HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

AFC Draft Signings: Chiefs, Texans, Jaguars

May 5th, 2016 at 5:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have signed second-round pick Chris Jones, a source tells PFT (Twitter link). The defensive lineman out of Mississippi State becomes KC’s first rookie to sign. Jones’ stock rose in the weeks leading up to the draft as more and more teams zeroed in on interior pass rushers.

Here are the rest of today’s draft signings from the AFC:

  • The Texans signed fifth-round nose tackle D.J. Reader, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (via Twitter).
  • The Jaguars sign sixth-round quarterback Brandon Allen, as Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets.
  • The Jaguars signed sixth-round linebacker/defensive end Tyrone Holmes, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
  • Linebacker Jatavis Brown inked his rookie contract with the Chargers, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. The Akron product was taken in the fifth-round.
  • The Jets signed seventh-round punter Lachlan Edwards, according to his agency on Twitter.
  • The Patriots signed sixth-round linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill to a $2.44MM deal, including a $100K signing bonus, as his slot dictates, Wilson tweets.
  • The Steelers announced the signing of seventh round draft picks Demarcus Ayers and Tyler Matakevich. Ayers, a wide receiver/returner from the University of Houston, and Matakevich, a linebacker from Temple, are now the first two Pittsburgh rookies to sign from this year’s class.
  • The Ravens signed fifth-round defensive end Matt Judon, Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
  • The Texans signed fifth-round safety K.J. Dillon, as Mark Berman of FOX 26 tweets.

Rams Sign 19 Undrafted Free Agents

May 5th, 2016 at 5:18pm CST by Luke Adams

After including a handful of their 2016 draft picks in the trade package that allowed them to move up to No. 1 to snag California quarterback Jared Goff, the Rams only drafted six players last week, with all of them but Goff coming off the board on Day 3. However, Los Angeles has supplemented its draft class by adding 19 undrafted free agents to its roster.

Here’s the complete list of new Rams from Myles Simmons of TheRams.com:

Eagles Agree To Terms With 16 UDFAs

May 5th, 2016 at 4:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles are the latest NFL team to announce their undrafted free agent class, tweeting out the names of 16 new additions to their roster today. Philadelphia’s list of rookie free agents includes four wide receivers, three defensive tackles, and a pair of running backs. Here’s the full breakdown:

Lions Sign WR Andre Caldwell

May 5th, 2016 at 3:59pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 3:59pm: The Lions have officially signed Caldwell, waiving center Darren Keyton in an additional roster move, per a team release.

WEDNESDAY, 6:20pm: The Lions have signed former Broncos wide receiver Andre Caldwell to a one-year deal, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). Andre Caldwell (vertical)

[RELATED: Lions Pick Up Ziggy Ansah’s Fifth-Year Option]

Caldwell, 31, appeared in 14 games last season, catching 10 passes (22 targets) for 72 yards. While he wasn’t one of the primary targets in Denver, he did also have two touchdowns on the year. Before joining the Broncos in 2012, Caldwell enjoyed a more active role on offense with the Bengals. In his three full seasons there – discounting his 7-game rookie season – Caldwell averaged 38 receptions, 365 yards, and two touchdowns per campaign.

In Detroit, Caldwell will compete for time in a group headlined by Golden Tate and offseason pickups Marvin Jones and Jeremy Kerley. Beyond that, the Lions have Corey Fuller, Ryan Spadola, Corey Washington, and Austin Willis on the depth chart. Fuller was retained as an ERFA this offseason while the other three were inked to reserve/futures deals.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys Notes: Hardy, QBs, Smith, Lawrence

May 5th, 2016 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

According to Stephen Jones, the Cowboys were done with Greg Hardy when the 2015 season ended, despite not publicly making that stance clear until more recently, as Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram writes.

“I think one of the most important things is when you take a chance with a player, if you see it’s not working, it’s time to move on,” said Jones, the Cowboys’ executive VP. “We gave it its due in terms of a year here, and we just felt like at the end of the day, it wasn’t the right fit.”

