Saints Rumors: Miller, Moreau, Saldiveri
One of three star offensive players for the Horned Frogs last year, new Saints rookie running back Kendre Miller was unable to finish the season with his fellow stars, quarterback Max Duggan and wide receiver Quentin Johnston, after suffering a knee injury in the team’s semifinal win over Michigan. Despite needing surgery to correct the knee injury, Miller expects to be 100 percent healthy by camp, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
Miller was dominant during his final season in Fort Worth, racking up 1,399 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. The game against the Wolverines that saw him leave early was the only contest of the season in which he failed to cross the goal line. His absence in TCU’s season finale against Georgia likely contributed to the team’s embarrassing championship loss.
Miller’s MCL was only injured and not torn, but the knee requiring surgery was a note of concern as it held him out of any pre-draft workouts. Luckily, it appears that the ailment won’t preclude him from getting some preseason work with his teammates in New Orleans. It’s not as if it matters too much, though, since Miller is set to join a loaded Saints running backs room.
Miller won’t be required to be an immediate contributor as Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams put New Orleans in a stellar situation to start the year. With Kamara and Williams both under contract through 2025, the Saints have an embarrassment of riches and will have plenty of time to allow Miller to develop without working too much tread off of his tires.
Here are a few more rumors coming out of NOLA:
- Nearly two weeks ago, the Saints added former Raiders tight end Foster Moreau, rejoining him with quarterback Derek Carr in New Orleans. Thanks to ESPN’s Field Yates, we now have a few more details on the new deal. The three-year, $12.23MM contract has a guaranteed amount of $8.02MM consisting of a $3.5MM signing bonus, Moreau’s 2023 base salary of $1.1MM, and his 2024 base salary of $3.42MM. Thanks to two void years tacked on to the end of the deal, Moreau’s cap hit in 2023 will only be $1.8MM. In the final two years of the deal, Moreau will receive a per game active roster bonus of $16,470 for a potential season total of $280K. The team also built in a potential out after the 2024 season that will allow them to avoid $8.3MM in cap hit while taking on no dead cap.
- The Saints were able to sign fourth-round offensive tackle Nick Saldiveri to his four-year rookie contract a little over a week ago. An interesting detail about the signing is apparent in the deal’s value. As the top pick of the fourth round, Saldiveri already was set for an impressive contract. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, though, the team ended up giving him a deal worth $63K more than the amount designated for that draft slot.
- New Orleans made an addition to its player personnel staff this week, promoting Tosan Eyetsemitan to the role of pro scout, according to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. Eyetsemitan served previously in the role of football administration associate. This will be his third year with the Saints after four years in Cleveland.
Patriots Rumors: Sow, Board, Callender
Many thought that the Patriots would address their offensive tackle depth in the draft this year and many thought that the team failed to do so. New England did draft three offensive linemen at the end of April, but all three have generally been projected as interior linemen.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, that may not quite be the case. Breer posits that the Patriots actually have plans to work their fourth-round guard out of Eastern Michigan, Sidy Sow, at tackle. Sow had started 11 games at left tackle as a redshirt freshman for the Eagles before eventually moving to left guard. Sow measured in Indianapolis a 6-foot-5, 323 pounds, so he doesn’t quite have elite size, but his frame is plenty big enough to work at tackle.
The Patriots return Trent Brown at left tackle and Conor McDermott, who started six games for New England at the end of last season. The team signed Riley Reiff to come in and likely start at right tackle and also brought in Calvin Anderson, who had some starts for Denver in the past three years. After that, the Patriots’ depth is bare. Sow’s presence should help while also providing the versatility to take snaps at guard, as well.
Here are a few more rumors out of New England:
- One of the Patriots’ more underrated offseason additions was that of veteran linebacker Chris Board. In his five year’s in the NFL, Board advanced from just a special teamer to a core special teamer worthy of snaps on defense with the Ravens and Lions. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Board was a hot commodity with several teams showing interest in free agency. New England was reportedly the most aggressive, which makes sense when considering the team’s notable respect for special teams specialists.
