Seahawks Sign Three Picks, Finalize Draft Class
The Seahawks entered the day with three unsigned draft picks, but they finished signing all of their rooks today. The team announced that they’ve signed second-round linebacker Boye Mafe, second-round running back Kenneth Walker III, and fourth-round defensive back Coby Bryant.
Mafe was selected with the No. 40 pick following a standout career at Minnesota. That includes a 2021 campaign where he compiled 26 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and seven sacks en route to second-team All-Big Ten honors. In Seattle, he should temporarily provide some depth behind the projected starting linebacker trio of Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton, and Uchenna Nwosu.
Walker had a breakout season at Michigan in 2021, finishing with 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. That performance earned him a long list of awards, and the Seahawks ended up using the No. 41 pick on him, making Walker the second RB off the draft board. With Chris Carson retiring, the rookie will immediately see a role on Seattle’s offense alongside running back Rashaad Penny.
Bryant earned the Jim Thorpe award as college football’s top defensive back in 2021 after finishing with 34 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended in 14 games with Cincinnati. The Seahawks used the No. 109 pick on him, and he’ll provide some depth at cornerback.
With the signing, the Seahawks have signed their entire draft class:
Round 1: No. 9 (from Broncos) Charles Cross, OT (Mississippi State) (signed)
Round 2: No. 40 (from Broncos) Boye Mafe, DE (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 2: No. 41 Kenneth Walker III, RB (Michigan State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 72 Abraham Lucas, OT (Washington State) (signed)
Round 4: No. 109 (from Jets) Coby Bryant, CB (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5: No. 153 Tariq Woolen, CB (Texas-San Antonio) (signed)
Round 5: No. 158 (from Dolphins through Patriots and Chiefs): Tyreke Smith, DE (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 7: No. 229 Bo Melton, WR (Rutgers) (signed)
Round 7: No. 233 (from Vikings through Chiefs): Dareke Young, WR (Lenoir-Rhyne) (signed)
Bears Sign S Jaquan Brisker, Wrap Up Draft Class
The Bears have officially signed their entire draft class. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reports (on Twitter) that the Bears have signed second-round safety Jaquan Brisker.
Following a freshman season at Lackawanna, Brisker transferred to Penn State. He ended up spending three seasons with the Nittany Lions, seeing time in 34 games. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and a second-team All-American nod in 2021 after finishing with 38 tackles, six tackles for loss, five passes defended, and two interceptions.
The Bears selected Brisker with the No. 46 pick in the 2022 draft, making him the fifth cornerback off the board. Chicago used the second-round selection that they acquired in the Khalil Mack deal with Los Angeles. The rookie is expected to slide into the starting lineup, with Dane Cruikshank and Michael Joseph providing depth at strong safety.
“I gave him a big hug when I saw him,” GM Ryan Poles said today. “He’s headed in the right direction and I’m excited to see what he does this training camp.”
With the signing, the Bears have signed their entire draft class:
Round 2: No. 39 Kyler Gordon, CB (Washington) (signed)
Round 2: No. 48 (from Chargers) Jaquan Brisker, S (Penn State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 71 Velus Jones, WR (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 5: No. 168 (from Bills) Braxton Jones, OT (Southern Utah State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 174 (from Bengals): Dominique Robinson, OLB (Miami University) (signed)
Round 6: No. 186 Zach Thomas, OG (San Diego State) (signed)
Round 6: No. 203 (from Bills) Trestan Ebner, RB (Baylor) (signed)
Round 6: No. 207 (from 49ers through Jets and Texans): Doug Kramer, OG (Illinois) (signed)
Round 7: No. 226 (from Giants through Bengals): Ja’Tyre Carter, C (Southern) (signed)
Round 7: No. 254 (from Chargers) Elijah Hicks, S (California) (signed)
Round 7: No. 255 (from Chargers) Trenton Gill, P (NC State) (signed)
Titans CB Buster Skrine Retires
With training camp set to open tomorrow, the Titans are down a cornerback. Veteran defensive back Buster Skrine has informed the Titans that he’ll be retiring, according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com.
“Buster Skrine informed us that he was going to retire, so I respect that decision, and I really respect Buster as a person and as a player,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “But he made a decision that he felt like was best for him and his family, and we’ll respect that and support him however we can.”
Skrine was a fifth-round pick out of Chattanooga in 2011. He spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Browns, collecting 235 tackles and six interceptions in 64 games. He followed that up with a four-year stint with the Jets, and he’s since bounced around to the Bears, 49ers, and Titans. In total, he saw time in 158 career games (95 starts), compiling 590 tackles and 10 interceptions.
The 33-year-old joined the Titans midway through the 2021 season. He ended up seeing time in six games (three starts) for Tennessee, compiling 17 tackles, three passes defended, and one interception. Skrine also appeared in his first career playoff game, collecting a single tackle.
The cornerback was expected to stick around for the 2022 campaign as veteran depth. As McCormick notes, Greg Mabin is the only cornerback on the roster with more than two years experience, and he’s bounced on and off the roster in recent years. 2020 first-round pick Caleb Farley and former second-round pick Kristian Fulton are expected to start for Tennessee, leaving second-year nickelback Elijah Molden and rookie Roger McCreary as the top depth. General manager Jon Robinson said the Titans will likely “fill the spot” in the coming days.
“I was so proud he was a part of our team last year,” Robinson said. “After every game – we signed him midseason and he came in and contributed for us. I think he’s got 11 years in the league. The smile on his face – he gave me a big hug after every win. But you never know where guys are at health wise and with the game. I wish him nothing but the best. He was a great teammate. He worked hard. He was kind of an old soul, who showed up every day and was productive for us.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on NFI: WR Marquise Brown
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DB Allie Green, OL Willie Wright
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on PUP: OT Jack Conklin, CB Denzel Ward
- Placed on NFI: DT Sheldon Day, LB Anthony Walker Jr.
- Placed on non-football illness: WR Javon Wims
Denver Broncos
- Placed on PUP: LB Randy Gregory, WR KJ Hamler, OL Billy Turner
- Placed on NFI : LB Christopher Allen
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OL Ty Clary, WR Osirus Mitchell
- Placed on NFI: WR Sammy Watkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Isaiah Ford, WR John Hurst
- Waived: WR Kekoa Crawford, DT Caeveon Patton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on PUP: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from NFI: DT Vernon Butler
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on PUP: LB Kenneth Murray
Miami Dolphins
- Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on NFI: CB Nate Hairston
New England Patriots
- Released: C Darryl Williams
- Activated from PUP: LB Raekwon McMillan
- Placed on NFI: CB Myles Bryant
New Orleans Saints
- Released: OL Derek Schweiger
- Placed on NFI: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, TE Nick Vannett
New York Giants
- Signed: S Andrew Adams, WR Marcus Kemp, OT Kamaal Seymour
- Released: DB Maurice Canady
- Waived: DB Henry Black, DT Jabari Ellis, WR Travis Toivonen
- Placed on PUP: C Nick Gates, OT Matt Peart, WR Sterling Shepard
- Placed on NFI: LB Azeez Ojulari
New York Jets
- Signed: WR/PR Rashard Davis, QB Chris Streveler, OL Isaiah Williams
- Released: CB Craig James, WR D.J. Montgomery, OL Dru Samia
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Jaedan Graham, DT Kobe Smith
- Waived: WR Josh Hammond
- Waived with NFI desgination: DT Noah Elliss
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on NFI: S Minkah Fitzpatrick
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Robert Nkemidiche
- Placed on PUP: CB Jason Verrett, TE Charlie Woerner
- Placed on NFI: DT Kalia Davis
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Jake Hausmann
- Waived with failed physical designation: LB Ben Burr-Kirven
- Placed on PUP: CB Tre Brown, LB Jon Rhattigan, OT Liam Ryan, OLB Tyreke Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: TE Codey McElroy
Washington Commanders
- Placed on PUP: C Tyler Larsen, C Chase Roullier, TE Logan Thomas, DE Chase Young
- Placed on NFI: OT Cornelius Lucas
Jets Activate Mekhi Becton, Carl Lawson, C.J. Uzomah From PUP List
JULY 26: Some good Jets news emerged Tuesday; Becton, Lawson and Uzomah are off the team’s active/PUP list in time for the start of veterans’ training camp workouts. While Lawson will be expected to anchor the team’s edge rush — a role his late-summer 2021 Achilles tear delayed — Becton has more to prove. The 2020 first-round pick has run into rampant health- and weight-related concerns. His coming off the PUP list so soon represents a nice development for the Jets, who are planning to slot him at either left or right tackle. Of course, Becton’s stock has dropped dramatically since his quality rookie season. That raises the stakes for his 2022 training camp.
JULY 21: The Jets placed five players on the physically unable to perform list today, including three offensive linemen. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter), offensive tackle Mekhi Becton, offensive tackle George Fant, defensive end Carl Lawson, tight end C.J. Uzomah, and guard Dru Samia all landed on PUP.
Becton and Fant are set to compete for the starting left tackle role, with the “loser” settling in at right tackle. However, at least to start camp, the two starting offensive tackles will be sidelined as they recover from knee injuries. Becton was limited to only one game in 2021 before suffering his injury, and since health- and conditioning-related concerns have dogged the early part of his NFL career, an early absence won’t help his case in the LT competition. Fant, meanwhile, started 15 games for the Jets last season before suffering a knee injury that ultimately required offseason surgery. If either of the two offensive tackles are forced to miss time, the Jets could turn to the likes of Connor McDermott, Chuma Edoga, and fourth-round rookie Max Mitchell.
Lawson joined the Jets last year on a three-year, $45MM pact, but a torn Achilles during preseason forced him to miss the entire campaign. Considering the Jets could easily move on from the defensive end following the 2022 season, this could end up being a make-or-break year when it comes to Lawson’s future in New York. Uzomah joined the Jets on a three-year deal this offseason after setting career-highs across the board in 2021 with the Bengals (49 receptions, 493 yards, five touchdowns). He’s currently dealing with an undisclosed injury.
Samia spent most of the 2021 season on the Jets practice squad. He’s seen time in 15 career games, including 13 appearances for the Vikings in 2020.
USFL DPOY Chris Odom Auditions For Bengals, Cardinals, Saints
JULY 26: Odom’s workout itinerary surfaced Tuesday. The USFL Defensive Player of the Year auditioned for the Bengals, Cardinals and Saints, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Odom first trekked to Arizona and Cincinnati but headed to New Orleans today. It certainly looks like he will have options to tack an NFL season onto his spring-summer USFL work. He would be following a few others once he latches on with a team.
JULY 9: Chris Odom put himself back on the NFL map with a strong performance in the USFL. The edge rusher’s agent announced that Odom has three upcoming workouts with NFL teams (h/t to Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). The agent didn’t reveal the three squads, but he said the “calls are starting to come in fast” for his client.
The son of longtime Colts linebacker Cliff Odom, Chris Odom went undrafted out of Arkansas State in 2017. He bounced around the NFL a bit, spending time with the Falcons (two stints), Packers, and Washington. He’s ultimately saw time in 11 NFL games, collecting 16 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble. He also spent time in the AAF and the CFL before landing his most recent gig is the United States Football League.
Back in February, Odom was selected in the second round of the USFL draft. He proceeded to have a standout season with the Houston Gamblers, earning league Defensive Player of the Years honors after compiling 41 tackles, 12.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and four blocked field goals. That performance has apparently put him back on the NFL radar, but during a conversation with Yahoo’s Chris Estrada, Odom was still focused on his USFL squad. While he acknowledged that “whatever opportunity presents itself [after the USFL season], then so be it,” he reiterated how important it was to him that the USFL gave him the opportunity to showcase his skills.
“I have teammates that haven’t played football in a year, two years, three years, some even four years – whether it wasn’t the right opportunity, injury, COVID,” Odom said. “We all just were happy to be able to play football again. So we all just wanted to show everybody what we were capable of.”
We recently saw one USFL player take his talents back to the NFL when linebacker Christian Sam signed with the Cowboys.
Rams Make Adjustments To Original PUP Assignments
JULY 24: After originally announcing some PUP moves on their website Friday night, the Rams have made a couple of adjustments to the list before it becomes final on Tuesday.
Head coach Sean McVay informed reporters that the team “decided to pivot and not place (cornerback) Jalen Ramsey on the PUP list,” according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. McVay conveyed that the team doctors had been able to clear Ramsey to participate in “above the neck” drills in camp. Ramsey would not have been allowed to work in such drills if he were placed on PUP.
Linebacker Travin Howard is also not going to be placed on the PUP list, but, unfortunately, will still be placed on the team’s non-football injury list, according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports. The change in placement is due to the disclosure of information that Howard’s injury occurred in workouts leading up to camp. Howard will see a core muscle specialist in Philadelphia this week for surgery with hopes of being ready by the start of the regular season.
Lastly, the Rams added one more player to the PUP list in addition to Lake and Williams (who were originally reported below). Wide receiver Warren Jackson will join the two as physically unable to perform, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.
JULY 23: The Rams have placed four players on the physically unable to perform list. According to the team’s website, defensive back Jalen Ramsey, linebacker Travin Howard, safety Quentin Lake, and running back Kyren Williams were all placed on PUP.
Ramsey played all of last season with tears in both shoulders, leading to an offseason operation. It’s only been a month since the defensive back decided to go under the knife, so he was always expected to be limited for the early parts of training camp. As head coach Sean McVay told reporters, the team is mostly focused on having Ramsey on the field for the start of the regular season.
“The thing with Jalen is, you want to see what the timetable is, because there are some parameters where you lose the ability to do certain things you might want to, but that’s definitely going to be a topic [Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance Reggie Scott and I] will discuss this afternoon,” McVay said (via the team’s website). “But he’s doing good. He’s been attacking the rehab the right way. He’s feeling good. When we did do that surgery on him, obviously most importantly was how he felt about it, but then with the goal in mind of, alright, attack the rehab the right way, and most importantly, be ready for Sept. 8, ready to go. So we’ll be smart about that progress for him.”
Ramsey had another incredible season in 2021, culminating in him earning a Super Bowl ring. He finished the regular season with 77 tackles, 16 passes defended, and four interceptions in 16 games, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the top CB in the NFL. The performance also earned him his fifth Pro Bowl nod and third first-team All-Pro recognition. Ramsey started each of the Rams four playoff contests, collecting another 13 tackles.
Howard, who has mostly played a special teams role since joining the Rams, pulled his groin was training on his own. Williams, a rookie fifth-round pick, is still recovering from a broken foot suffered during offseason programs, but he’s expected to return to the field before the end of training camp. It’s uncertain what injury Lake is dealing with. The UCLA product was a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft.
Latest On Alvin Kamara, Saints RB Depth
The NFL continues to monitor Alvin Kamara‘s legal situation. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the running back’s February arrest remains “under league review” while the NFL continues to monitor “all legal developments.” This includes Kamara’s scheduled court date on August 1.
Kamara was charged with felony battery following an altercation in Las Vegas during Pro Bowl weekend. Video surveillance showed Kamara punching Darnell Greene eight times following an argument, with Greene being knocked unconscious and sustaining an orbital bone fracture. Greene has since sued Kamara for monetary damages.
The NFL’s personal conduct policy calls for a six-game suspension for felony battery. As Fowler writes, there’s no “firm timeline” regarding when a potential suspension would be handed out. League sources told Fowler that they believe Kamara will ultimately be suspended, but a lot depends on the legal findings. If the legal proceedings are dragged out, Kamara might be allowed to suit up for Week 1, although the NFL also has the ability to put the RB on paid leave via the commissioner’s exempt list.
Regardless of how Kamara’s legal issues unfold, the Saints are still hunting for RB depth. As Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com writes, the Saints would clearly like to add some reinforcement at the position. While Duncan categorizes the RB pursuit as a “want” and notes that there isn’t any immediate urgency, the pursuit could easily evolve into a “need” if Kamara is ultimately slapped with a ban. If the Pro Bowler is forced to miss time, the Saints would turn to veteran Mark Ingram, but the team otherwise has inexperienced depth in Tony Jones, Dwayne Washington, Devine Ozigbo, and UDFA Abram Smith.
As Duncan notes, we’ve already seen the Saints be aggressive when it comes to adding at the position. The team put in a bid for Sony Michel before he landed with the Dolphins, and they’ve also hosted veteran David Johnson and USFL standout Darius Victor on visits. The team even outbid the rest of the NFL in order to add Smith, who was “one of the Class of 2022’s prize undrafted free agents.”
Titans Sign QB Malik Willis, Wrap Up Draft Class
The Titans have finished signing their entire draft class. Jim Wyatt of the team’s website reports that the Titans have signed quarterback Malik Willis to his rookie contract.
After spending two seasons as a backup at Auburn, Willis emerged as a starting QB following his transfer to Liberty University. In 23 games between two seasons, Willis completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 5,107 yards, 47 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions. He was also productive on the ground, rushing for 1,822 yards and 27 touchdowns on 338 carries.
Thanks to his performance in college, Willis was projected to be one of the first QB prospects off the board during the 2022 draft, with some pundits predicting that he could be a first-round pick. He ended up being the third QB selected (behind Kenny Pickett, Steelers and Desmond Ridder, Falcons), with the Titans taking Willis with the No. 86 pick in the draft.
During OTAs and minicamp, Willis was working behind Ryan Tannehill and Logan Woodside. There’s a good chance the rookie QB will slide in third on the dpeth chart for most of the 2022 campaign.
With the signing, the Titans have now signed their entire draft class:
Round 1: No. 18 (from Saints through Eagles) Treylon Burks, WR (Arkansas) (signed)
Round 2: No. 35 (from Jets) Roger McCreary, CB (Auburn) (signed)
Round 3: No. 69 (from Jets) Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 86 (from Raiders) Malik Willis, QB (Liberty)
Round 4: No. 131 Hassan Haskins, RB (Michigan) (signed)
Round 4: No. 143 Chig Okonkwo, TE (Maryland) (signed)
Round 5: No. 163 (from Steelers through Jets) Kyle Phillips, WR (UCLA) (signed)
Round 6: No. 204 Theo Jackson, CB (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 6: No. 219 Chance Campbell, LB (Ole Miss) (signed)
Buccaneers Sign Second-Round DL Logan Hall
The Buccaneers are one step closer to signing their entire draft class. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), Tampa Bay has agreed to terms with second-round defensive lineman Logan Hall. Per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter), it’s a standard four-year deal worth $9.316MM.
Hall had a standout collegiate career at Houston, including a 2021 campaign where he earned first-team All-AAC honors. The defensive line had his best season in 2021, finishing with 47 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and six sacks. His performance vaulted him up the draft boards, and he was ultimately selected by the Buccaneers with the first pick of the second round (No. 33).
It remains to be seen if the Buccaneers will immediately insert Hall into their starting lineup. There’s a better chance he helps provide a breather to veterans like Ndamukong Suh and Akiem Hicks.
With the signing, the Buccaneers only have one unsigned draft pick in fourth-round tight end Cade Otton:
Round 2: No. 33 (from Jaguars) Logan Hall, DL (Houston) (signed)
Round 2: No. 57 (from Bills) Luke Goedeke, OL (Central Michigan) (signed)
Round 3: No. 91 Rachaad White, RB (Arizona State) (signed)
Round 4: No. 106 (from Jaguars) Cade Otton, TE (Washington)
Round 4: No. 133 Jake Camarda, P (Georgia) (signed)
Round 5: No. 157 (from Vikings through Jaguars): Zyon McCollum, CB (Sam Houston State) (signed)
Round 6: No. 218 (from Rams) Ko Kieft, TE (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 7: No. 248 Andre Anthony, DE (LSU) (signed)
Stroud notes that Otton is expected to sign his contract by the time rookies report today. Hall was previously the highest-picked unsigned draft selection, an honor that now resides with Seahawks defensive end Boye Mafe (No. 40).