HEADLINES

Chiefs LT Josh Simmons To Miss Second Straight Game

October 17th, 2025 at 8:04pm CST by Ely Allen

After becoming a last second scratch last week, Chiefs rookie left tackle Josh Simmons will miss his second game in a row as he deals with what head coach Andy Reid described as a “family situation” (via The Athletic’s Nate Taylor). This reporting echoes the wording used in the initial reports made last week by NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

Simmons was downgraded to questionable just hours before the team’s Sunday night matchup with the Lions and didn’t end up playing. This wasn’t the first time Simmons had been given a late-week injury designation in his young NFL career. In a radio appearance yesterday, ESPN’s Nate Taylor disclosed that Simmons had also been a late addition to the injury report in Week 5, being listed as questionable due to illness.

Taylor went on to say, “I was sort of told yesterday that his blip on the injury report hours before kickoff in the stadium in Jacksonville is related to what he’s dealing with now.”

It’s hard to see the link between an illness and “personal” designation due to a family situation, but with the lack of clarity on anything related to Simmons at the moment, clear answers are not expected. It also seems like the first-round pick has yet to rejoin the team at all as he’s missed practice this week. According to Jacob Camenker of USA Today, quarterback Patrick Mahomes told the media that he’d been in communication with Simmons, which makes it sound as if he hasn’t been in the building.

Free agent addition Jaylon Moore was called on to start at left tackle in Simmons’ place on Sunday. Following his signing and Simmons’ selection in the draft, it was thought that Moore may have been brought in to serve as a bridge at left tackle in case Simmons needed development. Over his first four years in the league, Moore only started 12 games for the 49ers as a primary backup. Kansas City agreed to pay him $30MM over a two-year deal, yet his first start for the Chiefs came six weeks into the season. Moore struggled in the spot start, making the uncertainty of Simmons’ situation all the more worrisome.

At the moment, though, there doesn’t seem to be any information suggesting Simmons could return soon. Per Camenker, when head coach Andy Reid was asked if there was any timetable for Simmons’ return, Reid shook his head. This was at a press conference that Reid opened up by saying, “As far as Josh Simmons’ situation goes, I’m not going to comment on it today. (General manager Brett) Veach is handling everything there, and we’ll leave it at that.” 

If that’s all we’re getting from the Chiefs’ head coach, it sounds like it might not be an easily remediable situation.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/25

October 17th, 2025 at 7:03pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves as we head into the seventh weekend of the regular season:

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers

The Broncos designated veteran linebacker Dre Greenlaw for his eventual return to the active roster on Wednesday. It looks like one week of practice may have been all Denver needed to see. According to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette, Ehlinger’s release is designed to clear a spot for Greenlaw on the 53-man roster as he comes back from injured reserve. Ehlinger is expected to sign back with the team’s practice squad.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/17/25

October 17th, 2025 at 6:40pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Friday’s practice squad transactions:

Tennessee Titans

Wright had been brought on by Tennessee last week as regular kicker Joey Slye missed their Week 6 trip to Vegas. With Slye returning to practice this week, Wright’s presence was no longer needed.

Taking his place on the practice squad is Bachie, who worked out with the team today after getting released from Indianapolis’ injured reserve on Wednesday. One could speculate that Bachie may have requested a release from the Colts. If he was healthy enough to be signed after a workout with the Titans, his placement on IR must not have been for anything serious.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers Returns To Practice, Doubtful For Week 7

October 17th, 2025 at 5:47pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers returned to practice on Friday, but he is not expected to play in Sunday’s game against the Chiefs.

Bowers missed the Raiders’ last two games with a knee injury – reportedly a bone bruise and a PCL injury – that has been limiting him for much of the season. The second-year tight end is listed as doubtful on Las Vegas’ final injury report, aligning with a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport earlier in the week that Bowers was unlikely to to return until Week 9. The Raiders have a bye in Week 8, so another absence this week would give the 2024 first-round pick plenty of time to recover.

Bowers hurt his knee in Week 1 against the Patriots, but played through it for three weeks. It did have a noticeable impact on his performance; after 103 receiving yards in his first game, Bowers failed to top 50 yards in his next three. The Raiders are now hoping that he can return to his All-Pro form after some extended rest.

With Bowers sidelined, 2023 second-rounder Michael Mayer will take over a starting role for a second week in a row. Mayer was also out in Week 5 due to a concussion, but emerged as a reliable target in Week 6 with five catches on seven targets for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game due to knee and toe injuries suffered in Week 6. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but returned in a limited capacity on Friday to give him a shot at playing against the Chiefs. Absences from both Bowers and Meyers would deprive Geno Smith of his two best pass-catchers and likely lead the Raiders to lean on rookie running back Ashton Jeanty this week.

49ers To Activate George Kittle, Rule Out Brock Purdy

October 17th, 2025 at 5:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The 49ers ruled out quarterback Brock Purdy for Week 7, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, meaning that Mac Jones will make his fifth start of the season.

Purdy was still limited in practice this week due to a re-aggravation of his toe injury. Jones, meanwhile, progressed to full participation despite dealing with knee and oblique injuries. He has led the 49ers to a 3-1 record in his four starts with a league-high 313 passing yards per game.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan also said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) that tight end George Kittle would be activated from injured reserve for Sunday’s game, ending his four-game absence due to a Week 1 hamstring injury. Kittle is not expected to be on any kind of snap count, according to Tafur.

San Francisco created the space for Kittle’s activation on Friday by placing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on injured reserve, per Wagoner. The eight-year veteran will now be on the shelf for at least four games with a calf injury and becomes the latest 49ers wideout to miss time. Ricky Pearsall has been out for the last two games with a knee issue that will sideline him for Sunday’s contest as well. Jacob Cowing is on IR, though Shanahan said (via Wagoner) that he is “getting close” to returning to practice. Jauan Jennings has missed two games and played through four others with a litany of injuries. That’s not even mentioning Brandon Aiyuk, who will not be back until November at the earliest.

Kittle’s return will obviously go a long way in relieving the pressure on the 49ers’ injured receiving corps. Backup tight end Jake Tonges has performed well in his absence, giving Shanahan the options of using more two-tight end formations until the rest of his offense gets healthier.

Shanahan also said that defensive tackle Kevin Givens will “most likely” be activated from IR as well, which would add depth to a defensive line that has also dealt with a number of injuries this year. The 49ers can easily create a roster spot for Givens by placing linebacker Fred Warner on injured reserve after an ankle injury that is expected to end his season.

Vikings To Start Carson Wentz Vs. Eagles

October 17th, 2025 at 4:03pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Carson Wentz revenge game is officially happening.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that Wentz will start on Sunday against the Eagles, his former team. The Eagles traded up to draft Wentz with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft with the hopes that he would be their long-term franchise quarterback.

It didn’t quite work out that way. Wentz struggled as a rookie before a breakout 2017 season that was cut short by an ACL tear. The Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl with Nick Foles under center. Injuries remained an issue for Wentz, though the team still signed him to a four-year, $108MM extension in 2019. By the end of the next season, he was benched for Jalen Hurts, and during the offseason, he was traded to the Colts. That kicked off a series of one-year stints with the Commanders, Rams, and Chiefs before signing with the Vikings this offseason.

O’Connell has repeatedly made it clear that J.J. McCarthy will be the Vikings’ starting quarterback when he’s fully healthy, but that has not been the case for weeks. Wentz started the last two games, and though he picked up a shoulder injury last week, he will be under center once again on Sunday.

McCarthy has still been limited in practice this week as he works his way back from an ankle injury, but O’Connell said that the second-year quarterback will be active as the Vikings’ emergency third quarterback in Week 7, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Max Brosmer will still be the team’s primary backup, but O’Connell indicated that he was comfortable with McCarthy taking the field in an emergency.

Patriots OC Josh McDaniels Downplays Future HC Interest

October 17th, 2025 at 11:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Josh McDaniels has served as an NFL head coach on two occasions. A third opportunity could arise depending on the success of his latest Patriots offensive coordinator stint, but that is not something receiving consideration at this time.

“I love living in New England,” McDaniels said when speaking to the media about any future head coaching aspirations (via MassLive’s Karen Guregian). “That’s the short of it. I just try to focus on now, I’m really enjoying coaching for [head coach] Mike [Vrabel], and the staff and the guys we have here in the organization. That would be surprising if I moved my kids out of Westwood.”

McDaniels has worked as the Patriots’ OC on three separate occasions during his career. The 49-year-old has also been the head coach of the Broncos and Raiders, although neither of those gigs went according to plan. With Denver in 2010 and then again with Vegas in 2023, McDaniels was fired midway through his second season in charge. Overall, his head coaching record sits at 20-33.

For the time being, McDaniels’ attention is focused on overseeing an offense which has made notable strides compared to last season. Central to that development, of course, is the progress shown by second-year quarterback Drake Maye. 2024’s third overall pick has increased his production across the board during his first campaign working under McDaniels. The Patriots sit at 4-2 on the year and rank 11th in the league in scoring with an average of 25 points per game.

If New England can maintain that level of production through the remainder of the season, a return to the playoffs could be in store. That would no doubt help McDaniels’ coaching stock, and it could leave him in a situation not unlike Kliff Kingsbury‘s last year. During his return to the NFL, Kingsbury helped guide Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ offense to an impressive showing, leading to questions about a second attempt at head coaching duties. Kingsbury was linked to multiple openings, but the presence of Daniels helped inform his decision to remain in place.

Similarly, McDaniels could draw interest on the coaching market if his third Patriots stint continues on an encouraging path. His past shortcomings would give suitors plenty of pause, on the other hand, and it remains to be seen if he would seek out another chance to lead a coaching staff anyway. At this point, it appears as though that would not be the case.

49ers Less Likely To Pursue Trades?

October 17th, 2025 at 11:09am CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after Nick Bosa suffered a torn ACL, John Lynch confirmed the 49ers were in the market for a trade aimed at adding a pass rusher. Trey Hendrickson in particular has emerged as a name to watch in that regard.

However, Week 6 saw linebacker Fred Warner suffer a fractured and dislocated ankle. The All-Pro is expected to miss the remainder of the campaign as a result. With San Francisco’s defense now missing two major contributors the rest of the way, the team’s general manager appears to have changed his stance on the subject of pursuing a short-term addition on the trade market.

“It’s time to go play. And we’ve got plenty in this team to go compete and go win football games,” Lynch said during his latest appearance on KNBR radio (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “And you do your due diligence — you put the work in. Are there variables that change from week to week? Absolutely, there are. And we’ll just leave it at that.”

Indeed, the 49ers’ calculus has no doubt shifted with Bosa and now Warner out of the picture. The team sits at 4-2, but sacrificing draft capital for a rental could be more difficult to justify given the state of the defense on the injury front. In any event, the play of San Francisco’s internal options will be key in replacing Bosa and Warner down the stretch.

Hendrickson is one of several edge rushers who have emerged as trade candidates ahead of the November 4 deadline. Fewer linebackers have been mentioned in the same capacity, though. As things stand, Tatum Bethune is in position to assume a starting role in Warner’s place. The 2024 seventh-rounder has been a regular on special teams early in his career, but he has logged just 99 snaps on defense in the regular season. How Bethune fares with an increased workload will surely influence Lynch’s aggressiveness on the trade front.

With over $21MM in cap space, the 49ers can certainly afford a short-term acquisition. Based on Lynch’s latest comments, however, the team may prefer to avoid any notable outside additions and instead proceed with its in-house replacement options.

Rams WR Puka Nacua Out For Week 7

October 17th, 2025 at 10:28am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 17: Nacua has been ruled out for Week 7, to little surprise. With the Rams’ bye upcoming after their London game, the team will have additional time to evaluate his recovery timeframe.

OCTOBER 13: The Rams improved to 4-2 on the year with their win yesterday. Los Angeles lost wideout Puka Nacua along the way, however, and he may be sidelined for a stretch.

Nacua exited the game against the Ravens before briefly returning in the second half. Overall, the league’s receptions leader logged just 27 snaps, by far his lowest total of the campaign. Nacua is dealing with an ankle sprain, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. As a result, at least one missed game could be in store.

The Rams will play the Jaguars in London next week. Los Angeles’ bye will follow that contest, so the team could elect to keep Nacua out of the fold for one contest and then evaluate him upon return from the international game. Of course, any missed time in this case would be critical for the Rams’ offense and their ability to keep pace in a highly competitive division.

Even with his limited output on Sunday, Nacua has amassed 616 yards and a pair of touchdowns through six games this season. The third-year pass-catcher is thus averaging nearly 103 receiving yards per contest, another increase in that department early in his impressive career. Nacua averaged 87 yards per game as a rookie before upping that total to 90 last year.

Maintaining his current production would help the 24-year-old’s case for a massive extension as early as this coming offseason. Nacua is playing out the third season of his four-year rookie pact, but an early (and lucrative) commitment on the part of the Rams would come as no surprise. On the other hand, the former fifth-rounder was limited to 11 games last season so an extended absence in 2025 could hinder his earning potential.

A lengthy spell on the sidelines should not be expected given today’s report, but ankle sprains can linger into multi-week absences. For now, the Rams will move forward with a receiving corps still featuring Davante Adams and Tutu Atwell. Los Angeles also has Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson available at the tight end spot.

Further updates on Nacua will be worth watching for as the Rams prepare to fly to London. At least one missed game would be in store if a cautious approach were to be taken, but clarity on Nacua’s recovery timeline will be key.

NFLPA Begins Search For Executive Director

October 17th, 2025 at 9:42am CST by Adam La Rose

The 2025 offseason was filled with drama for the NFL Players Association. Lloyd Howell, and later J.C. Tretter, resigned from their respective positions amid multiple scandals.

Shortly after Howell’s tenure as executive director came to an end, David White was tapped as his replacement on an interim basis. White – the runner-up to Howell in the NFLPA’s most recent selection process – has been in place since August. That will remain the case moving forward, but the union’s process of finding a permanent leader has now officially begun.

“The selection of the new executive director will be entirely player-driven and we’re committed to keeping you informed,” NFLPA President Jalen Reeves-Maybin wrote in a memo to players (via Mark Maske of the Washington Post). “The Executive Committee will oversee the search process while receiving input and direction from the Board of Player Representatives as we seek out a candidate who upholds our values, fights for our membership, and positions us strongly for future negotiations.”

The NFLPA has hired TurnkeyZRG as a search firm to assist in the process. Per Maske, White will only receive consideration for the full-time position if his candidacy is raised by the board of player reps itself. It remains to be seen if that will be the case, but in any event outside options will be explored. Reeves-Maybin’s memo emphasizes an increase in transparency relative to previous searches for a union leader. The Howell selection process was mired in secrecy, something which drew widespread criticism.

As Maske notes, there is not a consensus amongst the NFLPA’s members on the subject of whether or not the next executive director should be an ex-player. To date, the only official candidate for the position is former NFL quarterback Matt Schaub, who laid out his plans for the union this summer. Darrell Revis has made a number of public comments related to the NFLPA recently; he and Joe Briggs (who has a lengthy legal background and has served in various roles within the union) are names to watch as well.

No firm timeline is in place for a formal hire to be made by the NFLPA, but Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes there is a belief that March is being targeted for a full-time leader to be in place. That would allow for new union leadership to be installed in time for the annual league meetings. Talks on a new CBA – which will include discussions on, among other things, expanding the schedule to 18 games, are on the horizon. A key factor in negotiations on that front and others will of course be the NFLPA’s organizational setup, including the identity of its next full-time executive director.

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