Nahshon Wright

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/30/24

Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo is listed as questionable, but head coach Raheem Morris is confident he’ll play, calling Patterson an emergency option.

Speculation out of Baltimore was that Maulet wouldn’t require a second stint on injured reserve with his calf injury, but that intel appears to have been off. Maulet and Kolar could potentially make a return in time for the postseason, but they’ll miss four games before they do.

VanSumeren served double-duty as a fullback and linebacker. With his placement on IR, Uzomah was targeted as a possibility to fill in at fullback.

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 BearsLionsPackers and Vikings moves are noted below.

Chicago Bears

Signed:

Claimed:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Vikings Cut Robert Tonyan, Kene Nwangwu To Move Down To 53

The Vikings will begin the season without T.J. Hockenson. In addition to the standout tight end, Minnesota will be without some other notable names. Here is how the Vikings trimmed their roster to 53:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

  • WR Malik Knowles

Placed on season-ending IR:

Placed on IR/return designation:

The Vikings were taking calls on both Nwangwu and Roy, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero. Minnesota gave Roy’s agent a change to find a trade partner. Neither effort came to fruition, and the duo ventured to waivers. Nwangwu is an interesting cut, as he is the rare kick returner who thrived under the old kickoff setup in its final years. The former fourth-round pick totaled three kick-return TDs from 2021-22. The Vikings could not find room for him, with the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling noting his issues catching on as a pure running back mattered. He has only totaled 27 carries over the past two seasons. A 2023 fifth-rounder, Roy played 96 defensive snaps last season.
Despite Hockenson heading to the reserve/PUP list, the Vikings moved Tonyan off their roster. The rare player to complete a full division sweep, the NFC North veteran signed with the Vikings this offseason. Minnesota only gave the ex-Green Bay, Chicago and Detroit tight end $150K guaranteed. The team still has Johnny Mundt and blocking specialist Josh Oliver at the position. Best known for his 11-touchdown 2020 season, Tonyan also caught 53 passes in 2022. He was not used often in Chicago, however, and Minnesota does not look to have the veteran in its plans.
Wright arrived recently in a trade from the Cowboys. Minnesota sent Dallas former second-round pick Andrew Booth in exchange for Wright, who had one season left on his rookie contract. This has been a rough month for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah‘s first draft; the team waived the player it landed for Booth and cut 2022 first-rounder Lewis Cine as well.
Risner and Murphy can return after four games. The Vikings will move their injury-activation count from eight to six, however, as both players already count toward Minnesota’s regular-season limit. Risner started 11 games with the Vikes last season and re-signed this offseason.

Vikings, Cowboys Agree To Swap CBs Andrew Booth, Nahshon Wright

The Cowboys and Vikings are making a trade involving two former Day 2 cornerback draftees. Minnesota is sending Andrew Booth to Dallas in exchange for Nahshon Wright, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.

Two years remain on Booth’s rookie contract; Wright is going into a walk year. The Vikings drafted Booth in the 2022 second round, while the Cowboys used a 2021 third on Wright. While Booth comes from Minnesota, he was not on the roster during Mike Zimmer‘s HC stay.

Although the Vikings drafted Booth months after firing Zimmer, it is quite possible — as scouting staffs regularly remain in place through the following draft — the veteran defensive coach was high on the Clemson product ahead of the ’22 draft. Booth has been unable to establish himself as a Vikings regular under Ed Donatell or Brian Flores; he will now be given a second opportunity to prove himself.

Chosen 42nd overall, Booth has made just two starts and logged a total of 256 defensive snaps as a pro. He had not factored into Minnesota’s CB plans prominently during camp, per ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert. The pick goes down as a miss by GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, whose first two picks — DBs Booth and first-rounder Lewis Cine — have not helped the Vikes much. But Minnesota will attempt to see if Wright can make a difference. Cine is already on Minnesota’s roster bubble.

Wright, 25, has also played sparingly during his early NFL career. Though, the 6-foot-4 cover man evidently did enough to warrant a straight-up swap for a player chosen more than 50 spots before him (albeit in a different draft). The Vikings taking a flier on a player with one less year of control is interesting as well.

Only seeing 50 defensive snaps last season — for a Cowboys team that lost Trevon Diggs to a torn ACL last September — Wright has three career starts on his resume. The Cowboys changing DCs this offseason, losing Dan Quinn to Washington and hiring Zimmer, undoubtedly affected the fourth-year CB’s standing. Wright, however, maxed out at 128 defensive snaps in a season in Dallas (2022).

Booth, 23, exited Clemson as a first-round-level prospect; the Vikings traded up for him. Booth underwent sports hernia surgery before the draft, and while the former ACC standout returned in time for Week 1, he then suited up for just six Vikings games as a rookie. A season-ending knee injury altered his developmental arc, and he will join a Cowboys team with a cemented top three.

Diggs, DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis are in place as Dallas’ primary CBs, though The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousef note Wright did mix in with Dallas’ first-team defense on the boundary opposite Bland during a Thursday joint practice with the Rams. Diggs is still working his way back from the knee injury. The team, which also completed a CB-for-CB trade last year (Kelvin Joseph for Noah Igbinoghene), also roster 2023 draftee Eric Scott Jr. and 2024 fifth-rounder Caelen Carson.

Wright heads to a Vikings team less solidified at corner. Minnesota has Byron Murphy going into the second season of a two-year contract, and Josh Metellus remains in the slot. But the team has seen its CB situation change dramatically this summer. Fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson died tragically in a car accident in July, and second-year contributor Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL early in training camp. The Vikes signed Shaquill Griffin earlier this year and added Fabian Moreau last week; they also used 2022 fourth-rounder Akayleb Evans over Booth last year.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/16/23

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Washington Commanders

The Cowboys are bringing in some reinforcements after having to place linebacker Leighton Vander Esch on IR this week. The Chargers are bringing up Doss as a standard gameday elevation, as well, with Mike Williams, Simi Fehoko, and Jalen Guyton all out tonight.

Haener, the Saints’ rookie fourth-round passer, started his NFL career on a six-game suspension due to a violation of the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy. With Haener adding another arm to the bullpen, Luton became expendable but may find a spot on the team’s practice squad.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/12/23

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Philadelphia Eagles

Peyton Hendershot will miss at least the next four games while he continues to recover from an ankle injury. The tight end already missed a pair of contests thanks to the injury, with the second-year player hauling in a single catch before that. Sean McKeon will be taking the open spot on the roster. The 25-year-old has spent the past three-plus seasons in Dallas, hauling in six catches in 38 games.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC East

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 CommandersCowboysEagles and Giants moves are noted below.

Dallas Cowboys

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

New York Giants

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Philadelphia Eagles

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Washington Commanders

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Minor NFL Transactions:  12/13/21

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Football Team

Cowboys Sign Nahshon Wright

The Cowboys have officially signed third-round cornerback Nahshon Wright, per a club announcement. The Oregon State product will earn $4.8MM over the course of his four-year deal, in accordance with his slot.

Wright, taken No. 99 overall, notched 64 tackles, five interceptions, one sack, and one forced fumble over the course of his collegiate career. He started out at Laney College, a community college in Oakland, CA, before transferring to Oregon State in 2019. Between his late arrival to the Beavers and the pandemic, he’s seen just one year of Division-I action.

Many analysts didn’t have Wright as a third-round prospect, but Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn saw him as a perfect fit for his scheme. Standing at 6’4″, he definitely has the length to cover taller receivers at the pro level. Now, he’ll try to carve out a role behind Jourdan Lewis, Trevon Diggs, and second-round pick Kelvin Joseph.

With Wright in the fold, defensive end Chauncey Golston stands as the last straggler. However, that deal should be just around the corner, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).