Colts To Sign RB Darrynton Evans
Once ticketed to be Derrick Henry‘s backup, Darrynton Evans did not finish out his rookie contract in Tennessee. But the former third-round pick is coming back to the AFC South.
After Evans worked out for the Colts on Friday, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports he will sign with the team (Twitter link). The Colts will be Evans’ third NFL team, with this agreement coming after stints with the Titans and Bears on his rookie deal.
The Appalachian State product — he of a 4.41-second 40-yard dash time in 2020 — does not have much NFL tread on his tires. Evans accumulated just 30 carries in three seasons. He starred at the Sun Belt program, however, stringing together back-to-back 1,100-yard rushing seasons. This included a 1,480-yard year — a season that featured 23 total touchdowns — in 2019. That enticed the Titans to draft him 93rd overall in 2020.
Injuries derailed Evans’ path to be Henry’s top backup; he played in just six games with the Titans. He was not available when Henry went down with a fractured foot in 2021, having aggravated a previous knee injury shortly before the rushing champion went down. The Titans ended up giving the Henry fill-in gig to in-season pickup D’Onta Foreman, and the ex-third-rounder showed starter capabilities in that role and in Carolina.
The Titans, who at one point tried Evans at wide receiver, waived the underwhelming back in March 2022. The Bears claimed the 203-pound back, and he totaled 64 yards on 14 carries last season, playing behind David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert.
Evans, 24, will attempt to land a job as one of Jonathan Taylor‘s backups. The Colts acquired Zack Moss to be Taylor’s top reserve, in the deadline trade that sent Nyheim Hines to the Bills, but the team has since imported a new coaching staff. Shane Steichen will kick the tires on Evans as a possible reserve option.
Bengals To Sign TE Irv Smith Jr.
MARCH 31: This deal amounts to a 2023 flier, with ESPN’s Field Yates noting (via Twitter) it comes with a $1.75MM base value and can max out at $2MM. It will position Smith to make an impact in a Joe Burrow-led offense ahead of a possible second bid in free agency or a Cincinnati extension.
MARCH 28: Cincinnati had a notable vacancy at the tight end position heading into the second wave of free agency, but it has now been filled. The Bengals are signing Irv Smith Jr. to a one-year deal, reports Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager (Twitter link). 
The Bengals inked Hayden Hurst to a one-year deal last offseason, giving them an experienced starter at the tight end spot. He was among the top options at the position in this year’s free agent class, however, and signed a big-ticket deal with the Panthers. For the second straight year, that left Cincinnati looking for a replacement seam-stretcher.
Smith brings plenty of upside as a pass-catcher, having flashed potential during his time with the Vikings. Injuries have been a central aspect of his career to date, however, including a meniscus tear which cost him the entire 2021 campaign. He was back on the field to begin the 2022 season, but an ankle injury limited him to eight contests. The 24-year-old has been available for a full year only once so far in his career.
Smith’s most recent absence drove Minnesota to trade for T.J. Hockenson at the deadline, and the former Lions first-rounder is set to lead the Vikings’ TE room for at least one more year. His acquisition pointed to Smith being forced to head elsewhere on the open market, and Cincinnati represents an attractive landing spot for the Alabama product.
The Bengals once again boasted one of the league’s top passing attacks last season, driven in large part by their top receiver duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Smith, if he is able to stay healthy, will have the opportunity to work as a secondary option in terms of pass-catchers in an offense with several mouths to feed. The former second-rounder could be well-positioned for new career highs after he set personal marks in 2020 with 365 yards and five touchdowns.
Doing so would allow the defending AFC North champions to remain productive at the tight end spot, while helping Smith boost his value ahead of next offseason. The Bengals – who also met with Foster Moreau before this deal with Smith – will have a number of high-end TE prospects to choose from in next month’s draft. In case they miss out on one of the rookies they could be targeting, though, they will have a short-term veteran option at the top of the depth chart.
Falcons Sign DL Calais Campbell
MARCH 31: The Falcons will give the 16th-year veteran $7MM fully guaranteed, Rapoport tweets. This deal can max out at $9MM through incentives. Although Campbell is going into his age-37 season, he will receive more to sign compared to what the Ravens gave him in 2022. Baltimore’s most recent Campbell pact was a two-year, $12MM deal that featured $6MM guaranteed.
MARCH 29: Following his Falcons meeting, Calais Campbell engaged in discussions with other teams. But the veteran defensive lineman will end up in Atlanta. The Falcons agreed to terms with Campbell on a one-year deal Wednesday morning, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
The Ravens made Campbell a cap casualty ahead of free agency, and while the sides did not rule out a return at a reduced rate, the 15-year veteran generated interest from the Bills, Jets and Jaguars. Despite those teams’ 2023 contention prospects appearing to outflank the Falcons’, Campbell agreed to join the retooling defense.
The former Walter Payton Man of the Year award winner spoke at length with Arthur Blank before making his decision, and Rapoport adds discussions regarding leadership and Campbell’s potential impact in the community played a significant role in his agreement with the team (Twitter link). The Jets made a strong offer, Campbell said (via CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, on Twitter), but the accomplished pass rusher alluded to the off-field component of an Atlanta agreement — along with the on-field fit, naturally — as a factor that drove this agreement past the goal line.
This will be Campbell’s fourth NFL destination, coming after productive stints in Arizona, Jacksonville and Baltimore. On the field, the 6-foot-8 defender will team with Grady Jarrett and ex-Ryan Nielsen Saints charge David Onyemata. The Falcons have added a few pieces on defense since the legal tampering period began. Campbell joins Onyemata, Jessie Bates and Mike Hughes in agreeing to terms to aid a defense that ranked 27th last season. Longtime Bears starter Eddie Goldman is also back in the fold, preparing to make an attempt to come out of retirement.
Campbell, who will turn 37 before Week 1, started all 14 games be played for the Ravens last season. The interior D-line standout/kick-blocking specialist totaled 5.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits in 2022. It will certainly be interesting to see how the Falcons use their talent influx up front in 2023. The team struggled to generate pressure last season, recording just 21 sacks. Jarrett contributed six of those.
For his career, Campbell is sitting on 99 sacks. He registered 14.5 of those with the Jaguars in 2017, helping to drive a rebuilding team to the Super Bowl LII precipice to complete one of the more impactful seasons by a defensive free agency addition. Campbell earned first-team All-Pro honors after his first Jaguars season, which ended in the AFC championship game. The ex-Cardinals second-round pick has continued to churn out quality seasons into his mid-30s. The Denver native has added three more Pro Bowl invites since leading the “Sacksonville” defense.
The Jets would have paired Campbell with Quinnen Williams inside. The team, which is gearing up for a potential Super Bowl push around expected trade acquisition Aaron Rodgers, has added some pieces — including ex-Ravens safety Chuck Clark — this offseason. But New York lost D-tackles Sheldon Rankins (Texans) and Nathan Shepherd (Saints). Solomon Thomas is back in the fold, however.
Campbell, who has never missed more than four games in a season, continuing his run of durability in Atlanta would move him further into rarefied air among defensive linemen. His 208 career starts are tied with Rams icon Merlin Olsen for eighth-most by a D-lineman in NFL history. By starting nine more games, Campbell can climb into the top five in league annals at the position. He can pass Olsen, fellow Hall of Famers Alan Page and Carl Eller, along with Justin Smith and Kevin Carter, by making 12 starts in 2023.
Eagles Sign DL Kentavius Street
As the Saints make changes to their defensive tackle group, another contributor will depart. The Eagles agreed to terms with veteran Kentavius Street on Thursday, per the team. It is a one-year deal.
Street, 26, has settled into a backup role in recent years, but the North Carolina State alum has made interesting contributions in New Orleans and San Francisco in that span. The Eagles will see what the experienced pass rusher can do in Sean Desai‘s defense.
Injuries, most notably the ACL tear suffered during a pre-draft workout five years ago, limited Street early in his career. But the former fourth-round pick has played 17 games in each of the past two seasons. After a three-sack finale in San Francisco, Street totaled 3.5 as a New Orleans backup last season. The 287-pound defender tallied a career-high eight QB hits with the Saints and has combined to total 11 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. Street played a career-most 518 defensive snaps last season.
Playing on a Wolfpack defensive line that housed Bradley Chubb, B.J. Hill and Justin Jones, Street was viewed as a Day 2 draft prospect before the March 2018 ACL tear. His college years offered a preview of NFL versatility; Street played full seasons as both a defensive tackle and defensive end. After beginning his NFL career as a 49ers D-end, Street primarily played inside with the Saints, who have lost he and David Onyemata this offseason. New Orleans, however, has added Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders in free agency.
The Eagles, who lost Javon Hargrave to a monster 49ers deal, will likely view Street as a second-stringer capable of likes of Fletcher Cox and Jordan Davis. But the team still has Milton Williams and Marlon Tuipulotu at D-tackle. Street’s ability to play inside and outside stands to serve him well in an attempt to crack Philly’s two-deep. Robert Quinn is out of the picture at present, after the Eagles redid his contract post-trade. That transaction removed 2024 from the edge rusher’s deal.
Cardinals Sign DL Carlos Watkins
The Cowboys showed interest in retaining Carlos Watkins, but the veteran defensive lineman will instead trek to the desert. Watkins agreed to terms on a one-year Cardinals deal Thursday night, according to the team.
Watkins spent the past two seasons in Dallas, working as a regular starter. Having played inside and on the edge during his six pro seasons, the Clemson alum will join a Cardinals team that lost its top two defensive linemen — J.J. Watt and Zach Allen — this year.
Residing as a starter and rotational presence in a 4-3 scheme with the Cowboys, Watkins will transition to Jonathan Gannon‘s revamped Cardinals defense. The Cards have also added L.J. Collier, who disappointed during his Seahawks rookie contract, to their defensive line mix. But replacing Watt and Allen will be no small task. Watkins, 29, will be part of the group asked to do it.
Watkins signed two Cowboys contracts — one-year deals in 2021 and ’22 — and earned barely league-minimum dough on each. Still, the former Texans fourth-round pick started 18 games with the Cowboys. He totaled five tackles for loss and recovered a fumble in 2021 with Dallas, helping the team return to the playoffs.
Last season, the Cowboys used Watkins at a slightly reduced rate on defense (35%) compared to 2021, when he played 438 defensive snaps and earned a 43% snap rate. Pro Football Focus slotted Watkins just inside the top 80 among D-tackles last season. While Dallas was interested in bringing Watkins back, the team re-signed Johnathan Hankins on Wednesday and still has a host of rookie-contract defensive tackles rostered.
Part of Clemson’s national championship-winning 2016 team, Watkins recorded 10.5 sacks as a senior with the ACC power. He has never come close to approaching that total as a pro, registering five in six seasons. But he will have a chance to compete for a rotational role in Arizona, which still has needs on its defensive front after Watt’s retirement and Allen’s decision to follow Vance Joseph to Denver.
Steelers, S Keanu Neal Agree To Deal
Keanu Neal will be part of a fourth team in four seasons. Per his agency, the former first-round pick is signing a two-year deal with the Steelers (Twitter link). Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was the first to report Neal was on the verge of signing with Pittsburgh (Twitter link).
The five-year Falcons starter has bounced to the Cowboys and Buccaneers since his Atlanta run ended after the 2020 season. Going into his age-28 season, Neal will soon have a chance to make his mark in the AFC. Neal, a former No. 17 overall pick, met with the Eagles recently. But Philly ended up signing former Steelers first-round pick Terrell Edmunds.
During an offseason in which they also added versatile veteran Logan Ryan, the Bucs added Neal on a one-year deal worth the league minimum. He played all 18 Tampa Bay games, starting eight, and finished with 63 tackles (two for loss), an interception and four pass deflections. Neal added a career-high five QB hits.
The Cowboys used Neal more at linebacker in 2021, after he finished with three 100-plus-tackle seasons with the Falcons. Aligned more at safety with the Bucs, Neal ranked 70th at the position (in the view of Pro Football Focus). PFF, which did not like Neal’s linebacker work in Dallas, did rank him as a top-12 pass rusher (among safeties) in Tampa.
In Atlanta, Neal started 48 games and earned a Pro Bowl nod as an alternate in 2017. In his 2020 Falcons contract year, the former Florida Gator registered nine tackles for loss. Despite high tackle numbers, Neal has been unable to parlay his run as a Falcons starter — a stretch that included a Super Bowl LI outing — into a long-term contract.
Neal will join a Steelers team that has made some changes at linebacker and safety. The Steelers have made some adjustments at the Minkah Fitzpatrick-fronted position group and moved on from both Myles Jack and Devin Bush on their defensive second level. They made an offer to keep Edmunds, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes (subscription required), though it likely was a low-end proposal. The Eagles added Edmunds on a one-year, $2MM deal with just $600K guaranteed. Pittsburgh also reached a two-year agreement to retain Damontae Kazee, who will collect nearly double the guaranteed money Edmunds will. The Steelers gave Kazee a two-year, $6MM deal with $1.75MM guaranteed.
Neal will join Fitzpatrick and Kazee on the Steelers’ back line. His experience as a box defender and in coverage could give Pittsburgh some options.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/30/23
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed (ERFA tender): LS Scott Daly
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DT Breiden Fehoko
Daly, 29, has been with the Lions for the past two years after failing to win the snapping job with the Cowboys in 2018. He appeared in every game in each of his seasons in Detroit, and was tendered earlier this month. The Notre Dame alum will now extend his time in the Motor City by at least one campaign.
Bears To Re-Sign QB Nathan Peterman
Each of the top two members of Chicago’s quarterback depth chart from last season will be in place for 2023. The Bears are re-signing backup QB Nathan Peterman, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
The former Bills fifth-rounder had an unflattering start to his career in Buffalo, but he landed a backup role with the Raiders starting in 2019. He ended up making only two appearances with his second team across his time with them, however, and finished his tenure there on the team’s practice squad.
As a free agent, the 28-year-old moved on for the second time in his career last offseason. Peterman inked a one-year contract with the Bears, giving the team a veteran presence behind starter Justin Fields. The latter took a step forward (at least in terms of rushing production) in 2022, to the point where general manager Ryan Poles repeatedly stated the team’s intention of keeping him as their starting signal-caller. That was confirmed when the Bears traded the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft to the Panthers earlier this month.
Fields operated as the full-time starter when healthy last season, but Peterman was able to make one start amidst his three total appearances. His numbers in that brief spell (56% completion percentage, 68.6 passer rating and 1:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio) certainly weren’t enough to convince the Bears – or any other team – that anything other than a QB2 role would be in store for Peterman in 2023 and beyond.
With this new deal, he will be able to continue his stay in the Windy City as a familiar face in the Bears’ quarterbacks room. Fellow veteran Tim Boyle, who was brought in late during the 2022 season as insurance and made one appearance in Chicago, remains unsigned. He will likely be headed elsewhere in the near future, with the Bears set under center for 2023.
Cardinals Sign CB Rashad Fenton
The Cardinals have made the first outside addition to their cornerback room so far in free agency. The team announced on Thursday that they have signed Rashad Fenton to a one-year deal. 
The 26-year-old was a member of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl winning team during his rookie season in 2019, though he played a minor role that year. His workload took a notable jump in each of the next two campaigns, though, and he established himself as a key contributor to Kansas City’s secondary. That set him up for a full-time starting role for the first time this past season.
Fenton logged a 92% snap share in 2022 with the Chiefs, continuing the career ascension of the former sixth-round pick. Kansas City ended up trading him to the Falcons at the deadline, however, which led to a change in role. Fenton saw his workload drop considerably in his brief stint in Atlanta, an unwanted development compared to the possibility of remaining with the Chiefs for what ended up being another championship campaign.
In any event, the South Carolina product will now join a third NFL team, and once again have the possibility of playing as a starter. The Cardinals already had a relatively thin CB room entering the offseason, one in which top cover man Byron Murphy signed with the Vikings. That left a notable vacancy in the team’s secondary, one which Fenton will now seek to at least partially fill.
The Cardinals ranked 24th in the league in terms of passing yards allowed last season (230 per game), and registered just 11 interceptions. While Fenton is unlikely to make much of an impact in the latter department, his coverage statistics from earlier in his career suggest he could be an effective addition. He took a notable step back with respect to completion percentage and passer rating allowed in 2022 after serving as a full-time starter, but he has proved to be a quality option with a smaller workload. He will look to carve out a role in his new home, as Arizona seeks to take a step forward defensively in 2023.
Seahawks, Bobby Wagner Agree To Deal
MARCH 30: More details are in on the contract bringing Wagner back to Seattle. Of the $7MM in maximum value, $5.5MM is guaranteed in full across a base salary, signing bonus and roster bonus, per Sirius XM’s Howard Balzer (Twitter link). That leaves a modest amount of added value available through incentives for the future Hall of Famer as he looks to pick up where he left off in Seattle on a far smaller contract than the one he inked last offseason.
MARCH 25: One year after linebacker Bobby Wagner departed the Seahawks, he is now set to return to his original NFL home. Seattle is reuniting with Wagner on a one-year, $7MM deal (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).
The 32-year-old spent the first 10 years of his career in the Emerald City, establishing himself as a franchise icon along the way. A key member of the ‘Legion of Boom,’ Wagner was at the heart of the team’s defensive success and consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Now, he will rejoin his original team after a short-lived excursion within the NFC West. 
Wagner had his latest Seahawks extension terminated last offseason, which opened the door to him departing in free agency. He elected to join his hometown Rams on a five-year, $50MM deal in the hopes of helping the veteran-leaden team repeat as champions. Nothing went according to plan in Los Angeles in 2022, however, and they have now turned their attention to clearing many of their burdensome contracts. That included granting Wagner’s request to be released at the start of the new league year.
That move immediately led to speculation that a Seattle return could be in the cards. Both GM John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll spoke with Wagner earlier this month to discuss a potential deal, though the Seahawks had a number of other moves planned to augment their defense. That included the signing of former Steelers first-rounder Devin Bush on a prove-it deal, one which gave the team a starting-caliber option but in no way precluded them from luring Wagner back. This deal for the latter marks another notable defensive addition for Seattle.
The Seahawks have added defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones and safety Julian Love in free agency, giving all three levels of their defense an upgrade when combined with this Wagner reunion. The latter will once again be able to team with 2020 first-rounder Jordyn Brooks, who has filled the statsheet over the past two seasons after becoming a full-time starter at the LB position. Given Wagner’s production last season, a repeat of his peak performances may not be out of the question.
The 2010s All-Decade team member was one of a few key players able to remain healthy for the Rams in 2022, and he proved to be a valuable member of the team’s defense. Wagner totaled 140 tackles, six sacks and a pair of interceptions in his lone Los Angeles campaign. On what should be a substantially improved Seahawks defense, he will be well-situated to post another highly productive season in 2023.
A text from Wagner confirms that he is “happy to be back” (Twitter link via Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport). His return should set the Seahawks up for a significant step forward in terms of their run defense in particular, after they ranked 30th in the league in yards allowed on the ground in 2022. Presuming the unit improves, a repeat of their playoff appearance from last year would come as little surprise, something which would give Wagner the opportunity to add even further to his legacy in Seattle.