Curtis Samuel On Bills’ Roster Bubble; Mitch Trubisky Leading QB2 Battle
A host of experienced players accompany Keon Coleman in the Bills’ wide receiver room. Joshua Palmer is a roster lock, and Elijah Moore — who has seen plenty of work in place of an injured Khalil Shakir this month — has been viewed as fairly safe. One other veteran does not appear to be on steady ground.
Once Shakir recovers from the high ankle sprain he suffered earlier this month, the recently extended receiver will reprise his role as Buffalo’s top slot option. Coleman and Palmer will join him as regulars, leaving questions about how the Bills round out their room. One player needing to make a late push appears to be Curtis Samuel, who has two seasons remaining on a three-year, $24MM deal. Further complicating the situation: Samuel’s 2025 base salary ($6.91MM) is guaranteed.
[RELATED: Assessing Bills’ Extension-Filled Offseason]
But the Bills are not certain to keep the former second-round pick, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia notes. Samuel battled back from a hamstring injury to log a full practice for the first time this week, per Buscaglia, who adds the eighth-year veteran’s lack of involvement on special teams complicates his path to a second Bills roster.
Buffalo has Laviska Shenault in place as a return option, with third-year UDFA Tyrell Shavers and low-cost free agency addition Kristian Wilkerson also in the mix for back-end roster spots. Shavers (three career games played) is among those who impressed in Samuel’s absence, Buscaglia adds.
Samuel, 29, did not impress much in his first Bills season; he caught 31 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown before adding two more TDs in the playoffs. Ex-Panthers old enough to have been in Charlotte under Brandon Beane and/or Sean McDermott have been popular commodities in Buffalo, as the Shaq Thompson addition reinforces, but Samuel’s guarantee is not locking him into another Bills plan just yet (the Panthers drafted Samuel during Beane’s final draft with the team; Samuel also overlapped with OC Joe Brady in Carolina).
If Buffalo were to cut Samuel, a lofty dead money hit ($8.64MM) would await this year. Another $3MM-plus would be part of Buffalo’s 2026 payroll, per OverTheCap, due to the post-June 1 timing of a release. Samuel also looms as a potential trade candidate, Buscaglia adds.
Considering the ex-Panthers and Commanders slot weapon’s inconsistency, the Bills would undoubtedly need to pay some of his base salary to facilitate a swap. Teams are looking, however, as the Jets and Vikings — and perhaps still the 49ers, even after their Skyy Moore acquisition — are among those on the hunt at receiver.
Shifting to the battle to back up Josh Allen, Buscaglia notes Mitch Trubisky holds a lead on Mike White. Outplaying White in the joint practice with the Bears, Trubisky winning the job would merely mean holding off a player who spent last season on Buffalo’s practice squad. But the Bills did extend White via his reserve/futures deal, giving the ex-Jets starter a chance to vie for the QB2 gig.
Neither Trubisky nor White impressed much in the Bears’ 38-0 win over the Bills last week, and determining a backup has not been a Bills issue — due to an Allen games-played streak that stretches back to his rookie year — in a while. But the former No. 2 overall pick, who is heading into his age-31 season, may be moving closer to hanging onto the job he held in 2024 (and before that in 2021). Trubisky has a $1MM salary guarantee and is tied to a $3.25MM cap number; White is at just $1.2MM on Buffalo’s cap.
Commanders’ Terry McLaurin Has Not Resumed Full Practice
The Commanders took Terry McLaurin off the reserve/did not report list and placed him on the active/PUP list, representing a new phase of this contract squabble. Five days ago, McLaurin came off Washington’s PUP list. The Pro Bowl wide receiver nevertheless remains without a timetable to resume practicing.
At the time McLaurin reported to Commanders camp and began his PUP stay, the ankle injury listed was not viewed as something that would keep him off the field long. An offering from ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicated McLaurin’s ankle would probably heal rather quickly once a contract was completed. Nearly a week after his activation, however, the disgruntled wideout is not a full participant in practice.
