Ravens Waive G Tyre Phillips, Claim LB Del’Shawn Phillips
A Ravens guard starter to open each of the past two seasons, Tyre Phillips is now on the waiver wire. The Ravens moved on from the young offensive lineman Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The team attempted to trade the talented but injury-prone O-lineman, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (on Twitter), but scant interest came. Baltimore is moving forward with Ben Cleveland and Ben Powers instead. Kevin Zeitler remains in place as the Ravens’ right guard starter. Versatile veteran Patrick Mekari remains with the team as well.
Phillips has started 13 games for the Ravens. While teams were not willing to give up a draft pick for Phillips, it would not surprise if the 2020 third-round pick was claimed on waivers. The Ravens could also stash him on their practice squad. He is a candidate to be on Baltimore’s 16-man taxi squad, Zrebiec tweets. Phillips, however, did not fare well during preseason play. He also missed extensive time due to injury in 2020 and ’21.
The Ravens claimed linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips off waivers from the Jets, Zrebiec adds (via Twitter). Del’Shawn Phillips, 25, played in 17 games — mostly as a backup — with the Jets last season.
Seahawks Plan To Add QB Sean Mannion To Practice Squad
Sean Mannion spent part of last year’s training camp with the Seahawks, and the veteran backup quarterback agreed to return to the team Wednesday.
Seattle is adding the recent Minnesota backup to its practice squad, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The Vikings had shown interest in keeping Mannion on their P-squad, but the team essentially demoted him by trading for Nick Mullens this month. Mullens made Minnesota’s active roster, while Mannion and 2021 third-rounder Kellen Mond were cut Tuesday.
The Seahawks cut Mannion last year, and he found his way back to the Vikings’ QB2 role. But this partnership looks a bit different a year later. Going into their 2021 preseason, the Seahawks had Russell Wilson still riding a nine-season run of perfect attendance. Wilson, who missed his first NFL games last season, is now with the Broncos. Despite being connected to Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, the Seahawks are planning to use Geno Smith as their starter.
Wilson’s former backup beat out Drew Lock for the starting gig. Mannion would stand to step in behind this duo, though the Seahawks also cut Jacob Eason on Tuesday. Eason, a Washington alum, caught on with the team via an October 2021 waiver claim.
Despite being a former third-round pick, Mannion has never made inroads to being a starter in the NFL. He backed up Jared Goff primarily with the Rams and played behind Kirk Cousins with the Vikings. Mannion, 30, has started three career games. Two of those came in meaningless Week 17 situations; the third came after Cousins tested positive for COVID-19 last season. The Oregon State alum holds a 61% career completion rate but has one TD pass compared to three INTs.
Buccaneers To Re-Sign S Logan Ryan
AUGUST 31: As expected, Ryan is coming back to the Bucs. Todd Bowles confirmed Wednesday the veteran safety, despite being cut Tuesday, will re-sign with the team.
AUGUST 30: For the time being, Logan Ryan is off the Buccaneers’ roster. It remains to be seen if the veteran defensive back will return.
As they move down to the 53-man max Tuesday, the Bucs released Ryan, per Pewter Report. As a vested veteran, Ryan can move through waivers and could opt to return to the Bucs — after they have made necessary roster moves.
One of those moves will be shifting Ryan Jensen to injured reserve. While Jensen suffered a severe injury, the veteran center is not viewed as out for the season just yet. A potential return in the playoffs has not been ruled out. But Jensen will be off Tampa Bay’s roster soon. That could open the door to Ryan coming back, though other teams are now free to negotiate with the former Patriots, Titans and Giants defender.
The Bucs did not give Ryan any fully guaranteed money to add Ryan, whom the Giants cut in March, this offseason. But the veteran drew steady praise from Tampa Bay’s coaches during training camp, The Athletic’s Greg Auman tweets.
Considering this could be Tom Brady‘s final year with the Bucs (and/or final year in the NFL), keeping a proven veteran like Ryan, 31, would make sense. The Bucs lost Jordan Whitehead in free agency, leading to the Ryan move. They also signed Keanu Neal this offseason. Ryan can be re-signed as soon as Wednesday, if that is the route the Bucs are going.
Texans Add WR Tyler Johnson Via Waivers
Tyler Johnson became a surprise Buccaneers cut Tuesday. As expected, the young wide receiver found a new home on waivers. The Texans claimed him, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
The former fifth-round pick has two years remaining on his rookie contract. He will head to a Texans team featuring less talent at the receiver position compared to the Bucs’ three-Pro Bowler (feat. Russell Gage) setup.
Tampa Bay added Gage and Julio Jones this offseason, doing so after franchise-tagging and extending Chris Godwin. Mike Evans remains as well. Breshad Perriman also remains with the Bucs. Tampa Bay’s receiver reload, in what could be Tom Brady‘s final season, left Johnson with a tougher-than-expected climb back to the 53-man roster.
A Minnesota alum, Johnson showed growth in his second season. He caught 36 passes for 360 yards in Year 2. While the presences of Godwin, Evans and, when available, Antonio Brown impacted Johnson’s status, he served as an intriguing depth piece in Tampa. In Houston, the 206-pound pass catcher should have more room for growth.
The Texans extended Brandin Cooks this offseason, shutting down trade rumors, and have 2021 third-rounder Nico Collins in place as Cooks’ top sidekick. But Johnson could profile as a Davis Mills tertiary target soon.
Browns Claim QB Kellen Mond
Ahead of what will be a historically unusual quarterback season in Cleveland, the Browns added a recent Day 2 pick to their equation. Kellen Mond will head to Cleveland as a waiver claim, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Vikings waived the 2021 third-round pick Tuesday, but Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes the team was planning to bring him back on its practice squad if he cleared waivers (Twitter link). The Browns interrupted that process and are adding the Texas A&M product to an active roster that features Jacoby Brissett and Joshua Dobbs.
Mond did not particularly impress the Vikings regime that drafted him, and his issues this offseason undoubtedly led the new Minnesota staff to trade for Nick Mullens. The Browns are offering another developmental opportunity. Brissett is in place as the fill-in for Deshaun Watson, whose 11-game suspension began Tuesday, and Dobbs beat out Josh Rosen for the backup job. Mond will be in place to train behind the veterans.
In his final season with the Aggies, Mond set a new career-high mark in completion percentage (63.3%), and passer rating (146.9). The multiyear Aggies starter, however, only came to Minnesota after the team’s push to trade up for Justin Fields failed. Despite Mond’s draft status, the Vikings still brought back veteran backup Sean Mannion this offseason. He and Mond split reps in camp, leading to the Mullens trade. Mullens spent last season with the Browns.
Bears Claim OL Alex Leatherwood
After a woeful Raiders tenure, Alex Leatherwood will have a second chance via the NFL’s waiver system. The Bears put in a claim for the former first-round pick, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Raiders bailed on Leatherwood after one season, marking a shocking freefall for last year’s No. 17 overall pick. The Bears, however, have also run into extensive O-line uncertainty. The rebuilding team will take a chance on the former Alabama prospect. Leatherwood’s signing bonus is the Raiders’ responsibility, leaving considerable dead money on Las Vegas’ cap sheet. But the Bears are now responsible for $5.9MM in Leatherwood salary.
Chicago, which changed up its roster considerably as it transitioned to a new GM-HC pairing this offseason, made five more waiver claims Wednesday. Defensive tackle Armon Watts, defensive back Josh Blackwell, defensive end Kingsley Jonathan, linebacker Sterling Weatherford and tight end Trevon Wesco will be en route to the Windy City as well, Yates tweets. The Bears’ six waiver claims are a league-high total this year.
This marks quite a haul for Chicago, which added former starters from Las Vegas and Minnesota. Watts started nine games for the Vikings last season, replacing the injured Michael Pierce, but the team changed defensive schemes this offseason and made a trade for former Texans second-round defensive tackle Ross Blacklock on Tuesday. That led Watts off the roster. But he will be back in a 4-3 scheme under Matt Eberflus, whose team cleared some D-tackle space by releasing Mario Edwards on Tuesday.
Viewed as a reach in last year’s first round, Leatherwood did not justify his draft slot when deployed at right tackle or right guard for the Raiders last season. The staff that drafted Leatherwood quickly moved him off right tackle, but Pro Football Focus rated him as one of the league’s worst guards. Despite the Raiders facing a few questions on their offensive line and losing Brandon Parker for the season, their new regime cut bait after trying Leatherwood at tackle again in training camp.
The Bears are expected to start fifth-round rookie Braxton Jones at left tackle, and they have 2021 fifth-rounder Larry Borom on the right side. Riley Reiff, who signed with the team shortly before camp, is also in the tackle picture. The team moved 2021 second-rounder Teven Jenkins from tackle to guard late this offseason, and while Jenkins appeared in trade rumors, he is on the roster and may well start the season at the new position. Leatherwood, his early-career struggles notwithstanding, may now also be a factor at that spot.
Falcons Claim T Chuma Edoga
Chuma Edoga did not clear waivers, nor did he make it too far down the priority list. The Falcons submitted a successful claim for the former third-round pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Jets cut bait on the fourth-year tackle on Tuesday, in trimming their roster to 53. Edoga was drafted just prior to GM Joe Douglas taking over in New York and was unable to carve out a steady role there.
The Jets moved on from a plan of Edoga competing for a starting job early, signing George Fant in 2020 and then drafting Mekhi Becton in that year’s first round. Despite Becton going down with a severe injury this summer, the Jets signed Duane Brown. He and Fant are now in place as Gang Green’s tackles. Edoga, who started 12 games from 2019-20, will have a chance to vie for a steady Falcons gig.
This news also comes after a report indicated the Cowboys were interested in trading for Edoga. While the East-division teams were unable to work out a deal, the Falcons’ claim prevents the Cowboys from bringing in the USC alum. Atlanta resides ahead of Dallas on this year’s priority list. The Cowboys are facing the prospect of Tyron Smith missing a few months due to suffering the same injury Becton did — an avulsion fracture — late during training camp.
Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary remain the Falcons’ starting tackles, and the team brought in former Seahawks first-round pick Germain Ifedi this offseason. He sits as a backup. Atlanta also added Elijah Wilkinson, who started in place of Ja’Wuan James on many occasions for the Broncos from 2019-20 at right tackle, but are preparing to use him as their right guard starter.
Texans To Add RB Marlon Mack To P-Squad
Marlon Mack will stay with the Texans. Despite being released Tuesday as the team cut its roster down to 53 players, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets the veteran running back is returning on a practice squad deal.
One of several veteran backs to arrive in Houston during Nick Caserio‘s GM tenure, Mack being moved off the team’s active roster was undoubtedly a step back in his quest to show he can still be an NFL starter. But the Texans will keep the sixth-year veteran around as insurance.
[RELATED: Assessing Texans’ 2022 Offseason]
Part of a 2017 running back draft class that has enticed teams to buck the trend against valuing backs — as the eight-figure-per-year deals for Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Aaron Jones, Alvin Kamara and Joe Mixon have shown — Mack saw his path toward a Colts extension or higher-end free agency pact stonewalled by a September 2020 Achilles tear. With Jonathan Taylor emerging in Indianapolis last season, Mack — who re-signed with the Colts on a one-year, $2MM deal in 2021 — his predecessor did not see the field much. That led him out of Indiana this offseason.
The Texans also gave Mack a one-year, $2MM deal, but they cut bait on it before the regular season began. Mack now sits behind fourth-round rookie Dameon Pierce and veterans Rex Burkhead, Royce Freeman and Dare Ogunbowale.
The Texans keeping four backs stands to provide more hurdles for Mack. The former Colts 1,100-yard rusher is almost two years removed from the Achilles injury, but that injury has proven to be a considerable impediment for running backs. A 2017 fourth-round pick, Mack is going into his age-26 season.
Lions To Waive QB David Blough, Plan To Sign QB Nate Sudfeld
Currently, Jared Goff is flying solo at quarterback for the Lions. The team made the call to waive backup David Blough on Wednesday morning, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Detroit’s new plan centers around Nate Sudfeld, whom NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds is expected to sign and be Goff’s new backup (Twitter link).
The Lions engaged in trade discussions with the 49ers, but the teams could not come to terms. After the 49ers decided to move on and give their third-string job to Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy, Sudfeld is now free to sign with the Lions.
As for Blough, who has been with the Lions since 2019, the team would like the Hard Knocks cast member to stay on as a practice squad arm, Schefter tweets. The former Purdue quarterback initially signed with the Browns as a UDFA but became a Lion via a late-summer trade three years ago. After making five starts as a rookie, Blough spent part of the 2020 season on Detroit’s practice squad. He was on the team’s active roster last season.
Sudfeld, 28, will join his fourth NFL team soon. While he has never made an NFL start in six seasons, the Indiana product’s cameo in Week 17 of the 2020 season — when he replaced Jalen Hurts late in a pivotal (though not for the Eagles) season finale — became rather controversial. Sudfeld has attempted 37 career passes, completing 25 of them (at 5.1 yards per attempt, however).
The former Washington UDFA spent much of his career as a Philadelphia third-stringer, who did rise to the position of Nick Foles‘ backup during consecutive Eagles playoff runs. Sudfeld landed in San Francisco last year. Jimmy Garoppolo‘s decision to accept the 49ers’ pay-cut offer changed the 49ers’ depth chart, pushing Purdy down to No. 3. Sudfeld could not secure that gig but looks to be moving to a No. 2 role soon.
Panthers To Sign K Eddy Pineiro
Eddy Pineiro became a player to monitor early in the Panthers’ kicker search, having been with the Bears during new Carolina special teams coordinator Chris Tabor‘s tenure. The Panthers are indeed going in this direction.
Pineiro, 26, is signing with Carolina on a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. He will fill in for the injured Zane Gonzalez. While it was not certain at the time Gonzalez’s groin injury would cost him all of the 2022 season, the Panthers placed the veteran kicker on IR Tuesday. Gonzalez, who kicked for the Panthers for much of last season, is out of the picture for the team until 2023.
The Bears’ ST coordinator throughout Matt Nagy‘s four-year tenure, Tabor landed with the Panthers this offseason. His Pineiro past stems from the young specialist being tabbed as the franchise’s post-“double doink” option at the position — after a much-discussed kicker competition — in 2019. Pineiro kicked in all 16 Bears games that season, though he was not retained for the 2020 slate. Most recently, Pineiro wound up with the Jets, kicking in five games last season.
Greg Zuerlein beat out Pineiro for the Jets’ kicking job in training camp, but Gonzalez worked out for the Panthers — along with fellow ex-Jet Matt Ammendola, former Jaguar Matthew Wright and others — on Monday. During his one full season as an NFL kicker, Pineiro made 23 of 28 field goals — in one of the NFL’s least friendly kicking environments — and was 27-for-29 on extra points. Last season, the ex-Florida Gator was 8-for-8 on field goals and 9-for-10 on PATs.
Gonzalez signed a two-year, $4.5MM deal ($2MM guaranteed) to stay in Carolina this offseason. Although Pineiro will likely be attached to a league-minimum deal, the Panthers will soon be responsible for two kicker salaries. They entered Wednesday with the league’s third-most cap space, at just under $20MM, however.