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Minor NFL Transactions: 9/20/25

September 20th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves and Week 3’s standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Elevated: T Tyler McLellan

Washington Commanders

There were some eyes on whether or not the Browns would add a kicker for the weekend after Andre Szmyt needed to undergo some MRI testing, but no such moves were made and Szmyt heads into the weekend without an injury designation. The team did report a workout with veteran kicker Matthew Wright, though, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire.

The 49ers will lose some additional offensive line depth as they place their intended swing tackle, Burford, on injured reserve. Additionally, with Martinez not getting signed to the active roster, it appears that injured starter Brock Purdy will not be active as an emergency option, as was rumored a bit yesterday. Purdy should be inactive as a result.

Herbig announced his retirement at the end of July after spending a good portion of the offseason with the Commanders. The 27-year-old was coming off a 2024 season in which he missed the entirety of the year with a shoulder injury. Washington’s release of Herbig from the reserve/retired list gives him an opportunity to sign with a new team as a free agent. There’s no guarantee that he’s headed anywhere specific, but he likely initiated the transaction in order to explore his options.

Chargers Promote S Tony Jefferson

September 18th, 2025 at 6:05pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chargers promoted veteran safety Tony Jefferson from the practice squad to the active roster, per a team announcement.

In Week 2, Jefferson started in place of Elijah Molden, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury. Molden has yet to practice this week, so Jefferson will likely get the starting nod once again after a solid game on Sunday. He made five tackles, defended two passes, and reeled in an interception on a deep ball just before halftime.

Jefferson was still eligible for two elevations from the practice squad, but the Chargers had an open roster spot after placing Khalil Mack on injured reserve earlier this week. The team could move him back to the practice squad if needed, but more strong showings from Jefferson could keep him in the mix even when Molden returns to the field.

It’s another step in an impressive journey for the former UDFA just two years after he retired from the NFL nine seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cardinals and Ravens. Jefferson took a scouting fellowship with the latter team after initially hanging up his cleats, but he launched a comeback in 2024. Los Angeles was a natural destination given his history with new Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who came up in Baltimore’s front office and added several other former Ravens during his first year in charge.

The Chargers also signed outside linebackers Clelin Ferrell and Rashad Weaver to the practice squad. Ferrell never lived up to his billing as the No. 4 overall selection in 2019, but he has started 27 games over the last two years with a total of seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Weaver, originally a Titans fourth-round pick in 2021, put up 5.5 sacks in 2022 but was otherwise a rotational contributor during his time in Tennessee. He spent the 2024 season with the Texans, but only played 18 defensive snaps during the regular season.

Chargers, Clelin Ferrell Agree To Deal

September 18th, 2025 at 10:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Clelin Ferrell worked out for the Chargers yesterday. That visit clearly went well, since a deal has now been agreed to.

Ferrell is signing with Los Angeles, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. This practice squad move (which is now official) comes in the wake of fellow edge rusher Khalil Mack being placed on injured reserve. With a four-game absence (or longer) in store as a result, Ferrell will look to provide depth on his latest team.

The former No. 4 pick had an underwhelming start to his career in the AFC West. Over the course of his four years with the Raiders, Ferrell posted just 10 sacks while seeing his playing time fluctuate. A one-year pact with the 49ers followed, and it brought about a rotational role. Ferrell notched 3.5 sacks in San Francisco, and he matched that figure with the Commanders last year.

Tuli Tuipulotu is set to remain a key figure for the Chargers along the edge, but Mack’s injury (coupled with the decision to release Joey Bosa this offseason) will require other contributors to emerge. Veteran Bud Dupree will no doubt see an uptick in playing time while Mack is sidelined, while fourth-round rookie Kyle Kennard could draw into the lineup. Ferrell will now join that mix as well.

Rashad Weaver also took part in a workout with the Chargers this week, but today’s move certainly suggests he will not be signed. Weaver will continue to seek out his next opportunity as a free agent as the early part of the campaign plays out. Los Angeles entered Thursday with $12.9MM in cap space; that figure will drop to an extent once the Ferrell signing is official but he will not heavily impact the team’s other financial plans.

Chargers Audition Clelin Ferrell

September 17th, 2025 at 5:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Clelin Ferrell re-signed with the Commanders this offseason, but the former top-five pick did not end up making the team’s initial 53-man roster. Rather than being kept as practice squad insurance, Ferrell has resided in free agency since that Washington decision.

Khalil Mack‘s injury could open another door, however. The Chargers brought Ferrell and fellow edge rusher Rashad Weaver in for workouts Tuesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.

The Bolts will see their outside linebacker depth tested in a way it hasn’t in recent years. Although Joey Bosa struggled to stay healthy, he represented a rather important piece during his nine seasons in Southern California. The Chargers also had Mack to rely on, as the former Defensive Player of the Year had missed just one game from 2022-24. The Bolts cutting Bosa and seeing Mack go down with a dislocated elbow — an injury Jim Harbaugh said is not expected to be season-ending — has changed the equation.

Bud Dupree is set to step into the Bolts’ lineup opposite Tuli Tuipulotu. This will be an adjustment for the Chargers, who could roll out a Bosa-Mack-Dupree-Tuipulotu quartet last season. They added Kyle Kennard in the fourth round but have yet to dress the rookie. That will probably change moving forward.

Ferrell’s past also makes this an interesting workout. The Raiders brought in the Clemson product at No. 4 overall months after trading Mack to the Bears. Viewed as a reach by most, Ferrell did not live up to his draft slot. He resurfaced in San Francisco, starting 17 regular-season games for the NFC championship-winning team. Ferrell produced 3.5 sacks in both 2023 and ’24, operating as a 10-game starter with Washington last year.

The Commanders re-signed him to a one-year, $2MM deal in March but then added Von Miller over the summer. Preston Smith is also back in Washington, while Ferrell (28) awaits his next opportunity.

Chargers To Place Khalil Mack On IR

September 17th, 2025 at 2:03pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

2:03pm: Mack will head to IR, according to Jim Harbaugh (via ESPN.com’s Kris Rhim). The re-signed outside linebacker will miss at least four weeks, sidelining him for games against the Broncos, Giants, Commanders and Dolphins. It will be far from certain Mack returns when first eligible, though Harbaugh added (via The Athletic’s Daniel Popper) the injury is not believed to be season-ending. The Bolts’ bye is not until Week 12.

This will only be Mack’s second time on IR in a 12-year career. A foot injury in 2021 led Mack to IR and eventually to Los Angeles, with the Chicago regime hired during Mack’s rehab process cleaning house and sending the All-Pro defender to L.A. in a March 2022 trade. Finally off the six-year Bears extension by 2025, Mack re-signed with the Chargers after considering retirement. This injury will significantly affect Mack’s ability to produce on his one-year contract while simultaneously testing the Chargers’ depth — as Mack missed one game from 2022-24 — particularly following the team’s decision to cut Joey Bosa in March.

12:47pm: Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack will be out for a few weeks after dislocating his elbow during Monday night’s matchup with the Raiders, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The injury is not season-ending, but Los Angeles will need one of their depth outside linebackers to take Mack’s place for the time being. That will likely be veteran Bud Dupree, who replaced Mack on Monday and has significantly more experience than third-year UDFA Caleb Murphy or fourth-round rookie Kyle Kennard.

At the moment, it seems unlikely that the Chargers will make a signing to bolster their OLB depth. Mack’s injury is not expected to be long-term, and the pool of free agent edge rushers has suddenly dried up after both Preston Smith and Jadeveon Clowney signed with new teams this week.

Instead the Chargers’ plan will likely be as follows: Dupree will start, with Murphy receiving a bump in snaps as the No. 3 edge rusher and Kennard — a fourth-round pick in April — making his NFL debut after two healthy scratches to start the year. The team was comfortable with only four active outside linebackers in Weeks 1 and 2, so they may not feel the need to make an elevation from the practice squad.

Mack, 34, was quiet in Week 1 against the Chiefs but looked better on Monday with one sack and one tackle for loss in Las Vegas. He re-signed with the Chargers this offseason on a one-year, $18MM deal this offseason after six sacks in 2024.

