Vernon Butler Has Knee Sprain
Newly-acquired defensive end Kony Ealy is in a “legitimate fight” to earn a place on the Patriots roster, opines Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Thought to be a contender for a starting job (especially following Rob Ninkovich‘s retirement), Ealy has been practicing with New England’s reserves, per Reiss, who indicates Ealy simply “hasn’t clicked” since joining the defending Super Bowl champions. The Patriots essentially got Ealy for free from the Panthers, as they moved down only eight picks in the draft to pick up the 25-year-old. He’s signed through the 2017 season, but his $800K salary isn’t guaranteed.
- Second-year defensive tackle Vernon Butler is believed to have escaped with only a knee sprain after leaving the Panthers‘ first preseason game on Wednesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Butler will undergo an MRI today, but even a sprain could lead to a multi-week absence, meaning Butler may not be ready for the regular season opener. The 30th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Butler is expected to serve as Carolina’s third interior defender behind Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei. Butler played 21% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps a season ago.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived from IR: LB Gabe Martin (Twitter link via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic)
Carolina Panthers
- Waived from IR: S Travell Dixon (Twitter link via Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer)
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: K Travis Coons
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DL Christian French (Twitter link via DEC Management)
- Waived/injured: LB Ronald Powell (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
Dean Marlowe Has Torn Hamstring
- The Panthers waived safety Dean Marlowe on Tuesday because he’s dealing with a torn hamstring, per Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Marlowe, who appeared in five Panthers games from 2015-16, will go on injured reserve if no one claims him on waivers.
Panthers Make Two Moves
Carolina Panthers
Corey Graham Visited Panthers
- Corey Graham visited the Panthers last week, but the two sides could not agree on money, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (on Twitter). The safety signed with the Eagles on Thursday.
Panthers Make Two Moves
- The Panthers signed tight end Bryce Williams and waived-injured safety Travelle Dixon. The Panthers are the fourth team for Williams, who has also spent time with the Patriots, Rams and Seahawks since going undrafted out of East Carolina last year. Dixon, undrafted from Washington two years ago, first joined the Panthers in January 2016.
Panthers Make Two Moves
- The Panthers signed cornerback Devonte Johnson and waived wide receiver Cameron Posey. Johnson signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in May 2016, and the former Weber State corner went on to spend time on their practice squad last year. He then had a brief stint with the Steelers this offseason. Posey, meanwhile, had only been a Panther since mid-June. He joined them as an undrafted free agent from Purdue.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/17
Here are today’s minor moves:
- The Panthers have signed safety Damian Parms, per Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Parms tried out with the team back in May.
- The Browns signed offensive lineman Kitt O’Brien, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets that Cleveland waived offensive lineman Chris Barker with an injury designation in a corresponding move. O’Brien, 27, spent the 2013-14 campaigns in the Arena Football League after going undrafted out of Ball State. Subsequently, he latched on with the Colts and spent parts of the past two seasons on Indianapolis’ practice squad. O’Brien has yet to appear in an NFL game.
- The Dolphins will sign WR Jordan Westerkamp today, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). In four years at Nebraska, Westerkamp posted 167 catches for 2,474 yards and 18 touchdowns, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets.
- The Jets announced that they’ve signed cornerback David Rivers and waived/injured fellow CB Bryson Keeton. Rivers, a Youngstown State product, went undrafted earlier this year and has already been cut by Green Bay.
Panthers Waive Wyatt Houston
- The Panthers waived tight end Wyatt Houston, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer tweets.
Panthers Sign Drew Iddings
Carolina Panthers