Minor NFL Transactions: 4/7/17
Friday’s minor moves:
- The Jets have signed cornerback John Ojo, per a team announcement. This will be the first NFL opportunity for the 27-year-old Ojo, who went undrafted out of Florida A&M in 2014 and then hooked on with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Ojo worked out for one of the Jets’ AFC East rivals, the Dolphins, on Monday.
Contract Details: Keenum, Gilberry, Escobar
The latest contract details, most of which come via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle:
- Quarterback Case Keenum‘s one-year, $2MM pact with the Vikings features $750K in guarantees. There’s also a $250K signing bonus, $250K in incentives and $46,875 in per game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Bengals defensive end Wallace Gilberry‘s accord is worth $1.4MM, including a $300K signing bonus and a $100K workout bonus. He could make another $500K via sack incentives and $6,250 in per game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Running back Tim Hightower‘s one-year deal with the 49ers is worth $1.107MM, including $300K guaranteed, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. He can earn an extra $400K in incentives for rushing yards.
- Tight end Gavin Escobar‘s one-year Chiefs contract is a minimum salary benefit deal worth $855K, including $95K fully guaranteed. It also comes with an $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
- Lions linebacker Nick Bellore also inked a minimum salary benefit contract. Like Escobar, Bellore’s contract includes an $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Pats Have Made Offer To LeGarrette Blount
While the Patriots have no shortage of options at running back, it doesn’t appear they have a No. 1-caliber rusher on hand. With that in mind, the reigning Super Bowl champions are interested in bringing back previous starter LeGarrette Blount, and they have an offer on the table for him, reports Michael Giardi of CSNNE (Twitter link).
Blount would like to re-sign with the Patriots, per Giardi, which isn’t surprising considering the success the former Buccaneer and Steeler has had in two New England stints. The seven-year veteran is now coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career, having amassed career highs in carries (299), yards (1,161) and touchdowns (an NFL-leading 18). Although the bruising Blount is a non-factor in the passing game, New England has complements capable of serving as receiving threats in Super Bowl LI hero James White, Dion Lewis and the newly signed Rex Burkhead.
The workhorse-needy Pats hosted a more high-profile free agent back in Adrian Peterson earlier this month, though they may have done that to give them more leverage in talks with Blount. Like Peterson, the 30-year-old Blount hasn’t encountered a robust market for his services this offseason, and that was also the case last spring. As a free agent in 2016, Blount didn’t sign until April 12, when he took an incentive-laden deal that featured a meager base salary of $760K.
Draft Visits: McCaffrey, Conley, Mixon, Taco
Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, whose stock is so high that he could be a top 10 pick in this year’s draft, will visit the Redskins and Broncos, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Chase Goodbread of NFL.com). Given where they’re slated to select (Washington’s at No. 17, Denver’s 20th), those two teams could have difficulty reeling in McCaffrey, though it would make for an especially interesting story if he ended up with the Broncos. His father, Ed McCaffrey, was a standout receiver in Denver from 1995-2003. While there, he caught passes from quarterback John Elway, who’s now the Broncos’ general manager.
More of the latest high-profile draft visits:
- Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley has already visited the Titans (along with the previously reported Cowboys and Browns), and will meet with the Bengals and Jets, writes Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. Conley seems like a shoo-in to go somewhere in the first round, and PFR’s Dallas Robinson currently has him going 11th overall to New Orleans.
- Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon visited the Buccaneers this week, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com. The potential second- or third-round pick could be a fit for a Tampa Bay team whose incumbent starting running back, Doug Martin, isn’t a lock to remain with the club. Even if Martin doesn’t lose his roster spot, he’ll still miss the first three games of next season as a result of a suspension.
- Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton visited the Lions on Friday, per Rapoport (Twitter link). As Rapoport further notes (and as was previously reported), the Cowboys and Dolphins are also among the teams interested in Charlton, who’s coming off a 10-sack season with the Wolverines.
- Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs visited the Steelers on Monday and will also meet with the Chiefs, relays Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Dobbs, who was a two-year starter with the Volunteers, could go as high as the second or third round, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. (via Mike Griffith of SEC Country).
- Kansas State defensive lineman Jordan Willis visited the 49ers on Wednesday, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Willis figures to go late in the first round or early in the second, which could make him a target for the 49ers at No. 34 overall.
49ers Release Tramaine Brock
Less than a day after Tramaine Brock‘s arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence, the 49ers have released the cornerback, according to a team announcement. Brock could face up to a four-year prison sentence if found guilty.
San Francisco’s decision to cut ties with Brock seems to be indicative of a zero tolerance policy toward domestic violence from rookie general manager John Lynch. Regardless, it ends the stint of a long-tenured Niner in Brock, who had been with the team since it signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2010.
The 49ers increased their reliance on Brock over the past two years, as he started in all 31 of his appearances from 2015-16, including his first 16-start showing last season. Prior to 2015, he only started in nine of 49 games with the club. Across 80 appearances, Brock intercepted 11 passes and totaled 45 passes defensed.
Releasing Brock adds $3.55MM in cap room for the Niners this year and leaves them with $750K in dead money.
49ers’ Tramaine Brock Arrested
Police in Santa Clara, Calif., arrested 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock on suspicion of felony domestic violence on Thursday, per A.J. Perez of USA Today.
Officers responded to a domestic violence report and found “visible facial injuries” on the woman Brock is dating. Brock posted bail Friday, tweets the Sacramento Bee’s Matt Barrows, who notes that his roster spot is “tenuous.” Worse for Brock, he could serve a four-year prison sentence if found guilty of felony domestic violence.
The 28-year-old Brock has spent the first seven seasons of his career in San Francisco, which signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2010. Brock has since started in 40 of 80 appearances and totaled 11 interceptions. He’s coming off his first 16-start season, in which he amassed a career-high 58 tackles, logged 14 passes defensed and picked off a pass. He also ranked 23rd in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 111 qualified corners.
Now, despite his impressive production last season, Brock’s 49ers tenure (if not his career) could be in jeopardy. Cutting Brock would save the 49ers the majority of his $4.3MM cap hit ($3.55MM), leaving them with just $750K in dead money.
Bills Sign Marcus Cromartie, Seven Others
The Bills have announced the signings of eight free agents. Cornerback Marcus Cromartie headlines a group that also includes offensive linemen Cameron Jefferson and Jordan Mudge, defensive end Jake Metz, defensive back Bradley Sylve, and linebackers Jacob Lindsey, Junior Sylvestre and Eddie Yarbrough.
Cromartie, who worked out for the Bills on Friday, only appeared in 21 games and made one start with the 49ers during his first three NFL seasons, but the 25-year-old could find more playing time as part of a largely untested Buffalo secondary. Thanks to the departures of Stephon Gilmore and Nickell Robey-Coleman, the club is lacking at corner aside from No. 1 man Ronald Darby, with Cromartie joining the likes of Kevon Seymour, Leonard Johnson and Marcus Roberson behind him. There’s not much at safety other than Micah Hyde, either, as the Bills jettisoned Corey Graham and Aaron Williams earlier this offseason.
Another name of interest among these pickups is Metz, if only for where he played last season. Metz, 26, was with the Eagles for less than a week last summer, and he then went on to spend the year with the Qingdao Clipper of the China Arena Football League. The 2014 undrafted free agent from Shippensburg previously played arena football in the United States from 2014-15.
Bills Host QB T.J. Yates On Visit
The Bills hosted free agent quarterback T.J. Yates on a visit today, per a team announcement. 
Yates was effectively displaced in Miami this offseason when the Dolphins signed quarterback David Fales as their new QB3. Now, Yates might have an opportunity to serve as an emergency option behind Tyrod Taylor and Cardale Jones in Buffalo. It has been said that the Bills are very high on Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, so it’s not clear if they would be willing to give guaranteed money to a reserve signal caller. A player of Yates’ caliber, however, might not require any type of guarantee.
Yates, 30 in May, has only started seven games during his regular season career. Interestingly, he also has two playoff starts on his resume from his time with the Texans.
Rams Sign CB Nickell Robey-Coleman
The Rams have signed cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, according to a team announcement. This marks yet another defensive upgrade for the Rams’ new coaching regime. 
The Rams project to start Trumaine Johnson and free agent pickup Kayvon Webster in the coming year. Behind those two, Robey-Coleman will provide depth along with Lamarcus Joyner, E.J. Gaines, Troy Hill, Blake Countess, and Michael Jordan (no, not that Michael Jordan). Both Joyner and Robey-Coleman come with slot experience, a position that is becoming more and more important in the NFL each year.
Many were taken by surprise when the Bills cut Robey-Coleman after he turned in a strong year. In fact, the corner earned a higher grade from Pro Football Focus than teammates Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby. Before signing with the Rams, the Vikings, the Chargers, Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans all showed interest in the 25-year-old.
Ben Roethlisberger To Return For 2017
No surprise here, but Ben Roethlisberger is returning for another season. The Steelers quarterback has confirmed that he will be taking the field for the Steelers in 2017. 
“Informed the team I am looking forward to my 14th season. Steeler Nation will get my absolute best!,” (Twitter link).
Roethlisberger, 35, mulled retirement earlier this offseason, but the recent expectation has been that he would return for his 14th campaign. Roethlisberger has missed six games over the last two seasons, but he has still been producing at a high level. In 2016, he earned his fifth career (and third consecutive) Pro Bowl nod. In 2016, he completed 64.4% of his passes for 3,819 yards and 29 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. The Steelers went 10-4 in games with Big Ben under center.
Roethlisberger has three years remaining on the contract extension he signed in 2015. He’ll turn 37 in the final year of that deal.