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Titans Sign 14 UDFAs

May 7th, 2020 at 11:52am CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, the Titans officially welcomed 14 undrafted rookies to the fold:

Kinsey didn’t garner tons of attention out of Division III Berry College, but he did rack up 3,300+ receiving yards and 50 touchdowns over the course of his career in the Southern Athletic Association. Smith, a defensive tackle out of South Carolina, had more eyeballs on him as he lined up next to Javon Kinlaw. Over the course of his 48-game run with the Gamecocks, Smith tallied seven tackles for a loss.

Garrett is one of the more interesting names on this list – he lost the bulk of his final season with a pectoral tear, but he still managed three interceptions and three defensive touchdowns in five games.

Meanwhile, the Titans are reportedly still in the mix for Jadeveon Clowney. However, we learned this week that they may have some new competition with interest from the Eagles and Ravens.

Raiders To Sign Devontae Booker

May 7th, 2020 at 8:59am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have agreed to sign Devontae Booker, according to Sean Cunningham of ABC 10 (Twitter link). On Thursday morning, the deal was also confirmed by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 

Booker, formerly of the Broncos, will look to stick as a backup to Josh Jacobs. The Raiders also have third-round rookie Lynn Bowden on hand, so there are no more than two spots up for grabs on their RB depth chart. Jalen Richard and Rod Smith are also vying for their spots.

Booker was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2016 draft and went on to have an inconsistent run with the Broncos. As a rookie, he started in six games and finished out with 31 catches and 877 all-purpose yards. After that, he continued to play a role on passing downs, but his workload fluctuated over time and his carries dwindled. Last year, Booker suited up for all 16 games, but finished out with just two totes and six catches.By comparison, he had 105 catches and 289 carries from 2016-2018.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/6/20

May 6th, 2020 at 5:44pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s late-round signings here:

  • The Dolphins signed fourth-round offensive lineman Solomon Kindley, according to a team press release. Kindley, a redshirt junior out of Georgia, was able to make up for his so-so technique with 330+ pounds of bulk and a hard-nosed approach in the trenches. At the pro level, he’ll need some serious seasoning before becoming a regular. On the plus side, he held his own against South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw last year; Kinlaw was selected No. 14 overall by the Niners for his ability to overwhelm most offensive linemen. As the No. 111 overall pick, Kindley will collect roughly $4.1MM over the course of his four-year deal.

Ravens Sign Three NFL Draft Picks

May 6th, 2020 at 5:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens are working fast to get their 2020 NFL Draft class under contract. One day after inking fifth-round pick Broderick Washington, they’ve signed third-round defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, fourth-round guard Ben Bredeson, and sixth-round wide receiver James Proche. 

[RELATED: Ravens Discussing Extensions With Matthew Judon, Ron Stanley]

Madubuike, who stands at 6’3″ weighs in at 304 pounds, led the Aggies with 11.5 tackles for loss last year, plus 5.5 sacks and seven quarterback hurries. He also recorded his first interception in a win over Arkansas.

He doesn’t have ideal size for the interior line, but he does have better-than-average speed for the position, plus solid moves to shed blocks. Evaluators also see pass rushing potential in Madubuike, thanks in part to his larger-than-expected wingspan.

The Ravens’ 3-4 scheme will feature defensive tackle Derek Wolfe, nose tackle Brandon Williams, and veteran defensive end Calais Campbell up front. Madubuike figures to see time as well, but he’ll be eased into things as a rookie. Ditto for Bredeson, though he’ll also be behind third-round lineman Tyre Phillips, who will be moved from the outside to the interior.

Patriots Sign Second-Round Pick Josh Uche

May 6th, 2020 at 1:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Josh Uche is now officially a member of the Patriots. On Wednesday, the second-round linebacker inked his rookie contract, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. 

Uche notched 8.5 sacks in 2019 to lead the Wolverines in the category for yet another year. Pro Football Focus had him rated as one of the very best in the nation at generating pressure and that was further evidenced by his 11.5 tackles for loss.

Leading up to the draft, there was some concern about Uche’s size for the NFL level and some evaluators wondered whether he could last as a linebacker. That didn’t ward off the Patriots, who saw him power through blocks over and over in his highlight reel. Uche isn’t the biggest ‘backer out there, but he seems to find a way. Just ask first-round tackle Jedrick Wills:

“It was Josh Uche,” said Wills when asked to name his toughest matchup in college (video link). “He was a really good pass rusher. Has some counter moves, some speed to him. So it was a good matchup that I went against.”

With the No. 60 overall pick signed, the Patriots have many more deals to go. Here’s the full rundown of the Patriots’ draft class, via PFR’s team-by-team tracker:

2-37: Kyle Dugger, S (Lenoir-Rhyne)
2-60: Josh Uche, LB (Michigan): Signed
3-87: Anfernee Jennings, OLB (Alabama)
3-91: Devin Asiasi, TE (UCLA)
3-101: Dalton Keene, TE (Virginia Tech)
5-159: Justin Rohrwasser, K (Marshall)
6-182: Michael Onwenu, G (Michigan)
6-195: Justin Herron, T (Wake Forest)
6-204: Cassh Maluia, LB (Wyoming)
7-230: Dustin Woodard, C (Memphis)

Cowboys To Sign Cameron Erving

May 6th, 2020 at 1:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have agreed to a one-year deal with Cameron Erving, according to a source who spoke with Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The deal with the former Chiefs offensive lineman will be totally finalized with a passed physical. 

