Falcons To Sign DB Darnay Holmes
Veteran defensive back Darnay Holmes will leave Las Vegas after two seasons. The former Giants regular is signing with the Falcons, NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweets. It is a one-year deal.
Working as a role player with the Raiders, Holmes will join Jeff Ulbrich‘s defense as a potential AJ Terrell complementary piece. Contributing mostly as a slot cornerback, Holmes is a six-year NFL veteran with 12 starts on his resume.
The Falcons have an emerging slot presence in second-year cog Billy Bowman, but he is coming off an Achilles tear sustained in late November. That could affect the Oklahoma product’s availability for Week 1. At the very least, Bowman will miss offseason time and potentially begin training camp on the active/PUP list.
Holmes, 27, did not initially join the Raiders until being waived by the Giants in August 2024. He logged 28% and 21% snap shares on defense during his two Vegas seasons. The Raiders’ previous two coaching staffs used Holmes mostly in the slot. The Giants, who gave Holmes a 59% snap share (featuring a career-high 468 slot snaps) during their 2022 playoff season, concurred with that plan.
Atlanta has Mike Hughes and Clark Phillips as tentative options alongside Terrell, though the team’s new regime should be expected to make another notable addition on the perimeter this offseason. Holmes is set to be a slot option while Bowman recovers.
In other Falcons contract news, the team will have its next kicker — Nick Folk — tied to a two-year, $9MM deal, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Of that total, $4MM is guaranteed. No guaranteed money is in place beyond 2026, giving Atlanta an easier out after Folk’s 42nd birthday. Linebacker Christian Harris will be tied to a one-year, $2.75MM base value on his Atlanta contract, Wilson adds. Of that total, $1.99MM is fully guaranteed.
Linebacker Troy Andersen‘s recent rework will come out to a one-year, $1.22MM deal (via Wilson). The parties reached this agreement after the 2022 second-round pick spent last season on Atlanta’s reserve/PUP list. Edge rusher Cameron Thomas is joining the Falcons on a one-year, $3.1MM pact, Wilson tweets, indicating $1.5MM is fully guaranteed. Defensive tackle LaCale London agreed to join the team on a one-year, $2.75MM accord that includes, per Wilson, $750K guaranteed in the form of a signing bonus.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from active/NFI: CB Cobee Bryant, DL LaCale London
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Ja’seem Reed
- Released from active/PUP (injury settlement): WR Dan Chisena
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: C Bucky Williams
- Waived: C Brady Latham
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Christian Matthew
- Waived: WR Kelvin Harmon
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Jacob Saylors
- Waived/injured: TE Luke Deal
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/PUP: TE Austin Hooper
New York Giants
- Placed on active/PUP: LB Victor Dimukeje
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Liam Fornadel, RB Lawrance Toafili
- Waived/injured: C Gus Hartwig
- Waived from reserve/retired: RB Zach Evans
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Ife Adeyi
- Waived/injured: WR Danny Gray
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DT Domenique Davis, TE Kevin Foelsch, RB Lew Nichols
- Waived/injured: WR Montana Lemonious-Craig, LB Jeremiah Moon
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Jaylon Allen
- Placed on IR: DL Tarron Jackson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Thor Griffith
- Waived: NT Justin Rogers
There was a scary moment at 49ers practice earlier this week, as 49ers defensive lineman Tarron Jackson was carted off the field on a stretcher after suffering a neck injury. Fortunately, the player has since been released from the hospital (per Vic Tafur of The Athletic), but his placement on IR means he won’t suit up during the upcoming campaign. A former Eagles draft pick, Jackson got into three games with the Panthers in 2024 before joining the 49ers practice squad late in the season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Troy Andersen
- Released: DB Kevin King
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Cobee Bryant, DL LaCale London, LB Malik Verdon
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S Alex Cook
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Cornell Armstrong, OL Obinna Eze
- Waived: OL Tedi Kushi
- Placed on IR: CB Artie Burns
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Tanner McCalister
- Released: LB Jared Bartlett
Philadelphia Eagles
- Reverted to IR: OL Marcus Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on active/NFI list: G Isaac Seumalo
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Quintez Cephus
- Waived: RB Israel Abanikanda
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: G Michael Jordan, OL Tyler McLellan
- Waived/injured: OL Silas Dzansi
- Placed on reserve/retired list: OT Garret Greenfield
Washington Commanders
- Extended: S Percy Butler
Following rumblings yesterday that Artie Burns may have suffered a season-ending injury, the bad news was confirmed today, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Dolphins cornerback indeed suffered a torn ACL. It’s a tough break for the veteran, who’s looking to revive his NFL career after being limited to only four games with the Seahawks last season. The Dolphins were quick to sign a replacement, as Miami signed Cornell Armstrong. A former sixth-round pick by the Dolphins, Armstrong last appeared in an NFL game in 2022, when he started four of his nine games for the Falcons.
The Buccaneers did some shuffling on their offensive line today. In comes a pair of lineman: Michael Jordan, who started 11 games for the Patriots last season, and Tyler McLellan, a six-foot-eight, 355-pound lineman out of Campbell. Garret Greenfield, a UDFA in the 2024 draft, has apparently decided to hang up his cleats, and the team also moved on from Silas Dzansi with an injury designation.
The Commanders were looking ahead to 2026 today, as the team added an extra year to Percy Butler‘s contract. The former fourth-round pick has had some run in the starting lineup, including a 2023 season where he started 13 games while compiling 64 tackles and eight passes defended. He started five of 17 games in 2024 while establishing himself as one of Washington’s special teams aces.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 11/17/25
Friday’s reserve/futures contracts around the league:
Atlanta Falcons
- G Matt Cindric, DT LaCale London
Buffalo Bills
Minnesota Vikings
- WR Jeshaun Jones, CB Nahshon Wright
New York Jets
- WR Pokey Wilson
Seattle Seahawks
Washington Commanders
- CB Allan George, WR Mike Strachan
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC South
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 Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints moves are noted below.
Atlanta Falcons
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Chris Blair, CB Natrone Brooks, S Dane Cruikshank, OL Julién Davenport, WR Dylan Drummond, TE John FitzPatrick, DL Demone Harris, CB Kevin King, DT Zion Logue, DL LaCale London, WR Jesse Matthews, OL Andrew Stueber, RB Carlos Washington Jr.
Carolina Panthers
Signed:
Claimed:
- CB Shemar Bartholomew, CB Tariq Castro-Fields, CB Keenan Isaac, LB Jon Rhattigan, LB Jamie Sheriff
Waived:
- WR Jalen Coker
Waived from IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- G Mason Brooks, RB Mike Boone, S Alex Cook, LB Kenny Dyson, TE Jordan Matthews, QB Jack Plummer, DL T.J. Smith, DL Walter Palmore, LB Chandler Wooten
New Orleans Saints
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- S Johnathan Abram, S Ugo Amadi, WR Kevin Austin, S Millard Bradford, LB Isaiah Stalbird, TE Treyton Welch
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Signed:
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- S Marcus Banks, DL C.J. Brewer, DL Mike Greene, LB Antonio Grier, OLB Daniel Grzesiak, OL Luke Haggard, LB Vi Jones, QB Michael Pratt, WR Sterling Shepard, TE Tanner Taula, P Seth Vernon, RB D.J. Williams, S Rashad Wisdom
Falcons Reduce Roster To 53
Here are the Falcons’ Tuesday moves which brought the team’s roster to 53 ahead of the cutdown deadline:
Released:
- CB Dane Cruikshank
- T Julien Davenport
- DE Demone Harris
- CB Kevin King
Waived:
- WR Chris Blair
- CB Natrone Brooke
- RB Spencer Brown
- WR Dylan Drummond
- LB Milo Eifler (injury designation)
- DT Prince Emili
- TE John FitzPatrick
- WR O.J. Hiliare
- CB Anthony Johnson
- DT Zion Logue
- DT LaCale London
- WR Jesse Matthews
- LB Kenny Oginni
- CB Jayden Price
- OL Andrew Stueber
- S Tre Tarpley
- CB Josh Thompson (injury designation)
- DT Tommy Togiai
- RB Carlos Washington
- OL Barry Wesley
Placed on IR (designated for return):
Taylor Heinicke was widely believed to be on the trade block, and it would have come as little surprise if the veteran passer had been released. Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins in free agency and drafted Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall in April. Those two are set to handle starting and backup duties in 2024 (and beyond, if things go according to plan), which suggested Heinicke was expendable. Instead, he will prepare for a second season with the Falcons.
