Draft Signings: Falcons, Dolphins, Bengals
We’ve been tracking all of this year’s draft pick signings by team right here, and we have a few new deals to add to that list. Here are the latest draftees to officially ink their deals, or at least agree to terms, with their new NFL clubs:
- The Falcons have agreed to terms with fourth-round running back Devonta Freeman, the team announced today (via Twitter). Third-round safety Dezmen Southward is the only Atlanta draftee that has yet to reach a deal with the club.
- Fifth-round tight end Arthur Lynch has signed his rookie contract with the Dolphins, according to the team’s official Twitter account. Having been picked 16 spots ahead of fellow Miami fifth-rounder Jordan Tripp, whose signing is noted below, Lynch will receive a signing bonus worth $28K+ more (about $191K).
Earlier updates:
- The Bengals have now locked up half of their eight draft picks, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed fifth-round quarterback A.J. McCarron and seventh-round defensive back Lavelle Westbrooks. According to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, McCarron’s signing bonus will be nearly $182K, while Westbrooks will receive a more modest bonus worth about $46K.
- Third-round center Travis Swanson announced today that he has officially signed his rookie contract with the Lions, posting a photo on Instagram that shows him putting pen to paper. First-rounder Eric Ebron and second-rounder Kyle Van Noy are the only Detroit draftees who remain unsigned.
- The Dolphins have agreed to terms with their first of eight draft picks, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who hears from a source that fifth-round linebacker Jordan Tripp has reached a deal with the club. The 171st overall pick should be in line for a signing bonus worth about $163K on his four-year contract, per Fitzgerald.
Seahawks Sign Justin Britt
Second-round offensive tackle Justin Britt has signed his four-year rookie contract with the Seahawks, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). With Paul Richardson and Cassius Marsh also locked up, Seattle has now secured its top three draftees, and six of nine total picks.
The final player selected in the second round, Britt should receive a signing bonus worth about $834K, according to Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com. In total, Britt’s contract will have a base value in the neighborhood of $3.457MM for the first four years of his career.
Paul McQuistan and Breno Giacomini each logged more than 550 snaps at one of the two tackle positions for the Seahawks in 2013, and departed via free agency this offseason. So while Britt may not become an immediate starter in Seattle, he could end up seeing plenty of playing time in his rookie year, given the team’s need for depth at left and right tackle.
South Notes: Andre Johnson, Texans, Saints
In a series that has been running for several weeks, former agent Joel Corry and former Jets executive Ari Nissim have been conducting mock negotiations between J.J. Watt‘s reps and the Texans, giving National Football Post readers an idea of what real extension discussions might look like. In the fifth installment of the series, the two sides ultimately decide to table negotiations, having failed to reach a middle ground that works for both sides. It should be interesting to look back at these hypothetical talks if and when Watt and the Texans actually do agree on a new deal to see how the numbers compare.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two South divisions:
- The Texans don’t have interest in trading Andre Johnson, and it would be difficult financially anyway, so head coach Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith are working with and talking to the standout receiver in an effort to alleviate his concerns about the club’s direction, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Johnson voiced some frustration with his role and his future last week.
- Drew Brees, who missed the Saints‘ summer practice sessions and workouts two years ago before signing a long-term deal in July, is familiar with Jimmy Graham‘s current position, as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com details. “It’s a leverage game and it’s back and forth. And the team has a job to do and the player has a job to do in regards to their contract,” Brees said. “And so you just understand that that’s the way it is, and you live with it. And when he’s here, I know he’ll be ready to play. I know he’ll be staying in good shape and all those things. I’m not worried about Jimmy Graham. When he comes back, he’ll be ready.”
- In pieces for ESPN.com, Triplett, David Newton, Vaughn McClure, and Pat Yasinskas wrap up the offseason moves for the Saints, Panthers, Falcons, and Buccaneers, respectively.
North Notes: Ravens, Ebron, Bears, Haden
Let’s check in on the latest items from around the AFC and NFC North divisions….
- Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta shed some light on the Ravens‘ targets in this month’s draft, and Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com rounded up a few of his comments. According to DeCosta, he was disappointed that Baltimore didn’t have a chance to land tight end Eric Ebron, who he believes “has a chance to be a difference maker, Pro Bowl type guy.” The Ravens also liked safety Jimmie Ward and were hoping he might be there in the second round, but he was snapped up by the 49ers late in the first.
