Rams Sign 16 UDFAs
The Rams had a number of late-round picks last weekend, with the organization adding six rookies on the final day of the draft. The team has added even more young depth to the roster, as the organization announced the signing of 16 undrafted free agents:
- Justin Dedich, OL (USC)
- Anthony Goodlow, DE (Oklahoma State)
- Neal Johnson, TE (Louisiana)
- JJ Laap, WR (Cortland)
- Cam Lampkin, DB (Washington State)
- Blake Larson, OL (Augustana)
- Tuli Letuligasenoa, DL (Washington)
- Kenny Logan Jr., DB (Kansas)
- Jaylen McCollough, DB (Tennessee)
- Elias Neal, LB (Marshall)
- David Olajiga, DL (Central Missouri)
- Omar Speights, LB (LSU)
- Drake Stoops, WR (Oklahoma)
- Josh Wallace, DB (Michigan)
- Sam Wiglusz, WR (Ohio)
- Charles Woods, DB (SMU)
After adding one wide receiver in the draft (Jordan Whittington in the sixth), the Rams have added three more rookies at the position. JJ Laap had a standout career at DIII Cortland, finishing with more than 3,000 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns. Drake Stoops didn’t truly break out until this past season at Oklahoma, when he basically doubled his career stats by finishing with 84 catches for 962 yards and 10 touchdowns. Sam Wiglusz put himself on the NFL radar after transferring from Ohio State to Ohio in 2022. In two seasons with the Bobcats, Wiglusz hauled in 129 catches for 1,537 yards and 14 touchdowns.
After drafting one defensive back in the draft (Kamren Kinchens in the third round), the team added five more rookies to the secondary via free agency. Jaylen McCollough had a strong five-year career at Tennessee, including a 2023 campaign where he 58 tackles and three interceptions. Kenny Logan Jr. also spent his entire college career at one school, collecting 383 tackles and six interceptions in 59 games at Kansas.
Saints Sign 16 UDFAs
After adding seven rookies in last weekend’s draft, the Saints have added a long list of undrafted free agents to their roster. The team announced the signing of 16 UDFAs:
- Kyler Baugh, DT (Minnesota)
- Millard Bradford, S (TCU)
- Matthew Hayball, P (Vanderbilt)
- Sincere Haynesworth, C (Tulane)
- Kyle Hergel, G (Boston College)
- Dallin Holker, TE (Colorado State)
- Jermaine Jackson, WR (Idaho)
- Trajan Jeffcoat, DE (Arkansas)
- Lawrence Johnson, DB (SE Missouri St.)
- Jacob Kibodi, RB (LA Lafayette)
- Nate Latu, DE (Oklahoma State)
- Nouri Nouili, G (Nebraska)
- Rico Payton, CB (Pittsburgh State)
- Kyle Sheets, WR (Slippery Rock)
- Isaiah Stalbird, LB (South Dakota State)
- Mason Tipton, WR (Yale)
Jermaine Jackson got $160K in guaranteed money to catch on with the Saints, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. After finishing the 2022 campaign with more than 1,000 receiving yards, the Idaho product was limited to only 593 yards in 2023. However, he took on a larger special teams role, returning 18 kickoffs and 18 punts (including two punt returns for touchdowns). He’ll join a rookie receiver class that also includes fifth-round pick Bub Means and UDFA Kyle Sheets.
Isaiah Stalbird also got a significant payment from the Saints. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that the linebacker got a $10K signing bonus plus $100K in guaranteed salary. The SDSU standout finished his college career with 80 tackles, three sacks, and five pass breakups in 2023, and he also drew the eye of scouts during his Pro Day (which likely explains the lofty guarantees). The Saints used a fifth-round pick on Texas LB Jaylan Ford.
Jakeem Grant Attending Eagles Rookie Minicamp
After sitting out the past two seasons due to injury, Jakeem Grant will be looking to resume his career in Philadelphia. The former All-Pro special teamer will be attending the Eagles rookie minicamp, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
It wasn’t too long ago that Grant was one of the league’s top returnmen. He earned his first All-Pro nod in 2020 after returning 29 punts for 330 yards and one touchdown for the Dolphins. That season also coincided with his best offensive showing, as the part-time wideout finished the year with career-highs in receptions (36) and receiving yards (373).
He earned another All-Pro spot in 2021 after splitting the season between Miami and Chicago. He finished the year with another 300-plus punt return yards and a touchdown, and he also set a career-high with 539 kick return yards. In total, Grant has scored six career special teams tackles (four on punts, two on kicks), and he’s returned 119 punts and 110 kickoffs.
