Pharaoh Brown

Cardinals Place Will Hernandez On IR, Activate Hayden Conner

The Cardinals made a pair of changes to their offensive line on Saturday, per Darren Urban of the team’s website. Right guard Will Hernandez is headed to IR with hip and knee injuries. Rookie O-lineman Hayden Conner is coming off IR to take Hernandez’s roster spot.

Hernandez was a durable starter for the Giants and Cardinals from 2018-23. The former second-round pick missed just seven regular-season games out of a possible 99 during that six-year span.

Hernandez’s career was thrown off course when he tore his ACL in October 2024, limiting him to five contests. Shortly after receiving medical clearance, Hernandez re-upped with Arizona on a one-year contract in August. He played in seven games this season before going on IR.

Hernandez won’t be eligible for activation until Week 17. With the Cardinals sitting at 3-8 and all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs, it’s possible he won’t return in 2025. Regardless, the Cardinals will have to decide whether to re-sign Hernandez in the offseason. For now, Isaiah Adams is likely to take over again as the Cardinals’ starting right guard. The 2024 third-rounder started five games earlier this season when Hernandez was working back from last year’s knee injury.

The Cardinals spent a sixth-rounder in last spring’s draft on Conner, who is finally in position to debut after suffering a knee injury in the preseason. Conner started in 43 of 51 games with the Longhorns.

In other moves on Saturday, Arizona elevated two practice squad players – tight end Pharaoh Brown and linebacker Channing Tindall – for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers. It’s the third standard gameday elevation of the year for Brown. That’s the limit, which means the Cardinals will have to sign Brown to their active roster if they want to use him again.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/25

Here are Week 12’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Sunday slate tomorrow:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

There hasn’t been much of an update since it was reported that rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was going through the league’s concussion protocol. He was able to get some limited practice time in yesterday, but he hasn’t yet been cleared. With Gabriel’s status up in the air, Zappe is getting called up in case he’s needed to back up the new starting rookie, Shedeur Sanders.

O’Connell and Sheriff are getting called up with linebackers Tyrice Knight out with a concussion and Ernest Jones questionable with a knee injury. This will be O’Connell’s third and final practice squad elevation, so if the Seahawks wants to see him play again this year, they will need to sign him to the active roster.

Cardinals Activate EDGE BJ Ojulari From PUP, Place LB Mack Wilson On IR

The Cardinals activated edge rusher BJ Ojulari from the reserve/physically unable to perform list and placed linebacker Mack Wilson on injured reserve, per team reporter Darren Urban.

Ojulari, a 2023 second-round pick, is coming off a major knee injury suffered during training camp last year. He tore his ACL, LCL, and lateral meniscus; during rehab, he also dealt with a subluxation of his kneecap that required another procedure in June, according to ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss.

The 23-year-old started the 2025 season on the PUP list and was designated to return on October 28. He has only been a limited participant in practice, which might not be enough to take the field for Sunday’s matchup with the 49ers. Even if Ojulari does play, he would likely have a limited workload. That still could be a boost to a Cardinals pass rush that ranks among the bottom 10 defenses in sacks and quarterback hits, especially with Baron Browning sidelined this week by a concussion.

Ojulari appeared in every game as a rookie with a 37% snap share and recorded 40 tackles, five tackles for loss, and four sacks. His 8.1 pass rush productivity and 13.4% pass rush win rate ranked fourth among rookie edge rushers (min. 100 snaps), per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Though the Cardinals defense is adding Ojulari, they will be losing a key player in Wilson. He signed with the team in 2024 on a three-year, $12.75MM deal and immediately took over as a starting linebacker. He put together a solid stat line during his debut season in Arizona – 75 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, and five passes defended – but was on pace to crush those numbers this year. Though he has yet to record a sack, he racked up 60 tackles, three tackles for loss, and six passes defended through the first eight games of the season.

Instead of putting up his best production since his rookie year in 2019, Wilson will be on the shelf for at least four games. He suffered a rib injury against the Cowboys and missed last week’s game against the Seahawks. His earliest return would come in Week 15 against the Texans. Until then, fourth-round rookie Cody Simon will start alongside six-year veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither in the middle of the Cardinals defense.

The Cardinals made a few other roster moves to prepare for Sunday’s game, including the promotion of linebacker Jared Bartlett from the practice squad to the active roster. The undrafted rookie was elevated last week for special teams duties and linebacker depth with Wilson sidelined; he should take up the same role against the 49ers.

Cornerback Darren Hall and tight end Pharaoh Brown were elevated from the practice squad. Hall will contribute on special teams and potentially in the secondary with cornerback Will Johnson and safety Dadrion Tayler-Demerson ruled out. Brown, a 31-year-old journeyman, will make his 2025 debut playing for his sixth NFL team, primarily as a run blocker with some run on special teams, too.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/15/25

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: T Isaac Alarcón

Seattle Seahawks

Both Jacksonville and San Francisco had their practice squads filled up with 16 players apiece, but Zierer and Alarcón were both able to be added as players in the league’s International Player Pathway Program. Zierer is a German-born lineman, and Alarcón was born in Mexico.

Dolphins Set 53-Man Roster, Begin Search For Kicker

The Dolphins got their roster down to 53 players this afternoon and, in the process, officially placed kicker Jason Sanders on IR. Here are the rest of the team’s moves:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Waived (with injury settlement):

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on reserve/PUP:

In four seasons with the team, Eichenberg has started at every position on the offensive line. The Dolphins will miss his versatility while he’s out, but head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed recently that Eichenberg’s injury is not a season-ending one.

Sanders’ hip injury landed him on injured reserve, meaning Miami will be without him for at least the first month of the season. To deal with his absence, the Dolphins hosted four veteran kickersZane Gonzalez, Greg Joseph, Riley Patterson, and Eddy Pineiro — for tryouts today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Besides that, there weren’t many surprises in the cuts today. Tindall had been a core special teamer for each of his first three years in Miami but may have to find his way to the field through the practice squad. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, Murphy had a really strong summer with the team and should be back on the practice squad, as long as he clears waivers.

Dolphins To Sign TE Pharaoh Brown

The Dolphins are signing veteran tight end Pharaoh Brown, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The seven-year veteran will add some depth to a thin tight end room behind 2024 breakout Jonnu Smith. The Dolphins moved on from Durham Smythe last month, leaving Julian Hill as the only other tight end on the roster with any NFL experience.

After playing for five different teams in his career, Brown will bring plenty of experience to Miami. He has appeared in 87 games with 54 starts, though he has primarily served as a blocker with a career average of 8.6 receiving yards per game.

Brown began his career as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon and signed with the Raiders after the 2017 draft. He didn’t make the 53-man roster, but still appeared in two games as a rookie. He didn’t play at all in 2018, partially due to a shoulder injury, then carved out a rotational role as a blocker in 2019 with the Browns.

Brown then joined the Texans in 2020 and started 21 games over the next two years. He was then released three games into the 2022 seasons and returned to Cleveland for the rest of the year.

The 30-year-old signed with the Patriots in 2023, where he caught 13 of 15 targets for a career-high 208 receiving yards and his first touchdown since 2020. He also carved out a role on special teams, which helped him earn a one-year, $3.2MM contract with the Seahawks in 2024. Brown picked up a similar role as a blocking tight end and special teams contributor in Seattle, something he will likely continue in Miami.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/24

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Patriots Place T Riley Reiff On IR

Riley Reiff made it through last season unscathed, but the veteran tackle will spend time on IR for the second time in three years. The Patriots shifted Reiff to IR on Monday and promoted tight end Pharaoh Brown from the practice squad.

The 12th-year blocker suffered a right leg injury in the Pats’ preseason finale. Although Reiff’s timetable is not known, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the issue is not believed to be one that will end the veteran’s season. Still, this stands to affect the Patriots’ offensive line configuration to start the season.

Both tackle spots loomed as concerns for the Patriots this offseason, with perennial injury risk Trent Brown having missed time earlier this year. New England had also experienced issues at guard, with Michael Onwenu coming off the active/PUP list in late August. Cole Strange has also missed notable preseason time. Reiff now must miss at least four games. He will factor into the Pats’ IR-return mix; teams have eight such activations available in-season.

Reiff has only played tackle in games as a pro, but the former first-round pick was working at guard — a position he slid to at points in practice for the then-guard-limited Pats — when the injury occurred, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes. Reiff signed a one-year, $5MM deal in March, coming over after spending 2022 in Chicago. A Bears backup to start last season, Reiff eventually replaced Larry Borom in the 3-14 team’s lineup and started 10 games.

The well-traveled blocker has not run into substantial injury problems over the course of his career, only missing more than four games in a season once. That came in 2021, when an ankle injury sidelined him for the Bengals’ final five games. Working as Cincinnati’s starting right tackle that year, Reiff did not return for the team’s Super Bowl LVI run. Reiff, 34, will begin this season having started 149 career games.

This development creates uncertainty for the Pats, who were connected to a bigger investment at the position than the ones they eventually made. Rumored to be eyeing one of the top right tackles, the Pats instead added Reiff and ex-Broncos swing tackle Calvin Anderson. The team has rookie Sidy Sow as an option, and Kyed notes Onwenu moving back to tackle — a position he played earlier in his career with the Patriots — could be an emergency avenue. That would create a right guard vacancy.

New England also has Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and recent trade acquisition Vederian Lowe on its 53-man roster. Wheatley has yet to suit up for an NFL game; Lowe played in four as a Vikings backup last season. Sow arrived this year as a fourth-round pick out of Eastern Michigan. Anderson is the most experienced Patriots backup tackle. The Broncos’ tackle issues led to Anderson starting a career-high seven games last season. He has made 12 career starts but spent much of training camp on the active/non-football illness list.

AFC South Notes: Clowney, Titans, Colts

Jadeveon Clowney has made two visits but remains a free agent. Following his Ravens meeting, the former No. 1 overall pick visited the Jaguars. Not only did the Jags let Clowney leave, Doug Pederson indicated (via NFL.com’s James Palmer) the well-traveled pass rusher left Jacksonville without a contract offer. Clowney, 30, did not exactly part ways with the Browns on good terms, clashing with the team’s coaching staff during his second season as Myles Garrett‘s top sidekick. Clowney has now played for four teams, and while a return to the AFC South would strengthen the Jags’ pass rush, no deal is imminent.

The Jags lost Arden Key, who signed with the Titans, but reunited with Dawuane Smoot, who is coming off a December Achilles tear. Key’s exit will place more pressure on last year’s No. 1 pick, Travon Walker, who finished with 3.5 sacks and 10 QB hits as a rookie. Josh Allen remains Jacksonville’s pass-rushing anchor, but more will be expected of Walker. Clowney played for $8MM in 2021 and $10MM last year. The Jaguars hold a $10MM cap-space lead on the Ravens, carrying $18.4MM to Baltimore’s $8.8MM.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • Although the Titans made a promotion to fill their offensive coordinator job for the third straight occasion, Tim Kelly has made some changes. The team has pivoted to the type of offense Kelly and Bill O’Brien ran in Houston, rather than the version of the Sean McVay attack Matt LaFleur brought with him back in 2018, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. “There’s a touch more freedom in his offense,” Ryan Tannehill said of the Patriots-style attack. “Being able to make adjustments on the fly, make changes at the line of scrimmage, a little more freedom within the route trees.” The Titans dropped from 17th to 30th in total offense from 2021 to 2022, helping lead to Todd Downing‘s ouster.
  • Tennessee is once again dealing with issues staffing its right tackle position, with Nicholas Petit-Frere incurring a six-game gambling suspension. The Titans also released Jamarco Jones, who was competing for the temporary fill-in gig, early in training camp. July pickup Chris Hubbard has taken over as the frontrunner to replace Petit-Frere to start the season, The Athletic’s John Rexrode notes (subscription required). Hubbard, who spent the past five years in Cleveland, has not worked as a regular starter since 2019 and has only started one game over the past two seasons. The Titans will have four new O-line starters in Week 1, and with Aaron Brewer sliding from guard to center, the team will not have any 2022 O-line starter playing the same position to open the season.
  • As the Colts transition to another coaching staff, Mo Alie-Cox‘s Colts roster spot might not be secure. The veteran tight end is vying for a blocking role against offseason signing Pharaoh Brown, according to the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins. The Colts have Jelani Woods as a roster lock and used a fifth-round pick on Will Mallory. While Atkins notes Alie-Cox should have the upper hand on Brown, the team has some decisions to make. Kylen Granson, a 2021 fourth-round pick, is also not assured of a job in Shane Steichen‘s offense. It would cost the Colts $2.4MM in dead money to release Alie-Cox, who has been with the team since 2017.
  • The Texans are hiring former Northwestern director of player personnel Jonny Kovach as a player personnel assistant, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Multiple offers came Kovach’s way, per Wilson. Kovach had stayed on with the Big Ten program due to loyalty to Pat Fitzgerald. With Fitzgerald dismissed in the wake of the program’s hazing scandal, Kovach will make the jump to the pros.

Colts, TE Pharaoh Brown Agree To Terms

After a second stint with his hometown Browns, Pharaoh Brown will head back to the AFC South. The veteran tight end agreed to a deal with the Colts on Friday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

This agreement is pending a physical, with Fowler adding the contract is not expected to be official until April 9. Brown is a six-year vet whose most notable statistical contributions have come with the Texans.

[RELATED: Colts To Sign RB Darrynton Evans]

Brown, 28, has made a nice career for himself after coming into the league as a UDFA. The 6-foot-6 pass catcher will attempt to play a seventh NFL season, and the retooling Colts will provide that chance. Indianapolis is fairly well-stocked at tight end, rostering Mo Alie-Cox, Jelani Woods and Kylen Granson. Each of the team’s top tight ends arrived during GM Chris Ballard‘s tenure, though Woods and Granson were selected to play in Frank Reich‘s offense. Brown marks the first notable addition at the spot since Shane Steichen took over.

The Texans gave Brown a one-year, $3.5MM deal in 2022, and the Oregon alum proceeded to lose nearly 20 pounds to better position himself for receiving success. The weight loss did not lead to increased production; between stays in Houston and Cleveland last season, Brown totaled 12 catches for 117 yards.

Brown played at around 280 pounds in 2021, working more as an in-line blocker. That may be what the Colts would prefer, given his modest receiving numbers. Brown’s career-best receiving total is 171 yards, coming in 2021. Steichen, Jim Bob Cooter and Co. will see how Brown looks in their offense. The Colts also have 2022 sixth-rounder Andrew Ogletree and former Texas A&M standout-turned-UDFA Jalen Wydermyer on their roster at the position.