Cardinals Sign Round 1 DL Darius Robinson
The Cardinals are one step closer to completing their rookie signings. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cardinals have signed first-round defensive lineman Darius Robinson. The rookie inked a four-year, fully guaranteed $13.8MM deal.
[RELATED: Cards Sign Round 1 WR Marvin Harrison Jr.]
The Cardinals entered the draft armed with a pair of first-round picks. After selecting star wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth-overall pick, the front office used pick No. 27 on the Missouri defensive lineman.
Considering the unprecedented run on offensive players to begin the draft, Robinson was still one of the first defenders to hear their name called. The 22-year-old was the eighth defensive player off the board (and the sixth defensive lineman). This wasn’t a huge surprise considering the prospect’s breakout 2023 campaign. After establishing himself as a starter at Missouri in 2022, he took it to another level this past year, finishing with 14 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. For his efforts, Robinson earned a first-team All-SEC nod after the season.
The Cardinals’ 33 sacks last season ranked 30th in the NFL, so the organization is hoping the rookie can provide a spark. Likened to Arik Armstead, Robinson has the ability to play multiple positions on the defensive line, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he slots in at defensive end during his first season in the NFL.
With Robinson now signed, the Cardinals have two unsigned rookies: third-round running back Trey Benson (Florida State) and fourth-round safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (Texas Tech).
Latest On Potential Brandon Aiyuk Extension
Brandon Aiyuk is looking to approach the top of the WR market on his next deal. The 49ers wide receiver is eyeing Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s recent extension with the Lions, and Aiyuk is hoping to sign a new deal “at that number or higher,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com).
[RELATED: Brandon Aiyuk Skipping OTAs]
Both St. Brown and Eagles wideout A.J. Brown helped to reset the receiver market this offseason. St. Brown inked a four-year, $120MM extension with the Lions that included $77MM in guaranteed money. While Brown’s contract with Philly was for only three years, he still managed to put himself atop the position in AAV ($32MM) and total guarantees ($84MM).
At the very least, it sounds like Aiyuk is hoping to approach a $30MM AAV, a mark also reached by Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill. Aiyuk is currently tied to a $14.12MM fifth-year option salary, and he’d be attached to a projected $24.7MM salary in 2025 if he’s hit with the franchise tag next offseason (h/t to OverTheCap).
While the 49ers don’t necessarily have to extend Aiyuk to retain him beyond the 2024 season, it’s uncertain if even that franchise-tag value would be untenable. The team is currently projected to be more than $38MM over the cap next season, and the front office has already committed big money at the position to Deebo Samuel.
Aiyuk is currently following Samuel’s strategy from 2023, as the receiver is skipping OTAs as he pursues a new deal. There were whispers that the 49ers were shopping both of their receivers ahead of the draft, and until Aiyuk signs a new deal, he’ll continue to be mentioned among trade candidates. The 49ers may have been preparing for a potential Aiyuk divorce during the draft. The team used a first-round pick on Ricky Pearsall, adding the Florida product to what was already one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses. The 49ers are also rostering Jauan Jennings and fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing,
AJ Dillon Discusses Decision To Re-Sign With Packers
While the Packers underwent some major changes atop their RB depth chart, AJ Dillon will be sticking around Green Bay after re-signing with the organization this offseason. While the running back acknowledged that he probably could have earned more money on a new squad, he believes the extra cash wasn’t enough to uproot his family.
“Obviously money-wise, there was maybe a little more here or a little more there, a little less there,” Dillon said (via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette). “It wasn’t really that big of a deal. It was more so where I felt like I could just be the best, and be the best for the team.
“And also, in all honesty, picking up my family and going ahead and moving. I’ve got a 1-year-old son, and obviously I love Green Bay. Take that away from the Packers – no disrespect to the Packers – but Green Bay will be my home after, regardless if I go somewhere else, or I did go somewhere else.”
The running back ended up re-signing with the Packers via the rarely used four-year qualifying offer, a decision that locked him into a $1.2MM cap hit in 2024. That drop-in-the-pan commitment all but assures that he’ll end up making the roster, even as the front office completely revamped the rest of the running backs room.
The organization ended up joining the RB carousel, replacing Aaron Jones with Josh Jacobs. The Packers also added rookie MarShawn Lloyd in the third round, perhaps leading to Dillon’s most uncertain role in years heading into 2024. The former second-round pick had his best season in 2021, finishing with 1,116 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns. His yardage dropped to 967 in 2022, and despite starting a career-high six games in 2023, he collected 836 yards on a career-low 4.2 yards per touch.
OL Billy Price Announces Retirement
Billy Price is retiring from the NFL due to health complications. The offensive lineman revealed on Instagram that he recently underwent emergency pulmonary embolism surgery to remove blood clots in his lungs. Price decided to retire because the “risk of an internal bleed while on blood thinners creates tremendous risk.”
“In the blink of an eye, everything can be taken away,” Price said in his statement. “On April 24th I had emergency pulmonary embolism surgery to remove a saddle clot that was entering both of my lungs. As a healthy 29 year old, an unprovoked pulmonary embolism with no further medical explanation is terrifying. I am truly thankful to be alive today. Unfortunately, I will be retiring from the NFL as the risk of an internal bleed while on blood thinners creates tremendous risk.
“I am truly thankful for the opportunity to have played in some of the greatest atmospheres around the world. I am thankful to have trained and played alongside men who will continue to make Pro Bowls, All Pro Rosters and Hall of Fame recognitions.”
The Ohio State product was a first-round pick by the Bengals in 2018. After earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors following his first NFL campaign, he saw a reduced role in Cincinnati over the next two seasons. This culminated in a 2020 season where the lineman only started one of his 16 appearances, leading to him getting traded to the Giants.
He’s since bounced around the league, also spending time with the Raiders, Cardinals, Saints, and Cowboys. He started all 11 of his games for Arizona before splitting the 2023 campaign between the New Orleans and Dallas practice squads.
OL David Bakhtiari Receives Positive Health Update
As free agent David Bakhtiari continues to seek his next job, the offensive lineman received some positive news this week regarding his health. After undergoing knee surgery last October, Bakhtiari had a positive follow-up exam with expert Dr. Brian Cole, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Cole, the chairman of Orthopedics at Rush University Medical Center and chairman of surgery at Oak Park Hospital, “proclaimed” that the offensive lineman is on schedule for a “2024 season return.”
[RELATED: LT David Bakhtiari Aiming To Play In 2024]
Once one of the NFL’s premier offensive tackles, Bakhtiari’s last three-plus seasons have mostly been defined by his absences. His 2020 season ended early thanks to a torn ACL, and the lineman only returned for one game in 2021. Back to full health for the 2022 campaign, Bakhtiari was still limited to only 12 games that season. Then, this past year, the veteran got into one game before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.
The long-time Packers lineman was cut by the organization back in March. At the time, Bakhtiari made it clear that he still wanted to play in the NFL next season, but it’s been relatively quiet for the veteran through the first chunk of the offseason. This latest update may convince teams to have the 32-year-old in for a workout.
Considering the player’s track record, Bakhtiari would represent a low-risk move for a lineman-needy squad. While the five-time All-Pro lineman hasn’t performed like one of the league’s top offensive tackles since the 2020 season, Pro Football Focus was still fond of his production when he was on the field over the past three years.
Considering his connection to Aaron Rodgers, the Jets will continue to be mentioned as a suitor for the free agent. The team has already invested heavily in the position this offseason, adding veterans Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses before selecting Olu Fashanu in the first round of the draft. Of course, the Jets front office is well aware of the need for OL depth, so the team probably wouldn’t reject Bakhtiari if he comes cheap.
Considering his recent injuries, Bakhtiari may have to also wait for some other free agent OTs to find home. The current grouping of unsigned veterans at the position also includes D.J. Humphries and Charles Leno.
Latest On Jets’ Depth At Safety
The Jets will have a trio of players compete for their two starting safety spots. Coach Robert Saleh told reporters (including ESPN’s Rich Cimini) that the Jets will have an open competition at the position, with Chuck Clark, Tony Adams, and Ashtyn Davis competing for the two starting roles.
With two-year starter Jordan Whitehead having returned to Tampa Bay, there is some uncertainty atop the positional depth chart. Adams got the longest look of the trio in 2023, having started all 15 of his appearances while compiling 82 tackles and three interceptions. However, Pro Football Focus only ranked him as a middle-of-the-road safety (41st among 95 qualifiers), and the former UDFA doesn’t have the resume to justify a definitive starting nod.
Davis saw a progressively larger role as the 2023 season went on, and while he didn’t earn enough snaps to qualify for PFF’s leader board, he would have graded out as a top-20 safety. The former third-round pick has seen an inconsistent role through his first four seasons in the NFL, starting 21 of his 54 appearances in New York. However, he’s become a favorite of Saleh, and the team showed some trust in the defensive back when they re-signed him this offseason.
“It is funny, all Ashtyn does is find the ball,” Saleh said last season (via the team’s website). “I am a big fan of his. He has done nothing but work. He was a valuable and very underrated piece of this defense. The way he goes about his business and the way he works, that play embodies everything that he represents for this defense.”
Clark is the true wildcard, as the veteran is coming off a torn ACL that ended his 2023 season before it began. Clark was a consistent starter during his final few years in Baltimore, and while the Jets didn’t give up a whole lot to acquire the veteran last offseason, they were still counting on the former 100-tackle defender to lead their safeties room.
