NFC North Moves: Lyerla, Vikings, Lions
The Packers have signed three players out of their rookie minicamp, most notably Oregon tight end Colt Lyerla, reports Rob Demovsky of ESPN (via Twitter).
The team will take on chance with the shaky character of Lyerla, according to Demovsky. “Every case is an individual case. We have always believed that, or I have always believed that there are certain things that people can atone for, acknowledge their mistakes and get on with their lives,” said general manager Ted Thompson. “And I am a proponent of those kind of people that try to do that. And that’s where we’re at with Colt.”
Lyerla posted his reaction to being signed on his official twitter account. “I am honored to be a part of such a legendary organization. Proud to be a Green Bay Packer ! #GoPackGo”
The team also signed defensive back Charles Clay out of Hawaii and defensive end Luther Robinson out of Miami.
- The Packers have signed third-round pick Khyri Thornton, reports Demovsky (via Twitter). Thornton, a defensive tackle out of Southern Miss, is the team’s sixth rookie to sign, leaving only three players left unsigned.
- The Vikings have signed linebacker Dom DeCicco, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The team released guard Conor Boffeli and quarterback Travis Partridge.
- The Lions have signed defensive tackle Greg Hickman who was part of their rookie minicamp, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). The team has released defensive tackle Corey Irvin to make room.
Giants Sign Beckham Jr., Three Others
The Giants have signed four more of their draft picks, most notably Odell Beckham Jr., reports Greg Salamone of Giants.com. Beckham was the team’s first-round selection, a receiver out of LSU.
The team also signed, second-round center Weston Richburg of Colorado State, fifth-round linebacker Devon Kennard of USC, and sixth-round cornerback Bennett Jackson of Notre Dame.
The only Giants’ rookie still unsigned is defensive tackle Jay Bromley out of Syracuse. The Queens, New York native Bromley was drafted in the third round.
Minor Moves: Urban, Brown, Gaffney, Jaguars
The Ravens have signed fourth-round draft pick Brent Urban to a rookie contract, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The four-year contract is worth $2.53MM with a signing bonus of just over $300,000. That leaves only first-round pick C.J. Mosley and third-round pick Terrence Brooks left unsigned.
Here are some other minor moves from across the NFL:
- The Bills have signed third-round pick Preston Brown, according to Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. Brown, a linebacker out of Louisville, impressed the Bills’ front office. “He plays hard; you see him all over the field,” director of player personnel Jim Monos said. “He plays on the other side of the ball and has good tackles for loss. He can go side to side. He’s probably better against the run than the pass right now, but he can do both. He’s a very good athlete.” The team expects him to compete for a job at middle linebacker.
- The Panthers have signed sixth-round pick Tyler Gaffney, reports Wilson (via Twitter). Gaffney, a running back out of Stanford, is the first Panthers’ draft pick to sign his rookie contract.
- The Jaguars have signed two rookies invited to workout during rookie camp, reports Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (via Twitter). They signed running back Beau Blankenship from Ohio and safety Jerome Junior of UConn. To make room for the new signings, the team released punter Chad Zinchini and kicker Jeff Budzien.
Saints Notes: Cooks, Walker, LSU Players
The Saints traded up in the first round to acquire Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks, and the receiver sees himself fitting well into the team’s offense. Cooks speaking to the media can be seen in this video from NOLA.com. Cooks compares the Saints’ spread offense to his college system, and talks about his desire to compete and bring added value on special teams.
Here are some other notes from the Saints:
- Saints’ defensive coordinator Rob Ryan spoke highly of the team’s top pick Cooks, writes Larry Holder of NOLA.com (via Twitter). “Anytime a player is hand picked by [head coach] Sean Payton that’s a receiver, you better believe he’s going to be something,” said Ryan.
- The Saints have announced that they have signed former Tulane safety Devon Walker, according to the team’s official Twitter account. Walker was a four-year player at Tulane, before he injured his neck making a tackle in the second game of his senior season, according to NewOrleansSaints.com.“When Devon got hurt, his football career was just starting to take off after three years of hard work,” Payton said. “Despite the devastating injury he suffered, Devon refuses to let that define him. He is an outstanding young man, who is not only an inspiration to his coaches and teammates at Tulane, but to all of us. Devon’s character, determination, intelligence and work ethic are everything that we look for in a New Orleans Saint when we sign a player. This is the least we can do to recognize Devon and these attributes that we want all of our players to have.”
- Aside from all of the rookies, the Saints have invited former LSU standouts Jordan Jefferson and Jacob Hester to try out for the team, according to Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. Jefferson went undrafted as a quarterback in 2012. Hester was a running back and fullback for the Chargers and Broncos, last playing a game in 2012. The 29-year old former Tiger was part of LSU’s 2007 national championship team.
Cowboys Sign Ryan Williams
The Cowboys have officially signed former Cardinal’s running back Ryan Williams, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Pro Football Rumors has been following Williams since he was released from the Cardinals, throughout the Cowboys interest in him.
Williams was said to have had an impressive workout with the team, and was expected to sign sometime today.
Williams will likely be the backup to starter DeMarco Murray. Terms of the deal were not announced, but it can be expected to be close to a minimum deal for veterans.
NFC East Notes: Williams, Orton, Boone
The Cowboys worked out former Cardinals’ running back Ryan Williams, and are now in a position to sign the player, reports Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter). Watkins expects that signing to become official soon, after a roster move is made to clear room for Williams.
Here are some more notes from around the NFC East:
- Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett expects backup quarterback Kyle Orton to be back with the team this coming season, reports Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). The team anticipates his return after having conversations with Orton.
- Former LSU receiver Kadron Boone was buried on the depth chart in college, behind first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. and second-round pick Jarvis Landry. Even still, he has been impressive and he has a great chance to make the Eagles according to one AFC personnel man, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. “He’s gonna make that team. He’s not a bad receiver; he’s a pretty good receiver,” the scout said. “He just got caught up in a place that has two pretty good receivers. He’s going to be fine.”
- After Beckham, the Giants drafted a lot of players who have limited ceilings in terms of potential, writes Dan Graziano of ESPNNewYork.com. He attributes this to the need for a group that needs a quick learning curve in order to make an immediate impact. The team was valuing on the short term over seeking long-term help.
Seahawks Notes: Price, Richardson, Lynch
Keith Price, former quarterback from the University of Washington, has been shining at Seahawks rookie camp, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Coming from Steve Sarkisian’s offense in college to Pete Carroll’s has eased the transition. Sarkisian was Carroll’s offensive coordinator at USC.
Here are some other notes from Seahawks camp:
- Price was excited to have the opportunity to stay close to where he made his name as a college standout, writes Terry Blount of ESPN.com. “I had my mind set here,” Price said. “I was very familiar with the [offensive] system and the coaches. And I love this place. I love Seattle and I love being here. There’s great competition at the quarterback spot, and I’m a competitive guy.” Price will have to compete with Tarvaris Jackson, Terrelle Pryor, and B.J. Daniels for a spot on the active roster.
- The quarterback was not the only bright spot of the team’s offensive practices, as second-round pick Paul Richardson has impressed already, writes Clare Farnsworth of Seattle.com. Richardson was on the receiving end of Price’s passes. His 4.33 speed was on display as he ran past the defense, consistently getting open.
- Marshawn Lynch is set to star in a movie about his own life, writes Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News. Lynch is notorious for avoiding the media, but is excited about the opportunity to showcase his story. “For me, it’s just about having some fun,” Lynch said. “It’s just a fun experience. I also get to the shine light on the community and some of the things that we grew up doing and what we went through.”
Bears Notes: Lynch, Jones, Palmer, Britton
Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch didn’t get a chance to hear his name called at the NFL Draft last week, but he is committed to making an NFL roster with the Bears, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com. Lynch lined up in the backfield as a running back during the team’s rookie minicamp this weekend, fitting in with the other running backs just fine.
“Jordan’s a real football player, there’s no doubt about it,” said head coach Marc Trestman. “In Day 1, he certainly didn’t look out of place.
“It wasn’t tough at all,” Lynch said of his new position. “I’m a football player. I love football, and I’ll do whatever it takes to stay in the NFL. I guess the toughest thing is some footwork drills playing running back and just trying to pick up on little things with special teams and running back.”
Here are some more notes from Bears’ rookie minicamp:
- Trestman said the team is closely following the play of undrafted free agent linebacker Christian Jones our of Florida State, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter). Trestman noted his athleticism as an asset for the team.
- Although sixth-round pick David Fales is practicing at the team’s rookie minicamp, Trestman still believes Jordan Palmer will be Jay Cutler‘s backup in 2014, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter).
- Offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer believes the starting five on the offensive line is solid, and that Eben Britton will be competing to be the sixth lineman, reports Jahns in a separate tweet. “We feel good about our starting five,” said Kromer.
Peter King On Seventh-Round Picks
Seventh-round picks do not always get a chance to make an immediate impact on the field as rookies. However, these picks do have a very good chance of sticking around and collecting a pay check for a year. Last year’s draft saw 48 seventh rounders selected (including compensatory picks). 47 of those players either spent time on the active roster, practice squad, or for the unlucky few, spent the season on injured reserve lists hoping to get another chance the following year. This ESPN stat was shared by Peter King of SI.com (via Twitter).
The frenzy surrounding whether or not a seventh rounder sticks on a team is mostly applied to the fate of Michael Sam with the Rams. King is confident that this shows that Michael Sam should be able to avoid getting cut (via Twitter). Even if Sam is not on the active roster, chances are he will find another role with the team. Hopefully, that role will not be with the injured guys who have to watch the season from the sidelines.
King also writes that Rams defensive coordinator Greg Williams will give Sam every chance to succeed. Sam’s situation is further complicated by the backlash the team would receive it it does cut him.
He has always made his missteps, such as the idea to have a documentary crew follow him around. Luckily, Sam and the Rams were able to postpone the story, so Sam would be able to start his NFL career like a normal late-round pick.
While Sam has gotten the most attention in round seven, there are dozen of players who face similar uncertainties when it come to roster construction. Even if the players are able to make the active roster, getting on the field for anything more than special teams will still be difficult. It is encouraging that so many of these middle of the road prospects were able to find a way to stick through year one, in the ultra-competitive NFL.
Extra Points: Johnson, Williams, Green, Mack
Texans‘ star receiver Andre Johnson and head coach Bill O’Brien have spoken this offseason, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. “We’re going to continue to communicate and we’ve had good discussions, we’ve had good talks,” O’Brien said. “We’ve spoken quite a bit and will continue to do that.”
Johnson has voiced his frustration with the team’s direction. Despite his comments, O’Brien spoke highly of the franchise’s career leader in receiving yards, touchdowns, and receptions.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Andre and his career here in Houston. The conversations that Andre and I have had have been very positive about what we’re doing here as a team and, obviously offensively, what we’re doing here,” said O’Brien. “As far as what Andre said, I’ll let him speak for himself. I can only tell you from my end we’ve had good, positive communication.”
Here are a few more notes to round out the day in the NFL:
- The Cowboys brought in former Cardinals‘ running back Ryan Williams for a workout, reports Carlos Mendez of the Star-Telegram.com. Williams was cut by the Cardinals after the draft. He was a second-round pick out of Virginia Tech in 2011, after being one of the top collegiate running backs in the nation. The Cowboys did not draft a running back in this past draft, but have two veterans on the roster behind starter DeMarco Murray, and brought in two undrafted free agent options to compete as well.
- Jets‘ running back Alex Green finds himself the odd man out in the team’s backfield, reports Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter). The Jets claimed and were awarded Daryl Richardson after he was cut from the Rams. Green tweeted “Time to officially move on, life goes on regardless. #blessed.”
- Raiders‘ first-round pick Khalil Mack wanted to sign his rookie contract as quickly as possible so he could focus on football, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. With the new rookie scale basically setting the terms in stone, Mack saw no reason to wait. “I’m only focused on football and being the best player I can be,” Mack said. “I’m glad that process is done, and I’m ready to go play football.”
- Embattled Oregon tight end Colt Lyerla has a tryout with the Packers, reports Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. He will be one of 58 rookie players that will be competing at the team’s rookie training camp this weekend. Lyerla fell off draft boards after a litany of off-the-field incidents, including a cocaine-related offense.