Jay Cutler Retires, Signs With FOX
Former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is retiring in order to pursue a new career. He’s joining FOX’s NFL team, as Peter Schrager of NFL Network tweets. Cutler will be in a three-man booth alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt and fellow color commentator Charles Davis. 
Before deciding to go to FOX, Cutler had real discussions with the Jets and less-promising talks with the Texans, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. In a statement issued to Adam Jahns of the Sun Times, Cutler admits that he did not find a ton of interest on the open market this offseason.
“I don’t know if retirement is the right word; I don’t feel that anyone ever really retires from the NFL. You are either forced to leave, or you lose the desire to do what’s required to keep going. I’m in between those situations at this point in my life,” Cutler said.
Not everyone is convinced that Cutler is done playing football, however. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (video link) gets the sense that he would get back on the field if a team offered him a starting job and starter money to go along with it. In theory, the three-man booth protects FOX against Cutler leaving to join a team midseason because Burkhardt and Davis could move forward as a two-man team.
Cutler wasn’t necessarily warm and fuzzy towards the media during his playing days, so it will be interesting to see him in the broadcast booth. However, Cutler has extensive experience playing in the NFC and that should help his transition to FOX. Those close to Cutler also say that he’s well-suited for TV.
“I think Jay Cutler would be on point as an analyst,” guard Kyle Long told Jahns. “He’s one of the most cerebral guys I’ve ever played with, one of the most well-spoken guys I’ve played with. Whether the public knows it or not, he actually is a funny, nice, cool guy. [Media members] have seen that side of him sometimes. You’ve also seen Jay when he’s having maybe not the best day. Unfortunately, that’s kind of the all-encompassing stigma there. But I think if you see him in a suit and he’s got his hair done and he’s got that beard lined up, people will fall in love with Jay Cutler again.”
In his 11 NFL seasons for the Broncos and Bears, Cutler amassed a career 68-71 record. With the Bears, he went 52-52 across eight seasons (including the playoffs). His best season came in 2008 for Denver when he threw for more than 4,500 yards and 25 touchdowns. That season earned Cutler his sole career Pro Bowl selection. In 2016, he made five starts and was a far cry from the best version of himself.fre
Vikings In Talks With WR Michael Floyd
Free agent wide receiver Michael Floyd is in talks with the Vikings and other clubs, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Patriots free agent hopes to have a deal by end of next week. 
Floyd was arrested late last year in Arizona for a “Super Extreme DUI” and other charges related to his drunk driving. He could have faced up to six months in jail, but he reached a deal with prosecutors in February to shorten his sentence to 24 days in jail plus 96 days in home confinement. Assuming Floyd’s house arrest forbids him from leaving his home for work, it might be a few weeks before he can join a team for workouts.
Floyd will likely be suspended for at least two games and it’s possible that he could get a longer ban since this is his second DUI arrest. Still, the Vikings and other clubs likely see him as a low-risk, high-reward type of signing. Minnesota seems pretty set from WR1-WR4, but Floyd could push Isaac Fruechte and late draft picks Rodney Adams and Stacy Coley for a roster spot.
The Patriots reportedly expressed interest in re-signing Floyd, and Floyd himself indicated he’d like to return to the team, but the addition of Brandin Cooks could hurt his chances of remaining in New England. With Cooks and Julian Edelman at the top of the WR depth chart, it’s a sardine-packed bunch with Malcolm Mitchell, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, and Matthew Slater in support. Recent waiver wire addition Devin Street will also be fighting for a roster spot.
Browns Announce 11 UDFA Signings
The Browns announced that they’ve agreed to terms with 11 undrafted college free agents. The full list of new Cleveland players is as follows:
- B.J. Bello, LB (Illinois State)
- Josh Boutte, OL (LSU)
- Ladell Fleming, LB (Northern Illinois)
- J.D. Harmon, DB (Kentucky)
- Alvin Hill, DB (Maryland)
- Jamal Marcus, DL (Akron)
- Taylor McNamara, TE (USC)
- Kai Nacua, DB (BYU)
- Kenneth Olugbode, LB (Colorado)
- Karter Schult, DL (Northern Iowa)
- Channing Stribling, DB (Michigan)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/17
Today’s minor moves:
- Defensive tackle Dominique Easley signed his restricted free agent tender with the Rams today, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Easley was tendered at the original round level, which means he’ll earn a non-guaranteed base salary of $1.797MM for 2017. Because Easley is a former first-round pick, any club that signed him to an offer sheet would have had to be willing to sacrifice a first-round pick. Clearly, no team was interested in such a move, so Easley will return to Los Angeles next year before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2018.
- The Seahawks have waived running back Kelvin Taylor, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Taylor, 23, was selected by San Francisco in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. During his rookie campaign, Taylor spent time on the practice squads of both the Seahawks and the 49ers, and was on Seattle’s active roster for one week in December. The Florida alum is the son of former NFL running back Fred Taylor.
- The Vikings announced that they’ve waived defensive end Sterling Bailey and offensive tackle Marquis Lucas. Bailey, 24, went undrafted in 2016 and has already been with the Colts and Seahawks in addition to the Vikings. Lucas was also originally a UDFA who signed with Buffalo after last year’s draft before ending the season on Minnesota’a practice squad. Neither Bailey nor Lucas has appeared in an NFL contest.
- The Broncos have waived defensive end Iosia Iosia, wide receiver Mekale McKay, and long snapper Jeff Overbaugh, tweets Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post. None of the three have any NFL experience, as both McKay and Overbaugh were signed to futures deals in January, while Iosia latched onto the Broncos’ practice squad at the end of last season.
- After signing 21 undrafted free agents earlier this week, the Falcons have added another UDFA in Miami linebacker Jermaine Grace, the club announced today. Grace didn’t see the field in 2016, as he was dismissed from the Hurricanes squad following an investigation into Grace’s link to a luxury car rental agency.
Panthers Sign Christian McCaffrey
The Panthers are now the first club to reach a deal with a 2017 first-round pick, as the club announced it has signed running back Christian McCaffrey. Carolina has also inked second-round offensive lineman Taylor Moton and sixth-round fullback Alex Armah.
McCaffrey, the eighth overall pick in last week’s draft, should immediately factor into a Panthers offense that ranked 25th in DVOA last season. A running back by trade, McCaffrey may end up playing a good deal of receiver, especially with established veteran Jonathan Stewart still lurking in the backfield. McCaffrey should be in line for a four-year deal worth roughly $17.241MM (signing bonus of ~$10.679MM). Carolina will also hold a fifth-year option on McCaffrey for the 2021 campaign.
Moton, meanwhile, should compete for the Panthers’ starting right tackle job. Third-year pro Daryl Williams looks to be Moton’s primary competition, as Michael Oher is still dealing with concussion issues (and was recently cited for misdemeanor assault). Moton, a Western Michigan product, will earn $6.454MM over the life of his four-year contract.
In addition to signing three of their seven draft picks, the Panthers announced they’ve also agreed to terms with the following undrafted college free agents: linebacker Ben Boulware, defensive end Bryan Cox Jr., wide receiver Austin Duke, cornerback Cole Luke, and wide receiver Fred Ross.
Earl Thomas On Track For Season Opener
The Seahawks expect safety Earl Thomas to be available for the start of the 2017 campaign, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).
Thomas, of course, hinted at retirement after breaking his leg in December, but ultimately indicated he’d be back for the 2017 season. The news that Thomas is on track to return for the season opener doesn’t come as a significant surprise, as Carroll said in March that Thomas was “way ahead of schedule” in his recovery. When healthy, Thomas is considered the best deep safety in the NFL, so his absence — for any length of time — would represent a massive blow to a stingy Seattle defense. Signed through 2018, Thomas is set to have cap charges of $10.4MM in each of the next two seasons.
Thomas’ secondary mate Kam Chancellor, meanwhile, is still working his way back from multiple ankle surgeries and isn’t yet at full speed, tweets Condotta. Chancellor, like Thomas, is an excellent player when healthy, but injury concerns have sidelined him in recent years. He’s missed 11 total games over the past three seasons, although those absences were caused by injuries to his hip, groin, and tailbone (not ankle). Recently, Carroll admitted the Seahawks would like to work out a new deal with Chancellor, who’s entering a contract season.
Seattle has added reinforcements in the defensive backfield this offseason, so the club should be well-prepared if Thomas and/or Chancellor are forced to miss any time. In addition to making a value signing in Bradley McDougald, the Seahawks used a third-round pick to draft Michigan safety Delano Hill.
Redskins Sign Eight Undrafted Free Agents
The Redskins have announced the signing of the following eight undrafted college free agents:
- Brandon Banks, DL (Charlotte)
- Tyler Catalina, OL (Georgia)
- Levern Jacobs, WR (Maryland)
- Kyle Kalis, G (Michigan)
- Zach Pascal, WR (Old Dominion)
- Ondre Pipkins, DL (Texas Tech)
- James Quick, WR (Louisville)
- Fish Smithson, S (Kansas)
Patriots To Work Out DT Ego Ferguson
The Patriots plan to work out free agent defensive tackle Ego Ferguson, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Like fellow free agent Taylor Mays, Ferguson will participate in New England’s upcoming rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
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Ferguson, 25, appeared in all 16 games during his rookie campaign with the Bears in 2014, but injuries have limited him to just four contests since that season. Chicago reportedly shopped the former second-round pick last fall, but didn’t find any takers. After spending the entire 2016 season on injured reserve, Ferguson was waived in early April and claimed by the division-rival Packers. Ferguson failed his physical with Green Bay, though, and once again hit the free agent market. He’s since auditioned for the Raiders.
The Patriots have consistently added to their defensive line throughout the offseason by adding veterans such as Kony Ealy and Lawrence Guy and draft picks like Derek Rivers and Deatrich Wise, so it’s tough to see how Ferguson could hypothetically fit on New England’s roster. Alan Branch — who re-signed on a two-year deal in March — and Malcolm Brown are the projected starters at defensive tackle, while 2016 third-rounder Vincent Valentine is also available on the inside.
49ers Sign Five Draft Picks, 16 UDFAs
The 49ers are making quick work of their 2017 draft class, as the club announced today that they’ve signed defensive back Adrian Colbert, defensive lineman D.J. Jones, tight end George Kittle, defensive lineman Pita Taumoepenu, and wide receiver Trent Taylor to rookie contracts. San Francisco also confirmed the previously-reported signing of fourth-round running back Joe Williams.
Additionally, the 49ers have announced the signing of 16 undrafted college free agents:
- Victor Bolden, WR (Oregon State)
- Kendrick Bourne, WR (Eastern Washington)
- Matt Breida, RB (Georgia Southern) ($5K bonus, $25K guaranteed base salary, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today)
- John Flynn, OL (Montana State)
- Zach Franklin, CB (Washburn)
- Malik Golden, S (Penn State) ($3K bonus, $12K guaranteed base salary)
- Evan Goodman, OL (Arizona State)
- Cole Hikutini, TE (Louisville) ($10K bonus, $10K guaranteed base salary)
- Lorenzo Jerome, DB (Saint Francis)
- Erik Magnuson, OL (Michigan)
- Tyler McCloskey, FB (Houston)
- Nick Mullens, QB (Southern Mississippi)
- Donavin Newsom, LB (Missouri)
- Noble Nwachukwu, DL (West Virginia)
- Bret Treadway, OL (Lamar)
- Darrell Williams Jr., OL (Western Kentucky)
Bears To Sign Jaye Howard
The Bears have agreed to a one-year deal with defensive lineman Jaye Howard, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Chicago had an offer out to Howard as of Wednesday, but the 28-year-old was supposed to visit other clubs after being released by the Chiefs last month. Instead, he’ll join the Bears and likely serve in a rotational capacity on steadily improving front seven. Currently, Mitch Unrein, Akiem Hicks, and Eddie Goldman are Chicago’s projected starters along the defensive line, but Howard, Jonathan Bullard, John Jenkins, and Will Sutton give the Bears enviable depth.
Howard only suited up eight times and made five starts last year, as a hip injury ended his season in November. During his limited action in 2016, Howard added 23 tackles and a sack, and ranked 55th in performance among Pro Football Focus‘ 127 qualified interior defensive linemen.