Minor NFL Transactions: 9/18/18
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: WR Julian Williams
Arizona Cardinals
- Cut: DT Garrison Smith
Buffalo Bills
- Signed from practice squad: CB Ryan Lewis
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: S Tyree Robinson
Detroit Lions
- Waived: OL Jamil Demby
- Waived from injured reserve: S Marcus Cromartie
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: S Isaiah Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: WR Stacy Coley
Oakland Raiders
- Signed from practice squad: LB Shilique Calhoun
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed from practice squad: RB Josh Adams
- Waived: WR DeAndre Carter
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Kenneth Durden
- Signed from practice squad: RB Dalyn Dawkins
- Waived: LB Aaron Wallace
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/18/18
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad updates.
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Nigel Harris
- Cut: LB B.J. Bello
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Taveze Calhoun
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Michael Hunter, WR Hunter Sharp
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DT Adolphus Washington
- Cut: DT Aziz Shittu
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Isaac Whitney
- Cut: WR Malachi Dupre
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Jeremy McNichols
- Cut: QB Phillip Walker
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE David Wells
Los Angeles Rams
- Cut: TE Temarrick Hemingway, QB Luis Perez
- Signed: T Darrell Williams
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Jace Billingsley
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Riley McCarron
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Lavon Coleman
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DT Darius Kilgo, WR Cameron Batson, TE Anthony Firkser
- Cut: TE Jerome Cunningham
Giants Sign Elijhaa Penny
The Giants are signing fullback Elijhaa Penny off the Cardinals’ practice squad, a source tells Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move comes after Giants fullback Shane Smith struggled badly on Sunday night, so Smith’s time with the G-Men could be coming to an end. 
Penny, a 25-year-old running back/fullback, appeared in all 16 games for Arizona last year. He finished out with 31 carries for 124 yards (a 4.0 yards-per-carry average in a small sample) and added four catches for 38 yards. Penny did not make the Cardinals’ final cut this year, but he was signed to their practice squad after clearing waivers.
The Giants fell to 0-2 after losing to the Cowboys on Sunday. They’ll look to get into the win column this weekend when they face the Texans in Houston.
Cardinals Sign LB Joe Walker
The Cardinals are signing linebacker Joe Walker to their 53-man roster off of the Eagles’ practice squad, a source tells Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). The Eagles, meanwhile, have filled Walker’s roster spot by promoting running back Josh Adams to the active roster. 
Walker, 25, appeared in 12 games for the Eagles last year and started in three games. He didn’t see a ton of action on defense, however, and finished out with eight total tackles.
The Cardinals can use all of the defensive help they can get after surrendering 34 unanswered points to the Rams on Sunday. Walker won’t be a starting option, but he could see some snaps behind middle linebacker Josh Bynes.
Cardinals To Work Out Two LBs
- Former Broncos backup inside linebacker Zaire Anderson will work out for the Cardinals on Tuesday, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Anderson spent three years with the Broncos — 2015-17, being on Denver’s practice squad during its Super Bowl season — before being a post-preseason cut. Also working out for the Cardinals: linebacker Nigel Harris, per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter).
David Johnson Contract Details Emerge
More details on David Johnson‘s Cardinals contract are emerging. In addition to the fourth-year running back seeing $24MM in full guarantees as part of his three-year, $39MM extension, Johnson will receive a $12MM signing bonus, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). His $5.7MM base salary in 2019 is fully guaranteed. The All-Pro’s 2020 base ($10.2MM) will have $5.1MM guaranteed fully at signing, per Graziano (on Twitter), but the other half of it is guaranteed for injury only. However, Johnson’s full 2020 salary becomes guaranteed if he’s on the Cardinals’ roster by March of 2019.
David Johnson's Guarantees Revealed
- David Johnson is now the NFL’s second-highest-paid running back, holding a substantial lead over the No. 3 player in this hierarchy, and ranks close to the top in terms of fully guaranteed money, too. Johnson’s three-year, $39MM Cardinals extension will come with $24.682MM fully guaranteed at signing, Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets. Adding in the amount guaranteed for injury increases the deal’s guarantees to $31MM, per Corry, who adds offset language is included in this contract. Johnson’s $24MM-plus full guarantee leads all running backs on veteran contracts, surpassing Todd Gurley‘s $21.9MM in guarantees.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/10/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- QB Josh Woodrum; WRs Montay Crockett, Isaac Whitney; P Jeff Locke (link)
Atlanta Falcons
Chicago Bears
- Ss L.J. McCray, Kai Nacua
Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
- DE Daeshon Hall (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- OGs Sean Harlow, Will Holden; LBs Nigel Harris, Jacob Pugh, Emmanuel Smith; CBs Tarvarus McFadden, Kalan Reed, Herb Waters; WR Korey Robertson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- CBs Breon Borders, Linden Stephens (link); TEs Blake Bell, John Phillips, Clive Walford
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
- Gs Tony Adams, Spencer Drango; C Jake Eldrenkamp; CBs Kalan Reed, Josh Robinson (link); WRs Bennie Fowler, Greg Ward; LB Ufomba Kamalu
New Orleans Saints
- LBs Nigel Harris, Corey Nelson (link)
New York Jets
- FB Jay Prosch; G Sean Harlow; T Jylan Ware; LBs Zaire Anderson, Ufomba Kamalu; CB Herb Waters (link)
Oakland Raiders
- CBs Breon Borders, Makinton Dorleant; Ss Elijah Campbell, Nick Orr; LBs Cayson Collins, Naashon Hughes
San Francisco 49ers
- DE Daeshon Hall (link)
Tennessee Titans
- TE Nick O’Leary
Cardinals' Willingness To Give David Johnson Short-Term Extension Was Key In Completing Deal
Although it was not expected that the two sides would be able to come to terms before the start of the season, the Cardinals and David Johnson agreed to a three-year extension yesterday that will keep Johnson in the desert through 2021. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the key to getting the deal done was the team’s agreement to give Johnson a short-term extension that gives him a chance to hit free agency again at a time when a new CBA will be in place and when owners’ income streams will be at an all-time high thanks to renewed TV deals and gambling revenue.
- Former NFL agent Joel Corry is less optimistic about Johnson’s chances to cash in a second time. Although he thinks the Cardinals‘ tailback did well for himself with his new deal, he points out (via Twitter) that Johnson will be 30 by the time he is eligible for unrestricted free agency again, so he will need to defy conventional wisdom concerning RBs to get another big contract.
Cardinals Sign David Johnson To Extension
Despite it being reported that there would likely be no agreement between the Cardinals and David Johnson on a new deal before the season started, a deal on an extension has been reached according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
Schefter reports the deal is for three years and $39MM. It’s worth “up to” $45MM presumably through incentives. The deal will keep Johnson in Arizona through the 2021 season. Johnson didn’t do quite as well as Todd Gurley did on his recent extension but it’s still a huge sum of money, especially for a running back.
$30MM of the deal is guaranteed at signing for Johnson, who broke onto the scene with a dominant 2016. He missed almost the entire 2017 season with a wrist injury, but is fully healthy heading into 2017. Previously set to enter the final year of his deal, Johnson will turn 27 in December.
Taken in the third round out of Northern Iowa back in 2015, Johnson put up 1,239 yards on the ground, and another 879 through the air in 2016, with 20 total touchdowns. Along with Gurley’s deal, this is another sign that the market for top running backs is increasing greatly, and an every down back is beginning to be valued like a receiver in terms of salary.