Minor NFL Transactions: 4/23/2018
Here are today’s minor moves:
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Ulrick John
New York Giants
- Waived: WR Darius Powe
Cardinals To Exercise Fifth-Year Option on D.J. Humphries
The Cardinals are expected to exercise the fifth-year option in left tackle D.J. Humphries‘ contract, AZ Central’s Kent Somers writes. 
Taken with the 24th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Humphries will be owed $9.625MM in 2019 with Arizona exercising the option.
The move isn’t a surprising one, as the Cardinals have been impressed with Humphries’ progress at the position after picking it up in 2017. Though he shows solid potential, he has had trouble staying on the field.
He was inactive for every game as a rookie and began the following season at right tackle before moving to the opposite side of the line. After playing in 13 games in 2016, Humphries was limited to just five games in 2017 after suffering a knee injury against the 49ers in November.
He underwent surgery to repair a torn MCL and dislocated knee cap and expects to return to the field at the start of the 2018 season.
NFL Draft Notes: Dolphins, Browns, Jets, Raiders, Bucs
The Dolphins are serious about moving back in the draft if the board operates as the team expects, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald writes.
Beasley says if the quarterbacks the team are targeting all go early, the team would be more than happy to trade back, pick up additional assets and target a linebacker like Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch.
Though the team did not have Vander Esch in for a pre-draft visit, Miami did meet with him at the Combine in February and not having a pre-draft visit did not stop it from selecting Charles Harris in 2017.
Trading back with the hopes of landing the Boise State standout could be a risky proposition. The quick linebacker has been one of the fastest rising names in the days leading up to Thursday’s NFL Draft.
Here’s more concerning the upcoming draft:
- The MMQB’s Peter King released his first-round mock draft on Monday and has Sam Darnold pegged as the No. 1 pick to the Browns. King cites his pick on the team’s need to be safe and a source who is “someone I trust, who is very often right and is very well-connected, told me Sunday it’s not [Josh] Allen.”
- In the same mock draft, King tabbed Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea to the Dolphins at No. 11. Miami was believed to be one of the teams looking to move up for a quarterback like Baker Mayfield. “I’ve started to think, through what I’ve heard in the pre-draft process, that Miami is more likely to stick with Ryan Tannehill (who has missed the last 19 games with injury) and continue the progress he was making with Adam Gase in the 2016 season.”
- Unlike the Browns, who plan to have their drafted quarterback watch from the sidelines in 2018, the Jets are not opposed to having their top pick — should they draft a quarterback — starting from Day One, Jets head coach Todd Bowles tells Newsday’s Calvin Watkins. “It depends on the progress,” Bowles said. “I’m not afraid to play young players at any position. You go in and compete and as you gain confidence in the system, understand what you’re doing and go through training camp.” New York is highly expected to take a signal-caller at No. 3.
- The Buccaneers could trade back with a team looking to land a quarterback and pick up a running back or pass rusher with the move, Florida Football Insiders speculates. Though the Broncos and Colts have been heavily linked to trade back, the Bucs also make sense. Should they land in the middle to late in the first round, they could target LSU running back Derrius Guice or UT San Antonio defensive end Marcus Davenport.
- The Raiders are looking to upgrade their receiver depth and could target the position in the upcoming draft, Scott Bair of NBC Sports writes. Though it won’t likely look for a receiver at No. 10, several options like Christian Kirk and James Washington could be on the board in the second round.
Chargers Plan To Exercise Melvin Gordon Fifth-Year Option
Though nothing is official, the Chargers intend to exercise the fifth-year option on running back Melvin Gordon, general manager Tom Telesco told reporters at his pre-draft press conference, ESPN’s Eric D. Williams writes.
“I think right now the plan is to exercise the option,” Telesco said. “But right now we’re just focused on the draft.”
As a running back drafted at No. 15 in 2015, Gordon would be scheduled to make $5.605MM in 2019. Though Gordon has been inconsistent throughout his three-year career, that number is still a solid bargain for the Chargers.
Gordon has rushed for 2,743 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career. He is coming off a career-high 1,105 yards on the ground and he also added 58 grabs for 476 yards and four touchdowns. In 2016, Gordon rebounded from a difficult rookie campaign to earn his only Pro Bowl selection.
Extra Points: Cowboys, Rams, Brockers, Lions, Dunlap
After much speculation, Cowboys defender Byron Jones confirmed on Monday that he will be switching from safety to cornerback in 2018, the Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota writes.
Viewed as a versatile defender coming out of college, Jones played cornerback as a rookie in 2015 and a safety the past two seasons. New defensive backs coach Kris Richard preferred him at the former.
“I think it will be a good move for me and the team. I’m always open to making position changes, as long as I’m in the best position to succeed. If [Richard] believes my best position is corner, then I’m down.”
Richard knows a thing or two about getting the best from bigger cornerbacks. With the Seahawks, Richard oversaw Richard Sherman’s ascent to one of the premier corners in the league. What remains to be seen is if the team prefers him on the boundary or in the slot. In 2017, rookies Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis showed plenty of promise on the outside.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- In a press conference on Monday, Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers told reporters he tore his MCL in the team’s playoff loss to the Falcons in January, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez tweets. During that game, the sixth-year defender sat out the second half. The good news for Los Angeles is that Brockers took part in team activities on Monday, but they’re not in pads until training camp.
