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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.

DB Notes: Lassiter, Texans, Colts, Simmons, Davis, Lions, Chiefs, Dolphins, Hawks, Jags

August 20th, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans showed interest in re-signing Steven Nelson this offseason, but the two-year Houston starter ended up retiring. Houston has identified another clear candidate to start opposite Derek Stingley. The defending AFC South champions are prepared to roll with second-rounder Kamari Lassiter as their No. 2 cornerback. Not much drama exists here, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson indicating Lassiter has worked with Houston’s first-team defense since the offseason program. Although Lassiter sustained an ankle injury earlier during training camp, the No. 42 overall pick reclaimed his starter post — ahead of former first-rounders Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson — and will be expected to work in tandem with Stingley.

“For a young guy to come in and not be noticed a lot for doing something negative, everything has been positive with Kamari,” Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s exactly the guy we saw from the Georgia film.”

Here is the latest from several other DB situations:

  • The Chiefs still need to decide on a No. 2 corner opposite Trent McDuffie. Long known for moving on from corners after one contract (as they most recently did with L’Jarius Sneed), the Chiefs have a few options — most acquired in 2022. Fourth- and seventh-round picks from that draft Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson, who played extensively last year, lead the way. No one has seized the job, per The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, who has 2022 seventh-rounder Nazeeh Johnson, rookie sixth-rounder Kamal Hadden and former Cowboys second-rounder Kelvin Joseph making the team as well (subscription required). Versatile performer Chamarri Conner, a 2023 fourth-rounder, will be in the mix at corner, but Andy Reid said (via Taylor) this could be a rotation into the season.
  • Justin Simmons accepted a one-year, $7.5MM Falcons deal. That price being so far beyond what other veteran safeties commanded confirms a decent market formed for the perennial All-Pro. The Colts‘ questions in the secondary did not lead them into this chase, however, with the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins indicating the team did not make the ex-Bronco an offer. Former third-rounder Nick Cross, recently re-signed veteran Ronnie Harrison and third-year performer Rodney Thomas have rotated in alongside Julian Blackmon in camp. Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds said no safety moves are anticipated.
  • Seeing his three-year contract traded from the Buccaneers to the Lions, Carlton Davis remains scheduled to be a 2025 free agent. Davis will be 27 for most of this season, which should give him a decent market — should no Detroit extension be reached in the meantime — come March. A new agency will be representing the former second-rounder for his next negotiation. Davis is joining Athletes First, per a recent announcement.
  • Jalen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller will start on the boundary for the Dolphins, with former UDFA success story Kader Kohou in place as Miami’s slot defender. Despite Cam Smith being a second-round pick, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes Ethan Bonner — a 2023 UDFA who has stood out in training camp — is the frontrunner to be Miami’s top backup CB. Bonner, who recently returned from a concussion sustained in camp, played only 11 defensive snaps last season. While Smith recently came back after missing nearly three weeks due to injury, ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques adds he is week-to-week after sustaining another injury against the Commanders. Despite playing 15 games last season, Smith only saw 20 defensive snaps.
  • The base value on Julian Love‘s second Seahawks contract checks in at $33MM, per OverTheCap. The three-year deal includes $11.97MM guaranteed at signing and dropped Love’s cap number by just more than $1.6MM. Option bonuses (worth a combined $4.8MM) are in place to keep the cap hits lower, with both Love’s 2024 and ’25 cap figures coming in at just over $6MM. Love’s 2025 base salary ($1.2MM) is guaranteed for injury and will shift to a full guarantee five days after Super Bowl LIX, ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson tweets.
  • The Jaguars‘ Tashaun Gipson reunion pact is worth $2.55MM, Wilson tweets. It comes with $525K guaranteed. The Jags will still be shorthanded at safety for a while. In addition to Gipson’s six-week suspension, Doug Pederson said (via ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco) Andrew Wingard‘s recent knee injury will sideline him for at least a few games.

Texans, S Jimmie Ward Agree To Extension

August 19th, 2024 at 3:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jimmie Ward is set to remain in Houston beyond the coming campaign. The veteran safety has a one-year extension in place, as first reported by ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime.

Ward will now be under contract through the 2025 season. The 33-year-old made his Texans debut last season, the first of DeMeco Ryans’ tenure as head coach. Now, the pair will continue their relationship in Houston after several years together in San Francisco.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 details this agreement will include up to $5.25MM in new money. Ward’s guaranteed compensation across the 2024 and ’25 seasons now sits at $8.75MM.

Since entering the league in 2014, Ward has been a mainstay on defense. His nine-year 49ers tenure included 79 starts in 116 appearances. The former first-rounder struggled with injuries in 2022, a year which he figured would be his final one in the Bay Area. Ryans invited him to sign with whichever team hired him as head coach, though, and that came to fruition in Houston. Team and player agreed to a two-year, $13MM pact and – after seeing some time in the slot – Ward returned to safety upon arrival with the Texans.

The Northern Illinois product was limited to 10 games last season, but when on the field he served as a starter. Ward logged a 73% defensive snap share, a figure short of his usage during many of his 49er years but a step up from the 2022 campaign. He recorded one interception and three pass deflections while not allowing a touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage. That level of play has earned him another short-term commitment.

Ward will continue handling a starter’s workload in a safety room which also includes fellow veteran Eric Murray in addition to third-round rookie Calen Bullock. 2022 second-rounder Jalen Pitre has previously played at safety, but Houston is using him at slot corner this offseason. Regardless of how that move works out, Ward will continue to be counted on for at least the next two years.

Bears, Dolphins, Texans Showed Interest In Matt Judon; No Falcons Extension Imminent

August 18th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 18: With third-round picks on the table from both the Falcons and Bears, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes Judon was given the choice of which suitor he would prefer to join. His decision to head to Atlanta has not been followed up by an extension, but it adds an interesting layer to his Patriots departure given Chicago’s perceived need for a starting edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat.

AUGUST 15: Matt Judon‘s contact issue with the Patriots was resolved last night when a trade with the Falcons was worked out. That swap is now official, and New England received a third-round pick as compensation for the pending free agent edge rusher.

Atlanta had competition for Judon before the trade was agreed to. The Bears were “heavily involved” in negotiations, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Just as the Falcons did, Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston notes Chicago offered a third-round selection. The Patriots opted to take Atalanta’s pick instead, marking an end to a saga which included missed practice time and frustration over the lack of progress on extension talks.

Perry confirms, to little surprise, that a “sizable gap” existed between Judon’s asking price and where the Patriots were willing to go on a new contract. The four-time Pro Bowler was highly productive during his New England tenure, but a 2023 biceps injury along with his age (32 today) represented reasons for hesitancy on the team’s part. After no resolution was found, the former fifth-rounder will now join a Falcons team which explored an edge rush addition on Day 1 of the draft even after selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. 

In addition to the Bears, Fowler and KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson report the Dolphins and Texans showed varying levels of interest in a Judon acquisition. Wilson adds that Houston’s efforts consisted of a “brief inquiry,” and New England no doubt would have preferred to avoid making a trade within the division in the form of a Miami swap. The Pats’ ability to acquire a round three selection came as a surprise to some executives around the league, per Perry, and sending Judon to the NFC also carries value.

The Grand Valley State alum is due a base salary of $6.5MM in 2024 in addition to a maximum of $1MM in per-game roster bonuses. A new contract will be much more valuable, but it does not appear one will necessarily be hammered out between now and the start of the regular season. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports Judon is set to report to Atlanta without an extension in place or an agreement on one being imminent. Indeed, head coach Raheem Morris said (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic) the team is not committed to an extension at this time.

Players acquired via trade often have the parameters of a new contract in place by the time the swap is official. Exceptions exist, of course, and one ongoing example of the issues which can stem from not finalizing a new (or restructured) deal is the situation between the Jets and Haason Reddick. New York’s recently-acquired edge rusher has one year remaining on a below-market contract, and he has not reported to the team while angling for an adjustment or a multi-year commitment.

