Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/17
Today’s minor moves:
- Defensive tackle Dominique Easley signed his restricted free agent tender with the Rams today, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Easley was tendered at the original round level, which means he’ll earn a non-guaranteed base salary of $1.797MM for 2017. Because Easley is a former first-round pick, any club that signed him to an offer sheet would have had to be willing to sacrifice a first-round pick. Clearly, no team was interested in such a move, so Easley will return to Los Angeles next year before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2018.
- The Seahawks have waived running back Kelvin Taylor, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Taylor, 23, was selected by San Francisco in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. During his rookie campaign, Taylor spent time on the practice squads of both the Seahawks and the 49ers, and was on Seattle’s active roster for one week in December. The Florida alum is the son of former NFL running back Fred Taylor.
- The Vikings announced that they’ve waived defensive end Sterling Bailey and offensive tackle Marquis Lucas. Bailey, 24, went undrafted in 2016 and has already been with the Colts and Seahawks in addition to the Vikings. Lucas was also originally a UDFA who signed with Buffalo after last year’s draft before ending the season on Minnesota’a practice squad. Neither Bailey nor Lucas has appeared in an NFL contest.
- The Broncos have waived defensive end Iosia Iosia, wide receiver Mekale McKay, and long snapper Jeff Overbaugh, tweets Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post. None of the three have any NFL experience, as both McKay and Overbaugh were signed to futures deals in January, while Iosia latched onto the Broncos’ practice squad at the end of last season.
- After signing 21 undrafted free agents earlier this week, the Falcons have added another UDFA in Miami linebacker Jermaine Grace, the club announced today. Grace didn’t see the field in 2016, as he was dismissed from the Hurricanes squad following an investigation into Grace’s link to a luxury car rental agency.
Extra Points: Charles, Broncos, Lions
Jamaal Charles says he doesn’t know what his role will be with the Broncos, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
“They just told me to come in and compete,” Charles said. “I really don’t know until the game comes. I’m just happy to be on the team.”
Charles, who signed a one-year deal with a base value of $1MM on Tuesday, did allude that he’ll likely start out handling passing-down work in offensive coordinator Mike McCoy‘s scheme. Denver traded away fellow running back Kapri Bibbs during the draft, so Charles will join a backfield that includes C.J. Anderson, Devontae Booker, Juwan Thompson, and sixth-round pick DeAngelo Henderson.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- With the draft in the rear view mirror, Dave Birkett of the Free Press looked at five Lions players who could be on the hot seat. The list starts with running back Ameer Abdullah thanks to his fumbling and health issues. Wide receiver Marvin Jones is also on notice from Birkett’s view after his production fell off after the first month of the 2016 season. Linebacker Tahir Whitehead, defensive lineman Ziggy Ansah, and coach Jim Caldwell round out the list.
- Veteran guard Jahri Evans‘ deal with the Packers is for one year and $2.25MM, tweets Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Evans, 33, will earn a $1.15MM base salary, a $200K signing bonus, $800K in per-game roster bonuses, a $100K workout bonuses, and can bring in an additional $250K via incentives. Green Bay added only one offensive lineman — sixth-rounder Kofi Amichia — in the draft, so Evans looks like the favorite to start at right guard in 2017 (though he’ll likely face competition from Don Barclay and/or Kyle Murphy).
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Broncos Re-Sign DL Billy Winn
The Broncos have agreed to re-sign defensive lineman Billy Winn, the club announced today.
Denver signed Winn last summer to serve as depth along its defensive line following the loss of Vance Walker to an ACL injury, and Winn provided just that. The 28-year-old appeared in all 16 games (two starts) and played on roughly 30% of the Broncos’ defensive snaps. In that time, Winn 19 tackles and one fumble recovery while grading as the league’s No. 97 interior defender among 127 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
The Broncos have steadily added to their defensive line over the past few months, as they signed free agents Domata Peko, Zach Kerr, Kasim Edebali, and Bobby Richardson while expending a second-round draft pick on Florida State’s DeMarcus Walker. Last year’s second-round pick, defensive end Adam Gotsis, is also expected to play a larger role in 2017. As such, Winn could have a tougher time earning a spot on Denver’s final roster than he did in 2016.
One defender who won’t be competing for a roster spot in 2017 is Bobby Richardson, whom the Broncos announced was waived today. Richardson, 24, started 11 games as a Saints rookie in 2015, but hasn’t seen an NFL field since. He had just signed with Denver in February.
Former Ravens RB Justin Forsett Retires
Justin Forsett is retiring. The longtime NFL running back is hanging up his cleats after nine seasons. 
“It’s time. I’m officially announcing my retirement from the game I love,” Forsett wrote. “Its been an amazing ride and I’m grateful for every moment. My career has brought so many great people into my life, and I asked some of them to join me in saying goodbye. Against all odds, critics, and naysayers, I accomplished something great. Scouts measured my height and said I was too short. They measured my 40-yard dash and said I was too slow. They looked at my build and said I wouldn’t last. But they couldn’t measure my heart, my faith, and my perseverance. I am living proof that dreams come true and God answers prayers, and I thank God everyday for the opportunity to live out my dream.”
Forsett was a backup for the first six years of his career until 2014 when he got his big opportunity with the Ravens. As Baltimore’s lead back, he ran for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.
After being held back by injuries in 2015, the Ravens cut him loose early in the 2016 season. In 44 combined carries for the Lions and Ravens in the fall, he posted just over 3.0 yards per rush on 44 tries. When he later hooked on with the Broncos, he averaged a mere 3.6 yards per carry on 43 attempts. Entering what would have been his age-32 season, it was clear that Forsett’s best football was behind him.
Forsett will be fondly remembered for his impressive 2014 campaign and his positive locker room influence. PFR wishes Forsett all the best in retirement.
Broncos Sign Jamaal Charles
This year, Jamaal Charles will be facing off against the Chiefs. The rival Broncos will sign the veteran running back, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal with a base value of $1MM: $900K of that total will come in base salary, while another $100K is a workout bonus, reports Mike Klis of 9News. Incentives can bring the maximum of the pact to $3.75MM. The Broncos have confirmed the signing via press release.
[RELATED: Broncos Exercise Bradley Roby’s Option]
The Broncos huddled up with Charles at team headquarters on Tuesday and it didn’t take long for a deal to materialize. Charles now joins a running back group which already features C.J. Anderson, Devontae Booker, Juwan Thompson, and sixth-round pick DeAngelo Henderson, but he figures to see a good percentage of the team’s carries. At this stage, Charles can’t be counted on as a bell cow, but he could certainly be a difference maker in a split backfield.
Charles, 30, has appeared in a total of eight games in the last two seasons. When he was healthy in 2014, however, he managed to average 5.0 yards per carry behind a porous Chiefs offensive line. In the year before that, he recorded a career-high 1,980 yards from scrimmage and scored 19 touchdowns. The Broncos will hope to see a reprise of that electrifying performance, though that’s not necessarily what they are expecting.
With Charles off the board, LeGarrette Blount stands as the undisputed top veteran running back on the market. Other notables include Rashad Jennings, DeAngelo Williams, and Chris Johnson.
Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Broncos To Host Jamaal Charles On Visit
Former Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is scheduled to visit the Broncos on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Broncos are “enthused” about the forthcoming meeting, Schefter adds. 
The Chiefs cut Charles after nine seasons with the team in a money-saving move, but he could make his next home with a division rival. The Broncos are currently set to go into the season with C.J. Anderson, Devontae Booker, and Juwan Thompson as their running backs and they could use some additional help after losing Kapri Bibbs to free agency. Charles can’t be counted on for 20+ carries, but he could be a quality complementary piece for a team like Denver.
