Teams Inquiring On Micah Parsons; Cowboys Remain Against Trading DE
Following Jerry Jones‘ latest comments on the Micah Parsons situation, the All-Pro pass rusher took the increasingly common step of scrubbing his X profile of Cowboys material. The Cowboys have been known to prolong negotiations, regardless of price hikes, and they are well down this road once again with another standout.
Multiple teams have inquired about Parsons’ availability, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said during a SportsCenter appearance. Nothing is moving on that front, as Dallas continues to hold tight during its latest contract saga.
That aligns with what we heard last week, with GMs indicating they have not gotten the sense Parsons is available following his trade request. Noting it would take a Herschel Walker-like offer for the Cowboys to move Parsons, Fowler points to team optimism a deal can still be finalized before the season. It should also be noted Parsons’ camp is less optimistic.
Jones attempting to go around high-powered agent David Mulugheta in negotiations has understandably irked Parsons, who employs an agent to negotiate his contract. The longtime Cowboys owner referencing a $200MM guarantee also reflects what is likely a five- or six-year Dallas extension offer. With the cap soaring annually, players are increasingly opting against long-term deals. The Cowboys prefer them, but it is notable Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb convinced the team to budge here by each scoring four-year extensions. It would surprise if Parsons signed for beyond four years, but Jones continues to reference his negotiations with the player — talks Parsons classified as informal — this offseason.
A Cowboys source mentioned the 49ers’ Nick Bosa situation re: Parsons. San Francisco did not have Bosa signed until four days before the 2023 regular season. Bosa played in Week 1 despite holding out until his extension was done. Parsons has spoken out about how not practicing during a negotiation can negatively impact a season, and he long preferred to have his deal done by training camp. The Cowboys are well past that artificial deadline, as these talks now remind of the Prescott and Lamb pace. Neither of those performers requested a trade, which is a notable difference between this Parsons back-and-forth and previous Cowboys extension struggles.
While Fowler adds Mulugheta certainly didn’t tell Jones to stick the team’s offer “up their (expletive),” the Cowboys going to these lengths to avoid dealing with one of the game’s top agents has been an interesting chapter. As our Nikhil Mehta mentioned Thursday, Jones taking this route is not out of character. But Parsons taking issue with it to the degree he has would seem to require the team to change course and huddle up with Mulugheta — if the intent is to finalize a deal before Week 1. The Cowboys’ Thursday-night assignment in Philadelphia to open the season also gives them less time than they had with Prescott last year.
Mentioning the Packers, Cardinals and Ravens as potential trade fits, Fowler outlines what would certainly be a robust market if the Cowboys did decide to explore what they top player would fetch in a trade. Of course, dealing Parsons would significantly weaken the 2025 Cowboys.
Jones mentioned during his Michael Irvin podcast conversation the prospect of franchise-tagging Parsons next year. That would be an option, but the Cowboys are not giving up on a 2025 deal yet.
TE Cade Otton Would Stay In Tampa Long-Term If Offered
Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton is set to play out the 2025 NFL season on a contract year. Tampa Bay’s top tight end for the past three years, Otton expressed hope for an extension in a recent media appearance (via FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz and Greg Auman), though he seemed to indicate that the feeling may not be mutual. 
As a rookie fourth-round pick out of Washington in 2022, Otton immediately surpassed long-time backup Cameron Brate for the top tight end honors in the wake of Rob Gronkowski‘s second retirement. With Gronk out of the offense, quarterback Tom Brady didn’t look often to his tight end group to move the ball, so it didn’t take much, but Otton’s 42 catches for 391 yards and two touchdowns were all team highs at the position.
He and fellow rookie Ko Kieft — picked two rounds after Otton — were the only two returning tight ends in 2023. Kieft played much more of a blocking tight end role, earning more starts than Otton in 2022 but recording far fewer yards. Kieft was joined in that role by a sixth-round 2023 draftee, Payne Durham. With Kieft and Durham in blocking situations most of the time, Otton once again quietly led the group with 47 receptions, 455 yards, and four touchdowns.
