Saints Re-Sign S Julian Blackmon
Veteran safety Julian Blackmon will not reach free agency this year. After back-to-back one-year contracts as a UFA, the six-year vet will stay with the Saints.
New Orleans is re-signing Blackmon, announcing a one-year deal with the former Colts starter. Blackmon is coming off a one-game season, having suffered a torn labrum in September. But the Saints will give him another shot.
The Saints initially signed Blackmon in July, with the deal coming after Tyrann Mathieu‘s summer retirement. The former Colts third-round pick became a Week 1 starter, lining up alongside fellow free agent pickup Justin Reid. Rookie Jonas Sanker took over in Blackmon’s place, starting 16 games. It will be interesting to see if Blackmon, 27, can mount a charge to reacquire the job following this second Saints contract.
In Dalton Risner fashion, Blackmon has been a regular starter who has needed to settle for one-year deals in free agency. Blackmon played out a one-year, $3.7MM deal with Indianapolis in 2024 and was tied to a one-year, $3.17MM New Orleans pact last year. It is quite possible his Week 1 injury will continue this pay-cut trend, but numbers for this agreement are not in yet.
Ranked among our top 50 free agents in 2024, the 2020 draftee operated as a chess piece in Gus Bradley‘s defensive scheme in Indianapolis. The converted college cornerback intercepted seven passes between the 2023 and ’24 seasons. In 2024, the Colts used him more as a pure free safety — as opposed to his extensive box usage in 2023.
Blackmon also has an Achilles tear on his medical sheet, so the 2026 season will be important from a health standpoint — if he is to ever command a multiyear deal moving forward. Reid is signed through 2027, while Sanker’s rookie deal runs through 2028. This Blackmon re-up gives New Orleans good depth at safety beyond this season.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/19/26
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Buffalo Bills
- DT Tommy Akingbesote, LB Jimmy Ciarlo, OL Travis Clayton, DB Te’Cory Couch, CB M.J. Devonshire, RB Frank Gore Jr., WR Stephen Gosnell, WR Mecole Hardman, LB Keonta Jenkins, DE Andre Jones Jr., DT Zion Logue, DB Daryl Porter Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- CB Michael Reid
Pittsburgh Steelers
Bengals Extend TE Tanner Hudson
The Bengals are keeping Tanner Hudson around for at least another year. The team announced that they’ve signed the tight end to a one-year extension.
Following stints with the Buccaneers, 49ers, and Giants to begin his career, Hudson joined the Bengals practice squad late in the 2022 campaign. He stuck around Cincinnati for the following three seasons, getting into 38 games with the organization.
His best season came in 2023, when he hauled in 39 catches for 352 yards. He’s followed that up with 19-catch showings in both 2024 and 2025. This past season, Hudson got into a career-high 15 games, although he was limited to only 148 offensive snaps. He found himself fourth on the depth chart to begin the season, but he was mostly splitting reps with Noah Fant and Mike Gesicki behind Drew Sample by the time the season ended.
After inking a one-year, $1.255MM deal to stick with the Bengals last offseason, Hudson was set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. Instead, he’ll be sticking with Cincy through the offseason and likely through the 2026 campaign. Fant is also an impending free agent, so perhaps Hudson could find himself higher on the depth chart next season.
Broncos Designate RB J.K. Dobbins For Return From IR
The Broncos will be without their starting quarterback for Sunday’s AFC championship game. There is at least a slight chance their backfield will be at full strength for the contest, however. 
Running back J.K. Dobbins is having his practice window opened, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He adds there is a possibility at this point Dobbins could suit up against the Patriots this week. The likelihood of that taking place will be worth monitoring over the coming days.
A Lisfranc injury suffered in Week 10 threatened to end Dobbins’ 2025 season, his first in Denver. The six-year veteran had enjoyed a productive year up to that point, posting 772 rushing yards in 10 games. The chance of a return in time for the Super Bowl emerged following surgery, however, and that is certainly a possibility with the Broncos one win away from getting there.
Denver’s offense will be a question mark given the fact Bo Nix broke a bone in his right ankle during overtime of the team’s divisional round win. As a result, Jarrett Stidham will handle starting duties after spending each of the past three seasons as the Broncos’ backup (logging only a pair of starts over that span). Needless to say, a strong running game would be welcomed by Denver. A healthy Dobbins would go a long way in ensuring that were possible.
Since Dobbins went down, second-round rookie RJ Harvey has become a key figure on offense. Harvey has posted between 11 and 23 offensive touches each game without Dobbins available. A heavy workload can once again be expected against New England, particularly if Dobbins is not activated from injured reserve in time for the game.
Dobbins, 27, spent the 2024 season with the Chargers after his Ravens tenure came to an end. The Ohio State product is attached to a second straight one-year contract, an illustration of his struggles to stay healthy over the course of his career. A return to the lineup this week or (potentially) in time for the Super Bowl would see Dobbins add to his Broncos production, though, something which could help him boost his market value.
Broncos To Bring Back QB Ben DiNucci
The Broncos will spend the coming week preparing to host the AFC championship game. They will do so knowing quarterback Bo Nix is unavailable the rest of the way. 
Nix broke a bone in his right ankle late in overtime last night. Surgery is required as a result, and a return to action will not be possible even if Denver advances to the Super Bowl. In need of depth under center, the team has elected to bring back a familiar face.
Ben DiNucci is being signed to the Broncos’ practice squad, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 29-year-old himself has since confirmed the news. Denver will rely on Jarrett Stidham to handle starting duties next week, with Sam Ehlinger set to operate as his backup. DiNucci will give the team a well-traveled depth option on the taxi squad.
A seventh-round pick of the Cowboys in 2020, DiNucci has bounced around professional football since then. During this past offseason, he saw time with the Saints before being released shortly after the draft. When the Falcons needed healthy QB options for their preseason finale, DiNucci briefly joined them. He was then included among Atlanta’s roster cuts just before the start of the campaign.
During his career, DiNucci has logged only three regular season NFL appearances (and just one start). Those came during his rookie season in Dallas. For a period of one calendar year (May 2023-24), though, the James Madison product was in the Broncos’ organization. As a familiar signal-caller to head coach Sean Payton and Co, DiNucci will give the team a third-string option as it aims to compensate for Nix’s absence.
Bears Activate Braxton Jones From IR
JANUARY 18: While Jones has been activated, he will not immediately return to the starting lineup. Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirm the Bears will move Thuney to left tackle for today’s game. Jordan McFadden is likely to fill in for Thuney at left guard.
JANUARY 13: The Bears lost left tackle starter Ozzy Trapilo for the season. They have placed both he and linebacker T.J. Edwards on IR; the veteran linebacker also suffered a season-ending injury against the Packers.
One tackle reinforcement will be in place for Chicago’s divisional-round game, however. The team activated Braxton Jones from IR. The former fifth-rounder has been on IR since October. This could set up as Jones’ final act(s) with the Bears, as he is on track for free agency in March.
Jones’ placement on injured reserve (with a knee injury) came not long after being benched for the first time in his career. Jones operated as a full-time starter during his first three seasons with Chicago, a team which has looked into numerous options on the blindside in 2025. Chicago has used Trapilo and Theo Benedet as starters since demoting Jones. Benedet took Trapilo’s place against Green Bay.
With right tackle Darnell Wright earning All-Pro acclaim in a breakthrough season, Trapilo’s future will be at left tackle. The Bears will at least have an option against the Rams in Jones, who came up in trade rumors before his IR placement.
Prior to Jones’ IR trip, he had started 44 games since his 2022 rookie season. Winning Chicago’s LT job that year, Jones kept it through the end of the 2024 campaign before needing to fend off Trapilo and Benedet for the job in training camp. Jones still prevailed in that competition but had emerged as the weak link on Chicago’s revamped O-line — one that also placed left guard Joe Thuney on the All-Pro team.
It will be interesting to see how the Bears replace Trapilo. Benedet, a 2024 UDFA, started eight games this season. Pro Football Focus, however, graded the Canadian blocker poorly, placing him 74th among qualified tackles this season. PFF slotted Trapilo 34th in his rookie year, making this a situation to monitor ahead of the Bears’ 2-5 matchup with the Rams. This also drops Chicago’s injury activation count to one, even with the NFL granting playoff teams two additional activations. As PFR’s IR return tracker shows, the Bears have used nine total activations this season.
The Bears also signed linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin from the practice squad. The NFLPA president has played in four games with the team this season, including the wild-card matchup.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/17/26
Here are today’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations for the rest of the divisional round of the playoffs:
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: TE Nikola Kalinic
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Leki Fotu
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: S Tanner Ingle, LB Elias Neal
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: CB Alex Austin
- Elevated: RB D’Ernest Johnson, DT Leonard Taylor III
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: T Brandon Parker, DL Sebastian Valdez
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: RB Velus Jones Jr.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/16/26
Friday’s only minor transactions:
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: TE Caleb Lohner, WR Elijah Moore
With one early playoff game tomorrow to kick off the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Broncos have announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations to match Buffalo’s. Moore will have a chance to make his Broncos debut tomorrow. He signed with Denver in early December after spending half the season with the team he’ll be playing against Saturday afternoon.
Bills Activate DT Ed Oliver, WR Curtis Samuel From IR
Buffalo is welcoming back a couple of reinforcements in time for Saturday’s divisional round matchup with Denver. The Bills have activated defensive tackle Ed Oliver and wide receiver Curtis Samuel from injured reserve.
Oliver’s seventh NFL season began auspiciously with a standout performance in a win over the Ravens in Week 1. However, after suffering a foot injury in practice, he missed the Bills’ next four games.
Oliver returned to play in two before tearing his biceps, an injury that forced him to IR on Oct. 28. The 28-year-old ended his regular season with 12 tackles, 11 pressures, seven TFL, five QB hits and three sacks in three games.
Although Oliver was only on the field for 108 defensive snaps during the regular season, Pro Football Focus assigned him a 90.4 grade against the run. Despite largely going without Oliver, the Bills’ defense finished with respectable marks in yards and points allowed (seventh and 12th, respectively). They struggled to stop the run without Oliver, though. Only four teams allowed more rushing yards than Buffalo during the regular season.
The Bills’ problems against the run continued in a wild-card round win over the Jaguars last week. The Jags rumbled for 154 yards on 23 attempts. Oliver’s return should give the Bills a better chance of preventing a similar showing from the Broncos’ ground game this week.
It’s unclear how many snaps Oliver will play following a layoff of two-plus months, especially after he underwent a meniscus cleanup in late December. Assuming he plays Saturday, though, Oliver will rejoin an interior group that also relies heavily on fellow veteran DaQuan Jones and a pair of rookies in Deone Walker and T.J. Sanders.
Samuel, who has been out since mid-November with an elbow injury, has disappointed during the first two seasons of a three-year, $24MM contract. The former Panther and Commander played in six regular-season games in 2025 and caught just seven passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. His return is nonetheless welcome for a Buffalo team whose receiving corps has offered lackluster production all year. Adding to the Bills’ problems at receiver, they lost two contributors, Tyrell Shavers and Gabriel Davis, to torn ACLs in Jacksonville.
Along with activating Oliver and Samuel, the Bills have elevated receiver Mecole Hardman and running back Frank Gore Jr. from their practice squad. Hardman will join Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Brandin Cooks as the Bills’ receivers in Denver.
Gore’s elevation suggests the Bills will go a second straight game without third-down back Ty Johnson, who’s questionable with an ankle injury. Working behind James Cook and Ray Davis, Gore caught one pass for six yards against the Jags.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/15/26
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Los Angeles Rams
- OL Wyatt Bowles, WR Mario Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- LB Jose Ramirez
Pittsburgh Steelers
- OL Doug Nester, WR Brandon Smith