Saturday’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: DL Jacob Slade
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released: DE Garrett Nelson
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Xazavian Valladay
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Lukas Denis
- Placed on IR: OT Barry Wesley
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Dezmon Patmon
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: TE Zach Gentry, LB Garrett Nelson
- Released: LB Tyler Murray
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Keelan Cole Sr.
- Released: WR Antoine Wesley
The Raiders added a veteran wideout to their practice squad in Keelan Cole Sr.. The 30-year-old spent the majority of the 2022 campaign in Las Vegas, hauling in 10 catches for 141 yards and one touchdown. He was productive in 31 games with the Jaguars and Jets between 2020 and 2021, catching 83 passes for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns.
Cole will be taking the spot held by Antoine Wesley, who earned his walking papers today. The former UDFA got into 15 games for the Cardinals in 2021, finishing with 19 catches for 208 yards and three touchdowns.
Monday saw the Dolphins take a signficant step toward reaching 53 players on the active roster in time for tomorrow’s deadline. Here are the team’s latest round of cuts, including three players who were released and 11 who were waived:
- T Geron Christian
- WR Keke Coutee
- LB Alexander Johnson
- LB Mitchell Agude
- QB James Blackman
- DT Josiah Bronson
- DE Randy Charlton
- WR Chris Coleman
- LB Aubrey Miller
- LB Garrett Nelson
- S Keidron Smith
- T James Tunstall
- DT Jaylen Twyman
- DT Jamal Woods
Coutee attempted to land a depth spot with the Saints this offseason, but his release put an end to that endeavor. He was quickly signed by the Dolphins, but he will remain with the team only via the practice squad ahead of Week 1. Johnson, like Woods, was signed very recently in depth moves which gave each player an opportunity to earn a roster spot at the conclusion of the preseason. In both of their cases, that has not happened.
The Dolphins had to add a large number of undrafted free agents after finishing the 2023 draft with only four selections. Here are the rookies that will join the four-man draft class:
- LB Mitchell Agude (Miami)
- QB James Blackman (Arkansas State)
- CB Ethan Bonner (Stanford)
- RB Chris Brooks (BYU)
- DE Randy Charlton (Mississippi State)
- WR Chris Coleman (Cal Poly)
- WR Daewood Davis (Western Kentucky)
- TE Julian Hill (Campbell)
- OT Jarrett Horst (Michigan State)
- OL Alex Jensen (South Dakota)
- LB Aubrey Miller (Jackson State)
- DT Anthony Montalvo (UCF)
- LB Garrett Nelson (Nebraska)
- DT Brandon Pili (USC)
- OL DJ Scaife (Miami)
- S Keidron Smith (Kentucky)
- OT James Tunstall (Cincinnati)
- P Michael Turk (Oklahoma)
- OL Alama Uluave (San Diego State)
- LB Zeke Vandenburgh (Illinois State)
- S Bennett Williams (Oregon)
The Dolphins added a number of prospects who played in the South Florida area, either in college or high school. Scaife did both, starting 52 games for the Hurricanes at guard and tackle after a high school career at Miami Southridge. His teammate, Agude, only spent one season as a Hurricane after transferring over from UCLA. Charlton was a high school teammate of Scaife’s and spent time at UCF before transferring to Mississippi State.
Additionally, Blackman went to high school just south of Lake Okeechobee in South Bay before making starts at Florida State and Arkansas State. The lanky quarterback comes in as QB4 behind Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White, and Skylar Thompson. Davis went to Deerfield Beach in South Florida before transferring from Oregon to Western Kentucky. Davis brings some interesting versatility, playing cornerback for the Ducks before catching 15 touchdowns over two years as a Hilltopper receiver. Finally, Smith grew up in West Palm Beach before transferring from Ole Miss to Kentucky.
After Thomas Morstead‘s short stint as the team’s punter, Miami signed former Patriot Jake Bailey. Bailey missed some time in New England with both injury and suspension, so perhaps Turk’s signing here is a backup plan to stash on the practice squad in case Bailey misses more time next season.