For the third year in a row, the Buccaneers spent another Day 3 pick on a tight end in 2024, using a seventh-rounder to bring in Otton’s former Huskies teammate Devin Culp. Once again, Kieft, Durham, and Culp remained mostly nonfactors in the passing game, leaving Otton to post a career-best receiving line of 59-600-4, despite missing three games.
The reason Tampa Bay hasn’t come forward to discuss an extension yet may be the same reason they’ve been taken flyers on late-round tight ends each year. Sure, they’ve been appreciative of Otton’s contributions as the leading tight end, but every year there’s been an expectation that he might take off. Yet, despite the lack of a serious competitor, instead of taking leaps, Otton has merely continued taking steps forward. He’s improved each year but not to the level of a clearcut TE1.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that this is Otton’s last year in pewter and red (and, occasionally, Creamsicle). While he has his sights set on his future, Otton has 17 games ahead of him in which he can give Tampa Bay every reason why they should extend him as their tight end of the future. Otherwise, the Buccaneers may just go back to the draft for the position in 2026.
NFL Front Office Updates: Falcons, Broncos, Chargers
The Falcons announced a number of changes to their front office earlier this month. The team’s scouting department saw three promotions, made two new hires, and named a group of short-term workers.
For the promotions, BLESTO scout James McClintock was elevated to area scout and scouting assistants Cami Pasqualoni and Kevin Weisman moved up to new roles, as well. McClintock is in Year 4 with the team after starting as a scouting assistant and getting promoted to his most recent position after only a year. Pasqualoni, the daughter of former Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, and Weisman joined the team a year ago. Pasqualoni will now serve as personnel and coaching assistant, while Weisman will now hold the title of football administration and personnel assistant.
Taking McClintock’s role as BLESTO scout will be new hire Alex Brown. Brown was announced as a new area scout for the team back in July, but it appears he will swap that title with McClintock’s. The other new hire is Kevin Melore, who will fill one of the scouting assistant roles vacated by Pasqualoni and Weisman. Melore spent last year as a senior personnel assistant at the University of Texas.
Atlanta also announced three Bill Walsh Diversity Fellows. Former NFL safety Erik Harris — played for the Falcons for two years — filled the role in the offseason, Jarred Gray filled the role in training camp, and Jalen Harris served in the role for both the offseason and training camp. After their fellowships, Harris will return to his usual role as special teams coordinator at Gulf Breeze HS (FL), Gray will return to Austin as the Longhorns defensive analyst/senior personnel analyst, and Harris will go back to work as the player development coordinator/assistant wide receivers coach at Georgia.
The other two temporary workers were Shaunessy Fisk and Jordan Young, who served as scouting training camp assistants. Fisk is a recruiting and scouting graduate assistant at Boise State who worked a player personnel internship with the Seahawks last year. Young, a former undrafted outside linebacker for the Buccaneers out of Old Dominion, returned to his alma mater as a defensive quality control coach in 2024.
Here are a couple other front office updates from around the NFL:
- The Broncos also announced a few promotions in their front office, per Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. The headlining moves saw Kelly Kleine Van Calligan and Tony Lazzaro elevated into VP roles. Formerly the executive director of football operations/special advisor to the general manager, Van Calligan becomes the vice president of football operations in her 14th year in the NFL and her fifth with the Broncos. Gabriel notes that Van Calligan, who interviewed for the Raiders’ general manager job in 2024, now stands as the second-highest ranking woman in an NFL front office, behind only Browns assistant general manager and vice president of football operations Catherine Hickman. Lazzaro, entering his 25th year with the team, receives a title bump after leading Denver’s football information systems and football analytics departments since 2020. Denver also saw western national scout Sae Woon Jo promoted to national scout and football administration & strategy coordinator Rob Simpson promoted to football administration & strategy manager.
- Finally, Walder reports that the Chargers have hired Ben Wendel to their analytics staff. A finalist in this year’s Big Data Bowl, Wendel’s title is unknown at this moment.
NFL Roster Updates: Doubs, Lazard, Smith, Ward, Bush
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur emphatically shut down rumors that wide receiver Romeo Doubs wouldn’t make the team’s 53-man roster.
