Terry Wright

Dolphins Waive DT Gerald Willis, Five Others

Once a player thought to be a borderline Day 2 pick, Gerald Willis will again be in search of a new team. The Dolphins made the Miami native defensive tackle one of six players they waived Saturday.

The Dolphins also cut linebacker Jake Carlock, linebacker Jamal Davis, wide receiver Andy Jones, cornerback Linden Stephens and wide receiver Terry Wright. None of the players have seen much NFL action, but the Dolphins had signed Carlock, Jones and Wright to futures deals just after last season.

Jones caught 11 passes with the 2018 Lions but has not played since. Davis and Stephens played in three games for the Dolphins last season. Carlock and Wright did not suit up for a game as Dolphins. Originally a Ravens UDFA after seeing his value drop extensively during the 2019 draft, Willis saw action in two games with his hometown team.

Miami holds a league-high 14 picks in next week’s draft. No other team possesses more than 12 selections. Teams also will be signing their next round of UDFA classes, though this unusual offseason may make that a fluid process.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 12/31/19

Here are the reserve/futures deals handed out on New Year’s Eve:

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Workout Updates: 11/27/19

Here is the latest from the workout circuit on Wednesday:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Miami Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/19

Today’s practice squad updates:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC West

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC West teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks and 49ers are noted below.

Additionally, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads today. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Arizona Cardinals

Los Angeles Rams

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Get Down To 53 Players

The Seahawks have made their roster cuts. Perhaps most notably, they cut quarterback Geno Smith. Since they already waived Paxton Lynch last night and also waived J.T. Barrett, they currently have no passers on the roster behind Russell Wilson. It’s possible the team is just maneuvering the roster and planning on re-signing Smith. If not, they’ll be adding a veteran in the coming days.

The Seahawks had a crowded running backs room, and J.D. McKissic and Bo Scarbrough ended up as the odd-men out. A lot of people were expecting Jaron Brown to start the year as the team’s number two receiver while D.K. Metcalf recovers from his knee injury, but he didn’t even end up making the initial 53. Brown was set to make $2.75MM, so maybe he’ll be brought back after the regular season starts when his contract won’t be guaranteed.

Here’s the full list of moves:

Released:

FB Nick Bellore

WR Jaron Brown

QB Geno Smith

CB Jamar Taylor

Waived:

QB J.T. Barrett

 RB J.D. McKissic

RB Bo Scarbrough

CB Simeon Thomas

RB Xavier Turner

Waived/injured:

CB Jeremy Boykins

G Phil Haynes

Injured reserve:

West Notes: 49ers, Hawks, Broncos, Chiefs

Jason Verrett signed a one-year, $3MM deal with the 49ers this offseason, but the ex-Chargers cornerback says he actually contemplated retirement before landing in San Francisco, per SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Verrett, who was in a “dark place” while deciding on his NFL future, has only played in five total games over the past three seasons, with various injuries — including a torn ACL and a ruptured Achilles — ending his campaigns. The 49ers ranked 26th in defensive DVOA against No. 2 wideouts in 2018, so they can use all they help they can get opposite Richard Sherman. Verrett, an excellent corner when healthy, is expected to compete with Ahkello Witherspoon and Tarvarius Moore for the job.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:

  • Fullback Nick Bellore‘s contract with the Seahawks is worth $2.23MM over two years, tweets Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. Bellore will receive $600K guaranteed, including a $300K signing bonus and a $300K 2019 base salary guarantee. A linebacker who played primarily on special teams for the first seven years of his NFL career, Bellore converted to the offensive side of the ball last summer. The 30-year-old appeared in 14 games for the Lions in 2018, playing 118 snaps on offense and 238 on special teams. Seattle used a fullback on only 8% of its plays last season.
  • New Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco will take all the first-team reps at organized team activities, head coach Vic Fangio told reporters, including Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). That’s perhaps unsurprising, as Flacco is fully expected to be Denver’s starter despite the club selecting Missouri’s Drew Lock in the second round. Indeed, Flacco’s performance in early Broncos practices dissuaded general manager John Elway from drafting a signal-caller on Day 1 of the draft. Lock, veteran Kevin Hogan, and undrafted free agent Brett Rypien will compete to become Denver’s second and third quarterback.
  • The Seahawks gave significant signing bonuses to several of their undrafted collegiate free agents, as Henderson tweets. Quarterback Taryn Christion, receiver Terry Wright, and cornerbacks Derrek Thomas and Davante Davis each received a $10K bonus. As Henderson notes, though, that level of guarantee doesn’t necessarily ensure a roster spot. In 2018, Seattle gave receiver Ka’Raun White a $14K bonus but cut him after rookie minicamp. Click on Henderson’s tweet to see the full list of the Seahawks’ UDFA signing bonuses.
  • Free agent offensive tackle Dieugot Joseph is meeting with the Chiefs today, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). An undrafted free agent out of Florida International University in 2017, Joseph has spent time with the Bears, Ravens, Vikings, and Jets but has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Seahawks Sign 12 UDFAs

The busiest day of 2019 to date for undrafted free agent agreements, Friday also doubled as the Seahawks’ unveiling date for their post-draft rookie contingent. Here is Seattle’s list:

When combined with the Seahawks’ draft class, Ferguson and Wright represent the fourth and fifth rookie wideouts added to the roster. D.K. Metcalf obviously arrives as the highest-profile target, but Seattle also used a fourth-round pick on Wake Forest’s Gary Jennings. Wright averaged 16.7 yards per catch last season, hauling in five touchdowns with the 2018 Boilermakers. Ferguson put up better stats at the Division I-FCS level, becoming the Southland Conferece’s offensive player of the year after a 1,117-yard, 13-touchdown season.

The Seahawks did not use any of their 11 draft choices on cornerbacks, nor did they sign any this offseason. That may increase the Big 12-produced corners’ chances of making the team. However, seven corners already reside on Seattle’s roster.

While Choice was not Clemson’s lead back last season, he was the national champions’ second-leading rusher with 548 yards. En route to seven rushing touchdowns, Choice averaged 7.1 yards per carry. Christion finished as the Jackrabbits’ all-time leader in all notable passing categories. He ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at South Dakota State’s pro day and may have a decent chance to make the Seahawks’ roster. Paxton Lynch represents Seattle’s only backup quarterback option, and Chad Kelly quickly beat him out for the Broncos’ QB2 job last year.