Here are PFR’s breakdowns of each NFL team’s 2025 offseason.
Tyler Boyd remains unsigned with Week 1 kicking off around the NFL. The veteran wideout could be the target of at least one suitor, however. 
The Raiders lost a receiving option days before the start of the season when Amari Cooper retired. The five-time Pro Bowler had recently signed with Vegas, but his return to the franchise proved to be very short-lived. In the wake of Cooper’s retirement, questions were raised about a veteran addition taking place.
The Raiders promoted Justin Shorter from the practice squad to the active roster on Friday. Further moves could be coming, and if an outside acquisition is to be made, a potential target has emerged. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes Boyd is a name to watch.
Boyd’s eight-year run with the Bengals came to an end last offseason, and he remained on the open market past the draft. The 30-year-old then signed a deal with the Titans, and he made 39 scoreless catches while playing on a one-year pact. Boyd’s 2025 free agency has lasted through all of training camp and into September without a deal appearing imminent at any point.
The Pennsylvania native and Pitt alum made it known he would welcome a contract with his hometown Steelers, and that feeling was mutual. No agreement was reached, however, with Pittsburgh preferring to look in-house for complementary receiving options. Boyd has not been linked to any teams since his Steelers interest emerged, but the Raiders could present him with an opportunity as an experienced depth piece.
Vegas was, to no surprise, led in the passing game by wideout Jakobi Meyers and tight end Brock Bowers on Sunday. The Raiders also have Tre Tucker along with rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton and Shorter in place at the receiver spot. With roughly $25MM in cap space, the team could certainly afford a low-cost Boyd investment. It will be interesting to see if team and player explore a signing.
With our first slate of Sunday games tomorrow, we’ll see our first slew of standard gameday practice squad elevations. Here are today’s minor transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR David Sills, RB Carlos Washington Jr.
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: G Kendrick Green, K Matt Prater
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: DT Jaden Crumedy
- Placed on IR: CB Damarri Mathis (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Mike Pennel
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: FB Adam Prentice, LB Levelle Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: RB Jacob Saylors
- Elevated: LB Anthony Pittman
- Placed on IR: T Jamarco Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: CB Micah Robinson
Houston Texans
- Elevated: FB Jakob Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: LB Austin Ajiake, RB Ulysses Bentley IV
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: T Ricky Lee
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Alex Bachman, S Terrell Edmunds
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: RB Cody Schrader
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: K Riley Patterson, RB Jeff Wilson
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: DT Cory Durden
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine, LB Mark Robinson
- Released: DT Jeremiah Pharms
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: DE Fadil Diggs
- Elevated: TE Jack Stoll, DE Jonah Williams
- Waived: QB Jake Haener
New York Giants
- Elevated: DT Elijah Garcia
New York Jets
- Elevated: WR Tyler Johnson
- Placed on IR: G Alijah Vera-Tucker (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB James Pierre
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: WR Russell Gage, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: CB Shaquill Griffin, DT Quinton Bohanna
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: DT Adam Gotsis, G Michael Jordan
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: C Corey Levin, DT Carlos Watkins
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: C Michael Deiter, WR Chris Moore
Each NFL team is granted up to two standard gameday practice squad elevations each game, allowing them to call up two members of their practice squad who are able to play in that weekend’s game. After the game is played, the elevated players revert back to the practice squad with no transaction required. This differs from the situation with somebody like Crumedy in Carolina. With Mathis’ placement on injured reserve opening a spot on the 53-man roster, Crumedy has been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, where he will remain until he is cut or his contract expires.
Practice squad players can be called up a maximum of three times under a single practice squad contract. If a team wants to call up a player who’s been called up three times already, the team will usually sign the player to their active roster for a game, cut them after, and then sign them to a new practice squad contract. Under the new contract, the player would be eligible to be elevated for three more games.
As the Dolphins await Jason Sanders‘ return from IR, Patterson was named the winner of a kicking audition with three other veteran kickers. Miami will be able to elevate him three times but will have to promote him to the active roster for any games between that and Sanders’ activation. Similarly, Prater will likely be on the same plan in Buffalo.
Haener’s stint on the Saints’ active roster was short-lived as the team decides to move forward with only two quarterbacks. Spencer Rattler will handle starting duties to begin the campaign with second-round rookie Tyler Shough serving as his backup.
Here are Friday’s practice squad moves heading into the first weekend of the NFL season:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Phillip Dorsett
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Javon Baker
- Released: OLB Antwaun Powell-Ryland
Here are Friday’s minor transactions as we await Game 2 of the 2025 season, including today’s standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Chiefs and Chargers:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: DT Sam Roberts
- Released: WR David Sills
- Released (with injury settlement): CB Grayland Arnold
Chicago Bears
- Waived (with injury settlement): C Doug Kramer
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived (with injury settlement): TE Tanner McLachlan
Green Bay Packers
- Waived (with injury settlement): S Omar Brown
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived (with injury settlement): K Maddux Trujillo
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: DT Marlon Tuipulotu
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/retired list: WR Amari Cooper (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LS Rick Lovato, T Foster Sarell
Each NFL team is granted two standard gameday practice squad elevations each game, allowing them to call up two members of their practice squad that are able to play in that weekend’s game. After the game is played, the elevated players revert back to the practice squad with no transaction required. This differs from a transaction like we saw earlier today wherein wide receiver Justin Shorter was signed to the Raiders’ active roster from their practice squad. He is now permanently on the team’s 53-man roster until they cut him or until his contract expires.
Practice squad players can be called up a maximum of three times under a single practice squad contract. If the team wants to call up a player who’s been called up three times already, team’s will usually sign the player to their active roster for a game, cut them after, and then sign them to a new practice squad contract. Under a new contract, the player would be eligible to be elevated for three more games.
Amari Cooper was positioned to play a role in the Raiders’ passing game upon returning to the franchise for 2025. The 10-year veteran will not be in the fold, however, given his decision to retire. 
[RELATED: Recapping Raiders’ Offseason]
When Cooper informed the Raiders he was hanging up his cleats only one week after signing, the team was left shorthanded at the receiver position. At least one move will take place before Week 1 to provide depth. Justin Shorter is being promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, as first reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Vegas had three taxi squad options to choose from entering Friday, and Shorter will get a look during the team’s opening game. A fifth-round pick of the Bills in 2023, Shorter did not seen any regular season game action with Buffalo. He caught on with the Raiders last season, making a total of 10 appearances. Shorter hardly played on offense, but he logged a 45% snap share on special teams. A third phase workload would come as no surprise this time around.
Shorter was among the Raiders’ roster cuts last week, but he was immediately retained via a practice squad agreement. That move suggested he could see game time as an elevation, but Cooper’s retirement call created a spot on the active roster. Shorter, 25, will look to find success in a limited role early in 2025.
Vegas has 2024 receiving leader Jakobi Meyers in place, along with third-year contributor Tre Tucker and a pair of rookies (Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton) set to lead the way at the receiver spot. Coming off a record-breaking rookies campaign, tight end Brock Bowers will of course be counted on as a focal point in the passing game as well. Shorter will aim to chip in on special teams for at least one game while the Raiders evaluate their options to replace Cooper on a long-term basis.
Amari Cooper‘s return to the Raiders will not include any game action in 2025. The Pro Bowl wideout is instead ending his career. 
Cooper informed Vegas on Thursday he is retiring, Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. The former Raiders draftee returned to his original team last week, ending his lengthy stay on the open market. In spite of that, Cooper’s career is coming to an end.
The 31-year-old had a down year in 2024 but did not encounter any major injury concerns. As a result, Cooper was expected to play this year, and his Raiders reunion suggested that would be the case. However, a reversal has now taken place days before Vegas’ regular season begins.
While Cooper managed to play at least 14 games every season during his career, Pelissero notes he struggled in the ramp-up process for the 2025 campaign. Instead of missing time early in a bid to suit up later in the season, the 10-year veteran will hang up his cleats. At the moment, the Raiders are now left with only four receivers on their active roster (although the team has three replacement options on the practice squad).
The fourth overall pick in 2015’s draft, Cooper had a productive run of three-plus seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders. He was traded to the Cowboys midway through the 2018 season before ultimately signing a five-year extension with Dallas. While playing out that $100MM pact, Cooper remained a highly consistent producer but the emergence of CeeDee Lamb opened the door to another trade. The Browns traded for Cooper in 2022.
That move proved to be fruitful, as the Alabama product delivered on expectations during his two full Cleveland campaigns. As a pending free agent, Cooper was dealt to the Bills last season ahead of the trade deadline. His production fell short of expectations based on the third-round pick paid in that agreement, something which no doubt contributed to a long stay on the open market.
