Minor NFL Transactions: 5/15/23
The first of this year’s spring leagues to debut, the XFL’s third effort, finished its season Saturday. XFL players are now free to sign NFL contracts, and several agreed to terms Monday. Here are those agreements, along with the other transactions from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: DL Manny Jones, LB Blake Lynch
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Natrone Brooks, S Lukas Denis, DL LaCale London, T Barry Wesley
- Waived: LB David Anenih, CB Javelin Guidry, DB Matt Hankins, WR Ra’Saun Henry, DB Dylan Mabin, TE/FB John Raine
- Waived/injured: RB B.J. Baylor
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T BJ Wilson
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: LB Storey Jackson, DT Roderick Perry
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Tyreik McAllister, RB Jacques Patrick
- Waived: WR Dallas Daniels, DB Darrious Gaines, TE Kris Leach, RB Emanuel Wilson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Dylan Drummond
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: S James Wiggins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DB Latavious Brini, WR Jacob Harris
- Waived: DL Jayson Ademilola
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Ekow Boye-Doe
- Waived: WR Ty Scott
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Kristian Wilkerson
- Waived: WR Tyler Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Timarcus Davis, DL Taron Vincent
- Waived: WR Tyler Hudson, LB Matthew Jester, DB Jaiden Woodbey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DB Bryce Thompson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Adrian Frye, DL Jack Heflin, DE Niko Lalos, RB Ellis Merriweather
- Waived: WR Sy Barnett, DB Vincent Gray
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Izaiah Gathings
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Luq Barcoo, RB Alfonzo Graham
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DL Austin Faoliu, NT Forrest Merrill
- Waived: LB Michael Ayers, DE Jacob Sykes
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DL C.J. Brewer, S Kedrick Whitehead
- Waived: T Dylan Cook, OLB Nelson Mbanasor
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: C James Empey, CB Eric Garror, WR Gavin Holmes, WR Kearis Jackson, CB Armani Marsh
Washington Commanders
- Signed: T Jaryd Jones-Smith
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Drew White
After seeing the pandemic nix its second effort in 2020, the XFL concluded its season Saturday. The Broncos signed the league’s second-leading rusher, in Patrick, while the Browns and Cowboys offered Barqoo contracts, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Barqoo, who played for the Jaguars in 2020 and XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this year, opted for the Steelers’ offer. Patrick, whom the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson notes passed a Broncos physical Monday, finished with 443 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He joins XFL passing leader Ben DiNucci as a Broncos May addition.
Seeing time for the St. Louis BattleHawks, Jones-Smith played in three games apiece with Raiders and Ravens, respectively, from 2020-21. Thompson will join the Dolphins after a spring tour of duty with the Seattle Sea Dragons, while fellow XFL alum Brewer played in two games for the Bills last year. Heflin played five games for the Packers in 2021; the new Saint spent the XFL season with the Houston Roughnecks.
The Raiders gave Johnson a reserve/futures deal in January. The young wideout collected a ring with the 2020 Buccaneers and totaled 360 receiving yards for Tampa Bay’s 2021 iteration. While the Texans claimed him on waivers ahead of last season, he played in just two games with the team.
Jackson suited up for national championship-winning Georgia last season. The new Titans wideout finished with 514 receiving yards in 2020 and totaled 320 for last season’s Bulldogs edition. A Division II Quincy alum, Wilson received an East-West Shrine Bowl invite but tore an Achilles tendon late last season.
Buccaneers Announce 19-Man UDFA Class
After selecting eight rookies in the 2023 draft, the Buccaneers added 19 undrafted rookie free agents. Here is the list:
- LB Jeremy Banks (Tennessee)
- WR Taye Barber (TCU)
- OLB Brandon Bouyer-Randle (Connecticut)
- RB Ronnie Brown (Shepherd)
- LS Evan Deckers (Duke)
- T Silas Dzansi (Virginia Tech)
- T Luke Haggard (Indiana)
- CB Keenan Isaac (Alabama State)
- S Christian Izien (Rutgers)
- WR Rakim Jarrett (Maryland)
- OLB Nelson Mbanasor (Texas State)
- S Kaevon Merriweather (Iowa)
- WR Ryan Miller (Furman)
- C Chris Murray (Oklahoma)
- T Raiqwon O’Neal (UCLA)
- CB Derrek Pitts (NC State)
- TE Tanner Taula (Illinois State)
- RB Sean Tucker (Syracuse)
- WR Kade Warner (Kansas State)
Brown was an absolute animal for the Division-II Rams this season, piling up 1,864 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns as well as 589 receiving yards for five touchdowns on 56 receptions. He and Tucker, who scored 23 rushing touchdowns in the last two years for the Orange, are the only rookie additions to a Tampa Bay running backs room that’s looking for someone to take over.
With only six receivers on the roster following the draft, the Buccaneers added several here. Miller caught 12 touchdowns last year for the Paladins as an FCS All-American. Warner is the son of Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner.
On the offensive line, Haggard and O’Neal join as true left tackles with each starting over 20 games at their respective institutions. Dzansi provides some unique versatility having played all the guard and tackle spots on both the left and right sides of the ball for the Hokies. Murray provides some versatility, as well, having experience at both guard and center.
Banks provides some young depth at inside linebacker after having led the Volunteer defense in tackles last season. Bouyer-Randle and Mbanasor, both former Texas Tech transfers, provide some well-rounded depth at the outside linebacker spots. At safety, Merriweather was a second-team All-American after a stellar senior year with the Hawkeyes.
The Buccaneers also added some potential competition for long snapper Zach Triner, the team’s starter at the position for the past four years. Deckers served as the Blue Devils long snapper as a grad transfer after four years at UMass. He’ll battle with Triner for a starting job this summer.