Broncos Sign 10+ UDFAs
Over the weekend, the Broncos supplemented their draft class by signing eleven undrafted free agents:
- Nolan Laufenberg, G, Air Force
- Adam Prentice, FB, South Carolina
- Warren Jackson, WR, CSU
- Branden Mack, WR, Temple
- DeVontres Dukes, WR, South Florida
- Andre Mintze, OLB, Vanderbilt
- David Curry, LB, Georgia Tech
- Curtis Robinson, LB, Stanford
- Drew Himmelman, OT, Illinois State
- Mac McCain III, CB, North Carolina A&T
- Shaun Beyer, TE, Iowa
[RELATED: Broncos To Split QB Reps 50-50 Between Lock, Bridgewater]
Mintze likely received the top guarantee of the bunch at $85K (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9News). With a bonus that’s roughly 50% of the practice squad base salary, the Broncos seem to like his odds of making the final cut, even though he’s a bit undersized for the position. Mintze impressed scouts at his pro day by running a 4.59-second 40-yard-dash, positioning him as one of the draft’s fastest outside ‘backers. All in all, he totaled 75 stops, 17 TFL, 8.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles across his four years on campus.
Giants Sign 3 UDFAs
On Sunday, the Giants announced that they’ve inked a trio of undrafted free agents. Their three-man class is uncommonly small, but Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter) hears that this will likely represent the entirety of their initial UDFA group. So, barring any unexpected changes, this will be the Giants’ post-draft haul:
[RELATED: NFL Draft Results, Team By Team]
The Giants did not use any of their picks on offensive lineman, so they’re hoping to see some promise out of Heggie and Burton. Burton, once a starting tackle at UCLA, will push for a spot behind Andrew Thomas, Nate Solder, and Matt Peart. Meanwhile, Heggie will look to backstop guards Shane Lemieux and Will Hernandez.
“It’s really apparent we have a little more confidence in our offensive line than you guys do,’’ GM Dave Gettleman said after passing on OLs in the draft (via the New York Post). “We’re happy with the group we have, obviously you’re always trying to get better. You’re not gonna just take a player to take him.’’
Instead, the Giants focused mostly on the other side of the ball, dedicated four of their six picks to the defense.
Steelers Sign 8 UDFAs
The Steelers drafted nine players over the weekend, but they weren’t done shopping. On Sunday, the Steelers announced the signings of eight undrafted free agents:
- WR Rico Bussey (Hawaii)
- WR Isaiah McKoy (Kent State)
- S Lamont Wade (Penn State)
- S Donovan Stiner (Florida)
- CB Shakur Brown (Michigan State)
- CB Mark Gilbert (Duke)
- LB Jamar Watson (Kentucky)
- LB Calvin Bundage (Oklahoma State)
Brown is among the more notable players in this bunch. After earning first-team All-Big Ten honors, Brown declared early with the expectation that’d be selected in Round 4 or 5. Instead, he watched as 250+ players heard their names called. Still, he’s likely secured a better-than-average UDFA signing bonus from the Steelers. Last year, Brown notched five interceptions in just seven games. For his Spartan career, Brown finished with 54 stops, two tackles for a loss, two sacks, 16 pass defenses, and one touchdown across 26 games.
Chargers Announce 10 UDFA Signings
This year’s crop of draftable prospects was said to be on the thin side, so the 2021 class of UDFAs is expected to have even fewer players make the cut than usual. But you never know, and teams still have 90 roster spots they can fill throughout the spring and summer. The Chargers were among the first to announce their UDFA signings:
- Ben DeLuca, DB (Charlotte)
- Jared Goldwire, DL (Louisville)
- Darius Harper, OT (Cincinnati)
- Hunter Kampmoyer, TE (Oregon)
- Alex Kessman, K (Pittsburgh)
- Ryan Langan, LS (Georgia Southern)
- Forrest Merrill, DL (Arkansas State)
- Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB (Oklahoma State)
- Kyle Spalding, OT (San Diego State)
- Elijah Stove, WR (Auburn)
As with most UDFA classes, this one included several notable guarantees. Goldwire received $50K in guaranteed money, while Ogbongbemiga got a $30K guarantee (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). Goldwire earned All-ACC Second Team honors after recording 35 tackles, five TFLs, and two sacks from his nose tackle position, while Ogbongbemiga piled up 180 tackles over the past two seasons and possesses excellent speed.
Stove struggled with injuries in his collegiate career but is quick and has good hands. He caught 44 passes for 359 yards and three scores in his final season at Auburn.
Falcons To Sign UDFA RB Javian Hawkins
The Falcons are revamping their backfield, having added Mike Davis this offseason. Todd Gurley remains unsigned, while the team cut Ito Smith. However, the team’s new regime did not select a running back in this year’s draft.
Atlanta will use undrafted free agency to add here, however. The team agreed to a UDFA deal with Louisville running back Javian Hawkins, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
Hawkins surpassed 1,500 rushing yards for the Cardinals in 2019 and averaged 6.2 per carry as a junior last season. That slate stopped after eight games; Hawkins opted out during the season and declared for the draft. Scouts Inc. viewed Hawkins as a seventh-round-caliber prospect. He will join a Falcons team in a full-on transition at running back.