“I’d be very shocked if he was going anywhere,” LaFleur told Kay Adams during an Up & Adams appearance on Thursday.
When asked again if Doubs would be cut, LaFleur responded, “No. That will not happen.”
The uncertainty surrounding the fourth-year wideout stems from the Packers’ depth at the position after adding Matthew Golden and Savion Williams in April’s draft. However, LaFleur noted that the team was “missing a lot of guys,” namely returning starters Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. Watson, coming off an ACL tear in January, is expected to begin the year on the PUP list, while a sprained foot may sideline Reed for the beginning of the regular season. Williams (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf) also missed practice on Tuesday, per ESPN.
As a result, Doubs’ roster spot is safe. Judging by LaFleur’s comments, he would’ve made the team even with a healthy receiver room.
“‘Rome’ is out there competing and doing everything that we need to see from him,” said LaFleur. “And obviously he’s played a lot of ball for us, and at a high level. He’s been a great teammate, he goes out there and you can count on him every day.”
Here are a few other updates on key roster situations around the league:
- Aaron Rodgers‘ departure from New York fueled offseason speculation regarding Allen Lazard, but the veteran wideout is set to remain with the Jets under Aaron Glenn, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Lazard told Glenn early in the offseason that he wanted to stay in New York and backed up his words by accepting a pay cut. The 29-year-old is currently dealing with a shoulder injury with the goal of being ready for Week 1.
- 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith may not make the Cowboys‘ 53-man roster, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. The 24-year-old defensive tackle earned poor grades from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in his first two seasons and played deep into Dallas’ second preseason game this past weekend. While owner and de facto general manager Jerry Jones won’t give up on a former first-rounder easily, Smith’s roster spot is by no means secure.
- Texans safety Jimmie Ward is facing a civil lawsuit in addition to third-degree felony charges in a domestic violence case, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Ward is accused of sexually and physically assaulting his son’s mother. The 34-year-old was arrested on August 7 for violating the terms of his bail.
- Browns linebacker Devin Bush will have a jury trial in his simple assault/harrassment case on December 2, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. That will likely push any league discipline to the 2026 season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/25
As teams begin to whittle their rosters down to the eventual 53 players, here are a few transactions aside from mass cuts:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived (with injury settlement): WR Jalen Virgil
Denver Broncos
- Waived (with injury settlement): CB Gregory Junior
Detroit Lions
- Released (with injury settlement): OL Keaton Sutherland
Houston Texans
- Released (with injury settlement): TE Dalton Keene
- Waived (with injury settlement): WR Xavier Johnson
New York Jets
- Reverted to IR: CB Ryan Cooper Jr.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE Jereme Robinson
- Placed on IR: WR Johnny Wilson (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Tre Avery
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Jaden Smith
An important note for cuts moving forward: different from the usual 24-hour waiver period, any players waived between now and the roster cut deadline will remain on the waiver wire, available to be claimed, until Wednesday.
Ravens To Carry 4 RBs On 53-Man Roster
The Ravens have already made some preliminary roster decisions ahead of Tuesday’s cutdown deadline.
Head coach John Harbaugh said (via Giana Han of the Baltimore Banner) that the team is planning to carry four running backs on their 53-man roster. That would seem to cement Rasheen Ali‘s spot on the team behind Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, and Keaton Mitchell.
Ali, a 2024 fifth-round pick, made the 53-man roster as a rookie but landed on injured reserve before Week 1. He went on to appear in six games, but only logged 10 carries for 31 yards with Henry and Hill handling virtually all of the team’s backfield work.
The 24-year-old seemed to be on the roster bubble entering training camp amid reports of Mitchell finally returning to full strength (and speed) after his 2023 ACL tear. Ali then put up a strong performance in the Ravens’ preseason opener against the Colts; he virtually created a scoring drive on his own with a 69-yard kickoff return, a 19-yard run into the red zone, and a two-yard touchdown.
