NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/13/26
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Kristian Wilkerson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Alex Johnson
New England Patriots
- Signed: CB Miles Battle, RB D’Ernest Johnson, OT Lorenz Metz, WR Trent Sherfield
- Released: DL Fabien Lovett, WR Brandon Smith
The Patriots are the third team of the season for Sherfield, who spent time with the Broncos and Cardinals. Sherfield has never been much of a receiving threat (he combined for three catches in 12 games with Denver and Arizona), but he has been a solid special teamer since his career began in 2018. The 29-year-old posted a 51% special teams snap share in 10 games with the Broncos. After they cut him in mid-November, he played 63% of ST snaps in two contests with the Cardinals.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/13/26
Four playoff teams made minor moves on Tuesday. Here’s a look:
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return from IR: TE Lucas Krull
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed from practice squad: OLB Nick Hampton
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: TE George Kittle (story)
- Signed from practice squad: TE Brayden Willis
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return from IR: ILB Chazz Surratt
In the wake of Kittle’s season-ending Achilles tear, the 49ers are calling on Willis to serve as depth behind Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell. Willis, a 2023 seventh-round pick from Oklahoma, has appeared in 23 games with the 49ers in three seasons. He played in six of the 49ers’ regular-season contests in 2025 and logged 98 of his 111 snaps on special teams.
Surratt, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 12, missed the Seahawks’ last six games of the regular season. He got an extra week to recover after top-seeded Seattle earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. With the Seahawks preparing to host the 49ers in a divisional round matchup Saturday, Surratt could return to action. The 28-year-old wasn’t a factor on defense in the regular season, but he posted a 40% snap share on special teams. Surratt finished second among Seahawks special teamers in tackles (11).
Bears Activate Braxton Jones From IR
The Bears lost left tackle starter Ozzy Trapilo for the season. They have placed both he and linebacker T.J. Edwards on IR; the veteran linebacker also suffered a season-ending injury against the Packers.
One tackle reinforcement will be in place for Chicago’s divisional-round game, however. The team activated Braxton Jones from IR. The former fifth-rounder has been on IR since October. This could set up as Jones’ final act(s) with the Bears, as he is on track for free agency in March.
Jones’ placement on injured reserve (with a knee injury) came not long after being benched for the first time in his career. Jones operated as a full-time starter during his first three seasons with Chicago, a team which has looked into numerous options on the blindside in 2025. Chicago has used Trapilo and Theo Benedet as starters since demoting Jones. Benedet took Trapilo’s place against Green Bay.
With right tackle Darnell Wright earning All-Pro acclaim in a breakthrough season, Trapilo’s future will be at left tackle. The Bears will at least have an option against the Rams in Jones, who came up in trade rumors before his IR placement.
Prior to Jones’ IR trip, he had started 44 games since his 2022 rookie season. Winning Chicago’s LT job that year, Jones kept it through the end of the 2024 campaign before needing to fend off Trapilo and Benedet for the job in training camp. Jones still prevailed in that competition but had emerged as the weak link on Chicago’s revamped O-line — one that also placed left guard Joe Thuney on the All-Pro team.
It will be interesting to see how the Bears replace Trapilo. Benedet, a 2024 UDFA, started eight games this season. Pro Football Focus, however, graded the Canadian blocker poorly, placing him 74th among qualified tackles this season. PFF slotted Trapilo 34th in his rookie year, making this a situation to monitor ahead of the Bears’ 2-5 matchup with the Rams. This also drops Chicago’s injury activation count to one, even with the NFL granting playoff teams two additional activations. As PFR’s IR return tracker shows, the Bears have used nine total activations this season.
