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Packers Sign Round 2 LB Edgerrin Cooper

May 23rd, 2024 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers have drafted two off-ball linebackers in the first two rounds since 2022, with Edgerrin Cooper following Quay Walker to Wisconsin. This represents a shift for the team, one in line to have some talented prospects manning its defensive second level.

Saying goodbye to De’Vondre Campbell (via release) after three years this offseason, the Packers brought in Cooper with the No. 45 overall pick. That draft slot comes with at least two years guaranteed and either all or part of Year 3 locked in. While it remains to be seen how well Cooper did in terms of 2026 guarantees, the Texas A&M product signed to his four-year rookie deal Thursday.

Walker marked the Packers’ first non-rush linebacker chosen in the first or second round since A.J. Hawk in 2006. After a run of Day 3 LBs — with Oren Burks the only third-rounder chosen from 2007-21 — Green Bay is placing a higher priority on this position. It should certainly be expected — provided Cooper proves ready — the team is eyeing multiple seasons with Walker and Cooper as three-down ‘backers.

The Pack also backstopped the Cooper addition with a third-round linebacker investment as well, taking Ty’ron Hopper out of Missouri. New DC Jeff Hafley will have some options at the position. Walker’s rookie contract runs through 2025, while a fifth-year option — though, teams have been passing on ILB options as of late — could take the deal through 2026. Cooper and Hopper will be signed through 2027.

This year’s first off-ball LB chosen, Cooper headlined a modest crop at the position. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, however, placed Cooper as a first-round prospect, slotting him 26th overall. Cooper earned first-team All-American honors last season, delivering a versatile finale with the Aggies. He paired 84 tackles with eight sacks and 17 tackles for loss. A productive blitzer, Cooper also fared well in coverage and finished the 2023 season with two forced fumbles.

Green Bay added fifth- and sixth-round picks to move down four spots in Round 2, sending the No. 41 overall pick to New Orleans. As the Saints attempt to develop Kool-Aid McKinstry, the Packers will bank on Cooper becoming an early-career starter

Cards Sign Round 1 WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

May 23rd, 2024 at 2:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marvin Harrison Jr. will enter Cardinals training camp as the team’s highest-ceiling wide receiver prospect in 20 years. This year’s No. 4 overall pick will not carry any contract drama into Arizona’s minicamp; the team signed its top draft choice Thursday.

The Ohio State prospect, who is following his father as a first-round NFL draft choice, will be tied to a fully guaranteed rookie deal that runs through 2027. Viewed as one of the highest-floor WR prospects to ever enter the draft, Harrison can be kept through 2028 on this contract via the fifth-year option. It is a $35.37MM deal.

With none of the quarterbacks chosen in the top three signed yet, Harrison is the first of this year’s top-five draftees to ink his rookie contract. The fifth-year option was not in place when Larry Fitzgerald signed his rookie deal in 2004, though the future Hall of Famer lasted quite a bit longer with the team, playing 17 seasons. Marvin Harrison Sr. played 13 in the NFL — all with the Colts. High expectations will be placed on the Hall of Famer’s son.

With Kyler Murray locked in as the team’s starting quarterback, the Cardinals were closely tied to trading down from No. 4. Arizona’s draft slot was viewed as a place QB-seeking teams could jump to for one of the non-Caleb Williams/Jayden Daniels prospects. Drake Maye generated extensive trade interest, as it turned out, with the Giants and Vikings offering the Patriots future first-rounders for their No. 3 draft slot. Interest in the other QBs did not lead to similar aggression, and the Cardinals — after trading down from No. 3 overall last year — stayed at 4 and selected their new WR1. Close Cards connections to Harrison emerged well before Round 1.

The Cardinals received at least two trade offers to move off No. 4, but GM Monti Ossenfort said no proposal was strong enough to convince the team to move out of Harrison range. Had the Cardinals traded down to No. 6 (via the Giants), they would have risked losing Harrison. Moving to 11 (the Vikings’ slot) would have all but certainly sent the second-generation WR prospect elsewhere. Carrying major questions at receiver going into the draft, the Cards will plug Harrison into their lineup. The 6-foot-4 talent will be expected to become Arizona’s top receiver as a rookie.

Arizona released DeAndre Hopkins last May and, despite talks about re-signing Marquise Brown, let the 2022 trade acquisition (and ex-Murray Oklahoma teammate) walk in free agency. The team has since added veteran starter Zay Jones to team with 2023 third-rounder Michael Wilson, but Harrison is the clear centerpiece of the rebuilding club’s receiving corps.

While some teams viewed Malik Nabers as a higher-ceiling prospect and a more explosive player, Harrison checks just about every box. Harrison carried a high enough pedigree as a prospect he was able to pass on Combine participation and pro day work. The Harrison camp’s plan featured training for an NFL offseason program, not pre-draft workouts. Few prospects can pull off this itinerary; Harrison being able to — and seeing it not dock his draft stock — illustrates the league’s view of his potential.

A crisp route runner who brings a desired size-speed combination, Harrison averaged north of 16 yards per reception in 2022 and ’23. With a hamstring injury shutting down Jaxon Smith-Njigba for longer than expected in 2022, Harrison broke through and became the Buckeyes’ go-to weapon. He totaled 14 touchdown catches in both 2022 and ’23, topping 1,200 receiving yards in both seasons. Viewed as this draft’s top wideout prospect for months ahead of the event, Harrison will get to work on establishing a rapport with Murray ahead of Drew Petzing‘s second season as Cards OC.

Steelers Sign RB La’Mical Perine

May 23rd, 2024 at 12:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

La’Mical Perine has not needed to wait long to find his next opportunity. The former Chiefs running back was let go last week, but the Steelers announced on Thursday he has been signed.

Perine entered the league as a Jets fourth-rounder. He played sparingly on offense between the 2020 and ’21 seasons, receiving just 72 carries during that time. That was followed by short-lived stints with the Eagles and Dolphins, but his next regular season action came in 2023 with the Chiefs. Perine mainly served as a special-teamer during Kansas City’s run to a second straight Super Bowl title.

The Chiefs did not draft a running back this year, but the team nevertheless let Perine go. That has led to questions about how they will fill out their backfield depth chart during the summer, but the 26-year-old will again be joining a RB room with the top two spots accounted for. Pittsburgh has Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren as returnees from last year. Both are pending free agents, but they are each positioned to once again handle a notable workload.

The Steelers added Cordarrelle Patterson this offseason in large part based on his prowess as a returner. He could serve as a third running back contributor as well, though. The team also added Jonathan Ward earlier this week, and he too will be competing for the RB3 role during training camp. Perine will provide Pittsburgh with another option in that regard.

The latter made one start last season, a regular season finale in which Kansas City sat several starters. Perine received all but one of his 22 carries on the season during that game; with only 14 career receptions, the Florida product does not profile as a pass-catching specialist on the Steelers or any other team. A special teams role therefore represents Perine’s likeliest path to playing time in Pittsburgh.

Eagles Sign WR John Ross

May 23rd, 2024 at 12:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

John Ross took part in the Eagles’ rookie minicamp, and his performance has earned him an extended look. The veteran receiver signed with Philadelphia on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Ross retired last summer, but he attempted a comeback in November. Without having found playing time at the end of the 2023 campaign, he has not played a regular season game since 2021. The 28-year-old will attempt to carve out a roster spot with the Eagles as they sort out the back of their WR depth chart.

Philadelphia is set in terms of starting spots with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Both wideouts signed lucrative new deals this offseason, and they will be counted on to remain the focal points of the team’s passing game in 2024 and beyond. The Eagles lost Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency, which required the addition of new secondary contributors.

One of those is Parris Campbell, who inked a one-year deal in March. The former Colt had an underwhelming single campaign with the Giants last year, and he will spend the offseason trying to lock down a role in the Eagles’ offense. The same was presumed to be true of DeVante Parker, but he announced his retirement earlier this week.