King’s efforts to return to regular NFL action included a contract with the Falcons in March. The former Packers corner sat out the 2022 season while rehabbing multiple injuries. Last year, an Achilles tear forced him to miss another campaign. He was unable to carve out a roster spot in Atlanta, but as a vested veteran he will immediately hit free agency without needing to pass through waivers.
A number of recent draftees are included in the list of players being waived. As a former UDFA, Blair does not meet that criteria but his inclusion is a surprise. The 26-year-old was a standout in the preseason, and ESPN’s Marc Raimondi notes Atlanta is interested is retaining him via the practice squad. The same will no doubt be true of Logue, a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft.
Teams are allowed to designate two players to return from IR without naming them to the 53-man roster. A number of teams have taken advantage of that new rule today, and in Atlanta’s case it means Hellams will not occupy a spot for the time being. The earliest he can be activated is Week 5.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/23
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: TE Blake Whiteheart
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: DL LaCale London
- Released: DL Eli Ankou
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: LB Cory Littleton
New England Patriots
- Released: DE Trey Flowers
- Waived: QB Malik Cunningham
New York Giants
- Claimed (from Browns): RB Deon Jackson
- Placed on IR: RB Eric Gray, T Matt Peart
New York Jets
- Promoted: DB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
Roster gymnastics at quarterback continues for the Patriots, who will again take the chance no one will claim Cunningham. New England waived the rookie UDFA in August and stashed him on its practice squad, and ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss notes that is likely to happen again — provided no team claims him. The Pats promoted the Louisville product earlier this month, but after playing him in Week 6, they sat him in Week 7. Although the Patriots designated Flowers for return from IR on Oct. 4, they will cut ties with their former starter rather than use a roster spot on his activation by Wednesday.
The Giants have now added two running backs this week, with Jackson following Jashaun Corbin‘s return from the Panthers’ practice squad. Injuries to Gray and Gary Brightwell led to these moves. Gray sustained a calf injury in Week 7, leading the Giants to insert veteran Sterling Shepard as their punt returner. Shepard muffed a punt that led to the Commanders’ only score. Peart had operated as a backup tackle. He joins Andrew Thomas‘ initial replacement, Joshua Ezeudu, on IR. Guard Shane Lemieux is also on IR.
The Texans initially released Littleton due to roster-reorganizing purposes, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, but the offseason pickup remains in the team’s plans. Houston cut Littleton to make room for waiver claim Myjai Sanders, but after waiving cornerback D’Angelo Ross on Monday, the team is re-signing the veteran linebacker. Littleton, 30, played sparingly in the Texans’ six games this season, logging only 17 defensive snaps.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23
Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from NFI list: CB Garrett Williams
- Elevated: RB Damien Williams, CB Bobby Price
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: DL Lacale London, TE Tucker Fisk
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: S DeAndre Houston-Carson
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: DT Kendal Vickers
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: OL Doug Kramer
- Elevated: CB Joejuan Williams
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: RB Deon Jackson
- Elevated: QB P.J. Walker, LB Charlie Thomas
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: TE Greg Dulcich
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DE Josh Paschal
- Released: TE Darrell Daniels
- Elevated: RBs Mohamed Ibrahim, Devine Ozigbo
Green Bay Packers
- Released: OLB Justin Hollins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: QB Nathan Rourke
Kansas City Chiefs
- Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Cornell Armstrong
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Keelan Doss, S Mark Webb
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner
New England Patriots
- Elevated: WR Jalen Reagor, DT Trysten Hill
New York Giants
- Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, G Jalen Mayfield
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: C Joey Hunt
- Waived: OL Ben Brown
- Elevated: WR Easop Winston, RB SaRodorick Thompson
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Abdullah Anderson, CB Tariq Castro-Fields
Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.
