Transactions News & Rumors

Bears Place CB Terell Smith On IR, Waive Six Others

As roster cuts continue the Bears get started with a placement on injured reserve and six waivings:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

The Bears lost Smith, a third-year rotation cornerback after the former fifth-rounder suffered a torn patellar tendon in the team’s second preseason game. With his placement on IR before the roster cut deadline and no designation to return, he will officially miss the entire 2025 NFL season.

Some of the players waived, like Glaser and Toure have some NFL experience here and there with other teams, but they didn’t end up sticking it out in Chicago. The Bears have a lot more work ahead of them to get the roster down to 53.

Rams Start Roster Trimming With 11 Players

The Rams got started on working down their roster to the eventual 53 players they’ll open up the season with today. In doing so, they released one veteran and waived 10 other players:

Released:

Waived:

Fields fell in an out of favor over the course of his rookie contract in Cleveland, starting 10 games between his second and third year with the team before getting waived after an ankle injury in Week 1 of last year. He signed a practice squad deal with Los Angeles with hopes of making an impact once healthy. Unfortunately, his opportunity with the Rams won’t be on the 53-man roster, though he may agree to sign back on to the team’s practice squad, since he doesn’t have to go through waivers.

This was Winn’s third stint in Los Angeles, with short stays in the CFL and UFL bridging the other two stints. He has enough familiarity with the team that he may be a name they bring back to the practice squad. No other names here draw much surprise as five of those waived were undrafted rookies.

Browns Release QB Tyler Huntley, CB Tony Brown

Among the Browns’ first moves toward a 53-man roster is the expected departure of Tyler Huntley. The veteran quarterback is being released, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

In addition, Schefter notes veteran corner Tony Brown is being let go. Neither move (both of which are now official) comes as a surprise, of course. Huntley in particular has long been seen as a prime candidate to be released given Cleveland’s commitment to carrying four quarterbacks on the active roster.

Joe Flacco will handle starting duties to begin the 2025 campaign, while veteran Kenny Pickett is set to remain in the fold. Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are not in danger of being cut or traded, meaning Huntley’s departure represents an expected outcome. The 27-year-old has been with Cleveland for two stints, but he has yet to make a regular season appearance for the team.

Huntley will now hit the open market in search of a backup or third-string opportunity elsewhere. He has made 14 starts in his career, including five last season as an injury replacement for the Dolphins. A return to Miami should not be expected in 2025, but other gigs should be available in the near future.

Brown, 30, spent time with the Packers, Bengals and Colts before his debut Cleveland campaign. The former UDFA made six appearances for the Browns in 2024, playing exclusively on special teams along the way. After logging an 81% snap share in that capacity, his absence could be felt this season. Barring a spot on Cleveland’s practice squad, Brown will join Huntley in seeking out a new team in time for Week 1.

No guaranteed money was included in either players’ pact. As a result, Cleveland will create roughly $2MM in cap savings with these moves without any dead money charges being generated.

Bills Begin Roster Cuts

The Bills have begun trimming their roster in advance of Tuesday’s deadline for final cuts. The following seven players have been let go:

Waived:

Waived-injured:

Given the highly inexperienced nature of each player listed, none of these moves comes as a surprise. The first six will hit the wire, and interested teams will have until Wednesday – when practice squads are first constructed – to put in a claim. Failing that, free agency will be in store.

DuBose signed with Buffalo on Tuesday, but his tenure in the organization has proven to be rather short-lived. The 24-year-old will revert to injured reserve once his clears waivers. In situations such as this, the next step is usually a release from IR by means of an injury settlement.

Vikings To Release QB Brett Rypien

The Vikings’ quarterback moves continue. Veteran Brett Rypien is being released, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports.

Minnesota swung a trade with the Eagles earlier today to send Sam Howell to Philadelphia. That move paved the way for Carson Wentz to be signed as the Vikings’ new backup. In the wake of those changes, Rypien is no longer in the picture.

The Vikings are prepared to move forward with J.J. McCarthy as their starter despite the fact he has yet to play in the regular season. Wentz – who visited yesterday and has 94 starts to his name – represents a highly experienced backup. Today’s news means undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will operate as Minnesota’s QB3 in 2025.

Rypien, meanwhile, will hit the open market as teams continue to sort out their rosters ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for roster cuts. The 29-year-old will be free to sign with an interested suitor once his release is official. It would come as a surprise, though, if that were to take place until after the approaching deadline. Today’s cut will free up $1.06MM in cap space for the Vikings without incurring any dead money charges.

A UDFA in 2019, Rypien began his NFL career with the Broncos. He remained in Denver through 2022, making three starts and eight appearances along the way. The Boise State product spent part of the following year with the Rams, making one start for Los Angeles. Rypien signed with Minnesota in 2024; he did not see any game time with the team but was retained via a futures deal in January.

That set up a competition with Brosmer for the third-string role, one which has now been decided. Brosmer is a candidate for the practice squad later this week, whereas Rypien’s future is now uncertain.

Jets Trade DT Derrick Nnadi To Chiefs

2025 appeared to set Derrick Nnadi up for his first career season spent outside of Kansas City. That will not be the case for the veteran defensive tackle, however.

The Jets are trading Nnadi to the Chiefs, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Conditional sixth- and seventh-round picks in 2027 are being exchanged as part of this swap, which is now official. Today’s move means Nnadi, whose entire seven-year NFL career has taken place in Kansas City, will return to a familiar team for the coming season.

The 29-year-old took a one-year pact in March to head to New York. That $1.42MM deal contained marginal guarantees, and the Jets will take on a dead money charge of $168K as a result of this swap. The team will gain $1.03MM in cap space, however.

Today’s trade continues the shuffling along the defensive interior overseen by the Jets in recent days. On Wednesday, a swap was worked out with the Vikings for Harrison Phillips. That same day also saw the acquisition of Jowon Briggs from the Browns. With those new faces in place, New York moved quickly in waiving Phidarian Mathis. Nnadi is also out of the picture just before the deadline for final roster cuts.

Over the course of his time in Kansas City, Nnadi raked up 87 starts across 115 appearances. The three-time Super Bowler winner was also a key figure during the postseason. The Chiefs found themselves in need of an addition along the D-line for early-down work in particular with the regular season approaching. They will rely on a familiar face to fill that void.

Nnadi made between 29 and 48 tackles during his first six Kansas City seasons. The former third-rounder’s production dropped off considerably in 2024, a year in which his defensive snap share fell to a career-low 20%. At least a rotational role will be in store this season upon returning, though. Nnadi’s 2026 value will be determined by his level of play with his former team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/25

Saturday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
  • Waived-injured: S Wande Owens
  • Released from IR: RB Jarveon Howard

Added earlier this month, Hanson suffered an undisclosed injury during Atlanta’s preseason finale yesterday. The 28-year-old being moved to IR now – and thus before using the designated for return option introduced in 2024 becomes a possibility – means he will miss the entire season. Hanson was not a lock to make the Falcons’ roster, of course, but his absence will add further to the team’s absences up front with starting right tackle Kaleb McGary set to miss time.

Falcons Conduct First Wave Of Roster Cuts

With Tuesday’s roster deadline approaching, the Falcons have begun making required cuts. These 12 players were let go on Saturday:

Released:

Waived:

Fox signed with Atlanta early in free agency, and the veteran appeared to be slated to handle a role along the defensive line as a result. Somewhat surprisingly, though, he has been released. Fox played in all three of the team’s preseason contests, a sign he was on the roster bubble. The 30-year-old will now hit the market in search of his next opportunity (which will no doubt present itself after final cuts are made and teams sort out their initial rosters).

DiNucci signed on Monday and by doing so provided the Falcons with a contributor under center for their preseason finale. Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins sat out the contest in preparation for their respective roles as starter and backup in 2025. Unless he is retained via the practice squad, DiNucci will need to look elsewhere while aiming to latch onto an NFL roster.

As a result of today’s moves, the Falcons are down to 77 players on their roster. Like every other team, they will need to bring that total to 53 by Tuesday afternoon.

Jets Begin Roster Cuts

The Jets are the latest team to unveil an early round of roster cuts ahead of the upcoming deadline. Per a team announcement, the following six players have been waived:

Each member of the list will now hit the waiver wire. Usually, a one-day period exists for a claim to be made. At this point on the NFL calendar, however, that timeframe lasts until Wednesday (the day following final roster cuts). As such, each player listed will need to wait several days to learn their fate.

Johnson signed a futures deal with New York in January, whereas Miller and Mullbah were part of the team’s UDFA class. They each received a lengthy look in the organization, but today’s move obviously comes as little surprise as the journey to 53 continues in New York’s case. A spot on the practice squad will of course be possible for any players not claimed next week.

Wilson’s situation will be worth watching. The Florida State product enjoyed a strong campaign in 2024 with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers before attempting to land an NFL roster spot. Provided he reaches free agency by means of not being claimed or signing with the Jets’ practice squad, a trip north of the border could once again be in store.

49ers To Acquire RB Brian Robinson From Commanders

Brian Robinson‘s tenure in Washington is coming to an end as expected. The fourth-year running back will spend the coming season in San Francisco.

The 49ers and Commanders agreed to terms on a Robinson trade Friday, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. A 2026 sixth-round pick will head the other way as a result of the swap. San Francisco had been in the market for a backfield addition, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Efforts to pull off a move have now paid off ahead of roster cutdowns. Washington will retain a portion of Robinson’s 2025 salary ($3.4MM), Garafolo adds.

It recently became clear Washington was looking to move on from Robinson, who did not dress in the team’s second preseason game with a trade looming. The team’s Dan Quinn-Adam Peters regime has been open to a trade since last year, and with a swap now agreed to it will proceed with its other in-house RB options. Washington has veteran Austin Ekeler in the fold along with 2023 draftee Chris Rodriguez and seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who has enjoyed a strong training camp.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Commanders in rushing last year, and today’s deal indicates he will once again be counted on as a central element of the team’s ground game. Expectations are high after Washington made a surprise run to the NFC title game during Daniels’ rookie campaign. Robinson will not play a role in the team’s efforts to duplicate that success, though.

Racking up 570 carries across his three seasons in the nation’s capital, Robinson was a key figure on offense with the Commanders. The former third-rounder saw his touchdown total and yards per attempt figure increase with each passing campaign. That included eight scores and 4.3 yards per carry in 2024. Instead of retaining Robinson on the final year of his rookie pact, however, Washington will proceed with a less expensive backfield.

The Commanders will recoup draft capital in this swap, something which is needed given the number of veterans on their roster. For the 49ers, meanwhile, today’s deal marks another addition on offense for the 2025 season. A trade was worked out on Wednesday for Skyy Moore, giving San Francisco a healthy receiver option. Moore, like Robinson, is a pending 2026 free agent.

The 49ers have Christian McCaffrey atop the RB depth chart, and all parties involved will aim for a healthier season this time around than 2024. After trading away Jordan Masonthe team was in position to have 2024 fourth-rounder Isaac Guerendo handle backup duties. Now, he and Robinson will compete for playing time in the backfield (although using McCaffrey and Robinson on the field together could be an option, per Garafolo). Robinson’s market will of course be dictated in large part by the level of success he has with his new team.

San Francisco entered Friday with with nearly $49MM in cap space. Taking on Robinson will eat into the figure, and it will be interesting to see how much Washington retained on his pact to finalize the trade. The Commanders, meanwhile, should see partial cap savings and thus add to their roughly $17MM in available funds ahead of cutdowns. As both NFC teams prepare for the campaign in the coming days, they will do so with differences in their backfields.