Colts To Cut Brett Hundley
The Colts clearly aren’t too concerned about Carson Wentz‘s foot, or his vaccination status. Indianapolis is waiving fellow quarterback Brett Hundley, a source told Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).
The move comes even after sixth-round rookie Sam Ehlinger suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for at least the early part of the season, so they must really not be concerned. It also suggests the team is pretty comfortable with 2020 fourth-round pick Jacob Eason, since he’ll be the only other healthy quarterback behind Wentz on the initial 53-man roster.
This suggests that Wentz’s foot will be all healed up and ready to go by Week 1. After Wentz’s injury originally had a harsher prognosis, the team signed Hundley just to give them some semblance of a veteran presence. A fifth-round pick of the Packers out of UCLA back in 2015, Hundley had some serious buzz around him for a while after some strong preseason performances.
But when he was forced to start nine games in 2017 in place of an injured Aaron Rodgers, he fell flat on his face, ruining his stock. He spent the past few seasons as a backup with the Seahawks and Cardinals. Considering he was unsigned until the last day of July, his phone won’t be ringing off the hook now that he’s a free agent again.
Eagles To Waive WR Travis Fulgham
For an Eagles receiving corps decimated by injury last season, Travis Fulgham played a big role. But the team did not see enough this year to carry the young pass catcher onto its 53-man roster.
The Eagles are waiving Fulgham, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. While the former sixth-round pick could end up on Philadelphia’s practice squad, he will be an interesting name on the waiver wire. Fulgham is attached to an $850K base salary for this season. He will be a restricted free agent in 2022.
With Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson and Jalen Reagor down for a stretch last season, Fulgham stepped up. He caught a game-winning touchdown pass to help the depleted Eagles past the 49ers and ended his season with 38 receptions for 539 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to last season, however, Fulgham had never caught a pass as a pro.
Philly has since made some moves at receiver, most notably drafting DeVonta Smith in the first round. The team still has Reagor, its 2020 first-round pick, along with J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Round 2, 2019) and 2020 sixth-round pick Quez Watkins.
Saints To Release Trevor Siemian, Expected To Bring Him Back
The Saints are releasing quarterback Trevor Siemian… but he’s not going anywhere. New Orleans will cut the veteran, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets, “but they plan to bring him back later in the week after rosters settle.”
It sounds like a procedural move for the Saints. Once they place some other guys on IR or whatnot they’ll be able to add Siemian back. Since he’s a vested veteran he will become a free agent and won’t be subjected to waivers, so there’s no risk for New Orleans. Bringing him back means the Saints will be keeping four passers on their 53-man roster, a rare but not unprecedented decision.
Siemian is expected to operate as Jameis Winston‘s backup on game days. Taysom Hill plays a variety of other roles when not starting under center, including on special teams, leaving him unable to prepare as the backup throughout the week in practice. The Saints also have fourth-round rookie Ian Book on the roster, who apparently isn’t quite ready to hold Winston’s clipboard.
Siemian was a seventh-round pick of the Broncos in 2015 who improbably became Denver’s starter after Peyton Manning retired. He started 24 games for the Broncos between 2016-17, and has bounced around with a few different teams as a backup or third-string since losing that gig. His only recent live action came in one start with the Jets in 2019, when he suffered a devastating ankle injury after attempting only six passes.
Browns Set Initial 53-Man Roster
The Browns became the second team to move their roster down to the required 53-man max. They began paring their roster to the regular-season limit Monday. While waiver claims could change the equation, here are the cuts Cleveland made to reach 53 Tuesday:
Released:
- LB Elijah Lee
- OT Alex Taylor (released from IR via injury settlement)
Waived:
- S Elijah Benton
- WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
- WR KhaDarel Hodge
- DE Joe Jackson
- RB John Kelly
- C Javon Patterson
- FB Johnny Stanton IV
Placed on IR:
Absent from these cuts are two defensive line reclamation projects. Both Takk McKinley and Malik McDowell have made the team. The latter’s journey back represents the latest step in a long road. McDowell saw an ATV accident during his first NFL offseason sidetrack his career. Prison time followed for a DUI arrest from 2019. The No. 35 overall pick in 2017, McDowell has never played a regular-season game. McKinley bounced around last year, being jettisoned from the Falcons, Bengals and 49ers. The former first-round pick later landed on the Raiders’ IR list but caught on with the Browns this year.
Hodge should be expected to stay in Cleveland via the practice squad, but the Browns have a deep receiver group. A Browns backup wideout in 2019 and ’20, Hodge has 15 catches for 256 yards as a member of the team. The Browns added Lee last year, using him in eight games as a backup and special-teamer. He is a vested veteran and will avoid waivers. All eight members of the Browns’ 2021 draft class made the roster.
Patriots Expected To Release Nick Folk
Cam Newton isn’t the only long-time veteran getting the boot from the Patriots on Tuesday. New England is expected to make rookie Quinn Nordin their new kicker, thus paving the way for the release of Nick Folk, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Folk entered the league back in 2007 and spent his first few years as the Cowboys’ kicker, although he’s most well-known for being the Jets’ kicker for seven seasons from 2010-16. After his last season with New York he had a few games with the Bucs, but then found himself out of the league.
