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Dennis Kelly

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/23

November 22nd, 2023 at 7:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions and gameday callups heading into Week 12 of the NFL season:

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Smith’s tenure on the Raiders lasted about three weeks after he was signed off of the Saints’ practice squad. The Raiders immediately plugged him in hoping that he would improve a unit struggling to defend the run. After his initial game in Vegas, though, Smith was inactive for the next two games. Whether due to injuries or ineffectiveness, Smith no longer warranted a roster spot with the Raiders.

The Jets signed Kelly in the midst of a litany of offensive line injuries. Kelly is an established veteran with a good amount of starting experience, but even with all the opportunities provided due to injury, Kelly couldn’t quite crack the rotation and now finds himself without a roster spot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/31/23

October 31st, 2023 at 9:05pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the NFL’s minor moves for today:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed off Bears’ practice squad: DT Travis Bell
  • Placed on IR: DT Grady Jarrett (story)

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kareem, who was just activated off of injured reserve, is being waived to make room for defensive end Montez Sweat, acquired by trade this morning. The Bears also announced a practice squad release, indicating a possible return for Kareem on that unit. The Colts are expected to do the same with Boettger.

O’Connor will lose his active roster spot to make room for quarterback John Wolford, whom Tampa Bay officially promoted today in order to ward off interest parties such as the Rams and Vikings, both of whom are experiencing injury issues at quarterback.

Jets Add T Dennis Kelly To Practice Squad

October 11th, 2023 at 9:48am CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets were the first team to meet with La’el Collins since the veteran right tackle hit free agency. While they may still be in play to sign the experienced starter, they are adding immediate insurance while Collins takes other visits.

Veteran Dennis Kelly is joining the Jets on a practice squad agreement, the team announced Wednesday morning. Kelly, who spent the 2020 season as the Titans’ full-time right tackle starter, worked out for the Jets last month. This move comes shortly after Alijah Vera-Tucker‘s Achilles tear; the guard/tackle is now on IR.

Kelly, 33, adds another potential stopgap option for the Jets, who have post-draft pickup Billy Turner on their roster. Max Mitchell was initially summoned to replace Vera-Tucker against the Broncos, logging 38 offensive snaps to Turner’s six. Kelly would stand to represent more insurance for the Jets, who have now placed two tackles on IR. Either Michell or Turner will be in line to start at right tackle in Week 6.

Vera-Tucker cannot be classified as a full-time tackle just yet, but the organization has discussed the prospect of shifting the former first-round guard to the edge on a full-time basis. That is on hold for now, with the USC alum facing another extended rehab timetable. Vera-Tucker suffered a triceps tear last year in Denver and returned this offseason back at right guard. Duane Brown‘s early-season injury prompted the Jets to slide Vera-Tucker back to right tackle, where he was playing when he went down last year.

Tackle issues have gripped the Jets for a bit now. Both Brown and then-starter George Fant missed time last season, and Mitchell’s rookie year ended early due to blood clots. Mekhi Becton missing 33 games from 2021-22 and needing an extensive rehab effort to make it back by training camp this year. Becton needed to miss a bit of time in Week 5, though he has started every Jets game — at both right tackle and then back on his preferred left side — this season.

A 12th-year veteran, Kelly has 54 starts on his resume. Ten of those came back in 2012, as an Eagles rookie, but he has mostly worked as a spot starter since. Kelly was technically a spot starter in 2020, with the Titans’ preferred right tackle option — first-rounder Isaiah Wilson — becoming a historic bust. En route to an AFC South title, Tennessee used Kelly as a 16-game starter that year. Kelly spent the 2021 season with the Packers and was with the Colts last year. The Eagles brought him back this summer but did not retain him on their 53-man roster or practice squad.

The Jets also signed wide receiver Irvin Charles to their active roster from the practice squad and added defensive end Elerson Smith to their P-squad. The team released defensive end Jalyn Holmes from its taxi squad.

AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Thornton

September 14th, 2023 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2019 draft produced several long-running partnerships between defensive tackles and the teams that chose them in the first round. Four of the six DTs selected in Round 1 that year signed extensions this offseason. Quinnen Williams, Ed Oliver, Dexter Lawrence and Jeffery Simmons have new deals in hand. Jerry Tillery did not work out for the Chargers, but he was the only first-round DT from the ’19 class not to negotiate an extension this offseason. Christian Wilkins spent months discussing a deal with the Dolphins, but the sides have tabled matters to 2024, when the former No. 13 overall pick will be on the cusp of free agency.

Guarantees represented a sticking point for Wilkins, but Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald offers that the Dolphins appeared to be skittish about authorizing a Williams-level deal for a player without much in the way of sack production. Wilkins’ camp undoubtedly pushed for terms in the Williams-Lawrence-Simmons-Daron Payne neighborhood ($22.5-$24MM per year), as the Clemson alum led all DTs with 98 tackles last season. Wilkins, who produced 89 tackles in 2021, has never topped 4.5 sacks in a season. He has also eclipsed seven QB hits in just one of his four NFL slates (13 in 2021). Wilkins has not requested a trade, per Jackson, and the Dolphins — despite trade interest emerging — are not interested in moving him.

The Dolphins will have the option of franchise-tagging Wilkins next year. The Commanders used the tag as a bridge to a Payne deal, but the D-tackle tag number will likely come in north of $20MM in 2024. The Dolphins are currently projected to be $27MM over the cap next year (29th in the league), though much will obviously change between now and then. Here is the latest from the AFC East:

Eagles Cut TE Dan Arnold, QB Ian Book, T Dennis Kelly

August 27th, 2023 at 8:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Sun, 8:44pm: The cuts continued in Philadelphia today, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Among those already listed below, the Eagles waived DE Quinton Bell, RB Kennedy Brooks, DT Robert Cooper, WR Jadon Haselwood, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams, DT Olive Sagapolu, DT Caleb Sanders, WR Freddie Swain, and DT Marvin Wilson.

Most notable of these is likely Swain, who is only two years separated from catching four touchdowns for the Seahawks in 2021. After failing to catch on with the Broncos and Dolphins in 2022 and the Eagles this offseason, Swain will have to keep looking for his next NFL home.

Sat, 9:45pm: Further names on the cut list are in, courtesy of KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Veteran offensive tackle Dennis Kelly is among the players being let go, putting an end to his Eagles reunion. The 33-year-old began his career in Philadelphia and returned there in July after spending last season with the Colts, but the team will move forward with its in-house options up front. A veteran of 54 starts and 130 games, Kelly will look to find a depth role elsewhere as teams search for quality fill-in options along their O-lines.

In addition to Kelly, the Eagles have released fellow linemen Josh Andrews, Cameron Tom and Brett Toth, as well as wide receiver Deon Cain.

Sat, 12:48pm: The Eagles are starting to reduce their roster to 53 players. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Eagles are releasing tight end Dan Arnold. The team has also waived tight end Tyree Jackson (per Pelissero), quarterback Ian Book (per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer), offensive lineman Tyrese Robinson (per McLane), and wideout Johnny King (per Andrew DiCecco of InsideTheBirds.com).

According to Pelissero, the Eagles released Arnold now so the veteran would have more time to catch on with a new team. The former undrafted free agent out of UW–Platteville joined Philly earlier this offseason but was facing an uphill battle to make the final roster.

The tight end’s best season came with the Cardinals in 2020, when he hauled in 31 receptions for 438 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games (five starts). He spent most of the past two seasons in Jacksonville, hauling in 37 catches for 459 yards. Pro Football Focus generally hasn’t been a fan of Arnold’s blocking ability throughout his career, although the site has given him solid grades for his receiving skills. There’s a chance he catches on with a new team, even if he has to ultimately settled for a practice squad gig.

Jackson was facing a similar battle to make the roster considering the team’s depth at tight end. The former UDFA got into 12 games for the Eagles over the past two years, compiling three catches and one touchdown. With Arnold and Jackson out of the picture, the team’s depth chart at TE now includes Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra, and Brady Russell.

Book seemed destined to be the Eagles fourth QB in 2023, so there’s a good chance he lands back on the practice squad after serving in a similar role in 2022. The former fourth-round pick got one start as a rookie with the Saints in 2021, completing 12 of his 20 pass attempts while tossing a pair of interceptions.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/23

July 25th, 2023 at 7:43pm CST by Ben Levine

With a number of teams preparing for the start of training camp, a long list of players were placed on inactive lists today. We’ve compiled all of those and today’s other minor moves below:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Free Agents

Isaiah Wilson hasn’t had an NFL gig since he was released by the Giants in January of 2022. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the free agent lineman was slapped with a three-game suspension, but it’s uncertain what led to the temporary ban. Wilson was a first-round pick by the Titans in 2020 but got into only one game with Tennessee before getting shipped off to Miami. He was waived by Miami after showing up late to his team physical, and his practice squad stint with New York only lasted one season.

