Minor NFL Transactions: 4/29/25
Tuesday’s minor transactions from across the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: G Matthew Jones, TE Bernhard Seikovits
Detroit Lions
- Waived (failed physical designation): WR Antoine Green
Green Bay Packers
- Signed ERFA tenders: WR Bo Melton, P Daniel Whelan, RB Emanuel Wilson
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers (from Patriots): C Jake Andrews
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Received roster exemption (international player): WR Louis Rees-Zammit
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: DT Ryder Anderson
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: LB Michael Dowell, QB Jaren Hall, C Mike Novitsky, OLB Kenneth Odumegwu
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: WR Marquez Callaway, CB Dallis Flowers, OLB Daniel Grzesiak, WR Tanner Knue
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Patriots): LB Titus Leo, S Mark Perry
- Waived: G Arlington Hambright, T Isaiah Prince
A fifth-round pick out of BYU, Hall was part of a three-quarterback solutions to a season-ending Kirk Cousins injury in 2023. Alongside Nick Mullens and Joshua Dobbs, Hall started two of three game appearances for Minnesota as a rookie, only attempting 20 passes in that time. After trading for Sam Howell to back up J.J. McCarthy, in addition to retaining Brett Rypien and signing undrafted Golden Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer, Hall became the odd man out.
Saints Sign 11 UDFA Rookies
The Saints drafted nine players this weekend, and they’ll brings their rookie class to 20 with their undrafted free agent crop. The 11 UDFAs joining the rookie group are:
- Dayls Beanum, CB (South Dakota State)
- James Burnip, P (Alabama)
- Jasheen Davis, OLB (Wake Forest)
- Elliott Davison, S (UTSA)
- Moochie Dixon, WR (SMU)
- Easton Kilty, T (Kansas State)
- Tyreem Powell, LB (Rutgers)
- Omari Thomas, DE (Tennessee)
- Torriccelli Simpkins III, G (South Carolina)
- Chris Tyree, WR (Virginia)
- Marcus Yarns, RB (Delaware)
The Saints’ most prominent signing is Yarns, a two-year starter with breakaway speed that helped him rack up 6.4 yards per carry and 34 total touchdowns in his career. He was expected to be a late-Day 3 pick, but his smaller frame may have dropped him out of the draft. He doesn’t play with the physicality to make up for his size, which comes with durability concerns after he missed two games during the 2024 season. However, his potential as a home-run hitter and natural receiving abilities will give him a chance to make the 53-man roster in the Saints’ thin running back room.
After four strong seasons at Alabama, Burnip is looking to continue the trend of Australian-born punters finding success in the NFL. He averaged 45.4 yards per punt in 2024, good for fourth in the SEC and ninth in the nation, while opposing returners averaged a national-low of 1.00 yard per return against the Crimson Tide. Burnip should have a good chance of winning the Saints’ punting job as a rookie.
Simpkins emerged as one of the best offensive linemen in the FCS over his 35 games at North Carolina Central –31 at center, four at right guard – before transferring to South Carolina to cut his teeth against SEC-level competition. He earned a team captaincy in his first year with the Gamecocks and held up well at right guard across his 13 starts in 2024, culminating in a third-team All-SEC selection.
Kilty also started his career in the FCS with starts at right guard, right tackle, and left tackle for North Dakota State. He transferred to Kansas State in 2024 and started 13 games at left tackle with second-team All-Big 12 honors. His 32-inch arms may limit him at tackle in the NFL, but offensive line coaches will appreciate his versatility.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this story.
Steelers Announce 7 UDFA Signings
After drafting seven rookies this weekend, the Steelers double their rookie class with their undrafted free agent signings. Here are the seven additions to the team’s rookie class:
- Sebastian Castro, S (Iowa)
- J.J. Galbreath, TE (South Dakota)
- Ben Sauls, K (Pittsburgh)
- Roc Taylor, WR (Memphis)
- DJ Thomas-Jones, FB (South Alabama)
- Aiden Williams, G (Minnesota-Duluth)
- Ke’Shawn Williams, WR (Indiana)
A two-year starter for the Tigers, Taylor had a productive last two seasons, catching 135 balls for 2,053 yards and six touchdowns, but he had a bit of an issue with nine drops over that period.
Williams spent six seasons in Duluth, not making an appearance until his third year after redshirting and sitting out the COVID-19 2020 season. In 2022, he took over the starting left tackle position for the Bulldogs, starting 32 games over the next three seasons and earning second-team All-NSIC honors in 2022 and 2023 and first-team honors in 2024.
Castro had some Day 3 buzz, likely due to a stellar 2023 campaign in which he had 11 passes defensed, three interceptions, and eight tackles for loss. His 2024 season was pretty disappointing, though, as his passes defensed dropped to two and his interceptions dropped to one while he allowed five touchdowns in coverage.
Lastly, Sauls gets to stay in his home stadium, after going 52-64 on field goal attempts in the last three years with the Panthers. The left-footed kicker had a long this season of 58 yards. With Chris Boswell under contract for another two years, though, and having just led the NFL with 41 converted field goals (only missing three attempts — as many as he had in 2023, as well), Sauls will likely spend the preseason auditioning for other teams who may need a kicker in 2024.
Vikings Sign 19 UDFAs
The Vikings owned the NFL’s smallest draft class with only five selections this year, so naturally, they added a good amount of undrafted free agents to form a 24-man rookie class. Here are the 19 UDFAs the team signed:
- Tyler Batty, OLB (BYU)
- Silas Bolden, WR (Texas)
- Max Brosmer, QB (Minnesota)(post)
- Logan Brown, T (Kansas)
- Chaz Chambliss, OLB (Georgia)
- Oscar Chapman, P (Auburn)
- Zeke Correll, C (NC State)
- Dontae Fleming, WR (Tulane)
- Keenan Garber, CB (Kansas State)
- Joe Huber, G (Wisconsin)
- Austin Keys, LB (Auburn)
- Robert Lewis, WR (Auburn)
- Dorian Mausi, LB (Auburn)
- Bryson Nesbit, TE (North Carolina)
- Mishael Powell, S (Miami)
- Tre Stewart, RB (Jacksonville State)
- Zemaiah Vaughn, CB (Utah)
- Alex Williams, DE (Middle Tennessee State)
- Ben Yurosek, TE (Georgia)
An undersized runner, Stewart had an incredible year for the Gamecocks. In fact, with 1,678 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns in 2024, Stewart joined top ten pick Ashton Jeanty as the only two FBS backs with over 1,600 yards and 25 scores on the ground.
After two strong years at Oregon State, Bolden wasn’t very productive as a receiver for the Longhorns. He was extremely productive, though, as a punt returner, notching 315 yards on 30 returns and scoring a touchdown. His return abilities netted him $205K in guaranteed money on his UDFA contract, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Brown is a surprising get post-draft, considering he was projected to be an early-Day 3 selection. Likely a significant injury history kept him available to this point. Huber was another likely Day 3 selection. He started 13 games at right tackle at Cincinnati before transferring and shifting inside. He started as left guard in 2023 and right guard in 2024 for the Badgers. Despite only playing offensive line since 2019, Huber’s versatility was able to net him $210K guaranteed on his UDFA deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.
Chambliss was impressive in his final season at Georgia with 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss, but his route to a 53-man roster will likely have to come through special teams contributions. Impressive length and production should give Vaughn a chance at the opening day roster. In five years at Utah (one redshirt season), Vaughn tallied 27 passes defensed, three interceptions, three sacks, and 14.0 tackles for loss.
