Browns To Re-Sign LB Anthony Walker
Although Anthony Walker was among the Browns linebackers to suffer a major injury last season, the team will keep him around on another one-year deal.
Walker visited the Commanders earlier this week, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets the veteran off-ball defender will return to the Browns. This will be the third straight offseason in which Walker has signed a one-year deal with the Browns.
The Browns have now come to terms with two of their linebackers coming off significant injuries. They re-signed Sione Takitaki last week as well. Several weeks before Takitaki’s ACL tear, Walker suffered a torn quad tendon. Despite Walker’s previous two deals coming during Joe Woods‘ defensive coordinator tenure, the Browns will see what he looks like in Jim Schwartz‘s defense.
Walker left Indianapolis for Cleveland in 2021, when he signed a one-year deal worth $3MM. In 2022, it cost the Browns $4.25MM to bring Walker back on a one-year accord. A deal in this neighborhood should be expected this time around. Walker is entering his age-28 season. The team also showed interest in bringing back Mack Wilson, but the Patriots signed him last week. Instead, Takitaki and Walker will each attempt to rebound from their injuries in Cleveland.
Cleveland still has top linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on his rookie contract. The 2021 second-round pick cannot be extended until next year. Should the Browns extend Owusu-Koramoah, veteran linebacker money will be scarcer. With the Notre Dame product still in that rookie-deal window, Takitaki and Walker will complement him once again.
Walker suited up for 13 Browns games in 2021, tallying 100-plus tackles (113) for a third time. The ex-Shaquille Leonard sidekick has been a prolific tackler when on the field, but he has missed 18 games over the past two seasons. The injury trouble and a buyer’s market forming at inside linebacker this offseason will suppress Walker’s value.
Deion Jones, whom the Browns traded for last year, remains in free agency, but the team still sports a crowded linebacker room. Cleveland added ex-Indianapolis and Chicago contributor Matthew Adams this week, and Jacob Phillips — the third Browns ‘backer to suffer a season-ending injury in 2022 — remains on the roster as well. Walker saw more action than Takitaki and Phillips when healthy. In 2021, he played 80% of Cleveland’s defensive snaps. Should he prove recovered from the September quad injury, another regular role should await.
Jalen Mills To Return To Patriots; Team Eyeing Position Change?
The Patriots will end up keeping Jalen Mills in the fold, after all. The two-year New England cornerback starter agreed to terms on a deal that will move him back onto the team’s offseason roster Wednesday morning, The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweets.
Mills will come back on a one-year deal worth up to $6.1MM, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Last week, the Pats made Mills a cap casualty by taking his four-year, $24MM contract off the books. But after re-signing Jonathan Jones, the team will give Mills another shot as well.
Mills’ release surfaced last week, but ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss adds it never ended up taking place. Rather, Wednesday’s transaction is a restructure that lops 2024 off Mills’ contract and turns 2023 into a pay cut featuring incentives.
A former Super Bowl starter in Philadelphia, Mills helped New England withstand the exits of Super Bowl-era regulars Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson. Mills fared better in 2021; a groin injury limited him to 10 games last season. Mills has experience at both cornerback and safety, playing the latter position in 2020 for the Eagles. Despite Devin McCourty‘s retirement, the Pats have three experienced safeties — Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger — on the roster.
Although New England’s cornerback outlook is a bit foggier, Schultz adds the team is eyeing Mills as a safety. Mills should loom as the lead candidate to replace McCourty, NFL.com’s Mike Giardi tweets. Mills started 15 games for the Eagles at safety three seasons ago, but the Pats moved him back to corner during the 2021 offseason.
Pro Football Focus rated the former seventh-round find as a top-35 corner in 2021 but viewed him as a bottom-five player at the position last year. The 2021 assessment did come during a season in which Mills allowed seven touchdowns, but the 6-foot defender also finished that season having averaged 6.2 yards per target. The Patriots will see if he can prove worthy of a starting spot during his age-29 campaign.
Jones, 29, came back on a two-year, $19MM deal that included $13MM fully guaranteed. The versatile veteran will be back for an eighth season in New England. Rookie-contract players — Marcus and Jack Jones and Shaun Wade — comprise the other half of New England’s cornerback contingent, with the team extending an RFA tender to slot player Myles Bryant as well. The team will likely look at more upgrade options in the draft.
Raiders Expected To Sign CB David Long
A fifth-year cornerback who has played a part-time role with the Rams, David Long plans to sign with the Raiders. It is a one-year agreement, The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweets.
This comes more than a week after the Dolphins took the other David Long, a former Titans linebacker, off the market. While the NFL’s two-David Long free agency market did not generate the attention the league’s two available Connor McGoverns did coming into the league year, the Longs have edged the McGoverns in finding destinations. After the Bills signed the ex-Cowboys guard, the veteran center remains a free agent.
This David Long, a third-round Rams draftee in 2019, spent the past two seasons as a regular alongside Jalen Ramsey in Los Angeles. The Rams have now lost Long, Ramsey and Darious Williams from their Super Bowl LVI-winning team. Long, 25, played 47% of the Rams’ defensive snaps in 2021 and logged a 37% snap rate last season.
Although Long played only 288 defensive snaps last season (after a 516-snap 2021), he allowed a 75% completion rate and a 113.3 passer rating as the closest defender in coverage. The Michigan alum fared better in 2021, allowing just more than 60% of the passes thrown his way to be completed and limited QBs to a collective 84.9 rating. Long added a pick-six in the Rams’ wild-card rout of the Cardinals that season. The Raiders will take a flier on the 5-foot-11 defender.
Las Vegas showed interest in bringing back Rock Ya-Sin, but the 2022 trade acquisition remains on the market. The team entered free agency with a need at corner, and despite the addition of Long and reunion with Brandon Facyson, this almost definitely remains a need area for Josh McDaniels‘ team.
Cardinals Sign OL Dennis Daley
New Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort has brought along an offensive lineman from Tennessee. The Cardinals announced that they’ve signed Dennis Daley to a two-year pact.
Ossenfort was the Titans director of player personnel when the team brought in Daley last offseason. The lineman ended up starting a career-high 15 games for Tennessee while filling in for Taylor Lewan at left tackle. Pro Football Focus didn’t paint a pretty picture when it came to Daley’s production, ranking him 78th among 81 qualifying offensive tackles.
PFF was a bit more fond of Daley’s performance during his time with the Panthers. The former sixth-round pick spent three years in Carolina, starting 21 of his 34 appearances.
The Cardinals will return their top three OTs in D.J. Humphries, Kelvin Beachum and Josh Jones, so Daley may have to count on an injury if he hopes to get a long long at tackle next year. However, the 26-year-old has also seen time at offensive guard, so his versatility could come in handy for Tennessee.
Saints To Add S Johnathan Abram, Re-Sign DT Malcolm Roach
The Saints are shoring up their defense. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter), safety Johnathan Abram is planning to sign with the Saints. Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that defensive tackle Malcolm Roach is planning to re-sign with the Saints.
After missing most of his rookie season, Abram showed some of his first-round pedigree in 2020 and 2021. After finishing with 86 tackles in 13 starts in 2020, he collected 116 tackles with the Raiders in 2021. After having his fifth-year option declined last offseason, Abram was let go after starting six of his eight appearances for Las Vegas. He had a brief stint in Green Bay before ending the campaign with the Seahawks.
Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams will continue to lead the safeties depth chart, with the Saints also retaining Ryan Neal and signing former Giants defensive back Julian Love. Abram will have to fight for every snap in that secondary, but at the very least, he should be able to contribute on special teams.
Roach has spent his entire three-year career in New Orleans. He had his most productive season in 2022, finishing with 26 tackles and one sack in 13 games (three starts). ESPN’s Katherine Terrell tweets that Roach is inking a one-year deal with the Saints.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/21/23
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: DL Henry Anderson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Matthew Adams
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OL Chuma Edoga
- Re-signed: RB Rico Dowdle
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: WR Thomas Hennigan
Adams, a former seventh-round pick, collected 55 tackles across 58 games (nine starts) with the Colts to begin his career. He spent the 2022 campaign in Chicago, compiling 26 tackles in 10 games (three starts).
The Cowboys previously tried to trade for Edoga, so it’s not a surprise that he’s finally landed in Dallas. Per Nick Eatman of the team’s website, the lineman could be a candidate to start at left guard to replace Connor McGovern. The former third-round pick has only appeared in seven games over the past two seasons in stints with the Jets and Falcons.
Anderson hasn’t started a game since the 2020 season, but he can still be a reliable special teamer and situational defender for a rebooted Panthers squad. The veteran got into 11 games for the Colts last season, collecting 18 tackles.
Dolphins Re-Sign LB Andrew Van Ginkel
Andrew Van Ginkel is returning to Miami. The Dolphins have agreed to a new one-year deal with the linebacker, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Per Jackson, the linebacker tested free agency a bit. In addition to taking a visit with the Patriots, Van Ginkel also talked with the Raiders, Vikings, and Steelers. Naturally, the Dolphins also made a push, with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio recently calling the player and expressing interest in bringing the linebacker back to Miami for the 2023 campaign.
The former fifth-round pick has spent his entire career with the Dolphins, collecting 181 tackles in 56 games (31 starts). He started five of his 17 appearances in 2022, finishing with 47 stops. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked him 34th among 119 qualifying edge defenders.
Van Ginkel will be a part of a linebackers corps that features Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and recent acquisition Malik Reed. Van Ginkel will likely continue to see a situational role on defense and a full-time role on special teams.
Steelers Re-Sign CB James Pierre
James Pierre is back in Pittsburgh. The cornerback/special teamer re-signed with the Steelers today (per the team). Pierre signed a new one-year deal with the organization.
The Florida Atlantic product joined the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2020, and he hasn’t missed a game across three seasons with the organization. He’d had a consistent special teams role each year, but he’s seen a larger defensive role over the past two seasons.
Pierre has started six games for Pittsburgh over the past two years, appearing in 674 defensive snaps. He had a productive season in 2021, finishing with 47 tackles, three forced fumbles, and one interception. He followed that up with a 2022 campaign where he compiled 29 tackles, four passes defended, and one interception.
Pierre was non-tendered by the Steelers at the start of free agency, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Steelers surely got him on a discount compared to the tender values, and he’ll provide both the defense and special teams with some inexpensive continuity heading into 2023.
Chiefs Re-Sign DT Derrick Nnadi
The Chiefs are bringing back a starter on their defensive line. Derrick Nnadi is returning to Kansas City, agency SportsTrust Advisors announced on Twitter.
The former third-round pick has spent his entire career with the Chiefs, starting 69 of his 81 regular season appearances and 11 of his 14 postseason appearances.
After starting only 10 of his 17 appearances in 2021, Nnadi started all 17 games for Kansas City in 2022. His lone sack came during the Chiefs’ postseason run to a Super Bowl, and he finished the years ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 119th interior defender among 124 qualifiers. He last graded as a top-end interior defender in 2020.
Even if Nnadi profiles as more of a situational player, the Chiefs will continue to lean on him in 2023. Khalen Saunders left in free agency, leaving Nnadi as the veteran member of the defensive tackles room.
Bills Re-Sign OL David Quessenberry
The Bills are bringing back a depth piece on their offensive line. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the Bills are re-signing offensive lineman David Quessenberry.
The former sixth-round pick turned into a useful OL piece during his time with the Titans, culminating in him starting all 17 games at right tackle for Tennessee in 2021. The advanced stats point to a productive showing that year, with Quessenberry finishing as Pro Football Focus’ 18th-best offensive tackle.
He joined the Bills last offseason and ended up seeing time in all 17 games. He started three total games at both tackle spots while filling in for Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown. He graded last season as PFF’s 66th offensive tackle (among 81 qualifiers).
The Bills added guard Connor McGovern last week, but they’ll otherwise return the same depth from last season. That means Quessenberry will likely enter the season as a backup OL.