Chargers, Asante Samuel Jr. Agree To Deal
The Chargers have agreed to terms with second-round pick Asante Samuel Jr. (Twitter link via agent David Canter). Per the terms of his slot, the Florida State cornerback will earn just over $7MM on his four-year deal. 
The Bolts nabbed Samuel at No. 47 overall, though he was projected by many to go in the first round. Samuel’s lack of size may have hurt his stock, but he was a first-team All-ACC selection last year with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries in just eight games. And, in 2019, he notched 14 passes defensed.
Now, he figures to be a key part of Brandon Staley’s first Chargers defense, especially with Casey Hayward out of the picture. Meanwhile, he’ll also learn from fellow FSU alum Derwin James.
With one down, the Chargers still have eight more draft picks to sign:
- Round 1: No. 13 Rashawn Slater, OT (Northwestern)
- Round 3: No. 77 Josh Palmer, WR (Tennessee)
- Round 3: No. 97 Tre’ McKitty, TE (Georgia)
- Round 4: No. 118 Chris Rumph II, LB (Duke)
- Round 5: No. 159 Brendan James, OT (Nebraska)
- Round 6: No. 185 (from Jaguars through Titans) Nick Niemann, LB (Iowa)
- Round 6: No. 198 Larry Rountree III, RB (Missouri)
- Round 7: No. 241 Mark Webb, S (Georgia)
WFT To Sign Charles Leno
The Washington Football Team has agreed to sign former Bears left tackle Charles Leno (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Once finalized, it’ll be a one-year deal for $5MM. 
The Bears cut Leno earlier this month after investing a second-round pick in tackle Teven Jenkins. Washington, meanwhile, chose Texas tackle Samuel Cosmi in Round 2. Cosmi may be the long-term solution at LT, but they’ll ease him into the role with Leno as the stopgap starter.
Washington hasn’t had a solid left tackle since things went south with Trent Williams. Leno isn’t on Williams’ level, but he has been an LT starter for the past six seasons, serving as Chicago’s blindside protector from 2015-20. Pro Football Focus graded Leno as a top-25 tackle in three of the past four seasons, including the 2020 season. He’s durable, too; Leno hasn’t missed a game since his rookie year.
The Broncos also had Leno on their radar as they look to replace the injured Ja’Wuan James. Now, they’ll consider other veterans such asBobby Massie, Dennis Kelly, Jermaine Eluemunor and Cameron Fleming.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/11/21
We’ll keep track of today’s late-round signings here:
Denver Broncos
- S Caden Sterns (fifth round; Texas)
New England Patriots
- OL William Sherman (sixth round; Colorado)
- WR Tre Nixon (seventh round; Central Florida)
Chiefs’ Andrew Wylie Signs RFA Tender
Much has changed on the Chiefs’ offensive line since Andrew Wylie suited up for Super Bowl LV. Despite the team’s near-complete overhaul up front, Wylie will be back in the fold.
The three-year veteran signed his restricted free agent tender Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Barring an extension, Wylie will earn $2.133MM this season. The Chiefs gave Wylie an original-round tender in March.
Since extending that tender offer, the AFC champions have been busy up front. While Wylie has been a primary guard starter in each of his three Chiefs seasons, the team gave Joe Thuney a guard-record contract and brought former Pro Bowler Kyle Long out of retirement. Longtime right guard starter Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is also expected to play in 2021. A doctor, Duvernay-Tardif was the first NFLer to opt out of last season; he focused on his other career amid the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chiefs also drafted Tennessee prospect Trey Smith in Round 6. Smith was widely viewed as a player whose talent warranted a higher-round selection, but medical red flags pushed him down the draft board.
While each of these non-Thuney cogs bring some uncertainty, the Chiefs have beefed up this position considerably this offseason. Wylie, 26, has started 35 games as a pro. Pro Football Focus graded the Eastern Michigan product as a top-30 guard in 2018 and ’19 but slotted him near the bottom at the position last season.
