Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the afternoon. With teams having until August 16 to cut their rosters from 90 to 80 players, many are doing so before on-field camp work begins.
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed off waivers (from Patriots): LB Kyahva Tezino
- Waived: OL Juwann Bushell-Beatty
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: RB Jordan Chunn, DT Garrett Marino
Denver Broncos
- Waived/NFI: WR Zimari Manning
Houston Texans
- Waived: LB Jamir Jones, LS Anthony Kukwa, QB Nick Tiano
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: TE Matt Lengel
Las Vegas Raiders
- Claimed off waivers (from Seahawks): G Jordan Roos
- Waived: DE Ade Aruna
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Broncos): DB Shakial Taylor
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: LB Joey Alfieri, CB Jermaine Kelly, S Derrick Kindred, QB Broc Rutter, OL Ray Smith
- Waived/NFI: WR Chris Finke
- Waived/non-football illness: Willie Henry
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived/NFI: LB Kendell Beckwith (as of Sept. 2019, the former starter was not planning to play again)
Washington Football Team
- Signed: OL Kevin Pamphile, LB Donald Payne
Seahawks OL Chance Warmack To Opt Out
A third player will opt out of the 2020 season. Seahawks offensive lineman Chance Warmack, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), will join Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and De’Anthony Thomas in doing so.
Although not a high-risk player, Warmack has seen people close to him contract the coronavirus, according to the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta (on Twitter). He stands to receive a $150K stipend. His contract will toll to 2021.
This represents more change for the Seahawks’ offensive line, but Warmack was set to compete for a spot on Seattle’s roster after signing with the team this offseason. The Seahawks signed the former top-10 pick in March. He did not play last season. This would have been Warmack’s seventh NFL campaign. The former Titans draft choice played four seasons with the Titans and two with the Eagles.
The 28-year-old guard has been a starter for much of his career, opening with the Tennessee or Philadelphia first-string lines in 51 games. He was likely set to be a depth piece for the Seahawks, who have made several changes to their offensive front over the past several months. Warmack was part of this equation, but he will miss the season — one that promises to be overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like Thomas, Warmack runs the risk of seeing his career end as a result of this decision. Backup-level players will obviously have narrower paths back to teams next year. It stands to be easier for Duvernay-Tardif, a longtime Chiefs guard starter, to reclaim his job than it will be for marginal players to return. But Warmack will be under Seahawks contract for 2021, thanks to this decision.
Latest On Deandre Baker, Quinton Dunbar
Giants cornerback Deandre Baker has been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Baker, of course, is facing several charges for his alleged role in an armed robbery. Dunbar has landed on the list as well, Rapoport adds (via Twitter). Both players will appeal this placement, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter links).
The Exempt list means that Baker and Dunbar will be barred from playing or practicing, though they will be paid while they wait in limbo with the league office. Effectively, the Exempt list is used to give the NFL time to wait things out while legal matters and the league’s own investigation plays out. Earlier this year, the Giants asked Baker to stay home and focus on his off-the-field matters. The Seahawks, however, were including Dunbar in their virtual offseason.
Baker is facing eight felony charges stemming from his alleged involvement in an armed robbery that took place in May. Dunbar faces four. Last month, Baker was reported to be involved in an attempt to pay off witnesses to recant their statements related to the robbery. Dunbar’s former attorney, Michael Grieco, was allegedly involved in this scheme as well. Baker’s attorney denies this occurred and said his client has passed a lie detector test.
Prior to Monday’s news, the Giants had not informed Baker to stay away from camp. The second-year cornerback was planning on attending, per Schwartz. The Giants traded back into the first round to draft Baker in 2019. He represents their biggest draft investment in a cornerback since they used a top-10 pick on Eli Apple four years ago. Baker struggled in coverage as a rookie but was expected to remain a starter under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham this season. Monday’s news will stall such plans and may well force the Giants to look at possible replacement options — at least for the time being.
Seattle sent a fifth-round pick to Washington for Dunbar, whom Pro Football Focus graded as one of the NFL’s best corners in a breakout, four-interception 2019 season. The sixth-year defender landing on the Exempt list, however, will force the Seahawks to play other corners in his place. Seattle’s 2019 starters, Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers, remain on the roster.
Seahawks Sign First-Round Pick Jordyn Brooks
Another first-round pick in the books. On Monday, the Seahawks announced that they have agreed to terms with linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Per the terms of his slot, his four-year deal will pay $12.35MM in total, including a $6.458MM signing bonus. After that, the Seahawks will hold a fifth-year option to keep him in the fold through 2024. 
Brooks wasn’t projected to be a first-round pick, but he was pleasantly surprised when he heard from the Seahawks at No. 27. Most analysts pegged Brooks as a second- or third-round pick, but Seahawks GM John Schneider didn’t want to take any chances.
“When people aren’t talking about players, that’s when you get pretty nervous,” Schneider said in a press conference following the first night of the draft. “And Jordyn was clearly one of those players. At the combine, I totally stayed away from him. I didn’t talk to him at the combine. I just evaluated all the different interviews.”
Brooks, lauded for his grit and work ethic, projects to start as the Seahawks’ strongside linebacker, joining Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and K.J. Wright in the first-string group. With the Texas Tech product now in the fold, there are now just a handful of first-rounders in the NFL left unsigned.
Seahawks Cut Joey Hunt, Branden Jackson
The Seahawks have dropped nine players from their roster, including a couple of surprise releases. Center Joey Hunt and defensive end Branden Jackson were let go in an apparent effort to trim salary. Between Hunt and Jackson, the Seahawks have saved $4.26MM against the cap. All in all, they have roughly $18.7MM in space now, money that may or may not be used to bring Jadeveon Clowney back to Seattle. 
Hunt, a 2016 sixth-round pick, has appeared in 34 games for the Seahawks, including eleven starts. The Seahawks leaned on him last year after starter Justin Britt went down with an ACL tear. Without Hunt, it seems that Ethan Pocic has secured the Seahawks’ starting center job. Jackson, meanwhile, has appeared in 36 games across the last three seasons.
The Seahawks also cut running back Patrick Carr, receiver Seth Dawkins, offensive guard Kahlil McKenzie, defensive back Josh Norwood, offensive guard Jordan Roos, linebacker Sutton Smith, and tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson. Their roster now stands at 81 – they’ll likely look to get down to 80 before the August deadline, allowing them to have everyone practice at a single site.
Seahawks’ Jamal Adams To Play On Current Deal
Jamal Adams agreed to play on his existing contract before the Seahawks completed their trade with the Jets, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). With that, Adams will play out the 2020 season on a modest $3.59MM salary. After that, Adams is due to make $9.86MM in 2021, per the new deal. 
[RELATED: Jets Trade Jamal Adams To Seahawks]
It’s likely that the two sides will resume talks after the season, but nothing has been promised to the Pro Bowl safety. In New York, Adams was adamant about getting a new deal that would position him as the league’s highest-paid safety and even stepped up his demands to the $20MM neighborhood. Reportedly, Adams was willing to sign a slightly cheaper extension with one of his preferred teams, a list that included the Seahawks. Still, that means a deal in excess of $15MM per annum to top Bears standout Eddie Jackson, and teams are understandably skittish about committing major dollars to players in this current climate.
Other disgruntled players have made similar concessions this offseason. Trent Williams wanted a long-term extension to put him near the top of the tackle leaderboard, but agreed to table talks once he was traded to the 49ers. Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is reportedly willing to wait too, if another team is able to work out a deal. In the case of Williams, the Niners effectively met him in the middle by guaranteeing a portion of his 2020 salary and waiving their right to franchise tag him next year. It’s not clear whether the Seahawks are considering something similar for Adams.
Jets Trade Jamal Adams To Seahawks
The Jets have traded safety Jamal Adams to the Seahawks, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Seahawks sent a 2021 first-round pick, a 2021 third-round pick, a 2022 first-round pick, and safety Bradley McDougald to the Jets in exchange for Adams and a 2022 fourth-round choice. 
[RELATED: Adams Says Adam Gase Isn’t “Right Leader” For Jets]
Jets GM Joe Douglas has come under fire for his handling of Adams, but it’s hard to argue with the Jets’ return on the trade. It’s a stunning haul, considering how badly the Adams bridge had been burned.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, have received one of the league’s most exciting young talents. Adams – who won’t turn 25 until October – has been a certified star since his rookie season and he’s been rock solid in coverage for the last two years. Between 2018 and 2019, only Vikings standout Anthony Harris graded out higher than Adams at safety, according to Pro Football Focus. Eddie Jackson (Bears) is No. 3 on the list, and he currently stands as the league’s top-paid safety. In 2019, Adams earned his first ever First-Team All-Pro nod while notching 75 tackles, seven passes defensed, 6.5 sacks, and a defensive touchdown.
It’s an immediate lift for the Seahawks and a future cornerstone for their secondary. Of course, they’ll have to iron out a new deal with Adams sooner rather than later. For now, Adams has two years of club control remaining on his deal. Beyond that, he’s seeking a deal that will position him as the league’s highest paid safety, meaning a floor of $15MM per year. Adams was also pushing the Jets for $20MM per season – putting him in defensive end territory – but that sticker price was probably exclusive to Gang Green. For the Seahawks, and other clubs that were on his wish list, the ask was believed to be a bit lower. Also, Adams is reportedly willing to wait until next year to start negotiations with the Seahawks.
Throughout the offseason, Douglas told the world that he would not trade Adams under any circumstances. That stance softened in recent weeks as Adams voice his displeasure more and more. Adams claims that the Jets promised him an extension offer in January. That offer never came. In the spring, the Jets pinned the delay on the pandemic and the related economic factors, but he wasn’t buying it. Per one recent report, Jets ownership instructed the front office to hold on large, multi-year committments long before COVID-19 reached the United States.
The Cowboys, Ravens, Texans, Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, and Buccaneers were also among Adams’ preferred destinations. It’s not clear whether those clubs made an aggressive play for Adams, however. Any of those teams would have loved to have him – especially the Texans, given their glaring need at the position – but the Jets’ asking price coupled with the expense of a new Adams deal cooled the interest of most clubs. For the Seahawks, it was well worth it.
While most teams have held off on making major moves this offseason, the NFC West has been a notable exception. Adams is the latest big-time trade acquisition in the division, following the 49ers’ move for Trent Williams and the Cardinals stunner of a deal for DeAndre Hopkins. The Rams, who have made a habit of splashy moves in their new L.A. digs, have not been quite as proactive.
Seahawks Interested In Re-Signing Josh Gordon
If Josh Gordon is cleared from his latest suspension, he will have at least one known suitor. The Seahawks will attempt to re-sign the veteran wide receiver, should he be reinstated, John Clayton of ESPN 710 Seattle notes.
Gordon, 29, applied for reinstatement just more than a month ago. The veteran, however, has been given numerous chances to stay in the league. While the new CBA is more lenient regarding non-performance-enhancing drugs, Gordon’s latest suspension involved PEDs as well as substances of abuse. Just prior to the December ban, Gordon indicated he wanted to stay with the Seahawks.
The Seahawks placed a successful waiver claim on Gordon last year; they were the only team to claim the ex-Browns and Patriots receiver. Seattle signed fellow ex-New England target Phillip Dorsett this offseason but was linked to Antonio Brown for much of this year. Brown’s latest retirement may help clear a path for Gordon to return.
Playing in five Seahawks games last year, Gordon caught seven passes for 139 yards. This marks the former All-Pro’s first time as a free agent. He is one of many veterans in limbo. Teams still are not allowed to conduct visits with free agents, but Gordon must first be reinstated to join fellow high-profile veterans in that uncertain free agent group.
Michael Bennett Retires From NFL
Michael Bennett is calling it a career. After eleven years in the NFL, the longtime Seahawks defensive end announced his retirement on Instagram. 
“Retiring feels a little like death of self, but I’m looking forward to the rebirth — the opportunity to reimagine my purpose,” Bennett wrote. “I would like to thank my wife and children, who have sacrificed so much for me to succeed. I’m looking forward to supporting them the same way they have me these past 11 years. I have never been more at peace in my life.”
Bennett, 34, went undrafted in 2009 after an up-and-down tenure at Texas A&M. His first deal technically came with the Seahawks, but he didn’t make the final cut, so he moved on to the Buccaneers. In 2013, he returned to Seattle as a free agent, and that’s where he really came into his own. The ’13 Seahawks won the Super Bowl and boasted the league’s best D, thanks in large part to Bennett. With the Seahawks, Bennett went on to rack up three straight Pro Bowl appearances and 39 total sacks across five seasons.
Bennett spent time with the Eagles, Cowboys, and Patriots across the last two seasons and was still solidly productive – he had 15.5 sacks between 2018 and 2019. Still, Bennett was mulling retirement even before the pandemic, and quarantining with the family reminded him of everything he had missed off of the field. With that, Bennett is walking away from the game with 359 tackles, 69.5 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, and a Super Bowl ring.
Antonio Brown Retires (Again)
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. On Monday, Antonio Brown announces his retirement from the NFL. This marks at least the third time Brown has publicly called it quits since September of last year. 
[RELATED: Patriots, AB Settle Grievance]
“At this point, the risk is greater than the reward,” Brown tweeted. “Thank you [to] everyone who [has] been a part of this journey. I sincerely thank you for everything!”
Brown, of course, isn’t the only player who is concerned about the risk involved with playing this season. Still, it remains to be seen whether his latest farewell will stick. Less than three weeks ago, Brown was lobbying the Seahawks to pair him with friend and workout partner Russell Wilson. There were also rumblings of AB and Tom Brady getting together in Tampa Bay, but the Buccaneers weren’t interested in the drama that comes with the controversial wide receiver.
Brown, 32, remains under NFL investigation for multiple incidents, including two alleged acts of sexual misconduct. His own safety concerns aside, there was little guarantee that a team would take on the risk of signing him. Brown’s availability for the coming year was also highly questionable.
If this is truly a wrap for Brown, he leaves the game with a complicated legacy. Over the course of his ten-year career, Brown tallied 841 receptions for 11,253 yards and seven Pro Bowl appearances. Before things turned ugly, Brown was a surefire Hall of Famer and regarded as one of the game’s most dangerous offensive talents. Now, (we think), he’ll focus on other endeavors, while untangling some of his off-the-field matters.