Saalim Hakim

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/29/16

In advance of day two of the 2016 NFL draft getting underway, here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the league:

  • The Panthers opened the 2016 league year with only two defensive tackles under contract, but have been active in adding depth at the position in recent weeks. The latest addition to the team’s defensive line is Robert Thomas, who was cut by the Dolphins on Thursday — Carolina claimed him off waivers today, per Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
  • Linebacker A.J. Tarpley, who announced earlier in April that he has decided to retire due to concussion concerns, was officially waived by the Bills today, along with tight end Jacob Maxwell, the team announced (via Twitter).
  • At the start of the week, the Browns announced that they had signed wide receiver Saalim Hakim. However, Hakim’s stint in Cleveland was short-lived. As Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk writes, the Browns cut Hakim from their roster today.
  • Perhaps clearing room to add a few extra undrafted free agents at the conclusion of the draft, the Buccaneers announced today that they’ve waived eight players from their 90-man roster. The players receiving their walking papers are as follows: wide receiver Andre Davis, linebacker Darius Eubanks, guard Antoine Everett, safety Gerod Holliman, defensive tackle Derrick Lott, safety Kimario McFadden, linebacker Jermauria Rasco and cornerback C.J. Roberts.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/25/16

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Buccaneers have signed running back Storm Johnson to a two-year contract, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The former Miami, UCF, and Jags tailback is now slated to compete for the backup running back job this fall in Tampa. The former seventh-round pick had some hype behind him in Jacksonville but never broke out in the way that coaches and fantasy owners hoped he would.
  • The Browns announced that they have signed wide receiver Saalim Hakim, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets. Hakim participated in voluntary minicamp last week with Cleveland on a tryout basis and apparently made a strong impression on team brass. Hakim originally entered the league as a UDFA with Dallas in 2012.
  • The Saints have released second-year defensive end Tavaris Barnes, a league source tells Evan Woodbery of The Times Picayune (on Twitter). Barnes, a Clemson product, appeared in 12 games for New Orleans in 2015.
  • The Saints have also waived safety Vinnie Sunseri, as Woodbery tweets.
  • The Lions have signed punter Kyle Christy, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Interestingly, Birkett tweets that Christy could serve to save the legs of Sam Martin and possibly Matt Prater in camp. Reading between the lines, it does not sound like Christy has a great chance of actually hooking on in Detroit.
  • The Packers have waived defensive end Ray Drew, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. Drew, a street free agent signed in March, lasted only one week into the team’s offseason workout program. Drew spent part of the 2015 season on Cleveland’s taxi squad.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Browns, Texans

Contract talks between the Broncos and franchise-tagged pass rusher Von Miller are going so poorly that the Super Bowl 50 MVP could consider holding out until November both this year and, if needed, in 2017, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Cole says that the Broncos’ current offer to Miller is worth only a little more per year than what the Giants gave the far less accomplished Olivier Vernon ($17MM) in free agency and doesn’t contain nearly enough guaranteed money for Miller’s liking.

Here’s more on Denver and a couple other AFC clubs:

  • Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez is working hard to take the reins in Denver, showing leadership, and impressing his teammates in the process, reports Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today (video link). “I can tell he wants to be a leader on this team. He wants to be our quarterback. He wants to be The Guy. And that’s the type of guy we need,” receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. Of course, early reviews aside, Sanchez is a long shot to win the Broncos’ starting job. The team could foil his plans to start by trading for the 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick, adding a high-round draft pick, or signing free agents like Brian Hoyer or Ryan Fitzpatrick.
  • After the Browns released veteran defenders Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner earlier this offseason, linebacker Paul Kruger worried about his own status with the team, he told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “Yeah I was definitely anticipating something,” the 30-year-old said. “Made me a little nervous, I’m not going to lie.” The Browns could still part with Kruger and save $5.3MM before June 1 or $6.5MM if he’s a post-June 1 cut, but they already have the third-most cap space in the league. Kruger, for his part, now expects to remain in the fold. “Those are discussions that I let my agent and those people take care of but hey, I’m here right now and this is where I’m planning on being come August,” he said. Kruger’s sack total plummeted from 11 in 2014 to 2.5 last season, though he still menaced opposing quarterbacks, finishing with the league’s fourth-most hurries (33).
  • The Texans will bring in Wisconsin fullback Derek Watt and Arkansas running back Jonathan Williams for Wednesday visits, reports Tania Ganguli of ESPN (Twitter links). Derek Watt is the brother of superstar Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt.
  • Wide receivers Cam Worthy and Saalim Hakim, offensive lineman James Brewer and defensive back Dax Swanson will partake in Browns minicamp this week as tryout players, tweets the team’s communications manager, Dan Murphy.

Workout Notes: 12/16/15

It’s been a busy last couple of days around the NFL, with teams still looking to fill up their squads for the rest of the season. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweeted a whole bunch of workout notes this afternoon, which we’ve compiled for you below…

Arizona Cardinals

  • CB Mitchell White (link)

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Read more

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/15

As teams finalize their rosters for Week 12 games, we’ll round up Saturday’s latest minor transactions from around the NFL right here:

  • In addition to making the promotion of tight end Asante Cleveland (reported yesterday) official, the Patriots have also moved linebacker Darius Fleming from their practice squad to the 53-man roster, cutting safety Dewey McDonald to make room, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. McDonald’s stint on the active roster didn’t last long — he was just signed two days ago.

Earlier updates:

  • The Chiefs have promoted wide receiver Frankie Hammond to the 53-man roster, waiving cornerback Saalim Hakim in a corresponding move, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Hammond returned 15 punts for the Chiefs in 2014, so he may get a shot at that job this weekend with De’Anthony Thomas sidelined.
  • The Dolphins have made a change on defense, cutting linebacker Mike Hull and replacing him on the 53-man roster with safety Shamiel Gary, who received a promotion from the practice squad (Twitter link). If he’s active on Sunday, Gary would get the opportunity to appear in his first regular season NFL game.
  • As expected, the Titans have elevated outside linebacker Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil to their active roster, waiving wide receiver Rico Richardson to create an opening, tweets Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. Head coach Mike Mularkey had indicated on Friday that Cudjoe-Virgil was in line for a promotion from the practice squad.
  • The Bears have swapped one long snapper for another, signing Patrick Scales and waiving Thomas Gafford, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Having been with the team all season, Gafford is eligible to collect the rest of his 2015 salary in termination pay.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/10/15

Here are Tuesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL:

  • The Saints have signed linebacker James Anderson, as Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune tweets. The Saints have been thin at linebacker recently, with injuries to strongside linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha (ankle), weakside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hip/groin), and backup Ramon Humber, so Anderson will provide additional depth for New Orleans. To make room for Anderson, the Saints have cut fellow linebacker Mike Mohamed, as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Vikings announced that they have signed linebacker Jason Trusnik while placing fellow linebacker Audie Cole on IR. Trusnik, a former Division-III standout, was cut by the Panthers before the final trim down to a 53-man roster. He first broke into the league as a UDFA with the Jets in 2007. The Ohio native has played in 109 career games with 24 starts, tallying 146 total tackles, 4 PDs, 4 FRs and 1 FF in his first eight NFL seasons. Cole wasn’t a factor on the Vikings’ defense, but he was playing more than half of the club’s special teams snaps before fracturing his ankle.
  • The Giants announced that they have added defensive tackle Montori Hughes to the active roster while placing defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins on IR. Hankins suffered a torn pectoral muscle over the weekend, ending his 2015 season prematurely. Hughes, who stands at 6’4″ and weighs 350 pounds, played in 16 games for the Colts between 2013 and 2014.
  • The Browns announced that they have activated defensive back Charles Gaines and running back Glenn Winston. Both players were previously sidelined with injuries.
  • The Buccaneers announced that they have signed safety Kimario McFadden, who played with them in the preseason. To make room for McFadden on the 53-man roster, the Buccaneers waived defensive end Lawrence Sidbury.
  • The Chargers announced that they have signed tight end Sean McGrath while waiving guard Craig Watts. McGrath briefly retired following his second season in 2013, a season in which he caught 26 balls for 302 yards and two touchdowns.
  • The Chiefs will promote safety Saalim Hakim from the practice squad, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
  • The Bears will promote wide receiver Deonte Thompson to the 53-man roster from the taxi squad, Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune tweets.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/13/15

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers

St. Louis Rams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/17/15

Here are Thursday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

  • Cut: RB Gus Johnson (via Todd Archer on Twitter)

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Oakland Raiders

  • Cut: OT Dan Kistler (via John Dickinson on Twitter)
  • Signed: TE Gabe Holmes

St. Louis Rams

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/8/15

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed:
  • Released:
    • G David Arkin

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Signed:

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington

  • To be signed:

Jets Cut 12 Players

In addition to T.J. Graham and James Brewer, whose releases we learned about this morning, the Jets have cut 10 other players, per Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News (via Twitter):

  • CB Javier Arenas
  • CB Curtis Brown
  • C Dalton Freeman
  • WR Saalim Hakim
  • WR Austin Hill
  • LB Bryan Johnson
  • TE Matt LaCosse
  • CB Keith Lewis
  • WR DeVier Posey
  • WR Jonathon Rumph