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NFL Minor Transactions: 8/1/25

August 1st, 2025 at 6:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the first minor NFL moves in August:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/31/25

July 31st, 2025 at 8:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: WR Chase Cota

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: LB Garrett Nelson
  • Reverted to IR: LB Johnny Walker

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: WR Jaden Smith
  • Waived/injured: S Marcus Banks, RB D.J. Williams

Washington Commanders

  • Activated from active/NFI: OL Tim McKay

The Colts added some experienced cornerback depth today in Tre Herndon and Duke Shelley. Herndon had a long stint in Jacksonville, starting 34 of his 83 appearances with the organization. Shelley has bounced around the league a bit, with his longest stint coming in Chicago between 2019 and 2021. Both players were limited to one appearance each during the 2024 campaign.

The 49ers made a long list of moves today, most notably to their wide receiver depth. Marquez Callaway was limited to two games in Tampa Bay last season, but he compiled 698 receiving yards and six touchdowns as recently as 2021. Andy Isabella has only gotten into 13 total games over the past four years, hauling in five receptions over that span. They’ll be taking the roster spots previously held by former Bears starter Equanimeous St. Brown and former Kansas State standout Malik Knowles.

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum Seeking Extension

July 31st, 2025 at 2:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

Zyon McCollum has developed into a mainstay in the Buccaneers’ secondary while playing out the first three years of his rookie pact. The pending 2026 free agent is eligible for an extension, and that is his target.

McCollum is seeking a second Tampa Bay contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. He adds agent Drew Rosenhaus is at the team’s facility today to discuss an extension. The Bucs are no stranger to retaining in-house players under general manager Jason Licht, and it will be interesting to see if McCollum becomes the latest player to stay in place via a raise.

Joining the team as a fifth-round pick, McCollum primarily played on special teams as a rookie but he also handled a rotational role on defense. His workload increased dramatically the following season when he earned nine starts. In 2024, McCollum was on the field for over 1,000 defensive snaps and that is in line to continue this season and (provided a new pact can be worked out) beyond.

The 26-year-old notched the first two interceptions of his career last season, and his 17 pass deflections put him in a tie for third in the NFL in that department. McCollum was charged with four touchdowns surrendered in coverage by Pro Football Reference, but his completion percentage (57.4%) and passer rating (86.9) marked career bests. Further improvement would make a long-term pact a worthwhile investment from the Buccaneers’ perspective.

Tampa Bay has relied on Jamel Dean as a perimeter corner throughout his career, but the seventh-year veteran is in danger of losing his starting spot. Tykee Smith has seen time in the slot, but a transition to safety could allow for third-round rookie Jacob Parrish to handle starting duties on the inside. Dean being demoted to a backup would see Benjamin Morrison – taken in the second round of this year’s draft – work opposite of McCollum on the perimeter. Time in the slot has been floated as a possibility in McCollum’s case, but he has worked almost exclusively on the boundary during his career.

Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner have taken the cornerback market to (and slightly beyond) $30MM per year with their respective extensions. McCollum does not have the same track record as those two, and any pact signed before the start of the 2025 season will no doubt fall short of that AAV figure. Still, a multi-year accord would make him the latest Bucs cover man to receive a second contract with the team if his desire to work out a deal is reciprocated.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/25

July 30th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s midweek minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The Chiefs have signed Lassiter, fresh off a spring season with the UFL’s Memphis Showboats, to help cover for the lack of camp bodies at the position. Xavier Worthy, Skyy Moore, and Marquise Brown are all currently sidelined with injuries.

In other Chiefs-related news, Niang will get a new opportunity in Washington for training camp. A former third-round pick in Kansas City, Niang was tried at starter for a bit before ultimately getting demoted to the practice squad last year. The Chiefs released him from the p-squad in November, and he’s been a free agent ever since.

Buccaneers’ Tristan Wirfs Likely To Land On Reserve/PUP List?

