The 2025 NFL season will kick off next week, as the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 4 (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC). In preparation, teams were required to finalize their 53-man rosters by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday.

There were several notable cuts, including the Panthers parting ways with wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. And multiple trades took place this week, including the Raiders acquiring quarterback Kenny Pickett from the Browns.

As every team makes cuts official, our NFL Nation reporters will provide live updates on which players didn’t make the roster.

Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

NFC East

Biggest move: With the uncertain status of Micah Parsons for the opener, James Houston (one sack, three hurries and two tackles for loss in 2024) was likely one of the beneficiaries, as Dallas chose to carry six pass rushers on the 53-man roster. Houston has been disruptive in practices and during the games, but can he make it to Week 1 still on the active roster and see playing time? The Cowboys likely will bring back Hakeem Adeniji as their swing tackle and cornerback C.J. Goodwin to the roster as soon as Wednesday, when they can place running back Phil Mafah (shoulder) and cornerback Caelen Carson (knee) on injured reserve/designated to return. — Todd Archer

Traded: OL Asim Richards (New Orleans)

Waived/released: OT Hakeem Adeniji, DL Tommy Akingbesote, LB Justin Barron, OL Nick Broeker, WR Jalen Brooks, DL Earnest Brown IV, OL Saahdiq Charles, OL Geron Christian, S Alijah Clark, OL La’el Collins, WR Jalen Cropper, RB Malik Davis, DT Denzel Daxon, TE Princeton Fant, TE Rivaldo Fairweather, CB C.J. Goodwin, QB Will Grier, CB Kemon Hall, LB Darius Harris, WR Traeshon Holden, LB Buddy Johnson, WR Josh Kelly, CB Christian Matthew, DB Israel Mukuamu, TE Tyler Neville, CB Michael Ojemudia, CB Troy Pride Jr., CB Robert Rochell, S Mike Smith Jr., TE John Stephens Jr., RB Deuce Vaughn, DE Tyrus Wheat

Reserve/injured: WR Jonathan Mingo, DE Payton Turner

Reserve/physically unable to perform: LB DeMarvion Overshown, CB Josh Butler

Reserve/non-football injury: CB Shavon Revel Jr.

---

Biggest move: The Giants cut Tommy DeVito. It was expected and really became a lock when they signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and also drafted Jaxson Dart. DeVito was the fourth quarterback all spring and summer, and the Giants weren’t going to keep four quarterbacks on the active roster. Maybe DeVito lands on the practice squad, but even that seems like a long shot. However, he will have other options. Ihmir Smith-Marsette not getting an opportunity as the returner was significantly more surprising than the DeVito move. Smith-Marsette returned a kickoff for a touchdown — and a punt, as well, even though it was called back because of a penalty — while averaging almost 35 yards per kickoff return in 2024. One would’ve thought that earned him another chance to be the returner. But the Giants instead chose Gunner Olszewski over Smith-Marsette to be their returner to start the season. — Jordan Raanan

Waived/released: QB Tommy DeVito, RB Dante Miller, RB Jonathan Ward, TE Greg Dulcich, TE Jermaine Terry II, CB Tre Hawkins III, CB Dee Williams, DL Elijah Chatman, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter, DL Jordon Riley, DL Cory Durden, DL Elijah Garcia, G Jake Kubas, OL Bryan Hudson, OT Stone Forsythe, K Jude McAtamney, OLB Trace Ford, OLB Tomon Fox, S Raheem Layne, S Makari Paige, WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR Juice Wells Jr., WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey, WR Dalen Cambre, WR Da’Quan Felton

---

Biggest move: The additions of tackle Fred Johnson and quarterback Sam Howell bolster depth at a couple of key areas. No. 2 QB Tanner McKee has earned the trust of the organization, but he suffered a finger injury on his throwing hand late in training camp. Rookie Kyle McCord isn’t ready for NFL action quite yet, so the Eagles turned to Howell, who has 18 career starts under his belt. Johnson spent the past two seasons in Philadelphia before signing with the Jaguars earlier this offseason. With no one emerging at camp this summer, he can step right into the swing tackle role on game day. — Tim McManus

Traded: OL Darian Kinnard

Acquired: OT Fred Johnson, QB Sam Howell

Waived/released: LS Charley Hughlett, OLB Patrick Johnson, T Kendall Lamm, WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CB Parry Nickerson, WR Avery Williams, WR Ife Adeyi, LB Chance Campbell, CB Tariq Castro-Fields (injured), WR Elijah Cooks, LB Lance Dixon, DT Joe Evans, LB Dallas Gant, G Kenyon Green, S Maxen Hook, TE E.J. Jenkins, CB Brandon Johnson, RB Montrell Johnson Jr., TE Cameron Latu, OLB Ochaun Mathis, QB Kyle McCord, WR Taylor Morin, TE Nick Muse, T Hollin Pierce, RB ShunDerrick Powell, OLB Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr., CB Eli Ricks, DE, Jereme Robinson, RB Keilan Robinson, DT Justin Rogers, S Andre’ Sam, WR Ainias Smith, DT Jacob Sykes, T Laekin Vakalahi, CB A.J. Woods

---

Biggest move: Washington’s biggest roster move occurred last week when it traded running back Brian Robinson Jr. to San Francisco. But the Commanders’ most significant move Tuesday was keeping right guard Sam Cosmi on the physically unable to perform list. That means he’ll be sidelined for at least the first four weeks of the season as he continues rehabbing from a torn right ACL suffered in the NFC divisional round in January. Nick Allegretti has been working in his place. The Commanders have been optimistic about Cosmi’s recovery, but it’s an injury that often has a healing timeline of nine to 12 months. — John Keim

Waived/released: WR K.J. Osborn, WR Michael Gallup, WR Chris Moore, WR Braylon Sanders, DE Clelin Ferrell, DE Jalyn Holmes, C Nick Harris, DT Norell Pollard, LB Duke Riley, CB Bobby Price, OL Tyre Phillips, OL Foster Sarell, CB Essang Bassey, QB Sam Hartman, DT Carl Davis Jr., CB Car’lin Vigers, DE Andre Jones Jr., RB Demetric Felton, WR Tay Martin, S Robert McDaniel, TE Cole Turner, RB Kaz Allen, LB Kam Arnold, DT Ricky Barber, TE Lawrence Cager, WR River Cracraft, DT Sheldon Day, C Michael Deiter, CB Antonio Hamilton Sr., OT Bobby Hart, DE T.J. Maguranyanga, OT Timothy McKay, S Ben Nikkel, S Daryl Worley, WR Jacoby Jones, WR Ja’Corey Brooks

Reserve/PUP: RG Sam Cosmi

NFC North

Biggest move: Undrafted free agent wide receiver Jahdae Walker made the Bears’ initial 53-man roster after a strong preseason when he tied for the team lead with two touchdowns, including a walk-off score at Kansas City. His play on special teams earned him the sixth wide receiver spot. Elsewhere on offense, former third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie was among the 10 offensive linemen the Bears kept on the 53 despite his struggles to climb the depth chart. While Amegadjie spent most of his time as the third-string left tackle after returning from a leg injury, general manager Ryan Poles said the Bears have begun experimenting with him at guard. — Courtney Cronin

Waived/released: WR Maurice Alexander, LB Swayze Bozeman, WR Miles Boykin, DB Millard Bradford, RB Brittain Brown, TE Stephen Carlson, DL Xavier Carlton, CB Alex Cook, LB Power Echols, LS Luke Elkin, CB Tre Flowers, DL Jonathan Ford, RB Royce Freeman, DB Mekhi Garner, OL Chris Glaser, TE Thomas Gordon, DB Kaleb Hayes, DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, DL Jamree Kromah, OL Jordan McFadden, OL Joshua Miles, DB Mark Perry, DL Zacch Pickens, WR JP Richardson, QB Austin Reed, WR Tyler Scott, OL Ricky Stromberg, WR Samori Toure, DB Jeremiah Walker, RB Ian Wheeler, TE Joel Wilson

Waived/injured: DB Tysheem Johnson, OL Doug Kramer, OL Bill Murray

Reserve/injured: CB Terell Smith, RB Deion Hankins, CB Shaun Wade

Reserve/injured; designated for return: RB Travis Homer, LB Amen Ogbongbemiga

Reserve/NFI: CB Zah Frazier

---

Biggest move: Coach Dan Campbell certainly feels good about his roster entering the season, calling it his best from top to bottom since he arrived in 2021. But there were a few surprising transactions. After selecting defensive end Ahmed Hassanein in the sixth round for help on the edge, the first Egyptian to be drafted into the NFL was waived with an injury settlement after suffering a pectoral injury. Detroit also released fan favorite Dan Skipper, who was expected to contribute on the offensive line. The Lions still have three roster spots remaining, which means they could be up to something big. — Eric Woodyard

Waived/released: EDGE Ahmed Hassanein, DL Myles Adams, OL Trystan Colon, WR Tom Kennedy, OL Netane Muti, LB Anthony Pittman, OL Dan Skipper, WR Malik Taylor, EDGE Mitchell Agude, CB Luq Barcoo, WR Ronnie Bell, OL Gunner Britton, DL Keith Cooper Jr., CB Allan George, LB DaRon Gilbert, S Erick Hallett, QB Hendon Hooker, TE Zach Horton, RB Deon Jackson, OL Zack Johnson, WR Jakobie Keeney-James, S Ian Kennelly, EDGE Nate Lynn, DL Brodric Martin, WR Jackson Meeks, CB D.J. Miller, OL Mason Miller, OL Michael Niese, S Morice Norris, TE Gunnar Oakes, CB Tyson Russell, RB Jacob Saylors, TE Steven Stilianos, S Loren Strickland, EDGE Isaac Ukwu, CB Nick Whiteside

Reserve/suspended: LB Ezekiel Turner

Reserved/PUP: OL Miles Frazier, DL Alim McNeill, LB Malcolm Rodriguez

Reserve/NFI: EDGE Josh Paschal

---

Biggest move: Someone who had never played his position in the NFL until a few months ago made the team, while a former first-round draft pick and a three-time Super Bowl champ did not. That would be Bo Melton, a wideout-turned-cornerback, who made it, while linebacker Isaiah Simmons (No. 8 pick in 2020 ) and wide receiver/kick returner Mecole Hardman (Super Bowl winner with the Chiefs) did not. Melton competed in 22 games as a wideout over the past two seasons, and he didn’t move to cornerback until the June minicamp. If that was a surprise, then perhaps an undrafted rookie qualifying for the 53 shouldn’t be: Defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse made it 21 straight seasons for the Packers with at least one undrafted free agent on the Week 1 roster, assuming he remains on it for the opener. — Rob Demovsky

