Minor NFL Transactions: 4/4/19
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby (AAF)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OL Dakota Dozier
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DT Nick Thurman
Poll: Best Available Defensive Free Agent?
If your favorite team is searching for help at quarterback, running back, pass-catcher, or offensive line, you can probably go ahead and look towards the draft. Sure, Jay Ajayi can help a backfield, Jermaine Kearse can still play, and Jared Veldheer or Jermey Parnell could step in at right tackle. But there aren’t any top-end offensive options available on the offensive side of the ball.
That’s not the case on defense, where starting-quality players are still hunting for new contracts. It’s entirely possible that none of the players listed below will sign in the next few weeks. Free agent additions will still count towards the NFL’s compensatory pick calculations though May 7, so teams may be wary of adding new talent until after that date. But if a club wants an instant injection of defensive talent, the free agent market is still a place to look.
Let’s take a look at the best defensive players still available:
Ezekiel Ansah, DE
Ansah collected $17.143MM as the Lions’ franchise player in 2018, but his season could barely have gone worse. He missed nine games thanks to a shoulder injury and a subsequent re-aggravation, and eventually ended the campaign on injured reserve. The former first-round pick has generated legitimate interest this offseason, meeting with both the Saints and Bills, but clubs are reportedly wary of his shoulder issues. As such, Ansah isn’t expected to sign with a new club until he completes a mid-April medical check. Typically, a one-year deal would make sense for a player coming off injury like Ansah, but given that he’s entering his age-30 season, Ansah may want to reel in as much guaranteed money as possible.
Shane Ray, DE/LB
Ray doesn’t have the name value or production of the other players listed here, but he does have at least one thing working for him: age. He’ll only be 26 years old when the 2019 season gets underway. Like Ansah, Ray has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, and he’s only played a full 16-game slate one time in his four NFL seasons. As recently as 2016, though, Ray was a force on the edge, posting eight sacks while tying for 21st among all defenders with 21 quarterback hits. Ray’s former Broncos teammate Shaquil Barrett landed only one year and $4MM from the Buccaneers, and while Ray may have to settle for a similar figure, he could also match Barrett as a potential bargain addition. Thus far, the Colts are the only club known to have taken a visit with Ray.
Ndamukong Suh, DT
Los Angeles is reportedly unlikely to re-sign Suh, but any number of teams could use an interior defender with his track record. Other defensive tackles like Malik Jackson, Sheldon Richardson, and Henry Anderson have secured multi-year deals since the free agent period opened in March, but Suh is still on the board. That’s likely due to his asking price, as it’s fair to wonder if he’s pushing for a pay raise after collecting a fully guaranteed $14MM with the Rams in 2018. Suh is now 32 years old, but he’s still extremely effective. And perhaps even more important, he doesn’t come off the field: last season, Suh played 1,062 defensive snaps, the second-most of any interior defender behind only teammate Aaron Donald.
Zach Brown, LB
Because he was released by the Redskins, Brown won’t count towards the NFL’s compensatory pick calculations, but it still won’t be surprising if he’s forced to wait a while to land a new contract. Teams with vacancies at linebacker — such as the Steelers, Bengals, Broncos, and Eagles — may want to see what the draft has to offer before bringing in a veteran like Brown. Historically a streaky player, Brown was excellent in 2018, grading out as the No. 3 linebacker in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
Jamie Collins, LB
When Cleveland acquired Collins from New England midway through the 2016 season, he was expected to become the face of a revamped Browns roster. That was especially true after Collins signed a four-year, $50MM extension that — at the time — made him the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league. While he didn’t live up to that contract, Collins is still a useful player, a versatile defender who can cover and rush the passer. Could the Patriots be interested in a reunion at the right price?
