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Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/25

July 23rd, 2025 at 6:55pm CST by Ely Allen

With several training camps underway, here are today’s minor NFL transactions:

Baltimore Ravend

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Claimed off waivers (from Eagles): DE K.J. Henry

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Houston fans may be discouraged to see a few big names on injured lists, but all is not lost. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Mixon’s “medical outlook is positive” as the team plans to gradually increase his activity throughout camp. Likewise, Autry is expected to ease his way back into camp workouts, as well. Pierce, on the other hand, is expected to be ready to come off the list at the start of camp.

Per ESPN’s John Keim, Cosmi likely won’t see much time on the field in camp, but he appears to be hitting all the mile markers en route to being healthy for the start of the regular season. With McLaurin officially beginning his holdout yesterday, the team has made the corresponding roster move. McLaurin will rack up fines of $50K per each day missed, but if the team can come to terms on an extension, they can make sure those fines are nullified.

Saints Sign S Julian Blackmon

July 23rd, 2025 at 3:34pm CST by Ben Levine

JULY 23: Blackmon is joining the Saints on a one-year deal worth up to $5.5MM, Rapoport tweets. Mathieu had been attached to a one-year, $4MM pact, one reworked via a pay-cut agreement this offseason. Blackmon played out a one-year, $3.7MM Colts contract in 2024. Blackmon’s New Orleans accord is now official.

JULY 22: Following Tyrann Mathieu‘s sudden retirement announcement earlier today, the Saints have already found a potential replacement. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the team is signing veteran safety Julian Blackmon. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier this evening that New Orleans was working to add Blackmon as a Honey Badger replacement.

[RELATED: Saints’ Tyrann Mathieu Announces Retirement]

A former third-round pick, Blackmon was a mainstay in Indy’s secondary over the past five seasons. He started 62 of his 66 games with the Colts, collecting 300 tackles and 21 passes defended. He also hauled in 10 interceptions, including seven between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The safety did deal with his fair share of injuries, including a torn Achilles in 2021 and shoulder issues in both 2023 and 2024.

Despite his starting experience, the safety hasn’t had the best of luck in free agency. Last year, he garnered interest from the Bills and 49ers before ultimately returning to the Colts on a one-year deal. This offseason, it’s been relatively quiet for the 26-year-old other than a March visit with the Panthers.

Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of Blackmon’s first three seasons in the NFL, with the site ranking him as a below-average safety. He improved to 38th among 95 qualifiers in 2023, and he had his best career showing (30th of 98) in 2024. He’s generally graded out well for his coverage prowess, and his ability to play multiple roles (including in the box, in the slot, and out wide) should prove to be an asset for his new squad.

The Saints were likely scrambling following Mathieu’s sudden decision to hang up his cleats, leading to tonight’s signing. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis hinted that the organization could make an addition at the position, although he also expressed confidence in the team’s current options at the position. 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan Howden is the current favorite to start opposite Justin Reid, although Blackmon will join the likes of veterans J.T. Gray and Terrell Burgess as competition for the starting gig.

Saints’ Tyrann Mathieu Announces Retirement

July 23rd, 2025 at 9:39am CST by Nikhil Mehta

July 23: The Saints will get some minor cap savings from Mathieu’s retirement, per NewOrleans.Football’s Mike Triplett. He agreed to a revised contract earlier this offseason with a $2.47MM signing bonus and a fully guaranteed $1.53MM salary. The latter will come off this year’s cap, while the former will be taken off of Mathieu’s 2026 dead money from his last contract.

July 22: Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement on social media (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), ending the Honey Badger’s sterling 12-year career.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said that the team was informed of Mathieu’s decision in advance, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, but it still came as somewhat of a surprise. It also leaves the team without a starting safety with six weeks left until Week 1. Mathieu started every Saints game for the last three years.

[RELATED: Saints To Sign S Julian Blackmon]

Loomis indicated that the Saints will explore adding a safety, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, but they may already have Mathieu’s replacement on the roster. It won’t be veteran offseason signing Justin Reid, as he was already expected to start this year. Instead, 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan Howden jumps out as the most likely candidate.

Though he has only logged 11 career starts, Howden played just under 50% of the Saints’ defensive snaps over the last two years, primarily as a free safety. That experience should put him in a strong position to start opposite Reid, though veterans J.T. Gray and Terrell Burgess will also be in the mix. A number of free agents safeties are also available, including former Saint Marcus Maye.

The Saints also drafted Virginia safety Jonas Sanker in the third round, a sign that they believe he can grow into an NFL starter. He will likely have a chance to compete for the starting job, but rookie safeties – even ones drafted on Day 2 – are rarely able to catch up to NFL speed and start right away.

Mathieu, meanwhile, will be enjoying retirement after 12 years, 180 appearances, 171 starts, and more than 11,000 snaps in the NFL. Despite an excellent college career at LSU, Mathieu fell to the third round in the 2013 draft due to size concerns. The Cardinals snagged him with the 69th overall pick, and he went on to finish fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Working regularly in the slot for the Cardinals in 2015, Mathieu earned a first-team All-Pro nod upon helping the team to a franchise-most 13 wins — and a run to the NFC championship game. The Cardinals gave Mathieu a five-year, $62.5MM extension in 2016; at the time, that deal made him the NFL’s highest-paid safety. The Cards cut bait on the deal two years in, as the safety market cratered in 2018. After a one-off in Houston, Mathieu made his way to Kansas City and sparked a midcareer turnaround.

Hours after Washington gave Landon Collins a $14MM-per-year deal to reignite the safety market, Kansas City matched it — as the team loaded up around Patrick Mahomes‘ rookie contract. Mathieu played an instrumental role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV-winning season, justifying the team’s big-ticket payment. In 2020, Mathieu intercepted a career-high six passes and delivered his second straight first-team All-Pro season.

Despite Mathieu remaining a quality starter in 2021, the Chiefs let him walk as a 2022 free agent. They brought in Justin Reid as a cheaper alternative, redirecting Mathieu to the Saints (on a three-year, $27MM pact). New Orleans adjusted Mathieu’s deal twice, the second such change bringing a pay cut. Reid joined the Saints this offseason, but rather than finally align as a Mathieu teammate, the former Texans draftee will end up replacing him for a third time.

The LSU standout finishes his career with 36 interceptions, 11 sacks and seven forced fumbles. His work with the Cardinals and Chiefs spearheaded an All-Decade honor for the 2010s. Mathieu retires just shy of $100MM in career earnings, per OverTheCap, though that may change depending on how the Saints financially handle his retirement.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson Begins Training Camp Holdout

July 22nd, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

10:38pm: The latest round of negotiations between Hendrickson and the Bengals has proven to be “very contentious,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. He adds Monday’s talks did not yield progress, and it remains to be seen at this point when communication between the parties will open again. A lengthy holdout could very well be in store. He has since landed on the Bengals’ reserve/did not report list.

9:49am: Trey Hendrickson has long loomed as a candidate to skip the start of training camp. With the Bengals preparing to begin padded practices, the reigning sack leader is indeed absent.

Hendrickson informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday that he has elected to hold out from training camp. As a result, he will begin accruing mandatory daily fines while extension talks continue. Owner Mike Brown struck an optimistic tone yesterday when speaking to the media about the Hendrickson situation. For at least the time being, however, this stalemate will continue.

A native of Orlando, Hendrickson posted on Instagram that he has returned to Florida in the absence of an agreement. The 30-year-old has maintained since the spring that he is prepared to not only hold out of training camp but into the regular season if no extension is worked out. Several weeks remain to see if that will end up taking place, but today’s expected update is another indication this situation is not in a good place. To date, the Bengals have yet to offer a deal in the $35MM-per-year range and the team’s preference is to add one year to Hendrickson’s current pact.

Of course, guarantees are a key sticking point in negotiations. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Cincinnati is willing to authorize a multi-year pact which includes a “substantial raise” compared to the $16MM Hendrickson is currently owed for 2025 (video link). The issue, to no surprise, is the four-time Pro Bowler’s desire to secure guarantees for 2026 “and beyond” and thus match what a number of other edge rushers have received on that front this offseason with their new deals. T.J. Watt is the most recent pass rusher to reset the market, and his new Steelers pact includes $108MM fully guaranteed along with a record-breaking cashflow for non-quarterbacks.

It would come as a major surprise if Hendrickson were to match Watt in terms of base or locked in earnings on his next pact. Nevertheless, an increase in guarantees will likely be needed to get a deal done. During today’s episode of Good Morning Football, Manti Te’o said he has spoken with Hendrickson, who described the Bengals’ offers regarding guaranteed money as “atrociously, atrociously low” (h/t Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero).

The Bengals are certainly no stranger to contract drama leading up to the regular season. Tension with the likes of Joe Mixon, Jessie Bates, Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase over the past several years have created uncertainty about those players’ availability in time for Week 1. That will also be the case for Hendrickson unless a breakthrough can be made.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/25

July 22nd, 2025 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

With training camps kicking off around the NFL, teams continue to make adjustments to their rosters. Here are today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Waived: DT Dante Barnett
  • Placed on active/NFI: RB Zack Moss

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: K Mark McNamee

Houston Texans

  • Waived: CB Keydrain Calligan

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived: OT Savion Washington

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Waived: OT Obinna Eze

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Bears Sign DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, DB Tre Flowers

July 22nd, 2025 at 4:34pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bears are making some veteran additions to their defense before training camp starts on Wednesday by signing defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon and defensive back Tre Flowers, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

To make room on the roster, the team waived defensive back Alex Cook and defensive end Jereme Robinson, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

Kpassagnon is entering his ninth season in the NFL with 104 appearances and 34 starts under his belt for the Chiefs and the Saints, though he has only produced 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He has multiple connections to Chicago: general manager Ryan Poles was the director of college scouting in Kansas City when they drafted Kpassagnon in 2017, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen coached Kpassagnon in New Orleans for the last four years. Kpassagnon’s time as a Saint ended with a torn Achilles suffered three games into the 2024 season, but signing with a new team indicates that he is fully recovered, or close to it.

However, making the roster in Chicago is no certainty. The Bears have three edge defenders who are roster locks – Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Austin Booker – and Daniel Hardy‘s role on special teams will likely keep him around, as well. That will likely leave Kpassagnon to compete with 2022 fifth-rounder Dominique Robinson for a roster spot.

Flowers is a seven-year veteran with 95 appearances and 44 starts for five different teams. He barely played last year, playing just 39 total snaps across four appearances with the Jaguars and one with the Colts. More than 80% of his career snaps have come as an outside cornerback, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so he will likely remain in that role in Chicago. Flowers will be the team’s oldest and most experienced cornerback, which may help him beat out his younger competition for a roster spot. He also played 579 special teams snaps in 2022 and 2023; a return to that level of contribution would certainly help him as well.

Panthers To Release LB Josey Jewell

July 22nd, 2025 at 3:16pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Panthers are releasing Josey Jewell, per team writer Darin Gantt, clearing a roster spot as the veteran linebacker continues his recovery from a concussion suffered last December.

The two sides did try to find common ground on a revised contract, per Joe Person of The Athletic, but a release was determined as the best path forward. A team spokesman said (via Gantt) that Jewell is focusing on his health and consented to the release so that the team did not have to waste a roster spot on a player with an uncertain return timeline. However, the Panthers are leaving the door open for a reunion if Jewell manages to complete his recovery.

In the meantime, Carolina will need to decide on their starting inside linebackers moving forward. Veteran signing Christian Rozeboom and 2024 third-round pick Trevin Wallace are the most likely duo. Rozeboom started 11 games for the Rams in 2024, while Wallace impressed with 13 appearances and eight starts as a 21-year-old rookie. Claudin Cherelus and Jon Rhattigan will provide depth, but neither profiles as a likely Week 1 starter. The Panthers could look at the remaining free agent linebackers, but getting Wallace more experience would seem to be a better use of the team’s available snaps.

Jewell’s release will save $3.375MM against the Panthers’ 2025 cap, per OverTheCap, with $4.3MM in dead money this year and $2.3MM in 2026. The former fourth-round pick is unlikely to receive any interest until he is fully recovered from last year’s concussion, but he has been a steady contributor over the last three years with 333 total tackles and 9.0 sacks.

Raiders, S Jamal Adams Agree To Deal

July 22nd, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jamal Adams has his next NFL opportunity lined up. The veteran safety is signing with the Raiders, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports.

Moments before news of the signing broke, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted Adams was present for a free agent visit. Things have clearly gone according to plan on this front. By taking a Raiders deal, Adams will reunite with head coach Pete Carroll.

The two worked together in Seattle for four years. Adams came to the Emerald City amidst major expectations based on the price paid to acquire him from the Jets via trade. The former top-1o pick exceled with 9.5 sacks during his debut Seahawks campaign, but things did not go according to plan from that point on. A decline in play (especially in coverage) along with multiple significant injuries ultimately led to a release last March.

As a free agent, Adams joined the Titans but wound up logging only 20 defensive snaps. The team granted his request to be released, and a Lions deal soon followed. The three-time Pro Bowler made just a pair of appearances, though, and to no surprise he remained on the open market deep into the summer this year. Adams expressed interest in a Jets reunion this spring, but with nothing taking place in that regard he will prepare for another season working with Carroll.

Seattle’s $17.5MM-per-year pact proved to be a problematic investment for Adams, and to no surprise he has not managed to land a deal near that value since his release. That will no doubt be the case as well with this Raiders agreement. The 29-year-old will join a safety room featuring free agent addition Jeremy Chinn and returnee Isaiah Pola-Mao in position to operate as starters. Adams could offer experienced depth and, with 83 starts to his name, step into a defensive role if needed.

In other Raiders news, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports cornerback JT Woods is being signed. The former third-rounder has made a total of 13 appearances in the regular season, each coming with the Chargers between 202-23. After a season without logging any game time, he will join Adams in looking to secure a roster spot in the secondary.

Cowboys, DE James Houston Agree To Deal

July 22nd, 2025 at 12:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys are among the teams making free agent moves just ahead of training camp. Veteran defensive end James Houston has a deal in place, as first reported by Jon Machota of The Athletic.

Houston was one of three edge rushers who recently conducted a workout with the team, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. His visit obviously went well with an agreement being reached in short order. As the Micah Parsons extension situation drags on, Houston will spend camp looking to earn a roster spot.

The Houston signing is now official, per a team announcement. In a corresponding move, fellow defensive end Luiji Vilain has been released. The former UDFA spent time on Dallas’ practice squad last season, and he landed a futures deal after the campaign. Vilain has only made four regular season appearances to date in his career, and he has yet to manage a season like Houston’s 2022 campaign in terms of production.

As a rookie with the Lions, Houston recorded eight sacks. Considering that figure came about with a defensive snap share of just 32%, expectations were high moving forward for the former sixth-rounder. Instead, he made just two appearances the following year and then split his time between the Lions and Browns last season. Houston has managed only one sack since his impressive rookie campaign.

As a result, expectations will be tempered upon arrival in Dallas. The Cowboys lost DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency, but they still have Parsons in the fold (once his extension is finalized) along with the likes of Dante Fowler, Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland. Those three, along with second-round rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku, will enter camp with a stronger grip on a roster spot than Houston. The 26-year-old could nevertheless offer his newest team a depth option along the edge during the summer as he looks to survive roster cuts ahead of Week 1.

Eagles Sign DE Ogbo Okoronkwo

July 22nd, 2025 at 12:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

Late last month, Ogbo Okoronkwo was released. The veteran edge rusher has managed to line up a new gig in time for training camp, though.

Okoronkwo is signing with the Eagles, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. After two years in Cleveland, he represented a cut candidate based on his production and financial situation. With one year remaining on his pact, Okoronkwo was indeed let go in late June.

This signing is now official, per a team announcement. Defensive tackle Jacob Sykes has also been added. In corresponding moves, defensive end K.J. Henry and running back Lew Nichols have been waived. Henry is the only member of that group with any regular season experience, and he and Nichols will look for a new opportunity around the league if/when they clear waivers and become free agents.

Okoronkwo, 30, began his career with the Rams before a single Texans campaign in 2022. In Houston, the former fifth-rounder logged the first eight starts of his career and registered a career-best five sacks. Investing in future development, the Browns inked him to a three-year deal which had the potential to see him handle a complementary role to Myles Garrett as a starter. Instead, that was handled by Za’Darius Smith for the duration of his Cleveland tenure.

Overall, Okoronkwo managed just 7.5 sacks in 30 Browns games. Nevertheless, he will look to find a spot in Philadelphia as the team attempts to rebuild along the edge. Nolan Smith remains in place, but Josh Sweat‘s free agent departure created a vacancy for a starting spot while the trade dealing away Bryce Huff left the Eagles further short on depth. Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche were added on the open market and first-round pick Jihaad Campbell could see time along the edge in addition to linebacker work.

As the Eagles sort out their depth chart amongst that group, Okoronkwo will look to carve out a rotational role. The AAV ($6.3MM) of his Browns pact will surely not be duplicated on this deal, but a strong showing in 2025 could generate a strong free agent market next spring.

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