NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/23/22
Here is the latest mid- or late-round pick to sign his rookie deal:
New York Jets
- DE Micheal Clemons (fourth round, Texas A&M)
Clemons played four years for the Aggies after spending a year in JUCO at Cisco College. He saved his best season for last totaling 7.0 sacks, 11.0 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and two passes defensed during his final year in College Station. Clemons joins rookie Jermaine Johnson II in competition with Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers, Vinny Curry, Jabari Zuniga, Bryce Huff, and Jacob Martin for playing time at defensive end.
With the singing, the Jets now have two unsigned draft picks: second-round Iowa State running back Breece Hall and fourth-round Louisiana offensive lineman Max Mitchell.
Titans, S Amani Hooker Discuss Extension
Tennessee has a number of players that they are interested in extending over the next season and, according to Terry McCormick of Titan Insider, the Titans have already had discussions with fourth-year safety Amani Hooker. 
Hooker was a fourth-round pick out of the University of Iowa in 2019. He spent his rookie season cutting his teeth as a star on special teams. In year two with the Titans, Hooker worked as a sub-package player, earning more playing time and four interceptions as a result.
Hooker started the 2021 NFL season as the team’s starter at strong safety before a Week 1 groin injury sidelined him for the next five weeks. He returned and became the fourth-leading tackler on the team despite only playing in 12 games. Hooker meshes well with free safety Kevin Byard to form one of the more formidable safety duos in the league. The Titans would certainly like to keep the two together.
Another 2019 draft pick looking to stick around is linebacker David Long Jr. Long was a sixth-round draft pick that served as a reserve linebacker and special teamer his rookie season before filling in for an injured Jayon Brown in the playoffs. In an extremely similar path to Hooker, Long earned more playing time as a substitute before ultimately earning a starting role in 2021. Long was the team’s second-leading tackler despite only appearing in 10 games last season.
The Titans will likely continue pursuing new deals for Hooker and Long in the next few weeks, but the team, as a general rule, tends not to do any contract negotiations during the season. So if any further progress is made, it will likely occur between the start of training camp and Tennessee’s home opener on September 11.
Latest On D’Ernest Johnson’s Browns Deal
A little over a week ago, the Browns reached an agreement to re-sign running back D’Ernest Johnson to a one-year deal. Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed reported some details on the contract. 
Johnson’s deal is billed as a one-year, $2.43MM contract. The deal will have a base salary of $1.07MM with a guaranteed amount of $729,125 and a signing bonus of $151,500. It is unclear from Kyed’s breakdown if the reported guaranteed amount includes the signing bonus or if it is an additional guaranteed portion of the base salary.
Johnson will also have the ability to increase the maximum value of the contract through a number of performance-based incentives. He can earn an additional $450K if he reaches 545 rushing yards and can up that bonus to $608,250 if he can get to 670 rushing yards. Likewise, Johnson can earn an additional $450K if he reaches 700 total yards from scrimmage and can increase that bonus to $608,250 if he can total 835 yards from scrimmage. The achievement of earning any of these incentive bonuses would represent career-highs in either category for Johnson.
The Browns had placed a $2.43MM restricted free agent tender on Johnson in March. The base salary ($1.07MM), the signing bonus ($151,500), and the two maximum incentive bonuses ($608,250 each) make up that $2.43MM amount.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/13/22
Two players signed their rookie contracts today:
Baltimore Ravens
- P Jordan Stout (fourth round, Penn State)
Stout transferred to Penn State after two fairly inactive years at Virginia Tech. Stout served double-duty in Happy Valley kicking both punts and field goals. Stout kicked 100 punts during his time as a Nittany Lion, as well as converting 16 of 23 field goals and 34 of 36 extra points. Stout will be asked to fill big shoes after long-time Ravens punter Sam Koch announced his retirement last month. Stout will likely also be able to save All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker‘s leg a little stress, as Stout served as the kickoff specialist during his time at both Virginia Tech and Penn State.
Los Angeles Chargers
- S J.T. Woods (third round, Baylor)
Woods’s role as a safety changed a bit over his time in Waco. His first two years saw him play a bit more in the box, as he recorded 2.0 sacks and three fumble recoveries. He developed a bit of range in his next two years as a Bear, totaling eight interceptions over that time period. Woods even had a knack for being dangerous with the ball in his hands, averaging 25.13 return yards per interception. He showed true play-making ability as a senior recording 4.5 tackles for loss while also returning both an interception and a fumble for a touchdown. He adds safety depth to a Chargers roster with Nasir Adderley, Derwin James, and Alohi Gilman at the top of the depth chart.
Bears Release Jeremiah Attaochu, Sign Mike Pennel
The Bears made a roster swap of eight-year veterans today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, releasing linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu and signing defensive tackle Mike Pennel. Both defenders have spent their careers as role players, earning starts here and there without ever consistently serving as a starter on defense. 
Attaochu was a second-round pick for the Chargers back in 2014. He made an immediate impact in his NFL debut, recording a strip sack and a blocked punt. He had the best year of his career in his sophomore season. Attaochu started 12 games that year, recording a career-highs in sacks (6.0), tackles for loss (15.0), quarterback hits (17), and tackles (44 solo and 11 assisted). He added a forced fumble and one pass defensed for good measure. In his last season with the Chargers, Attaochu only started one game and was limited to eight appearances due to ankle and foot injuries.
Attaochu signed as a free agent with San Francisco but was released before the season started. He was quickly picked up by the Jets but was only used in a limited capacity recording 2.0 sacks in eleven games. The next offseason, Attaochu signed with the Chiefs as a free agent but, once again, was released on September 1st, before the season.
Attaochu stayed unsigned a bit longer this time, finally joining the Broncos in October of the 2019 NFL season. He did enough during his first year with the Broncos to get re-signed on another one-year deal. During his two-year tenure in Denver, Attaochu started ten games, recording 8.5 sacks, 11.0 tackles for loss, and 14 quarterback hits, also forcing and recovering one fumble a piece.
His resurgence in Denver led the Bears to sign Attaochu to a two-year deal last offseason. He played fairly limited snaps as a Bear in five games before suffering a pectoral tear that would sideline him for the rest of the season. By waiting to cut Attaochu after June 1, the Bears reduced their dead money over the next two years from $2.25MM to $1.05MM.
In a corresponding move, the Bears brought in the 31-year-old Pennel. After going undrafted in 2014, Pennel has stayed an impressive eight years in the league, starting as a bit of a reserve defensive lineman before evolving into more of a rotational contributor over the last five years of his career. Pennel has 16 starts over his career, along with 2.0 sacks and 176 total career tackles. He’ll likely compete with Khyiris Tonga for playing time behind Angelo Blackson and Justin Jones in Chicago.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/13/22
Today’s minor moves around the league:
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed: K Gabe Brkic (from Minnesota)
- Waived: K Dominik Eberle
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: CB Chris Jones
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OLB Andre Mintze
New England Patriots
- Reverted to reserve/NFI (after going unclaimed on waivers): K Quinn Nordin
Tennessee Titans
- Released: S Jamal Carter (from IR)
Washington Commanders
- Waived: DB Will Adams, K Brian Johnson
Buccaneers, Vikings Announce Updates To Front Office, Scouting Departments
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht announced a litany of promotions and new titles in the front office and scouting department this weekend, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic. Rob McCartney and Mike Biehl have both been granted the role of director of player personnel, promotions from their previous roles of director of pro scouting and director of college scouting, respectively. They’ll likely continue to focus on those areas of scouting, but with additional responsibilities added, as well.
Byron Kiefer has been promoted from senior national scout to assistant director of college scouting, Antwan Murray and Tony Hardie have both been promoted from area scouts to national scouts, and Shannon Hogue has been promoted from scouting assistant to scouting analyst. Cesar Rivera and Brian McLaughlin have both been made college scouts, after previously serving as scouting coordinator and NFS/combine scout, respectively, and Zach Smith will step into McLaughlin’s role as combine scout, a step up from his previous role of scouting assistant. Former Jaguars director of college scouting Mark Ellenz has been hired as a college scout and former football operations intern Peighton Roth has been officially brought on as a scouting coordinator.
The Vikings also announced the finishing touches to new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah‘s staff this weekend. The team added two new hires in pro scout Donovan Jackson and national scout David Williams. Chisom Opara has been promoted from national scout to assistant director of player personnel, Chris Blanco has been promoted from assistant director of pro scouting to director of pro personnel, and Taylor Brooks has been promoted from scouting associate to player personnel analyst.
