Minor NFL Transactions: 5/6/21
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Juwan Green
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: CB Will Sunderland
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: G Marquel Harrell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Claimed (from Cowboys): DB Kemon Hall
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Albert Huggins, WR Easop Winston
New York Jets
- Waived: CB Kyron Brown
Seattle Seahawks
- Claimed (from Cowboys): CB Saivion Smith
- Signed: TE Nick Guggemos
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Claimed (from Cowboys): LB Ladarius Hamilton
- Signed: CB Nate Brooks
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Justin March-Lillard, CB Greg Mabin, RB Brian Hill
- Waived: CB Kareem Orr
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LS Scott Daly, G Evan Heim
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed (from Jets): DL John Daka
- Signed: OL Max Pircher (Int’l Pathway Program)
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: CB Adonis Alexander, WR Matt Cole, S Chris Edwards
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Aaron Donkor (Int’l Pathway Program)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Fred Brown
Titans’ Rashad Weaver Charged With Assault
Rashad Weaver‘s pro career isn’t getting off to the best start. The Titans rookie has been charged with simple assault, Emily Proud of WKRN Nashville tweets.
The incident apparently happened on April 18th with the report getting filed on April 30th, the day before Weaver was drafted in the fourth-round. Tennessee took the edge rusher from Pittsburgh 135th overall. According to proud, Weaver is accused of punching a woman in the head. While the report says an officer on the scene “observed no injury consistent with a punch to the head,” the report also says that “before leaving he (Weaver) stated to other officers on scene that he had no problem hitting a female if they needed it.”
The woman says she was later diagnosed with a concussion, and that she was pregnant at the time of the incident. Obviously, it’s a serious situation. Depending on how the investigation plays out, Weaver could very well be looking at a suspension before he ever suits up for an NFL game.
His attorney Dennis M. Blackwell issued a statement, which you can read in full courtesy of this tweet from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. He calls the allegations “completely false and reckless,” and says that “without question and without hesitation, we deny Rashad punched anyone, especially a woman.”
Weaver missed the entire 2019 season with a torn ACL, then returned last year and had 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in nine games. The Titans had one of the worst pass-rushes in the league last year and Weaver was the only edge rusher they picked in the 2021 draft, but it’s unclear now if they’re going to be able to count on him this season.
Meanwhile, Tennessee issued a brief statement Monday afternoon, which you can read via this tweet from beat writer Paul Kuharsky. The Titans say they were only made aware of the incident this morning and that they’re “gathering details.”
Titans Decline Rashaan Evans’ Option
The Titans have turned down Rashaan Evans‘ fifth-year option, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The linebacker would have cost the team $9.735MM in 2022.
According to Rosenhaus, the Titans still want to discuss an extension with Evans between now and when his contract expires next year. Evans, the 22nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, has started all 16 games for the Titans across the last two seasons. However, his 2019 effort was much stronger than last year.
The Titans tapped Georgia’s Monty Rice on Friday, giving them a younger and cheaper alternative to Evans. They also have 2019 sixth-round pick David Long in the mix, giving them a few inside linebacker options to pair with Jayon Brown.
In 2019, Evans notched 111 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a fumble return for a touchdown. Last season, he recorded 96 tackles, good for third on the team.
2021 NFL Draft Results By Round
The 2021 NFL Draft is here! We’ll be keeping tabs here, from pick No. 1 through No. 259:
Round 1
1) Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB (Clemson)
2) New York Jets: Zach Wilson, QB (BYU)
3) San Francisco 49ers (from Texans via Dolphins): Trey Lance, QB (North Dakota State)
4) Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Pitts, TE (Florida)
5) Cincinnati Bengals: Ja’Marr Chase, WR (LSU)
6) Miami Dolphins (from Eagles): Jaylen Waddle, WR (Alabama)
7) Detroit Lions: Penei Sewell, OT (Oregon)
8) Carolina Panthers: Jaycee Horn, CB (South Carolina)
9) Denver Broncos: Patrick Surtain II, CB (Alabama)
10) Philadelphia Eagles (from Cowboys): DeVonta Smith, WR (Alabama)
11) Chicago Bears (from Giants): Justin Fields, QB (Ohio State)
12) Dallas Cowboys (from 49ers via Dolphins via Eagles): Micah Parsons, LB (Penn State)
13) Los Angeles Chargers: Rashawn Slater, OT (Northwestern)
14) New York Jets (from Vikings): Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL (USC)
15) New England Patriots: Mac Jones, QB (Alabama)
16) Arizona Cardinals: Zaven Collins, LB (Tulsa)
17) Las Vegas Raiders: Alex Leatherwood, OL (Alabama)
18) Miami Dolphins: Jaelan Phillips, DL (Miami)
19) Washington Football Team: Jamin Davis, LB (Kentucky)
20) New York Giants (from Bears): Kadarius Toney, WR (Florida)
21) Indianapolis Colts: Kwity Paye, DL (Michigan)
22) Tennessee Titans: Caleb Farley, CB (Virginia Tech)
23) Minnesota Vikings (from Seahawks via Jets): Christian Darrisaw, OT (Virginia Tech)
24) Pittsburgh Steelers: Najee Harris, RB (Alabama)
25) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Rams): Travis Etienne, RB (Clemson)
26) Cleveland Browns: Greg Newsome II, CB (Northwestern)
27) Baltimore Ravens: Rashod Bateman, WR (Minnes0ta)
28) New Orleans Saints: Payton Turner, DE (Houston)
29) Green Bay Packers: Eric Stokes, CB (Georgia)
30) Buffalo Bills: Gregory Rousseau, DL (Miami)
31) Baltimore Ravens (from Chiefs): Jayson Oweh, DE (Penn State)
32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Joe Tryon, LB (Washington)
2021 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team
The 2021 NFL Draft has arrived! As the picks come in, we’ll keep track of each team’s haul right here:
[RELATED: 2021 NFL Draft Order By Round]
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1: No. 16 Zaven Collins, LB (Tulsa) (signed)
Round 2: No. 49 Rondale Moore, WR (Purdue) (signed)
Round 4: No. 136 (from Ravens) Marco Wilson, CB (Florida) (signed)
Round 6: No. 210 (from Ravens) Victor Dimukeje, LB (Duke) (signed)
Round 6: No. 223 (from Vikings) Tay Gowan, CB (Central Florida) (signed)
Round 7: No. 243 James Wiggins, S (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 7: No. 247 (from Bears through Raiders) Michal Menet, C (Penn State) (signed)
Atlanta Falcons
Round 1: No. 4 Kyle Pitts, TE (Florida) (signed)
Round 2: No. 40 (from Broncos) S Richie Grant (Central Florida)
Round 3: No. 68 Jalen Mayfield, OT (Michigan) (signed)
Round 4: No. 108: Darren Hall, CB (SDSU) (signed)
Round 4: No. 114 (from Broncos) Drew Dalman, C (Stanford) (signed)
Round 5: No. 148 Ta’Quon Graham, DT (Texas) (signed)
Round 5: No. 182 Adetokunbo Ogundeji, DE (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 5: No. 183 Avery Williams, CB (Boise State) (signed)
Round 6: No. 187 Frank Darby, WR (Arizona State) (signed)
Baltimore Ravens
Round 1: No. 27 Rashod Bateman, WR (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 1: No. 31 (from Chiefs) Jayson Oweh, DE (Penn State)
Round 3: No. 94 (from Chiefs) Ben Cleveland, G (Georgia)
Round 3: No. 104 Brandon Stephens, CB (SMU)
Round 4: No. 131 Tylan Wallace, WR (Oklahoma State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 160 (from Cardinals) Shaun Wade, CB (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 171 Daelin Hayes, LB (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 5: No. 184 Ben Mason, FB (Michigan) (signed)
Buffalo Bills
Round 1: No. 30 Gregory Rousseau, DL (Miami) (signed)
Round 2: No. 61 Carlos Basham Jr., DE (Wake Forest) (signed)
Round 3: No. 93 Spencer Brown, OT (Northern Iowa)
Round 5: No. 161 (from Raiders) Tommy Doyle, OT (Miami (Ohio) (signed)
Round 6: No. 203 Marquez Stevenson, WR (Houston) (signed)
Round 6: No. 212 (from Saints via Texans) Damar Hamlin, S (Pittsburgh) (signed)
Round 6: No. 213 Rachad Wildgoose, CB (Wisconsin) (signed)
Round 7: No. 236 (from Panthers) Jack Anderson, G (Texas Tech) (signed)
Carolina Panthers
Round 1: No. 8 Jaycee Horn, CB (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 2: No. 59 (from Browns) Terrace Marshall Jr., WR (LSU)
Round 3: No. 70 (from Eagles) Brady Christensen, OT (BYU) (signed)
Round 3: No. 83 (from Bears) Tommy Tremble, TE (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 4: No. 113 Chuba Hubbard, RB (Oklahoma State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 158 Daviyon Nixon, DT (Iowa) (signed)
Round 5: No. 166 (from Titans) Keith Taylor, CB (Washington) (signed)
Round 6: No. 204 (from Bears) Shi Smith, WR (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 6: No. 222 Thomas Fletcher, LS (Alabama) (signed)
Round 7: No. 232 (from Titans) Phil Hoskins, DT (Kentucky) (signed)
Titans Acquire No. 109 From Panthers
The Titans have jumped up to No. 109. Tennessee has acquired the early fourth-round selection from the Panthers. Carolina will acquire No. 126, No. 166, and No. 232 from the Titans.
