Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Buffalo Bills
Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos
Jacksonville Jaguars
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
Tennessee Titans
Josh McDaniels has recruited another former player to Las Vegas. The Raiders are signing tight end Jacob Hollister to a one-year deal, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
Hollister was an UDFA pickup by the Patriots when McDaniels was New England’s offensive coordinator, seeing time in 23 games. He saw a larger offensive role during his two seasons in Seattle, collecting 558 receiving yards and six touchdowns between the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
The tight end reunited with Josh Allen in Buffalo last offseason, but he didn’t end up making the team. He later caught on with the Jaguars, hauling in nine receptions in seven games (two starts).
Hollister will be counted on for his blocking and special teams ability with the Raiders. He’ll be joining a depth chart that features Darren Waller and Foster Moreau.
Chris Board is off to Detroit. The Lions have signed the key special teamer, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).
Board joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State in 2018, and he ended up missing only a pair of games during his four seasons in Baltimore. He took on a larger defensive role as his career went on, culminating in a 2021 campaign where he finished with a career-high 337 defensive snaps.
The 26-year-old ultimately finished last season with a career-high 41 tackles. Board has 94 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in his career.
Considering his production, the Ravens made an effort to re-sign the free agent, per Garafolo. Instead, Board is off to Detroit to compete for a starting gig.
Despite having a career year with the Chiefs, Mike Hughes has had to settle for a modest one-year deal. According to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus (on Twitter), the cornerback is signing with the Lions. The one-year pact is worth $3.5MM.
After being traded from Minnesota last May, Hughes suited up for all 17 games with Kansas City – the first time in his four-year career he was available for a full campaign. He notched one interception, adding six pass breakups and four forced fumbles.
2021 was also Hughes’ best season with regards to coverage statistics. He allowed a completion percentage under 60% for the first time, and surrendered an average of seven yards per target. All of that added up to a PFF grade of 72.9, also a career mark.
Given his age (25), 2021 production, and first-round pedigree, Hughes was expected to be “popular” in free agency. Remaining with the Chiefs was also on the table. While Hughes managed to have a career season, his extensive injury history probably contributed to the short-term deal; a torn ACL followed by multiple neck issues limited him to a total of 24 games played across three seasons with the Vikings.
Jamison Crowder is switching AFC East teams. After spending three season with the Jets, the veteran wideout is signing a one-year deal with the Bills, reports Josina Anderson (on Twitter). NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the deal has a max value of $4MM.
After spending four seasons in Washington to start his career, Crowder inked a three-year, $28.5MM deal with the Jets in 2019. He ended up seeing time in 40 games (23 starts) during his three seasons in New York, hauling in 10 receiving touchdowns.
Between five missed games and the team making investments in Corey Davis and Elijah Moore via free agency and the draft, respectively, Crowder’s production fell off in 2021. The receiver finished last season with 51 receptions for 447 yards and two touchdowns, his lowest output during his stint with the Jets.
In Buffalo, Crowder will be joining a depth chart that lost a major piece following the release of Cole Beasley. Still, the Bills have plenty of depth at the position in Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, and Emmanuel Sanders.
The Raiders have added some pass-rushing help to their defense. The team announced that they have signed linebacker Kyler Fackrell.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), it’s a one-year deal for the 30-year-old defender.
Fackrell was a third-round pick by the Packers back in 2016, and the linebacker ended up spending four years in Green Bay, including a 2018 campaign where he finished with 10.5 sacks. Fackrell followed up that performance with a 1.5-sack season in 2019, and he had to settle for a one-year deal with the Giants in 2020.
After getting in 12 games with New York in 2020, the linebacker joined the Chargers for the 2021 campaign. He only started one of his 13 games, but he still finished the season with 17 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble. He had a brief stint on injured reserve that forced him to miss a month of the season.
Add another draft pick to the compensation that the Texans received for quarterback Deshaun Watson. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), Houston received a previously unreported 2022 fourth-round pick from the Browns. Further, while the original trade saw the Browns acquiring a 2024 fifth-round pick from Houston, that selection has been updated to a 2024 sixth-round pick.
The full compensation is below, per Schefter:
The Browns officially announced the trade yesterday (interestingly, the team’s website still has the former trade details). Major members of the organization discussed Cleveland’s acquisition of Watson, including general manager Andrew Berry.
“Deshaun has been among the very best at the position and he understands the work needed to re-establish himself on and off the field in Cleveland,” Berry said (via the team’s website). “We are confident that he will make positive contributions to our team and community as we support his return to football.”
Jayron Kearse will be back in Dallas next season. The versatile safety is re-signing with the Cowboys, reports Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter).
It’s a two-year, $10MM deal with a max value of $11MM, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). The deal includes $5MM in guaranteed money, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter).
After joining the Cowboys on a one-year deal last offseason, the 28-year-old had a breakout season in 2021. Kearse finished the campaign having started 15 of his 16 games, finishing with 101 tackles, one sack, 10 passes defended, and two interceptions. The defensive back’s size and speed means Cowboys DC Dan Quinn can utilize him all over the field, and the coaching staff is a big reason why the player wanted to stick around Dallas.
“I know Coach Q[uinn] believes in me,” Kearse said (via Gehlken on Twitter). “I know my DB coach believes in me. Everyone in the building believes in me.“
Despite the mutual respect, it took the two sides a while to agree to a new contract. When fellow breakout defender Dorance Armstrong inked his new deal with the Cowboys last week, we heard that the team and Kearse weren’t close on a deal. The two sides apparently worked through the weekend to get the deal done, and now the veteran will be staying with the Cowboys.
A former seventh-round pick, Kearse spent four seasons with the Vikings to start his career before spending the majority of the 2020 campaign with the Lions.
Dalton Schultz is officially locked in for next season. The Cowboys tight end has officially signed his franchise tender, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Cowboys Tag Dalton Schultz]
Schultz is now attached to a fully guaranteed $10.93MM for 2022, but the player and the Cowboys could rip up those numbers if they agree to a new long-term pact. The two sides had been working on an extension prior to the franchise tag deadline, and after the Cowboys slapped the tag on Schultz, there was still “strong interest” from both team and player to get an extension done.
In the last two seasons, Schultz has emerged as one of quarterback Dak Prescott‘s favorite and most dependable targets. He had a career year in 2021, posting 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns.
A Schultz extension would likely lower the tight end’s 2021 cap hit. That extra cash could be helpful as the Cowboys make runs at a number of notable free agents. Just in the past two days, the organization has been connected to Jason Pierre-Paul and Za’Darius Smith.
Despite a new regime taking over, the Raiders are sticking with Brandon Parker. The team announced that they have re-signed the offensive tackle.
The North Carolina A&T product joined the Raiders as a third-round pick in 2018. He played a significant role on the offensive line during his rookie season, but he was demoted to a backup/rotational role in 2019 and 2020.
Parker again emerged as a starter in 2021, starting a career-high 13 games. The 25-year-old ended up seeing time in 77 percent of his team’s offensive snaps this past year, and he also continued to a have a somewhat-regular role on special teams.
The Raiders have made a handful of fringe moves on their offensive line, re-signing Jackson Barton and signing free agent Alex Bars. The Raiders also signed former Patriots fullback Jakob Johnson.