Nick McDonald

Browns Waive Nick McDonald

The Browns released center Nick McDonald with an injury settlement, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter). McDonald started seven games at center last season while Alex Mack was sidelined with an injury.

McDonald was claimed off waivers by the Browns eleven months ago, just a day after he was cut loose by the Chargers. McDonald stepped into the starting role when he was needed, but the advanced metrics weren’t fond of his work. The 27-year-old (28 in June) graded out as the third worst qualified center in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

 

Minor Moves: Saturday

Here are today’s minor transactions, with the latest updates at the top of the list:

  • The Raiders are set to activate cornerback D.J. Hayden, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The No. 12 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Hayden played in eight games as a rookie and started two. The club has filled their other remaining vacancy by signing defensive end Denico Autry to the active roster, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Rams placed Brandon McGee on the injured reserve with a foot injury while replacing him with Jemea Thomas from the practice squad, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. McGee hasn’t played since Week 2.
  • The Dolphins announced (on Twitter) that they have waived wide receiver Damian Williams to make space for Jordan.
  • The Dolphins are moving defensive end Dion Jordan to the active roster today, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. There’s no word yet on a corresponding move, but they’ll have to cut someone to make space. Jordan was recently reinstated from his six-game suspension.
  • The Cardinals signed wide receiver Solomon Patton to their practice squad while cutting fellow WR Jalen Saunders, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
  • The Ravens waived tight end Ryan Taylor and promoted fellow tight end Phillip Supernaw from the practice squad, tweets Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
  • The Lions announced that they have suspended defensive tackle C.J. Mosley for two weeks for conduct detrimental to the team and subsquently sent him home from London earlier today. To fill his spot, Detroit has signed safety Jerome Couplin from the practice squad, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (on Twitter).
  • In addition to center Daniel Kilgore, the 49ers have also placed cornerback Chris Cook on the injured reserve. The team has signed safety Bubba Ventrone to fill one of the two roster spots.
  • The Jaguars have cut wide receiver Tavarres King and signed cornerback Peyton Thompson, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. The writer adds that the move was made as insurance in case injured cornerback Dwayne Gratz can’t play this weekend.
  • Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweets that center Nick McDonald was activated from the Browns‘ non-football injury list. To make room on the roster, the team waived tight end Gerell Robinson.

Minor Moves: Saints, Rams, Browns, Bills

The NFL’s transactions wire is picking up as we approach the end of July, with notable players like Joel Dreessen and Larry English involved in roster moves today. Several teams have finalized a series of more under-the-radar moves as well, which we’ll round up right here:

  • The Buccaneers have signed linebacker Jeremy Grable and offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter). To help make room for the duo, the Bucs released cornerback D.J. Moore.
  • Former Ravens linebacker Adrian Hamilton has signed with the Chargers, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
  • The Saints have signed nose tackle Tyrone Ezell and linebacker Marcus Thompson, clearing roster spots for the new additions by cutting nose tackle Moses McCray and waiving outside linebacker Cheta Ozougwu with a failed physical designation. The team has the details on its newest signees in a press release.
  • The Rams completed a series of roster moves today, signing four players – linebacker Pat Schiller, linebacker Lawrence Wilson, offensive tackle D.J. Morrell, and offensive tackle R.J. Dill – and cutting four others — offensive lineman Abasi Salimu, wideout Dionte Spencer, linebacker Caleb McSurdy, and linebacker Tavarius Wilson (Twitter links via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).
  • A day after being cut by the Chargers, center Nick McDonald has been claimed off waivers by the Browns, tweets Brian McIntyre. Cleveland had an opening on its 90-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary to make room for the offensive lineman.
  • One linebacker has been swapped for another in Buffalo, where the Bills signed Western Kentucky product Xavius Boyd to a contract after having waived-injured Darrin Kitchens, who is dealing with a lower body injury (Twitter links via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).
  • The Texans have waived fullback Brad Smelley and defensive end Tim Jackson, and also signed tight end Chris Coyle, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). As ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan tweets, Jackson received the “failure to disclose physical condition” designation when he was cut.
  • That “failure to disclose physical condition” designation is rarely used, but linebacker Billy Boyko also received it when he was waived by the Panthers, according to Caplan (Twitter link).
  • Caplan also tweets that former Broncos safety Eric Hagg has officially been placed on the team’s reserve/retired list. We heard yesterday that Hagg had decided to retire.

Minor Moves: Hagg, Giants, Pats, Cowboys

After a quiet few weeks, roster moves around the NFL are picking up again, with most training camps just around the corner. We’ll track today’s minor moves here, including signings and cuts of players with no or little NFL experience. Here are the latest moves, with additional transactions added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • Safety Eric Hagg has informed the Broncos he intends to retire, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Hagg, who appeared in 23 total games in two season with the Browns in 2011-12, had signed a futures contract with Denver earlier this year.
  • According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Giants have acted quickly to fill Chris Snee‘s roster spot, signing offensive lineman John Sullen, who auditioned for the team last month.
  • Former BYU defensive tackle Eathyn Manumaleuna, who was cut by the Giants last month has signed with the Patriots, according to a team release. The club waived Seali’i Epenesa to clear room on the 90-man roster for Manumaleuna.

Earlier updates:

  • Free agent wideout Dezmon Briscoe has signed with the Cowboys, according to agent Erik Burkhardt (via Twitter). Briscoe, who caught 35 passes for the Buccaneers in 2011, was waived-injured by the Redskins prior to the 2013 regular season. In order to sign Briscoe, the team waived defensive tackle Chris Whaley with a non-football injury designation, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.
  • The Bengals have maintained an opening on their 90-man roster, waiving rookie wideout Alex Neutz today, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link).
  • The Chargers have waived center Nick McDonald, the team announced today (via Twitter). The offensive lineman had inked a reserve/futures contract with the club back in January.
  • With the newly-open roster spot, the Chargers will bring aboard Khalil Wilkes, a Stanford product who participated in the club’s minicamp in May. Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (via Twitter) that the team has agreed to terms with the undrafted center.
  • One of the players who went unselected in this month’s supplemental draft has found a home, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who reports that defensive tackle LaKendrick Ross is signing with the Bengals. Ross, who tried out for the Bengals today, had 11 teams attend his workout prior to that supplemental draft, though Cincinnati wasn’t among that list. The Bengals had an open roster spot already, so no corresponding move will be necessary to bring Ross aboard.