HEADLINES

Month: October 2024

Bills Finalize Draft Pick Signings

May 13th, 2022 at 6:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bills have completed the process of signing their entire draft class. The team announced on Friday that each of their eight rookies have inked their initial deal.

That list includes first-round corner Kaiir Elam. The Bills made a small move up the board from 25th to 23rd to make sure they could select him. The former Florida Gator quickly emerged as key piece on the team’s defense, putting up solid production to go along with a pro-ready frame (six-foot-two, 195 pounds). With the secondary identified by many as the position group most in need of assistance, Elam could have a path to significant playing time with the Bills early on.

Another position which Buffalo made considerably stronger was that of running back. The team took Georgia tailback James Cook in the second round, adding competition for touches with Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and Duke Johnson. The younger brother of Vikings Pro Bowler Dalvin, Cook enjoyed a breakout season in his final campaign with the national champions. He topped 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time, scoring 11 total touchdowns.

The rest of the Bills’ class contains depth options on both sides of the ball, as well as a special teams addition. The team drafted so-called ‘Punt God’ Matt Araiza in the sixth round. The San Diego State product averaged over 51 yards per punt during his college career, fielding kickoff and field goal duties as well.

With the entire class under contract, here is the complete list of Bills draftees:

  • Round 1: No. 23 (from Cardinals through Ravens) Kaiir Elam, CB (Florida)
  • Round 2: No. 63 (from Bengals) James Cook, RB (Georgia)
  • Round 3: No. 89 Terrel Bernard, LB (Baylor) (signed)
  • Round 5: No. 148 (from Bears) Khalil Shakir, WR (Boise State)
  • Round 6: No. 180 (from Jaguars through Buccaneers) Matt Araiza, P (San Diego State)
  • Round 6: No. 185 (from Panthers) Christian Benford, CB (Villanova)
  • Round 6: No. 209 (from Bengals) Luke Tenuta, OT (Virginia Tech)
  • Round 7: No. 231 (from Falcons) Baylon Spector, LB (Clemson)

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/13/22

May 13th, 2022 at 5:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several more mid- and late-round picks agreed to terms on their four-year rookie contracts Friday. Here are the latest agreements:

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

  • LB Malcolm Rodriguez (sixth round, Oklahoma State)
  • LB James Houston (sixth round, Jackson State)

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Cowboys Sign First-Round OL Tyler Smith

May 13th, 2022 at 5:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys came to terms with first-round pick Tyler Smith on his four-year rookie contract Friday and are putting him to work at a new position, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.

Smith lined up at left guard at Dallas’ rookie minicamp Friday, marking the first time he has played the guard position since his senior year of high school, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram relays. The Tulsa product played exclusively at left tackle in college.

Tackle-to-guard transitions are common in the NFL; Zack Martin made the move as a rookie in 2014. Like Smith, Martin did not make any starts at guard in college. The Cowboys are still planning on a Tyron Smith-to-Tyler Smith transition at left tackle someday, with Hill noting the younger Smith will receive left tackle reps this offseason. But for now, the first-rounder will vie to line up next to the perennial Pro Bowler up front.

The Cowboys let previous left guard Connor Williams defect to the Dolphins in free agency, pitting Tyler Smith against Connor McGovern. While Smith could make sense at right tackle, the Cowboys are high on frequent starter Terence Steele to take over for La’el Collins full-time at that spot.

Smith, who goes 6-foot-4 and 324 pounds, was the Golden Hurricane’s full-time starter at left tackle in 2020 and ’21. As the No. 24 overall pick, Smith will be tied to a fully guaranteed deal worth $13.38MM, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets. The Cowboys can keep Smith on that rookie contract through 2026, via the fifth-year option.

The Cowboys also signed fifth-round offensive lineman Matt Waletzko (North Dakota State), fifth-round cornerback DaRon Bland (Fresno State), fifth-round linebacker Damone Clark (LSU) and sixth-round linebacker Devin Harper (Oklahoma State)on Friday, The Athletic’s Jon Machota tweets.

Matt Patricia Favorite To Call Patriots’ Offensive Plays?

May 13th, 2022 at 5:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

The only team without an offensive coordinator, the Patriots are considering a radical approach to replacing Josh McDaniels. It is looking like either Matt Patricia or Joe Judge will call their offensive plays.

Despite each struggling as head coaches, Patricia and Judge are back in New England. Judge landed in Foxborough this year, with Patricia having worked in various roles upon returning in 2021. Although Patricia has gained experience on the front office side since returning to the Patriots, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com hears (via the New York Post) the veteran defensive coordinator is firmly in play to be the team’s offensive play-caller this season.

Patricia and Judge were running New England’s offense during recent offseason workouts, and Reiss slots Patricia as the favorite to be the team’s play-caller come September. Judge, who has more experience on the offensive side of the ball, should not be ruled out. The Pats going with either would represent an unusual move. Judge certainly had input in the Giants’ offense following Jason Garrett‘s ouster, though that Judge-Freddie Kitchens stretch was ignominiously highlighted by the Jake Fromm quarterback-sneak play calls against Washington. Patricia has not called offensive plays at any level.

With the Patriots from 2004-17, Patricia began his tenure as an offensive assistant but quickly transitioned to the defensive side of the ball. The 47-year-old Pats staffer was their DC from 2012-17, prior to becoming the Lions’ head coach. Judge worked with the Patriots from 2012-19, rising to the dual roles of special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach. He would also make for an interesting choice, but this unorthodox approach has been on the radar for a bit now.

Bill Belichick has said Patricia, Judge, tight ends coach Nick Caley and receivers coach Troy Brown will play significant roles in guiding second-year QB Mac Jones and the Patriots’ offense. Of course, someone must sign off on the play calls. It would be one of the more fascinating decisions in recent coaching history to bestow that responsibility on a longtime defensive staffer.

Steelers Sign Round 2 WR George Pickens

May 13th, 2022 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers continued their trend of Day 2 wide receiver investments with George Pickens, and the former Georgia pass catcher is now under contract. Pickens is the first Steelers 2022 draftee to sign his four-year rookie deal.

Pittsburgh let former Day 2 picks J.J. Smith-Schuster and James Washington walk in free agency, turning instead to Pickens, who will join ex-second-round pick Chase Claypool and ex-third-rounder Diontae Johnson as the Steelers’ top targets. Given the development of non-first-round receivers in Pittsburgh in the fairly recent past — a list that also includes Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders — Pickens will be expected to contribute early.

Some teams had Pickens off their respective draft boards due to character concerns, and the three-year Georgia cog fell in the draft due to the ACL tear he sustained during spring workouts last year. But Pickens did not sit out his junior season, rehabbing to be a contributor late in the Bulldogs’ national championship campaign. Prior to the ACL setback, Pickens was poised to make a run at the 2022 first round. He totaled more than 1,200 receiving yards and notched 14 touchdown receptions as an underclassman. This year, the 6-foot-3 target ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.

Pittsburgh’s Pickens pick may also be indicative of potential plans with Johnson, who is going into a contract year. The Steelers did re-sign Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal in 2021 but have famously been stingy with second contracts for receivers. Brown’s two extensions mark the exception. Pickens and fourth-round pick Calvin Austin III supply rookie-contract talent here. Johnson has said he wants to stay with the Steelers beyond his first contract. Two years remain on Claypool’s rookie deal.

Saints To Sign WR Jarvis Landry

May 13th, 2022 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the second time in two weeks, a Pro Bowler from New Orleans agreed to sign with the Saints. Following Tyrann Mathieu‘s agreement, the team is signing Jarvis Landry.

The former Dolphins and Browns wide receiver confirmed his decision Friday on Twitter. It’s a one-year deal, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds that the contract is worth up to $6MM (video link). Landry visited the Saints before the draft and will now join a receiving corps that, if Michael Thomas can stay healthy, could be formidable. The team has made two major investments at the position this offseason, with the Landry addition coming after a trade-up maneuver for Chris Olave.

Absent Thomas last season, the Saints deployed perhaps the league’s worst receiving corps. The team did not have a 700-yard receiver in 2021. This year’s crew now features the NFL’s single-season reception record holder, a five-time Pro Bowler, and a top-15 pick. The Saints also re-signed former third-rounder Tre’Quan Smith and still have 2021 receiving leader Marquez Callaway under contract. This corps stands to give Jameis Winston a better chance of succeeding after ACL rehab.

Connected to the Falcons and Ravens as well, Landry had been in the mix to return to the Browns. But that door closed recently, with Cleveland — which made Landry a cap casualty in March — intent on seeing how its younger players perform around Amari Cooper. The Saints opted for veteran stability, and the LSU product will be positioned as a key contributor.

Landry, 29, is coming off his worst season as a pro — 52-catch, 570-yard campaign. But Baker Mayfield‘s shoulder injury did well to sink the Browns’ passing attack. Battling an MCL injury last season, Landry also missed five games. Prior to 2021, Landry served as the top receiver on a 2020 Browns team that snapped a 17-year playoff drought. He also has three 1,000-yard seasons and five 900-yard slates on his resume. Used as a slot player in Miami, Landry also has compiled 110- and 112-catch seasons as a pro. The latter showing led the NFL in 2017, leading to the Dolphins franchise-tagging Landry and trading him to the Browns.

Raiders To Trade Bryan Edwards To Falcons

May 13th, 2022 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Days after the Raiders signed Keelan Cole, they are moving on from one of their other auxiliary wide receivers. They are trading Bryan Edwards to the Falcons, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets.

The Raiders will add a 2023 fifth-round pick in this deal and send the Falcons a 2023 seventh, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). It should not surprise this pick swap-based deal reminds of the kind the Patriots have made frequently in recent years, with the Raiders’ new regime coming over from New England.

Two years remain on Edwards’ rookie contract; this will both give a former Day 2 pick a fresh start but also provide an opportunity to impress for a team with a thinner receiver depth chart. Although the Falcons drafted Drake London eighth overall, they entered Friday light on supporting-casters at the position. Edwards will join the likes of Olamide Zaccheaus, Auden Tate, Damiere Byrd and KhaDarel Hodge. The Falcons now possess a host of big targets for ex-Raider Marcus Mariota, with the 6-foot-3 Edwards joining London (6-4), Tate (6-5) and Kyle Pitts (6-6).

This trade marks another Raiders separation from an early-round 2020 draftee. They have waived first-rounders Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette and traded third-rounders Lynn Bowden Jr. and Edwards. The South Carolina product battled injuries as a rookie but showed progress last season, hauling in 34 passes for 571 yards and three touchdowns. Las Vegas’ Dave Ziegler– and Josh McDaniels-led regime, however, has since acquired Cole, Demarcus Robinson and Mack Hollins, crowding the depth chart around top targets Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow.

Atlanta has seen even more changes at the receiver position than Las Vegas, having seen its Julio Jones–Calvin Ridley–Russell Gage depth chart splinter. Ridley is banned for the year on a gambling suspension, and the Falcons were close to trading the former first-rounder to the Eagles. Gage, who led Falcon wideouts in receiving yardage by a wide margin last season, is now a Buccaneer.

Lions Sign 12 UDFAs

May 13th, 2022 at 1:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

As teams’ classes of undrafted free agents continue to be announced, the Lions have confirmed their group of signings. Here is their list of UDFAs:

The team’s two largest commitments were amongst the offensive linemen in the group. PFF’s Doug Kyed reports (on Twitter) that Eze is receiving $170K in guaranteed money. The Memphis transfer has the size (six-foot-eight, 315 pounds) to at least compete for a place at the end of the roster on an NFL team. Jarvis, likewise, is set for notable compensation; the former Spartan will earn $155K in total guarantees, per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network (Twitter link).

On the offensive side of the ball, Bell and Deese stand out in terms of contract details. In a pair of tweets, Wilson details that each of them will earn $100K in guaranteed money. A Nebraska transfer, Bell played two seasons with the Aztecs, recording over 1,000 scrimmage yards and nine rushing touchdowns in 2021. Deese also enjoyed a career year this past season, totalling 47 receptions for 730 yards and four touchdowns. Each will compete for depth roles behind entrenched starters D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson at their respective positions.

Saints Agree To Terms With First-Rounders Chris Olave, Trevor Penning

May 13th, 2022 at 12:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday has seen each of the Saints’ first round picks from this past draft sign their rookie contracts. New Orleans has reached an agreement with both receiver Chris Olave and offensive tackle Trevor Penning. 

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter details (on Twitter), the deal for Olave is worth just over $19.27MM. The Ohio State alum put up consistent production over the course of his four seasons there. He was the team’s leading receiver in 2019 and 2020, but his best individual season came this past campaign.

Over the course of 11 games, Olave totalled 65 catches for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns. While those figures were eclipsed by 10th overall pick Garrett Wilson and phenom sophomore Jaxon Smith-Njigba, they represented his ability to produce despite a heated competition for targets. Given the Saints’ lack of receiving options, Olave was named as a candidate for the team to consider, so there was little surprise when the team traded up to select him at No. 11.

Penning, meanwhile, had already agreed to terms on his rookie contract before the Olave deal was announced (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). The Northern Iowa blocker showcased an appealing combination of size, length and athleticism throughout his time there, earning stellar PFF grades along the way. He held up against higher-quality competition at the Senior Bowl, confirming his status as a first-rounder. Predictably going later than Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu and Charles Cross, Penning was the fourth tackle off the board, landing at 19th overall.

Given the concerns related to his level of competition, as well as discipline, the six-foot-seven, 325-pounder might not be able to occupy the left tackle spot vacated by Terron Armstead right away. He is nevertheless viewed as a candidate to do so at least down the road, which would make him, like Olave, a pick aimed at filling glaring roster holes on Day 1. Penning will earn $14.1MM on his pact, per Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson (Twitter link).

Colts Announce UDFA Class

May 13th, 2022 at 11:03am CST by Adam La Rose

The Colts announced on Friday that they have added a 22-man class of undrafted free agents. Here is the full list of their signings:

The name on that list with the largest financial commitment from the team is Van Demark. He is receiving $175K in guaranteed money, per PFF’s Doug Kyed (Twitter link). At six-foot-seven and 304 pounds, he has NFL-caliber size, and will have a chance to round out the team’s tackle depth chart, which has seen a number of changes this offseason, including the selection of Bernhard Raimann and the recent signing of veteran Dennis Kelly.

Another notable name is Coan. The former Golden Domer is getting a base salary which includes $55K in guaranteed money, along with a $5K signing bonus, as detailed (on Twitter) by Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson. A transfer from Wisconsin this past season, Coan put up new career highs in passing yards (3,150) and touchdowns (27 total) at Notre Dame. He will try to unseat at least one of Sam Ehlinger or James Morgan at the bottom of the Colts’ QB depth chart.

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