[RELATED: Commanders Do Not Intend To Honor McLaurin’s Trade Request]
McLaurin is in conditioning mode, per ESPN’s John Keim, as he was present for Commanders 11-on-11 work in a hoodie. The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala notes McLaurin walked onto the practice field after the workout had started and watched the team drills from the sideline. Although obvious signs of a hold-in are present here, the party line centers on the consistent WR’s conditioning.
“I’m not going to play ‘Where’s Waldo’ moving forward,” Dan Quinn said, via the Washington Post’s Adam Kilgore. “Just so we’re clear on that. Terry’s return-to-play format is no different from any of the other players. He’s healthy, which is now a good step to getting closer to being back on the field.
“You’ll see that earlier than later. I don’t have a date circled on a whiteboard in my office. The good news is, we’re getting closer to that, for sure.”
If McLaurin does not return to team drills soon, the seventh-year veteran may need to shift back to a holdout — presuming no deal is finished — as an agreement does not appear imminent. Even if a D.K. Metcalf-level AAV ($33MM) is not necessarily McLaurin’s goal, the Commanders are drawing a hard line on age at an interesting point. They would seem to need McLaurin to realize their potential this season, considering how important he has been on offense since arriving in the 2019 third round. After trekking to an NFC championship game for the first time in 33 years, Washington will run the risk of losing considerable firepower if McLaurin is willing to sit out games.
The Colts navigated a similar situation in 2023, but Jonathan Taylor‘s injury-driven hold-in never involved coming off the active/PUP list. Indianapolis shifted him to the reserve/PUP list while still negotiating to open the season. Taylor played in Week 5 after signing a new deal. With McLaurin being cleared, his options are limited. A hold-in can still be waged, as Brian Burns attempted to briefly in Carolina just before the 2023 season. Burns, though, backed off that stance and played on his fifth-year option.
McLaurin is due a $15.5MM base salary in his contract year, which doubles as an age-30 season. Courtland Sutton finished Broncos negotiations ahead of his age-30 campaign. Sutton carries a similar role in Denver, as the team’s clear-cut WR1, but has inferior statistics to McLaurin. Sutton’s negotiations wrapped at what would be a pay cut ($23MM AAV) for McLaurin, who is tied to the $23.2MM-per-year deal he agreed to in 2022. Thus, Sutton’s deal does not appear a good comp.
The five-time 1,000-yard receiver could continue to apply pressure to the Commanders via a hold-in or resign himself to beginning a contract year. A compromise could emerge between the $30MM-per-year level — where the team is believed to be hesitant to go — and where the Dolphins went for Jaylen Waddle ($28.25MM) last year. If the Commanders are not willing to go there on a medium-term pact, the prospect of McLaurin leaving in free agency — or being an experienced wideout on the franchise tag (a la A.J. Green or Allen Robinson) — would enter the equation.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/25
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Reverted to IR: RB Jarveon Howard
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from active/PUP list: TE Tommy Tremble
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Chase Cota, LB Marvin Moody, LB Charlie Thomas
- Placed on IR: LB Nathaniel Watson
- Waived: RB Toa Taua
Dallas Cowboys
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Bruce Harmon
Green Bay Packers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Isaiah Dunn, RB Jalen White
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Reverted to IR: WR Joshua Cephus
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Dez Fitzpatrick
Los Angeles Rams
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Mario Williams
New Orleans Saints
- Released: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: CB Tre Brown
- Signed: QB Tanner Mordecai
- Released: QB Nate Sudfeld
- Reverted to IR: RB Corey Kiner
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: QB Michael Pratt
Washington Commanders
- Signed: C Nick Harris
Out for most of the Panthers’ preseason workouts due to offseason back surgery, Tremble can begin ramping up in earnest for Week 1. A debut on time will be the goal, Dave Canales said Thursday. Tremble re-signed with Carolina on a two-year, $10.5MM deal this offseason.
Brown joined the 49ers after starting 10 Seahawks games from 2023-24. The team had aimed for the former fourth-round pick to play a backup role this season, but he instead has become the corresponding move following the Skyy Moore trade. The team has ex-Colts starter Dallis Flowers and preseason standout Chase Lucas as options, while veteran Fabian Moreau is in the mix as well.
Harris joins the Commanders after starting six Browns games from 2020-24. Harris had signed with the Seahawks last year, before being traded back to Cleveland ahead of Week 1. He ended up on the Browns’ IR list by October. Harris, 26, worked out for the Saints earlier this month. Watson suffered a biceps tear, according to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. The Browns drafted Watson in the 2024 sixth round; he played 14 games and made one start as a rookie.
Jets Waive DT Phidarian Mathis
Responsible for one of the busier trade days at one position in recent NFL history, the Jets have followed up their defensive tackle acquisitions with a notable cut. Phidarian Mathis is off the roster, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets. The team traded for Jowon Briggs (from the Browns) and Harrison Phillips (from the Vikings) on Wednesday.
The Jets claimed Mathis off waivers while operating without a full-time GM, making the addition in late December — after firing Joe Douglas and before hiring Darren Mougey. When the Jets claimed Mathis, however, three other teams had tried to do so. It will be interesting to see if the former second-round pick will remain on his rookie deal as of Friday afternoon’s waiver deadline.
The Bengals, Lions and Texans attempted to claim Mathis after his Commanders exit in December. Having been one of three Washington DTs from Alabama chosen in Rounds 1 or 2 (alongside Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne), Mathis did not live up to his draft slot. He suffered an ACL tear early during his rookie season and never made any starts in 2023 or ’24. Mathis logged 203 defensive snaps in 2022 and 257 last season. Allen’s presence in Minnesota, following a Washington release, later influenced the Vikings to trade Phillips.
It is worth pointing out Mathis was drafted under the Ron Rivera-Martin Mayhew regime; the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn power structure moved on from a number of Rivera draftees last summer, and Mathis’ exit followed those cuts. The Jets having claimed Mathis before hiring Aaron Glenn did not do the fourth-year DT any favors, and he did not impress in the new HC’s system.
One season remains on Mathis’ second-round contract. He is due a $1.73MM base salary, and while that figure is nonguaranteed, Mathis’ minimal production (25 career tackles, zero sacks, one QB hit) may lead to interested teams passing and attempting to bring him in as a lower-cost free agent. The Jets will save that $1.73MM by making this cut.
New York also placed edge rusher Rashad Weaver on IR and waived cornerback Ryan Cooper, per the team. The Jets added Weaver on a one-year, $1.17MM deal this offseason. After a 5.5-sack 2022 replacing an injured Harold Landry, Weaver has not recorded a sack since.
Brock Purdy: Setting NFL Salary Record Was Not Goal In 49ers Extension Talks
The 49ers made it clear to Brock Purdy‘s camp early during extension talks no NFL salary record would be set with this contract. Although a spring report indicated Purdy had aimed to smash Dak Prescott‘s AAV record, the fourth-year 49ers quarterback offered a conflicting rundown of how talks proceeded.
Though, Purdy’s assessment of his goal for his second contract did confirm prior reporting on benchmarks. The cashflow and guarantee components certainly mattered greatly to the seventh-round success story, who is now tied to a five-year, $265MM extension ($100MM fully guaranteed). But he disputes the May offering that suggested he pursued a $65MM-per-year deal.
“Everyone talks about what you’re getting paid per year and that’s important to a degree, but obviously if you can manage to get money that’s guaranteed, that’s something that everyone values a lot,” Purdy said, via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. “We didn’t need to break the market by getting 60-plus and have all this record-breaking stuff. That’s not what we were aiming for.”
Matching Jared Goff‘s $53MM-AAV number, Purdy secured more in total guarantees ($182.55MM-$170.61MM) than the Lions QB. Though, he needed to bend on short-term cashflow as well. Purdy’s $165.1MM cashflow through four years betters Goff’s number, but the Lions QB has Purdy’s deal beat at the second- and third-year marks.
Purdy secured a Patrick Mahomes-like rolling guarantee structure, representing an important component — along with a no-trade clause — in this deal. A $55.1MM 2028 payout will become guaranteed April 1, 2027. The 49ers are due to pay out a $7.2MM guarantee for 2029 on April 1, 2028. These key dates follow the $100MM at-signing guarantee.
Purdy also referenced Trevor Lawrence‘s five-year, $275MM Jaguars deal as a possible comp. While the 49ers did not go to the $55MM-per-year level the Jaguars did for their passer — one who does not have a season like Purdy’s 2023 on his resume — they provided the no-trade clause Lawrence lacks. The Purdy camp also saw the Bills reward Josh Allen, despite four more seasons remaining on his previous contract, after his MVP season. Those two deals, unlike last year, became the only two top-market QB contracts handed out this offseason. Allen secured what amounted to a two-year add-on, but the Buffalo superstar is now at $55MM AAV.
“Josh Allen was going into his third contract, and I’m going into my second contract and obviously looking at Trevor and what he got done last year with his deal,” Purdy said. “You look at contracts and you compare, and you’re not disrespecting any [other quarterbacks] or anything. … You look at all those things and you negotiate ’em and you try to meet in the middle somewhere.”
To help find a middle ground, Kyle Shanahan stepped in. The ninth-year 49ers HC is not a regular in contract negotiations, even though he is the 49ers’ top decision-maker, Wagoner adds. As Purdy considered skipping the start of the 49ers’ offseason program, Shanahan called to provide reassurance for the ascending player regarding his long-term status with the franchise.
That call preceded the mid-May agreement, one the 49ers hammered out well before their usual extension endpoint. This offseason brought a welcome change for the team in that regard, as George Kittle and Fred Warner‘s re-ups were done before June.
The 49ers lost three All-Pros on offense last season, with Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams going down. Purdy still ranked seventh in QBR, though his season did not closely remind of his breakthrough 2023 campaign. Locking in a deal now also proves beneficial, as the 49ers will not have Aiyuk for a chunk of this season. Jauan Jennings is also battling an injury (amid an extension quest), while Demarcus Robinson received a three-game suspension. As a result, Purdy’s skill-position crew will again be shorthanded, underlining the importance of the early guarantee.
Broncos Trade WR Devaughn Vele To Saints
AUGUST 21: Payton said on Thursday (via Luca Evans of the Denver Post) that the Broncos “weren’t actively shopping” Vele, but were approached by three different teams over the course of three days. Though they valued the second-year wideout, they made the difficult decision to send him to the Saints, who were looking for a “bigger receiver.”
Payton later mentioned “Jacksonville” when discussing the trade, per Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union, indicating that the Jaguars were one of the other teams who called about Vele. The Jags would then be a team to naturally monitor ahead of cutdown day and the ensuing waiver period regarding a wideout addition.
AUGUST 20: We now have a three-trade Wednesday, as Sean Payton will do business with Mickey Loomis. The Broncos are sending wide receiver Devaughn Vele to the Saints, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill reports.
Although Vele was only a seventh-round pick, he showed promise as a rookie. As a result, the Broncos will gain a strong return on investment. The Saints are sending the Broncos a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-rounder, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The Broncos have since announced the trade.
[RELATED: Full Rundown Of Traded 2026 Draft Picks]
Three years remain on Vele’s rookie contract. The Broncos have seen promising preseason work from both Troy Franklin and rookie third-rounder Pat Bryant. With Bryant profiling as a big-bodied outside receiver, Vele’s place in Denver’s passing attack may well have been foggier as a result of the Illinois product’s arrival. Now, he will join a Saints team that experienced significant injury trouble at receiver last year — but one that has now added multiple pieces in 2025.
New Orleans spent much of last season without its top two receiving options — Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Olave suffered two concussions and did not return during the team’s late swoon following Derek Carr‘s season-ending injury. Shaheed played in only six games last year, suffering meniscus injury that required a full repair. Both starters are back for the Saints, who also reunited with Brandin Cooks in free agency. Although New Orleans’ starting quarterback has yet to be decided, either Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough will have two new auxiliary WRs to target.
