Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/25

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

• Designated for return from IR: LB Jay Higgins

Buffalo Bills

• Designated for return from IR: WR Mecole Hardman

Carolina Panthers

• Designated for return from IR: WR David Moore

Cleveland Browns

• Designated for return from reserve/PUP: LB Winston Reid

Denver Broncos

• Designated for return from IR: LB Karene Reid

Detroit Lions

• Designated for return from IR: T Giovanni Manu

Green Bay Packers

• Designated for return from reserve/PUP: G John Williams
• Placed on IR: LB Micah Parsons (story)

Houston Texans

• Designated for return from IR: LB Darrell Taylor

Kansas City Chiefs

• Placed on IR: QB Patrick Mahomes (story)
• Opened practice window: TE Jake Briningstool, DB Nazeeh Johnson

Las Vegas Raiders

• Signed to active roster: DE Jahfari Harvey

Miami Dolphins

• Signed off Texans’ practice squad: LB Jackson Woodard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Activated from IR: S Rashad Wisdom

Tennessee Titans

• Designated for return from IR: LB Ali Gaye, LB Oluwafemi Oladejo, WR Bryce Oliver

Probably the most overqualified transaction we’ve ever listed in this space, Mahomes is heading to IR for the first time. The superstar Chiefs quarterback suffered ACL and LCL tears and has undergone surgery. Generally, Chiefs IR-return moves are impactful at this stage of the season. In the cases of Briningstool and Johnson, they are returning to practice for a 6-8 team. The Chiefs designated both for return in August, meaning both have already counted toward the team’s eight-activation total. As our IR return tracker shows, Kansas City has not used any other injury activations this season.

Given a one-year, $4.75MM deal by the Texans, Taylor worked as a backup in four games before going down with an ankle injury. Despite his contract, the former Seahawks second-rounder played just 64 defensive snaps before hitting IR.