After spending all of 2018 out of football, he signed with the ill-fated AAF in 2019. He managed to find his way back to the NFL in October of 2019 when the Patriots cut Mike Nugent, and he was the kicker in all 16 of New England’s games last year. He was solid, making 26 of 28 field goals and 30 of 33 extra point attempts.
Nonetheless he’s never had the biggest leg, and it seems like Bill Belichick wanted a younger option with more upside. Folk will turn 37 in November. Nordin is an UDFA rookie from Michigan.
Panthers Release CB Rashaan Melvin
Rashaan Melvin‘s path back to a regular-season game took a detour Tuesday. The Panthers made the veteran cornerback part of their final cuts as they move closer to a 53-man roster.
The Panthers signed Melvin in March, adding the well-traveled cover man shortly after the Jaguars cut him. Jacksonville’s new regime released Melvin after he opted out of the 2020 season, and Carolina represented a chance for the six-year vet to return to action.
Not counting the Jaguars or Panthers, Melvin has been with five teams — the Ravens, Patriots, Colts, Raiders and Lions — but has yet to be on the same team three years running. After playing well with the Colts in 2017, Melvin bounced off the Raiders and Lions’ rosters after one season.
Carolina added A.J. Bouye this offseason and has Donte Jackson returning for his fourth season. Otherwise, this is a young Panthers corner group. Bouye is also set to begin this season late due to a suspension.
Giants To Cut Ifeadi Odenigbo
Despite the Giants signing Ifeadi Odenigbo early in free agency, they did not find room for the veteran pass rusher on their 53-man roster. The Giants are cutting the former Vikings starter, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets.
Odenigbo started last season with Minnesota and was effective off the bench in 2019, posting seven sacks that year. The former seventh-round pick registered 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons.
The Giants guaranteed Odenigbo $1MM, so that will go as dead money on their 2021 cap sheet. The team had dropped Odenigbo to its third-team defense, with lower-profile rushers surpassing him on the depth chart. While the Giants continue to have questions about their outside linebacker position, the ex-Viking defensive end will not be a part of Big Blue’s pass-rushing effort.
Recent second-day draft choices are in position lead the Giants’ edge corps, which has not housed a big-name presence since the Olivier Vernon trade. The Giants have former third-rounders Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximenes and second-round rookie Azeez Ojulari set to spearhead their outside linebacker group.
Colts Waive TE Kahale Warring
Kahale Warring has racked up quite the jersey collection. The Colts waived the tight end on Tuesday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo), just days after picking him up from the Patriots. 
Scouts loved his potential coming out of San Diego State, but Warring has yet to produce as a pro. He had just three catches across two seasons for the Texans, most of which were spent on IR. Houston dropped the 2019 third-rounder earlier this month. He was then claimed by the Patriots, only to be dropped and picked up by the Colts this past weekend. Now, Indy has also dropped him from the roster.
The Saints also submitted a claim for Warring when the Texas waived him, so they might have some interest. Warring is still just 24, but it appears that he still hasn’t put it all together. Without Warring, the Colts will move forward with Jack Doyle, Mo Alie-Cox, and fourth-round pick Kylen Granson as their TEs.
Browns To Release DL Sheldon Day
One of the many offseason Browns additions, Sheldon Day did not end up making the team’s initial 53-man roster. The Browns are releasing the veteran defensive lineman, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Browns added Day in April and used him sparingly with their first-unit defensive line during training camp. But the former 49ers contributor did not end up lasting on a D-line that has several new pieces in place.
Cleveland signed Jadeveon Clowney, Takkarist McKinley and Malik Jackson this offseason. They also added former third-round pick Malik McDowell and have Andrew Billings back from a 2020 opt-out. Day ended up being one of the players axed to clear roster space.
Day spent the 2020 season with the Colts, moving to Indianapolis after three seasons in San Francisco. However, the Colts cut him during the season. The former 2016 Jaguars fourth-round pick has six career sacks. While he only has two regular-season starts in five years, Day lined up with the 49ers’ first-stringers three times during their 2019 postseason run.
Jaguars Cut S Josh Jones
The Jaguars will release safety Josh Jones (Twitter link via PFT). Jones started for the Jaguars last season, but he won’t be a part of Urban Meyer‘s revamped roster.
Meyer & Co. re-upped Jones in March on a one-year deal. In 2020, the safety started 13 games for the Jags, his most first-string work since going off the 2017 draft board in Round 2.
The Packers chose Jones 61st overall in 2017 but cut him ahead of the 2019 season. Jones, who started 12 games as a Packer from 2017-18, landed with the Cowboys but did not see much action in 2019. The Jaguars claimed Jones off waivers in December 2019 and turned to him during a grim 2020 season. The North Carolina State alum made 83 tackles and intercepted a pass in his lone Jags slate; Pro Football Focus graded Jones 89th overall among qualified safeties in 2020.