Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/19
Here are today’s minor transactions:
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Chiefs): CB Tremon Smith
- Placed on IR: S Raven Greene
Kansas City Chiefs
- Claimed off waivers (from Ravens): OL Greg Senat
- Waived: DL Joey Ivie
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Luke Falk (story)
- Waived: DB Bennett Jackson
Falcons Waive/Injured DT Ra’Shede Hageman
Ra’Shede Hageman‘s second stint with the Falcons has come to an end. The team announced today that they have waive/injured the defensive tackle from the reserve/suspended list.
The 2014 second-round pick out of Minnesota was productive during his first two years in the NFL, including a 2015 campaign where he finished with 27 tackles and one sack in 16 games (12 starts). However, he was demoted to a backup role during the Falcons 2016 season.
Prior to the 2017 season, Hageman was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List following domestic violence charges. He was subsequently released by the Falcons, and he ended up sitting out the 2017 and 2018 campaign. Atlanta gave him a second chance this offseason, signing him to a one-year deal. However, the defensive lineman was quickly slapped with a two-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
The Falcons will move forward with their trio of defensive tackles: Grady Jarrett, Tyeler Davison, and Deadrin Senat.
Giants Waive RB Paul Perkins
Paul Perkins‘ tenure with the Giants has come to an end. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the team has waived the running back. In a corresponding move, the team claimed tight end Kaden Smith off waivers.
Perkins, a 2016 fifth-round pick out of UCLA, emerged during his rookie campaign, compiling 456 rushing yards on 112 carries (good for a 4.1-yard average). He also hauled in 15 receptions for 162 yards. He finished with only 136 offensive yards during the 2017 season, and he spent the entire 2018 campaign on the reserve/non-football injury list.
Perkins was inactive for the team’s first two games this season, so today’s move won’t have a major impact on the Giants running back depth chart. The team will continue rolling with Saquon Barkley, Wayne Gallman, and Elijhaa Penny at the position.
Smith was a 2019 sixth-round pick out of Stanford. He was cut by the 49ers last weekend.
Saints Place LB Alex Anzalone On IR
While injury news out of New Orleans will naturally be focused on quarterback Drew Brees, the Saints lost another contributor today. ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that the team has placed linebacker Alex Anzalone on the injured reserve.
As Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com points out, while Anzalone’s current injury isn’t known, the third-year player has struggled with shoulder ailments during his brief career. He was limited to only four games (and, notably, four starts) as a rookie before landing on the IR with a shoulder injury. He also had shoulder surgery this past offseason.
The former third-rounder out of Florida did manage to appear in all 16 games (seven starts) last season, compiling 59 tackles, two sacks, and three forced fumbles. He also appeared in the Saints first two games this season, collecting seven tackles and one sack. However, he only appeared in 18 of his team’s 70 defensive snaps yesterday.
The Saints acquired Kiko Alonso prior to the start of the season, and while the veteran has played a minor role through his first two games with New Orleans, he’ll surely be counted on following this latest injury. The Saints are also rostering linebackers Demario Davis, A.J. Klein, Craig Robertson, and Kaden Elliss.
Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger Done For Year
The Steelers’ worst fears have been confirmed. On Monday morning, head coach Mike Tomlin announced that Ben Roethlisberger‘s season is over. 
The quarterback was hoping to avoid surgery after suffering an elbow injury over the weekend, but doctors came back with bad news after looking at his scans. With that, Mason Rudolph now becomes the Steelers’ starting QB.
The Steelers traded Josh Dobbs to the Jaguars last week, leaving Rudolph as their only other signal caller on the roster. The club is now expected to promote Devlin Hodges from the practice squad to serve as Rudolph’s backup, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
Before this, Roethlisberger hadn’t missed a game due to injury since Week 7 of the 2016 season. Obviously, this wasn’t a good time for his luck to run out – the Steelers are 0-2 after being blown out by the Patriots in the season opener and Sunday’s tough loss to the Seahawks.
Roethlisberger might not have the support of former teammate Antonio Brown, but he was sharp in 2018 with career-highs in completions (452), pass attempts (675), passing yards (5,129), and touchdowns (34). He also started in all 16 games, something he hadn’t done since the 2014 campaign. Though, in the interest of equal time, we should mention that he also led the NFL with 16 interceptions.
Advanced metrics lauded Roethlisberger’s work as well, as he finished fourth in Total QBR and eighth in adjusted net yards per attempt. Meanwhile, Roethlisberger ranked fifth in Football Outsiders‘ DYAR, which measures value over a replacement level player, and eighth in DVOA, meaning he was effective on a per-play basis.
Thanks to the three-year extension he inked in the offseason, Roethlisberger is under contract through the 2021 season.
Browns Sign RB Eli McGuire
The Browns signed running back Elijah McGuire, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. McGuire will provide roster depth as a fill-in for Dontrell Hilliard, who has been ruled out with a concussion for tonight’s game against the Jets. 
Of course, while McGuire’s there, the Browns just might pump him for intel. McGuire spent the last couple of seasons with the Jets, up until his recent release.
The tailback drew solid reviews in Jets practice over the last two years, but his career 3.3 yards per carry average isn’t much to write home about. He’ll hope for an opportunity to break through in Cleveland, where he sits behind Nick Chubb and D’Ernest Johnson.
Saints, Sean Payton Agree To Five-Year Extension
The Saints and head coach Sean Payton have agreed to a five-year extension, per Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Payton was already under contract through 2020, and it sounds as though his extension will replace the final year of his prior deal. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that Payton will now be under club control through 2024 (Twitter link).
Although salaries for coaches are generally not officially disclosed, Payton was already believed to be one of the highest-paid coaches in the game, with multiple sources suggesting he was pulling down an annual income of about $9MM. It could be that his new contract will also increase his compensation.
And for good reason. Payton has compiled a 119-74 regular season record since he was hired in 2006, and though he has had the distinct privilege of working with Drew Brees since that time, he has developed some elite offensive units during his tenure. He is the winningest HC in franchise history, and he coached the Saints to their only Lombardi Trophy in 2009. Like Brees, Payton came to New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, so Saints fans are especially fond of him.
After three straight 7-9 finishes from 2014-16, Payton has righted the ship with back-to-back division titles. Though Saints fans don’t need to be reminded, his club came within a missed PI call of advancing to Super Bowl LIII last season.
The Saints have captured five NFC South titles during Payton’s tenure and have qualified for the playoffs seven times. This extension should also quiet the Payton-to-Dallas rumors that have persisted for some time.
49ers Promote RB Jeff Wilson, Waive TE Kaden Smith
The 49ers have added RB Jeff Wilson to their 53-man roster ahead of Sunday’s contest against the Bengals. The team will waive TE Kaden Smith to make room on the roster for Wilson, as Pro Football Talk relays.
The team’s running back depth took another hit with Tevin Coleman suffering a high ankle sprain in week 1. High-priced 2018 acquisition Jerick McKinnon was placed on injured reserve before the season with knee woes.
Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert were expected to receive most of the carries on Sunday with FB Kyle Juszczyk also mixing in. It’s unclear how much Wilson will be a factor this week.
Wilson, who the franchise waived before the season and the signed to the practice squad, played in six games for San Francisco last season as a rookie, carrying the ball 66 times for 266 yards. He was a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/14/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Maurice Canady
- Waived: T Greg Senat
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Cedrick Wilson
- Waived: LB Chris Covington
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: T Jake Rodgers
- Waived: OL Corey Levin
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Andre Patton
- Waived: LB Chris Peace
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Devante Downs
- Waived: CB Mark Fields
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Jeff Wilson
- Waived: TE Kaden Smith
Washington Redskins
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Robert Davis
Dolphins Sign OL Bryan Witzmann
The Dolphins have reportedly been eyeing some reinforcement on their offensive line, and it looks like they’ve landed on a veteran. Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports (via Twitter) that Miami has signed offensive lineman Bryan Witzmann.
The 29-year-old has established himself as a versatile, starting-quality lineman over the past few years. He started a career-high 13 games for the Chiefs back in 2017, and he started seven of his 10 appearances with the Bears last season. Witzmann signed with the Browns this past offseason, but he was cut by the organization following the preseason.
The Dolphins traded talented lineman Laremy Tunsil prior to the season, and they recently placed Julie’n Davenport on the injured reserve. The organization was reportedly eyeing some extra offensive line help, and we heard earlier today that the team was working out former Dolphins lineman Sam Young. As Beasley notes, Witzmann is the fifth lineman the team has added since the ended of the preseason.
Considering Witzmann’s ability to play both offensive tackle and offensive guard, he should be able to carve out a role on a line that doesn’t have many definitive starters. Michael Deiter, Jesse Davis, and captain Daniel Kilgore seem like locks to maintain their gigs, but Witzmann could beat out any of Chris Reed, Shaq Calhoun, J’Marcus Webb, DannyIsidora, Isaiah Prince, or Evan Boehm for snaps.