Erving saw his playing time dip towards the end of the 2019 season, but he did take the field for KC’s Super Bowl victory in February. He came to the Chiefs by way of a trade with the Browns in 2017. In 2018, he started in 13 of his 14 games for his new club. After the season, he inked a brand new two-year deal, though the Chiefs did not exercise his option for 2020.

Erving’s versatility should be a major plus for the Cowboys. With experience at tackle, guard, and center, Erving could theoretically backstop the offensive line at all five spots. He may also get a chance to compete for the starting center job. Currently, the Cowboys have Joe Looney, Connor McGovern, and Connor Williams vying for the gig.

With that said, head coach Mike McCarthy said in April that he was comfortable with his in-house center options.

“I think Travis [Frederick] is a player that’s had a great career,” McCarthy said. “But when we look at our current depth with the offensive line, you start off with Joe Looney and the two Connors. I think we’ve got great competition, great depth…I think the fact that we have that much experience with the veteran group that we have here, I feel very good about moving forward.”

Redskins To Sign Mike Liedtke

May 6th, 2020 at 12:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins have agreed to sign offensive lineman Mike Liedtke, according to agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link). The 28-year-old was non-tendered by the Bucs earlier this year, making him a free agent.

[RELATED: Redskins Decline Reuben Foster’s Option]

The deal marks Liedtke’s sixth NFL stop, though it’s his first in the NFC East. The 28-year-old spent 2016-2019 with the Bucs, bouncing between the active roster and practice squad. In 2018, he suited up for a career-high nine. He missed the entire 2019 campaign thanks to shoulder surgery, but he was reportedly near 100% health at the time of the non-tender in March.

Liedtke went undrafted out of Illinois State in 2015 but went on to spend time with the Dolphins, Chiefs, Jets, Browns, and Bucs. With the Redskins, he’ll try to find a spot behind Brandon Scherff, Morgan Moses, Wes Schweitzer, and the rest of the O-Linemen in D.C.

Without Trent Williams on the field last year, the Redskins’ front five surrendered the fifth-highest sack total in the NFL. Now, after trading Williams in San Francisco, they’ll have to find ways to protect the pocket and create running lanes with what they’ve got. Fourth-round tackle Saahdiq Charles may help on the outside, though he’ll have to work on his overall strength before making a dent at the pro level.

Raiders Waive QB DeShone Kizer

May 5th, 2020 at 3:48pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders will cut quarterback DeShone Kizer, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). With that, Kizer will hit the waiver wire, where the Bengals hold the top priority. 

[RELATED: Raiders Sign Sam Young]

A second-round selection in 2017, Kizer was pegged as a green talent that had high upside. Unfortunately for him, he was taken by the Browns, who proceeded to lose every game that season. At year’s end, he was shipped to Green Bay. Last year, the Packers dropped him before the final cut to 53, leading him to the Raiders. Unless he circles back to the Packers or Browns, he’ll join the fourth team of his NFL career.

Kizer is still only 24, but Jon Gruden & Co. didn’t see a place for him on the roster with Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota, and Nathan Peterman already in the QB room. Mariota, who joined on a two-year, $17.6MM deal, will be one freak or blown play away from taking the field in Las Vegas. Peterman, who was retained with a $2MM+ tender as a restricted free agent, figures to be the QB3.

Kizer has made 18 appearances over the course of his NFL career, most of which came during the Browns’ winless season. All in all, he’s got eleven touchdowns against 24 interceptions.

In addition to Kizer, the Raiders have also waived tight end Paul Butler, defensive end Kendall Donnerson, offensive lineman Kyle Kalis, and linebackers Te’Von Coney and Quentin Poling.

Broderick Washington Inks Ravens Deal

May 5th, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Defensive tackle Broderick Washington was the 170th player selected in this year’s NFL Draft. Today, he became the first place to formally sign his rookie deal, per an announcement from the Ravens. 

[RELATED: Ravens Re-Sign Pernell McPhee]

The Texas Tech product will receive a four-year pact worth roughly $3.6MM, according to Over The Cap‘s slot estimates. For reference, Ravens first-round linebacker Patrick Queen – taken with the No. 28 overall pick – is set to earn $12.16MM over the same four year period. And, in case you were wondering, No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow will collect $36.2MM on his rookie deal with the Bengals.

Washington was taken two rounds after Texas A&M’s Justin Madubuike to further strengthen the Ravens’ interior line. The Ravens see the 6’2″, 305-pound lineman as a solid run stuffer who can help them beef up in the trenches.

With Washington signed, we’ll be waiting on the signings of 254 more NFL Draft picks. To spare your Twitter feed, we’ll group most of these signings in daily posts here at Pro Football Rumors. For first-rounders and other notable signings, we’ll provide a more detailed breakdown.

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