There were a number of updated title announcements, as well. We knew that former Colts general manager Ryan Grigson would be joining Adofo-Mensah in Minnesota, but we now know he will be in the role of senior vice president of player personnel. Ryan Monnens and Jamaal Stephenson have gone from co-directors of player personnel to director of player personnel and senior personnel executive, respectively, Imarjaye Albury has moved from the coaching role of assistant defensive line coach to pro scout, Sean Gustus has gone from area scout to national scout, and Kaitlin Zarecki has gone from manager of player development/special assistant to the general manager to football operations manager & special assistant to the general manager & head coach.
Finally, Minnesota announced some title changes to the analytics team with director of football analytics & pro scout Scott Kuhn dropping “analytics” for the more specific “quantitative methods.” Similarly, Rex Johnson has gone from research manager to football quantitative methods manager and Chris French has gone from football analyst to football quantitative methods analyst.
Latest On Steelers’ QB Competition
As Pittsburgh rolls into the post-Roethlisberger era, they are in the less than common situation of having four drafted quarterbacks on the roster. Mind you, the Steelers did not originally draft Mitchell Trubisky, but the point is that while most teams’ third- and/or fourth-string quarterbacks tend to be undrafted long-shots, every quarterback on Pittsburgh’s roster had draft capital invested in them. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic gave a breakdown this weekend of where each of these quarterbacks has slotted through spring practices. 
Pittsburgh acquired Trubisky in free agency this offseason after also considering then-free agents Teddy Bridgewater and Jameis Winston. Despite the hole left behind center, the Steelers never seemed to consider trade options such as Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo and made it known early that they were not going to acquire Deshaun Watson. Trubisky signed a reasonable two-year deal to compete for the starting job in Pittsburgh after spending last season as Josh Allen‘s backup in Buffalo.
Trubisky saw all of his work this spring come with the first-team offense, throwing almost solely to Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and Pat Freiermuth. Not only did he only work with the first-team, he was the only quarterback to work with the first-team receivers and offensive line combination. Trubisky appears to be a good fit with offensive coordinator Matt Canada‘s motion-heavy offense. Regardless of whether or not this is a clear indication of who will start Week 1, Trubisky is in the mindset that he will win the job saying, “I’m preparing to be a starter. I feel like, no matter what position you’re in, that’s the way you should prepare.”
The quarterback taking snaps with the second-team is not who most would assume. Third-year Steeler Mason Rudolph is currently the second-string quarterback. The former third-round draft pick has started 10 games over his career (eight in his rookie season) with limited success. Despite the potential for him to settle in as someone who had their chance and watched it pass by, Rudolph reportedly “looked the best of the four quarterbacks” this spring. Rudolph is a meticulous worker and preparer and threw the most consistent ball with the biggest body in the group. While many considered him to be nothing more than a camp body, Rudolph put himself in the quarterback conversation, even if it will require some failures from Trubisky and Pickett to get him to the top of the depth chart. “This is the best opportunity I’ve had in four years,” Rudolph told Kaboly. “I am excited, and I look forward to competing.”
Working as the third-string quarterback this spring has been rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett. Head coach Mike Tomlin and Canada both offered that their current snap distribution is based solely on seniority, with Pickett falling behind Trubisky and Rudolph despite the possibility that he may be the most talented of the bunch. The idea is for Pickett to take the time this spring “to learn how to be a pro,” getting comfortable with the scheme and playbook now so that he can focus on competing for his depth chart spot in the summer. Luckily for Pickett, he has a bit of a leg up in terms of the language of the playbook with some familiarity from the time Canada recruited Pickett to Pitt. Pickett didn’t have too many snaps fewer than Trubisky or Rudolph, but his third-string status had him throwing to a very different receiver group. Pickett said he was “trying to be the best pro (he) can be,” calling this spring “100 percent successful.”
Lastly on the roster is rookie seventh-round draft pick Chris Oladokun. Oladokun transferred from South Florida to Samford to South Dakota State throughout his college career, spending that whole time outside of consistent Power 5 football. According to Kaboly, it showed, as Oladokun “looked like a guy who didn’t get many reps and came from a small college.” Oladokun is a project and his dearth of playing time reflected that, with Oladokun pointing out the importance of staying “locked in” mentally. The benefit of Oladokun’s lowly roster status is that he gets plenty of exclusive time working with David Corley, the assistant to quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan. Whether or not Oladokun ever competes for starting snaps in Pittsburgh, his dedicated time with Corley will foster benefits throughout the future of his career.
For now, the spring depth chart reflects the level of experience, just as Tomlin and Canada have intended. Based on the amount of time Trubisky has had with the first-team, it’s hard to imagine anyone else starting behind center in Week 1 at Cincinnati. Though, with Rudolph coming into his own and the talented rookie, Pickett, hot on their heels, it’s anyone’s guess who the Bengals will face in their season opener.
