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Eagles Activate DB Cooper DeJean

August 13th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles’ new-look secondary should be at full strength in time for the start of the regular season. Second-round rookie Cooper DeJean was activated from the active/NFI list on Tuesday, per a team announcement.

Philadelphia’s ability to improve against the pass compared to 2023 will be key factor in the team’s success this season. DeJean figures to have a role in that regard, even if he does not earn a starting gig right away. The Iowa product has experience at both corner and safety dating back to his college career, one which ended with a fractured fibula. That ailment delayed his pre-draft workouts but it did not do much damage to his stock. He had been rehabbing a hamstring injury prior to today’s activation.

DeJean was selected with the No. 40 pick, Philadelphia’s second selection (and one which the team traded up to acquire). The first was used on cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who is likely to handle first-team duties during his rookie campaign. Mitchell is capable of playing on the boundary opposite Darius Slay or in the slot, a spot typically reserved for Avonte Maddox. James Bradberry remains in the fold, but he is transitioning from corner to safety.

The Eagles brought back C.J. Gardner-Johnson this offseason, and he is set to log a heavy workload at safety. Philadelphia also has Mekhi Garner and Sydney Brown at that spot, although they are all dealing with injuries for the time being. Caden Sterns was added this weekend, so DeJean will have plenty of competition for playing time if he is used at safety upon returning to action.

The All-American racked up seven interceptions and 13 pass breakups over the past two years, demonstrating his production when healthy. DeJean will now have a brief stretch to prepare himself for his NFL debut in Week 1. He indicated (via PHLY’s Zach Berman) the Eagles’ third preseason game is a realistic target to return to action in advance of playing at full health in September.

Dolphins To Release DT Teair Tart

August 13th, 2024 at 9:08am CST by Sam Robinson

Zach Sieler‘s presence notwithstanding, the Dolphins will feature a new-look defensive line this season. Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis exited in free agency, opening two starting jobs. In a surprising early decision, the Dolphins moved on from a competitor for one of those posts.

Miami released veteran D-tackle Teair Tart on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The Dolphins are the second team to bail on Tart since December, when the Titans cut the former starter. Tart was one of many free agent D-line options Miami added this offseason, and after being waived in December, the now-vested veteran will head straight to free agency.

The Dolphins will eat $568K in dead money (due to guarantees) after this release. They had signed Tart to a one-year deal worth $1.75MM in early April.

The Titans placed a second-round RFA tender on Tart last year but bailed on the 36-game starter after 11 games last season. The Texans claimed the former fifth-round pick but used him as a backup in two late-season contests. Tart generated interest beyond Miami this offseason, and the 27-year-old run stuffer will need to find a new home. Though, his value has dipped since his 16-game run as the Titans’ nose tackle starter back in 2022.

Pro Football Focus graded Tart as a top-25 interior D-lineman in 2022; this came after he had started 10 games for a 2021 Titans team that claimed the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Operating as more of a run defender on a D-line with Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry, Tart still did well coming from a fifth-round draft slot. Despite playing in only 11 Titans games last season, he registered a career-high eight tackles for loss. It would stand to reason another team will give the Florida International alum another shot soon.

A recent report pointed to Tart competing with Benito Jones for Miami’s NT job. Tuesday morning’s news obviously strengthens Jones’ standing, and the Dolphins made several adds post-Wilkins this offseason. The team signed Calais Campbell this summer and added recent Broncos part-time starter Jonathan Harris. Former Cowboys third-round pick Neville Gallimore is on the roster, as is ex-Tart Titans teammate Da’Shawn Hand. As it stands now, Jones is positioned as a starter alongside Campbell and Sieler, in Anthony Weaver‘s defense.

Commanders Sign WR Martavis Bryant, Waive K Ramiz Ahmed

August 13th, 2024 at 8:07am CST by Sam Robinson

Add Martavis Bryant to the list of recent Cowboys following Dan Quinn to Washington. After a second meeting with the Commanders, the veteran wide receiver secured another comeback opportunity.

Bryant, who has not played a regular-season game since 2018, spent much of last season on the Cowboys’ practice squad. He joins Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler as players on the 2023 Cowboys who are now part of the Commanders’ 2024 roster. Of course, the March signees have locked-in paths to playing time. Bryant has merely scored another chance to compete.

To make room on their 90-man roster, the Commanders cut kicker Ramiz Ahmed. Entering camp as the team’s only kicker, Ahmed saw his status change when the team claimed Riley Patterson. Ahmed has kicked in one career game. He will lose a kicking competition to a much more experienced player.

Although Bryant caught on with the Cowboys during Quinn’s Dallas finale, the team never elevated him onto its active roster. This sent the former Steelers and Raiders pass catcher to another crossroads, as he is now 32. The NFL reinstated Bryant last year, after he had been suspended for substance abuse — during a 2011 CBA that brought stricter penalties on this front — back in 2018.

The Cowboys also cut Bryant in May, after having given him a reserve/futures contract to extend his redevelopment. But the 6-foot-4 weapon has continued to generate interest. As could be expected, Quinn said (via NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay) he was impressed with Bryant on Dallas’ P-squad last year.

Bryant’s initial NFL run included extended flashes, mostly in Pittsburgh, that still have league personnel intrigued. Suspended in 2015, 2016 and 2018, Bryant still totaled 17 touchdowns (all with the Steelers) during his interrupted early years. He produced two 600-plus-yard seasons, including a 765-yard 2015 showing opposite Antonio Brown that came in just 11 games. Bryant followed that up with an acrobatic TD in a Steelers wild-card win over the Bengals. Being unable to follow that up — thanks to a full-season ban in 2016 — came to define the Clemson alum’s career.

Bryant resurfaced in the XFL’s third effort in 2023. The Cowboys enjoyed good luck from spring-league imports recently, adding All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey and Pro Bowl return man KaVontae Turpin from the USFL. Quinn’s new team will try its luck with Bryant, who is certainly running short on time to make an NFL return. Beyond their Terry McLaurin–Jahan Dotson–Luke McCaffrey trio, the Commanders carry Jamison Crowder, fourth-year player Dyami Brown and the recently re-signed Byron Pringle.

The Commanders added Ahmed shortly after releasing Brandon McManus in June. The Jaguars’ decision to waive Patterson early in training camp led to him being claimed once again. Kicking in 39 games since 2021, the well-traveled specialist is now the only kicker on Washington’s 90-man roster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/24

August 12th, 2024 at 8:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Activated from active/PUP: DT Devonnsha Maxwell

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, S Chase Williams
  • Released: RB John Kelly
  • Waived: DE Marcus Haynes
  • Waived/injured: CB Vincent Gray

Denver Broncos

  • Claimed (from Giants): DB Kaleb Hayes
  • Waived: ILB Alec Mock

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Signed: LB Anthony Hines, TE Neal Johnson
  • Waived: LB Jimmy Ciarlo, CB Myles Jones

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Claimed (from Ravens): OL Tykeem Doss
  • Waived/injured: DB Kalon Barnes

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hernia surgery forced Tampa to the Ravens’ active/PUP list, but the fourth-round pick is ready to return. Needing a double hernia operation after minicamp (per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec), Tampa is unlikely to be ready for practice until at least next week. By avoiding a move to the reserve/PUP list, Tampa is no longer at risk of missing Baltimore’s first four games.

A rookie UDFA, Murphy went down with an MCL injury, per NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. The Dolphins signed Brown, a four-year Giants special-teamer and backup presence, in April. While the Dolphins continue to deal with linebacker injuries, they did bring Jaelan Phillips off the PUP list today.

Fromm spent most of the past two seasons with the Commanders, but the team — as it transitions to a new regime — cut the former Georgia passer in May. He joins a Lions team that still rosters Nate Sudfeld along with Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker.

Bills To Sign Damiere Byrd, Ben DiNucci

August 12th, 2024 at 6:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Damiere Byrd‘s journey around the NFL stopped through Washington this offseason, but the Commanders ended the partnership months after it began. The veteran supporting-caster secured another opportunity Monday, however.

The Bills, who have signed several free agent wideouts this year, added Byrd to that list, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. This will be team No. 8 for Byrd, who will return to the AFC East in an effort to make Buffalo’s 53-man roster or their practice squad. Byrd played for the Patriots in 2020, enjoying his best season. The 10th-year vet worked out for the Bills today, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.

Rostering Byrd during Cam Newton‘s season at the controls, the Pats received Byrd’s best production. That 604-yard showing is an outlier, though, as the 5-foot-9 target does not have another season north of 400 yards on his resume. Byrd has some return experience, and Fowler references that in connection with this Bills agreement, but not too much. Byrd maxed out at seven kick returns in a season (2017, which included a touchdown return) and topped two punt returns in a season just once (11 in 2018).

This signing also can be added to the Carolina-to-Buffalo pipeline, as Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott were indeed still in Charlotte when Byrd’s career began back in 2015. This once-active pipeline has slowed a bit, as the Bills’ power duo has been in place since 2017, but Byrd represents another member. In between his first Panthers stint, here is Byrd’s journey: Cardinals (2019), Pats (2020), Bears (2021), Falcons (2022), Panthers again (2023), Texans (2023) and Commanders. Byrd averaged 20.6 yards per catch in Atlanta (13/268) and totaled 329 yards in Chicago.

In addition to Byrd, the Bills added Ben DiNucci, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The Broncos carried DiNucci on their practice squad for most of last season, elevating him to their active roster on a few occasions, but cut the veteran third-stringer weeks after draft week brought in Zach Wilson and Bo Nix. DiNucci, who played in the USFL in 2023, last saw NFL game action in 2020 with the Cowboys.

The former seventh-round pick will join a Bills team that lost Shane Buechele to a neck injury in its preseason opener. DiNucci joins Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky as healthy Bills QBs.

Dolphins Activate OLB Jaelan Phillips

August 12th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Adam La Rose

Miami has received positive news on the health front with respect to Jaelan Phillips. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Monday the fourth-year edge rusher has been activated from the active/PUP list.

As a result, Phillips is now eligible to return to practice. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since the Achilles tear he suffered on Black Friday, and his offseason has been centered on his ability to recover. Returning to action in time for Week 1 has long been a goal, and today’s news is an encouraging sign Phillips will be able to meet it.

Having at least one of Phillips or Bradley Chubb in place by that point would be critical for Miami’s edge rush corps. The latter is rehabbing an ACL tear, and his availability for the start of the campaign remains a question mark. The Phillips-Chubb tandem will handle starting duties when healthy, and with Shaquil Barrett retiring before making his Miami debut, veteran depth could be an issue. The Dolphins do, of course, have rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara in place as rotational options.

Miami made the expected decision of picking up Phillips’ 2025 fifth-year option this spring. That move set him up to earn $13.3MM next season, although a long-term deal could be in the cards as well. The UCLA and Miami alum flashed considerable potential as a rookie, racking up 8.5 sacks. That was followed up by seven the year after and another strong showing in the first portion of the 2023 campaign. Phillips recorded 6.5 sacks and 17 pressures before suffering the injury. He now has a short window to ramp up in time for the start of the campaign.

In other Dolphins news, Wyatt Ray‘s efforts to return to the NFL have led him to Miami. The veteran edge rusher has joined the Dolphins, per an announcement from his agency. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported earlier Monday that Ray, 27 worked out for the team. The former UDFA has made 23 appearances in the NFL split across three teams. He posted 5.5 sacks with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this spring, and that production has landed him the opportunity to compete for a roster spot.

Browns Trade For Seahawks C Nick Harris

August 11th, 2024 at 10:16pm CST by Ely Allen

The Browns lost some depth at center when Luke Wypler was carted off the field in the team’s preseason opener with an ankle injury that will require surgery. In order to address that issue, Cleveland has opted to bring back a familiar face, trading a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Seahawks for center Nick Harris and a 2026 seventh-round pick, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Browns drafted Wypler out of Ohio State in the sixth-round in 2023. They had been using Harris as their backup center since he was drafted in 2020. He started out behind J.C. Tretter and then was unable to take over the starting job when the Browns signed another former Seahawk in Ethan Pocic. Pocic has served as the team’s starter ever since. Pocic has had trouble staying on the field in recent years, though, missing 10 games in the last three seasons and failing to play a full season since his rookie year in 2017.

Harris hasn’t typically been the top choice to back up Cleveland’s starting interior linemen. He does have starts in every season he’s been healthy, but he’s never started more than two games. In 2022, he would’ve had plenty of opportunities to get on the field, as Hjalte Froholdt earned six starts while Harris sat on injured reserve with a knee injury that he suffered in the preseason. Then, last year, with Wypler on the roster, Harris was temporarily moved to fullback.

Harris signed with the Seahawks early into free agency and was set to compete with Olusegun Oluwatimi and Mike Novitsky for a starting center job devoid of experienced candidates. That battle seemingly came to an end when Seattle signed Connor Williams last week. With Williams the presumed new starter and Oluwatimi having the best claim at the backup job, Harris became superfluous, so it makes sense that Seattle was willing to move him.

In Cleveland, Harris will return to his previous role. With Wypler set to miss some time, Harris will take his place behind Pocic as the primary backup center. His experience filling in at guard, as well, could end up being valuable to the Browns.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/11/24

August 11th, 2024 at 8:03pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions to wrap up the weekend:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Giants

  • Waived: RB Jacob Saylors

New York Jets

Trice will unfortunately see his rookie season come to an end before it began. The third-round pick out of Washington exited Atlanta’s first preseason game with a knee injury that was later confirmed to be a torn ACL. Trice had been working his way into to outside linebacker rotation with the Falcons.

With Mevis getting cut, it seems the Panthers’ kicking battle has been decided. The rookie kicker, known as the “Thicker Kicker” at Missouri, was brought in to provide incumbent kicker Eddy Pineiro with competition for the job. Mevis’ departure leaves Pineiro as the only remaining kicker on the roster, putting an end to any competition.

Jaguars To Sign S Tashaun Gipson

August 11th, 2024 at 2:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

As he hoped, Tashaun Gipson has indeed landed a deal for the 2024 season. The veteran safety is set to sign with the Jaguars on a one-year contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Gipson’s playing future has been the subject of speculation this offseason. The 34-year-old spent the past two seasons in San Francisco, and the 49ers were known to be open to re-signing him. The team opted to take a patient approach and allow Gipson to decide on his next steps. Now, he is set to play at least one more year and return to a familiar team in doing so.

Gipson played in Jacksonville from 2016-18, retaining a full-time starting role during that time. The former UDFA had one of his most productive campaigns in 2017, notching four interceptions and seven pass deflections. His first stint in Duval County was followed by a one-year tenure with the Texans and then two-year spells with the Bears and 49ers. Now, Gipson will attempt to find a role upon returning to Jacksonville.

Of course, the Wyoming alum will be sidelined for the first six weeks of the campaign due to a PED suspension. Gipson will be eligible to take part in the remainder of the preseason, but he will be sidelined for the beginning of the regular season provided he makes the roster. Jacksonville has Andre Cisco, Terrell Edmunds and Daniel Thomas in the fold at the safety spot. Andrew Wingard is currently on the mend, while free agent addition Darnell Savage is spending time at slot corner.

The Jags signed Adrian Amos last week, and he too is a veteran capable of providing experienced depth in the secondary. Gipson will use the coming weeks to compete for a roster spot in a crowded safety room. Jacksonville entered today with nearly $27MM in cap space, so today’s low-cost move will not carry significant financial implications.

Steelers Activate DL Dean Lowry

August 11th, 2024 at 1:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dean Lowry has missed considerable time ahead of his first Steelers season, but he will now be cleared to practice. The veteran defensive lineman was activated from the active/PUP list on Sunday, per a team announcement.

Lowry began his career with the Packers, spending six seasons with the team. After serving in a rotational role during his rookie season, the former fourth-rounder developed into a starter and consistent producer along the defensive interior. He recorded between 32 and 47 tackles each season between 2017 and ’22, totaling 13.5 sacks during that span.

Last offseason, Lowy signed a two-year, $8.5MM deal with the Vikings. His intra-divisional move was short-lived, however. The 30-year-old suffered a pectoral injury which limited him to nine games, and for the second straight season he finished the year on IR. To little surprise, the missed time led to Lowry being let go in March.

Not long after his release, though, the Northwestern alum signed with the Steelers. Lowry landed another two-year pact, this time worth $5MM (albeit with only $1.25MM in guarantees). He spent the past several months rehabbing the injury, but today’s move means he will now be able to practice. With two preseason games remaining, he could also see limited action in Pittsburgh’s exhibition schedule.

The Steelers have veterans Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi and Montravius Adams in the fold along the defensive interior. That trio is joined by 2023 second-rounder Keeanu Benton and seventh-round rookie Logan Lee as roster cuts loom. Now healthy, Lowry will spend the coming weeks aiming to carve out a role as part of the unit.

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