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Texans’ Tank Dell Expected To Miss Season

July 23rd, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Texans wide receiver Tank Dell is likely to miss the entire 2025 season as he continues his recovery from last year’s brutal knee injury, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Dell dislocated his knee and tore his ACL, MCL, and LCL in a Week 16 loss to the Chiefs. With such a severe injury, Houston’s focus is on Dell’s health and long-term career outlook. The team wants him to get healthy rather than rushing back to play this year.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said (via Wilson) that Dell is “crushing the rehab,” but declined to offer a specific timeline. His comments hinted that the team is not counting on Dell to return this season.

Injuries were always the biggest concern surrounding Dell. His 5-foot-7, 165-pound frame was already undersized by college standards; in the NFL, it’s minuscule. Sitting out this season will set up a major contract year in 2026. Dell will need to prove that he is back at full health and can remain there for an entire season while maintaining his production.

Dell was placed on the active/PUP list, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, along with teammates Trent Brown and Jimmie Ward.

Brown has been medically cleared to return to the field after missing most of the 2024 season due to a torn patellar tendon. Though he has recovered from surgery, the Texans are still expected to ease him into action in training camp, per Wilson.

Ward, however, is not medically cleared as he recovers from offseason foot surgery. He was sidelined throughout the spring, but has recently “resumed running and is making good progress,” according to Wilson. He is also facing a third-degree felony charge for domestic violence with an August 13 court date. The NFL is monitoring the case to prepare for potential discipline, though the league typically waits until legal matters have concluded before issuing a punishment.

Cardinals’ Rookie DT Walter Nolen Likely Out For Remainder Of Camp

July 23rd, 2025 at 9:05pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cardinals have officially opened training camp and already the team is getting bad news on the injury front. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, rookie first-round defensive tackle Walter Nolen suffered a calf injury that will knock him out for most, if not all, of training camp.

There are a few key points to this situation that make details very important. Rapoport reports that the injury occurred at the team facility, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter clarifies that Nolen was injured while getting ready for training camp, meaning he wasn’t participating in a team workout. Because of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, there are strict limitations on number of practice and rest days, daily time limits, and when practices can include equipment and contact.

The injury happening at the facility, with training camp having commenced, would in most cases be a clear-as-day football situation that would land Nolen on the active/physically unable to perform list. Schefter’s clarification, though, specifies that Nolen was reportedly training on his own in preparation for the start of camp. We’ve seen situations in the past where teams have argued about what constitutes a football activity, and with Nolen working out on his own, there’s a chance he may have been placed on the active/non-football injury list, on which he would not be entitled to receive his salary.

Instead, Nolen lands on the active/PUP list, per Rapoport, along with outside linebacker BJ Ojulari and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols. Ojulari is apparently still working his way back from a torn ACL he suffered a couple weeks into last year’s training camp, costing him the entire 2024 season. Nichols, at least, got to the regular season before suffering a season-ending stinger in mid-October.

Any of the three players will be able to come off the list by passing a physical. Nolen’s timetable for return, though, runs right up to the start of the regular season. He may be able to get better in time to play in Week 1, but most, if not all, of his rookie training camp will be spent recovering instead of getting adjusted to play at the NFL level. It’s an unfortunate development that may mean he has to ease his way into his rookie campaign, but it’s good news that there’s a chance he may not miss any games.

Cardinals Sign Second-Round CB Will Johnson, Complete Rookie Deals

July 23rd, 2025 at 7:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 23: Howard Balzer of Cards Wire reports that Johnson’s rookie deal is worth $9.41MM over four years. Johnson ended up getting $7.66MM of that money guaranteed, including his $3.48MM signing bonus. The rest of the guarantees come from his first three years’ full base salaries of $840K, $1.27MM, and $1.7MM, as well as 17.55 percent of his Year 4 base salary of $2.12MM, which amounts to $372.64K.

JULY 22: no surprise, Will Johnson is on the books in time for the start of the Cardinals’ training camp. The second-round corner signed his rookie deal Tuesday, per a team announcement.

Last night, ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss reported an agreement was expected in this case. Rookies do not have the option of signing an injury waiver for training camp (unlike rookie minicamp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp). As a result, recent days have seen a flood of second-round picks sign their deals to be available for summer practices.

Johnson’s deal means that Browns running back Quinshon Judkins – whose attention is currently focused on a domestic violence arrest – and Bengals first-rounder Shemar Stewart – who remains engaged in a standoff over language in his pact – are the only rookies yet to sign in 2025. This offseason has been marked by a dramatic uptick in guaranteed compensation for the latter parts of rookie deals in the case of second-round picks. As the No. 47 pick in April’s draft, Johnson is in line to benefit from that development.

Over the course of his three years at Michigan, Johnson established himself as a pivotal figure in the team’s secondary. He played a key role in the Wolverines’ national title in 2023 and entered last season as a strong candidate to hear his name called on Day 1. Injuries limited Johnson to six games in 2024, however, and a knee ailment served as a deterrent for certain teams during the pre-draft process. Questions linger over Johnson’s ability to serve as a regular contributor on defense beyond his rookie contract.

If he can manage that, the All-American will prove to be a highly valuable draft investment on Arizona’s part. The Cardinals will be without Sean Murphy-Bunting for the entire season due to knee surgery, and their secondary will be missing a veteran as a result. Johnson will spend training camp looking to carve out a role amongst the remaining cornerback options, a list which includes other recent draftees in the form of Garrett Williams, Elijah Jones and Max Melton as well as fellow rookie Denzel Burke.

With Johnson signed, here is a final look at the Cardinals’ draft class:

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/25

July 23rd, 2025 at 6:55pm CST by Ely Allen

With several training camps underway, here are today’s minor NFL transactions:

Baltimore Ravend

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Claimed off waivers (from Eagles): DE K.J. Henry

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Houston fans may be discouraged to see a few big names on injured lists, but all is not lost. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Mixon’s “medical outlook is positive” as the team plans to gradually increase his activity throughout camp. Likewise, Autry is expected to ease his way back into camp workouts, as well. Pierce, on the other hand, is expected to be ready to come off the list at the start of camp.

Per ESPN’s John Keim, Cosmi likely won’t see much time on the field in camp, but he appears to be hitting all the mile markers en route to being healthy for the start of the regular season. With McLaurin officially beginning his holdout yesterday, the team has made the corresponding roster move. McLaurin will rack up fines of $50K per each day missed, but if the team can come to terms on an extension, they can make sure those fines are nullified.

Saints Sign S Julian Blackmon

July 23rd, 2025 at 3:34pm CST by Ben Levine

JULY 23: Blackmon is joining the Saints on a one-year deal worth up to $5.5MM, Rapoport tweets. Mathieu had been attached to a one-year, $4MM pact, one reworked via a pay-cut agreement this offseason. Blackmon played out a one-year, $3.7MM Colts contract in 2024. Blackmon’s New Orleans accord is now official.

JULY 22: Following Tyrann Mathieu‘s sudden retirement announcement earlier today, the Saints have already found a potential replacement. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the team is signing veteran safety Julian Blackmon. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier this evening that New Orleans was working to add Blackmon as a Honey Badger replacement.

[RELATED: Saints’ Tyrann Mathieu Announces Retirement]

A former third-round pick, Blackmon was a mainstay in Indy’s secondary over the past five seasons. He started 62 of his 66 games with the Colts, collecting 300 tackles and 21 passes defended. He also hauled in 10 interceptions, including seven between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The safety did deal with his fair share of injuries, including a torn Achilles in 2021 and shoulder issues in both 2023 and 2024.

Despite his starting experience, the safety hasn’t had the best of luck in free agency. Last year, he garnered interest from the Bills and 49ers before ultimately returning to the Colts on a one-year deal. This offseason, it’s been relatively quiet for the 26-year-old other than a March visit with the Panthers.

Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of Blackmon’s first three seasons in the NFL, with the site ranking him as a below-average safety. He improved to 38th among 95 qualifiers in 2023, and he had his best career showing (30th of 98) in 2024. He’s generally graded out well for his coverage prowess, and his ability to play multiple roles (including in the box, in the slot, and out wide) should prove to be an asset for his new squad.

The Saints were likely scrambling following Mathieu’s sudden decision to hang up his cleats, leading to tonight’s signing. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis hinted that the organization could make an addition at the position, although he also expressed confidence in the team’s current options at the position. 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan Howden is the current favorite to start opposite Justin Reid, although Blackmon will join the likes of veterans J.T. Gray and Terrell Burgess as competition for the starting gig.

Saints’ Tyrann Mathieu Announces Retirement

July 23rd, 2025 at 9:39am CST by Nikhil Mehta

July 23: The Saints will get some minor cap savings from Mathieu’s retirement, per NewOrleans.Football’s Mike Triplett. He agreed to a revised contract earlier this offseason with a $2.47MM signing bonus and a fully guaranteed $1.53MM salary. The latter will come off this year’s cap, while the former will be taken off of Mathieu’s 2026 dead money from his last contract.

July 22: Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement on social media (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), ending the Honey Badger’s sterling 12-year career.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said that the team was informed of Mathieu’s decision in advance, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, but it still came as somewhat of a surprise. It also leaves the team without a starting safety with six weeks left until Week 1. Mathieu started every Saints game for the last three years.

[RELATED: Saints To Sign S Julian Blackmon]

Loomis indicated that the Saints will explore adding a safety, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, but they may already have Mathieu’s replacement on the roster. It won’t be veteran offseason signing Justin Reid, as he was already expected to start this year. Instead, 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan Howden jumps out as the most likely candidate.

Though he has only logged 11 career starts, Howden played just under 50% of the Saints’ defensive snaps over the last two years, primarily as a free safety. That experience should put him in a strong position to start opposite Reid, though veterans J.T. Gray and Terrell Burgess will also be in the mix. A number of free agents safeties are also available, including former Saint Marcus Maye.

The Saints also drafted Virginia safety Jonas Sanker in the third round, a sign that they believe he can grow into an NFL starter. He will likely have a chance to compete for the starting job, but rookie safeties – even ones drafted on Day 2 – are rarely able to catch up to NFL speed and start right away.

Mathieu, meanwhile, will be enjoying retirement after 12 years, 180 appearances, 171 starts, and more than 11,000 snaps in the NFL. Despite an excellent college career at LSU, Mathieu fell to the third round in the 2013 draft due to size concerns. The Cardinals snagged him with the 69th overall pick, and he went on to finish fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Working regularly in the slot for the Cardinals in 2015, Mathieu earned a first-team All-Pro nod upon helping the team to a franchise-most 13 wins — and a run to the NFC championship game. The Cardinals gave Mathieu a five-year, $62.5MM extension in 2016; at the time, that deal made him the NFL’s highest-paid safety. The Cards cut bait on the deal two years in, as the safety market cratered in 2018. After a one-off in Houston, Mathieu made his way to Kansas City and sparked a midcareer turnaround.

Hours after Washington gave Landon Collins a $14MM-per-year deal to reignite the safety market, Kansas City matched it — as the team loaded up around Patrick Mahomes‘ rookie contract. Mathieu played an instrumental role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV-winning season, justifying the team’s big-ticket payment. In 2020, Mathieu intercepted a career-high six passes and delivered his second straight first-team All-Pro season.

Despite Mathieu remaining a quality starter in 2021, the Chiefs let him walk as a 2022 free agent. They brought in Justin Reid as a cheaper alternative, redirecting Mathieu to the Saints (on a three-year, $27MM pact). New Orleans adjusted Mathieu’s deal twice, the second such change bringing a pay cut. Reid joined the Saints this offseason, but rather than finally align as a Mathieu teammate, the former Texans draftee will end up replacing him for a third time.

The LSU standout finishes his career with 36 interceptions, 11 sacks and seven forced fumbles. His work with the Cardinals and Chiefs spearheaded an All-Decade honor for the 2010s. Mathieu retires just shy of $100MM in career earnings, per OverTheCap, though that may change depending on how the Saints financially handle his retirement.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson Begins Training Camp Holdout

July 22nd, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

10:38pm: The latest round of negotiations between Hendrickson and the Bengals has proven to be “very contentious,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. He adds Monday’s talks did not yield progress, and it remains to be seen at this point when communication between the parties will open again. A lengthy holdout could very well be in store. He has since landed on the Bengals’ reserve/did not report list.

9:49am: Trey Hendrickson has long loomed as a candidate to skip the start of training camp. With the Bengals preparing to begin padded practices, the reigning sack leader is indeed absent.

Hendrickson informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday that he has elected to hold out from training camp. As a result, he will begin accruing mandatory daily fines while extension talks continue. Owner Mike Brown struck an optimistic tone yesterday when speaking to the media about the Hendrickson situation. For at least the time being, however, this stalemate will continue.

A native of Orlando, Hendrickson posted on Instagram that he has returned to Florida in the absence of an agreement. The 30-year-old has maintained since the spring that he is prepared to not only hold out of training camp but into the regular season if no extension is worked out. Several weeks remain to see if that will end up taking place, but today’s expected update is another indication this situation is not in a good place. To date, the Bengals have yet to offer a deal in the $35MM-per-year range and the team’s preference is to add one year to Hendrickson’s current pact.

Of course, guarantees are a key sticking point in negotiations. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Cincinnati is willing to authorize a multi-year pact which includes a “substantial raise” compared to the $16MM Hendrickson is currently owed for 2025 (video link). The issue, to no surprise, is the four-time Pro Bowler’s desire to secure guarantees for 2026 “and beyond” and thus match what a number of other edge rushers have received on that front this offseason with their new deals. T.J. Watt is the most recent pass rusher to reset the market, and his new Steelers pact includes $108MM fully guaranteed along with a record-breaking cashflow for non-quarterbacks.

It would come as a major surprise if Hendrickson were to match Watt in terms of base or locked in earnings on his next pact. Nevertheless, an increase in guarantees will likely be needed to get a deal done. During today’s episode of Good Morning Football, Manti Te’o said he has spoken with Hendrickson, who described the Bengals’ offers regarding guaranteed money as “atrociously, atrociously low” (h/t Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero).

The Bengals are certainly no stranger to contract drama leading up to the regular season. Tension with the likes of Joe Mixon, Jessie Bates, Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase over the past several years have created uncertainty about those players’ availability in time for Week 1. That will also be the case for Hendrickson unless a breakthrough can be made.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/25

July 22nd, 2025 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

With training camps kicking off around the NFL, teams continue to make adjustments to their rosters. Here are today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Waived: DT Dante Barnett
  • Placed on active/NFI: RB Zack Moss

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: K Mark McNamee

Houston Texans

  • Waived: CB Keydrain Calligan

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived: OT Savion Washington

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Waived: OT Obinna Eze

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Bears Sign DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, DB Tre Flowers

July 22nd, 2025 at 4:34pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bears are making some veteran additions to their defense before training camp starts on Wednesday by signing defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon and defensive back Tre Flowers, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

To make room on the roster, the team waived defensive back Alex Cook and defensive end Jereme Robinson, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

Kpassagnon is entering his ninth season in the NFL with 104 appearances and 34 starts under his belt for the Chiefs and the Saints, though he has only produced 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He has multiple connections to Chicago: general manager Ryan Poles was the director of college scouting in Kansas City when they drafted Kpassagnon in 2017, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen coached Kpassagnon in New Orleans for the last four years. Kpassagnon’s time as a Saint ended with a torn Achilles suffered three games into the 2024 season, but signing with a new team indicates that he is fully recovered, or close to it.

However, making the roster in Chicago is no certainty. The Bears have three edge defenders who are roster locks – Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Austin Booker – and Daniel Hardy‘s role on special teams will likely keep him around, as well. That will likely leave Kpassagnon to compete with 2022 fifth-rounder Dominique Robinson for a roster spot.

Flowers is a seven-year veteran with 95 appearances and 44 starts for five different teams. He barely played last year, playing just 39 total snaps across four appearances with the Jaguars and one with the Colts. More than 80% of his career snaps have come as an outside cornerback, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so he will likely remain in that role in Chicago. Flowers will be the team’s oldest and most experienced cornerback, which may help him beat out his younger competition for a roster spot. He also played 579 special teams snaps in 2022 and 2023; a return to that level of contribution would certainly help him as well.

Panthers To Release LB Josey Jewell

July 22nd, 2025 at 3:16pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Panthers are releasing Josey Jewell, per team writer Darin Gantt, clearing a roster spot as the veteran linebacker continues his recovery from a concussion suffered last December.

The two sides did try to find common ground on a revised contract, per Joe Person of The Athletic, but a release was determined as the best path forward. A team spokesman said (via Gantt) that Jewell is focusing on his health and consented to the release so that the team did not have to waste a roster spot on a player with an uncertain return timeline. However, the Panthers are leaving the door open for a reunion if Jewell manages to complete his recovery.

In the meantime, Carolina will need to decide on their starting inside linebackers moving forward. Veteran signing Christian Rozeboom and 2024 third-round pick Trevin Wallace are the most likely duo. Rozeboom started 11 games for the Rams in 2024, while Wallace impressed with 13 appearances and eight starts as a 21-year-old rookie. Claudin Cherelus and Jon Rhattigan will provide depth, but neither profiles as a likely Week 1 starter. The Panthers could look at the remaining free agent linebackers, but getting Wallace more experience would seem to be a better use of the team’s available snaps.

Jewell’s release will save $3.375MM against the Panthers’ 2025 cap, per OverTheCap, with $4.3MM in dead money this year and $2.3MM in 2026. The former fourth-round pick is unlikely to receive any interest until he is fully recovered from last year’s concussion, but he has been a steady contributor over the last three years with 333 total tackles and 9.0 sacks.

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