Minor NFL Transactions: 11/26/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers (Seahawks): TE Darrell Daniels
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DB Darian Thompson
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Garrett Dickerson
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Quadree Henderson
Oakland Raiders
- Signed off Ravens’ practice squad: TE Darren Waller
- Waived: WR Johnny Holton
- Placed on injured reserve: DE Jacquies Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DE Demone Harris
- Waived: S Godwin Igwebuike
Cowboys Waive CB Darian Thompson
Darian Thompson‘s tenure with the Cowboys has come to an end… for the time being. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Dallas has waived the defensive back to make room for recently-promoted defensive tackle Christian Ringo. However, Rapoport notes that he expects Thompson to return to the organization if he clears waivers.
Thompson, a former third-rounder out of Boise State, had a breakout campaign with the Giants in 2017. He finished the season with 75 tackles, six passes defended, and one interception, although Pro Football Focus only rated him as the 66th-ranked safety in the NFL. The 25-year-old missed his entire rookie campaign with a Lisfranc injury, and he was slowed down by a hamstring injury through much of the 2018 preseason.
The Giants’ new regime decided to move on from Thompson in early September, and he was subsequently added to the Cardinals practice squad. He was signed to the Cowboys active roster in early October, but he couldn’t carve out a role in Dallas. He appeared in four games without compiling a single defensive stat.
With Jameill Showers on the injured reserve, the Cowboys now have three healthy safeties on their roster in Xavier Woods, Jeff Heath, and Kavon Frazier.
Cowboys To Sign Darian Thompson
The Cowboys are signing safety Darian Thompson off of the Cardinals’ practice squad, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Thompson was a third-round pick of the Giants in 2016, but he has yet to find his footing in the NFL.
Thompson’s would-be rookie season was mostly lost to a Lisfranc injury suffered in training camp. He started in all 16 of his games in 2017, but a hamstring injury held him back in the summer. The Giants’ new regime didn’t feel that he was worth keeping and cut him with an injury designation on Sept. 1.
The move was a head-scratcher for some, but Thompson graded out as just the 66th-ranked safety in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Thompson could not find a 53-man deal when he first hit the open market, but the Cowboys have a role in mind for him after plucking him from Arizona’s p-squad.
Thompson is a Boise State product and he’ll find plenty of fellow alums in Dallas. Cowboys stars Leighton Vander Esch, Tyrone Crawford, and Demarcus Lawrence all wore orange and blue before donning navy, silver, and white.
Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Darian Thompson, WR Bernard Reedy
- Cut: CB Demetrious Cox, LB Nigel Harris
Carolina Panthers
- Released: WR DeAndrew White
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
- Cut: CB Breon Borders
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Skai Moore, TE Erik Swoope, RB Jonathan Williams
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OL Jamar McGloster
- Waived: DT Steven Richardson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DE/OLB Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, DB Linden Stephens
- Cut: DE Marcus Martin
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Garrison Smith
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Darius Hillary, G Will Holden, DB Chris Lammons, WR Tanner McEvoy
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett, T Rick Leonard, DB Arrion Springs, TE Deon Yelder
New York Giants
- Signed: T Jylan Ware
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Kyle Wilson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Chad Hansen, LB LaTroy Lewis
- Cut: WR Kalif Raymond
Washington Redskins
- Signed: RB Mack Brown
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/1/18
Here are the latest practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: FS Darian Thompson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Lorenzo Doss
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Cyril Grayson
- Placed on practice squad injured-reserve: WR Jester Weah
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DL Jonathan Wynn
- Cut: LB Garret Dooley
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Harvey Langi
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/7/18
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Tevaun Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived from injured reserve: OL Josh Andrews, RB Mack Brown, DB Craig James
New England Patriots
- Waived from injured reserve: TE Will Tye
New York Giants
- Waived from injured reserve: S Darian Thompson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: S Tre Sullivan
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: CB Simeon Thomas
- Waived from injured reserve: CB Byron Maxwell, LB Erik Walden, QB Austin Davis
Giants Lock In 53-Man Roster
The Giants will head into the 2018 season without one of their longest-tenured players and one of their 2017 starting safeties, with both Mark Herzlich and Darian Thompson failing to make the team.
A 2017 fifth-round pick, edge defender Avery Moss missed out as well. As did Roger Lewis, a wideout who became needed when the Giants became decimated at receiver last season.
