NFL Workout Updates: 9/18/18
Here’s the latest from the NFL workout circuit on a busy Tuesday. All links to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted.
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Kennan Gilchrist, Hayes Pullard (Twitter link via Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan)
Atlanta Falcons
- CB Taveze Calhoun, CB Taurean Nixon, CB Malik Reaves (link)
Buffalo Bills
- DT Michael Bennett, DT Quinton Dial, QB Tyler Ferguson, CB Michael Hunter, OL Austin Pasztor, WR Hunter Sharp, WR Brandon Shippen, OL Jylan Ware (link)
Carolina Panthers
- T Isaiah Battle, TE Blake Bell, TE Billy Brown, TE Kyle Carter, T Roubbens Joseph, T Michael Ola, QB Dalton Sturm, T Darrell Williams (link)
Cleveland Browns
- WR Bennie Fowler, WR Dontrelle Inman, LB Azeem Victor (link)
Dallas Cowboys
- CB Jeremy Boykins, WR Chad Hansen, LB Ufomba Kamalu, WR Justice Liggins, DE Cameron Malveaux, WR Francis Owusu, T William Poehls, DT Christian Ringo, DT Adolphus Washington (link)
Detroit Lions
- DT Darius Kilgo (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, on Twitter)
Houston Texans
- RB Matthew Dayes, DE Anthony Lanier, RB Jeremy McNichols, CB Herb Waters, CB D.J. White, WR Isaac Whitney (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- T Gerhard de Beer, T Christian DiLauro, T Antonio Garcia, WR Francis Owusu, WR Brandon Reilly, WR Travis Rudolph (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- TE Jerell Adams, TE Nick Keizer, TE David Wells, , (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Los Angeles Chargers
- G Spencer Drango, T Jamar McGloster (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Los Angeles Rams
- G Ian Silberman, T David Steinmetz, T Darrell Williams (link)
New England Patriots
- QB Kyle Allen, RB Andre Ellington, RB Charcandrick West (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, on Twitter)
New Orleans Saints
- LB Jonathan Freeny, LB Josh Keyes, LB Darnell Sankey, LB Martrell Spaight (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- CB De’Vante Bausby, DE Hunter Dimick, DT Sealver Siliga, LB Emmanuel Smith, CB Herb Waters, LB Antwione Williams (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Tennessee Titans
- CB Makinton Dorleant, DT Darius Kilgo, DT Dee Liner, DT Jamie Meder, S Josh Robinson, CB Henre’ Toliver (link)
Washington Redskins
- G Kofi Amichia, G Jamil Douglas, T Chris Durant, C Jake Eldrenkamp, T Justin Evans, G Kaleb Johnson (link)
Cowboys Sign S Jeron Johnson
The Cowboys have reached a contract agreement with free agent safety Jeron Johnson, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Dallas has waived quarterback Dalton Sturm in a corresponding roster move.
As Archer notes, Johnson is the second defensive back Dallas has signed in the past day, joining undrafted free agent Dominick Sanders. The Cowboys can use all the help they can get at safety, as Xavier Woods is expected to miss three-to-four weeks with a hamstring injury, while Jameill Showers was recently placed on injured reserve after tearing his ACL.
Johnson, 30, has spent the majority of his seven-year career with the Seahawks, so he has experience playing under new Cowboys defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Kris Richard. Primarily a special-teamer, Johnson has topped 20% playtime just once (in 2015, with the Redskins). In 2017, Johnson signed with the Jaguars in August but was placed on injured reserve the following month, and never saw action on the field.
Dallas, of course, has and could continue to pursue safeties with larger name value than Johnson. The Seahawks’ Earl Thomas has been on the Cowboys’ radar for some time, while the club is also reportedly interested in George Iloka, whom the Bengals released on Sunday.
Cowboys Sign 18 UDFAs
The Cowboys have added 18 undrafted players to their offsaeason roster. Here’s the full breakdown:
- Dalton Sturm, QB, UT-San Antonio
- Jordan Chunn, RB, Troy
- Malik Earl, WR, Missouri State
- Marchie Murdock, WR, Iowa State
- David Wells, TE, San Diego State
- Jay Robertson, OL, Tennessee
- Jacob Campos, OL, Iowa State
- Bryce Johnson, OL, St. Cloud State
- Austin Larkin, DE, Purdue
- James Hearns, DE, Louisville
- Dequinton Osbourne, DT, Oklahoma State
- Joel Lanning, LB, Iowa State
- Ed Shockely, LB, Villanova
- Kyle Queiro, LB, Northwestern
- Charvarius Ward, CB, Middle Tennessee State
- Kam Kelly, CB, San Diego State
- Donovan Olumba, CB, Portland State
- Tyree Robinson, S, Oregon
The Cowboys have found gems in the UDFA ranks before, including quarterback Tony Romo and offensive lineman La’el Collins. In total, the Cowboys now project to head into camp with 27 rookies.
Sturm threw for 2,185 yards and 15 touchdowns against five interceptions while completing 62.3% of his passes last year. He came to UTSA as a walk-on and did not earn a scholarship until 2016, so he has a history of achieving when up against long odds. In the ’16 season, he set a UTSA record with 20 passing touchdowns.
Chunn isn’t the speediest running back in the world, but he does offer the ability to catch passes out of the backfield. In his final two years on campus, he caught 58 passes. The Cowboys have three established running backs in Ezekiel Elliott, Rod Smith, and Trey Williams plus seventh-round pic Bo Scarbrough. Fullback Jamize Olawale is also under contract.