Cowboys Get Down To 53
More roster cuts to pass along! The Cowboys have now gotten their roster down to 53 as well, making a slew of cuts in the process. Here are the latest cutdown day casualties out of Dallas:
Released:
- S Darian Thompson
- CB Deante Burton
- LS Jake McQuaide
- OT Eric Smith
- TE Jeremy Sprinkle
- DT Justin Hamilton
Waived:
- WR Johnnie Dixon
- WR Osirus Mitchell
- WR Reggie Davis
- WR Aaron Parker
- S Steven Parker
- RB Brenden Knox
- RB JaQuan Hardy
- S Tyler Coyle
- FB Nick Ralston
- TE Nick Eubanks
- TE Artayvious Lynn
- DE Austin Faoliu
- OT Isaac Alarcon
- C Braylon Jones
- WR Brandon Smith
- DE Ron’Dell Carter
Thompson played in 15 games with the Cowboys last year and started seven, but wasn’t able to crack the 53-man roster this time around. The safety started four games for Dallas the year before in 2019. Sprinkle flashed some potential with Washington in 2019 when he had 241 yards, but he was a non-factor in the passing game last year.
Hamilton also started a couple of games for the Cowboys last year, and the release of several significant contributors shows Mike McCarthy was serious about overhauling that side of the ball. Hardy is the undrafted rookie who has been featured on this year’s season of HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks.’ He’s expected to be added to the practice squad if he clears waivers, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/24/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Johnnie Dixon
Detroit Lions
- Signed: T Darrin Paulo
Green Bay Packers
- Released: CB KeiVarae Russell
Minnesota Vikings
- Claimed (from Texans): OL Cohl Cabral
Reserve/Futures Contracts: 12/30/19
With the regular season behind us, teams can start signing players to reserve/futures contract. This ties the player to the team’s 90-man offseason roster.
Several teams have already started completing these deals, which we’ve compiled below:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Johnnie Dixon, DL Lyndon Johnson, OL Sam Jones, WR A.J. Richardson, CB Sojourn Shelton, CB Duke Thomas
Carolina Panthers
- S Quin Blanding, K Elliott Fry, CB Dominique Hatfield, TE Temarrick Hemingway, WR Damion Jeanpiere, T Tyler Marz, T Aaron Monteiro, RB Marcus Murphy, LB Sione Teuhema
Denver Broncos
- OT Ka’John Armstrong, WR Trinity Benson, OLB Malik Carney, TE Bug Howard, S PJ Locke, WR Kelvin McKnight, RB Khalfani Muhammad, S Tyvis Powell, QB Brett Rypien, DL Jay-Tee Tiuli
Indianapolis Colts
- WR Zach Pascal, TE Mo Alie-Cox, K Chase McLaughlin
New York Giants
- FB George Aston, WR Alex Bachman, DB Derrick Baity, RB Jon Hilliman, LS Drew Scott, P Sean Smith, C Tanner Volson, WR Reggie White, DE Kevin Wilkins, OT Nate Wozniak
New York Jets
- P Ian Berryman, LB Ahmad Gooden, WR Keon Hatcher, DE Bronson Kaufusi, OL Corbin Kaufusi, OL Brad Lundblade, OL James Murray, LB Wyatt Ray, QB Mike White
Pittsburgh Steelers
- QB J.T. Barrett, WR Jamal Custis, OT Christian DiLauro, OT Derwin Gray, WR Quadree Henderson, S Tray Matthews, DE Henry Mondeaux, CB Alexander Myres, TE Kevin Rader, TE Christian Scotland-Williamson, RB Ralph Webb
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- C Anthony Fabiano, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter, CB Herb Miller
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/30/19
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR A.J. Richardson
- Placed on PS-IR: WR Johnnie Dixon
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DE Jonathan Wynn
- Released: DT Ray Smith
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB B.J. Bello
- Released: LB Brady Sheldon
Houston Texans
- Signed: DB Jonathan Owens
- Released: S Austin Exford
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB D.J. White
Texans Trim Roster To 53
The Texans made a flurry of roster moves to get down to 53 players today. Among the notable names that were cut was former Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun. Boddy-Calhoun started at least seven games for Cleveland in each of the past three seasons, but couldn’t crack Houston’s roster after signing a one-year deal back in March.
Receiver Chad Hansen, a fourth-round pick of the Jets in 2017, was also let go. He’s bounced around the league ever since New York cut bait after just one season. Houston also cut ties with reserve pass-rusher Joel Heath. An undrafted rookie in 2016, Heath started 15 games for the Texans across his first two years in the league.
Here are the rest of the players who failed to make the team:
Waived:
WR Floyd Allen
OLB Jesse Aniebonam
CB Derrick Baity Jr.
OLB Davin Bellamy
OLB Jamal Davis II
T Christian DiLauro
NT Javi Edwards
RB Karan Higdon Jr.
T Rick Leonard
WR Steven Mitchell Jr.
CB Jermaine Ponder
OLB Gimel President
G Malcolm Pridgeon
G Maurquice Shakir
WR Jester Weah
Placed on IR:
QB Joe Webb III
Texans Sign 20 UDFAs
The Texans have signed all but one member of their seven-prospect draft class, and they’ve added to that crop by inking the following undrafted free agents:
- Jesse Aniebonam, LB (Maryland)
- Derrick Baity, CB (Kentucky)
- D.J. Coker, C (Rhodes College)
- Damarea Crockett, RB (Missouri)
- Jamal Davis, LB (Akron)
- Johnnie Dixon, WR (Ohio State)
- Johnny Dwight, DE (Alabama)
- Javier Edwards, DT (Colorado)
- Austin Exford, S (Appalachian State)
- Karan Higdon, RB (Michigan)
- Albert Huggins, DE (Clemson)
- Chris Johnson, S (North Alabama)
- Tyron Johnson, WR (Oklahoma State)
- Drew Lewis, LB (Colorado)
- Ira Lewis, DE (Baylor)
- Stephen Louis, WR (North Carolina State)
- Chase Middleton, LB (Georgia State)
- Walter Palmore, DT (Missouri)
- Malcolm Pridgeon, G (Ohio State)
- Dexter Wright, LB (North Carolina State)
Higdon could have a path to a roster spot in Houston. The Texans used a seventh-round pick on Texas A&M running back Cullen Gillaspia, but the only other running backs competing for time behind starter Lamar Miller are D’Onta Foreman (who saw only seven carries in 2018 while recovering from a torn Achilles), Josh Ferguson, and Buddy Howell.
The Texans gave significant guarantees to several of their UDFAs, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Higdon received a $45 base salary and a $5K signing bonus, Crockett got a $35K base salary guarantee with a $10K signing bonus, and Pridgeon received a $35K base salary with an $8K signing bonus.
Huggins received a $35K base salary guarantee with a $5K signing bonus, Palmore got a $30K base salary guarantee with a $10K signing bonus and Davis will collect a $30K base salary guarantee with a $7K signing bonus.
Chris Johnson received a $25K base salary guarantee and a $10K signing bonus, Tyron Johnson got a $30K base salary guarantee and a $5K signing bonus, and Dixon will collect a $40K base salary guarantee and a $10K signing bonus.