No More Comp. Pick Formula For UFAs
Starting today, unrestricted free agents that are signed will not count towards the league’s 2018 compensatory pick formula. Today is the second Tuesday after the draft and, as stipulated by the rules, teams can now sign players without having to worry about hurting their standing in next year’s draft. 
Compensatory picks are given to teams that lose a greater number of compensatory free agents (or, a greater quality of free agents) than they acquire. The complicated formula that dictates how the picks are dispersed is not disclosed to the public, but teams are wary of signing lower impact UFAs while it is in effect. Now that we’re past that point of the offseason, a major barrier has been lifted for veteran free agents like LeGarrette Blount and others.
For a more complete explanation of the compensatory pick formula, we recommend this primer from Over The Cap.
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Seahawks’ Jarran Reed Accused Of Assault
Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed is under investigation for domestic violence, as Alex Rozier of KING5-TV writes. Sources close to the Bellevue Police Department say that authorities are still assessing whether to file charges. The alleged incident took place in the early hours of April 27. 
The Seahawks selected Reed in the second round of the 2016 draft. As a rookie, he appeared in 15 games (six starts) and recorded 34 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. This year, Reed projects to start for the Seahawks at one defensive tackle spot, perhaps with 2017 second round pick Malik McDowell alongside him. Of course, if these accusations have merit, Reed’s availability could be jeopardized.
The young Alabama product has serious high upside, as longtime scout Dave-Te Thomas outlined for PFR prior to the 2016 draft:
Reed is a “never back down from anything” type. He sacrificed personal success to play the role of “trash man” for the Tide, using his power and frame to constantly take on double teams in order for a freed-up teammate to make the play. He is an all-out battler in tight quarters and shows enough functional quickness to make plays outside the box while also generating good urgency in pursuit. When he gets in a groove, he simply overpowers and wears down the blockers with his leg drive and combative nature.
He might not have the 330-pound frame you look for in a three-tech, but he has above average upper body strength and that strong anchor to split double teams and collapse the offensive line….He will engage and shed with good force and shows a surprising motor in short area pursuit. When he gets into the hole, he delivers that strong hand punch to clog the rush lanes and push back the lead blocker as evidenced by teams recording just four first downs on 52 rushing attempts against him in 2015.
Jaguars Release LB Marcus Rush
The Jaguars have released linebacker Marcus Rush, the team announced. 
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Rush, 26 in June, went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2015 and spent his first two years in the pros on San Francisco’s taxi squad. In December of last year, the Jaguars signed him off of the 49ers’ practice squad. Rush didn’t get a real opportunity to play in Jacksonville either, unfortunately, and he is still waiting to get a chance to show what he can do in live action. In the 2016 preseason, Rush led the league with six sacks in exhibition, so there’s reason to believe that he can be a contributor.
In other Jaguars news, the team hosted safety Aaron Williams on a visit last week, but there’s no deal just yet. Tight end Gary Barnidge, who has drawn the interest of multiple teams, may meet with the Jaguars in the coming days.
Extra Points: Eagles, Walker, Mangold, Vikes
Newly minted Eagles defensive tackle Charles Walker drew criticism for leaving Oklahoma’s football team last year before its season ended (head coach Bob Stoops essentially called him a quitter), but it turns out he had a good reason. Walker’s early exit came because of a battle with depression, which he explained in a letter to all 32 NFL teams prior to the draft, reports Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Walker also notified clubs that taking medication has helped curb his depression. Despite that positive development and Walker’s high upside, nobody took a flier on him during the seven-round draft.
More from around the game:
- Free agent center Nick Mangold, unemployed since the Jets released him in February, told Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday that he’s “trying to get ready” for 2017, but it doesn’t appear retirement is out of the question for the 33-year-old. When asked if he has ruled out walking away from football, Mangold said, “We’re still trying to see what the options are.” Although he has an outstanding track record, there has been scant interest in the seven-time Pro Bowler this offseason. It’s possible that’ll change shortly, however, as New Orleans may be on the lookout for help in the middle of its offensive line.
- After a four-year stint as Nebraska’s quarterback, the undrafted Tommy Armstrong is going to have to change positions if he wants to make the Vikings. Armstrong, who’s currently unsigned, entered the Vikings’ rookie minicamp trying out at running back. Minnesota then shifted him to safety, and he intrigued the club enough to earn an invitation to organized team activities, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. Said Armstrong, whose college career included 90 touchdowns (67 passing, 23 rushing): “I met with (defensive backs coach Jerry) Gray after practice Sunday, and he said, ‘We’re going to fly you back up here (next) Sunday and we’ll give you a playbook. He said he’d call me in a few days. They also like the way I’ve been playing special teams.’’
- Upward of 12 players in the Spring League have been invited to NFL minicamps. CEO Brian Woods says he’s happy with the way things have played out since the league’s inaugural season wrapped up. “We were pleased with the NFL turnout for sure,” Woods said (via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com). “It was overwhelming and we were happy to have it. I was talking as it wrapped up with some of our coaches, and we feel like this league is in position to help quarterbacks as much as anything, and we all know that’s an ongoing priority for the NFL.” Generally, though, NFL execs have told Seifert that they wished the league was younger as a whole. Running back Ben Tate, 28, apparently turned in the best performance of any of the league’s players.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Seahawks Sign DE/LB David Bass
The Seahawks have signed edge defender David Bass, per an Instagram announcement from the player (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).
Bass entered the NFL in 2013 as a seventh-round pick of the Raiders, though he never actually suited up for them. He instead spent his first two seasons in Chicago, where he totaled 20 appearances (two starts) and combined for four sacks.
Bass was a member of the Titans over the previous two years, setting career highs in games (16) and starts (seven) during a 1.5-sack, one-interception 2015 campaign. He made less of a defensive impact across 13 appearances last season, playing just over 20 percent of the Titans’ snaps and picking up 12 tackles, but partook in 45 percent of special teams snaps.
As of now, the 26-year-old Bass is in line to function as a defensive end for Seattle, writes Condotta. The Seahawks have no shortage of proven and/or familiar names at DE, including Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Frank Clark and Dion Jordan, so Bass could have difficulty distinguishing himself as a defender if he makes their roster.
Jay Cutler Had “Strong” Interest In Texans
Before he signed with FOX to become a color commentator last week, longtime NFL quarterback Jay Cutler had “strong” interest in playing for the Texans, sources told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
While the Texans did kick the tires on Cutler after the Bears released him earlier this offseason, they elected against signing him, mainly because of Bill O’Brien. The head coach has a higher opinion of Tom Savage, who’s in line to open the season as the Texans’ starter. Long after considering Cutler, Houston traded up in the first round of last month’s draft to select former Clemson star Deshaun Watson, who they hope will serve as their long-term answer under center.
On the heels of an injury-marred 2016 in Chicago, the Jets were the only team that seriously mulled adding the 34-year-old Cutler as a stopgap. Cutler was reportedly uninterested in joining a rebuilding club, though, and prospective contenders didn’t want any part of him as a starter. Because of that, Cutler’s now a member of the media on what he calls a “permanent” basis.
AFC Notes: Chiefs, Ravens, Fins, Titans
As the Chiefs were preparing to trade up 17 spots in the first round of this year’s draft to select Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes 10th overall, they reached out to starting signal-caller Alex Smith to make sure he’d be OK with it, general manager John Dorsey told the NFL Network on Monday (via Conor Orr of NFL.com). “You know, Alex is the consummate professional,” said Dorsey. “He’s been through these types of situations before and we made sure we communicated with Alex leading up to the draft that we may make a move like this. And when we were on the clock and traded up with Buffalo, we made sure we again got in contact with Alex and he’s all on board with this.” Even after the addition of Mahomes, Smith knows the Chiefs are “his team,” per Dorsey, who praised the 33-year-old for owning “the fourth-winningest record” among QBs since his KC tenure began in 2013. The Chiefs have indeed posted an excellent regular-season mark (41-20) with Smith at the controls, but they’ve managed only one playoff win in three trips. Now, thanks in no small part to the Chiefs’ investment in Mahomes, Smith appears unlikely to last as their starter for much longer. The 12-year veteran’s contract will expire after the 2018 season.
More from the AFC:
- The Ravens are the best fit for free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, opines ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley, who writes that the ex-Patriot’s “bruising” style would be perfect for Baltimore’s offense. Moreover, running back is a need for the Ravens, Hensley points out. With Kenneth Dixon set to miss the opening quarter of the season on account of a suspension and Terrance West having led the team last year with a so-so 774 yards on 193 carries, it’s hard to argue with Hensley. PFR’s Zach Links recently made a case for Baltimore to sign Blount, who set a career high with 1,161 rushing yards and finished with an NFL-best 18 touchdowns on the ground last season.
- Retired quarterback Peyton Manning had a hand in the Dolphins’ late-winter acquisition of tight end Julius Thomas from the Jaguars, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post details. Manning played in Indianapolis under now-Dolphins offensive coordinator Clyde Christiansen, who contacted the future Hall of Famer about Thomas when Miami was considering trading for him. Thomas’ best seasons, the 2013 and ’14 campaigns, came in Denver with Manning under center (and now-Dolphins head coach Adam Gase at offensive coordinator). Having tossed 24 touchdown passes to Thomas during that two-year span, Manning offered Christiansen a positive review of the tight end, saying “that (Thomas) figured it out. (Thomas’) figure-it-out factor was high. That’s what you look for. There’s a guy who came in and probably didn’t know a whole bunch about football, or played very little. His experience was very minimal, and then (he) came in and figured it out and then worked.”
- The Titans are likely to promote Jon Salge to director of college scouting, a source told ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). Salge, a college scout who’s in his 11th year with the Titans, would replace the recently fired Blake Beddingfield.
Draft Pick Signings: Broncos, Steelers
The latest draft picks to put pen to paper on their first NFL deals:
- The Broncos have signed fifth-round wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie. The Broncos traded up to the No. 172 pick to select the Georgia product and he could wind up as the team’s main punt returner. In 2016, McKenzie recorded 44 catches for 633 yards and seven touchdowns.
- The Steelers announced that they have signed fifth-round defensive back Brian Allen. The former Utah standout is the first of Pittsburgh’s eight draft picks to sign.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/8/17
Monday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Josh Letuligasenoa, CB Raysean Pringle, RB William Stanback, LB David Talley, S Aaron Taylor (via Jason Wilde of ESPN, on Twitter)
- Cut: WR Antwan Goodley, LS Taybor Pepper
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DL Ricky Ali’ifua (Twitter links via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
- Cut: RB Darrin Reaves
New Orleans Saints
- Cut: LB/DE Royce LaFrance, TE Jake Stoneburner (Twitter link via Herbie Teope of NOLA.com)
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DE Chris Casher, LB Najee Harris, LB LaTroy Lewis
- Cut: S Ahmad Thomas, DL Jordan Wade (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Chanceller James, WR BJ Johnson, OL Richard Levy
- Cut: OL Bret Treadway
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Cut: CB Greg Mabin
Ravens’ Terrance West Signs RFA Tender
It took two months, but Ravens running back Terrance West has signed his restricted free agent tender, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links).
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The Ravens gave West an original-round tender, meaning any club that attempted to sign him would have had to surrender a fairly high pick for the 2014 third-rounder. Between that and West’s unspectacular production to this point (3.9 yards per carry on 426 attempts), it’s unsurprising that no one courted him when he was on the RFA market.
Formerly with the Browns and Titans, West is coming off his first full year in Baltimore, where he paced the team’s ball carriers in attempts (193), yards (774) and touchdowns (five) in 2016. The 26-year-old also totaled 34 catches for 236 yards and another score. With Kenneth Dixon set to serve a four-game suspension to open the season, West should again function as the Ravens’ top rushing option at the outset of 2017.
Along with locking up West for another year, the Ravens are keeping cornerback Sheldon Price, who signed his exclusive rights tender. Meanwhile, the team cut three players – running back Stephen Houston and 2017 undrafted free agents Zach Terrell (quarterback, Western Michigan) and Omarius Bryant (defensive end, Western Kentucky) – according to Zrebiec.