2019 May - Pro Football Rumors

Maxx Williams To Sign With Cardinals

May 2nd, 2019 at 4:36pm CST by Rory Parks

Free agent tight end Maxx Williams has agreed to sign with the Cardinals, as Williams himself tweeted. He will have a chance to rejuvenate his career in Arizona, whose tight end depth chart is not particularly imposing.

Williams, whom the Ravens selected in the second round of the 2015 draft, entered the league with plenty of promise. Baltimore actually traded up to land the Minnesota product, and the club had visions of him catching deep passes down the seam and creating mismatches with linebackers in the passing game.

And while Williams showed flashes of that ability, injuries have hampered him throughout his professional career, and after the Ravens selected Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews in the 2018 draft and re-signed Nick Boyle this offseason, it was clear that Williams’ time in Baltimore could be coming to an end.

But while he never blossomed into the receiver the Ravens hoped he could be, he has become a solid blocker, and he is just 25, so he may yet realize some of his former potential as a pass catcher. The Cardinals signed Charles Clay this offseason and made UCLA product Caleb Johnson this year’s Mr. Irrelevant with the final pick of last week’s draft, and the club is also rostering Ricky Seals-Jones, but none of those players are going to prevent Williams from getting an extended look.

Williams follows former Ravens teammate Terrell Suggs to the desert.

Seahawks To Decline Germain Ifedi’s Fifth-Year Option

May 2nd, 2019 at 4:31pm CST by Rory Parks

The Seahawks will decline the fifth-year option for 2016 first-rounder Germain Ifedi, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Ifedi will now be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2019 season.

Ifedi was the 31st overall pick of the 2016 draft, and he played 13 games (all starts) at right guard during his rookie campaign. He kicked out to right tackle for each of the last two years, and he started 31 of a possible 32 games regular season games during that time.

But his play has not been particularly great, and he graded out as an average tackle in 2018, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. He may even end up losing his starting job this year, as George Fant could push him for playing time.

On the other hand, Ifedi does represent a known commodity at a position that can be tricky to fill, so Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times suggests that the Seahawks could look to sign Ifedi to an extension that would allow them to carry the Texas A&M product at a lower cost than the $10.3MM 2020 option for tackles.

As our handy tracker shows, every team that is rostering a 2016 first-round pick has now made a decision on the fifth-year option for those players.

Raiders Cut TE Lee Smith

May 2nd, 2019 at 3:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have cut veteran tight end Lee Smith, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rapoport posits that Smith could reunite with his old offensive coordinator Todd Downing, who is now the tight ends coach of the Titans, and Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com feels that Tennessee will indeed pursue Smith (Twitter link).

Smith’s release comes as something of a surprise, as Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has shown a fondness for veterans of his ilk, and he is one of the better blocking tight ends in the league. But he offers almost nothing as a receiver, as he has averaged just 49 receiving yards per season in his eight years in the league.

Plus, Oakland just added TE Foster Moreau in the fourth round of last week’s draft, and the club already has a blocking tight end on the roster in Derek Carrier. Luke Willson, who signed with the Raiders last month, is the most prolific receiving TE on the roster.

Smith signed a three-year deal with the Raiders last March, but he made it through just the first year of that contract. Oakland creates just under $2MM in cap space with the move.

Vikings To Sign Irv Smith Jr.

May 2nd, 2019 at 3:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings second-round pick Irv Smith Jr. has reached agreement with the club on his rookie deal, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. As of this writing, the tight end is the highest-drafted 2019 rookie to put pen to paper.

Smith was widely regarded as one of the top tight ends in this year’s class after a strong showing at Alabama. After Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson went to the Lions (No. 8 overall) and Noah Fant fell to the Broncos (No. 20), Smith stood out in a group that still included Washington’s Drew Sample, San Jose State’s Josh Oliver, and Texas A&M’s Jace Sternberger.

Now in Minnesota, the No. 50 overall pick could theoretically displace Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph, who is consistent yet unremarkable, is under contract for one more year. Dumping Rudolph would save the club $7MM+ in cap room. On draft week, the Vikings received calls on Rudolph, so there’s definitely a market for his services.

Per the terms of Smith’s slot, he’ll earn $5.8MM over the life of his four-year deal.

Rams To Release Blake Countess

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams will release defensive back Blake Countess, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Rams asked Countess to take a pay cut from his $2MM tender, but the two sides could not come to terms on a revised deal. Instead, he’ll hit the waiver wire.

The door remains open to a return, Rapoport hears, provided that Countess clears waivers. Still, it’s unlikely that the Rams will give him an offer that he’s enthused about. The Rams drafted two safeties this year in Washington’s Taylor Rapp (second round) and Penn State’s Nick Scott (seventh round), so there’s not necessarily a huge need for the veteran in Los Angeles.

Countess, 26 in August, has spent the last three seasons with the Rams and has appeared in every possible game over the last two years. For his career, he’s got four total starts, two interceptions, and one sack to his credit.

Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill Denies Abuse Allegations

May 2nd, 2019 at 1:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest round of allegations against Chiefs star Tyreek Hill may put his football future in jeopardy. However, in a four-page letter sent to the NFL by his lawyer, the wide receiver strongly refuted the allegations against him.

“[Hill] categorically denies he has ever ‘punched’ his son in the chest or anywhere on his body, or otherwise touched him in the chest in a mean-spirited manner or as a form of discipline,” the attorney wrote (via ESPN.com).

Through his lawyer, Hill denied having any role in his son’s fractured arm. The attorney also noted that the injury to Hill’s three-year-old boy was ruled to be an accident when he was examined at the hospital. Hill’s letter to the league also refuted Crystal Espinal’s recorded allegation that their son is “terrified” of him.

Recently, local investigators closed their investigation into Hill, citing a lack of concrete evidence. However, damning audio of a conversation between Hill and his child’s mother may have breathed new life into the case. Some reports indicate that the investigation has been re-opened. Meanwhile, Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) hears that might not be true – at least, not yet.

For now, Hill remains barred from all Chiefs team activities.

Cardinals Decline Nkemdiche’s Option

May 2nd, 2019 at 12:47pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals are declining defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche’s fifth-year option, a source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). The option would have been worth $7.690MM and guaranteed for injury only, but the Cardinals did not feel comfortable enough to pull the trigger.

Nkemdiche is coming off of the best season of his career after notching 45 sacks in ten games (six starts). While he showed some promise, Nkemdiche has struggled to stay healthy since being selected with the No. 29 overall pick in 2016. He suited up for just 15 games in his first two seasons and last year’s campaign ended with a torn ACL in December. But, given his physical tools, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Nkemdiche having a bounce back year in 2019 and setting himself up for a huge payday next March.

The deadline for fifth-year option decisions isn’t until tomorrow, but we more or less know the outcome for every 2016 first-round pick already.

Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue Leaves Workouts

May 2nd, 2019 at 11:33am CST by Zachary Links

Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue reported to the Jaguars for the start of the club’s voluntary workouts. However, he stopped showing up after a few days, according to Mike Florio of PFT.

Ngakoue is entering a contract year, so it seems likely that his absence is contract related. The 2016 third-round pick is set to make just $2.025MM, making him criminally underpaid given his production. Over the last three years, Ngakoue has racked up 29.5 sacks, and he should be in line for a monster payday if he keeps up the good work in 2019. Presumably, Ngakoue wants to lock in those dollars today rather than playing out the season.

The going rate for quality young edge rushers continues to skyrocket. Recently, Frank Clark inked a five-year, $105MM deal with the Chiefs after coming over fro the Seahawks. Days prior to that, Demarcus Lawrence signed a similar deal to stay with the Cowboys.

Ngakoue isn’t the only notable absence from Jaguars camp. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Telvin Smith also haven’t been on hand for voluntary workouts.

Derrick Johnson Retires From NFL

May 2nd, 2019 at 11:10am CST by Zachary Links

Linebacker Derrick Johnson is retiring from football, according to 610 Sports Radio. But, before he officially hangs ’em up, he’ll sign a one-day contract to go out as as member of the Chiefs.

Johnson, 36, was a key cog in the Chiefs’ defense from 2005 through 2017. He leaves the game as the Chiefs’ all-time leading tackler, with 1,262 career stops to his credit. Since entering the league as a first round pick, Johnson suited up in 182 games for Kansas City with 169 starts. In 2018, the Chiefs made the difficult decision to allow Johnson to leave in free agency.

“Few players in recent history have meant more to the Chiefs franchise and the Kansas City community than Derrick Johnson,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement last year. “His tireless work ethic and passion for the game made him one of the most productive defensive players to ever wear a Chiefs uniform and one of the most respected players both in our locker room and around the league. Over the last 13 seasons, Derrick represented himself and the Chiefs organization with integrity and class, and he will always be a part of our Chiefs family.”

After that, Johnson hooked on with the Raiders, but his second act didn’t go as planned. Johnson appeared in six games (one start) for the silver and black, amassing just 17 tackles. In October, the Raiders granted his request for release, but he did not sign with another club in the 2018 season.

Johnson’s one-day deal comes on the heels of running back Jamaal Charles‘ own ceremonial contract to retire as a member of the Chiefs.

Panthers Decline Vernon Butler’s Option

May 2nd, 2019 at 11:03am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers announced that they have declined their fifth-year option on defensive tackle Vernon Butler. The former first-round pick is now slated for unrestricted free agency after the 2019 season.

The Panthers picked up the fifth-year option of every first round pick from Cam Newton (2011 draft) all the way through 2015. Today, that streak ends with Butler’s extra year being turned down.

Butler was drafted No. 30 overall under the Dave Gettleman administration. The Panthers had high hopes for the Louisiana Tech product, but he’s amassed just 45 tackles and two sacks as a bench player over the last three years. And, last year, Butler was a healthy scratch for two straight games. In short – the decision to turn down Butler’s additional year was widely expected.

NFL teams have until Friday to make the call on the fifth-year options for 2016 first-round picks, but most clubs have already made their decisions.