2014 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Draft Signings: Jaguars, Vikings, Cardinals

May 21st, 2014 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, I recapped where things stood with 2014’s draft pick signings, which are moving along quickly. Since then, another handful of draftees have agreed to terms with their respective teams, so let’s round up the latest….

Fourth-round cornerback Aaron Colvin has signed his rookie contract with the Jaguars, the team announced today (Twitter link). Six Jacksonville picks still need to ink their deals, including first-round quarterback Blake Bortles, but Colvin’s signing ensures that three Jags draftees are now under contract.
In addition to confirming Anthony Barr‘s signing, which was reported yesterday, the Vikings also announced today (via Twitter) that sixth-round defensive back Antone Exum has been locked up. As the 182nd overall pick in the draft, Exum is in line for a signing bonus worth about $116K, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
The Cardinals have signed two more draftees, according to multiple reports. Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets that fourth-round quarterback Logan Thomas has signed his rookie contract, while agent agent Brian McLaughlin told Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) earlier today that sixth-round receiver Walter Powell has also inked his deal. The moves leave first-rounder Deone Bucannon as the only unsigned Arizona draft pick.

Checking In On Draft Pick Signings

May 21st, 2014 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

Under old NFL Collective Bargaining Agreements, the time between the draft and the regular season represented a period of uncertainty for many rookies, with no assurances that contracts would get signed before training camps opened in the summer. However, the current CBA has expedited the process significantly, essentially locking in signing bonus and contract values by draft slot, meaning that deals are being completed faster than ever and holdouts are becoming a thing of the past.

With the help of our list of draft pick signings by team, here are a few details on which contracts have been finalized so far, and which ones still need to be signed:

139 draftees have signed, or at least agreed to terms, so far. Since 256 players were drafted in total, that leaves 117 who still have to sign.
Although more than half of this year’s draft picks have been locked up, that ratio doesn’t extend to first-rounders. Only six of those 32 players have reached agreements with their respective clubs so far — Khalil Mack (No. 5), Anthony Barr (No. 9), Odell Beckham Jr. (No. 12), Kyle Fuller (No. 14), Brandin Cooks (No. 20), and Teddy Bridgewater (No. 32). There shouldn’t be any problems with the contracts for any first-round picks, but there are a few more details to negotiate for those players, including overall guaranteed money.
Conversely, the deals for seventh-rounders are less complicated to work out, so it’s not surprising that 33 of 41 seventh-round picks have agreed to terms on their deals. Four of those eight unsigned seventh-rounders were drafted by the Rams, who have yet to sign any of their picks.
The Saints and Bears made quick work of the draft pick signing period, having signed all of their 2014 draftees to rookie contracts already. The Chargers, Colts, and Giants each have just one player left to lock up.
On the other hand, several clubs are taking their time to sign their draft picks, or at least are in no rush to announce those deals — in addition to the Rams, the Broncos, Bengals, Dolphins, and Browns have yet to ink any rookie contracts.
To check out the pick-by-pick breakdown of signing bonuses and contract values for each draft slot, be sure to visit OverTheCap.com.

Draft Signings: Titans, Raiders, Jaguars, 49ers

May 20th, 2014 at 8:06pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re dedicating individual posts to draft pick signings from the first two rounds while rounding up the deals from rounds 3-7 in bulleted posts. To keep tabs on all of this year’s draft pick signings to date, be sure to check out our tracker. Here are Tuesday’s latest draft signings from the later rounds:

