Chiefs “Calling Around” On WR Depth
The Chiefs have dealt with several notable injuries to their receivers corps through the first month-plus of the season. So, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the front office is searching for some reinforcement at the position ahead of the trade deadline. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Chiefs have been “calling around to see what they can potentially add at the position.”
While RB Kenneth Walker has helped keep Kansas City’s offense afloat, Patrick Mahomes has had to deal with a rotating cast of targets in the passing game. To his credit, the Chiefs still rank just outside the top-10 in passing yards, thanks in part to Travis Kelce’s team-leading 57.2 receiving yards per game (his highest since 2023).
However, the team’s WR grouping is another story. While Rashee Rice is expected to be back in the lineup sooner than later, he’s missed the past two games after exiting Week 4 after only six snaps. Tyquan Thornton stepped up in Rice’s place in Week 4, but he suffered a gruesome ankle injury towards the end of that contest.
Xavier Worthy is the only Week 1 WR contributor who’s appeared in every game for the Chiefs, although the 2024 first-round pick continues to struggle to live up to his draft billing. Otherwise, the team has had to rely on the likes of Jalen Royals, Andrew Armstrong, Cyrus Allen, Justin Watson, and Nikko Remigio…a grouping that combined for only nine offensive snaps through the first four weeks (all via Allen).
The Chiefs have often been active adding to their receivers corps in-season, with Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman, and DeAndre Hopkins representing October acquisitions in recent years. Kansas City still sits atop the AFC despite last night’s loss, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the organization adds to the position over the new few weeks.
Raiders Designate WR Jack Bech For Return
The Raiders will soon welcome back some depth at wide receiver. The team announced that wideout Jack Bech has been designated for return from injured reserve.
Bech landed on IR after suffering a broken forearm in Week 3. While the 2025 second-round pick was trending towards a late-season comeback, he instead returned to practice following a minimum stay on IR. The Raiders will now have three weeks to add Bech to the 53-man roster.
The TCU product didn’t emerge as the Raiders hoped in 2025, as Bech finished eighth on the team in targets. He parlayed those looks into 20 catches for 224 yards. With few players standing in his way heading into 2026, the team was surely hoping for another step in Bech’s sophomore campaign. However, through two-plus games, the receiver was limited to five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown.
When Bech went down with his injury, he was operating as the team’s third WR behind Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor. No one’s truly emerged over the past month, with Cody White being the main beneficiary of Bech’s absence. With TE Brock Bowers still serving as a focal point in the passing game, Bech will likely be eyeing an ancillary role when he does eventually return to the field.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/26/26
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE E.J. Jenkins
- Released: TE Jack Velling
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Ja’Markis Weston
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Jose Ramirez
- Released: OL Jacob Rizy
Commanders Open To Trade Offers?
The Commanders are set to return from their bye in Week 8. They have two games remaining until next month’s trade deadline.
Sitting at 1-4-1 on the year, Washington is not in position to operate as a buyer on the trade front. On the other hand, the team could be willing to entertain a number of offers from contenders over the coming days. The Commanders are “pretty open for business” at this point, Jason La Canfora of Casino Guru News writes.
A seller’s approach to the deadline would come as little surprise. Even in an NFC East which is lacking in juggernauts, Washington’s playoff outlook is not particularly strong. The Commanders’ offense has been without left tackle Laremy Tunsil all season, while receiver Terry McLaurin is out for the remainder of the year. The team has also struggled in several defensive areas and currently ranks 31st in points allowed per game.
One notable name who could emerge as a trade target is defensive tackle Daron Payne. The veteran recorded 11.5 sacks in 2022, earning him the lone Pro Bowl nod of his career. The Alabama product has not come close to matching that figure since, but he’s continued to play a major role on Washington’s defensive line. That includes a 2026 campaign where he’s appeared in about 74 percent of his team’s defensive snaps while tallying 14 stops and one sack.
As our own Adam La Rose recently noted, Payne’s current pact – a four-year, $90MM contract – is set to void in February. That makes the defensive tackle an intriguing rental options for team’s seeking enforcement along the defensive line.
Otherwise, the Commanders could be an option for team’s seeking some depth. As La Canfora notes, the team’s injuries removed a number of intriguing names from the market, but Washington could still be a source for “solid vets who could improve depth on contending teams.”
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Eagles Activate G Landon Dickerson, TE Eli Stowers From IR
As injuries ransack the Eagles’ roster, the two-time reigning NFC East champions are home underdogs against the Cowboys tonight. Tanner McKee, however, will have some reinforcements as he prepares to make his second start in place of Jalen Hurts this season.
The Eagles activated three players from IR ahead of their Week 7 game. Landon Dickerson and tight ends Eli Stowers and Grant Calcaterra are back on the 53-man roster. Because Calcaterra was designated for return in August, his activation was already factored into the Eagles’ regular-season equation. The Dickerson and Stowers’ transactions, however, drop Philadelphia’s activation count to five.
[RELATED: Saquon Barkley Likely To Return In Week 7]
Dickerson played in Week 1 but has been on IR since. A bone bruise in his knee moved the Pro Bowl guard off the roster; Dickerson had said soon after the IR placement he had been battling the issue since training camp and should not have played in the Eagles’ opener. He is now back, but much has changed in Philly during the high-priced left guard’s time away.
Hurts is out for the season because of his much-discussed blood clot issue, and two pillars from the Philly O-line who had lined up with Dickerson to open the season — right tackle Lane Johnson, center Cam Jurgens — are gone. Johnson retired before Week 5, and the Eagles soon traded Jurgens to the Ravens. Dickerson represents a welcome addition to an O-line in flux, but trade rumors have followed him as well.
Dickerson is believed to be disgruntled, and the 28-year-old blocker may be on the trade block. The Alabama product denied reports of retirement consideration this offseason, but the Eagles did remove a season from his contract in a transaction that also brought a pay cut. Dickerson played hurt last season, battling knee and ankle issues. He still played 16 games (counting Philly’s wild-card loss) and was a Pro Bowler from 2022-24. The Eagles have Dickerson tied to what is now a three-year, $58.5MM contract.
The Eagles will at least have three of their Week 1 starting O-line in uniform tonight, with Dickerson joining Jordan Mailata and Tyler Steen. The team will also see what Stowers looks like in game action. Stowers landed on IR before Week 1 with hamstring and quad issues. Philly drafted Stowers in the second round, identifying the Vanderbilt alum as a receiving option. Stowers could become Dallas Goedert’s heir apparent, with the sides agreeing on a one-year deal in March.
Philadelphia will have its top pieces at tight end together for the first time. Goedert returned from injury two weeks ago, but Calcaterra has been on IR all season. A back injury led the Eagles to use an IR-return designation on him in August.
Goedert, Stowers, Calcaterra and Johnny Mundt are in line to be Philly’s tight ends tonight; Zach Ertz is out of practice squad elevations and was not signed to the team’s active roster, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. The Eagles also elevated running back Elijah Mitchell and outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby.
Browns Activate QB Dillon Gabriel From IR
The Browns are carrying a four-quarterback roster once again. Dillon Gabriel is now off IR, per a Monday team announcement. Cleveland waived tight end Carsen Ryan to clear a roster spot.
A Gabriel back injury led the Browns to place him on IR at the August 30 roster-setting deadline. Because Gabriel’s activation already counted toward Cleveland’s regular-season total of eight, the team will not lose one of its IR-return moves via today’s transaction. The Browns have five IR activations remaining during the regular season.
[RELATED: Browns Open To Re-Signing Deshaun Watson]
This activation does not register on the same level it would have at this point last year. Deshaun Watson has, against all odds, solidified the Browns’ starting job this season. Shedeur Sanders has been an afterthought since losing the quarterback competition this summer, and Gabriel will be expected to return to third-string status now that he’s back on the roster.
Gabriel’s IR-return designation in August gave the Browns a path to keeping their four quarterbacks without carrying the quartet on its 53-man roster. Sixth-round rookie Taylen Green joins the more experienced players on the team, and the Browns are planning to keep all four QBs for the time being.
A recent rumor about Sanders’ agent hire being aimed at maneuvering for a trade did not seem to pick up much steam, as the Browns are not expected to move the demoted passer. That said, Watson’s status points to teams wondering about the availability of Gabriel and Sanders before the November 10 deadline.
The Browns drafted Gabriel two rounds before Sanders last year, but the undersized QB fell behind the scrutinized Colorado product last season and was not viewed as being in the middle of the team’s competition this summer. Gabriel finds himself in limbo presently, but he has been practicing for the past three weeks (the Browns had one more day to activate him; otherwise, he would have reverted to season-ending IR). The team will continue to gauge his development, even as Watson has a firm grip on the team’s starting job given his capable play helping the Browns to a 5-2 record.
Cardinals WR Jalen Brooks To Undergo Season-Ending Wrist Surgery
Jalen Brooks took on an increased role in the Cardinals’ offense over the past three weeks. The wideout’s 2026 season has come to an abrupt end, though.
Brooks posted on Instagram Monday that he requires wrist surgery. He will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign while recovering. This news deals a blow to Arizona’s receiver depth not long after the team elected to trade away Marvin Harrison Jr.
Brooks began his career with the Cowboys but did not carve out a full-time offensive role. The former seventh-rounder was cut from Dallas’ practice squad via an injury settlement almost exactly one year ago. That was followed in short order by a taxi squad deal with Arizona. Brooks made five appearances with the Cardinals in 2025 and remained in the fold through the first seven weeks of this season.
In September, the 26-year-old was hardly used on offense while becoming a regular presence on special teams thanks to his work as a returner. Since Week 5, however, Brooks has handled 158 offensive snaps. That substantial uptick in playing time was likely to continue through the remainder of the season. Instead, the South Carolina product will now turn his attention to recovery.
Arizona will move forward with Michael Wilson continuing to operate as the team’s top wideout. Tight end Trey McBride is of course in line to remain a focal point in the passing game as well. The likes of Kendrick Bourne and Devin Duvernay are still in the fold as complementary options on that front.
Brooks is a pending unrestricted free agent. This news will obviously hurt his market value if he is to depart on the open market this spring or the terms of any Cardinals deal which is worked out prior to the start of the new league year.
Chargers Holding Off On Seller Trades; Khalil Mack, WRs Drawing Interest
With the Dolphins beating the Jets in Week 7, the Chargers are the NFL’s only winless team. After consecutive playoff berths, the Bolts have gotten off to one of the most disappointing starts of any team this decade. Naturally, trade calls are coming in.
Teams continue to contact the Chargers as a potential deadline seller, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. While Fowler and ESPN colleagues Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter continue to indicate the team is not planning to deal away pieces and is trying to win, that message — with the team 0-6 and in an alarming funk on offense — is unlikely to offer buyers much true confirmation no one is available.
This is new territory for Jim Harbaugh, who entered the season 5-for-6 in playoff qualification as an NFL head coach. Even Harbaugh’s lone non-playoff-bound team (the 2014 49ers) was 4-3 at that year’s trade deadline. Being a seller may not align with Harbaugh’s mantra, but with his team winless after its bye, the postseason is almost definitely out of reach. Thus, suitors will continue to pursue L.A. options.
Khalil Mack has come up as a trade chip on a few occasions this season, and Rapoport and Schefter indicate interest is expected in the 35-year-old edge rusher. The duo mentions the Bears, who have come up previously about a reunion, as an interested party.
Mack is tied to a one-year, $18MM deal, but only $8MM is tied up in base salary. Around the deadline, an acquiring team would only be responsible for roughly $4MM the rest of the way. That would be a workable rate for a team considering Mack’s talent. The 13th-year EDGE has three sacks and six QB hits this season.
Charger wide receivers are also drawing interest, according to Casino Guru News’ Jason La Canfora. The Bolts have interesting WR pieces in Ladd McConkey, Tre Harris and Quentin Johnston. McConkey being moved would surprise, as he formed an immediate connection with Justin Herbert and operates as the team’s top playmaker. The Chargers have kept Johnston out of trades this year, though rumors have emerged involving the former first-round pick, and they picked up his $18MM fifth-year option for 2027 this offseason. It would be interesting to see if the Bolts were willing to pay down part of Johnston’s option salary to facilitate a deal. A 2025 second-round pick, Harris is signed through 2028.
L.A. has shut down Justin Herbert trade inquiries, though the talented quarterback would obviously bring the biggest return. Tuli Tuipulotu is also unlikely to be dealt, but the contract-year pass rusher has been mentioned in trade rumors.
Harbaugh regularly offers Derwin James effusive praise, and the Bolts gave the All-Pro safety a record-setting three-year, $75.6MM extension this offseason. That through-2029 contract includes fully guaranteed 2027 compensation. James being tied to this contract by Day 3 of the 2027 league year would bring a $13.5MM guarantee on his 2028 compensation. Even at 30, James would command a nice trade haul, and La Canfora again mentions the prospect of the ninth-year vet moving.
If the Chargers cannot show signs of life soon, they will be effectively cornered into a position where they risk not collecting assets when draft capital is in play. They are one of the teams to closely monitor before the November 10 deadline.
Daniel Jones To Remain Colts’ Starting QB
Daniel Jones has made a career out of well-timed solid seasons. After his 2022 season brought a Giants chain reaction that led Saquon Barkley out of town, the quarterback parlayed a strong 2025 start into a transition tag and a lucrative Colts extension.
Like Jones’ New York path, he has regressed after signing a big-ticket deal. Playing on a two-year, $88MM extension, the Indianapolis QB ranks 31st in QBR and carries a 4:7 TD-INT ratio into Week 8. His completion percentage (59.6) has cratered compared to where it was last season (68%), and the Colts have fired the GM (Chris Ballard) who signed off on the Jones signing and subsequent extension.
[RELATED: Colts Paying For Ownership Allowing Ballard Numerous Post-Andrew Luck Recovery Attempts]
Even as rebuild rumors persist post-Ballard, Shane Steichen is not making a change at quarterback. Jones will remain Indy’s starter moving forward, per the fourth-year HC (via Fox 59’s Mike Chappell).
“He’s proven that he can do it, so that’s where the confidence comes from,” Steichen said, via ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder. “And we need to get him back playing to that level that he was last year. It’s taking a little bit longer.”
Jones, 29, had the Colts riding high during the first half of last season. Indianapolis sat 8-2 before its seven-game losing streak, a skid that took place largely without Jones — who suffered an Achilles tear in Week 14. Jones was not cleared for full work until training camp. The QB’s injury history is certainly a concern now, as he has an ACL tear and multiple neck ailments on his medical sheet now. The Colts are staying the course — for now, at least.
The Colts could not find a good trade price to unload Anthony Richardson, who is playing out his rookie contract after the team declined his fifth-year option. Richardson, who requested a trade in March, has thrown two regular-season passes since Jones arrived on a one-year, $14MM deal in 2025. Health, preparation and performance issues have crushed Richardson’s trade value. He remains a name to monitor ahead of this deadline, now that the Colts appear headed toward a significant retooling effort in 2027. As it stands now, though, Richardson — who was charged with marijuana possession last week — remains Indy’s QB2.
Riley Leonard finished last season as the Colts’ starter, after an interesting three-game Philip Rivers experiment, but the 2025 sixth-round pick remains the team’s third-stringer after losing a summer competition to Richardson.
The Jones contract will see a $10MM-plus guarantee vest on Day 5 of the 2027 league year. That money is already guaranteed for injury; it shifts to a full guarantee next March. Should Jones avoid another major injury, the Colts have a window to move on. And dead money likely will not be as big of a concern with a new GM coming in and a rebuild potentially on tap. As of now, though, no bubble-wrap scenario is planned with Jones.
Ravens Sign S Rayshawn Jenkins
Rayshawn Jenkins has not needed to wait long to line up his next gig. Shortly after his Steelers release, the veteran safety is set to remain in the AFC North.
Jenkins has agreed to a deal with the Ravens, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. This will be his third straight contract within the division. Prior to his brief Pittsburgh tenure, Jenkins spent last season in Cleveland. This agreement – on a practice squad deal – is now official.
Baltimore has struggled against the pass in 2026. The secondary has largely been healthy, although safety Jaylinn Hawkins was sidelined through injury during yesterday’s loss. It thus comes as little surprise a midseason addition at that position is being pursued, with Jenkins offering plenty of experience to his latest team.
The 10th-year veteran has made 145 appearances and 93 starts during the regular season. A workload similar to his Chargers or Jaguars campaigns is unlikely since the Ravens have Hawkins, Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks in place at the safety spot. Even so, a depth role for Jenkins could help offer stability to a Baltimore team which ranks 16th in passing yards allowed per game.
This is similar to the Alohi Gilman acquisition made by general manager Eric DeCosta midway through the 2025 season. That trade was aimed at offering stability on the back end and allowing Hamilton to remain one of the league’s most versatile defenders. Jenkins could likewise be viewed as an option for three-safety packages through the remainder of the season as first-year head coach Jesse Minter (who calls plays on defense) looks to lead a rebound on that side of the ball.
Baltimore entered Monday near the bottom of the league in cap space ($2.61MM). That will limit DeCosta’s ability to make notable additions leading up to the November 10 trade deadline, although this Jenkins pact will not have a major impact on finances. His Steelers deal was a one-year contract worth $1.3MM, and it did not include any guaranteed money.
This Ravens agreement will no doubt include a similar low-cost deal. It will be interesting to see if Jenkins will emerge as a regular defensive presence down the stretch or operate primarily as a backup on his newest team.
