NFL Minor Transactions: 5/6/25
Today’s minor moves:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Jimmy Holiday, LB Cooper McDonald, DB Major Williams
- Released: CB Robert Rochell
- Waived: S Will Brooks, WR Justin Lockhart
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: DB T.J. Jackson, LB Jackson Woodard
A trio of players had successful tryouts at Chiefs rookie minicamp, and the team added those three rookies to their growing list of UDFAs signings. To make room on the roster, the Chiefs had to move on from veteran Robert Rochell, who just signed with the team in March. Rochell has mostly seen a role as a special teamer in recent years, and he’s been limited to only 27 defensive snaps over the past three years. In total, the former fourth-round pick has 25 career tackles.
Cowboys Expected To Be Cautious With Dak Prescott During OTAs
While Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott recently expressed confidence about his recovery from a hamstring injury, he may not be a full participant when practices begin. Jon Machota of The Athletic says the Cowboys plan to be cautious with the quarterback’s recovery during OTAs and minicamp.
[RELATED: Dak Prescott Close To Full Health]
Prescott claimed last month that he was already healthy enough to play in a game, and this followed earlier reports that the quarterback would likely be ready to go for May practices. The veteran underwent surgery for a partial avulsion of his hamstring tendon in November, so the expedited timeline wasn’t completely unfounded.
Entering the first year of a four-year, $240MM extension signed last September, Prescott and the Cowboys are naturally being cautious with his return to the field. In addition to protecting the asset, there are some other positives to limiting the player’s practice reps.
As Machota notes, there should be more opportunities for Joe Milton to get acclimated with his new team during those early practices. The 2024 sixth-round pick was traded from the Patriots to the Cowboys last month, and after mostly serving as a third-string QB as a rookie, Milton will now enter his sophomore season as Prescott’s primary backup.
Elsewhere on the injury front, Jerry Jones recently told reporters that Trevon Diggs could open the season on the physically unable to perform list (per ESPN’s Todd Archer). After missing most of the 2023 season with a torn ACL, his comeback campaign in 2024 ended early thanks to an injury in the same knee. Sam Williams is also recovering from a torn ACL suffered last summer, but Jones said the defensive end is basically fully recovered.
Chiefs Waive BJ Thompson
The Chiefs moved on from BJ Thompson today, but the separation may be temporary. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Chiefs waived the defensive end with a non-football illness designation.
The specific designation of the transaction means Thompson will most likely land back in Kansas City. Assuming the player passes through waivers unclaimed, he’ll be placed on the non-football illness list, allowing him to continue his rehab without taking up a roster spot.
Andy Reid acknowledged as much while speaking with reporters yesterday. The coach noted that Thompson has made progress in his recovery from his 2024 cardiac arrest, and the transaction isn’t an indication that the player is facing the end of his playing career.
“[H]e is making progress, but just not quite, not quite there yet, but he’s made great, great strides,” Reid told reporters (h/t Charles Goldman of AtoZ Sports). “And so in this day and age of the way football is, we had to do something there. And this is the route that we went. But it doesn’t mean his career is over by any means, just where we’re at today.”
A 2023 fifth-round pick, the Stephen F. Austin product played sparingly as a rookie. During a team meeting last summer, Thompson suffered a seizure that resulted in cardiac arrest for more than 90 seconds. He regained consciousness a few days later. Fortunately, it sounds like Thompson is doing much better, but the Chiefs are still playing it very safe when it comes to his playing future.
The Chiefs made another move today, waiving linebacker Blake Lynch (via Wilson). The veteran joined the Chiefs late last season and got into one game for his new squad. He re-signed with the Chiefs back in March. Lynch has appeared in 29 career games, with the majority coming from a 16-game showing with the Vikings in 2021.
NFL Minor Transactions: 5/5/25
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Josiah Deguara
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: WR Tulu Griffin
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Britain Covey
Josiah Deguara brings 65 games of experience to Arizona, with the majority of those appearances coming during his four seasons with the Packers. While he’s had a consistent special teams role in recent years, he’s also managed to contribute offensively. This includes a 2021 campaign where he hauled in 25 catches and two touchdowns with Aaron Rodgers as his QB.
The tight end is coming off a 15-game showing in Jacksonville where he was limited to only three catches all season. The veteran should compete for a role behind Trey McBride, with the Cardinals also rostering the likes of Tip Reiman and Elijah Higgins at the position.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/5/25
Today’s draft pick signings:
Kansas City Chiefs
- LB Jeffrey Bassa (fifth round, Oregon)
- RB Brashard Smith (seventh round, SMU)
After quickly signing OT Josh Simmons to his first-round rookie contract, the Chiefs are now pivoting to the other end of their draft board, agreeing to contracts with their final two selections from the 2025 draft.
Bassa was a four-year starter at Oregon, including a 2023 campaign where he earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors after finishing with 71 tackles. His 54 tackles in 2024 represented his lowest total since his freshman year, but that likely didn’t do much to hurt his draft stock.
Smith served as mostly a backup during his three seasons at Miami, but he had a breakout showing after transferring to SMU for the 2024 campaign. The RB finished this past year with 1,659 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns.
Quinn Ewers’ Agent Explains Draft Slide
Quinn Ewers didn’t do enough during the 2024 campaign to warrant being one of the first quarterbacks off the draft board. Still, it was a surprise when the Texas signal caller slid all the way to the seventh round, and he was ultimately the final QB taken when he was selected by the Dolphins at No. 231.
[RELATED: Dolphins Draft QB Quinn Ewers At No. 231]
There was some initial speculation about Ewers’ fall down the draft board. His lack of ball protection (12 interceptions, 10 fumbles in 2024) was assumed to be the main culprit, but there were also scouts who criticized his lack of mobility and struggles under pressure.
His agent has since provided another reason. Ron Slavin said he reached out to a number of teams to understand why Ewers fell all the way to the seventh round. Many of those teams acknowledged that they rated the Longhorns quarterback higher than a seventh-round pick, but they were wary of the attention he’d draw as a backup.
“They thought he was a third- or fourth-round pick, but too big of a name to be a clipboard holder,” Slavin told ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Which I think is chickens—.”
In a draft where Shedeur Sanders also fell due to concerns about any impending distractions, it’s not a surprise that some pundits are starting to point fingers at the “NIL era.” That includes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, who believes endorsements and the accompanying attention will make “it awkward” for players (especially QBs) to suddenly sit on the bench.
Ironically, Ewers landed in a spot that could eventually lead to some QB controversy. Tua Tagovailoa has had his fair share of concussion and injury issues, putting Miami’s backups into the spotlight. After shuffling through a handful of names last season, the Dolphins landed on Zach Wilson as their QB2 for the 2025 campaign. If Tagovailoa went down, Wilson would surely get the first shot at the starting gig, but his spotty track record could open the door for Ewers.
For what it’s worth, the rookie QB isn’t letting his unexpected draft slide impact his perspective. While he admitted that he was surprised to fall to the seventh round, he was still relieved to hear his name called during draft weekend.
“I just didn’t know what was going on,” Ewers said. “But, I mean, it was nice [to get drafted], because at one point I’m like, ‘I’m not even going to get drafted. I’m going to go undrafted.’
“It was very unexpected, and I think that the toughest part about it is just the amount of unexpected occurrences there were. But I’m glad that I ended up where I ended up. To go as late as I did, I’m glad it’s a good spot.”
Seahawks Trade Sam Howell To Vikings
The Seahawks added Jalen Milroe on Friday night, doing so after reacquiring Drew Lock. As Sam Darnold‘s backup crew looks set, the team is moving on from Geno Smith‘s final QB2.
Seattle is sending Sam Howell to the Vikings, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Minnesota will add the former Washington starter, who had been on the trade block ahead of his contract year. The Seahawks paired Howell with the No. 172 pick, and they acquired pick No. 142, per Albert Breer of TheMMQB.
According to Jeremy Fowler, also of ESPN, the two teams have been quietly working on this deal since last week. Once the Seahawks’ offseason moves and draft intentions made it clear that they were ready to move on from Howell, conversations began the ultimately led to today’s trade.
There’s plenty of natural connections with this trade. The Seahawks, of course, poached Darnold from the Vikings with a lucrative free agent offer. Despite Aaron Rodgers heavily hinting at his desire to join the Vikings, the organization has made it clear they’re content to roll with J.J. McCarthy as their QB1.
Assuming the Vikings stuck with the status quo, that meant they still had an opening for a backup ahead of Brett Rypien. So, in comes Howell, who brings plenty of experience to the role. The former fifth-round pick started all 17 games for Washington in 2023. The Commanders went 4-13 in those outings, with Howell completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions.
The Vikings have been pretty adamant that they won’t be adding Rodgers to their QBs room, and the team’s depth chart seems to be taking shape with this latest acquisition. Rypien brings four games of starting experience, so the Vikings now have two fallback options should McCarthy struggle or suffer an injury.
The Seahawks traded from their surplus and managed to move up 30 spots in the draft. The team used their new selection on Notre Dame defensive tackle Rylie Mills. The lineman finished his Fighting Irish career with 17 sacks, including a career-high 7.5 this past season. A late-season knee injury may have slightly impacted his draft position, and the Seahawks are getting an agile defensive lineman who should be able to contribute right away.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
Chiefs Acquire No. 156, Select LB Jeffrey Bassa
The Chiefs are moving up eight spots in the draft. Kansas City has acquired pick No. 156 from the Steelers, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. In return, Pittsburgh will receive picks No. 164 and No. 226.
The Chiefs will use their upgraded pick on Oregon linebacker Jeffrey Bassa. This is the team’s fourth defensive selection through six picks.
Bassa is coming off four productive seasons at Oregon, where he collected 236 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and three interceptions in 55 appearances. His standout 2023 campaign culminated in him earning Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP honors, and his slight step back in 2024 may have contributed to his fifth-round selection.
A former safety, Bassa mostly served as a Mike linebacker during his time with the Ducks. His leadership and versatility should help him stick around the NFL, and improved consistency could eventually lead to a starting gig.
He lands in a great spot in Kansas City, although he may have to wait a bit to play a significant role. Nick Bolton is entrenched as the MLB, with Cam Jones serving as the backup. Perhaps Bassa could emerge as the main backup by the end of the 2025 campaign, but he’ll temporarily compete with Cole Christiansen and Shaun Bradley for third-string reps.
Rams Acquire No. 148, Select DT Ty Hamilton
The Rams are moving up and making their fourth selection of the 2025 draft. The team has acquired pick No. 148 from the Bears, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. In return, the Bears will receive picks No. 195 and a 2026 fourth-round pick, per Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network.
The Rams have used their new selection on Ohio State defensive tackle Ty Hamilton. This is now the 11th Buckeyes player to be selected in the 2025 draft, and Hamilton is the fourth Ohio State product to be selected on Day 3.
Hamilton came into his own over the past two years. He set career-highs across the board in 2024, finishing with 51 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. The six-foot-three, 299-pound defensive tackle is expected to immediately be a useful run stopper, although scouts wanted to see more out of his pass-rush ability.
The rookie will join a defensive line that added Poona Ford this offseason. With Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske also penciled in as starters, Hamilton will temporarily find himself competing with Desjuan Johnson and Tyler Davis for backup reps.
Patriots Acquire No. 137, Select DT Joshua Farmer
The Patriots are set to make their second selection of the day. The team has acquired No. 137 from the Seahawks, per Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal. In return, the Seahawks received No. 144 and No. 238.
After picking offensive players with their first four selections, the Patriots have started Day 3 with a pair of defensive players. New England used their new pick to select Florida State defensive tackle Joshua Farmer.
The defensive lineman put himself on the NFL map with a strong 2023 campaign, compiling five sacks en route to a second-team All-ACC nod. Farmer continued that production into 2024, finishing with 32 tackles, four sacks, and eight tackles for loss. The prospect has been lauded for his raw power, although there are questions about his ability to recognize impending blocks.
The Patriots put in work to improve their defensive line this offseason. Milton Williams was one of the team’s most high-profile additions, and the organization also added nose tackle Khyiris Tonga to pair with traditional defensive tackle Christian Barmore. Farmer will slide in behind that trio, with the rookie competing with Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and Eric Johnson for reps.