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NFL Minor Transactions: 10/15/25

October 15th, 2025 at 6:32pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s midweek minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

As injuries and suspensions thin out the Lions’ secondary, Detroit is bringing in Robinson, who signed to the Chiefs’ taxi squad in the days leading up to the regular season and has yet to see any gametime this year.

With Arizona losing tight end Travis Vokolek for the rest of the season with a neck injury, Deguara gets the call to fill out the room off the practice squad.

Dimukeje has been working his way back from a torn pectoral muscle suffered in offseason workouts back in May, shortly after joining the team. He’ll have 21 days to get activated off the PUP list and debut in New York.

Giants Seeking ‘Big’ WR Addition?

October 15th, 2025 at 5:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants are without Malik Nabers for the season’s remainder, and they faced the Eagles without Darius Slayton. While New York managed to upset Philadelphia anyway, the team has Jaxson Dart‘s development to consider.

We heard recently the Giants have done due diligence on a wide receiver trade ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline, but they may be aiming higher than previously known. The team is believed to be going “big-game hunting” at the position, SNY.tv’s Connor Hughes notes.

With an eye on accelerating Dart’s progress, per Hughes, Joe Schoen appears interested in conducting a thorough investigation of the market. The Giants retained their first-round pick in the Dart trade, giving up their 2026 third-rounder in a deal that also cost them a 2025 second, and hold picks in Rounds 2, 4, 5 and 6 in next year’s draft.

One of the NFL’s most consistently subpar teams over the past decade, the Giants have made a few seller’s trades at the deadline. They made an exception in 2019, adding Leonard Williams despite sitting in a clear seller’s position. That turned out to be a solid move, as Williams became an impact defender with the Giants during a four-year period. Williams was a rental at the time, but the Giants slapped the franchise tag on him in 2020. They retagged him in 2021, leading to a player-friendly extension days later.

It would stand to reason the Giants will be interested in adding a wideout with some more control left on his contract. Although it is not known specifically who the team is targeting, Hughes names Chris Olave, Jaylen Waddle and Jakobi Meyers as potential options. Each is attached to teams expected to sell, and both Olave and Waddle are signed beyond 2025 (Meyers is in a contract year). Though, other teams will surely be in on all three — if any is indeed dangled in trades — and it would take plenty to pry Olave from New Orleans or Waddle from Miami.

The Dolphins have been resistant to moving Waddle in the past, keeping him off the table during Jonathan Taylor talks in 2023, and are expected to cut Tyreek Hill in 2026. That would make Waddle’s presence more important. New Orleans picked up Olave’s fifth-year option and have seen him bounce back from a concussion-marred 2024 season. The Saints are prepared to listen in an effort to accumulate draft capital, however. The team did not budge on Olave over the summer.

The Giants re-signed Slayton on a three-year, $36MM deal in March; they have Wan’Dale Robinson in a contract year. While Jalin Hyatt is signed through 2026, the former third-round pick has not shown much as a pro. Nabers’ rookie pact runs through 2027, and barring major complications on his ACL recovery, that deal should be expected to be pushed through 2028 via the fifth-year option. Before a fifth-year option is factored into the Dart equation, the QB’s rookie accord runs through 2028.

Nabers has not undergone surgery yet, with NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo indicating the standout receiver is building strength and mobility around the torn ligament first. The surgery will take place in the coming weeks. This timetable reminds of Saquon Barkley‘s in 2020, when weeks passed between the then-Giants RB’s ACL tear and surgery. As of now, a return by training camp is expected.

49ers Open George Kittle’s Practice Window

October 15th, 2025 at 3:09pm CST by Connor Byrne

Star tight end George Kittle has been on IR since Sept. 9, but he’s finally nearing a return. The 49ers opened Kittle’s practice window on Wednesday, according to Clayton Holloway of NFL Network. They’ll have 21 days to activate him.

Kittle, who suffered a hamstring injury in a Week 1 win over the Seahawks, will practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said that quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Mac Jones will join Kittle as limited participants (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic).

Purdy, out back-to-back games with a toe injury, is viewed as more limited than Jones. While Jones is battling knee and oblique issues, he could make his third straight start Sunday against the Falcons.

