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Commanders To Trade For Browns K Cade York, Waive K Riley Patterson

August 22nd, 2024 at 9:12am CST by Adam La Rose

Known to be on the lookout for a change at the kicker position, the Commanders have a pair of moves in place. Washington is trading for Cade York, sending the Browns a conditional seventh-round pick, SI’s Albert Breer reports.

In a corresponding move, the Commanders have released Riley Patterson. That leaves York as the only kicker on Washington’s roster with the start of the regular season looming. The 2022 Browns draftee connected on 75% of his field goal attempts during his rookie season, suggesting he could remain in place over the long term. Struggles last offseason led Cleveland to bring in Dustin Hopkins as competition, however, and the veteran handled kicking duties in 2023.

Hopkins exceled during his debut Browns campaign, and he landed a three-year, $15.3MM extension last month. Cleveland wanted to keep York in the fold last year, and the team’s decision to bring him back this offseason proved that was still the case. Instead of risking the former fourth-rounder on waivers again, though, the Browns have elected to take back minimal draft compensation while moving forward with only Hopkins in place for the time being.

The Commanders had Brandon McManus in the fold earlier this offseason, but allegations of sexual assault made in a civil suit dating back to his time with the Jaguars led to Washington releasing him. That move was followed by the signing of Ramiz Ahmed, who entered training camp as the lone kicker on the roster. Patterson was claimed off waivers at the end of July, though, which led to Ahmed’s release.

Patterson, 24, has seen game action with three teams in his brief NFL career despite going 53-for-59 on field goals to date. He struggled in the Commanders’ first two preseason contests, however, leading head coach Dan Quinn to state another move was being targeted. With one more exhibition contest on the slate, York will have a small window of opportunity to earn the Week 1 gig.

The LSU alum spent time on the Titans’ and Giants’ practice squads last year, but he was not used in the regular season. York’s return to Cleveland has proven to be short-lived, but this Commanders deal will allow him to find a full-time position for the 2024 campaign provided he does not disappoint in the build-up to the season. If he does, Washington’s willingness to move on from kickers quickly would make another change at the position a distinct possibility.

Patriots Release DT Mike Purcell

August 21st, 2024 at 9:22pm CST by Ely Allen

Veteran defensive tackle Mike Purcell‘s stay in New England was a short one. After signing with the Patriots only three weeks ago, Purcell’s tenure with the team came to an end today as New England announced his release.

Purcell began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming, signing with the 49ers. While not appearing as a rookie and only playing two games in his sophomore campaign, Purcell earned a role in San Francisco, starting eight games over his final two years with the team.

Over the next two years he would shuffle around on different practice squads, eventually landing in the short-lived Alliance of American Football in 2019. Following his performance in the AAF, Purcell signed on with the Broncos. Originally a veteran, depth addition, Purcell ended up starting 37 games while appearing in 65 of a potential 67 contests.

His short reunion with the Patriots, who were one of the several teams who hosted him on their practice squad, was only slightly long than his first stint with the team. He was signed to help make up for the lost production of Christian Barmore as he dealt with his blood clots diagnosis. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Purcell was running behind Davon Godchaux, Jeremiah Pharms, Daniel Ekuale, and Trysten Hill this preseason.

With Purcell off the roster, New England is more likely to test some of the youthful depth pieces on the roster like Armon Watts or Josiah Bronson. Purcell, on the other hand, will be back on the free agent market. At 32 years old, he may be running out of opportunities to remain in the NFL.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/24

August 21st, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s mid-week minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Waived (with injury designation): WR Jaaron Hayek

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Released (with injury settlement): CB Tyler Hall

Washington Commanders

Interesting move up in Green Bay, where the Packers are essentially swapping out which player will qualify as the 17th member of their practice squad through the International Player Pathway program. They’ll waive the Nigerian, Odumegwu, who joined through the league’s IPP program last year, and assign the international exemption to the Australian kicker, Hale.

It’s unfortunate news for Keene, who doubled in his offensive duties as fullback at times for the Texans. Keene reportedly tore his ACL in Houston’s second preseason game last weekend, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. His placement on injured reserve today will end his 2024 season.

Cowboys To Sign DT Linval Joseph

August 21st, 2024 at 5:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jones recently hinted at more defensive line additions coming; the Cowboys appear to be following through on that. They are preparing to give Linval Joseph a shot to play a 15th NFL season.

The experienced D-lineman is signing with the Cowboys, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets. Joseph spent last season with the Bills, playing in seven games. This is earlier than Joseph caught on with teams over the past two years. He signed with Buffalo in November 2023 and joined Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LVII team in November 2022.