The Giants also released recently signed cornerback Leonard Johnson, who was trying to make a fifth NFL franchise’s 53-man roster. The former Buccaneer, Patriot, Panther and Bill started seven games with Buffalo last season.
Here’s the full list of Giants cuts:
Released:
Waived:
- DB Andrew Adams
- OL Malcolm Bunche
- WR Marquis Bundy
- DL Tyrell Chavis
- WR Jawill Davis
- TE Garrett Dickerson
- WR Amba Etta-Tawo
- DL A.J. Francis
- DB Grant Haley
- LB Mike Jones
- OL Zac Kerin
- K Marshall Koehn
- DB Warren Long
- DL Izaah Lunsford
- LB Calvin Munson
- TE Ryan O’Malley
- RB Jhurrell Pressley
- WR Kalif Raymond
- WR Alonzo Russell
- WR Travis Rudolph
- OL Victor Salako
- RB Jalen Simmons
- DB Orion Stewart
- DL Robert Thomas
Waived with an injury designation
Placed on IR:
- OL Nick Becton
- OL Nick Gates
Placed on Reserve/NFI list:
- DL R.J. McIntosh
Suspended:
- DL Josh Mauro
Giants To Waive S Darian Thompson
A starter in all 16 of the Giants’ 2017 games, Darian Thompson won’t be part of the 2018 edition. The Giants will waive the 2016 third-round pick, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports (on Twitter).
The Giants will waive Thompson with an injury designation, per Vacchiano, who notes the hamstring injury Thompson’s dealt with all summer affected this move. Thompson will revert to Big Blue’s IR if he clears waivers.
Thompson graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 66 full-time safety last season. he made 75 tackles and intercepted a pass last season.
Two years remain on his rookie contract. The Giants added Michael Thomas and Curtis Riley as UFAs this year.
Giants To Move DRC To Safety
Last fall, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie‘s chances of staying with the Giants seemed slim. He is in the plans for the team’s new regime, but it’ll be at a different position. The Giants are moving Rodgers-Cromartie from cornerback to safety, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. This summer, he’ll compete with Darian Thompson for the starting job at free safety. 
Cornerbacks don’t always take well to moving to safety, particularly those of DRC’s caliber. He says he’s on board with the plan, however, according to Kimberly Jones of NFL.com (on Twitter).
The Giants had an opportunity to get out from DRC’s contract this offseason. The 31-year-old (32 in April) is slated to carry an $8.5MM cap hit, but releasing him would save $6.5MM against the cap against just $2MM in dead money.
For now, it sounds like the Giants will stick with him at his current rate, but we have a long way to go between now and the start of the 2018 season. It would not be surprising to see the Giants to ask the veteran to accept a pay cut, nor would it be a shock to see them abandon the cornerback-to-safety plan altogether, either by keeping him at corner or releasing him outright. The Giants have $23MM in cap space, a mere pittance compared to other teams in the NFL, and multiple needs to address such as remaking the offensive line and finding a new lead running back.
Last year, Rodgers-Cromartie earned a 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus, his lowest showing since 2012. He graded out as the 58th ranked cornerback in the NFL, portraying him as someone who is on the fringe of starter quality. His on-field performance was the least of his issues, however. Rodgers-Cromartie clashed with former coach Ben McAdoo last week – apparently, on four separate occasions – before being suspended “indefinitely” for conduct detrimental to the team. He was brought back after just one game, but his outbursts were an indicator of a much deeper problem in the Giants’ locker room.
In 2016, he earned a career-best 89.9 mark from PFF and was as second team All-Pro by both PFF and the Associated Press. That’s the kind of performance the Giants are looking for as DRC shifts his focus to a new position.
Giants S Darian Thompson Done For Season
The Giants announced that safety Darian Thompson will undergo season-ending foot surgery. Thompson, of course, will be placed on injured reserve.
Safety was a problem spot for the Giants in 2015 and they were hopeful about turning it around this year with the help of Thompson, a third-round pick. Unfortunately, the rookie was hampered by a Lisfranc injury in training camp and could not fully recover, even after resting for the last six weeks. Thompson’s first NFL season ends with seven total tackles in two games.
The Giants will continue to rely on safeties Landon Collins, Nat Berhe, and Andrew Adams going forward, though they could add a fourth player to that group.