That seemed to give Ali’s roster chances a significant boost, and despite a less inspiring performance in Dallas last Saturday, Harbaugh’s postgame comments indicated that the second-year running back will make the team. Baltimore’s other running backs, veterans D’Ernest Johnson and Myles Gaskin, are unlikely to challenge Ali for a roster spot.
Ali is unlikely to see any offensive touches outside of garbage time, but he may partner with Mitchell on kickoff returns, which are expected to play a bigger role in 2025 with the touchback moved up to the 35-yard line.
Harbaugh also confirmed that rookie Tyler Loop would be the team’s starting kicker, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. The sixth-round pick appeared to win the job when the Ravens waived UDFA John Hoyland at the beginning of August, though that move was also ascribed to other roster needs at running back and tight end. The Ravens never brought Hoyland back to challenge Loop, who went 6-for-8 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points during the preseason.
Steelers Release 2 Players, Waive 9 Others
The Steelers began the process of trimming their roster down to 53 players on Friday with the following 11 cuts (via a team announcement):
Released
- LS Jake McQuaide
- QB Logan Woodside
Waived
- DB Kam Alexander
- TE Kevin Foelsch
- RB Evan Hull
- DB Quindell Johnson
- DB Kyler McMichael
- OL Doug Nester
- OL Julian Pearl
- DB Mikey Victor
- LB Kenny Willekes
McQuaide, a 14-year veteran, was unable to pry the Steelers’ long snapping job away from Christian Kuntz. The 37-year-old spent the first decade of his career with the Rams with back-t0-back Pro Bowl nods in 2016 and 2017. McQuaide then signed with the Cowboys in 2021, his last season as a full-time starter. He was used as a spot starter by the Cowboys, Lions, Vikings, and Dolphins over the last three years.
Woodside, 30, never seemed to have a chance at a 53-man roster spot with four quarterbacks ahead of him on the Steelers’ depth chart. He will likely try to land a practice squad spot next week with a team that wants to carry an extra quarterback.
McQuaide and Woodside are free to join any team’s active roster, but the other nine players will be on the waiver wire until Wednesday. Any who pass through waivers, along with the two veterans, can sign to any team’s practice squad on Wednesday as well.
Tanner McKee Likely To Generate Trade Interest; Eagles Not Planning To Move QB
The Eagles did not see much from Kenny Pickett last year, and the team traded the ex-Steelers first-rounder after one season. Tanner McKee served as a central reason for Pickett’s Philadelphia one-and-done.
In the Pickett deal, however, Dorian Thompson-Robinson came back. The defending Super Bowl champions then used a sixth-round pick on Syracuse’s Kyle McCord. Teams almost never — the Browns’ current situation notwithstanding — carry four quarterbacks on their active roster. Many do not carry three, leaving teams likely to look at the Eagles for potential assistance as they set rosters ahead of Week 1.
McKee is on track to be Philly’s top Jalen Hurts backup, but SI.com’s Albert Breer anticipates the team receiving trade interest here. While the Eagles are one of the NFL’s busiest teams on the trade front, Breer notes it would take plenty for them to part with McKee.
Hurts has missed time due to injury in three of his four starter seasons, and he played hurt during much of the 2023 season. Philly carrying a player with three years of experience in Nick Sirianni‘s system — even if the Eagles are on a fourth play-caller in four years — will be important as they arrange their depth chart.
A Stanford alum, McKee is a former sixth-round pick signed through the 2026 season. He saw action in Weeks 17 and 18 last year, sitting behind Pickett for much of the season (but on Philly’s active roster) and receiving the start in Week 18. Facing a Giants team that had starters on the field, McKee took a mostly second-stringer-laden Eagles offense to a 20-13 win. McKee threw two touchdown passes in a 27-for-41, 269-yard showing.
While Thompson-Robinson has impressed at points during training camp and in preseasons, the UCLA alum has been woeful when the games have counted. The Browns have given the ex-fifth-rounder five starts, and he has seen action in 15 games. Thompson-Robinson has posted an alarming 1:10 TD-INT ratio. Considering McCord is a sixth-round rookie, it stands to reason the Eagles will protect McKee ahead of this season.
