HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Buccaneers Sign Rookie Mike Edwards

June 13th, 2019 at 12:42pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers have signed third-round safety Mike Edwards to his rookie deal, according to a team announcement. Per the terms of his slot, the four-year pact should be worth $3.34MM with an $822K signing bonus. 

Taken with the No. 99 overall pick, Edwards could be in line for a starting role at safety this year. Even if he doesn’t make the first-string squad, he figures to see a decent amount of playing time in the secondary.

At Kentucky, Edwards proved his effectiveness at multiple positions. In total, he racked up 318 tackles, the second-highest total in school history among defensive backs. He also had a nose for the football with the Wildcats, notching ten career interceptions, including two pick-sixes.

With Edwards signed, the Bucs have just two unsigned picks left in first-round linebacker Devin White and third-round cornerback Jamel Dean.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Patriots, Caserio

June 13th, 2019 at 12:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets took a lot of flack for the timing of Mike Maccagnan‘s dismissal, but odds are that the hiring of Joe Douglas will make it all worthwhile, Albert Breer of The MMQB opines. He’s not the only one who feels that way – Eagles chief exec Howie Roseman agrees.

“Joe is so prepared for this opportunity,” Roseman told Breer, via text. “He’s been with three great organizations and contributed to [Super Bowl]-winning rosters. He knows what it looks like on and off the field. He’ll take some from everywhere and put his own spin on it. He’s a great listener but also passionate about what he believes in…His personality and disposition is unique in that he’s very likable, yet he’s not afraid to stand his ground and strongly convey what he believes in.…Throw in high-end work ethic and you have someone that’s going to be successful in the GM position for the Jets.”

After years of losing and poor draft decisions, Jets fans are certainly hoping that Roseman is right.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

  • Douglas sees clear parallels between his experience with the Eagles and his new challenge with the Jets, as Gary Myers of the Daily News tweets. In Philly, the Eagles pushed to win right away while Carson Wentz was on his affordable rookie contract and he says he’ll take the same approach while Sam Darnold‘s salary is relatively low. The Seahawks and Rams have also used that strategy in recent years to elevate themselves to the Super Bowl.
  • More from Breer (Twitter link), who notes that Texans figure Jack Easterby and Nick Caserio share an agent, which may make it easy for Houston to refute the Patriots‘ accusations of tampering. The Patriots claim that Easterby spoke with Caserio about the GM role at the Patriots’ Super Bowl ring ceremony last Thursday, which came hours before the dismissal of Brian Gaine. However, it could be hard for the Patriots to come up with concrete evidence of tampering since the two are former co-workers and share the same representation.
  • Earlier this week, we looked back on the Dolphins‘ signing of Chad Johnson in 2012.
  • Former Bills linebacker Arthur Moats is hanging up his cleats.

Colts, Kenny Moore Agree To Extension

June 13th, 2019 at 9:13am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts and cornerback Kenny Moore have agreed to terms on a four-year extension, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal will make him the highest paid slot cornerback in NFL history in terms of new money. 

Before the add-on, Moore had one year remaining on his contract. The Colts also had the option of keeping Moore via the restricted free agency tag beyond 2019, but the new deal will provide the Colts with long-term cost certainty and give security to the former undrafted free agent.

After earning his scheduled $645K salary in 2019, Moore will earn $30MM in new money between 2020 and 2023, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Through incentives and bonuses, he can earn up to $36MM over the course of the extension.

The Colts claimed Moore off waivers from the Patriots just prior to the 2017 season. He made the cut as the team’s No. 5 cornerback, but proved to be much more valuable than that late in the season when he took over for the injured Rashaan Melvin later in the season.

In 2018, Moore won a starting role and truly took off. He graded out as the No. 32 ranked corner in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, and finished out with three interceptions and 77 tackles.

Outside of Darius Leonard, Moore was probably the Colts’ most effective defensive playmaker last year. The Colts didn’t necessarily have to extend Moore, who was still under club control for two more years, but they had the cap room to get a deal done after a quiet offseason.

This Date In Transactions History: Broncos Release Willis McGahee

June 13th, 2019 at 9:02am CST by Zachary Links

In the summer of 2011, the Ravens released Willis McGahee in an effort to save cap space. Days later, the Broncos scooped him up to provide to starter Knowshon Moreno. It proved to be a wise decision, as Moreno went down with an injury in the very first game of the season. 

From there, McGahee took off. He topped 100 rushing yards in the team’s Week 2 win against the Bengals, torched the Packers for 103 yards off of just 15 carries in Week 4, and nearly set a new career high with 163 rushing yards against the Raiders in November. McGahee finished out the year with 1,199 rushing yards with an average of 4.8 yards per tote.

With that, the Broncos seemingly had their new No. 1 running back in 2012, the year of Peyton Manning‘s arrival. Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan for McGahee. After a solid first half to the season, a helmet-to-knee hit from Quentin Jammer in November resulted in a torn MCL and an early end to his campaign.

From there, Moreno regained his spot as the team’s top RB and, on this date in 2013, McGahee was released by the Broncos. Sadly, McGahee was unable to return to his old form after the release. McGahee hooked on with the Browns after they traded Trent Richardson to the Colts, but he averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and ran for 377 yards in his 12 games, both career lows. After that, it was curtains for the former first-round pick and University of Miami star.

McGahee had an up-and-down career in the NFL, but he left the game with two Pro Bowl selections and four seasons with upwards of 1,100 rushing yards.

Lions Trade Michael Roberts To Patriots

June 13th, 2019 at 8:12am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions are trading tight end Michael Roberts to the Patriots for a conditional 7th-round pick in 2020, according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News (on Twitter). Roberts, a fourth-round pick in 2017, will hope to find success with a chance of scenery. 

Roberts has yet to break through at the pro level, but he has flashed some ability over the past two seasons. He had his best showing in October of last year when he caught two touchdown passes against the Dolphins. Ultimately, however, injuries have prevented him from really making a dent.

Roberts provides the Patriots with another possibility at tight end, something they sorely need after the retirement of star Rob Gronkowski. Austin Seferian-Jenkins was meant to be one of the team’s solutions at the position, but the Pats released him earlier this month when his personal problems reemerged. Meanwhile, new pickup Ben Watson will be sidelined for the first four games of the season due to PEDs.

As it currently stands, Matt LaCosse projects to be the Patriots’ starting TE when they open the season in September. The Roberts acquisition probably won’t change that, but he could provide some valuable support if he’s able to make the cut.

Vikings Working Out P Drew Kaser

June 12th, 2019 at 9:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran punter Drew Kaser worked out for the Vikings on Wednesday, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link).

Kaser joined fellow free agent punters Justin Vogel and Shane Tripucka in auditioning for Minnesota, which is apparently looking to create some competition for incumbent punter Matt Wile. A 2015 undrafted free agent, Wile just completed his first full NFL campaign, one in which he ranked 10th in net punting average. As a team, the Vikings’ punt unit finished eighth in Football Outsiders‘ punting metrics.

Kaser, 26, was selected by the Chargers in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. The Texas A&M product was the Bolts’ full-time punter in both 2016 and 2017, but was cut after struggling in four games last season. Kaser, who ranked 31st in net punting average at the time of his release, briefly latched on with the Packers last November while Green Bay punter JK Scott‘s wife was expecting a baby, but he wasn’t ultimately called on to play.

Free agent punter Austin Rehkow also participated in today’s workout, tweets Chris Tomasson of the Pionner Press. Rekhow, undrafted out of Idaho in 2017, recently played for the Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of the American Football.

Latest On Texans, Patriots Exec Nick Caserio

June 12th, 2019 at 8:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Patriots formally filed tampering charges against the Texans earlier Wednesday, accusing Houston of illegally pursuing director of player personnel Nick Caserio for its general manager vacancy. Here’s what we’ve learned about Caserio and the Texans since:

  • The league will look into evidence that Texans vice president of player development Jack Easterby spoke with Caserio about the GM role at the Patriots’ Super Bowl ring ceremony last Thursday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Easterby, who serves as something of a “character coach,” held a similar title in New England until 2019. The ex-pastor has already earned a large amount of responsibility in Houston, was reportedly an offseason target for several clubs before landing with the Texans, as Michael Lombardi noted on a recent episode of his GM Shuffle podcast.
  • Texans head coach Bill O’Brien says neither he nor Easterby has spoken with Caserio about the open general manager position, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I would say that the answer to that is no relative to contact about anything having to do with the Houston Texans,” O’Brien said. “No.”
  • Houston is willing to give Caserio a contract which gives him full control of its 53-man roster, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. However, the Texans and Patriots are likely arguing over whether Caserio is considered a “high level employee,” a designation that would mean New England isn’t required to allow Caserio to depart, even for a perceived promotion, as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes.
  • The Patriots could eventually ask the Texans for draft pick compensation in exchange for Caserio, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Indeed, Bill Belichick‘s endgame could simply be pressuring Houston into trading a draft selection for Caserio, as Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com speculates (Twitter link).

Pats RB Sony Michel Undergoes Knee Scope

June 12th, 2019 at 8:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Patriots running back Sony Michel missed the final phase of New England’s offseason workout program after undergoing a knee scope, tweets Jeff Howe of The Athletic. However, Michel should be available for the start of training camp.

For most players, a knee scope — especially one with a projected training camp return — wouldn’t necessarily make news, but Michel’s history of knee issues is certainly concerning. Michel, who was selected 31st overall in 2018, had knee concerns heading into the draft and has a torn ACL on his record. Additionally, Michel suffered a knee injury in August that forced him to miss the preseason and the Patriots’ first regular season game, while another knee issue kept him out of Weeks 8-9.

If Michel is forced to miss time during the regular season, New England has enough backfield depth to withstand his absence. James White remains one of the NFL’s best pass-catching running backs, while Rex Burkhead has played well as both a runner and receiver for the Patriots over the past two seasons. New England also deployed a 2019 third-round pick on Alabama’s Damien Harris, re-signed special teams ace Brandon Bolden, and inked undrafted free agent Nick Brossette.

Michel, 24, led the Patriots in rushing attempts (209), rushing yards (931), and rushing touchdowns (six) in his rookie campaign, and ranked 11th league-wide in success rate, meaning he was exceptional at keeping New England’s offense “on schedule” with regard to down and distance. Never much of a pass-game contributor in college, Michel managed only seven receptions in 2019.

Chargers Sign Second-Round S Nasir Adderley

June 12th, 2019 at 7:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers have signed second-round safety Nasir Adderley, the club announced today.

Adderley will join 2018 first-round pick and first-team All-Pro Derwin James in Los Angeles’ defensive backfield, joining an excellent secondary that also includes safety Adrian Phillips and cornerbacks Casey Hayward, Desmond King, and Trevor Williams. The 60th overall pick in the draft, Adderley will attempt to replace the 1,000+ snaps departed by Jahleel Addae, whom the Chargers released earlier this year.

Adderley, a Delaware product, will likely play a center field-type role for Los Angeles, allowing James to be deployed closer to the line of scrimmage. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com praised Adderley’s speed, noting that trait will allow the two-time All-CAA honoree to play in single-high safety looks, and compared him to second-year Bengals starter Jessie Bates.

Per Over the Cap, Adderley will receive a four-year pact worth roughly $4.732MM. He’ll collect a signing bonus of ~$1.462MM, and count for $860K on Los Angeles’ 2019 salary cap.

Here’s the full Chargers 2019 draft:

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/12/19

June 12th, 2019 at 6:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Kansas City Chiefs

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • Claimed off waivers: CB Montrel Meander
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