Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West
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 Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves are noted below.
Denver Broncos
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- RB Tyler Badie, WR Michael Bandy, QB Ben DiNucci, WR Phillip Dorsett (story), CB Art Green, OLB Marcus Haynes, T Demontrey Jacobs, S Devon Key, DL PJ Mustipher, DT Haggai Chisom Ndubusi, G William Sherman, WR David Sills
Kansas City Chiefs
Claimed:
- DB Darius Rush
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Ekow Boye-Doe, S Deon Bush, TE Matt Bushman, LB Cole Christiansen, DT Matt Dickerson, T Chukwuebuka Godrick, DE Truman Jones, T Darrian Kinnard, QB Chris Oladokun, RB La’Mical Perine, WR Cornell Powell, RB Deneric Prince, C Austin Reiter, DT Danny Shelton, CB Reese Taylor, DT Chris Williams
Las Vegas Raiders
Placed on IR:
- WR Chris Lacy
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- DE David Agoha, DL Matthew Butler, G McClendon Curtis, TE Cole Fotheringham, S Jaydon Grant, CB Tyler Hall, LB Kana’i Mauga, RB Sincere McCormick, G Netane Muti, DE Isaac Rochell, WR Devin Ross, TE John Samuel Shenker, CB Sam Webb, WR Antoine Wesley
Los Angeles Chargers
Claimed:
- LB Tanner Muse
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- OLB Brevin Allen, T Zack Bailey, WR Terrell Bynum, DL Jerrod Clark, DL Christian Covington, WR Keelan Doss, QB Max Duggan, OLB Andrew Farmer, CB Matt Hankins, TE Hunter Kampmoyer, DL C.J. Okoye, OL Austen Pleasants
Reverted to IR:
- WR Darrius Shepherd, CB Amechi Uzodinma, LB Blake Lynch, WR Milton Wright
Released from IR via injury settlement:
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/23
Saturday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: CB Blessuan Austin, OL Jalen Mayfield, DL Delontae Scott, DT Justin Ellis
Detroit Lions
- Released: DT Christian Covington, TE Daniel Helm
- Released from IR via injury settlement: RB Ibrahim Mohamed
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from PUP list: TE Hunter Long
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: T Roderick Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DE Taco Charlton
Mayfield missed all of last season due to injury, but he started each the 16 games in his rookie campaign the year prior. The former 23-year-old struggled at guard, which prompted a change in plans for the Falcons on the interior. They tried Mayfield at tackle this offseason, but that has clearly not gone according to plan given today’s move. It will be interesting to see if Atlanta tries to keep him in the fold via the practice squad if that option presents itself next week.
Covington, 29, could have provided experienced depth along the defensive interior for the Lions had he made the 53-man roster. The former sixth-rounder has 102 games to his name, including 20 with the Chargers over the past two years. Covington has also spent time with the Texans, Cowboys and Bengals, collecting 196 tackles and 9.5 sacks. He will now have a slight head start on many other players with respect to finding a new home as teams sort through their final roster decisions.
Lions Sign DL Christian Covington
Although Christian Covington‘s 2022 season ended early, the Lions will give him a shot to bounce back. The well-traveled defensive lineman agreed to terms with the Lions on Wednesday, according to his agent (on Twitter). The Lions have since announced the signing.
An eight-year veteran, Covington has worked as a rotational defensive lineman and occasional starter throughout his career. He topped 500 defensive snaps in both 2020 and ’21, but a torn pectoral muscle ended his second Chargers season.
Covington, 29, has mostly served as an interior D-line presence for his various teams. A 2015 Texans draftee, Covington later journeyed to Dallas, Cincinnati and Los Angeles. He has 32 starts on his resume. Covington worked in the Bolts’ 3-4 defense but was part of 4-3 schemes with the Bengals and Cowboys in the two years prior, making for a fit in either alignment. Pro Football Focus rated Covington as a plus run defender in the late 2010s and slotted him as a middle-of-the-pack interior D-lineman in 2021.
The Chargers gave Covington two one-year contracts, both for the league minimum. Considering the pec tear ended Covington’s 2022 season after four games, it stands to reason his Lions deal will check in around the same financial territory.
In 2021, Covington totaled a career-high 52 tackles and forced a fumble. The Bengals gave the 289-pound defender a career-most 14 starts in 2020. Beyond that season, however, Covington has never started more than six games in a single slate.
Detroit has made a number of defensive augmentations this offseason, which is understandable given its last-place ranking last season. The Lions have added more notable players on the second and third levels. They signed three starter-caliber DBs (Cameron Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley) and drafted Brian Branch in the second round. They also made linebacker Jack Campbell a surprising first-round pick. Up front, the Lions did use a third-round pick on D-tackle Brodric Martin. Beyond that and the re-signing of John Cominsky, the Lions have stood pat up front. Covington will be given a chance to catch on as a rotational presence for Dan Campbell‘s team.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/22
Today’s minor transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Designated for return: G Jalen Mayfield
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: LS Mitchell Fraboni
- Designated for return: LS Jacob Bobenmoyer
Houston Texans
- Waived: WR Tyron Johnson
- Designated for return: DL Michael Dwumfour
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed off Browns practice squad: DL Tyeler Davison
- Placed on IR: DL Christian Covington, DL Otito Ogbonnia (story)
Los Angeles Rams
- Designated for return: G David Edwards
- Placed on IR: T Chandler Brewer, T Alaric Jackson, WR Cooper Kupp (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from PUP: TE Tyree Jackson
- Designated for return: DE Janarius Robinson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return: DE DeMarvin Leal
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: K Josh Lambo
- Waived: WR Chris Conley
Chargers DLs Christian Covington, Otito Ogbonnia Expected To Miss Rest Of Season
The Chargers waived Jerry Tillery last week, leading to extensive interest on the wire. Had the team hung onto Tillery through Sunday night’s game, he probably would have seen an increased role. The Bolts’ defensive line equation changed during its loss to the 49ers.
Both Christian Covington and Otito Ogbonnia are expected to miss the rest of the season, Brandon Staley said Monday. Covington suffered a torn pectoral muscle, while Ogbonnia suffered a more severe injury — a ruptured patellar tendon. The latter is most definitely done for the year.
These injuries came shortly after the Bolts lost offseason pickup Austin Johnson for the year. Johnson suffered a fractured knee and sustained MCL damage during last week’s Bolts-Falcons game. Coupled with the losses the Chargers encountered against the 49ers, their post-Tillery D-line is short on staffers.
An eighth-year veteran who has seen game action with four teams, Covington is in his second season with the Chargers. He saw a 48% defensive snap share last season and has played a regular role in four games this year. The former Texans, Cowboys and Bengals contributor provided supplementary work on a retooled Bolts D-line this year. Covington, 29, is signed through the end of this season.
A fifth-round pick, Ogbonnia started his first career game Sunday night. The UCLA product has played 31% of the Bolts’ defensive snaps but has a long rehab road ahead. Patellar tendon ruptures can be difficult to surmount, putting the 21-year-old defender on an uncertain NFL path.
Tillery’s exit and the three season-ending injuries will obviously transform this defensive line. The team only has offseason addition Sebastian Joseph-Day, veteran pickup Morgan Fox and recent practice squad promotion Breiden Fehoko healthy at this position group going into Week 11. Roster adjustments will be made ahead of that Chiefs matchup. If free agency is considered, the likes of Ndamukong Suh, Sheldon Richardson and Brandon Williams are available. Ditto Linval Joseph, a two-year Chargers contributor who recently visited the Jets.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/12/22
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Promoted to active roster: DT Mike Pennel
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted to active roster: LS Cal Adomitis
- Placed on IR: LS Clark Harris
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Herb Miller
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted to active roster: DL Christian Covington
- Waived: DL Breiden Fehoko
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: OLB Alton Robinson
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Tanner Muse, LS Carson Tinker
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted to active roster: RB Trenton Cannon, LB Joe Jones
Washington Commanders
- Signed: NT Donovan Jeter
- Placed on IR: DT Phidarian Mathis
Robinson has been mostly a rotational defensive end with the Seahawks, but the Syracuse product has five sacks in his two seasons. Robinson suffered a knee injury in Seattle’s preseason finale. He can return after four games, though teams only have eight IR-return slots — way up from the pre-COVID NFL but down from the 2020 and ’21 unlimited IR-return setup — this season.
The Seahawks will be without their primary long snapper, Tyler Ott, on Monday night. Ott is out with a shoulder injury. Tinker has been an NFL snapper since 2013, and the veteran specialist has experience with Seahawks kicker Jason Myers. The duo played together in Jacksonville during the mid-2010s.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West
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 Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s AFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Denver Broncos
Re-signed:
- NT Mike Purcell, TE Eric Tomlinson
Signed to practice squad:
- DL McTelvin Agim, OL Quinn Bailey, CB Faion Hicks, WR Kendall Hinton, QB Josh Johnson, OLB Jonathan Kongbo, LB Kana’i Mauga, CB Ja’Quan McMillian, G Netane Muti, RB Devine Ozigbo, TE Dylan Parham, WR Darrius Shepherd
Kansas City Chiefs
Signed to practice squad:
- DB Zayne Anderson, G Mike Caliendo, LB Jack Cochrane, RB Jerrion Ealy, WR Daurice Fountain, TE Jordan Franks, S Nazeeh Johnson, DE Azur Kamara, LB Elijah Lee, QB Chris Oladokun, WR Cornell Powell, C Austin Reiter, DT Danny Shelton, DT Taylor Stallworth
Las Vegas Raiders
Released from IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Curtis Bolton, CB Isiah Brown, CB Bryce Cosby, S Matthias Farley, TE Cole Fotheringham, QB Chase Garbers, C Hroniss Grasu, G Jordan Meredith, OT Bamidele Olaseni, WR Dillon Stoner, DE Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, DE Zach VanValkenburg, RB Austin Walter, WR Isaiah Zuber
Los Angeles Chargers
Signed:
- RB Sony Michel (story)
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- T Zack Bailey, WR Michael Bandy, DL Christian Covington, DL Joe Gaziano, CB Kemon Hall, CB Michael Jacquet, TE Hunter Kampoyer, OLB Carlo Kemp, S Raheem Layne, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams, WR Jason Moore Jr., WR Joe Reed, T Foster Sarell, DB Mark Webb Jr.
Chargers Trim Roster To 53
As final cuts continue to be announced, the Chargers have unveiled their list of departing players. Here is the final tally:
Released:
Waived:
- T Zack Bailey
- WR Michael Bandy
- WR Trevon Bradford
- DL Andrew Brown
- RB Leddie Brown
- LB Cole Christiansen
- OLB Jamal Davis II
- DB Ben DeLuca
- OLB Emeke Egbule
- DL Joe Gaziano
- CB Kemon Hall
- OL Ryan Hunter
- CB Michael Jacquet
- TE Hunter Kampmoyer
- OLB Carlo Kemp
- TE Erik Krommenho
- S Raheem Layne
- LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams
- RB Kevin Marks Jr.
- WR Jason Moore Jr.
- FB Gabe Nabers
- WR Joe Reed
- T Foster Sarell
- CB Brandon Sebastian
- DB Mark Webb Jr.
Waived/injured:
- TE Sage Surratt
Covington represents by far the most experienced player being let go. He spent just one season in Los Angeles, starting three of his 16 appearances. While the 28-year-old Canadian set a new career-high in tackles with 52, he was part of the league’s third-worst run defense. That, coupled with Covington’s small roster bonus, made him a logical cut candidate.
The Chargers have a crowded backfield to work with, and one main training camp storyline has been the competition to establish the pecking order behind Austin Ekeler. By waiving Nabers, however, the team can keep one more back on the 53-man roster. Given their passing efficiency, eliminating the fullback position from the offense would allow them to keep the former UDFA on the practice squad (if at all); if not, Nabers will need to find one of the few remaining teams with a spot for his skillset.
Surratt carries the most upside amongst the TE departures. The converted WR didn’t play during his rookie season, but demonstrated his talent in college, including a 1,000-yerd season at Wake Forest. Given his absence from the 2020 college season, as well as the 2021 NFL campaign, though, keeping the six-foot-three, 215-pounder as a depth option behind Gerald Everett could better be done via the practice squad.
Chargers Re-Sign DL Christian Covington
Christian Covington is returning to the Chargers. The team is re-signing the free agent defensive end, reports Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Chargers To Sign DL Austin Johnson]
Following a four-year stint with the Texans to start his career, Covington has bounced around the NFL a bit over the past few years. He had stints with the Cowboys and Bengals before landing in Los Angeles in 2021.
He ended up getting into 16 games (three starts) for the Chargers last season, collecting 52 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. He saw time on 48 percent of the Chargers defensive snaps, and he also got some run on special teams.
Defensive linemen Justin Jones and Linval Joseph combined for 23 starts last season, but both players are hitting free agency. As a result, Covington could see a larger role next season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/26/21
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: WR Marquez Stevenson
Chicago Bears
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Elijah Wilkinson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Mitchell Wilcox
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Blake Jarwin; Jarwin remains on IR
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Christian Covington, DL Jerry Tillery
- Placed on IR: DB Mark Webb
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed off Patriots’ practice squad: LB Tashawn Bower
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Josh Metellus
New York Giants
- Promoted: TE Chris Myarick