Minor NFL Transactions: 10/20/25
Today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed from practice squad: CB Arthur Maulet
- Elevated: CB Tre Flowers, S Loren Strickland
- Released: LB Ty Summers
Houston Texans
- Elevated: CB D’Angelo Ross
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers (from Chargers): LB Caleb Murphy
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: CB Shaquill Griffin, S Jerrick Reed II
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: G Mike Jordan, RB Owen Wright
It didn’t take long for Arthur Maulet to earn a full-time spot on the Lions active roster. The veteran cornerback just joined the organization earlier this month, and he already had one promotion in Week 6. He’ll likely continue seeing a rotational role in Detroit’s secondary moving forward, although his addition is partly due to absences from Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed.
The Patriots snagged a linebacker from the Chargers today. Caleb Murphy has some familiarity with Mike Vrabel, as the former Titans coach added the linebacker as an undrafted free agent back in 2023. Murphy has gotten into 14 games in stints with the Titans and Chargers, compiling 17 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
WR Tyler Lockett Granted Release By Titans
Tyler Lockett‘s stint in Tennessee has unceremoniously come to an end. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the veteran wideout asked for and was granted his release by the Titans today. The move allows Lockett to sign with another team after 4pmET on Wednesday.
After spending 10 seasons in Seattle to begin his career, Lockett was released by the Seahawks this past offseason. He quickly caught on with the Titans via a one-year, $4MM deal. The hope was that the receiver would provide another experienced target for Cam Ward, but the acquisition clearly wasn’t clicking with his new offense.
Through seven games, Lockett has hauled in 10 of his 21 targets for 70 yards. While he’s garnered the third-most snaps among Titans receivers, his role has been trending downwards in recent weeks. This seemed to culminate yesterday, when the 33-year-old was firmly playing as the WR4 despite Calvin Ridley being sidelined with a hamstring injury.
This move should now work out for both sides. The 1-6 Titans will get an opportunity to get a longer look at their younger wideouts, including Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, who hauled in his first-career touchdown during yesterday’s loss. Paul Kuharsky wonders if the Titans may also lean more into two tight end sets, which would presumably consist of Chig Okonkwo and Gunnar Helm.
For Lockett, the veteran will have an opportunity to catch on with a more competitive squad, although he may be hard pressed to find a significant role with a new team. Lockett’s numbers dropped a bit during his final seasons in Seattle, including a 2024 campaign where he finished with 49 receptions for 600 yards and two touchdowns.
This was a far cry from the four-straight 1,000-yard campaigns he put up between 2019 and 2022, and his recent role in Tennessee could indicate that he doesn’t have a whole lot left in the tank. At the very least, the veteran can now ride off into the sunset with a team that’s perhaps destined for the postseason.
Bills Designate CB Maxwell Hairston For Return
Maxwell Hairston is moving closer to his NFL debut. The first-round rookie had his practice window opened by the Bills on Monday, per the transactions wire. 
Last week, head coach Sean McDermott indicated a return to practice would be coming shortly. As such. today’s news comes as little surprise. The Bills now have 21 days to activate Hairston and avoid having him revert to season-ending injured reserve.
During roster cutdowns, Buffalo moved Hairston to IR with a return designation. That used up one of the team’s IR activations, meaning another will not be needed once the 22-year-old is officially brought back into the fold. More importantly, having Hairston available will provide a boost to Buffalo’s secondary – a unit which may be without fellow rookie Dorian Strong the rest of the way – as early as Week 8 as the team returns from its bye.
The Bills sit second in the NFL in pass defense, but their play against the run has been an issue so far. Buffalo has surrendered an average of 156 yards per game on the ground, the second-worst figure in the league. Adding Hairston to the mix is unlikely to make much of a different against the run, but the Kentucky product could certainly help a defense which has posted just two interceptions to date.
Over the course of his college career, Hairston posted six interceptions. Five of those came in 2023, although his lone pick from last season was returned for a touchdown. The 5-11, 183-pounder will look to add a playmaking element to Buffalo’s cornerback room early and often in his career. The Bills have Christian Benford and Tre’Davious White atop the depth chart for perimeter corners; Hairston will look to compete with the latter for playing time upon being activated.
Lions DT Alim McNeill To Make Season Debut In Week 7
OCTOBER 20: With no setbacks having taken place in recent days, McNeill is indeed set to make his debut tonight. The Lions have activated him from the reserve/PUP list, per a team announcement.
OCTOBER 15: After returning to practice earlier this month, Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill is nearing his long-awaited season debut. Head coach Dan Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket on Wednesday that McNeill will suit up against the Buccaneers in Week 7 in a showdown between NFC contenders (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
“Barring something happening this week, Alim’s fricking playing, man,” Campbell said.
McNeill, now in his fifth season, has emerged as an integral piece of Detroit’s defensive line since the team chose him in the third round of the 2021 draft. After mostly working as a reserve as a rookie, the 6-foot-2, 310-pounder has started in all 44 appearances since his second year. McNeill totaled 25 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 14 games last season before suffering a torn ACL in a mid-December loss to the Bills.
Now 10 months removed from his injury, the 25-year-old McNeill is ready to return to action. Notably, Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of McNeil landing a four-year, $97MM contract extension. Considering the Lions’ investment in McNeil, they may ease him back in upon his return. The Lions have a bye following their matchup with the Buccaneers, which will give McNeill a week to rest after his first game back.
Although he missed the Lions’ last three regular-season games, McNeil still led their defensive tackles in snaps in 2024. D.J. Reader has paced the group this year, while first-round rookie Tyleik Williams has received the second-most snaps. Roy Lopez, Pat O’Connor, and Tyler Lacy have also gotten a good chunk of playing time in depth roles during McNeill’s absence.
Despite going without McNeill this season, Detroit’s defense still ranks fourth in the NFL in sacks and ninth in yards per game, though it’s a middle-of-the-pack 15th in points per contest. With the 4-2 Lions looking to bounce back from a loss to the Chiefs and down a few key defenders in their secondary (D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, and Brian Branch if his one-game suspension holds up), McNeill will be a welcome reinforcement against the Bucs (5-1), the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Commanders DE Dorance Armstrong Out For Season
The Commanders’ defensive front will be shorthanded for the remainder of the campaign. Dorance Armstrong suffered a knee injury on Sunday, and he will not be able to return in 2025. 
Earlier today, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reported Armstrong was seeking out a second opinion on his injury. Since then, head coach Dan Quinn has announced the veteran defensive end is out for the year. The news deals a blow to Washington’s defensive front, a unit which Armstrong was leading.
The Commanders rank fifth in the NFL with 19 sacks in 2025. A team-high 5.5 of those have come from Armstrong, so his loss will be acutely felt. The 28-year-old has reached five or more sacks every year since 2021, and he has remained a productive contributor for Washington after his time in Dallas. Following head coach Dan Quinn from one team to the other last spring, Armstrong operated as a full-time starter during his first year in the nation’s capital.
In 2025, the former fourth-rounder’s playing time dropped compared to his career-high workload from last season. Still, it will be challenging for the Commanders to replace Armstrong while looking to take needed steps forward elsewhere on defense. Washington sits just 27th in total defense at the moment, something which has played a crucial role in the team’s 3-4 record and overall struggles compared to last year.
Armstrong is under contract through 2026, although none of his base salary for next season ($8.6MM) is guaranteed. As such, a restructure amounting to a pay cut could be in store based on his missed time to close out the current campaign. Keeping the Kansas product in the fold will no doubt be a priority for the Commanders this offseason, but his value has obviously taken a hit with this news.
In the meantime, Washington will move forward with a pass rush group led by Von Miller, Jacob Martin and hybrid linebacker Frankie Luvu. The Commanders recently signed Drake Jackson, but as planned he was moved to injured reserve shortly after being added. As such, Washington could be in the market for an EDGE addition ahead of the trade deadline.
Texans Activate Denico Autry, Jaylen Reed
Shortly before their 21-day activations windows closed, both Denico Autry and Jaylen Reed are back in the fold. Both defenders were activated by the Texans on Monday, per a team announcement. 
Autry was moved to the reserve/PUP list during roster cutdowns. Reed, meanwhile, was classified as injured reserve-designated for return at that time. In both cases, an absence of at least the first four games of the season was guaranteed. Both players returned to practice at the beginning of October, opening their three-week activation windows.
Most of that time has been used up, but the timing of today’s move ensures Autry and Reed will be in the fold moving forward. They are both on the active roster in time to play in tonight’s contest against the Seahawks. Houston already has the league’s No. 1 defense in terms of points allowed per game (12.2), and that unit will now have reinforcements.
Autry dealt with a lingering knee injury dating back to last season while preparing for the current campaign. Upon returning from suspension last year, the 35-year-old posted three sacks in 10 games. That marked a notable decline relative to his highly productive Titans stint prior to arriving in Houston. Still, the 12th-year veteran will offer solid depth to the pass rush tandem of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.
Reed was taken in the sixth round of April’s draft. He will look to provide depth at the safety spot, something which would be welcomed after the decision to move on from C.J. Gardner-Johnson during the season. A large special teams workload could await Reed during his rookie campaign. The Texans still have seven of their eight allotted IR activations for the season since designating Reed for return in August used one.
In a corresponding move, cornerback Zion Childress has been waived. The undrafted rookie made a pair of appearances with Dallas before signing to Houston’s active roster. That did not result in further playing time, though, and Childress will now hit the waiver wire.
Chiefs’ Omarr Norman-Lott Suffers Torn ACL
The Chiefs’ defense enjoyed a shutout performance on Sunday, but the unit lost a key figure along the way. Omarr Norman-Lott exited the game and he will miss the remainder of his rookie campaign. 
Norman-Lott suffered an ACL tear, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. That will bring an end to the second-rounder’s debut NFL season. It will also leave Kansas City short on options along the defensive line aside from Chris Jones.
During his five games in the regular season, Norman-Lott logged one start and handled a snap share of 27%. As ESPN’s Nate Taylor notes, the Chiefs planned on increasing his workload over the coming weeks. Now, that will of course not be an option. It will be interesting to see how Kansas City proceeds over the coming weeks with a greater need for depth up front.
The team has been linked to running back interest on the trade front, but the most recent report on the matter indicated defensive line help was the top priority. In the wake of Norman-Lott going down for the rest of the year, that could certainly be the case to an even greater extent moving forward. The Chiefs have 15 days before the deadline to make any trade acquisitions, and finding at least a rental capable of filling in on the D-line would come as little surprise.
After three seasons at Arizona State, Norman-Lott transferred to Tennessee. During his two campaigns as a Volunteer, he totaled 9.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. That production made the 23-year-old one of the top options in a stacked defensive tackle class during April’s draft. Having been selected early in the event, Norman-Lott was set to handle a notable part-time role as the Chiefs looked to replace Tershawn Wharton following his free agent departure. That effort will now be on hold until 2026.
Saints RB Kendre Miller Suffers ACL Tear
The Saints’ offensive line will be missing a key piece the rest of the way with Erik McCoy sidelined. He is not the only member of New Orleans’ offense which suffered a season-ending injury yesterday. 
Backup running back Kendre Miller exited the contest with a knee injury. When speaking after the game, head coach Kellen Moore expressed concern the ailment would be significant and testing has proven that to be the case. Miller suffered an ACL tear, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
As a result, the third-year back will turn his attention to a lengthy rehab process. Miller made just 14 appearances across his first two campaigns in the NFL, dealing with different ailments along the way. During that span, the former third-rounder handled only 80 carries in a complementary role behind Alvin Kamara on the depth chart.
In 2025, Miller began to take on a larger workload in the backfield. The 23-year-old had already set new career highs in attempts (47) and rushing yards (193) prior to suffering the injury. Miller’s 4.1 yards per carry average also marked a personal best. He could be in store for another uptick in usage next season, depending on the nature of his recovery and how the Saints proceed at the running back spot.
Kamara has been mentioned as a trade candidate based on New Orleans’ position as a likely seller ahead of the deadline. The lifetime Saint hopes to remain in place, though, and honoring that request would allow for Kamara to continue atop the depth chart moving forward. Even in that event, Miller could handle a regular backup gig upon returning to full health. As a pending 2027 free agent, the TCU product will need to avoid further injuries next year to generate a strong market.
With Kamara still in the fold at least for the time being, he will be counted on to remain a focal point on offense. The Saints also have sixth-round rookie Devin Neal in the fold, and he could be in line for an increased role to close out the year with Miller sidelined.
Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown To Return To Practice
The final stage of DeMarvion Overshown‘s return to the lineup will begin shortly. The third-year linebacker is set to practice for the Cowboys this week. 
Overshown indicated on X Monday morning that his practice window would open. The news has since been confirmed by COO Stephen Jones. Once the Cowboys officially bring Overshown back onto the practice field, they will have 21 days to activate him. Using most or all of that time could be necessary.
“It will probably take the full, allotted three weeks,” Jones said when speaking about Overshown during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “I know he’s fired up. I know the training staff is fired up.”
As of June, Overshown was ahead of schedule in his recovery from the ACL, MCL and PCL tears which ended his 2024 campaign. That was already the second massive knee injury of his NFL career, as the Texas product was sidelined for his entire rookie campaign. The Cowboys have been targeting a return at some point in November, though, and today’s news points further in that direction.
Dallas’ linebacking corps has drawn criticism for its role in the team’s poor showings on defense to date. A trade aimed at helping the unit could be in store, but expectations are high for internal improvement once Overshown is back in the fold. The 25-year-old racked up 90 tackles and five sacks in 13 games prior to suffering his latest knee injury. He did so while handling a defensive snap share of 83%. A similar workload could be in store upon being activated.
The Cowboys’ defense is dealing with a number of other important injuries on defense, with the secondary in particular being a unit still far from full strength. That could remain the case for the time being, but getting Overshown back in the fold will be critical. The Cowboys will no doubt proceed with caution in terms of moving forward with an activation once his window opens, but a 2025 debut can be expected shortly.
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