Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Trevor Davis
- Placed on IR: TE Jaeden Graham
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S Brian Cole, FB Rod Smith
- Waived: WR Ventell Bryant
Denver Broncos
- Reverted to IR: OT Cody Conway
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed (from Ravens): LB Chauncey Rivers
- Waived: LS Joe Fortunato
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on IR: DL Jared Goldwire
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived/injured: DB Dayan Lake
- Reverted to IR: OL Jamil Demby
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: TE Sal Cannella, TE Gabe Holmes, TE Kalif Jackson; the team signed all three on Wednesday
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Cethan Carter, TE Adam Shaheen, WR Preston Williams
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: QB Case Cookus
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: DE Kendall Donnerson
New York Jets
- Reverted to IR: S Brandon White
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: CB Shakial Taylor
- Placed on IR: DB Nate Meadors
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Reverted to IR: G Anthony Coyle
San Francisco 49ers
- Reverted to IR: CB Tim Harris
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Darvin Kidsy
Titans Cut DeShone Kizer
The Titans have released DeShone Kizer, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. This was the expected move after the club signed journeyman Matt Barkley on Thursday afternoon. 
[RELATED: Titans Sign QB Matt Barkley]
Kizer, 25, hasn’t started since his rookie campaign in 2017 — a winless year for the Browns. The Notre Dame product threw for just eleven touchdowns with double the interceptions (22). While the second-rounder showed some exciting flashes on the field, Kizer didn’t exactly inspire confidence on the whole.
Since then, he’s been looking for his next breakout opportunity. Kizer got into three games as the Packers backup in 2018, and he later lingered with the Raiders for about a year. The Titans added him to the taxi squad last fall, but he still hasn’t seen live action since ’18 with Green Bay.
With Kizer out of the picture, Barkley and Logan Woodside will battle for the QB2 job behind Ryan Tannehill.
Raiders Host K.J. Wright
The Raiders are hosting K.J. Wright on a visit today (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). If all goes well, the former Seahawks linebacker could reunite with old pal Gus Bradley.
Wright spent the previous ten years in Seattle, standing as the team’s longest-tenured player. However, he’s been on the market all offseason as the Seahawks pivot towards top 2020 draft picks Jordyn Brooks and Darrell Taylor.
Wright has started at least 12 games in each of his pro seasons, save for 2018 when he dealt with a knee injury. He.won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seahawks and even made the Pro Bowl in 2016. One of the last members of the legendary ‘Legion of Boom’ defenses of yesteryear, Wright could find a new home in Las Vegas.
He’s also expressed interest in rejoining another contact — Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn — but it’s not clear if there’s mutual interest. Ditto for the Seahawks.
“Yes, there is a chance,” Wright said last month. “There is a chance, and I’m not closing the door on Seattle. Going into free agency, I thought it’d be a no-brainer, but they’re going to wait until training camp, so we’ll see. No matter what happens, my career in Seattle was just unforgettable.”
Wright, 32, posted 86 tackles, eleven tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks in 16 starts last year.
Titans Sign QB Matt Barkley
On Thursday, Matt Barkley announced that he’s signed with the Titans (Twitter link). The quarterback will now vie for a spot on the Week 1 roster to support starter Ryan Tannehill. 
Barkley, 31 in September, has made the rounds since being drafted by the Eagles in 2013. The former fourth-rounder out of USC has made stops with the Cardinals, Bears, 49ers, Bengals, and Bills, with two tours in Arizona and Buffalo.
Barkley has just seven starts to his credit in total with a 2-5 record in those games. For his career, he’s completed 58.8% of his throwns with eleven touchdowns against 22 interceptions. His last start came in 2018, a solid showing and victory over the Jets. Over the past two years, he’s popped in for seven Bills games, lobbing four INTs with just one TD.
Still, the Titans present a decent opportunity for Barkley to get back into the mix. Before Barkley, the Titans were evaluating Logan Woodside and DeShone Kizer as their QB2 options.
Robert Griffin III Joins ESPN
RGIII has agreed to join ESPN as an on-air personality (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). However, the free agent quarterback has an out clause in his contract that would allow him to return to the game, should an opportunity arise. 
Griffin also drew interest from FOX with both networks eyeing him as a college football and NFL analyst. RG3 reportedly impressed in his on-camera auditions, prompting a bit of a bidding war. Ultimately, the 31-year-old went with the folks in Bristol.
Griffin has previously returned to the NFL after a hiatus. Griffin did not play in 2017 after he was cut by the Browns. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year signed with the Ravens in 2018, where he served as a backup — first for Joe Flacco, then for Lamar Jackson. Griffin, however, threw just one touchdown pass with four interceptions as a Raven with a 57% completion rate.
A hamstring injury ended Griffin’s 2020 campaign, prompting the Ravens to evaluate younger options like Trace McSorley and 2020 UDFA Tyler Huntley. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner, meanwhile, may be done with football.
Raiders Sign Gerald McCoy
Well, that was fast. Shortly after meeting with him on Wednesday afternoon, the Raiders have agreed to sign defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Raiders have since confirmed the deal via press release.
The veteran made the most of his workout, showcasing the skills that made him a star player in Tampa. McCoy earned six Pro Bowl nods with the Buccaneers and performed as one of the NFL’s best defensive lineman in the 2010s. On the flipside, he’s 33 years old, and his last Pro Bowl selection came in 2017.
McCoy found his way to the Panthers in 2019 after his Bucs release. He appeared in all 16 games, registering five sacks — making it 59.5 for his career. McCoy would join the Cowboys in March of 2020, only to see a torn quad end his season before it began.
All in all, McCoy has 139 appearances (all starts), 352 tackles, 59.5 sacks, 79 tackles for loss, 24 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries. If he stays healthy, McCoy could have an opportunity to lead the Raiders’ experienced interior group. Jon Gruden already has Johnathan Hankins, Solomon Thomas, Quinton Jefferson, and Darius Philon on hand.
Panthers Monitoring Texans’ Deshaun Watson
The Panthers are still eyeing embattled Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (via PFT). The Panthers were among the frontrunners for Watson before the lawsuits emerged and they’re not ruling out the possibility now, even after acquiring Sam Darnold. 
Watson was not present at the Texans’ Tuesday practice, a sign that he could be placed on paid leave in one fashion or another. The Texans aren’t saying much about the situation as GM Nick Caserio weighs his options.
“We make decisions every day based on what’s best for our football team,” head coach David Culley said. “Nothing new today on that.”
The team reportedly wants a combination of five high draft picks plus quality players in exchange for the embattled quarterback. Caserio isn’t in any rush — he’s willing to pay Watson $10.54MM this year to stay away from the team in order to get the best trade return possible next year.
In addition to the Panthers, the Broncos, Eagles, and Dolphins have also been connected to Watson. At this points, the ‘Fins seem set with Tua Tagovailoa as their starter and Jacoby Brissett as his safety net. The Broncos, meanwhile, are prepared to move forward with Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater. That might leave the Eagles and Panthers as the only real suitors for Watson, but, given all of the complications, it’s hard to imagine either team meeting the Texans’ current asking price.
Jets To Sign Josh Johnson
The Jets have signed veteran quarterback Josh Johnson, per his agent (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Johnson could provide depth behind No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson, who finally put pen to paper last week. 
[RELATED: Jets Sign Zach Wilson]
Johnson, pictured here in one of his many NFL jerseys, has now signed deals with roughly half of the league. The 35-year-old spent November 2020 — May 2021 with the 49ers but didn’t take a snap during his time there. His last live action came with the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL and he hasn’t attempted an NFL pass since 2018, when he started in three games for Washington.
Despite the stop-and-go nature of it all, Johnson always seems to be in demand as a backup arm. Neither of New York’s other QB2 candidates — 2020 fourth-round pick James Morgan and former UDFA Mike White — have taken a regular-season snap.
Raiders’ Sam Young Retires
Sam Young has retired, per an announcement from the Raiders. The offensive tackle re-signed with the team just a month ago, but he’s opted to hang ’em up instead. 
Young was expected to slot into the Raiders’ offensive tackle rotation, behind left tackle Kolton Miller and unexpected first-round pick Alex Leatherwood. Young would have been one of the first tackles off of the bench and an insurance policy for Leatherwood, if he proved to be too green. But, based on the reviews Leatherwood has been getting out of practice, there might not have been much playing time left for Young anyway.
Young was never an elite tackle, but he did enjoy a lengthy pro career. On the whole, he’s got 103 appearances to his credit across eleven pro seasons. That includes eleven games (seven starts) for the Raiders in 2020. We here at PFR wish Young the best in retirement.
Vikings Cut Jeff Gladney
The Vikings have released 2020 first-round pick Jeff Gladney, per a club announcement. This comes after the cornerback’s Tuesday morning indictment on a felony domestic violence charge.
[RELATED: Vikings’ O. Johnson Tears ACL]
“Following our review of today’s indictment against Jeff Gladney, we have decided to release Jeff immediately,” the Vikings said in a statement. “As we have previously said, we take these matters very seriously and condemn all forms of domestic violence. Due to the ongoing legal nature of this matter, we are unable to provide further comment.”
Gladney’s girlfriend alleges the 24-year-old corner struck her with closed fists during an argument in April. The accuser told police that Gladney punched her in her stomach, ribs and back. She also alleges that Gladney strangled her and dragged her across the ground.
The Vikings selected Gladney at No. 31 overall in 2020. He started in 15 games last year, notching 81 tackles and forced a fumble. He was not a participant in this year’s offseason program, however.
Per league rules, Gladney will be available on the waiver wire, though he’s not expected to be claimed.