Grant signed a three-year, $14MM deal with the Browns prior to the 2022 campaign, but he didn’t end up getting into a single game with his new squad. An Achilles tear ended his 2022 season before it began, and a ruptured patella tendon wiped out his 2023 campaign.
Now, he’ll be hoping to restart his career in Philly. Second-round cornerback Cooper DeJean and fifth-round wideout Ainias Smith are assumed contenders for return spots with the Eagles. The team is also rostering veteran Parris Campbell, who returned eight kickoffs for the Giants last season. Grant will hope to parlay his minicamp appearance into a real contract, and he would then compete with that trio in training camp.
Saints Decline Payton Turner’s Fifth-Year Option
As expected, the Saints won’t be committing to Payton Turner beyond the 2024 campaign. According to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, the Saints have declined the defensive lineman’s fifth-year option.
Today was the deadline to pick up the fifth-year option on 2021 first-round picks. That commitment would have locked Turner into a $13.39MM salary for the 2025 campaign. Instead, the defensive lineman will hit free agency following the 2024 season.
Things obviously haven’t gone as planned for Turner in New Orleans, with the Houston product being limited to only 15 games across three seasons. He was limited to only five games as a rookie thanks to a shoulder injury, but he managed to stay relatively healthy during his sophomore campaign. That season, Turner found himself in and out of the lineup, finishing the season with 16 tackles and a pair of sacks in eight games.
This past season, the defensive lineman landed on injured reserve after suffering a turf toe injury in Week 1. He didn’t return until January, and he ended his third NFL season with only two appearances.
With the Saints pairing free agent acquisition Chase Young with long-time Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan, Turner doesn’t have a clear path to playing time in 2024. There’s a chance the Saints look to save $2.3MM against the cap and let the former first-round pick pursue a fresh start elsewhere.
Bills To Sign LB Deion Jones
The Bills are adding a former Pro Bowler to their defense. The team is signing linebacker Deion Jones, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It will be a one-year deal for the 29-year-old defender.
Jones most recently got into 13 games (three starts) with the Panthers during the 2023 campaign. He finished the season with a career-low 35 tackles while appearing in less than half of his team’s defensive snaps. However, Pro Football Focus still believes he has something left in the tank, grading the veteran 42nd among 82 qualifying linebackers.
Jones struggled during his final few seasons in Atlanta and half-season showing in Cleveland, but he was once one of the Falcons’ most dependable defenders. The former second-round pick averaged more than 100 tackles per season between 2016 and 2021, and that includes a 2018 season where he was limited to only six games and 53 stops. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2017 after finishing with 138 tackles and three interceptions.
With former linebackers coach Bobby Babich earning a promotion to defensive coordinator, Al Holcomb will take over the LB role. He’ll be eyeing a depth chart led by Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano, who was limited to five games last season thanks to a fractured leg. Milano’s fill-in, Tyrel Dodson, is gone, but backup Dorian Williams will still be around in 2024, and the Bills added fifth-round linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio last weekend. Jones will likely be competing with Williams and Ulofoshio for those backup reps.
Buccaneers To Decline Joe Tryon-Shoyinka’s Fifth-Year Option
The final pick of the 2021 first round won’t have his fifth-year option exercised. The Buccaneers won’t pick up Joe Tryon-Shoyinka‘s option for the 2025 season, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports.
This move will make the linebacker a free agent following the 2024 campaign. Tryon-Shoyinka would have been attached to a fully guaranteed $13.25MM for the 2025 season had the Buccaneers picked up his fifth-year option option.
This isn’t a huge surprise considering the former 32nd-overall pick’s lack of production through three NFL seasons. Tryon-Shoyinka has yet to top 50 tackles or 10 tackles for loss in a season, although he has compiled at least four sacks in each of his three campaigns.
That includes a 2023 season where the linebacker finished with 45 stops, five sacks, and seven QB hits in 17 games (12 starts). Pro Football Focus ended up ranking the 25-year-old 71st among 112 qualifying edge defenders, with the site giving him some hope for his pass-rush ability.
Tryon-Shoyinka should continue manning one of the starting OLB spots in 2024 opposite YaYa Diaby. However, the organization has started to add some depth to the position, as the Buccaneers selected Chris Braswell in the second round of last weekend’s draft.
Broncos To Decline Zach Wilson’s Fifth-Year Option
As expected, the Broncos won’t be committing to Zach Wilson for the 2025 campaign. According to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold, the Broncos have informed Wilson’s camp that they won’t be picking up the quarterback’s fifth-year option.
[RELATED: 2025 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Considering the $22.41MM commitment that the option would have required, it’s not a surprise that the Broncos won’t lock themselves into that salary. Wilson will now hit free agency following the 2024 campaign, and he’s set to earn more than $5MM in what will be the final season of his rookie contract (the Jets are picking up a portion of that tab).
The Broncos acquired the former second-overall pick last week, swapping a sixth-round pick for a seventh-round pick along the way. Things have already changed since that acquisition, as the Broncos reached a bit for Bo Nix in the first round. The rookie could end up leading the depth chart in 2024, with only Wilson and Jarrett Stidham standing in the way.
Wilson, of course, will be seeking a fresh start in Denver. Following two underwhelming seasons to begin his career, the Jets made a major pivot last offseason when they acquired Aaron Rodgers from the Packers. The veteran suffered a season-ending injury in his first drive with his new squad, forcing Wilson back into the limelight. The third-year quarterback ended up going 4-7 under center, completing 60.1 percent of his passes for eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The Jets allowed Wilson to seek a trade elsewhere this offseason, although the market was predictably light considering the player’s lack of production and $11MM cap charge. They eventually found a taker in the Broncos, but following today’s move, this could prove to be only a one-year stop in Denver for Wilson.
Packers Sign Eight UDFAs
After leaving this past weekend with one of the league’s largest draft classes, the Packers are continuing to add rookies to their roster. The team announced that they’ve signed eight undrafted free agents:
- Peter Bowden, LS (Wisconsin)
- James Ester, DL (Northern Illinois)
- Ralen Goforth, LB (Washington)
- Jarveon Howard, RB (Alcorn State)
- Donovan Jennings, OL (South Florida)
- Trente Jones, OL (Michigan)
- Rodney Mathews, DL (Ohio)
- Messiah Swinson, TE (Arizona State)
South Florida offensive lineman Donovan Jennings earned a significant pay day to join the Packers. The rookie got a $10K signing bonus and $100K in guaranteed salary to catch on with Green Bay, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. As Wilson notes, that signing bonus is higher than any the organization handed out in 2023, and the Packers also didn’t give any of their UDFAs guaranteed money last offseason.
Elsewhere on offense, the team added Arizona State’s Messiah Swinson. The tight end had 15 catches during his first season in Arizona in 2022, but he followed that up with only six receptions in 2023.
On the other side of the ball, the Steelers added a pair of pass rushers in James Ester and Rodney Mathews. Ester compiled eight sacks and 16 tackles for loss during his final three seasons at Northern Illinois, while Mathews collected 14.5 tackles for loss in his final three seasons with the Bobcats.
Steelers Sign Five UDFAs
After adding seven players in the draft, the Steelers have added five more rookies to their roster. The team announced that they’ve signed five undrafted free agents:
- Beanie Bishop, CB (West Virginia)
- Daijun Edwards, RB (Georgia)
- John Rhys Plumlee, QB (Central Florida)
- Julius Welschof, LB (Charlotte)
- Jacoby Windmon, LB (Michigan State)
After adding one linebacker in the third round (NC State’s Payton Wilson), the Steelers have added another two players at the position. Jacoby Windmon is the more accomplished of the two UDFAs, with the linebacker collecting 119 tackles and 6.5 sacks with UNLV in 2021. However, he didn’t see nearly as big of a role after transferring to Michigan State in 2022, compiling 41 stops across two seasons with the team. Julius Welschof was a situational defensive lineman during his time at Michigan and Charlotte, and the Steelers are apparently looking to switch the prospect to a new position.
After three seasons of mostly sitting on the bench at Ole Miss, John Rhys Plumlee caught on with UCF as their starting QB between 2022 and 2023. He got into 23 games over the past two seasons, completing 63 percent of his passes for 4,857 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He also added 1,367 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 265 carries. In Pittsburgh, he’ll learn from a pair of prolific runners (one former, one current) in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/30/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: WR Kaden Davis, CB Quavian White
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Tyron Billy-Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: P Seth Vernon
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Oshane Ximines
The Patriots have added some linebacker depth in Oshane Ximines, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Giants. A third-round pick in 2019, Ximines ended up getting into 48 games during his time in New York, compiling 71 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He was limited to only three games this past season while alternating between the Giants practice squad and active roster.
In New England, he’ll be reunited with outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins, who previously served in the same role with the Giants. The Patriots will be hoping the new addition can provide some depth at strongside linebacker behind the likes of Matt Judon and Josh Uche.