Jets Make 23 Moves, Reach 53-Man Limit
The Jets waived 17 players, released three, placed two on the suspended list, and waived/injured one player in order to reach the 53-man maximum. Here’s the complete breakdown:
Waived:
- Anthony Firkser, RB
- Romar Morris, RB
- Jahad Thomas, RB
- Frankie Hammond, WR
- Gabe Marks, WR
- Dan Williams, WR
- Alex Balducci, OL
- Chris Bordelon, OL
- Ben Braden, OL
- Javarius Leamon, OL
- Patrick Gamble, DL
- Deon Simon, DL
- Lawrence Thomas, DL
- Frank Beltre, LB
- Connor Harris, LB
- Xavier Coleman, DB
- Robenson Therezie, DB
Reserve/Suspended:
- Jalin Marshall, WR (reserve/suspended)
- Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE (reserve/suspended)
Waived/Injured:
- Lucky Whitehead, WR (waived/injured)
Released:
- Kenbrell Thompkins, WR (released)
- Shamarko Thomas, DB (released)
- Tanner Purdum, LS (released)
Purdum was the longest-tenured player on the Jets’ roster, but he wasn’t performing up to standards this offseason. When the Jets acquired long snapper Thomas Hennessy in a trade with the Colts in late August, it was clear that Purdum’s time with the organization was coming to a close.
Jets Sign WR Kenbrell Thompkins
The Jets have signed wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins. To make room, the team waived/injured safety Doug Middleton. 
Thompkins may have a shot at sticking on the roster after the Jets saw Quincy Enunwa suffer a season-ending neck injury and return specialist Lucky Whitehead went down with a broken foot. Right now, things are pretty dire in New York with Robby Anderson, Marquess Wilson, Charone Peake, and rookies ArDarius Stewart and Chad Hansen atop the depth chart. Jalin Marshall won’t be able to join the team until October thanks to his four-game ban.
Thompson spent time with the Jets in 2015 and totaled 17 passes for 165 yards. His best NFL season was his first – he had 32 grabs for 466 yards and four scores with the Patriots in 2013.
Jets Auditioning WR Kenbrell Thompkins
He’s not quite Eric Decker, but he could help fill a roster spot at wide receiver. The Jets are auditioning Kenbrell Thompkins this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Thompkins, like former Jaguars running back Denard Robinson, will participate in the Jets’ three-day mandatory minicamp. If Thompkins performs well, he could get a shot at joining the team’s preseason roster.
Thompkins is perhaps best known for his time with the Patriots, but he has also spent time with the Jets and Raiders in the past. Gang Green met with Thompkins in late May and they apparently liked him enough to loop him back in for practice this week.
In 2013 with New England, he caught 32 passes for 466 yards and four scores. In the next season, he split time with the Patriots and Raiders and didn’t have quite the same level of success (21 catches, 262 yards). After a forgettable 2015 effort with the Jets, we did not see Thompkins in live NFL action in 2016.
Jets Meet With WR Kenbrell Thompkins
Free agent wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins visited the Jets today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Thompkins spent time with the Jets in 2015 and was slated to return to the team in 2016 before suffering a season-ending injury.
Thompkins is perhaps best known for his time with the Patriots. In 2013, he caught 32 of the 69 passes sent in his direction for 466 yards and four scores. In the next season, he split time with the Patriots and Raiders and didn’t have quite the same level of success (21 catches, 262 yards). His 2015 season with the Jets saw him catch 17 passes for 165 yards, which was enough to convince the team to give him a restricted free agent tender.
The Jets made a move at wide receiver earlier this week when they waived/injured wide receiver Devin Smith and re-signed Deshon Foxx. The Jets have presently have 13 receivers on the 90-man roster, including Eric Decker, Quincy Enunwa, free agent pickup Quinton Patton, and 2017 draft picks ArDarius Stewart and Chad Hansen.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/12/16
Today’s minor moves:
- Cornerback Cody Riggs is now back with the Titans after being waived last week, as Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com reports (Twitter link). To create a roster spot, Tennessee has waived third quarterback Alex Tanney, tweets Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.
- The Cowboys announced that they’ve waived cornerback Dax Swanson, who signed with the club in June.
- The following players have been released from their respective teams’ injured reserve list with an injury settlement (all Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless noted): Buccaneers TE Kivon Cartwright (link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times), Cardinals LB Tristan Okpalaugo (link), Colts CB D’Joun Smith (link), Jets WR Kenbrell Thompkins (link), Giants T Jake Rodgers (link), Packers C Kyle Steuck (link), Texans C Dalton Freeman (link via Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com).
- The Ravens also released wide receiver Michael Campanaro with an injury settlement, but they expect to re-sign him for the second half of the season, tweets Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun.
RFA/ERFA Signings: 4/18/16
We’ll round the latest news on restricted and exclusive-rights free agents here…
- Wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins has signed his restricted free agent tender with the Jets, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Thompkins, a former Patriot and Raider, appeared in seven games for New York last season, hauling in 19 passes.
- Bills defensive tackle Corbin Bryant has signed his RFA tender, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WKBW. Bryant said in February that he was hoping to be retained by Buffalo, and for now, he’ll get his wish.
- The Raiders broadcasted a series of moves today, announcing that quarterback Matt McGloin has signed his second-round RFA tender, while defensive lineman Denico Autry, tight end Gabe Holmes, safety Tevin McDonald, receiver Seth Roberts, and Korey Toomer all signed their ERFA tenders (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle).
- Center Patrick Lewis has signed his restricted free agent tender with the Seahawks, who also announced that they’ve re-signed exclusive-rights free agents Cooper Helfet (TE), Mohammed Seisay (CB), and Steven Terrell (S).
- The Vikings announced that fullback Zach Line has signed his RFA tender. Line tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he always knew he’d re-sign with Minnesota, he just hadn’t been in the area to physically sign the deal.
- Center Braxston Cave, defensive end Brandon Copeland, and safety Isaiah Johnson all signed their ERFA tenders with the Lions, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
- The Chiefs have re-signed safety Daniel Sorensen and defensive end Nick Williams, each of whom signed his exclusive-rights tender, per Howard Balzer of USA Today (Twitter link).
- Linebacker Will Compton has signed his ERFA tender with Washington, tweets Balzer.
Jets Re-Sign Kellen Davis, Kenbrell Thompkins
The Jets may not have a starting quarterback lined up for the 2016 season yet, but they’ve brought back a pair of pass catchers from their 2015 squad. Pro Football Talk reports (via Twitter) that tight end Kellen Davis has signed a new one-year deal with the Jets, while Rand Getlin of the NFL Network tweets that wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins has signed his RFA tender.
Davis, 30, caught just three balls in his first season with the Jets, but he started nine games for the team and played more offensive snaps than any other tight end on the roster. With Jace Amaro returning from a season-ending injury in 2016, Davis may see his role reduced, but I’d expect him to continue to get a decent amount of blocking work.
As for Thompkins, the 27-year-old received a promotion from the Jets’ practice squad last October and played a role for the club down the stretch. For the season, the former Patriot recorded a modest 165 yards through the air on 17 receptions, but the Jets liked him enough to assign him a contract tender worth $1.671MM, despite their relative lack of cap room.
With Jeremy Kerley having been released earlier this month, Thompkins may get an opportunity to compete for the slot receiver job on the Jets’ offense.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
RFA Tender Decisions: 3/9/16
Unrestricted free agent news will obviously dominate the day, but several clubs also had to make decisions on whether to offer tenders to restricted free agents. We’ll round up those decisions here:
Tendered
- Buccaneers – Bradley McDougald, S (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
- Second-round tender (Twitter link via Auman)
- Jets – Kenbrell Thompkins, WR (Twitter link via Rand Getlin of NFL.com)
- Packers – Justin Perillo, TE (Twitter link via Wes Hodges of the Green Bay Press Gazette)
- Rams – Benny Cunningham, RB (Twitter link via Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com)
- Ravens – Chase Ford, TE (Twitter link via Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun)
- Saints – Josh Hill, TE; Tim Lelito, C (Twitter links via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com)
Non-Tendered
- 49ers – Tony Jerod-Eddie, DL (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com)
- Bears – Patrick Omameh, G; LaRoy Reynolds, LB; Deonte Thompson, WR (Twitter link via Kevin Fishbain of ChicagoFootball.com)
- Bills – Stefan Charles, DT; Ty Powell, LB; Bacarri Rambo, S (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com)
- Chargers – Cordarro Law, LB; Brandian Ross, S; Damion Square, DL; Johnnie Troutman, G (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune)
- Colts – Dan Herron, RB (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of FOX 59)
- Falcons – Nathan Stupar, LB (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com)
- Lions – Tim Wright, TE (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press)
- Packers – Andy Mulumba, LB (Twitter link via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
- Patriots – Kevin Hughes, T; Sealver Siliga, DL; Brian Tyms, WR (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
- Rams – Chase Reynolds, RB (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch ); Daren Bates, S and Brian Folkerts, C (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com )
- Ravens – Marlon Brown, WR; Micajah Reynolds, DT; Brynden Trawick, S (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle and Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun)
- Seahawks – Alvin Bailey, OL; Derrick Coleman, FB; Ricardo Lockette, WR; Christine Michael, RB; Nick Moody, LB (Twitter links via Greg Bell of the News Tribune and Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle)
- Steelers – Terence Garvin, LB (Twitter link via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- Washington – Tom Compton, T (Twitter link via Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com)
Jets To Promote Kenbrell Thompkins
The Jets will sign wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins from their practice squad to their active roster, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Thompkins will give the Jets another wide receiver after Quincy Enunwa was hit with a four-game suspension.
Thompkins, 26, stuck with the Patriots in 2013 after being signed as an undrafted free agent, impressing at times during his rookie campaign. He caught 32 passes for 466 yards and four touchdowns in eight starts last season, but wasn’t a major part of New England’s passing attack in early 2014, and was cut just a few weeks into the season. The Raiders then acted quickly to claim him. In 12 games for Oakland, Thompkins caught 15 passes for 209 yards. However, the Raiders cut Thompkins loose in late August.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/5/15
Here are Monday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Ronald Patrick (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal)
- Cut: OL Andrew McDonald
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Earl Okine (press release)
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Kenbrell Thompkins (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post)
- Cut: WR Walter Powell
St. Louis Rams
- Signed: DT Doug Worthington (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Washington:
- Signed: WR Issac Blakeney, LB Lynden Trail (press release)
- Cut: LB Sage Harold