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Jaguars To Release DT Khalen Saunders

November 13th, 2025 at 9:42am CST by Adam La Rose

After making just two appearances this season, Khalen Saunders is set to see his time in Duval County come to an end. The veteran defensive tackle is being released, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports.

Saunders played out his rookie contract with the Chiefs before serving as a two-year Saints starter. He was traded to Jacksonville in August in exchange for center Luke Fortner. That change of scenery did not result in much in the way of playing time for Saunders. The 29-year-old has logged only 25 snaps so far this season.

With this move taking place after the trade deadline, Saunders will hit the waiver wire. Provided he goes unclaimed, the former third-rounder will become a free agent and look to join a contender for the closing stages of the campaign. It will be interesting to see if a Kansas City reunion will be explored.

The Chiefs were linked to an addition along the defensive line before and after the trade deadline. Kansas City has already taken the route of bringing back a veteran shortly after being released elsewhere once in 2025 in the case of Mike Pennel. Doing so again would allow for Saunders, who won a pair of Super Bowls during his time with the Chiefs, to reprise his former role as a depth contributor. Kansas City has $3MM in cap space at the moment.

Jacksonville still has the likes of Arik Armstead, DaVon Hamilton, Austin Johnson and Maason Smith in place along the defensive line. That group will be counted on to continue handling the bulk of snaps up front to close out the campaign, with the Jags (5-4) competing for a playoff berth. Saunders was a pending free agent prior to today’s release.

The Western Illinois product landed a three-year, $12.3MM pact during his first trip to free agency. A deal of similar value will not be forthcoming in the middle of the campaign, but it will be interesting to see where Saunders winds up for the stretch run.

Commanders Designate DE Drake Jackson For Return From IR

November 13th, 2025 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

Drake Jackson joined the Commanders one month ago, but in the immediate aftermath of that decision he was moved to injured reserve. The fourth-year defensive end has continued to rehab his injured knee since then.

[RELATED: IR Return Tracker]

Jackson is now moving closer to a Washington debut, though. His practice window has been opened, per a team announcement. Jackson now has up to 21 days to prepare for his first game action since Week 8 of the 2023 campaign. A torn patellar tendon cost him all of last season and ultimately led to the end of his 49ers tenure.

As a former second-round pick, Jackson was viewed as having upside for interested suitors but it remains unclear how much of an impact he will be able to make upon being activated. The Commanders’ defense has been reeling in recent weeks, and head coach Dan Quinn has taken over play-calling duties for the unit. Any additional help will be welcomed at this point.

If Jackson, 24, manages to serve as at least a depth contributor down the stretch, his free agent stock will receive a boost. The Commanders rank mid-pack in terms of sack production this season, with Dorance Armstrong and Von Miller leading the way. Jackson posted three sacks as a rookie, and then matched that figure in Week 1 of the following season before being held without one over the remainder of his appearances. Expectations will be tempered in this case, but the USC product could carve out a rotational role late in the year.

The Commanders have used one of their eight IR activations so far in 2025. Another will be accounted for when safety Will Harris – who was designated for return yesterday – is brought back into the fold. The same will also be true in Jackson’s case.

Giants K Graham Gano Returns To IR

November 12th, 2025 at 9:05pm CST by Ely Allen

It was an inauspicious start to the season in New York when kicker Graham Gano was placed on injured reserve after only the third game of the season. After only appearing in 18 of a possible 34 games in the past two seasons, the Giants needed Gano healthy as they entered his sixth year with the team. Gano was able to return a couple weeks ago after missing the minimum four games but has promptly been returned to IR, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Gano, 38, has been with the Giants since 2020, earning two separate three-year extensions for a combined $30.5MM. It was a knee injury that sidelined Gano for nine games in 2023, while a groin issue held him out of seven contests last year. In addition to the injuries, Gano struggled with his accuracy whenever he was available. Gano missed six of 17 field goal attempts in 2023, with two misses coming from inside the 30-yard line. While he improved a bit in 2024, going nine for 11, one of those misses was also from inside 40 yards.

It was, once again, a groin injury that landed Gano on IR near the start of this year. The injury occurred during pregame warmups, and Gano tried to make a go of it later in the game after punter Jamie Gillan saw his sole extra point attempt blocked, but ultimately, an IR placement was needed. This time, it was reportedly neck soreness — later determined to be a herniated disk (per Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports) — that threatened Gano’s playing time and ultimately led to his second IR stint this season.

After Gano’s first injury, the team signed veteran kicker Younghoe Koo to their practice squad, joining him with existing taxi squad kicker Jude McAtamney. New York opted to go with McAtamney in those four weeks without Gano, but after watching him miss three extra point attempts in two games and only sending him out to attempt field goals shorter than 32 yards, the Giants switched it up with Koo last week. Koo made both of his point after tries and both of his field goal attempts in the Windy City.

Already rostering Koo and McAtamney on the taxi squad and Gano on IR, the team added a bit more insurance yesterday by making Ben Sauls the third kicker on their 17-man practice squad. Sauls has made the rounds since signing as an undrafted free agent with the Steelers after kicking in the same stadium in college at Pitt. After failing to make the initial 53-man roster, Sauls signed with Koo’s former Falcons on a practice squad deal before getting released last Tuesday.

We identified Gano as a potential cap casualty in the offseason, and at this point, shuffling three kicking replacements on their practice squad, the Giants likely regret not acting on that possible cost-cutting move. Utilizing the potential out built into his contract, which expires in 2027, New York could have reclaimed $3.17MM of cap savings by cutting Gano early in the offseason with only $2.5MM of dead money to burn. If they had made him a post-June 1 release, they may have gotten $4.42MM in cap savings with only $1.25MM of dead money.

Instead, his contract remains on the ledger, and the Giants are paying three practice squad contracts as they search for an effective, consistent injury replacement for the third season in a row. The current situation has set Gano up to be a cut candidate once again in the near future.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/12/25

November 12th, 2025 at 7:28pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wallace was one of three defensive backs to work out in Houston today alongside nickelback Beanie Bishop and safety Brandon Hill. Though Bishop showed promise in parts of his rookie campaign last year, Wallace boasts the most experience of the three and has been added to the fold as the Texans attempt to make up for the absences of M.J. Stewart and Jalen Pitre.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/25

November 12th, 2025 at 6:40pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s midweek NFL minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Johnston’s injuries have seemingly led to him looking for a new team yet again, assuming he clears waivers. The veteran punter signed with Pittsburgh last year, following two three-year stints in Philadelphia and Houston. In his first game as a Steeler, though, Johnston suffered a season-ending knee injury on his kicking leg. He’d been given a chance to win the job back from Corliss Waitman, who had filled in during his absence, but lost the job and a spot on the team’s initial 53-man roster.

Rebounding quickly, Johnston signed with the Bills after they made a quick decision to move on from Brad Robbins following their season opener. Johnston got through three games with his new team before suffered an injury on his planting foot that would lead him to injured reserve. Now, the veteran heads to the waiver wire before he’ll have the ability to shop himself out for new opportunities.

Dolphins Designate RT Austin Jackson For Return

November 12th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Carrying the mantle as the NFL’s lone left-handed starting quarterback for a few years, Tua Tagovailoa has since seen Michael Penix Jr. and Dillon Gabriel join him among the league’s southpaw ranks. But the Dolphins have long built their offensive line around a lefty; that has made Austin Jackson‘s absence more noticeable in Miami.

The Dolphins have been without their starting right tackle since Week 1, when he suffered a toe injury. A team already replacing Terron Armstead after his retirement needed to turn to a second new starter there, with Larry Borom — whom the Bears had benched years ago — taking over for Jackson. Although the Dolphins are 3-7 and facing questions about their quarterback and head coach’s futures after a GM departure, they may receive some up-front help soon.

Jackson returned to practice Wednesday, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, starting his 21-day activation clock. The Dolphins placed Jackson on IR ahead of Week 2. They had initially targeted a Week 6 return, when Jackson was first eligible, but the sixth-year blocker has needed more time.

This marks Jackson’s third season in four years to be largely defined by injury. He missed 15 games in 2022 and was sidelined for nine last season, with a major knee injury ending his 2024 campaign midway through. Not a lock to return this week, getting in a limited practice Wednesday, Jackson has missed nine games this year. That runs his career count to 37 since going off the 2020 draft board in Round 1.

The USC product timed his most notable healthy season well, starting 16 games in 2023 — as injuries engulfed the Dolphins elsewhere on their O-line — and earning a three-year, $36MM extension. Jackson, who had experienced a summer setback in his return from knee surgery, has not rewarded the Dolphins on that deal, inviting questions about his future.

Miami turned to Patrick Paul at left tackle post-Armstead, and the second-year tackle has fared decently. Pro Football Focus grades Paul 40th among qualified tackles; the advanced metrics site ranks Borom near the bottom of that list — in 65th. Borom has made all nine RT starts since Jackson’s injury. He had been only a spot starter in Chicago since being benched midway through his second season. Borom is on a one-year, $2.5MM contract, usurping Lamm as Miami’s top swing tackle.

No guaranteed money remains on Jackson’s deal, but because of an offseason restructure that now has three void years included in this contract, it would still cost the Dolphins to cut Jackson in a contract year. A 2026 release would bring a $13.74MM dead money hit, though that could be halved with a post-June 1 designation. Then again, the Dolphins have seen post-June 1 moves (involving Byron Jones, Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey) pile up dead money in recent years. Chris Grier‘s GM successor will still have a decision to make on Jackson, who can help his cause with a strong finish back on Tagovailoa’s blind side upon returning.

Falcons OT Storm Norton Reverts To Season-Ending IR

November 12th, 2025 at 4:48pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Falcons offensive tackle Storm Norton reverted to season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday, per team reporter Terrin Waack, the first player in the league to do so this season.

Norton landed on IR with a return designation during final roster cuts after undergoing ankle surgery in the preseason. He returned to practice on October 22 and was a full practice participant right away. He then re-aggravated the injury the following week and has not practiced since. His 21-day practice window expired on Wednesday, forcing him to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines.

Head coach Raheem Morris declined to give details on Norton’s setback, but acknowledged that “it wasn’t great news.”

The Falcons already lost starting right tackle Kaleb McGary for the year after he suffered a leg injury in training camp. That was a major loss for Atlanta’s offensive line, especially considering McGary’s job to protect left-handed quarterback Michael Penix‘s blind side. The team has relied on Elijah Wilkinson to fill McGary’s spot, but he has allowed 30 pressures, the fifth-most among all offensive tackles this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Norton would not necessarily have been an upgrade. His only full year as a starter came in 2021 for the Chargers, when he allowed 59 pressures, the second-most by an offensive tackle that season and the third-most in a single season since 2019. Since then, he has only started four games, though he still could have pushed Wilkinson for his job.

The Falcons will also place fourth-year linebacker DeAngelo Malone on IR. He suffered a broken ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Colts and underwent surgery on Monday. Malone will miss at least four games, but his absence could be longer, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 2022 third-round pick is a core special teams contributor who has not had more than a peripheral role on defense since his rookie year.

In other Falcons news, linebacker Malik Verdon was designated to return from the non-football injury list. The team signed the former Iowa State safety as an undrafted rookie with the intention of converting him to linebacker in Jeff Ulbrich‘s defense. Verdon played through an arm injury during his last year of college, but it is unknown if it is related to the shoulder issue that landed him on the NFI list in July.

Finally, Atlanta signed safety Jammie Robinson to their practice squad. The 2023 fifth-round pick appeared in 21 games for the Panthers over his first two years, primarily on special teams. He was waived before the end of his second season and has since spent time with the Cardinals, Chiefs, and Lions, though he has not played this year. He will add special teams depth in Atlanta, which may come in handy with Malone sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Vikings Designate C Ryan Kelly To Return From IR

November 12th, 2025 at 2:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Vikings are designated center Ryan Kelly to return from injured reserve, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Kelly, 32, suffered two concussions in the first four weeks of the season. The first came in Week 2 against the Falcons, sidelining the 10-year veteran for the Vikings’ next game. He returned in Week 4 in Dublin, but he quickly went down with another concussion that landed him on injured reserve. The longtime Colt also suffered multiple concussions during the 2023 season.

Kelly spent five weeks on the shelf – one more than the minimum requirement – but his designation to return suggests that he has progressed through concussion protocol enough to practice. Limited participation this week would indicate that he will need more time before being fully cleared, especially if he practices with a non-contact jersey. Returning to full participation right away would indicate that he has cleared concussion protocol and should be in line to return for the Vikings’ upcoming matchup with the Bears.

Kelly signed in Minnesota this offseason and put together a solid performance to start the year. He earned a 72.2 overall grade and had yet to allow a pressure on 62 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

The Vikings called on 2024 seventh-round pick Michael Jurgens to finish the game in Weeks 2 and 4, but five-year veteran Blake Brandel took over the starting center job when Kelly was on IR. Brandel has also stepped in at left guard and left tackle amid Minnesota’s other O-line injuries this year.

A strong return from Kelly would give second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy a major boost in terms of his blocking and leadership along the offensive line. The Vikings committed eight false start penalties (at home!) in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens and will certainly want to improve their operation at the line of scrimmage moving forward.

Lions Designate CB D.J. Reed, DE Marcus Davenport To Return From IR

November 12th, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Lions are designating cornerback D.J. Reed and defensive end Marcus Davenport to return from injured reserve, per Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers. Both defenders are expected to practice with the team on Wednesday.

Reed landed on IR at the beginning of October due to a strained hamstring. He signed in Detroit this offseason and was off to an excellent start with his new team. Through four games, he allowed receptions on only eight of his 16 targets with four passes defended, putting him on pace for the best season of his career. Rock Ya-Sin has seen an increase in playing time in Reed’s absence and will likely return to a backup role upon his return. However, Terrion Arnold is dealing with a concussion, so Ya-Sin could still start this week even if Reed is ready to play.

Davenport suffered a Week 2 injury for the second year in a row. In 2024, it was a season-ending elbow injury, but he avoided disaster this time with a pectoral strain. The veteran defensive lineman has taken longer to return than the four-game minimum stay on IR, but he could be a late-season boost to the Lions’ pass rush.

The team has 30 sacks on the season, which ranks fourth in the league, though most of that production has come from four players. Edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad both have eight sacks, while linebackers Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes have chipped in four apiece. Davenport will add some depth on the edge and potentially allow defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard to come up with some more creative pressure packages.

Broncos To Bring Back Lil’Jordan Humphrey

November 12th, 2025 at 1:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

A day after adding tackle Geron Christian off the Cowboys’ practice squad, the Broncos are raiding another NFC East team’s P-squad to add more offensive help.

The team is bringing back Lil’Jordan Humphrey, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, adding him off the Giants’ taxi squad. Humphrey, who played for Sean Payton in New Orleans and Denver, is likely to play against the Chiefs on Sunday.

Joining the Giants this offseason (before yoyoing on and off their roster), Humphrey has played in three games. Although he has only seen action in a fraction of New York’s contests, the journeyman wideout started two of those and logged an 81% snap share in the game he has played. The Broncos used Humphrey regularly last season and are making an update to their receiving depth chart ahead of a crucial contest.

The Giants had used the maximum of three gameday elevations on Humphrey this season. With the team needing to give him a spot on its 53-man roster in order to give him a game uniform again this season, Mike Kafka‘s operation will instead see him depart. Humphrey joins a Broncos team loosely linked to wide receiver trades before this year’s deadline, but like the Bills and Steelers, the AFC contender stood pat.

Payton used Humphrey on 50% of the Broncos’ offensive plays last season, giving him the most run of anyone besides Courtland Sutton and Devaughn Vele at the position in 2024. Second-year cog Troy Franklin has seized Denver’s No. 2 wideout role this year, and the team has increasingly used Pat Bryant more as the season has progressed. Bryant’s blocking has appealed to Denver’s coaching staff, but Humphrey was viewed as a plus blocker previously. The Broncos have also missed Marvin Mims for the past two games due to a concussion. With Trent Sherfield rounding out the group, Humphrey will give Denver six WRs on its 53-man roster.

Humphrey, 28, played for Payton from 2019-21 with the Saints. After spending the 2022 season in New England, the big-bodied backup followed Payton to Denver in 2023. Humphrey made 15 starts from 2023-24 and posted a career-high 293 receiving yards last season, doing so after catching three touchdown passes in 2023. He caught four passes for 55 yards with the Giants, who are letting him go despite losing Malik Nabers for the season and having seen Darius Slayton miss time this year.

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