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Vikings Sign QB Matt Corral

August 16th, 2024 at 5:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings announced on Friday that quarterback Matt Corral has been signed. To make room on the roster, first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy was placed on IR following his season-ending meniscus surgery.

McCarthy’s injury confirmed Sam Darnold‘s place atop the QB depth chart for Minnesota, but it thinned the team’s number of healthy options behind him. Corral will join Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall in competing for a roster spot. In Corral’s case, of course, his efforts on that front will double as an attempt to return to the NFL.

The 25-year-old entered the league as a third-round pick of the Panthers. A member of 2022’s poorly-regarded quarterback class, Corral suffered a preseason Lisfranc injury and was sidelined for his entire rookie campaign as a result. Carolina brought in Andy Dalton before selecting Bryce Young first overall last offseason, and Corral’s performances in exhibition games were not sufficient to land him a roster spot.

The Panthers intended to keep Corral in the fold via the practice squad, but the Patriots put in a claim and prevented that from happening. The Ole Miss alum’s time in New England proved to be short-lived, though, as he found himself on the exempt/left squad list before being let go in September. No team put in a waiver claim the second time around, leaving him as a free agent. A lack of interest at the NFL level led to a deal with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.

Corral’s decision to sign with the team left him in competition with Adrian Martinez for the starting QB role. The latter went on win league MVP honors while helping lead the Stallions to the inaugural UFL championship (earning himself an NFL audition in the process), but the former did see some game action. Corral made a total of five regular and postseason appearances, including three starts. He posted a 2:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio along with an 81.0 passer rating during that time.

Now, Corral will look to at least earn consideration for a practice squad spot with the McCarthy-less Vikings. He will share snaps with Mullens, who has one year remaining on the $4MM pact he signed in 2023, and Hall, who will be attached to his rookie contract through 2026.

NFL Workout Rumors: Dawkins, Lions, Akers

July 28th, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Ely Allen

The name of recent UFL linebacker Noah Dawkins is starting to make the rounds in NFL camps. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Dawkins worked out recently with both the Cowboys and Bears.

Dawkins’ introduction to the NFL came in 2019 when he signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent following an impressive pro day at The Citadel. He was signed off the team’s practice squad to the Buccaneers active roster, appearing in 10 games without recording any defensive statistics. In the next three years, he spent time with the Jets and Bears.

He spent this past UFL season with the Michigan Panthers, totaling 35 tackles and an interception. He wasn’t part of the initial rush of players from the UFL getting NFL interest, but he seems to be growing in popularity. In addition to his recent workouts, Wilson reports that Dawkins has garnered interest from multiple other teams.

Here are a couple other workout rumors from around the NFL:

  • The Lions entered training camp with one of the league’s more intriguing position battles as Michael Badgley and UFL phenom Jake Bates duked it out for the kicking job in Detroit. The incumbent Badgley was forced out of the battle when he suffered a season-ending hamstring injury on Thursday. Despite this setback, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp isn’t simply handing the job to Bates. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, Fipp and the Lions brought in a slew of legs to compete with Bates this summer including Matt Ammendola, Lucas Havrisik, Matt McCrane, and Andre Szmyt. Bates was shining at points of his viral UFL campaign but got cold down the stretch. After Bates missed three of eight field goal attempts in practice yesterday, per Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman, it makes sense for Fipp to bring in some competition to keep the UFL star honest.
  • Former second-round running back Cam Akers has struggled to find his place in the NFL but recently signed with the Texans for his next opportunity. Interestingly, Wilson notes that, before his successful workout in Houston resulted in a contract, Akers was scheduled for a workout with the Raiders this past week. Akers has his chance now to battle for time behind Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce in Houston, but his chances may have been a bit better in Las Vegas. The Raiders have a few names in Zamir White, Alexander Mattison, and Ameer Abdullah, but White is relatively inexperienced with just four starts to his name, Mattison struggled in his first season of full-time starting duty last season in Minnesota, and Abdullah hasn’t eclipsed 200 yards rushing in a season since 2017. It’s interesting to see Akers sign with Houston when he may have had an opportunity for more playing time with the Raiders.

QB Notes: Tua, Rodgers, Daniels, Steelers

July 24th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa is not holding in, separating the Dolphins‘ top negotiation from multiple others around the NFL. This includes Jordan Love‘s Packers arrangement, which has become a hold-in situation. Despite Tagovailoa having a longer track record than Love, the fifth-year passer went through Dolphins workouts Wednesday. This did come with a notable exception. Tagovailoa took only two reps (both handoffs) in Dolphins team drills to open camp, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s camp workload — absent an extension — would compare to OTAs; the lefty did not go through team drills then or during minicamp. We heard Monday this would likely be the route Tagovailoa takes.

The Dolphins have been negotiating with Tua for months, and while some optimism has emerged, Miami’s QB1 has turned down at least one offer and may have seen the team dig in on a price south of Trevor Lawrence‘s $55MM-per-year deal. Lawrence receiving $142MM may also be much higher than the Dolphins want to go. McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) both sides are “relentlessly” working on this agreement. The parties still have time to hammer out a deal before the season, but the longer this goes, the closer Tua comes to carrying a lofty franchise tag number (upwards of $40MM) on Miami’s 2025 cap sheet.

Here is the latest QB news coming out of training camp:

  • Aaron Rodgers confirmed a trip to Egypt indeed led to his missing minicamp and confirmed the Jets fined him for the unexcused absences. Rodgers has been criticized for a lack of leadership by skipping the offseason’s only mandatory workout, but he said his relationship with Robert Saleh has been unaffected. “I’m an adult; I knew what I was getting into,” Rodgers said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn’t been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was.” Rodgers, who said be based the trip on the Jets’ 2023 offseason schedule, had shown up for OTAs prior to the abrupt — to the public, at least — departure.
  • Jayden Daniels does not have Commanders first-string reps to himself just yet; the No. 2 overall pick is splitting them with free agency addition Marcus Mariota, the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes. While Dan Quinn is labeling this a QB competition, Fortier cautions that Daniels is all but assured of the starting job. This follows a report that pointed to the Commanders indeed feeling no real reason to hold back the 2023 Heisman winner by giving Mariota bridge work.
  • Although the Daniels-Mariota split may deprive the highly touted rookie from early reps, Washington is holding an actual battle for the No. 3 spot. The team is pitting rookie UDFA Sam Hartman against veteran Jeff Driskel, Fortier adds. The former Notre Dame starter, who has a safety net via the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions’ recent draft choice, played behind Driskel to start camp. It is not yet clear if the Commanders plan to keep three QBs, but the winner of this battle would stand to at least be the team’s emergency option in the event only two are rostered.
  • Prior to the USFL and XFL merging, Ben DiNucci played in the former league’s second season and spent last year as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The recent Russell Wilson teammate worked out for the 13-year vet’s new team this week, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the Steelers brought in the veteran. Pittsburgh has Kyle Allen in place behind Wilson and Justin Fields presently.

Seahawks Sign RB Ricky Person Jr.

June 24th, 2024 at 6:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks added to their backfield today. The team announced that they’ve signed running back Ricky Person Jr. to a contract.

After collecting more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage in four seasons at North Carolina State, Person Jr. caught on with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2022. After spending most of his rookie season on the practice squad, the running back joined the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL.

Person played sparingly as a backup in 2023, but he saw a larger role this past season. The running back finished the campaign with six touchdowns, and he notably collected 102 rushing yards in his team’s championship win.

In Seattle, Person will be competing for a bottom-of-the-depth-chart spot behind Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. The newest addition will be going against the likes of 2023 seventh-round pick Kenny McIntosh and undrafted rookies George Holani and Kobe Lewis.

The team also announced that they’ve waived a trio of undrafted rookies. The grouping includes cornerback Ro Torrence, defensive end Rason Williams, and running back TaMerik Williams.

UFL To Return In 2025

June 21st, 2024 at 10:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

This spring marked the inaugural season of the United Football League, the organization which came about following the merger of the XFL and USFL. Year 2 of its operation will consist of a repeat of its debut.

The UFL was comprised of eight teams playing a 10-week regular season schedule in 2024. That format ultimately resulted in the Birmingham Stallions – champions of the USFL’s final two campaigns – winning the first ever UFL title. They will be positioned to defend their crown with the same group of challengers for at least one more season. UFL executive VP of football operations Daryl Johnston confirmed (via Fox Sports’ Eric Williams) the UFL will return in 2025 with the same teams and locations in operation as last year.

“We are going to be able to dial into the details,” Johnston said. “We’re going to have a traditional offseason calendar where we can be ahead of the curve instead of being in a position where we have to chase it a little bit. I think that’s something that everyone’s excited about.”

With an average of 43.7 total points per game in 2024, the UFL slightly outpaced the scoring output of the XFL and USFL from last season. Williams notes the UFL saw a 34% jump in television ratings compared to 2023 viewership of the two former leagues heading into the championship game. Attendance remained strong in St. Louis with an average of more than 34,000 fans attending Battlehawks games, but the league’s other markets struggled in that regard. Continuity will be aimed at developing a consistent following in the other markets.

“With our home markets, we’ve got to build that trust there – that we’re not going to leave or [that] the league isn’t going to fold,” Johnston added. “We’ve got a couple cities that historically have been a part of spring football, they’ve committed to a team and that team has left… We’ve still got some trust to build in our home markets.

“I think we were selling tickets for the home opener in Houston seven days out and in Michigan seven days out. Last year was getting the merger completed, getting everything in place and then putting the season together. This year, we’ve already been planning for season two of the UFL nine months out.”

A number of UFL players have quickly landed deals with NFL teams in recent days, with the spring league serving as an opportunity for players to establish or re-build their value for prospective NFL employers. Experimenting with new rules and technology is another facet of the UFL’s operation, and developments on that front could continue into the future if the league manages to gain a long-term foothold. For now, attention will turn to 2025 with a repeat of this year’s structure in place.

Cowboys Work Out UFL DE Jonathan Garvin

June 19th, 2024 at 7:12pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a standout season in the UFL, Jonathan Garvin is attracting interest from NFL squads. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the defensive end worked out for the Cowboys today.

The former seventh-round pick out of Miami managed to stick on the Packers roster for the first three years of his career. His largest role came in 2021, when he got into about 40 percent of his team’s defensive snaps while compiling 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks. His defensive snaps were cut in half during the 2022 campaign, and the lineman ended up getting cut by the Packers last July.

Garvin didn’t get an NFL gig during the 2023 campaign, but he ended up reemerging with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL. He had a productive season for the eventual league champs, finishing with 20 tackles and 3.5 sacks.

At only 24 years old, Garvin still has plenty of upside. The 6-foot-4, 257-pound defensive lineman would be hard pressed to earn snaps behind Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence, and it’s worth noting that the organization recently used a second-round pick on defensive end Marshawn Kneeland. If Dallas ends up adding the UFL standout, the player will likely be competing with the likes of Sam Williams, Durrell Johnson, and Viliami Fehoko Jr. for one of the final DE spots. Garvin’s experience on special teams provides him with an additional path to a roster spot.

Cowboys Sign CB Gareon Conley, LB Willie Harvey Jr.

June 18th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

The UFL’s first season is complete, and teams can now officially sign players who took part in the merged league. The Cowboys are among those who will do so, and their effort will bring a former first-round pick back into the NFL.

Gareon Conley is signing with the Cowboys, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. This comes after the team worked out the former Raiders first-rounder last week. The Cowboys are also adding UFL linebacker Willie Harvey, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Harvey also auditioned for Dallas at its minicamp as well.

For Conley, this will be a path back to the NFL after a lengthy hiatus. Conley was last in the league as a Texan in 2020; he has not seen game action since 2019. The Cowboys have since announced the signing, which will reunite Conley with Paul Guenther. The new Dallas assistant served as Oakland’s DC from 2018-19. The Raiders drafted Conley in the 2017 first round and used him as a starter during the 2018 and ’19 slates, trading him to the Texans midway through the ’19 season. Guenther is the Cowboys’ run-game coordinator on defense.

Dallas worked out both Conley and ex-Giants first-rounder Deandre Baker. Both played for the D.C. Defenders during this UFL season. Conley, who will turn 29 later this month, intercepted two passes this season. Despite Baker earning All-UFL acclaim, he has not landed an NFL gig yet. As Conley earned a CB spot, Watkins adds no Baker deal is expected.

Part of a lengthy line of Ohio State first-round corners, Conley saw an injury interrupt his progress. He played in just two games as a rookie but received a long look during Jon Gruden‘s early seasons at the helm. The Raiders used Conley as a 20-game starter from 2018-19. Pro Football Focus assigned the 6-foot cover man mid-pack grades from 2018-19; he finished the ’19 season — after the Raiders and Texans agreed on a trade involving a third-round pick going to Houston — as a starting CB for a playoff team. Conley, who intercepted three passes in 2018, closed the ’19 season as a full-time Texans starter who worked with the first-stringers in both Houston playoff tilts that year. Conley missed the 2020 season due to a nagging ankle injury and fell off the NFL radar soon after.

This certainly represents an interesting comeback opportunity, seeing as it has now been more than four years since Conley last logged NFL game action. But the Cowboys have shown an eye for talent out of the spring leagues in recent years, having found Pro Bowlers Brandon Aubrey and KaVontae Turpin via the USFL.

The Cowboys are planning to use a Trevon Diggs–DaRon Bland–Jourdan Lewis trio atop their CB depth chart, and the team has some recent draftees — former third-rounder Nahshon Wright and recent Day 3 investments Eric Scott Jr. and Caelen Carson — as backup options. Veteran C.J. Goodwin, 34, remains on Dallas’ roster as well. While teams can stash more vested vets on practice squads compared to the setup when Conley last played, his age would complicate that route. Still, Dallas will give the former top prospect an opportunity to make an unexpected return.

Several teams showed interest in Harvey, per Pelissero, but the Cowboys workout will lead the UFL linebacker to the NFC East. Harvey, who led UFL LBs in tackles (76) while tallying four sacks, last played as a Browns reserve in 2021. Harvey, 28, played four NFL games after entering the league as a UDFA out of Iowa State in 2019.

UFL Rumors: Davis, Saylors, Butler

June 16th, 2024 at 8:19pm CST by Ely Allen

As the 2024 UFL season comes to an end this weekend with the championship game between the Birmingham Stallions and San Antonio Brahmas, players in the league are now able to work out with NFL squads and should be able to begin signing NFL contracts starting Tuesday. We’ve already seen a number of names pop up as potential NFL signees to look out for this upcoming week.

One of the earliest names we saw was that of wide receiver Daewood Davis, who Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports is expected to sign with the Panthers pending a physical. Davis played at Oregon for three years in college, failing to crack the starting lineup before transferring to Western Kentucky, where he immediately blew up as a difference maker. His efforts with the Hilltoppers didn’t get him drafted, but Davis signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dolphins. He was waived with an injury designation in final roster cuts last year but found his way to the Memphis Showboats of the UFL.

In 10 games with the Showboats, Davis caught 41 passes (6th in the UFL) for 446 yards (7th) and five touchdowns (tied-2nd). His efforts earned him one of three wide receiver spots on the inaugural All-UFL Team. If everything works out as expected, Davis could join a two-deep that currently includes Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, first-round rookie Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo, Terrace Marshall, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

Here are a couple other UFL rumors from recent days:

  • Davis isn’t the only receiver the Panthers are looking at out of the UFL. Per Rapoport, Carolina also worked out the league’s leading receiver Hakeem Butler before they went to summer break. Butler is the oldest of the group we’re reporting on tonight and is the only drafted player. Butler was a fourth-round pick for the Cardinals back in 2019 after an incredible junior year at Iowa State that saw him catch 60 balls for 1,318 yards and nine touchdowns. A preseason broken hand kept Butler out of his rookie season, and he was waived before his sophomore campaign. The Eagles signed him and tried to convert him to a tight end, but he failed to stick in Philadelphia, as well, getting waived before the 2021 NFL season. Butler spent the next year in the Canadian Football League before signing with the Battlehawks when they were still in the XFL. He spent a short offseason stint with the Steelers this past year before finding his way back to the Battlehawks after failing to make the 53-man roster in Pittsburgh. In his second stint with the team, Butler joined Davis as two of three All-UFL Team receivers, leading the league with 652 receiving yards on 45 catches and five touchdowns.
  • Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports that the Giants are set to host Battlehawks running back Jacob Saylors this Tuesday. Signing as an undrafted free agent with the Bengals last year out of East Tennessee State, Saylors was waived in final roster cuts this past August before spending a bit of time on the Falcons’ practice squad. In nine games with St. Louis, Saylors led the UFL’s running backs with 460 rushing yards (trailing only Stallions quarterback Adrian Martinez for the league lead) while tying for second in rushing touchdowns with five. Saylors joined Davis and his St. Louis teammate, Butler, as the only running back on the All-UFL Team. After watching Saquon Barkley depart in free agency, New York may look to add Saylors to a stable that currently includes veteran Devin Singletary and first- and second-year backs Eric Gray, Jashaun Corbin, and Tyrone Tracy.

Lions Expected To Sign UFL Kicker Jake Bates

June 15th, 2024 at 9:05am CST by Ely Allen

TODAY, 9:05am: Bates will be inking a two-year deal with the Lions, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

FRIDAY, 10:00pm: The NFL interest in UFL kicker Jake Bates has been no secret over the past several weeks. Bates has been taking the football world by storm in his season with the Michigan Panthers out of Detroit. Now, it’s seeming like he’ll get a chance to play for the city’s NFL team as Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports that the Lions are expected to add the big leg to their roster.

Bates signed with the Texans last year after going undrafted but was waived just prior to the preseason. This wasn’t extremely surprising as Bates didn’t kick any field goals in college. During time at Texas State and Arkansas, Bates was utilized singularly on kickoffs, using leg strength gained in two seasons of college soccer at Central Arkansas. Finding his place in the UFL, though, Bates has taken the football world by storm.

Bates started off the season extremely hot, making 15 of 18 field goal attempts, before eventually cooling off to end the season going 21-for-28 on field goals. While the initial accuracy was admirable, what really made an impression was his leg strength. Of his seven misses, five were from over 50 yards, yet he still ended the season seven-for-12 from long distance. Of those seven makes from 50+, three of those were from 60 yards or further.

The young kicker doesn’t shy away from the spotlight either. Two of his makes have been game-winners, including a career-long 64-yarder to open the season. His 64-yard make is second to only Justin Tucker‘s 66-yarder in Detroit’s stadium. He did miss a 53-yard game-winning attempt in the team’s regular season finale, though.

Bates has received interest from a few NFL teams, but because of his contract with the UFL squad, he was unable to sign with anyone until the team’s season came to an end. With Bates’ Panthers losing to the Birmingham Stallions last weekend, the window will soon open for Bates to sign. Wilson reports that any official deal won’t be signed until Tuesday of next week. Aside from the Lions, Bates recently visited the Packers and Commanders, per Wilson. The Ravens were also listed as a team of interest, and Wilson notes two other teams showed interest, as well.

Whenever Bates does arrive in Detroit, he will be in competition with the Lions’ incumbent kicker Michael Badgley. Badgley took over late in the season for Riley Patterson, who served as the team’s kicker for 13 games last year. In replacement duty, Badgely went four-for-four on field goal attempts, though he did miss two extra points. During the team’s run to the NFC Championship Game, Badgley was a perfect three-for-three on field goals and 11-for-11 on extra points. Despite this consistency, Badgley was rarely tested in big moments. Throughout the playoffs, head coach Dan Campbell repeatedly opted to go for it in long field goal scenarios.

The only other option currently on the roster is James Turner, an undrafted rookie from Michigan. A grad transfer for the Wolverines after four years at Louisville, Turner showed inconsistent production at the collegiate level. Turner missed eight field goals and two extra points in his sophomore season with the Cardinals. He never made more than 20 field goals in a season and only had a career-long of 50 yards, so he may not be the answer to Campbell’s hesitation from long distance.

That answer could come, though, in the form of Bates. With his first opportunity to placekick last year, Bates caught everyone’s attention with early accuracy, a strong leg, and a clutch ability in big moments. If he can carry that early success into his first NFL season, he should stand a solid chance at beating out Badgley and Turner for the job in 2024.

Cowboys Audition CBs DeAndre Baker, Gareon Conley

June 11th, 2024 at 4:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Neither DeAndre Baker nor Gareon Conley‘s initial NFL runs lasted too long. Both first-round picks did not play a fourth NFL season, but each wound up in the UFL. Spring leagues have provided a springboard for second chances, and the Cowboys — who have led the way in value gained from the recent batch of American minor football leagues — are looking into both players.

NFL teams cannot sign UFL players until next week, as the merged league’s championship game is set for Sunday, but workouts are permitted this week. Several UFLers are receiving chances with NFL teams, and ESPN.com’s Todd Archer indicates the Cowboys are taking a look at Baker and Conley at their minicamp this week.

A 2017 Raiders first-round pick, Conley will turn 29 later this month. He has not played in an NFL game since Week 15 of the 2019 season. Conley spent the 2020 season on the Texans’ IR list. Houston had acquired Conley via trade from Oakland in October 2019. The Raiders had used the former No. 24 overall pick as a starter in every game that season leading up to the trade deadline but unloaded him for a third-round pick. This came early during the Jon Gruden-Mike Mayock years; Conley arrived during the Raiders’ final Reggie McKenzie-run draft.

Like Conley, Baker wound up with a second team after washing out early with the club that drafted him. An arrest led the Giants to waive Baker, a 2019 first-round pick, before the 2020 season. Robbery charges against the young cornerback ended up being dropped, and the Chiefs took a flier on the struggling defender. Baker played in 10 Chiefs games from 2020-21; the team waived him in August 2022. Baker allowed six touchdown passes as the closest defender in a 15-start rookie season.

Both Baker, 26, and Conley caught on with the D.C. Defenders before the inaugural UFL season. Conley intercepted two passes this season, while Baker landed on the All-UFL team last week. Neither player played in the XFL or USFL in 2023. The Cowboys have benefited considerably from the latter league, with both KaVontae Turpin and Brandon Aubrey becoming Pro Bowlers in their first seasons in Dallas. Aubrey earned first-team All-Pro recognition in his Cowboys debut.

Dallas is also working out the UFL’s tackles leader, Willie Harvey Jr., per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The St. Louis Battlehawks defender totaled 76 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and nine tackles for loss this season. Harvey, 28, previously saw NFL time with the Browns from 2019-21, playing in just four games as a backup. Cleveland cut Harvey after its 2022 training camp. The Cowboys will see if Harvey’s UFL work has made him a better candidate for an NFL role.

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