July 29th, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tristan Wirfs is expected to miss early-season time due to an injury suffered in 2024. Todd Bowles had said at minicamp Wirfs’ knee brace was precautionary, and the standout tackle was to be ready for training camp. But an arthroscopic surgery became necessary, calling into question how the severity of this injury went undetected during much of the offseason.

Wirfs’ timetable is still a bit murky, but the Bucs may not have their top offensive lineman until at least October. Wirfs is likely to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. The Bucs face the Falcons, Texans, Jets and Eagles over the first four games.

Reports of Wirfs’ surgery and likely early-season absence circulated earlier this month. As it stands, Bowles is not locking in a reserve/PUP stay just yet. That would prove costly for a Bucs team gunning for a fifth straight NFC South championship and sixth consecutive playoff berth.

“That I cannot tell you,” Bowles said (via JoeBucsFan.com) of Wirfs’ debut date. “I just know he’ll be ready sooner than later. I don’t know if it’s Week 1, 2, 3. He’ll definitely put the work in, so I don’t have a problem with that.”

Since this report emerged, NFL.com’s Sara Walsh added (via JoeBucsFan) faint hope exists of a Week 1 return. Wirfs’ importance could lead to the Bucs saving a roster spot for him and going week-to-week with the situation. A reserve/PUP placement would create an extra spot on the initial 53-man roster while ensuring Wirfs received an extended recovery timetable. Though, proceeding weekly with this matter would allow for Wirfs to debut if he is deemed healthy between Week 1 and Week 4.

Wirfs only missed one game due to the MCL sprain sustained last year, returning after a Week 12 absence to close out the season. As for how Wirfs returned but then missed minicamp and may be destined for a reserve/PUP list stay, Stroud notes the All-Pro blocker carried an asymptomatic issue in the offseason program. Bucs doctors then detected more damage in early July, leading to the scope.

The Bucs let 2024 swing tackle Justin Skule join the Vikings in free agency. They added ex-Texans backup Charlie Heck as a replacement. Skule, who made five starts last season, is on a one-year deal worth $2MM in Minnesota. Heck is at $1.57MM ($400K guaranteed) with Tampa Bay. (Both tackle moves occurred March 13.) Heck would be positioned to open the season at left tackle, and although the second-generation NFL O-lineman has made 23 career starts (including two with the 49ers last season), this obviously marks a steep downgrade from Wirfs — a three-time All-Pro who landed on the first team in 2024. Wirfs’ presence has been crucial to Baker Mayfield‘s midcareer rebound. Beyond him, the Bucs have three rookie-contract O-line starters to go with Ben Bredeson.

An Iowa product who transitioned from right to left tackle in 2023, Wirfs has delivered durability during a five-year career. He has missed more than one game in just one season (2022, when a high ankle sprain led to three injury-driven absences). Wirfs is tied to a five-year, $140.63MM extension that had been the top O-line contract until Rashawn Slater‘s recent Chargers payday.

CB Jamel Dean In Danger Of Losing Buccaneers Starting Job

July 29th, 2025 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Known as a retention-heavy team, the Buccaneers handed both Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean second contracts. They shipped Davis’ deal to the Lions last year, building around Dean. But the younger cornerback has been unable to stay on the field since signing his second Tampa Bay deal in 2023.

The Bucs ranked 30th in pass defense last season, and Dean missed five games while being forced out of others with injuries. Although Dean has made 82 starts and resides as by far the Bucs’ most experienced cornerback, the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud indicates he is in danger of losing his starting job.

The 2019 third-rounder saw a snap uptick during the Bucs’ Super Bowl LV-winning season and has operated as a full-timer since. The Bucs also retained him at a favorable rate (four years, $52MM) during the 2023 legal tampering period; no guaranteed money remains on the deal. Dean’s contract helped lead Davis off the roster, as the Bucs made 2024 payments to Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr.

