Today’s practice squad moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: S Damontae Kazee (story), DL Pat O’Connor
- Released: WR Andrew Armstrong
New England Patriots
- Signed: G Mehki Butler
- Released: G Bill Murray
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Casey Rogers
Tuesday’s practice squad updates from around the NFL…
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Sean Clifford
Detroit Lions
- Signed: S Erick Hallett
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Cameron Mitchell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DL Boogie Basham
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: OL Wyatt Bowles
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Jimmy Ciarlo
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: CB Shemar Bartholomew
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Bill Murray
- Released: RB Jonathan Ward
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Samori Toure, RB Ian Wheeler, K Cade York (story)
- Released: WR Jha’Quan Jackson, LB Eku Leota
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Myles Purchase
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DE Anthony Goodlow, WR Cornell Powell
- Released: DB Daequan Hardy, LB Mark Robinson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OT Chandler Brewer
- Released: WR Kristian Wilkerson
Here are today’s minor moves as we inch a day closer to the start of the regular season:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived (with injury settlement): G Ja’Tyre Carter
Chicago Bears
- Waived (with injury settlement): G Bill Murray, RB Ian Wheeler
Cleveland Browns
- Waived (with injury settlement): RB Pierre Strong
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: QB Jake Haener
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Released: WR Russell Gage
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived (with injury settlement): CB JayVian Farr, CB Roman Parodie
The 49ers are doing a bit of shuffling in their receiving corps, calling up Valdes-Scantling from the practice squad and cutting Gage. According to multiple sources, it’s believed that Gage will be immediately signed back to the team’s practice squad to remain with the team.
Haener was brought back to the active roster in New Orleans after being waived at the roster cut deadline. The Saints had three quarterbacks, with Iowa Western rookie practice squad passer Hunter Dekkers, but adding Haener gives the team a bit more experienced depth, if only barely, in what may be the league’s youngest quarterbacks room.
The Bears made a flurry of move to trim their roster down to 53 players on Tuesday, per a team announcement, headlined by the activation of Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson from the physically unable to perform list.
Johnson missed all of training camp after injuring his leg during offseason training. Chicago is hoping that he can be ready for Week 1, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, but the 26-year-old still hasn’t returned to the practice field. Keeping him on the 53-man roster suggests that the team believe he has a good chance of coming back in the first four weeks of the season.
The Bears also activated Tory Taylor to the roster in a procedural move. The Australian-born punter was given an international exemption to give Chicago an extra, 91st roster spot during the offseason, but he cannot keep the exemption and remain on the 53-man roster.
Here are the rest of the Bears’ roster moves:
Placed on injured reserve (designated to return)
Waived/injured
- DB Tysheem Johnson
- OL Doug Kramer
- OL Bill Murray
Waived
- WR Maurice Alexander
- RB Brittain Brown
- LS Luke Elkin
- DL Jonathan Ford
- DB Mekhi Garner
- DL Jamree Kromah
- OL Jordan McFadden
- DL Zacch Pickens
- WR JP Richardson
- WR Tyler Scott
- OL Ricky Stromberg
Released
- WR Miles Boykin
- TE Stephen Carlson
- DL Tanoh Kpassagnon
Homer appeared in 10 games for the Bears in 2024, primarily on special teams. He re-signed in Chicago this offseason and will spent a minimum of four games on the sidelines to start the year as he deals with a calf injury, per Biggs. Ogbongbemiga, also a returning special teams ace, will also be out for at least four weeks after injuring his shoulder.
The Bears tried to trade McFadden before final roster cuts, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but were unable to find a partner and waived the former Charger.
Pickens and Scott are two 2023 draft picks that will not survive the team’s coaching change. Pickett, the first pick of the third round, started three games last year and appeared in six more with minimal production. Scott, a fourth-round pick, started four games as a rookie before fading into the background with just one reception in 2024.
Richardson is a practice squad candidate after a strong training camp, per Biggs. So is Stromberg, according to Adam Jahn of CHGO Sports. The former Commanders third-round pick will provide depth at center behind Drew Dalman and Ryan Bates.
Kpassagnon followed Dennis Allen to Chicago this offseason and signed a one-year deal with no guaranteed money, making him an ideal candidate to be released and re-signed to the practice squad via a handshake agreement. That appears to be the plan, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times, which will keep the veteran linemen available for early-season elevations to the active roster.
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed RFA tender: DL Chris Williams
- Signed ERFA tender: DL Jonathan Ford, DL Daniel Hardy, OL Bill Murray, DB Ameer Speed
Cleveland Browns
- Signed ERFA tender: TE Blake Whiteheart
Denver Broncos
- Signed ERFA tender: TE Lucas Krull
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: DE Arron Mosby
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed ERFA tender: DT Matthew Butler, LB LB Kana’i Mauga, G Jordan Meredith, DE Charles Snowden, CB Sam Webb
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: CB Nahshon Wright
More teams made tender/non-tender decisions on restricted and exclusive rights free agents today. Here are the latest updates:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Broncos: LS Mitchell Fraboni
Fraboni has served as the Broncos’ primary long snapper for each of the past two seasons, playing in all 17 games of each year as well as this year’s playoff contest. Denver will have until next Wednesday to keep him from hitting the market if they intend to retain him.
