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Justin March-Lillard

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC East

September 3rd, 2017 at 4:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, and Jets are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Buffalo Bills

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Chiefs Cut Players To Reach 53-Man Limit

September 2nd, 2017 at 4:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs are all legal eagle. Here’s how they got down to a 53-man roster:

Released:

PUP List:

Reserve/Injured:

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/16

December 30th, 2016 at 5:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Bengals have placed offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi on injured reserve and promoted running back Tra Carson from the practice squad to take his roster spot, per Geoff Hobson of the team’s website. Ogbuehi has a partial tear of his right rotator cuff, but it’s unlikely to prevent him from participating in the Bengals’ offseason activities. Nevertheless, it ends an injury-marred year for the 2015 first-round pick, who has also dealt with a sports hernia and a toe ailment in 2016. Ogbuehi did start in 12 of 14 appearances after only serving as a reserve last year, but the Bengals demoted him from right tackle to the bench in Week 13 before moving him to left tackle last Saturday. He’ll end 2016 ranked just 65th in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 74 qualifying tackles.

  • The Eagles have promoted running back Terrell Watson from the practice squad, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). The former Azusa Pacific standout joined the organization in late December after having spent time with the Browns and Broncos. The 23-year-old is expected to see some work in short-yardage situations this weekend.
  • The Ravens have claimed wide receiver Vince Mayle off waivers from the Cowboys and placed linebacker Zach Orr on injured reserve, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com was among those to report. Mayle hasn’t been a factor as a wideout, having gone parts of two NFL seasons without a catch, but did get 94 special teams snaps in Dallas this season before it cut him Thursday. Orr, meanwhile, had already been declared out for the Ravens’ season finale against Cincinnati because of a neck issue. He piled up 132 tackles (47 more than any other Raven) and three interceptions this season.
  • The Cowboys have promoted offensive lineman Ryan Seymour from the practice squad, reports Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). The former seventh-round pick last made an NFL appearance in 2014, when he played 11 games (three starts) for the Browns.
  • The Chiefs have activated linebacker Justin March-Lillard off IR and waived defensive lineman David King, per Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. Kansas City designated March-Lillard to return Dec. 21, which came at running back Jamaal Charles‘ expense. Before March-Lillard broke his hand in October, he started in all five appearances and amassed 22 tackles. King picked up three appearances with the Chiefs (two this year, one last season), but he didn’t record a tackle.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Jamaal Charles Won’t Return This Season

December 21st, 2016 at 6:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

There was hope that injured Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles would return for the playoffs, but that won’t be the case. The Chiefs designated linebacker Justin March-Lillard to return from injured reserve Wednesday, thereby ending Charles’ season, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Jamaal Charles (vertical)

Charles landed on IR on Nov. 1 because he needed surgery on his right knee, in which he tore his ACL last season. He also underwent a procedure on his left knee, which seemingly increased the odds of a comeback this year. Instead, though, his 2016 will end with just 12 carries and 40 yards in three appearances. Charles only participated in five games last season, in which the four-time Pro Bowler rushed 71 times for 364 yards and four touchdowns.

Just as they did last year, the 10-4 Chiefs are on track to make the playoffs this season with limited contributions from Charles. Backup Spencer Ware has stepped up in Charles’ absence and totaled 1,287 yards (860 rushing, 427 receiving) and five touchdowns. Given Ware’s emergence, not to mention Charles’ recent injury issues and age (he’ll turn 30 on Dec. 27), it’s possible Charles has put on a Chiefs uniform for the last time. By releasing the nine-year veteran in the offseason, Kansas City would save $7MM in 2017 without incurring any dead money.

March-Lillard, meanwhile, is now set to come back after heading to IR in mid-October. Prior to going down, the 2015 undrafted free agent from Akron played in 49.9 percent of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps and accrued 22 tackles.

Chiefs Make Several Roster Moves

October 18th, 2016 at 5:12pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Chiefs have made a series of roster moves in advance of their game against the Saints this Sunday, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star reports. The club has signed four players – defensive linemen Kendall Reyes and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, linebacker Ramik Wilson and cornerback Terrance Mitchell – to its active roster. Additionally, the Chiefs have waived defensive lineman Nick Williams, and placed both defensive end Allen Bailey and linebacker Justin March-Lillard on injured reserve (links to Twitter).

Kendall Reyes

Of the four newest Chiefs, Reyes is the most notable. A second-round pick in 2012, Reyes was a starter on San Diego’s defensive line from 2013-2015. Reyes then joined the Redskins on a one-year, $2.5MM deal during the offseason. He cracked their roster to begin the year, but the team cut him earlier this month after a groin injury limited him. In total, the 27-year-old has racked up 66 appearances, 50 starts and 13.5 sacks in his NFL career.

Both Wilson and Nunez-Roches were member of the Chiefs’ 2015 draft class who are now returning to their roster (the former had been on their practice squad). Kansas City selected Wilson in the fourth round, and the ex-Georgia Bulldog appeared in 11 games, made two starts and amassed 13 tackles in his rookie year.

Nunez-Roches, formerly of Southern Miss, went in Round 6. He saw action in seven games last year and remained with the Chiefs at the outset of this season, but they cut him after Week 1. Notably, Nunez-Roches is the first Belizean-born player in league history.

Mitchell landed with the Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2014 draft and will now join his fifth organization. He debuted last season and garnered eight appearances with the Cowboys and Bears, also adding an interception.

Williams, 26, went to Pittsburgh in the seventh round of the 2013 draft, but he didn’t suit up until the next season as a member of the Chiefs. He picked up 21 appearances with KC before the club cut him.

Allen Bailey (Vertical)

Not to be lost in the shuffle are the long-term injuries to Bailey and March-Lillard, both of whom started the Chiefs’ first five games of the season.

Bailey, a sixth-year man, has started in all 31 of his appearances dating back to 2014. He was on the field for 54.9 percent of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps before going on IR with a shoulder injury, but Pro Football Focus ranks his overall performance just 93rd among 117 qualifying interior D-linemen through five weeks.

Having played in 49.9 of their defensive snaps, the Chiefs have also relied a fair amount on March-Lillard. In his first pro action, the 2015 undrafted free agent from Akron has accrued 22 tackles. PFF rates his output 49th among 85 LBs.

Chiefs Waive Junior Hemingway, Tavon Rooks

September 1st, 2015 at 3:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have waived Junior Hemingway and Tavon Rooks as a part of their effort to get down to a 75-man roster, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. KC also placed Justin March on IR and Tyler Bray on the NFI list.

Hemingway, a wide receiver, was selected by the Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Over the last two seasons, he has hauled in a combined 25 catches for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Rooks, a sixth-round pick in the 2012 draft, offers great size for the tackle position at 6’5″, 280 pounds.

Chiefs Sign 11 Undrafted Free Agents

May 12th, 2015 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

9:44am: The Chiefs’ official press release on their undrafted free agent signings includes one more name in addition to the 10 listed below. The team also signed former James Madison linebacker Sage Harold.

8:34am: The Chiefs have added 10 undrafted free agents to their roster, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, who provides the full list of Kansas City’s free agent additions. All 32 teams have now officially announced their UDFA signings for 2015. Here are the Chiefs’ new rookies:

  • De’Vante Bausby, CB, Pittsburg State
  • Kenny Cook, WR, Gardner-Webb
  • Justin Cox, DB, Mississippi State ($10K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Andrew East, LS, Vanderbilt ($10K bonus, per Wilson)
  • Garrett Frye, C, Georgia Southern
  • Manasseh Garner, RB, Pittsburgh
  • David Irving, DL, Iowa State ($10K bonus, per Wilson)
  • Donatella Luckett, WR, Harding
  • Justin March-Lillard, LB, Akron
  • Charles Sweeton, T, Tennessee-Martin