Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/24
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on active/PUP list: FB Robert Burns
Carolina Panthers
- Waived/injured: DT Popo Aumavae
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on active/PUP list: CB Trevon Diggs
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DT David Bada
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: OL Matt Farniok
Houston Texans
- Cut via injury settlement: WR Jared Wayne
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Jabril Cox, CB Jacobi Francis
- Waived: LB K.J. Cloyd
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/did not report list: DE Haason Reddick
- Signed: QB Ben Bryant
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Griffin Hebert
- Waived from active/NFI list: T Gottlieb Ayedze
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Malik Turner
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Ty Scott
- Waived: CB Andrew Whitaker
- Activated from active/NFI list: LB Easton Gibbs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Sal Cannella
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OL Corey Levin, OLB Shane Ray
- Waived: RB Dillon Johnson
Via this transaction, the Jets are temporarily moving Reddick off their 90-man roster. Unlike placements on the active/PUP or active/NFI lists that are commonplace in July, Reddick is technically out of the mix for the Jets until his holdout ends. The trade acquisition has not shown up at any point since being traded to the Jets in March.
Diggs suffered a torn ACL during a late-September practice. He is not expected to be sidelined past Week 1, but the Cowboys will not have him at practice for a bit.
Levin has been a Titans backup for most of the past six seasons, playing regularly on special teams and starting four games during his career. An interior O-lineman, Levin played the past two seasons on one-year Tennessee deals. This marks yet another chance for Ray, a Broncos first-rounder back in 2015. This agreement comes after Ray worked out for the Titans in May. Ray, 31, spent time with the Bills during the 2023 offseason but has not played in a regular-season NFL game since 2018.
Vikings, LT Christian Darrisaw Agree To Extension
JULY 25: Joining Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Penei Sewell as 2021 first-rounders already extended, Darrisaw’s base value will fall short of Sewell’s $28MM-per-year Lions deal. The Vikings gave their left tackle a four-year, $104MM contract, according to OverTheCap. The contract includes $43.73MM guaranteed at signing, but Darrisaw is all but certain to add $13.29MM (his 2026 base salary) to that total. If Darrisaw is on Minnesota’s roster as of Day 3 of the 2025 league year, his 2026 base locks in.
This rolling guarantee structure, increasingly popular in recent years, also includes $8.38MM of Darrisaw’s 2027 compensation ($16.5MM) becoming guaranteed in March 2026, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The Vikings also guaranteed $2MM of Darrisaw’s 2028 base salary for injury, with the rest of that money becoming guaranteed in 2028. This contract makes Darrisaw the NFL’s highest-paid left tackle.
JULY 23: Christian Darrisaw has landed a big-ticket deal with the Vikings. The left tackle agreed to an extension on Tuesday, as first reported by Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
This will be a four-year pact worth up to $113MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. Darrisaw will collect $77MM in guaranteed money, including $43.7MM locked in at signing. The offensive lineman still had two years remaining on his contract after having his fifth-year option picked up earlier this offseason.
This four-year extension will be added to the end of Darrisaw’s rookie deal, meaning the 25-year-old is locked in through the 2029 campaign. Considering general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wasn’t in place when the Virginia Tech alum was drafted, there was some uncertainty regarding the timeliness of a potential Darrisaw extension. Ultimately, the two sides completed a deal with time to spare.
The 2021 first-round pick has established himself as one of the league’s top OTs while blocking for Kirk Cousins in Minnesota. Pro Football Focus graded Darrisaw as the second-best offensive tackle in 2022, and he followed that up with an eighth-place finish (among 81 qualifiers) in 2023. The lineman has missed 10 regular season games in three years, but he managed to get into a career-high 15 games this past season.
While Darrisaw still has a few years before the extension kicks in, the new deal will vault him up the list of the league’s highest-paid left tackles. The $77MM in guaranteed money is now the highest commitment at his position, and the extension’s $28.25MM average annual value would top Laremy Tunsil‘s $25MM AAV. Darrisaw still has about $20MM coming his way in the final two seasons of his current deal.
As the Vikings transition from the veteran Cousins to a rookie in J.J. McCarthy, the front office is assuring some continuity elsewhere on offense. McCarthy’s rookie contract has also allowed the organization to allocate finances elsewhere. In addition to Darrisaw’s new contract, the Vikings also handed wideout Justin Jefferson a lucrative extension this offseason.
While there’s a bit of uncertainty surrounding the offense moving forward, the Vikings can rest easy knowing their core is locked in. In addition to Darrisaw, Jefferson, and McCarthy, the team has Jordan Addison on his rookie contract and tight end T.J. Hockenson signed long-term.
Panthers Sign WR Deven Thompkins
Waived by the Buccaneers after allegations of domestic violence surfaced, Deven Thompkins later received word he would not be suspended under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. This will lead to another chance for the young wide receiver.
The Panthers added Thompkins on Thursday, reuniting him with 2023 Bucs OC Dave Canales. Thompkins has largely operated as a backup and return specialist. With the Panthers having made some notable receiver investments over the past two years, it would appear Thompkins will compete for such a role in Carolina as well.
The Bucs waived Thompkins, 24, with an injury designation in June, doing so days after his estranged wife alleged domestic abuse. Thompkins’ wife, Maria Castilhos, accused the wide receiver of physical abuse dating back to February 14, 2023. Thompkins filed for divorce on Feb. 27, 2024. In the wake of Castilhos’ accusations, he recently filed a lawsuit against her for defamation and tortious interference with his NFL contract. As part of that claim, Thompkins alleges that Castilhos threatened him “with fabricated allegations of domestic violence unless he met her financial demands for additional alimony” in the divorce proceeding.
An NFL meeting led to assurances the 5-foot-8, 155-pound wideout would not receive a suspension. Barely a week after that ruling, the former UDFA will receive another shot. This comes at an interesting point, as an offseason rule change is set to revive the kickoff return. Thompkins served as Tampa Bay’s primary kick returner in 2022 and ’23; he was also the Bucs’ lead punt returner last season.
Raheem Blackshear and Laviska Shenault Jr. served as Carolina’s kick returners last season. Shenault is now with the Seahawks, while Blackshear remains on the Panthers’ roster. As a receiver, Thompkins caught 17 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown last season.
Seahawks, S Julian Love Reach Agreement On Extension
After making his first Pro Bowl with the Seahawks last year, safety Julian Love was set to enter the 2024 season on the final year of his contract. It appears that Seattle valued his contribution in 2023 enough to sign Love to a new three-year extension worth up to $36MM, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
Love left Notre Dame after his junior season as a consensus All-American, getting drafted in the fourth round by the Giants in 2019. Over his first three seasons, Love wasn’t viewed as a starter in New York, often sitting behind the likes of Antoine Bethea, Jabrill Peppers, Logan Ryan, and Xavier McKinney. Still, he got a decent amount of playing time with at least five starts in each of those first three years and nabbing one interception in each of those years, as well.
In the final year of his rookie contract, Love finally earned a role as a full-time starter on the Giants defense. Love led the team with a career-high 124 tackles, earning other career highs in interceptions (two), tackles for loss (six), and sacks (one). His efforts earned him a spot in Seattle with a two-year, $12MM contract, despite beliefs in New York that Love would re-sign with the Giants.
Despite seeming to be a superfluous addition to a secondary that already rostered Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, Love found new life in Seattle. In his first season with the Seahawks, Love started 12 games, filling in as an injury replacement for Adams at first, before becoming too crucial to the defense to keep off the field. Love was all over the field on defense, finishing second on the team with 123 tackles, while tallying career highs in interceptions (4) and passes defensed (10). With the releases of both Adams and Diggs, Love will take over alongside newly signed Rayshawn Jenkins as the top safety duo in Seattle this coming season.
Before his new deal, Love was expected to head into the final year of his two-year contract with a cap hit of $8.09MM. Love’s extension will likely lower that figure while rewarding the safety with a new signing bonus. Instead of dealing with free agency next offseason, the two parties will now be tied together through the 2027 NFL season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/24
Wednesday’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Reverted to IR: OL Carter O’Donnell
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Zack Bailey
- Waived: G Ryan Coll, P Ryan Sanborn
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Jeremiah Martin, T Chim Okorafor
- Waived: LB Caleb Johnson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB Carlton Davis, T Giovanni Manu, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CB Amik Robertson, WR Tre’Quan Smith
- Activated from active/PUP list: S Brian Branch, DE Marcus Davenport
- Waived (with failed physical designation): G Matt Farniok
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR Jayden Reed
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Laquon Treadwell
- Placed on active/NFI list: DT Raekwon Davis
- Placed on active/PUP list: CB Chris Lammons
- Waived: WR Xavier White
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Keelan Doss, OL Corey Luciano
- Waived (with injury designation): G Jake Johanning
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR DeWayne McBride
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR Chris Olave
- Activated from active/PUP list: DE Chase Young
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on active/NFI list: T Gottlieb Ayedze, WR Shaquan Davis
- Placed on active/PUP list: S Sydney Brown
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on active/NFI list: RB Cordarrelle Patterson
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Cole Holcomb, DE Dean Lowry
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on active/PUP list: DE Drake Jackson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: G Ilm Manning
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB DJ James, CB Nehemiah Pritchett
- Released: G Tremayne Anchrum
Washington Commanders
- Activated from active/NFI list: DT Johnny Newton
- Placed on active/PUP list: DE Efe Obada
In New Orleans, Young has officially made the comeback from offseason neck surgery, passing his physical today alongside Olave, who is no stranger to offseason injuries.
Treadwell will join his eighth team in nine years after only making one catch in five games with the Ravens last season.
Brown is working his way back from an ACL tear that he suffered in the final game of his rookie season last year, so it’s no surprise that he will start the offseason on PUP.
Broncos, Quinn Meinerz Agree On Extension
JULY 24: The base value of Meinerz’s deal will leave the NFL’s $20MM-per-year guard count at four. This contract checks in at four years and $72MM, according to OverTheCap. Of Meinerz’s $45MM guarantee, $24MM is locked in at signing. Incentives cover $8MM in this deal, which could take it to $80MM if maxed out.
The improving guard secured a rolling guarantee structure for 2026 as well. If Meinerz is on Denver’s roster by Day 5 of the 2025 league year, his 2026 base salary ($14.86MM) becomes guaranteed. Meinerz’s 2024 and ’25 base salaries are guaranteed at signing. If Meinerz is on the Broncos’ roster by Day 5 of the 2027 league year, $6.14MM of his 2027 base ($17.49MM) will become guaranteed.
JULY 16: Already carrying three veteran contracts on their offensive line, the Broncos are adding a fourth. Quinn Meinerz is now Denver’s highest-paid blocker, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reporting the team’s ascending right guard has an extension in place.
The former third-round pick agreed to a four-year deal worth $80MM; $45MM will be guaranteed to the Division III product. Meinerz, who has become one of the NFL’s better guards over the past two seasons, is now signed through the 2028 season. This eclipses Garett Bolles‘ deal for the most lucrative pact handed to an O-lineman in Broncos history.
Earlier this offseason, we mentioned Meinerz as an extension candidate. The Broncos will have some more breathing room beginning in 2026, when the Russell Wilson dead money is off the books, and Meinerz will be paired with Bo Nix‘s rookie contract. While right tackle Mike McGlinchey is locked in through at least 2025, Bolles is playing on an expiring contract. Left guard Ben Powers‘ four-year deal also pays out its guarantees this season. Meinerz now sits as the top investment along Denver’s O-line, becoming the NFL’s fifth $20MM-per-year guard.
Meinerz’s deal follows Quenton Nelson, Chris Lindstrom, Landon Dickerson and Robert Hunt in the $20MM-AAV club at this increasingly valuable position. This contract matches the Hunt and Nelson deals for AAV; Dickerson remains the NFL’s highest-paid guard. Although Meinerz has yet to be selected for a Pro Bowl, the interior mauler — known at one point for his “The Belly” alias — has been one of the top-rated guards over the past two seasons.
While GM George Paton made some memorably bad decisions in 2022 — the Wilson trade/extension, the Nathaniel Hackett hire — his 2021 draft class has panned out thus far to help keep the team afloat. Meinerz joins Patrick Surtain as the anchors from that group, though the Broncos have a few other contributors from Paton’s first offering as a GM. Pro Football Focus graded Meinerz as a top-five guard in 2022 and slotted him third among guards last season. The advanced metrics site placed Meinerz, 25, as the NFL’s best run-blocking guard in 2023.
Sean Payton was not present for Meinerz’s arrival, but the second-year Broncos boss has long placed a premium on interior O-line success. Payton invested heavily in interior blockers to help protect Drew Brees; current Broncos O-line coach Zach Strief was part of that effort. Jahri Evans became a pillar for the Saints, while the team also used first-round picks to acquire Andrus Peat and Cesar Ruiz. Erik McCoy, who has become one of the NFL’s top centers, arrived via second-round pick during the end of Payton’s New Orleans run.