The Bears also signed linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin from the practice squad. The NFLPA president has played in four games with the team this season, including the wild-card matchup.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/12/26
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Carolina Panthers
- LB Jared Bartlett, G Ja’Tyre Carter, G Saahdiq Charles, WR Dan Chisena, CB Tyrek Funderburk, G Joshua Gray, RB Montrell Johnson, OLB Jamil Muhammad, LB Maz Mwansa, TE Bryce Pierre, WR Ja’seem Reed, S Demani Richardson, WR Ainias Smith, RB Anthony Tyus, LB Jacoby Windmon
Green Bay Packers
- OT Brant Banks, DL Dante Barnett, OG Karsen Barnhart, DL Anthony Campbell, TE McCallan Castles, OT Dalton Cooper, TE Drake Dabney, DL James Ester, K Lucas Havrisik, CB Tyron Herring, LB Jamon Johnson, RB Damien Martinez, S Mark Perry, WR Will Sheppard, RB Pierre Strong, TE Messiah Swinson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- QB Carter Bradley, WR Chandler Brayboy, G Jerome Carvin, TE Patrick Herbert, RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, WR Tim Jones, T Ricky Lee, DB Keni-H Lovely, DB Jabbar Muhammad, DT Keivie Rose, DB Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, DB Trevian Thomas, WR Austin Trammell, G Sal Wormley, OT Kilian Zierer
New York Jets
- WR Mac Dalena, K Lenny Krieg, QB Bailey Zappe
Philadelphia Eagles
- LB Chance Campbell, DB Tariq Castro-Fields, WR Danny Gray, DT Gabe Hall, DB Brandon Johnson, C Jake Majors, T Hollin Pierce, WR Quez Watkins
Washington Commanders
- DE Andre Carter
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/12/26
One practice squad move to pass along:
New England Patriots
- Released: OT Sebastian Gutierrez
Sebastian Gutierrez has bounced around the NFL a bit since going undrafted out of Minot State in 2022. He’s seen time in two career games, one with the Raiders (2022) and one with the 49ers (2024). He’s spent most of the 2025 campaign on New England’s practice squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/12/26
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: S Jaylen Reed
- Elevated: DT Leki Fotu
- Waived: DE Darrell Taylor
New England Patriots
- Waived: RB D’Ernest Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB Tre Flowers, CB D’Shawn Jamison
The Texans will get some extra reinforcement on their secondary and special teams for tonight’s playoff matchup. A rookie sixth-round pick, Jaylen Reed has spent half of the 2025 season on the sideline. He started the season on PUP thanks to a knee injury, but he managed to make his NFL debut in late October. He ended up getting into seven games (one start) for Houston, collecting 14 tackles (12 of which came in one game) in 73 defensive snaps. He landed on injured reserve in December after suffering a forearm injury that required surgery.
Bills Designate Ed Oliver, Curtis Samuel For Return From IR
The Bills are in the divisional round for the sixth straight season, defeating the Jaguars to book a trip to Denver. They could have a key reinforcement back for that game.
Ed Oliver will return to practice this week, Sean McDermott said (via the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski). The veteran defensive tackle has been out since suffering a biceps tear in October. Oliver also underwent knee surgery recently. He is eligible for an IR activation, though the two-injury component could add a potential complication.
[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]
Buffalo will also open Curtis Samuel‘s practice window, according to McDermott. Elbow and knee maladies sidelined Samuel in late November, but the 2024 free agency pickup has not been a key part of Buffalo’s passing attack this season. Despite the Bills needing wide receiver help pretty much since the Stefon Diggs trade, Samuel has been an afterthought.
One player who will not factor into the Bills’ receiving equation against the Broncos will be Gabe Davis, whom McDermott said (via Skurski) suffered an ACL tear against the Jaguars. Davis, whom the Jags cut shortly after the draft, rejoined the Bills on a practice squad deal before being signed to the active roster. He is on a one-year, $1.17MM deal — the veteran minimum for Davis’ service time.
Another Bills injury area to monitor: safety. The team will not have Jordan Poyer against the Broncos, with McDermott indicating the veteran defender will be out for the divisional round due to a hamstring injury. The Bills used Jordan Hancock in place of Poyer once he went down in Jacksonville, but Damar Hamlin is in the IR-return window. Hamlin has not played since early October because of a pectoral injury.
The Bills’ run defense has suffered greatly this season, ranking 28th. Oliver’s absence has obviously hurt here. The veteran defensive tackle missed time due to an ankle injury sustained in Week 1 but did not land on IR as a result. In his second game back from that issue, Oliver sustained the biceps tear. A postseason return was rumored, however. Though, that report came before a confirmed knee surgery. Oliver, 28, is attempting to finish off a three-injury season by helping in some capacity.
Oliver suffered a setback in late December, and a New Year’s Day report revealed he underwent a meniscus cleanup surgery. Oliver returning for the Broncos matchup or a possible AFC championship game date would presumably involve a reduced role, but any return would help a Buffalo defense that has withstood a number of maladies. The team played its wild-card game without recently extended linebacker Terrel Bernard and first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston.
Prior to his injuries, Samuel caught just seven passes for 81 yards over six games. The Bills gave the ex-Panthers and Commanders wideout a three-year, $24MM deal in 2024. The contract reunited Samuel with ex-Carolina OC Joe Brady, but Samuel has been among Buffalo’s misses at receiver over the past two years. After a failed attempt to acquire Jaylen Waddle at the deadline, the Bills added Brandin Cooks and Mecole Hardman. Davis had rejoined the team, after disappointing on a $13MM-per-year deal in Jacksonville, just before the season.
Poyer came back after training camp following a year with the Dolphins. The Bills have turned to their former starter as a first-stringer once again, deploying him alongside Cole Bishop after Taylor Rapp‘s season-ending injury. Poyer, 34, is likely to retire at season’s end. While it will be interesting to see who the Bills start in Round 2, they will need to win in order for Poyer to continue his career.
Matthew Stafford To Play In Divisional Round; Rams Place CB Ahkello Witherspoon On IR
Matthew Stafford managed to play through an injury to his throwing hand on Saturday. He will be available for the Rams during the divisional round as well. 
Stafford underwent testing yesterday to determine the extent of his injury. When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Sean McVay revealed (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop) he suffered a sprained index finger. Stafford will nevertheless be available for the Rams during their game against the Bears on Sunday, to no surprise.
Stafford has a well-earned reputation for playing through injuries. The 37-year-old entered the season with concerns over his back, but he managed to play all 17 games in 2025. That run of availability paved the way for one of Stafford’s best years, as he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. A first-team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career (to go along with his third Pro Bowl nod), Stafford will remain a major factor regarding the Rams’ Super Bowl chances as he prepares to manage the ailment this week.
There is other, less positive, injury news for Los Angeles. McVay said (h/t Barshop) cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon reinjured in shoulder during the Rams’ win against the Panthers. Witherspoon has been placed on injured reserve as a result. That move ensures he will not be able to play again this season.
Witherspoon was able to play in only six games due to his shoulder. The nine-year veteran returned to the lineup in late November and managed to reprise his defensive role when healthy; overall, Witherspoon logged a 48% snap share and started two games. Los Angeles will once again need to proceed without him, though. Witherspoon, 30, is a pending free agent. His market value has not doubt been dealt a blow over the course of an injury-marred campaign.
Eagles’ Lane Johnson Returns To Practice; Azeez Ojulari’s Practice Window Opens
JANUARY 11: Johnson is officially inactive for today’s game. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes practice included encouraging moments during the past few days, but Johnson’s return to the lineup will not be possible until at least next week.
JANUARY 7: The Eagles are expecting to get some reinforcements on both sides of the ball in the playoffs.
The most impactful player who could return is right tackle Lane Johnson, who has not played since mid-November due to a foot injury. Swing tackle Fred Johnson has held up, but not excelled in his All-Pro teammate’s place.
Johnson practiced on Wednesday, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He would be a major boost to an Eagles offense that has sputtered in the second half of the season. After their Week 10 bye, Philly scored more than 2o points in just three of their last nine games. Those performances all came against a handful of the worst defenses in the league. Johnson would no doubt fortify the offensive line
On defense, the Eagles are expecting to have Nakobe Dean back in the wild card round; defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said as much on Tuesday (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman). Dean has been out since Week 15 due to a hamstring injury. He also missed the first five games as he completed his recovery from a January 2025 torn patellar tendon. In between, he posted a career-high four sacks in just 10 games, an impressive number for an off-ball linebacker. First-round pick Jihaad Campbell has started next to Zack Baun for the past few games and will likely slide back to the bench upon Dean’s return.
Philadelphia’s defense may also get outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari back on the field soon. He has been on injured reserve since the beginning of November and was designated to return on Wednesday, according to McLane. The fifth-year defender signed with the Eagles this offseason but was too far down the depth chart to play at the start of the year. After four healthy scratches, he finally got some game day action with both Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo landing on IR. Ojulari, however, only saw 32 snaps across three games before injuring his hamstring.
Panthers, DC Ejiro Evero Agreed To Extension Prior To 2025 Season
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero‘s contract was due to expire at the end of the 2025 season. Although it was not revealed until Sunday, during head coach Dave Canales‘ end-of-season presser, Carolina extended Evero before the start of the ’25 campaign (via Joe Person of The Athletic). Person adds that the contract runs through 2027.
Evero, 45, has been with the Panthers since 2023, one year before Canales’ arrival. While new head coaches generally prefer to bring in their own coordinators, Canales noted at the outset that he hoped to retain Evero. As such, Carolina blocked him from taking defensive coordinator interviews with other clubs.
They could not prevent him from speaking with teams about a head coaching position, and he landed second HC interviews with three clubs in the 2024 cycle (including the Panthers, who ultimately settled on Canales). Obviously, he did not land any of those positions, but his status as one of the best defensive coaches in the game has endured.
Evero’s career as an NFL staffer began back in 2011 as a quality control coach with the 49ers. He eventually worked his way up the ranks and parlayed his work as the secondary coach and passing game coordinator with the Super Bowl champion Rams in 2021 into a defensive coordinator post with the Broncos in 2022.
That year was a disastrous one for the Broncos, who fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett in the middle of the campaign. Ejero’s defense, though, was not the problem, as his unit finished seventh in yards allowed. He declined to take the interim HC job upon Hackett’s dismissal and was released from his contract when Denver acquired Sean Payton.
In his first year with the Panthers in 2023, the club finished fourth in total defense (although Carolina surrendered the fourth-most points per game). In the first year of the Canales/Evero partnership in 2024, the Panthers finished dead last in terms of both total defense and scoring defense, which likely played a role in Evero’s absence from the 2025 HC circuit.
The Panthers nonetheless opted not only to retain Evero, but to extend his contract. While their surprising run to the playoffs in 2025 was made possible by a weak NFC South, they did push the Rams to the brink in a narrow wildcard-round loss on Saturday and ended the regular season in the middle of the pack with respect to yards allowed and points allowed.
As Carolina looks to build on something of a breakthrough, it will have continuity at the top of the coaching staff.