2014 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: Kirksey, Ridley, Pats, Gilreath

June 5th, 2014 at 12:08pm CST by Luke Adams

With few, if any, impact free agents left on the board and the draft behind us, most rosters around the league are starting to resemble what we’ll see during the 2014 regular season, at least once teams have made their cuts. But that doesn’t mean that those rosters aren’t without their holes. In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Tom Gower of Football Outsiders breaks down the AFC West, looking at the remaining needs for the Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, and Raiders. Those most notable holes are on the offensive side of the ball for the Chiefs (pass-catcher) and Raiders (offensive lineman), and on defense for the Broncos (middle linebacker) and Chargers (cornerback).

Here’s more from around the AFC:

The Browns have agreed to terms with third-round linebacker Christian Kirksey, the team confirmed today (via Twitter). The agreement, which includes a signing bonus worth about $663K was first reported by Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
Patriots running back Stevan Ridley is entering the final year of his rookie deal, but he told reporters today, including Albert Breer of the NFL Network, that he’s focused on playing “mistake-free” football rather than on his contract situation (Twitter link).
Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com has the details on James Anderson‘s minimum salary benefit contract with the Patriots, which includes a $15K signing bonus and a $50K roster bonus if he makes the team.
The Raiders have signed former Wisconsin wideout David Gilreath, agent Sean Stellato tells Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Gilreath recorded his first and only career NFL reception during the 2012 season for the Steelers.

Panthers Sign Kelvin Benjamin, Trai Turner

June 4th, 2014 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have become the 11th team in the NFL to lock up their entire 2014 draft class, announcing today (via Twitter) that first-round receiver Kelvin Benjamin and third-round guard Trai Turner have signed their rookie contracts. The club had previously locked up second-rounder Kony Ealy and its three other late-round draftees.

As the 28th overall pick in the draft, Benjamin is in line for a signing bonus worth $3.894MM, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. Benjamin, a former Florida State standout, will also have a fifth-year option on his deal which the team can exercise for the 2018 season. As for Turner, per Fitzgerald’s numbers, his signing bonus is a more modest $540K, with an overall four-year value of about $2.796MM on this deal.

As I noted this morning, coming into today, only 52 draft picks remained unsigned. With Benjamin and Turner now under contract, only 50 more still need to put pen to paper. You can follow the progress with our tracker.

Bills Sign Sammy Watkins

June 4th, 2014 at 4:13pm CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 4: Watkins’ initial agreement with the Bills was disapproved due to a minor language error that needed to be changed, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, who says the deal has been fixed and resubmitted (Twitter links).

MAY 28: Fourth overall pick Sammy Watkins has signed his rookie contract with the Bills, the team announced today (via Twitter). It makes Watkins the highest-drafted player so far to officially ink his deal, surpassing No. 5 overall selection Khalil Mack, who signed with the Raiders earlier this month.

Watkins, a Clemson product who was considered the draft’s top wide receiver, went to Buffalo after the club traded its 2015 first-rounder, among other picks, in order to move up from No. 9 to snag him. According to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, the newest Bill is in line for a signing bonus worth about $12.819, with an overall base value of just under $20MM on his four-year contract. The deal will also include a fifth-year team option for 2018.

While there had been some speculation that the Bills’ decision to trade up for Watkins was influenced by the team’s uncertain ownership situation, CEO Russ Brandon shot down that idea earlier in the week. “That was a football decision, and it wasn’t tied to the future of the organization,” Brandon said of the trade up for Watkins. “It is business as usual. We’re making football decisions, no matter what. … It has not one iota of an impact on who the future owner may be.”

With Watkins locked up, fifth-round guard Cyril Richardson is the only Bills draftee who remains unsigned.

Update On Remaining Unsigned Draftees

June 4th, 2014 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

By our count, 204 of this year’s 256 draftees (nearly 80%) have formally agreed to terms with their new NFL teams, leaving just 52 unsigned rookies on the board. Since the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement leaves little room for negotiation on signing bonus money and the overall value of four-year rookie contracts, teams and players can only quibble on things like guaranteed money and offsets.

As such, it’s no surprise that nearly all the late-round picks, who don’t receive as much guaranteed money, have inked their deals, while the majority of first-rounders still remain unsigned. Here’s a quick breakdown of players by round who have signed:

First round: 14 of 32 signed (43.75%)
Second round: 20 of 32 signed (62.5%)
Third round: 22 of 36 signed (61.11%)
Fourth round: 38 of 40 signed (95%)
Fifth round: 36 of 36 signed (100%)
Sixth round: 37 of 39 signed (94.87%)
Seventh round: 37 of 41 signed (90.24%)

So why have all the fifth-rounders signed while there are still a few sixth- and seventh-rounders not yet under contract? One team is responsible — the Rams, who didn’t have a fifth-round pick but who had six selections in the sixth and seventh rounds, have yet to lock up any of their draftees.

