2021 June - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Richard Sherman

June 12th, 2021 at 9:10am CST by Ben Levine

Richard Sherman could wait until training camp to sign with his next team, and the veteran defensive back naturally wants to play for a contender. In a profile on Bloomberg, Sherman hinted that he’d like to sign with a team that’d give him the greatest chance at a ring.

“I want to get to a team that’s competing for a championship, so that’s what I’m focused on and waiting for a right opportunity,” he said. “When it comes, that’s where I’ll be.”

Sherman has been a popular name this offseason. We most recently heard that he was in talks with the 49ers, where he had spent the past three years. Sherman has also had talks with the Seahawks, the team that he spent the first seven seasons of his career with, and he’s generated interest from the Raiders and Saints. The Jets have continually been mentioned as a potential suitor thanks to the presence of head coach Robert Saleh, who spent time with Sherman both in Seattle and San Francisco.

The Stanford product was limited to only five games this past year and recently turned 33, but he was still a second-team All-Pro in 2019. He’ll be an interesting gamble for a team, as he’s past his prime and coming off an injury-plagued year, but also played at a very high level not too long ago. The veteran has indicated that he’d like to play two more years.

Ravens Work Out Charles Clay

June 11th, 2021 at 9:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Charles Clay recently worked out for the Ravens (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM). Clay has not taken the field since the 2019 season, but he could be on the verge of joining one of the league’s most potent offenses.

Last time out, Clay caught 18 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals. All in all, he has 357 career catches, including some big seasons between 2013-2017. His 2013 with the Dolphins was especially notable, with 69 catches for 759 yards and six scores.

The Ravens could see Clay as a low-cost, potentially high reward addition. It also helps that he has history with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, having played for him in Buffalo in 2015 and 2016.

The Ravens’ TE depth chart is currently headlined by Nick Boyle and Mark Andrews. They’ve also got Eric Tomlinson, Josh Oliver, Eli Wolf, Jacob Breeland, and Tony Poljan on the 90-man roster.

Giants’ Sam Beal Pleads Guilty To Gun Charges

June 11th, 2021 at 5:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Giants cornerback Sam Beal pleaded guilty to a pair of gun charges, as NJ.com’s Zack Rosenblatt writes. The charges stemmed from a June 2020 arrest in Ohio. Now, he’ll be on probation through June of next year.

Beal was arrested roughly one year ago today after cops pulled him over and found him with a concealed weapon. One charge is for illegal carrying; the other is for improper handling of the gun. He was also cited for marijuana possession and a traffic violation.

The Giants took a chance on Beal by taking him in the third-round of the supplemental draft in 2018. However, he was forced to redshirt his rookie year after shoulder surgery. There was some talk that Beal could start in 2019, but a hamstring issue cost him most of training camp and the entire preseason and the club was forced to place him on injured reserve in September. Then, he opted out of the 2020 season.

Beal’s odds of making the Giants’ cut this year weren’t looking too great, especially since he joined the club before the arrival of head coach Joe Judge. The legal issues won’t help matters.

If the Giants cut ties, it’ll go down as one of Dave Gettleman‘s biggest misses in recent years. By using a 2018 third-round supplemental pick on Beal, the Giants coughed up their 2019 third-rounder in the regular draft. All in all, Beal has played just six times across three seasons.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/11/21

June 11th, 2021 at 5:00pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Dallas Cowboys

Signed: WR Reggie Davis
Waived: WR Stephen Guidry

Saints’ Drew Brees Officially Placed On Retired List

June 11th, 2021 at 4:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints officially placed quarterback Drew Brees on the reserve/retired list (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Field Yates). Of course, Brees already announced his retirement earlier this year. But, for cap reasons, the move was delayed until after June 1st.

“After 20 years as a player in the NFL and 15 years as a Saint, it is time I retire from the game of football. Each day, I poured my heart and soul into being your Quarterback. ‘Til the very end, I exhausted myself to give everything I had to the Saints organization, my team, and the great city of New Orleans. We shared some amazing moments together, many of which are emblazoned in our hearts and minds and will forever be a part of us,” Brees said, back in March.

With the 13-time Pro Bowler out of the picture, the Saints are heading into ’21 with Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston as their top QBs. Hill offers athleticism, Winston has a cannon arm, but neither player has experience to compare to Brees. Unfortunately, Father Time ultimately caught up with the future Hall of Famer, so the Saints will have to adjust.

Brees, who has the most passing yards in league history, leaves the game with upwards of $250MM in career earnings — not including his off-the-field endorsements. That should be just enough to hold him in retirement.

49ers Waive Justin Skule

June 11th, 2021 at 4:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have waived offensive lineman Justin Skule with an injury designation. This was the expected move after Skule suffered a season-ending ACL tear earlier this month.

Skule was competing to serve as a top backup behind Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey. With Williams out of practice, the former sixth-round pick was practicing with the first-string team, an indication that he was probably going to make the final cut and return for his third season. Instead, he’ll spend the year rehabbing before finding work (perhaps elsewhere) in 2022. To date, the 24-year-old has 31 games and 12 starts to his credit.

To replace Skule, the Niners have signed veteran offensive lineman Senio Kelemete. Kelemete offers similar experience, plus the ability to play multiple positions on the front line.

Eagles Re-Sign Richard Rodgers

June 11th, 2021 at 2:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have re-signed tight end Richard Rodgers, per a club announcement. The longtime Packer will return for his fourth straight season with the Eagles on what is likely a one-year pact.

Rodgers appeared in 13 games and started four times for the Birds last year and recorded 24 catches, 345 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He’s best known for the Hail Mary ball he caught from Aaron Rodgers in Detroit several years ago, but Rodgers actually nabbed eight TDs in that 2015 season. Between 2017 and 2018, he recorded just one catch for seven yards amidst injuries, but he saw a healthy number of targets with the Eagles in 2020.

For now, Rodgers projects to serve as the No. 3 tight end behind Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. However, Ertz could very well get traded between now and Week 1, creating extra room for Rodgers, Jason Croom, Caleb Wilson, Hakeem Butler, and the rest of the roster hopefuls at TE.

Cowboys To Sign Osa Odighizuwa

June 11th, 2021 at 11:43am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have signed third-round defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News). With the UCLA product in the fold, the Cowboys now have just two unsigned draft picks to go.

Odighizuwa, the younger brother of former Giants defender Owa Odighizuwa, comes with four years of collegiate seasoning. And, for the last three years, he’s served as a starter for the Bruins. Even in a pandemic-shortened season, the 6’2″, 280-pound lineman managed to shine. In seven games, Odighizuwa notched six tackles for loss, four sacks, and 30 total stops. In total, he’s got 37 appearances to his credit with 120 tackles, 27.5 TFL, 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown.

The Cowboys’ defense could certainly use the help and new DC Dan Quinn is a big believer in Odighizuwa’s ability. Currently, he projects to be the first DT off of the bench, behind starters Carlos Watkins and Trysten Hill. Sixth-round pick Quinton Bohanna also figures to be in the mix.

Bohanna, Odighizuwa, and the majority of the Cowboys’ draftees are now taken care of. Two of their third-rounders — defensive lineman Chauncey Golston and cornerback Nahshon Wright — remain as the last stragglers.

Ravens Sign First-Round Pick Odafe Oweh

June 11th, 2021 at 11:33am CST by Zachary Links

Odafe Oweh is officially in the books. On Friday, the Ravens signed the first-round defensive end to his rookie contract.

Per the terms of his No. 31 overall slot, Oweh will earn $12.6MM over the course of his four-year deal. That’s not too shabby for an athlete who did not play football until his junior year of high school. Turns out, he was a natural. The Penn State product measured out as one of the most athletic edge rushers in the lead-up to the draft and wound up as one of the final selections in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Oweh finished his collegiate career with All-Big Ten honors, 6.5 tackles for loss, and one a pass breakup at Penn State. He didn’t score a sack in his seven games, but he did notch five sacks in 2019.

Here’s the full rundown of the Ravens’ 2021 draft class:

Round 1: No. 27 Rashod Bateman, WR (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 1: No. 31 (from Chiefs) Odafe Oweh, DE (Penn State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 94 (from Chiefs) Ben Cleveland, G (Georgia)
Round 3: No. 104 Brandon Stephens, CB (SMU)
Round 4: No. 131 Tylan Wallace, WR (Oklahoma State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 160 (from Cardinals) Shaun Wade, CB (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 171 Daelin Hayes, LB (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 5: No. 184 Ben Mason, FB (Michigan) (signed)

49ers To Sign Senio Kelemete

June 11th, 2021 at 11:23am CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have agreed to sign offensive lineman Senio Kelemete (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Kelemete will provide the Niners with some much needed depth in the wake of Justin Skule‘s season-ending ACL tear.

Kelemete appeared in 14 games with five starts for the Texans last season. For his career, he’s made 42 total starts at different positions along the offensive line. His versatility will be a major bonus for the Niners, who can plug him in at guard or tackle depending on their needs.

Kelemete came into the league as a fifth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2012. After one year in the desert, he spent the next five years with the Saints followed by three years with the Texans. He still had one year to go on his Texans deal, but they released him in February to save $1.73MM against the 2021 salary cap.

The veteran will still have to earn his spot on the Week 1 roster, but the odds are in his favor. If all goes well, he’ll serve as a top backup behind Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey while also seeing some reps on the interior.