NFL Workouts: 7/25/22
As players are moved to the PUP and NFI lists and rosters are starting to take shape for the start of training camps, many players are searching for opportunities to make a team.
Here’s the list of players who have received workouts or taken visits today and this past weekend:
Atlanta Falcons
- CB DeMarkus Acy, CB Cortez Davis, CB Troy Pride
Baltimore Ravens
- RB Wayne Gallman, RB Corey Clement (signed), QB Vad Lee
Buffalo Bills
- CB Luq Barcoo, CB Donte Deayon, TE Stephen Carlson, TE Austin Fort, TE Gene Scott, S Marqui Christian, G Jamil Demby, G Jordan Simmons (signed), T Drew Himmelman, DE Damontre Moore, C Cole Toner
Carolina Panthers
- NT Danny Shelton (story)
Chicago Bears
- OL Michael Schofield (signed)
Cincinnati Bengals
- LB T.J. Brunson, LB Tegray Scales (signed), DT Domenique Davis (signed), DE Raymond Johnson (signed), DE Chris Odom, TE MyCole Pruitt
Green Bay Packers
- QB Nate Stanley, WR Jonathan Adams, WR Osirus Mitchell (signed), WR Ryan Wisniewski, C Ty Clary, G Denzel Okafor, CB Donte Vaughn, S Dallin Leavitt (signed)
Houston Texans
- RB Austin Walter, RB Artavis Pierce, RB Max Borghi, RB Cyrus Habibi-Likio
Indianapolis Colts
- WR Isaiah Ford, WR John Hurst, WR Ishmael Hyman, WR Tyson Morris
Jacksonville Jaguars
- QB Kyle Sloter (signed)
Kansas City Chiefs
- T Evin Ksiezarczyk (signed), David Steinmetz (signed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- S Steven Parker, S Jarrod Wilson, DE Abdullah Anderson, TE Ryan Becker, TE Cole Hikutini, TE Ethan Wolf
New England
- WR Derrick Dillon, WR Terry Godwin, WR Andrew Jamiel, WR Cinque Sweeting, TE La’Michael Pettway
New York Giants
- T Kendall Lamm, TE Eric Ebron, S Andrew Adams (signed), S Jack Koerner, T Caleb Benenoch, T Kamaal Seymour, DT Darrion Daniels, TE Kahale Warring, WR Marcus Kemp, DE Nicholas Williams
New York Jets
- WR Pharoh Cooper, WR Rashard Davis, QB Chris Streveler, G Isaiah Williams (signed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- RB JaQuan Hardy, TE Connor Davis, TE Jaeden Graham, TE Farrod Greene, RB Trey Ragas, WR Lance Lenoir, C Cameron Tom
San Francisco 49ers
- DE T.J. Carter, DT Tomasi Laulile, DT Robert Nkemdiche
Seattle Seahawks
- K Brandon Aubrey, DT Jared Brinkman, DT Antonio Valentino, TE Jake Hausmann, TE Rodell Rahmaan, DE Adam Rodriguez
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- TE Kyle Rudolph (signed)
Tennessee Titans
- S Jalen Elliott, CB Joshua Kalu (signed)
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/22
Here are today’s minor roster moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on reserve/retired list: DT Eddie Goldman (story)
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: RB Corey Clement
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DT Domenique Davis, DE Raymond Johnson, LB Tegray Scales
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: S Dallin Leavitt, WR Osirus Mitchell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: T David Steinmetz, T Evin Ksiezarczyk
- Placed on IR: WR Justyn Ross
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: G Jordan Meredith
- Placed on reserve/retired list: G Denzelle Good (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Shaun Beyer
- Placed on active/PUP list: WR Blake Proehl, LB Ryan Connelly
New York Giants
- Signed: S Andrew Adams
New York Jets
- Signed: G Isaiah Williams (re-signed)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: FB Trey Edmunds
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/22
Today’s minor transactions:
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on PUP: WR David Bell
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on NFI list: OT Rasheed Walker, OT Caleb Jones, LB Caliph Brice
- Released: TE Eli Wolf
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on NFI list: DB Elijah Campbell
New England Patriots
- Waived: DT Byron Cowart
New York Giants
- Signed: DB Gavin Heslop
- Released: OT Korey Cunningham (with NFI)
Giants Place TE Daniel Bellinger On PUP List
The Giants have a new-look TE room in 2022, but the first piece of news at the position as training camps are set to open isn’t a positive one. The team announced on Thursday that rookie Daniel Bellinger has been placed on the active/PUP list with a quad injury. 
The San Diego State alum signed his rookie deal earlier this week, allowing him to shift his attention to a training camp which should provide him every opportunity to carve out a significant role in the Giants’ offense. New York no longer has Evan Engram or Kyle Rudolph at the position, so a starting role is available to be won this summer.
