Minor NFL Transactions: 8/24/22
Today’s minor moves around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): CB Darrell Baker
Atlanta Falcons
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): DT Jalen Dalton
- Released via injury settlement: CB Cornell Armstrong
Baltimore Ravens
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): WR Slade Bolden
Carolina Panthers
- Released via injury settlement: LB Khalan Tolson
Dallas Cowboys
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): LB Christian Sam
Denver Broncos
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): T Casey Tucker
- Released via injury settlement: DE Marquiss Spencer
Detroit Lions
- Released via injury settlement: S Brady Breeze
Green Bay Packers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): WR Danny Davis, S Vernon Scott
- Released via injury settlement: OL Cole Schneider, CB Donte Vaughn
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released via injury settlement: WR Gary Jennings Jr.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): CB Tevaughn Campbell, LB Damon Lloyd, DE Ty Shelby
Miami Dolphins
- Released via injury settlement: CB Tino Ellis
New Orleans Saints
- Released: T Jerald Hawkins
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Tanner Hudson
- Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): CB Harrison Hand
- Claimed off waivers (from Ravens): WRs Bailey Gaither and Jaylon Moore
- Released: TE Jordan Akins
- Placed on IR: WRs Collin Johnson, Marcus Kemp (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released via injury settlement: CB Jimmy Moreland
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Claimed off waivers (from Jets): S Elijah Riley
- Released via injury settlement: LB Tuzar Skipper, RB Master Teague
- Released: S Donovan Stiner
San Francisco 49ers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): OL Sam Schlueter
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Ronnie Rivers
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: LB Jon Rhattigan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): WR Bug Howard
Tennessee Titans
- Released via injury settlement: CB Shakur Brown
Washington Commanders
- Claimed off waivers (from Jaguars): OL Wes Martin
- Released: CB Channing Stribling
The biggest storyline of the day for the Giants was the injury to Johnson, but they have been busy at other positions as well. Hand was a fifth-round pick of the Vikings in 2020, making 23 appearances during his time there. He primarily played on special teams, but registered an interception and three pass breakups as a rookie. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets that Minnesota was interested in re-signing him had he cleared waivers.
The release of Akins is somewhat surprising, given the Giants’ question marks at the tight end position. The former Texans third-rounder signed just before the draft, where New York added Daniel Bellinger in the fourth round. The latter had a brief stint on the PUP list at the start of training camp, but, if healthy, could be the favorite to take on Evan Engram‘s vacated starting spot.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/22
Tuesday marked the day teams were forced to cut down from 85 to 80 players. Here are the moves teams made made to reach the new maximum. Players who land on the reserve/PUP or reserve/NFI list must miss at least the first four regular-season games.
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: P Nolan Cooney, CB Cortez Davis, TE Josh Hokit, RB T.J. Pledger
- Waived/injured: CB Darrell Baker Jr.
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: WR Geronimo Allison, CB Lafayette Pitts, WR Auden Tate
- Waived: OLB Kuony Deng
- Waived/injured: DL Jalen Dalton
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: ILB Diego Fagot, WR Bailey Gaither, T Jaryd Jones-Smith
- Waived/injured: WR Slade Bolden
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: QB Matt Corral (story), CB Duke Dawson
- Waived: TE Jared Scott
Chicago Bears
- Released: T Julie’n Davenport
- Waived: FB Jake Bargas, CB BoPete Keyes, DT LaCale London, WR Dazz Newsome
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: S Brandon Wilson
- Waived: QB Drew Plitt
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: TE Jeremy Sprinkle
- Waived/injured: LB Christian Sam
- Waived: K Lirim Hajrullahu, CB Quandre Mosely, WR Jaquarii Roberson
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Kyron Brown, WR Ty Fryfogle, RB Ryan Nall
Detroit Lions
- Waived: LB Shaun Dion Hamilton
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: RB Kylin Hill
- Waived: WR Danny Davis
- Waived/injured: S Vernon Scott
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/non-football illness list: WR John Metchie (story)
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: C Alex Mollette, RB C.J. Verdell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: T Lucas Niang
- Placed on IR: RB Derrick Gore
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: CB Chris Jones
- Waived: WR Chris Lacy
- Waived/injured: CB Cre’von LeBlanc
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Michael Jacquet
- Waived/injured: CB Tevaughn Campbell, LB Damon Lloyd, OLB Ty Shelby
- Placed on reserve/NFI list: TE Stone Smartt
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: LB Ryan Connelly, WR Blake Proehl
- Waived: TE Shaun Beyer, CB Harrison Hand
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: LB Ronnie Perkins
- Placed on reserve/NFI list: OL Andrew Stueber
New Orleans Saints
- Released from IR via injury settlement: T Sage Doxtater, DT Jaleel Johnson
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: OL Nick Gates, T Matt Peart
- Placed on IR: ILB Darrian Beavers (story), TE Andre Miller, TE Ricky Seals-Jones
New York Jets
- Released: OL Caleb Benenoch, LB Kai Nacua
- Waived: S Elijah Riley, OL Isaiah Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: TE Tyree Jackson, OL Brett Toth
- Waived: CB Josh Blackwell, RB DeAndre Torrey, T Jarrid Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: OLB Genard Avery
- Waived: WR Christian Blake, RB Mataeo Durant, QB Chris Oladokun, K Nick Sciba
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: DT Kalia Davis, CB Jason Verrett (story)
- Released: TE Tanner Hudson
- Waived: LB Jeremiah Gemmel
- Waived/injured: OL Sam Schlueter
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Cade Brewer
- Waived: G Shamarious Gilmore
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived/injured: TE Bug Howard
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: K Caleb Shudak
Washington Commanders
- Released: T Rashod Hill
- Placed on IR: LB Nathan Gerry
- Waived: WR Kelvin Harmon
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Sammis Reyes
Jason Verrett To Miss Early-Season Time
AUGUST 23: The ninth-year cornerback will indeed miss at least the 49ers’ first four games this season. Verrett landed on the 49ers’ reserve/PUP list Tuesday. GM John Lynch said (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, on Twitter) Verrett has not endured any setbacks in his recovery from an ACL tear. Given Verrett’s extensive injury history, it is unsurprising the 49ers are proceeding with caution here.
AUGUST 10: Despite having made a good case to be labeled the NFL’s most injury-prone active player, Jason Verrett has continued to receive opportunities. The 49ers have now given the former first-round pick three contracts.
Verrett, now 31, is on the team’s active/PUP list. While the ninth-year cornerback is aiming to begin the season on time, Kyle Shanahan cautioned that a past instance of hurrying back from injury proved costly. In 2019, Verrett was coming off an Achilles tear and a preseason ankle injury. He returned in Week 3 but played just four snaps. That turned out to be Verrett’s only action all season.
“If he comes back Week 1, Week 4, Week 8, the end of the year — everyone knows how talented a player he is,” Shanahan said, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required). “I thought the first year we had him here was similar and I thought we brought him back a hair too early.”
Last season, Verrett went down with a torn ACL in Week 1, marking another September setback. From 2017-21, the former Chargers draftee played more than one game in a season just once. Amid a torrent of 49ers injuries in 2020, Verrett stayed relatively healthy. He played 13 games and was one of the team’s top defenders, leading to one-year, $5.5MM 49ers deal in 2021. Because of Verrett’s latest injury, he signed for the league minimum this year.
The former No. 25 overall pick’s resiliency certainly cannot be questioned. Injuries have wrecked six of the eight seasons he has played. The TCU product has torn both his left and right ACLs as a pro and encountered setbacks in other seasons that led to shutdowns. The two seasons in which Verrett has logged heavy participation — 2015 and ’20 — have ended with a Pro Bowl (2015) and a top-10 Pro Football Focus grade (2020). That has kept the 49ers interested in seeing if Verrett can put it together again. Even considering the numerous chances the 5-foot-10 cover man has received, it is hard not to view 2022 as his last chance.
The 49ers are expected to use Emmanuel Moseley and free agent signing Charvarius Ward as their starting outside cornerbacks, with Darqueze Dennard leading the way to be the team’s slot corner. Verrett returning early in the season, however, would supply San Francisco with strong depth at this position. The 49ers moving him to their reserve/PUP list, mandating a four-game absence, would also make sense considering the extensive injury history in this case.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/22
Teams have until 3pm CT Tuesday to cut their rosters from 85 to 80 players. Many franchises have started doing that early. Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: RB T.J. Pledger
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: WR Jaylon Moore
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: T Austen Pleasants, LB Khalan Tolson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: WR Jaivon Heiligh, WR Jack Sorenson, TE Scotty Washington
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: P Joseph Charlton, S Luther Kirk IV, T Wyatt Miller, CB Parnell Motley, TE Marcus Santos-Silva
Denver Broncos
- Claimed (from Saints): RB Devine Ozigbo
- Waived/injured: DE Marquiss Spencer
Green Bay Packers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Dominique Dafney
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: WR D.J. Montgomery, DT Caeveon Patton
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: WR Marvin Hall
- Waived: OL Beau Benzschawel, CB Shabari Davis, TE Grayson Gunter, OLB Wyatt Ray, WR Lujuan Winningham
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DT Jeremiah Ledbetter
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: CB Brandin Dandridge, DB Nasir Greer, OL David Steinmetz
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Tae Davis
- Placed on IR: DE Jordan Jenkins (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: G Cameron Hunt, K James McCourt
New Orleans Saints
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Jordan Brown
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: WR Lance Lenoir
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: T Adrian Ealy
- Waived: T Jordan Tucker
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived/injured: WR Austin Mack
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: LB Cam Gill, G Aaron Stinnie (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Released: OLB Justin Lawler
- Waived: WR Terry Godwin
- Waived/injured: CB Shakur Brown, DB Shyheim Carter
49ers To Sign S Tashaun Gipson
Not long after they hosted him for a workout, the 49ers are indeed adding a veteran to their safety room. San Francisco is signing Tashaun Gipson, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
The 32-year-old auditioned for the 49ers last week, so the deal comes as little surprise. Gipson is coming off of a two-year stint in Chicago where he posted a pair of interceptions in each campaign. His age and struggles in pass coverage left him on the open market deep into the offseason, however, a stark contrast to the regard he was held in earlier in his ball-hawking career.
The former UDFA has recorded at least one pick in each of his 10 seasons in the league, including six in his lone Pro Bowl campaign in 2014. Especially if he plays a more limited role than he is accustomed to (he has logged a snap share of at least 91% during every year since his rookie season), then, Gipson should be able to provide quality play on the backend for the 49ers.
San Francisco may, at least temporarily, need the Wyoming alum to start, however. Jimmie Ward is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, and his Week 1 availability remains in doubt. The questions surrounding Ward likely drove the team’s search for a veteran insurance policy, especially one like Gipson who has 132 starts to his name. Other options on the roster include Tarvarius Moore and George Odum to pair with Talanoa Hufanga at safety during Ward’s absence.
The 49ers will be the fifth team Gipson suits up for, joining the Browns, Jaguars, Texans and Bears. He likely won’t be able to replicate the success of earlier in his career, but could prove to be an effective addition especially if Ward ends up missing any significant time.
Lynch: Bosa Will Be Paid Handsomely
“What I do know, as long as we’re here, Nick Bosa is going to be a part of the Niners and he’s going to get paid handsomely to do so,” Lynch said. “His time is coming, and when it does, he’ll get what he deserves because man, what a special player.”
It continues to look like the 49ers will wait until 2023 to extend Nick Bosa. The fourth-year defensive end became extension-eligible in January, but unlike 2019 draft classmate Deebo Samuel, Bosa has a fifth-year option for 2023. The 49ers would prefer to wait here, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, and Bosa has not pressed the issue regarding a 2022 extension. This comes after John Lynch said next year will likely be the window for a Bosa deal, despite the expected $24MM windfall the 49ers are expected to receive when they move Jimmy Garoppolo‘s contract off their payroll — via trade or release — by Week 1. This will not be a DeForest Buckner situation, however. Lynch said this week Bosa will be a long-term 49er.
- One of Bosa’s top practice opponents will not be on the field for a bit. The 49ers will hold Mike McGlinchey out of practice for at least this week, Kyle Shanahan said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch). McGlinchey, who missed the second half of last season due to a torn quad, experienced knee pain after an eight-snap preseason opener and underwent a PRP procedure. The fifth-year right tackle does not have a timetable for return, making this a must-monitor situation. The 49ers’ offensive line is already set to look considerably different. Alex Mack retired, Laken Tomlinson signed with the Jets and McGlinchey’s 2021 backup — Tom Compton — is now a Bronco. Colton McKivitz, who spent most of 2021 on San Francisco’s practice squad, resides as McGlinchey’s current understudy.
- After the 49ers cut Darqueze Dennard, they look set to give their slot cornerback job to rookie Samuel Womack, Branch notes. The fifth-round pick, who had been viewed as behind Dennard in this competition earlier in camp, intercepted two passes in the 49ers’ preseason opener. Charvarius Ward and Emmanuel Moseley are expected to be San Francisco’s outside corners.
49ers Work Out S Tashaun Gipson
The 49ers are eyeing a veteran safety. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the team worked out defensive back Tashaun Gipson.
Gibson spent the past two seasons with the Bears, starting each of his 28 games. While he was more than serviceable during the 2020 campaign, he appeared to take a step back in 2021, with Pro Football Focus ranking 85th among 92 qualifying safeties. Coupled with him missing five games, it seems pretty clear why the 32-year-old remains unsigned in August. This is the first reported visit for Gipson.
However, he apparently has a suitor in the 49ers. Jimmie Ward is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be ready to go for the start of the regular season. With San Francisco eyeing a current depth chart that features Talanoa Hufanga, Tarvarius Moore, George Odum, and Dontae Johnson, the team is considering adding a veteran to the mix.
While Gibson struggled in 2021, there’s no denying his experience. Despite going undrafted in 2012, he’s started 132 of his 140 games in his career. He earned a Pro Bowl nod back in 2014 after finishing with a still-career-high six interceptions. The safety has hauled in an interception in each season of his career.
Mike McGlinchey Battling Knee Issue
- Mike McGlinchey played eight snaps in the 49ers’ first preseason game, returning from the torn quadriceps injury he suffered in November. But Kyle Shanahan said the veteran right tackle experienced knee irritation after the preseason action, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes. While the sixth-year HC added the PRP procedure McGlinchey underwent is not connected to the surgery had reattaching his quad tendon to the kneecap, it should be something to monitor here. McGlinchey is in a contract year, and the 49ers let his 2021 backup — Tom Compton — sign with the Broncos. Colton McKivitz, who spent most of last year on the team’s practice squad, is in place as McGlinchey’s backup.
49ers Release DL Robert Nkemdiche
Robert Nkemdiche‘s brief stint in San Francisco has come to an end. The 49ers announced that they have released the veteran defensive lineman.
The former first-round pick somewhat rehabilitated his career with the Seahawks during the 2021 campaign, leading to the 49ers taking a chance on him back in July. There was hope that the veteran could provide some depth during the regular season, but the reality was that he was a healthy body who could fill in for injured defensive linemen Arik Armstead, Hassan Ridgeway, and Maurice Hurst. While Hurst is done for the season, Armstead and Ridgeway sound like they’re close to a return, making Nkemdiche expendable.
Nkemdiche was one of the most highly touted recruits in Ole Miss history, but the end of his tenure saw him getting suspended for the Sugar Bowl after being charged with marijuana possession. Still, the Cardinals took the defensive lineman in the first round of the 2016 draft, but he had a tough time finding a role during his stint in Arizona. In three seasons, Nkemdiche ended up starting only six of his 27 appearances.
He only got into two games with Miami in 2019 after spending much of the season on the PUP, and after getting cut by the Dolphins, he was slapped with a two-game suspension by the NFL. After sitting out the 2020 campaign, he managed to catch on with the Seahawks in 2021. He got into nine games with Seattle, collecting 15 tackles. While he didn’t receive a great grade from Pro Football Focus, the site did suggest the lineman was serviceable in pass-rushing situations. We’ll see if another team is willing to take a chance on Nkemdiche’s untapped potential.
49ers S Jimmie Ward's Week 1 Availability In Doubt
The 49ers have been dealing with a number of minor injuries in training camp lately, but one which is significant not only in its serenity but also its impact on the team is the one currently ailing free safety Jimmie Ward. He has suffered a hamstring injury, and his Week 1 availability is now in question, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner (Twitter link).
Ward has been a starter on the backend in San Francisco since his second season in 2015. He has been a consistent contributor throughout that time, including on the NFC-winning squad of 2019. His level of play that year earned him a three-year extension, giving him financial security for the first time in his career.
Ward is in line to start once again in 2022, the final season of that deal. He and 2021 fifth-rounder Talanoa Hufanga are the top safety options on the depth chart, so any extended absence from Ward would be a major blow to a 49ers team looking to repeat last season’s playoff run, and whose weakness on defense is generally viewed as being in the secondary. Tarvarius Moore and George Odum would be amongst the team’s options to fill in for Ward should he miss any time.