NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/26
Today’s draft pick signings:
Buffalo Bills
- WR Skylar Bell (fourth round, UConn)
- LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr (fourth round, TCU)
Bell spent three seasons at Wisconsin to begin his collegiate career before transferring to UConn ahead of the 2024 campaign. He had a breakout season during his first year with the Huskies, but he took it to another level in 2025. The receiver finished this past year with 101 catches for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns, earning him a consensus All-American nod.
It might be tough for Bell to carve out an offensive role as a rookie. The Bills return much of the same depth chart as last season, including Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Tyrell Shavers, and Joshua Palmer. Most notably, the team added D.J. Moore to serve as their definitive WR1.
The Bills used their third fourth-round selection on Elarms-Orr, who was coming off a standout season at Texas Christian. The linebacker finished with 130 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks, a performance that earned him first-team All-Big 12 recognition. The rookie could carve out a role as a top backup behind Dorian Williams and Terrel Bernard.
With the signings, the Bills’ only unsigned draft pick is Boston College offensive tackle Jude Bowry.
CB Jerry Jacobs Announces Retirement
Free agent cornerback Jerry Jacobs took to Instagram to announce his retirement on Tuesday (via Jordan Schultz). The 28-year-old played with the Lions from 2021-23.
Prior to Tuesday, the most recent mention of Jacobs on PFR’s pages came when he worked out for the Broncos in December 2024. The Broncos passed on signing Jacobs, who received his last NFL contract when the Rams inked him to a deal in July 2024. They wound up waiving Jacobs with an injury settlement less than a month later.
Despite going undrafted in 2021, Jacobs immediately worked his way into a significant role in the Lions’ defense as a rookie. The former Arkansas Razorback made nine starts in 13 games and tallied seven passes defensed during an interception-less first season. Jacobs notched his first career pick and added eight more PDs in his second year, a 12-game, eight-start campaign.
Although Jacobs’ INT total climbed to three over 15 games and 12 starts in 2023, Detroit relegated him to a special teams role late in the year. With Kindle Vildor taking over as the starter opposite Cameron Sutton, Jacobs played just one defensive snap in the last four games of the regular season. The Lions finished 12-5 and snapped a six-year playoff drought, but Jacobs did not factor in during what amounted to a three-game postseason for the club. They placed Jacobs on injured reserve on the eve of a wild-card round win over the Rams.
Detroit had a chance to retain Jacobs in 2024, but he became an unrestricted free agent after it opted against giving him an RFA tender. Two years later, Jacobs is officially hanging up his cleats. Across 40 games and 29 starts, Jacobs racked up 131 tackles, 23 PDs and four picks.
Lions Sign 9 Undrafted Free Agents
In addition to getting their entire seven-player draft class under contract Tuesday, the Lions announced nine UDFA signings. Here is the Lions’ list of undrafted newcomers:
- Luke Altmyer, QB (Illinois)
- Aamaris Brown, DB (UNLV)
- Erick Hunter, LB (Morgan State)
- Aidan Keanaaina, DL (California)
- Miles Kitselman, TE (Tennessee)
- Anthony Lucas, EDGE (USC)
- Eric O’Neill, EDGE (Rutgers)
- Melvin Priestly, OL (Illinois)
- De’Shawn Rucker, CB (USF)
The headliner may be Altmyer, who spent three years as Illinois’ starter after backing up Matt Corral and then Jaxson Dart at Mississippi from 2021-22. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder is entering the pros after back-to-back 22-touchdown pass seasons in which he led the Fighting Illini to a 19-7 record, including wins over South Carolina in the 2024 Citrus Bowl and Tennessee in the 2025 Music City Bowl.
Altmyer set personal bests in attempts (365), completion percentage (67.4) and yards (3,007) last season, all while throwing just five interceptions. However, given that Altmyer does not possess great size or arm strength, the entire NFL chose to pass on him in the draft. The 23-year-old may have a chance to earn a spot in Detroit, though, as the team does not have any other developmental options behind starter Jared Goff and veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater.
