Panthers Cut QBs Joe Webb, Garrett Gilbert
Cam Newton is back to full health and the Panthers are back to two quarterbacks. The team has released Joe Webb and waived Garrett Gilbert, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Webb, 30, has always been an intriguing talent because of his ability to play both quarterback and wide receiver. Webb vacillated between the two positions during his time with the Vikings and although he intended to make the full-time switch to wide receiver/special teams, he wound up being listed as the Panthers’ third-string QB upon joining them in 2014. He re-upped with Carolina on a two-year deal last spring, but he is being let out of the commitment early.
Gilbert, a former sixth-round pick, has spent time with the Rams, Patriots, Lions, Raiders, and Panthers, but has yet to take a real NFL snap. On the plus side, he has a Super Bowl ring thanks to his time on the Patriots’ practice squad in 2014-15.
Broncos To Release T.J. Ward
The Broncos will release safety T.J. Ward, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Denver had been expected to cut Ward if it couldn’t find a trade partner.
Ward, 30, had been entering the final year of his contract, which would’ve paid him $4.5MM in base salary. While none of that total was guaranteed, the Broncos will still absorb $1.25MM in dead money as a result of Ward’s signing bonus proration accelerating onto their salary cap.
Ward started 41 games over three seasons in Denver after inking a four-year deal with the club prior to the 2014 season. Last season, he made 14 appearances, totaling one interception and one sack while ranking as the NFL’s No. 48 safety, per Pro Football Focus. Ward’s 75.9 grade was the worst mark of his career.
With Ward out of the picture, the Broncos will turn to Justin Simmons to start at safety opposite Darian Stewart. Simmons was a third-round pick in 2016 and made three starts during his rookie campaign.
Chiefs To Cut OL Andrew Tiller
The Chiefs will waive offensive lineman Andrew Tiller, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link).
The writing was on the wall for Tiller, who signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs this summer, after Kansas City acquired former first-round offensive lineman Cameron Erving from the Browns this week. Erving and Parker Ehringer figure to be the top backups to starting guards Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Zach Fulton.
Tiller, 28, has started 14 games over the past two seasons, both of which he spent in San Francisco. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 43 ranked guard last season, earning nearly even marks for pass blocking and run blocking.
Giants Release K Mike Nugent
The Giants’ kicker competition has seemingly come to an end. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Twitter), the team is releasing veteran Mike Nugent. That means 2016 undrafted rookie Aldrick Rosas has earned the starting gig.
Following seven seasons with the Bengals, Nugent signed with the Giants this offseason to provide competition for Rosas. While the veteran has never been confused for an All-Pro kicker, he has been relatively consistent during his career, connecting on 80.8-percent of his field goal attempts and 96.9-percent of his extra points. However, the 35-year-old seemingly took a step back in 2016, connecting on only 79.3-percent of field goals and a career-low 79.3-percent of his extra point attempts.
After joining the Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2016, Rosas signed a reserve/future contract with the Giants back in January. The 22-year-old has proven to be more than capable during the preseason, connecting on all eight of his field goal attempts and each of his six extra point attempts.
Buccaneers Waive RB Jeremy McNichols
The Buccaneers are reportedly bailing on a 2017 draft pick. According to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter), the team has waived running back Jeremy McNichols. The rookie could theoretically pass through waivers and land on Tampa Bay’s practice squad.
The Buccaneers used a fifth-round pick on the Boise State product, and he was expected to serve as a depth piece while the team awaited the return of suspended running back Doug Martin. However, the team was apparently content with Jacquizz Rodgers, Charles Sims, and Peyton Barber for the time being.
McNichols was one of the most productive collegiate running backs over the past two seasons. Between 2015 and 2016, the running back averaged 1,523 yards and 21 touchdowns per season. He also proved to be competent in the passing game, averaging 44 receptions for 321 yards during that same span.
The Buccaneers have also announced the following transactions:
Placed on IR:
- DL DaVonte Lambert
- DL Stevie Tu’ikolovatu
Released:
- LS Andrew DePaola
- DE George Johnson (story)
Bears Waive Roberto Aguayo
The Bears have waived kicker Roberto Aguayo, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Veteran Connor Barth will be Chicago’s kicker in 2017.
Aguayo joined the Bears last month after Chicago made the curious decision to claim the former second-round pick off waivers from the Buccaneers. While giving a young kicker an opportunity wasn’t a bad idea on its face, the Bears took on Aguayo’s $428K salary guarantee, a total they’ll now be forced to absorb as dead money.
Aguayo, of course, posted subpar numbers in 2016 after being drafted in the second round, making only 22-of-31 field goal attempts (71%) and missing two extra points. That performance, combined with his struggles in camp and the preseason, was enough for Tampa Bay to thrown in the towel, despite having traded up in the draft to select him a year ago.
Chiefs To Place Tamba Hali On PUP
The Chiefs will place linebacker Tamba Hali on reserve/PUP, meaning he will miss the first six games of the season, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
Kansas City hasn’t released information on Hali’s specific injury, and Paylor speculates that the decision to place Hali on PUP could be a way to conserve the veteran for later in the season. The Chiefs will face several difficult opponents during the first six games of the year, however, as the club has games against the Patriots, Eagles, Chargers, Redskins, Texans, and Steelers.
Hali, 33, appeared in all 16 games for the Chiefs a season ago and played on roughly half the club’s defensive snaps. However, he finished with only 3.5 sacks, his lowest total since 2008. With Hali sidelined, Dee Ford will see even more action opposite Justin Houston at outside linebacker.
Panthers Cut P Andy Lee
The Panthers have cut punter Andy Lee, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets. That means they’ll be keeping Michael Palardy as their punter for the coming season. 
The Panthers tried to orchestrate a trade for Lee this week, but it was to no avail. This time last year, the Panthers gave up a fourth-round choice to acquire him from the Browns. When he was dangled, the Cardinals expressed some level of interest, but it sounds like the Panthers could not extract anything of value from them. The Cardinals seem like a prime candidate to sign the veteran now that he’s a free agent.
The Panthers already paid $1MM to Lee in March and they’re still on the hook for his $1MM fully guaranteed base salary, so the punter will be on the books for $2MM in all, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. It’s not a good look for Carolina, but the “new” regime did not want to saddle themselves with Dave Gettleman‘s mistake.
Lee, 35, had a perfect attendance record in the regular season through ten seasons before a hamstring injury sidelined him in 2016. For his career, he has three Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro selections.
Dolphins OL Ted Larsen To Return From IR
Dolphins offensive lineman Ted Larsen is expected to return from injured reserve later this season, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).
NFL clubs are now allowed to bring two players off injured reserve, and aren’t forced to designate those players as return options when the original transaction occurs. However, any player who might be an option to come off IR at some point must be carried through to his team’s initial 53-man roster. Miami, then, will have to place Larsen on its roster before shifting him to IR on Sunday.
Larsen, who signed a three-year deal with the Dolphins this spring, is dealing with a torn biceps. The 30-year-old veteran, who boasts 65 career starts, will be in contention for Miami’s starting left guard job when he returns. The Dolphins already lost interior offensive line depth last week when they released Kraig Urbik, who was also sidelined by injury.
Buccaneers To Release WR Josh Huff
Josh Huff is now in the market for a new gig. According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), the Buccaneers have released the wide receiver.
The 2014 third-round pick spent the first three seasons of his career in Philadelphia, but he was released last season following a gun- and marijuana-related arrest. He subsequently joined the Buccaneers, where he proceeded to play in three games.
Ultimately, in 10 total games last year, Huff hauled in only 16 receptions for 113 yards and one touchdown. The 25-year-old’s best season came in 2015, when he compiled 27 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Huff also has brief experience in the running game, and he’s averaged 25.8 yards on 48 career kick returns.
Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, and Adam Humphries predictably lead the Buccaneers receivers depth chart, and third-round pick Chris Godwin is expected to play a major reserve role. With Huff off the roster, Bernard Reedy, Freddie Martino, or Donteea Dye could be in line for more snaps.