CB Tre Hawkins Drawing Interest
Injuries limited Tre Hawkins to three games last season and left him off the Giants’ roster following training camp this summer. The free agent cornerback is unsigned at this point, but that could soon change. 
Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports Hawkins is making progress in his recovery from the hamstring injury he dealt with during training camp. The Giants ultimately waived him with an injury designation, ending his New York tenure but allowing Hawkins to sign with a new team after a specified period. According to Wilson, the list of Hawkins suitors consists of the 49ers, Ravens, Lions, Dolphins and Colts.
Cornerback represents an area of need to varying extents in the case of all five of those teams. Miami moved on from Kendall Fuller (through release) and Jalen Ramsey (through trade) this offseason. The CB spot remained a question through training camp and into the season, and a number of injuries have now piled up. As such, a Hawkins signing could result in immediate playing time.
That is also the case for teams like Indianapolis (with Xavien Howard recently being moved to the reserve/Retired list) and Detroit (with D.J. Reed currently residing on injured reserve). Baltimore’s defense includes several key missing contributors. That includes cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Chidobe Awuzie, both of whom were sidelined yesterday and could miss further game action.
San Francisco’s secondary has seen the likes of Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green handle full-time starting roles as expected. Depth is always sought out in the middle of the season, though, and with a 4-1 record the NFC West leaders represent a logical candidate to pursue multiple additions during the campaign. With nearly $24MM in cap space, the 49ers could certainly afford to take multiple fliers on free agents.
Hawkins, 25, saw part-time usage on defense and special teams during his rookie season. The former sixth-rounder saw his snap share increase to 40% the following year, but he was only available for 89 snaps. Given today’s update, a number of teams certainly see upside in this case in addition to an encouraging outlook on the health front. It will be interesting to see how many visits Hawkins makes over the coming days given his list of suitors.
Colts K Spencer Shrader Out For Season
2:30pm: Steichen announced Shrader has torn his ACL and MCL, confirming a long rehab process is in store. Steichen added (via Erickson) the Colts will hold kicker workouts over the coming days to begin the process of finding a replacement.
12:44pm: The Colts improved to 4-1 yesterday but they were dealt a serious special teams blow in the process. Kicker Spencer Shrader suffered a knee injury and after the game head coach Shane Steichen expressed concern (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder) about the ailment being serious. 
Shrader is now known to be out for the remainder of the campaign. The 26-year-old suffered multiple ligament tears, as first noted by Pat McAfee during Monday’s episode of his show (video link). Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star confirms that is the diagnosis in this case.
As such, Shrader is now in store for a lengthy rehab process. The Colts will also need to search for an in-season addition at the kicker position to fill in for the remainder of the campaign. Schrader kicked for three teams last year (including Indianapolis) before landing the full-time gig this offseason. The former UDFA had been enjoying a stellar start to the year, taking home Special Teams Player of the Month honors in September.
Schrader connected on 13 of 14 field goal attempts this season, including a five-for-five performance against the Broncos which involved a game-winning kick as time expired. The South Florida/Notre Dame product also converted each of his 14 extra point tries. As the Colts look to maintain their strong start to the season, they will need to do so without Shrader’s consistent presence in the kicking game.
Indianapolis currently ranks near the bottom of the NFL in terms of cap space with $4.06MM in available funds. That should still be sufficient to acquire a new kicker to close out the season, although the Colts will be hard-pressed to find a replacement capable of duplicating the success seen through five games. Shrader is under contract through 2026, and he will now aim to rehab in time for next season.
Anthony Richardson, Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins Not Drawing Trade Interest
With experienced starting quarterbacks Anthony Richardson (Colts), Russell Wilson (Giants), and Kirk Cousins (Falcons) occupying backup roles for their teams, it stands to reason any of the three could wind up on the move before the Nov. 4 trade deadline. However, four weeks into the season, nobody from that group has drawn interest, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.
Of that trio, Richardson is the least likely to change hands, according to Jones. The former fourth overall pick (2023) disappointed during his first two years in the league, and he then lost a preseason competition to Daniel Jones for the Colts’ starting job this summer. Jones has since gotten off to a surprisingly fast start for the 3-1 Colts, further calling Richardson’s future into question.
The Colts are inclined to keep Richardson through the season, though, as he’ll remain under team control in 2026. He has a fifth-year option for 2027 that Indianapolis will have to decide on in the offseason. Unless his stock rises dramatically this year, it would be a shock if the Colts exercised it.
With the Giants having benched Wilson for rookie Jaxson Dart in late September, the 36-year-old looks like the most logical trade candidate of this group. The Giants haven’t actively sought out offers for Wilson, per Jones, but that could change over the next month. They already have another veteran backup in Jameis Winston under contract for next season.
Wilson, on the other hand, is due to reach free agency again during the spring after signing a one-year, $10.5MM contract with the Giants. An acquiring team would take on Wilson’s prorated $2MM base salary while likely surrendering a Day 3 draft pick, Jones hears.
Despite a quality track record as a starter, it’s no surprise that Cousins hasn’t drawn interest. His contract – which comes with expensive guarantees in the form of a $27.5MM base salary this year and a $10MM roster bonus for 2026 – is prohibitive. The Falcons would reportedly want an acquiring team to take on Cousins’ financial commitments and give up a premium draft pick. Barring drastic changes, he’s likely to ride out the season as the backup to Michael Penix Jr.
Assuming none of Richardson, Wilson, or Cousins end up back in starting roles with their current teams, it may require a contending club(s) suffering a significant injury at QB for any of them to garner trade interest. The Bengals make sense as a potential suitor on paper, having lost starter Joe Burrow to a toe injury in Week 2. Burrow could miss three months (if not more), and backup Jake Browning has struggled mightily since taking the reins. Despite that, the Bengals remain confident in Browning. They also rarely swing in-season trades, and the Mike Brown-led organization may be unwilling to add to its payroll.
Beyond Cincinnati, the Ravens, Vikings, and 49ers are also dealing with injuries to their starters. The Ravens’ Lamar Jackson could miss multiple games with a hamstring injury, but they signed an experienced backup in Cooper Rush last March.
The Vikings also have a battle-tested reserve of their own, Carson Wentz, who’s playing in place of J.J. McCarthy as he recovers from an ankle sprain. As for the 49ers, they appear to be in great shape with No. 2 signal-caller Mac Jones, who has excelled filling in for Brock Purdy. With Purdy down with a toe injury, Jones has led the 49ers to three wins in as many starts.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/25
Here are Week 5’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: QB Tyler Huntley, DT C.J. Okoye
Buffalo Bills
- Signed to active roster: LB Jimmy Ciarlo
- Elevated: DT Zion Logue, DT Phidarian Mathis
- Placed on IR: CB Dorian Strong
Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: T Devin Cochran, CB Tre Flowers
Houston Texans
- Elevated: CB Damon Arnette, S Jalen Mills
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed from practice squad: CB Chris Lammons
- Elevated: RB Ameer Abdullah, CB Mike Hilton
- Placed on IR: S Daniel Scott
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: OLB Clelin Ferrell, RB Kimani Vidal
New York Giants
- Elevated: LB Neville Hewitt, K Jude McAtamney
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: LB Mykal Walker
- Elevated: S Dean Clark, RB Avery Williams
- Waived: WR Isaiah Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: S Jerrick Reed II, DT Brandon Pili
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: WR Tay Martin
Huntley will be on hand to back up backup quarterback Cooper Rush in Baltimore tomorrow against the Texans. Okoye is called up for the second week in a row as injuries continue to hamper the Ravens’ defensive line, as well.
With some continuing injuries causing some concern in the secondary, the Browns will elevate Avery and Jones for the second straight week. Jones is being elevated for the third time this season, meaning that if Cleveland wants to see him in another game this year, the team will need to sign him to the active roster. The same is true for Logue in Buffalo, Hewitt with the Giants, Clark with the Jets, and Pili in Seattle.
Arnette’s promotion means Week 5 will mark his first regular season action in the NFL since the end of his Raiders tenure in 2021. The former first-round pick revived his career in part through his performances in the UFL this spring, something which created interest from multiple teams in free agency. Arnette, 29, will look to use tomorrow’s contest in a bid to land a permanent role in Houston.
This is the second time the Jets have parted ways with a kick returner following a game in which they had a costly fumble. Williams follows in footsteps of Xavier Gipson, who was waived following a similar mistake in the team’s season opener. There appears to be a pretty short leash for young returners in New York at the moment.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/4/25
Here is Saturday’s only practice squad transaction:
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Cameron Mitchell
Anthony Richardson Open To Developing Under Offensive Coach
It seems like the Anthony Richardson experiment in Indianapolis is over.
The No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft only played 15 games in his first two seasons and lost a training camp battle to Daniel Jones this year. Jones’ success at the helm of a Colts offense that is mostly unchanged from their last two campaigns has seemingly made it clear that Richardson was simply not ready for a starting role.
The Colts have seemingly decided to move on from Richardson at some point. They won’t pick up his $22.9MM fifth-year option for the 2027 season (via OverTheCap) and could even try to trade him in the next year before his rookie contract expires.
Teams may even have interest at this season’s trade deadline. There is no doubt that Richardson has struggled to start his career, but his physical traits will remain tantalizing for any coach who believes that they can get the best out of him. Acquiring him this year (as opposed to in the offseason) will allow him to get acclimated in a new system and hit the ground running in 2026.
Such a path forward might be appealing to Richardson, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who mentioned Sean McVay and the Rams as a potential possibility. Retirement rumors have followed Matthew Stafford in the past two offseason, and Richardson could be a low-cost lottery ticket for future starter.
The Steelers come to mind as a team in a similar situation with Aaron Rodgers, though offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has not fielded a top-10 unit since his time in Tennessee. The Raiders also have an uncertain future under center beyond 34-year-old Geno Smith. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and minority owner Tom Brady could be part of the appeal in Las Vegas.
Of course, this is all assuming that there is a team who wants Richardson and a desire from both Richardson and the Colts to part ways. That does not seem to be the case quite yet, though offers of opportunity for the former and draft capital for the latter may be enough to change their minds.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/25
Today’s practice squad moves:
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Keenan Garber
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OL Sam Mustipher
- Released: C Josh Kaltenberger
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Dante Pettis
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Avery Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE K.J. Henry, DT Jacob Sykes
- Released: CB Eli Ricks, OLB Antwaun Powell-Ryland
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Kendell Brooks
- Placed on IR: RB Blake Watson
The Chargers added a familiar face in Sam Mustipher today. A former UDFA, the offensive lineman started 40 of his 43 appearances with the Bears to begin his career, playing the majority of his snaps at center. He got into nine games with the Ravens in 2023 before appearing in 12 contests with the Chargers in 2024. Mustipher also has the ability to play guard, although the Chargers are especially needy at OT with Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater sidelined.
Dante Pettis will also be reuniting with a recent team, as the wideout spent the 2024 season in New Orleans. The former second-round pick has failed to live up to his draft billing, with the majority of his career production coming during a rookie campaign where he collected 27 receptions for 467 yards and five touchdowns. He’s bounced around the league a bit since his 49ers tenure came to an end. After not getting into a game in 2023, he resurfaced with the Saints in 2024, where he added 12 more catches to his resume. He was among the team’s final preseason cuts in 2025.
A former fifth-round running back, Avery Williams has made a name for himself as a returner. He spent four years in Atlanta, returning 54 kickoffs for 1211 yards (22.4-yard average). He missed the 2023 campaign with a torn ACL. The Jets returners have struggled in 2025, with both Xavier Gipson and Isaiah Williams fumbling on special teams.
Colts CB Xavien Howard To Retire
Xavien Howard‘s return to football was brief one. After eight years in Miami and a year away from the game, Howard’s new venture with the Colts has ended after four games as Indianapolis placed the 32-year-old cornerback on the reserve/retired list today. 
A four-time Pro Bowler and a one-time selection for both the first and second All-Pro teams over his career, Howard gave the Dolphins every bit of what was asked of him as a second-round pick out of Baylor. An immediate starter in Miami’s secondary, Howard struggled with injuries early in his career but showed enough promise in two mostly healthy seasons of his rookie contract to earn a five-year, $76.5MM extension shortly after his third NFL season.
After a rookie year in which a meniscus surgery caused him to miss all but seven games, Howard exploded onto the scene with 11 interceptions and 25 passes defensed over the next two seasons. After being rewarded with the above-mentioned extension, a nagging knee injury limited Howard to five games before ultimately ending his 2019 season. He came back to have the strongest season of his career, starting all 16 games, leading the league in both interceptions (10) and passes defensed (20), and earning first-team All-Pro honors.
Over the next three seasons, Howard would continue to provide solid pass defense. His interception numbers dwindled as he only picked off seven passes over that span, but his 40 passes defensed showed that his penchant for breaking up plays still remained. At the conclusion of the 2023 campaign, the first in which Howard failed to earn a Pro Bowl selection since his injury-plagued 2019 season, the Dolphins opted to release Howard with a post-June 1 designation as a way to clear out cap space.
Despite committing to playing and even fielding offers, Howard found no place to call his football home in 2024, missing out on the entire NFL season. He visited the Bengals during the team’s defensive struggles last year but never signed with a team. The Colts landed his signature in the weeks leading up to the 2025 regular season, reuniting Howard with the game of football and with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who had coached him for a couple years in Miami.
Week 1 started off strong for Howard, as his former team failed to manage any offense in their first time facing him on the other side of the field. Week 2 brought a sobering reality, though, as Denver picked on Howard, targeting him eight times and completing eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He showed slight improvement in a Week 3 game against the Titans, but Week 4 brought him crashing back down. The Rams targeted Howard 10 times, completing seven passes for 112 yards and a touchdown.
According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, “there were many questions about his viability” after the rough performances, “but no one saw this coming.” Holder went on to claim that the media was not aware of any plans to release Howard, and after missing practice today with a “personal day” designation, Howard came to the decision to retire on his own.
In a statement (via Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald), Howard explained, “Throughout my career, I’ve always played football for the love of the sport. I enjoyed everything that came with being a part of the NFL; it was my passion for the game that drove me. I love and appreciate the Miami Dolphins for drafting me and giving me the chance to play pro football. I cannot thank the Indianapolis Colts enough for letting me continue to live out my dream, but my dream has now changed.”
Howard goes on to explain how much he enjoyed spending time with his kids and family during his year away from the NFL before officially declaring his intention to retire from football. He concluded, “My purpose has been fulfilled in this sport, but my kids are more important to me than football. I’ve had a hell of a career, and even though it’s ending in a unique way, I’m cool with that because, for once, I’m putting my family first, and I’m proud and excited about that decision.”
NFL Minor Transactions: 10/1/25
Here are the first minor transactions of October:
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: S Loren Strickland, LB Ty Summers
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: S Trey Washington
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: T Foster Sarell
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: WR Tyreek Hill (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Packers): T Brant Banks
Washington Commanders
- Signed to active roster: CB Antonio Hamilton
- Placed on IR: DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste (story)
LB Shaquille Leonard Retires
After seeing his All-Pro career come to an abrupt halt through injuries, Shaquille Leonard is hanging up his cleats. The veteran linebacker has retired as a member of the Colts, the team announced on Wednesday. 
Leonard entered the league in 2018 and immediately established himself as one of the game’s top defenders. The former second-rounder was left off the Pro Bowl roster during his debut campaign despite earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. That season also marked the first of three times Leonard found himself on the first All-Pro team.
While playing out his rookie contract, Leonard operated as a full-time starter and avoided any major injuries. Given his production along with a strong track record of availability, it came as little surprise when a record-breaking extension was worked out. In August 2021, the South Carolina State product inked a five-year, $98.5MM pact which made him the league’s top earner for linebackers.
Expectations were high as a result of the deal, but after only one more season with a clean bill of health, missed time became a major problem in this case. Back issues derailed Leonard’s career and limited him to just three games played in 2022. The following year, he saw his workload reduced before ultimately being cut midseason. Leonard caught on with the Eagles, but he handled only a part-time defensive role across five appearances.
Last June, Leonard made it clear he was open to continuing his career while noting his belief his body was healthy once again. In spite of that, no known offers were made and he spent the entire campaign without a deal in hand. After once again going through an offseason with no agreements being reached, Leonard has now elected to move on at the age of 30.
Earning four straight Pro Bowl nods on his rookie deal, Leonard recorded no fewer than 121 tackles per season during that span while adding 11 interceptions and a whopping 17 forced fumbles. He totaled 78 combined regular and postseason games during his injury-shortened NFL tenure while amassing $52.5MM in career earnings.