Possible Career-Ending Injury For Seahawks CB Kalan Reed
Seahawks cornerback Kalan Reed may be forced to retire after suffering a serious neck injury, agent Harold Lewis tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Seahawks already placed Reed on injured reserve, but it sounds like this will be a career-ender as well.
Reed went down in the Seahawks’ preseason game against the Vikings earlier this month and injured his third and fourth vertebrae in the process. Doctors have since advised him that attempting to play again would put him in serious jeopardy, especially since he experienced numbness afterwards.
Reed entered the league in 2016 as a seventh-round pick of the Titans. He appeared in seven games over two seasons in Tennessee before hooking on with Seattle’s practice squad last year. Last year, he earned a promotion to the varsity squad, but did not see the field. This year, he was hoping to make the 53-man cut, but he’ll have to focus on other endeavors from here on out.
We wish Reed the best in his recovery.
Cardinals Sign Clinton McDonald
The Cardinals have signed defensive tackle Clinton McDonald, according to a tweet from his agents. McDonald should help provide depth on the defensive line as the club prepares for a switch back to a 3-4 scheme.
[RELATED: Cardinals To Place WR Hakeem Butler On IR]
It’s a one-year, $1.25MM deal, according to Adam Caplan (on Twitter). The pact includes just $120K fully guaranteed with a base salary of $930K.
The Cardinals already added defensive tackle help with their trade for Bruce Hector, but they’re leaving no stone unturned, especially after cutting former first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche. The well-traveled McDonald, who spent time with the Seahawks, Bengals, Buccaneers, and Broncos before joining the Raiders last year, could fit the bill.
McDonald is perhaps best known for his work with the Seahawks in 2013 in their lead-up to the Super Bowl. In that season, McDonald compiled 35 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
Matt Bryant To Try Out For Falcons
Maybe age really is just a number. Kicker Matt Bryant will try out for the Falcons on Friday, according to Bryant’s former teammate and current CNN reporter Coy Wire (on Twitter). 
Bryant, 44, nailed 95.2% of his field goal tries for the Falcons last year, but the Falcons elected to save money by declining his 2019 option. It brought an end to Bryant’s 10-year run as the Falcons’ top leg, though they could rekindle their relationship if Bryant auditions well on Friday.
Blair Walsh, whose career has been defined by ill-timed misses, was recently brought on board to challenge Giorgio Tavecchio (Bryant’s initial replacement). This week, in full view of the press, Walsh went just 5-of-9 on his field goal attempts in practice.
Jermon Bushrod To Retire
Jermon Bushrod is retiring, according to Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter). The offensive lineman will sign a one-day contract with the Saints and make a formal announcement on Thursday during the Saints’ final preseason game. 
Bushrod, the Saints’ starting left tackle in Super Bowl XLIV, met with the Panthers back in March, but his plans have changed for one reason or another. Prior to his retirement, Bushrod was one of less than 20 players from the 2007 draft to still be active in the NFL.
After starting his career with the Saints, Bushrod spent time with the Bears and Dolphins before returning to New Orleans in 2018. He made six starts and 11 total appearances last season, filling in at left tackle for the injured Terron Armstead. Pro Football Focus assigned Bushrod sub-par grades, ranking him as the league’s No. 59 tackle among 80 qualifiers.
Colts Interested In QBs Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel
The Colts are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of quarterback help. In addition to Brock Osweiler, the Colts also met with and worked out Matt Cassel and Brandon Weeden, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 
At this time, the Colts are still unsure about which QB they’ll sign. It’s also possible that Indy will wait to see how cuts shake out over Labor Day Weekend – there could be several experienced signal callers available from which to choose.
The Colts’ QB room, of course, was shaken up when Andrew Luck abruptly announced his retirement from the NFL. That left Jacoby Brissett, a solid QB in his own right, as the club’s new starter. For now, Chad Kelly stands as the team’s QB2, though his two-game suspension will require another passer to step in, at least as a stopgap solution.
Cassel, 37, spent last season as Matthew Stafford‘s backup in Detroit. He threw a grand total of 17 passes in 2018 and has made just two starts in the last three years.
Weeden, who will turn 36 in October, has split time with the Cowboys and Texans in recent years, though he did not take the field in 2016 or 2017. The former first-round pick has a career 6-19 record with most of those appearances coming with the Browns in his rookie season.
Redskins: Trent Williams Won’t Be Traded
The Redskins won’t part ways with Trent Williams. At least, that’s what GM Bruce Allen continues to say. 
“It’ll be with us,” Allen said when asked where he believes Williams will play in 2019 (Twitter link via NBC 4 Sports).
Williams is reportedly ready to play, though not willing to play for the Redskins. Given his Pro Bowl resume and the dearth of tackles league-wide, nearly every team in the league would have at least some interest in adding the disgruntled veteran to the roster. Still, the Redskins remain dug in.
“I think Trent’s going to play football, yes,” Allen said. “We had a surprising retirement this week in the NFL and I don’t see Trent retiring.”
On a related note – the Redskins’ refusal to part with Williams may keep them out of the Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes.
Texans Discussing Jadeveon Clowney Trade With Five Teams
Trade talks involving Texans pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney are rapidly heating up. The Texans have spoken with at least five teams about the former No. 1 overall pick so far: the Jets and Redskins are in communications with Houston brass, in addition to the previously reported talks with the Seahawks, Eagles, and Dolphins. 
[RELATED: Jadeveon Clowney Willing To Miss Regular Season Games]
The Dolphins believe they are the favorites to land Clowney, and that makes sense given that GM Chris Grier and head coach Brian Flores have met with him in recent weeks. At the same time, Clowney is said to prefer the Seahawks and Eagles. Of course, Clowney is not a free agent, but he effectively holds the cards – he has yet to sign his franchise tender and is reportedly willing to miss regular season games until he gets his way.
The Redskins would also make some sense as an interested party, but they’re not in the mix for him at this time, per Wilson. They remain unwilling to trade Trent Williams, and that’s a big barrier when considering the Texans’ need for offensive line help.
The Clowney/Texans beef started sizzling again this week, sometime around when Clowney fired former agent Bus Cook. On that front, Wilson hears that Clowney is willing to represent himself, at least for now.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/19
We’ll keep track of today’s roster shuffling here as teams gear up for major cuts at the end of the week:
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: DE Mike Love
- Waived: P Corey Carter
- Waived from IR: OL De’Ondre Wesley
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LS Andrew DePaola
- Placed on IR: DT Destiny Vaeao
Chicago Bears
- Claimed off waivers: OL Tommy Doles
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB James Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Jackson Porter
- Waived (failed physical): LB Nicholas Grigsby
Houston Texans
- Waived: DB Deante Burton, DB Derrick Jones
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived from injured reserve: RB Roc Thomas
New England Patriots
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Maurice Harris
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OT Riley Mayfield
- Placed on IR: WR Charles Johnson
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: TE Cole Wick
- Waive/injured: OLB Josh Smith
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: T Will Holden, DE Logan Tago
- Waived: DT Jay-Tee Tiuli
Cards Trade Korey Cunningham To Patriots
The Patriots are sending a sixth-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for offensive lineman Korey Cunningham, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Cunningham first broke the news himself, via Instagram.
“Arizona!! Man, it’s been a fun year and a half out in the desert!” Cunningham wrote. “Thank you to Mr. [Bidwill], Steve Keim, and the Cardinals organization for allowing me to start off my career here. Wish you guys nothing but the best of luck this season! With that being said, I was just notified that I have been traded to the New England Patriots. Beyond excited to continue my career and to get back to work!!”
Cunningham, a second-year pro, was set to serve as a backup tackle for the Cardinals after starting six games last season. Instead, the 2018 seventh-round pick will provide depth for the Patriots.
Given the Patriots’ need for offensive line support and the timing of the deal, Cunningham seems likely to make the 53-man roster as a swing tackle behind Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon. Dan Skipper and Cole Croston, meanwhile, could be on or near the bubble.
Texans, Brennan Scarlett Agree To Extension
The Texans have agreed to an extension with outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). With the new deal, Scarlett is now under contract through the 2020 season. 
Earlier this year, the Texans used the restricted free agent tender to lock Scarlett down for $2.25MM in 2019. The extension will take him through the following season at a rate of $3.75MM.
Scarlett, a Stanford product, has had a strong offseason, and he has been rewarded for his efforts.
“Brennan, he has improved a whole lot, especially from last year to this year,” Texans veteran Whitney Mercilus said recently (via the Houston Chronicle). “He’s embraced his role. His pass rush has been on point. His pass coverage has been on point. I’m excited to see exactly what he does this year.”
Last year, the former UDFA was called upon to make three starts. If teammate Jadeveon Clowney gets traded, then he’ll be seeing even more time on the field.