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2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

November 22nd, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 26 became eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations once the postseason begins.

Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 12:

Arizona Cardinals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Buffalo Bills

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Carolina Panthers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Chicago Bears

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Cincinnati Bengals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Cleveland Browns

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Denver Broncos

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Detroit Lions

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Green Bay Packers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Houston Texans

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Jacksonville Jaguars

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Los Angeles Chargers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Los Angeles Rams

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 8

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Minnesota Vikings

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

New England Patriots

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Pittsburgh Steelers

Reverted to season-ending IR

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

San Francisco 49ers

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Seattle Seahawks

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Tennessee Titans

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Washington Commanders

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Joe Mixon Denies Report That He Won’t Play In 2025

November 22nd, 2025 at 8:58pm CST by Ben Levine

NOVEMBER 22: When speaking on the situation earlier this week, Caserio said during an appearance on the Payne & Pendergrast radio show that there is still no firm timeline for Mixon’s return. In the ongoing absence of any clarity in this case, it remains to be seen if Mixon will be able to suit up at any point down the stretch.

NOVEMBER 20: Following news from earlier today that Joe Mixon was set to miss the entire 2025 campaign, the running back and his agent are pushing back. Shortly after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Mixon’s foot injury would prevent him from seeing the field this season, the veteran tweeted at the reporter.

[RELATED: Texans RB Joe Mixon Not Expected To Play In 2025]

“Now, I get everyone’s looking for splash news & clickbait… but I’m just curious, Ian how do you know more about me than me?” Mixon asked.

Mixon’s agent, Peter Schaffer, was also quick to comment on the reports, cryptically tweeting that “[t]he truth and what comes out of his mouth is mere coincidence.”

This is a somewhat intriguing turn in this sudden saga, and as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, it leads to questions about who leaked information about Mixon’s injury status in the first place. As Florio notes, Texans GM Nick Caserio comes from the Patriots personnel department and runs a Belichickian, no-leak operation.

While the Texans wouldn’t have much incentive to lie about Mixon’s status, they could have some financial incentive to sit him for the entire 2025 season. As Florio notes, the Texans don’t have to pay the player’s $7MM salary since Mixon is sitting on the non-football injury list (although it’s important to note that the team can pay Mixon if they want, and there haven’t been any reports about how the team’s proceeding in this regard). Mixon also has $500K worth of per-game roster bonuses.

Mixon suffered a foot injury while working out in the offseason, and there haven’t been many reports about his progress up until today. Since we’re already in the second half of the season and the team has settled on a Nick Chubb/Woody Marks tandem, it’s not a particularly hot take to proclaim that Mixon won’t have a role on the 2025 iteration of the Texans. Perhaps the definitive nature of Rapoport’s report is what drew the ire of Mixon, and we won’t truly know whose narrative is correct until the end of the regular season.

Texans Waive RB Dameon Pierce

November 21st, 2025 at 3:15pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

NOVEMBER 21: Pierce may clear waivers today due to the timing of when his Texans tenure ended, but Wilson reports there are multiple teams interested in him. If/when Pierce reaches free agency, a new deal could be lined up in short order.

NOVEMBER 20: The Texans waived fourth-year running back Dameon Pierce on Thursday, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. To fill his spot on the active roster, cornerback Ajani Carter was signed from the practice squad.

Pierce, 25, once seemed like he could be the future of the Texans’ backfield before injuries derailed his time in Houston. The former Florida Gator was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 draft and earned a starting job as a rookie. Pierce racked up 939 yards in 13 games – 72.2 yards per game, the eighth-most in the league – before a high ankle sprain landed him on injured reserve and ended his season.

The Texans signed veteran Devin Singletary during the 2023 offseason and handed him the lead back role. Pierce struggled behind him, averaging just 2.9 yards per carry and missing three games due to another ankle sprain. Houston then got Joe Mixon, reducing Pierce’s workload further. Another injury, this time to his hamstring, sidelined him at the start of the 2024 season and limited his work for the rest of the year. He finished with just 40 carries for 293 yards, though 92 of those came on a single rush. Without that play, he still averaged a solid 5.15 yards per carry, but again, Houston looked elsewhere in the offseason, signing Nick Chubb and draft Woody Marks with a fourth-round pick.

With Mixon sidelined by a foot injury to start the 2025 season, Chubb and Marks have led the backfield with just 10 carries for Pierce. Mixon is now expected to miss the rest of the season, which was reported hours before Pierce’s release hit the NFL’s transaction wire, making it a somewhat surprising move. If anything, it speaks volumes about how much Pierce fell out of favor under DeMeco Ryans‘ regime. Despite a promising rookie season, Pierce’s opportunities undeniably plummeted after Ryans was hired. Other teams will now have a chance to claim him off waivers; if that does not happen, he will be free to sign with any team (or their practice squad) as a free agent.

Carter, an undrafted rookie out of the University of Houston, signed with the Texans’ practice squad in September and saw his first NFL action against the Titans last week. His special teams work must have satisfied the coaches, earning him a 53-man roster spot and a role on game days for the foreseeable future.

The Texans also elevated veteran safety Jalen Mills and undrafted rookie linebacker Jackson Woodard to the active roster for Thursday night’s matchup with the Bills.

Texans RB Joe Mixon Not Expected To Play In 2025

November 20th, 2025 at 12:49pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Texans running back Joe Mixon is not expected to play in 2025, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Mixon suffered a foot injury while working out in the offseason, which landed him on the non-football injury list at the beginning of training camp. He missed all of training camp and was placed on the physically unable to perform list to start the regular season, stirring significant concerns about him playing at all in 2025.

Updates at the end of September added more doubt that Mixon would suit up anytime soon, and Rapoport’s most recent report indicates that Mixon will likely stay on the PUP list for the rest of the year. That will keep veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks in place as the team’s primary ballcarriers, but they have not led the Texans’ running game to as much success as Mixon did last year.

Houston finished the 2024 season with the 15th-most rushing yards, touchdowns, and yards per attempt. Currently, they rank 22nd or worse in all of those categories. That may not only be a result of Mixon’s absence – the Texans also overhauled their offensive line this offseason – but the eight-year veteran is clearly missed this year.

The Texans acquired Mixon from the Bengals via trade last offseason and signed him to a two-year, $19.75MM extension. He missed three games with an ankle injury, but ranked ninth in the league with 72.6 yards per game. His 11 touchdowns were tied with Jonathan Taylor for 11th-most in the NFL.

Houston added running back depth this offseason in the form of Chubb ($2.5M free agency signing) and Marks (fourth-round pick, No. 116 overall). Chubb is averaging 4.2 yards per carry, while Marks is only at 3.5. Both have two touchdowns and 17 first downs on the ground, but Marks has been a far more effective pass-catcher. The youngster seems to have a role in the Texans’ offense as a third-down back, but Chubb is on a one-year deal and Mixon has no guaranteed money in 2026. Houston could remake their backfield this offseason with more investments in external additions.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/19/25

November 19th, 2025 at 7:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/19/25

November 19th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Designated for return from reserve/PUP: RB Eric Gray

Pittsburgh Steelers

21 days have gone by since the Steelers opened Trice’s practice window. They’ve made the decision not to activate him from injured reserve, so he will remain on IR without the possibility of being activated.

Gray has been on New York’s physically unable to perform list since they set their initial 53-man roster. With rookie running back Cam Skattebo hitting IR earlier in the season, Gray’s return could add some needed depth at the position.

C.J. Stroud Returns To Practice; Texans QB Ruled Out For Week 12

November 18th, 2025 at 2:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

2:23pm: The Texans have officially ruled out Stroud and Pitre for Week 12, according to Wilson.

1:15pm: Davis Mills has started each of the Texans’ past two games. He is in line to handle QB1 duties for a third straight week, but C.J. Stroud is making progress in his recovery from a concussion.

Stroud has returned to practice on Tuesday, something ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime first reported was expected to take place. That is an encouraging step on Stroud’s path to returning to the lineup, although he is not expected to play in Week 12. The former No. 2 pick remains in concussion protocol, and the Texans are on a short week as they prepare to play the Bills on Thursday.

Stroud was concussed midway through Houston’s Week 9 loss to Denver. The team has managed to win each of its two contests since then with Mills at the helm. The Texans are 5-5 as a result, meaning a playoff berth is certainly attainable. Of course, having Stroud back to full health relatively soon will be key in determining their chances of making the postseason.

In an encouraging update, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports Stroud’s symptoms of headaches and sensitivity to light have subsided. That suggests the 24-year-old will be able to clear the remaining stages of the protocol relatively soon. If that proves to be the case, a return in time for a Week 13 matchup with the Colts could very well be in store.

Stroud played in all of Houston’s 19 combined regular and postseason contests last year, and he missed only two games as a rookie (although that absence was also caused by a concussion). The Ohio State product has not managed to replicate the production seen during his sensational debut campaign, but he profiles as Houston’s franchise passer for the foreseeable future. This coming offseason will be the first in which Stroud will be eligible for an extension.

Mills has thrown for 292 and 274 yards during his two starts so far, posting three touchdowns and one interception along the way. On Thursday, he will take on a Bills defense which has struggled mightily against the run in 2025 but ranks second in the NFL in terms of passing yards allowed per game. It will be interesting to see how Mills fares in what will be his final start provided Stroud continues to progress through his recovery.

Jalen Pitre returned to practice yesterday, and Wilson notes he is taking part in Tuesday’s work as well. Pitre, like Stroud, remains in concussion protocol at this time. Both players are working their way back, though, and a return by Week 13 would come as no surprise.

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.

NFL Injury Updates: McManus, Ingram, Pearsall, Lions

November 16th, 2025 at 1:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The Packers are without regular kicker Brandon McManus today after he spent the week as “doubtful” on the injury report with a right quad injury, per Ryan Wood of USA Today. Backup kicker Lucas Havrisik is taking over kicking duties at MetLife today.

McManus’ quad injury has lingered since it forced him to miss the team’s Week 6 & 7 games earlier this year. Havrisik signed with Green Bay after a successful audition that also featured Greg Joseph. Havrisik was perfect in his two games in relief of McManus. He converted all four field goal attempts, including a career-long 61-yarder, and all six extra point attempts.

This will be McManus’ third missed game of the year. It’s not clear at the moment how much this week’s setback will affect him moving forward. Havirisik’s consistent presence on the 53-man roster means the Packers will be prepared for whatever his prognosis may be.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • With starting right guard Ed Ingram once again out this week for the Texans‘ trip to Tennessee as he deals with a sprained knee, the Texans have shifted usual starting right tackle Tytus Howard inside to right guard and tapped veteran tackle Trent Brown to sub in at right tackle, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Brown started there last week when Howard was out with a concussion.
  • Brock Purdy isn’t the only offensive player the 49ers are getting back after a long absence. Per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will also play today after missing every game since Week 4. Sitting out of practice for most of that time, as well, Pearsall was able to string together a couple limited practices before finally being a full participant on Friday.
  • Despite rising optimism for returns soon to come, the Lions ruled pass rusher Marcus Davenport, cornerback D.J. Reed, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, and rookie offensive guard Miles Frazier out for their game tonight, meaning all four players will remain on injured reserve with a designation to return.

Texans Activate TE Cade Stover, FB Jakob Johnson Off IR

November 15th, 2025 at 5:58pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans offense is getting some reinforcement at the tight end position this weekend. After suffering a broken foot in Houston’s season opener, second-year tight end Cade Stover has been activated off of injured reserve, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Full back Jakob Johnson will join Stover as an activation from IR today, according to an announcement from the team.

Tight end has been a position of attrition for the Texans this year. It looked like Houston was set to come in with a fairly strong, diverse group in 2025. Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan are strong receiving options, while Stover gets a lot of run as a blocking tight end, though he has decent hands, as well. Unfortunately, Jordan, coming off an early-season ACL tear from the prior year, was placed on IR before the end of training camp, unable to be activated at any point this year.

Luckily, behind their trio, Houston also rostered Harrison Bryant, whom they had acquired in the trade that send John Metchie to the Eagles. Bryant started the year on the Texans’ practice squad but was signed to the 53-man roster upon Stover’s placement on IR. Both Schultz and Bryant have taken their lumps recently. Schultz is set to play through a reported shoulder injury and illness this week, while Bryant has been ruled out with neck and shoulder injuries. Bryant has now been placed on IR due to those injuries, making Stover’s return to the lineup that much timelier.

In order to make room for both Stover and Johnson on the 53-man roster, cornerback Damon Arnette was waived. He only spent a week on the active roster and will likely return to the practice squad. The Texans also announced that rookie cornerback Ajani Carter and veteran safety Jalen Mills will serve as the team’s standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow.

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