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2025 NFL Week 8 Buzz: Falcons' Drake London Injured; Cowboys Place Star CB on IR
Published October 25, 2025
Who's starting, who's hurt, and who's on the move?
NFL news is nonstop, and we're breaking it all down week by week this season.
Here's the latest on what's happening around the league entering Week 8:
Cowboys place star cornerback on IR
Dallas placed cornerback Trevon Diggs on injured reserve, per NFL Media. Diggs missed Week 7 due to a concussion. A two-time Pro Bowler, Diggs has totaled 18 combined tackles this season. The Cowboys have a road matchup against the Denver Broncos in Week 8.
Falcons WR Drake London's status downgraded
After avoiding the injury report all week, London now finds himself in a precarious position heading into Sunday's game against the Dolphins. A Saturday update from the Falcons listed the star wide receiver as questionable due to a hip injury.
Given the timing, London, who was a limited practice participant Friday, could end up on the inactives list for Week 8 should the injury prove too painful to play through.
Packers activate wide receiver
Green Bay activated wide receiver Christian Watson on Oct. 25. Watson hasn't played this season due to a knee injury. Now in his fourth season, Watson, whom the Packers selected with the No. 34 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has appeared in just 38 games but, when healthy, has been an explosive playmaker. From 2022-24, Watson averaged 32.7 receptions for 551.0 yards (16.9 yards per reception) and 4.7 touchdowns per season, playing 13 regular-season games per year. The Packers have a road matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8.
Browns elevate QB with Shedeur Sanders injured
Cleveland added Sanders to the injury report Saturday with a back injury. It's unclear if Sanders will serve as Dillon Gabriel's backup in Week 8, but the decision to elevate Bailey Zappe from the practice squad suggests he could be inactive come Sunday.
QB decision made for Jets
Tyrod Taylor will miss the team's Week 8 road matchup against the Bengals due to a knee injury, meaning that Justin Fields will remain the Jets' starter, per the New York Post. Head coach Aaron Glenn wouldn't reveal who he planned to start against Cincinnati after benching Fields for Taylor in the second half of Week 7. Granted, Glenn acknowledged that Taylor was dealing with a knee issue throughout the week. The Jets are the only team without a win this season.
Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel will play for Commanders
The pair of star receivers will be active for Washington's Week 8 road matchup against the Chiefs, per ESPN. McLaurin hasn't played since Week 3 due to a quadriceps injury, while Samuel missed Week 7 due to a heel injury. QB Jayden Daniels will miss Week 8 due to a hamstring injury. Washingotn has lost three of its past four games and is now 3-4.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson out
Baltimore's starting quarterback will not play in the team's Week 8 home matchup against the Bears, per ESPN. Jackson, who hasn't played since Week 4 due to a hamstring strain, was listed as questionable Friday. The Ravens are coming off their bye week and have lost four consecutive games. Tyler Huntley will get the start at quarterback.
In other news, Baltimore also signed defensive end Carl Lawson to their practice squad. Lawson had 5.0 sacks in 15 games for the Cowboys last season, and now the 30-year-old joins a Baltimore team that needs help with its pass rush. The Ravens lost defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike to a season-ending neck issue, and they traded edge rusher Odafe Oweh for secondary help.
QB Kirk Cousins getting the start?
The Falcons are expected to start Cousins at quarterback against the Dolphins, as starter Michael Penix Jr. deals with a bone bruise in his knee, ESPN reported. Cousins, who's in the second season of a four-year, $180 million deal, was benched in favor of Penix with three games remaining in the 2024 season. The 37-year-old signal-caller reportedly got first-team reps during the week.
Eagles star WR A.J. Brown out
The Eagles will be without their star wideout against the Giants on Sunday due to a hamstring injury. A three-time Pro Bowler, Brown has totaled 29 receptions for 395 yards and three scores this season. Philly lost to NY in Week 6.
49ers QB Brock Purdy out again
Purdy's anticipated return from a turf toe injury will have to wait another week after San Francisco ruled him out for a fourth consecutive game. Purdy, who suffered his injury in Week 1 and re-aggravated it in Week 4, continues to make strides after logging a second consecutive week of limited practices. Head coach Kyle Shanahan previously deemed Purdy week-to-week, making it possible the veteran could re-join the lineup for next week's matchup vs. the Giants.
Giants given major fine
The Giants have been fined $200,000 by the NFL for head coach Brian Daboll going into the medical tent while quarterback Jaxson Dart was being evaluated for a concussion in Week 6. The league determined that the Giants "violated the concussion protocol." However, New York's medical staff and unaffiliated medical providers "properly" followed the required steps. Elsewhere, Daboll was fined $100,000 and running back Cam Skattebo, who also went into the medical tent, was fined $15,000 for "conduct detrimental to the league."
Bills place S Taylor Rapp on IR
Buffalo placed Rapp on IR due to a knee injury. Rapp has totaled 26 combined tackles this season.
"It came up in training camp unfortunately, and he was dealing with it since then," head coach Sean McDermott said. "It just got to the point where he's just not able to really be himself. And so, we're making the decision right now through the medical people's opinion that we'll put him on IR, and we'll take it one week at a time right now."
Bengals LB Logan Wilson requests trade
Wilson has requested a trade after seeing his playing time diminish this season, per ESPN. While Wilson has started all seven games for Cincinnati that he has appeared in this, the number of snaps he has seen has decreased over time, as the Bengals lean more heavily on rookie linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. This is all part of an announced plan by the coaching staff to get rookies more involved in the defense up the middle, in the hopes they transition quickly and keep Cincinnati competitive. Wilson, though, is 29 years old and has been a key cog in the Bengals' defense to this point. He made it known prior to the Nov. 4 trade deadline that he wants to continue to play a starter's rate of snaps elsewhere if he can't in Cincinnati.
WRs Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel return to Commanders practice
McLaurin and Samuel returned to practice Thursday, but head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that quarterback Jayden Daniels will miss the team's game against the Chiefs. McLaurin sat out the past four games after hurting his quadriceps muscle on a catch in Week 3, while Samuel missed Sunday's 44-22 loss to the Cowboys with a heel problem that had bothered him for a while but hadn't prevented him from playing until now.
After practice, Samuel said the heel was "kind of nagging a little bit last week" but was "not an issue" Thursday. In Samuel's first year with Washington, he is leading the club with 34 catches and 315 yards receiving. He has caught three touchdown passes and ran for another score.
Until this prolonged absence, McLaurin had appeared in 72 consecutive regular-season games for the Commanders; he hadn’t missed one since late in the 2020 season. McLaurin, who turned 30 in September, has topped 1,000 yards receiving for each of the past five seasons. Last season, he accumulated 87 catches for 1,096 yards with 13 touchdowns and added another three scores in the postseason.
Vikings RB Aaron Jones is back
The Vikings are expected to have their starting running back return to action Thursday night against the Chargers, ESPN reported. Jones has missed the last four games to a hamstring injury and rushed for 46 yards on 3.5 yards per carry in the two games that he has appeared in this season. Last year, Jones rushed for 1,138 yards and five touchdowns on 4.5 yards per carry.
Packers WR Christian Watson trending to play
Watson said he expects to return to the lineup for the Packers' Week 8 game against the Steelers. Watson sustained a torn ACL in Week 18 of the 2024 season and has not played since.
Dolphins lose TE Darren Waller
Miami placed Waller on IR due to a pec strain. The 2020 Pro Bowler missed the first three games of the season due to a hip injury. Through four games, he totaled 10 receptions for 117 yards and a team-high four touchdowns.
Who will start at QB for the Jets?
Head coach Aaron Glenn didn't reveal on Oct. 22 who will start at quarterback for the team's Week 8 road matchup against the Bengals, saying he didn't want to give the opposition a "competitive advantage."
Justin Fields has made six starts for the Jets but has thrown for just 845 yards and four touchdowns. Fields went 6-for-12 for 46 yards, and rushed four times for 22 yards before he was benched during Sunday's loss to the Panthers.
Backup Tyrod Taylor went 10-for-22 for 126 yards and threw two interceptions after replacing Fields. Taylor previously started in Week 3, as Fields was dealing with a concussion. Taylor has thrown 69 passes this season, boasting a 73.3 passer rating. The Jets, who are last in the NFL in passing (143.4 YPG), are the only team without a win this season.
Additionally, Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner's status is in question after being placed in concussion protocol.
