Bills Sign John Conner
After hosting him today for a free visit, the Bills have signed former Jets fullback John Conner to a contract, the team announced in a press release. To make room on the 90-man roster for Conner, Buffalo has waived fullback Corey Knox.
Conner, who turns 28 next month, has had multiple stints with the Jets under Rex Ryan, having been drafted by the franchise back in 2010. Most recently, the veteran appeared in 12 games for the Jets in 2014, carrying the ball six times and catching a pair of passes – including one for a touchdown – but serving primarily as a blocking back.
In Buffalo, there’s certainly no guarantee that Conner will earn a spot on the Bills’ 53-man roster, since the team already signed Jerome Felton to a multiyear contract back in March. However, a report from Draft Diamonds earlier today suggested that the Bills and Ryan, fond as they are of “The Terminator”‘s blocking ability, would like to add him as a complement to Felton, utilizing him in big-back sets and on special teams.
Still, if the Bills ultimately decide there isn’t room for Conner on their regular season roster, it shouldn’t be hard to move on — Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) reports that the fullback’s contract is for one year at the minimum salary. I expect the deal will include only a small portion of guaranteed money, if there’s any guarantee at all.
Free Agent Notes: Arrington, Conner, Davis
It’s not clear if the Browns or Falcons put in a waiver claim for D.J. Swearinger, but both clubs had interest in landing the former Texans safety before he was claimed by the Buccaneers yesterday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. One team that did put in a claim was the Jets, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). None of those clubs could get to Swearinger, however, as Tampa Bay had the No. 1 waiver priority and used it.
While Swearinger didn’t make it to the open market, we have a few updates on players who are currently free agents, or who recently signed contracts with new teams:
- As the Ravens explore the possibility of adding a cornerback, recently released ex-Patriot Kyle Arrington is “clearly” their top target, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link) agrees that the Ravens are in the mix for Arrington, adding that the Panthers are another team to watch.
- Having already signed Jerome Felton this offseason, the Bills shouldn’t necessarily be in the market for another fullback, but the team is hosting John Conner for a visit today, according to a report from Draft Diamonds. Conner has had multiple stints with the Jets under Rex Ryan, who is fond of his blocking ability and would consider adding “The Terminator” to the roster as a complement to Felton.
- Tight end Fred Davis, who was a free agent – and serving a suspension – for over a year before signing with the Patriots this week, received a $20K workout bonus and $60K in per-game roster bonuses on his one-year, minimum salary deal, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. Davis’ contract doesn’t include any guaranteed money.
- As NFL communications rep Randall Liu notes (on Twitter), unrestricted free agents who didn’t receive contract tenders from their former clubs are now free to sign with new teams without having an impact on that team’s compensatory draft pick formula. The NFL moved up this cutoff date from June 1 to May 12 this year, allowing unsigned players a better opportunity to find new homes earlier in the spring.
Glover Quin, Lions Restructure Contract
After restructuring his contract to provide some flexibility for the Lions last September, safety Glover Quin has tweaked his deal again, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. The move will create some additional breathing room for Detroit, allowing the team to work toward signing the rest of its rookie class.
As Yates details, it’s a simple restructure for Quin, which means he’s simply converting a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus. By reducing his base salary for 2015 from $4MM to the minimum ($745K), and turning that $3.255MM into a signing bonus, Quin will have only a third of that bonus count toward ’15, with the rest being prorated for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
In total, the restructure will create $2.17MM in immediate cap savings for the Lions, while increasing Quin’s cap numbers in 2016 and 2017 by an extra $1.085MM per year. The team may eventually have to adjust the 29-year-old’s contract again, since those ’16 and ’17 cap hits now exceed $7.5MM, but for now, it’s a move that benefits a Lions club that had the least amount of cap room in the NFL heading into today, according to Over the Cap‘s data.
