Eight Players Join NFC North, AFC West Teams Via NFL International Player Pathway Program
Established in 2017, the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) program “aims to provide elite athletes from around the world with the opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster.” This year, eight international players joined NFC North and AFC West teams (per the league’s website):
- Bears: OL Roy Mbaeteka, Nigeria
- Lions: TE Patrick Murtagh, Australia
- Packers: DL Kenneth Odumegwu, Nigeria
- Vikings: DL Junior Aho, France
- Broncos: DL Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi, Nigeria
- Chiefs: OL Chukwuebuka Godrick, Nigeria
- Raiders: DL David Ebuka Agoha, Nigeria
- Chargers: DL Basil Chijioke Okoye, Nigeria
The NFC North and AFC West were the two divisions that had yet to participate in the program, and this is the first year that the NFL is opening the program to two divisions. The IPP program allows these teams to carry an additional international player on their practice squads during the regular season.
“To see this hugely talented group of players be allocated to NFL rosters is very exciting, and a testament to the success of the NFL’s global football development programs for international athletes,” said NFL executive Peter O’Reilly. “The International Player Pathway is a critical program in identifying, supporting and enabling athletes from around the world and we look forward to seeing each players’ NFL journey unfold as they become global ambassadors for the sport.”
Per NFL.com, the six Nigerian players participated in Osi Umenyiora‘s The Uprise initiative and were participants in the NFL’s inaugural talent camp in Ghana. Alumni of the IPP program include Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, Commanders defensive end Efe Obada and defensive tackle David Bada, and Raiders fullback Jakob Johnson.
Bears Sign 14 UDFAs
After adding 10 rookies via the draft, the Bears have added another 14 first-year players via free agency. The Bears announced that they have signed 14 undrafted free agents:
- OL Nick Amoah (UC Davis)
- QB Tyson Bagent (Shepherd)
- LB Micah Baskerville (LSU)
- DB Justin Broiles (Oklahoma)
- FB Robert Burns (Connecticut)
- TE Damien Caffrey (Stony Brook)
- DB Macon Clark (Tulane)
- WR Aron Cruickshank (Rutgers)
- DL Jalen Harris (Arizona)
- OL Bobby Haskins (USC)
- OL Gabriel Houy (Pitt)
- OL Lorenz Metz (Cincinnati)
- WR Thyrick Pitts (Delaware)
- K Andre Szmyt (Syracuse)
Tyson Bagent had a prolific career at Shepherd, tossing 159 touchdowns in 53 games. The 6-foot-3 prospect has the size of a typical NFL quarterback, but his questionable decision-making and arm strength (coupled with his Division II status) led to him going undrafted. Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy got a closeup view of Bagent during the Senior Bowl.
Andre Szmyt left Syracuse as the school’s all-time leader in scoring. He converted 81 percent of his field goal attempts in college and 91 percent of his kicks from within 40 yards. Cairo Santos has connected on 89.7 percent of his FGAs over the past three seasons with the Bears, but the rookie should provide the veteran with a bit of competition in training camp.
Jalen Harris is the son of former Bears draft pick Sean Harris. The defensive lineman compiled 171 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, and 14 sacks in 56 games at Arizona before going undrafted last weekend. The rookie can find a role for himself as an edge on the Bears, with DeMarcus Walker, Rasheem Green, Trevis Gipson, and Dominique Robinson providing competition for the roster spots.
Texans Sign DB Darius Phillips
The Texans have been busy today. After adding offensive tackle Greg Little and linebacker Neville Hewitt, Houston has now signed a defensive back. The team announced that they’ve signed defensive back Darius Phillips.
[RELATED: Texans Sign T Greg Little, LB Neville Hewitt]
Phillips, a former fifth-round pick, spent four seasons in Cincinnati to begin his career. The defensive back got into 47 regular season games for the Bengals, compiling 73 tackles and five interceptions. He saw an inconsistent role on defense during his tenure with the team, but he consistently contributed on special teams, including a 2021 campaign where he returned 25 punts and eight kicks.
