Garafolo: Jordan Whitehead ‘fully cleared’

The Colts this week dealt DeForest Buckner to the 49ers and Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks in what looks like a fire sale ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline. Taylor could be next if the Colts are ready to go all in on a rebuild in 2027 and beyond. A contender would likely have to part with a second round draft pick if they want Taylor in the coming weeks. Teams that could be suitors for Taylor include the Bengals, Vikings, and Seahawks, all of whom have backfield issues.

Jackson surprisingly missed the Ravens’ Week 7 loss to the Bengals with his lingering ankle injury, which has been described as neither high nor low. “If Jackson’s injury history has taught the football world anything, his timeline to return can be complicated and an extended absence can derail the Ravens’ season,” Hensley said. “But ultimately, the only one who truly knows when Jackson will return is Jackson himself.” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on Tuesday that he expected Jackson to suit up in Week 8 against the Bills. We likely won’t be sure of that until pre-game warmups. Tyler Huntley would continue as Baltimore’s starter if Jackson remains sidelined.

Waddle left Sunday’s game against the Cardinals with the chest injury. It was, according to Rapoport, an “aggravation of his previous chest injury.” Waddle could try to practice later this week, but would appear to be iffy unless he can log a practice session by Friday. If Waddle is sidelined this week against the Chiefs, Courtland Sutton would likely see more targets and become an interesting flex option against a tough KC secondary. Sutton over the past four weeks leads Denver in air yards and has the second most targets behind Waddle.

Tucker will start on the Chiefs practice squad. His signing comes a few days after Harrison Butker missed two field goal attempts against the Seahawks. On the season Butker has missed five of his 16 attempts, and over his past 11 games he’s missed seven kicks. Tucker, who recently competed for the Dolphins kicker job, hasn’t kicked since 2024 in Baltimore, when he missed eight of his 30 field goal tries. The Ravens released Tucker in 2025 after 16 massage therapists accused him of sexual misconduct.

When asked about Parsons’ chances of practicing next week, LaFleur said, “I sure hope so.” He followed that up with, “I’m saying there’s a chance.” Parsons opened the season on the PUP list after an ACL tear late last season. The Packers have a Thursday game for Week 8, leading to a mini-bye where Parsons’ door to practice is at least cracked open.

ESPN’s Rob Demovsky relayed LaFleur’s noncommittal response to questions on Golden’s status. LaFleur said the team hopes Golden plays, but the 23-year-old has been an estimated DNP for the first two practices of the week due to shoulder and foot injuries. With the Packers playing on a short week against the Panthers, Golden’s status will likely rely on the final practice report before a Week 8 Thursday showdown against Carolina.

It’s not the first time they’ve done so this season, so we’re not exactly sure that Demercado is done here. However he was a healthy scratch last night and the Cowboys are looking at activating some players off IR, so it’s possible if Demercado stays it’ll be as part of the practice squad.

He was deemed the best of a huge tryout with Ronnie Bell, Xavier Guillory, Jack Plummer and James Proche. Jones will work as a depth piece in Arizona, and for all you know that hasn’t always been the case.

Buckner exits the Colts the same day Quenton Nelson does. It’s a coup for a 49ers defense that has lacked some oomph in one-on-one situations on the defensive line. Buckner, who was with the 49ers early in his career before being traded to the Colts for a first-round pick, will run it back with his original team. The Colts simply weren’t in a position to ask much for the 32-year-old, as they were capped at receiving only a fifth-round compensatory pick for him due to his age. The 49ers are generating a pretty nice playoff-ready defense assuming (as is always the question in San Francisco) it can get there healthy.

In other words, it wasn’t exactly an endorsement that Jaxson Dart is the franchise quarterback. Dart, out for the year with a meniscus repair, will enter the third year of his rookie contract as the likely favorite to start assuming Nine hasn’t just blossomed into a great quarterback overnight. But it sounds like the Giants are at least open to the idea that McCarthy could alter the calculus here.