Lions To Meet With Darren Fells
The Lions will meet with Darren Fells tonight (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). If all goes well, the veteran tight end could return to Detroit, where he spent the 2017 season.
Fells has notched eleven touchdowns across the last two seasons with the Texans, plus another TD in the 2019 postseason. The bulk of those scores came in ’19 (seven) off of 34 grabs for 341 yards. Last year was quieter for the 35-year-old as he registered 21 catches for 312 yards and four TDs. Still, it’s worth noting that he finished with the highest yards per catch average of his career (14.9). Also, it wasn’t exactly a banner year for the Texans offense on the whole.
Overall, Fells is better known for his blocking prowess than his pass-catching, so he still profiles as solid support for T.J. Hockenson & Co.
Dolphins Meet With Malik Hooker
Former Colt Malik Hooker will visit with the Dolphins on Tuesday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). This marks the first known visit in a while for the one-time first-round safety. 
Now that May 3rd has come and gone, teams will no longer be docked in the compensatory pick formula for signing veterans. Teams have been waiting patiently for that deadline to pass, so players like Hooker are bound to be scooped up in the coming weeks. The Ravens, for example, had been eyeing offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva for weeks. Still, they waited until Tuesday morning to finalize his new two-year deal.
Hooker played out his rookie contract with the Colts, but he’s been plagued by injury trouble throughout his career. He did manage to bounce back from a seven-game rookie season to suit up for 27 regular-season contests from 2018-19, but he was limited to just two games last year. Now, he’s believed to be mostly recovered from his September Achilles tear.
If signed, Hooker will join third-round pick Jevon Holland in the Dolphins’ safety group. For now, the ‘Fins project to start Eric Rowe at strong safety and Bobby McCain at free safety.
NFLPA To Discuss 2021 Opt-Outs
Last year, dozens of NFL players opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith says he’ll push to extend that option into 2021 (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 
A number of NFL locker rooms have already decided against onsite offseason workouts. That’s an indication that some players may choose to stay home this year, should the coronavirus bring new variants to the states. Of course, with vaccines having been widely administered, players are more comfortable with the idea of traveling than they were in 2020.
Chiefs guard and medical school graduate Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was the first player to officially opt out last summer. Scores of players followed, though most said they struggled with the decision, which was complicated by lengthy negotiations over compensation and free agency rights. This time around, Smith is hoping to solidify the terms well in advance to make things easier for players.
Meanwhile, NFLPA president and Browns center J.C. Tretter reiterated the union’s position that every player should boycott voluntary OTAs.
“This is not a 2021 offseason issue. This will be an issue year after year,” Tretter said.
Browns Sign DT Damion Square
The Browns have signed veteran defensive tackle Damion Square, per a club announcement. This is just the latest in a string of defensive tackle upgrades, following the additions of Malik McDowell and promising UDFA Marvin Wilson.
[RELATED: Browns Sign Malik McDowell]
The Browns could use the interior support after shedding Sheldon Richardson earlier this year. Square, a nine-year vet, spent the past seven seasons with the Chargers, appearing in 81 games (24 starts). He’s served mostly as a rotational piece for the Bolts and he hasn’t missed a game in four years. During his time in San Diego and L.A., he’s picked up 6.5 sacks, thanks in part to seeing snaps at defensive end in 2018.
Of course, he’ll have to prove himself over the summer in order to stick on the roster this fall. Given Wilson’s $192K guarantee, the Florida State product may have a leg up on Square and others vying for a place on the depth chart.
Colts Audition K Eddy Pineiro
The Colts are working out former Bears kicker Eddy Pineiro today (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). If signed, Piniero will compete with Rodrigo Blankenship over the summer for the Colts’ kicking job. 
Blankenship joined the Colts last year after nailing 27 of 33 field goals in his final season at Georgia. His 82.5% make rate over four years ranked as the best in program history and he went 200-for-200 on all of his extra point tries. He wasn’t quite as sharp from long range as a pro, missing four kicks from beyond the 40-yard mark. Still, he finished his rookie year with a 86.5% FG rate.