[RELATED: Cowboys Acquire DT Jordan Phillips From Giants]

Joseph will do better than he did with Buffalo or Philly, though that should perhaps be understandable since Dallas is giving him a full-season deal rather than a prorated arrangement. According to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, the Cowboys are signing Joseph to a one-year deal with $2.5MM guaranteed. Joseph can earn up to $4MM on the contract.

This will reunite Joseph with former Vikings HC Mike Zimmer. The Vikings added Joseph in free agency during Zimmer’s first offseason as HC and employed him for six seasons. Joseph started 88 games under Zimmer. While the former second-round pick was part of the Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI-winning team back in 2011, his most notable NFL period came in Minnesota under Zimmer. With the Vikes featuring little QB continuity, Joseph was part of three Zimmer-led playoff teams during that span.

More of a rotational DT-for-hire at this point in his career, Joseph is now on team No. 6. While he worked exclusively as a Bills backup, the former Giants and Vikings regular was a full-time starter during his Eagles stint. Philly’s NFC championship team turned to the big man for eight regular-season starts and three in the playoffs that season, doing so despite not adding him until Nov. 16.

Last season, Joseph played 35% of the Bills’ defensive snaps (during his time with the team). Prior to his two rental years in the northeast, Joseph was attached to notable Chargers and Vikings contracts. The veteran run stuffer inked two Vikings deals — the second a four-year, $50.35MM pact — and landed a two-year, $17MM Chargers accord ahead of his age-32 season. Joseph will turn 36 in October, but the Cowboys will see if he can help their effort.

The Cowboys had been adding defensive ends as of late, with Carl Lawson the latest in the team’s effort to cover for Sam Williams‘ season-ending injury. The team traded for 2023 Joseph-teammate Phillips last week. The 30-somethings join 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith and contract-year DT Osa Odighizuwa among Dallas’ interior stoppers. The team has certainly prioritized bulk as of late, with Zimmer presumably concerned about his run defense ahead of his first NFL season since being fired as Minnesota’s HC.

Steelers Place LB Markus Golden On Reserve/Retired List

August 21st, 2024 at 12:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 21: The nine-year veteran made it official Wednesday, turning to Instagram to announce he is indeed done playing. The Steelers have not yet made a notable move to replace Golden, making next week’s waiver frenzy worth monitoring.

AUGUST 9: Markus Golden did not make it too far into his second Steelers contract. Eight days after re-signing, the veteran pass rusher has shifted course. The Steelers placed him on the reserve/retired list Friday.

Producing three seasons of double-digit sacks, Golden operated as a Steelers rotational rusher last season. The former Cardinals and Giants edge player racked up four sacks and 10 QB hits as a Steeler in 2023, but the team will need a different plan behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith now.

The Steelers gave Golden a one-year, $1.32MM deal to play behind their standout OLBs, and he suited up for 16 games. Now, Golden follows Titans guard Saahdiq Charles by reversing course into retirement during camp. Though, Golden logged nine NFL seasons; Charles was going into Year 5. Golden is also 33, having entered the league at 24 out of Missouri.

The 2015 second-round pick will be best remembered for his two Cardinals stints. Two of Golden’s three 10-plus-sack seasons occurred in Arizona — each coming as a Chandler Jones sidekick. Golden produced a 12.5-sack season in 2016, and after an October 2017 ACL tear threw off his career trajectory, he totaled 10 sacks (and a career-high 27 QB hits) as a Giant in 2019. Following a midseason trade back to Arizona in 2020, Golden accumulated 11 sacks for a ’21 Cardinals team that — despite losing J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins to injuries — snapped a lengthy playoff drought.

Golden did not fare too well — at least, given his production — financially, never signing a deal worth more than $10MM. The Giants gave him a one-year, $3.75MM accord in 2019 and slapped a UFA tender on him a year later. He signed a two-year, $9MM deal to stay in Arizona in 2021 and agreed to a short-term extension in 2022. A retooling Cards regime cut him a year later, leading to the Pittsburgh agreement. For his career, Golden registered 51 career sacks and did run his string of short-term contracts past $22MM in career earnings.

The Steelers did not draft any outside linebackers and again have a question regarding production behind Highsmith and Watt. Nick Herbig does remain on the roster after a three-sack season, and the team will expect a bounce-back effort from stalwart D-lineman Cameron Heyward — after an injury-plagued 2023. Still, it would not necessarily surprise to see the Steelers keep looking. They made a late-summer trade for Malik Reed two Augusts ago; a similar move to replace Golden may be necessary for this defense-oriented squad.

Vikings Sign CB Stephon Gilmore

August 21st, 2024 at 9:25am CST by Rory Parks

AUGUST 21: Gilmore’s Minnesota deal comes with $7MM in base value, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The Vikings included void years in 2025 and ’26 to spread out Gilmore’s $3.5MM signing bonus. Gilmore’s 2024 cap number will check in at $4.67MM, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. The Vikings would incur $2.33MM in dead money by letting Gilmore walk in 2025.

AUGUST 18: The Vikings have agreed to terms with veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. It will be a one-year deal worth up to $10MM, with $7MM of that total guaranteed.

Although Minnesota had not been publicly connected to Gilmore for much of this offseason, the club brought him in for a visit earlier this month, at which point we learned that the Vikes had maintained interest in the well-traveled defender for some time. He will immediately slot in atop a CB depth chart that has some question marks.

Fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson died tragically in a car accident back in July, and second-year contributor Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL early in training camp. The Vikings still roster Byron Murphy and slot CB Josh Metellus, and players like Shaquill Griffin, Fabian Moreau, and Nahshon Wright have been added to the mix this offseason.

Griffin, who signed a three-year, $40MM deal with the Jaguars in advance of the 2021 season following a successful stint with the Seahawks, saw his Jacksonville contract terminated after two years, thanks largely to a back injury that he sustained during the 2022 campaign. In 2023, he inked a one-year, $3.5MM contract with the Texans, but after he started six of Houston’s first nine games, he was demoted to a special teams-only role and subsequently waived. He was claimed by the Panthers, though he appeared in just two games (one start) in Charlotte. Griffin finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ 53rd-best CB out of 127 qualifiers, while Murphy graded out as the 87th-best. Clearly, then, there was room for a quality addition, and even though Gilmore is going into his age-34 season, he should provide the Vikings’ secondary a considerable boost.

Gilmore, a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time First Team All-Pro, and the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, finished as PFF’s 35th-best CB in 2023 as a full-time starter for the Cowboys. Per Pro Football Reference, Gilmore yielded an 82.7 QB rating on passes thrown in his direction, which was his highest mark since the site began tracking that statistic in 2018 but which is still a solid number. Plus, his presence will allow DC Brian Flores a little more flexibility with matchups, as Flores could move Murphy to nickel on occasion while Gilmore and Griffin — with support from Evans and Moreau — man the outside.

Despite his many accolades, Gilmore has become a bit of a nomad since he turned 30. A first-round pick of the Bills in 2012, the South Carolina product spent the first five years of his pro career in Buffalo before signing a lucrative contract with the Patriots during the 2017 offseason. After four productive years in Foxborough, he was dealt to the Panthers in October 2021, signed with the Colts during the 2022 offseason, and was traded to the Cowboys last March. He authored strong performances at each stop, however, including a top-10 finish in PFF’s rankings for his full season of work in Indianapolis in 2022. Plus, he should have some familiarity with Flores’ scheme, as Flores was New England’s de facto defensive coordinator in 2018.

The Panthers had plenty of interest in a reunion with Gilmore this offseason, and at one point, a return to Carolina appeared to be inevitable. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Panthers did make an offer to Gilmore, though Minnesota’s offer was obviously more compelling.

The Vikings finished in the bottom-10 in passing yards allowed in 2023, and the addition of Gilmore on a notable contract shows that they plan to improve upon that showing and compete for a playoff spot this season.

Eagles Release TE C.J. Uzomah

August 21st, 2024 at 9:14am CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles signed C.J. Uzomah in early April. After four months to make an impression, the veteran tight end is returning to free agency. Philadelphia cut Uzomah on Wednesday to make room for offensive lineman Jason Poe.

This marks the second time this year a team cut Uzomah. The Jets released the former Bengals starter in March. The Eagles doing so nearly a a week before cutdown day stands to give Uzomah a better chance to catch on elsewhere, but his chances of making a notable contribution to a team in 2024 are trending in the wrong direction.

Uzomah, 31, entered the offseason attached to the three-year, $24MM Jets deal he signed shortly after he started in Super Bowl LVI. As Zach Wilson‘s struggles persisted, Uzomah did not make an impact with the Jets. Gang Green had signed both Uzomah and Tyler Conklin during the 2022 offseason; the latter remains with the team ahead of what is poised to be Aaron Rodgers‘ first starter season in New York.

