Cardinals Sign Josh Jackson, Ben Niemann
After working out with the Cardinals during their minicamp this week, cornerback Josh Jackson and linebacker Ben Niemann landed spots on the team’s 90-man offseason roster. The team announced the signings Thursday afternoon.
Kliff Kingsbury indicated earlier this month the Cardinals would pursue veteran corners. That comment came not long after the news offseason addition Jeff Gladney died in a car accident May 30.
The Cardinals will be Jackson’s fourth team. The former second-round Packers draftee spent last year with the Giants, who acquired him from the Packers via trade, and the Chiefs, who gave Jackson a practice squad spot after the Giants waived him midseason. The Chiefs used Jackson in two regular-season games as well. The Iowa product’s NFL stock has dropped considerably, but he will have an opportunity to catch on with a Cards team light at corner.
Jackson, 26, started 10 games with Green Bay as a rookie in 2018 but has lined up as a first-stringer in only five contests since. He allowed a whopping 86% of the passes thrown his way to be completed in 2019, with that figure only dropping to 74% in 2020. The Packers, who drafted Eric Stokes in the 2021 first round, moved on via the trade — a straight-up swap for corner Isaac Yiadom. Jackson did not see any regular-season time with the Giants.
Niemann joined Jackson on the 2021 Chiefs and played for Kansas City throughout his rookie contract. The Chiefs used Niemann as a five-game starter in each of the past two seasons. While he did not start any of Kansas City’s playoff contests during his four-year Missouri run, the former UDFA played in each postseason game. Niemann, 27 in July, and Jackson were Hawkeyes teammates.
Arizona, which waived safety Javon Hagan on Thursday as well, has questions at corner beyond top cover man Byron Murphy. It would not surprise if the Cards signed a starter-caliber corner ahead of training camp. The team has first-rounders Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins stationed at linebacker, with the latter ticketed to start after the team’s Jordan Hicks release. The Cards did not draft an off-ball linebacker this year but have Tanner Vallejo, Joe Walker and seventh-year vet Nick Vigil rostered.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/19/22
We’ll keep track of Wednesday’s reserve/futures deals here:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Andre Baccellia, CB Breon Borders, CB Nate Brooks, DE Matt Dickerson, TE Alex Ellis, S Javon Hagan, OL Danny Isidora, OL Koda Martin, RB Jaylen Samuels, TE Bernhard Seikovits, OL Eric Smith, LB Joe Walker, TE David Wells, CB Jace Whittaker, TE Deon Yelder
Chicago Bears
- CB Lamar Jackson
Cleveland Browns
- RB John Kelly Jr.
Las Vegas Raiders
- OT William Sweet, WR Javon Wims
New York Jets
- DL Bradlee Anae
Pittsburgh Steelers
- DB Isaiah Johnson, WR Steven Sims
Seattle Seahawks
Washington Football Team
- CB D.J. Hayden
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/7/22
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from Practice Squad COVID-19 List: CB Kevin Peterson and S Javon Hagan
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on Practice Squad COVID-19 List: DE Joe Jackson
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: OT Quinn Bailey and WR Tyrie Cleveland
Washington Football Team
- Placed on Practice Squad COVID-19 List: DL David Bada
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/26/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Javon Hagan, CB Lavert Hill
- Released: DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
Denver Broncos
- Released: C Javon Patterson, DB Saivion Smith
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Jahleel Addae, TE Eli Wolf
- Released: G Zack Bailey
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: DE Demone Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Paddy Fisher
- Released: G Nathan Gilliam, WR Austin Proehl
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: T Timon Parris
New England Patriots
- Released: S Elijah Benton
New York Giants
- Released: DT Woodrow Hamilton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Jared Mayden
- Released: CB Michael Jacquet
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DL Eli Ankou, RB Mekhi Sargent
- Released: DL Abdullah Anderson, LB Dylan Cole, C James Murray
Buccaneers Reduce Roster To 53
The defending Super Bowl champs made a long list of moves today to get down to the 53-man roster limit. The Buccaneers made the following transactions:
Waived
- T Jake Benzinger
- WR Cyril Grayson
- S Javon Hagan
- OLB Ladarius Hamilton
- G Jonathan Hubbard
- TE Tanner Hudson
- WR Travis Jonsen
- TE Codey McElroy
- CB Herb Miller
- OLB Elijah Ponder
- DL Benning Potoa’e
- DL Kobe Smith
- T Brandon Walton
- CB Chris Wilcox
Waived/Injured
- T Brad Seaton
Released
- TE Jerell Adams
- QB Ryan Griffin
- CB Antonio Hamilton
- ILB Joe Jones
- DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
- WR Jaydon Mickens
- RB C.J. Prosise
Placed on reserve/PUP list
Griffin had been with the Buccaneers organization since the 2015 season, but he’s only seen time in a pair of games. After winning a ring last season, the veteran re-signed with the organization this offseason. For the time being, Blaine Gabbert and rookie Kyle Trask will serve as Tom Brady‘s backups.
Mickens is another notable cut, as the 27-year-old served as one of Tampa Bay’s primary return men in 2020. Mickens finished the campaign with 16 punt returns for 99 yards and 14 kick returns for 340 yards.
Buccaneers Sign 11 Players To Futures Deals
The Super Bowl champs have signed eleven players to reserve/futures contracts for 2021. Shortly after their boat parade, the Buccaneers announced low-cost deals for:
- OLB Quinton Bell
- WR Cyril Grayson
- S Javon Hagan
- WR Travis Jonsen
- G Nick Leverett
- TE Codey McElroy
- CB Herb Miller
- G John Molchon
- WR Josh Pearson
- DL Benning Potoa’e
- DL Kobe Smith
The list mostly draws from the team’s year-end practice squad, save for Leverett who was dropped in the postseason for the returning Earl Watford. Now, the Bucs will work to keep the band together with wide receivers Antonio Brown and Chris Godwin, tight end Rob Gronkowski, and edge rusher Shaquil Barrett among those scheduled for free agency.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/23/21
Here are the latest NFL minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to reserve/futures deal: WR Deon Cain
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: CB Dane Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: DL Brian Price, CB KeiVarae Russell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Marcus Kemp, DB Chris Lammons
New York Giants
- Signed to reserve/futures deal: DB Keith Washington
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: S Javon Hagan, G Ted Larsen
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/16/21
Here are the minor moves from divisional-round Saturday:
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: TE Kyle Markway, TE Alex Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Gehrig Dieter, DB Chris Lammons, TE Ricky Seals-Jones
- Activated from IR: LB Dorian O’Daniel
- Placed on IR: TE Deon Yelder
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: WR Tre’Quan Smith
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Will Clapp; Clapp contracted the coronavirus, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
- Promoted: LS John Denney, LB Chase Hansen, OL Cameron Tom, K Blair Walsh
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: LB Deone Bucannon, S Javon Hagan, G Ted Larsen
Bucs Sign Josh Rosen To Practice Squad
Josh Rosen has found a new home. The highly drafted quarterback will be signing with the Buccaneers’ practice squad, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Rosen will now get to learn from Tom Brady in the quarterbacks room. The UCLA product has had a tough time in the pros, and was just recently cut by the Dolphins after Miami failed to find a trade partner. Heavily hyped coming out of college, Rosen was drafted 10th overall by the Cardinals in 2018. His rookie season was a disaster, as Arizona went 3-13 and head coach Steve Wilks was fired after just one year.
The Cards elected to start fresh the following offseason, drafting Kyler Murray with the first pick and making Rosen expendable. He was quickly dealt to the Dolphins in exchange for a second-round pick. He started three games in Miami but didn’t play well and failed to beat out Ryan Fitzpatrick for playing time.
Obviously Rosen’s circumstances have been far from ideal, and he’s had to deal with things that are extremely rare for such a highly drafted quarterback. Now he’ll be not just learning from Brady, but reuniting with Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich as well. Leftwich was quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator during Rosen’s season in Arizona, when he started 13 games.
This seems like an ideal situation for Rosen to land, and a chance to jumpstart his career. For the Bucs it’s a nice low-risk signing, as they don’t currently have anyone waiting in the wings for whenever the 43-year-old Brady decides to hang up his cleats. Through 16 career NFL starts Rosen has averaged 5.7 yards per attempt with 12 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
Here is the Buccaneers full practice squad:
- G Zack Bailey
- RB Ray Calais
- S D’Cota Dixon
- WR Cyril Grayson
- S Javon Hagan
- TE Tanner Hudson
- DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
- G Nick Leverett
- CB Herb Miller
- WR Josh Pearson
- DL Benning Potoa’e
- ILB Chapelle Russell
- C Zach Shackelford
- QB Reid Sinnett
- CB Mazzi Wilkins
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/4/20
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: DT Miles Brown, WR Hakeem Butler, OL Sam Jones, P Ryan Winslow
- Waived/injured: OL Brett Toth
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: DT Hinwa Allieu, FB Mikey Daniel, T Evin Ksiezarczyk, RB Craig Reynolds
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: FB Patrick DiMarco
- Waived: LB Vosean Joseph, LB Corey Thompson
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Tommylee Lewis
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: T Brady Aiello
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: OL Cody Wichmann
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Chris Lacy
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: DE Caraun Reid
- Waived: RB Nathan Cottrell, TE Matthew Flanagan, OL Blake Hance, OL K.C. McDermott, OL Garrett McGhin, LS Matthew Orzech, OL Ryan Pope, OL Austen Pleasants, WR Marvelle Ross
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: DB Adonis Alexander, LB Daniel Bituli, TE Kendall Blanton, C Cohl Cabral, G Jamil Demby, WR Earnest Edwards, DB Jake Gervase, DB JuJu Hughes, RB John Kelly, G Jeremiah Kolone, WR J.J. Koski, DB Dayan Lake, DB Tyrique McGhee, LB Derrick Moncrief, WR Easop Winston
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: RB Salvon Ahmed, DB Nate Brooks, CB Breon Borders, DT Brandin Bryant, WR Matt Cole, T Jonathan Hubbard, G Danny Isidora, WR Kirk Merritt, TE Chris Myarick, CB Ken Webster, TE Nate Wieting
New York Jets
- Waived: LB James Burgess
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: DB Michael Jacquet, DE Matt Leo, TE Caleb Wilson
- Released: DT T.Y. McGill, CB Trevor Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DE Jonathan Kongbo
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: OL Zack Bailey, RB Ray Calais, ILB Noah Dawkins, S D’Cota Dixon, K Matt Gay (story), WR Cyril Grayson, S Javon Hagan, TE Tanner Hudson, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter, OL Nick Leverett, TE Codey McElroy, CB Herb Miller, WR Bryant Mitchell, RB Dare Ogunbowale, WR Josh Pearson, DL Benning Potoa’e, ILB Chapelle Russell, WR Spencer Schnell, QB Reid Sinnett, CB Mazzi Wilkins