Kenny Willekes

Steelers Release 2 Players, Waive 9 Others

By Nikhil Mehta | at August 22, 2025 6:18 pm

The Steelers began the process of trimming their roster down to 53 players on Friday with the following 11 cuts (via a team announcement):

Released

LS Jake McQuaide
QB Logan Woodside

Waived

DB Kam Alexander
TE Kevin Foelsch
RB Evan Hull
DB Quindell Johnson
DB Kyler McMichael
OL Doug Nester
OL Julian Pearl
DB Mikey Victor
LB Kenny Willekes

McQuaide, a 14-year veteran, was unable to pry the Steelers’ long snapping job away from Christian Kuntz. The 37-year-old spent the first decade of his career with the Rams with back-t0-back Pro Bowl nods in 2016 and 2017. McQuaide then signed with the Cowboys in 2021, his last season as a full-time starter. He was used as a spot starter by the Cowboys, Lions, Vikings, and Dolphins over the last three years.

Woodside, 30, never seemed to have a chance at a 53-man roster spot with four quarterbacks ahead of him on the Steelers’ depth chart. He will likely try to land a practice squad spot next week with a team that wants to carry an extra quarterback.

McQuaide and Woodside are free to join any team’s active roster, but the other nine players will be on the waiver wire until Wednesday. Any who pass through waivers, along with the two veterans, can sign to any team’s practice squad on Wednesday as well.

NFL Minor Transactions: 8/19/25

By Ben Levine | at August 19, 2025 8:47 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Signed: WR Grant DuBose
Waived/injured: DB Te’Cory Couch, WR Kaden Prather
Placed on IR: RB Darrynton Evans, RB Jarveon Howard
Released from IR: LB Justin Hollins

Detroit Lions

Activated from active/PUP: DT Mekhi Wingo

Green Bay Packers

Reverted to IR: DL Keith Randolph

Houston Texans

Signed: WR Cornell Powell
Released: RB J.J. Taylor
Waived/injured: WR Xavier Johnson

Jacksonville Jaguars

Signed: OL Jerome Carvin, RB Kevin Harris
Waived: WR Darius Lassiter, DL Eli Mostaert
Released from IR: CB Zech McPhearson

Los Angeles Rams

Signed: OL Mike McAllister
Waived/injured: WR Mario Williams
Reverted to IR: LB Keir Thomas

Minnesota Vikings

Signed: OL Zack Bailey, RB Xazavian Valladay
Waived: LB Max Tooley

New England Patriots

Signed: RB Micah Bernard, DT Philip Blidi
Waived: CB Tre Avery, DE Jereme Robinson
Reverted to IR: DE Isaiah Iton

Pittsburgh Steelers

Signed: LB Kenny Willekes
Waived/injured: OT Gareth Warren
Reverted to IR: LB Devin Harper

San Francisco 49ers

Released from IR: RB Ameer Abdullah, WR Equanimeous St. Brown

Tennessee Titans

Released: LB Khaleke Hudson

Ameer Abdullah landed on IR earlier this month with a rib injury, but he’ll now have an opportunity to play in 2025 following his release. The veteran is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2024, when he compiled 572 yards from scrimmage in 16 games (three starts) with the Raiders. The 49ers filled his spot on the roster by signing veteran Jeff Wilson.

Equanimeous St. Brown will also have a chance to play in 2025, as the WR was previously ruled out with a foot injury. The veteran wideout only has five catches over the past two seasons.

4 comments Buffalo Bills Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars Los Angeles Rams Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Tennessee Titans Transactions Ameer Abdullah Cornell Powell Darius Lassiter Darrynton Evans Devin Harper Eli Mostaert Equanimeous St. Brown Gareth Warren Grant DuBose Isaiah Iton J.J. Taylor Jarveon Howard Jereme Robinson Jerome Carvin Justin Hollins Kaden Prather Keir Thomas Keith Randolph Kenny Willekes Kevin Harris Khaleke Hudson Mario Williams (Tulane)Max Tooley Mekhi Wingo Micah Bernard Mike McAllister Philip Blidi Te'Cory Couch Tre Avery Xavier Johnson Xazavian Valladay Zack Bailey Zech McPhearson

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/23/23

By Sam Robinson | at May 23, 2023 8:19 pm

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Green Bay Packers

Signed: WR Jadakis Bonds
Waived: TE Nick Guggemos

Minnesota Vikings

Signed: WR Lucky Jackson
Waived: DL Kenny Willekes

Seattle Seahawks

Waived: DT Robert Cooper

Jackson has toured North America’s non-NFL coalitions, playing in The Spring League, CFL and XFL over the past three years. Jackson played in The Spring League in 2021, was on the Edmonton Elks’ roster last year and was on the D.C. Defenders’ roster during the most recent XFL season. His 573 receiving yards ranked fifth in the XFL. Jackson played collegiately at Western Kentucky, finishing his Hilltoppers career with a 1,133-yard season in 2019. That season included 16- and 17-reception efforts. Jackson’s 209 catches rank second in program history. This will be his first NFL shot.

0 comments Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings Seattle Seahawks Transactions XFL Jadakis Bonds Kenny Willekes Lucky Jackson Nick Guggemos Robert Cooper

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/23

By Ben Levine | at March 14, 2023 9:59 pm

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Bills: CB Dane Jackson
Patriots: DB Myles Bryant
Seahawks: S Ryan Neal
Vikings: DE Kenny Willekes

Non-tendered:

Jets: WR Jeff Smith
Panthers: DB Myles Hartsfield

ERFAs

Tendered:

Chargers: K Cameron Dicker, OT Foster Sarell
Chiefs: TE Jody Fortson

0 comments Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New York Jets Seattle Seahawks Transactions Cameron Dicker Dane Jackson Foster Sarell Jeff Smith Jody Fortson Kenny Willekes Myles Bryant Myles Hartsfield Ryan Neal

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/3/22

By Sam Robinson | at June 3, 2022 4:28 pm

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Waived: WR Malik Williams

Houston Texans

Waived: OL Carson Green

Minnesota Vikings

Reverted to IR (after going unclaimed on waivers): DE Kenny Willekes

0 comments Buffalo Bills Houston Texans Minnesota Vikings Transactions Carson Green Kenny Willekes Malik Williams

Vikings Sign DL Jonathan Bullard, Waive DL Kenny Willekes

By Sam Robinson | at June 2, 2022 5:58 pm

Jonathan Bullard will have a chance to play for a fifth team in five years. The veteran defensive lineman agreed to a deal with the Vikings on Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Formerly a Bears third-round pick, Bullard, 28, will return to the NFC North after a fairly well-rounded tour of the conference over the past three seasons. The Florida alum spent 2019 with Cardinals, 2020 with the Seahawks and 2021 as a Falcon. He has provided a rotational presence for each team.

The six-year veteran will see multiple familiar faces on Minnesota’s staff. In Minnesota, Bullard will reunite with Ed Donatell, who was a Chicago staffer during Bullard’s three-year Bears run. Perhaps more significantly, new Vikings defensive line coach Chris Rumph was the Gators’ D-line coach during Bullard’s final Gainesville season.

As a pro, Bullard has managed to make 15 starts, having lined up as a first-stringer for three of his four NFL teams. Last season, Bullard made four starts with the Falcons. His high-water mark came with the Cards, who used him as a six-game starter. Bullard only has 3.5 career sacks and 13 tackles for loss, but the veteran interior D-lineman has hung around, playing at least 200 defensive snaps in five of his six seasons.

The Vikings added Harrison Phillips early in free agency but have not re-signed Sheldon Richardson. The team, which is moving to a 3-4 scheme for the first time in decades, drafted Esezi Otomewo in the fifth round.

To make room on their offseason roster, the Vikings waived defensive lineman Kenny Willekes with an injury designation. A 2020 seventh-round pick, Willekes played in six games last season. Despite the limited game log, the Michigan State product recorded 2.5 sacks and seven QB hits. Willekes will revert to the Vikings’ injured reserve if he clears waivers.

2 comments Minnesota Vikings Transactions Jonathan Bullard Kenny Willekes