Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/25
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return from IR: LB Jay Higgins
Buffalo Bills
- Designated for return from IR: WR Mecole Hardman
Carolina Panthers
- Designated for return from IR: WR David Moore
Cleveland Browns
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: LB Winston Reid
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return from IR: LB Karene Reid
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return from IR: T Giovanni Manu
Green Bay Packers
- Designated for return from reserve/PUP: G John Williams
- Placed on IR: LB Micah Parsons (story)
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Darrell Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: QB Patrick Mahomes (story)
- Opened practice window: TE Jake Briningstool, DB Nazeeh Johnson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DE Jahfari Harvey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: LB Jackson Woodard
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: S Rashad Wisdom
Tennessee Titans
- Designated for return from IR: LB Ali Gaye, LB Oluwafemi Oladejo, WR Bryce Oliver
Probably the most overqualified transaction we’ve ever listed in this space, Mahomes is heading to IR for the first time. The superstar Chiefs quarterback suffered ACL and LCL tears and has undergone surgery. Generally, Chiefs IR-return moves are impactful at this stage of the season. In the cases of Briningstool and Johnson, they are returning to practice for a 6-8 team. The Chiefs designated both for return in August, meaning both have already counted toward the team’s eight-activation total. As our IR return tracker shows, Kansas City has not used any other injury activations this season.
Given a one-year, $4.75MM deal by the Texans, Taylor worked as a backup in four games before going down with an ankle injury. Despite his contract, the former Seahawks second-rounder played just 64 defensive snaps before hitting IR.
2025 NFL Dead Money, By Team
As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season:
- New Orleans Saints: $107.83MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $103.77MM
- New York Jets: $102.1MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $87.79MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $87.27MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $86.1MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $85.49MM
- Cleveland Browns: $83.22MM
- Miami Dolphins: $72.45MM
- Houston Texans: $66.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $59.42MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.98MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $56.23MM
- New England Patriots: $50.56MM
- Denver Broncos: $42.78MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $41.34MM
- Detroit Lions: $40.71MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $40.39MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $38.78MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $38.38MM
- Buffalo Bills: $37.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $36.55MM
- New York Giants: $33.74MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $33.7MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $30.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $27.29MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $27MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $20.99MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $20.33MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $17.37MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $16.51MM
- Chicago Bears: $8.6MM
The $100MM trio dwarfs last year’s leaders — the Broncos — in this unwanted area. The Saints began taking some overdue medicine for their cap-gymnastics past by trading Marshon Lattimore last year. That move coming after June 1 pushed $31.67MM onto New Orleans’ 2025 cap sheet. Derek Carr also counts $19.2MM on this year’s Saints cap, while Ryan Ramczyk‘s retirement covers more than $11MM.
The Carr punishment covers $55.88MM in total, meaning nearly $37MM from the QB’s retirement will land on New Orleans’ 2026 payroll. Mickey Loomis‘ spree of restructures on that contract created that inflated figure.
Deebo Samuel brought a receiver-record dead money total to the 49ers, who absorbed $34.12MM by trading the seventh-year veteran in March. The second leg of the post-June 1 Arik Armstead transaction from 2024 created a $15MM dead cap hit this year, with void years on Charvarius Ward‘s deal covering more than $12MM.
Gang Green took on barely $20MM combined from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades and will do the same next year, reflecting the low signing bonus figure on the Gardner extension. The Jets, though, have taken $56MM in total from the Aaron Rodgers release ($21MM this year, $35MM next). That is the second-highest total dead cap hit in NFL history.
The team that authorized the highest dead money sum in league annals — Denver, via the 2024 Russell Wilson release — is still carrying $32MM on that contract. It comes off the books next year, and the Broncos do not have any other player counting more than $3MM in dead cap on their 2025 payroll.
The Eagles and Seahawks are also moving toward the playoffs with higher dead money counts compared to the 2024 Broncos, though it should be noted the cap’s $24MM increase from last year plays into this. Philadelphia is still carrying a combined $26MM from the 2024 Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retirements. Josh Sweat void years also comprise $16.44MM of this year’s cap. The Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf trade brought $21MM in dead cap, while Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and Dre’Mont Jones combine to cover more than $41MM in dead money.
Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith‘s 2024 Cleveland exits via trade tagged the Browns with more than $36MM in dead money together, while the Dolphins are dealing with more than $30MM combined from the post-June 1 designations on Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. The latter counts $15.7MM in dead money this year and $20.9MM in 2026. That eclipses Lattimore’s defender-record total for dead cap.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Sunday’s action provided more clarity on a number of fronts relating to the playoff pushes in each conference. The list of teams still in contention for the top pick in the 2026 draft remains long, however.
Week 15 saw the Broncos and Rams clinch a postseason berth. Meanwhile, the Chiefs, Bengals and Vikings have each officially been eliminated from the playoffs. They will join the group of teams turning their attention to offseason planning. That of course includes extensive evaluation of the top prospects in this year’s class; several have already turned pro (with some exceptions).
Sunday’s results mean there are nine teams with two, three or four wins. Each of them remain candidates to secure the No. 1 selection, although victories by the Saints and Commanders yesterday will greatly hinder their chances of moving to the top of the order. Jockeying amongst teams like the Raiders, Jets and Cardinals (each on track to pursue a new quarterback this spring) will be a storyline worth following closely down the stretch.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- Tennessee Titans (2-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- New Orleans Saints (4-10)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Carolina Panthers (7-7)
- Detroit Lions (8-6)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4)
- Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-2)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/15/25
Just one practice squad move to pass along:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DL C.J. Brewer
- Released: WR Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson has seen time in 23 career games. He had his best showing with the Broncos in 2023, when he hauled in 19 catches for 284 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games. He’ll be replaced on Tampa Bay’s practice squad by C.J. Brewer, who’s collected 2.5 sacks with the Buccaneers across the past two seasons.
Bucs Place CB Zyon McCollum On IR
The Buccaneers have enjoyed a recent return to health for a number of key offensive players. Their defense will be without a full-time starter to close out the season, however. 
Zyon McCollum has been moved to injured reserve, the team announced on Monday. The fourth-year corner is dealing with a hip injury suffered during Tampa Bay’s Thursday night loss. As a result of this move, McCollum will be sidelined for at least four weeks.
That ensures he will be absent for the Buccaneers’ three remaining regular season contests. As the team continues to pursue the NFC South title, McCollum’s absence will be acutely felt. The 26-year-old has operated as a full-time starter for each of the past two seasons. Over that span, he has recorded three interceptions and 23 pass deflections.
Missed time of any length in the case of the former fifth-rounder will deal a blow to Tampa Bay given the $48MM extension he signed this past spring. For now, all attention will be on the Buccaneers and their push to reach the postseason. The team’s efforts on that front will see veteran Jamel Dean continue to handle a starting role on the perimeter. The other will likely be handled by rookie Benjamin Morrison, who has not played since mid-November. Morrison has yet to start any of his seven appearances when healthy.
That could soon change, provided he steps in as McCollum’s primary replacement. Tampa Bay has struggled in several areas since the bye week, including on defense. The team currently sits 30th in the NFL against the pass. Rebounding in that regard will be challenging without McCollum, but it will likely be necessary if the Buccaneers are to top the NFC South. The team’s fate on that front will be decided over the coming weeks, with two games against the Panthers (also 7-7) still to be played.
In a corresponding roster move, the Buccaneers have officially signed linebacker Anthony Walker. The veteran had been on the Colts’ practice squad, but earlier today it became clear he would join Tampa Bay – the team he signed with this past offseason prior to being cut in August for the stretch run. Walker will provide experienced depth at the linebacker spot as the Bucs seek to manage a notable absence in the secondary.
Buccaneers To Sign LB Anthony Walker Off Colts’ Practice Squad
Anthony Walker was set to spend the 2025 season in Tampa Bay. The veteran linebacker was cut in August, but he now is in line to finish the season there. 
The Buccaneers are signing Walker off the Colts’ practice squad, per his agent (h/t Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). Walker initially signed with Tampa in March, but an injury kept him on the active/NFI list through all of training camp. The Bucs then made him one of their roster cuts in August.
Walker quickly lined up a visit with the Colts upon being released. The 30-year-old began his career in Indianapolis, and he returned in September via a practice squad deal. Walker has yet to play in 2025, however. Instead of residing on the taxi squad through the end of the season, he will take on an active roster spot in Tampa Bay. It will be interesting to see how much playing time this move yields in his case.
