Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DT Tani Tupou, DT Nigel Williams
- Released: TE Chris Bazile, WR Austin Wolf
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Tion Green
- Waived/Injured: RB Josh Ferguson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Terrell Watson
- Waived/Injured: LB James Onwualu
Cardinals Reinstate GM Steve Keim
Steve Keim has been reinstated as the GM of the Cardinals, according to a team announcement. Keim was put on the sidelines for five weeks following a DUI arrest earlier this summer. 
During the suspension, Keim was barred from contact with the team and prohibited from entering the team facility. In addition to the ban, Keim was fined $200K, which was subsequently donated to the Arizona chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. While away from the club, the Cardinals mandated that he complete counseling, evaluation, and a DUI education course.
“We in the NFL are all held to a higher standard,” team president Michael Bidwill said in July at the time of the suspension. “We know what the standards are, we know what the laws are. … I told (Steve) there were going to be consequences…On a personal level I care about Steve a lot, but I have to do my job. It was important I do it, and for me, it was important that he know I’m not messing around.”
Latest On Cardinals GM Steve Keim
The Cardinals‘ five-week suspension of GM Steve Keim ended on Wednesday, but he was nowhere to be found during Arizona’s morning practice, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic tweets. Keim is almost always in attendance for practices, so this may be a sign that he has not been fully reinstated just yet.
Cardinals RB David Johnson “Encouraged” By Extension Talks
Cardinals running back David Johnson said earlier this week that he’s been “encouraged” by his ongoing extension negotiations, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
“I think that’s what it is — I didn’t play,” Johnson said. “I didn’t play last year. I was hoping my production from my second year and what I did my first year would help out, but the NFL is what have you done for me lately, so hopefully I can prove it once the season starts.”
Johnson, of course, was arguably the NFL’s best offensive player during the 2016 season. In addition to being name first-team All-Pro, Johnson managed 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns plus 80 receptions, 879 yards, and four more scores in the passing game. However, a dislocated wrist forced Johnson to miss most of the 2017 campaign, and that absence will surely affect his upcoming contract.
Johnson skipped Cardinals minicamp earlier this year in something of a mini-holdout, but subsequently reported to training camp. Arizona has reportedly been working towards a contract with Johnson’s camp, and that progress shouldn’t be delayed by general manager Steve Keim‘s team-imposed suspension.
Rams running back Todd Gurley reset the running back market last month by agreeing to a new deal which contains a $14.375MM annual value and $21.95MM in guarantees, but it’s difficult to see Johnson approaching that figure. Not only is Johnson coming off a lost season, but he’s nearly three years older than Gurley. Still, a contract which tops double-digits annually should be expected for Johnson, who will earn just $1.907MM in 2018.
NFC West Notes: Avril, Seahawks, Cardinals, 49ers
Cliff Avril indicated earlier this offseason he wanted to resume his career, despite the severe neck injury he suffered in 2017 ending his time with the Seahawks. Three months have passed since reports of Avril interest surfaced, and the 2016 Pro Bowler appears to be moving closer to full retirement.
Avril began dabbling in radio shortly after his Seahawks release, and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes he now has an every-day hosting gig. However, the 32-year-old former Lion and Seahawk is mentoring one of the players competing to take his old job. Condotta writes Avril has been mentoring 2016 fifth-rounder Quinton Jefferson while hosting a daytime radio show. It’s uncertain if he’s regained clearance to play again. Should that happen in the near future, Avril may have another chance. But as of now, it looks like Avril’s played his last NFL down.
Here’s the latest out of the NFC West:
- Josh Rosen looking ready for potential near-future action may not mean Mike Glennon’s roster spot is in jeopardy. The Cardinals’ injuries at quarterback last season serve as a warning of what can happen, Mike Jurecki of ArizonaSports.com tweets. Plus, with Sam Bradford serving as the starter, it’s obviously critical to stockpile depth. Glennon, the Bears’ starter to begin last season, signed for two years and $8MM. It would not save the Cards any money to cut him.
