Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/24
Friday’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DT Khyiris Tonga
Chicago Bears
- Released: OL Roy Mbaeteka
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-signed: WR Trenton Irwin
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: LS Scott Daly, CB Khalil Dorsey
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: T Caleb Jones
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: T Charlie Heck
- Released: WR Jesse Matthews (failed physical)
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: LB Christian Rozeboom
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Joe Fortson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: G Dan Feeney
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Stanley Morgan
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Chris Manhertz, TE Jack Stoll
Irwin gets a crack at a WR3 role in Cincinnati as Tyler Boyd heads to free agency. Irwin also holds experience as the team’s backup return man, filling in last year when Charlie Jones was injured.
Heck rejoins the Texans on a one-year deal worth up to $3.3MM. He’ll add some key depth at an important position.
Rozeboom was a restricted free agent who wasn’t tendered. Regardless, the two sides work out a fully guaranteed deal for 2024.
Feeney joins the Vikings on a one-year deal. Though far removed from a consistent starting role with the Chargers, Feeney has continued to find starts throughout his career as a valuable body off the bench.
The Giants bring in two tight ends without much receiving experience. Manhertz, a veteran whose played for the Panthers from 2016-20, has extensive starting experience as a blocking tight end with 53 starts in his career.
Cardinals, Falcons Finalizing Desmond Ridder Trade
That was fast. Falcons talks with teams about a Desmond Ridder trade will produce a deal; the Cardinals are finalizing an agreement to acquire the third-year quarterback, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports.
Wide receiver Rondale Moore is coming back to Atlanta in the deal, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. One season remains on Moore’s rookie deal; two years are left on Ridder’s contract. No picks will be moved in this deal.
The Falcons made their Kirk Cousins signing official Wednesday, as the new league year began, and they still have backup Taylor Heinicke under contract on his two-year, $14MM accord. He is due a $5MM nonguaranteed salary. Heinicke would stand to represent some insurance and, if nothing else, an arm capable of leading the team through offseason workouts as Cousins finishes up his Achilles rehab. The Falcons have determined Ridder is no longer a fit.
Moore will join Darnell Mooney as new Falcons complementary wideouts; the ex-Bears 1,000-yard weapon signed a three-year, $39MM deal. A 5-foot-7 target used mostly near the line of scrimmage in Arizona, Moore is a former second-round pick. The slot player may be set to be a regular alongside Mooney and Drake London in Atlanta. Though, the Purdue alum had not maintained a grip on the Cardinals’ slot job. Greg Dortch usurped Moore during the 2023 season, as a new coaching staff changed the Kliff Kingsbury offense in which Moore was drafted to play.
Chosen 49th overall, Moore has shown some intriguing form as a tertiary target in a Cousins-guided offense. Although Moore has only cleared 10 yards per catch in one of his three seasons (2022), he has totaled 1,201 yards in that span. Moore posted back-to-back 400-yard seasons as part of DeAndre Hopkins-fronted receiving crews. New Cardinals OC Drew Petzing gave Moore 26 carries last season as well; he turned them into 178 yards and a touchdown. In coming from the NFC West, Raheem Morris and Falcons OC Zac Robinson have seen plenty of Moore.
Moore’s worst yardage total as a Cardinal (352, in 2023) would have been second among Falcon wideouts last year. Mack Hollins‘ 251 yards led the London wingmen; Hollins has since signed with the Bills. Ridder’s form contributed to that low number, and the Falcons also funneled targets to Kyle Pitts and the since-cut Jonnu Smith. They appear to be shifting to an offense that features more reliable wideouts and one primary receiving tight end. Minnesota and Washington largely operated this way with Cousins, who fed slot receivers K.J. Osborn and Jamison Crowder steady targets. This trade could benefit Moore as a 2025 free agent.
Ridder, 24, ranked 26th in QBR last season, finishing with a 12-12 TD-INT ratio and a 7.3 yards-per-attempt number. After the Cincinnati alum sat behind Marcus Mariota for much of the 2022 season, the Falcons gave him 17 total starts. Passing on a veteran arm last year, the Falcons put considerable faith in Ridder. But Arthur Smith, who ended up on the chopping block, benched him twice. Coming out of last season, word immediately surfaced Atlanta was aiming to upgrade at QB. Enter Cousins and another big contract.
Ridder’s rookie deal calls for $985K and $1.1MM base salaries over the next two seasons. That will pair well with Murray’s $46.1MM-per-year extension. The Cardinals traded Josh Dobbs to the Vikings at last year’s deadline; Dobbs is now a free agent. Arizona has 2023 fifth-rounder Clayton Tune signed for three more seasons.