That said, an exec indicated (via Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz) the Eagles probably are not done on the trade front before Week 1. The Eagles have made some notable trades in recent years, including late-summer moves to add C.J. Gardner-Johnson (2022) and Jahan Dotson (2024). The team also has 10 draft choices in 2026, collecting an additional third-rounder in the Haason Reddick swap and adding either a fourth- or fifth-rounder (due to a conditional pick being exchanged) in the Bryce Huff deal.
The Eagles already swung a summer trade Sunday, acquiring wideout John Metchie from the Texans in a deal that included a Day 3 pick swap and tight end Harrison Bryant going to Houston. Metchie, who said (via AllPHLY.com’s Zach Berman) joins ex-Alabama WR teammate DeVonta Smith. The former second-round Texans draftee is in a contract year. He joins an Eagles team that just lost second-year wideout Johnny Wilson for the season.
Steelers’ Derrick Harmon To Miss Time; IR Move Not Expected
5:54pm: It looks like the Steelers will carry Harmon on their 53-man roster to open the season. Because Harmon is expected to be healthy at some point during the season’s first four weeks, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac notes the team is unlikely to use an IR-return spot here.
3:23pm: The knee injury Derrick Harmon sustained Thursday night will force him to miss regular-season time. The Steelers’ first-round pick suffered an MCL sprain, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
This injury can produce varying timetables, but Rapoport notes the expectation is the Steelers rookie misses around a month. That would make him a candidate for one of Pittsburgh’s two IR-return spots next week; such a move would mandate a four-game absence from the No. 21 overall pick.
Mike Tomlin said last night (via Bleacher Report’s James Palmer) Harmon suffered a “knee sprain of some description,” foreshadowing this diagnosis. This certainly could have been worse for the Steelers, as Harmon was carted off the field during the team’s preseason finale. But the Steelers will not have the Oregon product in Week 1 and most likely for longer than that.
If the Steelers stash Harmon on IR, they would save a roster spot next week. Harmon being placed on IR early would have him immediately count as one of Pittsburgh’s eight regular-season injury activations. The Steelers could also go week to week here, keeping Harmon on the active roster in the event Harmon is ready to return before Week 5, but that would mean carrying an injured player for multiple weeks to open the season.
It would make sense for the Steelers to proceed with a Harmon IR placement Tuesday since he will be healthy enough to play early in the season. The team would understandably want to make sure the interior D-lineman is healthy before debuting, and this would add a healthy player in his place during that recovery.
This offseason brought more Cameron Heyward contract drama, as the likely Hall of Fame-bound defensive tackle pushed for a raise via a short-lived hold-in. Despite being willing to miss games to make his point, Heyward returned to practice ahead of Pittsburgh’s preseason game. No Harmon early would mean the Steelers will be forced to count on Heyward once again, which could be interesting regarding his pursuit of a raise. Harmon is in place as a Heyward heir apparent of sorts, but this season will feature the two lining up together on Pittsburgh’s D-line. The team will need to wait a bit for that happens.
Giants Make First Wave Of Roster Cuts
Over the next few days, NFL teams will trim their roster down to 53 players. The Giants began their first wave of cuts on Friday with the following eight players (via a team announcement):
- WR Jordan Bly
- ILB K.J. Cloyd
- CB O’Donnell Fortune
- ILB Dyontae Johnson
- C Jimmy Morrissey
- WR Zach Pascal
- WR Montrell Washington
- OL Jaison Williams
Every player listed was waived except for Pascal, a vested veteran with seven accrued seasons. The other seven will be subject to waivers until Wednesday’s claiming deadline, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire. None are expected to stay in New York on the Giants’ practice squad, according to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
Pascal is now able to sign with any team, though his lack of meaningful offensive production since 2021 may force him to take a spot on a practice squad. He recorded back-to-back 600-yard seasons for the Colts in 2019 and 2020, but his output has waned since. The 30-year-old wideout has grown into a special teams contributor as his offensive snaps decreased, which helped him earn a veteran minimum contract in New York this offseason. Pascal’s contract only included $90k in guarantees, per OverTheCap, which will remain as dead money on the Giants’ 2025 salary cap.