HEADLINES

Recent Broncos Extensions Highlight Post-Russell Wilson Recovery

October 6th, 2025 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Russell Wilson miss remains a central part of the Broncos' roster construction, even though the now-well-traveled quarterback is two teams removed from his Denver stay. Year 2 of the Wilson contract's dead money albatross has undercut the Broncos' ability to build around Bo Nix's rookie contract.

Wilson remains the top single-player cap hit on Denver's payroll -- by a wide margin. Although the Broncos absorbed the larger blow last year by taking on $53MM in dead cap, Wilson's $32MM 2025 number leads the Denver payroll by nearly $10MM. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey's $23.78MM sits second. The historic miss, though somewhat overshadowed by the Browns' cataclysmic Deshaun Watson decision (which occurred barely a week later in March 2022), has handicapped Sean Payton's team. But the Broncos have built a 2025 contender regardless.

A mix of investments from Payton's time in control join players brought in during GM George Paton's two years at the controls, while left tackle Garett Bolles and wide receiver Courtland Sutton remain from John Elway's GM tenure. The Broncos are 3-2, having become the first team to hand the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles a loss in a game Jalen Hurts finished since Week 4 of last season. Reaching this place amid the reality of the record-setting Wilson dead money hit reflects well on the Payton-Paton partnership, one that certainly did not look like a long-term fit.

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Jets’ Breece Hall, Alijah Vera-Tucker Could Draw Trade Interest

October 6th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sunday’s loss dropped the Jets to 0-5 on the season. As the new regime led by general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn approaches its first trade deadline, a seller’s stance would certainly come as no surprise.

Provided New York shows a willingness to move on from one or more players over the coming weeks, a few notable names could be mentioned rather frequently in the near future. Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reports the Jets are among the teams viewed as likely sellers ahead of the deadline. Colleague Eric Williams adds guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is a potential trade candidate.

Vera-Tucker suffered a triceps tear shortly before the start of the regular season. He is out for the campaign as a result, adding further to the injury woes the former first-rounder has dealt with. After playing just 12 games between the 2022 and ’23 campaigns, Vera-Tucker managed to log 15 appearances last season. Given his latest major ailment, though, suitors would not be acquiring the 26-year-old as a blocker capable of contributing this season.

Vera-Tucker is currently attached to his fifth-year option, which carries a salary of $15.31MM for 2025. Paying out the remainder of that figure for a player who continues to rehab could of course be a tall task for an acquiring team. Still, if a suitor viewed the USC product as the target of a deal beyond 2025, acquiring him via trade would prevent the need to win a bidding war in free agency. Likewise, the Jets would be in line for 2026 draft compensation through trade as opposed to a 2027 compensatory pick in the event of a departure on the open market next spring.

Elsewhere on the Jets’ roster, running back Breece Hall is still the subject of speculation regarding a trade. Glenn assured the 24-year-old he would not be dealt this past offseason, but as of August a swap remained something to watch for as the campaign unfolded. Given the start to the season, the Jets are not in contention for a playoff berth. That could increase Mougey’s willingness to swing a deal, although moving on from Hall – who is playing out the final year of his rookie contract – would leave the Jets thin in the backfield given Braelon Allen‘s long-term knee injury.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes New York has provided “no indication” Hall is being shopped. A deal allowing him to remain with the Jets could of course still be possible after the campaign, although with a regime other than the one which drafted the former second-rounder now in place, a departure would not be entirely surprising. Hall has yet to score a touchdown this season, but he has averaged an impressive six yards per touch, the highest figure in that regard since his rookie campaign.

The 2025 trade deadline falls on the afternoon of November 4. Plenty of time remains for key decisions to be made until that point, but the Jets could field offers on a number of players over the coming weeks.

Bengals Open To QB Change?

October 6th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ahead of yesterday’s game, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor expressed confidence in Jake Browning‘s ability to handle quarterback duties in place of Joe Burrow. After another poor outing, though, things could change soon.

Browning wound up throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns during Sunday’s loss to the Lions. However, much of that production (and all three scores) came during the fourth quarter with Cincinnati trailing by a large margin. Browning’s early showing included three interceptions, and after the game Taylor seemed to leave the door open to a change under center.

“After a game like that, we’re going to look at all personnel to make sure we’re doing the right thing,” Taylor said (via ESPN’s Ben Baby). “I won’t shy away from that because it’s a very fair question after the amount of turnovers that we had.”

Browning has thrown eight interceptions on just 124 pass attempts since taking over from an injured Burrow. Ending Cincinnati’s three-game losing streak will require an improved showing in terms of avoiding turnovers, something which could be brought about by a switch at the quarterback spot. Brett Rypien is currently second on the depth chart, while in-season signings Mike White and Sean Clifford reside on the practice squad.

To date, the Bengals have yet to make inquiries about a trade aimed at shoring up the QB position. As long as Burrow remains on track to return at some point late in the year following toe surgery, Cincinnati could continue looking internally. That approach could still see Browning handling QB1 duties – Taylor added in his post-game press conference he remains confident in the 29-year-old – but it will be interesting to see what changes are made on offense over the next few days.

Regardless of what happens under center, improving on defense will be critical if the Bengals are to contend for a postseason berth. The team ranks 30th in points and yards allowed and sits at 2-3 on the year. Defense was a major issue last season and that has remained the case early in 2025. Taylor and his staff will have a number of important decisions to make before visiting the Packers in Week 6.

Chargers To Place Omarion Hampton On IR

October 6th, 2025 at 9:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers’ backfield will be considerably shorthanded for the time being. Omarion Hampton suffered an ankle injury during yesterday’s game.

After the contest, the first-round rookie was seen in a walking boot (h/t Daniel Popper of The Athletic). Further testing has clearly not produced an encouraging prognosis. Hampton will be placed on injured reserve, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced on Monday (via Popper).

As a result, Los Angeles’ lead back will be sidelined for at least the next four games. Week 10 marks the earliest point at which Hampton could be back in the fold, although the Bolts’ bye is set for Week 12. Depending on the severity of this injury, it could take until past that point for the Chargers to have him available again.

Free agency saw Los Angeles sign Najee Harris to a one-year contract. The former Steeler suffered an Achilles tear early in his debut Chargers campaign, however, an injury which prevented the team from using a tandem approach in the backfield. Hampton logged 12 or more carries in four of his first five career games, and a similar workload no doubt would have been in store through the remainder of the campaign. Instead, the North Carolina product will turn his attention to recovery.

Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal represent the top candidates to take on running back responsibilities with Harris and now Hampton out of the picture. Those two have combined to handle 111 carries in the regular season in their respective careers. Leaning more on the passing game could be a priority, although with offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt also injured that will of course be challenging.

The Chargers began the campaign with three straight wins against AFC West opponents. They have since lost two straight, and injuries on offense could become a key issue through the middle portion of the campaign. Los Angeles will move forward with a depleted backfield beginning with a Week 6 contest in Miami.

Colts Work Out Kendall Fuller, Lewis Cine

October 6th, 2025 at 9:37pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Colts worked out defensive backs Kendall Fuller and Lewis Cine on Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports. Those two join Tre Hawkins as free agent DBs on the Colts’ radar.

At 4-1, Indianapolis has emerged as one of the NFL’s most unexpected success stories early in 2025. After a 40-6 dismantling of the Raiders on Sunday, the Colts’ defense ranks third in the league in points per game allowed (17.8). Nevertheless, the team is on the lookout for help in the secondary after starting cornerback Xavien Howard abruptly retired last week.

Like Howard, Fuller comes with an extensive resume in the NFL. A third-round pick in 2016, the 30-year-old has amassed 128 appearances, 104 starts, and 16 interceptions in nine seasons divided among Washington, Kansas City, and Miami.

In 2024, his lone season with the Dolphins, Fuller started in all 11 of his games and racked up 50 tackles with seven passes defensed. Fuller failed to pick off a pass for the first time since 2019, though, and the Dolphins released him in February.

Cine, a safety, entered the league as a first-round selection (No. 32) of the Vikings in 2022. The former Georgia Bulldog hasn’t established himself in the pros, however, thanks in part to a gruesome injury that derailed his rookie season. Cine suffered a compound fracture of his left leg during the third game of his career and had to undergo multiple surgeries to repair it. The 26-year-old has played in just eight regular-season games since then (seven with the Vikings in 2023, one with the Bills in 2024), and he hasn’t been a factor on defense. Almost all of his snaps (134 of 144) have come on special teams.

Cine, who ended last season with the Super Bowl-winning Eagles, has been available since they waived him from IR last month. That came after he dealt with another leg injury during the preseason.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/6/25

October 6th, 2025 at 9:12pm CST by Connor Byrne

The latest practice squad updates from around the NFL…

Houston Texans

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Davidson is returning to the Houston organization almost two months after it waived him from IR with an injury settlement in mid-August. The former Auburn Tiger entered the NFL as a second-round pick (47th overall) of the Falcons in 2020, but he has since combined for just four starts and two sacks in 24 games between Atlanta and Tennessee.

After waiving him over the weekend, the Jets are quickly reuniting with Williams. The 24-year-old committed a costly turnover in a loss to the Dolphins last Monday when he fumbled the opening kickoff return of the second half. He later opted to fair catch a punt at the Jets’ 3-yard line in the fourth quarter. The Jets opened the season with Xavier Gipson as their returner, but they cut him after a Week 1 fumble in a loss to the Steelers. With Isaiah Williams and Gipson unable to hold down the job, Avery Williams handled return duties in the Jets’ loss to the Cowboys on Sunday. He avoided fumbles while averaging 26.6 yards on five kickoff returns and 10.3 yards on four punt runbacks.

Chargers To Open LB Denzel Perryman’s Practice Window

October 6th, 2025 at 8:03pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Chargers have gone without injured linebacker Denzel Perryman for almost the entire season, but a return is on the horizon. The team plans to open Perryman’s practice window this week, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced (via Kris Rihm of ESPN). When that becomes official, the Chargers will have 21 days to activate Perryman from injured reserve.

[RELATED: Omarion Hampton Heads To IR]

The Chargers won their season opener over the AFC West rival Chiefs in Brazil on Sept. 5, but they lost Perryman to a high ankle sprain after he took just eight defensive snaps. While the team went on to a 3-0 start without Perryman, it has since dropped back-to-back games to the Giants and Commanders to fall to 3-2.

Thanks to their two-game skid, the Chargers now own the same record as the division-rival Broncos. The reigning AFC champion Chiefs could join those two as the division’s third 3-2 club if they pull out a road win over the Jaguars on Monday.

With Perryman out of commission, Troy Dye has taken over as a starter at linebacker alongside Daiyan Henley. Dye, mostly a backup for the Vikings and Chargers from 2020-24, has totaled 36 tackles and a sack this year. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranks his performance a respectable 30th among 74 qualifiers at his position.

At the very least, the Chargers seem to have a capable fallback option in Dye, which is important in light of Perryman’s extensive injury history. Along with already missing four full games in 2025, Perryman sat out either five or six contests in each of the previous three seasons. The 32-year-old has missed at least two games in all 11 of his NFL seasons since the Chargers chose him in the second round of the 2015 draft.

After stints with the Raiders and Texans, Perryman reunited with the Chargers before the 2024 campaign. He picked up 55 tackles and a sack in 11 games last season, leading the Chargers to re-sign the former Pro Bowler to a a one-year, $3.65MM deal in March.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/6/25

October 6th, 2025 at 7:15pm CST by Connor Byrne

Today’s minor moves from around the NFL…

Arizona Cardinals

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

Reiman suffered a season-ending right ankle injury in a loss to the Titans on Sunday and will spend the rest of the year on IR. The blocking tight end and Trey McBride backup logged 98 offensive snaps and 50 on special teams during the first five weeks of the season. He also caught three of five targets for 18 yards.

Morris, already elevated three times from the Jaguars’ practice squad this year, signed to their active roster before Monday’s matchup against the Chiefs. The 28-year-old has played just three offensive snaps this season, though he has seen action on about 54 percent of special teams snaps. A member of the Bills from 2022-24, Morris has tallied 15 catches, 146 yards, and three touchdowns in 48 games in the NFL.

After receiving a standard elevation from the practice squad, Tuipulotu is in line to play his second game of the season on Monday. The 6-foot-2, 307-pounder took three defensive snaps in the Chiefs’ loss to the Chargers in Week 1.

Vannett appeared in three of the Vikings’ first five games before they released him. He only took the field for four offensive snaps and 20 on special teams.

49ers Open Malik Mustapha’s Practice Window

October 6th, 2025 at 5:56pm CST by Connor Byrne

Safety Malik Mustapha was an important part of the 49ers’ defense in 2024, but a right ACL injury suffered in Week 18 has prevented him from taking the field this year. That could change soon, however, as the 49ers opened Mustapha’s practice window on Monday. They now have 21 days to activate him from the physically unable to perform list.

A fourth-round pick from Wake Forest last year, Mustapha emerged as a 12-game starter over 16 contests as a rookie. The 5-foot-10, 206-pounder added 72 tackles, five passes defensed, and an interception to serve as a bright spot during a disappointing season for the 49ers.

A rash of injuries helped lead to a 6-11 record last year for San Francisco, which saw Mustapha exit early in its season-ending loss to the Cardinals. Mustapha previously tore the ACL in his right knee in college, and the latest injury forced him to undergo offseason surgery to repair the issue. His recovery has gone well enough that he could debut as early as this Sunday for an intriguing showdown with 4-1 Tampa Bay.

Despite once again battling a slew of notable injuries this season (including to quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and defensive end Nick Bosa, among others), the 49ers have joined the Buccaneers in starting 4-1. Their Robert Saleh-led defense, which is tied for eighth in the NFL in points per game allowed and 15th in yardage, has utilized safeties Marques Sigle and Jason Pinnock on 100 percent of snaps in Mustapha’s absence. Meanwhile, Ji’Ayir Brown has seen action on just over 15 percent of snaps. Any or all of those three could lose playing time when Mustapha rejoins the lineup.

Jaguars DE Travon Walker Undergoes Wrist Surgery, Will Miss Week 5

October 6th, 2025 at 5:44pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

OCTOBER 6: Walker will miss Monday’s game, according to Wolfe. This will be Walker’s first missed contest since Week 16 of his 2022 rookie season.

OCTOBER 2: Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker injured his wrist in his last game and underwent surgery this week, according to head coach Liam Coen (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe).

However, Walker is still considered day-to-day and has not been ruled out for Jacksonville’s Monday night matchup with the Chiefs. Coen said that Walker “would do everything in his power” to play in Week 5. Perhaps he uses a club, brace, or other method to protect his wrist, but such a rapid return from surgery carries significant risk of exacerbating the original problem.

Walker, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, underwhelmed as a rookie with just 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss, but he exploded for 20.5 sacks and 23 TFLs over his next two seasons. He was off to a solid start in 2025 with two sacks and two TFLs, but may be limited by his injury until he is fully recovered.

While Walker has certainly not matched the form 2022’s No. 2 overall pick (Aidan Hutchinson) has shown when healthy, he has been durable. Missing two games as a rookie, the Georgia alum delivered perfect attendance over the past two seasons. That run of health appears in danger of stopping ahead of a key AFC matchup.

If Walker does not play, veteran edge defenders Dawuane Smoot, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Dennis Gardeck will take on more snaps against Kansas City. All three have been solid run-stoppers in their career without high-end pass-rushing production.

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