Utah ties transaction tracker: The latest on what’s happening with Utah ties on NFL cutdown day

The Deseret News is tracking Utah ties involved in NFL roster moves during training camp, before the start of the 2022 season.

Aug. 30

Former Utah wide receiver and return specialist Britain Covey did not make the Philadelphia Eagles’ initial 53-man roster, as the team waived him on Tuesday.

NFL teams had to trim their active rosters to 53 players by a 2 p.m. MT deadline on Tuesday.

Many of those players who are released or waived could join a team’s practice squad in the coming days, or sign with another team.

That’s a strong possibility for Covey, an undrafted rookie free agent who earned praise both from his coaches and teammates as well as the media during training camp.

Covey was slowed by a thumb injury during the team’s first preseason game, though he played through it.

“He’s really quick and he catches the ball well. He’s got (a) great feel of what to do out there, and he’s smart. He knows all the positions. He’s had a good camp,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said of Covey early on in training camp.

Other Utah ties transactions from Aug. 30:

BYU players

• The Kansas City Chiefs waived former BYU safety Zayne Anderson. Anderson, a Stansbury High product, joined the team as an undrafted rookie last season and played in one game, registering four tackles.
• The Kansas City Chiefs waived former BYU tight end Matt Bushman with an injury designation. Bushman had three catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns in the Chiefs’ preseason finale but suffered a broken clavicle. He’s likely headed to injured reserve.
• The Dallas Cowboys waived former BYU offensive lineman James Empey. The American Fork High product is an undrafted rookie.
• The New England Patriots waived former BYU linebacker Harvey Langi. Langi, who also played at Utah and Bingham High, was on injured reserve much of the 2021 season.
• The Indianapolis Colts waived former BYU wide receiver Samson Nacua. Nacua, who also played at the University of Utah and Timpview High, caught a 26-yard TD pass during preseason and is an undrafted rookie.
• The Indianapolis Colts waived former BYU cornerback Chris Wilcox. He spent most of the 2021 season on the Colts’ practice squad after originally being a seventh-round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 2021.
• The Indianapolis Colts waived former BYU running back Ty’Son Williams. Williams signed with the team in May after being released by the Baltimore Ravens and caught a touchdown in the team’s preseason opener.

Utah players

• The New York Jets waived former Utah defensive end Bradlee Anae. Anae joined the Jets this offseason and had a sack and fumble return for a touchdown in New York’s Monday night preseason game against Atlanta on Aug. 22.
• The Seattle Seahawks waived former Utah safety Marquise Blair. Blair, a second-round draft pick by Seattle in 2019, has been beset by injuries throughout his NFL career.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars waived former Utah offensive lineman Nick Ford. He signed with the team as an undrafted rookie free agent back in April.
• The Las Vegas Raiders waived former Utah tight end Cole Fotheringham. He signed with the team as an undrafted rookie free agent back in April.
• The New York Jets waived former Utah cornerback Javelin Guidry. Guidry went undrafted but has been with the Jets since 2020. In his time with the franchise, he has started five games and has had 70 tackles, including 58 last season.
• The New Orleans Saints waived former Utah linebacker Chase Hansen. Hansen, a Lone Peak High grad, re-signed with the team in early August and had an interception during the first week of the preseason.
• The Las Vegas Raiders waived former Utah offensive lineman Bamidele Olaseni. Olaseni is an undrafted rookie this season.
• The Detroit Lions waived former Utah offensive lineman Darrin Paulo. He signed with the team in late July and has also spent time in New Orleans and Denver.
• The New Orleans Saints waived former Utah linebacker Nephi Sewell. The Desert Hills High product went undrafted in April and signed with the team as a rookie free agent.
• The Dallas Cowboys waived former Utah defensive end Mika Tafua. Tafua was one of several Utes undrafted rookies to sign with NFL teams this offseason.

Utah State players

• The Carolina Panthers waived former Utah State wide receiver Derek Wright. The former Snow College and Manti High standout had five catches for 84 yards during the preseason and led the team in receiving yards twice.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived former Utah State wide receiver Deven Thompkins. Thompkins, like Wright, was an undrafted rookie who made strong impressions during training camp.
• The Seattle Seahawks waived former Utah State running back Darwin Thompson. Thompson signed with the team this offseason after spending much of 2021 on the Buccaneers’ practice squad.

Weber State players

• The New Orleans Saints waived former Weber State wide receiver/returner Rashid Shaheed. He entered the league as an undrafted rookie this year and initially was on the non-football injury list at the start of training camp.

Other Utah ties

• The Miami Dolphins waived former Salem Hills High standout Porter Gustin. The linebacker signed with the team in June after spending the past three seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
• The Philadelphia Eagles waived former Hunter High tight end Noah Togiai. He spent much of the 2021 season on the Eagles’ practice squad.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars waived former Bingham High defensive tackle Jay Tufele. Tufele, who played at USC, was a fourth-round draft pick last year, though an injury limited his rookie season and he played in just two regular-season games.
• The New York Giants reached an injury settlement with former Layton High wide receiver Marcus Kemp, making him a free agent. He previously went on injured reserve on Aug. 24 after signing with the Giants in late July.

