Patriots’ Hunter Henry To Miss Time?
Patriots tight end Hunter Henry is expected to miss “a couple of weeks” as he nurses a shoulder injury (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Fortunately, Schefter hears it’s not especially serious, so Henry hopes to be ready in time for Week 1. 
[RELATED: Patriots’ McMillan Tears ACL]
Henry inked a three-year, $37.5MM deal with the Patriots in March. The pact included $25MM in full guarantees, proof that the Pats are confident in his long-term health. However, if he misses time, the Patriots still have fellow newcomer Jonnu Smith to lead the way.
Henry missed the entire 2018 campaign with a torn ACL. He’s played at least 12 games in his other four seasons, he also never played a full 16 while with the Chargers. In 2020, Henry hauled in 60 catches for 613 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games.
Smith, meanwhile, is set to earn a whopping $50MM over the next four years with $31.25MM guaranteed. The former Titan enjoyed his best year yet in 2020, posting 41 grabs for 448 yards and eight touchdowns.
Deshaun Watson Out For Texans’ Preseason Opener
Texans GM Nick Caserio told SportsRadio 610 that he does not expect Deshaun Watson to travel with the team to Green Bay this weekend (Twitter link). So, at minimum, Watson won’t face the Packers to start the preseason. Beyond that, it’s unclear if the Texans will actually put Watson on the field.
Caserio says that both he and head coach David Culley have had multiple conversations with Watson over the last week, but declined to provide much in the way of additional info (Twitter link). Any other talk concerning Watson, he says, is “speculation.” That includes the latest batch of conflicting info — longtime team insider John McClain hears that Watson has played his final down in Houston. Meanwhile, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports hears that the Texans haven’t ruled out some type of arrangement to keep him this year and trade him in 2022, a la Aaron Rodgers.
The Panthers and “several” other teams are said to be keeping tabs on Watson, even though he could be parked on the commissioner’s exempt list at any moment. Right now, it doesn’t sound like the Texans are entertaining calls on their one-time franchise face or backing down from their surprisingly steep asking price — five high draft picks plus quality veterans.
Jets Claim G David Moore
The Jets snagged David Moore off the waiver wire, but they weren’t the only club interested in the rookie guard. The Bears, Browns, and Raiders also submitted claims for him (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com), but the Jets won out due to their higher priority.
Moore was projected as a Round 4 or 5 prospect but wound up going undrafted. After that, he was one of the most coveted UDFAs in the NFL. The Panthers picked him up, but didn’t have room for him. Earlier this week, Moore was waived along with defensive end Austin Larkin (injured). To replace them on the roster, the Panthers added defensive end Kendall Donnerson and defensive back LaDarius Wiley.
Moore made some noise at Grambling over the course of three years, including two years as a full-time starter. He then opted out of the 2020 season, which may have slowed his momentum. Still, his Senior Bowl opponents voted him as the game’s top offensive lineman and teams still haven’t forgotten about that performance.
He’ll have an opportunity to showcase himself with the Jets who just placed Alex Lewis on the exempt/left squad list. If Moore makes the final cut, he’ll support starting guards Alijah Vera-Tucker and Greg Roten.
To make room for Moore, the Jets dropped fellow UDFA OL Teton Saltes.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DT Darius Kilgo
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: CB Tyler Hall
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Siaosi Mariner
- Waived/injured: TE Jacob Breeland
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from PUP list: TE Dominique Dafney
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: LS Rex Sunahara
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Warren Jackson
New England Patriots
- Waived: QB Jake Dolegala
- Signed: LS Brian Khoury
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Blake Countess
- Waived/injured: S Obi Melifonwu
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from PUP list: TE Cameron Brate
Washington Football Team
- Signed: C Jon Toth
Latest On Texans’ Deshaun Watson
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson returned to practice on Monday (Twitter link via Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com). Still, it’s not clear whether Watson has a future in Houston. 
[RELATED: Texans Pause Deshaun Watson Trade Talks?]
Watson will never play another down for the Texans, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) hears that the Texans haven’t ruled out keeping him. The front office may seek an “Aaron Rodgers type of solution,” according to Robinson. Of course, Watson’s situation is far different from Rodgers’ contract dispute.
The Texans’ position on trading Watson is still unclear. Over the weekend we heard that the Texans are not returning calls on the embattled QB. At the same time, they’ve yet to back down from their sky high asking price of five high draft picks plus quality players. Meanwhile, Watson is still facing 22 civil suits, potential discipline from the league office, and an ongoing legal investigation.
Despite it all, the Panthers continue to monitor Watson and “several” other teams have contacted the Texans about the four-year starter. If Watson is traded/suspended/parked on the exempt list, the Texans will move forward with Tyrod Taylor and third-round pick Davis Mills as their top QBs.
Saints’ Wil Lutz To Miss Time?
