Texans Sign 12 Undrafted Free Agents
The Texans continue to get younger. The team announced the signing of 12 undrafted free agents:
- OL Myron Cunningham, Arkansas
- DL Damion Daniels, Nebraska
- WR Drew Estrada, Baylor
- DB Jacobi Francis, Memphis
- TE Seth Green, Houston
- DL Troy Hairston, Central Michigan
- LB Jake Hansen, Illinois
- DB Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State
- DL Kurt Hinish, Notre Dame
- WR Johnny Johnson III, Oregon
- DB Tristin McCollum, Sam Houston State
- DL Adedayo Odeleye, International Player Pathway Program (story)
Green could have a chance to contribute on a shallow tight ends depth chart. After transferring from Minnesota to Houston, Green saw a larger role on offense, hauling in 13 receptions for 157 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll likely compete with rookie fifth-round pick Teagan Quitoriano for reps alongside Brevin Jordan.
Buccaneers Sign 13 UDFAs
After adding eight rookies in the draft, the Buccaneers added another 13 rookies yesterday. The team announced the signing of 13 undrafted free agents:
- TE Ben Beise, Wisconsin-River Falls
- G Curtis Blackwell, Ball State
- OT Dylan Cook, Montana
- ILB Olakunle Fatukasi, Rutgers
- CB Don Gardner, South Dakota
- WR Kaylon Geiger, Texas Tech
- CB Kyler McMichael, North Carolina
- OLB JoJo Ozougwu, Arkansas State
- ILB J.J. Russell, Memphis
- WR Jerreth Sterns, Western Kentucky
- WR Deven Thompkins, Utah State
- S Nolan Turner, Clemson
- OLB Jordan Young, Old Dominion
The Buccaneers added three UDFA wideouts, including the 5-9, 195-pound Sterns. The receiver had an iconic season at Western Kentucky, leading the nation in receptions (150), receiving yards (1,902), and touchdown catches (17). Only three players have accomplished this “Triple Crown” feat over the past 20 years, with Sterns joining DeVonta Smith and Michael Crabtree.
Fatukasi is the younger brother of New York Jets defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi. The younger Fatukasi finished his collegiate career with a 2021 campaign that saw him compile 85 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
Panthers Still Considering Re-Signing QB Cam Newton
The Panthers are still monitoring the Cam Newton situation. After having been connected to the veteran quarterback throughout the offseason, Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said that the front office is keeping “lines of communication” with the QB’s camp.
“I think we’re still having thoughts,” Fitterer said during an appearance on PFTPM (passed along by Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “We have to see how this works out here throughout the spring. I just happened to be up at the [Kentucky] Derby last weekend and Cam was up there. We’re texting a little bit. The lines of communication are open. I know Coach Rhule has spoken with him. We are going to have a discussion at some point but we’re just not quite there yet, but we’ll see how it goes. The more competition we have at that position the better.”
Newton always seemed like a fallback option for the organization. Even after losing out in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, the organization has still been connected to the likes of Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo. There’s a good chance that the Panthers will wait out both of those situations before committing to Newton, and the former MVP’s return to Carolina would surely be contingent on the organization not adding another veteran at the position.
In nine seasons in Charlotte from 2011 to 2019, Newton earned two Pro Bowls and led the team to a Super Bowl after a 15-1 campaign in 2015. His production has tailed off considerably since then, however. After getting cut by the Patriots following an underwhelming one-year stint in New England, Newton caught on with the Panthers in November. He ended up getting into eight games (five starts) for Carolina, completing 54.8 percent of his passes for 684 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. He added another 230 rushing yards and five scores on 47 carries.
