Transactions News & Rumors

Panthers Activate Jalen Coker, Austin Corbett From IR

The Panthers have activated wide receiver Jalen Coker and offensive lineman Austin Corbett from injured reserve, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. In other moves, the team placed outside linebacker Patrick Jones on IR and elevated OLB Boogie Basham from its practice squad in advance of Sunday’s game against the Jets.

Coker performed well as an undrafted rookie from Holy Cross last year, catching 32 passes for 478 yards (14.9 YPC) and two touchdowns in 11 games. A quad injury held him out of action for the Panthers’ first six games this season.

Had it not been for his injury, Coker would have started 2025 as the Panthers’ top slot option. The Panthers re-signed Hunter Renfrow to help cover for Coker’s loss. Renfrow has a modest 15 catches in six games, and while he has scored twice, the 29-year-old has averaged a meager 5.9 yards per catch. If Coker carries over last season’s performance, he should give quarterback Bryce Young a more explosive complement to No. 1 receiver and rookie standout Tetairoa McMillan.

Corbett, a fourth-year Panther, will return after suffering a left MCL sprain in a Week 2 loss to the Cardinals. Injuries have limited Corbett to 11 of a possible 40 regular-season games since 2023. While Corbett entered the season as Carolina’s starting center, Cade Mays filled in with aplomb during his absence. Mays, Pro Football Focus’ eighth-ranked center, is in the middle of a line that has helped clear the way for back-to-back 200-yard rushing performances.

The Panthers, who have won three of four to climb to .500, may elect to keep Mays as their starting center. Corbett, also an experienced guard, could start in place of LG Damien Lewis if a shoulder injury prevents him from playing Sunday, per Darin Gantt of the team’s website.

With Jones requiring season-ending back surgery, Basham will receive his second standard elevation of the season. A former Bill and Giant, Basham made his Panthers debut in a Week 4 loss to the Patriots, played 17 snaps (10 on defense, seven on special teams), and picked up two tackles.

Cowboys Activate Caelen Carson From IR; Off-Field Concussion Sidelines Trevon Diggs

The Cowboys have activated cornerback Caelen Carson from injured reserve ahead of their Week 7 matchup with the Commanders, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Carson landed on IR before Week 1 with a hyperextended knee, but returned to practice as soon as he was eligible at the beginning of October. He has been a full participant in practice for the last two weeks and should be full-go on Sunday.

Carson’s activation comes at a crucial time for the Cowboys. Their defense has allowed the most passing yards per attempt and per game to opposing offenses this year, and they will be without starting cornerback Trevon Diggs this week. Diggs suffered a concussion in an accident at his home this week, according to Archer, sidelining the six-year veteran for Sunday’s game.

In a way, Diggs’ absence and Carson’s return gives Dallas an opportunity to shake up their secondary. Diggs has struggled to start the 2025 season, allowing a 68.8% completion rate when targeted along with 11.9 yards per target and 17.4 yards per completion, all career-worsts. Carson’s 2024 numbers in five starts are not much better, but Diggs has been playing poorly enough that almost any other option could be an improvement.

The Cowboys have also reduced Kaiir Elam‘s snaps in recent weeks, though he may return to a more prominent role with Diggs sidelined. Carson could find his way on the field as well, and Dallas has not been afraid to play second-year UDFA Reddy Steward in the slot, either.

The Cowboys also elevated running back Malik Davis from the practice squad for their Week 7 contest. Davis will add backfield depth after Miles Sanders‘ season-ending injury while also contributing on special teams.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/25

Here are today’s minor moves as we head into the seventh weekend of the regular season:

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers

The Broncos designated veteran linebacker Dre Greenlaw for his eventual return to the active roster on Wednesday. It looks like one week of practice may have been all Denver needed to see. According to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette, Ehlinger’s release is designed to clear a spot for Greenlaw on the 53-man roster as he comes back from injured reserve. Ehlinger is expected to sign back with the team’s practice squad.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/17/25

Here are Friday’s practice squad transactions:

Tennessee Titans

Wright had been brought on by Tennessee last week as regular kicker Joey Slye missed their Week 6 trip to Vegas. With Slye returning to practice this week, Wright’s presence was no longer needed.

Taking his place on the practice squad is Bachie, who worked out with the team today after getting released from Indianapolis’ injured reserve on Wednesday. One could speculate that Bachie may have requested a release from the Colts. If he was healthy enough to be signed after a workout with the Titans, his placement on IR must not have been for anything serious.

49ers To Activate George Kittle, Rule Out Brock Purdy

The 49ers ruled out quarterback Brock Purdy for Week 7, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, meaning that Mac Jones will make his fifth start of the season.

Purdy was still limited in practice this week due to a re-aggravation of his toe injury. Jones, meanwhile, progressed to full participation despite dealing with knee and oblique injuries. He has led the 49ers to a 3-1 record in his four starts with a league-high 313 passing yards per game.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan also said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) that tight end George Kittle would be activated from injured reserve for Sunday’s game, ending his four-game absence due to a Week 1 hamstring injury. Kittle is not expected to be on any kind of snap count, according to Tafur.

San Francisco created the space for Kittle’s activation on Friday by placing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on injured reserve, per Wagoner. The eight-year veteran will now be on the shelf for at least four games with a calf injury and becomes the latest 49ers wideout to miss time. Ricky Pearsall has been out for the last two games with a knee issue that will sideline him for Sunday’s contest as well. Jacob Cowing is on IR, though Shanahan said (via Wagoner) that he is “getting close” to returning to practice. Jauan Jennings has missed two games and played through four others with a litany of injuries. That’s not even mentioning Brandon Aiyuk, who will not be back until November at the earliest.

Kittle’s return will obviously go a long way in relieving the pressure on the 49ers’ injured receiving corps. Backup tight end Jake Tonges has performed well in his absence, giving Shanahan the options of using more two-tight end formations until the rest of his offense gets healthier.

Shanahan also said that defensive tackle Kevin Givens will “most likely” be activated from IR as well, which would add depth to a defensive line that has also dealt with a number of injuries this year. The 49ers can easily create a roster spot for Givens by placing linebacker Fred Warner on injured reserve after an ankle injury that is expected to end his season.

Commanders Sign WR Treylon Burks To Practice Squad

OCTOBER 17: The Burks deal is now official, per a team announcement. In a corresponding move, Martin has been released from Washington’s practice squad. It will be interesting to see if Burks is elevated to the gameday roster in time for Sunday.

OCTOBER 16: As the Commanders navigate a number of injuries to their receivers corps, the team is set to add a former first-round pick. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team is expected to sign Treylon Burks to their practice squad.

Per Rapoport, Burks shouldn’t last long on the taxi squad, as the team intends to add him to the active roster as soon as possible. However, it seems unlikely that the player will make his team debut as soon as this Sunday.

Star wideout Terry McLaurin hasn’t played since Week 3 while dealing with a quad injury, and after being downgraded to a non-participant during today’s practice, it seems like he’s facing an uphill battle to play in Week 7. Noah Brown is currently sitting on IR with a groin injury, while Deebo Samuel seems unlikely to play this weekend as he nurses a heel issue.

Thanks to the injuries, the Commanders currently have three healthy receivers on their active roster in Chris Moore, Luke McCaffrey, and fourth-round rookie Jaylin Lane. The team will surely dip into their practice squad options for this weekend, with that grouping featuring Jacoby Jones, Robbie Chosen, Ja’Corey Brooks, and Tay Martin.

While Burks probably won’t be an option for Week 7, he’ll likely soon find himself on the active roster, especially if McLaurin or Samuel still aren’t ready for Week 8. Burks struggled to live up to his first-round billing in Tennessee, as the wideout collected only 765 yards from scrimmage in three years with the organization. He had four catches in five appearances in 2024 before suffering an ACL injury that ended his season.

Burks was back at training camp with the Titans this past summer, but a fractured collarbone resulted in him being waived/injured. He subsequently landed on season-ending IR, but the team cut him earlier this month, allowing him to play elsewhere in 2025. The 25-year-old had an audition with the Broncos before landing in Washington.

Falcons Designate S Jordan Fuller For Return

The Falcons will soon be adding some depth to their secondary. According to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, the team designated Jordan Fuller for return from injured reserve today.

Fuller suffered a knee injury in Week 1 that landed him on injured reserve. The veteran only required a minimum four-game stay on IR before returning to practice. The team now has 21 days to activate Fuller to the active roster.

Fuller joined the Falcons on a one-year contract this past offseason. This followed a one-year stop in Carolina, where he started all nine of his appearances while missing a chunk of games thanks to a hamstring injury. The former sixth-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Rams, where he quickly emerged as a starting safety.

Besides an injury-plagued 2022 campaign, Fuller otherwise started all 45 of his appearances for the organization. During his final two healthy seasons in Los Angeles (2021 and 2023), the defensive back collected 207 total tackles and four interceptions, with Pro Football Focus grading him as an above-average safety during those two campaigns.

While Fuller started Week 1, he mostly played behind Xavier Watts in that contest. The rookie third-round pick has since solidified himself in the starting lineup opposite Jessie Bates, meaning Fuller is eyeing a similar backup role when he’s ready to return. Billy Bowman Jr. likely represents the veteran’s competition for snaps. Bowman saw some significant reps for the team prior to the bye (mostly at cornerback), although he was a healthy scratch when the team returned in Week 6.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/16/25

Today’s practice squad moves:

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

New England Patriots

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/16/25

Today’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Free Agency

  • Suspended: DT Alex Williams

Free agent defensive tackle Alex Williams has been hit with a six-game suspension for an undisclosed violation of league rules, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The Ohio State product joined the Vikings as a UDFA this past offseason, but a fractured ankle landed him on season-ending IR. He was waived from injured reserve in September, allowing him to suit up elsewhere during the 2025 campaign, although those chances obviously took a significant blow today.

Bengals Activate G Lucas Patrick From IR

The Bengals will be getting some offensive line reinforcement for tonight’s matchup with the Steelers. According to ESPN’s Ben Baby, the team has activated Lucas Patrick from injured reserve.

Patrick landed on IR after suffering a calf injury in Week 1. He required an extra missed game beyond the minimum IR requirement, but it’s a relatively quick turnaround for the veteran lineman. Patrick returned to practice last Wednesday.

Patrick inked a one-year deal with the Bengals this past offseason and ended up winning the competition for the starting right guard spot. Dalton Risner got the first shot to replace the injured Patrick, and he garnered three starts before getting replaced by fifth-round rookie Jalen Rivers. Pro Football Focus has graded both of those players as below-average this season, so there’s a chance Patrick is immediately inserted back into the lineup.

Of course, Patrick isn’t any world beater himself. The lineman was a reserve lineman for the first three seasons of his career, but he emerged as a starter with the Packers in 2020 and 2021. He had a two-year stint as a starter in Chicago before spending the 2024 campaign in New Orleans.

Elsewhere in Cincy, star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson has been ruled out for tonight’s game with a hip injury. To add some extra depth at defensive end, the team has promoted Isaiah Foskey from the practice squad. A former Saints second-round pick, Foskey will be in line to make his 2025 debut tonight.