Trent Taylor

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/24

October 5th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Elevated: OL Charlie Heck, K Chad Ryland

Baltimore Ravens

Elevated: RB Chris Collier, OLB Yannick Ngakoue

Buffalo Bills

Elevated: WR Tyrell Shavers, DT Branson Deen

Carolina Panthers

Elevated: LB Thomas Incoom, DT T.J. Smith
Placed on IR: LB Shaq Thompson (story)

Cincinnati Bengals

Elevated: CB Jalen Davis

Dallas Cowboys

Signed to active roster: LB Nick Vigil
Elevated: DE Carl Lawson, CB Amani Oruwariye

Denver Broncos

LB Levelle Bailey

Green Bay Packers

Signed to active roster: CB Robert Rochell
Elevated: FB Andrew Beck

Houston Texans

Elevated: RB J.J. Taylor

Indianapolis Colts

Elevated: RB Evan Hull, CB David Long

Jacksonville Jaguars

Elevated: LB Tanner Muse, S Matthew Jackson

Las Vegas Raiders

Signed to active roster: DE K’Lavon Chaisson
Placed on IR: LB Luke Masterson
Elevated: RB Sincere McCormick, WR Alex Bachman

Los Angeles Rams

Elevated: WR Xavier Smith, CB Ahkello Witherspoon

Miami Dolphins

Elevated: CB Nik Needham

Minnesota Vikings

Elevated: RB Myles Gaskin, S Bobby McCain

New England Patriots

Signed to active roster: DT Jaquelin Roy
Elevated: OL Bryan Hudson, LB Ochaun Mathis

New York Giants

Activated from IR: LB Matt Adams
Waived: LB Benton Whitley
Elevated: WR Isaiah Hodgins, RB Dante Miller

New York Jets

LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball, QB Adrian Martinez

Pittsburgh Steelers

Activated from IR: OLB Jeremiah Moon
Elevated: WR Brandon Johnson, RB Jonathan Ward

San Francisco 49ers

Activated from IR: DT Kalia Davis
Elevated: DL T.Y. McGill, WR Trent Taylor

Washington Commanders

Activated from IR: QB Marcus Mariota
Elevated: CB Kevon Seymour, WR Brycen Tremayne

Mariota returned to practice on Wednesday, which was the earliest point at which he could be designated for return. As a result, it comes as little surprise he has been brought back onto Washington’s active roster. The 30-year-old is in his first season with the Commanders, and today’s move paves the way for him to handle backup duties moving forward.

Ngakoue remained on the free agent market into the start of the regular season. He was not connected to a Ravens reunion, but one took place last week. The journeyman sack artist had a brief spell with Baltimore in 2020, and he posted three sacks in 11 games. Ngakoue, 29, had one-and done campaigns in Vegas, Indianapolis and Chicago before taking a Ravens practice squad deal. He will make his debut tomorrow and aim to provide depth along the edge.

49ers Activate Talanoa Hufanga, Move Roster To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two 49ers remain out out of the mix (but definitely not out of headlines, in Brandon Aiyuk‘s case), though both standouts are still employed by the team. Though, Trent Williams remains on the reserve/did not report list. Here is how the defending NFC champs pared their roster to 53 by today’s deadline:

Released:

OL Ben Bartch
WR Robbie Chosen
OL Chris Hubbard
DL T.Y. McGill
OL Brandon Parker
TE Eric Saubert
WR Trent Taylor
TE Logan Thomas
S Tracy Walker
DL Nick Williams
CB Rock Ya-Sin

Waived:

OL Isaac Alarcon
DL Evan Anderson
DL Alex Barrett
DL Shakel Brown
DL Jonathan Garvin
LB Jalen Graham
WR Danny Gray
OL Sebastian Gutierrez
OL Jarrett Kingston
TE Cameron Latu
CB Chase Lucas
S Jaylen Mahoney
WR Tay Martin
QB Tanner Mordecai
OL Drake Nugent
TE Mason Pline
RB Cody Schrader
TE Brayden Willis
CB Samuel Womack

Hufanga’s status represents a positive development for a 49ers team in need of them. The All-Pro safety had been rumored to join Greenlaw on the reserve/PUP list. Avoiding it does not guarantee Hufanga will be ready for Week 1, but it keeps the fourth-year defender in the equation for the 49ers’ first four games. They are choosing to carry Hufanga on the 53-man roster and go week-to-week with him. This undoubtedly led to Walker being moved off the roster.

Conversely, Mitchell’s time with the team may be over. San Francisco surprised most by vaulting the 2021 sixth-round pick into a starting role to open that season, dropping Trey Sermon to a backup spot. Mitchell operated as San Francisco’s preferred starter — as long as he was healthy, which was sporadic — until the October 2022 Christian McCaffrey trade. The 49ers now have Jordan Mason and rookie Isaac Guerendo as CMC backups.

A hamstring injury has sidelined Mitchell, potentially opening the door to an injury settlement. Davis will be able to return this season for the 49ers; Mitchell’s designation would prevent that. The 49ers are down to seven IR activations as a result of the Davis decision. A 2022 sixth-round pick, Davis remains in the team’s plans despite injuries largely keeping him out of action. Davis has played just three NFL games, and he suffered another injury — a knee issue requiring surgery — during camp.

The 49ers, who will bring many of these players back to the practice squad, cut two recent third-round picks — Gray and Latu. The latter has not played yet as a pro, missing his entire rookie season with an ACL tear. Gray has been unable to carve out a role on a 49ers team that has seen Jauan Jennings stick as the team’s WR3; rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing are also in the mix now.

49ers To Bring Back WR Trent Taylor

April 16th, 2024 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three years away, Trent Taylor has agreed to come back to San Francisco. The veteran wide receiver/return man is set to rejoin the 49ers, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. The team has since announced a one-year agreement with Taylor.

The 49ers drafted Taylor in the 2017 fifth round but did not retain him once his rookie contract expired. After two seasons with the Bengals, the slot player/punt returner spent last year with the Bears. Taylor operated as Chicago’s primary punt returner last season.

Taylor predates some of the key 49ers who have been part of the team’s run of NFC championship game appearances over the past three years, but he arrived during Kyle Shanahan‘s first offseason as HC. The 49ers used Taylor extensively on offense in 2017; the 5-foot-8 target caught 43 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns. Since that season, however, Taylor has not seen much usage on offense. He has, however, worked as a regular punt returner for three franchises.

Also San Francisco’s punt returner as a rookie, Taylor averaged 10.3 yards per return with Cincinnati in 2022; that ranked sixth in the NFL. Last year, the Bears stashed Taylor on their practice squad before calling him up ahead of Week 1. Taylor played in all 17 Chicago games, averaging 8.3 yards per return. While Taylor has not seen much time as a receiver since his first 49ers stint, he caught a key two-point conversion in the Bengals’ overtime win over the Chiefs in the 2021 AFC championship game.

San Francisco’s primary punt returner last season — Ray-Ray McCloud — is no longer on the roster; he signed with the Falcons in free agency. A failed McCloud fumble recovery on the punt that caromed off Darrell Luter in the third quarter of Super Bowl LVIII became a pivotal sequence for the 49ers, whose defense surrendered a touchdown — the Chiefs’ only regulation TD in the overtime thriller — one play later. Taylor, who will turn 30 later this month, may now be the favorite to replace McCloud in the return game.

A Taylor injury prevented him from playing in 2019, though he did circle back to a Super Bowl stage two years later with the Bengals. As the 49ers attempt to clear a troublesome hurdle en route to their sixth championship, they are bringing back an old friend for a niche role. Although the NFL changing the kick-return game has affected teams’ plans this offseason, Taylor has mostly been a punt-game specialist. The Louisiana Tech alum has eight career kickoff returns as a pro.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

August 30th, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

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 Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings moves are noted below.

Chicago Bears

Placed on IR:

G Teven Jenkins (story)

Signed:

WR Trent Taylor

Claimed:

S Quindell Johnson, DE Khalid Kareem

Waived:

DE Terrell Lewis

Signed to practice squad:

LB Micah Baskerville, DL Travis Bell, FB Robert Burns, TE Stephen Carlson, OL Aviante Collins, LB DeMarquis Gates, DL Jalen Harris, OL Roy Mbaeteka, DB Greg Stroman, WR Nsimba Webster, DB Kendall Williamson

Detroit Lions

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

WR Maurice Alexander, G Kayode Awosika, K Michael Badgley (story), WR Dylan Drummond, T Connor Galvin, S Brandon Joseph, RB Zonovan Knight, CB Chase Lucas, LB Trevor Nowaske, T Max Pircher, DL Chris Smith

Green Bay Packers

Claimed:

DB Zayne Anderson, TE Ben Sims

Released:

LB Tariq Carpenter, DL Jonathan Ford

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

TE Austin Allen, CB Corey Ballentine, LB Keshawn Banks, WR Grant DuBose, C James Empey, S Innis Gaines, QB Alex McGough, WR Bo Melton, LB Arron Mosby, LB Kenneth Odumegwu, FB Henry Pearson, S Benny Sapp III, DL Chris Slayton, RB Patrick Taylor, T Kadeem Telfort, CB Kiondre Thomas

Minnesota Vikings

Placed on IR:

RB Kene Nwangwu

Claimed:

Waived:

WR Jalen Reagor (story)

Signed to practice squad:

OL Alan Ali, CB C.J. Coldon, DT Sheldon Day, WR Trishton Jackson, WR Lucky Jackson, RB DeWayne McBride, DL T.J. Smith, WR Thayer Thomas, LB Luiji Vilain, LB Benton Whitley, CB Jaylin Williams, CB Joejuan Williams

Bengals Reduce Roster To 53, Place T La’el Collins On Reserve/PUP List

August 29th, 2023 at 4:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals have worked their way down to the 53-man roster limit. Here are the moves made on Tuesday to finalize their initial squad:

Released:

Waived:

OT Hakeem Adeniji
TE Devin Asiasi
TE Nick Bowers
S Larry Brooks
G Ben Brown
DE Owen Carney
WR Malachi Carter
P Drue Chrisman
S Yusuf Corker
DT Domenique Davis
CB Allan George
C Nate Gilliam
DE Jeff Gunter
LB Shaka Heyward
WR Mac Hippenhammer
WR Shedrick Jackson
DE Raymond Johnson III
LB Keandre Jones
G Jaxson Kirkland
WR Kwamie Lassiter II
LB Jaylen Moody
LB Tyler Murray
HB Jacob Saylors
QB Reid Sinnett
TE Christian Trahan
RB Calvin Tyler Jr.

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

T La’el Collins

Placed on IR:

DT Tautala Pesefea Jr.
CB Marvell Tell III

Collins will miss at least the first four weeks of the season given his PUP designation. The former Cowboy signed a three-year, $21MM deal in free agency last offseason to operate as Cincinnati’s right tackle starter. His play in his debut season was underwhelming, however, and that role will belong to Jonah Williams this season, unless the latter misses time or Collins usurps him on the depth chart. A knee injury is to blame for Collins’ missed time, per the team.

Both Pesefea and Tell will miss the entire season, as is the case for all players placed on IR before being named to the initial 53-man roster. They will either remain with the organization during the campaign, or be released via an injury settlement which would allow them to find a new opportunity elsewhere.

Jones represents a more experienced cut than most of the other players let go. The former second-rounder has 57 games and 27 starts to his name, and he split his time between the Seahawks and Raiders last season. Moving on from Jones further signals the team’s intention of relying on younger options like Cam Taylor-Britt and rookies DJ Turner and DJ Ivey in the secondary.

Losing Adeniji (unless he clears waivers and is retained via the practice squad, as will no doubt be the case for many of the players listed above) would leave the Bengals thin along the O-line, especially in light of the Collins news. The 2020 sixth-rounder has experience at multiple positions up front, but his level of play has been a contributing factor in the team’s urgency in pursuing free agent blockers in recent years.

Bengals Agree To Terms With Trent Taylor

March 16th, 2023 at 3:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

A key member of the Bengals’ special teams units will remain in place for 2023. Cincinnati is re-signing receiver and returner Trent Taylor on a one-year deal, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The 28-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Bengals, also on one-year pacts. Over that span, he has made only eight catches in a limited offensive role. The lone time in which he was used more on offense than special teams was the first two years of his 49ers tenure to begin his career. That stretch included 430 receiving yards as a rookie.

Taylor has primarily been known for his success in the return game since then, however. He ran back six kickoffs with the Bengals over the past two years, but returned 40 punts over that span. In 2022, he totaled 340 yards on 33 returns, which ranked fourth in the NFL. His average of 10.3 yards per return marked the second-highest mark of his career, and ranked third in the league.

Given that level of success, it comes as little surprise that the Bengals have elected to keep him in the fold for another year. The team has a highly-productive receiver trio on offense, though Taylor’s previous experience qualifies him as a potential fill-in option if necessary. The Bengals’ weakness in terms of DVOA in 2022 was their special teams, a unit which ranked 18th in that regard.

Taylor’s individual performance has obviously not been seen as the cause for that, though. He will look to repeat his success in a third Bengals campaign (and perhaps earn a longer-term deal in the process), while the AFC North champions prepare to have one of the better return games in the league once again.