The Titans announced that they have agreed to terms with sixth-round quarterback Zach Mettenberger and fifth-round linebacker Avery Williamson, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. Mettenberger, whose deal we heard about earlier today, fell in the draft partially due to a torn ACL suffered at the end of his final season.
Three seventh-rounders have inked their deals with the Raiders, the team announced today in a press release. Cornerback Travis Carrie, defensive end Shelby Harris, and safety Jonathan Dowling are now officially members of the club, and they’ll receive respective signing bonuses of about $67K, $54K, and $46K, according to Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com.
Former UCF standout Storm Johnson has signed his rookie deal with the Jaguars, the team announced via Twitter. The 6’0″, 209-pound tailback, who was selected with the seventh pick in the seventh round, has shown quick feet for a player of his size.
The 49ers announced that they have signed seventh-round fullback Trey Millard, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Titans, Cowboys, Bills, Vikings

May 20th, 2014 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few of the latest minor transactions from around the NFL, including late-round draftees signings their deals and undrafted free agents finding new NFL homes:

The Titans have agreed to terms on a four-year rookie contract with sixth-round quarterback Zach Mettenberger, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). With Mettenberger locked up, Tennessee still has to sign three of its six 2014 draft picks, including first-rounder Taylor Lewan.
No team had more seventh-round draft picks than the Cowboys, and Dallas has finally signed all the players it selected in that round. According to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, 251st overall pick Ken Bishop, a defensive tackle, inked his deal today.
East Central wide receiver Caleb Holley, one of four non-roster players who auditioned for the Bills this past weekend, has earned a spot on the team’s roster, signing a deal today, according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.
One Mike Zimmer apparently wasn’t enough for the Vikings, who have signed the former Illinois State linebacker with the same name as the club’s head coach, per a team release. Zimmer joined the Jaguars after going undrafted last year and spent the 2013 preseason with Jacksonville.

Vikings Sign Teddy Bridgewater

May 20th, 2014 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of agreeing to terms with one first-rounder, the Vikings have also locked up the other one. According to the team’s PR department (via Twitter), 32nd overall pick Teddy Bridgewater has signed his rookie contract, as has seventh-round linebacker Brandon Watts. Ninth overall selection Anthony Barr also reached an agreement with the club today.

As Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com show, the gap between Barr at No. 9 and Bridgewater at No. 32 works out to a difference of more than $4MM in signing bonus money, with the former Louisville quarterback earning a bonus worth about $3.3MM. Bridgewater’s overall four-year value amounts to about $6.85MM, though that number could increase significantly if the team exercises its fifth-year option for 2018.

The flurry of Vikings’ signings this morning ensure that all but three of their 10 draftees have now been signed. By our count, 127 total 2014 draft picks have inked their contracts so far, which is nearly half of the 256 players drafted. You can track all the signings right here.

Vikings, Anthony Barr Agree To Terms

May 20th, 2014 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Vikings have reached an agreement with the first of their 2014 first-round picks, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that linebacker Anthony Barr has agreed to terms with the club. In addition to reaching a deal with Barr, Minnesota has also agreed to a contract with seventh-rounder Shamar Stephen, says Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

According to Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com, Barr, the ninth overall pick this year, is in line for a signing bonus of about $7.588MM. Barr’s four-year should have an overall base value of about $12.744MM, and will include a fifth-year option for 2018. As for Stephen, the 220th overall pick should receive a signing bonus worth about $65K and a four-year contract worth around $2.285MM in total.

With Barr and Stephen set to sign their deals, the Vikings will have secured half of their 10 draftees. The team’s second first-round pick, Teddy Bridgewater, is among the five players who still need to be locked up.

Giants Sign Beckham Jr., Three Others

May 19th, 2014 at 5:25pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Giants have signed four more of their draft picks, most notably Odell Beckham Jr., reports Greg Salamone of Giants.com. Beckham was the team’s first-round selection, a receiver out of LSU.

The team also signed, second-round center Weston Richburg of Colorado State, fifth-round linebacker Devon Kennard of USC, and sixth-round cornerback Bennett Jackson of Notre Dame.

The only Giants’ rookie still unsigned is defensive tackle Jay Bromley out of Syracuse. The Queens, New York native Bromley was drafted in the third round.

Pete Carroll Discusses Seahawks’ Rookies

May 18th, 2014 at 6:09pm CST by David Kipke

Head coach Pete Carroll was very impressed with the incoming Seahawks’ rookie class after the team’s three-day mini-camp. According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, Carroll spoke highly of both the draft picks and UDFA players that participated in the camp. Carroll spoke about several rookies in particular, so let’s check in on the highlights:

Carroll envisions fourth-round draft pick Cassius Marsh perhaps eventually stepping into a role similar to the one currently being performed by the recently re-signed Michael Bennett.
Justin Britt will compete immediately with Michael Bowie to become the team’s swingman on the offensive line.
Second-rounder Paul Richardson, a wide receiver out of Colorado, suffered from a sore shoulder in Friday’s practice, but that the injury was only day-to-day.
Carroll also loved what he saw from fullback Kiero Small, a seventh-round pick from Arkansas. He said that the back had a “really good accelerator,” and that “he can catch the ball really well.”

NFC North Notes: Kromer, Packers, Lions

May 18th, 2014 at 4:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bears offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer may not call the plays in Chicago (noted offensive mastermind/head coach Marc Trestman performs that duty), but that doesn’t mean his impact on offensive production is limited. Working mostly with the offensive line, Kromer molded a unit that was among the league’s worst in 2012 into one of 2013’s elite lines. The Bears’ line, infused with talent in the forms of Jermon Bushrod and Kyle Long, gave up only 30 sacks (fourth-fewest in the NFL), and finished with a fifth-best 5.5% adjusted sack rate (per Football Outsiders).

Kromer will expand his duties in 2014, writes Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times, as the coordinator aims to work more with the Bears’ quarterbacks and receivers. “It’s given myself a chance to broaden my horizons and not spend 100 percent of my time with the offensive line when it comes to practice and meeting time,” said Kromer. “Sometimes an offensive line coach can get pigeon-holed into just doing that job.”

More items from the NFC North:

Packers general manager Ted Thompson doesn’t sound like he’s ready to leave Green Bay just yet, telling reporters he’s “just getting started” after the conclusion of the draft, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. Reports surfaced earlier this month that indicated Thompson might be nearing the end of his tenure in Green Bay.
Retired NFL kicker Jason Hanson was at the Lions’ rookie minicamp over the weekend, primarily to help seventh-round kicker Nate Freese, who had a 86.4% field goal-conversion rate while at Boston College, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
In a separate piece, Twentyman writes that Lions second-year receiver Corey Fuller has an extra reason to want to make the Detroit roster: to play against his brother (and now, divisonal rival), Bears first-round corner Kyle Fuller.
The Lions have changed their approach with regards to undrafted free agents, according to Justin Rogers of MLive.com. While the team had previously waited until the sixth- or seventh-round to make contact with potential UDFAs, Detroit now starts placing calls to prospects as early as the fourth round. This strategy of displaying early interest in a players aided the Lions in signing Kansas State offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas.
In his latest mailbag, ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling opines that the battle for the Vikings starting QB job between Teddy Bridgewater and Matt Cassel could play out much like the Russell Wilson–Matt Flynn situation during Seattle’s 2012 training camp.

Minor Moves: Sunday

May 18th, 2014 at 3:58pm CST by Rory Parks

We will keep an eye on any minor transactions from today and update this post with news of any such transactions (most recent news on top).

The Patriots have signed sixth-round cornerback Jemea Thomas, tweets his agency, Universal Sports Management. Thomas played college football at Georgia Tech.
The Saints will sign edge player Cheta Ozougwu, who spent the past two seasons with the Bears before being waived about a month ago, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).

Earlier Updates:

The Colts have waived WR Greg Moore and signed WR Ryan Lankford, tweets Craig Kelley of Colts.com.
The Bears will release punter Drew Butler, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The release was confirmed via Twitter by Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune and Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The release leaves the door open for new draftee Pat O’Donnell to become the team’s punter.

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors