Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/26
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
- Designated for return from IR: G Chandler Zavala
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Karene Reid
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad QB Desmond Ridder
- Waived: QB Clayton Tune
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DE Darrell Taylor
- Waived: S K’Von Wallace
Set to host the Rams in the wild-card round on Saturday, the Panthers have opened Zavala’s 21-day practice window. That will at least give Zavala a chance to return this week. Zavala has been on IR twice this year – once for a knee injury, again for a calf problem – which limited him to seven games and five starts during the regular season. He hasn’t played since Week 12.
The Packers rested starting quarterback Jordan Love in their regular-season finale against the Vikings. Backup Malik Willis was unavailable because of shoulder and hamstring issues, which led to Tune receiving his second NFL start. It went poorly for the 26-year-old Tune, who completed 6 of 11 passes for 34 yards in a 16-3 loss. Ridder, who combined for 18 starts with the Falcons and Raiders from 2022-24, will replace Tune on the Packers’ roster as they prepare for a playoff showdown with the rival Bears.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/25
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return from IR: LB Jay Higgins
Buffalo Bills
- Designated for return from IR: WR Mecole Hardman
Carolina Panthers
- Designated for return from IR: WR David Moore
Cleveland Browns
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: LB Winston Reid
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return from IR: LB Karene Reid
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return from IR: T Giovanni Manu
Green Bay Packers
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: G John Williams
- Placed on IR: LB Micah Parsons (story)
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Darrell Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: QB Patrick Mahomes (story)
- Opened practice window: TE Jake Briningstool, DB Nazeeh Johnson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed from practice squad: DE Jahfari Harvey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: LB Jackson Woodard
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: S Rashad Wisdom
Tennessee Titans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Ali Gaye, LB Oluwafemi Oladejo, WR Bryce Oliver
Probably the most overqualified transaction we’ve ever listed in this space, Mahomes is heading to IR for the first time. The superstar Chiefs quarterback suffered ACL and LCL tears and has undergone surgery. Generally, Chiefs IR-return moves are impactful at this stage of the season. In the cases of Briningstool and Johnson, they are returning to practice for a 6-8 team. The Chiefs designated both for return in August, meaning both have already counted toward the team’s eight-activation total. As our IR return tracker shows, Kansas City has not used any other injury activations this season.
Given a one-year, $4.75MM deal by the Texans, Taylor worked as a backup in four games before going down with an ankle injury. Despite his contract, the former Seahawks second-rounder played just 64 defensive snaps before hitting IR.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/25
Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL…
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Tre Avery
Denver Broncos
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: OT Geron Christian
- Waived: WR/KR Michael Bandy
- Placed on IR: LB Karene Reid
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad: LB Kristian Welch
- Placed on IR: C Elgton Jenkins (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Suspended: RB Josh Williams
Washington Commanders
- Signed from practice squad: WR Robbie Chosen, WR Jacoby Jones
- Placed on IR: CB Trey Amos (story)
The NFL issued Williams a six-game ban without pay for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Williams will be eligible for reinstatement after Week 16. The undrafted rookie from LSU has picked up four carries for 11 yards in three games this year.
Broncos Sign 13 UDFAs
The Broncos are heading to OTAs with 13 UDFAs as part of their rookie class. Here is that contingent:
- JB Brown, LB (Kansas)
- Marques Cox, T (Kentucky)
- Joaquin Davis, WR (North Carolina Central)
- Courtney Jackson, WR (Arkansas State)
- Joe Michalski, G (Oklahoma State)
- Jerjuan Newton, WR (Toledo)
- Joshua Pickett, CB (Duke)
- Karene Reid, LB (Utah)
- Jaden Robinson, CB (Oregon State)
- Xavier Truss, G (Georgia)
- Johnny Walker Jr., EDGE (Missouri)
- Clay Webb, G (Jacksonville State)
- Kristian Williams, DT (Missouri)
Denver gave Truss a $150K guarantee, per 9News’ Mike Klis. Generally, multiyear starters during this Georgia period have required draft investments to add. The Broncos, however, brought in Truss — a 2023 second-team All-SEC guard who started three seasons for the Bulldogs, before earning a Combine invite — as a UDFA.
Both the guards in this group checked in as the highest-rated prospects (per ESPN’s Scouts Inc.), with Truss 224th and Webb 220th. Webb earned first-team All-Conference USA acclaim in 2024 and a second-team all-league honor in ’23. The Broncos have locked-in starters at guard (Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz) but feature some questions behind them. Truss will compete with Webb, Calvin Throckmorton, 2024 draftee Nick Gargiulo and others for backup jobs.
Brown received $160K guaranteed to sign on, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The honorable mention All-Big 12 performer will join a Broncos team that has some questions at linebacker. Denver has backstopped two starters coming off significant injuries — Dre Greenlaw, Alex Singleton — with only Justin Strnad and Drew Sanders, the latter having toggled between OLB and ILB roles. Sanders has settled at ILB heading into Denver’s on-field offseason work. Brown and Reid will attempt to make the roster or at least the 16-man practice squad.
One of two Mizzou products coming to Denver (where ex-Tigers Tyler Badie and Kris Abrams-Draine reside) in this rookie crop, Walker received a guarantee in the $160K range as well, the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson notes. Walker was quite productive for the SEC team last season, finishing as a second-team all-conference performer after racking up 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. The Broncos drafted Alabama’s Que Robinson to join Jonah Elliss and starters Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. Walker will compete with Robinson, Ellis and UFL import Dondrea Tillman (five 2024 sacks) for a backup job.
Newton is Toledo’s all-time leader in TD receptions, with 32. Having played in parts of six seasons with the Rockets certainly helps there, but Newton is coming off a 1,048-yard, 11-TD season. Newton cleared 800 receiving yards in each of his final three college slates, earning All-MAC acclaim for each.