Chargers Announce 18 UDFA Signings
After adding nine players throughout this weekend’s draft, the Chargers still had plenty of room for rookie additions. Los Angeles announced their 18-man undrafted free agent signing class shortly after the event closed, disclosing these players as signees:
- TeRah Edwards, DT (Illinois)
- Josh Fuga, DT (Virginia Tech)
- Luke Grimm, WR (Kansas)
- Kylan Guidry, OLB (Western Kentucky)
- Nash Jones, G (Texas State)
- Jaylen Jones, S (Virginia Tech)
- Josh Kaltenberger, C (Maryland)
- Stevo Klotz, TE (Iowa State)
- Jordan Oladokun, CB (Bowling Green State)
- Myles Purchase, CB (Iowa State)
- Garmon Randolph, OLB (Baylor)
- Nikko Reed, CB (Oregon)
- Eric Rogers, CB (Rutgers)
- Raheim Sanders, RB (South Carolina)
- Corey Stewart, T (Purdue)
- DJ Uiagalelei, QB (Florida State)
- Savion Washington, T (Syracuse)
- Marlowe Wax, LB (Syracuse)
After slightly favoring offense (five players to four on defense) during the draft, Los Angeles evens things out by favoring the defense (10:8) in the undrafted class, giving them 13 offensive rookies and 14 defensive rookies in 2025.
Once heralded as the quarterback of the future set to take over the Clemson program after Trevor Lawrence, Uiagalelei ends up in Los Angeles after stops with Oregon State and the Seminoles. Sanders was expected to be a late-Day 3 selection. Sanders rushed for 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022 for Arkansas before injuries limited him in 2023. He transferred to South Carolina and tallied 881 yards and 11 scores on the ground, adding 316 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air.
The team loaded up on flyers in the secondary this year. After drafting safeties with each of their last two picks, the Chargers added one more in free agency and signed four undrafted cornerbacks. Reed is maybe the most capable of the group. One of Deion Sanders‘ cast-outs at Colorado, Reed transferred to Oregon for two strong years, collecting 26 passes defensed and five interceptions in his four years of college. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Reed’s UDFA contract includes $100K of base salary guaranteed plus a $15K signing bonus.
Browns Trade Up To No. 144 For QB Shedeur Sanders
The slide finally stops here. The Browns have traded up with the Seahawks to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders at No. 144 overall. In exchange for the pick that lands the Buffaloes passer, Seattle collects Nos. 166 and 192. 
[RELATED: Prospect Profile: Shedeur Sanders]
The Browns had acquired pick No. 166, a fifth-rounder, from the Texans, who in turn had received it from Buffalo in the Stefon Diggs trade. The 192nd pick was sent to Cleveland by the Bears in exchange for defensive tackle Chris Williams, and they had received it originally from Miami in exchange for Chase Claypool.
Sanders has weathered one of the least-anticipated Draft Day slides in NFL history. At one point projected to be in competition with Cam Ward for the No. 1 overall pick, Sanders slowly saw his draft stock begin to fall throughout the pre-draft process. As scouts and analysts really dove into the 23-year-old’s tape, it became apparent that he wasn’t the top quarterback in the class and that he perhaps was not second-best. As it turns out, he is the sixth passer to come off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft, 144 picks into the event and six picks into the fifth-round. Some have attributed a perceived lack of maturity and the resulting attitude as a factor that drove down Sanders’ stock, in addition to a questionable skillset.
As to why the Browns chose to select him after this historic slide, Zac Jackson of The Athletic provided a quote from general manager Andrew Berry. Berry told the media that he couldn’t “speak to why the market priced him the way it did,” saying, “We had our own internal evaluation…once it got to a price we felt was a pretty steep discount, it just made sense.”
Now that he’s headed to Cleveland, Sanders’ slide is strictly a thing of the past. Nobody will care where he got drafted if he can make a serious impact for the Browns. His competition begins with fellow rookie, and third-round selection out of Oregon, Dillon Gabriel. You don’t have to look back too far to find the last team to draft two quarterbacks in the same draft, as the Patriots did so last year with Drake Maye and Joe Milton. The Browns are the first team in the common draft era, though, to take two quarterbacks (Gabriel and Sanders) and two running backs (Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins and Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson) in the first five rounds of a single draft.
The Browns now have five quarterbacks on their roster competing for, maybe, three spots. Expected starter Deshaun Watson suffered a second tear of his Achilles tendon in January and could be unavailable for the entire 2025 NFL season. Cleveland acquired two former starters and recent backups this offseason, signing veteran Joe Flacco and trading for 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett, and now Gabriel and Sanders join the fold. Flacco obviously has experience with the current staff after his 2023 campaign with the team, after which he won Comeback Player of the Year. Pickett has shown value as he’s been traded around since being drafted by the Steelers three years ago, but after failing to establish himself as a starter, he seems destined to work as an experienced backup.
There are a couple of ways the roster could play out in Cleveland. If Watson is healthy enough to play, we’ll likely see Flacco and Pickett as the prime competitors for the starting job, with the loser of the battle likely taking on QB2 duties. If Pickett wins the starting gig, Flacco would surely outrank both Gabriel and Sanders as the primary backup. If Flacco wins, though, I could see Gabriel and Sanders being given an opportunity to supplant Pickett for the primary role. Should one of the rookies do so, expect Pickett to be up for his third trade within the course of his rookie contract.
If Pickett can secure the QB2 role (behind Flacco), though, the battle between Gabriel and Sanders becomes critical for roster spots, and given his draft position, it appears the staff already has a slight preference towards Gabriel. With Watson presumably on an injured list, the Browns could opt to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, allowing them to retain the loser of the QB3-battle on the practice squad. If they decide to only keep two quarterbacks on the roster, though, provided Pickett does not get traded, Gabriel and Sanders could see themselves struggling to make the team as a rookie.
49ers Take QB Kurtis Rourke In Seventh Round
We know the 49ers’ luck with seventh-round passers. They add another one today, drafting Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke at No. 227 overall. Rourke is the younger brother of fellow Canadian passer Nathan Rourke, who is currently playing in the Canadian Football League after failing to make a 53-man roster in the NFL in 2024. 
Rourke started one year for the Hoosiers after five seasons at Ohio. Even with the upgrade in competition, Rourke delivered his best statistical season to date recording career highs in completion percentage (69.4) and passing touchdowns (29) while throwing for 3,042 yards and only five interceptions. Rourke did display some mobility with the Bobcats, as well, churning out 832 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground before transferring to Indiana.
Rourke has an ideal, big-bodied frame and a natural throwing motion. He throws with pace and has a deep ball with excellent timing and touch. He’s been tenacious in his career, as well, starting all but one game for the Hoosiers in 2024 despite multiple injuries limiting him in prior seasons.
In San Francisco, Rourke will compete with last year’s undrafted rookie Tanner Mordecai for a QB3 role behind Brock Purdy — famously also a seventh-round pick — and Mac Jones. Despite his lack of acclaim coming into the draft, it’s worth keeping an eye on Rourke as the 49ers have a tendency for striking gold with their backup passers.
Raiders Add Two FCS Arms To QBs Room
The Raiders have seemingly moved on from Aidan O’Connell as a starter, reuniting Geno Smith with his former head coach, Pete Carroll. A pair of possibilities have been added to the mix, though, as Las Vegas has used pick Nos. 213 and 215 to draft Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott and North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller, respectively.
Mellott was selected first, but Miller stands to have more impact potential as a quarterback. Over five years in Fargo, Miller started 56 of 67 contests, earning the starting role partway through his sophomore year. Playing the final eight games of the 2021 season, Miller helped the Bison win the FCS championship game, taking them back to a national title in 2023, as well. His senior saw him complete 73.5 percent of his passes for 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He’s also a threat as a rusher, totaling 1,821 yards and 40 touchdowns on the ground in his three full years as a starter.