Kicking Struggles In New York With Pineiro And Zuerlein
The Jets finished last in the AFC East last season. While they did rank 28th in offensive yardage in the league and finished dead last in yards allowed, they got no help from their kicking game as the team converted only 77.78% of its field goal attempts and 85.19% of its extra points. According to Connor Hughes at The Athletic, things haven’t looked much better for Gang Green this offseason. 
Last season saw the NFL debut of Oklahoma State undrafted kicker Matt Ammendola as he began the year as New York’s primary kicker. While he didn’t get a chance to score in Week 1, since the Jets went for two-point conversions on each of their two touchdowns, he did contribute with six punts for 291 total yards after starting punter Braden Mann sprained his knee after his first punt of the season. Ammendola would go on to man the kicking position for the first 12 weeks of the season, missing 1 of 15 extra points and converting 13 of 19 field goals along the way. He was perfect from 39 yards and in, but only 2 for 5 in the 40-49 yard range and missed all three attempts over 50 yards. After a rough two-week stretch that saw him miss 3 of 6 field goals, Ammendola was waived and placed on the practice squad after going unclaimed.
The Jets then brought in former Gators kicker Eddy Pineiro, who was the primary kicker for the entire season for the Bears two years ago. Pineiro added some stability to the kicking game, converting all eight of his field goals attempts but did miss one extra point. He even converted the Jets first and only 50+ yard field goal of the season in order to give the Jets a three-point lead over the Buccaneers going into halftime.
New York entered the offseason with Ammendola and Pineiro, but decided late into March that they wanted to bring in a veteran presence in Greg Zuerlein. Greg the Leg spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Rams, joining the Cowboys two years ago as Dallas’s primary kicker. Mr. the Leg has seen varying success throughout his career spanning from a 2015 season in which he missed a third of his kicks to a 2017 All-Pro season that saw his miss only 2 of an attempted 40. He is known as a kicker of great distance. Despite only converting 55.07% of his field goal attempts over 50 yards, his longest converted field goal of the season has routinely been above 54 yards, with two seasons entering into the 60+ yard range.
Three days after bringing in Zuerlein, New York waived Ammendola, leaving the kicking competition to be settled by Zuerlein or Pineiro. The Jets special teams coordinator Brant Boyer has described the race between the two as “tight,” claiming Pineiro and Zuerlein are “neck and neck.” Unfortunately, the competition is so close because neither kicker has made a strong case to be awarded the position over the other.
Boyer will have to make a decision at some point, but he’s likely hoping Pineiro or Zuerlein will make the decision for him by stepping up to take the role. Hughes posits that, like many past seasons for Gang Green, New York’s Week 1 kicker might not even be on the roster yet.
AFC Workouts: Vizcaino, Roberson, Cox
Here are a couple of free agents getting try outs around the AFC:
- If free agent kicker Tristan Vizcaino is still unsigned after a busy week that entailed planned workouts with the Patriots and Raiders, the Ravens plan on bringing the 25-year-old in for their minicamp next week, according to Tom Pelissero. While the Ravens are obviously set with the most accurate kicker in NFL history, Justin Tucker, they made headlines years ago when they took 2018 undrafted free agent Kaare Vedvik and flipped him to Minnesota one year later for a fifth-round pick. General manager Eric DeCosta may be interested in working that same magic on Vizcaino.
- Free agent pass rusher Derick Roberson has been working out with the Colts this week, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star. Roberson has made some noise in his very limited playing time in the NFL. As an undrafted rookie in 2019 with the Titans, Roberson totaled 3.0 sacks, 3.0 tackles for loss, and 3 quarterback hits while only appearing in three games. After earning a start in 2020, Roberson appeared in five games last year, recording 1.5 sacks, 3.0 tackles for loss, and 4 quarterback hits.
- The Colts are also auditioning free agent defensive end Bryan Cox Jr. this week. Cox entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Panthers, appearing in 19 games over three years as a reserve defensive lineman. In 2019, Cox was waived by Carolina, signing with the Browns five days later. Cox saw his most successful stint in the NFL while in Cleveland, starting two of the six games he played for the Browns. In those six games, Cox recorded half a sack, 2.0 tackles for loss, and 5 quarterback hits. He signed with the Bills as a free agent last offseason but only appeared in one game after spending time on injured reserve with an Achilles injury.