HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Falcons Agree To Sign 22 UDFAs

May 7th, 2016 at 6:05pm CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 6:05pm: The Falcons announced that they’ve added a trio of undrafted free agents on Saturday:

The Falcons also announced that they waived four of their previously signed undrafted free agents: Gerald Dixon Jr., Alex Fifita, Malachi Jones, and David Richards.

THURSDAY, 4:21pm: Despite the fact that Atlanta only selected six players during last weekend’s draft, the Falcons’ rookie minicamp will be a busy place. The team confirmed today that it has signed 22 undrafted free agents to fill out its roster, with another 27 free agent rookies headed to the minicamp to try out for the club.

The full list of 27 tryout players can be found right here. Listed below are the 22 players who have agreed to contracts with the Falcons:

Draft Pick Signings: Bucs, Dolphins, Bengals, Jags

May 7th, 2016 at 6:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Checking in on the latest rookie signings from around the NFL…

  • Fullback Dan Vitale signed his deal with the Buccaneers, GM Jason Licht tweets. Selected in the sixth round (No. 197 overall) and with the Bucs’ final pick, Vitale made his mark as a ball-carrier in the passing game. The Northwestern blocking back accumulated 135 receptions for 1,427 receiving yards with the Wildcats from 2012-15. He only received six carries in college.
  • The Dolphins signed sixth-round selections Jakeem Grant and Jordan Lucas, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports (on Twitter). Miami traded up to No. 186 to take Grant, one of the best slot receivers in the draft despite standing 5-foot-7, and took Lucas — a defensive back from Penn State who’s seen time at both corner and safety with the Nittany Lions — at No. 204.
  • The Bengals made their first draft pick signing of the year by agreeing to terms with wide receiver Cody Core, whom they chose in the sixth round (No. 199 overall), Coley Harvey of ESPN.com tweets. Core’s deal will be for approximately $2.4MM and including a $127K signing bonus, Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
  • The Jaguars have signed defensive end Jonathan Woodard, reports John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter). The seventh-round pick owns the career sack record (30.5) at Central Arkansas. Woodard was one of three defensive ends to be selected by the Jaguars, joining Yannick Ngakoue (Maryland) and Tyrone Holmes (Montana).

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Colts To Sign 21 Undrafted Free Agents

May 7th, 2016 at 5:45pm CST by Zachary Links

SATURDAY, 5:45pm: The Colts announced one more undrafted free agent addition on Twitter: Purdue cornerback Frankie Williams.

The Colts also announced that they’ve waived tackle Davante Harris, who was signed as an undrafted free agent earlier this week.

MONDAY, 6:16pm: The Colts announced that they have agreed to terms with 21 undrafted free agents. Here’s the complete list of the team’s newest UDFAs:

  • WR Daniel Anthrop (Purdue)
  • DE Sterling Bailey (Georgia)
  • G Isiah Cage (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
  • CB Daniel Davie (Nebraska)
  • RB Josh Ferguson (Illinois)
  • TE Darion Griswold (Arkansas State)
  • T Davante Harris (Appalachian State)
  • WR Marcus Leak (Maryland)
  • LB Curt Maggitt (Tennessee)
  • S Stefan McClure (California)
  • WR MeKale McKay (Arkansas)
  • TE Mike Miller (Taylor University)
  • CB Christopher Milton (Georgia Tech)
  • G Adam Redmond (Harvard)
  • WR Chester Rogers (Grambling State)
  • LB Anthony Sarao (USC)
  • DE Delvon Simmons (USC)
  • WR Tevaun Smith (Iowa)
  • LB Ronald Thompson (Syracuse)
  • CB Darius White (California)
  • S Andrew Williamson (Vanderbilt)

East Notes: Jets, Fins, Jones, Cowboys, Cousins

May 7th, 2016 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Until Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets can come to terms, Geno Smith is the most experienced quarterback on the roster. But Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News doesn’t view Mike Maccagnan‘s repeated endorsements of the underwhelming 2013 second-rounder as comments to be taken at face value.

While the Jets and Fitzpatrick play hardball, other executives around the league are wondering what exactly the team is planning at quarterback. Should Fitzpatrick sign to play a second season in New York, Maccagnan has tossed around the idea of carrying four quarterbacks, with Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty residing in the developmental wing of the meeting room.

The Jets as an organization have discussed using the 2000 Patriots as a model for the four-QB setup. The Pats that year housed starter Drew Bledsoe, veteran backup John Friesz and developmental prospects Tom Brady and Michael Bishop. Hackenberg or Petty would theoretically be cast as Brady in the Jets’ scenario.

