Bryan Anger - Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/11/24

March 11th, 2025 at 10:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Buffalo Bills

Re-signed: FB Reggie Gilliam
Signed: RB Darrynton Evans

Chicago Bears

Re-signed: LS Scott Daly

Dallas Cowboys

Re-signed: P Bryan Anger

Detroit Lions

Re-signed: DT Myles Adams

Houston Texans

Re-signed: S M.J. Stewart
Signed: LB Nick Niemann

Indianapolis Colts

Re-signed: C Wesley French

Kansas City Chiefs

Signed: TE Robert Tonyan, LB Cole Christiansen

Los Angeles Rams

Suspended: WR Drake Stoops

Miami Dolphins

Re-signed: LB Quinton Bell

New Orleans Saints

Re-signed: WR/KR Dante Pettis

Tennessee Titans

Re-signed: S Mike Brown

Washington Commanders

Re-signed: RB Jeremy McNichols

Anger is a 13-year veteran who has spent the last four years in Dallas, which included Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 2021 and 2023. He will stay with the Cowboys on a two-year deal, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Tonyan had a few strong seasons in Green Bay earlier in his career, but he has struggled to produce over the last two years. He spent 2024 in Minnesota, but only played 15 snaps on offense with zero targets. He will add tight end depth in Kansas City.

Stoops received a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He will be eligible to participate in training camp and preseason games, but will be sidelined for the first two games of the regular season.

McNichols is staying in Washington on a one-year deal, according to Pelissero. The seven-year veteran appeared in 17 games for the Commanders in 2024 and rushed for 261 yards and four touchdowns on 55 attempts. McNichols will likely continue as Washington’s RB3 behind Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler.

NFC Notes: Carr, Horn, Kupp, Cowboys, Okereke

March 8th, 2025 at 11:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Derek Carr‘s contract will be restructured for the second straight offseason, ensuring he remains with the Saints for at least one more year. The veteran quarterback’s future had been in question until the news of his pact being reworked.

General Mickey Loomis said keeping Carr in place was the team’s plan, so it comes as no surprise he will play a third season in New Orleans. The four-time Pro Bowler apparently would have welcomed a change of scenery, though. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Carr was believed to be willing to head elsewhere this offseason by joining a QB-needy team. The Saints, however, never showed a desire to move forward with a trade or release.

Carr made it clear before a final decision on his future was made that he would not welcome a pay cut. His $40MM in 2025 compensation will (to a large extent) now be paid out as a signing bonus, but it was already guaranteed under the pact’s previous setup. Trading or cutting their QB1 would therefore have not been feasible for the Saints, but it is still noteworthy Carr would have been on board with a fresh start after two years with the team.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

Extension talks are ongoing between the Panthers and Jaycee Horn. When healthy, the former No. 8 pick has proven to be an effective cornerback but injuries in 2021 and ’23 threaten to hurt his leverage. In spite of his missed time, Joe Person of The Athletic writes Horn is believed to be seeking a deal near the top of the position’s market (subscription required). Five corners are attached to an AAV of $20.1MM or more, and Jalen Ramsey leads the way at $24.1MM per year. That figure could very well be overtaken once Sauce Gardner (Jets) and Derek Stingley (Texans) have extensions in place, but Horn, 25, may not slot in very far behind them.
Cooper Kupp is known to be on the trade market, with the Rams making clear their intention of moving on from the eight-year veteran. The team is prepared to retain salary to swing a deal, and general manager Les Snead hopes to have one in place by next week (when the 31-year-old’s roster bonus is due). In his first interview since learning of the team’s choice to move on, Kupp said (via Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times) head coach Sean McVay informed him of the move during a face-to-face meting in his office. McVay has left the door (slightly) open to a return with his recent comments, but Kupp has moved forward knowing he will be playing elsewhere in 2025.
Brandin Cooks is one of many veteran receivers set to hit the market next week. The 31-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Cowboys, and in an interview with The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson he said he is open to re-signing. Cooks – who missed seven games in 2024 – added he is fully healthy, and Anderson writes there could be interest from multiple teams. While a return to Dallas is firmly in play, Cooks said he feels he has not been utilized correctly during his time there so far. The 11-year veteran played out a two-year, $20MM deal with the Cowboys.
Bobby Okereke‘s second season with the Giants was limited to 12 games due to a herniated disc in his back. The veteran linebacker is expected to be healthy in time for OTAs, but he could find himself on a new team by then. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News writes there have been rumblings this offseason about the Giants not viewing Okereke’s value in the same light as they did previously. A 2023 free agent signing for general manager Joe Schoen, the former Colt delivered 149 tackles and a pair of interceptions in his debut New York season. His production dropped this past campaign, though, and with two years left on his pact a trade or release could be under consideration. Moving on immediately would not yield notable savings, but a post-June 1 release would free up $9MM later in the offseason. Okereke, 28, is due a $3MM roster bonus March 17.
With regard to other Cowboys updates, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News notes veteran defensive ends Carl Lawson and Chauncey Golston could be on the way out. DeMarcus Lawrence hopes to re-sign, but he is also open to exploring his market. The Cowboys currently have Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland on their rookie deals and a pending mega-extension to work out with leading edge rusher Micah Parsons. Inexpensive depth will increasingly be a priority if any or all of Lawrence, Lawson and Golston sign elsewhere. Watkins adds that punter Bryan Anger and long snapper Trent Sieg are among the players Dallas aims to re-sign, something which has already been taken care of in the case of Osa Odighizuwa.

Cowboys Re-Sign P Bryan Anger

March 22nd, 2022 at 3:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

After it was thought he would be heading elsewhere, the Cowboys are set to retain their punter. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter) that Bryan Anger is signing a three-year, $9MM contract with Dallas. The punter received a $2.4MM signing bonus and will have a 2022 cap hit of $2.2MM, per ESPN’s Todd Archer (on Twitter). The team has confirmed the move.

Anger, 33, joined the Cowboys on a one-year deal last season. He was actually one of the team’s final cuts before the season started, but they brought him back in time to play every game. The $3MM-per-season average of this contract is a sizeable raise from the $1.075MM he played for in 2021.

The Cal alum was a third round pick of the Jaguars in 2012. He played for four seasons in Jacksonville, leading the league in average yards per punt in 2014. That was followed by a three-year stint in Tampa Bay, where he was used less frequently but maintained a high degree of effectiveness and consistency. He spent 2019 and 2020 with the Texans.

This past campaign, Anger enjoyed a career year. He set a new personal mark in terms of punting average (48.4 yards). As well, he broke the Cowboys’ franchise record for net average at 44.6 yards per punt. That performance earned him his first career trip to the Pro Bowl, along with second team All-Pro honors.

From a financial standpoint, that led some to believe Anger would be on the move again. Before free agency began, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reported (via Twitter) that he was “unlikely to return to Dallas”. Now, however, the team has found the money to keep one of their best players from last year in the fold.

Cowboys Re-Sign Bryan Anger

September 6th, 2021 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have re-signed Bryan Anger, per a club announcement. Anger was dropped as a part of the Cowboys’ final cuts but they did not sign another punter to replace him.

Anger spent 2019 and 2020 with the Texans, where he cleared 46 yards per punt in each campaign. In March, Houston cleared his contract from the books to save $2MM against the cap. Anger has also spent time with the Buccaneers and Jaguars, but he’s perhaps best known for being a punter that was drafted in the third round. The Cowboys inked him to a one-year deal in April, putting him in competition with Hunter Niswander for the job.

The Cowboys won’t have to make any additional cuts since right guard Zack Martin and offensive lineman Brandon Knight recently landed on the COVID-19 reserve list.

Cowboys To Sign Bryan Anger

April 7th, 2021 at 9:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys are signing Bryan Anger to a one-year deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). The veteran punter is now set for a training camp competition Hunter Niswander for the job.

The Cowboys have been on the hunt for a new punter ever since releasing Chris Jones in March. Previously, Jones was set to enter the final year of the four-year, $8.7MM extension he inked in 2017. At the time of signing, Jones had the team’s’ all-time highest percentage of punts downed inside the 20 with 39.9% (113 of 283). He had also been with the club for years while posting a solid 44.5-yard average. Unfortunately, that dipped to ~42 ypp over the last two years. Then, he missed the latter half of 2020 with an abdominal injury.

Anger, meanwhile, has spent the last two years with the Texans, where he cleared 46 yards per punt in each campaign. But, last month, Houston cleared his contract from the books to save $2MM against the cap. Anger has also spent time with the Buccaneers and Jaguars, but he’s perhaps best known for being a punter that was drafted in the third round.

Texans To Release P Bryan Anger

March 18th, 2021 at 1:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Amid the considerable changes to the Texans’ setup this offseason, they will move on from their punter of the past two years. The Texans are releasing Bryan Anger, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Anger, who signed with Houston during Bill O’Brien‘s short but memorable stay as GM, has played nine NFL seasons. The team will save just more than $2MM in cap space by moving on.

Known primarily for being a former third-round pick, with the Jaguars having taken him in 2012, Anger has played in Jacksonville, Tampa and Houston. He cleared 46 yards per punt in each of his two seasons with the Texans.

Texans Notes: Fuller, Watt, Anger

January 4th, 2020 at 10:11am CST by Ben Levine

The Texans will be without a major offensive weapon when they open the playoffs against the Bills this afternoon. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that wideout Will Fuller will not play today as he continues to recover from his groin injury.

Fuller suffered the injury during Houston’s Week 16 victory over the Buccaneers. There was some optimism that the 25-year-old would be ready to return for the playoffs, but the groin injury will sideline him for at least another week. The former first-rounder finished the 2019 regular season with a career-high 49 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns.

With Fuller out of the lineup, Wilson suggests that receiver Keke Coutee will be active for today’s game.

Let’s check out some more notes out of Houston…

While the Fuller absence will certainly hurt, the Texans can at least look forward to J.J. Watt‘s return to the lineup. The veteran played in the Texans’ first eight games before suffering a torn pectoral muscle. While the risk of re-injury does exist, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the team isn’t planning on using the pass rusher situationally (Twitter link). Rather, the team is expected to “unleash him” instead of hold him back.
The Texans extended punter Bryan Anger last week, and Wilson has the details on the new deal (Twitter link). The three-year, $7.5MM contract includes $2MM guaranteed and a $1.25MM signing bonus. Anger will have a cap number of $2.312MM in 2020 and $2.812MM in 2021 and 2022. His base salary peaks at $2.5MM.
Anger wasn’t the only Texans player to ink an extension last week. In case you missed it, Whitney Mercilus signed a four-year deal with Houston.

Texans Extend P Bryan Anger

December 28th, 2019 at 4:06pm CST by Ben Levine

Bryan Anger has secured a long-term deal. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Texans have signed the punter to a three-year extension. The deal is worth $7.5MM, per Mark Berman of Fox 26 (on Twitter).

Anger immediately made a name for himself when the Jaguars selected the California product in the third round of the 2012 draft (that was the highest a punter had been drafted since Todd Sauerbrun in 1995). Anger earned a number of rookie honors in 2012, but he never emerged as one of the league’s top punters during his four-year stint in Jacksonville.

After spending three seasons with the Buccaneers, Anger signed with the Texans this past offseason. He was cut by the team at the end of the preseason, but he re-signed with the squad in mid-September. The 31-year-old has proceeded to appear in 13 games for Houston, averaging 46.2-yards on his 40 punts. His 44 opponent return yards is by far the lowest mark of his career.

Texans Sign Bryan Anger, Cut Trevor Daniel

September 17th, 2019 at 5:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another punter switch in Houston. A year after Trevor Daniel beat out Shane Lechler, the young punter will lose his job to former third-round pick Bryan Anger.

The Texans initially signed Anger just before training camp but gave Daniel the punting job after the preseason. After two games, Houston will go with the seven-year veteran over the 2018 UDFA. Daniel will head to the waiver wire.

Daniel averaged 43.5 yards per punt in his first two 2019 games. He punted seven times in the Texans’ 13-12 win over the Jaguars. Anger, 30, punted in 16 games from 2012-18, serving as the Jags’ punter for four seasons and the Buccaneers’ punter for the past three. He’ll now be called upon to help another South-division franchise.

The team also brought in Marquette King for a workout, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. King has not punted since the Broncos released him last season.

Texans Sign P Bryan Anger

July 23rd, 2019 at 4:57pm CST by Rory Parks

The Texans have signed veteran punter Bryan Anger, according to a team announcement, and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets that it is a one-year, $1MM pact. In a related move, Houston waived UDFA linebacker Drew Lewis.

The Buccaneers cut Anger in May, thereby saving $3MM against the cap. At the end of the 2016 season, Anger signed an extension with Tampa Bay that would have kept him under club control through 2021, but the Bucs elected to move forward with Bradley Pinion instead.

Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle makes it sound as if Anger was signed merely for camp depth, as he suggests that second-year player Trevor Daniel will remain the starter. However, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com tweets that Anger and Daniel will compete for the job.

Anger, a former third-round pick of the Jaguars who was selected ahead of players like Russell Wilson and T.Y. Hilton, spent the first four years of his career in Jacksonville before signing with Tampa Bay in March 2016. He has a net average of 40.6 yards per kick for his career.