Matt Nelson

NFL Minor Transactions: 8/11/25

Today’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: TE McCallan Castles
  • Waived/injured: TE Anthony Torres

Minnesota Vikings

  • Claimed off waivers (from Falcons): G Michael Gonzalez
  • Placed on IR: OT Matt Nelson

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: TE Kevin Foelsch, DB Mikey Victor
  • Waived: TE D.J. Thomas-Jones
  • Waived/injured: DB Cameron McCutcheon

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: LB Alphonzo Tuputala
  • Waived: CB Kam Alexander

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

A handful of players injured in the first week of the preseason were placed on IR today, effectively ending their seasons early. These players won’t be allowed to play for their current squads in 2025, although they could place elsewhere if they’re released from injured reserve (often via an injury settlement).

Among those who landed on IR includes Texans DT Marlon Davidson, who remained in his team’s preseason opener after suffering a biceps injury. Vikings lineman Matt Nelson also suffered a biceps injury that will land him on IR. The veteran just joined Minnesota last week.

In addition to bringing back old friend Jeff Wilson, the 49ers made a handful of additional moves today. This includes shifting veteran RB Ameer Abdullah to injured reserve. Abdullah suffered a rib injury that will prevent him from taking the field with San Francisco this season. 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 also added defensive lineman Trevis Gipson, who started 19 games for the Bears between 2021 and 2022.

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/31/25

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: WR Chase Cota

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: LB Garrett Nelson
  • Reverted to IR: LB Johnny Walker

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: WR Jaden Smith
  • Waived/injured: S Marcus Banks, RB D.J. Williams

Washington Commanders

  • Activated from active/NFI: OL Tim McKay

The Colts added some experienced cornerback depth today in Tre Herndon and Duke Shelley. Herndon had a long stint in Jacksonville, starting 34 of his 83 appearances with the organization. Shelley has bounced around the league a bit, with his longest stint coming in Chicago between 2019 and 2021. Both players were limited to one appearance each during the 2024 campaign.

The 49ers made a long list of moves today, most notably to their wide receiver depth. Marquez Callaway was limited to two games in Tampa Bay last season, but he compiled 698 receiving yards and six touchdowns as recently as 2021. Andy Isabella has only gotten into 13 total games over the past four years, hauling in five receptions over that span. They’ll be taking the roster spots previously held by former Bears starter Equanimeous St. Brown and former Kansas State standout Malik Knowles.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/24

There have been plenty of posts today about a number of teams releasing and waiving players ahead of roster cuts. Here are the best of the rest of the minor moves for Monday:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Waived: DE Justin Blazek

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

  • Waived: DE Levi Bell
  • Released: C Mike Panasiuk

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Waived: CB Willie Roberts

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Nelson was an effective swing tackle for the Lions in the past three years. While he wasn’t able to stick with the Giants, he’s likely to draw interest elsewhere in the NFL.

The Eagles like Sam a lot at safety, but with a number of veterans atop the depth chart, there wasn’t room for him on the roster. The team plans to retain him on the practice squad should he clear waivers, per Andrew DiCecco of 975 The Fanatic. The Buccaneers have similar plans with Isaac, Taula, and Wisdom.

Giants Re-Sign WR Isaiah Hodgins, Add OL Matt Nelson

The Giants did not tender Isaiah Hodgins as a restricted free agent, but the team will circle back to its two-year contributor. Hodgins will stay with the Giants, agreeing to terms Thursday night.

A key target during the Giants’ 2022 playoff season, Hodgins has a history with Brian Daboll from their time together in Buffalo as well. While the Giants will not use the RFA system to retain the big-bodied wideout, they will keep him around. Daboll was the Bills’ OC when the team drafted Hodgins in the 2020 sixth round.

It would cost the Giants $2.98MM to keep Hodgins. While that would not have been especially difficult to pull off, teams regularly pass on tendering a player only to bring him back at a lower rate. He almost certainly will be tied to a salary south of that tender number in 2024.