Max Garcia is an experienced addition to the Saints OL room, with the veteran having most recently started seven of his 12 appearances with the Cardinals in 2022. The 31-year-old has 59 games of starting experience, although Pro Football Focus was iffy on his production last year (63rd among 77 qualifying offensive guards).

Following a three-year stint in Cleveland, Terrance Mitchell has spent the past two seasons bouncing around the NFL. He got into 14 games (13 starts) for the Texans in 2021, finishing with 60 tackles and 10 passes defended. He spent the 2022 season with the Titans, finishing with 39 tackles in 11 games (five starts). 49ers fifth-round pick Darrell Luter Jr. is set to miss some time with a knee injury, providing Mitchell with an opportunity during training camp.

Eagles To Sign T Dennis Kelly

July 19th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

The Eagles have added some true, quality depth to their offensive line, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, signing veteran free agent offensive tackle Dennis Kelly. After seven seasons between Tennessee, Green Bay, and Indianapolis, Kelly returns to the team that drafted him eleven years ago.

Kelly was originally a fifth-round selection for Philadelphia in 2012 out of Purdue, starting 10 of 13 appearances as a rookie. The following season, Kelly didn’t make any appearances, while 2014 only saw him make three appearances, all starts. Despite the lack of playing time, the team signed Kelly to a one-year extension of his rookie contract prior to the 2015 season, keeping him under contract through the 2016 season. He started two games in 14 appearances that year, subsequently earning a second one-year extension through the 2017 season.

Before either of those extensions could be played out, the Eagles traded Kelly to Tennessee for wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. Kelly made an immediate impact in Nashville, starting six games while playing in all 16. He often was used as a sixth-man on the offensive line during rushing situations. His useful role on the Titans earned him yet another extension, this one a two-year deal.

Kelly continued in a swing tackle role over the next few years for the Titans, notably backing up tackles Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin, who consistently provided Kelly starting opportunities here and there for various reasons. When Conklin signed a big-money deal with the Browns, Tennessee made sure to lock up his replacement, inking Kelly to a new three-year, $17.25MM deal. This provided the then-eight-year veteran with his first opportunity as a full-time starter. Unfortunately, despite the new deal that was meant to keep him under contract through 2022, the Titans released Kelly shortly after his first season starting every game of the year.

A free agent for the first time in his career, Kelly signed with the Packers. After playing in 10 games, and starting four in place of an injured Billy Turner, Kelly signed with the Colts to end his second free agent stint. After failing to make the initial 53-man roster and being signed to the practice squad, Kelly still appeared in all but one game for the Colts last year, starting three.

His third stint in free agency will take him back to Philadelphia, where he will now add tackle depth for the team that drafted him. The Eagles’ starting tackles are in place with Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, but past them, there isn’t a ton of experienced, qualified depth. Kelly immediately provides just that for the 2023 season. He should be able to continue his career-role as a swing tackle with spot starting and special teams abilities.

Latest On Colts’ Offensive Line Changes

October 14th, 2022 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

For years, the Colts deployed one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. The holdovers from those years have since been rewarded with top-market extensions. This season’s Eric Fisher and Mark Glowinski replacement options have helped lead to a regression, inviting questions about the highly paid unit.

Early-season starters Matt Pryor and Danny Pinter have been either relocated or benched. The Pryor-at-left tackle experiment is over, and although the Colts did not see great returns from the Bernhard Raimann-vs.-Bradley Chubb matchup in Week 5, they are turning to the third-round rookie full-time on the blindside.

“We just think he has the makeup; he has the physical talent,” Frank Reich said, via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson. “We understand — like a lot of our young players — it’s a process. You look at Alec [Pierce], you look at Jelani [Woods], they get better fast, the more they play. … So we’re just going to put him in there, and we’re going to play.

“We feel like he’s got a lot of upside. Right now, I’d be willing to tell you we think that’s going to be our left tackle.”

Raimann seizing the blindside reins would be a welcome sight for the Colts, who have seen this position go through some turbulence since Anthony Castonzo‘s retirement. The team signed Fisher last year, but after his Achilles tear in the 2020 AFC championship game, the longtime Chiefs starter was unavailable to start last season. The Colts used Julie’n Davenport at the marquee O-line spot to start last season and did receive 15 Fisher starts once he was healthy. But the Colts did not re-sign Fisher, who remains a free agent. They tried Pryor at left tackle to start the season, working in Raimann off the bench. Now, it will be Raimann playing throughout.

