Ravens Hire JoJo Wooden As Front Office Consultant
JoJo Wooden has found his next gig. The long-time NFL executive has joined the Ravens front office in a “consultant-like capacity,” per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
Wooden started his executive career with the Jets in 1997, and he’s been in NFL front offices for the past three decades. In New York, he worked his way up to director of pro scouting and assistant director of player personnel before taking a promotion as director of player personnel with the Chargers in 2013.
That stint with the franchise lasted more than a decade, with Wooden notably being involved in the transition from Philip Rivers to Justin Herbert. When GM Tom Telesco was fired towards the end of the 2023 campaign, Wooden took on the role of interim general manager, but he naturally didn’t stick around as the organization pivoted to a new front office in 2024.
That led Wooden to Las Vegas, where he was named as the Raiders senior director of player personnel. The team finished that season with only four wins, and Wooden was ousted after only one year with the franchise. He was out of football for the 2025 campaign.
Now, he’ll be joining Baltimore’s front office. Eric DeCosta has been with the Ravens for decades, so Wooden’s stop in Baltimore may be temporary as he pursues another high-ranking gig next offseason. Still, he should provide the front office with some veteran leadership as they navigate their first season without John Harbaugh.
The Ravens made another few moves. ESPN’s Seth Walder reports that the team has hired Kenan Clarke and Eliana DeTata as Coaching Analytics Fellows. Clarke recently worked for the Raiders, while DeTata served as a student football analyst at Michigan.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/26
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OL DJ Wingfield
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Jonathan Brady
- Placed on IR: WR Justin Shorter
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Jaheim Bell
The Raiders placed WR Justin Shorter on IR today with an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old has spent the past two seasons in Las Vegas, appearing in 17 games while spending the majority of his time on special teams. He stuck with the organization via a reserve/futures contract following the 2025 campaign.
He’ll be replaced by UDFA Jonathan Brady, who is coming off a 2025 season when he hauled in 14 catches for Indiana. The Raiders have been busy surrounding first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza with familiar faces, as Brady will join Hoosiers running back Roman Hemby and wide receiver E.J. Williams on the offseason roster.
Patriots Preparing Caleb Lomu To Play RT
For the second straight year, the Patriots used a first-round pick on an offensive tackle. While 2026 first rounder Caleb Lomu exclusively played LT in college, he won’t be replacing 2025 first rounder Will Campbell at the position.
[RELATED: Patriots Acquire No. 28 From Bills, Draft T Caleb Lomu]
While SI.com’s Albert Breer acknowledges that Lomu provides New England with some insurance should Campbell continue to struggle at LT, the reporter says the team’s plan is to prepare their rookie to “get his work in” at RT.
After returning from a late-season knee injury, Campbell struggled mightily while protecting Drake Maye, culminating in the QB suffering a league-leading 21 sacks in the postseason. While the fourth-overall pick’s struggles were apparent, he performed much better during the regular season, allowing only a 6.3% pressure rate on passing plays (good for the 12th-best percentage among offensive tackles, per PFF). So, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when coach Mike Vrabel gave Campbell a vote of confidence as the team’s LT moving forward, although New England’s recent selection of Lomu did raise some eyebrows.
The Utah product made a name for himself following strong performances at left tackle in 2024 and 2025. The six-foot-six blocker earned first-team All-Big 12 honors this past season while establishing himself among the top tier of OT prospects. Lomu ended up being the last OT to hear their name called during Round 1, with Patriots de facto GM Eliot Wolf admitting that the lineman’s unexpected fall down the draft board forced the organization’s hand.
While Lomu obviously has the experience to be the team’s LT, they’ll instead prepare him to take over on the other side of the line. Morgan Moses is currently penciled in for that spot following a strong first season in New England. The 35-year-old finished 24th among 84 qualifying OTs, per PFF, with the site crediting the veteran with only a pair of sacks allowed and 29 pressures. While Moses is signed through the 2027 campaign, the front office can easily bail on the contract next offseason. That would seem to indicate that Lomu will spend his rookie campaign as a backup before getting a chance to start in 2027.
