Cardinals To Sign WR Chris Moore
After swapping Rondale Moore for Desmond Ridder, the Cardinals are quickly adding some receiver depth. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Cardinals are signing wideout Chris Moore to a one-year deal.
[RELATED: Cardinals, Falcons Finalizing Desmond Ridder Trade]
The former fourth-round pick spent five forgettable seasons in Baltimore before catching on with Houston in 2021. After hauling in 21 receptions during his first season with the Texans, Moore saw a much larger offensive role in 2022. He finished that season with 48 catches for 548 yards, earning him a contract with the Titans last offseason.
The 30-year-old started five of his 17 appearances for Tennessee, snagging 22 receptions for 424 yards. He also returned a handful of kickoffs for the first time since 2019. Adding to Moore’s intrigue is his blocking ability; Pro Football Focus graded him as a top-20 pass-blocking WR in 2023.
With Marquise Brown still unsigned, the Cardinals could be eyeing a new receivers corps in 2024. The team’s depth chart is currently topped by Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch, but the Cardinals should be in prime position to select the draft’s top receiver prospect, Marvin Harrison Jr., with the fourth-overall pick.
Steelers To Re-Sign DL Montravius Adams
Montravius Adams has found a home in Pittsburgh in recent years, and the Steelers will continue to hang on to the defensive lineman. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Steelers are re-signing Adams. The veteran will get a new two-year deal from the Steelers.
Adams spent parts of the 2021 campaign in New England and New Orleans before catching on with the Steelers. He started four of his five appearances down the stretch of that season, and he’s started 17 of his 30 appearances over the past two campaigns.
The 28-year-old has combined for 50 tackles over the past two years, and he finished this past season with a forced fumble and a pair of tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus ranked him 72nd among 130 qualifying interior defenders this past season, with the site being particularly bullish on his pass-rush skills.
Rookie Keeanu Benton leaped Adams on the depth chart this past season. When the veteran returned from a midseason leg injury, he was playing on about a third of his team’s defensive snaps. Barring a move, Adams will likely be eyeing a similar backup role in 2024.
Saints To Sign WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.
Cedrick Wilson Jr. is back in the NFC. Following a two-year stop in Miami, the wide receiver is set to sign with the Saints, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Wilson will be inking a two-year deal with New Orleans.
Wilson made a name for himself in Dallas, transforming from little-used sixth-round pick into a consistent member of the offense. The receiver had a career year in 2021 despite playing alongside CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, and Michael Gallup. Wilson finished that campaign with 45 catches for 602 yards and six touchdowns, and he added another five receptions in his lone playoff game.
Wilson parlayed that performance into a three-year, $22.8MM deal with the Dolphins in 2022. Unfortunately, he could never establish himself as the true WR3 behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. While Wilson got into 30 games through his two seasons with the Dolphins, he was limited to only 34 catches for 432 yards and three scores. The veteran restructured his deal last offseason, making him a free agent following the 2023 campaign.
Michael Thomas was cut by the Saints earlier this week, leaving the team with a barren WRs depth chart. The grouping is still led by Chris Olave, but the rest of the WRs room consists only of Rashid Shaheed and A.T. Perry. The team will surely add more depth before the offseason is through, but Wilson should have an opportunity to contribute regardless of any future acquisitions.
Chargers To Sign DL Poona Ford
Following a one-year stop with the Bills, defensive tackle Poona Ford will be joining Jim Harbaugh’s first Chargers squad. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, Ford is signing a one-year deal with the Chargers.
The defensive lineman joined the Bills on a one-year deal last offseason. There was optimism that the sixth-year player could provide some consistency on Buffalo’s defensive line. Ford previously started 63 games for the Seahawks between 2019 and 2022, and that experience was a big reason why the Bills brought him on.
Things couldn’t have gone much worse for Ford. He was inactive for more than half of Buffalo’s games, and he was limited to only a part-time role in his eight appearances. He was firmly behind Ed Oliver, Tim Settle, and Jordan Phillips on the depth chart, and Linval Joseph eventually got an extended look ahead of the free agent acquisition. Ford ultimately finished the campaign with nine tackles and one sack.
In Los Angeles, Ford will look to rehabilitate his value following a down season. The five-foot-eleven, 311-pound lineman will provide the Chargers with some defensive line depth, although he could earn himself a larger role. The team’s DL depth currently consists of the likes of Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock, and Christopher Hinton.
Seahawks To Sign LB Tyrel Dodson
Following a career-best season in 2023, Tyrel Dodson is heading west. The former Bills linebacker is signing with the Seahawks, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.
The former UDFA out of Texas A&M had spent his entire five-year career with the Bills. A suspension and a practice-squad stint led to a redshirt rookie campaign, and Dodson mostly played a special teams role in 2020 and 2021. After seeing an uptick in defensive snaps in 2022, the fifth-year player took off in 2023.
Dodson started 10 of his 17 appearances this past season while getting into more than half of the Bills’ defensive snaps. He finished the campaign with 74 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Pro Football Focus was especially fond of his performance, ranking Dodson as their top linebacker for the 2023 season. The 25-year-old’s PFF grade was brought up by elite scores for run defense and coverage.
The Seahawks have lost some significant linebacker depth in free agency, with both Jordyn Brooks and Bobby Wagner signing elsewhere. Dodson provides the organization with some experience at outside linebacker. The team’s other options include Patrick O’Connell, Jon Rhattigan, and Drake Thomas; that trio has combined for 23 career defensive snaps.
Chiefs To Re-Sign DL Derrick Nnadi
Derrick Nnadi will continue his career in Kansas City. The veteran defensive tackle is re-signing with the Chiefs, his agency announced.
The former third-round pick has spent his entire career with the Chiefs, starting 86 of his 98 regular-season games and 12 of his 15 playoff appearances. Nnadi hadn’t missed a game since the 2020 campaign, but a triceps injury limited to only one playoff contest in 2023. The Chiefs would go on to win the Super Bowl, Nnadi’s third championship victory.
The 27-year-old finished this past season with 29 tackles and one sack while getting into 46 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus only ranked him 122nd among 130 qualifying interior defenders, although the site was more favorable of his past performance.
The Chiefs will have plenty of options to choose from to play opposite Chris Jones on the defensive line. The team’s depth at defensive tackle also consists of Tershawn Wharton, Mike Pennel, Matt Dickerson, Neil Farrell, and Isaiah Buggs.
Eagles To Sign LB Devin White
As expected, Devin White won’t be returning to the Buccaneers in 2024, but the linebacker will be sticking in the NFC. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, White is signing with the Eagles.
[RELATED: Bucs Unlikely To Retain LB Devin White]
It’s a one-year deal for the linebacker, according to Schefter. The contract has a max value of $7.5MM.
The former first-round pick had a productive first four seasons in Tampa Bay. After forcing three fumbles and scoring two touchdowns as a rookie, White followed that up with three-straight seasons of 120-plus tackles. He earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020 after compiling nine sacks, and he added 38 tackles in three playoff games en route to a Super Bowl championship. That Super Bowl win also featured a crucial pick-six on Patrick Mahomes.
White made a Pro Bowl after finishing with a career-high 18 QB hits in 2021, and he added another 124 tackles and 5.5 sacks to his resume in 2022.
Set to play the 2023 campaign on his fifth-year option, the former fifth-overall pick sought out a massive extension last offseason. A deal didn’t materialize, and White ended up requesting a trade from the organization. Little interest was shown around the league, and White ultimately played out the 2023 campaign on his expiring contract.
The linebacker did little to increase league-wide interest with his play. He ended up splitting snaps with K.J. Britt down the stretch, and he didn’t start either of the team’s two playoff games. White finished the campaign with a career-low 83 tackles, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as the league’s third-worst linebacker in 2023.
White should have an opportunity to bounce back in Philadelphia. The team only returns a pair of inside linebackers in Nakobe Dean and Ben VanSumeren, so White should be in line for a significant role in 2024.
Commanders To Re-Sign DL Efe Obada
Efe Obada is sticking in Washington. The Commanders announced that they’ve re-signed the veteran edge rusher.
Obada is now inking his third contract with the organization after signing contracts in each of the past two offseasons. He had 24 tackles and four sacks during his first season in Washington, but he was limited to only five games in 2023 thanks to a knee injury and later a leg fracture.
Born in Nigeria, Obada started his football career by spending time with the British American Football Association National Leagues. He had brief stints with the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Falcons before joining the Panthers via the International Player Pathway Program in 2017.
He ended up spending three seasons in Carolina, including a 2020 campaign where he finished with a career-high 5.5 sacks. He spent the 2021 campaign in Buffalo, adding 3.5 sacks to his resume.
The Commanders have been busy adding DL depth, signing Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell, and Dante Fowler Jr.. Obada will likely compete for backup reps in 2024.
Dolphins To Sign DL Benito Jones, Re-Sign DT Da’Shawn Hand
The Dolphins have agreed to contracts with some familiar faces. The Dolphins are expected to sign defensive lineman Benito Jones, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The team is also expected to re-sign defensive tackle De’Shawn Hand, according to Russini.
Jones spent the first two seasons of his career in Miami, although he was limited to only six games between the two campaigns. He was claimed off waivers by the Lions prior to the 2022 season and proceeded to get into 34 games for Detroit over the next two years. This culminated in a 2023 campaign where Jones started 15 of his 17 appearances, finishing with a career-high 26 tackles.
Hand joined the Dolphins last August and ended up getting into a career-high 16 games with his new squad. He appeared in about 20 percent of his team’s defensive snaps, finishing the year with 17 tackles and one sack.
The Dolphins have been busy adding to their defensive line after Christian Wilkins left for the Raiders. The team has also added Isaiah Mack, Daviyon Nixon, and Neville Gallimore, and the team will be counting on their new additions to soak up some DL snaps in 2024.
Falcons To Sign WR Ray-Ray McCloud
The Falcons continue to add to their offense. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the team has agreed to a deal with Ray-Ray McCloud.
The wideout/return man is inking a two-year deal with Atlanta. The contract can be worth up to $2MM.
The former sixth-round pick has bounced around the NFL, spending time with five organizations through his first six professional seasons. He spent the past two campaigns serving as the 49ers’ primary returner, as the 27-year-old returned 57 punts and 36 kickoffs between 2022 and 2023. He also hauled in 26 catches over the past two seasons.
McCloud showed some offensive upside with the Steelers in 2021, finishing with 39 catches for 277 yards while getting into a career-high 538 offensive snaps. Despite the increased offensive responsibility, he still managed to pace the NFL with 38 punt returns.
In Atlanta, McCloud will likely compete with Avery Williams for return snaps, but he could also carve out a role on offense. The Falcons have provided Kirk Cousins with plenty of new targets, adding Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore to a receivers room that was already highlighted by Drake London. McCloud will compete with the likes of Josh Ali and KhaDarel Hodge for reps behind the top three receivers.