Chargers Place LB Denzel Perryman On IR

September 15th, 2025 at 5:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Denzel Perryman suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1, ensuring he would miss time. To little surprise, the veteran linebacker now finds himself on injured reserve.

Perryman was moved to IR on Monday, per a team announcement. Tonight’s matchup against the Raiders will mark the first of at least four games he will be required to miss.

The linebacker was limited to only eight defensive snaps in Week 1 before exiting the contest with his injury. The team kept the door open to a quick return, although the writing was on the wall when Perryman didn’t practice during the lead up to tonight’s matchup with the Raiders.

A former Chargers second-round pick, Perryman signed on for his second stint with the organization ahead of the 2024 campaign. He was limited to 11 games last year thanks to a handful of injuries, but he still managed to compile 55 tackles and one sack.

Troy Dye is likely to reprise his role as a starter at the second level of the team’s defense after filling in for Perryman in Week 1. The veteran started five games in 2024, and he finished his first season in Los Angeles with 57 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Marlowe Wax and Del’Shawn Phillips could also see an uptick in playing time while their teammate is sidelined.

The Chargers made a handful of additional moves ahead of their Week 2 contest. The team signed long snapper Rick Lovato to the 53-man roster, and they elevated both safety Tony Jefferson and linebacker Kana’i Mauga from the practice squad.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/10/25

September 10th, 2025 at 8:32pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s taxi squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Released from practice squad/injured list (with injury settlement): WR Jalen Reagor

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

With regular punter Tress Way in danger of missing this week’s Thursday Night matchup in Green Bay with a back injury, Washington has signed the former 49ers veteran as insurance.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/25

September 9th, 2025 at 6:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Today’s practice squad transactions are highlighted by the release of a veteran running back. Nyheim Hines has been looking to revive his career since he missed the 2023 season thanks to a leg injury sustained in a jet ski collision. Since he was released by the Bills after that campaign, he’s spent time with the Browns and Chargers without getting into a game. A former fourth-round pick, Hines had four productive seasons with the Colts to begin his career, including a 2020 campaign where he compiled 862 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns.

Chargers LB Denzel Perryman Suffers High Ankle Sprain

September 8th, 2025 at 4:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers secured a win in Week 1, but their defense suffered a notable loss along the way. Linebacker Denzel Perryman departed early in the contest, and he was in a walking boot after the game.

Testing has taken place, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports a high ankle sprain has been diagnosed. As a result, missed time is in store. High ankle sprains tend to carry a recovery timeline of multiple weeks, so a move to injured reserve could be in store.

[RELATED: Chargers DC Jesse Minter Potential 2026 HC Candidate?]

An IR stint would require at least a four-game absence, so it will be interesting to see how the Chargers proceed in this case. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said on Monday (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim) no decision regarding IR has been made yet. Perryman played eight snaps on Friday before suffering the injury. His departure represented a blow to the Chargers’ defense, although the unit nevertheless enjoyed a solid outing in the 27-21 win over the Chiefs.

Perryman has served as a full-time starter for much of his career, including his second Chargers stint. The 32-year-old returned to Los Angeles last offseason on a one-year pact. He was limited to 11 games, but when on the field the former second-rounder was a key figure defensively. Perryman took another one-year deal in March to stay with the Bolts, and by late May he was fully recovered from the elbow injury he suffered in the wild-card round.

A fully healthy season would have been critical for team and player, but that will not be the case in 2025. Perryman is set to spend time on the shelf, something which will leave Los Angeles thin at the second level. Junior Colson was placed on season-ending injured reserve during roster cuts due to a shoulder injury. 2023 third-rounder Daiyan Henley and sixth-year veteran Troy Dye handled much of the linebacker work on Friday, and that will likely continue with Perryman sidelined.

The former Pro Bowler’s 2026 market value will take a hit with further missed time. In the event the Chargers do not move him to injured reserve, however, Perryman will be eligible to return within the next four weeks.

2025 Offseason In Review Series

September 7th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are PFR’s breakdowns of each NFL team’s 2025 offseason.

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

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