Minor NFL Transactions: 8/16/22
With the NFL dropping the roster limit to 85 players today, we’ve got a long list of minor moves to pass along:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: TE Tucker Fisk, LB Rashad Smith, DB Tre Webb, P Seth Vernon
- Placed on IR: CB Cornell Armstrong
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: QB Brett Hundley
- Placed on IR: LB Trent Harris
Buffalo Bills
- Released: CB Tim Harris, LB Marquel Lee
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR: DE Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Jon Alexander, OL Corey Dublin
- Waived: LB Noah Dawkins, TE Rysen John
- Waived/injured: S Michael Joseph, CB Jayson Stanley, LB Javin White
- Placed on IR: C Doug Kramer
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers (from Saints): WR Easop Winston
- Released: DT Sheldon Day
- Waived/injured: OT Elijah Nkansah
- Placed on IR: C Dawson Deaton, C Nick Harris (story)
- Released from IR: LB Silas Kelly
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from PUP: LB Anthony Barr
- Placed on IR: FB Ryan Nall
Denver Broncos
- Waived: RB Max Borghi, WR Kaden Davis, WR Travis Fulgham, S Jamar Johnson, TE Rodney Williams
- Released from IR: RB Tyreik McAllister
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Josh Johnson
- Waived/injured: S Brady Breeze
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): TE Nate Becker
- Released: RB BJ Baylor, LB Ellis Brooks, TE Dominique Dafney, G George Moore, LB Randy Ramsey
Houston Texans
- Waived: DL Damion Daniels
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: Isaiah Ford
- Waived: OT Brandon Kemp, CB Alexander Myres, WR Michael Young
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released from IR: RB Nathan Cottrell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: DL Austin Edwards, WR Devin Gray
- Reverted to IR: WR Gary Jennings
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: P Cameron Dicker, OT Adrian Ealy, QB Luis Perez, TE Jamal Pettigrew, DB Caesar Dancy-Williams
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: CB Nate Brooks, DE Gerri Green, OT Tyrone Wheatley
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: OL Cole Banwart, WR DeVonte Dedmon, DL Jordan Williams
- Waived/injured: CB Tino Ellis
- Placed on IR: TE Adam Shaheen
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: CB Tye Smith
- Waived: FB Jake Bargas, LB Andre Mintze
- Waived/injured: WR Thomas Hennigan, DL Tyarise Stevenson
New York Giants
- Waived: TE Jeremiah Hall, DB Gavin Heslop
- Waived/injured: WR Austin Proehl
New York Jets
- Released: DB Luq Barcoo, WR Rashard Davis, OL Derrick Kelly, DE Timmy Ward
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: WR Lance Lenoir, S Jared Mayden, CB Jimmy Moreland
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: G William Dunkle
- Claimed off waivers: C Ryan McCollum
- Waived: DT Doug Costin, OT Jake Dixon, C Nate Gilliam, P Cameron Nizialek, C Chris Owens
- Placed on IR: S Karl Joseph
- Released from IR: WR Javon McKinley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: DB Ross Cockrell
- Waived: TE Ben Beise, OL Curtis Blackwell, WR Kameron Brown
- Waived/injured: OL Jonathan Hubbard, OLB JoJo Ozougwu
Washington Commanders
- Released: CB Troy Apke, CB De’Vante Bausby, G Deion Calhoun
- Placed on IR: FB Alex Armah, TE Sammis Reyes
- Released from IR: WR Jequez Ezzard
Steelers Re-Sign S Karl Joseph
Karl Joseph bounced on and off the Steelers’ active roster last year, but the team will give the former first-round pick another shot. Joseph agreed to re-sign with the Steelers on Thursday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Steelers have announced the one-year agreement.
The ex-Raiders first-rounder and Browns starter played just two games as a Steeler last season, being involved in a few promotions from Pittsburgh’s practice squad. But Joseph has a year in the Steelers’ system and 49 career starts to his credit.
Las Vegas cut the veteran safety just before last season, leading the West Virginia alum to the Steelers on a practice squad agreement. Joseph made just two tackles in his first Steelers season, which came after he registered 67 in 14 games (eight starts) with the playoff-bound Browns.
Joseph has intercepted five passes in his career and recovered five fumbles, but the one-time top prospect has never been able to establish himself as an upper-echelon starter. As a result, a lucrative free agency deal has eluded him. The Raiders passed on Joseph’s fifth-year option, and he has now signed one-year deals during each of the past three offseasons.
