Falcons Meet With Terrell McClain
The Terrell McClain free agency tour continues. On Friday, the Falcons will meet with the defensive tackle, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets. 
McClain is a logical fit for the Falcons on multiple levels. The veteran is a system fit for Atlanta and has the quickness to play as a 3-technique and attack from the outside shoulder of a guard. McClain also has a relationship with with Jack Crawford thanks to their time together with the Cowboys.
The 6’2″, 302-pound tackle has been a popular guy as of late. In recent days, he’s met with the Dolphins, 49ers, Cowboys. Reportedly, talks between McClain and Dallas are progressing and the Eagles also have interest in him.
The Falcons are pretty well set at defensive tackle with Grady Jarrett, Jack Crawford, and rookie Deadrin Senat. Still, they could use some reinforcements after losing Dontari Poe this offseason. The recent extension for franchise quarterback Matt Ryan opened up a bit of cap space for Atlanta this season, so they have the flexibility to add McClain if they want.
Raiders Cut QB Josh Johnson
The Raiders have cut veteran quarterback Josh Johnson, a league source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It was a short stay in Oakland for the veteran as he was signed less than two months ago. 
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Johnson was one of Jon Gruden‘s final draft picks as the Buccaneers’ head coach. Despite Gruden’s nostalgic streak, there apparently wasn’t room for Johnson on the roster moving forward.
The Raiders’ QB depth chart is headlined by starter Derek Carr followed by E.J. Manuel and Connor Cook. It stands to reason that the Raiders will look into adding a fourth QB as a camp arm. It’s not yet clear who the Raiders are looking to sign, but 46-year-old Kurt Warner is down to play if Gruden wants to continue adding veterans (we’re kidding…we think).
Johnson has not thrown a pass in a game since 2011, but he’s remained on rosters as a backup. Most recently, the Texans added him after Deshaun Watson‘s injury.
Redskins Sign Da’Ron Payne
The Redskins have signed first-round pick Da’Ron Payne, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The defensive tackle has become the first Round 1 pick from the 2018 NFL Draft to ink his rookie deal. 
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Payne, an Alabama product, vaulted up the draft boards this year thanks to his run-stuffing ability. The Redskins pounced on him at No. 13 overall with the belief that he can also develop into a strong defender on passing downs.
“I think [fellow Alabama alum] A’Shawn Robinson was more talented than Da’Ron and I know Robinson had better (tackle-for-loss) and sack production than him, but Payne plays harder and I think he’ll be the better NFL player,” one NFC executive told NFL.com prior to the draft. “He’s thick and strong, but he’s also a really good athlete and I see his best football in front of him.”
Last year, Payne had 53 total tackles, a sack, and an interception as Alabama captured yet another National Championship.
Payne projects to be the Redskins’ starting nose tackle this year with defensive ends Matthew Ioannidis and Jonathan Allen on either side of him. Between Payne, Allen, and outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, the Redskins’ starting front seven boasts three former first-round picks.
Panthers Place Fozzy Whittaker On IR
Fozzy Whittaker‘s season has ended before it could even begin. The Panthers announced the running back has been placed on injured reserve with a non-contact ACL tear. 
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Whittaker, 29, has spent the last four seasons with the Panthers. For the most part, he’s been used as a reserve option and a third-down running back. He saw the most usage of his career in 2016 when he carried the ball 57 times and averaged an impressive 4.6 yards per try in that limited sample. Last year, however, he had just seven carries in 12 games.
The Whittaker injury is bad news for Carolina, but they are not lacking options in the backfield. The Panthers will start Christian McCaffrey with 1,000-yard rusher C.J. Anderson getting a fair amount of work as well. Cameron Artis-Payne is also on hand for backup work and newcomer Elijah Hood figures to have a better chance at making the roster now that a spot has opened up.
Giants Waive RB Paul Perkins
The Giants are moving on from Paul Perkins. The running back was waived on Thursday morning with a non-football injury designation, according to a press release from the team. 
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Perkins suffered a pectoral injury prior to the start of this year’s offseason conditioning program and underwent surgery. Apparently, the Giants did not want to wait to check on Perkins’ status after his recovery.
Perkins was a fifth-round pick of the Giants’ old regime in 2016. The UCLA product went on to appear in 25 games but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry on 153 attempts.
Two years ago, some believed that Perkins would emerge as the leading ball carrier in the Giants’ backfield. That never came to pass as Rashad Jennings led the way in 2016, albeit with subpar results, and Orleans Darkwa served as the No. 1 RB last year. This year, the Giants have a new look backfield with rookie Saquon Barkley as the starter and veteran Jonathan Stewart in support.
Further down the depth chart, 2017 fourth-round pick Wayne Gallman, Terrell Watson, and Jalen Simmons are among those fighting for roster spots.
Dolphins Notes: Gase, McDonald, Fitzpatrick
On Thursday, Dolphins coach Adam Gase did a Q&A with local reporters. Here’s a look at the highlights, via Chris Perkins of the Sun Sentinel:
- Don’t expect the Dolphins to make a major splash in the late stages of free agency. “It feels right for us right now,” Gase said of the roster. “I feel like we’re in a good place. It feels like we’ve got the type of people all working in the same direction and working toward the same goal.”
- The Dolphins stood pat at No. 11 in the draft and did not select a quarterback in the first round, even though some expected them to consider a signal caller. Gase says that has to do with the team’s confidence in Ryan Tannehill‘s knee as well as the potential of backups Brock Osweiler and David Fales. “We felt like those guys were going to go before 11,” Gase said of Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, USC’s Sam Darnold, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, and UCLA’s Josh Rosen, who were all selected within the top 10. “And we knew that was probably going to be the case, and we felt good about what we had as far as Ryan starting and Brock and Fales competing for No. 2.”
- The Dolphins, of course, used that No. 11 selection on Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The addition of Fitzpatrick will not result in T.J. McDonald moving to linebacker, Gase says. McDonald will instead serve as the first safety off of the bench, behind Fitzpatrick and strong safety Reshad Jones.
Vikings Meet With DT David Parry
The Vikings will meet with defensive tackle David Parry on Thursday afternoon, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This marks Parry’s first known visit since being non-tendered by the Saints earlier this year. 
Parry started 32 games for the Colts as a nose tackle in Indianapolis’ 3-4 scheme, but a bizarre incident in February of 2017 put his football future into jeopardy. Parry was alleged to have attacked a taxi cart driver, car(t)jacked said vehicle, and threatened police officers. At one point in time, Parry was facing jail time with four charges against him. One of the charges was for committing a “Super Extreme” DUI in the state of Arizona, since he operated the cart with a high blood alcohol level.
Eventually, the Saints took a flier on him, but an injury in Week 4 cost him the bulk of the season. He was later tagged with a suspension for the aforementioned incident, but he was able to serve his time while on IR.
The Vikings’ impressive defensive line features starting defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Sheldon Richardson. Last year’s fourth-round pick Jaleel Johnson and Cashaud Lyons project to serve as their backups.
Police Close Case Against David Irving
Police have closed their investigation against Cowboys defensive lineman David Irving, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). A former girlfriend of Irving hacked his Twitter account in April and accused him of domestic violence, but he has since recanted her claims. 
Initially, Cops probed Irving on allegations of assault causing bodily injury to a family member; assault against a family member while impeding breath/circulation, and unlawful restraint. The charge of impeding one’s breath/circulation (which, effectively, means choking someone) is a felony.
While Irving will not be charged in relation to this case, the NFL may conduct its own investigation into what transpired. If the league finds that the allegations had merit – despite the findings of police – he could still be subject to a suspension or fine down the road.
This offseason, Irving was retained via a one-year, $2.9MM restricted tender. After the 2018 season, he’ll be on course for unrestricted free agency.
Irving emerged as a playmaker in limited action in 2016 by logging four sacks and four forced fumbles. His 2017 season was cut short due to a concussion and a four-game suspension at the season’s outset, but he still managed seven sacks in eight games. That was good for the second-highest total on the team, trailing only Demarcus Lawrence.
NFC East Notes: Giants, Beckham Jr., Eagles
The Giants remain hopeful that they will hammer out a new contract with Odell Beckham Jr., but co-owner John Mara says he won’t rush things.
“I wouldn’t say a sense of urgency,” Mara said (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “The contract will get done when it’s supposed to get done. I think that’s the Dave Gettleman line. I’m gonna adopt that I think, all spring, all summer, as long as it takes.”
Beckham has one more year to go on his rookie deal at a value of $8.5MM. After that, the Giants can realistically control Beckham via the franchise tag through 2020. Still, OBJ has been vocal about his desire for a new deal and it’s not a given that he’ll play ball if he’s franchised next year.
In his first three seasons, Beckham had more than 90 catches, 1,300 yards, and ten touchdowns. Last year, a broken ankle shut him down in October.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Eagles could use a boost in run defense after the departure of Beau Allen and Courtney Upshaw could help in that area, as Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com writes. In 2015, Upshaw ranked eighth in run defense grade amongst 3-4 outside linebackers, per Pro Football Focus. Upshaw, who didn’t see a lot of playing time for the Falcons last year, auditioned for the Eagles this week. With the ability to play multiple positions in the front seven, he could be an intriguing add for Philly. Meanwhile, the Eagles also have some interest in defensive tackle Terrell McClain and it’s not clear whether both players could be a fit.
- Jon Machota of the Dallas News believes the Cowboys will add a veteran safety between now and the start of the regular season. The Cowboys have been connected to Seahawks star Earl Thomas this offseason, but so far, nothing has happened on that front. Meanwhile, as a part of his admittedly early roster projection, he classifies Tavon Austin as a running back. Austin could still factor into the passing game, but Machota believes he’ll run the ball as much as he catches it.
Chiefs Re-Sign DT Stefan Charles
Stefan Charles wasn’t out of work for long. The Chiefs announced that they have re-signed the defensive tackle, just days after releasing him. 
Charles saw time as a reserve for the Bills and Lions, but hasn’t played much since 2016. Last year, Charles spent much of the year on the workout trail before signing with the Chiefs just prior to their January Wild Card loss to the Titans. He was re-upped in March, then cut on Tuesday along with Rakeem Nunez-Roches, but now he’s back in the fold.
Charles, who will turn 30 in June, registered five sacks for the Bills between 2013-2015. He has 49 career games and two starts on his resume.
The Chiefs project to start newcomer Xavier Williams at nose tackle with third-round pick Derrick Nnadi serving as a backup. Charles will compete with Justin Hamilton and others for a spot on the roster as a reserve DT.