Saints Sign S Sharrod Neasman
The Saints have signed safety Sharrod Neasman, according to Herbie Teope of NFL.com (on Twitter). To make room, the team cut fellow safety Mykkele Thompson, who signed a reserve/futures deal with the team in January. 
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Neasman worked out with the Saints during their rookie camp in May. The 26-year-old has been on the Saints’ radar for a while and New Orleans even tried to sign him off of the Falcons’ practice squad in the last two years. If Neasman continues to perform in practice, he could have a real chance at sticking on the roster.
Neasman saw time in 14 games for the Falcons from 2016-17 but was non-tendered this offseason. An April audition with the Chiefs didn’t yield a deal, but he has found a home with the Saints.
As shown on Roster Resource, Neasman will be competing with Kurt Coleman, Chris Banjo, and fifth-round pick Natrell Jamerson for playing time and a place on the final roster this offseason. The Saints will return Marcus Williams and Vonn Bell as their starters in 2018.
55 NFL Draft Picks Remain Unsigned
As shown in PFR’s tracker for NFL rookie contracts, 201 of this year’s 256 draft picks have signed. That leaves 55 drafted players without formalized contracts as of this writing. 
Thanks to the collective bargaining agreement of 2011, rookie contract negotiations are not as arduous as they were in years past. Rookies, generally, will agree to terms in accordance with their slots, though there is some wiggle room when it comes to issues such as offset language. If a player is cut within his first four years and does not have offset language in his deal, he can effectively double dip by collecting on the remaining guaranteed portion of his rookie contract while earning pay from another club. With offset language, the player’s earnings will be capped as the former team can deduct the amount of his new contract from their payout.
Unsurprisingly, 13 of this year’s unsigned players are from the third round of the draft. Third round picks, historically, have been tricky for teams, even under the simplified rules of the latest CBA. Third rounders have a slotted signing bonus – like every other pick – but their base salaries can be negotiated. If a player at a premium position is selected between, say, a guard and a center, he may push for a higher base than each player, rather than using their contracts as a guide.
The bulk of the stragglers come from the first round, where 20 of this year’s 32 selections are unsigned. Players chosen within the top 32 selections, and especially those selected in the top 10, can often exert more leverage in negotiations in order to get more favorable terms from clubs. In 2016, Joey Bosa‘s talks dragged for months over the timing of his signing bonus payment. Ultimately, Bosa’s reps did not get everything they wanted, but they were able to get the Bolts to meet them in the middle.
Right now, Colts guard Quenton Nelson (No. 6 overall) and Cardinals QB Josh Rosen (No. 10 overall) are the only two players in the top ten that have signed their rookie contracts. That number will increase in the coming days, though it wouldn’t be a surprise if some of this year’s top selections do not sign until late June or July.
Charges Dropped For Christian Kirk
Cardinals rookie wide receiver Christian Kirk is no longer in trouble – legally speaking – for an alleged incident in February (via WHAS11). Kirk agreed to pay for damages to a van window that police claimed was destroyed by Kirk and a friend. 
The Cardinals knew about Kirk’s arrest before the draft, but selected him with the No. 47 overall pick after interviewing him about the incident. The legal issues tied to the case are now behind him and Kirk is unlikely to face league discipline since the alleged incident took place before he was in the league.
Kirk, who had no known off-the-field issues in high school or college, excelled at Texas A&M. In three seasons, he amassed nearly 3,000 all-purpose yards and cemented himself as one of the best receivers in his class.
The Cardinals project to use Kirk as a supporting piece behind No. 1 wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald this year. J.J. Nelson and free agent addition Brice Butler also figure to see a significant number of targets, though it remains to be seen whether it will be Sam Bradford or Josh Rosen throwing the passes.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/30/18
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DT Antwaun Woods, WR Mekale McKay
- Waived: G Jay Robertson, DT DeQuinton Osborne
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: T/G Jacob Alsadek
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Scott Orndoff
- Waived/injured: TE Zach Conque
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: FB Marcus Martin
Washington Redskins
- Signed: TE Garrett Hudson
- Waived: WR De’Mornay Pierson-El
Bills Sign Rookie DT Harrison Phillips
On Wednesday, the Bills announced the signing of third-round defensive tackle Harrison Phillips. With Phillips in the fold, the Bills have just one draft pick left to sign. 
Phillips should see time right off the bat as a top substitute for Star Lotulelei at nose tackle. The Bills believe that he’ll be able to hit the ground running, thanks in part to his work ethic.
“I expect to work my tail off and do everything they ask me to do as best I can,” he said. “I’m just going to work through everything. I know that that whole defensive front has a whole wealth of knowledge and if I could just try and pick all their brains, I hope I can just come in and contribute.”
As shown in PFR’s draft signing tracker, first-round quarterback Josh Allen stands as the Bills’ only unsigned pick:
- 1-7: Josh Allen, QB (Wyoming)
- 1-16: Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Virginia Tech): Signed
- 3-96: Harrison Phillips, DT (Stanford): Signed
- 4-121: Taron Johnson, CB (Weber State): Signed
- 5-154: Siran Neal, S (Jacksonville State): Signed
- 5-166: Wyatt Teller, G (Virginia Tech): Signed
- 6-187: Ray-Ray McCloud, WR (Clemson): Signed
- 7-255: Austin Proehl, WR (North Carolina): Signed
Cardinals Meet With Tre Boston
Boston to Arizona? On Wednesday afternoon, the Cardinals will meet with free agent safety Tre Boston, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) first reported that Boston was en route to Arizona. 
The Cardinals intend to use safety Budda Baker at nickelback in certain packages, helping to fill the void left by Tyrann Mathieu‘s departure. In those instances, Boston could help hold down the fort at safety.
The Raiders, Browns, and Giants expressed interest in Boston back in March, but we haven’t heard much on that front in recent weeks. The Colts met with Boston about two weeks ago, but he left Indianapolis without a deal.
The market has been painfully slow for free agent safeties this year. In addition to Boston, longtime starters Kenny Vaccaro and Eric Reid are also unemployed as of this writing.
Last year, Boston had to settle for a one-year deal with the Chargers. He was hoping to land a multi-year deal this year, but at this point it looks like he’ll have to settle for yet another platform contract.
In 2017, Boston started in 15 of his 16 games for the Chargers and totaled 79 tackles with eight passes defensed. Heading into the start of free agency in March, we had Boston ranked as the third-best safety available.
Derek Anderson Bids Farewell To Panthers
It appears the Panthers and quarterback Derek Anderson are going their separate ways. On Wednesday, Anderson wished farewell to the Panthers organization and its fans. 
“I appreciated my time with the Panthers more than any of you know,” Anderson tweeted. “Charlotte is where our family started and grew to 5! So much love! I came to you guys when I needed you more than you needed me. Nothing but love for all my teammates and coaches that made me a better person! Can’t forget all of the great Panther fans as well and the many great memories our family will carry with us forever.”
It’s not immediately clear whether Anderson, who turns 35 in a couple of weeks, will look to continue his career. We haven’t heard Anderson’s name much in recent months, except for when Panthers GM Marty Hurney left the door open to his return in April. However, recent comments from head coach Ron Rivera suggested the Panthers would not be adding another player to the backup QB competition.
Anderson has 76 career NFL appearances under his belt, but he has not seen consistent action since his 2010 campaign with the Cardinals. He is best known for leading the 2007 Browns to a 10-5 record in 15 starts and serving as Cam Newton‘s backup for the last seven years.
Chargers Sign TE Austin Roberts
The Chargers have signed tight end Austin Roberts, according to a team announcement. Roberts will compete for a spot on the roster following the loss of starting tight end Hunter Henry. 
Roberts, an undrafted free agent out of UCLA, is likely not viewed as a one-for-one replacement for the injured Henry. However, it is interesting that the team’s first tight end move was not a reunion with accomplished veteran Antonio Gates.
“Well, shoot, I’d always be excited if he walked back in the door obviously,” quarterback Philip Rivers said this week when asked about the idea of Gates returning to the Chargers. “That’s something that [GM] Tom [Telesco] and [owner] John [Spanos]and coach [Anthony Lynn] and those guys I’m sure will discuss and see about bringing anybody in for that matter, but certainly [Gates’ return] would get my vote.”
Rivers isn’t the only one who thinks signing Gates would be a logical move. In a recent poll, more than three-quarters of PFR readers said the Bolts should reunite with Gates.
Roberts, a 6’2″, 230-pound tight end, had 19 receptions for 220 yards and two scores last year for the Bruins. He appeared in 24 total games across three seasons at UCLA.
To make room on the roster for Roberts, the Bolts released long snapper Anthony Kukwa.
Broncos’ Deiontrez Mount To Miss Season
Deiontrez Mount‘s season has ended before it could even begin. The linebacker suffered a torn Achilles while rushing the quarterback during OTA practices and will have season-ending surgery this week, according to Mike Klis of 9News. 
Mount played in the Broncos’ final seven games last season as a core special teams player and recorded six tackles in total. Before joining the Broncos’ practice squad last year (and eventually earning a promotion), Mount spent time with the Titans and Colts.
Mount’s injury could improve the chances of fellow linebackers Stansly Maponga, Marcus Rush, Jerrol Garcia-Williams, Joseph Jones, and sixth-round pick Keishawn Bierria as they look to make the final cut. The Broncos project to start Shane Ray, Brandon Marshall, Todd Davis, and Von Miller at linebacker in their 3-4 set with Shaquil Barrett, Zaire Anderson, and fourth-round pick Josey Jewell among their primary backups.
After a disappointing 2017, the Broncos retooled their team in hopes of getting back on track. This week, PFR readers were asked to vote on which team had the best offseason in the AFC West and the Broncos are not far from the lead.
Latest On Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher has been out of the coaching world since being fired by the Rams in 2016. Apparently, he has had opportunities to come back to the sidelines as an assistant coach, but he is holding out for another head coaching gig. 
“I’ve had opportunities to stay in it, but I don’t see myself coming back and coordinating,” Fisher told SiriusXM. “As we all know, success in the National Football League is built on a number of different things. And it starts with the quarterback and you’ve got to stay healthy and you’ve got to hit things running and you’ve got to have a good staff, all those things. So getting out for a year or two, I don’t think that should, by any teams, eliminate somebody.”
At 173-165-1, Fisher has the 12th-most wins in NFL history. However, a Fisher-led team has not made the playoffs since 2008 when he was with the Titans.
You can never say never on Fisher’s candidacy, but he would not be the most exciting hire for a team. Fisher has had five 8-8 seasons and four 7-9 seasons (plus one 7-8-1 campaign) as head coach, numbers that have largely overshadowed his success in Tennessee. In his nearly five year run with the Rams, Fisher went 31-45-1 with no playoff appearances.
Fisher says that he has been contacted by networks for broadcasting opportunities over the last couple of years, but he declined because he did not believe that former rivals like Seahawks coach Pete Carroll would give him information in pre-production meetings. But, if Fisher does not get the head coaching opportunity he’s after, he says he’ll reconsider television.
Fisher, who has the 12th-most wins in NFL history, celebrated his 60th birthday this past winter.