Texans Release QB Josh McCown
The Texans will move on from Josh McCown as a player, with Field Yates of ESPN.com tweeting the team released the backup quarterback Monday. However, this move appears likely to precede a coaching career.
Despite adding McCown midway through last season, the Texans signed him two a two-year deal. They also took the unusual step in interviewing him for their head coaching job. Even after David Culley‘s hire, McCown loomed on the Texans’ radar for an assistant coaching gig. This transition could occur soon.
Long expected to one day move into coaching, McCown served as a de facto assistant for the Eagles last year. Philadelphia added the then-40-year-old passer to its practice squad but, ahead of the league’s initial COVID-19-altered season, used him in a remote capacity. McCown was living in Texas while on the Eagles’ practice squad. The Texans poached McCown in November.
McCown did not see any action with the Texans last season and has not started a game since doing so in relief of Sam Darnold in three games with the 2018 Jets. But he did play the bulk of the 2019 Eagles’ wild-card loss to the Seahawks, after Carson Wentz‘s early-game injury.
A 2002 draftee, the 41-year-old QB has been with 12 teams — the Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, Panthers, 49ers, Bears, Buccaneers, Browns, Jets, Eagles and Texans — in his near-two-decade NFL run. McCown’s Bears stay, which included a productive 2013 stretch filling in for an injured Jay Cutler, reignited his career and led to multiple additional starting opportunities. The Texans may not let him get to a 13th NFL team to start his coaching career, but it is not yet certain where that run will begin.
Cardinals To Sign J.J. Watt
The J.J. Watt sweepstakes are over. The heavily decorated pass-rusher has chosen his next team, and that’ll be the Cardinals, Watt announced himself on Twitter.
This was no cheap signing for a veteran player chasing a ring, Watt got paid. He’s getting a two-year deal worth a whopping $31MM with $23MM of that guaranteed, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Watt made it known from the outset that he only wanted to go to a place where he could win a Super Bowl, and clearly he’s excited about what Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray have cooking.
We heard last week that Watt had received an offer in the $15-16MM range, and that turned out to be spot on. He was also connected to playoff teams like the Browns, Titans, Packers, Steelers, and a couple of others. Watt will now rejoin former Texans teammate Deandre Hopkins, who recruited him on social media, in the desert.
Hopkins won’t be the only familiar face for him, as Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was on staff in Houston for Watt’s first three pro seasons. It’s a coup for Joseph, who will now have an intimidating pass-rushing duo with Watt lining up opposite fellow All-Pro Chandler Jones.
As Josh Weinfuss of ESPN tweeted, Jones is first in the NFL in sacks since 2012, and Watt is second. They’ll be a problem for any offensive line. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year had struggled with injuries for a few seasons, but he played all 16 games in 2020.
He only registered five sacks but was a constant disruptor, and had 14 tackles for loss and seven passes defended. He still graded out very well in most pass-rush pressure metrics.
Watt is the first massive domino to fall with the start of free agency right around the corner. This signing could mean the Cards are planning to move on from impending free agent Haason Reddick, who just registered 12.5 sacks in a breakout 2020 campaign. Arizona will host Houston in 2021, so Watt will have a chance at revenge on his old team. The question now becomes whether he’ll be chasing Deshaun Watson or not when that game happens.
Washington To Cut Alex Smith
The Washington Football Team is expected to release Alex Smith, sources tell Kim Jones and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The quarterback still wants to play and there should be plenty of opportunities for him elsewhere. 
Smith’s return from a horrific injury suffered in November 2018 was one of the 2020 season’s best stories. The Washington Football Team went 5-1 in his starts and managed to win the NFC East with Smith at the helm. But, recently, Smith said that Ron Rivera & Co. didn’t want him back initially.
“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan,” Smith said in February. “They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team, the roster, didn’t want to give me a chance… “[T]hey tried to put me on PUP for two weeks, then they tried to IR me. I felt like I still hadn’t had my fair shake at that point. I wanted to see if I could play quarterback and play football, and I feel like I hadn’t been given that opportunity yet to find that out.”
Smith, 36, found out that he can still play. In 2020, his salary was fully guaranteed, so it would have made little sense for the team to drop him. This time around, his $24.4MM cap charge had only $8.6MM locked in. By releasing Smith, WFT will save $14.7MM on the books.
Texans Release C Nick Martin
The only center to start a Texans game during Deshaun Watson‘s career is now on the market. The Texans released Nick Martin on Friday, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (on Twitter). The move is now official.
A 2016 fifth-round pick, Martin missed his entire rookie season but established himself as Houston’s starting center a year later. In every game Watson played as a pro, Martin operated as his center. Martin will join Senio Kelemete as Texans O-linemen cut this week. The Texans also released Duke Johnson on Friday.
By releasing Martin, the Texans will save $6.25MM in cap space. The younger brother of Zack Martin, Nick was due a $7.25MM base salary in 2021 and was signed through the ’22 season. The Texans have moved up to north of $15MM in cap space.
The Texans gave Martin a three-year, $33MM extension ahead of the 2019 season. Going into Friday, that deal remained a top-five center contract. The Nick Caserio–David Culley regime will now look for a new snapper. Whether the new center will snap to Watson in 2021 is certainly another story.
Pro Football Focus has never been especially high on Martin’s work, grading him as the league’s No. 29 center last season and never slotting him higher than 17th. Martin, however, has not missed a start since the 2017 season and remains in his prime. He will turn 28 this offseason.
Bears Re-Sign RB Ryan Nall
Ryan Nall is sticking around Chicago. The Bears have re-signed the third-year running back, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (and passed along by Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). The 25-year-old was an impending exclusive rights free agent.
The former undrafted free agent out of Oregon State joined the Bears back in 2018. He spent the majority of his rookie campaign on the practice squad, but he’s gradually gotten more playing team over the past two years. After collecting a pair of carries in eight games in 2019, Nall saw time in all 16 games this past season. He finished the year with eight receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown, appearing in 68 offensive snaps. He also saw time on 294 special teams snaps, compiling four tackles.
The Bears clearly value Nall’s special teams prowess, but barring another move, it’s unlikely he’ll take on a significantly larger role on offense. Chicago is currently rostering David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen, and Artavis Pierce, although the depth chart could theoretically see a shake up with new running backs coach Michael Pitre leading the way.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/25/21
We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:
Houston Texans
- Released: DT Eddie Vanderdoes
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DL Jullian Taylor
- Waived: CB Breon Borders, DB Chris Milton
Titans To Release WR Adam Humphries
After two seasons, the Titans will move on from Adam Humphries. Tennessee will release its slot receiver, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The Titans will save $4.75MM by making this move. Signing with the Titans after four seasons with the Buccaneers, Humphries ended up being a non-factor with his new team. The Titans will add some funds during an offseason that features Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith as free agents-to-be.
Coming off an 800-yard season with the 2018 Bucs, Humphries did not top 400 in either of his two Titans seasons. Tennessee leaned on wideouts Davis and A.J. Brown, while keeping its run-oriented offense in place. Humphries battled injuries in both his Titans seasons. His first Tennessee slate involved a late-season ankle injury; his second was capped at seven games.
A concussion ended Humphries’ 2020 season, marking obvious concern about the former UDFA’s NFL future. However, he could receive interest from teams that were in on him in 2019. The Titans outbid the Patriots for the slot target, signing him to a four-year deal worth $36MM. Releasing Humphries will also tag the Titans with $5MM in dead money.
Broncos Release Jurrell Casey
The Broncos will release defensive tackle Jurrell Casey, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The move will clear $11.875MM from the Broncos’ books and put the veteran on the open market. 
Casey, 31, made the Pro Bowl every year from 2015-2019. And, from 2013-2019, the USC product had at least five sacks from the interior. His best work earned him a four-year, $60.4MM extension from the Titans. Last offseason, the Broncos agreed to take on that contract. All it cost them (besides cash and cap flexibility) was a seventh-round pick.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, Casey’s first Denver season ended in September. Unable to return after a bicep tear, Casey finished out with just three appearances and a grand total of 14 tackles. It was his first season with less than 14 games played and his first ever sackless campaign.
There was no guaranteed money left on Casey’s deal, so the Broncos get to wipe the entirety of his remaining commitment from the books. Heading into today, the Broncos had roughly $166MM on the cap for 2021. Now, between this and the recent release of cornerback A.J. Bouye, they should have upwards of $35MM to spend, depending on where the final cap number lands. For now, all we know is that the cap will be no lower than $180MM, the agreed upon floor for the coming year.
Seahawks Re-Sign Alex Collins
The Seahawks have re-signed RB Alex Collins, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter). Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times says it will be a veteran salary benefit deal (Twitter link).
The low-level commitment to Collins makes sense, as the 26-year-old back is still trying to reestablish himself in the league. Seattle selected Collins, an Arkansas product, in the fifth round of the 2016 draft. He was waived prior to final cutdowns in the summer of 2017, and the Ravens quickly scooped him up. At the time, it looked like a coup for Baltimore, as Collins piled up nearly 1,000 rushing yards on a healthy 4.6 YPC average in 2017 and entered the 2018 season at the top of the club’s RB depth chart. But a 2018 foot injury cut his season short, and his arrest in the 2019 offseason prompted the Ravens to drop him. He spent all of 2019 and a good chunk of 2020 out of football, ultimately joining Seattle’s taxi squad in November.
The ‘Hawks dealt with injuries to their RB room throughout the 2020 campaign, which created something of an opportunity for Collins. In three games (one start) for Seattle following his promotion, Collins totaled 18 carries for 77 yards and two TDs, and as of now, he is the most experienced back under contract. Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde are both eligible for unrestricted free agency, while the club is also rostering Rashaad Penny — who played just three games last season — and fellow youngsters Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas.
The team understandably hopes to keep Carson, but even if they do, Collins could represent a quality complementary piece at a discount rate.
Texans Re-Sign Two RFAs, Dismiss C.J. Leak
The Texans have re-signed two players that were eligible for restricted free agency. As Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports, Houston is bringing back RB Buddy Howell and CB Cornell Armstrong (Twitter links).
Howell’s one-year pact is worth less than the $2.133MM RFA tender, but it does come with some guaranteed money, so it makes sense from his vantage point. The former Dolphins UDFA was claimed by the Texans after Miami released him during final cutdowns in 2018, and he has been with Houston ever since. Though he has amassed just 21 carries over his three pro seasons, he has been a key member of the Texans’ special teams unit.
Armstrong is another former Dolphins castoff. The Southern Miss product was selected by Miami in the sixth round of the 2018 draft, and while he made it through his rookie season with the ‘Fins, he was jettisoned just before the 2019 regular season started. He saw just one defensive snap for the Texans last season after 53 the year before, but like Howell, he has managed to carve out a role on special teams. Also like Howell, Armstrong settled for less than the $2.133MM RFA value. As Wilson writes, Armstrong inked a one-year, $1.25MM pact that includes a $100K signing bonus.
In related news, the Texans have undergone more front office shakeups, dismissing assistant pro personnel director C.J. Leak as well as area scout Ryan Cavanaugh and pro scout Steven Price, per Wilson. While any news like this is going to get attention given the perception of Houston’s ownership and front office at the moment, these moves do not seem out of the ordinary for a team that has just hired a new GM and head coach.
Leak, who was hired by former GM Brian Gaine in 2018, is expected to draw interest from other clubs.