Lucas played one season at Texas A&M before transferring to USC in 2023. Although Lucas recorded his only three college sacks last year, Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked the 6-5, 256-pounder as the 185th-best prospect available before the draft. Brugler describes the 6-5, 256-pounder as a “battering ram” pass rusher and edge setter who has a chance to carve out a role in the NFL.
The Lions awarded a sizable guarantee to Keanaaina, who will earn $267,500, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The former Notre Dame defender tore his ACL in 2022, but he showed no ill effects upon transferring to Cal in 2024. Across 26 games (all starts) with the Golden Bears, the 6-3, 320-pounder totaled 101 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Lions Sign First-Round T Blake Miller
The Lions announced that they have signed their first-round pick, former Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller. As the 17th overall selection, Miller inked a fully guaranteed deal worth about $21.87MM over four years.
Detroit entered the draft in dire need of help at tackle after it released 10-year veteran Taylor Decker, its starter on the left side since 2016. The Lions attempted to move up in a trade with the Rams, who held the 13th pick, but were rebuffed. It is unknown if the Lions would have taken Miller at 13, but regardless, they landed on him four choices later.
Whether the 6-foot-7, 317-pound Miller takes over for Decker will depend on how the Lions handle all-world right tackle Penei Sewell, who could shift to the left. Either way, the Lions are expecting Miller to emerge as a long-term starter.
If Miller is going to step into the lineup immediately, he will have to beat out Larry Borom, a former Bear and Dolphin who arrived in free agency. Borom has never been a full-time NFL starter during his five-year career, which bodes well for Miller. A two-time second-team All-ACC blocker, Miller started in all 54 games (52 at right tackle) with the Tigers from 2022-25. He broke the school record in offensive snaps (3,778) along the way.
With Miller under contract, the Lions have now signed all of their 2026 draft picks. Here is a refresher on their seven-player class:
- Round 1, No. 17: Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
- Round 2, No. 44 (from Cowboys): Derrick Moore (EDGE, Michigan)
- Round 4, No. 118: Jimmy Rolder (LB, Michigan)
- Round 5, No. 157: Keith Abney II (CB, Arizona State)
- Round 5, No. 168 (from Bills): Kendrick Law (WR, Kentucky)
- Round 6, No. 205 (from Jaguars): Skyler Gill-Howard (DT, Texas Tech)
- Round 7, No. 222 (from Browns): Tyre West (DT, Tennessee)
Saints Restructure LB Pete Werner’s Deal
The 2026 offseason required far less in the way of salary cap gymnastics than previous years for the Saints. The team has still tweaked a few contracts, though.
The latest example on that front is linebacker Pete Werner. His pact was recently restructured, as noted by ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. As a result of the move, Werner’s 2026 cap charge has been lowered from just under $8MM to $3.94MM.
Werner was one of many veteran Saints who drew trade interest in 2025. New Orleans elected to keep him in the fold, though, and two years remain on his contract. The five-year veteran is due to collect $6.25MM this season and $6.5MM in 2027, although none of the latter figure is guaranteed.
Werner’s future will thus depend in large part on how he fares in 2026. The former second-rounder has amassed 63 starts during his New Orleans tenure, and he will be expected to remain a key defensive figure for at least one more season. Werner has recorded at least 80 tackles in each of the past four year; he added career-high totals in sacks (two), pass deflections (five) and fumble recoveries (three) in 2025.
The Saints brought back Kaden Elliss this spring. The former Falcon inked a three-year, $33MM deal in free agency and he will be counted on to produce alongside Werner. Replacing Demario Davis will be no small feat in 2026, but managing to do so could help team build off its momentum from late last season and contend for a playoff berth.
With the financial wiggle room brought on by the Werner restructure, the Saints now have roughly $8MM in cap space. No major additions should be expected, but low-cost roster moves will be more viable moving forward.
Chargers, TE David Njoku Agree To Deal
David Njoku recently visited the Chargers. That summit clearly went well, as a contract agreement is now in place between Los Angeles and the veteran tight end.
Team and player have finalized a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. He adds this pact has a maximum value of $8MM. After nine years in Cleveland, Njoku’s next career phase has been lined up.
The tight end position has seen plenty of turnover this spring in the case of the Chargers. Will Dissly and Tucker Fisk are still on the market deep into the offseason. Tyler Conklin, meanwhile, left via free agency. Los Angeles added Charlie Kolar in March, but the team did not select any tight ends during the draft. That left the door open to a deal for Njoku, and one is now in place.
Over the course of his Browns tenure, Njoku regularly found himself atop the tight end depth chart. The former first-rounder battled injuries and inconsistencies along the way, but he secured a big-money deal in 2022. Njoku’s best season came one year later (81-882-6 statline) and resulted in a Pro Bowl nod. His playing time dropped in 2024 and again in 2025, however, and the Browns have Harold Fannin Jr. in place as their starting tight end for the foreseeable future after a standout rookie campaign. It has been clear since February Njoku would not be coming back to Cleveland.
Jim Harbaugh remains in place as the Chargers’ head coach, but 2026 will mark the first year of his NFL coaching career in which Greg Roman is not his offensive coordinator. Mike McDaniel is in place as the Bolts’ new OC, his first gig since being dismissed as head coach of the Dolphins. It will be interesting to see how McDaniel uses Njoku and Kolar as Los Angeles looks to find improved efficiency in the passing game this season.
The Chargers entered Monday with over $45MM in cap space. That figure will be lowered once the Njoku deal is officially in place, but it will leave plenty of available funds for further late-offseason additions.
Steelers, Chris Boswell Agree To Extension
Last summer, it became clear Chris Boswell was among the members of the Steelers who were seeking a raise. No new deal was worked out with Pittsburgh’s longtime kicker in 2025, but an agreement is now in place.
Team and player have agreed to an extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This is a four-year, $28MM deal, he adds. Boswell was set to enter the 2026 season as a pending free agent, but that will no longer be the case. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette adds the deal contains $14.7MM guaranteed.
Schefter notes Boswell is under contract through 2030, meaning today’s news consists of four new years being added to the final one of the two-time Pro Bowler’s existing pact. A raise is indeed forthcoming as a result of this extension as well. Boswell was previously attached to an average annual value of $5MM, but this new pact checks in at $7MM per year. That AAV mark matches the price point Brandon Aubrey recently reached with the Cowboys on his own 4/28 deal.
Boswell has handled kicking duties for the Steelers over the past 11 years, and that lengthy run will continue well into the future. The 35-year-old posted a field goal accuracy rate of just 65% in 2018 and 71.4% in 2022. Otherwise, Boswell has enjoyed consistent high-end production and given Pittsburgh stability at the position. The team is clearly comfortable with a long-term commitment in this case despite Boswell’s age.
In 2024, the former UDFA led the NFL with 41 made field goals. Boswell reached that mark on 44 attempts while going 35-for-35 on extra point kicks. That success resulted in a Pro Bowl nod along with first-team All-Pro honors. Boswell delivered another strong season this past year, including success on nine of 11 field goal tries from 50 yards and beyond. Sustained accuracy from long distance will be expected given the term and finances of this extension.
The top of the kicker market sat at $6.4MM at the onset of the 2026 offseason. Since then, Ka’imi Fairbairn has worked out a $6.5MM-per-year deal with the Texans, something which was followed by Aubrey’s Cowboys extension. There are now two kickers at the $7MM AAV mark, with seven others earning over $5MM annually.
Boswell has totaled 178 regular and postseason appearances during his Steelers tenure. That figure is set to increase substantially over the coming years while he plays out his third consecutive four-year pact. Pittsburgh will have a new punter for 2026 after Corliss Waitman departed in free agency. Cameron Johnston will be back in the fold for next season, while Christian Kuntz is in position to remain the team’s long snapper. That special teams familiarity will include a continued runway for Boswell in 2026 and beyond.
Jets Sign 12 UDFAs
The Jets will be counting on their rookies in 2026, especially their three first-round picks. The team added some more youth to their roster via the addition of 12 undrafted free agents:
- Mory Bamba, CB (BYU)
- Kendrick Blackshire, LB (UTSA)
- Chase Curtis, TE (TCU)
- Will Ferrin, K (BYU)
- Garrison Grimes, LS (BYU)
- Xavier Hill, OL (Colorado)
- Caullin Lacy, WR (Louisville)
- Malik McClain, WR (Arizona State)
- Sam Scott, RB (Wyoming)
- DT Sheffield, WR (Rutgers)
- Chip Trayanum, RB (Toledo)
- Nathan Voorhis, EDGE (Ball State)
Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, Caullin Lacy got a chunk of money to join New York, as the wideout earned a $15K signing bonus and had $247.5K of his base salary guaranteed. Lacy had a standout stint at South Alabama, including a 2023 campaign where he collected 1,316 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns. He took his talents to Louisville in 2024, and after playing a small offensive role during his first year at the school, he saw more work in 2025. He finished this past year with 75 touches for 688 yards and two touchdowns.
Lacy wasn’t the only undrafted WR to join the Jets. The team also signed Arizona State’s Malik McClain and Rutgers’ DT Sheffield. McClain had his best collegiate showing in 2025, finishing with 31 catches for 441 yards. Sheffield was a standout in 2024 when he finished with 908 yards and 12 touchdowns, but those numbers fell to 577 yards and five touchdowns in 2025.
Interestingly, the team added BYU’s kicker and long snapper. Will Ferrin is coming off a productive college career where he connected on 81.7 percent of his field goal tries and 99.2 percent of his XP tries. The UDFA will certainly be in the mix at kicker, where the Jets are also rostering Cade York. Ferrin will be joined on the offseason roster by BYU long snapper Garrison Grimes.
Dolphins Announce 11-Man UDFA Class
The Dolphins can tout the largest draft class, as the team selected 13 players. The organization wasn’t done adding rookies, however, as Miami announced the signing of 11 undrafted free agents:
- Jim Bonifas, C (Iowa State)
- Kevin Cline, OT (Boston College)
- Mark Gronowski, QB (Iowa)
- Anthony Hankerson, RB (Oregon State)
- Rene Konga, DL (Louisville)
- Donaven McCulley, WR (Michigan)
- Rodney McGraw, EDGE (Western Michigan)
- Louis Moore, S (Indiana)
- Le’Veon Moss, RB (Texas A&M)
- Mason Reiger, EDGE (Wisconsin)
- Kahlil Saunders, DL (Kentucky)
Mason Reiger was among the players to earn some notable guarantees from the Dolphins. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the rookie edge defender got a $25K signing bonus along with $150K of his base salary guaranteed. Reiger spent three seasons at Louisville to begin his college career. He sat out the 2024 campaign due to injury before transferring to Wisconsin for his senior season. He finished this past year with five sacks and six tackles for loss.
Mark Gronowski was one of the best QBs in the FCS during his time at South Dakota State, where he won a pair of National Championships and earned a pair of Offensive Player of the Year awards. He transferred to Iowa for the 2025 campaign and got the starting spot, and he held his own against better competition. Gronowski finished this past year having completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,741 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also compiled 545 yards and a conference-leading 16 touchdowns on the ground.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/11/26
Today’s draft pick signings:
Detroit Lions
- EDGE Derrick Moore (second round, Michigan)
- LB Jimmy Rolder (fourth round, Michigan)
- CB Keith Abney II (fifth round, Arizona State)
- WR Kendrick Law (fifth round, Kentucky)
- DT Skyler Gill-Howard (sixth round, Texas Tech)
- DT Tyre West (seventh round, Tennessee)
Houston Texans
- S Kamari Ramsey (fifth round, USC)
- WR Lewis Bond (sixth round, Boston College)
- LB Aiden Fisher (seventh round, Indiana)
Los Angeles Chargers
- C Jake Slaughter (second round, Florida)
Los Angeles Rams
- OT Keagen Trost (third round, Missouri)
- WR CJ Daniels (sixth round, Miami)
New York Giants
- CB Colton Hood (second round, Tennessee)