Dean, 28, then missed five games, hurting the team in coverage. Pro Football Focus ranked Dean 18th among CB regulars last season, but his struggles staying healthy proved costly. After the inconsistent regular season, Dean left the Bucs’ wild-card loss due to injury. He had battled back from a hamstring injury to be ready for the playoff tilt.

Tampa Bay then drafted Benjamin Morrison in Round 2 and Jacob Parrish in Round 3, continuing a string of second-day cornerback investments. The team had already turned to Davis, Dean, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Tykee Smith on Day 2; a new wave of cost-controlled corners emerged. Smith is also shifting from the slot to safety this year, and Parrish is pushing to start in the slot moving forward.

Morrison overtaking Dean would leave the Notre Dame product and Zyon McCollum as the outside starters; Dean would be an overpriced backup in that scenario. As Dean’s salary is nonguaranteed, it would save the Bucs $12.85MM in 2025 cap space if they were to trade or cut him. He is due $12.5MM in base salary this season; that figure does not become guaranteed until just before Week 1.

Buccaneers Guarantee $30MM Of Baker Mayfield’s 2026 Compensation

July 28th, 2025 at 10:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

2026 is the final year of Baker Mayfield‘s current Buccaneers contract. That season did not originally contain any guaranteed money, but things have changed in that regard.

Mayfield revealed on Monday (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) the Buccaneers have restructured his pact to lock in money for 2026. He did not get into specifics on the situation, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports $30MM of Mayfield’s scheduled $40MM salary has been locked in early. No new years were added to the pact.

This move – which Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes was actually agreed to in the spring – represents another indication the Bucs are willing to commit to Mayfield for the long haul. The former No. 1 pick landed a three-year, $100MM pact last offseason and delivered a career year in 2024. If he can deliver another strong campaign, team and player could very well work out another multi-year pact.

“Right now, I’m under contract through ’26,” Mayfield said during an interview with CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco (video link). “So it was really just about getting guaranteed money for ’26, and they did that. And that’s all I can ask for… I trust this place. I love being here. Obviously, used to bouncing around. I’ve done that before, but I don’t want to leave.”

For the coming season, Mayfield is owed $30MM, the same amount he collected last year. Given the current state of the quarterback market, that is a rather team-friendly figure from the Buccaneers’ perspective. Another extension will no doubt come at a higher cost, especially if Mayfield – who has earned a Pro Bowl nod during both of his Tampa campaigns – can maintain a consistent level of play. Turnovers have been an issue in the Oklahoma product’s case (26 interceptions), but he has amassed 8,554 yards and 69 touchdown passes over the past two years.

The Buccaneers have topped the NFC South in each of the past four years, and expectations will be high for a repeat of that feat in 2025. Mayfield will have a central role to play in that effort, and he will enter the season anticipating a new round of extension talks at some point (likely after the campaign has ended). In any case, his financial future for the next two years is assured.

Buccaneers’ David Walker Suffers ACL Tear

July 28th, 2025 at 8:46am CST by Adam La Rose

David Walker will not be available to the Buccaneers during the 2025 season. The rookie edge rusher suffered an ACL tear and will miss the campaign, as first reported by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Walker went down in practice Friday, and subsequent testing has revealed the unfortunate news. The fourth-rounder’s attention will now turn to recovery as the Buccaneers move forward with their remaining options along the edge. Walker entered the league after winning the Buck Buchanan award as the top defensive player at the FCS level.

During his time at Central Arkansas, Walker earned All-American acclaim three times. His production helped his draft stock, and as a mid-round selection the 25-year-old was in position to occupy a rotational role during his first year with the Bucs. That will no longer be the case given the injury.

Tampa Bay has YaYa Diaby set to reprise his role as a full-time starter from last season. Free agent addition Haason Reddick is on track to work with the first-team defense in 2025. The Buccaneers’ remaining depth chart along the edge includes Anthony Nelson and Chris Braswell as backups. As Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes, the injury to Walker will help the chances of Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez to survive roster cuts at the end of training camp.

With over $26MM in cap space, the Buccaneers could certainly afford a low-cost veteran to help compensate for losing Walker. Za’Darius Smith, Jadeveon Clowney and Matt Judon are among the edge rushers still on the market at this point, but none have been linked to Tampa Bay this offseason. Unless anything changes on that front, the team will move forward without a notable outside addition.

Jason Licht: Buccaneers Eyeing Baker Mayfield Partnership Beyond Current Deal

July 25th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Baker Mayfield‘s 2023 ‘prove-it’ deal went better than he or the Buccaneers could have envisioned. As a result, team and player worked out a three-year, $100M pact last spring.

In his first campaign after inking that pact, Mayfield delivered the best statistical output of his career. The former No. 1 pick ranked third in the NFL in passing yards (4,500) and tied for second in touchdowns (41). While Mayfield’s 16 interceptions put him in a tie with Kirk Cousins for the most in the NFL, expectations are high for 2025 and beyond.

Especially if the former Brown, Panther and Ram manages to post strong numbers early in the coming season, the matter of an extension will increasingly become a talking point. Working out a raise now would be somewhat surprising given the term left on Mayfield’s deal, and Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes there are currently no plans to arrange a bump in compensation (subscription required). Nevertheless, general manager Jason Licht is hopeful Mayfield will remain in place beyond the 2026 season.

“I love Baker. I love everything he’s done for us,” Licht said. “The goal for us is for Baker to continue to be the player that he is, and at some point, we reach an extension when the time is right and he continues to be our quarterback for a long time. That’s the goal.”

After restructuring his pact this spring, Mayfield is set to carry a cap charge of $26.48MM. When compared to a number of other big-ticket quarterback deals, that figure (along with his AAV) can be considered team-friendly. A raise could be in store if the 30-year-old carries on from where he left off during the 2025 season with next spring representing a logical period for an extension to be worked out. It will be interesting to see if Tampa Bay would be on board with an arrangement bringing Mayfield closer to the top of the position’s pecking order than where he currently finds himself (19th in terms of average annual value).

Keeping with what has been an annual tradition in Mayfield’s case, 2025 will see him work with a new offensive coordinator. Liam Coen‘s decision to take the Jaguars’ head coaching gig means Josh Grizzard will handle OC duties after being promoted from receivers coach this offseason. A familiar face should help Mayfield adjust to the new system, and another encouraging performance could result in an extended stay with the Buccaneers.

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/24/25

July 24th, 2025 at 8:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: G Michael Jordan, OL Tyler McLellan
  • Waived/injured: OL Silas Dzansi
  • Placed on reserve/retired list: OT Garret Greenfield

Washington Commanders

Following rumblings yesterday that Artie Burns may have suffered a season-ending injury, the bad news was confirmed today, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Dolphins cornerback indeed suffered a torn ACL. It’s a tough break for the veteran, who’s looking to revive his NFL career after being limited to only four games with the Seahawks last season. The Dolphins were quick to sign a replacement, as Miami signed Cornell Armstrong. A former sixth-round pick by the Dolphins, Armstrong last appeared in an NFL game in 2022, when he started four of his nine games for the Falcons.

The Buccaneers did some shuffling on their offensive line today. In comes a pair of lineman: Michael Jordan, who started 11 games for the Patriots last season, and Tyler McLellan, a six-foot-eight, 355-pound lineman out of Campbell. Garret Greenfield, a UDFA in the 2024 draft, has apparently decided to hang up his cleats, and the team also moved on from Silas Dzansi with an injury designation.

The Commanders were looking ahead to 2026 today, as the team added an extra year to Percy Butler‘s contract. The former fourth-round pick has had some run in the starting lineup, including a 2023 season where he started 13 games while compiling 64 tackles and eight passes defended. He started five of 17 games in 2024 while establishing himself as one of Washington’s special teams aces.

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