- If any Lions players are moved in draft-day deals, some of the names that make sense include Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick and Jake Rudock, ESPN’s Michael Rothstein writes. Those names all come to mind after the team added veterans in LeGarrette Blount and Matt Cassel in the offseason.
- The goal is for the Bengals to sign both Carlos Dunlap and get a new deal with Geno Atkins, Bengals.com writer Geoff Hobson notes in a mailbag. Both Dunlap’s and Atkins’ deals run through the 2018 campaign.
- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to be deposed in the next two weeks in Colin Kaeperncik‘s collusion case against the league, USA Today’s A.J. Perez writes. Seahawks general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll are also on the docket to be deposed.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/16/2018
Here are today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: LB Zaire Anderson
- Re-signed: DE Shelby Harris
- Re-signed: LB Joseph Jones
- Re-signed: WR Jordan Taylor
- Re-signed: OT Elijah Wilkinson
Houston Texans
- Signed original round RFA tender: OL Greg Mancz
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed original round RFA tender: LB Matt Longacre
Washington Redskins
- Re-signed: OT Tony Bergstrom
Cowboys Re-Sign David Irving
The Cowboys announced they have officially re-signed restricted free agent defensive lineman David Irving. The tendered deal is for one year at $2.9MM. 
Signed off of Kansas City’s practice squad in 2015, Irving emerged as a playmaker in limited action in 2016 by logging four sacks and four forced fumbles. His 2017, however, was cut short due to a concussion and a four-game suspension at the season’s outset. Despite only playing eight games, he still managed to record seven sacks, the second most on the team behind DeMarcus Lawrence.
With Irving back, the Cowboys return the nucleus of a shockingly effective defensive front from a year ago. The team could also add a pass rusher like Boston College’s Harold Landry or a run-stuffer up the middle with Washington’s Vita Vea in the upcoming draft.
If he delivers another season similar to his 2017 campaign, Irving could be in store for a big payday in the 2019 offseason.
Chargers Pull RFA Tender On Chris McCain
The Chargers have withdrawn their qualifying offer from restricted free agent defensive end Chris McCain, ESPN’s Eric D. Williams writes. 
With the right-of-first-refusal tender removed, McCain is now free to sign with another team. Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn cited the reworking of Corey Liuget’s contract when addressing the withdrawn offer.
“This sport does have a business side to it. I think when you re-do Corey Liuget, it gives you some flexibility there and we did some things with Chris. We think Chris is a heck of a player. The door’s definitely open for him to come back. We’ll just how it works out.”
A practice squad signee with the Chargers in 2016, the fourth-year player out of Cal enjoyed a breakout season in Los Angeles in 2017, posting a career-high five sacks while appearing in a career-best 15 games.
Daryl Worley Charged With DUI, Firearms Felony
Former Eagles cornerback Daryl Worley was charged with violation of the uniform firearms act, driving under the influence, disorderly conduct and other offenses stemming from an early Sunday-morning arrest, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. 
Worley, 23, was found unconscious in a car near Broad Street in Philadelphia at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning. According to police, he was involved in a confrontation with officers who woke him and a taser was used to subdue him. Police also found a gun in the car that was not properly registered.
The Eagles released the cornerback Sunday evening while he was still in custody. His stay in Philadelphia lasted a little over a month, as the cornerback was acquired from the Panthers in a deal that sent Torrey Smith to Carolina in March.
In two seasons with Carolina, the third-round pick out of West Virginia recorded three interceptions and two sacks while starting 25 of his 31 games.
In addition to being released, Worley could face additional punishment from the league.
Latest On Giants At No. 2
With the Browns likely to take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick of the upcoming draft, the Giants are generating a lot of discussion, as they could go in any number of directions with their No. 2 overall selection. According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, the team is looking increasingly unlikely to take a signal-caller with that pick. 
Though the MMQB’s Albert Breer notes general manager Dave Gettleman likes Sam Darnold and the coaches like Josh Allen, Schwartz cites a national scout who pegs Saquon Barkley as the pick.
“I thought all along this is the guy Dave wants,” the scout said. “And he might get him, if Cleveland is dumb enough not to take him at No. 1.”
The Penn State back is considered by the Giants to be a better player than the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott, who was the No. 4 overall pick in 2016. Schwartz says Barkley’s lack of off-the-field concerns and his ability to contribute in the passing game make him a solid selection at No. 2.
However, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com says he has been hearing more and more whispers that the Giants could trade the No. 2 selection (Twitter link). The Bills are one team that other writers believe could be the Giants’ trading partner in that scenario, as Buffalo could grab its quarterback of the future and New York could add a significant amount of draft capital while still being in position to select a top-flight player in the first round. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, meanwhile, hears that all options are on the table for Big Blue’s top pick, including a trade, a QB, Barkley, Bradley Chubb, and even Quenton Nelson (Twitter link).
Schwartz does name Chubb as a potential candidate for the Giants’ No. 2 pick, and Gettleman’s history would lend credence to that theory, as the former Panthers GM took defensive linemen with his first two picks with that franchise.
But Schwartz, unlike Miller, does not believe Nelson will be in play if the Giants keep their pick. Though he is a top-three player on their board, Schwartz hears that Nelson will only be considered in a trade-down scenario.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.