A year ago, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that St. Louis head coach Jeff Fisher wanted to take the team’s rookies through “Financial Planning 101” before those players received their signing bonuses. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Rams are doing the same thing this year, delaying the signing process to ensure that their players know how to manage their money when they receive it.

While the Rams have yet to formally sign any of their 2014 selections, many teams have already ensured that all of their draftees are under contract. The Ravens, Bills, Bears, Colts, Chiefs, Saints, Chargers, 49ers, Seahawks, and Redskins have locked up their respective draft classes.

Here’s the full list by team of players who have yet to sign their rookie contracts, by our count:

Arizona Cardinals: Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State (1.27)
Atlanta Falcons: Dezmen Southward, S, Wisconsin (3.68)
Carolina Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State (1.28); Trai Turner, G, LSU (3.92)
Cincinnati Bengals: Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State (1.24)
Cleveland Browns: Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State (1.8); Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M (1.22); Joel Bitonio, OT, Nevada (2.35); Christian Kirksey, LB, Iowa (3.71); Terrance West, RB, Towson (3.94)
Dallas Cowboys: Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame (1.16); Demarcus Lawrence, DE/OLB, Boise State (2.34)
Denver Broncos: Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State (1.31)
Detroit Lions: Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina (1.10); Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (2.40)
Green Bay Packers: Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State (2.53); Richard Rodgers, TE, California (3.98)
Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina (1.1); Xavier Su’a-Filo, G, UCLA (2.33)
Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles, QB, UCF (1.3); Marqise Lee, WR, USC (2.39); Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State (2.61); Brandon Linder, G, Miami (FL) (3.93)
Miami Dolphins: Ja’Wuan James, OT, Tennessee (1.19); Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU (2.63); Billy Turner, OT, North Dakota State (3.67)
Minnesota Vikings: Jerick McKinnon, RB, Georgia Southern (3.96)
New England Patriots: Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (1.29)
New York Giants: Jay Bromley, DT, Syracuse (3.74)
New York Jets: Dexter McDougle, CB, Maryland (3.80)
Oakland Raiders: Gabe Jackson, G, Mississippi State (3.81)
Philadelphia Eagles: Marcus Smith, DE/OLB, Louisville (1.26)
Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State (1.15); Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame (2.46); Dri Archer, RB, Kent State (3.97); Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson (4.119)
St. Louis Rams: Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn (1.2); Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh (1.13); Lamarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State (2.41); Tre Mason, RB, Auburn (3.75); Maurice Alexander, S, Utah State (4.110); E.J. Gaines, CB, Missouri (6.188); Garrett Gilbert, QB, SMU (6.214); Mitchell Van Dyk, OT, Portland State (7.226); Christian Bryant, S, Ohio State (7.241); Michael Sam, DE/OLB, Missouri (7.249); Demetrius Rhaney, C, Tennessee State (7.250)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (1.7); Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington (2.38); Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia (3.69)
Tennessee Titans: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (1.11); Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington (2.54)

Broncos Sign Cody Latimer, Two Others

June 2nd, 2014 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

3:50pm: Paradis has also signed his four-year deal, the team announced in a press release. The offensive lineman is the 200th of 256 total draftees to reach an agreement.

3:38pm: One of the NFL’s two teams that had yet to sign any draftees coming into the day, the Broncos have sprung into action, locking up a pair of picks and working on deals with two more. Second-round receiver Cody Latimer announced on Twitter that he has signed his rookie contract with Denver, and the club confirmed in a press release that seventh-round linebacker Corey Nelson has also inked his deal.

In addition to the pair of draftees who already signed, the Broncos are also closing in on agreements with fifth-round linebacker Lamin Barrow and sixth-round center Matt Paradis, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Klis adds that the club’s other two drafted players – first-round cornerback Bradley Roby and third-round tackle Michael Schofield – are expected to complete their respective deals within the next 10 days or so.

Latimer will be in line for a signing bonus worth about $1.017MM, while Nelson’s will be a more modest $48.6K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. Now that Denver has secured two of its draftees, the Rams are the league’s only club without any draft picks under contract. As our tracker shows, only 57 players remain unsigned, and 11 of those are St. Louis’ picks.

Patriots Sign Jimmy Garoppolo

June 2nd, 2014 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Patriots have locked up their second-round pick, announcing today in a press release that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has signed his four-year rookie deal. The agreement with Garoppolo means that only first-round defensive tackle Dominique Easley remains unsigned, with eight of the club’s nine draftees now under contract.

Garoppolo, the 62nd overall pick, was viewed as New England’s potential quarterback of the future when he was selected, but with Tom Brady and Ryan Mallett both still in the picture for 2014, he doesn’t figure to see the field anytime soon. In fact, owner Bob Kraft suggested last week that the rookie signal-caller is “disaster insurance” and that he hopes Garoppolo won’t see regular action for the Pats for quite some time.

Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, the Eastern Illinois product will be in line for a signing bonus worth about $854K and an overall four-year contract worth approximately $3.484MM.

Jets Sign Calvin Pryor

June 2nd, 2014 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Jets have officially signed first-round safety Calvin Pryor, the team announced today in a press release. The 18th overall pick last month, Pryor was the first safety to come off the board, and was the sixth consecutive defensive player to be selected in the first round by the Jets.

In three seasons at Louisville, Pryor racked up 218 tackles and 14 passes defended to go along with seven interceptions. Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, the new Jets defensive back should be in line for a signing bonus worth nearly $4.548MM, with an overall four-year value of about $8.563MM on his contract. The deal will also include a fifth-year team option for the 2018 season.

Pryor becomes the 11th of 12 draftees to ink his rookie contract, with only third-round cornerback Dexter McDougle still unsigned. To follow all of 2014’s draft pick signings, be sure to check out our tracker.

Ravens Sign Terrence Brooks

May 30th, 2014 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

12:46pm: The Ravens have officially signed all their draft picks, announcing Brooks’ deal today in a press release.

11:26am: Baltimore has become the 10th NFL team to lock up its entire 2014 draft class, with Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reporting that the Ravens have agreed to terms with third-round safety Terrence Brooks. The 23-year-old is expected to officially sign his deal later today, a source tells Wilson.

Brooks, a key contributor for the Florida State squad that went undefeated and won the BCS Championship last season, recorded 56 tackles and a sack in his final year as a Seminole, and also forced a pair of fumbles. The 79th overall pick, who is expected to compete for a starting safety job with the Ravens, will be in line for a signing bonus worth a little over $606K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.

Once Brooks officially signs, he’ll be the last of nine Baltimore draftees to put pen to paper. To follow all of this year’s draft pick signings, be sure to check out our tracker.

Colts Finish Signing Draft Picks

May 30th, 2014 at 8:19am CST by Luke Adams

The Colts have signed third-round wide reciever Donte Moncrief to his four-year rookie contract, the team announced today in a press release. Indianapolis had the league’s smallest draft class, with just five selections, and Moncrief becomes the last of those five players to put pen to paper.

Moncrief, who decided to forgo his senior season and enter the draft early, caught 156 balls for 2,371 yards and 20 touchdowns during his three years at Mississippi, including 59 for 938 yards in 2013. Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, the wideout’s signing bonus will be $543K+, with an overall four-year contract value of about $2.794MM. Since they only had five picks and no first-rounder, the Colts’ signing bonus pool was the smallest in the NFL this season — the team’s five draftees combined for just $1.796MM in bonus money, according to Fitzgerald.

By signing Moncrief, the Colts become the ninth NFL team to finish locking up its draft class. The Bills, Bears, Chiefs, Saints, Chargers, 49ers, Seahawks, and Redskins have also signed all of their picks, and many other clubs are just one player away. You can track all the signings right here.

49ers Sign Marcus Martin, Lock Up Draft Class

May 29th, 2014 at 7:14pm CST by Luke Adams

No team selected more players in the 2014 draft than the 49ers, who tied with the Jets for most picks with 12. And now all 12 of those players are under contract. The team announced today in a press release that third-round center Marcus Martin has signed his four-year deal, officially joining his 11 fellow draftees on the Niners’ roster.

Martin, a Los Angeles native, played his college ball at USC and joins a deep, talented group of interior linemen on San Francisco’s roster, as our David Kipke detailed earlier this week. The 20-year-old was viewed as a possible late-first-round pick, earning an invite to New York for the draft, but ended up being the last player remaining in the green room when he was eventually selected 70th overall.

Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, Martin is in line for a signing bonus worth about $671K, with an overall value of $3.058MM on his new four-year contract. To follow the complete list of draft picks who have and haven’t signed so far, be sure to check out our tracker.

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors