NFL Monday roster shuffles include Bengals’ Bozeman IR move and Jaguars linebacker claim

Monday’s smaller roster moves carried postseason-size implications for teams managing injuries and special-teams roles, with the Bengals’ IR decision standing out as the day’s most notable development.

Cincinnati placed linebacker Swayze Bozeman on injured reserve, according to team reporting carried in the transaction digest. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Bozeman suffered a broken forearm and that he does not believe it is a season-ending injury. The timing matters because it frames how Cincinnati may plan its IR-return window, especially with depth needs at linebacker and on coverage units. Bozeman, an eighth-year player, has been a career special-teamer who has never started a game, so his value is heavily tied to weekly snaps, roles, and the ability to cover on third downs.

The Bengals’ internal roster math also figured into the conversation. The transaction report noted Cincinnati has six IR activations remaining, which suggests the team still has flexibility to activate other injured players as the season progresses. Whether Bozeman returns quickly will depend on how the injury is treated and whether Cincinnati’s injury situation elsewhere forces any earlier or later roster decisions.

On the waiver side, the Bengals also landed linebacker Jack Kiser, who was claimed off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kiser’s fit is partly rooted in familiarity with Cincinnati defensive coordinator Al Golden’s system. The digest stated Kiser previously played for Golden while at Notre Dame under Golden’s second-year tenure, a background that can speed assimilation for a player stepping into an NFL defensive scheme midseason.

Across the AFC East, Buffalo’s roster adjustments targeted both defense and game-day activation. The Bills signed cornerback Anthony Kendall from the practice squad, then released linebacker Mike Danna. In addition, Buffalo elevated defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis and wide receiver Trent Sherfield, moves that typically report a short-term attempt to add fresh legs or correct matchup considerations for the coming week.

Other depth reshaping included a practice-squad pickup by the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland signed running back Audric Estime off the Vikings’ practice squad, a transaction that reflects how teams frequently use the practice-squad pipeline to plug role-based needs at running back without committing to a larger roster overhaul.

In Houston, the Texans waived a receiver listed in the digest as Trent Sherfield, a reminder that NFL roster churn can happen in both directions even when the on-field focus stays on bigger, marquee injuries. Taken together, Monday’s moves show how teams are constantly balancing immediate availability, special-teams coverage, and the mechanics of IR rules.

For fans, the watch items are straightforward: Cincinnati’s timeline for Bozeman’s forearm recovery and the early impact of Kiser as he learns Golden’s defense, along with Buffalo’s integration of its activated players (Kendall, Mathis, and Sherfield) as the Bills continue to sort roles after releasing Danna. With each move, the season’s roster picture becomes more precise, even if the transactions themselves are described as “minor.”