2017 July - Pro Football Rumors

Month: September 2024

Redskins, Cousins OK With One-Year Deal

July 13th, 2017 at 8:38am CST by Zachary Links

Barring something unforeseen, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins will play out the 2017 season on his one-year tender. That’s just fine with both Cousins and the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.

The Redskins, of course, have put themselves in a tough position by not signing Cousins to a more reasonable deal when they had the chance. In 2018, Cousins could become the best quarterback to reach the open market in recent memory and the only way the Redskins can stop him is by applying the $28MM transition tag on him or a third consecutive franchise tag at $34MM. The Redskins are facing a very delicate public relations situation here and the best way to save face, at the moment, is for them to act as though they are comfortable with the year-to-year-arrangement.

“Yes,” said Redskins president Bruce Allen back in May asked if his club could use the franchise tag on Cousins again in 2018. “In the collective bargaining agreement, we really have one year and an option that we can do at the end of next season if we don’t get a contract.”

The deadline for the two sides to reach agreement is on Monday July 17. If they cannot shake hands on a multi-year extension, then they will not be able to sign such a deal until after the season has concluded.

Extra Points: Strike, Rams, Relocation

July 12th, 2017 at 9:05pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Contracts are guaranteed in the NBA, where even mediocre players are capable of landing mega-deals, leading some NFLers to publicly express displeasure with the fact that their league’s deals are non-guaranteed. While discussing that issue Wednesday, Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman offered a possible solution, albeit a controversial one.

“If we want as the NFL, as a union, to get anything done, players have to be willing to strike,” Sherman told ESPN’s Jalen Rose. “That’s the thing that guys need to 100 percent realize. You’re going to have to miss games, you’re going to have to lose some money if you’re willing to make the point, because that’s how MLB and NBA got it done. They missed games, they struck, they flexed every bit of power they had, and it was awesome. It worked out for them.”

NFL players haven’t gone on strike since 1987, though there was a brief lockout in 2011. With the collective bargaining agreement the owners and players negotiated then set to expire after the 2020 season, more labor strife is seemingly brewing. Back in February, months before Sherman’s strike recommendation, union boss DeMaurice Smith shot down the possibility of extending the CBA, and the players hadn’t given him permission as of last month to begin talks with the league on a new agreement.

Tony Romo “Done” Playing Football

July 12th, 2017 at 7:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

As of late May, most NFL teams believed that retired quarterback Tony Romo would return to the gridiron “sooner” rather “than later.” However, Romo indicated Wednesday that his career is indeed over (via Marc Sessler of NFL.com).

“Like I said before, I’m done,” Romo declared in an interview with NFL Network.

That’s a far cry from Romo’s mindset in April, when he refused to completely rule out a comeback immediately after announcing his retirement and signing with CBS to become its lead color announcer.

“I’m pretty happy and excited about the opportunity that was presented to me,” Romo said Wednesday in regards to joining CBS.

Even though the 37-year-old Romo says he’s content in his new role, speculation about a return to the field could rear its head again if a team loses its starting quarterback to injury in the preseason. That’s what happened to the Cowboys last summer, who saw Romo go down in August with a broken bone in his back. The Cowboys replaced Romo from within, going with backup Dak Prescott – who had a shockingly brilliant rookie season – but only after first kicking the tires on potential starters from outside the organization.

While injuries limited Romo to just four games in 2015 and four passing attempts last year, he drew interest in the offseason from a few teams – including the Texans and Broncos – and said in April he could “play tomorrow” if he wanted to. Now, Houston, Denver and the league’s 30 other teams seem content to go forward with what they have under center, while Romo appears satisfied with his decision to walk away from football.

Latest On Packers GM Ted Thompson

July 12th, 2017 at 6:51pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Given that he’s 64 years old and only under contract for two more seasons, Ted Thompson‘s shelf life as the Packers’ general manager has been a popular topic over the past several months. Packers president Mark Murphy addressed Thompson’s future Wednesday, suggesting to reporters (including Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal) that he doesn’t want the longtime GM to leave his post anytime soon.

“Ted and I, we have a great relationship,” said Murphy. “As long as he wants to continue to work, and he’s still doing a good job — and I think he still does a great job for us — we want him to continue to be our general manager. At a point he decides he doesn’t want to do it anymore for whatever reason, then we would do a search.”

