Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/25
Saturday’s minor moves around the league:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Kelly Akharaiyi
- Placed on reserve/retired list: WR David White
Carolina Panthers
- Reverted to IR: CB M.J. Devonshire
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
Houston Texans
- Activated from active/PUP list: C Eli Cox, LB K.C. Ossai, RB J.J. Taylor
Bengals Sign First-Round DE Shemar Stewart
JULY 26: Stewart officially put pen to paper today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Inking the deal on an off day for the team, Stewart will officially rejoin his teammates on the field tomorrow.
JULY 25: The Bengals have cut their contract issues with defensive ends from two to one. At long last, the AFC North team has its first-round pick under contract.
Shemar Stewart agreed to terms on his four-year rookie deal Friday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. The sides had been engaged in a dispute about default language, and the impasse kept Stewart from working out during OTAs or minicamp. After the stalemate continued into training camp, it is now over. The Bengals bent on language to finally sign Stewart, as Pelissero adds an adjustment was made.
Cincinnati attempted to build new language into its rookie contracts that would void all guarantees in future years if a player does something to void guarantees in any year of the contract, as opposed to only voiding the guarantees in the year that something occurred. Stewart voiced displeasure in being the guinea pig here and refused to sign, becoming the last first-rounder to put pen to paper this year. After this deal’s completion, only Browns second-round running back Quinshon Judkins — due to a domestic violence arrest — is unsigned.
The above-referenced adjustment, however, does not constitute a win for the Stewart camp on the core issue. Rather, the Bengals agreed to adjust Stewart’s signing bonus payment schedule, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. That evidently convinced Stewart being the guinea pig for the Bengals’ default language quest was acceptable. Second-rounder Demetrius Knight also objected to the Bengals’ void language, but he ended up accepting it in exchange for receiving 75% of his signing bonus upfront.
More specifically, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports $500K in Stewart’s bonus will be paid upfront rather than in December. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway, the team also greenlit a $550K bump to bring Stewart into camp. That would be the more notable development, as it would stand to bring a true raise for the disgruntled player in exchange for his agreement on the much-discussed default matter.
Unsigned draftees generally participate in OTAs and minicamps by signing waivers, but Stewart expressed issues with the Bengals on that front as well. He has yet to practice since the team chose him 17th overall. The Texas A&M product and the Bengals had been at odds for months on this matter, and while Cincinnati’s concession is not yet known, the team will have its top draft choice in uniform moving forward.
This closes one of the strangest negotiating chapters in the rookie-scale contract era (2011-present). First-rounders had been in the fully guaranteed contract bracket for a few years now; at No. 17, Stewart was locked into a fully guaranteed $18.97MM contract when the Bengals drafted him. The team’s crusade over minor default language, which prompted VP of player personnel Duke Tobin to criticize Stewart’s agent this week, brought scrutiny — especially as the Bengals navigate their Trey Hendrickson impasse. As a result, the team has not had its two highest-profile D-ends at work throughout the offseason.
Stewart had been training at his alma mater ahead of training camp — no, an actual Aggies return (with an aim at a 2026 draft reentrance) was not a thing — but will be tasked with developing quickly in Al Golden‘s defense. The Bengals have Hendrickson engaged in a holdout, already stripping away their top defender. Having Stewart out of action for this long compounded the issue, but the team at least has two first-rounders — Stewart and 2023 draftee Myles Murphy — at work.
The team drafted Stewart weeks after Sam Hubbard‘s retirement. He arrived for a team coming off a woeful defensive season, a campaign that prompted the Bengals to fire six-year DC Lou Anarumo and hire Golden. Stewart also checks in as a potential Hendrickson successor, in the event the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up and the Bengals cannot agree on an extension, or insurance against Murphy failing to make strides after two unremarkable years.
The Bengals are going on projection with Stewart, who totaled 1.5 sacks in each of his three college seasons. In correctly tabbing Stewart as the Bengals’ pick in his PFR mock draft, Ely Allen indicated scouts were enamored with the project pass rusher’s build, balance and bend. Cincinnati will finally have a chance to see their prized investment’s skills firsthand.
Titans WR Treylon Burks Suffers Fractured Collarbone
Heading into perhaps his most meaningful season, former-first round wide receiver Treylon Burks experienced a significant setback today. The 25-year-old, coming off a season in which he missed the final 12 games with an ACL injury, fractured his collarbone today on a diving catch, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. A recovery timeline will come after he undergoes further testing, but he’ll certainly miss the start of the final year on his rookie contract. 
