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NFL Minor Transactions: 11/17/25

November 17th, 2025 at 6:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Marcelino McCrary-Ball landed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 3. When he returns, the defense will look a whole lot different than when he last played, and he could be in line for more responsibility with Quincy Williams facing an uncertain future with the organization. Before suffering his injury, McCrary-Ball collected 17 tackles and one forced fumble.

Cowboys Activate S Malik Hooker From IR

November 17th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys defense has struggled mightily in 2025, but the team will be getting some veteran reinforcement in time for Monday Night Football. According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, the team has activated safety Malik Hooker from injured reserve.

[RELATED: Cowboys Designate Malik Hooker For Return]

Hooker suffered a toe injury back in Week 4 that has shelved him for more than a month. He was designated for return from IR just last Thursday, and the Cowboys didn’t take long to add him to the active roster.

After serving in a rotational role during his first season in Dallas, Hooker has emerged as one of the team’s most dependable defenders in recent years. He missed only a pair of games between 2022 and 2024, starting 38 of his 49 appearances while hauling in six interceptions. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded him as an above-average safety in each of those three campaigns, including a 13th-place showing in 2022 and 14th-place finish in 2023.

After dropping down to 43rd at his position in 2024, PFR ranked Hooker only 58th among 93 qualifiers in 2025. Still, that should represent an upgrade over the revolving door of safeties the Cowboys have turned to next to Donovan Wilson, who has missed the past two contests with an elbow/shoulder issue. Juanyeh Thomas got an initial look in the starting lineup, while Markquese Bell has seen the bulk of the snaps at the position in recent weeks. Alijah Clark and Zion Childress have also gotten some run in the secondary.

To make room on the roster, the team placed rookie offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius on injured reserve. The sixth-round pick has been dealing with a knee injury that will sideline him for at least the next month. The Cowboys also promoted running back Malik Davis from the practice squad for tonight’s matchup against the Raiders.

Commanders To Sign K Jake Moody Off Bears’ Practice Squad

November 17th, 2025 at 5:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

It has not taken long for the Commanders to find their Matt Gay replacement. The veteran was cut earlier today, and his successor has already been identified.

Washington is signing Jake Moody off the Bears’ practice squad, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Moody ended up making two appearances with Chicago, having signed there after his inconsistent San Francisco tenure came to an end early in the campaign. Moody’s brief stint with the Bears saw him connect on eight of his nine field goal attempts and all three of his XP tries.

The 49ers selected Moody with the 99th pick in the 2023 draft, making him the fifth kicker since 2000 to be selected in the first three rounds. The Michigan product ended up earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors that season after he converted 84 percent of his FGA and 98.4 percent of his XPA. He also came up big in the postseason, including a Super Bowl performance where he was credited with 10 points.

He struggled a bit as a sophomore, as he made only 24 of his 34 field goal attempts. He had a particularly short leash to begin this year. In the season opener, he made only one of his three field goal attempts, with one of his misses being from only 27 yards out. Two days after that performance, the 49ers moved on.

Moody will now look to continue his career with his third squad of the 2025 campaign. Gay missed six of his 19 attempts before getting cut, and the team will surely be hoping for a better performance from their newest acquisition.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Jets Sign DT Khalen Saunders

November 17th, 2025 at 4:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:47pm: Sanders has now officially signed with the Jets, per a team announcement. He will look to handle a larger workload in New York over the coming weeks than he did in Jacksonville.

2:07pm: Khalen Saunders was cut by the Jaguars last week. It appears as though the veteran defensive tackle will not have to wait long to line up his next gig.

Saunders is expected to sign with the Jets, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. Shortly before Pelissero’s report, veteran insider Jordan Schultz noted a deal was likely to be struck in the near future. Per Schultz, the list of teams which have shown interest in Saunders includes the Jets but also the Ravens, Colts and Cardinals.

In August, Saunders was traded from the Saints to the Jaguars. That move ended his two-year run in New Orleans but it did not yield a notable workload upon arrival with his new team. The 29-year-old played just two games with Jacksonville before the team elected to move on.

Saunders is a vested veteran, but since the end of his Jaguars tenure came after the trade deadline he went on waivers. Upon clearing, the former third-rounder became free to sign with any team. Nothing is officially in place yet, but a Jets agreement would come as little surprise given their reported interest on this front.

