Khyiris Tonga

Cardinals Rumors: Brown, Moore, Humphries

The Cardinals are open to trading the No. 4 overall pick in next month’s draft, a move which would net them additional high-end draft capital while still allowing them to select one of the best wide receivers in a class full of receiving talent. And given that Arizona has parted ways with Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore this offseason, the club’s need for multiple pass catchers to support quarterback Kyler Murray is particularly glaring.

Here’s the latest from the desert, starting with a couple of notes on those recently-departed wideouts:

  • Brown ultimately signed a one-year, $7MM contract with the Chiefs, a deal that includes an additional $4MM in incentives. “Hollywood” had previously expressed interest in re-signing with the Cardinals, and Mike Jurecki of Arizona Football Daily confirms that Brown indeed hoped to return to Arizona even as he was garnering league-wide interest. However, the Cardinals never attempted to match or better KC’s offer, so the speedy wideout will work alongside Patrick Mahomes & Co. as he eyes a lucrative multiyear pact in 2025.
  • Moore, meanwhile, was traded to the Falcons, and he will apparently welcome the change of scenery that the Kirk Cousins-led outfit will provide. Despite working with two different play-callers over his first three professional seasons, Moore felt he was not given enough opportunities in the vertical passing game and ran too many horizontal routes, as ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss details. Moore will also be eligible for free agency in 2025, and while there are a number of talented skill position players on Atlanta’s roster, the soon-to-be 24-year-old could become a key ancillary target in a high-upside offense.
  • Even if the Cardinals select a top-tier WR prospect like Marvin Harrison Jr.  or Malik Nabers, the club could certainly add another receiver or two later on in the draft, especially given their need at the position and the strength of this year’s class. To that end, as Jurecki notes, the team recently scheduled a “30” visit with Texas WR Xavier Worthy, who set a Scouting Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash and whom NFL.com draft guru Daniel Jeremiah referred to as a taller version of Brown. The Colts also have a visit scheduled with Worthy.
  • Earlier this month, the Cardinals released OT D.J. Humphries, who had spent his entire career with the club since being selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. Financially, the release was an easy call for GM Monti Ossenfort, as Humphries tore his ACL at the end of the 2023 campaign and is therefore uncertain to play in 2024, when he was due to carry a $22MM cap charge. Emotionally, however, Ossenfort called the move “brutal,” saying, “the salary cap and the way things are set up and the way contracts work, it put us in a very tough situation. I can’t say enough about how I feel about D.J. as a football player and moreso as a person. His energy, and the leadership he brought to this team, we are certainly going to miss him. I hope nothing but the best for him in his recovery and his rehab” (via Darren Urban of the team’s official website).
  • The Cardinals added Jonah Williams in free agency this year and drafted Paris Johnson with the No. 6 overall pick in last year’s draft, and they are still rostering veteran Kelvin Beachum. Nonetheless, Ossenfort left to the door open to a Humphries reunion once Humphries’ rehab is complete.
  • Ossenfort has been busy fortifying his defensive line this offseason, adding Bilal Nichols, Justin Jones, and Khyiris Tonga in free agency. Nichols and Jones landed notable multiyear deals, while Tonga signed a one-year, $1.75MM accord, per CardsWire’s Howard Balzer. Still, Ossenfort thinks highly of Tonga and cited his size and the strength of his performance near the end of his tenure with the Vikings as reasons for his belief that the former seventh-round pick could carve out a meaningful role in the desert.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/24

Friday’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

  • Released: OL Roy Mbaeteka

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Irwin gets a crack at a WR3 role in Cincinnati as Tyler Boyd heads to free agency. Irwin also holds experience as the team’s backup return man, filling in last year when Charlie Jones was injured.

Heck rejoins the Texans on a one-year deal worth up to $3.3MM. He’ll add some key depth at an important position.

Rozeboom was a restricted free agent who wasn’t tendered. Regardless, the two sides work out a fully guaranteed deal for 2024.

Feeney joins the Vikings on a one-year deal. Though far removed from a consistent starting role with the Chargers, Feeney has continued to find starts throughout his career as a valuable body off the bench.

The Giants bring in two tight ends without much receiving experience. Manhertz, a veteran whose played for the Panthers from 2016-20, has extensive starting experience as a blocking tight end with 53 starts in his career.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/17/23

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints 

Anderson has signed a two-year deal, per the Bills’ announcement of the move. The 26-year-old joined the Chiefs in 2021, and made a total of seven appearances across the past two seasons, only seeing action on special teams.

The fact that the Vikings re-signed pending ERFAs Brandel and Tonga this early speaks to how highly they are valued by the organization. Brandel filled in for Christian Darrisaw at left tackle when the latter was concussed, while Tonga logged two starts and a 36% snap share in 2022. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that each signed a one-year deal at $940K, which would have been their tender amounts.

Kirkwood, 28, was set to hit the open market in March but the Saints will have him place for the 2023 season. Originally signed by New Orleans as a UDFA in 2018, he returned to the Saints this past season after a pair of campaigns with the Panthers. He recorded only two catches, but saw an offensive snap share of 46%.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/22

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

A number of players who were placed on IR after the preseason and prior to the regular season returned to practice today. These players will have a three-week practice window until they have to be activated to the active roster. Otherwise, they’ll be ineligible to return this season.

One of the most surprising returns is Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton. The former undrafted free agent rode a strong preseason to a potential starting gig, but he was sidelined with second-degree burns after spilling hot oil on his legs and feet. Kliff Kingsbury previously said an early-October return may be a “little aggressive” (per ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss on Twitter), but the cornerback ended up working his way back to practice.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/22

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Designated for return from IR: WR Calvin Austin

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Cine has now undergone two surgeries in London to repair his leg fracture. The first-round pick underwent a preparatory procedure before his Tuesday operation to repair the compound fracture he sustained. The Georgia product will stay in England for the time being, with Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press noting (via Twitter) doctors want to ensure no infections develop. Cine could travel back to Minnesota as soon as this weekend.

Following Latavius Murray off the Saints’ practice squad this week, Wilson did not see any action for the team this season. The former multiyear Vikings starter signed a one-year, $2.75MM Eagles deal in 2021, but Philadelphia bailed on that contract during the season. Wilson, 28, finished last season with the Texans. In his lone full season as a Vikings starter (2020), Wilson made 122 tackles, registered three sacks and intercepted three passes.

Addison signed with the Texans shortly after the draft, joining fellow ex-Bills edge rusher Jerry Hughes in joining the rebuilding team on a two-year deal. The Texans placed Addison on IR with a groin injury; he is eligible to be activated to the 53-man roster this week. Teams can make eight activations from their injured lists — be it IR, PUP or NFI — this season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/5/22

As Week 1 practices begin, here are the latest updates to teams’ 16-man practice squads:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers:

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

A former Washington starter and the primary Atlanta cornerback opposite A.J. Terrell last season, Moreau has experience playing both the slot and outside. The former third-round pick signed with the Texans earlier this offseason but did not make their 53-man roster.

The Lions attempted to keep David Blough by offering the Hard Knocks cast member a spot on their practice squad, but the three-year Detroit backup opted to head to Minnesota. He is currently on the Vikings’ 16-man taxi squad. A previous Aaron Rodgers backup, Boyle signed with the Lions last year.

Despite being a former second-round pick, Blair did not make the Seahawks’ 53-man roster this year. Knee injuries have sidelined him for most of the past two seasons. Seattle had stopped using Blair as a nickel, his primary role when on the field with the team that drafted him, during training camp.

Included as part of a 2019 trade that sent Marcus Peters to Baltimore, Young was also traded from the Rams to the Broncos last year. He started all 13 games he played in 2021 — seven as a Ram, six as a Bronco — and helped Denver fill the void created by Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell‘s season-ending injuries. Young spent most of this offseason with the Raiders but did not make their roster.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

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 BearsLions, Packers and Vikings moves are noted below.

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

Chicago Bears

Claimed:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Claimed:

Waived:

Released from IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Signed:

Waived: 

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Waived: