LB Tahir Whitehead To Retire
Tahir Whitehead is ending his NFL career where it began. The veteran linebacker is set to retire as a member of the Lions, reports Justin Rodgers of the Detroit News (Twitter link). 
Whitehead was a fifth-round pick of the Lions in 2012. It took until his third year with the team to play his first defensive snap, but he had established himself as a full-time starter by the time he departed Detroit. Overall, he started 54 of 93 contests in the Motor City, eclipsing the 100-tackle mark in 2016 and 2017.
The following offseason, Whitehead signed a three-year, $19MM deal with the Raiders. He remained a productive starter there, playing every defensive snap in 2018 and racking up 234 tackles between his two seasons. His tenure in Oakland was cut short by one year, however, as he was released in 2020 amidst struggles in pass coverage.
That led to a pair of one-year stints for the 32-year-old. The first came in Carolina, where Whitehead saw a major reduction in workload. Logging a snap share under 50% for the first time in seven years, he still made 51 tackles, adding an interception and fumble recovery. Last season with the Cardinals, though, he was limited to just three games of special teams duty as a member of Arizona’s practice squad.
Overall, Whitehead will hang up his cleats with just over $26MM in career earnings. The TCU alum totaled 685 tackles and three sacks over his 10 years spent in the NFL, many of the best of which coming in Detroit, making his ceremonial return to the team a logical move.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/13/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Joe Walker
- Released: LB Tahir Whitehead
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR John Brown
- Released: RB Darwin Thompson
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/11/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: DL Matt Dickerson, LB Tahir Whitehead
Detroit Lions
- WR Geronimo Allison, G Parker Ehinger, TE Nick Eubanks, OT Darrin Paulo, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, TE Ross Travis
Houston Texans
- Released: DB Cre’von LeBlanc
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DL Isaiah Buggs, TE Daniel Helm, LB Justin March-Lillard
- Released: LB Asmar Bilal, LB Will Compton, WR Javon Wims
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: K Ryan Santoso, LS Carson Tinker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR John Hurst
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Jeremy McNichols
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/8/22
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: TE David Wells, LB Tahir Whitehead
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: WR Austin Trammell
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: S Tony Jefferson, T Jaryd Jones-Smith, Isaiah Mack, Tony Poljan
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, DT Frank Herron, WR Keith Kirkwood, WR C.J. Saunders, TE Stephen Sullivan, DB Madre Harper
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: WR Dazz Newsome
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: QB Jake Browning, DT Mike Daniels, K Elliott Fry, S Trayvon Henderson, DE Noah Spence, G Keaton Sutherland, WR Trent Taylor, DT Renell Wren
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB Brian Allen, S Adrian Colbert, G Hjalte Froholdt, CB Herb Miller, DE Curtis Weaver
- Waived: LB Willie Harvey Jr.
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: TE Blake Jarwin (story)
- Promoted: S Tyler Coyle, RB JaQuan Hardy, RB Ito Smith
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: LB Tavante Beckett, T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: C Josh Myers (story)
- Promoted: DL Abdullah Anderson, LB La’Darius Hamilton
Houston Texans
- Promoted: WR Jalen Camp, DL Michael Dwumfour, LB Connor Strachan
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from IR: WR Parris Campbell
- Promoted: DB Anthony Chesley, DB Will Redmond, DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: P Joseph Charlton, RB Nathan Cottrell, QB Danny Etling, WR Josh Hammond, OL Badara Traore, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: TE Derek Carrier
- Promoted: OL Lester Cotton, WR Tyron Johnson, DT Damion Square
- Waived: TE Daniel Helm
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: LB Kyler Fackrell
- Waived: CB Essang Bassey
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Jake Gervase, DB Grant Haley
- Waived: S JuJu Hughes
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from IR: TE Ben Ellefson
- Promoted: LB Tuf Borland, TE Zach Davidson, S Myles Dorn, DT T.Y. McGill, CB Bryan Mills, CB Parry Nickerson, CB Tye Smith, DE Kenny Willekes
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DB Sean Davis, DL Daniel Ekuale, DB D’Angelo Ross
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: C Will Clapp, DL Malcolm Roach, DB KeiVarae Russell
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Alex Bachman, QB Brian Lewerke, WR David Sills
New York Jets
- Promoted: WR Tarik Black, DE Ronald Blair
- Waived: S Sharrod Neasman, DE Shaq Lawson (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: T Kayode Awosika, LB Christian Elliss, RB Jason Huntley, DB Jared Mayden, DB Mac McCain, TE Richard Rodgers, TE Noah Togiai, T Casey Tucker, DT Raequan Williams, DT Marvin Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: G Rashaad Coward
- Waived: DE Isaiah Buggs
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: CB Emmanuel Moseley
- Promoted: LB Mark Nzeocha, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: WR Aaron Fuller, DB Michael Jackson, DB Josh Jones, WR Cody Thompson
- Placed on IR: T Brandon Shell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: G Aaron Stinnie
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner, TE Darren Fells, WR Cyril Grayson
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DE Kevin Strong, RB Jordan Wilkins, DE Da’Shawn Hand
- Waived: RB Jeremy McNichols
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: FB Alex Armah, DE William Bradley-King, TE Temarrick Hemingway, S Jeremy Reaves
- Placed on IR: TE Ricky Seals-Jones
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/4/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: LS Beau Brinkley, RB Tavien Feaster, LB Joe Walker, LB Tahir Whitehead, CB Jace Whittaker
- Placed on IR: S James Wiggins
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: DE Steven Means
- Promoted: RB Qadree Ollison
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: DB Robert Jackson, RB Nate McCrary
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Frankie Luvu
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: WR Auden Tate
- Promoted: G Keaton Sutherland, WR Pooka Williams, RB Trayveon Williams
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett
- Waived: WR Tyrie Cleveland
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: LB Tavante Beckett, LB Rashod Berry, DE Bruce Hector
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: C Justin Britt, LB Christian Kirksey
- Promoted: S Jonathan Owens, RB Jaylen Samuels, DL Chris Smith
- Waived: CB Cre’von LeBlanc
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: DT Jay Tufele
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: TE Matt Bushman, FB Sutton Smith, WR Dillon Stoner
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: WR Brandon Powell, RB Mekhi Sargent
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: RB Jake Bargas, DB Myles Dorn, DE Kenny Willekes
- Waived: DE Eddie Yarbrough
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper, DB Steven Parker, DB Jarren Williams
New York Jets
- Signed: K Alex Kessman
- Waived: K Matt Ammendola
- Promoted: DE Ronald Blair, TE Dan Brown, RB Austin Walter
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: S Jared Mayden
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: DL Carlos Davis
- Promoted: OL Chaz Green
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: LB Tyrell Adams, WR River Cracraft, LB Justin March
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: RB Adrian Peterson (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Logan Woodside
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/20/21
We’ll keep track of today’s stream of minor moves right here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: LB Tanner Vallejo
- Promoted: LS Beau Brinkley, RB Tavien Feaster, LB Joe Walker, LB Tahir Whitehead
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: OLB Pernell McPhee
- Activated from IR: G Ben Cleveland
- Promoted: G/DT Khalil McKenzie, QB Trace McSorley, LB Joe Thomas
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: G John Miller
- Placed on IR: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: S Deon Bush
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Coulter, OLB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: TE Mason Schreck
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Lawrence Cager, DE Porter Gustin, CB Herb Miller
- Waived: RB John Kelly
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: CB Kyron Brown, CB Deante Burton
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Drew Lock
- Activated from IR: CB Michael Ojemudia, LB Justin Strnad
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: WR Tom Kennedy, OL Tommy Kraemer, K Aldrick Rosas
- Waived: DL Kevin Strong
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: La’Darius Hamilton, WR Juwann Winfree
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DB Terrence Brooks
- Placed on IR: LB Hardy Nickerson
- Promoted: DL Derek Rivers
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: S Jahleel Addae
- Waived: CB Anthony Chesley
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: WR John Brown
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: TE Daniel Brown
- Promoted: WR Daurice Fountain
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: S Roderic Teamer
- Placed on IR: FB Alec Ingold (story)
- Promoted: FB Sutton Smith
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DL Andrew Brown, DL Forrest Merrill, CB Kiondre Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: RB Duke Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: DB Myles Dorn
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: RB Tony Jones Jr.
- Waived: CB Ken Crawley, WR Kevin White
- Promoted: T Caleb Benenoch, DT Josiah Bronson, OL Will Clapp, CB KeiVarae Russell
- Placed on IR: DT Malcolm Roach
New York Jets
- Promoted: FB Nick Bawden, DE Ronald Blair
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: OL Jack Anderson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: DL Daniel Archibong, LB Delontae Scott
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: CB Gavin Heslop
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: TE Tommy Hudson
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/2/21
We’ll keep track of today’s taxi squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Matt Dickerson, LB Tahir Whitehead
- Released: OL Koda Martin, TE Ross Travis
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Marvin Hall
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Jake Fromm, WR Tanner Gentry
- Signed: OL Jacob Capra, WR Austin Proehl
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: QB Josh Love
- Released: WR Devin Smith
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL LaCale London
- Released: G Dareuan Parker
Denver Broncos
- Released: CB Rojesterman Farris
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Kurt Benkert
- Signed: DL Abdullah Anderson
- Released: LB Aaron Adeoye
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: LB Paddy Fisher
New York Jets
- Signed: S Natrell Jamerson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: K Josh Lambo, DT Khalil Davis
- Released: DL Chris Slayton
Washington Football Team
- Signed: G Zack Bailey, RB Wendell Smallwood
- Released: RB Jonathan Williams
Texans Worked Out LB Tahir Whitehead
Tahir Whitehead got a look from the Texans earlier this week. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Houston hosted the free agent linebacker. The veteran presumably left the team without a deal.
[RELATED: Texans To Sign CB Rasul Douglas]
The 2012 fifth-round pick had a productive stint with the Lions to begin his career. Whitehead spent six seasons in Detroit, and he averaged 70 tackles and 5.8 tackles for loss between the 2014 and 2017 seasons. That four-year stint earned Whitehead a three-year, $19MM deal from the Raiders, and the linebacker started all 32 games for the organization before getting his walking papers in 2020.
The 31-year-old caught on with the Panthers last offseason, and he started each of his first eight games for his new squad. However, Whitehead saw a reduced role as the season went on, and he only saw 15 defensive snaps from Week 11 to the end of the season. The linebacker finished his lone season in Carolina with 51 tackles and one interception.
The Texans were busy revamping their linebackers corps this offseason, bringing in eight free agents and one rookie. However, Zach Cunningham and (perhaps) free agent acquisition Christian Kirksey are the only sure things on the depth chart, meaning a free agent like Whitehead could still come in and claim a roster spot.
Panthers To Sign LB Tahir Whitehead
Released by the Raiders earlier this month, Tahir Whitehead will have another opportunity to be a starter. The Panthers are signing the free agent linebacker, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
It’s a one-year deal worth $2.5MM, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Whitehead will receive a $1.45MM signing bonus.
Whitehead played in all 32 games during his two-season Raider tenure and was the team’s runaway tackles leader during its final two Oakland seasons. The Panthers saw Luke Kuechly retire earlier this offseason; Whitehead will be in line to move into the starting lineup alongside Shaq Thompson.
Carolina has lost Kuechly and all-time tackles leader Thomas Davis in consecutive offseasons. The team extended Thompson late last season but has a need for another three-down linebacker. Whitehead saw by far the most snaps among Raiders ‘backers from 2018-19 and was a Lions starter in the years prior.
Whitehead, who will turn 30 next week, has only missed three games in an eight-year career. He has produced four straight 100-plus-tackle seasons, leading the Lions in that department during his final two years in Detroit.
Raiders Release LB Tahir Whitehead
Tahir Whitehead‘s Raiders run will end after two seasons. The team released the veteran linebacker on Monday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Raiders have since announced the move.
One season remained on Whitehead’s three-year, $19MM deal. The Raiders cutting Whitehead will save them $6.25MM, bumping their cap-space figure up north of $56MM.
Set to turn 30 in two weeks, Whitehead provided durability in Oakland. Part of Jon Gruden‘s initial free agency class upon coming back to the NFL, Whitehead started all 32 Raiders games during his tenure. He has not missed a start since the 2016 season and has only missed three games in his eight-year career. The former Lions starter also extended his streak of 100-tackle seasons to four during the Raiders’ Oakland swansong, posting 108 stops.
Whitehead was by far Oakland’s tackles leader in each of his two seasons there, registering 126 in 2018. But he is no longer in line to be part of the franchise’s Las Vegas run.
This will leave the Raiders in need at multiple linebacker spots. They relied on Whitehead last year after signings of Vontaze Burfict and Brandon Marshall did not work out. Although Burfict has since been reinstated from his suspension, the perpetual suspension risk is certainly no lock to come back. No Gruden-era draftee resides on Las Vegas’ roster at linebacker, pointing the Raiders toward addressing this area in both free agency and the draft.