Before the Patriots opted for an offensive lineman, the team considered several other positions with their first-round selection. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Patriots looked at edge rushers and wide receivers with the pick. The team’s need for some pass-rush help isn’t a surprise, but it is notable that they were eyeing wideouts, especially considering New England’s pursuit of Eagles WR A.J. Brown. Fowler says the team would have been tempted by KC Concepcion had he slipped by the Browns.
Eagles Extend Assistant GM Jon Ferrari
The Eagles are sticking with their current front office hierarchy for the foreseeable future. According to Zach Berman of The Athletic, the team has extended assistant general manager Jon Ferrari.
The executive has spent a decade in the Eagles front office, working his way up from manager of football compliance to his current role as assistant GM under Howie Roseman. Prior to his stint in Philadelphia, Ferrari worked for the league office, where he had a long stint as the league’s manager of labor operations.
This move comes following the departures of two key executives in assistant GM Alec Halabay and senior vice president/tertiary football executive Bryce Johnston. While Ferrari is now locked in to his role for the next few years, this extension doesn’t prevent him from pursuing a promotion with the Eagles or another organization.
In addition to extending Ferrari, the team has also signed chief security officer Dom DiSandro to an extension, per Berman. “Big Dom” first joined the franchise in 1999, serving as the assistant chief security officer under Butch Buchanico. He later earned the title of senior adviser to the general manager, and he earned the additional role of “gameday coaching operations” in 2024.
As Berman notes, this may only be the start of the Eagles’ front office moves. The reporter expects the organization to make more staff changes/title adjustments in the coming weeks.
No “Change Of Heart” Between Steelers, Aaron Rodgers
The Steelers raised some eyebrows when they placed the rarely used unrestricted free-agent tender on Aaron Rodgers the other day. It was the timing of the move that was most noteworthy, as the Steelers had just completed a draft where they used a third-round pick on Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.
[RELATED: Steelers Place UFA Tender On Aaron Rodgers]
However, the move doesn’t signal that Rodgers’ decision will unfold one way or the other. Sources told Mark Kaboly that it’s still “status quo” on the Rodgers/Steelers front, and the team’s decision to slap the QB with the UFA tender doesn’t indicate “a change of heart by either side.” Steelers president Art Rooney II conveyed a similar sentiment while speaking with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero this week, attributing the move to the potential compensation Pittsburgh would get should Rodgers suddenly sign elsewhere.
“We alerted Aaron and his representative that we were going to do it, and so not a real big deal,” Rooney said. “Just something that in the unlikely event he goes somewhere else, we are eligible for a comp pick.”
While Rooney cites the potential compensation, the decision effectively means Rodgers will either play for the Steelers in 2026 or retire. The team will be able to match any offer sheets signed before July 22, and they’ll then have exclusive negotiating rights after that date. If Rodgers ultimately commits to the tender, then he’ll lock himself in to just over $15MM in earnings for 2026.
Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com views the situation a bit differently, noting that the UFA tender decision is “reason enough for Rodgers to be upset with the situation” and “reinforces the possibility that the Steelers are trying to get Rodgers to be the one to choose not to continue the relationship.” While the two worked together to join forces last offseason, Florio notes that the Steelers have essentially taken away Rodgers’ ability to “retain full freedom” on his future this time around. This could prove to be much ado about nothing, but it is notable that the Steelers were quick to utilize the little leverage they had in this situation.
As for the timeline for a potential resolution, Rooney expressed optimism that a deal would be completed in the next few weeks. At the same time, the executive acknowledged that he expected this saga to have already been completed.
“We’ve been in contact with Aaron on a regular basis,” Rooney said (via Pelissero). “He’s been keeping us up to date on his plans. Even though I thought it probably would have been concluded by now, I think we will come to a conclusion here in the next few weeks.”
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 4/30/26
Today’s draft pick signings:
Baltimore Ravens
- WR Ja’Kobi Lane (third round, USC)
- TE Matt Hibner (fourth round, SMU)
- CB Chandler Rivers (fifth round, Duke)
- TE Josh Cuevas (fifth round, Alabama)
- RB Adam Randall (fifth round, Clemson)
- P Ryan Eckley (sixth round, Michigan State)
- G Evan Beerntsen (seventh round, Northwestern)
Las Vegas Raiders
- S Treydan Stukes (second round, Arizona)
- G Trey Zuhn III (third round, Texas A&M)
- RB Mike Washington Jr. (fourth round, Arkansas)
- S Dalton Johnson (fifth round, Arizona)
- CB Hezekiah Masses (fifth round, Cal)
- WR Malik Benson (sixth round, Oregon)
Philadelphia Eagles
- QB Cole Payton (fifth round, North Dakota State)
- S Cole Wisniewski (seventh round, Texas Tech)
- EDGE Keyshawn James-Newby (seventh round, New Mexico)
Seattle Seahawks
- CB Julian Neal (third round, Arkansas)
- G Beau Stephens (fifth round, Iowa)
- WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (sixth round, Kansas)
- CB Andre Fuller (seventh round, Toledo)
- DT Deven Eastern (seventh round, Minnesota)
- CB Michael Dansby (seventh round, Arizona)
Tennessee Titans
- G Fernando Carmona (fifth round, Arkansas)
- RB Nicholas Singleton (fifth round, Penn State)
- DT Jackie Marshall (sixth round, Baylor)
- C Pat Coogan (sixth round, Indiana)
- TE Jaren Kanak (seventh round, Oklahoma)
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/30/26
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed ERFA tender: S Devon Key
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: G Bill Murray
- Waived: DE Viliami Fehoko Jr., LB Joseph Vaughn
- Waived-injured: OT Jack Wilson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: LB Jamin Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: CB Tre Tomlinson
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: EDGE Ali Gaye, LB Nate Lynn, NT Isaiah Raikes, LB Cam Riley, G Clay Webb, RB Blake Watson
- Placed on Exempt/International Player list: DE David Ebuka Agoha
It wasn’t long ago that Jamin Davis was a first-round pick by the Commanders and appeared to be a foundational part of the team’s defense. The Kentucky product compiled 269 tackles and seven sacks through his first three NFL seasons, but the team wouldn’t commit to a fifth year, declining his option in 2024. He didn’t make it through that subsequent fourth year in Washington, getting cut in late October. Since then, the defender has bounced around the NFL a bit.
He spent last offseason with the Jets but didn’t make it to the regular season with the squad. He caught on with the Raiders and spent most of the year on the team’s practice squad. He made two appearances (one start) for Las Vegas, tallying three tackles in 16 defensive snaps. Now, the 27-year-old will look to revive his career elsewhere.
David Ebuka Agoha joined the Titans practice squad midway through the 2025 season, and he was retained via a reserve/futures contract after the season. With the team declaring him as an international player, he’ll no longer count on the team’s 90-man offseason roster.
Titans Sign 11 UDFAs
After adding eight players in the draft, the Titans have now added 11 players to their rookie class. The team announced the signing of the following undrafted free agents:
- Shad Banks, LB (UTSA)
- Hank Beatty, WR (Illinois)
- Sean Brown, LB (NC State)
- Bishop Fitzgerald, S (USC)
- Jeadyn Lukus, CB (Clemson)
- Latrell McCutchin, CB (Houston)
- Jalen McMurray, CB (Tennessee)
- Rasheed Miller, OT (Louisville)
- Tyren Montgomery, WR (John Carroll)
- Mani Powell, LB (Purdue)
- Aamil Wagner, OT (Notre Dame)
Bishop Fitzgerald got a chunk of money to join the Titans. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the USC safety received a $20K signing bonus and had $247.5K of his salary guaranteed, giving him $267.5K in total guarantees. After starting his collegiate career at Coffeyville Community College, Fitzgerald joined NC State ahead of the 2023 campaign. He had a pair of standout seasons at the school, leading to him transferring to USC for the 2025 season. He earned a consensus All-American nod during his lone season with the Trojans, tallying 51 tackles and five interceptions.
After using the fourth-overall pick on wideout Carnell Tate, the Titans have now added two more rookies at the position. Hank Beatty spent four years at Illinois, but he truly started breaking out in 2024. He earned a third-team All-Big Ten nod in 2024 thanks to his special teams ability, as he led the conference with 14.1 yards per punt return. He earned another all-conference selection in 2025 thanks to his offensive ability, as he hauled in 70 catches for 864 yards and three touchdowns.
Tyren Montgomery has one of the more unique paths to the NFL. He was a basketball player at LSU but was forced to return home after only one semester. After competing in a flag football event in Las Vegas, he earned a walk-on gig with the Houston Cougars, but that didn’t come to fruition thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Montgomery subsequently sent his flag football tape to multiple schools, and he eventually got Nicholls State University to bite. He had to sit out the 2022 season due to eligibility reasons, but he finally saw the field in 2023, when he hauled in 12 catches.
With his D1 eligibility having run out, he caught on with the Division III John Carroll Blue Streaks, where he spent the past two seasons. He finished his first season with 57 catches for 1,071 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he followed that up with a 2025 campaign where he collected 119 catches for 1,528 yards and 15 touchdowns. That earned him an invite to the Senior Bowl, which helped put him on the NFL radar.
QB P.J. Walker Announces Retirement
P.J. Walker is calling it a career. His most recent team, the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, announced that the veteran quarterback is retiring.
Despite going undrafted out of Temple in 2017, Walker has played nearly a decade in professional football. His career started with the Colts, where he spent nearly three years on the practice squad. Following a stint in the XFL, the QB caught on with the Panthers via a two-year, $1.5MM deal. That move reunited him with former Temple head coach Matt Rhule, and it ended up vaulting Walker into relevancy over the next few years.
Walker got one start in both 2020 (filling in for Teddy Bridgewater) and 2021 (filling in for Sam Darnold/Cam Newton). He won both of those games, although he tossed one touchdown vs. three interceptions in his starts. He got a longer look in place of Darnold and Baker Mayfield in 2022, starting a career-high five games. He went 2-3 in those outings, finishing the season with 731 passing yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
He parlayed that performance into a two-year contract with the Bears, but he didn’t make it to the regular season with his new squad. He quickly caught on with the Browns practice squad and eventually got a chance to start. He went 1-1 in his two games atop the depth chart, but he still finished the year with an unsightly one touchdown vs. five interceptions.
Walker had a brief stint with the Seahawks during the 2024 preseason before catching on with the Stampeders. He only started one game during his stint in the CFL. Now, the Temple legend is hanging up his cleats.
Austin Ekeler 100% Medically Cleared, Expected To Generate Interest
Austin Ekeler is healthy and seeking his next gig. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the veteran running back has been “fully 100% medically cleared for all football activities” following his torn Achilles last September. Per Wilson, Ekeler is expected to generate “solid interest” and intends to play in 2026.
Following a standout stint with the Chargers that saw him average more than 60 catches per season, the RB inked a two-year contract with the Commanders ahead of the 2024 campaign. He was limited to 12 games that year thanks to a concussion, but he was otherwise productive, averaging 6.5 yards per touch. He finished the season with 733 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns, although his 35 catches represented his lowest total since his rookie campaign.
He entered 2025 atop the Commanders depth chart and collected 81 yards on 19 touches through one-plus games. However, he suffered a non-contact injury during the team’s Week 2 Thursday Night Football matchup against the Packers. It was later revealed that he suffered a torn Achilles, ending his season early.
Now a free agent, the 30-year-old will be looking to revive his career in a new spot. Teams may be a bit wary of Ekeler considering the injury and his age, but he certainly won’t command more than a prove-it contract at this point. At the very least, teams could look to Ekeler to serve as a potential third-down back, and he could also add some experience to any young RBs rooms. Notably, Ekeler also returned 19 kickoffs during his first season in Washington, so perhaps he could contribute to a new squad on special teams.