Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from active/NFI: CB Cobee Bryant, DL LaCale London
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Ja’seem Reed
- Released from active/PUP (injury settlement): WR Dan Chisena
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: C Bucky Williams
- Waived: C Brady Latham
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Christian Matthew
- Waived: WR Kelvin Harmon
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Jacob Saylors
- Waived/injured: TE Luke Deal
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/PUP: TE Austin Hooper
New York Giants
- Placed on active/PUP: LB Victor Dimukeje
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Liam Fornadel, RB Lawrance Toafili
- Waived/injured: C Gus Hartwig
- Waived from reserve/retired: RB Zach Evans
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Ife Adeyi
- Waived/injured: WR Danny Gray
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DT Domenique Davis, TE Kevin Foelsch, RB Lew Nichols
- Waived/injured: WR Montana Lemonious-Craig, LB Jeremiah Moon
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Jaylon Allen
- Placed on IR: DL Tarron Jackson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Thor Griffith
- Waived: NT Justin Rogers
There was a scary moment at 49ers practice earlier this week, as 49ers defensive lineman Tarron Jackson was carted off the field on a stretcher after suffering a neck injury. Fortunately, the player has since been released from the hospital (per Vic Tafur of The Athletic), but his placement on IR means he won’t suit up during the upcoming campaign. A former Eagles draft pick, Jackson got into three games with the Panthers in 2024 before joining the 49ers practice squad late in the season.
Jimmy Haslam “Cautiously Optimistic” That Quinshon Judkins Will Play For Browns
Browns second-round rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was arrested earlier this month and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery. The organization has held off on signing the first-year player as they await clarity on his legal issues, although Browns owner Jimmy Haslam expressed optimism today that Judkins will eventually suit up for his new squad.
While speaking with reporters, Haslam said he’s “cautiously optimistic” that Judkins will ultimately play for the Browns (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo). This obviously isn’t a ringing endorsement, and Haslam also seems to be implying that the draft pick could never play for the organization. Still, as the owner expressed frustration at his players’ continued domestic-abuse allegations (via Garafolo), it’s notable that he’s more confident than not that Judkins will eventually play.
Following two productive seasons at Ole Miss, Judkins continued producing after transferring to Ohio State for the 2024 campaign. The RB finished last season with 1,221 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns, leading to him being selected with the 36th-overall pick in this year’s draft.
As the Browns navigate a post-Nick Chubb era, Judkins was expected to play a significant role for his new squad. Veteran Jerome Ford is still penciled in atop the depth chart, but Judkins’ absence means the likes of Pierre Strong Jr. or rookie fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson could be thrust into the RB2 role.
Meanwhile, there have been more damning details released surrounding Judkins. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the player’s girlfriend claimed that the July incident wasn’t the first time that Judkins engaged in domestic abuse, although none of those past examples reached “the point of what occurred in this case.”
When Judkins’ legal issues are resolved, he’ll surely be subject to discipline from the league, which will only further delay his NFL debut. At the same time, it sounds like the Browns will also reevaluate their approach to educating players.
“Obviously we’re not communicating as well as we should and we take responsibility for that,” Haslam told reporters (via Garafolo).
Lions LB Alex Anzalone “Disappointed” By Lack Of Contract Talks
JULY 25: The linebacker’s frustrations notwithstanding, Campbell said (via Woodyard) negotiations are taking place. Describing Anzalone as a player the Lions need, the fifth-year HC said no animosity exists on the team’s side.
JULY 22: Alex Anzalone wants to stick in Detroit long-term, but it’s uncertain if the Lions feel the same way. Speaking with reporters today, the impending free agent linebacker acknowledged that he’s upset by the lack of progress regarding an extension.
“I’m disappointed, I’ll just say that. I’m disappointed,” Anzalone said today (via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard).
The veteran is entering the final season of a three-year, $18.75MM contract he signed back in 2023. After having a career year during his first season in Detroit, Anzalone took it to another level during the first two seasons of his extension, averaging 127 tackles and more than two sacks per year.
Anzalone suffered a broken arm last season that limited him to 10 games and only 63 stops, his lowest total since joining the Lions. Still, the linebacker has been considered a defensive leader throughout the organization’s turnaround, leaving the player confused about Detroit’s apparent refusal to engage in contract talks.