Judon did not conduct a holdout as he did last summer, but he made it clear he felt his market value was closer to the top of the position’s pecking order than his 2024 compensation. 12 edge rushers are currently attached to an AAV of $20MM or more; Judon may be hard-pressed to reach that mark given the fact he was limited to just four games last season. Still, a raise could be in order upon arrival in Atlanta. If the Falcons remain willing to let him play out his contract as constructed, though, Judon would be set up to hit the open market next March.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/24

August 12th, 2024 at 8:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Activated from active/PUP: DT Devonnsha Maxwell

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, S Chase Williams
  • Released: RB John Kelly
  • Waived: DE Marcus Haynes
  • Waived/injured: CB Vincent Gray

Denver Broncos

  • Claimed (from Giants): DB Kaleb Hayes
  • Waived: ILB Alec Mock

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Signed: LB Anthony Hines, TE Neal Johnson
  • Waived: LB Jimmy Ciarlo, CB Myles Jones

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Claimed (from Ravens): OL Tykeem Doss
  • Waived/injured: DB Kalon Barnes

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hernia surgery forced Tampa to the Ravens’ active/PUP list, but the fourth-round pick is ready to return. Needing a double hernia operation after minicamp (per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec), Tampa is unlikely to be ready for practice until at least next week. By avoiding a move to the reserve/PUP list, Tampa is no longer at risk of missing Baltimore’s first four games.

A rookie UDFA, Murphy went down with an MCL injury, per NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. The Dolphins signed Brown, a four-year Giants special-teamer and backup presence, in April. While the Dolphins continue to deal with linebacker injuries, they did bring Jaelan Phillips off the PUP list today.

Fromm spent most of the past two seasons with the Commanders, but the team — as it transitions to a new regime — cut the former Georgia passer in May. He joins a Lions team that still rosters Nate Sudfeld along with Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker.

Texans Not Interested In S Justin Simmons

August 6th, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Adam La Rose

Justin Simmons remains one of the top free agents still on the market. For the time being, at least, the veteran safety is not a target of the Texans.

Houston has not yet submitted a contract offer to Simmons, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. That could change in the future, but a lack of interest this deep into the summer suggests the Texans are satisfied with their incumbent options on the backend. Simmons was released earlier this offseason by the Broncos, and he has not appeared close to an agreement with a new team.

A reunion with Denver is not expected, although the latest update on that front came before the team’s decision to move on from Caden Sterns yesterday. The Broncos currently sit near the bottom of the league in cap space with $7.8MM in available funds. Simmons, for his part, has not named finances as his top priority during his ongoing free agent spell, however.

The 30-year-old is aiming to join a contending team on his next pact, one which will likely check in at a lower price than the $15.25MM AAV he was previously attached to. Simmons’ 30 interceptions since entering the league in 2016 lead the NFL during that span, and his production would make him a valued contributor on any number of teams. He has earned two Pro Bowl invitations and four second-team All-Pro nods in the past five seasons, so in at least the short term he would be counted on to remain an impact starter with his next employer.

Simmons has drawn interest in recent weeks with many teams considering him the best veteran still on the market. No known visits have taken place, though, so it remains to be seen when he will make notable progress toward signing a deal. Houston has veterans Jimmie Ward and Eric Murray in place at safety. Third-round rookie Calen Bullock is another option at that position. Jalen Pitre has seen time at safety before, but as Wilson notes the Texans are trying him at slot corner for now.

If that alignment draws success during the remainder of training camp and the preseason, Houston could continue with the status quo in the secondary. Injuries or poor play could change the team’s thinking, and with over $20MM in cap space an investment in Simmons would certainly be feasible. As things currently stand, however, the Texans should not be listed as a contender to acquire him.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/24

August 5th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: LB Mike Rose

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived: OL Jason Poe

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/24

August 3rd, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

New Orleans Saints

  • Waived (injury designation): WR Jermaine Jackson

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Claimed off waivers (from Jets): TE Kevin Foelsch
  • Waived (injury designation): TE McCallan Castles

Brown’s workout with the Panthers obviously went well, as he now has a deal in place. The 30-year-old was unable to find a permanent home last season as he continued to rehab a torn Achilles from the year prior. Brown will spend the rest of the summer with a team seeking out depth at the CB spot, and his experience from his Cowboys days could help him secure a roster spot. Doing so could pave the way for at least a rotational role ahead of free agency in 2025.