- New England made an offseason addition to their front office staff this week, hiring Maya Ana Callender as a scouting assistant with the team, according to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. Callender has spent the last few years at Princeton as Director of Football Operations. This is a return to the NFL for Callender who has previous experience with the Eagles and Buccaneers.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/19/23
Today’s mid- to late- draft pick signings from around the NFL:
Washington Commanders
- C Ricky Stromberg (third round, Arkansas)
- T Braeden Daniels (fourth round, Utah)
Stromberg was brought in with the intention that he would compete for the starting center job with returning starter Chase Roullier and former Giant Nick Gates. The oft-injured Rouiller was released two weeks ago. Gates has spent most of his time in the NFL at the center position but has experience at both guard spots and right tackle, as well.
While Stromberg has a decent opportunity to earn a starting spot, Daniels will be competing with Cornelius Lucas for one of the top backup spots behind starting tackles Andrew Wylie and Charles Leno.
Chiefs Agree To Deal With Round 1 DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Felix Anudike-Uzomah was the last player to hear his name called on Day 1 of the draft, and his NFL career is now set to officially begin. The defensive end has signed his rookie deal with the Chiefs, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). 
Anudike-Uzomah will be on the books for at least four years, but his time in Kansas City could be extended by one season via the fifth-year option. By the time they have to make that decision (during the 2026 offseason), the Kansas State product will likely have played a notable role in the team’s edge rushing group. His rookie campaign could see rotational usage at first, but his potential could lead to more down the line.
The 6-3, 252-pounder put up considerable numbers in each of final two seasons with the Wildcats. He recorded 11 sacks in 2021, following that up with 8.5 last year. Anudike-Uzomah added 25.5 tackles for loss during that span, along with eight forced fumbles. That production earned him Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors in each campaign, and put him on the first-round radar as one of the top members of a deep class of pass rushers amongst this year’s prospects.
The Chiefs represented a logical trade-down candidate since the N0. 31 pick was the final one in the first round for this year, in the event teams looked to secure the fifth-year option on a quarterback in particular. Kansas City ultimately stayed put at that spot, though, and used their first pick on an edge rusher for the second consecutive draft.
Anudike-Uzomah joins George Karlaftis as a first-rounder tasked with leading the team’s outside pass rush, and in doing so taking responsibility away from star defensive tackle Chris Jones. A thumb surgery may cost Anudike-Uzomah time during OTAs, but he should still have plenty of opportunities to carve out a role behind Karlaftis and free agent addition Charles Omenihu. Pass rush production will be a key area of interest for the Chiefs after the release of Frank Clark, but Anudike-Uzomah figures to be a signficant contributor in that department in the short- and medium-term future.
Raiders Sign G Greg Van Roten
The Raiders have made their first addition of the offseason along the interior of their offensive line. The team announced on Friday that they have signed veteran guard Greg Van Roten. 
Las Vegas will represent Van Roten’s fifth career team, after he spent time with the Packers, Panthers, Jets and Bills. Overall, his 93 appearances in the NFL have included 54 career starts, and he has seen at least some first-team work in every season since 2017. He saw time at center in 2022 with Buffalo, but the majority of his time has been spent at either left or right guard.
The 33-year-old had a run of 23 starts in two seasons with the Jets, but was released last offseason. That led him to sign with the Bills in June, where he served in a backup capacity aside from four starts at center. His time there resulted in a career-worst PFF grade of 57.6, a notable drop from his consistent (if unspectacular) ratings for much of the rest of his career. Usage at guard could help lead to a return to form with the Raiders.
Van Roten represents an expected addition for the Raiders, a team which had only re-signed in-house linemen to date. They also elected not to use any draft capital at the position, despite the unit’s inconsistent play last season. Prior to today, right guard Alex Bars was set to face competition from Jermaine Eluemunor and Netane Muti for playing time at the RG spot; all three signed new deals with Vegas this offseason.
Now, however, Van Roten could compete for a starting role, given Bars’ struggles in 2022. Having that pair atop the depth chart in one order or another could also give the team more depth at right tackle, particularly if Eluemunor were to primarily play on the outside. If Van Roten were to be able to earn the starting job, he could line himself up for another, more lucrative deal next offseason on the open market.
Steelers To Extend QB Mitch Trubisky
MAY 19: Trubisky’s new deal will guarantee him $8MM this year, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. From 2023-25, Pittsburgh’s backup quarterback will be tied to a $19.4MM base package, Rapoport notes (via Twitter). More incentives are present in this deal, with Rapoport adding Trubisky can earn up to $33MM on it. The Steelers have since confirmed the through-2025 extension.
MAY 18: The Steelers are arranging the seats in their quarterback room this week. Shortly after agreeing to terms on a third Mason Rudolph contract, the team is moving toward a Mitch Trubisky extension.
Second-year GM Omar Khan said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show the team is working on an extension with its backup quarterback (video link). Indicating the deal will be done shortly, Khan is prepared to continue the Steelers’ relationship with a quarterback initially signed during Kevin Colbert‘s final months as GM.
The deal is done, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. The move will push Trubisky’s contract beyond 2023 and reduce the quarterback’s cap number from its present $10.6MM place. It is a two-year extension, which will keep Trubisky tied to the Steelers through 2025.
Trubisky initially agreed to a two-year, $14.3MM deal with incentives that could take it beyond that point. But Kenny Pickett replaced Trubisky as the team’s starter early last season, removing the incentives from the equation. But the former No. 2 overall pick has hovered on the extension radar for a bit. Despite being yanked as the Steelers’ starter, Trubisky is set to remain Pickett’s backup beyond this season.
Multiple teams pursued Trubisky last year, which came after he spent a season as Josh Allen‘s backup in Buffalo. Trubisky is obviously best known for his tenure in Chicago and likely will be unable to change that for the foreseeable future. The Bears traded up to draft the one-year North Carolina starter in 2017, and that move is now remembered for the team passing on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Trubisky fell far short of expectations in the Windy City, and the Bears passed on his fifth-year option — even as that decision did not include a full guarantee at that point — and let him walk in free agency in 2021.
The Steelers’ first Trubisky agreement came a few weeks before the Pickett draft investment, reminding of the Bears’ 2017 plan. Chicago had signed Mike Glennon to a multiyear deal before drafting Trubisky. The ex-Tar Heel replaced Glennon as Chicago’s starter in Week 5 of the 2017 season; Pickett made his first Steelers start in Week 5 of last season.
Trubisky, 28, became needed at points after being supplanted. Pickett sustained two concussions during his rookie season, bringing Trubisky back for a Week 6 relief effort — a win over the Buccaneers — and two December appearances. Trubisky also helped the Steelers to a win over the Panthers, as the team rallied from 2-6 to keep Mike Tomlin‘s .500-or-better streak intact. As a regular starter, Trubisky did not do much to hold off Pickett. But the Steelers clearly value the veteran as their top reserve.
Once Pickett stepped in last October, Pittsburgh’s QB outlook appeared foggy behind its starter. Rudolph played out his second contract and Trubisky could have pursued another free agency route in an attempt to at least earn another crack as a bridge QB. Not unlike Charlie Batch‘s conversion from Lions starter to Steelers backup once upon a time, Trubisky will opt to stick around in Pittsburgh rather than pursuing a quick path that would allow for a starter competition elsewhere.
Chargers To Sign DT Nick Williams
Nick Williams will be sticking around the NFL for an 11th season. The defensive tackle is signing a one-year deal with the Chargers, per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com. Free agent QB Chase Daniel, who spent the past two seasons in Los Angeles, was first with the news (on Twitter).
Williams, a 2015 seventh-round pick, took a bit to find his footing the NFL. He had his breakout season in 2019, when he compiled six sacks in 16 games (five starts) for the Bears. That performance earned him a two-year, $10MM deal from the Lions, and he proceeded to start 30 of his 31 appearances during his time in Detroit.
He caught on with the Giants for the 2022 campaign and ended up getting into eight games (seven starts) before landing on injured reserve with a biceps injury. He finished the season with 15 tackles and a pair of QB hits, and had he earned enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings, he would have been listed as a middle-of-the-road interior defender.
In Los Angeles, the 33-year-old will be joining a DT/NT grouping that includes Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Otito Ogbonnia, and Chris Hinton. It shouldn’t take too long for Williams to get acclimated; he played under Chargers head coach Brandon Staley in Chicago.
Texans Release TE Eric Tomlinson
The Texans have been busy adding to their squad this week, and now the front office is starting to subtract. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), Houston has released Eric Tomlinson and placed defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth on injured reserve.
Despite going undrafted out of UTEP in 2015, Tomlinson has managed to put together an eight-year career. He had a three-year stint with the Jets between 2016 and 2018, seeing time in 36 games (29 starts). Since then, he’s bounced around the NFL, spending time with the Giants, Patriots, Raiders, Ravens, and Broncos. He started 12 of his 17 games for Denver last season, hauling in nine receptions while continuing to serve mostly as an extra blocker.
After having a brief stint in Houston to begin his career, Tomlinson rejoined the organization earlier this month. The team has since added Jordan Murray, perhaps costing the veteran his roster spot.
After appearing in 32 games for the Colts between 2020 and 2021, Stallworth got into seven games with the Chiefs and Texans last season. He inked a one-year extension with Houston back in February but has since suffered a hamstring injury.
Placing Stallworth on injured reserve would prevent him from taking the field for the Texans during the 2023 campaign. However, an injury settlement may be coming. Agent Brett Tessler stated (on Twitter) that reports of the IR move are erroneous and an “injury settlement on a short-term injury” is imminent. This move would allow Stallworth to join a new squad once he’s healthy enough to play.
It’s been a busy week for the Texans front office. Most notably, the team signed cornerback Shaquill Griffin and added defensive tackle Byron Cowart.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/18/23
Non-first-round picks continue to sign their four-year contracts. We’ve collected today’s signings below:
Arizona Cardinals
- CB Garrett Williams (third round, Syracuse)
Houston Texans
- DE Dylan Horton (fourth round, TCU)
New York Jets
- OT Carter Warren (fourth round, Pittsburgh)
Philadelphia Eagles
- G Tyler Steen (third round, Alabama)
- S Sydney Brown (third round, Illinois)
Williams was one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft considering his status heading into the 2022 campaign. The Syracuse cornerback is still recovering from a torn ACL that limited him to only seven games last season. As the rookie told Darren Urban of the team’s website, he’s already progressed to running.
“You feel like football season is around the corner, but you’ve got to stay patient,” Williams said. “I can’t rush it. But obviously I can’t wait to put the cleats and pads back on … The hard part’s done. Now it’s the fun part, strengthening things, I’m able to run. I feel like a football player again.”
The defensive back also made it clear that he’s aiming to be back on the field for training camp, but he understands that the organization may want to bring him along more slowly.
“I am seeing it as, I can come back from this and make my story,” Williams said. “I see my life as a movie [and] make my movie that much cooler, that much better at the end.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/18/23
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Brian Cobbs
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: OL Jaylon Thomas
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: OLB Brock Martin
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Justus Tavai
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: T Dylan Cook
Thomas earned starts at all five positions along SMU’s offensive line. As is the norm with the current class of UDFAs entering the league, Thomas used the extra year of eligibility — granted by the NCAA during the COVID-19 pandemic — and played five seasons for the Mustangs, making starts in each.
The Buccaneers waived Cook earlier this week, doing so after giving him a reserve/futures contract in January. The Raiders are dropping Martin not long after making him part of their 10-man UDFA contingent. A transfer from Maryland, Cobbs caught 76 passes for 923 yards and five touchdowns during his year at Utah State.