The Steelers have been monitoring the safety market for a bit now. Longtime starter Terrell Edmunds hit free agency earlier this month but has not signed anywhere. Pittsburgh has been unusually active on the market this year, adding multiple new O-linemen (James Daniels and Mason Cole) and adding likely starters on defense (Myles Jack, Levi Wallace). Mitchell Trubisky headlined Pittsburgh’s March spending. Joseph does not appear to be the answer alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick, but the 29-year-old defender certainly makes sense as a backup for the talented defense.
NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/1/22
Here are the New Year’s Day activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Brandon Copeland, QB Feleipe Franks, S Richie Grant
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: DB Mazzi Wilkins
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Brian Burns, DE Marquis Haynes, LB Shaq Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Brandon Allen, LB Germaine Pratt
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Scotty Washington
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Simi Fehoko
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: T Aviante Collins
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OLB Andre Mintze
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DE Jonathan Harris
Detroit Lions
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: QB Steven Montez
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Corey Bojorquez, G Ben Braden, LB Oren Burks, TE Tyler Davis, TE Marcedes Lewis, LB Ty Summers (remains on IR)
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DL R.J. McIntosh
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Carson Wentz, CB T.J. Carrie, T Braden Smith
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: CB Chris Wilcox
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Malcom Brown, DT DaVon Hamilton, TE Chris Manhertz, OL Andrew Norwell, DL Jihad Ward
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Dawuane Smoot
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Denzel Perryman, CB Casey Hayward, LB Cory Littleton, DT Darius Philon
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Nasir Adderly, S Alohi Gilman, CB Chris Harris Jr., CB Davontae Harris, K Dustin Hopkins, T Storm Norton, LS Matt Overton, T Trey Pipkins III
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Adam Butler, S Brandon Jones
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Noah Igbinoghene, S Sheldrick Redwine
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Oli Udoh
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Matt Judon, LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB Brandon King, QB Brian Hoyer, DE Josh Uche
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Marcus Williams, C Erik McCoy
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DT Malcolm Roach
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Nick Vannett
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Julian Love
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Dante Pettis
New York Jets
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Bryce Hall
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Derek Barnett
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR KeeSean Johnson, CB Craig James
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Isaiah Buggs
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: S Karl Joseph
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Mitch Wishnowsky
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Sidney Jones
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Jamel Dean, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OLB Bud Dupree, DL Denico Autry, CB Buster Skrine
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Cody Hollister
Steelers Activate QB Ben Roethlisberger
Some good news for the Steelers’ offense as the team prepares for tomorrow night’s game against the Chargers. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list and is “is on track to play Sunday night.” The news was first reported by Steelers PR man Burt Lauten (on Twitter).
The Steelers have made the move to activate their 18th-year passer, indeed putting Big Ben in line to play Sunday night in Los Angeles. The Steelers also promoted safety Karl Joseph, who stands to help a team missing Minkah Fitzpatrick, who remains on the COVID list. Kevin Dotson is now on IR as well. Dotson, who moved into Pittsburgh’s starting lineup after mixing in as a rookie, is dealing with a high ankle sprain.
Big Ben landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list last weekend, forcing him to miss Sunday’s game against the Lions. The 39-year-old passer had self-reported COVID symptoms to the team and subsequently tested positive for the virus. Roethlisberger has reportedly passed the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols, and while he’s not traveling with the team to California, he is on a separate flight and intending to play on Sunday.
The Steelers offense predictably struggled last weekend against the lowly Lions. While backup QB Mason Rudolph did pass for 242 yards, he only completed 30 of his 50 passing attempts, and that came with an extra period of play before the eventual tie. Rudolph also tossed a touchdown and an interception.
Prior to last weekend, the Steelers had won four in a row to bring themselves squarely into the AFC playoff picture. During that streak, Roethlisberger — whose early-season struggles prompted speculation about his job security — was over 200 passing yards per game, had thrown six TDs, zero interceptions, and posted a 104.6 QB rating (h/t Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network on Twitter).
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/9/21
Here is Week 5 Saturday’s minor move spree:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: OL Danny Isidora, TE Ross Travis, CB Jace Whittaker
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: CB Kendall Sheffield
- Promoted: WR Juwan Green, CB Chris Williamson
- Waived: TE Parker Hesse
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return: G Tyre Phillips
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Kenny Robinson, RB Rodney Smith
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: LB Anthony Walker
- Promoted: DE Joe Jackson, DB Jovante Moffatt
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: FB Nick Ralston, TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: WR Tyrie Cleveland
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: TE Shane Zylstra
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: OL Marcus Cannon
- Promoted: QB Jeff Driskel, WR Chris Moore
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: QB Brett Hundley
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: K Matthew Wright
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from IR: LB Willie Gay
- Promoted: DE Demone Harris
- Waived: LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: CB Ryan Smith
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: DT Raekwon Davis
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Ford, DE Jabaal Sheard
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier, CB Parry Nickerson, CB Tye Smith
- Waived: WR Dan Chisena
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DB Myles Bryant, OL James Ferentz, OL Alex Redmond, G William Sherman
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: OL Jordan Mills, WR Kenny Stills
- Released: DT Christian Ringo
New York Giants
- Promoted: T Korey Cunningham
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Blake Cashman
- Promoted: S Jarrod Wilson, TE Kenny Yeboah
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: T Le’Raven Clark
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: S Karl Joseph, WR Cody White
- Released: G Rashaad Coward
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: WR Travis Benjamin, TE Tanner Hudson, QB Nate Sudfeld
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: OLB Cam Gill
- Promoted: TE Codey McElroy, DB Rashard Robinson
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: WR Marcus Johnson
- Promoted: S Jamal Carter, DL Caraun Reid, LB John Simon
- Waived: LB Sharif Finch
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC 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 Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Baltimore Ravens
Signed to practice squad:
- OT Adrian Ealy, NT Justin Ellis, LB Blake Gallagher, DB Anthony Levine, QB Trace McSorley, WR Jaylon Moore, TE Tony Poljan, DB Jordan Richards, OT Andre Smith, DE Chris Smith, P Johnny Townsend, K Jake Verity, WR Benjamin Victor
Cincinnati Bengals
Claimed:
- DB Nick McCloud (from Bills), DE Wyatt Ray (from Titans)
Released:
- WR Mike Thomas
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Joe Bachie, CB Tony Brown, P Drue Chrisman, S Trayvon Henderson, LB Keandre Jones, TE Thaddeus Moss, RB Jacques Patrick, CB Winston Rose, TE Mason Schreck, DE Noah Spence, G Keaton Sutherland, WR Trent Taylor, DT Renell Wren, RB Pooka Williams, RB Trayveon Williams
Cleveland Browns
Signed:
- DE Joe Jackson
Placed on IR:
Signed to practice squad:
-
WR Ja’Marcus Bradley, DT Sheldon Day, TE Jordan Franks, DE Porter Gustin, RB John Kelly, LB Elijah Lee, S Jovante Moffatt, QB Nick Mullens (story), WR JoJo Natson, FB Johnny Stanton, OL Jordan Steckler, DE Curtis Weaver
Pittsburgh Steelers
Signed to practice squad:
- DL Daniel Archibong, WR Rico Bussey, FB Trey Edmunds, DB Mark Gilbert, OT Chaz Green, S Karl Joseph, OL John Leglue, LB Christian Miller, G Malcolm Pridgeon, TE Kevin Rader, RB Jaylen Samuels, WR Steven Sims, DB Donovan Stiner, LB Derrek Tuszka, WR Cody White
Raiders Cut Karl Joseph
The Raiders are releasing Karl Joseph (Twitter link via Vincent Bonsignore of the Review Journal). The safety returned to the Raiders earlier this year, but it proved to be a short-lived reunion.
“I never wanted to leave,” Joseph said earlier this year. “This is my home. I was drafted here. I feel like I was born to be a Raider.”
Joseph would’ve still been a Raider in 2020 if the team hadn’t declined his fifth-year option. The 2016 first-rounder spent last year with the Browns and started eight of 14 games. He finished with his worst ever Pro Football Focus assessment. PFF viewed Joseph as better during his Raiders seasons and slotted him outside the top 70 safeties in 2020. The 27-year-old (28 in September) made 67 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles with Cleveland. He also added a playoff interception in Kansas City.
“It felt like the right decision was to come back and help finish what I started here and be a part of that,” Joseph said back in April. “All the pieces are there. I think we’re ready to win. So whatever I’m going to need to do to help us win, that’s what I am going to do.”
Joseph won’t get that opportunity. Instead, he could be en route to his third pro team.
Extra Points: Joseph, Eagles, Bengals
Karl Joseph is back with the Raiders. The safety agreed to a deal earlier this week to return to the team that drafted him in the first-round back in 2016, and as he tells it, he never wanted to leave. “I never wanted to leave,” Joseph said, via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review Journal. “This is my home. I was drafted here. I feel like I was born to be a Raider.” Joseph would’ve still been a Raider in 2020 if the team hadn’t declined his fifth-year option.
Instead, he ended up signing a one-year contract with the Browns. Clearly there were no hard feelings about the option getting declined, because he’s back with Jon Gruden now. “It felt like the right decision was to come back and help finish what I started here and be a part of that,” he explained. “All the pieces are there,” Joseph raved. “I think we’re ready to win. So whatever I’m going to need to do to help us win, that’s what I am going to do.” We still haven’t gotten the financial terms on Joseph’s new Raiders deal, so those will be interesting to see.
Here’s more from around the league on a quiet Sunday night:
- Two members of the Eagles’ offensive line seem to be progressing well from major injuries. Tackle Lane Johnson had ankle surgery in December, and is apparently almost back to full strength. “Going good. Still in rehab,” Johnson said, via John McMullen of SI.com. “I’m running, moving around well so probably a month out from being cleared fully.” Johnson made three straight Pro Bowls from 2017-19, and his absence was sorely felt last year. Guard Brandon Brooks, also a Pro Bowler from 17-19, missed all of 2020 with a torn Achilles, and Johnson said he’s making good progress as well. “I know he’s excited coming off that injury last year,” Johnson explained of his line-mate. “As far as being cooped up and ready to go, man, he’s a ball of energy.” Whether it’s Jalen Hurts or someone else under center, the Eagles’ pass protection should be a lot better than it was in 2020.
- The Bengals are bringing back a familiar face, but not a player. The team is hiring Louie Cioffi as a defensive quality control coach, via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com. That’s significant since Cioffi was in the building as a defensive assistant and defensive backs coach from 1997-2010. His tenure with the team preceded that of even Marvin Lewis, and continued through much of Lewis’ time there. He’s been a DBs coach for numerous teams around the NFL since leaving the Bengals, and is one of few people who can say they spent time in both the recent ill-fated spring leagues, the AAF and XFL.
Raiders Bring Back S Karl Joseph
Karl Joseph will return to the Raiders. The former Oakland first-round pick, who landed in Cleveland last year, agreed to terms with his former team Friday after trekking to Las Vegas for a visit.
The Raiders drafted Joseph in the 2016 first round and used him as a starting safety for most of his tenure. Joseph, who also visited the Steelers this offseason, will return to help fill the Silver and Black fill a major need.
This move comes nearly two years after the Raiders passed on Joseph’s 2020 option season. The West Virginia product’s initial Raiders run ended earlier, with a foot injury halting his 2019 season midway through. Joseph will now rejoin Johnathan Abrams on the Raiders’ defensive back line. These two started in Week 1 of the 2019 season, but Abrams’ season-ending injury that night made he and Joseph’s on-field time together brief.
Last season, Joseph started eight Browns games — out of the 14 he played — and finished with his worst Pro Football Focus assessment. PFF viewed Joseph as better during his Raiders seasons but slotted him outside the top 70 safeties last season. The 27-year-old defender made 67 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles with Cleveland. He added a playoff interception in Kansas City, doing so after spending time on the Browns’ reserve/COVID-19 list late last season.
Las Vegas may still be in play for a safety in the draft, but Joseph minimizes that need. The Raiders have experienced rampant trouble in pass defense over the past decade and change; their issues last season led Jon Gruden to fire DC Paul Guenther. Gus Bradley will call the shots next season, giving Joseph a third defensive system in three seasons and a fourth over the past five. PFF graded Joseph as a top-25 safety in 2018, his most recent full season with the Raiders, and he has started 41 games with team. It should be expected he will add to that total in 2021.
S Karl Joseph Visiting Raiders
Karl Joseph could be reuniting with the Raiders. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the free agent safety is visiting with the Raiders tonight. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal describes the visit as “a “weighing all options” sort of deal,” with the Raiders evaluating their options prior to the draft (Twitter link).
Joseph signed a one-year deal with the Browns last offseason, and he proceeded to have a bounce-back season for his new squad. He appeared in 14 regular season games (eight starts), compiling 67 tackles, two tackles for loss, four passes defended, and one interception. He also came up big in the playoffs for the Browns; he recovered a botched Steelers snap for a touchdown, and he intercepted a pass by Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne. This was an improvement from his final season with the Raiders in 2019, when Joseph was limited to nine games due to a foot injury.
The Raiders selected Joseph with the 14th-overall pick in the 2016 draft, and he earned All-Rookie Team honors after starting nine games during his rookie campaign. He started 15 games in 2017, compiling a career-high 79 tackles to go along with one sack and one interception. The defensive back seemed to fall out of favor once Jon Gruden was hired, as he was limited to only 11 snaps through the first eight weeks of the 2018 campaign. He ended up starting during the second half of that season, but his fifth-year option was predictably declined during the offseason, spelling the end of his tenure with the team.
Joseph would probably have a chance to play in Las Vegas, as he’d compete with the likes of Dallin Leavitt and Jeff Heath for snaps. We heard recently that the veteran had at least one other suitor in the Steelers.
