NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 12/31/18
New Year’s Eve marks the first day eliminated teams can sign players to reserve/futures contracts. Here is the first wave of those decisions:
Arizona Cardinals
- OL Justin Evans
- OL Will House
- QB Chad Kanoff
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- CB Deatrick Nichols
- LB Pete Robertson
- OL Coleman Shelton
- RB Brandon Wilds
Atlanta Falcons
- QB Kurt Benkert
- WR Christian Blake
- CB Taveze Calhoun
- LB Jermaine Grace
- TE Jaeden Graham
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Devin Gray
- OL Sean Harlow
- DL Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
Carolina Panthers
- T Isaiah Battle
- DB Quin Blanding
- RB Reggie Bonnafon
- LB Brandon Chubb
- DT Woodrow Hamilton
- WR Andre Levrone
- DB Cole Luke
- DB Kai Nacua
- DT Elijah Qualls
- G Ian Silberman
- G Landon Turner
- WR DeAndrew White
- LB Antwione Williams
Detroit Lions
- WR Deontez Alexander
- LB Garret Dooley
- S David Jones
- OL Jarron Jones
- DE Jonathan Wynn
Green Bay Packers
- TE Evan Baylis
- DL Eric Cotton
- T Gerhard de Beer
- G Anthony Coyle
- FB Malcolm Johnson
- S Tray Matthews
- WR Teo Redding
- LB Brady Sheldon
- DL Deon Simon
- S Jason Thompson
Minnesota Vikings
- WR Jeff Badet
- LB Reshard Cliett
- DL Curtis Cothran
- DB Jalen Myrick
- RB Roc Thomas
New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Trey Griffey
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- T Cole Boozer
- WR K.J. Brent
- DE Demone Harris
- G Ruben Holcomb
- DE Farrington Huguenin
- DE Patrick O’Connor
- RB Dare Ogunbowale
- LB Emmanuel Smith
Tennessee Titans
- RB Dalyn Dawkins
- OL Jamil Douglas
- CB Mike Jordan
- WR Roger Lewis
- OLB Gimel President
- OL David Quessenberry
- WR Kalif Raymond
- WR Devin Ross
- S Damon Webb
Washington Redskins
- C Casey Dunn
- WR Carlos Henderson
- T Roubbens Joseph
- WR ArDarius Stewart
- RB Elijah Wellman
- DT JoJo Wicker
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Atlanta Falcons
Practice squad:
- QB Kurt Benkert
- OT Daniel Brunskill
- DB Deante Burton
- TE Jaeden Graham
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Devin Gray
- C J.C. Hassenauer
- DB Ryan Neal
- LS Jeff Overbaugh
- DT Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
Carolina Panthers
Placed on injured reserve:
Signed:
- CB Lorenzo Doss
Practice squad:
- QB Kyle Allen
- RB Reggie Bonnafon
- WR Mose Frazier
- TE Jason Vander Laan
- G Taylor Hearn
- OL Dorian Johnson
- DE Kiante Anderson
- DT Kendrick Norton
- CB Cole Luke
- S Dezmen Southward
New Orleans Saints
Signed to practice squad:
- QB J.T. Barrett
- LB Vince Biegel
- TE Garrett Griffin
- DT Woodrow Hamilton
- DE Alex Jenkins
- WR Keith Kirkwood
- T Rick Leonard
- RB Dwayne Washington
- RB Jonathan Williams
- OL Nate Wozniak
- TE Deon Yelder
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Falcons Reduce Roster To 52
The Falcons have trimmed down their roster. The team announced that they’ve reduced their roster to 52 players, meaning they’re leaving one spot open for a potential free agent addition.
We learned yesterday that the organization was moving on from defensive back Ron Parker and offensive lineman Austin Pasztor. The rest of the team’s moves are below:
Waived:
- QB Kurt Benkert
- WR Christian Blake
- FS Marcelis Branch
- OT Daniel Brunskill
- DB Deante Burton
- WR Dontez Byrd
- LB Jonathan Celestin
- DE Mackendy Cheridor
- DB Secdrick Cooper
- RB Justin Crawford
- DT Jon Cunningham
- WR Reggie Davis
- OG Jamil Douglas
- LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
- FB Jalston Fowler
- TE Jaeden Graham
- S Tyson Graham
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Devin Gray
- QB Garrett Grayson
- OG Sean Harlow
- C J.C. Hassenauer
- DE J.T. Jones
- WR Lamar Jordan
- DB Chris Lammons
- RB Terrence Magee
- TE Troy Mangen
- K David Marvin
- DB Ryan Neal
- LB Emmanuel Smith
- DT Garrison Smith
- K Giorgio Tavecchio
- DT Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
- OG Salesi Uhatafe
- WR Julian Williams
- LB Anthony Winbush
Waived/injured:
Falcons Sign 27 UDFAs
The Falcons have signed a whopping 27 undrafted free agents. Here is the full rundown:
- Kurt Benkert, QB (Virginia)
- Christian Blake, WR (Northern Illinois)
- Dontez Byrd, WR (Tennessee Tech)
- Jontey Byrd, DL (Kent State)
- Mackendy Cheridor, DL (Georgia State)
- Detrich Clark, WR (Colorado State)
- Matt Gono, OL (Wesley College)
- Secdrick Cooper, S (Louisiana Tech)
- Justin Crawford, RB (West Virginia)
- Emmanuel Ellerbee, LB (Rice)
- Devin Gray, WR (Cincinnati)
- J.C. Hassenauer, OL (Alabama)
- Richard Jarvis, LB (Brown)
- Lamar Jordan, QB/WR (New Mexico)
- Chris Lammons, S (South Carolina)
- David Martin, K (Georgia)
- Troy Mangen, TE (Ohio)
- Luke McNitt, FB (Nebraska)
- Daniel Marx, FB (Stanford)
- Joseph Putu, CB (Florida)
- Demario Richard, RB (Arizona State)
- Jake Roh, TE (Boise State)
- Emmanuel Smith, LB (Vanderbilt)
- Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, DL (UCLA)
- Salesi Uhatafe, OL (Utah)
- Anthony Winbush, LB (Ball State)
- Malik Williams, RB (Louisville)
Most NFL teams do not employ a fullback but the Falcons rostered one last year in Derrick Coleman, so McNitt and Marx may have a shot at making the team. At quarterback, there may be an opportunity for Benkert and Lamar Jordan to unseat Garrett Grayson as the third QB (assuming Jordan is being evaluated as a QB), though they are well set with Matt Schaub as the primary backup to Matt Ryan.
Benkert received a $60K guarantee to sign, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, so it’s clear that the Falcons think highly of him. Benkert started his collegiate career at East Carolina before transferring to Virginia for the 2016 season. In two years as Virginia’s starter, he completed 57.7% of his passes with 46 touchdowns against 21 interceptions.
In other Falcons news, GM Thomas Dimitroff recently addressed speculation about the team’s relationship with star Julio Jones. The Falcons also triggered the fifth-year option for defensive end Vic Beasley recently.