Jaguars Sign Rookie WR Dede Westbrook
Dede Westbrook has formally signed his rookie deal, according to an announcement from the Jaguars. Per the terms of his slot, the former Oklahoma wide receiver will earn $3.1MM over four years with a $676K+ signing bonus. 
Westbrook probably would have gone earlier in the draft if not for two domestic violence arrests in his past. Some teams removed him from the draft board completely, but the Jaguars apparently felt that the potential reward with Westbrook was worth the risk and PR backlash. Before the draft, one AFC area scout told Albert Breer of The MMQB that the receiver is a “degenerate” and someone that he would not consider worthy of a roster spot.
The youngster has also been knocked for his lack of size, but some see shades of DeSean Jackson in his game. The speedster undeniably impressed in his final year at OU with 80 catches for 1,524 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Westbrook is now the third member of the Jaguars’ 2017 draft class to sign. Seventh round cornerback Jalen Myrick (Minnesota) and seventh round fullback Marquez Williams (Miami) both inked their contracts earlier this month. The team still has running back Leonard Fournette, tackle Cam Robinson, defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot, and linebacker Blair Brown on the agenda. For a full rundown of which picks have signed and have not signed for all 32 teams, check out PFR’s running list.
Big Ben Was Serious About Retirement
When Ben Roethlisberger announced in April that he would be returning for another season, the news was met with eye rolls by some. Apparently, however, the Steelers quarterback was giving real thought to retirement. 
“I got to sit down and talk to him and one thing he told me is he did take it seriously,” retired offensive lineman Willie Colon told Mike Florio of PFT. “He’s dealt with a lot of injuries.”
Because the 35-year-old was giving real thought to calling it quits this spring, it seems very possible that he could be in the same position next offseason. Roethlisberger has taken tons of big hits over the years and he might prefer to spare his body in order to get the most out of his post-football life. Colon personally believes that Roethlisberger can be coaxed into at least one additional season if the Pittsburgh offensive line can protect the pocket.
Roethlisberger has missed six games over the last two seasons, but he’s still producing at a high level. In 2016, he earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection as he completed 64.4% of his passes for 3,819 yards and 29 TDs against 13 picks. The Steelers went 10-4 in games with Big Ben as the starter.
In a league where it’s hard to find a good quarterback, the Steelers hope that Roethlisberger will want to play in 2018 and beyond. For now, they’re grateful to have him back for at least one more year.
Bengals CB Adam Jones Enters Guilty Plea
On Tuesday, Bengals cornerback Adam Jones pleaded guilty to obstructing official business in an incident that took place in early January. Meanwhile, the judge dismissed more serious charges against the player formerly known as Pacman, meaning that he will avoid serious jail time. 
[RELATED: Bengals Sign First-Round Pick John Ross]
“I truly apologize for what I did, my actions. I’m trying to get better every day,” Jones said (Twitter link via Terry Helmer of WCPO).
Initially, Jones was charged with three misdemeanors and a felony after a late-night dustup. The cornerback allegedly assaulted a man by “pushing and poking” him in the eye. Then, he refused to stop when ordered to and he refused to enter the cop car as he kicked and head-butted officers. Then, when he arrived at jail, he allegedly spit on a nurse, which landed him the felony charge of “harassment of a member of the medical staff in the justice center with a bodily substance.” Despite all of that, Jones was sentenced only to time served, which amounted to two days in jail.
Jones is pretty much in the clear when it comes to legal ramifications, but it seems likely that he will face discipline from the league office. Bengals GM Mike Brown indicated back in March that the team will stand by the embattled veteran.
Brandon Graham Reports To Eagles
It doesn’t sound like Brandon Graham is planning a holdout this offseason. The Eagles defensive end reported to the team facility this morning, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com writes. He also spoke with Howard Eskin of 94WIP on Tuesday and referred to rumors of a holdout as “fake news.” 
[RELATED: Coach Doug Pederson Not Worried About Graham Holdout]
Graham is in the middle of a four-year, $26MM contract signed with the Eagles in 2015. In the last two years and particularly in 2016, he has outperformed his deal. Graham would probably like to be paid near the top of the DE market, but he doesn’t have a ton of leverage in that regard since he still has two years to go on his pact. A holdout, in theory, could put some pressure on the team, but the 29-year-old seems prepared to play out 2017 with a cap number of $7.5MM.
As Shorr-Parks notes, the additions of first round pick Derek Barnett and free agent Chris Long could impact Graham’s stat line which, in turn, could impact his bottom line. The advanced metrics portrayed Graham as one of the best edge defenders in the entire league last season, but he only had 5.5 sacks on the year. If his snap count goes down, his sack total might also sag. Without gaudy totals on his traditional stat sheet, he might not have enough juice to get a big extension next offseason.
Raiders’ Aldon Smith Not Close To Return
It doesn’t sound like we’ll see Aldon Smith reinstated anytime soon. The linebacker has said that he’ll be back soon, but sources close to Smith say that he has made no consistent effort to follow the program laid out for him by the league, sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Those who know him best say that he’ll have one great week followed by a week of the same old problems. 
Smith’s camp was pushing for reinstatement late last season, but commissioner Roger Goodell decided to table that discussion until March 2017. In between December and March, Smith found himself under police investigation for an alleged domestic violence incident and in a separate incident was arrested for crashing into a police cruiser while driving drunk. Those events put up major barriers between Smith and a potential return and it sounds like he’s only setting himself back further with his erratic behavior.
Prior to the draft, GM Reggie McKenzie indicated that the Raiders were not banking on having Smith return in 2017.
“Our thought process is on the draft and not considering Aldon at this point,” McKenzie said. “He’s still on the suspension list, so we’re not considering him at this point.”
Browns Meet With CB Jason McCourty
Former Titans cornerback Jason McCourty had dinner with Browns coaches and brass on Monday night, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. McCourty is visiting Cleveland’s facility today and will also take a physical. 
McCourty will be 30 years old when the 2017 season gets underway, and there are certainly reasons to be concerned about his recent level of play. Last year, McCourty finished out as just the 55th ranked cornerback in the league, per Pro Football Focus, so while he was still a viable starter, the Titans were probably right in thinking that he wasn’t worth his $7MM base salary. Additionally, McCourty has been banged up in recent seasons. He played through shoulder and chest ailments last year while groin surgeries caused him to miss a dozen games in 2015.
Still, he was excellent from 2010-13 and he was one of the league’s more secondary guys in the league during that time. He could provide some key veteran leadership for the Browns and maybe even recapture some of his old magic in a new environment.
The Titans cut McCourty in mid-April and several teams reportedly phoned him that same week. However, his trip to Cleveland marks his first known visit with a team since he became a free agent. One report indicated that a one-year deal with a maximum of $2MM – similar to the pact Leon Hall inked with the Giants last season — could be a likely outcome for McCourty.
The Browns added a cornerback in the fourth round of the draft when they tapped Houston’s Howard Wilson, but he might be done for the season after suffering a painful knee injury. As it stands, Joe Haden (who is coming off of a down year) and Jamar Taylor are the projected starting cornerbacks.
Seahawks Like Kaepernick Over RG3
This week, Pete Carroll made waves when he said that the team is considering both Colin Kaepernick and RG3 as potential backups for Russell Wilson. Apparently, the team’s interest in Kaepernick is far stronger than its interest in Griffin. Kaepernick is a “potential, legitimate option” that the Seahawks are mulling while the chance of a Griffin signing is more of a “remote possibility,” according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). 
A few short years ago, the idea of Griffin being a potential backup quarterback was unthinkable. Now, RGIII wishes he could get real consideration as a backup quarterback. As far as we know, no teams have really pursued him this spring and Carroll’s mention of him on Monday was the first time we’ve really heard his name from an NFL official this offseason.
Last year was supposed to be a fresh start for Griffin, but a major shoulder injury suffered in Week 1 of the 2016 season derailed everything. When the Browns activated him from IR later in the year, he still couldn’t recapture the magic of his 2012 rookie campaign. Griffin did help the Browns to their lone win last season, but he did very little to boost his own market heading into free agency.
RG3 completed 87 of 147 passes (59.2% completion rate) and threw for 886 yards with two scores against three interceptions last year. If he had enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ rankings at QB, his overall score would have placed him among the worst at the position.
Minor AFC Transactions: 5/15/17
Teams are doing lots of spring cleaning today, so we’ll split the moves into two separate posts for each conference. First up, the AFC:
- The Raiders announced the signing of safety Marcus McWilson. A Kentucky product, McWilson played in 13 games for the Wildcats in 2016, racking up 108 tackles (4.5 for loss) and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
- Following suit on a busy transaction day for fringe roster cogs, the Ravens added four UDFAs to their offseason roster. Baltimore added linebacker Randy Allen (South Alabama), wide receiver Aaron Bailey (Northern Iowa), defensive back Jaylen Hill (Jacksonville State) and tackle Roubbens Joseph (Buffalo), Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.
- The Browns signed defensive backs Donte Carey and Najee Murray. Both players participated in the team’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. To make room, the team waived offensive lineman Josh Boutte.
