Transactions News & Rumors

Steelers Sign Andrus Peat, Logan Woodside

In advance of their first preseason game, the Steelers have made a pair of additions. Offensive lineman Andrus Peat and quarterback Logan Woodside were signed on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Peat played for the Saints from 2015-23. During that span, the former first-rounder largely split his time between left tackle and left guard. Toward the end of his New Orleans tenure, Peat was exclusively used on the interior. That resulted in a stretch including three consecutive Pro Bowl nods (2018-20), but last offseason a fresh start was sought out.

On the open market, Peat took a one-year, $2MM pact with the Raiders. Doing so appeared to set him up to compete for a starting gig, but despite playing 15 games last season the 31-year-old logged only 57 snaps. After a lengthy stay in free agency this offseason, Peat will look to earn a roster spot with Pittsburgh as a veteran depth option.

Woodside has only 13 regular season appearances and no starts to his name. The former seventh-rounder is, however, a familiar face to Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The two worked together in Tennessee and again in Atlanta. With Aaron Rodgers and other starters not playing against the Jaguars on Saturday (per head coach Mike Tomlin), Woodside could find himself in the quarterback rotation.

That is especially true since sixth-round rookie Will Howard is currently dealing with an injury in his throwing hand. Tomlin said (via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) this is a short-term issue, adding Howard could be available to play later in the preseason. A broken finger is the issue in this case, as noted by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor; surgery will not be needed. In Rodgers’ absence and with Howard on the mend, Mason Rudolph should be in position to handle starting duties for Pittsburgh’s preseason opener.

To make from for the additions of Peat and Woodside, long snapper Tucker Addington and guard Nick Broeker have been waived. Provided both of them go unclaimed, they will become free agents and seek out a new opportunity during the closing weeks of the offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/25

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

  • Waived/injured: TE Jordan Murray

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived: TE McCallan Castles

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Bills LB Baylon Spector suffered a calf injury earlier this week that ultimately cost him his roster spot, but he seems destined to ultimately land on the team’s injured reserve. Buffalo was quick to add Jimmy Ciarlo as the replacement. The former West Point captain spent most of his rookie campaign with the Jets, and he garnered auditions with the Giants and Patriots after getting let go by Gang Green in May.

The Texans added some depth at wide receiver in Quintez Cephus, although it came at the expense of Johnny Johnson III. The former Lions draft pick lasted three seasons in Detroit, where he hauled in 37 receptions for 568 yards and four touchdowns. Cephus was banned for the 2023 campaign for violating the league’s gambling policy, and he’s since had stints with the Bills, Texans, Rams, and 49ers. Following his first gig in Houston, he had a brief stint playing under Nick Caley in Los Angeles.

Chargers Bring Back WR Keenan Allen

After only a year away from Los Angeles, veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen has indeed returned to the Chargers. After much speculation in the past few days, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero broke the news of Allen’s new one-year, $8.52MM deal.

After finishing his lone season in Chicago, in which he had a modest yet still impressive 70 receptions for 744 yards and seven touchdowns, Allen expressed interest in playing in only one of two cities in 2025: Chicago or Los Angeles. In the weeks leading up to free agency, though, the Bears seemed all but willing to let Allen walk in free agency. The Chargers, on the other hand, expressed some openness to a reunion with their long-time leading receiver.

Los Angeles had already reunited with Allen’s long-time teammate Mike Williams in March, and the idea of getting the band back together after only a one-year hiatus was looking like a decent possibility. Unfortunately for that possibility, Williams opted to announce his retirement just two and half weeks ago, perhaps opening the door for another veteran leader to take his slot on the roster.

Four days ago, the 33-year-old pass catcher visited the team that drafted him in the third round all those years ago out of Cal, and a day after head coach Jim Harbaugh finally expressed some interest in bringing Allen back to the locker room, the deal gets done.

Allen joins a young group of receivers in Los Angeles for the 2025 season. The Chargers’ top talent at the position is a second-year Ladd McConkey, a third-year Quentin Johnston, a rookie second-round Tre Harris, and a third-year Derius Davis. The TCU alums, Johnston and Davis, are familiar to Allen from his last season with the team, but the SEC pair are new faces in Allen’s return to the room.

With McConkey expected to be a mainstay in the slot after a phenomenal rookie season (82 catches, 1,149 yards, seven touchdowns), Allen can’t easily slip into that inside role, despite the tendency for players of his age to transition from an outside role. Johnston and Harris have plenty of size to work on the outsides, while Davis works as the primary return man.

Roles seem to be pretty clearly defined, so Allen could end up as the first man off the bench at any position or he may still be able to work effectively as an outside starter over either Johnston or Harris. Whatever role he plays, he shouldn’t have to work hard to reestablish the existing chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert. We’ll see how he fits in with the new group in the weeks to come, but in the end his most valuable asset may be the leadership jersey No. 13 provides to the room in Year 13.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/25

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): TE Mason Pline
  • Waived: TE Seth Green

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dial, the Patriots second-year cornerback and special teamer, will miss his second year in the NFL after suffering a torn ACL. In cheerier news, Opeta returns to a practice field for the first time in over a year. The former Eagles backup lineman was hoping to compete for a starting left guard spot last year before tearing his ACL in the first week of camp.

Campbell makes his way off the Cowboys roster after being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Injuries continue to be an issue for the Ohio State alum, who has missed 51 of a possible 100 regular season games over his first six years in the league and is set to miss even more this year.

Titans To Re-Sign S Quandre Diggs

Quandre Diggs recently returned to full strength, opening the door to another opportunity. The veteran safety will land in a familiar spot, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting a Titans deal will come to pass.

The former Lions and Seahawks standout joined the Titans last year. Diggs received clearance to return to action, after suffering a season-ending Lisfranc, injury last year, in late July, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes.

Diggs was among the injured performers during a brutal health season for the Titans’ secondary. Cornerback imports L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie both lasted less than half the season, with Diggs’ eight-game slate also falling into that category. The Titans released Awuzie and have Sneed on their active/PUP list to open training camp. Diggs, though, will be back in position to provide a veteran presence in this secondary. This signing comes a year and a day after Diggs’ initial Titans agreement, though his experience last season will provide a different level of familiarity.

Adding both Diggs and Jamal Adams last year, the Titans preferred the older of the two ex-Seahawks starters. Diggs started all eight games he played last season (as Tennessee cut Adams in-season), but a lengthy rehab odyssey became necessary after the significant foot setback. The Titans rostered Diggs on just a one-year, $3MM deal last season. Considering the injury, it would surprise if Diggs surpassed that this year.

A Pro Bowler from 2020-22, Diggs became a Seahawks cap casualty early in Mike Macdonald‘s HC tenure. Diggs showed no durability concerns in Seattle, starting every Seahawks game — as Adams routinely ran into injury trouble — from 2020-23. Pro Football Focus graded Diggs’ abbreviated Titans season positively as well, slotting him 20th among safety regulars.

The Titans were busy at the position this offseason, adding Xavier Woods and using a third-round pick on Kevin Winston Jr.. The latter is coming off a partial ACL tear suffered while at Penn State. Winston, though, avoided the active/NFI list and has been developing during the Titans’ preseason workouts. Diggs would stand to be a stopgap while Winston learns, but Woods’ arrival alongside secondary staple Amani Hooker could relegate the “new” arrival to a high-profile backup role. Indeed, veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky notes Diggs is competing for the fourth safety role. (Of note, Diggs is also a cousin of No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.)

Tennessee also added safety Joshuah Bledsoe while waiving safety Mark Perry and edge rusher Titus Leo to clear roster space.

Bucs To Sign QB Teddy Bridgewater

1:05pm: The deal is a go. Bridgewater is joining the Bucs on a one-year agreement, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The formerly retired quarterback passed his physical and is joining Mayfield and Trask in Tampa.

10:50am: When speaking to the media, Licht confirmed Tampa’s intention of finalizing a Bridgewater deal. He added (via Greg Auman of Fox Sports) that Trask is still seen as the backup at this point, but that could of course change depending on how the coming weeks play out.

8:39am: Teddy Bridgewater has lined up another NFL opportunity. The once-retired quarterback is taking part in a visit with the Buccaneers today, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports a signing is expected in this case.

Bridgewater retired after the 2023 season but later made it clear he was interested in a return. Late in the regular season, the 32-year-old reunited with the Lions and handled backup quarterback duties the rest of the way. Bridgewater recently coached Miami Northwestern high school to begin his post-playing days, but his tenure there ended after only one season due to a suspension over using his own money to pay for food, rides and other accommodations for his players.

Tampa Bay is not one of the six teams Bridgewater has played for to date in the NFL, but this agreement will still allow him to work with a few familiar faces. Bucs defensive line coach Charlie Strong spent time with Bridgewater at Louisville, and offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was on the Dolphins’ staff when the former first-rounder was in Miami. Provided Bridgewater officially signs in the near future, he will be in position to see preseason game time upon returning (again) to the NFL.

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht noted (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times) Bridgewater’s experience is a key factor in the decision to add him. Former second-rounder Kyle Trask has attempted just 11 regular season passes in three years while backing up Tom Brady as a rookie and Baker Mayfield for the past two campaigns. Trask is currently dealing with a back injury, per Schefter. Mayfield, meanwhile, recently suffered a contusion in his throwing hand.

Bridgewater will thus provide the Buccaneers with a healthy option under center through the remainder of training camp, although Stroud notes Mayfield is set to return to practice this week. The former No. 1 pick is of course assured of his QB1 gig when healthy over the final two years of his contract. An extension next spring would also come as no surprise.

A veteran of 65 starts, Bridgewater’s most recent run atop a depth chart came in 2021 with the Broncos. He will not be counted on to run Tampa Bay’s offense for an extended period barring a Mayfield injury, but if today’s workout goes as planned another backup opportunity will be in play.

Raiders Trade CB Jakorian Bennett To Eagles For DT Thomas Booker

In a rare preseason player-for-player deal, the Raiders are trading cornerback Jakorian Bennett to the Eagles in return for defensive tackle Thomas Booker, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Both players will have to pass a physical for the trade to go through, according to The Athletic’s Brooks Kubena.

Bennett, a 2023 fourth-round pick, started four games as a rookie before stepping into a bigger role with seven starts in 2024. He commanded a 71% snap share in the Raiders’ first 10 games before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. Despite seeming to prove himself in Las Vegas, Bennett may not have fit into new head coach Pete Carroll‘s plans for this season.

The Raiders are confident in their other cornerbacks, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, including free agent signing and projected starter Eric Stokes. Bennett had been working consistently with the Raiders’ second-string defense, per ESPN.com’s Ryan McFadden. Stokes and third-round rookie Darien Porter had been receiving most of the first-team reps, and Bennett will receive a fresh start. Two years remain on his rookie contract.

In Philadelphia, Bennett is expected to compete for the Eagles’ open outside cornerback job with Kelee Ringo and Adoree’ Jackson, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has indicated that neither player has stood out at this point, and Bennett could mix up the competition further.

Booker, meanwhile, was deemed surplus to requirements in the Eagles’ talented young defensive line room with players like Gabe Hall and Byron Young impressing in training camp, per the Inquirer’s EJ Smith. Originally a 2022 fifth-round pick by the Texans, Booker appeared in 10 games as a rookie but was waived during roster cuts in 2023. He spent the year on the Eagles’ practice squad, earned a 53-man roster spot in 2024, and appeared in every game during the team’s championship season.

Booker will now join a Raiders defensive line room that just lost Christian Wilkins as well as 2024 starter John Jenkins earlier in the offseason. Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu, and Zachary Carter are all returning from last year’s unit with a handful of inexpensive veterans and rookies behind them. Booker will join that group competing for a depth role, though his 53-man roster chances are boosted by the fact that the Raiders moved to acquire him.

Browns Sign QB Tyler Huntley

With a few minor injuries hampering their quarterback room, the Browns added some depth on Monday by reuniting with Tyler Huntley, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move is now official.

Kenny Pickett has been nursing a hamstring injury for the last week, and Dillon Gabriel was limited with a similar issue on Monday, per Schefter. Shedeur Sanders has also been experiencing shoulder soreness, so veteran Joe Flacco entered the day as the team’s only fully healthy passer.

The Browns’ first preseason matchup is scheduled for Friday night in Carolina, and neither Pickett nor Gabriel are expected to play, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. The 40-year-old Flacco played all of six preseason snaps last year, and pushing Sanders to play most of the game with a sore shoulder seems like an unnecessary risk.

Enter Huntley, who spent the 2024 offseason and preseason with the Browns but did not make their 53-man roster. He briefly signed with the Ravens’ practice squad before finishing the year with five starts in Miami. His familiarity with the Browns’ offense will allow him to serve as a camp arm and absorb preseason snaps as the rest of the team’s quarterbacks get back to full health.

He is not expected to factor into the starting competition, which has swung back-and-forth between Flacco and Pickett this summer. Though, this does bring about an interesting development due to Cleveland’s crowded depth chart. Huntley has gone from making five starts a Tua Tagovailoa relief — after making a name for himself as a Lamar Jackson fill-in — to being what could amount to a camp body. It will be interesting to see if this reunion amounts to more than that, as Huntley is still just 27 and has made 14 career starts. The Browns had carried him through past waivers last year but ultimately cut bait shortly after. The Cardinals worked out Huntley in April but did not sign him.

Flacco is atop the Browns’ first unofficial depth chart as Pickett’s absence in camp has set him back in his quest to win the starting job, something he acknowledged this weekend.

“I’m trying to get back out there as fast as possible,” said Pickett (via Cabot). “I’ve never had a soft tissue injury like this, so really a first-time experience in my career.” 

The former Steelers first-round pick is still ahead of his rookie teammates, with Gabriel listed as the third-stringer and Sanders behind him. That ranking reflects the snap distribution between the two rookies. Gabriel gets on the field before Sanders and takes more reps, but the latter has been more accurate this summer, according to The Athletic’s Zac Jackson. While neither is expected to start early in the season, Jackson suggested that Sanders’ rapid development could get him on the field later in the year.

Falcons, RT Kaleb McGary Agree To Extension

Kaleb McGary‘s tenure in Atlanta will continue past 2025. Team and player have agreed to a two-year, $30MM extension, per an announcement from McGary’s agent. The Falcons have since confirmed the news.

Prior to today’s deal, McGary was on track for free agency next spring. Now, however, he is on the books through the 2027 campaign. Each of his six years in the league have come with the Falcons, and the 30-year-old’s latest contract increases the chances he will finish his career in Atlanta.

After playing out his rookie pact, McGary appeared at one point to be headed elsewhere on the open market. Instead, a three-year, $34.5MM pact was worked out to prevent a departure. With one season remaining on that $11.5MM-per-year accord, the former first-rounder has managed to increase his average annual value on this new contract without requiring much in the way of new term from the team’s perspective.

During his first three years in the league, McGary – who has started all but one of his 93 appearances – failed to land within the top 50 tackles in terms of PFF grades. 2022 saw a major step forward in that respect, with his 86.6 grade ranking fourth at the position. Since then, the Washington alum has continued to deliver strong showings in terms of run blocking in particular, although his overall evaluations have failed to duplicate that previous high mark. He will nevertheless be expected to remain a consistent and durable presence up front on this new pact, having played at least 14 games every season to date.

The Falcons have one of the league’s highest-paid guards in the form of Chris Lindstrom, and he is under contract for another four years. The same is also true of left tackle Jake Matthews, since he signed a two-year extension of his own back in March. With McGary’s post-2025 future now taken care of as well (and left guard Matthew Bergeron still attached to his rookie deal), Atlanta will look to benefit from a large degree of stability along the offensive line in advance of Michael Penix Jr.‘s first full season as the team’s starting quarterback.

Center Drew Dalman departed in free agency as expected this spring. The Falcons are set to promote Ryan Neuzil to a starting gig in his place. A similar in house-ascension could take place down the road at the right tackle spot. For the foreseeable future, though, that position will continue to belong to McGary.

49ers Release K Greg Joseph

The 49ers made a slew of roster moves on Monday. Included among them is the release of veteran kicker Greg Joseph.

In May, the 49ers signed Joseph as a contender for the 2025 kicking gig. The 31-year-old took part in minicamp and the opening stages of training camp, but his time in San Francisco has come to an end before the preseason. As a result of today’s move, Jake Moody is the lone kicker on the roster at the moment.

Moody entered the league in 2023 with high expectations as the No. 99 pick in his draft class. He enjoyed a strong rookie campaign, connecting on 21 of 24 field goal tries and all but one of his extra point attempts. Last season, however, things took an unwanted turn. In 14 games, Moody missed 10 field goal attempts, including five from within 50 yards. Competition was sought out in response, but pending another addition at the position he is set to once again handle kicking duties in 2025.

Joseph had a three-year run with the Vikings following brief tenures in Cleveland and Tennessee. Last season, the former UDFA made appearances for three teams; in all, he went 16-for-2o on field goals and 11-for-11 on extra points. As teams around the league prepare for the preseason in advance of final roster cuts, it will be interesting to see if Joseph lands another opportunity in the near future.

The 49ers’ other Monday moves consisted of signing defensive end Bradlee Anae, defensive tackle Bruce Hector, safety Jaylen Mahoney, cornerback Fabian Moreau and offensive lineman Isaiah Prince. They will each look to carve out a depth spot over the coming weeks while (in all likelihood) seeing playing time during the preseason as the team deals with minor injuries at number of positions.

In corresponding transactions, cornerback Tre Averyreceiver Isaiah Neyorquarterback Tanner Mordecai and tight end Mason Pline have been waived. Each member of that quartet will be available to interested teams via the waiver wire. Provided they go unclaimed, each will become a free agent.