Upon reuniting with the Raiders – at least, a regime far removed from the one he last played for as a member of the team – Cooper was set to play a role of some kind for Vegas. Instead, the team will now proceed with Jakobi Meyers (who just rescinded his trade request after an unsuccessful bid to work out an extension), along with fellow returnee Tre Tucker and rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton at the receiver spot.
Cooper recorded 1,000 or more yards seven times in his career, serving as a model of consistency over the course of his career despite changing teams midseason on multiple occasions. He is one of 57 players in NFL history to amass 10,000 career receiving yards. In all, Cooper totaled 162 combined regular and postseason appearances and over $136MM in earnings.
The Raiders recently refused Jakobi Meyers‘ trade request, and the wide receiver is no longer pushing the matter. In a candid chat with reporters today, the veteran acknowledged that he’s sticking with the franchise for the time being and has rescinded his trade request.
[RELATED: Raiders Turned Down Jakobi Meyers Interest]
“It’s a job,” Meyers said (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “At the end of the day, I’m happy to be doing my job with my boys but I can be happy anywhere.”
Meyers was reportedly seeking a raise on his active $11MM-per-year contract. The Raiders weren’t eager to adjust that arrangement, leading to the receiver’s sudden trade request in late August. The organization made it clear that they didn’t have any intention of moving on from their top receiver, which seemingly ended the conversation relatively quickly.
“I asked, they said no. That’s where that stopped,” Meyers explained. “I mean, I’m just going to keep doing my job until something shakes out either way, honestly. I don’t know which way it’s going to go, but I’ll be ready for whatever.”
A former UDFA, Meyers parlayed his performance in New England into a three-year contract with the Raiders. His first two seasons in Las Vegas have been among the most productive of his career. After hauling in a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2023, Meyers finished with a career-high 1,027 receiving yards in 2024. That latter performance came as the Raiders moved on from Davante Adams, and despite some major changes to the organization heading into 2025, Meyers still sits atop the depth chart.
With the Raiders eyeing a receivers corps that otherwise features Tre Tucker, old friend Amari Cooper, and a pair of rookies (second rounder Jack Bech and fourth rounder Dont’e Thornton), it’s not a surprise that the front office wants to retain Meyers as they install a new offense around Geno Smith. If Meyers maintains his WR1 status throughout the 2025 campaign, he’ll have an opportunity to cash in as a free agent after the season.
Here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Cale Jones Jr.
- Released: LB Power Echols
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Anthony Walker
- Released: DT Josh Tupou
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: QB Jeff Driskel, LB Brian Asamoah II
- Released: LB Matt Jones, S Trey Taylor
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Isaiah Johnson
- Released: CB BJ Adams
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: QB/WR Tommy Mellott, DT Coziah Izzard
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Mykal Walker, RB Lawrance Toafili
- Released: LB Aaron Smith
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S D’Anthony Bell
- Released: G Sataoa Laumea
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Drake Dabney
- Released: DB Kendell Brooks
With backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell starting the season on injured reserve, the Raiders – who already traded for Kenny Pickett – added some more veteran depth by signing Driskel. The 32-year-old has spent the last seven years in the NFL but only took one snap for the Commanders last season. Now, Driskel will join rookie QB Cam Miller on the practice squad in Las Vegas.
When Tom Brady began to pursue an ownership stake in the Raiders as he approached his first season as a broadcaster for FOX Sports, the NFL took note of the potential conflict of interest and installed several rules in response.
Among them was a ban on attending pre-game production meetings with players and coaches from both teams. That restriction has now been lifted, per Andrew Marchand of The Athletic.
Previously, Brady had to get notes from a classmate – in this case, his broadcasting partner Kevin Burkhardt – to inform his color commentary. The league made an exception for the Super Bowl in February, which will now become a permanent rule.
Brady is still barred from stepping foot in other teams’ facilities or attending their practices, as he was last year. He must also continue to adhere to NFL rules that prohibit owners from publicly criticizing officials or other teams. Given Brady’s role as an analyst, he received some leeway on that front.
Other team owners – particularly the Chiefs’ Clark Hunt – insisted on Brady’s restrictions entering his first season as a broadcaster, but the NFL seems to have assessed his commentary and his role in Las Vegas and determined that the potential conflict of interest is not a major concern.
Brady has described himself as a “sounding board”, though he was reportedly instrumental in the Raiders’ organizational overhaul this offseason, helping land a triumvirate of new leadership in head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek, and quarterback Geno Smith.