- Jamar Taylor is still the frontrunner to be the Cardinals’ Week 1 starter opposite Patrick Peterson, Jurecki tweets. The Browns traded the once-embattled cornerback to the Cardinals this offseason – the second time Taylor’s been shipped elsewhere by a new regime – and he’s leading a race for a job that’s been one of the NFL’s biggest trouble spots in recent years.
- John Lynch said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) Jerick McKinnon will be out for the remainder of the preseason because of the calf strain he suffered in the 49ers’ first exhibition game. The 49ers don’t have a deep running back depth chart, and No. 2 back Matt Breida is also dealing with an injury. San Francisco signed Alfred Morris recently. He and Joe Williams figure to see more time while the top two ball carriers are on the shelf.
- Mike Person’s received the bulk of the first-team work at right guard for the 49ers and is a threat to be the Week 1 starter, despite the franchise having used a first-round pick on Joshua Garnett two years ago and having added Jonathan Cooper this offseason, Branch notes. Although the 30-year-old Person would seemingly be a longshot to claim this job, the injury histories of Cooper and Garnett give him a better shot than he’d have under ordinary circumstances. Garnett spent all of last season on IR, and Cooper has struggled with a litany of maladies in his five-year career. Person was a full-time starter at center for the 2015 Falcons.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Harlan Miller
- Waived/Injured: CB Lou Young
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: FB Sam Rogers
- Waived/Injured: FB Zach Olstad
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DE Kiante Anderson
- Waived: DE Karter Schult
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Dres Anderson
- Released: DE Joby Saint Fleur
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/14/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Austin Wolf
- Released: WR Rashad Ross
Denver Broncos
- Claimed: WE DeAndrew White (Texans)
- Waived/Injured: WR Philly Brown
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Tion Green
- Waived: LB William Ossai
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: OL Alan Knott
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived from injured reserve: OL Avery Young
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived from injured reserve: CB David Rivers
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived/Injured: LB Jeremy Cash
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DT Simeyon Robinson
Denver Broncos
- Signed: S Shamarko Thomas, LB Alexander Johnson
- Released: LB Stansly Maponga
Houston Texans
- Waived: WR DeAndrew White
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: RB Ray Lawry
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: G Kaleb Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: C Oni Omoile
- Waived/Injured: OL Parker Collins
Washington Redskins
- Signed: WR Dan Williams III
Cardinals Sign LB Gerald Hodges
The Cardinals have signed free agent linebacker Gerald Hodges, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Arizona likely lost fellow linebacker Jeremy Cash for the year on Saturday night, as his knee injury is believed to be season-ending. Cash wasn’t viewed as a starter for the Cardinals, but was expected to play a key role as a reserve and special-teamer, so Hodges, who worked out for Arizona in late July, will likely take over in both capacities.
Hodges, 27, could prove to be even more valuable than a generic backup, as he has plenty of experience (65 appearances, 25 starts) under his belt. A fourth-round pick in the 2013 draft, Hodges entered the NFL with the Vikings before being traded to the 49ers midway through the 2015 season.
The 2016 campaign was one of Hodges’ finest — Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 21 linebacker — but he garnered scant interest on the open market. He landed with the Saints in October and played mostly special teams snaps down the stretch.
Hodges is capable of playing all three linebacker positions, so he’ll add depth behind starters Haason Reddick, Deone Bucannon, and Josh Bynes. Bynes, for his part, is slated to start at middle linebacker, but he’s been primarily a special-teamer during his career and made just one start in 2017. Hodges, therefore, could conceivably earn more snaps in the middle if Bynes struggles early in the 2018 season.
Jeremy Cash Likely Out For Season
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that Cardinals LB Jeremy Cash sustained a knee injury during last night’s preseason game that is believed to be season-ending. That is a tough blow for the Duke product, who has bounced around a few different teams since entering the league but who had a real chance of cracking Arizona’s 53-man roster this season. The Cardinals claimed him off waivers in March.