Kittle has already missed five games this season, which is the second-highest total of his nine-year career. The six-time Pro Bowler entered 2025 off four consecutive seasons of at least 14 games played. He continued to thrive during a 15-game slate in 2024, catching 78 passes for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns.

The 49ers were likely expecting more of the same from Kittle this season. Instead, he has been among many high-profile injury casualties for the club. San Francisco’s offense has gotten one appearance from Kittle, two from Purdy, and none from receiver Brandon Aiyuk. On the other side of the ball, the team has seen heart-and-soul defenders Fred Warner and Nick Bosa go down with season-ending injuries in recent weeks. Despite that, the 49ers have gotten off to a 4-2 start.

Without Kittle, the 49ers have turned to the little-known Jake Tonges as their primary tight end. To Tonges’ credit, he has done well filling in for Kittle. He entered the season with no catches over four games (all with Chicago in 2022), but Tonges has racked up 25 receptions, 34 targets, 224 yards, and three scores in six contests this year. He’ll serve as a solid No. 2 option at tight end when Kittle is back in the lineup, perhaps as early as this week.

The 49ers could also get Aiyuk back soon, which will further bolster their offense down the stretch as they vie for a playoff berth. Facing a fellow NFC postseason contender this week in the 3-2 Falcons, the 49ers may again have to overcome a Purdy absence. After signing a five-year, $265MM contract extension in the offseason, Purdy has been sidelined for most of 2025. Jones has held his own as a fill-in, but thanks in part to his own injury troubles, he struggled in a loss to the Buccaneers in Week 6.

Titans Designate T’Vondre Sweat For Return

October 15th, 2025 at 3:04pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Titans have opened mammoth defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat practice window, per Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. The team will have 21 days to activate Sweat from injured reserve.

[RELATED: Fallout on Brian Callahan’s firing]

A second-round pick from Texas in 2024, Sweat appeared in all 17 games for the Titans and started 16 as a rookie. Sweat ranked seventh on the Titans’ defense in snaps (699) and collected 51 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble during a standout debut campaign next to three-time Pro Bowler Jeffrey Simmons.

While Sweat enjoyed a healthy first season in the NFL, he has only played in one game this year – a Week 1 loss to the Broncos. The 24-year-old suffered an ankle injury in that contest. Sweat had been working toward a return ahead of Week 3, but after he re-injured his ankle, the Titans put him on IR on Sept. 20.

Having missed four games since the Titans placed him on the shelf, Sweat is eligible to return Sunday against the Patriots for interim head coach Mike McCoy‘s debut on the job. It’s unclear if Sweat will be ready by then.

Even though Sweat has been out for most of the season, Simmons has continued to dominate. He has posted an 87% snap share and picked up 4.5 sacks, serving as a rare bright spot during a 1-5 start for the Titans.  James Lynch and Shy Tuttle trail behind him in the pecking order at defensive tackle. Those two figure to lose playing time when Sweat comes back.

Along with welcoming Sweat back to practice on Wednesday, the Titans re-signed cornerback Alex Johnson to their practice squad. They previously released him from their P-squad on Oct. 7.

Panthers OLB Patrick Jones Out For Season

October 15th, 2025 at 2:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

One key piece to the Panthers’ reshaped outside linebacker puzzle will not factor into their rest-of-season equation. The back injury Patrick Jones is battling will put him on the shelf the rest of the way.

Dave Canales confirmed Wednesday (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) Jones will need season-ending surgery to address the issue. Signed to a two-year deal this offseason, Jones has started in all four games he has played as a Panther.

After making a modest effort to fill the void the Brian Burns trade created, the Panthers signed Jones and used Day 2 picks on Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. The team then cut Jadeveon Clowney, clearing the road for Jones and the rookies. Jones has one sack and two QB hits through four games, missing two already. These will be his year-end totals.

Carolina gave Jones a two-year, $14MM deal on Day 1 of the legal tampering period. The ex-Vikings pass rusher generated some late free agency buzz and drew a nice market as a younger option. Jones posted seven sacks as a backup to Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel last season, and the Panthers asked him to start while developing Scourton and Umanmielen. Jones joined D-linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown as notable front-seven additions in free agency.

While the pack of offseason adds has helped Ejiro Evero‘s defense on the whole, the Panthers have just five sacks in six games. Scourton and holdover edge rusher D.J. Wonnum do not yet have sacks, though Evero’s defense has climbed from 32nd in points and yardage allowed last season to 21st and 10th in those categories, respectively. Derrick Brown‘s return has provided the biggest spark here, but the well-paid D-lineman will need more help now that Jones is out.

Scourton has logged a 59% snap share, starting two games, while Umanmielen is at 28% strictly as a backup. The Panthers made the Clowney decision to help clear the runway for the rookies, and the Jones setback will widen it. Jones secured a partial guarantee on his 2026 salary; $1.75MM of the $6.4MM number is locked in. That will make his recovery worth monitoring over the next several months.

Chargers To Designate OLB Khalil Mack For Return

October 15th, 2025 at 2:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers’ trade for Odafe Oweh led to some speculation Khalil Mack would need a longer recovery timetable in dealing with a dislocated elbow, but that does not seem to be the case. The two outside linebackers should be expected to play together before too long.

Jim Harbaugh confirmed Mack will return to practice Wednesday. This will open the decorated edge rusher’s 21-day return timetable. Today marked Mack’s first chance to practice, representing a good sign his return is near for a team that has been wounded by injuries.

[RELATED: 2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Mack went down during the Chargers’ Monday-night win over the Raiders in Week 2. Harbaugh made sure to indicate the Bolts expected Mack to be back at some point this season. Rather than a late-season reemergence, the 12th-year veteran — who considered retirement this offseason — is on a fast track.

A Mack return would create a formidable pass rush for the Bolts, who added Oweh to a crew housing Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree. Mack was part of a superior quartet last season, with Joey Bosa in place. The Chargers made the longtime Los Angeles edge presence a cap casualty this offseason and re-signed Mack on a one-year, $18MM deal. The team picked up the balance of Oweh’s fifth-year option salary from the Ravens, rostering him at a $9.57MM cap number.

This elbow setback represented Mack’s first real injury trouble since being traded to L.A. in 2022. At the time, Mack was coming off a seven-game 2021 marred by a foot injury. A new Bears regime dealt him to the Chargers for second- and sixth-round picks. Mack returned as a healthy contributor, helping the Bolts’ cause as Bosa injury trouble persisted, and only missed one game from 2022-24. He earned two Pro Bowl nods during that time, though Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz arranged a pay cut upon arrival last year.

Tuipulotu is off to a strong start, leading the Chargers in sacks by a comfortable margin — with five. This is the former second-round pick’s first extended run as a starter; he is on pace to eclipse his career highs in sacks (8.5) and QB hits (17) in Year 3. Dupree does not have a sack yet; he joins Mack and Oweh in being on an expiring contract. Tuipulotu’s rookie deal runs through 2026. For now, though, the Chargers look set to deploy another interesting two-deep at OLB in the near future.

Bills’ Maxwell Hairston Making Progress; DC Bobby Babich To Remain Play-Caller

October 15th, 2025 at 1:48pm CST by Connor Byrne

Buffalo is one of the few teams in the NFL that hasn’t gotten any help from its 2025 first-round pick. However, that may change soon. Head coach Sean McDermott said the Bills could open injured rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston‘s 21-day practice window, though he didn’t indicate when that might happen (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic).

The Bills, now on a bye week and in the middle of a two-game losing streak, saw Hairston go down with an LCL injury early in training camp. They placed the former Kentucky Wildcat on IR in late August, setting up at least a four-game absence. Buffalo has now gone six games without Hairston, and though the team is 4-2, its defense hasn’t played particularly well. The secondary has been part of the problem.

If Hairston does take the field this year, the speedster could wrest playing time away from No. 2 cornerback Tre’Davious White. He and White would have competed for the job during the summer if not for Hairston’s injury. Both White and No. 1 corner Christian Benford have underwhelmed this season. It’s less surprising in the case of White, a 30-year-old who tore his ACL and his Achilles in recent years. Benford’s dropoff has been more concerning in the wake of the four-year, $69MM extension he signed in the offseason.

Regardless of whether Hairston emerges as a starter this season, he should at least improve Buffalo’s depth. Rookie sixth-rounder Dorian Strong, who worked as the Bills’ No. 3 boundary corner during the first few weeks of the season, could be done for the year with a neck injury. Thanks to the absences of Hairston and Strong, the team is down to Ja’Marcus Ingram as its top boundary option behind Benford and White.

The Bills are also dealing with issues up front, where starting defensive tackle DaQuan Jones is likely to miss time. Jones popped his calf during pregame warmups on Monday, leading him to sit out a loss to the Falcons, and was in a boot afterward (via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com). Jones is tied for the team lead with two sacks, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranks his 2025 performance 19th among 122 qualifying defensive tackles.

The Bills are already without another D-tackle in rookie second-round pick T.J. Sanders, who went on IR last weekend, though fourth-rounder Deone Walker shined in the Atlanta game. Unless Jones makes a quick recovery, Walker and Ed Oliver will serve as the Bills’ main options at tackle coming out of the bye. The Bills could also reinstate veteran Larry Ogunjobi from a six-game PED suspension beginning in Week 8.

Regardless of who’s in the lineup when Week 8 rolls around, it doesn’t appear the Bills will make any changes to their defensive staff. While McDermott was a longtime defensive coordinator before the Bills hired him in 2017, he said that he’s not considering taking play-calling duties away from DC Bobby Babich (via Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News). In his second year on the job, Babich’s group ranks 10th in the NFL in sacks, 17th in points, 19th in yardage, and 22nd in third-down conversion rate. He’ll get a chance to right the ship after the bye.

Cardinals Open DL Walter Nolen’s Practice Window

October 15th, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Connor Byrne

After moving defensive tackle Walter Nolen to the reserve/PUP list in late August, the Cardinals haven’t gotten any contributions from the first-round rookie this season. That could change soon, though, as head coach Jonathan Gannon said the team will open Nolen’s practice window on Wednesday (via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). Arizona will have 21 days to activate him.

Thanks to a calf injury, Nolen will have a delayed start to his NFL career after going 16th overall in the draft. Nolen spent his first two seasons in college with Texas A&M before transferring to Mississippi ahead of the 2024 campaign. The 300-pounder earned All-America and first-team All-SEC honors during his only year with Ole Miss, leading the Cardinals to identify him as a potential long-term cornerstone.

The addition of Nolen was part of an offseason front seven makeover for Arizona, which has gotten off to a 2-4 start. The team also signed former Eagle Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4MM deal, handed Dalvin Tomlinson a two-year, $29MM pact, and reunited with Calais Campbell on a one-year, $5.5MM accord. While Sweat and Campbell have combined for eight sacks, the rest of the defense has only picked up three. The unit ranks an underwhelming 24th in yards per game, but it’s a more respectable 13th against the run and 14th in points surrendered.

Tomlinson and Campbell have started in all six games this year, while 2024 first-rounder Darius Robinson, Dante Stills, and PJ Mustipher have also accrued significant playing time along the interior. A pectoral injury has held Robinson out since Week 4, but he’ll join Nolen in returning to practice on Wednesday (via Urban). Those two and Bilal Nichols, who has played just one game this year, should replenish the Cardinals’ depth along the line when they’re all in the lineup.

While Nolen and Robinson are on their way back, the Cardinals will go the rest of 2025 without tight end Travis Vokolek. Gannon announced Vokolek’s season-ending IR placement on Wednesday. Before succumbing to a neck injury, Vokolek appeared in five games this year and didn’t catch a pass in 32 offensive snaps. He played 45 snaps on special teams. He’s the second Trey McBride backup to land on IR over the past week and a half, joining Tip Reiman.

CB Michael Carter No Longer In Jets’ Long-Term Plans?

October 15th, 2025 at 12:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Just before last season, the Jets raised the slot cornerback market’s ceiling by extending Michael Carter. The team proceeded to fire Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas in the weeks that followed. That looks to be a telling sign regarding the team’s cornerback plans.

Although Carter’s three-year, $30.75MM contract runs through 2027, he has not played particularly well since signing it. And the former fifth-round find may be a trade candidate. The Jets having drafted Azareye’h Thomas in the third round this year and then traded for Jarvis Brownlee last month, pointing ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini to mention Carter as a trade chip under the Darren Mougey-Aaron Glenn regime.

It appears “the writing is on the wall” for Carter in New York, per Cimini. Drafting two Michael Carters in 2021, the Jets bailed on the former fourth-round running back (now a Cardinal) a while ago. Moving the fifth-year corner would make for a more notable transaction due to the latter’s contract, but the Duke product has struggled on this $10.25MM-per-year deal.

The Jets had viewed Carter as their entrenched slot corner upon signing him to the extension, a deal that was rumored during the 2024 offseason. Carter’s deal also helped D.J. Reed see the writing on the wall, with the team’s Sauce Gardner boundary sidekick hitting free agency and signing with the Lions. The Jets replaced Reed with Brandon Stephens, making them the only team — thanks to Gardner’s $30.1MM-per-year deal this summer — with three eight-figure AAVs at corner. But Carter’s snap share has declined since an injury-plagued 2024.

A herniated disk in Carter’s back accompanied an ankle injury last year, and his snap share declined to a career-low 32% during Jeff Ulbrich‘s interim HC stretch. Carter had logged between 64 and 74% of New York’s defensive snaps from 2021-23, solidifying himself as an extension candidate. Missing two games already this season, he has played 53% of Gang Green’s defensive snaps but has struggled under Glenn and DC Steve Wilks.

Pro Football Focus ranks Carter outside the top 100 among CB regulars thus far, and he has allowed a whopping 19.5 yards per target and 13 yards per completion. Although we are dealing with a small sample size, the 26-year-old slot staple is trending in the wrong direction for a rebuilding team. Brownlee has also logged 35 slot snaps early in his Jets tenure.

Breece Hall represents a prime trade chip due to contract-year status, and Carter’s recent play has undoubtedly reduced his value. While Saleh (49ers) and Ulbrich (Falcons) are running defenses elsewhere, the Jets may not land much for Carter despite his deal presenting an acquiring team with two more full seasons of control. If Gang Green moves on before the deadline, it would see roughly $7MM in dead money come from the swap.

With a new regime running the show, some Saleh/Douglas-era pieces will not fit. At 0-6, the Jets have naturally been linked to selling. The list may expand beyond Carter and Hall, as draft capital will be prioritized early in a lost season.

Commanders Place Noah Brown On IR

October 15th, 2025 at 11:53am CST by Connor Byrne

The Commanders have already gone most of the season without wide receiver Noah Brown, who has been dealing with a groin injury. Brown’s absence will extend for at least four more games, as the team placed him on IR on Wednesday. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 11.

Brown, who last played in a Week 2 loss to the Packers, has caught three of seven targets for 36 yards this season. The 29-year-old appeared to be making progress when he returned to practice last week, but head coach Dan Quinn said his injury “didn’t respond” (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic). Quinn added that Brown will not require surgery (via John Keim of ESPN.com).

Without Brown and fellow injured receiver Terry McLaurin (quad), the Commanders fell to 3-3 with a loss to the Bears in Week 6. Quinn said McLaurin will practice this week, meaning he could play against the division-rival Cowboys on Sunday.

With only two appearances from Brown and three from McLaurin this season, the Commanders and second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels have had to count on Luke McCaffrey, Chris Moore, and Jaylin Lane to step up as targets alongside Deebo Samuel and Zach Ertz. Despite the injuries, Washington’s offense still ranks seventh in the NFL in points per game and 12th in total yards.

Along with placing Brown on IR on Wednesday, the Commanders announced the signing of defensive end Drake Jackson and signed guard Julian Good-Jones to their practice squad. Good-Jones had been a free agent since the Commanders released him with an injury designation on Aug. 20. The 28-year-old made his lone regular-season appearance in the NFL with Washington in 2023.

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