HEADLINES

Braden Mann

Steelers Claim P Braden Mann

April 14th, 2023 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Braden Mann‘s rookie contract remains active. The Steelers will add the former Jets punter via a Friday waiver claim, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

One season remains on Mann’s contract. After the Jets dangled Mann in trades, they decided to waive him. They are going with veteran Thomas Morstead this year. The Steelers will step in to provide Mann an opportunity.

A sixth-round pick in 2020, Mann will join a Steelers roster featuring Pressley Harvin as the incumbent punter. The Steelers selected Harvin in the 2021 seventh round and have used the Georgia Tech product as their punter in 32 of their 34 games over the past two seasons.

Harvin ranked 28th in yards per punt last season; Mann checked in at 17th. While Morstead outperformed Mann in terms of punts inside the 20-yard line in 2022, Harvin did not. The former ACC specialist placed just 29% of his punts inside the 20; Mann finished with a 32.5% mark in that area. While field position and gunner success factor into this as well, Harvin’s mark ranked 29th in this category last season. The Steelers will understandably bring in some competition.

Mann won the Ray Guy award, given to the top Division I-FBS punter, as a junior in 2018 and earned All-American acclaim in 2019 as well. Mann missed seven games due to injury in 2021, but last season’s 46.9-yard average marked his best as a pro. The Steelers are picking up Mann’s $1MM base salary, but nothing is guaranteed. If Mann were to lose out to Harvin for the job, the Steelers can move on virtually free of charge.

Jets To Waive P Braden Mann

April 13th, 2023 at 1:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

When the Jets signed Thomas Morstead, they began shopping their incumbent punter. No takers emerged for Braden Mann, and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports the Jets will waive the young specialist (Twitter link).

Although Mann has three years’ experience as the Jets’ punter, he is not yet a vested veteran. Teams can claim the former sixth-round pick before Friday’s waiver deadline. Mann has been Gang Green’s primary punter since 2020.

The Jets will go with a much older option at the position, eschewing a potential Mann-Morstead competition by cutting the less accomplished specialist. Morstead, 37, signed a one-year deal worth $1.32MM. The team is guaranteeing the 15th-year veteran most of that total ($1.1MM), however.

Mann, 25, is due a $1MM salary next season; one year remains on his rookie contract. The Texas A&M product averaged a career-high 46.9 yards per punt last season. After missing seven games due to injury in 2021, Mann returned to punt in all 17 Jets games last season. Morstead averaged 46.4 yards per boot last season, though his inside-the-20 percentage (45.9%) topped Mann’s (32.5%). Field position naturally affects this statistic, but Mann has never placed more than 35% of his punts inside the 20.

Because of this Mann cut, three of the four AFC East teams will feature new punters in 2023. After Morstead agreed to leave Miami for New York, the Dolphins replaced him with ex-Patriot Jake Bailey. Ex-Bronco Corliss Waitman is the only punter on the Pats’ roster presently.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/13/21

November 13th, 2021 at 4:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

  • Activated from PUP list: DT Trysten Hill
  • Promoted: K Lirim Hajrullahu

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

NFL Minor Transactions: 10/27/21

October 27th, 2021 at 6:30pm CST by Ben Levine

All of today’s minor transactions in one place:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/14/21

September 14th, 2021 at 5:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

Jets To Sign P Thomas Morstead

September 14th, 2021 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints ended Thomas Morstead‘s lengthy tenure as their punter this offseason, but the 12-year veteran landed another gig. The Jets are signing Morstead, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Morstead worked out for the Jets on Tuesday.

An injury to punter Braden Mann forced the Jets to use rookie kicker Matt Ammendola as an emergency punter Sunday against the Panthers. Mann is expected to miss at least a month with a knee sprain. The Jets placed their primary punter on IR Tuesday.

Morstead began his New Orleans tenure ahead of the team’s Super Bowl-winning 2009 season. He signed multiple extensions to stay in that role, but the Saints were more than $100MM over the cap this year. That forced them to bid farewell to several key cogs from the Drew Brees era, Morstead among them.

Since joining the Saints, Morstead missed only two games in 12 seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2012. Having lost Mann early in his second NFL season, the Jets will turn to the 36-year-old specialist for the time being.

NFL Draft Signings: 7/20/20

July 20th, 2020 at 5:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

With training camps looming, teams are rushing to get picks signed. Here are the latest draft deals:

  • The Falcons signed third-round center Matt Hennessy. The No. 78 overall pick is set to develop behind Pro Bowler Alex Mack, whose contract expires after the 2020 season. Atlanta’s Hennessy pick caused Denver to change course, with the Broncos having a deal in place with the Jets to move up to No. 79 to draft the Temple blocker. But the Falcons struck one pick earlier, allocating another early-round resource to their offensive line after using two first-round picks on the group last year.
  • The Jets were busy Monday, signing three of their 2020 draftees. Third-round pass rusher Jabari Zuniga (Florida), fourth-round quarterback James Morgan (Florida International) and sixth-round punter Braden Mann (Texas A&M) are now under contract. Mann is on track to be Gang Green’s punter, while Zuniga may a rotational role from the outset. Despite an apparent need, the Jets were not especially aggressive in addressing their years-long edge-rushing issue this offseason. Morgan will be on track for the developmental route, with the Jets having signed Joe Flacco after the draft.
  • Two Cowboys picks agreed to terms as well. Fifth-round defensive end Bradlee Anae (Utah) and seventh-round quarterback Ben DiNucci are under contract. Both project as backups, with the latter — a former Pitt recruit who transferred to James Madison — joining Clayton Thorson as UDFA QBs behind Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton.

AFC East Notes: Lawson, Dolphins, Jets

March 28th, 2020 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Shaq Lawson being in trade rumors for much of his tenure with the Bills, the current regime was interested in bringing him back. However, it does not appear Buffalo’s interest in retaining the former Doug Whaley first-round pick was extensive. The Bills were open to re-signing Lawson, but Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic notes such interest was contingent on Lawson returning at a certain price (subscription required). But once the Dolphins guaranteed two years of Lawson’s $10MM-AAV contract, the Bills let him walk. Buffalo signed both Mario Addison and versatile D-lineman Quinton Jefferson to cover for Lawson’s exit.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • Shifting to Lawson’s new team, the Dolphins received good news on the health statuses of two of their recent free agent additions. Emmanuel Ogbah said he has been cleared for football work for around a month but has yet to partake in workouts because of COVID-19 concerns, Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com tweets. Ogbah will receive a Chiefs Super Bowl ring, but the defensive end’s contributions ended midseason because of a torn pectoral muscle.
  • Jordan Howard also will be full-go when the Dolphins reconvene, Wolfe adds. After a strong start to his Eagles season, Howard suffered a shoulder injury that derailed his momentum. He played in just one game after Week 9 but did not log any carries. Howard was inactive for Philadelphia’s playoff game. The Dolphins gave him a two-year, $9.75MM contract.
  • Sam Martin ended up signing with the Broncos, but the Jets were interested in adding the former Lions punter, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes. The Broncos gave Martin a three-year, $7.05MM deal; Mehta adds the Jets were not budgeting that much for their punter position. Martin’s $2.35MM salary ranks 15th among punters. The Jets have opted not to re-sign incumbent punter Lac Edwards, their four-year punter, and Mehta adds they have remained in contact with former Dolphins and Bills punter Matt Darr. Ian Berryman, a 2019 Steelers UDFA, is the only punter on the Jets’ roster. The team remains interested in another addition here. Bringing considerable punter news to the table, Mehta adds that the Jets are doing their homework on Texas A&M’s Braden Mann — the 2018 Ray Guy award winner.
  • While things could certainly change in the coming months, the Patriots appear set to make Jarrett Stidham the favorite to be their first non-Tom Brady Week 1 starter since 2001.