NFL Player News

Matthew Wright was waived in a corresponding move. The Chiefs designated Butker, who missed a month with a knee injury, to return from injured reserve earlier this week and deemed him good to go after logging three limited practices. He has plenty of time to shake off the rust before the playoffs, but may be difficult to trust in his first game back in the fantasy playoffs.

Williams is still recovering from an ACL tear from last November. The 49ers will start him out on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, meaning the second-year pass rusher will miss at least the first four games of the season. Without the 2025 first-round pick in the pass-rush rotation to start the year, the 49ers will rely on Keion White to try and fill the void.

The Chargers made multiple trades, including one right at the roster cuts deadline, freeing up a roster spot for Jefferson. The team was initially expected to cut him before their second trade. Jefferson will remain a depth option for LA’s defense.

Fresh off a national championship with the Hoosiers, Hemby was a “name” UDFA but couldn’t crack the Raiders’ suddenly deep backfield even after Ashton Jeanty’s ankle injury. He will be a candidate for the practice squad. Also waived/released by the Raiders were QB Jacob Clark, DT Brandon Cleveland, OL Braeden Daniels, LS Tyler Duzansky, FB Patrick Gurd, EDGE Jahfari Harvey, OT Niklas Henning, WR Shedrick Jackson, OT Isaish Jatta, S Devin Lafayette, DT Treven Ma’ae, K Kansei Matsuzawa, T Kamar Missouri, CB Caleb Offord, CB Devyn Perkins, C Will Putnam, DE Cian Slone, LB Xavian Sorey, DT Gary Smith, CB Greedy Vance, OT Dalton Wagner, WR E.J. Williams Jr., WR Phillip Dorsett, WR Brandon Johnson, LB Buddy Johnson, LB Cameron McGrone, TE Chris Myarick, RB Dare Ogunbowale, TE Albert Okwuegbunam, LB Segun Olubi and WR Deven Thompkins.

Moore didn’t see much playing time in 2025 after posting 352 yards and three touchdowns for Carolina in 2024. The eight-year NFL veteran will likely wind up on another roster in the coming days. Carolina’s final roster cuts included defensive tackle Elijah Garcia, offensive lineman Jake Curhan, cornerback Robert Rochell, safety Isaiah Simmons, outside linebacker Cam Gill, offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter, quarterback Kyle Trask, tight end James Mitchell, and outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon, cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson, cornerback Cam Miller, safety Demani Richardson, outside linebacker Isaiah Smith, linebacker Maz Mwansa, defensive tackle Parker Petersen, offensive lineman Isaia Glass, cornerback Devonta Smith, linebacker Maema Njongmeta, center Nick Samac, running back Tre Tyus, cornerback Corey Thornton, wide receiver Casey Washington, wide receiver Ja’seem Reed, linebacker Trevin Wallace, and defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte.

McLaughlin could return to the Broncos as a practice squad player. The Broncos also waived DT Israel Antwine, CB Brent Austin, wide receiver Michael Bandy, LS Luke Basso, CB Sean Fresch, DB Ricardo Hallman, OT Reid Holskey, TE Justin Joly, WR Kolbe Katsis, WR Dane Key, WR Joseph Manjack, OLB Dasan McCullough, DT Jordan Miller, OT Tyler Miller, LB Red Murdock, OL Gavin Ortega, S Parker Robertson, WR Cameron Ross, WR Kyrese Rowan, RB Cody Schrader, S Miles Scott, OLB Ron Stone Jr., CB Reese Taylor, OLB Johnny Walker Jr., DT Kristian Williams and LB Taurean York. The Broncos waived LB Drew Sanders with an injury designation. The Broncos released LS Mitchell Fraboni, TE Lucas Krull, FB Adam Prentice, OT Foster Sarell, C Lecitus Smith and OG Calvin Throckmorton. The Broncos placed DT Frank Crum and TE Caleb Lohner on injured reserve with a designation to return, and OG Nick Gargiulo on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Those three players must miss at least four games.

Etienne will be eligible to come off IR at some point during the 2026 regular season. He got some buzz during offseason workouts and training camp but has exceedingly little chance of seeing significant regular season snaps for Carolina. Etienne as a rookie in 2025 had 20 carries for 94 scoreless yards, functioning mostly as a kick returner.

Herbert was a camp body for the 49ers when several of their running backs were banged up, but the room is fairly healthy now. He could wind up on San Francisco’s practice squad. Also waived/released were OL Isaac Alarcon, DL Evan Anderson, TE Khalil Dinkins, DL Bryson Eason, DL Viliami Fehoko Jr., LB Jalen Graham, WR Wesley Grimes, DL Jah Joyner, CB Darrell Luter Jr., QB Adrian Martinez, RB Sincere McCormick, S Patrick McMorris, OL Drake Nugent, WR Will Pauling, CB Jakob Robinson, CB Eli Apple, DL Quinton Bell, S Ashtyn Davis, WR KhaDarel Hodge, WR Trenton Irwin, LB Deion Jones, OL Robert Jones, OL Doug Kramer Jr., DL Ogbo Okoronkwo, OL Brandon Parker, WR Malik Turner, P Corliss Waitman, and LS Jon Weeks.

Brightwell, who played in two games for the Bengals in 2025, won’t make the 53-man roster, though he should catch on with another team ahead of the regular season. The rest of the Bengals’ final roster cuts Sunday included LB Joe Giles-Harris, QB Josh Johnson, S Russ Yeast, LB Liam Anderson, S Daijahn Anthony, G Liam Brown, HB Kentrel Bullock, QB Sean Clifford, OT Andrew Coker, DT Howard Cross III, LB Jack Dingle, DE Isaiah Foskey, LB Eric Gentry, TE Cam Grandy, HB Jamal Haynes, LB Shaka Heyward, DT McKinnley Jackson, DT Jordan Jefferson, WR Xavier Johnson, WR Charlie Jones, OT Christian Jones, TE Josh Kattus, CB Jalen Kimber, CB Bralyn Lux, CB Matthew McDoom, HB Kendall Milton, WR Jordan Moore, DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, WR Kendric Pryor, G Corey Robinson II, WR Noah Thomas. WR Mitch Tinsley, and CB Ceyair Wright

The Packers’ initial 53-man roster will feature three running backs after Josh Jacobs was put on the commissioner’s exempt list. Martinez and Pierre Strong were fighting for a depth spot, but Green Bay chose to trade for Kaleb Johnson instead, releasing both Martinez and Strong. Also waived/released by the Packers were LS Cal Adomitis, T Brant Banks, G Dylan Barrett, CB Shemar Bartholomew, T Dalton Cooper, DT Jaden Crumedy, TE Drake Dabney, CB MJ Devonshire Jr., G Josh Gesky, WR Chris Hilton Jr., CB Domani Jackson, WR Kisean Johnson, EDGE Nyjalik Kelly, S Murvin Kenion III, T/G Darian Kinnard, EDGE Arron Mosby, WR Isaiah Neyor, RB Jaden Nixon; S Mark Perry, WR Kaden Prather, LB TJ Quinn, WR Will Sheppard, CB Jaylin Simpson, DT Nazir Stackhouse, RB Pierre Strong Jr., TE Messiah Swinson, G Dillon Wade, EDGE Arden Walker, and LB Kristian Welch.

An inexplicable third round pick for the Bears in 2022, Jones, 29, won’t make the Seahawks’ 53-man roster despite Zach Charbonnet (knee) starting the season on the PUP list. The Seahawks were Jones’ fifth NFL team. He has 197 rushing yards over 37 NFL games. Seattle’s final roster cuts included T Logan Brown, CB Michael Dansby, T Kellen Diesch, DT Deven Eastern, S AJ Finley, CB Andre Fuller, LB Jalan Gaines, WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr., WR Julian Hicks, S Maxen Hook, DE Aidan Hubbard, LB Jared Ivey, S Tysheem Johnson, RB Justin Jones, LB Marvin Jones Jr., C Federico Maranges, WR Rashad Rochelle, DT Uso Seumalo, LB Jamie Sheriff, DT J.R. Singleton, DT Bubba Thomas, CB Jordan Washington, WR Ricky White III, and RB Jacardia Wright.LB Power Echols, T Amari Kight, FB Brock Lampe and LB Aaron Smith were waived with injury designations.