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Seahawks Sign Freddie Swain 

June 8th, 2020 at 6:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have signed rookie wide receiver Freddie Swain according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In accordance with his sixth-round draft slot, Swain is set to earn $3.424MM over the course of his four-year deal.

The Seahawks nabbed Swain with the No. 214 overall pick, adding to the team’s already tight competition at wide receiver. It’s a group headlined by Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, and Phillip Dorsett with two or maybe three spots up for grabs on the 53-man roster. Swain will battle with David Moore, John Ursua – a 2019 pick who topped 1,343 yards in his final year at Hawaii, and a number of UDFAs for a place on the depth chart.

Swain, a Florida product, first made a name for himself as a return specialist. Last year, he showed off his pass-catching abilities, notching 38 catches for 527 yards and a Gators-high seven touchdowns.

With Swain signed, the Seahawks are left with six unsigned rookies from their 2020 draft class. Here’s the full rundown, via PFR’s tracker:

1-27: Jordyn Brooks, LB (Texas Tech)
2-48: Darrell Taylor, OLB (Tennessee)
3-69: Damien Lewis, G (LSU)
4-133: Colby Parkinson, TE (Stanford): Signed
4-144: DeeJay Dallas, RB (Miami)
5-148: Alton Robinson, DE (Syracuse)
6-214: Freddie Swain, WR (Florida): Signed
7-251: Stephen Sullivan, TE (LSU)

Chiefs Cut WR Felton Davis

June 6th, 2020 at 2:49pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have released wide receiver Felton Davis with a non-football injury designation, per the league’s official transactions page. The release will free up a spot on the roster for defensive back Andrew Soroh, who was re-signed on Friday.

[RELATED: Latest On Chiefs, Chris Jones]

Davis first joined the Chiefs last year as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State. Unfortunately, injuries have held him back in recent years and, if not for an Achilles tear in his senior year, he likely would have been drafted in 2019.

Davis put himself on the NFL’s radar with 55 catches for 776 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior, setting the table for an even stronger senior year. Davis saw the field for just six games and still managed a 31/474/4 line for the year. The athletic 6’4″ receiver was viewed as a high-upside UDFA pickup for KC at the time, but the injury bug reared its head again. In the team’s final preseason game, Davis suffered a shoulder injury, sending him to the injured reserve list.

His nature of his latest injury is unclear, but it sounds like it’ll be a while before Davis can pursue his next opportunity. The Chiefs, meanwhile, will have to evaluate other options behind wide receivers Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman, and Demarcus Robinson. Byron Pringle, Maurice Ffrench, and Gehrig Dieter are among those battling for the final one or two spots in the group.

Chiefs Re-Sign DB Andrew Soroh

June 5th, 2020 at 2:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Andrew Soroh will return to the Chiefs, according to agent David Canter (via Twitter). Soroh hinted at a new deal in late April, but it appears that talk might have been premature. Either way, the defensive back has himself a new deal for 2020 with KC.

[RELATED: Looking Back At Jeremy Maclin’s Release]

Soroh joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent last year, but he missed the final cut to the 53-man roster. After that, he moved on to the short-lived XFL 2.0, where he appeared in a handful of games for the New York Guardians.

Now, Soroh will push to make the team as a reserve behind starting safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill. His spot is far from guaranteed, but there could be an opportunity as Thornhill works his way back from offseason ACL surgery. It’s also worth noting that the Chiefs didn’t draft any safeties in April and seventh-round cornerback Thakarius Keyes represented their only pick for the secondary.

Packers Sign Jon Runyan Jr.

June 5th, 2020 at 1:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers signed sixth-round guard Jon Runyan Jr., according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Michigan product is, of course, the son of longtime NFL tackle Jon Runyan. 

The younger Runyan was the first of three linemen selected by the Packers in the sixth-round. After calling his name at No. 192 overall, they nabbed Oregon center Jake Hanson (No. 208) and Indiana tackle Simon Stepaniak (Indiana). With Runyan, Stepaniak, and seventh-rounders Vernon Scott and Jonathan Garvin under contract, the Packers still have five rookies left to sign from this year’s class.

Like his dad, Runyan has a pro-ready build for the tackle position. He stands at 6’4″ and 307 pounds, a few inches shorter than his pops but only ~20 pounds lighter.

Here’s the full rundown of the Packers’ class, via PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft Tracker:

1-26: Jordan Love, QB (Utah State)
2-62: A.J. Dillon, RB (Boston College)
3-94: Josiah Deguara, TE (Cincinnati)
5-175: Kamal Martin, LB (Minnesota)
6-192: Jon Runyan, G (Michigan): Signed
6-208: Jake Hanson, C (Oregon)
6-209: Simon Stepaniak, T (Indiana): Signed
7-236: Vernon Scott, S (TCU): Signed
7-242: Jonathan Garvin, DE (Miami): Signed

Panthers Release TE Seth DeValve

June 3rd, 2020 at 5:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have released tight end Seth DeValve with a non-football injury designation, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com.

Signed to a one-year deal by Carolina in March, DeValve theoretically could have played a role with the Panthers had he been able to stick on the roster. Carolina released franchise icon Greg Olsen earlier this year, leaving Ian Thomas as the top tight end on the Panthers’ depth chart.

DeValve, 27, played the most snaps of any tight end in Jacksonville last year, but caught only 12 passes for 140 yards in an offense that didn’t prioritize the tight end. Prior to joining the Jaguars, DeValve spent three seasons with the Browns. The Princeton product’s best campaign came in 2017, when he managed 33 receptions for 395 yards.

DeValve inked a veteran minimum pact with the Panthers, so Carolina is only on the hook for $137K in dead money. Meanwhile, DeValve will hit a free agent tight end market that also includes Delanie Walker, Jordan Reed, and Geoff Swaim.

Seahawks Sign TE Colby Parkinson

June 3rd, 2020 at 10:38am CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have officially signed fourth-round tight end Colby Parkinson, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. With that, the Stanford product has become the first Seattle draft pick to put pen to paper this year.

Parkinson will now vie for time in the Seahawks’ crowded tight end room, alongside vets Greg Olsen, Will Dissly, Luke Willson, and Jacob Hollister. Heading into the draft, the Seahawks seemed well set at the position, but GM John Schneider opted for insurance and future potential. In Seattle, Parkinson will over a safety net for the oft-injured Dissly and, eventually, could emerge as one of their primary tight ends. Olsen, Hollister, and Willson are all set for free agency after the 2020 season and Olsen could very well retire before 2021.

Parkinson put himself on the map at Stanford with a strong 2018 and seven touchdowns. Last year, he set new career bests with 48 grabs for 589 yards, though he only scored once.

The Seahawks still have some work to do in their draft class, including the signing of their other Day 3 tight end. Here’s the full rundown of their class, courtesy of PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft Tracker:

1-27: Jordyn Brooks, LB (Texas Tech)
2-48: Darrell Taylor, OLB (Tennessee)
3-69: Damien Lewis, G (LSU)
4-133: Colby Parkinson, TE (Stanford): Signed
4-144: DeeJay Dallas, RB (Miami)
5-148: Alton Robinson, DE (Syracuse)
6-214: Freddie Swain, WR (Florida)
7-251: Stephen Sullivan, TE (LSU)

Texans Call Off Timmy Jernigan Deal

June 3rd, 2020 at 8:59am CST by Zachary Links

Timmy Jernigan won’t be joining the Texans after all. Just a couple months after agreeing to a one-year deal, the defensive tackle announced on Instagram that he will not be heading to Houston.

Jernigan, who has had health issues in the past, never passed a physical with the team, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle hears. However, a league source tells Wilson that the defensive tackle has since been medically cleared by Dr. Robert Watkins.

Jernigan missed the bulk of the 2018 season and a good chunk of games last year. In ’18, a back injury and subsequent surgery to fix a herniated disk put Jernigan on the sideline. In ’19, he missed time with a broken foot. Before that, the former Ravens second-round pick totaled 13 sacks and 35 quarterback hits in three years with Baltimore.

Despite the injuries, the Texans saw a value opportunity in the 27-year-old (28 in September). They agreed to a one-year, $3.75MM deal with $1.25MM guaranteed, far less than the four-year, $48MM extension he got from the Eagles in the not-too-distant past. With the Texans, Jernigan could have had a tremendous platform to restore his value – he was slated to play alongside J.J. Watt on a defensive line that saw standout D.J. Reader leave in free agency.

Jets Sign Rookie CB Bryce Hall

June 2nd, 2020 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have signed fifth-round cornerback Bryce Hall, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). In accordance with his slot, Hall will receive a four-year deal worth about $3.6MM with a $315K signing bonus.

Hall notched five interceptions and 38 passes defended over the course of his four-year career. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to really build on those totals in his final year on campus. In October, Hall suffered a serious ankle injury and had to be carted off of the field. Before that, Pro Football Focus rated Hall as the nation’s top cornerback in the 2018 season. Had he declared for the draft one year early, Hall would have gone much earlier – the Jets see him as a potential Day 3 steal.

Hall is the first member of the Jets’ draft class to agree to terms. With the Virginia product in the fold, they’ve got eight more rookies to go, as shown in PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft tracker:

1-11: Mekhi Becton, T (Louisville)
2-59: Denzel Mims, WR (Baylor)
3-68: Ashtyn Davis, S (California)
3-79: Jabari Zuniga, DE (Florida)
4-120: Lamical Perine, RB (Florida)
4-125: James Morgan, QB (Florida International)
4-129: Cameron Clark, OT (Charlotte)
5-158: Bryce Hall, CB (Virginia): Signed
6-191: Braden Mann, P (Texas A&M)

Dolphins Sign Rookie RB Malcolm Perry

June 2nd, 2020 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins have signed seventh-round pick Malcolm Perry, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The fleet-footed quarterback out of Navy is expected to play running back as a pro. 

Last year, Perry racked up 2,017 yards for the Midshipmen, who run a variation of the triple-option. He was listed as a QB, but Perry only threw for ~1,000 yards in 2019 while spending a good chunk of snaps in the “A-back position” – in essence, that means lining up as a running back.

Perry’s versatility should come in handy for the Dolphins, though they’ll have to carve out practice reps as a receiver. The feeling is that Perry’s athleticism will lend itself well to WR assignments, but he had just 22 catches in college and zero receptions last year.

The Dolphins have now inked the majority of their gargangtuan draft class. Here’s the full rundown, via PFR’s tracker:

1-5: Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Alabama): Signed
1-18: Austin Jackson, T (Miami)
1-30: Noah Igbinoghene, CB (Auburn)
2-39: Robert Hunt, OL (Louisiana)
2-56: Raekwon Davis, DL (Alabama): Signed
3-70: Brandon Jones, S (Texas): Signed
4-111: Solomon Kindley, OL (Georgia): Signed
5-154: Jason Strowbridge, DT (UNC): Signed
5-164: Curtis Weaver, DE (Boise State): Signed
6-185: Blake Ferguson, LS (LSU): Signed
7-246: Malcolm Perry, WR/RB (Navy): Signed

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