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Minor NFL Transactions: 8/30/21

August 30th, 2021 at 4:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here. Teams have until 3pm CT Tuesday to pare their rosters down to 53 players.

Arizona Cardinals

Released: DB Chris Banjo, DL Josh Mauro
Waived: WR Andre Baccellia, CB Jace Whittaker, S James Wiggins
Released from IR via injury settlement: LB Terrance Smith
Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Jordan Phillips

Atlanta Falcons

Waived: DT Eli Ankou, DL Zac Dawe, S Dwayne Johnson Jr., DE Kobe Jones, WR Chris Rowland, LB Tuzar Skipper

Baltimore Ravens

Waived: WR Deon Cain, WR Devin Gray, WR Siaosi Mariner
Released: TE Eric Tomlinson

Buffalo Bills

Waived: CB Tim Harris, WR Brandon Powell, RB Kerrith Whyte

Carolina Panthers

Waived: G Mike Horton, S Jalen Julius, OL Aaron Monteiro

Cleveland Browns

Released: WR JoJo Natson
Waived: CB Brian Allen, TE Jordan Franks, OL Colby Gossett, DE Porter Gustin, QB Kyle Lauletta, DE Cameron Malveaux, TE Kyle Markway, S Jovante Moffatt, S Sheldrick Redwine, CB Manny Rugamba, LB Tegray Scales, DE Curtis Weaver, DT Marvin Wilson
Placed on IR: OT Greg Senat

Chicago Bears

Released: OL Adam Redmond
Waived: TE Scooter Harrington

Dallas Cowboys

Waived: S Steven Parker

Denver Broncos

Waived: TE Shaun Beyer, WR Tyrie Cleveland, TE Austin Fort, OT Drew Himmelman, WR Kendall Hinton, DE Isaiah Mack, CB Mac McCain, FB Adam Prentice, LB Curtis Robinson, QB Brett Rypien, OL Austin Schlottmann, RB Stevie Scott, CB Saivion Smith, LB Derrek Tuszka, WR Seth Williams

Detroit Lions

Waived: WR Victor Bolden, DT Miles Brown, CB Mike Ford, OL Evan Heim, S Alijah Holder, WR Damion Ratley

Houston Texans

Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Laremy Tunsil
Waived/injured: CB Cornell Armstrong, LB Tae Davis
Waived: DB Shyheim Carter, OL Danny Isidora, TE Ryan Izzo, OL Carson Green, RB Buddy Howell
Released: QB Jeff Driskel

Indianapolis Colts

Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Ryan Kelly, WR Zach Pascal, QB Carson Wentz; the trio landed on the coronavirus list due to being high-risk close contacts, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets
Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Quenton Nelson
Waived: CB Holton Hill, LB Isaiah Kaufusi

Jacksonville Jaguars

Waived: CB Corey Straughter
Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Josh Allen

Kansas City Chiefs

Waived: CB Zayne Anderson, WR Maurice Ffrench, RBDerrick Gore, DB Devon Key, RB Darwin Thompson, OL Darryl Williams
Traded: OL Yasir Durant (to Patriots for 2022 seventh-round pick, per Herbie Teope of the KC Star on Twitter)

Las Vegas Raiders

Released from IR via injury settlement: LB Darron Lee

Los Angeles Chargers

Waived: LB Jessie Lemonier

Los Angeles Rams

Waived: DB Brontae Harris, WR Jeremiah Haydel, G Jeremiah Kolone, G Jordan Meredith, DB Donovan Olumba, LB Troy Warner

Miami Dolphins

Waived: S Nate Holley, WR Khalil McClain, DE Tyshun Render, TE Carl Tucker
Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Robert Foster

New England Patriots

Waived: S Adrian Colbert, DL Bill Murray, WR Tre Nixon
Traded for: OL Yasir Durant (via Chiefs for 2022 seventh-round pick, per Herbie Teope of the KC Star on Twitter)

New Orleans Saints

Waived: S Eric Burrell, OG Derrick Kelly, CB Natrell Jamerson, DL R.J. McIntosh, OL Christian Montano, LB Shaq Smith

New York Jets

Waived: WR Lawrence Cager, S J.T. Hassell, CB Lamar Jackson, OL Corey Levin, Jeremiah Valoaga

Philadelphia Eagles

Waived: OL Ross Pierschbacher

Pittsburgh Steelers

Waived: WR Rico Bussey, LS Kameron Canaday, LB Jamar Watson

Seattle Seahawks

Waived: TE Ian Bunting, WR Darece Roberson

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Waived: LB Joseph Jones, DT Kobe Smith

Tennessee Titans

Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Nate Davis
Waived/injured: OL Chandon Herring
Released from IR via injury settlement: OL Brent Qvale (story)

Washington Football Team

Waived: WR Tony Brown, S Cole Luke, CB Linden Stephens, WR Isaiah Wright
Released: DT Devaroe Lawrence, LB Joe Walker

Saints Sign Damion Square

August 27th, 2021 at 4:18pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have signed nose tackle Damion Square, per the league wire. To make room, they’ve released fullback Sutton Smith.

Square spent 2014-20 with the Chargers, re-upping with the team in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020. He started 24 games for the Bolts in total and enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2018 — 6.5 sacks on a 51% defensive snap rate. However, Los Angeles’ new coaching staff did not bring him back for an eighth season.

Square hooked on with the Browns earlier this year, only to get released earlier this month. The Browns didn’t necessarily need him, after adding the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Takk McKinley and Malik Jackson. They also have defensive tackle Andrew Billings back from his 2020 opt-out.

The 32-year-old will now try to make an impression on the Saints with just days to go before the final cut to 53.

Saints To Start Jameis Winston

August 27th, 2021 at 10:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints will name Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback to open the year (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Winston, hot off of a strong preseason performance, will lead the charge while Taysom Hill resumes his gadget/wild card role.

Winston looked strong against the Jaguars on Monday, posting 123 yards and two touchdowns while completing nine of his ten throws. While he was interception-prone in Tampa (to put it politely), he was calm, cool, and accurate in the pocket. Hill, meanwhile, went 11-for-20 with 138 yards and a touchdown. Up until this point, Saints head coach Sean Payton kept a pretty tight lid on his plans.

“I’m not going to have weekly or daily updates,” Payton said just last week. “These guys are both working hard.”

Winston now has a prime opportunity to lead the post-Drew Brees Saints offense. He’ll also have a chance to cash in. His modest one-year, $5.5MM deal includes $7MM in incentives, so a strong year could more than double his earnings.

Winston, 27, attempted just eleven passes last year for the Saints. In his last season with the Bucs in 2019, he threw 33 touchdowns while also lobbing an incredible 30 interceptions. This time around, he’s hoping to fix that ratio.

Colts, Saints Tried To Claim Kahale Warring

August 25th, 2021 at 9:03am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots snagged Kahale Warring on Tuesday, but they weren’t the only contenders with claims on the former Texans tight end. The Colts and Saints also submitted waiver wire claims for Warring, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Ultimately, the Pats won out thanks to their higher priority, by way of their disappointing 2020. The 2019 third-rounder will help to fortify New England’s TE group, which has lost Dalton Keene, a 2020 third-round pick, and Troy Fumagalli to injury.

Of course, the Patriots were already rock-solid up top, thanks to newcomers Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. At the same time, Henry is down with an injury of his own, so the Patriots had extra incentive to pounce on warring.

Warring, 24, has yet to produce as a pro. He’s got just three catches across two seasons, most of which were spent on IR. Still, scouts loved his potential coming out of San Diego State. He’s got upside between his 6’5″ frame and surprising athleticism — just ask Bill Belichick, Chris Ballard, or Mickey Loomis.

Saints Place CB Brian Poole On IR

August 24th, 2021 at 5:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Veteran cornerbacks continue to cycle off the Saints’ roster. They placed Brian Poole on injured reserve Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 tweets. Poole is now ineligible to play for New Orleans this season.

The Saints signed Poole just before training camp started. While the former Falcons and Jets slot corner could play for a non-Saints team in 2021, he would need an injury settlement to do so. Either way, more cornerback issues have surfaced for the Saints, who are looking at outside options.

While the Saints gave Poole barely veteran-minimum money and guaranteed him just $137K on a one-year deal, this strips another proven corner from their roster. Poole, 28, was one of the league’s top slot defenders over the last two years, representing one of the Jets’ few bright spots in that span. Pro Football Focus graded the former Falcons UDFA as a top-12 corner in 2019 and ’20.

New Orleans made Janoris Jenkins a cap casualty before free agency and has since seen Marshon Lattimore venture onto the suspension radar — for a March arrest — and prospective starter Patrick Robinson retire. The Saints also cut Prince Amukamara recently. They still have the likes of P.J. Williams, Ken Crawley and third-round rookie Paulson Adebo on the roster. But an outside addition should be expected soon.

Additionally, the Saints placed defensive tackle Jalen Dalton and offensive lineman Ethan Greenidge on IR, per Wilson. They also waived punter Nolan Cooney and waived defensive end Marcus Willoughby with an injury designation.

Saints Place Tommylee Lewis On IR

August 21st, 2021 at 12:51pm CST by Ben Levine

To make room for kicker Aldrick Rosas and safety Jeff Heath, the Saints effectively moved on from a veteran today. The team announced that they’ve placed Tommylee Lewis on injured reserve.

While the NFL recently made it easier for players to return from injury, that still doesn’t apply to players placed on the IR prior to the regular season. In order for a player to be “eligible to be designated for return” from IR/NFI, they need to be on the 53-man roster after final cuts (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter). This means players who are placed on IR during preseason are effectively sidelined for the season. It’s uncertain what ailment Lewis is dealing with, but the 28-year-old could conceivably negotiate an injury settlement if he hopes to see the field in 2021.

Lewis has spent the majority of his NFL career in New Orleans, seeing time in 39 games. He made a name for himself as a key returner, collecting 45 punts for 404 yards and 27 kicks for 617 yards. He also got some run on offense, compiling 30 touches for 306 yards and two touchdowns.

The former undrafted free agent signed with the Panthers last August but was waived before the start of the regular season. He caught on once again with the Saints, and he proceeded to get into five games. He re-signed with the organization back in July.

QB Jameis Winston To Start Saints’ Second Preseason Game

August 21st, 2021 at 9:29am CST by Ben Levine

After Taysom Hill started the Saints preseason opener, the team is making a change to their starting lineup. Jameis Winston will start Monday night’s game against the Jaguars, according to head coach Sean Payton (and via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter).

Payton has said throughout the preseason that the team will continue to rotate between Hill and Winston. In other words, we shouldn’t look too much into Winston’s start on Monday. More interesting will be how the team handles both quarterbacks throughout the exhibition; if one of the two players plays primarily with the starters, it could give us a clue into who will be starting Week 1.

As the Saints usher in the post-Drew Brees era, Hill and Winston are the two candidates to take the starting gig. Hill completed eight of his 12 passes for 81 yards and an interception during his start against the Ravens, while Winston completed seven of his 12 attempts for 96 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The team is also rostering Ian Book, who also tossed an interception during the preseason opener.

The Saints still refuse to show their hand at the quarterback position. When asked if any of the players had the lead for the starting job, Payton refused to give any information.

“I’m not going to have weekly or daily updates,” Payton said (via Michael Davis Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “These guys are both working hard.”

Saints, S Jeff Heath Agree To Deal

August 20th, 2021 at 4:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Veteran safety Jeff Heath has secured another opportunity. The Saints have reached an agreement with the former Cowboys and Raiders defender, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Heath joined fellow safety Andrew Sendejo at a workout Friday, and the Saints are going with the younger of the two. Heath is not especially young, by NFL terms, at 30. But he has been a starter for most of the past four seasons. The Saints have been busy with additions Friday, having just signed kicker Aldrick Rosas as well.

The Cowboys turned to Heath as a starter from 2017-19, and the former UDFA caught on with the Raiders in free agency last year. With Las Vegas, Heath was a part-time starter. But he intercepted three passes. For his career, the eight-year veteran has 11 picks and has made 59 starts.

Pro Football Focus viewed Heath’s 2020 season fondly, slotting him as a top-20 safety. Nevertheless, the Raiders cut bait halfway through Heath’s two-year deal, releasing him shortly after the draft.

The Saints are bringing back their safety tandem from 2020 — Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins — and used some deft cap maneuvering to find room for Williams’ franchise tag. Heath stands to provide insurance behind New Orleans’ starters.

Saints To Sign K Aldrick Rosas

August 20th, 2021 at 3:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints’ most recent run without a healthy kicker will come to an end. They are signing Aldrick Rosas, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Rosas’ workout went well, per NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill (on Twitter), and the former Pro Bowler edged out fellow prospective Wil Lutz replacements Alex Kessman and Dominik Eberle. Neither Kessman nor Eberle had kicked in an NFL game previously. Rosas has four years’ experience, though he has not had a regular gig in two years.

Lutz is expected to be out for months, and the Saints’ Brett Maher partnership ended after he suffered an injury during the team’s preseason opener. The team waived Maher with an injury designation. New Orleans will now pivot to Rosas, who made the Pro Bowl in 2018 but is coming off a season abbreviated by a suspension.

The Giants’ kicker from 2017-19, Rosas saw a hit-and-run arrest lead to his New York exit. The NFL suspended Rosas four games to start last season, and although he landed with the Jaguars and kicked in six games with the struggling team, he did not make it to camp under the new Urban Meyer regime.

Rosas received his Pro Bowl nod after making 32 of 33 field goals in his second season, but he has not quite approached that success in any of his other three slates. The 26-year-old specialist made 12 of 17 field goals in 2019 and went 8-for-11 in six Jags games last year. The opportunity to kick for a dome team could move Rosas back on track, however, while giving the Saints some stability. Lutz has kicked in every Saints regular-season game for the past five years. He is signed through the 2023 season.

To make room on their roster, the Saints waived tight end Josh Pederson. The aspiring NFL pass catcher is the son of former Eagles HC Doug Pederson.

Saints Working Out K Aldrick Rosas

August 19th, 2021 at 3:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having included Brett Maher in their recent cuts, the Saints continue to search for Wil Lutz replacement options. They are working out a former Pro Bowler.

Aldrick Rosas auditioned for the Saints on Thursday, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Twitter). A 2018 Pro Bowler with the Giants, Rosas has been unattached since the Jaguars cut him late last month. The Saints also worked out kickers Alex Kessman and Dominik Eberle.

Rosas, 26, is the only one of these three with NFL experience. Kessman kicked at Pitt, while Eberle played at Utah State.

The Giants placed a second-round RFA tender on Rosas last year but cut him soon after the young specialist was arrested following a hit-and-run incident. After serving a four-game suspension, Rosas landed in Jacksonville and kicked in six Jags games. The Southern Oregon product’s 2018 season, when he made 97% of his field goal tries (32-for-33), has thus far been an aberration. Rosas did not clear the 73% barrier in his other three seasons.

The Saints signed Maher last week but waived him days later; Maher sustained an injury in the Saints’ first preseason game. Lutz is expected to miss extensive time due to a groin injury, forcing New Orleans to search for a kicker for the first time in five years.

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