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Cheta Ozougwu

Minor Moves: Tuesday

February 3rd, 2015 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s waiver period for 2015 officially opened this week after the Super Bowl, which means we should see an uptick in transactions over the next few weeks, even before free agency opens on March 10. Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the league:

  • The Colts announced today that they have agreed to terms with guard Ben Heenan. Heenan, 6’4″, 316 pounds, spent the last three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. In 2014, he started all 21 games for the Roughriders, released Heenan from his CFL deal this week to allow him to pursue NFL opportunities. Heenan had offers from five NFL teams, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • The Bills have claimed wide receiver Justin Brown off waivers from the Steelers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). The Steelers waived Brown back in December to make room for the addition of Ben Tate. Brown, a sixth-round choice in 2013, caught 12 passes for 94 yards during his time in Pittsburgh.
  • While Brown didn’t clear waivers, several other players who were cut since the end of the regular season made it through, tweets Wilson. Safety Jakar Hamilton (Cowboys), offensive lineman Darren Keyton (Lions), and tight end Steve Maneri (Patriots) all went unclaimed.
  • After signing a reserve/futures contract with the Lions at the end of the regular season, tight end Ifeanyi Momah was cut today by the team due to a failure to disclose a physical condition, tweets Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Momah spent time on the Lions’ and Browns’ practice squads in 2014.
  • The Saints formally terminated the contract of linebacker Cheta Ozougwu today, says Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune (Twitter links). Ozougwu spent the entire 2014 season on New Orleans’ reserve-PUP list.
  • Fullback Greg Jones, who announced his retirement last month, has officially been moved to the reserve/retired list by the Jaguars, per Wilson (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

PUP, IR-DTR Players Soon Eligible To Practice

October 10th, 2014 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Week 6 of the NFL season will come to an end after Monday night’s game between the 49ers and Rams, and when teams begin preparing for Week 7, many of those clubs may be welcoming some players back to practice. Six weeks into the NFL season, players who were placed on the physically unable to perform list or the injured reserve list with the designation to return prior to Week 1’s games will be eligible to return to practice.

Of course, just because those players are able to return to the practice field doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be healthy enough to do so. Players on the PUP list have a five-week window to begin practicing. Once they return to practice, they have three weeks to be added to their respective teams’ active rosters. In other words, a player on the PUP list could theoretically return for his team’s Week 7 game, or could return as late as for his team’s Week 15 contest. If the player doesn’t return to practice or game action in time, he’ll revert to season-ending injured reserve.

Here are the players currently on the physically unable to perform list who can begin practicing as soon as next week:

Players who began the season on the PUP list didn’t participate in any preseason practices, but that’s not the case for players on the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Teams can use this spot on one player per season, placing him on the injured reserve list without necessarily ruling him out for the season. As we explained in an earlier post, players given this designation can begin practicing after six weeks and can return after eight weeks.

That means that players who were placed on IR-DTR prior to Week 1 can begin practicing next week. A player who was placed on IR-DTR after – for instance – Week 2 will have to wait another two weeks to return to practice.

Here’s the list of players currently on IR-DTR who can begin practicing as soon as next week:

Minor Moves: Seahawks, Saints, Panthers

July 23rd, 2014 at 6:42pm CST by Zachary Links

We rounded up the NFL’s minor moves this afternoon and we’ll round up the latest here..

  • The Seahawks are set to sign wide receiver Morrell Presley, who was with them earlier this offseason, tweets Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times.
  • Saints outside linebacker Cheta Ozougwu has cleared waivers and been placed on New Orleans’ IR, according to MIke Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • In addition to Fernando Velasco, the Panthers have added another former Titans lineman in Kevin Matthews, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean. Matthews recently tried out for Miami but didn’t catch on there.
  • Defensive tackle Chris Whaley, who suffered a knee injury, has cleared waivers and reverted back to the Cowboys IR where he can rehab for the season, tweets Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
  • The Browns claimed offensive tackle Abasi Salimu off waivers from the Rams, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The Browns also waived former Duke wide receiver Conner Vernon, according to Caplan (Twitter link). Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter) adds that defensive back Royce Adams and linebacker Brandon Magee have also been cut by Cleveland.
  • LInebacker Darrin Kitchens (leg contusion) cleared waivers today and is now on the Bills’ injured reserve list, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
  • The Packers cut linebacker Shaun Lewis, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
  • The Cowboys cut Jarrod Pughsley from the injured reserve today with an injury settlement, according to Wilson (Twitter link).
  • The Panthers cut former University of Miami center Jared Wheeler, Wilson tweets. Wheeler was one of nine UDFAs signed by the Panthers back on May 12th.
  • The Broncos signed former Indiana kicker Mitch Ewald, Wilson tweets.

Minor Moves: Saints, Rams, Browns, Bills

July 22nd, 2014 at 7:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s transactions wire is picking up as we approach the end of July, with notable players like Joel Dreessen and Larry English involved in roster moves today. Several teams have finalized a series of more under-the-radar moves as well, which we’ll round up right here:

  • The Buccaneers have signed linebacker Jeremy Grable and offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter). To help make room for the duo, the Bucs released cornerback D.J. Moore.
  • Former Ravens linebacker Adrian Hamilton has signed with the Chargers, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
  • The Saints have signed nose tackle Tyrone Ezell and linebacker Marcus Thompson, clearing roster spots for the new additions by cutting nose tackle Moses McCray and waiving outside linebacker Cheta Ozougwu with a failed physical designation. The team has the details on its newest signees in a press release.
  • The Rams completed a series of roster moves today, signing four players – linebacker Pat Schiller, linebacker Lawrence Wilson, offensive tackle D.J. Morrell, and offensive tackle R.J. Dill – and cutting four others — offensive lineman Abasi Salimu, wideout Dionte Spencer, linebacker Caleb McSurdy, and linebacker Tavarius Wilson (Twitter links via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).
  • A day after being cut by the Chargers, center Nick McDonald has been claimed off waivers by the Browns, tweets Brian McIntyre. Cleveland had an opening on its 90-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary to make room for the offensive lineman.
  • One linebacker has been swapped for another in Buffalo, where the Bills signed Western Kentucky product Xavius Boyd to a contract after having waived-injured Darrin Kitchens, who is dealing with a lower body injury (Twitter links via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).
  • The Texans have waived fullback Brad Smelley and defensive end Tim Jackson, and also signed tight end Chris Coyle, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). As ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan tweets, Jackson received the “failure to disclose physical condition” designation when he was cut.
  • That “failure to disclose physical condition” designation is rarely used, but linebacker Billy Boyko also received it when he was waived by the Panthers, according to Caplan (Twitter link).
  • Caplan also tweets that former Broncos safety Eric Hagg has officially been placed on the team’s reserve/retired list. We heard yesterday that Hagg had decided to retire.

Minor Moves: Sunday

May 18th, 2014 at 3:58pm CST by Rory Parks

We will keep an eye on any minor transactions from today and update this post with news of any such transactions (most recent news on top).

  • The Patriots have signed sixth-round cornerback Jemea Thomas, tweets his agency, Universal Sports Management. Thomas played college football at Georgia Tech.
  • The Saints will sign edge player Cheta Ozougwu, who spent the past two seasons with the Bears before being waived about a month ago, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).

Earlier Updates:

  • The Colts have waived WR Greg Moore and signed WR Ryan Lankford, tweets Craig Kelley of Colts.com.
  • The Bears will release punter Drew Butler, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The release was confirmed via Twitter by Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune and Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The release leaves the door open for new draftee Pat O’Donnell to become the team’s punter.

Bears Waive Cheta Ozougwu

April 15th, 2014 at 2:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bears have cut defensive end Cheta Ozougwu, the team announced today (via Twitter). If no team puts in a waiver claim on Ozougwu, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent later this week.

Ozougwu, 25, was selected in the seventh round of the 2011 draft by Houston, but never played in a regular-season game for the Texans. In two seasons with the Bears, Ozougwu appeared in nine total games, playing less than 100 total defensive snaps. He did, however, record his first career sack and forced fumble in 2013.