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Randell Johnson

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/9/17

June 9th, 2017 at 5:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Friday’s minor moves from around the NFL:

  • The Jets have waived linebacker Randell Johnson, whom they originally signed off the Rams’ practice squad last December. Johnson only played one game last year, which came with the Jets, after appearing in 10 and starting one as a Bill in 2015. In 16 games dating back to 2014, Johnson’s first year, he has just one tackle.
  • The Chiefs have signed cornerback Keith Baxter and waived a pair of defenders, tackle T.J. Barnes and safety Damariay Drew, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Barnes is the only one of three with NFL experience, having appeared in 21 games (one start) since debuting in 2014. Last season was the only year in Kansas City for Barnes, and the former Jet and Bill saw action in five games. Baxter went undrafted out of Marshall last year and spent some time with the Vikings and Packers as a rookie. Drew, undrafted from Cal this year, lasted just over a week with the Chiefs, who signed him June 1.
  • The Texans have added center Erik Austell and waived guard Jake Simonich. Both players went undrafted this year, with Austell coming from Charleston Southern and Simonich out of Utah State.
  • The 49ers have inked offensive lineman Andrew Lauderdale to a deal and cut safety Malik Golden. Lauderdale, undrafted out of New Hampshire, had a brief stint with the Saints earlier this spring. Golden, another UDFA (from Penn State), joined the 49ers on May 4.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/16

December 19th, 2016 at 5:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

  • The 49ers announced that they’ve claimed linebacker Carl Bradford off waivers from the Packers. San Francisco placed LB Nick Bellore on injured reserve earlier today, so Bradford, who’s appeared in four games for Green Bay this season, will add depth in the Bay Area as the Niners close out the 2016 campaign. San Francisco also announced that it has signed veteran tight end Jim Dray, who began the season with Buffalo.
  • The Jets have signed linebacker Randell Johnson from the Rams‘ practice squad to their 53-man roster, clearing a roster spot by waiving fellow LB Arthur Brown, the club announced today. Brown, a former second-round pick, has now been cut for the third time this calendar year.
  • The Cardinals announced that they’ve promoted 2016 sixth-round cornerback Harlan Miller. In a related move, Arizona waived CB Tharold Simon. Simon had been claimed off waivers earlier this year, but managed only 76 snaps with the Cards.
  • The Dolphins signed linebacker Trevor Reilly off the Patriots‘ practice squad and waived fellow LB Zach Vigil, per a club announcement. Vigil, a undrafted rookie, spent the first portion of this season on the NFI list.
  • The Saints have signed wide receiver Corey Fuller off the Lions‘ practice squad, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Fuller appeared in 28 games with Detroit from 2014-15.
  • The Rams are promoting defensive back Isaiah Johnson to the active roster, reports Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. Johnson had been signed to Los Angeles’ 53-man earlier this season, as well. Johnson takes the roster spot of DB Marqui Christian, who is going to IR, per Gonzalez (link).
  • The Giants will promote defensive lineman Ishaq Williams to the active roster, according to Dan Duggan of NJ.com.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/22/16

November 22nd, 2016 at 7:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Patriots Work Out LB Jasper Brinkley

October 25th, 2016 at 8:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Patriots worked out a trio of linebackers today, auditioning Jasper Brinkley, Randell Johnson, and Trevor Bates, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link).Jasper Brinkley (Vertical)

[RELATED: Patriots Acquire Kyle Van Noy]

None of the linebackers agreed to a contract with New England, and that’s likely because the Patriots filled their linebacker vacancy by acquiring former second-rounder Kyle Van Noy from the Lions. The Pats are looking for help along the front seven given that Jamie Collins (hip) and Shea McClellin (concussion) are coming off injury, though both played on Sunday.

Brinkley, 31, re-signed with the Giants this offseason after having spent the 2015 season in New York. The veteran had another solid campaign last year, compiling 67 tackles and one sack. The linebacker has only missed a pair of games since the start of 2012.

AFC Workout Notes: Colts, Chiefs, Ravens, Pats

October 18th, 2016 at 7:36pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent receiver Aaron Dobson visited the Colts on Tuesday, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Dobson has worked out for several teams and had multiple stints with the Lions since the Patriots cut him Sept. 3. The three-year veteran has 53 receptions and four touchdowns in 24 games (13 starts).

The Colts also worked out running back David Cobb (Twitter link). The former Titan has tried out for a bevy of clubs since Tennessee cut him in August. Cobb briefly caught on with the Steelers, who waived him from their practice squad last week.

Along with Dobson and Cobb, receiver Marcus Leak, tight ends Alex Bayer and Darion Griswold, and linebackers Trevor Reilly and James Vaughters tried out with the Colts, tweets Howard Balzer of USA Today.

More workouts from the AFC (courtesy of Caplan, unless otherwise noted):

  • In addition to defensive end Kendall Reyes, whom they signed, the Chiefs tried out fellow DE Lynden Trail on Tuesday, according to Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link). Joining them were linebackers Deion Barnes, Randell Johnson, and Kyle Kragen.
  • Veteran offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds worked out for the Ravens on Tuesday (Twitter link). Reynolds has been on the radar of a few teams since Los Angeles released him prior to Week 1. The 29-year-old has 42 appearances and 23 starts on his resume.
  • The Patriots tried out out two offensive tackles – Ryan Mack and Pearce Slater – as well as defensive end Jordan Williams, reports Doug Kyed of NESN (via Twitter).
  • Along with linebacker Quentin Gaus and tight end Steven Scheu, both of whom joined their practice squad, the Broncos worked out linebackers Lenny Jones, J.R. Tavai and Kyrie Wilson; defensive ends Deonte Gibson, Ian Seau and Josh Shirley; and safety Elijah Shumate (Twitter links via Balzer).
  • The Texans worked out safety Don Jones and a pair of cornerbacks, Denzel Rice and Charles Gaines (Twitter link).
  • Running back Mekale McKay and Jhurell Pressley tried out for the Jets, according to Balzer (Twitter link).
  • Three tight ends – Kivon Cartwright, Tim Semisch and Gannon Sinclair – worked out for the Titans, tweets Balzer.

Buccaneers Work Out Sealver Siliga, 10 Others

October 12th, 2016 at 6:55pm CST by Ben Levine

The Buccaneers have been busy during their bye week, as ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan reports (via Twitter) that the team worked out five players today: linebackers Quentin Gause and Brandon Hepburn, defensive tackle Sealver Siliga, defensive end Chris McCain, and wide receiver Da’Ron Brown. Howard Balzer (via Twitter) adds the names of six more players who auditioned for the Bucs: wide receivers Matt Hazel and Jamal Robinson, linebackers Jason Fanaika and Randell Johnson, tight end Clay Burton, and cornerback Robertson Daniel.

With starting defensive lineman Robert Ayers, Gerald McCoy, and Clinton McDonald missing this past weekend’s game, the Buccaneers are seeking some reinforcement up front. Siliga, 26, would automatically become one of the team’s most experienced lineman, as the former undrafted free agent has 26 career games under his belt. The defensive tackle played in 13 games for the Patriots in 2015 (four starts), compiling 28 tackles. Siliga briefly caught on with the Seahawks this past offseason, and he visited the Buccaneers back in September. McCain, another former undrafted free agent, appeared in 18 games for the Dolphins between 2014 and 2015, collecting seven tackles and two sacks.

The Buccaneers may be valuing depth when it comes to Hepburn and Gause, as the team only has four linebackers on the roster. Hepburn is the most experienced of the two, although the former Florida A&M standout hasn’t played an NFL game. Still, the 26-year-old has bounced between the Lions, Eagles and Cowboys over the past four years. Gause, a rookie linebacker out of Rutgers, previously spent time with the Eagles and Patriots.

The Buccaneers decision to audition Brown may be an indication that wideout Cecil Shorts won’t be ready for next week’s game. Brown, a seventh-round pick by the Chiefs in 2015, was released by the Patriots’ practice squad earlier this month.

NFL Workout Updates: 10/11/16

October 11th, 2016 at 7:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ll keep track of the day’s auditions here:

  • The Buccaneers will work out defensive end Chris McCain on Wednesday, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). McCain, who was traded from Miami to New Orleans during the offseason before ultimately being waived, has appeared in 19 games over the past two seasons.
  • After being released by the Redskins last week, veteran defensive end Kendall Reyes landed a workout with the Texans, who are still trying to replace J.J. Watt, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Houston also tried out defensive lineman Lars Koht, per Kaplan.
  • The Dolphins worked out cornerbacks Darrin Walls and Blidi Wreh-Wilson before signing Chimdi Chekwa, tweets Caplan, who adds that Miami also auditioned offensive tackle David Foucault. The Dolphins also worked out linebacker Trevor Reilly, according to Howard Balzer (Twitter link).
  • Former Buffalo outside linebacker Randell Johnson is visiting the Jets today, as Alex Marvez of the Sporting News tweets. New York also worked out tight end Mitchell Henry, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
  • The Seahawks worked out defensive end Malliciah Goodman on Monday, reports Rand Getlin (on Twitter). Goodman played for Atlanta in his first three NFL seasons. Seattle also took a look at tight end Alex Bayer, defensive end Josh Boyd, cornerback Trae Elston, safety Jordan Lomax, and visited with safety Elijah Shumate, per Balzer (Twitter link).
  • The Panthers auditioned offensive tackles Michael Bowie and Pearce Slater, as well as cornerbacks Randall Evans, Tyler Patmon, and Kevin Short, tweets Balzer. Cleveland placed Bowie on the retired list earlier this year, but he’s apparently had a change of heart.
  • Offensive tackle Pierce Burton worked out for the Colts today, according to Balzer (Twitter link).

Seahawks Work Out Bernard Pierce

September 27th, 2016 at 6:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks worked out free agent running back Bernard Pierce today, according to Doug Kyed of NESN (Twitter link). In addition the club also auditioned six other players, all listed below courtesy of Kyed unless otherwise noted:"<strong

Clearly, Seattle is still looking to augment its backfield depth after the revelation that Thomas Rawls will be out for several more weeks while dealing with a hairline fibula fracture. Christine Michael will continue to dominate touches, and the Seahawks also boast C.J Prosise, Alex Collins, and the recently-promoted Terrence Magee on the roster.

Pierce, 25, has 359 career carries to his name, most coming with Baltimore, for whom Pierce played during the first three seasons of his career. The Ravens waived Pierce in 2015 following a DUI arrest, and he was ultimately picked up by the Jaguars. Even with a two-game suspension hanging over his head, Pierce managed to land with the Jets this offseason, but quickly was placed on injured reserve and then released.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Trim Roster To 53

September 2nd, 2016 at 11:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills announced that they’ve moved their roster to 53 players by cutting 21 players. That list of cuts includes notable names like fullback Jerome Felton, linebacker Manny Lawson, versatile cornerback Sterling Moore, and linebacker Randell Johnson."<strong

The Bills will save $2.35MM against the cap by releasing Lawson and $1.55MM by cutting Felton. By freeing up that cash, the Bills will have a little more room to work with as they negotiate a new deal with cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Felton was signed as a free agent last offseason to a four-year pact worth $9.2MM, with $4MM guaranteed. Considering how the fullback position has been phased out by many NFL teams, that was a steep price to pay for the former Viking. With Minnesota, Felton acted as the lead blocker for Adrian Peterson‘s 2012 MVP campaign, paving the way for Peterson to nearly break the all-time rushing record. Felton himself went to the Pro Bowl that season, and was named second-team All Pro. The team is saving money by dropping the 30-year-old, but his release is also a sign of their confidence in Glenn Gronkowski.

Over the last three seasons, Lawson has appeared in all but one regular season game for the Bills. In 2015, Lawson appeared in every contest and started 14 games, racking up 45 tackles, 1 sack, and 5 pass deflections. Lawson is facing a one-game ban as a result of a domestic violence incident and that was thought to be a big blow in the season opener considering that the team will also be without top rookies Reggie Ragland and Shaq Lawson plus reserve linebacker IK Enemkpali. For one reason or another, the Bills have decided that they are better off without him.

Moore, 26, came over from Tampa Bay during the offseason, and has also spent time with the Patriots, Cowboys, and Raiders. Johnson, meanwhile, has been with Buffalo for the past two seasons, starting one game during that time.

Here is the complete list of cuts:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Announce Several Roster Changes

December 22nd, 2015 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

It has been a busy day of transactions for the Bills, who are turning over four spots on their 53-man roster today. Here’s a breakdown of Tuesday’s moves by Buffalo, via a team release:

Signed:

Promoted from practice squad:

Waived:

Placed on injured reserve:

Placed on reserve/non-football illness list:

The Bills’ receiving corps has undergone a significant overhaul, with three of the new additions to the roster coming at that position, while Woods heads to IR and Thigpen lands on waivers.

Among the most noteworthy moves today for the Bills is Henderson being placed on the reserve/NFI list — a report last week suggested that the team’s starting right tackle had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel condition, though the club has yet to confirm that.

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