Chargers Promote S Tony Jefferson
The Chargers promoted veteran safety Tony Jefferson from the practice squad to the active roster, per a team announcement.
In Week 2, Jefferson started in place of Elijah Molden, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury. Molden has yet to practice this week, so Jefferson will likely get the starting nod once again after a solid game on Sunday. He made five tackles, defended two passes, and reeled in an interception on a deep ball just before halftime.
Jefferson was still eligible for two elevations from the practice squad, but the Chargers had an open roster spot after placing Khalil Mack on injured reserve earlier this week. The team could move him back to the practice squad if needed, but more strong showings from Jefferson could keep him in the mix even when Molden returns to the field.
It’s another step in an impressive journey for the former UDFA just two years after he retired from the NFL nine seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cardinals and Ravens. Jefferson took a scouting fellowship with the latter team after initially hanging up his cleats, but he launched a comeback in 2024. Los Angeles was a natural destination given his history with new Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who came up in Baltimore’s front office and added several other former Ravens during his first year in charge.
The Chargers also signed outside linebackers Clelin Ferrell and Rashad Weaver to the practice squad. Ferrell never lived up to his billing as the No. 4 overall selection in 2019, but he has started 27 games over the last two years with a total of seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Weaver, originally a Titans fourth-round pick in 2021, put up 5.5 sacks in 2022 but was otherwise a rotational contributor during his time in Tennessee. He spent the 2024 season with the Texans, but only played 18 defensive snaps during the regular season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/18/25
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: LB Keonta Jenkins, DT Zion Logue
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: S Jordan Colbert, K Riley Patterson
Buccaneers Place Luke Goedeke On IR, Promote Luke Haggard
As expected, Luke Goedeke will miss considerable time. The Buccaneers are moving their starting right tackle to injured reserve, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman reports. The news is now official, per a team announcement.
Goedeke exited Tampa Bay’s Week 2 win with a foot injury. As of Tuesday, it was unclear how long he would be sidelined for. Today’s move ensures at least a four-game absence, however, so the Buccaneers will shorthanded to an even larger extent for the time being.
Left tackle Tristan Wirfs continues to recover from offseason meniscus surgery. His season debut could take place around Week 5. Meanwhile, right guard Cody Mauch will miss the remainder of the campaign due to a knee injury. Losing Goedeke for an extended period marks another blow for Tampa Bay up front.
The Buccaneers have relied on center Graham Barton at left tackle with Wirfs sidelined. Charlie Heck – who originally appeared to be in position to handle fill-in duties on the blindside – stepped in at right tackle following Goedeke’s injury on Monday. That setup will likely continue moving forward. Getting Goedeke back as soon as possible will be critical given Tampa’s other ailments up front, but also the team’s recent $90MM investment in the 26-year-old.
The Buccaneers have already added Dan Feeney to the offensive line mix today, along with a Sua Opeta reunion on the practice squad. Goedeke moving to injured reserve has opened up another spot on the active roster, and Auman notes Luke Haggard is being promoted from the taxi squad to fill it. Haggard spent last season on and off the practice squad; he did not make any regular season appearances.
That could soon change given this latest injury news for the Buccaneers’ offensive line. Multiple replacements will be counted on in the starting lineup, and Tampa Bay’s depth up front will be worth watching closely. Wirfs could be back in the fold relatively soon, something which would represent a massive boost to the Bucs. When that happens, though, it seems likely Goedeke will still be sidelined.
Seahawks To Sign OL Shane Lemieux
Shane Lemieux has lined up his next NFL opportunity. The veteran offensive lineman is joining the Seahawks, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
To no surprise, this is a practice squad arrangement. Veterans often take the route of a taxi squad signing when joining a team in the middle of a season in the hopes of being promoted to the active roster in short order. In Lemieux’s case, this deal will give him the opportunity to offer depth up front in Seattle.
The Seahawks made upgrading the O-line a priority this offseason. The team’s top pick was used on Grey Zabel, and he has immediately taken on left guard duties as a rookie. Seattle held a competition for the first-team gig at center and right guard, with Jalen Sundell and Anthony Bradford winning out. That trio has been joined by left tackle Charles Cross and the recently-extended Abraham Lucas at the right tackle spot.
It would certainly come as a surprise if Lemieux were to see first-team action anywhere up front barring injuries to Seattle’s starters. Still, the 28-year-old could handle backup duties in the event he were to be promoted to the active rosters. Lemieux has made 25 appearances and 16 starts across his time with the Giants and Saints. In both cases, injuries were a major issue.
The Oregon product has made double-digit appearances only once in a season to date (his rookie campaign in 2020). Lemieux made four starts for New Orleans last season as the team dealt with a number of injuries up front. He too spent time on IR in 2024, however, so it came as no surprise when he remained on the open market into August. The Saints re-signed Lemieux but eventually included him in their final roster cuts.
No known visits took place over the opening weeks of the season, but Seattle has now moved forward with a signing. A healthy campaign – coupled with a notable run in the lineup, of course – would be key in boosting Lemieux’s market value for next spring. At a minimum, he could offer veteran depth for Seattle’s new-look configuration up front.
Buccaneers Sign Dan Feeney, Add Sua Opeta To Practice Squad
In the wake of major injury news on both sides of the line of scrimmage, the Buccaneers have made a number of moves. Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey is dealing with a torn pectoral muscle, while right guard Cody Mauch is also out for the year with a knee injury. 
The loss of Kancey prompted Tampa Bay to add defensive lineman Elijah Simmons off the Cardinals’ practice squad yesterday. Similarly, it was reported on Wednesday that the Mauch injury was expected to result in Dan Feeney being added from the Bills’ taxi squad as offensive line depth. Per Fox Sports’ Greg Auman, the Feeney addition has now indeed taken place.
The Bucs are already without left tackle Tristan Wirfs, although he is back at practice and eligible to play at any time. Right tackle Luke Goedeke is set to miss time, albeit without a firm timeline regarding how long he will be unavailable. The interior of Tampa Bay’s O-line will receive a boost once Wirfs returns, since that will allow for Graham Barton to shift back to center.
Especially until that takes place, Feeney will be a welcomed addition given his experience. The ninth-year veteran has made 120 appearances and 65 starts in his career. Feeney has yet to play this season, but he has experience at center (primarily from the 2020 season) as well as guard. Michael Jordan is in line to serve as a starter once again in Week 3, provided he is designated a gameday elevation on Saturday. Feeney will likely provide veteran depth behind him.
The same is also true of Sua Opeta. The 29-year-old was known to be taking part in a workout as potential fill-in options for the Bucs, and Auman notes a practice quad deal has been finalized. Opeta was sidelined for all of 2024 with an ACL tear, but after returning to full health he spent this past offseason with the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay moved on during roster cuts, but Opeta (who made 10 starts across four Eagles campaigns) is now back in the fold as an option to be added to the active roster if needed.
Auman adds Tampa Bay is also auditioning Royce Newman today. A former fourth-rounder, Newman spent his first three years with the Packers before spending the 2024 campaign in Tampa Bay. He too would be a familiar face, but with Feeney on the active roster and Opeta on the practice squad, Newman may not land a deal in the near future.
Chargers, Clelin Ferrell Agree To Deal
Clelin Ferrell worked out for the Chargers yesterday. That visit clearly went well, since a deal has now been agreed to. 
Ferrell is signing with Los Angeles, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. This practice squad move (which is now official) comes in the wake of fellow edge rusher Khalil Mack being placed on injured reserve. With a four-game absence (or longer) in store as a result, Ferrell will look to provide depth on his latest team.
The former No. 4 pick had an underwhelming start to his career in the AFC West. Over the course of his four years with the Raiders, Ferrell posted just 10 sacks while seeing his playing time fluctuate. A one-year pact with the 49ers followed, and it brought about a rotational role. Ferrell notched 3.5 sacks in San Francisco, and he matched that figure with the Commanders last year.
Tuli Tuipulotu is set to remain a key figure for the Chargers along the edge, but Mack’s injury (coupled with the decision to release Joey Bosa this offseason) will require other contributors to emerge. Veteran Bud Dupree will no doubt see an uptick in playing time while Mack is sidelined, while fourth-round rookie Kyle Kennard could draw into the lineup. Ferrell will now join that mix as well.
Rashad Weaver also took part in a workout with the Chargers this week, but today’s move certainly suggests he will not be signed. Weaver will continue to seek out his next opportunity as a free agent as the early part of the campaign plays out. Los Angeles entered Thursday with $12.9MM in cap space; that figure will drop to an extent once the Ferrell signing is official but he will not heavily impact the team’s other financial plans.
Commanders Sign OLB Preston Smith
After a visit on Tuesday, the Commanders have signed Preston Smith, per a team announcement, reuniting the veteran outside linebacker with the team that originally drafted him in 2015.
Smith, 32, has 70.5 career sacks and will bolster Washington’s edge rushing room after defensive end Deatrich Wise suffered a season-ending quad injury last week.
In a corresponding move, cornerback Jonathan Jones was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury sustained in Week 2 against the Packers. He will be sidelined for at least four games, though the team has not provided a timeline for his return.
Smith began his NFL career in Washington as a second-round pick in 2015 and impressed with eight sacks and three forced fumbles in his rookie year. He played out his first contract with the franchise, totaling 24.5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss across 64 appearances (50 starts). Smith then hit free agency in 2019, signed with the Packers for $13MM per year, and took his game up a notch with 41.5 sacks and 40 tackles for loss across his next five seasons.
That period that brought a second Green Bay contract. However, Smith started to show signs of his age in 2024, registering just 2.5 sacks and two TFLs over his first nine games with a decreased snap share among a group of younger edge rushers.
Smith’s lack of comfort as 4-3 DE under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley – compared to his steady production as a 3-4 OLB – also contributed to his statistical downturn and led Smith to request a trade. The Packers obliged, sending him to the Steelers in exchange for a seventh-round pick. Smith saw even less playing time in Pittsburgh and added two sacks and three TFLs to his season tally. He was released 
by the Steelers in January and drew some interest this offseason, though it wasn’t strong enough to result in a contract before the season.
