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Clelin Ferrell

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/25

October 4th, 2025 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Week 5’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Huntley will be on hand to back up backup quarterback Cooper Rush in Baltimore tomorrow against the Texans. Okoye is called up for the second week in a row as injuries continue to hamper the Ravens’ defensive line, as well.

With some continuing injuries causing some concern in the secondary, the Browns will elevate Avery and Jones for the second straight week. Jones is being elevated for the third time this season, meaning that if Cleveland wants to see him in another game this year, the team will need to sign him to the active roster. The same is true for Logue in Buffalo, Hewitt with the Giants, Clark with the Jets, and Pili in Seattle.

Arnette’s promotion means Week 5 will mark his first regular season action in the NFL since the end of his Raiders tenure in 2021. The former first-round pick revived his career in part through his performances in the UFL this spring, something which created interest from multiple teams in free agency. Arnette, 29, will look to use tomorrow’s contest in a bid to land a permanent role in Houston.

This is the second time the Jets have parted ways with a kick returner following a game in which they had a costly fumble. Williams follows in footsteps of Xavier Gipson, who was waived following a similar mistake in the team’s season opener. There appears to be a pretty short leash for young returners in New York at the moment.

Chargers Promote S Tony Jefferson

September 18th, 2025 at 6:05pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chargers promoted veteran safety Tony Jefferson from the practice squad to the active roster, per a team announcement.

In Week 2, Jefferson started in place of Elijah Molden, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury. Molden has yet to practice this week, so Jefferson will likely get the starting nod once again after a solid game on Sunday. He made five tackles, defended two passes, and reeled in an interception on a deep ball just before halftime.

Jefferson was still eligible for two elevations from the practice squad, but the Chargers had an open roster spot after placing Khalil Mack on injured reserve earlier this week. The team could move him back to the practice squad if needed, but more strong showings from Jefferson could keep him in the mix even when Molden returns to the field.

It’s another step in an impressive journey for the former UDFA just two years after he retired from the NFL nine seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cardinals and Ravens. Jefferson took a scouting fellowship with the latter team after initially hanging up his cleats, but he launched a comeback in 2024. Los Angeles was a natural destination given his history with new Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who came up in Baltimore’s front office and added several other former Ravens during his first year in charge.

The Chargers also signed outside linebackers Clelin Ferrell and Rashad Weaver to the practice squad. Ferrell never lived up to his billing as the No. 4 overall selection in 2019, but he has started 27 games over the last two years with a total of seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Weaver, originally a Titans fourth-round pick in 2021, put up 5.5 sacks in 2022 but was otherwise a rotational contributor during his time in Tennessee. He spent the 2024 season with the Texans, but only played 18 defensive snaps during the regular season.

Chargers, Clelin Ferrell Agree To Deal

September 18th, 2025 at 10:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Clelin Ferrell worked out for the Chargers yesterday. That visit clearly went well, since a deal has now been agreed to.

Ferrell is signing with Los Angeles, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. This practice squad move (which is now official) comes in the wake of fellow edge rusher Khalil Mack being placed on injured reserve. With a four-game absence (or longer) in store as a result, Ferrell will look to provide depth on his latest team.

The former No. 4 pick had an underwhelming start to his career in the AFC West. Over the course of his four years with the Raiders, Ferrell posted just 10 sacks while seeing his playing time fluctuate. A one-year pact with the 49ers followed, and it brought about a rotational role. Ferrell notched 3.5 sacks in San Francisco, and he matched that figure with the Commanders last year.

Tuli Tuipulotu is set to remain a key figure for the Chargers along the edge, but Mack’s injury (coupled with the decision to release Joey Bosa this offseason) will require other contributors to emerge. Veteran Bud Dupree will no doubt see an uptick in playing time while Mack is sidelined, while fourth-round rookie Kyle Kennard could draw into the lineup. Ferrell will now join that mix as well.

Rashad Weaver also took part in a workout with the Chargers this week, but today’s move certainly suggests he will not be signed. Weaver will continue to seek out his next opportunity as a free agent as the early part of the campaign plays out. Los Angeles entered Thursday with $12.9MM in cap space; that figure will drop to an extent once the Ferrell signing is official but he will not heavily impact the team’s other financial plans.

Chargers Audition Clelin Ferrell

September 17th, 2025 at 5:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Clelin Ferrell re-signed with the Commanders this offseason, but the former top-five pick did not end up making the team’s initial 53-man roster. Rather than being kept as practice squad insurance, Ferrell has resided in free agency since that Washington decision.

Khalil Mack‘s injury could open another door, however. The Chargers brought Ferrell and fellow edge rusher Rashad Weaver in for workouts Tuesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.

The Bolts will see their outside linebacker depth tested in a way it hasn’t in recent years. Although Joey Bosa struggled to stay healthy, he represented a rather important piece during his nine seasons in Southern California. The Chargers also had Mack to rely on, as the former Defensive Player of the Year had missed just one game from 2022-24. The Bolts cutting Bosa and seeing Mack go down with a dislocated elbow — an injury Jim Harbaugh said is not expected to be season-ending — has changed the equation.

Bud Dupree is set to step into the Bolts’ lineup opposite Tuli Tuipulotu. This will be an adjustment for the Chargers, who could roll out a Bosa-Mack-Dupree-Tuipulotu quartet last season. They added Kyle Kennard in the fourth round but have yet to dress the rookie. That will probably change moving forward.

Ferrell’s past also makes this an interesting workout. The Raiders brought in the Clemson product at No. 4 overall months after trading Mack to the Bears. Viewed as a reach by most, Ferrell did not live up to his draft slot. He resurfaced in San Francisco, starting 17 regular-season games for the NFC championship-winning team. Ferrell produced 3.5 sacks in both 2023 and ’24, operating as a 10-game starter with Washington last year.

The Commanders re-signed him to a one-year, $2MM deal in March but then added Von Miller over the summer. Preston Smith is also back in Washington, while Ferrell (28) awaits his next opportunity.

Commanders Make 30 Cuts, Place G Sam Cosmi On PUP

August 26th, 2025 at 4:46pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Commanders made a massive wave of roster moves this afternoon, releasing 30 players and placing starting right guard Sam Cosmi on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, per a team announcement.

Cosmi, 26, was viewed as a long shot to be ready for Week 1 after tearing his ACL in January. The fifth-year lineman will be sidelined for at least four games with veteran Nick Allegretti likely to start in the interim.

Here are the rest of Washington’s moves:

Waived

Released

Hartman, who signed with the Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2024, was never going to make the roster ahead of veterans Marcus Mariota and Josh Johnson. He is likely to return to Washington’s practice squad if he clears waivers, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Felton is another practice squad candidate, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. He hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since 2022 and most recently played for the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.

Headlining Washington’s veteran cuts is Ferrell, who started 10 games for the Commanders in 2024. He never lived up to his draft billing as the No. 4 pick in 2019 and will now be looking for his fourth team in as many years. H0lmes and Day both had rotational defensive line roles last season, while Deiter started two games as the backup center but lost his spot this year.

Commanders To Release DE Clelin Ferrell

August 26th, 2025 at 11:31am CST by Sam Robinson

Re-signed in March, Clelin Ferrell will not be part of the Commanders’ initial 53-man roster. Washington is releasing the former top-five pick, veteran reporter Ben Standig tweets.

Ferrell played a key role for the team last season, starting 10 games. The 28-year-old DE will head back to free agency, getting a head-start on the non-vested veterans who must wait until 11am CT Wednesday to clear waivers.

Given a $2MM deal to stay in Washington, Ferrell received just $100K guaranteed. That represented a sign his roster spot was not secure. That said, the Commanders could circle back to the former Raiders and 49ers edge rusher after next month’s guarantee vesting date for qualified vets. Had Ferrell been on Washington’s 53-man roster in Week 1, his $2MM would have become guaranteed. It is also quite possible Ferrell is done in Washington.

Although the Commanders lost top 2024 sacker Dante Fowler (to the Cowboys) in free agency and exited their offseason program with an apparent need at D-end, they still roster Dorance Armstrong. The team added multiple DE pieces as well, with Von Miller‘s summer arrival headlining that group. The team also added Deatrich Wise and Jacob Martin in free agency.

As ESPN.com’s John Keim notes, the Commanders used Ferrell extensively during the preseason — including fourth-quarter work against the Bengals. That evaluation preceded a release, and it comes after Ferrell — who did not live up to his No. 4 overall draft slot with the Raiders — started 17 games with the 49ers in 2023. Ferrell started over Commanders trade pickup Chase Young that year, though an injury prevented him from playing in Super Bowl LVIII. Ferrell registered 3.5 sacks in both the 2023 and ’24 seasons. Last season, he posted nine QB hits and four tackles for loss as a supplementary rusher alongside Armstrong and Fowler.

Commanders To Re-Sign DL Clelin Ferrell

March 15th, 2025 at 9:47am CST by Ben Levine

The Commanders continue to retain many of their own free agents. The latest addition to the list is defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell, who is re-signing with the organization, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. It’s a new one-year contract for the veteran, per ESPN’s John Keim.

Ferrell joined Washington last offseason, inking a one-year deal with the organization. The veteran ended up appearing in 14 games (10 starts) for his new squad, collecting 26 tackles and 3.5 sacks while getting into more than 40 of the Commanders’ defensive snaps.

The 27-year-old only ranked 110th among 199 qualifying edge defenders on Pro Football Focus’ leader boards, but he was closer to league average in previous stops. The fourth-overall pick in 2019, Ferrell struggled to live up to his draft billing while playing with the Raiders, but he still finished his four-year tenure with 10 sacks. He spent the 2023 campaign with the 49ers, where he started all 17 games.

Following the Commanders’ surprising run to the NFC Championship Game, the team has put in an effort to re-sign many of their free agents. On defense, the team has retained cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, linebacker/special-teamer Nick Bellore, and D-line cog Sheldon Day.

NFC East Notes: Reddick, Eagles, Burns, Giants, Kendrick, Cowboys, Commanders

March 21st, 2024 at 6:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles signed Bryce Huff and reached a reworked agreement with Josh Sweat. Brandon Graham is coming back for what would be a record 15th season with the franchise, and Nolan Smith is going into his second season. This setup would stand to point Haason Reddick out of town, and the Eagles recently made a contract adjustment that could help facilitate a trade. The team moved Reddick’s $1MM bonus, which was scheduled for March 15, to April 1, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.

Reddick, 29, is due a $14.25MM base salary in 2024; that amount is almost entirely nonguaranteed. The Eagles gave Reddick permission to seek a trade ahead of free agency, and while the Philadelphia native said he did not request to be moved, the team’s other decisions at edge rusher may have made that decision already. Calls have come in, and it will be interesting to see what offers emerge. A team acquiring Reddick would likely be doing so with the intent of extending him, which will impact his value. He of back-to-back double-digit sack seasons and the driving force behind Philly nearly breaking the 1984 Bears’ single-season sack record in 2022, Reddick is tied to a $15MM AAV; that ranks 19th among edge defenders.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • On the edge rusher topic, the Giants‘ Brian Burns extension is not quite as lucrative as initially reported. While the extension can be worth up to $150MM, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes its base value checks in at $141MM with $76MM fully guaranteed. The deal will pay out $90MM over the first three years. In terms of total guarantees, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan places that number at $87.5MM. Burns’ 2024 base salary is fully guaranteed, but his 2025 and ’26 numbers are not. Burns has $10.75MM of his $22.25MM 2025 base guaranteed at signing; his $22.25MM 2026 base is guaranteed for injury. The deal features a surprisingly flat structure that does not involve void years, giving the Giants — who would have Kayvon Thibodeaux eligible for an extension in 2025 — some flexibility down the road. Burns’ $28.2MM AAV tops T.J. Watt for second among edge defenders, but his full guarantee trails the Steelers All-Pro’s $80MM figure.
  • The Giants created some additional cap space Thursday, moving $10MM of Dexter Lawrence‘s base salary into a signing bonus. This will free up $7.5MM in space for New York, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. The Giants did not move all of Lawrence’s 2024 base into a bonus, potentially leaving some room in case more funds are needed. Lawrence’s $22.5MM-per-year deal runs through 2027.
  • Eric Kendricks agreed to a one-year, $3MM Cowboys deal, and ESPN’s Todd Archer notes he accepted a lesser offer in order to rejoin Mike Zimmer in Dallas. The longtime Vikings starter had agreed to terms with the 49ers, but a lower cost of living — albeit for a player who has made $52MM in his career — and a familiar scheme will await him in Dallas. The 49ers moved on to De’Vondre Campbell.
  • While Devin White‘s Eagles contract can max out at $7.5MM, the33rdTeam.com’s Ari Meirov indicates the deal’s base value comes in at $4MM ($3.5MM guaranteed). This is a staggering drop for White, who had requested the Buccaneers trade him — as he pursued a top-market ILB contract — last year. The former top-five pick will follow the likes of Kyzir White, Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow as low-cost solutions on Philly’s defensive second level.
  • Frankie Luvu‘s Commanders contract can max out at $36MM, but KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the base value is $31MM. Washington is giving the productive Carolina linebacker $14.6MM guaranteed at signing. Just $2MM of Luvu’s $8.5MM 2025 base salary is fully guaranteed. Another $4.5MM locks in on April 1, 2025. Clelin Ferrell‘s one-year Commanders pact is worth $3.75MM with $3.1MM guaranteed, per Wilson, who adds $1.5MM is also available via incentives. As for DB Jeremy Reaves, Wilson adds he re-signed on a two-year, $6MM contract. The Reaves deal includes $2.7MM guaranteed. Lastly, Jeremy Chinn‘s Washington deal includes a $4.12MM base salary ($3.5MM guaranteed), via Wilson.

Commanders To Sign DE Clelin Ferrell

March 12th, 2024 at 8:33am CST by Adam La Rose

The defensive re-tooling effort in Washington is continuing. The Commanders are expected to sign defensive end Clelin Ferrell, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

After spending last season with the 49ers, the former No. 4 overall pick saw his most recent team devote more funds to replacing him. San Francisco added both Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos on the first day of the legal tampering period, leaving Ferrell out of the mix. Dan Quinn’s team will add the five-year veteran to its evolving group of DEs.

Although the 49ers added both Chase Young and Randy Gregory via trade last year, they turned to Ferrell as the full-time starter opposite Nick Bosa. That setup produced 3.5 sacks but a career-high 13 quarterback hits. Ferrell, however, suffered what turned out to be a season-ending injury in San Francisco’s meaningless Week 18 contest. The 49ers placed him on IR, with the timing of that move preventing an activation before Super Bowl LVIII.

In addition to trading Young and Sweat on deadline day, the Commanders have fill-in starters James Smith-Williams and Casey Toohill unsigned. Dorance Armstrong is expected to take over as one D-end starter; Ferrell could well have a chance to supplement him. Washington also agreed to terms with Frankie Luvu to help out its sack efforts, though the ex-Panther is technically a linebacker.

Ferrell joins Arden Key as a player the 49ers helped rebound. While the Raiders cut Key before the conclusion of his rookie contract, they retained Ferrell for four unremarkable years. He closed that tenure as a healthy scratch at points for the Silver and Black. Quinn will see what the former top prospect looks like in his system.

49ers’ Arik Armstead To Undergo Knee Surgery, Miss Extensive Offseason Time

February 13th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Arik Armstead missed extensive time down the stretch for the 49ers, but the veteran defensive lineman was back on the field for each playoff game. Now that the season has ended, the former first-round pick revealed the injury he played through.

The nine-year 49er said Tuesday he suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during the team’s Dec. 3 win over the Eagles, indicating (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver) he will undergo surgery. This operation is expected to sideline Armstead for most of the team’s offseason program, though NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco adds the veteran hopes to return by training camp. Armstead will join Dre Greenlaw in missing offseason time, though the concern regarding the linebacker will overshadow worries on the Armstead front.

Armstead, 30, has run into a number of injuries over the course of his career. The Oregon alum has missed 31 regular-season games since going off the 2015 draft board 17th overall. That said, Armstead turned his career around following some early-career setbacks. He played every 49ers game from 2018-21, earning a lucrative extension during that span. But the past two seasons have brought injuries back into the equation.

Upper-body injuries cost Armstead time early in his career, though he rallied back in time to have the 49ers pick up his fifth-year option and ultimately extend him on a five-year, $85MM deal. In 2022, however, Armstead battled trouble with this same knee. A sprain during the 49ers’ 2022 training camp cost Armstead time, and while he returned for Week 1 that year, a hairline fibula fracture led to a half-season absence. This season, Armstead battled knee and foot injuries before coming back for the 49ers’ divisional-round game.

Despite these setbacks, Armstead has remained vital to the 49ers’ defensive blueprint. The team opted to pay Armstead over giving DeForest Buckner a more lucrative extension, trading the latter to the Colts in 2020. Both Buckner and Armstead have remained upper-echelon D-linemen, though Armstead’s ex-Oregon teammate is a higher-level performer. Buckner has received three Pro Bowl nods while picking up two All-Pro honors, whereas Armstead profiles as more of a high-end role player on the 49ers’ Nick Bosa-led D-line.

One season remains on Armstead’s deal, and the void years San Francisco added upon restructuring the contract make the 6-foot-7 interior defender more difficult to cut. Armstead is set to carry a $28.4MM 2024 cap number — third-highest on the team — and would cost more than $25MM to release in a non-post-June 1 capacity this year. If the 49ers do not extend Armstead before the start of the 2025 league year, they will be hit with $15.5MM in dead money due to the three void years tacked onto the deal. Armstead recorded one sack in the playoffs and five during the regular season, grading as Pro Football Focus’ No. 16 overall interior D-lineman.

With Armstead available, the 49ers rolled out a formidable defensive line in the playoffs. San Francisco paired he and Bosa with big-ticket free agent signing Javon Hargrave, trade pickups Chase Young and Randy Gregory, and former first-round pick Javon Kinlaw. Young and Kinlaw are on track for free agency, while Gregory’s contract — a bill the Broncos footed almost entirely this season — may need to be adjusted or shed from the team’s payroll. Backup defensive end Clelin Ferrell is also a free agent-to-be; Ferrell and Drake Jackson missed Super Bowl LVIII.

Ferrell also suffered a torn meniscus, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. The 49ers placed the free agency pickup on IR in January. Despite the 49ers trading for Young and Gregory, Ferrell started 17 regular-season games opposite Bosa. The former Raiders top-five pick elevated his stock this season, though the knee injury stands to interfere with Ferrell’s attempt to parlay that rebound into a nice contract.

Armstead is the 49ers’ longest-tenured starter, beating out George Kittle by two years. Injuries have nagged him at points, but the veteran remains a productive player for San Francisco. He and Greenlaw, who suffered an Achilles tear while merely trotting onto the field for a defensive possession, will be out of the picture for a while.

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