The Chiefs plugged Wylie in at right tackle for Super Bowl LV, following Eric Fisher‘s Achilles tear. That did not go well. But Wylie will have an opportunity to re-establish his value in 2021, ahead of a potential unrestricted free agency bid next year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/11/21
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: K Matt McCrane
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: LB Anthony Butler
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Caleb Scott
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed (from Titans): LS Matthew Orzech
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Trill Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Calvin Bundage
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Quenton Meeks
Colts To Sign DT Antwaun Woods
Shortly after the Cowboys made Antwaun Woods a post-draft cut, he booked a Colts visit. That meeting will lead to a deal. The Colts and Woods agreed to terms on a one-year contract Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Woods met with the Colts on Monday and will now be in line to provide depth for Indianapolis’ DeForest Buckner-led D-tackle crew. Woods has been a starter for multiple seasons, working as such 32 times for the Cowboys from 2018-20.
While Woods’ time in Dallas did not overlap with Colts DC Matt Eberflus‘, with the former Titans UDFA landing in Texas in 2018, the 318-pound defender will be tasked with helping Eberflus’ Indianapolis unit. Buckner and Grover Stewart serve as the Colts’ first-string defensive tackles, but versatile performer Denico Autry left in free agency. Woods, 28, has more experience than Indianapolis’ other inside rotational options.
The Colts did draft a player who profiles as an inside defender this year, or a cog that could see time at both end and tackle, in second-rounder Dayo Odeyingbo. But the 6-foot-6 Vanderbilt product suffered an Achilles tear in January and may not play until 2022. In the meantime, Woods will aim to help. He did finish outside Pro Football Focus’ top 80 interior defenders last season, but the Colts likely hold a different view of his capabilities.
Broncos To Sign OT Ryan Pope
The Broncos are set to sign offensive tackle Ryan Pope (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Pope agreed to terms shortly after his Tuesday workout, though the team will still consider other options after their Wednesday session.
Dennis Kelly, Cameron Fleming, and Bobby Massie are among the veteran tackles who will audition for the Broncos this week. The team has cast a wide net ever since Ja’Wuan James‘ season-ending injury, though they’re unlikely to find a long-term solve at this stage of the offseason. Former Bears starter Charles Leno is also available as of this writing, though he may be ticketed for the Washington Football Team instead.
Pope, a 6’7″, 315-pound blocker, has made the rounds since leaving San Diego State, but he has yet to see live action in the NFL. Last year, he missed the Jaguars’ final cut and spent the bulk of the year on the Packers’ practice squad.
Falcons Cut K Elliott Fry
The Falcons have released kicker Elliott Fry, per a club announcement. Now, Younghoe Koo currently stands as the only kicker on Atlanta’s roster. 
Fry, a South Carolina product, spent time in the short-lived Alliance of American Football before signing a string of NFL deals. After stints with the Bears, Ravens, Panthers, and Buccaneers he joined the Falcons’ taxi squad last year. He appeared in one game, making one field goal plus two extra point tries.
In college, Fry converted on 66 of 88 field goal attempts. He was expected to vie for the Falcons’ job this year, though he was a longshot to beat out Koo. Koo, a 2020 Pro Bowler, nailed 37 of 39 FG tries while nailing 33 of 36 XPs.
Panthers Cut Frank Herron, Sign Two UDFAs
Frank Herron‘s stint with the Panthers lasted less than a month. The Panthers waived the defensive tackle today, per the NFL’s transaction report.
The 26-year-old has bounced around the NFL since going undrafted out of LSU in 2018, spending time with the (inhales) the Patriots, Seahawks, Patriots (second stint), Titans, Lions, Dolphins, Lions (second stint), and Panthers (exhales). Herron has seen time in seven career games, collecting 11 tackles and one tackle for loss.
After spending much of the 2020 season bouncing on and off the Lions active roster (he ultimately saw time in four games), he was let go a final time in early January. Then, in mid-April, he ended up finding his next gig with the Panthers, although he didn’t even make it to training camp with his new squad.
The Panthers likely made this move to carve out some extra roster space, especially after they added two undrafted free agents today. Per the league’s transaction report, the team signed Alabama-Birmingham running back Spencer Brown and Northwestern linebacker Paddy Fisher.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/21
Monday’s minor moves
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: S Saquan Hampton
Washington Football Team
- Waived: TE Marcus Baugh