Raiders not trading star DE Maxx Crosby
Despite being 2-5 and coming off a 31-0 shutout at the hands of the Chiefs, the Raiders have informed Crosby that he won't be traded, per NFL Media. Crosby, a four-time Pro Bowler, has totaled 4.0 sacks, one forced fumble, one interception and 28 combined tackles this season. He signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension in March.
This comes on the heels of news that TE Brock Bowers (knee) and WR Jakobi Meyers (knee/toe) are expected to be ready to return following Las Vegas' Week 8 bye, head coach Pete Carroll shared. Bowers has missed the Raiders' past three games after playing through the injury since Week 1. Week 7 was Meyers' first missed game this season.
Meyers previously requested a trade before the start of the 2025 season and doubled down on his preference to be moved ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline this week. "Oh, for sure," Meyers said when asked if he still wants out of Las Vegas, per ESPN. "But, I'm a professional at the end of the day. I'm just trying to play good football."
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy still sidelined, RB Aaron Jones designated for return
The Vikings will be without their starting quarterback again in Week 8 against the Chargers. McCarthy will miss another game due to the ankle sprain that has kept him sidelined since he suffered the injury in the Vikings' Week 2 loss to the Falcons, head coach Kevin O'Connell shared. There had been some optimism that McCarthy would return for Thursday's game, but O'Connell said that the short week was too quick a turnaround in order to get him ready to play. With that, Carson Wentz will make his fifth start. The Vikings have gone 2-2 in the four games with Wentz.
In other news, Minnesota has designated Jones (hamstring) to return from IR. Jones has been out since Week 2.
DE Brandon Graham returns for the Eagles
The recently retired defensive end announced on Oct. 21 that he's returning to play for the Eagles. Graham, who played for Philly from 2010 to 2024, was part of two Super Bowl triumphs (2017 and 2024 seasons). Last season, the now-37-year-old totaled 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and 20 combined tackles in 11 regular-season games. Graham, a 2020 Pro Bowler, is third in Eagles history in sacks (76.5) and forced fumbles (23) and 14th in solo tackles (359.0). The Eagles host the NFC East-rival Giants in Week 8.
Texans star WR Nico Collins has a concussion
Houston's No. 1 wide receiver suffered a concussion in the team's Week 7 loss to the Seahawks, per ESPN. Collins, who had four receptions before leaving the game with a head injury in the fourth quarter, has totaled 26 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns this season. The Texans have a home matchup against the 49ers in Week 8. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said that the Texans will evaluate Collins as the week goes on.
Commanders share update on QB Jayden Daniels
Head coach Dan Quinn announced the star quarterback underwent an MRI, and it was determined that Daniels avoided a long-term injury. Quinn remained coy, however, on his status for Monday's game against the red-hot Chiefs, meaning Daniels' status will be worth monitoring as the week continues. Daniels exited Sunday's loss to the Cowboys after suffering a hamstring injury in the third quarter.
Quinn also announced pass rusher Dorance Armstrong will miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury.
Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka set to play
Egbuka was not listed on the Bucs' inactives list ahead of Monday Night Football, meaning the star rookie will take the field against the Lions. Egbuka's mild hamstring strain suffered in Week 6 cast doubt on his availability, but a pre-game workout following a limited practice on Saturday will evidently be enough to keep him in the lineup.
Falcons QB Michael Penix day-to-day with foot injury
Head coach Raheem Morris told reporters that Penix will be listed as day-to-day after sustaining a bone bruise in his foot during Sunday's loss to the 49ers. Penix appeared to suffer the injury in the fourth quarter after a sack. The second-year quarterback had a noticeable limp following the play but still managed to finish the game.
Panthers QB Bryce Young sidelined with ankle injury
Young will miss the Panthers' Week 8 tilt against the Bills, and potentially longer, after suffering a right high-ankle sprain in Sunday's win over the Jets, according to head coach Dave Canales. Young was 15-for-25 for 138 yards and a touchdown before he suffered his injury while getting sacked in the third quarter. Veteran Andy Dalton is se to start.
Colts DE Samson Ebukam sidelined
Indianapolis will be without Ebukam for the foreseeable future after the pass rusher suffered an MCL injury during Sunday's win over the Chargers, per ESPN.
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