Minor NFL Transactions: 9/11/21
With Week 1 games on tap for 28 teams Sunday, here is Saturday’s extensive batch of minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: LB Dennis Gardeck
- Promoted: LB Kylie Fitts, CB Antonio Hamilton
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Elijah Lee, K Chris Naggar
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett, CB Nate Hairston
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: T Will Holden, G Tommy Kraemer
Houston Texans
- Promoted: TE Antony Auclair
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: S Sean Davis, C Joey Hunt
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: DB Brandon Rusnak, WR Devin Smith
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Tyler Hall, LB Justin Lawler
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Austin Jackson; Jackson is the first player to test positive for COVID-19 and be activated the same week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets, with the second-year offensive lineman’s vaccinated status allowing him to return five days after landing on Miami’s coronavirus list
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: T Caleb Benenoch
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR C.J. Board
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: S Sharrod Neasman
- Promoted: S Adrian Colbert, LB Del’Shawn Phillips
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: T Shon Coleman
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Jon Rhattigan
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: LB Jared Norris
Latest On Jordan Hicks' Cards Status
One of two Cardinals linebackers mentioned in trade rumors this offseason, Jordan Hicks will join Chandler Jones in being with the team when it begins its season Sunday. The Cardinals gave Hicks permission to seek a trade in May, after drafting Zaven Collins in Round 1 and anointing him the starter alongside Isaiah Simmons. But nothing materialized. GM Steve Keim said Hicks, despite his demotion, will play “a strong role” on this year’s Arizona defense, via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Citing Simmons’ positional flexibility, Keim said there will be times when Simmons, Collins and Hicks line up together. The Cards have devoted considerable resources to their off-ball linebacker spots, drafting Simmons and Collins in the first round — after taking Haason Reddick in the 2017 first round and slotting him off the ball for most of his run — and signing Hicks to a four-year, $36MM deal in 2019. Hicks accepted a $3MM salary cut in March, and the 32-game Cardinal starter’s workload will certainly be reduced from the 100% and 92% defensive snap rates of the past two seasons.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/10/21
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Antoine Wesley
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: WR Alex Erickson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Jaydon Mickens
- Waived: S Chris Cooper
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/9/21
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Darqueze Dennard (story)
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Parker Hesse
Baltimore Ravens
- Reverted to IR: RB Justice Hill (story)
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jeremy Sprinkle, S Darian Thompson
New York Giants
- Released from IR via injury settlement: OL Ted Larsen
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Blake Countess
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Andrew Adams, WR Jaydon Mickens
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: OL Cole Banwart
Cardinals DC: Malcolm Butler Could Return
Even after placing him on the reserve/retired list, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph won’t rule out a Malcolm Butler return (Twitter link via Darren Urban of the team website). Joseph added that he spoke with Butler as recently as last week, a sign that he could retake the field at some point this year.
Butler has not disclosed his reasons for walking away, but Joseph said it has to do with personal matters rather than his on-field play. That checks out, considering the 31-year-old finished 2020 as Pro Football Focus’ No. 15 ranked corner in the NFL. It was a strong comeback after he missed much of 2019. All in all, he finished with four interceptions and 100 total tackles — a new career high — while playing a full 16-game slate. He also wrapped with the lowest yards-per-completion and yards-per-target numbers of his Tennessee tenure.
Butler was expected to play a key role in Arizona’s secondary after inking a fully guaranteed $3.25MM deal with Arizona. Without him, they’ll be leaning more on Byron Murphy, rookie fourth-round pick Marco Wilson, and Robert Alford for coverage.
Cardinals, Chandler Jones To Discuss Deal
Just a couple of months ago, Chandler Jones was looking for a trade to take him out of Arizona. Now, Cardinals GM Steve Keim says he’s looking to keep the standout edge rusher beyond 2021. 
“Well, he’s coming off the injury and obviously there’s no secret there, but I think that’s one of those things that we’ll continue to have one-on-one talks with him and his agent,” Keim said (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic). “I don’t do those things publicly, but Chandler is a guy we love, he has the respect of the guys in the locker room, and he’s a guy I personally would like to see finish as a Cardinal. But you know how this business works. It’s not always that easy.”
As it stands, Jones is set for one more year, a base salary of $15.5MM, and a cap figure of $20.2MM. Jones flirted with a holdout during minicamp in June and, in late July, he pushed the front office for a trade.
The Cardinals acquired Jones from the Patriots in 2016 and furnished him with a five-year, $82.5MM deal in 2017. During his first four seasons in Arizona, Jones didn’t miss a game while averaging 15 sacks per season. He appeared in the first five games of 2020, collecting 11 tackles, one sack, and seven QB hits. However, a torn bicep forced him to miss the rest of the season. That didn’t help his leverage, but the Cardinals would like to keep the 31-year-old — at the right price.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/3/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Robert Alford
Baltimore Ravens
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Deon Cain
Houston Texans
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Taywan Taylor
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Jamison Crowder; Crowder contracted the coronavirus, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: DL Henry Mondeaux
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: LB Cam Gill
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: DB Brady Breeze
Cardinals Add WR Josh Doctson To P-Squad
Josh Doctson is back in the NFL. The former first-round pick latched on with the Cardinals on Friday, agreeing to join their practice squad.
The veteran wide receiver auditioned for the Cards last month. This will end a lengthy stay in free agency and give Doctson a chance to move back onto a regular-season roster for the first time in nearly two years.
Although Doctson caught on with the Jets in 2020, he opted out of last season and then saw Gang Green cut him earlier this year. Doctson’s most recent instance of being on a 53-man roster in-season came in 2019. The Vikings, however, cut him in November of that year.
The TCU product operated as a starter for multiple Washington teams in the late 2010s, eclipsing 500 receiving yards in 2017 and ’18, but the 2016 first-rounder has been unable to stick with another team for a full season since.
Doctson will join the likes of Rasul Douglas and Chris Banjo on Arizona’s taxi squad. The team also signed defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter, cornerback Antonio Hamilton and offensive lineman Michal Menet to its P-squad. For the second straight year, teams can carry up to 16 players on practice squads.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/2/21
Here are Thursday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released from IR with injury settlement: DL Jamell Garcia-Williams
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LS Josh Harris
- Claimed (from Browns): OL Colby Gossett
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: WR Aaron Parker
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-signed: WR Mike Thomas
- Placed on IR: DE Khalid Kareem
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: S A.J. Moore
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: C Ryan Kelly, WR Zach Pascal, QB Carson Wentz
- Placed on IR: QB Sam Ehlinger (story), WR Dezmon Patmon
- Released from IR with injury settlement: TE Noah Togiai
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released from IR with injury settlement: LB Asmar Bial
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released from IR with injury settlement: DT Chris Okoye, OL Tyree St. Louis
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on IR: OL Tremayne Anchrum, LB Obo Okoronkwo
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Chris Garrett
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Johnny Hekker
New England Patriots
- Released from IR with injury settlement: OL Marcus Martin
New York Giants
- Released from IR with injury settlement: WR Alex Bachman, DB Montre Hartage, TE Cole Hikutini
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed: CB Andre Chachere (from Chargers)
- Signed: DT Hassan Ridgeway
- Placed on IR: OL Jack Driscoll, TE Tyree Jackson, CB Josiah Scott
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR with injury settlement: LB Mychal Kendricks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: K Ryan Succop
- Placed on IR: G John Molchon
- Released from IR with injury settlement: RB Troymaine Pope
Tennessee Titans
- Released from IR with injury settlement: RB Brian Hill
Washington Football Team
- Released from IR with injury settlement: OT Rick Leonard
Cardinals Place Jordan Phillips On IR
Just a few days ago, the Cardinals activated Jordan Phillips from the reserve/COVID list. On Thursday, the Cardinals parked him once again, this time on injured reserve. In a related move, offensive lineman Justin Pugh has been brought back from the COVID list.
Phillips was dealing with an undisclosed injury throughout the summer and his condition still isn’t quite clear. Last year, a balky hamstring let to two separate IR stints and a total of seven missed games. In his nine contests, Phillips registered two sacks and eleven total stops from the right defensive tackle spot.
The Cardinals furnished Phillips with a three-year, $40MM in 2020 that included $18.5MM guaranteed. Phillips enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in Buffalo, but Arizona has yet to see him at his best. In 2019, his last healthy season, he tallied 9.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits for the Bills.