Tag: Waivers

Lions claim DT Albert Huggins off waivers

The Detroit Lions have claimed defensive tackle Albert Huggins off waivers from the Houston Texans.

After releasing wide receiver Geremy Davis this morning, the Detroit Lions have filled their open roster spot by claiming defensive tackle Albert Huggins off waivers from the Houston Texans.

After sitting behind first-round picks Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins at Clemson, Huggins earned playing time due to his ability to eat space and occupy blockers for linebackers. He’s not much of a penetrator, but there are building blocks in place for overall development.

After going undrafted in 2019, Huggins was a priority free agent target of the Texans and his first year in the NFL was full of travel but to a lot of the same places.

He landed on the Texans practice squad to start the season, but after two days, he was signed off the squad by the Philadelphia Eagles. After four games on the Eagles roster (three tackles recorded), he was released and claimed off of waivers by the New England Patriots. He would only last a week in Foxborough, and returned to Philadelphia, eventually earning a reserve/futures contract. the Eagles waived him in July, where he was claimed by the Texans for his second stint in Houston. Huggins was released yesterday and claimed by the Lions today.

Quite a journey for the young defensive tackle, but stops in New England and Houston — who run a similar scheme to the Lions — illustrate why the Lions would be interested in him.

With less than a week before roster cutdowns, Huggins has an extremely difficult path to the Lions roster, making this look more like a tryout for the practice squad as the Lions are looking for interior depth on the defensive line.

Darrin Paulo is the latest Saints roster cut to catch on elsewhere

The New Orleans Saints waived rookie left tackle Darrin Paulo, who was claimed by the Denver Broncos for a big training camp opportunity.

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A theme of New Orleans Saints training camp has been how often players they’ve let go have been snatched up by rival teams. Rookie offensive lineman Darrin Paulo joined that list when the Denver Broncos claimed him off of waivers on Aug. 30, making the Utah prospect the latest member of the black and gold to earn a quick turnaround for his next NFL opportunity.

Back at the start of training camp, the Saints waived a group of ten players according to NFL rules requiring rosters to thin down from 90 contracts to just 80.  Three of them were signed right away: defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth, cornerback Deatrick Nichols, and wide receiver Tommylee Lewis. Wide receiver Krishawn Hogan also joined a new team after a few tryouts.

Other familiar names to Saints fans who recently earned new shots around the league: cornerbacks B.W. Webb and Ken Crawley, together with the Arizona Cardinals; linebackers Will Compton and Jayrone Elliott; and a host of former Saints with the Carolina Panthers, led by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and coordinator Joe Brady.

The Saints have assembled a roster where talent runs deep, and it shouldn’t shock anyone that other teams are taking notice. It just adds more intrigue to an upcoming wave of releases and re-signings to the practice squad. For his part, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis is already fretting over whether they might let a good player get away.

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Former Lions WR Travis Fulgham claimed by rival Packers

The Detroit Lions released wide receiver Travis Fulgham on Sunday in an effort to get down to 80-players and he was claimed off waivers by division rival Green Bay Packers.

In an effort to get down to 80-players, the Detroit Lions released wide receiver Travis Fulgham on Sunday and he was claimed off waivers by division rival Green Bay Packers.

Entering the offseason, the Packers had a glaring need at receiver and they failed to add weapons at the position. Their biggest move at receiver was signing former Michigan Wolverine Devin Funchess in free agency but he elected to opt-out of the 2020 season, leaving them with a hole in the starting lineup.

The Packers do return five of their six rostered receivers from last season — losing Geronimo Allison to the Lions in free agency — and there is a real opportunity for Fulgham to crack the 53-man roster in Green Bay. With no preseason, it’s an uphill battle, but Fulgham has the potential to land a role in Green Bay.

Of note, the other four players released at the same time as Fulgham — wide receiver Chris Lacy, guard Joshua Garnett, defensive lineman Jonathan Wynn, and linebacker Christian Sam — all passed through waiver unclaimed.

Seahawks claim former 49ers cornerback D.J. Reed off waivers

The Seattle Seahawks claimed former San Francisco 49ers cornerback D.J. Reed off waivers, but he will miss at least the first six weeks.

After the San Francisco 49ers released cornerback D.J. Reed on Tuesday, the Seattle Seahawks scooped him up on waivers the following day, adding another piece to their secondary.

Reed was waived with a non-football injury designation and will likely be unable to play for the first six weeks of the 2020 season while he heals from his torn pectoral muscle that he suffered during an offseason workout.

Seattle may have made this move for depth purposes, as Reed will not be expected to make a significant impact even if he returns in 2020. He recorded a mere 13 tackles on defense in 16 games and zero starts last season.

The Seahawks look to have a solid secondary with Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs and Shaquill Griffin in the fold, but their plans for Reed are relatively unknown at the moment.

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Report: Texans awarded DT Albert Huggins off waivers

The Houston Texans were awarded former Clemson DT Albert Huggins off waivers, who returns to the Texans for a second time.

The Houston Texans are getting help along the interior of their defensive line.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans were awarded defensive tackle Albert Huggins off waivers Monday. The former undrafted free agent from Clemson returns to the Texans for a second time.

On Oct. 22, 2019, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Huggins off the Texans’ practice squad. The Eagles waived Huggins on Nov. 30, and the New England Patriots claimed him on Dec. 2, where he spent five days with the club before being waived. The Eagles brought back Huggins on Dec. 10, and he signed a reserve-future contract with Philadelphia at the end of the season.

Though the announcement of defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes’ opt-out for the 2020 season came on Tuesday morning, the Huggins’ signing gives Houston a player who is familiar with first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

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Sean Payton discusses the addition of cornerback Janoris Jenkins

The New Orleans Saints picked up ex-New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins on waivers and Saints coach Sean Payton dug into the addition

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The New Orleans Saints made waves this week when they claimed former New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins on waivers, adding an experienced option to their cornerbacks depth chart. Jenkins was a starter for Big Blue, having played 875 defensive snaps during New York’s first 13 games. He’s already tied his career-best interceptions tally (4), and has bagged 14 total passes defensed. That’s more interceptions than all other Saints cornerbacks have combined for this season (2). He’s also drawn half a dozen penalties.

Saints coach Sean Payton addressed the addition on Wednesday during his weekly conference call, noting that Jenkins is a versatile cover corner who can line up outside as well as in the slot, and emphasizing that experienced players with that versatility are important late in the season as injuries take their toll.

Payton also said that in-house evaluations of Jenkins were helped by the Saints’ past homework on him — both when he was a top free agent option before the 2016 season, and in scouting for each of the games they have played against Jenkins since he signed with New York (doing so in 2016 and 2018). He’s a player they knew well, and who they felt could easily project into their defense.

However, Payton stopped short of guaranteeing Jenkins a starting job. When asked whether he would compete for a spot in the starting rotation, likely with embattled number-two cornerback Eli Apple, Payton replied with a terse, “Listen, we’ll see. We’ll see how it goes.”

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Saints roster moves: Saquan Hampton to injured reserve, Janoris Jenkins signed

The New Orleans Saints made room for CB Janoris Jenkins, claimed off of waivers, by sending rookie S Saquan Hampton to injured reserve.

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Another member of the New Orleans Saints’ 2019 NFL Draft class landed on injured reserve when safety Saquan Hampton ending his rookie season. It’s unclear what sort of injury Hampton is dealing with. His departure opened a spot on the 53-man roster for veteran cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who the Saints picked up on waivers earlier this week.

Hampton was a sixth-round pick out of Rutgers, and had been frequently inactive this year due to New Orleans’ depth at the position. But when backup safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson exited Monday’s game with the Indianapolis Colts with a concussion, Hampton was forced into the lineup — starting safety Vonn Bell was inactive with a knee injury. In total, Hampton only dressed for five games in 2019, logging 34 snaps on defense and 63 appearances on special teams. He’s been credited with one solo tackle for a loss of yards.

This means three of the Saints’ five draft picks have either finished their rookie season on injured reserve or been released. Linebacker Kaden Elliss, a seventh-round draft pick out of Idaho, went down with an ACL back in September. New Orleans’ other late-round pick, tight end Alize Mack, was cut from the practice squad earlier this year. Thankfully, the Saints hit on their first two draft picks (standout center Erik McCoy and Gardner-Johnson) and have built such a deep roster that they can absorb these hits.

As for Jenkins: Saints coach Sean Payton was noncommittal when asked if the veteran would start right away, and he offered a vote of confidence in number-two cornerback Eli Apple during his Wednesday conference call. Apple figures to be Jenkins’ top competition for playing-time given his recent struggles.

One silver lining here may be that two Saints mainstays — Gardner-Johnson and right guard Larry Warford — each left Monday’s game with serious injuries, but neither of them were lost to injured reserve to make room for Jenkins. Instead, the Saints found something to designate Hampton with (he finished the Colts game with no apparent injuries), which could imply neither Gardner-Johnson nor Warford are expected to miss extended time. But we won’t know for certain until the Saints injury report is published later Wednesday.

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Saints tried to claim ex-Cardinals, Ravens pass rusher Terrell Suggs off waivers

The Kansas City Chiefs were awarded ex-Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals DE Terrell Suggs, but the New Orleans Saints tried to get him.

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The New Orleans Saints claimed veteran cornerback Janoris Jenkins off of waivers from the New York Giants on Monday, but they nearly added a second playmaker in Terrell Suggs. The former Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens pass rusher was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs after being waived last week, but the Saints were one of four teams to try and pick him up.

As first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Saints and Chiefs were joined by the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in making waiver claims for the experienced sack artist. Because the Chiefs had the worst record of the group at 10-4 (a win percentage of .714), they were awarded Suggs.

He’ll arrive in Kansas City just hours after news broke that former Saints defensive end Alex Okafor, now with the Chiefs, would miss the rest of the season with a pectoral injury. It’s brutal news for Okafor, who recovered from an Achilles injury and bet on himself to play for a new contract with the Saints last year, ultimately earning a three-year, $18 million contract with Kansas City. It’s disappointing to see his year end this way, but at least he’s already secured the bag.

The Saints being interested in Suggs makes plenty of sense, especially in the wake of injuries to defensive linemen Marcus Davenport and Sheldon Rankins. They’ve already added a pass rusher with NFL experience in Noah Spence, but there’s no confusing him for Suggs; the 13-year veteran logged 5.5 sacks and 7 quarterback hits in 13 games with the Cardinals this year, adding to his career total of 138 sacks. It’ll be interesting to see how the Saints adapt to life out on the edge without Davenport starting opposite Cameron Jordan.

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Former Saints TE Dan Arnold claimed off of waivers by Arizona

The Arizona Cardinals claimed former New Orleans Saints tight end/wide receiver Dan Arnold off of waivers ahead of Week 14’s NFL games.

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The New Orleans Saints waived third-year tight end Dan Arnold on Wednesday to make room on the 53-man roster for veteran linebacker Manti Te’o, and they probably expected him to pass through waivers unclaimed and return to the practice squad.

But that won’t happen. The Arizona Cardinals were awarded Arnold off of waivers on Thursday, adding him to their own 53-man roster. Arnold initially signed with the Saints a few seasons back as an undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin-Platteville — and he was known as more of a big, athletic wide receiver than a tight end.

New Orleans attempted to convert him to the new position by putting him through their sports nutrition program and one-on-one tutelage with tight ends coach Dan Campbell, but inconsistencies as a pass-catcher and deficiencies as a blocker kept him off of the field. Now he’ll be making an in-season move to the desert to try and catch on with a new team.

Arnold ultimately logged 212 snaps in 13 games with the Saints, including an appearance in last year’s NFC championship game. He caught 14 of his 24 career targets to gain 175 yards, including a touchdown score over the Atlanta Falcons in 2018. Maybe things will work for him better in Arizona, under first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury in his high-flying offense with electric rookie quarterback Kyler Murray.

In the meantime, Arnold’s departure leaves the Saints with four tight ends on the team, and three on the active roster. That list includes starters Jared Cook and Josh Hill, backup Jason Vander Laan (limited in Thursday’s practice with a vague head injury), and practice squad convert Mitchell Loewen, a former defensive lineman.

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Lions claim OT Dan Skipper off waivers, place DT Kevin Strong on IR

The Detroit Lions have claimed offensive tackle Dan Skipper off of waivers from the Houston Texans and placed rising defensive tackle Kevin Strong on injured reserve.

The Detroit Lions have claimed offensive tackle Dan Skipper off of waivers from the Houston Texans and placed rising young defensive tackle Kevin Strong on injured reserve.

This is Skipper’s second stint with the Lions, in what has been a long journey through five NFL teams over the last four years.

He originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas in 2017, signing with the Dallas Cowboys and beginning that season on their practice squad. He was released after just a few weeks but was immediately picked up by the Lions and signed to their practice squad.

After a month on the Lions practice squad, he was promoted to the active roster. He only spent one game on the 53-man roster before returning to the practice squad, where he would finish the season. Skipper signed a futures contract with the team in 2018 but was released after training camp cut downs, and would eventually join the Denver Broncos practice squad.

After the 2018 season, the New England Patriots added him to their practice squad for their Super Bowl run. He would stay with the Patriots through the offseason, but once again was released at roster cuts, eventually signing to their practice squad.

The Houston Texans signed Skipper to their 53-man roster off the Patriots practice squad, where he played three games for them this season in Week’s 7, 8 and 9. Yesterday, Skipper was waived by the Texans and the Lions used a waiver claim to add him to their active roster.

Big (6-10, 309-pounds) but light on his feet (see video below), Skipper has the frame to be a mauling right tackle in the NFL.

With Rick Wagner in concussion protocol, the Lions only had two healthy offensive tackles on their active roster — Taylor Decker and Tyrell Crosby — and needed an experienced body to fill out depth. Swing guard Kenny Wiggins has some experience at right tackle, but the Lions have a plan for him on the interior, and practice squad tackle Matt Nelson is not NFL ready as he is still adjusting to the position after playing defensive end last season. Skipper offers the team some flexibility.

Defensive Line gets weaker with loss of Strong

Losing Strong for the season is a bigger blow than it appears on the surface as he has completely outplayed his original season projection as an undrafted free agent — only four short weeks ago, Strong was the Lions best defender in Week 7 per PFF grades.

With Damon Harrison, A’Shawn Robinson, Da’Shawn Hand and Mike Daniels all dealing with injuries, John Atkins is the Lions only remaining defensive lineman without a current ailment.