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Darius Phillips

Texans Sign DB Darius Phillips

May 4th, 2023 at 8:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans have been busy today. After adding offensive tackle Greg Little and linebacker Neville Hewitt, Houston has now signed a defensive back. The team announced that they’ve signed defensive back Darius Phillips.

[RELATED: Texans Sign T Greg Little, LB Neville Hewitt]

Phillips, a former fifth-round pick, spent four seasons in Cincinnati to begin his career. The defensive back got into 47 regular season games for the Bengals, compiling 73 tackles and five interceptions. He saw an inconsistent role on defense during his tenure with the team, but he consistently contributed on special teams, including a 2021 campaign where he returned 25 punts and eight kicks.

After spending the 2022 preseason with the Raiders, Phillips caught on with the Broncos. He ended up getting into nine games with Denver, collecting only a pair of tackles while playing the majority of his snaps on special teams.

The veteran’s best chance at making Houston’s roster will probably come on special teams. However, thanks to his versatility in the secondary, he could catch on as a bottom-of-the-depth-chart cornerback or safety.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/20/22

December 20th, 2022 at 7:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Signed off Chiefs practice squad: LB Elijah Lee
  • Designated for return: RB Khalil Herbert (story)
  • Released: CB Justin Layne

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Caleb Huntley suffered a season-ending Achilles injury this past weekend, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The injury is expected to require surgery. The Falcons RB made his NFL this season and has collected 369 yards from scrimmage.

While Russell Wilson is expected to start for the Broncos on Christmas, the Broncos still decided to promote a third QB to the roster in Jarrett Guarantano. According to Troy Renck of Denver7 (on Twitter), there was enough interest from other teams (including the Cardinals) for the Broncos to decide to promote the rookie. The UDFA out of Washington State had his first professional gig with the Cardinals before catching on with the Broncos.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/1/22

September 1st, 2022 at 6:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Teams continue to tinker with their rosters after hundreds of players were cut earlier this week. We’ve tracked all of today’s minor moves below:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Broncos To Sign CB Darius Phillips

September 1st, 2022 at 10:47am CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Broncos’ top three cornerbacks are healthy, the player expected to be their primary backup (Michael Ojemudia) is on IR after an elbow dislocation. The team brought in a reinforcement Thursday.

Denver is adding veteran Darius Phillips, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. This is an active-roster addition, and Klis adds the team is making room on its 53-man unit by waiving cornerback Essang Bassey.

A former Bengals fifth-round pick, Phillips spent training camp with the Raiders after a March signing. Las Vegas, which removed a corner from its equation by trading Trayvon Mullen on Tuesday, did not see enough from Phillips to retain him. But the fifth-year defender did work as a part-time starter for the Bengals two years ago and saw extensive action as the team’s punt returner last season.

Phillips, 27, logged 593 defensive snaps in 2020 and graded as a top-20 cornerback (per Pro Football Focus). That lofty spot does not match the 5-foot-10 cover man’s profile, and rather than giving Phillips more run as a starter last season, the Bengals signed Chidobe Awuzie, Mike Hilton and Eli Apple. Phillips also intercepted four passes in 2019, despite playing just 109 defensive snaps (mostly working as a backup).

The Broncos are set to use Patrick Surtain II, Ronald Darby and slot K’Waun Williams as their top three corners, but Ojemudia is out for at least four games. This will be the second straight year Ojemudia — a 2020 third-round pick — has started a season on IR. He missed most of last season due to a hamstring injury. Ojemudia’s injury left Denver vulnerable on the outside, and Klis adds the expectation will be Phillips fills that void (Twitter link).

The team used a fourth-round pick on a corner Damarri Mathis this year. He and Phillips are currently the only backups at the position on the Broncos’ 53-man roster.

Raiders Trim Roster To 53 Players

August 30th, 2022 at 6:34pm CST by Ben Levine

The Raiders have been busy today, trading former second-round cornerback Trayvon Mullen to the Cardinals for a conditional seventh-round pick. The Raiders have since completed their 53-man roster, cutting a number of players:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Keelan Cole started 11 of his 15 games for the Jets last season, finishing with 28 receptions for 449 yards and one touchdown. He was expected to serve as an end-of-the-depth-chart option at wide receiver (and in the return game), but he ultimately lost out on the gig to Tyron Johnson and DJ Turner. Wideout Dillon Stoner and Isaiah Zuber were also candidates for the fourth or fifth receiver gig, but they were cut.

