Steelers Cut Eli Rogers; Reach 53
The Steelers got down to the 53-man max by releasing wide receiver Eli Rogers and a host of other players. Among other notables released 2019 draft picks Sutton Smith (linebacker, sixth round) and Derwin Grey (offensive lineman, seventh round), as well as Marcus Allen, a fifth-round defensive back from the 2018 class.
Rogers came out of nowhere and had a breakout season in 2016, catching 48 passes for 594 yards and three touchdowns in just 13 games. It was a promising debut, but he took a pretty big step backwards the next season when he had just 149 yards and 18 catches. Then in the playoffs, he suffered a torn ACL. The ACL took a long time to recover from, and Rogers didn’t end up making it back until Week 15 of last year.
The rest of the rundown is below.
Offensive players released:
- QB Devlin Hodges
- RB Trey Edmunds
- RB Travon McMillian
- RB Malik Williams
- WR Trey Griffey
- WR Johnny Holton
- WR Tevin Jones
- WR Brandon Reilly
- WR Diontae Spencer
- TE Micky Crum
- TE Kevin Rader
- TE Christian Scotland-Williamson
- TE Trevor Wood
- OL Garrett Brumfield
- OL J.C. Hassanauer
- OL Patrick Morris
- OL Damian Prince
Defensive players released:
- DB Dravon Askew-Henry
- DB Marcelis Branch
- DB Jhvonte Dean
- DB P.J. Locke
- DB Trevon Mathis
- LB Jayrone Elliott
- LB Christian Kuntz
- LB Tegray Scales
- LB Robert Spillane
- DL Winston Craig
- DL Greg Gilmore
- DL Henry Mondeaux
- DL Casey Sayles
- DL Conor Sheehy
Special teams cuts:
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 12/31/18
New Year’s Eve marks the first day eliminated teams can sign players to reserve/futures contracts. Here is the first wave of those decisions:
Arizona Cardinals
- OL Justin Evans
- OL Will House
- QB Chad Kanoff
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- CB Deatrick Nichols
- LB Pete Robertson
- OL Coleman Shelton
- RB Brandon Wilds
Atlanta Falcons
- QB Kurt Benkert
- WR Christian Blake
- CB Taveze Calhoun
- LB Jermaine Grace
- TE Jaeden Graham
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Devin Gray
- OL Sean Harlow
- DL Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
Carolina Panthers
- T Isaiah Battle
- DB Quin Blanding
- RB Reggie Bonnafon
- LB Brandon Chubb
- DT Woodrow Hamilton
- WR Andre Levrone
- DB Cole Luke
- DB Kai Nacua
- DT Elijah Qualls
- G Ian Silberman
- G Landon Turner
- WR DeAndrew White
- LB Antwione Williams
Detroit Lions
- WR Deontez Alexander
- LB Garret Dooley
- S David Jones
- OL Jarron Jones
- DE Jonathan Wynn
Green Bay Packers
- TE Evan Baylis
- DL Eric Cotton
- T Gerhard de Beer
- G Anthony Coyle
- FB Malcolm Johnson
- S Tray Matthews
- WR Teo Redding
- LB Brady Sheldon
- DL Deon Simon
- S Jason Thompson
Minnesota Vikings
- WR Jeff Badet
- LB Reshard Cliett
- DL Curtis Cothran
- DB Jalen Myrick
- RB Roc Thomas
New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Trey Griffey
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- T Cole Boozer
- WR K.J. Brent
- DE Demone Harris
- G Ruben Holcomb
- DE Farrington Huguenin
- DE Patrick O’Connor
- RB Dare Ogunbowale
- LB Emmanuel Smith
Tennessee Titans
- RB Dalyn Dawkins
- OL Jamil Douglas
- CB Mike Jordan
- WR Roger Lewis
- OLB Gimel President
- OL David Quessenberry
- WR Kalif Raymond
- WR Devin Ross
- S Damon Webb
Washington Redskins
- C Casey Dunn
- WR Carlos Henderson
- T Roubbens Joseph
- WR ArDarius Stewart
- RB Elijah Wellman
- DT JoJo Wicker
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC North
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Baltimore Ravens
Practice squad:
- T Randin Cornelius
- RB Gus Edwards
- DE Myles Humphrey
- G Nico Siragusa
- RB De’Lance Turner
- WR Tim White
- RB Christopher Ezeala*
- TE Darren Waller**
Cincinnati Bengals
Signed:
Practice squad:
- TE Moritz Bohringer*
- DT Andrew Brown
- RB Quinton Flowers
- TE Jordan Franks
- CB C.J. Goodwin
- QB Christian Hackenberg
- C Brad Lundblade
- T Kent Perkins
- CB KeiVarae Russell
- WR Kermit Whitfield
- LB Chris Worley
Cleveland Browns
Claimed:
- DL Carl Davis
- OL Aaron Neary
- DL Ifeadi Odenigbo
- DB Tavierre Thomas
- LB Tanner Vallejo
Cut:
- DL Jamie Meder
- DL Carl Nassib
- LB Jermaine Grace
- DB Jeremiah McKinnon
- C Austin Reiter
Pittsburgh Steelers
Practice squad:
- LB Keion Adams
- CB Brian Allen
- RB Jarvion Franklin
- WR Trey Griffey
- TE Bucky Hodges
- DE Lavon Hooks
- LB Farrington Huuenin
- WR Tevin Jones
- C Patrick Morris
- OL R.J. Prince
- TE Christian Scotland-Williamson*
* = international player
** = practice squad exception
Steelers Cut QB Landry Jones, Others
The Steelers have reached the 53-man roster limit by cutting a number of players, including quarterback Landry Jones.
Jones, 29, hasn’t played much during his six-year NFL career, as he’s attempted just 169 passes in relief of Roethlisberger. In that span, Jones has been a middling option, completing 63.9% of his passes for 1,310 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
The Steelers also placed wide receiver Eli Rogers on the Reserve/PUP List, which will keep him off of the field for at least the first six weeks of the season.
Here’s the full rundown of the Steelers’ moves:
Released:
- QB Landry Jones
- S Nat Berhe
Waived:
- P Matt Wile
- RB Jarvion Franklin
- RB James Summers
- RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
- WR Trey Griffey
- WR Quadree Henderson
- WR Tevin Jones
- TE Bucky Hodges
- TE Pharoah McKever
- TE Christian Scotland-Williamson
- OL Larson Graham
- OL Patrick Morris
- OL Oni Omoile
- OL R.J. Prince
- OL Jake Rodgers
- OL Chris Schleuger
- CB Brian Allen
- CB Dashaun Phillips
- CB Malik Reaves
- CB Jamar Summers
- LB Keion Adams
- LB Matt Galambos
- LB Farrington Huguenin
- DL Parker Cothren
- DL Joshua Frazier
- DL Greg Gilmore
- DL Lavon Hooks
- DL Casey Sayles
- DL Kendal Vickers
In addition to those moves, the Steelers designated the following players waived/injured:
- WR Damoun Patterson
- WR Marcus Tucker
- OL Joseph Cheek
- S Malik Golden
- LB Keith Kelsey
NFL Future/Reserve Contracts: 1/29/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Minnesota Vikings
- S Jack Tocho
- OT Storm Norton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Trey Griffey
Dolphins Reach 53-Man Max
The Dolphins reached the 53-man roster maximum. Here’s how:
Waived:
- LS Winston Chapman
- P Matt Darr
- QB Brandon Doughty
- TE Thomas Duarte
- G Isame Faciane
- QB David Fales
- WR Trey Griffey
- S A.J. Hendy
- T Sean Hickey
- CB Larry Hope
- RB Storm Johnson
- LB Deon Lacey
- WR Rashad Lawrence
- WR Malcolm Lewis
- CB Jordan Lucas
- DE Cameron Malveaux
- DE Praise Martin-Oguike
- WR Mitch Mathews
- WR Drew Morgan
- DT Lawrence Okoye
- TE Chris Pantale
- CB Lafayette Pitts
- DE Joby Saint Fleur
- RB De’Veon Smith
- WR Damore’ea Stringfellow
- LB Junior Sylvestre
- DE Julius Warmsley
- T Avery Young
Waived/injured:
- LB Neville Hewitt
- LB Brandon Watts
Released:
- DE Nick Williams
- T Sam Young
Placed on IR:
- CB Tony Lippett
- LB Raekwon McMillan
PUP List:
Williams played in ten games between the Chiefs and Dolphins last season, finishing with eight tackles. He restructured his deal in March, but it wasn’t enough to keep his spot in Miami.
Young was slated to make $1.2MM in 2017 per the terms of the extension he signed in the winter.
Dolphins Sign Trey Griffey
The Dolphins are signing wide receiver Trey Griffey. Griffey is a talented football player in his own right, but he is perhaps best known for being the son of former baseball great Ken Griffey Jr.
Griffey, a 6’3″, 209 pound athlete, had 23 catches for 382 yards and two touchdowns in his final season at Arizona. He found his way to the Colts after going undrafted this spring, but an injury led to him being dropped from the roster five weeks later.
He’ll now try his luck in Miami, where he may have slightly better odds of making the team than he did in Indianapolis. The Dolphins have numbers at wide receiver, but Rashawn Scott finds himself on the PUP list with a foot injury, meaning that a final WR spot could be up for grabs. Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, and DeVante Parker are locks to make the roster while Leonte Carroo and Jakeem Grant seem likely at the WR4/WR5 spots. After that, it may be a group of players including seventh-round rookie Isaiah Ford and Griffey vying for the final reserve role.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/7/17
Friday’s minor NFL moves:
- The Colts have waived wide receiver Trey Griffey off injured reserve, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (on Twitter). Indianapolis first waived Griffey, who’s the son of Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., three weeks ago, but he reverted to IR because no one claimed him. Trey Griffey signed with Indianapolis in May as an undrafted free agent from Arizona, where he hauled in 23 receptions for 382 yards and two touchdowns last season.
- The Raiders announced that they’ve waived linebackers Andy Mulumba and Neiron Ball and long snapper Anthony Kukwa. The team designated Ball as waived/injured. He and Mulumba have banked NFL experience, though neither has logged game action since 2015. Mulumba, whom the Raiders signed in January, has a longer track record than Ball, having appeared in 22 games (three starts) with the Packers from 2013-15. As a rookie in 2015, when the Raiders used a sixth-round pick on him, Ball started in two of six appearances and picked up a sack. He didn’t play last season after the Raiders waived/injured him prior to Week 1. As for Kukwa, he just signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent from Lake Erie College back in May.
Colts Waive Ken Griffey Jr.’s Son, Trey Griffey
Trey Griffey, the son of baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr. was waived/injured by the Colts on Monday morning, per a club announcement. The move will make room for the addition of fellow wide receiver Chris Briggs.
Griffey, a 6’3″, 209 pound athlete, had 23 catches for 382 yards and two touchdowns in his final season at Arizona. The team did not disclose his ailment, but it seems that he suffered a somewhat serious injury in practice. If he clears waivers – the typical outcome for less-heralded players who are waived/injured – then he will revert to the Colts’ injured reserve.
It was a short stay for Griffey in Indianapolis as he was signed just five weeks ago. This is a disappointing outcome for him, but the unfortunate reality is that Griffey was facing long odds of making the roster to begin with. Teams, of course, are currently working with a 90-man roster capacity. Griffey was one of twelve receivers pushing to make the final 53-man cut and the Colts are unlikely to carry more than six WRs into September. At least four of those spots are effectively spoken for with T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, Phillip Dorsett, and offseason pickup Kamar Aiken leading the way.
Colts Sign 18 Undrafted Players
The Colts announced the signing of 18 undrafted players, bringing their roster to the 90-man max. Here’s the full list:
- Deyshawn Bond, OG (Cincinnati)
- Dalton Crossan, RB (New Hampshire)
- Darrell Daniels, TE (Washington)
- Trey Griffey, WR (Arizona)
- Thomas Hennessy, LS (Duke):
- Bug Howard, WR (North Carolina)
- Jerome Lane, WR (Akron)
- Chris Lyles, CB (Mississippi College)
- Christopher Muller, G (Rutgers)
- JoJo Natson, WR (Akron)
- Reggie Porter, CB (Utah)
- Brandon Radcliff, RB (Louisville)
- Rigoberto Sanchez, P (Hawaii)
- Garrett Sickels, OLB (Penn State)
- Jhaustin Thomas, DE (Iowa State)
- Jerry Ugokwe, OT (William & Mary)
- P.J. Walker, QB (Temple)
Sanchez has experience in both kicking and punting. Last year at Hawaii, he averaged 44.6 yards per punt and nailed all 13 of his field goal tries. According to Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter), Sanchez received a $12K bonus, which is rather high for a kicker.
Griffey is the son of baseball great Ken Griffey Jr. The wide receiver had 23 catches for 382 yards and two scores in his final season at Arizona.
Walker is Temple’s all-time leader in completions, passing yards, and touchdowns. In 2016, he threw for 3,295 yards with 22 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. His yardage and TD totals marked a career high.