Claimed off waivers from the Bills in November 2022, Hodgins became an instant contributor in the Big Apple. A Giants team that traded Kadarius Toney, had seen Kenny Golladay become a historic free agency bust and had lost Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson to season-ending injuries turned to Hodgins and Darius Slayton in 2022. They became Daniel Jones‘ top targets down the stretch that year. Hodgins totaled 351 receiving yards and four TDs in just eight games; he delivered one of the better receiving performances by a Giant in the playoffs, adding eight catches for 105 yards and touchdown against the Vikings.

Although the Giants added some pass-catching talent last year, they still needed Hodgins as a rotational cog. He was not utilized as often, finishing a 17-game season with 21 catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Hodgins’ 6-foot-3 frame stood out on last year’s Giants, a squad that took several slot receivers to training camp. Their 2024 group will likely have more help coming.

The Giants have already used “30” visits on Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. While the team has been connected to trading up for a quarterback, staying at No. 6 would be a way for the long-receiver-needy club to stock this position with a WR1-level talent. Regardless of how the Giants proceed in Round 1, Hodgins will be given a chance to stick around as a potential backup.

Matt Nelson is also signing with the Giants, per the team. A former Lions offensive lineman, Nelson is coming off a season that ended early due to injury. A Week 3 ankle injury ended Nelson’s 2023 campaign; he had worked as a swing tackle with the team.

The Lions turned to Nelson as their Taylor Decker replacement in 2021, sliding then-rookie Penei Sewell to left tackle and then using Nelson as an 11-game right-side starter. The Lions re-signed Nelson to a one-year, $1.3MM deal in March 2023 and needed him as a two-game starter. But the Iowa alum could not hold up for longer than that, undergoing surgery.

Nelson, 28, will attempt to carve out a role with a Giants team busy adding potential swing players. In addition to bringing in Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor, the Giants added Aaron Stinnie and Austin Schlottmann.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/23

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Seattle Seahawks

The Cowboys are moving on from Devin Harper after two seasons. The 2022 sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma State ultimately got into six games during his time in Dallas, collecting three tackles while mostly playing on special teams.

The Seahawks are down to four wide receivers on their active roster after they moved on from Cody Thompson today. The Toledo product spent much of the past three seasons in Seattle, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams.

Lions To Place T Matt Nelson On IR

The Lions’ swing tackle for the past three seasons, Matt Nelson will be sidelined for an extended period due to the ankle injury he suffered in Week 3. This will further deplete a Lions tackle group that required the full depth chart to close out Sunday’s win.

Starting for the injured Taylor Decker, Nelson exited the field on a cart. Dan Campbell said Monday he will be placed on IR and will need surgery. The Lions sustained multiple injuries at tackle Sunday, the team’s second game without Decker available this season.

With the longtime left tackle out, the Lions moved Penei Sewell to the blind side. Nelson started at right tackle but lasted just 18 plays. The Lions moved practice squad elevation Dan Skipper into Nelson’s place, but the recently reacquired blocker also went down. The team finished the game with fifth-round pick Colby Sorsdal playing opposite Sewell.

Nelson, 28, is in his fourth Lions season. He is due for unrestricted free agency in March, and a potential season-ending surgery will obviously hurt his chances of scoring a notable payday. A former UDFA out of Iowa, Nelson stepped in for an injured Decker in 2021; Decker went down with a season-ending hand injury that year. When Decker returned in 2022, he and Sewell stayed healthy to keep Nelson on the sideline after his 11-start ’21 slate. The Lions re-signed Nelson to a one-year, $1.3MM deal in March.

The Lions brought Skipper up to their active roster using a gameday elevation transaction; they can do so again ahead of Thursday’s Packers matchup. A William & Mary alum, Sorsdal arrived as this year’s No. 152 overall pick.

Decker logged an estimated limited practice — a designation used due to the Lions having a Thursday matchup in Week 4 — on Monday. The eighth-year blocker suffered an ankle injury during Detroit’s opener. The Lions also played Sunday’s game without right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who is potentially facing a multiweek absence. A Thursday assignment increases the chances the veteran guard is down for Week 4; Graham Glasgow started in place of Vaitai against the Falcons.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/23

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

RFA/ERFA Tender Signings: 4/19/22

Here’s a look at the latest tender signings from around the NFL:

RFAs

Signed:

ERFAs

Signed:

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/9/22

The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:

RFAs

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/29/21

Several key players returned to practice Wednesday. Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Rico Bussey

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team