Chris Wilcox

Panthers Set Initial Roster

The Panthers made a number of moves on Tuesday to get their roster down to 53. Carolina moved rookie running back Jonathon Brooks to the reserve/NFI list, likewise sidelining edge rushers D.J. Wonnum and Amare Barno for the start of the year via a reserve/PUP designation. Carolina also moved on from wideout Terrace Marshall after failing to find a trade partner. Cornerback Dane Jackson and safety Sam Franklin will begin the year on injured reserve, but they have been designated for return and will not count on the opening 53-man roster.

Here are the team’s other moves ahead of the cutdown deadline:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Ford signed as a free agent earlier this month, giving the Panthers another option at the safety position. That spot has seen considerable turnover this offseason, and Ford could find himself being brought back on a practice squad deal. Failing that, the veteran of 86 games and 21 starts will aim to land a gig with a new team ahead of Week 1.

Choosing to move on from four tight ends is a strong sign of confidence in the trio still on the 53-man roster, a group which includes two recent draft additions. Ja’Tavion Sanders (fourth round, 2024) and Tommy Tremble (third round, 2021) will be joined by veteran Ian Thomas at the position this season, the first with Dave Canales in place as head coach.

While Jackson and Franklin are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, Davis and Gill are not. They will be sidelined for the entire 2024 campaign as a result of today’s decision. Bother players are pending free agents, and their respective injuries will of course hinder their market value next spring.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/19/24

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

  • Placed on IR: T Earl Bostick

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: C Mike Panasiuk, LB Mike Smith Jr.
  • Placed on IR: C Ryan Coll
  • Waived/injured: G Josh Sills
  • Released via injury settlement: RB Trent Pennix

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed: LS Randen Plattner
  • Waived: OL McKade Mettauer

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: WR Justin Hall
  • Waived: WR Ty James, P Seth Vernon

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: LB Kyahva Tezino

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: TE Michael Ezeike, TE Devon Garrison
  • Waived: LB Devin Richardson, CB Willie Roberts

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: DL Brandon Matterson

Washington Commanders

Smith sustained a torn patellar tendon during a Bengals joint practice with the Bears, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. He joins Evans in sustaining a season-ending injury during that workout. A 2021 fourth-round pick, Smith was believed to have earned the Bengals’ swing tackle role early last year. But he did not see any game action in Year 3. Having played in just three career games, Smith has seen his career hit a crossroads after this injury. His rookie contract expires after the season. This further depletes a Bengals O-line that will be without first-rounder Amarius Mims for a bit due to a strained pec.

A former Bengals starter, Adeniji joined the Browns in March. A knee injury sidelined Adeniji recently, and while Kevin Stefanski said the veteran O-lineman will miss “a little bit of time,” this transaction will likely lead to an injury settlement that sends him back to free agency for a stretch. The Bengals used Adeniji as a starter in each of their four 2021 playoff games, before spending to upgrade their O-line the following year. Adeniji, a 2020 sixth-rounder, played in one Vikings game last season.

Brown and Lamar Jackson sustained injuries during the Panthers’ most recent preseason game, adding to Carolina’s issues — headlined by Dane Jackson‘s significant hamstring setback — at corner. Formerly a Cowboys regular, Brown has struggled to stick with a team as of late. He spent 2023 with three teams — the Steelers, 49ers and Jets — and played in just two games. This came after Brown was with Dallas for six seasons, starting 69 games.

A five-game starter for the 2021 Super Bowl champion Rams, Hollins played for three teams last season. The former Broncos draftee was with the Packers, Giants and Chargers. He has 10.5 career sacks, one coming last season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/24

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Waived-injured: WR Bryan Thompson

Carolina Panthers

  • Released from IR (with injury settlements): OT J.D. DiRenzo, TE Curtis Hodges

Denver Broncos

  • Re-signed: LB Alec Mock

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: LB Chris Russell
  • Released from IR (with injury settlement): CB Don Callis

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: CB Kaleb Ford-Dement
  • Waived: RB Zander Horvath
  • Released from IR (with injury settlement): WR Jermaine Jackson

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Released from IR (with injury settlement): NT Matthew Gotel

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/9/24

Here are the reserve/futures deals handed out Tuesday:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Indianapolis Colts

  • S Kendell Brooks, G Lewis Kidd, S Michael Tutsie

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/1/23

Teams continue to tinker with their taxi squads in the aftermath of roster cutdowns. Here are Friday’s updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR T.J. Luther
  • Released: WR Thyrick Pitts

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Steelers Set 53-Man Roster

The Steelers have made many of their cuts already. Here are the rest of Pittsburgh’s moves to trim their roster to the 53-man limit. Some of these players are likely to end up on Pittsburgh’s practice squad. Those 16-man units will be set Wednesday, with waivers processing at 11am CT.

Released:

Waived:

The Steelers made several cuts in the days leading up to the deadline, while also sending Kendrick Green to the Texans and Kevin Dotson to the Rams. Kwiatkoski is the biggest name among their final-day moves.

A Pittsburgh-area native, Kwiatkoski signed with his hometown team midway through the offseason, adding him to a revamped linebacking corps. Pittsburgh shuttled out the likes of Myles Jack, Devin Bush and Robert Spillane — via releases (Jack) or free agency defections — and added Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. A former part-time Bears and Raiders starter who spent last season with the Falcons, Kwiatkoski, 30, returns to free agency.

Gentry worked as a Steelers starter alongside Pat Freiermuth for the past two seasons. The former fifth-round pick caught 19 passes in each of the past two campaigns. It is possible Gentry, as a vested veteran, returns after the Steelers take care of other roster business. As of now, only two tight ends — Freiermuth and third-round pick Darnell Washington — are on the 53-man roster.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/11/23

Teams continue to sign players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing the organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:

Arizona Cardinals

Denver Broncos

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/28/22

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/22

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad additions and subtractions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

  • Signed: DB BoPete Keyes

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

  • Released: WR Dai’Jean Dixon

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These ColtsJaguars, Texans and Titans moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s AFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Houston Texans

Claimed:

Released:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Indianapolis Colts

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Claimed:

Released:

Signed to practice squad:

  • QB E.J. Perry

Tennessee Titans

Signed:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad: