Panthers To Sign No. 1 Pick Bryce Young, Complete Draft Class Deals
With training camps just around the corner, several teams continue to wrap up deals with their rookies before the weekend. That includes the first NFL deal being finalized for this year’s top pick. 
Quarterback Bryce Young agreed to terms on his four-year rookie contract, per a team announcement. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the deal will be signed soon, setting him up for $41.22MM fully guaranteed. Young will receive nearly $27MM up front via a signing bonus.
The timing of bonus payments is often the cause for delay on first-round rookie contracts, and entering today four of the players selected in the top five – including all three quarterbacks – had yet to sign their deals. Young will become the first to so, officially kicking off a rookie campaign in which he will be expected to establish himself as the franchise’s signal-caller of the present and the long-term future.
The Alabama product was in the running to hear his name called first overall throughout the 2022 college season. After winning the Heisman the previous year, he delivered another strong campaign with the Crimson Tide, posting 3,328 passing yards and a 32:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Those totals helped him finish sixth in voting for college football’s top prize.
When the Panthers pulled off their historic trade with the Bears for the No. 1 selection, Young was not in a class of his own in terms of favorites to be selected. Carolina gave thought to both Young and eventual second overall pick C.J. Stroud in the build-up to the draft, while new head coach Frank Reich was thought to be high on Anthony Richardson. The latter – who boasted the most athletic upside, but faced serious questions about his passing potential at the pro level – went fourth to the Colts.
Young began the offseason behind Andy Dalton on Carolina’s QB depth chart, after the veteran signed a two-year deal knowing the Panthers would select a passer with their top pick. The pecking order was formally reversed last month, though, leaving Young in place to lead the team ahead of a 2023 season in which improvement from the Matt Rhule era is expected. The 6-0, 194-pounder will face questions about his size as he transitions to the NFL game and takes charge of an offense which has plenty of new faces on offense in particular.
Here is the full breakdown of the Panthers’ draft class:
Round 1, No. 1 (from Bears): Bryce Young, QB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2, No. 39: Jonathan Mingo, WR (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 3, No. 80 (from Steelers): D.J. Johnson, DE (Oregon) (signed)
Round 4, No. 114: Chandler Zavala, G (North Carolina State) (signed)
Round 5, No. 145: Jammie Robinson, S (Florida State) (signed)
Giants Sign RB James Robinson
Friday has seen another addition to the Giants’ offense. New York announced the signing of veteran running back James Robinson. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds that it is a one-year contract (Twitter link). 
Robinson’s career has taken a much different turn than his rookie year would have suggested. He ran for 1,070 yards with the Jaguars in 2020, but the former UDFA has seen his usage and production decline since that point. He totaled 989 scrimmage yards in 2021, but the presence of a healthy Travis Etienne led him elsewhere last season.
Jacksonville traded Robinson to the Jets in October, a move which allowed him a chance to carve out a new role after Breece Hall suffered an ACL tear. The former played as a backup across four games in New York, recording just 85 scoreless yards on 29 carries (good for an average of 2.9 per rush). With Hall expected to be healthy in time for Week 1, Robinson again found himself on the move at the start of the new league year.
The Patriots inked him to a two-year deal in March, but injury problems led to his release just a few months later. Now, Robinson will aim to remain healthy during training camp and in doing so earn a role on the team’s RB depth chart. That is something which very much remains up in the air at this point, of course, with Saquon Barkley not currently being under contract.
As one of three backs who were unable to come to terms on a deal before the franchise tag deadline, Barkley has yet to sign his one-year tender. He has recently gone public about the possibility of not only holding out during training camp, but also skipping regular season games. His absence would deal a major blow to New York’s ground game, one which depended in very large part on the former No. 2 pick remaining healthy and putting together a career-year last season.
Robinson could help contribute with or without Barkley in the fold, as the list of other Giants backs include veteran Matt Breida, 2021 sixth-rounder Gary Brightwell and fifth-round rookie Eric Gray. All attention will remain on Barkley, but Robinson could establish himself as an effective rotational rushing option if he is able to remain healthy in his latest New York endeavor.
Giants Sign WR Cole Beasley
Extending his career further past his brief retirement, Cole Beasley has once again found a new home. The veteran wideout is signing with the Giants, as first reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link) and confirmed by a team announcement. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets that it is a one-year deal. 
The move will allow Beasley to reunite with Brian Daboll, the Giants head coach who served as offensive coordinator with the Bills during the former’s first stint in Buffalo. During that time, Beasley enjoyed a productive spell and recorded a career-best 967 yards in 2020. He will now have the opportunity to replicate the success he and Daboll enjoyed together after nearing heading to the Big Apple last year.
Beasley began the 2022 season with the Buccaneers, but he was used sparingly in two games, leading to his retirement decision. The 34-year-old quickly changed his mind, though, and came back to Buffalo to close out the season. He only made a pair of catches with the Bills, putting his playing future in serious doubt.
The former UDFA expressed a willingness to continue with the Bills this offseason, knowing that would entail a reduction in role compared to his 2019-2021 stretch with the team. Over that span, he received over 100 targets each year as a dependable member of Buffalo’s high-volume passing attack. Beasley made it clear, however, that he would retire for a second time in the absence of a deal before training camp.
Now that one is in place, he can compete for a roster spot on a Giants receiver room which faces plenty of questions entering the season. New York set about improving their pass-catching corps this offseason, one in which the franchise committed to Daniel Jones as its quarterback of the future. That effort included the trade acquisition of tight end Darren Waller, the free agent signings of Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder, along with the selection of Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the draft.
A number of those new faces, along with returnees like Wan’Dale Robinson, are candidates to see considerable usage in the slot, the area Beasley has occupied throughout his 11-year career. Robinson may not be healthy in time for the start of the season, which could give the latter an added opportunity to carve out a role during training camp as he looks to continue his career.
Titans, S Kevin Byard Agree To Restructure
After much speculation about his financial future, Kevin Byard has agreed to a reworked contract. The All-Pro safety restructured his Titans deal, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: Largest Cap Hits Amongst NFL Defenders]
Byard will see his base salary dropped from $14MM to $11MM, Rapoport notes, but incentives will allow him to earn back the difference. This move puts to rest questions related to the 29-year-old’s short-term standing with the organization after new general manager Ran Carthon unsuccessfully attempted to work out a pay cut with Byard in March. Tennessee parted ways with several costly veterans this offseason but the two-time Pro Bowler remains under contract through 2024.
Despite the pay cut request, Byard made it clear last month that he was not looking for a trade out of Tennessee, his only home during his seven-year career. The former third-rounder remains one of the league’s most productive safeties and delivered another strong performance in 2022 with 108 tackles and four interceptions. He will be counted on as an anchor of the Titans’ secondary once again this season.
Byard has no guaranteed money on his deal next year, so his performance will not only affect his earnings in 2023 but also the team’s willingness to remain committed to him for the future. A major injury or signficant decline in play would seemingly be necessary for his tenure to be put in doubt, but the new front office has already shown a willingness to try and lower the Middle Tennessee State product’s cap burden.
The Titans entered today with $8.3MM in cap space, a figure which will change significantly when their DeAndre Hopkins signing becomes official. Byard, like the All-Pro wideout, will be a major part of the team’s plans this season, and he can now approach training camp and the build-up to the fall with clarity regarding his financial situation.
Saints Release C Billy Price
After signing with the Saints last month, Billy Price‘s stint with the organization has already come to an end. The team announced today that they’ve released the veteran center with a non-football injury designation. The team also announced that they placed tight end Miller Forristall on the physically unable to perform list.
When the Saints first signed Price a month ago, it was assumed the veteran would provide some experienced depth behind starting center Erik McCoy, who has missed nine games over the past two seasons. While Price’s “non-football injury” likely contributed to his release, there’s also a chance the Saints are optimistic about their backup center options heading into 2023. Assuming the team wants to keep Cesar Ruiz at guard, then UDFA Alex Pihlstrom will likely be in the drivers seat for the backup center gig.
Price has 45 games of starting experience under his belt, so a center-needy team will likely consider adding him to the ranks. The former first-round pick found himself in and out of the Bengals’ starting lineup to begin his career, but he’s recently settled into a starting role elsewhere. He started 15 of his 16 appearances for the Giants in 2021, and after starting the 2022 campaign on the Raiders’ practice squad, he started all 11 of his appearances for the Cardinals last year. Pro Football Focus didn’t love his performance in Arizona, grading him as the 35th center among 36 qualified players.
Forristall was a two-time champion at Alabama before going undrafted in 2021. He got into six games with the Browns between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams. He signed a reserve/futures contract with the Saints back in January. With Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, and Taysom Hill leading the tight ends depth chart, Forristall’s best chance of making the Saints roster will likely come via special teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/20/23
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on PUP: RB Caleb Huntley
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on PUP: CB Nik Needham
New York Giants
- Reverted to IR: CB Leonard Johnson
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Alex Erickson
Caleb Huntley‘s 2022 campaign ended in mid-December when the RB suffered a torn Achilles. Naturally, it’s not a surprise that he won’t be ready to go for the start of training camp, and it remains to be seen if the third-year pro will be forced to miss any regular season time. The 2021 UDFA didn’t play as a rookie but took on a larger role in 2022, finishing with 369 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. When he returns to the field, he’ll be joining a deep RBs room that added Bijan Robinson to the likes of Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Needham, a 2019 UDFA out of UTEP, has spent his entire career in Miami, getting into 51 games (27 starts). He started five of his six appearances last season before landing on injured reserve in October with a torn Achilles tendon. Until Needham is back on the field, Kader Kohou and Cam Smith will have a chance to battle it out for the open cornerback spot.
Lions Place QB Hendon Hooker On NFI List
Hendon Hooker will begin his first NFL training camp on the sideline. The team announced that they’ve placed the rookie quarterback on the active/non-football injury list.
The Tennessee product was a favorite for the Heisman Trophy in 2022 after tossing 27 touchdowns vs. only two interceptions in 11 games (he added another five touchdowns on the ground). However, a torn ACL and meniscus ended his college career prematurely, and he ended up sliding to the Lions in the third round of the draft.
While Hooker has continued to tell reporters that he’s ahead of schedule in his recovery from the knee injury, the Lions have also made it clear that they’re going to take it slow with the rookie. Fortunately for the organization, there isn’t any urgency to get the quarterback on the field, and even if he was healthy heading into training camp, Hooker probably wouldn’t be in contention for a significant role in 2023.
The Lions still have Jared Goff atop their depth chart, and if the veteran is able to repeat his production from last year, there’s a good chance the Lions will keep him under center for the 2024 season, as well. The team also has Nate Sudfeld as a serviceable backup, meaning Hooker will likely be eyeing a QB3 role for his rookie campaign. In the meantime, UDFA Adrian Martinez will get some extra run during training camp and the preseason.
The Lions also placed tight end Derrick Deese Jr. and defensive lineman Zach Morton on the NFI list today. Morton is an undrafted free agent out of nearby Akron, and he joined the Lions following a 2022 campaign where he compiled 4.5 sacks. Deese spent most of his 2022 rookie season on Detroit’s practice squad before inking a futures contract.
Jets Sign S Dane Cruikshank
With Chuck Clark officially out for the season, the Jets continue to add to their safeties room. Agent David Canter announced on Twitter that Dane Cruikshank has signed with the organization.
[RELATED: Jets Place Chuck Clark On IR]
Cruikshank was a fifth-round pick by the Titans in 2018 and ended up spending four years in Tennessee, mostly serving as a key special teamer. He had a career year in 2021, finishing with a career-high 43 tackles while appearing in 414 defensive snaps.
He joined the Bears last offseason and proceeded to get into eight games for his new squad, with all but one snap coming on special teams. He landed on injured reserve in late November with a hamstring injury.
The Jets acquired Clark back in March and intended to start their acquisition opposite Jordan Whitehead. However, the veteran tore his ACL back in June, and the team’s decision to place him on IR earlier this week means there’s no hope of a late-season return.
The organization already brought in ex-Packer Adrian Amos to provide some additional depth at the position. The team also has former third-round pick Ashtyn Davis in the safeties room, but Cruikshank could provide the team with an experienced alternative to UDFAs like Trey Dean and Marquis Waters.
Lions To Release K Michael Badgley
Set to be in place as the Lions’ kicker for a second consecutive season, Michael Badgley will instead need to find another new home. Detroit is releasing the journeyman kicker, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
Badgley entered the 2022 season without a team, joining the Bears for what wound up as a one-game audition. He was released shortly thereafter and signed by the Lions in October in an aim to find a suitable replacement for the injured Austin Seibert. Badgley held down the role for the remainder of the season, converting 20 of 24 field goal tries (good for an 83.% success rate) and all 33 of his extra point attempts. Those totals earned him a new Lions deal in March.
Entering training camp, Badgley was named by team reporter Tim Twentyman as the favorite in a competition which also includes Riley Patterson and former XFLer Parker Romo. Patterson has experience in Detroit, having played seven games for the Lions in 2021 before spending last season in Jacksonville. The Jaguars’ addition of veteran Brandon McManus left him on the open market, and he will now look to reclaim his old job in the Motor City. Romo signed with the Saints as a UDFA last year but has yet to make an appearance in the NFL.
Given his success from last season, it comes as a surprise that Badgley once again finds himself without a team, especially before the onset of training camp. Today’s move will result in $743K in cap savings for the Lions, while generating a dead money charge of $350K. Detroit was already in better shape than most teams with respect to cap space, so a modest financial gain was not needed to free up the flexibility for any other moves the team could be lining up.
Badgley, 27, will look to latch onto a roster in the coming days and insert himself into a new kicking competition. Opportunities may be hard to come by, though, with the likes of Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby, Randy Bullock and Brett Maher all on the open market at this point. The Lions’ evaluation of their remaining kickers, meanwhile, will be more straightforward with one fewer participant.
Jets Trading WR Denzel Mims To Lions
JULY 20: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the pick swap is conditional on Mims making the Lions’ 53-man roster. As a result, the deal is essentially a short-term free trial for the Lions as they look to finalize their WR depth chart in the coming weeks. A strong performance in camp and the preseason will go a long way in determining the former second-rounder’s fate as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
JULY 19: The Jets have successfully found a trade partner for wide receiver Denzel Mims, according to a report coming initially from Connor Hughes of SNY.
Despite earlier rumors that the team was near waiving the former second-round pick, New York was able to get a return on Mims’s departure, netting a conditional sixth-round pick for Mims and a 2025 seventh-round pick, as confirmed by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
The Jets had already made it known that they were planning to move on from the three-year receiver. They went as far as to excuse Mims from reporting to training camp, feeding trade rumors that have been consistent over the past two offseasons. Mims has failed to live up to his draft slot, totaling 42 catches for 676 yards and no touchdowns in his first three years combined. There were reportedly some hints of interest coming from Dallas in Mims’s home state, but ultimately, Mims will remain in the north.
The loss won’t affect the Jets’ depth chart, as they already were planning a roster without him. The team will move forward as planned with Garrett Wilson being joined by newcomers Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman as targets for new quarterback Aaron Rodgers with Corey Davis and Randall Cobb contributing, as well.
In Detroit, the Lions will hope to see Mims make an impact on the two-deep. The team had been betting on a big step forward in Year 2 of Jameson Williams‘s career, but a six-game suspension will limit Williams’s impact early. Instead, Detroit will rely on a familiar trio of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, and Kalif Raymond with Marvin Jones returning to Motown to likely see starting reps in 2023.
During the absence of WIlliams, Mims should have an opportunity to make a strong case for his role in the offense. If he can establish an early rapport with quarterback Jared Goff, the Lions could have another wideout to add to an already quality group.