The top three ball carriers on Atlanta’s 2020 roster — Gurley, Smith and Brian Hill — are no longer with the team. Hill played on an RFA tender last season but has not been signed. Qadree Ollison, a 2019 fifth-round pick, joins Tony Brooks-James behind Davis on Atlanta’s depth chart.
The Falcons’ lack of a draft investment in the position would seemingly open the door for a veteran to complement Davis. A number of high-profile backs — Le’Veon Bell, Adrian Peterson, Duke Johnson and longtime Falcon Devonta Freeman among them — reside in free agency. As it stands now, Hawkins would have a notable opportunity to make the Falcons’ 53-man roster.
QB Feleipe Franks, Falcons Agree To Deal
Two of this year’s six Senior Bowl quarterbacks were not drafted this weekend. Both, however, now have UDFA deals.
Shortly after Jamie Newman agreed to terms with the Eagles, Feleipe Franks chose the Falcons, according to his agency (on Twitter). Like Newman, Franks spent time at two different southeastern programs. He finished his career at Arkansas.
[RELATED: Falcons To Sign A.J. McCarron]
A former Florida recruit, Franks worked as the Gators’ starter as an underclassman. In 2018, he threw 24 touchdown passes compared to just six interceptions. However, an ankle injury ended his 2019 season early. Kyle Trask, who ended up going in the second round to the Buccaneers, took over the Gators’ QB1 role last year. After transferring, Franks threw 17 TD passes and just four INTs in nine Razorbacks games last season.
The Falcons have tripled their quarterback room this week. For months, Matt Ryan resided as the only quarterback on the team’s roster. A.J. McCarron and Franks now join him. The latter will reunite with ex-Florida teammate Kyle Pitts, whom Atlanta selected fourth overall.
Washington To Sign UDFA RB Jaret Patterson
Despite a dominant junior season, Jaret Patterson was not among the running backs selected in this year’s draft. But he has a UDFA deal. The Buffalo prospect agreed to terms with Washington, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The 5-foot-9 back torched MAC competition in 2020, averaging 7.6 yards per carry and clearing the 1,000-yard barrier in just six games. Patterson matched his 19-touchdown output of his sophomore season, doing so in seven fewer games.
Patterson reeled off an eight-touchdown, 409-yard performance against Kent State in 2020. For his career, the productive back totaled 52 rushing TDs and 3,884 yards on the ground in three Buffalo seasons. He will join a Washington team that has been unable to establish backfield continuity in recent years.
While Washington has misfired on a couple of backs over the past several years, the team did do well to identify Antonio Gibson in the 2020 third round. Veterans Peyton Barber, Lamar Miller and J.D. McKissic are also on Washington’s roster, though Gibson profiles as the leader of the team’s 2021 backfield.
Jaguars To Sign UDFA LB Dylan Moses
A former five-star recruit who once projected to be a high draft choice, Dylan Moses was not one of the numerous Alabama starters to hear his name called this weekend. But he agreed to a UDFA deal minutes after the draft’s conclusion.
The Jaguars are signing the former Crimson Tide linebacker, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Moses is coming off knee surgery and will begin his Jacksonville tenure on the team’s NFI list. He will be getting a nice payday for a UDFA, with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweeting that Moses will pocket $70K in guarantees ($50K in guaranteed salary plus a $20K signing bonus).
Moses’ prospects dimmed somewhat after an ACL tear wiped out his 2019 season. However, he returned to action in 2020 and earned first-team All-SEC acclaim. Moses made 76 tackles (six for loss) in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, helping the Crimson Tide to a dominant national championship run. The accomplished defender revealed he played through knee pain as a senior, and the persistent knee trouble certainly affected his draft status.
Urban Meyer‘s first draft running the Jaguars did not include a linebacker. The team has Myles Jack and Joe Schobert returning to reprise their roles as three-down ‘backers. Moses certainly profiles as a flier but one with considerable qualifications, should he be able to overcome his run of knee trouble.
Lions Acquire No. 113 From Browns
After picking at No. 112, the Lions have traded for No. 113. Detroit has acquired the selection from the Browns. The full deal is:
- No. 113, No. 257 to Detroit
- No. 153, 2022 4th to Cleveland
The pick was originally owned by the Panthers.
Detroit has used No. 113 on linebacker Derrick Barnes. The Purdue product earned second-team All-Big Ten honors this past year after finishing with 54 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss.
Titans Acquire No. 109 From Panthers
The Titans have jumped up to No. 109. Tennessee has acquired the early fourth-round selection from the Panthers. Carolina will acquire No. 126, No. 166, and No. 232 from the Titans.
The Titans have used their new selection on wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick. The Louisville product had his best collegiate season in 2020, finishing with 833 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 43 catches. The Titans have been connected to wideouts throughout the pre-draft process, and it was a bit of a surprise when they didn’t add a player at the position through the first two days of the draft.