proposal was tweaked to address a broader range of plays in which the ballcarrier is pushed, with an increase in support emerging for a ban. Over the coming months, it will be interesting to see if any of the 10 teams which voted to keep the play alive change their stance, something which would be critical in determining the Tush Push’s future.