Seahawks Sign QB Austin Davis
The Seahawks have added a backup quarterback… and no, it isn’t Colin Kaepernick. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the team has signed signal-caller Austin Davis. Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets that the team has waived quarterback Jake Heaps to make room on the roster. Davis had reportedly visited the Seahawks last week.
The 28-year-old didn’t play in a single game for the Broncos during the 2016 season, and he was ultimately waived by the organization in December. The former undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi does have some NFL experience, as he played in 13 games (1o starts) with the Rams and Browns between 2014 and 2015. Over his career, Davis has completed 62.4-percent of his passes for 2,548 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The quarterback reportedly met with the Giants and Ravens earlier this offseason.
Barring another addition, Davis will be competing with Trevone Boykin to serve as Russell Wilson‘s primary backup. The Seahawks had actually added Heaps last week to compete for the backup gig, although it seemed unlikely that the former undrafted rookie would be sticking around for the long haul.
This acquisiton will presumably put to rest the persisting Kaepernick rumors. We learned last week that the organization wouldn’t be signing the veteran quarterback, with coach Pete Carroll citing the 29-year-old’s ability to still start in the NFL. Subsequent reports indicated that the two sides were actually in disagreement over money, although some wondered if the Seahawks were looking to avoid a potential quarterback controversy.
Ravens Sign CB Brandon Boykin
The Ravens have found a replacement for injured cornerback Tavon Young. According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the team has signed veteran defensive back Brandon Boykin.
Boykin hasn’t appeared in the NFL since he played in 15 games with the Steelers in 2015. The former fourth-round pick caught on with both the Panthers and Bears during the 2016 offseason, but he landed on Chicago’s injured reserve after suffering a pectoral injury during training camp.
Prior to last season, the 26-year-old hadn’t missed a single regular season game during his four-game career. His best season came in 2013, when he finished with 47 tackles, six interceptions, and 16 passes defended. Boykin compiled a career-low 25 tackles during his lone season in Pittsburgh during the 2015 campaign.
Young tore his ACL during practice last week, presumably ending his season. The Ravens revamped their cornerback depth chart this offseason, adding free agent Brandon Carr and first-round pick Marlon Humphrey. Boykin will presumably be competing with Lardarius Webb and Maurice Canady for the team’s nickel corner spot.
Giants WR Roger Lewis Arrested For OVI
Giants wide receiver Roger Lewis was arrested on Sunday and charged with operating a vehicle while impaired, the Reynoldsburg, Ohio Police Department confirmed (via James Kratch of NJ Advance Media on Twitter). TMZ Sports first reported the arrest yesterday. Neither the player nor the Giants have commented, and Lewis will presumably face potential discipline from the NFL.
Lewis was reportedly pulled over when officers observed him speeding in a vehicle with “overly tinted windows.” The officers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle, and they observed that the 23-year-old appeared to be impaired. The wideout “was released from jail on his own recognizance,” according to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com.
The 2016 undrafted free agent out of Bowling Green appeared in 13 games (one start) for New York last season, hauling in seven catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Lewis also collected five tackles on special teams.
Lewis was competing with Dwayne Harris and Tavarres King for snaps behind Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall, and Sterling Shepard.
AFC Notes: Jets, Chargers, Ivory, Maclin
A video emerged on Twitter this weekend allegedly showing Jets linebacker Darron Lee in an apparent altercation with a woman at the Governors Ball Music Festival on Randall’s Island. The video shows a man shouting at a woman, and the Twitter user claimed the individual proceeded to “manhandle her’’ and “call her names.’’
Jets defensive end Leonard Williams can also be seen in the video physically restraining his teammate, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Williams’ Instagram account showed that quarterback Bryce Petty was also at the festival.
“We are aware of the reports,” a Jets spokesman said (via Schwartz). “We are taking them seriously, and we are looking into the specifics of the situation. We will have no further comment at this time.”
Lee, a 2016 first-round pick, appeared in 13 games (nine starts) with the Jets last season, compiling 73 tackles and one sack.
Let’s take a look at other notes from around the AFC…
- Danny Woodhead signed with the Ravens this offseason, so ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams took a look at current Chargers who could replace the departed running back’s production. The writer points to Branden Oliver and Kenjon Barner as players who could serve as the pass-catching back behind starter Melvin Gordon.
- We learned yesterday that running back LeSean McCoy was recruiting former teammate Jeremy Maclin to join the Bills. Now it looks like quarterback Tyrod Taylor is also looking to touch base with the free agent receiver. “Today was the first day I seen Shady,” Taylor told Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News. “We texted about it, but [I] want to get Maclin’s number and try to reach out to him. Just to see what his thoughts, what is he thinking moving forward and try to get him here.”
- After a season that saw him compile only 439 rushing yards, Jaguars running back Chris Ivory wants to prove that he’s still capable of starting in the NFL. Unfortunately, despite his experience, the veteran has fourth-overall pick Leonard Fournette breathing down his neck. While the odds seem to be against the 29-year-old, he’s still confident that his 2016 woes are a thing of the past. “One thing about it, people and everybody are going to have their opinions,’’ Ivory told John Reid of the Florida Times-Union. “Mainly, the people that know nothing about football. They don’t know the things we go through to get to this point. What we actually face before we come out for those games…Most of the stuff the people on the outside see are the mistakes and the bad things you do. It’s not always going to go the way you want. I think a lot of people that like to see guys get a 1,000 yards each year, but it just don’t work that way.’’
Mike Zimmer Returns To Vikings
The Vikings announced this morning that head coach Mike Zimmer has returned to practice. The now-61-year-old (his birthday is today) has been absent from the first two weeks of OTAs as he recovered from eye surgery.
The eye woes aren’t anything new for Zimmer, as Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com notes that the coach has undergone eight separate surgeries over the past year to repair a detached retina. Considering the apparent on-going issues, some wondered if Zimmer would consider retirement, but the head coach quickly dismissed that theory.
One eye or two, it really doesn’t matter. I’m going to be back,” Zimmer said in May. “So we can put the retiring thing or whatever to bed quickly.”
Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator George Edwards and special teams coach Mike Priefer were required to lead their respective units during OTAs. Alper notes that defensive line coach Andre Patterson “covered some of Zimmer’s duties” during the head honcho’s absence.
In three seasons with the team, Zimmer has led the Vikings to a 26-22 record and one playoff appearance. Prior to his time in Minnesota, he served as the defensive coordinator for the Bengals, Falcons, and Cowboys.
Eagles Sign DT Gabe Wright
The Eagles have added some defensive line reinforcement. Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (via Twitter) that the team has signed defensive tackle Gabe Wright to a one-year deal.
Wright entered the league as a 2015 fourth-round pick out of Auburn, but he hasn’t been able to establish himself in either of his two seasons. The 25-year-old compiled six tackles in seven games (one start) with the Lions during his rookie campaign, but he was waived by Detroit in 2016.
He subsequently joined the Browns practice squad and ended up appearing in five games with Cleveland, collecting four tackles and one pass defended. The 6-foot-3 lineman was waived in late May after the Browns claimed offensive lineman Chris Barker off waivers from the Patriots.
The Eagles’ defensive tackle depth chart has been a bit thin during OTAs, as Beau Allen has recovered from injury and rookie Elijah Qualls is temporarily barred from participating. Before signing Wright, Destiny Vaeao and Justin Hamilton were the lone defensive tackles behind starters Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan.
Terrance Williams Took Less Money For Cowboys
Terrance Williams took less money to stay with the Cowboys, the wide receiver tells Drew Davison of the Star Telegram. Williams re-signed a four-year, $17MM contract with $9.5MM guaranteed early on in free agency. 
[RELATED: Cowboys, Zack Martin Put Extension Talks On Hold]
“It just wasn’t about money to me,” Williams said of his free agency. “There was a lot of money I could have taken, but it’s just the people. The guys I hang around with in my locker room and then the coaches that I have. That’s a bigger price tag on it for me than money.”
Williams, a third-round pick of the Cowboys in 2013, mentioned fellow receiver Dez Bryant as one reason he gave Dallas a hometown discount. It also helps that Williams is already familiar with the playbook and has already enjoyed success with the team. He had 44 grabs for 594 yards and four touchdowns in 2016. In the year prior, he set watermarks in receptions (52) and yards (840).
Cardinals Content At RB?
The Cardinals have one of the very best running backs in the game, though some might say that the supporting cast for him is lacking. Right now, the Cardinals seem content with Kerwynn Williams, T.J. Logan, Eli Penny, and Andre Ellington as the reserves behind him, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. 
[RELATED: Cardinals Waive QB Zac Dysert]
If that’s truly the case, then that might mean that the Cardinals are moving on from veteran Chris Johnson. CJ2K was hoping to find an opportunity where he could get significant playing time, but he might not even have the opportunity to return for table scraps. Johnson claims that he has been in contact with Arizona brass about a potential deal, but that has not been verified by any other report.
It’s possible that the Cardinals and C. Johnson have an understanding in which he will wait until after the offseason program to sign. This also might be a case of the Cardinals wanting to fully assess what they have in house before bringing CJ2K back. The Cardinals might wait to see Logan and Penny in pads before circling back to the former Titans star.
5 Key Stories: 5/28/17 – 6/4/17
Chiefs release WR Jeremy Maclin. Kansas City’s decision to part ways with Maclin came as a surprise both for financial reasons and due to the lack of pass-catching depth on the Chiefs’ roster. KC could have designated Maclin as a post-June 1 release months ago, allowing him to hit the free agent market early while gaining cap space at the same date (June 2). Tyreek Hill, Chris Conley, and rookie Jehu Chesson, meanwhile, now top the Chiefs’ depth chart at wideout. Bills running back LeSean McCoy is now attempting to lure Maclin to Buffalo.
Jets trade a former first-rounder. New York shipped 2014 first-round safety Calvin Pryor to the Browns last week, re-acquiring linebacker Demario Davis in return. Pryor, whom the Jets reportedly wanted out of their locker room, will now try to restart his career on a rebuilding Cleveland roster. Davis, for his part, is now back with the club with which he spent the 2012-15 campaigns, but he may not make the roster without accepting a pay reduction.
Seahawks pass on Colin Kaepernick. While Seattle had genuine interest in adding Kaepernick as a backup to starter Russell Wilson, the Hawks aren’t giving Kaepernick a roster spot right now. Head coach Pete Carroll lauded Kaepernick, indicating that the former 49ers quarterback can still be a starter in the NFL. But reports indicated that the two sides were apart on money, as Kaepernick may be looking for a larger payday than the Seahawks are willing to provide.
Two Ravens go down. Fresh off a comeback season during which he led all NFL tight ends in receptions, Baltimore’s Dennis Pitta dislocated his hip for the third time in four years, a devastating injury which could lead to the end of Pitta’s career. While the veteran tight end hasn’t yet made a decision on his future, it’s difficult to imagine the 31-year-old will continue the risk of playing. Nickel cornerback Tavon Young, who shined during his rookie campaign in 2016, also suffered an serious injury, an ACL tear which will likely end his season before it began.
Christine Michael finds a home. One month after being cut by the Packers, Michael landed with the Colts last week. Indianapolis marks the fifth club that’s employed Michael over the past two years, joining the Seahawks, Cowboys, Redskins, and the aforementioned Packers. While the Colts are counting on Michael to play a lead back role, he’s landed in a favorable position, as Josh Ferguson, Robert Turbin, and rookie Marlon Mack represent Michael’s only competition to serve as Frank Gore‘s backup.
LeSean McCoy Recruiting Jeremy Maclin
LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin were teammates with the Eagles from 2009-14, and McCoy would like to reunite with the newly free agent wide receiver. McCoy is recruiting Maclin to sign with the Bills, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
“I know he could help us out tremendously,” McCoy said. “I’ve been doing my recruiting already, and don’t be surprised if it happens. That would be cool to have another weapon on the offense. But you never know. A lot of things would have to work out for that to happen. You know how the business goes.”
While McCoy was clear that he has no inside information on Buffalo’s plans, a Maclin addition would make sense for the club. Sammy Watkins is the Bills’ No. 1 wideout, but he’s had problems staying healthy, and second-round pick Zay Jones will be making the transition from East Carolina to the NFL. Other wide receivers on Buffalo’s depth chart include Rod Streater, Andre Holmes, and Corey Brown, so the team could certainly use a veteran presence like Maclin.
McCoy isn’t the only Bills offensive player who plans to speak with Maclin, as quarterback Tyrod Taylor told Rodak he’ll reach out to the former Chiefs wide receiver and lobby Buffalo coaches about Maclin. “Would love to have a guy like him on our team competing and coming out and making plays for us,” Taylor said. “Especially means a lot to our wide receiver room, putting another veteran guy with a whole bunch of talent and still potential left to reach his best. I would love to have him.”