Chargers To Sign DT Nick Williams
Nick Williams will be sticking around the NFL for an 11th season. The defensive tackle is signing a one-year deal with the Chargers, per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com. Free agent QB Chase Daniel, who spent the past two seasons in Los Angeles, was first with the news (on Twitter).
Williams, a 2015 seventh-round pick, took a bit to find his footing the NFL. He had his breakout season in 2019, when he compiled six sacks in 16 games (five starts) for the Bears. That performance earned him a two-year, $10MM deal from the Lions, and he proceeded to start 30 of his 31 appearances during his time in Detroit.
He caught on with the Giants for the 2022 campaign and ended up getting into eight games (seven starts) before landing on injured reserve with a biceps injury. He finished the season with 15 tackles and a pair of QB hits, and had he earned enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings, he would have been listed as a middle-of-the-road interior defender.
In Los Angeles, the 33-year-old will be joining a DT/NT grouping that includes Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Otito Ogbonnia, and Chris Hinton. It shouldn’t take too long for Williams to get acclimated; he played under Chargers head coach Brandon Staley in Chicago.
Texans Release TE Eric Tomlinson
The Texans have been busy adding to their squad this week, and now the front office is starting to subtract. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), Houston has released Eric Tomlinson and placed defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth on injured reserve.
Despite going undrafted out of UTEP in 2015, Tomlinson has managed to put together an eight-year career. He had a three-year stint with the Jets between 2016 and 2018, seeing time in 36 games (29 starts). Since then, he’s bounced around the NFL, spending time with the Giants, Patriots, Raiders, Ravens, and Broncos. He started 12 of his 17 games for Denver last season, hauling in nine receptions while continuing to serve mostly as an extra blocker.
After having a brief stint in Houston to begin his career, Tomlinson rejoined the organization earlier this month. The team has since added Jordan Murray, perhaps costing the veteran his roster spot.
After appearing in 32 games for the Colts between 2020 and 2021, Stallworth got into seven games with the Chiefs and Texans last season. He inked a one-year extension with Houston back in February but has since suffered a hamstring injury.
Placing Stallworth on injured reserve would prevent him from taking the field for the Texans during the 2023 campaign. However, an injury settlement may be coming. Agent Brett Tessler stated (on Twitter) that reports of the IR move are erroneous and an “injury settlement on a short-term injury” is imminent. This move would allow Stallworth to join a new squad once he’s healthy enough to play.
It’s been a busy week for the Texans front office. Most notably, the team signed cornerback Shaquill Griffin and added defensive tackle Byron Cowart.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/18/23
Non-first-round picks continue to sign their four-year contracts. We’ve collected today’s signings below:
Arizona Cardinals
- CB Garrett Williams (third round, Syracuse)
Houston Texans
- DE Dylan Horton (fourth round, TCU)
New York Jets
- OT Carter Warren (fourth round, Pittsburgh)
Philadelphia Eagles
- G Tyler Steen (third round, Alabama)
- S Sydney Brown (third round, Illinois)
Williams was one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft considering his status heading into the 2022 campaign. The Syracuse cornerback is still recovering from a torn ACL that limited him to only seven games last season. As the rookie told Darren Urban of the team’s website, he’s already progressed to running.
“You feel like football season is around the corner, but you’ve got to stay patient,” Williams said. “I can’t rush it. But obviously I can’t wait to put the cleats and pads back on … The hard part’s done. Now it’s the fun part, strengthening things, I’m able to run. I feel like a football player again.”
The defensive back also made it clear that he’s aiming to be back on the field for training camp, but he understands that the organization may want to bring him along more slowly.
“I am seeing it as, I can come back from this and make my story,” Williams said. “I see my life as a movie [and] make my movie that much cooler, that much better at the end.”
Latest On Aaron Rodgers, Jets QB Depth
As the Jets continue to work on a new deal with Aaron Rodgers, the team is also considering other moves at the position. GM Joe Douglas told reporters that the organization could consider bringing back veteran Joe Flacco next season.
[RELATED: Jets, Aaron Rodgers Working Towards Restructured Contract]
“We’re always going to keep the door open when any good player is available,” Douglas said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini on Twitter).
Flacco completed his third season with the Jets in 2022 (minus a brief stint with the Eagles). He actually got his most run this past year, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,051 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions in five games (four starts). The veteran ended up starting nine games across three seasons with the organization, guiding the team to an 1-8 record while in the starting lineup.
The former Super Bowl MVP was initially signed to be the backup to Sam Darnold, and he was reacquired to play behind Zach Wilson. If Flacco were to re-sign with New York, he’d now be competing with Wilson for that QB2 spot behind Rodgers. The Jets are also rostering Tim Boyle and Chris Streveler at the position.
Meanwhile, the Jets continue to work with Rodgers on resolving his cap situation for both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com points out, the Jets were surprised to learn that the QB had previously pushed the entirety of his fully-guaranteed $58.3MM option bonus to the 2024 season. As a result, Rodgers is eyeing a minimum salary commitment for 2023 and a untenable $107.55MM worth of compensation for 2024.
“We knew at the end of the trade that Aaron and Green Bay needed to work some things out,” Douglas told Florio. “We didn’t know the exact ramifications. It was just important to us that the cap number wasn’t going to go higher than it was at the time that we agreed to it. We didn’t know that it was actually going to go down to the minimum, so when they re-did the deal, you know, we saw the new number, knew that we saw that it was low for this year. We’re still working on restructuring aspects of the deal as we speak, but we feel like we’re in a really good place.”
There have been some questions about how long Rodgers intends to keep playing, with some wondering if his stint in New York may only last one season. As Florio notes, if Rodgers hopes to sniff a large chunk of that $107.5MM, he’ll likely have to commit to a new two-year pact with the Jets, locking him in through the 2024 campaign.
Texans Release LB Jermaine Carter
Jermaine Carter‘s stint with the Texans lasted a bit more than a week. The team announced that they’ve released the veteran linebacker.
Carter was a fifth-round pick by the Panthers back in 2018 and ended up playing out his rookie contract, collecting 178 tackles in 65 games (30 starts). His best season came in 2021 when he finished with 88 tackles while starting all 17 games.
The linebacker signed with the Chiefs last offseason but didn’t make it to the regular season with his new squad. He later caught on with Cleveland and ended up getting into seven games for his new squad, collecting 16 tackles while mostly playing on special teams.
The 28-year-old was already facing an uphill battle to make Houston’s roster. The team previously signed Denzel Perryman and Cory Littleton, adding to a group that already included veterans Christian Kirksey and Blake Cashman. The Texans also added a pair of linebackers in the draft in second-round edge Will Anderson Jr. and fifth rounder Henry To’oTo’o, and they signed free agent linebacker Ian Swenson following a tryout today.
Raiders Add 10 UDFAs
The Raiders announced that they’ve added 10 undrafted free agents plus one player from the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program:
- DL David Agoha (NFL I.P.P)
- G McClendon Curtis (Chattanooga)
- S Jaydon Grant (Oregon State)
- CB Azizi Hearn (UCLA)
- DE Brock Martin (Oklahoma State)
- CB Jordan Perryman (Washington)
- DE Adam Plant (UNLV)
- TE John Samuel Shenker (Auburn)
- DE George Tarlas (Boise State)
- LB Drake Thomas (N.C. State)
- OT Dalton Wagner (Arkansas)
The Raiders were busy adding some defensive line help. Brock Martin started 34 of his 62 games at Oklahoma State, compiling 145 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, and 16 sacks. Adam Plant had a career year in 2022 at UNLV, finishing with 62 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and three forced fumbles in 11 games. George Tarlas had 25 tackles for loss and 19 sacks in 45 career games at Weber State before transferring to Boise State.
The team’s two OL additions got chunks of cash. Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets that McClendon Curtis got $210K in guaranteed money, while Doug Kyed AtoZSports tweets that Dalton Wagner got $225K in guaranteed money. Curtis earned an All-American nod at Chattanooga last year and Wagner was a two-time All-SEC selection.
Jaydon Grant is the most accomplished of the team’s UDFA additions in the secondary, with the Oregon State product compiling nine interceptions in 51 games. Azizi Hearn spent time at Arizona and Wyoming before transferring to UCLA for the 2022 campaign.
Texans Add Nine Undrafted Free Agents
The Texans were one of the busiest teams in the draft, and the front office is continuing to be active after the seventh rou. The team announced that they’ve signed nine undrafted free agents:
- OL Tyler Beach (Wisconsin)
- OT Dylan Deatherage (Western Michigan)
- P Joe Doyle (Memphis)
- DE Ali Gaye (LSU)
- S Darius Joiner (Duke)
- WR Jesse Matthews (San Diego State)
- RB Xazavian Valladay (Arizona State)
- WR Jared Wayne (Pittsburgh)
- OT Kilian Zierer (Auburn)
Xazavian Valladay got $175K in guaranteed money from the Texans, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). The running back had three productive seasons at Wyoming before transferring to Arizona State for the 2022 campaign, where he compiled 1,481 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns. Dameon Pierce has a firm hold on the starting gig and the Texans brought in Devin Singletary as a reliable backup, but Valladay could push for a role as an RB3.
Kilian Zierer got $180K guaranteed from Houston, per Wilson (on Twitter). The offensive lineman held his own against SEC competition despite having only started playing football at the age of 16. Fortunately for the Texans, they can take the rookie along slowly with the hopes that he will eventually be a serviceable backup to Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard.
Jared Wayne got the biggest payday of the grouping, earning $210K in guaranteed money (via Wilson on Twitter). The Pittsburgh product earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2022 after finishing with 60 receptions for 1,063 yards and five touchdowns. His size put him on the NFL radar but his lack of elite speed led to him going undrafted, but with the Texans eyeing a completely revamped WR depth chart, he’ll have as good of a chance as anyone to earn a role on the team.
Lions Sign 15 UDFAs
With the Lions kicking off rookie minicamp yesterday, the team was busy adding 15 undrafted free agents to their roster:
- OL Brad Cecil (South Florida)
- WR Chase Cota (Oregon)
- LB Isaac Darkangelo (Illinois)
- DL Cory Durden (North Carolina State)
- OL Connor Galvin (Baylor)
- CB Steven Gilmore (Marshall)
- RB Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota)
- S Brandon Joseph (Notre Dame)
- QB Adrian Martinez (Kansas State)
- DL Zach Morton (Akron)
- LB Trevor Nowaske (Saginaw Valley State)
- DL Chris Smith (Notre Dame)
- OL Ryan Swoboda (Central Florida)
- CB Starling Thomas V (UAB)
- WR Keytaon Thompson (Virginia)
Per Tim Twentyman of the team’s website, Lions Brad Holmes expressed enthusiasm about their year’s UDFA class, with the GM noting that three unspecified players were actually on Detroit’s draft board.
One of the team’s most notable additions is Steven Gilmore, the younger brother of former NFL DPOY Stephon Gilmore. The Marshall product had nine interceptions and 34 passes defended during his five collegiate season, and his ability to play multiple positions in the secondary (plus special teams) could give him a strong opportunity to earn a roster spot.
The Lions used a third-round pick on Hendon Hooker, but that didn’t stop them from adding a QB in free agency. Adrian Martinez had a prolific showing at Nebraska before transferring to Kansas State, where he paired an underwhelming 1,261 passing yards with 627 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. His passing inconsistency led to him going undrafted, but the Lions could get creative with how they use the dynamic runner.
Speaking of, Keytaon Thompson was a backup quarterback at Mississippi State before transferring to Virginia as a wideout. He was productive in the slot during his two seasons as Virginia, hauling in 131 receptions for 1,569 yards.
Bengals Add 13 UDFAs
After making eight picks during the draft, the Bengals announced yesterday that they’ve added 13 undrafted free agents:
- S Larry Brooks (Tulane)
- WR Malachi Carter (Georgia Tech)
- LB Shaka Heyward (Duke)
- WR Mac Hippenhammer (Miami (Ohio))
- WR Shedrick Jackson (Auburn)
- G Jaxson Kirkland (Washington)
- DT Devonnsha Maxwell (Tennessee-Chattanooga)
- LB Jaylen Moody (Alabama)
- LB Tyler Murray (Memphis)
- DT Tautala Pesefea (Arizona State)
- HB Jacob Saylors (East Tennessee State)
- TE Christian Trahan (Houston)
- HB Calvin Tyler Jr. (Utah State)
Jaxson Kirkland is one of the most intriguing UDFAs in the NFL. He considered declaring for both of the previous two drafts, and he was considered a top OT prospect for the 2022 selection show. However, a severe ankle injury forced him to opt out of that draft, and despite being productive during another season at Washington, he ended up going undrafted this year. The lineman’s versatility could make him an interesting piece on Cincinnati’s depth chart.
Despite adding Chase Brown in the draft, the Bengals still added a pair of RBs in free agency. Jacob Saylors starred at ETSU, finishing his 2022 season with 1,355 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Calvin Tyler Jr. also had a productive final two seasons at Utah State, scoring 15 total touchdowns. The Bengals could give a long look at each of these rookies to be the primary backup to Joe Mixon.
If Cincinnati does eventually look to break up their trio of top wideouts, they’d be looking for inexpensive reinforcement elsewhere. The team used a pair of draft picks on wide receivers, but they also added three UDFAs at the position. Mac Hippenhammer was the most productive of the undrafted grouping; he had 1,555 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns over the past two seasons for Miami of Ohio.
Chargers Sign First-Round WR Quentin Johnston
The Chargers have signed their first-round pick to a rookie contract. Per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter), the Chargers have signed wideout Quentin Johnston.
The rookie’s four-year rookie pact includes $14.18MM and training-camp guarantees in both 2024 and 2025, per Wilson (on Twitter). Johnston will also have a chance to earn a significant chunk of money via his fifth-year option. While Johnston was technically the 21st pick in the draft, he’ll earn the contract of the 22nd selection as a result of Miami’s forfeited selection.
Johnston was the second wideout off the board during the first-round run on receivers. The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder showed off his potential during his time at TCU, but he truly established himself as a first-round pick during the 2022 campaign. This past season, the wideout hauled in 60 catches for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns, resulting in his second-straight All-Big 12 nod.
The wideout did have an issue with drops, leading to some inconsistency in his draft projections. However, it was generally agreed that Johnston had one of the highest upsides at his position, and the Chargers are fortunate that they won’t need to rely on the rookie right away. Johnston will join a depth chart that’s highlighted by Mike Williams and Keenan Allen.
The Chargers will now shift their focus to signing the rest of the 2023 draft class. Johnston is the first of the team’s seven draft picks to be signed.