Patriots Sign Sixth-Rounder Conor McDermott
- Patriots sixth-round offensive tackle Conor McDermott has put pen to paper, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). At No. 211, the ex-UCLA Bruin was the final selection last weekend for New England, which only had four picks. The other three haven’t signed yet.
Patriots Add 19 UDFAs
Along with the previously reported signings of BYU linebacker Harvey Langi and Central Florida defensive back D.J. Killings, the Patriots announced 17 other undrafted free agent pickups Friday. Here they are:
- Josh Augusta, DT (Missouri)
- Adam Butler, DT (Vanderbilt)
- Austin Carr, WR (Northwestern)
- Cole Croston, OT (Iowa)
- LeShun Daniels, RB (Iowa)
- Brooks Ellis, LB (Arkansas)
- Cody Hollister, WR (Arkansas)
- Jacob Hollister, TE (Wyoming)
- Andrew Jelks, OT (Vanderbilt)
- David Jones, DB (Richmond)
- Jason King, G (Purdue)
- Kenny Moore, DB (Valdosta State)
- Max Rich, OT (Harvard)
- Dwayne Thomas, DB (LSU)
- Jason Thompson, DB (Utah)
- Damarius Travis, DB (Minnesota)
- Corey Vereen, DE (Tennessee)
Vikings In Talks With WR Michael Floyd
Free agent wide receiver Michael Floyd is in talks with the Vikings and other clubs, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Patriots free agent hopes to have a deal by end of next week. 
Floyd was arrested late last year in Arizona for a “Super Extreme DUI” and other charges related to his drunk driving. He could have faced up to six months in jail, but he reached a deal with prosecutors in February to shorten his sentence to 24 days in jail plus 96 days in home confinement. Assuming Floyd’s house arrest forbids him from leaving his home for work, it might be a few weeks before he can join a team for workouts.
Floyd will likely be suspended for at least two games and it’s possible that he could get a longer ban since this is his second DUI arrest. Still, the Vikings and other clubs likely see him as a low-risk, high-reward type of signing. Minnesota seems pretty set from WR1-WR4, but Floyd could push Isaac Fruechte and late draft picks Rodney Adams and Stacy Coley for a roster spot.
The Patriots reportedly expressed interest in re-signing Floyd, and Floyd himself indicated he’d like to return to the team, but the addition of Brandin Cooks could hurt his chances of remaining in New England. With Cooks and Julian Edelman at the top of the WR depth chart, it’s a sardine-packed bunch with Malcolm Mitchell, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, and Matthew Slater in support. Recent waiver wire addition Devin Street will also be fighting for a roster spot.
Patriots To Work Out DT Ego Ferguson
The Patriots plan to work out free agent defensive tackle Ego Ferguson, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Like fellow free agent Taylor Mays, Ferguson will participate in New England’s upcoming rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
[RELATED: Top 8 Fits For LeGarrette Blount]
Ferguson, 25, appeared in all 16 games during his rookie campaign with the Bears in 2014, but injuries have limited him to just four contests since that season. Chicago reportedly shopped the former second-round pick last fall, but didn’t find any takers. After spending the entire 2016 season on injured reserve, Ferguson was waived in early April and claimed by the division-rival Packers. Ferguson failed his physical with Green Bay, though, and once again hit the free agent market. He’s since auditioned for the Raiders.
The Patriots have consistently added to their defensive line throughout the offseason by adding veterans such as Kony Ealy and Lawrence Guy and draft picks like Derek Rivers and Deatrich Wise, so it’s tough to see how Ferguson could hypothetically fit on New England’s roster. Alan Branch — who re-signed on a two-year deal in March — and Malcolm Brown are the projected starters at defensive tackle, while 2016 third-rounder Vincent Valentine is also available on the inside.
Patriots To Audition S Taylor Mays
The Patriots are going to take a look at free agent Taylor Mays. The safety has a tryout for the Patriots at their rookie minicamp, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
The Bengals signed Mays last year with the knowledge that he would have to serve a four-game suspension for substance abuse. In the summer, they released him when they learned that Mays had yet another drug suspension heading his way. It all added up to an eight game ban, but we did not see Mays back on the field in 2016. Mays spent time in a treatment facility instead and he is hopefully back on the right path.
In his last season, 2015, Mays bounced all around the NFL and was yo-yo’ed on and off of the Raiders’ roster multiple times. The 28-year-old recorded 23 tackles and 5 passes defensed in his 14 Raiders games. The Patriots are now curious to see what the former second-round pick can offer.
It’s not common for veterans to partake in rookie minicamp, but it’s also not unprecedented. While Mays tries to catch on with the Pats, former Vikings running back Matt Asiata will be participating in the Lions’ rookie camp.
Top 8 Fits For RB LeGarrette Blount
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen veteran running backs Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and Marshawn Lynch find new homes. However, LeGarrette Blount is still without a job. 
The Lions and Giants are known to be in on Blount, but we can’t help but wonder if there could be other potential fits out there for the player who I consider to be the best running back currently on the market. The PFR staff huddled up on Wednesday to run down possible landing spots for the power back:
- Giants – The Giants have been connected to Blount for some time now and the interest is said to be mutual. The Giants are looking for a bruising running back to complement Paul Perkins and Blount, presumably, wants to join a potential contender, so it’s a solid match. Eli Manning‘s 2016 struggles are well documented, but a well-balanced offense would help him find Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall as much as possible.
- Lions – On paper, the Lions should have had a strong running game with Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick leading the way. Unfortunately, injuries cost both players significant time last year and rookie Dwayne Washington didn’t set the world on fire when given the opportunity. Zach Zenner had some flashes of brilliance, but the lesson learned here is that you can never have enough depth. Blount would be a great counter balance to Abdullah’s speed and Riddick’s reception focused game and he could be called on as the No. 1 guy if the injury bug strikes again.
- Packers – Running back was a clear need for the Packers heading into the draft, but they did not select a top RB from this year’s deep pool of talent. Now, they need running backs even more after releasing Christine Michael and Don Jackson earlier this week. WR-turned-RB Ty Montgomery figures to be the lead guy in Green Bay, but the Packers could use some experience behind him. It’s not clear if the Packers have reached out to Blount’s reps yet, but they should.
- Ravens – You might have missed it in the midst of the free agency frenzy, but the league suspended Kenneth Dixon for the first four games of the season after a PED policy violation. The Ravens can use free agent pickup Danny Woodhead as their lead back in the opening month, but it would make sense to add some depth along with Javorius Allen, Lorenzo Taliaferro, and Terrance West, particularly since Woodhead missed the majority of last season.
- Dolphins – The Dolphins aren’t an obvious fit, but it’s possible that they could be in the market for a running back if Damien Williams continues to stay away from the team. The downside here is that Jay Ajayi is the clear No. 1 guy and Blount would have to fight Kenyan Drake for carries. In a scenario where Miami signs Blount and Williams is eventually brought back into the fold, there would be even less work to go around.
- Chiefs – After moving on from Charles, the Chiefs might want to add some veteran help to a depth chart featuring Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West, and rookie Kareem Hunt. C.J. Spiller currently projects as the RB4, but he hasn’t been able to stick with a team in some time.
- Redskins – The Redskins are shopping Matt Jones and that could free up a spot for someone like Blount. The Redskins have four other backs in Rob Kelley, Chris Thompson, Keith Marshall, and Mack Brown, but there are no superstars in the bunch.
- Eagles – Ryan Mathews is scheduled to carry a $5MM cap number in 2017 and the Eagles can wipe $4MM of that off of the books by cutting him. Releasing the speedy but aging Darren Sproles would also yield $4MM in savings with zero dead money. At this stage of the offseason, Blount would represent a much cheaper option than either guy. Beyond Sproles and Mathews, there’s not much experience between Wendell Smallwood, Byron Marshall, Terrell Watson, and fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey.
Connor Byrne and Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Mike Gillislee Contract Details
- Mike Gillislee‘s two-year pact with the Patriots was front-loaded in order to convince the Bills not to match, as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. Gillislee will earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $1.5MM in 2017, and will also rake $2MM via a roster bonus and $500K in per-game roster bonuses. In 2018, he’ll see a non-guaranteed base salary of $1.9MM with another $500K available in per-gamers. No signing bonus was used in the deal.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/2/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB Brian Dixon
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: LB Cavellis Luckett
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: CB Tyler Patmon
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: K Brett Maher
Detroit Lions
- Waived: CB Ian Wells (failed physical)
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers: WR Devin Street
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: DT Aziz Shittu, WR Dom Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: RB Brandon Brown-Dukes, RB Gus Johnson, WR Canaan Severin, CB Al-Hajj Shabazz
Washington Redskins
- Waived LB Steven Daniels,WR Reggie Diggs, LB Rufus Johnson, OL Quinton Schooley
Patriots Sign BYU LB Harvey Langi
Brigham Young linebacker Harvey Langi might have been the most wanted undrafted free agent of 2017. Langi received a $100K base salary guarantee and a $15K bonus to sign with the Patriots, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). 
Heading into the draft, Langi was viewed as a potential middle-round selection, but he did not hear his name called on Day 3. He’ll now try and make the Patriots’ 53-man roster as an inside linebacker, though he also has previous experience at defensive end. Despite not getting drafted, it’s safe to say that Langi had interest from several teams after things wrapped on Saturday. His $115K package is by far the most lucrative deal given to any UDFA, dwarfing the $62K collected by Colorado linebacker Jimmie Gilbert when he signed with the 49ers.
Langi’s 2015 season was arguably his best as he tallied 66 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 6.5 tackles for a loss in ten games. In his senior campaign, he had 57 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and 5.0 sacks in 13 games.
The Patriots also shelled out $31K to sign UCF defensive back D.J. Killings. Typically, UDFAs receive something closer to $5K to sign.
Patriots Sign D.J. Killings
The Patriots gave UCF defensive back D.J. Killings a $20K guarantee plus an $11K bonus to sign, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. That’s among the highest bonuses doled out to UDFAs so far. 
Killings bounced back from an injury-riddled 2015 season to start in all 13 games for UCF last season and had 42 tackles, three tackles for a loss, one sack, and 11 pass break-ups. A solid performance at his Pro Day (4.48 40-yard-dash; 37.5 inch vertical jump) put him in the mix to get drafted, but he was ultimately passed on 253 times.
The Patriots wound up with only four draft picks in total last week, so they’re perhaps putting a greater emphasis on UDFAs than most teams.