Cowboys Sign TE Blake Bell
Blake Bell is heading to Dallas. The Cowboys have reached an agreement with the tight end, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer.
The 2015 fourth-rounder has bounced around the NFL a bit throughout his career, and he spent the 2019 campaign with the Chiefs. Known mostly as a blocking tight end, Bell has still managed to contribute in the receiving game. In 15 games (seven starts) last year, the 28-year-old hauled in eight catches 67 yards.
He also added three receptions for 24 yards and one touchdown during the playoffs, including a nine-yard catch during the Super Bowl.
Bell will be joining a revamped tight ends depth chart in Dallas. After Jason Witten left for the Raiders, the Cowboys inked Blake Jarwin to a four-year extension. The organization is also rostering Dalton Schultz and Cole Hikutini.
Latest On NFL Draft
If the NFL has their way, the draft will continue as scheduled. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini report that the league “plans to stick” with their April 23rd-25th dates. While there’s still time to make a change, the consensus is that the draft won’t be rescheduled.
However, the league’s general managers are pushing back, as the NFL’s GM subcommittee recommended to commissioner Roger Goodell that the draft be rescheduled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, teams are concerned that there won’t be enough time for “player physicals, gathering psychological testing, [and] getting further verified information about the players.”
Further, there’s concern that there’d be a “competitive disadvantage to have some teams in their training facilities during the draft while teams in California, New Jersey and other hard-hit areas would be in lockdown and unable to be in their teams’ buildings.” We learned yesterday that the NFL had ordered teams to close their facilities by 6pm today.
“I think a lot of owners aren’t sold on keeping it on schedule,” one source told the reporters. “Of course the power owners are calling the shots. Plus, add to the fact that April is going to be the toughest month with this virus. It’s really a poor look.”
Saints Extend CB Janoris Jenkins
Janoris Jenkins‘ renegotiated contract is actually an extension. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Saints have signed the cornerback to a two-year, $16.75MM extension.
Effectively, this turns the veteran’s deal into a three-year, $27MM pact, with the entirety of the $10.2MM in guaranteed money coming in 2020. As Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football tweets, Jenkins basically has a pair of option years. The organization can keep him for a $10MM base salary and $1.2MM roster bonus in 2021, and they can keep him for a $5.25MM base salary and $500K roster bonus in 2022.
This isn’t a very surprising move, although there was some thought that the Saints may look to push their financial commitment to future years. Instead, the two sides apparently reached a compromise; Jenkins would get his money in 2020, and the Saints would have the flexibility to keep him in 2021 and 2022.
The 31-year-old was claimed off waived by the Saints from the Giants back in December. He ended up being productive during his New Orleans cameo; he had seven tackles, two passes defended, and one interception in two regular season games, and he added eight tackles and one forced fumble in the Saints’ playoff loss to the Vikings.
Next season, Jenkins is projected to start for the Saints opposite Marshon Lattimore.
Falcons Sign DL Allen Bailey To Extension
Allen Bailey is sticking in Atlanta through at least the 2021 season. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the defensive lineman has signed a one-year, $4.5MM extension. The deal includes a $3.25MM signing bonus.
There were reports yesterday that Bailey (along with Matt Ryan and Jake Matthews) had restructured his contract. While this transaction did save the Falcons some money for 2020, it ended up being an extension instead of a pure restructuring.
The former third-round spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Chiefs, but he ended up sitting in free agency for much of last offseason. He eventually caught on with Atlanta, and he proceeded to play an important rotational role for his new squad. In 15 games (five starts), Bailey compiled 26 tackles and one sack.
In total, the 31-year-old has appeared in 117 regular season games, collecting 20.5 sacks.
Jets Sign OL Josh Andrews
The Jets are adding another lineman. Agent Brett Tessler announced on Twitter that Josh Andrews has signed with New York.
The former undrafted free agent out of Oregon State spent the first four seasons of his career with the Eagles (alongside current Jets GM Joe Douglas). He spent the past two years with the Colts, appearing in nine total games.
In his career, the 28-year-old has appeared in 25 regular season games. The lineman has mostly played offensive guard and center throughout his career.
The Jets have been busy adding to their offensive line this offseason. The team has already signed center Connor McGovern and offensive tackle George Fant, and they re-signed offensive guard Alex Lewis.
Raiders Sign OL Eric Kush
Eric Kush is joining the eighth team of his career. The veteran offensive lineman is joining the Raiders, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
After inking a two-year deal with the Browns last offseason, Kush was cut by the team this past February. During his lone season in Cleveland, the 30-year-old appeared in a career-high 16 games, including seven starts.
Kush was with the Bears between the 2016 and 2018 seasons, including a 2017 campaign that was wiped out by a torn hamstring. The lineman has also spent time with the Rams, Texans, Panthers, Buccaneers, and Chiefs.
Seahawks, Jadeveon Clowney “Moving Toward a New Deal”
Jadeveon Clowney may end up back in Seattle after all. ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio is hearing that the two sides are “moving toward a new deal” (Twitter link).
The pass rusher was initially seeking $20MM per season, and he was reportedly disappointed at the lack of suitors. The 27-year-old has since changed his asking price to a more palatable one- or two-year deal, and he’s presumably had to lower his financial demands, as well.
The Seahawks have continually been linked to the pass-rusher, and there were whispers that the organization had extended a contract offer. That deal didn’t match Clowney’s requirements for salary or length, and the player was seeking another suitor with the hope of driving up the price.
We later learned that the Cowboys were one of the teams that wouldn’t be pursuing the defensive end. Earlier this month, the Giants and Colts were both said to have interest in Clowney, but they’ve since addressed their needs.
Clowney posted just three sacks in 2019, but he was still effective against opposing passers and running backs. For his work, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 20th best edge defender in the NFL.
Cardinals RB Kenyan Drake Signs Tender Offer
Kenyan Drake is officially heading back to Arizona. The running back has signed his tender offer, per sports agency SportsTrust Advisors on Twitter.
We learned earlier this week that the Cardinals were slapping Drake with the transition tag. That move will ultimately cost the team around $8.5MM next season.
Of course, a whole lot has changed in Arizona since that news came out. The front office traded Drake’s competition, David Johnson, to the Texans, acquiring wideout DeAndre Hopkins in the deal. As a result, Drake will be a major contributor on one of the NFL’s up-and-coming offenses.
The team’s commitment to Drake isn’t a huge surprise following his 2019 performance. Following three-plus underwhelming seasons in Miami, the running back was dealt to Arizona midseason for a conditional sixth-rounder. The 26-year-old proceeded to have the best eight-game stretch of his career to finish out the campaign. Drake ran for 643 yards on 123 carries (good for a 5.2-yard average), adding eight touchdowns along the way. He also hauled in 28 receptions for 171 yards.
Colts Release CB Pierre Desir
The Colts have let go of one of their starting cornerbacks. The team is releasing Pierre Desir, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
The defensive back was set to make $7MM in 2020, but the Colts released him with zero dead money (per Rapoport).
The 2014 fourth-rounder bounced around the NFL a bit during his first few years in the NFL. He eventually found a home in Indy, where he’s spent the past three seasons. After establishing a number of career-highs in 2018 (including 12 starts), the Colt signed Desir to a three-year, $22.5MM extension ($12MM guaranteed) last year.
The 29-year-old proceeded to appear in 12 games (11 starts) during the 2019 campaign. He finished the season with 50 tackles, 11 passes defended, and a career-high three interceptions.
Ravens Resume Talks With LB Patrick Onwuasor
If the Ravens have their way, Patrick Onwuasor will be back in Baltimore next season. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets that the organization has resumed talks with the linebacker.
As the reporter notes, it appeared that Onwuasor was “was ready for change of scenery last year.” The linebacker saw reduced playing time as the season went on, culminating in a “heated conversation” with head coach John Harbaugh during a December practice (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com).
Still, it’s not surprising that the organization values Onwuasor’s familiarity with the defense. The 27-year-old has spent his entire four-year career with the Ravens, and he combined for 25 starts between the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Onwuasor was slapped with a second-round restricted free agent tender last offseason, but he was limited to only six starts in 14 games. He ultimately finished the season having compiled 64 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble.