Texans To Acquire P Kai Kroeger From Saints
Punter action has been plentiful during the first two days of free agency. Now, we have a punter trade to process. The Saints are sending their punter — Kai Kroeger — to the Texans, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
[RELATED: Saints, P Ryan Wright Agree To Deal]
Kroeger and a 2028 seventh-round pick are headed to Houston, while New Orleans will receive a 2028 sixth-rounder. As a former UDFA, Kroeger is extension-eligible. Two years remain on Kroeger’s rookie contract; he punted in 17 games for the Saints as a rookie.
The South Carolina product initially joined the Jets as a UDFA but he was waived in late July. He was subsequently scooped up by the Saints, who were quick to make him their starting punter. The rookie was relatively productive in 2025, averaging 44.8 yards on his 56 punts, 18 of which landed inside the 20. While it wasn’t entirely his fault, Kroeger finished tied for the league-lead with two blocked punts.
However, the Saints pivoted at the position yesterday when they signed former Vikings punter Ryan Wright. That made Kroeger expendable, and now the sophomore is on his way to Houston. The Texans leaned on Tommy Townsend over the past two seasons, but the free agent apparently won’t be back in Houston for a third year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Henry Black
- Waived: WR Makai Polk
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DE Kameron Cline
- Waived/injured: DE Hayden Harris
- Activated from active/PUP: RT Spencer Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Chase Cota
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Garrett Nelson
- Reverted to IR: LB Johnny Walker
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Tre Herndon, CB Duke Shelley
- Released: TE Albert Okwuegbunam
- Placed on IR: CB David Long Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from active/PUP: LB Dennis Gardeck
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OL Matt Nelson
- Waived/injured: DE Alex Williams
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/PUP: WR Mack Hollins
- Placed on IR: OT Yasir Durant
New Orleans Saints
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- Signed: P Kai Kroeger
- Waived: QB Hunter Dekkers
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from active/NFI: G Isaac Seumalo
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: QB Carter Bradley, WR Marquez Callaway, WR Andy Isabella
- Released: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- Waived: OL Sebastian Gutierrez, WR Malik Knowles, S Jaylen Mahoney
- Activated from active/NFI: OL Ben Bartch
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Keydrain Calligan
- Waived: DT Thor Griffith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jaden Smith
- Waived/injured: S Marcus Banks, RB D.J. Williams
Washington Commanders
- Activated from active/NFI: OL Tim McKay
The Colts added some experienced cornerback depth today in Tre Herndon and Duke Shelley. Herndon had a long stint in Jacksonville, starting 34 of his 83 appearances with the organization. Shelley has bounced around the league a bit, with his longest stint coming in Chicago between 2019 and 2021. Both players were limited to one appearance each during the 2024 campaign.
The 49ers made a long list of moves today, most notably to their wide receiver depth. Marquez Callaway was limited to two games in Tampa Bay last season, but he compiled 698 receiving yards and six touchdowns as recently as 2021. Andy Isabella has only gotten into 13 total games over the past four years, hauling in five receptions over that span. They’ll be taking the roster spots previously held by former Bears starter Equanimeous St. Brown and former Kansas State standout Malik Knowles.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/25
Here are Sunday’s minor transactions to close out the weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Steven Gilmore
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from active/NFI list: TE Dawson Knox, WR Laviska Shenault
Detroit Lions
- Released (with injury designation): CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: RB Amar Johnson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from active/PUP list: T Jawaan Taylor, TE Tre Watson
New York Jets
- Claimed off waivers (from Dolphins): CB Ryan Cooper Jr.
- Waived: P Kai Kroeger
Arizona is adding the brother of Stephon Gilmore after placing two cornerbacks on injured reserve earlier today. Thomas-Oliver was released by the Lions a day after suffering a hamstring injury in practice. He had returned to practice only three days ago from the active/non-football injury list.
Jets Release P Thomas Morstead
The Jets added a low-profile punter recently, and they are removing their incumbent from the competition. The team is releasing veteran Thomas Morstead, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy.
Morstead spent the past two seasons as the Jets’ punter. The team has since announced the release, along with the signing of Kai Kroeger.
Austin McNamara, a 2024 UDFA, signed with the Jets in March. With McNamara not playing in a regular-season game last year, that move did not generate much attention. But the Jets did make sweeping changes since re-signing Morstead in 2024, replacing the Joe Douglas–Robert Saleh regime with the Darren Mougey–Aaron Glenn partnership. The new power brokers appear to be planning a competition between two far less experienced punters.
Not part of the Jets’ initial 15-man UDFA class, Kroeger joined the team Tuesday after a five-year career as South Carolina’s punter. Kroeger punted in 61 games for the Gamecocks from 2020-24; his best gross average came last season (47.8). McNamara served as Texas Tech’s punter from 2019-23, joining Kroeger in taking advantage of the COVID-19 year. McNamara averaged a career-best 48.2 yards per boot in 2021.
This is the third time the Jets have released Morstead. They cut him midway through the 2021 season and then did make a procedural release upon setting its roster in 2023. Morstead re-signed with the Jets shortly after they sorted out other roster issues and punted in every game for the team over the past two seasons. The former Saints Super Bowl-winning specialist averaged 48.8 yards per punt in 2023 — his most since a Pro Bowl 2012 season (mostly spent indoors) — and posted a 47.2-yard number last year.
The Jets, who had re-signed Morstead on a two-year deal worth $5.1MM in 2024, will save $2.55MM in cap space by cutting him this time. He was due to make a $2.13MM base salary. McNamara and Kroeger will be on league-minimum numbers. With neither having played in an NFL game, the Jets going with another free agent could also transpire. Either way, Morstead is a free agent again at 39. It will be interesting to see if he can secure an opportunity to play a 17th NFL season.