Ross will now attempt to take advantage of the opportunity created by Parker’s absence. The former is best remembered for his 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 Combine. That performance led to Ross hearing his name called ninth overall, but he struggled during his four-year tenure with the Bengals. The Washington product played a single season as a Giant after his rookie contract expired, but that effort likewise did not yield notable production. To little surprise, Ross has been unable to find a permanent home since.

This agreement will no doubt represent nothing more than a one-year flier on the part of the Eagles. If he performs during the summer and can remain healthy, Ross could provide the team with a deep threat at the receiver spot. If not, Philadelphia will again need to turn elsewhere for depth options ahead of the start of the season.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/22/24

May 22nd, 2024 at 8:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s draft pick signings:

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A knee injury limited Smith to only one game during his first season at Georgia, and the former West Virginia standout saw a part-time role in 2022. However, the defensive back put himself firmly on the NFL radar with a strong 2023 campaign where he finished with 70 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and four interceptions. The rookie is currently penciled in as Tampa Bay’s starting nickelback.

Johnson finished his four-year career with the Nittany Lions having hauled in 77 catches for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns. With Darren Waller still flirting with retirement, the rookie tight end could end up seeing a role in New York in 2024. Johnson will be competing with the likes of Daniel Bellinger, Jack Stoll, Chris Manhertz, and Lawrence Cager for playing time.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/22/24

May 22nd, 2024 at 7:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Earnest Brown was a fifth-round pick by the Rams back in 2021. He collected 14 tackles in 12 games through his first two seasons in Los Angeles, but he didn’t get into a single game with the big-league club during the 2023 campaign. He wasn’t retained via a futures contract this offseason, allowing him to catch on with the 49ers. He was waived by San Francisco earlier this month.

He’ll be taking the roster spot previously held by Patrick Laird, who spent the past two seasons on Tampa Bay’s practice squad. The former UDFA previously got into 37 games for the Dolphins between 2019 and 2021, collecting 533 yards from scrimmage. The Buccaneers added a pair of undrafted running backs in D.J. Williams and Ramon Jefferson, so the team may prefer to opt for a rookie on the taxi squad.

Ravens Cut DL Bravvion Roy

May 22nd, 2024 at 6:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Bravvion Roy is hitting free agency. The veteran defensive lineman’s contract was terminated by the Ravens today, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.

Roy joined the Ravens last August and spent the entire 2023 campaign on Baltimore’s practice squad. He was retained via a reserve/futures contract back in January, but now he’ll have to look elsewhere for his next gig.

The Baylor product was a sixth-round pick by the Panthers in 2020, a move that reunited him with college coach Matt Rhule. The defensive lineman had a significant role despite his late-round draft stock, starting nine of his 15 appearances as a rookie. He collected a career-high 30 tackles during his sophomore campaign before he was limited to a career-low 299 defensive snaps in 2022.

Roy was waived by the Panthers last July and was quickly picked up by the Bears. He was among Chicago’s final roster cuts, leading to him joining the Ravens.

The 27-year-old was already facing an uphill battle to make Baltimore’s roster. The Ravens are set to return their same defensive line arrangement in 2024, but Roy’s release could end up opening a roster spot for former UDFA Rayshad Nichols or current UDFAs Ja’Mion Franklin and C.J. Ravenell.

WR DeVante Parker Announces Retirement

May 22nd, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Ben Levine

MAY 22: The Eagles officially placed Parker on their reserve/retired list Wednesday. Barring a comeback attempt, Parker will wrap his career after seven seasons as a Dolphin, two as a Patriot and two months with the Eagles.

MAY 20: DeVante Parker is calling it a career. After signing with the Eagles earlier this offseason, the veteran wide receiver told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he has decided to retire.

“I want to see my kids, spend quality time with them,” Parker said of his decision. “I want to be there for them whenever I can.”

The former first-round pick spent the first seven seasons of his career in Miami, including a 2019 campaign where he hauled in 72 catches for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns. Parker ultimately finished his Dolphins career having collected 4,727 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. While Parker didn’t necessarily live up to his first-round billing in Miami, he still left the organization ranked top-10 in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

“I also appreciate the Dolphins for drafting me and giving me the opportunity,” Parker told Schefter. “I always will have love for the Dolphins and their organization. And I want to thank all the teams, the Patriots and the Eagles, too. But the Dolphins were the first team, and I really want to thank them.”

Parker was traded to the Patriots ahead of the 2022 campaign and ultimately had two inconsistent seasons in New England. The Patriots’ QB uncertainty limited the wideout to only 933 yards in 26 games with the organization, including this past season where he finished with a career-low 394 receiving yards.

He was released by the Patriots in March and quickly caught on with the Eagles, where he was expected to compete for the third spot on the depth chart behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. With Parker out of the picture, the job is now Parris Campbell‘s to lose. The veteran addition will be competing with the likes of rookie Ainias Smith (fifth round) and Johnny Wilson (sixth round) for reps.

NFL Front Office Updates: Commanders, Chiefs, Patriots

May 21st, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Ely Allen

Former Commanders director of pro personnel Chris Polian is on his way to work under one of his former employees. According to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, Polian, a former vice president and general manager with the Colts, is heading to Cleveland to work under Browns general manager Andrew Berry, who was a scout in Indianapolis under Polian.

Polian will serve as a front office special advisor under Berry. This isn’t the first time Berry has pulled such a move. He previously hired Ryan Grigson, another former Colts general manager, as a Browns personnel advisor in 2020. Grigson is now in Minnesota as the Vikings senior vice president of player personnel.

Pro scout Connor Barringer is also leaving Washington, per Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. While he hasn’t found a new destination, the Commanders’ scout of the past three years marked the end of his tenure with the team on his LinkedIn account.

Here are a few other front office staff updates from around the NFL:

  • The Chiefs originally hired Madison Aponte as a personnel assistant after her stint in the team’s Norma Hunt Training Camp Fellowship Program. As a personnel assistant, Aponte has essentially acted as the team’s de facto college scouting coordinator since the start of the 2022 season. According to Stratton, she has officially been granted that title in addition to a promotion that will make her college scouting coordinator/pro scout.
  • Lastly, the Patriots have promoted Marshall Oium from assistant director of scouting to director of football strategy, per Stratton. Oium has served five years in New England after a four-year stint in the Browns’ front office.

NFC South Front Office Updates: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

May 21st, 2024 at 9:36pm CST by Ely Allen

The changes to NFL front offices continue in the recent aftermath of the NFL draft. For example, the Buccaneers announced a number of promotions in the scouting department recently, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports.

Sean Conley is set to begin a new role as assistant pro director after previously serving as a pro scout. A former recruiting assistant for Northwestern at the collegiate level, Conley has been in Tampa Bay for the last six seasons, serving the last three as a pro scout.

Donovan Cotton joins Conley as assistant pro director. Cotton has been with the Buccaneers for 10 years, spending the last nine seasons as an area scout. He originally broke into the league as a training camp scouting intern for the Packers before working a full-season player personnel internship in Seattle.

Lastly, Zach Smith will go from the NFS/combine scout role he earned two years ago to a college scout. Smith is entering his seventh year with the team.

Here are a few other front office staff updates in the NFC South:

  • The Falcons continue to respect the work done by Michael Ross. After starting in Atlanta as an intern in 2008, Ross has gradually risen through the ranks of the team’s scouting department. According to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com, his most recent promotion grants him the title of assistant director of college scouting.
  • Finally, the Panthers are bringing on a new hire to their scouting department in Colton Chapple, per Stratton. Chapple hasn’t worked in the NFL for the past two years, working in private business during that time, but prior to his absence, he worked nine years in the Browns’ scouting department.
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