It will be interesting to see if Ridder will be given the QB2 job or if Tune will be placed on even footing. Given Murray’s 2022 ACL tear and his history of short-term absences, the Arizona backup role may well lead to opportunities next season.
Cardinals To Sign WR Chris Moore
After swapping Rondale Moore for Desmond Ridder, the Cardinals are quickly adding some receiver depth. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Cardinals are signing wideout Chris Moore to a one-year deal.
[RELATED: Cardinals, Falcons Finalizing Desmond Ridder Trade]
The former fourth-round pick spent five forgettable seasons in Baltimore before catching on with Houston in 2021. After hauling in 21 receptions during his first season with the Texans, Moore saw a much larger offensive role in 2022. He finished that season with 48 catches for 548 yards, earning him a contract with the Titans last offseason.
The 30-year-old started five of his 17 appearances for Tennessee, snagging 22 receptions for 424 yards. He also returned a handful of kickoffs for the first time since 2019. Adding to Moore’s intrigue is his blocking ability; Pro Football Focus graded him as a top-20 pass-blocking WR in 2023.
With Marquise Brown still unsigned, the Cardinals could be eyeing a new receivers corps in 2024. The team’s depth chart is currently topped by Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch, but the Cardinals should be in prime position to select the draft’s top receiver prospect, Marvin Harrison Jr., with the fourth-overall pick.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/13/24
Here are today’s free agent tender decisions:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Giants: CB Nick McCloud
- Rams: LB Michael Hoecht
- Seahawks: CB Michael Jackson, LB Jon Rhattigan
Non-tendered:
- Cardinals: DL Jonathan Ledbetter
- Commanders: LB Jabril Cox, RB Derrick Gore, LB De’Jon Harris
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Panthers: RB/KR Raheem Blackshear
- Titans: LB Jack Gibbens
Cardinals To Sign OT Jonah Williams
The Cardinals have already found a replacement for D.J. Humphries. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Cardinals are expected to sign offensive tackle Jonah Williams.
[RELATED: Cardinals Release OT D.J. Humphries]
Williams is inking a two-year deal worth $30MM. According to Rapoport, Arizona was the free agent’s preferred landing spot.
Williams returned from his 2022 postseason knee injury to start all 17 Bengals games this past season. Pro Football Focus graded him only 59th among offensive tackles, although the lineman could get some benefit of the doubt thanks to an unexpected position change.
The Bengals blindsided Williams last year by signing Orlando Brown Jr. to a $16MM-per-year deal, pushing the former first-round pick from left tackle to right tackle. Williams wasn’t happy with the move ahead of his impending free agency and requested a trade. He ended up sticking in Cincy for the 2023 campaign, but it seemed likely that Williams would be looking for a new home in free agency.
The Alabama product’s first two seasons were highlighted by injuries. He missed his entire rookie campaign thanks to a torn labrum, and he was limited to only 10 games in 2020. Williams has bounced back over the past few years, however, missing only a pair of regular season games since 2021.
It’s unlikely he gets his desired LT role in Arizona, as the Cardinals will likely turn to 2023 first-round pick Paris Johnson Jr. to replace Humphries, who was cut by the organization earlier this evening. Williams will slide to the right side of the offensive line for a second-straight season, with veteran Kelvin Beachum providing some veteran depth behind the starting duo.
Cardinals Release OT D.J. Humphries
D.J. Humphries‘ stint in Arizona has come to an end. The Cardinals are releasing the veteran left tackle, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The 30-year-old lineman was still playing on a three-year, $66MM extension he signed with the organization back in 2022. He was set to earn $16MM next season and was accompanied by a $22MM cap hit. The Cardinals will be hit with a $13.8MM dead cap hit in 2024 and a $6.9MM dead cap hit in 2025.
The 2015 first-round pick has spent his entire career with the Cardinals, starting all 98 of his appearances. The lineman has missed large chunks of three different seasons due to injuries, although he did appear in 16 games for three-straight years between 2019 and 2021.
After missing the second half of the 2022 campaign, the veteran bounced back and started all 15 of his appearances this past year. Pro Football Focus only ranked him 51st among 81 qualifying offensive tackles, but the site did still give him solid grades for his pass-blocking ability. PFF ranked Humphries as a top-five OT as recently as 2020.
The Cardinals used a 2023 first-round pick on Paris Johnson Jr., so the organization is likely counting on the sophomore to switch over to LT in 2024. The team is also still rostering Kelvin Beachum, although there’s a good chance the team looks to add some more youth to the position via the draft.
Cardinals To Sign RB DeeJay Dallas
The Cardinals are making moves on offense. The team agreed to a deal with free agent running back DeeJay Dallas today, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. The Cardinals have also re-signed offensive lineman Keith Ismael to a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Dallas was a fourth-round pick by the Seahawks in 2020 and played out his entire rookie contract in Seattle. While the Seahawks experienced plenty of injuries in their running backs room over the past four years, Dallas only garnered a pair of starts over that time.
Still, the RB managed to get into 61 regular season games for the Seahawks, collecting 864 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns. After topping 50 touches in each of his first three seasons, Dallas was limited to only 16 touches in 2023, finishing with a career-low 62 yards from scrimmage. The 25-year-old did emerge as the team’s full-time punt returner, though, finishing the season with 25 punt returns (plus 17 kick returns).
Dallas will be joining a running backs room in Arizona that features plenty of intriguing depth behind James Conner. The Cardinals are also rostering Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, and Tony Jones, so Dallas may have to show off his special teams prowess to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
After bouncing between Washington and San Francisco to begin his career, Ismael joined the Cardinals last August. He got into 13 games with his new squad, with all of his snaps coming on special teams.
Broncos To Add DT Malcolm Roach
The Saints-Broncos pipeline remains active, as Sean Payton prepares for his second season in Denver. The longtime New Orleans HC will bring in one of his former defensive linemen.
Malcolm Roach is heading to Denver on a two-year deal worth up to $8MM, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The Broncos have two eight-figure-per-year contracts on their defensive line, but the team has some depth questions behind the Zach Allen–D.J. Jones duo. Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette notes Roach drew interest from the Rams, Cardinals, Bills and Bengals. Instead, he will continue playing under Payton.
Roach’s Saints role did not change much during his four-season Louisiana run. Starting five games in that time, Roach worked primarily as a rotational defensive lineman. Payton was in place when the Saints signed Roach as a UDFA; the Texas alum has only played for the Saints. Roach will join ex-college teammates Caden Sterns, P.J. Locke and Brandon Jones on Denver’s defense, with Payton also obviously being a familiar face.
Pro Football Focus viewed Roach as a lower-end D-tackle from 2020-22 but viewed him as an improved product last year, slotting the four-year veteran just outside the top 25 among interior D-linemen. Roach, 25, totaled a career-high 38 tackles (three for loss) last season while batting down three passes. Roach stands to help the Broncos in run defense, having logged those numbers last season despite missing five games. While skewed by a brutal start, the Broncos’ defense ranked 30th against the run last year.
Roach will join a Broncos team that saw 2022 starter Jonathan Harris hit free agency. Denver has Matt Henningsen still under contract, though 2022 fourth-rounder Eyioma Uwazurike‘s NFL future is in doubt after the gambling suspension he received last summer.
Cardinals, LB Mack Wilson Agree To Deal
A busy day on the defensive side of the ball continues for Arizona. The Cardinals are set to add linebacker Mack Wilson on a three-year deal worth $12.75MM with a maximum value of $15MM, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The former Browns draft pick spent the past two seasons with the Patriots, getting into all 34 games. His numbers took a step forward in 2023, with Wilson setting career highs in sacks (3.5) and forced fumbles (two). He didn’t play enough snaps to earn a spot on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings, but he would have graded as a top-10 linebacker with a full workload.
Wilson was one of the lone bright spots in New England last season, and it sounded like the team made an effort to retain the linebacker. The front office was ultimately forced to pivot in a different direction, and Wilson’s departure likely contributed to the team’s agreement with free agent LB Sione Takitaki.
The Cardinals have been busy adding to their defense today. The team agreed to terms with cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting before adding defensive linemen Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols to the mix.
Cardinals To Sign DT Justin Jones
Continuing to add to the defensive line, the Cardinals are set to bring in Justin Jones. The veteran defensive tackle has agreed to a three-year, $30.1MM deal including $19.75MM guaranteed, per NFL Network’s Peter Schrager.
Jones is coming off a productive two-year stint in Chicago. The defensive tackle started all 34 games for the Bears over the past two years, collecting 7.5 sacks. While his 2023 counting stats (17 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss) were encouraging, Pro Football Focus only ranked the veteran 107th among 130 qualifying interior defenders.
Jones started his career with the Chargers. The former third-round pick started 35 of his 51 appearances in Los Angeles, collecting 4.5 total sacks. He ended up parlaying that performance into a two-year deal with Chicago, and he’ll be earning even more this time around from Arizona.
The Cardinals have been busy adding to their defensive line corps today, as they also agreed to a deal with defensive tackle Bilal Nichols. The two additions will join a defensive line rotation that also features Dante Stills and L.J. Collier.