Eagles Release CB Greedy Williams
The Eagles have made a handful of roster moves this morning, including releasing cornerback Greedy Williams (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter). The team also released punter Ty Zentner and waived/injured wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland, defensive tackle Noah Elliss, and cornerback Zech McPhearson.
With five new roster openings, the Eagles have signed defensive tackles Robert Cooper, Marvin Wilson, and Caleb Sanders and linebackers Tyreek Maddox-Williams and Quinton Bell.
Williams spent the first four seasons of his career with the Browns. The second-round pick started all 12 of his appearances as a rookie, but after missing the 2020 season with a shoulder injury, the defensive back found himself in and out of the lineup following his return. He started eight of his 16 appearances in 2021, and he was limited to only one start in 11 games this past season.
The 25-year-old inked a one-year deal with the Eagles this offseason. As Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan tweets, Williams is owed $600K of the $1.35MM contract he inked with Philly.
Zentner’s release doesn’t come as a huge surprise. The Kansas State product was added as an undrafted free agent during the offseason and was expected to provide some competition at the position. This move likely means that Arryn Siposs will serve as the Eagles’ punter for a third-straight season.
Among the team’s additions, Bell has the most NFL experience. The 2019 seventh-round pick got into five games with the Buccaneers in 2020, although he didn’t record a stat. He’s spent much of the past two years with the Falcons organization, getting into four games while splitting his snaps between defense and special teams.
As for the trio of waived/injured players, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that the Eagles expect all three players to clear waivers and revert to injured reserve. While Cleveland, Elliss, and McPhearson wouldn’t be able to play for Philly during the 2023 campaign, the Eagles would retain their rights.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/23
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league as we head into the weekend:
Baltimore Ravens
- Released with NFI designation: CB Trayvon Mullen
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Kyron Brown, WR Andy Isabella
- Waived/injured: CB Cameron Dantzler
- Waived: WR Jalen Wayne
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: RB Tiyon Evans
Denver Broncos
- Activated from PUP: WR Kendall Hinton
- Signed: WR Michael Bandy
- Waived: WR Nick Williams
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Trey Quinn
- Waived/injured: WR Tom Kennedy
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: OLB Jonathan Garvin
Houston Texans
- Waived: OL Dylan Deatherage
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived/injured: LB Sterling Weatherford
New England Patriots
- Activated from PUP: DE DaMarcus Mitchell
New York Jets
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: WR Diontae Spencer
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Wayne Taulapapa
- Waived: CB Montrae Braswell
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: OL James Empey
Mullen was placed on the NFI list two days ago. Apparently, his failure to disclose the non-football injury led to his release. Claimed off of waivers early into the offseason this year, Mullen has spent a good amount of time in Baltimore but has yet to see any game time. The Ravens hoped he might add some depth to their secondary, but with today’s transaction, the former second-round pick hits the free agent market.
Dantzler, a former third-round pick in Minnesota, also finds himself available in free agency after a short stint with the Bills. After signing with his second team of the offseason last month, Dantzler was waived with an injury designation.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West
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 Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s AFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Denver Broncos
Re-signed:
- NT Mike Purcell, TE Eric Tomlinson
Signed to practice squad:
- DL McTelvin Agim, OL Quinn Bailey, CB Faion Hicks, WR Kendall Hinton, QB Josh Johnson, OLB Jonathan Kongbo, LB Kana’i Mauga, CB Ja’Quan McMillian, G Netane Muti, RB Devine Ozigbo, TE Dylan Parham, WR Darrius Shepherd
Kansas City Chiefs
Signed to practice squad:
- DB Zayne Anderson, G Mike Caliendo, LB Jack Cochrane, RB Jerrion Ealy, WR Daurice Fountain, TE Jordan Franks, S Nazeeh Johnson, DE Azur Kamara, LB Elijah Lee, QB Chris Oladokun, WR Cornell Powell, C Austin Reiter, DT Danny Shelton, DT Taylor Stallworth
Las Vegas Raiders
Released from IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Curtis Bolton, CB Isiah Brown, CB Bryce Cosby, S Matthias Farley, TE Cole Fotheringham, QB Chase Garbers, C Hroniss Grasu, G Jordan Meredith, OT Bamidele Olaseni, WR Dillon Stoner, DE Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, DE Zach VanValkenburg, RB Austin Walter, WR Isaiah Zuber
Los Angeles Chargers
Signed:
- RB Sony Michel (story)
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- T Zack Bailey, WR Michael Bandy, DL Christian Covington, DL Joe Gaziano, CB Kemon Hall, CB Michael Jacquet, TE Hunter Kampoyer, OLB Carlo Kemp, S Raheem Layne, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams, WR Jason Moore Jr., WR Joe Reed, T Foster Sarell, DB Mark Webb Jr.
Chargers Trim Roster To 53
As final cuts continue to be announced, the Chargers have unveiled their list of departing players. Here is the final tally:
Released:
Waived:
- T Zack Bailey
- WR Michael Bandy
- WR Trevon Bradford
- DL Andrew Brown
- RB Leddie Brown
- LB Cole Christiansen
- OLB Jamal Davis II
- DB Ben DeLuca
- OLB Emeke Egbule
- DL Joe Gaziano
- CB Kemon Hall
- OL Ryan Hunter
- CB Michael Jacquet
- TE Hunter Kampmoyer
- OLB Carlo Kemp
- TE Erik Krommenho
- S Raheem Layne
- LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams
- RB Kevin Marks Jr.
- WR Jason Moore Jr.
- FB Gabe Nabers
- WR Joe Reed
- T Foster Sarell
- CB Brandon Sebastian
- DB Mark Webb Jr.
Waived/injured:
- TE Sage Surratt
Covington represents by far the most experienced player being let go. He spent just one season in Los Angeles, starting three of his 16 appearances. While the 28-year-old Canadian set a new career-high in tackles with 52, he was part of the league’s third-worst run defense. That, coupled with Covington’s small roster bonus, made him a logical cut candidate.
The Chargers have a crowded backfield to work with, and one main training camp storyline has been the competition to establish the pecking order behind Austin Ekeler. By waiving Nabers, however, the team can keep one more back on the 53-man roster. Given their passing efficiency, eliminating the fullback position from the offense would allow them to keep the former UDFA on the practice squad (if at all); if not, Nabers will need to find one of the few remaining teams with a spot for his skillset.
Surratt carries the most upside amongst the TE departures. The converted WR didn’t play during his rookie season, but demonstrated his talent in college, including a 1,000-yerd season at Wake Forest. Given his absence from the 2020 college season, as well as the 2021 NFL campaign, though, keeping the six-foot-three, 215-pounder as a depth option behind Gerald Everett could better be done via the practice squad.
Chargers Sign 14 UDFAs
The Chargers’ 14-man undrafted free agent crop rounds out this year’s class of priority free agents. Here are the UDFAs vying to catch on with Los Angeles’ AFC team:
- Trevon Bradford, WR (Oregon State)
- Leddie Brown, RB (West Virginia)
- Erik Krommenhoek, TE (USC)
- Raheem Layne, S (Indiana)
- Tyreek Maddox-Williams, LB (Rutgers)
- Kevin Marks Jr., RB (Buffalo)
- James McCourt, K (Illinois)
- Brandon Peters, QB (Illinois)
- Brandon Sebastian, CB (Boston College)
- Ty Shelby, OLB (Louisiana-Monroe)
- Stone Smartt, TE (Old Dominion)
- Skyler Thomas, S (Liberty)
- Andrew Trainer, T (William & Mary)
- Isaac Weaver, C (Old Dominion)
Brown finished his Mountaineers career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, totaling 22 rushing touchdowns in that span, while Marks was a four-year regular at Buffalo. Despite playing alongside Jaret Patterson during his first three seasons, Marks amassed a 1,000-yard rushing slate as a sophomore in 2019 and finished with 33 touchdowns with the Mid-American Conference program. These two will join the Chargers’ Austin Ekeler-led backfield, which includes backups Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree and fourth-round rookie Isaiah Spiller.
Peters, who spent six years at Illinois, struggled with accuracy (54% career completion rate) at the Big Ten program and missed time due to injury as a senior. His most productive season came in 2019, when he threw 18 touchdown passes. The Fighting Illini’s kicker from 2019-21, McCourt enjoyed his best year as a senior, when he made 18 of 23 field goals. McCourt’s eight 50-plus-yard makes are the most in program history. He joins a Bolts team that has experienced kicker trouble in recent years but one that added longtime Washington specialist Dustin Hopkins last season.
Smartt joined Old Dominion as a transfer quarterback in 2019 and started for the Commodores that year. He struggled as a passer, but after the pandemic nixed Old Dominion’s 2020 season, Smartt moved to wide receiver. He caught just 17 passes in 2021, but the Bolts will try him at tight end alongside Krommenhoek, who caught just 15 passes last season. The Chargers did not re-sign Jared Cook but added Gerald Everett in free agency; he joins Donald Parham as the team’s top tight ends.