The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/14/23
Here are today’s minor transactions heading into the Week 6 weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: OL Dennis Daley
- Elevated: CB Bobby Price, RB Damien Williams
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: S Micah Abernathy, DT LaCale London
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: RB Keaton Mitchell
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: LB Baylon Spector
- Elevated: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: CB Kyler Gordon (story)
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: CB Khalil Dorsey
- Signed to active roster: T Dan Skipper
- Elevated: RB Devine Ozigbo
- Placed on IR: RB Zonovan Knight, CB Emmanuel Moseley (story)
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: WR Noah Brown
- Elevated: CB D’Angelo Ross
- Waived: CB Alex Austin
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Tyler Hall, G Netane Muti
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: DT Marquise Copeland, DT Cory Durden
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: G Robert Jones
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: RB Jordan Mims
- Elevated: TE J.P. Holtz, S Daniel Sorensen
- Placed on IR: FB Adam Prentice
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: G Jalen Mayfield
- Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, G Justin Pugh
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: LB Nakobe Dean
- Elevated: WR Devon Allen, CB Mekhi Garner
- Placed on IR: WR Quez Watkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: CB Shemar Jean-Charles, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: WR Cody Thompson
- Placed on IR: CB Coby Bryant
Dean took the starting role the Eagles had in store for him in Week 1, but a foot injury interrupted his second NFL campaign. The 22-year-old was poised to return ahead of Sunday’s game by returning to practice earlier this week, though, and a first-team role is expected to await him upon suiting up. Dean taking on a heavy workload will relegate Nicholas Morrow (who was promoted from the practice squad) to backup duty despite the latter’s strong performances so far.
Seattle has seen fellow corners Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen enjoy considerable success, but the team’s secondary will be shorthanded without Bryant. The latter will miss at least the next four weeks as a result of the IR move as he recovers from a toe injury. The 2022 fourth-rounder, who has seen his defensive snap share jump from 65% to 77% this year, has not played since Week 2.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC South
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 Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints moves are noted below.
Atlanta Falcons
Signed:
Claimed:
Waived:
- OL Josh Miles
Signed to practice squad:
- DB Micah Abernathy, DB Natrone Brooks, DL Timmy Horne, RB Godwin Igwebuike, DL LaCale London, OL Justin Shaffer, WR Matthew Sexton, OL Tyler Vrabel, OL Barry Wesley, LB Andre Smith, TE Parker Hesse, TE Tucker Fisk, WR Xavier Malone, DL Kemoko Turay
Carolina Panthers
Claimed:
- LB Claudin Cherelus, DB D’Shawn Jamison, T Calvin Throckmorton
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- OL Deonte Brown, RB Spencer Brown, OL J.D. DiRenzo, OL Justin McCray, OLB Eku Leota, CB Mark Milton, DB Eric Rowe, T David Sharpe, DT Taylor Stallworth, OLB Jordan Thomas, DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver, DT Raequan Williams
New Orleans Saints
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- S Jonathan Abram, WR Lynne Bowden, LB Ryan Connelly, WR Shaquan Davis, OL Mark Evans, DT Jack Heflin, CB Anthony Johnson, WR Jontre Kirklin, G Tommy Kraemer, DE Niko Lalos, RB Ellis Marriweather, T Storm Norton, LB Anfernee Orji, DE Kyle Phillips, LB Jaylon Smith (story), LB Ty Summers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, DL C.J. Brewer, OL Silas Dzansi, OL Luke Haggard, CB Keenan Isaac, WR Cephus Johnson, S Richard LeCounte, WR Ryan Miller, WR David Moore, T Raiqwon O’Neal, OLB Jose Ramirez, LB J.J. Russell, TE Tanner Taula, QB John Wolford