Cardinals Place DL Jack Crawford On IR
The Cardinals parted ways with some defensive line experience Tuesday. In cutting their roster down to 80 players, the Cardinals placed Jack Crawford on IR and released David Parry.
Crawford did not end up spending much time on Arizona’s active roster, arriving two weeks into training camp. Tuesday’s transaction means he cannot play for the Cards this season. Parry signed a reserve/futures contract with the Cardinals in January, but the former starter was attempting to craft a comeback after two seasons away.
A nine-year veteran who has been a frequent starter over the past five seasons, Crawford has now been with five teams in his career. That said, the seasoned D-lineman enjoyed multiyear stops in Oakland, Dallas and Atlanta before signing with Tennessee and landing an opportunity in Arizona this year. Crawford, 32, started nine games with the Titans last year and recorded six sacks with the Falcons in 2018.
Parry received a longer look, being with the Cards for nearly eight months. The former Colts starter had been out of football since 2019, when the Patriots cut him just before the regular season. Parry, 29, also spent time with the Saints and Vikings but has only played four games in the past four seasons. The 2015 fifth-round pick is running short on time to continue his career.
The Cards also waived offensive lineman Branden Bowen and waived linebacker Jamell Garcia-Williams with an injury designation.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/24/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here. Teams had until 3pm today to cut their rosters down to 80 players.
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: RB Javian Hawkins, LB Shareef Miller, DL Olive Sagapolu, WR Austin Trammell, OL Willie Wright
- Placed on IR: QB A.J. McCarron (story)
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: QB Kenji Bahar
Buffalo Bills
- Claimed: WR Rico Gafford (from Cardinals), DT Joey Ivie (from Colts)
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Cole Beasley, DT Vernon Butler, WR Gabriel Davis, DT Star Lotulelei
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Dominik Eberle
- Waived: S LaDarius Wiley
Cleveland Browns
- Suspended two games: WR Davion Davis; Davis was arrested for DUI in 2019
- Released from IR via injury settlement: K Cody Parkey
Denver Broncos
- Waived: WR Branden Mack, LB Josh Watson
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: S Will Redmond
- Waived: DL Josh Avery
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived/injured: TE Noah Togiai
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: OL Derwin Gray, CB Jameson Houston, DT Kenny Randall
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on IR: LB Darron Lee
- Waived: WR Marcell Ateman
- Waived/injured: DL Darius Stills
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: LS Ryan Langan, WR Austin Proehl, TE Matt Seybert, OT Kyle Spalding
- Waived/injured: LB Damon Lloyd, DL Chris Okoye
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: TE Kyle Markway
New England Patriots
- Waived: DB Malik Gant, LS Brian Khoury, LB Cassh Maluia, OL R.J. Prince, WR Devin Ross
- Placed on IR: OL Marcus Martin
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: TE Rysen John, CB Quincy Wilson
- Waived: LS Carson Tinker
- Waived/injured: DB Montre Hartage, TE Cole Hikutini
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released from IR via injury settlement: OT Casey Tucker
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: DE Alex Tchangam
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Ryan Succop
- Waived/injured: OT Chidi Okeke
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: CB Kevin Peterson
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Nick Dzubnar, RB Jeremy McNichols
Washington Football Team
- Waived: CB Jordan Brown, OT Rick Leonard, LB Justin Phillips, DT Justus Reed, C Jon Toth
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here. Teams have until 4pm ET/3pm CT Tuesday to reach the 80-man roster limit.
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB Luq Barcoo (failed physical), TE Ian Bunting, WR Rico Gafford
Baltimore Ravens
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: G Marquel Harrell, WR Krishawn Hogan, DT Walter Palmore
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR via injury settlement: LB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DB Donnie Lewis
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: WR Alexander Hollins, CB Robert Jackson, OT Alex Taylor
- Placed on IR: TE Connor Davis, LB Montrel Meander
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Malik Hooker, WR CeeDee Lamb, S Israel Mukuamu, DT Carlos Watkins
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Stevie Scott
- Placed on IR: C Brett Jones
- Released: LB Pita Taumoepenu
- Waived: G Nolan Laufenberg
Detroit Lions
- Waived: DT P.J. Johnson, RB Javon Leake, OLB Robert McCray, QB Jordan Ta’amu
- Released: WR Darius Jennings
- Released from IR via injury settlement: OL Evan Boehm
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: TE Daniel Crawford
Houston Texans
- Waived: DT Auzoyah Alufohai, RB Darius Jackson, OL Drake Jackson
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: DT Joey Ivie, LB Skai Moore, TE Andrew Vollert
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OT Devery Hamilton
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: RB Raymond Calais (injured), DB Paris Ford, QB Devlin Hodges
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: LB Christian Elliss, QB Danny Etling, DT Jordon Scott (waived/injured)
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: DE Carl Lawson (story)
- Signed: DE Aaron Adeoye, OL Isaiah Williams
- Waived: CB Corey Ballentine
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: WR Jhamon Ausbon, WR Hakeem Butler, C Harry Crider, S Lavert Hill
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: WR John Ursua
- Waived: DT Cedrick Lattimore, QB Alex McGough
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OT Jonathan Hubbard
- Released from IR via injury settlement: Sam Renner
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed (from Bengals): DL Freedom Akinmoladun
- Waived/injured: OL Paul Adams, K Tucker McCann, G Ross Reynolds
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Anthony Rush
Cardinals Activate J.J. Watt From PUP List
J.J. Watt is now firmly on track for the Cardinals’ season opener. The team activated its high-profile free agency addition from the active/PUP list Monday. Watt had missed all of Arizona’s training camp due to a hamstring injury.
The Cardinals gave Watt a two-year, $28MM deal, beating out several other teams, and are hoping to pair the five-time All-Pro with Chandler Jones. Watt’s injury and Jones’ contract-related disenchantment have not made this an especially smooth camp for Cards pass rushers, but the duo is as of now en route to begin the season in Arizona’s lineup.
Watt missed most of the 2016 and ’17 seasons due to injury and saw a torn pectoral muscle sideline him for a lengthy stretch in 2019, but the future Hall of Fame pass rusher did play 16-game slates in 2018 and in 2020. This hamstring injury, which occurred during a conditioning test at the outset of camp, did not represent a great sign for Watt’s durability going into a 17-game season. But the Cardinals have exercised caution with the 32-year-old defensive end. His missing Week 1 due to this injury did not appear to be on the table.
Arizona also activated linebacker Dennis Gardeck from its PUP list. Gardeck suffered an ACL tear last season. The Cardinals still re-signed the former UDFA in April and hope to redeploy him for a fourth season. Gardeck has been one of the Cards’ top special-teamers, playing more than 70% of Arizona’s special teams snaps in each of his three seasons.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DB Luq Barcoo
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE David Wells
- Placed on IR: TE Ryan Becker
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Montrel Meander
- Waived: RB Corey Taylor, WR JoJo Ward
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Damon Hazelton
- Waived: CB Dominique Martin
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Nasir Adderley, CB Ryan Smith
- Signed: WR Michael Bandy
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: DB Terrell Bonds
New York Jets
- Signed: S Bennett Jackson
- Placed on IR: S Zane Lewis; Lewis suffered a torn patellar tendon, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets
Larry Fitzgerald Not Eyeing Return For 18th Season?
With the season less than a month away, Larry Fitzgerald remains unsigned. And the future Hall of Fame wide receiver does not sound like he will join a team in the near future.
Although the 17-year veteran said his plans could change, he is content to keep his options open for the time being. For the time being, Fitzgerald has announced plans to host a Sirius XM radio show alongside Tom Brady and Jim Gray. This certainly stands to keep fans in the loop regarding the future Hall of Famer’s plans.
“For now, I’ll be a radio broadcaster. Jim, to be honest with you, I just don’t have the urge to play right now,” Fitzgerald said during an interview with Gray on Sirius XM (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “I just don’t know how I’ll feel in September, October, November moving forward, but I just, today, I just don’t have the urge.”
The Cardinals did not close the door on Fitz coming back but made multiple moves at wide receiver that would affect his return. Arizona signed A.J. Green and drafted Rondale Moore in the second round. They joined DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk on the Cards’ roster. As recently as July, Fitz said he had not made up his mind on returning. His most recent comments, however, mark the clearest sign yet retirement may be close.
Fitzgerald, who will turn 38 later this month, has taken a year-to-year approach with his career since 2016. But the latest he previously decided on returning was late January (in 2019). The NFL’s second all-time leading pass catcher has said in the past he only wanted to play for the Cardinals, but if no clear role exists for him in Arizona, the 11-time Pro Bowler might need to adjust that stance — if he is to reconsider playing again.
An injury affecting the Cards’ or perhaps another contending team’s receiving corps would naturally invite speculation about a Fitz return, but he is coming off the worst statistical season of his career. Fitz caught 54 passes for just 409 yards and one touchdown in 2020, a season in which he missed two games after contracting COVID-19.
Fitzgerald’s 1,432 receptions and 17,492 receiving yards are second only to Jerry Rice all time. No active wideout is within 500 receptions or 4,000 yards of his respective career totals. The decorated wideout will cruise to Canton, but until he announces his retirement, the prospect of him suiting up either in Arizona or with another team via in-season signing will be one of this year’s subplots.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/19/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Jordan Phillips; Phillips tested positive for the coronavirus
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: G Steven Gonzalez
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OL Marquel Harrell
- Waived: WR Micah Simon
Cleveland Browns
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Kiondre Thomas
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived/injured: P Hunter Niswander
Denver Broncos
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DL Deyon Sizer
Detroit Lions
- Waived: TE Hunter Thedford
Houston Texans
- Released from IR via injury settlement: RB Dontrell Hilliard
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: CB Luq Barcoo
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DT Daniel Ross
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Josh Harvey-Clemons
WR Josh Doctson Worked Out For Cardinals
We’ve got a Josh Doctson sighting. The wideout auditioned for the Cardinals yesterday, per Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). Doctson apparently left Arizona without a deal, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be an option down the road.
Doctson has struggled to live up to his first-round draft status, but he’s still managed to stick around the NFL. He got a contract from the Jets last offseason, but he ultimately decided to sit out for the 2020 campaign. He stayed on the Jets offseason roster for a few months before getting cut by the organization in May.
While the receiver obviously put up disappointing numbers during his stint in Washington, there was some hope that he could stick around the NFL following 2017 and 2018 seasons where he averaged 39.5 receptions, 517 receiving yards, and four touchdowns per season. However, Doctson has only seen the field for one regular season game since 2019, putting his NFL future in doubt.
The Cardinals have a deep grouping of wideouts, but the team could temporarily use some help at the position. Veterans DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green are dealing with minor ailments, while Andy Isabella is currently on the COVID-19 list.
Cardinals Eyeing Fewer J.J. Watt Snaps
- The Cardinals won the J.J. Watt sweepstakes, but they hope to decrease the future Hall of Famer’s workload this season. They want Watt to play closer to 65% of their defensive snaps this season, rather than venturing into the 90% neighborhood, Jim Trotter of NFL.com notes. Despite his run of injuries in the late 2010s, Watt played 91% of the Texans’ snaps last season. In his seven non-injury-limited seasons, the five-time All-Pro played at least 88% of Houston’s defensive snaps. With Watt already dealing with a hamstring injury that will likely shelve him until Week 1, Arizona D-line coach Brentson Buckner is hoping to lighten his workload to maximize his productivity and extend his career.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Justin Pugh; Pugh tested positive for the coronavirus
- Signed: LB Reggie Walker
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: K Lirim Hajrullahu
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Rashod Berry
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: CB Stanford Samuels
Kansas City Chiefs
- Reverted to IR after clearing waivers: WR Antonio Callaway
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Samuel Eguavoen; Eguavoen tested positive for the coronavirus
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Caleb Benenoch, DB Natrell Jamerson, CB Bryan Mills, OT Jordan Mills
- Waived: WR Jake Lampman, DB Lawrence Woods
- Waived/injured: S Adonis Alexander, OL Michael Brown
Philadelphia Eagles
- Reverted to IR after clearing waivers: RB Kerryon Johnson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Claimed (from Steelers): OT Brandon Walton
- Waived/injured: S Raven Greene