The two-time first-team All-Pro is entering his age-30 season and it’s not clear what he has left at this stage of his career after two injury-marred campaigns. Charles’ last healthy season came in 2014 and he was less than stellar, though his struggles could be chalked up to a poor offensive line in Kansas City. In 2013, Charles amassed a career-high 1,980 yards from scrimmage and scored 19 touchdowns.
Broncos Exercise Bradley Roby’s Option
The Broncos have officially exercised cornerback Bradley Roby‘s fifth-year option. The move was expected, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS first reported last month. 
[RELATED: 2018 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
That $8.526MM salary will place Roby inside the top-20 in terms of annual cornerback figures, just ahead of fellow Broncos corner Chris Harris. Roby may or may not be worth that kind of cash and he’ll have to prove himself in 2017 if he wants to see that money. The option, of course, is guaranteed for injury only. Roby is slated to be third on Denver’s CB depth chart behind Harris and Aqib Talib, but the good news for him is that he won’t face competition from Kayvon Webster any longer.
Roby played on roughly 60% of Denver’s defensive snaps in 2016 thanks to the team’s frequent usage of the nickel set. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus weren’t high on him, but PFF did give Roby solid marks in his first two seasons.
Roby is now slated to earn ~$8.5MM in 2018.
Jake Butt Purchased Loss-Of-Value Policy
- New Broncos tight end Jake Butt slipped to the top of the fifth round of this year’s draft due to an ACL injury he suffered in his final collegiate game (prior to the injury, he was projected to be picked at the top of the second round). But before the 2016 college season, Butt purchased a loss-of-value policy that partially compensated him for the money he lost due to his draft slide, as Darren Rovell of ESPN.com writes. Had Butt been selected at the top of the second round, he would have earned $4MM guaranteed, but as an early fifth-rounder, he is guaranteed only $380K. The insurance policy paid out roughly $900K (pre-tax), so the injury ended up costing Butt a little shy of $2.8MM. These loss-of-value policies have become increasingly popular over the last few years, and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Jaylon Smith are two of the more notable recent beneficiaries of such policies.
Broncos Select Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly
This year’s final selection in the NFL Draft can hardly be nicknamed “Mr. Irrelevant.” The Broncos have taken Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly with the No. 253 overall pick. 
During the draft process, Kelly met with several teams, including the Seahawks and Chiefs. Kelly, the nephew of Bills legend Jim Kelly, was once considered to be a top QB in the 2017 class. However, a injury concerns and off-the-field issues dropped him down to a Day 3 prospect and nearly pushed him out of the draft altogether.
After recovering quickly from a ACL tear, Kelly was forced to undergo wrist surgery in early April, so he won’t be able to throw for a few months. There’s also major questions about his maturity between his ouster from Clemson years ago and his recent participation in a brawl at a high school football game.
When he is healthy, the Broncos are hoping that they might have themselves a high-potential developmental quarterback.
Broncos Acquire No. 172 From Packers
The Broncos traded a seventh-round pick for the second time today, using this one as ammunition to trade up to the Packers’ No. 172 slot and select Georgia wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie. The Packers will receive the Broncos’ No. 238 pick in addition to Denver’s No. 175 selection, Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post tweets.
McKenzie continues a second- and third-day run on skill-position talent for Denver, which selected wideout Carlos Henderson and tight end Jake Butt prior to adding the Georgia talent.
Henderson and McKenzie will join a Broncos receiving corps that has been an incredibly top-heavy operation the past two seasons, with scant production accompanying the work of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. The likes of Bennie Fowler, Jordan Taylor and underwhelming former second-round pick Cody Latimer stand to return and vie for spots against Henderson and McKenzie, who are both sub-6-footers. McKenzie is just 5-foot-8 and could be a punt-return candidate after being deployed to great success in that role throughout his Bulldogs career. He scored six return touchdowns in his three-year Georgia tenure, with five of those coming on punt returns.