Bills Sign 8 Undrafted Rookies
After signing the majority of their draft class, the Bills announced the signing of eight undrafted rookies yesterday:
- Trey Adams, OT (Washington)
- Ike Brown, CB (FIU)
- Reggie Gilliam, FB (Toledo)
- Marquel Harrell, G (Auburn)
- Garrett Taylor, S (Penn State)
- Josh Thomas, S (Appalachian State)
- Brandon Walton, OT (FAU)
- Antonio Williams, RB (North Carolina)
The two undrafted safeties bring plenty of accolades. Thomas had 72 tackles as an All-Sun Belt selection for Appalachian State last year, while Taylor was an All-Big Ten honorable mention at Penn State.
During his first few years at Washington, Adams was projected to be an eventual Day 2 pick. However, the lineman was limited to only 10 games between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, although he was able to return for 12 games in 2019.
Gilliam has been touted for his blocking and special teams ability, a pair of attributes that you’d generally want from your fullback. The rookie will be competing with Patrick DiMarco, who agreed to a pay cut earlier this offseason.
Saints Re-Sign WR Austin Carr
Austin Carr is heading back to New Orleans. The Saints announced that they’ve signed the wideout to a one-year deal.
The Northwestern product started his career as an undrafted free agent with the Patriots, hauling in 14 receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns during the 2017 preseason. Despite his performance, he was still waived by New England, and he quickly caught on with the Saints.
Since joining New Orleans, Carr has appeared in 21 games (five starts), hauling in 10 receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. The 26-year-old has also appeared in a pair of playoff games for the Saints.
As Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes, it’s been a hectic offseason for the Carr family. The receiver’s wife, Erica, tested positive for the coronavirus before giving birth to their first child last month. Carr and his child both tested negative, and the player revealed that his wife has fully recovered.
Patriots Notes: Stidham, McDaniels, Winovich
Jarrett Stidham will likely be taking over for Tom Brady next season, and his former college coach is optimistic that the 2019 fourth-rounder will be successful.
“It definitely helped him to learn under the best and see what that looks like, but he’s the kind of young man, too, this is what he’s been waiting on,” Auburn’s Gus Malzahn told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I’ll tell you, the moment won’t be too big for him. He’ll be up to the challenge, that’s what I expect.
“Even when he got here, before he played his first game, you could just kind of tell he was a mature young man. Like a gym rat, always at the complex trying to learn, study film. When he got drafted by the Patriots [in 2019], I thought it was a perfect spot for him system-wise — spreading the field. He’s so good with protections, changing protections, and scheme-wise everything that goes with it, and just the flexibility the scheme gives him. I think that really applies to his strength.”
Stidham played a pair of seasons at Auburn, including a 2017 campaign where he connected on 66.5-percent of his passes for 3,158 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Here are some more notes out of New England:
- We’ve heard this plenty of times, but Joseph Person of The Athletic reiterates that Cam Newton won’t be landing with the Patriots. In fact, the reporter notes that Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels wasn’t “necessarily high” on Newton when he interviewed for the Panthers’ head coaching gig.
- Speaking of McDaniels, SI.com’s Albert Breer writes that a successful 2020 campaign (particularly from Stidham) could go a long way in the OC getting more head coaching interviews next offseason. If McDaniels does leave New England, Breer hints that he may take Patriots pro director Dave Ziegler with him; McDaniels planned to recruit the executive when he was interviewing with Cleveland.
- Patriots defensive end Chase Winovich is recovering from hernia surgery, reports Stan Grossfeld of the Boston Globe. The 25-year-old underwent the procedure back in February. The 2019 third-rounder had a solid rookie season for New England, compiling 26 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
- Marqise Lee‘s new one-year deal with the Patriots is worth the veteran minimum, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The deal could be worth up to $1.0475MM, and it includes $300K in guaranteed money. If Lee makes the team, he’ll have a cap hold of $887.5K.
Jets Sign RB Frank Gore
Frank Gore‘s AFC East tour has taken him to New York. The veteran running back is signing a one-year deal with the Jets, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
In New York, Gore will be reunited with head coach Adam Gase, who served as the Dolphins head coach during the running back’s stint in Miami. Gase was also an offensive assistant in San Francisco during Gore’s run with the 49ers.
In fact, ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe tweets that Gase tried to recruit the veteran to the Jets last offseason, so the coaching staff clear has a role for him. Gore will instantly become the second running back on the depth chart behind Le’Veon Bell. The Jets are also rostering the likes of Kenneth Dixon, Josh Adams, and fourth-round rookie La’Mical Perine.
After starting 14 games for the Dolphins in 2018, Gore signed with the Bills last offseason. He ended up seeing a significant role for Buffalo, starting eight of his 16 games while rushing for 599 yards and two scores. However, Gore averaged a career-worst 3.6 yards per carry, but he’s not far removed from his 4.6 YPC campaign in Miami.
Gore sits third on the all-time rushing list with 15,347 yards and third on the all-time carries list with 3,548. While his stats in Buffalo were underwhelming, the veteran isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. The soon-to-be 37 year old has only missed a pair of games since 2011.
Earlier this offseason, Gore indicated that he wanted to play in 2020 instead of hanging up his cleats. He hinted that a reunion in Miami could be a possibility, but he hadn’t been definitively connected to any teams over the past few months.
Jaguars Sign DE/LB Aaron Lynch
Aaron Lynch is heading to Florida. The Jaguars announced that they’ve signed the defensive end/linebacker. It’s a one-year deal, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).
The 2014 fifth-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers, and he compiled 12.5 sacks through his first two seasons in the NFL. Suspensions and injuries limited him to only 14 games between 2016 and 2017, and he moved on to Chicago in 2018.
The veteran has spent the past two seasons with the Bears, collecting 22 tackles and five sacks in 29 games (three starts).
Lynch will provide the Jaguars with a rotational pass-rusher, and he could be in for a bigger role if the front office finds a taker for Yannick Ngakoue.
Dolphins WR Albert Wilson Renegotiates Contract
Albert Wilson and the Dolphins have agreed to a renegotiated deal, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). The veteran wideout’s contract now has a base value of $3MM with another $1MM in incentives.
Wilson was set to make just under $9.5MM in 2020, and he had a cap hit close to $11MM. While he’s certainly not making that kind of money under his new deal, ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe opines (on Twitter) that it’s still more than he would have made on the “free market.”
Meanwhile, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that a pay cut seemed inevitable at some point this offseason. The move should free up between $5MM and $6MM for the Dolphins.
Wilson has spent the past two seasons in Miami, but he’s been limited to only 20 games (seven starts). In total, the 27-year-old has hauled in 69 receptions for 742 yards and five touchdowns during his stint with the Dolphins. He also has 61 rushing yards on 13 attempts, and he’s completed two of three passing attempts for 72 yards and one touchdown.
Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch’s Agent ‘In Talks’ About New Deal
It sounds like Marshawn Lynch could stick around for another season. The veteran running back told ESPN that his agent has been in contact with the Seahawks.
“Well, it’s almost on that expect the unexpected,” Lynch said (via Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com). “But just as far as right now, what I do know is, (I’m gonna) keep it solid. My agent has been in talks with Seattle, so like I said, we’ll see what happens. If it works out and I get back up there, it is what it is.”
Following two seasons with the Raiders, Lynch returned to Seattle towards the end of last season. Thanks to the Seahawks’ depleted running back corps, the 34-year-old had an opportunity to play, and he collected four touchdowns on 30 carries in three games (including two postseason contests).
Following that performance (which also included an unsightly 2.23 yards-per-carry), Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll hinted that Lynch could return in 2020.
“We’ll see. Never say never,” Carroll said in February. “I’m not going to rush him back to offseason, that’s for sure. That’s never been one of his strengths.”
The Seahawks are currently rostering six running backs, but only three of them have any NFL experience. Chris Carson is expected to be ready for the regular season, but Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes that former first-rounder Rashaad Penny may have to start training camp on the PUP.
Besides Carson, Penny, and 2019 sixth-rounder Travis Homer, the Seahawks are rostering three rookies, including fourth-rounder DeeJay Dallas.
Latest On Marcus Maye, Jets
Earlier today, we heard that the Jets had previously discussed potential trades for safety Marcus Maye. However, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com is disputing those reports. Multiple sources tell PFT that the Jets have never shopped the 27-year-old, with one source describing it as “beyond take news.”
As Florio notes, context is important. Teams have previously expressed interest in Mayes, and one team is currently eyeing the defensive back. However, just because the Jets are answering the phone, it doesn’t mean the organization is shopping the player.
In fact, Florio wonders if a potential suitor may have been the source of the previous report in hopes it’d “poision” the relationship between the organization and Maye. Instead, it sounds like the Jets “haven’t, aren’t, and won’t be shopping” their starting safety.
The 2017 second-round pick has started all 38 of his career games. Maye rebounded from an injury-plagued 2018 campaign, starting all 16 games in 2019. He compiled 65 tackles, seven passes defended, and one interception. The safety is entering the final season of his rookie contract.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/20
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: RB Marcus Murphy
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: RB Jeremy McNichols
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: TE Alize Mack, RB Mike Weber
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: OT Josh Wells
Wells is returning to Tampa Bay on a one-year deal, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link). Wells spent the 2019 campaign with the Bucs, starting two of his 13 games. He previously spent five seasons with the Jaguars, appearing in 39 games (nine starts).
Murphy had a solid run with the Bills back in 2018, rushing for 250 yards on 52 carries. After getting cut by Buffalo prior to the 2019 regular season, Murphy didn’t find a deal until inking a futures contract with the Panthers in December.
McNichols, a 2017 fifth-round pick, has four career carries. He’s spent time with seven organizations during his career.
Buccaneers Sign 13 UDFAs
After adding seven rookies via the 2020 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers announced the signing of nine undrafted free agents today:
- Michael Divinity, OLB (LSU)
- Cam Gill, OLB (Wagner College)
- Javon Hagan, S (Ohio)
- Travis Jonsen, WR (Montana State)
- John Molchon, G (Boise State)
- Nasir Player, OLB (East Tennessee State)
- Benning Potoa’e, DT (Washington)
- Zach Shackelford, C (Texas)
- Reid Sinnett, QB (San Diego)
Sinnett is naturally one of the most notable name on the list, as the quarterback guided the University of San Diego to the FCS playoffs after tossing 3,528 yards and 32 touchdowns. While he’s unlikely to crack a roster that includes Tom Brady, Blaine Gabbert, and Ryan Griffin, it sounds like the Bucs want to hang on to a developmental QB on their practice squad.
Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle previously reported (via Twitter) that Sinnett will earn $152K in guaranteed money.
Jonsen proved to be a Swiss Army Knife during his time at Montana State, as he finished the 2019 campaign with 580 receiving yards and 527 rushing yards. He also completed six of his seven pass attempts for 64 yards and one score.
UPDATE
The Bucs announced the signing of four additional UDFAs:
- John Hurst, WR (West Georgia)
- Nick Leverett, G (Rice)
- Parnell Motley, CB (Oklahoma)
- Josh Pearson, WR (Jacksonville State)