Pats’ Christian Gonzalez Returns To Practice
SEPTEMBER 20: The Patriots have officially ruled Gonzalez out for this weekend. As expected, a rapid ramp-up ended up being too much to ask of the third-year defender. His return to practice this week remains good news, though, as he’ll now have another full week to work his way up to full strength without having to rush anything.
SEPTEMBER 17: Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez practiced for the first time since July 28 as he works his way back from a hamstring injury, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe) that Gonzalez could return Patriots’ Week 3 matchup against the Steelers, according to but that would require a rapid ramp-up from an injury that has sidelined him for almost seven weeks.
Earlier in September, Vrabel hinted that the team was hoping for a quicker recovery from Gonzalez, according to Reiss, but he now appears to be trending in the right direction. After Wednesday’s practice, the former first-round pick declined (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) to answer questions about his injury, including one about a potential setback in his rehab process.
Gonzalez’s return would be a major boost to a Patriots secondary that has allowed the most passing yards in the NFL through two weeks. Fellow third-year corner Alex Austin has struggled in both games, allowing a 144.4 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Gonzalez’s game-changing ability to shadow and shut down opposing WR1’s would take significant pressure off of New England’s safeties, especially with a strong start from No. 2 cornerback Carlton Davis.
Gonzalez was likely limited in his return to the practice field, but his status over the next few days will be worth monitoring as the Patriots prepare to host the Steelers.
Week 4 Return ‘A Real Possibility’ For Chris Godwin
A Week 4 return from Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin “feels like a real possibility,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 
Godwin returned to practice last week but has yet to be upgraded from limited participation. The same is true of left tackle Tristan Wirfs, though both were ruled out for Week 3. Wirfs’ timeline is still unknown, but Godwin seems to be trending in the right direction.
Godwin’s return would be a major boost to a Buccaneers passing game that seems to have taken a step back from last season. Tampa Bay currently ranks 26th in yards and 31st in yards per attempt, though they have been effective enough on the ground and defense to win their first two games.
The Buccaneers’ only other injury designation is rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (hip/groin), who is tied for the league lead with three receiving touchdowns through two games. The first-round pick missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday but returned in a limited capacity on Friday. Egbuka is listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup with the Jets; even if he misses the game, he should have a strong chance at playing in Week 4.
Once Godwin and Egbuka are back on the field with Mike Evans, they will form arguably the best wide receiver trio in the league. Godwin and Evans combined to average more than 150 yards per game in 2024, while Egbuka has looked the part of a first-round receiver thus far.
Chiefs Rule Out WR Xavier Worthy For Week 3
The Chiefs have ruled out second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy for their Week 3 matchup with the Giants, per a team announcement.
Worthy was knocked out of the game in Week 1 in a collision with teammate Travis Kelce. The injury, later diagnosed as a labrum tear, sidelined Worthy for Week 2, but the Chiefs expressed optimism about his Week 3 status last Sunday. He was considered “50-50” on Friday, but did not make enough progress to play against the Giants.
Worthy’s absence will once again place a significant burden on Kansas City’s other pass-catchers. The Chiefs offense has been middling in an 0-2 start, but it should have a bounce-back opportunity in New York on Sunday night. The Giants have allowed 910 yards this year, the most in the NFL through two games, including 555 yards through the air.
That should allow Marquise Brown and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ leading receivers, to thrive in some winnable matchups. JuJu Smith-Schuster was reliable in Week 2, catching all five of his targets for 55 yards, while Tyquan Thornton has emerged as a deep threat with 25.0 yards per catch. As a result, Sunday night should be less of a concern for the Chiefs, and holding Worthy out might be a wise move to preserve his long-term healthy, especially since he’s elected not to undergo surgery.
However, the Chiefs will be hoping that Worthy can get back on the field for tough upcoming matchup’s with two Super Bowl contenders in the Ravens and the Lions in the next three weeks. Rashee Rice will not return from his suspension until Week 7, so Worthy’s availability for those games will be crucial for Kansas City’s success.
Vikings S Harrison Smith To Debut In Week 3
Vikings safety Harrison Smith is expected to make his 2025 debut in Week 3 against the Bengals after recovering from a personal health issue that has sidelined him since August 11, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
Smith and the Vikings have declined to provide any information about the nature of Smith’s health problem, though he clarified it was a “physical” issue. Minnesota kept him on the 53-man roster to start the season believing he would be ready within the first four weeks of the season. Smith’s comments last week indicated that he was hoping to be back by Week 4 at the latest, but he has beat that timeline by one game.
Smith will retake his starting spot alongside Josh Metellus from fourth-year safety Theo Jackson, though Jackson will likely remain involved in the Vikings’ three-safety looks.
Brian Flores‘ defense has been a top-five unit against the pass through two games while struggling to stop the run. Most safeties are known for helping the former than the latter, but Smith has been an impactful run defender throughout his career. He has averaged 100 tackles and four tackles for loss per season, both solid numbers for a defensive back.
Also making his 2025 debut will be quarterback Carson Wentz, who is replaced injured starter J.J. McCarthy. Backing him up will be undrafted rookie Max Brosmer rather than recently-signed veteran Desmond Ridder, per Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper. Ridder will designated as the team’s emergency third quarterback.
Falcons CB A.J. Terrell Ruled Out
The Falcons have ruled out star cornerback A.J. Terrell for Sunday’s matchup with the Panthers, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Terrell left the game in Week 2 with a hamstring injury and did not practice this week. Head coach Raheem Morris described him as week-to-week on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Fifth-year cornerback Dee Alford is expected to replace Terrell in the starting lineup after finishing the game in his stead last week. He has primarily lined up in the slot in his career with 16 starts across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but will have to play on the boundary during the Falcons’ visit to the Panthers on Sunday.
Terrell, a 2020 first-round pick, broke out as a second-team All-Pro in his second year with 4.8 yards and a 61.0 passer rating when targeted. He’s been solid in coverage since, but has not returned to the heights of his 2021 campaign. Still, he’s a major loss to a Falcons defense that has been middling against the pass so far this year.
Wide receivers Jamal Agnew (groin) and Casey Washington (concussion) were both ruled out for Sunday’s game as well. Rookie edge rusher James Pearce (groin) is questionable, but should have a good chance at taking the field after practicing all week, albeit as a limited participant. Starting wideouts Drake London and Darnell Mooney have no injury designations and will be full-go against the Panthers.
Falcons Promote John Parker Romo, Release Younghoe Koo
The Falcons have made their Week 2 kicking change permanent by signing John Parker Romo to the active roster and releasing Younghoe Koo, per Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Koo missed a game-tying field goal as time expired in Week 1, leading Atlanta to explore other kicking options last week. Romo earned a spot on the practice squad with a tryout and was elevated to start in Week 2. He delivered with a perfect 5-for-5 performance on field goals with a long of 54 yards. Along with an extra point, Romo scored 16 of Atlanta’s 22 points in their victory over the Vikings.
It seemed clear after the game that Romo had earned another start, but the Falcons seem to believe they’ve found a long-term starter. Not only did they replace Koo with Romo on the active roster – solidifying his starting status for the rest of the season – they also handed him a two-year contract to prevent another kicker-needy team from scooping him up next offseason.
Romo is now up to 16 makes on 17 attempts in his career after going 11-for-12 in four games for the Vikings last season. Koo, meanwhile, will leave Atlanta after six seasons and 93 appearances for the Falcons. Despite a down year in 2024, which included a 73.5% field goal conversion rate and six misses inside 50 yards, the team did not bring in any veteran competition for training camp.
That changed quickly after Koo faltered in Week 1, and he will now hit free agency with the hopes of catching onto with another team that is looking for a new kicker, either due to injury or poor performance. Koo still owns a solid 85.8% conversion rate in his career, though he will have to convince a new suitor that his last year-and-a-half was an aberration.
This release will create more than $2MM in Falcons dead money, stemming from the four-year, $24.25MM extension Koo had signed. That contract ran through 2026. Koo, who caught on with the Falcons after washing out quickly with the Chargers, will look for a third chance in his age-31 season.
HC Brian Daboll, DC Shane Bowen On Hot Seats?
Coming into the season, rumors were already hinting that Giants head coach Brian Daboll‘s seat was starting to heat up with pressure to win. An 0-2 start to the year has done nothing to cool things off, and according to Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen may be starting to feel the heat, as well. Pauline’s sources claim that both coaches are “hanging on by a thread.” 
Daboll started his career as a head coach on a strong note, going 9-7-1 in 2022 — good for 3rd in the NFC East and a wild card spot in the playoffs, where his team defeated a 13-4 Vikings squad before falling to the Eagles. The next year, a season-ending injury to Daniel Jones derailed New York’s offense, while the defense, despite a high efficiency on third downs, struggled as the sixth-worst unit in the NFL. The resulting 6-11 record led the Giants and then-defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to part ways.
Bowen came in to replace Martindale, fresh off three seasons in the same role in Tennessee. In his first season with Big Blue last year, Bowen’s defense showed improvement, ranking 21st in scoring allowed and eighth in passing yards allowed. In 2025 so far, no defense has given up more yards through their first two games. If things don’t change soon, both Bowen and Daboll could find themselves in danger of becoming the first coaching casualties of the young season.
So, how might things change? Pauline’s sources point to the quarterback position. Unfortunately for starting passer Russell Wilson, despite his 450-yard Week 2 performance, the fate of his starting role could be tied to the security of Daboll and Bowen’s jobs.
Per Pauline, if an expected rout by the Chiefs takes place this weekend at the Meadowlands, rookie first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart may find himself running on the first-team offense as soon as next weekend, when the Chargers come to town. If the presumed bad result against the Chiefs doesn’t boost Dart to the starting role in time for Los Angeles, Pauline’s sources claim Dart should be starting in time for a Week 5 trip to New Orleans at the latest.
If a change at quarterback is as guaranteed as they seem to be implying, it may behoove the team to make the move sooner, rather than later. While the Saints would, perhaps, be a softer test for Dart, the stretch of games immediately following sees matchups with the Eagles (twice), Broncos, 49ers, Bears, Packers, and Lions, who all could make life tough for a first-year starter. With that in mind, it may be smart to get Dart incorporated into the starting lineup with as much time to get up to speed as possible.
Of course, this is all speculation at the moment. Currently, Daboll’s fate is in the hands of Wilson, who led the Steelers to a playoff appearance just last year. Things haven’t gone according to plan so far, but Daboll may view Wilson’s experience as his best chance at turning around the season. If things continue to go poorly, though, showing potential for improvement behind a younger arm may be his only chance at saving his job. As for Bowen, his job may be fully dependent on the defense’s ability to turn things around against a grueling upcoming slate of games.
Cowboys Open To Trade Acquisition
The Micah Parsons trade resulted in Kenny Clark joining the Cowboys. The blockbuster deal also yielded a pair of first-round picks heading to Dallas, and owner Jerry Jones noted those selections could be used as part of a 2025 acquisition.
For now, the Cowboys are on course to have an extra Day 1 selection this year and next. Of course, that could change if the team used some of that capital for immediate help (particularly on the defensive side of the ball). Jones acknowledged on Friday an in-season deal is something Dallas is open to.
“Absolutely, I’m open for business period relative now that we have those extra picks,” said Jones (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “We should be.”
After just two weeks, it’s hard to say where Dallas needs the most help. Their defense allowed the third-most passing yards in the NFL through two weeks, but they seem to like their secondary talent and believe the unit will improve this year. As such, a cornerback addition feels unlikely. A more useful coverage upgrade might be at off-ball linebacker or safety; Cowboys at those positions have graded poorly to start the year, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The Cowboys offense doesn’t seem to need any help. It’s a top-5 unit after two games, including a surprisingly-effective running game, and the amount of money Jones is already spending on that side of the ball may dissuade him from any other moves.
Nikhil Mehta contribute to this post.
AFC Injury Updates: Stewart, Worthy, Szmyt
Despite missing most of his first offseason because of a contract dispute, Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart has impressed with his early contributions in the first weeks of the season. Unfortunately, despite his hard work to be ready to contribute early, Stewart could be looking at a multi-week absence, according to what he told Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Per The Enquirer, Stewart is “dealing with a low ankle sprain and could be out a few weeks.” The first-round pick out of Texas A&M was just outpaced by starter Joseph Ossai across from Trey Hendrickson in Week 1, but Week 2 saw Stewart earn his first start and continue to work a strong snap share before getting sidelined with an injury in the fourth quarter. Now Myles Murphy will have to step up for a few games in Stewart’s absence.
While Stewart has been ruled out, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt is listed as doubtful for this weekend. Taylor-Britt seems to have tweaked a hamstring injury that had held him out for an extended portion of training camp. Cincinnati likely won’t risk anything with something as finicky as a hamstring injury.
Here are a couple other injury updates from across the AFC:
- The Chiefs are desperately hoping to see some reinforcements at wide receiver arrive soon. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been classified as “50-50” to return this weekend for the team’s trip to New York. Worthy was a limited participant in Thursday and Friday practices last week and has ramped up his workload as he attempts overcome an ailing shoulder. He’s still been limited and listed as questionable this week, but there appears to be some optimism that a return could come soon.
- Per Zac Jackson of The Athletic, Browns kicker Andre Szmyt was sent to get an MRI performed today after he “felt something” during practice. No free agent kickers have been called for workouts or signed to the practice squad, though it only occurred earlier today, so it may just have been precautionary. The team’s efforts to bring in other kicking options tomorrow should tell us what we need to know about Szmyt’s health and availability for the weekend.
Mac Jones To Start Week 3; Brock Purdy Potentially Available In Case Of Emergency
Brock Purdy‘s return to practice this week inspired some hope that he could suit up for the 49ers in Week 3, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) that it is “highly unlikely” he starts on Sunday. Instead, it will be Mac Jones under center in San Francisco against the Cardinals. 
Purdy missed Week 2 due to injuries to his toe and shoulder. The shoulder issue no longer seems to be preventing him from playing, but the fourth-year quarterback practiced in a limited capacity for the last three days as the toe continued to ail him. His comments on Thursday suggested that he could be a game-time decision, depending on how he feels on Sunday.
Instead, it appears that decision will be made on Saturday, when the team is required to make roster decisions like inactives and practice squad elevations. Shanahan indicated that Purdy could still be active as the team’s second- or third-string quarterback, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Pelissero’s partner at NFL Network, Ian Rapoport, expanded on that topic, explaining that, while a QB2 role may be a possibility, a QB3 role as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option makes far more sense.
If it’s determined tomorrow that Purdy can’t go or that he can only suit up as an emergency quarterback, practice squad passer Adrian Martinez will, once again, be called on to back up Jones. How they do that will be determined by Purdy’s situation. If Purdy is unable to suit up, Martinez would simply need to be designated a standard gameday practice squad elevation as he was last week. If Purdy suits up with the intention to serve in an emergency role, Martinez would need to be signed to the 53-man roster, since emergency third quarterbacks need to be on the active roster.
In other injury news, two rookies were injured in practice yesterday, per Barrows. While seventh-round guard Connor Colby is only listed as questionable with a groin injury, fourth-round wide receiver Jordan Watkins is reportedly a candidate for injured reserve with a calf injury.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.