Jaguars Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents
The Jaguars stole some headlines during the draft when they selected Travon Walker with the first-overall pick. Days later, the team is still adding. The Jaguars announced the signing of 15 undrafted free agents:
- Israel Antwine, DT (Oklahoma State)
- Kevin Austin, WR (Notre Dame)
- Shabari Davis, CB (Southeast Missouri State)
- De’Shaan Dixon, OLB (Norfolk State)
- Nick Ford, OL (Utah)
- Benjie Franklin, CB (Tarleton State)
- Grayson Gunter, TE (Southern Mississippi)
- Sean Mahone, S (West Virginia)
- Andrew Mevis, K (Iowa State)
- Grant Morgan, LB (Arkansas)
- Denzel Okafor, OL (Texas)
- Gerrit Prince, TE (Alabama Birmingham)
- Marcus Tatum, OL (Central Florida)
- Josh Thompson, CB (Texas)
- Lujuan Winningham, WR (Central Arkansas)
The most notable name on the list is Kevin Austin. The wideout had a breakout campaign with Notre Dame in 2021, finishing with 48 receptions for 888 yards and seven touchdowns. Standing at 6-2 and 215 pounds, the receiver will compete for a roster spot with fellow UDFA WR Lujuan Winningham, who had 25 touchdowns during his final three seasons at Central Arkansas.
Andrew Mevis went 20-for-23 on field goals last season and made 100 percent of his extra point tries, putting him on the NFL map. He’ll provide some competition in a room that also features Matthew Wright and Ryan Santoso.
Bengals Re-Sign P Kevin Huber
Kevin Huber will be back in Cincy next season. The Bengals announced (on Twitter) that they have re-signed the veteran punter. Huber is inking a new one-year deal with the organization.
Huber has been with the Bengals since being selected in the fifth round of the 2009 draft. He’s spent his entire 13-year career in Cincinnati, garnering a single Pro Bowl appearance. He’s the franchise’s career leader in every major punting category, and last season, he tied Ken Riley for the most regular-season appearances in Bengals history. The punter will now have an opportunity to set that record in 2022.
While Huber’s yards-per-punt average took a minor step back in 2021, the 46.4 average yards was still better than his career mark. The 36-year-old was also busy in the postseason, compiling 16 punts in four games.
“I feel like I’m kicking the ball better than I have in years past as far as strength-wise so I’m not worried about my strength and my endurance for the season,” Huber said last year (via Taylor Weiter of WCPO.com). “It’s just tweaking some mechanics I think is what I’m going to focus on this offseason and I think I’ve got plenty of leg to last for several more years.”
Vikings Decline C Garrett Bradbury’s Fifth-Year Option
As expected, the Vikings will be making center Garrett Bradbury an impending free agent. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter), the Vikings won’t pick up the offensive lineman’s fifth-year option. We heard late last month that this was the likely outcome.
Bradbury would have been eligible to earn a $13.2MM 2023 salary via the fifth-year option. As our own Sam Robinson recently pointed out, because all offensive linemen are grouped together under the franchise tag system, the foundation for the fifth-year option setup, centers and guards see their option salaries spike because of tackles’ higher wages.
As a result, the Vikings thought that $13MM+ salary was too high for a player of Bradbury’s caliber. However, their decision to decline the fifth-year option doesn’t necessarily mean the player isn’t in their future plans.
Bradbury was the 18th-overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he’s started each of his 45 games since entering the NFL. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been particularly fond of his performance in the NFL, and following a 2021 season where they ranked Minnesota’s O-line 23rd, the site had Bradbury as the second-worst player on that unit.
Chargers Decline Fifth-Year Option On DL Jerry Tillery
In a bit of a surprising move, the Chargers have declined the fifth-year option on their 2019 first-round pick. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter), the Chargers declined the fifth-year option on defensive lineman Jerry Tillery.
While this move will help Tillery hit free agency a year early, Rapoport notes that the defensive lineman is still “firmly in [the Chargers’] long-term plans.” GM Tom Telesco also recently gave the player a vote of confidence, stating that the organization is expecting “an even bigger role” in 2022. Still, the front office wasn’t willing to commit to his $11.8MM cap hit for 2023.
Tillery had a standout career at Notre Dame, leading to him being the 28th pick by the Chargers in 2019. The defensive lineman found himself in and out of the starting lineup through his first two seasons in the NFL, but he firmly established himself as a starting defensive tackle in 2021.
In 16 games (15 start), Tillery set career-highs across the board, including tackles (51), sacks (4.5), tackles for loss (six), and QB hits (14). The 26-year-0ld will earn around $3.6MM in 2022 before hitting the open market next offseason.
Texans Trade CB Lonnie Johnson Jr. To Chiefs
Lonnie Johnson Jr.‘s stint in Houston has come to an end. According to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus (on Twitter), the Texans have traded the cornerback to the Chiefs. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the Texans will receive a 2024 conditional seventh-round pick.
Johnson was a 2019 second-round pick by the Texans, but he failed to establish himself as a starter during his three years in Houston. The defensive back ultimately saw time in 44 games (19 starts) for the Texans, collecting 172 tackles. He seemed to take a step forward in 2021, as the 26-year-old finished with 55 tackles, three interceptions, and six passes defended.
The Texans weren’t done making moves today. Per Kyed (on Twitter), the Texans signed defensive Rasheem Green and waived/injured running back Scottie Phillips. Green, a 2018 fourth-round pick, spent his first four professional seasons with the Seahawks, including a 2021 campaign where he finished with a career-high 6.5 sacks in 17 games (16 starts). Phillips spent two years in Houston, collecting 38 yards from scrimmage.
The Texans have also added defensive end Mario Addison, per Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston (on Twitter). Addison is inking a two-year deal, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). Following a long stint with the Panthers that saw him collect 55 sacks in 111 games, Addison spent the past two seasons with the Bills, where he added another 12 sacks in 32 games. The lineman played under current Texans defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire in Buffalo.
Finally, the Texans picked up the fifth-year option on offensive lineman Tytus Howard (per Rapoport on Twitter). Howard has started all 37 of his appearances in the NFL, but he’s missed 12 total games through his first three seasons. Howard has shown plenty of versatility during his NFL career, spending time at both tackle and guard.
Patriots Draft QB Bailey Zappe At No. 137
Despite using a first-round pick on a QB last year, the Patriots have used a 2021 fourth rounder on another. The Patriots have drafted Western Kentucky QB Bailey Zappe.
Zappe had a prolific 2021 season, setting single-season FBS records for most passing yards (5,967) and passing TD (62). The 23-year-old wasn’t considered to have the same upside as some of the QBs taken before him, but he was still a popular name in the workout circuit. The Panthers were among the teams that expressed interest in Zappe.
It’s a bit of a curious move for the Patriots, after Mac Jones earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie in 2021. Of course, Bill Belichick and co. weren’t afraid to use draft picks on QBs during Tom Brady‘s tenure in New England. During Brady’s time with the Patriots, the team used first- to fourth-round picks on six QBs (Rohan Davey, Kevin O’Connell, Ryan Mallett, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett, and Jarrett Stidham). In other words, the Patriots will use an early(ish)-round draft pick on a high-quality backup. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets, one scout believes Zappe will be a “great backup forever.”
Jones will surely be the starter in 2022, but the rest of the depth chart will be interesting to watch. Zappe will compete with veteran Brian Hoyer for the number-two spot. The Patriots are also still rostering Stidham, a fourth-round pick in 2019.
Ravens Select P Jordan Stout At No. 130
We’ve got a fourth-round punter. The Ravens have selected Penn State’s Jordan Stout with the No. 130 pick. San Diego State’s Matt Araiza, who many considered the best punter in the draft, is still on the board.
The last punter selected this high was Bryan Anger, who was selected at No. 70 by the Jaguars in 2012.
Stout made a name for himself during his time in college thanks to both his punting and kicking prowess. He had 100 punts between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, averaging 46 yards on his attempts. He also served as their kicker, converting 16 of his 23 field goal attempts, including a 57-yarder.
“It’s definitely huge,” Stout said of his versatility (via Oliver Hodgkinson of ProFootballNetwork.com). “There’s a lot of good punters in the league. There’s a lot of good kickers in the league. But, there aren’t a lot of people who are great at both. I’ve always prided myself as a combo guy. I’ve figured out how to do all three at a high level.”
This move means the Ravens will surely move on from punter Sam Koch, the team’s longest-tenured player. Cutting the veteran will save the Ravens $2.1MM in cap space.
Browns Draft K Cade York At No. 124
The first kicker is off the board. The Browns used pick No. 124 to select LSU kicker Cade York.
Alongside Tennessee’s Cade Mays, York was considered to be one of the best kickers in the draft. The LSU product firmly established himself as an NFL prospect in 2021 after connecting on 15 of his 18 field goal attempts and all 39 of his extra point tries. This followed a 2020 campaign where York connected on 85.7 percent of his field goals and 100 percent of his extra points.
This is the highest a kicker has gone off the board since 2016, when the Buccaneers selected Roberto Aguayo in the second round.
The Browns relied mostly on Chase McLaughlin as their kicker in 2021. The 26-year-old saw time in 16 games, but he only connected on 71.4 percent of his field goal attempts (15 for 21). He did, however, make 36 of his 37 extra point tries. The Browns re-signed McLaughlin back in March, so a kicking competition is surely coming.
Cardinals Continue To Shop WR Andy Isabella
After acquiring Marquise Brown the other day, the Cardinals are now looking to chop some fat from their WR depth chart. Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), the Cardinals are open to trading receiver Andy Isabella.
According to Garafolo, the organization has shopped Isabella “to a few teams” in the past few weeks, and the reporter implies that a deal could finally be completed during the final day of the draft.
After selecting Kyler Murray with the first-overall pick in the 2019 draft, the Cardinals later used pick No. 62 to select Isabella, and the organization was hoping the duo would be their long-term answer on offense. However, the receiver hasn’t been able to carve out a role in Arizona. He barely played on offense during his rookie season, and he only took a minor step forward in 2020, finishing with 21 receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Isabella was buried on the depth chart in 2021. He only saw time in eight games, collecting a single reception. We heard earlier this offseason that the wideout was on the trade block, and the recent acquisition of Brown likely spelled the end of Isabella’s tenure in Arizona. Merely cutting the player would save the Cardinals $1.1MM.
Latest On Titans QB Ryan Tannehill
The Titans made things interesting in their quarterbacks room yesterday when they traded up to select Liberty quarterback Malik Willis with the No. 86 pick. Speaking with reporters, Titans GM Jon Robinson said the front office didn’t consult with veteran QB Ryan Tannehill before making the selection (via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com on Twitter). Further, the executive seemed to indicate that Willis’ playing time will be dependent on the rookie’s development (vs. Tannehill’s production).
[RELATED: Titans Trade Up To Select Malik Willis At No. 86]
“His role will be determined by how quickly he comes in here and learns the offense and improves and gains the respect of his teammates,” Robinson said (via ESPN’s Turron Davenport).
“[Willis] was the best player on the board, and we’re excited to have him on the team. Good arm, athletic, moves around well and has a really good skillset. He throws a good ball and is tough to tackle. He’s got a lot of work to do like all these rookies do.”
Tannehill has seen plenty of team success during his three years with the Titans, guiding the squad to a 30-13 regular season. However, you can’t blame the Titans for seeking a QB with a higher upside; Tannehill finished last season with only 21 touchdowns vs. 14 interceptions, and the Titans have had two-straight one-and-done appearances in the postseason.
Of course, yesterday’s move doesn’t necessarily indicate that Tannehill is slowly being pushed out of Tennessee. While some pundits believe Willis has first-round talent, he was still selected in the third round, a pick that’s easy to write off. Perhaps the Willis selection will even light a fire under Tannehill and solidify the 33-year-old as the team’s sure-fire starter going forward.