Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/24
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB William Hooper, S Josh Thompson
- Waived: WR Austin Mack
- Waived/failed physical: RB Robert Burns
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from active/PUP list: CB T.J. Tampa
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from active/PUP: DT Devonnsha Maxwell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, S Chase Williams
- Released: RB John Kelly
- Waived: DE Marcus Haynes
- Waived/injured: CB Vincent Gray
Denver Broncos
- Claimed (from Giants): DB Kaleb Hayes
- Waived: ILB Alec Mock
Detroit Lions
- Signed: QB Jake Fromm, LB Ty Summers
- Waived: G Ike Boettger
- Waived/injured: WR Antoine Green
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Pheldarius Payne
- Waived: WR Jadon Janke
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed (from Bears): RB Demetric Felton
- Waived/injured: RB Trent Pennix
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Shaquille Quarterman, WR Isaiah Wooden
- Waived: QB Casey Bauman, WR Praise Olatoke
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB David Anenih, LB Wyatt Ray
- Placed on IR: Cam Brown, Grayson Murphy
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB Deshaun Fenwick
- Waived: DE John Morgan
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Shaq Davis
- Waived: WR Marquez Callaway
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Lorenzo Lingard
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Anthony Hines, TE Neal Johnson
- Waived: LB Jimmy Ciarlo, CB Myles Jones
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Claimed (from Ravens): OL Tykeem Doss
- Waived/injured: DB Kalon Barnes
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived/injured: WR Frank Darby
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: P Nolan Cooney
- Waived from NFI list: QB Zack Annexstad
Hernia surgery forced Tampa to the Ravens’ active/PUP list, but the fourth-round pick is ready to return. Needing a double hernia operation after minicamp (per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec), Tampa is unlikely to be ready for practice until at least next week. By avoiding a move to the reserve/PUP list, Tampa is no longer at risk of missing Baltimore’s first four games.
A rookie UDFA, Murphy went down with an MCL injury, per NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. The Dolphins signed Brown, a four-year Giants special-teamer and backup presence, in April. While the Dolphins continue to deal with linebacker injuries, they did bring Jaelan Phillips off the PUP list today.
Fromm spent most of the past two seasons with the Commanders, but the team — as it transitions to a new regime — cut the former Georgia passer in May. He joins a Lions team that still rosters Nate Sudfeld along with Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker.
Bills To Sign Damiere Byrd, Ben DiNucci
Damiere Byrd‘s journey around the NFL stopped through Washington this offseason, but the Commanders ended the partnership months after it began. The veteran supporting-caster secured another opportunity Monday, however.
The Bills, who have signed several free agent wideouts this year, added Byrd to that list, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. This will be team No. 8 for Byrd, who will return to the AFC East in an effort to make Buffalo’s 53-man roster or their practice squad. Byrd played for the Patriots in 2020, enjoying his best season. The 10th-year vet worked out for the Bills today, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
Rostering Byrd during Cam Newton‘s season at the controls, the Pats received Byrd’s best production. That 604-yard showing is an outlier, though, as the 5-foot-9 target does not have another season north of 400 yards on his resume. Byrd has some return experience, and Fowler references that in connection with this Bills agreement, but not too much. Byrd maxed out at seven kick returns in a season (2017, which included a touchdown return) and topped two punt returns in a season just once (11 in 2018).
This signing also can be added to the Carolina-to-Buffalo pipeline, as Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott were indeed still in Charlotte when Byrd’s career began back in 2015. This once-active pipeline has slowed a bit, as the Bills’ power duo has been in place since 2017, but Byrd represents another member. In between his first Panthers stint, here is Byrd’s journey: Cardinals (2019), Pats (2020), Bears (2021), Falcons (2022), Panthers again (2023), Texans (2023) and Commanders. Byrd averaged 20.6 yards per catch in Atlanta (13/268) and totaled 329 yards in Chicago.
In addition to Byrd, the Bills added Ben DiNucci, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The Broncos carried DiNucci on their practice squad for most of last season, elevating him to their active roster on a few occasions, but cut the veteran third-stringer weeks after draft week brought in Zach Wilson and Bo Nix. DiNucci, who played in the USFL in 2023, last saw NFL game action in 2020 with the Cowboys.
The former seventh-round pick will join a Bills team that lost Shane Buechele to a neck injury in its preseason opener. DiNucci joins Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky as healthy Bills QBs.
Dolphins Activate OLB Jaelan Phillips
Miami has received positive news on the health front with respect to Jaelan Phillips. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Monday the fourth-year edge rusher has been activated from the active/PUP list. 
As a result, Phillips is now eligible to return to practice. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since the Achilles tear he suffered on Black Friday, and his offseason has been centered on his ability to recover. Returning to action in time for Week 1 has long been a goal, and today’s news is an encouraging sign Phillips will be able to meet it.
Having at least one of Phillips or Bradley Chubb in place by that point would be critical for Miami’s edge rush corps. The latter is rehabbing an ACL tear, and his availability for the start of the campaign remains a question mark. The Phillips-Chubb tandem will handle starting duties when healthy, and with Shaquil Barrett retiring before making his Miami debut, veteran depth could be an issue. The Dolphins do, of course, have rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara in place as rotational options.
Miami made the expected decision of picking up Phillips’ 2025 fifth-year option this spring. That move set him up to earn $13.3MM next season, although a long-term deal could be in the cards as well. The UCLA and Miami alum flashed considerable potential as a rookie, racking up 8.5 sacks. That was followed up by seven the year after and another strong showing in the first portion of the 2023 campaign. Phillips recorded 6.5 sacks and 17 pressures before suffering the injury. He now has a short window to ramp up in time for the start of the campaign.
In other Dolphins news, Wyatt Ray‘s efforts to return to the NFL have led him to Miami. The veteran edge rusher has joined the Dolphins, per an announcement from his agency. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported earlier Monday that Ray, 27 worked out for the team. The former UDFA has made 23 appearances in the NFL split across three teams. He posted 5.5 sacks with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this spring, and that production has landed him the opportunity to compete for a roster spot.
Browns Trade For Seahawks C Nick Harris
The Browns lost some depth at center when Luke Wypler was carted off the field in the team’s preseason opener with an ankle injury that will require surgery. In order to address that issue, Cleveland has opted to bring back a familiar face, trading a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Seahawks for center Nick Harris and a 2026 seventh-round pick, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
The Browns drafted Wypler out of Ohio State in the sixth-round in 2023. They had been using Harris as their backup center since he was drafted in 2020. He started out behind J.C. Tretter and then was unable to take over the starting job when the Browns signed another former Seahawk in Ethan Pocic. Pocic has served as the team’s starter ever since. Pocic has had trouble staying on the field in recent years, though, missing 10 games in the last three seasons and failing to play a full season since his rookie year in 2017.
Harris hasn’t typically been the top choice to back up Cleveland’s starting interior linemen. He does have starts in every season he’s been healthy, but he’s never started more than two games. In 2022, he would’ve had plenty of opportunities to get on the field, as Hjalte Froholdt earned six starts while Harris sat on injured reserve with a knee injury that he suffered in the preseason. Then, last year, with Wypler on the roster, Harris was temporarily moved to fullback.
Harris signed with the Seahawks early into free agency and was set to compete with Olusegun Oluwatimi and Mike Novitsky for a starting center job devoid of experienced candidates. That battle seemingly came to an end when Seattle signed Connor Williams last week. With Williams the presumed new starter and Oluwatimi having the best claim at the backup job, Harris became superfluous, so it makes sense that Seattle was willing to move him.
In Cleveland, Harris will return to his previous role. With Wypler set to miss some time, Harris will take his place behind Pocic as the primary backup center. His experience filling in at guard, as well, could end up being valuable to the Browns.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/11/24
Today’s minor transactions to wrap up the weekend:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Spencer Brown, QB John Paddock
- Placed on IR: CB Harrison Hand, OLB Bralen Trice
- Waived: QB Nathan Rourke
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: P Jack Browning, WR Anthony Miller (story)
- Waived: G Tykeem Doss, LS Randen Plattner
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: G Jack Anderson, DT Walter Palmore, WR Tayvion Robinson, T Tyler Smith
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Deven Thompkins
- Waived: CB Willie Drew, K Harrison Mevis, RB Jaden Shirden
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DT Jaylon Hutchings
- Waived: RB Demetric Felton
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Abraham Beauplan, T Jamarco Jones
- Placed on IR: DL Nate Lynn
- Waived (with injury designation): T Connor Galvin
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: LB Ty Summers
New York Giants
- Waived: RB Jacob Saylors
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Neal Johnson
- Waived (with injury designation): LB Jimmy Ciarlo
Trice will unfortunately see his rookie season come to an end before it began. The third-round pick out of Washington exited Atlanta’s first preseason game with a knee injury that was later confirmed to be a torn ACL. Trice had been working his way into to outside linebacker rotation with the Falcons.
With Mevis getting cut, it seems the Panthers’ kicking battle has been decided. The rookie kicker, known as the “Thicker Kicker” at Missouri, was brought in to provide incumbent kicker Eddy Pineiro with competition for the job. Mevis’ departure leaves Pineiro as the only remaining kicker on the roster, putting an end to any competition.
Jaguars To Sign S Tashaun Gipson
As he hoped, Tashaun Gipson has indeed landed a deal for the 2024 season. The veteran safety is set to sign with the Jaguars on a one-year contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Gipson’s playing future has been the subject of speculation this offseason. The 34-year-old spent the past two seasons in San Francisco, and the 49ers were known to be open to re-signing him. The team opted to take a patient approach and allow Gipson to decide on his next steps. Now, he is set to play at least one more year and return to a familiar team in doing so.
Gipson played in Jacksonville from 2016-18, retaining a full-time starting role during that time. The former UDFA had one of his most productive campaigns in 2017, notching four interceptions and seven pass deflections. His first stint in Duval County was followed by a one-year tenure with the Texans and then two-year spells with the Bears and 49ers. Now, Gipson will attempt to find a role upon returning to Jacksonville.
Of course, the Wyoming alum will be sidelined for the first six weeks of the campaign due to a PED suspension. Gipson will be eligible to take part in the remainder of the preseason, but he will be sidelined for the beginning of the regular season provided he makes the roster. Jacksonville has Andre Cisco, Terrell Edmunds and Daniel Thomas in the fold at the safety spot. Andrew Wingard is currently on the mend, while free agent addition Darnell Savage is spending time at slot corner.
The Jags signed Adrian Amos last week, and he too is a veteran capable of providing experienced depth in the secondary. Gipson will use the coming weeks to compete for a roster spot in a crowded safety room. Jacksonville entered today with nearly $27MM in cap space, so today’s low-cost move will not carry significant financial implications.
Steelers Activate DL Dean Lowry
Dean Lowry has missed considerable time ahead of his first Steelers season, but he will now be cleared to practice. The veteran defensive lineman was activated from the active/PUP list on Sunday, per a team announcement. 
Lowry began his career with the Packers, spending six seasons with the team. After serving in a rotational role during his rookie season, the former fourth-rounder developed into a starter and consistent producer along the defensive interior. He recorded between 32 and 47 tackles each season between 2017 and ’22, totaling 13.5 sacks during that span.
Last offseason, Lowy signed a two-year, $8.5MM deal with the Vikings. His intra-divisional move was short-lived, however. The 30-year-old suffered a pectoral injury which limited him to nine games, and for the second straight season he finished the year on IR. To little surprise, the missed time led to Lowry being let go in March.
Not long after his release, though, the Northwestern alum signed with the Steelers. Lowry landed another two-year pact, this time worth $5MM (albeit with only $1.25MM in guarantees). He spent the past several months rehabbing the injury, but today’s move means he will now be able to practice. With two preseason games remaining, he could also see limited action in Pittsburgh’s exhibition schedule.
The Steelers have veterans Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi and Montravius Adams in the fold along the defensive interior. That trio is joined by 2023 second-rounder Keeanu Benton and seventh-round rookie Logan Lee as roster cuts loom. Now healthy, Lowry will spend the coming weeks aiming to carve out a role as part of the unit.
