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Brandon Cottom

Minor NFC Transactions: 5/15/17

May 15th, 2017 at 5:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we rounded up some minor moves out of the AFC. In the interest of equal time, we turn our attention to the NFC:

  • The Rams signed two Northwestern State alums in wide receiver Shakeir Ryan and running back De’Mard Llorens, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports. In addition to the skill-position talents from the Natchitoches, Louisiana-based program, the Rams added another small-school product in Mary Hardin-Baylor linebacker Teidrick Smith. The two Division I-FCS talents and Division III defender will displace two Rams in defensive back Jared Collins and offensive lineman Shaq McMeans, per Gonzalez. Their roster currently houses 89 players.
  • Former Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas signed with the Saints, who also added guard Josh LeRibeus and running back Trey Edmunds, Nick Underhill of The Advocate reports. The 5-foot-11 Thomas operated as a dual-threat quarterback with the Yellowjackets and probably would convert positions for an NFL opportunity. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore in the program’s run-centric offense and threw for 18 touchdown passes that season. In the two subsequent slates, Thomas combined to throw 21 TDs. The son of former Dolphins Pro Bowl tight end Ferrell Edmunds, Trey Edmunds served as a reserve at Virginia Tech and Maryland.
  • On a busy Monday, the Saints signed Drew Iddings, a source tells Underhill (on Twitter). Iddings, a former defensive lineman, will be trying to stick as an offensive guard. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound athlete has no significant experience on offense, but New Orleans believes that the powerful lineman can make a smooth transition. In college at South Dakota, Iddings appeared in 46 games and totaled 149 tackles and eight sacks.
  • The Seahawks cut quarterback Skyler Howard and fullback Brandon Cottom and signed fullback Kyle Coleman and wide receiver Speedy Noil, per a team announcement. Noil entered the draft early out of Texas A&M. He caught just 42 passes combined the past two seasons.
  • Giants signed wide receiver Kevin Snead, a Carson-Newman product, after his tryout. Snead, a former track star, reportedly ran a sub-4.3-second 40-yard-dash. To make room, the team waived offensive lineman Martin Wallace.
  • The Lions have signed free agent offensive tackle Arturo Uzdavinis and waived tackle Pierce Burton.
  • The Vikings signed guard Freddie Tagaloa after a successful rookie minicamp tryout, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
  • The Cardinals signed wide receiver Larry Clark.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/3/17

May 3rd, 2017 at 7:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

  • The 49ers are the first team to sign a 2017 draft pick, as they’ve agreed to terms with fourth-round running back Joe Williams, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Williams, a Utah product, will compete for playing time behind Carlos Hyde during his rookie season. He should be in line for a four-year deal worth roughly $3.029MM and a signing bonus of about $329K.
  • The Jets have claimed offensive lineman Alex Balducci off waivers from San Francisco, per the league’s transaction wire. Balducci, 23, played defensive line at Oregon, but shifted to offense under his collegiate head coach Chip Kelly with the 49ers. In 2016, Balducci appeared in two games, but played on only six total snaps (three on offense, three on special teams).
  • Defensive lineman Zach Moore was the third former 49er (joining Balducci and Mike Purcell, who landed with the Rams) to land with a new club today, as the Panthers claimed the 26-year-old off waivers today. Moore is a former sixth-round pick of the Patriots who’s bounced around during three seasons in the NFL, as he’s also spent time with the Vikings and Cowboys. He’ll add depth in Carolina, but seems unlikely to make a roster that is relatively deep at defensive end.
  • The Chiefs have signed free agent cornerback De’Vante Bausby, the club announced today. Bausby, 23, was waived by Chicago on Monday. The former undrafted free agent bounced on and off the Bears’ active roster in 2016, ultimately starting four games for Chicago and posting 11 tackles while playing on roughly 10% of the team’s defensive snaps. Kansas City currently has seven cornerbacks on its roster, but didn’t select one in last week’s draft, so Bausby may have a shot to make the squad. He’ll likely need to pick up special teams duty, something he didn’t do last season.
  • The Colts announced today that they’ve waived guard Isiah Cage. Cage, 23, signed with Indianapolis last spring after going undrafted out of Division III Wisconsin Eau-Claire. Less than a month after inking a deal with the Colts, Cage suffered was waived/injured and reverted to the club’s injured reserve list, where he spent the entirety of his rookie campaign. This time around, Cage will become a free agent if he passes through waivers unclaimed.
  • The Seahawks have re-signed fullback/tight end Brandon Cottom, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Cottom, 24, originally signed with Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He’s spent time on the Seahawks’ active roster and practice squad, but landed on injured reserve in 2016 after tearing his Achilles.
  • The Rams announced that they’ve waived defensive back Jerome Couplin, long snapper Andrew East, running back Brandon Wegher, and tight end Bryce Williams. Couplin and Wegher both have NFL experience, but neither has appeared in a game since 2015.
  • The Vikings have waived safety Cedric Thompson, tweets Courtney Fallon NFL.com. Thompson, a fifth-round pick in 2015, has bounced between Miami, New England, and Minnesota, but has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Seahawks Waive Cooper Helfet

August 6th, 2016 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

On a busy day in Seattle, the Seahawks waived fifth-year tight end Cooper Helfet, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports, amid a wave of transactions.

The Seahawks extended Helfet a tender as an exclusive-rights free agents in March, and the 27-year-old pass-catcher signed it soon after. However, Helfet has missed almost all of training camp after breaking a bone in his foot.

Condotta expects the veteran tight end to pass through waivers and land on Seattle’s IR (Twitter link).

A former UDFA out of Duke, Helfet’s played with the Seahawks since 2012 and made a modest impact during the past two seasons. Starting four games combined during the 2014-15 campaigns, Helfet made 25 receptions for 315 yards and two touchdowns — both of which coming in 2015. An easier route to playing time opened after Jimmy Graham‘s season-ending injury last season.

But Graham is expected to return soon, and the Seahawks also drafted Nick Vannett in the third round this year. Luke Willson also returns for the Seahawks, who made more moves on Saturday in addition to signing Jahri Evans.

Seattle also waived Brandon Cottom, whom Condotta tabbed as a good bet to be the team’s primary fullback prior to suffering an Achilles injury Thursday, along with tight end Ronnie Shields, running back Tre Madden and defensive end David Perkins.

The Seahawks signed linebacker Kache Palacio, running back Troymaine Pope and wideout Uzoma Nwachukwu.

Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/18/16

January 18th, 2016 at 5:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL:

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/16/15

November 16th, 2015 at 4:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Here are Monday’s practice squad add/drops from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

New York Giants

  • Cut: DB Dax Swanson (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News)

New York Jets

  • Signed: WR Titus Davis (via Jets on Twitter)
  • Cut: WR Shane Wynn

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: FB Brandon Cottom (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times)
  • Cut: DB Kevin Short

Seahawks Reduce Roster To 75 Players

August 31st, 2015 at 4:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks announced that they have made a number of moves before the deadline to reduce rosters to 75 players. The full list of moves, recapped below, includes the outright release of center Lemuel Jeanpierre and defensive tackle D’Anthony Smith. As veterans, neither player is subjected to waivers.

Released outright:

  • Lemuel Jeanpierre, C
  • D’Anthony Smith, DT

Waived:

  • Jesse Davis, T
  • George Farmer, CB
  • Deshon Foxx, CB
  • Deontay Greenberry, WR
  • Keelan Johnson, CB
  • Quayshawn Nealy, LB
  • Greg Scruggs, DE
  • Ty Zimmerman, S

Waived/injured:

  • Brandon Cottom, FB
  • Triston Wade, CB

Jeanpierre, started six games at center over the past two seasons and was in competition with Drew Nowak for the starting job. Nowak, who has started the past two preseason games, has presumably beat him out for the starting gig.

Minor Moves: Tuesday Night

May 12th, 2015 at 7:56pm CST by Zachary Links

We rounded up some minor transactions earlier today, and we have a new group here for Tuesday night..

  • The Patriots have signed linebacker Dekoda Watson, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Watson was let go by the Cowboys just days ago. Watson has spent time with the Bucs, Jaguars, and Cowboys over the course of his career and played in 70 games.
  • The Broncos claimed receiver/return man Solomon Patton off waivers from the Bucs, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. The Broncos also claimed Jags tight end Marcel Jensen earlier today.
  • The Lions released UDFA running back Rasheed Williams, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets.
  • The Seahawks signed linebacker Tyrell Adams and fullback Brandon Cottom, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). To make room, Seattle waived lineman Nate Isles and terminated the contract of lineman C.J. Davis. Adams and Cottom were each tryout players at Seahawks’ rookie mini-camp over the weekend.
  • Safety Thomas Gordon, waived by the Giants yesterday, cleared waivers and is now on their reserve/injured list, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News tweets.
  • Wide receiver Austin Hill, who did not pass a physical to sign with Seahawks, was signed today by the Raiders, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). To make room, the Raiders waived fellow wide receiver Milton Williams, a Delaware State product, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com tweets.