Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Troy Andersen
- Released: DB Kevin King
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Cobee Bryant, DL LaCale London, LB Malik Verdon
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Alex Cook
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Cornell Armstrong, OL Obinna Eze
- Waived: OL Tedi Kushi
- Placed on IR: CB Artie Burns
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Tanner McCalister
- Released: LB Jared Bartlett
Philadelphia Eagles
- Reverted to IR: OL Marcus Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on active/NFI list: G Isaac Seumalo
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Quintez Cephus
- Waived: RB Israel Abanikanda
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: G Michael Jordan, OL Tyler McLellan
- Waived/injured: OL Silas Dzansi
- Placed on reserve/retired list: OT Garret Greenfield
Washington Commanders
- Extended: S Percy Butler
Following rumblings yesterday that Artie Burns may have suffered a season-ending injury, the bad news was confirmed today, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Dolphins cornerback indeed suffered a torn ACL. It’s a tough break for the veteran, who’s looking to revive his NFL career after being limited to only four games with the Seahawks last season. The Dolphins were quick to sign a replacement, as Miami signed Cornell Armstrong. A former sixth-round pick by the Dolphins, Armstrong last appeared in an NFL game in 2022, when he started four of his nine games for the Falcons.
The Buccaneers did some shuffling on their offensive line today. In comes a pair of lineman: Michael Jordan, who started 11 games for the Patriots last season, and Tyler McLellan, a six-foot-eight, 355-pound lineman out of Campbell. Garret Greenfield, a UDFA in the 2024 draft, has apparently decided to hang up his cleats, and the team also moved on from Silas Dzansi with an injury designation.
The Commanders were looking ahead to 2026 today, as the team added an extra year to Percy Butler‘s contract. The former fourth-round pick has had some run in the starting lineup, including a 2023 season where he started 13 games while compiling 64 tackles and eight passes defended. He started five of 17 games in 2024 while establishing himself as one of Washington’s special teams aces.
Lions Meet With LB Kyzir White
The Lions dealt with widespread injury trouble at linebacker last season, but the team has seen key principals reemerge. Both Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes are back at work, though Malcolm Rodriguez is not expected to join them for a while.
With their LB depth tested last year, the Lions may be ready to act early in 2025. They conducted a free agency visit with Kyzir White, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. A former Chargers, Eagles and Cardinals linebacker, White has resided in free agency since his two-year Arizona deal expired in March.
[RELATED: Anzalone Expresses Contract Frustration]
A 73-game starter, White was attached to a two-year Arizona deal worth $10MM. Deemed a low priority along with fellow Eagles Super Bowl LVII linebacker starter T.J. Edwards, White joined the Chicago-bound defender in departing Philly during the 2023 offseason. He reunited with ex-Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon and made 28 starts over the past two years. That included 17 in 2024, as the Cardinals quietly improved from 31st to 15th in scoring defense.
Pro Football Focus did not think much of White’s Arizona work, ranking him as a bottom-10 linebacker (among regulars) in 2024 and placing him 64th at the position in 2023. A converted safety, White began his career with the Chargers. A 144-tackle contract year (2021) drew Eagles attention, though he only commanded a one-year, $3MM deal. He still logged a 76% snap rate for a strong Eagles defense that season. He hit 94% and 95% rates, respectively, with the Cardinals.
White, though, was statistically productive in Arizona. He produced back-to-back nine-TFL seasons as a Cardinal and combined for 4.5 sacks in that span. This included a 137-tackle, 2.5-sack 2024. The former fourth-round pick also tallied an interception in both seasons. The Cardinals added Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency as a replacement (also on a two-year, $10MM deal), before using a fourth-round pick on Cody Simon.
Anzalone missed seven games with a broken arm last year, while a Week 3 knee injury shut down Barnes for the season. Detroit then lost Rodriguez to a late-season ACL tear. He began training camp on the team’s active/PUP list and is expected to miss regular-season time. The Lions are still fairly well situated here, thanks to the presence of 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell, who played all 17 games last season. White, 29, may want to hold out for an injury to shake up a team’s starting crew. An early move, though, would give the seven-year vet a better chance of picking up a team’s scheme ahead of Week 1.
Lions DT Levi Onwuzurike Out For Season
July 20: During the Lions’ first day of training camp Sunday, head coach Dan Campbell addressed the media. He told reporters, including Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network, that Onwuzurike tore his ACL and is out for the year.
This is obviously difficult news for the player, who will have no momentum when he becomes eligible for free agency again in 2026, and the team, which is not expecting McNeil to return until late October or early November. The club’s defensive tackle depth will be tested immediately, and Williams will face increased pressure in his rookie season.
July 17: Levi Onwuzurike will be sidelined for at least the first month of the 2025 season. The veteran defensive tackle was placed on the reserve/PUP list Thursday, per a team announcement. 
At the onset of training camp, several players around the league are placed on the active/physically unable to perform list. That move is generally made in the case of short-term ailments, and players can be (and almost always are) activated at some point during the summer. This case is different, however.
Onwuzurike’s placement on the reserve/PUP list guarantees he will miss at least the Lions’ first four games. His absence will be felt along the defensive interior regardless of how long it lasts. Onwuzurike has not been linked to a specific injury this offseason, but he has dealt with lingering back injuries dating back to his college career.
That issue resulted in the entire 2022 campaign being missed. Onwuzurike managed to play 10 games the following year, though, and in 2024 he logged by far the heaviest workload of his career. The 27-year-old played 635 snaps while starting 10 games; to no surprise, an uptick in production followed. Onwuzurike notched 28 tackles while adding 22 quarterback pressures and 1.5 sacks.
The former second-rounder was on track for free agency until a new Lions pact was worked out just before the start of the new league year. Onwuzurike took a one-year, $4MM deal to remain in the Motor City. It will be interesting to see what his prognosis is once further details emerge.
In the meantime, the Lions will move forward with a defensive line group led by Alim McNeill, D.J. Reader and first-round rookie Tyleik Williams. Onwuzurike will look to regain his role from last season whenever he returns to full health and is activated.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/18/25
Here are today’s minor NFL transactions as we head into the weekend:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Dicaprio Bootle, CB Tyson Russell, RB Jabari Small
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on active/PUP: DE Collin Oliver, CB Micah Robinson, LB Quay Walker, WR Christian Watson (story), G John Williams
- Placed on active/NFI: K Alex Hale, C Elgton Jenkins, RB Amar Johnson
- Waived: DT Nesta Jade Silvera, DT Cameron Young
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on active/PUP: WR Brandon Aiyuk (story), T Andre Dillard, DE Yetur Gross-Matos, S Malik Mustapha (story), WR Ricky Pearsall (story), LB Curtis Robinson
- Placed on active/NFI: OL Ben Bartch, S George Odum
The Lions have added three players to the roster today after a working them out. Bootle has had a cup of coffee with a few teams in the league after going undrafted in 2021. Small didn’t see the field at all as an undrafted rookie with the Titans last year, and Russell becomes the latest undrafted rookie free agent to sign a deal this year. His tenacity has been rewarded two and a half months after the draft.
Lions Agree To Terms With Second-Round OL Tate Ratledge
July 18: The Lions guaranteed 66% of Ratledge’s Year 3 salary, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Comparatively, Chris Braswell, the No, 57 pick in 2024, only received guarantees for 16.4% of his Year 3 salary (and 57.2% of his total contract).
Ratledge’s deal represents another significant leap in guarantees for second-round picks as the 2025 class continues to sign their rookie contracts.
July 17: Tate Ratledge will be in the building when the Lions start their training camp in full this weekend. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Lions have agreed to terms with their rookie offensive lineman.
Like many teams around the league, the second rounder represented the Lions’ only unsigned draft pick. Detroit’s rookies reported to training camp yesterday.
Ratledge was the 57th pick in this year’s draft following an illustrious college career at Georgia. He established himself as a starter in 2022, and he was part of the championship-winning squads in 2023 and 2024. The lineman earned All-SEC and All-American nods in each of his final two seasons with the Bulldogs.