In Vele, the Saints will land a 6-foot-5 wideout on a seventh-round contract. Vele is one of the older rookies in recent NFL history, however, in already being 27. He will turn 28 before season’s end, complicating his prospects for a second contract down the line. For now, the Saints have him under control through the 2027 season.
Last season, Vele worked as the Broncos’ second-most utilized receiver — behind only Courtland Sutton. As Franklin and Marvin Mims struggled with inconsistency, Vele logged a 53% snap share. The Utah product caught 41 passes for 475 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie.
Payton’s Saints years frequently involved a host of sidekick options alongside a clear No. 1 — be it Marques Colston or Michael Thomas. His second Broncos setup looks similar, with Mims, Franklin and Bryant set to complement the recently extended Sutton. With the Broncos also signing backup/special-teamer Trent Sherfield, they suddenly had a bit of a logjam on their hands. The team has also used rookie UDFA Courtney Jackson as a return man in the preseason; Jackson could have a path to a sixth WR spot with Vele gone.
It is not known which Bronco will succeed Vele as the team’s second-most utilized wideout, but Franklin — a 2024 fourth-round pick who played with Bo Nix at Oregon — looks like an interesting bet for that de facto WR2 role. Then again, Mims came on strong to close last season and drew WR2 buzz this summer. After the Broncos passed on adding a veteran beyond Sherfield, they will count on the Mims-Franklin-Bryant contingent to the point Vele suddenly became expendable. This may still represent some risk for a Broncos team connected to supporting-cast wideouts for most of the offseason, but the return — and the early work from Franklin and Bryant — may have swayed team brass.
Rams’ Matthew Stafford Returns To Practice
August 21: McVay confirmed on Thursday (via Barshop) that Stafford was a full participant all week without restrictions. Stafford himself said that he’s taking a “day-to-day approach” to his back injury, which he characterized as “something that crept up on me a little bit.” The veteran quarterback will not travel with the Rams to Cleveland for their preseason finale on Saturday.
August 18: Following his second individual throwing session, Matthew Stafford has managed to suit up for practice. The Rams’ starting quarterback participated in his first training camp workout on Monday. 
Last week had been targeted as return date in Stafford’s case. Exercising an abundance of caution, the Rams instead elected to keep him on the sidelines. The 37-year-old was a participant today as planned, though, with ESPN’s Sarah Barshop noting he took part in team drills.
“It was good to be able to have Matthew out there. He did a good job today,” head coach Sean McVay said when speaking to the media after practice (video link). “I think there was a lot of intended information, but there’s no updates. We’re going to keep it a day, and really, a week at a time. But it’s great to be able to see him out there today, and we’ll see how this afternoon goes and tomorrow.”
McVay noted there is no firm timeline in place with respect to how the rest of the week will play out regarding Stafford’s practice participation. He also cautioned (via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times) that today’s encouraging development does not ensure at this point Stafford will be available for Week 1. The Rams have maintained his fifth Los Angles season is expected to begin on time, but a lingering back issue has proven to be troublesome over the course of the summer.
Team and player agreed to another restructured contract this offseason, with the Rams guaranteeing money into 2026. As a result, Stafford’s health for the immediate future but also beyond the coming campaign is key. A separate practice schedule was designed for the former Lion given his injury, but sparse participation over the coming weeks would not amount to much in the way of first-team reps leading up to Week 1.
Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo and former fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett round out the Rams’ QB depth chart. Their practice workloads will be altered if Stafford does indeed return to action on a regular basis, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case. Nonetheless, today’s news marks an encouraging sign for all involved.
Eagles WR Johnny Wilson To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery
Johnny Wilson will not be available to the Eagles in 2025. The second-year wideout suffered an injury Tuesday and surgery will be required as a result. 
Wilson will undergo a procedure on his knee and ankle, as first reported by Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The surgery will end his season. Wilson missed only one regular season contest as a rookie and suited up for all four playoff games during the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl.
