Abasi Salimu

Browns Cut Nate Burleson, Others

5:31pm: The Browns have confirmed the previous roster moves noted below in this post, and have announced their other 14 moves to reach the 53-man roster limit. Here’s the list of players cut from the active roster:

Additionally, Josh Gordon and Marlon Moore have been placed on the reserve-suspended list.

1:20pm: The Browns have also let go of their third-round pick from last season, among other players:

10:00am: The Browns have released veteran wide receiver Nate Burleson, Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports on Twitter. The 33-year-old signed with Cleveland in April after having spent the past four seasons with the Lions.

It wasn’t a sure thing that the veteran would make the roster, considering he’s only appeared in 15 games over the past two years. Burleson also hinted that he was considering retiring following the 2014 season. However, at the very least, Burleson was expected to be a veteran leader to the team’s group of young wideouts. As Brian McIntyre tweets, $285K of Burleson’s base salary is full guaranteed.

The Browns will also let go of running back Chris Ogbonnaya, according to Cabot (via Twitter). The 28-year-old has compiled 130 carries since joining the Browns in 2011.

The rest of the Browns moves will be listed below:

Minor Moves: Seahawks, Saints, Panthers

We rounded up the NFL’s minor moves this afternoon and we’ll round up the latest here..

  • The Seahawks are set to sign wide receiver Morrell Presley, who was with them earlier this offseason, tweets Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times.
  • Saints outside linebacker Cheta Ozougwu has cleared waivers and been placed on New Orleans’ IR, according to MIke Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • In addition to Fernando Velasco, the Panthers have added another former Titans lineman in Kevin Matthews, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean. Matthews recently tried out for Miami but didn’t catch on there.
  • Defensive tackle Chris Whaley, who suffered a knee injury, has cleared waivers and reverted back to the Cowboys IR where he can rehab for the season, tweets Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
  • The Browns claimed offensive tackle Abasi Salimu off waivers from the Rams, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The Browns also waived former Duke wide receiver Conner Vernon, according to Caplan (Twitter link). Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter) adds that defensive back Royce Adams and linebacker Brandon Magee have also been cut by Cleveland.
  • LInebacker Darrin Kitchens (leg contusion) cleared waivers today and is now on the Bills’ injured reserve list, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
  • The Packers cut linebacker Shaun Lewis, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
  • The Cowboys cut Jarrod Pughsley from the injured reserve today with an injury settlement, according to Wilson (Twitter link).
  • The Panthers cut former University of Miami center Jared Wheeler, Wilson tweets. Wheeler was one of nine UDFAs signed by the Panthers back on May 12th.
  • The Broncos signed former Indiana kicker Mitch Ewald, Wilson tweets.

Minor Moves: Saints, Rams, Browns, Bills

The NFL’s transactions wire is picking up as we approach the end of July, with notable players like Joel Dreessen and Larry English involved in roster moves today. Several teams have finalized a series of more under-the-radar moves as well, which we’ll round up right here:

  • The Buccaneers have signed linebacker Jeremy Grable and offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter). To help make room for the duo, the Bucs released cornerback D.J. Moore.
  • Former Ravens linebacker Adrian Hamilton has signed with the Chargers, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
  • The Saints have signed nose tackle Tyrone Ezell and linebacker Marcus Thompson, clearing roster spots for the new additions by cutting nose tackle Moses McCray and waiving outside linebacker Cheta Ozougwu with a failed physical designation. The team has the details on its newest signees in a press release.
  • The Rams completed a series of roster moves today, signing four players – linebacker Pat Schiller, linebacker Lawrence Wilson, offensive tackle D.J. Morrell, and offensive tackle R.J. Dill – and cutting four others — offensive lineman Abasi Salimu, wideout Dionte Spencer, linebacker Caleb McSurdy, and linebacker Tavarius Wilson (Twitter links via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).
  • A day after being cut by the Chargers, center Nick McDonald has been claimed off waivers by the Browns, tweets Brian McIntyre. Cleveland had an opening on its 90-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary to make room for the offensive lineman.
  • One linebacker has been swapped for another in Buffalo, where the Bills signed Western Kentucky product Xavius Boyd to a contract after having waived-injured Darrin Kitchens, who is dealing with a lower body injury (Twitter links via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).
  • The Texans have waived fullback Brad Smelley and defensive end Tim Jackson, and also signed tight end Chris Coyle, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). As ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan tweets, Jackson received the “failure to disclose physical condition” designation when he was cut.
  • That “failure to disclose physical condition” designation is rarely used, but linebacker Billy Boyko also received it when he was waived by the Panthers, according to Caplan (Twitter link).
  • Caplan also tweets that former Broncos safety Eric Hagg has officially been placed on the team’s reserve/retired list. We heard yesterday that Hagg had decided to retire.

Rams Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents

The Rams have officially announced their list of undrafted free additions, and Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the 15 names for us. Here are the newest Rams:

  • Alex Bayer, TE, Bowling Green
  • Jarrid Bryant, CB, South Dakota
  • Avery Cunningham, S, Central Michigan
  • Austin Franklin, WR, New Mexico
  • Deantre Harlan, DT, Bacone
  • Aaron Hill, LB, Minnesota
  • Kadeem Jones, FB, Western Kentucky
  • Emmanuel McCray, OT, Mississippi
  • Johnny Millard, LB, Cal Poly State
  • Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida
  • Abasi Salimu, OT, Nicholls State
  • Jamaine Sherman, WR, East Texas Baptist
  • Julius “Trey” Watts, RB, Tulsa
  • Ethan Westbrooks, DT, West Texas A&M ($20K bonus and $30K in other guarantees, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Tavarius Wilson, LB, North Alabama