Ratledge exclusively played right guard in college, and there’s a chance he sticks at either one of the guard positions during the 2025 campaign. The rookie will also compete to replace the retired Frank Ragnow at center. While Ratledge didn’t play the position in college, he served as Georgia’s backup center in practices. The rookie was also spotted snapping for the Lions during spring practices, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
With the signing, the Lions’ entire draft class is now under contract:
- Round 1, No. 28: Tyleik Williams (DT, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 57 (from Rams through Panthers and Broncos): Tate Ratledge (G, Georgia)
- Round 3, No. 70 (from Jaguars): Isaac TeSlaa (WR, Arkansas) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 171 (from Cowboys through Patriots)*: Miles Frazier (G, LSU) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 196 (from Buccaneers): Ahmed Hassanein (OLB, Boise State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 230 (from Cardinals through Panthers and Broncos): Dan Jackson (S, Georgia) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 244: Dominic Lovett (WR, Georgia) (signed)
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/17/25
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on active/PUP: S Ar’Darius Washington
Detroit Lions
- Placed on active/PUP: OT Taylor Decker, CB Khalil Dorsey, OG Miles Frazier, DL Alim McNeill, LB Malcolm Rodriguez, DL Mekhi Wingo
- Placed on active/NFI: DL Josh Paschal, CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
- Waived-injured: RB Anthony Tyus
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OT Ryan Nelson
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on active/PUP: LB Uchenna Nwosu
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.
Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson Addresses Health Entering Training Camp
Aidan Hutchinson confirmed in May that he received full medical clearance after completing the recovery process on his broken leg. To no surprise, then, no limitations are expected for the Lions Pro Bowler during training camp. 
“I’m exactly where I need to be,” Hutchinson said in an interview with CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson (video link). “Every year I’ve been able to improve on my own physical attributes along with the mental ones, so I feel like every year I take a step. Despite having that rehab this offseason, I feel like I’m in the perfect spot and exactly where I need to be going into Year 4.”
2025 will be a critical campaign for the former No. 2 pick as he and the Lions look to rebound from last year’s early postseason exit. Hutchinson’s absence was a key factor in Detroit’s defensive performances after his Week 5 injury. Up to that point, he was in contention to receive the Defensive Player of the Year award with 7.5 sacks and 27 QB pressures on that statsheet. If Hutchinson can remain healthy through the coming campaign, the Lions’ pass rush will be in a strong position.
Of course, a clean bill of health will also crucial from a financial standpoint in this case. Hutchinson is eligible for an extension, and at the age of 25 (as of next month) he is a prime candidate to be among the top earning edge rushers. The position’s market stands at $40MM annually for now, but T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons are both candidates to surpass that figure before Week 1. The Lions are aware of the rough cost of a new deal for Hutchinson, and an expectation emerged this spring that talks with the Michigan product were likely to accelerate in the wake of his recovery.
No updates have emerged on the extension front since then, but time still remains for Hutchinson and the Lions to hammer out a lucrative deal. Doing so just before or sometime during training camp will be more feasible based on his health situation.
Players To Spend Season On Franchise Tag Since 2015
The Chiefs and Trey Smith have just less than 48 hours to agree on a long-term extension; otherwise, the Pro Bowl guard will play on the franchise tag and negotiations will be tabled until 2026. That is 2025’s only tag situation as the July 15 deadline approaches.
Over the previous 10 offseasons, 77 players received the franchise tag. Many of those signed extensions before the midsummer deadline. Here are the players who did not and ended up playing the season for the tag price:
2015
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (Giants): $3MM
Pierre-Paul’s infamous fireworks accident led to Giants rescinding $14.8MM tag, setting up revised agreement
2016
- Eric Berry, S (Chiefs): $10.81MM
- Kirk Cousins, QB (Washington): $19.95MM
- Alshon Jeffery, WR (Bears): $14.6MM
- Trumaine Johnson, CB (Rams): $13.95MM
2017
- Le’Veon Bell, RB (Steelers): $12.12MM
- Kirk Cousins, QB (Washington): $22.94MM
- Trumaine Johnson, CB (Rams): $16.74MM
2018
- Ziggy Ansah, DE (Lions): $17.14MM
- Le’Veon Bell, RB (Steelers): $14.54MM
- Lamarcus Joyner, S (Rams): $11.29MM
- DeMarcus Lawrence, DE (Cowboys): $17.14MM
Bell did not collect any money on his 2018 tag, being the 21st century’s lone franchise-tagged player to skip season
2019
- Jadeveon Clowney, LB (Seahawks): $15MM
Texans applied $15.9MM linebacker tag on Clowney, trading him to Seahawks in August 2019; edge rusher agreed to salary reduction upon being dealt
2020
- Shaquil Barrett, LB (Buccaneers): $15.83MM
- Bud Dupree, LB (Steelers): $15.83MM
- A.J. Green, WR (Bengals): $17.97MM
- Anthony Harris, S (Vikings): $11.44MM
- Hunter Henry, TE (Chargers): $10.61MM
- Matt Judon, DE/LB (Ravens): $16.81MM
- Yannick Ngakoue, LB (Vikings/Ravens): $12MM
- Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $31.41MM
- Brandon Scherff, G (Washington): $15MM
- Justin Simmons, S (Broncos): $11.44MM
- Joe Thuney, G (Patriots): $14.78MM
- Leonard Williams, DT (Giants): $16.13MM
Ravens, Judon agreed on compromise between defensive end, linebacker tag prices. Ngakoue agreed to salary reduction to facilitate trade from Jaguars. Vikings traded edge rusher to Ravens before 2020 deadline. Prescott received exclusive franchise tag from Cowboys.
2021
- Chris Godwin, WR (Buccaneers): $15.98MM
- Marcus Maye, S (Jets): $10.61MM
- Allen Robinson, WR (Bears): $17.98MM
- Cam Robinson, LT (Jaguars): $13.75MM
- Brandon Scherff, G (Washington): $18MM
- Marcus Williams, S (Saints): $10.61MM
2022
- Jessie Bates, S (Bengals): $12.91MM
- Orlando Brown Jr., T (Chiefs): $16.66MM
- Mike Gesicki, TE (Dolphins): $10.93MM
- Dalton Schultz, TE (Cowboys): $10.93MM
2023
- Saquon Barkley, RB (Giants): $10.1MM
- Josh Jacobs, RB (Raiders): $11.79MM
- Tony Pollard, RB (Cowboys): $10.1MM
Raiders provided raise to Jacobs to bring him into training camp
2024
- Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals): $21.82MM
Ndamukong Suh Announces Retirement
Longtime NFL defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has officially announced his retirement in a social media post.
Suh was one of the most dominant defensive linemen of the 2010s, earning five Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro selections across his 13-year career. He finished one game shy of 200 regular-season appearances and recorded 600 total tackles, 71.5 sacks, and 130 tackles.
Suh revealed that his father passed away exactly one year ago, inspiring him to seek out a post-football career hosting No Free Lunch, a podcast with The Athletic focused on business and finance. He hopes to use his platform to help athletes and young entrepreneurs.
Suh had a stellar career at the University of Nebraska, including a monstrous senior year in 2009 with 12.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. He won the Nagurski and Bednarik Awards as the best defensive player in college football, was named a unanimous All-American, and finished fourth in Heisman voting.
He was then selected by the Lions with the No. 2 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and burst onto the pro scene with 10.0 sacks as a rookie, earning him the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award along with Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. He never reached double-digit sacks again, but remained a fierce disruptor on the interior with three more Pro Bowls and three more All-Pro nods in Detroit.
Suh was one of the biggest prizes of free agency in 2015 and ultimately signed a massive six-year, $114MM contract with the Dolphins. Suh’s $19MM per year — a defender-record contract at the time — may not seem like much relative to the modern interior defensive line market, but it represented a whopping 13.3% of the 2015 salary cap. Adjusted to the 2025 cap, Suh’s APY would be over $37MM, by far the highest-paid DT in the league, per OverTheCap.
However, after 36 sacks and 66 tackles for loss in five years with the Lions, Suh only had 14.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in his first three years in Miami. He was released in 2018 and signed with the Rams for one season before a three-year stint in Tampa Bay. Suh helped the Rams to Super Bowl LIII, pairing with Aaron Donald for a season, and returned to the sport’s biggest stage with the Buccaneers.
Suh’s time with the Bucs featured a resurgence in play (12 sacks across 2020 and 2021) and his first and only championship in Super Bowl LV. Suh teamed with Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul to hound Patrick Mahomes in a home Super Bowl romp, the Bucs’ second championship. As the Bucs attempted to run it back with their full starting lineup in 2021, that meant re-signing Suh. The former Heisman runner-up ended up signing three one-year contracts with the Bucs, the last of which being worth $9MM.
Finishing off his career with five one-year contracts in a row, Suh then joined the Eagles partway through the 2022 season and even appeared in Super Bowl LVII. Although he was connected to a 2023 return, no comeback commenced. He received interest from the Ravens and the Dolphins during the 2023 season, but no deal came to fruition.
Suh finishes his career with just over $168MM in total earnings. He was already been named to the Hall of Fame All-2010s team and will have a chance at being inducted in five years. His candidacy, along with other modern DTs like Fletcher Cox, Geno Atkins, and Cameron Heyward, will be an interesting litmus test for the position’s Hall of Fame standards.