Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/22

Today’s minor moves

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

  • Signed: LS Harrison Elliott
  • Activated from PUP: DB Tristin McCollum
  • Waived-injured: WR Davion Davis

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

*Per Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter), Gono has left the squad due to an undisclosed physical issue. The lineman will meet with a doctor tomorrow, which should provide some clarity.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Elflein, Falcons

A potential Alvin Kamara suspension does not appear to be coming to start the 2022 season. The Saints running back’s hearing on charges of conspiracy to commit battery and battery with substantial bodily harm, which was scheduled for this week, has been delayed 60 days, according to KLAS-TV’s David Charns. Kamara, Chiefs cornerback Chris Lammons and two other men face charges in connection with a Feb. 5 assault committed against a man in Las Vegas. The Saints Pro Bowler is bracing for a six-game suspension, but depending on when this hearing ends up taking place, that potential ban may come either during the 2022 season or to start the ’23 campaign.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

  • Tyrann Mathieu is back with the Saints. The offseason addition is making his training camp debut six days late after being excused for a personal matter, Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com notes. Signed to a three-year deal worth $28.3MM, Mathieu is believed to have returned to New Orleans on Tuesday night. The 29-year-old All-Pro joins Marcus Maye as the safeties on track to replace the Marcus WilliamsMalcolm Jenkins tandem.
  • Pat Elflein has played both guard and center for the Panthers, but Matt Rhule said recently the veteran will be working at the latter spot during training camp. Elflein is battling the recently signed Bradley Bozeman for the center gig. Despite Bozeman being one of the team’s offseason additions up front, along with projected starters Austin Corbett and Ikem Ekwonu, The Athletic’s Joe Person noted ahead of camp Elflein had a slight lead for the pivot job (subscription required). A former Vikings center starter, Elflein signed a three-year, $13.5MM deal with the Panthers in 2021. He started nine games with Carolina last season, though Pro Football Focus graded him as one of the league’s worst interior O-linemen.
  • The Panthers made some changes to their scouting department recently. They bumped Rob Hanrahan from assistant director of pro scouting to pro scouting director and gave his old gig to Tyler Ramsey, Person tweets. Hanrahan will replace Matt Allen, whom the team parted ways with in February. Additionally, Robert Haynes will rise from the area-scout level to a national scouting post, and former Lions wide receiver Corey Fuller — brother of Kyle and Kendall Fuller — is moving from the assistant level to west coast area scout (Twitter link).
  • Jahri Evans and Ty Warren are attempting to break into the coaching ranks. Both are interning as Saints staffers at camp, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. A 12-year veteran who made four straight All-Pro teams as a Saints guard, Evans, 38, hung up his cleats after the 2017 season. Warren, 41, spent 10 seasons with the Patriots and Broncos, being a starting defensive lineman for two Pats Super Bowl-bound squads. He retired after the 2012 season.
  • The Falcons also made some staff adjustments. They promoted Sal Conti to pro scout and Rushell Harvey to player personnel coordinator, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Both staffers joined the team last year under GM Terry Fontenot. The team also hired Donavan Ellison, previously a Panthers assistant, to work as a football analyst.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/22

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Reverted to IR: WR Isaiah Weston

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: C Alex Mollette
  • Placed on IR: WR John Hurst, G/T Carter O’Donnell

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Waived: OL Chris Glaser

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Panthers Activate CB Jaycee Horn Off PUP

Carolina got some good news today in training camp with second-year cornerback Jaycee Horn being activated from the physically unable to perform list. The team made the announcement on their website this morning, stating that the 22-year-old was cleared to practice. 

Horn missed nearly all of his rookie season last year after suffering a fractured foot in Week 3 of the season. The Panthers had to scramble using mid-season trades to acquire C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore to play opposite starter Donte Jackson. With Jackson re-signed and Gilmore gone to free agency, Horn should retake his spot atop the depth chart with Jackson, with Henderson coming first off the bench. There were also indications that, if Henderson can prove his development, Jackson and Henderson could be trusted outside with Horn playing inside more at nickel.

Horn had indicated that his surgically repaired foot was sore after the Panthers’ conditioning test. As a precaution, Horn was placed on PUP to start training camp, but he should return now, concluding a seamless recovery over the past 10 months.

Defensive coordinator Phil Snow, while probably unhappy to see Horn on the PUP list in the first place, will be extremely relieved to have Horn back. Horn will be a welcome addition to a defense that ranked fourth last year in passing yards allowed.

NFL Workouts: 7/29/22

Here’s a list of minor players who visited or worked out for an NFL team today:

Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Commanders

Howard had recently also worked out for the Saints, along with Bo Scarbrough, according to Nick Underhill at New Orleans Football Network. Howard has bounced between Philadelphia and Miami with limited success since averaging 1,123 rushing yards per season and totaling 24 rushing touchdowns in his first three seasons with the Bears. Injuries and limited productivity have really hurt Howard’s success over the past three years.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/22

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: DL Tomasi Laulile

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Signed as a UDFA shortly after the draft, Mevis fared rather poorly in a Thursday workout. The rookie kicker missed badly on three warmup kicks, one of which drilling ex-Cowboys HC Dave Campo (of Hard Knocks 2002 fame), per ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. Mevis had struggled during the start of Jaguars camp. This is Fry’s seventh NFL team since he entered the league in 2019. The workout-circuit regular has played in three regular-season games — one-offs with the Falcons, Bengals and Chiefs. The Jags also have kicker Ryan Santoso on their roster.

A hamstring injury, sustained during a workout shortly after a flight to Green Bay, sidelined Watkins for the start of Packers camp. The veteran will try to shake a well-earned injury-prone label in Green Bay, though the former top-five pick’s roster spot may not be 100% secure. Andrews, who returned in 2020 after missing all of the 2019 season due to blood clots, underwent offseason shoulder surgery. He is back for a seventh season as the Patriots’ starting center.

DL Carlos Dunlap To Meet With Chiefs; Panthers Continue To Have Interest

The market for Carlos Dunlap is heating up. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the free agent defensive lineman is visiting the Chiefs tonight. Meanwhile, Joseph Person of The Athletic writes that the Panthers continue to have interest in Dunlap after meeting with him earlier this offseason.

The two-time Pro Bowler got into all 17 games for the Seahawks last season, and while he only appeared in 38 percent of his team’s defensive snaps, he still managed to finish with 35 tackles and 8.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus was particularly fond of his performance, ranking him 30th among 108 qualifying edge rushers. PFF also ranked the veteran 16th at the position for his run defense, and his pass-rush grade was above average, so while Dunlap may not have the stamina to be an every-down player, he still has the skills to play in most situations.

Besides the Panthers and now the Chiefs, the Seahawks were the only other team mentioned as a landing spot for Dunlap. However, we haven’t heard a whole lot on that front in months.

The Chiefs have always seemed like a fit for Dunlap, although this is the first time we’re hearing the organization definitively connected to the 33-year-old. After losing Melvin Ingram III in free agency, Kansas City is currently eyeing Frank Clark and rookie George Karlaftis as their starting edge rushers. Dunlap might not necessarily supplant either of those two in the starting lineup, but he’d provide some experienced depth behind the duo.

Meanwhile, Person tweets that the Panthers continue to show interest in adding front-seven help, having reached out to Dunlap earlier this week. The veteran visited Carolina in June but left without a deal. The Panthers current in-house options to start opposite Brian Burns at defensive end include 2020 second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos, Darryl Johnson, and rookie Amare Barno.

Panthers Place Shaq Thompson, Jaycee Horn On PUP List

Two Panthers starting defenders will begin their training camps belatedly. The team placed Shaq Thompson and Jaycee Horn on its active/PUP list.

Thompson landed on the Panthers’ PUP because of an offseason knee surgery, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. While Matt Rhule described this as a cleanup-type procedure, Thompson will still miss a chunk of time leading up to the season. Horn beginning on Carolina’s PUP may be more notable, due to the extensive time he has spent rehabbing a foot malady.

Horn indicated his surgically repaired foot was sore after the team’s conditioning test. This comes two months after the 2021 first-round pick was declared “full go” after a rehab effort over the winter and through the spring. Horn should be expected to return soon, but it obviously makes sense for the Panthers to exercise caution here. The South Carolina alum broke his foot in Week 3 of last season and missed 14 games.

Players who land on the active/PUP list can return to practice at any point during camp, but if they remain on the list beyond August 23, a minimum four-week absence must ensue beginning in Week 1. Both Panthers are expected to be back at practice before that deadline, though Horn’s return to work will generate interest considering his time away.

The Panthers re-signed Donte Jackson to team with Horn long-term, and the team’s early-season trade for C.J. Henderson may pay greater dividends this season than it did in 2021. This mix of young talent will take over after the team let Stephon Gilmore walk in free agency.

Panthers CB Rashaan Melvin Retires

Rashaan Melvin re-signed with the Panthers in March, but the veteran cornerback will not go through with a second season in Carolina. Instead, Melvin intends to retire.

The Panthers announced Melvin is walking away Wednesday. Although Melvin signed a one-year, $1.1MM deal to stay with Carolina, he did not report for the start of the team’s training camp Tuesday. While Melvin drifted on and off the full-time starter radar, he finished his career as a nine-year vet and played first-string roles for a few teams.

Emerging for the Panthers last year, after opting out of the 2020 season, Melvin played in 10 games with the team. The 32-year-old cover man made two Panthers starts, moving his career total to 42. Not bad for a UDFA who bounced on and off active rosters and practice squads for years before stabilizing his career with the Colts.

A Buccaneers UDFA out of Northern Illinois in 2013, Melvin moved from Tampa to Baltimore to Miami to New England before his September 2016 Indianapolis arrival preceded a multiyear stay. The Colts used Melvin as a 19-game starter from 2016-17; that stay attracted interest on the 2018 free agent market. The Raiders gave the mid-major product a one-year, $6.5MM deal in 2018. While that contract did not end up leading to the kind of stability Melvin enjoyed in Indianapolis, it represents his most notable NFL payday.

Melvin signed with the Lions in 2019 and caught on with the Jaguars in 2020, before opting out of the latter situation in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. If the Jags stay is included, Melvin spent time with nine teams. He intercepted four passes — three of those picks coming in 2017 with the Colts — and forced three fumbles over the course of his career.

NFL Workouts: 7/25/22

As players are moved to the PUP and NFI lists and rosters are starting to take shape for the start of training camps, many players are searching for opportunities to make a team.

Here’s the list of players who have received workouts or taken visits today and this past weekend:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New England

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

 

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