Waived/released: RB Israel Abanikanda, DL Deslin Alexandre, DB Johnathan Baldwin, CB Corey Ballentine, T Brant Banks, LB Jared Bartlett, QB Sean Clifford, G Tyler Cooper, RB Tyrion Davis-Price, QB Taylor Elgersma, DL James Ester, WR Mecole Hardman, CB Tyron Herring, WR Julian Hicks, C Trey Hill, RB Amar Johnson, WR Cornelius Johnson, LB Jamon Johnson, CB Kalen King, G J.J. Lippe, TE Johnny Lumpkin, K Mark McNamee, DL Arron Mosby, WR Isaiah Neyor, DL Devonte O’Malley, WR Will Sheppard, LB Isaiah Simmons, DB Jaylin Simpson, G/C Lecitus Smith, TE Messiah Swinson, T Kadeem Telfort, LB Kristian Welch

Reserve/injured (designated to return): RB MarShawn Lloyd, OL Jacob Monk Reserve/injured: S Omar Brown

Reserve/PUP: DL Collin Oliver, WR Christian Watson, G John Williams

---

Biggest move: The Vikings’ most notable decision to date is shaking up the depth at quarterback behind new starter J.J. McCarthy. They traded away presumptive No. 2 Sam Howell, replaced him with free agent Carson Wentz, released veteran Brett Rypien and kept undrafted rookie Max Brosmer as part of their 53-man roster. It is sometimes said that debate over a backup quarterback is irrelevant, because if a starter is injured, then a team’s chances to win will decrease no matter who takes over. In the Vikings’ case, however, a backup would be playing for a team that owners Zygi and Mark Wilf have committed more than $350 million in cash to put on the field. It’s critical that a level of performance be maintained no matter who is behind center. Also, the makeup of a QB room with an inexperienced starter is important. Can Wentz provide the kind of veteran presence that McCarthy would need? — Kevin Seifert

Traded: CB Mekhi Blackmon, QB Sam Howell, DL Harrison Phillips

Acquired: QB Carson Wentz

Waived/released: OL Zack Bailey, DL Travis Bell, WR Silas Bolden, OT Logan Brown, G Henry Byrd, P Oscar Chapman, WR Dontae Fleming, CB Keenan Garber, LB Cam Gill, OL Michael Gonzalez, S Kahlef Hailassie, DL Jonathan Harris, WR Lucky Jackson, WR Jeshaun Jones, G Vershon Lee, WR Robert Lewis, LB Dorian Mausi, OLB Gabriel Murphy, TE Bryson Nesbit, S Gervarrius Owens, S Mishael Powell, TE Giovanni Ricci, QB Brett Rypien, CB Reddy Steward, RB Tre Stewart, DL Taki Taimani, CB Ambry Thomas, WR Thayer Thomas, RB Xazavian Valladay, TE Nick Vannett, CB Zemaiah Vaughn, OT Leroy Watson IV.

Reserve/suspended: WR Jordan Addison

Reserve/injured: OLB Tyler Batty (designated for return), FB C.J. Ham (designated for return)

Reserve/PUP: TE Gavin Bartholomew

NFC South

Biggest move: The Falcons placed starting right tackle Kaleb McGary on injured reserve Tuesday, which was not a surprise. But they did so without designating him to return, which means McGary will be out for the entire season due to a leg injury sustained last week in practice. McGary has been the team’s starter at the position since he was a first-round pick in 2019. He would have had an increased role in 2025 covering the blindside of left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Meanwhile, Storm Norton, McGary’s backup, is out six to eight weeks following ankle surgery. The Falcons acquired tackle Michael Jerrell from the Seahawks in a trade Tuesday. — Marc Raimondi

Acquired: OL Michael Jerrell

Waived/released: WR Nick Nash, TE Joshua Simon, OL Jordan Williams, S Henry Black, OL Joshua Gray, WR Dylan Drummond, CB Dontae Manning, S Jordan Fuller, EDGE Khalid Kareem, OL Brandon Parker, QB Easton Stick, DL Kentavius Street, CB Keith Taylor, OL Jake Hanson, CB C.J. Henderson, DL Simeon Barrow Jr., RB Carlos Washington Jr., RB Jashaun Corbin, CB Cobee Bryant, LB/S Ronnie Harrison Jr., K Lenny Krieg, WR Chris Blair, OL Matthew Cindric, QB Ben DiNucci, RB Elijah Dotson, DL Morgan Fox, LB Caleb Johnson, CB Lamar Jackson, TE Nikola Kalinic, LB Nick Kubitz, WR Jesse Matthews, EDGE Ronnie Perkins, WR Quincy Skinner Jr., S Josh Thompson

Reserve/suspended: None

Reserve/injured: LB Troy Andersen (physically unable to perform), DL Ta’Quon Graham (designated to return), OL Storm Norton (designated to return), OL Kaleb McGary, CB Grayland Arnold, QB Emory Jones, OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr., LB Malik Verdon (non-football injury)

---

Biggest move: Releasing 2021 Pro Bowl wideout Hunter Renfrow in his attempt at a comeback from ulcerative colitis will get the biggest headlines, particularly since the Panthers kept seven wide receivers. But the most significant move is keeping four tight ends in Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans and James Mitchell. It shows the team isn’t sure Tremble will be 100 percent recovered from back surgery after missing most of camp. Look for this number to change once the dust settles. — David Newton

Waived/released: QB Jack Plummer, QB Bryce Perkins, RB Emani Bailey, RB Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams,WR Kobe Hudson, WR Jacolby George WR T.J. Luther, TE Dominique Dafney, OL Steven Losoya, OL Luke Kandra, OLB J.J. Weaver, LB Jacoby Windmon, CB JaTravis Broughton, CB Mello Dotson, CB Tre Swilling, S Jack Henderson, S Isaac Gifford, K Matthew Wright, WR Ja’seem Reed,TE Bryce Pierre,OL Jarrett Kingston, OL Brandon Walton, OL Michael Tarquin, DE Jared Harrison-Hunte, DT Sam Roberts, LB Mapalo Mwansa, CB Shemar Bartholomew, CB Michael Reid, S Trevian Thomas, WR Hunter Renfrow, DT Shy Tuttle, OLB Boogie Basham, LB Krys Barnes, LB Jon Rhattigan.

Waived/injured: G Ja’Tyre Carter, RB Raheem Blackshear (injury settlement)

Reserve/injured: DE LaBryan Ray (designated to return)

---

Biggest move: The Saints released veteran running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Cam Akers, cementing Kendre Miller‘s status as Alvin Kamara‘s backup. Miller, a 2023 third-round pick, had a rough beginning to his career, playing in only 14 games across his first two campaigns. Coach Kellen Moore said everyone, including Miller, had a blank slate in the new coaching regime, and he showed that by having a productive training camp. Moore recently praised Miller for his “steady offseason.” The new running back room consists of Kamara, Miller, rookie Devin Neal and the versatile Velus Jones Jr. — Katherine Terrell

Waived/released: RB Cam Akers, P James Burnip, WR Roderick Daniels Jr., WR Moochie Dixon, DE Jasheen Davis, DE Jeremiah Martin, DE Omari Thomas, OT Josiah Ezirim, OT Jonathan Mendoza, TE Seth Green, TE Michael Jacobson, G Kyle Hergel, G Mike Panasiuk, LB Tyreem Powell, S Terrell Burgess, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, G/C Shane Lemieux, WR Dante Pettis, DE Jonah Williams, WR Kevin Austin Jr., CB Dalys Beanum, S Elliott Davison, DE Fadil Diggs, DE Isaiah Foskey, QB Jake Haener, LB D’Marco Jackson, T Easton Kilty, CB Rico Payton (injured), DT Jayden Peevy, CB Jayden Price, LB Nephi Sewell, K Charlie Smyth, TE Treyton Welch, RB Marcus Yarns

Reserve/injured: DT John Ridgeway III (designated to return), OT Barry Wesley (designated to return), T Landon Young

Reserve/PUP: TE Taysom Hill, TE Foster Moreau

---

Biggest move: The Bucs cut Kyle Trask, their second-string quarterback for the past two years and a former second-round draft pick who also was the last remaining member of Tampa Bay’s 2021 post-Super Bowl draft class. Back then, he was anointed as the potential future of the Bucs; and even two years ago, he competed with Baker Mayfield for the starting job. But when Mayfield missed two practices with a hand injury in early August, it became clear Tampa Bay would not be able to win games with Trask. The team brought in Teddy Bridgewater for the very next practice after a two-day break. Bridgewater was able to throw two touchdowns in that second preseason game to outperform Trask. — Jenna Laine

Waived/released: CB Tre Avery, DL Eric Banks, QB Connor Bazelak, S Will Brooks, DL C.J. Brewer, CB JayVian Farr, CB Tyrek Funderburk, DL Adam Gotsis, WR Garrett Greene, DL Mike Greene, LB Antonio Grier Jr., OT Luke Haggard, CB Bryce Hall, WR Jacob Harris, WR Dennis Houston, DL Nash Hutmacher, DL Dvon J-Thomas, LB Nick Jackson, WR Rakim Jarrett, OL Mike Jordan, C Jake Majors, RB Jase McClellan, OT Tyler McLellan, G Raiqwon O’Neal, G Sua Opeta, WR Trey Palmer, CB Roman Parodie, OLB Warren Peeples, S Shilo Sanders, G Ben Scott, WR Jaden Smith, TE Tanner Taula, QB Kyle Trask, ILB Anthony Walker Jr., DL Desmond Watson, RB Owen Wright.

Reserve/injured: WR Jalen McMillan, S JJ Roberts, David Walker

NFC West

Biggest move: After an impressive camp despite missing time with a leg injury, wide receiver Simi Fehoko was one of the most surprising cuts by the Cardinals. He was consistent during training camp and made plays during preseason games. Veteran running back DeeJay Dallas, who was a key component on Arizona’s special teams last season, was cut after an up-and-down preseason. However, the most meaningful move might have been Arizona keeping first-round pick Walter Nolen III on the physically unable to perform list. It means Nolen can’t return to practice for the first four weeks of the season, and once his 21-day window opens after Week 4, he could miss up to three more games. — Josh Weinfuss

Waived/released: DL Kyon Barrs, LS Aaron Brewer, LB Elliott Brown, OL Jeremiah Byers, RB Michael Carter, OL Jake Curhan, RB DeeJay Dallas, TE Josiah Deguara, WR Simi Fehoko, DL Anthony Goodlow, WR Bryson Green, CB Darren Hall, OL Sincere Haynesworth, CB Jaylon Jones, OL Nick Leverett, OL Royce Newman, WR Tejhaun Palmer, S Jammie Robinson, DL Elijah Simmons, LB Mykal Walker, WR Andre Baccellia, CB Ekow Boye-Doe, TE Oscar Cardenas, OL McClendon Curtis, CB Steven Gilmore, DL Patrick Jenkins, LB Vi Jones, OL Roy Mbaeteka, WR Nate McCollum, QB Clayton Tune, OL Dohnovan West, LB Benton Whitley

Reserve/injured: OL Hayden Conner, OL Christian Jones, LB J.J. Russell. Conner and Jones have been designated to return.

Reserve/PUP: DL Bilal Nichols, DL Walter Nolen III, LB BJ Ojulari

---

Biggest move: The Rams cut inside linebacker Chris Paul Jr., a 2025 fifth-round pick. He missed some time with a calf injury during training camp but played in all three preseason games, including wearing the green dot during the opener as the one relaying the plays from the coach to the defense. The Rams kept four inside linebackers on their initial 53-man roster: Nate Landman, Omar Speights, Troy Reeder and undrafted rookie Shaun Dolac. — Sarah Barshop

Traded: OL KT Leveston

Waived/released: CB Shaun Jolly, OL Willie Lampkin IV, OL AJ Arcuri, OL Wyatt Bowles, WR Tru Edwards, DT Jack Heflin, S Tanner Ingle, CB Derion Kendrick, CB Cam Lampkin, OL Dylan McMahon, OLB Jamil Muhammad, ILB Elias Neal, DL Bill Norton, ILB Chris Paul Jr., WR Brennan Presley, RB Ronnie Rivers, RB Cody Schrader, S Nate Valcarcel, CB Charles Woods, WR Britain Covey, OLB Brennan Jackson, TE Mark Redman, WR Drake Stoops, WR Jordan Waters, TE McCallan Castles, S Malik Dixon-Williams, OL Ben Dooley, DL Decarius Hawthorne, OL John Leglue, OL Mike McAllister, OLB Josh Pearcy, DL Da’Jon Terry, OL Trey Wedig, QB Dresser Winn, ILB Tony Fields II

---

Biggest move: The biggest move for the Niners was keeping wide receiver Jauan Jennings on the 53-man roster. Jennings has yet to return from a calf injury amid a lingering contract issue. The Niners want him back on the field sooner rather than later, but a lucrative extension seems unlikely. The 49ers are extremely thin at the position and need Jennings ready for Week 1 for the offense to be anywhere close to full strength. This is a situation to watch over the next week or longer. — Nick Wagoner

Waived/released: WR Robbie Chosen, OL Michael Dunn, WR Russell Gage Jr., DE Jonathan Garvin, DE Trevis Gipson, DL Bruce Hector, WR Isaiah Hodgins, CB Fabian Moreau, LB Curtis Robinson, LB Chazz Surratt, WR Malik Turner, RB Jeff Wilson Jr., WR Junior Bergen, LB Stone Blanton, DL William Bradley-King, DB Derrick Canteen, CB Dallis Flowers, LB Jalen Graham, S Jaylen Mahoney, OL Drake Nugent, WR Terique Owens, DT Sebastian Valdez, TE Brayden Willis, OL Nick Zakelj, QB Tanner Mordecai, QB Carter Bradley, DL Jaylon Allen, DL Shakel Brown

Reserve/suspended: WR Demarcus Robinson, OT Isaac Alarcon

Reserve/injured: DT Kevin Givens, CB Jakob Robinson

Reserve/PUP: WR Brandon Aiyuk, S Malik Mustapha

Reserve/NFI: QB Kurtis Rourke

---

Biggest move: The Seahawks released Marquez Valdes-Scantling after they couldn’t find someone to trade for the veteran wideout and the $2.5 million that remains on his one-year contract. From a financial standpoint, that had to be a tough move to make since he is guaranteed another $1.5 million on top of his $1.5 million signing bonus. But from a competitive standpoint, it was their only choice absent a trade. Seattle signed Valdes-Scantling to be its WR3 and to help replace some of the speed the offense lost in the DK Metcalf trade. But because Valdes-Scantling doesn’t play on special teams, he couldn’t be any lower than that on the depth chart if he wanted to make the team. Rookie fifth-round pick Tory Horton clearly outperformed Valdes-Scantling over the summer, as did Jake Bobo, Dareke Young and Cody White, all of whom made the 53 behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. — Brady Henderson

Traded: OT Michael Jerrell

Waived/released: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR Ricky White III, WR Tyrone Broden, WR John Rhys Plumlee (injury designation), RB Damien Martinez, RB Jacardia Wright, RB Anthony Tyus III, FB Wesley Steiner (injury designation), TE Marshall Lang, T Amari Kight, T Luke Felix-Fualalo, G Sataoa Laumea, C Federico Maranges, DT Quinton Bohanna, NT Brandon Pili, NT Bubba Thomas, NT J.R. Singleton, DT Anthony Campbell, OLB Tyreke Smith, OLB Seth Coleman, ILB Jamie Sheriff, ILB Patrick O’Connell, LB Alphonzo Tuputala, LB D’Eryk Jackson, LB Josh Ross, LB Jalan Gaines, S Jerrick Reed II, CB Damarion Williams, CB Isas Waxter (injury settlement), CB Shemar Jean-Charles, CB Tyler Hall (injury settlement), CB Keydrain Calligan, LS Zach Triner, WR/KR Steven Sims (injury settlement)

Injured reserve: G Christian Haynes (designated for return)

Reserve/NFI: DE Rylie Mills, NT Johnathan Hankins

AFC East

The Bills placed rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston, a first-round pick, on injured reserve with a designation to return, meaning he will miss at least the first four games. Fellow corner Tre’Davious White, however, is on the 53-man roster, a sign the lower leg injury he sustained Thursday is not significant, even if his Week 1 availability is unknown. Hairston suffered a right lateral collateral ligament sprain at the end of July and had yet to practice. The team is playing it safe with Hairston’s recovery, and his designation helped Ja’Marcus Ingram and Dorian Strong remain on the team. — Alaina Getzenberg

Reserve/injured with designations to return: CB Maxwell Hairston, OL Tylan Grable

Waived/released: DE Paris Shand, DE Nelson Ceaser, DT Jordan Phillips, DT Casey Rogers, DT Marcus Harris, DT Zion Logue, LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB Jimmy Ciarlo, LB Keonta Jenkins, DB Daequan Hardy, DB Zy Alexander, DB Garnett Hollis Jr., CB Dane Jackson, S Darrick Forrest, QB Mike White, QB Shane Buechele, OL Travis Clayton, OL Rush Reimer, OL Kendrick Green, OL Mike Edwards, OL Richard Gouraige, OL Dan Feeney, OL Jacob Bayer, TE Zach Davidson, TE Matt Sokol, TE Keleki Latu, RB Frank Gore Jr., RB Elijah Young, WR Laviska Shenault Jr., WR KJ Hamler, WR Kristian Wilkerson, WR Stephen Gosnell, WR Deon Cain

Reserve/suspended: DE Michael Hoecht, DT Larry Ogunjobi

Waived/injured: WR Grant DuBose

---

It was a surprise to see cornerback Mike Hilton‘s release, considering his prior starting experience. But the Dolphins have been impressed by rookie Jason Marshall Jr.’s progress at the nickel position, and he could very well be the team’s Week 1 starter. Miami also parted ways with several recent draft picks, including Erik Ezukanma, Channing Tindall, Patrick McMorris and Mohamed Kamara. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Waived/released: RB Mike Boone, RB Aaron Shampklin, WR Andrew Armstrong, WR Theo Wease Jr., WR Erik Ezukanma, WR AJ Henning, TE Chris Myarick, TE Pharaoh Brown, TE Hayden Rucci, OL Mason Brooks, OL Addison West, OL Braeden Daniels, OL Josh Priebe, OL Bayron Matos, OL Jalen McKenzie, OL Jackson Carman, OL Ryan Hayes, DL Alex Huntley, DL Ben Stille, DL Matt Dickerson, LB Channing Tindall, LB Grayson Murphy, LB Mohamed Kamara, LB Eugene Asante, LB Quinton Bell, LB Dequan Jackson, LB Derrick McLendon, CB Cornell Armstrong, S Patrick McMorris, S John Saunders Jr., CB Mike Hilton, CB BJ Adams, CB Ethan Robinson, CB Cameron Dantzler Sr., CB Kendall Sheffield

Reserve/suspended: CB Kader Kohou, CB Artie Burns, RB Alexander Mattison, OL Germain Ifedi, OL Yodny Cajuste, OL Obinna Eze, TE Jalin Conyers, CB Jason Maitre, OL Liam Eichenberg

---

Biggest move: When the Patriots selected LSU outside linebacker Bradyn Swinson with the 146th pick of the 2025 draft, they expressed surprise he was still available. Pass rushers who had production like that of Swinson (8.5 sacks) usually aren’t around in the fifth round. So, it also was a surprise to see Swinson among the team’s cuts. While undrafted OLB Elijah Ponder (Cal Poly) clearly had carved out a niche on defense and special teams, the Patriots seemed to be in position to keep both developmental outside linebackers. The possibility of Swinson returning on the practice squad bears watching if he clears waivers. — Mike Reiss

Waived/released: CB Miles Battle, TE Jaheim Bell, RB Micah Bernard, DT Philip Blidi, CB Isaiah Bolden, G Mehki Butler, G Jack Conley, CB Brandon Crossley, TE CJ Dippre, S Marcus Epps, TE Cole Fotheringham, RB JaMycal Hasty, OT Demontrey Jacobs, RB Terrell Jennings, WR John Jiles, OLB Truman Jones, C Alec Lindstrom, WR Phil Lutz, CB Kobee Minor, LB R.J. Moten, DT David Olajiga, DT Kyle Peko, CB Jordan Polk, LB Monty Rice, LB Cam Riley, DT Jahvaree Ritzie, G Tyrese Robinson, K Parker Romo, TE Gee Scott Jr., G Sidy Sow, OLB Bradyn Swinson, RB Shane Watts, WR Jeremiah Webb, QB Ben Wooldridge

Reserve/injured: WR Ja’Lynn Polk, G Layden Robinson, LB Jahlani Tavai (designated to return)

---

Biggest move: The trade for former Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips should help the run defense. He is a first- and second-down run plugger who likely will start alongside Quinnen Williams in New York’s base front. This was a good get for first-year GM Darren Mougey, who surmised that his affordable additions from the offseason in Byron Cowart and Jay Tufele weren’t enough. Mougey didn’t address the need at wide receiver, hoping rookie Arian Smith could provide energy to a group that, save for Garrett Wilson, is lackluster. The decision to waive wideout Malachi Corley, a 2024 third-round selection, had been building for months, so it was hardly a surprise. Incumbent wide receiver and return specialist Xavier Gipson got the nod over impressive rookie Jamaal Pritchett. — Rich Cimini

Acquired: DT Harrison Phillips, DT Jowon Briggs

Traded: DT Derrick Nnadi.

Waived/released: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, S Dean Clark, DB Jordan Clark, QB Brady Cook, CB Bump Cooper, WR Malachi Corley, LB Jamin Davis, RB Donovan Edwards, DE Michael Fletcher, OT Liam Fornadel, CB Mario Goodrich, T Samuel Jackson, TE Neal Johnson, DE Kingsley Jonathan, TE Zack Kuntz, G Kohl Levao, DB Tanner McCalister, K Harrison Mevis, WR Dymere Miller, S Jarius Monroe, DT Fatorma Mulbah, DT Payton Page, WR Jamaal Pritchett, LB Jackson Sirmon, WR Quentin Skinner, LB Boog Smith, WR Brandon Smith, RB Lawrance Toafili, T Carter Warren. DE Eric Watts, G Leander Wiegand, WR Ontaria Wilson.

Injured reserve: DT Byron Cowart, LB Ja’Markis Weston (designed for return).

Reserve/PUP: WR Irvin Charles

AFC North

Biggest move: The Ravens did not place tight end Isaiah Likely on injured reserve. That means Lamar Jackson has a shot at throwing to one of his favorite targets in the first month of the season, which represents the toughest part of the Ravens’ schedule (at Buffalo, home against Cleveland and Detroit, and at Kansas City). Likely suffered a foot fracture at the end of July, and he has yet to return to the practice field. If he had been placed on IR, he would have missed at least the first four games. Now, Likely could be available as soon as the Sept. 7 season opener. Last season, Likely recorded career highs in receptions (42), receiving yards (477) and touchdown catches (six). — Jamison Hensley

Waived/released: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, TE Jahmal Banks, S Beau Brade, WR Malik Cunningham, TE Baylor Cupp, OL Darrian Dalcourt, OL Garrett Dellinger, CB MJ Devonshire Jr., RB Myles Gaskin, CB Thomas Graham Jr., WR Xavier Guillory, OLB Malik Hamm, OT Reid Holskey, S Desmond Igbinosun, S Keondre Jackson, RB D’Ernest Johnson, DL Jayson Jones, WR Keith Kirkwood, LB William Kwenkeu, QB Devin Leary, OL Gerad Lichtenhan, ILB Chandler Martin, WR Anthony Miller, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DL Adedayo Odeleye, NT CJ Okoye, OL Jared Penning, DL C.J. Ravenell, CB Marquise Robinson, OL Nick Samac, FB Lucas Scott, DE Brent Urban and TE Scotty Washington

Injured reserve: OLB Adisa Isaac (designated for return) and WR Dayton Wade

Reserve/NFI: OL Emery Jones Jr. (shoulder).

Reserve/PUP: S Ar’Darius Washington (Achilles).

---

Biggest move: Cincinnati opted to keep just eight offensive linemen in its initial cuts. Depth has been a major issue, especially at right guard. Players who scraped out spots on the back end of the 53-man roster, such as safety PJ Jules and rookie defensive tackle Howard Cross III, could be at risk as the team seeks out depth on the waiver wire following its initial cuts. Coach Zac Taylor has not named a starting right guard but believes that player is on the roster. Don’t be surprised if Cincinnati looks to add at that position — and potentially at safety too. — Ben Baby

Waived/released: RB Gary Brightwell, CB Jalen Davis, LB Joe Giles-Harris, LS Cal Adomitis, OT Devin Cochran, OT Andrew Coker, OT Caleb Etienne, DE Raymond Johnson III, S Jaylen Key, OL Jaxson Kirkland, CB Bralyn Lux, WR Jamoi Mayes, TE Tanner McLachlan, C Seth McLaughlin, RB Kendall Milton, WR Jordan Moore, LB Maema Njongmeta, WR Kendric Pryor, QB Desmond Ridder, DE Isaiah Thomas, OL Cordell Volson, DT McTelvin Agim, CB Nate Brooks, WR Cole Burgess, RB Quali Conley, S Shaquan Loyal, WR Rashod Owens, C Andrew Raym, CB Lance Robinson, OL Andrew Stueber, QB Payton Thorne, LB Craig Young.

Reserve/injured: S Daijahn Anthony, DE Cedric Johnson.

Reserve/PUP: TE Erick All Jr.

---

Biggest move: The Browns on Monday traded quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Raiders for a 2026 fifth-round pick. Pickett was the first signal-caller whom Cleveland acquired in the offseason as it reshaped the position room, but a hamstring injury put him out of consideration for QB1. The move clears the path for the Browns to evaluate rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders at some point this season. — Daniel Oyefusi

Traded: QB Kenny Pickett

Acquired: OT KT Leveston

Waived/released: CB Chigozie Anusiem, OT Jackson Barton, CB Tony Brown II, TE Sal Cannella, G Javion Cohen, WR Chase Cota, WR Kaden Davis, S Christopher Edmonds, OT Sebastian Gutierrez, DE KJ Henry, DT Ralph Holley, CB Christian Holmes, K Dustin Hopkins, QB Tyler Huntley, CB LaMareon James, WR Kisean Johnson, CB Keenan Isaac, T Jason Ivey, DT Sam Kamara, WR Diontae Johnson, DE Titus Leo, RB Ahmani Marshall, WR Cade McDonald (LB Marvin Moody, S Nik Needham, DE Julian Okwara, CB Darius Rush, RB Pierre Strong Jr., LB Charlie Thomas III, T Lorenzo Thompson, G Dartanyan Tinsley, TE Mitch Van Vooren, C Bucky Williams, RB Trayveon Williams, T Kilian Zierer

Reserve/injured: LB Winston Reid

Reserve/PUP: QB Deshaun Watson

Reserve/NFI: WR David Bell

---

Biggest move: Perhaps the most surprising move ahead of the cut-down day deadline was the Steelers’ decision to keep punter Corliss Waitman over veteran Cameron Johnston. The Steelers signed Johnston to a three-year, $9 million contract in free agency a year ago, but Johnston sustained a season-ending injury in Week 1. Waitman took over from there, and the two battled throughout training camp before Waitman beat out Johnston. The other significant move is one the Steelers didn’t make — or haven’t made yet. The team released veteran Robert Woods and didn’t add another wide receiver by the roster-reduction deadline, but they could still land one on the waiver wire or through a trade. — Brooke Pryor

Waived/released: LB Eku Leota, DB Beanie Bishop Jr., DB Sebastian Castro, DL DeMarvin Leal, OL Dylan Cook, WR Ke’Shawn Williams, DL Domenique Davis, WR Brandon Johnson, DB Chuck Clark, DB James Pierre, OL Max Scharping, RB Trey Sermon, WR Robert Woods, LB Kenny Willekes, LS Jake McQuaide, DB Kam Alexander, DB Quindell Johnson, S Kyler McMichael, DB Mikey Victor, OL Doug Nester, OL Julian Pearl, QB Logan Woodside, RB Evan Hull, TE Kevin Foelsch, K Ben Sauls, LB Mark Robinson, LB Julius Welschof, DB D’Shawn Jamison, DB Daryl Porter Jr., DT Kyler Baugh, OL Steven Jones, OL Aiden Williams, RB Lew Nichols, TE JJ Galbreath, WR Max Hurleman, P Cameron Johnston

Reserve/injured: CB Cory Trice Jr. (designated for return)

AFC South

Biggest move: Running back Joe Mixon went on the non-football injury list with an ankle injury. Mixon was a Pro Bowler in 2024 for the Texans. Now, Houston is without its star back — and there’s no clear indication how long he will be out. Mixon’s camp and the Texans have been very quiet about his health and a potential return. — DJ Bien-Aime

Traded: OT Austin Deculus

Waived/released: WR Quintez Cephus, QB Kedon Slovis, S Myles Bryant, LB Nick Niemann, CB Damon Arnette, TE Luke Lachey, FB Jakob Johnson, LB Jackson Woodard, LB K.C. Ossai, LS Blake Ferguson, DE Solomon Byrd, DT Junior Tafuna, C Eli Cox, OT Conor McDermott, OG LaDarius Henderson, WR Daniel Jackson, DE Casey Toohill, OT Trent Brown, CB D’Angelo Ross, RB J.J. Taylor, CB Arthur Maulet, TE Dalton Keene, S Jalen Mills, TE Harrison Bryant, S Russ Yeast, Jawhar Jordan, DT Haggai Ndubuisi, OT Jaylon Thomas, OT Zach Thomas.

Reserve/suspended: (IR) WR Cornell Powell, (PUP) WR Tank Dell, (NFI) CB Alijah Huzzie, (NFI) RB Joe Mixon, (IR) TE Irv Smith Jr. (PUP) DT Kurt Hinish, (PUP) Denico Autry, S Jaylen Reed (Designated to return)

---

Biggest move: The Colts released 2023 second-round pick — and Indianapolis native — JuJu Brents in a bit of a surprise move. The cornerback had dealt with injuries the past two seasons, seeing action in only 11 of a possible 34 games. He missed a significant chunk of practice time in camp this month because of a hamstring injury and also was not considered a scheme fit in coordinator Lou Anarumo’s system. The Colts made two cornerback acquisitions in the past week, signing free agent Xavien Howard and trading for Minnesota’s Mekhi Blackmon. — Stephen Holder

Waived/released: LB Austin Ajiake, WR Ajou Ajou, QB Jason Bean, RB Ulysses Bentley IV, CB JuJu Brents, LB Jake Chaney, DT Devonta Davis, LB Solomon DeShields, T Marshall Foerner, C Wesley French, DE Marcus Haynes, RB Khalil Herbert, CB Alex Johnson, T Marcellus Johnson, WR Tyler Kahmann, CB Chris Lammons, DE Isaiah Land, DE Desmond Little, TE Maximilian Mang, CB BJ Mayes, TE Sean McKeon, DE Durell Nchami, RB Nate Noel, WR Coleman Owen, WR Landon Parker, CB Duke Shelley, G Josh Sills, WR Blayne Taylor, S Ladarius Tennison, WR Laquon Treadwell, K Maddux Trujillo (waived-injured), DT Josh Tupou, LB Joseph Vaughn, C Mose Vavao, S Trey Washington, CB Samuel Womack III, TE Jelani Woods, RB Nay’Quan Wright

