Tag: claim

Report: Chiefs among frontrunners to land waived WR Diontae Johnson

According to Adam Schefter, the Kansas City #Chiefs may be interested in claiming waived WR Diontae Johnson.

According to a report from NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Kansas City Chiefs are expected to show interest in claiming veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers after the Baltimore Ravens parted ways with the versatile pass-catcher this week.

News of Kansas City’s potential interest was broken just before the Chiefs kicked off their Week 16 matchup against the Houston Texans on Saturday, December 21.

Though it is unclear whether Johnson will fall far enough down the waiver order to be acquired by Kansas City remains unclear.

If the Chiefs get a chance to add him to their ailing receiving corps, fans should expect general manager Brett Veach to at least consider taking a chance on Johnson.

Kansas City has dealt with brutal injuries at key positions all season and is still without star wideout Rashee Rice, who saw his season end in the opening weeks of the Chiefs’ 2024 campaign.

Stay tuned to see if Veach decides to add Johnson to Kansas City’s roster before the playoffs.

Chiefs claim former Cowboys CB Eric Scott Jr. off waivers

The #Chiefs claimed former #Cowboys CB Eric Scott Jr. off waivers this week to add depth to their defensive backfield.

The Kansas City Chiefs made more roster moves on Wednesday, picking up former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Eric Scott Jr. via a waiver claim.

Scott showed promise during the preseason after spending most of his rookie season on the bench. The young cornerback finally got some action with the Cowboys in August, logging six tackles and defending two passes.

While this will be Scott’s first time playing football in Kansas City, the Chiefs’ latest cornerback is a native of the Sunflower State, and is likely excited to play for his home team.

He was a collegiate standout at Southern Mississippi who should continue to impress in the NFL as he matures.

 

Being a waiver move, the Chiefs had to make a corresponding cut to add Scott. Chiefs Wire legend Charlie Goldman posted on Twitter that the team waived Nic Jones to make room for Scott.

 

Brett Veach has an eye for talent and Scott looks to be a potential depth upgrade for the Chiefs’ defensive backfield.

look to see what the young cornerback will do in 2024 playing for Kansas City.

Where the New Orleans Saints pick in waiver wire claim priority

Where do the New Orleans Saints pick in waiver wire claim priority? The NFL uses the same draft order until Week 3:

Where do the New Orleans Saints pick in waiver wire claim priority? The NFL uses the same order as the draft until Week 3, which means they’re slotted in at No. 14. So there will be thirteen teams getting an opportunity to claim any players the Saints are eyeing after Tuesday’s roster cuts deadline — including NFC South rivals like the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons.

That makes it tough to land guys they value, but it’s not impossible. Remember, any players claimed off of waivers must replace someone else on the 53-man roster. That can throw a wrench in team-building plans and make some players less appealing to other teams.

Fans will need to be patient as the week draws on. Just like every other team, the Saints will be busy filling out their practice squad, fine-tuning the 53-man roster, and scouring the waiver wire. Players they’ve claimed from waivers in past years include offensive lineman Chuck Filiaga (from the Green Bay Packers), fullback Adam Prentice (from the Denver Broncos), and linebacker Michael Mauti (from the Minnesota Vikings), among several others. We’ll keep an eye out for any new pickups.

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Ex-Eagles DE Derek Barnett would be a worthwhile waiver claim for the Saints

The Saints have nothing to lose by submitting a waiver claim on Derek Barnett. The former Eagle is affordable and their pass rush needs all the help it can get:

A veteran pass rusher is suddenly available with the Philadelphia Eagles choosing to waive defensive end Derek Barnett after a few years of lukewarm trade rumors. And the New Orleans Saints would be wise to try and pick him up off the waiver wire.

Barnett was Philadelphia’s first round pick back in 2017, selected three slots after the Saints took cornerback Marshon Lattimore; the former Tennessee Volunteer had a solid start to his career as a pressure player off the edge, but he lost his 2022 season to a torn ACL and returned to a diminished role in 2023.

So why would he fit the Saints? New Orleans is tied for the second-fewest sacks in the NFL this season (18). They rank eighth-lowest in pressure rate (18.2%) at Pro Football Reference. Anyone watching their games can tell that their defensive line is a slow unit that struggles to finish plays. Even if Barnett isn’t the same player he once was, he could be an upgrade over other players in their depth chart.

It helps his case that Barnett is affordable — ESPN’s Field Yates reports that the Eagles restructured his contract prior to waiving him, which means an acquiring team like the Saints would only be on the hook for $420,000 in base salary for the rest of this season. That’s a very easy fit even for New Orleans’ complicated salary cap spreadsheet.

Plus, the Saints are slotted pretty high in waiver claim priority after suffering back-to-back losses in recent weeks. They should fall at No. 12 out of the 32 teams. If they want Barnett, there’s a decent chance they could get him. With Cameron Jordan dealing with an ankle injury from Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons and Jason Pierre-Paul not making much impact behind Carl Granderson and Tanoh Kpassagnon (Isaiah Foskey and Payton Turner aren’t ready to return to action just yet, either), the Saints have nothing to lose by at least kicking the tires on Barnett and seeing if he can play.

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Chiefs claimed former Colts DB Darius Rush

Kansas City #Chiefs claimed former #Colts defensive back Darius Rush after being waived by Indianapolis on Tuesday. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to add another defensive back to their young secondary.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs have claimed former Indianapolis Colts defensive back Darius Rush.

Rush was drafted by the Colts in the fifth round and 138th overall at this year’s NFL Draft after four years at South Carolina. He only spent training camp and the preseason with Indianapolis before being waived Tuesday before the roster cuts deadline.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, Rush was a standout player during his time with the Gamecocks. In 2022, as a redshirt senior, Rush had 38 tackles with seven passes broken up, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.

This move looks like a potential steal for Kansas City, as Rush was a surprise release during Tuesday’s roster trimmings around the league. Former Chiefs defensive back Kahlef Hailassie was picked up around the same time by the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday.

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Where the Saints stand in waiver claim priority after 2023 roster cuts

The Saints will have a great opportunity to claim players off the waiver wire. They’ll slot in at No. 10 out of the league’s 32 teams when roster cuts are processed:

Tuesday’s NFL roster cuts deadline is just half of the week’s business — the New Orleans Saints and every other team will have the opportunity to claim many of the players who were just let go around the league when the waiver wire updates on Wednesday. You can find the full list of waiver claim priority here.

This year’s change to go down to just one day of roster cuts means more than one thousand names will be on the list. But the Saints are in a good spot to find some help. The order for waiver claims is the same as the initial 2023 NFL draft order, without any trades; which means New Orleans is slotted in at No. 10 out of the 32 teams.

But teams rarely find big contributors on the waiver wire. It makes sense, seeing as all of the players available are inexperienced pros who were just let go by their previous team. Sometimes, though, they’ll find a diamond in the rough. Taysom Hill is the Saints’ most notable waiver claim in recent years, with fullback Adam Prentice in second-place, though they’ve also added players like wide receiver Austin Carr and linebacker Michael Mauti.

The Saints have also used the waiver wire as an opportunity to bring back their former players, plugging holes on the roster and quickly addressing needs. Some of the reunions over the years include defensive end Kasim Edebali, plus offensive tackles Bryce Harris and Derrick Kelly.

So will they claim anyone on Wednesday? We’ll just have to wait and see. It’s worth remembering that any pickups will need a corresponding roster move to open a spot, so that could lessen the appeal if the Saints are content with their depth chart as it stands. Additionally, only players with fewer than four years’ experience in the NFL will hit waivers. Everyone with four or more seasons behind them will become a free agent upon their release. Keep that in mind as roster moves roll in over the next few days.

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New Texans defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth could bolster team’s pass rush

Stallworth tallied three sacks in 2021 in a low-usage role for the Indianapolis #Colts

It isn’t often that a team acquires a premium talent off waivers, but the Houston Texans managed to do just that with their claim of defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth on Wednesday. The fifth-year lineman has bounced around the league since signing with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2018 but put up impressive numbers in limited action last season for the Indianapolis Colts.

He played in all 16 games for Indianapolis in 2021, but started just once. in these appearances, he managed to get to the quarterback three times and tallied a total of 16 tackles as well as one pass defense. Though these stats are relatively modest compared to those of other players who are in starting roles around the league, they moved the needle enough for the Kansas City Chiefs to sign him in free agency back in April and kept him around on Steve Spagnuolo’s defense until the team waived him on Tuesday.

Stallworth will have a chance to compete for a rotational role in Houston as a situational pass rusher who can fill in for the Texans’ starters on grueling drives that necessitate fresh legs up front. He should have no problem making an impact on the team in the near future, assuming that they decide to activate him in the final games on their 2022 schedule.

That opportunity may not come, though, as the Texans have been slow to give players previously claimed on waivers a chance to show what they can do for Houston’s offense. Eno Benjamin and Amari Rodgers, who were claimed by the team weeks ago, are still waiting for their shot to see the field despite the team’s struggle with offensive production in recent matchups.

Time will tell if Stallworth pans out as a viable option for the Texans’ defense, but for now, he should be considered a low-risk high-reward addition to the roster that may have upside as a piece in the team’s 2023 rebuild.

Saints made unsuccessful waiver wire bid for former Cardinals RB Eno Benjamin

The Saints were among four teams to try and claim former Cardinals RB Eno Benjamin off of waivers, but he went to the team with highest priority: the Texans

Well that’s disappointing. The Arizona Cardinals made an odd move this week in letting go of running back Eno Benjamin, who had been a big player for them this season; and he was popular on the waiver wire, with ESPN’s Field Yates reporting that four teams submitted claims to add him, including the New Orleans Saints. With the Saints slotted in at No. 4 on waiver wire priority, they had a good chance of getting him.

But the top-ranked Houston Texans submitted a claim too, and that’s where Benjamin wound up. Yates adds that the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs also tried to snag Benjamin off of waivers, but they wouldn’t have had a chance even if the Texans didn’t get involved. Both teams are behind the Saints in waiver priority.

Benjamin would have been a nice addition. The second-year pro has averaged 4.0 yards per carry in the NFL while catching 30 receptions in 19 games, and he’s under contract through 2023. For a team like the Saints that expects to be without its top running back at some point (a suspension is looming for Alvin Kamara after his alleged involvement in a Las Vegas brawl early this year), that matters.

So where do the Saints go from here? New Orleans is also managing an injury to backup Mark Ingram II, and they made the oddly-timed decision to cut both of their practice squad running backs on Tuesday. Their depth chart is in flux, and it remains to be seen how it will stabilize ahead of their Week 11 game with the Los Angeles Rams. Hopefully Ingram can return to back up Kamara along with special teams ace Dwayne Washington, but this feels like a bigger question that won’t be truly answered until the offseason.

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Texans claim running back Eno Benjamin off waivers

Benjamin was waived by the #Cardinals this week and was claimed by the #Texans on Tuesday

The Houston Texans claimed talented running back Eno Benjamin off waivers by way of the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday, adding even more depth to their burgeoning backfield led by rookie star Dameon Pierce. Their running game has been a major strength for the team so far in 2022 and can be considered one of the best in the NFL with Pierce ranking among the top 10 in rushing yards through nine games.

Benjamin will be hard-pressed to find a significant workload with the Texans, but too much depth is never an issue for any team at the midway point in the season. He has found success in limited action since entering the league as a seventh-round pick in the 2020 draft.

Though he hasn’t lived up to the hype that built around him following a storied career at Arizona State, he has shown the same burst at the pro level that made him a star for the Sun Devils in college. Standing just five-foot-nine inches tall, Benjamin is an elusive back with the ability to find even the smallest holes made by an offensive line and though he might not be a track star, has enough speed to fight for the edge on every play.

He comes into a tumultuous situation in Houston where the 1-7-1 Texans are grasping at straws to jumpstart their floundering offense. Benjamin is unlikely to be activated against the Washington Commanders unless he shows signs of brilliance in practice this week that would warrant his inclusion in the gameday roster ahead of Rex Burkhead and Dare Ogunbowale on the depth chart.

Though this move is hardly a blockbuster acquisition that would help the Texans compete in a meaningful way in the short term, Benjamin’s addition is a clear sign that Houston is leaning into their tendency to favor the run amid mounting speculation of a potential quarterback change in the coming weeks.

Saints tied for third in NFL waiver wire claim priority

The Saints are tied for third in NFL waiver wire claim priority, making for a razor-thin silver lining after their 1-2 start:

There’s a small, thin, miniscule silver lining for the New Orleans Saints’ ugly 1-2 start. ESPN’s Field Yates shared the updated NFL waiver wire priority on Tuesday, which reflects team records after Week 3 and will be revised accordingly in the weeks ahead. And the Saints are locked in a tie for third after losing two of their first three games.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that they’re tied with seven other teams, including conference rivals like the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, and yeah, the Atlanta Falcons. If the Saints file a waiver claim for the same player as one of those other teams, a coin flip will decide the winner.

So what does this mean? Whenever a player is waived from a team’s 53-man roster, every other team will have the opportunity to claim them off the waiver wire and add them to their own 53-man lineup (which bumps another player off the roster). The Saints have already done this a few times, claiming offensive lineman Tanner Owen after he was released by the Buffalo Bills and nearly snagging linebacker Sterling Weatherford, who was claimed by the Chicago Bears. They’ve kept a close eye on the waiver wire early this season.

That’s the gist of it, but as with many things in the NFL it gets more complicated. For one thing, only players with fewer than four accrued seasons are subject to waivers (accrued seasons being years in which they played at least six regular season games), so many of the names on waivers right now and rookies and other younger players.

But wait, there’s more. That changes after the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 1, at which point all players are subject to waivers regardless of experience. The downside is any team claiming them will have to pay the remainder of their base salary, which is why wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. cleared waivers late last season. If they clear the waiver wire, players become free agents and may sign anywhere they like — often at a minimum salary while receiving offsets from the team that cut them.

So there you go. This week, the Saints will be one of the first teams to get a shot at claiming any players cut around the league. Unless one of the other seven teams they’re tied with want that player too, in which case it goes to a coin toss. Let’s hope they find a win this week and we’ll have something better to write home about soon.

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