Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
Miami Dolphins
Philadelphia Eagles
Tennessee Titans
Bruss was waived by the Rams yesterday to make room for returning linemen Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson. A former third-round pick, Bruss didn’t make an appearance through his first two seasons in the NFL but started three of his eight appearances in 2024.
Today’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills
Chicago Bears
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
New York Jets
San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
Spector will miss at least the next four games as a result of the Bills’ move. He has remained a mainstay on special teams this year, having also done so in 2022 and ’23. The former seventh-rounder has made three starts on defense, however, so his absence will be felt moving forward. Linebacker has been a position hit hard by injuries this season, and Buffalo’s depth at the second level will now be tested even further.
Wattenberg had his 21-day practice window opened by the Broncos earlier this week, paving the way for today’s activation. The 27-year-old operated as the team’s starting center prior to going down after having won a summer competition for the gig with Alex Forsyth. Forsyth handled first-team duties over the past four games, drawing a superior PFF evaluation and therefore potentially playing his way into an extended look atop the depth chart. At a minimum, having Wattenberg back will give Denver – a team with three IR activations left – depth up front.
As expected, Will Levis is set to return to action this week. Titans head coach Brian Callahan announced on Friday the second-year quarterback will get the start against the Chargers. 
Levis has been out since suffering an AC joint sprain in Week 6. Veteran Mason Rudolph has handled starting duties in his place with Levis recovering. The latter has practiced in full this week, positioning him to reclaim his spot atop the depth chart. Tennessee’s staff had previously made it clear Levis would serve as starter once healthy.
The 2023 second-rounder has not developed as hoped in his first full campaign as QB1, which has doubled as Callahan’s first season in place. Levis lost one fumble in each of his first three games in 2024, and across his five total starts he threw seven interceptions. Improved ball security will be critical over the coming weeks as team and player look for positive momentum in the second half of the campaign.
The Titans sit at 2-6 on the year, and the decision to trade away DeAndre Hopkins is a sign of the team’s outlook for the rest of the season. Tennessee is also shorthanded along the offensive line with center Lloyd Cushenberry suffering a season-ending Achilles injury and on defense with Quandre Diggs out for the year due to his Lisfranc ailment. A postseason berth is not feasible, but better production from Levis and Co. would be welcomed ahead of an offseason in which changes could be made under center.
Rudolph completed only 59.4% of his passes upon taking over from Levis, throwing as many touchdowns (four) as interceptions along the way. The former Steeler joined Tennessee on a one-year deal, beating out Malik Willis for the backup gig during the summer. His free agent stock has no doubt taken a hit given his struggles in 2024, and it would come as no surprise if the Titans were to target a different veteran option on the open market this spring. As for Levis, his grip on the 2025 starting role will surely depend in large part on how he performs upon returning to the lineup.
The Titans signed Mike Edwards after he was released by the Bills on Tuesday, adding safety depth after Quandre Diggs suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury on Sunday.
Diggs was placed on injured reserve, giving Edwards a chance at seeing the field right away in Tennessee.
Edwards only appeared in three games this season with a total of 20 snaps across defense and special teams after signing in Buffalo to compete for a starting safety job. He lost out to Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp and found himself on the trade block with little interest from around the league. Unable to find a trade partner, the Bills released Edwards to give him a chance to find more consistent playing time with a new team.
Outside of starter Amani Hooker, the Titans have two young safeties on their roster: Mike Brown and Julius Wood. Brown is a third-year player with just 58 snaps on defense this year while Wood is an undrafted rookie who has played exclusively on special teams. Brown could see an initial bump in playing time as Edwards picks up the defense, but the veteran is likely to take over a starting role within a few weeks.
Both Diggs and Edwards are set to be free agents after this season, and today’s moves will greatly impact their stock. Diggs will need to prove he’s fully healthy from a notoriously bothersome injury, while Edwards has a chance to audition for the Titans and potentially other teams looking for a veteran safety in the offseason.
The Titans also placed starting center Lloyd Cushenberry on injured reserve after a season-ending Achilles tear suffered in Week 9. Practice squad Corey Levin finished Sunday’s game at center with Daniel Brunskill, who is normally the backup, already starting at right guard for an injured Dillon Radunz.
Tennessee has multiple options for their offensive line moving forward depending on Radunz’s availability. If he can play, Brunskill can start at center. If not, Brunskill will play right guard with Levin called up from the practice squad to play center. Levin has two elevations remaining, but could be promoted to the active roster if the Titans see him as a depth option for the rest of the season.
We have reached the 2024 trade deadline, which came one week later than the league’s usual endpoint. An offseason measure to move the deadline back one week passed, sliding the deadline beyond Week 9 after it had resided the Tuesday following Week 8 since 2012. That opened the door to more activity this year.
The 2024 offseason also featured extensive work, as teams added starters and depth pieces. Here are the trades involving veteran players (or rookies already drafted) to take place this year:
Bears chose defensive end Austin Booker at No. 144
Broncos sent Seahawks No. 136, included 203 in trade with Jets for QB Zach Wilson
Patriots chose QB Joe Milton at 193
Bucs drafted WR Jalen McMillan at No. 92; Lions traded No. 201 to Eagles
Panthers traded down from No. 39, giving Rams access to DT Braden Fiske; team moved No. 141 in Bills deal that sent WR Xavier Legette to Carolina. Giants chose RB Tyrone Tracy at 166.
Bengals chose DB Daijahn Anthony at No. 224
Texans traded No. 232 to Vikings
Ravens chose WR Devontez Walker at No. 113, QB Devin Leary at 218; Jets drafted RB Braelon Allen at 134
Commanders traded Nos. 78, 152 to Eagles in trade that sent CB Cooper DeJean to Philadelphia; Seahawks moved down from No. 102, drafted G Sataoa Laumea at 179
Bolts traded No. 110 to Patriots
Steelers chose LB Payton Wilson at No. 98; Eagles traded No. 120 to Dolphins in package that brought back 2025 third-rounder
Fields must play in 51% of Steelers’ offensive snaps for pick to elevate from sixth to fourth round
Chiefs traded No. 221 to Bills; Titans chose OLB Jaylen Harrell at 252
Pick would have become second-rounder had Reddick played 67.5% of Jets’ 2024 defensive snaps and recorded at least 10 sacks. Reddick’s holdout ensured Philly’s pick will land in Round 3.
Texans dealt No. 189 to Lions for Nos. 205, 249
Browns chose CB Myles Harden at No. 227
In trade that gave Vikings J.J. McCarthy draft real estate at No. 10 overall, Jets sent No. 203 to Minnesota; Broncos chose C Nick Gargiulo at 256
Dallas carried Phillips on its active roster for two games, meeting minimum requirement for conditional sixth to transfer
Pick did not convey due to Commanders cutting York before he played in two games with team
Pick would upgrade to second-rounder if Adams earns first- or second-team All-Pro recognition or is on Jets’ active roster for 2024 AFC championship game or Super Bowl LIX
Pick would become fourth-rounder if Hopkins both plays 60% of Chiefs’ remaining offensive snaps and Kansas City advances to Super Bowl LIX
Robinson’s playing time will determine if Jags pick climbs to a fourth-rounder and whether Vikings will end up receiving 2026 seventh
Sixth-rounder going to New Orleans comes from pick Saints sent Commanders for John Ridgeway
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Tennessee Titans
The Titans’ offense was altered ahead on the trade front with DeAndre Hopkins being dealt to the Chiefs. As the deadline approaches, the team’s defensive front is worth watching closely. 
Defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day is drawing trade interest, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. That is also the case for defensive end Arden Key, who was recently added to the list of trade candidates. Fowler adds nothing is imminent on either front at this point, but time still remains for negotiations to take place with contending teams.
Joseph-Day began his career with the Rams, and his time with them allowed him to establish himself as a high-end presence against the run. The Chargers inked him to a three-year, $24MM pact in 2022, but that investment did not produce the desired results. Shortly after the Bolts fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco last season, Joseph-Day was waived in a move which allowed him to return to the West Coast.
The 29-year-old quickly caught on with the 49ers to close out the campaign, but he was once again on the move in free agency this spring. Shortly after visiting the Titans, Joseph-Day inked a one-year deal. That pact includes a base salary of only $1.38MM, and paying out the remainder of that figure would be feasible for any number of teams looking to add along the D-line for the second half of the campaign. The former sixth-rounder has collected 21 tackles this season, along with 2.5 sacks.
Key was linked to the Cardinals over the weekend, with Arizona being one of several teams in the market for an addition along the edge. Given yesterday’s acquisition of Baron Browning, though, they are unlikely to make a further move on that front, especially since Key is not a rental. The former Raider, 49er and Jaguar nearly set a new career in sacks last year with six, and he is on his way to a new personal mark in 2024 (four in eight games). Key is on the books through 2025, and he is owed $7MM total that year along with a scheduled cap hit of $9.3MM.
Sitting at 2-6 on the year (despite boasting the league’s No. 1 total defense), the Titans represent obvious sellers for players who are pending free agents in particular. That makes Joseph-Day a strong candidate to be moved in the coming hours, but calls will no doubt continue coming in for Key as well.
Anthony Richardson‘s on-field work this season created an untenable setup for the Colts, who benched their starting quarterback for 39-year-old Joe Flacco. While the Colts are not giving up on Richardson — even as rebounds from early-career benchings are less common than those leading to downward tumbles — the second-year passer will also need to adjust his preparation. The Colts want to see Richardson improve in that area, with ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder going as far as indicating the former No. 4 overall pick’s pregame prep and lack of proper awareness of his job’s importance represented a bigger reason for the benching compared to the in-game performances.
Richardson taking the unusual step to sub himself out midway through a drive became a flashpoint for the Colts, who viewed the decision in Houston as the “last straw.” It is not too surprising to see Richardson struggle with preparation, seeing as he was a one-year Florida starter who entered the draft as a raw prospect. The Colts took a gamble on a player who would not have fallen much farther in that draft, but the team that has been unable to find QB stability post-Andrew Luck is in a holding pattern now. Flacco did not produce much Sunday night in Minnesota, but Indianapolis’ adjusted plan to play the veteran and develop the rookie is still a go for Week 10.
Here is the latest from the AFC South:
The Titans’ Week 9 win has come at a notable cost on both sides of the ball. Center Lloyd Cushenberry could very well be out for the season, and the same is also true of safety Quandre Diggs. 
The latter suffered a Lisfranc injury which will end his campaign, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. Diggs is in his first campaign with Tennessee, and he had served as a full-time starter during the 2024 slate. Now, his attention will turn to recovery ahead of free agency.
Head coach Brian Callahan said after the game – an overtime win over the Patriots – the outlook was not good in Diggs’ case. The former Lion and Seahawk was one of many veteran safeties who spent considerable time on the open market this offseason, but by early August he had a deal in place with the Titans. To no surprise, that one-year contract carried a value of just $3MM and featured a veteran minimum salary.
With expectations relatively low as a result, Diggs managed to immediately carve out a first-team role on his newest team. The three-time Pro Bowler logged a 99% snap share in eight Titans games, racking up 42 tackles. Diggs did not register any interceptions or pass breakups, and his coverage statistics (76.5% completion percentage and 147.9 passer rating allowed) certainly leave plenty to be desired. Still, this injury will create a notable vacancy in the secondary for the Titans, who rank No. 1 in total defense and against the pass.
That success has not been sufficient to overcome the team’s offensive struggles, and as such Tennessee sits at just 2-6 on the year. Expectations are not high for a second half turnaround, and the Titans (having already traded away DeAndre Hopkins) could be active sellers before tomorrow’s trade deadline. Regardless of what happens on that front, Diggs’ season is now over. He faces a lengthy rehab process, one which will no doubt affect his market value in the spring.
The Titans collected an overtime win on Sunday, but their offensive line suffered a notable blow in the process. Center Lloyd Cushenberry departed the contest with an ankle injury which now threatens to sideline him for the remainder of the campaign. 
As veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky notes, the ailment is suspected to be an Achilles injury. Head coach Brian Callahan said in his post-game press conference the situation is “not real positive” with respect to either Cushenberry or safety Quandre Diggs. When sentiments like that are immediately expressed, testing often confirms the worst-case scenario.
If Cushenberry is indeed out for the year, Tennessee will be without a key figure up front. The 26-year-old severed as a full-time starter for four seasons with the Broncos, generating a strong market after finishing his rookie contract. Cushenberry inked a four-year, $50MM pact with the Titans in free agency, sending him to a new team and establishing high expectations upon arrival. The LSU product has nod had the start he or the Titans wanted, but losing him for an extended period would still mark a notable loss for the offense.
Cushenberry ranked 10th amongst qualifying centers in terms of PFF grade last season, his best showing in that respect during his career. At this point, he currently sits only 31st with a career-worst mark of 55.2. The former third-rounder had been charged with 13 pressures allowed entering today’s contest as the Titans have struggled up front with a number of new faces along the O-line.
Corey Levin – elevated from the practice squad ahead of Week 9 to provide interior depth – took over at center once Cushenberry went down. Moving forward, Daniel Brunskill may be the top choice in the middle if health elsewhere on the line allows it. Brunskill filled in at right guard Sunday with Dillon Radunz out of the lineup; if the latter were to return in time for Week 10, Brunskill could move to center with Levin handling backup duties once again.
$30MM in guarantees are present in Cushenberry’s deal, including $26MM locked in at signing. As a result, his status will be key for Tennessee as the team looks to find continuity up front. If the worst-case scenario is confirmed, attention will turn to his recovery process and an attempt to be available in time for Week 1 in 2025.