Minor NFL Transactions: 9/11/21
With Week 1 games on tap for 28 teams Sunday, here is Saturday’s extensive batch of minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: LB Dennis Gardeck
- Promoted: LB Kylie Fitts, CB Antonio Hamilton
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Elijah Lee, K Chris Naggar
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett, CB Nate Hairston
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: T Will Holden, G Tommy Kraemer
Houston Texans
- Promoted: TE Antony Auclair
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: S Sean Davis, C Joey Hunt
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: DB Brandon Rusnak, WR Devin Smith
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Tyler Hall, LB Justin Lawler
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Austin Jackson; Jackson is the first player to test positive for COVID-19 and be activated the same week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets, with the second-year offensive lineman’s vaccinated status allowing him to return five days after landing on Miami’s coronavirus list
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: T Caleb Benenoch
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR C.J. Board
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: S Sharrod Neasman
- Promoted: S Adrian Colbert, LB Del’Shawn Phillips
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: T Shon Coleman
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Jon Rhattigan
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: LB Jared Norris
Saints Elevate K Aldrick Rosas, S Jeff Heath
Jeff Heath has enjoyed a busy 24 hours, from a transactional sense. The Saints released the veteran safety Friday, added him to their practice squad Saturday and then promoted him back to their active roster.
The timing of this move makes sense for the organization, as it prevents Heath’s 2021 base salary from becoming guaranteed. Had Heath stayed on New Orleans’ active roster and not gone through this spree of transactions, his salary would have been guaranteed for the season.
A former Cowboys and Raiders starter, Heath stands to provide depth behind starters Malcolm Jenkins and Marcus Williams. The Saints have Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and P.J. Williams on their roster, but both hybrid players may be needed at cornerback. New Orleans has seen significant turnover at corner this offseason. While the additions of Bradley Roby and Desmond Trufant stand to help the four-time reigning NFC South champs’ cause, the Saints placed Ken Crawley on IR on Friday.
Rosas joined the Saints last month, trekking to Louisiana after Wil Lutz‘s injury. This will be Rosas’ first Week 1 assignment since 2019. A suspension led to the Giants releasing him prior to Week 1 of last season, during which he served a suspension. A 2018 Pro Bowler, Rosas kicked in six Jaguars games last season.
The Saints also released defensive tackle Montravius Adams from their active roster and promoted defensive tackle Albert Huggins and DB Jordan Miller.
Falcons Release LB Brandon Copeland
The Falcons made an interesting Week 1 decision. They are releasing veteran linebacker Brandon Copeland, per Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter).
A former Jets and Patriots starter, Copeland signed with the Falcons during the first week of free agency. The Falcons filled Copeland’s roster spot by promoting linebacker James Vaughters from their practice squad.
Atlanta added Copeland, 30, on a league-minimum deal. This cut will prevent Copeland’s $990K base salary from becoming guaranteed. Vested veterans on Week 1 rosters have their 2021 salaries guaranteed. While Copeland could end up back with the Falcons on a team-friendlier pact or on a practice squad deal, he is in free agency for the time being.
The ex-UDFA recorded five sacks and 14 QB hits for the Jets in 2018, working as an edge player for a team long weakened at that skill, but saw an injury stall his career. A torn pec ended Copeland’s Patriots run in October 2020. The Pats used Copeland as a four-game starter last season. Copeland appeared on Atlanta’s injury report this week with a hamstring ailment but got in a full practice Friday.
Patriots Promote Brian Hoyer, Nick Folk
Two familiar faces are back on the Patriots’ active roster. The team elevated Brian Hoyer and Nick Folk from its practice squad Saturday, Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The Pats also placed wide receiver Malcolm Perry on IR.
This has been a busy day for the kicker position, with Folk’s promotion following AFC South callups — Joey Slye (Texans) and Michael Badgley (Titans). But Folk will give the Pats two active-roster kickers. Quinn Nordin remains on New England’s roster. Barring an IR move, the rookie would need to pass through waivers in order to be shuttled down to the practice squad.
Bill Belichick hinted this week the Pats could carry both Folk and Nordin on their active roster. Folk could again be moved down to New England’s practice squad next week, given the 2020 CBA’s additional flexibility regarding practice squad promotions. Teams can now carry 55 players on their active rosters on game days; 48 can dress.
The Pats used Folk as their kicker throughout last season and in seven games in 2019. Arriving after Stephen Gostkowski‘s injury ended his 14-year tenure as New England’s kicker, Folk delivered a strong 2020 season by making 92.9% of his field goal attempts. This will be Folk’s 14th NFL season. Because he and Hoyer are elevations and not promotions, neither’s salary is guaranteed for the full season.
Following the Patriots’ release of Cam Newton, Hoyer was set to be Mac Jones‘ backup. The team cut Hoyer recently but re-signed him on a practice squad deal. Hoyer’s promotion has been a formality for a bit. The veteran passer is now on his third stint with the Patriots and will be tasked with mentoring a promising rookie. Jones and Hoyer are the only QBs on the Pats’ active roster. Jarrett Stidham is on the team’s reserve/PUP list, which will keep him off the roster for at least six games.
49ers Place WR Jalen Hurd On IR
SATURDAY: For a third straight year, Hurd will begin the season on the 49ers’ IR list. San Francisco is stashing the oft-injured wideout on IR, sidelining him for at least three games. While a return in Week 4 would be a bonus for Hurd, who has missed the first two seasons of his career, any IR placement qualifies as a bad sign for the Tennessee and Baylor alum at this point. The 49ers promoted cornerback Dontae Johnson to fill Hurd’s roster spot.
WEDNESDAY: It sounds like Jalen Hurd will miss the 49ers’ season opener. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that the third-year wide receiver is a candidate for the injured reserve thanks to a lingering knee injury.
“We felt pretty good (coming) out of the Raiders game just with how he was able to play and get through it,” Shanahan said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “But it was hurting him three days later when we tried to practice again. And we gave him the weekend off and it hurt again Monday. And just coming in here today and just realizing that we have to reevaluate this and shut him down for a little bit.”
The 2019 third-round pick still hasn’t seen the field for a regular season game thanks to injuries. That included an ACL tear that ruined his 2020 campaign, and knee tendinitis limited him during the early parts of the 2021 preseason. He finally got into the 49ers preseason finale, playing 29 snaps.
If Hurd is destined for injured reserve, the 49ers would likely look to add another wideout to the active roster. Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets that practice squad veteran Travis Benjamin is “the top candidate” to take Hurd’s spot.
Titans Promote K Michael Badgley, S Bradley McDougald; Sam Ficken Lands On IR
Like the Texans, the Titans will need their recently added practice squad kicker to contribute immediately. Tennessee placed Sam Ficken on IR on Saturday and promoted Michael Badgley.
The Titans signed Badgley to their practice squad Friday. The former Chargers specialist will suit up against the Cardinals in Week 1. Ficken will not be eligible to begin his season until Week 4. The Titans added their top kicker to their injury report Friday; a groin injury will sideline Ficken to start the year.
This move complicates the Titans’ kicker situation yet again. After a Ryan Succop injury led to a host of kickers suiting up for the Titans in 2019, leading to a historically bad 8-for-18 collective make rate, the Titans signed Stephen Gostkowski last year. The ex-Patriot made just 69% of his field goal tries. The Titans also added Randy Bullock, who worked out for the team Friday, to their practice squad. The Lions cut Bullock, a longtime Bengals kicker, last month.
Badgley kicked in 34 Chargers games over the past three years but could not beat out a younger competitor, Tristan Vizcaino, in training camp. The Texans promoted recent P-squad addition Joey Slye to their active roster Saturday as well, with Ka’imi Fairbairn also on IR with a groin ailment. Badgley auditioned for the Texans, but they went with Slye.
Additionally, the Titans promoted Bradley McDougald and MyCole Pruitt to their active roster. Tennessee signed McDougald earlier this summer but demoted the veteran safety to its P-squad earlier this week. Pruitt is back with the Titans after the 49ers released him on cutdown day.
Bears To Promote DL Damion Square
It looks like Damion Square will be set for a ninth NFL season. The veteran defensive lineman caught on with the Bears earlier this week, via a practice squad deal, but will be on Chicago’s active roster Sunday night.
The Bears are promoting Square from their taxi squad, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Starting nose tackle Eddie Goldman will not make the trip to Los Angeles, having been ruled out for Week 1 with a knee injury, putting Square in position to be a depth piece for his new team.
The Saints released Square on roster cutdown day. A week later, the Bears brought the former Charger in for a workout and added him to their 16-man practice squad. While Square is not a lock to dress against the Rams, Goldman’s injury and the Bears’ thin defensive line depth chart would seemingly ensure the ninth-year vet plays. Chicago has three backup D-linemen on its roster — Square, Angelo Blackson and seventh-round rookie Khyiris Tonga — but one of them will need to start for Goldman.
Square, 32, played six seasons with the Chargers and started 24 games — including 11 during the Bolts’ 2018 playoff season. He played 252 defensive snaps with Los Angeles last season, tallying a sack two QB hits. The Bears are Square’s third team this year. The Browns signed him in May but cut him in mid-August, leading the Saints to take a flier. But Square’s ninth season will begin with Chicago.
Additionally, the Bears are elevating linebacker Josh Woods from their practice squad. The 2020 CBA allows teams to bump up two players from P-squads on game days and dress 48 instead of 46.
Vikings Promote QB Sean Mannion
Although the Vikings featured different passers during their training camp competition at backup quarterback, their 2021 plan will likely end up being the same as it was in the past two seasons. They are promoting Sean Mannion to their active roster, Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
Kirk Cousins‘ backup in 2019 and ’20, Mannion was linked to the Vikings early in the offseason but ended up signing with the Seahawks. After Seattle released the veteran last week, Minnesota circled back for a reunion. Despite Mannion’s reunion coming via the practice squad, the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson notes the team’s plan all along was for Mannion to be Cousins’ top backup to start the season (Twitter link).
The Vikings drafted Kellen Mond in Round 3 and pitted him against Jake Browning for the QB2 job during camp. Mond obviously made Minnesota’s 53-man roster, as a possible Cousins heir apparent. After two years on the Vikings’ practice squad, Browning is now with the Bengals on a P-squad deal.
A seventh-year veteran, Mannion has managed to remain a viable backup despite having never made a start in a game of consequence. The Rams used him as a reserve for four seasons, and the Oregon State alum only started in a 2017 Week 17 game in which Sean McVay sat his starters. Mannion’s lone Vikings start, in Week 17 of the 2019 season, came under similar circumstances. But he is set to provide veteran insurance behind Cousins to start the season.
Minnesota also bumped Ameer Abdullah up to its active roster, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. While the former second-round pick did not work out as a running back solution with the Lions, he has established himself as a key Vikings backup and special-teamer. Abdullah played in each Vikings game over the past two seasons. This will be his fourth season in Minnesota.
Lions To Place LT Taylor Decker On IR
Taylor Decker‘s absence will last more than one week. The Lions are placing their left tackle on the injured reserve, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
We learned yesterday that the offensive lineman had suffered a hand injury, but the team only initially ruled him out for Week 1. According to Rapoport, Decker has since undergone finger surgery, with the reporter estimating that the lineman will be back in about a month. At the very least, today’s move guarantees that Decker will miss the team’s first three games.
The 2016 first-round pick has been especially durable in recent years, only missing a single game over the past three seasons. The 28-year-old started all 16 games in 2020, appearing on all 1,046 of the team’s offensive snaps.
With Decker sidelined, the team will shuffle their offensive line a bit, with No. 7 overall pick Penei Sewell movingto left tackle. The rookie was to transition to a right tackle role with the Lions, despite having lined up on the left side at Oregon, but the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett notes Sewell has primarily worked as the team’s first-string left tackle in practice since Decker’s injury (Twitter link). The team is not planning a long-term switch, with Decker expected to retake his usual job once he returns to full strength.
Eagles Sign LT Jordan Mailata To Four-Year Extension
The Eagles are signing their left tackle to an extension. The team has agreed to a four-year, $64MM extension with offensive lineman Jordan Mailata, reports Adam Caplan SiriusXM (via Twitter).
The contract could be worth up to $80MM and includes $40.85MM in guaranteed money. The extension was signed right before Mailata and his teammates flew to Atlanta for their season opener (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter).
Mailata has one of the better NFL stories, as the 6-foot-8, 380-pound lineman didn’t start playing football until just three years ago. The former rugby player was a 2018 seventh-round pick by the Eagles, and he effectively red shirted his first two years in the NFL. Mailata became Jason Peters‘ primary replacement last season, and the lineman ultimately started 10 games.
The 24-year-old was set to make $850K in the final year of his rookie contract. While this is a big-money extension for a player with only 10 career starts, it could end up being a steal if Mailata hits his potential. Pro Football Focus graded him as a middle-of-the-pack tackle last year, but he was ranked as a top-seven offensive tackle from Weeks 12 to 16 (per Brad Spielberger of PFF on Twitter). The Eagles are clearly banking on Mailata carrying that momentum into 2021.