Fred Johnson - Pro Football Rumors

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/15/23

February 15th, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s reserve/futures contracts:

Kansas City Chiefs

TE Kendall Blanton, CB Dicaprio Bootle, TE Matt Bushman, G Mike Caliendo, LB Cole Christiansen, RB Jerrion Ealy, QB Chris Oladokun, RB La’Mical Perine, WR Cornell Powell, C Austin Reiter, DT Danny Shelton, WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

Philadelphia Eagles

WR Devon Allen, WR Tyrie Cleveland, CB Mario Goodrich, DE Tarron Jackson, G Fred Johnson, T Roderick Johnson, DE Matt Leo, G Sua Opeta, LB Davion Taylor

The Chiefs will likely enter into extension talks with Creed Humphrey when the Pro Bowler becomes eligible in 2024, but they are also retaining their Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LV center starter. Reiter, 31, played for the Dolphins in 2021 but did not see any action for the Chiefs this season. The Chiefs cut Shelton after training camp but kept the veteran defensive tackle around on their practice squad. Shelton, 29, played in one game for the Super Bowl champions this season and will be set to collect a second Super Bowl ring; his first came in 2018 with the Patriots.

Allen, 28, put his track and field career on pause to attempt a football comeback, and the two-time Olympic 110-meter hurdle finalist resided on the Eagles’ practice squad all season. While the Paris Games are not until 2024, Allen ran 2022’s top 110 hurdle time (12.84 seconds) — which doubled as the third-fastest time in history — and will be on the radar to claim his first world championship in the event. This year’s World Track and Field Championships are slated for Aug. 19-27 in Budapest, so it will be interesting to see if Allen puts track aside for the time being or if the Eagles greenlight dual participation. The Bears did so for long jumper/wide receiver Marquise Goodwin in 2021, but that was for an Olympic Trials competition that did not conflict with training camp.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/8/22

November 8th, 2022 at 6:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Signed: LB Quinton Bell, C Jonotthan Harrison
Released: CB BoPete Keyes

Cleveland Browns

Signed:WR Cyril Grayson

Denver Broncos

Signed: WR Kaden Davis

Green Bay Packers

Released: WR Kawaan Baker

New Orleans Saints

Released: RB Jake Funk, QB Brett Hundley

New York Giants

Signed: DT Aaron Crawford
Released: DB Olaijah Griffin

Philadelphia Eagles

Signed: OT Fred Johnson

Pittsburgh Steelers

Released: K Nick Sciba

Seattle Seahawks

Signed: RB Godwin Igwebuike

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Signed: DE Charles Snowden
Released: LB JoJo Ozougwu

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/22

November 1st, 2022 at 6:20pm CST by Ben Levine

A handful of minor moves on a busy deadline day:

Buffalo Bills

Released: DT Brandin Bryant, WR Isaiah Hodgins

Chicago Bears

Waived: WR Isaiah Coulter

Denver Broncos

Waived: RB Devine Ozigbo

Green Bay Packers

Released: RB Patrick Taylor

Kansas City Chiefs

Activated from IR: CB Trent McDuffie

Minnesota Vikings

Placed on IR: TE Irv Smith Jr.

San Francisco 49ers

Released: DT Akeem Spence

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Waived: OL Fred Johnson

Free Agency

Suspended: DT Israel Antwine (six weeks)

Buccaneers To Sign Fred Johnson

March 25th, 2022 at 11:07am CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after being let go by the Bengals, Fred Johnson has found a new home. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (on Twitter) that the Buccaneers are signing the offensive lineman to a one-year contract.

Johnson, 24, was tendered as a restricted free agent by Cincinnati, the only team he had played on during the first three seasons of his NFL career (which includes 23 total appearances and eight starts). However, by the time he signed that tender, the team was in a significantly different situation at the tackle position.

The Bengals signed former Cowboy La’el Collins as the third significant addition to their offensive line. With Collins at the top of the depth chart – along with backup RT Isaiah Prince and guard/tackle Hakeem Adeniji already under contract – Johnson became expendable. On the same day that he signed his tender, he was waived.

In Tampa Bay, the six-foot-seven, 326-pound blocker will join an offensive front which has undergone changes of its own this offseason. The team lost Alex Cappa to Cincinnati, and traded for Shaq Mason from the Patriots. The departure of the former is one of rather few notable losses this offseason, as Tampa has retained the likes of Tom Brady, Chris Godwin, Carlton Davis and Leonard Fournette in another attempt to make a Super Bowl run.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/22/22

March 22nd, 2022 at 3:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Chicago Bears

Signed: FB Khari Blasingame

Cincinnati Bengals

Waived: OT Fred Johnson

Kansas City Chiefs

Signed: CB Luq Barcoo, OLB Elijah Lee

Minnesota Vikings

Re-Signed: QB Sean Mannion

Pittsburgh Steelers

Re-Signed: DT Montravius Adams

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/20

November 6th, 2020 at 4:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Germain Ifedi
Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Cody Whitehair (story)

Cincinnati Bengals

Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Fred Johnson, CB Trae Waynes; Waynes remains on IR

Kansas City Chiefs

Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Chris Jones

Miami Dolphins

Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Lynn Bowden

Minnesota Vikings

Promoted: LB Hercules Mata’afa
Placed on IR: CB Mark Fields

New Orleans Saints

Placed on IR: WR Justin Hardee, DT Sheldon Rankins (story)

New York Giants

Placed on IR: DB Ryan Lewis

San Francisco 49ers

Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Brandon Aiyuk, WR Kendrick Bourne, WR Deebo Samuel, T Trent Williams (story)

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/15/19

October 15th, 2019 at 6:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a rundown of early-week minor NFL moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Signed: OL John Wetzel
Waived/Injured: P Matt Wile

Baltimore Ravens

Signed: S Bennett Jackson (from Jets’ practice squad)
Placed on IR: S DeShon Elliott

Carolina Panthers

Waived: WR Ray-Ray McCloud

Chicago Bears

Promoted from practice squad: OL Alex Bars

Cincinnati Bengals

Claimed: OL Fred Johnson (from Steelers)
Placed on IR: DE Kerry Wynn

Detroit Lions

Promoted: DT John Atkins
Waived: WR Tom Kennedy

Green Bay Packers

Promoted: TE Evan Baylis
Released: CB Tremon Smith

Houston Texans

Signed: T Dan Skipper (from Patriots’ practice squad)

Indianapolis Colts

Signed: DT Carl Davis

Miami Dolphins

Claimed: CB Ryan Lewis (from Eagles)

Minnesota Vikings

Waived: DE Tashawn Bower

New England Patriots

Signed: TE Eric Tomlinson
Placed on IR: FB Jakob Johnson
Waived: QB Cody Kessler

New York Jets

Signed: S Blake Countess
Waived: CB Arthur Maulet

Philadelphia Eagles

Waived: CB Ryan Lewis
Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Alex Ellis

Pittsburgh Steelers

Signed: DE L.T. Walton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Waived: LB Devante Bond, WR Bobo Wilson

Washington Redskins

Signed: FB Michael Burton
Placed on IR: TE Jerome Cunningham

Steelers Promote QB Paxton Lynch

October 11th, 2019 at 3:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the first time since the Broncos’ 2017 finale, Paxton Lynch will return to an active roster. The Steelers promoted him in advance of their Week 6 game in Los Angeles.

With Mason Rudolph ruled out, the former first-round pick will serve as Devlin Hodges‘ backup. Lynch caught on with the Steelers’ practice squad earlier this season. Pittsburgh has lost both Rudolph and Ben Roethlisberger to injury in five games. Both Hodges and Lynch were in-season roster additions.

One of the bigger first-round miscalculations in modern NFL history, Lynch spent 2018 out of football after the Broncos waived him in September 2018. He caught on with the Seahawks via reserve/futures contract but did not beat out Geno Smith for their backup job. The Steelers added the former No. 26 overall pick as an in-case-of-emergency option, but Earl Thomas‘ hit on Rudolph made Pittsburgh exercise its emergency scenario.

The Steelers also promoted running back Trey Edmunds and waived outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott and guard Fred Johnson. Edmunds is the brother of Steelers safety starter Terrell Edmunds.

Steelers Sign 10 UDFAs

April 27th, 2019 at 7:39pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Now that the NFL draft is over, teams are beginning to sign undrafted free agents. As teams officially announce their entire UDFA classes, we’ll be posting them. The Steelers became the first team to make such an announcement, inking a crop of ten players:

Dravon Askew-Henry, S (West Virginia)
Ian Berryman, P (Western Carolina)
Garrett Brumfield, G (LSU)
Jay Hayes, DE (Georgia)
Fred Johnson, G (Florida)
Travon McMillan, RB (Colorado)
Alexander Myres, CB (Houston)
Chris Nelson, DT (Texas)
Trevor Wood, TE/LS (Texas A&M)
Matthew Wright, K (Central Florida)

The Steelers didn’t sign any of the biggest names available, but a few of the signings are notable. McMillan spent the first three years of his career at Virginia Tech before transferring to Colorado, and he had a very productive senior season. Last year he carried the ball 201 times for 1,009 yards and seven touchdowns. The last Colorado running back to sign as an undrafted free agent was Phillip Lindsay, and he ended up making the Pro Bowl. McMillan will be competing for a backup spot behind James Conner.

Wright is the all-time career points leader at UCF. The Steelers signing a kicker is notable because Chris Boswell struggled mightily last season. Boswell had been widely regarded as one of the league’s best kickers, but he collapsed last year. There was talk of the Steelers replacing Boswell mid-season during the 2018 campaign, and Wright should have a legitimate shot at unseating him in training camp.