Minor NFL Transactions: 6/14/18
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: K Ross Martin
- Waived: LB DeMarquis Gates
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Sean McGrath
- Cut: TE Wes Saxton
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DB Michael Cirino
- Waived: DB Channing Stribling
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Brandon Shippen, CB Jarell Carter
- Waived: WR Zach Pascal, CB Jeremy Boykins
Buccaneers Sign Rookie RB Ronald Jones
Ronald Jones is officially under contract with the Buccaneers. On Thursday, the Bucs announced that the second-round pick out of USC has signed his deal. With that, the Bucs have officially locked up their entire draft class. 
Heading into the draft, some believed that Jones would be a first-round selection. However, he did not help his cause with a poor showing at the Trojans’ pro day. The Bucs, meanwhile, believe that they have a sleeper on their hands after grabbing Jones with the No. 38 overall pick.
Last season, Jones racked up 1,550 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns in his final collegiate campaign. There are some concerns about Jones’ ability to handle a big workload, but the Bucs will be able to limit his usage thanks to the presence of Peyton Barber, Jacquizz Rodgers, and Charles Sims.
Here’s the complete rundown of the Bucs’ 2018 draft class, via PFR’s draft tracker:
- 1-12: Vita Vea, DT (Washington): Signed
- 2-38: Ronald Jones, RB (USC): Signed
- 2-53: M.J. Stewart, CB (North Carolina): Signed
- 2-63: Carlton Davis, CB (Auburn): Signed
- 3-94: Alex Cappa, G (Humboldt State): Signed
- 4-117: Jordan Whitehead, S (Pittsburgh): Signed
- 5-144: Justin Watson, WR (Pennsylvania): Signed
- 6-202: Jack Cichy, LB (Wisconsin): Signed
West Notes: Seahawks, Cardinals, Raiders
Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is entering the final year of his contract and is quietly hoping for an extension.
“I want to be here, of course,’’ Wright said (via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times). “The Seahawks know that. Whatever they want to do, they’ll do. It’s my job to be the best that I could be, to make sure that K.J. and this defense is good. They know what it is and let’s get something done.”
Wright is set to earn $7.2MM this offseason before reaching unrestricted free agency. With his 30th birthday coming on July 23, he recognizes that this could be his last chance at a big payday.
Wright has certainly earned a new contract with his on-field performance in recent years. Last year, he racked up 108 total tackles and an interception as he started in all 15 of his games. Last year, he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 18 ranked linebacker and has routinely been a top-20 LB per the advanced metrics since becoming a full-time starter in 2012.
Here’s more from the West divisions:
- Odds are the Cardinals will sign wide receiver Greg Little after minicamp, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. Little likely would have signed with the club after his first tryout, but a hamstring injury got in the way. Little, a second-round of the Browns in 2011, spent three seasons in Cleveland before being waived. Since then, he has had stints with the Raiders, Bills, and Bengals. Little, 29, has played in 54 games with 42 starts over the course of his career. His most productive season came as a rookie when he had 61 catches for 709 yards and two scores. He followed that up with 53 catches for 647 yards and four scores as an NFL sophomore.
- The Raiders‘ kicking competition close between Giorgio Tavecchio and Eddy Piñeiro is extremely close, as Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Tavecchio stands as the only incumbent specialist left on the Raiders’ 2018 offseason roster after the team parted ways with punter Marquette King, long snapper Jon Condo, and longtime kicker Sebastian Janikowski, but it’s possible that they’ll clean house in that department under new head coach Jon Gruden. “I believe we’ll go in through some of the preseason games for sure and give them both an opportunity to kick in game-like situations,” special teams coach Rich Bisaccia said. “We’ll try to create as many situations in practice as we possibly can and certainly when we get to pads. It’s a process and everything matters. … Right now, they’re nip and tuck.”
No Talks Between Steelers, Le’Veon Bell
The Steelers tabled Le’Veon Bell extension discussions until after the draft, but six weeks later, the sides have not resumed dialogue on this topic, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports (subscription required). The lack of progress is concerning with less than one month to go until the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign an extension. 
[RELATED – Poll: Which AFC North Team Had The Best Offseason?]
Bell has stayed away from the Steelers this offseason as he pushes for a multi-year deal to reset the market for running backs. Bell has said he has no plans to sit out the 2018 season, but that threat could surface once again if the two sides are far apart on terms when July 16 approaches.
If Bell doesn’t sign by the deadline, he will play on the franchise tag for the second straight year. This time around, it will be for $14.5MM, representing a 20% increase from 2017. Without a long-term deal, that could spell Bell’s final year in Pittsburgh. If nothing is agreed upon by mid-July, the Steelers cannot resume talks with Bell until after the season. At that point, they’ll be competing with an eager open market.
Theoretically, the Steelers can franchise tag Bell for a third consecutive season, but the increased cost would be prohibitive. The transition tag is also an option, though another team would likely offer Bell a contract that the Steelers are unable to match.
