Cardinals Sign D.J. Humphries
The Cardinals have become the latest team to finish signing their draft picks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that first-round offensive tackle D.J. Humphries has inked his rookie contract with the team.
The 24th overall pick in this year’s draft, Humphries was initially expected to start at right tackle for the Cardinals, across from Jared Veldheer. However, head coach Bruce Arians recently indicated that the right tackle job is Bobby Massie‘s to lose, so Humphries will have to impress the team in training camp to earn a shot at regular playing time.
Per Over The Cap, Humphries’ four-year contract is worth about $8.912MM, with a signing bonus of about $4.742MM. The Cardinals will also hold a fifth-year option on the former Florida Gator, giving the club the opportunity to extend his deal through the 2019 season.
To keep tabs on all of this year’s rookie signings, be sure to check out our tracker.
Cardinals Extend Frostee Rucker
The Cardinals have reached an agreement with defensive lineman Frostee Rucker on a one-year contract extension, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rucker’s deal had previously been set to expire after the 2015 season, so the extension will keep him locked up through 2016 instead.
Rucker, 31, re-signed with the Cardinals last March on a two-year, $2.1MM contract, and enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2014. Starting seven of his 15 games for the Cards, the former third-round pick recorded 28 tackles, five sacks, and two forced fumbles. According to Pro Football Focus’s grades (subscription required), Rucker was the 21st-ranked 3-4 defensive end out of 47 qualified players.
Rucker received more playing time in 2014 due in part to a handful of injuries to Cardinals defenders, including a season-ending ACL tear for Darnell Dockett. While Dockett is expected to be healthy for the coming season, he’ll be playing for Arizona’s division rivals in San Francisco, so Rucker currently appears to be penciled in for a regular role once again.
NFC Notes: Raji, Alonso, D. Washington
Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji missed all of last season with a torn bicep and then re-signed with the team on a one-year deal earlier this offseason, but Green Bay wasn’t his only suitor in free agency.
“I actually, ironically, had more interest this time around than last year,” said Raji, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com. “I’m talking about as far as the contending teams. I had two, three playoff teams.”
One of those teams was the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots, per Wilde, but Raji simply couldn’t bring himself to leave Green Bay.
“I just wasn’t comfortable leaving this place in the shape that it was in, the perception about the defense, the perception of myself,” Raji said. “If I was going to leave this place, I wanted to be able to say, ‘Yeah, those guys really get it.’ I didn’t want to leave with questions. As a person, having a lot invested in this program, if it is ever time to leave, I want to leave on a good note.”
Here’s the latest on a couple of the Packers’ fellow NFC teams:
- Eagles linebacker Kiko Alonso, whom the team acquired from Buffalo earlier this offseason, missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in July. There don’t seem to be any lingering effects from the injury, however, as the 24-year-old is ahead of schedule in his recovery, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I honestly didn’t think I’d be doing this much,” said Alonso, who participated in organized team activities this week without wearing a brace. “I’ve just been going on how I feel, and it’s feeling really good.”
- Speaking of the Eagles’ defense, the team revamped its secondary in the offseason by signing Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond, using a first-round pick on Eric Rowe, and parting ways with Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher, and Nate Allen. Despite all the noteworthy additions and subtractions, safety Malcolm Jenkins believes the most important move Philadelphia made with respect to its secondary was replacing previous defensive backs coach John Lovett with Cory Undlin, who coached Denver’s DBs from 2013-14. “Adding Cory Undlin is really probably the biggest addition we had when you talk about upgrading that (defensive backs) room,” said Jenkins, according to Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. The Lovett-led Eagles finished 2014 second last in the NFL in pass defense and toward the bottom of the league in interceptions.
- The league suspended Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington for four games in 2013 and all of 2014 because of multiple substance-abuse violations, and he’s expected to miss time this year because of domestic-violence issues. Despite all that baggage, Washington’s teammates still want him back, head coach Bruce Arians told Bob McManaman of AZCentral.com. “If he’s reinstated by the league, I know this – our players want him back in the locker room. That’s fine by me,” said Arians.
NFC Mailbags: Rams, Bucs, Vikings, Panthers, Cardinals
It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start with notes from the NFC…
- Considering Benny Cunningham‘s role as a third-down blocker and kick returner, Nick Wagoner doesn’t believe it’s realistic for the Rams to pay Isaiah Pead just to be the fourth running back.
- Pat Yasinskas wouldn’t be surprised if the Buccaneers and linebacker Lavonte David agree to a longterm extension prior to training camp. The writer guesses an annual value of about $8MM for the former second-round pick.
- The Vikings and Adrian Peterson haven’t made any progress towards a restructured deal, according to Ben Goessling. The writer assumes that the organization would prefer to get Peterson in for a meeting before they sign him to a new deal. Goessling also notes that most of the team’s moves are with an eye towards 2016, when they move into a new stadium. If the team didn’t have plans for Peterson to be on the roster during that season, they wouldn’t be “bothering” with this current back-and-forth.
- If the Panthers offense struggles in 2015, David Newton believes the blame will be attributed to offensive coordinator Mike Shula. However, the writer would caution declaring this a “make-or-break” season for Shula.
- Unless Joe Webb can prove his value as a wideout or special-teams player, Newton has a tough time envisioning the quarterback making the Panthers roster.
- The competition for the Cardinals third quarterback job is Logan Thomas‘ to lose, says Josh Weinfuss. Phillip Sims or Chandler Harnish could ultimately prove to be better options, but Weinfuss believes the competition is coach Bruce Arians‘ way of motivating Thomas.
NFC Links: Mathieu, Washington, Rams
Tyrann Mathieu claims he feels better than ever, and NFL.com’s Conor Orr notes that the Cardinals defensive back is no longer wearing a knee brace or thumb cast. Despite Mathieu being healthy for the first time in his career, the former third-rounder is still tentative about his recovery:
“It just feels good to be free…You try to stay as optimistic as possible, but there is a reality to it, too. It’s kind of hard to keep telling yourself it’s going to be all right, especially when we got into the thick of everything last year, thinking that if I was 100 percent, I’d probably be able to help my team a whole lot more than I’m doing right now.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…
- With OTAs starting next Tuesday, Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com discussed Washington‘s situation at quarterback. El-Bashir opines that Colt McCoy has the slight edge over Kirk Cousins for the backup gig, and Tandler believes undrafted rookie Hutson Mason could also put up a fight.
- ESPN.com’s John Keim hypothesizes that Washington could cut cornerback Tracy Porter and save $2.33MM, but the writer doesn’t believe the team has the necessary depth to make that move.
- ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner says the Rams had interest in bringing back offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and their offer to him early in the season was in the range of $2.5MM to $3MM. Barksdale ultimately bet on himself, and he ended up with a one-year, minimum salary deal from the Chargers.
West Notes: Raiders, Chargers, Cardinals
Though Raiders owner Mark Davis said on Tuesday that he wants to keep his club in Oakland, a different scenario involving the team’s location has been floated in league circles, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Per Rapoport, it’s possible that the Raiders could sign a one-year lease to remain in Oakland for the 2016 season, allow the Chargers and Rams situations time to play themselves out, and then be the only team left standing for a possible move to a different city the following year.
Such a delay tactic would allow the Raiders to discuss transitioning to a city like San Antonio or even St. Louis (in the event the Rams relocate), says Rapoport. Davis did indicate that there was no chance he’d move his team to Missouri, but the NFL.com scribe cautions (via Twitter) to not rule out such a move.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions…
- The Raiders aren’t the only AFC West club in a state of flux, as the Chargers have also been heavily linked to the Los Angeles area. But the team hasn’t been straight about its plans with the city of San Diego or Chargers fans, argues Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Suspended Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington still isn’t sure of his status with the NFL, reports Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910. Washington, who hasn’t seen the field since 2013, still hasn’t been disciplined for a domestic violence incident, and all told, is expected to be handed a two- to six-game ban, per Jurecki.
- More from Oakland, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap analyzes the Raiders in his latest piece for Sporting News, writing that the club is set up to spend heavily in free agency next offseason. Of course, cap space hasn’t been a problem for Oakland during the past few offseasons, but they’ve still had difficulty landing marquee free agents.
West Notes: Chiefs, Smith, Cardinals
The Chiefs have an interesting class of rookies at their three-day minicamp, as Dave Skretta of The Associated Press. Kansas City’s group includes a Star Wars expert, the son of wrestling superstar Sting, and a player who beat cancer. While you get to know the newest prospective members of the Chiefs, here’s a glance at the AFC and NFC West..
- On Thursday, 49ers GM Trent Baalke said that he hoped to get a better grasp on Justin Smith‘s future on Friday. That didn’t exactly happen, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. “As of right now, there’s not [any additional clarity on his situation],” coach Jim Tomsula said. “[Friday] morning, we were working and meeting and doing our thing. The guys were lifting. Then we came out here. So, no, I haven’t seen or talked to him.” Tomsula added he has not scheduled a meeting with the 14-year NFL veteran.
- Rookie quarterback Dylan Thompson went undrafted two weeks ago, but he stands as the third quarterback on the 49ers‘ roster. Tomsula sees a bright future for the young signal caller, Maiocco writes. “He’s a collected individual. He’s got those, you talk to him, there’s the intangibles. Then you watch the tape. This guy can throw a football around. He spins it. We’re excited about him. We really are.”
- Cardinals coach Bruce Arians sees an outstanding future for third-round running back David Johnson. “Very, very bright,” Arians said of Johnson, according to Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic. “The kid can do anything as far as a wide receiver, running back, fullback. He will find a niche quick because he can learn so much.”
Extra Points: Winston, Peterson, Lions
Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith isn’t thrilled with former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden and his comments about Jameis Winston, Greg Auman and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times write.
“I’m disappointed. To say that the young man is an “embarrassment’? That’s pretty strong,” Smith said. “I just don’t think he’s speaking for all of Florida State, even though he’s in an official role there. Normally, what we’re doing today with our greats, you (embrace) them. Everybody on the outside may be throwing stones at them. Normally, when you’re in a family, you don’t do that. I’m very disappointed that somebody like that would make that type of statement.”
Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Vikings coach Mike Zimmer claims that he doesn’t envision any issues with team harmony if Adrian Peterson returns to the club and remains disgruntled, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Peterson, who missed 15 games last season, has been (ostensibly) pushing for the Vikings to guarantee the money owed to him over the next three years of his contract. Peterson is set to earn $12.75MM in 2015 and Zimmer declined comment when asked if he has spoken recently to Peterson or if the running back will be at OTAs.
- Ameer Abdullah‘s trainer offered up a very flattering NFL comparison for his client. “He reminds me a ton of Steve Smith and you see what he’s done in the league,” Otis Leverette told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I played with him in (a college) all-star game and played with him in the league for a while, they’ve kind of got that same thing to them. They just don’t know that they’re supposed to be small, they don’t believe in obstacles. The things that other people see as obstacles, they just see as another day at the office.” The Lions‘ second-round pick put pen to paper earlier today.
- Cardinals fans who are wondering which rookie free agents will be making the final roster should look at the bonuses being paid to the UDFAs for clues, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic writes. BYU inside linebacker Alani Fua leads the pack with a healthy $17K bonus while North Carolina State tackle Robert Crisp is the runner-up with $15K.
Cards Sign Markus Golden, Rodney Gunter
The Cardinals have two more draft picks under contract, having signed second-round outside linebacker Markus Golden and fourth-round defensive lineman Rodney Gunter to their rookie deals today, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).
Urban notes that the moves leave three Cardinals draftees unsigned, tweeting that the contract for seventh-rounder Gerald Christian isn’t officially in the books yet. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported earlier today that Christian’s deal was done, so perhaps 2015’s “Mr. Irrelevant” has agreed to terms but not yet put pen to paper.
As for Golden and Gunter, Over the Cap’s data shows that the duo will be in line for respective signing bonuses worth about $1.11MM and $510K. For 2015, the Cardinals will have Golden and Gunter on their books for modest cap hits of approximately $712K and $562K, respectively.
Besides Christian, first-round tackle D.J. Humphries and third-round running back David Johnson have yet to formally sign their rookie contracts for the Cardinals.
Draft Signings: Chiefs, Cards, Titans, Jags
Teams around the NFL continue to lock up their 2015 draft picks, and while we’ll dedicate full posts when first- or second-rounders sign their rookie contracts, we’ll pass along mid-to-late-round signings in round-up posts like this one. Here are the latest draft pick signings from around the league, with all salary info via Over The Cap:
- The Chiefs have signed third-round receiver Chris Conley, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Conley, the 76th overall pick earlier this month, is one of two key additions – along with Jeremy Maclin – to Kansas City’s new-look receiving corps, which will look to reach the end zone at least once in 2015.
- Mr. Irrelevant, 256th overall pick Gerald Christian, has signed his rookie contract with the Cardinals, per Wilson (via Twitter). Even as the final seventh-rounder to come off the board, the former Louisville tight end did significantly better than he would have as an undrafted free agent, securing a signing bonus worth about $53K.
- The Titans have agreed to terms with three more of their draft picks, locking up fourth-round defensive tackle Angelo Blackson, sixth-round center Andy Gallik, and seventh-round receiver Tre McBride, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. The club still has to sign five of its nine draftees, including second overall pick Marcus Mariota.
- The Jaguars have signed a pair of draftees to their rookie deals today, according to John Oehser of Jaguars.com, who reports (via Twitter) that fourth-round safety James Sample and seventh-round wideout Neal Sterling are now under contract. Sample and Sterling will receive respective signing bonuses worth about $549K and $78K.
- The Raiders announced (on Twitter) that they have signed a pair of seventh-round draft picks in wide receiver Andre Debose and tackle Anthony Morris.
Zach Links contributed to this post.