HEADLINES

Zach Gentry

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/23

December 27th, 2023 at 8:03pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/5/23

September 5th, 2023 at 6:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: S Lukas Denis
  • Placed on IR: OT Barry Wesley

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders added a veteran wideout to their practice squad in Keelan Cole Sr.. The 30-year-old spent the majority of the 2022 campaign in Las Vegas, hauling in 10 catches for 141 yards and one touchdown. He was productive in 31 games with the Jaguars and Jets between 2020 and 2021, catching 83 passes for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns.

Cole will be taking the spot held by Antoine Wesley, who earned his walking papers today. The former UDFA got into 15 games for the Cardinals in 2021, finishing with 19 catches for 208 yards and three touchdowns.

Steelers Set 53-Man Roster

August 29th, 2023 at 3:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers have made many of their cuts already. Here are the rest of Pittsburgh’s moves to trim their roster to the 53-man limit. Some of these players are likely to end up on Pittsburgh’s practice squad. Those 16-man units will be set Wednesday, with waivers processing at 11am CT.

Released:

Waived:

The Steelers made several cuts in the days leading up to the deadline, while also sending Kendrick Green to the Texans and Kevin Dotson to the Rams. Kwiatkoski is the biggest name among their final-day moves.

A Pittsburgh-area native, Kwiatkoski signed with his hometown team midway through the offseason, adding him to a revamped linebacking corps. Pittsburgh shuttled out the likes of Myles Jack, Devin Bush and Robert Spillane — via releases (Jack) or free agency defections — and added Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. A former part-time Bears and Raiders starter who spent last season with the Falcons, Kwiatkoski, 30, returns to free agency.

Gentry worked as a Steelers starter alongside Pat Freiermuth for the past two seasons. The former fifth-round pick caught 19 passes in each of the past two campaigns. It is possible Gentry, as a vested veteran, returns after the Steelers take care of other roster business. As of now, only two tight ends — Freiermuth and third-round pick Darnell Washington — are on the 53-man roster.

Steelers Re-Sign TE Zach Gentry

March 25th, 2023 at 10:24am CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers are bringing back one of their top tight ends. Zach Gentry is re-signing with Pittsburgh, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). Gentry is signing a one-year deal, per Ray Fittipaldo and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The 2019 fifth-round pick has spent his entire career with the Steelers. He was limited to only six games through his first two seasons in the NFL thanks in part to a knee injury, but he hasn’t missed a game for Pittsburgh over the past two years.

Gentry has started 26 of his 34 appearances over the past two seasons, hauling in 38 receptions for 299 yards. More than half of his 577 offensive snaps during the 2022 campaign came on running plays, and while Pro Football Focus has never been particularly fond of his blocking ability, he’s likely earned his latest contract thanks to that role. Gentry got into a career-high 139 special teams snaps during the 2021 season, but he was limited to only 72 ST snaps in 2022.

Pat Freiermuth will continue to soak up the majority of the tight end targets on offense, with Gentry likely sliding in as the TE2/extra blocker. The Steelers are also rostering 2022 sixth-round pick Connor Heyward and 2022 UDFA Rodney Williams, so there could be some competition at the bottom of the depth chart.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/20

November 23rd, 2020 at 4:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/19

May 10th, 2019 at 10:21am CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest 2019 draft pick signings from around the AFC:

  • Tight end Trevon Wesco is now the first Jets rookie under contract, as the West Virginia product signed his deal today, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. A more-than-willing blocker, Wesco didn’t post much production at West Virginia, managing only a single reception in both 2016 and 2017 before totaling 26 catches last year. Still, in a New York offense that’s set to run through Le’Veon Bell, Wesco could see the field, especially given that incumbent Jets tight end Chris Herndon graded as one of the NFL’s worst run-blockers in 2018, per Pro Football Focus.
  • The Steelers announced that they’ve signed a pair of draft choices, inking both fifth-round tight end Zach Gentry and sixth-round linebacker Ulysees Gilbert to rookie deals. Of the two, Gentry likely has the easier path to playing time not only due to his draft status, but because Gilbert is stuck behind Devin Bush, Mark Barron, and Vince Williams, and Tyler Matakevich at linebacker. Gentry, who posted 32 receptions for 514 yards during his final season at Michigan, will likely see a good deal of special teams duty, but could be involved in Pittsburgh’s offense if Vance McDonald — who has never completed a full 16-game slate — goes down.
  • The Texans have signed fifth-round defensive end Charles Omenihu and sixth-round cornerback Xavier Crawford, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 (Twitter link). Houston inked a number of draft picks earlier today, leaving only third-round tight end Kahale Warring unsigned.
  • The Chargers have signed seventh-round defensive tackle Cortez Broughton, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Broughton is the first Los Angels draft choice to sign his rookie deal.