Texans To Sign OL Cameron Erving

August 3rd, 2024 at 8:36am CST by Ben Levine

Weeks after auditioning Cameron Erving, the Texans are set to sign the veteran offensive lineman. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that Erving is signing with the organization.

[RELATED: Texans Host OL Cameron Erving]

After dealing with their fair share of OL injuries last season, the Texans seemed to be doing their due diligence when they hosted Erving back in July. It didn’t take long for a need to arise. Per Wilson, offensive tackle Charlie Heck is currently nursing a flareup of plantar fasciitis, necessitating some extra depth at the position.

Erving certainly brings experience and versatility to Houston’s offensive line. The former Browns first-round pick bounced around the OL to begin his career, spending a significant amount of time at both offensive guard spots and center. He later started 22 games at left tackle for the Chiefs, Cowboys, and Panthers between 2019 and 2021 before barely seeing the field for Carolina in 2022.

It was a similar story in 2023, as Erving was buried on the practice squad with the Saints. He eventually got a chance to play when Ryan Ramczyk was placed on IR in December, with Erving starting two of his three appearances down the stretch. The 31-year-old didn’t play enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ leader boards, although his score would have placed him towards the bottom of the OT pool (continuing a trend of below-average grades from the site).

Heck’s injury doesn’t necessarily open a role for Erving, but the veteran should be able to soak up some snaps during training camp and the regular season. Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard are slotted in as the starting OTs, and the team is also rostering rookie second-round pick Blake Fisher. Erving’s versatility provides him some additional pathways to playing time, which could be notable since the left guard spot is up for grabs during training camp and the preseason.

Broncos, Cardinals, Giants, Texans Pursued RB Josh Jacobs

July 29th, 2024 at 9:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

As the 2023 offseason foreshadowed, Josh Jacobs departed the Raiders in free agency. The former rushing champion inked a four-year, $48MM deal with the Packers this spring, a move he long contemplated.

[RELATED: Raiders Did Not Discuss New Deal With Jacobs Prior To Departure]

When addressing his decision to sign in Green Bay, Jacobs noted (via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette) he turned down more lucrative offers from other interested parties. He added that roughly one dozen teams showed different levels of interest in the lead-in to free agency. Joining a contending team helped make Jacobs’ decision easier, though.

“I didn’t want to go to a team where I felt like I wanted to be in a rebuilding situation,” the 26-year-old said. “I didn’t want to go to a team where I felt like I couldn’t come in and immediately make an impact and be able to be one of the factors to get over the hump.”

Jacobs said his suitors included the Texans, Giants, Broncos and Cardinals. Those teams offered varying potential in terms of Super Bowl contention in the immediate future, and the former first-rounder noted he spent much of the 2023 campaign observing the Packers’ development on offense. Green Bay’s offer was $3-$4MM lower than ones made by other teams, he said, but familiarity was another factor working in the Packers’ favor in this situation.

Jacobs contacted Rich Bisaccia while exploring the possibility of a Green Bay deal. The latter served as special teams coordinator (and, briefly, interim head coach) of the Raiders before taking charge of the Packers’ special teams in 2022. Bisaccia, along with former Raiders teammate Keisean Nixon and ex-college teammate Xavier McKinney represent familiar faces Jacobs will be reuniting with on his new team. Given the Packers’ decision to move on from Aaron Jones, he will also face heavy expectations as the their undisputed lead back.

“I wanted to be a Raider,” Jacobs added. “Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to be with one team, finish my career with one team… So coming into that [2023] season, everything felt weird. I felt like I’m going to have this crazy year, and you don’t even want me here. So the writing was already on the wall. Obviously, I still tried to come in and put my best foot forward, but I knew it was coming toward that time.”

Jacobs was limited to 13 games last season, and he had career lows across the board. As expected, Vegas moved on with Zamir White as their lead back while adding veteran Alexander Mattison as a backup. That tandem will be much more cost-effective than a RB room led by Jacobs would have been, but Green Bay’s run to the NFC divisional round will lead to expectations of a strong 2024 performance. It will be interesting to see how he fares with his new team and whether or not his free agent decision proves to be a sound one.

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