2021 August - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers Trade OL Greg Little to Dolphins

August 17th, 2021 at 1:37pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have traded Greg Little to the Dolphins, per a club announcement. In return, the Dolphins will send a 2022 seventh-round choice to Carolina.

Little, the No. 37 overall pick in 2019, has appeared in just 14 games over the last two seasons. After starting just three times in that span, he’ll be competing for a reserve spot with the Dolphins. They could probably use the help after their running game stalled in the preseason opener.

Over the next few weeks, Little will vie for time behind starting tackles Austin Jackson and Jesse Davis. Rookie guard Liam Eichenberg, center Michael Dieter, and Robert Hunt are projected to start in the middle.

The Panthers didn’t get much in this deal, but it’s better than nothing. Little was likely on the roster bubble. Now, they’ve got two seventh-round picks — their original one now belongs to the Rams, but they also own the Titans’ seventh-rounder in 2022.

Seahawks, Jamal Adams Agree To Deal

August 17th, 2021 at 1:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks and Jamal Adams have agreed to terms on a four-year, $70MM deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The contract makes Adams the NFL’s highest-paid safety on a per-year basis with $38MM in guarantees.

The Seahawks traded for Adams last summer, sending two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and fellow safety Bradley McDougald to the Jets. The deal brought them a fourth-round pick in addition to one of the game’s most exciting young talents.

Adams – who won’t turn 26 until October – has been a certified star since his rookie season. Between 2018 and 2019, only Vikings standout Anthony Harris graded out higher than Adams at safety, according to Pro Football Focus. Eddie Jackson (Bears) was No. 3 during that stretch, and Adams has now leapfrogged him by a wide margin in earnings.

In 2019, Adams earned his first ever First-Team All-Pro nod while notching 75 tackles, seven passes defensed, 6.5 sacks, and a defensive touchdown. Last year, he missed four games with a groin injury, but still showed his mettle as a dangerous playmaker. He notched 9.5 sacks in just 12 games, the most any defensive back has ever posted in a single season. And, with 83 overall stops including eleven tackles for loss, Adams earned his third straight Pro Bowl nod.

Previously, Adams was set to enter his “walk year” and make less than $10MM. Of course, the Seahawks would have been able to franchise tag him next spring, which hurt his leverage somewhat. Ultimately, the two sides reached a logical compromise – Adams gets his mega-deal and a chance to cash in all over again during his prime. The Seahawks, meanwhile, managed to get him for slightly less than Bobby Wagner‘s $18MM-AAV deal.

Colts Place Damontre Moore On IR

August 17th, 2021 at 11:34am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have released defensive end Damontre Moore, per a club announcement. Between that and a quartet of other moves, the Colts have reached the 85-man roster maximum in advance of today’s deadline.

Moore, a 2013 third-round pick, has spent his career as a journeyman. After two-plus seasons with the Giants, the veteran has spent time with the Dolphins, Raiders, Seahawks, Cowboys, Raiders (again), the 49ers, and the Seahawks (again). He also had a brief cameo in the AAF during the 2019 campaign. This Colts stint, meanwhile, may not last much longer.

The 28-year-old (29 in September) saw time in ten Seahawks games last year — that’s the most action he’s seen since 2015. He registered nine tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble while missing six games thanks to a PED suspension. For his career, Moore has eleven sacks, four forced fumbles, 12 tackles for loss, and 36 QB hits to his credit.

In addition to moving Moore to IR, the Colts have waived tight end Graham Adomitis and running back Darius Anderson while waiving wide receiver Quartney Davis and cornerback Nick Nelson with injury designations.

Giants Release RB Alfred Morris

August 17th, 2021 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have released running back Alfred Morris, per a club announcement. In addition, the club released cornerback Chris Milton and placed cornerback Jarren Williams on IR en route to the 85-man roster limit.

Morris saw 55 carries for 238 yards and a touchdown with the G-Men in 2020. They re-signed him a few weeks ago to bolster the depth chart, but he wasn’t needed following the return of Saquon Barkley. With Barkley installed as the Giants’ RB1, candidates like Devontae Booker, Elijhaa Penny, Gary Brightwell, and Corey Clement will vie for the remaining spots.

All in all, Morris has 6,000+ yards to his credit over nine seasons with the Giants, Cowboys, Washington Football Team, 49ers, and Cardinals.

Chiefs Cut WR Antonio Callaway

August 17th, 2021 at 8:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs are down to the 85-man limit. On Tuesday, the club dropped five players from the roster, including wide receiver Antonio Callaway (waived/injured). In addition, they’ve waived/injured tight end Evan Baylis, waived defensive back Manny Patterson, placed running back Elijah McGuire on IR, and released wide receiver Chad Williams outright.

The Browns selected Callaway in the fourth round of the 2018 draft after a productive career at the University of Florida. He entered the league with plenty of red flags, and he was largely unable to overcome them in the pros, resulting in multiple suspensions. But he also displayed plenty of promise in his first season with Cleveland, playing in 16 games (11 starts) and recording 43 catches for 586 yards and five TDs.

Last year, Callaway dressed for five ‘Fins games, but registered only two grabs for 20 years and one touchdown. Now, the former Brown, Dolphin, and XFL Viper will look to catch on with another team as the 2021 season draws closer.

Jaguars Cut Tim Tebow

August 17th, 2021 at 8:44am CST by Zachary Links

Tim Tebow‘s time with the Jaguars has come to an end. On Tuesday morning, the Jaguars released the former UF superstar as they work their way down to an 85-man roster.

“Thankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, and the setbacks,” said Tebow on Twitter. “I’ve never wanted to make decisions out of fear of failure and I’m grateful for the chance to have pursued a dream. Thank you to the Jaguars organization and everyone who has supported me in this journey.”

Head coach Urban Meyer previously said that Tebow did a “decent job” in practice . Over the summer, 46% of PFR readers said Tebow would make Jacksonville’s 53-man roster, while another 25% said the ex-Broncos QB1 and Mets farmhand would land on the practice squad. The practice squad remains a possibility, but Tebow won’t be on the Jaguars’ varsity squad to start the year.

Tebow bulked up to 255 pounds — up ~20 from his quarterback days — to move to TE. Washington tight end Logan Thomas proved that the transition could be done, but it took him several years to find his footing. Of course, the ex-Virginia Tech quarterback made the move in his mid-20s; Tebow was trying it at the age of 33.

Due to his NFL service time, Tebow will be a full-fledged free agent by the end of the business day. However, it’s not clear if Tebow will receive — or pursue — an opportunity elsewhere.

In addition to Tebow, the Jaguars have also made the following moves to reach the 85-man max:

CB D.J. Daniel (waived)
WR Josh Imatorbhebhe (waived/injured)
WR Tim Jones (waived/injured)
DT Daniel Ross (IR)

Titans Sign S Bradley McDougald

August 16th, 2021 at 9:05pm CST by Ben Levine

While most teams were subtracting from their rosters today, the Titans were adding to theirs. The team signed three players today, including linebacker Nick Dzubnar (re-signed) and safeties Bradley McDougald and Clayton Geathers.

McDougald, a former undrafted free agent, started 70 games for the Buccaneers and Seahawks between 2015 and 2019. The veteran has seen time in 105 career games (82 starts), collecting 487 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 43 passes defended. He got into seven games for the Jets in 2020, finishing with 36 tackles, his lowest total since his rookie season. His 2020 campaign was cut short thanks to a shoulder injury.

Geathers had previously spent his entire career with the Colts, seeing time in 56 games. He started 22 games for Indy between 2018 and 2019, collecting 101 tackles and four passes defended. He sat out the 2020 campaign, and he found himself unsigned through most of this offseason.

Dzubnar spent the 2020 season in Tennessee, where he emerged as one of the team’s top special teams players, leading the Titans with 13 special teams tackles. He spent the first six years of his career with the Chargers, where he appeared in 65 games.

Saints Waive K Brett Maher

August 16th, 2021 at 8:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Cornerback Prince Amukamara and defensive end Noah Spence weren’t the only players let go by the Saints today. The team also made a notable special teams move, as they waived/injured kicker Brett Maher (via The Athletic’s Katherine Terrell on Twitter). The team also placed offensive lineman Kyle Murphy on injured reserve and waived running back Stevie Scott.

