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Rashad Weaver

Chargers Audition Clelin Ferrell

September 17th, 2025 at 5:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Clelin Ferrell re-signed with the Commanders this offseason, but the former top-five pick did not end up making the team’s initial 53-man roster. Rather than being kept as practice squad insurance, Ferrell has resided in free agency since that Washington decision.

Khalil Mack‘s injury could open another door, however. The Chargers brought Ferrell and fellow edge rusher Rashad Weaver in for workouts Tuesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.

The Bolts will see their outside linebacker depth tested in a way it hasn’t in recent years. Although Joey Bosa struggled to stay healthy, he represented a rather important piece during his nine seasons in Southern California. The Chargers also had Mack to rely on, as the former Defensive Player of the Year had missed just one game from 2022-24. The Bolts cutting Bosa and seeing Mack go down with a dislocated elbow — an injury Jim Harbaugh said is not expected to be season-ending — has changed the equation.

Bud Dupree is set to step into the Bolts’ lineup opposite Tuli Tuipulotu. This will be an adjustment for the Chargers, who could roll out a Bosa-Mack-Dupree-Tuipulotu quartet last season. They added Kyle Kennard in the fourth round but have yet to dress the rookie. That will probably change moving forward.

Ferrell’s past also makes this an interesting workout. The Raiders brought in the Clemson product at No. 4 overall months after trading Mack to the Bears. Viewed as a reach by most, Ferrell did not live up to his draft slot. He resurfaced in San Francisco, starting 17 regular-season games for the NFC championship-winning team. Ferrell produced 3.5 sacks in both 2023 and ’24, operating as a 10-game starter with Washington last year.

The Commanders re-signed him to a one-year, $2MM deal in March but then added Von Miller over the summer. Preston Smith is also back in Washington, while Ferrell (28) awaits his next opportunity.

Jets Waive DT Phidarian Mathis

August 21st, 2025 at 8:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Responsible for one of the busier trade days at one position in recent NFL history, the Jets have followed up their defensive tackle acquisitions with a notable cut. Phidarian Mathis is off the roster, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets. The team traded for Jowon Briggs (from the Browns) and Harrison Phillips (from the Vikings) on Wednesday.

The Jets claimed Mathis off waivers while operating without a full-time GM, making the addition in late December — after firing Joe Douglas and before hiring Darren Mougey. When the Jets claimed Mathis, however, three other teams had tried to do so. It will be interesting to see if the former second-round pick will remain on his rookie deal as of Friday afternoon’s waiver deadline.

The Bengals, Lions and Texans attempted to claim Mathis after his Commanders exit in December. Having been one of three Washington DTs from Alabama chosen in Rounds 1 or 2 (alongside Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne), Mathis did not live up to his draft slot. He suffered an ACL tear early during his rookie season and never made any starts in 2023 or ’24. Mathis logged 203 defensive snaps in 2022 and 257 last season. Allen’s presence in Minnesota, following a Washington release, later influenced the Vikings to trade Phillips.

It is worth pointing out Mathis was drafted under the Ron Rivera-Martin Mayhew regime; the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn power structure moved on from a number of Rivera draftees last summer, and Mathis’ exit followed those cuts. The Jets having claimed Mathis before hiring Aaron Glenn did not do the fourth-year DT any favors, and he did not impress in the new HC’s system.

One season remains on Mathis’ second-round contract. He is due a $1.73MM base salary, and while that figure is nonguaranteed, Mathis’ minimal production (25 career tackles, zero sacks, one QB hit) may lead to interested teams passing and attempting to bring him in as a lower-cost free agent. The Jets will save that $1.73MM by making this cut.

New York also placed edge rusher Rashad Weaver on IR and waived cornerback Ryan Cooper, per the team. The Jets added Weaver on a one-year, $1.17MM deal this offseason. After a 5.5-sack 2022 replacing an injured Harold Landry, Weaver has not recorded a sack since.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/25

March 12th, 2025 at 10:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the minor moves from the first day of the 2025 league year:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Yes, a few of these players have graduated from our minor-moves sector, but today’s signing blitz being what it was, they land here. Ford highlights the batch contractually, agreeing (per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter) to a two-year, $4MM deal. Ford played on more than 70% of Cleveland’s special teams snaps over the past two seasons.

Trask will reprise his role as Baker Mayfield‘s backup, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating the former second-round pick is staying on a one-year, $2.79MM contract. Trask and Mayfield competed for the job in 2023, but as was the case with the Drew Lock–Geno Smith battle a year prior, the winner never looked back. Trask will be in place for a fifth Bucs season, having moved from third-stringer during the Tom Brady era to QB2 in the Mayfield years.

Hawkins will stay with the Patriots on a two-year deal worth up to $2.2MM, according to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. A 2022 full-time Falcons starter, Hawkins saw Jessie Bates replace him in 2023. The Falcons later waived Hawkins, who ended up on the Chargers in 2023. The Pats used him as a seven-game starter in 2024, when he made 48 tackles (three for loss).

Rams Activate TE Tyler Higbee

December 17th, 2024 at 3:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams needed to activate Tyler Higbee from the reserve/PUP list this week, and rather than ensure the veteran tight end missed the whole season, the team is moving him back to the 53-man roster.

Down with an ACL tear sustained in a 2023 wild-card game, Higbee has spent the season on the PUP list. The Rams designated the ninth-year player for return on November 27, giving them until Wednesday to activate him before a move to season-ending IR would have commenced. Higbee, however, is back and would be moving toward debuting.

Los Angeles also placed linebacker Nick Hampton on IR and added veteran edge rusher Rashad Weaver to its practice squad. Higbee, of course, is the lead news item here. With Aaron Donald retired, Higbee is the team’s second-longest-tenured player — behind only right tackle Rob Havenstein.

Sean McVay said in late November that Higbee was still several weeks away from coming back. The Rams designating him for return when they did, however, gave him three weeks of practice in advance of this point. Higbee, 31, would end up with four weeks of practice ahead of L.A.’s Week 16 game. That provides a lengthy onramp, and it will be interesting to see if the Rams have him in uniform Sunday.

Drafted in the 2016 fourth round, Higbee joins Havenstein as the only Rams to predate McVay’s arrival. Higbee, however, has signed two Rams extensions. The most recent — a two-year, $17MM deal — runs through the 2025 season. Higbee secured $2MM of his $4.5MM 2025 base salary guaranteed, which will make him a bit harder to jettison next year. He could be a nice bonus for this year’s Rams, who have rallied from 1-4 to the NFC West lead.

The 8-6 team has used free agency addition Colby Parkinson as its top pass-catching tight end. The former Seahawk has 288 yards on 29 receptions. Hunter Long, acquired in the 2023 Jalen Ramsey trade, has just seven grabs for 60 yards. Higbee has been an integral part of McVay’s passing attack, averaging at least 51 yards per game in each of the past six seasons. Chosen as the team’s long-term tight end over Gerald Everett years ago, Higbee has a 734-yard season on his resume and three more 500-plus-yard years. Missing two games last season, Higbee still totaled 47 catches for 495 yards. This came after he amassed 621 yards on a career-high 72 receptions.

Los Angeles played an extended stretch without both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, with each impact receiver joining Higbee in picking up injuries. The trio could be back together soon, as the Rams attempt to secure their first division title since 2021.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/20/24

November 20th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s practice squad moves:

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/22/24

October 22nd, 2024 at 8:26pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Commanders

The Ravens finally activated Maulet to the 53-man roster at the very end of his 21-day return window. The veteran slot cornerback underwent arthroscopic knee surgery during the preseason, but dealt with a minor hamstring injury upon his return to practice. To make room, Baltimore waived Ross, a special teams starter, likely hoping to add him back to the practice squad if he clears waivers. Maulet’s return could not be coming at a better time for a Ravens pass defense that was already struggling before starting cornerback Marlon Humphrey left Monday night’s victory over the Buccaneers with an injury.

 

The Panthers signed Gill off the Lions’ practice squad and Harris off the Dolphins’ practice squad to fortify their defense on Tuesday. They also released Haynes and waived Wooten and Smith as part of an overhaul of their weak front seven.

 

The Giants signed Watts from their practice squad to strengthen the interior of their defensive line while waiving Basham, a former Bills second-round pick who arrived in New York via trade in August 2023. Giants general manager Joe Schoen was the assistant GM in Buffalo when Basham was drafted, while Giants head coach Brian Daboll was the Bills’ offensive coordinator. Schoen traded a sixth-round pick in exchange for Basham and a seventh-rounder from the Bills just before the 2023 regular season, but Basham did not record a single sack in 13 games as a Giant.

Texans Place CB Jeff Okudah On IR, Sign DE Rashad Weaver

September 11th, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Sam Robinson

One of Houston’s defensive free agency additions, Jeff Okudah will not be part of the team’s game plans for the foreseeable future. The former No. 3 overall pick is now on IR.

The Texans shifted the former Lions and Falcons cornerback to their IR list due to a hip injury. Okudah worked as a backup in the team’s season opener, playing behind Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter.

Filling Okudah’s roster spot, Rashad Weaver will come up from the practice squad. The Texans signed the former Titans edge rusher to their 53-man roster. This will mark a quick rebound opportunity for Weaver, a three-season Tennessee contributor who did not make the Titans’ 53-man unit last month.

Houston signed two former top-10 cornerback picks this offseason. While ex-Jaguars and Panthers CB C.J. Henderson did not make the team, Okudah did. The one-year, $4.75MM contract made it a good bet the Texans would hold a roster spot for the former Ohio State standout. Kris Boyd resides as an active-roster backup on the perimeter. The Texans also have slot corner Myles Bryant on their active roster. The team added Desmond King and Troy Pride to its practice squad Tuesday.

This certainly qualifies as disappointing for both parties, as Okudah has battled injuries throughout his career. The ex-Detroit draftee, who had started 24 games from 2022-23, lasted just five snaps before going down against Indianapolis. Okudah missed 29 games during his first four NFL seasons; this transaction will add at least four more absences. The Texans have six injury activations remaining, having used their allotted two upon cutting their roster to 53 last month.

Weaver initially caught on with DeMeco Ryans‘ team shortly after the Titans waived him. Weaver cleared waivers and landed on Houston’s P-squad earlier this month. The Titans had used Weaver as one of their top Harold Landry replacements in 2022, when the former fourth-round pick registered 5.5 sacks. Weaver, however, did not tally a sack during the 2021 or 2023 seasons. With a new regime running the show in Tennessee, Weaver did not make the team. Arden Key skirting a rumored six-game suspension helped lead Weaver off the roster.

The 26-year-old edge rusher joins Jerry Hughes and Derek Barnett as the Texans’ reserve options behind starters Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.. King represents insurance at corner for the defending AFC South champions, playing with the team for the past three seasons.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/2/24

September 2nd, 2024 at 7:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s practice squad additions and subtractions:

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: WR Praise Olatoke

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: OL Blake Larson

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: DB Ayo Oyelola

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: S Kendell Brooks

Weaver has dropped from the player who logged 640 defensive snaps in 2022, when Harold Landry was sidelined for the year, to the practice squad level. The Titans waived Weaver after setting their initial 53-man roster. He will follow ex-teammate Teair Tart by joining the Texans’ D-line upon being a Titans cut. Though, Tart landed in Houston via waiver claim and never dropped to the P-squad. Weaver registered 5.5 sacks in 2022 but did not record any in 15 games last season.

The Giants waived Long last week. He will join a Colts team that has made multiple moves at corner since setting its initial roster. Indianapolis, which took some heat for not augmenting its outside CB situation this offseason, claimed Samuel Womack off waivers from San Francisco and waived Darrell Baker. Long, a former Rams third-round pick, played for three teams (Raiders, Panthers, Packers in 2023.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South

August 28th, 2024 at 7:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

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 Colts, Jaguars, Texans and Titans moves are noted below.

Houston Texans

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Reverted to IR:

Indianapolis Colts

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Tennessee Titans

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

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