Draft Signings: Chiefs, Cards, Titans, Jags
Teams around the NFL continue to lock up their 2015 draft picks, and while we’ll dedicate full posts when first- or second-rounders sign their rookie contracts, we’ll pass along mid-to-late-round signings in round-up posts like this one. Here are the latest draft pick signings from around the league, with all salary info via Over The Cap:
- The Chiefs have signed third-round receiver Chris Conley, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Conley, the 76th overall pick earlier this month, is one of two key additions – along with Jeremy Maclin – to Kansas City’s new-look receiving corps, which will look to reach the end zone at least once in 2015.
- Mr. Irrelevant, 256th overall pick Gerald Christian, has signed his rookie contract with the Cardinals, per Wilson (via Twitter). Even as the final seventh-rounder to come off the board, the former Louisville tight end did significantly better than he would have as an undrafted free agent, securing a signing bonus worth about $53K.
- The Titans have agreed to terms with three more of their draft picks, locking up fourth-round defensive tackle Angelo Blackson, sixth-round center Andy Gallik, and seventh-round receiver Tre McBride, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. The club still has to sign five of its nine draftees, including second overall pick Marcus Mariota.
- The Jaguars have signed a pair of draftees to their rookie deals today, according to John Oehser of Jaguars.com, who reports (via Twitter) that fourth-round safety James Sample and seventh-round wideout Neal Sterling are now under contract. Sample and Sterling will receive respective signing bonuses worth about $549K and $78K.
- The Raiders announced (on Twitter) that they have signed a pair of seventh-round draft picks in wide receiver Andre Debose and tackle Anthony Morris.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Latest On Brady, Kraft, Patriots
Tom Brady and his camp have until 11:00pm CT on Thursday to officially file an appeal in response to his four-game suspension, and we have a handful of updates on that appeal process in the space below. Here’s the latest on Brady and DeflateGate:
- As one Tuesday report outlined, there was some uncertainty about whether Brady and agent Don Yee would involve the NFLPA in their appeal of the quarterback’s four-game ban, but Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets that Brady’s camp has finally involved the union in the process. The Players Association is expected to take the lead in Brady’s appeal, says Werder.
- As Barry Wilner of The Associated Press outlines, labor attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who recently represented Adrian Peterson in his suspension appeal, will aid the NFLPA in Brady’s appeal.
- The NFLPA has already drafted Brady’s appeal letter, but it’s still going through the union’s process and will likely be formally filed tomorrow, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
- At least one source tells ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he thinks Brady’s “talented, big-name lawyers,” including Kessler, will get the penalty overturned and that the quarterback won’t miss a game. Schefter conveyed that source’s message on The Herd With Colin Cowherd” today, and also suggested that the Patriots are “angry” about the penalties handed down by the NFL (including lost draft picks and a $1MM fine), since the organization doesn’t feel as if it did anything wrong. Doug Kyed of NESN.com has the details, along with quotes from Schefter.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com agrees with Schefter’s assessment of the Pats’ reaction to the NFL’s decision, writing that the team is “fuming.” Although owner Robert Kraft and the franchise hadn’t initially been planning to fight the discipline handed down by the league, the overall scope of that discipline “was unlike anything they expected,” a source tells La Canfora. Per La Canfora, Kraft and his team may challenge the NFL’s ruling, but that’s probably still a long shot at this point.
- Multiple sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that Kraft is “strongly considering” filing a lawsuit against the NFL over the ruling. However, according to Cole, many of those same sources are trying to discourage the Pats owner from doing so, since they believe it will be a “fruitless endeavor.”
Lions Sign Ameer Abdullah
The Lions have moved one step closer to completely locking up their 2015 draft class, announcing today that they’ve signed second-round running back Ameer Abdullah to his rookie deal. With Abdullah now under contract with the club, only first-round pick Laken Tomlinson remains unsigned.
Abdullah, the 54th overall pick in this year’s draft, was the fourth running back to come off the board, behind Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon, and T.J. Yeldon. While Joique Bell may currently sit first on the Lions’ depth chart at the position, Abdullah is expected to play a major role in the backfield this year, and may also return kicks and/or punts for the team.
While Abdullah will count for a modest $756K hit against the Lions’ cap this season, he’ll earn a signing bonus of about $1.283MM now that he has inked his rookie contract. The four-year value of the rookie’s deal will be approximately $4.156MM, per Over The Cap.
Cardinals Sign Darryl Sharpton
In search of some depth at inside linebacker, the Cardinals have signed veteran free agent Darryl Sharpton, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. According to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter), the team waived safety Eddie Whitley to create room for the new addition to the roster.
Sharpton, 27, paid a visit to Arizona to meet with the Cardinals last week, as Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post detailed. The Cards added one linebacker, Markus Golden, in this year’s draft, but the rookie is expected to play on the edge, so it makes sense that the team would continue to add depth at inside linebacker, particularly with Larry Foote – currently a member of Arizona’s coaching staff – still undecided on his playing future.
In four years in Houston between 2010 and 2013, Sharpton, appeared in 42 games (19 starts), totaling 146 tackles as a part-time player for the Texans. The former fourth-round pick out of Miami joined the Bears last season, but played sparingly for the club, appearing in just 108 defensive snaps.
Lions Sign Greg Salas, Chris Owens
With unrestricted free agents no longer tied to the compensatory draft pick formula, the Lions have added a pair of veterans to their roster, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Per Twentyman, the club has signed wide receiver Greg Salas and cornerback Chris Owens to one-year contracts.
Salas, a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2011, only spent one season in St. Louis before moving on to play for the Patriots, the Eagles, and – most recently – the Jets. Over the course of his four-year NFL career, the 26-year-old has accumulated 43 receptions, including eight last year for New York — most of those catches came in Salas’ rookie season, when he hauled in 27 balls for the Rams.
As for Owens, he has more NFL experience than Salas, having appeared in 83 games (17 starts) over the last six years for the Falcons, Browns, Dolphins, and Chiefs. A cornerback who plays most frequently in the slot, Salas has totaled 217 tackles, 21 passes defended, three interceptions, and three fumble recoveries in his career.
Salas will compete for reps behind Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, alongside recently-signed vet Lance Moore and a handful of other players, while Owens will join a group of cornerbacks that includes Darius Slay, Rashean Mathis, Josh Wilson, Bill Bentley, Nevin Lawson, Alex Carter, Quandre Diggs, and Crezdon Butler.
Owners To Consider Extra Point Proposals
The NFL’s spring meetings are scheduled to take place in San Francisco next week, and league owners will consider three alternatives to the current extra point play at those meetings, according to an Associated Press report.
The three proposals, put forth by the Patriots, the Eagles, and the league’s competition committee, are fairly similar, with a few minor tweaks. They are as follows:
- Patriots: One-point attempts (kicks) from the 15-yard line; two-point attempts from the two-yard line.
- Eagles: One-point attempts (kicks) from the 15-yard line; two-point attempts from the one-yard line; defense can score two points if it returns a turnover to the opposing end zone.
- Competition committee: One-point attempts (kicks) from the 15-yard line; two-point attempts from the two-yard line; defense can score two points if it returns a turnover to the opposing end zone.
For any of the proposals to replace the current extra point play, it would require 75% of the league’s owners (24 of 32) to approve a change.
Eight Teams Placed Claims On Swearinger
The Buccaneers, the team with the top waiver priority this offseason, were awarded D.J. Swearinger on waivers yesterday after the safety was cut on Monday by the Texans. A report earlier today indicated that the Jets also submitted a waiver claim for Swearinger, but Tampa Bay and New York were far from the only clubs involved.
According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link), a total of eight teams placed a claim on Swearinger. In addition to the Bucs and Jets, the Jaguars, Raiders, Falcons, Bills, Steelers, and Ravens all put in claims for the former Texan, says Yates. The Browns were also believed to have interest in Swearinger, but they – and perhaps other potential suitors – must have been hoping he’d clear waivers and become a free agent.
Since Swearinger was a second-round pick in 2013, his rookie contract still has two years left on it, and is fairly reasonable, featuring base salaries of about $722K and $881K for 2015 and 2016, respectively. That’s an affordable flier for virtually any NFL team to take, which explains why so many clubs placed waiver claims rather than waiting for Swearinger to become a free agent.
Presumably, those eight teams that put in claims were fonder of Swearinger’s performance in 2014 than Pro Football Focus was, or at least view him as a player who has the potential to improve. According to PFF (subscription required), Swearinger allowed opposing quarterbacks to compile a 99.2 passer rating to go along with five touchdowns on 59 passes into his coverage last season. Overall, he ranked as the league’s 78th-best safety out of 87 qualified players.
While Swearinger drew plenty of interest on waivers, it doesn’t appear that any of those teams were willing to give up anything of real value for him, since the Texans reportedly tried to trade the safety before cutting him.
Bills Sign John Conner
After hosting him today for a free visit, the Bills have signed former Jets fullback John Conner to a contract, the team announced in a press release. To make room on the 90-man roster for Conner, Buffalo has waived fullback Corey Knox.
Conner, who turns 28 next month, has had multiple stints with the Jets under Rex Ryan, having been drafted by the franchise back in 2010. Most recently, the veteran appeared in 12 games for the Jets in 2014, carrying the ball six times and catching a pair of passes – including one for a touchdown – but serving primarily as a blocking back.
In Buffalo, there’s certainly no guarantee that Conner will earn a spot on the Bills’ 53-man roster, since the team already signed Jerome Felton to a multiyear contract back in March. However, a report from Draft Diamonds earlier today suggested that the Bills and Ryan, fond as they are of “The Terminator”‘s blocking ability, would like to add him as a complement to Felton, utilizing him in big-back sets and on special teams.
Still, if the Bills ultimately decide there isn’t room for Conner on their regular season roster, it shouldn’t be hard to move on — Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) reports that the fullback’s contract is for one year at the minimum salary. I expect the deal will include only a small portion of guaranteed money, if there’s any guarantee at all.
Free Agent Notes: Arrington, Conner, Davis
It’s not clear if the Browns or Falcons put in a waiver claim for D.J. Swearinger, but both clubs had interest in landing the former Texans safety before he was claimed by the Buccaneers yesterday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. One team that did put in a claim was the Jets, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). None of those clubs could get to Swearinger, however, as Tampa Bay had the No. 1 waiver priority and used it.
While Swearinger didn’t make it to the open market, we have a few updates on players who are currently free agents, or who recently signed contracts with new teams:
- As the Ravens explore the possibility of adding a cornerback, recently released ex-Patriot Kyle Arrington is “clearly” their top target, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link) agrees that the Ravens are in the mix for Arrington, adding that the Panthers are another team to watch.
- Having already signed Jerome Felton this offseason, the Bills shouldn’t necessarily be in the market for another fullback, but the team is hosting John Conner for a visit today, according to a report from Draft Diamonds. Conner has had multiple stints with the Jets under Rex Ryan, who is fond of his blocking ability and would consider adding “The Terminator” to the roster as a complement to Felton.
- Tight end Fred Davis, who was a free agent – and serving a suspension – for over a year before signing with the Patriots this week, received a $20K workout bonus and $60K in per-game roster bonuses on his one-year, minimum salary deal, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. Davis’ contract doesn’t include any guaranteed money.
- As NFL communications rep Randall Liu notes (on Twitter), unrestricted free agents who didn’t receive contract tenders from their former clubs are now free to sign with new teams without having an impact on that team’s compensatory draft pick formula. The NFL moved up this cutoff date from June 1 to May 12 this year, allowing unsigned players a better opportunity to find new homes earlier in the spring.
NFC Notes: Cards, Cowboys, Washington
Claimed off waivers by the Cardinals last week, Alfonzo Dennard says he was surprised that the Patriots let him go, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. Still, he’s not upset about how things turned out.
“It was shocking, because I thought I did everything right,” Dennard said. “I guess they had other plans and I wasn’t in it. But I’m happy to be here with the Cardinals.”
Dennard, 25, was limited to just six games in 2014, having been plagued by shoulder and hamstring issues. He also saw his role reduced with the arrivals of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, and played in just 241 regular season snaps before landing on injured reserve.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Quarterback Phillip Sims, who was signed by the Cardinals on Monday, is there to be more than just a camp arm, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic tweets. Cards coaches are impressed with his arm and brain and he could compete for the No. 3 job in Arizona.
- Last week, La’el Collins got the first round draft pick treatment from the media after he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cowboys. That was just fine with the Cowboys’ actual first round pick, Byron Jones, who was happy to fly under the radar. “For me it didn’t really matter where I go or where anybody else goes,” Jones said, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “I’m just here to work, here to do my job and that’s play cornerback for the Cowboys.“
- Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan is taking on a larger leadership role with the team as he looks to sign an extension with the team, Mike Jones of the Washington Post writes. “I’m kind of the elder statesman in the room now, as weird as it is to say,” said the two-time Pro Bowler selection. “It’s kind of my role now. … I enjoyed that role as a senior at Purdue when we had a lot of young guys, so I kind of embrace that.” Kerrigan, who is coming off of a career-best 13.5-sack season, is entering the final year of his deal but indicated on Monday that contract talks between his agent and the team are “progressing well.” General manager Scot McCloughan also expressed optimism that a deal would get done.
- Former Washington tackle Tyler Polumbus recently had a tryout with the Falcons, Howard Balzer of USA Today tweets. Polumbus had been Washington’s primary right tackle for the last three seasons, but his services likely won’t be required in D.C. this year with No. 5 overall pick Brandon Scherff taking over at the RT position.