Lavonte David leads the Buccaneers in tackles with 95. Fellow starting linebacker SirVocea Dennis ranks third in that regard. Both will be counted on to remain key contributors through the closing stages of the campaign as Tampa Bay aims for another NFC South title. As a veteran of 99 appearances (including 83 starts), Walker will certainly provide plenty of experience behind those two on the depth chart.
The former fifth-rounder has played on a string of one-year deals since his Colts rookie contract expired. Walker will no doubt be in store for another pact of the same length when he reaches the open market in March. His value could nevertheless receive a slight boost if he manages to carve out a depth role with the Buccaneers over the coming weeks.
Todd Bowles Addresses Job Security Questions; Bucs HC’s Future Uncertain?
Last night’s collapse resulted in the Buccaneers losing to the Falcons. As a result, Tampa Bay’s playoff outlook has continued to take a turn for the worse. 
The Bucs were 6-2 and comfortably atop the NFC South when they entered their bye week. Since then, very little has gone according to plan. Tampa Bay has gone 1-5 since the bye, and the team’s defense in particular has regressed. That unit ranks 31st in the NFL in points allowed over the past six weeks (h/t Fox Sports’ Greg Auman).
Especially given head coach Todd Bowles‘ defensive background, criticism of his 2025 performance has steadily increased. In charge of the team since Bruce Arians stepped aside in 2022, Bowles and the Buccaneers have won the division every year in that span. With another NFC South crown seriously in doubt, though, the matter of job security was something Bowles was asked about in the wake of yesterday’s game.
“I don’t think I worry about it at all,” the 62-year-old said when speaking about his status with the Bucs (video link). “It doesn’t creep into the locker room. Players play and coaches coach. I got more years behind me than I do ahead of me. I think we’re in a situation where we’re right back in it and our only focus is on winning a ball game.”
Bowles served as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator for three years before Arians retired from the sidelines. Since then, the Buccaneers have gone 34-31. Tampa Bay’s three straight playoff appearances have only produced one postseason win, and it remains to be seen if reaching (let alone advancing past) the wild-card round will be possible in 2025.
With that in mind, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times states Bowles can indeed be counted as one of the coaches currently on the hot seat. A firing this late in the season should not be expected, of course, especially considering the fact the Buccaneers are still in contention for top spot in their division. Still, Stroud’s assertion is noteworthy given the investment the team recently made on the sidelines.
In June, Bowles and general manager Jason Licht each received contract extensions. Bowles is on the books through 2028 as a result, so a dismissal in his case would have a financial impact for many years. Nevertheless, it will no doubt be something mentioned throughout the coming weeks if Tampa Bay falls short of a playoff spot in 2025.
NFL Minor Transactions: 12/11/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Chris Blair, S Jammie Robinson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: DE Trey Hendrickson (story)
Denver Broncos
- Waived: TE Marcedes Lewis
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Buccaneers): WR Ryan Miller
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated for return from IR: OT Cameron Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: DL Adam Gotsis, S J.T. Gray
Marcedes Lewis is being temporarily let go by the Broncos, but the 41-year-old tight end won’t be a free agent for long. According to Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post, Lewis is expected to quickly land back on Denver’s practice squad. However, the team may have some difficulty adding him back to the active roster. Since the Broncos have already exhausted Lewis’s three elevations, the team would have to sign him to the 53-man roster in order for him to make another appearance. Gabriel says the more likely scenario is Lewis sticking around on the taxi squad, with the organization valuing the player’s “leadership [and] character.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/25
Here are today’s midweek minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: CB Tre Avery
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: T Jeremiah Byers
- Waived: S Chris Edmonds
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: TE Harrison Bryant, WR Justin Watson
New York Giants
- Designated for return from IR: WR Beaux Collins
- Practice window opened: OL Joshua Ezeudu
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: DE Eric Watts
- Placed on IR: DE Tyler Baron
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated for return from IR: LS Charley Hughlett
- Reverted to season-ending IR: T Myles Hinton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed to active roster: T Dylan Cook
- Placed on IR: T Calvin Anderson
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return: TE Eric Saubert
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: DT C.J. Brewer, WR Ryan Miller
Washington Commanders
- Signed to active roster: RB Chase Edmonds
- Placed on IR: TE Zach Ertz (story)
The Texans’ offense is getting healthy at just the right time. Despite not making much of an impact in the passing game, Bryant started three of eight game appearances earlier this year for the Texans and returns to a thin position group. Watson is coming back from a 13-week absence and will hope to continue working his way into a new offense.