The Titans have used their new selection on wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick. The Louisville product had his best collegiate season in 2020, finishing with 833 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 43 catches. The Titans have been connected to wideouts throughout the pre-draft process, and it was a bit of a surprise when they didn’t add a player at the position through the first two days of the draft.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/30/21
Stepping away from the draft-dominated NFL week, here are the latest minor moves:
New England Patriots
- Waived: QB Jake Dolegala
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: S Obi Melifonwu
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed (from Colts): OL Elijah Nkansah
Titans Draft Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley
With the No. 22 pick, the Titans snagged Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley. He wound up lasting beyond the No. 20 pick – despite agent Drew Rosenhaus’ prediction — but he still landed in Round 1 despite the medical concerns.
If it weren’t for his multiple back surgeries, Farley could have been a top 10 pick. He hasn’t played since 2019, but his surgeon says he’ll be cleared before training camp in late July.
Originally a quarterback in high school, Farley committed to the Hokies in 2017 as a wide receiver. Then, an ACL tear wiped out his true freshman season. When he returned, he was asked to change positions again — this time, to cornerback. By 2019, he was a star defender for the Hokies, racking up four interceptions and 12 passes defensed en route to First-Team All-ACC honors. He also allowed a completion rate of less than 50% on passes thrown in his direction.
Other teams were scared off, but the Titans believe that Farley is well worth the risk. It also helps that they’ve had success in this area before. Two years ago, they took a gamble on Jeffery Simmons after his ACL tear. Now, he stands as one of the Titans’ most talented defenders.
2022 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
NFL teams have until May 3 to officially pick up their options on 2018 first-rounders who are entering the final year of their rookie deals. In a change from years past, fifth-year option seasons are fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement, and specific performance metrics:
- 2-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternate Pro Bowlers) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag.
- 1-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag.
- Players who achieve any of the following will get the average of the 3rd-20th highest salaries at their position:
- 75%+ snaps in two of their first three seasons
- 75%+ average across all three seasons
- 50%+ in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will get the average of the 3rd-25th top salaries at their position.
With the deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:
Updated 4-30-21, 4:24pm CT
- QB Baker Mayfield, Browns: Exercised ($18.858MM)
- RB Saquon Barkley, Giants: Exercised ($7.217MM)
- QB Sam Darnold, Panthers (via Jets): Pending ($18.858MM)
- CB Denzel Ward, Browns — Exercised ($13.294MM)
- LB Bradley Chubb, Broncos — Pending ($12.716MM)
- G Quenton Nelson, Colts — Pending ($13.754MM)
- QB Josh Allen, Bills: Pending ($23.106MM)
- LB Roquan Smith, Bears: Exercised ($9.735MM)
- OT Mike McGlinchey, 49ers: Exercised ($10.88MM)
- QB Josh Rosen, Cardinals: N/A
- S Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers (via Dolphins): Exercised ($10.612MM)
- DT Vita Vea, Buccaneers: Exercised ($7.638MM)
- DT Daron Payne, Washington — Exercised ($8.529MM)
- DE Marcus Davenport, Saints: Exercised ($9.553MM)
- OT Kolton Miller, Raiders — N/A (extension)
- LB Tremaine Edmunds, Bills: Pending ($12.716MM)
- S Derwin James, Chargers: Exercised ($9.052MM)
- CB Jaire Alexander, Packers: Exercised ($13.294MM)
- LB Leighton Vander Esch, Cowboys: Pending ($9.145MM)
- C Frank Ragnow, Lions: Exercised ($12.657MM)
- C Billy Price, Bengals: Declined ($10.413MM)
- LB Rashaan Evans, Titans: Pending ($9.735MM)
- OT Isaiah Wynn, Patriots: Pending ($10.413 MM)
- WR D.J. Moore, Panthers: Exercised ($11.116MM)
- TE Hayden Hurst, Falcons (via Ravens): Pending ($5.428MM)
- WR Calvin Ridley, Falcons: Pending ($11.116MM)
- RB Rashaad Penny, Seahawks: Pending ($4.523MM)
- S Terrell Edmunds, Steelers: Pending ($6.753MM)
- DT Taven Bryan, Jaguars: Pending ($7.638MM)
- CB Mike Hughes, Vikings: Pending ($12.643MM)
- RB Sony Michel, Patriots: Pending ($4.523MM)
- QB Lamar Jackson, Ravens: Exercised ($23.106MM)