Thompson has arguably earned the right to stay on until he sees fit, having served atop an organization that has generated outstanding on-field results since his hiring in 2005. Across 12 seasons, the Thompson-led Packers have made nine playoff trips, including eight in a row, earned six NFC North titles and won a Super Bowl. At the helm of that championship-winning team in 2010 was quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was Thompson’s initial draft pick as Green Bay’s GM. Rodgers, who unexpectedly plummeted to the Packers at No. 24 in the first round of the 2005 draft, has evolved into one of the greatest signal-callers in NFL history since he succeeded Hall of Famer Brett Favre in 2008.

While Thompson has brought Rodgers and a score of other quality contributors to Wisconsin during his tenure, the executive’s conservative approach to free agency has come under fire. Thompson has typically avoided making big splashes in free agency, thus making it easier to secure compensatory draft picks, but his decision to let guard T.J. Lang leave for NFC North rival Detroit over the winter reportedly left Packers coaches and players “incensed.” However, as evidenced by his satisfaction with Thompson’s work, Murphy wasn’t among the angered faction.

If Thompson does remain in charge of the Packers’ football department for the foreseeable future, it’ll be interesting to see if they’re able to keep his top underlings from taking higher-profile jobs elsewhere. Both director of football operations Eliot Wolf and director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst drew interest earlier this offseason from GM-needy teams, and vice president of football administration Russ Ball is also highly regarded. Wolf, Gutenkust or Ball could conceivably end up as Green Bay’s next GM, though Murphy hasn’t promised any of the three Thompson’s job when he departs. Another potential candidate for the Packers, ex-Chiefs GM John Dorsey, worked in Green Bay for nearly all of his career prior to taking over in Kansas City in 2013. Dorsey shockingly lost his job in late June, which could set up a return to the Pack’s front office, though that’s reportedly unlikely.

Asked Wednesday whether the Packers are interested in bringing back Dorsey, Murphy said, “I can’t answer that.”

Offseason In Review: Carolina Panthers

July 12th, 2017 at 5:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

No NFL team experienced a more stark fall from grace last year than the Panthers, who went from a 15-1, NFC championship-winning juggernaut in 2015 to a bottom feeder in 2016. On the heels of a six-win, last-place season, Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman handed contracts to several household names, mostly on defense, and used the early portion of the draft to give quarterback Cam Newton more help.

Notable signings:

Kawann Short, DT: Five years, $80.5MM. $35MM guaranteed. Had been assigned franchise tag.
Matt Kalil, T: Five years, $55.5MM. $24MM guaranteed. $2MM available via incentives.
Mario Addison, DE: Three years, $22.5MM. $9MM guaranteed.
Captain Munnerlyn, CB: Four years, $17MM. $6.9MM guaranteed. $4MM available via incentives.
Charles Johnson, DE: Two years, $8MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM available via incentives.
Russell Shepard, WR: Three years, $10MM. $2.1MM guaranteed.
Julius Peppers, DE: One year, $3.5MM. $1.65MM guaranteed.
Mike Adams, S: Two years, $4.5MM. $1.2MM guaranteed.
Fozzy Whittaker, RB: Two years, $2.5MM. $500K guaranteed.
Wes Horton, DE: Two years, $2.7MM. $425K guaranteed.
Colin Jones, S: Two years, $2.375MM. $400K guaranteed.
Charles Johnson, WR: One year, $1.675MM. $325K guaranteed.
Kyle Love, DT: Two years, $2.2MM. $200K guaranteed.
Chris Scott, G: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Amini Silatolu, G: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Teddy Williams, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Andrew Norwell, G: One year, $2.746MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
Darrel Young, FB: One year, $775K.
Brenton Bersin, WR: One year, $690K.

Carolina’s defense finished anywhere from second to sixth in the league in scoring, yardage, sacks and DVOA two years ago, and while the unit’s dominance dropped off last season, it was still a formidable group. The Panthers ended up with the league’s second-most sacks (48) and a more-than-respectable DVOA ranking (10th), so Gettleman didn’t do anything extreme on that side of the ball. Three of his biggest moves included extending his premier defensive lineman, franchise-tagged tackle Kawann Short, on a whopper of a deal and re-upping dependable veteran ends Mario Addison and Charles Johnson for very reasonable money. Those three combined for 19.5 sacks last year, and they’ll have assistance from local favorite Julius Peppers in 2017.

Peppers, who attended North Carolina and starred with the Panthers from 2002-09, returned on a palatable contract. Age isn’t on the 37-year-old’s side, but the former Bear and Packer hasn’t recorded fewer than seven sacks in a season since 2007. Peppers logged 584 defensive snaps in Green Bay last season, his ninth straight 16-game campaign (11 starts), and Pro Football Focus ranked his performance a solid 35th among 109 edge defenders. Now, Peppers will replace the 25-year-old Kony Ealy, whom the Panthers sent with a third-round pick (No. 72) to the Patriots for a second-rounder (No. 64). Jettisoning a capable player in favor of one who’s 12 years his senior is clearly a risk, but it’s worth noting that Ealy’s running out of team control. Ealy will be a free agent next offseason, so if the Panthers weren’t expecting to re-sign the Super Bowl 50 standout, moving him for a slightly better draft selection and presumably upgrading for a year with Peppers isn’t unjustifiable.

Peppers wasn’t the only past Panthers defender whom they reunited with in free agency. Slot cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, a Panther from 2009-13, returned after a three-year stint in Minnesota. Like Peppers, Munnerlyn is back with gas remaining in the tank, with PFF’s Sam Monson noting that he yielded just one touchdown on 68 targets last season. At 29, Munnerlyn’s easily the elder statesman in a Panthers corner corps that lost Josh Norman a year ago and subsequently received encouraging performances from rookie starters James Bradberry and Daryl Worley. At the same time, the rest of Carolina’s CBs didn’t provide much, meaning Munnerlyn should be a welcome addition.

Another established newcomer, safety Mike Adams, will also have an important role in the Panthers’ secondary this year. Like Peppers, Addison, Johnson and Munnerlyn, the 36-year-old Adams is past a prime age, though he’s still an adept defender. Adams was PFF’s 19th-rated safety in 2016, when the then-Colt started in each of his appearances (15) for the third year in a row, intercepted two passes and forced a pair of fumbles. Playmaking has been the norm for Adams, who picked off 12 passes and forced seven fumbles during his three-year Indianapolis tenure. Barring an age-related decline, which certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility, he should be a better starting free safety option than predecessor Tre Boston, whom Carolina cut after it signed Adams.

While nearly all of the sizable contracts Gettleman doled out in free agency went to defenders, left tackle Matt Kalil received the largest deal of any new Panther. Matt Kalil is now teammates with his brother, starting center Ryan Kalil, but the former isn’t a lock to remain with the club beyond this year. If Carolina’s not impressed with Matt Kalil’s work, it’ll be able to void his contract – a scenario that doesn’t seem particularly far-fetched. After all, the 27-year-old was somewhat of a disappointment over the past few seasons in Minnesota, which selected him fourth overall in 2012. Kalil’s best trait during the first four seasons of his career may have been his durability, as he started in 64 straight games in that span. However, because of a hip injury, he didn’t play past Week 2 last year.

The good news for the Panthers is that Kalil’s health shouldn’t be an issue going forward. That isn’t necessarily the case with their previous No. 1 left tackle, Michael Oher, whom concussion issues have troubled since last September and who might not play again. Thanks in part to Oher’s 13-game absence in 2016, the Panthers’ protection of Newton took a step backward with Mike Remmers on the blindside (Remmers is now with Kalil’s old team, the Vikings). The Panthers obviously expect Kalil to outdo Remmers, though it’s far from a lock that he’ll warrant a large long-term investment.

Chas Alecxih, DL
Tre Boston, S: Waived
Corey Brown, WR
Ted Ginn Jr., WR
Michael Griffin, S
Ben Jacobs, LB
Leonard Johnson, CB
A.J. Klein, LB
Mike Remmers, T
Paul Soliai, DT: Released
Mike Tolbert, RB: Released
Lou Young, CB: Waived
Ryan Wendell, C

The Panthers’ most noteworthy departure in free agency, wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., is now with the division-rival Saints. The field-stretching Ginn finished second among Panthers wideouts in snaps (688), catches (54), targets (95), yards (752) and touchdowns (four) last season, yet the team didn’t bring him back or add an established veteran to make up for his exit. While the Panthers did sign ex-Buccaneer Russell Shepard, his pass-catching resume is more in line with that of Corey Brown, who left Carolina for Buffalo. It seems, then, that the Panthers will primarily rely on rookies (more on them later) to take over for Ginn and complement their most proven aerial targets, Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess.

Like Ginn, Brown and the aforementioned tandem of Boston and Remmers, fellow ex-Panthers in fullback/running back Mike Tolbert and linebacker A.J. Klein saw a fair amount of action in Carolina in 2016. Tolbert counts as one of the most decorated Panthers in recent memory, in fact, as he earned three Pro Bowl trips and a pair of All-Pro nods during his tenure with the club from 2012-16. The Panthers deemed Tolbert expendable in late February, however, releasing him after he combined for 488 snaps (324 on offense, 164 on special teams) a year ago. The 31-year-old, now with the Bills, wasn’t much of a factor on offense in his Carolina swan song, racking up the lowest totals of his half-decadelong stint with the team in carries (35), rushing yards (114) and catches (10).

Klein took the field more than Tolbert in 2016 (350 snaps on defense, 231 on special teams) and made at least six starts for the third straight season (seven, to be exact), though PFF assigned him subpar grades for his performance. Klein didn’t post great traditional numbers, either (29 tackles, two forced fumbles and a sack), yet the Saints still handed him a solid payday. At $24MM over four years, including $9.4MM guaranteed, it’s not surprising that the Panthers let Klein walk. They’re unlikely to miss Klein as long as starting middle linebacker Luke Kuechly stays healthy. The four-time Pro Bowler sat out nine games from 2015-16 (six last year), leading to more on-field time for Klein.

Trades:

Acquired 2017 second-round pick (No. 64) from the Patriots in exchange for DE Kony Ealy and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 72).
Acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 77; DE Daeshon Hall) from the Cardinals in exchange for a 2017 third-round pick (No. 98; WR Chad Williams) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 115; OL Dorian Johnson).

Draft picks:

1-8: Christian McCaffrey, RB (Stanford)
2-40: Curtis Samuel, RB (Ohio State)
2-64: Taylor Moton, OL (Western Michigan)
3-77: Daeshon Hall, DL (Texas A&M)
5-152: Corn Elder, CB (Miami)
6-192: Alex Armah, FB (West Georgia)
7-233: Harrison Butker, K (Georgia Tech)

Carolina didn’t do much to bolster its offensive skill during free agency, but that wasn’t the case at all in the draft. The Panthers spent their first two picks, both top 40 selections, on backfield-capable options after finishing last year just 20th in yards per carry and 22nd in rushing DVOA. Both first-rounder Christian McCaffrey, who rushed for a ridiculous 3,622 yards from 2015-16, and second-rounder Curtis Samuel were major threats as ball carriers and pass catchers during their college careers. While McCaffrey will complement veteran back Jonathan Stewart this year, Samuel will be more of a Ginn replacement. Samuel averaged a whopping 7.5 yards per carry on 172 attempts at Ohio State, but he functioned as more of a receiver in college and will continue to do so in the pros. The 5-foot-11, 196-pound speedster lined up far more in the slot (425 snaps) than in the backfield (220) in his final season with the Buckeyes, notes PFF, which likens him to Percy Harvin.

Extensions and restructures:

Jonathan Stewart, RB: Extended through 2018. Two years, $8MM. $3.6MM guaranteed. $750K available in annual incentives.

Stewart has been a quality contributor for the Panthers throughout his nine-year career, including last season when he rated as one of PFF’s most elusive and hardest-to-tackle backs (via Cyrus Geller), but whether he’ll see his extension through is up in the air. The Panthers locked him up before drafting McCaffrey and Samuel, and they also have Fozzy Whittaker and Cameron Artis-Payne signed through 2018. So, a less-than-stellar showing from Stewart in his age-30 campaign could bring an end to his time with the Panthers next winter, when releasing him would open up $3.75MM in cap room.

Other:

Exercised 2018 fifth-year option for WR Kelvin Benjamin ($8.459MM).
Claimed DT Toby Johnson off waivers from the Vikings.
Claimed DL Zach Moore off waivers from the 49ers.
Signed five undrafted rookie free agents.

It was an easy decision for Carolina to give itself the opportunity to keep Benjamin in the fold through 2018, especially with Funchess having underwhelmed since going in the second round of the 2015 draft. While Benjamin missed 2015 with a torn ACL, he has been terrific when healthy. The ex-Florida State star has averaged 68 catches, 975 yards and eight touchdowns during his two seasons of action. That type of production is certainly worth the $8.459MM Benjamin will make if he plays 2018 under his fifth-year option.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Cam Newton, QB: $20,166,000
Luke Kuechly, LB: $12,363,324
Greg Olsen, TE: $10,350,000
Kawann Short, DT: $10,000,000
Ryan Kalil, C: $8,329,000
Thomas Davis, LB: $8,250,000
Star Lotulelei, DT: $6,757,000
Jonathan Stewart, RB: $6,175,000
Michael Oher, T: $5,500,000
Charles Johnson, DE: $4,359,375

Unlike 12 months ago, the Panthers are neither the top dogs in the NFC nor their division as the season approaches. Both of those honors belong to the conference-winning Falcons, who handled the Panthers in two matchups last year. In order for Carolina to rebound and push for its fourth NFC South title since 2013 this year, it’ll have to fare much better against the Falcons and its two other division rivals, the Buccaneers and Saints. The Panthers went an ugly 1-5 against those clubs last season, which cost them a chance to at least push for a wild-card berth. It would be a surprise to see that type of futility again this year from the Panthers, whose roster looks capable of bouncing back from a nightmarish 2016 and bidding for a playoff spot.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Redskins, Kirk Cousins

July 12th, 2017 at 4:01pm CST by Zachary Links

There has been no movement on an extension between the Redskins and Kirk Cousins, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. A deal is not close and there will not be an agreement until someone budges between now and Monday, Robinson adds.

This latest report is consistent with what we’ve been hearing about talks between Cousins and the Redskins in recent weeks. As of this writing, it sounds like there won’t be extensions ironed out for Cousins, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, or Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson. But, we have to throw in the obvious caveat – things can always change and deadlines tend to spur action.

Cousins has indicated that he is looking to reset the market on a new multi-year deal and he will not be giving the Redskins any form of a hometown discount. In fact, there are rumors that Cousins is extremely unhappy in the nation’s capital and that might mean that there is no amount of money the Redskins can offer him to get him to stay.

Redskins has been hit with the one-year, $24MM franchise tag, representing a 20% increase over the franchise tender he earned in 2016. The Redskins can conceivably retain Cousins again in 2018 with a third straight franchise tag, but that would call for a salary of $34MM. Alternatively, they could control him with the transition tag, but that would still set the Redskins back $28MM and would not entitle them to any form of compensation if he is signed away by a rival club. When considering the combined values of this year’s franchise tag ($24MM) plus the value of a transition tag next year ($28MM), Cousins’ camp must be seeking no less than $52MM in guarantees on a fresh contract.

Redskins Notes: Cousins, Brees, Callahan

July 12th, 2017 at 2:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Could Drew Brees‘ pending free agency impact Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins? JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com rightly notes that the two quarterbacks would fill two very different needs for teams if they were to reach the open market next offseason. Brees will be 39 in March and he might be willing to sign a one-year deal with a contender. Meanwhile, Cousins will be 30 and looking for a record-setting deal.

I believe there would be some teams in the middle of the Cousins-Brees Venn Diagram, so the possibility of the two QBs affecting each other’s market is real. However, the possibility of Brees being on the open market at the same time will not and should not affect Cousins’ stance on negotiations with five days to go between now and the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions.

Here’s more on Cousins and the Redskins:

We already know that Cousins won’t be giving the Redskins any form of a hometown discount, but Finlay plays devil’s advocate and makes the case that he should give it some thought. Finlay points out that coach Jay Gruden showed confidence in Cousins gave him his first real opportunity to shine and that Cousins has been given lots of offensive weapons to work with in Washington. Cousins may also want to consider that he is extremely familiar with the Redskins’ system and he may prefer to go that route instead of starting fresh somewhere else.
Redskins offensive line coach Bill Callahan could be due for another shot as an NFL head coach, the ESPN.com staff opines. The offensive line whisperer led the Raiders to the AFC Championship and is still well-regarded around the NFL. Callahan turns 61 later this month and it remains to be seen whether he wants to be a head coach again. Back in January, Callahan’s agent acknowledged that he might be open to an opportunity to serve as an offensive coordinator somewhere.
What might a Cousins extension look like? Former NFL agent Joel Corry suggested an interesting five-year contract for the QB this week.

Cowboys Notes: Martin, Smith, Witten

July 12th, 2017 at 12:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of Dallas:

ESPN.com’s Todd Archer opines wonders how much Gabe Jackson‘s new five-year, $56MM deal with the Raiders will impact Zack Martin‘s negotiations with the Cowboys. Martin is positioned to become the highest-paid guard in the NFL, but Dallas could theoretically control him through 2021 through the fifth-year option and three consecutive franchise tags. Finding the middle ground will be tough, but Archer notes that the team’s strong relationship with agents Tom Condon and R.J. Gonser could help speed things along. There have only been preliminary talks so far, but that could change early on in training camp.
More from Archer, who writes that making Jaylon Smith a two-down linebacker might be the best way for the Cowboys to work him into the lineup. Currently, Archer feels that expectations are probably a bit too high for the Notre Dame product considering the seriousness of the injury he is battling back from. Scaling back his workload could allow him to ease into the pace of the NFL game.
Looking down the road, the Cowboys still lack an obvious successor to tight end Jason Witten, Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News writes. The Cowboys are hoping that youngster Rico Gathers will turn into a quality tight end, but it’s not clear if the ex-basketball player has made enough strides on the gridiron to make this year’s roster and actually see his first taste of live NFL action. The Cowboys also have James Hanna and Geoff Swaim on the TE depth chart. They’re probably comfortable with their tight end situation for 2017, but it’s something they may have to address down the line.

No Players Selected In Supplemental Draft

July 12th, 2017 at 12:10pm CST by Zachary Links

If you blinked, you might have missed this year’s NFL Supplemental Draft. Luckily for you, you didn’t miss much. The draft has concluded with zero players selected, according to the league office.

This year, there were only two players eligible for the second chance draft: Georgia Military College defensive end Tavares Bingham and Western New Mexico running back Marques Rodgers. There wasn’t much buzz about either player heading into this week.

Bingham spent time at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College before moving on to GMC. At GMC, he recorded 12 tackles and three sacks across six games in 2015. Bingham didn’t play last season because he burned through his junior college eligibility and didn’t have the grades to get into to a four-year school.

Rodgers also missed the 2016 season due to academic ineligibility. In 2015, however, he ran for 1,283 yards and ten touchdowns and added 61 catches. Despite that showing at his Division II school, all 32 teams declined the opportunity to claim him today.

The supplemental draft allows clubs to select players who, for one reason or another, were unable to enter the standard draft. When a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it forfeits its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select a player in the fifth round of this year’s supplemental draft, it would have lost its 2018 fifth-rounder as a result. No team was willing to give up as much as a seventh round pick next year for either Bingham or Rodgers.

Raiders Sign Undrafted Linebacker

July 12th, 2017 at 12:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have signed linebacker Brady Sheldon, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Ferris State product was in rookie camp with the Raiders earlier this summer and made a strong impression on coaches.

The Raiders waived three players last week, including two linebackers, so it was expected that they would add to the roster. With speed working in his favor, Sheldon will look to stick in Oakland as an outside linebacker. The Raiders project to start Bruce Irvin and Shilique Calhoun at the OLB spots with support from Jelani Jenkins and fifth-round pick Marquel Lee. James Cowser, and Tyrell Adams are also among the OLBs in camp.

Ferris State, located in Big Rapids and Grand Rapids, Michigan, is not exactly known as a football powerhouse. However, the Division II program has turned out some quality talent. Sheldon’s invite to Raiders camp this year marked the fifth consecutive year in which a Ferris State player received an NFL opportunity. Now, he’s on the 90-man roster with an eye on making the final cut.

In his final season on campus, Sheldon tallied 54 tackles, one sack, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and three pass defenses in 14 games.

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