Bellinger’s lack of production in college (no more than 357 receiving yards in a single season) contributed to his name not being called until the fourth round of the draft. Still, his time with the Aztecs showcased a combination of receiving and blocking skills which should give him a path to playing time right away in the NFL. Bellinger received first-team reps during spring workouts, so his absence will be felt when veterans report to camp next week.
Other than Bellinger, the Giants currently have veterans Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins on the roster. They will see an uptick in practice snaps while Bellinger recovers from the injury, the severity of which is unknown. Fortunately for Big Blue, he can be activated at any time, allowing him to continue getting acclimated to an offense much in need of a step forward in 2022 when he is able to do so.
Giants Sign Round 2 WR Wan’Dale Robinson, Round 4 S Dane Belton To Wrap Draft Class
The Giants will not go into training camp with any unsigned rookies. They became the latest team to round out their draft class deals Monday, signing both second-round wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and fourth-round safety Dane Belton.
Chosen in what became a gray area, thanks to the guarantees in the No. 37 overall pick Jalen Pitre and No. 44 choice John Metchie‘s Texans contracts earlier this offseason, Robinson represents the latest early-second-round pick to sign. Eleven second-rounders remain unsigned. This year’s No. 43 overall choice will vie for playing time in a crowded Giants wideout situation.
[RELATED: Assessing Giants’ Offseason Decisions]
Although Big Blue’s receiver setup is currently jampacked, Robinson profiles as the safest bet to stay with the team into the mid-2020s. The Giants roster Sterling Shepard, Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and Darius Slayton. But Robinson is the only member of this intriguing wideout quintet to be brought in by the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime. Slayton has become a trade candidate, while Shepard restructured his deal to stay for a seventh season. The longest-tenured Giant is now set to be a 2023 free agent. Golladay underwhelmed after signing a four-year, $72MM deal in 2021, and unavailability has been Toney’s defining NFL trait thus far.
Robinson zoomed onto the second-round radar after a 104-catch, 1,334-yard, seven-touchdown 2021 season at Kentucky. The 5-foot-8 slot player had been a Wildcats contributor during his underclassman years, but 2021 brought a breakthrough. Even without the Giants’ offseason injury issues at receiver and Slayton’s potential preseason departure, Robinson should be expected to have a steady role as a rookie. Both he and Belton are now signed through 2025.
The Giants are less situated at safety, giving Belton an interesting opportunity. The team cut Logan Ryan and allowed Jabrill Peppers to sign with the Patriots this offseason, leaving some uncertainty opposite Xavier McKinney. Julian Love is tentatively expected to start alongside the former second-round pick, but Belton — a first-team All-Big Ten player last season — will have a say in that plan during camp. As a junior at Iowa, Belton intercepted five passes in 2021. That tally tied for the second-most in the conference last season.
Here is how the Giants’ draft class looks ahead of camp:
Round 1: No. 5 Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE (Oregon) (signed)
Round 1: No. 7 (from Bears) Evan Neal, OT (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2: No. 43 (from Falcons) Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (Kentucky) (signed)
Round 3: No. 67 Joshua Ezeudu, G (North Carolina) (signed)
Round 3: No. 81 (from Dolphins) Cor’Dale Flott, CB (LSU) (signed)
Round 4: No. 112 (from Bears) Daniel Bellinger, TE (San Diego State) (signed)
Round 4: No. 114 (from Falcons) Dane Belton, S (Iowa) (signed)
Round 5: No. 146 (from Jets) Micah McFadden, LB (Indiana) (signed)
Round 5: No. 147 D.J. Davidson, DT (Arizona State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 173 (from Chiefs through Ravens) Marcus McKethan, OG (North Carolina) (signed)
Round 6: No. 182 Darrian Beavers, LB (Cincinnati) (signed)
Latest On Giants WR Kadarius Toney
Despite whispers that the Giants could consider moving Kadarius Toney, it sounds like the receiver is set to start for the Giants next season. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Toney and Kenny Golladay are the “clear front-runners” to start at outside wide receiver next season.
[RELATED: Giants GM: Kadarius Toney Not Being Shopped]
Without context, this isn’t overly surprising news. Toney was a first-round pick in last year’s draft, and teams rarely bail on investments like that so quickly. Plus, the receiver actually showed flashes when he was on the field, finishing the campaign with 39 receptions for 420 yards (although a large portion of that production came in a standout 10-reception, 189-yard game against the Cowboys).
However, injuries have already turned into a concern for the young receiver. Toney was limited during his first training camp because of hamstring injuries, and ankle, oblique and quadriceps injuries limited him to only 10 games as a rookie. The wideout also had offseason arthroscopic knee surgery, although the operation isn’t expected to sideline him for training camp.
Further, Toney was continually in the news last season, stemming from on-the-field issues (like the time he wore the wrong cleats or time he was tossed from practice for throwing a punch) or off-the-field issues (like “a lack of playbook study” or “poor meeting behavior”). With a new regime leading the way, there were rumors that the Giants were looking to move on from the wideout, especially following the selection of second-round slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. GM Joe Schoen publicly said that he wasn’t shopping Toney, but reports indicated that the front office was at least listening to offers.
Since Toney has stuck around this long, it seems pretty clear that the receiver will be on the Giants for at least the 2022 campaign. Assuming all goes right, he should be able to hold off competition from the likes of Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton for reps.
Latest On Giants OT Andrew Thomas
Giants offensive lineman Andrew Thomas still hasn’t fully recovered from his offseason ankle injury. During an appearance on the Giants Huddle podcast, Thomas admitted that he’s still not 100 percent but intends to be on the field for the start of training camp.
[RELATED: Giants’ Andrew Thomas Had Offseason Ankle Surgery]
“Rehab is coming along pretty well. I’m doing everything the trainers ask me to do,” Thomas said (via Matt Citak of the team’s website). “Definitely moving a lot better and I’m prepared to be ready for training camp.
“It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s part of the business, learning how to navigate being injured because you’re never going to feel 100 percent. But I felt like last year I started to make some strides. It’s a little frustrating sometimes when you can’t be on the field with your teammates.”
While Thomas didn’t miss any time during his rookie year, he dealt with an ankle injury throughout the campaign. The nagging injury ended up carrying into the 2021 season and ultimately cost the lineman four games due to a stint on the injured reserve.
The fourth-overall pick in the 2020 draft, Thomas disappointed a bit during his rookie campaign, allowing 10 sacks in 16 games. He reduced that number to only two sacks allowed while starting each of his 13 appearances in 2021. Thomas ranked 19th on Pro Football Focus’ list of 83 qualifying offensive tackles last year, and he earned particularly high scores for his pass-blocking ability.
The Giants did some work on their offensive line this offseason. They brought in veterans Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano, and they later added tackle Evan Neal with the seventh-overall pick. That trio will likely start alongside Thomas, who is expected to slide in at left tackle.
Giants Sign Fourth-Round TE Daniel Bellinger
Another member of the Giants’ rookie class has officially inked his first NFL deal. The team announced on Monday that tight end Daniel Bellinger has signed his rookie contract.
Bellinger spent five seasons at San Diego State, taking on a significant role starting in his second campaign. He didn’t put up the receiving numbers of other, more highly-touted prospects at his position at any point during his tenure with the Aztecs, though his best production came in his final season. He totalled 357 yards on 31 receptions, while showcasing the athleticism which had many draft analysts noting he was likely underutilized in the team’s offensive system.
Despite the relatively pedestrian production Bellinger put up across his 43 college contests, he could have a path to significant playing time as a rookie. New York no longer has Evan Engram or Kyle Rudolph on the roster, so the six-foot-six, 255-pounder saw reps with the first-team offense during the spring. With a (presumably) healthy Saquon Barkley and a pass-catching corps including Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and second-round rookie Wan’Dale Robinson, though, Bellinger likely won’t see many targets early on during his time in the Big Apple.
Bellinger will be competing for a starting spot with veterans Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins, both of whom signed one-year deals this offseason as stopgaps in the absence of Engram and Rudolph. If not immediately, then in the near future at least, he should be able to take on a significant role as the team looks to take some much-needed steps forward on offense.
Given today’s news, nine members of the Giants’ draft class have now been signed. Only Robinson and fourth-round safety Dane Belton have yet to finalize their contracts.
2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team
Between now and training camp, additional free agents will join teams. Several big names — from 2010s All-Decade-teamers Ndamukong Suh and Julio Jones — to longtime starters like Odell Beckham Jr., Jason Pierre-Paul, Trey Flowers and J.C. Tretter remain available as camps approach.
With savings from post-June 1 cuts in the rear-view mirror and fewer than 25 draft picks yet to sign their rookie deals, we have a pretty good idea of teams’ cap-space figures. Here is how the league currently stacks up for available funds:
- Cleveland Browns: $40.9MM
- Carolina Panthers: $25.1MM
- Chicago Bears: $23MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $22.5MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $21.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $17.7MM
- Green Bay Packers: $16.9MM
- Miami Dolphins: $16.5MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $16.4MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $15.8MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $14.5MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $14.3MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $14.3MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $13.4MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $12.8MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $12.4MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $12.3MM
- Tennessee Titans: $11.9MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $11.5MM
- Denver Broncos: $11.5MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $10.9MM
- New Orleans Saints: $10.7MM
- Detroit Lions: $9.8MM
- New York Jets: $9.6MM
- Houston Texans: $9.2MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $7.7MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $7.7MM
- New York Giants: $6MM
- Buffalo Bills: $5.6MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $4.7MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $3.9MM
- New England Patriots: $1.9MM
- The Browns reduced Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 base salary to the veteran minimum. The suspension candidate’s cap number checks in at just $10MM, though the figures from the fully guaranteed deal the Browns authorized begin spiking in 2023. Watson’s cap number is set to rise to an NFL-record $54.9MM next year.
- Carolina has been in talks with Cleveland for months regarding a Baker Mayfield trade. The sides have not come to an agreement on how to divide Mayfield’s guaranteed $18.9MM salary. While the Browns are believed to have come up to around $10MM, Mayfield remains on their roster.
- The Bears, Cowboys and Raiders each vaulted into the top five because of post-June 1 cuts. Chicago and Las Vegas were the only teams to designate the maximum two players as post-June 1 releases.
- The Seahawks have been connected to a Mayfield trade, but they have been more likely to pursue the disgruntled QB via free agency — should this process reach that point. A Mayfield free agent signing would not require Seattle to make adjustments to its cap sheet.
- After restructuring Patrick Mahomes‘ contract last year, the Chiefs have not done so in 2022. The superstar passer is attached to a $35.8MM figure — the second-highest 2022 cap charge.
- Atlanta’s cap space factors in the team’s league-leading $63.2MM in dead money, a figure mostly created by Matt Ryan‘s individual dead-cap record ($40.5MM) emerging after the Falcons traded their 14-year starter to the Colts.
- Upon learning Tom Brady would be back for a third Florida season, the Buccaneers did restructure his deal. Brady counts just $11.9MM on Tampa Bay’s 2022 cap sheet, but due to the void years that helped the team save money, that number spikes to $35.1MM in 2023 — when Brady is not under contract.
- San Francisco power brokers have said for months a Jimmy Garoppolo trade is the organization’s goal. With the passer not yet fully cleared, the team — which is preparing for Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa extensions to come to pass at some point — has a $26.95MM Garoppolo cap charge on its payroll. Releasing Garopppolo would save the 49ers $24.2MM.
- The Ravens have attempted to go forward with a Lamar Jackson extension, but the team has confirmed the quarterback has not expressed much interest in doing a deal now. The sides did discuss the former MVP’s deal during minicamp. Jackson is tied to a $23MM fifth-year option salary.
NFL Teams With Most Dead Cap
The Falcons made history when they traded Matt Ryan to the Colts this offseason. As a result of the trade, the Falcons were left with a record-breaking $40.5MM in dead cap. Thanks to the Ryan trade (as well as the trade of Julio Jones and the release of Dante Fowler), the Falcons lead the NFL with a whopping $63MM in dead cap heading into next season.
For a team that’s probably not looking to compete in 2022, this isn’t the biggest deal in the world. For competitive squads, a hefty dead cap charge could drastically limit their ability to add to their squad following final roster cuts and into the regular season. A team’s current dead cap commitment could also influence who they decide to cut at the end of the preseason.
So which teams have the most dead cap on their books? We’ve listed them in order below (h/t to Sportrac):
- Atlanta Falcons: $63,209,124
- Chicago Bears: $57,643,341
- Philadelphia Eagles: $54,915,221
- Houston Texans: $52,289,341
- Seattle Seahawks: $46,022,390
- New Orleans Saints: $33,347,982
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $30,863,174
- Las Vegas Raiders: $29,441,565
- New York Giants: $29,262,372
- Green Bay Packers: $24,628,608
- Carolina Panthers: $23,507,283
- Dallas Cowboys: $22,713,132
- Minnesota Vikings: $22,092,189
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $21,852,872
- Detroit Lions: $20,324,288
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $19,445,910
- Cleveland Browns: $18,774,054
- Buffalo Bills: $16,601,356
- Denver Broncos: $14,938,136
- Tennessee Titans: $14,290,108
- Los Angeles Rams: $13,522,002
- Baltimore Ravens: $12,292,703
- Arizona Cardinals: $10,278,530
- Cincinnati Bengals: $9,592,578
- New England Patriots: $9,158,009
- Miami Dolphins: $8,483,400
- Kansas City Chiefs: $7,982,236
- Indianapolis Colts: $7,037,428
- San Francisco 49ers: $6,495,221
- Washington Commanders: $6,300,496
- Los Angeles Chargers: $3,661,167
- New York Jets: $2,092,411