Damiere

Byrd

The veteran journeyman special teams ace last appeared in a regular season game in 2022 as a member of the Falcons. Byrd bounced around the league for four seasons between 2019 and 2022 after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Panthers. The Falcons, Panthers, and Texans all gave him a shot during the 2023 season but he failed to stick with any of the three franchises. It remains to be seen if Byrd will earn a shot at return duties with the Bills.

The team also signed wide receiver Byron Pringle. Washington released fellow receivers Dax Milne and Damiere Byrd in a pair of corresponding moves. Patterson kicked for the Browns and Lions last year, connecting on 16-of-18 field goal tries and 41-of-44 extra point attempts. He signed with the Jaguars in the offseason but was waived earlier this week. Patterson will compete with Ramiz Ahmed for the kicking job in Washington during training camp.

Byrd had a cup of coffee on the Texans’ practice squad at the end of the 2023 season but saw his only action while on the Falcons last year. He appeared in one game and logged 18 snaps on offense. Byrd was a rotational receiver for Atlanta in 2022, totaling 268 yards and two scores across 14 games. Byrd’s previous experience as a kick and punt returner could be useful to the Commanders, though he is still a long-shot to make the team.

The move comes after Houston placed Noah Brown (shoulder) on injured reserve, ending his season. Byrd, 30, an eight-year veteran who has played for five teams, had 13 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns last year for the Falcons. He won’t see much playing time in the postseason.

This is little more than the Giants doing their due diligence while Daniel Jones continues to deal with a neck injury. Tyrod Taylor threw for 200 scoreless yards in the Giants’ Week 6 loss to the Bills, but was as serviceable as one could hope a backup to be. Barkley hasn’t started a regular season game since 2018 and hasn’t thrown a regular season pass since 2020. He’d be nothing more than a depth signing if the Giants opted to bring him in. In addition to Barkley the Giants also hosted free agent QB Ian Book and free agent WR Damiere Byrd.

Byrd was on injured reserve with a hamstring injury but has since been waived with an injury settlement. The veteran receiver was signed earlier this offseason in hopes of catching on as depth receiver and/or kick and punt returner. He’s now back on the market and in search of his sixth team over the last five seasons.

The Athletic’s Joe Person reports Byrd is expected to be out for at least two months. Being placed on injured reserve ends Byrd’s season unless he and the Panthers agree to an injury settlement, in which case he would be waived by the team. It’s possible he resurfaces on another roster late in the season.

Byrd has had a promising camp thus far but missed practice Sunday with a hamstring injury. The severity of the injury is not yet known. Byrd appears to be behind both rookie wide receiver Jonathan Mingo and perennial hype magnet Laviska Shenault for depth snaps on the perimeter, so any missed time in camp would be detrimental to his chances of earning playing time during the 2023 season.

Byrd has been with five different teams over the past five seasons. Most recently, he served as a depth option for Atlanta, totaling receiving 268 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 13 catches. Byrd began his career with the Panthers in 2016 and will now return to Charlotte as a reserve wideout and an option for kick and punt return duties in 2023.

Byrd totaled just 268 yards on the season, which was fourth on the team. Turning 30 in less than a month, the unrestricted free agent could easily be elsewhere in 2023. Even if he returns, the rotational speedster is well off the fantasy radar.