Jets Sign First-Round TE Kenyon Sadiq
The Jets now have the second of their three first-round picks under contract. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq has signed his fully guaranteed rookie deal, the team announced. As the 16th overall pick, Sadiq will earn approximately $22.34MM.
This year’s draft saw 22 tight ends come off the board, but Sadiq was the lone first-rounder of the bunch. The 6-foot-3, 241-pounder played three years at Oregon, where he enjoyed a breakout junior season in 2025. Sadiq hauled in 51 passes for 560 yards and eight touchdowns en route to Big Ten Tight End of the Year honors. He was also a second-team All-American.
Sadiq’s stock was already high when Oregon’s season ended, but he improved it with a scintillating performance at the Combine. The 21-year-old cemented himself as a first-round lock when he ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds) of any tight end since at least 2003. He also paced the position in the 10-yard split and finished second in the vertical jump, broad jump and bench press.
The Jets, who entered the draft in dire need of pass-catching help, are banking on the athletically gifted Sadiq emerging as a key weapon in new coordinator Frank Reich‘s offense. Sadiq will join 2025 second-rounder Mason Taylor, who was a bright spot in a rough year for the team, as well as Jeremy Ruckert as New York’s tight ends. Sadiq, Taylor, No. 1 wide receiver Garrett Wilson, first-round wideout Omar Cooper Jr. (pick No. 30) and WR Adonai Mitchell form a respectable-looking collection of pass catchers on paper.
Sadiq is the first member of the Jets’ eight-player draft class to put pen to paper on his rookie deal. Edge defender David Bailey, the second overall pick, is the headliner of the group.
Giants Add Six Undrafted Free Agents
After picking seven rookies in this year’s draft, the Giants announced six more new additions on Thursday. Here is their undrafted class:
- Anquin Barnes Jr., DT (Colorado)
- Ben Barten, DT (Wisconsin)
- Thaddeus Dixon, CB (North Carolina)
- Ben Mann, LS (Boston College)
- Ryan Schernecke, OL (Kutztown)
- Dominic Zvada, K (Michigan)
As part of his final pre-draft rankings, Dane Brugler of The Athletic placed Dixon and Zvada among the top 300 prospects available. Dixon, who checked in at No. 196, divided the previous three years between Washington and North Carolina. Primarily an outside corner, Dixon had two interceptions and 16 passes defensed in 27 games with the Huskies. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder transferred to UNC to play under legendary head coach and defensive guru Bill Belichick in 2025.
“He could probably play any position in the secondary,” Belichick said of Dixon (via Brugler).
Unfortunately for Dixon and Belichick, an upper-body injury limited the defender to seven games last year. Dixon went without an interception, but he racked up six PDs as a Tar Heel.
Zvada, No. 257 on Brugler’s list, began his college career at Arkansas State. During his run there from 2022-23, Zvada connected on 34 of 40 field goal tries (85%) and all but one of his 72 extra-point attempts. After transferring to Michigan in 2024, he enjoyed his best college season. Zvada hit 21 of 22 field goals (95.5%) and 26 of 27 PATs. He was a first-team All-American who also took home Big Ten Kicker of the Year honors.
Last season did not go as smoothly for Zvada, who converted a personal-worst 68% of field goals (17 of 25). However, he was successful on all 43 PATs. He will now face an uphill battle to earn a roster spot in New York, which signed former Dolphin Jason Sanders in free agency and also has Ben Sauls as a holdover from last year.
Schernecke will attempt to become the eighth Kutztown alumnus to play in the NFL. The Pennsylvania-based school produced former Bills receiver Andre Reed, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Panthers Sign 10 UDFAs
In addition to signing the majority of their draft picks today, the Panthers also added a handful of undrafted players to their rookie class. The team announced the signing of 10 UDFAs:
- Haynes King, QB (Georgia Tech)
- Jaylon Guilbeau, CB (Texas)
- Aaron Hall, DT (Duke)
- Isaia Glass, OT (Vanderbilt)
- Cam Miller, CB (Rutgers)
- Parker Peterson, DT (Wisconsin)
- Kobe Prentice, WR (Baylor)
- Albert Reese, OT (Mississippi State)
- Devonta Smith, CB (Notre Dame)
- Isaiah Smith, LB (SMU)
The team also noted that Coastal Carolina wide receiver Malick Meiga is expected to sign a contract and join the Panthers next week. The signing of Haynes King was reported shortly after the draft concluded.
Aaron Hall got a chunk of money to catch on with the franchise. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that the Duke defensive lineman got a $25K signing bonus plus $247.5K of his base salary guaranteed. Hall transformed into one of Duke’s most dependable defenders over the past three years. Between 2023 and 2025, the defensive tackle tallied 7.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 111 tackles.
Besides Tetairoa McMillan, the Panthers still lack convincing depth at wide receiver, making Kobe Prentice an intriguing addition by the Panthers. The Baylor wideout never truly broke out during his time at Alabama, leading to him transferring to Baylor for the 2025 campaign. His performance with his new squad also left some to be desired, as he finished the year with only 26 catches for 380 yards. Notably, he did haul in six touchdowns.
Colts Release S Nasir Adderley
Slot cornerback Kenny Moore was not the only defender the Colts parted with on Thursday. The team also announced that it released safety Nasir Adderley and waived linebacker John Bullock.
This ends a short stay in Indianapolis for Adderley, who came out of a three-year retirement to sign with the club on April 14. The move briefly reunited the former Charger with Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who was on Los Angeles’ staff during Adderley’s first two seasons.
After a standout career at Delaware, Adderley joined the Chargers as a second-round pick (60th overall) in 2019. He played in just four games during an injury-shortened rookie year, but Adderley emerged as a full-time starter in his second season.
From 2020-22, Adderley amassed 44 starts in 46 games and totaled three interceptions. He paired with star safety Derwin James for two of those seasons. After picking off a personal-best two passes and ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 36th-best safety in ’22, Adderley unexpectedly hung up his cleats in lieu of pursuing a contract in free agency.
Now that the Colts have gone in another direction, it is unclear if Adderley will continue his comeback attempt. For the Colts’ part, Adderley’s release should not have much of an effect on their safety depth, as they added third-rounder A.J. Haulcy in the draft. He may start next to Cam Bynum as a rookie and replace Nick Cross, who signed with the Commanders in free agency. Indianapolis also counts Hunter Wohler and free agent pickups Juanyeh Thomas and Jonathan Owens among its safety options.
Bullock, 25, joined the Colts as a waiver claim from the Buccaneers in the first week of January. Despite going undrafted last year, the Nebraska product played in 15 of the Buccaneers’ games as a rookie. Bullock was on the field for just five defensive plays, but he ranked fourth on the Bucs in special teams snap share (56.98%).
Panthers Sign First-Round OT Monroe Freeling
With the Panthers set to begin rookie minicamp tomorrow, the team has signed a handful of their draft picks. The team announced the signing of six rookies today, including first-round offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.
The Panthers reportedly entered the first round with a “tackle or bust” mentality, and they landed one of the draft’s top positional prospects in Freeling. The Georgia product exclusively played left tackle during his collegiate career, including a 2025 campaign where he earned second-team All-SEC honors. Freeling possesses the length and athleticism that teams seek from their LTs, although scouts did note that he needs to add some weight to compete in the NFL.
The Freeling selection could also lead to some interesting roster decisions for the franchise. The team is returning longtime RT Taylor Moton and is still rostering LT Ikem Ekwonu on a fifth-year option. Ekwonu is set to miss the beginning of the 2026 season, but the team seemingly filled that temporary hole by signing Rasheed Walker to a one-year deal worth just $4MM. Depth is never a bad thing, but it will be interesting to see how the OL ultimately shakes out, and the team’s surplus of OTs could potentially lead to some moves.
The team’s other signings today included:
- Round 3, No. 83: Chris Brazzell II (WR, Tennessee)
- Round 4, No. 129 (from Bears): Will Lee III (CB, Texas A&M)
- Round 5, No. 144 (from Titans via Panthers): Sam Hecht (C, Kansas State)
- Round 5, No. 151 (from Dolphins): Zakee Wheatley (S, Penn State)
- Round 7, No. 227 (from Dolphins): Jackson Kuwatch (LB, Miami (OH))
This leaves the Panthers with only one unsigned draft pick: second-round DT Lee Hunter. While it’s notable that the Texas Tech product wasn’t included among the team’s other signings, there’s a chance he quickly inks his deal to be in attendance for tomorrow’s minicamp.
Buccaneers Sign Round 1 EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
Rueben Bain Jr. was not viewed as likely to be available at No. 15. The Buccaneers were believed to have given the Miami defensive end a top-five grade on their board. Tampa Bay entered the draft in need of EDGE help, and the team exited Round 1 with one of the top prospects at the position.
The Bucs have made quick work of signing Bain to his rookie contract. The sides agreed to terms on Bain’s first-round slot deal Thursday, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Bain’s deal comes fully guaranteed — worth $22.79MM — and will include a fifth-year option for the 2030 season.
[RELATED: Bucs Exercise DL Calijah Kancey’s Fifth-Year Option]
Tampa Bay was in the Trey Hendrickson market, something GM Jason Licht confirmed this week, and pursued Jonathan Greenard via trade. but ended up with a lower-cost option (Al-Quadin Muhammad — at one year and $4MM) in free agency. As Muhammad profiled as a stopgap alongside contract-year rusher YaYa Diaby, the Bucs now have Bain in place as a high-end developmental option behind the veterans. Diaby is an extension candidate, and Bain’s rookie deal would complement a second contract for the team’s top incumbent edge rusher nicely.
Linked to trading down from No. 15, the Bucs were “over the moon” to come away with Bain in that spot. Bain was mentioned as a candidate to go in the top 10, but potential EDGE-seeking teams Kansas City and New Orleans went in different directions.
An arm-length issue, albeit one that may not have been as clear-cut as it seemed, impacted Bain’s draft stock. He was also involved in a car accident in which one of the passengers in the vehicle he was driving died. The latter issue did not bring charges, only a careless driving citation, and it was not believed to have much effect on the ex-Hurricane’s perception among teams entering the draft; teams had known about the incident for longer than the public.
Diaby hit as a third-round pick for the Bucs, but the team has not seen a player eclipse eight sacks in a season since Shaquil Barrett‘s 2021 campaign. The team whiffed on first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, and its 2025 Haason Reddick free agency addition did not work out. Diaby’s seven sacks paced the Bucs last season; no one else reached the five-sack mark. That has been a theme for Tampa Bay in recent years, even as Vita Vea has been one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles in this span.
Bain, 21, registered 7.5 sacks as a freshman in 2023 and tallied 9.5 to help Miami reach the CFP championship game. Bain racked up 15.5 tackles for loss last season, earning All-America acclaim. While an edge rusher by trade, Bain worked as an inside disruptor at points for the Hurricanes as well. That would give Tampa Bay some options.
The Chiefs were believed to view Bain as their backup plan to Mansoor Delane, but Kansas City left Bain on the board when Cleveland greenlit a trade that sent the draft’s top cornerback prospect to Missouri. Staying in Florida, Bain will attempt to give the Bucs a dependable edge-rushing presence after falling to 15.
Bears, C Garrett Bradbury Agree To Restructure
In the aftermath of Drew Dalman‘s retirement, the Bears found themselves in need of a veteran center. Chicago was among the teams which showed free agent interest in Tyler Linderbaum, but the trade route wound up being taken.
The Bears swung a deal with the Patriots for Garrett Bradbury in March. That acquisition gave Chicago a new starter for 2026, the final year of Bradbury’s contract. The ex-Vikings veteran’s deal has been revised recently.
A restructure has been worked out between team and player in this case, as detailed by Spotrac. Bradbury has seen $1MM in incentives converted into a guarantee. As a result, he is now owed $3.7MM in locked-in base salary. Bradbury can collect an additional $1MM through workout and per-game roster bonuses. He will carry a cap charge of $4.7MM in 2026.
Chicago still has 2025 trade acquisitions Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson in place at the guard positions. Right tackle Darnell Wright remains under team control for another two seasons with 2027 marking his fifth-year option campaign. The left tackle spot, by contrast, is much less certain. It remains to be seen if Ozzy Trapilo will able to play in 2026, so Braxton Jones or recent addition Jedrick Wills could see notable time on the blindside next season.
Regardless of how things play out on that front, Bradbury will spend the summer aiming to cement his first-team status. The Bears drafted Logan Jones in the second round, making him the team’s planned long-term option at the center spot. For now, though, Bradbury is in place. His Bears deal now includes a bump in guarantees, pointing further to his importance for 2026.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/5/26
Only one NFL team finalized a 2026 draft pick signing on Wednesday:
Denver Broncos
- TE Dallen Bentley (seventh round, Utah)
Bentley was the second-to-last pick in the draft, leaving him one spot away from the Mr. Irrelevant title that went to new teammate Red Murdock instead. His four-year rookie contract is worth just over $4.5MM, per OverTheCap, though the only guaranteed portion is a roughly $123k signing bonus.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/5/26
Today’s mid- to late-round rookie signings from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Denver Broncos
- LB Red Murdock (seventh round, Buffalo)
Kansas City Chiefs
- RB Emmett Johnson (fifth round, Nebraska)
The Broncos have secured the signature of Mr. Irrelevant who received a $122K signing bonus, per Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. Johnson joins a crowded backfield in Kansas City, where he’ll work for reps behind free agent addition — and Super Bowl LX MVP — Kenneth Walker, all the time competing against another free agent signing in Emari Demercado and last year’s draft pick, Brashard Smith.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/5/26
Here are Tuesday’s NFL minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: T Trevonte Sylvester
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: G Sidney Fugar
Miami Dolphins
- Received international exemption: TE Seydou Traore
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OLB Isiah King
- Reverted to IR: S Tucker Large
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Reverted to IR: S Daequan Hardy
The Ravens and Cowboys opted to cut two linemen from their recently signed undrafted free agent classes, while the Steelers and Eagles both made moves to waive their safeties with an injury designation then revert them to injured reserve. For as long as they are on IR during the offseason, they will not count against the team’s 90-man roster limit.
Traore will also not count against Miami’s 90-man limit; the team’s fifth-round pick out of Mississippi State was born in France but raised in London before moving to Florida in an attempt to play college ball. He earned a scholarship offer from Arkansas State, where he played for two years before transferring to the Bulldogs.
Replacing the UDFA they reverted to IR, the Eagles have added King, a versatile linebacker, after he went undrafted out of Idaho. A two-year starter for the Vandals, King split his time fairly evenly last year between the box, the slot, and the edge.