Rams To Trade P Corey Bojorquez To Packers
The Rams have made their decision at punter, and it appears All-Pro Johnny Hekker will keep his job. The team found a taker for its other punter as well.
The Packers will acquire Corey Bojorquez from the Rams, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. With the Bills over the past three years, Bojorquez will catch on with another contender this season.
Bojorquez landed in Los Angeles and pushed Hekker, whose roster spot was in jeopardy because of his near-$5MM cap hold. But the four-time first-team All-Pro will go into his 10th season as the Rams’ punter.
This trade stands to install Bojorquez atop Green Bay’s punting hierarchy, shoving aside incumbent J.K. Scott. The former UDFA has been the Packers’ punter for the past three years. Bojorquez’s 50.8 yards per punt, however, led the NFL last season and was more than five yards better than Scott’s average boot.
Jaguars Move Down To 53-Man Roster
The Jaguars are the latest team to squeeze their roster down to 53 players Tuesday. Here are the players the Urban Meyer-led regime cut to get there:
Released:
- WR Pharoh Cooper
- OL Jermaine Eluemunor
- WR Devin Smith
- WR Laquon Treadwell
- S Jarrod Wilson
Waived:
- CB Lorenzo Burns
- WR Jalen Camp
- DL Doug Costin
- WR Jeff Cotton Jr.
- RB Nathan Cottrell
- TE Tyler Davis
- TE Ben Ellefson
- WR Josh Hammond
- WR Collin Johnson
- WR Tevin Jones
- QB Jake Luton
- OL K.C. McDermott
- RB Devine Ozigbo
- OL Austen Pleasants
- DB Brandon Rusnak
- OL Badar Traore
- OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
- LB Quincy Williams
Placed on reserve/NFI list:
- LB Dylan Moses
Some big names at wideout appear on this list, and the Jags also released former first-round pick Phillip Dorsett earlier Tuesday. Cooper is a former All-Pro kick returner who has held regular return gigs since that 2017 breakout. The fifth-year role player was the Cardinals’ primary return man in 2019 and filled the same role with the Panthers last season. Like Dorsett, Treadwell arrived as a first-round pick. But the former Vikings draftee has not been able to find steady footing in the league.
Jacksonville drafted Williams in the 2019 third round — two rounds after younger brother Quinnen went to the Jets — but the young linebacker did not start a game in 2020. Luton did, but the Oregon State product did not profile as a steady backup option. The Jags are going with Meyer-era investments Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Beathard at QB. The Wilson move comes after the veteran safety operated as a Jags back-line starter for the past two seasons.
Bears Cut Desmond Trufant
The Bears are letting a big name go in their secondary. Chicago has released veteran cornerback Desmond Trufant, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Schefter notes that Trufant missed the last couple weeks of training camp to be with his family after the unfortunate passing of his father, although it’s not clear if that missed time played any role in the Bears’ decision. Schefter also writes that Trufant is still owed $3.5MM from the Lions for this season, and that he hopes to keep playing with another team.
A first-round pick of the Falcons back in 2013, the Washington product became a quality starter in Atlanta. He was always a full-time starter during his seven seasons with the Falcons, and made the Pro Bowl in 2015. He received a massive payday when the Falcons gave him a five-year, $68.5MM extension in April of 2017.
Cut after the 2019 season, he signed a two-year, $21MM pact with the Lions. Detroit released him back in March after he was limited to six games in 2020 due to injury, with the aforementioned significant guaranteed money still owed to him. Chicago scooped him up just a few days after his release, but he didn’t end up making the team.
It’s a surprising cut considering Trufant won’t turn 31 until next month. It probably won’t be long before he’s able to find a new home.
WFT Down To 53-Man Roster
The Washington Football Team has its 53-man roster in place. Today, they waived/released:
- RB Peyton Barber
- WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
- QB Steven Montez
- G Beau Benzschawel
- DE William Bradley-King
- WR Tony Brown
- C Keith Ismael
- CB Danny Johnson
- LB Jordan Kunaszyk
- DT Devaroe Lawrence
- S Cole Luke
- G Wes Martin
- LB David Mayo
- CB Jimmy Moreland
- LB Jared Norris
- S Jeremy Reaves
- DE Bunmi Rotimi
- OT David Sharpe
- OT David Steinmetz
- CB Linden Stephens
- C Jon Toth
- LB Joe Walker
- RB Jonathan Williams
- TE Caleb Wilson
- DT Daniel Wise
- DT Gabe Wright
- WR Isaiah Wright
The release of Montez leaves three QBs on WFT’s roster — Ryan Fitzpatrick, Taylor Heinicke, and Kyle Allen. Barber — among their previously reported cuts — will exit a group that still includes Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic, and UDFA Jaret Patterson.
Ravens Waive K Jake Verity
The Ravens have waived kicker Jake Verity (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Verity probably won’t be out of work for long, given his solid work in the preseason.
Verity, of course, was blocked by Justin Tucker. There are at least a few teams who would probably prefer him to their current options, though the Ravens were unable to turn the UDFA into a future draft choice. On the flipside — interested clubs already knew that there was zero room for Verity on Baltimore’s Week 1 roster. So, instead of giving up a pick, those teams probably decided to wait until today’s deadline.
Defensive end Chris Smith will also be among the Ravens’ cuts today. They’ll have to complete their trimming soon — the 53-man deadline comes at 4pm ET/3pm CT.
Vikings To Trade For Jets TE Chris Herndon
In the wake of Irv Smith Jr’s knee injury, the Vikings are making a significant move at tight end. Minnesota is making a trade for the Jets involving draft pick compensation for tight end Chris Herndon.
The Jets are sending Herndon and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the Vikings for a 2022 fourth-round pick (via Tom Pelissero on Twitter).
Smith was supposed to take over as the team’s starter after the offseason departure of longtime starter Kyle Rudolph, but we heard just a couple of days ago that Smith was having surgery for a meniscus injury that will sideline him for the early part of the season.
The depth chart got pretty thin after that, so some sort of move was always likely. Herndon was a fourth-round pick of the Jets in 2018, and he flashed major potential as a rookie. In his first year as a pro he put up 502 yards and four touchdowns, very impressive numbers for a rookie tight end.
Unfortunately he was suspended for the first four games of 2019 for a substance abuse policy violation, and then played in only one game that year after hurting himself. He returned to play all 16 games last year, but had only 287 yards as the Jets’ whole passing game struggled.
He’s still only 25 and has always been talked about as a potential breakout guy, so the addition makes a lot of sense for the Vikings. It’s also a big opportunity for Herndon as he’s set to hit free agency for the first time next offseason. The Jets will now move forward with Tyler Kroft as the unquestioned starter at tight end.
Dolphins To Keep Jakeem Grant
The Dolphins explored trades involving wide receiver Jakeem Grant, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Instead, he’ll stay on board with a restructured deal. 
Through 14 games last year, Grant posted 36 catches for 373 yards and one touchdown. He also made an impact in the return game. He led the league with 330 punt return yards and an average of 11.4 yards per attempt, up until his high-ankle sprain in December. His finest work came against the Rams in November when Grant’s return-turned-TD boosted Miami to a 28-17 win.
In addition to Grant, the Dolphins currently have Will Fuller, DeVante Parker, rookie first-rounder Jaylen Waddle, and veteran Albert Wilson atop the WR depth chart.
Ravens Cut Chris Smith
The Ravens are releasing Chris Smith (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). The defensive end joined the team on a one-year deal just last month, but he was unable to make the team’s final cut to 53.
Smith has previously spent time with the Bengals and Browns over the past few years. Baltimore was set to be the next stop on his AFC North tour, after he bested former No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan and Shilique Calhoun in a workout.
Smith, an Arkansas product, first entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Jaguars back in 2014.He played sparingly in Jacksonville, then was traded to Cincy before the 2017 season. He played solid in a rotational role, notching three sacks, four tackles for loss, and two passes defended. That earned him a three-year contract from the Browns, although he was cut after a season and a half. Smith spent 2020 bouncing between the Raiders’ practice squad and varsity roster.
All in all, the 29-year-old has 68 career games to his credit for the Jags, Browns, Bengals, and Raiders. Despite the experience, he’s yet to see a ton of playing time. To date, he has never posted more than 26 tackles in a single season.
Raiders Cut Karl Joseph
The Raiders are releasing Karl Joseph (Twitter link via Vincent Bonsignore of the Review Journal). The safety returned to the Raiders earlier this year, but it proved to be a short-lived reunion.
“I never wanted to leave,” Joseph said earlier this year. “This is my home. I was drafted here. I feel like I was born to be a Raider.”
Joseph would’ve still been a Raider in 2020 if the team hadn’t declined his fifth-year option. The 2016 first-rounder spent last year with the Browns and started eight of 14 games. He finished with his worst ever Pro Football Focus assessment. PFF viewed Joseph as better during his Raiders seasons and slotted him outside the top 70 safeties in 2020. The 27-year-old (28 in September) made 67 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles with Cleveland. He also added a playoff interception in Kansas City.
“It felt like the right decision was to come back and help finish what I started here and be a part of that,” Joseph said back in April. “All the pieces are there. I think we’re ready to win. So whatever I’m going to need to do to help us win, that’s what I am going to do.”
Joseph won’t get that opportunity. Instead, he could be en route to his third pro team.
49ers To Release Travis Benjamin
Another familiar veteran has found himself on the chopping block. The 49ers are cutting receiver Travis Benjamin, a source told veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson (Twitter link).
Benjamin sustained a concussion during the team’s preseason finale, Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News tweets, so maybe that had something to do with the decision. After Richie James Jr went down with a knee injury, the initial thought from many was that Benjamin would be in line to take over as punt returner, potentially saving him from being a cutdown casualty.
Apparently not so, as Kyle Shanahan has other plans for the team’s return game. A fourth-round pick out of Miami in 2012, Benjamin began his career with the Browns. He had a breakout 2015 campaign when he racked up 966 yards and five touchdowns. After his rookie deal ran out, he earned a four-year $24MM deal from the Chargers.
He put up some decent numbers in his first two years with the Chargers, but fell off after that. Benjamin signed a one-year deal with the 49ers last offseason, but opted out of the 2020 campaign. He does have a solid history with punt returns, with four career return touchdowns on 109 tries.