Last week, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones went on record saying that Hardy will not be back, but it appears that the decision was made months ago. On the field, Hardy still has plenty to offer, but it would seem Dallas is not interested in dealing with the off-field headaches. Last season, Hardy ranked as the league’s 28th-best edge defender out of 110 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Let’s round up a few more Cowboys-related items:

  • The Cowboys missed out on drafting Paxton Lynch, but they’re content with their quarterback depth chart as it stands today, writes Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram. Kellen Moore will be Tony Romo‘s primary backup in 2016, per Jerry Jones. “I think Kellen Moore has shown the ‘it,'” Jones said. “He has the instincts. He has the anticipation. He knows what’s going on. He gives me and us a great feeling about basically improving. Obviously those interceptions were not something you can live with, but some of the stuff he was doing was pretty obvious that the team was responding. He was able to move the team.” Rookie Dak Prescott will likely fill the No. 3 spot behind Romo and Moore.
  • While the general consensus in the Cowboys organization seems to be that second-round pick Jaylon Smith will miss the entire 2016 season, Jerry Jones isn’t ready to commit to taking the linebacker off the regular-season roster, as Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details. Appearing on 105.3 The Fan, Jones said Smith “will not be IR’d,” noting that the club hopes Smith can be available for the latter part of the season. We’ll see if Dallas sticks to that stance in September.
  • During that appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones also said that he’s holding out hope for Demarcus Lawrence‘s suspension to be reduced from four games to two games (link via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Lawrence’s four-game ban is currently under appeal.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Draft Pick Signings: Seahawks, Lions, 49ers

May 5th, 2016 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Seahawks and second-round pick Jarran Reed have agreed to terms on a contract, his representatives tell Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The defensive tackle is scheduled to earn $4.889MM ($1.756MM signing bonus) over the life of his four-year rookie deal. Seattle is hoping that Reed will help to beef up the defensive line in the absence of Brandon Mebane.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks have also agreed to terms with guard Rees Odhiambo, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. The third-round pick will have a shot to win a starting job right out of the gate in Seattle.

Here are more of the latest draft pick signings from around the NFC:

  • Lions sixth-round pick Jimmy Landes, who is a strong candidate to take over the team’s long snapper job in 2016, is signing his rookie contract today, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Landes will receive a signing bonus just north of $100K.
  • Washington has begun securing its 2016 draft class by agreeing to a deal with seventh-round pick Steven Daniels, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The former Boston College linebacker will be in line for a four-year contract worth about $2.581MM, including a signing bonus of $77K.
  • Former Florida running back Kelvin Taylor, one of three players drafted in the sixth round last Saturday by the 49ers, has signed his four-year deal with San Francisco, per Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Taylor, the son of longtime Jaguars running back Fred Taylor, isn’t the only draftee locked up by San Francisco — the team also reached an agreement with sixth-round quarterback Jeff Driskel, per Aaron Wilson (Twitter link).
  • The Packers have completed their deal with fifth-round wide receiver Trevor Davis, a source tells Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com. Davis will be competing for a spot on a crowded receiving corps in Green Bay this summer.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Patriots Reach Deals With Five Draftees

May 5th, 2016 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

1:32pm: Patriots third-round offensive lineman Joe Thuney has also signed his rookie deal, as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets. For Thuney, it’ll be a four-year deal worth $3.54MM with a signing bonus of $773K. The offensive lineman out of North Carolina State drew interest from clubs thanks to his versatility — he started all along the O-Line in college.

1:28pm: The Patriots aren’t wasting any time locking up their 2016 draft class, having already reached deals with four of their draftees from last weekend, including top pick Cyrus Jones, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.New England Patriots general helmet (Featured)

Fourth-round receiver Malcolm Mitchell, sixth-round offensive lineman Ted Karras, and seventh-round wideout Devin Lucien have also agreed to terms with New England, according to reports from ESPN’s Adam Caplan, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, and ESPN’s Mike Reiss, respectively (all Twitter links).