Pineiro, meanwhile, made just 82% of his field goals for the Bears in 2019. Then, he missed all of 2020 due to a groin injury and ceded the job to Cairo Santos.
Jets’ Quinnen Williams Suffers Injury
Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams broke a small bone in his foot (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero). Williams should be fine for the start of the season, but his surgery will require 8-10 weeks of recovery. 
Williams won’t be present for OTAs or minicamp, but the expectation is that he’ll be good to go for training camp. Williams, who wants to be a “Jet for life,” is looking to build off of an impressive 2020 campaign. In 13 games (all starts), the former No. 3 overall pick notched 55 tackles, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles. Unfortunately, his season ended on injured reserve with a neck injury.
In years past, Williams has heard his name floated in trade rumors. But, even in the midst of a rough year for Gang Green, they rebuffed all midseason inquiries. At this point, Williams is optimistic that he’ll be staying for the long haul.
“I just handle what I can handle, just control what I can control,” Williams said earlier this year. “Just go out and work hard as I can for any team that I’m on. Hopefully it’s the Jets so I can play with Coach (Robert) Saleh, but any team I’m on, I just work my hardest so that when that comes around I can be the best player I can be.”
Browns Sign 5 UDFAs
The Browns have added five undrafted free agents to their offseason roster, per a club announcement. The group is headlined by Florida State defensive tackle Marvin Wilson, who will receive a hefty $192K guarantee:
- Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State
- Tre Harbison, RB, Charlotte
- Romeo McKnight, DE, Charlotte
- Emmanuel Rugamba, CB, Miami of Ohio
- Kiondre Thomas, CB, Kansas State
Wilson was a ballyhooed recruit out of high school who could have been a second-round pick in last year’s draft. After a lackluster 2020, he may regret his decision to return to campus. The 6’5″ defensive tackle notched 44 stops and 8.5 sacks as a junior, but finished last year with 17 tackles and one sack in six games. Given his guarantee, he’s a safe bet to make the final cut. Harbison, who topped 1,000 yards twice at Northern Illinois before transferring to Charlotte, may also have a shot at the Week 1 roster.
Ravens To Sign Alejandro Villanueva
The Ravens will sign Alejandro Villanueva to a two-year deal, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). The contract is worth up to $14MM with $8MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). 
Villanueva will replace Orlando Brown Jr. following their huge draft week trade. Once Ronnie Stanley is healthy, the Ravens will slot the former Steeler at right tackle.
The Ravens have long been connected to Villanueva. Trading Brown to the Chiefs pretty much sealed the deal, but the Ravens waited until after May 3 to avoid losing ground in the compensatory pick formula. Now, they’re still projected to earn a pair of fourth-round comp picks in 2022 for losing Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue in free agency.
Villanueva was never considered an elite left tackle, but he usually did an okay job of protecting Ben Roethlisberger‘s blindside. He’s also been durable, starting all 16 games in each of the past five seasons. He’ll be a key part of the Ravens’ O-Line moving forward, especially since they did not select any linemen in last week’s draft.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/3/21
Today’s minor moves:
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: RB Paul Perkins
New York Jets
- Released: DL John Daka
Washington Football Team
- Released: WR Trevor Davis, WR Jeff Badet
Falcons Pick Up Calvin Ridley’s Option
The Falcons have exercised Calvin Ridley’s fifth-year option for the 2022 season, per a club announcement. The wide receiver is now set to earn $11.116MM in his additional year. 
Atlanta said no to Hayden Hurst‘s 2022 option, but Ridley was an easy choice. Last year, Ridley set new career watermarks with 90 grabs for 1,374 yards. The former No. 26 overall pick also found pay dirt nine times. In an otherwise trying year for the Falcons, Ridley was a bright spot. All in all, he’s got 217 catches, 3,061 yards, and 26 touchdowns to his credit.
Now, Ridley could be in line for an even larger role, depending on what the Falcons do with longtime star Julio Jones. As they work their way through a tough cap situation, new GM Terry Fontenot says that he’ll “have to listen” to trade inquiries.