Titans To Sign Tedric Thompson
Another veteran defender is getting signed. Free agent safety Tedric Thompson has agreed to terms on a deal with the Titans, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
A fourth-round pick of the Seahawks back in 2017, Thompson spent his first three years in Seattle. He became a starter for them in his second season, and started 10 games in 2018. He entered 2019 as a starter, but missed over half the season after going down with a shoulder injury after six games.
Despite starting 16 games over those two seasons, Thompson was cut in March of 2020 after they failed to find a trade partner. For what it’s worth, he received very poor marks from Pro Football Focus during that 2019 campaign, and the team’s secondary improved after he left the lineup.
Thompson latched on with the Chiefs, but was cut after appearing in eight games with no starts. He then had brief stints with the Browns and Broncos, who cut him over the weekend. It didn’t take him too long to land on his feet. The secondary was a weakness for Tennessee last season, and they made overhauling it a priority.
They added high profile corners like Janoris Jenkins and first-rounder Caleb Farley, and are now adding a depth piece at safety. Thompson turned 26 in January.
49ers To Sign Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Veteran safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix auditioned for the 49ers yesterday, and it apparently went well. He’ll be signing a deal with San Francisco, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Clinton-Dix also had a workout with the Colts last week, and tried out for the Panthers back in June. Now with training camps well underway, he finally found a home. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan “did not sound optimistic” when discussing the health of fellow safety Jaquiski Tartt yesterday, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports tweets, which could help explain this signing.
Tartt is still recovering from a turf toe injury he suffered last season. The 21st overall pick of the 2014 draft, Clinton-Dix spent his first five pro seasons in Green Bay. He made the Pro Bowl, and was a second-team All-Pro, with the Packers in 2016. Traded to Washington midway through the 2018 campaign for a fourth-round pick, he then was with Chicago in 2019 where he started all 16 games.
Even though he had started 16 games for five straight seasons he didn’t have a super hot market last offseason, eventually signing a one-year, $3.75MM deal with Dallas. Despite having a couple million in guarantees the Cowboys cut him right before the start of the season and he spent the rest of the year out of football.
Clinton-Dix is still only 28, so he should be in good shape physically. It’s not a bad depth signing at this stage in the process for the 49ers.
49ers Cut Kevin White, Sign Donald Payne
The 49ers have released wide receiver Kevin White, per a club announcement. In a corresponding move, they’ve added linebacker Donald Payne to their offseason roster.
[RELATED: 49ers Working Out Clinton-Dix, McDougald]
White, a former No. 7 overall pick by the Bears, came out of West Virginia in 2015 with tons of hype. Unfortunately, injuries have limited him to just 17 games since then. Even though the Niners were decimated by injuries last year, White was jockeyed on and off the roster last year. He appeared in three games for SF in 2020 without recording an official statistic. For his career, White has 25 catches for 285 yards and zero touchdowns.
The 49ers will move ahead with Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel as their leading receivers, plus support from Trent Sherfield, Mohamed Sanu, Jauan Jennings, and others vying for the final WR spots on the depth chart. White was near the bottom of the team’s ~12 WR hopefuls in camp, so his release doesn’t come as a huge surprise.
Payne, meanwhile, has not seen live action since he was with the Jaguars in 2019. That year, he recorded 61 total tackles with one sack, one pass defensed, and one fumble recovery.
Panthers Sign LB Josh Bynes
The Panthers have signed linebacker Josh Bynes, per a club announcement. To make room on the roster, the Panthers released safety Lano Hill. 
Bynes was one of a handful of veterans the Ravens added to their defense in the middle of the 2019 season. In 2019, he recorded 46 tackles, a sack, and two interceptions, and Pro Football Focus gave him high marks for his coverage and run-stopping abilities.
After helping to stabilize Baltimore’s front seven, the Bengals picked him up last year and made him a first-stringer for all 16 games. Bynes finished out 2020 with some of the best numbers of his career — 99 tackles, a sack, and two passes defensed.
Bynes, 32 later this month, isn’t an elite stopper, but he could provide valuable veteran experience for the Panthers. He’s got 117 career appearances under his belt and a championship ring on his finger after securing the final tackle of Super Bowl XLVII.
Seahawks Cut Aldon Smith
The Seahawks have released defensive end Aldon Smith (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). He’ll be a full fledged free agent this week, but his off-the-field situation and conditioning might keep him off the field for a while. 
Smith joined the Seahawks in April but was booked on a battery charge just days later. On top of that, Smith wasn’t in good enough shape to participate in minicamp this summer. The Seahawks were disappointed to say the least – Smith could have been a valuable addition to the front seven at a reasonable rate. His one-year deal was worth only $1.12MM with just $137K guaranteed.
With the former All-Pro edge defender out of the picture, the Seahawks will move forward with Carlos Dunlap, Benson Mayowa, and former 49er Kerry Hyder. They’ve also got former first-round pick L.J. Collier to help at defensive end.
Smith seemed to be on the right track after starting in all 16 games for the Cowboys last season. After missing full four years due to suspension, he finished out with five sacks, two fumble recoveries, and 14 quarterback hits.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/11/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Javon Leake
- Waived: RB Michael Warren
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Bradley Roby
- Waived: WR Damon Hazelton
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DL Ethan Westbrooks
- Waived: DB Shaun Crawford
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed off waivers from Cardinals: OT Ryan Pope
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Willie Henry, DT Elijah Qualls
- Waived: DL R.J. McIntosh, LB Cale Garrett, WR Derrick Dillon
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Lakiem Williams
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Gabe Holmes
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/21
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Demetrius Harris, DL Margus Hunt, DL Josh Mauro
- Waived: TE Cary Angeline, S Jamal Carter, OT Ryan Pope, CB Donald Rutledge
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from NFI list: DE Jerry Hughes
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Marquel Lee
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: FB Mikey Daniel
Chicago Bears
- Activated from NFI list: S Eddie Jackson
Houston Texans
- Claimed (from Lions): C Drake Jackson
- Signed: RB Darius Jackson
- Waived: LS Mitchell Fraboni
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: QB Case Cookus
- Waived: WR Trey Quinn
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed (from Falcons): CB Tyler Hall
- Waived: DB Jovan Grant, K Brandon Wright
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Kellen Mond
New England Patriots
- Signed: S Malik Gant
- Waived: RB Tyler Gaffney
New York Giants
- Re-signed: LB Ryan Anderson
- Waived: TE Tommy Stevens
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed (from Panthers): WR Marken Michel
- Waived/injured: WR Michael Walker
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: G Anthony Coyle
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Shilique Calhoun, CB Alexander Myres
- Waived: CB Mark Fields, OT Isaiah Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OT Kukayus McNeil, WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams
- Waived: TE Michael Jacobson, WR Darece Roberson
Tennessee Titans
- Waived/injured: TE Donnie Ernsberger
Cardinals To Add DL Jack Crawford
Jack Crawford is now on track to play a 10th NFL season. The Cardinals are signing the veteran defensive lineman, according to his agency (on Twitter).
The 32-year-old D-lineman spent the 2020 season with the Titans, with whom he played 16 games. Originally a Raiders fifth-round pick back in 2012, Crawford has also spent time with the Cowboys and Falcons.
Arizona has now bolstered its defensive line with a few vets this year. While J.J. Watt was the team’s big-ticket move, the Cards also brought back Corey Peters. The team still has Jordan Phillips on its roster as well; Phillips suffered a season-ending injury last November but will be on track to contribute alongside Watt and Co. this season.
Crawford started nine games for a woeful Titans defense, registering two sacks in 2020. He has 18 for his career; six of those came for the 2018 Falcons. Crawford was a primary starter for a Cowboys team that earned the NFC’s top seed in 2016 and has managed to land a few free agency deals since his Dallas tenure ended after that season. Having lined up inside and on the edge in recent years, Crawford offers some versatility. That said, Pro Football Focus has graded his past two seasons poorly.
Lions Sign K Zane Gonzalez
After losing longtime kicker Matt Prater to the Cardinals in free agency, the Lions have added Arizona’s previous kicker. Zane Gonzalez agreed to a one-year deal with the Lions on Tuesday, according to his agency (Twitter link).
Detroit used Prater as its kicker from 2014-20, but he left for Arizona in March. The Lions signed former Bengals specialist Randy Bullock, but they have now added some veteran competition.
Gonzalez, 26, kicked for the Cardinals from 2018-20, catching on in the desert after the Browns cut him early in the 2018 season. The former seventh-round Browns pick fared well in 2019, making more than 86% of his field goal tries. Last season, Gonzalez was less effective (73%) and played a role in the Cards’ late-season swoon. He missed a 45-yard field goal in a three-point loss to the Patriots and saw another game-tying try — a 49-yarder — fall short of the uprights in a three-point loss to the Dolphins.
Bullock, 31, is a nine-year veteran who spent the past four years as the Bengals’ kicker. To make room for Gonzalez on their roster, the Lions are waiving kicker Matthew Wright, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
Saints CB Patrick Robinson To Retire
Patrick Robinson will stop short of playing a 12th NFL season. Midway through training camp, the veteran cornerback has told the Saints he plans to retire, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Robinson, 33, was going into the final year of his contract.
Like Malcolm Jenkins, Robinson entered the NFL as a Saints first-round pick who ended up playing a major role on the Eagles’ 2017 Super Bowl-winning team. Both DBs migrated back to New Orleans. While Jenkins continued to see steady time in his second Saints stint, Robinson became a part-timer. His exit will nonetheless strip the Saints of another veteran corner. The team released previous starter Janoris Jenkins earlier this year.
Robinson saw considerably more time during his first Saints go-round, playing five seasons with the team to start the 2010s. The 2010 first-rounder then made his way to the Chargers and Colts in consecutive years, before landing with the Eagles on one-year contract — his third straight — in 2017.
Robinson manned the slot in Philadelphia and joined Jenkins in helping the team upset the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. The 5-foot-11 defender finished his age-30 season with four interceptions and graded as the league’s No. 6 overall cornerback that season, per Pro Football Focus. He added a pick-six in the Eagles’ NFC championship game rout against the Vikings.
The veteran parlayed that standout season into a four-year, $20MM deal to return to New Orleans. However, a broken ankle three games into the 2018 season sidetracked Robinson’s return. Although the Saints kept him on their roster in 2019 and 2020, Robinson topped out at just a 24% snap rate — in 2020 — during his second New Orleans tenure. He was a healthy scratch in the Saints’ divisional-round loss to the Buccaneers. The 11-year vet wraps his career with 16 interceptions — including a 99-yard pick-six in 2012 — and 83 passes defensed in 123 games.
The Saints have been on the lookout for cornerback help this offseason, attempting to trade up for Jaycee Horn or Patrick Surtain II and now being linked to Jaguars 2020 first-rounder C.J. Henderson. Robinson’s retirement underscores the team’s need at the position.