Titans Interested In S Addition
Tennessee was one of several teams engaged in the post-draft receiver market. That ultimately produced an agreement with Tyler Boyd, but the Titans are still looking into additions elsewhere on the roster. 
When speaking to the media, head coach Brian Callahan said (via Jim Wyatt of the team’s website) Tennessee is engaged in conversations about bringing in a safety. The team traded away former All-Pro Kevin Byard midway through the 2023 season, creating a notable vacancy in the secondary. Terrell Edmunds was part of the return in the Byard swap, but he remains unsigned well after the draft.
Tennessee also saw K’Von Wallace – who started seven games for the team last year – sign with Seattle in free agency. Amani Hooker remains in place as a full-time starter after he inked a three-year extension in September 2022. Elijah Molden logged nearly 200 snaps in the slot last season, but his primary usage came as a safety. The pending free agent is joined by the likes of L’Jarius Sneed, Roger McCreary and Chidobe Awuzie in the Titans’ secondary.
The team could use at least a depth addition at the safety spot, though. The likes of Matthew Jackson and Syheim Carter are in place after they were used on special teams during their respective rookie seasons. Tennessee invested a Day 3 pick (seventh-rounder James Williams) in the backend during this year’s draft, but a third phase role should be the expectation in his case as well.
Much like their running back counterparts in recent years, veteran safeties around the league saw their market take a nosedive this offseason. Several accomplished (albeit aging) producers were let go or not retained, and a number of them are still unsigned at this point. Longtime Broncos ballhawk Justin Simmons headlines the group of available options. Marcus Maye, Micah Hyde and former Seahawks Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs are other potential targets for the Titans and other teams seeking a late-offseason addition.
Tennessee is near the top of the league in terms of cap space with over $30MM in available funds. Signing the rest of the team’s rookie class will lower that figure slightly, but plenty of room will remain to make at least one notable addition. Given the state of the safety market, any signing will likely not come with a hefty price tag, so it will be interesting to see if a deal with one of the top options is worked out in the near future.
Chargers Sign OLB Bud Dupree
Bud Dupree‘s recent visit with the Chargers has produced an agreement. The veteran edge rusher has signed a deal with Los Angeles, his agency announced on Saturday. 
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports this two-year agreement has a base value of $6MM. The pact can reach a maximum of $10MM, he adds. Dupree had a few other suitors, something which no doubt helped his leverage in negotiations with Los Angeles.
The former Steeler and Falcon was reported to be on both Pittsburgh and Atlanta’s radar when news of his Chargers visit came out earlier this week. Rather than returning to one of his old teams, the 31-year-old will head to a new environment this season. Dupree will provide the Bolts with another veteran presence off the edge to complement Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack.
Both Bosa and Mack agreed to restructures this offseason to remain in the fold for 2024. The period leading up to free agency required new general manager Joe Hortiz to make a number of cost-cutting moves to achieve cap compliance. Efforts on that front were ultimately punctuated by the release of Mike Williams and the trade sending fellow wideout Keenan Allen to the Bears after talks on a new contract did yield a resolution. Those moves paved the way for the Bosa-Mack pairing to remain intact atop the depth chart.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes a return to the Steelers was a “strong consideration” on Dupree’s part. Pittsburgh already has T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in place as starters along the edge, something which would have limited Dupree’s usage in Pittsburgh. In Los Angeles, that same issue could arise if Bosa and Mack remain healthy, something the former has had an issue with over each of the past two years.
Los Angeles ranked sixth in the league in sacks last season (48), faring far better in that regard than Atlanta did. The Falcons relied on Dupree as a key member of their edge contingent, and he tied for the team lead in sacks with 6.5. His running mate in that regard – Calais Campbell – remains unsigned. Dupree’s 2023 performance represented his most productive one since 2020, his last season with the Steelers.
The former first-rounder faced major expectations with the Titans following his Pittsburgh stint. Dupree underwhelmed in Tennessee, however, recording just seven sacks in two years with the team. That led to his release and a one-year, $3MM Falcons deal last offseason. Dupree has now parlayed his bounce-back campaign into a multi-year Chargers pact.
Buccaneers Add 16 UDFAs
Tampa Bay’s rookie minicamp will feature seven draftees, but also 16 UDFAs. Here is the full list regarding the latter additions:
- Zack Annexstad, QB (Illinois State)
- Marcus Banks, S (Mississippi State)
- Judge Culpepper, DL (Toledo)
- Xavier Delgado, G (Missouri)
- Kalen DeLoach, LB (Florida State)
- Tyrek Funderburk, CB (Appalachian State)
- Antonio Grier, LB (Arkansas)
- Daniel Grzesiak, OLB (Cincinnati)
- Kameron Johnson, WR (Barton College)
- Avery Jones, G (Auburn)
- Latreal Jones, WR (Southern Mississippi)
- Tanner Knue, WR (Eastern Michigan)
- Chris McDonald, CB (Toledo)
- Shaun Peterson, OLB (UCF)
- DJ Williams, RB (Arizona)
- Rashad Wisdom, S (UTSA)
Culpepper is the son of Brad Culpepper, who played six seasons in Tampa Bay. The younger Culpepper transferred from Penn State to Toledo in 2021. He earned first-team All-MAC honors in 2023, leading the team in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (10.5). He received $100K in guarantees, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
Rocket teammate McDonald has also landed a notable commitment from Tampa Bay. He received $95K in guaranteed money, Wilson reports. McDonald spent his entire college career at Toledo and he racked up 32 pass breakups (including eight in 2023). He earned a third-team All-Conference nod last season, and will look to earn a depth spot in the Bucs’ secondary this summer.
The top of Tampa Bay’s QB depth chart is set given the investment made in Baker Mayfield this offseason. The team also has Kyle Trask and John Wolford in place as backup options, but Annexstad will aim to compete for the QB3 role or a practice squad place as a developmental option. He earned the starting spot during his freshman season at Minnesota, but the campaign was cut short through injury. The 6-3, 220-pounder transferred to Illinois State in 2022 and during his time there he racked up 3,547 passing yards along with a 27:12 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/11/24
A few more draftees signed their four-year rookie deals on Saturday. Here is the full list:
Chicago Bears
- P Tory Taylor (fourth round, Iowa)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Roman Wilson (third round, Michigan)
- CB Ryan Watts (sixth round, Texas)
Titans Sign 16 Undrafted Free Agents
The Titans have a seven-man draft class, some of whom have already inked their rookie deals. Their draftees will be joined in minicamp by the following UDFAs:
- Brian Dooley, OL (Eastern Michigan)
- Khalid Duke, DE (Kansas State)
- Keaton Ellis, S (Penn State)
- X’Zauvea Gadlin, OL (Liberty)
- Rod Gattison, CB (Western Carolina)
- Isaiah Iton, DT (Rutgers)
- Robert Javier, DB (Towson)
- Dillon Johnson, RB (Washington)
- Gabe Jeudy-Lally, CB (Tennessee)
- Brayden Narveson, K (NC State)
- Bryce Oliver, WR (Youngstown State)
- David Martin-Robinson, TE (Temple)
- Sam Schnee, WR (Northern Iowa)
- Jamari Small, RB (Tennessee)
- Cole Spencer, OL (Texas Tech)
- Steven Stilianos, TE (Iowa)
Spencer is one of three O-linemen the Titans have brought in, and he has received a notable financial investment. Tennessee has given him $75K in guaranteed money, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Spencer spent considerable time at left tackle when he was at Western Kentucky, but he moved to guard with the Red Raiders. A leg injury limited him to just six games in 2023, but he will look to parlay a return to health into at least a practice squad spot.
The Titans were among the teams to move quickly on the running back front in free agency, signing Tony Pollard as part of a depth chart already featuring Tyjae Spears. Both Johnson and Small will look to join them in a rotational capacity. The former led the Pac-12 in rushing touchdowns last season (16), helping him earn second-team All-Conference honors. The latter, meanwhile, led the Volunteers in rushing during the 2021 season and ranks 12th in school history with 24 career rushing touchdowns.
Veteran Nick Folk was the Titans’ lone kicker on the roster prior to the addition of Narveson. Folk, 39, led the NFL in field goal percentage (96.7%) in his debut Tennessee campaign and he is under contract for one more year. Narveson will look to provide competition during training camp or at least insurance by taking up a taxi squad slot. After spending time at Iowa State and Western Kentucky, he went 18-for-23 on field goal attempts in 2023.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Tom Telesco: Raiders To Hold QB Competition Between Aidan O’Connell, Gardner Minshew
The Raiders were among the teams most frequently linked to a move up the first-round draft order aimed at securing one of the class’ top quarterbacks. Jayden Daniels in particular was a key target, and head coach Antonio Pierce was reportedly more willing than general manager Tom Telesco to put together a trade-up move on Day. 
In the end, though, Vegas retained the No. 13 pick. Somewhat surprisingly, that allowed the team to add tight end Brock Bowers, one of the prospects deemed a lock to hear his name called in the top 10. Bowers – who has inked his rookie deal – will no doubt play a notable role during his rookie season, but it remains to be seen who he will be catching passes from in 2024.
The Raiders turned to Aidan O’Connell to close out the 2023 season. As a rookie, the former fourth-rounder posted a passer rating of 83.9 while registering a 12:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He drew praise from Pierce ahead of the draft, with the latter suggesting O’Connell would be in pole position for any summer QB competition. His rival for the QB1 spot, of course, is veteran Gardner Minshew.
After serving as the Colts’ starter for much of the 2023 campaign, Minshew inked a two-year, $25MM deal in free agency. The 27-year-old is far more experienced than O’Connell, and he could provide the Raiders with a higher floor during the transition to a new coaching staff this year. Both passers will have an avenue to the starting gig this summer, though.
“That’s the plan is to have both those guys really compete through the offseason program, but more so in training camp, and we’ll see how it plays out,” Telesco said of O’Connell and Minshew during an appearance on NFL Total Access. “I thought Aidan did an excellent job last year in a really difficult situation where the head coach changed, the coordinator changed, and he played really good football down the stretch.
“And then with Gardner, you know, Gardner played well last year with the Colts. I mean, he was in the Pro Bowl, so obviously had a pretty good year. He’s always performed at a high level when he’s given that opportunity, so to have both those guys here competing for the job, we’ll see how it goes.”
Six signal-callers were drafted in the first round, and at least three of them (Caleb Williams, Daniels and Bo Nix) will likely begin the season atop the depth chart. The other Day 1 selections – Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy – are positioned to take over as QB1 in the relatively near future on their respective teams. That will likely lead to few genuine training camp competitions under center in 2024, but the Raiders will be a team to watch closely on that front.
Dolphins Sign 12 UDFAs
The Dolphins are among the teams which have unveiled their class of undrafted rookies ahead of minicamps. Here are Miami’s additions:
- Je’Quan Burton, WR (FAU)
- Jordan Colbert, S (Rhode Island)
- Storm Duck, CB (Louisville)
- Gavin Hardison, QB (UTEP)
- Isaiah Johnson, CB (Syracuse)
- Matthew Jones, OL (Ohio State)
- Bayron Matos, T (USF)
- Andrew Meyer, OL (UTEP)
- Grayson Murphy, EDGE (UCLA)
- Leonard Payne, DT (Colorado)
- Mark Perry, S (TCU)
- Hayden Rucci, TE (Wisconsin)
Matos is amongst the highest earners around the league with respect to guaranteed compensation given to undrafted rookies this year. Miami gave him $225K in guaranteed salary as well as a $22K signing bonus, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Meyer also secured a notable commitment ($75K), Wilson notes. Offensive line depth has been a talking point for Miami, and Matos and Meyer will aim to earn roster spots with the team this summer.
Wilson reports Perry drew considerable attention around the league before choosing to sign with the Dolphins. The Colorado transfer earned $150K guaranteed, including a $15K signing bonus. Perry spent the past two seasons with the Horned Frogs, amassing 142 tackles (including 9.5 for loss) and six pass deflections along the way. He could earn a backup job in the secondary while contributing on special teams.
Duck was also a top target of the Dolphins, as evidenced by his up front compensation. The 6-0, 205-pounder received a $20K signing bonus and $150K in total guarantees, per Wilson. Duck transferred from North Carolina to Louisville last offseason. In his single campaign with the Cardinals, he posted 32 tackles and seven pass breakups and he will look to parlay that into a least a practice squad spot.
Texans Sign Round 2 CB Kamari Lassiter
Houston inked six rookies to their respective contracts yesterday. The team’s top selection in this year’s draft is now under contract as well. 
The Texans announced on Friday that second-round corner Kamari Lassiter has signed his rookie pact. The Georgia product was selected 42nd overall, which doubled as Houston’s first selection after the team traded away No. 23 to the Vikings well before the draft. While the 2025 capital acquired in that transaction will help the Texans in the near future, Lassiter could play a notable role in the secondary right away.
The 6-0, 180-pounder played three seasons with the Bulldogs, helping the team win back-to-back championships in the 2021 and ’22 campaigns. In the latter year, Lassister showcased his strength as a run defender by amassing five tackles for loss. That continued last year with 37 total stops (including 3.5 for loss).
The 2023 season also saw Lassiter record a career-best eight pass deflections, although he only notched a single interception. He recorded just two picks in college, and that limited ball production no doubt played a role in his slide down the CB board. Questions have also been raised about Lassiter’s long speed, something which will be worth watching as he transitions to the pro game.
Houston already has one starting CB spot locked down in the form of Derek Stingley Jr. The team was busy on the cornerback front in free agency, adding C.J. Henderson, Jeff Okudah and Mike Ford. Lassiter will aim to earn playing time right away amongst those new faces as well as returnees Desmond King and Troy Pride. At a minimum, he should be able to see special teams action and provide depth in the secondary during his rookie season.
