Patriots To Sign Brian Schwenke
The Patriots have agreed to sign offensive lineman Brian Schwenke, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Schwenke, a guard/center, spent the last five seasons with the Titans. 
Schwenke missed 23 regular season games from 2013-2015, but he has now turned in back-to-back 16-game seasons. It’s hard to say whether Schwenke is healthier, however, since he has played a whole lot less in the last two years. The 27-year-old started at center for all of his games from ’13-’15, but served as an interior line reserve in ’16 and ’17. Schwenke’s 148 offensive snaps last year were not enough to qualify for a ranking, but his 60.4 overall score from Pro Football Focus left much to be desired.
With the Pats, Schwenke will try to hook on as a backup behind starting guards Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason and center David Andrews.
Patriots Interested In Eric Decker
Wide receiver Eric Decker worked out for the Patriots on Monday, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Pats are dealing with some injury issues at wide receiver, so Decker could be a candidate to show his stuff in camp and potentially make the final roster. 
The Patriots are already down one receiver for the first month of the season thanks to Julian Edelman‘s four-game suspension. Beyond that, Jordan Matthews, Malcolm Mitchell, and Kenny Britt are all dealing with ailments of their own. Mitchell seems unlikely to make the Pats’ final cut (and he could even be traded in the next few weeks), but the Patriots can ill afford to be short-handed at wide receiver if Matthews and Britt do not recover fully between now and September.
Enter Decker, who has openly lobbied for an opportunity with the Patriots this summer. Outside of spring meetings with the Ravens and Raiders, Decker’s market has been eerily quiet this offseason.
Decker was a late surprise cut by the Jets last year, leading him to sign a one-year deal with the Titans. He fell a little flat in Tennessee, recording 54 catches for just 563 yards and one touchdown. Decker also missed most of 2016 due to injury, so the 31-year-old is now two years removed from being a high-end wide receiver.
In 2015, Decker’s last complete season, he hauled in 80 catches for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Jets. He also had 1,000+ yard seasons in 2012 and 2013 with the Broncos and nearly hit that mark in his first Jets season in 2014. If Decker can show at least some of his old form, he could be an interesting addition to the Patriots’ mix.
NFC East Notes: Redskins, Eagles, Cowboys
Expectations are high for the Redskins this year, but that doesn’t bother head coach Jay Gruden.
“I felt pressure the moment I signed the contract,” Gruden said (via John Keim of ESPN.com). “That’s the way it is here in D.C. Everyone expects a winner. I know Mr. Snyder does and Bruce [Allen], the whole city and the fans. I’ve been fortunate enough to get to this without winning a playoff game. I understand the expectations are high. We’ve put ourselves in position that it should be high, given the talent on this team.”
In Gruden’s opinion, this year’s Redskins roster is the club’s most talented since he was hired in 2014. Indeed, the Redskins do have more depth on the defensive line and at running back than they’ve had in years past, but the quarterback position remains a question mark for most. The Redskins believe that Alex Smith is an upgrade over Kirk Cousins, but plenty of people in the football world disagree with that notion.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Eagles‘ toughest roster decisions will be at running back, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com writes. Donnel Pumphrey, Matt Jones, Josh Adams, and Wendell Smallwood are likely competing for two roster spots and each player brings something unique to the table. Meanwhile, both Pumphrey and Jones have worked hard to improve their pass-catching ability. If they continue to make strides as receivers, they could both have an edge heading into September.
- The Cowboys worked out wide receiver Ricky Jeune on Tuesday, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Jeune, who previously spent time with the Rams, could add to the club’s depth in the wake of Cedrick Wilson’s shoulder injury.
- Recently, former agent Joel Corry gave his thoughts on what an extension for Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. might look like.
AFC East Notes: Jets, Darnold, Bills
Finally, the Jets have signed No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold. The quarterback’s contract includes offset language, at the Jets’ insistence, but the deal favors the quarterback in other areas. The USC product will receive his $20MM signing bonus payment within 15 days and the team also agreed to keep his guarantees intact if he is fined in the future. The Jets made some serious concessions to get Darnold back in practice, but ultimately GM Mike Maccagnan was comfortable with those sacrifices.
“Some of those things, they do set precedents going forward, but there’s precedents…you feel comfortable with or not,” Maccagnan said (via Matt Stypulkoski of NJ.com). “Those are areas that – I know there’s certain trends in the league right now, trending toward no offset. But again, it’s one thing if you kind of stay consistent with what you believe in and what you want to protect.”
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- Bills defensive tackle Adolphus Washington may be in roster trouble, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW writes. The 2016 third-round pick has been struggling in practice while the team has given Harrison Phillips work at Washington’s three-technique position. Bills GM Brandon Beane hasn’t been shy about jettisoning players from the old regime, so Buscaglia wonders if Washington could go on the trade block between now and September. It’s not quite clear what the Bills could fetch for Washington, however, given uneven performance over the last two years.
- The Bills‘ new look offensive line is long on experience but may be short on talent, Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle writes. The Bills are coming into 2018 without Cordy Glenn, Eric Wood, and Richie Incognito, three players who have started a combined 347 games and made five Pro Bowls. Of the Bills’ current 15 linemen, they have zero Pro Bowlers or even players that have been considered for a Pro Bowl.
- Patriots second-round pick Duke Dawson could wind up starting at cornerback.
Vikings Notes: Diggs, Thielen, Remmers
On Tuesday morning, Stefon Diggs became the latest wide receiver to cash in. Despite never having a 1,000 yard or 100 catch season, the Vikings gave him a five-year extension worth $72MM.