Smith will now join an edge rushing group headlined by Von Miller with several other reliable but unspectacular players. Smith will turn 33 in November and didn’t participate in training camp or the preseason, so his snap count will have to be managed, certainly early on and potentially for the rest of the season. He’s put up at least four sacks in every year of his decade in the NFL, and a repeat effort in 2025 would be a solid outcome for the Commanders defense.
Washington’s injury woes don’t stop with Jones and Wise, either. They’ve spread to the offense, too; tight end John Bates and wide receiver Noah Brown are both considered long shots to play against the Raiders in Week 3, per a pair of reports from JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington.
Cardinals Place CB Garrett Williams On IR
Despite walking away with a win this weekend, the Cardinals gave up 328 passing yards to Bryce Young and the Panthers. One reason for that may have been injuries to top corners Garrett Williams, Max Melton, and rookie Will Johnson. Melton and Johnson look like they’ll be fine, but Williams has been placed on injured reserve, per Cardinals staff writer Darren Urban. 
Defensive lineman L.J. Collier will reportedly join Williams on IR. A main contributor a year ago after starting 15 games in 2024, Collier has spent the first two weeks of the new season as more of a depth piece on the team’s newly revamped defensive line. The depth hurts, though, as they still await the debut of first-round defensive tackle Walter Nolen.
It’s an unfortunate loss for Arizona with Williams coming off a sophomore campaign in which Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated him as the third-best cornerback in the NFL. Melton and Johnson are the team’s starting cornerbacks on the outside, while Williams is the primary nickelback of the Cardinals secondary.
It was a knee injury that Williams suffered on Sunday. The team didn’t go into specifics on the injury, but obviously, it’s enough to keep him off the field for at least four weeks. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon didn’t seem too worried, though, claiming that both Williams and Collier could return at some point in the season. Melton was back at practice today and looked unbothered by his own knee injury, while Johnson didn’t practice today but will continue to be evaluated throughout the rest of the week.
In the meantime, fifth-round rookie Denzel Burke stepped up in a big way in his debut on the team’s defense — Burke played only on special teams in Week 1. Third-year corner Kei’Trel Clark saw an increase in snap count, as well. Clark probably has the best chance to fill the slot cornerback role of Williams’. In extremely limited playing time last season, Clark spent about 39 percent of his time in the slot.
Another option to compete for the nickel role is Darren Hall, who was called up from the practice squad to take Williams’ spot on the active roster. Two more practice squad slots were made vacant when defensive tackle Elijah Simmons was signed to Tampa Bay’s active roster and linebacker Elliott Brown was released. Filling the three newly vacant slots are defensive tackle Zachary Carter, defensive tackle Kyon Barrs, and cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/17/25
Today’s midweek practice squad moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: C Wesley French
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Ajani Carter
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: T Sataoa Laumea, G William Sherman
- Released: QB Hunter Dekkers
New York Giants
- Signed: CB LaMareon James
- Released: CB Dee Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Matt Sokol
- Released: TE J.J. Galbreath, WR Rakim Jarrett
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Brandon Parker
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Shaquill Griffin
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/25
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions:
Houston Texans
- Signed off Browns’ practice squad: TE Brenden Bates
- Placed on IR: WR Justin Watson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed off Vikings’ practice squad: S Kahlef Hailassie
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: S Terrell Burgess
- Placed on IR: DT Vernon Broughton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: G Kenyon Green
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed from practice squad: DE DeMarvin Leal
- Placed on IR: DE Isaiahh Loudermilk
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed from practice squad: WR Cody White
- Released: CB Shaquill Griffin
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: DT Elijah Simmons
- Placed on IR: DT Calijah Kancey (story)
Broughton, the third-round rookie out of Texas, is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a hip injury, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The team sought multiple opinions on the injury and was unsure about whether or not surgery would be necessary, but the “significant” hip issue will shut him down for the year.
Green rejoins the reigning champs, once again. It’s been a rollercoaster of employment for the 24-year-old guard, who failed to make the initial 53-man roster in Philadelphia, signed to the practice squad, was promoted back to the active roster, and then was waived two days after the team’s season opener.
Loudermilk had been working as a starter for the first time in his five-year career, but he will miss at least the next four games with a high ankle sprain. Leal, a 2022 third-round pick out of Texas A&M, has disappointed in his first three years of play. After moving to more of an outside linebacker role this summer, Leal failed to make the initial 53-man roster but was retained to the practice squad. He’ll take Loudermilk’s spot on the active roster for the time being.
Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Watson has been sidelined indefinitely with a calf muscle and Achilles injury. The tendon is not torn, so it may not be season-ending, and Watson could return at some point down the line. Luckily, the receiving corps is set to return some reinforcements as head coach DeMeco Ryans announced that both Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios are expected to be back in Week 3. Wilson also reports that tight end Cade Stover had successful surgery recently for his broken foot.