[RELATED: Reviewing Eagles’ Offseason]
During that span, the 24-year-old was a part-time presence on special teams while also chipping in offensively. Wilson logged a 34% snap share on offense, and while that workload only yielded 15 targets he showcased an ability as a run blocker when on the field. Instead of aiming to take a step forward in terms of usage and production, Wilson will now need to turn his attention to recovery.
This news comes shortly after the Eagles swung their second trade of the offseason with the Texans. That swap resulted in receiver John Metchie coming to Philadelphia after three years (and two seasons) in Houston. His role as a part-time contributor could increase in the wake of Wilson’s injury. The Eagles’ top three of A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jahan Dotson is set to remain intact, but their receiver depth has been dealt a blow.
With Wilson no longer in the picture, 2024 fifth-rounder Ainias Smith and undrafted rookie Darius Cooper will look to earn the remaining spots on Philadelphia’s receiver depth chart. Their fates will be learned next week when roster cuts take place.
FA Jadeveon Clowney Plans To Sign Before Week 1
Jadeveon Clowney remains unsigned with roster cuts looming. The veteran edge rusher could soon have his latest NFL deal in place, however. 
Clowney plans to sign before the start of the regular season, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. If that is to be the case, an agreement will need to be finalized in the not-too-distant future. The former No. 1 pick said one month ago he has been in contact with a number of suitors while evaluating his free agent options.
No specific teams emerged as candidates to sign Clowney at that point, but it would stand to reason one of them will end up as his eventual destination. After playing for his hometown Panthers in 2024, Clowney was released in May. That move came as little surprise after Carolina added a pair of new edge rushers during the second and third round of the draft.
Since then, no deal has appeared imminent for the South Carolina product. Clowney has established himself as a high-profile journeyman following the end of his Texans tenure, playing for the Seahawks, Titans, Browns and Ravens prior to his one-and-done Panthers campaign. Between that track record and the nature of late-August free agency, a one-year pact should be expected in this case.
With three nine-sack seasons to his name – the most recent coming in 2023 – Clowney could represent a starting-caliber option along the edge for any new team. More realistically, though, a depth role should be in store for the coming campaign. The three-time Pro Bowler totaled 5.5 sacks and 22 pressures last year while handling a 64% snap share. A reduction in workload would be feasible with respect to most destinations, with teams aiming to sort out their depth charts in advance of roster cuts.
At the age of 32, Clowney is presumably eyeing a contender on his next pact. Wilson confirms he is speaking with teams at this point, so it should soon become clear where he will be playing in 2025.
Buccaneers To Carry LT Tristan Wirfs On Active Roster
The Buccaneers are expected to be without Chris Godwin to begin the season, but they are nevertheless on track to carry him on their active roster in September. The same is also true of left tackle Tristan Wirfs. 
Head coach Todd Bowles said on Thursday (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) Wirfs will be on the active roster once final cuts take place. Starting the season on the reserve/PUP list – the likely outcome as of last month – would have guaranteed at least a four-game absence in this case. By moving Wirfs to the active roster, though, he will be eligible to play (or at least practice) within that span.
Missed time during the regular season has been in store since Wirfs underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in early July. The matter of how long he will be unavailable has been unclear ever since, however. Today’s update certainly does not offer any guarantees regarding the two-time All-Pro’s timeline, but it is still an encouraging sign that playing before Week 5 will be an option.
Wirfs inked a five-year extension last offseason. That pact carries an AAV of $28.13MM, which was at the time the highest for any offensive tackle (Rashawn Slater‘s recent Chargers extension surpassed it by a slim margin). A healthy run of games will be critical to Tampa Bay’s offensive line in Wirfs’ case, and as such it would come as no surprise if the team played it safe with his return once he returns to practice.
In the meantime, Charlie Heck is slated to handle first-team duties on the blindside. The free agent addition has 50 appearances and 27 stars to his name, but expectations will of course be far lower than when Wirfs is back in place. When that will be is still unclear, but a long span without the four-time Pro Bowler may not wind up being necessary.