Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/25
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Keni-H Lovely
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from non-football injury list: LB Jake Hummel
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Deon Cain
- Waived: CB Daryl Porter Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from active/NFI list: DT Bobby Brown, P Sam Martin
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Toa Taua
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Nick Whiteside
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: OL Elgton Jenkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Josh Tupou
- Placed on IR: OT Jack Wilson
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: RB Nate Noel
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from active/PUP list: LB Chaz Chambliss
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/NFI list: S Josh Minkins
New Orleans Saints
- Released: OT Josh Ball
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/retired list: RB Zach Evans
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: WR Quintez Cephus
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Donovan Kaufman
- Placed on IR: RB Kenny McIntosh (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Ramel Keyton
Jenkins, who switched to center this offseason, was dealing with a back injury in training camp and participated in a limited capacity on Monday, per USA Today’s Ryan Wood.
Evans, a sixth-round pick by the Rams in 2023, played in 10 games as a rookie but didn’t make the 53-man roster in 2024. He joined the Jets’ practice squad in December and signed a reserve/futures contract in January, but opted to retire instead.
Browns QB Kenny Pickett Dealing With Hamstring Injury
For the time being, the Browns’ quarterback competition has only three healthy participants. Kenny Pickett is sidelined with a hamstring ailment. 
The injury occurred late in Saturday’s practice, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Pickett will be re-evaluated in the coming days to determine the severity of the situation. In the meantime, veteran Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will split reps during practice.
Further testing will reveal the extent of the injury, but Mary Cay Cabot of cleveland.com reports the Browns are not planning an addition under center. That is certainly an encouraging sign with respect to Pickett’s prognosis as he looks to return to action as quickly as possible. The former first-rounder is among the signal-callers who have seen notable time with the starting offense so far in 2025.
Pickett looked to be in the lead for the QB1 gig this spring, although a report from one month ago indicated Flacco would enter camp as the frontrunner. The latter has familiarity with head coach Kevin Stefanski‘s scheme along with the backing of at least some Browns veterans. Flacco could look to further increase his odds of receiving the Week 1 nod with a slight uptick in work given Pickett’s absence.
Cleveland will, to no surprise, not consider a trade involving either of the rookies. With Gabriel and Sanders safe, many have pointed to Flacco and Pickett – both of whom are pending 2026 free agents – as a potential trade candidates at the end of the summer. The winner of this year’s quarterback competition will of course survive roster cutdowns, but the veteran which does not earn the gig could represent a backup option for outside suitors.
Nevertheless, the prospect of carrying all four quarterbacks on the roster through the start of the season has been raised, and general manager Andrew Berry recently repeated his willingness to take that route. In any case, Pickett’s health will be a factor in determining how the depth chart shakes out. His injury outlook will thus be worth monitoring.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/25
Friday’s minor moves as we head into the weekend:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Mello Dotson, OLB J.J. Weaver
- Waived (with injury designation): CB M.J. Devonshire
- Waived: OLB Amare Barno
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Winston Wright
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): RB Israel Abanikanda
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR JaQuae Jackson
- Waived: T Elijah Ellis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to reserve/PUP list: T Silas Dzansi
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Matt Landers
- Waived: WR Colton Dowell
Browns LB Jordan Hicks Retires
Jordan Hicks worked as a full-time starter with the Browns last season, and he was in position to do the same again in 2025. Instead, the veteran linebacker is hanging up his cleats. 
Hicks announced on Instagram Friday (via Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal) that he has retired. One year remains on his contract, but today’s news means Cleveland will likely be in the market for a linebacker addition. The team was already shorthanded at that spot given Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah‘s reserve/PUP designation in May which ensured he will miss all of the coming season.
“After 23 years of playing football, I’m officially retiring from the NFL,” Hicks’ announcement reads in part. “Football has given me more than I could have ever imagined… I’m looking forward to this next season of life and all that it brings. I walk away with peace knowing I gave football all I had, and that the best is yet to come.”
Hicks, 33, entered the NFL as an Eagles third-rounder. He played out his rookie contract with Philadelphia, establishing himself as a regular first-team presence on defense. The Texas product then spent three years with the Cardinals, logging over 1,000 snaps in each campaign. Hicks was released in 2022, but his time on the free agent market proved to be short-lived.
A two-year Vikings pact allowed Hicks to operate as a starter with his third career team. While in Minnesota, he reached triple-digit tackles both times, extending his streak in that regard to five years. Hicks took a two-year, $8MM pact to join the Browns last March, and he was a regular when healthy in 2024. Injury resulted in just 12 games played, but a notable snap share would have been expected this time around (especially with Owusu-Koramoah not in the picture for 2025).
Cleveland’s linebacker depth chart also includes Devin Bush, although the former first-rounder is facing simple assault and harassment charges from an alleged domestic violence incident. Even if Bush does wind up playing a full campaign in 2025, today’s news means the Browns will need to rely even more on second-round rookie Carson Schwesinger as a starter than they were already in position to. It will be interesting to see if the team pursues a short-term veteran signing in the near future.
A member of the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning team from 2017, Hicks will depart the NFL after playing 138 combined regular and postseason games. In addition to a championship, he exits the game with over $44MM in career earnings.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/25
With several training camps underway, here are today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravend
- Placed on active/NFI list: LB Jake Hummel
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on active/NFI list: WR Laviska Shenault
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Tre Swilling
- Waived: QB Ethan Garbers
Chicago Bears
- Released: S Tarvarius Moore
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers (from Eagles): DE K.J. Henry
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/PUP list: CB Micah Robinson, LB Quay Walker
Houston Texans
- Placed on active/PUP list: DE Denico Autry, DE Derek Barnett, C Eli Cox, DT Foley Fatukasi, DT Kurt Hinish, LB K.C. Ossai, RB Dameon Pierce, RB J.J. Taylor
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Alijah Huzzie, RB Joe Mixon
- Waived: CB Keydrain Calligan
Los Angeles Chargers
- Reverted to reserve/PUP list: T Savion Washington
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on active/PUP list: WR Tru Edwards, TE Mark Redman
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/PUP list: LB Jahlani Tavai
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB Carlton Davis, WR Jeremiah Webb
New York Giants
- Reverted to reserve/PUP list: S Anthony Johnson
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Samuel Jackson
- Activated from active/NFI list: LB Aaron Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Joe Evans
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Nakobe Dean
- Waived (with injury designation): OL Marcus Tate
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on active/NFI list: DT Johnathan Hankins
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DT Timmy Horne, RB Jermar Jefferson
- Place on IR: QB Will Levis (story)
- Placed on reserve/retired list: OLB Lorenzo Carter (story)
Washington Commanders
- Signed: WR Tay Martin
- Placed on active/PUP list: G Sam Cosmi (story)
- Placed on reserve/did not report list: WR Terry McLaurin (story)
Houston fans may be discouraged to see a few big names on injured lists, but all is not lost. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Mixon’s “medical outlook is positive” as the team plans to gradually increase his activity throughout camp. Likewise, Autry is expected to ease his way back into camp workouts, as well. Pierce, on the other hand, is expected to be ready to come off the list at the start of camp.
Per ESPN’s John Keim, Cosmi likely won’t see much time on the field in camp, but he appears to be hitting all the mile markers en route to being healthy for the start of the regular season. With McLaurin officially beginning his holdout yesterday, the team has made the corresponding roster move. McLaurin will rack up fines of $50K per each day missed, but if the team can come to terms on an extension, they can make sure those fines are nullified.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/25
With training camps kicking off around the NFL, teams continue to make adjustments to their rosters. Here are today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Matt Sokol, WR David White
- Waived: WR Kelly Akharaiyi, P Jake Camarda
- Placed on active/PUP: OT Spencer Brown, C Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
- Placed on active/NFI: TE Dawson Knox
- Activated from active/PUP: DE Landon Jackson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Tyler Mabry
- Released/failed physical: LB Josey Jewell (story)
- Placed on active/NFI: DT Bobby Brown
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DT Dante Barnett
- Placed on active/NFI: RB Zack Moss
Cleveland Browns
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Jaelen Gill
- Placed on active/PUP: DT Mike Hall Jr., QB Deshaun Watson
- Placed on active/NFI: WR David Bell
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: K Mark McNamee
Houston Texans
- Waived: CB Keydrain Calligan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on active/PUP: DT Maason Smith
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Phillip Dorsett, G Atonio Mafi, WR Seth Williams
- Waived: CB Mello Dotson, WR Zakhair Franklin, WR Key’Shawn Smith, LB Jailin Walker
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: OT Savion Washington
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OL Daniel Brunskill
- Waived: QB Brett Gabbert
- Placed on active/PUP: OL Liam Eichenberg, TE Darren Waller
- Placed on active/NFI: S Ifeatu Melifonwu
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on active/PUP: TE Taysom Hill, TE Foster Moreau
- Placed on reserve/retired: TE Dallin Holker, S Tyrann Mathieu (story)
New York Giants
- Signed: S K’Von Wallace
- Waived/failed physical: S Anthony Johnson Jr.
- Placed on active/PUP: RB Eric Gray, LT Andrew Thomas
- Placed on active/NFI: LB Victor Dimukeje
New York Jets
- Waived: OT Obinna Eze
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on active/PUP: OT Silas Dzansi, WR Chris Godwin, G Sua Opeta, QB Michael Pratt, OT Tristan Wirfs
- Placed on active/NFI: LB Anthony Walker
- Placed on active/non-football illness: DL Desmond Watson
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on active/PUP: C Lloyd Cushenberry, CB L’Jarius Sneed
Washington Commanders
- Waived/NFI: RB Michael Wiley
NFL Legal Notes: Browns, Rice, Ruggs
In keeping with her prior update on first-year running back Quinshon Judkins, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com confirmed Judkins did not report to training camp with the rest of the Browns’ rookies on Friday. Veterans are due to report on Tuesday, with the first full-squad practice scheduled for Wednesday.
Judkins, a second-round pick, was expected to compete for a significant workload right away, as only Jerome Ford was penciled in above him on the depth chart. Judkins may still see a great deal of action in 2025, but a misdemeanor domestic battery charge has put his NFL career on hold. For now, Cleveland wants Judkins to focus on resolving his legal issues, and it sounds as if the team will not sign him to his rookie contract until that happens.
And, when the legal matter is resolved, Judkins could face discipline from the NFL. Until then, players like fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson and holdover Pierre Strong will get more reps.
Let’s take a look at a few more legal matters impacting players around the league:
- As expected, Browns LB Devin Bush was arraigned on charges of simple assault and harassment on Friday, per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. After making 16 appearances (10 starts) in his first year in Cleveland in 2024, Bush re-signed with the club on a one-year pact in March. Although the addition of Carson Schwesinger in this year’s draft will eat into Bush’s playing time, the former first-round pick of the Steelers should remain involved in at least a rotational capacity. He will have a pre-trial hearing on August 15.
- Despite a February DUI charge, and despite having failed to earn a role as a regular starter over his first four years in the league, the Ravens re-signed OL Ben Cleveland to a one-year deal this offseason. Baltimore appears to appreciate Cleveland’s ability to back up multiple spots on the O-line and is prepared to once again carry him on the roster as a reserve. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Cleveland’s trial has been postponed to November 13. He has pleaded not guilty.
- Chiefs WR Rashee Rice was facing three civil suits stemming from the street-racing crash that took place in March 2024 (the criminal component of the incident was recently resolved, with Rice receiving a 30-day jail sentence and five years of probation). Jesse Newell of the Kansas City Star says Rice settled one of the civil matters for $1.086MM, which will accrue interest until paid. Rice, a 2023 second-rounder, has no guaranteed money remaining on his rookie deal, and he stands to lose roughly $70K for every week he misses due to suspension in 2025 (h/t Spotrac, which also notes the club could seek repayment of a portion of Rice’s signing bonus — roughly $23K per week).
- Like Rice, Texans RB Joe Mixon had a civil suit to resolve. As Sheree Paolello of WLWT 5 reports, Mixon settled a lawsuit involving a teenage boy who was shot with a real bullet while playing Nerf Wars near Mixon’s home in March 2023, when Mixon was still a member of the Bengals. As Paolello detailed in a full-length piece a few months after the incident, the shots were allegedly fired by the boyfriend of Mixon’s sister, though the victim’s family believed the gun and ammunition were owned by Mixon. The details of the settlement will not be released.
- Jordan Addison recently entered into a plea agreement in his DUI matter. While the Vikings’ wide receiver did consider going to trial, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (video link), he did not want the issue creating a distraction during training camp. He could still receive a suspension from the league, of course.
- We heard in May that former Raiders WR Henry Ruggs, currently imprisoned for a drunk-driving incident that resulted in the horrific death of a woman and her dog, is eyeing an NFL return. He will be eligible for parole in August 2026, and if he is granted parole, Albert Breer of SI.com believes an NFL club could give him another chance. Breer says it is unclear whether the league would suspend Ruggs; a league official told Breer the matter would be “reviewed” when the time comes.
Dolphins Sign Second-Round OL Jonah Savaiinaea To Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
The Dolphins have agreed to terms on a 100% fully guaranteed rookie contract with second-round offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
The deal makes Savaiinaea the first No. 37 pick and the fifth second-round pick to receive a fully guaranteed contract in league history. He received significant increases over the guarantees of 2024 No. 37 pick Ja’Lynn Polk, who had 30% of his Year 4 salary and 84.7% of his total deal guaranteed, per OverTheCap. Savaiinaea received 15.3% more guaranteed money overall with a massive 70% increase in Year 4 guaranteed salary.
Savaiinaea did not report with the rest of the Miami’s rookie class on July 15 as one of several second-round picks holding out for fully guarantee rookie contracts after the Texans set new precedent with No. 34 pick Jayden Higgins. No. 35 pick Nick Emmanwori signed a fully guaranteed deal with the Seahawks on Thursday, giving Savaiinaea leverage to demand similar terms. Savaiinaea is also projected to replace Liam Eichenberg as the Dolphins’ starting right guard after they traded up for him in April’s draft, so it was important to get him on the field to build chemistry with his new teammates.
By giving in to Savaiinaea’s demands, the Dolphins will continue the domino effect of second-round pick signings. No. 39 pick Luther Burden signed a fully guaranteed contract with the Bears shortly after Savaiinaea put pen to paper, which should lock No. 38 pick TreVeyon Henderson into a similar deal with the Patriots. Saints rookie quarterback and No. 40 pick Tyler Shough should also be able to secure the fully guaranteed deal that he has been pursuing.
Normally, Savaiinaea’s signing would also ensure that the pick before him gets a fully guaranteed deal. However, No. 36 pick Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned as he faces a charge of misdemeanor battery after a domestic incident in Florida. The Browns are in no rush to sign him to his rookie deal, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, as the team wants their second-round pick’s focus to remain on his legal issues.
Savaiinaea’s signing completes the Dolphins’ eight-man draft class before training camp kicks off next week.
- Round 1, No. 13: Kenneth Grant (DT, Michigan) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 37 (from Raiders): Jonah Savaiinaea (G, Arizona) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 143 (from Raiders): Jordan Phillips (DT, Maryland) (signed)
- Round 5: No. 150: Jason Marshall (CB, Florida) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 155 (from Broncos): Dante Trader (S, Maryland) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 179 (from Browns through Texans): Ollie Gordon (RB, Oklahoma State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 231: Quinn Ewers (QB, Texas) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 253*: Zeek Biggers (DT, Georgia Tech) (signed)
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/16/25
With rookies starting to report for training camp, we’ve got a good number of minor moves for the first time in a while today:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on active/NFI list: T Emery Jones
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/retired list: DE Elerson Smith
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/retired list: C Frank Ragnow (story)
- Waived (with injury settlement): CB Divaad Wilson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: WR Justyn Ross
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on active/NFI list: QB Kurtis Rourke
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Zy Alexander, DE Rylie Mills
Smith, a former fourth-round pick out of Northern Iowa for the Giants, has decided to hang up his cleats, putting an end to an unfortunately injury-marred career at 26 years old. After opening up his rookie season on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury early in training camp, Smith played eight games as a rookie before suffering a neck injury that sent him back to IR. New York held out hope, activating him off of IR eight games into his sophomore campaign, but ultimately, Smith returned to IR after only five more games.
After the Giants waived him early in training camp in 2023, Smith found his way to the Jets’ practice squad in mid-October but was released at the turn of the month. Three weeks later he signed to the practice squad of the Raiders, with whom he would finish the season and sign a reserve/futures deal. Las Vegas, though, waived him with an injury designation before finalizing their 53-man roster for 2024. Smith rebounded once more with the Browns, and thanks to two gameday practice squad elevations, Smith played in two games last season — his first since 2022 — and signed a futures deal in Cleveland.
Injuries to his legs and neck early in his career derailed a career for Smith that was never really able to get going. Unfortunately, the former first-team FCS All-American’s playing time has come to an early end.
Ross reportedly asked for his release from the Chiefs, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The once promising Clemson star who totaled 1,000 yards with nine touchdowns as a freshman and 865 yards with eight touchdowns as a sophomore continues to struggle in his return to football stardom. After missing the 2020 season due to surgery addressing a congenital fusion condition of his neck and spine, Ross only amassed 524 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his final year with the Tigers before going undrafted in 2022.
Despite injuries leaving the Chiefs pretty thin at receiver at times in the past few years, Ross never was able to step up and take a spot on the offense. When his undrafted contract expired and he’d only seen action in 12 games and caught six passes totaling 53 yards, Ross signed the exclusive rights tender the team placed on him, as his only other option would’ve been to not play in 2025. Instead, he approached Kansas City with a request to be released, and the Chiefs acquiesced. The 25-year-old will go to the waiver wire, and if no teams claim him, he’ll be able to sign anywhere he wants.
Latest On Browns RB Quinshon Judkins
Browns rookie Quinshon Judkins was arrested this past weekend has has since been charged with misdemeanor domestic battery. Further details have emerged regarding the running back’s case. 
Judkins’ arrest report documents the specifics of the alleged incident (h/t Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). On July 7, the accuser – a woman who was in a relationship between May and December 2024 and again from June 2025 onwards with Judkins – was struck with a closed fist in the chin/lip area and later hit in the left arm and thigh, per the report. The alleged victim initially did not contact police out of concern for the damage it would do to Judkins’ NFL career.
After discussing the matter with family and friends, though, the accuser later filed the report which led to Judkins’ arrest. The second-rounder was booked into Broward County Main Jail in Florida on Saturday and remained in custody overnight. An updated story on the situation from Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal notes Judkins was released Sunday on a $2,500 bond.
The arrest report notes the accuser still had “visible bruising on her chin area” as of July 12. She also provided police with a photograph taken on July 8 detailing her injuries from the previous day. That evidence will be included in the legal process as it plays out; only after its conclusion will the NFL launch an investigation of its own and determine if supplemental discipline under the personal conduct policy is necessary.
One of the top prospects in a deep 2025 RB class, Judkins was selected 36th overall. The Ole Miss and Ohio State product is one of two rookies Cleveland has in the backfield, a group which no longer includes Pro Bowler Nick Chubb. Judkins, 21, will face high expectations when he sees the field at the NFL level. The time at which that will take place is uncertain as training camp approaches, though.