Minor NFL Transactions: 5/3/21
Today’s minor moves:
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: RB Paul Perkins
New York Jets
- Released: DL John Daka
Washington Football Team
- Released: WR Trevor Davis, WR Jeff Badet
Falcons Pick Up Calvin Ridley’s Option
The Falcons have exercised Calvin Ridley’s fifth-year option for the 2022 season, per a club announcement. The wide receiver is now set to earn $11.116MM in his additional year. 
Atlanta said no to Hayden Hurst‘s 2022 option, but Ridley was an easy choice. Last year, Ridley set new career watermarks with 90 grabs for 1,374 yards. The former No. 26 overall pick also found pay dirt nine times. In an otherwise trying year for the Falcons, Ridley was a bright spot. All in all, he’s got 217 catches, 3,061 yards, and 26 touchdowns to his credit.
Now, Ridley could be in line for an even larger role, depending on what the Falcons do with longtime star Julio Jones. As they work their way through a tough cap situation, new GM Terry Fontenot says that he’ll “have to listen” to trade inquiries.
Steelers Decline Terrell Edmunds’ Option
On Monday morning, the Bills picked up Tremaine Edmunds‘ fifth-year option. However, the Steelers won’t do the same for his older bro. Pittsburgh has declined the fifth-year option for safety Terrell Edmunds (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 
Edmunds’ fifth-year would have cost a fully-guaranteed $6.753MM. Apparently, that was too steep for the Steelers, even though Edmunds has been improving with each year. All in all, he’s suited up in 47 games for the Steelers with 43 starts. Last year, he finished with two interceptions, eight passes defensed, and one sack.
Edmunds is now the third Steeler to have his extra year turned down, following older first-rounders Jarvis Jones and Artie Burns. Meanwhile, they’ve already exercised Minkah Fitzpatrick’s option, locking him in for $10.6MM in 2022.
Seahawks Decline Rashaad Penny’s Option
The Seahawks will decline Rashaad Penny‘s fifth-year option (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). This was the expected move as the running back was limited to just three games in 2020.
Penny, the No. 27 overall pick in 2018, finished last year with just eleven carries for 34 yards. He spent much of the year on IR and, in the two previous years, he didn’t do much to justify his draft status. Exercising Penny’s option would have meant a $4.523MM salary in 2022. Furthermore, that sum would have been fully guaranteed, per the league’s new rules for the fifth-year option for first-round picks.
While on the field, Penny has at least looked the part of a decent backup. In his first two seasons, Penny took 150 carries for 789 yards (5.3 yards per attempt) and five touchdowns. He also added 17 receptions for 158 yards and one score. Now, he’ll look to reassert himself alongside Chris Carson, Travis Homer, and DeeJay Dallas.
Bills Pick Up Options For Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds
No surprise here. The Bills have picked up the fifth-year options on quarterback Josh Allen and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, per a club announcement. 
Allen, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 draft, is now set to make $23.106MM in 2022. Edmunds, the No. 16 choice in the same class, will earn a salary of $12.716MM. The Bills didn’t have to stress over either decision, though negotiating Allen’s next deal may be a bit trickier.
“Josh and I have spoken,” Beane said recently. “We’d love to get Josh extended, but it has to be a number that works for him and us. We’re all on same page. Josh wants to be here. That gives me hope we’ll get something done at some point. Can’t guarantee it’ll be this year.”
Clearly, there’s mutual interest in a longer arrangement, but Allen has serious leverage. His breakout 2020 saw 13 wins for the Bills, transforming him into an MVP candidate. Allen finished the year with a 69.2-percent completion rate, 4,544 yards, 30 touchdowns, and ten interception. And, for good measure, he added another 421 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Thanks in large part to Allen, the Bills reached the AFC Championship Game, their first appearance since 1993.
Falcons To Decline Hayden Hurst’s Option
The Falcons will not exercise the fifth-year option on tight end Hayden Hurst (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). Hurst, a 2018 draft pick of the Ravens, is now on track for free agency in 2022. 
The Falcons traded for Hurst last spring just after Austin Hooper left in free agency. In exchange, the Falcons sent second and fifth round picks to Baltimore while receiving a fourth-round pick along with Hurst.
Hurst immediately took a backseat to Mark Andrews — a third-rounder — in 2018. He missed the early part of his rookie season with a stress fracture in his foot and the injury nagged him even after his return. Hurst ended up catching only 13 passes for 163 yards that year. In 2019, he fared a bit better — 30 catches for 349 yards and two touchdowns.
This past year, the South Carolina product had the best statistical season of his career with 56 grabs for 571 yards and six scores, However, the Falcons are now set to install Kyle Pitts as their top TE, making Hurst expendable.