“For sure. This is a weird situation and wasn’t on my end or my agent’s end,” Anzalone said.
The 30-year-old isn’t practicing with the squad while he nurses a hamstring injury. Coach Dan Campbell refused the notion that Anzalone was engaging in a hold-in, and Woodyard writes that the player could eventually take the practice field without an extension. Of course, if the linebacker has his way, he’ll spend the rest of his career with the Lions.
“I put so much into my time here and being a four-time captain and my teammates and the city and just living here,” Anzalone said. “You could list all the reasons, but it’s just important to me. I feel like I love this place, and I want that opportunity.”
While Anzalone has played both middle linebacker and weakside linebacker during his time in Detroit, he’s currently penciled in as the starting WLB. The team is already lacking some depth at the position, as Malcolm Rodriguez isn’t expected to see the field until midseason as he works his way back from a torn ACL.
Raiders Release DT Christian Wilkins
JULY 25: Clarifying the matter of a surgery request on the team’s part, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Vegas attempted to have Wilkins undergo a second operation as a follow-up to his procedure in October. Wilkins’ preference to continue rehabbing instead of going under the knife a second time resulted in the tension between the parties which has now culminated in this release.
JULY 24: In a stunning move, the Raiders are moving on from one of the prizes of the 2024 offseason. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the team is releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.
Per Schefter, the team is releasing Wilkins as a “terminated vested veteran.” The team was able to void the rest of the player’s remaining money ($35.2MM) following a dispute over Wilkins’ approach to rehabbing his foot injury. The voiding of guarantees happened last month, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, and the veteran subsequently filed a grievance with the NFLPA. Those events ultimately culminated in today’s sudden move.
We’re only a year removed from Wilkins signing one of the most notable contracts of the 2024 offseason. The defensive tackle inked a four-year, $110MM deal that included $57.5MM in guaranteed money. He only ended up getting into five games during his first (and lone) season in Las Vegas, as a foot injury ended his season early in October.
That Jones fracture reportedly required surgery, but there are conflicting reports about how Wilkins approached his recovery. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Raiders wanted their investment to go under the knife, but the player refused after seeking multiple opinions. Meanwhile, Tashan Reed of The Athletic says the player did indeed undergo foot surgery, and today’s transaction stems from the player’s approach to rehab.
Either way, there was a clear lack of progress in his recovery from the injury, and this issue was at the root of a private battle that was “simmering” between the two sides for months, according to Russini. Vic Tafur of The Athletic adds that there have been “rumblings” about the player’s rehab for a while.
While the current Raiders’ regime wasn’t involved in the signing of Wilkins, the hulking defensive tackle was still one of the most talented players on the current roster. In other words, things must have gone very wrong between the two sides this offseason, and the team’s natural decision to void guarantees will only lead to more contention. Wilkins is surely done in Las Vegas, as his grievance will simply look to recoup any of that lost money. If the Raiders end up getting their way, they’ll only be on the hook for a prorated version of the player’s $24MM signing bonus (per Reed). This commitment comes via a restructuring from earlier this offseason.
The team clearly didn’t mince words in a statement announcing the transaction:
“This franchise has a Commitment to Excellence on and off the field. With no clear path or plan for future return to play from Christian, this transaction is necessary for the entire organization to move forward and prepare for the new season.”
Wilkins really didn’t bring much injury risk to Las Vegas. The former Dolphins first-round pick only missed a pair of games during his five seasons in Miami, and he appeared in all 51 games between 2021 and 2023. Over that span, the six-foot-four, 310-pound lineman compiled 252 tackles, 17 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus graded him as a top-10 interior defensive lineman in both 2021 and 2022.
The free agent addition was trending towards at least a top-20 PFF grade during the 2024 season. He started each of his five appearances with the Raiders, compiling 17 tackles and a pair of sacks while only missing a handful of snaps in his four healthy games. The injury ultimately ended that productive campaign (and his Raiders career) early.
Adam Butler ended up leading the position grouping in snaps in 2024, and the veteran will now definitively be at the top of the depth chart with Wilkins no longer in the picture. The team is also still rostering Jonah Laulu, one of the main beneficiaries of Wilkins’ injury last year. John Jenkins is gone after finishing second among Raiders DTs in snaps last season, but the team did replace him with free agent acquisition Leki Fotu, who started nine of his 11 games with the Jets in 2024.
Wilkins’ foot issue obviously clouds his immediate future, and it may delay his signing with another squad. When he is ultimately deemed healthy, he’ll represent the most impactful free agent on the market, even as teams make cuts to their preseason rosters. Thanks to his newfound free agency and his ongoing dispute with the Raiders organization, this story is far from over.
Cardinals LB J.J. Russell Carted Off Field Following Collision
There was a scary moment at Cardinals practice today. According to Darren Urban of the team’s website, linebacker J.J. Russell was involved in a collision before being placed on a backboard and carted off the field. The player has since been released from the hospital and re-joined the team after tests were negative, per the organization.
The Cardinals passed along an update earlier tonight that the player was alert and had movement in all his extremities following the collision.
“JJ Russell is being evaluated for a head [and] neck injury suffered in this afternoon’s practice,” the team said. “He was alert on the field [and] had movement in all his extremities. He has been taken to a local hospital for further testing [and] continued evaluation.”
Per Urban, Russell was injured when he collided with safety Kitan Crawford while trying to break up a pass attempt. Players gathered around the linebacker before he was carted off the field.
Russell joined the Cardinals this offseason after spending the first three seasons of his career with the Buccaneers. The former UDFA out of Memphis got into 30 games during his time in Tampa Bay, including a 2024 campaign where he appeared in a career-high 16 games. He finished last season with 33 tackles, with more than half of his snaps coming on special teams.
Russell will likely be competing for a similar ST role in Arizona, although he could also push for reps at weakside linebacker. Akeem Davis-Gaither was added in free agency to lead that position grouping, with Owen Pappoe and Vi Jones providing the rest of the depth at that position.
NFL Minor Transactions: 7/24/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Troy Andersen
- Released: DB Kevin King
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Cobee Bryant, DL LaCale London, LB Malik Verdon
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Alex Cook
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Cornell Armstrong, OL Obinna Eze
- Waived: OL Tedi Kushi
- Placed on IR: CB Artie Burns
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Tanner McCalister
- Released: LB Jared Bartlett
Philadelphia Eagles
- Reverted to IR: OL Marcus Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on active/NFI list: G Isaac Seumalo
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Quintez Cephus
- Waived: RB Israel Abanikanda
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: G Michael Jordan, OL Tyler McLellan
- Waived/injured: OL Silas Dzansi
- Placed on reserve/retired list: OT Garret Greenfield
Washington Commanders
- Extended: S Percy Butler
Following rumblings yesterday that Artie Burns may have suffered a season-ending injury, the bad news was confirmed today, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Dolphins cornerback indeed suffered a torn ACL. It’s a tough break for the veteran, who’s looking to revive his NFL career after being limited to only four games with the Seahawks last season. The Dolphins were quick to sign a replacement, as Miami signed Cornell Armstrong. A former sixth-round pick by the Dolphins, Armstrong last appeared in an NFL game in 2022, when he started four of his nine games for the Falcons.
The Buccaneers did some shuffling on their offensive line today. In comes a pair of lineman: Michael Jordan, who started 11 games for the Patriots last season, and Tyler McLellan, a six-foot-eight, 355-pound lineman out of Campbell. Garret Greenfield, a UDFA in the 2024 draft, has apparently decided to hang up his cleats, and the team also moved on from Silas Dzansi with an injury designation.
The Commanders were looking ahead to 2026 today, as the team added an extra year to Percy Butler‘s contract. The former fourth-round pick has had some run in the starting lineup, including a 2023 season where he started 13 games while compiling 64 tackles and eight passes defended. He started five of 17 games in 2024 while establishing himself as one of Washington’s special teams aces.
Nathaniel Hackett Joins Packers Staff
A familiar face is back with the Packers. Coach Matt LaFleur revealed today that former offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is back with the organization in “an analyst role for our defense,” per Albert Breer of TheMMQB.
Hackett was once one of the bright, young offensive minds in the NFL. After cutting his teeth as the Bills offensive coordinator, he took the same role with the Jaguars in 2016. Jacksonville had a pair of dismal seasons during Hackett’s three years on the sideline, but their one successful campaign saw the offense finish the year ranked fifth in points scored.
He caught on with LaFleur’s new staff in Green Bay ahead of the 2019 season. Working alongside Aaron Rodgers, Hackett helped guide the Packers offense to three relatively successful seasons. This included a 2020 season where Green Bay led the league in points scored, and the team followed that up with a 10th-place showing in 2021. Rodgers also won back-to-back MVPs while playing in Hackett’s system.
That performance helped earn the coach his first (and, at the moment, only) head coaching gig in Denver, but things couldn’t have gone much worse. After guiding the Broncos to a 4-11 start, Hackett was fired from his role, making him only the fifth head coach since 1970 to not make it through a full season with his new club. Still, his relationship with Rodgers helped get him the OC job with the Jets in 2023.
We’re all familiar with how that went. Rodgers’ season-ending injury in 2023 helped buy Hackett another season, but when Jeff Ulbrich took over as interim HC following Robert Saleh‘s firing in 2024, the OC was stripped of his play-calling duties. Predictably, Hackett was let go by the end of the campaign.
Now, he’ll resurface in a familiar spot in Green Bay. It’s interesting that he’s been hired for a defensive role, although it’s not particularly rare in today’s day and age. Just last year, the Packers made a similar hire with Saleh, as the ousted Jets coach was hired to provide a defensive viewpoint to the team’s offense.
“I just think it’s a fresh perspective,” LaFleur said (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). “You kind of, especially when you take a defensive guy and put them on offense and vice versa, and offensive guy and defense, it gives you a little different lens to see it through and talk through. And so, he’s sitting in with all our, with our defensive staff, and he’s been in the linebacker room and kind of just going through the film and, you know, gives them a good offensive perspective.”
Titans Unlikely To Add Another Quarterback
The Titans are down a quarterback following Will Levis‘ sudden season-ending shoulder surgery. While the injury opens up even more camp reps for first-overall pick Cam Ward, there was some speculation that the organization could look to add another player at the position.
[RELATED: Titans QB Will Levis To Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery]
It sounds like that won’t be the case. Titans GM Mike Borgonzi told reporters that he feels good about his current grouping of quarterbacks and doesn’t anticipate adding another player to the mix (via Jim Wyatt of the team’s website). Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com passed along a similar sentiment yesterday, stating that the Titans are unlikely to add a fourth QB to the depth chart.
To the Titans’ credit, the team did add a pair of veteran QBs to their roster this offseason, bringing in both Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. Allen brings 10 games of starting experience to Tennessee, one of which came last season with the 49ers. In that contest, the veteran completed 17 of his 29 pass attempts for 199 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a San Francisco loss. Boyle is winless in his five career starts, including a two-game starting gig with the Jets during the 2023 campaign.
Those two options are uninspiring, and there’s a chance the team only carries one backup heading into the regular season. Allen would appear to have the upper hand in the QB2 competition, as the player previously worked with head coach Brian Callahan when the two were in Cincinnati.
“He’s got a great feel for the system, how to operate,” Callahan said of Allen (via John Glennon of the Nashville Post). “He understands the role of the backup quarterback. He’s got a lot of experience he can share with Cam as well, from all the places he’s been, and things he’s done and seen … He can help manage the offense, operate it when he steps in there.”
Despite being in the NFL for only two seasons, Levis brings more starting experience than his two potential replacements, as the former second-round pick got an extended look as QB1 between 2023 and 2024. The team’s addition of Ward put Levis in a somewhat awkward spot, and the incumbent was a popular name in trade rumors this offseason. With Levis now out for the season, he’ll be sticking in Tennessee at least through the 2025 campaign.
Saints Sign S Julian Blackmon
JULY 23: Blackmon is joining the Saints on a one-year deal worth up to $5.5MM, Rapoport tweets. Mathieu had been attached to a one-year, $4MM pact, one reworked via a pay-cut agreement this offseason. Blackmon played out a one-year, $3.7MM Colts contract in 2024. Blackmon’s New Orleans accord is now official.
JULY 22: Following Tyrann Mathieu‘s sudden retirement announcement earlier today, the Saints have already found a potential replacement. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the team is signing veteran safety Julian Blackmon. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier this evening that New Orleans was working to add Blackmon as a Honey Badger replacement.
[RELATED: Saints’ Tyrann Mathieu Announces Retirement]
A former third-round pick, Blackmon was a mainstay in Indy’s secondary over the past five seasons. He started 62 of his 66 games with the Colts, collecting 300 tackles and 21 passes defended. He also hauled in 10 interceptions, including seven between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The safety did deal with his fair share of injuries, including a torn Achilles in 2021 and shoulder issues in both 2023 and 2024.
Despite his starting experience, the safety hasn’t had the best of luck in free agency. Last year, he garnered interest from the Bills and 49ers before ultimately returning to the Colts on a one-year deal. This offseason, it’s been relatively quiet for the 26-year-old other than a March visit with the Panthers.
Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of Blackmon’s first three seasons in the NFL, with the site ranking him as a below-average safety. He improved to 38th among 95 qualifiers in 2023, and he had his best career showing (30th of 98) in 2024. He’s generally graded out well for his coverage prowess, and his ability to play multiple roles (including in the box, in the slot, and out wide) should prove to be an asset for his new squad.
The Saints were likely scrambling following Mathieu’s sudden decision to hang up his cleats, leading to tonight’s signing. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis hinted that the organization could make an addition at the position, although he also expressed confidence in the team’s current options at the position. 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan Howden is the current favorite to start opposite Justin Reid, although Blackmon will join the likes of veterans J.T. Gray and Terrell Burgess as competition for the starting gig.
Micah Parsons Avoiding Hold-In, Not Practicing Due To Back Issue
While Micah Parsons is still seeking a new contract, the star pass rusher was in attendance for the start of Cowboys training camp. However, it sounds like the veteran won’t be hitting the practice field anytime soon.
[RELATED: DE Micah Parsons: Cowboys Ownership Has Made Negotiations “More Complicated” Than Necessary]
While speaking with reporters today, Parsons revealed that he’s nursing a back injury and doesn’t intend to practice until his body feels right. While Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News described the situation as a “hold-in,” Parsons said he’s not engaging in that negotiation tactic. The veteran also said he doesn’t plan on holding out (via Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports).
“Just being mindful,” Parsons said of his refusal to practice (via Jane Slater of NFL Network). “Obviously, just want to get the body going the right way and where I want it to. But, obviously, with D-Law gone, like I said, I just feel like it was my turn to lead and it’s hard to do that from the crib. So, I want to be here with the guys, show them that I care; I want to be here, win championships. So, that’s why I’m here.”
Parsons and the Cowboys appeared to be progressing towards a deal earlier this offseason, but there have been no developments on that front over the past few months. In the meantime, a handful of pass rushers have earned lucrative new deals, and Parsons admitted that those contracts have left him discouraged about his own contract situation.
“When you go around the league and you see these other teams taking care of their best guys, I seen T.J. [Watt] gotten taken care of. Maxx [Crosby] got taken care of. Myles [Garrett] got taken care of, [and] he’s got two years left on his deal,” Parsons said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “You see a lot of people around the league taken care of, and you wish you had that same type of energy.”
Parsons provided some more insight into his negotiations with the Cowboys…or lack thereof. The pass rusher said there’s “really not much movement” on the extension front (via Jon Machota of The Athletic), and the player said his agent, David Mulugheta, recently reached out to the organization but hasn’t heard back (via Watkins). Parsons even went as far as to acknowledge a potential divorce, noting that “if this is the end, this is the end…I understand the nature of the business” (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
Yesterday, Jerry Jones didn’t convey the same urgency as Parsons, as the Cowboys owner indicated that he’s not in any rush to finalize a new deal. On the flip side, Jones also said the two sides effectively came to an agreement on a new contract earlier this offseason (via Hill), but it’s uncertain when negotiations went off the rails. ESPN’s Adam Schefter seemed to contradict Jones’ comments, noting that the two sides still haven’t engaged in formal contract talks.
While a long-term pact once seemed like a certainty, it sounds like Parsons is at least considering a potential exit out of Dallas. While a number of edge rusher standoffs (particularly between Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals) have commanded headlines this offseason, this developing Parsons/Cowboys saga is suddenly center stage.