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Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/16

May 10th, 2016 at 4:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

  • Fullback Toben Opurum was claimed by the Broncos after he was waived by the Saints, Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune writes. Opurum, 25, has been with the Saints since the end of the 2014 season. In a related move, the Broncos have waived tight end Anthony Norris, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets.
  • The Bills have claimed running back Dri Archer off waivers from the Jets, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes. Rodak notes that Archer owns the second-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.26 seconds) in NFL history. Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin holds the third-fastest time.
  • The Colts have claimed quarterback Josh Woodrum off waivers from the Giants, as Mike Wells of ESPN.com tweets. In a related move, the Colts waived-injured tight end Mike McFarland. McFarland will go on the Colts’ IR if he clears waivers. As for Woodrum, he becomes the team’s fourth QB on the depth chart after Andrew Luck, Scott Tolzien, and Stephen Morris.
  • The Rams released wide receiver Isiah Ferguson, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). To replace him, the Rams have inked wide receiver J.J. Worton (link).
  • The Vikings announced that they have waived safety Johnny Lowdermilk. The arrival of Lowdermilk will make room for the addition of running back C.J. Ham, whose signing was reported on Monday. Ham, a Duluth native, rushed for 1,097 yards and 16 touchdowns in his final season at Augustana University.
  • The Texans waived outside linebacker Eric Lee, who had signed as undrafted free agent from South Florida, John McClain of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Lee was making the transition to outside linebacker from college defensive end, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle notes (on Twitter).
  • The Packers announced the signing of safety Marwin Evans. Evans, 23, finished his collegiate career at Utah State. The Milwaukee native started 13 of 27 games played for the Aggies, recording 83 tackles (36 solo), 10 tackles for a loss, two sacks, an interception he returned 90 yards for a touchdown, three forced fumbles and five pass breakups.
  • The Giants‘ signing of Matt Smalley will wait until the Lafayette cornerback is done with his finals, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News (on Twitter). That will give Big Blue time before they have to release someone from the 90-man roster.
  • The Giants released linebacker Uani Unga (Twitter link via SiriusXM).
  • The Rams signed former Auburn wide receiver Duke Williams after his recent tryout, Vincent Bonsignore of the Daily News tweets.

PFR Social Media Feeds By Team

May 10th, 2016 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve detailed how you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or using an RSS reader to ensure that you receive all of our updates, 365 days a year. If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, PFR has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

AFC East

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AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

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NFC West

Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

Draft Pick Signings: Lions, Panthers, Bengals

May 10th, 2016 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

More than 100 of the 253 draftees from this year’s class have already signed their rookie contracts, and several more are making it official with their respective teams today. Here are the latest draft pick signings from around the NFL:

  • The Lions formally announced today that they’ve signed second-round defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, who was the 46th overall pick. Detroit had previously locked up its other nine draftees, so the team has now secured its entire 10-man draft class, becoming the third club to do so — Atlanta and Seattle have also finished signing their draft picks.
  • The Panthers have signed their third draftee, confirming today that they’ve got third-round cornerback Daryl Worley under contract. Worley’s four-year deal figures to be worth $3.123MM, with a $783K signing bonus, per Over the Cap. Carolina now needs to sign just two more draft picks, including first-round defensive tackle Vernon Butler.
  • Linebacker Nick Vigil, selected 87th overall, has formally signed his rookie contract with the Bengals, according to the team (Twitter link). Third-round picks like Vigil can sometimes take a little longer to sign, as agents and teams discuss cash flow and guaranteed money, but the Utah State product becomes the third Bengals draftee to finalize his rookie deal.

Extra Points: Raiders, Vegas, UDFAs, Haralson

May 10th, 2016 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raiders‘ long-term future remains up in the air, but there have been indications in recent weeks that Las Vegas is becoming a more and more viable landing spot for the franchise. There are still plenty of roadblocks to clear, including getting funding for the proposed Vegas stadium and getting at least 24 NFL owners to approve having a franchise in America’s gambling capital. But Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman is confident that those hurdles can be overcome.

“The Raiders will come if Nevada handles this properly,” Goodman said during an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Capital Games podcast today, as ESPN’s Andy Katz writes. “[Raiders owner] Mark Davis has assured us that Las Vegas is not getting played in a Raiders stadium deal. I know we will have a team.”

While we wait to see if Vegas continues to make progress toward becoming a realistic possibility for Davis and his franchise, let’s round up a few Tuesday odds and ends from around the NFL…

  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, draft guru Mel Kiper identifies 30 undrafted free agents to keep an eye on this summer. The Bills, Panthers, Bears, Broncos, Colts, Saints, Jets, 49ers each have two signees on the list, while the Buccaneers have an impressive four of the 30.
  • The drastic pay cut Danny Amendola accepted to remain with the Patriots is the latest example of the significant leverage NFL teams have over players in most contract negotiations, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
  • The 49ers announced today in a press release that former NFL linebacker Parys Haralson has joined the team as the director of player engagement. Haralson, who last played for the Saints in 2014, spent seven years in San Francisco as a player from 2006 to 2012, and worked out for the Niners last fall after being cut by New Orleans.

Chiefs Sign Four Players, Cut Four

May 10th, 2016 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of their three-day rookie minicamp, the Chiefs have made some changes to their 90-man roster, announcing today (in a pair of Twitter links) that they’ve four players and cut four others.Drew Nowak

The Chiefs have signed defensive back Shannon Edwards and offensive linemen Garrick Mayweather, Drew Nowak, and Zach Sterup, cutting defensive back Jordan Kovacs and offensive linemen Jake Bernstein, Ben Clarke, and Laurence Gibson to open up the necessary roster spots.

Of the incoming players, Nowak is the most notable name. Having been waived last week by the Seahawks, the 26-year-old entered the 2015 season as Seattle’s center, starting seven games at the position before being replaced.

Among the four players cut by Kansas City, Kovacs is the only one with real NFL experience. The ex-Dolphin, who turns 26 next month, appeared in 28 games during his three seasons in Miami, recording 10 total tackles and a sack. When Kovacs saw the field with the Dolphins, it was almost exclusively as a special-teamer.

Outside of Gibson, the rest of the players involved in today’s Chiefs transactions are undrafted free agents. Bernstein and Clarke signed with the club last week, but lost their spots on the 90-man roster to new UDFAs following the rookie minicamp. Edwards, Mayweather, and Sterup played their college ball at Fresno State, Fordham, and Nebraska, respectively.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Seeking Writers For New Hockey Rumors Website

May 10th, 2016 at 10:38am CST by Tim Dierkes

Our family of websites includes Pro Football Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, and Hoops Rumors. Later this year, we plan to start covering NHL transaction-related news with a brand new website. We are now taking applicants for part-time writers at our upcoming hockey rumors site. The position pays hourly, and we will be hiring multiple people. The criteria:

  • Availability to work at least ten hours per week covering NHL news.
  • Exceptional knowledge of all 30 NHL teams, no discernible bias. Knowledge of transaction-related concepts.
  • A high school degree is required, and further education is preferred. Please include your highest completed level of education in your application.
  • Writing experience is necessary, and online writing experience is preferred.
  • Attention to detail and ability to follow the MLBTR/Hoops Rumors/PFR style and tone.
  • Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news quickly and concisely.
  • Ability to use Twitter, Tweetdeck, and an RSS feed reader such as Feedly. In general, you must be able to multi-task.
  • Experience with social media, especially Twitter.
  • If you’re interested, email prohockeyrumorshelp@gmail.com and explain how you stand out and qualify in a couple of short paragraphs. Please attach your resume to the email. We often receive several hundred applications, so unfortunately we will not be able to reply to each one.

AFC Notes: M. Gordon, Texans, Dolphins

May 10th, 2016 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

For those making the case that running backs are still worthy of being first-round picks in NFL drafts, Todd Gurley‘s rookie season in 2015 is a perfect case study. However, the second running back to come off the board in ’15, Melvin Gordon of the Chargers, didn’t have the same success that Gurley did in his rookie year.

With Gordon looking to bounce back from his poor NFL debut, the Chargers running back underwent microfracture surgery on his knee in January, and was given a recovery timetable of four to six months, sources tell Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Although the concept of microfracture surgery is ominous, there doesn’t appear to be any serious concern about Gordon’s short- or long-term recovery, says Gehlken. The 23-year-old is expected to practice without limitations during – or before – training camp in July, as he looks to improve his production in his sophomore season.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • With run-stopping defensive end Jared Crick having left the Texans in free agency, signing a deal with Denver, there’s a “huge vacancy” at his position, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Wilson examines the candidates to step in for Crick at defensive end in Houston, including both in-house and outside options.
  • Dolphins sources are concerned that the team’s defense is not built to handle the team’s up-tempo offense, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). In instances when Miami’s offense sputters, the team’s D will be forced back on to the field quickly, and some Dolphins people are concerned that aging vets like Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake, and Mario Williams may not be able to keep up.
  • Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald provides an update on the progress being made by the Dolphins as they attempt to lock up their entire draft class to rookie contracts.
  • In the view of ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Bills and Patriots had solid offseasons, while their division rivals – the Dolphins and Jets – weren’t quite as successful over the last few months. Barnwell assigned B grades to Buffalo and New England, with Miami receiving a D+ and Gang Green getting a D.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Raiders Sign Karl Joseph

May 10th, 2016 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Another 2016 first-round pick has signed his rookie contract, with safety Karl Joseph becoming the latest to put pen to paper. The Raiders announced late Monday night that Joseph has formally signed his four-year deal, which features a fifth-year option for 2020.Karl Joseph

Joseph, who played his college ball at West Virginia, was one of the more surprising picks of the first round. Although he was considered by many observers, including our Rob DiRe, to be the most talented safety in this year’s draft, Joseph was not viewed as a lock to come off the board in the first round, due to the season-ending ACL injury he suffered last season.

