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Texans To Sign CB Cameron Dantzler

August 22nd, 2023 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cameron Dantzler is headed to a fourth team in 2023. The former Vikings draftee has gone from 2022 starter to 2023 nomad; the Texans are giving the former third-round pick another shot.

After a workout that also included former Titans defensive back Chris Jackson, Houston will add Dantzler, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. Dantzler has now been both waived and signed three times this offseason. He will vie for a spot on the Texans’ active roster, though teams must decide on their final 53 players by 3pm CT on August 29.

The Vikings used Dantzler as a 26-game starter from 2020-22, doing so for nine games last season. Although the team drafted Andrew Booth in Round 2 last year, Dantzler played ahead of him opposite Patrick Peterson when healthy. But Minnesota’s defense struggled. Not long after Brian Flores took over, Dantzler was given his walking papers. The Commanders and Bills took fliers on the Mississippi State product, but each waived him — Washington in May, Buffalo in July.

Pro Football Focus graded Dantzler outside the top 60 at corner last season; the 6-foot-2 corner also spent time on injured reserve last season with a high ankle sprain. Although the soon-to-be 25-year-old defender did not exactly pan out in Minnesota, it has been surprising to see a young starter cut three times in one offseason.

With a week to go before cut day, the Texans have a deeper cornerback group than they did last season. Derek Stingley leads the way, while the team agreed to a revised deal with Steven Nelson. Desmond King and Shaquill Griffin also remain on the roster, with the Texans having re-signed Tavierre Thomas as well.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/23

August 18th, 2023 at 8:22pm CST by Ely Allen

Minor transactions around the league heading into Week 2 of the preseason:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: T Nicolas Melsop

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Ta’amu and Laulile become the 55th and 56th players from the 2023 XFL season to sign an NFL contract. Ta’amu has spent time with five different NFL squads since going undrafted out of Ole Miss in 2019. In 2022, Ta’amu lead the USFL in both passing yards and touchdowns. In this past XFL season, Ta’amu was awarded Offensive Player of the Year honors for his efforts in DC. After gaining starting experience in the USFL and XFL over the past two years, Ta’amu will hope to make his first NFL appearance with his sixth NFL team.

AFC South Notes: Clowney, Titans, Colts

August 17th, 2023 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jadeveon Clowney has made two visits but remains a free agent. Following his Ravens meeting, the former No. 1 overall pick visited the Jaguars. Not only did the Jags let Clowney leave, Doug Pederson indicated (via NFL.com’s James Palmer) the well-traveled pass rusher left Jacksonville without a contract offer. Clowney, 30, did not exactly part ways with the Browns on good terms, clashing with the team’s coaching staff during his second season as Myles Garrett‘s top sidekick. Clowney has now played for four teams, and while a return to the AFC South would strengthen the Jags’ pass rush, no deal is imminent.

The Jags lost Arden Key, who signed with the Titans, but reunited with Dawuane Smoot, who is coming off a December Achilles tear. Key’s exit will place more pressure on last year’s No. 1 pick, Travon Walker, who finished with 3.5 sacks and 10 QB hits as a rookie. Josh Allen remains Jacksonville’s pass-rushing anchor, but more will be expected of Walker. Clowney played for $8MM in 2021 and $10MM last year. The Jaguars hold a $10MM cap-space lead on the Ravens, carrying $18.4MM to Baltimore’s $8.8MM.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • Although the Titans made a promotion to fill their offensive coordinator job for the third straight occasion, Tim Kelly has made some changes. The team has pivoted to the type of offense Kelly and Bill O’Brien ran in Houston, rather than the version of the Sean McVay attack Matt LaFleur brought with him back in 2018, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. “There’s a touch more freedom in his offense,” Ryan Tannehill said of the Patriots-style attack. “Being able to make adjustments on the fly, make changes at the line of scrimmage, a little more freedom within the route trees.” The Titans dropped from 17th to 30th in total offense from 2021 to 2022, helping lead to Todd Downing‘s ouster.
  • Tennessee is once again dealing with issues staffing its right tackle position, with Nicholas Petit-Frere incurring a six-game gambling suspension. The Titans also released Jamarco Jones, who was competing for the temporary fill-in gig, early in training camp. July pickup Chris Hubbard has taken over as the frontrunner to replace Petit-Frere to start the season, The Athletic’s John Rexrode notes (subscription required). Hubbard, who spent the past five years in Cleveland, has not worked as a regular starter since 2019 and has only started one game over the past two seasons. The Titans will have four new O-line starters in Week 1, and with Aaron Brewer sliding from guard to center, the team will not have any 2022 O-line starter playing the same position to open the season.
  • As the Colts transition to another coaching staff, Mo Alie-Cox‘s Colts roster spot might not be secure. The veteran tight end is vying for a blocking role against offseason signing Pharaoh Brown, according to the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins. The Colts have Jelani Woods as a roster lock and used a fifth-round pick on Will Mallory. While Atkins notes Alie-Cox should have the upper hand on Brown, the team has some decisions to make. Kylen Granson, a 2021 fourth-round pick, is also not assured of a job in Shane Steichen‘s offense. It would cost the Colts $2.4MM in dead money to release Alie-Cox, who has been with the team since 2017.
  • The Texans are hiring former Northwestern director of player personnel Jonny Kovach as a player personnel assistant, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Multiple offers came Kovach’s way, per Wilson. Kovach had stayed on with the Big Ten program due to loyalty to Pat Fitzgerald. With Fitzgerald dismissed in the wake of the program’s hazing scandal, Kovach will make the jump to the pros.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/23

August 15th, 2023 at 7:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Houston Texans

  • Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): OT Jacky Chen
  • Released from IR: OT Greg Little

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: CB Matt Hankins, RB Aaron Shampklin

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Sean Chandler brings 64 games of experience to Arizona. Following a 2021 campaign that saw him collect a career-high 48 tackles in 15 games (seven starts) for the Panthers, the 27-year-old got into 17 games for the team in 2022, finishing with 19 tackles while primarily playing on special teams.

Adetokunbo Ogundeji is a tough loss for the Falcons, as the linebacker has turned into an important piece on Atlanta’s defense. The former fifth-round pick has started 27 of his 32 games since entering the NFL, collecting 75 tackles and three sacks. Ogundeji suffered a foot/ankle injury that will require surgery, and his placement on IR means the issue will ultimately knock him out for the entire 2023 campaign.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/14/23

August 14th, 2023 at 9:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: DB Teez Tabor
  • Waived: S Aaron Maddox
  • Released from IR: RB Zavier Scott

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: T Chim Okorafor
  • Waived: T Jacky Chen

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Bartch started the Jaguars’ first five games last season but went down with a knee injury in October. The fourth-year veteran will give the Jags an option at left guard, where he started last season. A former fourth-round pick, Bartch also started 11 games in 2021. This marks a return for Tinker, whose NFL entrance came as a Jaguars UDFA in 2013. Tinker spent the first four seasons of his career with the Jags but did not see action in 2017, 2019 or 2020. He worked as the Seahawks’ full-time long snapper last season. Ross Matiscik has been Jacksonville’s deep snapper for the past three seasons.

Austin spent last season out of football but has 17 starts to his credit. Used as a regular Jets starter from 2019-20, Austin caught on with the Seahawks in 2021. Seattle used Austin as a backup. The young cornerback could not make the Broncos’ 53-man roster last summer. While a member of the 2022 Seahawks, Tabor converted from cornerback to safety. The former second-round pick played 10 games for the team last season.

Extra Points: Loya, Goodell, Cook

August 13th, 2023 at 1:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Texans minority owner Javier Loya has had his tenure with the organization put on hold in the wake of multiple sex crime charges being brought against him. Loya is facing one rape charge, along with five first-degree and one third-degree sexual abuse charge, as detailed by KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

The charges stem from incidents in May of 2022 in Kentucky. Loya, who is due to take part in a pretrial conference on August 22, has agreed to withdraw from all Texans activities until his case has been resolved. The NFL also confirmed in a statement that Loya has been removed from all league committees.

“Mr. Loya is innocent and has pled not guilty to all charges,” a statement from attorney Andrew Sarne reads. “He unequivocally and categorically denies these allegations and will vigorously defend his innocence. Mr. Loya has voluntarily taken and 100% passed a polygraph test which confirms his innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court.”

Loya, 53, has been a limited partner with the Texans since their inaugural season in 2002. He faced a civil suit alleging sexual misconduct earlier this year, but it was withdrawn. If Loya is convicted on the rape charge, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

Here are some other notes from around the NFL:

  • News of another contract extension for commissioner Roger Goodell first came out in March. That new deal, which will be three years in length and keep him in place through 2027, has been considered a certainty to be finalized throughout the offseason. A firm timeline for ratification has emerged; Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports (via Twitter) that owners are aiming to agree to the extension during the October league meetings in New York. Goodell has been at the helm of the NFL since 2006, and it is expected that the 64-year-old’s next deal will be his last.
  • Dalvin Cook has generated plenty of headlines this offseason with his high-profile free agency, but his legal situation has also seen recent developments. The 28-year-old was cleared to proceed with a defamation counterclaim in court stemming from the ongoing allegation of assault, battery and false imprisonment made by Gracelyn Trimble. In an update on the situation, Rochelle Olson of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes that the latter was offered a $1MM payout by Cook. The offer included the condition that Trimble send a letter to the NFL “absolving Cook of wrongdoing.” Trimble has already testified to the contrary, and court filings detailing the attempt to put the case (which began in November 2021) to rest via a settlement could strengthen her argument. Cook remains unsigned.
  • The NFL has updated its personal conduct policy in a way which gives the league wider authority with respect to issuing punishments in a number of situations. That includes adding sexual assault to the list of offenses which can receive heavy suspensions, as noted by the New York Times’ Jenny Vrentas. The alterations come in the wake of Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson receiving what was initially a six-game ban for sexual misconduct alleged by more than two dozen women. The suspension (which was ultimately upped to 11 games) was limited in part by the wording of the league’s previous policy and the precedents set by other violations. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds, meanwhile, that the new policy also gives the NFL the power to hand down discipline to players for violations which occurred before they entered the league. Incidents dating back to college, for example, will now fall under the scope of the league when investigations take place.

Texans Sign QB E.J. Perry, WRs Victor Bolden And Adam Humphries

August 13th, 2023 at 10:34am CST by Rory Parks

The Texans have made a series of additions to their roster. The club is signing quarterback E.J. Perry along with wide receivers Victor Bolden and Adam Humphries, as Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com reports in separate pieces.

Of course, the No. 2 overall pick of this year’s draft, C.J. Stroud, is set to open the season as Houston’s starting quarterback. The Texans are also rostering 2021 third-rounder Davis Mills and established veteran Case Keenum, so unless there is an injury to one of the three passers ahead of him on the depth chart, Perry appears to be in line for, at best, a spot on the practice squad.

After a strong collegiate career that culminated in his earning MVP honors for his performance in the 2022 East-West Shrine Game, Perry initially agreed to sign with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent last year. When it became clear that Philadelphia planned to add fellow quarterback Carson Strong to the roster, Perry pivoted to the Jaguars. He ultimately spent the season on Jacksonville’s taxi squad, and after signing a reserve/futures deal in January, he was waived in March. Houston subsequently claimed him but sent him back to the waiver wire in May.

After being cut by the Texans, Perry signed with the USFL’s Michigan Panthers towards the end of that league’s regular season. He appeared in two games with the club, including an overtime postseason loss in which he completed 23 of 38 passes for two touchdowns and an interception. The dual-threat player added seven carries for 22 yards and a score. As Wilson reports, the Panthers released him from his USFL contract so he could explore another NFL opportunity.

Bolden, now 28, signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent way back in 2017 and returned 19 kicks (20.8 yards per return) and four punts (5.8 yards per return) for the club that year. He was suspended for the first four games of the 2018 season due to a PED violation and ended the campaign as a member of the Bills, for whom he returned five kickoffs. His last game with Buffalo in December 2018 is also the last time he saw regular season action for an NFL club, though he would spend time on the practice squads of the Lions, Cardinals, and Broncos in subsequent years.

Bolden’s efforts as a member of the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions in 2022, which included Wide Receiver and Special Team All-USFL Team acclaim and MVP honors in the 2022 USFL Championship Game, have kept him on the NFL radar. The diminutive speedster has just one NFL catch to his credit but will attempt to crack the back end of Houston’s WR depth chart, which is topped by Nico Collins, John Metchie, and Robert Woods, and which also includes free agent pickup Noah Brown and 2023 draftees Tank Dell and Xavier Hutchinson.

Humphries, 30, has plenty of NFL experience, and from 2018-20, he averaged 64 catches and just under 700 receiving yards per season as a key member of the Bucs’ receiving corps. His last professional action came as a member of the Washington Football Team in 2021, as he was unable to land a contract last season despite working out for the 49ers and Giants.

In corresponding moves, the Texans released cornerback Kendall Sheffield and UDFA running back Xazavian Valladay, who was given a $175K guarantee to sign with Houston.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/23

August 12th, 2023 at 7:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hayes was signed one week ago as the Lions were dealing with injuries in the secondary, but he will now be on the lookout for another new team. The 25-year has appeared in 13 career regular season games while bouncing around the league.