The Saints also signed Larry Warford to a big-ticket free agent deal in 2017, the same year the Broncos added Ronald Leary in free agency. Denver did not see Leary or 2020 free agent guard signee Graham Glasgow provide sufficient value, but the team continued down the free agent path with Powers. The late-blooming Ravens success story started 17 games alongside Meinerz last season. Powers, 27, is signed through 2026. The Broncos have bigger plans for Meinerz, who has become one of the NFL’s most unique success stories in recent years.
The COVID-19 pandemic nixed Division III’s 2020 season, leading Meinerz to train on his own ahead of the draft. A Senior Bowl invite, along with some mid-’80s Rocky Balboa-like training techniques, propelled the Wisconsin-Whitewater product to a Day 2 investment.
Replacing an injured Glasgow in 2021, Meinerz has started 39 career games. A Meinerz extension likely factored into the Broncos’ decision not to re-sign Dalton Risner last year — though, the four-year guard starter did not prove to be expensive in free agency — and the team will aim for Meinerz to block for Nix for many seasons moving forward.
Browns Place Nick Chubb, Jedrick Wills, Jack Conklin On PUP List
The Browns entered their wild-card game without Nick Chubb and both their starting tackles. Although Deshaun Watson has returned after missing the stretch run, Cleveland remains without its Pro Bowl running back and tackle tandem.
Chubb joined Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin on the Browns’ active/PUP list to open training camp Wednesday. Neither Wills nor Conklin participated in Browns minicamp, working off to the side. Conklin, however, said this month he expected to be a training camp participant. That will not take place at the outset. Chubb is coming off two knee surgeries, making his placement on the camp injured list unsurprising.
Players stationed on the active/PUP list can be activated at any point during camp, as teams do not have to make decisions pertaining to the reserve/PUP list — which sidelines players for at least four games — for a few weeks. Chubb can be considered a candidate for that list, but it would surprise if Conklin or Wills did not return to practice soon. Conklin sustained ACL and MCL tears in Week 1 of last season, while Wills went down with an MCL sprain in December.
Now in a contract year, Wills will need to bounce back to earn a lucrative deal — either via a Browns extension or as a 2025 free agent — after missing nine games last season. Given the nature of the former first-rounder’s injury, it is a bit surprising he remains out of the mix regarding full work. Wills’ MCL issue did lead to surgery, however. The 2020 draftee has started all 53 games he has played in Cleveland, joining Conklin — a 2020 free agency pickup — as the team’s starters in that span.
Conklin, 30 in August, has seen knee injuries play a regular role during his NFL career. He went down midway through the 2018 season with an ACL tear — a setback that contributed to the Titans declining his fifth-year option — and missed 10 Browns games due to a torn patella tendon in 2021. The knee maladies are piling up for Conklin, whom the Browns extended late in the 2022 season. But the former first-round pick is expected to man Cleveland’s RT post again soon.
Given a substantial pay cut this offseason, Chubb is attempting to make his way back from two knee surgeries performed last fall. Chubb did not sustain a full ACL tear, though he did tear an MCL fully, in Week 2 of last season. But the Browns are expected to be cautious with the perennial Pro Bowler. It is not yet known when Chubb will be unleashed this season, and it would not surprise to see the team stash him on the reserve/PUP list. Though, that would create questions at running back for the AFC North club.
In addition to Chubb, the Browns have free agent signing Nyheim Hines rehabbing a major knee injury. The former Colts and Bills RB landed on Cleveland’s active/NFI list, as the injury he sustained while on a jet ski in 2023 has sidelined him for over a year. Hines is aiming for a return during camp. The Browns, who added D’Onta Foreman as RB insurance, also placed DT Dalvin Tomlinson on their active/PUP list with a knee issue. Greg Newsome landed on Cleveland’s active/NFI list with a hamstring injury. Safety D’Anthony Bell is also on the Browns’ PUP list.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived (with injury settlement): OL Carter O’Donnell
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OT Julién Davenport
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from PUP: WR Jalen Coker, Chau Smith-Wade
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on NFI: OT Trent Brown
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: QB Jacob Eason
- Waived: LS Peter Bowden
Houston Texans
- Reverted to IR: WR Jared Wayne
- Released from IR: WR Jaxon Janke
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on PUP: LB Darien Butler, OL Jacob Johanning, OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, WR Jalen Guyton, T Kolton Miller
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on PUP: TE Tyler Higbee
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Kyric McGowan
- Placed on PUP: WR Odell Beckham, LB David Long
- Placed on IR: WR Tahj Washington
- Activated off NFI: RB Salvon Ahmed, S Mark Perry
New England Patriots
- Placed on PUP: C Jake Andrews, WR Kendrick Bourne, G Cole Strange, LB Sione Takitaki
- Placed on NFI: RB Antonio Gibson
New York Giants
- Placed on PUP: T Evan Neal▪️, CB Aaron Robinson
- Placed on NFI: DB Jalen Mills, DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
New York Jets
- Signed: CB Nehemiah Shelton
- Activated from PUP: WR Tyler Harrell, DT Leonard Taylor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on NFI: DB Cooper DeJean
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on PUP: LB Dre Greenlaw, S Talanoa Hufanga
- Placed on NFI: WR Ricky Pearsall
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Marcus Simms, OT Jalen Sundell
- Activated from PUP: LB Jerome Baker, CB Lance Boykin, LB Tyrel Dodson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on NFI: QB Zack Annexstad, TE Tanner Taula
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on PUP: WR Colton Dowell, OT Nicholas Petit-Frere
WR Michael Gallup Retires
After joining the Raiders earlier this offseason, Michael Gallup is apparently calling it a career. The team announced that they’ve placed the wide receiver on the reserve/retired list.
The 2018 third-round pick quickly established himself as a foundational piece in Dallas, finishing his sophomore campaign with 66 catches for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns. Despite the team’s addition of first-round WR CeeDee Lamb in 2020, Gallup still managed to top 800 receiving yards on a depth chart that also featured Amari Cooper.
The trouble started in 2021. Gallup missed the first chunk of the season thanks to a calf injury. He was limited to a then-career-low 12.7 yards per reception that season on 35 catches before suffering a torn ACL in the regular season finale. The organization clearly wasn’t deterred by the injuries, as the front office handed Gallup a five-year, $62.5MM extension before trading Cooper days later.
To Gallup’s credit, he returned for 14 games in 2022, but he clearly wasn’t the same player. While Dak Prescott‘s absence partly played into Gallup’s drop in production, the wide receiver was still limited to only 30 yards per game. He managed to get into all 17 games this past season but his counting stats continued to drop, with the 28-year-old compiling only 34 catches for 418 yards and two scores.
The Cowboys gave Gallup permission to seek a trade earlier this offseason, but the team ultimately decided to cut him before a $4MM salary guarantee was due. The wideout quickly caught on with the Raiders, inking a one-year deal that could be worth up to $3MM. There was some hope that the veteran could soak up the snaps left by Hunter Renfrow, who was cut in March. Indeed, Ed Werder reports that news of Gallup’s retirement came as a surprise to the Raiders. The organization will now have an open competition for the WR3 spot behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers.
Vikings Sign CB Duke Shelley
Duke Shelley is back with a familiar team in time for training camp. The veteran corner re-joined the Vikings on Tuesday, per a team announcement. 
Shelley spent his first three seasons in the league with Chicago, logging six starts and 30 appearances during that span. He did not survive roster cuts in 2022, though, and upon clearing waivers he found himself on the Vikings’ practice squad. The former sixth-rounder made five starts upon signing to Minnesota’s active roster that year, and he recorded his lone career interception during his first Vikings stint (one which predated the arrival of defensive coordinator Brian Flores).
In free agency last offseason, Shelley signed with the Raiders but again he did not manage to secure a roster spot during training camp. The 27-year-old did not need to wait long to find a new home, though, inking a deal with the Rams in September. During his lone Los Angeles campaign, Shelley played 11 games while primarily logging a special teams role.
His third phase experience could help him carve out a roster spot upon his return to Minnesota. Shelley did, however, log a 52% defensive snap share during his first Vikings stint, so he has experience handling at least a rotational role in the secondary. Minnesota has Byron Murphy and free agent addition Shaquill Griffin atop the depth chart as things stand, but Shelley will be able to compete for a backup gig.
The tragic death of rookie Khyree Jackson left the Vikings short on depth at the cornerback spot, and Shelley will aim to land a full-time gig during his return to Minnesota. The team entered Tuesday with over $21MM in cap space, so further roster moves in the coming days and weeks could still take place.