NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/20/26
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Chicago Bears
- WR Maurice Alexander, RB Brittain Brown, TE Stephen Carlson, LS Luke Elkin, DB Dallis Flowers, DL Jonathan Garvin, LB Dominique Hampton, OL Kyle Hergel, TE Nikola Kalinic, DB Dontae Manning, DL Jeremiah Martin, DB Gervarrius Owens, WR JP Richardson, LB Nephi Sewell
Green Bay Packers
- DL Jaden Crumedy, QB Kyle McCord
Houston Texans
- DE Solomon Byrd, C Eli Cox, WR Josh Kelly, TE Luke Lachey, S Kaevon Merriweather, G Sidy Sow, DT Junior Tafuna, LB Xavier Thomas, WR Jared Wayne
Philadelphia Eagles
- CB Ambry Thomas
Pittsburgh Steelers
- DB Doneiko Slaughter, OL Lorenzo Thompson
San Francisco 49ers
- OL Isaac Alarcon, DL Evan Anderson, CB Eli Apple, WR Junior Bergen, DL William Bradley-King, DB Derrick Canteen, LB Andrew Farmer, S Darrick Forrest, LB Jalen Graham, QB Adrian Martinez, OL Drake Nugent, OL Brandon Parker, WR Malik Turner, DL Sebastian Valdez
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/6/26
While many teams are making major decisions on head coaches, those remaining in the playoffs are still tweaking their practice squads before the wild-card round this weekend. Here are the latest updates:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Julian Hicks, WR Kisean Johnson, TE Messiah Swinson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Luke Grimm
- Released: TE Tanner McLachlan
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Ben Niemann
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Jeremiah Pharms
- Released: CB Brandon Crossley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DB Parry Nickerson
- Released: DB Ambry Thomas
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: DB Brandon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: OT David Sharpe
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/14/25
Here are Friday’s practice squad transactions:
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Ambry Thomas
- Released: DE Titus Leo
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Trey Sermon
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Tyler Hall
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: WR Tyrone Broden
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
- Signed: CB C.J. Henderson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Tre Avery
Houston Texans
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: TE Layne Pryor
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Trace Ford
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Titus Leo
- Released: CB Ambry Thomas
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/29/25
NFL teams continue adjusting their practice squads as we close in on the regular season:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Zion Childress
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Micah Robinson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Austin Trammell
- Released: WR Dorian Singer
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DE Ethan Downs, DT Brodric Martin, DT Zacch Pickens, DE Tyreke Smith
- Released: DT Coziah Izzard, WR Hal Presley
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: CB Harrison Hand
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Jordan Colbert
New England Patriots
- Signed: T Thayer Munford
- Released: G Jack Conley
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Zaire Barnes, OL McClendon Curtis
- Released: OLB Trace Ford
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Ambry Thomas
- Released: WR Terrace Marshall, CB Eli Ricks
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Evan Anderson, T Kilian Zierer
- Released: DE William Bradley-King
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DT Timmy Horne, T John Ojukwu
- Released: RB Jermar Jefferson, CB Amani Oruwariye
Anderson cleared waivers after being cut and can now be assigned to the 49ers’ practice squad. The reason San Francisco can add two while only dropping one from a full practice squad is because Zierer is from Munich, Germany, qualifying him to be a part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. While practice squads are capped at 16 players, teams can keep a 17th player if they are a part of the IPPP.
Vikings Use Both IR-Return Slots, Set Initial 53-Man Roster
Here is how the Vikings slashed their roster down to the required 53-man limit:
Released:
- DL Jonathan Harris
- TE Giovanni Ricci
- CB Ambry Thomas
- TE Nick Vannett
Waived:
- G Henry Byrd
- WR Dontae Fleming
- OL Michael Gonzalez
- S Kahlef Hailassie
- WR Lucky Jackson
- WR Jeshaun Jones
- G Vershon Lee
- LB Dorian Mausi
- OLB Gabriel Murphy
- TE Bryson Nesbit
- S Gervarrius Owens
- DL Taki Taimani
- WR Thayer Thomas
- RB Xazavian Valladay
- CB Zemaiah Vaughn
Placed on IR (return designation):
- OLB Tyler Batty
- FB C.J. Ham
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
Ham and Batty will be eligible for activation to the 53-man roster after Week 4. As a result of these early IR placements, the Vikings’ will use up two of their eight regular-season injury activations. A Duluth, Minn., native, Ham has quietly become the Vikings’ second-longest-tenured player (behind Harrison Smith). This is the Pro Bowl fullback’s ninth season with the Vikes. Batty will take up an IR-return slot as a rookie UDFA.
The Vikings kept three quarterbacks on their active roster, keeping rookie UDFA Max Brosmer behind J.J. McCarthy and newly acquired Carson Wentz. Vannett and Ricci’s exits leave the tight end room at three, while Thomas has now been cut twice times since the 49ers waived him in December 2024 (the Colts waived the former third-round pick soon after adding him late last year).
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/16/25
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Trishton Jackson, WR Quez Watkins
Minnesota Vikings
- DL Jalen Redmond, CB Ambry Thomas
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- P Jake Julien
The Cardinals snagged a pair of wide receivers from recently-eliminated playoff teams. Quez Watkins spent all of this season on the Steelers practice squad, while Trishton Jackson was a member of the Vikings’ taxi squad when they were knocked out of the postseason. Watkins brings the most experience of the duo, as the former sixth-round pick got into 49 games with the Eagles between 2020 and 2023.
The Vikings added a former 49ers third-round pick in Ambry Thomas. The cornerback got into 42 games across three seasons in San Francisco, collecting 79 tackles and two interceptions. Thomas spent most of the 2024 campaign on the 49ers injured reserve, but he was cut by the team last month. He was claimed by the Colts but immediately released after failing a physical, and he subsequently landed on Minnesota’s practice squad.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/24/24
Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Darren Hall
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Rashaan Evans, DL Kyler Baugh
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DT Domenique Davis, LB Craig Young, QB Logan Woodside
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: K Andre Szmyt
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Maurice Alexander
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Deshaun Fenwick
- Placed on IR: RB Ellis Merriweather
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Neil Farrell
- Released: TE Hayden Rucci
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Ambry Thomas
New York Jets
- Signed: DE Kameron Cline
- Released: TE Neal Johnson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Raekwon McMillan
Szmyt spent time on the Bears’ practice squad last year before playing with the USFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks recently. The 26-year-old terminated his pact with the spring league club to take a deal in Cleveland. A former All-American and Lou Graza winner as the country’s top kicker during his college career, Szmyt could see time late in the year given the Browns’ kicking struggles in 2024.
Thomas appeared to be on his way to join the Colts after he was claimed off waivers by Indianapolis. The veteran corner failed his physical upon arrival with his new team, however, leading to another trip to the waiver wire. No teams put in a claim this time around, but shortly after reaching free agency Thomas has landed a deal. The former 49er has 42 games and 11 starts to his name, and he will provide Minnesota with cornerback depth through the closing stages of the campaign.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/20/24
Friday’s minor NFL transactions and some standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: LB Milo Eifler
- Placed on IR: LB Jesse Luketa
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: CB Desmond King, WR Anthony Miller
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: TE Irv Smith Jr.
- Elevated: FB Andrew Beck, WR Jared Wayne
- Waived: WR Steven Sims
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived (with injury designation): CB Ambry Thomas (story)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: S Deon Bush, TE Anthony Firkser
Thomas will hit the waiver wire once again after getting claimed off waivers by Indianapolis and failing his physical. He was first waived off of the 49ers’ injured reserve with an injury settlement, so it’s not a surprise that injury prevented him from passing his physical, but a 28th-ranked Colts pass defense was looking forward to adding an additional defensive back.
CB Ambry Thomas Fails Colts Physical
Ambry Thomas was waived with an injury settlement on Tuesday, marking an end to his 49ers tenure. The veteran corner appeared to have his next NFL opportunity lined up in short order, but that is now on hold. 
The Colts claimed Thomas off waivers, setting him up to finish the campaign in Indianapolis. He failed his physical upon joining his new team, though, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. The news comes as a surprise given the fact Thomas was cleared by San Francisco’s staff over one month ago, according to Schefter. Thomas has yet to play this season after dealing with a forearm injury.
“Ambry feels good and is ready to play,” agent Drew Rosenhaus said of the situation (via Schefter). “My prediction is he will pass his next physical.”
It will be interesting to see if Thomas gets another look in short order or if he passes through waivers in the wake of this development. If that takes place, the 25-year-old will become a free agent with the option of joining any interested party to close out the season. Thomas made 42 appearances (including 11 starts) during his three seasons with the 49ers, with his largest workload coming last year. If a team does put in a new claim for the Michigan product, they will be on the hook for the prorated remainder of his $1.19MM salary; Thomas’ rookie contract is set to expire this year.
The Colts rank 28th against the pass this season, so it comes as no surprise the team showed interest in a late-season addition at the cornerback spot. Indianapolis is 6-8, meaning a three-game winning streak (along with help from outside results) will be needed for a wild-card berth to be possible. Thomas will not play a part in the team’s efforts to reach the playoffs, however.