After spending the 2022 preseason with the Raiders, Phillips caught on with the Broncos. He ended up getting into nine games with Denver, collecting only a pair of tackles while playing the majority of his snaps on special teams.
The veteran’s best chance at making Houston’s roster will probably come on special teams. However, thanks to his versatility in the secondary, he could catch on as a bottom-of-the-depth-chart cornerback or safety.
Eagles To Sign TE Dan Arnold
Dan Arnold is heading back to the NFC. After a two-year stint in Jacksonville, Arnold is signing with the Eagles, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s a one-year deal for the veteran TE.
The former undrafted free agent out of UW–Platteville spent a few years in New Orleans before having a somewhat prominent role with the Cardinals in 2020. That season, Arnold hauled in 31 receptions for 438 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games (five starts).
That performance earned him a two-year contract from the Panthers, but he only got into three games with his new team before getting shipped to the Jaguars in the C.J. Henderson trade. The tight end had 324 yards in eight games with Jacksonville to finish up the 2021 campaign, but with Evan Engram added to the mix for 2022, Arnold finished his only full season in Jacksonville with 135 receiving yards.
The Eagles have a long list of tight ends behind starter Dallas Goedert, including Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra, and Dalton Keene. Pro Football Focus has never been all that favorable of Arnold’s blocking ability but has given him solid marks for his receiving skills, so Arnold could perhaps carve out a role as a pass-catching option behind Goedert.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/23
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Penny Hart
Houston Texans
- Waived/injured: WR Drew Estrada
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: DE Kameron Cline, TE Nikola Kalinic, LB Forrest Rhyne, DT Chris Williams, TE Jalen Wydermyer
Minnesota Vikings
- Claimed off waivers (from Falcons): CB John Reid
Hart got into 39 games for the Seahawks over the past three years. The majority of his work came on special teams, but he did manage to haul in 11 receptions during his limited snaps on offense. More notably, Hart had 17 special teams tackles over the past two years, including 11 last season.
Meanwhile, the Vikings made a move on a Falcons castoff. Reid got into 24 games for the Texans and Seahawks between 2020 and 2021, but he bounced around the league a bit in 2022. He appeared in three games (one start) with the Titans before catching on with Atlanta’s practice squad late in the season.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/4/23
After the Panthers got the ball rolling yesterday, a number of teams started signing draft picks to their rookie contracts today. We’ve compiled all of the four-year, later-round signings below:
Baltimore Ravens
- CB Kyu Blu Kelly (fifth round, Stanford)
- OT Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (sixth round, Oregon)
- G Andrew Vorhees (seventh round, USC)
Chicago Bears
- LB Noah Sewell (fifth round, Oregon)
- CB Terell Smith (fifth round, Minnesota)
- DT Travis Bell (seventh round, Kennesaw State)
- S Kendall Williamson (seventh round, Stanford)
Green Bay Packers
- QB Sean Clifford (fifth round, Penn State)
- WR Grant DuBose (seventh round, Charlotte)
Indianapolis Colts
- TE Will Mallory (fifth round, Miami)
- RB Evan Hull (fifth round, Northwestern)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- WR Parker Washington (sixth round, Penn State)
New England Patriots
- WR Kayshon Boutte (sixth round, LSU)
New York Jets
- DB Jarrick Bernard-Converse (sixth round, LSU)
Philadelphia Eagles
- QB Tanner McKee (sixth round, Stanford)
- DT Moro Ojomo (seventh round, Texas)
San Francisco 49ers
- DE Robert Beal Jr. (fifth round, Georgia)
Seattle Seahawks
- RB Kenny McIntosh (seventh round, Georgia)
Cowboys Trade For No. 178, Pick CB CB Eric Scott Jr.
The Cowboys have made a move to get atop the sixth round. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), Dallas has acquired pick No. 178 from Kansas City. In exchange, the Chiefs got a 2024 fifth-round pick.
The pick proved to be one of the more well-traveled selections in the 2023 draft. The selection was initially a Bears pick that was sent to the Dolphins in the Jakeem Grant trade. Miami later traded the pick to Kansas City in the Tyreek Hill deal, and then the Chiefs finally sent off the pick to Dallas.
The Cowboys have used their acquired pick to select Southern Mississippi cornerback CB Eric Scott Jr..
The defensive back got into 31 games for Southern Miss over the past three seasons, collecting five interceptions. That included a 2022 campaign where he compiled 27 tackles and a pair of pick-sixes. His play-making ability should afford him a good look in the Cowboys secondary.
Vikings Select BYU QB Jaren Hall At No. 164
The Vikings have added a quarterback with their fifth-round pick. The team used pick No. 164 to select BYU QB Jaren Hall.
Thanks in part to his medical redshirt year in 2020, his lack of size (6’0″, 207 pounds), and the fact that he’s 25, Hall found himself slide to the fifth round of the draft. However, the quarterback has still drawn strong reviews from coaches and scouts for his anticipation and his ability to extend plays.
After sitting behind Zach Wilson and redshirting in 2020, Hall got into 22 games for Brigham Young over the past two seasons, including a productive 2022 campaign where he finished with 3,171 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. Hall also showed some promise in the running game, adding another 350 yards and three scores.
Kirk Cousins is still firmly entrenched as Minnesota’s starting quarterback, but there could be an opening for a backup gig. Hall will battle with Nick Mullens for the QB2 gig heading into the 2023 campaign.
Hall marks the 12th QB to be selected in the first five rounds of the draft. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets, this is a new record for the Common Draft Era.
Packers Take QB Sean Clifford At No. 149
The Packers seem committed to rolling with Jordan Love in a post-Aaron Rodgers offense. However, that hasn’t stopped the organization from selecting a quarterback in the draft. The Packers have picked Penn State signal caller Sean Clifford at No. 149.
Clifford once beat out second-round QB Will Levis for the Nittany Lions’ starting gig. While his former teammate ended up showing more promise for the NFL, Clifford still managed to hear his name called during this weekend’s draft. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter points out (on Twitter), Clifford is the 11th QB drafted this year, tying the Common Draft Era record set in 1995 for most quarterbacks selected in the first five rounds.
Clifford ended up spending four seasons as Penn State’s starter. That stint included a 2022 campaign where he completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 2,822 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets, many teams viewed Clifford as a priority undrafted free agent, but the Packers were apparently motivated to add him now.
Love will be positioned atop Green Bay’s depth chart in 2023, but the rookie could make a run for the QB2 spot. The only other Packers quarterback on the roster besides Love and Clifford is Danny Etling.
Raiders Trade Up For Purdue QB Aiden O’Connell
The Raiders have moved up to select a quarterback. Las Vegas has acquired No. 135 from the Patriots and will select Purdue quarterback Aiden O’Connell. The Patriots are moving back to No. 144 while picking up No. 214 in the process.
O’Connell had a breakout season at Purdue in 2021, finishing with 28 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions. He took a bit of a step back during his senior campaign, seeing regression in completion percentage (64.1), passing yards (3,490), touchdowns (22), and interceptions (13).
With no mobility and a shaky deep ball, O’Connell earned his draft stock thanks to his quick decision making. That gives him some hope in the NFL, especially if he gets competent offensive line play in front of him.
The Raiders are now preparing for a post-Derek Carr era. The team brought in Jimmy Garoppolo to lead the depth chart, but the veteran has his fair share of injuries. Veteran Brian Hoyer isn’t a future option at the position, and while the team retained 2022 undrafted free agent Chase Garbers, he projects as more of a backup. In other words, if things go his way, O’Connell could find himself quickly climbing the Raiders depth chart.