Mellott’s career for the Bobcats was similar. After redshirting in 2020, he took over the starting job as a redshirt freshman just prior to the start of the playoffs. He became a full-time starter the following season, but like Miller, Mellott’s best numbers as a passer didn’t come till his final year, when he won the Walter Payton Award — the FCS equivalent to a Heisman Trophy. In 2024, Mellott threw for 31 touchdowns (his previous season high was 10) with only two interceptions. For his career, he threw 55 touchdowns to only eight interceptions in 49 games. Mellott was arguably most productive as a rusher in his career, surpassing 1,000 yards rushing in both seasons that saw him start the full year. For his career, he totaled 3,517 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns on the ground.
The Raiders are obviously taking some flyers here on two talented FCS arms (and legs). The team currently rosters Smith as QB1, O’Connell as QB2, and Carter Bradley, an undrafted rookie from last year, as QB3. Both athletic passers will compete with Bradley and each other as they jockey for a roster spot. Mellott may even have an additional route to a roster spot as some scouts and analysts projected him for a transition to wide receiver at the next level.
Lions Trade Up To No. 171 For G Miles Frazier
The Lions have traded up, exchanging places with the Patriots, in order to select LSU guard Miles Frazier. In order to acquire the pick, Detroit sent pick Nos. 182 and 228 to New England.
The Lions gained access to the 182nd pick, an early-sixth-rounder, from the Jaguars. The 228th pick, a seventh-rounder, was acquired from Dallas in a package that allowed Detroit to select cornerback Terrion Arnold last year.
It’s a bit shocking to see Frazier come off the board in the fifth round. The 23-year-old was projected to be a Day 2 pick after three years starting in Baton Rouge (and a year starting at FIU before that). Frazier played all over the offensive line in college, starting 28 games at right guard, 12 games at left tackle, nine games at left guard, and two games at right tackle. That kind of versatility made Frazier the 61st-best prospect in NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah‘s rankings.
Frazier is a mauler in the run game who can drive defenders backwards and refuses to release his blocks. He doesn’t do too much exceptionally in pass protection, which may have hurt his stock here. He struggles to move laterally in order to cover quick gap rushers, and when he does recognize the rush, his feet can get caught in quicksand, leaving him lunging off balance.
Guard was a perceived weakness in Detroit, and they already added a potential starter in the second round with Georgia’s Tate Ratledge. Graham Glasgow is slotted in at left guard, and despite a 2024 step back, he has proven reliable in the past. The other spot, vacated by Kevin Zeitler‘s departure in free agency, is up for competition between Kayode Awosika, Netane Muti, and Christian Mahogany, at the moment. Awosika started two games for the team last year, and Muti has logged only four starts in a five-year career; Mahogany flashed promising form in his one start and across limited backup time as a rookie last season. Frazier adds some depth, where Ratledge provides starting potential.
Jets Trade Up To No. 130 To Pick S Malachi Moore
The Jets have swapped picks with the Eagles, moving up to pick No. 130 in the fourth round to select Alabama safety Malachi Moore. Philadelphia will receive pick Nos. 145 and 207 in the exchange.
The picks heading to the City of Brotherly Love are New York’s original fifth-round selection and a sixth-round pick the team acquired in the trade sending wide receiver Mecole Hardman back to Kansas City in 2023, after he had signed with the Jets as a free agent. While Hardman proved ineffectual in New York, his signing shows some worth today as it allows the team to trade up for Moore.
While Moore lacks ideal size and weight, the former member of the Crimson Tide plays much bigger than his frame suggests. Moore loves to lay the boom, though he can draw the occasional penalty as a result. Moore’s competitive motor helped him to overcome a lack of elite speed traits to grade out extremely favorably in pass coverage, per Pro Football Focus, in 2024. He had a couple pedestrian seasons after losing his grip on the starting role following a strong true freshman year, in which he notched nine passes defensed and three interceptions. As a COVID fifth-year senior, Moore had a resurgent campaign with 10 passes defensed, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
The team signed former Jaguars safety Andre Cisco in free agency to likely start alongside Tony Adams in the defensive backfield. After a down year for Cisco, though, Moore adds some competitive depth at the position and could develop into an impact player in the right hands. Until he proves he’s ready for that, his extensive special teams experience at Alabama will be extremely useful in New York.