Packers Sign Rookie Montravious Adams
The Packers have signed third-round pick Montravius Adams. With the defensive tackle under contract, Green Bay has now signed its entire 2017 draft class.
Adams was highly recruited coming out of high school but it took him a little while to really get started at Auburn. In 2016, he seemed to put it all together has he totaled 8.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. The 6’4, 304 pound athlete may wind up starting at nose tackle for the Packers in the early going as Letroy Guion serves a four-game suspension.
Adams was one of ten unsigned rookies heading into Wednesday. With Raiders sign third-round pick Eddie Vanderdoes also under contract, we’re now down to just eight unsigned draft picks league-wide. Interestingly, seven of those eight players are first-round selections.
Here’s the complete rundown of the Packers’ draft class:
- 2-33: Kevin King, CB (Washington)
- 2-61: Josh Jones, S (North Carolina State)
- 3-93: Montravius Adams, DT (Auburn)
- 4-108: Vince Biegel, LB (Wisconsin)
- 4-134: Jamaal Williams, RB (BYU)
- 5-175: DeAngelo Yancey, WR (Purdue)
- 5-182: Aaron Jones, RB (UTEP)
- 6-212: Kofi Amichia, T (USF)
- 7-238: Devante Mays, RB (Utah State)
- 7-247: Malachi Dupre, WR (LSU)
Dorial Green-Beckham Clears Waivers
Before the holiday, the Eagles put wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham on the waiver wire. Today, we’ve learned that the league’s 31 other teams declined to take on his contract. Green-Beckham cleared waivers, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
In high school, DGB was one of the country’s most sought after recruits. However, after two disappointing seasons in the NFL, his stock is at an all-time low. Green-Beckham’s lack of work ethic led the Titans to ship him out just one year after the organization used a second round pick on him. Now, his stint with the Eagles is over after less than one calendar year. During his lone season in Philly, the 24-year-old hauled in 36 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns.
Green-Beckham could still find a new NFL home, but it will have to be at a salary cheaper than what he was making as a 2015 second-round pick. You can expect the 24-year-old to get calls this summer, but he’s likely to only get offered one-year deals with low base pay.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Wilson, Eagles
We now have some details on the arrest of Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson, via Amanda Guerra of KRLD (Twitter links). Wilson was looking for place to park for Fourth of July festivities while a group of tailgaters were taking up several spaces. After he asked to park, an argument broke out between him and the group. He then backed his truck into the parking space and intentionally hit a person in the process, police say. At some point during the kerfuffle, Wilson produced a gun. The 24-year-old is facing two counts of aggravated assault with deadly weapon.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Eagles need linebacker Nigel Bradham on the field in order for things to run properly on defense, Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Unfortunately, his availability is in question thanks to the brawl he got into last summer. Bradham will likely avoid jail time thanks to a deferred prosecution agreement struck before the holiday, but the NFL has been known to come down on players with suspensions even when the situations are largely cleared by the courts. Bradham, who will turn 28 in September, is on the backend of a two-year, $7MM deal he signed with Philly last year. If he can’t keep his off-the-field affairs in check, Brookover fears he might not be long for the Eagles.
- The addition of Brandon Marshall gives the Giants the best overall group of wide receivers in the NFC East, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes. The Giants’ big three youngsters Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, and Marshall, he argues, gives them a leg up over the Cowboys with Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley. The Eagles, with the free agent addition of Alshon Jeffery, finished third on Machota’s list. The Redskins, who replaced Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson with Terrelle Pryor and Brian Quick, came in last.
- Earlier today, we rounded up the latest on the Redskins.
Redskins Notes: Jackson, Garcon, Cousins
The Redskins are down two big-name receivers in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, but they might actually be better off in the red zone, according to some numbers crunching by Raymond Summerlin of Rotoworld. Jackson and Garcon combined to catch just two touchdowns on 24 red zone targets in 2016 and that helps to explain why the Redskins had one of the worst TD rates in the red zone as a team. Meanwhile, newcomer Terrelle Pryor converted on 30.8% of his red zone looks last year, including 3-of-4 inside the 10-yard line. Josh Doctson is something of an unknown after injuries stripped away his rookie season, but he was drafted in part because of his ability to catch the football through traffic. The Redskins may have lost some star power at wide receiver, but they could have more chances to find paydirt with the revamped group.
Here’s more from D.C.:
- Does Kirk Cousins deserve to be the highest paid quarterback in the NFC East? While he doesn’t have the resume of Eli Manning or perhaps the same kind of upside as Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz, he has proven himself over the last two years and is right in his quarterback prime, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com argues. Opinions on Cousins may vary, but I personally don’t think a $24MM salary is out of line for Cousins. The fact of the matter is that he would have garnered a monster multi-year deal with an even higher average annual salary this offseason if he were allowed to explore free agency unencumbered.