- The Titans signed defensive lineman Jimmy Staten, a fifth-round draft pick by Seattle in 2014. In addition to Staten, they inked defensive lineman Cameron Robbins (Northwestern), linebacker Johnny Ragin (Oregon), cornerback Trevon Hartfield (Southwestern Oklahoma State), and kicker Jordan Gay (Centre). Staten, Robbins, Ragin and Hartfield all took part in the team’s rookie minicamp. To make space, the Titans waived defensive lineman Roderick Henderson and linebacker Reshard Cliett.
- The Jets announced the signing of linebacker Jevaris Jones and released fellow linebacker Austin Calitro.
- The Colts signed free agent guard Blake Muir and four undrafted free agents: cornerback Dante Blackmon, safety Tyson Graham, wide receiver Al-Damion Riles, and offensive tackle Andrew Wylie. To make room for the new players, the team parted ways with center/guard Austin Blythe (a 2016 seventh-round pick) and cornerback Frankie Williams. The Colts also waived three 2017 UDFAs: wide receiver Jerome Lane, cornerback Chris Lyles, and guard Chris Muller.
- The Bills have signed linebackers Abner Logan and Anthony Harrell while waiving safety Jeremy Tyler and linebacker Junior Sylvestre.
Minor NFC Transactions: 5/15/17
Earlier today, we rounded up some minor moves out of the AFC. In the interest of equal time, we turn our attention to the NFC:
- The Rams signed two Northwestern State alums in wide receiver Shakeir Ryan and running back De’Mard Llorens, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports. In addition to the skill-position talents from the Natchitoches, Louisiana-based program, the Rams added another small-school product in Mary Hardin-Baylor linebacker Teidrick Smith. The two Division I-FCS talents and Division III defender will displace two Rams in defensive back Jared Collins and offensive lineman Shaq McMeans, per Gonzalez. Their roster currently houses 89 players.
- Former Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas signed with the Saints, who also added guard Josh LeRibeus and running back Trey Edmunds, Nick Underhill of The Advocate reports. The 5-foot-11 Thomas operated as a dual-threat quarterback with the Yellowjackets and probably would convert positions for an NFL opportunity. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore in the program’s run-centric offense and threw for 18 touchdown passes that season. In the two subsequent slates, Thomas combined to throw 21 TDs. The son of former Dolphins Pro Bowl tight end Ferrell Edmunds, Trey Edmunds served as a reserve at Virginia Tech and Maryland.
- On a busy Monday, the Saints signed Drew Iddings, a source tells Underhill (on Twitter). Iddings, a former defensive lineman, will be trying to stick as an offensive guard. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound athlete has no significant experience on offense, but New Orleans believes that the powerful lineman can make a smooth transition. In college at South Dakota, Iddings appeared in 46 games and totaled 149 tackles and eight sacks.
- The Seahawks cut quarterback Skyler Howard and fullback Brandon Cottom and signed fullback Kyle Coleman and wide receiver Speedy Noil, per a team announcement. Noil entered the draft early out of Texas A&M. He caught just 42 passes combined the past two seasons.
- Giants signed wide receiver Kevin Snead, a Carson-Newman product, after his tryout. Snead, a former track star, reportedly ran a sub-4.3-second 40-yard-dash. To make room, the team waived offensive lineman Martin Wallace.
- The Lions have signed free agent offensive tackle Arturo Uzdavinis and waived tackle Pierce Burton.
- The Vikings signed guard Freddie Tagaloa after a successful rookie minicamp tryout, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Cardinals signed wide receiver Larry Clark.
Saints Cut S Shiloh Keo
The Saints have cut veteran safety Shiloh Keo, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. He was signed to a new one-year deal this March but the Saints did not want to bring him into camp this summer. 
Keo was a former draft pick of the Texans who joined the 2015 Super Bowl champion Broncos late in the season. He re-upped with the Broncos for another year, but Denver dropped him while he was serving a two-game suspension for a DUI. The Saints signed him in November 2016 and re-signed him to a new pact this spring, but he apparently wasn’t impressing in practice. In his ten games for the Broncos and Saints in 2016, Keo recovered three fumbles while failing to record a tackle.
Even with Keo gone, the Saints still have a ton of safeties under contract. Vonn Bell and Kenny Vaccaro are slated to start with second-round pick Marcus Williams, free agent Rafael Bush, and several others in support. In reality, there might be only one safety spot up for grabs after Williams and Bush.
In addition to Keo, the Saints also cut wide receiver Ahmad Fulwood, defensive back Anthony Gaitor, tackle Andrew Lauderdale, guard Clint Van Horn, and guard Colin Buchanan.