Aug. 29

The Buffalo Bills released former BYU wide receiver Neil Pau’u, an undrafted free agent rookie.

In the team’s final preseason game last week, Pau’u led all Bills receivers with four receptions for 46 yards. He had six receptions for 56 yards during the preseason.

Aug. 28

Former Utah cornerback Brian Allen was released by the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, two days after the team wrapped up its preseason.

Allen signed with the Saints on Aug. 11 and had an interception in New Orleans’ preseason opener two days later. He also had six tackles in preseason play.

Aug. 24

Former Layton High wide receiver Marcus Kemp was placed on injured reserve by the New York Giants on Wednesday.

Kemp spent his most of his five previous seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, earning a Super Bowl ring with the team in February 2020.

The Giants signed him in late July, and he had a 17-yard reception in the team’s most recent preseason game.

Aug. 23

Two Utah ties joined the list of NFL cuts as teams trimmed their active rosters down to 80 players on Tuesday.

The Arizona Cardinals waived former Utah running back T.J. Pledger, while the New York Jets released veteran linebacker Kai Nacua.

Pledger signed the Cardinals after a rookie minicamp tryout and had 8 yards on four carries during the team’s first two preseason games.

Nacua had moved to linebacker from safety during training camp. The Jets are his sixth team since joining the NFL in 2017.

Other Utah ties transactions from Aug. 23:

• The Washington Commanders placed Utah State offensive lineman Tyler Larsen on the reserve, physically unable to perform list. Larsen, who prepped at Jordan High, is in his second season with Washington.

Aug. 21

Former BYU safety Troy Warner was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday after the team’s second preseason game.

Warner — the younger brother of 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner — spent the 2021 season on the Buccaneers’ practice squad. He originally signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent last season, then was waived by the Rams during training camp and joined the Buccaneers soon thereafter.

He had four tackles in Tampa Bay’s two preseason games.

Aug. 15

A little more than two weeks after the team signed him, former BYU defensive lineman Tomasi Laulile was waived by the San Francisco 49ers on Monday.

Laulile played in the USFL this spring for the Houston Gamblers, and was added by the 49ers when they had some injuries early in training camp.

He had a solo tackle last week in San Francisco’s preseason opener.

Aug. 11

Former University of Utah cornerback Brian Allen signed with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, re-joining the NFL after some time in the USFL.

Allen most recently played for the Birmingham Stallions this spring, helping the Stallions win the USFL championship.

Allen, a 2017 fifth-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, has played for six other NFL teams prior to joining the Saints.

Aug. 8

Former University of Utah linebacker Chase Hansen signed with the New Orleans Saints on Monday, re-joining the team he’s called home since joining the NFL in 2019 as an undrafted free agent.

Hansen has spent time on the team’s roster — largely on New Orleans’ practice squad — over the previous three seasons.

He came back to the team on Monday, after the Saints’ Kiko Alonso retired over the weekend.

Hansen has played in a total of five games over the past two seasons, with one tackle.

Aug. 3

Former University of Utah wide receiver Tim Patrick was put on injured reserve by the Denver Broncos one day after he reportedly tore his ACL during practice.

Per the Broncos, the move makes Patrick ineligible to return during the 2022 season.

Patrick — who signed a three-year, $30 million contract extension last November — will be sidelined during his fifth NFL season after working his way into being one of Denver’s most valuable receivers.

Patrick led the team in touchdown catches (five) last season while also finishing second in receiving yards (734) and third in receptions (53).

July 29

Three years after former BYU defensive lineman Tomasi Laulile was last on an NFL roster, he’s back in the league again.

Laulile signed with the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, after working out for the team earlier in the week.

The 27-year-old — who played for BYU from 2013-16 — entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent four years ago. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts in May 2018, but was waived after training camp that year. He then joined the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad midseason.

Laulile signed a reserve/futures contract with the Saints in January 2019, but was then waived in mid-May.

The defensive tackle played this past spring in the USFL for the Houston Gamblers, and even scored a touchdown on his birthday.

Laulile is the second defensive tackle San Francisco has signed this week — former first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche was signed Tuesday — after the 49ers’ Arik Armstead sprained his knee on the opening day of training camp. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Armstead is expected to miss “a few weeks,” per ESPN.

Other Utah ties transactions from July 29:

• The Detroit Lions signed former Utah offensive lineman Darrin Paulo. He spent much of last season on the Lions’ practice squad.
• The Las Vegas Raiders placed former Utah State linebacker Kyler Fackrell on injured reserve. Fackrell, who played last season for the Los Angeles Chargers, isn’t eligible to play for the Raiders this season since he went on IR before preseason cuts occurred, though he could sign with another team if he reaches an injury settlement with Las Vegas and is released.

July 26

• The Green Bay Packers waived former Utah defensive tackle Hauati Pututau (Cottonwood High). Pututau is a rookie undrafted free agent who signed with the Packers following the 2022 draft.