- ESPN.com’s team reporters are breaking down the offseasons for the clubs they cover, and the NFC North group published their recaps today. Rob Demovsky examines the Packers, Ben Goessling sizes up the Vikings, Michael Rothstein looks at the Lions, and Michael C. Wright weighs in on the Bears.
- With Brandon Marshall locked up, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune wonders which Bears might be next in line for contract extensions, noting that veteran linebacker Lance Briggs represents an interesting case — the longtime Chicago starter is entering the final year of his contract, but turns 34 this fall, so a long-term deal likely won’t be in the cards. Biggs’ mailbag piece also includes discussions about several other topics, including the Bears’ special teams, rookie minicamp, and receiving depth.
- Pat McManamon of ESPN.com provides a few specific details on Joe Haden‘s new contract with the Browns, listing the cornerback’s annual base salaries and workout bonuses.
Doug Baldwin Discusses Contract
Of the players who were eligible for restricted free agency this offseason, all have signed their tenders, reached multiyear agreements with their current clubs, or hit the unrestricted free agent market — all but one. Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin has yet to sign his second-round tender worth $2.187MM, but said today on KJR-AM in Seattle that he’s not too worried about his contract situation. According to Baldwin (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times), the Seahawks made a multiyear offer, which he countered with a proposal of his own.
“It’s going to take some time,” Baldwin said. “It’s just the process of going through the negotiations, that’s just what it is. … It’s still very early in the stages of the conversation and I don’t know how long it’s going to take. But hopefully we can get something done soon. … If we are unable to reach an agreement I will sign the tender, play that out, and then be an unrestricted free agent (in 2015).”
The Seahawks have brought back a number of their own key free agents this season, including defensive end Michael Bennett, and Baldwin will fall into that same category one way or the other. He doesn’t plan to sit out the season, so whether he plays in 2014 on a one-year tender or in the first year of a longer-term deal, the 25-year-old will take the field for the defending champions.
If Baldwin were to sign a multiyear contract, it’ll be interesting to see exactly what it might be worth. Baldwin’s numbers, including 50 receptions for 778 yards in ’13, are modest, but he’s still young and could be in line for a bigger role now that Golden Tate is no longer in the picture. Tate received more than $6MM annually to sign with the Lions this offseason, and while Baldwin may not match that figure, his per-year salary on a long-term extension would presumably exceed his $2.187MM RFA tender.
NaVorro Bowman Reworks Contract
49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman has restructured his contract to create some 2014 cap space for the club, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter links). According to Yates, Bowman has reduced his base salary to the minimum ($730K), converting $3.27MM into a signing bonus.
The move is a win-win for both Bowman and the Niners, since it creates cap space for the team while ensuring Bowman of a larger upfront guarantee. That new $3.27MM signing bonus will be prorated over the next five seasons, at a rate of $654K annually. While that increases Bowman’s future cap hits a little, it creates $2.616MM in cap savings for San Francisco in 2014.
Bowman’s cap number for ’14 is now just $4.434MM, a great price for a player who has earned a spot on the NFL’s All-Pro team for three straight seasons. 2013 may have been the best year yet for the former third-round pick, who racked 180 tackles, six forced fumbles, five sacks, and a pair of interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
Over The Cap’s most recent data recently suggests that the Niners were only under the cap by about $656K, so reworking Bowman’s deal could help create room to sign 2014’s draft picks without necessarily needing to wait for post-June 1 cut Carlos Rogers to come off the books.
East Notes: Bills, Pats, Cowboys, Eagles
ESPN Insider Mike Sando provided grades for all 32 NFL teams’ offseasons, and while the Bills received a C+, that grade has the potential to fluctuate significantly depending on how the next couple years play out for the club. Buffalo was the only team to trade away its 2015 first-round pick during the 2014 draft, and as ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak notes, one general manager who spoke to Sando questioned that move for Sammy Watkins.
“Watkins dominated all the way through college, has rare measurables and plays with a mean streak, but if you are going to mortgage your future, you do it to get a quarterback, not a receiver,” the GM said. “They gave up way too much. They mortgaged the future when they do not have a franchise quarterback, in my opinion. They will be looking for another QB in a year and they will not have a first-round pick to get him.”
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- The Patriots cut linebacker James Morris with a failed physical designation earlier this week, just four days after signing him as an undrafted free agent, but Morris made out reasonably well for four days of work. According to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com, the Pats had given the Iowa product a $10K signing bonus and $10K in other guarantees, so his brief stint cost the club $20K.
- Appearing on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Wednesday, Tony Romo confessed that he may have had a little inside information heading into this year’s draft, so he wasn’t concerned about the Cowboys potentially drafting Johnny Manziel. Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News has the details and the quotes from Romo.
- Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com takes an early look at how he thinks the Eagles‘ 53-man roster could shake out.
- ESPN.com’s team reporters are unveiling their offseason wrap-ups this week, and Todd Archer, Andy Jasner, Dan Graziano, and John Keim have published their recaps for the Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, and Redskins, respectively.
Reggie Bush Wants To Retire As Lion
At age 29, the most productive years of Reggie Bush‘s career may be behind him rather than ahead of him, but we heard earlier this year that the running back still hopes to play several more seasons. Still, while Bush would like to extend his career beyond his current contract with the Lions, which expires in 2016, that doesn’t mean he wants to leave Detroit. Speaking to Erik Kuselias of Pro Football Talk, the former second overall pick indicated that he’d like to spend his remaining seasons with the Lions.
“I want to stay here, I want to retire here and I’d love to retire as a Detroit Lion,” Bush said. “I don’t want to bounce around from city to city, from team to team. I think I have something good going here, have been really getting to know the city over the past year and just really looking forward to bringing a championship here someday and making history.”
NFL players on long-term contracts often don’t play out their entire deals, particularly if they’re running backs whose contracts run through their age 31 season. Bush also may have to assume a slightly lesser role in the Lions’ offense in the coming years, now that the club has re-signed young playmaker Joique Bell to complement him in the backfield. If Bush hopes to play five more seasons, as he suggested in January, and to retire as a Lion, reductions in both pay and playing time figure to be in the cards at some point.
For now, Bush will likely be focused on building upon a 2013 campaign that saw him set a career high in total offensive yards from scrimmage (1,512) despite appearing in just 14 contests.
Draft Signings: Vikings, Chiefs, Eagles, Jags
We’re dedicating full posts to first- and second-round picks who sign their rookie contracts, but we’ll be recapping the remaining mid-to-late round signings in posts like this one. Here are the latest draftees to agree to terms with the clubs that selected them earlier in May:
- Vikings third round pick Scott Crichton tweeted out a picture of himself signing his rookie deal. The Oregon State defensive end racked up 22.5 career sacks in three seasons. With Crichton in the fold, Minnesota has just one unsigned rookie remaining: third-round running back Jerick McKinnon.
- The Chiefs have signed fifth-round quarterback Aaron Murray, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Kansas City is now one player away from locking up its modest six-player draft class, with only first-rounder Dee Ford left to sign.
- Fifth-round safety Ed Reynolds has agreed to terms with the Eagles on his four-year rookie contract, the club announced today (via Twitter). The Stanford product is in line for a signing bonus worth about $184K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
- The Jaguars have also signed a fifth-round pick, securing defensive end Chris Smith, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com. Smith went three spots ahead of Reynolds, at 159th overall, meaning he figures to receive a slightly larger bonus of about $187K.
- The Bengals inked a pair of draft picks today, signing sixth-round linebacker Marquis Flowers and seventh-round wideout James Wright to four-year deals, says Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). Flowers and Wright are the first two draftees that have reached agreements with the Bengals so far this month.
Raiders Sign Derek Carr
Not long after locking up their first-round pick, the Raiders have also secured their second-rounder, announcing today in a press release that quarterback Derek Carr has signed his rookie deal with the club. With Carr, Khalil Mack, and three seventh-round picks now under contract, the Raiders have signed five of their eight draftees.
“I feel great. I’m excited,” Carr said in a statement. “I’m excited that this part of it is over and now we can just get to work and focus on winning games and getting better every day.”
The 36th overall pick earlier this month, Carr is in line for a signing bonus of $2.227MM, per Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Because he was a second-round pick, the former Fresno State signal-caller won’t have a fifth-year club option tacked onto the end of his contract. While Carr isn’t expected to usurp Matt Schaub as Oakland’s starter immediately, he’s viewed as the club’s potential QB of the future and should get the opportunity to turn heads this summer.