Transactions News & Rumors

Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins Out For Season

9:23pm: Dobbins has already undergone surgery for a Lisfranc injury, CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson reports. His recovery process is underway as a result, but the Broncos will be shorthanded in the backfield the rest of the way.

2:26pm: We knew the Broncos would be without starting running back J.K. Dobbins after he had been ruled out yesterday. We even knew that a stint on injured reserve was in consideration, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Dobbins is dealing with a significant ligament issue in his foot that — per the opinions of several experts — will require season-ending surgery.

He has indeed been placed on IR and will remain there for the rest of the regular season. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that there is still a possibility Dobbins could return after the regular season ends, though it would likely require the team to make it to the Super Bowl. Pelissero details that Dobbins’ injury didn’t include a fracture but just a small tear, and the projected timeline for the recovery of that diagnosis would see him coming back in time for the league’s final game of the season.

Since getting drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, injuries have been a huge part of Dobbins’ NFL story. As a rookie splitting time with Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards, Dobbins led the room with 805 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns while sporting an impressive 6.0 yards per carry. Before his sophomore campaign could get started, he was sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, suffered in the team’s final preseason game.

Returning to the field two weeks into the 2022 season, Dobbins took over as RB1. After only four games back, Dobbins suffered another knee injury and was placed on IR for the second time. He was activated later in the year and delivered four strong performances to finish the season averaging 5.7 yards per carry. In 2023, the worst occurred once again. In Baltimore’s season opener, Dobbins left the game with a torn Achilles tendon, leading to his third IR placement and his second season-ending surgery.

Leaving Baltimore with the expiration of his rookie deal, Dobbins landed with the Chargers, beating out Edwards — who also left Baltimore for LA — for the starting job thanks to a huge Week 1 performance. Dobbins showed some durability for the first time since his rookie year, starting the first 12 games of the season before a matchup with his former team saw him suffer an MCL sprain. He was placed on IR (for the fourth time) for four games but was able to return to close out the season.

Now in Denver, Dobbins has played in all 10 games for the Broncos this year. The foot injury news popped up this week, and the new details today confirm the worst: Dobbins will be placed on IR for the fifth time in six years and will undergo his third season-ending surgery. Once again showing his mettle with a strong season this year, Dobbins had Denver considering an extension before the injury sidelined him. The Broncos will now have to factor his injury history even more into any considerations concerning a new contract.

Luckily for the Broncos, they still roster second-round rookie RJ Harvey. For the most part, throughout his rookie season, Harvey has played a major second fiddle to Dobbins, but he has displayed some strong potential with big plays here and there both on the ground and through the air. He’ll likely take the lead out of the backfield with Dobbins out, but Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin both remain on the roster with him, and McLaughlin boasts an impressive volume of backup experience.

Taking Dobbins’ place on IR will be linebacker Garret Wallow, who is being activated from IR after being designated to return earlier this week. The Broncos are also signing cornerback Reese Taylor from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, waiving wide receiver Trent Sherfield to make room, and veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis and linebacker Jordan Turner will be called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations. This will be Lewis’ third such elevation, so Denver will need to sign him to the active roster if they want him to appear in any games after this week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/15/25

Here are today’s minor NFL moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s slate of games:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

With the 49ers set to see their starting quarterback return, Martinez’s presence on the 53-man roster is no longer necessary. He’ll likely find his way back to the team’s practice squad.

The Panthers’ two elevations, Barnes and Mukuamu, are direct reflections of injury absences for tomorrow’s game. With Trevin Wallace and Lathan Ransom ruled out for Sunday, Carolina made the decision to call up another player at each position.

Mevis will once again be called upon for kicking duties in Los Angeles. In his NFL debut last week, he was untested in terms of field goal attempts, but he converted all six extra point attempts in a blowout win in San Francisco.

Kamara in Tampa Bay is being called up for the third time this season. If the Buccaneers intend to play him in another game this year, they’ll need to sign him to the 53-man roster, much as the Ravens did after Bryan exhausted all three of his standard gameday practice squad elevations.

Seahawks Activate OL Christian Haynes, Place C Jalen Sundell On IR

The Seahawks will have a different look up front when they play their pivotal game against the Rams tomorrow. The team’s roster shuffling in advance of the game includes a pair of offensive line moves.

Christian Haynes has been activated from injured reserve, per a team announcement. The second-year blocker has not played this season, but his practice window was opened just over two weeks ago. Haynes is now back on the active roster in time to play on Sunday.

[RELATED: IR Return Tracker]

The timing of Haynes’ return is key. Seattle lost starting center Jalen Sundell to a knee injury in Week 10, leading the expectation a long-term absence could be in store. Sundell will indeed be sidelined for an extended period, as the Seahawks have moved him to IR. A new first-team option will be needed at the center spot over at least the next four games as a result.

After Sundell went down in Week 10, Olu Oluwatimi took over as his replacement. Sundell won a training camp competition with Oluwatimi, but the latter could regain a starting role if the Seahawks keep him in place for the time being. Another option would be to insert Haynes into the starting lineup immediately upon returning to action by playing him at center.