Reserve/injured (designated for return): LB Jaylon Carlies

---

Biggest move: The Jaguars had trouble stopping the run in 2024, allowing 132.6 yards per game, which ranked 25th in the league. They needed major improvements up front, so they reworked the defensive line. Jacksonville cut tackles Jordan Jefferson and Tyler Lacy — fourth-round picks in 2024 and 2023, respectively — in favor of undrafted free agents Danny Striggow (Minnesota) and BJ Green II (Colorado). The Jaguars kept 11 D-linemen, including a pair of 10-year vets in Arik Armstead and Austin Johnson as well as Khalen Saunders, whom they acquired via trade last week. — Michael DiRocco

Waived/released: OL Tremayne Anchrum, TE Shawn Bowman, WR Chandler Brayboy, WR Cam Camper, DL James Carpenter, OL Jerome Carvin, DE Myles Cole, LB Branson Combs, TE John Copenhaver, DL Ethan Downs, OL Javon Foster, RB Kevin Harris, QB Seth Henigan, TE Patrick Herbert, WR Trenton Irwin, RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, DT Jordan Jefferson, DT Tyler Lacy, WR Darius Lassiter, OL Ricky Lee, CB Keni-H Lovely, TE Quintin Morris, DB Jabbar Muhammad, LB Chad Muma, CB De’Antre Prince, DL Keivie Rose, DB Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, WR Dorian Singer, DB Doneiko Slaughter, S Daniel Thomas, DB Aydan White, QB John Wolford, OL Sal Wormley

Waived/injured: WR Eli Pancol

Reserve/injured (designated to return): LB Jalen McLeod

Reserve/injured: CB Caleb Ransaw

---

Biggest move: The biggest news was the release of wideout Xavier Restrepo. Despite being the Miami Hurricanes‘ all-time leading receiver in multiple categories and Cam Ward‘s top target, Restrepo signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent. Restrepo started off well in OTAs and minicamp, but that early success wasn’t duplicated at training camp. The wide receiver group didn’t have space for Restrepo, who worked mostly in the slot but played only 42 snaps across three preseason games. — Turron Davenport

Waived/released: LB Brian Asamoah II, S Kendell Brooks, TE Drake Dabney, OT Jaelyn Duncan, LB Ali Gaye, DT Cam Horsley, RB Jermar Jefferson, WR Mason Kinsey, RB Jordan Mims, TE Thomas Odukoya, DT Isaiah Raikes, WR Xavier Restrepo, OT Andrew Rupcich, TE Josh Whyle, G Brenden Jaimes, LB Blake Lynch, CB Amani Oruwariye, WR James Proche II, QB Trevor Siemian, DE Carlos Watkins

Reserve/injured: RB Tyjae Spears (designated for return)

AFC West

Biggest move: Perhaps it wasn’t the biggest surprise when the Broncos waived cornerback Damarri Mathis, since they used a first-round pick on cornerback Jahdae Barron in April. Mathis was a 2022 fourth-round pick by Denver who had started 18 games over the past three seasons. In the end, Barron’s arrival and the starter-quality play of Kris Abrams-Draine — a fifth-round pick in 2024 — throughout training camp and the preseason cost Mathis his roster spot. Running back Audric Estime (fifth round, 2024) and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (fifth round, 2022) are two other Denver draft picks who got caught in the squeeze of the team’s improvement. — Jeff Legwold

Traded: WR Devaughn Vele (to the Saints)

Waived/released: CB Micah Abraham, LB Levelle Bailey, WR Michael Bandy, T Marques Cox, WR Joaquin Davis, DT Michael Dwumfour, QB Sam Ehlinger, RB Audric Estime, OLB Andrew Farmer, S Sam Franklin Jr., WR Courtney Jackson, TE Caleb Lohner, CB Damarri Mathis, C Joe Michalski, NT Jordan Miller, OLB Garrett Nelson, CB Quinton Newsome, WR Jerjuan Newton, WR A.T. Perry, CB Joshua Pickett, FB Adam Prentice, TE Caden Prieskorn, CB Jaden Robinson, WR Kyrese Rowan, G Will Sherman, S Keidron Smith, CB Reese Taylor, G Calvin Throckmorton, G Xavier Truss, LB Jordan Turner, S Delarrin Turner-Yell, RB Blake Watson, LB Garret Wallow, G Clay Webb.

Waived/injured: DT Kristian Williams.

Injured/reserve: FB Michael Burton (full season)

Reserve/injured: LB Drew Sanders (short-term)

---

Biggest move: The Chiefs, in a rare scenario, kept eight wide receivers in Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Nikko Remigio, Jason Brownlee and rookie Jalen Royals. One could argue the Chiefs did so in case Rice agrees to a shortened suspension with the league, one that is different from what the NFL initially wanted, which was at least an eight-game punishment. As of now, Rice is expected to have his disciplinary hearing with the NFL on Sept. 30 in New York. If nothing changes before then, quarterback Patrick Mahomes could have six wideouts in uniform in Week 1 against the visiting Chargers. Remigio would be the top returner, and Thornton would be on the bench in case of an injury. — Nate Taylor

Released: LB Cole Christiansen, S Mike Edwards, NT Mike Pennel, TE Robert Tonyan, DT Marlon Tuipulotu

Injured reserve: TE Jake Briningstool, LB Brandon George, CB Nazeeh Johnson

Reserve/NFI: RT Ethan Driskell

Waived: QB Chris Oladokun, QB Bailey Zappe, RB Michael Wiley, FB Carson Steele, WR Hal Presley, WR Elijhah Badger, WR Jimmy Holiday, WR Mac Dalena, WR Key’Shawn Smith, TE Geor’Quarius Spivey, TE Tre Watson, G C.J. Hanson, OT Chukwuebuka Godrick, G Dalton Cooper, LT Esa Pole, G Joey Lombard, DT Coziah Izzard, DT Fabien Lovett Sr., DE Nate Matlack, DE Owen Carney, LB Xander Mueller, CB Ajani Carter, CB Azizi Hearn, S Glendon Miller, CB Jacobe Covington, CB Kevin Knowles, CB Melvin Smith Jr., S Major Williams

---

Biggest move: The Raiders addressed their need for a backup quarterback on the eve of final cuts by acquiring Kenny Pickett from the Browns. The 2022 first-round pick competed for the starter job in Cleveland before it was awarded to Joe Flacco. Now, Pickett joins Las Vegas after backup Aidan O’Connell fractured his wrist in the preseason finale. Clearly, Geno Smith is the starting quarterback. However, Pickett fills the need of an experienced quarterback whom Carroll wanted to play behind Smith. Pickett has competed in 30 games across his career, making 25 starts. — Ryan McFadden

Waived/released: LB Amari Gainer, RB Chris Collier, RB Sincere McCormick, TE Qadir Ismail, DE Andre Carter II, DT Zach Carter, DE Jahfari Harvey, DE Ovie Oghoufo, WR Justin Shorter, TE Albert Okwuegbunam, WR Ketron Jackson Jr., WR Alex Bachman, OT Dalton Wagner, DT Keondre Coburn, OT Gottlieb Ayedze, LB Jaylon Smith, WR Marquez Callaway, WR Phillip Dorsett, WR Collin Johnson, CB Sam Webb, DE Jah Joyner, LB Michael Barrett, DT Tank Booker, S Hudson Clark, OT Parker Clements, C Jarrod Hufford, CB John Humphrey, CB Greedy Vance, OL Laki Tasi, CB JT Woods, TE Carter Runyon, WR Tommy Mellott, S Trey Taylor, S Terrell Edmunds, QB Cam Miller, WR Shedrick Jackson, DT Treven Ma’ae, LB Matt Jones

Reserve/injured: S Lonnie Johnson Jr. (designated for return)

---

Biggest move: Los Angeles activated running back Najee Harris off the non-football injury list to the active roster, a sign he could be ready to play in the season opener. Harris hasn’t practiced with the team since he signed with the Chargers in March. An eye injury caused by a fireworks mishap landed him on the NFI ahead of training camp. But GM Joe Hortiz said during the Chargers’ final preseason game that Harris was “on track” for Week 1, and this move supports that. Harris is crucial to turning around a Chargers rushing offense that was below average last season. — Kris Rhim

Waived/released: CB Harrison Hand, QB Taylor Heinicke, S Tony Jefferson, LB Kana’i Mauga, RB Nyheim Miller-Hines, LB Del’Shawn Phillips, WR Jalen Reagor, T David Sharpe, G Karsen Barnhart, DB Trikweze Bridges, WR Dalevon Campbell, DL TeRah Edwards, WR Luke Grimm, OLB Kansas Kylan Guidry, DL Christopher Hinton, WR JaQuae Jackson, LB Emany Johnson, G Nash Jones, C Josh Kaltenberger, TE Stevo Klotz, OLB Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, T Ryan Nelson, CB Myles Purchase, OLB Garmon Randolph, WR Brenden Rice, RB Raheim Sanders, CB Nehemiah Shelton, DL Nesta Jade Silvera, T Corey Stewart, G Branson Taylor, QB DJ Uiagalelei, RB Kimani Vidal, TE Thomas Yassmin

Acquired: OL Austin Deculus

Reserve/injured: LS Josh Harris (designated to return), CB Deane Leonard (designated to return), LB Junior Colson

Waived/injured: WR Jaylen Johnson, S Jaylen Jones, RB Jaret Patterson

Growing up about 20 miles outside Toronto, Denzel Clarke received an early education in the art of the home run robbery. Every night during the summer, Clarke flipped on the television to watch the Toronto Blue Jays, specifically center fielder Kevin Pillar, whose ability to hoist his body up the 10-foot wall at Rogers Centre and steal would-be home runs from unsuspecting batters won him cult-hero status and an adoring fan who dreamed one day of mimicking him.

One week after making his major league debut with the Athletics in late May, the 25-year-old Clarke traveled home for a series with the Blue Jays. Rogers Centre had been gussied up since his childhood — and the fence in center had shrunk by two feet — but that did nothing to lessen Clarke’s desire to do what his childhood exemplar did best. When Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk smashed a ball to center field on May 30, Clarke burst toward the wall, dug his right foot halfway up, braced himself with his right hand and, for a split second, hung on the fence, like an oversized Elf on the Shelf. Perched firmly, Clarke casually stuck his left arm in the air, secured the ball before it breached the fence and returned to the field with one of the highlights of the 2025 season.

It was the 27th time this year an outfielder had stolen a home run from a hitter. There have been 42 more since. For anyone who has been inundated with seemingly nightly alerts of homers taken away and wondered whether robberies are growing more frequent in 2025, they are. Outfielders are on pace to surpass the record for robberies in a season — 76, achieved in each of the past two seasons — and it’s not just superathletes like the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Clarke. He is simply one of the best in a generation who has responded to changes across baseball by making one of the game’s most exciting — not to mention valuable — plays look easy.

“The more you play baseball, the more things become intuitive,” Clarke said. “There’s a quote I really like: ‘Thinking merges with instincts and transforms into intuition.’ When you play the game for so long, it becomes who you are.”

Clarke forged that identity less than two weeks later, when he nearly flipped over the center-field fence at Angel Stadium while taking away a home run from Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Within his first month in the major leagues, Clarke engendered Pillar-level admiration thanks to his incredible defense — and, in particular, his recidivism at long ball thievery. Every inning presented an opportunity for Clarke to join the annals of home run robbers extraordinaire.

And that’s the beauty of an occurrence that forces an entire ballpark to pause in unison, awaiting the outfielder’s body language to tell the story. Hung heads connote failure. Blissful reactions abound at success, whether it’s Ken Griffey Jr. sprinting away from the Yankee Stadium wall he climbed to filch a home run or Mike Trout pounding his chest after bouncing off the Camden Yards wall to burgle J.J. Hardy. Whether it was Gary Matthews Jr. pirouetting after robbing a home run with his back to home plate, Endy Chavez stealing a surefire Scott Rolen home run in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, Adam Jones taking one away from his then-Orioles teammate Manny Machado during the 2017 World Baseball Classic or DeWayne Wise saving Mark Buehrle’s perfect game in the ninth inning, the history of home run robberies is rich and storied.

“Having one taken away from you — you’re thinking about it for a couple days,” Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll said. “But then you’re on the other side of the ball. There are just certain people that have an innate trait for being able to track both the wall and the ball. The quick look back, the proprioception — to know where your body and the wall’s at, keep your eye on the ball, then jump. It doesn’t come across as difficult as it really is.”

Thanks to shorter fences (in height and distance), a greater frequency of fly balls, better defensive positioning and less foul territory to cover, outfielders are redefining the robbery. They’re not always as exciting as Clarke’s pair, but in today’s game, anyone with a sense of timing and respectable vertical leap can muster it. Of the 763 robberies tracked by Sports Info Solutions since 2012, left fielders have accounted for 209, right fielders 209 and center fielders 345. There’s no advantage for familiarity — 383 have been made by players at home and 380 on the road — nor a discernible benefit difference between right- and left-handed hitters getting robbed.

All you really need is a dollop of courage and willingness to follow the rules of robbing a home run, as told by Clarke himself.

---

Rule No. 1: Prepare

Before every pitch is thrown, Clarke walks in a circle and reminds himself of the situation — count, outs, who’s pitching, who’s hitting, where the catcher is set up, the body language of all the parties — to glean as much information as he can. Because every one of those factors, he said, allows him to be where he needs to be if the opportunity for a home run robbery arises.

“The beginning is the most important, the cornerstone for the whole play,” Clarke said. “Knowing the situation — the pitcher on the mound, what type of hitter is at the plate — dictates everything. If something breaks down at the beginning, it will be broken at the end.”

Clarke’s preplay routine wasn’t always so locked in. His supreme athleticism usually made up for the areas in which he lagged. Effort can differentiate good and great, though, and Clarke never wanted to settle, so he dedicated himself to mastering the most granular fundamentals, even after he had earned a reputation as an elite center fielder.

“One thing I really worked on coming into this year is a preparatory step, like a tennis player or infielder,” Clarke said. “I used to be flat-footed, which isn’t bad. But since I’m a bigger guy, I need to create as much momentum as I can.”

Clarke’s constant movement borders on twitchiness, and yet he almost always finds himself in the same spot, 320 feet from home plate. It’s eight feet farther back than the average center fielder stood a decade ago — and still two feet short of the major league average this season.

The attention to detail is symbolic of the modern game. Never has there been so much information available and the best outfielders are taking advantage of it long before the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. More and more teams have positioned their outfielders deeper — Milwaukee, the best team in baseball and one whose operating philosophies are steeped in analytics, has its center fielders stand a major league-high 330 feet from home — in part to shorten distances to the wall.

“People are playing deeper,” Carroll said. “If you ask an outfielder, it’s a lot easier to run fast to your side or in rather than run close to straight back with your head turned tracking the ball. If you’re deeper, when there’s a ball where the wall comes into play, you don’t have to be running full speed into it.”

Every day when Carroll arrives at the stadium, in his locker is a sheet laden with information from fly balls the previous game: his jump times, his routes, the probability of a catch. The knowledge of each offers areas for tangible improvement. And yet they’re just part of a whole sequence of events that needs to go right for a robbery to come to fruition.

---

Rule No. 2: Move in the right direction at the crack of the bat

Two steps. That’s all it takes for Clarke to know where a ball is going to land the moment it leaves the bat. Perhaps this sounds farfetched. It isn’t. What separates elite outfielders from the ordinary is the ability to run to a specific patch of grass — or clod of dirt on the warning track — based on a read from more than 300 feet away. All those little nuggets of information Clarke seeks before the pitch inform his route.

“A lot of things contribute to it,” he said. “The location of the pitch. The type of pitch. If it’s a breaking ball, it’s going to backspin more. I don’t mind quiet crowds, because I can get information from the sound it makes on the crack of the bat.”

From there, instinct takes over. Clarke has always been fast, his childhood filled with lessons on efficient movement taught by his mother, former Canadian Olympic heptathlete Donna Smellie. Organizing his body in space got trickier toward the end of high school, when Clarke sprouted nearly six inches and “went through a phase where (he) was Bambi. No control. Figuring out how to sync up (his) body. It’s taken some time.” He went to Cal State Northridge to play in college and later linked up with Clance Laylor, a strength coach who helped him develop into a fourth-round pick by the A’s in 2021.

Even in the time Clarke has been in organized baseball, outfielders have seen their duties increase as teams have leaned into a home run-heavy approach. From 2015 to 2020, the fly ball rate in the major leagues jumped from 33.8% to 35.7%. Since then, the increase has been even more dramatic, up to 38.5% this season. Already more fly balls have been hit in 2025 than all of 2015 — and teams have nearly 30 games remaining in the season.

The emphasis on doing damage in the air has pervaded the game and made defensive wizardry in the outfield much more imperative. Brilliant young defenders have filled the vacuum, particularly in center field. The Chicago Cubs‘ Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seattle‘s Julio Rodriguez, Boston‘s Ceddanne Rafaela, St. Louis‘ Victor Scott II, Texas‘ Wyatt Langford — all are elite defenders, and not one is older than 24.

Each has a signature robbery, too. Langford got Giancarlo Stanton. Scott got Juan Soto. Rodriguez got Fernando Tatis Jr. (who has a major league-best three home run robberies of his own this season). Rafaela got the carom of a ball his teammate Wilyer Abreu was trying to rob in perhaps 2025’s most unique theft. And Crow-Armstrong ended a game and stunned the home crowd by snatching a Max Muncy moonshot back from the Dodger Stadium bleachers.

PCA CALLS GAME.

CATCH OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE? pic.twitter.com/cChYVrt8S0

— MLB (@MLB) September 11, 2024

As hyped as Crow-Armstrong was in the aftermath of the thievery, it didn’t exactly surprise him. Like Clarke, he’s a devotee to the rules of home run robbery, and his read off the bat — 99.3 mph, 35-degree launch angle — let him get to the right place at the right time.

“You just saw the height of the ball,” Crow-Armstrong said, “and you kind of understood it right away.”

---

Rule No. 3: A route needs rhythm

Major League Baseball’s Statcast system can measure almost anything on the field, and in recent years it added every movement made by outfielders to its reservoir of numbers. Want to know who’s best at coming in on a ball? Washington center fielder Jacob Young (who, like Tatis, also has three robberies this year). How about side to side? Crow-Armstrong, to both his right and his left. Tatis saves more runs going straight back than any outfielder.

Statcast also quantifies an outfielder’s jump, based on his reaction time (the first 1.5 seconds of movement) and burst (the next 1.5 seconds) to help determine how well outfielders cover ground while chasing down balls. In those three seconds, Rafaela averages 39.3 feet, a full foot ahead of Crow-Armstrong, more than two feet beyond Clarke — who’s still top five in the sport — and 10-plus feet beyond Michael Conforto, who ranks last among qualified outfielders.

If the jump at bat crack is about pure speed output, the next phase is a marriage of science and art. The science is about understanding trajectories, ball flight and the optimal route to the landing spot. The art is mastering pacing, timing, tempo — and recognizing what course of action each fly ball warrants.

“If it’s a high flier and you have the ability to time it, get yourself in rhythm to get to the wall,” Clarke said. “But there are some balls hit way too hard to have time to think. So you’re just going to have to get back there and do what your body tells you to do.”

Rhythm, Clarke said, comes from toggling between tracking the ball in the air and running with conviction toward the anticipated landing area. Inside of Clarke’s head, he tries to find the ball at least three times before attempting to catch it.

“There’s a cadence when tracking a fly ball,” Clarke said. “At the beginning, the ball is hit, and in my mind it feels like the clock is ticking. It’s like boom, 2, 3, 4. I look back at the ball and there’s more rhythm. How many looks I’m going to take depends on the stadium.”

At Wrigley Field, for example, Clarke knows he won’t be climbing any fences. Hidden behind the ivy on the outfield wall are layers of bricks. Between that and the height of the wall — 16 feet in left field, 11 in center and 16 in right — Wrigley is a dead zone for robberies, the only big league park without one since Sports Info Solutions started keeping track. Clarke is nonetheless awed by Crow-Armstrong: “He’s so efficient with everything. You see him make some plays by the wall at Wrigley, there’s just an innate feel there.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Baltimore‘s Camden Yards, the host of a major league-high 69 robberies over the past 14 years. After moving back their left-field fence more than 25 feet and raising its height by six feet, the Orioles this year returned to dimensions similar to previous ones, including walls as short as 6-foot-11 at some points.

“Camden Yards’ wall is low enough where you can actually kind of get up there,” said center fielder Cedric Mullins, who spent parts of eight seasons with the Orioles before being dealt to the Mets last month and is tied with Young and Tatis for the big league robbery lead this season. “So robbing a home run does depend on the stadium. Because if the wall’s too high, you’re never going to do it. … More walls should be lowered to make balls robbable. It’s fun.”

---

Rule No. 4: Do not fear the wall

No matter the padding, the ability to distribute force, the height — as low as four feet at Dodger Stadium — a wall is still a wall. It is intended to be sturdy, to stand strong as giant men hurtle their bodies into it. Walls are not for the faint of heart.

“It’s all a mental thing,” Clarke said. “I think the outfielders that separate themselves are the ones comfortable working by the wall. Everyone can get a good jump. Everyone can take a good route. But when guys get toward the wall, they get nervous.

“When I get to the track, I’ve made my final look. I know where I’m going to have to plant my foot on the wall. When I plant it, I’m putting it in and launching myself in whatever direction the ball tells me. The one at Angel Stadium I had to go more to my left than usual.”

When playing in left field in Anaheim, where the wall is five feet, or right, where it’s 18, the calculus is different. In left, there’s no need to launch, and in right, there’s launching to steal only an extra-base hit and not a homer. The eight-foot wall in center provided the perfect canvas for a robbery, and the distribution of robberies concentrated so strongly among center fielders has as much to do with the average height of their wall (8.4 feet) compared to left (10.3 feet, slightly skewed by the Green Monster) and right (11.4 feet, with four walls 20-feet tall or higher). The consequences of not knowing these dimensions down to the slightest detail can be dire.

“The challenging part is if it’s going to hit off the wall, going to be right in front of the wall, shortly over the wall or quite a ways over the wall,” Kansas City center fielder Kyle Isbel said. “You don’t want to jump up on the wall and make a play if the ball is still on the field. The wind plays a huge factor in that, obviously, because you don’t really necessarily know, but I would say the nice nights where there’s not really wind, you have a pretty good idea of being able to do that.”

As if the wall and the wind weren’t enough, there are more factors to consider. While warning tracks attempt to serve their stated purpose, they are different in almost every park, from their composition to their size. As much as Clarke likes looking back multiple times, other outfielders find their target and sprint to it without so much as a glance. And then there’s the issue of plant-foot confidence when outfielders try to Spider-Man a wall.

“Sometimes the cleat hits,” Mullins said, “and it slips right off.”

And, of course, you can’t forget glove-squeeze fidelity, either.

“I’ve had a good amount of balls where I go up and rob ’em,” Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor said, “and I’m going so fast that when I’m coming back, it slingshots. The ball flies out of my glove.”

All of the potential hazards remind that even as home run robberies near an all-time high, they’re not some paint-by-numbers exercise. Stealing out of thin air a ball traveling at speeds around 75 mph by the time it reaches the fence — after running at a dead sprint for 75 or so feet and contorting one’s body– is perilous.

“A lot of guys make it look super easy,” said Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who spent most of last season in center field for Miami. “It’s harder than it looks.”

---

Four years later, Clarke still hasn’t seen a replay of what he believes is his best-ever robbery. It was March 21, 2021, his final year at Northridge. The Matadors were hosting a powerful Cal Poly team that featured future Mariners All-Star Bryan Woo, right-hander Drew Thorpe (who was later traded in separate deals for Juan Soto and Dylan Cease) and shortstop Brooks Lee, who would go eighth to Minnesota in the 2022 draft. In the eighth inning of a blowout, Lee smoked a fly ball to center. Clarke tracked it, scaled the wall and snagged it just in time.

Clarke doesn’t believe video of the robbery exists, and that’s fine by him. He knows there will be plenty more, and those will be captured and shared across social media. He’s already among the14 players with multiple MLB robberies this season. Clarke, who is currently on the injured list with an adductor strain, has a long way to catch the leader since 2012, Trout, who has kept 14 balls from landing over the fence.

#OnThisDay: June 27, 2012

Mike Trout made a catch for the ages. Presented by @timelesshaskin. pic.twitter.com/bJmsMrLG0c

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) June 28, 2020

Being the robber certainly beats being the casualty. Twice this year Schanuel, Texas shortstop Corey Seager, Philadelphia outfielder Max Kepler, Atlanta designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and Seattle first baseman Josh Naylor have been victimized by robberies. It is a particularly unnerving feeling for those who enjoy robbing to realize they’re experiencing the fear they generate in hitters that don’t want to be on the wrong end of a highlight clip that gets replayed ad nauseam. Crow-Armstrong felt that pain six weeks ago, when he lofted a fly ball at Yankee Stadium toward the short porch in right field. The 6-foot-7, 282-pound Aaron Judge leapt, squeezed and thieved.

“I knew I’d have a chance,” Crow-Armstrong said, “but then the power forward for the Knicks came and took it away.”

The hard feelings from robberies never completely wear off. If you’ve been robbed, you remember. You carry it with you. And when you hit a fly ball that’s in the rob zone, you hope that the outfielder gets a bad read or is feeling a little slow that day or fears the wall or the wind carries it just out of reach. Or, simply, that someone like Clarke isn’t the outfielder waiting at the fence.

Some unfortunate hitter will be the next to place a ball where the A’s outfielder can again put his rules to practice. And his reputation will only grow. Crow-Armstrong might win the Platinum Glove this season, and Scott might be faster, and Rodriguez might be flashier, and Rafaela might be on a better team, and Langford might be a better hitter. When it comes to robbing home runs, though, in a moment when it’s happening more frequently than ever, there is an undisputed king, crowned after all of 47 games in the big leagues.

“That Denzel Clarke dude,” Taylor said. “Whoa.”

ESPN MLB reporters Jorge Castillo and Jesse Rogers and ESPN Research’s Lee Singer and Garrett Gastfield contributed to this story.

As September approaches, teams are mostly split into three categories: those preparing for the playoffs, those trying to make a run at contention and those whose focus has turned to next season.

There’s still a fair amount to play for within those groups. The clubs that are pretty safely in playoff positions are still battling for postseason positioning, whether in the wild-card race (the Yankees and Red Sox) or in division races (the Dodgers and Padres).

The second group — those trying to play their way into a postseason berth — has shrunk considerably, as more and more squads have fallen out of their wild-card races. And that third group? By now, it probably includes at least half of the teams in the majors.

So where does your favorite club stand with the final month of the regular season around the corner?

Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Jesse Rogers, Jorge Castillo and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 21 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings

---

Record: 83-51
Previous ranking: 1

Nearly one in every eight Brewers victories this season has come in walk-off fashion, including two in their past six games. The bad news is the bullpen has given up a couple of leads lately, but Milwaukee still has players it can rely on late in games, such as William Contreras, who blasted a walk-off home run against the Giants in the ninth inning Friday and sent a sold-out home crowd into a frenzy. A few days later, rookie Isaac Collins sent a ball deep enough for a sacrifice fly to topple the Diamondbacks in the ninth, setting off a similar party in the stands. Finding the right thing to happen at the right moment continues to be Milwaukee’s way this season. — Rogers

---

Record: 77-57
Previous ranking: 4

The Dodgers placed Alex Vesia, one of their best and most frequently used relievers, on the injured list Tuesday, but the expectation is he’ll only miss the minimum amount of time. Soon, they hope, they’ll be about as close to whole as they’ve been all season. Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates and Enrique Hernandez returned off the IL in recent days, while Max Muncy, Tommy Edman and Michael Kopech are not far behind. It’s why the Dodgers believe their best baseball might still be ahead of them. And given that the Padres have the easiest remaining schedule in the majors, it probably needs to be. — Gonzalez

---

Record: 78-57
Previous ranking: 3

Riley Greene‘s first grand slam came on the longest home run a Tigers player has hit since Statcast began tracking them 15 years ago. It traveled 471 feet, clearing the center-field batter’s eye in Sacramento on Tuesday night. The Tigers lost that game to the A’s, but Greene’s blast was an indication of the power strides he has taken in his age-24 season.

“I think he’s really hitting his stride in the big leagues,” Tigers teammate Kerry Carpenter told MLB.com. “No one ever doubted the fact that he had this kind of pop, so it’s the fact that he’s getting the ball in the air and putting good swings on good pitches.” — Gonzalez

---

Record: 76-57
Previous ranking: 2

Baseball is secondary when it comes to Zack Wheeler‘s health scare, and the silver lining is that he is expected to return to previous form in 2026 after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. But it’s a huge blow to the Phillies’ 2025 World Series chances, as Wheeler was having another Cy Young-caliber season. The Phillies still have Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez, but the rotation — the team’s strength — won’t be as dominant in October without Wheeler. — Castillo

---

Record: 78-56
Previous ranking: 5

It’s early, but the Blue Jays’ gamble on Shane Bieber looks promising. The 2020 Cy Young Award winner, acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline, was dynamite in his season debut Friday. He held the Marlins to one run on two hits with nine strikeouts and no walks over six innings in his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. With Bieber, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Eric Lauer, Jose Berrios and Max Scherzer as starting options, the first-place Blue Jays are shaping up to be a threat in October. — Castillo

---

Record: 76-57
Previous ranking: 6

There isn’t enough time or space here to describe the run rookie starter Cade Horton is on. Let’s start with his ERA since the All-Star break: It’s a miniscule 0.49. We could stop right there, but how he’s doing it is even more impressive. The Cubs are limiting his pitches in the second half considering this is his first full year in the big leagues, which has made him focus even more on throwing strikes. And he’s done it in a big way. In two of his starts this month, Horton threw a combined 141 pitches, including a whopping 111 for strikes. And his in-the-zone stuff is lights out. He’s an ace in the making. — Rogers

---

Record: 75-59
Previous ranking: 7

Mason Miller headlined the Padres’ epic trade deadline haul, but among the new additions, there has been no bigger difference-maker — throughout the sport, perhaps — than Ramon Laureano, the veteran outfielder acquired from the Orioles alongside Ryan O’Hearn. Laureano hit a first-inning grand slam in a wild victory against the Mariners on Tuesday and is slashing .315/.370/.598 with six home runs since joining the Padres at the end of July. The Padres’ offense is in desperate need of slug, especially with Jackson Merrill back on the IL. Laureano is providing it. — Gonzalez

---

Record: 74-60
Previous ranking: 11

Boston’s trio of Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito makes for a dangerous rotation in a short playoff series, but the Red Sox must get there first and the back end of their group is tenuous. Dustin May, the fourth starter, has been inconsistent since he was acquired from the Dodgers at the trade deadline, and the fifth spot is unclaimed. Walker Buehler recently relinquished the post and moved to the bullpen. His replacement, Richard Fitts, went on the IL on Wednesday with an arm injury. The remaining options are both in Triple-A: Kyle Harrison, acquired from San Francisco in the Rafael Devers trade, and Payton Tolle, the organization’s top pitching prospect. — Castillo

---

Record: 73-60
Previous ranking: 8

Aaron Judge‘s elbow injury — and the mystery surrounding his return to the outfield — and Anthony Volpe‘s substantial struggles are creating angst among Yankees fans, but Cam Schlittler has been an overlooked revelation. The rookie right-hander has a 2.76 ERA in eight starts behind a triple-digit fastball and encouraging pitching to complement it. A strong finish could land the Massachusetts native in the Yankees’ postseason rotation, slotted behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. — Castillo

---

Record: 73-60
Previous ranking: 9

Carlos Correa is settling in nicely in his return engagement with the Astros, piling up the base knocks this month. He just had a 10-game hit streak and has had three multihit games over the past week as Houston scored 26 runs in three straight wins over the Orioles. Since being acquired, Correa has covered for the loss of Isaac Paredes, hitting nearly .350 in August while helping keep the Astros at the top of the AL West. The trade might just prove to be the move Houston needed for another October run. — Rogers

---

Record: 72-62
Previous ranking: 10

The Big Dumper made history last week, hitting home runs No. 48, 49 and 50 in a span of two days against the Braves and Padres and breaking the record for most home runs by a primary catcher — and he still has a month to keep adding to it. The AL MVP race might come down to the final handful of games as Raleigh has caught Aaron Judge in WAR. If Raleigh gets enough of a bonus because of the position he plays, he’ll win it. If voters simply believe Judge is better due to a variety of other offensive categories, it’ll be his. — Rogers

---

Record: 72-61
Previous ranking: 12

Jonah Tong will make his major-league debut Friday against the Marlins, following in Nolan McLean‘s footsteps from Double-A to Triple-A to Queens this season. Tong’s rise, however, was quicker than the Mets could have imagined. The Canadian right-hander wasn’t invited to big-league camp and made just two starts for Triple-A Syracuse. But his sustained dominance this season — 11⅔ scoreless innings for Syracuse and a 1.43 ERA overall this season — pushed the front office to make the move as veterans Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea continue to struggle. — Castillo

---

Record: 68-66
Previous ranking: 13

The Reds just can’t seem to get over the hump in the wild-card race — they’ve been on the outside looking in for quite some time, behind the Mets for the final spot. It won’t get any easier, either, as Cincinnati possesses the second-toughest remaining schedule in MLB after already losing series to the Diamondbacks and Dodgers over the past week. The month of September includes visits from the Blue Jays and Mets, followed by another West Coast trip to San Diego and Sacramento before getting the Cubs for four at home late in the month. It feels like the Reds will end up where they are now: above .500 and a good team, but not a playoff one. — Rogers

---

Record: 69-65
Previous ranking: 15

Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh have been absorbing all the MVP talk in the AL, understandably so, but Bobby Witt Jr. has quietly put together another MVP-caliber season. It might not be as splashy as last year, but his numbers — a .298 batting average, .855 OPS, 19 homers, 34 steals, 21 outs above average and 6.6 FanGraphs WAR — seem good enough for a third-place finish. And if the Royals somehow surge to a playoff spot in September, maybe — just maybe — he moves up. Witt, at least, is trending upward; his .959 OPS in August is his highest of any month. — Gonzalez

---

Record: 68-67
Previous ranking: 16

The Rangers need to decide if they’re in the playoff hunt because time is running out on them. Reaching .500 is a start but they haven’t exactly gone on a run for the postseason in the second half. They remain on the outside of the postseason race due to massively inconsistent play, mostly at the plate, while dealing with a blow to their pitching staff as Nathan Eovaldi was lost for the season with a rotator cuff injury. With a strength of schedule in the top 10 most difficult the rest of the way, Texas needs a mini miracle in order to play in October. — Rogers

---

Record: 64-69
Previous ranking: 17

Junior Caminero recently hit four home runs over three games, ballooning his total to an astounding 39 in his first full major league season. Only Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber, Shohei Ohtani, Eugenio Suarez and Aaron Judge have more in 2025. But Caminero’s production is historic beyond that: The Rays third baseman is already tied for fourth all time in home runs by a player in his age-21 season or younger. Eddie Matthews set the mark with 47 homers in 1953. Caminero is within striking distance with the entire month of September remaining. — Castillo

---

Record: 66-66
Previous ranking: 14

It was only recently that the Guardians looked as if they were in the midst of a surprising run at the playoffs. On Aug. 15, they sat six games above .500 and a half-game out of a wild-card spot. Then they got swept by the Braves, dropped two of three to the Diamondbacks and, in what might end up being the death knell to their season, were swept over the weekend in Texas. On Monday, in the midst of a fourth straight loss, Guardians starter Tanner Bibee was captured pacing the dugout and delivering an impassioned message to teammates before being pulled aside by Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who told reporters afterward, “Everybody’s frustrated.” — Gonzalez

---

Record: 65-69
Previous ranking: 20

The D-backs’ slide has brought with it reports — most notably from The Arizona Republic — that at least some segments of the organization have grown dissatisfied with the effort and availability of star second baseman Ketel Marte, triggering speculation that he might be traded over the offseason. Marte is arguably the best player at his position and should once again garner MVP votes. He’ll turn 32 in October, but his contract — signed just four months ago — is team-friendly, paying him $91 million over the next five years with an $11.5 million player option for 2031. It’ll be fascinating to see what happens there. — Gonzalez

---

Record: 65-69
Previous ranking: 19

Though Willson Contreras got suspended this week — his temper tends to flare up every so often — he’s put together a solid season as he begins the second portion of his career as a non-catcher. In fact, he’d held his own at first base while compiling a decent offensive year, which includes 19 home runs and a .341 on-base percentage. He’s on pace to be about a 3.0-WAR, player which is about what he’s been since arriving in St. Louis in 2023. The Cardinals wanted to use this season to better understand their roster. Contreras gives them some certainty. — Rogers

---

Record: 65-68
Previous ranking: 18

The Giants no longer have much to play for, but their fans got to watch Justin Verlander reach a cool milestone Tuesday, recording his 3,516th strikeout to move past Walter Johnson for ninth on the all-time list. Verlander is 42 years old, and these past few weeks have exemplified the inconsistency that comes with pitching at this age. He navigated a 15-inning stretch in which he allowed just one run, then served up 11 hits to the Nationals, bounced back with seven scoreless against the Rays, gave up seven runs in 4⅓ innings against the Padres and then responded, most recently, with six innings of two-run ball against the Cubs. — Gonzalez

---

Record: 62-71
Previous ranking: 23

The Marlins’ playoff chances are all but dashed, but they’re better than they were projected to be and have the opportunity to play spoiler over the final month with Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera and Eury Perez atop their rotation. Miami has seven games against the Mets and six against the Phillies down the stretch, so while the Marlins won’t play in October, they have a real chance to impact the postseason. — Castillo

---

Record: 61-72
Previous ranking: 24

Drake Baldwin‘s emergence has been a bright spot in an ugly season in Atlanta. The rookie catcher, who is batting .279 with 14 home runs and an .803 OPS, has a 124 OPS+ and 2.2 fWAR, both of which rank sixth among all rookies. While the Cubs’ Cade Horton and the Brewers’ Isaac Collins have shorter odds to win NL Rookie of the year, Baldwin is in contention heading into the final month. Regardless, his performance this season could push the Braves to move veteran catcher Sean Murphy during the offseason, with Murphy owed $15 million each of the next three years. — Castillo

---

Record: 62-71
Previous ranking: 21

Taylor Ward‘s power continues to increase every season as he reached 30 home runs over the weekend for the first time in his career. He’s established himself as a prototypical 2025 slugger — lots of strikeouts mixed in with some walks and then the long ball. His career .248 batting average is reflective of his ability, though this season it’s down to .232. Moving forward, he’s a player you can count on but not necessarily one to build an offense around. If he decreases his strikeout-to walk-ratio, he becomes more dangerous. — Rogers

---

Record: 60-73
Previous ranking: 22

Samuel Basallo is the marquee name who received the life-changing contract extension, but he wasn’t the only premier Orioles prospect called up recently. Dylan Beavers debuted the day before Basallo and looks the part. In nine games, the 24-year-old outfielder, a first-round pick out of Cal in 2022, is 11-for-32 with four doubles, a home run and eight walks. Baltimore continues producing position players. Pitching, however, is another matter. — Castillo

---

Record: 63-72
Previous ranking: 26

Lawrence Butler had a tough week at the plate (he’s had one too many of those this season), surpassing 150 strikeouts on the year after whiffing just 108 times last season. He’s played in more games this year but hasn’t shown the same dominance at the plate, compiling an OPS+ under league average after finishing at 130 in 2024. His strikeout-to-walk ratio, which is in line with last season, might need to improve before he can take the next step for the Athletics. — Rogers

---

Record: 60-73
Previous ranking: 25

A Twins season heading nowhere — and a fan base still angry at the Pohlads for maintaining ownership — received a much-needed bright spot Tuesday, when Mickey Gasper, a 29-year-old former 27th-round pick, ignited a four-run rally with a ninth-inning home run. Heading into that game, his major league career consisted of seven hits in 79 at-bats. And yet he was stoic after his first home run.

“My dad always told me to act like you’ve done it before,” Gasper said in an on-field interview. “Mickey Mantle puts his head down and runs around the bases. Mickey Gaspar should, too.” — Gonzalez

---

Record: 59-75
Previous ranking: 27

It’s rare to see the Pirates at the top of the league in any hitting categories but that’s where they find themselves over the past week as they demolished Colorado in a sweep and kept it up at the plate in a tougher environment in St. Louis. Pittsburgh was just behind the Mets in OPS during that time frame, as seven different players hit home runs over the course of a 5-1 stretch. Shortstop Jared Triolo led the group, compiling 10 hits in a five-game span while going deep twice. First baseman Spencer Horwitz also homered twice. Let’s see if this surge continues against any team not named Colorado. — Rogers

---

Record: 53-80
Previous ranking: 29

James Wood was one of the best players in the majors over the first half of the season, rightfully earning an All-Star nod with 24 home runs and a .915 OPS in his first 95 games. But his production fell off a cliff after the break. In his next 17 games, the 22-year-old outfielder slashed .123/.219/.154. He registered just two extra-base hits, both doubles, and struck out 29 times in 73 plate appearances. But he seems to have turned the corner in recent weeks, posting an .848 OPS in 19 games since Aug. 7. — Castillo

---

Record: 48-85
Previous ranking: 28

For the second time this season, the White Sox placed star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on the IL on Wednesday with a left hamstring strain. The injury came at a time when Robert was finally starting to turn his season around. Since the All-Star break, Robert was slashing .298/.352/.456 with five home runs and 11 stolen bases in 31 games, looking very much like the type of player a team can build around. His return to the IL, though, was a reminder of why teams remain hesitant to part with premium prospects in order to acquire him via trade. — Gonzalez

---

Record: 38-95
Previous ranking: 30

The Rockies are no longer on pace for the single-season loss record and have actually managed to win eight of their past 15 games (with a four-game losing streak thrown in there for good measure). Something else you might not have noticed: Brenton Doyle, their center fielder, has been one of the NL’s best hitters in the second half, slashing .373/.393/.627 with seven home runs. His 1.020 OPS ranks third in the NL among those with at least 100 plate appearances since the All-Star break. — Gonzalez