Steelers Sign Jayrone Elliott, Waive Lavon Hooks
The Steelers are bringing in linebacker Jayrone Elliott, according to the team’s website. To accommodate the move, the team has waived Lavon Hooks.
Elliot spent most of career with the Packers, appearing in 38 games for the franchise. He’s been a football nomad since Green Bay traded him to the Cowboys in 2017 with Dallas waiving him after just one game. Since then, he’s had stints with the Saints and Dolphins as well as an appearance in the Alliance of American Football league before it shut down.
Hooks tore his Achilles this preseason, which put the writing on the wall for his release. The 27-year-old defensive tackle has yet to play in an NFL game, instead, spending most of his time on practice squads.
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC North
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Baltimore Ravens
Practice squad:
- T Randin Cornelius
- RB Gus Edwards
- DE Myles Humphrey
- G Nico Siragusa
- RB De’Lance Turner
- WR Tim White
- RB Christopher Ezeala*
- TE Darren Waller**
Cincinnati Bengals
Signed:
Practice squad:
- TE Moritz Bohringer*
- DT Andrew Brown
- RB Quinton Flowers
- TE Jordan Franks
- CB C.J. Goodwin
- QB Christian Hackenberg
- C Brad Lundblade
- T Kent Perkins
- CB KeiVarae Russell
- WR Kermit Whitfield
- LB Chris Worley
Cleveland Browns
Claimed:
- DL Carl Davis
- OL Aaron Neary
- DL Ifeadi Odenigbo
- DB Tavierre Thomas
- LB Tanner Vallejo
Cut:
- DL Jamie Meder
- DL Carl Nassib
- LB Jermaine Grace
- DB Jeremiah McKinnon
- C Austin Reiter
Pittsburgh Steelers
Practice squad:
- LB Keion Adams
- CB Brian Allen
- RB Jarvion Franklin
- WR Trey Griffey
- TE Bucky Hodges
- DE Lavon Hooks
- LB Farrington Huuenin
- WR Tevin Jones
- C Patrick Morris
- OL R.J. Prince
- TE Christian Scotland-Williamson*
* = international player
** = practice squad exception
Steelers Cut QB Landry Jones, Others
The Steelers have reached the 53-man roster limit by cutting a number of players, including quarterback Landry Jones.
Jones, 29, hasn’t played much during his six-year NFL career, as he’s attempted just 169 passes in relief of Roethlisberger. In that span, Jones has been a middling option, completing 63.9% of his passes for 1,310 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
The Steelers also placed wide receiver Eli Rogers on the Reserve/PUP List, which will keep him off of the field for at least the first six weeks of the season.
Here’s the full rundown of the Steelers’ moves:
Released:
- QB Landry Jones
- S Nat Berhe
Waived:
- P Matt Wile
- RB Jarvion Franklin
- RB James Summers
- RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
- WR Trey Griffey
- WR Quadree Henderson
- WR Tevin Jones
- TE Bucky Hodges
- TE Pharoah McKever
- TE Christian Scotland-Williamson
- OL Larson Graham
- OL Patrick Morris
- OL Oni Omoile
- OL R.J. Prince
- OL Jake Rodgers
- OL Chris Schleuger
- CB Brian Allen
- CB Dashaun Phillips
- CB Malik Reaves
- CB Jamar Summers
- LB Keion Adams
- LB Matt Galambos
- LB Farrington Huguenin
- DL Parker Cothren
- DL Joshua Frazier
- DL Greg Gilmore
- DL Lavon Hooks
- DL Casey Sayles
- DL Kendal Vickers
In addition to those moves, the Steelers designated the following players waived/injured:
- WR Damoun Patterson
- WR Marcus Tucker
- OL Joseph Cheek
- S Malik Golden
- LB Keith Kelsey
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/16/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Atlanta Falcons
- S Marcelis Branch
- CB Deante Burton
- OL Daniel Brunskill
- WR Reggie Davis
- TE Alex Gray
- QB Garrett Grayson
- DL Joey Ivie
- DL J’Terius Jones
- DL Taniela Tupou
New Orleans Saints
- LB Adam Bighill
- WR Travin Dural
- TE Alex Ellis
- CB De’Vante Harris
- DE Alex Jenkins
- OL Gabe Ikard
- LB Shayne Skov
- G Nate Theaker
- S Mykkele Thompson
- G Landon Turner
Pittsburgh Steelers
- DE Lavon Hooks
- LB Keith Kelsey
- WR Justin Thomas
- WR Marcus Tucker
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC North
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR Quincy Adeboyejo
- RB Alex Collins
- FB Ricky Ortiz
- OL Maurquice Shakir
- LB Boseko Lokombo
- TE Ryan Malleck
- DB Reggie Porter
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to practice squad:
- LB Brandon Bell
- K Jake Elliott
- OT Kent Perkins
- DT Josh Tupou
- WR Kermit Whitfield
- DT DeShawn Williams
- RB Jarveon Williams
- S Brandon Wilson
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed:
- WR Reggie Davis
- DB Michael Jordan
- DT T.Y. McGill
- WR Kasen Williams (story)
- QB Josh Woodrum
- Cut:
- WR Rashard Higgins
- DB Darius Hillary
- DL Tyrone Holmes
- DB Kai Nacua
- DB Marcus Burley
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE J.P. Holtz
- LB Deon King
- RB Terrence Magee
- DB Najee Murray
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Acquired:
- S J.J. Wilcox (story)
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR Justin Thomas
- C Kyle Friend
- TE Jake McGee
- RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
- WR Marcus Tucker
- LB Matt Galambos
- S Jacob Hagen
- DE Lavon Hooks
- LB Farrington Huguenin
- CB Dashaun Phillips
Steelers’ Roster Now At 53
The Steelers have reduced their roster to 53 players by making the following transactions:
Cut:
- WR Demarcus Ayers
- C Ruben Carter
- OL Ethan Cooper
- RB Knile Davis (story)
- CB Brandon Dixon
- C Kyle Friend
- LB Matt Galambos
- LB Austin Gearing
- CB Senquez Golson
- S Jacob Hagen
- WR Cobi Hamilton (story)
- LS Colin Holba
- DE Lavon Hooks
- QB Bart Houston
- LB Farrington Huguenin
- TE David Johnson
- LB Steven Johnson
- DE Francis Kallon
- LB Keith Kelsey
- DE Johnny Maxey
- TE Jake McGee
- OL Brian Mihalik
- OL Keavon Milton
- CB Dashaun Phillips
- DT Roy Philon
- T Jake Rodgers
- CB JaCorey Shepherd
- WR Justin Thomas
- RB Fitzgerald Toussaint (story)
- WR Marcus Tucker
- S Terrish Webb
- RB Trey Williams
Waived/injured:
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/13/17
Monday’s minor moves:
Practice squad
Atlanta Falcons
- OG Blake Muir
Reserve/Futures Deals
Pittsburgh Steelers
- DL Lavon Hooks (via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
- DL Roy Philon
Steelers Trim Roster To 53
The Steelers have reduced their roster to the league-mandated 53 players.
The following players have been cut:
- DT Lavon Hooks (Twitter link via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com)
- RB Brandon Brown–Dukes (Twitter link via Fowler)
- OG Shahbaz Ahmed
- OL Antoine Everett (Twitter link via Fowler)
- OL Matt Feiler (Twitter link via Fowler)
- OLB Travis Feeney (Twitter link via Fowler)
- DB Ray Vinopal (Twitter link via Fowler)
- DB Montell Garner (Twitter link via Fowler)
- WR DeMarcus Ayers
- WR Cobi Hamilton
- WR Marcus Tucker
- RB Cameron Stingily
- OL Wade Hansen
- CB Doran Grant
- CB Al-Hajj Shabazz
- CB Donald Washington
- DL Caushaud Lyons
- DL Johnny Maxey
- LB Steven Johnson
- LB Jermauria Rasco
- QB Bryn Renner
- TE Paul Lang (waived/injured)
As Fowler observes, the Steelers’ recent wave of offensive lineman cuts could be good news for B.J. Finney, who came into today firmly on the roster bubble. Feiler, like Feeney, is a practice squad candidate.
Hooks, an Ole Miss product, was signed by the Packers as a UDFA following the 2015 draft, but Green Bay cut him last August as part of the 75-man cutdown. He caught on with the Steelers in February, and at least made it to the final cutdown day, so that qualifies as progress.
Ahmed was part of the Falcons’ crop of UDFAs this year but was waived by Atlanta last month. The Temple product made the switch from defensive lineman to offensive lineman during his junior year, and he started 12 of 13 games at left guard for the feel-good Owls last year.
Rory Parks contributed to this post
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/16/16
Here are the latest minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:
- The Cardinals announced a pair of signings today in a press release, confirming that they’ve re-signed safety Chris Clemons and added Australian Rules Football player Joel Wilkinson. A former starter in the Dolphins’ secondary, Clemons hasn’t seen much playing time since joining the Cardinals in 2014, but the team likes him enough to bring him back for a third season. As for Wilkinson, he’ll try to follow in the footsteps of Jarryd Hayne, who earned a spot on the 49ers’ roster last year after coming over from Australia. Wilkinson will play cornerback.
- The Steelers signed long snapper Matt Dooley and defensive tackle Lavon Hooks while cutting tight end Rob Blanchflower and offensive tackles Kelvin Palmer and Mitchell Van Dyk, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Falcons announced on Monday that they have waived cornerback Travis Howard and fullback Collin Mooney, two players who spent the 2015 season on the injured reserve list. Mooney last saw the field during a regular-season contest in 2013, when he appeared in 12 games for the Titans. Howard has spent time with the Patriots and Giants, but has never seen regular-season action.
- Cornerback Chance Casey, who spent more than half of the 2015 season on the Browns’ practice squad, has signed with the Jaguars, per team PR rep Tad Dickman (Twitter link). Casey was on the Colts’ roster last summer before being waived during roster cutdowns in September.
Extra Points: Welker, Browns, Workouts
Earlier today, our own Zach Links joined David Schultz of 103.7 The Game to talk about all of the latest NFL head coaching rumors, including what might happen with the Saints and Sean Payton. You can listen to that conversation right here:
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL:
- Wes Welker didn’t exactly make a huge impact for the Rams during his stint with the team this season, but he enjoyed getting back on the field, and intends to continue his career in 2016 “as long as I feel good and am having fun,” he tells Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- Although Chris Matthews and B.J. Daniels no longer play in Seattle, they’ll both probably be rooting for the Seahawks to come out of the NFC in the playoffs, since they could benefit financially from the team’s success. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com explains that situation, along with several others, in an enlightening breakdown of how the NFL’s postseason pay works.
- The Browns‘ new front office structure is creating a little confusion, so Conor Orr of NFL.com explores how Paul DePodesta and Sashi Brown will work together, and what their roles will be in Cleveland.
- According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Packers recently worked out tackle Cody Booth, wide receivers Jarrod West and Conner Vernon, linebacker Kacy Rodgers, and defensive linemen Davon Walls, Ethan Hemer, Lavon Hooks, and Quayshawne Buckley.
- Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle has workout updates for a couple more clubs, tweeting that safety Shaun Prater, along with CFL wide receivers Eric Rogers, Kenny Stafford, and Terrell Sinkfield, worked out for the Bears. Per Wilson (Twitter link), Washington recently auditioned CFL linebackers Willie Jefferson and Dexter McCoil, as well as wide receiver A.C. Leonard.