Adam Thielen, who had 1,276 receiving yards last season, agreed to a team-friendly deal two years ago that will pay him a fraction of Diggs’ deal for the next three seasons. The Vikings will have to pay in order to keep Thielen beyond 2020, but Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com (on Twitter) wonders whether the Diggs deal is an indication that he’ll take less to stay in Minnesota. For now, Thielen is set to carry cap numbers of $6.1MM, $5MM, and $6.5MM in each of the next three seasons.
Here’s more from Minnesota:
- It sounds like the Vikings will be using offensive lineman Mike Remmers exclusively on the interior. The veteran has been playing exclusively at right guard through the team’s first five practices, Cronin tweets. Remmers worked as the Panthers’ starting right tackle from 2014-16, but he played at right guard towards the end of last season for the Vikings. The 29-year-old is entering the second year of a five-year, $30MM deal he signed with the club in March of 2017.
- Improvement in Anthony Barr‘s pass-rushing production could help him become the next Vikings player to get paid, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune writes. Barr had four sacks as a rookie, but his numbers have dropped each season as the Vikings have sent him after the quarterback less often and offenses have used linemen to block him more often instead of running backs. Last year, Barr rushed the QB on a career low 16.7% of his snaps, resulting in just one sack on the year.
Raiders Have Not Made Offer To Khalil Mack
Khalil Mack has yet to show for training camp and there’s no resolution in sight for his quarrel with the team. The Raiders still have not made an offer to the pass rusher and there have been no talks between the two sides since February, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Raiders Set To Jettison OL Vadal Alexander]
The lack of progress on a deal is a head scratcher, especially considering recent comments from GM Reggie McKenzie.
“Khalil is my guy. … It’s unfortunate that we have to go through this. But his camp decided to do it this way … and Khalil is not the first guy to hold out,” McKenzie said this week. “But we’ll get through this. But there is nothing really to report. He is going to hold out until he gets an extension, and that’s where we are.”
Mack is coming off of another strong season in which he tallied 10.5 sacks and 78 total tackles. The former No. 5 overall pick graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 ranked edge rusher in the league and he is looking for a deal that will position him as one of the game’s highest-paid non quarterbacks.
As it stands, Mack is slated to reach unrestricted free agency after the 2018 season. The Raiders can control him via the franchise tag after he collects on his $13.846MM salary, but Mack wants a long-term deal today that will provide him substantial guarantees.
Cardinals Work Out Gerald Hodges
Linebacker Gerald Hodges will work out for the Cardinals on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Cardinals’ interest level is not immediately clear, but they are looking for veteran help. 
Hodges joined the Saints in 2017 following the team’s Week 5 bye week. He became a key cog on special teams, but he appeared in only 13 snaps on defense and eleven of those came in a blowout win over the Bills in Week 10. The Saints were the third team Hodges had played with since entering the league in 2013, following stints with Minnesota and San Francisco. In February, he was released by New Orleans.
The veteran didn’t do a whole lot last year, but he has proven that he can be a capable contributor. In 2016, he racked up 83 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions in 15 games with the 49ers. In that season, he graded out as the league’s No. 21 ranked linebacker, per the metrics at Pro Football Focus.
Vikings, Stefon Diggs Agree To Extension
The Vikings and wide receiver Stefon Diggs have reached agreement on a hefty new deal, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. The five-year extension is worth $72MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal includes $40MM in guarantees and can be worth up to $81M in total with incentives.
Diggs made his case for a new deal in 2017 as he caught eight touchdown passes, tying him for the team lead with tight end Kyle Rudolph. Meanwhile, his 64 catches and 849 receiving yards were good for second on the team, despite missing two regular season contests. Diggs, for his part, has been vocal about his desire to stay with the Vikings.
“I want to be here. I love being here,” Diggs said. “I love being a part of the organization. They took a chance on me early on so I love it here as far as where we’re at. … Hopefully, we can get some things done and we’ll see how it goes.”
The $14MM/year deal may sound exorbitant for a player who has yet to top 1,000 yards, but the wide receiver market has exploded and this is in line with Diggs’ expected haul in free agency. There’s certainly some risk on the team’s part as he has been hampered by injuries throughout his career. Diggs has not missed significant time as a pro, but he has dealt with groin issues in each of the last two seasons. He also said he was “never the same” after suffering a groin injury in Week 4 and his knee and hip have also given him problems.
The Vikings have worked hard in recent months to keep their young core together. Since last July, Minnesota has locked up Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph, Xavier Rhodes, Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter, and now Diggs. Last, but not least, is linebacker Anthony Barr, and it might not be long before they sign him to a fresh contract.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/18
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Kendall Calhoun, LB Jonathan Celestin, WR Colby Pearson
- Waived: DB Jason Hall, FB Daniel Marx, DB Terrance Parks
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Kevin Bowen, DB Christian Boutte, TE Orson Charles, DB Jeremiah McKinnon
- Waived: OL Victor Salako, DL Trenton Thompson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DT Kaleb Eulls
- Waived/Injured: DL Kapron Lewis-Moore
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: RB James Butler
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: FS Lorenzo Jerome
- Retired: LB Joshua Perry
Colts Sign OT J’Marcus Webb
The Colts have signed offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb, according to a club announcement. To make room, the Colts waived-injured fellow offensive tackle Jared Machorro. 
Webb, 29, signed a two-year deal worth $6.25MM with the Seahawks prior to the 2016 campaign, a pact that contained nearly $2.5MM in guarantees. Slated to serve as Seattle’s right tackle, Webb made only three starts — and appeared in just eight total games — before being waived in November of ’16. In that half of a season, he earned a substantially below-average grade of 38.2 from Pro Football Focus. He has not seen the field since then.
Webb’s stop in Seattle wasn’t much to write home about, but he does offer 46 games of NFL experience, including 44 starts. With the Colts, he’ll work to become a reserve behind starting tackles Anthony Castonzo and Austin Howard.