Philly guaranteed Uzomah $718K at signing; that will turn into dead money. The 10th-year veteran is coming off a season-ending knee injury. Uzomah’s Jets run halted when he sustained MCL and meniscus damage in December; that setback also involved a tibial plateau fracture. Uzomah described his rehab from this injury as “way worse” than recovering from the Achilles tear that ended his 2020 season two games in.

While Conklin excelled last season, Uzomah totaled just 58 receiving yards in 12 games (eight starts). He compiled 232 receiving yards in 2022. The Bengals had given Uzomah an extension back in 2019, as Tyler Eifert continued to battle injuries, and they received a 493-yard, five-touchdown season from the former fifth-rounder in 2021. Uzomah sustained an MCL injury during that season’s AFC championship game but rehabbed in time to start in the Super Bowl.

In addition to Dallas Goedert, the Eagles have 2023 trade pickup Albert Okwuegbunam, 2022 sixth-round pick Grant Calcaterra and ex-Commanders option Armani Rogers. The team claimed rookie UDFA Kevin Foelsch off waivers earlier this month. The team is light on proven options behind its starter, however. Calcaterra and Okwuegbunam combined for just 175 offensive snaps last season.

Raiders LT Kolton Miller Returns To Practice

August 20th, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Ely Allen

The Raiders’ quarterbacks group took a collective sigh of relief today as the team announced that starting left tackle Kolton Miller would be activated from the active/PUP list. The six-year starter passed his physical today, allowing the team to remove him from his physically unable to perform status and return him to practice.

While Miller missed two games in 2020 and one in 2022, last year was the first in which we saw him truly struggle with injuries. Miller only made 11 starts in 2023, adding two games off the bench as an emergency option late in the year. The veteran blindside blocker played through a shoulder injury that would eventually require him to undergo offseason surgery.

As Miller reportedly made good progress through his rehabilitation, Las Vegas made plans to “manage” him throughout the season to keep him healthy. Even with the soft handling of their top lineman, the Raiders still held expectations that they may see Miller ready to start in Week 1. Almost a week ago, rumors started surfacing that Miller would be back on the practice field soon, and it turned out to be this afternoon.

Miller’s return is crucial for an offensive line that’s relatively light on experience. Veterans Andre James and Cody Whitehair provide the team with two likely experienced starters. The team expected 2022 seventh-round pick Thayer Munford to return and start at right tackle, but a hand injury put him in a position battle with third-round rookie DJ Glaze out of Maryland. Third-year starter Dylan Parham should return to the other starting spot.

The team also rosters veteran Andrus Peat, who has been filling in for Miller throughout his absence. Las Vegas was hoping to see second-round Oregon rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson compete for one of the interior line spots, but he spent a concerning amount of time on the active/PUP list himself before returning last week. His chances of nabbing a starting gig, though, have likely been damaged by the extended absence.

Steelers Release CB Anthony Averett

August 20th, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Ely Allen

The Steelers were one of several teams who made adjustments to their roster today with cut day looming on the horizon. The past two days saw the team put center Nate Herbig on injured reserve followed by his roster spot being taken up by linebacker Kyahva Tezino. The latest roster adjustment saw Pittsburgh release veteran cornerback Anthony Averett, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.

Averett is a former fourth-round pick out of Alabama who was originally drafted by the Steelers’ division-rival in Baltimore. He spent the duration of his rookie contract with the Ravens, gradually increasing his role until he became a full-time starter at cornerback in 2021. Injuries often hampered his availability, limiting him to just 44 of a possible 65 games in Baltimore, but in his contract year, Averett started all 14 games he appeared in, recording career-highs in tackles (54), interceptions (3), and passes defensed (11).

Those efforts earned him a one-year, $4MM deal with the Raiders. In Las Vegas, Averett would make six more starts in seven appearances, but injuries would limit him to only that in 2022. Last year, Averett signed with the 49ers late in the offseason but was released two weeks later. He signed to the Lions’ practice squad in early October but would only remain there for five weeks before being released again. The Steelers signed him back in May, hoping he would add some experienced depth behind Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson.

Quickly filling up Averett’s roster spot, the Steelers signed defensive end Marcus Haynes, who was waived by the Browns a week ago. Additionally, another defensive back hit the free agent market as the team released cornerback Grayland Arnold from IR with an injury settlement, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/24

August 20th, 2024 at 6:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

  • Reverted to IR: LB Zeke Vandenburgh

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Free Agent

Strong was a surprising release by the Cardinals during the regular season last year. At the time, Strong was coming off of his strongest NFL campaign, but head coach Jonathan Gannon claimed that the release was what was “best for the team.” While we still don’t know the nature of the suspension, or whether or not it’s even related to his January release, we are aware that he will miss three games.

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