Week In Review: 5/11/14 – 5/18/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Major Move:
First-Round Pick Signings:
For a full recap of draft signings, visit the PFR Draft Pick Signing Tracker.
For a full breakdown of undfrafted free agent signings, click here.
Other Signings:
- 49ers – QB Josh Johnson (link)
- Browns – WR Miles Austin (link)
- Browns – WR Earl Bennett (link)
- Cowboys – RB Ryan Williams (link)
Waivers:
- Jets – claimed RB Daryl Richardson off waivers from the Rams (link)
Released:
- Browns – QB Vince Young (link)
- Browns – WR Greg Little (link)
Suspended:
- Colts edge rusher Robert Mathis: four games, violation of league policy on prohibited substances (link)
Other:
- Texans receiver Andre Johnson is frustrated with his team’s rebuilding phase, sparking rumors that the veteran could press for his release or a trade.
Follow all the latest news at PFR’s Transactions Page.
Saints Sign First-Rounder Brandin Cooks
2:26pm: Three and a half years of Cooks’ four-year deal is fully guaranteed, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (on Twitter).
2:00pm: The Saints have signed their first-round pick, receiver Brandin Cooks, according to a press release. The deal is for four years, with a club option for a fifth season.
Cooks, out of Oregon State, was selected with the 20th overall pick after New Orleans traded up to acquire him. At 5’10”, 185 pounds, he can play either outside or in the slot, and is expected to utilize his exceptional speed (4.33 40-yard-dash) to help replace the departed Darren Sproles. While the two place different positions, their impact on the Saints offense could be similar.
Cooks should receive a signing bonus of approximately $4.417MM, and a contract with a total value of about $8.383MM, according to figures from OverTheCap. The Saints now have just one member (fourth-round linebacker Khairi Fortt) of their modest six-man draft class left to sign.
Falcons Sign Five Draft Picks
The Falcons have signed five draft picks from their 2014 class, the team announced on its website. LB Prince Shembo (fourth round), CB Ricardo Allen (fifth round), LB Marcus Spruill (fifth round), LB Yawin Smallwood (seventh round), and LB Tyler Starr (seventh round) are now all under contract with Atlanta.
The five picks indicate a concerted effort by the Falcons to improve their defense, which graded as the fourth-worst unit by DVOA. While these Day 3 selections aren’t likely to have a significant impact on the team’s successes, they could add depth to an Atlanta defense that proved to be extremely thin in 2013. Atlanta still has four picks left to sign, including first-rounder Jake Matthews and second-rounder Ra’Shede Hageman.
Colts To Sign 20 Undrafted FAs
MONDAY, 11:10am: The Colts have added another name to their UDFA haul, announcing in a press release that they’ve also agreed to terms with Florida cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy.
SUNDAY, 1:44pm: The Colts have agreed to terms with 19 undrafted free agents, the team announced today in a press release. Here’s a complete list of the players heading to Indianapolis:
- Qua Cox, CB, Jackson State
- Marcus Hall, G, Ohio State
- Jonotthan Harrison, C, Florida
- Tyler Hoover, DE, Michigan State ($8K bonus, per Dave Birkett)
- Kameron Jackson, CB, California
- Zach Kerr, DT, Delaware
- Seth Lobato, QB, Northern Colorado
- Keon Lyn, CB, Syracuse
- Dewey McDonald, S, California University of Pennsylvania
- Gregory Moore, WR, Lane College
- Nnamdi Obukwelu, DE, Harvard
- Cody Parkey, K, Auburn
- Eric Pike, T, Towson
- Darius Polk, CB, Kent State
- Erik Swoope, TE, Miami
- Eric Thomas, WR, Troy
- Zurlon Tipton, RB, Central Michigan
- Josh Walker, G, Middle Tennessee State ($10K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
- Tony Washington, WR, Appalachian State
PFR Originals: 5/4/11 – 5/11/14
Here’s the original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Our Prospect Profile series continued, as I examined former Texas A&M offensive tackle (and Falcons draft pick) Jake Matthews.
- Zach Links rounded up the best football blogs in the latest installment of Pigskin Links.
- In last week’s polls, Luke Adams asked which trade up in the first round was best (more than a third said the Vikings move up for Teddy Bridgwater), I pondered who was the best player available heading into Day 3 of the draft (a virtual tie between A.J. McCarron and Pierre Desir), and Rob DiRe wondered which of the late-round quarterbacks would have the most success (with McCarron taking the top spot). Thanks for voting!
- Luke provided a breakdown of all the 2014 draft picks, both by round and by team.
Week In Review: 5/4/14 – 5/11/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Draft:
- The Texans selected South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney with the first overall pick.
- The Bills traded up to the No. 4 pick to draft Clemson WR Sammy Watkins.
- After much maneuvering, the Browns acquired pick No. 22 and selected Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel.
- The Vikings traded back into the first round and picked Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater with the 32nd pick.
Find the full results of the 2014 draft at the PFR Draft Tracker.
Major Move:
- The Seahawks signed CB Richard Sherman to a four-year, $56MM extension.
Other Signings:
- Broncos – DT Marvin Austin (link)
- Patriots – DE Will Smith (link)
- Cardinals – LB Larry Foote (link)
- Redskins – S Tanard Jackson (link)
Trades:
- 49ers – acquired WR Stevie Johnson from the Bills in exchange for a conditional 2015 third-round pick.
- Bills – acquired RB Bryce Brown from the Eagles in exchange for a conditional 2015 fourth-round pick or a 2016 third- or fourth-rounder.
Restricted Free Agency:
- Panthers offensive tackle Byron Bell signed his one-year, $2.187MM tender.
Retired:
- LB Bradie James (link)
Other:
- Browns receiver Josh Gordon is reportedly facing a season-long suspension following repeated violations of the league’s substance policy.
Follow all the latest news at PFR’s Transactions Page.
Eagles Notes: Kelly, Allen, Matthews, Reynolds
Eagles drafts continue to be influenced by head coach Chip Kelly’s relationship with Oregon, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Nine of the 15 players selected by Philadelphia during Kelly’s tenure have some connection to Oregon, where Kelly coached from 2007-12. While general manager Howie Roseman ultimately controls the draft board, Kelly doesn’t dispute that his opinion on certain players is affected by his past proximity to them. “I do believe I have a knowledge because I’ve seen them in person,” said the Eagles coach. “So I can weigh in on them with not just, ‘Hey, my evaluation of them on tape is this.’ . . . But it’s not a ‘Let’s take him because I saw him live.’ . . .We’re still going to go through the whole process and let everybody weigh in. There’s never been an instance, where ‘Hey, I feel this way about him but everybody else feels this way.'”
More notes from Philadelphia:
- Kelly spoke with reporters after the draft, and passed along some thoughts on seventh-rounder Beau Allen, a 6’2″, 331 pound defensive tackle from Nebraska, specifically regarding whether the Eagles were surprised Allen fell to them (per the Philly.com staff): “We were kind of holding our breath after we made our last pick, because it was such a long time until the next one,” said Kelly. “But it really depends. He’s a true nose tackle, so now you limit yourself to 3-4 teams taking Beau, but I think he fits. He’s in the same style that we teach. He’s got a good understanding of 3‑4 defense.”
- Philadelphia had hoped to select an offensive lineman at some point, but simply never got the chance, according to Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. “I thought we’d have some opportunities to get some O‑linemen, but there was a run in the third round that was like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Roseman. “It was like player after player after player, and all of a sudden we looked back up and our board was depleted, and we weren’t going to reach. That hurt because we went in thinking that we’d get some guys. I think the [quality] offensive linemen went earlier. I did not think it was a great group overall.”
- ESPN’s Chris Mortensen believes Eagles receiver Jordan Matthews, a second-rounder from Vanderbilt, will be the 2014 Offensive Rookie of the Year, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- Mel Kiper of ESPN gives the Eagles draft a “B+”, noting that he “loves” the selection of Matthews, and singles out fifth-round safety Ed Reynolds, whom Kiper believes could develop into a starter.
- Last night, we provided a list of the 15 undrafted free agents signed by Philadelphia.
Jets To Sign Eight Undrafted FAs
The Jets have agreed to terms with eight undrafted free agents, according to a press release. Here’s a full list of the players on their way to the Big Apple:
- Tevon Conrad, T, Saginaw Valley State
- Steele Divitto, LB, Boston College
- Anthony Grady, DE, Missouri State
- Kerry Hyder, DT, Texas Tech
- Terrence Miller, TE, Arizona
- Brent Qvale, T, Nebraska
- Zach Thompson, DE, Wake Forest
- Chad Young, FB, San Diego State
Seahawks Notes: Marsh, Chancellor, Norwood
We already included some Seahawks tidbits within our latest NFC West roundup, but here are a few more notes out of the Pacific Northwest:
- Seattle is very excited about about fourth-round pick Cassius Marsh, a versatile defensive lineman out of UCLA, whom head coach Pete Carroll likens to current Seahawks DL Michael Bennett. “Michael has so much flexibility, and Cassius likewise does — we think,” said Carroll. “He would, in essence, follow Michael around for a while and learn about the different spots that we play.” Marsh, who also caught two passes as a tight end in college, could even see some time in a H-back role for the Seahawks, writes Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times.
- Within the same Jenks piece, Carroll said he expects safety Kam Chancellor, who had hip surgery this offseason, to be available for the start of training camp.
- The Seahawks added to their receiving corps by drafting not only Paul Richardson in the second round, but Kevin Norwood in the fourth, whom general manager John Schneider lauded for his consistency, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “There’s nothing overly flashy about him,’’ said Schneider. “Except that he’s incredibly tough and reliable and smart and savvy. I think that’s probably why he lasted as long as he did.’’
- ESPN.com’s Terry Blount provides a wrap-up of the Seahawks’ effort on draft day, listing Seattle’s best play as trading down several times and acquiring extra picks, and the team’s riskiest move as passing on UCLA guard Xavier Su’a-Filo at the end of the first round.
- ESPN’s Mel Kiper graded the Seahawks draft as a “C+”, noting that while he would have liked to see the team draft an offensive lineman early, the Seattle brain trust has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to selecting lesser-known players.
- Late last night, we passed along a list of the nine UDFAs signed by the Seahawks.
NFC Notes: Panthers, Redskins, Finley, Eagles
The latest news and notes from the National Football Conference:
- Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says the team had a first-round grade on defensive end Kony Ealy, whom Carolina selected with the No. 60 pick, tweets ESPN.com’s David Newton.
- Gettleman also hopes to draft a corner on Day 3, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Along with offensive line and receiver, both of which were addressed, defensive back was considered a strong need for the Panthers.
- The Redskins, having missed out on Charles Sims, were hoping that running back Tre Mason would be available at pick No. 78, but he went No. 75 to the Rams, says Chris Russell of ESPN 980 in Washington (Twitter link).
- Packers general manager Ted Thompson doesn’t rule out a return to Green Bay for tight end Jermichael Finley simply because the team selected Richard Rodgers. “I don’t necessarily think the two are tied at all,” said Thompson (via Jason Wilde of ESPN.com on Twitter).
- The Eagles might want to draft some “redshirt” players on Day 3 (i.e. injured prospects who may miss most of their first year in the league), and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Philadelphia could be interested in Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin, who tore his ACL during Senior Bowl practice in January.
- Nothing is official, but veteran offensive guard Brian Waters probably won’t return to the Cowboys in 2014, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (via Twitter), who notes that Waters still has not had surgery on his torn triceps.