Minor NFL Transactions: 5/16/19
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: G R.J. Prince
- Waived: G Kofi Amichia, TE Nick Keizer
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Tommy Doles
- Waived/Injured: DB Jomon Dotson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: D’Ernest Johnson
- Waived: RB L.J. Scott
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S Adarius Pickett
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: WR Justin Sumpter
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: C Tony Adams, G Kyle Fuller
- Waived: C Kirk Barron
- Waived/Injured: G Isaac Asiata
New England Patriots
- Waived: DT Frank Herron
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Alex Brown
- Waived: DL Damontre Moore
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Bryant Mitchell
- Waived: LS Dan Godsil
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Jalen Tolliver
Jets’ Robby Anderson Signs Tender
Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson has signed his restricted free agent tender, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That leaves Anderson with a one-year, $3.095MM deal for the 2019 season and leaves the Rams’ Cory Littleton and Troy Hill as the league’s only unsigned RFAs. 
Anderson was eyeing a long-term deal, but he had little recourse at this juncture of the offseason. April 19 was the deadline for players to sign offer sheets with other teams, leaving the wide receiver with two options: sign or stay home.
Anderson has led the Jets in receiving yards in the last two seasons and boasts a career average of 14.7 yards per grab. Last year’s 50/752/6 stat line showed promise, though the Jets may have some pause about his off-the-field antics.
Meanwhile, he’ll have to impress a new front office regime, which may actually work to his benefit.
Falcons Sign Rookie Chris Lindstrom
The Falcons have signed first-round guard Chris Lindstrom, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lindstrom, the No. 14 overall pick in the draft, will receive a four-year, $14.6MM deal with an $8.6MM signing bonus. 
With that, the Falcons have now signed their entire 2019 draft class. Here’s the rundown, via PFR’s NFL Draft tracker:
- 1-14: Chris Lindstrom, G (Boston College): Signed
- 1-31: Kaleb McGary, T (Washington): Signed
- 4-111: Kendall Sheffield, CB (Ohio State): Signed
- 4-135: John Cominsky, DE (Charleston): Signed
- 5-152: Qadree Ollison, RB (Pittsburgh): Signed
- 5-172: Jordan Miller, CB (Washington): Signed
- 6-203: Marcus Green, RB (Louisiana-Monroe): Signed
Lindstrom has an NFL-ready body at 6’4″ and 310 pounds. Lauded for his athleticism, many evaluators view him as an ideal fit for zone blocking schemes. Meanwhile, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein offered up high praise of the Boston College product, comparing him to Browns standout guard Joel Bitonio.
Ravens Sign LB Pernell McPhee
The Ravens have agreed to sign linebacker Pernell McPhee, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). He’ll return to Baltimore on a one-year deal. 
The veteran spent the first four years of his career in Baltimore and owns 31 career sacks and six forced fumbles over the course of his eight years in the NFL. The 30-year-old (31 in December) hasn’t put up big numbers in a couple of years, but the Ravens believe that he’s still a capable disruptor.
McPhee was a 2011 fifth-round pick of the Ravens and was an oft-featured sub before moving on to the Bears in free agency. He entered and went out with a bang in Baltimore – McPhee notched six sacks as a rookie and tallied a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2014, his contract year. McPhee parlayed that success into a five-year deal, $38.8MM deal with Chicago, but injuries cost him 12 regular season games over a three-year stretch. Still, McPhee managed 14 sacks for the Bears.
The Ravens also met with Rams free agent Matt Longacre, but the McPhee signing may check the box for veteran edge rushers.
Bengals Sign Jonah Williams, Drew Sample
The Bengals signed first-round offensive tackle Jonah Williams and second-round tight end Drew Sample, according to a team announcement. Williams was selected No. 11 overall while Sample was taken 41 picks later with the No. 52 choice. 
Williams entered draft weekend as a strong candidate for the top 10. But, after the Giants shocked the world by taking Duke quarterback Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall, things changed radially for the Alabama product and other top prospects. The early shakeup led to the Jaguars taking Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen at No. 7, which allowed the Lions to opt for Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson at No. 8 instead of Williams. That worked out just fine for the Bengals, who were able to stand pat and land the best tackle in this year’s class.
Sample, meanwhile, used his 6’5″ frame to block effectively at Washington. He didn’t light up the stat sheet with just 25 catches for 252 yards in 2018, but he could develop into more of an offensive playmaker with time.
Falcons Asst GM Scott Pioli Steps Down
Falcons assistant GM Scott Pioli has stepped down, according to a team announcement. Atlanta’s press release offers little in the way of reasons for Pioli’s decision, except to note that he “wants to pursue other opportunities.” 
Pioli joined the Falcons in 2014 after serving as the Chiefs’ GM for four seasons. Before that, Pioli spent time with the Patriots, Jets, Ravens, and Browns.
“We understand and respect the decision Scott, Dallas and their family have come to today and wish them nothing but the best,” Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff said. “Over the last five years Scott has not only provided tremendous value to me, but to the entire the Falcons organization. He is a dear friend and will be missed within our organization. We are continuing to assess the structure within our organization and move forward with our next steps.”
Meanwhile, Pioli says that he never intended to stay with the Falcons for the long haul.
“When I accepted this position more than five years ago, we all believed this would likely be a two or three-year working relationship,” Pioli said. “I came in to work closely with Thomas on personnel structure, processes and decisions. I loved the concept, was confident I could provide value and have enjoyed the challenge. Now, after more than five years with the Falcons, I am ready for a change. I want to thank all of my co-workers at Flowery Branch as it has truly been an honor to be a part of this organization and I am thankful to have been a part of this football team and the Falcons family.”
It’s not immediately clear whether Pioli has his next opportunity lined up, but there is a newly available GM vacancy in New York.
NFL Suspends Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson
Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson has been suspended for the first six games of the 2019 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The ban, a result of a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, will cost $3.88MM and impact P2’s remaining guarantees. Peterson has already dropped his appeal, so this suspension is already set in stone.
The six-game ban will keep Peterson off the field until Oct. 20, when the Cardinals face the Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey. That means Peterson, one of the league’s very best cornerbacks, will be sidelined for contests against the Lions, Ravens, Panthers, Seahawks, Bengals, and Falcons.
This is a crushing blow to the Cardinals, who are looking to rebound from a league-worst 3-13 record in 2018. It’s also another weird twist in the ongoing saga between the franchise and Peterson.
Peterson demanded a trade in 2018, though he apologized for his outspokenness in January and said he’s in Arizona “to stay.” But, tensions resurfaced in April amidst speculation that the cornerback wanted out yet again.
Typically, first-time PED violations result in a four-game suspension, but there are instances in which a first-time offender can be banned for additional games. For example, if a PED violation is found through means other than a drug test (known as a “non-analytical positive” in the NFL’s bylaws), a player can be suspended for six games.
Last year, Peterson extended his games played/started streak to 128 and tallied two interceptions, five pass deflections, one sack, and 54 tackles. He earned his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl nod and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 ranked CB in the NFL, edging out Jason McCourty, Kyle Fuller, Bryce Callahan, Prince Amukamara, and Jonathan Joseph. Only Stephon Gilmore, Desmond King II, Chris Harris Jr., and Levi Wallace placed ahead of him.
Furthermore, opposing quarterbacks avoided him like the plague. Peterson was the nearest defender to the targeted receiver on just 10.4% of the coverage snaps he played last season, the fourth-lowest rate among cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps (h/t Seth Walder of ESPN.com, on Twitter).
Peterson, a three-time first-team All Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler, is signed through the 2020 campaign thanks to the five-year, $70MM+ extension he inked with the club in 2014. He’s slated to carry cap numbers of $11.9MM and $13.184MM in each of the next two seasons.
Without Peterson, the Cardinals are left with a CB group headlined by David Amerson, Robert Alford, second-round pick Byron Murphy, and Tramaine Brock.
Giants Sign Rookie Corey Ballentine
The Giants have signed sixth-round cornerback Corey Ballentine, according to a team announcement. Ballentine was shot in a tragic event that took the life of his friend and teammate on the night he was drafted, but he is expected to play at some point in the future. 
The Washburn University product is still recovering from the incident, both physically and mentally. The Giants instructed him to stay home for the early portion of the team’s workouts, but he’s now on hand to observe the second phase of the offseason program. He should be cleared to participate at some point this offseason, but there’s no definitive timetable yet.
Ballentine was one of three cornerbacks drafted by the Giants this year, along with Georgia’s Deandre Baker (first round) and Notre Dame’s Julian Love (fourth round). Love has signed, but Baker is one of the Giants’ four remaining unsigned selections.
In accordance with his slot, Ballentine will earn $2.7MM over the course of his four-year deal.
Latest On Jets’ GM Search
The Jets have their eyes on Eagles executive Joe Douglas for their GM vacancy, and head coach/interim GM Adam Gase is reportedly staring in his direction as well. But, the Jets will also consider other candidates, including Bears assistant director of personnel Champ Kelly and Lions director of player personnel Lance Newmark (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com).
Whoever the new GM is, he’ll report directly to owner/CEO Christopher Johnson. Meanwhile, Gase will maintain control over the 53-man roster, which could prove to be a sticking point for top candidates. The Jets are loaded with young talent thanks to multiple losing seasons, but any exec that takes the job will have to wrestle with Gase when it comes to player acquisitions. After Gase toppled Maccagnan and ran him out of New York, it’s hard to see an established front office man jumping at Gang Green’s vacancy.
Meanwhile, Gase wasted little time in starting his GM duties. On Wednesday night, he shipped linebacker Darron Lee – a former first-round pick – to the Chiefs for a sixth-round choice.
Kyle Rudolph On Pay Cut: “No Way”
Kyle Rudolph might not be a member of the Vikings for much longer. In an interview with Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune, Rudolph said there is “no way” he will accept a pay cut on his 2019 salary. 
“No I won’t [accept a pay cut],” Rudolph said. “I am too young for that.”
Rudolph, 30 in November, is slated to carry a $7.625MM cap number this year. However, that figure is completely non-guaranteed, so the Vikings can wipe his entire salary off of the books without cap ramifications.
Rudolph also reiterated that he wants to stay put and expressed enthusiasm about the offense under OC Kevin Stefanski and assistant head coach Gary Kubiak. But, given his contract, his refusal to adjust the contract, and the arrival of second-round tight end Irv Smith Jr., it seems likely that Rudolph will be traded or released this offseason.
The tight end had another productive season in 2018, hauling in 64 receptions for 634 yards and four scores.