With just two unsigned rookies remaining, here is an updated look at the Texans’ 2024 class:
- Round 2, No. 42 (from Vikings): Kamari Lassiter (CB, Georgia) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 59: Blake Fisher (T, Notre Dame)
- Round 3, No. 78 (from Seahawks through Commanders and Eagles): Calen Bullock (S, USC)
- Round 4, No. 123 (from Browns through Texans): Cade Stover (TE, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 188 (from Raiders through Patriots and Vikings): Jamal Hill (LB, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 205: Jawhar Jordan (RB, Louisville) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 238 (from Saints): Solomon Byrd (EDGE, USC) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 247: Marcus Harris (DT, Auburn) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 249: LaDarius Henderson (G, Michigan) (signed)
Giants Sign First-Round WR Malik Nabers
The Giants were consistently mentioned as a suitor for one of the 2024 draft class’ top quarterbacks. The team made a notable offer for the No. 3 pick (and with it, Drake Maye), but ultimately remained in place at sixth overall. That allowed New York to draft LSU wideout Malik Nabers and add a dynamic option to the team’s passing game in the process. 
Nabers has signed his rookie contract, the Giants announced on Friday. Many players on the verge of their first NFL rookie minicamps have done the same recently in preparation for the weekend. This four-year pact will be worth just over $29MM fully guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Nabers will collect a signing bonus of just over $18MM.
Like all other first-rounders, Nabers’ deal will also include a fifth-year option the team could pick up for the 2028 campaign. If things go according to plan over the next three seasons, that will not be a difficult decision on New York’s part. Nabers enters the league with major expectations after he solidified his status as one of the top three prospects in a loaded receiver class. Ahead of the draft, it was learned some teams had the All-American rated higher than Marvin Harrison Jr.
While the latter did wind up hearing his name called fourth overall, the Giants were among the teams high on Nabers leading up to the draft. He saw his production increase with each passing season at LSU, including a standout junior campaign to close out his college career. Nabers racked up 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns on 89 receptions in 2023, displaying explosiveness both before and after the catch.
Both Harrison and fellow top-10 receiver Rome Odunze are generally seen as more polished players, but Nabers’ size (6-1, 188) and athleticism give him plenty of upside at the NFL level. He will immediately take on a notable role on a Giants team which ranked 31st in the NFL in passing yards last season. Quarterback injuries hindered the team’s offense, but with either Daniel Jones or Drew Lock under center New York will aim to be more efficient moving forward.
Nabers will join the likes of Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson and recent addition Allen Robinson in the Giants’ receiving corps. Much of the team’s ability to rebound from a forgettable 2023 campaign will depend on their progress in the passing game, and Nabers will be a central figure in that regard.
Giants Add Eight UDFAs
The Giants exited the 2024 draft with six rookies, but the team has now added to that mix. Here are the undrafted free agents New York has signed:
- Ayir Asante, WR (Wyoming)
- John Jiles, WR (West Florida)
- Alex Johnson, DB (UCLA)
- Marcellus Johnson, T (Missouri)
- Jake Kubas, G (North Dakota State)
- Ovie Oghoufo, DE (LSU)
- Casey Rogers, DL (Oregon)
Of the seven players players listed above, five received a six-figure guarantee from the Giants. The largest commitment was made to Kubas, whom Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports landed $270K. That figure consists of $240K in base salary in addition to a $30K signing bonus, a strong sign the team expects him to at least secure a practice squad spot in 2024.
Rogers landed $220K in guaranteed compensation, per Duggan. The 6-4, 300-pounder transferred from Nebraska to Oregon after the 2021 campaign. During his two seasons with the Ducks, Rogers totaled 56 tackles (including six for loss) and 1.5 sacks. Jiles received $100K in guarantees, Duggan adds. That represents a strong compensation package for the Division II product.
New York gave Marcellus Johnson a $150K guaranteed base salary along with a $20K signing bonus, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. Alex Johnson, meanwhile, secured $115K in total guarantees, per Wilson. The latter spent four seasons with the Bruins, and his ball production saw a notable increase last season. Johnson racked up the only five interceptions of his career in 2023, adding three pass deflections.
The Giants’ UDFA class also includes kicker Jude McAtamney, and he represents their international roster exemption. Each team is allowed one designated international player who can be retained without using a 90-man roster spot. McAtamney only attempted one kick last season, but in 2022 he went 12-for-18 on field goals while converting all but one of his 24 extra point attempts. He will look to earn a taxi squad spot as depth behind Graham Gano.