Minor NFL Transactions: 8/8/18
Today’s minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB James Crawford
New England Patriots
- Released from IR: T Nate Theaker
New York Giants
- Signed: S Mike Basile
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Gerald Holmes
- Waived: WR Marvin Bracy
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DT Nathan Bazata
- Waived/Injured: CB David Rivers
Contract Details: Titans, Vaccaro, Eagles
Kenny Vaccaro’s one-year deal with the Titans includes no guarantees, but his base salary will be locked in if he’s on the Week 1 roster, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Between the $100K bonus he’ll also receive in Week 1 and other bonuses, Vaccaro can earn up to $2.75MM with Tennessee.
It’s a far cry from what Vaccaro likely expected in March, but it’s not a bad deal considering the way the free agent safety market played out this offseason. Vaccaro will turn 28 next February, so he could be in line for a solid multi-year deal if he plays well in Johnathan Cyprien‘s absence.
Here’s a look at details on other recent contracts, courtesy of Pelissero:
- Safety Corey Graham received a one-year, $1.715MM deal from the Eagles with $1.515MM guaranteed, Pelissero tweets. Graham was a solid third safety for Philadelphia last season, playing 35% of the team’s regular season defensive snaps in support of starters Rodney McLeod and Malcolm Jenkins.
- The Seahawks gave guard J.R. Sweezy a $100K signing bonus on his deal, according to Pelissero, but that likely represents the only guaranteed money in the contract. It’s a one-year, $1.5MM deal that can reach a maximum of $2MM.
Seahawks’ Dion Jordan To Miss Time?
The Seahawks could be without defensive end Dion Jordan for the start of the season, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Tuesday (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson). On the plus side, Carroll said that wide receiver Doug Baldwin likely will be ready to go for the season opener against the Broncos in Denver. 
Jordan, who is projected to start opposite of Frank Clark on the defensive line, has been on the PUP list with a stress issue in his leg. The team is hoping to get the former No. 3 overall pick out on the field for Week 1, but it’s far from a certainty at this point.
“Doug for sure [will be playing in the season opener],” Carroll told reporters. “Dion, we won’t know until we get him back out. We know exactly what’s going on with Doug. He’s going to be able to make it back barring setbacks of some kind.”
Baldwin is expected to miss most or all of the preseason as he heals up from his knee injury, but that appears to be more of a precautionary move than anything. If he does miss regular season games for some reason, the Seahawks will have to lean more heavily on Tyler Lockett. A Baldwin absence could also improve the odds of veteran Brandon Marshall making the team. Other Seahawks pass-catchers include free agent acquisition Jaron Brown, 2017 third-round pick Amara Darboh, and Marcus Johnson.
An assortment of issues prevented Jordan from doing much with the Dolphins, but the Seahawks liked what they saw out of him in a small five-game sample last year. After he tallied four sacks in 2017, the Seahawks retained him on a one-year, $1.9MM deal this offseason.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/18
Today’s minor moves:
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DE Marcus Martin
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Alex Balducci
- Waived: OL Austin Golson
Oakland Raiders
- Waived/Injured: DB Shaquille Richardson
- Signed: CB Raysean Pringle
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Je’Ron Hamm, DT Joey Ivie
- Waived: DT Lord Hyeamang
- Waived/Injured: FB Khalid Hill
Seahawks To Work Out CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie?
Yesterday, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported (via Twitter) that veteran cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would be working out for the Seahawks this weekend, which came on the heels of rumors that DRC was generating interest from Seattle and the Chargers. ESPN’s Josina Anderson, however, tweeted this morning that while DRC was indeed scheduled to be in Seattle today, he had a family matter to attend to and could not make the trip. There is no word yet on whether the visit will be rescheduled.
It’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the 32-year-old since he was let go by the Giants in March. It sounded like Rodgers-Cromartie could have joined the Redskins, but the team ultimately found that the asking price was too high. The 10-year-veteran had also received some interest from the Saints, but there have been no other reported workouts. Despite that, DRC still earned a spot on our recent listing of the top available free agents.
It was an underwhelming 2017 campaign for Rodgers-Cromartie. His 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus was his lowest since 2012, and he ultimately finished as the league’s 58th-ranked cornerback. As he settled into more of a reserve role, his numbers also took a predictable dip. He finished the season with 48 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and one pass defended in 15 games (five starts). He also clashed with former Giants coach Ben McAdoo before being suspended “indefinitely” for conduct detrimental to the team.
Of course, the Seahawks have had their fair share of head cases over the years, so Pete Carroll‘s staff would be plenty prepared for DRC’s antics. The team could use a slot cornerback, especially after waiving DeAndre Elliott. Behind projected starters Justin Coleman and Shaquill Griffin, the Seahawks are also rostering Dontae Johnson, Byron Maxwell, Tre Flowers, Neiko Thorpe, and Trovon Reed.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/18
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed off waivers: DE Eddy Wilson
- Signed: CB C.J. Goodwin, OL Cory Helms, WR Kayaune Ross
- Placed on injured reserve: OL Rod Taylor (story)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: RB Trey Williams
- Waived: T Bryce Johnson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Brian Brown
- Waived: WR Dom Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers: DE James Hearns
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived/injured: LB Garrett Sickels
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Aaron Lacombe
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DE Ricky Ali’ifua
- Waived: C Marcus Henry, DE Eddy Wilson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: S Jason Thompson
Seahawks Work Out Three Defenders
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie isn’t the only defender the Seahawks will be hosting for a workout. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the organization will also be auditioning linebacker Lamarr Houston and defensive end Damontre Moore. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the Seahawks will also work out linebacker Erik Walden.
Houston, 31, will be looking to catch on with his fourth NFL team. He split last season between the Bears and Texans, compiling 17 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble in 10 games (one start). While the veteran has clearly lost a step, he could still provide the Seahawks with some leadership and depth. The former second-rounder previously met with the Jets and Raiders.
Walden has managed to put together 10-year NFL career despite being selected in the sixth round of the 2008 draft. After serving as a starter with the Colts for four seasons (including a 2016 campaign where he compiled 11 sacks), the 32-year-old spent last season as a backup with the Titans. He finished the year with 36 tackles and four sacks in 16 games (two starts).
If Houston or Walden catch on with Seattle, they’d presumably compete with Shaquem Griffin, D.J. Alexander, and Jake Martin for backup outside linebacker reps.
Moore, 25, has bounced around the NFL since breaking out with the Giants in 2014. After serving a two-game suspension, Moore played in three games for the Cowboys last season, compiling five tackles. His last notable contribution came in 2015 with New York, when he finished with 23 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble. Moore would compete with Rasheem Green, Marcus Smith, Branden Jackson, and Quinton Jefferson for backup snaps at defensive end.
Rookie Not Threatening Davis' QB2 Job
- The Seahawks drafted Alex McGough in the seventh round, but ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson notes he hasn’t provided Austin Davis with much competition. It appears certain Davis will reprise his role as Russell Wilson‘s top backup this season. “Austin has been really solid,” Pete Carroll said. “I think it’s been really hard for Alex to get going. He’s been struggling. It’s been hard for him. We are a very high-tech offense, there’s a lot going on and he hasn’t been able to get back to even where he was in the offseason.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/18
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Bryce Bobo
- Waived: WR Kenny Bell
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Dom Williams
- Waived/Injured: WR Deontez Alexander
New York Giants
- Waived: CB Kenneth Durden
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Lord Hyeamang
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: T Laurence Gibson
- Placed on IR: S Johnathan Cyprien
- Waived/injured: DL Connor Flagel
Seahawks Notes: Thomas, Brown, Allen
Although Seahawks safety Earl Thomas today penned an essay in the Players’ Tribune regarding his ongoing holdout, the veteran’s piece hasn’t exactly changed the facts of the situation at hand, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. Not only have no new negotiations taken place, but no club has sent a viable trade offer for Thomas. Thomas, of course, is seeking either a new contract or a trade, but the Seahawks don’t seem particularly inclined to work out a fresh contract. Trade talks, meanwhile, have mostly been centered around the Cowboys, but nothing has yet come to fruition. Thomas, 29, is entering the final year of his current contract, during which he’s scheduled to collect a base salary of $8.5MM.
Here’s more from Seattle:
- As noted above, the Seahawks aren’t likely to renegotiate Thomas’ pact any time soon, and that’s in part due to team owner Paul Allen, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Allen “doesn’t get emotional or worried” about potential holdouts, per Florio, and that was evident during Seattle’s talks with safety Kam Chancellor in 2015. The Seahawks didn’t move an inch at that time, and Thomas’ holdout isn’t expected to result in a new deal this time around. Thomas, it seems, is willing to play hardball in order to land the contract he feels he deserves, but the Seahawks might be open to doing just the same.
- More details are now available on left tackle Duane Brown‘s three-year extension with the Seahawks, as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports the veteran offensive lineman received a signing bonus of $8MM and a full guarantee of $16MM. Brown only gets $1.75MM of his 2019 salary guaranteed for injury, but it becomes fully guaranteed after the Super Bowl, meaning Seattle will need to make a quick decision on Brown’s future. Even if the Seahawks do cut Brown next spring, they’d be forced to carry $7.75MM in dead cap.
- In case you missed it, Seahawks wideout Doug Baldwin is dealing with a knee injury that could keep him sidelined for most of the preseason, although his availability for Week 1 of the regular season doesn’t seem to be in peril.