Only One Player Taken In Supplemental Draft
The NFL’s Supplemental Draft on Wednesday concluded with only one player drafted. After the Cardinals chose Washington State’s Jalen Thompson in the fifth round, no other players were taken in the remaining two rounds.
The players who were not selected in the supplemental draft are now free to sign with any club. Those players are:
- TE Devonaire Clarington (JUCO)
- LB Shyheim Cullen (Syracuse)
- DB Bryant Perry (University of St. Francis IL)
- WR Marcus Simms (West Virginia)
After Thompson, Simms was widely regarded as the best player in this year’s supplemental draft. The 6’0″ receiver averaged 16.7 yards per catch during his time with the Mountaineers and seems likely to land on a team’s 90-man roster.
Clarington, a one-time University of Texas commit, has also shown some impressive athleticism and potential at the JUCO level. He may also find work in the NFL, but he’s a raw prospect, even by supplemental draft standards.
Cardinals Select Jalen Thompson In Supplemental Draft
The Cardinals have selected Washington State defensive back Jalen Thompson in the fifth round of the NFL’s Supplemental Draft, according to multiple reports. By doing so, the Cardinals will give up their fifth round pick in the 2020 draft. 
Thompson was one of five entrants in this year’s second-chance draft and was universally regarded as the best prospect of the bunch. The Packers and Texans also showed interest in the youngster, but the Cardinals won out. It’s not yet known if the Packers or Texans placed bids on Thompson, but we do know that their draft priority (Nos. 10 and 26, respectively) was behind the Cardinals’ (No. 4).
Thompson attained freshman All-America status in 2016, was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection as a sophomore, and wrapped up his Cougars career with six INTs. In 2018, he picked off two passes, made 66 tackles and forced a fumble.
Thompson lost his final year of NCAA eligibility when he reportedly purchased an over-the-counter supplement at a local nutrition store. A source told Theo Lawson of The Spokesman-Review that the supplement in question was not a steroid, but it was enough to bring the defensive back’s collegiate career to an end. If not for that, Thompson might have been a fourth or fifth-round talent in the 2020 class.
Some in the Cardinals organization believe that Jalen Thompson is a better safety prospect than Deionte Thompson, the club’s fifth-round pick in April. If J. Thompson can impress this summer, there could be big things in store for him in Arizona.
NFL Supplemental Draft Order
The NFL’s Supplemental Draft order does not go by the inverted win/loss records of clubs. Instead, the order is dictated by a weighted lottery that uses a team’s win percentage as just part of the equation. Here, via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) is the complete order of the supplemental draft:
1. Lions
2. Broncos
3. Jets
4. Cardinals
5. Giants
6. Bills
7. Raiders
8. 49ers
9. Jaguars
10. Packers
11. Bengals
12. Bucs
13. Falcons
14. Vikings
15. Redskins
16. Titans
17. Dolphins
18. Steelers
19. Panthers
20. Browns
21. Ravens
22. Patriots
23.Cowboys
24. Seahawks
25. Eagles
26. Texans
27. Bears
28. Colts
29. Saints
30. Chiefs
31. Chargers
32. Rams
The supplemental draft is conducted via email. If multiple teams submit a pick for the same player in the same round, this order dictates which club gets the player. Of course, any team picking a player in the supplemental draft will sacrifice the corresponding pick in the 2020 draft.
Latest On Jalen Thompson, Supplemental Draft
There are five known entrants for the NFL’s Supplemental Draft on Wednesday afternoon, but Jalen Thompson of Washington State is expected to be the only player selected, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com hears. 
The defensive back has impressed on both a football level and personal level, making him a strong candidate to be picked. Based on Pauline’s conversations over the last two days, teams seem to view him as a fourth or fifth-round talent who will likely be swiped off the board in the sixth or seventh round.
So far, the Packers, Texans, and Arizona have shown the most interest in Thompson, Pauline hears. As previously reported, the Packers watched Thompson work out and flew him to Green Bay afterwards. The Texans, meanwhile, could use some safety help after failing to address the need in April’s draft. The Cardinals could also use some reinforcements in that area, but it’s not clear if they’ll add another prospect after tapping Deionte Thompson in the fifth round.
For what it’s worth, some in Arizona’s front office see Jalen Thompson as a better prospect than Deionte Thompson, Pauline hears. If J. Thompson is on the board after the fifth round, Pauline expects the Cardinals to place a bid.
The supplemental draft will take place at 1pm ET/noon CT on Wednesday.
Raiders Sign RB Josh Jacobs
It’s a done deal. The Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs have agreed to terms, according to Michael Gehlken of the Review-Journal (on Twitter). 
Per the terms of his slot as the No. 24 overall pick, it’ll be a four-year, $11.9MM deal for the Alabama product. And, because Jacobs is a first-round pick, the Raiders will hold a team option on a fifth season. The additional year is guaranteed for injury only, giving Oakland flexibility in the event that things do not work out.
Recently, we heard rumblings of a major stall in negotiations between the Raiders and Jacobs. There was reportedly concern that the running back would not show for training camp on July 23, but the two sides apparently worked out a disagreement over the payment schedule of his signing bonus.
It’s a fully guaranteed deal, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), meaning that the top 24 picks in this year’s draft will have completely guaranteed pacts. That’s an uptick from 2018, when the top 22 got full guarantees.
Jacobs, the first running back to come off of the board in April’s draft, averaged 5.9 yards per carry over the course of his career at Alabama. Evaluators believe that Jacobs has the ideal size and frame to be an every-down back at the next level, though there is concern about his overall speed.
With Jacobs in the fold, all of the Raiders’ draft picks are now under contract. His signing leaves just five unsigned first-round picks around the league: Nick Bosa (49ers, No. 2 overall), Quinnen Williams (Jets, No. 3), Devin White (Buccaneers, No. 5), Daniel Jones (Giants, No. 6), and Brian Burns (Panthers, No. 16).
Packers Meet With Jalen Thompson
Former Washington State defensive back Jalen Thompson visited the Packers on Tuesday and took a physical, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. It’s yet another sign that the Packers’ reported interest in Thompson is serious ahead of Wednesday’s supplemental draft. 
The results of Thompson’s physical will be shared with the league’s 31 other teams, agent Brad Cicala tells Pelissero. Assuming it all checks out, Thompson is likely to be the first – and possibly only – supplemental draft pick selected on Wednesday.
Thompson lost his final year of NCAA eligibility when he reportedly purchased an over-the-counter supplement at a local nutrition store. A source told Theo Lawson of The Spokesman-Review that the supplement in question was not a steroid, but it was enough to bring the defensive back’s collegiate career to an end.
Thompson attained freshman All-America status in 2016, was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection as a sophomore, and wrapped up his Cougars career with six INTs. In 2018, he picked off two passes, made 66 tackles and forced a fumble.
The supplemental draft allows NFL teams to select players who, for one reason or another, were barred from entering the regular draft in the spring. If a team selects Thompson, or another player, in the supplemental draft, they’ll forfeit the corresponding pick in the regular draft next year.
Dolphins’ Kenny Stills Changes Agents
Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills has new representation heading into 2019. The 27-year-old has fired his reps at Wasserman in favor of Ryan Williams of Athletes First, according to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). 
For Williams, it’s another big-name client to join a stable that features Clay Matthews, Anthony Barr, Josh Norman, and Josh Rosen. For Stills, it’ a major change in advance of a pivotal season.
Still inked a four-year, $32MM deal with the Dolphins in 2017 with nearly $19MM in guarantees. He’ll count for a $8.75MM cap number in 2019, but the Dolphins will have a big decision to make next year. If released, the Dolphins would save $7MM against the cap with just $1.75MM left in dead money.
Stills, of course, hopes to return to the form he exhibited early on in his career with the Saints, but there’s no telling what the Dolphins’ rebuilding offense will look like in 2019. Last year, Stills managed just 37 grabs for 553 yards and six touchdowns, a huge drop from 2017’s 58/847/6 line.
Next year, Stills could be looking for a new employer, or pushing the Dolphins for a big-time extension. In either scenario, he’ll have new representation at work for him.
Make-Or-Break Year: Dolphins WR DeVante Parker
Can a player be on the verge of a “make-or-break year” right after signing an extension with their team? In the case of Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker – yes. 
Parker is under contract with Miami through the 2020 season thanks to a new deal inked in March, but little is assured for the fifth-year pro. Initially, Parker was set to play out the 2019 season on his fifth-year option, which would have paid him $9.4MM. Instead, the Dolphins were poised to rip up that contract after another disappointing year, so they were able to leverage Parker into a lower-risk pact. Parker’s restructured deal guarantees him just $4.5MM in 2019 with a non-guaranteed $5MM in 2020.
In other words, the Dolphins stand to have a solid value in Parker if he is able to turn things around and live up to his billing as the No. 14 overall pick in the 2015 draft. Meanwhile, if he gets injured and/or underwhelms like he did in 2018, the Dolphins can walk and focus their resources elsewhere in 2020.
As the Dolphins enter a rebuilding season, they want to know what they have in Parker, a player who entered the league with tons of hype and wound up as the third WR selected in his draft class. The 26-year-old reportedly had a solid spring and new quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick may prove to be a better fit for his style than longtime starter Ryan Tannehill.
To date, Parker’s best season came in 2016, when he finished with 56 catches for 744 yards and four touchdowns. He’ll have to top that if he wants to continue to ply his craft in South Beach beyond this season.
If he falters, the Dolphins can decline his $5MM option for 2020 and walk away with no fiscal penalty.
Browns’ Duke Johnson Fires Agent
Browns running back Duke Johnson fired his agent, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). At this time, Johnson is without representation as he pushes the club to trade him. 
Johnson stayed away for much of the offseason before reporting to the club in early June for minicamp. However, when he arrived, he reiterated his desire for a change of scenery.
Johnson has been a valuable pass-catcher out of the backfield for the Browns, but the rise of Nick Chubb and the addition of Kareem Hunt (who will join the team after his eight-game suspension) likely spells a smaller role for him in 2019. Given Johnson’s history – including a yearly average of 59 receptions and 543 receiving yards – he’s justifiably looking for consistent playing time.
So far, the Browns have not shown a willingness to move Johnson, but things could change between now and September.
Release Candidate: Lions S Miles Killebrew
The February release (and subsequent retirement) of Glover Quin, in theory, should have put safety Miles Killebrew in line for an elevated role in 2019. But, instead of moving from the bench to the starting lineup, ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein believes that he could be on the roster bubble. 
“Killa” has shown bursts of promise while providing valuable special teams help, but he has yet to make a major mark on defense. Even without Quin, the Lions have other safety options from which to choose, including Quandre Diggs, Tavon Wilson, third-round rookie Will Harris, and rising sophomore Tracy Walker.
Killebrew’s practice performance in the coming weeks may dictate his NFL future. There are a number of potential outcomes, ranging from a starting gig at free safety alongside Diggs to a release that could expose him to the waiver wire just prior to the start of the season. There’s also the in-between that could sting the player even more than getting cut – Killebrew could be relegated to a special teams/reserve role yet again as he enters the final year of his paltry rookie contract.
If Killebrew can’t break through this summer, his best outcome might be a release and an opportunity to flex his hard-hitting style elsewhere.