Cardinals Sign 21 UDFAs
On Monday afternoon, the Falcons announced a larger-than-usual 20-player UDFA class. Not to be outdone, the Cardinals added 21 undrafted rookies to their offseason roster:
- Sirgeo Hoffman, RB (Portland State)
- Jonathan Ward, RB (Central Michigan)
- Jermiah Braswell, WR (Youngstown State)
- Shane Leatherbury, WR (Towson)
- Rashad Medaris, WR (Cincinnati)
- Devin Phelps, WR (Shepard)
- JoJo Ward, WR (Hawaii)
- Ryan Becker, TE (SMU)
- Parker Houston, TE (San Diego State)
- Jake Benzinger, OL (Wake Forest)
- Jackson Dennis, OL (Holy Cross)
- Drew Dickinson, OL (Findlay)
- Steven Gonzalez, OL (Penn State)
- T.J. Carter, DL (Kentucky)
- Adam Shuler, DL (Florida)
- Reggie Walker, LB (Kansas State)
- Zane Lewis, CB (Air Force)
- Jace Whittaker, CB (Arizona)
- Jarren Williams, CB (Albany)
- Bejour Wilson, CB (Liberty)
- Reggie Floyd, S (Virginia Tech)
The Cardinals had only 18 open spots heading into this week, so they’ll have to trim a few players from the roster. Arizona GM Steve Keim went heavy on corners in this UDFA class after passing on defensive backs throughout the draft.
Ward, out of Hawaii, is among the more notable names on the list. The wide receiver put himself on the pro radar in 2018 as he averaged a DeSean Jackson-esque 17 yards per reception. But, even with the benefit of Hawaii’s run-and-shoot offense, his production dipped in 2019. The Cardinals are still curious to see whether his solid in-game speed will translate to NFL success.
Falcons Sign 20 UDFAs
The Falcons have signed 20 undrafted free agents, per a team announcement. Between the UDFAs and their draft picks, the Falcons will be welcoming a total of 26 rookies to Atlanta. Of course, only some of those NFL neophytes will actually make the cut.
Here’s the full rundown of the Falcons’ UDFA class:
- Delrick Abrams, CB (Colorado)
- Hinwa Allieu, DT (Nebraska-Kearney)
- Hunter Atkinson, LT (Georgia State)
- Austin Capps, C (Arkansas)
- Mikey Daniel, FB (South Dakota State)
- Scottie Dill, RT (Memphis)
- Austin Edwards, DE (Ferris State)
- Rojesterman Farris, CB (Hawaii)
- Juwan Green, WR (Albany)
- Tyler Hall, CB (Wyoming)
- Evin Ksiezarczyk, OT (Buffalo)
- Sailosi Latu, DT (San Jose State)
- Jalen McCleskey, WR (Tulane)
- Jared Pinkney, TE (Vanderbilt)
- Caleb Repp, TE (Utah State)
- Chris Rowland, WR (Tennessee State)
- Ray Wilborn, LB (Ball State)
- Jordan Williams, LB (Baylor)
- Bryson Young, DE (Oregon)
- Justin Gooseberry, OG (Rice)
Rowland, a receiver out of FCS program Tennessee State, scored an $80K bonus on his deal, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Last year, Rowland led his squad with 57 catches for 727 yards and five touchdowns. He also showed his speed in the return game, where he averaged 13 yards per punt return. Rowland, Green, and McCleskey will push to stick in Atlanta behind Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Laquon Treadwell, and five other receivers under contract.
Giants Sign 15 Undrafted Players
The Giants have agreed to sign 15 undrafted free agents, per a club announcement. They had 80 players on the roster heading into Monday morning, so five players will have to be cut in order to make room for the newcomers. Here’s the full rundown:
- Christian Angulo, DB (Hampton)
- Case Cookus, QB (Northern Arizona)
- Derrick Dillon, WR (LSU)
- Malcolm Elmore, DB (Central Methodist)
- Tyler Haycraft, OL (Louisville)
- Rysen John, WR (Simon Fraser University)
- Niko Lalos, OLB (Dartmouth)
- Jaquarius Landrews, DB (Mississippi State)
- Javon Leake, RB (Maryland)
- Dana Levine, OLB (Temple)
- Austin Mack, WR (Ohio State)
- Kyle Markway, TE (South Carolina)
- Kyle Murphy, OL (Rhode Island)
- Dominique Ross, OLB (North Carolina)
- Binjimen Victor, WR (Ohio State)
Dillon’s deal includes a $40K guarantee, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. That’s an indication that other clubs were keen on the LSU product. Last year, Dillon finished out with 15 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns in Joe Burrow‘s offense.
Cookus, a quarterback out of Northern Arizona, likely would have heard his name called over the weekend if not for a pair of season-ending shoulder injuries in college. In his final season with the Lumberjacks, Cookus threw for nearly 4,100 yards and 31 touchdowns. Still, making the Giants’ 53-man roster cut will be tough as they already have Colt McCoy and Alex Tanney slotted behind starter Daniel Jones.
Patriots’ James Develin Retires From NFL
James Develin is calling it a career. On Monday, Develin announced his retirement from the sport via Instagram. 
[RELATED: Bill Belichick On QB Plans]
“Due to unforeseen complications with the injury that ended my season last year, I have decided it is both in my and my family’s best interest to retire from the game of football,” Develin wrote. “I’ve always maintained a believe that, in the sport, the team is much more important than myself as an individual. That belief still rings true, as I have to prioritize my team at home before anything else.”
Develin’s season ended in September after he suffered a neck injury. After thinking it over, Develin decided to move on rather than jeopardize his health further.
Develin signed his first NFL deal with the Bengals, but he has played every pro down with the Patriots. Save for the 2015 season he lost to injury, Develin appeared in every regular season game for the Pats between 2013 and 2018. In 2017, he earned his first career Pro Bowl nomination. In 2018, he inked a two-year contract extension, taking him through the 2020 season.
The 31-year-old (32 in July) didn’t see lots of targets in the Patriots’ offense, but he always provided reliable blocking. In ’17, for example, he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 ranked run blocker among all qualified fullbacks and fourth amongst FBs in his blocking. Many teams have gotten away from using a fullback, but Develin bucked the trend as a throwback and an underrated part of the Pats’ game plan.
Even though Develin won’t be with the Patriots this year, he’ll be cheering them on from afar.
“Thank you to New England and Pats nation for your continued support of my team,” Develin wrote. “I look forward to continuing to support them right along with you.”
Vikings Sign 12 UDFAs
On Monday, the Vikings formally signed a dozen undrafted free agents:
- Brady Aiello, T (Oregon)
- Jake Bargas, TE (North Carolina)
- Dan Chisena, WR (Penn State)
- Nevelle Clarke, CB (UCF)
- Quartney Davis, WR (Texas A&M)
- Myles Dorn, S (UNC)
- Jordan Fehr, LB (Appalachian State)
- Nakia Griffin-Stewart, TE (Pittsburgh)
- Tyler Higby, G (Michigan State)
- Jake Lacina, C (Augustana)
- Blake Lynch, LB (Baylor)
- David Moa, DT (Boise State)
The Vikings gave Davis a $100K guarantee (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle), a sizable sum for UDFAs. Davis is coming off of solid back-to-back seasons with the Aggies and many expect him to hear his name called on Day 3. In 2019, he caught 54 passes for 616 yards and four touchdowns. Davis and Chisena will fight for a place on the WR depth chart, which also includes first-round pick Justin Jefferson and fifth-round choice K.J. Osborn.
Clarke, meanwhile, fetched a total guarantee of $115K (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press) and Aiello has $45K locked in (Twitter link via Wilson).
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/27/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Chicago Bears
- Released: TE Dax Raymond
Denver Broncos
- Released: S Tyvis Powell, TE Bug Howard, DL Deyon Sizer, DL Jay-Tee Tiuli
Detroit Lions
- Released: RB Tra Carson, LS James Fisher, G Casey Tucker, P Matt Wile
Green Bay Packers
- Released: QB Manny Wilkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: TE Billy Brown, WR Steve Ishmael
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: QB Kyle Shurmur
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: RB Mark Thompson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: C Coleman Shelton (Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
- Released: LB Jeff Holland
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: S Jacob Thieneman
Browns To Exercise Options On Myles Garrett, David Njoku
The Browns will exercise their fifth-year options on defensive end Myles Garrett and tight end David Njoku, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). With that, both players will remain under club control through the 2021 season. 
The Browns have opted to stay the course with Garrett – the former No. 1 overall pick – despite his role in last year’s brawl against the Steelers. Now reinstated, Garrett will look to build off of the progress he made pre-suspension.The Texas A&M product managed ten sacks in just ten games last season. Had he played a full season, he likely would have shattered his previous watermark of 13.5 sacks from 2018. All in all, he’s got 30.5 sacks, the highest total of any Browns player within the first three years of their career.
Njoku’s decision was actually a tricker one for the Browns since they’ve added Austin Hooper in free agency. Njoku missed the bulk of the 2019 season thanks to a wrist injury and the fifth-year option is guaranteed for injury only (next year, that will change, thanks to the new CBA). Before that, the tight end enjoyed a breakout 2018 campaign as he recorded 56 catches for 539 yards and four touchdowns. For comparison: Hooper is a two-time Pro Bowler coming off of his best season ever.
Patriots To Release Obi Melifonwu
The Patriots are cutting safety Obi Melifonwu, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The former second-round pick of the Raiders will try to get his career back on track with another team in 2020.
[RELATED: Patriots Pass On Draft QBs, Sign UDFA Brian Lewerke]
Melifonwu didn’t see much playing time in his first year with Oakland due to injury. He finished out his rookie year with seven tackles in five games and two separate IR stints. After his release and injury settlement, he worked out for the Cowboys, Chiefs, Saints, and other clubs before hooking on with the Pats. Now that the Patriots are putting him back on the curb, those other clubs could revisit the safety as a low-cost and low-risk addition to the 90-man roster.
Melifonwu spent time on the Patriots’ taxi squad last year and re-upped with the team on a futures deal in January. After the Pats used a second-round pick to select Kyle Dugger out of D-II Lenoir-Rhyne University, they didn’t have a place for the 26-year-old.
Cam Newton Looking For Starting Job
Free agent Cam Newton is looking for a starting gig, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Unfortunately for the one-time MVP, there aren’t many openings left after the draft. 
The Chargers likely took themselves out of the Newton sweepstakes by selecting Oregon’s Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick. In theory, Newton could serve as a veteran bridge to a rookie – especially one as green as Herbert – but they already have Tyrod Taylor to occupy that role on a very reasonable contract. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have Tua Tagovailoa and the Jaguars seem prepared to roll with Gardner Minshew. In theory, that leaves the Patriots, though their level of interest in Newton is unclear. At the moment, their QB room includes veteran Brian Hoyer and newly signed UDFA Brian Lewerke, a Michigan State product who lobbed 17 touchdowns against 13 interceptions last year.
After the Panthers moved on from Newton, the QB’s camp has been preaching patience. The 30-year-old is out to prove himself all over again after a lost season, but there are no clear openings for him at present. Newton’s best bet – and perhaps only bet – would be to wait for QB injuries to pop up elsewhere. Even then, any team with interest in Newton will take a very close inspection of his foot and shoulder injuries.
Newton was limited to only two games in 2019, but he did make 14 starts in 2018. In that year, he completed a career-best 67.9% of his throws for 3,395 yards, 24 TDs, and 13 picks. He also showed that he can still make plays with his feet – he tallied 488 rushing yards and four scores on 101 carries.
AFC East Rumors: Dolphins, Wilson, Patriots, Jets
After Day 3 of the draft, the Dolphins added some safety depth and special teams help by picking up Kavon Frazier. But, before that, the Dolphins chatted with ex-Patriots safety Tavon Wilson about a minimum salary contract, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter) hears. Wilson, who is presumably gunning for a better deal, declined.
With that, Frazier will fight for his place in the Dolphins’ sardine-packed safety group. Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Wilson will look for his next opportunity. Last year, Wilson made 13 starts for Detroit and registered 98 tackles, five passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, and one sack. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 26 safety in the entire NFL. Still, he hasn’t been able to score an offer to his liking and he hasn’t heard much, if anything, from the incumbent Lions.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- The Jets‘ draft has drawn positive reviews from most in the football world, but ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini isn’t sure if they did enough to strengthen the cornerback position. Jets GM Joe Douglas waited until the fifth round to take a corner and, when they did, they tapped Virginia product Bryce Hall, is coming off of ankle surgery. As Hall heals up, the Jets may look to explore what’s left of the league’s free agent cornerbacks.
- Did the Patriots reach with third-round tight ends Devin Asiasi (UCLA) and Dalton Keene (Virginia Tech) in the third round? Mel Kiper Jr. and one scout that spoke with ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss say that’s the case, though Reiss notes that they were both near the top of the Pats’ TE board heading into draft weekend. On the whole, this was viewed as a soft TE class, but that was one of the Pats’ biggest needs. Of course, they’d be in a much better spot if Rob Gronkowski opted to make his return with New England. Instead, Gronk will reunite with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay.
- On draft week, the Bills picked up Tre’Davious White‘s fifth-year option, a no-brainer move that will keep him in the fold through the 2021 season.