NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/5/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: G Nick Leverett
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Chris Hubbard, OL Netane Muti
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LS Peter Bowden
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: K Harrison Mevis
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Coziah Izzard
New York Jets
- Signed: S Jarius Monroe
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Andrew Farmer
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Karsen Barnhart
- Placed on IR: OL Tyler McLellan
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB Tre Hawkins, S Daryl Worley
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/5/25
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Josiah Deguara
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: DL Ta’Quon Graham
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: LB Amen Ogbongbemiga
Detroit Lions
- Signed from practice squad: LB Ty Summers
- Placed on IR: OL Christian Mahogany
Los Angeles Chargers
- Designated for return from IR: DT Da’Shawn Hand
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed from practice squad: RB Ronnie Rivers
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Lions’ practice squad: DE Andre Carter II
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: RB Audric Estime
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: S Dean Clark
- Placed on IR: S Andre Cisco (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed off Chiefs’ practice squad: DT Brodric Martin
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Seahawks): S Jerrick Reed
Washington Commanders
- Signed from practice squad: WR Treylon Burks, DT Sheldon Day
Lions DE Josh Paschal, OL Miles Frazier Return To Practice
The Lions started the practice clock on a pair of players today. According to Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network, defensive end Josh Paschal returned to practice today. Meanwhile, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that lineman Miles Frazier was also designated to return today.
Paschal has been sidelined all season while tending to a back injury that required surgery. A former second-round pick, the defensive end is coming off a 2024 campaign where he got into a career-high 549 defensive snaps. He finished last season with two sacks and eight QB hits.
He’ll likely settle into a rotational role when he’s ready to return to the field. Al-Quadin Muhammad has performed well playing opposite Aidan Hutchinson this season, meaning Paschal will have to compete with Tyler Lacy (and eventually Marcus Davenport) for any leftover reps.
Frazier is working his way back from a knee injury that landed him on PUP before the season started. The Lions moved up in this past year’s draft to select the LSU product in the third round, and they clearly have high hopes for the rookie. However, coach Dan Campbell cautioned that the Lions will slow-play Frazier’s practice window.
“No training camp, no nothing, so this will be a little bit of a baby fawn at the beginning and then he’ll quickly grow,” Campbell said today (via Tim Twentyman of the team’s website). “It’s a little bit like (Christian) Mahogany (last year). It took a while but once we got him, he just quickly grew with practice reps.”
Of course, the Lions could use Frazier’s versatility sooner than later. Mahogany is sidelined for at least the next month thanks to a broken bone in his leg, while tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell both missed practice today as they nursed injuries. Per Twentyman, the Lions used their rookie lineman at both guard spots and right tackle during today’s practice, and Frazier’s ability to play multiple positions should help him see the field sooner than later.
Texans Place Two On IR, Add K Matthew Wright To Practice Squad
A pair of Texans defenders are heading to injured reserve. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the team is placing cornerback Jaylin Smith and defensive end Darrell Taylor on IR.
Smith will miss at least the next four games while he nurses an undisclosed injury. The rookie third-round pick has played sparingly in 2025, getting into 31 defensive snaps and 78 special teams snaps in four games. The USC product was serving as a back-of-the-depth-chart boundary corner for Houston, and journeyman Tremon Smith will likely soak up any remaining backup snaps at the position.
Taylor has also barely seen the field during his first season with the franchise. The defensive lineman has gotten into four games, and he’s mostly split his 64 snaps between defense and special teams. The former second-round pick compiled 21.5 sacks in three seasons with Seattle before spending the 2024 campaign in Chicago. An ankle issue will sideline him through November.
Elsewhere in Houston, the team made some adjustments to their practice squad. According to Wilson, the team added kicker Matthew Wright and released tight end Dalton Keene.
Per Wilson, Texans starting kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn is dealing with a lower body injury that will put his status for Week 10 in doubt. Jonathan M Alexander of the Houston Chronicle is a bit more definitive with his report, noting that Fairbairn isn’t expected to play this weekend. The veteran is coming off a Week 9 performance where he connected on five of his six field goal attempts.