The Saints might need a new kicker. Wil Lutz has aggravated a groin injury that may require surgery (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).
Between this year’s numbers crunch, Drew Brees‘ retirement, David Onyemata‘s suspension, and Michael Thomas‘ ankle injury, the Saints could wind up with eleven new starters in their season opener, as ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett notes (Twitter link).
Lutz, 27, is attached to a five-year, $20.25MM extension he signed in March 2019. At the time of signing, that made him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history. He rewarded the team’s confidence early on in that deal, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2019. The Saints have him under club control through 2023.
Lutz has made 86.6% of his field goal tries across his five-year career, positioning him as one of the best kickers in the game. He’s also made 253 out of 260 extra point attempts in the elongated XP era.
Lions Sign WR/KR Darius Jennings
The Lions have signed wide receiver Darius Jennings, per a club announcement. In a related move, center Drake Jackson has been waived. 
Jennings entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Browns back in 2015. After starting out on the practice squad, the Virginia product earned his promotion. he caught 14 passes for 117 yards in four games, showcasing speed and potential for GMs around the league.
The next couple of years were spent on various practice squads before he resurfaced with the Titans in 2018. Operating as Tennessee’s kick returner that season, he took kick 94 yards and all the way to the house. His 31.7 yards per return average led the league in ’18, but the Titans jockeyed him on and off the roster in ’19.
Jennings, 29, was set to play with the Chargers last year but that deal didn’t last. If he sees the field in Detroit, it’ll mark his first live action since 2019.
Falcons Sign D’Onta Foreman
The Falcons have signed running back D’Onta Foreman, per a club announcement. The former UT standout will now battle for a spot on the roster with just a few weeks to prove himself before final cuts.
Foreman, a 2017 third-round pick of the Texans, saw time in ten games as a rookie, notching 327 rushing yards and two scores on 78 carries. The Texans saw him as a possible heir to Lamar Miller in the backfield, but his season was cut short by an Achilles tear. His 2018 follow-up was limited to just one game and he was subsequently released.
Foreman then had a cup of coffee with the Colts, but sat as a free agent for all of 2019. In 2020, he caught on with the Titans and tallied 22 totes for 95 yards – good for 4.3 yards per carry in a very limited sample. For his career, Foreman has 421 yards rushing and a decent 3.9 ypc average.
For now, Foreman will practice alongside veteran Mike Davis, wide receiver-turned-running back Cordarrelle Patterson, and 2019 fifth-rounder Qadree Ollison.
Steelers’ James Washington Requests Trade?
Aug. 8: Head coach Mike Tomlin says that Washington has not requested a trade or expressed dissatisfaction with his role on the team, as Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. “Those unnamed sources, we don’t react to or respond to,” Tomlin said. “James has been great here, working, and having a good camp.”
Canada expressed similar sentiments, adding that Washington has a “good role” in the offense.
Aug. 6: Steelers wide receiver James Washington has asked for a trade (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). It’s not immediately clear whether the Steelers will accommodate the request.
Washington, a 2018 second-round pick, saw a jump from 38 targets as a rookie to 80 looks in 2019. Last year, however, the ball was thrown in his direction just 56 times. And, so far in training camp, Washington hasn’t been getting the kind of reps he wants.
Washington’s best year as a pro came in ’19 when he caught 44 passes for 735 yards and three touchdowns. Last year, he posted 30 grabs for 392 yards and five scores. His yards per catch average also dropped, going from 16.7 to 13.1. He’s hoping for a fresh start elsewhere, allowing him to reestablish himself as a quality deep threat.
Despite the request, recently promoted offensive coordinator Matt Canada would probably prefer to keep him in Pittsburgh. However, if the front office trades the 25-year-old, he’ll be able to move forward with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chase Claypool, and Diontae Johnson as his top options.
Dolphins’ Xavien Howard Returns To Practice
Things seem to be moving in the right direction for the Dolphins and Xavien Howard. The star cornerback returned to the practice field on Saturday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport), which likely means he’s reached a compromise with the team on his contract. 
Howard, who’s frustrated with his now under-market deal, requested a trade late last month. However, the Dolphins have rebuffed all requests for the All-Pro corner.
“We don’t want to trade X. Write that down. He’s a very good player. He’s a big part of the team. We don’t want to trade him,” Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said on Friday. “Talks are progressing. You take from that what you want. As long as everyone is willing to compromise, we can get something done.”
Howard led the league with ten interceptions last year and graded out as the second-best CB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. However, his current $15MM/year average ranks just sixth at the position. At the time of signing in 2019, Howard was the highest paid corner in NFL history.
Now, just a couple of years later, he regrets putting pen to paper. Or, in his words, he’s no longer “comfortable” with the arrangement. Soon, Howard should have a new deal to push him back towards the top. At the very least, it should be a reworked pact to put him on a par with teammate Byron Jones.