One NFL executive told Mehta the Jets considering carrying four passers “doesn’t make sense.” Smith and Petty would seemingly be jostling for a roster spot if the Jets were planning to employ the usual three. Mehta writes the Patriots’ thinking in 2000 was an aberration and merely hanging onto an extra signal-caller one season — at the expense of a key backup elsewhere — doesn’t equate to a franchise passer emerging from the group.

Here’s the latest from the Eastern divisions on rookie minicamp Saturday.

  • New Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph guesses Cameron Wake will be ready to play come Week 1, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports. Wake is recovering from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon and entering his age-34 season. The four-time Pro Bowler registered seven sacks in seven games last season before going down with the Achilles injury in October.
  • Identifying second-rounder Xavien Howard as a “six-foot guy with 5-10 corner movement skills,” Joseph said the rookie corner will vie for a Dolphins starting job with Byron Maxwell and Tony Lippett, per Salguero.
  • Rex Ryan categorized Cardale Jones as a player with “a long way to go,” per an Associated Press report. “He’s got the physical gifts you look for, there’s no question about that,” Ryan said of the former Ohio State starter. “But you also notice that he’s just going through everything like, it’s spinning right now. He’s throwing behind guys. He doesn’t know where he’s going right now with it.” The Bills have Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel venturing into their contract seasons in 2016, leaving the franchise’s future unsettled. Jones was considered a potential first-round pick thanks to the tools he showed as a sophomore in the inaugural College Football Playoff, but being benched as a junior damaged his stock and relegated him into the fourth round.
  • The Cowboys are relocating Keith Smith and Rod Smith to fullback from their respective linebacker and running back positions to provide the them a better chance at making the 53-man roster, Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. Dallas’ fullback from 2013-15, Tyler Clutts remains a free agent. Keith Smith has played in 15 games the past two seasons as mostly a special teams cog, and Rod Smith joined the Cowboys last season after the Seahawks cut him.
  • Washington may be somewhat reluctant to invest long-term, franchise quarterback-level money in Kirk Cousins after he’d shown to be a proficient passer in just one season. But given the team’s recent deals for 2015 breakout players Josh Norman and Jordan Reed, Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com notes Cousins’ career arc doesn’t differentiate itself much from the now-extremely well-compensated cornerback and tight end. Cousins is currently attached to the $19.953MM non-exclusive franchise tag, which he’s signed.

OL Rumors: Tunsil, Decker, Seahawks

May 7th, 2016 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite being selected at No. 13 overall, Laremy Tunsil is slotted at a foreign position to him. The Dolphins are currently planning to station the Ole Miss left tackle at left guard, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

A three-year starter with the Rebels exclusively at left tackle, Tunsil told media (including Jackson) he has never played guard but expressed willingness to line up anywhere on the Fins’ front. Branden Albert and Ja’Wuan James remain as the Dolphins’ tackles, leaving Tunsil to join Billy Turner on Miami’s first unit at guard. With Albert, James and Mike Pouncey in the fold, guard has been a troublesome spot for the Dolphins recently.

Pro Football Focus graded the Dolphins as the league’s No. 31 line, ahead of only the injury-ravaged Chargers, with former starting guard Dallas Thomas receiving the site’s worst marks among its starters. PFF graded Miami as the league’s worst run-blocking line last season.

Here’s more on Tunsil and the latest from the respective offensive fronts around the league.

  • New offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen categorized Tunsil as the best lineman in the draft and was stunned he fell to Miami’s draft slot. “The further he dropped, I started feeling myself get a little knot in my stomach. I’m going, ‘Ah, don’t get your hopes up. You know better than to do that. There’s five places to go,'” Christensen told media, including Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. “And even when it was one spot away, I was going, ‘Somebody is trading up. Do not let yourself get your hopes up. You’ve done this before. It’s no fun. You’ll be disappointed.’ When it did happen, I couldn’t believe it did happen.”
  • Although some expected the Lions to place Taylor Decker at right tackle considering 2012 first-rounder Riley Reiff has started on the left side for the past three seasons, the Ohio State blocker will begin his Detroit tenure at left tackle, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Jim Caldwell did not specify the team’s plans for its first-rounder, but Decker lined up at that position during Saturday’s minicamp workout. Decker started 28 games at left tackle for the Buckeyes during the 2014-15 seasons but played right tackle as a sophomore. Birkett writes that Reiff’s future in Detroit could be tied to Decker’s ability to handle left tackle. Set to play this season on his fifth-year option, Reiff will be a free agent in 2017. Beyond Reiff, the Lions employ Michael Ola and 2015 seventh-rounder Corey Robinson. However, the team signed Geoff Schwartz to a modest accord in the offseason, and although he’s coming off two injury-prone seasons with the Giants, Schwartz has been a quality player at guard and right tackle when healthy. He may make the most sense to play right tackle if Detroit deems Decker its left tackle.
  • The Seahawks are planning to slide Justin Britt from guard to center, Tom Cable told media — including Liz Mathews of 710 ESPN (Twitter link). Primarily a left tackle in college at Missouri, Britt will have now moved from right tackle to guard to center in his three seasons in the league if this transition sticks. Britt rated as PFF’s seventh-worst full-time guard last season.
  • Seattle’s staff plans to begin Germain Ifedi‘s career at right guard, with the Texas A&M tackle’s next spot potentially being right tackle, according to an Associated Press report. The Raiders’ starting right guard for all 16 games last season, J’Marcus Webb is expected to return to tackle, where he began his NFL career with the Bears.

Extra Points: Slauson, Okoye, Flacco, Amendola

May 7th, 2016 at 12:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday morning…

  • Former Bears offensive lineman Matt Slauson left his visit with the Bills without a contract, tweets Michael Gehlken of San Diego Union-Tribune. The 30-year-old is also set to meet with the Chargers, who Gehlken says are “very much in the mix.”
  • Amobi Okoye is attempting another NFL comeback, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The former first-round pick was stricken with a rare illness, which seemingly ended his career in 2012. Luckily, the defensive tackle made his way back with the Cowboys last season, but he was cut before he could take the field. “The illness happened and I really beat it,” Okoye said. “I’m feeling really good. My doctor has cleared me for full-contact football since August of 2014. I’m working hard to get back in the NFL. I’ve always felt a passion for working out and my recovery has gone very well. I’ve been going through my normal training regimen. I’m full-go, training hard and waiting to get that call to get back on a team. I’m still fairly young. That kind of helps.”
  • There was one interesting participant at the Ravens rookie minicamp (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun on Twitter): tight end Michael Flacco, brother of quarterback Joe Flacco.
  • Danny Amendola‘s role on the Patriots is “irreplaceable,” said the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe on CSNNE.com. As a result, the reporter says it would have been interested if the wideout has called the Patriots’ bluff in regard to a pay cut.

NFC Notes: Tulloch, Vikings, Cowboys

May 7th, 2016 at 11:44am CST by Ben Levine

There were whispers that Stephen Tulloch‘s tenure with the Lions would conclude this offseason, but the veteran linebacker remains on the roster. With the offseason coming to an end, ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein writes that there hasn’t been any clarity on the situation. Coach Jim Caldwell didn’t do much to clear up any of the confusion this past week.

“I think Bob [Quinn] has talked to you at length about that one,” Caldwell told Rothstein. “Know him and love him, but I think Bob’s answered that question.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFC…

  • Meanwhile, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that the Lions informed Tulloch three months ago that he wasn’t in the team’s future plans. The writer believes it’s time for the organization “to do Stephen Tulloch right” and release the 31-year-old.
  • Vikings sixth-round pick Moritz Böhringer has gotten plenty of hype considering his draft position. However, the wideout was expected to go undrafted, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll make the final roster. If the former German Football League standout ends up getting cut, ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling believes there’s a good chance he’ll land on the Vikings practice squad.
  • Despite having drafted Dak Prescott, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has shown an infatuation with Broncos rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch. While this would discourage most rookies, Prescott isn’t distracted. “I’m just going to go out there and prove myself everyday on the field, and prove myself everyday in here,” Prescott told Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram. “Just be the player and person that I am. It really doesn’t mean anything to me [that they wanted Lynch].”

Bills Sign Cordy Glenn To Extension

May 7th, 2016 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

SATURDAY, 9:55am: ESPN’s Mike Rodak has several more details on Glenn’s new contract:

Glenn’s 2016 cap number currently stands at $6.2MM, a significant savings over the $13.7MM franchise tag. As a result, the Bills save $7.5MM, giving them more than $14MM in total cap space.

The 26-year-old is set to make $3MM in base salary for 2016, followed by bases salaries and cap hits of $9MM/$14.2MM (2017), $9.25MM/$14.45MM (2018), $7.25MM/$12.45MM (2019), and $7.5MM/$12.7MM (2020). The 2017 salary is fully guaranteed, while he’s assured $8MM of his 2018 salary.

Glenn also received a $16MM signing bonus, and he’s set to earn $2MM in roster bonuses from 2017 through 2020.

TUESDAY, 6:14pm: The Bills have officially announced the deal.

5:51pm: Glenn will get $26.5MM fully guaranteed at signing, Mike Florio of PFT tweets.

5:33pm: It’s a five-year, $65MM deal with $36MM guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The left tackle will receive $19MM in 2016 and $30MM total in his first two years, according to a source.

5:22pm: The Bills and Cordy Glenn have agreed on a new five-year deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Glenn signed his franchise tender in early March but the two sides have been working hard to hammer out a long-term pact. Financial terms of the deal are not yet known."<strong

The 26-year-old Glenn has been a quiet stalwart in Buffalo the past few seasons and has started 61 games since being selected in the second round in 2012. Glenn rated as Pro Football Focus‘ No. 10 overall tackle and fifth-best left-edge protector last season, and had been considered one of the top priorities for the Bills heading into free agency, along with fellow offensive lineman Richie Incognito.

Having been one of the NFL’s most cap-strapped teams heading into this offseason, the Bills had to make several other roster moves to help accommodate the franchise tag for Glenn and additional offseason business. At the outset of the offseason, the club restructured Corey Graham‘s contract, and cut several veteran players, including Mario Williams, Kraig Urbik, Leodis McKelvin, and Anthony Dixon.

In the long term, the Bills have managed to reduce Glenn’s 2016 cap hit by inking him to a longer-term extension. Had he played out 2016 under his old deal, Glenn would have carried a $13.7MM cap hit. Glenn is a client of Pat Dye, an agent with a track record for guiding franchise tagged clients towards extensions.

Now that Glenn has been taken care of, the Bills will likely try and work out deals with teammates Tyrod Taylor and Stephon Gilmore. Both players are entering their walk seasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rookie Notes: Jets, Lions, Vikings, Packers

May 7th, 2016 at 9:51am CST by Ben Levine

Terron Beckham, the cousin of All-Pro wideout Odell Beckham Jr., got a workout with the Jets this past week. Despite having not played football since high school, Beckham believes he has the skill set to be an NFL running back. However, he’ll first have to overcome rumors of his steroid use.

“It’s tough because I work so hard. I worked that hard all my life. And you can’t just change people’s minds,” Beckham told Darryl Slater of NJ.com. “If they feel like, ‘What you look like or what you do, you can’t do that without having whatever substances.’ It’s crazy. All I have to say is that I’m here, and they’ve done their tests or whatever. I’m cool. I’ve never had to do anything, and I’m fine. I have great genetics. I work hard. And that’s all I have to say about that. I just kind of leave [those questions] alone now. I used to try to explain everything, but I’m like, ‘I’m just blessed and I work hard.’”

Let’s take a look at some more rookie notes from around the league…

  • Vikings punter Jeff Locke isn’t guaranteed to make the squad, as the organization brought in a pair of rookie punters to compete for the job. As Mark Craig of the Star Tribune writes, Texas Tech’s Taylor Symmank and West Virginia’s Nick O’Toole will first have to compete with each other. “Talking with [coach Mike Zimmer], he said Jeff has one more year on his contract and we’ll see what happens,” O’Toole said. “He said for me and Taylor to come in and compete and whoever is the better punter this weekend will be signed and that guy is going to compete with Jeff. And that guy could win the job or he could just have his name out there for other teams to see.”
  • Packers general manager Ted Thompson made the right choice by not drafting UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, writes Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. Injuries concerns led the Packers to select nose tackle Kenny Clark in the first round, while Jack fell to the second round.
  • Despite using a first-round pick on offensive lineman Taylor Decker, there’s uncertainty in the Lions organization regarding which position the Ohio State product will ultimately play. “Like most positions that we have, we want to really find out what they’re all about from a physical standpoint within our system,” said head coach Jim Caldwell (via ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein). “We certainly know outside of it, so we’ll work fundamentals, techniques. Most of those guys are guys that have some flexibility involved in what they do and how they do it, and you have to at that position. So, we want to see.”

Latest on Dominique Easley

May 7th, 2016 at 9:13am CST by Ben Levine

The market for former first-round pick Dominique Easley is seemingly heating up. Following reports last week that the Falcons were eyeing the former Patriots defensive lineman, several more teams have recently expressed interest. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets that Easley has already had a couple workouts with teams, including a visit with the Bengals.

The 29th-overall pick in the 2014 draft was surprisingly waived by the Patriots in mid-April. Later reports indicated that the move was due to “philosophical differences on following injury programs.” The 24-year-old did struggle to stay healthy in New England, although the Patriots knew these concerns when they drafted Easley despite a torn ACL.

Other reports indicated that the release could be attributed to a lawsuit regarding Easley’s dog, while others have reported that the defender was “unreliable and immature,” as well as a “locker room cancer.” For what it’s worth, one of his former teammates expressed hope for the University of Florida product, noting Easley’s work ethic.

Easley has played in 11 games in each of his two seasons in the league, compiling a combined 25 tackles, three sacks, and one interception.

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