Seahawks Re-Sign QB Austin Davis
The Seahawks are re-signing quarterback Austin Davis on a minimum-salary deal, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, Garafolo hears this will not end the team’s talks with Colin Kaepernick. 
Davis spent last season as Russell Wilson’s backup, though he did not throw a pass in the regular season. His last attempted throw came in 2015 with the Browns as he appeared in three games with two starts. Davis is perhaps best known for his time with the Rams, which included eight starts (3-5 record) in 2014.
Last week, the Seahawks postponed a scheduled workout with Kaepernick as they look to get a read on the quarterback’s future plans, including whether he’ll kneel for the anthem in the coming season. Reportedly, the team “asked for his plan moving forward on how to handle everything and there was not a firm plan.” The Seahawks are also said to have concerns about Kaepernick’s overall commitment to football as he continues to push social justice initiatives.
Browns Re-Sign WR Josh Gordon
The Browns announced that they have officially re-signed exclusive rights free agent Josh Gordon. In addition to the star wide receiver, the Browns have also formally re-upped wide receiver Matt Hazel, offensive lineman Austin Reiter, and fullback Danny Vitale. All four players are set to take part in the team’s offseason program, which started on Monday morning. 
Gordon should have been an unrestricted free agent by now, but multiple suspensions caused his contract to toll. As a result, Gordon did not have any options this offseason and the Browns had full control over his rights.
Gordon, 26, appeared in five games for Cleveland in 2017. In that time, he posted 18 receptions for 335 yards and one touchdown. This year, he’ll play alongside Corey Coleman and the newly-acquired Jarvis Landry. If Gordon is able to stay on track, he could thrive as a deep threat in the Browns’ revamped offense.
Gordon first joined the Browns as a second-round pick in the 2012 supplemental draft. All in all, he has appeared in 40 games and recorded 179 receptions for 3,089 yards and 15 touchdowns. In 2013, he led the league with 1,646 receiving yards.
Broncos To Release RB C.J. Anderson
The Broncos are releasing running back C.J. Anderson, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Denver tried to trade Anderson this offseason, but they were unable to find a suitable deal for him. 
The Broncos aren’t exactly stacked in the backfield, but they do have third-year player Devontae Booker and intriguing second-year rusher De’Angelo Henderson. Apparently, the Broncos will look to bolster that unit in the draft rather than retain Anderson at a high cost.
Anderson enjoyed his first 1,000-yard season in 2017 after tearing a meniscus in 2016. However, with no guaranteed money remaining on his deal, the Broncos have opted to save $4.5MM.
The veteran should find a decent market for his services, though he will not be able to match his old contract at this stage of the offseason.The Dolphins showed interest in Anderson recently and, depending on who you ask, the two sides may have been close to a deal that would have sent Anderson to Miami in exchange for right tackle Ju’Wuan James. Even though the Dolphins already have Kenyan Drake and veteran Frank Gore atop the depth chart, they could circle back to Anderson to give themselves a powerful three-headed monster in the backfield.
Former Steelers LB James Harrison Retires
Former Steelers great James Harrison is calling it a career. The linebacker, who most recently suited up for the Patriots, announced on Instagram that he is retiring from football. 
Of course, we’ve been down this road before with Harrison. The linebacker also “retired” in 2014, only to return months later and play for another four seasons. This time, his announcement comes with the hashtag “#2ndAndFinalRetirement.” Harrison cites his family as the primary reason for his retirement, stating that he has “missed way too much for way too long.”
Earlier this month, Harrison indicated that he would wait until after the draft to sign with a team. It’s possible that the veteran, who will turn 40 in May, didn’t find the kind of interest that he was expecting.
Harrison leaves the game after a remarkable 17-season career. After going undrafted in 2002, the undersized linebacker hooked on with the Steelers and spent the bulk of his first two seasons on and off their practice squad. In between stints with Pittsburgh, he also spent time with the Ravens and the Rhein Fire of the NFL Europe.
Over time, Harrison developed into a key player for the Steelers, but it was not until 2007 that he became a full-fledged starter. In that season, he earned his first of five Pro Bowl appearances. The veteran would go on to win two Super Bowls with the Steelers as the anchor of their defense and secure two First-Team All-Pro nods.
Harrison spent the vast majority of his career in black and yellow, but also suited up for the Bengals in 2013 and wrapped up his career with the Patriots in 2017 when he was surprisingly cut late in the season by Pittsburgh.
We here at PFR wish Harrison the best in retirement.
Texans Claim TE Matt Lengel
The Texans have been awarded tight end Matt Lengel off of waivers from the Browns. In order to make room, the team cut quarterback Taylor Heinicke. 
Lengel was one of seven players dropped by Cleveland on Thursday, along with tight end Gavin Escobar, linebacker Max Bullough, defensive back C.J. Smith, wide receivers Bug Howard and Larry Pinkard, and running back Kelvin Taylor. Smith also found a new home on Friday after being claimed by the Broncos.
Lengel, 27, first entered the league as a UDFA with the Bengals in 2015. In 2016, he hooked on with the Patriots where he caught his only NFL touchdown to date. Last year, he was waived/injured by the Pats and found his way to the Browns practice squad. He earned a promotion midway through the year and saw time in a December loss to the Bears.
There’s an opportunity for Lengel to make the Texans’ final cut. He joins a TE group that presently includes Stephen Anderson, Ryan Malleck, MyCole Pruitt, Ryan Malleck, and Jevoni Robinson.
Broncos Claim CB C.J. Smith Off Waivers
The Broncos have claimed former Browns cornerback C.J. Smith off of waivers, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. You may recall that Smith was to be traded from the Browns to the Seahawks in March before the deal was called off due to a failed physical. 
Had the trade gone through, the Browns would have received a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Instead, they cut ties with him this week and gained nothing in return.
Smith, 25 in May, spent most of the year on the Browns’ practice squad. Towards the end of the year, he earned a promotion to the varsity squad and was on the roster for the final three regular season games.
The Broncos are well set as far as first string cornerbacks go with Bradley Roby and Chris Harris Jr. set to start. Smith will compete to be one of the team’s reserve CBs in a group that presently includes Tramaine Brock, Brendan Langley, Marcus Rios, and Michael Hunter.
Seahawks Sign K Sebastian Janikowski
Seabass in Seattle. On Friday, the Seahawks formally signed kicker Sebastian Janikowski. It’s a one-year deal, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
Janikowski, 40, was let go by the Raiders in February as they elected to move forward with Giorgio Tavecchio. He left Oakland as one of the most well-known figures in franchise history – and also with a chip on his shoulder. Janikowski took his first visit with the rival Chargers before huddling up with the Seahawks this week.
Janikowski set Raiders records with 268 regular season games played and 1,799 points scored. Meanwhile, he has the most field goals from 50+ yards in NFL history with 55. Janikowski did not see the field in 2017 thanks to a back injury, but his agent says that he is now healthy and ready to get back to his old form.
The team’s press release indicates that Janikowski will not simply be handed the top job. Jason Myers signed a reserve/futures contract with the Seahawks earlier this offseason and the two will be “competing for” the gig, per the Seahawks’ website. The Seahawks are hoping that either Janikowski or Myers will provide them with a stable leg following Blair Walsh’s struggles in 2017.
Latest On Dez Bryant
After being released from the Cowboys, Dez Bryant is in search of a new team. As speculation brews about where the wide receiver land, his agent says that everything is on the table.
“Dez and Jerry Jones met earlier today,” Kim Miale of Roc Nation Sports said (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). “He was informed that the Cowboys intend to move in another direction. It is a bittersweet time for Dez because he loved playing for the Dallas Cowboys, but he is looking forward to a fresh start with a new organization. We are currently exploring all options.”
Here’s the latest on Dez:
- Amidst rumblings that Bryant will look to play for one of the Cowboys’ NFC East rivals, he retweeted a local reporter who wondered whether he would seek to join up with the Redskins, Eagles or Giants.
- It doesn’t sound like we should expect to see Bryant in D.C., however. The three-time Pro Bowler is not on the Redskins‘ radar, Mike Jones of USA Today tweets. The Redskins already boast Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder, and Paul Richardson on their wide receiver depth chart, so there isn’t a clear need for someone like Bryant. The Redskins can be expected to bolster that unit through cheaper means between now and the fall and may explore draft prospects and lower cost veterans.
- Still, Bryant sounds like a man who will be out for revenge. “If I didn’t have my edge I got it now,“ Bryant tweeted. “I’m sorry they got to feel me it’s personal . . . it’s very personal.”
NFL Draft Rumors: Bears, Nelson, 49ers, Key
Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson visited the Bears on Thursday, Josh Norris of NBC Sports tweets. Nelson would be a logical consideration for Chicago at No. 8. New Bears offensive line coach Harry Hiestand served in the same role at Notre Dame while Nelson was in school and Nelson has said that he would like to play for him again.
Here’s the latest batch of NFL Draft news:
- The 49ers, who worked out LSU pass rusher Arden Key earlier this week, hosted him on a Top 30 visit on Friday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Key’s stock may be falling in the eyes of NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, who pulled him from the latest edition of his Top 50 list, but Key still seems to be very much in the mix for the first or second round. As of this writing, The 49ers own the No. 9 pick in the first round and the No. 59 pick in the second round.
- OSU defensive end Sam Hubbard will visit the Bengals on Friday, per Rapoport. For what it’s worth, Hubbard has also fallen out of Jeremiah’s top 50 after being ranked No. 41 in the previous edition.
- The Bengals took former Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey to dinner on Thursday night, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com tweets. The Bengals already made one major tackle acquisition when they traded for left tackle Cordy Glenn, but McGlinchey could be in consideration as they look to fortify the other side of the line. The Bengals own the No. 21 pick in the draft, which could be the right range to select him.
Cowboys Officially Release Dez Bryant
It’s a done deal. On Friday, the Cowboys officially announced the release of Dez Bryant. 
“As an organization we hold Dez Bryant in the highest regard, and we are grateful for his passion, spirit and contributions to this team for the past eight years,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “He will always be a valued member of our family. Dez and I share a personal and professional relationship that is very strong, and he is one of just a handful of players with whom I have become that close to over the past 30 years. This was not an easy decision. It was made based upon doing what we believe is in the best interest of the Dallas Cowboys. We arrived at this crossroad collectively with input from several voices within the organization. Ultimately we determined it was time to go in a new direction.”
The Cowboys, surprisingly, did not offer Bryant a reduction in pay before informing him of their decision. Given Bryant’s contributions to the Cowboys over the years and Jones’ personal admiration of him, one has to wonder why the Cowboys did not release Bryant earlier in the offseason.
Had Bryant been released prior to the start of free agency, he would have had an opportunity to sign elsewhere on a decently sized multi-year deal. Bryant’s performance has undeniably tailed off over the last three years, but he still would have stood out in a generally weak crop of free agent wide receivers. Bryant probably wouldn’t have landed a deal on a par with Sammy Watkins (three-year, $48MM contract with the Chiefs), Allen Robinson (three-year, $42MM contract with Bears), or Paul Richardson (five-year, $40MM contract with Redskins), but an average annual value close to Marqise Lee‘s $8.5MM/year would not have been out of the question.
Here in April, Bryant still figures to draw widespread interest, but his market will be affected by a lack of available dollars and WR1/WR2 vacancies.