Raiders End Punting Competition
The Raiders’ punter competition is over. On Tuesday, the Raiders waived Johnny Townsend, which effectively anoints undrafted rookie A.J. Cole as the team’s punter moving forward. 
The Raiders used a fifth-round pick to select Townsend last year, but he didn’t do much in his rookie season or training camp this summer. Cole, meanwhile, managed to put two punts inside the 20 against the Rams on Saturday. Quickly, Cole earned a fan in head coach Jon Gruden.
“[Cole] put on an orbital display the other day against the Rams [in joint practices last week],” Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said Saturday night (via Scott Bair of NBC Sports). “We haven’t seen kicks like that since [Shane] Lechler was here or [Marquette] King. He has a live leg and it looks like he can directional punt and hold, so Townsend has his hands full.”
In related moves, cornerback Hamp Cheevers was waived. Meanwhile, the club signed defensive backs Makinton Dorleant and Joshua Holsey.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/11/19
Here are Sunday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day.
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Pasoni Tasini
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: OL Dillon Gordon
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Rashard Causey
- Waived: LB Jeff Holland
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Deontez Alexander
- Waived/injured: LB Tre Lamar
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers from Jets: CB Derrick Jones
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Isaiah Langley
- Waived: TE Zach Conque
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Terrance Smith
- Waived/injured: DL Jonathan Woodard
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: T Nate Wozniak
- Waived: G Tyler Catalina
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed off waivers from Falcons: DB Hamp Cheevers
- Placed on IR: CB D.J. Killings
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Sojourn Shelton
- Waived/injured: WR Shelton Gibson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Micah Abernathy
Washington Redskins
- Signed: QB Jalan McClendon, DB DeJuan Neal, LB Darrell Williams
- Placed on IR: QB Josh Woodrum
- Waived: WR T.J. Rahming
- Waived/injured: LB Garrett Sickels
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/19
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Chase Middleton
- Waived: DB Hamp Cheevers
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Brandin Bryant, OT Travis Vornkahl
Denver Broncos
- Signed: OT Adam Bisnowaty
- Placed on IR: TE Austin Fort
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Brandon Barnes
- Waived: CB Isaiah Langley
Houston Texans
- Waived/injured: DE Ira Lewis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Quadree Henderson, LB Davis Tull
- Waived/injured: WR Marcus Simms (concussion)
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/19
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Hayes Pullard, WR Isaac Zico, OL Parker Ehinger, OL Patrick Lawrence
- Waived: OL Tariq Cole, RB Xavier Turner
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Ronald Martin, CB Hamp Cheevers
- Waived: CB Rashard Causey, LS Kyle Vasey
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Mik’Quan Deane
- Waived/injured: WR Blake Jackson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OL Jamar McGloster
- Claimed off waivers from Cowboys: OL Larry Allen Jr.
- Waived/injured: LB Tre’von Johnson, OL Cole Toner
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Nick DeLuca
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Alex Ellis
- Waived: LB Joey Alfieri, Godwin Igwebuike
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB D.J. White
- Waived: LS Andrew East
More Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/19
Here’s the latest round of minor moves from around the NFL (for this morning’s minor moves, click here):
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: TE Thomas Duarte
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Juwon Young
- Released: LB Tre’ Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers: DB Mike Tyson (from Texans)
New England Patriots
- Released: WR Xavier Ubosi, OL Calvin Anderson
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Freedom Akinmoladun
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: QB Devlin Hodges, DT Greg Gilmore, WR Johnny Holton, DE Henry Mondeaux, OL Damian Prince, LB Tuzar Skipper
- Released: LB Keion Adams, DE Jay Hayes, DT Chris Nelson, OL R.J. Prince, QB Brogan Roback, WR Ka’Raun White
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: FB Michael Burton, DL Geneo Grissom, OL Marcus Henry, OL Ulrick John, LB Colton Jumper, RB A.J. Ouellette, CB David Simmons Jr., WR Micah Wright
- Released: RB Darnell Holland, DT Tomasi Laulile, CB Darius Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: QB Taryn Christion, TE Mik’Quan Deane
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Kareem Orr, WR Joe Parker, DB D’Andre Payne, DB LaDarius Riley
- Waived: DB Jonathan Crawford, DB Taj-Amir Torres, WR Isaac Zito
- Waived-injured: DB Hamp Cheevers
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DE Jonathan Bonner, G Jerald Foster, DB Deion Harris, DL Austin Maloata, RB Craig Reynolds
- Waived: RB Russell Hansbrough, DB Joshua Holsey, OT Roubbens Joseph
Titans Sign Two Draft Picks, 12 UDFAs
The Titans have signed a pair of rookie linebackers, fifth-round pick D’Andre Walker and sixth-round pick David Long, the club announced today.
Walker projects as an edge rusher at the NFL level, while Long is more likely to play off-ball linebacker. Neither looks to have an easy path to playing time in 2019. The Titans already boast Harold Landry and Cameron Wake on the edge, while Long is blocked by Rashaan Evans, Jayon Brown, and Wesley Woodyard on the inside.
Tennessee also agreed to terms with the following 12 undrafted free agents:
- Alex Barnes, RB (Kansas State)
- Amani Bledsoe, DE (Oklahoma)
- Hamp Cheevers, CB (Boston College)
- Cody Conway, T (Syracuse)
- Jonathan Crawford, S (Indiana)
- A.T. Hall, T (Stanford)
- Braxton Hoyett, DT (Mississippi State)
- Isaiah Mack, DT (Tennessee-Chattanooga)
- Anthony Ratliff-Williams, WR (North Carolina)
- Derick Roberson, LB (Sam Houston St.)
- Taj-Amir Torres, CB (Boston College)
- Isaac Zico, WR (Purdue)
