Darren Fells

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/8/22

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/13/21

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

  • Activated from PUP list: DT Trysten Hill
  • Promoted: K Lirim Hajrullahu

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Buccaneers Add TE Darren Fells To Practice Squad

The defending champs are adding a notable name to their practice squad. The Buccaneers have signed tight end Darren Fells to the p-squad, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The hope is that Fells will be promoted for Sunday’s game against WFT.

The 35-year-old signed with the Lions in May, circling back after a previous stint in 2017. While he started all five of his games with the Lions this season, he was limited to only four catches and 43 yards. The team ended up cutting the tight end earlier this week.

Fells’ most notable season came in 2019, when he notched 34 catches for 341 yards and seven touchdowns with Houston. In total, he’s hauled in 127 catches for 1,526 yards and 21 touchdowns in 109 career games (81 starts).

The Buccaneers, of course, are already loaded at tight end, rostering Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard, and Cameron Brate. Fells should temporarily help the team while Gronk looks to battle back from his current injury.

Tampa Bay made another practice squad move today, releasing wideout John Hurst to make room for the recently signed Breshad Perriman.

Lions To Waive TE Darren Fells

The Lions will waive tight end Darren Fells (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Fells requested his release, RapSheet hears, and he’ll get his wish before the end of the business day.

Even though he’s a vested veteran, Fells will be subject to the waiver wire as a post-trade deadline cut. Fells should hold appeal for teams in need of tight end support, particularly those in need of blocking help.

Fells, 35, signed with the Lions in May, circling back after a previous stint in 2017. After his first Detroit tour, he moved on to the Browns and Texans. His most notable season came in 2019, when he notched 34 catches for 341 yards and seven touchdowns. And, between 2019 and 2020 with the Texans, Fells registered 11 touchdown receptions.

Fells has started in all five of his games for the Lions this year, but hasn’t been a big part of the offense. He has just four grabs for 43 yards, so he’s hoping to see more action with a winning team. Or, at least, a team with a single win.

If Fells goes unclaimed in the next 24 hours, he’ll be free to sign with any club.

Lions Re-Sign TE Darren Fells, Place QB Tim Boyle On IR

As expected, the Lions will begin their season without backup quarterback Tim Boyle. A thumb injury will sideline him into October, with the team placing the former Packers reserve on IR Thursday.

The team also stashed defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand on IR. Players placed on IR after roster cutdown day are eligible to return after three games. This is Hand’s fourth IR stay in four seasons.

Detroit also brought back one of its offseason additions, re-signing tight end Darren Fells a day after releasing him. Fells made it through to the Lions’ 53-man roster after cut day but was dropped on Wednesday. The former college hoops standout-turned-red zone target signed with the Lions in May.

Fells joins T.J. Hockenson as the only tight ends on Detroit’s active roster. This will be Fells’ age-35 season and second with Detroit. He was on the 2017 Lions before relocating to Cleveland and then Houston. With the Texans, Fells caught 11 touchdown passes over the past two years.

Boyle’s injury leaves David Blough as the only QB behind Jared Goff on the Lions’ active roster. This marks Blough’s third year with the team.

Additionally, the Lions also re-signed safety Dean Marlowe on Thursday. A Bills contributor from 2018-20, Marlowe joined Fells in being dropped from the roster for procedural purposes Wednesday.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These BearsLionsPackers and Vikings moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Chicago Bears

Claimed:

Signed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Released/Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Signed:

Claimed:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Lions To Sign Darren Fells

The Lions have agreed to a deal with Darren Fells, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets. It’s a reunion for Fells, who spent the 2017 season in Detroit. 

Last time with the Lions, Fells notched 17 catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Back then, he was known solely for his blocking ability. But, in 2019, he made waves with 34 catches for 341 yards and seven touchdowns. His second season with the Texans wasn’t as flashy. In 2020, Fells notched 21 catches for 312 yards and four TDs. Still, that makes eleven scores in two years and the Lions are more interested in Fells for his blocking ability.

Fells will help replace TE Josh Hill, who signed with the Lions this year only to retire earlier this week. Hill, 31, was set to play on a one-year, $1.2MM deal.

Lions To Meet With Darren Fells

The Lions will meet with Darren Fells tonight (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). If all goes well, the veteran tight end could return to Detroit, where he spent the 2017 season.

Fells has notched eleven touchdowns across the last two seasons with the Texans, plus another TD in the 2019 postseason. The bulk of those scores came in ’19 (seven) off of 34 grabs for 341 yards. Last year was quieter for the 35-year-old as he registered 21 catches for 312 yards and four TDs. Still, it’s worth noting that he finished with the highest yards per catch average of his career (14.9). Also, it wasn’t exactly a banner year for the Texans offense on the whole.

Overall, Fells is better known for his blocking prowess than his pass-catching, so he still profiles as solid support for T.J. Hockenson & Co.

Texans To Cut TE Darren Fells

The Texans are releasing Darren Fells (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The tight end was previously set to play out the second-year of his two-year, $7MM contract. 

Fells, who will celebrate his 35th birthday in April, set a career high with seven touchdowns in 2019. It was an unexpected jump in offensive production for the veteran, who was previously known best for his blocking prowess.

Last year, he staved off competition from Jordan Akins and third-round pick Kahale Warring, but the Texans are going younger across the board as they rebuilt. Akins led all Houston TEs with 37 grabs for 403 yards. Meanwhile, Warring stands at 6’5″ with tons of promise as a blocker. If he’s healthy, he could be a featured part of the rotation.

By releasing Fells, the Texans will save upwards of $1.2MM on the books.

Texans, Darren Fells Agree To Extension

The Texans have agreed to terms on a new two-year contract with tight end Darren Fells, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The new deal is worth $7MM and will pay Fells a little more up front with $4MM in 2020. 

Fells, who will celebrate his 34th birthday in April, set a career high with seven touchdowns last year. It was an unexpected jump in offensive production for the veteran, who was previously known best for his blocking prowess.

Last summer, many thought that Fells was on the chopping block soon after signing his one-year deal with Houston. Six weeks after putting pen to paper, the Texans used a third-round choice on San Diego State’s Kahale Warring, a 6’5″ athlete with lots of promise as a blocker. Meanwhile, there were also “the Jordans” – 2018 picks Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas.

Still, Fells emerged from the pack and as he started in all 16 games and caught 34 passes for 341 yards (and the aforementioned seven TDs.) Now, he’ll stick with the Texans for 2020 and possibly beyond.