The Eagles waived replacement long snapper Cal Adomitis yesterday, so it stands to reason that Hughlett will find himself back on the 53-man roster soon. Hinton’s 21-day practice window closed today, so he’ll add insult to injury in Philadelphia as he reverts to injured reserve without the ability to be activated while still using up one of the team’s eight allotted activations, since they designated him to return before final roster cuts.
Buccaneers Activate WRs Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan From IR
The Buccaneers have been shorthanded at wide receiver all season, with Jalen McMillan going down during preseason play. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have also missed significant chunks of the year, but Tampa Bay may finally have its deep wideout arsenal back in Week 15.
Evans and McMillan are coming off IR today, the team announced. While it is not a lock either will play in Week 15, this is a good sign one or both will be ready for the Bucs’ Thursday-night matchup with the Falcons. Todd Bowles said (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud) the duo could return for this game. Activations from IR certainly point to it.
Although the Bucs have seen injuries on offense play a big role in their season, Tampa Bay entered Week 15 in great shape in terms of injury activations. They had only used one (on right tackle Luke Goedeke) leading up to the Evans and McMillan moves. The team still has five activations to cover the rest of the regular season.
Evans has been down with a broken clavicle since Week 4. A December return emerged as the future Hall of Famer’s target window, and he has been pushing to play this week. Evans has yet to log a full practice since being designated for return, but he he has now gone through six limited sessions ahead of this Atlanta game. The Bucs have also seen their offense slow after a first-half surge.
While Evans would undoubtedly benefit from the mini-bye set to follow this Thursday assignment, the Bucs could certainly use him now. Bowles said (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) Evans has shown what he has needed to show, pointing to a Week 15 reemergence.
This season brought the longest absence of Evans’ career, and it will end his record-setting streak of 1,000-yard seasons at 11. The Bucs’ No. 1 wide receiver since before Jameis Winston‘s arrival, Evans has been one of the most consistent players in NFL history. He may never have threatened to be the NFL’s best receiver during his 12-year career, but the former top-10 pick has been ultra-reliable as Winston, Tom Brady and Mayfield have stopped through Tampa.
Evans’ presence helped Brady elevate the team to a championship, and it played a pivotal role in Mayfield’s resurgence. The Bucs are suddenly in a fight for the NFC South crown with the Panthers, so having their 6-foot-5 weapon back represents a key variable in this duel.
McMillan has been down since suffering a neck fracture during a preseason game. Initially referred to as a “severely strained neck,” McMillan’s injury injected obvious concern about his status after a productive rookie year. But the Bucs are close to having the 2024 third-round pick back, creating an interesting setup for Mayfield as the team attempts to end the lull that has defined a chunk of its season. The Bucs have fallen to 7-6, but two games against the Panthers loom to potentially repair the damage.
Last year, McMillan finished with 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. Seven of those eight scores came in Tampa Bay’s final five games, as McMillan filled in for Godwin as Evans’ top sidekick. Despite having McMillan healthy (at the time) and re-signing Godwin to a three-year, $66MM deal, the Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka at No. 19.
As other teams circled, Tampa Bay made one of the more surprising picks of this draft by adding a standout talent to a solid receiving corps. Egbuka has not disappointed, catching 54 balls for 806 yards and six TDs. He has slowed down over the past month, however, not topping 45 yards in a game in that span.
Egbuka will likely not see his role change much (if at all) with Evans and McMillan returning. But the Ohio State product has needed to shoulder plenty in the Bucs’ passing game due to the receiver injuries, which also included ankle and fibula issues for Godwin. The longtime Evans sidekick is finally rounding back into form, though, after missing nine games. The Bucs are close to having their optimal top quartet available, and we should see the offense Jason Licht and Co. envisioned this offseason when Evans and McMillan make long-awaited comebacks.