A 25-year-old prospect out of Central Michigan, Raimann committed four holding penalties in the Colts’ overtime win last week. He has not been charged with any sacks allowed yet; Pryor has given up five, leading to questions about his starter status going forward. A 2020 fifth-round pick, Pinter did not start in Week 5 but replaced an injured Ryan Kelly. Indy’s Pro Bowl was back at practice this week.

It remains to be seen how the Colts will play it on the right side. Citing run-blocking aid, the Colts shifted longtime right tackle Braden Smith to right guard during the Denver outing. Smith has been Indianapolis’ right tackle since October 2018, shortly after the team drafted him in Round 2, and signed a four-year, $70MM deal to man that spot. That contract sits fourth among right tackles, in terms of AAV. If the Colts are planning a longer-term Smith guard foray, their guard commitments — headed by Quenton Nelson‘s position-record $20MM-per-year pact — reside on their own cost tier.

The Colts shifted Pryor to right tackle in Week 5, but the move did not work out. A veteran backup who re-signed with the Colts (one year, $5.5MM) this offseason, Pryor rates as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-worst-graded tackle. This performance has contributed to Matt Ryan‘s 11 fumbles — the most through five games since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger — and 21 sacks taken.

Indianapolis has Dennis Kelly as another right tackle option. Kelly, 32, has 51 career starts — mostly at right tackle. He started 16 games for the 2020 Titans at that position. The 11th-year blocker missed time this summer due to knee surgery and has not played an offensive snap this season. The Colts viewed Kelly as a swingman upon signing him for no guaranteed money. Kelly, understandably, said (via Erickson) he wants a chance to start again.

“As he was coming off of his injury in training camp, you can see him getting more and more physically comfortable, comfortable in the system,” Reich said. “Love that he’s here, and we’ll continue to evaluate.”

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South

August 31st, 2022 at 4:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Colts, Jaguars, Texans and Titans moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s AFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Houston Texans

Claimed:

Released:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Indianapolis Colts

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Claimed:

Released:

Signed to practice squad:

  • QB E.J. Perry

Tennessee Titans

Signed:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Colts Cut Roster Down To 53

August 30th, 2022 at 9:07pm CST by Ely Allen

Indianapolis has made a couple headline moves, but, most notably, succeeded in trimming their roster down to 53 players today. Here are the moves that helped them get down to the limit today:

Activated from active/physically unable to perform:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

The biggest stories of the day for the Colts come in the linebacking corps. In addition to adding star linebacker Leonard off the PUP, Indianapolis acquired second-year player Grant Stuard in a trade with Tampa Bay today. Stuard was primarily a special teamer with the Buccaneers last year, playing in every game as a rookie. He’ll go from one stacked linebacker room to another, likely backing up Leonard upon his arrival.

The Colts have quite an interesting rookie class. A sixth-round defensive tackle, Brooks is the only drafted rookie not to make the final roster besides sixth-round tight end Andrew Ogletree who will start his NFL career on injured reserve. None of this is spectacular, though. The interesting part is that Indianapolis will roster four undrafted rookies to start the 2022 NFL season.

Former SMU safety Trevor Denbow finds his way onto the initial 53 after leading the NFL this preseason with five special teams tackles. Cornerback Dallis Flowers can also thank his special teams value as his athleticism was supplemented by a 53-yard kickoff return to help him make the team out of Pitt State. Former Cornhusker JoJo Domann joins Leonard and Stuard in the linebackers room. And the French-Fries offensive line combination stays alive as Wesley French makes the final roster out of Western Michigan.

There were a number of other players who have special teams’ ability to thank for their roster spot in addition to Denbow and Flowers. Running back Deon Jackson played on all punt/kick return/coverage units for the Colts last year, earning him a tightly contested roster spot over Lindsay and Williams. Cornerback Tony Brown was the team’s highest-graded special teams player in the preseason, according to Pro Football Focus, and safety Rodney Thomas II played the third-most special teams snaps on the team.

Finally, the biggest performer of the Colts’ preseason was likely quarterback Sam Ehlinger whose stellar preseason led Indianapolis to roster three quarterbacks going into the season. The former-Longhorn’s impressive preseason play helped him earn a spot on the initial roster despite the Colts already rostering starter Matt Ryan and one of the league’s top backup quarterbacks in Nick Foles.

The Colts will have the opportunity tomorrow to announce any moves to form their 16-man practice squad. Players cut today who have not vested will have to clear waivers before returning to the team.

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