Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/25
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Maema Njongmeta (off Bengals’ practice squad), C Nick Samac (off Ravens’ practice squad)
Detroit Lions
- Signed from practice squad: OL Trystan Colon
- Placed on IR: TE Shane Zylstra
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed from practice squad: LB Austin Ajiake
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: CB Tre Brown
New York Giants
- Signed from practice squad: LB Swayze Bozeman
- Placed on IR: LB Chris Board
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC North
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 Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers moves are noted below.
Baltimore Ravens
Signed to practice squad:
- T Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, DB Thomas Graham, OLB Malik Hamm, QB Tyler Huntley, DB Keondre Jackson, RB D’Ernest Johnson, WR Keith Kirkwood, ILB Chandler Martin, WR Anthony Miller, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT C.J. Okoye, G Jared Penning, DB Marquise Robinson, DE Kaimon Rucker, C Nick Samac, RB Lucas Scott, DL Brent Urban
Cincinnati Bengals
Signed to practice squad:
- RB Gary Brightwell, T Devin Cochran, T Andrew Coker, CB Jalen Davis, LB Joe Giles-Harris, G Jaxson Kirkland, CB Bralyn Lux, C Seth McLaughlin, RB Kendall Milton, WR Jordan Moore, LB Maema Njongmeta, DE Isaiah Thomas, WR Isaiah Williams, S Russ Yeast
Reverted to IR:
-
T Caleb Etienne, TE Tanner McLachlan, G Cordell Volson
Cleveland Browns
Claimed:
- CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse (from Jets), RB Raheim Sanders (from Chargers)
Waived:
- TE Brenden Bates, CB Dom Jones
Signed to practice squad:
- TE Sal Cannella, WR Kaden Davis, S Christopher Edmonds, DT Ralph Holley, CB LaMareon James, DT Sam Kamara, RB Ahmani Marshall, DE Julian Okwara, RB Trayveon Williams, QB Bailey Zappe
Pittsburgh Steelers
Signed to practice squad:
- DL Kyler Baugh, CB Beanie Bishop, DB Sebastian Castro, OL Dylan Cook, TE JJ Galbreath, WR Max Hurleman, DB D’Shawn Jamison, OL Steven Jones, DL DeMarvin Leal, RB Lew Nichols, CB James Pierre, DB Daryl Porter, RB Trey Sermon, LB Julius Welschof, WR Ke’Shawn Williams, WR Robert Woods
Bengals Trim Roster To 53 Players
The Bengals have finalized their 53-man roster with the following 27 roster moves, per a team announcement:
Placed on IR (designated for return)
Placed on reserve/PUP:
- TE Erick All
Released:
- RB Gary Brightwell
- CB Jalen Davis
- LB Joe Giles-Harris
Waived:
- LS Cal Domitis
- OT Devin Cochran
- OT Andre Coker
- DE Raymond Johnson
- S Jaylen Key
- G Jaxson Kirkland
- CB Bralyn Lux
- WR Jamoi Mayes
- C Seth McLaughlin
- RB Kendall Milton
- WR Jordan Moore
- LB Maema Njongmeta
- WR Kendric Pryor
- QB Desmond Ridder
- DE Isaiah Thomas
- WR Isaiah Williams
Waived/injured:
- OT Caleb Etienne
- TE Tanner McLachlan
- G Cordell Volson
Anthony (hamstring) and Johnson (calf) are a pair of 2024 Day 3 picks who will be sidelined for at least four games after picking up injuries in training camp. Anthony is not expected to miss much time, per Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Complications from a college knee surgery are expected to sidelined All for the entire season, but keeping him on the PUP list keeps the Bengals’ options open. Even getting All back on the practice field late in the season could go a long way towards a 2026 comeback.
Adomitis was the Bengals’ long snapper for the last three years, but undrafted rookie Will Wagner beat him out for the starting job in training camp, according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
If Ridder ever had a legitimate chance at beating out Jake Browning for Cincinnati’s backup quarterback job, he was unable to capitalize on it. With 18 starts under his belt in the last three years – albeit with uninspiring production – Ridder could draw interest on waivers for a team looking to upgrade their quarterback depth.
Volson is expected to be out for the year after undergoing shoulder surgery. He will revert to the Bengals’ season-ending injured reserve if he is not claimed on waivers. The Bengals may pursue an injury settlement to save cap space with almost $2.5MM of non-guaranteed money on Volson’s contract, per OverTheCap.
Bengals Sign 14 Undrafted Free Agents
After an unexpected fourth-place finish in the AFC North, the Bengals went to work in order to get back into the race of the league’s toughest division, putting together a 10-man rookie draft class. They’ll expand their rookie group by 14 with these undrafted free agent additions:
- Justin Blazek, DE (Wisconsin-Platteville)
- Cole Burgess, WR (SUNY Cortland)
- Noah Cain, HB (LSU)
- Aaron Casey, LB (Indiana)
- Elijah Collins, HB (Oklahoma State)
- Michael Dowell, S (Miami (OH))
- Cam Grandy, TE (Illinois State)
- PJ Jules, S (Southern Illinois)
- Rocky Lombardi, QB (Northern Illinois)
- Austin McNamara, P (Texas Tech)
- Eric Miller, OT (Louisville)
- Tre Mosley, WR (Michigan State)
- Maema Njongmeta, LB (Wisconsin)
- Lance Robinson, CB (Tulane)
On offense, Burgess was a small school stud in Division III football. In three years as a starter in college, Burgess caught 176 balls for 3,095 yards and 35 touchdowns. He has clearly demonstrated that he has the tools to succeed in the NFL after dominating at the DIII level, but he will need to handle the significant leap in the level of competition to earn a roster spot.
Another small school phenom, Blazek will likewise need to make the jump to NFL competition. In two full seasons as a starter, Blazek earned DIII first-team All-American honors with a combined 17.5 sacks, 29.0 tackles for loss, and 11 passes deflected. He has the athleticism and the drive to make a go at a roster spot. Jules is one more small school prospect with massive production. He has great range and plays the ball aggressively, helping him get 29 passes defensed in his career. He also showed the other side of safety play in 2023, tallying 111 tackles and 13.0 tackles for loss.
It was a bit of a shock to see Casey go undrafted after a monster season for the Hoosiers. After leading the team in total tackle (86) and tackles for loss (10.5) in his first season as a starter in 2022, Casey stuffed the stat sheet with 109 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles in 2023. He takes a lot of risks that bite him, but he’s an aggressive defender with NFL potential. Njongmeta’s production came more in 2022, but in his two years as a starter, he combined for 154 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.