The Jets will also be welcoming a new player to the position grouping. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Isaiah Oliver is moving to the safeties room. After spending the first five seasons of his career in Atlanta, Oliver spent the 2023 campaign in San Francisco, serving as the 49ers’ nickelback. He started six of his 17 appearances, finishing with 67 tackles and one interception. He’ll be competing with the likes of 2023 sixth-round pick Jarrick Bernard-Converse and 2024 seventh-round pick Jaylen Key for one of the final spots on the depth chart.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/22/24
Today’s draft pick signings:
New York Giants
- TE Theo Johnson (fourth round, Penn State)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- DB Tykee Smith (third round, Georgia)
A knee injury limited Smith to only one game during his first season at Georgia, and the former West Virginia standout saw a part-time role in 2022. However, the defensive back put himself firmly on the NFL radar with a strong 2023 campaign where he finished with 70 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and four interceptions. The rookie is currently penciled in as Tampa Bay’s starting nickelback.
Johnson finished his four-year career with the Nittany Lions having hauled in 77 catches for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns. With Darren Waller still flirting with retirement, the rookie tight end could end up seeing a role in New York in 2024. Johnson will be competing with the likes of Daniel Bellinger, Jack Stoll, Chris Manhertz, and Lawrence Cager for playing time.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/22/24
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Odieu Hiliare
- Waived (with injury designation): TE Tucker Fisk
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Alex Bachman
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Kevin Foelsch
- Released: QB Colby Suits
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DL Earnest Brown IV
- Released: RB Patrick Laird
Earnest Brown was a fifth-round pick by the Rams back in 2021. He collected 14 tackles in 12 games through his first two seasons in Los Angeles, but he didn’t get into a single game with the big-league club during the 2023 campaign. He wasn’t retained via a futures contract this offseason, allowing him to catch on with the 49ers. He was waived by San Francisco earlier this month.
He’ll be taking the roster spot previously held by Patrick Laird, who spent the past two seasons on Tampa Bay’s practice squad. The former UDFA previously got into 37 games for the Dolphins between 2019 and 2021, collecting 533 yards from scrimmage. The Buccaneers added a pair of undrafted running backs in D.J. Williams and Ramon Jefferson, so the team may prefer to opt for a rookie on the taxi squad.
Ravens Cut DL Bravvion Roy
Bravvion Roy is hitting free agency. The veteran defensive lineman’s contract was terminated by the Ravens today, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
Roy joined the Ravens last August and spent the entire 2023 campaign on Baltimore’s practice squad. He was retained via a reserve/futures contract back in January, but now he’ll have to look elsewhere for his next gig.
The Baylor product was a sixth-round pick by the Panthers in 2020, a move that reunited him with college coach Matt Rhule. The defensive lineman had a significant role despite his late-round draft stock, starting nine of his 15 appearances as a rookie. He collected a career-high 30 tackles during his sophomore campaign before he was limited to a career-low 299 defensive snaps in 2022.
Roy was waived by the Panthers last July and was quickly picked up by the Bears. He was among Chicago’s final roster cuts, leading to him joining the Ravens.
The 27-year-old was already facing an uphill battle to make Baltimore’s roster. The Ravens are set to return their same defensive line arrangement in 2024, but Roy’s release could end up opening a roster spot for former UDFA Rayshad Nichols or current UDFAs Ja’Mion Franklin and C.J. Ravenell.
JuJu Smith-Schuster Says He’s Fully Healthy
Following a disastrous first season in New England, JuJu Smith-Schuster is confident he’ll rebound in 2024. The veteran told reporters (including Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) that he’s 100-percent healthy heading into Patriots OTAs.
Smith-Schuster estimated that he was around 60-percent at this time last year. The veteran wide receiver underwent knee surgery shortly after winning Super Bowl LVII with the Chiefs and before signing with the Patriots.
“It’s a big difference,” Smith Schuster said of his current health. “It’s not easy coming off a knee injury and having a long season and coming back really short… I feel great, honestly. I feel great. I’ve never felt better. I’m just excited to finally be out here around this time and participating.”
The Patriots signed Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $33MM contract last offseason, but the receiver proceeded to put up career-lows across the board. The 27-year-old ultimately finished the campaign with 29 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown. While the disappointing results could partly be attributed to inconsistent QB play, Smith-Schuster also admitted that he was never able to get to 100 percent health.
“I’ve always wanted to just push through and play,” Smith-Schuster said. “I had some injuries that I was dealing with and I just kept pushing through it and playing. That’s just the competitiveness in me. I don’t mind that. So this year it’s a lot different than how it was.”
Smith-Schuster’s production certainly doesn’t match up with his salary, but since he’s attached to a guaranteed $7MM base salary in 2024, it’d be surprising if he doesn’t end up making the team. The Patriots lost out in the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes, meaning their only notable additions at the position have been free agent K.J. Osborn and second-round rookie Ja’lynn Polk. That duo joins Kendrick Bourne and Demario Douglas atop the depth chart, meaning Smith-Schuster will be competing with the likes of Kayshon Boutte, Tyquan Thornton, and rookie fourth-round pick Javon Baker for a roster spot.