Eric Berry, S
A three-time All-Pro, Berry is a terrific safety when on the field. But it’s perhaps no surprise that he hasn’t found a new team after being released by Kansas City last month, as other clubs are surely concerned about his health. In five of his nine pro seasons, Berry has failed to play more than five games. He’s been available for only three total regular season contests over the past two years after rupturing his Achilles in September 2017. In spite of that, Berry doesn’t plan to undergo offseason surgery to correct his nagging heel concerns. He met with the Cowboys in March, but they’ve since signed fellow defensive back George Iloka.
Tre Boston, S
Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reid, and Kenny Vaccaro were all victims of a league-wide safety shun in 2018, but all three have landed multi-year deals this offseason. That’s not the case for Boston, who had to wait until last July to sign with the Cardinals and still hasn’t found a new home yet this year. Boston is just 26 years old and has posted eight interceptions over the past two seasons, excelling in a deep safety role that’s critical in most clubs’ schemes. He’s garnered interest from the Raiders and Browns in recent weeks, but Oakland and Cleveland have since added Lamarcus Joyner and Eric Murray, respectively.
So what do you think? Which of these players is the best defender still available on the free agent market? (Link for app users).
Bengals OL Trey Hopkins Signs RFA Tender
Bengals offensive lineman Trey Hopkins has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, the club announced today. Hopkins will now be paid 3.095MM for the 2019 season.
Hopkins was one of 15 NFL restricted free agents to be tender at the second-round level, and he’s the fourth — following Steelers guard B.J. Finney, Broncos defensive tackle Shelby Harris, and Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley — to officially sign his tender. There was no rush for Hopkins to ink his tender, as RFAs have until April 19 to work out offer sheets with other clubs. However, it was always unlikely that any NFL team would have been willing to sacrifice a second-round pick in order to land Hopkins.
Hopkins joined the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2014, but didn’t see regular action until the 2017 campaign. That year, Hopkins started 12 games at right guard that ranked among the NFL’s bottom-12 teams in both run- and pass-blocking, per Football Outsiders. He initially lost his starting job at the outset of the 2018 season, but eventually played nearly 60% of Cincinnati’s offensive snaps while seeing action all along the interior offensive line.
Although he earned a better grade from Pro Football Focus than rookie first-round center Billy Price, Hopkins isn’t expected to take over at the pivot in 2019. In fact, with Clint Boling installed at left guard and free agent addition John Miller taking over on the right side, Hopkins won’t have a starting role at all. Instead, he’ll serve as a valuable depth on a front five that will be tasked with protecting Andy Dalton and clearing lanes for Joe Mixon next season.
Seahawks Sign DE Nate Orchard
The Seahawks have agreed to sign defensive end Nate Orchard, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).
Orchard was part of an early-week workout session that also included defensive lineman Courtney Upshaw and cornerback Davon House, but — so far — he’s the only member of that group to land a contract. He’s the second defensive end Seattle has signed today, joining former 49er Cassius Marsh.
Orchard comes with pedigree, as the Browns selected him 51st overall in the 2015 draft. An 11-game starter during his rookie campaign, Orchard has started only two contests since 2015. His last significant action came in 2017, when he played on 40% of Cleveland’s defensive snaps while grading as the NFL’s No. 68 edge defender among 123 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Last year, despite a valiant effort on HBO’s Hard Knocks, Orchard was waived by the Browns and final cutdowns, and subsequently spent time with the Bills and Chiefs.
Seattle has a history of taking chances on former early-round defenders (Barkevious Mingo, Dion Jordan), and Orchard probably didn’t receive much — if any — guaranteed money. He’ll have to fight for special teams snaps in order to make the Seahawks’ roster.
Jaguars Sign OL Leonard Wester
The Jaguars have signed free agent offensive lineman Leonard Wester, the club announced today.
Wester spent the past three seasons with the Buccaneers before being non-tendered as a restricted free agent, and he’ll reunite with former Tampa Bay offensive line coach George Warhop, who now holds the same title in Jacksonville. While the Jaguars are set at left tackle with Cam Robinson, the club has a wide open slot on the right side following the release of Jermey Parnell, so Wester could compete for a starting job.
Wester, 26, went undrafted out of Missouri Western State in 2016. He’s appeared in 27 NFL games (all with the Buccaneers), but hasn’t been asked to play much of a significant role, as he’s made only one start during his career. In 2018, Wester played 116 offensive snaps, which marked a career-high, but Pro Football Focus assigned him a poor grade of 46.6 for his performance.
Before signing with the Jaguars, Wester also worked out for the Lions, Chiefs, and Falcons, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter links).
Draft Rumors: Allen, Sweat, Lawrence, Oliver
Lions general manager Bob Quinn is a Bill Belichick disciple, so it’s perhaps no surprise that he’s open to trading down from No. 8 in the first round of the 2019 draft. “I always like draft picks, so if we could move back a little bit, a couple spots, and pick up another pick, I think this is a really good, the depth of this draft from the late first to the third, there’s a lot of really good players in there,” Quinn told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). “If I could ever move back a few spots, get a really good player in the first round and add another pick, I think that’s something that would be great. People out there listening, I’m open for business.” Detroit owns nine total picks but possesses only the 15th-most overall draft capital.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen is a busy man. In addition to planned visits with the 49ers, Jets, Raiders, Giants and Lions, Allen will also meet with the Bengals, Buccaneers, Jaguars, and Bills, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Allen spent four years with the Wildcats, totaling 31.5 sacks in the process (17 of which came during his senior season). Viewed as the 2019 draft’s second-best pass rusher behind Ohio State’s Nick Bosa, Allen has been popularly mocked to New York at No. 3 and Oakland at No. 4.
- The Buccaneers are looking for help along their defensive line while holding the No. 5 overall selection in this month’s draft, and they’ve met with several top-end prospects this week. Mississippi State pass rusher Montez Sweat met with Tampa on Monday, while defensive tackles Ed Oliver (Houston) and Dexter Lawrence (Clemson) are sitting down with the Bucs today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Sweat and Oliver are in legitimate consideration to come off the board at No. 5, while Lawrence could be in play for Tampa Bay’s second-round pick (although he’d be a curious fit given the Buccaneers drafted fellow nose tackle Vita Vea 12th overall in 2018). Auburn cornerback prospect Jamel Dean also visited with Tampa Bay this week, per Rapoport.
- Sweat also met with the Jaguars this week, adds Rapoport, as did Florida offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor, reports Schefter (Twitter link). Both players could be available for Jacksonville at No. 7 in the first round, although Taylor would probably fill more of a need area. The Jaguars released starting right tackle Jermey Parnell earlier this offseason, so Taylor could immediately step opposite blindside protector Cam Robinson.
- Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson recently met with both the Lions and Dolphins, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Teams are interested in Jackson primarily due to his “rare physical traits,” per Pelissero, and the three-year starter certainly offers intriguing size at 6’7″, 245 pounds. Detroit could be searching for a developmental passer to play behind Matthew Stafford, while Miami simply needs warm bodies under center.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/3/19
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Adam Gettis
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed (original round restricted free agent): WR Rashard Higgins
- Re-signed (exclusive rights free agent): DL Trevon Coley, DB Jermaine Whitehead
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed (ERFA): LB Reggie Gilbert, G Justin McCray
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed (ERFA): WR Marcus Kemp
- Waived: CB Step Durham
New York Giants
- Waived: WR Quadree Henderson
New York Jets
- Re-signed (ERFA): RB De’Angelo Henderson, LB Frankie Luvu
Miami Dolphins
- Re-signed (ERFA): G Isaac Asiata, G Jesse Davis, DE Jonathan Woodard
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed (ERFA): S Isaiah Johnson, OL Mike Liedtke
East Notes: Pats, Redskins, Giants, Eagles
A third degree felony assault charge against Patriots defensive lineman Michael Bennett has been dismissed, reports David Barron of the Houston Chronicle. “After looking at all the evidence and applying the law, a crime could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” district attorney chief of staff Vivian King said in a statement. “There was probable cause to warrant a charge initially, but after a careful review of all the pre-charge and post-charge evidence, we cannot prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.” Bennett was accused of injuring a 66-year-old paraplegic while attempting to gain field access during Super Bowl LI, but he wasn’t arrested at the scene and no video exists of the incident. A member of the Seahawks when the episode occurred, Bennett has since been traded twice, first to Philadelphia and then to New England.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- The Redskins plan to host Duke quarterback Daniel Jones for a pre-draft visit next week, according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington. Once viewed as more of a Day 2 selection, Jones could be pushed into Round 1, and the division-rival Giants are reportedly interested in taking Jones with the 17th overall pick. A three-year starter, Jones completed 60.5% of his passes for 2,674 yards, 22 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 2018. Washington acquired Case Keenum earlier this year and still has Alex Smith on the books, but is in need of a long-term signal-caller given Smith’s health question marks.
- Ole Miss wide receiver A.J. Brown met with the Giants today and will visit the Redskins on Thursday, tweets Rapoport. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah pegs Brown as a fringe first-rounder, ranking him 36th on his most recent list of 2019’s top-50 prospects. Brown, who stands 6’1″, 225 pounds, managed at least 75 catches and 1,250 yards in each of the past two seasons. NFL clubs are reportedly pleased with Brown’s versatility, and many teams believe he can play both outside and in the slot, per James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- The Eagles will host Alabama running back Josh Jacobs next week, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Viewed as the top running back on the board, Jacobs could be selected in the first round, but the low value placed on backs could force him into Day 2. Philadelphia recently acquired Jordan Howard from the Bears, and he figures to handle the majority of early down work in 2019. Jacobs, though, could add another dimension to a backfield that also includes Corey Clement, Josh Adams, and Wendell Smallwood.
Falcons Re-Sign LB Kemal Ishmael
The Falcons have re-signed linebacker Kemal Ishmael to a one-year deal, the club announced Wednesday.
A seventh-round pick in the 2013 draft, Ishmael has spent his entire career in Atlanta. He saw the most action of his pro tenure back in 2014, when he made 10 starts and posted four interceptions. Since then, he’s made only 10 additional starts, but has played in 61 of a possible 64 games.
Originally drafted as a defensive back, Ishmael has since morphed into a linebacker. Last season, Ishmael played only 64 defensive snaps (the fewest of his career), but played a career-high 330 snaps on special teams, registering 21 tackles in the process. For what it’s worth, Atlanta finished 10th in Football Outsiders’ special teams metrics, but that ranking was mostly due to kicker Matt Bryant‘s success.
Last offseason, Ishmael re-signed with the Falcons on a one-year deal worth $1MM. That pact contained $210K in guaranteed money, and Ishmael likely inked a similar contract this time around.
Browns Re-Sign FB/TE Orson Charles
Orson Charles will spend another year in Cleveland, as the Browns have announced they’ve re-signed the veteran fullback/tight end.
Charles, 28, appeared in 13 games and made two starts for the Browns in 2018. He saw action on 173 offensive plays, the most snaps he’d played since his rookie campaign with the Bengals in 2012. Charles, originally a fourth-round pick, also chipped in on 265 special teams snaps.
Charles spent the first few seasons of his career with Hue Jackson as his position coach in Cincinnati, then followed Jackson to Cleveland in 2018 (with stops in New Orleans, Detroit, and Kansas City in between). Jackson, of course, is no longer with the Browns, but Cleveland’s decision-makers have still opted to bring Charles back for another season.
The Browns have added star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and former Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt to an offense that already included weapons like Nick Chubb, Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway, Rashard Higgins, and David Njoku, so Charles probably won’t see much action on offense unless injuries strike.