New York’s defensive tackle group was shaken up at the deadline by the blockbuster Quinnen Williams trade. The Jets received Mazi Smith from the Cowboys as part of the swap, but the team could still look to made further additions down the stretch. Signing Saunders would provide New York with a veteran presence who could audition for an extended stay with the team through 2026.

On the other hand, Saunders was understandably seen as a candidate to join a contender for the closing stages of the campaign. The 2-8 Jets (along with the 3-7 Cardinals, for that matter) certainly fit that description to much less of an extent than teams likes the Colts and Ravens. It will be interesting to see if a deal is nevertheless struck between Saunders and the Jets in the near future.

New York entered Monday with nearly $19MM in cap space. As such, a low-cost Saunders pact will not be a challenge for the team as its roster moves continue in the second half of the season.

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase Issued One-Game Suspension

November 17th, 2025 at 3:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL has investigated yesterday’s Ja’Marr Chase–Jalen Ramsey incident. To little surprise, supplemental discipline has been handed down.

Chase has been issued a one-game suspension, per a league announcement. The news means he will be unavailable for Week 12 against the Patriots barring a successful appeal. Ramsey was ejected on Sunday for his retaliation to being spat on by Chase. The latter initially denied such actions, but video of the incident has since confirmed Chase spat on Ramsey as tensions between the two came to a head during the game.

Presuming the suspension stands, Chase will see a notable financial loss. He is due to forfeit a game check of over $448K along with a per-game roster bonus of nearly $59K. The Bengals, meanwhile, are set to be without their top wideout for one week. Chase declined to speak to the media on Monday.

Chase will appeal the ban, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. It would certainly come as a surprise in the event the suspension were to be overturned considering the precedent set earlier this season. Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was disqualified from the team’s Week 1 game after spitting on Dak Prescott. No suspension was handed down, because Carter’s time out of the game amounted to a one-game absence.

As Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes, Chase is pursuing a different route than Carter despite their similar situations. Carter did not appeal the fine he received (and therefore the punishment which was treated as a one-game suspension). Chase, on the other hand, could point to the precedent which existed in the NFL prior to the Carter decision – one which included fines, rather than suspensions, for spitting incidents.

In any event, clarity on this situation will likely emerge in the next day or two. The case will be heard by one of the three hearing officers jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA before a final decision is made. If Chase is out for Week 12, a Bengals offense which is still without Joe Burrow will be notably shorthanded in the passing game. Reigning NFL sack leader Trey Hendrickson is also in danger of missing Cincinnati’s next game through injury.

Efforts to work out a monster extension in time for the 2024 season were unsuccessful, and Chase played out the season without a deal in hand. This past spring, he and Tee Higgins each signed their new pacts. Chase landed a four-year, $161MM pact and he is on the books through 2029. The four-time Pro Bowler’s yards per reception average is the lowest of his career, but he has remained a focal point on offense even with Burrow unavailable for much of the season.

Chase led the NFL in receptions, yards and touchdowns in 2024. A second ‘Triple Crown’ campaign does not appear to be in store, although the LSU product’s 79 catches currently pace the league. Missed time through this suspension being upheld will hinder Chase’s chances of remaining the NFL leader in that regard; it will also deal another blow to the 3-7 Bengals’ playoff chances.

Commanders Release K Matt Gay

November 17th, 2025 at 3:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

Matt Gay‘s struggles continued on Sunday. The veteran kicker’s time in the nation’s capital has come to an end as a result.

Gay was released on Monday, per a Commanders announcement. He will now hit the waiver wire. In the likely event no claims are made, the 31-year-old will become a free agent. Based on how the 2025 season has gone, it will be interesting to see how much interest Gay generates.

“The performance, you’ve got to have it,” head coach Dan Quinn said of the decision to move on (via ESPN’s John Keim). “We wanted it to work long term with Matt. It wasn’t [about] one game.”

Gay has played in 10 of the Commanders’ 11 games this season. Over that span, he connected on just 13 of 19 attempts. Five of his misses came from beyond 50 yards, including two during yesterday’s game against the Dolphins. Washington wound up losing that contest 16-13 in overtime. Moving forward, the team will be in the market for a kicker addition to close out the season.

A Pro Bowler in 2021, Gay enjoyed a strong run during his time with the Rams and Colts. Accuracy from short range (including extra points) has been a consistent positive in his case, but long-distance field goals have remained an issue at every stop during his career. Gay’s overall success rate on tries beyond 50 yards sits at just 59.2%.

Recent years have seen a massive uptick in the range for many kickers around the league, and as such an ability to consistently convert from 50 yards (or well beyond) has increasingly become the expectation for NFL teams. With that in mind, Gay may struggle to generate a market among potential suitors for the remainder of the year as well as the coming offseason.

Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt Could Miss Remainder Of Season

November 17th, 2025 at 2:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cam Taylor-Britt suffered a left foot injury during the Bengals’ loss on Sunday. The fourth-year corner is uncertain to return in 2025.

Head coach Zac Taylor said on Monday (via ESPN’s Ben Baby) Taylor-Britt will “likely” require surgery to repair the Lisfranc injury he sustained yesterday. If the procedure takes place, his season will be over. Taylor-Britt was seen in a walking boot while using a knee scooter today (h/t Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated).

The timing of this news is critical. 2025 marks the final year of Taylor-Britt’s rookie contract. Suffering a season-ending injury heading into free agency will no doubt hinder the 26-year-old’s value during his first trip to the open market. In the meantime, Cincinnati’s much-maligned defense will be without a regular contributor to finish the campaign.

Tayl0r-Britt was a full-time starter for his first three Bengals seasons; he recorded seven interceptions and 33 pass deflections over that span. Things have been different this year under new defensive coordinator Al Golden, however. Tayl0r-Britt’s defensive snap share sits at 61% on the year, by far the lowest of his career. Now, the possibility exists he will not play again in 2025.

Dax Hill and DJ Turner have been mainstays at the cornerback position for the Bengals this season. That setup is likely to continue, but depth will be an issue in the secondary presuming Taylor-Britt is sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. The Nebraska product has not enjoyed a productive season, and his PFF coverage grade for 2025 (57) is the worst of his career.

Those factors did not stop Taylor-Britt from drawing interest ahead of the trade deadline. The Bengals elected to keep him in the fold, but his future will now be uncertain. If a deal allowing Taylor-Britt to remain in Cincinnati is to be worked out in the spring, it will come in the wake of a highly disappointing campaign. In the event of a departure, this injury will go a long way in informing his market value.

Jags Sign S Juan Thornhill To Practice Squad

November 17th, 2025 at 1:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Juan Thornhill‘s time with the Steelers came to an end one week ago. After being cut by Pittsburgh, the veteran safety cleared waivers and became a free agent.

In short order, a deal has been lined up in this case. Thornhill signed with the Jaguars on Monday, per a team announcement. To little surprise, this is a practice squad arrangement. It will be interesting to see how quickly Thornhill sees game time with his new team.

The seventh-year veteran severed as a full-time starter through much of his career prior to 2025. Thornhill was a first-team regular in Kansas City while playing out his rookie contract and again in Cleveland for two seasons after doing so. In Pittsburgh, however, things did not go as planned. The 30-year-old logged a defensive snap share of 49%, the lowest of his career.

The Steelers lost DeShon Elliott to a knee injury, something which brought about shuffling at the safety position. Pittsburgh swung a trade for Kyle Dugger shortly before moving on from Thornhill. Dugger and Jalen Ramsey have since operated as a safety tandem for the AFC North leaders.

The Jaguars secured a blowout win on Sunday, improving their record to 6-4. Thornhill will look to carve out a role on a team which moved on from another veteran defensive back in Darnell Savage in September. Andrew Wingard and Eric Murray have operated as safety starters in 2025 for Jacksonville, and that setup is likely to continue. Thornhill will look to serve as a backup capable of chipping in on special teams.

Jacksonville entered Monday with $8.75MM in cap space. This Thornhill signing will no doubt check in well short of the $7MM AAV he secured with his second contract and the $3MM he signed for with the Steelers this offseason. Nevertheless, he could prove to be a valuable low-cost addition down the stretch.

Dolphins CB JuJu Brents To Undergo Season-Ending Foot Surgery

November 17th, 2025 at 12:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

JuJu Brents did not survive roster cuts with the Colts this summer, but he managed to find a role with the Dolphins in 2025. The third-year corner’s season is set to come to an end, however.

Brents is set to undergo foot surgery which will sideline him for the remainder of the campaign, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. The report adds he will be be recovered in full by the start of next season. In the meantime, Miami will be left without yet another corner during the closing stages of the season.

Dating back to the summer, the Dolphins have been hit by a slew of major injuries at that position. The team’s need for depth in the secondary led to Brents being claimed off waivers in August. That move allowed the 25-year-old to carve out a rotational role with his new team. Brents made seven appearances and two starts as a Dolphin prior to suffering the injury, totaling 14 tackles.

One year remains on Brents’ rookie contract, so the Dolphins could elect to keep him in the fold through the coming offseason. Doing so would allow him to compete for a place on what could be a much different looking CB depth chart than what the team currently has. Of course, a decision on that front will be made not by Chris Grier but rather by interim general manager Champ Kelly or his full-time replacement.

Miami has won two straight games to move to 4-7 on the year. The team ranks 13th in the NFL against the pass despite being shorthanded in the secondary all season. Maintaining that level of performance will be more difficult moving forward with Brents no longer in the picture.

Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. Suffers Partial ACL Tear, Likely Done For Season

November 17th, 2025 at 12:01pm CST by Connor Byrne

12:01pm: The Falcons will place Penix on IR, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report. Along with damage to his ACL, Penix aggravated a bone bruise and a knee sprain.

11:13am: Penix has a partial ACL tear and is expected to miss the rest of the season, according to Palmer.

9:55am: Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a potential season-ending knee injury in a 30-27 loss to the Panthers on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Penix will go for a second opinion, but his chances of a 2025 return don’t look good. The Falcons believe Penix is done for the season, per James Palmer of The Athletic.

It seemed likely that Penix would miss at least some time when he exited early on Sunday. However, a possible season-ending injury comes as a surprise. Penix previously sat out a game this year with a bone bruise in his left knee, which he re-injured against Carolina. Kirk Cousins, who replaced Penix, will take over for the foreseeable future.

The Falcons used the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft on Penix, a stunning move after they signed Cousins to a four-year, $180MM deal with $100MM in guarantees in free agency.

Penix entered NFL with a couple of major knee injuries in his past. Then with Indiana, Penix suffered season-ending right ACL tears in both 2018 and ’20. The southpaw finished his college career with a pair of healthy and productive seasons as a Washington Huskie, leading the Falcons to take a chance on him in the first round.

Penix began his NFL career as Cousins’ backup, but the Falcons switched to the heir apparent late last season. After starting 7-7 under Cousins, the team replaced him with Penix. While Atlanta lost two of its final three games en route to an 8-9 finish, Penix showed head coach Raheem Morris enough to grab the reins as the team’s unquestioned starter entering this season. The demoted Cousins wanted out in the offseason, whether via trade or release. The Falcons wound up retaining him.

With Penix at the helm for all but one game this season, the Falcons have stumbled to a disappointing 3-7 record. Penix has underwhelmed at the head of an offense that ranks 18th in passing and 27th in scoring. He has completed 60.1% of passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions. The 25-year-old ranks 17th in the league in QBR and 23rd in passer rating.

It remains to be seen whether Penix’s injury will be severe enough to affect his availability for any of 2026. In the meantime, the Falcons will turn back to Cousins. The Falcons gambled on a Cousins mega-deal despite the fact that he suffered a torn Achilles midway through his final season with the Vikings in 2023.

Cousins, who had been prolific passer throughout his career with Washington and Minnesota, hasn’t recaptured his old form since moving to Atlanta. In his lone start this year, a 34-10 loss to Miami in Week 8, Cousins went 21 for 31 for 173 yards. He finished a lackluster 6 for 14 for 48 yards in relief of Penix in Week 11.

Having lost five in a row to fall to 13th place in the NFC, the Cousins-led Falcons will need a miraculous run to earn a playoff berth. To worsen matters, Cousins will go at least one week without the Falcons’ No. 1 receiver, Drake London, who sprained his PCL against Carolina. London won’t play in New Orleans this Sunday, and it’s possible he’ll miss more time after that, per Rapoport.

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