Had they picked up his option, Hurst would have made $5.428MM in 2022.
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.
Jets Sign 9 UDFAs
The Jets just made 10 draft picks, and now they’ve added nine undrafted rookies. The following players make up New York’s first UDFA class of the Robert Saleh era, via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter link).
- Isaiah Dunn, CB (Oregon State)
- Michael Dwumfour, DT (Rutgers)
- Brendon White, S (Rutgers)
- Kenny Yeboah, TE (Ole Miss)
- Hamilcar Rashed, DE (Oregon State)
- Teton Saltes, OL (New Mexico)
- Milo Eifler, LB (Illinois)
- Tristen Hoge, OL (BYU)
- Grant Hermanns, OT (Purdue)
- Parker Ferguson, OT (Air Force)
- Chris Naggar, K (SMU)
- Jordyn Peters, S (Auburn)
The Jets clearly had competition for Yeboah. New York gave him a whopping $200K in guaranteed money with a $20K signing bonus and $180K base salary guarantee, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets. Chris Herndon led the Jets’ tight ends with 287 yards in 16 games last year, so it’s not surprising to see them taking flyers like this. Yeboah had 524 yards and six touchdowns in only seven games for Ole Miss in 2020.
The team also gave Dunn $185K guaranteed, Aaron Wilson tweets. Wilson reports it’s the biggest guarantee ever for an undrafted cornerback. They also gave Saltes $93K guaranteed, Wilson tweets.
With only Chase McLaughlin and Sam Ficken on the roster the Jets don’t have a firmly entrenched kicker, so Naggar could have a real shot at winning the job. He’s got a video on Twitter of him hitting a 71-yarder.
Rams Sign 9 UDFAs
The Rams had nine picks in this weekend’s draft, but three of them were seventh-rounders and only one was in the first 100 picks. As such, their undrafted free agent class should have plenty of opportunities to make good impressions. Los Angeles became the latest team to announce their group on Sunday, inking the following nine rookies to deals:
- Landen Akers, WR (Iowa State)
- Alaric Jackson, OT (Iowa)
- Paris Ford, S (Pittsburgh)
- Jovan Grant, S (Merrimack College)
- Jeremiah Haydel, WR (Texas State)
- Jordan Meredith, OL (Western Kentucky)
- Max Roberts, OLB (Boston College)
- George Silvanic, DT (Air Force)
- Troy Warner, S (BYU)
The Rams surprised everybody by drafting three receivers, but that didn’t stop them from signing another two. The fact they signed three safeties would seem to indicate one of those guys has a decent chance of cracking the roster. Warner might have a real shot since Aaron Wilson tweets that he got a $12.5K signing bonus. He’s also the brother of star 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, who the Rams are quite familiar with.
Jackson got a $20K signing bonus, Wilson tweets, and since the Rams also shocked everybody by not drafting an offensive lineman, he could gave a good chance as well. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection this past year, and started 42 games at left tackle for Iowa. He was a projected sixth-round pick by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
Cowboys Sign 13 UDFAs
The Cowboys became the latest team to set their UDFA class on Sunday. Dallas agreed to terms with the following 13 undrafted rookies, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
- JaQuan Hardy, RB (Tiffin)
- Brenden Knox, RB (Marshall)
- Nick Ralston, FB (Louisiana)
- Brennan Eagles, WR (Texas)
- Osirus Mitchell, WR (Mississippi State)
- Brandon Smith, WR (Iowa)
- T.J. Vasher, WR (Texas Tech)
- Nick Eubanks, TE (Michigan)
- Artayvious Lynn, TE (TCU)
- Braylon Jones, G/C (Houston)
- Austin Faoliu, DT (Oregon)
- Anthony Hines, LB (Texas A&M)
- Tyler Coyle, S (Purdue)
After using eight of their 11 draft picks to address the defense, the Cowboys clearly intended to load up their UDFA class with skill position guys. Of those receivers it would appear Smith has the best chance of cracking the roster, since the Cowboys gave him $132K in guaranteed money, Aaron Wilson tweets. He got $120K in guaranteed salary and a $12K signing bonus.
Smith never put up huge numbers in the Big Ten, and only had 23 catches for 231 yards in seven games last year, but Dallas thinks he has some potential. Hines, the linebacker from Texas A&M, got $55K guaranteed, Wilson tweets. Hines only played in one game in 2018 due to injury, returned with a solid 2019 season when he had 10.5 tackles for loss, and then opted out of the 2020 campaign. He has impressive burst and athletic ability, but has below average instincts and often has poor tackling form, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com writes.