Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: RB Chase Edmonds, S Charles Washington
- Placed on IR: WR DeAndre Hopkins, CB Robert Alford
- Promoted: CB Kevin Peterson, LB Joe Walker
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: DB Erik Harris
- Promoted: LB Dorian Etheridge, DB Shawn Williams
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: DB Robert Jackson, S Tony Jefferson, T Jaryd Jones-Smith, C Adam Redmond, T David Sharpe
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
- Promoted: QB Reggie Bonnafon, WR Willie Snead
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: LB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from IR: OG D’Ante Smith, DB Trae Waynes (story)
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro, LB Keandre Jones, WR Trent Taylor
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Willie Harvey Jr., DE Porter Gustin
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: DT Justin Hamilton, RB Jaquan Hardy, DB Darian Thompson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DB A.J. Parker
- Promoted: LB Curtis Bolton, RB Craig Reynolds, T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: S Shawn Davis, DE Abdullah Anderson, G Cole Van Lanen
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DE Jordan Jenkins
- Promoted: S Grayland Arnold, LB Connor Strachan, WR Jordan Veasy, DB T.J. Green, FB Paul Quessenberry, DL Chris Smith, OL Jordan Steckler
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: DT Antwaun Woods
- Promoted: DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Anthony Hines, WR Brandon Powell
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: C Greg Mancz
- Promoted: WR Tommylee Lewis
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DT Daniel Ekuale, C James Ferentz, RB Devine Ozigbo
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: TE Adam Trautman
- Placed on IR: TE Garrett Griffin (story)
- Promoted: G Forrest Lamp, WR Easop Winston
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Alex Bachman, LB Jaylon Smith, DB Jarren Williams
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: RB Michael Carter, T Chuma Edoga, DE Bryce Huff, TE Tyler Kroft
- Promoted: DE Ronald Blair, TE Daniel Brown, WR Vyncint Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: G Rashaad Coward
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: RB Brian Hill, DB Jarrod Wilson
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: TE Tory Carter
Bengals Activate CB Trae Waynes From IR
Trae Waynes is back. The Bengals activated their starting cornerback from injured reserve today, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (via Twitter). Offensive lineman D’Ante Smith has also been activated from IR (per ESPN’s Ben Baby on Twitter).
The Bengals signed Waynes to a three-year, $42MM deal in March 2020, but the organization has only gotten two games out of their investment. Waynes missed all of 2020 because of a torn pec, and a hamstring injury forced him to miss the start of this season. The 29-year-old managed to get into Week 4 and Week 5, starting both games while collecting five tackles. However, he aggravated his hamstring injury in that latter game, and he hasn’t seen the field since.
Waynes is attached to an $8.4MM base salary this season; that number climbs to $10.4MM in 2022. The Bengals are on the hook for Waynes’ prorated signing bonus ($5MM) next year but could save $11MM by making the seven-year vet a cap casualty. The veteran’s performance down the stretch will likely determine his future with the organization.
Smith is a fourth-round rookie out of East Carolina. He didn’t see the field during the first month of the season, and he was stashed on IR with a knee injury in mid-October.
The Bengals made a handful of additional moves in anticipation of their game against the Broncos tomorrow, promoting linebacker Austin Calitro, wide receiver Trent Taylor, and linebacker Keandre Jones from the practice squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/21
Here is how teams finalized their Week 14 rosters:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: TE Hayden Hurst
- Promoted: RB Qadree Ollison, S Shawn Williams
- Waived: RB Wayne Gallman
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Robert Jackson, T David Sharpe
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: G Jon Feliciano
- Promoted: DE Eli Ankou, DT Brandin Bryant, LB Joe Giles-Harris
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: T Cameron Erving
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, LB Frankie Luvu, OL Patrick Omameh
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: LB Charles Snowden
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro, LB Keandre Jones
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: LB Jacob Phillips
- Promoted: DB Herb Miller, DB Jovante Moffatt, WR JoJo Natson
- Waived: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: TE Ian Bunting, RB JaQuan Hardy, S Darian Thompson
- Waived: DT Justin Hamilton
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Micah Kiser, CB Michael Ojemudia
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Mark Gilbert, CB Ifeatu Melifonwu
- Promoted: CB Corey Ballentine, LB Curtis Bolton, DE Bruce Hector, CB Parnell Motley, RB Craig Reynolds, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, RB Rodney Smith, TE Shane Zylstra
Houston Texans
- Promoted: DB Grayland Arnold, WR Phillip Dorsett, DL Chris Smith
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle, DB Josh Jackson
- Placed on IR: DB Chris Lammons
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on IR: LB Kyler Fackrell
- Promoted: DB Ben DeLuca, LB Emeke Egbule, WR Jason Moore
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Salvon Ahmed
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
- Promoted: G James Carpenter, LB Chase Hansen, WR Kevin White, WR Easop Winston, TE Ethan Wolf
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper, DB Jarren Williams
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: CB Brandin Echols
- Promoted: DE Ronald Blair, TE Dan Brown, WR D.J. Montgomery, WR Vyncint Smith
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: RB Trenton Cannon, CB Emmanuel Moseley
- Promoted: WR River Cracraft, RB Brian Hill, CB Saivion Smith, S Jarrod Wilson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Edmond Robinson
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: S Dane Cruikshank, WR Racey McMath
- Placed on IR: TE Tommy Hudson; this is Hudson’s second IR trip, ending his season
- Promoted: WR Cody Hollister, DL Kevin Strong
- Waived: S Brady Breeze
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Darryl Roberts, DE James Smith-Williams
- Placed on IR: G Wes Schweitzer
- Promoted: DE William Bradley-King, LB De’Jon Harris, S Jeremy Reaves, C Jon Toth
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/25/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: CB Luq Barcoo
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Steven Sims
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: LB Nate Hall
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR via injury settlement: LB Austin Calitro
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Rams): TE Kyle Markway
- Waived: DE Romeo McKnight
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: RB Rico Dowdle
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Damontae Kazee, G Connor Williams
Houston Texans
- Waived: WR Taywan Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DE Damontre Moore
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed (from Bears): OL Badara Traore
- Waived: OL Garrett McGhin
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Nate Evans
- Waived: DL Frederick Smith Jr.
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: LS Steven Wirtel
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: OT Evin Ksiezarczyk
- Released from IR via injury settlement: K Riley Patterson
New England Patriots
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Marvin Hall
New York Giants
- Released from IR via injury settlement: QB Clayton Thorson
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from active/PUP list: S Jaquiski Tartt
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed (from Jaguars): OL Derwin Gray
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OLB Harold Landry
Bears Place Austin Calitro On IR
The Bears have gained a roster spot while losing a veteran linebacker. Austin Calitro has been placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, per a club announcement. 
Calitro suffered the injury in Saturday’s preseason loss to the Bills. Before that, Calitro was pushing to make the 80-man cut and pursue one of the final LB spots on the roster.
Calitro spent last season with the Broncos before joining up with the Bears in May. The 27-year-old is no stranger to changing teams — he even spent his first pro season (2017) with four different clubs (Jets, 49ers, Seahawks, and Browns). The Seahawks gave him another chance in 2018 and he established himself as a legitimate NFL ‘backer. He appeared in all 16 games during that 2018 season (with five starts), compiling 45 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and three tackles for loss.
He got into 13 games with the Jaguars in 2019, finishing with 40 tackles and one sack. His 2020 with the Broncos was less eventful — 13 games and just three tackles while playing exclusively on special teams. It’s not clear whether his injury is a true season-ender, but Calitro will be sidelined for an extended period.
Bears Sign LB Austin Calitro
Austin Calitro is heading to Chicago. The free agent linebacker is signing with the Bears, the organization announced this evening (via the team’s Twitter).
Calitro bounced around the NFL a bit to begin his career; the 2017 undrafted free agent out of Villanova spent his rookie campaign with four different teams (Jets, 49ers, Seahawks, and Browns). Seattle gave the linebacker another chance in 2018, and Calitro established himself as a legitimate NFL linebacker. He appeared in all 16 games during that 2018 season (with five starts), compiling 45 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and three tackles for loss.
He got into 13 games with the Jaguars in 2019, finishing with 40 tackles and one sack. He caught on with Denver for the 2020 season, and while he appeared in 13 total games, he finished with only three tackles while playing exclusively on special teams.
The Bears will likely turn to Calitro on special teams, but the 27-year-old also has an opportunity to play on defense. Roquan Smith, Danny Trevathan, and backup Christian Jones seem set atop the depth chart, but Calitro will compete with the likes of Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Josh Woods, and Caleb Johnson for backup reps.
To make room on the roster, the Bears waived wideout Reggie Davis (via the team’s website). The Georgia product spent most of the 2020 campaign on Chicago’s practice squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/31/20
Here is the league’s avalanche of Halloween minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: DT John Cominsky
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Terrell Bonds, LB Kristian Welch
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: CB Levi Wallace
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Lee Smith
- Promoted: CB Dane Jackson
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: WR Dwayne Harris
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: G Shaq Calhoun
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers (from Lions): LB Elijah Lee
- Activated from IR: WR KhaDarel Hodge
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Austin Calitro
- Promoted: WR Fred Brown, FB Jeremy Cox, OL Patrick Morris
- Placed on IR: TE Andrew Beck
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: TE Isaac Nauta
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: S Henry Black
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Chris Thompson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Damon Arnette, T Trent Brown
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Trey Pipkins
- Promoted: WR Jason Moore, RB Troymaine Pope, OL Cole Toner
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Derrick Moncrief
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: CB Tae Hayes, DT Benito Jones
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Cameron Dantzler
- Activated from IR: LB Troy Dye
- Promoted: C Brett Jones, CB Chris Jones, DB Luther Kirk, DE Hercules Mata’afa
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Todd Davis
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Sony Michel (Michel remains on IR)
- Activated from IR: S Cody Davis, LB Josh Uche
- Promoted: DE Tashawn Bower, DT Nick Thurman, WR Isaiah Zuber
- Placed on IR: T Justin Herron
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Austin Carr, OL Will Clapp, WR Tommylee Lewis, WR Juwan Johnson
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: CB Arthur Maulet
- Promoted: K/P Sergio Castillo, LB Bryce Hager, WR Jaleel Scott
- Placed on IR: S Bradley McDougald
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: CB Michael Jacquet, DT Raequan Williams
- Waived: TE Hakeem Butler
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: S Antoine Brooks, FB Trey Edmunds, LB Jayrone Elliott
- Placed on IR: DT Chris Wormley
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: WR River Cracraft, S Johnathan Cyprien
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from NFI list: TE Colby Parkinson, CB D.J. Reed
- Promoted: CB Jayson Stanley, DE/TE Stephen Sullivan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: TE Antony Auclair, G John Molchon
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DB Breon Borders, RB D’Onta Foreman, CB Kareem Orr
- Placed on IR: CB Kristian Fulton
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/20
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated off suspension list: DB Jordan Miller
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: CB Tavon Young (story)
- Promoted: CB Terrell Bonds, CB Khalil Dorsey, S Jordan Richards
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: LB Montrel Meander
- Placed on IR: WR JoJo Natson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: OL Keaton Sutherland
- Waived: OL Shaq Calhoun
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: LB Austin Calitro
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: S A.J. Moore (story)
- Promoted: RB C.J. Prosise
Broncos Trade Christian Covington To Bengals
The Broncos have agreed to trade defensive tackle Christian Covington to the Bengals in exchange for linebacker Austin Calitro, as Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com tweets. The deal appears to be a one-for-one swap, with no additional draft capital attached. 
Covington joined the Broncos on a one-year, $1.75MM deal in April. Before that, he spent the 2019 season with the Cowboys and the previous four years with the Texans. With Dallas, he had one of his most productive seasons to date, posting a career-high 28 tackles to go with one sack and one pass defended in 16 games. For his career, he has 93 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and a forced fumble to his credit.
Calitro suited up in 13 games (including four starts) for the Jaguars last year, but they dropped him in late April to make room for their incoming class of draft picks and a host of undrafted free agents. The Bengals scooped him up off of waivers, using their higher priority to beat out the Broncos. The Browns, Jets, and Raiders also tried to claim Calitro, who registered 40 tackles and a sack while serving as a key special teams contributor in 2019.
Five Teams Tried To Claim Austin Calitro
Austin Calitro is a popular guy. The Broncos, Browns, Jets, and Raiders all tried to claim the linebacker after he was waived by the Jaguars, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Ultimately, they all lost out to the Bengals, who had the league’s worst record last year and top priority on the waiver wire.
[RELATED: Bengals Claim Samaje Perine]
The Bengals were happy to welcome Calitro, who suited up in 13 games (including four starts) for the Jaguars last year. He’s got a solid chance of making the roster, where he could see his time split between defense and special teams. If he doesn’t make the cut, it’s a safe bet that at least a couple of these clubs will come calling.
Last year, Calitro registered 40 tackles and a sack while serving as a key special teams contributor for Jacksonville. Over the last two years, he’s logged 432 snaps in the third facet of the game.