Chargers Trim Roster To 53
As final cuts continue to be announced, the Chargers have unveiled their list of departing players. Here is the final tally:
Released:
Waived:
- T Zack Bailey
- WR Michael Bandy
- WR Trevon Bradford
- DL Andrew Brown
- RB Leddie Brown
- LB Cole Christiansen
- OLB Jamal Davis II
- DB Ben DeLuca
- OLB Emeke Egbule
- DL Joe Gaziano
- CB Kemon Hall
- OL Ryan Hunter
- CB Michael Jacquet
- TE Hunter Kampmoyer
- OLB Carlo Kemp
- TE Erik Krommenho
- S Raheem Layne
- LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams
- RB Kevin Marks Jr.
- WR Jason Moore Jr.
- FB Gabe Nabers
- WR Joe Reed
- T Foster Sarell
- CB Brandon Sebastian
- DB Mark Webb Jr.
Waived/injured:
- TE Sage Surratt
Covington represents by far the most experienced player being let go. He spent just one season in Los Angeles, starting three of his 16 appearances. While the 28-year-old Canadian set a new career-high in tackles with 52, he was part of the league’s third-worst run defense. That, coupled with Covington’s small roster bonus, made him a logical cut candidate.
The Chargers have a crowded backfield to work with, and one main training camp storyline has been the competition to establish the pecking order behind Austin Ekeler. By waiving Nabers, however, the team can keep one more back on the 53-man roster. Given their passing efficiency, eliminating the fullback position from the offense would allow them to keep the former UDFA on the practice squad (if at all); if not, Nabers will need to find one of the few remaining teams with a spot for his skillset.
Surratt carries the most upside amongst the TE departures. The converted WR didn’t play during his rookie season, but demonstrated his talent in college, including a 1,000-yerd season at Wake Forest. Given his absence from the 2020 college season, as well as the 2021 NFL campaign, though, keeping the six-foot-three, 215-pounder as a depth option behind Gerald Everett could better be done via the practice squad.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/11/22
A number of players continue to sign reserve/futures contracts, which allows organizations to retain (mostly) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. We’ve compiled today’s reserve/futures contracts below:
Carolina Panthers
- DE Austin Larkin, OL Austen Pleasants
Denver Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Omar Bayless, TE Jordan Franks, WR Gary Jennings, RB Brenden Knox, FB Lorenzo Neal, WR/PR Matthew Sexton, DT Darius Stills
Los Angeles Chargers
- WR Michael Bandy, DL Andrew Brown, LB Cole Christiansen, DB Ben DeLuca, LB Emeke Egbule, WR Maurice Ffrench, G Ryan Hunter, TE Hunter Kampmoyer, DL Forrest Merrill, WR Jason Moore, OT Foster Sarell
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: C Drake Jackson
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
- QB Blake Bortles, C Cohl Cabral, DT Malcolm Roach, CB Bryce Thompson, WR Kevin White, TE Ethan Wolf
New York Giants
- WR Alex Bachman
Tennessee Titans
- LB Kobe Jones, DB Chris Williamson
Washington Football Team
- FB Alex Armah, RB Reggie Bonnafon
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/25-12/26/21
Here are the NFL moves from Christmas and today:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: DE Josh Mauro, DB Kevin Peterson, P Ryan Winslow, WR Greg Dortch
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: LB Daren Bates
- Promoted: WR Marvin Hall
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: LB Daelin Hayes
- Promoted: QB Kenji Bahar, DB Robert Jackson, DB Tony Jefferson, T Jaryd Jones-Smith, NT Isaiah Mack, G/DT Reginald McKenzie, TE Tony Poljan, DB Jordan Richards, LB Joe Thomas, DB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: DT Eli Ankou
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: QB Sam Darnold
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, DB Madre Harper, DT Frank Herron, G Mike Horton, TE Stephen Sullivan
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: DB Duke Shelley
- Promoted: DE Ledarius Mack, WR Dazz Newsome, DB Dee Virgin, WR Nsimba Webster, QB Ryan Willis
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro, DT Mike Daniels, DE Noah Spence, WR Trent Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: DB Maurice Canady, DB Donovan Wilson
- Promoted: DB Kyron Brown, DB Darian Thompson
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: T Quinn Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: LB Tavante Beckett, LB Curtis Bolton, TE Shane Zylstra
- Placed on IR: DB Amani Oruwariye
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: S Innis Gaines
Houston Texans
- Extended: DE Ron’Dell Carter
- Activated from IR: WR Danny Amendola, DE DeMarcus Walker
- Promoted: WR Jalen Camp, DT Michael Dwumfour, K Dominik Eberle, G Jake Eldrenkamp, T Carson Green, DE Demone Harris, TE Paul Quessenberry, RB Jaylen Samuels, T Jordan Steckler, LB Connor Strachan, LB Josh Watson, S T.J. Green
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: DB Anthony Chesley, WR Keke Coutee, G Carter O’Donnell, DB Brian Poole, DB Will Redmond, DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell, WR Josh Hammond, DB Brandon Rusnak
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle, TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart, DB Josh Jackson, P Johnny Townsend
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: DB Tyree Gillespie
- Promoted: G Lester Cotton, DB Kavon Frazier, WR Tyron Johnson, NT Damion Square, QB Nathan Peterman, WR Dillon Stoner
- Placed on IR: DB Johnathan Abram
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: WR Michael Bandy, RB Darius Bradwell, NT Andrew Brown, DB Ben Deluca, LB Emeke Egbule, WR Maurice Ffrench, DT Forrest Merrill, WR Jason Moore
- Placed on IR: TE Donald Parham
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/NFI: RB Cam Akers
- Activated from IR: RB Buddy Howell
- Promoted: DB Grant Haley, WR Brandon Powell
- Released: LB Jamir Jones, RB Mekhi Sargent
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: LB Josh Uche
- Promoted: DT Daniel Ekuale, DB D’Angelo Ross, WR Kristian Wilkerson
New York Giants
- Promoted: DB Darqueze Dennard, DL David Moa, CB Aaron Robinson, WR David Sill V, OL Isaiah Wilson
New York Jets
- Promoted: OL Isaiah Williams, TE Dan Brown, WR D.J. Montgomery, LB LaRoy Reynolds, DL Ronald Blair, S Elijah Benton, DL Freedom Akinmoladun
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: S Jared Mayden
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: P Corliss Waitman
- Activated from IR: C J.C. Hassenauer
- Promoted: P Cameron Nizialek, OL Rashaad Coward, RB Trey Edmunds, LB John Simon
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: DT Myles Adams, S Josh Jones, TE Tyler Mabry, OLB Edmond Robinson, WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner, WR Cyril Grayson, P Sterling Hofrichter, DL Benning Potoa’e
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: CB D.J. Hayden, RB Wendell Smallwood, LB De’Jon Harris, DB Jeremy Reaves
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Rodney Hudson
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chuck Clark
Chicago Bears
- Activated for return: OT Germain Ifedi, CB Duke Shelley
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Lawrence Cager
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Terrence Brooks, DB Terrance Mitchell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: CB Dicaprio Bootle, DE Cortez Broughton, WR Daurice Fountain, LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Scott Quessenberry
- Promoted: DB Ben Deluca
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: LB Ronnie Perkins
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Cameron Jordan
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Wes Martin
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Elijah Moore, LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
Washington Football Team
- Signed: DT Akeem Spence (story)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/21
Here is how teams finalized their Week 14 rosters:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: TE Hayden Hurst
- Promoted: RB Qadree Ollison, S Shawn Williams
- Waived: RB Wayne Gallman
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Robert Jackson, T David Sharpe
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: G Jon Feliciano
- Promoted: DE Eli Ankou, DT Brandin Bryant, LB Joe Giles-Harris
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: T Cameron Erving
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, LB Frankie Luvu, OL Patrick Omameh
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: LB Charles Snowden
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro, LB Keandre Jones
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: LB Jacob Phillips
- Promoted: DB Herb Miller, DB Jovante Moffatt, WR JoJo Natson
- Waived: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: TE Ian Bunting, RB JaQuan Hardy, S Darian Thompson
- Waived: DT Justin Hamilton
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Micah Kiser, CB Michael Ojemudia
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Mark Gilbert, CB Ifeatu Melifonwu
- Promoted: CB Corey Ballentine, LB Curtis Bolton, DE Bruce Hector, CB Parnell Motley, RB Craig Reynolds, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, RB Rodney Smith, TE Shane Zylstra
Houston Texans
- Promoted: DB Grayland Arnold, WR Phillip Dorsett, DL Chris Smith
