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Matt Haack

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/2/24

January 2nd, 2024 at 6:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: S Jeremy Lucien

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: TE Johnny Lumpkin

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Signed: TE E.J. Jenkins
  • Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Cole Fotheringham

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: QB Dresser Winn
  • Released: LS Alex Matheson

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: LB Abraham Beauplan

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

Teams can begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts Jan. 8. P-squad contracts expire seven days after the regular season concludes, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reminds teams are not limited regarding the number of times they can elevate a player from a taxi squad during the playoffs. In the regular season, players are capped at three gameday elevations.

The Panthers are expected to sign Boone to a futures deal next week, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. After three years with the Vikings and two with the Broncos, Boone played in nine games with the Texans this season. As for Wright, this marks a reunion. While Wright’s first Panthers stay did not last long (Aug. 26-30), Carolina may need him due to Eddy Pineiro‘s hamstring injury.

Amid the Jets’ wave of O-line injuries, they signed Saffold. While the former Rams, Titans and Bills starter was with the Jets for several weeks, he did not see any game action in his 14th NFL season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/23

December 28th, 2023 at 6:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed off 49ers practice squad: OT Ilm Manning

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Jets

Germain Ifedi‘s underwhelming stint with the Bills has come to an end. The veteran offensive lineman joined the Bills this past offseason and was expected to provide some experienced depth. Instead, Ifedi was inactive for every game this season, and the Bills have decided his roster spot could be put to better use. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg believes this move will likely open a spot for defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.

Browns To Sign P Matt Haack

December 26th, 2023 at 11:11am CST by Adam La Rose

In their upcoming Thursday night matchup, the Browns could have new faces at both the kicker and punter positions. Cleveland has agreed to a deal with Matt Haack, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports.

Incumbent punter Corey Bojorquez suffered a quad injury during the Browns’ win over the Texans, Garafolo notes. As a result, he joins kicker Dustin Hopkins (who left the game with a hamstring injury) as a Browns specialist in danger of missing the game against the Jets. Cleveland signed kicker Riley Patterson on Sunday to provide insurance against Hopkins being unable to play.

Like the Patterson deal, this Haack agreement is a practice squad signing. The latter has not played this season, having briefly spent the summer with the Cardinals. Arizona released Haack in August, leaving him on the open market until today’s move. The 29-year-old is an experienced mid-season addition, as he has 98 NFL games under his belt.

Haack began his career with the Dolphins, and his play in Miami earned him a three-year deal with the Bills when he reached free agency. He spent only one year in Buffalo, however, after he was released last summer. That quickly led to an agreement with the Colts, and he remained in Indianapolis throughout the season. Haack recorded a personal-best 44.8 yards per punt average in 2022, and his net average (39.6) was an improvement from the previous season’s performance.

Bojorquez has had a strong second season in Cleveland. Having punted a career-high 80 times this campaign, the 27-year-old has posted a 49.5 yard gross average and a 42.0 net average; both figures are the second highest of his career. Missing Bojorquez for any stretch could thus deal a blow to Cleveland’s special teams, but in case he is unable to suit up on Thursday, an experienced option is now in place.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/23

August 21st, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: LB Marvin Pierre
  • Placed on IR: TE Tyler Davis

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed: WR Juwan Green
  • Waived/injured: WR Kekoa Crawford
  • Released from IR: DB Anthony Witherstone

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: QB James Blackman
  • Waived/injured: CB Tino Ellis

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

  • Released from IR: OL Scott Lashley

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: TE Sal Cannella

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Brian Hill comes to San Francisco with 48 career games under his belt. He had a career year for the Falcons back in 2020, compiling 664 yards from scrimmage in 16 games. The RB has bounced around the NFL a bit since, spending time with the Titans, Browns, and 49ers (two stints). Following stints in the CFL and XFL, the 27-year-old will now add some depth to a San Francisco running backs room that already includes Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, Tyrion Davis-Price, and Jeremy McNichols.

Trevon Coley started 29 games for the Browns through his first two seasons in the NFL, but he’s struggled to stay on the field since. The defensive lineman got into seven games for the Colts in 2019 and (most recently) six games for the Cardinals in 2020. In total, the 29-year-old has 100 career tackles and 3.5 sacks on his resume.

Adrian Colbert won’t play for the Bears in 2023 after being placed on IR, although there’s a chance he’s cut loose and allowed to play for another squad. The veteran safety has played in 41 career games, starting 22. He’s been limited to only 14 games since the 2020 campaign, including a two-game stint with the Bears in 2022.

Cardinals Sign P Matt Haack, Release K Elliott Fry

May 15th, 2023 at 3:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cardinals appear to have taken another step toward finding Andy Lee‘s successor as the team’s punter. Arizona announced on Monday that they have signed Matt Haack to a one-year contract.

Haack, 28, joins Nolan Cooney in the Cardinals’ offseason competition to find a replacement for Lee. The latter punted in the desert for the past six years, but will be 41 by the start of the 2023 campaign. Lee remains unsigned at this point, and the team’s latest moves point to a willingness to move on from the three-time All-Pro.

Haack is the more experienced of the two punters now on the roster, having played for three different teams across six seasons. He played out his rookie contract with the Dolphins, then had a one-year stint with the Bills in 2021. He lost out during Buffalo’s punting competition last offseason, though, leading to his release despite the presence of two more years on his contract.

Days after being released, the former UDFA found his next opportunity in Indianapolis. Haack set a new career high in punting average in 2022, with a mark of 44.8 yards per punt. His net average of 40.2 was also his highest figure since 2019, though it fell short of what Lee was able to produce last season. Nevertheless, Haack should provide the team with at least a short-term replacement option, with the potential to remain in Arizona for years to come given his age.

The Cardinals also announced that they have released kicker Elliott Fry. The 28-year-old signed a reserve deal with Arizona in January, after spending time with Atlanta, Cincinnati and Kansas City earlier in his career. Fry last played in 2021, and he will now look to find a new opportunity elsewhere. The Cardinals, meanwhile, will move forward with Matt Prater as their kicker; the veteran has been with the team since 2021 and has two years remaining on his contract.

Bills P Matt Araiza Accused Of Gang Rape In Civil Lawsuit

August 26th, 2022 at 7:30pm CST by Ben Levine

AUGUST 26: Araiza will not punt for the Bills during tonight’s preseason finale, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Tim Graham of The Athletic adds that he will not dress at all (Twitter link).

Araiza has issued the following statement: “The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press. I look forward to quickly setting the record straight” (Twitter link via Schefter).

AUGUST 25: A civil lawsuit filed today accuses Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza and two other men associated with the San Diego State University football team of gang raping a 17-year-old girl last year, according to a report from Colleen Shalby and Robert J. Lopez of the Los Angeles Times.

The lawsuit was filed in San Diego County Superior Court. Araiza, who completed his four-year stint with SDSU in 2021, was one of three men named in the complaint. The other men were Zavier Leonard, who is listed on SDSU’s roster as a redshirt freshman, and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko, who is not currently on the roster. The incident took place at a party in October of 2021, and police were notified the next day.

Kerry Armstrong, who is representing Araiza, called the rape allegations false, saying his investigator spoke to witnesses from the party who contradicted the allegations. No arrests have been made, but detectives recently submitted findings to determine whether they should proceed with charges.

“It’s a shakedown because he’s now with the Buffalo Bills. There is no doubt in my mind,” Armstrong told the Los Angeles Times.

Araiza broke an NCAA record in 2021 after averaging 51.19 yards per punt. Following his junior campaign, the punter declared for the NFL Draft, and he was selected by the Bills in the sixth round.

“We were recently made aware of a civil complaint involving Matt from October 2021,” the Bills said in a statement. “Due to the serious nature of the complaint, we conducted a thorough examination of this matter. As this is an ongoing civil case legal, we will have no other comment at this point.”

The Bills recently committed to the rookie as their starting punter when they released veteran Matt Haack, who has since caught on with the Colts. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the NFL doesn’t have the ability to punish Araiza since the alleged incident took place before he was in the league.

Colts To Sign P Matt Haack

August 24th, 2022 at 1:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Days after losing the Bills’ punting competition, Matt Haack has secured another opportunity. The Colts are signing the sixth-year veteran, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.

Haack served as the Bills’ punter last season but played out a four-year Dolphins rookie contract before his Buffalo commitment. The Colts are in need at the position; they confirmed Rigoberto Sanchez‘s Achilles tear Wednesday. The Colts held a punter workout today, leading to the Haack addition.

Fourth-round pick Matt Araiza beat out Haack for Buffalo’s punting job during camp. The Bills had signed Haack, 28, to a three-year, $5.48MM deal in 2021. The former UDFA will be in line to enjoy a friendlier punting environment, Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, this season.

Sanchez has been the Colts’ punter since his 2017 rookie season. Like Haack, he entered the offseason signed for multiple years. But the Achilles tear Sanchez sustained while running gassers at the end of the Colts’ Tuesday practice has changed Indy’s plans at this position, one that has enjoyed continuity for a lengthy stretch — from Pat McAfee (2009-16) to Sanchez.

Haack’s one season in Buffalo featured a career-low 42.9 yards per punt. The Arizona State alum’s per-boot numbers were better in Miami, where he averaged between 44.5 and 45.0 yards from 2017-20. Sanchez, however, has also served as the Colts’ kickoff specialist throughout his career. Haack has not done so, at least not primarily. He has recorded only four kickoffs during his career. Indianapolis’ kicker, Rodrigo Blankenship, seems likely to handle this responsibility, having made 24 kickoffs over his two-year run. Twenty of those came in 2020, a season that featured Sanchez miss time after having a cancerous tumor surgically removed.

Bills Cut WR Tavon Austin

August 22nd, 2022 at 5:46pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bills released a pair of veterans today. The team announced that they’ve cut wideout Tavon Austin and punter Matt Haack.

Austin had his most productive season in years in 2021. In 13 games (three starts) with the Jaguars, the veteran hauled in 24 receptions for 213 yards and one touchdown. He ended up joining Buffalo in June, and there was hope that he’d be able to slide into a back-of-the-depth-chart role behind Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Isaiah McKenzie. That didn’t end up being the case, and with the veteran out of the picture, this will probably secure an opening day roster spot for at least one of Jake Kumerow or Jamison Crowder.

There’s a chance Austin could catch on elsewhere. While he’s bounced around the NFL a bit recently, he’s still seen time in nine NFL seasons, hauling in 244 receptions and 16 touchdowns. The veteran also has extensive special teams history, although it’s been a while since he’s been a full-time punt returner.

Haack’s spot on the roster always seemed to be in risk following the emergence of ‘Punt God’ Matt Araiza. Haack was the Bills’ punter in 2021, averaging a career-low 42.9 yards on his 52 punts. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Dolphins, where he had an average punt distance of 44.7 yards.

Bills Rework P Matt Haack’s Contract

March 12th, 2022 at 8:34am CST by Ben Levine

The Bills have reworked their punter’s contract. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter), the Bills have signed Matt Haack to a revised contract.

The deal will reduce Haack’s 2022 salary to $1.135MM, and it will also void the final year of his contract. As a result, the punter will hit free agency next offseason.

According to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (on Twitter), the Bills also removed the $1MM base salary that would have been guaranteed on March 18. As a result, the Bills can set themselves up for a punting competition if they so desire.

Haack spent the first four seasons of his career with the Dolphins before inking a three-year deal with the Bills last offseason. His averages went down during his first season in Buffalo, as he averaged only 42.9 yards on his punts (with his previous career-low being at 44.5). While he wasn’t called on all that much during the postseason, he did see that average jump to 43.8 yards on four punts.

Bills To Sign P Matt Haack

March 16th, 2021 at 5:12pm CST by Ben Levine

Matt Haack is sticking around the AFC East. The Bills have signed the former Dolphins punter, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).

The 26-year-old punter had spent his entire career with the Dolphins. Haack entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State in 2017, and he was immediately handed the starting gig in Miami. Haack ended up with 307 punts during his tenure with the Dolphins, averaging 44.7 yards per attempt. He’s hit at least a 60-yarder in each of his four seasons.

Haack will presumably snag the role that was previously held by Corey Bojorquez. It seemed like the 24-year-old’s stint with Buffalo may be coming to an end when we learned of the Bills’ interest in veteran Michael Palardy earlier this month.

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