Joe Reed

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/23

We are less than 24 hours from the deadline for NFL teams to trim their rosters to 53 players. Here are the latest moves teams have made as they pare their squads down toward the in-season limit:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Tino Ellis

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Bears Place WR Dante Pettis On IR

Dante Pettis will not play a second Bears campaign. The team announced on Friday that the receiver and returner has been placed on IR.

As a result of that move, Pettis will not be eligible to play in 2023. He signed with Chicago last offseason and contributed both on offense and special teams. He registered 19 catches for 245 yards and three touchdowns, while serving as the Bears’ punt returner. He ran back 18 punts on an average of 9.1 per return.

The former second-rounder opened training camp on the non-football injury list, and he was only activated earlier this month. That gave him limited opportunies to earn a place in Chicago’s new-look receiver room or the primary punt return gig. Both a depth role on offense and a more prominent one on special teams was something Pettis was in competition for with 2022 third-rounder Velus Jones. After finding himself on the roster bubble, the latter is now in better position to secure a spot during next week’s cutdowns.

Pettis re-signed for the veteran minimum in April after his debut Bears season. Today’s news will keep him sidelined for the campaign and hurt his value on the open market next offseason. After flashing potential as a rookie with 467 yards and five touchdowns, the Washington alum has failed to replicate that success during his subsequent campaigns, which were also spent with the 49ers and Giants. Another low-cost deal no doubt awaits him upon his return to full health.

In addition to moving on from Pettis, the Bears waived fellow wideout and returner Joe Reed with an injury designation. The latter, a 2020 Chargers fifth-round pick, made 11 appearances as a rookie but has yet to see any regular season action since then. He will revert to IR if he goes unclaimed.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These BroncosChargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s AFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Denver Broncos

Re-signed:

Signed to practice squad:

Kansas City Chiefs

Signed to practice squad:

Las Vegas Raiders

Released from IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Chargers

Signed: 

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Chargers Trim Roster To 53

As final cuts continue to be announced, the Chargers have unveiled their list of departing players. Here is the final tally:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Covington represents by far the most experienced player being let go. He spent just one season in Los Angeles, starting three of his 16 appearances. While the 28-year-old Canadian set a new career-high in tackles with 52, he was part of the league’s third-worst run defense. That, coupled with Covington’s small roster bonus, made him a logical cut candidate.

The Chargers have a crowded backfield to work with, and one main training camp storyline has been the competition to establish the pecking order behind Austin EkelerBy waiving Nabers, however, the team can keep one more back on the 53-man roster. Given their passing efficiency, eliminating the fullback position from the offense would allow them to keep the former UDFA on the practice squad (if at all); if not, Nabers will need to find one of the few remaining teams with a spot for his skillset.

Surratt carries the most upside amongst the TE departures. The converted WR didn’t play during his rookie season, but demonstrated his talent in college, including a 1,000-yerd season at Wake Forest. Given his absence from the 2020 college season, as well as the 2021 NFL campaign, though, keeping the six-foot-three, 215-pounder as a depth option behind Gerald Everett could better be done via the practice squad.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/18/22

Here are Tuesday’s reserve/futures deals:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/21

We’ll keep track of today’s taxi squad moves here:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These BroncosChargersChiefs and Raiders moves will be noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s AFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Denver Broncos

Signed: 

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad: 

Kansas City Chiefs

Signed:

Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list:

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Chargers Trim Roster To 53

The Chargers waived 16 players today, reducing their roster to 53 players. The team made the following transactions

Waived

It’s a bit surprising that the organization is moving on from Johnson considering his solid season in 2020. The 2019 undrafted free agent finished his second professional season with 23 touches for 415 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. The 25-year-old also got some run on special teams, including six kick returns.

Badgley was another notable cut, which we explored in depth earlier today.

Chargers Sign Justin Herbert, Wrap Draft Class

The Chargers have wrapped up their 2020 NFL Draft class, per a club announcement. Quarterback Justin Herbert was the first reported signing, and the rest of the crop followed soon after. The full rundown, per our tracker:

1-6: Justin Herbert, QB (Oregon): Signed
1-23: Kenneth Murray, LB (Oklahoma): Signed
4-112: Joshua Kelley, RB (UCLA): Signed
5-151: Joe Reed, WR (Virginia): Signed
6-186: Alohi Gilman, S (Notre Dame): Signed
7-220: K.J. Hill, WR (Ohio State): Signed

Herbert was a polarizing prospect. Those that are high on the Oregon product believe that his elite arm strength will allow him to succeed as a starter. Others are concerned about his pension for holding on to the ball for too long. The debate between Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa was fierce, but, ultimately, the Dolphins made the decision for the Chargers by selecting the Alabama star No. 5 overall. At No. 6, GM Tom Telesco said that he would have been perfectly happy with either passer.

Herbert will have the unenviable task of eventually stepping into Philip Rivers’ shoes. For now, the 6’6″ rookie will likely begin the year as the QB2 behind Tyrod Taylor.