Giants Activate RT Evan Neal
Giants right tackle Evan Neal has passed a physical and has been activated off the PUP list, the club announced. The team also signed linebacker K.J. Cloyd and waived defensive back Kaleb Hayes.
New York selected Neal with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2022 draft, though his performance over his first two years in the pros has not aligned with his draft status. During that time, the Alabama product has started 20 games and has struggled mightily, finishing as the second-worst OT in the league in each season in the estimation of Pro Football Focus’ metrics.
In Week 9 of the 2023 campaign, Neal suffered what was initially believed to be a sprained ankle, but follow-up testing became necessary after he did not heal as expected. The additional examination revealed a broken foot that required surgery, and he is getting back on the field several weeks after training camp opened.
Now, it is fair to wonder if Neal will be able to work his way back into the starting lineup, as Connor Hughes of SNY.tv notes. In training camp, free agent acquisition Jermaine Eluemunor has been taking the first-team reps at right tackle in Neal’s absence, and he played well as the Raiders’ primary RT over each of the past two seasons. He does offer some versatility and could kick inside to guard — he lined up at LG during the Giants’ offseason practices — but his recent tackle work is far to superior to what Neal has submitted to date.
Neal could theoretically move to the interior of the line himself, though prior reports indicated that Big Blue has no plans to make such a move. Plus, the Giants recently added Greg Van Roten, who lined up at right guard alongside Eluemunor in Vegas last year and who is very much in the mix to start at RG for New York this season. Another offseason signing, Jon Runyan, appears poised to line up at left guard, and the starting center position is simply waiting for 2023 second-rounder John Michael Schmitz to return from a shoulder injury.
As such, it appears that Eluemunor and Neal are battling for the right tackle gig, and given Neal’s level of play in the NFL and Hughes’ recent report that the third-year blocker has fallen out of favor with the team — to say nothing of the notable two-year, $14MM deal that the Giants authorized for Eluemunor — Neal could start his third professional season as a backup.
Eagles Sign S Caden Sterns
The Eagles have signed free agent safety Caden Sterns, the team announced. Philadelphia cut linebacker Shaquille Quarterman in a corresponding move.
It has been a busy week for Sterns, who was waived by the Broncos on August 5, claimed by the Panthers on August 6, and subsequently put back on the waiver wire when he failed a physical with Carolina. He cleared waivers and was free to sign with any club, and as many expected, he chose the Eagles as his new employer.
Denver’s former fifth-round pick has shown potential when on the field, particularly during his rookie campaign in 2021. Sterns totaled a pair of interceptions and five pass deflections that season, and while he nearly matched both of those figures the following year, he played in just five games due to a hip ailment. Availability remained an issue for Sterns in 2023, as he suffered a torn patellar tendon in the regular season opener and was shelved for the rest of the year.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was Sterns’ head coach in Denver in 2021, and when speaking to reporters immediately after today’s acquisition, Fangio praised the 24-year-old DB’s instincts (video link via Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com). Fangio added, however, that Sterns will not practice for a week or so as he continues to recover from last year’s injury.
Nonetheless, Shorr-Parks believes Sterns has a real chance of making the roster, because in his estimation, Philadelphia would not have signed a player who is not yet ready to practice if the club did not think highly of that player and have a real vision for his fit on the team. Additionally, the Eagles need safety depth since C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Mekhi Garner are dealing with their own injury problems and since Sydney Brown is on the PUP list and James Bradberry is still learning the position after transitioning from cornerback (though Fangio said Bradberry is doing “pretty damn good” in that transition).
Quarterman, meanwhile, signed with Philadelphia just last week in an effort to crack the team’s LB rotation and to serve as a key special teams contributor after spending most of his first four years in the league as a third phase stalwart for the Jaguars. He will now need to seek an opportunity elsewhere.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/24
Saturday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DT Jayden Peevy
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: G Chasen Hines
- Placed on IR: OL Kion Smith (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DL Marquiss Spencer, LB Luquay Washington
- Waived: LB Easton Gibbs
- Placed on IR: Breiden Fehoko
Seattle Seahawks
- Reverted to IR: DT Matt Gotel