Patriots Name Eliot Wolf As Top Personnel Executive
The writing’s been on the wall for some time now, but the long-rumored favorite to take over lead front office duties in New England, vacated during the exit of former head coach Bill Belichick, will officially be taking the job.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network was the first to report that director of scouting Eliot Wolf, who had been acting this offseason as de facto general manager of the Patriots since Belichick’s departure, has officially been named the team’s executive vice president of player personnel. 
The news may seem a bit underwhelming giving the lack of a “general manager” title, but it appears that Wolf’s promotion is essentially the Patriots’ action to fill that general manager role. New England has long been without an official general manager after owner Robert Kraft hired Belichick as head coach and name him “de facto” general manager, as well. That trend appears set to continue, according to Pelissero, as the team still won’t have a general manager in title.
That doesn’t lessen the importance of Wolf’s new position, though. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Wolf will oversee the overall direction of the player personnel department, will oversee management of the salary cap, and will be in control of the team’s 53-man active roster, all roles that are generally filled by a team’s general manager.
At 42 years old, Wolf has been in working in the NFL for 20 years. He first broke into the league as a pro personnel assistant with the Packers in 2004 before being promoted to assistant director of pro personnel in 2008 and assistant director of player personnel in 2011. A year later, Wolf was elevated to director of pro personnel before receiving promotions to director of player personnel in 2015 and director of football operations in 2016.
After two seasons in that role and 13 years in Green Bay, Wolf spent two years as the assistant general manager for the Browns under then-general manager John Dorsey. When Dorsey and the Browns parted ways, Wolf joined the Patriots in 2020 as a scouting consultant. For the last two years, Wolf has served as New England’s director of scouting. Wolf may not have been around for the era of the Patriots’ dynasty, but he does hold a Super Bowl ring from his time in Green Bay that saw seven NFC North titles and 10 playoff appearances.
Together with newly promoted head coach Jerod Mayo, Wolf helps to form a new, young top two under Kraft. Several years removed from the reign of Tom Brady and now without Belichick, it will be up to Mayo and Wolf to bring in a new era of success in New England.
Bills Add 13 UDFAs
The Bills addressed several positions of need with their 10 NFL Draft picks in April. Now, the team grows their rookie class to 22 players with the addition of these 13 undrafted free agents:
- Joe Andreessen, LB (Buffalo)
- Keaton Bills, G (Utah)
- Rondell Bothroyd, DT (Oklahoma)
- Gunner Britton, G (Auburn)
- Jack Browning, P (San Diego State)
- Te’Cory Couch, CB (Miami)
- Branson Deen, DT (Miami)
- Mike Edwards, OL (Campbell)
- Frank Gore Jr., RB (Southern Mississippi)
- Xavier Johnson, WR (Ohio State)
- Lawrence Keys, WR (Tulane)
- Keni-H Lovely, CB (Western Michigan)
- David Ugwoegbu, DE (Houston)
The obvious notable addition here is that of Gore. The son of the former All-Pro running back who spent one of his 16 seasons in the NFL in Buffalo, Gore isn’t expected to quite reach the heights of his father. In four years at Southern Miss, Gore had a career average of 5.3 yards per carry while accumulating 4,022 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns. His toughness and special teams experience could help him land on the Bills’ active roster.
Also on offense, the Bills brought in a few quality linemen. The aptly named Bills, wasn’t expected to go undrafted, projecting in the sixth or seventh round. Bills signed with the Utes as part of a Utah signing class that included players who are now veterans in the NFL like Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss but deferred for three years to go on a religious mission. Edwards was a starting left tackle at Campbell for four years but projects better as a guard at the next level. Health proved an issue for Edwards in college, so staying injury-free will be paramount. Britton received $100K guaranteed, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
On defense, Buffalo adds Ugwoegbu at defensive end. After four years at Oklahoma as a linebacker, Ugwoegbu transferred to Houston and made the move to end. He doesn’t really have true pass rush instincts, but he’s a strong run defender. That and his ability to play up or with his hand in the dirt could help him earn a roster spot as a rookie.
Andreessen was among the Bills’ invites to rookie minicamp on a try-out basis, and he has earned a deal. The former All-American (during his time at Bryant) transferred to Buffalo last season. He racked up 90 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in 2023. The Depew, New York native will now get an opportunity during the summer with his hometown team.
Lastly, Lovely comes in as an undersized addition to the secondary. During two years as a starter for the Broncos, Lovely showed tremendous ball skills, breaking up 13 passes while nabbing six interceptions.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Veteran WR Albert Wilson Retires
NFL wide receiver Albert Wilson went undrafted out of Georgia State in 2014 despite setting multiple records for the Panthers. He signed with the Chiefs and ended up making the team’s 53-man roster as a rookie. 10 years later, Wilson has put together a solid career and has now decided to hang up his cleats, according to the 31-year-old’s Instagram. 
In that rookie season, Wilson appeared in 12 games making two starts. The undrafted rookie finished behind only Dwayne Bowe in receptions (16) and yards (260) in a receivers room that caught no touchdowns from Alex Smith; all his touchdowns went to tight ends Travis Kelce and Anthony Fasano, running backs Jamaal Charles, Joe McKnight, and Knile Davis, and full back Anthony Sherman.
In subsequent years, Wilson remained the WR2 for Smith, playing second fiddle to Jeremy Maclin in 2015 and Tyreek Hill in 2017. Those were Wilson’s best statistical seasons, seeing him catch for 451 yards and two touchdowns in 2015 and 554 yards and three touchdowns in 2017.
His impressive work as a No. 2 receiver earned him a three-year contract with the Dolphins. Receiving in Miami from Ryan Tannehill, Brock Osweiler, and Josh Rosen, Wilson found himself as a contributor on some disappointing offenses. When his contract expired, Wilson signed in the 2022 offseason with the Vikings before getting cut two months later. The Raiders signed Wilson to their practice squad in October later that season. He flirted with the active roster but never got to make a game appearance with Las Vegas.
Overall, in his career, Wilson appeared in 89 total games making 38 starts. He recorded 218 receptions for 2,499 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding on a score on the ground and even a passing touchdown. Wilson won’t be finding his way into the Hall of Fame, but for an undrafted player out of Georgia State, he made the most of his opportunities and put together a strong career.
Bengals Sign 14 Undrafted Free Agents
After an unexpected fourth-place finish in the AFC North, the Bengals went to work in order to get back into the race of the league’s toughest division, putting together a 10-man rookie draft class. They’ll expand their rookie group by 14 with these undrafted free agent additions:
- Justin Blazek, DE (Wisconsin-Platteville)
- Cole Burgess, WR (SUNY Cortland)
- Noah Cain, HB (LSU)
- Aaron Casey, LB (Indiana)
- Elijah Collins, HB (Oklahoma State)
- Michael Dowell, S (Miami (OH))
- Cam Grandy, TE (Illinois State)
- PJ Jules, S (Southern Illinois)
- Rocky Lombardi, QB (Northern Illinois)
- Austin McNamara, P (Texas Tech)
- Eric Miller, OT (Louisville)
- Tre Mosley, WR (Michigan State)
- Maema Njongmeta, LB (Wisconsin)
- Lance Robinson, CB (Tulane)
On offense, Burgess was a small school stud in Division III football. In three years as a starter in college, Burgess caught 176 balls for 3,095 yards and 35 touchdowns. He has clearly demonstrated that he has the tools to succeed in the NFL after dominating at the DIII level, but he will need to handle the significant leap in the level of competition to earn a roster spot.
Another small school phenom, Blazek will likewise need to make the jump to NFL competition. In two full seasons as a starter, Blazek earned DIII first-team All-American honors with a combined 17.5 sacks, 29.0 tackles for loss, and 11 passes deflected. He has the athleticism and the drive to make a go at a roster spot. Jules is one more small school prospect with massive production. He has great range and plays the ball aggressively, helping him get 29 passes defensed in his career. He also showed the other side of safety play in 2023, tallying 111 tackles and 13.0 tackles for loss.
It was a bit of a shock to see Casey go undrafted after a monster season for the Hoosiers. After leading the team in total tackle (86) and tackles for loss (10.5) in his first season as a starter in 2022, Casey stuffed the stat sheet with 109 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles in 2023. He takes a lot of risks that bite him, but he’s an aggressive defender with NFL potential. Njongmeta’s production came more in 2022, but in his two years as a starter, he combined for 154 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Panthers Sign 19 UDFA Rookies
The Panthers were able to address some weak spots on the roster with their draft picks last month but weren’t able to add much help to the offensive and defensive fronts. Thanks to a number of departures and a relatively small, seven-man draft class, Carolina was able to add a large, 19-man undrafted free agent group that does just that. Here’s the list of new UDFAs:
- Ulumoo Ale, DT (Washington)
- Popo Aumavae, DE (Oregon)
- Jalen Coker, WR (Holy Cross)
- Jeremiah Crawford, OT (Tennessee)
- Willie Drew, CB (Virginia State)
- Christian Duffie, OT (Kansas State)
- Kenny Dyson, OLB (Bryant)
- Kevin Foelsch, TE (New Haven)
- DeShawn Gaddie, CB (Mississippi)
- Darius Hodges, DE (Tulane)
- Clayton Isbell, S (Coastal Carolina)
- Derrick McLendon, OLB (Colorado)
- Harrison Mevis, K (Missouri) (story)
- Jackson Mitchell, LB (UConn)
- Sam Pinckney, WR (Coastal Carolina)
- Jack Plummer, QB (Louisville)
- Andrew Raym, C (Oklahoma)
- Demani Richardson, S (Texas A&M)
- Jaden Shirden, RB (Monmouth)
On offense, the Panthers add a little depth and a bit of potential, as well. Plummer was a journeyman in college, playing at Purdue for four years before spending a year each at Cal and Louisville. After a quiet tenure with the Boilermakers, Plummer delivered back-to-back 3,000-yard, 21-touchdown passing seasons for the Golden Bears and Cardinals.
At running back, Shirden doesn’t have much size or power, but his quick burst and speed are great attributes. In 2022, he led the FCS in rushing with 1,722 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 8.4 yards per carry. He followed that up in 2023 with 1,478 yards and 10 touchdowns. Coker was another small school phenom at Holy Cross. In his final two years, Coker caught 109 balls for 1,952 yards and 26 touchdowns. The jump in competition will be large for both players, but if they can make the adjustment, they could each earn roster spots.
Raym could be an underrated addition as a backup center after 29 starts at the position for the Sooners. He lacks perfect technique and athleticism but has toughness and instincts that could help him succeed in the NFL, and we’ve seen other linemen out of Oklahoma with similar limitations strive in the league.
On defense, Carolina brings in the try-hard Husky Mitchell. In all three years as a full-time starter, Mitchell led his team in tackles with 120, 140, and 113 from 2021-23. He stuffed the stat sheet over his collegiate career with 25 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, 10 passes defensed, and three interceptions. He struggles to overcome blockers and doesn’t cover well, but his above-average play recognition could make him a nuisance.
The Panthers added a small school phenom on defense, as well. Drew comes in from Virginia State, where he dominated in his last two seasons as a starter. He showed elite ball skills, racking up 34 passes defensed and 11 interceptions in those two years. Like Shirden and Coker, he’ll need to trust his abilities and develop to compete with much tougher competition.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Texans Add Six UDFAs To Rookie Class
The Texans made a quick turnaround in 2023 thanks to the contributions of a young core. They’ll try to keep improving with this year’s rookie class, which will consist of the team’s nine-man draft class and these six undrafted free agent signees:
- Tarique Barnes, LB (Illinois)
- British Brooks, RB (North Carolina)
- Jadon Janke, WR (South Dakota State)
- Jaxon Janke, WR (South Dakota State)
- Pheldarius Payne, DE (Virginia Tech)
- Max Tooley, LB (BYU)
Tooley, Barnes, and Payne are all receiving some substantial guarantees as undrafted players, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Tooley is being guaranteed $125K consisting of $100K of his base salary and a $25K signing bonus. Barnes is being guaranteed $95K consisting of $85K of his base salary and a $10K signing bonus. And Payne is being guaranteed $90K consisting of $75K of his base salary and a $15K signing bonus.
Houston also adds the Janke twins out of South Dakota State. Jaxon was the star of the two after eclipsing the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 2021 and leading the Jackrabbits in receiving for three straight years en route to back-to-back FCS national championships, but Jadon was no slouch in comparison, leading the Jackrabbits in receiving last year. Over 71 games played, Jaxon accumulated 244 catches for 3,677 yards and 29 touchdowns while mostly playing on the outside. In 69 games, Jadon tallied 170 catches for 2,800 yards and 30 touchdowns while splitting time between the slot and outside. Both returned both punt and kicks, with Jaxon mainly doing punt returns and Jadon focused more on kickoff returns. It will be interesting to see if either twin can earn a role in a talented Texans depth chart.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/10/24
Yesterday’s rush of rookie signings continued today. Here are Friday’s draft pick signings:
Arizona Cardinals
- TE Tip Reiman (third round, Illinois)
Atlanta Falcons
- LB JD Bertrand (fifth round, Notre Dame)
- RB Jase McClellan (sixth round, Alabama)
- WR Casey Washington (sixth round, Illinois)
- DT Zion Logue (sixth round, Georgia)
Cincinnati Bengals
- DT McKinnley Jackson (third round, Texas A&M)
- CB Josh Newton (fifth round, TCU)
- TE Tanner McLachlan (sixth round, Arizona)
- S Daijahn Anthony (seventh round, Mississippi)
- C Matt Lee (seventh round, Miami (FL))
Cleveland Browns
- G Zak Zinter (third round, Michigan)
- WR Jamari Thrash (fifth round, Louisville)
- LB Nathaniel Watson (sixth round, Mississippi State)
- CB Myles Harden (seventh round, South Dakota)
- DT Jowon Briggs (seventh round, Cincinnati)
Detroit Lions
- T Giovanni Manu (fourth round, British Columbia)
- RB Sione Vaki (fourth round, Utah)
- DT Mekhi Wingo (sixth round, LSU)
- G Christian Mahogany (sixth round, Boston College)
Las Vegas Raiders
- T DJ Glaze (third round, Maryland)
Los Angeles Chargers
- LB Junior Colson (third round, Michigan)
- CB Tarheeb Still (fifth round, Maryland)
- CB Cam Hart (fifth round, Notre Dame)
- RB Kimani Vidal (sixth round, Troy)
- WR Brenden Rice (seventh round, USC)
- WR Cornelius Johnson (seventh round, Michigan)
Minnesota Vikings
- K Will Reichard (sixth round, Alabama)
- C Michael Jurgens (seventh round, Wake Forest)
- DT Levi Drake Rodriguez (seventh round, Texas A&M-Commerce)
New England Patriots
- CB Marcellas Dial (sixth round, South Carolina)
- QB Joe Milton III (sixth round, Tennessee)
- TE Jaheim Bell (seventh round, Florida State)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- G Mason McCormick (fourth round, South Dakota State)
- DT Logan Lee (sixth round, Iowa)
San Francisco 49ers
- OL Dominick Puni (third round, Kansas)
- S Malik Mustapha (fourth round, Wake Forest)
- LB Tatum Bethune (seventh round, Florida State)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- RB Bucky Irving (fourth round, Oregon)
- G Elijah Klein (sixth round, UTEP)
Washington Commanders
- WR Luke McCaffrey (third round, Rice)
- LB Jordan Magee (fifth round, Temple)
- S Dominique Hampton (fifth round, Washington)
- DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste (seventh round, Notre Dame)
Rams Sign Second-Round DT Braden Fiske
The Rams have begun the process of signing their 2024 NFL Draft picks. They open their draft signings by inking second-round defensive tackle out of Florida State Braden Fiske. According to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, Fiske enters the NFL on a four-year, $9.41MM deal that sees a $3.66MM signing bonus and 15 percent of his Year 4 salary included in the total fully guaranteed amount of $7.64MM. 
Fiske was part of an undefeated (in the regular season) Florida State squad built off the transfer portal. Fiske was one of those contributors out of the portal for the Seminoles after five years at Western Michigan.
The Michigan-native became a full-time starter in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and set career highs with the Broncos two years later in total tackles (58), tackles for loss (12.0), sacks (six), forced fumbles (two), and pass deflections (three). In one season as a full-time starter in Tallahassee, Fiske did more of the same, tallying nine tackles for loss and six sacks en route to a second-team All-ACC selection.
Fiske’s game should translate well at the NFL level. He brings ideal size to the position and wins often with his initial quickness. Mainly relying on club moves and bull rushes, he’ll need to add a few more moves to his pass-rush arsenal, but his consistency and drive will likely help him earn a big role as a rookie.
In Los Angeles, Fiske joins a defensive front that looks to replace future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald and Jonah Williams. The team returns second-year nose tackle Kobie Turner, who started four games as a rookie, and Bobby Brown III, who started 13 games but played less than half as many defensive snaps as Turner. Fiske stands to likely slot in as a starter, if not simply a large contributor, as a rookie, similar to Turner last year. His ability to play all over the line should allow Fiske several opportunities to earn his way onto the field.
Including Fiske’s fellow Florida State transfer contributor Jared Verse, the team’s first-round selection, the Rams have nine other draft picks to sign:
- Round 1, No. 19: Jared Verse (EDGE, Florida State)
- Round 2, No. 39 (from Panthers): Braden Fiske (DT, Florida State) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 83: Blake Corum (RB, Michigan)
- Round 3, No. 99: Kamren Kinchens (S, Miami)
- Round 5, No. 154: Brennan Jackson (WR, Washington State)
- Round 6, No. 196: Tyler Davis (DT, Clemson)
- Round 6, No. 209: Joshua Karty (K, Stanford)
- Round 6, No. 213: Jordan Whittington (WR, Texas)
- Round 6, No. 217: Beaux Limmer (C, Arkansas)
- Round 7, No. 254: KT Leveston (G, Kansas State)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/24
Friday’s minor transactions as we head into the weekend:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Dylan Drummond
Buffalo Bills
- Deemed international roster exemption: T Travis Clayton
Carolina Panthers
- Released: RB Tarik Cohen
- Waived: WR Jalen Camp, TE Chris Pierce Jr.
- Waived (with injured designation): RB Spencer Brown, T Ilm Manning, DT Raequan Williams
- Waived (with non-football injury designation): CB AJ Parker
Dallas Cowboys
- Deemed international roster exemption: DT Denzel Daxon
Denver Broncos
- Deemed international roster exemption: TE Thomas Yassmin
Houston Texans
- Waived: RB Gerrid Doaks
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: WR Terrell Bynum
Miami Dolphins
- Deemed international roster exemption: T Bayron Matos
New York Giants
- Waived (with injured designation): RB Deon Jackson
Cohen hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since his time in Chicago, where he earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as a punt returner, ended in 2020. The North Carolina A&T product had been part of an effective 1-2 punch with Jordan Howard but saw his role diminish with the arrival of David Montgomery in 2019. Since then, injuries have limited the explosive rusher’s ability to make an impact.
NFL Workouts: Jones, Ward, Summers, Tagovailoa
Veteran wide receiver Zay Jones continues to make the rounds after getting released by the Jaguars last week. Since then, the 29-year-old pass catcher has taken visits with the Titans, Cardinals, and Cowboys. The newest report has Jones scheduling a visit with the Chiefs tomorrow, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
An impressive 2022 campaign that saw Jones catch 82 balls for 823 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs except for the touchdowns, was virtually erased by a disappointing 2023 campaign in which the receiver missed eight games due to a PCL issue and femur damage. The Jaguars opted not to finish out Jones’ final season of a three-year contract, for which Jones would have represented a $6.57MM cap charge.
In Kansas City, Jones could be a part of a completely new-look wide receiving corps for Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs have added Marquise Brown in free agency and Texas first-round rookie Xavier Worthy in the draft. They also return Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, and Noah Gray from last year, but Rice could be facing some legal trouble, and if healthy, Jones would be an improvement over the other three while playing alongside Brown and Worthy.
Here are a few other workouts happening around the NFL:
- Career depth running back Jonathan Ward is participating in the Steelers rookie minicamp, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Over four years with the Cardinals and Titans, Ward only has 69 career rushing yards on 17 carries. He’s proven to be an active special teams contributor during that time, though.
- The Broncos took a look at veteran linebacker Ty Summers at their rookie minicamp this past weekend, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Summers only has one career start over five years with the Packers, Jaguars, and Saints but has appeared in 71 games over that span. A linebacker with some speed, Summers is a productive special teamer, as well.
- After agreeing to participate in the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp, undrafted Maryland quarterback, and brother of the Dolphins’ starting passer, Taulia Tagovailoa will attend the Cardinals‘ rookie minicamp this week, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The rookie will audition to join last year’s fifth-round pick Clayton Tune and 2022’s third-round pick for Atlanta Desmond Ridder as potential backup arms for Kyler Murray in 2024.
- An undrafted linebacker who graduated from Harvard before playing as a graduate transfer at Villanova, Daniel Abraham has been invited to minicamps for both the Falcons and the Seahawks, per Wilson. The speedy linebacker obviously poses some interest due to both his athleticism and his intellect.