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle, DB Josh Jackson
- Placed on IR: DB Chris Lammons
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on IR: LB Kyler Fackrell
- Promoted: DB Ben DeLuca, LB Emeke Egbule, WR Jason Moore
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Salvon Ahmed
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
- Promoted: G James Carpenter, LB Chase Hansen, WR Kevin White, WR Easop Winston, TE Ethan Wolf
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper, DB Jarren Williams
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: CB Brandin Echols
- Promoted: DE Ronald Blair, TE Dan Brown, WR D.J. Montgomery, WR Vyncint Smith
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: RB Trenton Cannon, CB Emmanuel Moseley
- Promoted: WR River Cracraft, RB Brian Hill, CB Saivion Smith, S Jarrod Wilson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Edmond Robinson
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: S Dane Cruikshank, WR Racey McMath
- Placed on IR: TE Tommy Hudson; this is Hudson’s second IR trip, ending his season
- Promoted: WR Cody Hollister, DL Kevin Strong
- Waived: S Brady Breeze
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Darryl Roberts, DE James Smith-Williams
- Placed on IR: G Wes Schweitzer
- Promoted: DE William Bradley-King, LB De’Jon Harris, S Jeremy Reaves, C Jon Toth
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves will be noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s AFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Denver Broncos
Signed:
- OT Cameron Fleming, DL Shamar Stephen
Waived:
Placed on IR:
- RB Mike Boone, CB Michael Ojemudia
Signed to practice squad:
- OT Quinn Bailey, TE Shaun Beyer, WR Tyrie Cleveland, RB Damarea Crockett, CB Nate Hairston, OT Drew Himmelman, WR Kendall Hinton, CB Mac McCain III, LB Curtis Robinson, QB Brett Rypien, OL Austin Schlottmann, DL Marquiss Spencer, LB Barrington Wade, WR Seth Williams
Kansas City Chiefs
Signed:
- WR Marcus Kemp
Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list:
- S Tyrann Mathieu; Mathieu tested positive for COVID-19
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Claimed:
- DL Eric Banks (from Rams), DB Trey Marshall (from Broncos)
Waived:
- CB Brandon Facyson, DL Forrest Merrill
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Michael Bandy, RB Darius Bradwell, LB Cole Christiansen, DB Ben DeLuca, OLB Emeke Egbule, DL Breiden Fehoko, DL Joe Gaziano, G Nate Gilliam, G Ryan Hunter, TE Hunter Kampmoyer, WR Jason Moore Jr., WR Joe Reed
Chargers Trim Roster To 53
The Chargers waived 16 players today, reducing their roster to 53 players. The team made the following transactions
Waived
- K Michael Badgley
- WR Michael Bandy
- RB Darius Bradwell
- CB John Brannon
- DL Cortez Broughton
- LB Cole Christiansen
- DB Ben DeLuca
- LB Emeke Egbule
- DL Breiden Fehoko
- LB Joe Gaziano
- OG Nate Gilliam
- OG Ryan Hunter
- WR Tyron Johnson
- TE Hunter Kampmoyer
- WR Jason Moore
- WR Joe Reed
It’s a bit surprising that the organization is moving on from Johnson considering his solid season in 2020. The 2019 undrafted free agent finished his second professional season with 23 touches for 415 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. The 25-year-old also got some run on special teams, including six kick returns.
Badgley was another notable cut, which we explored in depth earlier today.
Chargers Announce 10 UDFA Signings
This year’s crop of draftable prospects was said to be on the thin side, so the 2021 class of UDFAs is expected to have even fewer players make the cut than usual. But you never know, and teams still have 90 roster spots they can fill throughout the spring and summer. The Chargers were among the first to announce their UDFA signings:
- Ben DeLuca, DB (Charlotte)
- Jared Goldwire, DL (Louisville)
- Darius Harper, OT (Cincinnati)
- Hunter Kampmoyer, TE (Oregon)
- Alex Kessman, K (Pittsburgh)
- Ryan Langan, LS (Georgia Southern)
- Forrest Merrill, DL (Arkansas State)
- Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB (Oklahoma State)
- Kyle Spalding, OT (San Diego State)
- Elijah Stove, WR (Auburn)
As with most UDFA classes, this one included several notable guarantees. Goldwire received $50K in guaranteed money, while Ogbongbemiga got a $30K guarantee (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). Goldwire earned All-ACC Second Team honors after recording 35 tackles, five TFLs, and two sacks from his nose tackle position, while Ogbongbemiga piled up 180 tackles over the past two seasons and possesses excellent speed.
Stove struggled with injuries in his collegiate career but is quick and has good hands. He caught 44 passes for 359 yards and three scores in his final season at Auburn.