HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/21

July 29th, 2021 at 5:34pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Houston Texans

  • Signed: WR Jordan Veasy

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: OT Chidi Okeke
  • Waived: OT Calvin Ashley

Tennessee Titans

  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Bud Dupree; Dupree remains on Tennessee’s active/PUP list as well

Washington Football Team

Multiple Teams Offer Justin Houston Deals

July 29th, 2021 at 5:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite being without a team at the start of training camp, Justin Houston is not considering retirement. The veteran edge rusher has received multiple offers this offseason, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter).

Houston has been most closely connected to the Colts this offseason, but he also spoke with the Steelers. Pittsburgh, however, moved in a different direction by signing fellow 32-year-old edge defender Melvin Ingram earlier this month.

Given Houston’s track record and newfound ability to stay healthy, he should still have a market. The former Kansas City and Indianapolis sack artist, who has a 22-sack season on his resume (back in 2014), may also be waiting for a potential training camp/preseason injury to change the marketplace. Interestingly, the Chiefs may soon be in need on the edge — given Frank Clark‘s murky status — but this regime released Houston to free up a slot for Clark two years ago.

The 10-year veteran totaled 19 sacks in two Colts seasons, playing out a two-year, $23MM deal. His history with knee trouble notwithstanding, Houston did not miss a game as a Colt. Indy used its top two draft choices on edge players — Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo — and has former second-round picks Kemoko Turay, Tyquan Lewis and Ben Banogu on its roster. Houston, however, offers more certainty than that group as a pass rusher.

There are a few remaining veteran D-ends/outside linebackers available in free agency. While Houston profiles as the top target left, Olivier Vernon and Everson Griffen also remain unattached in the first week of camp.

C Austin Reiter On Texans’ Radar

July 29th, 2021 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Austin Reiter booked another workout, with the Texans, and the former Super Bowl starter may be on the verge of securing a landing spot.

Reiter and the Texans are expected to continue discussing a deal that would end his months-long free agency stay, per Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter).

This comes after the Bengals worked out Reiter. While the Texans are in the early stages of a rebuild, this status has not deterred them from making numerous short-term additions in free agency. Reiter, whom the Chiefs have since replaced, would be in position to succeed since-departed center Nick Martin or at least represent strong competition to do so.

A former Washington seventh-round pick, Reiter settled into a role as Patrick Mahomes‘ snapper over the past two seasons. Reiter started 32 games for the Chiefs from 2018-20, taking over for Mitch Morse as Kansas City’s full-time starter in 2019. The Chiefs operated aggressively up front this offseason, signing Austin Blythe and drafting center Creed Humphrey in the second round. This left the 29-year-old Reiter needing to find a new team.

Houston added longtime Seattle center starter Justin Britt this offseason, but Britt has not played since the 2019 season. The Texans also signed interior O-lineman Lane Taylor, who joins a brigade of veterans to latch on with the retooling franchise this year.

Giants Expected To Sign Alfred Morris

July 29th, 2021 at 4:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Saquon Barkley‘s 2020 injury led the Giants to use several backs in a widespread replacement effort. Alfred Morris was part of that group, and the Giants may not be through with the veteran.

Morris is set to visit the Giants early next week and is expected to rejoin the team, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). This will be Morris’ second Giants agreement in less than a year.

An Eagles signing away from completing the NFC East cycle, Morris latched on with the Giants last year. Mixing in with the likes of Wayne Gallman and Dion Lewis, the former Washington, Dallas, San Francisco and Arizona back totaled 238 yards on 55 carries. This included a nine-tote, 67-yard effort in a Giants win over Washington in November.

Despite veteran running backs’ perennial issues finding work, Morris has continued to generate interest. The 32-year-old back has rushed for just more than 6,000 yards in his nine-year career, which has only included 10 games over the past two years.

This move will naturally invite more speculation about Barkley’s status. The Giants and Barkley have continued to be cryptic about the Pro Bowler’s recovery from multiple knee ligament tears and meniscus damage. Barkley remains on the Giants’ active/PUP list. The team has recently signed backup Devontae Booker positioned as Barkley’s top backup. The Giants also signed Corey Clement and drafted Gary Brightwell in Round 6.

Sean Mannion Auditions For Seahawks, Jets, Giants

July 29th, 2021 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

After spending the past two years as Kirk Cousins‘ backup with the Vikings, Sean Mannion has been in free agency for the past four-plus months. The veteran reserve may have a new gig soon.

Mannion worked out for both the Seahawks and Jets this week, according to Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter links). The Jets have both Mannion and Josh Johnson at their facility Thursday. While in New York, Mannion also stopped through the Giants’ facility for a workout, Caplan tweets.

The Giants let Colt McCoy defect to the Cardinals and signed Mike Glennon. The latter has eight years’ experience but has not provided an especially steady hand as a backup, bouncing to four teams over the past four years.

Although the Jets signed No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson on Thursday afternoon, they have an apparent need for signal-caller depth. Neither of New York’s QB2 candidates — 2020 fourth-round pick James Morgan and former UDFA Mike White — has never taken a regular-season snap. While Mannion has spent his career behind largely durable quarterbacks — Jared Goff in Los Angeles, Cousins in Minnesota — he has six years’ experience and is one of the top QBs left on the market.

Mannion has experience with new Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron; the duo worked together with the Rams. Waldron served as the Rams’ passing-game coordinator in 2018, Mannion’s final year with the team. The Vikings moved on from Mannion this offseason and drafted Kellen Mond in the third round. The Seahawks re-signed Geno Smith, who has been Russell Wilson‘s backup since 2019, but may be looking for competition.

Johnson has famously been with 14 teams in his lengthy NFL career, which began in 2008. Now 35, Johnson has a key connection to the current Jets staff. He was most recently with the 49ers, who cut him in June. The Jets hired both 49ers DC Robert Saleh and ex-San Francisco passing-game coordinator Mike LaFleur. Johnson’s historic journeyman run included a Jets stopover in 2015. The team cut him after barely a week.

Dolphins Place G D.J. Fluker On IR

July 29th, 2021 at 4:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Signed to be a veteran presence on the Dolphins’ offensive line, D.J. Fluker will not play for the team this season. The Dolphins placed the experienced guard on IR Thursday.

The Dolphins signed the former first-round pick just before the draft. While Fluker signed for the veteran minimum without any fully guaranteed money, this is a bit of a blow to Miami’s depth up front. The Dolphins are set to go young on the offensive line this season.

This move will not KO Fluker for the season, however. While Thursday’s transaction prevents him from playing for the Dolphins this year, the eight-year vet could play elsewhere if an injury settlement is reached. That scenario is likely, with Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweeting Fluker underwent meniscus surgery today but is expected to be ready to play within a month. The Dolphins, evidently, did not want to wait on Fluker’s recovery. A conditioning issue also cropped up with Fluker, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.

Fluker, 30, spent last season with the Ravens, with whom he started eight games. Prior to that, Fluker spent two years as a Seahawks guard starter. He previously played with the Giants and Chargers, who chose him in the 2013 first round.

Miami, which traded Ereck Flowers back to Washington earlier this year, may have four rookie-contract starters up front this year. Ex-Fluker Raven teammate Matt Skura, however, is vying for the Dolphins’ starting center role, and versatile veteran Jesse Davis remains in the mix.

To replace Fluker on their roster, the Dolphins signed former UDFA guard Ross Reynolds.

AFC East Notes: Waddle, Wilson, Jets, Pats

July 29th, 2021 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jaylen Waddle missed most of his senior season at Alabama due to a broken ankle. While that injury occurred back in October, the top-10 pick does not appear to have fully recovered. Waddle’s ankle remains an issue at Dolphins camp, according to Adam Beasley of the Pro Football Network. Some with the Dolphins do not believe the No. 6 overall pick has regained his full explosiveness just yet, Beasley adds. The former Tua Tagovailoa Tuscaloosa weapon has walked with a limp during training camp but has gone through practices, avoiding a stay on Miami’s active/PUP list. Although the Dolphins have three first-round wideouts on their roster, with free agent pickup Will Fuller joining DeVante Parker, Waddle is the highest-drafted receiver in team history.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • The Jets making Zach Wilson the last of this year’s 259 draftees to sign is not especially surprising, given the timing of the sides’ negotiations. The Jets did not begin negotiating with the No. 2 overall pick until last week, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (on Twitter). Gang Green wanted Wilson to defer $6MM of his signing bonus to 2022, but when the team agreed to pay it all this year, Wilson flew to the Big Apple. While payment schedule was an issue for Wilson’s camp, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano notes offset language was the top concern for the quarterback. Once the Jets agreed to pay out his bonus within 15 days, however, the BYU product caved on offsets, which are present in his deal.
  • Marcus Maye and the Jets never came close on a deal ahead of the franchise tag extension deadline, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. With a Maye tag in 2022 costing the Jets $12.7MM, Cimini expects this season to be it for Maye with the team. The Jets appear intent on gauging Maye’s fit in Robert Saleh‘s defense, but the timing here may well lead Maye elsewhere next year. Maye and Jamal Adams started together for three seasons on Gang Green’s back line. It is now looking likely each will have passed through before receiving a big payday with another team.
  • Two-year incumbent Sam Ficken and rookie UDFA Chris Naggar are vying for the Jets’ kicker job, but the team held a workout recently at this position. Matthew McCrane, Matt Ammendola and Haidar Zaidan worked out for the team this week, Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 tweets. Of the three, McCrane is the only one to kick in an NFL game. And that came back in 2018.
  • The Patriots received a slight boost in their salary cap space this week. Patrick Chung‘s retirement being officially processed created $891K in cap space for the Pats, Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed tweets. Chung opted out last season but announced his retirement in March. New England currently carries just more than $13MM in cap space.

Jets, Zach Wilson Agree To Deal

July 29th, 2021 at 12:46pm CST by Zachary Links

It took a little longer than expected, but the Jets have signed the No. 2 overall pick. Quarterback Zach Wilson has agreed to terms (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport), clearing the way for him to join his teammates on the practice field.

The two sides were haggling over offset language and the timing of Wilson’s signing bonus — the front office was hoping to “defer millions in signing bonus money” to 2022. Normally, top-two picks get all their signing bonus money up front. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, and Washington defensive end Chase Young all got theirs within 30 days of inking their respective rookie deals. The compromise: The Jets get their offset and Wilson gets his bonus inside of the next 15 days.

Now, the Jets can operate as planned, with Wilson taking first-team reps ahead of James Morgan and Mike White. The deal also means that all the Round 1 paperwork has been completed across the league. Chargers inked first-round pick Rashawn Slater and 49ers quarterback Trey Lance signed earlier this week while Wilson waited until the very end.

Wilson didn’t earn as much fanfare as Trevor Lawrence, but he still offers tons of potential for Gang Green. The 6’2″ passer is fresh off of a breakout season with a 73.5% completion rate, good for No. 2 in the nation. Meanwhile, his 33 passing touchdowns placed him third, and he threw just three interceptions. Meanwhile, Wilson’s mobility powered him to ten rushing touchdowns last year, showcasing the speed he’ll need to thrive at the pro level.

Latest On Packers, Aaron Rodgers

July 29th, 2021 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

This week, Aaron Rodgers seemed to have worked out an exit strategy. However, according to Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, that’s not necessarily the case.

Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Gutekunst emphasized that Rodgers still has three years left on his deal. Although the two sides “may alter that,” the GM says it’s not a “one-year contract,” (Twitter link via SI.com’s Albert Breer).

That seems to contradict earlier word of the arrangement. Initially, it was believed that Rodgers’ 2023 was voided with a handshake agreement to “revisit” things next spring. Gutekunst seems willing to talk it out in 2022, but he’s also not committing to a divorce. In other words, Rodgers’ holdout is over, but the drama is here to stay.

“I felt like if you can’t commit to me past 2021 and I’m not part of your recruiting process in free agency, if I’m not a part of the future, then instead of letting me be a lame-duck quarterback, if you want to make a change and move forward, then go ahead and do it,” Rodgers said this week (via ESPN.com).

“I’m not a victim here,” he added. “I made a ton of money here, and I’ve been really fortunate to play a long time and to play here. At the same time I’m still competitive and I still feel like I can play, I proved it last year.”

49ers To Work Out Dre Kirkpatrick

July 29th, 2021 at 12:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers will audition cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick on Friday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Niners recently placed Emmanuel Moseley on the reserve/COVID-19 list, so the former first-round pick could provide them with extra insurance. 

The Saints and Patriots also took a look at Kirkpatrick this offseason, but the longtime Bengals corner remains unsigned. Kirkpatrick has served as a full-time starter since 2015. All in all, he’s got nine years of NFL experience — eight with the Bengals and one year (2020) with the Cardinals.

Last year, Kirkpatrick appeared in 14 games for Arizona, including eleven starts. He finished out with 56 tackles, seven passes defended, three interceptions, and a much softer market than he anticipated.

Kirkpatrick could land with the 49ers, giving him a chance to see his last club twice in 2021. Whether in SF or elsewhere, the 31-year-old will look to add to his career totals of 358 tackles, three sacks, 72 passes defensed, and 13 interceptions.

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