Matthias Farley saw time in all 17 games for the Titans last season, finishing with 16 tackles. He has extensive special teams experience, but the Raiders ended up pivoting to younger options to round out their roster, Darius Phillips was also a candidate to contribute on special teams following a 2021 campaign where he returned 25 punts for the Bengals.

Austin Walter had a career-high 28 touches for the Jets last offseason, but he wasn’t able to crack the Raiders roster even with the release of Kenyan Drake. The Raiders RB room is still plenty crowded, with Josh Jacobs, rookie fourth-round pick Zamir White, special teams ace Brandon Bolden, rookie seventh-round pick Brittain Brown, and veteran Ameer Abdullah all earning roster spots.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/22

March 15th, 2022 at 2:11pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep tabs on today’s minor moves here:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/3/22

January 3rd, 2022 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Monday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Mike Remmers (remains on IR)

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Raymond Calais (remains on IR)

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Bengals Activate Sam Hubbard, Place John Ross On IR

November 14th, 2020 at 2:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Takkarist McKinley will not make his Bengals debut this week, needing to go through the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol. But the team will have a key pass rusher in uniform after some time away.

The Bengals activated Sam Hubbard from IR Saturday. The third-year defensive end has missed the past three games because of an elbow injury.

Cincinnati also moved John Ross to its IR list. While Ross has not been active since Week 6 and has not caught a pass since Week 1, he has run into multiple injury issues during another disappointing season. After a foot injury shelved him recently, more foot trouble emerged in practice this week, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

This setback came shortly after Bengals coaches had a conversation with Ross about working as a cornerback, Garafolo notes, but the injury came on a play in which Ross was playing his usual position. None of this is good for a player who joined the Bengals as a top-10 pick.

The team did not pick up Ross’ option and has not featured him prominently this season, using younger players Tee Higgins and Auden Tate over Ross. While Ross requested a trade, the Bengals did not move him. Ross’ contract expires at season’s end. The Combine’s 40-yard dash record holder is not on track to enter free agency with much momentum.

Hubbard will return to a defensive line that no longer houses Carlos Dunlap, whom the Bengals traded during Hubbard’s injury hiatus. Hubbard will rejoin Carl Lawson in Cincy’s lineup, while McKinley — added on waivers this week — is set to join the incumbents next week.

The Bengals also placed cornerback Darius Phillips on IR and promoted guard Quinton Spain, wide receiver Stanley Morgan, cornerback Jalen Davis and defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie ahead of their matchup with the Steelers.

Bengals To Place G Alex Redmond On IR

November 29th, 2019 at 12:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals will be without another of their offensive line starters for the season’s remainder. Alex Redmond will go on IR because of the torn biceps injury he suffered last week, Ben Baby of ESPN.com tweets.

Redmond’s move off the 53-man roster will make room for cornerback Darius Phillips, whom the Bengals will activate from IR. The Bengals placed Phillips on IR in late September, but the second-year corner returned to practice last week.

A 15-game starter last year, Redmond only made two starts for the Bengals this year. He began this season with a four-game suspension and suffered an ankle injury weeks ago. The third-year blocker was set to return to action in Week 12 but suffered this biceps malady during pregame warmups. Par for the course for what’s been a brutal Bengals season, particularly on the offensive front.

Phillips will be used in a backup role, per Zac Taylor. The 2018 fifth-round pick has played in 18 games, making one start in that time. Redmond can be retained next year via RFA tender, though the 2017 UDFA will not have much momentum going into that process.

Bengals Designate CB Darius Phillips For Return

November 21st, 2019 at 10:05am CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals have designated CB Darius Phillips to return from injured reserve, the club announced. Phillips was placed on IR at the end of September with a knee injury.

A fifth-round pick in the 2018 draft, Phillips has played in 18 games (one start) for Cincinnati in his brief career. The Western Michigan product has one interception to his name, which he notched in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Bills. He was also used on kickoff returns before going on IR, and he returned six kicks for an average of 22.8 yards per return.

The Bengals rank near the bottom of the league in pass defense, and as the only winless team in football, they might as well see what a young DB like Phillips has to offer, so he could get a fair amount of playing time if he ultimately returns to the field. He will be able to start practicing with the team today, and then Cincinnati will have a 21-day window to determine if it wants to activate him or shut him down for the rest of the season.

Cincinnati recently used its other IR return slot on WR John Ross.

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