Draft Signings: Browns, Bucs, Titans
With less room for negotiations on rookie contracts under the new CBA, draft picks are coming to terms with their teams quicker than ever, and a few more have struck deals already today. Here are the latest updates on mid-to-late rounders reaching agreements with their respective clubs, with contract information provided by Over The Cap….
- The Browns have officially brought a pair of draftees into the fold, announcing today in a press release that they’ve formally signed third-round defensive lineman Xavier Cooper and sixth-round fullback Malcolm Johnson. Their signing bonuses will be worth about $592K and $119K respectively.
- Sixth-round wideout Kaelin Clay has signed his rookie deal with the Buccaneers, as Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com tweets. Clay, the second Tampa Bay pick to sign his deal, after Jameis Winston, will get a $130K+ signing bonus.
- The Titans have started to lock up their draft picks, agreeing to terms today with sixth-round outside linebacker Deiontrez Mount, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Mount’s four-year contract will have a total value of $2.428MM, including a signing bonus of about $148K, and a 2015 cap hit of approximately $472K.
- Saints third-round draft pick P.J. Williams signed his rookie contract on Tuesday, according to a post on his Instagram account. New Orleans has now inked all of its picks with the exception of Stephone Anthony and Andrus Peat.
- The Eagles and sixth round draft pick JaCorey Shepherd have agreed to terms on a four-year contract, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
We’ll use this space to round up Tuesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day….
- The Ravens have waived quarterback Keith Wenning, tight end Phillip Supernaw, and outside linebacker Darius Allen, the team announced today in a press release. Wenning, a sixth-round pick in 2014, became expendable when Baltimore signed Matt Schaub to be Joe Flacco‘s backup. Meanwhile, the Ravens added three players to their roster, signing undrafted rookies Leon Brown (G), Daniel Brown (WR), and Andrew Bose (ILB).
- The Seahawks announced that they have signed Seahawks have signed defensive end Julius Warmsley and guard Kona Schwenke. Both players tried out for Seattle during the team’s rookie minicamp this past weekend. Schwenke, a Notre Dame product, signed as a UDFA around this time last year with the Chiefs and also saw time with the Pats, Jets, and Raiders.
- The Lions are signing former Wayne State running back Desmond Martin, who participated in the club’s rookie minicamp, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
- In addition to confirming the previously reported signings of tight end Will Tye and defensive tackle Carlif Taylor, the Giants also announced deals for running back Kenneth Harper and wide receiver Ben Edwards.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Lions To Sign Lance Moore
The Lions have added a veteran wide receiver to their roster, agreeing to terms on with former Saint and Steeler Lance Moore, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Moore’s deal with the Lions will be for one year, and while financial terms weren’t disclosed, I’d be surprised if it’s worth much more than the minimum after the wideout’s down year in 2014.
Moore, 31, caught just 14 balls for the Steelers last year, matching his lowest total since his rookie season. While Moore was never the focal point of New Orleans’ pass game, he had three seasons of 65+ receptions with the Saints, but saw his usage decline significantly in Pittsburgh. With Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton all ahead of him on the team’s depth chart, Moore played just 264 offensive snaps in 2014.
The veteran wideout hinted at season’s end that he’d like to join a club that would give him more playing time, and a report suggested he was seeking his release from the Steelers, despite having signed a two-year deal with the team last spring. Pittsburgh granted that request in early March.
Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate are firmly cemented at the top of the wide receiver depth chart in Detroit, but Moore should have an opportunity to compete for snaps and targets with players like Corey Fuller, Jeremy Ross, and Ryan Broyles.
Washington Signs Brandon Scherff
Another team has made quick work of locking up its 2015 draft class, as Washington announced today in a press release that fifth overall pick Brandon Scherff has officially inked his rookie contract with the club.
While Washington’s announcement didn’t mention terms of Scherff’s deal, Over The Cap’s data shows that the former Iowa offensive lineman will receive a four-year pact worth about $21.216MM, with a signing bonus of approximately $13.69MM. As a top-five pick, Scherff will have that salary fully guaranteed, and his contract will feature a fifth-year option for 2019.
Scherff was a bit of a surprise pick for Washington at No. 5 overall, since many experts and observers believed the team would select a pass rusher. However, he should be a nice addition to an offensive line that has had its share of ups and downs in recent years. Scherff is expected to start his NFL career at the right tackle position, across from Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams.
After reaching a deal with Scherff, Washington has now signed all 10 of its draftees, making the club the eight franchise to finish signing its 2015 draft class. The Jets, Vikings, Texans, Dolphins, Bears, Panthers, and Ravens have also taken care of all their draft picks.
Jaguars, Dante Fowler Jr. Agree To Deal
The Jaguars have reached an agreement with pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. on his rookie contract, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). As Garafolo notes in a second tweet, Fowler’s deal is fully guaranteed and doesn’t include offset language.
Fowler, the third overall pick last month, saw his NFL career get off to a devastating start last week when he suffered a torn ACL during the Jaguars’ rookie minicamp. The injury will sideline the Florida product for the entire 2015 season, but the fact that it happened prior to the two sides officially reaching an agreement on Fowler’s rookie contract didn’t affect the terms of the deal.
As Over The Cap details, Fowler’s four-year deal will have an overall value of $23.49MM, with a $15.344MM signing bonus. The contract, which includes a cap hit of about $4.27MM for Fowler’s rookie season, will feature a fifth-year option, allowing Jacksonville to retain the pass rusher through at least the 2019 season.
Fowler is the first of eight Jacksonville draft picks to strike a deal with the team, but the rest should follow suit shortly.
AFC Notes: Kraft, Broncos, Ravens, Bills
As Ben Volin of The Boston Globe notes (on Twitter), Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of three owners on the NFL Compensation Committee, which determines commissioner Roger Goodell’s pay. The other two owners on that committee are Arthur Blank and Jerry Richardson. One unidentified NFL owner told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (TwitLonger link) that he thinks the relationship between Kraft and Goodell is “pretty much dead” in the wake of DeflateGate, so that will be an interesting situation to keep an eye on going forward.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- The Broncos are looking at tight ends in the wake of Jeff Heuerman‘s knee injury, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets. Legwold could envision Denver signing a tight end this week, even as soon as today or Wednesday.
- The Ravens aren’t expected to be too active on the free agent market now that veteran signings no longer affect the compensatory draft pick formula, but sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking predict Baltimore will try to add a cornerback through free agency or a trade, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. One possible option for the Ravens could be former Patriot Kyle Arrington, as Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun outlines.
- Mike Rodak of ESPN.com examines the Bills‘ backfield, where the running back depth chart is getting crowded. While LeSean McCoy is locked in for a roster spot, the team figures to have to cut at least one player – and maybe two – from a group that features Fred Jackson, Boobie Dixon, Bryce Brown, and rookie Karlos Williams.
- Free agent wide receiver James Jones told SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link) that he was really surprised the Raiders released him. Oakland let Jones go earlier this month.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Saints Reach Deals With Six Draftees
The Saints have signed four of their 2015 draftees and agreed to terms with two more, according to a press release from the club. The two players to reach agreements with the team are the more notable ones — second-round linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha and third-round quarterback Garrett Grayson.
In addition to striking deals with Kikaha and Grayson, the Saints have signed linebacker Davis Tull, defensive tackle Tyeler Davison, cornerback Damian Swann, and running back and return specialist Marcus Murphy. Murphy was a seventh-round pick, while the other three players were all selected by New Orleans in the fifth round earlier this month.
All six rookies will count for less than $1MM against the Saints’ cap in 2015, with Kikaha $958K cap number representing the biggest hit among the group. The deals leave New Orleans with just three draft picks left to sign — first-rounders Andrus Peat and Stephone Anthony, along with third-round cornerback P.J. Williams.
To keep tabs on which teams have locked up their 2015 draftees and which players remain unsigned, be sure to check out our tracker.