The Raiders, however, made Joseph the 14th overall pick last month, which puts him in line for a contract worth about $11.884MM over the next four years, per Over the Cap’s data. That deal features a signing bonus of approximately $6.843MM, and will be worth several million more if the team eventually picks up his option for the 2020 season.

Oakland has now locked up three members of its seven-man draft class, having also confirmed the signings of fourth-round quarterback Connor Cook and seventh-round offensive lineman Vadal Alexander.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Patriots, Danny Amendola Rework Contract

May 10th, 2016 at 8:12am CST by Luke Adams

MAY 10, 8:12am: Ben Volin of the Boston Globe has the details on Amendola’s new-look contract for 2016, which calls for a pay cut from a $5MM base salary to a far more modest $1.25MM salary. Amendola previously could have maxed out at $6MM in 2016 with bonuses and incentives, but now won’t make more than $1.6MM this season. The deal features a $100K signing bonus and up to $250K in per-game roster bonuses for 2016, while the 2017 terms remain unchanged.

MAY 6, 9:57am: Despite some offseason additions at the wide receiver position, the Patriots won’t be parting ways with veteran wideout Danny Amendola, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have agreed to a reworked contract that will allow Amendola to remain on the roster. It’s a two-year, $7.35MM deal for Amendola, with another $750K available in roster bonuses and catch incentives, per Garafolo.Danny Amendola (vertical)

“It’s an honor to play for this franchise and with this group of guys,” Amendola said in a statement, according to Garafolo. “We have one goal — to win another Championship and that’s all we care about.”

Amendola, who has spent the last three years in New England, enjoyed his best season as a Patriot in 2015, catching 65 balls for 648 yards and three touchdowns in 14 regular season contests. The Texas Tech product added another 57 yards on seven receptions in the postseason.

Despite his solid year though, Amendola was in jeopardy of losing his roster spot due to his rising salary and the incoming additions to the Patriots’ WR depth chart. Within the last two months, the club has added Chris Hogan and Nate Washington in free agency, and used a fourth-round pick on Malcolm Mitchell. The Pats also have Julian Edelman in the mix, and will use tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett frequently in the passing game.

Before agreeing to a restructured contract, Amendola had been set to earn base salaries of $5MM in 2016 and $6MM in 2017, with per-game roster bonuses of up to $500K annually. Those salaries and bonuses were entirely non-guaranteed, so while Amendola’s projected pay for 2016 has decreased, he’ll actually get the opportunity to earn that pay now.

As for his cap hit, we’ll have to wait to see how the new agreement is structured, but the 30-year-old had been set to count for $6.804MM on the Patriots’ books in 2016. That number will now be reduced.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Fitzpatrick, Panthers, Manning

May 9th, 2016 at 8:55pm CST by Luke Adams

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, some free agents who haven’t received a ton of interest in recent weeks may see their markets pick up after this Thursday. May 12th will be the first day that free agents no longer count toward the compensatory draft pick formula for 2017, meaning teams can sign veteran players without worrying about potentially losing draft picks next spring.

Of course, players who were released earlier in the offseason never counted toward that comp-pick formula, so guys who fit that bill, such as Roddy White, Antonio Cromartie, and Chris Culliver, won’t be affected. But for someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick, who simple saw his contract expire back in March, it could make a difference — teams could be more willing to make a solid offer if they know it won’t affect their 2017 draft plans.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Earlier today, a report indicated that the Panthers and standout defensive tackle Kawann Short had begun discussing a contract extension. David Newton of ESPN.com explores what such a deal might be worth, reaching the same conclusion we did: Carolina won’t offer an Ndamukong Suh-type contract, but something that puts him in the second tier of highest-paid DTs wouldn’t be unreasonable.
  • Peyton Manning paid a visit to the Dolphins this offseason, but it wasn’t as a free agent. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald details, Manning was in Miami to meet with his former offensive coordinator, Adam Gase, as well as Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and explained some of the nuances of Gase’s offense to Tannehill. “It was really cool just to be able to sit and pick his brain about things he’s done in this offense and football things in general: snap counts, things you like, the way you want guys to run routes, little details about the game,” Tannehill said. “We really just got to talk the game, which is something we both love.”
  • Browns owner Jimmy Haslam continues to be tied up in civil lawsuits filed against Pilot Flying J, a truck-stop chain owned by him and his brother. An Associated Press report (link via Ohio.com) provides the latest details on Haslam, who has agreed to be deposed “under specific conditions.”
  • The Bears have promoted Mark Sadowski to director of college scouting, replacing Joe Douglas who is leaving for Philadelphia, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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