Corey Peters, Cardinals Have Discussed New Deal
Corey Peters‘ stint with the Cardinals may not be finished after all. The veteran nose tackle told Sports Illustrated that he’s discussed re-signing with Arizona.
“We’ve talked, but my options are open,” the 32-year-old said. “I’m looking forward to whatever opportunity presents itself . . . I put roots down here, my home is here, so I would love to stay. And then also my community work; I really have a special connection to the south Phoenix community. I’d love to be here, but I understand the business part of it and it is what it is. And at the end of the day, we will do what’s best for us. Just as I expect the teams to do what’s best for them.”
Following a five-year stint with the Falcons to begin his career, Peters has been with the Cardinals organization since 2015. While he sat out his first season in Arizona, he’s otherwise had a consistent role on their defense, collecting eight sacks and 26 tackles for loss in 67 games. Unfortunately, Peters’ 2020 season was cut short after he suffered a season-ending knee injury, and teams are presumably taking a cautious approach as they see how the defensive lineman recovers.
For what it’s worth, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury also made it sound like he’d welcome re-signing Peters.
“We’re always looking to add talent; we know what Corey’s about,” said Kingsbury. “He was tremendous for us on and off the field, one of the great leaders in our locker room, so we’ll see how that plays out.
“And we’re excited about some of the young talent we have there as well. I thought Rashard (Lawrence) did a nice job last year stepping in. Leki (Fotu) really came a long way. And so we feel like we have some good pieces.”
Richard Sherman May Wait Until Training Camp To Sign
It’s been quiet on the Richard Sherman front, but there might be a reason why. Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv writes that many around the NFL believe the veteran is going to “wait out training camp” to sign with a contender.
This isn’t a shocking move, and we’ve seen plenty of veterans take this route over the years. By waiting a bit for his next contract, Sherman isn’t only getting some extra rest as he enters his age-33 season. Rather, the five-time Pro Bowler can also wait to see if an alluring opportunity appears following injuries and roster cuts. Either way, he’ll get more time to evaluate his potential suitors.
Sherman has been a popular name this offseason. We most recently heard that he was in talks with the 49ers, where he had spent the past three years. Sherman has also had talks with the Seahawks, the team that he spent the first seven seasons of his career with, and he’s generated interest from the Raiders and Saints. The Jets have continually been mentioned as a potential suitor thanks to the presence of head coach Robert Saleh, who spent time with Sherman both in Seattle and San Francisco.
The Stanford product was limited to only five games this past year and recently turned 33, but he was still a second-team All-Pro in 2019. He’ll be an interesting gamble for a team, as he’s past his prime and coming off an injury-plagued year, but also played at a very high level not too long ago. The veteran has indicated that he’d like to play two more years.
Rams Sign Fourth-Round DL Bobby Brown III
The Rams continue to make progress on signing their rookie class. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that the team has signed fourth-round nose tackle Bobby Brown III.
The six-foot-four, 321-pound rookie established himself as one of the top defensive tackle prospects in the draft following three standout seasons at Texas A&M. The lineman took it to another level in 2020, finishing with 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, resulting in him being selected with the No. 117 pick in the 2021 draft.
Brown earned high marks from scouts thanks to his size and versatility, although some pundits questioned his energy. He’ll likely find himself behind Aaron Donald, Sebastian Joseph, and A’Shawn Robinson on the depth chart.
The Rams have just about signed their entire draft class. Following today’s move, the team only has two unsigned draft picks remaining: third-round linebacker Ernest Jones (South Carolina) and fourth-round wide receiver Jacob Harris (UCF).
Eagles Sign Three More Draft Picks
DeVonta Smith wasn’t the only member of the Eagles draft class to get a contract today. The team also signed third-round defensive lineman Milton Williams, fourth-round cornerback Zech McPhearson, and fifth-round running back Kenneth Gainwell.
[RELATED: Eagles Sign DeVonta Smith]
Williams had a productive four-year stint (including a redshirt year) at Louisiana Tech, collecting 108 and 10.5 sacks during his collegiate career. After earning first-team All-Conference USA in 2020, the Eagles used the No. 73 pick to take him in the 2021 draft. The rookie is expected to compete for backup reps behind Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave.
McPhearson transferred from Penn State to Texas Tech in 2019, and the move helped put the defensive back on the NFL radar. The 23-year-old earned a number of accolades for his performance in 2020 (including first-team All-Big 12), leading to him being taken with the No. 123 pick.
After serving as a quarterback in high school, Gainwell transitioned to running back while he was at Memphis. He had a breakout campaign in 2019, collecting 2,069 yards from scrimmage to go along with 16 touchdowns. The running back opted out of the 2020 campaign.
Following today’s signings, the Eagles still have a handful of unsigned draft picks:
Round 2: No. 37 Landon Dickerson, C (Alabama)
Round 6: No. 189 Marlon Tuipulotu, DT (USC)
Round 6: No. 191 (from Broncos via Panthers) Tarron Jackson, DE (Coastal Carolina)
Round 6: No. 224 JaCoby Stevens, S (LSU)
Round 7: No. 234 Patrick Johnson, DE (Tulane)
Chiefs Release LB Kamalei Correa
Less than a month after signing with the Chiefs, Kamalei Correa has been handed his walking papers. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that Kansas City has released the veteran linebacker.
The 27-year-old signed with the Chiefs in May after splitting the 2020 campaign between Tennessee and Jacksonville. He started the season with the Titans, but he was traded to the Jaguars in mid-October. He ultimately finished the season having seen time in nine games (six starts) with nine tackles and a pair of QB hits.
After spending the first two seasons of his career with the Ravens, the former second-round pick was traded to the Titans in 2018. He spent two-plus seasons in Tennessee, collecting 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 32 games.
Correa joined the Chiefs as a potential depth piece that could bounce around the front seven. Since the start of camp, the team has presumably liked what they’ve seen from their young pass rushers, including second-round pick Nick Bolton. This could also mean that Taco Charlton, who was limited to only seven games in 2020, is on the mend.
Ravens “Done” With Julio Jones Trade Talks
It sounds like we can cross another Julio Jones suitor off the list. During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, Kimberley A. Martin reported that the Ravens are “done” with negotiations and are not in the market for the wide receiver (via Twitter). Martin offered a similar sentiment about the Rams, confirming a report from earlier this week.
The Ravens have been connected to a host of big-name receivers this offseason, so they were naturally connected to Jones when he publicly landed on the trade block. In fact, it was only the other day that we learned that the organization was willing to get involved in negotiations with the Falcons if the price was right.
There’s no denying the Ravens could use another top wideout. While quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s game doesn’t necessarily revolve around his arm, there’s no denying that his numbers took a step back in 2020. After throwing for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns during his MVP campaign in 2019, the 24-year-old threw for only 2,757 yards and 26 touchdowns (along with a career-high nine interceptions) this past season.
To the front office’s credit, they did do some work to improve their receiving corps this offseason. They drafted Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman in the first round, pairing him with 2019 first-rounder Marquise Brown atop the depth chart. The organization also signed veteran Sammy Watkins, and he’ll provide some experienced depth in front of the likes of Miles Boykin, James Proche, and Devin Duvernay. While the depth chart has obviously been improved, a player of Jones’ caliber could still take the team to new levels.
Meanwhile in Atlanta, reporters had a chance to ask Falcons coach Arthur Smith about Jones’ trade request (and his anticipated absence from mandatory minicamp).
“We have conversations all the time with all our players,” Smith said (via Adam Maya of NFL.com). “There’s good communication going back and forth through multiple avenues, so we’ll see what happens next week, where we’re at, you know? I can answer that for you next week.”
Raiders Sign TE Alex Ellis
Journeyman Alex Ellis is joining his seventh organization. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the veteran tight end is signing with the Raiders.
The 2016 undrafted free agent out of Tennessee has bounced around the NFL over the past four-plus years, spending time with the Titans, Jaguars, Saints, Chiefs, Eagles, and (phew) Patriots. The tight end saw time on a career-high 124 snaps with Jacksonville in 2016, a season in which he started three games.
The 28-year-old’s last appearance in a regular season game was in 2019, when he saw time in three games for Philly. He caught on with the Patriots last August but was let go before the regular season.
Ellis will be joining a crowded depth chart is Las Vegas. Behind starter Darren Waller, the team is also rostering tight ends Foster Moreau, Derek Carrier, Nick Bowers, Matt Bushman, and Carson Williams. While Ellis has more NFL experience than a handful of those players, it’s no guarantee he ends up making the roster.
Lions Waive DT John Atkins
John Atkins‘ stint with the Lions has come to an end. The team announced this evening (on Twitter) that they’ve waived the defensive tackle.
The former Georgia standout went undrafted in 2018, and after getting picked up by the Patriots, he was dumped at the end of the preseason. He ended up catching on with the Lions, and he spent much of his rookie campaign on Detroit’s practice squad.
He saw a much larger role in 2019, appearing in 12 games (six starts). He got into 36-percent of his team’s defensive snaps that season, finishing with 20 tackles. The six-foot-three, 320-pound lineman ended up sitting out the 2020 season due to COVID concerns.
Atkins’ spot on the roster seemed to be in risk following Detroit’s offseason moves. The team added Michael Brockers via trade and Nick Williams via a two-year pact, and they drafted a pair of defensive tackles in second-rounder Levi Onwuzurike and third-rounder Alim McNeill.
Bears Sign Four More Draft Picks
The Bears have inked the majority of their draft class to contracts. The team announced that they’ve signed fifth-round tackle Larry Borom, sixth-round running back Khalil Herbert, sixth-round receiver Dazz Newsome, and sixth-round cornerback Thomas Graham Jr.. We passed along the signing of seventh-round nose tackle Khyiris Tonga earlier today.
Borom is the most notable name on the list, as the Missouri product started 19 of his 33 games over the past three seasons. He’ll likely serve as a backup to Elijah Wilkinson on the right side, although he has the versatility to play all over the offensive line. Herbert was also a notable pick after collecting 2,918 rushing yards in 46 college games, including 1,183 yards in 11 games for Virginia Tech last year. He’ll compete for a spot as backup to David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen.
While Newsome got his first NFL contract today, it’s not all good news for the rookie. We learned earlier today that the rookie wideout broke his collarbone in practice on Tuesday. Fortunately, it was a clean break for the sixth-rounder, meaning Newsome should be good to go by the start of training camp.
With the signing, the Bears now only have a pair of unsigned draft picks: first-round quarterback Justin Fields and second-round tackle Teven Jenkins.
49ers Sign TE MyCole Pruitt
MyCole Pruitt has found his next gig. The veteran tight end is joining the 49ers, per National Sports Agency (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter).
The 49ers had been busy hunting for tight ends recently, and the signing of Pruitt would presumably take the team out of the running for veteran Delanie Walker, who auditioned for the team yesterday. In San Francisco, Ross Dwelley was the main backup behind George Kittle, with 2020 sixth-round Charlie Woerner and undrafted free agent Josh Pederson rounding out the depth chart. Pruitt has a good chance to supplant that trio of backups, especially when the team relies on the run.
After bouncing around the league a bit, Pruitt found a home in Tennessee in 2018. While the former fifth-rounder never put up big numbers during his stint with the Titans (20 receptions for 241 yards and one score), he had a consistent role as a blocking tight end, appearing in 42 games (15 starts) in three years. Pruitt also saw time in five playoff games for Tennessee, hauling in six receptions.
Since hitting free agency, Pruitt has also generated interest from the Ravens and Vikings.