Minor NFL Transactions: 7/19/24
Here are Friday’s minor transactions:
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on active/NFI list: RB Jonathon Brooks
- Placed on active/PUP list: OLB Amare Barno, WR Jalen Coker, T Yosh Nijman, OLB D.J. Wonnum
Chicago Bears
- Placed on active/NFI list: TE Gerald Everett
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Rory Starkey, WR Jalen Wayne
- Waived (with injury designation): QB Alex McGough
New England Patriots
- Placed on active/NFI list: LB Jontrey Hunter
- Placed on active/PUP list: RB Terrell Jennings
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR Dee Williams
Brooks’ appearance on this list doesn’t come as much of a shock. After suffering a torn ACL as a Longhorn last November, he is not going to be cleared for the start of camp, though he can be activated at any time. His injury is considered a “non-football injury” because it occurred before his NFL career began, otherwise he would’ve been on the PUP. Wonnum’s presence on the PUP was also not a surprise as he deals with complications from his offseason quadriceps surgery.
Everett’s appearance, on the other hand, is a bit of a surprise. To date, no injuries have been reported this offseason on the veteran tight end, leaving a bit of a mystery as to the cause of his unavailability.
Williams, who was placed on the NFI list yesterday, lasted one day before passing his physical and getting activated off the injured list. As can tend to be the case, some situations this early can be more precautionary than a tell of something more serious.
Giants’ Offseason QB Pitch Highlighted Previous Backup Success
HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason continues to deliver nuggets of information and context that otherwise would not have been made available to the public. In the series’ most recent episode, we became privy to some details on the development of the Giants’ backup quarterback situation this offseason. 
One area that the series shed light on was the departure of backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor. The show displayed that both general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll showed confidence that Taylor would re-sign with the team, while beat reporters like Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post and Dan Dugger of The Athletic were both under the impression that Taylor had no interest in staying with New York.
The team had turned to Taylor to start for an injured Daniel Jones in Week 6 of the 2023 season but saw Taylor exit with a rib injury three weeks later. Taylor would eventually return around Week 14, but the Giants made the decision to stick with undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito, who had gone 3-1 in four starts filling in for Jones and Taylor. Two weeks later, DeVito was benched in a second straight losing effort as Taylor retook the reins for the remainder of the season.
Dunleavy claimed that Taylor was “very disheartened by how last season played out after his injury,” leading to the assumption that the veteran was not interested in returning. Duggan echoed this sentiment, saying that he “got the sense that (Taylor) was ready to move on after how last season unfolded.” Taylor eventually signed with the Jets, opting to serve as the primary backup for another starter who spent most of last season on injured reserve.
Following the loss of Taylor, the team explored a number of options to replace him, clearly seeing a need for quality with Jones’ injury history. The series showed that veteran names like Sam Darnold and Joe Flacco were floated around the building before the team ultimately landed on Drew Lock as their target.
A couple of months ago, we touched on a rumor that Jones’ injury history was part of the pitch that lured Lock to New York, with the team pointing at the success that former backups like Taylor and Mitch Trubisky have had finding contracts following their time with the Giants. That was seemingly confirmed in this week’s episode, showing that, whereas other teams had tried to sell Lock a potentially unrealistic chance to start, New York touted their history of getting backup passers back on their feet.
Regardless of how they got there, both parties appear to be in a good place now. Lock stands a better chance at seeing the field in New York (based on Jones’ injury history), and the Giants now roster one of the league’s most promising young backups as their QB2.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/17/24
Some roster movement today in minor transactions as several teams are starting to add players to early injured lists:
Chicago Bears
- Placed on active/NFI list: T Kiran Amegadjie
- Placed on active/PUP list: DT Jamree Kromah
Denver Broncos
- Placed on active/NFI list: RB Blake Watson
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on active/NFI list: S Kitan Oladapo
- Placed on active/PUP list: OL Donovan Jennings, TE Tucker Kraft, QB Alex McGough, T Zach Tom
Houston Texans
- Placed on active/NFI list: DE Dylan Horton
- Placed on active/PUP list: FB/TE Andrew Beck, LB Del’Shawn Phillips, CB D’Angelo Ross
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Jaxon Janke, DE Pheldarius Payne
- Waived (with non-football injury designation): G LaDarius Henderson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Kyle Sheets
- Placed on active/NFI list: DE BJ Thompson
- Placed on active/PUP list: DT Derrick Nnadi, DE Charles Omenihu, G Joe Thuney, CB Jaylen Watson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on active/NFI list: LB Junior Colson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Marcus Simms
There was good news on the Horton front back in May as it was announced that the Texans defender had completed his final treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma. As a rookie out of TCU, Horton sat out the final seven games of the 2023 season on the non-football illness list. As he continues to work his way back to the field, it appears he’ll start the summer on the list, as well.
Thompson’s situation in Kansas City also received some good news of late. After suffering a seizure that caused him to go into cardiac arrest in early-June, the Chiefs defender continues to make progress towards a return. He’ll start the summer on the non-football injury list but will continue to work his way back as he continues with medical procedures, per Nate Taylor of The Athletic.
Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill “Content” With Contract Situation
Tyreek Hill has been considered one of the top wide receivers in the game for several years now, making his case for the top spot even stronger by leading the league in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last year despite missing a game. While he’s no longer paid like the top wide receiver in the NFL, Hill made it clear in a recent appearance on ESPN, posted to X by Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald, that he’s more focused on team accomplishments than a new deal. 
When he arrived in Miami after six years in Kansas City, Hill became paid like the top receiver in the league. Since then, players like Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, and Amon-Ra St. Brown have reset the market at the wide receiver position. Believing that he remains a better wide receiver that anyone else in the league, Hill took aim at a new contract to accurately reflect his dominance.
The situation was a bit strange as Hill still has three years remaining on his current contract before he is set to hit free agency. This puts the Dolphins in a tough situation wherein they either set a dangerous precedent by entertaining contract negotiations with a player over whom they have three years of team control or allow Hill to continue being paid less than receivers he outperforms.
While an uncomfortable situation, the prospect of a new deal provides an opportunity for Miami, as well. They are currently set to enter the 2024 season with Hill representing the ninth-highest cap hit for an offensive player in the NFL. While a new contract will likely result in more money committed to Hill than before, it should offer the team an opportunity to shuffle around some numbers to lessen his cap impact in the coming seasons, during which they will need to address the contracts of such players as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
In his recent appearance on ESPN, Hill pumped the brakes on any pressure being put on his ball club, letting his hosts know that an extension is sure to come in due time. “I’m just very, like, glad, the position that I’m in now, man,” Hill said. “The reason I say that is: I know when it’s time for me to get a deal, the Miami Dolphins will do what’s right.
“I’m very content with where I’m at right now,” he continued. “My mindset and my focus right now is making sure that I’m able to help this team win it all, win the Super Bowl, and I’m real content with that. I’m going into year nine now. Money is the least of our worries right now. Like the biggest thing right now is to be able to grab onto something that we can hold onto the rest of our lives as a brotherhood, as a fan base, as an organization. If we’re able to do that, I’ll be happy.
“The contract, it’ll come. Whenever it comes, I’ll be happy,” Hill concluded. Hill made it clear that he wants Tagovailoa to get paid, as well, before expressing his confidence that a future deal for him would eventually come. As much as conversation has been focused on his desire for more money, Hill set the record straight today that his focus is on his team.
Latest On Eagles’ RG Position Battle
With the retirement of long-time center Jason Kelce, the Eagles now have an open starting spot to fill on the offensive line. While Kelce is vacating the center spot, Cam Jurgens was drafted out of Nebraska back in 2022 with the sole purpose of eventually replacing Kelce in that middle role. In order to play center, though, Jurgens will need to move over from last year’s starting right guard role, opening up a starting position at that spot.
Jurgens was too talented to keep off the field for too long, and after Isaac Seumalo departed for Pittsburgh following Jurgens’ rookie year, the former Cornhusker was asked to step into Seumalo’s starting job at right guard. Jurgens did miss six games in 2023, but in those games, he was replaced by Sua Opeta, who departed for Tampa Bay in free agency.
Philadelphia already has a pretty good idea of who will be filling the vacant role, though the competition remains “open” for now. The team drafted Tyler Steen in the third round out of Alabama last year with the belief that he may have been able to push Jurgens for the starting right guard job as a rookie. While Steen did start one game at the position in his first season, it was as an injury replacement for Opeta, who was already filling in for Jurgens. With Opeta gone and Jurgens sliding further inside, Steen seems the obvious choice for the job now. According to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports, the Eagles “even moved his locker into the starting right guard spot in the locker room” to potentially indicate that the job is his to lose.
One player he could potentially lose it to is veteran tackle Mekhi Becton. Once seen as a sure left tackle in the sport, the former first-round pick was signed by Philadelphia this offseason with the intention that he would serve as a swing tackle. Since then, Becton has been utilized consistently throughout the spring at right tackle and left guard. The Eagles tend to like big guards, and while Steen stands at 6-foot-6, 321 pounds, Becton stands over him at 6-foot-7, 363 pounds. Should Becton’s versatility continue to expand, Steen may find a challenge in winning the starting job.
The other veterans on the interior line include Matt Hennessy and Max Scharping. Both players have extensive experience as starters. Hennessy has mostly been a center but does have guard experience, as well. He’s been working as the second-team right guard for most of the spring. Scharping has 33 starts to his name but hasn’t made a regular season start since the 2021 season.
The team also drafted two rookies, but neither seem to be serious contenders to challenge Steen. Trevor Keegan, a fifth-round pick out of Michigan, made all of his starts on the left side of the line in college. Making the jump to the NFL is one thing, but throwing in a switch from one side of the line to the other is another thing altogether. Dylan McMahon was the other selection, getting taken in the sixth-round out of NC State. McMahon seems to be on a center-only track right now and should slot in behind Hennessy as the third center on the depth chart as a rookie.
The job isn’t Steen’s for sure, right now, but it sure seems like a lot would need to happen in order for him to lose his hold on the gig. Steen would likely need to struggle through training camp, and one of the others would need to step up and seize the role themselves. It’s not impossible for someone else to take it, but it appears to be Steen’s job to lose at the moment.
Vikings WR Jordan Addison Arrested For DUI
The Vikings received some unwelcome news today as Luca Evans of the O.C. Register reports that wide receiver Jordan Addison has been arrested near Los Angeles International Airport under suspicion of driving under the influence. With a history of reckless driving, it’s likely that Addison will be forced to miss some time this season. 
Addison, the Vikings’ top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, was back in Los Angeles this weekend, where he spent the final season of his collegiate career after two years at Pittsburgh. Late on Friday night, officers responded to reports of “a white Rolls-Royce blocking the number one lane of the freeway.” Addison, the driver of that vehicle, was reportedly found sleeping behind the wheel when officers arrived at the scene. The 22-year-old was arrested at approximately 11:36 p.m. and released two hours later, at 1:36 a.m. on Saturday
This arrest comes almost exactly a year after Addison was cited for speed and reckless driving after being pulled over for driving 140 MPH on a Minnesota freeway in a Lamborghini Uus. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, Addison agreed to plead guilty in 2023 to a misdemeanor speeding charge and pay $686 in fines and fees, while Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reminds us that Addison faced no discipline from the league for the incident last year.
The Vikings released a statement on the matter, saying, “We are aware of Jordan Addison‘s arrest this past Friday and are currently gathering more information regarding the incident.”
There’s still a chance, based on the wording of the reports, that Addison was not, in fact, under the influence, as the initial reports allege. Reports that he was arrested “on suspicion of DUI” and his relatively quick release make it seem as though there is a current lack of evidence to definitively lay that charge on Addison. After getting off with a slap on the wrist a year ago, there’s a possibility Addison may walk away from this situation scot-free yet again.
If he does face league discipline this time around, in the form of a suspension, a position of strength for the Vikings will quickly turn into a point of concern. Without Addison, the next top returning receivers from the room behind Justin Jefferson would be Brandon Powell (29 receptions-324 yards-one touchdown in 2023) and Jalen Nailor (3-29-0). The team also rosters Trent Sherfield, but he has been inconsistent over his six-year career, totaling 30 catches for 417 yards and two touchdowns in a 2022 campaign with the Dolphins but only amassing 48 receptions for 513 yards and three touchdowns in his five other years in the NFL. Last season with the Bills, Sherfield had 11 catches for 86 yards and a touchdown.
Time will tell what the future holds for Addison and the Vikings. Even if Addison finds a way to avoid punishment for this incident, a troubling trend is emerging for the promising, young receiver.
49ers Expecting To Start Season Without LB Dre Greenlaw
49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw has known for a while that he faces long odds of returning from injury in time for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. After suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl, Greenlaw has been working his way back to the field slowly. As the regular season approaches, though, it’s becoming more and more clear that San Francisco will need to look elsewhere to start the year. 
According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, the 49ers have been operating under the assumption that they’ll be starting the year without Greenlaw since they entered the offseason. Initially, the team made moves to acquire Eric Kendricks, planning to utilize him in that weakside linebacker role as Greenlaw continued to recover. Kendricks opted instead to sign with the Cowboys, changing his mind after coming to an agreement with San Francisco.
With Kendricks out, the Niners signed recent Packers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. Campbell has spent most of his career as one of two inside linebackers in 3-4 defensive fronts, so he’ll face a slight adjustment in San Francisco’s base 4-3 scheme. The consensus after the spring is that Campbell will start off the year in Greenlaw’s weakside linebacker position until Greenlaw is able to come off of the injured list (likely the physically unable to perform list), then Campbell will transition to the strongside role.
To fill that strongside role until Campbell comes over, San Francisco has several options. There are three veterans — Zeke Turner, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and Curtis Robinson — on the roster, but all three have established themselves as special teamers over the past few years, though Turner and Flannigan-Fowles do have a few starts under their belt. Three young, late-round draft picks make up the rest of the room. Last year’s seventh-round pick Jalen Graham saw extremely reserved time last season, while this year’s seventh-round rookie Tatum Bethune may not be asked to step into that big of a role this quickly.
Last year’s sixth-round pick out of TCU, Dee Winters, though, has been tabbed by starting middle linebacker Fred Warner as a player to watch. Though Winters played in 15 games last season, he played sparingly on the defense. This spring, though, Warner called out Winters as having “the best (organized team activities) out of anybody on the team.”
If Winters continues to be a strong contributor throughout training camp, he may end up getting elevated from special teamer to starter to open the year. Winters may be able to provide the 49ers with the temporary bandage they need to cover for the absence of Greenlaw until he returns from a probable PUP stint. If not, they may need to explore more veteran options on the free agent market or rely upon a veteran of their own.
Steelers UDFA Looking To Fill In For Cameron Sutton
The Steelers defense was dealt a blow when the league leveled an eight-game suspension on presumed starting nickelback Cameron Sutton. With Sutton out for just under half of the season, finding someone else to step in becomes crucial to the secondary. During a deep dive into the defense, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly looked into some likely options to start the season as the team’s top slot cornerback. 
After six years in Pittsburgh, Sutton was not a part of the team’s defense in 2023 after signing a three-year deal to head to Detroit. Shortly after his first season with the Lions, though, an arrest warrant was issued for Sutton as he faced a charge of domestic battery by strangulation. The next day, the Lions cut ties with Sutton. Sutton met with his former team a little over a month later, eventually signing with the Steelers back in June on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.
The Steelers likely took Sutton on knowing that he’d be suspended by the league for some period of time. Until he can make his reappearance for Pittsburgh in Week 10, though, the Steelers will need to fill his role.
To that purpose, the team is looking mainly in two directions. One option is veteran cornerback Josiah Scott, who has spent the last three years with the Eagles after getting traded by the Jaguars following his rookie season. Scott isn’t unfamiliar with Pittsburgh, spending two weeks on the practice squad last year before returning to Philadelphia. In the two seasons before bouncing around last year, Scott started four of 29 game appearances for the Eagles. Kaboly notes that Scott was running as the first-team nickelback early in the spring before the team added Sutton.
Another player has appeared as an under the radar option to take over the starting job, though. Undrafted rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop has emerged as a new favorite for the job, according to Kaboly. Starting his collegiate career at Western Kentucky, Bishop didn’t start a game for the Hilltoppers until getting a single start in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.
He became a full-time starter as a fourth-year redshirt sophomore, leading the team with three interceptions. Bishop transferred to Minnesota the following year, playing in every game for the Golden Gophers. He transferred one more time for his final season of eligibility in order to be a full-time starter at West Virginia. With the Mountaineers, Bishop led the nation with an incredible 20 pass breakups and led his team with four interceptions, earning both first- and second-team All-American honors and first-team All-Big 12 honors.
Bishop’s success has continued so far in his NFL career. Signing with the Steelers after surprisingly going undrafted, Bishop has made an impact early on in the offseason. He seemed to be a candidate to earn a roster spot as an undrafted rookie with lots of playing time early into organized team activities, but Kaboly notes that Bishop even nabbed the starting role as the team concluded mandatory minicamp.
With Sutton out for the first half of the season, things are shaping up to give Bishop an opportunity to make a big impact as an undrafted rookie in 2024. He’s looking likely to have a guaranteed roster spot right now, but a good training camp could book a starting job for Bishop to start the year.
Latest On Packers’ Offensive Line
The Packers are set to return four of five from their starting offensive line from last year. Only right guard Jon Runyan departed in free agency, signing with the Giants in the offseason. With that kind of returning experience, one might not expect many changes to occur, but that may not be the case in Green Bay this summer as the team has remained active in adding to the position group. 
Taking a look at the returning four starters, we’ll start at center with Josh Myers. After missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury, Myers has bounced back reliably, starting all 17 games in each of the last two years. While the best ability is availability, Myers hasn’t shined during his rookie contract, never ranking higher than the 26th-best at his position, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Heading into a contract year, Myers will need to show he deserves a second contract in the NFL
Returning at left guard is Elgton Jenkins, who has impressed at times in recent years but had a bit of a down season in 2023. After Pro Bowl seasons in 2020 and 2021, Jenkins rankied just 28th out of 77 players at the position in 2023. PFF did grant him the league’s seventh-highest pass blocking grade last year, though, an area in which he routinely excels. He has had a little trouble staying on the field as of late, missing at least two games in each of the past three years, including nine missed games with a torn ACL in 2021.
At tackle, the team returns both starters in Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom. A seventh-round pick in 2022 out of Penn State, Walker took over the starting left tackle job for Yosh Nijman in place of an injured David Bakhtiari in Week 2 of last season and only gave the job up for a short, injured period. In his first season as a starter, Walker performed admirably during his 15 starts. A fourth-round pick in the same draft out of Wake Forest, Tom has been a pleasant surprise in Green Bay at right tackle. After stepping into a starting role for five games in his rookie season, Tom became a full-time starter last year and PFF rewarded his efforts by grading him as the 15th-best tackle in the NFL. His run blocking grade was the sixth-best in the league.
While Walker was an admirable replacement for Bakhtiari in a pinch, the Packers made two moves that indicate they may be entertaining an upgrade at the position, signing veteran free agent Andre Dillard and drafting Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan in the first round of this year’s draft. A former first-round pick himself out of Washington State, Dillard failed to live up to his draft stock in four years between the Eagles and Titans. After only nine starts in three years in Philadelphia, Dillard started a career-high 10 games for Tennessee last year. Showing improvement in a new city last season, perhaps another change of scenery could benefit Dillard, but if he can’t unseat Walker, he at least serves as a valuable backup swing tackle with starting experience after the departure of Nijman in free agency.
Though Morgan played solely at left tackle in his career with the Wildcats, many saw him projecting better at guard during the pre-draft process. Green Bay saw what most others did and tried him out at every position except center during the spring, according to Packers editor Mike Spofford. Morgan could be battling for multiple starting jobs depending on what the team needs him to do. Obviously, with left tackle experience, Morgan could offer an improvement to what Walker provides as a starter, though the absence of Tom throughout organized team activities and minicamp due to a torn pectoral muscle could mean Morgan gets more reps on the right side. Tom is due back for training camp, though it’s unclear how healthy he’ll be.
Morgan could also be an option to replace Runyan at right guard, though he’ll be competing with yet another 2022 draft pick. Former third-rounder Sean Rhyan out of UCLA got a bit of action last year after seeing little utilization in his rookie season. Rhyan was essentially splitting time with Runyan at the end of last year, so while he has zero starts to his name, he does have first-team experience. In the case that neither player steps up, the team can fall back onto Royce Newman, who started as a rookie in 2021 before taking lesser roles the last two years.
What we’re seeing in Green Bay is a healthy situation. Plenty of experienced starters return in 2024 and a few candidates like Morgan, Dillard, and Rhyan provide potential improvements and strong competition to either replace Runyan or beat out a returning starter. Myers, perhaps a weak point on the line, should get one more opportunity to prove himself, as well. Offensive line coach Luke Butkus has a lot of strong options as the team nears a return for camp.
Latest On Browns’ Interior OL Depth
The Browns have been set at guard for the last five years. Joel Bitonio has held down a starting job in Cleveland since getting drafted in 2014, making the Pro Bowl in each of the last six seasons and earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2021 and 2022. Wyatt Teller has joined Bitonio as a starter since being traded from Buffalo in 2019 and has joined Bitonio in the last three Pro Bowls. The team’s depth behind the two is set to look a little different in 2024, though. 
The need for depth hasn’t been critical during the tenure of Bitonio and Teller. Bitonio missed 17 games back in his second and third seasons but didn’t miss any games after that until this past season. Teller has only missed two games in the past three years but hasn’t quite shown the durability of Bitonio in a shorter career. Still, with Bitonio heading into his 11th season in which he’ll turn 33, it makes sense to have an eye on the future.
While Michael Dunn has been a serviceable injury replacement, starting two games in each of the last three years, he doesn’t provide much upside as the future starter at the position. For that reason, the Browns made two key additions to the roster this offseason, signing former Seahawks starter Germain Ifedi and drafting Michigan rookie Zak Zinter in the third round of this year’s draft.
The preferred option here is likely Zinter, who’s had an excellent camp, according to Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. Cleveland got an excellent value on Zinter after the former Wolverine needed to have a steel rod placed in his leg, preventing him from working out for teams throughout the pre-draft process. He was able to participate fully in organized team activities and minicamp and showed enough to have the Browns excited about his potential to eventually replace Bitonio or Teller as a top guard.
Without the opportunity to start this year, Zinter should still have the chance to push Dunn for the primary backup role at guard. If, for any reason, Zinter isn’t quite ready to step into that role, Cleveland has Dunn and an experienced starter in Ifedi to hold down the role until he is.