Haynes, 25, made 16 appearances but no starts during his rookie season. The former third-rounder worked exclusively at guard during that time. However, head coach Mike Macdonald recently named Haynes as an option to fill in for Sundell at center. In any case, sixth-round rookie Bryce Cabeldue remains likely to continue operating as a backup along the interior with Haynes now available.

Seattle’s other Saturday roster move was the decision to make linebacker Patrick O’Connell a gameday elevation. The 26-year-old has made one appearance to date in 2025 and seven in his career, all with the Seahawks.

Bills Activate DT T.J. Sanders From IR, Sign WR Mecole Hardman To Active Roster

Knee surgery has left T.J. Sanders unavailable since he last played in Week 4. The second-round rookie is set to return to action tomorrow, however.

Sanders was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, per a Bills announcement. The move comes as no surprise since his practice window was opened earlier this week. Buffalo now has five IR activations remaining for the regular season.

Injuries along the defensive front have been an issue in 2025 for the Bills. Ed Oliver‘s biceps tear will keep him sidelined for the foreseeable future, while Michael Hoecht suffered an Achilles tear during just his second appearance of the campaign. Most recently, Landon Jackson has landed on IR and his availability regarding a return late in the year is in question.

Buffalo has allowed an average of nearly 148 yards per game on the ground this season, which ranks 30th in the league. Reinforcements along the defensive interior will be key as the team looks to make needed improvements in that regard. Sanders logged a 49% snap share prior to suffering his injury, and a notable workload should be expected once again as he returns to the lineup.

In other roster news, the Bills have signed Mecole Hardman from the practice squad to the active roster. The veteran wideout recently joined the team via a taxi squad pact and he will see playing time in short order. Hardman will not be expected to handle much in the way of offensive snaps early in his Buffalo tenure, but he could see usage in the return game right away. To make room for him on the roster, Brandon Codrington was waived.

Gabe Davis is also set to make his season debut tomorrow. The veteran receiver returned to Buffalo just before the start of the season before spending a lengthy period on the practice squad IR list. Davis is now healthy and with the team struggling for production at the WR spot, he will look to carve out at least a rotational role as a familiar Josh Allen target.

Dalton Kincaid will not play against the Buccaneers on Sunday. Depth at that position will come in the form of Keleki Latuwho joins Davis as a gameday elevation from the practice squad. Latu will make his NFL debut if he dresses tomorrow.

Giants Place OL Evan Neal On IR

The Giants placed offensive lineman Evan Neal on injured reserve, per a team announcement, likely ending the former first-round pick’s season and time in New York.

Neal has not appeared in a game all year but popped up on this week’s injury report with a hamstring issue that kept him out of practice. He could be activated after his four-game stint on IR is up, but his lack of a game day role suggests that the Giants would rather use the roster spot on another player.

It is hard to see Neal, the No. 5 pick in the 2022 draft, as anything but a bust. He was named the Giants’ starting right tackle as a rookie and kept it for the whole season, though he missed a few games due to an MCL sprain. Neal was benched midway through his second year and did not make enough progress over the subsequent offseason to get his job back. Injuries along the Giants’ offensive line in 2024 pressed Neal back into duty at right tackle for the last seven games of the season.

The Giants turned down Neal’s fifth-year option in May and were hoping a change to guard could salvage the final year of his rookie contract. The position switch did not take, and Neal is now poised to hit free agency as a potential reclamation project for another team.

New York’s other Saturday roster moves including the promotion of kicker Younghoe Koo to the active roster from the practice squad. Graham Gano was placed on injured reserve (for a second time) earlier this week, so Koo will take over the team’s kicking duties for the next four games. He made all four of his kicks in Week 10, though they all came inside of 40 yards.

The Giants also elevated wide receiver Dalen Cambre and defensive lineman Elijah Chatman from the practice squad for Sunday’s matchup against the Packers. Cambre, an undrafted rookie out of Louisiana, will make his NFL debut, likely as a special teams contributor. He could see some time on offense with veteran wideout Darius Slayton ruled out. Chatman, meanwhile, will make his 2025 debut with Chauncey Golston and Rakeem Nunez-Roches both expected to be sidelined. Chatman made the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie last year and appeared in all 17 games with a 39% snap share, but he could not replicate the feat this season.

Texans Activate TE Cade Stover, FB Jakob Johnson Off IR

The Texans offense is getting some reinforcement at the tight end position this weekend. After suffering a broken foot in Houston’s season opener, second-year tight end Cade Stover has been activated off of injured reserve, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Full back Jakob Johnson will join Stover as an activation from IR today, according to an announcement from the team.

Tight end has been a position of attrition for the Texans this year. It looked like Houston was set to come in with a fairly strong, diverse group in 2025. Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan are strong receiving options, while Stover gets a lot of run as a blocking tight end, though he has decent hands, as well. Unfortunately, Jordan, coming off an early-season ACL tear from the prior year, was placed on IR before the end of training camp, unable to be activated at any point this year.