2025 is set to be a contract year for Burks after Tennessee opted to decline his fifth-year option. His rookie year showed some promise through a bit of adversity. Catching passes in one of Ryan Tannehill‘s last two years in a Derrick Henry-heavy offense, Burks was the second-leading wide receiver on the team with 444 yards and a touchdown off of 33 receptions. His rookie year had potential to be more, but a turf toe injury in Week 4 of the season led to an inconsistent, 11-game campaign. Year 2 was more of the same as a preseason LCL sprain hampered him coming into the year. Missing two separate three-game blocks, Burks’ inconsistency continued to the tune of only 16 receptions for 221 yards in 11 games.
After letting injury derail his first two seasons before they really had a chance to get going, Burks was in a tough spot. New head coach Brian Callahan told reporters before the season that Burks would need to contribute on special teams in order to justify his roster spot. Burks was healthy heading into Year 3, but his usage and targets began to dwindle. In the week following a nine-snap offensive performance in a home loss to the Colts, Burks suffered a knee injury in practice that would be reported weeks later as a “loose ACL” that, ultimately, required season-ending surgery.
With injuries having defined his career thus far, it’s extremely unfortunate for Burks to suffer this injury today. Rapoport claims that Burks showed up to training camp “in great shape,” and we saw reports back in June that he looked ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation. The collarbone is, at the very least, a setback, as he’ll need to get back up to full speed in the midst of the regular season.
Burks already faced the challenge of trying to gel with a new passer in rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Burks was set to be the clear WR2 to Calvin Ridley after the team neglected to re-sign free agents Tyler Boyd and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. The Titans, though, imported a ton of competition in the offseason, signing veteran free agents Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson, drafting two fourth-round rookies in Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor, and even signing Ward’s favorite target in college, Xavier Restrepo, as an undrafted free agent.
With the influx of new talent and only $2.66MM in cash owed to him this year, there was a non-zero chance that Burks could fail to make the initial 53-man roster. Honestly, if he wasn’t going to end up making it on the team, this injury may have helped him stay on the roster with an injury designation.
The Titans will make their decisions on how to handle all of that business in the days and weeks to come, but in the meantime, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that former Raiders wide receiver Ramel Keyton is signing with Tennessee to fill in the spot vacated by Burks. Keyton made the Raiders’ initial 53-man roster last year, despite going undrafted out of Tennessee, with a stellar preseason. After failing to appear in the team’s first three games, Keyton was waived and put on the practice squad. He was signed back to the active roster again in Week 9, playing significant snaps on the offense that week, but spent the rest of the season mostly as a special teamer.
At 6-foot-3, Keyton brings size to the room as he heads back to the state of his alma mater. With the Titans off tomorrow, Keyton will join the team on Monday. Burks, on the other hand, will conclude medical testing and begin determining his path back onto the field. He has one more year to show Tennessee he can play up to his draft stock when healthy, he’ll just be doing so with a late start to his 2025 campaign.
Steelers, S Chuck Clark Agree To Deal
July 26: Interestingly, the Steelers brought in another ex-Ravens safety for a workout, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson: Marcus Williams. The 28-year old started alongside Clark for much of the 2022 season and left Baltimore this offseason after losing his starting job in 2024.
July 25: In the wake of the blockbuster Dolphins-Steelers trade which sent Minkah Fitzpatrick back to Miami, Pittsburgh was seen as a team to watch regarding a safety acquisition. The team has lined up its preferred addition. 
Chuck Clark has agreed to a Steelers deal, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor notes. Pittsburgh already has DeShon Elliott and Juan Thornhill in place at the safety spot. Clark – who returned to action last year after an ACL tear cost him the 2023 campaign – will now join them as Pittsburgh’s secondary gets sorted out.
A sixth-round pick of the Ravens in 2017, Clark developed from a special teams mainstay into a full-time defensive starter. During each of his final three Baltimore campaigns, he was on the field for every defensive snap. A trade to the Jets did not go according to plan, however, with the ACL tear leaving him sidelined in 2023. Upon returning to full health, Clark did manage 12 games and a full-time starting role in New York.
The Virginia Tech product was charged with a 118 passer rating and two touchdowns allowed in coverage as the nearest defender in 2024. That helps explain why Clark remained on the open market deep into the offseason, but he will now look to use training camp to carve out a regular spot in Pittsburgh’s secondary. He will reunite with Elliott after the two previously played together in Baltimore.
Fitzpatrick drew criticism over the past two years as he playmaking dried up, and he was traded to the Dolphins with two years left on his deal in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith. Ramsey is a candidate for a hybrid role with his newest team since the Steelers have returnee Joey Porter Jr. and free agent addition Darius Slay in place at the cornerback spots. If Ramsey sees considerable time at safety, it will impact the Elliott-Thornhill-Clark trio’s workload and rotation.
Today’s move comes shortly after the Saints responded to Tyrann Mathieu‘s retirement by signing Julian Blackmon. With Clark now off the market as well, Justin Simmons remains a name to watch. The two-time Pro Bowler saw his eight-year Broncos run come to an end last offseason and he does not anticipate remaining with the Falcons after he spent 2024 in Atlanta. Pittsburgh represented a logical landing spot in Simmons’ case, but that is no longer feasible given Clark’s signing.
NFL Minor Transactions: 7/25/25
Friday’s minor moves as we head into the weekend:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Mello Dotson, OLB J.J. Weaver
- Waived (with injury designation): CB M.J. Devonshire
- Waived: OLB Amare Barno
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Winston Wright
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): RB Israel Abanikanda
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR JaQuae Jackson
- Waived: T Elijah Ellis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to reserve/PUP list: T Silas Dzansi
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Matt Landers
- Waived: WR Colton Dowell
Falcons To Sign WR DJ Chark
DJ Chark followed his Bears visit with a Falcons meeting, and the latter summit will produce a deal. Chark is signing with the Falcons, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
After playing the 2024 season with the Chargers, the well-traveled wide receiver will join the Falcons on a one-year deal. Chark trekked to Atlanta for a meeting today, Garafolo notes. This will be the former second-round pick’s fifth team in five years, as the Falcons follow the Jaguars, Lions, Panthers and Chargers on this journeyman path.
Chark, 28, will join a receiving corps housing Drake London and Darnell Mooney. The LSU product had met with his former coach, Ben Johnson, about a Bears meeting. Johnson coached Chark during his 2022 Lions one-off, but the sides did not strike a deal. The Falcons will take a flier here, as Chark is coming off a down Chargers season. He posted just four receptions for 31 yards in a seven-game cameo for Jim Harbaugh‘s team.
Suffering a hip injury that keyed an IR stint, Chark did not debut with the Bolts until Week 9. He cleared the 10-snap barrier on offense in just four games last year. That said, Chark has been a productive player at other stops. His Lions and Panthers seasons, respectively, brought 500-plus-yard showings as a complementary target. Chark totaled 502 yards (16.7 per catch) and three touchdown receptions with Detroit and posted a 525/5 line (15.0 YPC) for a dreadful 2023 Panthers team.
Carrying a resume that includes a 1,000-yard 2019 season, Chark had been a noteworthy deep option prior to 2024. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound player had seen his pay rate decrease steadily, going from $10MM (Lions) to $5MM (Panthers) to $3MM (Bolts). After essentially a throwaway L.A. season, Chark should not see too much from the Falcons. But he could step in as a WR3 upgrade in what could be yet another temp job.
The Falcons signed Mooney for his long-range prowess, and he delivered a 992-yard season (15.5 YPC) last year. Held back by previous Falcons QB issues, London boomed to a career-high 1,271 yards and nine touchdown catches. The Falcons have slot/gadget cog Ray-Ray McCloud rostered, along with special-teamer Jamal Agnew and backup KhaDarel Hodge. Chark brings a pedigree this trio lacks and will be a prime candidate for a key auxiliary role should he stay healthy.
Raiders Release DT Christian Wilkins
JULY 25: Clarifying the matter of a surgery request on the team’s part, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Vegas attempted to have Wilkins undergo a second operation as a follow-up to his procedure in October. Wilkins’ preference to continue rehabbing instead of going under the knife a second time resulted in the tension between the parties which has now culminated in this release.
JULY 24: In a stunning move, the Raiders are moving on from one of the prizes of the 2024 offseason. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the team is releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.
Per Schefter, the team is releasing Wilkins as a “terminated vested veteran.” The team was able to void the rest of the player’s remaining money ($35.2MM) following a dispute over Wilkins’ approach to rehabbing his foot injury. The voiding of guarantees happened last month, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, and the veteran subsequently filed a grievance with the NFLPA. Those events ultimately culminated in today’s sudden move.
We’re only a year removed from Wilkins signing one of the most notable contracts of the 2024 offseason. The defensive tackle inked a four-year, $110MM deal that included $57.5MM in guaranteed money. He only ended up getting into five games during his first (and lone) season in Las Vegas, as a foot injury ended his season early in October.
That Jones fracture reportedly required surgery, but there are conflicting reports about how Wilkins approached his recovery. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Raiders wanted their investment to go under the knife, but the player refused after seeking multiple opinions. Meanwhile, Tashan Reed of The Athletic says the player did indeed undergo foot surgery, and today’s transaction stems from the player’s approach to rehab.
Either way, there was a clear lack of progress in his recovery from the injury, and this issue was at the root of a private battle that was “simmering” between the two sides for months, according to Russini. Vic Tafur of The Athletic adds that there have been “rumblings” about the player’s rehab for a while.
While the current Raiders’ regime wasn’t involved in the signing of Wilkins, the hulking defensive tackle was still one of the most talented players on the current roster. In other words, things must have gone very wrong between the two sides this offseason, and the team’s natural decision to void guarantees will only lead to more contention. Wilkins is surely done in Las Vegas, as his grievance will simply look to recoup any of that lost money. If the Raiders end up getting their way, they’ll only be on the hook for a prorated version of the player’s $24MM signing bonus (per Reed). This commitment comes via a restructuring from earlier this offseason.
The team clearly didn’t mince words in a statement announcing the transaction:
“This franchise has a Commitment to Excellence on and off the field. With no clear path or plan for future return to play from Christian, this transaction is necessary for the entire organization to move forward and prepare for the new season.”
Wilkins really didn’t bring much injury risk to Las Vegas. The former Dolphins first-round pick only missed a pair of games during his five seasons in Miami, and he appeared in all 51 games between 2021 and 2023. Over that span, the six-foot-four, 310-pound lineman compiled 252 tackles, 17 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus graded him as a top-10 interior defensive lineman in both 2021 and 2022.
The free agent addition was trending towards at least a top-20 PFF grade during the 2024 season. He started each of his five appearances with the Raiders, compiling 17 tackles and a pair of sacks while only missing a handful of snaps in his four healthy games. The injury ultimately ended that productive campaign (and his Raiders career) early.
Adam Butler ended up leading the position grouping in snaps in 2024, and the veteran will now definitively be at the top of the depth chart with Wilkins no longer in the picture. The team is also still rostering Jonah Laulu, one of the main beneficiaries of Wilkins’ injury last year. John Jenkins is gone after finishing second among Raiders DTs in snaps last season, but the team did replace him with free agent acquisition Leki Fotu, who started nine of his 11 games with the Jets in 2024.
Wilkins’ foot issue obviously clouds his immediate future, and it may delay his signing with another squad. When he is ultimately deemed healthy, he’ll represent the most impactful free agent on the market, even as teams make cuts to their preseason rosters. Thanks to his newfound free agency and his ongoing dispute with the Raiders organization, this story is far from over.
NFL Minor Transactions: 7/24/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Troy Andersen
- Released: DB Kevin King
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Cobee Bryant, DL LaCale London, LB Malik Verdon
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Alex Cook
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Cornell Armstrong, OL Obinna Eze
- Waived: OL Tedi Kushi
- Placed on IR: CB Artie Burns
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Tanner McCalister
- Released: LB Jared Bartlett
Philadelphia Eagles
- Reverted to IR: OL Marcus Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on active/NFI list: G Isaac Seumalo
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Quintez Cephus
- Waived: RB Israel Abanikanda
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: G Michael Jordan, OL Tyler McLellan
- Waived/injured: OL Silas Dzansi
- Placed on reserve/retired list: OT Garret Greenfield
Washington Commanders
- Extended: S Percy Butler
Following rumblings yesterday that Artie Burns may have suffered a season-ending injury, the bad news was confirmed today, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Dolphins cornerback indeed suffered a torn ACL. It’s a tough break for the veteran, who’s looking to revive his NFL career after being limited to only four games with the Seahawks last season. The Dolphins were quick to sign a replacement, as Miami signed Cornell Armstrong. A former sixth-round pick by the Dolphins, Armstrong last appeared in an NFL game in 2022, when he started four of his nine games for the Falcons.
The Buccaneers did some shuffling on their offensive line today. In comes a pair of lineman: Michael Jordan, who started 11 games for the Patriots last season, and Tyler McLellan, a six-foot-eight, 355-pound lineman out of Campbell. Garret Greenfield, a UDFA in the 2024 draft, has apparently decided to hang up his cleats, and the team also moved on from Silas Dzansi with an injury designation.
The Commanders were looking ahead to 2026 today, as the team added an extra year to Percy Butler‘s contract. The former fourth-round pick has had some run in the starting lineup, including a 2023 season where he started 13 games while compiling 64 tackles and eight passes defended. He started five of 17 games in 2024 while establishing himself as one of Washington’s special teams aces.
Giants Add 2025 Incentives To DT Dexter Lawrence’s Contract
In terms of average annual value, Dexter Lawrence‘s contract currently ranks 10th amongst defensive tackles. The Giants Pro Bowler is on the books for another three years, meaning an extension at this point would not entirely be feasible. 
Nevertheless, Lawrence could see an uptick in earnings for the coming campaign. The Giants have added $3MM in incentives for 2025, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Lawrence was already set to earn $17MM this season, but his compensation could increase as a result of this move.
The 2023 offseason saw a new group of high-profile defensive tackles sign nearly identical extensions with their respective teams. Lawrence was among them, and his pact averages $22.5MM annually. No incentives were originally included in the deal, but with that now the case for at least one year this situation could be set up for extension negotiations in 2026. Indeed, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan predicts “more serious” contract talks will likely take place next offseason.
Lawrence earned the first of three consecutive Pro Bowl nod in 2022, and he also landed a spot on the second All-Pro team. The same was true the following year as the Clemson product remained a standout contributor along the Giants’ defensive line. Despite missing five games in 2024, Lawrence set a new career high with nine sacks, something which would have helped his position in contract talks. Instead of an early attempt to move up the pecking order at his position, the 27-year-old will focus on hitting theses new incentives.
As a whole, the Giants will look to take a needed step forward across the board. The upcoming make-or-break season for head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen will no doubt be impacted by the play of New York’s defense. The team’s defensive front in particular will be a unit to watch in 2025, and Lawrence will be counted on to once again lead the way. If he manages to put together another productive campaign, a short-term boost in earnings will be seen along with increased leverage for any extension negotiations which take place.
Titans Signing OLB Jihad Ward
July 24: The Titans waived defensive tackle Keondre Coburn in a corresponding move, according to Paul Kuharsky. Head coach Brian Callahan indicated (via Main Street Media’s Terry McCormick) that he wants to give the team’s younger defensive linemen more reps in training camp.
July 23: A day after watching their free agent pass rushing addition Lorenzo Carter announce his retirement, the Titans have moved on a body to replace him. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Tennessee is signing veteran outside linebacker Jihad Ward.
The Titans had been hoping that Carter’s veteran starting experience would help improve a defensive unit that tied for third-worst in the NFL in team sacks in 2024 with only 32. Losing leading sack-getter Harold Landry this offseason — they released him when they were unable to find a suitable trade partner for him — didn’t help much in that regard, and Carter bowing out before training camp even started made the team’s job of improving that much more difficult.
Ward’s never exactly been a world-beater, but his recent production is not all that far off from Carter’s. Both are on the larger size for defensive ends, as well, so Ward is a curiously fitting replacement for Carter coming in. Where Ward brings a bit more potential, though, is his ability to learn new systems. Whereas Carter had only played for two teams before signing with Tennessee, the Titans will be Ward’s eighth franchise, and he’ll just need a stint in Houston now to check the entire AFC South off his list.
A second-round pick in 2016, Ward never quite lived up to his draft stock. The 13 games he started in his rookie campaign were the most in any season of his career, and they didn’t result in a single sack. After a left foot injury held him out of 10 contests in his second season, the Raiders traded Ward to Dallas, but the team waived him in final roster cuts. He landed on the Colts’ practice squad but was signed to the active roster a little over a week later. In six games of play, Ward recorded three sacks, but an ankle injury ended his season early once again. Indianapolis re-signed him based on the potential he showed but ended up releasing him four games into the following season.
Over the next three seasons, Ward spent time coming off the bench for the Ravens and Jaguars, but in 2022, Ward signed with the Giants and earned a starting role on the defense. In two seasons with New York, Ward started 20 of 34 contests recording eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 22 quarterback hits. He spent last season with the Vikings. Ward only made two starts while appearing in every game, and though he only recorded one sack, he was constantly getting to the passer with a career-high 14 quarterback hits.
The starters for Tennessee will still be Arden Key and Dre’Mont Jones, and the team will still mainly be relying on Key, Jones, and Jeffery Simmons for their sack numbers, but Ward acts as a decent depth piece to a defense that needs it. At worst, he’s a pretty perfect plug and play in lieu of Carter.