NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/16/25
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Marques Cox, S Patrick McMorris
- Released: T Trey Wedig
Buffalo Bills
- Released: CB M.J. Devonshire
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Dominique Hampton
- Released: LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin
Denver Broncos
- Released: RB Sincere McCormick
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Keenan Garber
Houston Texans
- Signed: S Brandon Hill
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G LaDarius Henderson, G Bill Murray, T Zachary Thomas
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: G Nick Broeker, S Tanner McCalister
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
New York Jets
- Signed: S Jaylen Mahoney, LB Ochaun Mathis
- Released: QB Adrian Martinez
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: CB Isaiah Bolden
Washington Commanders
- Signed: WR River Cracraft, WR Gee Scott Jr.
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: CB Darius Rush
NFL Minor Transactions: 12/16/25
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: WR Jalen Brooks
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed off waivers (from Steelers): WR Ke’Shawn Williams
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: RB Jawhar Jordan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: RB DeeJay Dallas
- Opened practice window: LB Jalen McLeod
- Placed on IR: LB Jack Kiser
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: DT Leki Fotu
New England Patriots
- Signed off Colts’ practice squad: LB Chad Muma
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: S Jarius Monroe
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: S D’Anthony Bell
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Browns): G Garrett Dellinger
A steady presence in Arizona a couple years ago, Fotu started four of six game appearances for the Raiders this year. The occasional starts were not indicative of his true usage, though, as he hasn’t gotten consistent time on the field for Las Vegas in 2025. The Raiders will move on from the veteran as they shift focus in a lost season towards evaluating young talent with more gametime.
As a practice squad elevation this weekend, Jordan became the first Texans running back to eclipse the century mark in a game this year. Houston wasted little time in returning him to the active roster
Giants Waive K Younghoe Koo, Claim LB Caleb Murphy
The Giants made a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, including the release of kicker Younghoe Koo and the addition of linebacker Caleb Murphy via waivers, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz and KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Koo, 31, took over the Giants’ kicking job after Graham Gano suffered a herniated disk that forced him onto injured reserve for the second time this season. Gano previously missed Weeks 4 though 7 with a groin injury, during which time Jude McAtamney kicked in his place. He made both of his field goals but only nine of his 12 extra point tries. McAtamney returned to the practice squad when Gano came back in Week 8 and was later released altogether.
When Gano’s neck injury popped up in early November, the Giants signed Koo and undrafted free agent Ben Sauls to their practice squad. Koo won the starting job and made his first 12 kicks across four games, but failed to convert his two field goal attempts in Week 15. Though both misses came from outside of 50 yards, New York opted to waive the veteran and give Sauls a chance.
The rookie out of Pitt signed, fittingly, with the Steelers after the draft. Though he had virtually no chance of overtaking longtime starter Chris Boswell, he performed well in the preseason with a five-for-six mark on field goals and a perfect six-for-six showing on extra points. Sauls is now in line to make his NFL debut on Sunday against the Vikings.
Murphy, 26, will join his third team of the season after stints with the Chargers and the Patriots. He primarily featured on special teams and will likely continue in a similar role in New York.
The Giants also designated fourth-year offensive lineman Evan Neal to return from injured reserve. The former first-rounder’s mid-November hamstring injury and subsequent IR placement seemed to signify the end of his time in New York, but Neal may come back this season after all. The Giants do not necessarily need reinforcements along their offensive line, though, and Joshua Ezeudu returned to practice last week. If he is activated to the 53-man roster, there may not be room for Neal, so today’s move could have been a formality to give him some more practice reps before the year’s end.
Bills Sign Michael Badgley After Workout
The Bills are down to their third kicking option as Tyler Bass‘ replacement kicker, Matt Prater, is reportedly week-to-week with a quad injury, per Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News. As a result, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network announced today that Buffalo has turned to the free agent market, signing veteran kicker Michael Badgley. 
Badgley is coming to Buffalo on a practice squad deal, as he’s unlikely to stay long if Prater is legitimately week-to-week. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the Bills hosted the Miami alum today alongside fellow free agent kicker Matthew Wright; Badgley emerged from the tryout with the deal.
Badgley recently had a seven-game stint with the Colts as an injury replacement for Spencer Shrader before getting cut and replaced by Blake Grupe. Badgley was mostly reliable kicking field goals with Indianapolis, converting 10 of 11 attempts with his only miss coming from over 50 yards. The Colts cut Badgley the week after he had a third missed extra point attempt in just seven games.
The Bills become Badgley’s seventh NFL team. It was the Colts that signed him out of college as an undrafted free agent, but he made his NFL debut with the Chargers, playing three years in Los Angeles. His 2021 and 2022 campaigns were eerily similar, seeing him play one game with the Titans (2021) and Bears (2022) before spending 12 games with division rivals Indianapolis (2021) and Detroit (2022).
He spent parts of the offseason in 2023 with the Commanders and Titans before ultimately returning to the Lions and stepping up late during the team’s run to the NFC Championship game. Staying with Detroit last year, Badgley suffered a torn hamstring that would keep him out until he returned to play in Indianapolis this year.
The Bills are headed to Cleveland this weekend in what’s sure to be a cold game. The teams Badgley’s spent most of his career with have mostly played in indoor stadiums, so Cleveland will be a good test, in case Badgley needs to stick around for more than one game in Buffalo during this closing stretch of the season.
Cardinals Place RB Zonovan Knight On IR
The Cardinals placed running back Zonovan Knight on injured reserve on Tuesday, per a team announcement.
Knight, 24, suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Sunday’s loss to the Texans. He emerged as a key part of Arizona’s backfield this season after injuries to James Conner and Trey Benson in September. The Cardinals initially tapped Michael Carter and Emari Demercado as the next running backs up, but Knight quickly established his own footing in the committee. With just 3.3 yards per carry, he has not been particularly efficient on the ground, but he has been one of the team’s few players to consistently reach the end zone. He leads the Cardinals with four rushing touchdowns – no other player has more than one – and ranks second on the offense with five total scores.
With Knight out for the year, Carter and Demarcado will likely get more playing time and touches. Demarcado has been significantly more efficient with 7.6 yards per carry, but he missed almost a month with a high ankle sprain. Carter has only 221 rushing yards on 67 carries for a career-low 3.3 yards per attempt, but he has been more effective through the air with 28 catches for 232 yards. The Cardinals also signed Corey Kiner off the Vikings’ practice squad at the beginning of December and can give him some more work on game day.
Arizona also placed wide receiver Andre Baccellia on injured reserve due to a neck injury, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, which will also end his season. Baccellia had a peripheral role in the Cardinals offense in 2022 and 2023 and played more in 2024 after injuries in the team’s wide receiver room. To fill his spot on the 53-man roster, third-year wideout Jalen Cooks was signed from the practice squad.
Titans Place Safeties Kevin Winston, Xavier Woods, Mike Brown On IR
The Titans placed safeties Kevin Winston, Xavier Woods, and Mike Brown on injured reserve on Tuesday, per team writer Jim Wyatt.
All three went down in the Titans’ loss to the 49ers on Sunday and will be out for the rest of the season. Winston and Woods suffered hamstring injuries, while Brown hurt his ankle.
Winston and Woods combined for 16 starts and 839 snaps on defense this year and are the team’s sixth- and eighth-leading tacklers. Winston, a third-round rookie, had emerged as a full-time starter in the second half of the season, while Woods’ role has varied. Their absences will force Tennessee to start a different safety alongside Amani Hooker.
Brown could have fit the bill had he not been injured on Sunday, too. He played special teams almost exclusively this season, but last year, he occupied a 37% defensive snap share with 250 snaps at free safety, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). This is Brown’s second stint on IR this year; he previously suffered a knee injury in October and missed five games.
Kendell Brooks finished Sunday’s game at safety for the first significant defensive workload of his career. He could be tapped to start with Hooker in the next few weeks. Another option is former Seahawk Jerrick Reed, who has played a handful of defensive snaps in the last three years, but has primarily featured on special teams.
The Titans also added two safeties to their 53-man roster after placing Winston, Woods, and Brown on IR. 2023 sixth-rounder Erick Hallett, who started two games for the Lions amid their safety injuries this year, was signed off Detroit’s practice squad and could see playing time immediately. Tennesee also signed Sanoussi Kane off the Ravens’ practice squad; the 2024 seventh-rounder spent his rookie season as a core special teams contributor in Baltimore but was waived earlier this season in favor of undrafted rookie standout Keondre Jackson.
Chargers Reunite With S Marcus Maye
The Chargers reunited with veteran safety Marcus Maye on Tuesday by signing him to their practice squad, per a team announcement.
Maye, 32, started the 2024 season with the Dolphins but was claimed off waivers by the Chargers at the end of November. He appeared in four games (one start) in Los Angeles before an ankle injury forced him on injured reserve.
The eight-year veteran hit free agency but was not connected with any team until a November workout with the Commanders. Maye did not earn a gig in Washington, but he is now needed in Los Angeles after multiple injuries in the Chargers’ safety room. Veteran Elijah Molden missed Sunday’s matchup with the Chiefs and rookie RJ Mickens went down during the game.
Last year, and for much of his career, Maye has been a steady if unspectacular safety who was a full-time starter through 2023. Despite his experience, he remained a free agent for most of the 2025 season, which could indicate that he was more selective about a new opportunity or needed more time for his ankle to fully heal.
Along with Maye, Chargers also signed undrafted rookie offensive lineman Josh Kaltenberger to their practice squad. In two corresponding moves, they released running back Royce Freeman and tight end Tanner McLachlan.
Jets, C Josh Myers Agree To Extension
DECEMBER 16: Myers received a $1.8MM signing bonus and his 2026 base salary ($3.14MM) is fully guaranteed, per Over the Cap. Of his $4.94MM 2027 salary, $1MM is already guaranteed for injury. Myers’ new pact also contains annual workout bonuses along with per-game roster bonuses worth up to $510K per season.
DECEMBER 12: Josh Myers will not reach the open market in March. The veteran center has a new deal in place with the Jets, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 
Team and player have agreed to a two-year, $11MM extension, per Fowler. He adds this new pact contains $6MM in guaranteed money. Myers was on course for free agency after signing a one-year pact with New York this past spring. Instead, he will remain in place as the team aims for stability up front. This contract places Myers 13th in terms of AAV for centers.
A second-round pick of the Packers in 2021, Myers played out his rookie contract with Green Bay. During that time, he started all 56 of his appearances and – aside from his debut season – avoided any lengthy absences. Nevertheless, inconsistent showings on the field resulted in the Ohio State product only securing a $2MM deal from the Jets during his first trip to free agency. Myers has now landed a notable raise on his third NFL contract.
PFF has not graded any of Myers’ five seasons favorably, and his 53.6 mark for 2025 is the lowest of his career. The 27-year-old has remained consistent in that regard, however, and he will be expected to maintain his current level of play through the 2027 season. As a result of this agreement, the Jets have four of their cuttent starting offensive linemen under contract through at least next year.
That includes tackles Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, taken in the first round of the past two drafts. Left guard John Simpson is a pending free agent, so it is unclear if he will continue playing alongside Myers beyond the final four games of the current season. Another projected vacancy up front for next year is at the right guard spot, as Alijah Vera-Tucker is set to see his rookie contract expire this spring. The oft-injured blocker is currently set to reach the market after missing the entire 2025 season.
That will deal a major blow to Vera-Tucker’s value, and it remains to be seen if he will remain in New York or move on in March. Regardless of what happens on that front, though, Myers will be counted on to continue operating as a full-time starter up front for a Jets team seeking improvements on offense for 2026 and beyond.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/15/25
Just one practice squad move to pass along:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DL C.J. Brewer
- Released: WR Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson has seen time in 23 career games. He had his best showing with the Broncos in 2023, when he hauled in 19 catches for 284 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games. He’ll be replaced on Tampa Bay’s practice squad by C.J. Brewer, who’s collected 2.5 sacks with the Buccaneers across the past two seasons.
NFL Minor Transactions: 12/15/25
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Jamari Thrash
- Waived: G Garrett Dellinger
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: DT Mario Edwards Jr. (story)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: LB Quinton Bell
- Elevated: OL Kion Smith
- Waived: OLB Andre Carter II
New England Patriots
- Waived: LB Caleb Murphy
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed to active roster: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Elevated: OL Jack Driscoll, DE DeMarvin Leal
- Waived: WR Ke’Shawn Williams
Jamari Thrash is already back on Cleveland’s active roster after getting waived the other day. The former fifth-round pick has only seen time in a single game since the beginning of November. Before that, he tallied 10 receptions for 107 yards.
In other receiver news, Marquez Valdes-Scantling made his way to the active roster for tonight’s game against the Dolphins. The veteran got into 16 offensive snaps during his Steelers debut in Week 14. Before that, he hauled in four catches for 40 yards in five appearances for the 49ers.