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Bengals Sign DT Mike Pennel

September 1st, 2025 at 9:40am CST by Adam La Rose

Mike Pennel has a deal lined up in time for Week 1 shortly after becoming a free agent. The veteran defensive tackle is set to join the Bengals, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

This will be a practice squad arrangement, per Fowler. An elevation to the active roster could be in store in relatively short order, though. Pennel is a veteran of 125 appearances and 25 starts in the NFL. His Cincinnati signing is now official.

Pennel played on a one-year Chiefs pact in 2024, and he was retained by Kansas City in March on a contract of the same length. That appeared to set up the 34-year-old for a third consecutive Chiefs campaign during his second stint with the franchise. Pennel was among the team’s roster cuts last week, however.

Instead of remaining in place on Kansas City’s practice squad, the former UDFA will head to Cincinnati. The Bengals will be Pennel’s sixth career team, with his second Chiefs stint being preceded by time with the Packers, Jets, Falcons and Bears. Never a full-time starter on defense or a known presence in the pass rush department, he set a new career high with three sacks in 2024.

Pennel will look to carve out a role along the defensive interior whenever he finds himself on the active roster. The two-time Super Bowl winner is joining a group featuring returnee B.J. Hill, free agent signing T.J. Slaton and 2024 draftees Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson. Cincinnati ranked 19th against the run last season, and improvement in that department will be a goal under new defensive coordinator Al Golden. 

The Bengals entered Monday with roughly $17MM in cap space, more than enough afford what will be an inexpensive Pennel addition. It will be interesting to see how early he receives a gameday elevation or winds up being promoted to the active roster.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/31/25

August 31st, 2025 at 5:32pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Sunday’s only practice squad transactions to close out the final weekend of 2025 without NFL football:

Los Angeles Chargers

Philadelphia Eagles

The Chargers brought two undrafted rookies onto their practice squad, making space by letting go of Barnhart and putting the veteran, Reagor, on the injured list. Barnhart started three positions on the Wolverines offensive line during Michigan’s championship season but went undrafted and failed to appear in an NFL game as a rookie last year.

Johnson rushed for over 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final year at South Dakota State. Grimm was the top receiver at Kansas last year after averaging 623 receiving yards and six touchdowns over his last three seasons for the Jayhawks.

Landon Dickerson Moving Toward Week 1 Return; G Kenyon Green On Eagles’ 53-Man Roster

August 31st, 2025 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Undergoing meniscus surgery in mid-August, Landon Dickerson was viewed as a candidate to come back early in the season. But missed time was still squarely on the radar for the Eagles’ Pro Bowl left guard.

That may not end up being required. After the defending Super Bowl champions kept Dickerson on their active roster — rather than making an IR move — Dickerson has returned to practice, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. Adding Dickerson appears “full go,” McLane points to the four-year Philly starter opening the season on time.

[RELATED: Assessing Eagles’ 2025 Offseason]

While the Eagles could take a safer route with one of their top players and give him their upcoming mini-bye to return ahead of Week 2 (after a Thursday-night Cowboys clash), the team having him back at practice days ahead of the opener certainly puts a debut against Dallas in play. A Pro Bowler three years running, Dickerson has only missed one start due to injury over the past three years.

The Eagles gave Dickerson a then-record four-year, $84MM extension in March 2024. He then served as a vital part of Saquon Barkley‘s 2,000-yard rushing season, teaming with Pro Bowlers Lane Johnson and Cam Jurgens — along with left tackle mainstay Jordan Mailata and the resurgent Mekhi Becton — to power another strong Jeff Stoutland group. Becton parlayed his bounce-back season into a two-year Chargers deal, with Tyler Steen on track to start at RG.

With Steen a two-year backup set to debut as a regular starter, it would naturally benefit the Eagles not to need a Dickerson sub to start their title defense. Dickerson’s surgery was also believed to be minor, which kept the door open here. The team has Brett Toth and swingman Matt Pryor as backup options, and McLane adds Kenyon Green is now on the team’s 53-man roster.

Acquired in the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade, Green did not make a strong push to replace Becton and did not secure a spot on Philadelphia’s active roster this week. The former No. 15 overall pick follows Becton in being a disappointing first-rounder now in Philly’s O-line developmental program, but he is up from the practice squad and set to back up Dickerson and Steen. Green, who made 23 starts in Houston during a wildly underwhelming tenure, replaces waiver claim Willie Lampkin on the Eagles’ active roster. Lampkin landed on IR soon after being claimed.

Adam Thielen Accepts Pay Cut From Vikings

August 30th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen has accepted a pay cut from the Vikings shortly after reuniting with the team via a trade from the Panthers.

Originally set to receive $6.25MM in base salary, per OverTheCap, Thielen has agreed to reduce that number by $2MM, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. $4MM of incentives – added earlier this offseason in a revised deal with the Panthers – were also removed.

Pelissero adds that Thielen volunteered for the pay cut to help facilitate his return to Minnesota. He had already agreed to the revised terms at the time of the trade, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, and will now rejoin a familiar group of players in coaches.

Thielen, 35, signed with the Vikings as an undrafted rookie in 2014 and made the 53-man rosters a depth receiver and core special teams contributor. The 6-foot-2 receiver broke out in 2016 with 967 yards and averaged 62 yards per game over the subsequent six seasons, earning two contract extensions in the process. Along with his 2023 free agency deal with the Panthers, Thielen has reached $83.6MM in career earnings (via OverTheCap) allowing the Minnesota native to give the Vikings a hometown discount.

With Jordan Addison suspended to start the season and Jalen Nailor dealing with a hand injury, Thielen immediately leaped to the top of the Vikings’ depth chart and will likely play a big role early on. Addison will be sidelined for the team’s first three games, while Nailor is “week-to-week” with a hand injury and hasn’t practice in almost two weeks. Thielen’s experience in previous Kevin O’Connell offenses could make him a quarterback-friendly target for first-year starter J.J. McCarthy.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/30/25

August 30th, 2025 at 9:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s NFL taxi squad moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Flournoy was waived on Thursday, but he went unclaimed yesterday. That allowed for the 25-year-old to remain in Dallas via a practice squad agreement. Charles – who was retained on the taxi squad following roster cuts – is out of the organization for now, but ESPN’s Todd Archer notes he could return at some point.

Panthers To Re-Sign Hunter Renfrow, Place Jalen Coker On IR

August 30th, 2025 at 11:11am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Panthers are swapping out receivers on their 53-man roster on Saturday by re-signing veteran Hunter Renfrow and placing Jalen Coker on injured reserve, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz and Joe Person of The Athletic.

Renfrow, 29, sat out the 2024 season as he dealt with a case of ulcerative colitis. He signed with the Panthers in April and spent training camp with the team before being released during final roster cuts. They wanted to keep him in the building, but as a vested veteran, Renfrow was free to sign with any team. Multiple were interested, per Schultz, but Coker’s IR placement allowed the Panthers to give the veteran wideout a spot on the active roster.

Coker pulled his quad chasing a deep ball during a 1-on-1 drill in a fully-padded practice on Thursday and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks, according to Person. The injury happened one day after the Panthers traded Adam Thielen, their primary slot receiver for the last two years, to the Vikings.

Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said on Thursday (via Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer) that Coker would “step into the slot” after Thielen’s departure. Morgan also said that he had enough confidence in the team’s trio of young receivers – Coker, Xavier Legette, and Tetairoa McMillan – to trade Thielen.

We have guys that we’re really excited about,” explained Morgan, “and that definitely made me feel more comfortable pulling the trigger and trading [Thielen].”

Renfrow’s “peaks and dips” in the preseason were the reason the Panthers cut him this week, according to head coach Dave Canales (via Person). However, his experience in the slot – where he’s played 72.8% of his career snaps, per PFF (subscription required) could give him a role right away.

The 2019 fifth-round pick leveraged interest from other teams and the Panthers’ need at the psoition into a stronger deal than the $1.3MM deal he signed in April. Renfrow’s new contract is worth $2.25MM ($2MM guaranteed), according to Person. It includes a signing bonus as well as incentives that can bring his compensation to $3MM, per Kaye.

The Panthers may also give sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. after he led the team in slot snaps during the preseason (via PFF) and made the 53-man roster. Coker, meanwhile, will spend at least four weeks on the IR as he rehabs his quad and looks to regain his role in the slot upon his return.

Patriots To Release S Jabrill Peppers

August 29th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Patriots are releasing veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Peppers, 29, was set to enter his fourth season in New England before he was cut. As a vested veteran, he is not subject to waivers and is free to sign with any team (or their practice squad) right away.

The eight-year veteran was acquired by Bill Belichick in the legendary coach’s second-to-last season in New England. Peppers had a rotational third safety role in 2022 before emerging as a full-time starter the following year. He signed a three-year extension before the 2024 season, but missed eight games due to a suspension and three more to a hamstring injury.

The suspension stemmed from an arrest and subsequent charges for domestic violence and drug possession and cast doubt on Peppers’ future. In January, he was acquitted of the former and admitted to the latter without penalty. Given that he was suspended after the initial arrest but before legal proceedings played out, the league opted not to punish Peppers again.

With his legal issues behind him, it seemed like Peppers would return to a starting role in New England, but new head coach Mike Vrabel had other ideas. While the off-field issues were no longer a concern for the Patriots, per Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal, Peppers saw a role reduction in training camp and appeared in the team’s third preseason game, two signals that his spot wasn’t safe. With trade rumors swirling around Kyle Dugger, who had started at safety for the last four years, it seemed like Peppers was more likely to stick around. However, with no trade partner materializing for Dugger, he stayed on the 53-man roster with Peppers hitting free agency and looking for a new team.

Peppers was of the team’s remaining holdovers from the Belichick years. He was also one of six team captains under Jerod Mayo in 2024; the other five had been sent packing by May, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. His release is a confirmation of Vrabel’s desire to move on from the Patriots’ teams that struggled over the past few seasons and establish a new era of football in New England.

The Patriots defense will move forward with six-year veteran Jaylinn Hawkins and fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson as their starting safeties. Hawkins took over a starting role in Peppers’ absence last year, while Woodson has impressed since arriving in New England in the spring. Brenden Schooler and Dell Pettus will provide depth, but this does feel like a position that could use some veteran reinforcement before the regular season.

Peppers’ contract had $4.32MM in guaranteed salary for this season, per Volin. His deal also included offset language, so the Patriots’ dead cap charge will be reduced by whatever Peppers signs for elsewhere (if that happens). He will most likely receive a veteran minimum salary of $1.255MM, so the extra savings would be minimal.

Free Agent DT Isaiah Buggs Receives 10-Week Suspension

August 29th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The road to a desired NFL return for free agent defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs just got a bit rougher. Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Buggs has received a suspension from the NFL that will last the first 10 weeks of the season.

A former JuCo and Alabama grad, Buggs was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. He got a chance to start six games in his third year with the team but was cut near the end of the season. He signed the following summer with the Lions and started 13 of 17 game appearances for Detroit, recording career highs in tackles (46), sacks (1.0), and quarterback hits (10). The Lions signed him to a two-year, $6.2MM extension, as a result, but he was released before the end of the 2023 season.

The Chiefs brought him on for defensive line depth for a postseason run, and though he didn’t appear in any games, he won a Super Bowl ring with Kansas City and signed a reserve/futures deal to remain with the team. That summer saw Buggs turn himself in after two arrest warrants were issued for him citing a charge for misdemeanor animal cruelty.

Two weeks later, Buggs was arrested a second time on charges of domestic violence and burglary after he unlawfully entered the apartment of his child’s mother with the “intent to commit a crime” and dragged her down the stairs. Kansas City quickly parted ways with Buggs, and he’s been working to return to the NFL ever since. Most recently, he spent time in the UFL this spring, playing for the San Antonio Brahmas.

It seemed unlikely to begin with that Buggs would receive another chance in the NFL, despite having the charge for animal cruelty dismissed and the charges for domestic violence and burglary reduced to a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge. The 10-week ban levied by the league today will make a return that much more unlikely for Buggs.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/29/25

August 29th, 2025 at 9:12pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Free Agent

Manoa will be suspended for the first two weeks of the season, if he lands with an NFL squad. While details of the suspension have not been disclosed, it may be linked to an incident that led to him being kicked out of Allegiant Stadium in the spring after some alleged property damage.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/29/25

August 29th, 2025 at 8:26pm CST by Ely Allen

NFL teams continue adjusting their practice squads as we close in on the regular season:

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: S Jordan Colbert

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Anderson cleared waivers after being cut and can now be assigned to the 49ers’ practice squad. The reason San Francisco can add two while only dropping one from a full practice squad is because Zierer is from Munich, Germany, qualifying him to be a part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. While practice squads are capped at 16 players, teams can keep a 17th player if they are a part of the IPPP.

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