Cardinals Sign CB Bene Benwikere To 1-Year Deal
The Cardinals added a bit of depth to their secondary Friday by signing cornerback Bene Benwikere to a one-year deal, per the team’s official website. Benwikere is familiar with new Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks. The Panthers selected him in the fifth round of the 2014 draft and he spent the first three seasons of his career in Carolina. 
Benwikere, 26, appeared in 12 games for the Cowboys last season. He also spent time on the practice squads for the Bengals, Dolphins and Packers after the Panthers released him early in the 2016 season.
The Cardinals have plenty of holes to fill in their secondary this offseason, with Tramon Williams and Tyrann Mathieu off the roster and Tyvon Branch and Justin Bethel still unsigned as unrestricted free agents. The team also still has interest in free-agent cornerback Marcus Cooper, according to Mike Jurecki of Arizona Sports Station 98.7 FM (on Twitter). Cooper played with the Cardinals in 2016 and was cut by the Bears last week.
In three seasons with the Panthers, Benwikere appeared in 27 games and made 14 starts, along with two starts in the 2014 postseason. The Panthers cut ties with Benwikere after Julio Jones collected 300 receiving yards in a game against the Panthers in October 2016.
Bills Sign OL Russell Bodine, Marshall Newhouse
The Bills instantly added depth to their depleted offensive line following the trade of left tackle Cordy Glenn, agreeing to deals with Marshall Newhouse and Russell Bodine, with Buffalo confirming both deals. Bodine will receive a two-year deal and Newhouse will join the team on a one-year deal. Bodine’s pact will be worth $5MM, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Newhouse’s deal is worth up to $2MM, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter).
Bodine looks to be the major haul of the two after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Bengals while starting all 16 games at center each season. Eric Wood started all 16 regular-season games at center for the Bills last year but was forced to call it a career after failing his end-of-season physical with a neck injury. The Bills hosted Bodine for a visit Sunday and Monday. The Bengals offered the lineman a long-term, low-guarantee deal, but Rapoport notes that Bodine decided the Bills offer “is best for his future.”
The 25-year-old center graded as one of the bottom-10 centers in the NFL out of last season’s qualifiers, according to Pro Football Focus. With other centers like Ryan Jensen and Weston Richburg off the market, Bodine served as one of the top players at the position still available in free agency.
Newhouse, 29, started 14 games at right tackle for the Raiders last season. The Raiders released Newhouse earlier this month, a year into a two-year $3.5MM deal signed last offseason. Along with the trade of Glenn, the Bills lost Seantrel Henderson, who signed with the Texans this offseason. The Bills were set to enter the season with Dion Dawkins and Jordan Mills starting at tackle.
Newhouse was graded in the bottom-third of tackle qualifiers last season, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s appeared in 100 games and has made 70 starts over a seven-year career, including stints with the Packers, Giants and Bengals.
[RELATED: Bills Depth Chart]
Seahawks Acquire CB C.J. Smith From Browns
The Seahawks and Browns struck a deal Monday, as Cleveland agreed to send cornerback C.J. Smith to Seattle for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Browns confirmed the deal (on Twitter).
The 24-year-old was originally signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent by the Eagles in 2016 out of North Dakota State. He appeared in 10 games with the Eagles as a rookie. Smith was signed to the Browns’ practice squad early last season and was activated for the team’s final three regular-season games.
The Seahawks were in need of some depth at cornerback, with Richard Sherman and Jeremy Lane being released and Byron Maxwell an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Seattle currently has Neiko Thorpe, Shaquill Griffin, Deandre Elliot and Justin Coleman atop its depth chart at cornerback.
Cleveland shored up its defensive backfield with the signing of former Raiders cornerback T.J. Carrie and former Chiefs cornerback Terrance Mitchell this offseason. Jamar Taylor and Briean Boddy-Calhoun return atop the team’s depth chart at cornerback.
Patriots Release LB Shea McClellin
The Patriots have parted ways with linebacker Shea McClellin, releasing him with a failed physical designation, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). McLellin was unable to suit up last year after beginning the season on injured reserve and suffering a concussion at practice during his comeback attempt.
McClellin, 28, was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Bears in 2012. He was set to enter the second season of a three-year, $9MM deal ($3.5MM guaranteed) signed with the Patriots in 2015. In his lone season with the Patriots in 2016, he appeared in 14 games — starting four — and recorded just one sack. He was graded by Pro Football Focus as the No. 72 edge rusher in the NFL out of 108 qualified players.
In four seasons with the Bears, McClellin appeared in 52 games and made 31 starts. His finest season came in 2014 when he recorded a career-best four sacks and matched his career high by appearing in 14 games.
McClellin would have likely worked as a rotational player behind Patriot starters Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy. Injuries limited Hightower to just five games last season. New England also has Elandon Roberts, Nic Grigsby and Harvey Langi rostered at linebacker, with James Harrison and Marquis Flowers unrestricted free agents this offseason.
Mike Pouncey Signs 2-Year Deal With Chargers
The Chargers announced Tuesday that they’ve agreed to a two-year deal with Mike Pouncey after the three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman visited the team’s facility earlier in the day. The visit with the Chargers was the first for Pouncey with another team since he requested and was granted his release from the Dolphins last week.
The Chargers are set to give Pouncey $15MM over the two-year deal, with $10MM guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
Pouncey certainly serves as an upgrade to the Chargers’ interior offensive line, with Spencer Pulley and second-year guard Dan Feeney previously set to return at center and right guard, respectively. They also lost versatile offensive lineman Kenny Wiggins to the Lions in free agency this offseason.
Matt Slauson, who started seven games at left guard for the Chargers last year before a biceps injury cut his season short, is an unrestricted free agent and has already visited with the Lions, with a visit scheduled Tuesday with the Colts, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Colts had also reportedly shown interest in Pouncey.
The Dolphins and Pouncey parted ways last week after drafting him with the 15th overall pick of the 2011 draft out of Florida. He battled a hip injury last season but still managed to start all 16 games for the third time in his career. He was graded as the No. 25 center in the NFL out of qualifiers last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Hip injuries have hampered Pouncey throughout his career and held him to just five games in 2016 before being placed on injured reserve.
The Dolphins signed Pouncey to a five-year $52.15MM extension back in 2015 but he was one of the team’s numerous cuts as part of an effort to reduce their cap number. Some of those other releases included defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, linebacker Lawrence Timmons and tight end Julius Thomas. The Dolphins cleared $9MM in cap space, with $2MM in dead cap, by releasing Pouncey.
[RELATED: Chargers Depth Chart]
Dolphins Release Ndamukong Suh
The Dolphins are releasing five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh as a post-June 1 cut, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The move signals another attempt for the Dolphins to change their culture, which has now resulted in the departure of three of their top players within the last calendar year — Suh, Jarvis Landry and Jay Ajayi. Suh now ranks as the best free agent currently available.
Suh was due to make $16.9MM in base salary next season, with a cap hit of $26.1MM. It was reported last week that the Dolphins were considering shedding the sizable cap hit by cutting Suh. The 31-year-old was set to enter the fourth year of his six-year, $114MM deal with Miami, which was an NFL record at the time signing.
Miami still has the option to cut Suh with a post-June 1 designation. That would allow the team to space out the dead cap space resulting from Suh’s release over the next two seasons and would give them an immediate $17MM in available cap space.
The Dolphins signaled that a cut for Suh was possibly on the horizon by acquiring Robert Quinn from the Rams earlier this month in exchange for fourth- and sixth-round picks in the upcoming draft. It was also suggested the team would possibly approach Suh about restructuring his deal for 2018. The Dolphins are also expected to part ways with linebacker Lawrence Timmons and Julius Thomas in cap-saving measures prior to the new league year beginning on March 14.
Suh was graded out by Pro Football Focus as the league’s No. 4 interior defensive lineman last season, which should create a decent bidding war for the services of the three-time All-Pro and former No. 2 overall pick. He missed out on back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances, though. He was named to his first one with the Dolphins in 2016 after collecting five sacks and 47 tackles.
Suh has seen a decline in his sack totals in each of his three seasons with the Dolphins since racking up 8 1/2 in his final year with the Lions in 2014. With Suh reportedly out of the picture, the Dolphins still have Davon Godchaux, Jordan Phillips, Vincent Taylor, and Gabe Martin on the roster at defensive line, along with Quinn.
DL Jarvis Jenkins Re-Signs With Chiefs
Veteran defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins has signed a deal to remain with the Chiefs, per his agency, SportsTrust (on Twitter). The terms of Jenkins’ deal have yet to be reported.
Jenkins, 29, is back with the Chiefs after signing a one-year deal with them last offseason. He appeared in 11 games last season — making one start — and had a sack to go with 11 tackles. Pro Football Focus graded Jenkins as a bottom-30 interior defender among 121 qualifiers.
Jenkins played on only 19% of Kansas City’s defensive snaps a season ago, fifth among Chiefs linemen. He’ll once again serve as depth behind Chris Jones, Allen Bailey, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, and could see more time if free agent Bennie Logan doesn’t re-sign.
Jeremy Lane Formally Charged With DUI
The Seahawks have already parted ways with Jeremy Lane this offseason and the cornerback has now found himself in some legal trouble as he attempts to find a new football home. Lane was formally charged with a DUI in relation to a January arrest, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. He is scheduled to be arraigned on March 26.
Lane struggled last season — Pro Football Focus graded him as one of the five worst cornerbacks in the NFL — and the Seahawks cut him on March 9, joining Richard Sherman as cornerbacks cut by Seattle this offseason. The Seahawks drafted Lane in the sixth round in the 2012 draft and he’s spent his entire career in Seattle. He was slated to be sent to the Texans as part of the package to acquire left tackle Duane Brown during this past season but failed his physical and remained with the Seahawks.
Lane, 27, received a bulk of his playing time with the Seahawks over the last two seasons, appearing in 19 games and starting 15. He has not picked off a pass since collecting two interceptions in 2013. Lane is in a cornerback free-agent market that’s headlined by the likes of Trumaine Johnson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Johnathan Joseph and Adam Jones.
Jaguars Re-Sign WR Shane Wynn
The Jaguars have agreed to re-sign wide receiver Shane Wynn, according to John Oesher of Jaguars.com (on Twitter).
Jacksonville signed Wynn, 25, prior to the 2016 season and provided him with his first NFL action. He caught two passes and also had three carries last season. He’s also spent time on practice squads for the Browns, Jets, Chargers and Saints. The Falcons originally signed Wynn as an undrafted free agent in 2015 out of Indiana.
Wynn provides the Jaguars with some depth as Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee entered the offseason as unrestricted free agents. Robinson agreed to a three-year, $42MM deal with the Bears on Monday.
Jacksonville has had a pretty busy Tuesday. Earlier, the team agreed to a five-year, $66.5MM deal with guard Andrew Norwell.
Falcons Restructure Brooks Reed’s Deal
The Falcons have created $1.5MM in cap room toward next season by restructuring the contract of defensive end Brooks Reed, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Reed’s cap hit next season will be reduced from $5.44MM to $3.94MM. 
It had been reported last week that Reed agreed to restructure his deal with the Falcons. He was ranked as the No. 31 edge rusher in the NFL last season, in Pro Football Focus’ view.
Reed was set to enter the fourth year of a five-year, $22MM deal. The Falcons could use some breathing room in regards to available cap space. Entering Tuesday, they were No. 28 in the NFL, with $13.21MM in available space.
The Falcons’ secondary is mostly under contract for next year but a couple key players from their front seven are due to hit free agency, including Dontari Poe, Courtney Upshaw and Adrian Clayborn. The team also placed a second-round tender on safety Ricardo Allen on Monday.
Reed, 31, appeared in all 16 games last season — starting 14 — and racked up four sacks, which were the most since his rookie season with the Texans in 2011. Reed started in front of Clayborn last season, and the Falcons also have 2017 first-round pick Takkarist McKinley (six sacks in 2017) waiting in the wings.