Luckily, behind their trio, Houston also rostered Harrison Bryant, whom they had acquired in the trade that send John Metchie to the Eagles. Bryant started the year on the Texans’ practice squad but was signed to the 53-man roster upon Stover’s placement on IR. Both Schultz and Bryant have taken their lumps recently. Schultz is set to play through a reported shoulder injury and illness this week, while Bryant has been ruled out with neck and shoulder injuries. Bryant has now been placed on IR due to those injuries, making Stover’s return to the lineup that much timelier.

In order to make room for both Stover and Johnson on the 53-man roster, cornerback Damon Arnette was waived. He only spent a week on the active roster and will likely return to the practice squad. The Texans also announced that rookie cornerback Ajani Carter and veteran safety Jalen Mills will serve as the team’s standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/15/25

Today’s only practice squad update:

Cincinnati Bengals

Kirkland had been brought up twice as a standard gameday practice squad elevation but hadn’t seen any playing time this year. Now, he’ll be placed on the injured list to allow the team to sign a new practice squad player in his slot, if they so choose.

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.

Patriots DT Milton Williams Placed On IR

The Patriots have placed starting defensive tackle Milton Williams on injured reserve, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The veteran in his first season away from Philadelphia suffered a high ankle sprain in Thursday night’s game, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and will be out for at least four games. To fill Williams’ spot on the 53-man roster, New England has signed practice squad outside linebacker Bradyn Swinson to an active roster contract.

After four strong years in Philadelphia, where the former third-round pick started 19 of 67 game appearances, Williams is in his first season with the Patriots and his first season as a full-time starter. He’s anchored a deep interior line alongside, most often, Christian Barmore and Khyiris Tonga. Joshua Farmer and Cory Durden have provided depth across the line this year, and they’ll be challenged even more during Williams’ absence.

When Williams left the game Thursday night, New England’s run defense appeared to take a hit, allowing 5.0 yards per carry over the course of the contest. Barmore, also working as a full-time starter for the first time in his fifth season with the Patriots, is likely to take on the biggest role in Williams’ absence. Tonga will likely be the other consistent starter next to Barmore, while Farmer and Durden could compete for the opportunity to see more time with the first-team defense.

Farmer, the fourth-round rookie out of Florida State, has one start under his belt this year, but Durden has been a pleasant surprise off the bench. Also a Florida State signee at one point, Durden went undrafted in 2023 after transferring to NC State and becoming a standout defender for the Wolfpack. He’s seen short stretches of playing time in four games as a rookie with the Rams and four games last year with the Giants. He’s made the most of his opportunities in New England so far this year, opportunities that have been increasing throughout the year.

Swinson was a fifth-round pick for the Patriots out of LSU after finishing his final season with 8.5 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss. He failed to make the team’s initial 53-man roster and was signed to the practice squad. Coming up to the active roster in Williams’ place, Swinson may get a chance to make his NFL debut next weekend in Cincinnati.

There is still plenty of time left in the season for Williams to sit out his four weeks and return from IR in time to close out the regular season in preparation for a playoff run. With New England sitting atop the division at 9-2 and games against the Bengals, Giants, Jets, and Dolphins remaining on the schedule, a postseason berth is likely. Even the team’s tougher remaining opponents — the Bills and Ravens — will be seeing the Patriots immediately following their Week 14 bye. Williams will be eligible to return in Week 17.

Lions Place TE Sam LaPorta On IR

The injuries continue to pile up in Detroit. The newest one sees tight end Sam LaPorta being placed on injured reserve. He failed to practice at all this week due to a back injury, and he’ll now be sidelined for at least four games.

LaPorta picked up the injury in the Lions’ Week 10 victory over the Commanders, interrupting another solid season from the third-year tight end. He is on pace for career-highs in yards per game (54.3), catch rate (81.6%), and yards per target (10.0), all of which rank among the league’s top 10 tight ends. LaPorta’s 2.00 yards per route run are a career-high and the second-most of any tight end this season, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He has yet to record a drop this year and is seven-for-seven on contested catches. If that isn’t enough, LaPorta’s PFF blocking grades are the best of his career, too.

All of that adds up to a major loss for the Lions offense. Brock Wright, the team’s No. 2 tight end, is a known quantity as a blocker but does not offer much as a receiver. Third-stringer Ross Dwelley will be asked to step into Wright’s role, and the Lions will likely need to elevate or promote Anthony Firkser or Zach Horton from the practice squad. Head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator John Morton may also use more ‘jumbo’ packages with Dan Skipper as an extra offensive lineman.

LaPorta’s IR stint will force him to miss the Lions’ next four games, at least. That stretch includes a trip to Philadelphia this week that could factor into NFC playoff tiebreakers and a matchup with the Packers that could have a major impact on the NFC North. He will be eligible to return in Week 15 against the Rams, another game that could impact postseason seeding.

Detroit also made a number of minor roster moves to prepare for Sunday’s contest with the Eagles. Offensive lineman Michael Niese was signed to the active roster from the practice squad. He entered last week’s game at center amid multiple injuries to the Lions’ offensive line and will be on hand once again in Week 11. Wide receivers Tom Kennedy and Jackson Meeks were elevated from the practice squad. Both will contribute on special teams and could rotate in on offense as well.

Defensive lineman Pat O’Connor was also released with an injury settlement after being placed on IR on Friday.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article.