Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Harlan Miller
- Waived/Injured: CB Lou Young
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: FB Sam Rogers
- Waived/Injured: FB Zach Olstad
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DE Kiante Anderson
- Waived: DE Karter Schult
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Dres Anderson
- Released: DE Joby Saint Fleur
Cowboys Activate Maliek Collins From PUP
- The Cowboys received some good news today. Howard Balzer tweets that Maliek Collins has passed his physical and been activated from the physically unable to perform list. The 23-year-old has undergone a pair of surgeries over the past four months to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot. With several weeks to go before the end of the preseason, the Cowboys are confident Collins can return for the start of the regular season. “He’s just progressing,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said earlier this week (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “He’s done a really good job with his rehab, and we’re taking him day-by-day, we’ll see if he’s available at some point to come practice here in the next week or so.” Collins finished last season with 22 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
- The Cowboys worked out a number of players today (via Jon Machota of the Dallas News on Twitter): receiver Darren Carrington, offensive linemen Jacob Alsadek and Daronte Bouldin, and safeties Dominick Sanders, Ryan Murphy, and Deron Washington. The team ended up signing Alsadek and Carrington later in the day.
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Cowboys Place OL Marcus Martin On IR
Marcus Martin has landed on the injured reserve. After injuring his toe during the Cowboys preseason opener, the team placed the offensive lineman on the IR today, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer. The Cowboys have also waived/injured wideout Marchie Murdock, and they’ve signed lineman Jacob Alsadek and receiver Darren Carrington to fill the open roster spots.
The former 49ers starter was planning on returning to football for the first time since 2016, and the Cowboys were hoping they’d have a reliable backup guard and center. Unfortunately, Martin injured his toe on Thursday night, and the injury will require surgery. The lineman was ultimately diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right big toe.
With Martin out of the lineup, key reserve Joe Looney will now be tasked with a larger role behind projected starters Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and Connor Williams. The team will also be giving a look at Alsadek, who went undrafted out of Arizona in this year’s draft.
Murdock, a former standout at Iowa State, joined the Cowboys shortly after going undrafted. The team will be replacing him with the six-foot-two, 199-pound Carrington, who split his collegiate career between Oregon and Utah.
Cowboys Trying Ealy At DT
Cowboys’ Marcus Martin Tears Toe Ligament
A former multiyear 49ers starter, Marcus Martin hasn’t played since the 2016 season. But the Cowboys signed the offensive lineman in hopes he could commandeer one of their backup jobs.
Those plans may not come to fruition. The veteran interior lineman suffered a toe injury during Dallas’ preseason opener Thursday night, and ESPN.com’s Todd Archer reports Martin will require surgery. And it could sideline him for a while.
Martin did not suffer a toe fracture, per Calvin Watkins of The Athletic (on Twitter), but instead tore a ligament in his right big toe, per Archer. La’el Collins suffered a similar injury in 2016 and spent the final three months of the season on IR.
The Cowboys believed Martin could serve as a backup interior lineman behind Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and Connor Williams, per Archer, but this certainly alters those plans. Joe Looney still resides as a key Cowboys backup, and his role now becomes more important after this setback. Martin, 24, was no lock to make the team, but this affects Dallas’ depth.
The former 2014 third-round pick finished the 2016 season on the 49ers’ IR before being waived a few months later. Marcus Martin signed with the Cowboys in March.
David Irving Won’t Lose Free Agent Status
In a case similar to that of Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving will not see his 2019 free agent status affected by his absence from training camp, a source tells Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
Irving needed to report to Dallas’ camp 30 days prior to the start of the regular season in order to preserve his unrestricted free agent status next offseason. But because Irving, who is skipping camp to work on personal issues, has an agreement in place with the Cowboys, his contract will not toll, meaning he can hit the open market in the spring.
A former undrafted free agent, Irving hit restricted free agency this past offseason, and ultimately re-signed with the Cowboys on a second-round tender, which will pay him $2.9MM for the 2018 campaign. He’ll only earn a prorated portion of that total, however, as he’s suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
In 2017, Irving served another suspension (eight games for performance-enhancing drugs), but was effective in his half-season of play. In 338 defensive snaps, Irving managed seven sacks and graded as the league’s No. 23 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.
Tavon Austin Not Lining Up In Backfield
- Tavon Austin has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Cowboys since he was acquired via trade during the draft, but there’s one area of his game that hasn’t yet been utilized. “All the things you see me doing out here is pretty much what I’ll be doing,” Austin said, per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I ain’t touched the backfield yet, but hopefully, eventually if they need me back there, I’ll be back there too.” Dallas picked up Austin, a disappointing former first-round pick, from Los Angeles in exchange for a sixth-round pick, and he’s now expected to be the club’s primary punt returner.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/18
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed off waivers: DE Eddy Wilson
- Signed: CB C.J. Goodwin, OL Cory Helms, WR Kayaune Ross
- Placed on injured reserve: OL Rod Taylor (story)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: RB Trey Williams
- Waived: T Bryce Johnson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Brian Brown
- Waived: WR Dom Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers: DE James Hearns
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived/injured: LB Garrett Sickels
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Aaron Lacombe
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DE Ricky Ali’ifua
- Waived: C Marcus Henry, DE Eddy Wilson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: S Jason Thompson
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Cap Capi
- Waived/injured: DE Bryson Albright
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DE Ja’Von Rolland-Jones
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OL Korren Kirven, DE Joby Saint Fleur
- Waived: DE James Hearns, RB Trey Williams
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Nick Callender
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Channing Stribling, WR Marcus Peterson
- Placed on IR: TE Austin Roberts
New England Patriots
- Waived/injured: G Nate Theaker
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Bucky Hodges, OT Kyle Meadows
- Waived: LB Darnell Leslie, TE Ryan Malleck
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed CB Jeremy Boykins, LB Josh Forrest
- Waived: S Alex Carter, TE Je’Ron Hamm
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Dare Ogunbowale
- Waived: RB Dalton Crossan
Terrance Williams Has Charge Dismissed
A public intoxication charge against Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams has been dismissed, as the veteran pass-catcher’s attorney announced in a statement.
“Mr. Williams faced only a single charge, a Class C Misdemeanor of Public Intoxication,” the statement reads. “The maximum punishment for a Class C Misdemeanor in Texas is fine only. This is the same level charge as a speeding ticket. Mr. Williams’ [case] has now been dismissed following the completion of a state-mandated Alcohol Awareness Education course.
Additionally, any damage caused by Mr. Williams’ vehicle has been settled with the City of Frisco as well as any labor utilized by the city to fix any damage. The Frisco Police Department has reported that no additional charges are pending nor forthcoming.”
In May, Williams was arrested after allegedly crashing his vehicle into a light pole and subsequently leaving the scene of the crime. Notably, Williams first accused Vikings wide receiver and former teammate Kendall Wright of driving the car, but later retracted those claims. While it appears Williams escaped without ever formally being charged with leaving the scene, he was facing a public intoxication charge until today.
While no legal case will be brought against Williams, it’s possible that he’ll still face a suspension from the NFL. The league holds the ability to ban any player for off-field conduct, even if formal charges are never filed. A suspension seems unlikely given that Williams completed a diversion course, and any ban would almost surely come in 2019, not during the upcoming season.