The Raiders added one ex-Chiefs running back in Damien Williams yesterday, and they have done so again today. Thompson was part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning squad in 2019, and remain with the Chiefs the following season. He made 31 combined regular and postseason appearances in Kansas City, but he has yet to see game action since 2020. Especially until Josh Jacobs returns to the Raiders, Thompson will aim to earn a depth role in the Vegas backfield.

49ers To Sign DE Breeland Speaks

August 11th, 2023 at 10:42am CST by Sam Robinson

10:42am: To make room on their 90-man roster, the 49ers placed Anthony Averett on IR, per the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman (on Twitter). A former Ravens and Raiders starter, Averett made two trips to IR during his season with Las Vegas. The 49ers have now placed two veteran cornerbacks — Averett and Terrance Mitchell — on IR over the past several days.

9:51am: The 49ers have taken a few fliers on ex-high draft choices at defensive end in recent years. Their latest such effort will involve a former second-round pick who generated interest as a USFL standout.

Breeland Speaks is signing with the team, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). The former Chiefs draft choice worked out for the Broncos and Texans as well, but after a 49ers audition, he will attempt to become a depth piece in San Francisco.

While Speaks’ initial NFL run did not go as the Chiefs envisioned, he re-emerged on the radar with the Michigan Panthers. Speaks led the second-year league with nine sacks this year. He will join a 49ers roster that has seen more turnover among Nick Bosa‘s batch of D-end sidekicks. The 49ers lost Charles Omenihu and Samson Ebukam this offseason — to the Chiefs and Colts, respectively — and are currently without Bosa due to a holdout. Bosa is expected to land a monster extension soon, and the 49ers will have some new pieces in place alongside him.

The team added former No. 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell and ex-Cowboys first-rounder Taco Charlton this offseason. This comes after well-regarded D-line coach Kris Kocurek helped the likes of Omenihu, Ebukam, Kerry Hyder and ex-Ferrell Raiders teammate Arden Key raise their values after recent free agency accords (Hyder remains with the 49ers). A Speaks reclamation project will seemingly be a longer-odds proposition, but the 49ers will kick the tires on the recent USFL success story.

Brett Veach‘s first draft choice as Chiefs GM, Speaks has not played in an NFL game since 2018. Speaks, 27, missed all of 2019 due to injury and could not make the Chiefs’ 53-man roster in 2020. The former No. 46 overall pick ended up with the Raiders, Cowboys, Giants and Bills — on practice squad agreements — through the end of the 2021 season. Speaks finished his rookie year with 1.5 sacks, starting four Chiefs games.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/8/23

August 8th, 2023 at 8:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: WR Johnny King
  • Waived: T Chim Okorafor
  • Activated from active/PUP list: WR Devon Allen

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Waived/injured: CB Andrew Whitaker

Washington Commanders

Flowers, who agreed to terms with the Patriots earlier today after a workout, suffered a foot injury in October of last season. That setback cut short a Dolphins run after four games. Flowers, who will turn 30 next week, last played for the Patriots in 2018.

McNichols joined Duke Johnson, Brian Hill and Jason Huntley at a recent 49ers workout. The 49ers are without Elijah Mitchell for what is expected to be a short stretch. A five-year veteran, McNichols most recently saw action for the Titans in 2021, helping the team as a pass-catching back (28 grabs for 240 yards) while Derrick Henry missed time with a foot fracture.

Allen suffered an injury while competing in the opening rounds of the 110-meter hurdles competition at the USA Track and Field Championships in July. The two-time Olympian owns the sixth-fastest hurdle time this year (13.04 seconds) but missed a key chunk of Eagles camp. This marks his second bid to make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster. Allen, 28, spent last season on the Eagles’ practice squad and stayed with the team via a reserve/futures contract in February.

The Panthers’ regular kicker, Eddy Pineiro, is battling a groin injury. Carolina gave Pineiro, their 2022 kicker, $2.25MM guaranteed earlier this offseason. The Jaguars’ primary kicker in 2021, Wright kicked in four Steelers games and two Chiefs contests last season.

A rookie UDFA, Whittaker suffered a torn patellar tendon in a recent Seahawks practice, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Matthews also sustained a season-ending injury — a torn ACL — during a Texans workout, Wilson adds (on Twitter).

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