At the moment, former third-overall pick Sam Darnold leads the Panthers depth chart, although the organization did add some competition at the position after drafting Matt Corral in the third round of the draft. The team is also still rostering P.J. Walker, who’s won both of his starts across two seasons with the team.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Kingsley Keke
Carolina Panthers
- Released: OT Aaron Monteiro, WR Aaron Parker
Chicago Bears
- Released: WR Cyrus Holder, WR Henry Litwin
Detroit Lions
- Waived: S Jalen Elliott, WR Javon McKinley
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: QB Garrett Gilbert
Broncos Sign 13 Undrafted Free Agents
The Broncos have been busy signing their draft picks in recent days, but that didn’t stop the front office from adding 13 undrafted free agents to their roster:
- OLB Christopher Allen, Alabama
- CB Cortez Davis, Hawaii
- WR Kaden Davis, Northwest Missouri
- OT Sebastian Gutierrez, Minot State
- WR Brandon Johnson, UCF
- ILB Kana’i Mauga, USC
- RB Tyreik McAllister, Charleston
- CB Ja’Quan McMillian, East Carolina
- G Michael Niese, Temple
- TE Dylan Parham, NC State
- WR Jalen Virgil, Appalachian State
- TE Rodney Williams, Tennessee-Martin
- ILB Kadofi Wright, Buffalo
Allen got a chunk of money to join Denver, earning $180K in guaranteed money (per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com on Twitter). The linebacker had a productive collegiate career, earning two National Championships during his time at Alabama. He also earned a second-team All-SEC nod in 2020 after finishing with 24 tackles and six sacks. He missed his entire rookie season after suffering a broken foot, leading to him going undrafted.
Meanwhile, Mike Klis of 9News in Denver tweets that McMillian got $75K, while Mauga got $60K guaranteed (Twitter link).
Falcons Sign First-Round WR Drake London
The Falcons first-round pick has officially signed his contract. The team announced that they’ve signed receiver Drake London to his rookie pact. The first four years of London’s contract are fully guaranteed.
London was the first receiver off the board after the Falcons used the No. 8 pick on the USC product. This feat came despite London appearing in only eight games this past season, as a fractured ankle ended his season prematurely. London still put up impressive numbers, reeling in 88 receptions for 1,084 yards and 7 touchdowns. Before he missed any time, he led the NCAA in receiving yards, contested catches (19), and missed tackles (22) and was the highest-graded receiver according to Pro Football Focus.
At the time of his injury, London was widely considered a top wide receiver in college football, and the injury clearly did nothing to impact his draft stock. Fortunately, the wideout didn’t suffer any ligament damage, so his recovery and future outlook are both promising.
The Falcons offense will look a whole lot different next season with Matt Ryan no longer in Atlanta. Veteran Marcus Mariota will replace him under center, and London should instantly be one of his preferred targets, especially with Calvin Ridley suspended. The Falcons used their 2021 first-round pick on tight end Kyle Pitts, and the offensive weapons should highlight Atlanta’s offense for years to come.
The Falcons have now inked half of their draft picks to contracts after signing running back Tyler Allgeier (fifth round), offensive guard Justin Shaffer (sixth round), and tight end John FitzPatrick (sixth round).
Contract Details: Addison, Michel, Chargers
We’ve compiled some updated numbers on recent NFL signings:
- Mario Addison, DE (Texans): two-year deal. Contract has a $7.7MM base value, including a $2MM signing bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.
- Bryce Callahan, CB (Chargers): signed. It’s a one-year deal worth $1.27MM, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). The deal has a cap hit of $1.04MM thanks to the veteran salary benefit. Callahan will earn a base salary of $1.12MM and a signing bonus worth $152.5K.
- Mike Davis, RB (Ravens): signed. It’s a one-year deal for the veteran running back, per Yates (on Twitter). The deal is worth a bit more than $1.20MM, meaning Davis’s cap hit will qualify for the veteran salary benefit contract.
- Tyrann Mathieu, CB (Saints): three-year, $33MM deal ($18MM guaranteed). The deal features a $9.5MM signing bonus and fully guaranteed base salaries in 2022 and 2023. The contract is effectively a three-year pact worth $27MM, with $18MM guaranteed and $2MM in yearly bonuses (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com).
- Sony Michel, RB (Dolphins): one-year, $2.1MM deal. The contract includes a $1.75MM base value, including a $350K signing bonus (per Yates on Twitter).
- E.J. Perry, QB (Jaguars): signed. The UDFA received $230K in guaranteed money from Jacksonville, including a $23K signing bonus and a guaranteed $207K salary, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
- Kyle Van Noy, LB (Chargers): one-year deal. The contract’s base value and cap hit are worth $2.25MM. Includes $1.5MM base salary and $750K signing bonus, per Yates on Twitter.
Bears Sign WR Dante Pettis
The Bears have made another move at wide receiver. Chicago is signing wideout Dante Pettis, the receiver announced on Twitter.
[RELATED: Bears To Sign WR Tajae Sharpe]
Pettis was a second-round pick by the 49ers in 2018, and he had a solid showing during his rookie campaign, hauling in 27 receptions for 467 yards and five touchdowns. Since then, the receiver has collected only 15 receptions for 185 yards and three touchdowns during stints with the 49ers and Giants.
After getting waived by San Francisco during the 2020 campaign, Pettis landed in New York. In one-plus seasons with the Giants, Pettis averaged 32.6 yards per game in five contests while adding a pair of touchdowns. The receiver’s 2021 season ended on injured reserve after he suffered a shoulder injury.
The Bears have been busy reshaping their receivers depth chart this offseason. While they let Allen Robinson walk in free agency, they’ve added Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown, David Moore, Tajae Sharpe (who they signed earlier today), and now Pettis via free agency. The team also drafted Tennessee wideout Velus Jones in the third round of the draft, meaning the majority (if not all) of the receivers depth behind Darnell Mooney will consist of newcomers.
DL DeMarcus Walker Visiting Colts, Titans
DeMarcus Walker is starting to generate some interest around the NFL. According to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter), the veteran defensive lineman visited the Colts today and will meet with the Titans tomorrow.
Walker was a second-round pick by the Broncos back in 2017, but he mostly disappointed during his four years in Denver. To his credit, he improved a bit following rookie and sophomore seasons where he collected only 11 tackles and two sacks in 13 games. Between 2019 and 2020, Walker got into 23 games (five starts), collecting 40 tackles and 8.5 sacks.
That two-year stretch earned him a contract from the Texans last offseason. During his lone season in Houston, the 27-year-old collected a career-high 31 tackles to go along with two sacks, seven QB hits, and one forced fumble in 13 games (two starts). He had a stint on injured reserve in December while recovering from a hamstring injury.
Walker has spent some time at outside linebacker, but he’s done his best work as a 3-4 defensive end. That versatility probably played a role in him getting a pair of auditions this week.
Ravens Withdraw ERFA Tender On RB Ty’Son Williams
Ty’Son Williams is now a free agent. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Ravens have withdrawn the tender on the running back, meaning he’s now free to sign with any team.
[RELATED: Ravens To Sign Mike Davis]
Williams was hit with an exclusive rights free agent tender at the beginning of the offseason, but the RB never inked his one-year deal. The Ravens weren’t locked in to their tender, so they withdrew the offer after adding a number of running backs.
Williams went undrafted out of BYU in 2020, but he ended up spending much of his rookie campaign on Baltimore’s practice squad. Following a long list of RB injuries heading into the 2021 season, the 25-year-old found himself atop the depth chart. Williams collected 187 yards from scrimmage through his first two games, but he managed only 82 more yards for the rest of the season.
After adding Tyler Badie in the sixth round of the draft and Ricky Person Jr. as an undrafted free agent, the Ravens signed veteran running back Mike Davis earlier today. The trio will join J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill, with each of those holdovers still recovering from season-ending injuries in 2021. The Ravens are also rostering veteran running back Nate McCrary.