Lions Sign Ricky Jean-Francois
Veteran defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois has signed a one-year deal with the Lions, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). RJ-F met with Detroit on Wednesday morning and it did not take long for a deal to come together. 
The Lions have been in search of defensive line depth throughout the offseason and Jean-Francois, they hope, will help to sure up their group on the interior. The Lions will start A’Shawn Robinson and Sylvester Williams in the middle, but Jean-Francois will battle for a spot alongside last year’s sixth-round pick Jeremiah Ledbetter and Toby Johnson. The 31-year-old (32 in November) offers nine years of NFL experience while Ledbetter and Johnson have appeared in just 18 games combined.
This week, the Lions also met veteran Sealver Siliga. It’s not immediately clear how the addition of Jean-Francois will affect Siliga’s chances of signing with the Lions.
Cowboys Haven’t Discussed Thomas Since Draft
According to one report, the Cowboys have discussed an Earl Thomas trade with the Seahawks in recent months. However, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones told reporters on Wednesday that the two sides have not talked about a deal since the draft (Twitter link via PFT’s Charean Williams). 
At this point, it’s hard to know whether Jones is telling the truth. What is clear, however, is that Thomas is still holding out hope of a trade if he does not get a new deal. This week, he is staying away from the club as training camp gets underway.
Thomas is under contract for one more season with a base salary of $8.5MM and a $10.4MM cap hit. When Thomas signed his four-year, $40MM extension with the Seahawks in 2014, he was the highest-paid safety in the game. Today, that deal puts him sixth in average annual value. Thomas either wants the Seahawks to restore his place atop the mountain or trade him to another team that will oblige.
For now, the Cowboys project to start Xavier Woods and Jeff Heath at safety.
Raiders’ Khalil Mack Won’t Show For Camp
Defensive end Khalil Mack will not report to the Raiders when camp opens on Thursday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This does not appear to be a case of posturing, Schefter adds. 
[RELATED: Raiders Deciding Between Richard, Washington?]
Mack is scheduled to earn $13.846MM after having his fifth-year option picked up, but he’s pushing for a long-term deal before he hits free agency next offseason. Fellow 2014 first-round picks Aaron Donald and Jadeveon Clowney are in similar situations, and it appears that each player is waiting for one of the other two to sign first. Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie has said that the organization won’t use other contracts as a basis for Mack’s extension, but it’s hard to imagine that those other deals would not be used as reference points.
In a recent poll, more than half of PFR’s readers said that Donald would finish the offseason as the league’s highest-paid defender. However, Mack was not far behind in voting.
Mack has averaged 12 sacks per season over the last three years. It is believed that he is seeking a multi-year deal worth roughly $20MM per season.
NFL Suspends Jets’ Rashard Robinson
Jets cornerback Rashard Robinson has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He’ll be eligible to return to the active roster on October 1 after the team’s Week 4 contest against the Jaguars. In the interim, he’ll be allowed to participate in all preseason practices and games. 
The Jets acquired Robinson in a pre-deadline trade in 2017, giving up a 2018 fifth-round choice in exchange for the former fourth-round pick. Robinson appeared in six games but recorded just two tackles.
Robinson’s suspension stems from a December incident in which he was pulled over by cops and found to have marijuana-laced candy in his possession. Apparently, that was not the cornerback’s first instance of off-the-field trouble. The 23-year-old reportedly also had an “embarrassing and troubling incident” on a Niners team flight in 2017. He had words with SF coaches in the midst of that outburst, and that prompted the team to ship him to New Jersey.
Robinson’s first game with the Jets in 2018 – if he sticks on the roster – will be against the Broncos on October 7.
Cardinals Meet With LB Arthur Moats
Linebacker Arthur Moats visited the Cardinals on Wednesday, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). Moats most recently played for the Steelers. 
[RELATED: Cardinals Host Mike Mitchell On Visit]
An eight-year NFL veteran, Moats has split his career equally between Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The 30-year-old started 12 games and played 50% of the Steelers’ defensive snaps as recently as 2015, but his role was drastically reduced last year. Pittsburgh turned to younger defenders such as Bud Dupree, so Moats only saw action on 8.4% of the club’s snaps.
The Cardinals are looking into mid-offseason upgrades and Moats isn’t the only ex-Steeler on their radar. The Cardinals also met with former Pittsburgh safety Mike Mitchell on Wednesday.
The Cardinals project to start Josh Bynes and Deone Bucannon at the inside linebacker spots with former University of Arizona tackling machine Scooby Wright among those in support. Moats could provide the team with some additional veteran experience in that area.
NFC East Notes: Irving, Redskins, Eagles
Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving was not present for the start of the Cowboys’ training camp on Tuesday, sources tell Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star Telegram. Irving has been excused from team activities to address ongoing personal issues, according to those sources.
Irving, of course, has been suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. It’s not immediately clear whether Irving’s absence is tied to any substance issues and, if so, whether those issues would affect his availability for Week 5.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- A freak accident will sideline Redskins cornerback Joshua Holsey for the start of training camp and could potentially impact his availability for the start of the season, according to Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). A table fell on Holsey’s foot, sources say, and he will be forced to go on the PUP or NFI list for at least the beginning of camp. Holsey, a seventh-round pick of Washington last year, appeared in 12 games as a rookie.
- Kamar Aiken‘s deal with the Eagles is for one year and worth the veteran’s minimum, according to Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com (on Twitter). The wide receiver didn’t do a whole lot with the Colts last year, but he showed serious potential as arookie in 2015 when he nearly eclipsed 1,000 yards for the Ravens.
- New Giants cornerback Sam Beal is out for the 2018 season.
Rams’ Aaron Donald Doesn’t Show For Camp
No surprise here, but Aaron Donald is not with the Rams as they begin training camp this week. This now marks the second straight season in which Donald has stayed away from the club in July. 
Donald will be subject to fines for missing the team’s mandatory practices, but his strategy could pay off in the long run as he pressures the team for a market-setting extension. The 27-year-old is gunning to become the league’s highest-paid defender and it’s hard to argue against him when looking at his performance. The defensive tackle has earned four straight Pro Bowl nods and three straight first-team All-Pro honors. Last year, he was extremely productive despite missing two games and finished out with eleven sacks from the interior and a career-high five forced fumbles.
This week, Donald watched two other high-profile teammates secure massive extensions of their own. First, wide receiver Brandin Cooks agreed to a five-year, $80MM+ deal with upwards of $50MM guaranteed. Then, Todd Gurley moved the needle for running backs with his four-year, $60MM extension. Donald may be frustrated by the Rams’ decision to prioritize others over him, but it’s unlikely to prevent a deal from coming together.
For what it’s worth, the Rams have expressed optimism about getting a deal done this summer.
“I think when you build stadiums like this, it’s with players like Aaron Donald in mind,” Rams COO and VP Kevin Demoff said recently. “And we’ve been at this process, working with them for the past year and a half to try to make sure that Aaron is not only here for the opening of the stadium but plays well into his years. And that he can play in the 2022 Super Bowl in his own home stadium. So we’re working on it and we’ll keep pushing forward. The dialogue’s been great. It’s been positive. I think [Donald] and coach [Sean] McVay have a terrific relationship. We look forward to getting this done. And putting Aaron in the place where he should be among the highest-paid defensive players.”
Chiefs Meet With CB Bashaud Breeland
Bashaud Breeland is visiting the Chiefs, but it sounds more serious than the usual meet-and-greet for free agents. Breeland has spent hours at the Chiefs’ Wednesday practice and is watching the club’s defensive backs go through drills, ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher tweets. Still, the team insists that no deal is in place just yet. 
Breeland recently left his Raiders visit without a contract and was said to have meetings scheduled with the Colts and Browns. Right now, it seems likely that all three teams will be left out in the cold.
This has been a strange offseason for Breeland, to say the least. After finishing up his rookie deal with the Redskins, he inked a three-year, $24MM free agent deal with the Panthers. However, the Panthers bailed on the deal after learning of Breeland’s off-the-field foot injury. Since then, several teams have shown interest, but his market stalled while he worked his way back to full health.
The Chiefs’ cornerback group has changed radically since last year, so Breeland would not be the only fresh face in KC. Terrance Mitchell, Ron Parker, Kenneth Acker, and Phillip Gaines all landed elsewhere while free agent Darrelle Revis announced his retirement earlier this week. The Chiefs will start Kendall Fuller and David Amerson at the outside corner spots with help from Steven Nelson and others. If signed, Breeland figures to see plenty of playing time, even if he’s not an every-game starter.
Browns’ Ricardo Louis Done For Season
Browns wide receiver Ricardo Louis will not be able to suit up this season due to a neck injury that has not improved after surgery, head coach Hue Jackson told reporters on Wednesday. The Browns will place Louis on injured reserve, potentially leaving them without two key wide receivers to start the year. 
Already, the Browns were without star Josh Gordon this week after he suffered a setback in his recovery from substance abuse. With Gordon in limbo and Louis sidelined, Browns GM John Dorsey says that he is considering out-of-house options, including free agent wide receiver Dez Bryant.
Louis had 27 catches for 357 yards last season, a solid follow up to his 18 catches for 205 yards as a rookie. After sitting out the 2018 season, he’ll have two more years to go on his contract with Cleveland.
Minus Gordon and Louis, the Browns’ receiver group is projected to include Jarvis Landry, Corey Coleman, Rashard Higgins, Antonio Callaway, and potentially Jeff Janis and sixth-round pick Damion Ratley.
Giants’ Sam Beal Out For Season
Bad news for the Giants. Cornerback Sam Beal, who was chosen in the supplemental draft, is out for the year with a shoulder injury, a source tells Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The team will place him on injured reserve in the coming days.
The Giants used a third-round pick in the supplemental draft – thereby sacrificing their third-round choice in the 2019 draft – to add Beal to their roster. It was expected that Beal would help to fortify their cornerback group following the release of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Instead, the Giants are looking thin once again beyond starters Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins.
Beal’s slender build was one of the primary knocks on him heading into the supplemental draft. After suffering a season-ending shoulder injury just days into his NFL career, it’s likely that Beal will focus on bulking up between now and the 2019 season.
The Giants signed Beal to a standard four-year rookie contract, so he remains under club control through the 2021 season.