Wright is apparently the team’s solution to temporarily fill that spot. The Texans represent the veteran’s 11th NFL team, although he’s mostly been limited to cameos in his previous spots. In total, Wright has appeared in 31 career games, connecting on 87.5 percent of his field goal tries (56 for 64) and 95.6 percent of his XP attempts (43 for 45).
A former Patriots draft pick, Keene has spent parts of the past three seasons in Houston. He’s been limited to a single game during his Texans tenure.
Jaguars Pursued Quinnen Williams; Sauce Gardner Deal Accelerated Jets’ Willingness To Move On
Mason Graham-to-Jacksonville was a mock-draft staple for a while, but the Jaguars moved in a different direction by trading up for Travis Hunter. Their defensive tackle need went on the back-burner, but we heard before the deadline the team had circled back to it.
The Cowboys completed the trade deadline’s second-biggest deal by sending a 2026 second-round pick, a conditional 2027 first-rounder and defensive tackle Mazi Smith to the Jets for Quinnen Williams. This blockbuster, however, came after the Jaguars made what veteran insider Jordan Schultz describes as a “strong push” for the disgruntled Jet. In the end, the Cowboys made the better offer, dangling one of their four first-round picks from 2026-27 to seal the deal.
Williams came up in Cowboys-Jets Micah Parsons talks, and Dallas circled back to its target — as an enduring goal to repair its run defense now involves a second megadeal. Several teams pursued Williams, Schultz adds, and the Jets determined the offer of first- and second-rounders plus Smith was enough to move on from a player who wanted out.
A big market checks out for a player of Williams’ caliber, and we heard late last month the Jets were listening on their longtime front-seven centerpiece. The three-time Pro Bowler denied his relationship with Aaron Glenn was broken, as a Tuesday report noted the D-tackle’s one-on-one meeting with his new HC launched his quest to be traded.
While Williams confirmed he was frustrated with the Jets’ losing ways, he said (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer) respects Glenn’s approach this year. Perhaps being diplomatic now that a trade has been completed, Williams will now see his reported pursuit of a contract rework fall in the Cowboys’ hands. His four-year, $96MM deal — which has just $5MM in guarantees left beyond 2025 — runs through 2027.
Although the Jets were not intent on trading Williams and Sauce Gardner, they decided on the latter move after the Colts bet big on the cornerback. Indianapolis sending New York two first-round picks and wideout Adonai Mitchell for Gardner made the Jets’ decision to moving Williams earlier, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.
New York made the deal with Indianapolis barely an hour before the Williams swap. Prior to that, the Colts pursued Alontae Taylor in what would have been a much lower-profile trade. It would have been interesting to see if the Jets would have followed through on the Williams trade had Indy not stepped up on Gardner. The Jets will have plenty of work to do on defense, having gutted a unit that ranked in the top five in yards allowed from 2022-24. Though, Glenn’s first year has produced a 20th-place ranking in total defense through eight games.
The Jaguars are among the NFL’s best run defenses, ranking third in that area. Williams, Pro Football Focus’ No. 1-ranked interior D-lineman in run stoppage, would have provided the fringe contender a significant boost in this department. The Jags have 2024 free agency addition Arik Armstead and DaVon Hamilton in place as starting DTs, while Austin Johnson, former second-round pick Maason Smith and Khalen Saunders are in place behind them.
Armstead leads the Jags with 3.5 sacks, though he is not quite on Williams’ level as a 32-year-old defender. Williams made the past three Pro Bowls and notched 23.5 sacks in that span. However, he only posted one sack and three QB hits this season. The Jags also have not seen any of their DTs besides Armstead record a sack this season. They will attempt to keep getting by as is, though Armstead’s age and the Williams interest points to the franchise making moves to bolster this area in 2026.
49ers, Bears, Steelers To Meet With CB Asante Samuel Jr.
Asante Samuel Jr.‘s schedule is starting to look like a draft prospect’s itinerary of “30” visits. After the former Chargers cornerback received clearance to return from a troublesome injury, three more teams have entered the fray.
Following a report indicating the Packers, Panthers and Vikings had lined up visits, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the free agent corner is set to meet with the 49ers, Bears and Steelers as well. While the Broncos not being in this mix will keep the Mountain Time Zone out of the mix, Samuel will otherwise — should he take all the meetings — make a cross-country trek over the next week.
After today’s Panthers visit, Samuel will meet with the Packers on Thursday and the Vikings on Friday. The 49ers, Bears and Steelers meetings will go off, respectively, Monday through Wednesday of next week. This jampacked schedule will give a host of teams the opportunity evaluate a player who spent his four-year Chargers run as a regular starter.
Cleared after spinal fusion surgery, Samuel will have met with a fourth of the league this year if he takes all these meetings. He met with the Saints and Cardinals during the spring and was later connected to the Dolphins’ months-long CB search. This will certainly provide Samuel quality intel on a chunk of the league’s facilities and schemes, something that could be relevant for a 2026 free agency foray, while the upcoming meetings should determine which team lands a young starter-level cover man following the trade deadline.
The 49ers have used Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green and rookie Upton Stout as their primary starters this season. Pro Football Focus has rated Stout as the league’s second-worst CB regular — ahead of only the since-retired Xavien Howard. The 49ers have flexibility here, as both Lenoir and Green have slot experience. Lenoir has operated in a hybrid capacity in multiple seasons, giving San Francisco options if a Samuel signing comes to pass. Samuel has primarily been a boundary corner as a pro.
Pittsburgh has transitioned Jalen Ramsey to safety, following their 2023 move with Patrick Peterson. The Steelers have also seen Darius Slay‘s age-34 season produce some bumps. PFF grades Pittsburgh perimeter corners Slay and Joey Porter Jr. 68th and 71st among corners, respectively. The team also has Brandin Echols, who has logged nearly half of his snaps in the slot this season.
Battling uphill at corner due to Jaylon Johnson‘s early-season injury, the Bears rank 25th in pass defense. Kyler Gordon also missed a chunk of time earlier this season, but the high-paid slot patrolman is back. PFF ranks Chicago fill-in options Nick McCloud and Nahshon Wright outside the top 100 among CBs this season.
Prior to knowledge about Samuel’s surgery — which took place in April — PFR ranked him 32nd on our top 50 free agent list. Samuel, 26, profiled as a younger alternative to the deep late-20s crop at the position this year. But the surgery tabled interest, which has now come flooding back following the report of his clearance. This could go down as a lost season for Samuel, but he could potentially avoid the “prove it” FA tier in 2026 by catching on with a member of his suitor sextet and making notable contributions to close this season.
Bills Showed Interest In Logan Wilson, CBs
With questions at wide receiver and at multiple levels of their defense, expectations were that the 6-2 Bills would make at least one move ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. A report shortly before the deadline linked Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel and pass rusher Von Miller (an ex-Bill) to Buffalo, but nothing materialized for general manager Brandon Beane.
When discussing his unproductive deadline on Wednesday, Beane told reporters (including Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle): “Believe me, I went home as mad as any other fan. I wanted to do things. I’m always wanting to do things to make this team better. It’s not a store where you can just go in and say, ‘Hey, I’ll pay $20 and take this player.’ It takes two to be able to do it. We’re competitive, we’re always trying, not just on the trade deadline. We’re always looking.”
Beane added that the Bills, who rank toward the bottom of the NFL in cap space, couldn’t “take a $15 million contract (in a trade) with where we’re at with the cap.” With a lack of spending room, Beane admitted he couldn’t go “fishing in the deep end of the pond, so to speak.”
Despite a suboptimal cap situation, Beane expressed interest in linebacker Logan Wilson and unnamed cornerbacks leading up to the deadline, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
A Wilson trade would have reunited him with Bills quarterback Josh Allen, a former Wyoming teammate, but the Bengals ended up trading him to the Cowboys for a 2026 seventh-round pick. Dallas, which had far more cap space than Buffalo entering the deadline, agreed to take on Wilson’s remaining salary of $2.68MM for this season. The Bills may not have been in position to do that.
With Wilson in Dallas, Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, Shaq Thompson, and Dorian Williams will remain Buffalo’s top linebacker options for the rest of the season. The team will also continue with the same group of corners after it didn’t bring in anyone new on deadline day.
Rookie first-round pick Maxwell Hairston, who missed the Bills’ first six games with a knee injury, has provided a boost to Buffalo’s secondary since he debuted in Week 8. The 22-year-old speedster hauled in his first career interception in a win over the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs last Sunday. Hairston, who has shared playing time with Tre’Davious White, will continue to handle a key role opposite No. 1 cornerback Christian Benford. Nickel corner Taron Johnson, Cam Lewis, and Ja’Marcus Ingram comprise the rest of the Bills’ options on the active roster.
While Beane isn’t thrilled with the way the deadline played out for the Bills, most of the AFC’s other top contenders also had quiet days. The 7-2 Colts pulling in Gardner and the 5-3 Jaguars acquiring receiver Jakobi Meyers (a rumored Bills target) were the only needle-moving pickups in the conference on Tuesday. The 7-2 Patriots, who lead the Bills in the AFC East, didn’t make any additions. Neither did the Broncos, Chiefs, or Texans. The Chargers swung a deal for Trevor Penning to help a depleted offensive line, while the Steelers (safety Kyle Dugger) and Ravens (OLB Dre’Mont Jones) made their moves before deadline day.
Texans Rule Out C.J. Stroud For Week 10
Suffering a concussion during the Texans’ Week 9 loss to the Broncos, C.J. Stroud will not make an immediate return. DeMeco Ryans confirmed (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson) his quarterback will miss Week 10.
Ryans ruling Stroud out at the start of his team’s practice week is certainly notable, as concussion protocol steps are in place to make a potential return possible. But the NFL has beefed up its standards for returning from head injuries. The Jaguars will face Davis Mills on Sunday.
A Kris Abrams-Draine hit on Stroud, initially ruled a penalty before the flag was picked up, led to the third-year quarterback’s concussion. The Texans dropped an 18-15 result, with neither quarterback able to punch in a touchdown against Denver’s formidable defense. Mills struggled particularly on third downs, with the Texans just 3-for-17 in that area. They missed on 14 of their final 15 third-down tries, as Mills had not been called upon to make a start for a while in Houston.
The Texans turned to then-backup Case Keenum during a two-game Stroud injury absence — due to a concussion — but saw the veteran passer sidelined throughout the 2024 season because of injury. Stroud, though, started all 17 games last season and took the field in both Houston postseason contests. Keenum joined the Bears in free agency this offseason, leaving Mills as the solo Texans backup. The team extended the former third-round pick in September.
During the Deshaun Watson healthy-scratch season, Mills was the Texans’ primary starter. That remained the case after the team dealt Watson to Cleveland for a historic bounty in 2022. Mills has made 26 career starts, going 5-19-1 (albeit with lower-end rosters in those years). He will receive at least one more this season, thanks to Stroud’s second documented concussion as a pro.
Mills was 17 of 30 for 156 yards against the Broncos, averaging just 4.6 per pass. Extension-eligible in January 2026, Stroud has seen his stock dip — as O-line and wide receiver issues have cropped up during the past two seasons — since his Offensive Rookie of the Year season. But Mills’ insufficient Week 9 relief effort certainly hindered Houston’s effort in a winnable game. At 3-5, the Texans suddenly need their former starter to come up with a win over the Jags. Stroud will move through the protocol this week, but his next chance to play will come against the Titans in Week 11. Houston then has a short-week matchup against Buffalo.
Colts Pursued Saints CB Alontae Taylor
The Colts entered Tuesday determined to address an injury-riddled cornerback group before the trade deadline, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. General manager Chris Ballard succeeded in pulling off a pre-deadline stunner, acquiring star corner Sauce Gardner from the Jets for two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
The Jets unexpectedly parted with Gardner just a handful of months after inking him to a four-year, $120.1MM extension in July. Had the Jets gone forward with Gardner as a member of their core, the Colts may have had a far less splashy contingency plan in Saints corner Alontae Taylor. The Colts had interest in Taylor, per Fowler, who’s of the belief the 26-year-old could have wound up in Indianapolis had it failed to reel in Gardner.
Taylor drew interest from multiple clubs leading up to the deadline, but New Orleans didn’t find an offer to its liking. One team in the market for help at corner told Fowler the Saints wanted an early Day 3 pick for Taylor, a pending free agent.
A report last week indicated the Saints were seeking a Day 2 pick for Taylor. They may have dropped their price in hopes of finding a taker. Regardless, no one bit, leaving Taylor to finish 2025 with the Saints before a potential trip to the open market.
With Gardner now in the fold, the plan is for him and Charvarius Ward to eventually comprise the Colts’ long-term one-two punch at corner. Ward has been on IR with a concussion since Oct. 18, though, and will miss this Sunday’s game in Berlin against the Falcons.
Gardner is also dealing with a concussion, which kept him out of the Jets’ win over the Bengals in Week 8, but he’ll practice on Wednesday (via Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com). Head coach Shane Steichen said “the plan” is for Gardner to make his Colts debut this week if he clears concussion protocol. With the Jets on a bye last week, Gardner hasn’t suited up since Oct. 19.
CB Asante Samuel Jr. Cleared To Play, Lining Up Visits
Despite starting for the Chargers during the first four years of his career, free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. has gone without a deal since last season ended. Injury concerns have played a major role in that. After playing just four games in 2024, Samuel underwent spinal fusion surgery last April. The 26-year-old was finally cleared for football activities earlier this week, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Now ready to resume his career, Samuel is drawing interest from teams and could serve as a second-half reinforcement for the club that signs him. He has already lined up visits with the Panthers, Packers, and Vikings, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz (Matt Schneidman of The Athletic first reported Green Bay’s interest).
Carolina is hosting Samuel on Wednesday, Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer relays. The Panthers weren’t expected to contend for a playoff spot this year, but they’re in the mix at 5-4 after upsetting the Packers in Lambeau Field last week.
After Jaycee Horn, their No. 1 cornerback, Mike Jackson and slot corner Chau Smith-Wade have gotten most of the playing time at the position. With a middle-of-the-pack pass defense that ranks 15th in the NFL, the Panthers may regard Samuel as a worthwhile addition.
The Packers have allowed just 197 passing yards per game, good for ninth in the league, but their interest in Samuel comes as corner Nate Hobbs is dealing with a Grade 1 MCL sprain. Hobbs, who left the Packers’ loss to the Panthers with the injury, is expected to miss at least two games, Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports.
With Hobbs temporarily unavailable, the Packers are down to Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Bo Melton, and Kamal Hadden at corner. Melton, a converted receiver, and Hadden bring minimal defensive experience to the table. With that in mind, the Packers’ interest in Samuel makes sense.
The 4-4 Vikings, trying to catch the NFC North-leading Packers (5-2-1), rank one spot ahead of Green Bay against the pass. Minnesota has 2024 Pro Bowler Byron Murphy and offseason free agent signing Isaiah Rodgers on hand as starting corners. Murphy and Rodgers have each logged a defensive snap share upward of 91% this year, but depth concerns may lead to a Samuel signing. Jeff Okudah, the third overall pick of the Lions in 2020, has struggled when healthy and is now battling his second concussion of the season. Meanwhile, Fabian Moreau and Dwight McGlothern have combined for just 57 defensive snaps in 2025.
Considering Samuel is a former second-round pick who intercepted two passes in each of his first three seasons, even more suitors could emerge now that he’s healthy. With the trade deadline having passed, Samuel may be the best hope for a team to acquire an impact player over the final couple months of the season.