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Bears: DE Daniel Hardy, G Bill Murray
- Bengals: G Jaxson Kirkland
- Broncos: DT Jordan Jackson, S Devon Key, TE Lucas Krull, CB Ja’Quan McMillian, LB Dondrea Tillman
- Chargers: TE Tucker Fisk
- Cowboys: DE Tyrus Wheat
- Dolphins: LB Cameron Goode, T Kion Smith
- Packers: S Zayne Anderson
- Patriots: CB Alex Austin
The Broncos tendered all five of their exclusive rights free agents today. The Packers made an easy decision to retain Anderson, who started two games this year and recorded his first career interception.
Here are the latest transactions from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Released: RB Darrynton Evans
Carolina Panthers
- Released: S Russ Yeast
Chicago Bears
- Placed on injured reserve: OL Bill Murray
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: WR Jaelon Darden
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Tony Brown
Detroit Lions
- Activated from Non-Football Injury list: OL Christian Mahogany
Houston Texans
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Stefon Diggs
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: RB Myles Gaskin
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: LB Ochaun Mathis
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: LB Adetokunbo Ogundeji
- Reinstated from Reserve/Suspended list: CB Cameron Sutton
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: WR Mason Kinsey
Murray suffered a torn pectoral in the Bears’ loss to the Commanders on Sunday, thinning out Chicago’s offensive line depth. He played 37 snaps at left guard in Week 5 in relief of an injured Tevin Jenkins, who left Sunday’s game with another injury. After full participation in practice last week, Larry Borom should be ready to be activated from injured reserve to reinforce the Bears’ offensive line before Week 9.
The Texans officially played Diggs on injured reserve after tests confirmed a season-ending ACL tear, a non-contact injury that occurred in Houston’s Week 8 victory over the Colts. With Nico Collins already on IR, C.J. Stroud will turn to Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz to keep the offense afloat until Collins returns. Diggs’ injury could heavily affect his market in free agency after requiring the Texans to remove the final three years of his contact to facilitate his trade from the Bills.
Sutton is eligible to play for the first time this year after serving an eight-game suspension for violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He was suspended after he was arrested for domestic battery by strangulation in March, leading to his release by the Lions. The Steelers then signed him to a one-year deal in June before the league handed down his suspension in July, forcing Pittsburgh to turn to Beanie Bishop at nickel.
Many teams have started signing players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Andre Baccellia, OL Jackson Barton, WR Kaden Davis, OL Marquis Hayes, RB Tony Jones, TE Bernhard Seikovits, WR Jeff Smith, CB Quavian White
Atlanta Falcons
- OL Barry Wesley
Carolina Panthers
- RB Mike Boone, RB Spencer Brown, WR Jalen Camp, RB Tarik Cohen, CB Lamar Jackson, TE Jordan Matthews, CB AJ Parker, TE Chris Pierce, WR Cam Sims, OT Badara Traore, DE Raequan Williams
Chicago Bears
- LB Micah Baskerville, TE Stephen Carlson, OL Jerome Carvin, DB Adrian Colbert, OL Aviante Collins, DL Michael Dwumfour, DL Daniel Hardy, OL Roy Mbaeteka, OL Bill Murray, WR Nsimba Webster
Cincinnati Bengals
- DT Domenique Davis, CB Allan George, C Nate Gilliam, DE Jeff Gunter, LB Shaka Heyward, WR Shedrick Jackson, G Jaxson Kirkland, WR Kwamie Lassiter II, WR Kendric Pryor
Denver Broncos
- RB Tyler Badie, QB Ben DiNucci, OT Demontrey Jacobs, S Devon Key, CB Reese Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Austin Ajiake, LB Liam Anderson, WR Tyrie Cleveland, S Marcel Dabo, WR Ethan Fernea, G Arlington Hambright, TE Jordan Murray, RB Zavier Scott, TE Eric Tomlinson
Las Vegas Raiders
- DE David Agoha, CB Cornell Armstrong, QB Anthony Brown, OT D.J. Fluker, TE Cole Fotheringham, S Jaydon Grant, DT Marquan McCall, RB Sincere McCormick, OT Jalen McKenzie, TE John Samuel Shenker, DT Nesta Jade Silvera, DE Elerson Smith, DE Charles Snowden, CB Sam Webb, WR Kristian Wilkerson
Minnesota Vikings
- LB Abraham Beauplan, G Henry Byrd, OT Coy Cronk, WR N’Keal Harry, WR Trishton Jackson, RB DeWayne McBride, G Tyrese Robinson, WR Thayer Thomas, CB Jaylin Williams, CB Joejuan Williams, G Tyrese Robinson, WR Thayer Thomas
New England Patriots
- DE William Bradley-King, LB Joe Giles-Harris, DB Azizi Hearn, DT Trysten Hill, WR T.J. Luther, OT Andrew Stueber, RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
- DT Ryder Anderson, OT Yodny Cajuste, DB Kaleb Hayes, WR Dennis Houston, RB Deon Jackson, LB Dyontae Johnson, LB Jeremiah Martin, G Jalen Mayfield, OL Joshua Miles, DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
New York Jets
- OL Obinna Eze, OL Vitaliy Gurman, CB Tae Hayes, DL Manny Jones, RB Jacques Patrick, K Austin Seibert, DL Marquiss Spencer, WR Malik Taylor
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Levi Bell, NT Matthew Gotel, RB Bryant Koback, TE Tyler Mabry, S Jonathan Sutherland, WR Cody White, WR Easop Winston Jr.
Tennessee Titans
- CB Shyheim Carter, DB Tay Gowan, WR Tre’Shaun Harrison, TE Thomas Odukoya, LB Thomas Rush, G Lachavious Simmons
Washington Commanders
- LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, WR Davion Davis, CB D’Angelo Mandell
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Kaden Davis, OL Marquis Hayes
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: NT Bravvion Roy
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: QB Shane Buechele
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Deslin Alexandre, DL Daniel Hardy, OL Bill Murray, K John Parker Romo
Denver Broncos
- Signed: TE Lucas Krull
Detroit Lions
- Signed: QB David Blough, DL Quinton Bohanna, WR Daurice Fountain, DE Raymond Johnson, RB Zonovan Knight, G Michael Niese
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Kristian Welch
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT McTelvin Agim, WR Racey McMath
- Released: DT Caleb Sampson, CB Kevin Toliver
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DL Esezi Otomewo
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Keith Taylor, WR Montrell Washington
- Released: DB Reese Taylor
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Marquez Callaway, LB Isaac Darkangelo, G Vitaliy Gurman, DE Janarius Robinson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Alex Erickson, S Dean Marlowe, TE Nick Vannett
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Nick Bowers, RB Darrynton Evans, OL Chasen Hines, S Joshua Kalu, DT Rashard Lawrence, OT James Tunstall, WR Raleigh Webb, DE Chase Winovich
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Jalen Reagor
New Orleans Saints
- Released: RB Tony Jones Jr., RB Ellis Merriweather, RB Jordan Mims, LB Ty Summers
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Caleb Hayes, WR Dennis Houston, TE Tyree Jackson, RB Taiwan Jones, G Jalen Mayfield, OT Jaylon Thomas
- Released: CB Gemon Green, OL Tyre Phillips
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball, DL Jalyn Holmes, S Tyreque Jones, OL Jason Poe, OL Ryan Swoboda, RB Xazavian Valladay
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Thomas Booker, OT Le’Raven Clark, CB Tiawan Mullen
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Tariq Carpenter, OT Kellen Diesch, WR Simi Fehoko, G Joey Fisher, DB Josiah Scott
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB CB Shemar Jean-Charles, K Matthew Wright
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OL Ben Brown, CB Artie Burns, LB Jon Rhattigan, CB Robert Rochell
- Released: QB Holton Ahlers, OL Greg Eiland
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, DE C.J. Brewer, OL Silas Dzansi, OT Luke Haggard, DB Keenan Isaac, WR Cephus Johnson, RB Patrick Laird, S Richard LeCounte, WR Ryan Miller, WR David Moore, DL Pat O’Connor, OL Raiqwon O’Neal, LB Jose Ramirez, LB J.J. Russell, TE Tanner Taula, QB John Wolford
The Patriots made headlines earlier today when they moved on from both of their backup QBs, leaving Mac Jones as the lone quarterback on the active roster. The organization has continued making moves, reducing their roster to 53 players:
Released:
- OL James Ferentz
- TE Anthony Firkser
- LB Joe Giles-Harris
- RB Ty Montgomery
- LB Calvin Munson
Waived:
- S Joshuah Bledsoe
- RB Kevin Harris
- OL Chasen Hines
- OL Bill Murray
- LB Ronnie Perkins
- DL Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
- WR Thyrick Pitts
- OL Kody Russey
- TE Matt Sokol
- OL Andrew Stueber
- RB J.J. Taylor
- WR Raleigh Webb
Placed on reserve/PUP:
- DB Cody Davis
- DL Trey Flowers
Placed on IR:
- CB Isaiah Bolden
- OL Conor McDermott
James Ferentz is one of the few holdovers from the Tom Brady in New England, with the lineman having been with the Patriots since the 2018 campaign. Over the past five seasons, the veteran has appeared in 39 games (nine starts) for the organization. The Patriots made some additions to their offensive line via trade, perhaps costing Ferentz his roster spot.
Veteran Ty Montgomery got into only a single game for the Patriots last season before suffering a season-ending injury. The wideout/running back hasn’t topped 200 yards from scrimmage since the 2018 season. Meanwhile, Kevin Harris was a sixth-round pick by the organization just last year, with the RB getting 18 touches as a rook.
Trey Flowers rejoined the Patriots this offseason after spending the past few years in Detroit and Miami. The defensive lineman had 21 sacks for New England between 2016 and 2018, but he’s only collected 10.5 sacks in the four seasons since. He won’t be eligible to join the active roster until at least Week 5.