Minor NFL Transactions: 5/11/23
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OL J.D. DiRenzo
Denver Broncos
- Waived: OT Casey Tucker
Houston Texans
- Waived: QB E.J. Perry
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: WR Tyron Johnson
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/11/23
With many rookie minicamps set to start tomorrow, teams were busy today inking draft picks to contracts. We’ve compiled those signings below:
Cleveland Browns
- DT Siaki Ika (third round, Baylor)
Houston Texans
- C Jarrett Patterson (sixth round, Notre Dame)
- WR Xavier Hutchinson (sixth round, Iowa State)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- S Antonio Johnson (fifth round, Texas A&M)
Las Vegas Raiders
- WR Tre Tucker (third round, Cincinnati)
- QB Aidan O’Connell (fourth round, Purdue)
- S Christopher Smith (fifth round, Georgia)
- LB Amari Burney (sixth round, Florida)
- DT Nesta Jade Silvera (seventh round, Arizona State)
Minnesota Vikings
- S Jay Ward (fourth round, LSU)
New England Patriots
- K Chad Ryland (fourth round, Maryland)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- CB Cory Trice (seventh round, Purdue)
Seattle Seahawks
- DT Cameron Young (fourth round, Mississippi State)
- C Olusegun Oluwatimi (fifth round, Michigan)
- S Jerrick Reed II (sixth round, New Mexico)
Tennessee Titans
- TE Josh Whyle (fifth round, Cincinnati)
- OT Jaelyn Duncan (sixth round, Maryland)
- WR Colton Dowell (seventh round, Tennessee-Martin)
Cowboys Sign Mazi Smith, Rest Of Draft Class To Rookie Deals
With their rookie minicamp set to begin tomorrow, the Cowboys have signed their entire draft class. The team announced that they’ve officially inked all eight of their draft picks to rookie contracts, including first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
While many assumed the Cowboys would use their first-round pick on a tight end, they ended up pivoting to the defensive side of the ball. Smith was a worthy pick; the Michigan product finished his 2022 campaign with 48 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a half-sack en route to All-Big Ten honors.
There were some questions surrounding his consistency heading into the draft, but his size and speed made him a surefire first- or second-round pick. Fortunately for Dallas, they won’t need Smith to be a contributor right away. He’ll find himself in the mix with Johnathan Hankins and Osa Odighizuwa on the DT depth chart, but he could also earn some playing time at defensive end.
We heard earlier today that the Cowboys inked second-round tight end Luke Schoonmaker to his rookie deal. The rest of the team’s draft class includes:
- Round 3, No. 90: DeMarvion Overshown, LB (Texas)
- Round 4, No. 129: Viliami Fehoko, DE (San Jose State)
- Round 5, No. 169: Asim Richards, OT (North Carolina)
- Round 6, No. 178: Eric Scott Jr., CB (Southern Miss)
- Round 6, No. 212: Deuce Vaughn, RB (Kansas State)
- Round 7, No. 244: Jalen Brooks, WR (South Carolina)
Cardinals Sign First-Round OL Paris Johnson Jr.
The Cardinals have officially signed their first-round pick. The team announced that they’ve inked Paris Johnson Jr. to his rookie contract.
Arizona was reportedly in pursuit of an offensive lineman in the draft. Despite trading out of the third-overall pick, they still got their way when they selected Johnson with the sixth-overall pick.
Johnson took on a larger role at Ohio State in 2022, appearing in 13 games. The 6-6, 315-pound blocker allowed only a pair of sacks last year, and as a result of his performance, he earned a consensus All-American selection and was graded as one of Pro Football Focus’ top offensive tackle prospects in the draft.
The Cardinals were in dire need for depth along the offensive line after having allowed 44 sacks last year. This offseason, they’ve re-signed right tackle Kelvin Beachum and added veteran Elijah Wilkinson, and they’ll also welcome back veteran D.J. Humphries, who missed much of last season. As a result of the added depth, Johnson may not immediately start at LT, but his versatility shouldn’t make that much of an issue.
The Cardinals also announced that they’ve signed four other draft picks: third-round wide receiver Michael Wilson, fourth-round offensive lineman Jon Gaines II, fifth-round quarterback Clayton Tune, and fifth-round linebacker Owen Pappoe. That leaves four rookies unsigned, including second-round linebacker B.J. Ojulari.
Bills Sign Second-Round G O’Cyrus Torrence
The Bills have just about finished signing their entire draft class. The team announced the signing of five rookies today, including second-round offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence.
After three seasons at Louisiana, Torrence followed coach Billy Napier to Florida for the 2022 campaign. The move ended up working out; the lineman earned a consensus All-American nod and a first-team All-SEC selection.
Torrence was considered one of the top guard prospects in the draft, but he was ultimately the fifth player at his position to hear his name called (behind Steve Avila, Matthew Bergeron, Cody Mauch, and Keeanu Benton). His lack of athleticism may have contributed to his drop, but he’s been lauded for his size and know-how at the position. In Buffalo, he’ll see competition from Ryan Bates, Connor McGovern, and David Edwards for the two starting guard spots.
The Bills also announced that they’ve officially signed third-round linebacker Dorian Williams, fifth-round wideout Justin Shorter, seventh-round guard Nick Broeker, and seventh-round cornerback Alex Austin.
As our 2023 NFL Team-by-Team Draft Results show, the Bills have signed all but one rookie: first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid.
Jets Release OL Cedric Ogbuehi
Less than a month after re-signing Cedric Ogbuehi, the Jets have let him go. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Jets have released the veteran offensive lineman.
Ogbuehi re-signed with the Jets in April, inking a one-year, $1.3MM deal that included an $120K signing bonus. However, plenty has changed since the lineman inked that pact. The Jets added an offensive tackle in Billy Turner, and while the front office missed out on their preferred first-round OT targets, they still selected Carter Warren in the fourth round. Both of those moves ultimately made Ogbuehi expendable, and the Jets are presumably letting him go so he can find a landing spot before training camp.
The lineman was a first-round pick by the Bengals back in 2015, but he only lasted four seasons in Cincinnati while starting 25 of his 35 appearances. He’s bounced around a bit since the 2019 campaign, spending time with the Jaguars, Seahawks, Ravens, and Jets.
He was signed by the Jets off the Texans practice squad last September and proceeded to start five of his seven appearances for his new squad. He had a brief stint on the IR with a groin injury before returning for the final stretch of the season. Ogbuehi didn’t earn enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ OT rankings, but he would have been listed towards the bottom of the league had he earned enough snaps.
Latest On Corey Davis, Jets Wide Receivers
With Aaron Rodgers now under center for the Jets, the team has been busy adding wide receivers to their roster. Naturally, that’s led some to question Corey Davis‘ future with the organization, but coach Robert Saleh told reporters yesterday that the veteran wideout would be sticking with the Jets (per Connor Hughes of SNYtv on Twitter).
The Jets inked Davis to a three-year, $37.5MM deal back in 2021, but the receiver hasn’t necessarily lived up to his contract. Davis has appeared in 22 games with the Jets over the past two years, hauling in 66 catches for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns. The Jets could have cleared around $10MM in cap space by moving on from the former fifth-overall pick, but Saleh noted that Davis will have a role on offense in 2023.
“Again, the cool thing with what [offensive coordinator] Nathaniel [Hackett‘s] bringing and this whole system is there is a lot of versatility amongst the receivers in terms of them being able to play multiple spots,” Saleh said (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “The one thing when Corey got hurt last year, we got small pretty quick, if you guys remember.”
The Jets have been busy adding some of Rodgers’ former targets, including Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb (they’ve also added two other former teammates, quarterback Tim Boyle and offensive tackle Billy Turner). This has led some to wonder if Rodgers had a specific list of targets that he wanted the Jets to pursue, similar to what went down with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. However, Saleh dismissed that notion, noting that multiple individuals play roles in recruiting certain players.
“It’s very common for new faces to want old faces, to come in and help accelerate the installation of an entire program,” Saleh said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “Everything is pinned on the quarterback. It’s not just him.
“Hackett has something to say about it. He loves Lazard. He loves Randall. He took Billy Turner with him to Denver, and he wanted him here. Of course, you’re going to surround a coach with people who he feels like will plant the flag … that whole narrative — what people are trying to put on the quarterback — it’s tired. It’s common practice in the NFL.”
Besides Davis and the two aforementioned acquisitions, the Jets WR depth chart also consists of Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson, free agent addition Mecole Hardman, and former second-round pick Denzel Mims.
Chiefs Sign 15 UDFAs
As the Chiefs prepare for the start of their rookie minicamp this weekend, the team announced the signing of 15 undrafted rookies:
- CB Montrae Braswell (Missouri State)
- OL Jerome Carvin (Tennessee)
- S Anthony Cook (Texas)
- OL Anderson Hardy (Appalachian State)
- OL Blake Haynes (Tarleton State)
- LB Cam Jones (Indiana)
- DE Truman Jones (Harvard)
- S Martez Manuel (Missouri)
- LB Isaiah Moore (North Carolina State)
- DB Isaiah Norman (Marshall)
- RB Deneric Prince (Tulsa)
- WR Nikko Remigio (Fresno State)
- WR Tyrone Scott (Missouri State)
- CB Reese Taylor (Purdue)
- CB Anthony Witherstone (Merrimack)
The Chiefs also added Nigerian offensive lineman Chukwuebuka Godrick via the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) program.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter), edge rusher Truman Jones got $236K in guaranteed money from the Chiefs. The Harvard product led the Ivy League with 13 tackles for loss last season, although his best bet for making the Chiefs active roster may be on special teams. Jones had a standout 2022 season on ST, finishing with three blocked kicks.
Elsewhere on defense, Indiana’s Cam Jones got a $15K signing bonus and an $135K base salary guarantee from Kansas City, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The linebacker finished his college career with 208 tackles and seven sacks, and he was projected to be a late-round pick after leading the Big Ten in tackles per game (10.8) through the first five contests. However, a foot injury ended his season prematurely, and Jones ended up going undrafted as a result.
On the offensive side of the ball, running back Deneric Prince got $231K in guaranteed money, including a $15K signing bonus, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). The Tulane standout averaged more than five yards per carry during his college career, including a 2022 campaign where he compiled a career-high 729 rushing yards. Prince turned heads at the combine when he was fourth at the position in the 40-yard dash and fifth in broad jump.
Panthers Announce 13 UDFA Signings
The Panthers won’t officially sign their undrafted rookies until next week’s minicamp, but the organization still went ahead and announced their 13-man UDFA class:
- DE Jalen Redmond (Oklahoma)
- OLB Travez Moore (Arizona State)
- OLB Eku Leota (Auburn)
- ILB Austin Ajiake (UNLV)
- ILB Bumper Pool (Arkansas)
- CB Colby Richardson (LSU)
- CB Mark Milton (Baylor)
- CB Rejzohn Wright (Oregon State)
- S Nico Bolden (Kent State)
- RB Cam Peoples (Appalachian State)
- WR Josh Vann (South Carolina)
- OT Ricky Lee (North Carolina A&T)
- OG Nash Jensen (North Dakota State)
The Panthers were busy adding linebackers, signing four players at the position. Bumper Pool is the most notable of the bunch, with the linebacker having a productive collegiate career at Arkansas (441 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks). Pool likely would have heard his name called during the draft if not for a hip injury that derailed his final season. Meanwhile, Eku Leota could carve out a role on the edge for Chicago, with the Auburn product compiling 15.5 sacks during his college career.
Cam Peoples was a surprise UDFA after he collected 2,830 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns during his time at Appalachian State. At 6-foot-1 and 217 pounds, the rookie profiles as more of a power back, a role that he could easily fill with Carolina. Josh Vann is now the third South Carolina wideout on the Panthers’ roster, joining Damiere Byrd and Shi Smith.
Eagles Add Nine UDFAs
Before kicking off rookie minicamp yesterday, the Eagles announced the signing of nine undrafted first-year players:
- CB Mekhi Garner (LSU)
- WR Jadon Haselwood (Arkansas)
- WR Joseph Ngata (Clemson)
- T Chim Okorafor (Benedictine)
- T Trevor Reid (Louisville)
- CB Eli Ricks (Alabama)
- TE Brady Russell (Colorado)
- LB Ben VanSumeren (Michigan State)
- P Ty Zentner (Kansas State)
After not adding any skill players during the draft, the Eagles signed a pair of wide receivers in Jadon Haselwood and Joseph Ngata. After transferring to Arkansas, Haselwood led the team with 59 receptions during the 2022 campaign. Ngata got into 45 games during his four seasons at Clemson, hauling in 1,287 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Tight end Brady Russell has a personal connection to the Eagles, as his uncle, Matt Russell, is the team’s senior personnel director/advisor to the general manager. A team captain at Colorado, the UDFA finished his collegiate career having caught 67 passes and six touchdowns.
Chim Okorafor and Ty Zentner both took unusual paths to get on an NFL roster. He played two seasons of collegiate basketball before bouncing around football programs at Riverside City Community College, Missouri Southern, Pitt State, and finally Benedictine. Zentner only started playing football during his senior year of high school, and after starting his college career at Butler Community College, he caught on with Kansas State University. He served as both a punter and kicker during his time at the school.