- With Robert Kelley, Samaje Perine, and Chris Thompson as locks to make the Redskins’ roster, running backs Mack Brown and Keith Marshall find themslves on the bubble, CSNMidAtlantic.com’s Rich Tandler writes. Brown has shown coaches that he has ability, but if the Redskins carry four tight ends, they could wind up keeping only three RBs. Meanwhile, Marshall is something of a longshot to make the 53-man roster if the other four stay healthy, but could wind up back on the practice squad. While Brown and Marshall fight for a spot, Matt Jones continues to sit in limbo.
Sam Darnold May Wait Until 2019 Draft
USC quarterback Sam Darnold has long been pegged as the top prospect in the 2018 draft. Now, there’s word that he could instead wait until the 2019 draft. Several sources close to Darnold tell Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com they wouldn’t be surprised if the QB played two more seasons at USC. 
[RELATED: Follow Pro Football Rumors On Twitter]
Of course, Darnold has tons of time to make his decision, so it’s too early for this year’s rebuilding teams (like the Jets) to panic about what Darnold will or won’t do. Naturally, his performance in 2017 will be a factor in whether he jumps after his redshirt sophomore season or spends another season with the Trojans.
If Darnold performs at the level that he’s expected to, then he’ll solidify himself as the No. 1 pick in the 2018 class. If that’s the case, then frankly it would be hard to see him gambling with his future by spending another year in school.
Darnold impressed scouts last season as he threw for 3,086 yards and 31 touchdowns against nine interceptions. Darnold also completed 67.2% of his throws.
Ravens Notes: Weddle, Jefferson, Harbaugh
Eric Weddle helped convince the Ravens to go hard after safety Tony Jefferson in free agency, Childs Walker of The Baltimore Sun writes. Now that Jefferson has landed in Baltimore on a four-year, $34MM deal, Weddle is delighted to partner with him in the secondary.
“He’s physical, explosive and he’s only going to get better,” Weddle said. “I not only look at this season but for the future as far as building this team. He can be that guy to lead this defense. From the outside looking in, when I move on, the Ravens D is still going to be good.”
Weddle also believes that the arrival of Jefferson will take a lot of work off of his plate.
“No disrespect to any of the guys I’ve played with, but it’s nice not to have to explain why I do certain things or why I’m doing this in this coverage,” Weddle said. “From day one, he already had a feel for how I play and how to work off me. … It frees me up a lot more mentally. I don’t have to tell him after each play why I did this or, before the snap, let’s do this. He already knows. That is just light years ahead of most guys I’ve played with. I’ve loved every guy I’ve played with, but he’s just on another level.”
Here’s more from Baltimore:
- The pressure could be building in Baltimore for coach John Harbaugh, Jim Owczarski of USA Today writes. Harbaugh might not be on the hot seat at this moment, but his team has compiled a 31-33 record since winning the Super Bowl after the 2012 season, missing the playoffs in three of the last four years. It’s possible that Harbaugh could be a victim of the high expectations he set for his teams in Baltimore. Before winning the Super Bowl, the Ravens made the postseason in each of his first five seasons and reached two AFC Championship Games. Even if things go terribly wrong in Baltimore this year, I have a hard time seeing any scenario in which Harbaugh does not get the chance to turn it around in 2018.
- The Ravens are using 10% of the salary cap on players who are no longer with the team, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. That helps to explain why the Ravens are near the bottom of the league in available cap room. Offensive tackle Eugene Monroe, who has not played for the team since November 2015, accounts for the biggest dead money hit with a $4.4MM cap charge for 2017, giving him the tenth-highest hit on the team. After Monroe, there are four more players with $2MM+ dead money cap hits: tight end Dennis Pitta ($2.7MM), cornerback Shareece Wright ($2.66MM), linebacker Elvis Dumervil ($2.37MM), and center Jeremy Zuttah ($2.2MM). Hensley notes that the Ravens are usually in the middle of the league when it comes to dead money – they landed in the top 10 only twice in the last five years and placed No. 14 last year.
- This week, PFR’s Dallas Robinson made the case for why the Ravens should sign tight end Gary Barnidge.
Darrelle Revis Wants To Play 2017
Former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is working out in Florida with the hope of getting on the field this season, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Of course, the offset language tied to the $6MM he is owed from the Jets complicates matters. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Not Interested In Revis]
At this stage of his career, no team would dream of paying Revis upwards of $6MM, but that’s what the veteran was said to be pushing for back in May. Playing for anything less $6MM would mean that Revis is effectively playing for free, but that’s exactly what he’ll have to do if he wants to get on the field this fall.
