NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/26/25

Today’s midweek practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Eagles S Andrew Mukuba To Go On IR After Ankle Surgery

The Eagles are expected to place rookie safety Andrew Mukuba on injured reserve after he fractured his ankle late in Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys, per Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Mukuba, 22, was a second-round pick (No. 64 overall) in April’s draft and immediately took over a starting safety job in Philadelphia. He has played 93% of the team’s defensive snaps this season with 46 tackles, three passes defended, and two interceptions.

Mukuba will require surgery and is not certain to return this season, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. He was carted off the field and had to be assisted into the locker room, per ESPN’s Tim McManus; after the game, he was wearing a walking boot and using crutches, according to Jeff McLaine of The Philadelphia Inquirer. To make matters worse for Philadelphia’s secondary, their other starting safety, Reed Blankenship, also left the game and did not return.

The injuries could put the Eagles in a tough spot. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio primarily uses two-high safety looks, and Mukuba and Blankenship have combined for 1,037 snaps as free safeties this season. The next-highest total on the team is 54 from backup safety Sydney Brown. He will step into a starting role with Mukuba sidelined, but if Blankenship misses time, Fangio will be scrambling for another option.

Philadelphia does not have another safety on their 53-man roster and only one on their practice squad. That would be second-year UDFA Andre’ Sam who has yet to play this season and did not appear on defense as a rookie. Veteran Marcus Epps is on injured reserve and will not be eligible to return for another week. Cornerback Cooper DeJean has the skillset to play safety, but very little experience in college or the NFL.

The Eagles’ next game is on Black Friday, giving them a short window to evaluate Blankenship’s injury and figure out a plan for their secondary. They may need to check in on available free agents and potentially host a few for workouts. Even if Blankenship is available for Week 13,

2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 26 became eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations once the postseason begins.

Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 16:

Arizona Cardinals

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Buffalo Bills

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Carolina Panthers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Chicago Bears

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Cincinnati Bengals

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Cleveland Browns

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 1

Denver Broncos

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Detroit Lions

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Green Bay Packers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Houston Texans

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Jacksonville Jaguars

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Las Vegas Raiders

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Los Angeles Chargers

Activated:

Activations remaining: 0

Los Angeles Rams

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 6

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Minnesota Vikings

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

New England Patriots

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Philadelphia Eagles

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Pittsburgh Steelers

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

San Francisco 49ers

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Seattle Seahawks

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 2

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Tennessee Titans

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Washington Commanders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Eagles Won’t Place RT Lane Johnson On IR With Lisfranc Sprain

NOVEMBER 22: As it turns out, Johnson will avoid placement on injured reserve. Per McLane, the veteran right tackle won’t require surgery for the Lisfranc injury to his right foot, so the original four- to six-week prediction is no longer the expectation. The fact that he won’t end up on IR indicates a strong possibility that he will be able return within four games, making a Week 14 return the new target date.

NOVEMBER 18: X-rays will not be possible until the inflammation in Johnson’s ankle subsides, McLane notes. As a result, it could be one week or more until a determination regarding surgery is ultimately made.

NOVEMBER 17: The Eagles pulled off a 16-9 win over the Lions on Sunday, but they lost one of their best players in the process. Right tackle Lane Johnson suffered a Lisfranc sprain in his foot and will miss four to six weeks, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com report.

There’s optimism that this isn’t a season-ending injury. However, it won’t be confirmed until the results of Johnson’s X-rays come back, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. At the very least, an IR placement looks like a strong possibility.

If Johnson goes on IR before the Eagles-Cowboys game this Sunday, he’ll be eligible to return in Week 16. Fred Johnson will presumably step in as the Eagles’ right tackle over the next several weeks.

Lane Johnson, 35, has evolved into a potential Hall of Famer since the Eagles chose him fourth overall in 2013. The former Oklahoma Sooner has started in all 168 career regular-season games. Johnson has picked up six Pro Bowl invitations, earned All-Pro honors five times, and won two Super Bowls along the way.

Johnson was a key part of a dominant offensive line that helped lead the Eagles to a championship last season. The 6-foot-6, 325-pounder has continued his standout play this year, as Pro Football Focus ranks his performance 16th among 62 qualifying OTs.

Fortunately for the Eagles, who improved to 8-2 in Week 11, they should coast to an NFC East title even without Johnson. The 3-5-1 Cowboys are well behind them, while the Commanders and Giants are a combined 5-17. However, losing Johnson could have a negative effect on Philadelphia’s chances to lock up the conference’s No. 1 seed. The 8-2 Rams are among the teams nipping at the Eagles’ heels.

Latest On Eagles, A.J. Brown

NOVEMBER 16: Brown met with owner Jeffrey Lurie during practice on Thursday, ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio reports. The conversation – arranged by security chief Dom DiSandro – resulted in Brown promising he will no longer air his grievances on social media. His discontent with the offense was repeated to Lurie, though, so this storyline will remain one to watch

NOVEMBER 15: At 7-2, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles are once again among the NFL’s premier teams. It hasn’t been a drama-free start, though, as three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown has expressed frustration with the Eagles’ offense throughout the campaign. Although Brown has been integral to their success, the Eagles reportedly listened to offers for him ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. As expected, they ended up keeping him.

While it wasn’t pretty, Philadelphia pulled out a win in its first post-deadline game in Week 10, taking a 10-7 decision against the Packers. Quarterback Jalen Hurts targeted Brown just three times, connecting twice for 13 yards. Brown has caught three or fewer passes in three of his eight games this year and finished with fewer than 30 yards four times. That’s shockingly low for someone who has averaged 83 catches and 1,292 yards per 17 games during his six-plus years in the NFL.

On the heels of his latest quiet performance, Brown made his discontent known on a video game stream earlier this week (via Tim McManus of ESPN).

Asked if things were going well, Brown said: “I mean, no. Where have you been? Family is good. Everything else, no. It’s a s—show.”

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni then addressed Brown’s comments, saying: “I’m close to being done answering these questions with this. He’s working hard and he is a big part of this game plan [for Sunday’s game against the Lions] and he’ll be a big part of the game plan going forward. He’s working like crazy when he’s here, and I’m excited to have him.”

Brown further discussed his irritation on Wednesday and confirmed he made the comments on the video game stream. The 28-year-old made it clear that he’s frustrated with Philadelphia’s offense as a whole, not just his usage, and wants to win (via McManus).

“It’s been week after week sometimes we’re not doing our job on offense,” Brown stated. “You can’t keep slapping a Band-Aid over that and expect to win late in the year and think you’re going to go to that at the end of the year.”

Led by offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and a historically great season from running back Saquon Barkley, the Eagles finished 2024 seventh in yardage and eighth in points. Moore left after the season to become the Saints’ head coach, leading the Eagles to promote pass game coordinator Kevin Patullo as his replacement. The Patullo-led attack has fallen to 12th in points and 23rd in yards. Barkley’s production has plummeted, while Brown is on pace for a career-low 867 yards.

Meanwhile, already with 16 touchdown passes in nine contests, Hurts is on track to breeze past the 18 he put up in 15 games last year. Hurts has also thrown just one interception while posting a better completion percentage, a better passer rating, and a better QBR than 2024. Only two teams have thrown the ball less than the Eagles, though, and “multiple offensive players have grown frustrated” over Hurts’ approach, especially while facing zone coverage, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Those unnamed players (it stands to reason Brown is among them) are of the belief Hurts has become hesitant to go downfield or throw into tight windows, which has made him too reliant on checking down and scrambling.

Hurts and the Eagles will face another NFC Super Bowl hopeful, Detroit, in one of the best matchups of Week 11. Already a must-watch game, the drama surrounding the Eagles’ offense makes it even more intriguing. Regardless of how the rest of the 2025 campaign goes for the Eagles, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see general manager Howie Roseman give further consideration to trading Brown in the offseason.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/14/25

Here are Friday’s practice squad transactions:

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

A day after releasing Thomas to make room for Leo on the taxi squad, the Eagles have made the opposite transactions, bringing back Thomas while letting go of Leo. Sermon was waived to make room for sixth-round rookie quarterback Will Howard to come off of injured reserve, but he’ll stick around on the Steelers’ practice squad.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/13/25

Here’s are Thursday’s practice squad changes from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

  • Placed on practice squad/injured list: TE Layne Pryor

New York Giants

  • Signed: LB Trace Ford

Philadelphia Eagles

 

Eagles Place CB Jaire Alexander On Reserve/Retired List

Eagles cornerback Jaire Alexander stepped away from football on Tuesday to focus on his physical and mental health. It turns out that Alexander’s career may be over. The Eagles placed him on the reserve/retired list on Wednesday and activated cornerback Jakorian Bennett from IR in a corresponding move.

Now 28 years old, Alexander entered the NFL as a Packers first-rounder (No. 18 overall) in 2018. The former Louisville Cardinal quickly emerged as one of the league’s best corners. He earned two second-team All-Pro nods and a pair of Pro Bowl invitations during his first five seasons in the league. Alexander totaled 10 interceptions during that 62-game span.

The Packers signed Alexander to a four-year, $84MM extension before the 2022 season, which will go down as his most productive campaign. Alexander picked off a career-best five passes during a 16-start season, but he was unable to stay healthy after that.

After groin, back, shoulder, and knee injuries limited Alexander to 14 of a possible 34 regular-season games from 2023-24, the Packers released him last June. He quickly caught on with the Ravens on a one-year, $6MM deal, but the union didn’t work out for either side. Alexander dealt with a knee injury and appeared in just two games with Baltimore, which traded him and a 2027 seventh-round pick to Philadelphia for a 2026 sixth-rounder on Nov. 1.

Although Alexander expressed optimism about his health after the trade, he wasn’t active for the Eagles’ win over the Packers in Week 10. It now appears his career has come to an end.

While the Eagles are losing Alexander, Bennett is returning to bolster their corner depth. Acquired from the Raiders in August, Bennett played in three games and picked up 44 snaps (24 on defense, 20 on special teams) before the Eagles placed him on IR with a pectoral injury on Sept. 24.

Bennett will give the Eagles another option on the outside behind starters Quinyon Mitchell and Adoree’ Jackson. Slot standout Cooper DeJean, Michael Carter II, Kelee Ringo, and Mac McWilliams comprise the rest of the Eagles’ corners.

Eagles CB Jaire Alexander To Step Away From Football

Eagles cornerback Jaire Alexander is stepping away from football to focus on his physical and mental health, per FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer.

The eight-year veteran is evaluating his future and even considering retirement, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

Alexander, 28, has been dealing with a knee injury since the start of the season. He joined the Ravens this offseason after a string of injuries limited him to just 34 games in his last four years with the Packers. His most recent was a PCL injury that required season-ending knee surgery, but it is unknown if that is related to his current issue.

Alexander only appeared in two games for the Ravens. A disastrous showing in Week 1 made it clear that he was not where he wanted to be physically, and he only played in Week 5 due to a slew of injuries to other cornerbacks. The Eagles, seeing that he was not in the Ravens’ plans, came calling with a Day 3 pick swap in a buy-low move that does not seem like it will pay off. Alexander did not travel with the Eagles in Week 11; his reason for being absent was listed as a knee injury and a coach’s decision.

Now, it appears that Alexander is a question mark, not just for the next few weeks, but for the rest of the season and beyond. When healthy, he has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. But he has not enjoyed an extended period of good health since 2022, and it’s fair to wonder if he will ever regain his Pro Bowl form.

Glazer’s mention of mental health suggests that Alexander is dealing with more than just his knee. He was expected to need some time to get up to speed physically and schematically in Philadelphia, making today’s news somewhat of a surprise based on his comments immediately after the trade, according to The Athletic’s Zach Berman.

Alexander is currently occupying a spot on the Eagles’ 53-man roster, but the team may consider placing him on the non-football illness list to free up a spot while he is away from the team.

Eagles Activate LB Nolan Smith From IR

The Eagles are getting a pass-rushing reinforcement back ahead of a Monday night showdown with the Packers. The team has activated edge rusher Nolan Smith from IR, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Smith is returning less than a week after Philadelphia opened his 21-day practice window.

The Eagles have gotten off to a 6-2 start despite limited contributions from Smith, who has been out since suffering a strained triceps in Week 3. Smith started in his first three appearances this year and logged 10 tackles.

After working in a reserve role as a rookie, the 2023 first-round pick from Georgia broke through last season with 42 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 16 games (10 starts). Smith performed even better during the Eagles’ four-game playoff run, notching 16 tackles and four sacks to help the team to a championship. However, he tore his triceps in the Eagles’ 40-22 Super Bowl LIX win over the Chiefs and had to undergo surgery.

Fortunately for Smith and the Eagles, the 24-year-old’s latest triceps injury wasn’t as severe as the one he suffered last February. He’ll now return to a pass-rushing group that has undergone a makeover during the past couple of weeks. The Eagles brought franchise icon Brandon Graham out of retirement in late October. Not content to stop there, general manager Howie Roseman acquired Jaelan Phillips from the Dolphins for a third-round pick before last Tuesday’s trade deadline.

The Smith-Graham-Phillips trio will play together for the first time Monday in a potential playoff preview against the 5-2-1 Packers. They’ll join Jalyx Hunt and Joshua Uche as the Eagles’ main edge options.

Along with activating Smith, the Eagles elevated outside linebacker Patrick Johnson from their practice squad on Monday. Johnson has played in seven games this year and picked up one sack. With 136 special teams snaps this season, he ranks fifth on the team.

Show all