Minor NFL Transactions: 5/1/18
Todays minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: LS Drew Williams, CB Jarell Carter, CB C.J. Goodwin, RB Darius Victor
- Waived/injured: LB Gabe Martin
Baltimore Ravens
- Claimed off waivers: DB Kai Nacua (from Browns)
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OT Korren Kirven
- Waived: TE Kent Taylor
Houston Texans
- Waived : OL Jake Rodgers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: TE Anthony Firkser, CB Sheldon Price, DT Mike Purcell
Oakland Raiders
- Suspended for four games: OL Vadal Alexander (PEDs)
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers: OLB Gimel President (from Texans)
Panthers Sign Seven UDFAs
The Panthers have announced the signing of seven undrafted free agents:
- Kyle Allen, QB (Houston)
- Reggie Bonnafon, RB (Louisville)
- Brendan Mahon, G (Penn State)
- Taylor Hearn, G (Clemson)
- Kyle Bosch, G (West Virginia)
- Chris Frey, LB (Michigan State)
- Tracy Sprinkle, DT (Ohio State)
Allen, a 6’3″ signal caller, began his collegiate career at Texas A&M before transferring to the University of Houston. Things didn’t go as planned with the Cougars, however, as he lost his starting job once again. In January, Allen decided to skip his senior season in order to go pro. All in all, Allen left the NCAA with a 61.7% completion percentage and 37 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.
Allen may have an opportunity to make the final cut with the Panthers as Garrett Gilbert and Taylor Heinicke are the only other QBs presently under contract behind Cam Newton. If veteran Derek Anderson is retained, however, that bunch will be competing for just one potential spot on the 53-man roster.
Panthers Were Prepared To Draft Tracy Walker In Fourth Round
- The Lions apparently disappointed at least a couple of teams in this weekend’s draft. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Detroit selected Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson one pick before the Redskins were prepared to take him, and the Panthers were going to take UL-Lafayette CB Tracy Walker with the No. 85 overall pick, but the Lions nabbed him with their No. 82 pick.
Panthers Acquire No. 136 From Rams
The Panthers have acquired pick No. 136 from the Rams in exchange for Nos. 147 and 197, according to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
The Panthers used their newly-acquired pick on New Mexico State wideout Jaleel Scott. The six-foot-six receiver had a breakout campaign in 2017, hauling in 76 receptions for 1,079 yards and nine touchdowns. He’ll provide quarterback Joe Flacco with another talented target, and Scott will instantly become the tallest wideout on the team.
The Ravens have added a number of offensive pieces during the draft, including quarterback Lamar Jackson, lineman Orlando Brown, and tight ends Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews.
Packers Acquire Panthers’ No. 88 Pick
The Packers have acquired the No. 88 pick from the Panthers, Carolina announced. Green Bay will sacrifice pick Nos. 101 and 147.
Green Bay used this selection to draft linebacker Oren Burks out of Vanderbilt. Burks did not serve as a pure pass rusher with the Commodores; he registered 116 tackles as a senior last season and stopped seven ball-carriers behind the line of scrimmage.
Having made 228 career tackles, Burks could be set to come in and play on the inside in Green Bay’s defense and join the likes of Jake Ryan and Blake Martinez. Burks spent the first two seasons of his career as a defensive back before being moved to linebacker as a junior.
Panthers Won’t Trade Future First Rounder
In his first run as the Panthers’ GM, Marty Hurney made a habit of trading future first-round picks in order to move up the board. In this year’ s draft, he vows that there won’t be a repeat. 
[RELATED: Panthers Sign Greg Olsen To Extension]
“I can tell you right now that you can consider next year’s first-round pick safe,” Hurney told David Mayo of The Associated Press. “… We will probably be getting calls, so if you can just tweet that out.”
In 2008, Hurney traded away the team’s 2009 first-round choice to select offensive tackle Jeff Otah with the No. 19 pick. Then, in 2009, he traded the team’s 2010 first-round selection to get defensive end Everette Brown in the second round. Neither move paid dividends for Carolina, which might explain the change in his philosophy.
“You step back and look at some of the things you have done,” Hurney said. “You look at what you did and what you can do better. You also look at what you did well.”
The Panthers own four picks in the first three rounds this year: the No. 24 overall pick, their original second round pick (No. 55 overall), a third round pick from the Bills acquired in the Kelvin Benjamin trade (No. 85), and their original third round pick (No. 88).
Panthers Sign Greg Olsen To Extension
Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has landed a new contract. The veteran is signing a two-year extension worth $17.1MM that could be worth as much as $20.1MM, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. If Olsen nails his incentives, he’ll edge Jimmy Graham as the league’s highest-paid player at the position. 
Olsen flirted with the idea of transitioning into TV this offseason and even auditioned for ESPN’s vacant color commentary role on Monday Night Football. His new and improved contract will keep him out of the broadcast booth, at least for now.
“My preference would be to know my future here in Carolina past this year, if I’m being honest. Whether or not that happens, we’ll see,” Olsen said earlier this month. “But that would be the ideal situation and then that would answer a lot of these unknown questions.”
Olsen has some questions of his own to answer after injuries slowed him in 2017. Olsen reeled off three straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2014-16 and pushed hard for a new contract before last season. In 2017, he was limited to just seven games and he totaled less than 200 yards receiving.
The Panthers retooled their receiving group a bit this year by adding Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright. Still, Olsen projects to serve as one of Cam Newton‘s favorite targets once again in 2018.
Browns, Colts Lead League In Cap Space
The Browns and Colts have the most cap room of any team in the NFL heading into draft, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Here’s the official rundown of every team’s cap space for 2018 on the eve of draft weekend:
- Browns – $69.5MM
- Colts – $59.8MM
- 49ers – $43.8MM
- Titans – $35.8MM
- Texans -$35.6MM
- Bears – $24.1MM
- Jets – $21.9MM
- Bills – $19.4MM
- Jaguars – $18.6MM
- Cardinals – $18.1MM
- Redskins -$17.1MM
- Bengals – $16.8MM
- Packers – $16.2MM
- Vikings – $15.5MM
- Broncos – $14.6MM
- Patriots – $13.8MM
- Buccaneers – $12.3MM
- Cowboys -$11.9MM
- Chargers – $11.4MM
- Lions – $9.4MM
- Giants -$9.4MM
- Ravens – $8.8MM
- Seahawks – $7.6MM
- Chiefs – $6.7MM
- Saints – $5.7MM
- Panthers – $5.2MM
- Dolphins – $2.9MM
- Eagles – $2.2MM
- Steelers – $2MM
- Raiders – $1.8MM
- Falcons – $1.3MM
- Rams – $264K
Mark Richardson Has Favorite To Take Over As Panthers Owner
- Mark Richardson, son of Panthers owner Jerry Richardson — and part of the team’s current ownership group — told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer that Charlotte businessman Ben Navarro is his favorite amongst the list of candidates to potentially take over as the team’s owner. Jerry Richardson, the only owner in the franchise’s history, announced in December that he would be selling the team after Sports Illustrated outlined sexual and racial misconduct throughout his tenure. Mark Richardson said he’d consider remaining on as a limited partner with the Panthers if Navarro won the bid.
Panthers In Talks With QB Derek Anderson
The door remains open for a Derek Anderson return in Charlotte. The Panthers are in talks with the quarterback, GM Marty Hurney tells reporters (Twitter link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer). However, Hurney cited former Packers GM Ron Wolf’s belief that teams should take a quarterback in every draft, so it’s not a given that Anderson will return. Even if he does, he might not handed the No. 2 job behind Cam Newton. 
Aside from starter Cam Newton, the only other signal callers on Carolina’s roster are Garrett Gilbert and Taylor Heinicke. Combined, they have thrown exactly one NFL pass. That attempt belongs to Heinicke, who threw one pass for the Texans in relief of T.J. Yates against the Steelers in December. On the second drive of his career, Heinicke suffered a head injury as he was sacked and had to be taken off of the field.
Anderson has 76 career NFL appearances under his belt, but the Panthers can’t be blamed for exploring other backstops as he nears his 35th birthday. The veteran made a name for himself in 2007 when he led the Browns to a 10-5 record in his 15 starts, but he has not seen consistent action since his 2010 campaign with the Cardinals. For the last seven years, he has serve as Newton’s understudy.
Anderson’s last deal paid him $2.25MM per year and it stands to reason that he could earn a bit less on a new pact with the Panthers.