49ers To Release QB Matt Barkley
The 49ers will release quarterback Matt Barkley, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
While Barkley was never in contention for San Francisco’s starting quarterback job given that the club also inked Brian Hoyer this spring, he was thought to be assured of the 49ers’ backup position. The 26-year-old started six games for the Bears last season, but completed only 59.7% of his passes and tossed 14 interceptions. Barkley’s two-year, $4MM deal with the Niners included $500K in guarantees, so the team will incur $250K in dead money over the next two seasons.
San Francisco will now presumably use third-round rookie C.J. Beathard as its backup signal-caller. Beathard, an Iowa product, was thought to be an overdraft on Day 2, but he’s showed relatively well during camp and the preseason. Of course, the 49ers could also look to find another quarterback via trade or waiver claim in the coming days.
Cardinals To Release RB Chris Johnson
The Cardinals will release running back Chris Johnson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Johnson missed the majority of the 2016 campaign with injury, but had been a solid contributor for Arizona as recently as 2015, when he rushed for 814 yards and three touchdowns before giving way to David Johnson as the club’s starting running back. Having signed a one-year deal that contained $200K guaranteed earlier this year, Johnson had been viewed as a lock for the Cardinals’ roster. Now, the 31-year-old back with have to look for work elsewhere (if he plans to continue his career, that is).
The Cardinals, clearly, are set at running back with the aforementioned Johnson, who figures to handle the majority of the club’s carries. Even superstars need breathers, however, and Arizona will turn to Kerwynn Williams and Andre Ellington as Johnson’s backups. Rookie T.J. Logan, meanwhile, could return later this year after recovering from injury.
Texans To Cut LB Sio Moore
The Texans are releasing linebacker Sio Moore, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Moore, 27, has four years and 47 games worth of NFL experience under his belt. 2016 was an especially nomadic campaign for Moore, as he spent time with three clubs — the Colts, Cardinals, and Chiefs — while posting 60 tackles and grading as the league’s No. 40 linebacker in nine games, per Pro Football Focus.
Moore dealt with a hamstring injury after being signed by the Texans in June, per Wilson, which likely led to his release. Houston will go forward with Whitney Mercilus, Brian Cushing, Benardrick McKinney, and rookie Zach Cunningham at linebacker.
Patriots Trade CB Justin Coleman To Seahawks
The Patriots have sent cornerback Justin Coleman back to the Seahawks, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The Patriots will get a 2018 seventh-rounder from the Seahawks, which originally belonged to the Eagles, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. For the Pats, this means that they recoup a seventh-rounder after trading one away for linebacker Marquis Flowers in late August.
Coleman, 23, has seen action in 20 games and racked up three starts in his two-year career. The Patriots first plucked him off of the Seahawks’ taxi squad in 2015. This offseason, he re-upped with the Pats via the exclusive rights tender. He apparently wasn’t going to make the 53-man cut on Saturday, so the Patriots have parlayed him into a future draft choice. Seattle, meanwhile, won’t have to worry about the waiver process or competing clubs in free agency in order to make the reunion happen.
As DeAndre Elliott deals with an injury, Coleman could help provide support at the nickel spot.
Broncos Waive RB Juwan Thompson
The Broncos have waived running back Juwan Thompson, according to Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link).
Thompson, 25, has been part of Denver’s roster for three seasons, but has seen his offensive contributions dip in each campaign. He ran the ball just eight times last season, managing 26 total yards and one score. All told, Thompson put up 4.3 yards per carry on 80 touches with the Broncos.
Denver also cut veteran back Stevan Ridley earlier today, leaving the club with C.J. Anderson, Jamaal Charles, and De’Angelo Henderson in the backfield.
Seahawks, Doug Baldwin Rework Contract
The Seahawks and wide receiver Doug Baldwin have agreed to a contract restructure that will create $5.2MM in 2017 cap space for Seattle, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
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Baldwin had been scheduled to earn a base salary of $7.75MM for the upcoming season. Instead, the Seahawks have whittled that figure all the way down to $775K by converting the difference into a signing bonus. Seattle, which had been a bit tight on cap space, now have in excess of $13MM in reserves. Baldwin, meanwhile, will see his cap charge rise by roughly $1.744MM in each of the next three seasons. He’s signed through the 2020 campaign under the terms of his 2016 extension.
By reworking Baldwin’s contract, the Seahawks have made it more difficult to part ways with the veteran pass-catcher in future years. That shouldn’t be a problem if Baldwin continues his recent levels of production, however, as the 28-year-old has topped 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past two seasons while scoring 21 total touchdowns. He’s also excellent in the run game, as Pro Football Focus ranked Baldwin as the league’s No. 9 run-blocking wideout.
Ravens Cut Jeremy Zuttah
The Ravens have released offensive lineman Jeremy Zuttah and quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Running back Lorenzo Taliaferro has also that he’s been waived (Twitter link).
Zuttah, 31, has had an eventful offseason, as Baltimore originally dealt him to the 49ers earlier this year. Unable to stick on the roster in San Francisco, Zuttah re-signed with the Ravens last month after the club suffered a multitude of injuries along the offensive line. The Colts were previously interested in Zuttah, who started all 16 games a season ago, so Indianapolis could potentially circle back to Zuttah now that’s available again.
Lewis and Dixon, meanwhile, were never expected to play large parts for the Ravens in 2016. With Joe Flacco on the mend, Baltimore will roll with Ryan Mallett as their No. 2 quarterback. Taliaferro wasn’t able to crack the roster despite the Ravens having lost fellow back Kenneth Dixon for the year.
Redskins Cut S Will Blackmon
The Redskins have cut veteran safety Will Blackmon, two sources tell Mike Jones of The Washington Post (on Twitter). 
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Blackmon has appeared in 30 out of 32 possible appearances for the Redskins over the last two years, including 16 starts. He played corner in 2015 but shifted to safety last year when the team signed Josh Norman.
Blackmon had 39 total tackles, one interception, three passes defensed, and half a sack last year. In his 570 snaps on defense, he earned a strong 79.7 overall score from Pro Football Focus, placing him as the 32nd best safety in the league. He placed ahead of notables like Shawn Williams, Bradley McDougald, and T.J. Ward.
Broncos Cut RB Stevan Ridley
The Broncos have released running back Stevan Ridley, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The former Patriots standout signed with Denver in late July and his stint with the team ends after roughly one month.
Ridley was signed in the wake of Devontae Booker‘s wrist injury, but the team prefers some of its other options including veteran Jamaal Charles and rookie De’Angelo Henderson. We won’t know for sure until Saturday afternoon, but it sounds like those two are in line to make the 53-man cut, along with presumptive starter C.J. Anderson.
The 28-year-old Ridley has a 1,200-yard season under his belt, but he hasn’t been all that effective in recent years. He wasn’t much of a factor in 2014, his final season with the Patriots, and combined for just 10 appearances, 39 carries and 97 yards with the Jets and Falcons over the last two years.
Browns Trim Roster To 65
The Browns have begun reducing their roster count in advance of tomorrow’s 53-man deadline. Cleveland announced the following transactions:
Placed on reserve/PUP:
Released:
- WR Josh Boyce
- DL Brandon Thompson
Waived:
- WR Mario Alford
- WR Rasheed Bailey
- LB B.J. Bello
- DB Christian Bryant
- DB Trey Caldwell
- LB Ladell Fleming
- DB J.D. Harmon
- DB Alvin Hill
- TE Nate Iese
- TE Taylor McNamara
- WR Richard Mullaney
- OL Kitt O’Brien
- DL Karter Schult
- DB Channing Stribling
- RB Brandon Wilds (injured)