“His tape is so bad that it’s probably scaring a lot of teams away,” one scout said in the spring. “If he still thinks he’s a starter — and wants to be paid like a starter — that will be an issue.”
Revis is no longer an elite cornerback, but he could still be a viable starting option for a team out there. Last year, he graded out as the league’s No. 64 corner, according to the advanced stats at Pro Football Focus.
Revis’ market could also be impacted by his perceived lack of effort in 2016. Many who watched the tape on Revis have said that the cornerback seemed to be giving up on plays and his body language indicated that he had given up on his Jets team as well. To some degree, Revis’ frustrations with the lowly Jets of 2016 are understandable. But teams will be wary about bringing in a veteran who might be a bad influence on younger players.
Cowboys LB Damien Wilson Arrested
Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson has been arrested for two counts of aggravated assault with deadly weapon, as CBS Dallas tweets. Wilson was cuffed on Tuesday night near Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas where MLS soccer team FC Dallas played a game and concluded the evening’s festivities with a fireworks show. The 24-year-old posted bond and has been released from holding.
[RELATED: Cowboys’ David Irving Suspended Four Games]
Wilson has appeared in every possible regular season game for the Cowboys over the past two seasons. Last year, he made a career high five starts and registered 30 total tackles plus half a sack.
Wilson was pushing to be the Cowboys’ starting strongside linebacker for Week 1, but he could now be on shaky ground with the team and the league office. If Wilson’s legal situation drags on, the Cowboys may need to look at external options. There are a handful of notable linebackers remaining on the open market, including former Lion DeAndre Levy.
DeAngelo Williams Wants To Keep Playing
Yes,DeAngelo Williams is 34 years old. And, yes, he made his pro wrestling debut last weekend. But the running back is not ready to leave the game of football just yet. 
[RELATED: Williams Among Five Best Running Backs Left In Free Agency]
“Oh I’m definitely playing football,” Williams told ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (link). “I’m just, I guess you could say I’m waiting on the phone call. I guess you could say that. I mean, not guess, you can say that. I’m waiting on the phone call with a GM or head coach or whoever decided I need my services I’ll be ready.”
Williams’ largely successful debut in the squared circle will not lead to a new career just yet, because he feels that he still has unfinished business to take care of on the gridiron. It’s easy to understand why he feels he has a lot left in the tank. Williams is only two years removed from a season in which he had 907 yards on the ground (4.5 yards per carry), 11 rushing touchdowns, and 40 catches for 367 receiving yards. Last year, he was held back by November knee surgery, but based on the way he looked in his tag team match, he appears to be all healed up.
Back in March, the Steelers indicated that the door was still cracked open for Williams to return, but we haven’t heard anything else on that front in the last three months. Right now, the Steelers appear set at running back with Fitzgerald Toussaint, third round pick James Conner, and free agent pickup Knile Davis behind star Le’Veon Bell. There hasn’t been word of any other teams having interest in Williams this offseason, but that can always change with an injury in training camp.
NFC East Notes: Cousins, Redskins, JPP
If given a choice, which NFC East quarterback would you want leading your team for the next three years? Todd Archer, Jordan Raanan, and John Keim of ESPN.com all agree that Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins is the guy to have. That answer may come as a surprise to some people since the division also features two-time Super Bowl champ Eli Manning and rising stars Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz. However, the consensus here is that Cousins is the most reliable of the quartet since he has proven himself over the last two years. More needs to be seen from Prescott and Wentz, the writers argue, and it’s hard to bet on Manning given his age and the down year he had in 2016.
Here is more from the NFC East:
- Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has come a long way in the last two years, Mike Florio of PFT writes. On this day in 2015, JPP’s unfortunate fireworks mishap shook the football world on an otherwise quiet holiday weekend. Pierre-Paul was already scheduled to play out the season on the franchise tag but lost millions that year after being sidelined for multiple games. Against all odds, JPP still looked good on the field despite the condition of his hand and he parlayed a strong 2016 into a four-year, $62MM deal this past offseason. Some fans laughed at the notion that Pierre-Paul could recover from such a devastating injury, but he was arguably better than ever in 2016.
- The Redskins have to offer Cousins around $75MM to $80MM in total guaranteed money if they hope to lock him up on an extension this month, Mike Jones of The Washington Post writes. The deal would also have to have an average annual salary of between $25MM and $27MM, but the numbers don’t mean much if Cousins doesn’t actually want to be in D.C.. A recent report indicated that Cousins still has serious reservations about staying with the Redskins long term.
- Over the weekend, Redskins running back Matt Jones made a change in representation.