Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/19
Today’s minor transactions:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB A.J. Ouellette
- Waived: OT Ka’John Armstrong
Denver Broncos
- Signed: TE Moral Stephens
- Waived: P Justin Vogel
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers from Bengals: RB Darrin Hall
- Waived: OG Larry Williams
Houston Texans
- Waived: S A.J. Hendy
- Waived/injured: WR Isaac Whitney
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Amba Etta-Tawo
Philadelphia Eagles:
- Waived: DT Anthony Rush
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Jordan Thompson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Jawuan Johnson
Tennesse Titans
- Signed: DB Jonathan Crawford
Broncos Waive K Taylor Bertolet
The Broncos have ended their kicking competition, while starting a new battle at punter. On Tuesday, the Broncos waived kicker Taylor Bertolet and signed punter Justin Vogel. 
This effectively means that Brandon McManus will be the Broncos’ starting kicker this year. A cursory look at McManus’ stats shows a so-so 80% field goal conversion rate last year, but all five of his misses came from 50 yards or more. Within reasonable range, McManus was a perfect 18-18 and nailed all of his extra point tries.
Vogel, meanwhile, will duke it out with Colby Wadman for the punting gig. Wadman, a rising NFL sophomore, averaged 44.7 yards per punt in 2018.
NFC Notes: Eagles, McCoy, Vikings, Cardinals
Following Joe Douglas‘s move to the Jets, Andy Weidl has been leading the Eagles‘ scouting department as the director of player personnel, tweets Geoff Mosher of 97.3 ESPN in Jersey. Weidl previously served as Philly’s assistant director of player personnel.
It’s unclear whether Weidl’s new role is on an interim basis or permanent, but it’s obviously that the executive is prepared to take on a bigger role. Further complicating matters is the fact that Weidl could end up joining Douglas in New York.
Lets check out some more notes from around the NFC…
- Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy missed his team’s minicamp as he recovered from a leg injury. However, JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington observed that the veteran continued to work with tight end Jordan Reed during the sessions, and the team believes McCoy will be fully ready for training camp. The 32-year-old will be competing with Case Keenum and rookie Dwayne Haskins for a starting gig, and perhaps partly due to McCoy’s injury, the head coach has yet to make a decision on who will be the starter. “For me to make a determination on the starting quarterback after minicamp or mandatory camp is just kind of foolish,” Jay Gruden said. “We’ll let these guys continue to play and see which one continues to improve, which one is most consistent throughout the training camp and preseason and we’ll go from there.”
- The Vikings have a number of competitions on their hands, according to Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com. Three-year veteran Kevin McDermott and rookie seventh-rounder Austin Cutting will be going head-to-head for long snapping duties, with only one of the two presumably in line to make the final roster. Meanwhile, the team is expected to host free agent punters Justin Vogel, Shane Tripucka, and “at least one other” on Wednesday. The Vikings are hoping to provide incumbent punter Matt Wile, who struggled as a holder last season, with competition.
- Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune points to wide receiver as another position battle for the Vikings, as the coaching staff is looking for someone to emerge behind Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. The team has tried out a number of players in their three-receiver package, including Laquon Treadwell, Jordan Taylor, and Chad Beebe. Rookie Olabisi Johnson and former CFL player Brandon Zylstra also have a chance to play a role.
- Cardinals center A.Q. Shipley missed the entire 2018 season after suffering a torn ACL, allowing rookie Mason Cole to start all 16 games. Now, heading into 2019, both players are vying for that starting spot, and the veteran player isn’t willing to concede to his younger teammate. “Competition? Is there a competition?” Shipley asked Katherine Fitzgerald of the Arizona Republic. “I don’t know, you guys tell me. That’s what you keep saying. I’m going in as I’ve got over 100 games played in the NFL, so if they want to give it to someone else, that’s cool, that’s up to them, but I’m going in as the guy. That’s the way I operate.”
Vikings To Work Out Justin Vogel, Others
Matt Wile completed his first full NFL season in 2018, serving as the Vikings’ punter for 16 games. He may have some competition for that job soon.
The Vikings are bringing in multiple punters for workouts on Wednesday, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (on Twitter). Justin Vogel and Shane Tripucka will be among the punters set to audition. Wednesday marks the first day of Minnesota’s minicamp.
A 26-year-old former UDFA out of Michigan, Wile caught on with the Vikings as a 2018 waiver claim. The Steelers cut him after their most recent preseason slate. Wile’s 45.2 yards per punt ranked 14th last season.
Minnesota retained Wile via ERFA tender this offseason; he is the only punter on the 90-man roster. However, the Vikings’ special teams staff experienced a shakeup this year. Longtime ST coordinator Mike Preiffer is gone, and Marwan Maalouf took his place.
Vogel last punted in 2017, serving as Green Bay’s primary punter for all 16 games that year. A Chargers UDFA last year, Tripucka participated in the Vikings’ rookie minicamp last month.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/29/19
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: C Kyle Friend
Denver Broncos
- Signed: K Taylor Bertolet (AAF)
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: OL Nico Siragusa, DB Jason Thompson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: C Tejan Koroma
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: OL Jeremiah Kolone
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: WR Steven Dunbar, DB Godwin Igwebuike, CB Tarvarus McFadden, LB James Onwualu, WR Jordan Smallwood, P Justin Vogel, S Terrell Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- K Phillip Anderson, LB Riley Bullough, DE Hunter Dimick, P Hayden Hunt, DE Nick Thurman
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: NT Darius Kilgo
49ers To Sign P Justin Vogel
The 49ers appear to have a new punter. Justin Vogel agreed to terms on a 49ers deal, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes (via Twitter).
Vogel did not play in 2018 but was the Packers’ punter as a rookie in 2017. That remains his only NFL work. The 49ers, though, will give him a chance to earn their job. They did not bring back Bradley Pinion, who is now the Buccaneers’ punter.
A Pro Bowl alternate after that 2017 season, Vogel traversed the NFL’s workout circuit in 2018. The Packers waived him last offseason, and the Browns followed suit after claiming him. Vogel, 25, averaged 44.4 yards per punt in 2017 — 24th in the league that season.
Pinion served as San Francisco’s punter from 2015-18. He averaged 44 yards per boot in 2016 but did not eclipse that threshold in his other seasons.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/11/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Buffalo Bills
- DT Du’Vonta Lumpkin (link)
Carolina Panthers
- WRs Donteea Dye, Brandon Reilly (link)
Cleveland Browns
- RB Mark Thompson (per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com); TE Vince Mayle; G Spencer Drango; C Anthony Fabiano; LBs Richie Brown, Tegray Scales (per Caplan)
Green Bay Packers
- TEs Troy Mangen, Ethan Wolf; CBs Trevon Mathis, Linden Stephens (link)
Houston Texans
- OTs Christian DiLauro, Rees Odhiambo, David Sharpe; G Will Holden; DT Josh Banks; Ks Jon Brown, Sam Ficken, Kai Forbath; Ps Brad Nortman, Colton Schmidt, Justin Vogel; LS Zach Triner (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- FB Jalston Fowler; LBs Kennan Gilchrist, Nigel Harris, Jacob Pugh, Antwione Williams; DE Charles Tapper (link)
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
- G Spencer Drango; C Anthony Fabiano; LBs Richie Brown, Tegray Scales; CB Herb Waters (link)
New York Jets
- LB Harvey Langi (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- LBs Tre’von Johnson, Emmanuel Smith (per Caplan)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- QBs Brogan Roback, Josh Woodrum; RBs Matthew Dayes, Akrum Wadley; WR Isaac Whitney; CBs Jeremy Boykins (link)
Washington Redskins
- QB Kyle Allen (per Wilson); WRs Jehu Chesson, Amba Etta-Tawo, Jordan Leslie, Devin Lucien, Ka’Raun White; LB Kennan Gilchrist (per Balzer)
Browns Make Minor Trade With Saints
The Browns have reached the 53-man roster maximum by making a whole lot of cuts and acquiring one player just before the bell.
On Saturday, the Browns announced that they acquired defensive lineman Devaroe Lawrence from the Saints in exchange for a 2019 seventh-round pick. Lawrence, 26 in October, overcame legal trouble as a youngster to achieve his dream of making it to the NFL. Injuries have held him back in the pros, but the Saints stuck by him even after ACL surgery in December of 2016.
“We felt he was athletic, explosive and we felt like he could recover,” said Saints coach Sean Payton (via Luke Johnson of The Times-Picayune). “In other words, he was battling an injury and we saw traits that are hard to find sometimes for defensive tackles, and it’s hard to find that position, especially after the draft.”
So, with Lawrence in the fold, the Browns waived the following 19 players to get down to the limit:
- LB B.J. Bello
- DL Caleb Brantley
- TE Devon Cajuste
- RB Matthew Dayes
- OL Christian DiLauro
- OL Spencer Drango
- DL Daniel Ekuale
- DL Zaycoven Henderson
- RB Dontrell Hilliard
- WR Blake Jackson
- DB Mike Jordan
- DB Montrel Meander
- DL Nate Orchard
- DB Tigie Sankoh
- WR Da’Mari Scott
- LB Brady Sheldon
- DB Simeon Thomas
- P Justin Vogel
- FB Danny Vitale (waived/injured)
Browns Claim P Justin Vogel, Waive QB Joel Stave
The Browns have swapped a quarterback for a special teamer. Cleveland claimed punter Justin Vogel off waivers from the Packers today. To make room on the roster, the team has waived quarterback Joel Stave.
After selecting J.K. Scott during last week’s draft, the Packers waived Vogel on Friday. The 24-year-old joined the organization last season as an undrafted free agent out of Miami, and he proceeded to appear in all 16 games. He finished the campaign averaging 44.4 yards per attempt, with a net average of 41 yards. He also landed 19 of his 71 punts inside of the 20-yard line. Cleveland is seemingly setting up a punter competition, as the team is also rostering Britton Colquitt.
Stave, a former standout at Wisconsin, has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2016. He’s had brief stints with the Vikings, Seahawks, Chiefs, Redskins, Jets, and Browns. Cleveland is now rostering three signal-callers in Tyrod Taylor, Baker Mayfield, and Drew Stanton.
Draft Pick Signings: 5/4/18
Here are Friday’s draft signings.
- On the same day the Packers cut Justin Vogel, their 2017 punter, they signed fifth-round pick J.K. Scott. Vogel requested to be waived, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets, because of the odds seemingly stacked against him to win the Green Bay job against a highly (for a punter) drafted rookie rather than catching on elsewhere before a training camp begins. This clears the way for Scott, whom the Packers selected at No. 172 overall out of Alabama. Green Bay also signed the long snapper drafted in the seventh round, Hunter Bradley, who played at Mississippi State.
- The Jets signed sixth-round running back Trenton Cannon on their first day of rookie minicamp. Cannon played at Division II Virginia State.
- The Seahawks also announced they signed draft picks Will Dissly, Jacob Martin and Michael Dickson. Dissly will stay in Seattle after playing at the University of Washington. The Seahawks selected the blocking tight end in the fourth round. One of the six linebackers Seattle either drafted or signed as a UDFA, Martin arrived in the sixth round out of Temple. Dickson (Texas) ended up as the first punter drafted this year, going off the board at No. 149.