Bell is looking for a contract that will pay him as the best running back in the game while also reflecting his performance as a No. 2 wide receiver. Last year, the Steelers reportedly offered him a $60MM deal with $42.5MM in the first three years of the pact, though it’s not clear how much of that deal was fully guaranteed.
Last year, Bell nearly racked up 2,000 all-purpose yards. If he didn’t sit out the team’s meaningless Week 17 contest, he likely would have gotten the 54 yards necessary to hit that milestone.
Saints To Sign RB Terrance West
The Saints are signing running back Terrance West, according to a source who spoke with NFL.com’s Herbie Teope (on Twitter). There was some question on Wednesday as to whether the contract was official, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that it’s a done deal. West was among the veterans running backs worked out by the Saints this week. 
[RELATED: DeMarco Murray Declines Saints Invitation To Work Out]
If he sticks on the roster, West will help to fill the void left by Mark Ingram‘s four-game suspension. Presumably, this means that the Saints will not be signing the other running backs auditioned this week such as Tim Hightower and Jamaal Charles. The Saints also asked DeMarco Murray to come show his stuff, but he declined the invite.
West is looking to rebound from an injury-shortened campaign in 2017. Although he was the Ravens’ leading rusher in 2016, he’ll be in line for a much more modest role if he makes the 53-man cut in New Orleans.
In 2016, West paced the Ravens’ ball carriers in attempts (193), yards (774) and touchdowns (five). The 26-year-old also added 34 catches for 236 yards and a receiving TD.
Although the complete order is yet to be determined, the Saints’ running back depth chart now consists of Ingram, Alvin Kamara, Trey Edmunds, Daniel Lasco, Boston Scott, Jonathan Williams, and West. Fullback Zach Line is also in the mix, though he’s not a lock to make the roster as his two-year deal contains just $200K in guaranteed money.
Chargers Reach Out To Antonio Gates
Could Antonio Gates return to the Chargers? It’s at least a consideration in L.A. as the Bolts have reached out to the tight end’s camp. 
“Obviously, Antonio would be a natural fit,” GM Ted Telesco said on 97.3 FM (via Jack Wang of the L.A. Daily News). “He’s someone that we have talked to. We’ve talked to his representatives. Sometimes, it’s not just as easy as saying, ‘Hey, let’s just bring him back. Let’s go.’”
Gates, who will celebrate his 38th birthday on Monday, earned $5MM last season. It’s not clear whether he’s expecting a similar offer this time around. The Chargers, in theory, would have the flexibility to accommodate a similar deal with about $8.8MM in cap room and all of their rookies under contract. Still, the Bolts may be looking for Gates to take less.
In April, the Chargers announced that Gates would not be re-signed. However, the Chargers have a clear need at tight end following Hunter Henry‘s season-ending injury. Virgil Green is the only tight end of note currently on the roster and he is much more of a blocking specialist than a pass-catcher. None of the other tight ends of the roster have ever recorded a regular season catch in the NFL.
No one would expect Gates to reprise his excellence of, say, 2009, but he was still productive as recently as two years ago when he caught 53 passes for 548 yards and seven scores.
Redskins Wrap Up Draft Class
The Redskins now have their entire 2018 draft class is under contract. On Thursday, the team announced the signing of third-round tackle third-round tackle Geron Christian, bringing their last straggler into the fold.
The Louisville product was selected with the No. 74 overall pick. Per the terms of his slot, he’ll earn roughly $3.4MM over the course of his four-year rookie deal.
Christian made a name for himself as one of Lamar Jackson’s most trusted protectors in college. At the pro level, he’ll be utilized as a tackle on both sides.
“We will keep him at the swing tackle,” said Redskins head coach Jay Gruden in April. “You know, what we went through at tackle last year was catastrophic with all the injuries and still a lot of these guys are recovering from their injuries. Trent is recovering still, Morgan [Moses] is still recovering, Ty [Nsekhe] is still recovering, we have T.J. [Clemmings] still recovering. So we need depth at tackle….He’s one of the best pass blocking tackles in this draft in my opinion.”
Here’s the complete rundown of the Redskins’ 2018 draft class:
- 1-13: Da’Ron Payne, DT (Alabama)
- 2-59: Derrius Guice, RB (LSU)
- 3-74: Geron Christian, OL (Louisville)
- 4-109: Troy Apke, S (Penn State)
- 5-163: Tim Settle, DT (Virginia Tech)
- 6-197: Shaun Dion Hamilton, LB (Alabama)
- 7-241: Greg Stroman, CB (Virginia Tech)
- 7-256: Trey Quinn, WR (SMU)
Details On Zack Martin’s New Deal
The Cowboys and Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin finalized the terms of his new contract on Wednesday, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. As previously reported, it’s a six-year deal that will keep him in the fold through 2024. The new portion of the contract is worth a whopping $84MM with $40MM guaranteed. 
The new pact makes Martin the new highest-paid guard in the NFL as his $14MM/year tops Andrew Norwell‘s $13.3MM annual average value. Among offensive linemen, only Giants tackle Nate Solder has a higher per year average at $15.5MM. It’s a sign that the guard market is nipping at the heels of the tackle market and also an indication of just how valuable Martin is Dallas’ front five. His total guarantee is also the highest of any guard in the NFL.
Martin’s streak of 64 consecutive starts is the longest active streak by a guard in the entire league. Martin is also one of just four offensive linemen earn Pro Bowl selections in each of their first four NFL seasons since 1970 (Twitter link via ESPN).
The Cowboys have their excellent O-Line locked up for the foreseeable future. Martin is signed through 2024, left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick are under contract through through 2023, and right tackle La’el Collins is signed through 2019.
88% Of NFL Draft Picks Have Signed Their Rookie Contracts
The overwhelming majority of this year’s draft picks have signed their rookie deals, as shown in PFR’s tracker. Of this year’s 256 selections, 226 have inked their first NFL deal. As of Wednesday afternoon, that leaves 30 players – less than 12% of this year’s class – unsigned. Here’s the complete breakdown, round by round:
First Round (17)
- Browns, 1-1: Baker Mayfield, QB (Oklahoma)
- Giants, 1-2: Saquon Barkley, RB (Penn State)
- Jets, 1-3: Sam Darnold, QB (USC)
- Browns, 1-4: Denzel Ward, CB (Ohio State)
- Broncos, 1-5: Bradley Chubb, DE (North Carolina State)
- Bills, 1-7: Josh Allen, QB (Wyoming)
- Bears, 1-8: Roquan Smith, LB (Georgia)
- 49ers, 1-9: Mike McGlinchey, T (Notre Dame)
- Titans, 1-22: Rashaan Evans, LB (Alabama)
- Patriots, 1-23: Isaiah Wynn, T (Georgia)
- Panthers, 1-24: D.J. Moore, WR (Maryland)
- Ravens, 1-25: Hayden Hurst, TE (South Carolina)
- Falcons, 1-26: Calvin Ridley, WR (Alabama)
- Steelers, 1-28: Terrell Edmunds, S (Virginia Tech)
- Jaguars, 1-29: Taven Bryan, DT (Florida)
- Vikings, 1-30: Mike Hughes, CB (UCF)
- Patriots, 1-31: Sony Michel, RB (Georgia)
Second Round (5)
- Colts, 2-36: Darius Leonard, LB (South Carolina State)
- Colts, 2-37: Braden Smith, G (Auburn)
- Buccaneers, 2-38: Ronald Jones, RB (USC)
- Dolphins, 2-42: Mike Gesicki, TE (Penn State)
- 49ers, 2-44: Dante Pettis, WR (Washington)
Third Round (8)
- Giants, 3-69: B.J. Hill, DT (North Carolina State)
- Broncos, 3-71: Royce Freeman, RB (Oregon)
- Redskins, 3-74: Geron Christian, OL (Louisville)
- Chiefs, 3-75: Derrick Nnadi, DT (Florida State)
- Bengals, 3-77: Sam Hubbard, DE (Ohio State)
- Bengals, 3-78: Malik Jefferson, LB (Texas)
- Seahawks, 3-79: Rasheem Green, DE (USC)
- Raiders, 3-87: Arden Key, DE (LSU)
Fourth Round (0)
Fifth Round (1)
- Giants, 5-139: RJ McIntosh, DT (Miami)
Sixth Round (0)
Seventh Round (0)
The Rams signed their entire rookie class late last week, putting a serious dent in the unsigned total since our last check. Still, the first round (17) and third round (8) lead the way in rookie stragglers. That’s to be expected, as first round picks have the leverage needed to negotiate a better position on certain issues such as offset language. Third round negotiations also tend to drag since there is wiggle room when it comes to base salaries.
49ers Sign Rookie Fred Warner
49ers rookie Fred Warner says he has formally signed his contract (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee). With the BYU linebacker officially in the fold, the Niners have only two unsigned draft picks left in first rounder Mike McGlinchey and second rounder Dante Pettis. 
Warner, a 6’3″, 236-pound ‘backer, started all 13 games as a senior and led his team with 87 tackles. Nine of his stops were behind the line and he also notched an interception and five pass breakups. Evaluators believe that his athleticism and fluidity will allow him to occupy something of a hybrid role with reps at both outside linebacker and safety.
Warner figures to be among the first outside linebackers off of the bench behind starters Eli Harold and Reuben Foster this year. He’s one of three notable newcomers to the LB group in San Francisco, along with free agents Korey Toomer and Jerry Attaochu.
The Niners still have some work to do, but they’re hardly alone in that regard. Roughly two-thirds of teams in the NFL still have at least one rookie left to sign, as shown on PFR’s tracker.