Today’s minor transactions:
Cleveland Browns
Green Bay Packers
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
New York Giants
Today’s minor transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
Green Bay Packers
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
New York Jets
John Brown is still seeking a job for the 2022 campaign, but the veteran wideout had a chance to show what he’s got on Wednesday. Brown worked out for the Packers today, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Packers Wrap Draft Class, Sign WR Christian Watson]
Following a two-year stint with the Bills, Brown joined the Raiders last offseason. He didn’t end up making it to the regular season with his new squad, and he proceeded to join three more organizations before the season was finished. Brown had stints with the Broncos, Jaguars, and Buccaneers between October and January. He saw time in four games without hauling in a catch.
Brown was a 1,000-yard receiver as recently as 2019, and he averaged 50.9 yards per game in 2020 (the third-highest mark of his career behind his two 1,000-yard campaigns). A high ankle sprain and stints on the COVID list limited him to only nine games in 2020, but prior to that, Brown only missed nine games through six seasons.
The Packers don’t have a clear-cut wideout following the Davante Adams trade, but they have done some work to add to their receiving corps. The team added three receivers in the draft, including Christian Watson (second round), Romeo Doubs (fourth round), and Samori Toure (seventh round). The organization also brought in veteran Sammy Watkins to pair with Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.
Brown wasn’t the only player to get a tryout with the Packers. The team also hosted tight end Sal Cannella, offensive tackle Airon Servais, and defensive back Bryce Watts.
With rookies scheduled to report to training camp this Friday, the Packers finally capped off their rookie contract signings today, inking North Dakota State second-round pick Christian Watson, according to Field Yates of ESPN. The 23-year-old wraps up an 11-person rookie class selected by Green Bay this past April.
Watson entered the day as the second-highest draft pick yet to sign their rookie contact as the 34th overall selection of the 2022 NFL Draft. With Watson’s signing today, eight second-round picks still remain unsigned, with all first-round picks securely under contract.
Watson committed to North Dakota State as a two-star recruit, according to 247Sports composite ranking, and redshirted through the 2017 season. He played a small role as a redshirt freshman, too, as he grew from his lanky 6’2″, 175 lb. frame into the athletic 6’5″, 205 lb. frame that got him on the field. Watson began to solidify his starting role as a redshirt sophomore catching 34 passes for 732 yards and 6 touchdowns in 16 games. That’s an average yards per reception of 21.53. He continued to improve on that number in the ten games of the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, catching 19 balls for 442 yards and a touchdown for an average yards per catch of 23.26. In his final 12 games in 2021, Watson recorded 43 receptions for 801 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Watson brings an alluring combination of size and speed to the league. After running a 4.36 second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, Watson confirmed that he could continue to be a deep-ball wide receiver in addition to a red-zone threat. The size can limit Watson in short and intermediate routes as it takes a bit more effort for him to slow and change direction, but he had just started polishing his route-running in his redshirt senior year and should have plenty of room for improvement. Watson also contributed to the Bison offense in the run and return game, adding to the possible effectiveness he can provide as a rookie.
After Green Bay lost star wide receiver Davante Adams in free agency, along with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown, Watson will likely be expected to step into a starting position right away. The Packers were able to hold onto free agent Allen Lazard and bring in Sammy Watkins, who will both likely start alongside Watson in 2022. They also drafted Doubs and Toure (listed below) who can help contribute as the Packers attempt to retool the wide receiving corps for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Round 1: No. 22 Quay Walker, LB (Georgia) (signed)
Round 1: No. 28 Devonte Wyatt, DT (Georgia) (signed)
Round 2: No. 34 Christian Watson, WR (North Dakota State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 92 Sean Rhyan, OL (UCLA) (signed)
Round 4: No. 132 Romeo Doubs, WR (Nevada) (signed)
Round 4: No. 140 Zach Tom, OL (Wake Forest) (signed)
Round 5: No. 179 Kingsley Enagbare, DE (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 7: No. 228 Tariq Carpenter, DB (Georgia Tech) (signed)
Round 7: No. 234 Jonathan Ford, DT (Miami (FL)) (signed)
Round 7: No. 249 Rasheed Walker, OL (Penn State) (signed)
Round 7: No. 258 Samori Toure, WR (Nebraska) (signed)
The strength of the Packers’ re-tooled defense figures to be its secondary. While depth could be a question mark, the starting unit features a number of former first-rounders and effective veterans. Which five players are in line to see the field full-time isn’t a concern heading into training camp, but how they are aligned could be. 
As detailed by The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman (subscription required), Green Bay is set to use Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas as their top three corners. The latter enjoyed a late-blossoming breakout campaign last season, recording a career-high five interceptions. That performance earned him a three-year, $21MM contract in free agency.
The group will still be led, of course, by Alexander; the Pro Bowler became the league’s all-time highest-paid corner (in terms of AAV) when he signed an $84MM extension which will keep him in place through 2026. He and Stokes in particular figure to serve as a foundation on the backend for the foreseeable future, along with, in all likelihood, safety Darnell Savage Jr.
An important question Schneidman raises is the matter of who mans the slot when each of the top five defenders (the aforementioned four players, along with safety Adrian Amos) are healthy. DBs coach Jerry Gray indicated that any of the starting corners or Savage could find themselves in the role. “There’s a lot of action at the nickel,” he said. “[A]nd everybody wants to be in the action.”
As Schneidman notes, different players would be better suited to shift inside at different points, depending on individual circumstances. Ultimately, though, the health of the secondary’s top five members will be the most important factor in the defense’s success, given the distinct lack of known commodities lower on the depth chart. How the unit shakes out at camp will be worth watching in the lead-up to what the Packers hope will be another Super Bowl run.
The Packers double-dipped not only on the defensive side of the ball in the first round of the 2022 draft, but on the program they selected both Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker from. Each of the Georgia products figure to play significant roles on the team’s defense for years to come, but the latter could see a significant role right away during his rookie season. 
Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes that a lack of depth at inside linebacker could make Walker the “x-factor” of the position group (subscription required). The six-foot-four, 240-pounder took on a larger role in each of his four seasons with the Bulldogs, totalling 65 stops, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 2021. Those numbers fall short of the production put up by teammate and fellow inside ‘backer Nakobe Dean, but injury concerns about the latter and perceived athletic upside for Walker helped make him the top selection at the position in April.
Green Bay already had De’Vondre Campbell at the position heading into this season; the 29-year-old enjoyed a career year during his first season with the Packers, earning First-Team All-Pro honors. The team responded this offseason by signing him to a five-year, $50MM deal. As noted by Schneidman, he was joined in spring practices by Walker with the starting members of the defense.
That is in line with previous reporting on Walker’s expected role as a rookie. His skillset both against the run and pass should allow him to remain on the field in a variety of situations, especially with an experienced partner in the middle of the unit in Campbell. Assuming Walker plays a large role right away, that would also represent a notable difference in the immediate expectations for Wyatt; the team’s superior defensive line depth has the latter slated for rotational duties in 2022.
If Walker can succeed early on as a first-teamer, the Packers’ defense could take the step forward many are expecting they could, given the moves made to bolster the unit.
The Packers have made a few notable investments into their defensive line this offseason, as they try to bolster what has been one of the team’s weaker position groups in recent years. For both the short- and long-term future, there is cause for optimism. 
Green Bay still has Pro Bowler Kenny Clark as an anchor for the unit. The former first-rounder has totalled 22.5 sacks in the past five seasons, and figures to be a mainstay of the team’s defense for years to come. Another key veteran returning in 2022 is Dean Lowry, another 2016 draftee who has been a starter since his second NFL season.
The Packers have a few options to consider in terms of who joins those two as a first-team member. Many may have expected Devonte Wyatt to take on that role, given his status as a first round pick and his college production. A key member of Georgia’s lights-out defense, Wyatt teamed with fellow top pick Jordan Davis on the interior of the Bulldogs’ d-line and totalled 2.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss in 2021.
However, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes that Wyatt has strictly seen second-team reps so far this offseason (subscription required). He will likely begin his pro career as a backup to the likes of 2021 fifth-rounder TJ Slaton and free agent addition Jarran Reed. The latter had an underwhelming season in Kansas City last year, but displayed significant pass-rush ability during his time as a Seahawk.
Still, Schneidman adds that it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Wyatt sees himself “playing meaningful snaps not long from now.” He, along with the rest of Green Bay’s re-tooled defensive front could be in line for a productive campaign, something which would go a long way towards helping the team’s Super Bowl aspirations.
Between now and training camp, additional free agents will join teams. Several big names — from 2010s All-Decade-teamers Ndamukong Suh and Julio Jones — to longtime starters like Odell Beckham Jr., Jason Pierre-Paul, Trey Flowers and J.C. Tretter remain available as camps approach.
With savings from post-June 1 cuts in the rear-view mirror and fewer than 25 draft picks yet to sign their rookie deals, we have a pretty good idea of teams’ cap-space figures. Here is how the league currently stacks up for available funds:
The Falcons made history when they traded Matt Ryan to the Colts this offseason. As a result of the trade, the Falcons were left with a record-breaking $40.5MM in dead cap. Thanks to the Ryan trade (as well as the trade of Julio Jones and the release of Dante Fowler), the Falcons lead the NFL with a whopping $63MM in dead cap heading into next season.
For a team that’s probably not looking to compete in 2022, this isn’t the biggest deal in the world. For competitive squads, a hefty dead cap charge could drastically limit their ability to add to their squad following final roster cuts and into the regular season. A team’s current dead cap commitment could also influence who they decide to cut at the end of the preseason.
So which teams have the most dead cap on their books? We’ve listed them in order below (h/t to Sportrac):