The rookie contracts for the four draft picks who have reached agreements with the Pats will look like this, per Over The Cap:

  • 2-60: Cyrus Jones, DB (Alabama): $4.007MM total value, $1.114MM signing bonus
  • 4-112: Malcolm Mitchell, WR (Georgia): $2.918MM total value, $578K signing bonus
  • 6-221: Ted Karras, OL (Illinois): $2.17MM total value, $100K signing bonus
  • 7-225: Devin Lucien, WR (Arizona State): $2.425MM total value, $85K signing bonus

With four draftees having agreed to terms, the Pats still have more than half of their nine-man draft class to lock up, including two third-round picks — quarterback Jacoby Brissett and defensive tackle Vincent Valentine.

Although contracts for third-rounders can sometimes be trickier to negotiate than deals for later-round picks, Brissett appears to be proceeding without any formal representation. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald notes (via Twitter) that the signal-caller is being advised by Abe Elam, but doesn’t officially have an agent.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Browns Agree To Terms With 11 UDFAs

May 5th, 2016 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

No NFL team had a larger 2016 draft class than the Browns, who selected 14 players in seven rounds last weekend. Now, Cleveland has added 11 more rookies, announcing today in a press release that they’ve agreed to terms with 11 undrafted free agents. Here’s the full list of new additions for the Browns, which includes four defensive backs:

Latest On Dion Jordan’s Potential Reinstatement

May 5th, 2016 at 11:53am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL has not reinstated Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan from suspension at this point, but a source close to the team tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that he is working hard to get back to football. There is no definitive word on whether Jordan will be allowed back by the NFL, but a tweet from agent Doug Hendrickson on Wednesday night may be hinting at an impending comeback. Dion Jordan (vertical)

Jordan is eligible for reinstatement this year following multiple violations of the league’s substance policy. Despite his missteps, Dolphins coaches are open to giving Jordan another chance because of his talent, willingness to listen to coaches, and generally agreeable demeanor, Jackson writes.

After repeated violations of the league’s policy on recreational drugs, the Dolphins could theoretically cut the former No. 3 overall pick without being on the hook for what would have previously been guaranteed money. However, they’d rather see Jordan fulfill his vast potential.

Prior to Jordan’s diluted sample in April 2015 and his subsequent year-long ban, the Dolphins were reportedly nearing a trade with the Eagles that would have paired the Oregon product with Chip Kelly. Jordan, 26, appeared in 26 games for the Dolphins in 2013 and 2014. In that time, he totaled 46 tackles and three sacks.

Titans Hire Ryan Cowden As Director Of Player Personnel

May 5th, 2016 at 10:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have officially hired Ryan Cowden as the team’s Director of Player Personnel, as Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com writes. Cowden previously served as the Panthers’ college scouting director. Titans Helmet (Featured)

Cowden, who spent 16 years with Carolina, will oversee all areas of the scouting department. That includes collegiate scouting, NFL scouting, advance scouting, and international scouting for the draft, free agency, and upcoming opponents.

“Ryan will oversee both pro and college scouting,” GM Jon Robinson said. “When I was first hired by the Patriots, Ryan was promoted by Carolina to handle the Southeast and we cut our teeth together in that region scouting. We were both learning the ropes, going to many of the same places and had a lot of interaction through the years on the road. He has a strong eye for talent, he has developed good managerial skills over the years and in the team-building process it will be nice to get his take, as they have put together very good teams there in Carolina over the years. I like the combination of our experiences in the league and on a personal level I have always trusted and respected him.”

In related moves, the Titans moved some of their current personnel to new roles. Dale Thompson moves to the West Coast region, Brandon Taylor to the Southeast, Wes Slay will cover the Midwest, and Dennis Polian will be a pro scout. As previously reported, Marv Sunderland and Mike Yowarsky will not be returning. Sunderland, a scout with 39 years in the game, took the dismissal to heart.

“It is the ugly part of the game, but new leadership has the prerogative to make changes,” said Sunderland, who has 39 total years of experience as a scout. “The Titans will be much better next fall and are headed in the right direction. Would I prefer to be there to watch Marcus [Mariota] and the team flourish? Absolutely. But Jon has control of the football part of it and I’m sure he wants his own people. He ran a good draft and the new draft picks should represent themselves very well.”

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