HEADLINES

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Saints Sign First-Rounder Brandin Cooks

May 18th, 2014 at 2:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

2:26pm: Three and a half years of Cooks’ four-year deal is fully guaranteed, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (on Twitter).

2:00pm: The Saints have signed their first-round pick, receiver Brandin Cooks, according to a press release. The deal is for four years, with a club option for a fifth season.

Cooks, out of Oregon State, was selected with the 20th overall pick after New Orleans traded up to acquire him. At 5’10”, 185 pounds, he can play either outside or in the slot, and is expected to utilize his exceptional speed (4.33 40-yard-dash) to help replace the departed Darren Sproles. While the two place different positions, their impact on the Saints offense could be similar.

Cooks should receive a signing bonus of approximately $4.417MM, and a contract with a total value of about $8.383MM, according to figures from OverTheCap. The Saints now have just one member (fourth-round linebacker Khairi Fortt) of their modest six-man draft class left to sign.

Falcons Sign Five Draft Picks

May 18th, 2014 at 1:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons have signed five draft picks from their 2014 class, the team announced on its website. LB Prince Shembo (fourth round), CB Ricardo Allen (fifth round), LB Marcus Spruill (fifth round), LB Yawin Smallwood (seventh round), and LB Tyler Starr (seventh round) are now all under contract with Atlanta.

The five picks indicate a concerted effort by the Falcons to improve their defense, which graded as the fourth-worst unit by DVOA. While these Day 3 selections aren’t likely to have a significant impact on the team’s successes, they could add depth to an Atlanta defense that proved to be extremely thin in 2013. Atlanta still has four picks left to sign, including first-rounder Jake Matthews and second-rounder Ra’Shede Hageman.

Draft Signings: Jets, Pats, Saints, Chiefs

May 16th, 2014 at 4:49pm CST by Luke Adams

With many rookie minicamps underway, it’s clear that a good portion of the players drafted last week have been eager to get their contract situations taken care of so they can focus solely on football. Several more draftees reached agreements or signed their deals today, so let’s round up the latest….

  • No team drafted more players than the 12 the Jets selected last week, and few clubs have been more proactive about getting those draftees under contract. The club announced today in a press release that Jalen Saunders, a fourth-rounder, is the latest player to sign on the dotted line, meaning only first-round safety Calvin Pryor and two other Jets draft picks still need to ink their deals.
  • Fourth-round running back James White and seventh-round receiver Jeremy Gallon have signed with the Patriots, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. We heard earlier today that Cameron Fleming had also signed, so New England is putting a dent into its draft class.
  • In addition to confirming the previously reported signing of sixth-rounder Tavon Rooks, the Saints announced today that they’ve also locked up a pair of fifth-round picks, safety Vinnie Sunseri and linebacker Ronald Powell. Both players should receive four-year deals worth a little less than $2.4MM, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, and their signings mean New Orleans has secured half of its 2014 draft class.
  • Fourth-round running back and receiver De’Anthony Thomas is the latest draftee to sign with the Chiefs, tweets Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. Thomas should be in line for a signing bonus of about $420K, per Fitzgerald.
  • Safety Ahmad Dixon became the fourth Cowboy taken in the seventh round to sign his rookie deal, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • According to Robert Herron himself (via Twitter), the former Wyoming receiver officially put pen to paper today for the Buccaneers, making him the first Tampa Bay draftee to sign his deal. The club has since confirmed Herron’s tweet, and noted that fifth-round pick Kadeem Edwards has also signed (Twitter link).

AFC Notes: Bills, Ravens, Richardson, Broncos

May 16th, 2014 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills made one of the biggest splashes during the first round of last week’s draft when they traded up to fourth overall to land wide receiver Sammy Watkins. Although the team was able to land its man at No. 4, Buffalo made efforts to move up even higher than that, as director of player personnel Jim Monos confirmed in a video on the club’s website.

“We went with Houston right off the bat,” Monos said. “We tried to go to No. 1. They weren’t having it. They knew who they wanted, so we started working our way right down.”

The video hints that the Bills also spoke to the Jaguars about the possibility of moving up to No. 3, since Jacksonville’s target at that spot was unclear. As for the Rams, Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk notes that there are strong signals Buffalo spoke to them about the No. 2 pick as well.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Ohio State quarterback Kenny Guiton headlines the invitees at the Bills‘ rookie minicamp, notes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com in a pair of tweets.
  • The Ravens are considering placing a waiver claim on running back Daryl Richardson, who was cut by the Rams yesterday, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • While some teams are auditioning dozens of players during this week’s rookie minicamp, the Broncos just have eight invitees in camp, hoping to earn roster spots, as Mike Klis of the Denver Post details.

Draft Signings: Vikings, Giants, Packers, Pats

May 16th, 2014 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re continuing to track which draft picks have signed their rookie contracts with their new NFL clubs. Here are the latest transactions:

  • The Vikings have officially confirmed the signings of three draft picks, announcing the moves in a press release. While we’d already heard that the club locked up offensive lineman David Yankey, we can add cornerbacks Kendall James and Jabari Price, the 184th and 225th overall picks, to the list of Minnesota draftees who have signed.
  • Two Giants draft picks have officially signed with the club, according to a team release. Fourth-round running back Andre Williams and fifth-round safety Nat Berhe have inked their rookie deals, which should put them in line for respective signing bonuses of about $454K and $193K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
  • The Packers have agreed to terms with sixth-round cornerback Demetri Goodson, tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan. Green Bay has now secured its final five draftees, though it still needs to sign the first four, including first-rounder Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun passes along a pair of signings, via Twitter: The Patriots have agreed to terms with fourth-round offensive tackle Cameron Fleming on a four-year, $2.52MM deal (Twitter link), while the Saints and sixth-round tackle Tavon Rooks reached an agreement on a four-year, $2.317MM pact (Twitter link).

Draft Signings: Lions, Packers, Ravens, Vikes

May 16th, 2014 at 11:24am CST by Luke Adams

Several dozen of this year’s draftees have already signed their contracts, and many more will do so today. Here’s the latest round of signings for mid-to-late-round draft picks:

  • The Lions have locked up a pair of draftees, signing fourth-round defensive end Larry Webster and seventh-round kicker Nate Freese, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Webster should receive a signing bonus worth a little over $300K, while Freese’ bonus will amount to about $59K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
  • Fourth-round linebacker Carl Bradford has signed his four-year deal with the Packers, the team announced today in a press release. Green Bay now has four of nine draft picks under contract.
  • The Ravens have agreed to terms with fourth-round running back Lorenzo Taliaferro, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Having come off the board just two picks after the Lions selected Webster, Taliaferro should be in line for an identical bonus of about $300K.
  • Fifth-round offensive lineman David Yankey has signed his contract with the Vikings, according to agent Mike McCartney (via Twitter). Yankey becomes the first of 10 Minnesota draft picks to ink his rookie deal.

Packers Announce 14 UDFA Signings

May 16th, 2014 at 11:11am CST by Rob DiRe

FRIDAY, 11:11am: The Packers have announced one more UDFA signing, revealing today that they’ve also signed Iowa safety Tanner Miller.

TUESDAY, 4:18pm: Add one more undrafted free agent to the Packers’ list. Wes Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette tweets that Washington State offensive lineman John Fullington passed his physical and signed with the team, and today’s NFL transaction wire confirmed the move. Fullington received a $5K signing bonus, according to Dougherty.

MONDAY, 7:28pm: The Packers have officially announced that they have signed 12 undrafted free agents, according to the team’s official website.

Here are all of the Packers’ new players:

  • Jake Doughty, LB, Utah State ($5K bonus, per Pete Dougherty)
  • Jayrone Elliott, LB, Toledo ($5K bonus)
  • Carlos Gray, DE, North Carolina State ($4K bonus)
  • Adrian Hubbard, LB, Alabama ($5K bonus)
  • Jordan McCray, OG, Central Florida ($3.5K bonus)
  • Rajion Neal, RB, Tennessee ($2K bonus)
  • Mike Pennel, DT, Colorado State-Pueblo ($3.5K bonus)
  • Justin Perillo, TE, Maine ($2K bonus)
  • LaDarius Perkins, RB, Mississippi State ($3K bonus)
  • Chase Rettig, QB, Boston College ($3.5K bonus)
  • Joe Thomas, LB, South Carolina ($5K bonus)
  • Ryan White, CB, Auburn ($2K bonus)

Jets Sign Second-Round Pick Jace Amaro

May 16th, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Jets have agreed to terms on a four-year rookie contract with second-round tight end Jace Amaro, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). The team confirmed the signing in a tweet shortly after Mehta made his report.

Amaro, who turns 22 next month, will join a Jets team that re-signed Jeff Cumberland earlier in the offseason, but failed to bring aboard an impact tight end in free agency, despite pursuing players like Brandon Pettigrew. Whether he’s catching balls from Michael Vick or Geno Smith in the fall, Amaro figures to step in and play a major part in New York’s offense from the get-go.

As Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap details, Amaro’s signing bonus should be worth about $1.442MM, and his four-year contract should have an overall base value of around $4.293MM.

Redskins Sign Six Draft Picks

May 16th, 2014 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Rather than announcing their 2014 draft pick signings one at a time, the Redskins nearly got the entire class locked up before making an announcement today. According to the team, six of eight Redskins draftees have officially signed their rookie contracts. That group includes guard Spencer Long, cornerback Bashaud Breeland, wide receiver Ryan Grant, running back Lache Seastrunk, tight end Ted Bolser, and kicker Zach Hocker.

With those six players under contract, only second-round linebacker Trent Murphy and third-round offensive tackle Morgan Moses remain unsigned for Washington.

Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap has the breakdown of the anticipated signing bonuses and overall contract values for the Redskins’ picks, including those that have yet to officially sign. Meanwhile, if you want to keep tabs on all of this year’s draft pick signings, you can do so right here.

QB Coach: Browns Owner Involved In Trade For Manziel

May 16th, 2014 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

Although general manager Ray Farmer and the Browns have repeatedly denied that owner Jimmy Haslam exerted any influence in the team’s draft room last week, quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains suggests that’s not quite the case. Appearing on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly on ESPN Radio in Arkansas, Loggains said that a text from Johnny Manziel inspired Haslam and the Browns to trade up for him.

“We’re sitting there and they keep showing Johnny on TV,” Loggains said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “And Johnny and I are texting and he shoots me a text and he says, ‘I wish you guys would come get me. Hurry up and draft me because I want to be there. I want to wreck this league together.’ When I got that text, I forwarded it to the owner and to the head coach (Mike Pettine). I’m like, ‘This guy wants to be here. He wants to be part of it.’ As soon as that happened, Mr. Haslam said, ‘Pull the trigger. We’re trading up to go get this guy.'”

Although the Browns eventually made a deal with the Eagles to move up to the No. 22 spot, the team also talked to the Titans (No. 11) and Cowboys (No. 16), Loggains confirmed. The quarterbacks coach also suggested that the Browns felt they had to get ahead of the Chiefs at No. 23: “We knew they would draft him.”

As for Haslam’s role in making the deal, it certainly sounds like he was very much involved in the decision, even if he didn’t necessarily have to overrule his staff to get it done. Previous reports have suggested that the Eagles had several offers for that 22nd overall pick, and that the Browns only landed the pick after sweetening their proposal to include a third-rounder. Based on Loggains’ comments, it sounds as if Philadelphia may have ended up trading with one of those other clubs had Haslam not provided the push to get something done.

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