The Saints brought in Maher earlier this month after starter Wil Lutz suffered a groin injury. According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football on Twitter, Maher suffered his own groin injury while warming up for New Orleans’ preseason opener. That injury ultimately led to his release.

Maher was looking for an opportunity to relaunch a career that paused when the Cowboys cut him late in the 2019 season. Maher, 31, did not kick in 2020. A two-year Dallas kicker, Maher had spent time with five franchises since, including stints with the Jets, Washington, Texans, and Cardinals. Arizona retained Maher via reserve/futures contract in January but cut him in March.

During his time in Dallas, Maher became the first kicker in NFL history to make three 60-plus-yard field goals, accomplishing this feat during the 2018 and ’19 seasons. However, after he made more than 80% of his field goals in 2018, Maher was just 20-for-30 a year later. Maher first broke into the NFL as a UDFA in 2013, but after failing to secure a role, he moved to the CFL for a four-season run.

Murphy, 27, joined the Saints earlier this offseason. The former sixth-round pick has seen time in six career games (three starts). Scott was a 2021 undrafted free agent out of Indiana University.

Raiders Cut Seven Players

August 16th, 2021 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

The Raiders made a series of transactions today to reduce their roster, with a handful of notable players earning their walking papers. Per ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez (on Twitter), the Raiders released cornerback De’Vante Bausby and defensive tackle Ethan Westbrooks. The team also waived quarterback Case Cookus, kicker Dominik Eberle, long snapper Liam McCullough, running back Bo Scarbrough, and wide receiver Caleb Scott.

Bausby joined the Raiders earlier this offseason after spending the 2020 season with the Broncos (two stints) and the Cardinals. He actually had his most productive NFL season, collecting 20 tackles and five passes defended in 10 games (three starts). The 28-year-old previously got some playing time with the Bears and Eagles, appearing in 26 career games.

Westbrooks signed with the Raiders just last week, but his second stint with the organization has already come to an end. The 30-year-old defensive lineman appeared in 61 games for the Rams between the 2015 and 2018 seasons, collecting 51 tackles, nine sacks, and one forced fumble. However, he hasn’t seen the field since that 2018 campaign.

Scarbrough made a name for himself following a five-game stint as a starter with the Lions in 2019. He collected 382 yards from scrimmage that season, but he only saw the field for one game with the Seahawks in 2020.

Dolphins WR Allen Hurns Out Three Months

August 16th, 2021 at 5:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Allen Hurns chances of making the Dolphins roster took a hit today. The veteran wideout suffered a wrist injury that will require surgery, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The injury is expected to sideline Hurns for three months.

This is a tough break for the receiver, especially since the veteran was already eyeing an uphill battle to make the roster. The organization brought in veteran Will Fuller, sixth-overall pick Jaylen Waddle, and third rounder Lynn Bowden Jr. this past offseason, and they’ll also return 2020 starters DeVante Parker and Preston Williams, meaning the team has five receivers already locked in. Considering the 29-year-old Hurns was set to begin a two-year, $8MM extension this upcoming season, it wouldn’t have been a huge surprise if the organization opted for a younger, less-expensive alternative. The team could still realistically stash Hurns on their injured reserve, but the front office may just prefer the extra financial savings (especially if they don’t envision Hurns seeing the field when healthy).

Back in 2015, Hurns looked like a future star in Jacksonville, as the wideout collected 1,031 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns during his second season in the NFL. The receiver hasn’t managed to match those numbers since, but he still appeared in at least 10 games per season between 2016 and 2019, and he’s earned three contracts since his stint with the Jaguars ended after the 2017 campaign.

He signed with the Dolphins before the 2019 season, and after only a few months with the organization, the team was willing to give the receiver a two-year extension worth $8MM (with more than $3MM in guaranteed money). Hurns didn’t put up stellar numbers during his first season in Miami, finishing with 416 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 2020 would have been the first season of the veteran’s extension, but Hurns decided to opt out of the 2020 campaign.