Vikings To Sign Mike Hughes
The Vikings have reached agreement on a deal with top pick Mike Hughes, a source tells NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Hughes will now look to build on a productive spring and compete for nickel and punt return duties when he reports to the team on Tuesday. 
Hughes, the No. 30 overall pick in this year’s draft, was one of several late first rounders to be held up in talks this year. The contract of Seahawks rookie running back Rashaad Penny was to blame as the No 27 overall pick took less in fourth year guarantees than last year’s No. 27 selection, Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White. After that happened, the Vikings and other clubs near the back of the order had a bit of extra leverage. After some delay, the two sides reached a compromise on Thursday.
Hughes will fight for playing time behind incumbent corners Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes this year. He also figures to see time as a kick returner given his special teams success at UCF.
With Hughes’ deal in the books, there are only 12 unsigned draft picks left in the NFL. For a complete look at the status of all 256 draft picks, check out PFR’s tracker.
AFC North Notes: Steelers, Bell, Browns
As good as Le’Veon Bell has been for the Steelers, Albert Breer of The MMQB sees both sides of the coin. Bell has been an electrifying force for years, but history dictates that the Steelers have probably seen the bulk of his prime already. With questions about whether Bell can continue to perform at such a high level for at least the next three years, the Steelers’ are right to have reservations about giving him significant guarantees on a long-term deal, Breer argues.
The Steelers’ final offer to Bell was reportedly worth $70MM over five years, but contained only $10MM in fully guaranteed money. Similar to last season’s offer, Bell would have made $33MM over the first two years “in a rolling guaranteed structure,” resulting in $45MM over three years.
While you ponder Bell’s future in Pittsburgh, here’s more from the AFC North:
- If No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield looks good this offseason, could the Browns trade Tyrod Taylor to a team that loses its quarterback to injury? Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com doesn’t envision that happening since coach Hue Jackson wants to win immediately and doesn’t want to have a rookie learning on the job. Cabot isn’t sold on Taylor’s long-term future in Cleveland, but she believes that he’ll open the season as the Browns’ starter and remain with the club through at least 2018.
- Ravens’ guard Marshal Yanda is on the PUP list because of a shoulder surgery he had after the season, not because of his ankle issue (Twitter link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). There is no timetable on his return, but the team believes he will be ready for the regular season. “We’re going to be cautious with him,” coach John Harbaugh said.
- A Bengals rookie has retired to join the ministry.
Bears’ Allen Robinson Won’t Go On PUP
New Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson has not participated in most of the team’s offseason program as a result of last year’s torn ACL. However, coach Matt Nagy says he’ll be ready to roll as the team reconvenes and will not open camp on the PUP list (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). 
The Bears signed Robinson to a $14MM/year contract this offseason and they are banking on him becoming their top offensive target this year. Robinson’s 2017 was a lost cause, but the Bears believe that he can get back to his 2015 form, a season in which he had 80 catches for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. Even as he regressed in 2016, Robinson still finished out with 73 grabs for 883 yards and six TDs, so his floor is fairly high, provided that he can stay healthy.
Nagy also indicated that offensive lineman Kyle Long will be cleared for camp. Long missed a significant portion of last season and underwent shoulder, elbow, and neck procedures, but it sounds like he’s on track to play in Week 1.
The Bears went 5-11 last year and finished with the worst record in the NFC North. After retooling their offense and using a top ten pick on linebacker Roquan Smith, the Bears are feeling optimistic about their chances in 2018.
Ravens, C.J. Mosley Not Progressing On Deal
Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley has been pushing for an extension this offseason, but it doesn’t sound like a new deal is imminent. Mosley told reporters on Thursday that there are no updates to give with regards to his contract extension (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). 
[RELATED – Extension Candidate: C.J. Mosley]
Mosley is entering the final year of his contract and is a prime candidate for a multi-year extension. Mosley has been open about his desire to stay with the Ravens, but he’s scheduled to reach free agency after he earns $8.718MM in 2018.
Mosley has been a durable, locker room leader since being drafted by the Ravens in 2014. With three Pro Bowl nods and eight career interceptions, the 26-year-old has made a strong case for a pay raise on a new multi-year deal. Except for Luke Kuechly, no linebacker has amassed more interceptions than Mosley over the last four seasons.
A new deal for Mosley would almost certainly call for more than $10MM per season. Recently, Texans linebacker Benardrick McKinney and Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks landed five-year, $50MM deals. Neither player has ever made a Pro Bowl, so it would be surprising to see Mosley settle for less than $11MM per season.
Last year, Mosley amassed 132 total tackles, one sack, eight pass defenses, and three forced fumbles from the inside linebacker position. His 1,077 snaps last year were the eighth most of any LB in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
Ravens To Pick Up Perriman’s Bonus
The Ravens will pick up wide receiver Breshad Perriman‘s $649K roster bonus on Saturday, a source tells Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. However, there is still no guarantee that he will be on the Ravens’ initial 53-man roster. 
Perriman has been held back by injuries throughout his career. The Ravens had high hopes when they selected him in the first round of the 2015 draft, but he has yet to do much of anything on the field. The UCF product has just 43 catches for 576 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games with the team.
Perriman, who is hoping to participate in the first full training camp of his career, is entering the final year of his four-year, $8.7MM rookie deal. He’ll try to stand out this year while playing behind fellow wide receivers Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead. That is, if he makes the roster.
For what it’s worth, Ravens coach John Harbaugh is hopeful that Perriman can get on the right track this year.
“I’m confident he can do it. I’m hopeful he can do it; I want him to do it,” Harbaugh said earlier this year. “I’ll do everything I can; we’ll do everything we can, as a coaching staff, to make him the best he can be, because we need him to be great. But if it doesn’t work out, then it’s going to be somebody else. That goes for any player.”
Chiefs To Work Out Martayveus Carter
The Chiefs will audition running back Martayveus Carter on Thursday, according to Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The Grand Valley State product entered the supplemental draft, but was not selected on July 11.
Carter was the only offensive player eligible for the July draft this year. Cornerbacks Sam Beal (Giants) and Adonis Alexander (Redskins) were selected while defensive back Brandon Bryant, linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu, and Carter were not. Bryant has since signed with the Jets.
In 2016, Carter finished fifth in voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is awarded to the most valuable player in Division II football. In that season, Carter ran for 1,908 yards and 20 touchdowns, but he had just 957 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Scouts feel that Carter might not have the bulk to succeed at the next level, but he’s out to prove them wrong.
The Chiefs project to start Kareem Hunt at running back with Spencer Ware, Kerwynn Williams, Damien Williams, and Charcandrick West in support. They seem more than set at the position, but it doesn’t hurt to kick the tires on a player when rosters allow for 90 players.
Falcons Won’t Give Julio Jones New Deal
The Falcons have informed Julio Jones that they have no plans to give Julio Jones a raise before the 2018 season starts, Jeff Schultz of The Athletic hears. However, the Falcons maintain hope that Jones will report to training camp next week. 
The Falcons have never renegotiated a contract with more than one year left on a deal, and Jones has three years to go on his pact. The Falcons are apparently holding the line for now, even though Jones is a transcendent talent. Instead, they’ll focus on extensions for players like defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, left tackle Jake Matthews and safety Ricardo Allen, all of whom are entering their walk years.
The Falcons have told Jones that they are willing to discuss his deal after the 2018 season, Schultz hears. The Falcons may feel that is a solid compromise given their position on early extension talks, but Jones may not see it that way.
After skipping the Falcons’ voluntary offseason program and mandatory minicamp, Jones watched Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks ink a five-year, $80MM contract earlier this week. The new money average gives Cooks a higher average salary, even though he is not as accomplished as Jones. That development has almost certainly rankled the Falcons star.
Falcons training camp begins on Wednesday afternoon with the first practice scheduled for Thursday.
Extra Points: Tags, Riley, Cap, Panthers
The NFLPA seems unlikely to fight for the removal of the franchise/transition tag during the next collective bargaining agreement negotiations, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. As Graziano notes, players aren’t expected to “go to the mat” over an issue that will never affect the majority of the league. Franchise tags, of course, don’t prevent a player from leaving his incumbent team, but they do place serious restrictions on a player’s ability to navigate the open market. Any club wishing to sign a franchise player must sacrifice two first-round picks in order to do so. In 2018, just five players received a franchise tag, while one — Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller — was issued a transition tag.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley‘s success at the collegiate level has led to speculation that he could eventually make the leap to the NFL level, and Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reported earlier this year that pro teams were attempting to pick Riley’s brain. While that’s not surprising given the exciting offensive scheme run by the Sooners, Breer also noted NFL clubs could soon make overtures to the 34-year-old. However, Riley attempted to downplay any NFL interest earlier today, according to Jori Epstein of the Dallas Morning News. “That got blown out of proportion a little bit,” said Riley, who took over for Bob Stoops in 2017. Riley currently earns $3.1MM annually as part of a contract that runs through 2022.
- NFL teams aren’t using the uncertainty of the impending collective bargaining agreement negotiations to their benefit, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap tweets. The current CBA only runs through 2020, so clubs should be altering contracts that run past that season to use more current cap space, explains Fitzgerald. While the CBA now allows teams to carry over cap space each year, there’s no guarantee that provision will remain in the next agreement. Therefore, teams should be deploying all the cap space they can now before the rules possibly change.
- The Panthers have announced several changes to their coaching staff, including the promotion of Richard Rodgers to secondary coach and Jeff Imamura to assistant secondary coach. Rodgers will replace Curtis Fuller, who resigned earlier this year following allegations of workplace misconduct. Formerly Carolina’s safeties coach, Rodgers had 23 years of collegiate experience under his belt before joining the Panthers in 2012. The Panthers ranked 11th in pass defense DVOA a season ago, meaning they were relatively efficient when compared to other NFL clubs.
AFC East Notes: Jets, Kearse, Maye, Patriots
Although there’s been some speculation the Jets could release veteran wideout Jermaine Kearse in the coming months, Kearse seems likely to stick on New York’s roster, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Gang Green would save $5.5MM by cutting Kearse prior to the beginning of the regular season, and the club has a well-stocked depth chart at receiver that includes Terrelle Pryor, Robby Anderson, and Quincy Enunwa, among others. However, the Jets certainly don’t need any extra cap space (they’re seventh in the league with more than $20MM in reserves), and Kearse is viewed as a high-quality locker room presence. Perhaps most importantly, Kearse posted the best statistical campaign of his career in 2017 by managing 65 receptions for 810 yards and five touchdowns.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- The Patriots are expected to keep four or five running backs on their Week 1 roster, but Rex Burkhead, Sony Michel, and James White are the only current locks, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Burkhead and Michel, the latter of whom New England selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, figure to split early-down work, while White will take on his familiar role as the Patriots’ passing game back. Brandon Bolden is likely to make New England’s squad thanks to his special teams ability, which sets up a showdown between Jeremy Hill, Mike Gillislee, and undrafted free agent Ralph Webb for the club’s final spot. Webb, notably, received a $70K signing bonus in order to latch on with the Patriots, so he could be a surprise addition to the team’s roster.
- In a separate piece, Reiss also takes a look at the Patriots‘ wide receiver corps, and notes Julian Edelman (who will begin the year on the suspended list), Chris Hogan, Jordan Matthews, and Cordarrelle Patterson are near certainties for New England’s Week 1 lineup. Former fourth-round pick Malcolm Mitchell, who’s been beset by injuries during his short career, is not a lock for the Patriots’ roster, per Reiss, nor is Kenny Britt. The Patriots exercised Britt’s 2018 option earlier this year, but he’s only guaranteed $150K for the upcoming season. Rookie Braxton Berrios and former first-rounder Phillip Dorsett are among the other New England pass-catchers vying for looks.
- Jets safety Marcus Maye underwent offseason surgery to correct an ankle issue, but New York is hopeful the second-year defensive back will be available for the start of training camp, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Maye, a second-round pick out of Florida in 2017, started all 16 games alongside fellow rookie Jamal Adams, but graded as a bottom-15 safety among 84 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Jets head coach Todd Bowles wants both Maye and Adams to make “mental improvements” in the second NFL seasons, per Mehta.
Devin Smith Goes Unclaimed On Waivers
Former Jets wide receiver Devin Smith went unclaimed after being placed on waivers earlier this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
It’s perhaps unsurprising that no other NFL club decided to take a chance on Smith, as he’s suffered two torn ACLs since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2015. He first injured his ligament during his rookie campaign, and then tore his ACL again during New York’s first team workout in 2017.
Any team that had acquired Smith via a waiver claim would’ve been responsible for his $1.236MM base salary for 2018. None of that figure is guaranteed, and the Jets still have Smith’s signing bonus proration on their books, but it probably wasn’t viewed as worthwhile for many teams to take on his salary, even if on a tryout-type basis.
Because he was not claimed, Smith is now a free agent and allowed to sign with any club. It’s unclear if any team will now be willing to give Smith an opportunity, but as of May, he still wasn’t practicing, a poor indication of his recovery (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). Any new deal that Smith lands will surely be of the non-guaranteed variety.
Viewed as a deep threat coming out of Ohio State, Smith has only managed to appear in 14 games (three starts), and hasn’t played since 2016. In those 14 games, Smith posted 10 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown.