Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC East
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s AFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Buffalo Bills
Placed on IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- OL Alec Anderson, WR Tavon Austin, QB Matt Barkley, RB Raheem Blackshear, DT C.J. Brewer, DT Brandin Bryant, WR Tanner Gentry, LB Joe Giles-Harris, WR Isaiah Hodgins, DB Ja’Marcus Ingram, RB Duke Johnson, DE Mike Love, OL Greg Mancz, OT Ryan Van Denmark
Miami Dolphins
Signed to practice squad:
New England Patriots
Signed to practice squad:
- C/G James Ferentz, S Brad Hawkins, RB Kevin Harris, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey, LB Harvey Langi, LB Cameron McGrone, CB Terrance Mitchell, G Bill Murray, WR Tre Nixon, DT Jeremiah Pharms, DT LaBryan Ray, C Kody Russey, TE Matt Sokol, DT Ben Stille, RB J.J. Taylor, TE Jalen Wydermyer
New York Jets
Signed to practice squad:
- DL Bradlee Anae, WR Tarik Black, WR Irvin Charles, T Chris Glaser, T Grant Hermanns, WR Calvin Jackson Jr., CB Craig James, DT Jonathan Marshall, LB Hamsah Nasirildeen, S Will Parks, DT Tanzel Smart, QB Chris Streveler, LB Chazz Surratt, LB DQ Thomas, TE Kenny Yeboah
Patriots Trim Roster To 53 Players
The Patriots cut down their roster to 53 players today. In the process, they let go of a handful of recent draft picks, including a 2022 selection:
Released:
- DB Justin Bethel
- OL James Ferentz
- LB Harvey Langi
- CB Terrance Mitchell
Waived:
- TE Devin Asiasi
- OL Yasir Durant
- OL Drew Desjarlais
- OL Arlington Hambright
- WR Josh Hammond
- RB Kevin Harris
- DB Brad Hawkins
- WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
- LB Cameron McGrone
- OL Bill Murray
- WR Tre Nixon
- DL Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
- DL LaBryan Ray
- OL Kody Russey
- G William Sherman
- TE Matt Sokol
- RB J.J. Taylor
- K Tristan Vizcaino
- LB Nate Wieland
- TE Jalen Wydermyer
Placed on IR:
The Patriots acknowledged some of their previous draft mistakes today. The team let go of three 2021 draft picks in wide receiver Tre Nixon, linebacker Will Sherman, and linebacker Cameron McGrone, and they even let go of a 2022 draft pick in sixth-round running back Kevin Harris. However, perhaps the biggest move was releasing tight end end Devin Asiasi. After waiving fellow 2020 third-round tight end Dalton Keene earlier this month, Asiasi was let go today. Despite his third-round status, Asiasi only saw time in 10 games for the Patriots in two years. With Asiasi and Keene out of the picture, it was expected that Lil’Jordan Humphrey would make the squad as a hybrid WR/TE. However, for the time being, the Patriots will roll with only two tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.
Terrance Mitchell started 29 games over the past two seasons in stints with the Browns and Texans, and he had a chance to compete for a starting gig in New England. However, despite all the uncertainty surrounding the position, the veteran wasn’t able to make his mark, leading to a surprising release. Justin Bethel is another surprising cut, as the veteran has established himself as a special teams ace in recent years.
NFL COVID List Updates: 12/20/21
A long list of players were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. We listed the players who landed on the list today, as well as those who were activated off the list:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Justin Houston, DB Jimmy Smith, WR Sammy Watkins
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE A.J. Epenesa, G Jon Feliciano
Chicago Bears
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Tashaun Gipson, DB Jaylon Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Jadeveon Clowney
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S John Johnson, G Wyatt Teller
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Quintez Cephus, QB Jared Goff (story), OT Matt Nelson
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Mark Gilbert, RB Jamaal Williams
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Maliek Collins, DE Jonathan Greenard, DE Jacob Martin, DE Derek Rivers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Harrison Butker, TE Travis Kelce (st0ry), DB Charvarius Ward
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Joe Fortson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Joey Bosa (story), DB Tevaughn Campbell, DB Kemon Hall, C Corey Linsley, DB Trey Marshall, WR Andre Roberts, LB Chris Rumph
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Rashawn Slater
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Tremayne Anchrum, OT Bobby Evans, LB Troy Reeder, CB Robert Rochell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Nate Hobbs
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Justin Coleman
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Phillip Lindsay, WR Jaylen Waddle
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kendrick Bourne, LB Harvey Langi, LB Cameron McGrone, DE Ronnie Perkins
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Keion Crossen
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE John Franklin-Myers, DB Sharrod Neasman
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Landon Dickerson, OT Andre Dillard
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Travis Homer, DE Kerry Hyder, NT Bryan Mone, DB D.J. Reed, OT Brandon Shell
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Elijah Molden
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Brandon Scherff (story)
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Matt Ioannidis
Patriots Reduce Roster To 53
The Patriots made headlines earlier today when they cut quarterback Cam Newton, a move that made rookie Mac Jones the starter. The team has since reduced their roster to 53 players, and we’ve detailed each of the moves (including those previously reported) below:
Released
- DL Montravius Adams
- DL Tashawn Bower
- DB Adrian Colbert
- OL Korey Cunningham
- OL James Ferentz
- K Nick Folk
- QB Brian Hoyer
- TE Matt LaCosse
- QB Cam Newton
- OL Alex Redmond
- DL Akeem Spence
- DB Dee Virgin
Waived
- DB Myles Bryant
- CB Michael Jackson
- DL Bill Murray
- WR Tre Nixon
- DB D’Angelo Ross
- G William Sherman
- DL Nick Thurman
- WR Kristian Wilkerson
- WR Isaiah Zuber
Placed on Reserve/PUP list
- DL Byron Cowart
- CB Stephon Gilmore
- LB Terez Hall
- QB Jarrett Stidham
Placed on Reserve/NFI list
- S Joshuah Bledsoe
- LB Cameron McGrone
Placed on Injured Reserve
The Patriots veterans are most notable, but the organization also waived a pair of 2021 draft picks. Sherman was a sixth-round pick out of Colorado who appeared in 30 games during his collegiate career. Nixon was a seventh-round pick; the wideout split his collegiate career between Ole Miss and Central Florida, earning All-AAC honors in 2019.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/21
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on NFI list: TE Jacob Breeland, G Ben Cleveland
New England Patriots
- Placed on NFI list: S Joshuah Bledsoe, LB Cameron McGrone, RB Rhamondre Stevenson
New York Giants
- Signed: DB Jordyn Peters, RB Mike Weber
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed off waivers (from Rams): WR Nsimba Webster
NFL Draft Signings: 5/14/21
We’ll keep track of today’s lower round signings here:
Baltimore Ravens
- WR Tylan Wallace (fourth round; Oklahoma State)
Detroit Lions
- RB Jermar Jefferson (seventh round; Oregon State)
New England Patriots
- LB Cameron McGrone (fifth round, Michigan)
Seattle Seahawks
- OT Stone Forsythe (sixth round, Florida)
Patriots’ Cameron McGrone To Miss Season?
The Patriots might not see fifth-round pick Cameron McGrone on the field until next year. Due to the torn ACL he suffered late last year, the Michigan linebacker may have to shift his focus to 2022, according to head coach Bill Belichick.
“We’re not really sure what the expectation of availability is for him, but we’re prepared certainly to not have him available this year,” Belichick said (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com). “There are no false expectations here. He should have a good recovery and be a good player; we’ll just have to see what the timing is on that.”
The Patriots tapped McGrone with the knowledge that his rehab could take a while. They’ve also backstopped their LB group by signing Harvey Langi, so they’re prepared to wait, if necessary. As Reiss notes, the Patriots have drafted injured players in the past and some have panned out pretty well. That includes 1995 third-rounder Curtis Martin, who would later amass a Hall of Fame career with the Jets.
McGrone, the No. 177 overall pick, played in just 16 total games for the Wolverines. Up until his knee injury against Rutgers, he recorded 91 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble between 2019 and 2020.